Black Crayons

Annabelle Lennox is just another little girl, just starting school. She's clever and learns rather quickly. She hates bullies and will not tolerate them trying to be mean. She likes to draw and color in her free time. Her favorite subject of her drawings would be the black truck that is usually parked outside her house.

She never tells anyone, however, that the truck isn't just a truck. It is her best friend, Ironhide.

Set after Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, this series is a prime example of what happens when characters wrest control away from the writer. Black Crayons started out as a short one-shot about the idea of Will Lennox's daughter growing up with the knowledge of the Autobots and how this would affect the child. It was intended to be something short, but as its creator, Bookworm Gal, quickly learned, the tale was nowhere near finished. Currently^[when?] the series consists of sixteen stories. Most are short one-shots, but four are multi-chapter pieces including the most recent one that attempts to rewrite Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The series was written out of order and most can be read separately, but taken as one long story as well.

Black Crayons consists of (in order):

In addition to the main stories of the series, a collection of drabbles was written.

100 Black Crayons

While most of the stories are simply sweet and adorable tales about a little girl who just so happen to be friends with the Autobot Weapon Specialist, it manages to avoid being too sweet. Characterization of the relationships between the humans and Cybertronians is the main focus. Later stories, as Annabelle begins to grow older, become more serious in tone. Her father and best friend are in the middle of a war against the Decepticons and events begin to draw closer to home...

Tropes used in Black Crayons include:

Action Girl: Mikaela.
Aliens Speaking English: Just like in the movies, the Cybertronians have downloaded the language. Also inverted when Annabelle begins learning to speak Cybertronian.
Alternate Universe Fic: "A Child's Innocence" is a rewrite of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. One of the differences is removing Carly and putting Mikaela back in the storyline.
Badly-Battered Babysitter: While never actually hurt, Jennifer ends the night with her nerves frayed due to a "possessed truck" outside.
Battle of Wits: Between Annabelle and Simmons, who is trying to prove that a five-year-old girl can't possibly be trusted with a secret as massive as the Autobots. Too bad that he, like so many others, underestimated her...
Berserk Button: For Annabelle, anything that might put her Autobot friends in trouble. For Sarah, anything that could threaten her child or husband. For Ironhide, anything that could physically, mentally, or emotionally harm Annabelle.
BFG: Ironhide. Annabelle always makes sure to include his cannons in her drawings.
Bilingual Backfire: At one point, Ironhide begins teaching Annabelle some basics about how to speak Cybertronian. This allows her to listen in and participate on a few conversations she wasn't supposed to understand. This includes Skid and Mudflap's plans to pull a prank on Ironhide, use the universal greeting on Barricade, and hear a critical conversation about a traitor in the Autobot's midst.
Break the Cutie: Annabelle, in chapter 11 of "A Child's Innocence," is reduced to heart-broken, crying child after witnessing the Xanthium explode
Car Fu: Mikaela pulls this off fairly well.
Cheerful Child: Annabelle
Chekhov's Skill: Annabelle speaking Cybertronian. First, a cute way learn about the Twin's pranking plans. Later,a life saving skill.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Jolt being disintegrated by Sentinel's rust gun thing.
Cute Mute: Just like in the films, Bumblebee.
Darker and Edgier: While most of the stories in the series have been fluffy, little tales intended to make you smile, things start becoming more serious around "My First Decepticon" and become positively dark at points in "A Child's Innocence."
Dying Moment of Awesome: Jolt
Eye Scream: Starscream suffers this in "A Child's Innocence"
Face Doodling: Annabelle does this to the twins, Mudflap and Skids, in "Summer Vacation." Glitter was also used.
Fallen Hero: Sentinel Prime
Going Down with the Ship: Wheelie and Brains. The former survived.
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Ironhide and Annabelle. It is portrayed as a platonic relationship.
Humans Through Alien Eyes: Ironhide, and later Bumblebee, have initial trouble with how the crayon drawings are supposed to represent reality.
Innocent Inaccurate: Annabelle thinks the skeletons in Chicago are Halloween decorations.
Interspecies Friendship: Annabelle (human) and Ironhide (Cybertronian). Actually, just like in the movies, there a lot of this going on with the main characters.
In the Back: Similar to the scene in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Sentinel attempts to do this to Ironhide. This time, however, Ironhide is able to react in time and make the traitor face him head-on instead.
Lighter and Softer: Most of the earlier-set stories are more light-hearted than the movies.
Little Stowaway: Annabelle in "A Child's Innocence".
Killed Off for Real: Jerry Wang, Jolt, Flareup, Laserbeak, Shockwave, Brains, Dylan Gould, and Sentinel Prime.
Mama Bear: Sarah Lennox. Don't mess with her daughter.
The Mole: Just like in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Sam is forced to serve as one against his will.
Most Writers Are Adults: Averted. Great care is taken to make sure Annabelle acts like a child, albeit a clever child.
Mythology Gag: The Universal Greeting: Bah wheep grana wheep ninny bahn
No Endor Holocaust: Unlike the third film, this is averted in "A Child's Innocence". Having Cybertron coming through the space bridge is mentioned to be causing earthquakes near fault lines and that there is the distinct possibility that having the planet completely come through could rip Earth apart.
Papa Wolf: Not only does Annabelle have Will Lennox, but she also has Ironhide. Not to mention most of the Autobots have become rather fond of her...
Plucky Girl: Annabelle. She's sweet and friendly, but she can be as brave and stubborn as her parents (or Ironhide) when she needs to. She sneaks her way into a warzone because she thought she needed to be there.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: Averted with Wheelie, but played straight with the other Decepticons.
Redheaded Bully: Carl. But he quickly learns that Annabelle doesn't get scared, she gets mad.
Save the Villain: For a certain value of "villain." When Barricade shows up, Annabelle serves as a distraction so that Carl can escape.
Secret Keeper: Not including those connected to the government or NEST, those who know the truth about the Cybertronians include Sam, Mikaela, Annabelle, their families, and Leo (though he hasn't appeared in the series).
Shipper on Deck: Annabelle is waiting rather impatiently for Ironhide and Chromia to realize they belong together.
Shout-Out: At one point in "A Child's Innocence," Dutch says I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.
Spared by the Adaptation: So far in "A Child's Innocence," Ironhide, Starscream, Wheeljack, Soundwave, Wheelie, and Megatron have survived their fates from Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Trickster Twins: Mudflap and Skids
WAFF: If you do not go "aww..." at some point, you have no soul.
Water Guns and Balloons: The ideal weapons whenever Annabelle decides to team up with Ironhide against Sam, Wheelie, or the Twins.