Cameo: Two-Wheeler Sniper
[Two things: One, the top right is old Hasbro concept art of Arcee, but I feel it lines up with Cameo better. Second of all, I imagine Cameo transforming into a Suzuki Hayabusa on Earth.]
Cameo never knew her parents, or any extended family. Instead, her memories consist of surviving in a small port city of the Rust Sea, where every day was a battle for survival.
Not only did rust storms from the Sea cause continual strife for herself and others, but struggles with fellow urchins for food, shanix, and other basic necessities made Cameo realize how weak she was compared to most of them. For this, she became an ardent speedster on foot and in v-mode, and excelled in evasion and stealthiness from a young age.
Despite this, she couldn't help but linger at some of the friendlier markets to hear tales of the glories of the old Crystal City. Its lost treasures, weapons, and discoveries of yesteryear always captivated her imagination, and when she could actually procure records of the City's legends, Cameo found comfort and inspiration from them.
When she was the equivalent of ten, Cameo was saved by a former street fighter who had found her running for her life from some other urchins. After it was over, the mech decided to take her in and teach her a Cybertronian style of martial arts not unlike Earth's capoeira.
For the next few thousand years, Cameo learned this style of arts, and trained herself in the use of the mech's old rifle and guns. Both of these helped her confidence, though her instinct to keep her distance and naturally hesitant personality kept many from discerning her new talents.
She was the Cybertronian age of sixteen when the War broke out, and the Rust Sea's settlements came under attack as the Decepticons made their first strikes. Her teacher, who had been the only family she'd ever known, was a casualty, which only sealed her suspicion that the Autobots were the true preservers of life in the wake of Sentinel's death and the public knowledge of his usurpation of the previous Prime's position.
Cameo left the Rust Sea and joined the Autobots, her talent for sniping and unorthodox close combat skills earning her a place under level-headed Pyra Magna's unit when her training was complete. However, given Pyra's personal team - polar opposite twins Stormclash and Skyburst, the hyperactive adrenaline junkie Rust Dust, the eccentric, teleporting boy-crazy Jumpstream and quiet yet bold Dustup - she chose to post Cameo on smaller units with less zany individuals, or on the occasional solo ops.
Millennia later, word spread that a relic of the Primes was in the Rust Sea, spurring Pyra to choose Cameo as her "Renegades'" guide to the territory. Cameo was privately thrilled to explore the wastes of the ancient Crystal City, but was unprepared to discover that Cyclonus and his latest "Combiner" team were waiting.
The details of the event were locked under deep encryption and secrecy when Pyra took her team and Cameo to a meeting with Optimus, Elita One, Ironhide, Prowl and Ultra Magnus, but one rumor that has circulated is held as the general truth: that the Enigma of Combination was the Decepticons' target, and that it resulted in the birth of a new Combiner - Victorion.
Cameo was mildly depressed to part with the "Rust Renegades" following their duty to guard a top secret cargo on their final destination to Optimus' planned location for escaping into the Milky Way, but she still took in stride and with a tight smile. For this, Optimus felt assigning her to one of Ultra Magnus' subdivisions was the best choice for her.
A few centuries later, the Exodus had to be orchestrated, and Cameo's name was attached to an Arclight, which continues to be spoken of in whispers on the galactic scene...
@somereaderinblue @jazzimena hope you enjoy this! I have plans for that what if story lineup, but it's gonna take some time to reveal all that I've got in my brain. See you around!
