Post-TFP: Miko and the Wreckers
After the Autobots left Earth, Miko still hoped that at least Bulkhead would return one more time. She missed him terribly.
Her time as an exchange student ended far too quickly, and she had to return home to Japan. She wasn’t particularly thrilled about it — especially after learning that her parents had already decided her future: which university she’d attend, and so on and so forth
At the first chance she gets, she runs away from home—taking some cash, a few belongings, clothes, and her guitar. She’s smart. She survived fighting ‘Cons. She helped end a galactic-scale war. So what’s running away from her parents and building a life on her own terms compared to that?
But she was wrong. It was hard — really hard. The money she'd taken with her ran out pretty quickly, and, unfortunately, she didn’t have any real friends. Most of the kids she’d gone to school with in Japan thought she was weird and didn’t want to talk to her. The acquaintances she did have were just the children of her parents’ friends and business partners. So she couldn’t trust them—they’d rat her out
She couldn’t turn to Raf or Jack either—they definitely wouldn’t have been able to help in this situation. And Fowler would’ve handed her straight back to her parents. Ratchet had stopped visiting after Optimus’s death, and Bulkhead… he didn’t come at all
So for a while, Miko was homeless. She made a little money playing her guitar on the streets, in the subway, and in other crowded places. It wasn’t the best time in her life. But she pulled through
While wandering the streets, she found a cat. It turned out the cat had run away from its owner, who had been searching for it and was offering a cash reward to anyone who returned her pet. It was a chance to make a little money
The cat’s owner turned out to be a kind woman who immediately realized that Miko’s life wasn’t going all that well. She felt sorry for the girl and tried to help her
The woman helped Miko get a job at a local shop and rented her a room in her house—for a small fee and some help around the home and in the garden
The pay wasn’t great, but at least it was steady and reliable. In her free time, Miko still played guitar for money. She managed to save up a bit. She was setting money aside to leave Japan legally and move to another country. But she still had to wait until she was of age
During this time, she managed to update her wardrobe (most of her clothes were either too small or quite worn out) and bought a used laptop and drawing tablet. In her free time, Miko taught herself how to draw, and she even managed to sell a few of her artworks. It turned out to be a decent little side income
There were a lot of hardships. For a while, her parents were actively looking for her, and every time she saw the police, she would immediately run. Living on the streets also took a toll on her health — she began having problems, especially with her digestion
Miko missed the Autobots, Jack and Raf, and even June and Fowler. But most of all, she missed Bulkhead. She often looked up at the night sky, even when it was clouded over. Sometimes, she was angry at him — for leaving her here alone, though deep down she understood why he had to. But he was the first person (bot) who never tried to control her. Who showed that he genuinely cared, who loved her just the way she was. With all her quirks and flaws. She missed him so much
Some time after that, Bulkhead returned to Earth. Fortunately, many bots had come back to Cybertron, which meant he had far less work on his hands. Of course, he never forgot that Optimus had entrusted him with a role in the reconstruction. But he also knew that Optimus would’ve been the first to support his decision to return to Earth and visit Miko. However, when he arrived in Jasper, he discovered that Miko was no longer there. So he turned to Fowler, asking him for Miko’s address in Japan
With some difficulty and promises not to reveal himself, especially to the government he gets what he needs and races across the planet to find his little Wrecker
When he arrives at Miko’s place, he realizes he can’t just roll up to the house, honk, and expect her parents to casually send their daughter off with some unknown SUV with tinted windows. But there’s a solution
Now that they have access to Cybertronian tech and a steady supply of energon, he can use a holomatter avatar. (I love it when bots use holomatter forms to interact with humans in fanfics!)
About his holoforma: he appears as a tall man with strong, muscular arms, broad shoulders, and slightly pronounced pecs—with a bit of a belly. His long dark hair, streaked with bright green highlights, is braided into dreadlocks (or cornrows) and tied up in a high bun. He wears a T-shirt with the logo of Miko’s favorite band, black jeans, and sneakers, with a flannel shirt knotted around his waist. His accessories include chunky headphones and a single earring in one ear
So when he arrives, he finds out that Miko had already run away from home some time ago and no one can find her. He panics. Instead of contacting Fowler, he calls Wheeljack
"Jackie, I don’t know what slagging exhaust pipe of the galaxy you’re in right now, but drop everything and haul your bumper back to Earth. I’m sending coordinates. Please. Miko’s gone!"
Wheeljack was on Cybertron, helping Ultra Magnus, who also overheard Bulkhead’s call, install a new arm to replace his prosthetic
The two of them race toward Earth. No, Ultra Magnus isn’t worried, and he’s definitely not panicking (he absolutely is). He doesn’t feel even a shred of sympathy for the human sparkling, and he’s hardly concerned at all that she’s out there, completely alone, in a vast, chaotic world full of danger. Not one bit! He’s a trained soldier with nerves of steel, and he’s come to Earth solely because Wreckers should never be left unsupervised
Together, they begin searching for Miko. Along the way, the trio runs into all sorts of bizarre adventures in the human world (yes, both Jackie and Magnus are using holoformas too). Most of the trouble comes from interacting with humans and trying to pretend to be one. Strangely enough, Ultra Magnus has the hardest time with it
The people they interact with think they’re weirdos and can’t quite figure out what their relationship is. Some believe they’re spies, hired assassins, or characters straight out of the wildest conspiracy theories. No one believes they’re actually human
Especially after Magnus forgot he was supposed to blink and simulate breathing from time to time. A kind elderly lady at the café thought he was having a stroke and called for medical help. Wheeljack will never let him live that one down.
Magnus did not take it well during the entire examination, he questioned the medics’ knowledge, their qualifications, and nearly every life choice they’d ever made. Bulkhead had to apologize to both the sweet old lady and the paramedics for Jackie’s laughter and Magnus’s rudeness
During that incident, none of the three were exactly in a good mood. Bulkhead was so exhausted — worn down by his two companions and the fact that they still hadn’t found Miko — that he nearly broke down in front of the old lady, pouring his heart out about the whole situation: his worries, the two clueless oafs he was stuck with, and so on and so forth (without, of course, mentioning that they were aliens). For the first time in a long while, he had someone who listened and didn’t judge
"As soon as he finished, he immediately panicked and tried to apologize to the old lady but she gently calmed him down. Then, calmly, she stood up and smacked both Jackie and Magnus with her purse. Repeatedly. Then she launched into a whole speech, scolding the two of them like misbehaving boys
At last, the Wreckers managed to find Miko. She’d settled in quite well.
The reunion was tearful and emotional. At first, Miko was happy to see the Autobots, but when they told her they were taking her back to her family, she became furious. She launched into a long, angry tirade about how Bulkhead had abandoned her, how everyone around her keeps trying to control her life and won’t let her make her own choices, and everything along those lines. But in the end, they managed to make peace
It finally occurred to Ultra Magnus to contact Fowler and ask for help. Since Miko was legally an adult, there shouldn’t be any major issues
Fowler is displeased, furious but he helps. Miko moves to the U.S., gains citizenship, and begins pursuing her dream profession
After that, Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Ultra Magnus (who swore he was only there because the three of them needed supervision) were present for every step of Miko’s life
They were there when she enrolled in flight school, when she took her entrance exams, and of course, they were there when she earned her license and completed her first flight
With Fowler’s help, they managed to find a place to live on Earth—a private house with a yard big enough to fit an SUV, a semi-truck, and a race car. Yes, they live in the same house. No, it’s not because something’s going on. Miko, stop giggling! It’s just more convenient that way.
Ultra Magnus will deny it to the end of his functioning, but he always felt a deep sadness every time he had to return to Cybertron for work and missed an important moment in her life
Everyone thinks Miko has three dads or two dads and a boyfriend that one of them is secretly cheating with. No one can quite figure out who's who. There’s a whole cloud of rumors and theories swirling around it
But everyone is most intimidated by the tall, stern one, and absolutely charmed by the sweet, slightly clumsy one who always brings homemade pastries.
And then there’s the madman who personally built a fighter jet for Miko and gifted it to her right in the middle of the graduation ceremony. He showed up in it and landed right in front of the podium
Most guys were too intimidated by those three, so no one ever asked her out but as it turned out, Miko preferred girls
Miko also earned an advanced degree in linguistics and authored several landmark works in the field
She met a sweet girl whose personality reminded her of Bulkhead (some say - we choose partners who resemble our parents in behavior)
It was a bit strange introducing three men, none of whom she resembled in the slightest, as her parents. Especially when meeting her girlfriend’s parents
They were married on a warm autumn day. It was a small ceremony, attended by all the Autobots, Jack, Raf, June, and Agent Fowler. And there was one empty seat marked with a blue ribbon beside Ratchet
Together, they adopted several children. Bulkhead cried when Miko handed him a baby and told him he was a grandpa
Miko lived a wonderful life, but for her three fathers, it all passed too quickly. Her hair had turned gray, her body had grown weaker, and her skin had become lined with wrinkles. Yet even in old age, she remained just as spirited and fiery as ever. All her children had grown up and started families of their own
In the end, Miko passed away peacefully in her sleep
They spent a lot of time with her children and grandchildren, but they too grew old, aged, and passed on. Ultra Magnus was the first to break—he refused to return to Earth. This led to a fierce falling out with Wheeljack, who called him a coward. But not long after, Wheeljack disappeared into some remote corner of the galaxy and didn’t return for a while. Bulkhead was alone once again
He stopped visiting Miko’s descendants, but he always returned to Earth on her birthday. Miko had wished for her body to be cremated and her ashes scattered over the ocean. So every year, he would come to the shore, watch the sunset, and play their favorite songs
Eventually, Wheeljack returned, and though it was difficult, he and Ultra Magnus reconciled. But Bulkhead was furious with both of them and refused to even look at them
It was a very long road to reconciliation. The culmination of it came with another trip to the shore of Earth’s ocean on Miko’s birthday. It was hard but they did it