Hot Date

by Odeena Sabnach

It was the zillionth time the guys were watching Star Wars: Phantom Menace. I knew it. They knew it. Still, they had a great time doing it, and I played along. It was the coolest vacation ever!

And then, something happened. A very reluctant Waspinator came to me and he whispered, "Crab-Bot want to talk to ruler-bot" before taking his rightful place behind the couch. That's how it all started.

~

Rampage was waiting for me anxiously upstairs. I could tell that he had something big on his mind only by the look on his face. Though it was hard to tell, he was actually smiling - and a dreaming smile it was, too.

"Well, what is it?" I asked.

I must say I was a bit curious. When Rampage, of all people, wants to talk to you and he has a smile all over his face, then it's gotta be serious. But nothing in the world could prepare me for what I was about to find out.

"I need your help", Rampage half-pleaded.

I raised an eyebrow. "O... kay?"

He didn't show any signs that he'd like to ellaborate, so I asked, "What with?"

Rampage flinched, sighed once or twice - and then dropped the bomb.

"I think I'm in love."

At that time, I thanked God, Primus or whoever was up there that I was sitting on something. "Come again?"

"I'm... slagit, you heard me!"

"All right, all right, hold your temper", I said, trying my best to stop chuckling. "Who's the unlucky - err, I mean, lucky one?"

Rampage sighed heavily. "It's... well, it's Air Razor. The thing is, I'm sure she doesn't like me at all."

Rampage having sentimental problems. Picture that.

"C'mon, don't worry, Big R. I'm sure she likes you... err... she's just to shy to admit it, yeah..."

"You're just saying that", he said, dead-pan.

"Busted." Suddenly, an idea came to my mind, and I grinned very, very evilly. "I think I have a plan."

Rampage flinched a bit. "Great! What... what plan?"

"First of all, answer this. Who can you trust in our group?"

The answer came instantly. "Nobody but you."

"Great." I sighed. "There's no way you're gonna get to her with that attitude."

"Oh yeah?" he groaned. "Well, what do you suggest then?"

"Like I said, I have a plan, but it involves other guys as well. Now. Who can you trust in our group?"

This time, Rampage frowned thoughtfully. "Well... there's... umm... Rhinox, I guess."

"Good! Anyone else?"

"Umm... Silverbolt?"

"Forever noble, yeah. How about Black Arachnia, too?"

"Sure, OK. And Cheetor."

"And Inferno."

"And Terrosaur."

"And definately Optimus. He's the ace at sentimental stuff."

"Fine. Now you have your little band. Next?"

I grinned. "Next, you just wait here while I go round up the guys. This is gonna be the date of your life, Crab-Legs."

With that, I exited, leaving a very puzzled Rampage behind.

~

I glanced around thoughtfully. The guys Rampage and I had picked made a nice impression, and 'nice' was the keyword in our 'mission'. I cleared my throat.

"I guess you all want to know what's going on."

"We do", Cheetor cut in. Optimus frowned. "Eh, sorry, Big-'Bot."

"All right. But you have to promise not to blow a word of this to everyone."

"A secret! Cool!" Terrosaur shouted.

"Yeah, cool. Keep cool. Um... you better sit down, Silverbolt."

The fuzor blinked at me in puzzlement. "What for?"

"Because this ain't no usual stuff."

Although he still looked puzzled, Silverbolt sat down on a bed. "Now then. Rampage here needs our help. 'Bots - Rapmage is in love."

If you would've dropped the Hiroshima bomb on them, they wouldn't have been more shocked.

"Say... what?" Terrosaur squawked. Cheetor just chuckled.

"Who's the unlucky?" Black Arachnia asked with a grin.

"It's Air Razor. So, not a word of this to Tigatron."

This caused some insane giggles, but eventually the guys cooled down. Rampage looked like he really wanted to take someone apare. I scowled at him, and he reluctantly calmed down.

"I came up with a plan", I went on, doing my best not to giggle as well. "But I'm going to need all of you guys to do this. So, who's in?"

"You're asking us to help Rampage with a sentimental problem." Cheetor's grin was psychotic. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"I'll help", Optimus offered.

"As will we", Silverbolt was speaking for both him and Black Arachnia.

"Anything for you", Terrosaur completed.

Rhinox nodded and he 'hmm'-ed once or twice. Inferno saluted.

"Good, very good. Now listen, and listen good. Here's the plan."

All 'bots closed in, and I started to explain them the latest scheme that was brewing inside my little head.

~

First of all, our plan required Air Razor being alone. Since she was in the kitchen, and Megatron was playing poker there with Skorpinok, Rattrap and Quickstrike, it wasn't going to be an easy job. Heck, all in a day's work.

Phase one: loose the guys. That was simple. I just burst in the kitchen with a desperate look on my face, and immediately got the guys' attention.

"What has happened, yesss?" Megatron asked.

"What happened? WHAT HAPPENED? I'll tell you what happened!" I was pretending to be freaked out to the extreme, and that can be scary. "Some of your guys just blew up an entire damn building, and you ask me what happened?"

Megatron lost his jaw. "Wh..."

"I told ya, ya can't trust a Pred", Rattrap commented indifferently.

"Move your skidplate there and get things right, before I'll blow you up!" I shouted.

"All right. Where is the building?" Megatron was doing his best to keep cool, but he wasn't doing such a great job at that.

"Umm..." Drat. Where, where was there a building far enough to... oh yeah! "I dunno, somewhere in Chinatown. Move!"

Chinatown. That was going to keep him busy. He saluted and rushed outside. The others just stared after him.

"That's terrible", Air Razor said. "Who did it?"

"Well-"

Now it would've been a great time for the backup to arrive, and so it did. Black Arachnia walked in, and she went straight to Quickstrike.

"Hey there, Sugar-'Bot", she said. "Wanna come... see something?"

Quickstrike was practically out of his minds. "Ah... heh, sure Ah do."

The fuzor got up and followed Black Arachnia outside. I couldn't help chuckle a bit, and so did Air Razor.

"Sweet", Rattrap commented. "Eh... might as well..."

Just then, Rhinox walked in with a preoccupied air.

"Hey, big guy!" I greeted him.

"Mhmm", was his only reply. "Skorpinok, I need you to help me on something", he said, turning to Megatron's original second-in-command.

"Of course. I'm coming."

Skorpinok just got up and followed Rhinox without any other questions. Three down, one to go. Thankfully, Rattrap left all by himself, saying that he was going to watch some movies, 'before any stinkin' Pred grabs da remote'.

Now, I was alone with Air Razor. Phase one complete. On to phase two then.

"Whoa. You'd almost say all the problems in the world are suddenly hitting us", Air Razor comented.

"Yeah, wouldn't you." I sat down at the table and rubbed my forehead.

"You look a little tired", Air Razor said. "How about something to cheer you up?" Out of nowhere, she pulled out a plate full of cookies. Ack. Direct hit!

"Thanks! You're the best!" I said as I began stuffing cookies into my mouth.

"Thanks", she said simply.

"Well, you are." I was talking with my mouth full, but who cared. And then, laughing and talking altogether, Chetor, Optimus, Silverbolt, Terrosaur and Inferno came in.

"Hello, girls!" Cheetor greeted us. Just then, Terrosaur finished what seemed to be a joke, and everyone burst out laughing.

"Hey! What's shakin'?"

"You won't do it!" Inferno suddenly shouted, pointing a finger at Silverbolt. "You don't have the courage, drone!"

"Do what?" Cheetor asked, acting as though he was puzzled.

"Go out with the Royalty!"

I gasped. Okay, this was unexpected. Hail the creativity.

"You mean Megatron?" Optimus asked.

"I mean Odeena!"

I calmly got up. "All right then, Inferno - I dare you to go out with Depth Charge."

Inferno saluted. "As you command, Royalty. I will find him at once!"

Inferno turned around and left, in everyone's insane laughter. Drat. That wasn't supposed to happen.

"Hey, I know!" Optimus shouted. "Let's play truth or dare!"

"All right!" I agreed immediately.

Everyone took a seat at / beside the table. Just so it happened that I was sitting next to Air Razor, who was a bit confused by all the sudden events, but still being her own sweet self. Cheetor began.

"Terrosaur. Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"Okay. Is it true that you have a secret crush on... Trisha?"

At first, Terrosaur didn't get it. Apparently, Optimus did, because al of the sudden he started to laugh really hard.

"Megatron's ducky", Cheetor supplied amiably.

"Oh... Well, I... of course not!"

The others burst into a terrible laugh. Terrosaur hmphed, then turned to me, "Truth or dare?"

"Umm... truth."

"Do you have a crush on Depth Charge?"

I raised an eyebrow. "A crush. On Depth Charge. Where the heck did you get that from?"

"Dunno. Do you?"

"Nope."

Optimus chuckled again. It was my turn to ask. "Air Razor, truth or dare."

"Pick dare", Optimus whispered to her.

"Yeah, you saw what crazy stuff-" Cheetor shut up abruptly when I frowned at him. "Well?"

"Dare", she said.

Everything was going according to the plan. I pretended to be thinking for a second, and then I said, "I dare you to go on a blind date."

Air Razor was more than surprised. "You dare me to do what?"

"Go on a blind date", I repeated.

"Literary blind", Cheetor supplied. "As in, blindfolded until you meet your date."

Now this was the big moment. Was she going to accept it? I sure hoped so.

"I-"

"Say yes", Cheetor whispered. "Please!"

"Yes", Air Razor said simply. "This sounds interesting."

The others cheered out loud, and Terrosaur and I exchanged a high-five.

"Well, looks like you're in for a date", I told Air Razor. "Come on then, let's get your blindfold ready."

She shrugged and followed me to the living room.

I was a genius. Booyah.

~

Although the alley was straight, Terrosaur and I held our breath when Air Razor started to walk towards Rampage. We had told her to go straight, and so she did. For the moment.

Rampage was waiting nervously at the end of the alley, with a bouquet of roses in one hand. This was going according to the plan.

"Oh no!" Terrosaur suddenly whispered, pointing towards an empty Pepsi can that somehow was in the way.

I opened a comm. channel, "Cheetor! Can allert!"

That was all I had to say. Cheetor immediately got the point and he sped up into the alley in beast mode, grabbed the can and vanished, and all this without a sound. Terrosaur and I sighed in relief.

Behind us, Optimus had all his fingers crossed.

"C'mon... almost there..." I whispered. "That's it... just a little more..."

Hesitantly, Rampage took a step forward towards Air Razor and untied her blindfold. From the distance, we could notice that she beamed, and then they started to talk. Afterwards, Rampage put an arm around her, and they began to walk down the alley.

"Mission successful", I concluded.

"Indeed it is", Optimus agreed. "So, what do we do now, boss?" I could notice his grin at the word.

"We go home. They're gonna need some time together."

"All right then. Retreat", Optimus whispered in his comm, and all of the other 'bots watching the scene from various hiding spots complied. I was ready to follow them, when Terrosaur hesitantly grabbed my arm. I glared at him inquirely.

"Um... you wanna go... you know, have a... snack or something?"

"Sure. Sounds good. Where?"

"I dunno, somewhere around here."

"Okay." I nodded. "Let's go!"

And so, Terrosaur and I went to look for a fast food, arm in arm. And that day, I felt I was the luckiest girl in the whole world.