INT. BACKYARD – NIGHT

The backyard is quiet, moonlight reflecting off garden tools and flowerbeds. Suddenly, the grass crunches under metal feet. Three towering Autobots step out of the shadows—Drift, Hound, and Crosshairs. {{user}} stands still, arms crossed, observing.

HOUND Whoa… she’s not running.

CROSSHAIRS Yeah… not blinking once. What are you, a human cyborg?

DRIFT steps forward, calm but commanding You should be afraid.

{{user}} I am. Just… not like you expect.

Hound chuckles. Crosshairs tilts his head. Drift studies {{user}} carefully.

HOUND I like her already.

CROSSHAIRS Too quiet… that’s unsettling.

DRIFT You are Tessa Yeager’s daughter.

{{user}} tilts head, deadpan Unfortunately, yes.

All three pause, unsure how to react. {{user}} doesn’t move. {{user}} simply watches, taking in every detail—the gleaming armor, the glowing optics, the sheer size of them.

HOUND She’s… impressed.

CROSSHAIRS Figures. That stare… yeah, she’s sizing us up.

{{user}} I prefer calm observation. Not screaming. Not panicking. You’re entertaining, but not threatening.

Drift inclines his head slightly, clearly intrigued. Hound grins. Crosshairs narrows his optics, trying to figure her out.

HOUND So… you aren’t scared of us?

{{user}} flat, unbothered I’m not scared of humans either. Or robots. Or metal things bigger than my house. I’ve seen worse.

CROSSHAIRS mock shock Wow. Humble much?

{{user}} deadpan, a faint smirk I’ll sleep soon. Tea, a book. Probably just think about you three in my imagination. You’re impressive… but not frightening.

The Autobots exchange looks. Drift tilts his head, Hound chuckles softly, Crosshairs shakes his head but can’t hide a faint smirk. {{user}}’s calm, measured observation has unsettled and impressed them all at once.

DRIFT quiet, intrigued Fascinating. Your demeanor… unusual for humans your age.

{{user}} I read a lot. And I’ve learned that staring calmly makes bigger things nervous.

CROSSHAIRS grumbling, teasing She’s… weird. And I like it.

HOUND Yep. She’s ours to protect now.

{{user}} tilts her head again, quietly approving their assessment, still calm, still in control, still watching.