Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

EPOCH

Chapter One: Tranquility

The night was deep, the sky a vast canvas peppered with stars, each one like a distant beacon. I found myself tucked away in the shadows of a narrow alleyway, sandwiched between two towering warehouses. The cool air was thick with tension as I crouched low, heart racing, desperately trying to evade those relentless pursuers who drew ever closer, their whispers echoing in the stillness around me.

The darkness enveloped me like a shroud, masking my presence as I strained to listen for any signs of danger. Hearing and then seeing the two MECH trucks drive past my hiding spot made me tense and slink back further into the shadows.

My bike was outside the warehouse district, hidden from view, and I needed to get back to it to make my escape. I just had to get to it without alerting the patrolling MECH lackeys.

But I didn’t move, waiting behind a large dumpster as I awaited further orders from Virgo.

The original plan had been to remain undetected by MECH, a shadow moving silently through their territory. But a momentary lapse in my concentration—a slight misstep at the wrong time—had compromised that carefully crafted strategy. Now, the heavy thud of my heart reverberated against my sternum, a frantic drumbeat that echoed my anxiety. Despite the rising tide of fear threatening to drown me, I forced myself to breathe evenly, summoning every ounce of willpower to reign in my panic. This was not the time to be ruled by my emotions; I had to stay focused and composed, navigating this treacherous situation with unwavering resolve. Fear would only be my downfall.

I breathed in, held and then exhaled.

(“Take deep breaths,” Aria’s voice echoed. “You’re in control, remember that.”)

She was right. No one else can dictate my fears and I refused to allow that fear to rule me any longer damn it!

“=Virgo to Scorpio, you have approximately ten seconds once the next vehicle passes your spot to make it to the other side to avoid detection,=” Soma’s voice buzzed through the commlink. “=Uploading the route to your headset now.=”

A loading bar appeared on my display before marking the directions in orange on a simple map. With a few taps on the screen of my left wrist, I minimised the display size so it wouldn't take up the entire screen.

“=Understood. I’ll need another set of eyes for reference. Tell me when to move,=” I responded.

“=Affirmative. Twenty seconds until the truck passes.=”

I moved to the lip of the alley, back against the wall away from the oncoming vehicle. I breathed again, muscles tensing in preparation.

I strained to catch the sound of the approaching truck, the rhythmic thrum of its engine growing louder as it neared. As its headlights sliced through the darkness, casting sharp beams over the road, I held my breath, hidden in the shadows. The truck rumbled past, completely unaware of my presence.

“=Five, four, three, two—go!=” Virgo ordered and I shot out of the alley, keeping low as I sprinted across the road.

To my frustration, the vehicle screeched to a halt as I dived into the opposite alleyway. I could hear the voices shouting to follow, and I didn’t hesitate nor linger any longer, following the uploaded route away from the road and gathering MECH soldiers.

It was next to pitch black; no streetlights reaching this far to illuminate these back alleys, but it made it all that much easier to lose my tails with the paths branching off into different directions.

My location marker grew closer and closer to my bike.

“=You’re coming up to an opening, Scorpio. You’re gonna be wide open!=”  Virgo barked out.

“=Understood!=”

Just cross the road and another long alleyway then I would be there!

One foot before the other, I gritted my teeth, c’mon.

I burst out of the alley—

(“I have eyes on the target, aim to kill?” The masked soldier asked.

The figure stood behind him gazed at the road, “Negative, Silas wants her alive. The bullet will do our job for us.”)

—and a force on my left shoulder sent me sprawling. The pain hit, but it was minimal at best—pain was a familiar comfort, in truth.

“Fuck!”

I scrambled back to my feet and continued; stopping now would just leave me at the no-so-kind mercy of MECH, somewhere I desperately didn’t want to be.

My bike came into sight, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I threw my leg over, started it and was gone, zooming off down the lane and leaving the MECH soldiers behind in my dust.

“=Scorpio, report!=”

“=Took a hit to the shoulder!=” I answered. Honestly, it could have been worse. By the pain and feeling of the bullet, it had gone straight through my shoulder, stopped only by the front of my suit’s padding.

“=We should really work on protecting the back of the shoulders better,=” I joked, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

Virgo sighed. “=Head to the rendezvous point now loading. Taurus will be there waiting for pick up. Signing out.=”

My commlink fell silent and I breathed, adrenaline beginning to tank now I was out of danger. But it just made the pain of my bullet wound all that more notable. I huffed, flexing my left fingers, testing how much of my movement I had lost. Moving the wrist pulled at the wound. Annoying.

Eventually, I reached the dirt road my GPS was leading me to. Logan and the trailer appeared soon after, and I slowed to a stop. I kicked the stand down and turned the bike off.

Logan approached, worry tugging at his brows. “How bad is it?”

“Not too bad,” I answered as I swung myself off the bike. Unzipping the uniform to reach inside, I pulled the bullet out with a grimace. I flicked the bullet into the bush, annoyed I’d let myself get shot in the first place.

Logan sighed and jerked his head to the car. No way was I going to protest that.

I climbed into the passenger seat and opened the glove box to find the first aid stashed there. Some plasters would do for now until we got back to base.

While I did that, I listened to Logan load up my bike into the trailer before jumping into the driver’s seat and slammed the driver’s door closed behind him.

“How’s the bleeding?” he asked as he put the car into drive.

“Stopping,” I remarked, peering down at the used and bloodied sterile dressing in my lap. “Don’t think I even bled that much.”

Of course, that was typical of me. Aria and I always clotted faster and quicker than anyone else. The only reasonable and running theory was that it was our strange and unknown genetic anomaly that caused it. That also implied we even knew what it was or had it for. We didn’t.

“For me anyway,” I added, just to be extra transparent.

Logan frowned but didn’t take his eyes off the main road we joined. “Might as well get Aria to check it out when we get back. Now,” he shot me a look. “Get some rest.”

I snorted but shuffled the used first aid supplies into the baggie and settled down. It would be a long trip back to Nevada.

The warmth of Tranquility enveloped me as I stepped out of the airport’s cool interior to be greeted by Ron’s new green Austin-Healey 3000, which was quite impressive and very much a new addition since I had last been to visit.

I shrugged my bag off and dropped it into the back seat as I climbed into the passenger side.

Ron greeted warmly. "It's good to see you again, Zelda."

"You too, Uncle Ron," I replied, sharing a small smile with him. I was finally going to be able to see the only family Aria and I had after almost a year. It was good to be back again.

While the Witwicky’s, from my mother's side of the family, knew that Aria and I worked for the government, they weren't allowed to know what our profession was. Our entire squad was classified, confidential, and life—endangeringly restricted. It wasn't safe, and the less they knew, the less they were at risk.

We continued to share casual conversation as Ron drove. Since my flight had a delayed landing, we were going straight to Sam's school to pick him up. I had never seen Sam’s school before, and I was admittedly a little curious since I had only once stepped foot in a school, and it hadn’t been anything to do with education.

The forty-minute drive was pleasant, and Ron pulled up at the front of the school to park. The school wouldn’t be let out for another five or so minutes. Honestly, it was lucky Ron had been able to park so close.

I turned to a grinning Ron as he spoke up again. "If Sam gets this A, I've got the perfect prank for him."

I chuckled. "Can't wait."

Ron did love a good joke. Unfortunately, Sam tended to be the butt of the joke. It annoyed the teen to no end.

I perked up when the bell rang, signaling that the end of the day had arrived. I watched the students pile through the exit, but there was no sign of Sam until I spotted him running towards us, yelling 'yes' repeatedly while waving a piece of paper in his hand.

I raised a brow, amused.

"Hey, Zelda!" Sam greeted enthusiastically and jumped in the back. I snorted before saying hello back.

"So?" Ron asked and turned to Sam, raising a brow.

"A-minus. It's an A, though," Sam's grin hadn't faded. I congratulated him.

"Wait, wait, wait. I can't see," Ron muttered as he took the paper off the enthusiastic Sam to inspect it before he smiled, satisfied. "It's an A."

I high-fived Sam, and Ron started the engine and drove off.

"I got a little surprise for you, son," Ron announced as we pulled into a Porsche car dealership. I smile behind my hand as Sam cut himself off when he saw where we were. "What kind of s—"

"Yeah, a little surprise," Ron smirked as Sam started freaking the fuck out.

"No. No, no, no, no! Dad! Oh, you got to be kidding me," He exclaimed, excitedly slapping his hand against the side of the car.

"Yeah. I am. You're not getting a Porsche!" Ron laughed, and I smoothed my own as Sam's face dropped into a frown.

"You think that's funny?" Sam asked, glaring. It was entirely unimpressed. Ah. I never got old.

"Yeah, I think it's funny," Ron replied. I nodded, smirking when Sam shot me a sour look.

"What's wrong with you?" Sam asked Ron grumpily, who continued to laugh.

"You think I'd really get you a Porsche? For your first car?" he asked with a smile. Sam's scowl grew as he sat back against his seat with crossed arms, huffing.

"I don't want to talk to you for the rest of this whole thing," he promised and I laughed at his words. "That includes you as well Zelda."

"Me? What did I do?" I smiled wider.

Sam continued scowling at my answer. "You knew what he was going to do."

"Oh, come on. It's just a practical joke." Ron said, laughing lightly again.

"It's not a funny joke," Sam grumbled.

"Manny!" A man screamed. I tensed then relaxed when I realised what I was doing, and Sam gently pulled on my green army blazer, having seen what I'd done.

I missed the guy's reply, but the guy from before shouted: "Get your cousin out of that damn clown suit. He's having a heat stroke again. Scaring white folks."

I snorted.

"I'm hot. Make-up's melting. It hurts my eyes," the guy in the bad clown costume announced as Ron drove past. Poor guy.

I hummed softly and climbed out of the car as Ron stopped. Glancing around, my fingers twitched with the need to examine the cars. They might be old and not exactly what most would consider salvable, but I wanted to fix them up and listen to them purr as if they were brand new.

"Here? No, no, no, what is this? You said—you said half a car, not half a piece of crap, Dad," Sam groaned as he and Ron got out.

"When I was your age, I'd have been happy with four wheels and an engine," Ron said with a roll his eyes.

"Okay, let me explain something to you. Okay? You ever seen a forty-year-old virgin?" Sam asked. Ron nodded while I leaned against one of the pillars to watch on in amusement. If Sam wanted, I could always look at the car afterwards and even chip in to pay for improvements to be done. God knows I had the money just lying around.

"Yeah."

"Okay, that's what this is. And this is a fifty-year-old virgin," Sam said, gesturing to another old, run-down black car. Ron then said our old Witwicky motto, which just irritated Sam even more. I let out a quiet laugh as the pair walked up to the black man in a Hawaiian shirt and hat.

They began to talk to the man while I wandered a bit. I spotted an old-style seventy’s yellow Camaro with black racing stripes.

"What are you doing in this kind of place," I mumbled. It was the only decent-looking car in this place, "You're still in quite a good shape from first glance," There was no serious rusting, but the paint was chipped away and fading, nothing a new paint job wouldn't fix. I slid my hands under the hood and popped it open. My brows raised to my hairline. This was not an engine you should be finding in a car at a dealership like this. That engine would have gone for so much money by itself. The Camaro shell was just a bonus at this point.

“The hell?” I couldn’t help but mutter.

I spotted Sam, Ron and the other guy and grimaced at the car they were looking at, "Hey Sam, come here!"

Sam came jogging over, pulling a face. "Did you see the car Dad was having me look at?" He shuddered.

"Well, get him over here. This car is perfect. Hopefully, if the guy doesn't know what type of engine is in here, we may get it for less," I stated lowly as Ron and the guy began walking over. I patted the hood twice with my knuckle once I'd closed it.

Sam looked confused, and I replied quietly, "I work with cars when I'm not in the field, 'member?"

"Ahh! Yeah, right, forgot," Sam nodded and fidgeted nervously in his spot as Ron and the salesman made their way over.

"Strange... I don't know nothing about this car. Manny!" The man shouted.

A 'what?' came from the man across the lot, and the guy asked about the car.

"I don't know, boss! I've never seen it! That's loco!"

"Don't go Ricky Ricardo on me, Manny! Find out!" The salesman snapped.

Sam sat in the driver's seat, and I leaned against the hood, my gun pressing against my lower back because of it. I heard Sam mumble that it felt nice, and I smiled.

"How much?" Ron asked the salesman.

"Well, considering the semi-classic nature of the vehicle, with the slick wheels and the custom paint job..." I bit my tongue to stop myself from commenting, but I tilted my head.

"Yeah, but the paint's faded," Sam replied with a frown in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Y-yeah, but it's custom." the salesman argues.

"It's custom faded?" I snorted with a head shake, only Sam.

"Well, this is your first car. I wouldn't expect you to understand. Five grand."

I fought the urge to groan as I let my head fall back, my hair falling off my shoulders and down against my back. Ron was not going over four; I knew that for a fact, and his reply proved it.

"No, I'm not paying over four. Sorry."

"Kid, come on, get out. Get out of the car," the salesman said, patting the roof of the car. I rolled my eyes because Ron is such a cheap ass in situations where he really didn’t need to be.

"No, no, no. You said cars pick their drivers," Sam protested but still got out anyway. The salesman ignored him and started showing him and Ron a really run-down, old, faded yellow beetle.

I ignored them and subconsciously tapped my gloved right index finger against the hood and quickly dragged it to the side towards the old beetle. I jumped off the hood when the passenger door suddenly swung open and slammed into the beetle the salesman was in.

"Geez. Holy cow," Ron spoke and stepped over to the man.

"No, no, no. No worries."

"You alright?" I asked blankly. I didn't really give a shit, but it was polite I suppose.

"I'll get a sledgehammer and knock this right out," he answered before turning to this 'Manny', "Hey, hey, Manny! Get your clown cousin and get some hammers and come bang this stuff out, baby!" He let out an obnoxious, forced laugh.

.:Greater than man...:. I eyed the Camaro as I heard the radio turn on. I ignored the man and narrowed my eyes in confusion, brows furrowing.

"That one's my favourite, drove all the way from Alabama."

My ears perked up when I heard the radio turn on again, but this time, it let out a loud ear-splitting noise, and every glass window, excluding the Camaro's, broke. I covered my head with my forearms to shield my face from the glass.

Okay, that is definitely not a normal car.

As I straightened up, I rubbed my sensitive, ringing ears. Damn enhanced hearing.

"Woah!"

The salesman slowly stood and spun around. His jaw dropped open before he turned to us and raised four fingers. His voice cracked as he spoke, "Four thousand!"

Once we arrived back at the house, I exited Sam's new car, grabbed my things from Ron's, and ran up the stairs, but not before greeting Judy with a kiss to the cheek. I dropped my bag beside my desk and sat on the spiny chair before opening the bag.

I pulled out my laptop as I closed the door and locked it. I turned the laptop on and logged in. I opened my emails and replied to the ones that needed one and filed useless ones. A ping rang out from my comm half an hour later.

“=Have you seen the news?=” Aries’ or rather Mia's since we weren't on duty, voice rang over the comm.

I narrowed my eyes, “=What news?=”

“=At local time yesterday, the SOCCENT Forwards Operations Base in Qatar was attacked. Attacker presently unknown and survivors yet to be found.=”

I inhaled deeply, leaning back in my chair before exhaling sharply. I covered my mouth in grief. Closing my eyes as I brought my left foot onto the chair.

“=Jesus,=” was all I could muster. “=Do we know what were they after?=”

“=That's the point,=” Mia continued with a grim tone. “=The government isn't sure. The only lead is a strange sound from the attacker. Hold on, I'll play it for you.=”

I sat up straight when a robotic-like sound played through my earpiece, “=What the hell? That was not natural!=”

“=Logan and Aria had to attend a meeting at the Pentagon,=” Mia sighed. “=Logan asked Sec of Defence to keep us posted on any new information that pops up as we would be the most likely group to be picked to go and investigate.=”

“=Thank you for updating me Mia,=” with that, I closed the comm. That just killed the mood for the rest of the evening. I rubbed the back of my neck before standing and opening the drawers. I grabbed some cosy loungewear to change into.

Loose quarter-length pyjama bottoms, a vest with no bra, hair pulled back, and some fluffy socks, despite the warmth, were what I called perfection. However, I ditched the socks when I joined Ron and Judy outside, the man paving the garden as his wife critiqued him. Ah, the epitome of married life.

"Ron, this one is uneven," Judy noted, stepping on one of the slabs of the newly built stone path.

"Yeah. Probably," Ron replied heart-heartedly, sounding more annoyed because of his wife pestering.

"This one is wobbly." Judy stood on another slab. I sighed, sipping on my lemonade—which Judy had made, that woman made some mean lemonade, seriously—as Sam came barrelling out.

"Yeah. I'll take care of that real soon," Ron replied monotonously, obviously fed up with Judy's constant input. Sam and I shared a look. We knew he wasn't going to.

"Couldn't we have hired a professional?" Judy whined as Sam approached his parents, immediately going for the grass

I sighed again.

Ron let out a sarcastic laugh, "Ah, Sam..." Ron dropped the small shovel he was holding to stand. He looked incredibly unimpressed.

"What?"

"I do not like footprints on my grass," Ron scolded.

Judy, who had sat down beside me and now sipped at her own glass, wrapped an arm around my shoulder, being mindful of my arm. She placed a kiss on my temple, and I smiled at her.

"What foot—there's no footprints," Sam said, gesturing around him.

"That's why I built my path. So why don't you go from my grass onto my path, okay?" Ron said, ignoring Sam and pointed to the newly built path. Sam rolled his eyes and carried on towards the garage, but now on said path.

"It's family grass, Dad."

"Well, when you own your own grass, you'll understand," Ron told Sam. The boy snorted, and I smiled at Ron's oddness. Not paying much attention, I just about heard Sam say something about Mojo and the jewellery Judy was making him wear.

"That poor mutt," I muttered as Judy leapt to defend her choice of dog clothing—would it even be called clothing if it’s just jewellery?

Still, Sam just left, feeling no desire to argue with his mother, knowing the woman would just win out of sheer stubbornness.

“How about we leave Ron to his paving and put on a movie, Auntie Judy,” I chimed.

Judy grinned and scurried over, “I call dibs!”

Ron shot me a thankful glance, and I saluted playfully before joining Judy inside.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: Robot Fights

I sighed as I jogged around the corner, it was early—half seven, but people were already out. As I turned another corner, I stretched my arms over my head, popping my shoulders, and I winced before massaging my right where my scar tissue pulled. It hurt worse than the bullet wound—it always did, like a constant reminder of something I wished to just forget.

I stopped and felt the need to catch my breath. I perched on a low wall and watched as the cars passed by. I was really strangely out of breath. I had done seven kilometres so far in twenty minutes (my usual time for such length), but I was a hell of a lot more exhausted than usual. It was plain weird.

I shouldn't be so breathless. I struggled to get breathless these days, so it had something uneasy settle in my gut.

But before I could contemplate it any further my eyes were drawn to the berry red Lamborghini, with the number plate S1D3 SW1P3 because of the way the sunlight glinted off. But my eyes skipped over it immediately when a sense of foreboding began tingling up my forearms. They found a young girl, who couldn't be any older than six, with a plastic flora-patterned ball that was standing at the edge of the street beside her mother.

Her mother, or at least I assumed so because of their similarities, was busy chattering on phone with something. I rolled my eyes but kept watch over the child. Flickering my eyes down the road, I saw a car coming down. I shuffled, and my muscles tensed as I stood with unease.

The girl bounced her plastic ball, and it hit the curb at the corner, sending it flying into the road. Without evening having to question it, I acted and shot off the pavement and into the road. I gave myself a large boast and lifted the girl into my arms. Just managing to miss the car, I stumbled and crashed to my knees (mentally cringing in pain as I felt the skin tear) as the car skidded to a stop and the mother nearly dropped her phone.

"Oh my God!" I heard more talking, but I ignored it in favour of placing the shaking child on the ground.

"Hey, it's okay," I soothed, running a hand through her hair and stood up.

The mother quickly picked the girl up and mumbled things before looking at me with grateful eyes. "Thank you so much."

"You should pay more attention to her than your phone," I responded coldly.

The woman just gapped at me as the driver appeared to my right and drew the woman's attention away. I used this chance to leave, never once turning, even when I felt a pair of eyes burning into my back.

"Look, I can't be any clearer than how crystal clear I am being. It just stood up," Sam pressed.

I popped a mini gem in my mouth, slowly chewing as I watched the…interrogation? Questioning? Honestly, I wasn’t sure considering Sam had made the report but ended up arrested for trespassing after attempting to chase the car thief.

I’ll give him props, but he shouldn’t have done something so…reckless.

"It just stood up," the cop repeated, looking at Sam like he was insane. I sniffled. What was that smell? "Wow. It's really neat. Okay, chiefie. Time to fill her up. And no drippy-drippy." He handed Sam a urine container. Jesus Christ.

I popped another mini gem.

"What are you rolling? Whippets? Goofballs? A little wowie sauce with the boys?" he continued trying to get a reaction out of Sam.

"Wha—no, no I'm not on any drugs," Sam sighed, clearly agitated.

"What's these?" the cop asked and held up…Mojo’s painkillers?

I paused, just about to eat another mini gem and squinted. Why did Sam have Mojo’s tablets in his pocket?

"Found it in your pocket. Mo-jo. Is that what the kids are doing now? Little bit of Mo-jo?" He asked, with a smirk.

I pulled the mini gem away from my mouth. “Those are his dog’s painkillers.”

Everyone—the cop, Sam, and Ron—turned to me.

I pointed to the orange tub with the hand holding the mini gem. I blinked. “It says it on the tub, and it even states the vets on it, too. Why didn’t you call them up and check, like, you know, a police officer should do?” I sniffled. “Idiot.”

I ate the mini gem.

"Who asked you, little lady? You know, I think I've seen you before? On a street corner... you know that's illegal, right?" he accused, and Ron quickly stood to defend me, but I held my hand up to stop Ron.

I sighed, typical.

The cop pulled back his jacket in a not-so-subtle way to flash his gun, and Ron glanced at it warily. The cop jumped on the nervous glance. "What was that? You eyeballing my piece, Fifty Cent? You wanna go? Make something happen. Do it. 'Cause I promise you. I will bust you up," the cop growled at Ron, and I held up a hand again to stop Ron from busting him up.

I narrowed my eyes, finally fed up with this guy.

"You responded to a car theft, yes?" I asked the so-called cop but didn't let him have a chance to speak. "My cousin is the one that called in, yet you arrested him even though he had evidence that the car was his and that he made the distress call. True, he trespassed, but he has the phone that made the call, the keys, and he knew you were there, but now you’re holding him on an accusation of drug possession? Of being on drugs when he clearly isn't? Not only that but you accuse me of being a prostitute. To make matters even worse you threatened my uncle because he felt threatened by your presence because you flashed your gun at him.”

I lulled my head to the side, where I had not formally held eye contact. Now I did. “I have a feeling if I walked up to your superior and told him everything that just happened, he wouldn’t be surprised one bit. So unless you want us to file a complaint on you, let my cousin go right now," I finished coolly. The cop jerked back.

“Because,” I had no issue flashing him my own badge—albite mine said FBI and while I was not, if someone was to look up my information, I would be registered as a “subsidiary” of the FBI. “I have the power to get you on desk duty permanently, fired and blacklisted, or worse, sent back to the academy and do you know what happens to those sent back?”

I flashed the pale man a beaming smile. “You’re a laughingstock to the newbies.”

It took the cop a moment to gather himself. “You’re free to go. Go fill out the paperwork."

I could see the men on the other side of the small room were trying not to laugh and were wholly unsympathetic.

“Thank you,” I smiled again. “How kind of you.”

I was still reporting him. Sucks to suck, as they say.

Ten minutes later, we were stepping out of the police station. At the bottom of the steps, Ron let out a sigh. “Sam please don’t do something so reckless again. At the end of the day, a car is a car, but you’re our son and not something that can be replaced.”

Sam, already subdued after everything, nodded quietly. “Sorry, Dad. I promise.”

Ron squeezed his son’s shoulder. “I’ll be at the car.”

I picked another mini gem—the packet stuffed in my pocket now—and ate it as we stood in silence. I waited for Ron to be out of ear range.

“Are you going to lecture me too?” Sam asked bitterly, arms crossed as he glared.

“No,” I rolled mini gem between my fingers. “But your dad’s right. Car’s a car. But if the car isn’t found, I’m willing to broker a deal with you. I’ll pay for a new car, a used one, however, because I honestly don’t see the point of getting new cars, let alone a high range, for your first car just to show off. But you would be expected to pay me back for at least half over several years.”

Sam perked up, biting his lip to contain a grin. “Really?”

I smiled, offering him a mini gem. He took one. “Sure. What’s a little help between family?”

I pulled my glove onto my right hand as I entered the kitchen.

"—It was an awesome spectacle here an hour ago when over forty C-17's lifted off from this very base. We're not told where they're going. The government has been very quiet about what's going on but, in our vision, they were headed directly towards North Korea."

I rolled my eyes at the reporter—idiot—but turned to greet Sam as he entered the kitchen. I stared at the large bowl full of lemons, yes, lemons. What the hell, Judy?

I groaned when Mojo started to bark. "Stop with the barking, Mojo. It's too early."

Fortunately, the dog actually stopped. Despite how Mojo appeared, he was well-trained when he wanted to be.

Sam turned and looked out the kitchen sink window and dropped the milk, sending the liquid all across the floor tiles. Ugh, there goes my hope of cereal. Suddenly, an engine roared, and I looked over to Sam in confusion, who looked at me with frightened eyes.

"Sam?"

"The car’s back," he whispered, voice squeaking. My eyes widened as I stood up to see that said car was indeed there. Before I could do anything else, Sam grabbed me and pulled us away from the window.

"Miles? Miles—" He was calling bloody Miles? "—Listen to me. Listen. My car, it stole itself, okay?" I shook my head. "Satan's Camaro. In my yard. It's stalking me."

I snatched Sam's phone from his hand and hung up. Without a second of hesitation, Sam bolted, grabbing Judy's pink bike and running out the front.

I groaned before running after him. The car continued to follow us, and I was easily keeping up with Sam. I let my head fall forward and snorted with laughter at the ridiculous situation—and then it drove on the pavement.

"Zelda!"

I, begrudgingly, stopped laughing. This situation was so fucking…stupid.

We went all the way into town with the car following—thankfully, Satan's Camaro (as Sam had taken to calling it, it was surprisingly catchy) was back on the road. I was levelled with Sam when the bike unexpectedly hit an uneven part of the path. He flipped and landed on his back. I winced knowing it would likely bruise.

"Sam?" The Mikaela girl asked. I looked up to her and her friends, who were laughing. Not Mikaela, I meant her friends.

"Oh, hi," Sam groaned.

"That was, uh, that was really... awesome," Mikaela told him awkwardly as Sam sat up.

"Uh, well, it felt awesome." He replied in a dry and hint of pain-filled tone, and I went over to help him.

"Suck it up, Sam, I've had worse," I could see Sam wanted to comment but didn't when he saw who was around.

"Are you okay?" Mikaela questioned, generally concerned. I could see why he had a crush on her. Sam shook his head, collecting his scattered manliness and picked up Judy's bike again.

"I'm not okay, all right? I'm losing my mind a little bit. We're getting chased by my car right now—got to go," Sam hoped on the bike and went off again. I awkwardly wave to them before quickly following Sam, the Satan's Camaro wasn't that far behind.

It (?) stalked us to an abandoned underbridge scattered with old and rusting cars. We seemed to lose the Camaro for the time being thankfully—but I was still rather interested in what the thing was. We both stopped, and Sam breathed a sigh of relief when we heard police sirens.

"Oh, great. Cops. Officer! Listen!" Sam biked over to speak to the cop, but the door opened and hit Sam causing him to fall off. Again.

He was gonna have some bruising for sure.

"Oh, that hurt," Sam groaned and quickly got up to start explaining everything to the officer. I held back a shiver as I felt the dangerous tingles make their return. I got a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

My eyes scanned the car, and they landed on the motto that was printed on it. Instead of 'To Serve and Protect', it said 'To Punish and Enslave'. My eyes widened, and my breath hitched as Sam slammed his hands on the hood of the car, and it revved forward, causing him to fall. It kept revving forward, and Sam kept screaming.

"Stop! Leave 'em alone!" I growled and stepped in front of him. The car stopped, and one of the headlights turned into a mechanical hand that reached towards Sam.

"Oh my God," I whispered.

I needed to do something. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a knife hilt that I clicked, and a long blade shot out. I brought it down on the mechanical thing. The car let out a hiss and screeched a sound scarily familiar like the recording that Mia played me. I retracted the blade and put it away as Sam got up when, all of a sudden, the car started to transform into a giant, black robot with red eyes that loomed above us.

What on earth…

"Oh, God, no! No!" Sam screamed. He scrambled up, and we sprinted away from the robot that charged after us. The robot swung at us, swatting Sam and me. We flew into a car, smashing the windscreen and landing next to each other.

I stared wide-eyed at the robot as it stood over us and slammed its hands into the sides of the car we were in.

"Are you username LadiesMan217?" the robot barked at Sam. What?

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Sam cried. The robot slammed his hands into the car, making Sam scream, and I closed my eyes tightly.

"Are you username LadiesMan217!" the robot repeated just as loudly, getting close to our faces. I scanned his face, committing it to memory.

"Yeah," Sam said shakily.

"Where is eBay item 21153? Where are the glasses?" The robot moved back a bit, and I pushed myself up onto the hood while Sam went under him. We managed to get off before the robot flipped the car over. We sprinted out of the building, and I saw Mikaela driving toward us.

"Get back! Stop!" She instead drove towards us, completely ignoring what Sam had said. Sam then ran and tackled her down.

"Oh, God! What is your problem, Sam?" She snapped, irritated.

"Okay, there's a monster right there! It just attacked us! Here he comes!" The robot ran out of the underpass just as Sam spoke, making my eyes widen.

"All right, get up. Get up and run! You have to run!" I shouted, and Mikaela looked up at it, realisation dawning on her as she began to shake.

The robot got closer when suddenly the Camaro appeared and skidded, making us stumble backwards. He knocked into the other robot, sending it flying back. It stopped next to us, and the door opened. I immediately got in, knowing, just knowing, that it was a good guy, but it seemed like Mikaela and Sam weren't as sure.

"You have to get in the car. Get in," Sam urged.

"I don't want—I don't want to," Mikaela protested. I stuck my head out the door.

"Get your asses in the car now or so help me I will have this sentient car leave without you." It was a fake threat, but it got them both looking at me fearfully and climbing into the car. The door closed, and we were off.

I saw that the other robot had transformed once more and was following not far behind. Sam and Mikaela then proceeded to scream about 'how we were going to die'. I flinched when the car drove through the large window, smashing the glass.

The car skidded and reversed into the side road of a power station to hide in the shadows as night had fallen during the chase. Its locks went down, and Sam hissed. "We're locked in. The car won't start. At least we ditched the monster, right?" He had to glance around me to look out the window.

It was silent for several long moments when slowly, the robot police car passed by where we were hiding.

"Okay. Time to start..." Sam whispered in a panic to the Camaro as the police car started backing up.

The Camaro turned on its engine and shot forward, driving straight past the other robot. The cop car quickly came after us. The Camaro swerved and opened its door. We all clambered out and moved out of the way as it started to transform. He (?) slammed his fist down and got into a fighting stance, standing in front of us protectively. We all moved back, staring at the robot in awe and shock. Then, the police car came speeding towards us and transformed, tracking the Camaro.

I let out a startled yell and grabbed Sam's arm when a robot about the size of a seven-year-old ejected from the bigger one's chest. It shouted something in another language, an alien (?) language, before chasing after us.

It suddenly tackled Sam and started to attack him, grabbing at his shirt.

“Glasses! Where are the glasses!” it, he? hissed.

What glasses were they talking about?

Sam was trying desperately to shove the robot away.

I stopped and turned back around, pulled my gun out and quickly aimed before firing. It screeched as I hit it. It glared at me, but before it could turn its ire onto me, Mikaela came out of nowhere and cut it with a buzzsaw, slashing.

It shrieked as the buzzsaw caught its arm, and I shot it again, sending it flying backwards and down an embankment. It didn’t come rushing at us again.

"C’mon, let’s go!" I ushered and the two moved, following after me.

The fighting between the two larger robots had ended and the Camaro was walking toward us. I put my gun, safely clicked on, back in my jeans, covering it with my shirt.

The robot made an electrical sound as his cannon turned back into a hand.

"What is it?" Mikaela asked breathlessly.

"It's a robot. But like a, like a different, you know, like a super-advanced... robot. It's probably Japanese. Yeah, yeah, it's definitely Japanese," Sam told her, sounding rather convinced. I simply face-palmed.

"What are you doing?" Mikaela asked me as I stepped towards the robot more.

"I don't think it wants to hurt us. It would have done that already," I stated simply and smiled lightly at the bot. I tilted my head. "You're not hurt, right?"

The bot blinked, seemingly and momentarily surprised at my concern, before shaking its head as a no and I smiled wider with a nod.

"Really? Well, do you speak robot? Because they just had, like, a giant droid death match," Mikaela hissed lowly. Sam walked forward and stood beside me, looking up at the bot.

"I think it wants something from me," Sam said. I placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. The bot stood proudly with his hands on his hips.

"What?" Mikaela asked in bewilderment.

"The other one was talking about his eBay page," I explained to her. What glasses were they demanding exactly? This bot likely wanted them too, now that I thought about it. Was there some sort of…fighting going on between these two and maybe more of their kind? Good and bad?

"You are the strangest boy I have ever met."

I chuckled lightly at her words.

"Can you talk?" Sam asked.

.:XM Satellite Radio- digital cable brings you- Columbia Broadcasting System:.

"You talk through the radio?" I confirmed.

Applauding came from his radio, and he started clapping, pointing to me. :Thank you, you're beautiful. You're wonderful, you're wonderful.:

I let out a breathless laugh.

"So, what was that last night? What was that?" Sam asked.

:Message from Starfleet, Captain—Throughout the inanimate vastness of space—Angels will rain down like visitors from heaven—hallelujah!: the bot pointed to the sky—to space!

"Visitors from heaven?" I blinked, eyes widening in realisation—so I had been right! "You're an alien? Awesome!"

He pointed to me before he transformed, opening his doors afterwards. :Any more questions you want to ask?:

"He wants us to get in the car," Sam dumbly stated the obvious.

"And go where?" Mikaela asked, laughing in disbelief. I smiled before stepping forward the yellow robot.

"C'mon guys, fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?" I asked, raising a brow.

Sam looked at me, then Mikaela, and we all got in. I sat in the driver's seat, Mikaela in the middle, and Sam in the passenger seat. We stopped to grab Mikaela's bag.

"This car's a pretty good driver," Mikaela commented.

"I know... May—maybe you should sit in my lap," I blinked and leaned forward to look at Sam before leaning back against the seat again. Smooth.

"Why?"

"Well, I have a seat belt here. You know, safety first," Sam explained.

"Yeah, all right," Mikaela agreed and from where she was sat between the front seats, climbed onto Sam's lap.

"Okay, there you go. There, see? That's better."

"You know that seat belt thing was a pretty smooth move," Mikaela commented, and I smiled

"Thank you," he replied with a light laugh.

"You know what I don't understand?" Mikaela said suddenly and we both looked at her.

"What?" Sam and I asked together.

"Why, if he's supposed to be, like, this super-advanced robot, does he transform back into this piece of crap Camaro?" I looked at her in shock, piece of crap—? I yelped when the alien skidded to a stop in the middle of the road and opened the doors.

"Get—no, that doesn't work. See?" Sam shouted to Mikaela as we climbed out.

"Move it, you moron!" some random driver shouted from behind us.

"Great, now... See? Fantastic. Now you pissed him off. That car is sensitive. I mean, four thousand dollars just drove off," Sam complained.

I glared at Sam but let out a breath.

Yet we all stopped and turned when we heard a car pull up. My eyes widened as a brand new, latest-model yellow and black Camaro drove up.

"What—?" Sam gasp out.

“Sam, you’re in the back!” I said as I pulled the driver’s door open.

“What—why?”

“You lost those privileges!” I scoffed, “Mikaela, you’re in shotgun!”

Mikaela laughed, and after floundering for a moment, Sam got in the back.

About half an hour later, the alien robot pulled into an alleyway and stopped, allowing us to climb out. We do so in time to see a Peterbilt drive up to us, followed up by a Porsche, GMC Topkick, a Search and Rescue and two Lamborghinis—a berry red one and a golden one.

I recognised the odd S1D3 SW1P3 number plate from the red Lamborghini.

The Peterbilt stopped in front of us and transformed; this one was much larger than the previous two we had seen. It had to be at least twenty feet long.

We stared in awe as the others started to transform as well. I let out a low whistle, and Sam slapped my shoulder and slapped him back, and it might have been with my right. Whoops. "Bad shoulder, Sam!"

He yelped and grabbed his arm.

The blue with red flames Peterbilt knelt before us to no doubt lessen the distance between us and seem more approachable.

"Are you Samuel James Witwicky and Zelda Louis Larsson, descendants of Archibald Witwicky?" he asked in a deep baritone voice. I held back another whistle.

"They know your names," Mikaela whispered.

"Yeah?" Sam answered dumbly.

I rolled my eyes at Sam before answering more confidently with: "We are."

"My name is Optimus Prime," he informed us. "We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron."

"But you can call us Autobots for short," the Search and Rescue robot—Autobot—added.

"Autobots," Sam repeated.

I turned as the smallest robot, the silver Porsche, stepped forwards. "What's crackin', little bitches?" He spun around and leapt onto an old, rusted abandoned car. "This looks like a cool place to kick it."

"My first lieutenant, designation: Jazz." Optimus introduced, something warm in his voice.

"What is that? How did he learn to talk like that?" Sam asked. I rolled my eyes and answered for them

"Since they seemed to be highly advanced beings, I guess they would have access to our internet therefore they are able to immediately learn whatever they wish," I said in a deadpan. They all looked down on me, as well as Sam and Mikaela, I huffed and crossed my arms, "What? Think, Sam, think."

"Zelda is correct. We indeed learned Earth's languages through the World Wide Web," Optimus confirmed, and I smiled. I was a little endeared by how he called the internet by its full name. Optimus turned to the large black GMC Topkick. "My weapons specialist, Ironhide."

Said bot transformed his arms into cannons and pointed them at us, "You feeling lucky, punks?" I bit my lip to stop myself from blurting something out. I saw Sam shot me a knowing look.

"Easy, Ironhide," Optimus warned

"Just kidding. I just wanted to show him my cannons." Ironhide almost seemed to pout.

"How do they work?" I asked. I heard Sam groan, slapping a hand over my mouth. I blinked twice before staring at him.

"Please, please, Zelda. Don't start ranting, I get a headache when you start sprouting overcomplicated things," Sam practically begged me. I heard chuckles coming from the Autobots. I blinked twice more before licking Sam's hand. He pulled a face. "Ew! Disgusting!"

"Our medical officer, Ratchet," Optimus gestured to the Search and Rescue, who sniffed oddly at the air. I immediately knew that I would like Ratchet when he opened his mouth and said: "Mmm. The boy's pheromone level suggests he wants to mate with the black-haired female."

I snorted, covering my mouth in laughter.

"Zelda seems to have sustained a recent bullet wound upon her left shoulder and—hm." I blinked and cranked my head to look up at him in surprise. Also, did he purposely not mention my arm? Thanks dude.

"What?" Mikaela turned towards me in shock. I winced and rubbed the back of my head.

"Classified," I answered. I wasn't allowed to say anything about D.A.A.

"Is that why you had that gun with you?" she tilted her head.

I simply nodded, "I would love to tell you more, but I'm not allowed. Government and all."

Mikaela nodded this time.

"You already know your guardian, Bumblebee," Optimus finally introduced the Camaro.

:Check out the rep, yep, second to none,: Bumblebee struck a fighting pose and started throwing quick jabs as music started spilling from his speakers.

I let out a light laugh. "That's cute."

Bumblebee buzzed at that, making me grin at him. He pulled some poses that showed he wanted me to call him something other than cute. I patted his leg twice.

He whirled questioningly this time, and I didn't need to understand him to know what he'd asked. I tilted my head. "Nah, I still think cute suits you better."

He threw his arms up, chirped, and whirled in mock anger. I smiled. I think Bumblebee and I will get along nicely.

The laughter of a bot made me turn my head to the berry-red Lamborghini. We met eyes, and he grinned, kneeling down as I stepped closer to them.

"Desgination's Sideswipe, Sweetspark." the red Lamborghini, now known as Sideswipe, nodded.

"Zelda, but you already knew that.”

He was strangely cute.

Sideswipe gestured back over his shoulder to the golden yellow bot, who seemed to be glaring down at us humans. "This is Sunstreaker, my twin. Don't mind his attitude; he's just as aft."

I smirked, "Is it because you're the cuter twin?" I asked him seriously with a tilt of my head.

His grin widened. "Yup. I get all the femmes, and he gets none."

There was suddenly a clang as the golden bot, Sunstreaker, slammed his fist into Sideswipe's helm. I raised a brow.

Ratchet sighed heavily—a common occurrence?

"Don’t think I could bring myself to hit my twin. The girl’s the most harmless being alive, " I commented offhandedly before quietly adding, "Most of the time."

I shuddered.

Their eyes lit up in unison.

"You have a sister?" both asked in unison, I nodded.

"Cool! But how can you bear being so far? It must put a strain on your bond?" Sideswipe asked with a tilt of his head.

I blinked. "Bond? I don't know what you're talking about. We humans don't have any sort of bonds."

"So, why are you here?" Mikaela suddenly asked, bringing everyone back to the real topic.

"We are here looking for the AllSpark and we must find it before Megatron," Optimus answered grimly.

"Mega-what?"

I re-framed from correcting Sam.

Instead of answering him, Optimus lifted a hand to his head and tapped at his helm, projecting a light from his eyes. He played back some sort of recording (or perhaps a memory?) that showed their homeworld—it was metal, obviously, but there was this strange amazement about it anyway, despite being clearly war-torn.

Optimus went on to explain. "Our planet was once a powerful empire. Peaceful and just. Until we were betrayed by Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. All who defied them were destroyed. Our war finally consumed the planet, and the AllSpark was lost to the stars. Megatron followed it to Earth, before succumbing to the ice where Captain Witwicky encountered him and accidentally activated his navigation system. The coordinates to the Cube's location on Earth were imprinted on his glasses."

Ah. Those glasses.

"How'd you know about his glasses?" Sam asked.

"eBay." Optimus responded honestly.

"eBay," I drawled, turning to glare at my moronic cousin. “Those are family heirlooms. You don’t sell shit like that Sam.”

Sam whined.

Ratchet stepped forward, uncrossing his arms. "If the Decepticons find the AllSpark, they will use its power to transform Earth's machines and build a new army."

"And the human race will be extinguished. Sam Witwicky, Zelda Larsson, you both hold the key to Earth's survival." Optimus informed us gravely.

"Please tell me that you have those glasses." Mikaela gulped.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: Gotta Get Those Glasses, Sam

As the Autobots pulled up in the alley behind the back of the house, we all climbed out of Bumblebee.

I watched Sam turn to Mikaela. "I need you to stay here, all right? You got to stay here and you're gonna watch them."

"Okay, okay," the raven nodded.

Honestly, what is Mikaela going to be able to do to stop seven Autobots?

"All of them. Do you hear what I'm saying?" Sam repeated, making me roll my eyes and answer for her.

"Yeah, she gets it," I huffed in annoyance before walking ahead of Sam towards the back gate. Sam said something about five minutes before he passed me. He tried the back gate, but it was locked, and he cursed.

"Sam," I pat his shoulder. "I'll jump over and unlock it."

He gave me a grateful look, and I backed up, taking a run up and pulling myself over—thankfully only putting a little strain on my shoulder. I quickly unlocked the gate and pulled it open for Sam. Once he passed me, I let the gate close and leaned against the fence.

Mikaela turned towards me with a raised brow. "Aren't they going to be worried that you're not with Sam?" she questioned.

"I’m an adult,” I smiled, and Mikaela blushed.

I glanced up at the stars before looking at the Autobots out of the corner of my eyes. I decided it was probably best for me to go because I could hear Sam talking to Uncle Ron. I rolled my eyes, and I made my way into the garden.

"Yeah. Life is great, huh?"

"Life..." Sam stuttered, glancing over his shoulder towards me just as we both heard the familiar sound of the Autobots transforming. I held back a wince and instead kept a neutral expression. "Life is fantastic. It's so good. It's so—oh, the trash cans. Sorry, Dad. I'm gonna do the trash cans now."

I continued to watch in bemusement as Optimus stepped into the garden, and I hid a cringe, knowing this wasn't going to be good.

"No, no, I don't want you to strain yourself," Ron tried to open the door, but Sam closed it again.

"No, don't, I won't strain myself, Dad," Sam argued back at the same time as Ron spoke.

"I'll do it. Come—"

Sam was trying, really, he was, but I thought it would be best if I stepped in. "It would hurt his feelings if you do it, Uncle Ron," I chipped in and stood next to my cousin as Sam rapidly nodded at my words.

"Yeah, yeah, it would hurt my feeling."

I dared a glance over to Optimus and saw that all the other Autobots had joined him. I soothed my features and made sure to give an appropriate expression. I dared another glance, and I met Sideswipe's eyes…? I would have to ask them about what they called their body parts later. He was grinning so widely that I bowed my head and let out a huff of laughter. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see (and heard) Sunstreaker whack Sideswipe over the head, an annoyed look on his face.

"—I'm gonna sweep up the whole, uh, house. Right now."

I just realised I missed what Ron and partly of what Sam had said. Oops? Damn you, Sideswipe.

"Tonight, right now?" Ron questioned, looking puzzled at Sam's words. Sam nodded and replied with a 'right now' while nodding, but not before adding. "And Zelda will help me, right?"

I glared at him. What the fuck, Sam?

I coughed into my fist as Bumblebee put a finger to his lips and made a few 'shh' sounds. He waved at me, his bright blue eye looking rather amused.

"I love you. God, I love you just so much right now."

I left Ron's sight, huffing. "Oh my God—he's so bloody shit at this. How are we related?”

The entire group of Autobots glanced down at me with varying expressions of amusement.

"All right, I love you! Sleep good, handsome man!" Sam finished, and Ron went back to the living room. I silently watched from my place near the twins as Sam started freaking out. He turned towards Optimus.

"What are you doing? What are you doing? No, watch the path! Watch the path! Watch the—please, please, please. No, no, wait. No, no, no! Oh, no!" Sam looked annoyed (or was he pissed?) and placed his hands on his hips. Looking really annoyed, he started making his usual hand gestures.

"Oops. Sorry. My bad."

I smirked lightly.

"Oh, I—you couldn't—you couldn't wait for five—you couldn't wait for five minutes? I told you to stay! Just stay! God!" Sam ranted, looking on the edge of having an aneurysm as he placed his hands on the back of his neck, tugging at his shirt collar. The sound of a door opening had me tensing, I spun around to see it was just Mojo.

Sam ran towards Mikaela and started talking. My guess was that he told her to watch them and how she didn't do so. What did he expect her to do anyway?

My eyes snapped back to Mojo as the tiny dog squeaked out a bark up at Ironhide.

"Oh, this is bad. No! Mojo, Mojo! Off the robot! God!" Sam whisper-shouted to the mutt. I slapped my hands to my face as the mutt started pissing on him.

Ironhide kicked the chihuahua, muttering: "Nnh, wet."

"No, no, no, no, no, no! Easy! Easy! Hold on! Hold! This is Mojo. This is Mojo. He's a pet of mine. He's a pet. Okay? That's all. If you could just put the guns away... Put the—put them away. Please," Sam begged the black armoured alien as he pulled out his canons and aimed them at the mutt (and Sam as he was holding the chihuahua).

"You have a rodent infestation."

"A what?"

"Shall I terminate?" Ironhide continued.

"No, no, no, no. He's not a rodent. He's a Chihuahua. This is my—this is my chihuahua. We love Chihuahuas! Don't we?" Sam looked to Mikaela, who nodded rapidly while I shook my head silently.

"He's leaked lubricants all over my foot. Hnnh," Ironhide huffed.

"He peed on you? Bad Mojo. Bad Mojo!" Sam scolded the mutt.

"Bad Mojo." my lips trembled as Ironhide grumblingly repeated Sam. I heard the twins give a noise of amusement as well.

"I'm sorry. He's got a male dominance thing. That's all it is," Sam replied.

I scooped up the scruffy mutt, and Mojo wriggled slightly in my arms. With a determined stride, I manoeuvred swiftly between Optimus’ towering legs. Ratchet stood still as I walked by his legs. He seemingly prepared to step aside but hesitated at the last moment, his metallic visage fixed in a thoughtful expression. I couldn’t quite decipher why he paused, nor did I pay it much mind.

Reaching the back door, I gently yet playfully tossed Mojo inside, watching as he landed safely on the floor, stubby tail wagging furiously.

"Bloody mutt," I muttered under my breath. I turned back to the scene, crossing my arms.

"All right. Whoa—ah. Okay, okay. Shut up and go hide!" Sam whisper-shouted up to them (none of them were talking anymore—so why'd Sam tell them to—? Never mind, it was Sam) before running up to me, past me, and through the back door. I looked over to Mikaela and locked eyes with her. I asked if she was all right through eye contact, and she smiled with a nod.

"Autobots, recon," Optimus stated.

I watched from my space on the porch. Optimus placed his hand on the ground before lifting Mikaela up to Sam's room. He then turned to me after exchanging a few words. I shook my head, telling him I didn't need a lift. Immediately after that, I stepped back and, using the wall as a springboard of sorts, leapt up and grabbed hold of the wooden beams and swung myself upwards, flipping in the air before landing in a crouch. Standing up, I pulled my window open further and climbed into my bedroom.

Maybe I shouldn't have done that with my shoulder—oh well, what's done is done.

I knelt and grabbed a hold of a jacket before pulling it on. As I did, I turned and saw Sideswipe at my window.

"That was pretty awesome, sweetspark," he grinned widely.

I matched the grin and I couldn't help it as I purred out: "I'm glad you thought so."

Sideswipe blinked before looking surprised at the response, but his blue eyes lit up more before dimming, and he glanced at his brother. My guess was they were talking about the bond they had discussed earlier.

A few minutes passed, and I paused when there was no sound from outside. I walked towards my window again. I snorted when I saw all the Autobots in their car modes, and heard Sam say: "Our garden isn't a truck stop.”

I watched as they transformed back into their true forms afterwards, but I started going through my stuff. I needed some tablets—as much as I loathed to use them.

"Calm down, calm down."

I glanced out the smaller window and saw Optimus and Sam talking. I paid no mind as I continued to search my drawers for the painkillers that Aria had given me. My shoulder was beginning to burn for some reason, it could have been because of everything that's happened—it's got my blood racing. I wasn't too sure; it had never happened before.

"What's the matter?" I heard a velvety yet rough voice, which I'd come to know as Sunstreaker, ask. I paused my search and turned to my window, surprised that he was the one to ask.

"I'm looking for some painkillers to help with my shoulder," I replied as I found them, lifting the bottle up and shaking it lightly causing the tablets to rattle about.

Sunstreaker grunted in acknowledgement with a jerky nod.

"Autobots, fall back," at Optimus' command, Sunstreaker turned towards his leader and stepped away from my window, leaving me slightly confused about what had happened. My first impression of Sunstreaker was that he was an arrogant guy of some sort, but I guess I misjudged him?

"What's the matter with you? Can't you be quiet? He wants us to be quiet," I heard Optimus quietly scold at his soldiers.

Suddenly, I felt the earth violently shake, and the lights sparked. Running back to my window, I saw Ratchet lying on one of the power lines and shaking his head. I winced at the electricity cracking around him momentarily before he commented, making me snort.

"Wow! That was tingly! You got to try that!"

Ironhide looked down at him and muttered with a gruff: "Yeah. That looks fun."

"That does look fun," Sideswipe muffled laughed.

I looked over aI glanced over at the red twin, shaking my head in disbelief, but my thoughts froze when I heard the familiar voices of Ron and Judy calling out for Sam and me. Curiosity piqued, I slowly opened my door to find Ron and Judy standing just outside on the landing, their expressions a mix of concern and confusion.

"Oh God, Zelda! Did you feel that? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Judy bombarded me with questions.

"Yes, Judy. I'm okay... but why do you have a bat?" I asked, noticing the weapon in her hand.

She opened her mouth to reply when Ron pounded on Sam's door, beginning to count. Sam suddenly swung open his door but stood in a way to stop Ron from peering inside. "What's up? What's with the bat?"

"Who were you talking to?" Ron was not a happy camper.

"I'm talking to you," Sam stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Why are you so sweaty and filthy?" Judy asked as she peeked her head around Ron's shoulder.

"I'm a child. You know, I'm a teenager." His parents did not look convinced, but I'll give Sam credit for trying. I will seriously be giving him acting lessons later, though.

"Sam and I walked past some construction earlier. It was a busy road as well," I commented lightly and with a smile. Judy looked at me and then back to Sam.

"Okay, but we heard voices and noises and we thought—"

Ron pushed passed Sam and looked around his room. "Yeah, it doesn't matter what we thought. What was that light?"

"No, what light? What? There's no light, Dad! There's no light! You got two lights in your hand! That's what it is.” Angrily, Sam pointed to the lights in Ron's hands but Ron shook his head, not believing a word of it. I glanced to the corner and spotted Mikaela's eyes peeking out. Turning back to my arguing family, I barely caught what Judy said.

"Oh, for Pete's sake! You are so defensive! Were you... masturbating?"

Oh, my God—dear, sweet baby Jesus.

"Was I mastur—no, Mum!" Sam looked justly horrified.

I turned and leaned on the open window, shaking with silent laughter. I ducked my head and let out a stuttering breath, trying not to make any sound. I turned my head and saw Optimus duck away from Sam's ensuite window as Ron entered it.

"Yeah, well, we saw a light. I don't know where it was, but we saw it."

I heard a gasp, and the house began to shake again. Ron started spazzing out and ran into the bathroom and into the tub, screaming: "Earthquake! It's another one! Another earthquake! Get in the doorway!"

Looking at Sam, I rolled my eyes but tugged on his arm.

"Did you find them?" I asked quietly as Judy tried convincing Ron to get out of the tub. I growled lowly as Sam shook his head. I rolled my shoulder slightly as the pulsing feeling returned. I had yet to take the painkillers and I really wanted to.

"Quick, hide!" I heard Optimus say in a panicky tone.

"Hide? What? Where? Oh—" I heard Jazz whisper frantically. "What about—oh, 'kay. Oh, no. Oh, frag!"

I looked out the window I had leaned out a few moments before and glanced upwards only to lock eyes with Sunstreaker and then Sideswipe. I let out a sound of amusement that sounded like a snort. Sunstreaker was on Sideswipe’s shoulders and Sideswipe was leaning on the house on his tiptoes.

I ducked back into the house as Ron leaned out the window in Sam's room. I heard him groan to Judy. "Oh, no! Look at the yard. The yard is destroyed. Sheesh! Judy? Better call the city. We got a blown transformer! The power pole's sparking all over the place! Aw, man. The yard's a waste. Trashed. Gone. It's a wash. The whole yard."

"You're kidding," Judy asked in disbelief.

"The parents are very irritating," Ironhide said quietly. Did Ratchet agree with him? I wasn't too sure about what the Medic said. "Can I take them out?"

Optimus acted quickly, "Ironhide,” Optimus sounded almost scandalised. “What is with you?"

"Well,” Ironhide paused for a beat. I wondered if he looked sheepish. “I'm just saying, we could. It's an option."

I snorted at his reply. He looked away from the Prime—was it a title? It sounded like one—like a scolded child.

"We heard you talking to somebody, Sam. We wanna know who," Judy demanded.

Mikaela decided it was best to show herself, awkwardly waving. “Hi. I’m Mikaela. I'm a friend of Sam and Zelda."

"Gosh, you're gorgeous. Aren’t you the prettiest girl?" Judy complimented her. "Oh, my goodness. I'm sorry you had to hear our little family discussion about this—"

I looked at Mikaela sympathetically as Sam awkwardly fist-bumped Ron. Sam turned to his parents. "Backpack—do you have my backpack, Ma?"

Judy turned to him, a smile still on her face. "Oh, it's in the kitchen."

I grabbed Mikaela's hand and pulled her out of the room and towards the stairs, Sam trailing behind us.

"That was... different?" Mikaela smiled. I snorted as Sam ran in front of us to his bag that was on the kitchen table. Hanging the bag upside down and shaking, the metal glasses case gently clattered onto the table.

"Oh, yes. Okay. Yeah,” Sam murmured, looking so very done with the situation.

"Your mum's so nice," Mikaela said with a smile, seeming to generally mean it.

I turned to her with a serious look. "I don't think she'll be so nice to the Autobots if she finds out they destroyed her garden."

The smile disappeared, and we shared a grimace.

Sam turned toward them. "I want you to distract my parents while I slip out and get these glasses to them, okay?"

Before Mikaela could reply, the doorbell rang multiple times. Ron hurried to answer it and poking my head into the living room, I saw a man in a suit walk into the house. Glancing back at Sam, we looked at the man, who had noticed us standing there.

What now?

The head guy was talking to my aunt and uncle but kept an eye on us. Judy started yelling about government men and her 'bush'. Ron glanced warily at us out of the corner of his eye, and Sam stepped forward, much to my complaint. The man turned toward us with a creepy smile.

"How you doing, son? Is your name Sam?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I need you to come with us."

"Whoa, way out of line," Ron denied, stepping in front of us. They continued to argue until another guy in a suit suggested something about scanning. The first guy asked Sam to step forward and he did.

The scan started beeping wildly, prompting him to shout: "Fourteen red. Bingo! Tag them and bag them!"

It all seemed to happen in a blur.

The men all grabbed hold of us, and a man pulled my arms behind my back and cuffed me. I silently cursed, but as he went to drag me along to the black SUVs, I managed to swipe the cuff keys from his pocket before being forced into the back seat of one of the cars between Sam and Mikaela.

Ron shouted not to say a word until we got a lawyer or something like that, as I wasn't too focused on him but rather on my shoulder, which seemed to intensify in pain from the sudden movement. The guy who cuffed me forgot to see if I had any weapons...idiot.

The man who ran the scanner over us was looking over some paperwork. "So, uh... LadiesMan217. That is your eBay username, right?" he turned towards us.

I withheld a sigh at the reminder that was his username. Honestly.

Mikaela gave Sam a weird look, making him stammer. "Yeah, but, you know, it was a typo, and I ran with it."

I snorted. Lair.

"Well, what do you make of this?" The man held up a small device—a recorder?—and pressed, playing a recording of Sam’s police call.

"Yeah, that sounds like Ladiesman,” Mikaela agreed, giving Sam the side-eye.

"Last night at the station, you told the officer your car transformed. Enlighten me," he glanced between the three of us as he grinned creepily.

"Well, here's what I said, okay? 'Cause this is a total misunderstanding that my car had been stolen—" Sam stuttered. "—From me, from my home, but it's fine now because it's back! It came back!"

"Well, not by itself," Mikaela added. "Because cars don't do that because that would be crazy."

Mikaela, the guy, and Sam all started laughing, of course. It was a forced one, but the driver and I (I hadn't said a word since we left) were the only ones not laughing. I rolled my eyes and held back a hiss in pain.

Seriously, I should be in the middle of being healed, so why was this hurting so much? Was it the adrenaline? But nothing like this had happened before.

Suddenly, the man stopped, face serious. "That's funny. So, what do you kids know about aliens, huh?" Sam and Mikaela stopped short and looked at him with blank stares.

"Oh, you mean, like a martian? Like what, E. T? Pfft. No," Sam said almost frantically. I could really do with teaching Sam how to act. It could save his life one day.

"It's an urban legend," Mikaela said in a matter-of-fact tone.

The man turned with a sigh, reached into his jacket, and pulled out a badge, holding it in front of us. It said 'Simmons' on it, huh? So the face has a name.

Sector-Seven?

Why does that sound familiar?

"You see this? This is my I-can-do-whatever-I-want-and-get-away-with-it badge." My right eye twitched, this guy has some serious nerve. "I'm gonna lock you up forever."

Lips curling in disgust, I continued to work on unlocking my cuffs.

Sam opened his mouth, but Mikaela spoke before he could. "Oh, God. You know what? Don't listen to him. He's just pissy 'cause he's got to get back to guarding the mall."

"You, in the training bra," Simmons barked out. Ew, she's boarding underage and he was thirties at least. "Do not test me. Especially with your daddy's parole coming up."

We all seemed to freeze in the back. I looked to Mikaela, who looked positively angry. Sam looked at her over me, his voice almost cracking as he spoke. "Parole?"

"It's nothing," Mikaela nearly seethed as she shook her head. Simmons did not look impressed.

"Oh, grand theft auto, that ain't nothing?"

"You know those cars my dad used to teach me to fix? Well, they—they weren't always his," she admitted quietly.

Glaring at Simmons, I positively wanted to punch his lights out. Maybe shoot him in the leg as well...

"You stole cars?"

"Well, we couldn't always afford a babysitter, so sometimes he had to take me along," Mikaela sounded defeated.

I felt extremely bad for her. I didn't want to put any more pressure on her, so I looked out the right window. I saw a shadow and did a double take; it was a very large shadow that strangely looked like a leg running alongside us in the distance.

I squinted. Optimus?

"She's got her own juvie record to prove it! She's a criminal. Criminals are hot!" Okay, ew. Again. "Well, that'd be a real shame if he had to rot in jail the rest of his natural life," the weird machine began to spaz out. "It is time to talk!"

Crash!

We smashed straight into the giant metal leg. Sam and Mikaela shrieked while I winced. Finally, having undone the cuffs, I passed the key to Mikaela.

Without warning, two massive metal hands burst through the windows, shattering the glass into a rain of sparkles. They latched onto the car’s roof with an iron grip, effortlessly lifting it into the air. With a deafening screech of metal against metal, the roof wrenched free from the vehicle, leaving us to drop back down to the ground. A sudden stillness followed for a brief moment as a bright headlight shone down at us before turning off.

"You a-holes are in trouble now," Sam smirked. "Gentlemen, I want to introduce you to my friend: Optimus Prime."

He was trying to be a badass—no, Sam, just no.

Simmons slowly stood as the other men in suits ran to the car, aiming their weapons at the Autobot leader.

Growling, Optimus stared down at them. "Taking the younglings was a bad move." He stepped back and the other Autobots leapt off the bridge to encircle us. "Autobots, relieve them of their weapons."

It was funny how as soon as giant robots started pointing their own weapons at the humans, they looked ready to shit themselves.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Simmons yelled with his hands held up in a motion of surrender.

Each and every gun the men were holding suddenly went flying straight from their hands into Jazz's, leaving them all defenceless and scared shitless.

Optimus knelt in front of Simmons.

"Hi, there," Simmons greeted with a strained tone.

Optimus peered down at him intensely, perhaps the slightest bit curious. "You don't seem afraid. Are you not surprised to see us?"

"Look, there are S-Seven... protocols... okay? I'm not authorised to communicate with you except to tell you I can't communicate with you," Simmons weakly explained.

"Get out of the car," Optimus ordered.

"All right. All right. Me? You want me to—"

"Now!"

That got Simmons moving.

Sam, Mikaela, and I quickly followed, and Mikaela hurried to get Sam's handcuffs off him. "You're good with handcuffs, too, now, huh?"

Anger flushed through me, and I shoved Sam against the roofless car. "I'm the one who pickpocketed the agent who cuffed me. I'm the one who gave Mikaela the keys. So, if you have a problem, you say it to me, not Mikaela!" I glared at him. Sam flinched, unable to meet my eyes as I huffed and shoved him into the car before walking towards Simmons.

"Sam, I have a record because I wouldn't turn my dad in. When have you had to sacrifice anything in your perfect little life?" Mikaela said bitterly.

I smirk.

"Big guys. Big guys with big guns—"

I switched into work mode.

"What's Sector Seven?" I barked, walking up to Simmons. Seriously, I had heard of it before, and I’m betting it was the same grade as D.A.A in classification if they dealt with alien stuff like this. Unsurprised to see the Autobots…it was clear something more was at play.

"I'm the one who asks questions around here. Not you, girly!" Simmons answered with a glare, trying to keep a hold of the situation.

“Not presently, you aren’t,” was my dry response. I crossed my arms, turning to Mikaela. “Be a dear and cuff them all together, would you?”

Mikaela grinned and began ruffling through the pockets to take the handcuffs, ignoring Simmons as he tried to protest.

Mikaela flashed a mischievous grin as she leaned closer, her fingers deftly searching the pockets of Simmons' jacket. With a mix of playful determination and disregard for his protests, she rummaged through the fabric, finding the cold metal of the handcuffs nestled inside. The clinking sound echoed softly as she pulled them free, completely ignoring Simmons’ attempts to voice his objections.

She began cuffing Simmons to the agent next to him before turning her attention onto said agent and searching for their handcuffs.

“Sam,” I turned to my cousin. “Search their pockets for any phones and put them in a pile.”

Surprised, Sam hurried close, following Mikaela’s example. I had expected some sort of excitement after the confidence he had shown when the Autobots turned up, but Sam had none of that. Maybe he was wallowing after I scolded him.

Phones clattered to the floor as Sam pilfered through pockets.

“You think you’ll get away with this?” Simmons barked. “This is such a felony. What you’re doing? We’ll have you thrown in prison for the rest of your life.”

“Oh, that’s funny,” I said, smiling. Laughter edged my voice. “You think you have the clearance to have me arrested?”

Simmons tensed up, a wave of confusion washing over his features as he furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. The weight of uncertainty was clear on his face, but he straightened his posture, trying to regain his composure.

“Now, what’s Sector-Seven? And don’t make me repeat myself for a third time,” I ordered.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: Familiar Faces

I groaned awake, grimacing as a spasm of pain shot through me. It snapped me wide awake, but I hissed at the burn of the sun. Sitting up straight, I quickly winced and grabbed my shoulder. " Crap."

"Zelda," Sam sighed in relief.

I groaned and opened my eyes again. I quickly squished them shut at the bright light that seeped in through the helicopter window. My head drooped as I let my eyes adjust to the light. Once they were, I raised my head, turning to Sam, who looked worried.

"You alright?"

I silently nodded, not trusting my voice. I held back a groan in pain as my shoulder began to throb. I quickly gripped it again.

"Yeah," I finally found my voice and cleared my throat of the roughness. "But I seem to be reaching a blank when I try to think about what happened."

Sam and Mikaela looked at one another. "They had backup arrived, and Bumblebee was captured along with us." I couldn't help but feel guilty as I frowned.

I raised a hand to my cheek, where I felt it hurting—not only that, but my left fist was busted up as well. They would be healed in a few hours, so I wasn't all that bothered. It was already far better than it would look on a normal person.

"You attacked the guy from before, Simmons, I think you called him, but you were cuffed, and the guy punched you back. You hit your head on the ground, which caused you to fall unconscious," Mikaela answered.

How sloppy. I bit back a sneer and nodded before sitting back and glancing out the window. I then noticed the other two people in the helicopter with us: a pretty blonde girl and a large, dark-skinned man.

“So, what did they get you for?" the blonde girl asked, seemingly having finally broken an awkward silence.

"Uh—I bought a car," Sam began. "Turned out to be an alien robot. Who knew?" Sam shrugged

It wasn't long before we started our descent, the towering structure of the Hoover Dam before us. As we filed out onto the concrete walkway, the sheer drop captured Sam and Mikaela's attention, drawing them to the edge like moths to a flame.

I couldn't help but wonder what drove people to peer into the abyss below. The last time I visited this monumental site, I had an unsettling brush with danger—nearly pushed over the edge by a reckless moment. Shaking my head at the memory, I followed the group toward a nearby walkway, where Simmons stood resolutely in the centre, an air of authority surrounding him against the backdrop of the dam's grandeur.

Bastard.

"Hey, kid. I think we got off to a bad start, huh? You must be hungry? You want a latte? Ho-Ho? Double venti macchiato?"

I growled, stepping closer to Sam.

"Okay. But first, I'll take my car, my parents. Maybe you should write that down. Oh, and her juvie record. That's got to be gone. Like, forever." He pointed to a surprised Mikaela.

"Come with me. We'll talk about your car," the other guy spoke before turning and leading us in. Once inside I heard the familiar voice call out my name.

"Zelda?" I spun around at the voice of Aria. She was wearing her favourite cream and pink jumper with grey and white tassels, red jeans, and simple black flats.

"Aria?"

Without another second, I was hugging her, which she returned. I pulled back, my hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "Why are you here?"

"I was brought here with Logan and the Sec of Defence."

I turned to see Logan come jogging over to us.

I flinched when Aria touched my sore face. "What happened to your face? Are you in any pain?" she asked, frowning.

I gently grabbed her hands and pulled them from my face and shook my head. "Nothing that needs to be worried about for now."

"Zelda," Logan spoke, and I turned towards him, he stood next to the Secretary of Defence. I saluted quickly.

Simmons then led us all into the building, then down some stairs until we reached the bottom of the dam. "All right, here's the situation. You've all had direct contact with the NBEs."

"NBEs?" a dark-skinned, broad-shouldered soldier asked the question. Simmons turned his head over his shoulder for a split second.

"Non-Biological Extra-Terrestrials. Try and keep up with the acronyms." He drawled.

"Wouldn't that be NBET's?" Aria asked curiously. I smiled at her in amusement. A soldier snorted a laugh behind us, and Simmons stopped and turned on his heels, pointing a finger at her.

"Don't try to be a smart-ass, Missy."

Logan and I snapped round to him.

"I dare you to say that again." My face darkened with my voice.

It was silent as Simmons went as pale as a sheet of paper before trying to regain his composure. Logan placed a hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off with a huff. Glaring at Simmons a moment longer before I turned halfway to Logan. I could see the anger in his eyes, but he was better at holding it than I was.

Calling the D.A.A a close-knit group would be an understatement.

Aria squeezed my elbow. “Easy Sunbird.”

I breathed and continued walking, but I kept throwing nasty glares at Simmons whenever I could. (Which seemed to be doing their job by the way he actively tried to avoid looking in my general direction). I was annoyed, tired, and pissed. It was not a good combination for me to have.

"What you're about to see is totally classified. You will not breathe a word of this to anyone who is not in this room, you hear?" Simmons saod as we entered the room, and the people unfamiliar with the Cybertronians stopped and stared in both fear and awe.

"Dear God. What is this?" Keller, the Secretary of Defence, asked in fear and wonder as we all stared up at a frozen alien that, at first glance alone, I knew to be Megatron.

He was as tall as Optimus was but far, far more threatening. Looking at him, I could imagine the red eyes on him, his hands stained with their lifeblood, and his mouth pulled back into a snarl that would expose his sharp teeth.

I heard Aria and Logan muttering to each other about the size of Megatron.

We walked closer to the frozen Decepticon as the other guy, that I still did not know the name of but was no doubt of higher clearance than Simmons, spoke up. "We think when he made his approach over the north pole, our gravitational field screwed up his telemetry. He crashed into the ice probably a few thousand years ago. We shipped him here to this facility in 1934."

"We call him NBE-One," Simmons stated proudly, making me roll my eyes.

"Well, sir, I don't mean to correct you on everything you think you know, but—" Sam slightly stuttered before looking up at the massive robot. He composed himself: "I mean, that's Megatron. He's the leader of the Decepticons."

"And you didn't think the United States military might need to know that you're keeping a hostile alien robot frozen in the basement?" Keller questioned sharply.

"Until these events, we had no credible threat to national security."

Logan scoffed. "Well, you got one now."

"So why Earth?" one of the soldiers asked.

"It's the AllSpark," I voiced and everyone turned to look at me

"AllSpark? What is that?" Keller asked in confusion. I shared a look with Sam before answering.

"The AllSpark is the reason they came here. It's a large cube full of power that they use to bring their kind to life—at least, that's the gist of it. Anyway, Megatron—" I put empathies on the Decepticons Leader's designation. "—Who's pretty much a harbinger of death, wants to use the AllSpark to take over the universe or something along those lines."

"And you're sure about that?" Simmons locked eyes with me, and I knew then that they had it.

I narrowed my eyes at the duo. "You guys have it, don't you?"

Great, just great.

With that, we were forced to follow them again. I glanced over my shoulder to Aria and Logan, both of whom gave me looks that said they had questions they wanted answered.

"You're about to see our crown jewel."

I was one of the first people to enter the room after Simmons. Bursting through the doorway, I gasped. The AllSpark was colossal, much larger than I initially thought. It was easily over three times the size of Optimus! Its surface shimmered with a captivating blue energy, casting an ethereal glow that filled the room, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere. The sheer scale of it left me in awe.

Sam, Mikaela, Aria, and Logan followed behind, sharing the same look of shock.

"Carbon dating puts the Cube here around ten thousand BC. The first Seven didn't find it until 1913. They knew it was alien because of the matching hieroglyphics on the Cube and NBE-One. President Hoover had the dam built around it. Four football fields thick of concrete. A perfect way to hide its energy from being detected by anyone or any alien species on the outside."

I couldn't shake the feeling that they were about to be proven wrong. It was a familiar sensation that crept into my stomach, warning me that something bad was nearing.

"Wait, back up. You said the dam hides the Cube's energy. What kind exactly?" Logan questioned.

"Good question," the other guy, okay, I'm just going to call him Fredrick for now, said.

Anyway, as he said that, he and Simmons led us into a heavy-duty room with a clear box in the centre. I looked back towards Sam as he looked between me, Mikaela, Aria, the door, and the box. Sharply, I looked at the claw marks on the steel walls. What the hell do they do in here?

"Please step inside. They have to lock us in."

I snorted when Glen, the large dark-skinned man, tried to correct the dark-skinned soldier when he commented on the claw marks in the wall, but it turned out somewhat awkward.

"That's very funny," Simmons said dryly.

Glen tossed Simmons his phone. I watched as Simmons opened the phone and placed it into the box, muttering something about Nokia being from Japan. Simmons then turned around to hand out a bunch of goggles for eye protection.

"Nokia's from Finland, stupid," I corrected under my breath, looking at Simmons blankly. Aria pulled on my jacket but giggled, and Logan smirked.

"Yes, but he's, you know... a little strange," Logan commented with a wave of his hand. That got a snort from Aria, Keller, and two soldiers from earlier.

"We're able to take the Cube radiation... and funnel it into that box," Simmons stated as we looked back into the box where Simmons pressed a button, and a robotic arm shot a bit of energy into the box and into the phone.

Everyone flinched as the phone suddenly transformed. A few others let out short, surprised yelps. The little robot chattered in what I guessed to be Cybertronian before throwing itself at the window.

I realised it wanted to escape. It had seemed to pause for a long moment before it had acted. It was scared. Something inside me shuddered in relation—I knew how it felt.

"Mean little sucker, huh?" Simmons grinned smugly, circling around behind us all as we watched the Nokia robot.

"That thing is freaky!" Maggie cried out.

No, it's not. I tensed my jaw and frowned in confusion at the strange protective urge that surfaced. It was just a child, right? From what Optimus had explained about the AllSpark at least. What did they expect when you first wake up and are surrounded by large things staring at you?

"Kind of like the itty-bitty Energizer Bunny from hell, huh?" Just as Simmons spoke again, the little robot pulled out tiny guns and started firing. He fired randomly before throwing himself towards the window by Maggie and cracking it.

Simmons muttered something like, "He's breaking the box." With that, another spark shot from the robotic arm again and hit the little bot, killing it.

"Why did you do that!" I snarled.

Aria and Logan, and almost everyone in the room flinched at my voice.

Simmons glared at me. "Now look here, girly!"

"No, how about you 'look here'." I shoved my way through Logan and Aria, easily breaking their hold and stormed towards Simmons. "You don't even truly understand the gravity of what you just did, do you? You don’t understand what the AllSpark is!"

I was pissed and angry and—

"The AllSpark is their life source, Simmons! You know what that means?" I questioned. Simmons swallowed; no one else said anything, waiting with baited breaths. "It means you've been selfishly using that power to bring Cybertronians to life, and then seeing a bunch of organic beings staring at them—they try and escape because they don't understand, but you just kill them—you murdered them, Simmons!"

I grab him and shove him into the wall, my right punching the metal wall and denting it as a deep sounding growl resonated from my throat. "And you wanna know the most heart-breaking thing about that? They could be children!"

Silence.

I'd never felt such disgust, and I'd seen—done—messed up things—I'd been a part of one of those situations personally, so I knew a lot about horror, but to think—I just—I couldn't even put how angry I am at Simmons, at his buddy—everyone that was a part of Sector Seven, into words.

"You and your friends are probably child murderers, Simmons." I shove him into the wall as I released him. I spat at his feet. "I hope you're happy because I'm disguised to be a human because of people like you."

"Zelda," Just Logan's tone had me straightening—control yourself, was said, don't fall back into Ophiuchus.

I breathed heavily through gritted teeth, and my shoulders tensed as Aria placed her hands on my arm. I glanced at her and she reached up to touch my cheek.

"Just breathe, Zelda"

I let out a breath.

My body was practically vibrating as I tried to control my rage and shove it into a box at the far reaches of my mind.

The sound of everyone's breathing was the only sound in the room. In the distance, I could hear people working and moving around, and I used that to draw on a forced calm because otherwise, I was going to cause some serious havoc.

Then, before anyone could break the silence, the lights flickered for a fraction of a second. Everyone turned to look at Simmons, who pulled out his walkie-talkie, still looking incredibly pale and unwell

.Good, the sadistic part of me purred with pleasure.

"Gentlemen and ladies, they know the Cube is here."

I placed a hand over Aria's, which was still located on my arm, when her eyes widened.

"Banachek. What's going on?"

"Well, the NBE-One hangar has lost power—"

"What!" If Simmons could get any louder, he'd put a banshee to shame.

"—and the backup generator is just not gonna cut it," the technician finished, voice twanging with panic.

Not good.

"Do you have an arms room?" one of the soldiers asked. He seemed to be the one in charge of their group.

Simmons nodded and ran out of the room without a word; we all followed suit. If the backup generator wasn't going to be enough, Megatron would unfreeze, and I did not want to be here when he did, but we had to get the AllSpark out of here first, not to mention Bumblebee as well.

Shit, Bumblebee.

As soon as we entered the weapons room, Logan, Aria, and I were readying weapons along with the soldiers. The sound of guns clicking and locking in place filled the noisy room.

"Forty-millimeter sabot rounds on that table!"

Suddenly, the lights flickered once more, and everyone froze for a millisecond. Sam speedily walked over to Simmons. "You got to take me to my car. You have to take me to my car. He's gonna know what to do with the Cube."

"Your car? It's confiscated," Simmons stated simply.

"Then un-confiscate it," Sam stressed.

"We do not know what will happen if we let it near this thing!" Simmons raised his voice, and I held back everything so that I would not go over there and shoot the man for his ignorance.

"You don't know—" Sam was cut off by Simmons. "Maybe you know, but I don't know."

But Sam continued as if the older man hadn't said a word: " You just want to sit here and wait and see what happens?"

"I have people's lives at stake here, young man," Simmons barked.

That was it. I was done with Simmons. I was going to do everything in my power after this to get Sector-Seven shut down.

I shoved the large gun I had been preparing into Aria's arms and stormed towards Simmons, once again grabbing the man and shoving him into the car. I pulled the gun from my trousers and aimed it at the agent to my right, who aimed at me.

Everything seemed to happen in a few seconds as all the Sector-Seven agents all raised their guns, pointing them at me, but the soldiers reacted too, aiming their own guns at the agents.

"Take us to Bumblebee!" I sneered.

"Whoa!" Simmons cried out at the sudden turn of events.

"Drop your weapon, girly. There's an alien war going on and you're gonna shoot me?" Simmons tried to taunt me as he asked his question.

I narrowed my eyes. "You really wanna know that answer?"

Simmons paled.

"I'm ordering you under S-Seven executive jurisdiction," Simmons barked.

"S-Seven don't exist," the dark-skinned soldier from earlier replied.

"Right. And we, most certainly I, don't take orders from people who don't exist," I growled, pushing Simmons back into the jeep when he tried to move.

"I'm gonna count to five," he glared, and I matched with a darker one.

"Well, I'm gonna count to three. Mm?" I pressed my gun harder into his chest, switching off the safety as I stared down at him.

"Simmons?" Keller spoke up.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'd do what she says. Losings really not an option for these guys." Keller seemed to mock him while retaining that serious persona.

"All right. Okay," Simmons gave in with a disbelieving scoff. "You want to lay the fate of the world on the kid's Camaro? That's cool." Simmons sneered at me as I released him, and he walked away.

I scoffed. He's never going to be able to get even a flinch out of me. I switched the safety back on.

With that, Banachek and Simmons led us to a large door where I heard faint whines of pain from behind. I clenched my jaw, bracing myself for what was on the other side of the door. With that, the door opened, and I watched Aria choked back a sob, covering her mouth.

I growled and pushed my way through. I couldn't bear to hear the pitiful sounds that Bumblebee was making. I roughly shoved the guys that were spraying him with the nitrogen gas with a glare.

"No, no! Stop! You got to stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!" Sam cried out. With that, a few others began shouting the same thing, and they all quickly stepped down, lowering their guns.

"They didn't hurt you, right?" Sam asked with concern. But Bumblebee glanced around and quickly lowered his headgear with a flick of his head. He activated his guns and pointed them at the soldiers.

"Bumblebee," I called sweetly and stepped up next to Sam. "You need to calm down, they can't hurt you anymore, okay? But you have to listen to us. The AllSpark is here and the Decepticons are coming! Megatron’s frozen a few rooms over but he’s not going to stay that way for long.”

Bumblebee let out a series of electronic squeals that sounded like a growl.

"No, no, don't worry about them. They're okay. Right? They're not gonna hurt you," Sam continued, waving a hand over at the other humans. Bee got up cautiously and glanced down at the soldiers and agents.

"Come on, Bumblebee. We'll take you to the AllSpark," I spoke again and nodded to the others. With that, we all led Bumblebee to where the AllSpark was located.

As we stepped into the expansive chamber, an overwhelming sense of wonder washed over me, as if my breath had been stolen away. Before us loomed the AllSpark, its size both majestic and daunting. The surface was intricately carved with mesmerizing symbols, each one telling a story from a language I couldn’t begin to comprehend.

We stood in silence, spellbound, as Bumblebee entered the room with an equal measure of reverence. His movements were graceful, almost as if he were dancing in slow motion. With a gentle, deliberate motion, he raised his arms and approached the Cube. As his fingers made contact, the AllSpark ignited with a vibrant glow, sparking to life before our eyes. It began to shimmer and undulate, transforming and shifting in mesmerizing patterns, filling the room with an electric energy that made the air crackle around us as it began to shrink in on itself.

"Oh my God," Mikaela whispered. It was what we were all thinking.

Once the Cube finished folding inwards to the size no bigger than a football, Bumblebee turned around to us before playing a message. .:Message from Starfleet, Captain. Let's get to it.:.

The soldier I guessed to be in charge of the group said: "He's right. We stay here, we're screwed with Megatron in the other hangar. Mission City is twenty-two miles away. We're gonna sneak that Cube out of here and we're gonna hide it somewhere in the city—"

Keller agreed.

"—But we cannot make a stand without the Air Force."

Keller turned to Simmons. "This place must have some kind of radio link!"

Simmons nodded, "Yes!"

"Shortwave, CB!"

"Right! Yes!"

The soldier spoke again, this time directly to Keller and Simmons. "Sir, you got to figure out some way to get a word out to them. Let's move!"

"Logan," he turned towards me when I spoke. “I'm going with Bumblebee. You and Aria stay here, yeah?"

He looked like he wanted to argue for a moment but then decided against it, nodding. He pat my shoulder. "Good luck."

"Sunbird, be careful. You're still healing, okay?" Aria said, giving me a pointed look. Then, she eyed my shoulder. I reached up and touched it.

"I will. Promise."

I jogged towards Sam and Mikaela, who was climbing into a now-transformed Bumblebee.

"Let's go!" I sharply nodded to the soldier, and I climbed into Bee's driver's seat. The AllSpark sat in the back seat with Mikaela and Sam in the passenger seat.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five: Mission City

I could hear my heart pumping, the danger getting my blood flowing faster.

Bumblebee was in the lead as he drove down the highway, the soldiers in cars behind us. We had driven no more than ten minutes when we spotted Optimus and the rest of the Autobots coming from the direction we were heading.

"There's Optimus," Sam pointed out redundantly. Mikaela leaned forward and glanced out the front window with Sam and me. Optimus passed us, and I heard him break. I watched in the side mirror as he did a one-eighty to follow after us, and the rest of the Autobots did the same.

Turning back around, I saw that we had come onto a four-lane highway when I heard Sam gasp.

"What?" I spun around to look at him.

"No, no, no, no, no!" I turned back around, looking out the back window.

"It's the same cop! Block them, block them, block them." Sam's voice went up a pitch, and I rolled my eyes. Sucking in a breath and leaning back, I recalled the attack but knew this time would be different.

Nervously, I watched two more cars transform, forcing people to swerve to avoid a collision; some weren't lucky enough. I watched as a Decepticon sliced through a bus, successfully making it combust into flames.

Suddenly—somehow, I expected it—Optimus came out of nowhere and transformed as well, launching himself at the one who had torn through the bus. He and the 'Con fell over the edge of the highway in a tight tussle. Holding my breath, I looked forward, glad Aria and Logan stayed at Hoover Dam.

Jerking back to my senses when we entered the city, I watched the military cars and Autobots pull up as Bumblebee came to a halt. We all climbed out of Bumblebee.

I stepped back, and nodded to Mikaela once she was out.

"Air Force has arrived! Pop smoke!" The head soldier called out. I really needed to get his name. I think someone might have called him Len-something.

"Raptor, Raptor, do you copy? We have your visual. Green smoke is the mark. Provide air cover and vector Black Hawks for extraction," the dark-skinned man called into an old radio.

Raptors aren’t allowed to fly so low, I realised just as Ironhide transformed, inciting panic in the civilians. Before he was fully transformers, he cried: "It's Starscream!"

Civilians screamed and ran away from Ironhide

"Back up! Take cover! Bumblebee!"

Bumblebee did as Ironhide said and transformed swiftly, leaping forward and picking up a van for cover with Ironhide.

"No, no, no! Move!" Len shouted.

"Back up! Back up!" Ironhide yelled

"Retreat! Fall back!" another soldier bellowed.

"Incoming! Unnnh!"

I watched in horror as the bots got hit hard before the force of the explosion threw us all backwards. The explosion blast sent me flying and smacked my head on the pavement. I groaned and quickly rolled onto my stomach, only to have a large hand gently wrap around me and lift me up.

I blinked, clearing the blur and black spots from my vision only to be met with red: Sideswipe. Squinting my eyes, I looked up at his.

"You okay there, sweetspark? That was quite the hit."

I climbed to my knees on his hand and nodded. " Yes, I’m fine. I've had worst."

Concern flicked into his eyes before he seemed to remember that we were on a battlefield. He glanced around and lowered his hand.

I slid off and let out a huff of air at the sudden movement but quickly focused on the battle around us. I locked eyes with Sam, who shoved some rubble off him, his eyes wide in terror. I gave him a reassuring look. Then, looking at Mikaela, who was shaking, I did the same.

I was aware that something warm and sticky was running down my face. I had to blink to stop it from getting in my eye, but I knew what it was without needing much thought.

The whirring of Bee had me turning, and I sighed sadly at the sight. The poor thing had his legs blown off at the knees. I quickly gasp when Bumblebee starts crawling. I made my way over to Sam, who stumbled to his feet. Bumblebee looked so torn and battered.

Sam pushed on Jazz's bonnet and told him to back up before calling for Ratchet.

"He can't do anything currently, Sam!" I barked at him a bit more harshly than I had intended to. Sam just looked at me pathetically.

Bumblebee kept crawling, and I spotted why. I reached over, grabbed the AllSpark, and placed it in Bee's hands. He whirled thankfully at me.

My head snapped around at the sound of a truck coming our way. Panic flooded through me only to disappear when I spotted Mikaela behind the wheel. She climbed out and looked at Sam and me. "Help me with this."

It only took me a second to realise what she wanted to do. I smiled and jogged over to her. We quickly got Bumblebee to climb onto the back of the tow truck, tying him down in place.

"Sam! Where's the Cube?" Len demanded.

"Right there," Sam responded, pointing to it. He was limping and hopping on his good leg. That rubble must have done some damage. Len ran off somewhere and reappeared a second later.

"Okay," he stated, setting his gun down.

"All right, I can't leave my guys back there, so here, take this flare," he said, pressing a flare into Sam's hand. “Okay, there's a tall, white building with statues on top. Go to the roof. Set the flare."

"No," Sam started, eyes wide.

"Signal the chopper and set the flare—"

"No, no. I can't do this!" Sam continued.

"Listen to me! You're a soldier now!" Len shouted. "All right? I need you to take this Cube. Get it into military hands while we hold them off, or a lot of people are gonna die."

"I can't!" Sam repeated.

The captain's glare increased.

"He can't run!" I appeared next to them, fed up. "Sam sprained his ankle! I'll take it, white building, statues on top, signal and get to the Blackhawks," I repeated his instructions.

He stared at me for a moment before nodding.

"Take the flare," he commanded, pressing it into my hand.

I snatched the AllSpark up and glanced around, taking note of everyone’s positions before taking off in a dead run. Ironhide and Ratchet followed me, providing cover.

A Decepticon landed, and Ironhide leapt in front of me, picking up a car to deflect the Decepticon's shot. I rolled to the side, dodging flying debris got back to my feet to continue running. Ratchet and now Sunstreaker were my heels.

"Keep moving, Zelda! Don't stop!" Ironhide yelled from behind.

I don't plan to.

A second Decepticon, the raptor from before, Starscream, dropped sharply from above, transforming and skidding towards me.

"No!" Sunstreaker bellowed.

I did the only thing I could: I dodged to the side again and ducked as Ratchet and Sunstreaker engaged Starscream.

"Zelda, get to the building!" Sunstreaker shouted as I stood once more, shaking my head slightly. I didn't bother him with a reply as I took off running.

There was a thundering roar that signalled Megatron’s unfortunate arrival, crashing straight into Jazz, and my heart dropped.

The dilapidated building towered ominously in front of me, its crumbling façade and broken windows casting eerie presence. Each step I took felt heavier. The unmistakable sound of Megatron charging up reverberated and sent a jolt of adrenaline through my veins, compelling me to push my legs harder with every frantic stride.

"Give me the Cube, girl!"

The metal fence stood open as I entered the building. Typically, service stairs wouldn't be located at the building's front, regardless of its age. Crows took flight as I ran. I couldn’t help but feel like a mouse trapped in a maze, its mortal enemy the cat just behind it.

Any misstep, any wrong turn, could result in my death.

I pushed myself faster. This was going to come back and bit me in the ass later, I couldn’t help but think hysterically.

I continued down gratified corridors until I rounded a corner, and stairs met my vision. Finally! I looked up and without a moment’s hesitation, I propelled myself toward the stairs, my legs working in tandem as I bounded up two steps at a time.

Each step brought me closer to my destination, and it pushed me onward. The world below me vanished, replaced by a singular focus on the ascent ahead.

But then the floor shuddered beneath me as a clawed arm burst through, missing me by inches. I threw myself against the wall and stared at the arm.

Well, would you look at that!

I used Megatron’s arm as a springboard, giggling—I couldn’t help it!

“Thanks!” I laughed and continued. Megatron snarled, yanking his arm back through the gap.

I finally reached the roof, slamming the fire escape door open. The sun blinded me for a second, and the flare burned brightly.

I ran, dodging walls and obstacles, listening to the battle and the sound of helicopters. I was ready to hand the Cube to the nearest Blackhawk.

There it was! Hovering right there. I paused mid-step when I saw the Decepticon—Starscream?—before turning away.

"Pull up!" I shrieked, throwing myself onto the roof and hugging the Cube close.

Time seemingly slowed as the missile hit the helicopter. I could feel the fire and hear the beats of the blades as they spun out of control.

I leapt to my feet and headed to my last option: the edge of the building. Megatron finally burst through the roof. In the distance, I could hear sirens, shouts, and my name.

“Femme.”

I pivoted to confront him directly, planting my feet firmly several paces back from the daunting edge of the building. My gaze climbed slowly up the towering figure that loomed over me, the metallic titan who called himself Megatron. The wind whipped around us, but I refused to retreat; I would not let fear take root in my heart.

He stood there, an imposing mass of steel and menace, yet in my eyes, he was diminished. No, he was insignificant—just a megalomaniac lost in his own delusions of grandeur. After witnessing the depths of human malice, Megatron's threat felt trivial, a mere blip in the vast tapestry of existence.

There was a sense of irony in there, I was sure of that. But there was no denying the smug superiority radiating off him.

I clenched the AllSpark tighter, and it tingled my flesh hand and zapped my metal one.

"Is it fear or courage that compels you?" Megatron asked with a tilt of his head.

Was that actual curiosity or…?

I stifled a laugh, letting out a snerk as I took in my surroundings. Turning to look behind me, I saw the steep drop that loomed ominously below. The sight was both thrilling and terrifying, a reminder of the danger I was courting. Despite the uncertainty swirling in my stomach, I knew that if I had to confront it, I would summon all my courage and face whatever lay ahead. It was daunting, and if I had to, I would face it.

But damn, what I wouldn’t give for the peregrine wings right now.

“A healthy mix of both,” I answered honestly.

"Give me the AllSpark and you may live to be my pet," he purred with a grin. “I like your attitude. You intrigue me. I spent so long trapped by those insects. All that chatter, so…boring. Zelda Larsson, a descendant of the one who brought all this to be. So fascinating, is it not?”

“I’ve been the pet to a megalomaniac before. Not too keen on repeating it,” I smirked, playing along even if to give myself more time. “Once was more than boring enough.”

He bellowed out a laugh, a claw shattering an angel statue that sat on the edge of the building. Megatron stood from his kneel, and I edged back, heels hitting the corner of the building.

Megatron loomed above me, a twisted grin spread across his face. It was a smile filled with malice, and I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down. I was trapped, and there was no denying it—both of us fully aware of the power he held over me.

The sound of helicopters had me turning my head away from Megatron just briefly enough to snag a glance.

One of them had their hatch open. A soldier stood there staring right at me. The look was one that would burn into my subconscious for the rest of my life, even if it was to end now or in the future. He knew that I was more than likely going to die. He would grieve for someone he didn't know.

I let out a breath, calming myself—like when I needed to collect composure on a mission. It did the job.

I was prepared to accept whatever the Gods had chosen for me.

I met Megatron’s eyes defiantly. “We both know I’m not handing the AllSpark over.”

“So unwise,” he growled.

I spun around, my heart racing, and launched myself off the edge of the building. The wind rushed past me, a sharp reminder of the gravity of my choice. At that very moment, Megatron, towering and relentless, swung his massive arm downward, aiming to strike with lethal force. The world around me blurred into a cacophony of sound and motion. I felt the swoosh of his claw that just missing me by a hair’s inch.

I fell.

I could feel the familiar rush of air surrounding me, my blood pumping in my ears as I pondered who I would meet first after my death. Would it be my mother? My father? Perhaps I would even see Jazz. I hadn’t known him for long, but he seemed like the kind of person I would have gotten along with well.

Before my thoughts could drift any further, I suddenly collided with a solid metal surface. The impact was jarring, and I braced myself for the worst, expecting to be flattened against the unforgiving material. Surprisingly, I wasn't crushed. Instead, I felt myself drop for a brief second, an unsettling sensation of weightlessness enveloping me. Then, just as quickly, I was lifted, as if some unseen force had caught me, pulling me upward with gentle persistence. I wheezed as I felt my ribs crick inside my body.

"I got you, little one," Prime looked at me as I stared at him in shock. He cradled me to his chest. "Hold on to the Cube!"

We descended in a controlled freefall, until suddenly, Megatron appeared overhead, a dark silhouette against the sky. With a thunderous crash, we hit the ground, the impact reverberating through the earth. There was another eruption of a cacophony of terrified screams, voices blending into a chaotic symphony of panic. I inhaled sharply at the sudden loss of air from my lungs; my ribs, no doubt, were cracked.

"Zelda?" Optimus spoke softly. I met his eyes. “The Allspark is not the cause of your kind’s life, yet you would risk your life for it, for us. Why?”

"No victories without sacrifices. A life without cause isn’t much of a life, Optimus,” I held his gaze, clutching the AllSpark close. “I’ve learned from experience."

He bowed his head, ordering softly: "If I cannot defeat Megatron, you must push the Cube into my chest. I will sacrifice myself to destroy it. Now, get behind me.”

What? He wants me to... I closed my eyes and nodded, obeying by running off to hide.

"It's you and me, Megatron," Optimus declared as he stood once more.

"No, it's just me, Prime," Megatron snarled back.

"At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall fall," the Prime rumbled.

The trench served nicely as I hid and listened to the battle. The sound of one being thrown and landing hard was followed by Megatron's disgusted voice. "You still fight for the weak! That is why you lose!"

I realised it was Optimus that had been thrown. I ducked from the rocks that spilt over the sides of the trench and came to a conclusion. It wouldn't be Optimus who would die today. I know I will have to beg for forgiveness for what I was going to do—for I have to do. I will spend the rest of my life repenting if I have to.

I glanced up and began to follow the battling aliens, watching, waiting for the perfect time. I inhaled sharply as aeroplanes sawed, soldiers crept along the ground, Blackout was brought down, missiles screamed, and I ran towards Optimus as Megatron was hit several times.

A burst of fire and time seemed to freeze again. I was lying on my back—quick to get to my knees—between two injured robot aliens.

"MINE! My AllSpark!"

"Zelda! Put the Cube in my chest! Now!"

I took a deep breath and rushed towards Megatron.

"Zelda!" Optimus shouted, voice rising with something that I didn't have the time to put into words.

As I narrowly dodged Megaton's vicious swiping claws. In a moment of desperation, I raised the AllSpark into the air. My fingers gripped its smooth, cool surface tightly, feeling the energy emanating from it like a heartbeat. As it ascended, a fiery glow enveloped the artefact, and I could see it start to disintegrate, brilliant sparks flying in all directions. The heat was intense, scorching my skin and filling the air with the smell of burning power. The burning rushed down both of my arms and flooded my entire being like a fire had ignited inside me, and my eyes rolled back.

It wasn't fire I was feeling—it was fury.

Forgive me. I'm using a thing of creation for destruction. To destroy the monster, I have to become a monster.

"You grieve destruction, Child of Earth?" The voice was rich with ancient power, which I could taste on the tip of my tongue.

Yes, I sucked in a wet breath, and my eyes burned with tears, but it wasn't from the pain that was slowly vanishing, everything must have a chance at life, but sometimes those given the chance don't use it. They harm others for selfish reasons, and so I, and others, are forced to become like them to help. Forgive me for using a Life Bringer to take a life—especially one of their creation.

I'm a twenty-five-year-old who works for a secret government operation that takes missions the CIA and FBI can't—I've seen things, I've done things, horrible things, and I will always hate myself for what I've done. But the reason I continue to do this line of work is that I'm helping to stop people that harm and kill others.

It's the only way I can repent.

"Child of Earth," the voice turned soft and I trembled. "You show such promise. Rest now, Dear One."

Time began again, and the Cube exploded, sending out a shock wave. I was sent flying backwards as Megatron jerked back himself, dragging the remaining pieces of the Cube with him as it disintegrated. Red, hot, melted metal poured from the gaping wound in the centre of Megatron's chest.

For a second, as I lay still on the ground, I could still hear every little sound: the beating of hearts, the pulsing of the Autobots’ sparks, and the distant scurrying of people as they fled.

For what felt like forever passed by in seconds. It was silent, every other sound faded out in the background, and I sucked in a breath, my ears ringing with white noise. I blinked slowly, watching as Megatron's optics, locked with me, flickered and darkened. He fell backwards with a thundering sound, dead.

Who would he meet?

Hissing clanks behind me told me that Optimus was moving.

"You left us no choice, brother," he rumbled quietly in a tone of grief.

He knelt beside me. I found my body void of strength, my muscles quivering from the stress they'd endured.

I met Optimus's optics.

My flesh-and-blood fingers twitched but ultimately felt numb, but it was a pleasant feeling, not a rough or gritty one.

Optimus's gaze was soft. "We owe you a great debt, Zelda Larsson."

I shook my head and chuckled painfully. "You risked your lives to save Earth, Optimus. You don't owe anything."

I struggled to push myself up with the way my body trembled as if I had down twenty cups of pure coffee. I felt terribly awake yet utterly exhausted. Optimus slowly reached down, and I found myself being lifted. He clutched me to his chest as he stood to his full height. The new position made my ribs hurt, but I found myself slumping against him. Sucking in breaths is far easier like this. I could hear the rhythmic hum of his spark, and it was soothing.

I rubbed my fingers together, testing the sensation I had finally regained. I was surprised that the shockwave hadn't affected my prosthetic.

Still, in a slight daze, I turned as best I could when I heard the pick-up truck holding Bumblebee come to a screeching halt, Sam and Mikaela both climbing out. My eyes danced from them to the Autobots, briefly pausing on the twins before turning to Ironhide, who held Jazz's body.

"Prime, we couldn't save him."

"Oh, Jazz. We lost a great comrade but gained new ones. Thank you. All of you. You honour us with your bravery," Optimus rumbled.

"Zelda!" Sam called up to me and I waved as he gave me a relieved look.

I smiled, feeling oddly floaty despite everything my body had gone through. I grimaced, reaching for my shoulder. It was burning.

Len shuffled over to Optimus and me, glancing up, "You did good, kid."

I gave a thumbs up.

I closed my weighted eyes. It was over... But why did I feel like this was only the beginning?

If it was, then I'd be ready for whatever was thrown at us.

"Hey, Lennox!" the familiar dark-skinned man called, walking over. It's Lennox, then, huh? "What should we do now? We can't risk staying out here."

Lennox glanced at all the Autobots and us humans.

"We should head back to Hoover Dam," Lennox offered, glanced over at all the Autobots. “At the moment, it's the only place that we know the Autobots can fit and walk about freely that’s out of the public eye."

The other soldier nodded. "Right."

Lennox then turned and started ordering the remaining soldiers to ready themselves and bring any dead, too; it would be disrespectful to leave them here.

I let out a deep breath, glancing down the road that would lead us to the Dam. Just a little long, Aria. I'll be back with you and Logan soon.

"You did amazing, sweetspark." I turned to face Sideswipe and he moved forward, a soft smile on his face.

I glanced past Sideswipe, to Sunstreaker, who nodded his head in approval.

"Thanks, you two weren't too bad yourselves," I winked, getting a laugh from Sideswipe.

Sunstreaker huffed, rolling his optics, but I could see the amusement in them.

Sideswipe grinned at Optimus, the former only sixteen feet tall compared to the Primes' twenty or so feet. " Would you be willing to pass Zelda to me, OP?"

A deep chuckle vibrated from Optimus, and I could feel it down to my bones. I let out my own snort.

"You make it sound like I'm some object you can manhandle, Sides," I chided.

Side's optics widened comically; he waved his arms. "No, no! I didn't mean it like—"

My laughter cut him off, and he slouched, realising I had been teasing him.

"Aww, man. You actually got me."

Sunstreaker smirked. "Idiot."

Optimus finally cut in, "If that is what you wish," he rumbled, and I glanced up to see amusement in his optics.

"Slag yeah!" Sideswipe grinned.

With the strength that I'd regained, I climbed from Optimus' palm into Sides’ waiting one with a groan. The red twin then held me against his chest, much like Optimus had done.

It was an odd gesture but a welcomed one. Either way, I could still hear the deep humming of their sparks, and it was lulling and soothing to hear. It soothed something in me.

"Let's get to this dam that human was talkin' about, yeah?" Sideswipe grinned, turning and walking towards the regrouped and ready-to-go humans.

"C'mon Sunny! Let's go!"

"Don't call me that."

Chapter Text

Chapter Six: Aftermath

“=How is she doing?=” Ratchet’s voice came over the primary.

“=She’s, I believe the human word is wheezing?=” Sideswipe answered.

Zelda had fallen asleep in a matter of minutes after climbing into his alternative. Her eyes were weighed down, and her body was exhausted, but her exhales sounded painful.

“=It’s a subtle thing,=” he added, not wanting to spark more worry. “=I think her ribs need some checking out though. She took a beating.=”

“=At least she’s not wired anymore,=” Ironhide commented, “=Better to be exhausted and recharging.=”

Watching the standoff unfold had been an experience fraught with tension, each second stretching out like an eternity. The moment Zelda had forcefully thrust the Cube into Megatron's spark was nothing short of monumental. Sideswipe could hardly process the spectacle he had seen; the energy radiating from the clash had been palpable, almost charged with a life of its own.

As Megatron had lurched back, dragging the remains of the Cube with him, Sideswipe had spared a glance to the soldiers who had been watching, their expressions having been a mix of confusion and awe. It had been clear to him that they were oblivious to the true significance of what had just occurred. How could they possibly grasp the intricate workings of the AllSpark and its profound implications? The secrets embedded in Cybertronian lore were lost on them, leaving them spectators in a battle far beyond their understanding.

To them, it was merely a spectacular, death-defying fight, but for those who understood, it was a pivotal moment for all Cybertronian existence. It wouldn’t have allowed Zelda to destroy Its current host unless It found a new suitable one, and that new one was currently asleep inside his vehicular mode, unaware of what had just changed her life forevermore.

It said a lot of things, but to Sideswipe, one was the most important.

The AllSpark had chosen a living host—an event that had only occurred before the existence of all Cybertronians. Ancient hymns and sigils recount the legend of how the AllSpark came to be, detailing how She played a role in their creation alongside Primus, who chose to become the planet they call home. Since She had given up Her sentient form, the AllSpark had only inhabited the form it had now discarded.

Things were changing, and hopefully for the better. It had made a deliberate choice to elevate Zelda above all others, and that decision weighed heavily on his mind. Perhaps this choice stemmed from the deep-rooted connections the Witwicky family had inexplicably forged with them by their ancestor discovering Megatron so long ago. Sideswipe couldn’t be certain. Maybe Optimus could provide some insight.

Sideswipe gently reached out to that fragile but formed bond. It conveyed Zelda’s exhaustion, pain, and contentment all at once. He knew it would take time for Zelda to understand and manipulate the bond as any Cybertronian would, so he was prepared to feel the flow of a second person’s emotions.

It would be like when he and Sunstreaker were sparklings, so new to life and bound so closely that some days they had struggled to tell each other apart. It took many stellar cycles for them to even close their bond without feeling a sense of utter loss. Of course, it would be nowhere near as severe as that, and Sideswipe had the feeling Zelda would be quick to pick up the motions of her new bonds with ease from what she had already shown.

~What do you think about this, Sunny?~

~Better her than Sam~ his brother grumbled, but Sunstreaker couldn’t deny the budding fondness for Zelda over their twin bond. ~She’s alright, I guess~

Sideswipe withheld his snigger. She was more than alright in Sideswipe’s datapad.

The feeling of the car—Sideswipe, my brain told me—coming to a stop roused me. I sat upright with a groan. My body felt like one entire bruise and thus protested such movement. I groaned again. What I wouldn’t give for a drink of water.

The seatbelt unbuckled for me, and the door swung open. I climbed out of Sideswipe. I grimaced at the feeling of my ribs and thanked Sideswipe. To which I got a cheerful “no problem, sweetspark” in return.

I watched as the soldiers began unloading, doctors and nurses all rushing over to assist the injured. Then, the familiar stand-out ginger hair flashed from the corner of my eye. I turned to see Aria jogging my way.

“Zelda!”

I moved to meet her. She crashed into me, her arms wrapping around my shoulders, but the action sent my knees buckling out under me. We yelped as we hit the ground, but neither of us pulled away from the hug. In fact, Aria just tightened her arms.

"A-ri-anna," I groaned. She buried her face into my shoulder and chuckled softly.

"Idiot," she scolded as she pulled back. She gave me a once over before glaring. "I told you not to get hurt."

"Sorry?" I offered sheepishly.

Aria rolled her eyes with great exasperation before, standing once more and helped me up. I groaned at the movement—my shoulder was killing me.

"C'mon, Sunbird," Aria's calm voice brought me from my thoughts as she grabbed my hand. "I'll clean and bandage your wounds before I do anyone else. You come to Sam and your lady-friend."

My sister led the three of us into a small nurses' office—no doubt they had a bigger one for more important injuries—and she had us sit on some seats. She cleaned Sam and Mikaela's wounds first and covered the ones that needed to be.

Once Sam and Mikaela left (or more like shooed out by Aria), my sister turned to me. "How's your shoulder?"

"Shit," I answered, using my prosthetic hand in an attempt to scrunch my shirt up and pull it off. Aria helped me, and just looking at the bandage, dried blood and discolouration, it wouldn't be good.

She peeled it back, stopped midway and leaned on the arms of the chair.

"Bluebell?" My heart thudded because that reaction wasn't good. "There's a problem, isn't there?"

She nodded, pushing off the arms and pulling the bandage off completely. I felt the way the pad began to detach from the wound.

"Don't look," She ordered.

I swallowed and did as the doctor said, I closed my eyes. I heard her curse and run a hand through her hair. "Shit."

“Logan, I need you to come here. Now. Over,” she spoke over the comm.

I didn't hear the response, and I didn't have my link open. Instead, I settled back into the chair, only to stop when my ribs protested. I sat back up, thinking. "Okay, maybe I shouldn't sit back like that."

"Your ribs?" Aria hissed. I nodded. "Damnit, Zelda."

"Has it become infected?" I questioned—eyes still closed—but I already knew the answer.

"Yeah," she breathed. I heard her opening some cabinets and draws, the objects inside rattling about.

"I'm going to disinfect for now. Take a sample, too. Something like this…it shouldn’t have been able to fester," she murmured. She wasn't talking to me. "Why don't these places have any good, proper medical supplies?"

I didn't make a sound, knowing how tense she was getting.

The knock on the door, the duh-duh pause, and the third duh signalled that it was Logan.

"Come in."

The door creaked as it moved, and Logan spoke immediately. "Aria? What's the problem—shit."

"I know," Aria hissed. "I don't—this place doesn't have the equipment like we do, this—" she threw some stuff down in frustration, "—ain't gonna do bloody anything for that bullshit right there!"

"Breathe," Logan instructed. He moved closer to Aria. She did. "Then we just have to take Zelda back home."

"Okay, okay," She whispered. There was the shuffling of clothes and other movement before she came back over to me, "I'm gonna wrap your ribs for now."

"Okay."

"Logan, get the bloody clearance for us to leave. We need to get her back to base where I can properly tend to her," she ordered.

Never get on the bad side of a doctor, I thought with grim humour.

Logan left without saying anything. Wrapping my ribs was painful, and I groaned, but I knew better than to complain because it was this or get a possible punctured lung if any of my ribs were broken.

Once my ribs were done, Aria took a swab from my wound before cleaning it and then bandaging it again. Slinging my arm with one she located.

"C'mon, Sunbird,” Aria gently nudged.

I struggled to open my eyes as she collected the used equipment and began to bin it correctly.

She held the door open, and I moved back towards the room the Autobots had been ushered into.

I heard Logan, Kellers, Simmons, and Banachek's voices before we even entered. My eyes were drawn to the Autobots, who were watching the four men argue.

"I don't care—Zelda needs medical equipment you bastards don't have," Logan barked.

"What equipment could she possibly need?" Simmons drawled.

Aria shuffled forward, and the Autobots' eyes were drawn our way because of it. My fingers twitched, and my flesh palm began to sweat and tremble.

"The equipment D.A.A has is superior to this so-called government sector's," Aria derided.

Simmons sneered in my direction, and I sneered back. "Watch it, murderer."

He flinched.

I took sadistic satisfaction from it; Aria reached back and yanked my ear. "Zelda."

"I'm not saying sorry," I grumbled like a scolded child. I'm pretty sure Ironhide snorted.

"Didn't expect you to—we just have company is all, best save the insults for a better time, yes?"

"We're getting slightly off-topic," Keller hinted.

"Yes," Aria bounced right back into the conversation, holding up the swab, "I want clearance for at least Zelda and I to leave. I need equipment that Sector-Seven just don't have to be able to examine what's caused Zelda's infection."

"Perhaps I could be of assistance," Ratchet stepped forward. "My scans are capable of doing an entire body scan, of which I will be able to find the problem."

"Please," Aria nodded, "I'd be most grateful if you'd do that."

Ratchet shifted, and then the feeling of goosebumps fluttered through me without the actual goosebumps—it was Ratchet scanning me.

Ratchet's frame tensed as a frown appeared., "There is a mix of compounds but the most notable is dimethylmercury."

Aria choked on her spit. Logan, Simmons, Keller, and Banachek's eyes all widened.

"Dimethylmercury," I echoed blandly. "Wow, didn’t think Silas would pull that out."

The Autobots flinched at the nonchalant tone.

Simmons whirled around. "How can you be so—"

I gave him a deadpan expression. "This ain't the first time I've been poisoned, Simmons. It just comes with our line of work."

"Enough, Zelda," Aria cut in sharply. We need to get back to base so we can start immediate treatment—I don't know how this'll affect you personally."

"Personally?" Ratchet questioned quietly, not understanding what Aria had meant. Ratchet glanced at Optimus, who made a slight motion of shrugging.

None answered Ratchet—though I doubt that the other humans heard him.

Part of my personally.

I swallowed and continued with the void tone. "It'll still—"

She hissed, tugging on my ear for what I was about to say, and I hissed back, but before she could respond, Ratchet spoke up once more. "I would like to join you."

He glanced at Optimus for a second time, who nodded.

"The extra hands will help," Aria murmured.

"Optimus," Sideswipe stepped forward.

"It would be best if only one goes for now," the Prime answered the unspoken question. Sideswipe made a sound of protest but didn’t argue.

"Come, Zelda," I limped after Aria as she exited. Ratchet followed us.

The rocking of Ratchet's car form was lulling, even at the speed we were going. I sighed, feeling as the trembling in my hands got worse. My stomach had become unsettled, but I hadn't eaten in at least a day, so I had nothing to bring up but bile. Still, I'd still rather not puke in Ratchet, so we'd made an emergency break to let me empty that small amount of liquid before carrying on.

We'd made a distance, Ratchet using his form to its full advantage. Thankfully, Hoover Dan sat on the Nevada border.

Aria had supplied Ratchet with the coordinates and commed ahead to let the guys know about what was happening.

The off-road path we had to take made my vision dance, and my head was pounding too. I wasn't too brushed up on my mercury facts, but dimethylmercury was a long-term killer, meaning it took months to kill someone. Side effects would start showing before that, and considering I'd been shot three weeks ago, side effects shouldn't be this bad yet, but I'd been doing a lot of blood-pumping activities, which likely hadn't helped the process. But something had clearly sped the progress up. Had they done something to the mercury? Experience said they probably had.

I groaned, my stomach twanging and churning painfully.

Aria was humming something gently, her hand running through my grimy hair. My temperature had risen too.

Why was my reaction so bad?

"We're almost there, Sunbird. We're almost there."

I sighed.

It was dark, so very dark. I felt so... numb, but warm yet...so alone.

"!" A distant voice called, a voice filled with such warmth and familiarity that I reached out for it. But it seemed that the voice was just too far away. My chest throbbed, it was painful, and I didn't know why.

What happened? Where am I? But this warmth... it seems so familiar... I've felt it before. It's so soothing. I know I've felt it somewhere before.

"!" The same voice called again, sounding like it was frustrated. There was another voice, it was familiar too. They sounded so frantic that I just couldn't keep up.

White light burned my eyes, I shied away from it. The light vanished.

My heart beat painfully fast—like it would fly out at any moment.

My body was still, yet tremored.

Then memories flickered back to me.

Was I dying? It felt like it. There were a lot of different dying sensations, but it was the feeling behind it all that told me I was dying.

And I was okay with that.

But—my heart hurt, and my hands tremored for a different reason.

So why? If I was okay, at peace with dying, why—why was my body reacting differently?

"Because you do not yet want to leave this world,” that deep ancient voice spoke again, breath lodged in my throat. "Child of Earth, at this hour, this moment, this very second, a new time has come. A change in tides that will alter the fate of not only Cybertronians but humans.

"A new age has arrived; you shall face difficult tasks in the upcoming years. Face them head-on and you shall come out victorious.

My dear AllSpark, before I return you, I shall tell you this: When the moment comes that the ground turns liquid, a presence shall bring a new fury and the end of an essence."

I gasped for breath at the sharp awakening. The white light blinded my eyes, and it hurt. I squeezed my eyes closed.

It was silent for several long moments, just the sounds of the beep-beep-beep-beep of the heart monitor going crazy, the shuffling of clothes and the buzzing of the lights.

Then hands were on my face, and I opened my eyes again, this time not blinded by the above lights as much. Aria's face filled my sight and she was smiling. "Hey, Sunbird."

"Aria?" I croaked. My voice sounded slurred to my ears—was I on morphine?

Aria smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, it's me."

The feeling of her hand running through my hair was soothing and I sighed.

"Ho'long?" I asked, nose scrunching at my failed attempt to form a sentence.

Aria tittered. "Two weeks."

I groaned. "Feelin' bet'er thou'."

"As you should be," another voice interjected, and I turned to him—he felt familiar. There was something there, this deep hum that made me twitch my ears, wanting more of the sound.

He smiled. "You've recovered remarkably well for a human, Zelda."

Oh my God, my mind finally clicked—it was Ratchet.

"Ratch't?"

He smiled wider, a look in his gaze—for what I wasn't sure, might just be my drugged-up brain. "Indeed, youngling."

He moved forward, taking Aria's place as she left my side. "While you still must recover, you have already improved greatly. Aria and I suspect the origins of that to be your peculiar situation."

I paused, eyes flickering to Aria as she turned back around. "You told him?" It wasn't accusing—it was just that my situation was classified and meant to be kept on the downlow.

Aria nodded. "I thought it best Ratchet knew to be able to help as best as he possibly could. Are you mad?"

I scoffed. "Who do you take me for, Bluebell."

Aria chuckled.

"While I have been informed about your enhancements," Ratchet began and reached forward, his hand—a solid hand with a texture that made him feel completely human—coming to rest on my hairline. “I do not know the story behind it, nor will I pry."

I let out a breath, soothed by his touch and words. "Thanks."

"Of course, youngling."

"So what's hap'end while've been out?" I asked. God, let me speak normally again, please.

"Your government have and are speaking with Optimus, and with the help of General Logan and Secretary of Defence Keller, are in the stages of developing a treaty of refuge for us and future Autobots," Ratchet answered.

"M'glad," I smiled.

"There has also been interest shown in forming a division where we Autobots will work alongside the humans to hunt remaining Decepticons," Ratchet added, hand gently stroking my hairline. My muscles relaxed impossibly further. “Aria mentioned General Logan seemed to be in particular support of this possible agreement."

I chuckled, "That sounds like Logan, alright?" I glanced at Aria. "Is he here?"

"Nope. Held up at Washington," Aria sighed, brows furrowing. "Which could be difficult because that makes us two short if something happens."

"What's the likelihood?"

Aria groaned. "I'm not the one to be asking about that bloody stuff, Sunbird."

I chuckled, turning back to Ratchet. "What about the others? Where are they? And Bumblebee?"

Ratchet blinked and smiled. "They are also here. They arrived two days prior. I returned briefly to Hoover Dam to repair Bumblebee's legs."

"M'glad," I swallowed, my throat dry. "Speaking of you guys, what's up with the humanoid form? You got me curious."

Ratchet chuckled. "It's a holoform. Currently, I am the only one with a solid version. The others are only holograms as I have not yet gotten around to tweaking finer details that need a bit more work."

"S'it a projection of sorts?"

Ratchet nodded. "Yes, and because these forms are made completely from light, I have no need to worry about sanitation in regard to helping you humans. You all get ill so easily."

I tittered before asking: "Am I good to get up or?"

Aria sighed, sharing a glance with Ratchet, and then turned to me, "As long as you take it easy, and I mean easy, Zelda. Minimal walking or doing any taxing activities that could put a strain on your body."

"Right," I acknowledged. "So, my ribs good too?"

"None were severely broken if that is what you were asking," Ratchet chipped in, "But your ribs are almost completely healed—in only two weeks, compared to the six of an average person."

I pushed myself up into a sitting position. My body was stiff and ached, and I groaned. My ribs were the main cause. With help from Aria, I got dressed into some jogging bottoms, a vest, and a sling for my arm.

Then we leave the room, entering the silent hallway of D.A.A

The closer we got to the hanger, the louder the voices got. I could distinctly note Ironhide and Sideswipe, but their words were not clear enough for me to make out. But I managed to catch 'AllSpark', 'Optimus', 'Jazz' and 'Zelda'.

The talking stopped at our approach, and the hallway opened up even further for the hanger—it was literally an airport hangar with large bifold doors.

The location of D.A.A had been a former private airport that was added and improved upon for our use. Even our bedrooms were stupidly large in size—which wasn't really needed but it was there.

The sight of the bots crept up and up until I could see all of them from foot to head.

"Zelda!" Sideswipe grinned, shuffling closer and crouched. "I was beginning to get seriously worried 'bout ya!"

I snorted. "Surely Ratch' and Aria didn't leave ya completely in the dark, so I think that statement is a bit redundant, Sides."

He pouted. "Can't I still worry?"

I blinked. But it was Sunstreaker who spoke next. "Ratchet wouldn't let us near you even with our holograms."

I raised a brow at Ratchet’s holoform

"They'd just get in the way," he grumbled before blinking his holoform out of existence and regaining control of his real body, transforming from his alt-mode.

I shrugged. "I was in capable hands, either way." I paused. That reminded me of Sam and Mikaela. I turned to Aria. "Mentioning health, how's Sam and Mikaela?"

"They've returned home. Ron and Judy were also told about recent events," Aria said. "Judy didn't take it so well, and well Ron's, Ron, so."

I snorted, "Even Ron has limits, ya'know."

"Judy also demanded we go see her once you were walking again," Aria mentioned, sighing. “None of them were told much about your condition because of classification."

"Guess we'll just have to do that then." I chimed.

Night had since fallen, and I had been greeted by my fellow D.A.A members now that I was back in the waking world. Mia chipped in saying Aria, I and her needed a girls' night soon, to which I rolled my eyes at but didn't deny.

Eden and Soma had both crawled from their hiding spots when dinner was called and finally said their hellos.

But my fellow humans had gone to bed already while I was still awake—and not to be getting any sleep anytime soon. Part of me wanted to sleep, but my body just wasn't tired enough for it. My body had been put out of whack with my two week coma.

It was honestly a bit frustrating because, on top of that, I felt like I was forgetting something—like really important.

There was still internal buzzing inside me that wouldn't settle—whether it was because of my trouble remembering what I was forgetting or if it was an aftershock of the AllSpark, I didn't know but surely, if it was an aftershock, it would have worn off a while ago, when I had been unconscious.

I reached to my left and pushed, letting my hammock swing side to side as I stared up at the ceiling.

I needed to remember what I was forgetting—it could be important. Forgetting was bad in my line of work, and I'd come a long way from that five-year-old first being introduced into the D.A.A. program.

Aria and I hadn't originally meant to be part of the program. In fact, our whole team is technically the second generation of D.A.A by accident.

I swallowed, twisting to glance at the framed photo of my family when we'd been whole. I ached but couldn’t deny the lack of familial love. Aria and I had been one and didn’t even have any memories of our mother. Our father lasted several more years before dying too.

Sometimes I really question why I’m still doing this, but then I remember—I need to make up for what I’ve done, for all the blood on my hands, and this is the only way to repent.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven: Revelations

Two days had passed, almost agonisingly slowly. Maybe it was because I was right back at square one of when I'd initially been injured, meaning I was becoming cooped up and stir-crazy again. I was also frustrated because I'd still yet to figure out what I was forgetting. I had even begun pacing back and forth until Ratchet had snapped at me to: "Sit you aft down right now, youngling."

I did, fearing that grumpy doctor trait that every medic I've met seemed to inhabit.

Sideswipe had taken to asking about Earth, using that as a distraction. Which I was most grateful for because it made me think and successfully distracted from what had been making me frustrated, to begin with. Even if only temporarily.

I had even ended up taking a peaceful nap after lunch, plonking out after some chicken soup and bread. Though I have the odd suspicion that Aria drugged me because I don't sleep well. Period.

After that, I offered a wash to the bots, and although Ratchet protested, I responded with it was this or pacing. To the amusement of the others, the grumpy Autobot conceded and let me do it.

Bumblebee whirled and crouched as soon as Ratchet had agreed, a grin on his faceplate. "Me first!"

I laughed, reaching out to pat Bee's face. "First come, first serve."

He chirped and buzzed in excitement and immediately transformed into his alt-mode.

I laughed again, and the others just watched on, amused by the youngest Autobot's actions. I felt all fuzzy inside. It was a bit of an odd reaction to amusement, but who was I to deny the warm fuzzy feeling?

I grabbed the hose, leading Bee outside. His entire frame buzzed with excitement, only to get soaked in cold water when I turned it on. He let out an electrical-sounding squeal in shock. I burst into laughter.

Suddenly, there was a blur of colour, and the blob tackled me to the ground with a yelp and laughter. I found myself looking into a pair of bright blue eyes that belonged to the sixteen-year-old's face.

"That wasn't very nice, Zelda!" he pouted, and I laughed again.

"But it was funny!"

Bumblebee just grinned, standing quickly, and it took me a few seconds to realise he'd been reaching for the hose. I let out a wordless shout, scrambling to my feet in an attempt to book it, but he got me anyway.

I squealed as the cold water hit me. "Jesus Christ!"

Bumblebee continued giggling as I fought vainly to block the water. "Revenge! Now suffer!"

"The horror!" I shouted, unable to keep the grin off my face.

Aria watched as Zelda and Bumblebee continued to mess around, the original purpose of the hose having been forgotten. It had been a long time since she'd seen her sister acting so freely.

It left her feeling relieved and happy because Zelda might laugh and grin, but deep down, Aria knew she was hurting and lost, and maybe now she could finally put that part of herself to rest.

Meeting the Autobots had already made an impact that was like a breath of fresh air for Zelda—even if her sister hadn't yet realised the difference, Aria had. It was the reactions to the Autobots that had caught Aria's attention to begin with—when they'd gone to find Bee in Hoover Dam.

Aria could recall her soft and sweet tone with Bumblebee—like a big sister talking to a younger brother.

But Zelda's reaction to the tiny Cybertronian—a droid Ratchet had confirmed as the AllSpark wouldn’t create life it knew would just be killed, but the droid had been alive all the same—Sector-Seven had created another stand-out point to Aria because her heart went out to her sister. Aria wasn't going to pretend that she understood what Zelda had—is feeling most of the time, and her responses varied depending on the severity.

But Aria knew Zelda had related to the poor thing, and so she ran on almost instinct when Simmons had murdered it in the belief it had been trying to kill them.

"No, how about you 'look here'." Zelda shoved her way toward Simmon, grabbing him by the collar and pressing him against the wall. "You don't even truly understand the gravity of what you just did, do you? You don’t understand what the AllSpark is!"

"The AllSpark is their life source, Simmons! You know what that means?" she demanded, and Simmons swallowed, unable to answer her. The tension was thick in the air. "It means you've been selfishly using that power to bring Cybertronians to life, and then seeing a bunch of organic beings staring at them—they try and escape because they don't understand, but you just kill them—you murdered them, Simmons!"

She shoved him against the wall again, smashing her prosthic into the wall beside him with a growl. "And you wanna know the most heart-breaking thing about that? They could be children!"

A beat of disbelieving stillness. Everyone held their breath.

"You and your friends are probably child murderers, Simmons." She shoved him into the wall for a third time before releasing him. She spat at his feet. "I hope you're happy because I'm disguised to be a human because of people like you."

"I haven't seen Zelda laugh like this in years," Aria finally hummed aloud.

Her words caught the Autobots' attention, and they turned to glance down at her standing beside Ratchet's leg.

"What do you mean?" Sideswipe blinked down at her.

Aria smiled sadly. "Zel's been through quite a lot in the last several years, but she hasn't really been the same since Adan—" she cut herself off, wincing at the slip-up. She quietly cursed herself to Hell for it.

"Adan?" Sunstreaker asked quietly. Her eyes moved to his; there was a questioning look. When she glanced between them, they all had it.

Aria sighed. "He was a former D.A.A. member—he was murdered several years ago. They'd been best friends and dating at the time of his death."

Aria's voice cracked at the end because Adan's death had been one of her breaking point, Zelda had told her in confidence.

The image of a short bleached blonde Zelda with this defeated and exhausted expression had left Aria feeling the most useless she'd ever felt. The recovery would be long—and Zelda still was. It might not be nearly as bad when she'd first come back to them but healing the mind was a long and complicated thing.

"Recovery of the processor doesn't happen in one night," Ratchet hummed. "But she is happy—and content despite everything that has happened as of late. It's sooths my wary spark."

Aria blinked but shook the weird wording off. "That's just Sunbird. I'm not all that surprised—she's very… nonchalant about these things because of everything we've gone through with the D.A.A."

"A warrior," Ironhide added, turning his gaze toward the now-playfighting duo. "She's a fighter."

Aria's own eyes returned to Zelda and Bumblebee's holoform. He appeared young—and Ratchet had explained to her that their holoform's took on the look and age of what they would look like had they been born human. It was a bit scary, if she was being honest, because Bumblebee looked sixteen.

Young, her mind whispered, and she had to ask. "Bumblebee's holoform," She looked to Ratchet. "He looks so young."

"Indeed," Ratchet sighed. "But that is the way of war. And albeit he's a lot older than you humans, he is still a youngling to us."

Aria sighed. "Depressing."

She got murmurs of agreement from all four.

After Bumblebee’s and I's play fight came to an end, I got on with actually washing his alt-mode but quickly found that the sun's heat was a little bit too much for me. Instead, I ended up sunbathing on the ground until Sideswipe rolled up to me and asked, "What are you laying there for?"

"Sunbathing," I hummed, squinting up at him.

Sideswipe laughed and sat down beside me, laying down too.

"What are you doing?" I laughed, shooting him a questioning look.

"Sunbathing," he grinned.

I snorted with curiously asking: "Can you even feel the sun on your plating?"

I got to my feet and started climbing onto his chest, where I sat down to continue bathing.

"Yes," Sunstreaker's voice had me lifting my head to look at him. "While it wouldn't be to the extent you humans feel, our metal does heat up."

"Cool."

Sides chuckled, and I could feel the vibration. I hummed in unison to it, the sound and feel of it strangely relaxing. I listened as Sunstreaker joined us on the ground—for a moment, I'd thought he'd laid down, too, but a peek at him showed he'd just sat down, one knee bent with an arm resting on said knee. He looked relaxed, his posture slouched.

I returned to facing the sky, eyes closed as I felt the sun's rays on my face.

At some point, the other Autobots joined us out in the sun. Aria came pottering over with a blanket and bag with food—and suncream, which she promptly threw at my head, telling me to put some on.

Mia and Eden came to join us all outside after Aria had pinged them over the comm. Soma declined, something about not risking leaving his computers unattended. I made the argument he could bring a laptop out with him.

He just sneered—playfully of course—and threw in an extra insult too. I let out a hissy snigger—to the amusement of everyone else.

Mia spent nearly five minutes flicking through songs on her iPod until Eden snapped at her to pick one. She pouted but selected an indie band, which I hummed along with.

I wasn't a very big fan of pop music—while I admit there were good songs, they just weren't my style. Mia had the same line of thought as I did.

I shuffled and sat up, getting the dry feeling in my mouth. "Bluebell," Aria glanced up from her book. "Throw me a water bottle?"

She snorted but did. It nearly hit my face and I grunted. "How rude."

Mia sniggered and Eden smirked as he glanced up from his tablet. "That's what you get for not saying please."

Sideswipe chuckled, and I turned to glare down at him. He just blinked innocently up at me, arms moving to cross behind his head. I grumbled as I unscrewed the top to take a gulp. "I see how it is," I huffed playfully. “I guess I know when I'm not wanted."

I caught Sunstreaker's smirk from the corner of my eye as I stood and jumped off Sideswipe's chest. He released a quiet rumble that made me pause for a nano-second. The rumbling stopped before I could understand what it was, and I was already walking back to the hangar to pay much attention anyway.

I heard someone stand up quickly, rushing up behind me and—

I sidestepped in time to see Aria go stumbling. I caught her before she hit the ground, and she pouted up at me as she lay slumped in my grip.

"How'd you know what I was doing?"

I smirked, letting go of her when she sat up and struck a dramatic pose for which I got laughter. "C'mon, Aria. You should know me by now!"

"You have sensitive audio receptors for a human," Ironhide smirked. "A good quality to have."

I grinned and laughed. "And strength!"

I promptly lifted Aria. She yelped, and I quickly adjusted her and raised her above my head. She protested the entire time.

Bumblebee tumbled backwards, laughing at Aria's screech. "Zelda! Put me. The fuck. Down. Now!"

Sideswipes and Sunstreaker joined Bee's laughing. I turned back to Ironhide, who smirked, and Ratchet, who glared at me.

"What's with the glare, Ratch?"

He sneered. "You're still healing, Zelda! Put her down."

I pouted. "But I'm fine! If I wasn't then I wouldn't be able to lift her up!"

My ribs had completely stopped hurting, and the only issue I had was the slight weakness in my muscles. It was a bit straining, but nothing serious—I needed to keep up with my workout somehow, after all.

"That doesn't matter!" he rebuffed. "And don't lie to me! I can see your arm shaking!"

"I can feel them too!" Aria chipped in, and I pouted, busted.

I opened my mouth to respond when the sound of a vehicle drew my attention. We all turned to see who it was as Optimus's familiar truck form came around the corner.

There was a slight tug. I frowned in confusion—what? It felt like a physical tug of a rope from my chest—I don't—

"Zelda," Aria chided. I blinked, realising I'd been distracted and quickly lowered her back to the ground. Once her feet were planted, she turned to give me a look—a curious and confused one.

I wasn't one to get easily distracted, after all. I shrugged at her silent question, just as confused about it.

Aria hummed as she grabbed my bicep and began to feel the muscles. They twitched under her massaging.

Optimus had changed course at some point and instead headed towards us where he stopped eventually. His driver's door opened, and Logan climbed out with a grunt as his feet hit the ground. Aria pats my shoulder before moving to greet Logan.

Optimus' form gave an elongated hissssss from his hydraulics as his transformation cycle began. I moved back to the group, this time perching on Sideswipes' leg seeing as he'd sat up at Optimus's arrival.

Aria and Logan shared a kiss.

"Optimus," Ironhide gruffed.

"Ironhide," Optimus returned but my eyes were on Aria and Logan. Hmph, talk about PDA.

Feeling a set of eyes on me, I turned to the owner of said eyes and met Optimus's vibrant blues. He knelt. "I am glad to see you up and about, Zelda."

I felt mushy again—damn, where were all these emotions coming from?

I gave a thumbs-up, intending just to ignore the feeling. "Thanks for the concern, big guy."

My eyes turned back to Aria and Logan, who were still kissing. I jeered. "Enough with the PDA already!"

They jumped apart, blatantly startled. The reaction got laughter from the younger bots and my fellow humans.

Aria glared. "Zelda."

Her cheeks burned red, and Logan coughed, averting his gaze. He suddenly found the vast desert very interesting.

"What?" I rebuffed, turning back to Aria with feigned innocence.

"It's completely natural for a couple to engage in kissing," Aria answered drily, not fooled by my response. Logan chuckled. She shook her head, hands on her hips. "Anyway, you were the same with Adan!"

I blinked—viciously ignoring the stab that ripped right through me at the name drop—and scoffed. "We never did it in public! So, hush your mush!"

Mia crackled, falling onto Eden's shoulder as she continued laughing. There was some joke there, something that was currently going over my head.

"What's got you laughing?" Eden asked. We were all looking at her in confusion.

Mia whacked her leg several times as she wheezed for breath. It was a bit concerning, actually—I would be seriously worried if this weren't, well, a bit of a common thing for Mia when she got wound up like this.

She finally got a hold of her breath. "I just remembered the time I walked in on you and Adan half-naked and—"

I groaned—now I understood what she was having a fitting about. I buried my face in my hands in mortification.

"—And I knew what I had walked in on!" she screeched in laughter.

"Wait a second!" Aria yelped. I glanced up just as Aria's head snapped to me, eyes narrowed. "How old were you?!"

I let out a sheepishly laugh. "Fifteen."

She screeched like a banshee this time, reaching and grabbing the closed thing to her before lobbing it at me. I let out my own screech in surprise.

"Underage!"

I attempted to shield myself when she continued throwing things—where was she getting it all from?!

"Aria!" I yelped and wobbled, falling backwards off Sideswipe’s leg. I hit the ground with a huff. I heard Logan attempt to get Aria to calm down while I blinked, eyes catching Sideswipes's. I noticed his eyes were more on the purple side of blue. It was a pretty colour actually. I wonder if Sunstreaker's were like that.

I blinked and shook my head, turning when I saw a flash of golden yellow.

"What does she mean by underage?" Sunstreaker questioned.

I sat up, giving him a sheepish smile. "Sex."

He blinked twice.

And yeah, it did seem like his eyes were the same as Sideswipes—cool.

I peeked into the room, going out of my way to avoid Aria after her blow-up about how old I was when I lost my virginity. Thank God, Logan had been there—Eden and Mia would've left me to Aria's rage.

Seeing that the room was clear of Aria, I stepped in and turned my attention to the Autobots that had called me here in the first place. The first thing I noted was that they were clustered around Jazz's repaired body. I swallowed, feeling a lurch from my heart. I didn't know what it was, but it was more than just sorrow for his death.

The Autobots all turned as I entered, their varying shades of blue eyes bright and focused on me. No matter how friendly they seem, I couldn't help but feel less than them—but in a way, it was true: Cybertronians are far superior to humans in more than just height.

Pushing away those thoughts, I turned my eyes to Bee—the closest bot to me and who sat beside Jazz's body—and I could almost feel elation (?) radiating from him.

It freaked me out more than it had earlier because those were just mushy feelings—this was more defined.

"Uh, hi?" I turned my eyes back to Optimus when he shifted. "So, what did you want to discuss?"

"Zelda." my eyes snapped to Ratchet as he knelt, offering his hand. At the silent offer, I moved forward and sat on his palm, legs handing off. I latched onto his thumb when he stood once more, but his movements were deliberate and gentle. He moved closer to Jazz's welded-together body so that I was suspended over his chest.

Another lurch tugged at me, only this time it was a lot stronger, and I let out a soft but sharp huff at the feeling.

Confused, I glanced at every Autobot and noticed their eyes were centred on me. "Okay…what’s happening?"

"What do you feel, Zelda?" Optimus prompted, bringing my attention to him.

I paused, unsure if I should—surely these beings, aliens much grander, older, and far more than I could ever be, would think me insane. I bit my lip. "I… you. I can feel you all." It wasn't—I wasn't nearly as surprised as I felt I should be. "It's like I can feel your emotions—imprints of your emotions anyway," My eyes returned to Jazz. "I think I can feel Jazz too, but shouldn't, should I?"

"Try and feel him again," Optimus insisted. His voice snapped my attention back to him, and the sudden movement left me with a dizzy rush. I exhaled in confusion. "Focus on feeling Jazz. Trust us."

With furrowed brows, I closed my eyes and began to feel along those wires that allowed their emotions to float over. In just a few moments of feeling them, the threads cleared and became more prominent. I let out a shaky breath as I brushed along the lax yellow one with a hum that sounded suspiciously like buzzing bumblebees—it was warm and bright, it reminded me of a child who wanted to prove themselves but kept a hold of that childhood innocence at the same time. Bumblebee.

The second one was tight—taut—and rough around the edges but unwavering loyal that led to Ironhide.

The third was coiled tightly and linked to Ratchet. It was calm and caring but set in his ways.

The fourth and fifth were unique. Unlike the previous three, they started as one—they were taut, much like Ironhide's. The left became softer in nature—playful and fiercely protective of those he considered family. The right was cooler and more aloof but also playful and protective, just to a more subtle degree. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker—in that order.

Finally, the last active one was thick but impossibly thin at the same time—indiscernible strength and leadership, pure and unwavering loyalty and kindness. Optimus.

There were others—but I couldn't even begin to count how many. Some were bunched together while others spread far and wide. But unlike those close to me, they were faded and if I reached out, I wasn't able to tug at them like the previous ones.

However, my attention was quickly grasped by another—it was brighter than the others but nowhere near the Autobots on Earth. I frowned again as I noticed how it reached a point and faded; the ends frayed oddly.

I toyed with it curiously. It was full of life—humour and carefree in nature. It buzzed with this odd exhilarating feeling—perhaps the peak of a high would be the best way to describe it.

It took me a moment to realise it was Jazz.

I grasped it and tugged—somewhere between harshly and guiding. It sparked in response—the thread tightened and became more stable. I shuddered when some sort of energy fizzled inside me. In return, it travelled down that line and brought life to that faded thread. I watched as it lit up and reconnected completely with Jazz.

I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop the shout of surprise as emotions blossomed to life from his end. It was the movement of silver from below that made me flinch back. "Holy shit!"

I stared, stunned, as Jazz slowly sat up.

Jazz glanced at me, his visor clear, letting me see his eyes. They were a soft red, more rosy in colour. But his eyes were shining with something I couldn't name and so I gently prodded at our connection to find out. Awe, disbelief, and complete gratitude.

I touched at the others; they were the same, except gratitude was something akin to admiration.

I snapped to Optimus and demanded: "Explain."

"Energy cannot simply be destroyed," Optimus rumbled. "That is a simple truth no matter where you are within the universe."

I know that, I thought in frustration.

"To simply put it," Ratchet continued—no doubt they felt my frustration. "The AllSpark's power can only be transferred to another."

"Me?" I asked. He nodded. "Why though?" I glanced between him and Optimus. "No offence or anything but there are thousands of people better suited than I am. Trust me."

"It would not have done so if you were not worthy, Zelda," Ironhide argued. I couldn't help the self-deprecating, humourless laugh that escaped, and the bots around me flinched at the sound.

"Zelda," at Sunstreaker's voice, I turned to him. His hardened gaze pricing into me. "Don't think so lowly of yourself. You risked your life for us after having only found out we existed an Earth day prior."

"Others would have done the same had they been in my place," I argued—it was true!

"Yes, that might be true," Sideswipe interjected, smiling. "But they were not there—it was you."

"You even stood up to Megatron!" Bumblebee chirped, grinning.

I growled. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" Optimus questioned with a tilt of his head.

"Stop justifying my actions."

Jazz chuckled, and I suddenly found myself lifted from Ratchet's hand and cradled in Jazz's. I hissed in surprise as he held me to his chest. "I'll reiterate what Sunstreaker said, Zelda. The AllSpark wouldn't choose ya if ya weren't worthy."

I opened my mouth.

"There ain't any point in arguin' with m, lil'one."

I sneered at him, and he stared down at me in amusement—in fact, they were all amused by my response.

"This isn't funny!" Oh shit, my eyes widened. "What the hell am I gonna tell Aria!"

Sides and Bee burst into laughter.

"This isn't funny!"

Chapter Text

INTERIM

Chapter One: Witwicky Household

The ancient being sat in quiet contemplation, its timeless gaze pierced through the fabric of reality to watch the young organic femme. It was a delicate balance, her acceptance of this newfound strength shaping her destiny in profound ways. As she would navigate this journey, diverging paths would converge, forming a singular route laden with possibility.

Every choice she made now carried weight as paths that once seemed promising had become obsolete, cast aside as unviable options. Yet, this new journey did not limit her; this path was not merely an endpoint—it unveiled a multitude of new avenues, each filled with potential and peril. The possibilities stretched before her like a tapestry, each thread glimmering with the weight of her decisions, unknowingly urging her onward into the unknown.

Which direction shall she lead them down, He wondered, seeing too many variables to count. Some so strikingly similar with the most minute differences.

Each harbored pain in their own right: agony and growth, loss and family. This little femme, whose fate had been intertwined with His children long before this slumbering planet came to be, had been long awaited.

For a moment, He basks in the longing for the old days—cherishing the companionship of his loved ones, his brother, and their lover. But their time together has come and gone. Their sweet Primera had awaited this moment—the moment when everything would change. He had never truly understood Her devotion to this desired outcome, but now, as He feels the bright star before Him, He thinks He finally grasps it.

He contemplated for a moment as He observed the Daughter of Earth, a radiant being who now embodied the very spirit of Primera. The air around her seemed to shimmer with energy, reflecting her profound connection to not just His Children, but also the universe. What direction will she take, and how will it shape the future? He pondered the choices that lie before her and the profound impact those decisions may have on her destiny and the world around her.

His thoughts turn to those words He had uttered, “When the moment comes that the ground turns liquid, a presence shall bring a new fury and the end of an essence.”

He worried about the choices she would make and the future they might lead to.

My hair whipped about as I rested my head against Sunstreaker's window frame, my arm dangling outside as he drove down the near-deserted highway.

The silence that had begun as soon as we'd set off had long ago been replaced with blaring music, but the lack of speaking wasn't because of an awkward air between us—no, the silence between Sunstreaker and me was never gauche; in fact, it was welcomed.

Sunstreaker was naturally an aloof person, so the lack of conversation was normal, and I felt comfortable in that silence. Silence had been a companion I had sometimes come to enjoy—I had learnt to use that silence and found sometimes I liked it better than human company.

And surprisingly, Sunstreaker hadn't protested when I had taken to resting my feet on his dashboard—shoeless of course—and just listened to the music he had started playing from my iPod.

I ran a hand through my loose hair, brushing it away from my face as it whipped in front of it.

My legs had gone numb, so I lowered them from the dashboard. My knees cracked at the movement, and I grimaced at the ache. I sighed, despite being cramped in Sunstreaker's form for the last two and a half hours, I felt oddly relaxed.

I blinked, turning my gaze onto the rapidly moving environment—this was the furthest away I had been from all of the Autobots since finding out I had become the host of the AllSpark. It, admittedly, put me on edge a little bit—not that I didn't feel comfortable with Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Bumblebee. Because I did. Easily. However, it was the power in me that felt queasy at the distance to Optimus, Ratchet, Jazz, and Ironhide.

We passed several cars, and I rested my head back on the headrest. My thumb subconsciously stroked back and forth on the outside of Sunstreaker's door, and I only realised I had been doing so when I felt his frame shudder.

I blinked, turning to the holoform. Sunstreaker's holoform was quite handsome—in fact, all the Autobots had holoform that were incredibly good-looking. I almost didn't believe Ratchet when he said the software generated the holoform to be the literal humanization of their real selves.

Sunstreaker bore Korean features with dark hair and tanned complexion. His eyes, however, were a muted version of his real ones which made him rather striking to look at since such a colour was not a natural one for someone of such ethnicity. Still, his hair was on the longer side and was a few inches from reaching his shoulders, which was currently pulled back into a scruffy bun with stray strains falling on either side of his face. His brows were defined, and his jaw had some stubble.

Sunstreaker glanced at me, then averted his gaze—sheepishly.

"You're stroking my plating," he answered after a moment. He cleared his throat.

I pulled my arm back inside sheepishly. "Sorry."

"N-no, no!" he waved me off, holoform’s cheeks gaining some colour. "It's alright—it feels quite nice to be truthful."

"It does?" I asked curiously. He nodded. "Is your plating sensitive then?"

"No—our protoform is. It's just… I—I'm super hyperaware of your touch." His lips twitched upwards. I cleared my throat this time—oh.

I felt his amusement, as he grinned. "No need to be embarrassed, sweetcheeks."

I spluttered wordlessly at the nickname—normally it was Sideswipe with them. In fact, this was the first time Sunstreaker had even called me anything other than Zelda.

He snickered at my response, and I pouted at him.

"It's not nice to tease others," I chided.

He raised a brow. "Says you."

"…Touché"

We shared a chuckle.

The entire journey from base to Tranquility took a good several hours. Thankfully, the bots slightly shortened that because they liked to drive fast. Either way, we entered Tranquility's city edge by half-four, and I was finally feeling restless from the long drive.

I seemed to be radiating it, or maybe he could feel it over the thread, because Sunstreaker reached over, hand landing on my knee. My breath lodged in my throat at the touch—my knee stopped its jigging in response.

It was my turn to shudder as his thumb made small circular motions as he gently squeezing my kneecap. But I found myself becoming relaxing, muscles loosening at the soothing touch.

I murmured a thank you, and he hummed in return.

His hand didn't move for the rest of the journey.

Another half an hour flew by before we finally pulled up outside the Witwicky's residence. Bumblebee scooted in front of Sunstreaker and parked on the driveway while the twins stopped at the roadside.

I unbuckled and stretched, feeling as my back gave satisfying cracks. Sunstreaker opened the door before I could, and I shot him a smile as I pulled my shoes on. He grunted in response before his holoform climbed out too.

Aria stepped out of Bumblebee with his holoform, and Sideswipe slipped out of his alt. My attention was drawn to the front door as it swung open, and Judy came running out with a wide smile and teary face.

"My two adorable nieces!" she cried, immediately pulling Aria, who was the closest, into a hug—my sister laughed lightly as she returned it. Judy waved me over, and as I didn't want her crying to escalate, I joined.

"Ohhh, it's been so long since both of you have been here together!"

It had been almost three years since Aria and I had both been in the Witwicky household at the same time. I spent the most time here out of us two, and as much as I loved to see my remaining family, I was always injured during the stays.

After… Ophiuchus, I spent several months in therapy and in a familiar place that wouldn't set me off. Aria had driven back and forth over a dozen times during my stay because she was practically my lifeline at that point. I had lost the only other person I had loved so dearly, that even the notion of long-term separation from Aria at that point set me off into a panic attack. Even now, the idea of going a dozen weeks without some sort of contact left me jittery.

Judy pulled back, giving Aria a once over before doing the same to me but settled with giving me a stern look. "Heaven forbid you come to see us without any injuries."

I laughed nervously. "Sorry?"

She rolled her eyes before turning to Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker with a wide, typical Judy-like smile. "Hello. It's lovely to meet you finally."

Right, it had almost slipped my mind that Judy and Ron were in the know—especially since Bumblebee would be staying with them. It was safer if they knew that an alien would be using their garage as a home for the next few years.

It left me feeling just the slightest bit odd—I wasn't great at separating my own feelings from the AllSpark's influence yet. There were some things I could get my head around, but others were a lot more complex than something I could speak to the Autobots about.

There's a difference between theory and practical, as they say. But I believe the oddity stemmed from the fact that Bumblebee would be staying here—it was the only real explanation I could think possible at the moment.

"And it's just as lovely to meet you, ma'am!" Sideswipe beamed, reaching out to shake my aunt's hand.

The Autobots had been doing research into Earth's cultures and greetings after a small incident where (I had been comatose at the time, so this was coming from Logan) when Logan went to greet Optimus' holoform with a handshake, the Prime had looked visibly confused and a tad bit worried.

It was explained that since Cybertronians varied in height a lot of the time, they didn't have handshakes—in fact, most Cybertronians had weapons on their right arms and holding your hand out like that was like aiming your weapon. Hence why Optimus was a bit concerned at the greeting.

It was smoothed over quickly, and the Autobots agreed to look into Earth culture in response so there would be less confusion the next time they met someone. It was sweet of them.

"Well, aren't you well-mannered!" Judy smiled.

Sunstreaker snorted and Bee grinned widely behind his hand. I bit my lip to stop myself from following Sunstreaker's example. Aria giggled quietly.

"Why, thank you!" Sideswipe answered, then pointed to himself. "I'm Sideswipe. My brother is Sunstreaker, and my shortie is Bumblebee."

"Hey!" Bee rebutted with a pout, "My holoform's not that short!"

I laughed, reaching over and ruffling his hair—he was shorter than all of us, though he did come close to Aria and myself.

"Zelda!" He ducked away from my hand, and I grinned, rushing after him. He screeched and began running around the front yard in an attempt to shake me, but I kept up, laughing all the while. The spectators all joined in with the laughter.

I followed Bee into the house, and I finally tackled him. He squawked as we went down. I took to tickling him, and he squealed, begging me to stop. I only did so when I felt my arm begin to quiver. I clenched my fist and grimaced. A hand gently wrapping around my wrist made me look up. Bee smiled weakly, his concern fluttering over, silently asking if it hurt.

Bumblebee's holoform was that of a sixteen-year-old, a year 'younger' than Sam and Mikaela—because, really, Bee was a lot older by Cybertronian standards. The holoform had short and scruffy blonde hair with a square jaw. He had neat and thinner brows in contrast to Sunstreaker. He looked pretty mature while also retaining an adolescent appearance in both personality and speech.

"It's fine," I answered.

He nodded, brows furrowing with his concern. "Just tell us if it does, okay?"

I nodded. Our attention, however, was drawn to the front door as the others joined us, perhaps finding the sudden silence a bit worrying.

"Are you both good?" Aria asked first, loping into the house. Her ginger hair swished at her movements, a stark contrast to the creams and browns of the Witwicky hallway.

"All good," Bee grinned and pushed himself to his feet, pulling me up with him.

"Should you be straining yourself?" Judy asked frettingly.

"All healed," I chimed. "Just some aches occasionally, Judy."

Judy looked at me like she didn't know whether to believe me—not that I was surprised. She and Ron had been told a little more about what Aria and I do. The government considered them okay with knowing the bare essentials now, but it was a surprise as D.A.A was something very few had clearance to know existed.

I noticed the distinct lack of Uncle Ron and Sam. I voiced it.

"Oh, Ron went to pick Sam up," Judy smiled. Right, it was a school week, and Sam was once again carless. "Would anyone like some drinks—can you even drink?" She turned to the holoforms curiously.

"Yes!" Bee beamed, arm shooting up into the air. "Ratchet adjusted the software to allow us to!"

Judy laughed, eyes twinkling in amusement. Bumblebee really act like a sixteen-year-old, it was obvious Judy was gonna love spoiling him. "Well then, we've got plenty to choose from!"

Bee giggled and followed after her. Aria patted my shoulder and followed.

"Your aunt isn't nearly as bad as you made her out to be," Sideswipe commented, tone amused.

I turned to him. His holoform was practically identical to Sunstreaker but with shorter hair. Much like his brother, Sideswipe’s eyes were a muted blue.

I snorted and gave him a wary glance. "You haven't seen her angry yet. You've seen Aria's freak out; well, Judy's is worse."

Sideswipe shuddered, "Damn, really? Aria's Ratchet worthy."

I nodded.

Sunstreaker snorted, lips curling upwards. "Best not piss her off then, yeah?"

I grinned. "Yep! Anyway, let's get our bags now. Saves going back out later."

So we returned outside and did just that. The bags were taken upstairs and into the spare bedrooms. For some reason, Ron and Judy had gone with a four-bedroom house, and while it gave Aria and I each a room of our own when here, it was just Ron was a bit of a cheap-ass. It was something that always came to mind whenever I was here, but I never got around to asking.

I opened my door—which was on the back left, Sam's on the right—and dropped my bag on the spinney chair. Sunstreaker put my other on the bed. I wanted to sigh because beds weren't really my thing. I'd gotten used to sleeping on a hammock because, for some reason, it helped minimise the nightmares. I never understood my mind, but who was I to question when it worked in my favour?

Sideswipe appeared moments later after having dropped Aria's bag in her room and leant on the doorframe.

"What's with the look?" Sides' voice brought me from my musing. I blinked up at him.

"What look?"

"The wistful look."

"Oh," was my oh-so-intelligent response. It got a smile from the twins though. "I'm not the biggest fan of beds. I'm a hammock girl all the way."

It was their turn to blink—in unison, mind you. It was a funny sight, and I bit my lip to stop the grin, which I failed at.

I watched as their eyes dimmed, no doubt looking up what hammocks were. Sideswipe started laughing, falling back onto the doorframe.

Sunstreaker smirked. "Really?"

I nodded. "I've always had a fondness for them. Sleeping in a bed is hard these days."

Of course, I wasn't going to just tell them that sleeping in a bed left me at the mercy of nightmares—memories—of Ophiuchus. It was a horrible time. It was why I felt so unworthy of being the host of the AllSpark. The death and horror that I saw—committed—it wasn't anything I'd wish upon anyone.

"Anyway," I grinned, not allowing my thoughts to linger on the topic any longer. It wouldn't do me any good. Sideswipe sniggered. "Since there isn't much here, would you guys like to go out? There's a park about ten minutes from here."

The park that Sam had gone out to the day he had gotten Bumblebee, where he had later given Mikaela a lift home—Sam had arrived after dark all giddy and excitedly explained to me why.

"Park?" Sunstreaker perked up.

"Yeah, it's a really big pretty plot of public land," I answered. "And since it's getting late on a school day, there'll probably be little to no people."

"Pit yeah, let's do it!" Sides grinned, reaching to nab my hand and leading me downstairs. I snorted with laughter, glancing over my shoulder at Sunstreaker, who was following behind in amusement.

We shared a smile.

This time, I was with Sideswipe, pointing out the directions to the park. The day's warmth was reaching a point where you could feel how late it was getting—that gorgeous balmy heat, the evening warmth people dream about.

I couldn't stop the content hum that escaped as I leaned my head against Side's doorframe and allowed the wind and warm sun to brush my cheeks.

Sideswipe's amusement was apparent, but I didn't care, shooting him an easy smile. He chuckled.

"This left," I offered as the turning came up. Sideswipe turned onto the slip road with Sunstreaker a few moments behind him.

As we drove through the park gates, the people walking turned their attention towards the mechs, the sound of their alt-forms an almost purr. It didn't help that Lamborghinis were very beautiful cars too, so there were bound to be gawkers.

Eventually, we reached one of the smaller lakes, which was also the quietest of the four in the park, and we climbed out. I didn't waste any time pulling off my shoes and socks and rolling up my jeans enough that I could step into the warm water.

I wiggled my toes, burying them under the sand. I didn't turn when the other two followed, but only one actually entered the water. I twisted my head to grin at Sideswipe when he stopped next to me.

I pouted over my shoulder at Sunstreaker as the Sideswipe turned to face his brother, resting an arm on my shoulder. "Not coming in, Sunny?"

He sneered, arms crossed. "Don't call me that, but no, I'm fine where I am."

I grinned, laughing as Sides pouted. "How rude."

Sides turned to me, sharing my grin, eyes twinkling in amusement. "He never joins in with anything fun like this, Doll! He's so asocial and cantankerous!"

I snorted in a vain attempt to avoid laughing, and I slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound.

"Sideswipe!" Sunstreaker snapped. "Just because I don't want to get into the water doesn't make me either of those things!"

I batted at Sides' arm that was on my shoulder, then once he'd done so, stepped back and—

—kicked.

Sideswipe yelped at the sudden splash of water and stumbled back, so unbalanced that he lost his footing and ended up sitting in the ankle-deep water, gapping like a fish.

I laughed boisterously. Sunstreaker himself burst into laughter.

"Your face," Sunstreaker sniggered.

Sideswipe glared at him, but then that look was transferred to me. The look turned into something else—something devious.

Oh, no.

I turned tail and ran out of the water with a squeal, listening as Sideswipe scrambled to his feet and ran after me. Sunstreaker continued to laugh; at some time, he'd fallen to the ground, almost wheezing as I did a complete circle around the lake, Sides never far behind me.

"Sunstreaker!" I squawked. "Help!"

He grinned, getting to his feet just as I approached. Before I could even question what he had planned, he lifted me from my feet. I gasped in surprise as I found myself slung over his shoulder as he himself turned and started running.

I looked up to see Sides grinning so widely that it had to hurt. He laughed at my perplexed expression—I hadn't expected to be swept off my feet!

Eventually, our playing trailed off when my muscles began quivering again (stupid things), leaving us lying on the grass, watching as the sun was beginning to make a noticeable descent toward the horizon.

It was Sunstreaker who broke the peaceful silence. "I have to admit, I might… dislike the amount of dirt this planet has, but it's beautiful."

I directed my gaze toward him, the sun catching his form at just the right angle to create a pretty scattering of shadows. My chest suddenly felt heavier, my heart beating a bit faster. I then turned my gaze forward to keep my composure.

"Tell me about Cybertron," I asked to distract myself.

That seemed to surprise them, both glancing at me.

"Really?" Sides asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, Ratchet said I'd probably end up knowing quite a lot of Cybertronian later because of the AllSpark but I wanna hear it from your perspectives first."

They shared smiled.

"Well, obviously, it's a completely metallic plant," Sides started, "So different from Earth, yet at the same time, they're both so similar with all the wildlife."

"It has one sun, much like your solar system but we have two moons. A large silver one, Ukla, and a small pink one, only one-sixth the size of Ukla called Thos."

"Pink?!" I gapped and they laughed.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: Dreams that Haunt us

The harsh and bright spotlights lit up the arena.

She listened as her blood pumped, her ears buzzing with static as the cheers of the MECH soldiers echoed as background noise to her. She blinked, eyes peering at her opponent; the long blonde-haired woman was taller than her, with muscles that showed her workout. She wore a wicked and excited smirk.

A voice, just as distant as the cheers, announced the fight. He called the match to begin, and Zelda shot off towards the woman, her bare feet slapping against the stone floor.

She hadn't been the only one that charged, her opponent, Hundred and Four, did too.

Zelda ducked the punch, throwing her own one and catching Hundred and Four's stomach.

They threw and pulled punches and kicks, even a tackle from Hundred and Four at one time but neither was willing to back down, unwilling to lose because there would be consequences if you lost.

It was every person for themselves within the arena after all.

She was just fine with that, feeling the way her lips curled up savagely, her blood pumping as she beat into Hundred and Four with her newly acquired enhanced strength.

Hundred and Four kicked her legs out and she went down but rolled in time to miss a kick aimed for her head.

She tackled Hundred and Four as she was getting to her feet; her cybernetic hand found blonde hair and, with strong and forceful motion, smashed Hundred and Four's head down on the concrete floor a brutal number of five times.

Only when Hundred and Four choked and fell practically limp underneath her, did she finally back away, rolling and staying crouched low like a wild and feral animal.

"And the winner is Eighty-four!"

There was a roar of cheers as bets were won and jeers were made at the fallen woman.

She giggled as she licked her bloody lips.

Zelda jolted awake, her torso pitching upwards as a scream threatened to tear from her tight throat. Instead, she slapped land over her mouth as she failed to stop the sob, her heart beating wildly and painfully fast within her chest.

Wide and wild eyes searched around the room, like she expected someone to be standing there. From her time during Ophiuchus, it had been wired into her that you must always remain alert, never allow weakness to be shown, or suffer the consequences.

She suffered those consequences enough to know what they entailed.

The door opened sharply and suddenly drew the start of a scream from her, blonde hair appeared and—Hundred and Four came rushing into the room, a wicked grin across her bloody face and throat.

" I killed you!" She squeaked, clutching at her hair, pulling and tugging painfully.

Hundred and Four's shape shifted and suddenly, it was Bumblebee’s holoform that stood there, where he immediately climbed onto the bed and into her lap, throwing his arms around her.

She fought momentarily against the body holding her—the laughing and cheering echoing loudly and—it wouldn't stop.

It was only when she was smothered by not one, two or three, but the seven bonds she now shared. The smothering drowned out the cheering and laughing, the images of blood on her hands and allowed her brain to begin to process what was happening.

It didn't stop the sobs, however.

Sideswipe was next into the room, only seconds behind Bumblebee. He crawled onto the other side, pulling Zelda into his arms from Bumblebee, allowing the younger Autobot to climb into Zelda's lap and cuddle her that way.

The contact, the smothering and gentle humming from the faux-heart beat from the holoforms was enough to soothe the sobbing, quickly drawing the exhausted and phantom-aching Zelda to sleep once more, only this time dreamless.

Which was all they could ask of.

Sunstreaker was last into the room, pushing the door too as he took in the sight of his brother and Bumblebee cuddled against Zelda.

He exhaled and sat on the edge of the bed.

Bee was already falling back to recharge, and Sunstreaker nudged his brother to do the same, ~Recharge Sides.~

He got a sleepy grumble, which was likely supposed to be a protest but ultimately the red twin fell into recharge also, never once letting up his grip on Zelda.

Sunstreaker sat stiffly on the bed's edge, watching the recharging trio for a long time, thoughts all jumbled. The terror had hit him—them—all so suddenly and it was accompanied by this deep aching pain and horror.

They'd known it was Zelda the moment he and Sideswipe had come online—his audio receptors only picking up the thrashing of her form but no sounds other than the slight hitching of her inhales.

She had been suffering silently, and it was only when it hit them all full force—what had awoken them—that she herself had been pulled from the chargefright.

But the question was what had she been dreaming of? What had scared her so much that it fed down their bonds with her? And why now, after the month of knowing her, was this the first time she'd had a chargefright?

He watched as Zelda dumped her bag onto the chair, putting the one he carried on the bed. When Zelda didn't move again, he turned to look at her only to see she was staring at the bed with a pensive but…longing expression.

It startled him a bit to be truthful, he had not seen such an expression from Zelda yet—a playful version, sure, but a serious one, not so much.

Sideswipe appeared at the door, noticing it as well. "What's with the look?"

His voice startled Zelda from her thoughts. She blinkered in surprise, her brows raising a tad as she glanced at Sideswipe. "What look?"

"The wistful look?"

Sunstreaker wasn't sure why that memory of all things came back to him but there was definitely more behind the look than just her desire for her hammock. It had bugged him for a while afterwards, but he didn't want to just ask her about it, especially after their time at the park.

The quiet sound of the door opening drew his attention. He tensed but the sight of ginger hair had him relaxing. Aria leaned on the door frame, eyes lingering on Zelda before she turned her attention to Sunstreaker.

She smiled weakly, looking exhausted, but her eyes expressed her gratefulness. Sunstreaker nodded.

Without a word, Aria turned and left, closing the door behind her.

I woke up that morning feeling incredibly warm. I blinked, odd. But memories from last night, choppy as they were, flashed back. I swallowed thickly, screwing my eyes closed and forced myself to breathe evenly. There is no point working myself up again.

Finally, I turned my attention to the blonde holoform with his face buried in my stomach. Bumblebee was snoring softly, almost purring, and it was incredibly adorable.

My eyes were taken to the body on my right, the one cuddling me against them. Dark hair entered my vision, Sideswipe. I exhaled quietly but deeply at his peaceful expression.

I swallowed again as this weird, tight, fluttery feeling settled in my chest, spreading.

Damnit.

I wanted to hiss at how unfair I was, and my eyes burned. This wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want to suffer anymore—why couldn't I be allowed to just turn off my emotions to anything that would get me hurt?

I had given it freely once before and look at where it got Adan.

Dead.

He was dead and I was alive and—and I would hate myself for the rest of my life because of that.

Because Silas loved to make me suffer, loved to hurt others and…

I gritted my teeth and tore my eyes away from Sideswipe and they landed on Sunstreaker instead.

My hands were shaking as I gently pushed Bumblebee off me and removed Sideswipe's arms so that I could get off the damn bed. I needed space. I needed to breathe.

I stumbled out of the room, closing the door behind me, and made my way to the bathroom. The cool air that came in through the bathroom window made my mouth dry, but as I sat on the edge of the bath, I could breathe.

I buried my face in my hands. Fuck, why me?

I wasn't kidding when I said there were thousands of better people than I am, far more deserving than I am, because I was going to get attached to them—it was guaranteed now.

And… and I couldn't let that happen. But I wanted to—but I can't, not only for my sake but for theirs too.

They didn't need someone like me. Someone who walked a fine line. Someone's who's been on both sides and loved it, hated it, relied on it, was thankful for it.

I let out a breath, eyes burning again, and I didn't stop the tears as they escaped, but I furiously wiped them away. I bit back the humourless and bitter laugh that wanted to escape, and my throat burned in response for some fucking reason.

Three months since my last breakdown, I'd been doing so damn well too.

I forced myself to just breathe, desperately trying not to let my mind wander and find another damn sinkhole to drown itself in. One breakdown was enough.

I pushed myself to my feet, reaching for the mirror door above the sink and pulled it open. On the top shelf was prescription medication, most notably my prescription. I took several seconds, debating if I wanted to take one. Unscrewing the lid and tipping the bottle, a pill tumbled out onto my palm. I threw it into my mouth and dry swallowed it. I had long since learned to do it without any liquid.

I dumped the bottle back into the cupboard and splashed some water onto my face in an attempt to freshen up. I gazed into the mirror and bloodshot, puffy eyes stared back.

Abandoning the bathroom, I moved downstairs where I spotted Aria sitting on the settee. She looked up as I came in, she smiled but her expression tightened, "What's wrong?"

I sighed heavily and flopped down beside her, resting my head on her shoulder.

"Sunbird?" She questioned. "I can tell you've been crying."

I swallowed. "Just remembering my dream."

Aria frowned; she likely didn't believe me. She sighed. "Alright."

I grinned, reaching up and poking her cheek, only to get an electric shock. We yelped in unison, sharing a look before laughing.

"It's been a while since that's happened," She giggled, resting her cheek on my head.

I chuckled, nuzzling my nose into her shoulder as I continued to grin. "Last time it was with Eden while we'd been on the mats. Scared the bloody crap out of him."

Aria trailed off her laughing as I hummed, quite content with just staying snuggled against Aria for a while longer.

"You wanna talk about your nightmare?"

Or maybe not. My jaw clamped shut as I stared ahead, intending not to say anything.

"Zelda," Aria began.

I hissed lowly, sitting upright. "No, I don't."

"Zelda," she tried again, but I was on my feet and heading for the kitchen. She sighed loudly, and I twitched, flesh fingers trembling. I clenched both hands into fists. I needed to punch something, but there wasn't anything, damnit.

Instead, I tried to occupy myself by making breakfast. The bowl, the cereal, the milk, and the spoon. I may or may not have clenched the latter in my fist and bent it

I raised the crooked thing with a deadpan expression.

Shitty weak metal.

I straightened it out again and took a mouthful, dumping the spoon back into the bowl as I put the milk away and chewed a little aggressively.

"Zel-da!" Bumblebee's chirpy voice came from behind me, and I turned to greet him.

"Be—Oomph!" he barrelled into me, and I hit the counter behind meh "Bee, what's the matter?"

However, as I set my hands on his shoulders, and before he could answer, I zapped him too. Bumblebee's holoform tensed, his eyes widened as his breath hitched and—

Well, his holoform fizzled out of existence.

"The fuck?" I couldn't stop the words from escaping and obviously drawn from my swear, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe came rushing around the corner.

"Doll?" Sideswipe asked, face concerned.

"What happened, are you hurt?" Sunstreaker questioned.

"I'm fine," I waved my hands, primarily bewildered. "But… Bee's holo glitched when I accidentally gave him an electric shock."

The twins shared a confused look. "Electric shock?" Sideswipe questioned.

"Primus!" Bee appeared from the doorway to the garage, where his body was. "You gotta try that!"

"Try what?" Sunstreaker raised a brow.

"She shocked me with AllSpark power and short-circuited the software but gave me a massive overload on energon through the holo somehow!" Bee grinned, holo shaking as if he was on a sugar rush. "It's amazing!"

I spotted Sideswipe eyeing me up, and I shot him a deadpan look. He grinned, shuffling forward, and I held my palm out because if he was insistent, I might as well make it easier for him.

He touched me and, much like the Bee, shocked him. His eyes widened, and even Sunstreaker behind him tensed, choking on a breath as their holoforms cut out much like Bee's had.

Talking about Bee, he was currently giggling away.

Damn.

It was dark by the time we arrived back home, and I wanted nothing more than to curl up in my hammock. I murmured a thank you to Sunstreaker as I climbed out and pulled my bags with me.

He hummed in response before transforming. He stretched lightly, rolling his shoulders before sighing.

I began my travel to my room, intent on just ignoring the outside world for the rest of the day and waking up tomorrow morning having put all this behind me. But it would seem that wouldn't be happening as Optimus appeared and called my name.

"Zelda."

I stopped abruptly, almost freezing. I hesitated a second before turning. "Yeah?"

He knelt. "I wish to speak to you regarding last night if you would."

His tone was soft, and I knew he meant nothing malicious because the bond would give it away. I let out a breath.

"I had a nightmare is all, Optimus," I offered. It wasn't really a lie, just a twist of the truth.

But the look in Optimus's optics said he saw through it. "Forgive me for not believing it was just a 'nightmare' as you humans call them."

My shoulders slumped. I felt kid a damn kid being scolded—all I needed was to shoe the ground, and I would complete the look.

I shrugged. "I live a dangerous lifestyle with what I do, Optimus, I've seen some shit. It sometimes just comes back to me in the form of nightmares."

"Hmm," was the response.

I suddenly wanted to pout, damn.

"You are a stubborn one, you are aware, yes?" he rumbled, tone light.

I grinned. "I know." I blinked as I recalled what happened this morning. “Actually, now that I have you here, I've been having some trouble with zapping." I wiggled my gloved hands. After the third time I had zap Bumblebee, I thought it best. “The guys said it was AllSpark related."

Optimus offered his hand, and I stepped on. "It would be best to consult Ratchet about this."

And thus, I was taken to the alien doctor, who was just as curious about the situation. He scanned my form and hummed.

"It seems you already have somewhat of a build-up of Energon," he offered.

"Energon?" I echoed before frowning. "Isn't it fatal to humans?"

Ratchet had a whole discussion with Aria about it a week ago after Ironhide had made an offhanded comment on being mindful of where they (as in the Cybertronians) bleed.

"Normally yes," he drawled. "But you, Zelda Larsson, are not an average young woman."

I nearly flinched. Instead, I pouted. "How rude of you, Ratchet."

He grunted, rolling his optics. Optimus hummed with amusement despite how his faceplate gave nothing away. Skill.

"Well, if I have a build-up what's gonna happen?" I asked.

"You need a way to successfully harness the power or pass it on. You should be able to create energon physical," Ratchet said thoughtfully. "How many times did you zap the twins and Bee?"

I crossed my arms. "Bee three times, and Sunstreaker and Sideswipe each once, but they both glitched together."

"Twins are more likely to do most things together. Glitching could just so happen to be one of them," Ratchet offered, before holding out his hand. "Now I want to see if you've managed to make a dent into the build-up or not by zapping them."

I eyed him before glancing at Optimus, who nodded. I sighed and pulled my right glove off. I brushed my hand along his servo and the familiar zap happened. Ratchet's form became ridged.

I watched as he stumbled slightly, shuddering his optics. Optimus reached out and helped stabilise him.

"You okay?" I asked slowly. I had not seen a direct reaction, only via their holoforms. The actual thing was a bit startling.

He cleared his throat—or did the Cybertronian equivalent. "Fine, I’m fine. I was not expecting such a boost to my systems."

I snorted, turning to Optimus with a grin and offering my hand.

"Perhaps another time," he rumbled, optics flickering with mirth.

Ratchet offered his hand again. I touched it, but this time, nothing happened. "Ah, like I'd thought."

My brows went up. "So I'm like a super-powered battery that recharges itself."

"In essence yes."

I stared at my hands curiously, that was kinda cool.

"Now that is sorted," Ratchet said. I blinked and turned to him. He glanced at Optimus quickly before turning back to me. I narrowed my eyes—he better not.

"Optimus has likely already mentioned it but—"

"Ratchet," Optimus tried lightly, but I interrupted.

"Nope!" I answered, throwing my hands up, spinning on my heels and made for the door.

"Zelda—" Ratchet tried but I cut him off.

"You're not the first to ask, Ratchet, but you are going to be the last!" I stormed out.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: Intel

"It's a really clear sky tonight,” he murmured.

"Yeah," she breathed, their eyes trained on the night sky that was littered with stars and the moon with the bare minimum of those white fluffy clouds. "It's surprisingly cold too."

The brunet male snorted, head falling forward as he laughed.

The ginger hissed, reaching out and whacking his arm. "Don't laugh, Adan! Seriously, it's gotta be like five Fahrenheit. Nevada doesn't get anything lower than ten on average!"

Adan just continued to laugh, falling back onto the sandy ground and Zelda groaned.

I woke with a sharp inhale but continued to lay there, eyes closed. It was quiet, peaceful, and warm.

I hated it.

I loathed it.

It was too damn quiet.

Which was strange because I loved the silence. Just seemed today wasn't a day I did.

I sat up with a sharp hiss, slipped from my hammock and wandered to my kitchenette to get myself a pint of water. A glance at the clock said it was half five. That was normal. It was a rare occasion for me to sleep past five.

Once I'd made my glass of water, I pulled out my medication again, setting the bottle on the breakfast bar as I sat on a stall.

It was always a battle of whether I should take one or not.

More often than not, I didn't, leaving them for more emergency situations, but it properly led to more breakdowns because I wasn't taking the prescription.

I… was scared taking them.

I have feared a few things over my life; most I've managed to overcome, and some I have not. However, medication is the one I feared the most after everything.

Ironically enough, it's my newest fear, or maybe it wasn't the tablets themselves that I feared. Maybe it was the chance I'd allow myself to fall back into dependency, fall back into my ways of taking them and taking them.

It hadn't started out bad—I hadn't even realised I had been taking more than I should've until I ran out of my monthly prescription too early—way too early. I kept my mouth shut but found myself becoming jittery with withdrawal.

I began to relapse to who I'd been after Ophiuchus, fell back into those bouts paranoid and prone to violent outbursts.

The apathetic and psychopathic weapon created by MECH.

I tried my damn best to act as if nothing had been wrong, but being that person was a stark contrast to what I had slowly been becoming again during my recovery.

Aria caught onto the fact before long.

I can remember her look of disappointment at the lack of trust, and I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. I remember… I remember a lot of things that I wish I could forget. But I can't.

 I swallowed a pill and, this time, did so with my water. I grimaced at the feeling of the pill sliding down my throat but I knew that I should take them to be on the safe side. My attitude yesterday had been unlike mine but… maybe that was just really me.

I smiled bitterly.

PTSD was a bitch.

I don't believe in God, nor do I believe in heaven or hell, but not for the first time, I wished there was a hell so that I could suffer for what I'd done after I die.

A distraction was necessary, so I started my morning workout routine. I was able to return to it last week after Aria's all-clear. My shoulder was completely healed with only light scarring left behind.

I get an ache if I strained myself, but I can mostly ignore it. I'd had far worse injuries I've needed to recover from.

I swung myself up from the lower bar, spinning twice before releasing and swinging myself to the taller bar. I spun again, this time into a handstand, where I did the splits, turned around, and fell the way I'd come up from.

The Uneven Bars were one of my favourites when it came to my exercises. They help me retain my upper body strength, a skill needed a lot more than you'd think. The D.A.I needed you to be physically fit for all types of jobs—even the guys did them occasionally, but as far as I'm aware, I'm the only one who does it as part of my every morning routine.

There was a knock at my door. I blinked and shouted just loud enough: "It's unlocked!"

The door opened and Sideswipe peeked his head in just as I pulled myself into a handstand and turned to face the door.

He stared at me in surprise, just lingering in the doorway for a moment until I heard Sunstreaker question why he wasn't moving. A moment later, Sunstreaker peered in himself; his response was a more controlled look of surprise.

"Morning?" I offered, raising a brow at the odd reaction.

Sideswipe stumbled in, grinning. "Awesome. I'd been wondering what they were for!"

I snorted.

"It looks like it takes a lot of upper body strength," Sunstreaker noted.

I nodded and spun, releasing the bar and stuck the landing. I raised my arms and took a deep breath, then lowered them as I exhaled.

Sideswipe whistled, and I grinned, wiggling my brows at him. He sniggered.

"What's up?" I finally asked. It was only… I snagged a glance at the wall clock. Oh, it was half seven.

"We came to see if you were up yet. Ratchet asked us to come get you and said he had something to talk to you about regarding the AllSpark," Sunstreaker answered.

"Right this second?"

"No," a shake of the head from Sideswipe. "But it seemed important."

I nodded. "Let me take a shower first and I'll head on over."

I got affirmatives from them both and made a quick dash for the bathroom.

Honestly, they should stop being surprised by Zelda. The femme just kept whipping out new things about her, and at this rate, they would never not be surprised.

Sideswipe grinned all the same because something about that constant surprise left him wanting to know more about her. It was like… there was a human phase, he was sure, something about an onion and as you peel it, there's just another layer there.

He wasn't quite sure, but he could understand the general gist of what it meant.

His brother approached a desk of photo frames, which drew his attention. He sent a questioning pulse and he received a tug in return. Sideswipe did as he was silently asked and followed until he stood beside his brother.

The majority of photos consisted of team members, a few of an older pair with baby Zelda and Aria which clued them into the fact it was likely their creator and carrier. Another of a few other adults with them, likely teachers. But there was a darker-skinned boy, who, from the looks of it, was the D.A.A member’s age, but they'd never seen him.

He wasn't the only one they didn't recognise—there was a brunet boy, often in pictures with either Zelda or all of them.

It wasn't hard to see it was someone Zelda cared deeply about… but who was it? The photos made it easy to see they were close, possibly even more than friends.

Was… was this Adan? It clicked in unison. An odd feeling settled in the twins’ chassis' at the thought because Zelda looked at Adan with this adoration like he was one of the only people that kept her afloat—that gave her purpose.

But it didn't actually answer the question of whether it was Adan or not.

~Who knows, Sides~ Sunstreaker murmured across their bond.

~The D.A.A members~ Sideswipe pointed out. ~We could ask Zelda when she gets out~

Sunstreaker sighed. ~I don't know if that's a good idea, Sides~

Sideswipe tilted his helm, uh, head (holoform after all) in confusion. ~Why don't you think so?~

~Remember her reaction to her nightmare? And the day following?~

Oh.

~Yeah, oh~ his brother responded dryly.

~Still~ he argued.

Sunstreaker sighed heavily. ~Then it'll be your fault, got it? If we get scolded for putting her in another bad mood, I'll be snitching exactly why to Optimus~

Sideswipe grimaced. Optimus had approached them the last Earth night cycle, after Zelda had retreated to her room, about her reaction and if she was—not exactly hostile, more snappish—at them for asking.

Sunstreaker hadn't missed the way Zelda had been avoiding Aria, the doctor often sending her sister worried and empathetic looks when Zelda wasn’t looking. It was apparent they had missed something happening between them.

It was likely Zelda didn't even share her chargefight with Aria. It was…

(His processor had picked up the slight redness in Zelda's eyes when they found her in the kitchen that morning. It was clear she had been crying, and when they saw Aira—who had been going up the stairs when they had stepped onto the landing—her face had been tight.)

Sunstreaker wasn't sure what to think because humans, despite their similarities to Cybertronians in some ways, were vastly different too. It was odd for him to think that human twins didn't share bonds like he and his brother did or any bonds at all.

That Aria didn't know what Zelda was going through and that Zelda wouldn't share…

But from what they'd heard and seen, why? Why didn't Zelda share? She held Aria in such high regard, like a lifeline in some ways that it confused them why she didn't want to share what she'd seen in her chargefright.

~There could be plenty of reasons, Sunny~ Sideswipe offered.

Yeah, that might be true but…

~Something doesn't seem right, okay?~ he answered. ~They're pretty attuned to each other, so why?~

The door of the bathroom opening snapped them out of their bond speak, and Sideswipe didn't answer; he wasn't sure how to answer truthfully.

As Zelda stepped out of the bathroom, she was still drying her hair but was dressed in loose black jogging bottoms and a white tank top, which gave them the entire view of her cybernetic arm. It was fascinating to look at, especially since humans hadn't supposedly gotten that far along with prosthetics yet—so how did Zelda have one?

She rolled her right shoulder, and their optics were drawn to the meeting of skin and metal where scar tissue was. It wasn't unsightly, but it definitely wasn't pretty.

Zelda sighed softly. A healthy red flush coated her cheeks as she pottered over to her drawer, pulling out a pair of socks. She finished towelling her hair and pulled on the socks she'd taken out, slipping on a pair of shoes.

"Hey, Zelda?" Sideswipe voiced.

She paused the motion of picking up her hairbrush to turn to him. "Yeah?"

Sideswipe licked his lips. "Who's this in the photo?” He pointed at one of the photos of Zelda and who they thought to be Adan.

Zelda frowned in mild confusion, picking up the brush as she came over. Sideswipe picked the frame up and held it out for her. Zelda stopped as soon as her eyes landed on it. She stared at the photo with the same wistful look as before, but only this time, it was full of pain. Her bond flared with guilt and grief. Did she blame herself? It just brought a whole new lot of questions to the surface.

"Name's Adan, he's dead."

That was it. That was all she said before tearing her gaze away and got on with brushing her hair.

They resisted the urge to wince. The blunt way she responded and clamped down proved Sunstreaker right.

~Whoops~ Sideswipe bit his lip.

~Whoops indeed~ Sunstreaker growled, shoving his brother roughly over the bond.

"Hey Ratchet," I greeted as I trailed Sideswipe and Sunstreaker into Ratchet's temporary Med-Bay.

His holoform turned to greet us in return with a nod of his head. "Good… morning."

It seemed he was slowly getting used to Earthen greetings.

"Sides and Sunstreaker said you needed me?" I glanced at the twins when I mentioned them.

"Yes," Ratchet grumbled and waved me over.

I did so and was acutely aware of the twins following shortly behind. "I've been blueprinting a device that will hopefully hide the new AllSpark signature."

I pursed my lips. "How come I've not been discovered already if so?"

"Your signal is not strong enough yet," Sunstreaker explained. I turned to him. "You absorbed the AllSpark a month and a half ago—barely any time, really. Your body has also been recovering, and even so, the weak radiation presently is covered by our life signatures and ultimately blocked because we can't risk revealing our location to just anyone."

I tilted my head, noting that Ratchet had nodded at Sunstreaker's explanation. Curious. "You guys can hide your signatures?"

"Yes," Ratchet crossed his holoform's arms. "It's something we're all created with, but only once we reach a certain…. age can we learn to use it. Mostly so that Sparklings and Younglings can be found in cases of emergency."

Interesting.

“If only humans had such a thing."

The number of missing children would be nearly non-existent. However, that just opened up a whole other bunch of questions I wanted to ask.

"Hey Ratch? Would you have a problem with me asking questions about your biology?"

Ratchet turned me, mirth in his optics. "I have no problem at all, your curiosity makes me happy in all honesty."

I blinked owlishly. "Happy?"

“Yes,” he confirmed but elaborated no further. "But, back to the topic at servo. While your signal is weak enough to be hidden by ours for a while at most, it may eventually become too strong which is why I'm bringing this discussion up."

"I'm all good with this," I nodded. "Especially with my line of work."

But at this rate, I might have to begin re-evaluating my life goals. Staying a part of the D.A.A…it might not be possible any longer, not when I had become the AllSpark.

Soma failed to fight off the yawn that escaped as he stretched, his spine popping at the motion. He groaned at the feelings but cracked his fingers next as he continued to scan surveillance of the MECH base he'd discovered. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of the main bases, just a storage warehouse but it was just as good. If they shut this one down, the organisation would be losing the contents of whatever was inside the facility.

Brown eyes flickered to the notice that popped up in the right corner, informing Soma that he had received an email.

Gemini, AKA Michel.

Soma grinned, opening his emails because he had to see this.

Michel never emailed unless it was with information, so this had to be either good news or bad news, depending on what it meant. The email opened, and Soma's eyes flickered back and forth across the screen as he read. His smile slowly drooped as he continued to read.

I managed to get a hold of two locations that MECH are targeting, but not the third.

Mexico for the fusion cannon blueprints. Japan for sonic laser blueprints. 21st.

Third unknown, not high enough clearance but it seems important enough to keep from prying ears?

Soma's breath hitched as he stood, his chair rolling backwards as he quickly opened the email with his tablet, rushing out of his room. He had to tell Logan. Now.

After the mini-meeting with Ratchet, I bumped into Eden on the way to the kitchen, and he asked me to spar with him. Of course, I said yes since I had to get my mind off the fact that Sideswipe had asked about Adan somehow.

I rolled my shoulders as I removed my shirt, and Eden did the same.

Since I'd done my morning routine, I didn't need to bother with any sort of real warm-up; I just did some shoulder and ankle rolls.

Eden did slightly more but it seemed he'd done his own morning routine too. He joined me on the mat, cracking his neck.

I twitched as I heard Logan approaching with the Autobots. I pursed my lips as I managed to catch a part of their conversation.

"—How come Zelda heals a lot faster than you guys?" Ironhide asked curiously. I'd obviously missed part of the conversation.

There was a short pause before Logan spoke. "Ratchet is already aware, but Zelda is… well, she has these enhancements. Because of them, her body can take more and heal quicker. It's a lot more complicated than that, but that's the gist of it."

Ratchet made a sound of agreement.

"But I'd rather not give any more details. It's for Zelda to share herself," Logan stated. I was thankful. "I'm sure she'll tell you in time. I mean you managed to gain her trust in the short time you've known her. I was amazed by that, considering—" he cut himself off from saying anything else, likely because he knew I would be able to hear him.

But he was right. I did trust them. I'd trusted them a lot quicker than others.

(I shouldn't though, and they should not be trusting me. But I trusted them either way, stupidly enough—I just can't not.)

It was strange. I'd known my sister and the others all my life, but after Ophiuchus, it took me time to open up with Aria once more and tell her everything they'd done and made me do.

I exhaled.

"Considering?" Sunstreaker echoed. I could picture him raising his holoform's brow.

"Considering everything she's gone through. As I said, in time, Zelda might willingly give the details, but until then, try not to push her," Logan murmured. "The last person that tried to do that got a broken sternum. We had to stop her from doing worse."

I pursed my lips at the topic. It wasn't something I wanted to think about, let alone speak of. Everything in the D.A.A and related referred to it as Ophiuchus both formally and non-formally because that had been one of my designated names during that period.

"Zelda." I glanced at Eden and saw his own gaze on me with a silent question in them.

"Fine."

He nodded.

I let out a deep breath. I wasn't that person anymore. I shook my head, letting out another deep breath as I decided to distract myself a little longer by doing more stretches while waiting for Logan, Aria and the Autobot's holoforms to arrive.

But Ratchet didn't seem too out of this world for me since he already knew the extent of my…enhancements. Despite my trust in the others, I didn’t feel ready to share. Not even my team knew the entire truth beyond Aria and Logan. Still, I'm sure that will change in the future, for better or for worse.

Aria was last to arrive, carrying a notepad and pen. I greeted her by quickly running over and pecking her cheek. I murmured a quiet sorry to which she bumped her forehead against mine.

It's fine, was silently said. I smiled in relief.

"Alright, it's up to you guys how far you take this," Logan voiced, crossing his arms. Eden and I looked at one another, agreeing without the need for words. We knew each other's limits.

"You know the basics: no injuries that could put someone out of commission, etcetera," Logan started again. We gazed back at him. "Loser will say mercy when beaten."

We nodded.

Eden and I got in place, a nice distance between us. We circled around. I lightly dragged my feet as I did, tensing my muscles and loosening them as I acutely watched Eden as he did me.

"Aw come on, guys!" Mia whined after we spent a full minute doing that. She was baiting us, and we all knew it, but that was just how Mia worked. "You're just gonna keep circling or what?"

It was a split-second decision for both of us. We moved forward in unison. I feinted left, then right before actually going left. It got Eden, I used the opening to harshly jab into his side, spinning to knee his back.

Eden stumbled from the attack but quickly got his balance, turning to face me. He was swift with his assault, going for a straight-on attack. My breath hitched as I barely managed to back away in time to avoid a fist to the stomach, but he advanced, using my stumble to land a punch.

I hissed sharply as I caught his third punch before he could get me again, tugging him forward roughly, using that opening to land my own punch. Grabbing his trousers at his hips, with a strong tug, I flip him over my shoulder. He hit the ground jarringly.

He rolled from his back to his front. I used the opening as he lifted himself to kick his torso. It was a dirty trick, but everything counted. He hissed out a cry, falling to his side. He quickly rolled away from me several times to swiftly get to his feet. I backed away while standing on the ball of my feet.

As he stumbled to find balance, I ran at him. I watched Eden's eyes widen as I leapt into the air and double-kicked him on the chest. He went flying backwards. I hit the ground but flipped myself to my feet, pausing to catch my breath.

I ignored them as the Autobots lowly spoke to each other with curiosity in their tones.

Eden came at me. I moved my head in time to miss getting punched. I backed away as he continued with a series of punches, barely missing by a hair width. I even felt his knuckle catch my hair. I find myself stumbling again. He used that to kick my feet out. I grunted as I hit the mat. I yelped as he grabbed my hair and forcibly tugged me up.

The next moment I found my back against his chest, his arms around my armpits and hands linked behind my neck, locking my arms in an awkward angle above me. I grunted and hissed wordlessly as I tried to use my feet to kick out, but as I did that, my fingers brushed against Eden's wild hair, and I smirked.

My fingers sunk into the strands and pulled. Harshly, so harshly I'm sure I pulled some out. Whoops. It worked though. Eden cried out a "Fuck!" at the unexpected pain, his lock slacking just enough for me to slip out. I used this to my advantage and head-butted his nose.

As he stumbled backwards, clutching his nose, I kicked his feet from under him as he'd done to me. He hit the floor, I kicked his side again, and he rolled onto his front. I dropped down, wrapping my right arm around his neck and pulled him backwards, a knee just right of his spine. I heard it crack at the angle.

Eden tried to get out but unlike me, he couldn't reach any part of me that would be enough to get me to let go. He goes still before hitting the mat. "Mercy."

I released him. He groaned as I stood. I grimaced as Eden rolled onto his back, his own grimace on his face.

"Sorry." I held out a hand and Eden grasped it so I could pull him up. "Sometimes I forget my own strength."

Eden waved me off as he rubbed his back. "S'fine." I laughed as Eden groaned. "Fuck, I forgot about that power hold of yours."

I snorted a short laugh and abandoned the mat to walk to Sunstreaker, who had picked up my shirt. I smiled in thanks as I tugged it back on. I did the same for my socks and shoes, hopping on one foot to do so.

It got Sideswipe laughing as I stumbled about. I yelped, nearing falling and Sunstreaker offered me an arm to hold while I put my other one on. I grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks."

Sunstreaker rolled his optics.

Soma chose that moment to come rushing. The grim look on his face said it was serious. All amusement was gone from my face as the atmosphere in the room became tense. "Logan."

"Soma?" Logan questioned.

"We've got a bit of a problem."

"Two locations means two each for the teams," Logan murmured. "Mia and I'll take Mexico. You and Zelda be up for Tokyo?"

Eden nodded. "Yeah. It takes eleven hours, give or take. We leave tomorrow morning, and we can be there by late tomorrow night. It'd give us enough time for Soma to phone ahead and let us set something up."

Logan pulled out the Tokyo facility's blueprint and laid it out on the lightbox table. "The only few weaknesses on the sheet show the front door, which would be too obvious, or the sewer system. Unfortunately, it'll lead them right into the building."

"Why do these buildings have such stupid openings?" Eden groaned.

"It's an escape route, but those tend to work both ways in cases of emergency," the blond male offered, raising both hands in an 'I surrender' pose. Eden rolled his eyes.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: Failure & Revelations

I zipped up my boots and stood, grabbing the pack beside my feet and swinging it onto my right shoulder. Re-entering the room, I made my way to Eden, who held his hand out to take my pack; I passed it to him. He ran off toward our plane to start it up.

Ratchet's holoform appearing next to me was startling, but he held out a chain with a piece of metal. "It's the best I could do in such a short time. I'll improve upon it later, but for now, it will do the job."

It was a simple rectangle that looked a lot like a motherboard with all the wires and pieces. It was tiny to. How had Ratchet managed to make something so small? I shook the thought off and plucked the chain from his holoform's hand, clasping it around my neck. I shove the chain and device under my suit collar before doing it up again.

"Thanks," I answered, smiling thankfully.

Ratchet dipped his chin. "Your safety will always be important, youngling."

I hesitated on the action but hugged him. Ratchet hummed softly, his own arms wrapping around my shoulders.

"Do be careful while out there. I know Aria will be most annoyed, and I can say we Autobots will be also if you come back harmed," Ratchet admonished.

I hid my grin in his shoulder before forcing a neutral but warm expression as I pulled back from the hug. "I'll try, but no promises, Ratchet."

He just sighed heavily.

"Sunbird," Aria entered and loped over quickly. She glanced at Ratchet before returning her gaze to me. "Ratchet has most likely already told you but be careful."

I smiled, biting back a snort. "He has."

Aria rolled her eyes.

I leaned back against the wall, watching over the sewer drain that Capricorn and I would most likely be using to intersect MECH. Eden was watching from the other side of the building—the front entrance, just in case MECH was stupid enough to go in that way. It was doubtful, but still a stupid possibility.

I crossed my arms, peering through the shadows that hid my form to scan the building. It was large, white, and had plenty of windows, it looked like a sterile place—like the technology-science lab it was.

I exhaled through my nose and shifted my weight, “=Any changes?=”

Virgo hummed. “=I'm doing a scan of the sewer now. Give me a tick,=” He gave a strangled noise and I straightened.

“=Virgo?=”

“=They're in the sewers. How'd I fucking miss that?!=”

“=Doesn't matter,=” Capricorn interrupted before he could continue. “=Scorpio, I'll be at your location in a few seconds. Get ready.=”

I pushed off the wall, moving for the manhole. I crouched before it and slipped my fingers into the holes. With little effort, I pulled it from its snug resting place and pushed it aside just as Capricorn came around the corner.

"Me first, you second," Capricorn ordered. I stood watch as the map popped up on the display.

Capricorn climbed down the ladder, and I waited until he was on the ground before climbing down myself, pulling the drain cover back into place and listened to see if we could hear the MECH soldiers.

I scrunched my nose at the smell—we were going to need to shower after this. Because of my enhancements, I was affected by the smell worse than Eden. I bit back the gag that wanted to escape. It smelt disgusting.

But I forced myself to push the smell aside and focus onward. Because we had a night vision display intergraded, we didn't need torches and could continue without alerting the MECH soldiers that were ahead of our presence.

Pulling my glock out, I waited for Capricorn to peer around the corner. Four fingers went up and I nodded.

We rounded the corner and fired at them before they could spot us. All four went down and we peered up into the building.

“=All employees have been notified and are hiding in secure locations in the building,=” Virgo commented.

“=Good. We don't have to worry about hostages then,=” I nodded, and we climbed up into the abandoned building. It was eerily silent except for the buzzing of the bright overhead lights. Creepy.

“=Which way now?=”

“=Gotta go down two flights,=” Virgo answered. “=I'll be back in a moment, Taurus and Aries need my attention.=”

Capricorn and I shared a glance. I moved first, peering down the stairs. I fired two shots at the MECH that were standing on them. I rushed down and fired off another three, two more went down. I pressed up against the wall, sneaking a look and drawing back before I could get shot.

I let out a breath and swung around the corner, and shot the last two in the room. I hit one in the shoulder for the purpose of interrogation. Capricorn approached him and kicked his gun away before he could scramble for it. Capricorn pressed his foot on the underling's injured shoulder.

"How many more of you are there?" He demanded.

"Fuck you," The underling spat.

Capricorn pressed more of his weight onto him and tilted his head. "Scorpio?"

I grinned and purred: "My pleasure."

His screams were like music to my ears.

We moved along shortly after I'd gotten our answer from the underling. There were twelve more left from the original twenty.

I kicked the door down, expecting there to be the remaining twelve, but I lowered my gun and hissed. The vault was ransacked, there was a hole in the floor, and there weren't any MECH soldiers around. We were too late.

"Damnit," Capricorn kicked the empty box by his feet.

I shoved my glock back into its holster and stepped into the vault, my insides sizzling angrily.

"We just missed them," I hissed, noticing they'd left all their equipment—most weren't even turned off. No doubt they'd heard us coming and didn't bother with it.

“=Virgo, this is Capricorn. We were too late in arriving at the vault,=” Capricorn reported.

Virgo exhaled heavily, “=Understood. I'll forward it on to Taurus.=”

I stepped out of the vault and pushed my visor up to rub my gloved flesh hand across my face in frustration. Even after all our preparation, they'd somehow gotten past Virgo's radar and made it inside. How?

I frowned and turned back to the vault, there was a bunch of hard drives and paper blueprints scattered all around the room. It was plain to see they'd been in a hurry and just chucked things over their shoulders when it wasn't what they were looking for.

I crouched and plucked a drive from the ground. I sighed at the damaged. I peered at the others lying around—several of them had damage, in fact. The paper blueprints looked ruffled but thankfully not ripped.

Hopefully, they weren't damaged to the point of being unsavable. It was unlikely they had spares if they were being kept in a vault to begin with.

“=Taurus's been informed, but you guys gotta head on up, there will be police arriving shortly,=” Virgo reported.

I nodded, even though Virgo couldn't see it, and stood once more, silently following Capricorn. I pulled my visor down, as did Capricorn. Our identities were meant to be kept a secret after all.

Capricorn did the talking to the officers—speaking their native tongue as it was easier than speaking English—telling them about the dead and their locations. Once he'd filled them in, we headed for our bikes to get back to the plane. There was a shower on board so we could have a short one to get rid of most of the smell before arriving back home.

Once we were safely in the air, I claimed the shower first. I changed into cargo pants and a vest afterward before switching places with Eden to let him take his own. There was little conversation between us during the entire ten-hour flight, and both of us were still stewing at the fact that they'd gotten away.

Might as well start my report write-up.

Ten hours passed quickly, and we arrived back home in what felt like only a few hours instead. It was very early morning, the sun hadn't even appeared yet, and I wanted nothing more than to just go to bed but I still felt dirty and wanted another far longer shower.

I turned my bike on and rode it out, Eden just behind me. The door opened enough for us to ride in before it closed again.

It was surprising to see the Autobots awake, but I didn't know their sleep—uh, recharge patterns yet. It was likely they didn't need to sleep as much as humans did.

I pulled to a stop and climbed off, pulling my helmet off as I didn't bother fighting the yawn. I just dumped my helmet on the bench, waved to the bots and made for my room.

The second shower did wonders, but I didn't stop yawning the entire time. Damn, I actually wanted to sleep.

As I came out, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were already in my room. I was mildly surprised but mostly just too tired to really compute the emotion. I greeted them with a sleepy: "Hey."

Sides grinned, "Hey, to you too. We know that you'll be heading to bed, but we were wondering how everything went."

I grimaced. "We didn't manage to stop them."

Sunstreaker frowned as Side's grin eased off his face. "They managed to get away?"

I nodded. "They passed Soma's notice somehow. We think they came up in the main building as a distraction and drilled up at the vault itself to give them more time since there was a hole in the room when we arrived."

I rubbed my eyes and sighed again. I dropped onto the settee and groaned, instantly regretting what I just did. "Fuck, I shouldn't have sat down."

Sides chuckled softly and sat down beside me. "Why's that?"

"I'm not gonna be able to move," I hummed, eyes closed. I felt the settee compress the other side of me, so I guess Sunstreaker sat down too. "I'm so damn tired and I have no idea why."

"You always have those purple circles under your eyes," Sunstreaker commented, voice strangely quiet and soft. "Isn't that usually a sign that a human doesn't sleep enough?"

I laughed and peered up at him sheepishly. "You got me. Guilty as charged."

Sideswipe slumped against me, head resting against mine. It startled me enough to jerk lightly, but Sideswipe just snuggled closer.

"What are you doing?" I projected my amusement.

"I happen to be tired also," he chimed. “If you're not going to move, I can just use you as a pillow."

I rested my cheek against his scalp in response. I didn't comment on his lie, I just closed my eyes and allowed myself to succumb to sleep.

"She's asleep already," Sunstreaker murmured with relief. The supposed 'reason' for asking how her mission went was not the actual reason they'd followed Zelda into her room. Zelda's sleep pattern was all over the place—with so few humans in the building, they could easily keep track of each's patterns.

Mia went to bed early most evenings and got up between six and eight when morning came around. Eden was similar; some nights, he went later, however. Soma was all over the place—he stayed up to odd hours in the early Earth solar cycle before sleeping until six or seven in the morning. Logan and Aria shared a room and Aria went first, then Logan not long after. They both awoke at a similar time of seven each morning.

Zelda was always first up, ranging from three to five in the morning and she normally went to bed at around eleven on good days.

(Ratchet grumbled at a few of the human's schedules but didn't make a fuss about it because of their work. Soma was the worst, but he went out of his way to catch up during the day with power naps if possible.)

Still, they were mostly worried about Zelda because while their bonds with her were still developing, they could feel her waking up was never peaceful. It was always sharp, like she'd experienced a chargefright but didn't remember it.

They didn't doubt that was the reason. Ratchet may nor may not have been monitoring her processor—brain—activity during her recharge on the times she fell asleep around him. It showed she often dreamt, and it wasn't pleasant for her—their only relief was that she didn't seem to remember it. At least not all the time—the night at the Witwicky's house came to them.

Her agonised and anguished cry, her mind forcing her to see someone else in Bumblebee's place when he'd rushed into the room was terrifying for them to witness and feel.

They'd all seen their fair share of horrors, and Bumblebee sometimes suffered from charge fights—they had also, and while it didn't happen often, it still didn't mean it wasn't terrifying when it did.

They just wanted Zelda to rest easily.

They stood still and at attention. Silas stormed into the room, glaring at all five of them.

"Who did it?" he ordered in Russian. None said anything.

Ophiuchus stared straight ahead, stiff and expression blank.

"I SAID WHO DID IT!" Silas roared, continuing in the language. "Which one of you killed Ninety-two?"

Still, no one said anything.

"Then you'll all be punished!"

Zelda stirred in her sleep with a quiet, strangled noise escaped. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe shared a look. Sideswipe pushed himself upright but didn't go far, his holoform's hand still holding Zelda's arm. Sunstreaker gently set his own servo—hand, on Zelda's shoulder.

Ophiuchus stood silent, watching as the other four bickered between themselves.

"I certainly didn't do it," Hundred and one snapped in response to Ninety-five; the two men near snarling at each other.

One hundred four turned her gaze onto Ophiuchus, "Well, what about you, Eighty-four? You're the only original non-MECH soldiers."

Ophiuchus blinked, head turning slowly to return the gaze. "What do I get from killing one of you? I serve only MECH."

One hundred scoffed. "You get a lot from it."

Ophiuchus tilted her head. "What about you all? Maybe whoever did it is aiming to be number one in Silas's book?"

They all turned to each other, Ophiuchus’s words setting them on edge.

Zelda shifted, brows furrowing deeply.

"Zelda?" Sides called softly, shaking her shoulder in an attempt to wake her but it was for nought.

The water raining from the showerhead hid the sound of Ophiuchus removing the vent cover. She slowly climbed from it and stood; she tilted her head as she manoeuvred toward the curtain hiding Hundred and four.

She slowly walked, her movements like that of a predator stalking prey. In her hand was a screwdriver, it was clasped tightly in Ophiuchus’s metal fist that the handle threatened to break.

Ophiuchus reached out for the curtain and—

The sheet was ripped back, Hundred and four jerking in surprise, only having mere seconds to turn, eyes wide before the screwdriver was thrust into her throat, Hundred and four gurgled and Ophiuchus shoved her against the wall, not caring about the water now raining down on her face.

Ophiuchus blinked and the smile she wore promised death. Simple as.

"Guess you were right after all," she purred and ripped the screwdriver out, pulling a chunk of her throat with it. Hundred and four grabbed her throat in a desperate attempt to save herself but—

Well, it was pointless because Ophiuchus shoved the screwdriver into her eye socket and into her brain. One hundred four fell dead and Ophiuchus smiled softly as she turned and hummed a merry tune as she climbed back into the vent.

Zelda's torso pitching forward as she woke startled them, but the strangled squeal that escaped kicked them back into action. Sideswipe pulled her onto his lap, even as she fought against him and began to project safe-calm-relaxed to her.

Zelda just continued to cry, body trembling, and Sunstreaker slipped behind her, arms wrapping around her waist and pressed his chest against her back to box her in between himself and Sideswipe. He projected a similar feeling down the bond, and slowly, the sobs petered off, but the shaking didn't.

"It's okay, Zelda," Sunstreaker murmured into her ear. "Just breathe."

She took a shaky breath, her trembling almost hiding the action.

"That's it," Sideswipe encouraged softly, projecting his proud-at ease-relaxed to her.

Another soft and strangled noise escaped her. Zelda likely had tried to speak, but the words got stuck in her throat. Sunstreaker nuzzled his nose into her shoulder.

"Thank you," she breathed, finally finding her voice. “Sides, Sunstreaker, thank you so much."

"Of course," Sides resting his cheek against her forehead.

Sunstreaker hummed, chin on Zelda's shoulder and he hesitated for a moment but then spoke: "Just call me Sunny."

The golden-yellow twin was aware of the shock that came from his brother, but it came with happy-proud-amused also.

Zelda shifted, peering over her shoulder at Sunstreaker with her own shock. "Are—are you sure, I thought you didn't—"

"For you, it's fine. Okay?" Sunstreaker smiled. "Now recharge, Sides and I aren't going anywhere. If anything happens, we'll wake you up right away."

Zelda nodded, buring her face into Sideswipe's shoulder, and slowly but surely succumbed to her tiredness again.

"I'm glad to hear, Keller," Logan nodded sharply. "Have the soldiers been given the chance to return to their families?"

Keller smiled. "Yes, we all felt it only fair and just that they reunite with their loved ones before anything else."

"I would also like to discuss more about this collaboration but feel that perhaps it would be better in person? Bringing the Autobots along with us to introduce them all properly would be the best course of action as well."

"All of them?" Keller questioned curiously. The Secretary of Defence was eager to formally meet the entire group of Autobots now taking shelter on Earth after having to hurry away after only a brief meeting.

"All of them," Logan confirmed.

"Then I will invite the group of soldiers also. It would only be appropriate to involve them in something just as big. The twenty-sixth, alright?" Keller offered.

Logan pondered the date for a moment. He'd need to take Soma with him. He was the one drafting everything. The Asian was fussy about notes and ideas; it would be best to take him in case he had an idea during the meeting.

"Twenty-sixth it is," Logan smiled again.

"You… you asked about Adan the other day," Zelda started suddenly the next morning. She had slept through the night after her chargefright, but she'd been quiet and withdrawn since.

Sideswipe turned toward her from the kitchen stall, having been reading a book he'd found, and Sunstreaker paused mid-brush of Zelda’s hair.

"You don't have to tell us about him if it makes you uncomfortable," Sunstreaker offered lightly.

Zelda swallowed and admitted: "I… I think I need to talk about him more than tell you anything really."

"Then tell us about him," Sideswipe smiled softly at her. "What was he like?"

Zelda snorted fondly. "He was…pretty average in all honesty. His kindness towards others, be it person or animals, was one of his most noteworthy things. He would always talk about when we retired that he’d adopt a bunch of cats and be that “crazy cat lady”, using those exact words despite being a guy.”

Sideswipe sniggered and Sunstreaker chuckled. Zelda grinned, the grin fading into a soft smile. "He was my best friend before he was my boyfriend. I use the word light because we were young, you know? What do we know about love or relationships? But we knew…we just knew. It’s hard to explain.”

Zelda sighed, annoyed at her lack of words.

“Emotions can be hard to voice,” Sunstreaker continued brushing, picking up a comb to split her hair in half, beginning to add a pair of fish-tail plaits.

She hummed in agreement. “When we first met at four, we actually hated each other's guts. We were both trying to be the best, and it turned into a competition. We played dirty, and it kind of just became a thing that we'd point out flaws and end up helping each other fix them.

He… Adan was the type of guy that would say f-it and do stupid shit but knew when to be serious. He was actually very quiet and nervous around unfamiliar people I found out when we turned eight. We had been given a mock mission in a city to get somewhere while avoiding people and stuff like that. He got crowded and I watched him suffer a panic attack. I was surprised because I'd never seen him like that before and…" Zelda hesitated a beat. "And I think it was then that I realised I felt differently towards him than anyone else. I was eight and I'd already fallen in love—or the equivalent anyway. How stupid does that sound?"

"Pretty strange," Sideswipe nodded mockingly in agreement with Zelda’s playful grin but looked curious because he was. He was curious about how Zelda grew up surrounded by her family. He was curious about Adan because, well, from what they had already witnessed, been told by Aria and now Zelda herself, he seemed like a kind person.

So, how did he die?

Sunstreaker finished braiding Zelda's hair and squeezed her shoulder, silently thanking her for sharing. Her hand reached up and grabbed his, squeezing in return.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five: Hunt

The Twenty-Fifth…

"Soma's still watching. So stay alert, got it?" Logan gave a pointed look more aimed toward Mia than anyone else. She grinned unrepented.

"Don't worry about it, Logan," Aria smiled lovingly at Logan, brushing his fringe from his eyes. "We'll be alright for three days without you."

"Yeah," Eden bobbed his head and chimed: "We'll keep Mia on a leash if necessary."

Mia looked dramatically horrified. "Excuse you. I happen to be very responsible, thank you very much."

I snorted, hands shoved in my trouser pockets. "Responsible, right."

Mia pouted in my direction. "Why am I always the punching bag?"

"Because you're easy to make fun of?" Soma smirked. Sniggers followed.

I wandered over to the bots' holoforms. "Try not to scare anyone too bad and if you do, make sure you get it on camera for me?" I grinned.

Jazz snickered. "Wouldn't dream of anythin' else, lil'one."

"We'll make it spectacular if we do," Sideswipe nodded in agreement. Sunstreaker hummed musingly. I didn't doubt he was planning something, especially because Sideswipe glanced at him, grin widening.

Ratchet sighed. "Please don't."

Ironhide smirked. "Where's the harm in giving the humans a playful scare?"

The twins grinned at Ironhide’s agreement.

Optimus just watched on silently, face stern, but I had felt a flash of fond amusement. It only increased as Ratchet and Ironhide began bickering back and forth.

"Any plans while we're gone?" Sideswipe piped up playfully. "I know you'll miss us greatly and be sad by our short departure, but it'll be okay, Zel."

I snorted, "Miss you?" I raised a brow. "Whatever gave you that idea."

Jazz laughed, leaning back on his body.

Sideswipe's eyes widened comically. "Is that your way of saying that you don't like us?"

"Well," I paused dramatically. "It's more you than an us, Sides. There's something about you that I just can't—" I gave a faux grimace. Jazz laughed again. The others all watched on with amusement written clearly on their faces.

Sideswipe gapped. "Me?!" He squawked, fully playing into the bit.

I nodded grimly. "Pity because I like Sunny."

Sunstreaker sniggered as Sideswipe fell to his knees, looking horrified. The nickname got me a few surprised looks from the others, but I didn't really pay it much attention. I turned to Sunstreaker, fluttering my lashes. "When you get back, come find me."

Playing along, Sunstreaker wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close. "You could come with us, darling."

I sighed heavily, leaning into his side. "But alas, I can't. If only I could."

"Okay, okay, okay," Sideswipe got to his feet, fake sniffling. "I see how it is."

I grinned and reached out with my own hand, pulling him into the hug by his sleeve. He chuckled, placing a kiss on my brow.

I let out a dramatic exhale, preparing myself to read the card. "I gotta prepare for this one, hold on," I stretched and cleared my throat. Then I slammed my palm onto the table, "Damnit, mother. I—it's, this is the fifth time I told you: blank."

"All that prep and you still fucked it up," Eden grinned as Mia and Aria sniggered.

"Shut up, you cunt." I kicked his ankle before clasping my hands together and rubbing them eagerly. "What you kids got for me."

"Ah fuck, it says I’ve got an error, gotta disconnect," Mia groaned and did so, just as the cards popped up.

"Wait your card's on screen. When you left, it fixed it," I commented.

"Back now, anyway," Mia shrugged.

I wheezed with laughter when Mia's account name failed to appear. "What's happening?"

"I dunno but I've got three cards on my screen," Aria chimed, peering down at her tablet instead of the TV.

"Wait, is Mia back in?" Eden frowned, eyeing the tv in confusion.

Aria shrugged. "Apparently. I don't see her either."

"Well, I don't see her. This is gonna be confusing," I turned to Mia. "Which card is yours? I wanna see what happens."

"My one's the Donald Trump and Mexicans."

"I bloody knew it," Aria snorted, leaning back in her chair.

I then tried to pick Mia's card only to get an error message, which just prompted laughter out of us. We ended up refreshing the page and thankfully it pulled Mia back in.

I cleared my throat as while Mia had been pulled back in, her card had disappeared, "Guess it's just between the other two. Damnit, mother, this is the fifth time I told you: running onto a porn set while an orgy is being filmed, dripping with gasoline and lube, and yelling 'who wants to get fuckay?' is not—" I broke into wheezy laughter, "I almost filled that in with 'is not okay'!"

"I was hoping it—wait, fuck," Eden cursed and it just set off more laughter.

An entire game was played, with Eden coming out as the winner. However, as we went to start up a second game, laughing uncontrollably, the power cut off. We all paused, and all traces of the laughter moments before were completely gone. We sat in the darkness that now encased the room for several long moments.

We waited for the power to come back on, but it didn't.

"Back-up generators aren't coming on," Mia whispered. Her voice almost echoing in the darkness.

We set our tablets down and stood. We all eyed the room. Eden turned to us. "Mia, you and I are going to check the generators. Aria, Zelda, get to Soma's room. Once the power is back on, we'll meet in the docking bay."

I frowned but nodded, gesturing for Aria to move, and we rushed off. My stomach twisted nauseously because our systems were very deliberate. We had a backup generator that comes on if it's just a normal power cut—but we were on a personal powerline, and we generated our own electricity, which is why a power cut in the first place wasn't normal. The secondary comes on only when it's naturally caused.

That would only mean one thing: someone had purposely cut the power.

I moved in front of Aria as we turned down a small hallway and opened the door to Soma's workroom. I moved up to the computer, hit a key, and Soma's computer lit up. I narrowed my eyes, peering over my shoulder as Aria closed the door.

"Soma's power is still on," I confirmed. After logging in, I sat in his chair and worked on pulling up the security footage.

I went for outside first and immediately I knew who it was.

"MECH," I hissed. Aria was at my side in seconds.

“=Eden, do you copy?=”

“=I copy,=” Eden answered.

“=It's MECH. They managed to cut the main power, not knowing about our secondary situation,=” I reported. He swore, hissing under his breath.

“=Okay, okay. Stay there and try and find where they're coming from and going,=” Eden ordered.

“=Understood,=” I pulled all cameras up and we began to search through them. “=There's some heading our way, Eden.=”

“=Stay in that room, Zelda.=”

“=But—=”

“=Stay, in, that, room and get a damn SOS out to Soma.=”

I hissed and stood, pushing Aria into the chair instead. "Do it."

I moved to the cabinet at the back of the room. I pressed my thumb, and the light turned green. I pulled the doors open. Inside was an expandable shield. Unfortunately, there wasn't a gun. Damnit.

I strapped it onto my left arm. Flicking my arm in a certain way, the shield expanded. It was enough to cover shoulder to shoulder, down to the knees, and up to the head. I moved my arm again, and it retracted.

"I've sent it," Aria murmured and returned to the cameras. "We've got three incomings in roughly thirty seconds."

"Get behind the door," I ordered and opened the shield. I readied myself and relaxed my breathing, feeling my heart pounding. Then—

BAM

—the door was kicked open. I rushed the underling that had kicked the door, using the shield to deflect the bullets and sending him to the ground unconscious by smashing his head against the wall because he hadn't been wearing headgear to protect him. Idiot.

I retracted the shield and attacked the second one, hitting his solar plexus. He gasped for breath, and I used that to attack the third. A harsh punch to the nose took her down, but the second, already recovered, chucked something, and it landed on my right arm.

It sparked, and suddenly, the arm was dead weight—EMP.

I quickly kicked the guy below the belt, watching as he went down as I pried the disk from my arm. Power came back, and I wiggled my fingers and rotated my arm. I snarled and launched myself at the man, metal fingers wrapping around his neck.

I held, watching as he fought and scratched at my metal arm in an attempt to free himself, but I just tightened and felt the way his throat gave way beneath it.

He'd be dead in three minutes.

I turned my attention to the third as she climbed to her feet. I booted her in the chest and listened as her ribs collapsed. She hit the ground, gaping like a fish. She'd be dead soon too. I snapped the first's neck while he was still unconscious as mercy.

Aria appeared in the doorway, eyeing the corpses momentarily. "You okay?"

"Fine," I answered shortly, peering down the hallway.

“=Eden?=” I got no answer, “=Mia?=”

Still no answer. Did my comm go out with the EMP?

 I locked eyes with Aria, and she tried to contact Eden or Mia, then Logan or Soma, too but nothing.

"Our comms are busted?" I frowned, that was…

The comms were built to automatically start up again in case of an EMP. A radio disruptor?

Brushing a finger over the start-up, the scar tender even after so many years.

Our commlinks had been built into us. Some might call them unethical, but at the end of the day, they were far more useful in the situations we got into. We certainly can’t lose them like the average earpiece…

Aria ducked into Soma’s room again. I followed, and the power on his computer was out now, too.

"I understand the small EMP, but one strong enough to shut all power down in the building? One that’s shut our comms down?" Aria frowned. "That's not easy tech to get a hold of."

"Stolen technology, you mean." I picked the EMP they used on my arm. It was a small circular disk no bigger than a British two-pound coin.

"We can't stay here," I said, peering into the hallway again.

"Eden said to stay," Aria frowned. It was an order, after all.

"But our comms are down, and we haven't figured out how many there were. We've got to get some weapons, Aria."

She sighed heavily but nodded. "Okay, let's go."

I nodded, and we rushed from the room, ignoring the concern and panic coming from the threads—I needed to focus.

I only hoped they'd turned around already; they had only been gone an hour.

We crossed paths with only a few MECH soldiers, which we took care of quickly.

I frowned because I was expecting more. At this rate, we'd have killed them all off. I only hope Eden and Mia were okay and that they didn't get jumped.

There was something that just frustrated me, however—like I was missing something incredibly important, and I bit back the groan that wanted to escape.

"Zelda," Aria's hushed voice brought me back and I turned toward her. She jerked her head towards the bay doors.

My heart fluttered nervously, hoping both Mia and Eden were there.

We approached, and Aria softly pushed the handle down and opened the door, guns at the ready. Our eyes widened when our sights immediately landed on the two familiar forms sprawled out in the centre of the room.

Caution thrown to the wind, we rushed forward.

"Eden!"

"Mia!"

I dropped next to Eden, searching for a pulse. It was slow but there was a steady beat. I searched for an injury, but thankfully, it seemed he'd only taken a blow to the head.

I turned to Aria; her face had gone pale.

"Aria?" my voice cracked.

She turned to me, eyes watering and shook her head. A strangled noise escaped.

"Mia," I crawled closer. She'd been shot in the stomach, and the location left her bleeding out rapidly. I touched the back of her hand. She was still warm. Too warm. She couldn't have been dead for more than a few minutes.

I snarled and grabbed Aria's shoulder. She grabbed mine in return. I squeezed closed my eyes, forgive us, Mia. I hope you find peace in whatever happens after.

Someone slowly clapped, and I felt breathless as the person laughed. My grip tightened as a burst of familiar anger set ablaze inside. A wildfire that had been burning for years was suddenly uncontrollable and spreading through my veins without restraint.

I gritted my teeth and pushed myself to my feet, turning to face the man.

Silas smiled. "Hello again, Ophiuchus. How have you been these last few years?"

Aria snarled and stood, slipping in front of me. "Don't come any closer, you bastard."

"Oh?" Silas eyed Aria, and I sneered at him. "You must be the sister. You know Ophiuchus would scream for you while we had her strapped down?"

Aria shifted, free hand reaching back to grasp mine in comfort. I squeezed because otherwise, I knew I was going to charge at him.

"What's the fucking purpose of coming here, Silas," I snapped. "Surely you wouldn't just risk an attack on our base for some petty reason."

Silas hummed. "You're right. " He pressed a finger to his lips and then pointed at me. "You see, I'm here for you, Ophiuchus. You've been a very bad test subject: killing the other subjects, then Cooper, then blowing up the lab! Tsk, tsk."

"She's not going anywhere with you, you sick excuse for a human." Aria snapped.

BANG

I screamed.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Torpefy

As I stood there, my vision began to constrict, the world around me blurring at the edges until it felt like I was peering through a keyhole. Colours faded into a dull haze, while sounds became distant and muffled, echoing faintly as if I were submerged in a vast ocean. Every noise was transformed into a soft, ghostly murmur, creating an eerie, dreamlike atmosphere that enveloped me completely.

Her face was eerily still, a mask of shock, with her eyes wide open and unblinking, reflecting a moment frozen in time. Her mouth hung slightly agape as if the very breath was caught in her throat. In those fleeting fractions of a second, time seemed to stretch—she was there and then, just like that, she was gone, leaving behind an unsettling silence.

Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone.

She was gone.

Absently, I heard Silas's snicker. Absently, I felt the liquid rushing in my ears. Absently, I registered the pain in my knees as I dropped to them.

Only when the butt of his gun slammed into my head did I refocus. My sight sharpened and my hearing became clear. I hurled my fist, propelling myself at him. Silas's eyes widened in surprise and my fist landed in his gut.  He gagged, the force behind my punch sending him sprawling with a cry.

My vision centred on him, my right fist flexing with hunger and a lust to wrap it around his throat.

I strutted forward, watching as Silas desperately struggled to catch his breath while crawling for his gun. His hand wraps around it, and I stomp on his wrist, feeling the way it cracks under the assault. He roared in agony.

But it was nothing to what he had done to Eden, Mia—Aria.

I was going to rip. him. apart.

"You wanted Ophiuchus," I drawled, watching with deep-seated satisfaction as his eyes widened. I knelt and smiled down at him, "Well, she never left."

I reached down and flexed my fingers against his neck, not yet applying pressure but more than ready,

"I'm going to make you suffer, Silas," I said, beginning to tightening my grip, slowly as to drag it out. " I'm going to draw it out, twist you in every way you did to me. When I have you begging for mercy, I'm going to keep going and I'm going to show you exactly what insanity looks like.

He gasped, whacking weakly as the blood vessels in his head began to bulge and his face started to darken.

BANG

My body jerked, grip loosening as the pain registered in my leg.

I hissed, but Silas used my momentary distraction to kick me away. I was sent sprawling. I bared my teeth, snarling as I launched myself at him again.

BANG

My abdomen, beneath my ribs, likely missing any organs. All the way through.

I crashed to the ground, still snarling, and began to crawl towards Silas as he stumbled to his feet, the signs of asphyxiation beginning to fade.

I watched as Silas ran, his form getting blurrier and blurrier the further he ran until he vanished altogether.

I rested my head on the ground, staring ahead as the blank spots ate at my vision.

The last sounds I heard were the squeal of tyres.

Logan fell from Optimus's cab, his knees almost giving out at the sight before him. Then it clicked, pushing him into action, and he rushed to Aria, crying out her name.

Soma was at Mia and Eden in a matter of moments after Logan.

Ratchet was beside Zelda with a flicker of his holoform. He turned her over, hands coming to press against the bullet wound on her abdomen.

Logan's anguished cry as he clutched Aria to hit them all, but Ratchet was forced to block his screams out and get to work, pulling off the lab coat his holoform wore to press it against the wound.

There were holoforms surrounding him in seconds, Jazz quickly pulling his own jacket off to press to the wound on her leg, which, to their relief, was nowhere near as severe.

Sunstreaker took over Ratchet's spot as he left to fetch the kit in his vehicle. He worked quickly to clean and stop the bleeding.

Optimus hurried past Soma, who sat beside Eden, leaving Logan space as he continued to cry over Aria. He knelt before Mia and couldn't find a pulse. He sighed softly, mournfully.

His eyes shifted to Eden, where Soma was staring at him in relief—unconscious but alive. Optimus rested a hand on Soma's shoulder. The Asian male blinked slowly as he turned to face Optimus; he looked just lost.

But Logan cried out again, and Soma stood, shrugging off the hand and numbly wandered to Logan. He just sat there silently and never made a move to touch either—just sat.

Optimus's spark tightened further as he surveyed their surroundings, his optics landing on Zelda last and his bots, who were knelt around her. She was unhealthily pale but breathing—the bond that linked her to them still burned strong, weak and numb, but there.

It was a complete mess.

Optimus knew all of them never should have left.

She knew she was unconscious, but she was awake at the same time.

It wasn't a dream, Zelda knew that, so what was happening?

She choked in realisation, Mia, Aria.

What about Micheal?

She clutched her head, she might not have a body here, but that still didn't mean she couldn't feel the sensation. She hissed and stewed in her anger, her grief, and her desire for justice that she had been robbed off.

Zelda halted, a jolt of surprise coursing through her as she sensed large hands enveloping her form. The warmth of their grip sent a shiver down her metaphoric spine, and she couldn't suppress the tremor that rippled through her body. Despite her best efforts to rein in her fury, a storm of emotions swirled within her, threatening to break the surface as she struggled to regain her composure.

The sensation of being held captive, both physically and emotionally, was enough to expunge the anger, even if only for a short period of time.

"Welcome back, Dear One," the ancient voice from weeks ago spoke again. "Expected you so soon again, I didn't. Fate may be kept in stone, but nothing is truly unbreakable. Your path has turned rough but alone you are not."

Zelda let out a breath.

"What you do next, some may be unsure about, or they may agree with, but know this, dear AllSpark, I am with you, a physical body I might no longer have, but with you all that same, I am. Your next task will test you, not physically, but mentally. Much have you suffered through, and this will be the closure of that chapter of life, ready for you to finally enter the next.”

Zelda awoke.

Coming too, Zelda quickly realised that her waking was never this easy or peaceful. It immediately set her on edge. She blinked at the familiar beep-beep-beep-beep and eased up. She was in a hospital, right—obviously.

Her mind replayed everything to her, and Zelda’s throat closed up. She knew she was on morphine when she moved and didn't even feel an ounce of discomfort. Instead, Zelda just blinked up at the ceiling.

She was sure she should feel something—anger, loss, or something else—but she felt numb, indifferent, and apathetic to everything around her.

She'd not spoken a word since she'd woke up hours prior, even when Ratchet had entered to inquire about how she was feeling.

She felt a profound emptiness within her, a hollow void that should have sent waves of fear coursing through her veins. This numbness—this disturbing lack of feeling—was a clear sign that she was slipping backwards, descending into a state she once believed she had long left behind.

Logically, Zelda understood that this regress was troubling and dangerous, a sign of decay rather than growth. Yet, despite that rational awareness, she found herself strangely unbothered. The weight of indifference wrapped around her like a comforting shroud, dulling any spark of concern that might have once made Zelda baulk.

Ratchet didn't push her to speak.

Zelda felt a surge of gratitude as she meticulously crafted her plot to eliminate Silas. Her thoughts were heavy with anticipation, each detail of her plan unfolding in her mind.

"Zelda, my dear." At Judy's voice, Zelda stepped away from Bumblebee's hug to meet her aunt. Judy's red and puffy eyes were obvious. She hadn't even bothered with make-up.

Judy pulled Zelda into a tight hug. She just held her close, and slowly, Zelda returned the hug, burying her face into Judy's neck.

Ron and Sam approached, Mikaela a few steps back, shifting hesitantly.

"Hi," Zelda greeted roughly.

Sam blinked, fighting tears, and pulled her into a hug of his own. Zelda wondered if Sam thought she might vanish too. Her lips twitched at the thought.

Ron squeezed her shoulder tightly and rubbed her arm when she pulled away.

Mikaela stepped forward, smiling sadly and offered her own hug.

As soon as Soma came into view, just within Zelda's line of sight, she excused herself from conversation around her, navigated toward Soma. With a determined stride, she approached him, her thoughts swirling with intent.

"Soma," she stopped a few feet short.

Soma twisted his head to face her, "Yeah?"

"Can I ask a favour?"

Soma's look turned curious.

Carrying the casket with Logan, Sam, and an old familiar face was something Zelda never thought she'd experience. She'd always thought it would be her inside the casket with Aria carrying it.

Not the other way around. But it wasn't.

Behind them were Soma, Tanner and Louise (Mia's parents), and Minho (Mia's cousin) carrying Mia.

Then, behind them was Michel's casket. His body had been found a day later, left in a ditch by MECH after being discovered. He was being carried by his parents, Mary and Stefan, as well as his two younger brothers, Lukas and James.

As she watched Aria's casket being covered, Zelda realised that this was the end of D.A.A. They couldn't run the program with only four of them. The D.A.A. would be shut down and integrated into the N.E.S.T program instead.

Zelda wondered what she should expect in her future. As both a solider, as the AllSpark, and…

Zelda saluted.

(Still, no tears fell.)

"Follow me?" Zelda murmured to the twins once the crowd began to slowly disperse around the three newly buried caskets.

"Always," Sides hummed quietly.

They followed Zelda as she led them across the graveyard and to a specific headstone.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe read the engraved writing.

Adan Robinson.

Friend, brother, and forever loved

Rest in Peace

Zelda smiled at the headstone. "I used to come here while I was healing. Of course, there isn't actually a body here, MECH made sure of that, but it gave me peace of mind all the same." The smile disappeared, and she turned to them. "It is my fault Silas attacked the base. I'm the reason their dead."

"No, it's not," Sunstreaker frowned. "You couldn't have known he was going to—"

"No," Zelda cut him off. "Not… not like that. I mean, he came looking for me personally." She let out a bitter laugh. "When I was sixteen, Adan and I were given a mission to take someone from MECH out. We did but… but we didn't get away. We ended up being used as test subjects by Silas's pet scientist. He was trying to create some serum to enhance the human body. It was a stupid idea, something from a comic book or a movie but… but he actually did it."

Zelda peered down at the gravestone again. "And here I am, the only remaining subject from the experiment. If I remember correctly, there were eighty-three attempts before me, and all of them ended in failure."

The twins exhaled heavily in shock.

"Adan being the eighty-third." She frowned, gaze turning distant. "I was forced to watch as he deteriorated right in front of my eyes and then, when he was at his weakness, Silas just shot him dead because he wasn't going to survive. So that's why…" She turned to them, looking them in the eyes as she continued: "That's why I'm going to kill him."

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven: Ophiuchus

(Part 1)

The tenebrosity of the night sky was the perfect cover for the two figures riding the black motorbike down the poorly lit deserted industrial estate filled with warehouses. The bike's deep but quiet rumble was enough to not draw the attention of any unwanted people who might have been wandering during the late hours of the night.

The duo continued until the streetlamps became practically non-existent when the driver finally turned off from the road and down an alley shrouded in complete darkness.

There was no headlight from the bike to brighten their surroundings, but had there been any onlookers, they wouldn't have known that the black helmets they wore were, in fact, filtered with a night vision setting.

The bike was turned off, adequately silencing the industrial suburb. Neither moved for a good long ten seconds, the duo using the silence to listen to see if they had drawn any attention.

None.

The passenger swung their leg over and hopped down, revealing the body of a female—they were short in height, slim in weight, and had any had a chance to observe the body, realise that it belonged to that of a sixteen-year-old.

She took several steps back, giving the driver—a male no older than sixteen either—a chance to kick the stand out and climb off, too.

The girl finally reached up and slipped up her visor to reveal a young Zelda.

This Zelda held more plump cheeks—the remains of baby fat slowly disappearing as she aged. Her entire appearance was that of a younger, average teenager, nothing like the mature adult she would become.

Zelda let out a quiet breath, leaning against the industrial waste bin. Absentmindedly, her hand drifted to the strap of the black one-shouldered backpack, letting her fingertips drag along the fabric as she watched the alley opening with an expressionless face.

Behind her, her male companion flipped up his own visor to blue eyes, to which he rubbed with a sigh. His blue-grey eyes drifted to Zelda.

"You okay, Ze?"

Zelda's attention, and head, snapped to him. She blinked but nodded. "Fine, Adan, just…" she trailed off, a frown pulling at her brows.

"Just what?" the newly named male questioned.

Zelda shook her head, scratching her cheek. "Nothing."

"…Okay." Adan said slowly because he knew something was bothering her—he had known her since she was four, and he could tell when something was wrong, however, he knew not to push her. Instead, he opened their communication line with a press to his ear piece. “=Virgo, this is Leo.=”

“=Virgo responding,=” was the instantaneous answer.

“=We've arrived. Does anything look out of place or suspicious?=” Zelda questioned.

“=Negative,=” Virgo reported. “=MECH soldiers are loading at the moment. No sign of Silas yet. He may be dressed up. It's likely he's suspicious about the fact we'd be here.=”

“=Wouldn't be surprised,=” Zelda muttered, nose scrunching up as the idea he could be waiting for them had her stomach churning in worry.

Virgo snorted, but it was apparent he tried to muffle it by the cough that followed.

Zelda flipped her visor back down as she turned abruptly on her spot and headed for the opposite end of the alley. Adan followed wordlessly. They climbed over the wall that separated the warehouses, using the walls to quickly climb onto the twin-skinned roof of that building.

Taking a few steps to test to see if the metal would echo her footsteps, and found it barely, if anything. She glanced over her shoulder, nodding to Adan as he followed the flat part of the roof towards the front end.

Zelda released a breath and began her journey across the roof towards the window that would allow her to peer down into the bustling warehouse. She flexed her jaw as she slid the bag from her back. While she hated the fact that MECH was able to transport stolen goods, she wasn't here to stop that tonight.

No, she was going to take out a certain person. Cain Lupin was his name. He was a higher-up in the MECH organisation and someone Silas trusted enough to be considered his righthand man.

She unzipped the bag and pulled out the case inside. She opened that and began to assemble the APR sniper. It was a modified version to allow Zelda the ability to both put it together and break it down in record time.

“=Any eyes on Cain?=” She asked lowly. To speak normally was stupid.

“=I think that's him by the van, Scorpio,=” Leo answered. Virgo confirmed it.

Zelda hummed and looked down the scope to find her target. The fact he did not bear a mask to hide his face was a big help. Ironic, she thought, lips curling upwards into a sardonic smirk, that your desire to be noticed and listened to as a superior member is what's going to get you killed.

She lined it up, a finger coming to rest on the trigger when suddenly Cain's radio seemed to fizzle to life, and he shifted just out of her scope. Zelda gritted her teeth but waited patiently.

“=Virgo, you getting what's being said?=” Leo asked.

It was silent; the only sound was tapping from Virgo's end, then: “=I believe it to be Silas. Voice patterns seem to suggest, but I have no idea what's actually being said, the audio's too fuzzy.=”

Zelda grunted but never faltered from her position.

Eventually, Cain stepped back out and the scope allowed her to see his smug smile. She frowned, what's he smiling about?

The ginger shook her head, “=Taking the shot.=”

She lined up again, took in a deep breath and—

The bullet hit her target, piercing the skull and killing on impact. Immediately, she ducked away from the window as the underlings all burst into a frenzy. She heard the shouts and orders being given but paid no attention to them as she dismantled the sniper and packed up.

“=Go, go, go!=” Virgo ordered as soon as she'd shoved the case away. She was on her feet, sliding the bag back onto her back. Leo was already waiting for her, crouched low. She joined them, sharing a glance as the underlings began to file out of the building in search of the shooter.

Zelda huffed softly in annoyance, they couldn't stay on the roof, nor could they risk climbing down.

"Bike's a warehouse over," Adan murmured as both of their eyes scanned for possible exits. It wasn't one of their finer moments—these types of locations were hard ones to escape in a hurry.

Zelda glanced back over the roof, scanning. Her eyes were drawn to the raised roof, perhaps…

"Think we'd make that jump?" She asked, pointing at the thing that'd caught her attention. Adan followed the pointed direction and nodded.

"Maybe. We'd gotta land it right otherwise risk a leg injury," He offered.

"It's the only chance we've got to get off the building. They'll be up here soon."

They glanced at one another. They might not be able to see each other’s eyes with the darkened visor, but they didn’t need to—they shared a silent understanding. They were on their feet in the next moment, crouching low as they hurried towards the roof entrance. The raised piece of architecture was just long enough for a run and jump.

"You first," Adan waved.

Zelda didn't waste a moment in answering. She just climbed onto the secondary roof and took a deep breath, readying herself. She tensed her muscles, relaxed them and positioned herself, not hesitating a second in taking off in a run. She was over the edge in a mere second, the last second jettisoning herself into the air.

Let me make it, let me make it, let me make it, let me make it, she mentally chanted as her seconds in the air passed by agonisingly slow before she began her descent.

She landed, knees bending to help cushion her landing as she fell into a roll. It drew a painful grunt from her—it was metal roofing after all.

She quickly scrambled to her feet, ignoring the vertigo that hit her as she did, and moved out of the way for Adan. Zelda turned in time to see him go soaring through the air.

Her breath lodged itself in her throat. There was the smallest part of her feared he'd under jumped.

But that wasn't what should have been her fear because he landed; it wasn't correct. Adan hissed, biting back a shout, as his left shoe slipped upon his landing, throwing his entire manoeuvre off.

"Leo!" his codename escaped in a strangled hushed tone.

Zelda quickly rushed to his side, hands landing on his shoulders. The blond choked on the pain, his own hand coming to clench at Zelda's vest.

"We've gotta go!" Zelda's eyes widened as the door on the roof they'd just come from was slammed open.

Adan groaned, but they moved—it was blatantly obvious he was seriously hurt. It might not have been a break, but that didn’t matter if he couldn’t run.

It was going to be difficult.

It was difficult.

Since Adan had injured his ankle, he was unable to drive the bike, so Zelda took over the role of driver. They jumped onto the bike and started it up.

Zelda shot out of the alley, turning onto the road almost sending them crashing, but if there was any vehicle Zelda was a professional at, it was the motorbike. There was shooting from behind, shouts, and yells as the MECH soldiers chased after them with their own cars.

“=Virgo, plans gone to shit!=” Adan shouted over the wailing wind, but there was no response. “=Virgo?=”

Nothing.

"Shit!" Adan hissed, burying his face into Zelda's shoulder. "Virgo's not answering! Somethings seriously wrong. There shouldn't be this many soldiers!"

Zelda grunted in response, her focus more on the road and avoiding the MECH trailing them. She turned another corner, only for a black van to shoot out from nowhere. They screamed instinctively as Zelda pulled at the break, but it was too late. She was forced to swerve, which sent them skidding along the tarmac.

Zelda thinks that maybe she blacked out—or maybe hit her head—or just something because when she opened her eyes, her entire body ached down to the bone, and she was trapped under the bike as Adan sprawled out several feet from her.

He was trying to push himself but was struggling.

Zelda tried moving but… but she couldn't, she exhaled, biting back the panic—the fear—she'd been paralysed but she could feel her legs clearly—the pain helped pull that realisation to the front.

She coughed and felt something wet, something thicker than her saliva and tasted like copper. Blood. Internal bleeding was more than possible—she didn't need to be Aria to know that.

She writhed in anguish, her heart pounding as she fought against the weight of the bike holding her down. Panic surged within her as she realised her right arm was completely immobilized, the weight of her desperation intensifying with each futile attempt to break free. No matter how fiercely she struggled, nothing worked, leaving her feeling trapped and helpless.

There was squealing of tyres, and distantly, Zelda was aware of Adan shouting suddenly, but she couldn't place anything. She blinked as the light from the lamppost was concealed. It took her a moment to realise it was a masked person.

She wanted to fight, to yell, to scream, but she couldn't. She didn't have the strength to do anything but pass out.

She jolted into awareness, it was painful, and her head hurt and—well, everything hurt, even breathing. Zelda rolled her head side to side slowly as she tried to use her mushy and pulsing brain to recall what had happened.

She swallowed thickly when it came flickering back. She bit back a sob.

The crash.

Adan.

MECH.

Rattling snagged her attention, and she twisted her head to see where it came from. Out of the darkness she lay in, she could make out hints of brown hair. She forced herself onto her side and squinted as the sudden amount of light that hit her from the angle change made her eyes hurt.

"Adan?" she slurred, voice croaky and cracking from both lack of use and moisture.

"Hey," he said in an equally quiet voice, but he sounded tired instead.

There was more chain shuffling as Adan crawled closer, which allowed Zelda to see the chain around his left ankle. She kicked her legs in response, seeing if she, too, bore one.

Right leg.

"Wha—What happened?"

"MECH," he whispered, his gaze turning towards the bars of their cage—something Zelda was only just realising. She took a moment to breathe, examining the outside, and she grimaced. It didn't look good. This wasn't some normal prisoner cage—no, this looked like a lab.

It was dank and dark in colour, but Zelda knew what a lab looked like.

She had to hold back another sob, but her eyes stung as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"How long have you been awake?"

"I want to say a day, but I'm not sure. There's no clock in here," he answered dully. “The guy who was pottering, muttering to himself, left about two hours ago."

Zelda began trying to push herself up—

"Zelda," Adan's voice turned soft.

No—no, it wasn't possible.

She reached for her right arm but—there was nothing there but her shoulder. She choked—oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.

Zelda used her remaining arm to drag herself to the wall and slump against it to—to—

The back wall was completely concrete, the front was completely barred, but the sides were a half of each, effectively allowing them to see into the two other cages on either side of them. Both of which were empty.

A part of her was grateful, but that realistic part of her knew and could see there had been people in these cages prior to them. It made her sick—sicker than she already was—

For a long time, neither of them said anything, and Zelda covered her mouth with her left hand in an attempt to muffle her sobs.

This can’t be happening, she trembled, this has to be some stupid nightmare.

But this was real and the nightmare had yet to even start.

She screamed until her voice was hoarse and even passed that.

She remembered being tied to the metal examination table and having her blood taken and strange liquids injected into her bloodstream that made her insides burn.

She remembered puking and refusing to eat until she was strapped down again and force-fed through a tube.

She remembered as Adan too was strapped down and forced to endure the same things as she was.

She remembered watching Adan cough up blood instead of puking like she did and hearing the man behind it all, the scientist, muttering in Russian about how they'd need to 'watch him' as he was thrown back into the cage.

All the while Silas stood back and watched, a smile on his face.

Whatever they were doing, Zelda could feel a difference in her body—it was subtle, sure, but it was there all the same.

One time, when she was thrown back into their cage, she hit the ground but found herself on her feet in seconds, launching herself at the underlings with impossible strength.

Whatever was happening to her made the scientist excited.

But it scared her.

What were they doing to them?

Adan's coughing woke her up. He'd been doing that more and more the last few… days. Zelda thought it had to be days; they'd found the scientist worked in shifts. He roused later in the day and worked until late before retiring, just to repeat.

Or at least that's what they guest from Silas's visits.

They weren't always pulled out of the cages and shoved onto the metal exanimation tables the entire time—they were only dragged out when he'd have something to stick in them.

It was a blessing.

Zelda completely turned her head to face Adan as his coughing escalated. She pushed herself up and crawled towards him, curling up next to him. Adan, in turn, slumped against her.

She reached her remaining hand up and brushed it through his hair, not caring about the greasy feeling.

"I love you," he whispered.

Zelda took a shaky breath, lips trembling. "I love you too."

"They have yet to die," Silas said. The Russian woke her from what could hardly be called sleep—merely a state of unconscious, perhaps.

"True, but the boy is weak. I doubt he'll survive much longer. I've noticed that something about her blood has accepted the serum. I believe I'm close to making a breakthrough as to what the anomaly might be."

"An anomaly, you say?" Silas questioned.

Zelda frowned but continued to feign sleep, unsure if they would stop talking if they knew she was awake.

"Yes!" The scientist, Cooper, as most called him, breathed with excitement. "I noticed it early on but did not consider nor deem it worthy enough to look into until I was doing some other blood work recently. It is truly… magnificent! I've never seen another with such odd DNA strands before! A mutated genome I've never heard of before in all my years—and it looks to have been genetic! I wonder what caused such a mutation to occur."

"Well, you can ponder that in your own time. Just figure out if we can replicate it in others. Got it?" Silas ordered.

"Of course, sir," she could hear the grin in Cooper's voice.

Adan coughed and gagged. Zelda jolted, her gaze turning to him as the gagging worsened and blood split from his mouth. His face twisted into agony.

"We don't need a failure. Best put him out of his misery," Silas waved off.

Zelda snapped and snarled and growled. "Don’t you fucking dare!"

Silas just smirked, and the cage door opened. "Oh? And what are you going to do about it?"

With a surge of adrenaline, Zelda sprang to her feet, and propelled herself toward Silas, fire blazing in her eyes. Her blood sang for his. With an animalistic snarl, she reached the end of her chain—the wall hold jerked. Zelda clawed and scratched at the air, merely feet away from the man.

Then Silas raised his gun and—BANG

Zelda screeched in agony, an almost inhuman sound, as she collapsed to the ground, crawling to Adan. Who gurgled, eyes wide, then slumped down dead.

Zelda just continued to scream and shout and cry in agony. Her fist clenched Adan's bloodied shirt as she begged for him not to leave her.

But it was already too late.

The shouts and crying of a young voice roused her immediately, her shoulders jolting with the startle, but she didn't move from the ball she'd curled up into against the right corner.

She left out a breath… it was impossible, right?

Surely they wouldn't. Suddenly Zelda chuckled croakily and humourlessly under her breath, wouldn't, haha, that's funny.

She raised her heavy eyes but didn't move from the ball as an underling moved into her view carrying a boy who couldn't have been any older than seven or eight. The kid was screaming and crying out for his parents, but his bloody clothes said enough for Zelda.

They were likely dead. A sardonic smile crept onto her dry, dirty and pale face. MECH have a habit for murdering parents, she thought musingly with a quiet snicker.

The second underling stopped outside her cage and pulled open the door, allowing the first to throw the kid in with her. The boy hit the ground jarringly and he cried out in pain this time.

Zelda blinked apathetically as the cage door was slammed closed once more and the underlings walked away.

The boy continued to sob—it began to grate on her nerves, but she gritted her teeth to stop her desire to snarl at him that crying was useless.

It lasted a long time. Exactly how long she wasn't sure, perhaps nearly half an hour (too long for her liking), but eventually, he seemed to catch onto the fact that he wasn't alone. Green, bloodshot, puffy eyes lifted and landed on Zelda's hidden form in the corner.

He flinched, eyes widening in fear, but all she did was stare at him blankly.

Finally, she let out a huff and buried her face into her knees, intending to go back to sleep now that he had stopped crying.

He was an insistent bastard; she'd give him that. The boy had started off by huddling as far away from her as possible, just shaking and keeping to himself since he had no more tears to cry.

But after a while, a day or two—Zelda wasn't sure, didn't care anymore—he'd started staring at her.

She ignored it at first, and half the time, she wasn't even in the cage anyway. She'd be taken away for physical training to test her new abilities and was being prepared for something related to her lack of arm.

She had no idea what was happening to the boy, but he'd flinched and curled in on himself whenever she'd return from being dragged by the underlings. She would just go back to her corner and sleep.

But eventually, she began to get annoyed. She looked up sharply, baring her teeth with a sneer as she barked in Russia: "What the fuck is your problem, brat?"

He flinched, his eyes widening in fear—she loved the look and loathed it simultaneously. He whimpered, and Zelda scoffed, pathetic.

"Your crying and whining ain't gonna do anything, brat," she huffed.

"I just want my mum and dad," he whispered.

"They're probably dead, kid." she deadpanned. "Get over it."

"You're really mean, but…" he trailed off. "But not mean like them."

Zelda blinked, turning to gaze at him blankly. She didn't say anything.

The boy cuddled against her side. It left her breathing shakily, her fingers trembling because she didn't know what to do. She'd not had this…this kind of contact since… since… since his death.

Zelda's eyes burned. She bit back a sob and—she'd not cried in almost two months. She'd long since run out of tears. She didn't think she could ever cry again after all she'd seen and felt.

But here she was, crying.

Shaking arm slowly wrapped around the boy, pulling him close.

"Please, no, no!" she screamed, fighting against the dozen men holding her down.

He screamed in fear and terror.

"Stop, stop, stop!"

More blood stained the ground.

Zelda sobbed and screamed, and then just stopped, laying there limply.

She… she couldn't.

She couldn't do it anymore. It was then that she truly stopped fighting.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight: Ophiuchus

(Part 2)

One year later…

The harsh and bright spotlights lit up the arena.

She listened as her blood pumped, her ears buzzing with static as the cheers of the MECH soldiers echoed as background noise to her. She blinked, eyes peering at her opponent; the long blonde-haired woman was taller than her, with muscles that showed her workout. She wore a wicked and excited smirk.

A voice, just as distant as the cheers, announced the fight. He called the match to begin, and Zelda shot off towards the woman, her bare feet slapping against the stone floor.

She hadn't been the only one that charged, her opponent, Hundred and Four, did too.

Zelda ducked the punch, throwing her own one and catching Hundred and Four's stomach.

They threw and pulled punches and kicks, even a tackle from Hundred and Four at one time but neither was willing to back down, unwilling to lose because there would be consequences if you lost.

It was every person for themselves within the arena after all.

She was just fine with that, feeling the way her lips curled up savagely, her blood pumping as she beat into Hundred and Four with her newly acquired enhanced strength.

Hundred and Four kicked her legs out and she went down but rolled in time to miss a kick aimed for her head.

She tackled Hundred and Four as she was getting to her feet; her cybernetic hand found blonde hair and, with strong and forceful motion, smashed Hundred and Four's head down on the concrete floor a brutal number of five times.

Only when Hundred and Four choked and fell practically limp underneath her, did she finally back away, rolling and staying crouched low like a wild and feral animal.

"And the winner is Eighty-four!"

There was a roar of cheers as bets were won and jeers were made at the fallen woman.

She giggled as she licked her bloody lips.

Ophiuchus sat in silence. The room was pitch black. The only light crept in from beneath the door. It didn’t reach anything.

Her face hurt and pulsed from the injuries she had received early that night.

She stared at the wall, a haze clouding her thoughts as she processed the match. She calculated and cycled through Hundred and Four’s actions. Hundred and Four was skilled like all the others, but she was the newest among the successfully enhanced soldiers. No doubt Hundred and Four would eventually be of great benefit to MECH.

~Still convinced that you belong to MECH?

Adan’s voice echoed, strumming with a light-hearted tease.

Ophiuchus froze in place, her heart racing as she felt the familiar presence of the ghostly apparition enveloping her from behind. The air grew frigid, sending an icy shiver creeping up her spine, and she could sense the weight of a spectral embrace wrapping around her shoulders. A soft, ethereal breath brushed against her neck, and she felt the ghost's chin rest gently atop her head, as if it were trying to comfort her.

~Why don’t you try and sleep, Ze?

“Not tired,” she rasped. Her voice was loud in the soundless room, it was like she had shouted.

It was as if her voice rang out loudly in the room's stillness, breaking the silence as if she had called out at the top of her lungs. The unexpected sound filled the space and left a sense of unease in the pit of her stomach.

~Not tired? Where have I heard that before?

Adan giggled and released her, fingers ghosting her cheek as he settled before her.

Ophiuchus knew Adan was nothing more than a hallucination. Ophiuchus knew he was just a figment of her imagination where her brain was trying to…cope with what she had been through.

She didn’t understand.

Adan sighed. A finger ran down the bridge of her nose, sending goosebumps crawling along her skin again.

~Will you at least lie down? Might even grace you with a song, hm?

Ophiuchus blinked. Adan sing? Now her mind really was messing with her. Adan hated singing.

The hallucination rolled his eyes.

~How rude. Just because I didn’t sing in public didn’t mean I hated it.

She can’t control the snort that escaped. It startled her.

How strange. She’d not made such a noise in…months? It was redundant. She had no need for such action.

~Lay down, Ze.

She does so, not batting an eye.

A gentle hum filled the air, and a voice sang softly. With each blink, her eyes grew heavier. Yet she did not fall asleep.

~I don’t understand why you’ve fallen in line for the bastard.

Adan whispered into the stillness.

~This isn’t you, Ze. When have you ever been one to give in? When have you let others dictate your autonomy?  You’ve become a good little puppet. Use that to your advantage, sweetheart.

Ophiuchus picked her head up at those words. Let others dictate your autonomy. Good puppet.

Disgust swelled in her stomach and she blinked.

(Use that to your advantage, sweetheart.)

She blinked again. Now that was a thought.

Ophiuchus smiled.

She peered down the scope, eyes locked onto her target. She had no reason to know why he was on MECH’s kill list. She didn’t care.

Ophiuchus waited until he was perfectly lined up before shooting his dead.

Cooper fiddled with her arm, humming some crude version of a song she couldn’t put a name to.

The arm zapped her, and her muscles locked up.

“Whoops,” Cooper giggled, not an ounce of sorry in his voice. He does it again. Just for fun.

She was going to enjoy killing him when the time came.

Ophiuchus slinked down the abandoned back hallway. Very few ever used these halls to move about the facility.

Upside? No cameras. They had been offlined since these hallways were technically off-limits to MECH underlings. Normally, that would include the Solider Program too, but Ophiuchus had something up her sleeve.

Now, she just had to wait.

She honed her ears, waiting patiently and ah-ha! Footsteps. Just the person she was waiting for.

Ninety-two always used these back alleys to move around quickly. It was the perfect place to strike.

He grows closer and closer and Adan counted the seconds down in her ear.

She lashed out from behind the corner, smashing his head into the wall, and the concrete crumbled as Ninety-two slumped to the ground.

Well, that was easy, she blinked. Ophiuchus squinted in annoyance. She wanted at least a bit more action! How boring.

~Hurry along before he wakens.

Zelda hefted him onto her shoulder and moved to the cupboard. There, she dumped Ninety-two and fumbled for the item she had stashed with a smile.

Battery acid. She wanted to make a statement with this kill.

Fisting his hair, pulling his head back and thus his mouth opened, Ophiuchus poured the liquid down his throat. She listened to it sizzle. Ninety-two jerked awake from the pain.

Ninety-two gurgled, eyes wide and Ophiuchus grinned. The smell was beginning to become overwhelming.

“Hello,” she cooed as he gurgled. “I’d say no hard feelings but…” she giggled. “Well, it very much is.”

Ophiuchus smashed his head against the wall again, knocking him out. This way, it would be a while before anyone could even be alerted to the situation.

With a satisfied hum, Ophiuchus hip-bumped the cupboard closed. She dusted her hands, looked left and right, then walked away.

One down, four to go.

They stood still and at attention. Silas stormed into the room, glaring at all five of them.

"Who did it?" He ordered. None said anything.

Ophiuchus stared straight ahead, stiff and expression blank.

"I SAID WHO DID IT!" Silas roared. "Which one of you killed Ninety-two?"

Still, no one said anything.

"Then you'll all be punished!"

Ophiuchus stood silent, watching as the other four bickered between themselves after the medics patched them up from their beatings.

"I certainly didn't do it," Hundred and One snapped in response to Ninety-five. The two men were near snarling at each other.

Hundred and Four turned her gaze onto Ophiuchus. "Well, what about you, Ophiuchus? You're the only original non-MECH soldiers."

Ophiuchus blinked, head turning slowly to return the gaze. "What do I get from killing one of you? I serve only MECH."

Hundred scoffed. "You get a lot from it."

Ophiuchus tilted her head. "What about you all? Maybe whoever did it is aiming to be number one in Silas's book?"

They all turned to each other, Ophiuchus’s words setting them on edge.

The water raining from the showerhead hid the sound of Ophiuchus removing the vent cover. She slowly climbed from it and stood. She tilted her head as she manoeuvred toward the curtain hiding Hundred and Four.

She slowly walked, her movements like those of a predator stalking prey. In her hand was a screwdriver, clasped tightly in Ophiuchus’ metal fist, the handle of which threatened to break.

Ophiuchus reached out for the curtain and—

The sheet was ripped back, and Hundred and Four jerked in surprise, only having mere seconds to turn before the screwdriver was thrust into her throat. Hundred and Four gurgled, and Ophiuchus shoved her against the wall, not caring about the water now raining down on her face.

Ophiuchus blinked and the smile she wore promised death. Simple as.

"Guess you were right after all," she purred and ripped the screwdriver out, pulling a chunk of her throat with it. Hundred and Four grabbed her neck in a desperate attempt to save herself but—

Well, it was pointless because Ophiuchus shoved the screwdriver into her eye socket and into her brain. Hundred and Four fell dead, and Ophiuchus smiled softly as she turned and hummed a merry tune as she climbed back into the vent.

Ophiuchus meticulously polished her boots in the silence of her room. It was the only sound until she heard the marching feet coming down the hallway her room was on.

She tensed, standing at attention when the door slammed open. Silas stormed in.

“Search!” he ordered his posse.

Her room was strip-searched, the bed, clothes, and everything overturned in search of the murder weapon.

Nothing turned up and they left. The door slammed shut behind them.

Ophiuchus smiled.

Two down, three to go.

Ophiuchus threw Hundred over her shoulder. He was back on his feet and charging. They engaged in a fistfight once more.

Things were undeniably tense now that two of the enhanced had been murdered with ease.

There was no video evidence. No murder weapon. No clues of any sort.

Silas was growing progressively angrier. After all, only so few survived the enhancement procedure. The serum created from Ophiuchus’s blood fused with so little.

Who should she go for next?

~Now this is just a chance handed to us on a silver platter.

Adan ghosted around her shoulders as Ophiuchus eyed her partner.

A mission to take out a small group of people. People Zelda knew.

Mia, Edan, Logan.

Silas thought her…ready, to take them out.

Ophiuchus was thankful Aria was not there. She didn’t know what she would have done.

Yet, as Hundred and One arrogantly goes straight in, Ophiuchus waited, chin on her palm as she watched her old team do the dirty work.

She lined her scope up, aiming for Logan, finger at the ready. Hundred and One engaged him.

It would be just a slip of a finger, Hundred and One being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ophiuchus smiled and fired.

The bullet grazed Logan, who went down, but it hit Hundred and One in the chest—in the heart. Down Hundred and One went.

Ophiuchus stood on the building roof as Mia and Eden moved to Logan’s side. Eden’s head turned in her direction. She met his shocked gaze.

“Zelda?”

Logan and Mia turned.

Ophiuchus rushed off, easily losing Edan and Mia, who tried to run after her. It was simple to lose them in the darkness.

Three down, two more and then finally, Cooper.

(Silas wasn’t impressed, but what use was an idiot to him anyway.)

Ophiuchus was running out of time. Cooper had plans for another attempt at Silas’s insistence.

Silas, who was currently away from the base on some form of mission he had no need the enhanced for.

Perfect.

~The best time to strike

Adan cooed, his dark grin matching hers.

Oh yes, it certainly was.

But the question: subtle or just a head-on attack?

Choices, choices.

That choice is made for her when during one of her strolls, Ophiuchus crossed paths with Ninety-five.

Well, there’s her answer, she supposed.

She waited until they are shoulder to shoulder, about to pass when she lashed out, hand grabbing the back of his neck and spinning, shoving Ninety-five into the wall face first.

“Bitch!” he snarled, pushing himself away from the crumbling concrete. He doesn’t hesitate to engage her in a fight.

Ophiuchus laughed. “This is going to be fun.”

She crushes his throat, but not before he gets some good hits on her. It was a good fight.

But the fight draws the attention of MECH underlings, and she takes some discarded weapons of those she killed and shoots her way through the base, leaving behind a trail of blood and bodies in her wake.

Hundred stood in her way.

“You,” he growled.

“Me!” she gleefully agreed with a laugh. “It’s been fun, but I want out.”

She raised the gun, but it was empty. Ophiuchus shrugged and discarded it.

A swipe, a kick, a punch and blood was spilt. In the end, her determination for freedom won her the fight. She left him with a caved-in chest and herself with a bloodied metal hand.

Ophiuchus finds another gun before she stormed the lab, firing a bullet into Cooper’s leg. He screamed and went down. She laughed, stepping up to him.

“I should’ve known,” he grinned. “I told Silas you were too much of a wildcard to trust, even after all the supposed…conditioning.”

Ophiuchus smiled, stomping on his leg. He grunted, groaning as the pressure she put on his knee made it pop.

“I was planning to take my time killing you. Maybe open you up a bit like you liked to do to me but I honestly cannot be bothered,” Ophiuchus rolled her eyes. “I’ve already put too much effect into killing the others that I just don’t give a shit anymore.”

Cooper giggled before screaming when Ophiuchus put a bullet into his other leg.

~Let’s get that information.

“Good idea,” she mumbled and approached Cooper’s computer. She yanked it out from beneath the desk, picked it up, and threw it across the room.

Cooper shrieked. “No, no, no!”

Ophiuchus skipped after the computer and sieved through the parts to find the important pieces. She plucked them up with a smile. Pocketing it all, Ophiuchus turned back to Cooper and shot him in the head. He slumped to the floor and stared dead ahead, gaze empty.

With a yawn, Ophiuchus left the lab again, knowing exactly where she needed to go to arm the base to self-destruct. MECH had this thing about exploding old bases. This time it was useful. Any stray underlings were shot down.

~Let’s ditch this place!

Adan eagerly led the way for Zelda, who set the bombs to go off in half an hour. There was plenty of time to find a car and put distance between them.

She sat in the truck, hands trembling as she set them on the steering wheel.

This was the last hurdle to freedom, she belatedly realised.

~I think you’re more than ready. You’ve waited too long. Go.

Zelda shoved the car into drive and shot out at full speed.

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine: Ophiuchus

(Part 3)

The motel was cheap, and it showed. Dirty and old, it lacked the upkeep it should have but it was more than all right for Ophiuchus—Zelda? Could she even call herself that?—and she dropped onto the mattress, exhausted.

But relaxing wasn’t on her to-do list, no. She connected to the shitty motel wifi with a stolen laptop and began researching. She needed to know everything she had missed, everything that had happened and where she even was. How would she get to a safe house and grab a run kit needed for crossing borders?

~Why don’t you contact Soma?

Adan suggested.

“No,” she rasped, throat dry. She hadn’t had anything to drink or eat in more than twelve hours. She would need to use some of her stolen money to stock up.

~Why not?

Ophiuchus didn’t answer him; instead, she focused on the task at hand. It was obvious she was in Russia, as everyone had spoken a large percentage of Russian at the base, and now, it was clear as day. Ophiuchus had long since fallen into using Russian as her primary language. Even now, she was speaking it.

When was the last time she had spoken English? It had to be just before that kid arrived.

Ophiuchus shuddered, pushing that deep down. She had no desire to think of it, and she could feel her fingers begin to tremble as her mind refused to leave it alone. Forgetting or pushing it aside was never easy, no matter how people say it is.

~Just breathe.

Adan instructed. Ophiuchus did, sucking in deep breaths, choking on them.

~That’s it, Ze. You’re doing a good job.

He soothed.

Ophiuchus got on with her work, allowing herself to hyper-focus to forget.

When she emerged from her haze, Ophiuchus had all the information she needed and a desperate need to take a piss despite not having drunk anything. The bathroom light buzzed, and the contractor fan whirled obnoxiously loud. The mirror was dirty and chipping at the edges.

Ophiuchus stared into it. Her face was sunken, with dark circles beneath her eyes. Her hair was tangled and greasy from lack of upkeep. She looked like a right mess, no wonder the receptionist had been scared of her.

Zelda turned to the bath and ran the shower. There was no way she was going to go out looking like a homeless person. The shower products provided were more than enough to do the job and the towels were surprising well-kept and fluffy.

But shoving on her old clothes was a necessity. Guess she was pickpocketing more money.

The supermarket was quiet for this time of evening; there were very few shoppers, and Ophiuchus breathed a sigh of relief.

She headed for food first. Some pasta pots for quick and easy use, some breakfast bars, a water bottle that she could refill, some hygiene products, and then clothes, underwear included.

It was another breath of relief to be able to find everything she needed.

As Ophiuchus strolled down an aisle to the checkout, she spotted some hair bleach and impulsively threw it into the cart with a blonde dye kit.

Maybe she needed some physical change to kick everything off. If MECH was looking for her too, she needed to make them.

It’s the first thing she does when Ophiuchus gets back to her motel room. She reads the package and grabs a pair of scissors, and snipped away. Chunks and long strands fall into the sink until all that’s left is a choppy pixie cut.

~I’ve never seen you with such short hair before.

Adan observed.

Ophiuchus had wondered where he’d gone. Guess he was back now.

“Need to change,” she shrugged and unboxed the bleach to begin applying it. The smell tickled her nose worse with her enhanced sense of smell. She coughed. The tingling of her scalp felt weird.

In the end, the now blonde goes to bed in clean clothes and, for the first time in years, sleeps peacefully. It doesn’t last because four hours later, she’s awake, panting from the nightmare.

But it counts for something, she supposed.

Ophiuchus leaves the motel that next morning, heading west to the border and thus the closest safe house the D.A.A had.

The safe house is a bare apartment in a poorer district. It is made to look abandoned and lacked anything of value to ward away anyone who attempts to break in.

She fished for the key from inside a pipe and unlocked the door. It smells of dampness and aged wood, and Ophiuchus made herself at home for the next week.

She performed maintenance on her arm; the chilled air outside made her scarring ache, and she had definitely taken damage during her escape. A few bullets in the silicone muscle façade were plucked out, but there was nothing that could be done about sealing the holes they left behind.

She tested each connector to the fingers, feeling the buzz and tingles as they zapped her. Somehow, Cooper connected the arm to her nerves, giving her complete control over it. It was something Ophiuchus had only ever seen in movies or read in books.

It had scared her at first. It was heavy, strong—could break a bone easily. She had broken plenty of them during her conditioning. Silas liked to laugh at the pain she inflicted upon the MECH soldiers ordered to fight her.

Ophiuchus distracted herself by taking a chunk out of a breakfast bar, angrily chewing on it.

There was only one time she dared glance at what was on those hard drives. She booted up the laptop and loaded the dozens and dozens of files—lists of names and documents, videos, and reports.

A video at random opens up.

Ophiuchus is puking, throwing the laptop across the room as her own screams echoed through the speakers.

The screams and pleas continued, and she scrambled across the room, ripping the laptop apart. She gasped, vomiting again as all she sees is that harsh spotlight, the unending scorching agony and Cooper’s chipper voice singing.

Never again, never again, she sobbed, she can’t, she can’t.

Any progress made was undone by that alone.

Nothing Adan whispers brought Ophiuchus from her catatonic state until she’s exhausted and unconscious.

Ophiuchus knows she’s leaving a trail as she brought herself a second-hand motorbike from a dealership using a D.A.A card.

Ophiuchus knows everything that connects her back to the D.A.A leaves a trail Soma will find and follow.

Ophiuchus can’t find it in herself to care.

All Ophiuchus felt was this deep ache inside her chest, but she doesn’t know about what.

As she drove through countries, Ophiuchus doesn’t see the harm in some sightseeing. She doesn’t see the harm in exploring and letting herself integrate back into sociality little by little.

She tried food she’d never had before and went places she would never get to go with the D.A.A. A holiday was next to impossible with that line of work and Ophiuchus found she enjoyed this living on the moving thing. She enjoyed the freedom to pick and choose where and when she goes somewhere.

She sips a beer while camping in a small seaside town in France. She sat on the decking outside while the inside was lively with music and dancing. The outside heaters are on, and she watched the ocean in the distance. Could hear the crashing waves against the beach.

It had been weeks, and Ophiuchus was making her way through Europe.

~She’s here.

Adan whispered.

She.

They could only be one she Adan was referring to. Arianna. Aria. Ophiuchus’s sister. Zelda’s sister.

Sometimes, it’s hard to differentiate the two halves of herself. Adan says it’s because she’s finally accepting everything. That she was healing. That she was slowly becoming Zelda again.

Ophiuchus doesn’t want to agree. Wanted to snap that Zelda was dead, but he just rebuffed her.

(~No one is ever the same as they were a year ago. Everyone is constantly changing. Your change was just different. You will always be Zelda in one form or another.)

The dastardly hallucination that wouldn’t leave her alone could go shove it.

~Are you going to stay or leave?

Ophiuchus…no, she hesitated a beat, Zelda, stayed seated, gazing at the ocean.

Aria pulled the chair opposite her and settled into it, the familiar creak of the wood breaking the silence. They sat in a shared stillness, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging heavy in the air between them. Time seemed to stretch.

Zelda just…basked in this moment, fingers trembling, heart fluttering.

Finally, she tears her eyes away from the sea and to her twin. Aria had changed, too. Her hair was at her shoulders, a straight fringe across her forehead. She looked older, just like Zelda did. They were eighteen now, and change was bound to happen.

Aria looked good—mature. But it was clear she was tired and worn, and Zelda knew it was not from a loss of sleep.

Zelda’s chest tightened knowing Aria was hurting, grieving. She had likely pushed and pushed when Zelda reared her head those months ago.

Aria looks exhausted because of Zelda. It just makes her feel worse.

“Aria,” Zelda greeted. Not even weeks later could she drop the Russian tainting her voice but she was working on it.

“Zelda,” Aria whispered tearfully.

Silence fell again.

“I—” Aria stopped and looked down at the table.

“I am…doing okay,” Zelda assured. “Better than weeks ago. But…healing is not easy.”

“What happened?”

“Spent two years a slave for Silas. The bastard experiments on us,” Zelda explained tightly. “Adan’s dead. Just me left, I made sure of it. Killed the other experiments since they were all MECH loyalists.”

Aria exhaled.

Zelda held out her right hand, the hand that had once been flesh and blood but now was metal and silicone. Aria took it, squeezed it, and then realised it was not flesh. Zelda does not protest when Aria peeled the glove off, just watched as Aira sucked in a breath.

“They had no use for a disabled experiment,” Zelda’s lips twitched into a smirk. “It was their undoing in the end.”

She reached into her bag and grabbed the smaller one inside. She pushed the computer parts across to Aria. “These are all the files from the scientist’s computer. There is a lot on there, but fair warning, it will not be pretty.”

“You’re…you’re speaking as if you—” Aria stopped and swallowed. “Are you…going to come back with us? Me?”

Zelda sighed. “Eventually but, I need some time, space. My head is…loose a few screws. I don’t plan to go MECH hunting, and don’t plan to kill anyone, Bluebell. Just…want time to get my head on straight.”

“Okay,” Aria whispered, lips quivering, eyes tearing up, and Zelda’s own threatened to do the same. “I understand.”

This time Aria reached into her bag, sliding across a purse.

“A phone, unlimited card, identification and a memory stick with information Soma thinks you might want,” she cracked a smile. “Logan thought you might not want to…come back yet.”

Zelda was hurting Aria; she knows this deeply. Zelda squeezed Aira’s hands.

“Thank you,” Zelda smiled softly. “I promise to keep in touch.”

“That’s all I can ask,” Aria let go of Zelda’s hands as she stood. “If you don’t, I’ll come hunt your arse down, got it?”

There was a tease in her voice, and Zelda cracked a grin and laughed.

A laugh that felt good. So, so good to let out.

“I promise,” Zelda tilted her head back and downed the rest of her beer. She stood too, offering her arm, which Aria slipped hers into. They began walking to the exit. “I plan to do more sightseeing. We do not get to go out and about very often.”

They reached Zelda’s bike and she released Aria to pull her helmet on. She climbed on and started the bike.

Zelda smiled at her sister. “I’ll make sure to send you plenty of pictures.”

“You better,” Aria took several steps back. “I love you.”

Zelda revved the bike, stilled and chuckled. “I know.”

She flipped the visor down and road off.

“You—!” Aria was left to splutter.

Zelda giggled to herself, leaving her sister behind to stew in anger at the Han Solo reference.

Ah, an old pass time. It never got old.

Chapter Text

 Chapter Ten: Light Show

Moving through the hallway with purpose, Silas waved off his guards, annoyed at their hovering. God, he needed a drink.

With a determined push, he swung the heavy door to his office wide open, the sound echoing off the walls. As he stepped inside, he slammed it shut with a forceful thud, ensuring the lock clicked securely in place. The room was dimly lit, filled with the rich, warm scent of polished wood and leather.

He walked over to the drinks cabinet, the polished surface gleaming under the low light. Silas selected a crystal tumbler and meticulously poured a generous measure of bourbon, watching as the amber liquid cascaded into the glass. Lifting the tumbler to his lips, he took a slow, savouring sip, feeling the warmth spread through him—its smoothness momentarily easing the tension that had built up throughout the day.

Silas ambled over to his fish tank, a rectangular glass enclosure that glimmered under the soft glow of the lamp above. He watched the vibrant aquatic creatures glide gracefully through the water. It was a somewhat pitiful sight, the way they swirled in never-ending circles, oblivious to the world outside their watery realm.

Yet, for Silas, there was a twisted sense of satisfaction in it all. He found an odd comfort in knowing that with just a simple flick of the off button on the air filter, those fragile little lives would blink out in a matter of days. The thought of their dependence on him was both amusing and exhilarating—it made him feel powerful, as though he held life and death in the palm of his hand. Each tiny fish, with its shimmering scales and naïve trust, was a reminder of his control over their fate, and that realization brought a smirk to his lips.

Something moved in the reflection of the fish tank.

As the glass slipped from Silas's grasp, it shattered on the ground, sending shards scattering in all directions. Startled, he whirled around just in time to see a heavy pipe arcing through the air toward him. Before he can react, the cold metal connected with a sickening thud, and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Two Weeks Earlier…

Crawling through vents was a familiar pastime for me. The enclosed metal passage made manoeuvring around buildings far easier than going in guns blazing. I could even gaze upon the wandering underlings that moved through the hallways below me—or to my side. The air ducts went all over the place. There had been some pointedly boarded-up vents, so I was forced to take a detour more than once under Virgo’s guidance.

“=This is bullshit,=” I grumbled.

Virgo snorted on the other side of the commlink, “=And I’m as glad as ever to be the guy in the chair. Oh, take this left.=”

I rolled my eyes and followed his instructions, being mindful of the vent opening below me. Too much weight and it would fall. I did not want to alert MECH that I was here. The bastards were all over the place, wandering and patrolling hallways as if anyone would actually try and break in every other minute.

It was embarrassing. Or maybe Silas had them on high alert.

Maybe Silas was expecting retaliation from me. Huh. Good point.

“=You’ll be approaching the room now. It’s the next floor vent,=” Virgo reported. “=From camera footage, there shouldn’t be anyone inside and won’t be for another ten minutes. Better hurry.=”

I curled my fingers into the slots of the vent cover and dislodged it, sliding the vent open. With a grappling, I drove headfirst into the room, turning and landing feet first.

Unclasping the hook from my waist, I dropped into the spin chair and shoved the USB into the computer. The screen lit up, and Virgo did his work of hacking into it using the virus the stick uploaded automatically.

I watched the screen absently as pop-ups came and went faster than I could read them.

“=Any problems?=”

“=Negative, everything’s going to plan. Downloading identifications, reports and locations now,=” Virgo reported, “=Keep an eye out. This will take a few minutes.=”

“=Understood.=”

I stood and wandered the room. There wasn’t much in here—it was just an office—a plain cream-walled office with some high-quality computers to store all the information—information that was going to be all ours now.

Finding the right hideout to sneak into was more complicated than it looked. The previous five had all been duds. They had nothing of value beyond that base-specific information. Still useful but not much in the long run when we needed more than just a single base’s daily operations. But they had given other locations too, so I suppose they were useful…

“=Approaching soldier,=” Virgo hissed, “=Turn the screen off!=”

I darted back to the computer and pressed the monitor button, turning the screen black. I ducked behind the door, where there was just enough space with a bookcase sitting close to it.

The door swung open with a creak. The man stepped inside.

Virgo continued to type away on the other side of the commlink, and I used the heat vision in my helmet to watch the guy walk into the room and to the cable, eyeing the cable. He reached for his walkie-talkie, and I threw the door closed, shooting a small tazer at him with what Soma had comically referred to as the widow’s bite. The design was lifted from the Marvel universe after an evening of drinking.

To be fair, it was effective and efficient.

The guy went down, and I closed the door again.

“=I don’t know if that guy’s got to be somewhere soon or report in, better speed it up, Virgo,=” I unapologetically apologised.

Virgo sighed, “=Almost done. Sixty seconds.=”

I mentally calculated before Virgo gave the go-ahead to remove the USB. I hooked myself back onto the cable and zipped up to the vent, crawling in and slotting the vent cover back into place.

I groaned quietly with realisation, “=Damnit, gotta backtrack so far.=”

Virgo sniggered in my ear, “=Such a hard life.=”

I smirked.

The problem with having already set up in the NEST base was that Soma had to be cautious about who overheard his conversations with Zelda. No one knew. He suspected Logan and Eden might but neither had said a word so that was up for debate.

What Soma was more hesitant about were the Autobots.

Look, he liked them—they had made a great first impression, but he could also see that Zelda’s absence had a…particular effect on them.

Soma knows about the whole AllSpark thing, he won’t claim to understand it, nor does he want to question it. Witchcraft, is what he says, something otherworldly—which it was. The AllSpark and its implication didn’t make any sense to him in the grand scheme of Earth things, but he accepted it, okay?

Ratchet had already made a connection to that weird anomaly in Zelda and Aria’s genetics relating all the way back to their ancestor Archibald, who, upon touching Megatron, had gotten more than the AllSpark’s location zapped onto his glasses. Archibald had been transferred nanites that over time came to camouflage themselves in their bloodstream.

Soma was sure everyone in the Witwicky family line had these nanites.

But it was the reason Zelda was still here, and while the loss of everyone else was hard…

Soma pushed it aside. He had no desire to think about that. Not now, not ever. He wasn’t an emotional guy, but it hurt to lose those he considered family.

His phone buzzed and he peeked a glance. Zelda. He swiped the notification away before setting his phone back down. He focused back on Will and Logan and the meeting.

He couldn’t answer her now.

But he does get the chance half an hour later. He left the table with a nod and fished his phone out.

‘Living it up in Italy ;)’

Soma rolled his eyes, glancing at the rooftop photo she sent alongside it.

‘You free to chat?’

Soma made his way to a more subdued area and dialled her burner phone number. It rang three times before she picked it up.

“It’s lunchtime for you, isn’t it?” she asked, then slurped on something.

Soma sighed. “It is, and it’s dinner for you.”

She chuckled. “I’ve already eaten. Had a nice carbonara.”

“Of course you did,” he drawled. Zelda sniggered, “So what’s this call for?”

With a precautionary glance around, Soma continued towards his office. He had to pass by the Autobots. Crap. They had, like, impossible good hearing.

“I wanted to know the progress you made. No response in twelve hours? Now that’s unbecoming,” she teased.

Soma bit his lip to stop himself from voicing his annoyance, “I’m busy, okay? NEST is getting off the ground and I’m trying to integrate with a team. Don’t have all the time in the world to dedicate to this.”

A hum. “Right, gotcha.”

Was that a good or bad thing? Soma wasn’t sure with Zelda, especially over the phone.

“I’ll spend some time on it tonight. I’m trying to sort and organise—” Soma stopped, and hissed quietly: “Logan.”

“Soma,” Logan came jogging closer. “Sorry, I need a moment.”

“Sure.” He lowered the phone, trying nonchalantly to aim the screen away from Logan as he set it on his shoulder. The guy would know immediately if he saw the number.

After some back-and-forth and some work to schedule around, Logan was on his way after another apology.

Soma brought the phone back to his ear. “You still here?”

“Yep!” Zelda chimed.

Soma continued walking.

“That sounds fine by the way. Just remember to eat and sleep,” Zelda remarked, and he sighed fondly, a smile tugging at his mouth.

At least wasn’t she annoyed by his lack of headway with the information?

“I know,” he said, pretending to be put out, as he swung into the Autobots area, needing to pass through. He felt their optics on him at his mere entrance. He glanced in their direction briefly. He got an idea.

“Actually, talking about that,” Soma started. “Where exactly are you heading?”

“Heading? What gave you the implication I have any idea where I’m going next,” the pout was obvious in her voice. Soma exhaled.

If he hadn’t felt the Autobots’ gazes before, he certainly did now.

“Ze,” he hissed.

“Okay, okay. I’m in Naples. I’ve always wanted to see Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. They have some seriously amazing ice cream,” she admitted. “But I’ll be here until you tell me where to head next.”

Soma glanced Optimus’s way before continuing on out of the room. Hopefully, now they’d be slightly less antsy about knowing where Zelda was.

The next time I had an actual phone call with Soma, I was at the top of Mount Vesuvius. Having speny the last half hour making my way up the steep volcano in the summer heat alongside all the other visitors, it was nice to buy a drink from the vendor at the top and find someplace to sit.

I fished for my phone as it rang. I took a swig of my tango before answering.

“Yo,” I greeted, admiring the sight before me. It was cloudless today, which made the sun all that much hotter. However, it gave the perfect view of what was below Vesuvius. It was stunning.

“Afternoon,” Soma returned. “Silas is in England.”

I beamed. “Well, you’ve just made my day!”

Soma sighed.

“How are you?” I asked.

“Tired,” was his dry response. “Got loads of work.”

I snorted.

“I’ve managed to categorise all the information, but I noticed how Silas moves in specific patterns and how long he stays at them,” Soma explained. “I’ll send over everything to your laptop, but he’ll be in England for the next week. They have a few buildings, but I’ve pinpointed an exact warehouse.”

Again, I smiled. “Good doing business with you, Soma.”

He chuckled and hung up.

I tucked the phone away and stood. I looked back at the vendor and all the jewellery they had displayed. What would the harm be in getting a bracelet or something?

Present day…

Silas groaned, his head feeling heavy as it lolled to the side. Slowly, he blinked open his bleary eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Suddenly, a sharp jolt of pain shot through his skull, pulling him fully awake. He winced and instinctively tried and failed to rub his forehead, recalling the events that led to this throbbing ache. The memories flooded back and Silas jerked upright.

Silas yanked at the rope that tied him to the chair. His legs felt the same. He stilled, finally noticing the person sitting before him. He raised his eyes to see Zelda.

She smiled. It was less than kind.

Fiddling with something in her hands, Zelda sat back in his office chair with an air of nonchalance. “I thought about drawing this out,” she admitted. “You deserve the worst pain life can deliver.”

“Well, why not?” he smirked, amused. “I murdered that boy—”

“Adan,” she snapped before a cruel smile graced her face. “But after the number of innocent people you’ve killed, I’m surprised you even remembered he existed.”

Silas barked out a laugh. “Of course, I remember him! He served his use in breaking you down. That kid too. We chuck that kid in with you just to watch you get attached, you know that, right?”

Zelda gritted her teeth, her robotic arm whirling and creaking as she clenched the arm of the chair. Her flesh hand didn’t so much twitch. She stood and punched him.

Silas fell backwards. The impact jarred him, causing a sharp pain to shoot through his body, and he groaned in discomfort. Warm and sticky blood trickled from his nose, pooling there because of how he laid. Yet, despite the sting and the disarray, an unrestrained laugh escaped his lips. It was almost comedic how effortlessly he could provoke her. God, winding her up was far too easy!

Zelda yanked his chair back up, and he gasped, choking on blood from his nose as she wrapped her metal hand around his throat and squeezed.

She leant close. “I could crush your throat, watch as you gasp for breath but are unable to. I could bash your skull in, maybe even cave your ribs in. I did all of those for those loyalists you called pets.”

Seething, Silas snarled as he spat blood that struck Zelda's cheek. The warm liquid dripped down her skin, but she didn't flinch or react in the slightest, her gaze steady and unyielding.

Zelda released his throat with force, and he coughed for air.

She settled into her chair once more, exuding an air of calm composure. One leg crossed over the other. Her fingers intertwined, resting on her knee, creating a picture of serene tranquillity as if she hadn’t just decked Silas across the face and promised death.

“I was expecting more from you honestly,” she remarked, mouth quirking upwards. “It was just, so easy to sneak into this place you call your main headquarters.”

Silas ran his tongue across his lip, spitting more blood from his mouth. His nose throbbed. It had to be broken. “Yeah, well, I was expecting you to go off the deep end.”

It was undeniable. Every piece of data he had meticulously gathered and every encounter he’d had with her painted an unmistakable picture. It all pointed to a volatile outburst, one that could erupt into chaos—a bloodbath, perhaps, or something just as devastating. Yet, amidst all the signs, he had failed to anticipate that she would target him directly. He should have known better. He should have recognized the patterns, connected the dots more effectively.

He replayed their previous interaction in his mind, recalling the flicker of menace in her eyes. The reality of her impending wrath loomed over him like a dark cloud, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a miscalculation he might not survive.

Zelda smiled again, plucking up that small object again. She continued to fiddle with it, eyes focused on the thing as she spoke again. “Two weeks ago, I snuck into a base in Italy. There we highjacked every piece of information in regard to locations, your little loyalists, and current plans. The virus Virgo installed also let him open a backdoor to it so he could go in at any time he liked. For,” she winked, “Just a little nosey peak.”

“Bitch,” anger was…to tame a word for what he felt.

“You lose, Silas,” Zelda’s grin stretched wide.

“You know it’s not that easy, right?” he bit out.

She shrugged, waving a hand. “We have all the information to hunt down members and herd them like sheep to do what we want. It won’t be too hard to infiltrate. You lose.”

“So what? You’ve gonna arrest me? Put me in jail? Think I should rot for all I’ve done?” he smirked. “It’s not that easy, right?” he echoed her words moments ago. “I have loyalists like you said.”

Zelda giggled, laying a hand on her cheek. “That’s cute. You actually think you’re walking out of this alive.”

Silas swallowed hard, a wave of tension washing over him as Zelda gently placed the small object onto the coffee table in front of him. It wasn’t just any object; it was a timer, sleek and metallic, its numbers glowing softly in the dim light of the room. The ticking sound filled the air, each faint tick amplifying the sense of impending pressure. Silas felt his stomach plummet as he stared at it, the countdown looming ominously.

Ten minutes, nine minutes fifty-six, fifty-five, fifty-four…down and down it went.

“This is the end, Silas. I’d say it was good knowing you, but… " she smiled. “We both know that would be a lie. Rot in hell.”

Silas sat there, his heart racing, helpless as he watched the timer tick down. Each second felt like an eternity, a countdown to something terrible. In the midst of it all, he could hear Zelda’s footsteps racing toward the window, the frantic rustling of fabric as she made her escape, leaving him alone in the suffocating silence that followed.

He smirked. “It was a good run, I suppose.”

BOOM.

I faltered as the explosion went off, coming to a standstill and turning to watch as the warehouse went up in flames, walls and roof going flying from the force. Even from where I stood, I could feel it’s terrifying heat.

I pressed a finger to the scarring hiding the commlink embedded into my head, “=Virgo?=”

“=Scorpio?=”

“=It’s done.=”

A beat of silence. “=Then you’re free to do as you wish. But those bots of yours are getting antsy. Better make your way back soon.=”

I snorted, unable to help the fond feeling. “=I hear you loud and clear. Speak soon.=”

“=You too.=”

The commlink closed, and I turned my attention to the bonds. I had learnt to sort of...mute them in a sense, temper them so they weren’t on full blast. I’d had them like that for a while now, ever since I had run off.

I reached out again, only to stagger when I felt the full force behind them wash over me. The affection and love. Annoyance and frustration but nothing malicious. Amusement and eagerness followed.

Letting out a shaky breath, I returned the feelings with my own amusement. Hello, I try to corporate into feeling, soon.

Good, was Ratchet’s grumpy responding feeling, and I laughed as similar emotions followed from the others.

God, there would be no denying I missed them.

Soon, I smiled. I’d see them soon.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven: Reunions

The Pentagon felt busy, but Zelda hardly paid any mind to it.

The sound of her heels on the tilted floor agitated the part of her that lived in the shadows, that preferred stealth over being in the open. It was so integrated into Zelda nowadays that even the notion of drawing attention to her made her skin crawl, especially somewhere like the Pentagon where so many specialised people lingered.

Zelda sucked it up because she was here for a reason.

Spotting Logan before he spotted her, Zelda changed her trajectory. Her heels finally caught his attention, and Logan raised his gaze from his tablet. Relief flashed across his face as Logan stood.

“Zelda,” he held out a hand, and she shook it, resisting the urge to bring Logan into a hug. They were in a professional situation; they could greet each other far friendlier later. Somewhere they could hash it out, so to speak. Zelda knew Logan had some choice words for her going solo, for dropping off the radar and not letting any of the others get their rightful justice against the organisation that had haunted them since long before they were even born.

“You doing okay?” she asked, a tease in her voice. “Holding down the fort?”

Logan snorted. “As well as I can be with the integration. That team of yours is getting antsy, Ze.”

Zelda smiled softly, knowing just what he was talking about. As much as she wanted to immediately head to the new base, she had some things to clear up and sort out, with MECH cohorts being arrested left and right.

She and Soma had been awarded metals in private, having no desire to make their identities public when the president announced that MECH was finally under control. There were too many risks on top of Zelda hating the notion of her face being public knowledge—it would defeat her purpose of fading into the background. Especially now, with her entwined fate with the Cybertronians, it was even more crucial than ever that Zelda be just another person on the street.

“Well, I’ll be heading back at the end of the week, so I’ll see them soon.”

Logan hummed but didn’t get a chance to respond as the door to their right opened, and General Moreshower stepped out, offering his hand, which Logan and Zelda both shook.

“It’s good to see you again, Ms Larsson,” Moreshower greeted.

“Just Zelda is fine, sir.” Zelda assured. “And it’s good to see you too.”

Following the General into the office, Will Lennox looked up from his paperwork with a smile.

“Hey,” Will stood, and Zelda rounded the table to shake the man’s hand happily. “Good to see you again, Zelda.”

“And you, Will,” she chimed.

The meeting commences.

Afterwards, as they part ways with General Moreshower, Will turned to Zelda and Logan. “There are quite a few of my unit over this side, and we’re meeting up at my place for a barbeque tomorrow. You’re both welcome to come. Especially since the Autobots are going to be there.”

Zelda perked up since this was news to her.

Logan laughed. “I’d love to, but I’m swamped with work. I have to head out to meet up with Soma.”

“But I’m definitely there,” Zelda smiled. “Trade numbers?”

Will laughed and tugged his phone out.

The Lennox homestead is a quaint little house with cream walls, a thatched roof, and a front garden full of vegetables, fruit, and healthy trees. Zelda knew that they also had some chickens and goats and wondered what it was like to own a little farm like this.

Zelda parked her bike, swinging her leg over and pulled her helmet off just as a blonde woman, who had to be Sarah, opened the door with a baby on her hip.

“Hi,” Sarah greeted warmly. “It’s lovely to meet you, I’m guessing Zelda?”

“That’s me. Sarah, right?” Zelda returned just as warmly before cooing softly at the little one. “And this must be Annabelle?”

Sarah laughed, gently rocking the baby, who stared at Zelda intently, thumb in her mouth. “It is. Come on in, Will’s just beginning to warm up the grill.”

Zelda followed the blonde into the house and set her bike equipment down on the sideboard by the front door, hearing the soldiers out back, chattering and joking. It brought a bittersweet smile onto her face, reminiscing about her own broken unit. They had been a family at the end of the day, all raised together since the moment they could walk and talk. Some might say it was inhumane, and Zelda was inclined to agree, but they had done some serious work that would have taken years to get to if they started later in life.

Will smiled at Zelda when he spotted her, and cheers from the group were prompt. He gestured for Zelda to join the circle, and she did, laughing.

With a beer handed to her, Zelda joined in with the chatter, getting to learn more about her future colleagues. They pry some stories out of her, mostly lighter ones, ones that wouldn’t compromise anything since only Will knew about Zelda’s former occupation in depth.

At one point, Sarah convinced Zelda to hold Annabelle with a teasing smile despite how Zelda protested. She had only ever held a baby once before.

“Honestly, Sarah.” Zelda felt stressed just holding the little one, awkwardly cradling Annabelle against her chest.

“You’re a natural,” Sarah soothed, and Will, having stepped inside to get the last of the skewers, laughed softly at the sight of Zelda’s pleading look, silently asking for help.

“Sarah’s right,” Will agreed cheerfully, not at all sympathetic to the ginger’s plight.

Zelda groaned.

Eventually, Sarah granted Zelda mercy, taking Annabelle to put her down for a nap and leaving Zelda and Will beside the barbeque.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing okay,” Will started. “I’m sorry about the loss.”

Zelda sighed, offering a small smile. “Aria is far from the first person I’ve lost, Will. But I’m older now, got my head on straight that I don’t immediately disregard everything and go off the deep end.”

Will shot her a confused glance but also understanding.

“When I was sixteen, me and my boyfriend at the time were captured by MECH. He died, and I was experimented on.” Zelda took a swig of her beer, giving a little wave of her robotic arm. “I did go off the deep end in grief and guilt, and I killed a lot of MECH, but I learnt to deal with it all in better ways with Aria’s help when I finally let myself go back.”

“Grief makes us do lots of things,” Will remarks subduedly, mulling over her words, knowing it barely scratched the surface. He had been permitted to read up on the D.A.A to better understand the skillsets of the surviving members. There had been lots of redacted, but what was there painted grim pictures for all of them.

(Will’s ashamed to be associated with the government. Look, he knew America had done many things, things that were not in any way okay but child soldiers? Child spies? Child assassins? He’s not ashamed to admit to vomiting at some of the things he read, and they were tame enough for him to look at.)

“Mmh,” was Zelda’s only response, her empty hand reaching up to tug at her ear lobe.

Zelda perked up suddenly, head turning towards the house.

Wil watched her from the corner of his eyes as excitement flashed across her face.

“The bots are here.” She slipped from her perch and loped for the house, leaving Will to blink after her.

He strained his ears, only just barely able to hear the sounds of approaching vehicles. He knows his hearing is damaged, but damn, Zelda had some excellent senses.

Will heard the sudden breaking and Bumblebee’s ever-growing familiar voice, filled with excitement. He smiled to himself, listening as Zelda laughed heartily, no doubt embracing his holoform. Other voices joined, and Ratchet’s scolding tone followed, but it’s filled with fond exasperation.

“I’m fine!” Zelda’s words reach him, laughter in her voice. “Seriously, no wounds. I promise, Ratchet.”

“Yes, yes,” Ratchet drawled, but the scans don’t lie, and Zelda’s smug at proving him wrong.

Jazz swooped her up, stealing her from Bumblebee—the boy pouting—and away from Sideswipe, who attempted to hug her next.

“Jazz!” the red twin whined while Sunstreaker snorted at his brother’s neediness.

Jazz laughed, and Zelda grinned, happily letting the guys fight over her. Wiggling free from Jazz, Zelda slipped up beside Optimus and Ironhide.

The latter pat her shoulder, praising her. “You did some good work, kid. You and Soma did something you’ve been trying to do for years in a matter of a month.”

Zelda feels bittersweet about it.

“Should have gone rouge sooner,” she mused. “All the restrictions on us prevented the D.A.A from really getting down to the nitty and gritty, if what we already did wasn’t.”

Optimus hummed. “Thinking of what ifs are a terrible way to spend your time.”

Zelda blinked up at his holoform, understanding immediately what he was hinting. With an agreeing nod, she turned the topic elsewhere.

“You guys been treated well?”

“As well as we can be,” Ratchet stepped beside Ironhide, watching as Jazz, Bumblebee, and Sideswipe messed around while Sunstreaker watched on with amusement. “It will take some time before the humans become comfortable around us.”

“I’ve heard the phrase, those who bleed together stay together,” Zelda remarked offhandedly, offering the doctor a smile. He snorted in response.

“That is not—”

Zelda’s flash of teasing-amusement made Ironhide snigger. Ratchet sighed.

“She is not far from the mark, however,” Optimus agreed.

Zelda pointed enthusiastically at the Prime “See!”

Chapter Text

BOUT

Chapter One: Fizzling Visions

The joyous sound of children's laughter echoed throughout the sunlit garden, where vibrant flowers brought an explosion of colour in the summer heat. Two young girls, their hair braided and adorned with colourful ribbons, danced among the blooms, their giggles harmonising with the rustling leaves.

Lost in their game, they twirled and spun, their imagination creating worlds beyond the garden’s borders, completely unburdened by any worries or cares in that blissful moment.

It was a rare moment for them to act like the children they were.

Gently watching the girls, Judy held her newborn son and wished that she and Ron had been able to adopt them into their family for what felt like the hundredth time. Losing Rina had been difficult for Ron, especially since he had so rarely seen his sister. Then, just five years later, the girls lost their father as well.

Judy was acutely aware that she would never fully grasp the complexities of her sister-in-law's profession, especially now she was deceased. It had been a world shrouded in secrecy, where every whispered conversation could have weighty implications. She could always sense the undercurrents of danger that often danced around the edges of their discussions whenever Rina had visited.

Ron's family had always maintained a close-knit relationship with government agencies, their lives intricately woven into a fabric of political intrigue and classified operations. Even though Ron himself had chosen a different path, pursuing a career that seemed to align more comfortably with the public eye, the influence of his family's connections was undeniable.

And now, her nieces were entangled in that life far too young. Had Judy not known what could happen to her, she would have made a racket and would have shouted to the heavens for justice for these little girls.

Instead, Judy basked in the moments they could be here and act like the children her nieces were supposed to be. Through the echoes of laughter from Aria and Zelda, Judy blinked back her tears, turning her gaze onto Sam cradled in her arms.

Back and forth. Back and forth. The soles of her shoes squeaked with each sharp pivot of her heels. Despite how exhausted her body felt, practically begging for rest, Zelda paced relentlessly, wired and wide awake. Faint Cybertronian script flickered across her vision, eyes open or closed.

A handful of hours ago, Zelda had been sleeping only to awaken from a terrible vision of a battle full of carnage and bloodshed. The land had been scarce of what Zelda was used to seeing—dead frames and crashing buildings. There had been no ruined Cybertron in her dream tonight. Instead, it had been a juvenile land. Wild and not yet tamed by civilisation.

Often, Zelda dreamt of the countless battles that had ravaged Cybertron during the war. Memories that the AllSpark had stored before it had been jettisoned from Its home, and even beyond that. When it came to memories not from the AllSpark, Zelda had long concluded the memories she was witnessing were from the bonds she had forged with the Autobots.

She was used to pain and suffering. Zelda had suffered extensively herself, but this was different. This was an entire planet being ravaged and torn asunder.

But this time, this nightmare was strange. She had been forced to trail after an unknown femme. Her name was just out of reach for Zelda, but she had fought beside her brothers. Something about the dream had been different. The fighting…it hadn’t been a part of the war between Autobots and Decepticons.

No. The femme and her companions fought against another. He wanted something. His name was beyond her, too. It was on the tip of her tongue, and yet she could not recall it—it was as if it had been wiped, stripped away from her.

But that wasn’t the worst part. No, after shooting awake with a scream lodged in her throat at the sight of cruel carmine optics, Zelda had been assaulted with Cybertronian script she wasn’t able to understand. What wasn’t flashing by too fast for her register was beyond her comprehension.

But moving helped. Moving kept the worst of it at bay and so she hadn’t been able to rest for a moment since. If she stopped for even a beat, those images assaulted her psyche.

Almost all of the Autobots had gone out on the mission to Shanghai. Had Zelda been an active NEST soldier, she too would have been out there, but those days were ones she was trying to leave behind. She didn’t want to fight anymore; she was tired. She spent twelve years working with the D.A.A, and while she experienced amazing things, it only brought her tragedy.

She lost her parents for their involvement. She lost Adan—lost Aria, and her time with MECH was because of her involvement.

Zelda was tired of hurting.

But at this moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel the soothing echoes of the Autobots’ sparks. She wanted to curl up as close as she could to one of their chassis and listen to the rhythm of their spark. Any one of them would be perfect; each had a distinct identity that belonged solely to them.

Most of the Autobots were in Shanghai, and Jolt was busy monitoring communications between them all. Zelda couldn’t be a distraction to him.

Soma paused his typing, eyes flickering to the clock beside him. He blinked but looked unsurprised.

Zelda knew the focus clock—something that NEST had been intent on Soma using for more reasonable workdays—had just reached another hour.

But she refused to think about it. She refused to stop for even a moment.

She needed—she needed—

Viciously, ancient Cybertronian script raced across her vision, harsh and unrelenting in its display.

—the pain to stop.

Zelda stumbled over her feet, knees giving up.

A chair scraped against the floor, and Soma kneeled beside her the next moment. Zelda only gasped for air, rolling onto her back and pressing the heels of her palms roughly into her lids, desperate to stop the bombarding visions.

Her whole body trembled uncontrollably. She felt unbearably cold, her hands icy even to herself—it mattered not that one was no longer flesh. A well of something profound and otherworldly bubbled inside her; it felt like, at any moment, it could lash out without prejudice.

“Easy, just breathe, Zelda.” Soma gently removed her hands from her face, which was burning with warmth despite her apparent cold. He was frowning in visible concern.

Zelda clasped her hands together, pressing them to her chest as she tried to control her trembling. “I don’t—I don’t know what’s…”

A sob threatened to escape, and Zelda bit her lip, tears welling as she choked on it. Absently, she noted Soma had pulled his phone out, and his brows creased, lips curling down.

Zelda blinked, panting, watching through the script as Soma’s mouth moved, but the sound was fizzy to her ears. Oh. Was she…

The faint feeling of being lifted stirred somewhere at the back of his mind as something touched her mind—safe/calm—and suddenly, Zelda could breathe again. Gasping deeply and desperately to fill her lungs, her head was all woozy, and her fingertips tingled.

It took a long moment to realise it had all stopped.

Slowly, Zelda began relaxing. After hours of unrelenting pacing and wired thoughts, after the near-ceaseless script across her vision, her body was finally given the rest it needed. Trying to open her eyes again felt like molasses and the bright lights on the ceiling burned. She whined, shying into Jolt’s chassis and burying her face into the crook of her arm.

A digit rubbed her back. “Rest, Zelda.”

Jolt continued to hold her as she was lulled to sleep.

Ratchet cycled his vent in frustration as he rubbed his temple. Soma’s description certainly aligned with the emotions that Zelda had broadcasted during her panic attack. Despite the distance between Zelda and them, which usually muted the bond greatly, the pain had been enough to reach them. It was…worrying. To put it lightly. If Jolt hadn’t been at base…

The visions of Cybertronian script were not new to Zelda. This last year had an uptick in the AllSpark’s…attempt to process information for Zelda? Ratchet would be the first to admit while they knew plenty about the AllSpark, there was so much more they did not know. It was what brought them into existence; it stored ancient knowledge and could do many great things, yet they barely scratched the surface of precisely what the AllSpark was in the grand scheme of things. That is not to mention Zelda’s existence as a living AllSpark host.

But this was the first time Zelda’s reaction was painful to such a severe degree. Ratchet wasn’t so sure Zelda leaving for college was such a great idea anymore. However, he knew how she would take that, so here he was with Optimus.

Zelda had slept for the remaining hours they had been away, barely stirring until mere joors ago. She had slept for almost forty-eight hours straight.

On top of that, Shanghai had been an utter mess. The only upside was the low number of losses of life.

He had been insistent on a check-up as soon as she had awoken, but whatever had happened had long since passed. So he had nudged Zelda off with the femmes for some quiet time, knowing they were more than capable of helping Zelda relax. Something she desperately needed because soon enough, she would have to be there for the debrief regarding Shanghai. The more rest she had, the better she was mentally prepared.

“We cannot take that choice from her,” Optimus rumbled when Ratchet voiced his thoughts on Zelda not going to college. “Constricting her won’t do her any good.”

Ratchet cycled his vents again. “I know, but you understand my point, yes?”

“I do,” Optimus thumbed his chin. “It is a difficult situation. Zelda made good points when she applied for these courses. Learning to fill the role of Ambassador will only be a benefit, especially if we continue to get less than…stellar liaisons.”

Ratchet grimaced. The rate at which they had been going through liaisons was… off-putting. They were due to meet the newest one in three days’ time. A man named Theodore Galloway. Ratchet hoped at least this one wasn’t xenophobic but wasn’t getting his hopes up.

“If you think letting Zelda go still is the best course of action, while I disagree, I will not fight you on it, Optimus,” he conceded.

But if something happens and they are not there…

He hoped most might think she was simply having a panic attack, which she was in a sense—Zelda’s brain was simply too small to process such information and at such speeds she was detailing. It was working her up and resulting in the attack. It was her body’s attempt at fighting and protecting itself.

“May I suggest one of us be assigned as a guardian?” Ratchet asked. “It wouldn’t be too difficult to set something up. Not when it comes to Zelda’s protection.”

“Perhaps Bumblebee. With Sam leaving for college as well, our Scout would be most suitable,” Optimus agreed. “I shall speak with him tonight.”

Ratchet sighed in relief. Bumblebee always tended to have the most luck in getting Zelda to open up too, even before Sideswipe and Sunstreaker.

Zelda stared ahead and above the screen while attempting to hide her faraway look, her metal index finger repeatedly tapped against the hardwood table. She was sure the look in her eyes was not missed—that haze made her seem a way away from normal. Of course, Zelda wasn’t going to pretend she was sane, not when she was calculating how many faceplants onto the table it would take to knock herself out.

Politicking was not her strong suit—it never had been—but she needed to learn. She had to temper herself and converse alongside Logan for the foreseeable future.

Albeit, she had a few years ahead of her before she would be diving into the deep end, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t already participating in N.E.S.T’s day-to-day politics while on base, especially until the latest Liaison arrived.

(She wondered how long he was going to last. Zelda had already put her bet in the pool.)

She listened as Logan conversed alongside three other N.E.S.T employees, one of whom was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Glenn Morshower. He was a no-nonsense guy whom Zelda respected.

One of the men present in the conference call was the Shanghai representative, Huáng Wén. The Chinese man was rightfully angry with the turn of events during the most recent mission. Yet, the death toll could be counted on two hands, some of those N.E.S.T soldiers themselves. The most damage came from infrastructure during the chase for Demolishor.

The problem was the amount demanded for compensation. Zelda and the others knew Mister Huáng was trying to milk them for as much as possible. N.E.S.T’s appointed treasurer was trying to reason with Mister Huáng.

But with the right words and assurance, Mister Huáng agreed to be more reasonable and flexible.

Then, the discussion turned to the footage of the battle and chase. This was what had Zelda’s attention.

As agreed upon by each and every government of the world, the Cybertronians—or Transformers for a more loose term, one which Zelda disliked with a passion for seeming so dehumanising—were to be kept secret from those without clearance, aka citizens, until it was believed the world at large could handle the knowledge that they were not the only beings in this universe. Or the most intelligent.

Zelda rubbed her temple, I wonder what people would do if they had the knowledge that alternate universes were a real thing? I bet other me’s aren’t currently suffering through this boring bs. Then again…

“Gentlemen,” she spoke up for the first time in a while, their attention turned to Zelda. “My suggestion is that we simply don’t cover this incident up. The more we try to hide, the more people will grow suspicious. It’s human nature. There is no denying civilians know something as big as N.E.S.T and all it encompasses isn’t something that would be so publicised for their own safety.”

Zelda sat back, snagging a glance at Logan, who nodded in approval. She continued, “Leave some of the footage. Confiscating all of it will cause an uproar. Allow a few pieces to circulate. Ease them into, so to speak, as that is the far-off future plan, is it not?”

She breathed a sigh of relief as they acknowledged her reasoning, and before Zelda knew it, the meeting ended. When the screen finally signalled offline and Logan began to gather his paperwork, Zelda let her tablet screen fade to black as she rubbed her temple.

“That was good,” Logan said, squeezing her shoulder. “You’re getting better.”

Head rolling back, Zelda groaned as she slumped into the chair. “But a long way off, there’s no denying it. It’s exhausting.”

Logan laughed. “Sitting in one place has never been your forte.”

“Nah, it was more Aira’s thing,” she smiled sadly.

“Well, she had to be when she was putting up with you.”

“Oi!”

Logan just laughed again. Rude.

Zelda stared at Eden and he returned the glare. She made an I’m-watching-you gesture, and Eden scowled and made a sharp throat-cutting gesture.

“Okay, okay,” Will laughed along with the other gathered off-duty soldiers. “I don’t know why we still play Uno.”

“You’re both crazy!” Rob cried in jest, staring at his own full hand—he’d lost count! He was struggling to see them all!

“Maybe monopoly?” Chance mused, eyeing the pile of board games they had.

“NO!” Logan yelled from somewhere outside the room. “Not monopoly, anything but that!”

More laughter ensued.

You would think they would have long since learnt their lessons with how competitive Edan and Zelda were, but alas, here they were, being subjected to this abuse.

They would never learn at this rate.

Upon Ratchet’s request—since this was her last day on base until the holidays—Zelda had agreed to the Cybertronian doctor’s desire for a check-up on both health and signature. There was no denying she was reading more like a Cybertronian nowadays, and it would only ever grow more substantial if it were not kept under wraps.

The original prototype Ratchet had forged two years ago had become outdated in only half a year. It was not strong enough to hide the AllSpark signature she gave off any longer. Being on base was fine for the most part as the Autobots’ disguised their own ones, and as Zelda read as young—or a fledgling in Cybertronian terms—her signature fell under those older than her like a parent would shield their sparkling.

But, well, Zelda being confined to base wasn’t exactly what she had in mind for her foreseeable future.

Thus, Ratchet presented her with an improved signal blocker and installed it into her prosthetic arm rather than a necklace. It allowed the Autobots to track her vague location but kept the AllSpark radiation muted to those not within her presence, all the while not at any risk of being lost or damaged now that it was no longer around her neck.

Helped onto the Cybertronian-sized medical berth by Ratchet, Zelda—wanting to tease the mech—playfully t-posed as Ratchet took an in-depth scan of her body. She grinned when he shot her a dry, unimpressed look.

“Well, what’re the results?” she asked. “Am I healthy as a horse?”

Truthfully, very little affected her. She might catch a sniffly nose or get nauseous in the stomach, but she was never ill like the average person. Her enhanced metabolism didn’t allow for her to get sick to such an extent, excluding outside influences like poisoning, as displayed two years ago. The only outlier was AllSpark-related, but even then, where a normal body would degrade from such power or use of said power, she could withstand it. Mostly anyway—she was still human at the end of the day.

“I do not understand why such a phrase is used by you humans, healthy as a horse,” he scoffed, grumbling and Zelda tittered.

“It’s a metaphor, Hatchet. I don’t pretend to understand dead peoples’ choices of figures of speech. Have you seen modern slang?” she chimed.

He blinked, nonplussed. “You’re spending too much time with Sideswipe and Sunstreaker.”

She tittered again. “You make it too easy.”

“You, are as much trouble as the terror twins,” Ratchet grumbled and poked a digit into her stomach. Zelda laughed, batting at said digit before hugging his servo.

“But you love me,” she crooned with a smug grin.

“Unfortunately,” was his curt response. She pouted but poked at him over the bond, humming as she slumped against his servo at his unconditional love for her. Zelda made sure he knew it was returned as he cupped his servo and scooped her up.

“You’re perfectly healthy, my dear,” he finally reported, holding Zelda close against his chassis. “Please keep it as such.”

She shook with laughter. “You know me by now, Ratchet.”

Ratchet gave the Cybertronian equivalent of a sigh, rolling his optics as he ferried his human cargo to the food court for breakfast.

Hours later, after her check-up with Ratchet, Zelda was held up in her designated bedroom on the N.E.S.T base.

Despite how Shanghai had been one of the better outcomes with such low loss of life, Zelda’s brain refused to let it rest. No. Not when something weighed heavy on her mind. Not with what Demolishor had uttered before the Autobots had cut him down.

“The Fallen shall rise again.”

The words made incomprehensible knowledge rise to the surface, but even after two years of being the AllSpark, Zelda had yet to speak Cybertronian. She understood it perfectly well in all actuality, and while her throat wasn’t…well, humans weren’t made to be able to produce the sounds Cybertronians did, that didn’t mean she couldn’t learn their script, but she certainly couldn’t read it when it flashed by too fast for her brain to understand. It was there, yet just out of reach.

“The Fallen shall rise again.”

Demolishor was speaking of a Cybertronian, no doubt about it.

Sighing, Zelda finished folding up and packing the remaining items that she was taking with her to college. Most of her things had already been moved to the Witwicky household a few months prior when Zelda had made the original decision to even apply for college.

Swinging the duffle bag onto her shoulder, Zelda took one last long glance at the room that had belonged to her for the last two years. It was nothing like the D.A.A base where they had too large rooms. As one of the few females permanently on base, she had been given her own private room. It just consisted of a bed, storage for clothes and some desk space.

It had the right amount of space. She liked it, and if her viewing of the dorms for college meant anything, she would be getting something similar in size.

The door clicked shut behind her, and Zelda started down the hallway where Jazz, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker would be waiting for her.

Of course, it wasn’t just those three waiting for her.

Zelda laughed when Sunstreaker swept her up and over his shoulder, hurrying her along.

“Sunny!” She protested, but the mech just laughed, dumping her back on her feet only once she was within their group huddle.

Zelda wanted to melt into a puddle of mushy feelings when she was pulled into one big hug.

“You’ve gotta promise to call. We can’t miss out on all the juicy girl talk!” Arcee demanded playfully. Chromia and Flareup matched their sister’s eagerness, and Zelda promised as such.

Ironhide pulled her close as the bumper twins tried to squirm their way in. He shot a smirk at the smaller set of twins when they glared, disgruntled.

“You take care now, niece,” he rumbled, poking her cheek. “We don’t need no spark frights.”

Failing to bite back a grin, Zelda laughed, tucking her head against his holoform’s chest to hide the sound.

“No promises this time!” she chimed merrily, which Ratchet rolled his eyes at.

“I shall have to agree with Ironhide,” Optimus chided, but he was smiling. Zelda easily slipped from Ironhide’s side to his. “But do know any of us are here if you need us, even just to talk.”

He pressed a kiss to her temple and Zelda returned it with a kiss to his jaw as she hugged him tightly. “I’ll make sure to squeeze in at least one call a week,” she teased. There was a hint of laughter and Optimus rubbed her shoulder, smiling.

“C’mon, c’mon, chop chop,” Jazz hurried. “We’ve got a plane to catch!”

He shooed her from Optimus’ side, and the ‘bots laughed again as Zelda was nudged towards Jazz’s form.

“Why is she riding with you?” Sideswipe protested.

“Cause I called dibs!” Jazz grinned.

“Sorry, Sides,” Zelda shrugged unapologetically. “Jazz did ask first.”

Sideswipe pouted.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: Splinter

As the group of four stepped through the threshold of the Witwicky household, they were greeted by an unusual sight. There, in the dimly lit foyer, stood Judy, her face streaked with tears as she clutched Bumblebee’s holoform tightly to her chest. Nestled around Judy’s neck was a pair of baby slippers, tiny and whimsical, their pastel colours a stark juxtaposition to her distraught expression. The room filled with an air of confusion and concern as the group exchanged worried glances, trying to comprehend the sight before them.

What exactly had they walked into?

Zelda could only blink as Bumblebee grinned at them, but his holoform’s eyes were ringed red. Was he…crying too?

Sam emerged from the kitchen, his expression a tempest of frustration that mere words could hardly capture. With a toss, he let a box tumble from his hands, the clatter echoing as it struck the sideboard behind the settee. "It’s not that she’s upset I'm leaving," he exclaimed, his voice sharp and laced with indignation. "It’s that she’s losing the chance to pamper Bee!"

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker sniggered, and Sam shot them a look of disdain. Jazz smirked at the sight.

“Mum!” Sam cried as Judy started bawling her eyes out again when she noticed the new arrivals.

“My beautiful niece.” Judy made a grabby hand at Zelda, ignoring Sam altogether. “C’mon here!”

With a playful roll of her eyes, Zelda ambled over to her aunt, her steps a bit unsteady as she feigned reluctance. She knew all too well that her aunt's embrace was inevitable, and she braced herself for the impending grab.

As she drew closer, she noticed Bumblebee looking up at her with a wide grin. The holoform’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Yes, hello, Judy,” Zelda greeted and rubbed her back. “You too, little brother.”

“Oh, you simply can’t go,” Judy begged, tucking Bumblebee’s head under her chin. “You’re the only one that lets me spoil you!”

Bumblebee burst into tears again, too. “I’m sorry, Auntie, but I can’t. I have’ta go.”

“Nooo!” Judy protested, and Zelda wiggled herself free from the hug and tilted her head, bewildered. Judy huddled Bumblebee close once again with both arms.

Zelda turned to the others. Jazz shrugged, and the twins silently laughed at Sam’s disgruntled look. She turned tail and raced up the stairs before Judy could drag her back into the hug. It was not exactly the welcome she had been expecting. Alas, this was Judy—you always have to expect the unexpected with that woman.

Still, Zelda pushed it aside as she stepped into her bedroom, taking a moment to stare at all the boxes and how the room felt stripped bare despite how, even before, it had little to no personality to it. Now, it felt genuinely lifeless.

Dumping her bag onto the bed, Zelda made work of dealing with those last few pieces of clothes still hanging in her wardrobe. Several hangers and their items of clothes were recklessly thrown onto the bed before Zelda found herself face to face with the jacket she had worn two years ago. She halted the clear-out and let her hand ghost over it. It had been a favourite that Zelda had always made sure to leave here, but now it was burned and ripped in multiple places.

Zelda wasn’t really known for her sentimentality with objects.

Logically, a jacket this beat up would have been thrown out and binned without a thought, so why keep something you couldn’t use anymore? The fabric was coarse now, and the cotton was rough on her fingers. Yet there was a comfort to it too. Maybe it was because of what happened that day. A reminder of what took place.

How this was the jacket she wore when her life changed.

(Again, but she refused to put more thought into her life experiences before that. She was healing, yes, but there’s nothing about those years she can remember fondly, that she wants to remember.)

Maybe it was because of that confrontation on the roof.

Maybe it was because of the family it gave her.

Maybe it was because of the reminder of what it made her.

With a shaky sigh, Zelda pulled the jacket out of the closet. She was sure Judy or Ron would come in at some point to give a good clean-out and either box it up or throw it out. Truthfully, it didn’t really matter.

Good or bad, Zelda doesn’t want physical reminders.

Something clinked against the floor, and she blinked. Whatever had fallen drew her attention away from the jacket as she dumped it onto the bed with the rest of her stuff. Yet Zelda found herself frozen as her eyes found what exactly had fallen off her jacket.

“What?” she whispered in shock

A sliver of metal no bigger than her thumb lay at the toe of her left shoe.

Impossible, she stared breathlessly, how hadn’t I—?

She felt the ‘bots present responding to her sudden shift in emotion. Their concern came through the bond, and she forced herself to relax, sending reassurance back before dimming the bonds. Zelda made a mental reminder to work on keeping the bonds on the down low to stop broadcasting.

Zelda knelt cautiously, staring in bewilderment. There was no denying this was a piece of the Cube. It’s Cybertronian script just visible enough.

“How did you break off?” she asked despite knowing there was no answer for her.

Reaching out to pluck the remains of the Cube from the floor, Zelda yelped as it shocked her. The half-formed script glowing as the energy retained within the sliver was conducted and funnelled through to her, leaving behind only an empty shell.

The sliver clinked again as it hit the ground, and Zelda gasped for air, muscle twitching and clenching against her will as the power made itself at home within her alongside the rest, burrowing deep into her very essence of being. Her prosthetic arm threatened to lock up, and she struggled to wiggle the fingers. Symbols danced across her vision with the same rapid, crippling speed as the other day.

Her back bumped into the chester drawer—when had she stood and stumbled back?—and gasped for breath. Her eyes pounded and her fingers twitched, tracing shapes onto the wood behind her as those symbols leapt across her sight.

Zelda squeezed her eyes closed, focusing on taking deep breaths, willing those symbols to temper themselves. Several long moments passed before Zelda felt well enough to peek her eyes open. The light hurt, and she blinked rapidly, her gaze landing on the sliver.

(At least it wasn’t like last time.)

There was a sound from outside the room, someone coming up the stairs.

She scooped the sliver up.

“Zelda?” She flinched and turned to see Jazz’s holoform, concern on his face. “Is everything okay? We felt another shift.”

“Just—” her tongue was heavy in her mouth, and her fingers refused to uncurl to reveal the sliver. Instead, she made a vague gesture. “Symbols.”

Her episodes, as she liked to call them, weren’t anything new. Her brain wasn’t large enough to understand everything. Ratchet theorised that it was a result of when information rose to the surface—enough for her to dip her hand into without reaching for it—but it was just too overwhelming and new for Zelda to make sense of it all.

“Are ya feelin’ okay?” he asked as Zelda sat on the edge of the bed, blinking rapidly. Her head was struggling to keep up with the, albeit faintly now, flickering script.

“I will be.” She closed her eyes again, wanting them to stop bombarding her. She groaned, bending forward, forehead resting on her knees. “I don’t have enough brain power to understand anything.”

Jazz knelt, hands threading through her hair, gently messaging her scalp. It helped, even if just a little bit. Her heart, which had been racing, finally stopped its pounding, and the hot flush receded.

“What’s the rating?” he asked.

A beat.

“About a seven,” she answered honestly. Zelda still doesn’t say it was because of the sliver, can’t say it, because it felt like something had settled within her throat, thick and heavy. But that wasn’t going to stop her from answering, especially when it involved the AllSpark and her fleshy, fragile body.

“I’m gonna have to tell Optimus and Ratchet ‘bout it, okay?”

Zelda nodded, her fingers curling tightly around the sliver until it dug into her palm. Then, she slipped in beneath the duvet covers, hidden from sight.

“Why now?” she sighed. “After Shanghai and Demolisher’s warning with this Fallen character…”

“Optimus has his suspicions but ain’t got no solid proof that this Fallen is who he believes it to be,” Jazz explained. “At the moment, we’ve just gotta go with the flow, okay, sweet?”

She nodded again, finally sitting upright. Jazz stood, picking up where Zelda had previously been packing.

“Jazz,” she protested, moving to stand. “You don’t gotta—”

“Ah, ah,” he wagged a finger at her. “You keep ya aft sat right there, got it?”

Zelda gave him an unimpressed look. “I’m perfectly capable of packing, thank you very much.”

She only had a headache—the script had even stopped flickering! She wasn’t in any debilitating pain!

Bumblebee chose that moment to come barrelling up the stairs and through the bedroom door, throwing himself onto the bed. He bounced several times before making himself at home.

“Gained freedom, have ya?” Jazz smirked as he folded up a jacket.

Bee laughed, tugging Zelda to lay back. She went without protest, ignoring the pointed smirk Jazz sent her way, and happily let Bumblebee play with her hair, braiding and plaiting it as Jazz returned to folding up and packing the remaining clothes. “Uncle Ron distracted her with an album of baby photos. Let me sneak away.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she had some of you stuffed in the most recent one,” Zelda snorted.

“I have seen her taking pictures…” Bee chimed with a warm smile. Judy was really motherly; he loved his time with Sam but now it was coming to an end.

Zelda felt the sad hum of his spark. “What’s wrong, little brother?”

Sighing, Bumblebee hugged her closer, resting his cheek on her scalp.

“I know I’m gonna be acting as your guardian now, but I won’t get to see you as often as I want!” he whined. “It’s not fair.”

Cooing, Zelda shuffled to hug the blonde holoform the best she could in the laying position. “I’m sorry, Bee. I’ll be sure to spend as much time as I can with you between my studies, okay? Can’t go so long without seeing my little brother, can I?”

Bee giggled. “I’d like that.”

Siblings. Jazz just shook his head fondly at the duo as if he wasn’t included in that term also.

A summer’s evening spent in the garden, huddled up on the blanket with drinks and snacks as one star gazed, is what Zelda would call a successful evening. But as Mikaela began to gather her stuff to head home, Zelda perked up and wiggled herself free from the group of holoforms to hurry after her.

Ron and Judy stood in the doorway, spying on Sam and Mikaela, who were in the entrance hallways. Zelda paused, watching over their shoulders in confusion.

Judy gasped softly, whacking Ron on the arm. “I think Sam's about to say the L-word.”

Zelda cocked a brow, smile as Sam stuttered over his words.

“I... adore you.”

Mikaela deadpanned. “That's not the word that I want to hear right now.”

Sam was flustered, arms waving wildly before he crossed them, red in the face. “What are you talking about? It's the same word as the other word.”

“It's not the same word,” Mikaela cocked a brow, very much unimpressed with Sam and his utter failure to say the words I love you.

Sam floundered. “Look, if I say the other word now and you forced me to say it, it won't mean anything, plus you haven't said it either. So, don't get mad at me for not saying it.”

“Yeah, but I haven't said it because guys always run when you say it first.”

A beat.

“Yeah, well, so do girls. Especially girls like you, with options.”

Mikaela smiled, a laugh of disbelief escaping. “So, this is all part of your elaborate plan to keep me interested?”

Sam bit his lip as a grin threatened to take over, and his flush darkened. “It can be.”

Mikaela sighed. “I hate that it's working.”

Sam laughed and they shared a kiss. “We're going to make it work, I promise.”

Zelda smiled, dorks.

When Sam darted away to grab something, Zelda used that chance to approach Mikaela.

“Mikaela,” she loped over as the raven turned. “I need a favour.”

“A favour? Sure?” Mikaela smiled, getting her helmet down. “What’s this favour?”

Zelda peered behind her, gesturing for the younger woman to follow her to the front of the house. She didn’t want any prying ears overhearing what she was about to ask of Mikaela.

“Zelda?” Mikaela followed either way, but her confusion was evident. It twisted into shock when Zelda revealed the shard piece. “Is that—?”

“Shh,” Zelda hushed her, and Mikaela nodded. “It’s dead, no power or anything but listen, I need you to take it and hide it.”

“Me?” Mikaela hissed, shooting a look back at the house. “Why?”

Why? Why indeed. Zelda wasn’t sure—it just, felt right. Like this was meant to happen.

“Look, it’s a gut feeling, okay?” Zelda wasn’t sure if she should call it a gut feeling because it was more than that. This was some sort of—prompting. Yes. Maybe even divinely, as hysterical as that made her feel. “Trust me, whatever happens, you need to keep an eye on it. If something happens or even looks suspicious, tell me.”

Mikaela sighed, hesitantly holding her hand out for Zelda to drop the sliver into. She rolled the shard, memories threatening to rise up as something thick lodged in her throat. “Okay,” she whispered, then nodded. “Anything out of the ordinary, I’ll call asap. No problem.”

“Thank you,” Zelda wrapped her up in a hug, voice low as she continued. “I’m sorry for asking. It’s just, hard to explain with words.”

Mikaela returned the hug, hand clutching the shard tightly.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: College Shenanigans

Carrying just one box, Zelda counted the door numbers until she reached her designated ones. Her roommate was called Leonardo Ponce de Léon Spitz, but she supposed he probably liked to shorten his name for day-to-day use, considering how much of a mouthful his name was.

That was the only thing she knew. There was no face to put to his name, not what he was studying, nothing. Just a name.

The moment she stepped into the room, Zelda was met with…a sight. She had to do a double take in all honestly.

It was an unorganised mess with partly unpacked boxes—like a tornado had swept through. Clothes were strewn, power cords abundant, and—a pile of kitten calendars on the floor? All of the room on one side was like an utter war zone. The other side, clearly hers, had been left untouched like a straight line down the centre of the room.

Zelda blinked, how…thoughtful?

She hoped this Leonardo was simply unpacking and wasn't actually this messy because otherwise, they would be having words.

Then she spotted several conspiracy photos and posters that were being pinned to the wall.

Area 51. Drug Pharmacies. Presidential assassinations…Yikes. Big yikes. What was Zelda getting herself into? But this in and of itself was rather amusing, all things considered. The bots were sure to get a laugh out of this.

Then, from the open door leading to the next room, an unfamiliar voice spoke.

"Hey, Zelda, right?" he tried for a casually flirty. "How can I help us get better acquainted, chica?"

Zelda turned to the guy, amused. "Leonardo, yes?"

He grinned, leaning on the doorframe in an attempt to appear cool. "Leonardo Ponce de Léon Spitz at your service but I better prefer Leo," he winked. "Better on the tongue."

"Right," she drawled. "Well, Leo, since we're going to be roommates, I'm inclined to say no more flirting. Mostly because I'm twenty-six, and you look like you graduated high school last year."

"Two years ago," he protested as if that was better. It wasn't.

Zelda shuddered at the thought of dating anyone more than two years younger than her.

"So you're twenty? Still too young, mate."

Leo sighed, visibly wilting. Clearly, he didn't have much luck with women. Poor guy.

"Besides, bad etiquette trying to hook up with your roommate, lots of issues there," Zelda warned. "Please keep that in mind."

To be fair, Leo wasn't unattractive, but he wasn't what people would call a "looker" either. He was almost olive-skinned, Zelda guessed one parent might be of a different heritage, but still passing for Spanish descent. His hair was dark and curly. His brows a bit thick but not messy. He clearly tried to keep himself healthy too but not actually work out. His eyes were a beautiful shade of green too.

She laughed when he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, shuffling the box to one hand to offer the other. "Nice to meet you, Leo."

"You too." Leo grinned, shaking it. Then he asked: "You a techie?"

Humouring him, Zelda nodded. "A bit. When your friend is a genius with that sort of thing, you tend to get drawn into it all."

Leo laughed like he knew exactly what Zelda meant. She supposed Leo did when he led her next door.

Next door was another dorm room. The two doors were usually locked but presently unlocked on both sides to allow access. Inside the room, besides the beds and move-in boxes, were two desks with high-grade computer setups.

Leo pointed to the closest guy, "This is Sharksky," then to the second guy, "Fassbinder. These two are my IT gurus."

Sharksky was a man of colour and clean-shaven. There wasn't anything noteworthy about him, much like Fassbinder, who was a long-haired brunet with an extended goatee and rectangular glasses.

"So boys, where we at?" Leo asked.

Sharksky piped up first with a grin. "Server's almost online, Leo."

"Network's up and running," Fassbinder chimed in with.

Leo clapped his hands, grinning as he rubbed them together. "Beautiful, that's what I like to hear. Welcome to my empire, chica, The-Real-Effing-Deal-dot-com. That's me. I'm sure you've heard of it."

Zelda blinked. "No, I haven't."

Fassbinder muttered, "Well, that sucks."

Zelda leaned down beside Sharksky to get a closer look at what this site was precisely—and considering what covered Leo's walls, she wasn't all that surprised to learn it was a conspiracy site. There were all sorts of things on the page, but the most notable were images of the bots. Yikes. Mission City too with some Cons. Double yikes. There were some from all over the world taken by random bystanders.

I guess there's more out there than I originally thought, Zelda tilted her head.

Standing up straight, Zelda moved closer to Leo, who was leaning over his own computer, fingers zipping across the keyboard. She rested beside the central tower for all the computers in an nonchalant motion.

"So, what is all this for?" Zelda asked, distracting the man as she slipped a hand behind her, gently resting it on the tower and letting minimal amounts of the AllSpark's power seep through her to draw on the information stored on the hard drive.

Before Leo could answer her, Fassbinder pipped up. "Leo! We got some brand-new Shanghai vid!"

Even with her attention focused on the information playing to her like a reel of film—she was looking for familiar faces, ones that could be identified in leading back to NEST and compromise them and their families—Zelda could hear the terrified cries from the video, understanding what the voices were saying as they fled and felt her stomach churn with guilt.

Leo was at the man's side in seconds. "Post it, baby! Go, go, go! FTJ! FTJ!"

"Oh, it's cleeean," Fassbinder cried excitedly.

Zelda blinked, nonplussed. "What's FTJ?"

"Fuel the jet. Fuel the jet, bro," Leo whispered, far more engaged in the video. Zelda slowly released AllSpark's power, letting it settle once more. She watched the video as explosions and people fled, worrying her bottom lip.

Fassbinder continued to ramble. "FTJ. FTJ! Legit! Did you see that? Did you see that?"

Leo turned to Zelda with a pointed glance. "Look at this. Half of Shanghai gets wrecked and China says gas leak. Don't believe the hype, chica."

Sharksky spoke up: "Just like the alien robots in LA two years ago that everyone covered up."

Zelda, with all her years of training, didn't falter at Sharksky's words. Instead, she merely turned towards him.

Fassbinder, seeing her look, grinned. "Yeah, I saw these robots, and they did this, like, firing thing and they came down and there was this woman they were chasing! And she was like—"

Zelda grimaced for a number of reasons. "That would be pretty hard to hide if there were massive alien robots or whatever."

Fassbinder groaned. "Woman, it's not fake. The internet is pure truth."

Right.

"Yeah," Sharksky easily agreed.

Zelda cocked a brow because that was not true, and that was a fact.

Fassbinder sniffed, jaded by Zelda's lack of belief. "Video doesn't lie."

"Right," Zelda nodded, being impartial on the whole thing because this was all really ironic.

Fassbinder continued to ramble: "No, man, I've seen them. They're, like, these robots—shit! Leo, bad news! We just got scooped. The video's already up on GFR."

Leo cursed. "Damn it, 'Binder!"

He rushed to Fassbinder's side and then grimaced. "Ugh, Robo-Warrior. The guy's our main competition on conspiracy stuff. Effing was my effing idea and he stole it! He's been linking to my site and thieving hits forever."

"Sounds tough," Zelda hummed, edging back toward the doorway and into her room, intending to leave them to sort their problem out. Thankfully, Jazz chose that moment to stick his head into the room with a grin.

"Hey, sweetspark."

"Jazz," Zelda crooned in greeting, resting a hand on his arm and with another flare, fed him the information she had found.

Jazz's eyes flickered, his smile never faltering. If anything, it widened as she felt his amusement. "Quite the roommate you have."

Zelda gave a fond roll of her eyes.

"Chica?" Leo had followed her out, leaning on the door frame much as he had at her arrival.

"Leo!" Zelda whirled around to face the man. "I'd like you to meet my brother in everything but blood, Jazz."

As they gave their greetings, Zelda nabbed the box Jazz was holding to set on her bed—which she would not be using. Zelda had brought her hammock because there was no way she would be sleeping on a bed.

"Where are the twins?" Zelda asked, noticing their absence. She had expected Sunstreaker and Sideswipe to appear before Jazz.

Jazz sniggered. "They got caught up, unfortunately. Poor boys are too attractive for their own good."

Zelda arched an intrigued eyebrow, a playful smile dancing on her lips as she envisioned the amusing scene of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker being enthusiastically surrounded by a gaggle of college girls.

"Best go save them then," Zelda mused and hurried out of the room, ignoring the strange niggle at the image that presented itself. She refused to touch it with a ten-foot pole.

Jazz followed after her with a poorly covered laugh.

Finding the twins trying and failing to approach the building was funny. Yet, the humour turned slightly sour for Zelda as she observed the girls clustered around the twins, their laughter ringing out a bit too loud and their gestures becoming increasingly bold and intrusive. It was as if they believed they had a right to invade the twins' personal space, and Zelda felt a flicker of protectiveness bubbling up inside her.

Sunstreaker, clearly uncomfortable, shifted from foot to foot, trying to project an air of indifference while his expression betrayed him. The corners of his mouth turned up in a strained smile, but his eyes darted nervously between the girls and his brother. He had grown accustomed to the antics of the guys back at base, where their camaraderie brought an easy going familiarity he could tolerate, but Sunstreaker wasn't the most physical of Cybertronians.

Sideswipe was trying hard to be polite, but the effort made the interaction feel strained and awkward.

Sunstreaker's head had snapped up as Zelda stepped out of the dorm building and she felt a flash of relief/help/what-do-I-do?

Zelda bit back a smile, come-to-me/firm/intent.

It was the best she could portray without literal words since the bonds she shared weren't technically real spark bonds Cybertronians shared. She hoped the emotions were enough for him to understand what she was trying to portray.

Sideswipe beat him to it.

"Zelda!" he cheered the moment he spotted her, almost shoving through the girls and sweeping her up by the waist. Zelda laughed as he spun her around, and when back on her feet, Sideswipe pressed a kiss to her temple.

Sunstreaker basically materialised beside them, his face not giving anything away, but she felt his relief. Zelda copied Sideswipe and brought Sunstreaker in for a cheek peck.

"You two okay? I was wondering where you'd gotten to," she teased, not at all subtlety peering around them at the girls with a cocked brow. They didn't look too pleased but scattered without protest.

"Miracle worker," Sunstreaker muttered, returning the cheek kiss with a temple one.

"Yeah, they wouldn't leave us alone," Sideswipe huffed, watching the girls go about their ways. "We weren't that big of a fan of attention back on Cybertron, but it feels wrong coming from humans."

Zelda offered an apologetic smile. "Unfortunately, it just seems there's another thing our people have in common."

"Ain't you three just such cuties," Jazz drawled playfully.

"Jazz," Sunstreaker groaned as Sideswipe flustered.

Zelda herself laughed lightly at the teasing, ignoring the flutter of her heart.

Sideswipe finally gathered himself, clearing his holoform's throat. "You ditched us! Not cool."

Zelda turned to Jazz, brow cocked, and Jazz just grinned. "Not my fault you let yourself get surrounded like that."

Sunstreaker, oh-so unimpressed, glowered.

"Let's go get the rest of the stuff," Zelda said, playing mediator and nudged Sideswipe with a smile.

Thankfully, Jazz reframed from teasing the twins any further and Zelda breathed a sigh of relief.

With the limited stuff that Zelda brought with her and the number of helping hands, all her boxes were brought up that one time. Zelda introduced the twins to Leo, who was not so subtly intimidated by them, and Sunstreaker played into it, earning a squeak from Leo as Sunstreaker threatened him about keeping to himself.

Zelda pulled him away by his ear, scolding him for scaring Leo. Sideswipe laughed, assuring Leo that Sunstreaker meant no harm and that he was playing. Totally just playing.

"How long have you three been together?" Leo asked Zelda as they reached the dorm entrance.

Zelda stopped, and Leo almost walking into her because of it.

"What?" she whirled around to face him in confusion. "Together? Who?"

Leo stared at Zelda for a moment before laughing, face full of disbelief. "Sorry, sorry, I assumed."

"Okay?" she blinked and carried on when people arrived needing to use the door.

Honestly…

Zelda was promptly distracted by ridiculously familiar laughter. She turned to see Judy carrying an empty ziplock bag while Ron and Sam panicked and rushed after her. Seeing that her family needed some assistance, she excused herself to come to their recuse.

Zelda caught Sam's eye as she gently wrapped an arm around her aunt's waist. "Hey Judy, what have you been getting up to?"

"Zelda!" Judy beamed. "There you are!"

"Here I am," Zelda played along with a soft laugh. "Have fun with the hippy crowd on your cheat day?"

Zelda easily took the bag and inspected it. She didn't even need to bring it up to her nose to catch a whiff of the former contents. Zelda withheld a grimace. Whoever made them did not cheap out.

"I feel great!" Judy sang and happily let Zelda lead her towards Ron's car.

"I bet you do, Auntie Judy, and you're gonna feel great for the next several hours or so," Zelda teased, sparing a glance towards her uncle, who opened the passenger car with a grin. Judy happily climbed into the car, and as Ron closed it, Zelda turned to him. "She'll get pretty hungry soon, and make sure she's got some water on hand."

"You're a lifesaver. You know that, right?" Ron sighed happily.

Zelda laughed, offering him a brief hug before patting a relieved Sam on the shoulder.

Leo whistled. "That's some skill you have."

With a snort, Zelda waved a hand towards Leo. "Sam, this is my roommate Leo. Leo, this is my cousin Sam."

Leo gave Sam a once-over. "You a techie?"

Zelda sighed, realising Leo was about to rehash his own greeting with her. Instead, she turned to find the twins and Jazz waiting by their bodies, all wearing looks of varying amusement.

"Cheat day, huh?" Sideswipe grinned when she was close enough.

With a groan and a shove to his arm, Zelda pulled him in for a hug. "I hate you."

"No, you don't," Sideswipe chimed smugly.

"Right," she drawled and promptly released him from the hug to get to Sunstreaker, earning a pout at the cut-short affection. Sunstreaker happily pulled her close, sending his twin a smirk. Zelda pressed a kiss to his cheek for extra emphasis, making the red twin whine as Zelda turned her attention to Jazz.

"As you already know, Optimus will be assigning Bumblebee as your Guardian," Jazz explained once they pulled back from their hug.

Zelda grinned at the reminder, excited after Bumblebee's pouting yesterday. "Gonna give him all the cuddles."

"What? No!" Sideswipe whined, hugging Zelda from behind and holding her to his chest. "That's not fair!"

But Zelda merely laughed evilly. "Suffer."

Sunstreaker sniggered.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: Unnerving Dreams

She felt hazy and uncentred as she watched the scene play out before her.

It had been almost a month since Zelda had been within what she termed her dreamscape—visions of places she had never seen, places that defied every rule of existence as she understood it. She saw such beautiful things but also horrendous death and destruction too.

Yet, nothing quite like this.

Zelda pondered the sheer absurdity of seeing a sizeable robotic cat. The otherworldly panther lacked nothing in form; there were no shadows to mask its frame, which so often made up the Cybertronians that plagued her normal dreamscape.

The panther—Ravage, some deep innate part of her mind supplied, which was odd as often designations eluded her—was a sleek being of twelve feet from nose to tail tip, every inch of her form serving a deadly purpose from the dagger-like teeth and talons for claws to the curve of her plating to allow for speed unlike anything Zelda had seen.

She watched with poorly contained awe as the panther coiled her body and leapt the ten-foot high fence without an inch of effort.

Zelda quickly realised, as her ghostly presence moved without her input to follow Ravage, that she was linked with this deadly panther. Had she been there in person, Zelda knew intimately the fear she would feel, yet none of that was present, merely awe.

"What are you here for?" she asked the air, her voice soft in growing confusion. Zelda recognised this not as Cybertron but Earth. A dawning realisation came just as quickly.

This wasn't a dream.

This was happening right now.

Panic replaced her awe. This had never happened before. Zelda had never seen anything at present before.

Ravage moved with purpose, akin to a choreographed dancer. She ran across the field towards the man-made bunker. Upon reaching a ventilation pipe, she drew to a stop and swiped the topper off where it rolled helplessly across the sand.

Zelda could only watch in growing horror as Ravage elevated herself above the vent and opened a compartment on her chassis. Something on a wire dropped into the vent. Suddenly, for several stomach-churning moments, Zelda plumped beneath the earth, glimpsing what lay below—bombs, warheads and more weapons of mass destruction than she could ever begin to comprehend.

Finally, on sublevel two, Zelda stared at the object on the edge of the wire. A—cassette tape?

No, Zelda watched as the tape unfolded and expanded into a minicon. His armour was deep blueish purple and silver. His name came to her: Rumble.

But what hit Zelda next was the deep agony that Rumble was in. Zelda can't stop the jolt of shared pain, reaching out to understand why.

He was a twin.

Frenzy's twin.

For a beat, Zelda saw visions of the form Frenzy once held before coming to Earth and replacing it with his compressed form. Suddenly, it made much more sense—the pain, the twitchiness. Had Rumble not been bonded to others, the loss of Frenzy would have offlined him.

But Zelda wasn't here to sympathise with Decepticons. She watched as Rumble approached the glass cylinder and, for a dumbfounding moment, couldn't comprehend what she was seeing.

Then it hit her at once.

"Fuck!"

Instincts dedicated her fruitless attempt at grabbing Rumble to stop him as he skilfully sliced the glass. But incorporeal as she was, Zelda could do nought as Rumble reached in, not bothering with avoiding the sensors and plucked the AllSpark shard from its stand with a pleased grin.

The alarm began blaring and red lights flashed.

Zelda swiped her hand as if to snatch the shard from him, but all she felt was a trickle of ancient power along her senses—an awareness of the rudimentary link she harboured with the lone shard.

Rumble shuddered, and Zelda froze, hand mid-attempt at grabbing again. She watched as he clutched the shard closely. "Boss? Shard acquired."

"=Understood,=" a monotone but rumbling deep voice responded. Zelda knew that she would not be hearing that voice under normal circumstances. "=Phase One complete. Rumble and Ravage: return to base.="

Zelda floated uselessly as Rumble attached himself back to the wire, collapsing into his cassette form for Ravage to bring him up.

The alarm continued to blare in her ears for a moment longer, but they soon faded as she was drawn back up to the surface and dragged along as Ravage began her escape. Zelda averted her gaze from the panther, desperately ignoring the intense desire to form a connection boiling deep inside.

She was left with a swelling sense of dread as she watched the duo escape and can't help but wonder: if phase one was complete, what was phase two?

Fuck, she needed to speak with Optimus.

In such a public setting, academia was something Zelda still wasn't sure what to make of yet. Having been privately tutored all her life because she and the rest of the D.A.A couldn't exactly go to regular schools, Zelda had never known what an elementary or high school was like.

It was something of an acquired taste—something Zelda was determined to get used to because she was here for a reason. Zelda can't recall the last time she had been surrounded by so many civilians like this for such a long period of time. A mission maybe? Probably the New Zealand, Auckland MECH mission, and that spanned five months in o'five. So, awhile.

Coming up for a month and two weeks this Saturday, Zelda still wasn't sure what to make of it.

There were lots on her mind.

Leo was under the impression that college was the best thing to happen to him but primarily because of the women. He had already managed to go through two girls, but Zelda knew it was only because he promised to do their assignments in exchange, which no comment from Zelda, but…

Leo could do better. Seriously. Zelda would be the first to admit that sex meant very little to her—she'd only had it once, and even then, despite it being with Adan, they were mostly curious about it rather than eager and Zelda found she cared little for it—but Zelda knew the girls were taking advantage of Leo.

This new one, the third, had been around for close to a week now. Whether she was stringing him along or not, Zelda had no idea, but for Leo's sake, she hoped not. Zelda had no desire to meet this new girl. Alicia? Alice?

But besides Leo's turbulent love life, Leo and his posse often stayed in the rooms, and so Zelda found her peace and quiet in the library. It was a nice place to study and soothe her cluster headaches when they decided to make themselves known.

Thankfully, she hadn't had any attacks since the Witwicky household, and Zelda had never been more thankful. If the headaches were a trade-off, then so be it. Zelda would nurse some migraines so long as she wasn't freaking the fuck out in places civilians could find her.

Kneading her temple, Zelda glanced at her watch and noted she had ten or so minutes until Bumblebee arrived to pick her up for a meeting with Optimus. The Autobots had a mission on this side of the states, and Optimus wanted to use the chance to speak with her about something. He had been vague, and Zelda could already guess it had to do with the stolen AllSpark shard.

The dream had haunted her for a week straight now, and all Zelda felt was a sense of dawning dread, especially since she was still dreaming of nonsensical present-day things, which seemed to take the place of the vicious flashing of symbols.

Her fingers itched to call Mikaela and ask about the other shard Zelda had found. It was dead, empty and useless. If the Decepticons did, Primus forbid, get their servos on it, then it would just be a piece of scrap which was a relief but meant Mikaela would be in harm's way.

With a sigh, Zelda made a note to call Mikaela after she met with Optimus. She didn't like knowing Mikaela was valuable like that. If something happened…

Packing her bag, Zelda stood and made her exit from the library, nodding to the librarian in passing.

It was easy to spot Bumblebee, and Zelda smiled when she saw his holoform in the driver's seat, grinning excitedly.

Bumblebee made it seem like they hadn't seen each other in weeks when Zelda literally saw him two days ago for a night drive. She felt guilty knowing he wasn't getting much in the way of personal interactions besides over the comms with the bots because he was acting as her Guardian.

Slipping into the passenger seat, Zelda offered a warm smile. "Hi, sweetpea."

"Zelda." Bumblebee reached over for a hug. Who is Zelda to deny her brother?

With a kiss to his temple, Zelda drew back. "Ready when you are, Bee."

He laughed and drove off.

Bumblebee doesn't take her far, only half an hour out to an old graveyard.

Pulling herself from Bumblebee's interior, Zelda climbed the embankment towards Optimus, who knelt upon her approach.

"Hey, boss-bot," she greeted warmly. "Not that I don't want to see you, but what's with the sudden meeting? Is it something that couldn't be done over the phone?"

Optimus cycled his vents. "No, not securely. Theodore Galloway has proven he is ill-fitted for the duties of his position. There is much animosity between him and us, and he is doing all that he can to pry a rift. We believe he is at fault for the Decepticons learning the location of the shard via his first introduction with General Morshower where he revealed both the shard and Megatron's location."

"Fuck," she hissed, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes in frustration. Zelda knew immediately where Optimus was taking this and wanted to scream in frustration. "Optimus—"

"He is pulling funding out of NEST and has already disbanded many of the human teams." His words lacked inflexion, but Zelda could feel the irritation, maybe even distaste—she was hesitant to call it hate because this was Optimus—through their shared bond. "He believes there is no imminent danger to mankind, despite the influx of Decepticon activity as of late and the now stolen shard."

Zelda slumped against his leg, fingers finding crevices to clutch. They both knew she knew what Optimus was asking.

This course was important for her future, but what good would it be if Galloway got his way of shutting down N.E.S.T? Fuck. Okay. The Autobots are more important.

"Give me—give me a week," she breathed.

Optimus curled his servo around her, secure and reassuring.

"I know you wish to remain—"

"But this is important, and my wants aren't paramount if your lives are in danger." Zelda lifted her head, instinctively leaning her weight onto Optimus's servo, where he gently scooped her up just like he had thousands of times before.

"Your desires are important, dear one," Optimus rumbled, voice and spark both stressing his words, and Zelda chuckled a tad bit wetly. These bastards knew how to pry Zelda's barriers she had skilfully erected down like it was nothing. After so long of promising never to get attached, to never get emotionally involved, it was thrown out the window the moment Zelda had met them.

"But not when their significance pales in comparison to yours," Zelda countered, her eyes blazing as she stood her ground. She refused to let Optimus prevail in this verbal duel. Zelda projected the weight of her conviction to ensure Optimus truly knew the extent of her resolve.

Optimus, ever the stoic leader, paused for a moment, considering her words. He cycled his vents with a soft hiss, the sound a mechanical sigh that reflected both recognition and respect. He lowered his chin slightly, a subtle gesture that conveyed his acknowledgement.

"I'll get my things together, and message me a date. I've gotta deal with administration." Zelda continued, sliding off Optimus's servo when he lowered it enough. Her thoughts were already running through everything she needed to do and prepare for.

"I am sorry, Zelda," he rumbled.

It was Zelda's turn to sigh as she gave him a pointed glance. "Seriously, Optimus."

As Zelda walked toward Bumblebee, a wave of emotions washed over her. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the graveyard as she approached the sleek, yellow Autobot. With a mechanical whir, Bumblebee opened the passenger door, inviting her inside. Zelda hesitated for a moment, turning back to take one last look at Optimus behind her.

Optimus Prime continued to kneel among the tombstones, his towering figure shrouded in the fading light. He remained silent, the weight of the moment heavy on his shoulders. Inside, a storm of thoughts churned within him as he reflected on the loss—not just of Zelda's education, which she had eagerly anticipated, but of her autonomy, her dreams, and the human future that seemed to slip further away with each passing day.

As Bumblebee drove off, the sound of his engine fading into the distance, Optimus could only gaze after them, a sense of sorrow enveloping him. The graveyard, with its silent stones, echoed his thoughts, reminding him that sometimes dreams were buried far too early.

Ravage was counting down the nano-kliks until they arrived at their desired location. Silent and ever watchful of the organics that worked upon this freight carrier, Ravage also made sure to watch the riffraff Constructicons to make sure they didn't act out.

Why her pride-master deemed these Decepticons worthy of accompanying Ravage is beyond her, but she says nought, for pride-master knows best.

He chose these combiners for a reason, whatever it may be, she thought loftily, wanting to get Lord Megatron's revival over with already so that she may return to her pride. Or what was left after so long of fighting. After losing Buzzsaw and Ratbat, losing Frenzy…

Rumble was barely holding on after losing his spark-twin.

Ravage hoped pride-master managed to locate Frenzy's frame so that they may bring him back too. Lord Megatron would never deny pride-master that request, not after so long as friends. Not after all that pride-master had done for Lord Megatron.

The feline can't help but let her thoughts wander—would this shard of the old AllSpark casing retain enough power after Lord Megatron's revival, or would they need to acquire the organic named Zelda Larsson, new host to their beloved AllSpark?

Her spark churns in its casing. Ravage wished to pace with her straying thoughts.

Focus, Ravage reminded herself, you can worry about such later.

With a ping from pride-master, Ravage finally transformed, shaking off the stiffness in her joints as she allowed her pride-master's voice to echo from her speakers. "Decepticons, disembark."

In the ambience of the freight carrier, the noise of once innocently parked construction vehicles transforming went unnoticed by the organics that manned the vessel.

Ravage was last to leap over the ship's edge, diving into the depths below.

The Mariana Trench, the deepest place on this planet, was just over eleven thousand meters. The deepest part of the trench, the Challenger Deep, was beyond human capabilities. They wouldn't dare even to attempt such, not when it descended to dangerous pressure, staggering depths where there was no sound nor light, only darkness so encompassing it would drive even the sanest to insanity.

And they descended into that inky void in search of their Lord.

Ravage prowled along the sea floor towards the immobile frame coated in organic matter and life. A single glance at the Constructicons prompted them to use their beams, lighting up the area once scouting had been completed.

Ejecting Scalpel from her frame, the tiny spider-like Cybertronian scuttled across Megatron's frame. He examined, crawling inside their leader's prone body to understand the damage done.

Finally, he reappeared and commanded cruelly: "Need parts! Kill the little one!"

The three larger Constructicons turned on their smallest comrade and ripped him apart, the smaller's cries of agony going unheard by all except those present.

Ravage turned her nose up at such disloyalty. Honestly, Decepticons these stellar cycles!

Scalpel turned to Ravage. "The shard! Give me the shard!"

Despite snorting at such a demanding tone, Ravage ejected the shard she had been asked to guard. Scalpel snatched it up, dancing merrily towards the gaping hole in their Lord's chassis.

The doctor crooned at the shard, caressing it gently in reverent worship. "You will help us, won't you, little one?"

Though he spoke to the shard, all present knew it was not what those words were aimed at. The shard was merely a vessel through which to conduct the AllSpark, drawing power from Its new host, the Autobots' precious human.

Scalpel jammed the AllSpark into the depths of Megatron's chest, using his rudimentary connection with the AllSpark—something all Cybertronians had—to encourage the power to unleash and resurrect the frame of their deceased leader.

It sparked, an ethereal blue erupting from Megatron's chassis and lighting up the encompassing darkness in a way it had never seen before and never would again. A clawed servo twitched, clenched, and Megatron lurched to life, gaping wound sealing itself shut, plates adjusting and repairing and blazing bloody red optics onlined once more.

Processor clear in ways Megatron hadn't felt in several earthen millenniums, his last moments before deactivation flashed through him in an astrosecond.

He grinned.

It ripped and pulled violently through her, dragging Zelda from her fitful sleep. It was like someone had shoved their hand inside her chest and held her heart in hand, squeezing slowly as she convulsed silently, leaving her roommate mere feet away undisturbed.

A deep, all-knowing part of her, as much as she didn't wish it to be true, knew what had just taken place and feared so heavily that she couldn't do anything but pass out in pain, his designation on the tip of her tongue but goes unspoken.

Megatron.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five:  Death Throes

Leo was hovering over her in an almost restless manner, and it was beginning to drive Zelda absolutely bonkers. She had always been particular about personal space, allowing only a select few to invade it without causing her frustration. One of those few was long gone, beyond the reach of life itself, while the others were miles away. Each time he gave an aborted motion to get closer, she felt a surge of irritation rise within her, amplifying the agitation she was already feeling.

Peering out from under her blanket to glare at the nervous-looking Leo, Zelda let out a weary sigh. "I'm fine. You have that date, remember? Can't keep her waiting."

Frowning, Leo fiddled with his phone. "I could cancel. I'm sure Alice would understand."

"Leo," Zelda stressed, bordering exasperated and not the fond kind. "Your hovering isn't helping either of us."

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly, shifting his weight from one foot to another. He nodded, looking more as if he were trying to convince himself.

"Good. Now go have fun, doofus," Zelda shot him a smirk, and Leo snorted.

"But if you do need something—"

"Call you," Zelda interrupted. "I know, okay? Now go."

Leo lingered in the doorframe for a moment before leaving, clicking the door softly closed behind him.

Zelda let out a relieved sigh as she savoured the peaceful silence of her dorm room. The two guys who worked with Leo in the adjoining room had left for the day, which meant that there was no noise coming from that side to disrupt her thoughts. To her other side, there was no one at all; the unique layout of the building meant that her dorm was situated in a protrusion, creating a cosy isolation. As she snuggled into her hammock, the peacefulness enveloped her like a warm blanket, offering a rare moment of tranquillity.

Perfect.

Then her comm chirped.

Fuuuuck.

Zelda reached for the scarring and opened her comm line, giving an ambiguous grunt in greeting.

"=Optimus and Bumblebee are on their way back to retrieve you, dear spark=" Ratchet spoke softly and Zelda gave a weary sigh. Even if the volume on the commlink was lower than normal, it was still embedded within her head.

"=Did they get all the way back to the airstrip?=" Zelda frowned. "=That's quite the distance.="

"=No, they only got halfway before being alerted to your distress. Megatron's last confirmed location after his rise was the hemisphere before the satellite went dark. We suspect Soundwave's involvement in covering the Decepticons' movements.="

Zelda shuddered, reminded of her dreams, reminded of Rumble's pain. Then came memories of Mission City.

("Is it fear or courage that compels you?" Megatron asked with a tilt of his head.)

("MINE! My AllSpark!")

(For what felt like forever passed by in seconds. It was silent, every other sound faded out in the background, and Zelda sucked in a breath, her ears ringing with white noise. She blinked slowly, watching as Megatron's optics, locked with hers, flickered and darkened. He fell backwards with a thundering sound, dead.)

"=Ratchet…=" Zelda's voice wavered as she tucked herself beneath the comforter more as though it would protect her from the outside world.

"=We will not allow any harm to befall you, dear spark=" Ratchet soothed in that voice that made Zelda sigh, sinking into her hammock. "=We will all be there soon. Just focus on recovering and don't use any of the AllSpark's power unless absolutely necessary, do you understand? Your body can only take so much before it begins to give out.="

"=It hurts=" she whimpered.

Zelda had experienced worse pain, but there was something distinctly different about this ache. It sunk into her marrow and coiled in her joints. Her heart had been beating with an unsteady rhythm since she had awakened after Megatron's revival, and it refused to settle.

But that wasn't all. No, faintly, near inconceivably, Zelda could feel him. Feel Megatron.

It had been like when she became the AllSpark—that instant connection to the Autobots, then with Jazz when she brought him back, unlike with the Triplets or the Bumper Twins, whom she needed to initiate the bond with when they arrived on Earth.

The connection with Megatron was forged the instant the potent energy of the AllSpark had been harnessed to bring him back to life. It was strikingly different to the way Jazz's bond had suddenly come to life, overflowing with a whirlwind of emotions. There were plenty of reasons why—it wasn't Zelda directly resurrecting him and there was a great distance between them as he was brought back…

But that didn't matter to Zelda. No. It was because she longs. Zelda longed so much. The bonds were her damnation, for as much as she adored the connection that bound her to the Autobots, it now bound her to Megatron too.

It was a far-off sensation, damped by distance and would be unlikely to strengthen unless they were within close quarters for an extended period of time. But it was like navigating through dense fog and wading through thick mud even trying to traverse the sensation. Zelda shied away despite the deep innate longing because this mech was someone who had torn his home world asunder in a corrupted belief for freedom. He had tried to do the same with her home.

What had once started as a wish for betterment became twisted after being slighted one time too many. He turned on those who also wished to help when they disagreed, and he turned on his brother when Orion Pax was named Optimus Prime.

"=I know=" Ratchet's voice was sympathetic. They both knew there was little that could be done. Not when she was so far away from them. His next words were full of love. "=Just a few more joors. Try and rest for now, Zelda.="

She gave an agreeing hum because that sounded great right about now—anything to quiet her racing mind.

Zelda lay sprawled across her hammock, finding solace in the warmth of her blankets, which offered a brief respite from the relentless agony of the migraine pounding at her temples. Just as she began to drift off into a much-needed nap, the shrill chirp of her phone pierced the quiet of the room, shattering her momentary peace.

A surge of frustration bubbled up inside her at the second interruption and the urge to scream was overwhelming. Instead, she buried her face deep into the softness of her pillow, muffling her frustrated cries against the fabric as she tried to drown out the incessant sound in hopes it stopped. Each ring felt like a cruel reminder of the chaos awaiting her in the outside world, pulling her back from the fragile comfort of sleep she yearned for.

But the ringing persisted, and she felt a surge of frustration within her. With one swift motion, she reached for the phone on the bedside table, her fingers trembling slightly. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she pressed the accept button.

"Hello?" she croaked. Her voice sounded as terrible as she felt.

"Zelda? It's Mikaela."

Zelda's eyes widened, pulling back slightly to read the name. It really was Mikaela calling her. Holding the phone back to her ear, Zelda turned onto her back. "Kaela, is something the matter?"

"I just drove onto the campus. What dorm are you in?"

What. What?

"What—never mind." Zelda hurriedly told her the building and room number. "Why are you here? Did something happen? Are you okay?"

"After our phone call the other day, I got some company," Mikaela huffed over the phone, almost breathless, as she began hurrying towards Zelda's dorm. "Some tiny minicon looking for the shard you gave me."

"Fuck," Zelda pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sorry, I didn't—I thought it would be safe because it was empty."

But Zelda had put Mikaela in so much danger if the shard could be used like the other piece. Guilt stewed thickly at the realisation.

"It's fine. You can explain more later, okay?"

"Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes," Zelda said, disconnecting the line.

Zelda swung herself from the confines of her hammock, the fabric swaying behind her. She moved with a sense of urgency, her hands trembling slightly as she began to dress. First, she secured a snug sports bra, the fabric elastic yet supportive, before slipping on a day old white t-shirt. Next, she reached for a lightweight mint green zip-up hoodie. The loose black trousers she chose were comfortable and fluid, allowing her to move with ease, while her feet slipped into the mismatched red and yellow Converse, a playful nod to Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, who had gifted them to her for her twenty-sixth birthday. With a few quick movements, she gathered her hair into a loose bun, carefully avoiding anything too tight, as she knew all too well that her head would protest such a decision.

Once Zelda had completed her hurried preparations, she settled on the edge of the hammock, her heart racing with anxiety. A wave of uncertainty washed over her. What had she been thinking, keeping such a crucial secret? Why hadn't she confided in Jazz about the shard? Why couldn't she tell him about the shard? The weight of her silence felt suffocating. Fear gnawed at her; she couldn't shake the thought that the Decepticons were on the hunt for the other shard with the intent to also channel the AllSpark through it. The implications of that possibility sent a shiver down her spine.

Shaking her head to dispel the swirling thoughts—speculating was futile, especially when Zelda lacked any concrete information on which to base her theories—she found herself in a state of restless anticipation. Each measured breath helped to steady her racing mind, but the tension clung to her shoulders, making her head swim.

To her bewilderment, the door creaked open, the lock clicking as the door began to swing open. Mikaela would have knocked. The only reasonable person would be—

"Leo, you better not…" Zelda began to groan but stopped when she spotted who it actually was.

…a woman. An unfamiliar woman at that, and Zelda can only stare in confusion.

"Who…?"

The young woman who had entered the room, letting the door slide closed behind her, was attractive enough to be a model. She was lightly tanned with beach blonde hair. Her eyes were a striking greyish blue and perfectly outlined in black. She was wearing a very short blue summer dress that barely covered her butt and bohemian heels, which added another few inches to her already towering and willowy height.

"I'm Alice," the girl spoke, smiling coyishly.

"Leo's Alice?" she questioned with a hint of incredulousness at this weird situation.

Zelda earned herself a sultry look in response, and she wanted to barf. Partly because Zelda wasn't that overly interested in women and partly because her stomach was churning nauseously.

"Are you looking for him because he left half an hour or so ago looking for you?"

The way the woman looked at Zelda triggered alarm bells in her head, and the tremble in her hands worsened. She clenched her fists to stop the trembling.

"I had to see you." Alice took a step forward. "I don't want Leo."

Ah, it turned out Zelda had been spot-on all along. Alice was, in fact, just like the other girls Leo had been involved with, but this time, the reasons were markedly different. Yikes.

"Please get the hell out of my room."

Alice giggled, the noise sounding oddly sinister to Zelda. The woman moved forward again until only three steps were between them. Zelda's head span, the corners of her vision speckled. Something was wrong.

The taller woman looked down slowly as though sizing Zelda up. She watched the corner of her lips twitch, and when Alice looked up, Zelda saw red in the woman's eyes instead of blue. "Organics are always so pathetically stupid."

"You—" Zelda blanched, her attempt to scramble back failing as Alice tackled her to the floor. Alice's hands grasped the length of Zelda's throat, quickly revealing familiar Cybertronian metal.

Zelda choked as Alices sneered down at her, straddling her waist. No leg flailing would buck the Decepticon off her.

"Poor little human. Lord Megatron's revival must have drained you of so much energy." The Decepticon's fists tightened, and Zelda's hands scratched against the jagged mechanical wrists in a desperate attempt to pull the Pretender off, but she couldn't find purchase. "It was pathetically easy to get so close without you knowing, but that was the plan."

Zelda wheezed, spots dancing across her vision, a leg kicked helplessly. Alice's optics gleamed maliciously at her. "Lord Megatron needs you, little AllSpark. Just make this easier for yourself and sleep."

Sneering, Zelda used her last resort—the AllSpark's power.

Everything happened at once. An arguing Leo and Mikaela opened the door. Mikaela tensed, and Leo paled in horror. Alice began to regain her humanoid form. Zelda funnelled the AllSpark into Alice's chest.

Alice flew off her and into Zelda's chester drawer with a mechanical screech of pain.

Free, Zelda stumbled to her feet. "Move!"

Her knees buckled several times, but she caught herself each, snatching Leo by the shirt as they high-tail it out of the room. High-strung with adrenaline, Zelda became hyper-focused, leading Mikaela and Leo out of the building. Unfortunately, Leo turned and barrelled towards more populated areas like an idiot. Did he really think that would stop the Pretender?

"What the fuck was that?! Robots?" he hollered.

"Alien robots," Zelda snapped.

At his wide-eyed, incredulous look, she glared. "You wanted the real deal? Well congrats!"

With a firm grip on both Mikaela and Leo's elbows, Zelda guided them away from the bustling cafeteria and toward the quieter library. Their footsteps slapped loudly against the polished stone as they hurried up the staircase leading to the library's rear entrance. Once they reached the top, Zelda slowed her pace, motioning for Mikaela and Leo to do the same, her urgency giving way to a moment of caution.

They quickly scanned the expansive room, searching for a secluded corner where they could huddle together and catch their breath. As they settled down, the air around them felt dense, almost suffocating. Zelda felt a familiar wave of dizziness wash over her, her stomach churning ominously.

Mikaela's metal container gave muffled shouts, and Zelda spared it a blink. Said company Mikaela spoke about?

Zelda squinted toward the entrance they had just hurried through, her heart pounding as she scanned for any signs of the lurking Decepticon. She was aware that they must appear utterly absurd in their makeshift hiding spot behind some desks. Yet, in that tense moment, she couldn't muster even a flicker of self-consciousness. The weight of urgency pressed upon her; they had only five fleeting minutes before the Pretender would inevitably catch up to them.

"Okay, explain now?!" Leo panted with hints of hysteria. "When she didn't show up, I came back to the dorm, just—what's happening?"

"She's part of an alien race called Cybertronians. More accurately, she's part of a faction called Decepticons. Cybertronians can take the shape of whatever they want. Mostly, it's just machinery because of their robotic nature, but a select few can do more. Like mimicking organics," Zelda explained. She had never actually seen it happen before. Besides Rumble and Frenzy being able to compress their forms to incredibly small sizes, everything else was merely knowledge Zelda had come to harbour during her time with the Autobots.

And frag, the Decepticons really knew she was the AllSpark.

Realising she should have alerted the Autobots sooner, Zelda raised a finger to her scarring. "=Optimus? We've got a problem.="

"=What's happening?=" he questioned instantly.

"=Got jumped by a Pretender. They know I'm the AllSpark, and they want me for something.="

Zelda ignored Leo as he tried to question her. Mikaela, bless her, shut him up with a hiss of: "Be quiet."

"=Have you lost them? Are you injured? Bumblebee and I are still twenty-odd minutes out.=" Optimus's concern was audible. Zelda might not be able to feel them with such distances between them, but Zelda didn't need to feel them to know how concerned they were.

"=The rest of us are at most forty minutes out still, Prime=" Jazz added, an edge to his voice.

"=Don't have long until she finds us=" Zelda explained, mouth-filling with saliva for the impending upheaval. Shit.

Zelda doubled over, the muscles in her abdomen contracting violently as she struggled to expel the contents of her stomach. Her face paled, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and she gasped for breath between heaving. The sound of her retching echoed around her, stirring a wave of renewed concern as she struggled to regain control. Each convulsion seemed to drain her further, leaving her pale and visibly shaken.

"Zelda," Mikaela gasped, leaning over to help move Zelda away from her vomit.

"=Optimus, you need to hurry!=" Ratchet said, his voice strained with urgency. "=Zelda's in no condition to endure this any longer. She's too weak to fight back. We have no way of knowing how much more her body can withstand. At this rate, it could completely fail her.="

Just what she wanted to hear. She bit back a comment, knowing there was no time for that.

Then she heard it. "Shit."

The wall behind them erupted in a violent explosion, shards of concrete and plaster hurtling through the air like deadly projectiles. Leo's terrified scream pierced the chaos while Mikaela gasped in shock, instinctively ducking as a large piece of debris narrowly missed her. Panic surged in Zelda's chest as she scanned the wreckage around them and she sprang into action, her hands gripping their arms and pulling them up from the ground.

"We have to move!" she urged, her voice steady amidst the chaos. The three of them stumbled to their feet, adrenaline fuelling their desperate escape.

"=Get off campus immediately=" Optimus urged, his tone sharp and commanding. She felt a rush of adrenaline, mingled with worry for her friends, who ran close by, equally tense and alert.

She nodded in agreement as she took a deep breath, though she knew Optimus couldn't see her. The promise felt heavy on her shoulders.

"=Will do= " she acknowledged, closing the commlink with a shaky hand. Her head throbbed mercilessly, a pulsating migraine twisting at her temples, making it hard to think clearly.

The commlinks were invaluable in moments like these, but when combined with her current state, their practicality became a burden. She winced, attempting to steady herself, knowing she needed to focus. The campus felt too open, too vulnerable. Determined, she steeled herself to lead her group out of the chaotic scene, her mind racing with thoughts of safety and the impending threat around every corner.

"Lord Megatron is waiting, fleshling!" the Pretender crooned, firing off shots at the trio's retreating forms to stop them from escaping.

Mikaela surged forward, beckoning Zelda and Leo to follow. They trailed her through the dimly lit underpass, finally reaching a silver sedan. Panic flashed across Mikaela's face when she realised she couldn't find the keys. Without a moment's hesitation, Zelda stepped up, and with an inhuman burst of strength, she yanked open the passenger door and unlocked it from the inside.

As soon as it was unlocked, Mikaela wasted no time; she dropped into the driver's seat and began skilfully hotwiring the ignition, her fingers moving with urgency and precision. The car roared to life, and Mikaela put her skills to use, reversing and racing them from the parking lot, swerving around the franticly fleeing students.

Alice, half-way shifted between Human and Cybertronian, leapt onto the car bonnet, pummelling the front window.

"Run her down," Zelda ordered, hands braced on the door.

"With pleasure," Mikaela snarled, accelerating, hands tight on the stirring wheel as Leo's cries to stop were ignored.

With a flare of power, Zelda barely deactivated the airbag sensors with just enough time to avoid their activation. Mikaela sent the rented sedan into a light post at forty-four miles per hour, the Pretender between the bonnet and light post. Mikaela reversed and went forward again, dragging the dying Pretender under the car until she released the car and was run over.

"Okay, so what else don't I know? Since you guys forgot to mention some minor details!" Leo finally said something other than stop or oh god.

"Later," Zelda rasped, her voice barely above a whisper as she fought to fill her lungs with air. Each shallow breath was a battle. A tremor coursed through her limbs, threatening to spiral into full convulsions at any moment. The traumatic toll her body had endured pressed heavily upon her, and a panic began to rise in her throat—an instinctual dread that her body might betray her, shutting down in a desperate attempt to resist the relentless strain. The thought sent chills down her spine; she knew that would be catastrophic.

"What's wrong?" Leo asked, eyes wide. "Do we need to get you to a hos—"

"NO!" Zelda lurched. "No hospital. We'll just be risking others' safety. I have—"

Mikaela expertly skidded the car out of the way of a chopper, a massive one that dove out of the sky straight at them with the intent to capture.

How many of them were around here?

"Decepticon," Zelda choked out.

Mikaela's subsequent skid made the wheels squeal and the car tip precariously to one side, threatening to flip when a grappling claw tore through the roof like paper. Its claw opened, hooking, and then the car was lifted into the air.

After enduring relentless jolts and impacts, the passenger door finally succumbed to the wear and tear it had faced, creaking open with a defiant swing. Zelda tumbled as she struggled to get a grip. Her flesh-and-blood fingers clawed desperately at the shattered window frame, splinters biting into her skin. Realising the frailty of her human grip, she swiftly secured her prosthetic hand.

Just breathe, she reminded herself, don't look down.

"Zelda!" Mikaela shrieked, trying and failing to reach for her.

Leo, screaming "no, no, no!" in fear, couldn't do anything either.

The Decepticon swooped down and carefully transported the car to an old foundry warehouse nestled beside the languid river. This particular warehouse had long fallen into disrepair and stood as a silent testament to time, its weathered walls and rusted metalwork betraying at least a decade of neglect. Nature had begun to reclaim the space, with vines snaking through broken windows and the crumbling roof allowing the elements to seep in.

Fuck, is all Zelda can think.

The Decepticon lowered himself to an opening in one of the roofs before hovering. Then, he did as precisely as she had been suspected: he released the car.

It wasn't a fall that would kill them, but it was going to hurt. The car goes side first, crashing through the roof before tilting bonnet down. Zelda instantly released her hold on the door, knowing that fall would kill her. As the car tilted, colliding with Zelda, it pushed her towards the second-story landing, where she cried out from the brunt of the impact. Her arms covered her head, protecting it as best she could. Concrete was a bitch.

Rolling, Zelda came to a stop by the guardrail, the only thing stopping a second tumble.

She groaned breathlessly, but hearing Leo's scream jolted her. Zelda scrambled onto her side, wide eyes looking through the guardrail to catch a glimpse of Starscream and if he was here…

The faint bond was enough of a telling.

Megatron was as Zelda remembered him—several feet taller than Optimus with a broad and sharp frame. In the light that crept into the building, the mech's armour showed that he had not yet taken the time to properly repair the damage caused by spending so long at the bottom of the Challenger Deep, rusted and scratched. Some plant life still clung to him, leaving a smudge of colour on his otherwise silver colour palette.

Still, it took nothing from the horrifying vision he was. He was every child's monster under the bed. He would be the monster under her bed, too, if not for the fact that Ophiuchus was her own nightmare.

When their eyes met, Megatron grinned, revealing his sharp teeth.

"Hello, pet," he crooned at her, optics twinkling with sick amusement. He made a come-hither motion, curling a single digit with a broad, excited grin.

Zelda bared her teeth at the word. It was no doubt a rehash of their last encounter to mock her.

With a heave and support from the guardrail, Zelda struggled to her feet. She gasped for air, an arm clutching her stomach as she forced herself to move towards the stairway.

Starscream leered down at her from his spot as hostage holder. Leo and Mikaela were both face to face with his gun.

Megatron isn't a patient mech, and she should have known to move faster because the next moment, Zelda found herself clutched in his claws. A scream escaped, and Zelda couldn't be sure if it were the fear or pain, a momentary vision blinding pain.

Probably the latter.

To fight was useless, and Zelda hung limply, gasping for air in Megatron's servo. Her free hand instinctively clutched the thumb joint that connects to his servo. He dropped her the last few feet, and Zelda groaned in pain as her head crashed into the concrete slab.

Zelda knew that had it not been for the nanites and enhancements, she would have probably died by now. It's not a pretty thought. Imagine, after all she had gone through, it was concrete that did her in. Ha!

"You remember me, don't you? Because I certainly remember you, Zelda Larsson," Megatron said, his red optics gleaming cruelly as Zelda cracked an eye open to look up at him.

Her vision was blurry, and she blinked desperately to clear it.

"It's hard to forget the being that wanted to tear your world asunder like he did his own," Zelda said, matching his vicious grin with her own.

Yet the mech grinned impossibly wider, amused by her words, and Zelda would have felt annoyed at the lack of rise in any other situation.

Before Zelda could even think of rolling away, she found herself pinned with Megatron's servo laid across her body, making it impossible to escape. She tried still, wiggling uselessly. He loomed over her, smiling at her futile squirming.

"You have something I want, and like any good pet, you will give it to me."

The derogatory name sent chills down her spine this time. The mech, crouched as he was, dipped his helm closer until little else was in her vision. The sadistic glee was undeniable.

"Good luck with that," she rasped. "Can't control what the AllSpark wants me to know."

Megatron chuckled, and dread festered.

That…wasn't good.

"Scalpel," Megatron drawled, and a shape appeared in the fringe of Zelda's vision, causing her head to swerve. A tiny spider-like Cybertronian scuttled his way closer along Megatron's arm. Multiple red eyes seem to smirk at her pinned form.

"Hello, little AllSpark," Scalpel cooed mockingly as he crawled onto her chest, touching and prodding her bloodied face. He turned to Megatron. "Shard! Give me the shard!"

Megatron growled lowly at the demanding tone. "Watch it."

Scalpel just chittered and made impatient grabby hands. The towering mech reached into his chassis and, between two digited, produced the familiar shard Zelda had dreamt of being stolen. Her heart leapt to her throat.

Megatron dropped it into the Scalpel's pincers.

No, no, not again. No, nonononono—

Chest lurching at the spark of something deep inside her, Zelda knew they planned to use the shard as a conductor as they had upon Megatron's revival. But for what? What were they trying to do? What could Zelda possibly give them?

Zelda began fighting again, despite how hopeless it was—she was desperate.

Megatron merely applied more weight onto Zelda's body with a deep, rolling growl like that of a robotic lion.

"Be still," he commanded, and Zelda helplessly did so with harsh breaths, vision beginning to spin with her exhaustion and pain.

"It's gonna kill me," she tried rationalising, meeting his optics. "Anymore and my body's gonna give out."

Scalpel's gave a chitter. "You undermine yourself."

Zelda barely got out a questioning sound between her desperate breaths.

She never got an answer.

Blood-curdling screams of agony tore from her throat as power rippled, drawn from the depths, violent and unrelenting. Zelda's body convulsed as the AllSpark ignited her veins like molten liquid, illuminating the foundry in ethereal divine blue.

Viciously, familiar Cybertronian script dances across her vision.

With the ferocity of a woman in a fight for her life, she frantically clawed at Megatron's servo, her desperation palpable in every movement. She was drawing blood and damaging her prosthetic in her attempt to alleviate the pain. Her words are a jumbled and incoherent begging mess.

Then, everything stopped.

For a fraction of a second, Zelda failed to comprehend anything but the terror that flooded the bonds she shared. Everything was numb. She felt nothing but the working of her heart and lungs in her body's bid for life.

Megatron's claws curled beneath her, cocooning her, and a deadened bond swirled distantly and just out of reach. Yet it was the closest thing to comfort Zelda could comprehend, everything else so far.

A low pleased purr filled the air, and the sound drew a sigh from her raw throat as she lay limply. "There they are."

The words were said with pride and awe.

Zelda heard distant chittering, words that switch rapidly between English and Cybertronian common but that she couldn't understand in her state.

With herculean effort, Zelda peeled her lids open, whimpering at the pain that stabbed her eyes. She rasped and tried again. There, projecting from the shard onto the wall, were familiar scripts that had always flashed by too fast for Zelda to understand. She couldn't even begin to understand what she was seeing. Everything was fuzzy around the edges.

"These, pet," Megatron continued to purr, and her head rolled, eyes flittering back to his optics. Despite the fuzzy edges, her vision focused on the silver titan as he grinned down at her. "will lead us to a mighty energon source here on Earth."

"Mmph?" was the only confused sound she could produce, throat tender and raw.

Cocooned in his claws as she was, Megatron delicately lifted Zelda from the slab. Her head rolls backwards before she lulls it to the side, resting it against a digit. She was cradled in the palm of his servo, and her stomach churned at all the movement.

But she sucked in a breath as she heard the soft resonance of a spark behind warm plating.

Safe, something crooned in her jumbled brain because only her family held her so closely and gently.

All at once, a tumultuous blend of noises filled the air, creating a dissonant and bewildering cacophony.

Optimus Prime had arrived.

Optimus descended into the foundry, optics blazing as he laid sight on Megatron cradling a prone Zelda against his chassis.

"Optimus," Megatron sneered, claws curling tighter as if to hide Zelda from him.

"Give her to me."

He offered no greeting, no… pleasantries. Not when Zelda's life was on the line, not when she lay so still in Megatron's servo, bonds all but deadened in her state.

The agony that had torn through the bonds had been unlike anything Optimus had felt subjected to before, and that was not the true extent of pain, merely a by-product of the bond. He had failed thus far. He refused to allow this to go any further. Refused to allow Zelda to come to further harm.

Megatron merely grinned as if excited by the prospect of Optimus' anger, of his retaliation.

Optimus bared his denta and drew his right blade. "Give her to me!"

"Come and get her," Megatron goaded.

The Prime attacked.

Through the window and wall, Megatron weaved and dodged each swing of Optimus's blade, who, despite his anger, was visibly wary of bringing harm to Zelda. Megatron gleefully used that, mocking him as he clutched her close.

They got further and further away from the foundry, Megatron leading the chase toward the forest. Optimus knew a trap in waiting when he saw one, yet he followed all the same. He raced after Megatron as Bumblebee fought Starscream, rescuing the two humans who had been with Zelda.

As much as Optimus hated to abuse the bond, he needed Zelda awake and aware, so he tugged on the thread that bound him to the youngling in an attempt to nudge Zelda back into consciousness. It wasn't a pleasant option, feeling her flare of pain the moment she roused. He heard the choked breath as her body protested.

Through the pulsing of her brain, Zelda squirmed in Megatron's hold, one hand clutching plating. Everything churned and swirled. Her head pounded unrelentingly. Her body trembled. Her heart raced, pummelling against her sternum, threatening to burst free.

She writhed in Megatron's grasp before reaching with her prosthetic hand and yanked at exposed neck cables. There was a spark as she ripped something loose, and Megatron grunted, almost tripping over his pedes at the shock. His grip on her loosened, and then Optimus came swooping in.

Zelda's head spun viciously, and when the vertigo was over, she found herself in Optimus's servo as he moved, racing away from the scene. Megatron gave an angered roar and gave chase. Now it was Optimus's turn to play keep away. Zelda felt a sense of unease at the thought of being trapped in the midst of two battling titans, like a helpless toy in the hands of children.

The Decepticon leader came barrelling toward them and Optimus turned with impeccable timing, dropping Zelda onto the grassy earth as Megatron collided with him.

"Hide, Zelda!" he ordered as the two faction leaders went rolling with tangled limbs.

Zelda gasped for air and turned onto her front, scrambling to get her feet beneath her. She managed, pushing off a tree as she ran.

The two titans battled loudly behind her, trading powerful blows.

A punch landed.

"Puny!" Optimus mocked.

There was another one, a returned punch, and the ground shook as trees fell. Megatron tackled Optimus again. Zelda was almost thrown from her feet by all the shaking. She caught herself on a tree before pushing off and continuing to move. Yet the fighting leaders kept taking their fight her way as if drawn toward her.

Zelda groaned, both in frustration and because of the way her stomach churned. She had nothing but bile to bring up. She swallowed it back down, almost gagging as it burnt her throat.

She slumped back against a tree, gasping for air as spots fizzled across her vision. Before her, Optimus uprooted a tree and threw it at Megatron, knocking the Decepticon back onto his aft. Awesome. She'd have to make a joke about that later. A once they were clear from danger later.

"Waste of—metal! Junkyard—scrap!" Optimus insulted as he equipped his blades, slicing at Megatron before the Decepticon could gather his wits.

Megatron let out an angered roar. "Decepticons!"

Zelda turned and ran. She knew a cue when she heard one. Above, Starscream and the helicopter Decepticon soared over her position as they arrived. The familiar whirling sound of a transformation followed, and the ground shook, throwing Zelda from her feet.

"Come here, femme," Starscream crooned sweetly, optics locked onto her fallen form as his servo reached past several trees. But Zelda scrambled to her feet once more, darting out of reaching distance and using the trees as cover. Starscream growled in annoyance. "You can't run away forever."

"Watch me!" she snapped back.

The battle continued, but now Optimus was successfully taking on Megatron, Starscream, and the third Decepticon.

"There is another source of energon hidden on this planet. She can lead us to it!" Megatron snarled.

Zelda's heart rose to her throat. So that's what they were after. All those symbols she had been seeing had to be pointing toward whatever this energy source was!

Someone gets a hit on Optimus, and Zelda's heart pounded in her ears as she peered through the roots of a long-uprooted tree. Her wide eyes watched as Optimus tried to return a punch but got a wallop instead. Optimus came flying her way, sending soil and plants into the air. Zelda shielded herself from the spray with a choked noise.

"Zelda," Optimus groaned. "Move."

He nudged her urgently, but her knees refused to cooperate. They had given up. Her entire body was going into shock. Or maybe she was already in shock. Everything felt numb. The pain—where had the pain gone?

"Can't," she whimpered, panting breathlessly. She just…needed a minute, that was all!

Optimus snarled, and she watched as his fight reignited. He pulled himself to his pedes as Megatron approached with a wicked grin. His optics sought Zelda out, looking her over, and Zelda can't help but wonder what state she was in. She grimaced.

"One human, Optimus. She will help us reclaim Cybertron!" Megatron announced, arm blaster firing at the other. Optimus took the hits without voicing his pain, quickly returning the attack with near-lethal swipes of his blades.

"You will never have her!" he vowed, anger dripping from him. "I'll take you all on to protect her!"

Zelda had never felt Optimus so…angry before. It choked her up, tears building. It was still hard to believe that anyone would put their neck out in such a way for her. She didn't deserve it. Zelda could only watch as Optimus tore the unnamed Decepticon apart, extinguishing his spark.

She felt a dullness, a flicker as he passed on, but Zelda couldn't turn her eyes away from the battle, utterly entranced by it. Optimus threw Starscream and turned to Megatron. But Starscream came right back, and neither Decepticon allowed Optimus to gain a footing. They clashed loudly, energon was spilt, gunfire and blasterfire filled the air.

With trembling limbs, Zelda crawled, feeling as though she were jelly. Her joints kept giving out, threatening to make her eat dirt, but it didn't stop her. Zelda needed to get away from the battle. She needed to give Optimus space.

Starscream lost an arm somewhere along the way and Zelda almost let out a hysterical laugh.

She turned and froze, all sound lodged in her throat as Megatron drove his sword through the back of Optimus's chassis, the blade slicing through his spark chamber. Optimus froze, optics wide as they flickered. All sound ceased for Zelda in that moment. She could only watch as Optimus slumped forward, sliding off Megatron's blade. He fell like a great tree, body shuddering the earth.

His flickering optics sought her out, and Zelda panicked.

Her fear and panic drove her to desperately pull on the fraying bond. She pulled and yanked, feeling the sudden firm but panicked—DON'T—from Optimus, but it was too late. She had pulled their bond, winding it like a yo-yo.

His spark extinguished and she shrieked. Shockwaves of power explode outward, and Megatron was thrown with it. Lacerating pain whipped through her, and she hit the ground, skin searing, muscles glacial.

"Zelda!"

She barely registered servos picking her up before she was out.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six: Fugitive

The sensation was like drifting weightlessly with a gentle numbness enveloping everything.

She found herself enveloped in a vast expanse of pure, unbroken whiteness. It was endless. A void. Or perhaps it just looked that way because of its sheer lack of anything else but white. Before her, there was no "ceiling" or "floor"—just an endless expanse of pure, unbroken whiteness stretching out in all directions. A lack of anything.

A lack of anything but…

She blinked, scattering the spots that danced across her vision as Optimus held her cupped in the palm of his servo. Her eyes were unable to look away from the gaping wound through his chassis. It sparked now and then yet there was no ethereal blue peering out from within. There was no spark alight in his chassis.

And yet…and yet, the bond remained, bare thin and fraying but there, visible to the naked eye. Zelda had never been able to physically see the threads before. It was the prettiest blue.

"You are one of the most stubbornest femmes I have ever known," Optimus rumbled, voice aching with grief.

"M'sorry," was all she could murmur. The pain she knew should be there was absent. In its place was a sense of numbness. "I couldn't—"

Her breath lodged, and her heart raced in panic at the reminder.

Optimus cradled her within his servo, thumb curling across her stomach, pressing firm and steady. It was grounding. It kept her present. It stopped her mind from wandering.

Zelda swallowed thickly. "I don't know what I did."

"You pulled my spark to you. You shelter my spark within you now," he began softly, something desperate within his voice. "If you were Cybertronian, I would see no trouble, but you are not, Zelda. Your body cannot handle this. You must release my spark."

"No!" Zelda lurched upright. Or tried to. She couldn't, not with how Optimus kept her there with his thumb, firm and steady.

"Zelda," he said firmly. "You are the AllSpark. Not all is lost. You must have faith."

She whimpered and shook her head. "I—I can't! Don't make me, Optimus. It hurt." Tears sprung in her eyes, distorting her vision. "Don't make me, don't make me feel that. I'm begging you."

Optimus sighed and brought her close. She whimpered, reaching out to grasp at his face. Zelda pressed her temple against his cheek.

"I know, youngling, but your life is important too. You so readily would lay down your life to protect others, so why can you not see you deserve such as well," Optimus grieved.

Zelda sobbed.

Because she didn't deserve it.

"Silly femme."

Zelda had slept for thirty-two hours straight with no signs of waking. Sideswipe gave another scan of her vitals. But his rudimentary system only told him the basics. Her heart was faster than it should be and that she had wounds on her body they had already tended to. What he wouldn't do to be a medic right now. What Sideswipe wouldn't do to be back at base so that Ratchet could care for Zelda like she deserved.

He turned his attention outward. Mikaela had woken up not too long ago, sitting by a barrel that had been used as a firepit last night. The other human, Leo, was still sleeping in Bumblebee's back seat. Bumblebee had complained over the commlink last night about how restless that human had been, unable to sleep despite clearly needing it, tossing and turning endlessly.

None of them could rest. Sunstreaker was the only one not sitting in his alt-mode, resting back against the old building that used to be a prison. His eyes were locked skyward, watching as the sun rose.

Sideswipe checked the time—eight thirty-nine am. It was early. Relatively anyhow.

Mudflap and Skids were silent. It was strange for those two to be so quiet since they constantly bickered between themselves. It was probably because of Zelda. Sideswipes's spark churned uneasily at the reminder.

~Easy, Sides~ Sunstreaker murmured over the bond. His optics flickered over to Sideswipe for a brief moment. ~We're all anxious, but she's safe~

Sideswipe gave a metaphorical nod across the bond, seeing as he couldn't do so bodily.

The second human roused finally, climbing from Bumblebee's alt-mode with a stumble. Something complicated crossed the human's expression before he sighed and rubbed his face. Maybe he had thought it had all been a terrible dream.

What Sideswipe wouldn't do for that to be true. Megatron had offlined Optimus. He had driven his blade through Prime's back, extinguishing his spark. What a cowardly way to do it.

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were raised in Kaon and had become gladiators when they had nowhere else to turn. They were good at fighting, so they made a living out of it, Sideswipe had admired Megatron for his skills and kindness. The old Megatron—Megatronous—had been rough, yes, had been cruel when needed, yes, but there was undeniable kindness within him too.

It had been what made Megatron so likeable. So approachable. Megatron had been the head of the rebellion for a reason. Then it changed once Optimus had been revealed to bear the insignia of a prime and promptly risen to Primehood in the public optic. Sideswipe would never pretend to know what happened, what made Megatron's personality shift so drastically. But it had driven Sideswipe and Sunstreaker to become Autobots.

Mikaela chucked a wrapped food bar at Leo. "Here."

"Thanks," Leo mumbled and dropped down beside the femme. He looked Sideswipe's way. "Any change with Zelda?"

"No," Sunstreaker grunted and shifted, bending a knee to rest his arm on. "She's still recharging. Her body went through a great ordeal. It would be a miracle if she woke up anytime soon."

Mudflap finally transformed, shaking off his stiffness. "The 'Cons really ain't got a hint of care in their sparks," he spat. "First, they force her to resurrect that old rust bucket from halfway across the planet, and then they did whatever 'appened back at that fraggin' warehouse."

Skids followed his twin's motions, transforming and dropping back onto his aft. "The rotten fraggers had everythin' planned out. Bet Soundwave had all our positions slaggin' logged."

The two had a point, and it made Sideswipe antsy. They had all been so concerned about Zelda's safety. Ratchet and Optimus had gone to great lengths to hide the AllSpark's radiation to just Zelda's immediate presence. Yet, it was for nought because the Decepticons had known all along.

Sideswipe wondered if they had known from the moment the AllSpark had decided Zelda would be a suitable host. From the moment the previous Cube had been shoved into Megatron's chest and the power had transferred to Zelda.

Mikaela rubbed her temple, only to wince as she touched bruising. "Using the shard and power, they forced Zelda to project something. Some Cybertronian symbols which Megatron said would lead them to an energy source here on Earth. Whatever this source is, it's not something so simple if it had their interest peaked."

Sideswipe onlined his holoform and leaned back against his driver's door. His appearance drew a flinch from Leo that Sideswipe didn't pay any attention to. "If that's the case, we need to make sure Zelda remains hidden. I'd bet anything that they would need Zelda for more than just…revealing its location."

"How come you were there, Mikaela?" Sunstreaker asked, brows furrowed with confusion.

Everything had been so hectic yesterday that none of them had really questioned her about it.

Mikaela sighed and reached for the hip bag she was wearing. "Just before Zelda and Sam left for college, she found a sliver of the Cube on her jacket." She held it out.

Sideswipe almost leapt toward the femme, his eyes wide. He held his hand out, and Mikaela dropped the sliver onto his palm. There was no buzz of power, no deep hum. It was empty, just a piece of metal. Sideswipe rolled it between his holoform's fingers.

"It's dead," he noted the obvious aloud—at least to the other Autobots, anyway. The Human race could never physically feel the AllSpark's power, not beyond when Zelda purposefully tried to. But even then, it was faint, like an electric shock—harmless and written off.

"Yeah. That's what Zelda said," Mikaela nodded.

"…But why'd she give it to ya?" Skids asked.

Mikaela shrugged. "I'm not actually sure. Zelda just said something about a gut feeling, and that was all. It was clear something was bothering her, but I didn't push for more answers because Zelda looked like she didn't know herself."

"Maybe that was what caused that episode while at the Witwicky's," Sunstreaker commented. He leant down, and Sideswipe turned to let his twin look at the shard piece. "I'll let Jazz know about it."

"=But why hadn't she mentioned the sliver is the real question=" Sideswipe commented over the private commlink the five of them had set up. The two Humans remained oblivious to the internal conversation.

"=Zelda gets kinda weird AllSpark stuff=" Bumblebee remarked. "=The episode that happened while you were visiting was shorter than normal. Jazz reported that Zelda said it was a seven out of ten.="

"=A short burst of power transferring?=" Sunstreaker theorised. "=But we should have sensed it previously while hanging around the Witwicky household.="

"=Our only option is ta wait until Zel's awake ta answer=" Skids said helplessly. Mudflap made an agreeing sound.

"Wait, you mean to tell me you didn't question her when she gave you a piece of an alien artefact?" Leo asked incredulously. His voice brought the group from their private conversation.

"It's complicated," Mikaela retorted, flashing Leo a sharp look. "I trust Zelda's judgement unequivocally. If something was wrong or something happened, like it did, she said to call her. She wasn't answering, and Sam told me something was wrong with Zelda, so I came straight to the campus."

Leo still looked unbelieving of Mikaela's reasoning.

"Have you never trusted someone with a secret before?" Mikaela questioned in bewilderment.

"Of course! But with something like that?" he pointed aggressively at the shard in Sideswipe's palm. "I don't know if I could."

"Two years ago, Zelda ran through LA with the object this shard used to belong to, ready to lay down her life to protect Earth from annihilation! That Decepticon that held Zelda down? She killed him to save everyone! So yes, I would trust Zelda with my life!" Mikaela exclaimed, impassioned in her anger.

It was sparkwarming to see such faith. Now, if only Zelda could see the effect she had on people.

"Well, he's not dead anymore, is it?" Leo snapped back.

"Watch it, fleshbag," Mudflap sneered. "They abused the shard's connection with Zelda to bring em back. That's the reason she was held up in bed and was so ill."

Leo flinched away from Mudflap. Bumblebee finally transformed, moving away from the two humans to crouch by Sideswipe's holoform.

"That doesn't really matter now, does it?" he asked, looking like a kicked puppy toward Sideswipe's body and where Zelda lay unconscious.

"No," Sideswipe agreed. "What's done is done. Now we've just got to make sure Zelda stays safe."

Zelda woke up to a throbbing behind her eyes. The pain set in immediately, and Zelda swallowed thickly, her mouth incredibly dry. She awoke with a groan, feeling as if her chest was tight and compressed, and her breath was laboured.

"Hey," Sideswipe whispered from the radio.

Oh, bless that mech.

Zelda cracked an eye open with a grimace. Sideswipe had tinted the windows to block out a lot of sunlight and Zelda was so grateful for that foresight. Lulling her head to look around Sideswipe's interior, Zelda's mind rolled over what had happened. She squeezed her eyes closed, bringing her flesh hand above her heart. She felt the rapid pace it had decided, knowing it was trying to cater to two now.

Blinking, Zelda peered at her hand. Her fingers were covered in bandages, and they throbbed dully. Only her thumb hadn't been covered, and the nail had broken below the tip of her finger. It was tender but the least painful injury she had.

"How…long?" she rasped, messaging the length of her throat. Zelda was sure she would be getting some serious bruises from the Pretender's attempt at strangling her and all the screaming.

"About forty hours straight. It's just shy of four pm," Sideswipe gently said. His holoform fizzled into existence in the driver's seat. "Would you like some water?"

Zelda nodded and sighed as he slowly raised the passenger seat from its laid position. Her head swam, and she swallowed thickly, not wanting to bring up bile all across Sideswipe's interior.

The water was a cool balm to her throat, but she could only manage a few mouthfuls before pulling away. Zelda rubbed her eyes and took the offered pills Sideswipe presented. The unlabelled packet was a Ratchet speciality just for her, modified to cater to how different her enhancement made her body.

"Are Mikaela and Leo okay?"

"As well as they can be. Bruised but unharmed," Sideswipe assured.

"Good," Zelda sighed. Primus, those two had been involved all because of her. The knowledge that they were unharmed soothed some of her guilt. "That's good."

Shifting into a better upright position, Zelda looked down at her prosthetic. That, too, had taken a beating. She hoped she had done some vague damage to Megatron's fingers. Bastard.

"Do you want to go outside?" Sideswipe asked. "The others would like to see you."

Zelda nodded, then immediately regretted it as a wave of vertigo overcame her. She groaned. "Yeah. You don't happen to have any of my sunglasses in your subspace, do you?"

"Sunny does," Sideswipe smiled and vanished. He returned a moment later by opening the driver's door. Even just the slight crack of sunlight burnt her eyes. Zelda hissed in pain and Sideswipe dropped the glasses onto the driver's seat before closing the door again.

Zelda reached over to grab them, sliding them on before opening her door. Sunstreaker's holoform was standing ready for her and Zelda all but fell into his arms with a pained groan.

"Easy, easy," he soothed, scooping Zelda up into his arms. "I've got you."

She rolled her head against his shoulder with a sigh. But there was no denying the sun's warmth felt good on her freezing skin. Sunstreaker trudged around Sideswipe and sat her down on some debris.

An unwrapped breakfast bar was pressed into her hand, and Zelda took a bite, stomach churning at the thought of food but desperately needing it. Sunstreaker stayed knelt before her, one hand resting on her knee. It was a small comfort. Zelda had managed half of the breakfast bar when Bumblebee's holoform dropped down beside her. Sideswipe stood before her, arms crossed and shoulders tight.

"Hey, Bee," she murmured, tilting her head to bump their foreheads together.

Bumblebee nuzzled close before tucking his head against her shoulder. "You were so still," he said, voice wabbling around the edges.

"I'm sorry," she sighed softly, wishing she could do more to comfort her little brother. Zelda pressed a kiss to his holoform's scalp.

"Hey, Zelda." Mikaela's voice made Zelda look up as she approached. Mikaela had a developing bruise on her shoulder and a cut on her hairline.

She winced at the sight. "I'm sorry."

The raven-haired teen only waved her off. "Don't worry about it, okay? Just focus on feeling better."

"So, what have I missed?" Zelda asked and watched as the group all shared glances, something tight in their expressions.

Sideswipe heaved a sigh, uncrossing his arms to plant his hands on his hips. "This Fallen revealed himself with a worldwide broadcast. He wants you handed over. The upside is that they can't locate you since we cover any signature you're giving off."

Zelda squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face into her hands in frustration. If only she had left with Optimus that night in the graveyard.

"Don't," Sunstreaker said firmly, gently squeezing Zelda's knee. "Don't blame yourself, Zelda."

"But—" she raised her head again to protest.

"No, Sunny's right," Bumblebee butt in, nudging Zelda's side. "Nothing the Decepticons do is your fault. You didn't ask for this."

Zelda swallowed, turning to tuck Bumblebee close, wrapping her arms around him. He sunk against her, arms curling around her waist.

"Maybe this might be the best chance to ask about the Cube shard you gave to me?" Mikaela asked.

Zelda startled, pulling back from the hug to look up at Mikaela. "I'd almost forgotten about that," she admitted. "…What happened? Is that why you turned up on campus?"

"Yeah, I got an unexpected visitor searching for the shard in the shape of a small minicon," Mikaela explained.

"Why didn't you tell Jazz about it?" Sunstreaker asked.

"I…don't know. I couldn't. I tried to but…" Zelda trailed off and rubbed her brow both to message her pounding head and in a frustrated tick. "I don't know, I just physically couldn't get the words out."

"Okay, weirdness of that aside, what's our next move, boss lady?" Mudflaps asked as he and his brother came over.

Zelda peered up at them, feeling something ease in her chest. It might not be all of the Autobots, but the few here…it brought her comfort.

"I…don't know," Zelda sighed, eyes dropping to Sunstreaker's hand on her knee. "I need some time to get my head on straight."

"Then we'll make sure you have that," Sunstreaker nodded.

Zelda meditated in the warmth of the setting sun. In the courtyard that the group had set up in, Zelda breathed, going through her routine. The pills had long gotten to work, numbing a lot of the pain her body had been in. But there was no denying the bruised ribs and the tightness of her chest where she harboured Optimus's slumbering spark.

She should tell them. Tell the Autobots what she had done. But they would just tell her what Optimus had: release his spark. Yet Zelda was nothing if not a stubborn bitch. Her body was already in decline from everything that had happened, so why not add something else on top of it?

Zelda shifted restlessly, her brow furrowing with annoyance as Leo's phone droned on endlessly, spilling out the relentless tide of the news cycle. The clipped sounds of breaking news and sensational headlines echoed from inside, intruding on her attempts to meditate. Each word felt like a jarring disruption, pulling her further away from the calm she desperately sought.

With a surge of frustration pulsating through her veins, Zelda leapt to her feet and stormed into the dimly lit prison block. Inside, she spotted Leo slumped over on a hard bench, his shoulders heavy with despair. The faint light of the phone cast shadows across his face, highlighting the fear etched into his features. Anger and concern mingled in her chest as she approached him, determined to confront the issue.

"—We believe they have information about the attacks. The FBI, CIA and Interpol are all seeking the cooperation of worldwide law enforcement—"

Leos's head jerked up abruptly as he caught sight of Zelda striding towards him, her movements sharp and purposeful.

"Hey, you need to listen to this, chica. You gotta check this out," he babbled, entirely missing her thunderous expression.

"—They have a traffic camera spotting Ms Larsson and—"

"They have a picture of me, man. We're dead, bro. FBI, CIA, we—" Leo didn't finish, choking on his words as Zelda ripped the phone from his hand and crushed it with her prosthetic. The parts crumbled to the floor.

Leo stared at her in shock.

"Stop," Zelda said firmly, her voice leaving no room for protest. "Just stop. You're making it worse, winding yourself up like this."

"I—"

"I'm trying to focus," Zelda continued, icy gaze locked with Leo's. "And hearing this nonsense on repeat is driving me batshit. Besides, having a phone with us is just asking for trouble."

Zelda pivoted on her heels and began walking away. Leo hurried to his feet, sprinting after her.

"What?" He squawked in shock. "They can track us? Like, satellite track us? Okay, I'm not even with you guys! Technically, I'm like a hostage—"

As they stepped out of the prison building, Zelda inhaled deeply, feeling the weight of her surroundings lift. Mudflap and Skids shifted their focus toward them, curiosity flickering in their optics.

"Yo, Le-yo!" Skids peered down at him. Despite the playfulness in his voice, there was a hint of annoyance in his optics and through the bond. Zelda sighed as Leo jumped, whirling around, not having seen the Autobots just hanging out on the wall.

"Stop! You're gonna give me a heart attack, I swear!" Leo snapped.

"That's 'cause you're a wuss," Mudflap remarked drily.

Instead of retorting to the insult, Leo turned back to Zelda. "You guys forced me into that car, right, so—"

He wanted to play the victim card, did he? Zelda rolled her eyes, ignoring the burst of pain that shot across her forehead at the action.

"Ooh, I think he's scared," Mudflap stage whispered.

Skids sniggered. "Hey, Mudflap, what are we gonna do with this shrimp taco?"

Mudflap hummed in agreement. "Let's pop a cap in his ass, throw him in the trunk and then nobody gonna know nothing, know what I mean?"

"Not in my trunk," Skids rebuffed.

Leo turned to the twins in frustration. "Yo, bumper cars?"

That caught the twins' attention.

"Bumper cars?" Skids echoed in offence. Zelda didn't know why they were so offended because literally everyone at N.E.S.T called them the bumper twins for their bickering behaviour.

Leo made a slicing gesture across his throat. "Cut it out. I'm hearing you, okay? I'm right here and I can hear you! No one's popping any caps in any asses, okay? I've had a hell of a day!"

Mudflap stuck his glossa out and Skids scoffed. "Why don't you get a haircut with your bitch ass?"

Leo turned back to Zelda, who stood with her arms crossed, utterly unimpressed by what she was witnessing from both sides.

"Listen, Zelda, I know what I'm gonna do. Look, I'm just going to go to the authorities and tell them the truth. Like, I had nothing to do with this. I'm not an accomplice," Leo explained.

Instead of answering immediately, Zelda tilted her head, her expression eerily blank for a moment before it tightened. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? You wanted the real deal? Well, that's what this is." She uncrossed her arms, throwing them up in frustration before smacking a hand on Leo's chest. He lurched back from its force, his eyes wide. "Wake up! You're in the middle of it! You want to run? Go ahead! None of us are stopping you, Leo."

Zelda turned and continued walking back to the central courtyard.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven: Robo Warrior

Zelda stood atop the weathered prison roof, her gaze fixed on the vast expanse of the sky. Above her, the moon hung like a polished pearl, casting a faint silvery glow across the clear night sky. Surrounding it were countless stars, each one a distant beacon. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint rustle of leaves.

In the dimly lit courtyard behind her, Leo and Mikaela had crafted a cosy fire pit, its flames dancing and crackling, casting flickering shadows on the stone walls. The warmth radiated from the fire was inviting, a stark contrast to the chill that enveloped Zelda. She yearned to join them, to sink into the embrace of the glow and feel the heat on her skin, but instead, an icy grip settled around her. Despite her attempts to wrap herself in layers or bask in the sun when it had been up, a relentless cold lingered, seeping into her bones, leaving her with only the faint flicker of warmth that pulsed like a hidden ember deep within her chest.

Optimus's spark was the only source of comfort in her battered state. Her body felt like it had been through a brutal storm, each ache a reminder of the trauma she had endured in such a brief span of time. There was a deep, unsettling sense within her that something was fundamentally wrong, but Zelda had always been good at ignoring things when they were wrong with her.

Someone joined her on the roof; their silent footfalls indicated it was either Sideswipe or Sunstreaker. The only other Autobot who could move so silently was Jazz, and he wasn't here.

It was Sunstreaker who stepped up beside her, joining Zelda in watching the night sky. There was a brief lull as Zelda enjoyed his company.

"How are you feeling?" he asked eventually.

"Better, I suppose," Zelda admitted in a murmur and rubbed at her flesh elbow.

"Do I need to ask if you've eaten anything else since you woke up?" he asked next, but he very much already knew that answer. Zelda thought him even asking was redundant, but she didn't point that out. All of them had been keeping an eye on her since she had awakened. They would know if she had something other than water and that single snack bar.

Zelda gave him a weak smile. "I've puked enough recently. Doubt I could keep anything down if I tried."

Her stomach felt like an empty pit begging to be filled. The only option Zelda had was to sip on water, hoping it would quench her hunger just enough to ease the gnawing sensation. To make matters worse, her fast metabolism, a side effect of her enhancements, only added to her struggle.

"You've got to at least try," Sunstreaker said, looking entirely unimpressed.

She let out a stifled laugh. "Now you just sound like Ratchet."

Sunstreaker rolled his eyes, nudging Zelda's shoulder in faux annoyance at the comparison. He softened. "I'm serious, Zelda."

"I know. I'll try before heading to sleep, okay?" she assured him, which eased the expression of worry on Sunstreaker's face.

"Good," he nodded. "Any thoughts about what you want to do next? Jazz informed us that fragger Galloway got clearance to shut down N.E.S.T. Something about doing this the human way."

Zelda grimaced. "And I take it the option of just handing me over is also on the table."

She spotted a rare flare of anger on Sunstreaker's face. "Fragger didn't dismiss the idea when Will questioned him."

"Bitch," Zelda muttered, rubbing her face roughly. She turned the topic back slightly. "I have no idea what we should do. It's only a matter of time before our location is found, and yet I have no fucking clue where we should go from here."

"Mikaela mentioned the shard projected symbols and that Megatron said it would lead to an energon source here on Earth," Sunstreaker noted.

Zelda froze, eyes slowly widening. "Oh. Oh. Of course."

"Zelda?" Sunstreaker asked with concern, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"The script I've been seeing for months!" Zelda exclaimed, turning toward Sunstreaker and grabbing both of his shoulders in return. She shook him slightly. "That was what was projected! Oh Primus, I'm such an idiot!"

Zelda released Sunstreaker suddenly and jumped from the prison roof onto a lower building before landing back in the courtyard. Sunstreaker's holoform appeared beside her as she landed. Everyone was there in the courtyard, and Zelda dropped to her knees in the centre, brandishing her pocketknife to begin carving into the dirt.

"What's going on?" Mikaela asked, pushing from her seat.

"When the script was projected, I could finally log it!" Zelda explained excitedly. "For months, I've been having these episodes where I'm almost blinded by visions of them, all moving too fast for me to actually register it!"

Zelda crawled along the floor, the blade in her hand glinting softly in the fire's dim light. Deep grooves formed in the earth with each deliberate stroke of the knife, the blade gliding expertly as she carved the intricate script. Every detail was meticulously etched, the careful precision of her work reflecting her focus.

After finishing her carving, Zelda stood up, stumbling to her feet. Sideswipe was there to catch her with his servo, gently offering support, which she leant back into, one hand grasping a digit. The other quickly slid her knife away.

"So," she breathed. "Any ideas what it all says?"

None of the Cybertronians said anything, eyes focused on the script Zelda had carved with shock.

"That's—that's old school, yo," Skids choked out.

"So you can't read it?" Zelda asked. There was a bud of frustration.

"Nah, we're all new energon, sparked after the Golden Age began," Mudflap explained.

"Okay," Zelda murmured. Her excitement and hope diminished.

"It looks like the script Optimus has on his frame," Bumblebee noted. He paused when there was a racket from the metal box Mikaela had brought with her.

"Is that minicon still in there?" Zelda asked in bewilderment.

"Yeah…" Mikaela grinned sheepishly.

"We didn't know what to do with him," Sideswipe admitted with an easy shrug.

Zelda sighed. "Let him out."

Bumblebee's holoform grasped the box and turned it upside down. He released the latch, and the minicon came tumbling out, landing with a startled shout as he hit the ground.

"You fragger!" he seethed. "I'll—" All the fight left him when he realised who surrounded him. He turned meek. "…oh."

Mudflap and Skids snigger between themselves.

"Hey there," Mikaela crouched beside him, and the minicon hissed at her, servo reaching up to cover his damaged optic. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about your eye, but, if you behave, you don't have to go back into the box."

The minicon perked up, eyeing everyone, optics lingering on Zelda with recognition before turning back to Mikaela. "Alright, but just because I don't wanna go back into that fraggin box!"

"Of course, of course," Mikaela agreed.

Zelda left the support of Sideswipes's servo and approached, kneeling before the minicon. "Can you tell me why you were after the second shard piece I gave Mikaela?"

The minicon startled, turning look at Zelda. "Cause that was what I was ordered too! I don't wanna be scrapped! Bots my size are only kept around cause we're useful!"

Zelda pursed her lips. "What's your name?"

"Wheelie, sweetspark. Name's Wheelie!" the newly dubbed Wheelie moved closer with awe. "So it's true! You really are the AllSpark! Thought Soundwave was pullin' our legs for a while!"

Well, that confirmed a few things for Zelda but also left so much more unanswered.

"How about I see if I can fix your optic?" Zelda asked, offering the olive branch. Wheelie perked up, sitting down before her as Zelda turned to Bumblebee. "Do you still have my tools?"

Bumblebee grinned and wandered back over to his body. He opened the driver's door and pulled the small toolbox out. Zelda thanked him and began riffling through it. "How about you offline that optic for me?"

Wheelie sat quietly, his gaze fixed on Zelda as she carefully examined the damaged optic. It was clear that having a toolbox at her disposal was a stroke of clever foresight. Each tool she pulled out seemed to help her earn Wheelie's trust. Her lessons with Ratchet were paying off.

As Zelda worked methodically, the bond between them began to take shape. It was unlike all her other connections that snapped into place with a jolt of energy. Instead, this bond felt soft and gentle, developing slowly as Zelda focused on her task. She could sense the waves of gratitude and awe emanating from Wheelie.

"There we go," she murmured, allowing Wheelie to slide his optic back into place. He blinked, adjusting his vision. He had two working optics once again.

"Wicked! I woulda waited deca-cycles to have that fixed!" Wheelie grinned.

"Hey, Zelda," Leo spoke up. He had been silent for a long while. Hadn't spoken to Zelda since their confrontation hours ago. But he had stayed, and to Zelda, that meant a lot more than Leo would ever realise.

"Yeah?" she responded, turning her attention to the Latino man.

"…I think I know someone who can help with those symbols," he revealed.

Everyone present turned to him in surprise and Zelda stood, brushing the dirt from her trousers. "Who?"

"Robo Warrior."

Zelda remembered that name. "From your website?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah. I've spent so long trying to one-up him, but he always just knew more." He gestured to the script Zelda had carved. "One time, we revenge-hacked his site, and I think I saw some of these."

"I guess we have our lead," Zelda announced. "Know how we might find them?"

Leo grinned. "I do."

Seymor Simmons. Ha! Zelda couldn't help but chuckle at the situation's absurdity. She hadn't anticipated this twist at all. As soon as their eyes met, Simmons erupted in a loud, commanding voice, declaring that the deli was closed. He waved his arms frantically, urging everyone present to exit at once. The abruptness of his announcement caught the shoppers off guard, and they grumbled toward the exit.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Simmons sneered once all that was left were employees.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Leo threw his hands up in disbelief. "You know this guy?"

"Yeah, we're familiar," Zelda grinned tightly.

"Familiar?" Simmons scoffed. "You're the case that near single-handedly shut down Sector Seven and got the kibosh disbanded. No more security clearance, no retirement, no nothing. All 'cause of you!"

A bickering erupted between the three employees and Simmons stepped in, shutting them up.

"You live with your mama?" Mikaela smiled teasingly.

Simmons glared. "No, my mama lives with me. It's a big difference." Simmons turned to Zelda, jabbing a thumb at the TV playing the news. "They've got your face all over the news, alien girl."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm aware."

Years of working to stay hidden had gone down the toilet all because of the stupid Decepticons.

Simmons approached the deli's entrance and locked the door. He glanced outside and, seeing nothing suspicious, turned back. "NBE-1 still kicking, huh? How did that happen?"

"NBE-1?" Leo interrupted.

"Non-biological Exterritorial. Labelled one because it was the first," Simmons explained blandly, crossing his arms.

"It was Megatron," Zelda added, and Leo grimaced. "And all Sector Seven were doing was trying to reverse engineer off Megatron and trying to recklessly syphon power from the Cube."

"You didn't do such a great job as claimed if NBE-1 is still kicking," Simmons mocked.

"You wouldn't be here if it were for me, Simmons. You were so stuck up your own ass that had I not forced you to take us to Bumblebee, Megatron would have gotten his servos on the Cube, and we'd have all been dead," Zelda snapped. "So stop acting all smug!"

There was silence as the two glared at one another, neither willing to back down. At least not until Wheelie transformed out of the toy truck in her arms. "Yo, fleshbag. Zelda's right on the mark. Megatron woulda ravaged this planet without an ounce of mercy!"

Simmons jumped back in surprise before letting out a laugh. "I spent my whole adult life searching the planet for aliens... and you're carrying around one like a little chihuahua." He shook his head and Wheelie growled softly in offence but didn't retort when Zelda squeezed softly. "Alright, I'll bite. Why are you here?"

"Leo thinks you can help us make sense of some Cybertronian script that I've been seeing," Zelda explained tiredly.

"Follow me." Simmons stomped past them, and the group followed him into the cold store, opening a floor hatch. "Down here."

Mikaela was the first to go. Zelda placed Wheelie down so he could jump on his own, and then she followed, with Leo being the last one. He closed the hatch behind him.

The lower floor of the building was a room of towering filing cabinets, their metallic surfaces reflecting the dim, warm light from the coloured windows. Each drawer was stuffed to the brim with somewhat neatly organised folders, their spines labelled in faded ink, hinting at how old some of it was. Scattered piles of paperwork lay haphazardly on every available surface, some slightly crumpled while others appeared untouched, each document a fragment of a larger, untold story that had Zelda questioning Simmons's sanity.

The walls were a gallery of photographs, capturing moments frozen in time—some sepia-toned and yellowing with age, others vibrant and recent. Connecting many of these images were strands of red string, meticulously crisscrossed to create a chaotic web of relationships and events, each line representing a connection that meant something to Simmons.

Wheelie let out an impressed whistle. "Damn."

A small television murmured the news in one dimly lit corner of the room. Zelda barely registered it; the relentless stream of updates had become a repetitive drone. Instead, her eyes drifted toward the glass case that housed Frenzy's compressed frame. A whirlwind of emotions surged within her. What the hell?

As Zelda drew closer, Simmons's words faded into the background, irrelevant and distant. She stood beside the glass case, her heart racing as a wash of potent energy thrummed within her. The power was unmistakable; it enveloped her like an electric current, pulsing through her veins.

Memories flooded back, unbidden and vivid, reminding her of the agony she had felt while dreaming of Ravage and Rumble. The pain was sharp, echoing through her mind, a stark presence of loss and the weight of failure. Alongside that pain was an undercurrent of fear, a gnawing dread of inadequacy that threatened to overwhelm her.

"Uh, Zelda?"

Zelda blinked repeatedly, her gaze fixed on the glass case before her. With a careful motion, she unhooked the latch and slowly slid the lid open. As she did, the AllSpark began to swell, pulsating as it floated to the surface. It brushed against her nerves, sending a tingling sensation through her fingertips.

With a mix of trepidation and determination, Zelda pressed her palm against Frenzy's deathly damaged chassis. A wave of energy coursed through her, and in an instant, the world around her faded into a blur. Sounds dimmed, colours muted, as she felt an unmistakable connection forming—a link that transcended the physical realm.

Zelda experienced a sensation akin to being submerged underwater, feeling the pressure of the water all around her, yet paradoxically feeling weightless at the same time. It wasn't like the white void where Zelda saw Optimus while she slept, nor was it like when she had resurrected Jazz. No, this was a great expanse of blues, shimmering and undulating like a mesmerising aurora borealis.

Zelda felt as if she were a free diver exploring the depths, tracing the thread's path further and further until she finally reached its owner, Frenzy. His spark shone brightly, surrounded by a subtle outline of his body.

The closer she grew, the more pain there was, and slowly, Zelda reached out a hand, resting it on his shoulder.

Frenzy startled, turning around to meet her eyes. There was a lull, a beat of profound stillness that surpassed even the eerie silence of the Well, as they stared at one another.

Zelda offered her hand silently. No words were traded. No words needed to be traded. Frenzy didn't miss a beat, laying his servo on top of hers. Their fingers intertwined, creating a strong bond between them as Zelda ascended higher and higher, pulling Frenzy along with her.

Back in her body, Zelda stumbled away and collapsed as the light show died down. Mikaela and Simmons were at her side immediately, grabbing her and slowly lowering her to the floor as she shook. Simmons pressed a tissue to her nose, and Zelda realised through the throb behind her eyes that her nose was bleeding.

"Oh shit, oh fuck," Leo babbled, wide eyes locked onto the box as two servos grasped the edge of the case Simmons had kept Frenzy's body in, and the Cybertronian sat up. Frenzy blinked, shuddering as his body reformed its original, larger shape. He ran system diagnostics and surrounded himself in the bonds that flared to life once more.

His unit—his family, were all there to welcome him back.

His frame shuddered again as everything slid into place and Frenzy submerged himself in the feeling of his family when he noticed the new bond forged. He cycled air through his dusty vents and gently batted aside Soundwave's inquisitive prod of =location?= to feel along the new bond instead.

Frenzy turned his helm, following it toward the femme that had resurrected him. He logged the image and tucked it deep down never to be forgotten. Despite how ill she looked, cheeks hollower than they should be, and the blood that streamed from her nose, Zelda Larsson met Frenzy's optics unwaveringly. Something unspoken, something kind and understanding, passed between them.

Frenzy climbed from the box with a thud of his pedes. The two humans he recognised—the femme that had dealt him damage to his compressed frame and the mech who had tried to keep Frenzy away at the dam and succeeded in offlining him—turned from fussing over Zelda with shock and wariness. Something like fear crossed their faces. The unknown human mech was the worst of the three, having taken scrambling steps back before Frenzy had even climbed from his coffin.

But Frenzy's attention drifted back to Zelda. The femme who had shot him twice without batting an optic to protect the Witwicky boy at that power station while he was partnered up with Barricade. The femme who had become the AllSpark.

Soundwave sent another, firmer =location?= and Frenzy just sent him a photo of the scene in front of him. Boss went silent. Good. Only for Rumble to immediately begin pinging him over the commlink. Rapidly. No dismissive waves from Frenzy over the twin bond stopped him until he closed the door on their bond a bit to tell his twin to shut up. It worked.

(Frenzy could also picture the chaos wherever his family was, with Rumble going crazy at Frenzy's denial. It sparks a swell of fond amusement.)

"What have I missed while dead?" he asked, a grin crossing his face. Frenzy was eager to begin catching up on everything he had missed, baby!

Tension eased from Zelda's frame, and the wariness projected through their newly established bond waned until it was non-existent. Wicked.

"So that's where—" the older human mech started and stopped. He gave Frenzy a wary glance before turning to Zelda. "You sure that was a good idea?"

"You gonna question my intuition?" Zelda rasped, looking a little peeved. The mech held his servos up with a knowing grimace. Whatever it was in reference to clearly drew a line of divide between them.

"Right," the mech muttered, pushing back to his pedes. "Now that's over, why don't we get onto the reason why you lot came barging into my home?"

The black-haired femme helped Zelda to her pedes, and Frenzy moved without thought. He scooped Zelda up and marched her to the closest seat. As Zelda settled into the plush chair, Frenzy eyed the basement. The walls were covered in many things, from Cybertronians to other human conspiracies Frenzy had briefly encountered while bored and scouring the human internet.

But what really caught Frenzy's interest was the photos of the old Seekers napping it up here on Earth. Slag, Frenzy didn't give these humans enough credit. Soundwave had tried to erase as much information on Cybertronians as possible, but things really do just slip past detection. There was always a physical trail somewhere.

Frenzy dropped his gaze to the other bot that was in the room. It was Wheelie. They met optics as Wheelie paused scrambling up the chair.

"Wheelie?" Zelda questioned, voice sounding rough. Her metal servo (which, wicked) reached to pluck the other minicon into her lap.

"That was some light show, sweetspark," Wheelie remarked, eyeing Zelda up with concern. "Not sayin' you shouldn'ta but you're not exactly in any state to have brought Frenzy here back."

Frenzy crossed his arms. Yeah, he's inclined to agree with Wheelie. Frenzy had seen the spark she was harbouring when Zelda had pulled him from the Well. But who was it? There was no way the Autoscum would have allowed her to carry it around in her fleshy body. Frenzy didn't need to be a doctor to know how bad of an idea that was.

"Well, she did. Kinda reckless there," Frenzy said, grinning when he was rewarded with a huff of amusement.

"Zelda," the older human mech said, and Zelda turned back to him as he held up a photo. "Do any of these look like the symbols you saw?"

It was old-school script. Damn.

"Yeah, that's it," Zelda nodded with fascination. "Where did you get these?"

"Before I got fired, I poached S-7's crown jewel, over seventy-five years of alien research, which points to one inescapable fact—" the mech whirled towards Frenzy, grinning widely. "—You lot have been here a long, long time."

"Do we leave that much of a trail?" Frenzy asked, genuinely wanting to know. Soundwave would definitely want to know all this, too. Anything to hide and protect themselves from unwanted eyes, the better.

Zelda glanced at him, something curious in her eyes, and Frenzy couldn't help the budding pride at her interest.

The mech rounded the table with more photos scavenged from a file, and Zelda took them. "Archaeologists found these unexplained markings in ancient ruins all over the world. Here's some of them in China, Egypt, and Greece."

Zelda took her time in looking the photos off, gently tracing the markings with awe.

"These also the symbols you're seeing in your head?" the mech asked, and Zelda nodded.

"So, they're across the entire world?" she questioned further.

The mech nodded and pulled out more files, flipping them to face Zelda, showing old human vehicles from cars to planes. "Check this out. Project: Black Knife. Robots. In disguise. Hiding here all along. We detected radioactive signatures all across the country. I pleaded. On my knees with S-7 to investigate it, but they said the readings were infinitesimal, that I... was... obsessed! Me. Can you imagine that?

"Simmons, focus," Zelda prompted.

"Right," Simmons nodded, dropping the photos on the table. "So, what do you know about these symbols so far?"

"Megatron said that there was another energon source here."

Frenzy tilted his helm, watching the exchange curiously. He knew nothing about what was happening, but it was big clearly.

"On Earth?"

"On Earth," Zelda nodded.

"You talked to your Autobot friends about this?"

Zelda shook her head. "No, whatever this source is, it predates them."

Simmons frowned deeply. "Another source? What could that mean? Something similar to the Cube?" he turned to Frenzy and Wheelie. "You two, you know anything about this?"

"I'm just a lowly minicon. I don't know nothin' unless I need to. Can't help ya here, fleshy," Wheelie shrugged.

Simmons turned to Frenzy. "You?"

Frenzy mulled his decision over. "…I work for Soundwave. I know what he thinks I need to know and considering I was offline until about a breem ago, I'm out of the loop. But…" Frenzy turned toward the map on the wall stuck with over a dozen pins. "…I'd reckon one of the old timers here on Earth would know. A Seeker even, if you have one."

"You mean from the photos?" Simmons clarified, eyes sparking excitedly.

"Yeah," Frenzy nodded. "Got a list?"

Simmons grinned and ran off again, scavenging through more files until he presented a document. "Here, they're all labelled with locations."

Frenzy stepped closer to the table, flicking through the pieces of paper. He writes off any non-Seekers immediately. As he does, he pings Soundwave.

"=Where's the closet old energon Seeker?=" he questioned.

"=Washington. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Human designation: Blackbird. Cybertronian designation: Jetfire=" Soundwave reported.

Frenzy does not acknowledge that Soundwave, while giving that answer, revealed he knew their location.

"=Thanks Boss=" Frenzy closed the commlink and plucked up the Blackfire photo. "This one in Washington."

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight: Words of Wisdom

The incessant buzz of the extractor fan in the bathroom grated on Zelda's nerves. She took a deep breath, gripping the scissors tightly, and with each deliberate snip, her hair fell away in clumps until it framed her face just above her shoulders. She stood in front of the mirror to carefully craft a fringe that would transform her look.

A wave of emotion surged through her as she caught sight of Aria's face in the mirror, a haunting echo of herself reflecting back. They might not have been identical twins, but the similarities were striking enough to take her breath away. Zelda felt a lump rise in her throat, her gaze fixed on the mirror. She gripped the edge of the sink tightly, the porcelain creaking softly under the pressure of her hold.

Zelda dropped her head with a humourless huff of laughter. "What am I doing," she muttered in defeat.

There was a knock on the door and Frenzy's voice came through the wood. "Zelda?"

"It's unlocked," she said.

The door creaked open, and the minicon stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He stared at her for a moment, red visor clear enough to reveal his equally as red optics. There was something questioning in his gaze.

"Why'd you do it? Why'd you bring me back?" he asked.

Ah.

Zelda let the scissors slip from her fingers, the metallic blades clattering loudly against the countertop. She took a deep breath, sinking down onto the cool porcelain of the toilet seat, her shoulders sagging with tiredness. Frenzy leaned against the door, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his stance relaxed yet watchful as he studied her with a keen, searching gaze.

In some ways, Frenzy reminded Zelda of Jazz.

"A few weeks ago, I had a dream. To provide some context, ever since I became the AllSpark, I've been dreaming a lot about the war. In these dreams, I am always connected to a single person. I can feel their emotions and see their experiences," Zelda began, pausing briefly to collect her thoughts. "In a recent dream, I saw Rumble and Ravage sneaking onto the military base where the other Cube shard was being kept safe. I felt Rumble's pain, and when I saw you, I could sense your desire to return."

Frenzy let out a deep, weary sigh as he dropped his arms to his sides. With a gentleness, he moved closer to Zelda. Slowly, he knelt on one knee before her, his movements deliberate and respectful. Taking her hands in his own, he cradled them tenderly, guiding them to press against his cheeks. The warmth of his cheeks lingered against her flesh palm, grounding her in a way Zelda hadn't known she needed.

"Thank you."

Zelda slowly shook her head and she leaned down, their temples knocking together. "I understand the pain of losing loved ones. If I can spare anyone that agony, no matter who it is, then I will."

"You are far too kind for your own good," Frenzy noted blandly.

Zelda merely chuckled. "I'm not. I've done terrible things to survive."

"Ain't we all, though?" Frenzy rebuffed. "My people are at war. Every Cybertronian, no matter the faction, has killed at least one other for the sake of surviving. And I know humans can be awful too. I scrounged the internet enough to unfortunately find some of the worst slag there is."

Zelda shuddered at the thought.

"Now," Frenzy got a look strikingly like the older Autobots got when Zelda did something questionable. There was a wary dread that rose in an almost comical matter. "Whose spark are you holding?"

Zelda startled, shocked that Frenzy knew. "How—"

"When you brought me back, I could see you tethering someone else," he interrupted. "I don't need to be a doctor to know how dangerous that is for someone of you…composite."

"Composite," Zelda snerked, unable to stop her smile. It dragged a grin from Frenzy.

"Want me to call you fleshy?" He retorted playfully, nudging Zelda's cheek.

"I certainly wouldn't be offended," Zelda said truthfully. "It's what humans are, right?"

Frenzy laughed, withdrawing slightly from her space. He shook his helm. "You gotta untether."

Zelda pressed her lips together. "I'm not going to."

"And kill yourself in the process?" He rebuffed in disbelief. "Whoever it is, they ain't gone so long as their frame is intact. You're just killing yourself for no reason."

"I can't," Zelda choked out, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can," Frenzy said firmly. Any hint of humour was gone now. "Bond or not, I bet they also told ya the same. Now, who is it?"

Zelda bowed her head, resting it on Frenzy's shoulder. "Optimus. It's Optimus."

Frenzy froze, his disbelief doubled, swirling through their bond. "It's Prime? No, my point stands even firmer. No way Prime is fine with you holdin' him like this!"

Zelda shrugged. "He doesn't really get an option in this situation."

"But he should, he does," Frenzy empathised, grabbing Zelda by the shoulders and forcing her to look him in the optic. "You're not helpin' anyone by holdin' his spark, you stubborn bitch."

Zelda just smiled. "I am stubborn."

Frenzy groaned, throwing his helm back. "No, you're not gettin' out of this. If I have to go to those Autobots you're travellin' with and tell 'em what you're doin', I will," Frenzy threatened.

She remained silent, understanding that Frenzy was serious about the ultimatum.

"Just, think about it, yeah?" Frenzy asked. No, begged. "The longer you have his spark in ya, the more at risk you are. Let me see. I ain't a fleshy doctor but I can give you the low down."

Zelda let out a weary sigh as she slowly pulled her shirt up and over her head. As the fabric slipped away, she grimaced, wincing at the persistent ache radiating from her chest.

A soft, muted luminosity radiated from inside her chest, casting an ethereal glow. In the dim, overhead bathroom lights, the subtle glow became even more pronounced, creating a striking contrast against her ribs and sternum. A moment of awe hung in the air between them as the gravity of the situation began to set in.

Frenzy reached out with a delicate touch, a single digit pressing gently against where chest became breast. Zelda felt a jolt of discomfort as he made contact, a sharp hiss escaping her lips. Until that point, she had managed to push the truth aside but now, denial crumbled into stark reality.

The weight of it all pressed heavily upon her, and she realised with a chill that it was not just discomfort. The growing sensation of alienation gnawed at her, and the weight of her condition settled heavily in her stomach. Her body was rejecting to housing Optimus's spark and it was killing her.

"Your stubbornness isn't going to win you this," Frenzy whispered, something like fear creeping into his voice.

Zelda swallowed thickly. She couldn't deny it anymore.

Frenzy helped Zelda emerge from the bathroom forty minutes later, her hair now bleached and dyed blond. The scent of the bleach lingered, even after she washed it several times and vomited from its overwhelming smell.

Not denying Frenzy's help as he guided her to a settee Simmons had on the lower floor, she collapsed onto it breathlessly. Exhaustion tugged heavily at her everything, and the pills she had taken hours earlier had begun wearing off. Every ounce of pain was making itself known, and Zelda was struggling to keep her head above the water.

Mikaela, having been sorting through items Simmons had gathered (water, rations, and the lot. Simmons was, despite their history, a man Zelda knew she could rely on), dropped what she was doing to reach into her hip bag. She pulled out the small container with the modified painkillers.

"Here," she said, handing them over with a bottle of water.

"Thanks," Zelda murmured and she quickly took the pills. The quicker they started working, the sooner Zelda could get her head back on straight. The pain made it hard for her to focus, and now of all times Zelda needed to be completely with it.

"I went to check up with the 'bots while you were in the bathroom. They know the basics of the plan and that we'll be leaving in the morning," Mikaela explained. She leant back on the table still covered in everything Simmons had pulled out and crossed her arms.

Zelda frowned. "In the morning?"

Frenzy and Mikaela both gave Zelda a look she did not like one bit.

"Do we need to rehash the conversation we just had in the bathroom already?" Frenzy questioned drily, a hint of incredulous in his voice.

Zelda sighed. "Okay, okay. I understand."

"Good, because we're not leaving until you've gotten a proper rest," Mikaela said point blank.

Wanting to put that topic behind them before something else about her health could come up, Zelda asked: "Where's Leo and Simmons?"

"Simmons took Leo with him to the corner shop to get some more supplies," Mikaela answered.

"…Leo?" Zelda questioned hesitantly.

Mikaela laughed, trying to stifle the sound when Zelda winced at the volume. "Simmons gave him a good run down about how to act. Leo started panicking when Simmons tagged him. I offered, but Simmons said something about girls helping girls."

"Do I want to ask what's up with that guy?" Frenzy asked. "He a newbie?"

Zelda smirked lightly. "He runs a conspiracy website. He got his hands on lots of videos and entirely believed in your existence, and yet face to face with it, he was scared shitless."

"Not even Sam was that terrified," Mikaela giggled, perhaps a bit cruelly.

Frenzy grinned, dropping onto the settee beside Zelda. "So he's a pussy, eh? He gives that vibe."

Zelda choked on a laugh, slumping back into the settee tiredly. "To be fair, most people would probably have the same reaction. Sam, on the other hand, he's…"

"I love Sam a lot, but he's a bit wacky," Mikaela said lovingly.

"…It's a Witwicky thing," Zelda sighed. "I mean, Ron can be just as…"

"And yourself?" Mikaela teased.

"Oh, yeah, don't let my front fool you, Keala. I'm missing a few screws," Zelda assured her entirely honestly. Frenzy snerked in amusement.

"No. No fragging way is he coming with us," Sunstreaker denied the moment his holoform dropped into the basement and saw Frenzy.

Ah, so Mikaela hadn't informed them about Zelda resurrecting Frenzy. Zelda winced slightly.

Frenzy, lounging back on the settee, grinned. "Well, you gotta suck it up, 'cause I am."

Zelda sighed, running her hand through her blonde hair. "Sunny."

"This is asking for trouble," Sideswipe added, backing Sunstreaker up. "He's one of Soundwave's, Zelda."

"Well, we wouldn't have a location if it weren't for him," Zelda rebuffed. "I'm not asking you to trust him, guys. I'm asking you to trust me."

"We do," Bumblebee said without hesitation. He pointed at Frenzy. "He's one we don't trust."

"Then trust my judgement," Zelda reiterated.

"Of course we do, Doll," Sideswipe agreed with a hint of frustration. He moved closer, standing before her and turned to Frenzy, who was sitting beside her, content as could be. "He hasn't given us a reason to trust he won't broadcast our location the first chance he has."

"I could have already," Frenzy remarked nonchalantly, arms tucked behind his helm. "Soundwave was more than firm in wanting my location, and he knows the only reason I'm alive is because of Zelda. But I didn't."

Sideswipe stared him down.

"Sides," Zelda said softly. "Trust me."

With a sigh, Sideswipe turned to Sunstreaker and Bumblebee. Zelda knew the trio were having a conversation over their private commlink.

"Okay," Sunstreaker said eventually, still looking like he wanted to fight this decision. "He can come."

All three looked like they hated it, and Zelda couldn't really argue with it. None of them had the same bond with Frenzy as she did. They hadn't had any heart-to-hearts like she and Frenzy just had. But Frenzy had proven himself to her, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

Zelda hated to admit it, but Frenzy had become her confidant, and she knew he was smug about it.

"Then let's get going," Zelda said, pushing to her feet.

When they arrived at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, it was getting late. Skids, Mudflap, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, and Sunstreaker were parked at the back of the car park, a small ways away from the building at Zelda's request.

"Why not park closer?" Leo questioned.

"Only idiots park that close when they haven't got a concrete plan," Simmons said drily as he, Leo and Mikaela gathered beside Sideswipe's passenger door, where Zelda was sat.

"Yo, one of you Autobots burst me that holoform spec, would ya?" Frenzy asked from Sideswipe's small backseat. Typically, a Lamborghini didn't even have a backseat, but Cybertronians were not strictly confined by the specifications of the vehicles they looked like.

Frenzy had spent a few hours recharging, catching up on rest he sorely needed after Zelda had brought him back, but afterwards, he had transformed and sprawled himself across Sideswipe's backseats-slash-trunk area.

(Sideswipe had refused anyone in the driver's seat and onlined his holoform, which meant the other three were with Bumblebee because Sunstreaker outright refused them into his interior.

Ah, some things never change, Zelda thought fondly. To date, unless it was an emergency while out on a mission, no one but Zelda had been inside Sunstreaker's alt-mode.

Of course, neither of the three humans wanted to ride with Mudflap or Skids either for their…slightly hectic driving.)

"No," was Sideswipe's deadpan response.

"Well, one of us has gotta go in with them, and I'm the only capable one. Plus, I've got the necessary skills to sneak inside their systems and disrupt the cameras," Frenzy pointed out smugly.

Zelda sighed and patted the door frame. "Sides, just do it."

She could feel his discontent, but Sideswipe didn't protest. Frenzy made an eager noise as Sideswipe sent over the information he had requested.

"Wicked," he whispered quietly.

"Right, now that's sorted," Simmons said drily, eyeing Frenzy from where he stood. "We're going in under the guise of visitors. We know they are currently doing display maintenance thanks to Frenzy's research. We have got to get behind those boards to hide."

Simmons had a no-nonsense attitude as he explained the plan. It had been roughed out during the journey, but they needed something solid. Usually, Zelda would have taken charge, and she had chipped in when Simmons was bouncing around ideas, but she had rested largely during the car journey.

Her thoughts had been tangled up with her conversation with Frenzy. About the fact that housing Optimus's spark was slowly killing her. It was a grim constant on her mind. Zelda needed to come to a conclusion and soon.

"You sure I can't just stay here?" Leo began nervously, sparing uneasy glances toward the Smithsonian. "I'm not some spy. I can't keep my cool. Guards have guns. I don't want to die."

"Pussy," Frenzy whispered from Sideswipe's backseat.

Zelda gave a weary sigh. "They don't carry guns, just tasers, Leo."

Simmons, in contrast to Zelda, was vastly annoyed. He got closer to Leo, grasping him by the shoulder and forcing Leo to look him in the eye. "Kid, you compromise this mission, you are dead to us."

Leo just stared at Simmons with a mix of bewilderment and fear.

"How about we don't work ourselves up?" Mikaela said, pressing her hands between the two males to separate them. "Simmons, don't antagonise him and Leo, take some breaths. You're capable."

Leo swallowed and nodded. "I'm capable." He didn't sound convinced.

Zelda pushed herself from Sideswipe's passenger seat, listening as Frenzy crawled into her now vacant seat and transformed. There was a shuffle of fabric, signifying he had activated his holoform.

"Leo, if you let yourself panic, you will only wind yourself up. You'll be with someone at all times, okay?" Zelda assured him before turning to Simmons with a pointed look. "Like Mikaela said, please stop saying things that will antagonise him."

Simmons merely shrugged. "He needs to toughen up a bit."

Leo gave Simmons a dirty look.

"So, we heading in or what?" Frenzy asked as he climbed out of Sideswipe's interior.

His holoform, half a head taller than Zelda but definitely smaller than Sideswipe or Sunstreaker, had taken on someone of Latino heritage with wavey black hair that fell around his ears. He was attractive with his defined but soft features. In a way, he reminded Zelda of Bumblebee's holoform in that regard, with hints of youth still.

Clothing-wise, Frenzy wore a crisp white shirt and a slightly baggy red hoodie with a white hood. He also wore a muted red and black cap which his hood was tucked up over. He wore beige cargo pants and black combat boots. His eyes, however, were still visibly red, more of a bricky one but red nonetheless—not a colour that would pass for a human.

"Might want to adjust the eye colour," Zelda told him.

Frenzy merely grinned. "Nah."

Zelda scoffed lightly before wandering over to Bumblebee, where Wheelie was hold up. "You okay staying here?"

"Oh yeah, I'm good stayin' right here, sweetspark!" Wheelie assured from Bumblebee's passenger seat.

"Okay," Zelda smiled before turning her attention to her little brother. "Bee, we'll try to be as quickly as we can, but considering the Seeker's been in stasis for a while, he might wake up a bit…"

"Cranky?" Bumblebee sniggered.

"I suppose so," Zelda agreed with a smile. "Hopefully nothing goes wrong."

She closed his driver's door and patted the roof of Bumblebee's alt-mode before moving to join the group. Zelda nodded Mudflap and Skids way before transferring her gaze to Sunstreaker. He was still displeased with her decision to bring Frenzy with them. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were, but the former was being more passive-aggressive about it.

Zelda dreaded what the others would say about Frenzy once they all met up again. She knew that Sunstreaker was in communication with Jazz as he was Optimus's right hand and had taken charge of the Autobots back on base.

With a sigh, Zelda and the group headed toward the large modern building.

It was surprisingly easy. Once inside the building, the group behaved like a typical group of visitors as they examined their surroundings. Blackbird was located in the main building, alongside other decommissioned planes and space-related machinery. Despite a desire to explore the museum to the fullest, time was not on their side. With only an hour left before the museum closed its doors for the day, Mikaela, Zelda, and Frenzy moved with purpose. Their destination was the in-the-works display obscured by wooden boards and seemingly forgotten amid the more glamorous exhibits.

Frenzy expertly tapped into the building's intricate system, manipulating the security footage to create a seamless loop that masked their presence. It provided just enough time for them to discreetly hide away behind the display boards.

Fifteen minutes later, Simmons and Leo approached quietly. Their footsteps muffled against the polished floor as they made their way. As Frenzy had done for them, he looped the cameras long enough for Simmons and Leo to slip behind another board. Here, in the shadows, they waited.

Zelda leaned back against the wall, half hidden by mannequins dressed in astronaut gear raised on a small dais. She settled there in quiet contemplation, her head resting against the wall and legs tucked close. Mikaela sat on the edge of the platform while Frenzy remained near the connection point he had established, keeping a watchful eye on the cameras and security.

A hand absentmindedly settled on her chest, lingering just above the place where Optimus's spark resided. Frenzy's words echoed in her mind, and Zelda found no reason to argue with them. The flesh beneath her fingers felt unnaturally soft, the skin oddly pliable, leading her to question whether it was dying off. Beneath that, her heart raced, pounding against her ribs with a frantic intensity that left her near breathless. The chaotic rhythm of its beats surged and stumbled, a sensation she couldn't shake off or ignore.

Zelda squeezed her eyes shut, a gesture filled with resignation and acceptance. Deep down, however, she was acutely aware that the inevitable had already set its wheels in motion. Whether she chose to sever or maintain the tether with Optimus, it was far too late.

Typically, she prided herself on her ability to ignore her body's subtle signals, dismissing them like background noise. But that skill required an intimate familiarity with those cues, and at this moment, they were too loud to ignore. Zelda knew she couldn't escape the reality of the situation any longer; it was far too late for that. She could no longer afford to be indifferent.

At this moment, the choice before her was critical. It was a matter of prolonging her life, of surviving another day to see it through, and she understood that maintaining that bond jeopardised her mission. It was a heart-wrenching choice, but one that she had to make for the sake of the world.

Zelda shifted her gaze toward Frenzy, her eyes tracing the lines of his holoform's pensive expression as he stared blankly at the wall. She could almost sense the intensity of his focus, knowing that he was immersed in diligently monitoring the cameras to ensure their safety.

She wondered what Soundwave was like. She had only ever seen him in dreams by mechs and femmes that had encountered him on the battlefield. Even then, Soundwave was the Chief Communications Officer, Megatron's left hand where Starscream was his right, meaning he was not often on the battlefield in the same way any other would be. He was literally all hearing and seeing as far as Zelda, and the Autobots, were concerned.

A part of Zelda wanted to meet him, if only to put a name to a non-murky face. She wanted to ask questions to someone who had his servos in everything he could. She almost laughed, but Zelda swallowed the sound and buried her face in her knees. Once again, she found herself trying to distract herself without even realising it. How typical.

It was fear. Zelda couldn't kid her way out of this. The only reason she housed Optimus's spark was because feeling how their thread frayed terrified her. A deep, soul-wrenching ache had formed as it began unravelling before her. It had terrified her—the thought of losing anyone else.

But her fear had only ensured her downfall. There was irony in there. After all Zelda had done, this was how her lights were gonna go out.

Although, the concrete would have been funnier. R.I.P Zelda Louis Larsson, 1982 to 2009. Died by cracking her skull open on concrete.

Wait.

Zelda took another breath. She held it until she gathered herself together, then released with a frustrated sigh.

"Are you okay?" Mikaela whispers with concern.

With a weary smile, Zelda nodded. "Yeah, just tired is all."

She had made up her mind: stopping The Fallen was her top priority, no matter what. Zelda had to untether.

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine: Jetfire

They waited for the closing announcement and then continued to wait. An hour after closing, Frenzy signalled that the guards were making their rounds on the far side, away from where they needed to be. It's the perfect time for the group to make their move, so they do.

As Zelda emerged from her position behind the large, wooden board that served as a makeshift barrier, she brushed a few strands of hair from her face and looked up at her companions. With a slight nod and an encouraging smile, she gestured for Mikaela, Leo, and Simmons to move ahead of her, indicating that she wanted a moment alone with Frenzy.

"We'll catch up in a moment," Zelda assured when Mikaela questioned her. She felt Frenzy's questioning gaze, but he didn't protest.

"Make it quick. We have twenty minutes before their patrol gets them into the main hanger," Simmons warned.

"We're right behind you," Zelda nodded.

After a moment, the trio hurry off, vanishing around a corner.

"So?" Frenzy questioned.

"I'll do it," she said quietly

Frenzy stared at her, his eyes wide as a momentary wave of confusion washed over him. For an instant, it was clear he was lost trying to piece together what she meant. Then, the realisation dawned on him, and his expression shifted dramatically—his brows furrowed, and his mouth parted in disbelief. "You—" he started, the words hanging heavily in the air. He didn't finish and he didn't need to.

Zelda swallowed thickly. "Guide me?"

Frenzy took her by the elbows, and Zelda returned the gesture by grabbing his holoform's elbows. "It's instinct. Nothing more to it. Imagine cutting it," he explained slowly.

"Will he feel it?" she whispered, tears burning her eyes.

Frenzy hesitated a beat. "I…for me, it was only a moment of pain and then I was gone. But he's…he might not even be aware in his state."

"Okay."

The stark honesty washed over her like a balm, even amid the heaviness of the situation. Zelda's mind drifted back to Optimus—the weight of his words echoing in her thoughts, urging her to sever the invisible tether that connected them and not worry about him, to trust him.

In that moment, she felt her resolve solidify, a fragile yet unyielding strength taking root. With a deep sigh, Zelda closed her eyes tightly, delicately tracing the dim, partly frayed thread that linked her to Optimus. In her mind's eye, she envisioned a pair of scissors and the swift, decisive snip.

It was an instinctive, gut-wrenching reaction, a sudden tug at her heart that felt as if someone had reached in and pulled the very breath from her lungs. Waves of dizziness surged over her, blurring her vision and causing the room to tilt dangerously as her mind raced to process the broken bond. Panic fluttered in her chest at the void, and she struggled to find her footing, desperately grasping Frenzy's elbows for support as the world around her spiralled.

"I've got ya," he breathed, bringing Zelda close and scoping her up into his holoform's arms. "I've got you. Give it a moment."

Zelda whimpered, burying her face into the fabric of his hoodie. "We gotta catch up."

"Don't even like givin' yourself a minute, do ya?" Frenzy said with a short, disbelieving laugh. But he didn't protest, moving swiftly but gently as he carried her bridle style toward the hanger where the Blackbird was being kept.

"Is she alright?" Leo questioned.

Zelda grunted and raised her head, squinting against the overhead lights. She felt marginally better, actually. A weight she hadn't known was there had been lifted from her chest, letting her breathe easier.

"Just a bit weak," Frenzy waved off and set Zelda down on her feet at her silent request. She wavered but held firm, feeling a well of strength that had eluded her for days.

"So, this is our guy," Simmons said, hands on his hips as he stared up at the Blackbird. "Hasn't got one of those insignias you guys have."

"That's 'cause he's been here longer than the war probably," Frenzy remarked. "Or he was a neutral that fled. Either way, he's our ticket to findin' out what those old scripts mean."

Zelda swallowed, gently squeezing Frenzy's arm in a silent thank you and hopped over the railing. "A simple zap of power should just wake him up, right?"

"Uh…yeah," Frenzy confirmed. "He's just in stasis, probably from about the time he took on this alt-mode."

If Zelda had her history correct, the original Blackbird flew for the first time in nineteen-sixty-four and was decommissioned sometime around the mid-nineteen-seventies, going on to be displayed here at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. That meant this was the first Blackbird. She wondered if the creators knew about the Cybertronian and if they worked with him to create its specs.

Zelda lifted her right hand, the smooth surface of her prosthetic softly clinking against the metal of the Blackbird. She felt a magnetic pull as she finally made contact with the Cybertronian before her. In that moment, a surge of energy coursed through her, and Zelda could sense the vibrant life that lay dormant within the Seeker's slumbering form. With a gentle yet purposeful flick of the AllSpark's power, she initiated the awakening, sending a subtle jolt that flickered through his circuitry and ignited the dormant spark of life within him.

It was an alarm clock, essentially.

And it was instant.

The Blackbird's frame began unfolding and breaking apart as the Seeker emitted a sharp yelp, piercing the silence like a bird's cry. The group scattered, backing away as the Cybertronian awakened violently.

He was tall, was Zelda's first impression. Very, very tall. Taller than Optimus, even slouched over as he was.

The frontal shell of the Blackbird covered his forehead. Along his cheeks were protrusions like whiskers, and his beard resembled sheets of metal that clinked together as he swayed. Turbines formed his thighs, and his legs were digitigrade, similar to those of a cat, but with talons of a bird. His wings sat higher on his back, flaring out and giving him a larger presence. His servos had a more humanoid shape but featured three digits and a thumb that tapered to a blunt tip. He used his front landing gear as a walking stick, supporting his weight on it.

The moment his transformation settled, his startled cry churned into a coughing fit as though something thick was lodged in his vents, and he was desperately trying to get it out.

The towering Cybertronian lurched forward, his stumbling movements causing him to collide with nearby display pieces, sending them tumbling aside with a clatter. One sleek plane plummeted to the floor with a cringe-inducing thud. Zelda winced at the sound, instantly calculating the potential dent it might leave in her bank account—granted, it was unlikely to be a significant dent in her saving, but it still stung. Just as she was about to regain her footing, Frenzy barrelled into her, tackling her back to the ground with surprising gentleness.

"Wha—?"

"Give him a moment!" he hissed. Frenzy had ditched the holoform, sprawled across Zelda's back with his frame. He was shielding her, Zelda belatedly realised. Then Frenzy raised his head and spoke in common Cybertronian. "(Yo, old timer, calm the frag down! You're destroying slag the organics consider historic.)"

"(Old timer? I'll show you old timer!)" the Seeker cried with outrage, optics searching for Frenzy, but something popped in his spine, and he near bowed over with a groan of pain.

Zelda gave a sympathetic wince. Waking him up had created a fledgling bond—one akin to what she shared with Megatron, as grim as that realisation was—and Zelda could feel the distant waft of pain he was in. But it seemed that burst of pain was what he needed to get his helm on straight because when he finally found Frenzy, the one cheeky enough to insult him, he paused, his optics squinting at Zelda.

"You…" he spoke with awe as he prodded along their fledgling bond. Zelda returned the poke impulsively. "Now that's unexpected. You're the one that woke me up, ay?"

Deeming it safe, Frenzy finally rolled off her, allowing Zelda to sit up, where she ignored the wave of vertigo that came over her.

"I am," she confirmed nervously, staggering to her feet. "I'm Zelda. What's your designation?"

"Jetfire," he answered proudly, straightening up, only for something to pop in his spine again, and he crowed with pain. "Ah, bugger! After all I've done, this is what I get? Wretched body rusting on me!"

"I do not want to get that old," Frenzy muttered. "I'd wanna be put out of my permanent misery long before then."

Zelda nudged his side because now really wasn't the time for jokes and grim ones at that, considering Frenzy had been dead until yesterday.

"What earth year is it?" Jetfire asked, disgruntled optics taking in his surroundings with low-lying disgust.

"Two thousand and nine," Zelda answered. Simmons, Leo and Mikaela all began to approach now that Jetfire had calmed down. "Please, I need your help."

Zelda rolled up the sleeve of her flesh arm, where she had drawn a few of the script, having thought ahead to this exact situation.

Jetfire only looked at the script once before he burst into a flurry of action. His canon formed and aimed at the set of hanger doors. The blaster whirled, smoked, and fired. The entire hanger shuddered as the doors were blown right off their tracks.

"I knew I was forgetting something!" Jetfire cried and began walking with a pronounced limp toward the now-destroyed hanger doors.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Zelda cried and dogged after him. The others hurried to keep up with her. "Where are you going?!"

"Oh, the museum is going to be very angry. Very angry," Simmons said warily.

They followed Jetfire outside to the graveyard of planes, all in various states of disrepair.

"I have no time to talk. I've got a mission. Tell me, is that civil war still going on? Who's winning?" Jetfire demanded.

Zelda hesitated a beat, unsure how to answer that in truth. "Uh…depends on who you ask honestly."

"I tell you, all that fighting, stupid," Jetfire grumbled.

Jetfire paused to collect himself, nearly stumbling into a decommissioned plane and leaving a distinct handprint in it. Zelda used the chance to try to get Jetfire talking again. "I woke you up because I've been informed you could help me. That you know things that could help us."

"I don't think he knows anything. Honestly, I don't," Leo muttered and got a jab in the side by Mikaela.

Zelda shot Leo a look for the remark before carrying on when she had Jetfire's attention. "The old-style scripts I just showed you? I've been seeing them for months, but I can't read them. Whatever this script is about, it'll lead Megatron and someone called The Fallen to an energy source here on Earth."

Jetfire paused before grimacing with distaste. "The Fallen? I know him, wretched betrayer. He was stripped of his name for his actions against his brethren and other sentient life. He's the original Decepticon. Can't properly describe what an utter horrid mech he is. He'd doom entire worlds if it got him selfish wants."

Frenzy blanched. "Frag, seriously?"

Jetfire pointed down at Zelda. "That script, while I can't read it myself, is called Truth Speak, or the Language of The Primes. It's the reason I'm here on Earth. My mission, me and other old energon Seekers who were old enough to remember who The Fallen is, came here to make sure The Fallen never got his servos on the Matrix." Jetfire lurched, optics wide. "Yes! I remember now, the Dagger's Tip, the three kings! And—and the Matrix!"

Zelda waved her hands, desperately trying to wrap her head around everything Jetfire was spewing. "Okay, wait, slow down. The Dagger's Tip? Matrix? What are you talking about?"

Jetfire pivoted sharply to face the approaching Autobots, his massive frame looming against the backdrop of the plane graveyard. As the Autobots closed the distance forward, engines roaring, Zelda held her breath, bracing for an attack. To her surprise and relief, Jetfire merely observed them, his optics scanning their movements without any hint of aggression.

"Jetfire, please explain! You're not making any sense," Zelda said in frustration.

"It's The Fallen! He's after the Matrix!" Jetfire lashed out, servo dragging Mudflap, who was at the back, closer and ignored his shout of pain. "We're wasting time, enough talk. Hold on!"

A vibration began to thrum in the air, Jetfire's chassis rumbling and shuddering as they worked through decades of stagnation.

"What are you doing?!" Zelda shouted, gasping as wind whipped heavily around them and a blue light emerged from Jetfire's chassis. It felt like the static of incoming lightning. Zelda had only ever felt this within her dreams, bound to Skywarp.

Frenzy beat her to it. "He's warping!"

"He's what?" Mikaela shouted over the racket of dirt being flung about outside Jetfire's radius.

"Stay still, or you'll die!"

"What?" Leo cried and moved, colliding with Mikaela at the worst possible time.

A queasy sense of wrongness unsettled Zelda's sense of direction. Vertigo yanked her sideways, causing every atom of her being to seize and condense. Blinding vibrancy whirled around her in a blur of colour, as endless as the pressure bearing down on her bones. A deafening ringing echoed inside Zelda's skull, and she choked, unable to breathe in the emptiness of the in-between space.

She squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to block out the nausea, but it was pointless; it did nothing to stop her from being thrown this way and that as if whatever was happening couldn't decide how to hurl her about.

It was nothing more than a fraction of a second, and then it was over.

Then she was falling.

A flash of red and silver and Sideswipe was wrapping a servo around her, clutching Zelda close as they continued sailing through the air.

Everyone was scattered.

Sideswipe hit the sand on his pedes but quickly lost his balance and went tumbling head-first. Zelda cried out, shaken as she tucked herself into a ball, clinging to Sideswipe's chassis. Sand went everywhere.

When he finally came to a stop on his back with a groan, Sideswipe unfurled his servo. Zelda heaved, trembling against him as she struggled to gather her breath. His holoform onlined, pulling Zelda into a sitting position and burying her head between her knees.

"Breathe, Zelda," he ordered.

She wheezed, her ribs protesting. Her heart raced, and it was painful. She was struggling. The weight of Optimus's spark might no longer be there, but Zelda had held on too long. Her body was degenerating; it was struggling to function. The nanites and her enhancements were trying their best, and Zelda didn't know which would win in the end.

Amid the chaos, voices rose in a cacophony of shouts and exclamations, each person vying to be heard over the scattered distance they had landed. Panic etched on their faces as they gestured animatedly and struggled to regain their bearings in the bewildering turn of events.

"What the frag was that?!" Sunstreaker bellowed, storming toward Jetfire.

Zelda let out a soft groan as she slowly uncurled herself, feeling the warmth of Sideswipe's presence beneath her. Sideswipe, with a gentle sigh, deactivated his holoform, the shimmering image of his humanoid façade flickering out of existence. He sat up smoothly, his frame casting a comforting shadow around her, and instinctively drew her closer, the warmth between them a soothing balm against the coolness that had made itself at home within Zelda. Despite the shift, he kept her close to his chassis. The hum of his spark loosened the remaining tension in Zelda's shoulders.

"We didn't sign up for no warping!" Skids added, half supporting his twin.

Bumblebee stumbled closer, desperately shaking off the sand. Zelda grimaced, aware of how sand could infiltrate every crevice of the bots.

"That really, really hurt. You're just lucky that we didn't get hurt. People could have gotten killed, okay?" Simmons rambled angrily. Mikaela looked a little singed but unharmed. The same but slightly less singed for Leo.

Wheelie and Frenzy appeared unharmed, and she probed them through the bond for confirmation. Frenzy gave her a thumbs-up, and Wheelie sent a pulse of reassurance. Zelda repeated the gesture for the Autobots, getting silent assurance.

Jetfire scoffed, dragging Zelda's attention back to the Seeker. He waved not only Simmons off but everyone's protest to the warping. "Oh, shut up. I told you I was opening a space bridge. It's the fastest way to travel to Egypt."

Egypt. Of course.

Zelda sighed, rubbing her aching temple. "Okay," she resolved to just…leave the warping behind. "Why are we in Egypt? Could you give a bit more than just Dagger's Tip and Matrix?"

"My mission, and that of several other Seekers, was not to find the key but to keep guard," Jetfire finally began to explain, and relief swept through Zelda. "This planet has been visited by our race many times, but the first was by our earliest ancestors. They were on an exploratory mission to harvest energon, the lifeblood of our race. Without it, we'll all perish, oxidise and rust, like my wretched self! Do you have any idea what it's like to slowly fall apart and die?"

Simmons crossed his arms into an x with annoyance. "Let's not get episodic, okay, old-timer? Beginning. Middle. End. Facts. Details. Condense. Plot. Tell it."

"Our ancestors built a great machine somewhere buried in this desert. It harvests energon by destroying suns." Jetfire cycled his vents, which clunk and sounded full of grime. Zelda gave a sympathetic wince.

"Destroy suns? But solar systems need them, right?" Mikaela asked dumbfounded.

Jetfire nodded. "Whole solar systems are destroyed when their suns are harvested. Habitable planets wither away and die. You see, in the beginning, there were Thirteen Primes, the first of our kind created by Primus. They set out into the universe, seeking distant suns to harvest. But The Primes set out with one rule: never destroy a planet with life. A great sun was discovered in a far-off galaxy, a sun powerful enough to supply energon to Cybertron and its denizens for vorns to come. That sun was your one."

"But what about the energon on Cybertron?" Mudflaps interrupted in confusion.

Jetfire pointed at him. "They were infantile. The Primes were the first. They were created. They were never kindled. One moment they did not exist, and the next, they did. The first of our kind were, and those that immediately followed were the same. Primus and the AllSpark physically created them from Primus's body. They knew plenty but also knew little. Like the fact that there was energon beneath Cybertron's surface."

Zelda was learning so much and she wanted to know even more. But there wasn't time.

"When they arrived, it was not until they began constructing the machine that they discovered the extent of life on Earth. The Primes here on planet knew that the machine must be destroyed and that they would move onto another sun, but one tried to defy this rule. He was stripped of his Primehood and his name was forevermore The Fallen," Jetfire regaled, something heavy in his presence. "For whatever reason, he despised the early human race, and he wanted to kill you all by turning on that machine. The only way to activate it is with the Matrix of Leadership."

Matrix of Leadership. That was slightly more significant than something just called the Matrix.

Jetfire continued: "A great battle took place over possession of the Matrix. The Fallen was stronger than his fellow six Primes here on Earth, so they had no choice but to steal and hide the Matrix from him. In the ultimate sacrifice, the remaining Prime used his deceased brothers' frames to seal the Matrix away in a tomb made of their very own bodies, a tomb we cannot find. Somewhere, buried in this desert, that deadly machine and the tomb remain. The Fallen knows where it is, and if he finds the tomb of the Primes, your world will be no more."

"Okay," Mikaela breathed. "So how do we stop him?"

"Only a Prime can defeat the Fallen."

Zelda's heart rose to her throat. "I—we can—our Prime is a little…out of commission at the moment, but I can—" she stumbled over her words.

"Optimus was murdered by Megatron while trying to protect Zelda," Sunstreaker explained further. He stepped closer, arms crossed. He still looked unamused by Jetfire's actions, but he had been grumpy ever since she allowed Frenzy to join them.

"Ay," Jetfire perked up. "So there is a Prime! That's excellent news because without a Prime, it's impossible. Not just anyone can stop The Fallen."

Zelda took a measured breath, rubbing her face and stuffing her guilt and grief down. "So…we find this Matrix and destroy the machine."

"Yes! I have faith that's the reason you've been seeing this script for months!" Jetfire grinned and pointed a digit at her. "You might harbour the AllSpark, but I'm old enough to know the depths behind the myths that spoke of when Primera and Primus came together to create Cybertron and Cybertronians. I have no doubt you're seeing all this because it's wanted of you. The Matrix is a subdivision of the AllSpark. Its existence was born from the AllSpark alongside the Original Thirteen. The Matrix is likely calling out to reunite with you."

Jetfire spoke so excitedly. So awed. The awe resonated through the others, too.

"Wait—you mean, I'm seeing the script because of Primus Primus?" Zelda stuttered, staring at him in awe. There was so much in what Jetfire had said but that one specific part caught her attention the most. Sideswipe's digits curled around her, holding her more firmly as that knowledge shook her. Yet Jetfire's words held an unmistakable quality to them that made the reveal feel less surprising than Zelda expected—merely a sense of…familiarity.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Only you can be the one to know for sure," Jetfire shrugged. "But the AllSpark and Primus are intricately intertwined, their connection reaching far beyond the limits of mortal understanding."

"So then how do we get to the Matrix before the Decepticons get to Zelda?" Bumblebee questioned.

Jetfire tapped his temple as he turned back to Zelda with a pointed look. "Follow your mind, your map, your symbols. The Three Kings will reveal the doorway when dawn alights the Dagger's Tip."

In the far distance, an ominous sound echoed through the air—a whooshing and whirling that sent shivers down the spines of those present. Jetfire stood tall, his metallic frame glinting in the morning sunrise. The Autobots around him exchanged anxious glances.

"Go, I'll handle this lot. Gotta work off this rust!" Jetfire said gleefully.

Amidst the frantic movement of everyone moving to begin fleeing the area, Zelda's gaze was drawn to the Seeker. She observed him intently, noting the way his form effortlessly shifted into his alt-mode despite the decades of stasis. With a powerful thrum, the sleek, black silhouette of the Blackbird emerged, its contours glistening in the dim light as it effortlessly took to the sky.

As Jetfire ascended, she couldn't help but feel a pang of admiration for the grace and precision of his transformation, even at the urgency of the situation.

Sideswipe held her tightly against his chassis as he ran. Bumblebee was carrying Leo and Simmons. Sunstreaker had Mikaela on his shoulder while Frenzy and Wheelie were hitching a ride with Skids. Their alt-modes were ineffective on this type of soft surface, so they had to run.

Primus, what did you sign me up for? She silently bemoaned.

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten: On The Move

Leo sat quietly in the back of Bumblebee as they raced along the sandy roads. Even days later, it still felt strange to accept that the very thing he had been desperately searching for over the last few years was real. He had seen the videos and listened to the audio, yet a part of him still believed what governments around the world were saying: it was nothing.

Oh, but it was the opposite. Everything Leo had done, spending countless hours desperately scavenging for, was real, and he found himself right in the centre of it all. Unintentionally at the centre of everything because Leo was just a tagalong—someone who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Leo was just a conspiracy theorist who believed alien robots had come to Earth.

It was his unexpecting roommate that everything revolved around. She had managed to blend so effortlessly into college campus life, never drawing attention to herself and never going out of her way to be seen beyond some basic acquaintances. She was perfectly mundane to anyone from the outside. Nothing about Zelda sent alarm bells going off inside Leo's head. There were no hidden, secretive motions, nothing Leo expected of someone with things to hide.

(But this wasn't a movie. This was real life.)

Zelda wasn't any of that at all. She was the furthest thing from mundane. Leo thought back to the weeks that they had shared the dorm room. Zelda kept everything neat, with nothing explicitly in sight beyond some clothes and her schoolwork. Not even a flash of her unmentionables were ever in sight. Everything Leo expected from a roommate—a bit messy, a bit all over the place, perhaps some issues with space—wasn't there. Zelda was almost non-existent in her presence. She ghosted along, he might even say.

Leo had spotted her around campus rarely, and if he had, it was only because of her ginger hair.

Nothing about Zelda screamed I-saved-the-world-two-years-ago.

In hindsight, Leo realised he had overlooked many subtle details about her appearance that, at the time, seemed unremarkable. One was that she always donned long sleeves or, on certain occasions, opted for a shirt with one sleeve fashioned long while the other remained short. She constantly, no matter what, paired it with a fitted glove that concealed her right hand, a detail she seemed eager to keep under wraps. Whenever the topic arose, she would offer a smile and a light laugh before brushing it off casually with a few nonchalant words about old burns that left her feeling self-conscious.

Leo had never once seen a hint of anything suspicious, not before everything fell apart. The truth was far from what he had imagined: her right arm wasn't flesh at all but rather a prosthetic. It was an advanced piece of technology, sleek and intricately designed, resembling something that could have leapt straight from the pages of a superhero comic. The precision and functionality of it were astounding from what little he had seen of it, and it was clear that it wasn't just some…cosplay.

But what's more was that the hushed conversations exchanged among Zelda, the Autobots (and the two Decepticons now accompanying them), and even Simmons hinted at a life steeped in secrecy. It was evident that Leo was unaware of the depths of these discussions, which circled around matters he wasn't…authorised to know as a civilian. The mechanical arm that Zelda possessed alone suggested she had engaged in far more than merely thwarting a global crisis two years prior. There was an undeniable air of mystery surrounding Zelda as a whole, and Leo couldn't help but wonder what other extraordinary feats she had accomplished that remained hidden from him and the world at large.

Despite the urgent circumstances surrounding them, Leo couldn't shake the feeling that she was more than she seemed. The way she carried herself—calm, composed, and mostly unfazed by the chaos around them—led him to believe she might be a secret spy or even an assassin, which wow, not something Leo ever thought he would be thinking. Her demeanour was almost unsettling at times. It was as if the mounting tension and danger in the air didn't touch her at all when Zelda got focused.

Zelda was turning out to be every child's dream: to grow up and do extraordinary things—to grow up and save the world. If their world were just fiction, Leo would call her the protagonist. It gave Leo mixed feelings; he couldn't deny it. He was a little envious because who wouldn't be? But he was also just…relieved too. Leo was barely scratching the surface about Zelda's involvement with the Cybertronians (what was what they were called, right? Autobots were the good guys, Decepticons were the bad. A tale as old as time).

Zelda…Zelda was someone entangled in a life of secrecy and complexity beyond anything a civilian could ever begin to comprehend. It scared Leo.

There, he said it.

Zelda kinda, sort of, terrified him.

Leo wasn't afraid to admit that, but Zelda was also good and kind and thoughtful.

But right now, she wasn't looking so good. She hadn't since the whole episode at the college, where…the Decepticons used this AllSpark power to resurrect Megatron? Leo didn't entirely understand it—he felt slightly out of the loop because of it—but ever since then, Zelda had been in an evident decline. She was pale, the now blonde hair making her appear even more washed out, and Zelda had been consistently breathless since waking up. Leo thought it tied to the exhaustion that weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Leo knew it was not his place to point it out—he was far from the only one to see the obvious—but none had questioned her, at least not while Leo was around to hear it.

"So," Simmons finally broke the silence after almost half an hour driving away from where Jetfire had warped them. Leo wondered what happened to the guy. He was old and against probably younger and non-rusted versions of his people. Would he even be a match?

The four of them had all migrated into Bumblebee despite Sideswipe's protest that Zelda stay with him. Sunstreaker had made a vague passive-aggressive comment Leo had no idea of the context about (something about Zelda lying or avoiding something by omission?), to something Leo didn't hear Zelda say, but it seemed to piss Zelda off. Now, Zelda was outright refusing to speak to either of the twins when one communicated through Bumblebee's radio.

Two can play at that game, Leo thought. Whatever was said between them was probably a sore spot; Leo knew Sunstreaker wasn't happy with Frenzy's presence, but was that enough for an argument?

Mikaela sat up front with Simmons, and Leo was in the back with Zelda. Wheelie was sat in the small, barely considered middle seat. The other one, the red one, Frenzy, collapsed into a cassette tape of all things and Zelda was keeping hold of him.

(…but why a cassette tape was beyond Leo, and he certainly wouldn't be asking any time soon. But Zelda had reacted fondly, her eyes twinkling as a grin threatened to spread across her face. She hadn't said anything, but Zelda had tucked him into the breast pocket of the jacket Simmons had loaned her.)

"Any of you guys going to spill where we're going?" Simmons continued. Leo barely caught it, wrapped up in his thoughts.

"Dagger's Tip," Zelda spoke for the first time since climbing into Bumblebee. Her voice was a little off in a way Leo couldn't place. A bit winded, perhaps? "That's what the Ancient Sumerians used to call the Gulf of Aqaba, and it divides Egypt and Jordan like the tip of a blade."

"How do you know that?" Mikaela asked, turning in the passenger seat to look at Zelda.

"…" Zelda gave Mikaela a…not flat look but an exhausted one. "Remember when we first met the Autobots? What did Optimus say when Sam asked about the glasses?"

Mikaela blinked, and then she laughed.

Leo was lost. "…an explanation, please?"

"Cybertronians are a super-advanced race from another planet, Leo. It's not hard for them to connect to the internet and find out," Zelda explained tiredly with a half-condescending tilt of her mouth.

Oh. Oh. Leo feels stupid. "…Right."

Simmons snorted from the driver's seat. "So what's the plan after that?"

"We're going to get N.E.S.T to bring Optimus to Dagger's Tip," Zelda continued.

"And how are you gonna get him halfway around the world?" the former agent questioned.

"Bee?" Zelda shifted, leaning forward between the front seats. "Do you all have a stable line with the others?"

"We do," Bumblebee chirped in confirmation. "Though it's Sunstreaker doing most of the chatting with Jazz and occasionally Ratchet."

Leo recognised Jazz as the third guy who helped Zelda move into the dorm, but Zelda grimaced at the second name, and Leo wondered why. "Okay, could you patch us through?"

"Give me a sec," Bumblebee said, and his radio…wavered as though changing channels. Then, a new voice, one Leo recognised, came through.

"=Hey, sweet=" the voice said. It was who Leo thought it would be—the dark-skinned guy who Zelda called her brother in everything but blood. How long had these Cybertronians—the Autobots—been on Earth for Zelda to know them so intimately? "=Sunstreaker's been keepin' us updated but Bee said you've got yourself a bit of a lead regarding The Fallen?="

"What has Sunny told you?" Zelda asked, voice no-nonsense.

Leo watched how Zelda just…switched. Her entire demeanour changed, as though this was just…another workday for her. Maybe it was. Maybe Leo hadn't been so far from the truth about Zelda's life as he had first thought. Leo knew a real spy, awesome.

"=You found yourself a Seeker able to help with those scripts and are now followin' the lead he gave ya. Sunstreaker's been vague beyond that for safety reasons=" Jazz explained. "=What do you need?="

"We're heading to the Gulf of Aqaba. Bee, could you forward a datapack real quick?" Zelda asked, and Bumblebee gave a wordless affirmative. Jazz hummed, signalling he had gotten it. "We're after an artefact called the Matrix of Leadership. It's a key to…powering some ancient Cybertronian machine here on Earth. The Fallen wants to turn it on and harvest the energon from our sun."

"=…Ah frag, talk about gloom and doom=" Jazz murmured. "=I'll catch the others up. What else do you need, sweetspark?="

"We need Optimus. Jetfire was confident only another Prime could combat The Fallen. Have the guys been shipped off to base? Has Ratchet been able to tend to Optimus?"

"=The core members of N.E.S.T remain. There's 'bout fifty-odd human soldiers. I know Major Lennox will be eager to help=" Jazz answered, something tight in his voice. Annoyance? Leo remembered overhearing how this N.E.S.T operation was being shut down because the liaison was taking advantage of the Prime's death. "=And yeah, it was the first time Ratchet did. Our Hatchet got scarily quiet for a while.="

There was an attempt at lightening the mood with the last comment being in reference to something, and it drew a choked laugh from Zelda before she took a breath. "Good, 'cause I have a feeling we're going to need all the help we can. With any luck, we might stand a chance."

Leo didn't like those odds.

Megatron scratched away the remaining growth from his time at the bottom of the Challenger Deep, optics watching as the old Seeker fled the area with surprising speed. But he had done damage to Skywarp and Thundercracker. Despite his old age, he had battled the younger two easily. Megatron knew that his size and knowledge had given the older Seeker the advantage in this instance.

It wouldn't last long, but Megatron knew never to underestimate anyone, regardless of size or age. His life as a gladiator had been long, and it taught him as much. Additionally, his Master himself was a powerful adversary to any who faced him, and Megatron had learnt early never to underestimate someone because of that.

The thought of his Master stewed something within him, and Megatron gnashed his denta as he flicked away the debris, confused about why. It had only begun happening since his resurrection.

Skywarp and Thundercracker came flying back, swooping down and transforming. The ground shook and rocks tumbled from the cliff face as they landed heavily.

"That was fun," Skywarp remarked. Megatron didn't need to see his face to know he was grinning.

"I didn't think Seekers as old as that still lived," Thundercracker said, coming to stand beside him, looking out in the direction the old energon Seeker had vanished in. Megatron hummed to let the blue Seeker know he was acknowledged but didn't say anything.

Soundwave had given a warning about the possible Seeker designated Jetfire, but Megatron hadn't known what to expect. The Fallen had spoken of the Seekers who had been scraplets in his side long before Megatron had been kindled.

"Any sign of the Autobots?" he asked.

"Negative," Skywarp reported. "They'd fled before we arrived. Want us to scout after them?"

The hunt wasn't solely focused on the Autobots; their elimination was merely a side goal. While the thought of terminating them would undoubtedly bring a rush of satisfaction, it was not the primary objective driving Megatron and his Decepticon forces. Their true focus lay on the human femme under their protection—a strategic pawn in a far greater game. Zelda Larsson held a significance that went beyond mere collateral.

He could feel her faintly like a cord being strum from afar.

Megatron's mind was haunted by the details of the battle and everything that led up to his termination. He vividly recalled the moment he broke free from the suffocating grip of the icy prison that had enshrouded him for what felt like an eternity. The air was frigid, the chill biting at his metallic exterior, yet within him, an inferno of rage had simmered, threatening to scorch through the remnants of his damaged circuitry.

He had felt violated at the knowledge that the humans, with their frail bodies and expressions of misplaced bravado, had dared lay their servos on him. Their touch had been an affront, their mere presence an insult. The very thought of those insignificant creatures daring to touch him threatened to reignite that surge of fury within, but he tempered it.

But oh, meeting those optics on that rooftop made up for all that time imprisoned in ice. Such fierce optics reminded Megatron of the sabres back on Cybertron, felines known for their deadly defensiveness.

The first time Megatron had ever laid an optic on one, it had been trafficked and used as entertainment in the Pits. It had taken down three gladiators before one managed to kill it. Megatron had not…enjoyed that aspect of the Pits, but he had watched the fight excitedly because this was a sabre, a rare wild beast.

As Megatron had gazed across that rooftop, he had felt a rush reminiscent of long ago when he had witnessed that fight. Zelda Larsson was fierce and would not go down easily—and she hadn't. Instead, she had brought him down, using the very thing that had created his kind to terminate him.

Zelda Larsson would have made a fine Cybertronian. It was a pity she was born human.

Surprisingly, she had emitted a spark signature. Perhaps an upload was not entirely out of the question. The thought excited something within him.

But what fascinated Megatron more than that was how Zelda Larsson had become the AllSpark, the artefact that kept their race alive, the very thing she had used to kill him. And now, with his resurrection, he was bound to her as she was to him, despite how weak their connection was.

He gazed down at his servo, the one that had held her. He took pride in the damage that her metal servo had done, and that was strange. Megatron could not remember a time since his late stellar cycles in the Pits that he had proudly worn damage.

How…peculiar.

It was right around the time he had met The Fallen if his memories served correctly. And that…

"No," Megatron grinned, pushing the odd thought away. "She'll find the Matrix and walk straight into our servos while doing so. That I have no doubt about."

He wanted to see the look on her face when she realised it. It would be glorious, and Megatron would make her watch from his side where she belonged as his Master activated the Sun Harvester so that they could finally rebuild Cybertron.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven: Tomb of the Primes

The building—a tourist centre currently under refurbishment—at the base of one of the three pyramids of Giza was the best place they could find to act as their temporary refuge for the night. With a bit of work from Frenzy to ensure the alarm didn't go off, Zelda picked the lock to allow them inside.

It was dark, and the little light came from the moon outside. Turning the lights on wasn't a risk they wanted to court, so they remained off as the four set up a little refuse in one of the hallways with a few benches. However, within the shop, there were snack aisles partly stocked, and the building had visitor toilets with running water to freshen up.

The mere idea of eating after everything that happened in the last forty-odd hours was nauseating to Zelda, but she stuffed a breakfast bar down her throat because she knew the others were beginning to worry, and Zelda had made a promise to Sunstreaker about trying.

They might not be seeing eye to eye at the moment, but Zelda wasn't going to break that promise. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were only worried, rightfully so, and they were done holding their glossa about how terrible she looked, despite how much she wanted them to continue saying nothing. It was a miracle neither had reported her to Ratchet yet. Or maybe they had now. The thought made Zelda grimace. Ratchet was going to be utterly unimpressed. If Zelda survived this, she would totally be getting grounded.

While Simmons, Leo, and Mikaela used the public bathrooms to freshen up, Zelda slipped into the disabled facility and locked the door behind her. She removed the jacket that Simmons had lent her and pulled her shirt off over her head. It hurt; her muscles and bones were protesting.

As Zelda gazed at her chest, the sight made her stomach churn, and she felt as if she might vomit. The warping had not been kind to her. The skin above her heart had become discoloured, appearing like a fresh bruise in sickly shades of purple and splotchy patterns.

Each breath spasmed her lungs, threatening to send Zelda into a winded state. It became easier the longer it went on, but Zelda knew that at the rate her body was degenerating, this was the least of her problems. With trembling fingers, Zelda pressed down on the discoloured flesh and almost gagged at the give—her flesh was too soft and pliable beneath the bruised area.

Swallowing down the bile that rose, Zelda sat on the toilet lid, desperately willing her stomach to settle.

"Shit," she hissed, saliva building up in her mouth.

Heat flushed through her. It was ironic. The only time Zelda was warm was when she was about to throw up, and there was no stopping it. Zelda rose unsteadily back to her feet, urgently lifting the toilet lid with trembling hands. As a wave of nausea surged through her, her abdomen tightened uncontrollably, and she leaned over the bowl. She barely managed to sweep her hair back, the strands slipping through her fingers as she heaved violently, expelling what little content she had in her stomach. The force of her retching echoed in the quiet bathroom, each spasm overwhelming her senses and filling the air with a bitter tang.

There went the breakfast bar.

She groaned with discontent, crouching on shaking knees as she grasped the edge of the toilet bowl. Each breath made her dizzy, and the force of her vomiting pulsed painfully behind her eyes.

"Zelda?" Frenzy said from outside. Zelda just gave another groan of misery. "Think you can unlock the door?"

A moment passed as Zelda mustered the strength to rise. She stumbled toward the door, where the lock clicked open. Sagging against the wall, she watched as Frenzy entered, looking down at her.

"You look like slag."

"Thanks," she said dryly.

"It's getting worse?" he questioned in shock, pushing into the bathroom the moment he spotted the discolouration on her chest. "Frag."

"I'm positive it was already too late by the time we even spoke about it," Zelda explained and stumbled her way back to the toilet. Thankfully, her stomach had settled now, and she closed the lid, flushing the vomit. "Pretty sure it was bringing you back that did it."

Zelda ignored the burst of guilt from his side of the bond and instead sat down on the toilet lid. "The only reason it's probably not hurting is from the painkillers," Zelda noted aloud and rubbed her face in frustration.

"You gotta tell the Autobots," Frenzy said, crossing his arms. "This is more than just…something you can keep a secret."

Zelda looked down at the floor tiles and let out a sigh of defeat. "Okay."

Zelda sat on one of the benches that lined the middle of the hallway in the tourist centre. It was silent and dark, but isolated, just what Zelda wanted for this talk.

"So, are you gonna explain what you wanted to talk about?" Sideswipe asked. He sat on the opposite side of the bench beside her, upper half twisted to face her while Sunstreaker was in the middle, legs bent with his arms crossed over them.

Zelda broke her gaze from the window that let her see the pyramid's base, dropping them to her knees as her finger tapped a nonsensical rhythm on her thigh. "Promise me you won't interrupt?"

"I'm not promising that," Sunstreaker retorted immediately. Zelda could feel his gaze burning into the side of her face—she didn't need to meet his eyes to know he wanted answers on the bullshit he had called her out on this morning.

("You're not telling us something, Zelda, now spill," Sunstreaker demanded.

"It's nothing to worry about," Zelda tried to argue, but her words sounded weak to her ears.

"Nothing my aft," Sunstreaker hissed. He spared a glance over his shoulder toward the others before glaring down at her.

"I'm just tired and exhausted, I'm in pain, Sunny," Zelda sighed. "Nothing else to it."

"Don't take me for an idiot."

"Sunny, back off!" Sideswipe hissed, placing a hand on Sunstreaker's shoulder.

"You're not telling us something, Zelda, and I know for a fact that stupid minicon knows," Sunstreaker snapped.

"It's nothing," Zelda grit out, whirling on her feet and walking away.

"Zelda," Sideswipe called after her and Zelda paused, looking back. "I know this is all—slag, but Zelda, we know something's wrong and pretending it doesn't exist isn't going to make it go away."

Zelda just turned and continued walking.)

"Sunny," Sideswipe warned, throwing a glare his brother's way.

"I'm not," Sunstreaker said, putting his foot down. "And Zelda's going to tell us exactly what is going on."

Sideswipe sighed, rubbing his face.

"It's fine. You guys deserve the truth," Zelda acknowledged. "So, we've long established how stubborn I am, right?"

The twins shared an uneasy glance, and Zelda knew they immediately didn't like where she was going with this.

"…Go on," Sunstreaker encouraged slowly.

"When…when Megatron terminated Optimus…I did something…foolish. Although to be fair, I didn't know what I was doing at the time. It was—I was scared and just did it instinctively!" Zelda rambled a little, trying to defend her actions.

"Hey, easy," Sideswipe scooted even closer, taking her fidgeting hand in his own.

"So…I may have…inadvertently pulled on the tether to the point I began housing his spark."

Sunstreaker lurched forward, and Zelda yelped, trying to scramble back as he grabbed her shoulders. "Are you still—"

"No!"

"Sunny!"

"—You stupid bitch!" Sunstreaker snarled, yanking Zelda close. She flailed out of instinct, batting against Sunstreaker.

"Sunny, stop!" Sideswipe was there, trying to get between them. Sideswipe threw his arm around his brother's shoulders and twisted. Unfortunately, Sunstreaker didn't release Zelda, so all three crashed onto the marble floor.

Zelda let out a sharp hiss, her face contorting in pain as she collided with the marble. In the midst of the chaos, Sunstreaker finally released his grip, and the atmosphere shifted as the twins engaged in their brawl. Sideswipe wrestled to pin Sunstreaker down while Sunstreaker fought to free himself from his brother's grasp, pushing with all his might to regain the upper hand.

"Get off!" Sunstreaker demanded.

"Then calm the frag down!" Sideswipe snapped back.

Zelda found herself half-reclining on the floor, her eyes wide with disbelief as she watched the two refuse to yield to one another. The air was thick with tension, and neither twin were showing any signs of backing down. Until now, she had only witnessed their playful tussles, filled with roughhousing and laughter, but this was different—this was…

Panic surged through her as she scrambled upright, her breath quickening. In a frantic motion, she scrambled away, jerking as the corner of the bench jabbed painfully into her ribs. For a brief moment, the intensity of the violence between the two consumed Zelda. All she could see was the arena that MECH had forced her to fight in. She felt the heat of the spotlights above and heard the loud, taunting cheers echoing in her ears.

"What the frag is happening?!" Wheelie demanded, rounding a corner with Bumblebee's holoform. Frenzy arrived just moments after, scrambling to a stop.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe froze in place, yet both maintained their glares. Neither were willing to concede.

"Zel," Bumblebee said softly, bringing all attention to Zelda. She snapped her head around to look at him, her eyes wide. "You're shaking."

Shaking?

Zelda gazed down at her hands, a strange numbness settling over her like a heavy fog. She noticed, with a growing sense of unease, that they were trembling slightly, a subtle but unmistakable sign of her anxiety. Oh.

"Zelda," Sideswipe began just as softly, but Zelda scrambled to her unsteady feet.

"No," she replied tersely, her voice barely above a whisper. With urgency in her step, she hurried down the dimly lit hallway, her heart racing and her mind a whirlwind.

"Good job, fraggers," Frenzy's sneering voice echoed down the hallway.

Zelda turned a deaf ear to the escalating argument that erupted behind her, trying to drown out the heated words. She felt the weight of the memories pressing down on her, a sensation that twisted like a knot in her stomach. It was impossible to focus, especially as the edges of her vision began to blur and melt into an unsettling haze. The familiar voice echoing in her ears sent a shiver down her spine.

Silas was gone, six feet deep, yet his presence lingered like a dark stain, always finding a way to terrorise her from beyond the grave as if one last fuck you to Zelda.

Although, if she pulled through this literal nightmare of their sun being harvested, Zelda was sure Dr Cromwell would undoubtedly be receiving the paycheck of his life. Albeit, that would imply Zelda survived this shit show, of course.

Zelda sat against the parapet on the roof, her legs tucked to her chest. Her eyes were fixed on the pyramids that loomed before them. They were even more beautiful at night, illuminated by large, warm spotlights.

As she sat perched atop the high vantage point, a wave of tranquillity washed over her, calming the frantic anxiety that had gripped her when she first ascended to the spot on the roof. The warm evening air wrapped around her like a cosy blanket, breaking through the ice that encased her. The vast, clear sky stretched above her, dotted with the brilliant glow of the moon and countless stars. The sight served to soothe her frayed nerves, casting aside the fear that had initially clouded her mind.

With each deep breath, she felt her heartbeat steadying, allowing her thoughts to clear. No longer consumed by panic, Zelda found herself grappling instead with irritation towards Sunstreaker and, by extension, Sideswipe.

Zelda rubbed her face roughly, trying to ward away the tiredness that dogged her every step.

There was a rustle of fabric and the sound of someone climbing the scaffolding. Zelda lulled her head to see Sunstreaker. She pursed her lips, unsure if she wanted to see his face right now.

Sunstreaker paused as he stepped onto the roof, gazing her way.

Zelda gave a wary sigh. "If you're here to shout some more, please go away."

"I'm not, I promise."

Ah! Zelda couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.

"Frenzy told us everything," Sunstreaker continued when Zelda said nothing.

"Everything?"

"As much as he knows," Sunstreaker answered and slowly approached. He tentatively slid down the parapet to sit beside her. Despite how much she wanted to, Zelda didn't tell him to go away because she was just reminded of how…little time she probably had left.

"I didn't mean to," she said quietly.

"I—I know," Sunstreaker whispered back, voice thick with emotion.

"And—and I listened to Frenzy when he told me to sever it, but…but it came after I resurrected him and…" Zelda choked on her words. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Sunstreaker assured, gently squeezing her hand in his. "Can you tell me why you didn't tell us?"

It took Zelda a moment to gather herself. With another wary sigh, she began to explain. "I didn't want to add more worry but by not telling you, I ended up worrying you more. I'm just so used to keeping pain to myself, to ignoring what's right in front of me."

"To some extent, we're all used to compartmentalising," Sunstreaker acknowledged, which drew a weak laugh from Zelda.

She turned her gaze back to the vast expanse of the night sky, the stars twinkling like distant diamonds scattered across the deep velvet of space. She intertwined her fingers with Sunstreaker's, the warmth of his hand enveloped hers, creating a comforting grounding.

"I…" she began, the words hanging delicately between them, charged with unspoken emotions thick in her throat that Zelda had always been scared to admit out loud.

A sudden noise broke the stillness, and Zelda turned her head, her curiosity piqued. Sunstreaker followed her gaze just in time to see Sideswipe's figure emerging over the roof's edge. With a grunt, he hoisted himself up, pulling his frame onto the ledge. He stood there for a moment, eyeing them.

"Is this a bad time or?" Sideswipe asked lightly, trying to jest.

Zelda sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes in exasperation, her expression a mix of annoyance and amusement. She invited him to join her with a quick motion of her chin. A broad grin spread across Sideswipe's face, and with an easy confidence, he sauntered over. He plopped down on Zelda's other side with a casual thud, the warmth of his and Sunstreaker's presence boxing her in contrasted with Zelda's feigned irritation.

"I was probably trying to spare myself more than you guys by not telling," Zelda said.

"Can we see it?" Sunstreaker asked quietly.

Zelda sat still for a moment, eyes closed. "It's not going to be pretty."

"But's it you," Sideswipe said as if that answered everything.

Zelda squinted at him in confusion. "What?"

Sunstreaker huffed out a laugh on the other side of her, but he sobered up. "Please, sweetspark?"

Zelda waved her hands exasperatedly. "There are much better things to be looking at!" Mostly because she didn't want to show them. "I mean, we're underneath the moon and the stars and the three most beautiful pyramids on the planet, and you want me to show you—" Zelda blinked. "Mm... pyramids."

Sideswipe stared at her in bewilderment. "What? Zelda, we're not letting you change the subject this—"

Zelda covered Sideswipe's mouth. "Shut! I'm thinking!" Sideswipe blinked and met Sunstreaker's just as confused gaze. Zelda's eyes widened. "Oh, the pyramids and stars!"

"Zelda?" Sunstreaker tentatively questioned.

Eyes wide, Zelda scrambled to her unsteady feet. "I can't believe I didn't realise soon! The Three Kings will reveal the doorway when dawn alights the Dagger's Tip!"

"Wait, Zelda!" Sideswipe called as he and Sunstreaker scrambled after Zelda as she raced for the scaffolding.

Zelda barrelled into the tourist centre, the door banging loudly as it swung open.

"Simmons! Leo! Mikaela! Wake up!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet space. She turned her feet towards the trio sprawled across the benches with pilfered pillows and blankets from the shop.

All three woke up abruptly, startled by Zelda's loud voice, which sent them scrambling in their grogginess.

"What? Are we under attack?!" Simmons shouted.

"No, but I figured it out!" Zelda grinned and grabbed Mikaela's wrist to drag her outside.

"Zelda, wait a second," Mikaela yelped, stumbling over her feet as she tried to keep up with Zelda.

"No time! Come on!"

Simmons and Leo hurried after, meeting with the Autobots' holoforms outside along with Frenzy and Wheelie. Zelda wasn't sure where those two had been, but she didn't care.

Instead, Zelda pointed skyward toward Orion's belt. "Okay, you see those three stars? You see how the last one touches the horizon?" she asked. Once she got the affirmative, Zelda continued. "That's Orion's belt, but it's also called the Three Kings. And the reason for that is the three Egyptian kings who built the pyramids of Giza built them to mirror those stars, so it's like an arrow staring us straight in the face. The Three Kings will reveal the doorway when dawn alights the Dagger's Tip, that's what Jetfire said!"

"They all point due east, towards Jordan. The mountains of Petra!" Simmons whirled around with a grin. He held his hand up, and Zelda high-fived with a laugh.

The sun was reaching its peak as they arrived, the Autobots zipping along the winding roads following Bumblebee, who was in turn being guided by Zelda's direction and the AllSpark that buzzed beneath her skin.

The moment they had arrived here, it was like something had come alive within her, beckoning her.

Now, in Petra's National Park, surrounded by steep cliffs and remnants of ancient civilisations that the Romans had attempted to defile—they had never left anything untouched—Zelda had never felt the pull stronger.

The preserved ruins were beautiful, just one of the many places Zelda had always wanted to visit and see in person but never had the time. Zelda had believed she never would get to tick things off her bucket list, and she probably wouldn't, but…this made up for her incoming demise.

Oh, it was simply beautiful.

Even Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, the tallest of the Autobots present, didn't compare to the archway into the building.

"So, what exactly are we looking for? Archaeologists have combed over this place ages ago," Leo said. He stood in the archway, peering into the empty ruin.

Zelda stepped up beside him. "It's here."

"Where?" was Leo's incredulous response, his arms flailed. "Look! It's empty!"

"Leo," Zelda turned to him with a pointed look. The tugging sensation had evolved into something more profound; it gently wisped against her ears as if inviting her to follow. Yet, the question of where exactly lingered just out of reach, leaving her teetering on edge.

"Gotta have more faith, kid," Simmons smacked Leo's back. "She's brought us this far. Are you going to go doubting now?"

"Yeah, I am, 'cause, uh, we're trusting Grandpa Blackbird who was in a coma for the last several decades?" Leo retorted.

"Watch it, human," Sunstreaker warned.

"It's fine. We're all tired," Zelda said, waving Sunstreaker off.

Instead, she turned her focus inward toward the shadowy depths of the ruins. As Zelda crossed the threshold, a refreshing chill enveloped her, offering a sharp contrast to the heat outside. The walls, adorned with ancient paintings, bore the marks of time—faded colours and delicate strokes that, despite their wear, still radiated a stunning beauty.

As her eyes drifted to the back, she became acutely aware of an increase in the ambient sounds; a chorus of faint, ethereal whispers seemed to beckon her closer, wrapping around her like a gentle breeze, imploring her to uncover the secrets hidden within this ruin.

Unaware of her own actions, Zelda slowly approached the painting, raising her hand.

"Uh…I think she got somethin'!" Mudflap called out, his voice distant to Zelda.

Deep within, the AllSpark pulsed and swelled, resonating with the deep-rooted call of kinship. It was a sensation unlike any other, akin to the warm embrace of a long-lost sibling reuniting after years apart, a feeling of belonging as if a crucial piece of an intricate puzzle had finally fallen into place. Zelda gently rested her palm against the cool, textured surface of the wall, and to her glee, she felt a ripple of energy flow beneath her fingertips. A surge of power coursed through her arm, igniting every nerve with a vibrant intensity.

Her ears throbbed with a cacophony of sound, yet even amidst the overwhelming noise, a chorus of whispers wove through the chaos, persistent and alluring, as if calling out to her from the depths of history itself.

As she brushed her fingertips against the cold surface of the wall, it shivered slightly beneath her touch, like a living entity responding to her presence. To her astonishment, the stone shifted and folded inward, revealing a small doorway that beckoned her.

Zelda took a deep breath and stepped inside, only to be halted in her tracks by the breath-taking sight before her.

The tomb was an extraordinary sight, comprised of the six Primes' bodies intertwined in an intricate arrangement. Zelda struggled to absorb the scene before her; their faces were strikingly distinct, and together, they formed a mesmerising tableau. The bodies seamlessly melded, creating a stunning tapestry of colours that shimmered in the dim light. Even after the passage of time, the vibrancy of their palettes was a reminder that they had once lived.

The air was thick with a sense of history and reverence, leaving her in quiet awe.

A warm cocoon of safety enveloped her, wrapping her in a comforting embrace that felt all too familiar. It was as if she had stepped into a sanctuary, where every corner whispered of belonging and every breath filled her with a sense of tranquillity. The AllSpark's vibrant energy trickled warmly through her, pulsing beneath her skin, intertwining with her very essence and igniting her veins with an almost electric sensation.

The soft, beckoning whispers dissolved into an eerie silence as Zelda crossed the threshold of the ancient tomb. It was as if the very air had thickened around her, and she could feel the weight of a dozen unseeing eyes boring into her from above. Yet, her attention quickly shifted away from the oppressive gaze, drawn instead to the outstretched servo that loomed before her. Cradled within its mechanical grasp was the coveted artefact they had been desperately seeking, its surface glinting faintly in the dim light.

The Matrix of Leadership.

Zelda knelt, nearly collapsing to her knees before the servo. She didn't immediately reach out to grasp the Matrix. Instead, she stared and admired its beauty, which resonated with the AllSpark beneath her skin. It was beautiful.

With a gentle resolve, she reached out, her fingertips hovering uncertainly as her gaze rose to the faces above. She would ensure their sacrifices were not in vain. They would stop The Fallen and this Sun Harvester.

The Matrix crumbled to dust the moment she touched it.

Zelda stared for a moment, unable to comprehend what had happened. The dust and shavings of what was once the Matrix scattered across her palms and the servo that had held it.

No. No, no, no, nononono!

She choked on air in shock and horror.

"Thousands of years, rapid decay," Simmons remarked sympathetically.

It couldn't end just like this. Zelda felt like a child in a sandbox as she let the dust trickle through her fingers before clenching her fist, feeling the gritty texture scrape her palm. A sense of numb disbelief settled within her chest.

Zelda hardly registered Leo and Simmons exiting, speaking between themselves. Mikaela slotted herself down beside Zelda, resting a hand on her arm.

It brought Zelda from her choked silence. "This isn't how it's supposed to end."

"You heard Simmons, it's been here thousands of years," Mikaela said gently.

Zelda lowered her head, resting it against the cool, metallic surface of the aged servo. Her fingers curled tightly around the Matrix dust, a mix of frustration and desperation coursing through her.

"Think about it this way, if the Matrix is gone, The Fallen can't use it," Mikaela continued.

"I've spent months seeing these scripts," Zelda began, voice raspy around the edges. She took slow, measured breaths as the frustration threatened to overwhelm her. "All this time, all this pain, it can't be for nothing."

"Zelda—"

She lifted her chin, locking her gaze with Mikaela's. The unexpected intensity of her stare caught the other woman off guard, silencing her in an instant. The vibrant blue of her eyes shimmered like precious gems, casting a supernatural, captivating glow amidst the oppressive darkness of the ancient tomb.

"If there's one thing I've learned about the Cybertronians, it's that nothing is ever truly what it appears to be," Zelda said, her voice steady despite the weight of the moment.

She lifted her gaze toward the hollow, unblinking optics of the long-deceased Primes, their forms looming above her like ancient sentinels. The eerie stillness of the chamber was palpable, and a shiver ran down her spine as she felt their eternal gaze upon her. It was as if their spirits lingered, just out of reach, imbued with centuries of wisdom and secrets. In the haunting atmosphere, Zelda couldn't shake the awareness that she was being watched, scrutinized by forces far beyond her understanding.

"Everyone's after me because of what I know, and what I know is that this is going to work."

With a hint of uncertainty in her voice, Mikaela leaned forward slightly, her brow furrowed in concern as she asked, "How can you be so sure it's going to work?"

With resolute determination, Zelda locked her gaze onto Mikaela's once more, the intensity of her conviction radiating from her.

"Because I believe it will," she declared, her voice steady and unwavering.

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve: To Battle

Megatron dropped into root mode, propelling his body toward the pyramid. His weight created a loud crunch as rocks crumbled beneath him. Megatron clung to the tip of the pyramid that housed the Sun Harvester.

Perched high above, Megatron surveyed the scene unfolding below him. In the abandoned town's crumbling remnants, human soldiers hastily assembled their defences, their movements a flurry of urgency. Nearby, the Autobots positioned themselves strategically, their vibrant colours standing out against the dusty backdrop of the crumbling buildings and the unending sand.

Starscream returned from his scouting mission, his wings folding neatly against his back as he landed with a deft precision that showcased his agility. In stark contrast to Megatron's own heavy, thunderous thud, Starscream's arrival was marked by a silent elegance that Megatron had always silently envied.

Starscream shifted closer, briefly meeting Megatron's optics in acknowledgement before looking out over the sea of sand with distaste. "Lord Megatron, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the soldiers brought the body of Prime. They covered his frame with some tarp of sorts, but I would recognise Prime's shape anywhere."

Megatron contemplated Starscream's words, his optics narrowing in calculation as he surveyed the gathering of Autobots before him. His gaze settled on the tarp Starscream had mentioned. He could sparsely see it from his position, and Megatron hadn't paid much attention to it initially, which was an oversight he would amend while trying to keep the femme away.

"As anticipated," he rumbled, a hint of dark amusement lacing his tone. "The femme will undoubtedly make an attempt to resurrect Optimus."

Starscream edged forward as he cast a long, contemplative gaze across the vast, desolate desert. The golden sands rippled like waves under the relentless heat. "But the question remains," he murmured, his voice carrying a weight of intrigue, "is whether she possesses the Matrix."

Megatron paused momentarily as Starscream's gaze fixated on something in the distance too far for Megatron to see. There was a brief flicker of curiosity as he considered what had caught the Seeker's attention. Turning inward, he allowed a sly smirk to begin to spread across his face. Despite the weak bond they shared, Megatron could still sense the faint energy of the femme rushing toward them, allowing him to vaguely pinpoint her approach. The thrill of the hunt stirred within him, igniting a spark of anticipation—his fierce little sabre was finally entering the arena.

Leave it to his Second-in-Command to find their target.

No, leave it to the lead Chevalier to find the AllSpark and It's host.

"Matrix or not, we cannot allow Zelda to reach Optimus." Megatron sat back against the pyramid. "=Soundwave? Let us begin our assault.="

"=Affirmative.="

Jazz had pulled through and gotten them here. That was all Zelda could focus on. Get to the soldiers and Autobots, find Optimus, resurrect Optimus, and hope that, at some point along the way, they didn't all die.

Sunstreaker led the charge down the highway, and Zelda watched from Bumblebee's driver seat, her heart heavy in her chest.

Even with the flare from Will's men, the Autobots knew which direction they needed to go. Cybertronians weren't limited like humans, and faintly, the bonds muted by distance were beginning to brighten to Zelda, acting as a little built-in GPS of her own.

They were moving at incredible speeds, speeds no human alive would ever be able to mimic with present advancements. And the closer they grew, the deeper Zelda's dread grew. No. It wasn't necessarily dread of all things. Although Zelda wouldn't be amiss when saying she was terrified, being scared was rational, especially in a situation like this.

It was a matter of time. Zelda was clock-watching.

Her hand pressed against her chest at the thought. She hadn't dared glance at it since the bathroom at the tourist centre, but she didn't need to. Every use of the AllSpark, even the minute amount of power Zelda called upon, shortened what time she did have.

It was…so strange. An instinctive part of her that just…knew she was dying more than the festering bruise of necrosis on her chest.

Ratchet would kick her ass if she survived this by some miracle.

In the distance, she watched as flaming comets descended from space, aiming for their target destination. Decepticons, without a doubt.

Two aircraft soared overhead, one a red F-22 and the other something not of Earth's creation. Their missiles and blasters rained shots down onto the distant ruins where the Autobots and N.E.S.T soldiers were held up.

Starscream, and if Zelda hadn't the weak bond with Megatron, she could have easily guessed the second one to have been him.

Zelda's mouth went dry. A rush of anxiety flooded her senses, and the memories of their last encounter surged to the forefront of her mind. She could almost hear the echoes of Megatron's words and the tension that had hung thick in the foundry. It played in her mind with agonising clarity. She shivered at the thought of facing a similar situation again; that singular experience had left her rattled. Once had been more than enough.

Another two F-22 fighters came soaring in their direction. One was blue, the other purple.

Zelda knew they couldn't be anyone but Thundercracker and Skywarp. Cybertronians so rarely had similar alt-modes. Seekers in Trines were the rare exception.

Of course, those two came heading straight for them, firing shot after shot. The Autobots manoeuvred around each, some missing by mere millimetres. Both sets of twins broke formation the moment they ended a quarry, beginning to zig-zag to kick up the sandy terrain to hide within. In the dust cloud that followed, Bumblebee broke hard.

They clambered out, and Zelda staggered, her knees like jello after so long sitting.

"We need to split up," Zelda said, considering their options. She turned to Bumblebee. "Bee, you, Sides, and Sunny will be the decoys. Lead the Decepticons away, okay? I'm heading for Optimus."

"I'll help draw their fire with Huey and Dewey over there," Simmons said, pointing toward Mudflaps and Skids. He squeezed Zelda's shoulder as he stepped around her. "You get to those soldiers. I hope this works out, kid."

Zelda nodded, hoping Simmons understood the depths of her gratitude for all he had done. "Thank you," she said.

She turned to Mikaela, who nodded. "I'm with you."

"Let's go," Zelda said, taking Mikaela's hand in hers and set off in a dead run.

As Sunstreaker and Sideswipe barrelled ahead, another thick cloud of tan dust erupted around them. Zelda, her heart pounding, guided Mikaela as they navigated their way toward the sandy embankment. The sun blazed overhead, casting long shadows on the uneven ground and illuminating the scattered remnants of the ruined town they were heading toward with Decepticons lying in wait.

With each step into the soft, grainy sand, it felt as if the earth itself conspired against them, the loose grains soaking up their energy and weighing them down. Zelda could feel the heat radiating from the sand beneath her feet, adding to the fatigue pulsing through her legs. Yet, amid the struggle, Zelda pushed on, fuelled by the image of Optimus waiting for them on the other side of the abandoned town.

The air was thick with the scent of hot sand and the distant echoes of battle, but Zelda remained undeterred, driven by determination as she urged Mikaela on, each weary step drawing them closer to their goal.

Mikaela had been right back at the tomb. The Matrix was gone—dust—and perhaps that was the best outcome. Now, no one could get their hands or servos on it. The Sun Harvester couldn't be turned on, so their sun would remain.

But a fool, Zelda was not. Even if the Sun Harvester couldn't be activated, The Fallen would still destroy her world in vengeance. He would condemn billions of lives in his vile belief of pompous grandeur.

As they approached the final crest of sand, Zelda barely had time to catch her breath before she and Mikaela topped the dunes and gazed down at the desolate town below. There were skeletal remains of buildings, many of them caved in or as if they might collapse at any moment. Thatched roofs now sagged and crumbled under the weight of neglect. Amidst the rubble, a chaotic array of debris scattered across the ground. Shattered glass glinted in the sunlight, while piles of other non-biodegradable waste lingered as a leftover of the once community.

Scattered and prowling throughout the ruins were Decepticons. Zelda stopped counting after seven and instead turned her attention to a nearby intact building. Crossing the frame, Zelda closed the door behind them. Both huffed desperately for air; their faces were sweat-soaked, and their shoes were worse for wear from the heat of the sand.

"What now?" Mikaela heaved, hands on her knees.

Zelda fell back against the wall, almost going crossed-eyed in her tiredness. She hadn't slept in over forty hours. It was coming back to bite her ass now.

"I saw the—soldiers in the—distance and I think Iron—Ironhide too," Zelda answered breathlessly.

"How are you feeling?" Mikaela asked, worried eyes looking Zelda over.

"Peachy," Zelda grinned weakly. Her chapped lips pulled at the motion. Mikaela grimaced, hearing Zelda's unsaid words.

Outside, they listened as Decepticons wove through the streets in search of them. Zelda gently took Mikaela's hand and squeezed when the younger woman began trembling.

Frenzy vibrated in her pocket, and her other hand came up to rest over him. Zelda had almost forgotten he was there in the chaos. He had been utterly silent for hours now, not long after the group had set off for Petra in the early morning.

Once silence surrounded them, the pair quietly exited the building. They took cover beneath awnings and archways, hiding in a doorway as a Deception passed by, heading toward another area.

Moments later, there was a whirl of two synchronised transformations, and pedes hit the sand, shaking everything around them. Dust rained down onto their heads from above, and Zelda pressed them back against the wall as the Decepticon stepped around the corner.

The purple colour…Skywarp? Zelda signalled Mikaela to stay there and slowly skirted closer. Was the other one Thundercracker?

"(Sightings place the femme here,)" the second Decepticon said, and Zelda froze in place.

"(Can't risk destroying anything. Ugh, so many places she could be hiding!)" Skywarp complained as he walked, his back to her now but the other one…

"(Or perhaps…)" Her heart raced as Thundercracker knelt, and two red optics peered from beneath the awning. "Hello there. You were standing too close if you were trying to stay hidden, femme."

It was instinct for Zelda to move, a startled scream escaping her lips before she even realised it. The awning was torn from its place, sending debris down as Zelda grabbed Mikaela and ran full speed in the opposite direction of the reaching servo.

"Look what you did, TC! You scared her off!" Skywarp complained. "We wants her unharmed, remember?"

Zelda so wanted to show a retort to that, even through the terror that grasped her at the comment, but with her breathlessness, Zelda didn't even try. Instead, she focused on getting her and Mikaela away from the two Seekers who were hunting them.

She led them into a concentrated area full of compacted buildings, weaving between alleyways and ruins.

"We got a half mile," Zelda noted as they ducked into a building, listening as one of the two Seekers flew overhead. It seemed the two had lost them for now. That was good. That made it at least the tiniest bit easier.

Turning her attention inward, Zelda could feel the Autobots definitively now, so she knew without a doubt that they also knew she was close by. She relayed that to Mikaela. "The Autobots know we're here, so I can bet the soldiers know as well. We just have to get to them. Ready to move?"

Mikaela nodded, and once again, they ran. This time, they sprinted toward older, more ancient Egyptian ruins with towering pillars covered in hieroglyphics. There, in the shade and offered protection of walls all around them, they paused briefly for a third time.

Zelda's knees trembled unsteadily beneath her, threatening to buckle as a wave of dizziness washed over her. As she struggled to regain her balance, she stumbled sideways, her shoulder colliding sharply with the solid surface of a pillar. The impact jolted her and left her teetering on the edge of collapse, but Mikaela's quick reflexes saved her.

With a firm grip, she caught Zelda around the waist, steadying her and preventing her from falling completely. Relief flooded through Zelda as she leaned against Mikaela, grateful for the support.

"Are you okay?" Mikaela questioned, her voice laced with concern that had intensified compared to the last time she had asked.

Zelda didn't know what she looked like, but Mikaela's face said it wasn't good. Zelda's face felt sunburnt, and she could feel a thin sheen of sweat forming on her forehead.

"No," Zelda gasped, her voice trembling with desperation. There was no point lying anymore. "If I stop now, I won't be able to move at all." She glanced at Mikaela, her eyes wide with urgency. "You have to promise me, no matter what happens, don't let me fall over. Do you understand?" The weight of her words hung in the air as the tension in her body coiled tighter, like a spring ready to snap.

Mikaela nodded quickly, a look of palpable fear in her wide eyes. "I'll do my best to try," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Zelda heaved a breath, hearing the approaching sounds of a Decepticon because it couldn't be an Autobot—not when her bonds would have told her. "Good, because we need to run!"

They sprinted down the alley, adrenaline pumping through their veins as they rounded a sharp corner. Behind them, the sound of a violent explosion shattered the air, sending plumes of dust and debris swirling in every direction. The ground trembled slightly under their feet as remnants of their cover disintegrated, leaving only echoes of chaos in their wake. They pushed harder, glancing back only momentarily to witness the scene of destruction that fuelled their urgency.

"Seekers always find what they want, femme!" Skywarp crooned and Zelda's feet stumbled as something within her lurched. "You might as well save yourself the hassle!"

Neither Zelda nor Mikaela stopped, sprinting onward toward a series of dilapidated buildings. They weaved between the structures and jumped over broken walls. An explosion erupted around them, catapulting them into a neighbouring courtyard as they screamed.

Black spots danced across Zelda's vision as she gasped for air, struggling to her feet against her body's protests. She staggered from the pain and the uneven sand.

"The Matrix! Give me the Matrix!" the Decepticon demanded, one hand smacking the ground beside her, forcing Mikaela to flee back with a scream.

Zelda almost fell from her feet again when Bumblebee came sailing over a rooftop, the Decepticon's arm promptly torn from its socket as Bumblebee's other servo grasped his face, yanking the Decepticon bodily away from her.

"Go, Zelda!" Bumblebee prompted as he stomped one pede into the Decepticon's helm and summoned his blaster.

Zelda moved, grabbed Mikaela's arm, and fled from the courtyard. Yet they didn't get far as Frenzy vibrated within her pocket, and then—Ravage. Ravage was there, leaping from an alleyway, blazing red optics locked onto Zelda.

She knew what Ravage wanted immediately, her hand drifting to Frenzy tucked into her breast pocket. With a deft motion, she held the red cassette tape between her fingers.

Ravage perked up with her earfins standing straight and her optics locked onto Frenzy.

Zelda lightly threw him, watching as Frenzy unfolded.

"Yo, kitty cat," Frenzy greeted. Before he even finished, Ravage was all over him, lapping at Frenzy with her glossa.

It was cute, but Zelda didn't have the time to admit the sight.

"You good?" Zelda asked, edging away.

"Wait!" Frenzy lurched around, servos still cupping Ravage's face. "Bond with Ravage!" he demanded.

What?

Zelda stared at him incredulously. "Right now? In my state?"

"This is gonna work out, isn't that what you said?" Frenzy questioned, unwavering in his stance.

Zelda looked toward Ravage, listening to the distant blaster fire and explosions, and slowly approached. She offered her hand, but Zelda let Ravage close the distance.

The alien feline met Zelda's gaze, searching for something. Whatever it was, Ravage found it because she nudged her nose against Zelda's palm, and their bond came alive. It was different to the others. Maybe it was because Ravage was four-legged and not two-legged.

But Zelda didn't have the time to mull that over. She withdrew, bowed her head to Ravage, spared Frenzy one final glance, and left, grabbing Mikaela's hand again.

They had to get to Optimus.

"Zelda!" Eden cried.

Eden, Will, and Rob were huddled a short distance away, seeking shelter behind a crumbling wall. A wave of relief surged through her as she spotted them, and without a second thought, Zelda pivoted on her heels, her heart racing as she sprinted toward her friends.

A sudden woosh echoed through the air, accompanied by the thrum of the weak bond. Zelda swiftly turned, her instincts kicking in as she grabbed Mikaela and yanked her against the hard surface of a wall. Just then, Megatron hurtled by like a missile, his massive form crashing through everything in his path. Walls and pillars exploded under the sheer force of his passage, sending a violent shower of rock and debris spiralling into the air, creating a chaotic whirlwind of destruction in his wake.

Shit. That was all Zelda could muster at the sight.

With the coast momentarily free of danger, Zelda and Mikaela seized the opportunity, sprinting towards Eden, Rob, and Will, who awaited them in the distance. The sun blazed overhead, almost blinding them as they navigated the sandy terrain beneath their feet.

Suddenly, Zelda's foot caught in the shifting sands, and she lost her balance, tumbling to the ground. Panic surged through her as she instinctively released her hold on Mikaela's wrist. "Go!" she urged, her voice strained yet urgent, her eyes wide as she fought to regain her footing.

"But—!" Mikaela stumbled, trying to stop and help Zelda.

"Go!" Zelda demanded.

Mikaela forged ahead, and in stark contrast, Zelda found herself stumbling back to the shelter of a wall, her back pressed against the sun-baked stone as she struggled to draw in a breath. The oppressive heat bore down on her like a heavy hand, and she could feel every muscle in her body shaking as if they might fail her at any moment. They probably were.

With a frantic motion, she wrestled with the zipper of her jacket, her fingers slick with sweat and shaking with fatigue. The fabric felt stifling against her skin, clinging to her as though it were alive. Finally, her determination won, and she yanked the jacket from her body, flinging it aside. Yet it did little to soothe the scorched sensation in her throat. Each breath felt like a fierce fire coursing through her lungs.

"Zelda!" Rob's deeper voice called after her.

The four figures were huddled tightly against the half-destroyed wall opposite her, their expressions a blend of tension and anxiety. Mikaela had successfully navigated the distance to join the three. A wave of relief surged through Zelda as she saw her friend with the soldiers, momentarily easing her stomach's tight knot of anxiety.

Zelda offered them a slight quirk of her lips, a weak attempt at a smile of greeting.

Gripping a small indentation in the rough wall, Zelda summoned her strength to pull herself upright. She carefully edged along the surface, relying on its solidity for balance. Each inhale was a battle; her chest felt heavy, as if the air had thickened, making her lightheaded. Her vision swam around her, colours and shapes swirling into a dizzying haze that threatened to engulf her completely.

"C'mon!" Will yelled, waving her on.

But it was apparent the three soldiers could see how unwell Zelda was by their worried and panicked expressions.

Zelda glanced around at the edge of the wall, hoping for a clear pass. Instead, half around the corner, Zelda was filled with dread. There sat Megatron, perched ominously on the rooftop of a dilapidated building barely a hundred yards away, his red optics locked onto her position as if he had been waiting.

An unspoken tension hung in the air, and she understood the futility of her situation. He wasn't going to let her pass. She distantly felt a thrum of his confidence, a certainty that seemed to echo through the ringing in her ears, amplifying her own dread. They were two beings locked in a moment of realisation—she knew he would stand in her way, and he knew that she knew it all too well.

And yet, Zelda was nothing if not a stubborn bitch.

Zelda sprang into action, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins as she heard the frantic shouts urging her to move faster. With determination etched in her bones, she ran out from behind the wall that had shielded her moments before. The cacophony of noise enveloped her, driving her forward into the fray.

Blasters, explosions, soaring.

Megatron sailed through the chaos, his massive form cutting a dark silhouette against the battlefield, his servo outstretched. In a surge of desperation, she threw herself into Eden's arms, collapsing with an urgency that spoke of her fragility. As her legs gave way, a cacophony of explosions erupted around them, each blast sending tremors through the ground and rattling their very bones. Megatron had missed her by a hair's inch and sailed past, crashing indiscriminately against the terrain where jagged shards of debris rained down like meteors.

"You're one crazy ass bitch!" Rob exclaimed over the chaos.

"That's Zelda alright," Eden assured, helping her back against the wall and into the shade.

Will took one look at her pale and sickly-sheened face. "Jesus Christ, Zelda."

"Where's Optimus," Zelda rasped.

The three shared unsure glances.

"He's over there, across the courtyard," Will pointed after a moment, and Zelda followed his finger, zoning in on the parachutes covering Optimus.

"I've gotta get to him right now," Zelda explained.

"Not with an air strike coming," Eden hissed, grabbing her arm when Zelda moved.

"I have to get to him right now," Zelda echoed desperately. "I don't have time!"

"What—" Rob didn't finish.

An explosion and blaster fire sailed around them, and then Jetfire leapt from a warp above them with a spark casing plucked from a chassis clutched in his servo.

"Behold the glory of Jetfire!" he crowed and threw the spark casing at the approaching Decepticon. It nailed the mech in the face. Jetfire followed it up with a blaster fire, finishing the Decepticon off. "Now let me show you how we brought the pain in my day!"

"Who the—"

"He's on our side!" Mikaela explained hurriedly.

Something erupted from the sand, revealing a scorpion-like Decepticon, but Jetfire caught it and, with an annoyed grunt, tore its tail off. "What an obnoxious pest!"

Jetfire staggered as Decepticon thrashed wildly, and the group watched, eyes wide, as Jetfire pulled it apart before his optics were locking onto Zelda, expression tight. "You gotta get to that Prime of yours. Quickly now!"

And then, the Seeker was gone in another crackle of a warp.

Will leapt into action the second Jetfire vanished, whirling around to Zelda and Mikaela. "We're going to make a break for it on my command, okay? You guys stick with me, you understand? You stay on my ass."

Rob threw smoke grenades behind them, and a billow of orange smoke rose into the air. "I hope these F-16s have good aim."

Lennox paused for a beat. "Yeah? Why is that?"

"I told them to hit the orange smoke."

Eden gave him a long look. "You mean that orange smoke?"

"It wasn't my best toss, okay?" Rob defended.

"Run!"

With her wrist in Eden's grasp, Zelda was forced to her feet as everyone ran as overheard, planes soared.

Ahead of them, Ratchet and Jazz were fighting, keeping the area around Optimus clear of any Decepticons. Relief swept through Zelda at the sight of them both and she wanted to cry.

Megatron burst back onto the scene, firing his blaster and sending the group through the air, separating them. Just as quickly as Megatron had arrived, he vanished before Autobots and humans in the vicinity could aim at him.

With a determined effort, Zelda rolled onto her front, the rough ground scraping against her skin as she staggered to her feet. Disoriented but resolute, she scanned her surroundings, noting that she had been hurled some distance from her companions, who were also regaining their balance.

"Run!" Will shouted over all the chaos.

"Zelda! This way!" Eden cried.

Zelda's heart raced as she stood frozen, torn between the instinct to run toward Optimus and the harsh reality of the danger surrounding them. She could see the chaos unfolding, the flashes of light from blaster fire across the battlefield. The heavy hum of machinery and the thud of combat reverberated in her chest.

Despite the fear curling in her stomach, she couldn't ignore that Optimus was so close. Yet the path to him was fraught with peril, but so was the one toward the others. In that crucial instant, Zelda made up her mind.

With a deep breath, she propelled herself forward, her feet pounding against the ground as she sprinted toward Optimus. Waning adrenaline fuelled her every step.

A swirling portal tore through the fabric of reality, and from its depths emerged a towering mech, exuding an aura of pure malevolence. He loomed larger than Jetfire, his form an ancient amalgamation of towering metal and forgotten technology reminiscent of the long-lost six Primes whose bodies made up the tomb.

Zelda felt a chilled dread wash over her as if she were gazing directly into the very embodiment of death itself. Around him, a tempest of dark energy coiled and writhed, a storm of malice that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. Clarity washed over Zelda; everything she had feared and questioned suddenly fell into place.

If Megatron was a raging tornado, then The Fallen—he was the eye of the storm.

Zelda barely had a moment to react as The Fallen locked his gaze on her. In a heartbeat, he had raised his blaster and pulled the trigger, sending a bolt of energy hurtling toward her.

A fierce whirlwind of sound engulfed her, a chaotic symphony of destruction as the world around her erupted in a violent explosion. Gritty sand swirled through the air, mingling with a cloud of choking dust and flying debris that obscured her vision. Jagged shards of shrapnel and heavy rocks struck her from all directions, piercing her skin, yet Zelda pressed on resolutely. Despite the relentless barrage, she pushed through the chaos.

But it was futile. That overwhelming sense of death overflowed. The clock's hand had finally struck zero for Zelda.

She went airborne, her body weightless as waves of searing agony rippled through her entire being. The pain was like fire coursing through her veins, an unbearable torment that left no room for her mind to grasp the reality of the situation. Time seemed to stretch infinitely; there was no moment to comprehend the chaos that unfolded around her, no fleeting seconds to gather her thoughts for a final farewell. Just as abruptly as she had been launched into the sky, she plummeted back toward the ground, the world spinning in a darkening blur.

Mikaela's anguished wail pierced the sounds of battle, and chills ran down the spines of every Cybertronian linked to Zelda, no matter how close or far they were. Panic sparked in their optics, and the harsh reality of the moment pressed down like a weight, twisting their sparks in profound disbelief.

Zelda Larsson was dead.

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirteen: I Rise, You Fall

On the fringes of the battlefield, Ravage's agile paws glided effortlessly over the sand, each movement deliberate and fluid. Clinging tightly to her back, Frenzy held on, worried optics on the chaos that unfolded behind them.

But then, a sudden stutter disrupted the moment. The newly forged bond Ravage had just begun to accept shuddered violently, unravelling like a thread pulled too hard, and in an instant, it flickered out like a dying ember. Her paws faltered beneath her, sending Ravage tumbling helmfirst into the soft sand. The unexpected jolt caused Frenzy to topple off, landing with a startled gasp beside the equally stunned Ravage.

Frenzy hastily scrambled to his knees as he fought to process what had just happened. His optics, wide with disbelief and horror, were glued to where the air was thick with smoke. He brought a trembling servo to his chassis, feeling his spark pulse heavily within, a pain that surged through him like a tidal wave at the loss of the bond. Despair washed over him.

"No!" Frenzy cried out, punching the sand. "No!"

Ravage's mournful wail resonated through the air, reflecting the deep sorrow she felt in the only way she verbally could. The sound carried an aching sadness as the newly established bond was cut short.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe tore across the war-torn landscape as they navigated the chaos of the battlefield. Each twist and turn was executed with precision, their engines growling like fierce predators. The air around them was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and the sounds of clashing metal, but their focus remained razor-sharp.

Each twist and turn of the terrain was navigated with precision as they pursued after Zelda. The sounds of blaster fire and the clashing of metal surrounded them, but they paid little mind, their bond as twins evident in the seamless way they manoeuvred through the chaos as one.

But as they advanced toward Zelda, an unexplainable sense of urgency filled them. Just as she had entered their sights, Zelda was launched into the sky, her body flailing helplessly like a ragdoll. Time seemed to stretch as she soared upward, yet, as gravity took hold, a spark-wrenching realisation set in—it was already too late. The AllSpark bond that had anchored her to them shattered, severing their connection before she had even hit the ground.

"No, no, no!" Sunstreaker cried in denial.

Sideswipe collapsed onto his knees, his servos digging into the coarse, gritty sand below him. A wave of disbelief washed over him, leaving him stunned as he grappled with the shocking reality of the situation.

Feeling their bonds shatter, every Autobot had frozen.

(Even Megatron, who had been watching from a distance, had shuddered to a stop, servo grasping a partly destroyed pillar in aghast. His Master had—)

Mikaela collapsed at Zelda's side, cupping her bloody face. "Zelda!"

Moments later, Eden rushed to Zelda's other side, his fingers expertly probing Zelda's neck, desperately trying to find a pulse. Meanwhile, Mikaela's frantic hands shook Zelda's shoulders, her eyes wide with panic as she pleaded for any sign of life.

Eden sat there, fingers pressed to Zelda's neck. Seconds stretched like hours, and an unsettling realisation settled in his gut. Instead of the reassuring beat he hoped for, there was only nothingness. Anxiety prickled at the edges of his mind as the atmosphere turned heavier, thick with an ominous stillness despite the chaos that surrounded them and left him at the mercy of memories.

"Do something!" Mikaela screeched at him.

But all Eden could see was the haunting image from two years prior: Mia and Aria lying motionless on the cold, unforgiving concrete, their bodies lifeless and still. A wave of despair crashed over him, gripping his throat like a vice as he choked on the shock, the memory sinking its fangs deep into his heart.

Will and Rob arrived next, kicking up sand, and Will immediately began chest compressions. "C'mon Zel, c'mon!"

Bumblebee burst onto the scene, his distress palpable in the way he moved and his optics were wide with a mix of urgency and dread. Just as he prepared to throw himself toward Zelda, Ironhide swiftly intervened, reaching out and grabbing hold of Bumblebee's arm. He could see that Bumblebee would only serve as a hindrance in his frantic state.

"Let me—" Bumblebee started to demand but was interrupted.

"Let them work!" Ironhide growled, his grip tightening around Bumblebee even as the smaller Autobot struggled to break free. The anguish in Ironhide's voice was tangible, resonating with a mix of urgency and frustration, yet he stood firm, unwilling to waver. His gaze burned with desperation, reflecting the turmoil within as he clung to the hope that their efforts would prevail.

But none of Will's attempts at CPR did anything. Zelda remained deathly still.

Eden leaned closer, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as he reached out to wipe away the sweat and blood that glistened on Zelda's temple. His fingers trembled slightly as they made contact with her damp skin.

"Zelda," he said, his voice thick with emotion, nearly breaking as he spoke. "Please, you can't—don't leave me now, not like this! After all we've been through, after everything we've fought for, it can't end this way!"

Zelda opened her eyes and met blue. Her breath stuttered. Zelda would know those eyes anywhere, but it wasn't quite as Zelda remembered.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" she asked anyway, pretending for just a moment that this was her Aria and not someone wearing her face. A sense of defeat filtered through her. Zelda had failed.

"You are," 'Aria' confirmed, straightening up from leaning over Zelda.

Zelda sat up, then scrambled to her feet to face the person who wore her sister's face. "Who are you?"

"We've met before, but I thought perhaps taking a face more familiar to you would…ensure a sense of comfort," she explained. Those blue eyes were too bright, just a step to the left of odd. They were inhuman, with infinite depths that swirled like wet watercolour. It spoke of a being beyond mortal comprehension.

"How would I know if we've met before when you're wearing my sister's face?" Zelda retorted.

A twitch of a smile. "Touché," she acknowledged. "I do not believe you…recall our meetings while in the waking world, but this does not matter. No, I am here to ask you this: what is your purpose?"

Zelda shifted unsurely. "Purpose?"

"Two years ago, you ran through that human city for the sake of not only your Earth but for everything you would never know," Aria said. Zelda's breath stuttered again. "You pushed the AllSpark's Cube casing into Megatron's chassis and accepted Her. Now you are here."

"I—" Zelda stumbled over her words. "I just…"

Aria waited patiently.

"I took a vow when I pushed the Cube into Megatron's spark," Zelda said quietly. "I would do anything for those I've met, even lay down my life, but that doesn't matter, right? If I'm dead, what happens to the AllSpark?"

Aria tilted her head. "You are young. Humans are a young race. You were a suitable Host because of how different you have become compared to others of your kind. But it was more than that. I asked why you grieve destruction, Child of Earth."

Zelda's heart rose to her throat. Vague memories were yanked from the deep recesses of her mind. Even after all this time, the moments when she had pressed the Cube up to Megatron's chassis were muddled. Zelda could never recall what exactly happened beyond running toward Megatron and raising the Cube.

But now…

"You answered with 'everything must have a chance at life, but sometimes those given the chance don't use it. They harm others for selfish reasons, and so I, and others, are forced to become like them to help. Forgive me for using a Life Bringer to take a life—especially one of their creation.'" She recited the words perfectly and Zelda couldn't help but gape like a fish for a moment before gathering herself.

"I—I did," Zelda acknowledged. "But that doesn't answer what happens to the AllSpark now that I'm dead."

"You are It. It is you until She can be reunited with Cybertron," the other answered. "The AllSpark's power cannot be destroyed. This, you know."

Zelda stared. That answered nothing. "That doesn't—" there was a bud of frustration, especially when Aria's lips tilted upward into a smile. A smile Zelda had known all her life. She thought it a little unfair how easily the other wore Aria's face and used her mannerisms. Zelda gestured to herself as she continued. "But I can. I'm—was—painfully mortal. I couldn't even get them the Matrix."

Again, Aria tilted her head curiously. "You…do not wish to return?"

"Who are you?" Zelda asked instead, desperately needing confirmation.

"You know who I am," Aria retorted, not unkindly. "Do you need me to speak it aloud? What purpose does that serve?"

Zelda clenched her jaw.

But the other wasn't finished. "Do you not wish to return?" she asked again.

"Does it matter what I want?" That much Zelda had always been comfortable acknowledging. Zelda had always known she was very fragile despite all that had happened to her body. One day, Zelda could die from something as simple as hitting a table at the wrong angle. Zelda had always been painfully aware of her mortality. Most humans were. "What matters is what happens with the AllSpark and the consequences for the Cybertronians."

"You speak of them as one," Aria commented, something pleased in her voice.

"Because they're more than their factions?" Zelda answered incredulously. She had always known that to a degree. She had heard enough tales from the Autobots before to know that war is never so simple. It broke friendships and tore families apart. That was something that transcended species.

But then, it solidified when she began to dream of the war. So much death, yet so many quiet moments of happiness too. It was why Zelda had not hesitated to bring Frenzy back—she understood the pain his family was in. Zelda had felt the exact same when she had lost the people close to her.

"The Matrix is an extension of the AllSpark and controlled by the Primes. You are needed, Child of Earth," Aria said, and Zelda held still as the other raised her hands and laid them on her cheeks. It was warmth incarnate, the beginning of summer heat.

"I have been watching you for a very long time," Aria continued, thumbs stroking across the apple of Zelda's cheeks, her eyes soft. "The Matrix of Leadership is never found, it is earned. Now return, as it is, and always has been, your destiny, Zelda Larsson, Niece of Mine."

Zelda took her first breath three minutes later and was bombarded by every sensation: the pain, the dizziness, the fractured bonds reigniting, and the heat boiling within her.

"Zelda!" Eden cried, cupping her face.

Zelda blinked at Eden, dumbfounded. Then she was pushing her unsteady feet, hand clenching down tightly as the Matrix began taking shape. Its power pulsed softly, warmly, and in greeting. It resonated with the AllSpark within her. It was like coming home.

Her bonds all greeted her, and a surge of relief from every single one took her breath away, leaving her momentarily dazed. Yet, amid the rush of emotions and the comforting presence surrounding her, her gaze locked onto Optimus. In that moment, nothing else mattered.

He had waited long enough.

Power buzzed with wild abandon within her; it danced across her skin as it powered the nanites coursing through her, healing and mending every injury on her body.

Zelda merely spared the Matrix a brief glance before moving. Eden caught her elbow when Zelda's knees threatened to buckle.

She met his eyes. "Help me to him." Her voice was raspy, her mouth parched and dry, and her throat raw, but it didn't stop her.

Eden helped her without question, the Autobots and soldiers alike moving aside to give Zelda a clear path to Optimus. Her limbs were jerky, stiff as if rigor mortis had already set in.

Zelda was acutely aware she was likely playing into The Fallen's trap. Whether she resurrected Optimus or not, the Matrix was here. It was only a matter of time before the disgraced Prime arrived to steal the Matrix.

Zelda's fingers gipped between plating as she heaved herself onto Optimus's chassis and up to his spark chamber. Ratchet had repaired it immaculately; she couldn't see a hint of damage remaining.

Relief swept through Zelda. Finally, she could fulfil her promise to Optimus and herself.

As the power surged within her, it ignited like a fierce flash of lightning, coursing through her body and setting her veins ablaze with a radiant glow. Zelda felt an unprecedented intensity, a potent force unlike anything she had ever experienced—a hidden wellspring of energy revealing its profound depths for the first time. She surrendered to the flow, letting it pulse through her veins with a vibrant life of its own. With a focused intent, she channelled that brilliant energy into Optimus, just as she had previously done for Jazz and Frenzy, feeling the threads of connection weave tightly between them once more.

Beneath her, Optimus shuddered violently, his massive frame trembling as the warm, pulsing energy of life surged back to life within the depths of his spark casing. His optics flickered with a vibrant glow.

A moment later, the Prime lifted his servo, cradling Zelda gently within as he rose to a sitting position. Her tear-filled eyes locked onto his brilliant blue gaze, and in that instant, the floodgates opened. Zelda succumbed to her emotions, allowing the tears to flow freely down her cheeks. She felt utterly drained, her spirit and body exhausted, as if every ounce of energy had been wrung out of her, leaving her fragile and raw.

"Zelda," Optimus whispered her name. Just hearing his voice, hearing the love in it—it made Zelda cry harder.

"Optimus."

A sudden chill swept through the air, and Zelda felt the familiar crackle of energy that signalled a warp was imminent. In an instant, a deafening burst of sound shattered the moment as an electromagnetic explosion erupted, sending the Autobots tumbling away from her and Optimus in a chaotic flurry. Amidst the chaos, a colossal mech descended with undeniable force, crashing down onto Optimus and pinning him firmly to the ground, using the Autobot leader as a makeshift landing pad. The impact reverberated through the ground.

Nestled within the secure embrace of Optimus's massive digits, Zelda stared up in horror at The Fallen, who loomed above her like a dark storm cloud, his red optics burning with a cruel intensity. The atmosphere around them crackled with tension as she felt her heart race, a sense of dread enveloping her. The wicked gleam in his gaze sent chills down her spine, a stark reminder of the malevolence that had claimed her life before. Memories flooded her mind, tightening her chest.

"Obedient," he sneered. "My brothers stole my sparkright from me and now you have returned it to me."

The Matrix slipped from her grasp, wriggling and squirming as if it were a fish yanked from the depths of the ocean. An invisible force surged through the air, pulling the glowing artefact upward with an almost predatory swiftness as it soared toward The Fallen, who stood poised and waiting to ensnare the Matrix.

"No!" Zelda's voice rang out in a mix of shock and desperation, her eyes wide with disbelief as The Fallen suddenly warped away. In a heartbeat, he disappeared, narrowly evading the blaster shot that whizzed by him, missing by mere inches and leaving behind a faint trail of sizzling air.

Zelda spun around, her heart still pounding wildly in her chest, as she caught sight of Jetfire looming before her. With a tender touch, Optimus lowered her onto the sand before he carefully shifted his mass, rolling onto his front, his massive frame straining as he attempted to rise to his pedes. Just then, Ironhide appeared at his side, steadfast and unwavering, ready to provide the support Optimus needed. With Ironhide's assistance, Optimus found his balance, finally regaining his stance amidst the chaos surrounding them.

Zelda's body felt like a deflated balloon, all energy sapped away, leaving her weary and worn. It was as if she was trudging through molasses, each step heavier than the last.

Just as Ironhide had provided support for Optimus, Eden and Mikaela stepped in to support her. As Zelda leaned into them, their warm arms encircled her, providing a cocoon of comfort amidst her fatigue. Their presence grounded her.

Zelda raised her head, watching as Jetfire grew close, towering over all the Autobots. "In your state you're going to need an extra boost. Are you capable of combining?"

"Yes, but I have never done so," Optimus answered, straightening up.

"First time for everything," Jetfire grinned. "Now, fulfil your destiny, Prime."

The Seeker advanced, closing the distance between them until he stood face-to-face with Optimus. In a breath-taking spectacle, Jetfire twisted and spiralled around Optimus, his various components shifting and rearranging. Like a masterful fusion of technology and artistry, the two warriors melded into a singular entity, their forms harmonising as they became one.

Zelda couldn't tear her eyes away from the spectacle as Optimus loomed almost twice his regular size, his frame melding seamlessly with Jetfire's, enhancing one another like any two Cybertronians capable of combining. The aged engines roared to life, and Optimus took to the skies, leaving a whirlwind of dust and sand in his wake.

"Zelda," Bumblebee whimpered from behind her.

Zelda whirled around, breath yanked from her lungs at the pain in her brother's voice. "Oh, oh, Bee," she choked out and stumbled toward him.

Bumblebee gently lifted Zelda with his servos, enveloping her in a warm embrace against his chassis. As he cradled her, the vibrations of his spark resonated softly, creating a comforting hum. Zelda responded to the gesture, leaning into him and wrapping her arms around his neck as best she could.

But then Ratchet was there. "Give her to me, quickly."

"No!" Bumblebee protested, a whine lacing his voice. He turned away from Ratchet, shielding Zelda from him.

Through the gaps between Bumblebee's digits, Zelda caught sight of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker hovering at the fringes. Their vivid optics were fixed on her, radiating an intensity that sent a warm fluttering sensation deep within her belly. For a fleeting moment, she held their gazes, feeling the weight of their attention, before the heat of their stares compelled her to look away.

"Bumblebee," Ratchet said sternly. "I need to ensure Zelda isn't going to collapse on us."

"It's okay, Bee," Zelda assured, stroking a hand across his cheek. She offered him a small smile, and Bumblebee slumped, uncurling his servos so that Ratchet could take her.

"You are not leaving my sights until I know you are perfectly healthy," Ratchet growled lowly when he got a good enough look at her. All Zelda did was nod and hug his thumb, her tears renewed.

Zelda hadn't believed she would lay eyes on him—or any of them—again. Ever since Megatron's resurrection, death had loomed over her like a dark shroud, whispering doubts into her ear. Her body had steadily betrayed her, feeling frail and weary after all she had put it through. Yet, against all odds, she stood here, enveloped by her entire family's familiar warmth. The sight of them was a bittersweet reminder of what she could have lost—what they would have lost. Zelda's heart swelled with a mix of disbelief and profound gratitude—she hadn't thought she would ever see them again.

Zelda sobbed quietly, flesh hand pawing at her sore eyes. The exhaustion weighed heavily on her, a bone-deep weariness that made her feel like she was barely holding on.

"You are safe. You can rest," Ratchet assured, thumb pressing against her stomach like a weighted blanket for Zelda. "Everything will be all right."

Zelda nodded slowly, her surroundings swirling in a haze of colours and shapes that seemed to dance in and out of focus. The edges of the world were blurry, making it hard to grasp the reality around her. A deep fatigue settled over her, and the thought of rest beckoned like a warm, inviting blanket. A wave of reassurance washed over her from all sides.

Everything would be alright.

"I rise, you fall," Optimus growled.

Megatron watched through the archway as Optimus pried The Fallen's face from his helm, an anger Megatron had so rarely seen shimmering across his once-brother's frame.

Megatron stood frozen with the weight of the moment as he gazed upon the lifeless form of his Master. A myriad of emotions swirled within him, yet anger did not rise to the surface. In fact, it was absent, strikingly so. Instead, a profound clarity enveloped his processor, sharper and more focused than it had ever been. This unexpected lucidity whispered to him, hinting at revelations that Megatron would be spending time contemplating.

But the girl was alive, and in that fleeting moment, nothing else held as much significance for Megatron, not even his Master's death. Overwhelmed by an unexpected surge of emotion, he marvelled at the resilience of his fierce little sabre, who had triumphed over even the grasp of death itself. How beautifully ironic that such a tiny yet powerful force could defy the ultimate end.

"Let us depart, Starscream," Megatron ordered and turned to Skywarp who was waiting for them.

Chapter Text

Chapter Fourteen:  Homeward Bound

The sharp tang of sea salt invaded Zelda's nostrils as she slowly emerged from the depths of sleep. Waking felt like wading through thick molasses, each thought a laborious effort that weighed her down further. Her limbs felt leaden and her body was steeped in a heavy exhaustion that clung to her like a weighted blanket. She swallowed hard, the action scraping at her dry throat as she tried to coax life back into her parched mouth.

Comforting warmth radiated through her, a soothing embrace that invited her to linger in the dream world for a moment longer. But even in her drowsiness, a sense of security enveloped her; the gentle hum of the bonds wrapped around her reassured Zelda that she was in a place of safety, cocooned from the outside world.

Zelda's heart jolted unexpectedly, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her as she fought against the thick veil of sleep clinging to her. Fragmented memories swirled chaotically in her mind, each one vying for her attention. With great effort, she rolled onto her side, the soft, plush pillow cradling her face like a comforting embrace.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips, mingling with the softness of the fabric around her. Her legs tangled awkwardly in the blanket, the cool air brushing against her exposed skin, sending a refreshing shiver up her spine. The contrast felt good, pulling her slowly from the depths of her slumber.

Another beat passed before Zelda could force her weighted lids to open. The dim light wasn't as bad as she expected, but her eyes slid closed again.

A hand softly brushed across her face, tenderly tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear. The subtle, almost imperceptible hum that resonated from the holoforms was a familiar sensation to Zelda—one she only experienced during moments of contact with them. As she fought through the heaviness of her eyelids, she finally managed to pry them open, her vision gradually clearing to reveal Ratchet's holoform sitting close by.

"Take it slow," he gently reassured. "Your body has been through a lot in a short time. It's working to recover, and it will be slow, despite what the AllSpark and nanites have fixed."

Zelda sighed, pressing her face into his palm. It was never quite the same as the comfort of their real bodies, but the holoforms were a good alternative. It didn't trigger the light aversion to face touching that Zelda tried hard to suppress.

Ratchet understood what Zelda was asking without words, and as a tender gesture of reassurance, he brushed his thumb softly across the apple of her cheek, the warmth of his touch conveying more than words ever could.

"You've been out for almost fifty hours now," Ratchet continued.

Fifty hours? Yikes.

"W'ut ha'pened?"

"Optimus fought The Fallen and terminated him," Ratchet answered, thumb doing another caress across her cheek.

Her heart raced with a sudden flood of emotions. Fresh tears welled up, blurring her vision at the bittersweet realisation. It was as if a dam had burst, and all the pent-up feelings she had been harbouring for months now were pouring out with force.

A great sense of relief enveloped her. A heavy burden that had sunk its claws into her, which she had carried quietly and alone for months now, had suddenly vanished. In that moment, she could hardly comprehend the enormity of it. The Matrix had been found at last. Optimus was alive. And, perhaps most importantly, The Fallen was finally gone. He could no longer bring harm to anyone.

The sob was stuck in her throat, yet the tears flowed freely. Zelda reached up and grasped Ratchet's wrist, needing to feel grounded. He did one better, lifting Zelda into an upright position and cradled her against his chest.

"He's gone?" she warbled.

"He's gone," Ratchet assured, tucking her head against his shoulder. "Optimus tore his face from his helm."

Zelda sobbed, pawing at her eyes. It was the only way she knew how to let it out.

With herculean effort, Zelda was finally on her feet. It had taken some time to reel herself in, and Zelda hadn't tried all that hard anyway, content to let everything out in the safety of Ratchet's presence.

After Ratchet ran a few tests to ensure her stability, he released her, helping her out of his alt-mode and into the warmth of the sun. Zelda basked in its rays for a moment. After being cold for so long and then feeling as if she were boiling alive, it was truly delightful to appreciate the sun properly again.

"Look who's up and about?" Jazz chimed playfully, his holoform taking his place at her left and replacing Ratchet as her supporter. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "I've got her, Ratch'."

"Make sure she doesn't overexert herself," Ratchet warned, eyes narrowed.

"I'm right here," Zelda sighed, feigning annoyance.

"Promise, cross ma spark and hope to die," Jazz said, humouring Ratchet with the human phrase. "Where to first, sweets?"

Zelda looked out over the busy aircraft carrier they were using to transport everyone back to the United States.

Before Zelda could collect her thoughts and decide who she wanted to see first, Leo was hurrying toward her. His wide eyes were filled with a mix of joy and surprise. "You're awake!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Leo," Zelda greeted, voice still rough around the edges.

She allowed him to hug her, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "God, I heard what happened, and I just—I couldn't believe it!" he exclaimed. "But you're okay, right?"

"Besides being bruised and exhausted? Yes, I'm good," Zelda assured him as they pulled back. Leo gave her a nervous brief glance over as if just to make sure.

"Good. That's good!" Leo nodded rapidly, still shifting all antsy. Jazz chuckled, taking Zelda by the elbow again when she stumbled on her feet.

Zelda took a moment to look Leo over. He was sparsely injured, with a few scrapes and a cut on his temple that had been tended to with stitches. That relieved her. If something worse had happened to him, Zelda would have felt guilty.

"You did good too," Zelda smiled. "Ratchet caught me up to date and told me about what you and Simmons did."

Zelda hoped that Leo had a little more confidence in him now. Despite being an unwilling party to this mess, he hadn't left when Zelda gave him an out. Instead, Leo had stayed and contributed in a very significant way. Zelda never would have thought of Robo Warrior, or even Simmons himself. Everything he had done to help, from small to large, deserved recognition.

With that in mind, she made a mental note to make use of her professional contacts to secure him a promising job that aligned with Leo's skills and aspirations. After all, he had earned it through his dedication and hard work, and she felt it was only fitting that he received the recognition and support he deserved.

But for now, Zelda keeps that to herself.

Leo blushed at her words, a light grin tugging at his mouth. "I mean, I couldn't let him do everything, right?"

"Of course," Zelda returned the grin, patting his arm. "I'm going to go do my rounds. I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

"Yes, right! I'll be in the canteen…with the others," Leo nodded, trying to keep his cool and to not appear awkward. Zelda smiled again and let Jazz lead her away.

"That kid's funny. I can see what had the small twins cracking up," he said with a playful grin when they were far enough away. "A little quirky like Sam."

Zelda nudged him for the cheeky remark, but there was no bite in her words. "Jazz," she scolded.

"Just statin' a fact, sweetspark," Jazz laughed. "You should've seen him after he and Simmons were collected. The two were like giddy sparklings."

As a short laugh escaped her at Jazz's words, Zelda's eyes focused on Jetfire, who stood with Ironhide at the front of the take-off strip. They were conversing, and whatever the topic was, it earned a gruff laugh from Ironhide. It warmed her to see Jetfire mingling so easily with her family.

"Ah, so you're awake!" Jetfire greeted warmly.

"Good to see you back on your feet, Zelda," Ironhide said.

"Bit stiff, but I've been sleeping for fifty-odd hours, so," Zelda shrugged.

Jetfire knelt, a digit outstretched, and Zelda reached out with both hands, pressing her temple against the digit. Zelda basked in Jetfire's spark thread. It was still so new but steady and strong. It spoke of the wisdom that came with age and the sensation of sturdiness and laser-focus that came with being a recognised Seeker.

Zelda really liked that second one. Something about it felt familiar, almost like she was a hawk in flight hunting its prey.

Eventually, Zelda withdrew after what felt like minutes but couldn't have been more than ten seconds. Instead, she met Jetfire's red optics.

"So, you know how you said I was seeing the script for a reason?" Zelda began nervously.

Jetfire grinned. "Ay, what did you see while dead, youngling? Did you get your answers?"

"Kind of," Zelda said, clutching his digit. Then she flushed indignantly. "He wore my sister's face!"

Jetfire belted out a laugh, scooping Zelda up in his servo.

"Who wore what?" Ironhide questioned incredulously, full body turning toward Jetfire to look down at Zelda with wide optics.

"Agreeing with 'Hide here," Jazz said from the ground, just as confused.

Jetfire merely waved the two of them off. "As I told those younglings the other day cycle, the AllSpark and Primus are intricately intertwined, their connection reaching far beyond the limits of mortal understanding."

Ironhide and Jazz were silent for a beat.

"Wait, you mean—" Ironhide baulked.

"Frag," Jazz breathed.

Zelda shuffled awkwardly at the awe directed towards her, a warm blush creeping up her neck and flooding her cheeks at the sheer admiration from their bonds.

"What did you discuss?" Jetfire asked, perhaps a bit too eagerly for Zelda's liking.

Zelda sweat a little, debating what exactly she should spill to the Seeker. She settled on a more tamed version of events. "He was just very cryptic! Uh, he explained that the Matrix isn't found…"

Jetfire nodded sagely. "Yes. The Matrix of Leadership is never found, it is earned. Those whom It deems worthy are able to use It at will, be it established Primes or those with makings of a Prime. I learnt about this as a youngling, when the remaining Thirteen were still living."

"Wow, you're way older than I thought," Jazz remarked, both shock and jest in his voice.

Jetfire snorted, straightening up. "I am proudly a second-generation Seeker!"

"Were Seekers still just as secretive about their ways back then?" Ironhide asked drily.

Zelda suspected that he was deliberately switching the topic to avoid addressing the startling revelation about Primus. It was clear to her that he wanted to steer clear of that conversation entirely, as if the subject were something so sensitive or controversial that he wouldn't even want to come near it, even if he had a ten-foot pole to keep his distance.

It almost made Zelda crack up because this was Ironhide.

With a playful glint in his optics, Jetfire straightened his posture, exuding an air of mock indignation. The servo not holding Zelda settled on his hip, his expression a mix of amusement and feigned seriousness. "It's a rite of passage!" he said, his voice rising dramatically as if the words held great significance. "It's a secret for a reason!"

Despite his tone of amusement, there was also sincerity, hinting at a more serious meaning beneath his light-hearted façade.

Zelda chuckled gently. "It's much like a coming-of-age moment here on Earth," she mused, her voice reflective. She fell silent for a moment, her lips pursed thoughtfully as she absorbed her own words. "I… didn't realise I had that knowledge. I must have stored it away somewhere along the line," she added with a hint of surprise in her tone.

After a beat, Zelda shrugged it off, dismissing her surprise because she had experienced it numerous times in the past with a variety of Cybertronian topics. It was as if her mind was playing tricks on her, teasing her with fragments of knowledge that seemed to emerge from nowhere. Zelda never knew that such small pieces (or large sometimes) of information were tucked away in her consciousness, hidden until something unexpectedly triggered it to the forefront.

"Ah, that is indeed a fascinating comparison," Jetfire responded, a thoughtful look crossing his face as he nodded appreciatively. His thumb gently glided over Zelda's back. "To become a Seeker, one must endure a series of rigorous trials, each designed to test one's strength and resolve."

Jetfire let Zelda down eventually, and Jazz helped her manoeuvre between the Autobots: the triplets, the Bumper Twins, Bumblebee, Jolt and Wheelie. Zelda doesn't acknowledge she's leaving Sunstreaker and Sideswipe for last. She doesn't acknowledge what she plans to say to them; otherwise, Zelda knew she would chicken out before even getting to see them.

Also, Optimus was still engaged in a lengthy meeting, so Zelda knew that, despite her desire, seeing Optimus would have to wait.

After spending some time with all of the Autobots, Zelda made her way toward her human companions. Jazz finally let her move about on her own, but he does so with a playful wink, which Zelda stuck her tongue out at.

Eden perked up, offering her a light but tight grin. "I'm not surprised to see you up and about so easily."

Zelda offered him a weak smile. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

"Scaring? More like terrified," Eden corrected with a bitter laugh. He rubbed a hand across his tired face. "Never do that again, yeah? I don't think I can take it."

"We both know neither of us can promise that," Zelda rebuffed, but she scooted around the table Eden was sitting at and hugged him. He happily returned the affection.

"How are you? I don't recall you being injured?" Zelda asked, looking him over.

"Sunburnt but unharmed," Eden assured, patting Zelda's hand on his shoulder. "Now, go see the others. I don't want to take up too much of your time, and I've got a report to finish up."

Zelda winced, knowing she would be needing to fill out her own very extensive report soon enough. She dreaded it.

But Zelda didn't protest at the dismissal and instead headed further inside the aircraft carrier. Mikaela, Simmons and Leo were sitting in the mess hall. Mikaela dragged Zelda into a hug the instance the raven-haired woman spotted her.

Zelda took a second to look Mikaela over. She was a little sunburnt and had a few lingering bruises, but the latter came from the foundry, not the battle itself. Relief swept through her as it did for Leo. Mikaela was as unharmed as possible.

Simmons was in a similar boat to Leo, banged up with tended-to cuts.

"Well, well, well," Simmons began, a playful grin spreading across his face. "She has arisen!"

"Hush you," Zelda said and smacked his arm, which got some light laughter from Mikaela and Leo. "I don't want any smart comments, you hear?"

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" was Simmons's dry retort, but he softened as he continued. "I'm glad that weird alien mojo worked out and…we're not going to touch the whole resurrection thing, like, at all, capisce?"

Zelda's smile turned into a grin. "Why? Don't want to make a joke someone sensitive might find offensive?"

Simmons jabbed a finger in her face with a stern look that failed to hide his amusement. "I said don't, missy!"

She just laughed.

Zelda had put it off long enough. She finally began her trek toward where Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were parked in their alt-modes. When she was within ten feet, the twins transformed back into root mode. Zelda hesitated a beat, waiting for them to finish before closing the distance.

Sunstreaker knelt, offering his servo for Zelda to perch on. Tentatively, she did so and let out a nervous breath as Sunstreaker stood up straight once more. Suspended between the twins, Zelda tried to gather herself.

It was now or never, she supposed.

"We all know I'm stubborn," Zelda murmured, knocking her temple against Sunstreaker's cheek. A hand clutched at some plating that framed his face.

"Oh, that we certainly know," was Sideswipe's dry response. His index digit gently poked her back.

Zelda giggled, not moving her face from where it was tucked against Sunstreaker's cheek, but she blindly batted her free hand at Sideswipe's digit.

"And…I spent a lot of time in denial about things I don't want to acknowledge," she continued, sobering up slightly because if she didn't get this out now, Zelda knew she would continue to cower. "I'm a coward like that."

"You are not a coward, sweetspark," Sunstreaker argued. He moved Zelda away from his face to glower lightly down at her.

Zelda shrugged. "Subjective, I guess. But I know myself, Sunny, and I know if I don't want to acknowledge something, I won't. Not unless it smacks me in the face. It's a coping mechanism from my time with MECH. I learnt to repress what I didn't like until I couldn't any longer. Trauma."

Sideswipe's digit was back, but now it nudged against her face, drawing her gaze to him. "You have done so much in your very short life. You have suffered and still given your all. Most of those efforts will never be known by your world. You just spent the last week doing everything you could to stop The Fallen. You died, Zelda."

Sideswipe choked up as soon as those words left his mouth, and Zelda clutched his digit, feeling the minute tremor.

"I know," she nodded, her eyes burning, but she forced back the tears. She had cried enough today.

In truth, Zelda didn't really remember it. She could just about recall the sensation of being airborne, the feeling of dust and shrapnel around her, but that was it. One minute she was there, the next…

"And that's why—that's," Zelda stumbled over her words, tongue heavy. Even now, Zelda subconsciously tried to stop from revealing things she had spent a long time denying. She pushed through it. "What I'm trying to get at…"

Sideswipe chuckled softly, and Sunstreaker cycled his vents in fond exasperation. It was as clear to her as it was to them that she was struggling but trying to get her words out. Had it been another situation, Zelda would have tried to jest, but this was serious and trying to jest was also a deflection at the end of the day.

"I love you."

There, she said it.

Sunstreaker gave a pleased purr, bringing Zelda close again, and she pressed against his cheek again.

"And we love you, Zelda," Sideswipe crooned. Their bond pulsed warmly and brightly, leaving no space to misinterpret the depths of their feelings. Zelda choked out a laugh, unable to stop her tears this time. How easy.

Just hearing them say that they returned her affections dispersed the nerves and fear of rejection until all that was left were butterflies causing havoc in her belly.

"I love you," she said again, just because she could.

At one point, Optimus was released from his duties and sat on the edge of the aircraft carrier, gazing out at the sea behind them. The sun was beginning to set, and although Zelda had only been awake for a few hours, she already felt exhausted, but that didn't stop her from going to speak to him.

A warning glance from Ratchet had kept Zelda with the twins for a while. The duo were not exactly eager to let Zelda loose just yet, anyway. Not that Zelda was protesting, of course. She was content to lounge with her twins.

It felt surreal to Zelda, as if she were caught in a dream where all the lines between reality and fantasy blurred. For quite some time—though she hadn't meant to—she had been mentally claiming the twins as her own. Hindsight, as they say, granted clarity; looking back, it became painfully evident that the dynamic between them had been shifting, a silent dance that had unfolded right before her eyes.

The air was thick with unspoken words and subtle gestures, and everyone around them always acted like they were in on a joke that she was only starting to grasp. Zelda could feel an involuntary blush creeping into her cheeks, a warmth that hinted at her embarrassment at being so blissfully unaware. It was hard to ignore the way people exchanged knowing glances or how a sly remark would elicit laughter from the group, all while she stood there, utterly unaware.

They had been happening ever since she had first encountered the Autobots. The little interactions—how Sunstreaker's laughter would rumble like a distant thunder or how Sideswipe's playful banter could cut through even the heaviest of silences—were more than friendship. Zelda had spent so long trying to repress her feelings, but each day spent in their company had added another layer to her feelings. Yet, it wasn't until now that she realised the extent to which everyone else had already perceived the emotions that were not-so-quietly forming between them.

So yes, it was a surreal realisation.

When Sunstreaker and Sideswipe finally released her into the wild, the latter grumbling slightly, Zelda hurried toward Optimus. But not before blowing a kiss their way, which stopped the grumbling.

"Finally free?" she teased softly.

"I am," Optimus smiled down at her and teased right back: "And it seems you have finally escaped the twins."

Zelda gave a goofy little grin as she climbed onto Optimus's leg to sit.

"How are you feeling?"

"Perhaps I should be asking you that?" Optimus replied, deflecting the question. Zelda gave him an unamused look, which elicited a chuckle from the Prime. "I'm doing well. Ratchet repaired my frame, and anything he couldn't see was fixed when you brought me back, dear one."

Optimus cupped his servo behind her, and Zelda grabbed his wrist, half slumped against his servo.

"Good," she nodded, forcing back the overwhelming sense of lingering dread that twisted uncomfortably in her chest.

"What of yourself? Ratchet has informed me that you are on the mend, but how are you feeling?" he asked.

Zelda paused for a moment, contemplating the situation. "Okay, I suppose, for lack of a better word," she began, "the last week has been hectic, and I haven't really had a chance to process everything. Dr. Cromwell will be getting a hefty paycheck after this."

Optimus hummed, his optics sparking with mirth, and Zelda knew him well enough to understand that Optimus was withholding a chuckle because it was technically not a laughing matter but…

"Have you been caught up with…what happened?" Zelda tentatively asked as she worried her bottom lip.

"Sunstreaker and Sideswipe filled me in on the extent of events," Optimus nodded before becoming serious. "Once again, you have been forced to risk your life for us, Zelda. I cannot thank you enough."

"You're my family, Optimus," Zelda said, matching his seriousness. "Whether I wanted it or not, my life has become entangled with your people, and… despite everything that's happened, despite the danger, I would never change having met you."

Optimus cycled his vents, and his servo curled more securely around her.

"And…meeting all of you has given me a renewed sense of purpose. I'm healing. I'm allowing myself to heal," Zelda continued, finally breaking eye contact to gaze out at the vast expanse of the ocean, beautifully coloured by the sunset. "It's because of all of you that I have hope."

With the utmost care, Optimus scooped Zelda up and brought her close so that they were eye to optic. "You, Zelda Larsson, despite your incredible stubbornness, are and have always been a wonderful young woman. You are not perfect—no one is—but you have consistently put yourself out there to help others. You've given my Autobots hope again. I haven't seen Ratchet so at ease in vorns. Bumblebee now has the chance to act his age with you. Do I need to continue?"

"No," Zelda almost stumbled over her words, heat pricking her cheeks. "You all have become a significant part of my life, albeit the AllSpark had a large hand in that, but you have."

Zelda hesitated for a moment, knowledge rising within her. "(ΩGladly do I respect and give my deference to Optimus Prime,Ω)" she said. It felt almost instinctive; the Cybertronian language slipped easily off her tongue, even though she had never spoken it before. But it wasn't just common Cybertronian. No. It was Truth Speak—or rather, the Language of the Primes. She watched how Optimus froze, his optics widening. "(ΩBut Optimus is the one that I happily call family.Ω)"

The absence of the title "Prime" was significant and meaningful. Although Optimus was undeniably a Prime, a rank bestowed upon very few of the Cybertronian race, his persona was far more intricate than that singular designation. In a distant past, he had been Orion Pax—a mere data clerk with a love for history surrounded by screens filled with endless streams of information and data reports that seemed far removed from the battles to come.

His history, rich with humble beginnings and formative experiences, remained an essential part of him and did not fade into obscurity once he ascended to the revered status of Prime. Rather, it added significant depth to his character, shaping his leadership with empathy and understanding. Optimus stood as a beacon of strength and guidance, yet he is also marked by mortal imperfection. Despite his formidable stature, both physically and ideologically, he wrestled with insecurities and the heavy burden of responsibility that accompanied his role.

To Zelda, the complexity was striking. She perceived him not just as a leader but as a flawed individual who bore his own scars. It was the duality—the mighty commander and the vulnerable being—that endeared him to her. It allowed Zelda to see who Optimus truly was, even after all he had been through.

His continued kindness, his choice to be kind, meant so much to Zelda. Optimus was someone Zelda would always look up to, flaws and all because despite his flaws, he continued onwards.

Optimus closed his optics, a smile spreading across his face. "Will you ever cease to surprise me?"

"Where would the fun be in that?" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief as a broad grin spread across her face. The playful sound of her voice effectively broke the remaining tension and was enough to break through Optimus's usually stoic demeanour. A rumble of laughter erupted from deep within him, causing his massive frame to shudder gently. It was not just a simple chuckle but a full-bodied laugh that resonated. The sound was rich and full, almost melodic, and Zelda grinned at the sound.

Dying had provided Zelda with a perspective she had been missing all along. She would sacrifice her life to ensure her family's safety, but she would live to see their happiness. Zelda was determined to witness Cybertron healed, whether it meant restoring it to its former glory personally or watching from what came after. One way or another, her body would make it there and return the AllSpark to Cybertron. Until then, Zelda embodied the AllSpark and she had a duty to fulfil.

Zelda could feel her body changing and adapting, and she knew it was because of Primus's influence. The AllSpark was an endless source of power, and now Zelda could feel Its true depths. It shimmered beneath her skin, more prominent than it had ever been before her death.

It made Zelda resolute in her mission. She was willing to go to any lengths to safeguard the Cybertronian race. Her heart had always ached with the weight of their struggles, and she would pour every ounce of her strength into helping them.

Zelda didn't know what the future held, but they were prepared to face whatever it might be. Together.

Chapter Text

EVENTIDE

Chapter One: Whirlwind of Preparation

In the tumultuous aftermath of the battle in Egypt, the events surrounding The Fallen and the Sun Harvester consumed Zelda's life, forging a landscape of frenetic activity.

Her days were a whirlwind of meetings—some urgent, others merely bureaucratic. Each session was marked by a barrage of reports detailing the aftermath, assessments of damage, and strategies to rebuild. Zelda found herself in a constant cycle of addressing her colleagues' concerns, restating key points over and over, as if she were a vital cog in a machine that never paused for maintenance.

Yet, within this relentless stream of obligations that had taken over her life, there were unexpected pockets of time where the chaos stilled. Sometimes, she would find herself with several hours to spare, her calendar inexplicably cleared, allowing her a period of unstructured time. In those moments of solitude, she could reflect on the crises that had unfolded, the weight of her responsibilities settling heavily on her shoulders, contrasting sharply with the frenetic pace of her meetings.

It was a strange duality: immersed in a whirlwind of demands yet experiencing stretches of profound quiet, each segment bearing an emotional toll that etched into her psyche.

Somehow, during those times, it was like the Autobots had a seventh sense. They always found where Zelda was holding herself up at to drag her out and get her doing something other than wallowing. It had Zelda reflecting on the years that passed.

In the span of two years, so much had changed for Zelda—more than just becoming the Host of the AllSpark. Before Zelda had met the Autobots, and even for a brief time after meeting them, Zelda knew she would have rioted at their behaviour despite knowing it came from a place of love.

The Zelda of the past and the Zelda of the present were worlds apart. The former was a girl caught in a whirlwind of emotion, trapped in a cycle of pain and regret, her spirit bruised and her heart heavy with the weight of unprocessed emotions. The latter stood as a show of maturity, a gentle resolve that guided her towards healing and self-discovery.

The younger Zelda might have found solace in self-pity, often retreating into the shadows of her own sorrow, allowing it to consume her thoughts and sometimes lashing out defensively against those around her when they tried to comfort her. But the Zelda was she now was recognising the importance of confronting her feelings rather than hiding from them. It showed a growth Zelda hadn't realised was there.

She knew Aria would be proud of her. Zelda was allowing herself to heal; even while painful memories lingered, she was willing to work to move past them. That also included memories of her childhood, long before she had been captured by M.E.C.H.

With hindsight, while her childhood had been good, it was also severely unethical. Zelda and the rest of her makeshift family had been trained killers from as young as single digits. Zelda's first-ever kill had been at the age of nine.

The D.A.A project as a whole never should have existed, not beyond when their parents, the first generation, had lost their lives. It should have died with them. Instead, Zelda, Aria and the rest of them had their innocence stolen to mould them into trained assassins and spies.

The old Zelda would have laughed it off—anything to ignore the obvious. Anything to ignore the abuse done to her at the hands of their government.

Sure, she would have acknowledged what had been done to her, but she never truly accepted it. The government's actions to form the D.A.A led to amoral actions. People were complicit in their abuse. Because it was abuse, Zelda could acknowledge that with time and distance.

Yes, Zelda's memories were undeniably cherished, but she was creating new ones—better ones. Zelda was done looking over her shoulder; she was tired of ignoring what she didn't want to accept.

Instead, she was ready to look to the future and do what she had to—for the betterment of all she cared for. Because Zelda had never felt so content, had never felt so settled within her own skin. Perhaps before M.E.C.H had gotten their hands on her, twisting Zelda in an attempt to conform her into their puppet, she might have felt like her own, but Zelda had no shame in admitting how greyed those memories were these days. Time and hindsight had distorted them, tainted them.

For the better, perhaps.

Two weeks.

It had officially been two weeks since Zelda's death, followed by her resurrection, and at last, the chaos surrounding The Fallen was beginning to subside. The whirlwind of frantic meetings and endless reports felt like a distant memory, gradually fading into the background as life slowly resumed, as best it could anyway, to its normal pace once more.

It was a much-needed breath of fresh air, a welcome respite from the relentless torrent of responsibilities that demanded her constant attention. She no longer had to dart from one location to another, the weight of urgency lifting from her shoulders and allowing her a moment to simply breathe and reflect.

Zelda could finally relax.

"—With the press conference to officially introduce you guys to the wider world and Zelda as your ambassador, we will have to figure out the formation for both the parade up to the White House and the conference. After Zelda's speech—" Will didn't get to finish because Zelda accidentally slammed her head onto the underside of the bonnet of the jeep in her surprise and yelped, scrambling away from the truck, clutching her head.

Or not relax.

"Hold on a second! Why is this the first time I'm hearing this?" she demanded.

All eyes in the room, both those of the Autobots and the humans, shifted towards her, each gaze reflecting a blend of perplexity and surprise.

"You weren't told?" Chris questioned in shock.

"No?" Zelda cried. "What do you mean I've gotta do a speech?"

"Zelda, as our ambassador, it is expected for you to introduce yourself officially," Optimus rumbled with a touch of amusement but also confusion. "You should have been made aware of this at some point in the last week."

In the whirlwind of events that unfolded over the past few weeks, if there had been any mention of the topic, it had evidently soared right above her head, unnoticed and unprocessed amidst the chaos.

"Oh, and the fact you were a wanted woman. You'll be getting a massive apology for that, and you have to answer as well," Chris continued, rubbing his brow.

Zelda groaned in misery, burying her face into her hands. "Public speaking, my greatest enemy."

"Not, it's not," was Logan's deadpan response. Logan was right; it wasn't, but it might as well have been.

"But in front of a room full of people, that will also be seen all across the world?" Zelda nearly screeched in horror, generally terrified at such a notion. "Crap. I've not made any preparations. No speech! No clothes! Nothing that screams I'm an ambassador!"

"We have a speech writer flying in to help with that. He's due here in," Chris checked his watch. "Forty-eight or so hours from now. His name is Cole Thompson. He's one of the speech writers that works for the president."

Some of the weight lifted from Zelda's shoulders at that. "Okay, so that's done, but I still very much lack any suitable attire. I've never needed it."

"Then we can make a stop at a tailor before the conference," Chromia assured, linking her arm with Zelda's. She offered Zelda a reassuring smile. "You'll look like the perfect ambassador when we're done with you! You'll make those mechs of yours drool!"

Zelda's face burnt hot, and several of the men and mechs coughed into fists to cover their laughter while the femmes grinned.

Zelda was antsy, unable to focus on repairing some of N.E.S.T's jeeps, and so had taken to jotting down what exactly she wanted to say, knowing this Cole Thompson would yay or nay her ideas. But the fact was Zelda had never written a speech before, let alone given one.

She thrived on blending in, having spent all her life being looked over. It had been drilled into her since the moment she and Aria were deemed old enough at just four—old enough to speak and understand but so very malleable.

So when the forty-eight-hour mark arrived, and with it came Cole Thompson, Zelda breathed a sigh of relief because now she could put her head down and figure out what the hell she needed to do.

Cole Thompson was an officious-looking man, but friendly and welcoming. He was also someone with whom Zelda immediately got along well with.

After their own introduction, Zelda took Cole to meet Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet—the main three Autobots who would be the ones to take centre stage and transform at the conference. There, Zelda coached him through a Cybertronian greeting and explained how it was different from the standard handshake to create a sense of rapport and help Cole ease up on his nerves about meeting the Autobots.

But once that was over, the pair tucked their heads down to get into the nitty-gritty.

"I took the liberty of writing you an acceptance speech," he explained. "Director Galloway gave a few titbits he thought you should mention for both that one and the ambassador one, but these will be your speeches, so we can edit it however you want."

Zelda resisted the urge to swipe a hand across her temple in relief. She had met Galloway only once before she headed off to college and a handful of times since returning to the US after the battle during the chaos of meetings. None of which were exactly pleasant. He wasn't outright hostile but certainly was not friendly to Zelda, considering she was essentially his replacement.

On top of that, it was no secret that Galloway did not like the Autobots and had made great efforts to disband N.E.S.T. To bolster Galloway's removal, Chris and Will had put forward the reason the Decepticons might have even learnt of Megatron and the shard's locations was because of Galloway revealing it over the meeting after Shanghai.

"That's fine, great, in fact," Zelda smiled. "I imagine you'll be riding with us so that we can modify?"

Cole grinned. "I am. Shall we head over? I've been made aware you'll be taking a brief detour to get some clothes."

Zelda laughed sheepishly. "Everything was last minute, and I only learned about the conference literally forty-eight hours ago."

"What?" Cole was bewildered, utterly gobsmacked. "How are you on public speaking?"

"I don't stutter," Zelda assured him with a smile.

"Thank goodness," Cole sighed and sank in on himself with relief, earning a soft laugh from Zelda.

She nudged him softly with her elbow. "C'mon, let's get on the plane."

As Zelda and Cole settled into some seats away from the soldiers and parked Autobots for some privacy to work, Cole quickly commandeered a table with his iPad. Together, they ran through who would be attending and whose hand Zelda would end up shaking. It was…a large number. Zelda hadn't realised just how many important people would attend the event. Zelda had never once thought this would be how her life turned out; alas, here she was.

After Cole coached her through how to meet them and drilled their names into Zelda, the pair began reading through Cole's prepared speech, collaborating to edit and even rewrite sections of the speech to Zelda's liking.

Zelda faced the daunting task of delivering two very significant speeches. The first was an acceptance speech, one that reflected on what happened. It would essentially be about recognition and gratitude. The second, however, weighed heavily on her mind. This was her ambassador speech—an opportunity to introduce the Autobots to the world, along with Optimus himself. This particular address carried immense importance; it would shape the public's perception of the Autobots and define their role in the hearts and minds of humanity.

Zelda could feel the pressure mounting, knowing that her words had the power to affect the very future of Autobots—and even Decepticons if Zelda's hopes work out—lives on Earth.

Due to the importance of Zelda's ambassador speech, they dedicated their time to preparing for it. Although Zelda would have the speech with her, she knew she couldn't rely on it entirely. For the last half of the plane journey, Zelda paced back and forth while Cole helped her refine her presentation. He pointed out ways she could improve, from her stance to the delivery of specific phrases. Zelda was also acutely aware that everyone on the plane was keeping the volume down so she could focus and bless them for it.

When touchdown arrived, Zelda was ushered toward the triplets and a bike helmet was pressed onto her head so that she could ride with Arcee.

"We booked an emergency meeting with a tailor not even ten minutes from the runway," Flareup chirped merrily. "We'll make it so that you're the centre of attention!"

"I can't be too fancy, Flare," Zelda joked. "I've got to be respected, not have people believing I slept my way up to the top."

Chromia gasped dramatically. "We'd never! You know, I still can't believe misogyny is so…prevalent on earth! Cybertron never had problems like that. Femmes and mechs were respected equally in that regard."

"Of course, we did have corrupt officials that promoted people for their own gain," Arcee mused. "Something shared between our races."

Zelda gave a groan of misery. "Part of having free will. Someone will always want more and do what they want to get it. But there's more of a biological aspect to misogyny, unfortunately. It's getting better but…well, it's hard to completely remove at the end of the day."

There was a titter of laughter from the sisters.

The tailor's shop was nestled cosily among a row of quaint little stores, each adorned with colourful awnings that fluttered gently in the breeze. Its weathered wooden sign creaked softly as it swung, inviting passersby to step inside. The small, picturesque town surrounding it exuded a charming ambience that enveloped Zelda like a warm blanket, igniting a deep yearning within her for a simpler, more peaceful life—one filled with the comfort of familiar faces and leisurely strolls down cobblestone streets.

As she observed her surroundings, she noticed the townspeople going about their daily routines, blissfully unaware of the extraordinary presence lurking in their midst. A woman strolled by with her lively golden retriever, the dog wagging its tail in pure delight. Nearby, children laughed and played, their joyful voices ringing out like a melody. A couple engaged in animated conversation, their laughter spilling into the air, while another individual was glued to their phone, oblivious to the world around them.

Zelda was drawn from her admiration as the triplets expertly manoeuvred into a pair of parking spaces that offered ample room for all of them to disembark comfortably. With a smile, Zelda released Arcee from her grasp and swung off the back of the vehicle. She carefully removed her helmet, shaking out her hair before turning to the others. The three holoforms followed suit, each mirroring a sense of eagerness at getting to play dress up with Zelda.

Zelda had consistently denied them the chance since meeting the triplets because Zelda had never been one to really play dress up. She had known eventually that the sisters would have worn her down, but Zelda hadn't thought it would be like this.

"This way!" Chromia chimed, taking Zelda's hand and dragged her to the door.

Zelda hesitated at the entrance for just a moment before being gently pulled inside, where she encountered a warm and inviting atmosphere. Two women greeted her with friendly smiles, both clearly at ease in their cosy space. The woman with flowing black hair, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, introduced herself as Lillian. Beside her stood Elena, her golden locks catching the light, framed by an easy-going demeanour that radiated warmth. After welcoming the four of them with genuine hospitality, they quickly set aside the pleasantries to dive into business, yet not before offering her an array of drinks and snacks that filled the air with enticing aromas.

Zelda found herself perched on a cushioned stool as the married couple bustled about, energetically sorting through an array of colour swatches, each one unrolled with a flourish. As the radiant hues were held against Zelda's fair skin and the striking shimmer of her ginger hair, it became clear that some colours simply would not do.

Bright, bold shades were hastily cast aside, their vividness overpowering her features and leaving her looking almost surreal. Likewise, deep, dark tones were dismissed, as they rendered her expression far too sombre for the occasion.

After much deliberation and laughter, the wives finally settled on a rich palette of warm auburns and reds, perfectly complemented by subtle hints of gold that complimented Zelda's hair. With selections made, the fittings commenced, focusing not only on the tailored trousers but also on the crisp button-up shirt and the elegant waistcoat, each piece designed to enhance her natural beauty and bring out the warmth of the chosen colours.

"That's it!" Arcee declared after four different fittings. "That's the one!"

Zelda looked down at herself, adjusting the cuff of the sleeve slightly. "You think so?"

"We know so," Flareup assured, grinning excitedly.

"Are there any modifications needed?" Chromia asked Elena.

Lillian stepped closer to Zelda, feeling along the seam of the trousers. "Might need to take it in a little but something we can do in an hour."

"Good. While that's happening, Zelda, how do you feel about getting that self-cut fixed?" Arcee said.

Zelda pouted a little. True, she hadn't been worried about the condition of her self-given haircut, considering she had been on the run at the time, but Zelda had thought she had done okay.

"I suppose so," she acknowledged with a playful put-out expression.

Flareup snickered. "That's great because there's no way we were going to let you go to that conference without one, even if we had to tie you down to do it."

Zelda barked out a laugh before heading back into the changing room.

Not even ten minutes later, Zelda was being guided into a salon chair as the triplets explained what they had in mind to the poor hairdresser.

"If you can do something with the fringe, I'd like that," Zelda implored.

Since her return to the United States, a persistent discomfort had settled in the pit of Zelda's stomach, gnawing at her like an unwelcome guest. The fringe had been fine while on the run, but now all Zelda saw while looking into a mirror was Aria's face looking back at her.

The stark, straight line of Aria's fringe had always hung across her forehead like a stamp, a defining feature that Zelda had long avoided. Their shared resemblance had been a point of annoyance for them growing up; it felt as if the world would forever lump them together, despite the differences that were both physical and not. Zelda's nose was slightly more upturned, her lips fuller, and her skull had a distinct shape that set them apart. Still, those obvious traits had often been overlooked.

So they had strived to create boundaries between themselves, something to set themselves apart. It made them feel like their own person. It was something that had haunted them since they had been children. It was like they had been trapped in a never-ending game of identity, where people beyond their immediate family had struggled to see them as individuals rather than mere reflections of one another.

Expectations and skills had been constant shadows. Aria had naturally gravitated to medicine; she had never been the best with fist-to-fist nor with any weapon beyond a standard handgun, whereas that was precisely where Zelda had excelled.

Zelda sat silently as the hairdresser got to work, watching as the uneven ends were fixed and the fringe was dealt with. She watched as snips of ginger hair fell. She had no absolute clue when it happened, but at some point between dying and resurrecting Optimus, it had regained its natural colouration.

"Why didn't you want to keep the fringe? It looked cute," Flareup asked, pouting a little as they left the salon.

With a grimace, Zelda answered truthfully. "It's…my sister always wore a fringe and…it was her thing and just…"

Zelda had never openly talked to Arcee, Chromia, and Flareup about her sister, Aria. The subject was still a bit sensitive for her, and she had chosen to keep it private. By the time the triplets arrived on Earth, Aria had long since become a part of Zelda's past, a chapter closed and buried deep within her soul. Zelda had felt the weight of loss far too heavy to share with those who had only entered her life afterwards and had never met Aria.

"What was she like?" Arcee asked.

"Kind but also had a mean strike. She and Ratchet got along like a house on fire," Zelda chimed, recalling the short period of time both aspects of her life overlapped.

Chromia and Flareup shared playfully terrified glances that got Arcee tittering.

"In every way imaginable, she was my better half," Zelda continued softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "I've never encountered anyone as thoughtful, as compassionate, or as deeply understanding as she was. Her kindness is a light I sorely miss."

"How many of you were there?" Chromia asked gently after a few moments of silence as they began to make their trek back to the tailor.

"You mean in the D.A.A?" Zelda asked for clarification.

"Yes, I know of Logan, Eden and Soma," Chromia nodded.

"It began as eight of us," Zelda answered quietly. "Adan was the first to go when we were fifteen. Michel, Mia and Aria died in oh-seven during the attack."

It didn't hurt to think of any of them, not even Adan, the one who had haunted her the longest. It was merely a passing ache these days.

"Now it's just Soma, Logan, Edan, and I," Zelda finished. That was over half of them. It made even the idea of running the program still next to impossible, not that Zelda wanted that. She hoped the government would allow the concept of the D.A.A to languish and fade away, just like those who had lost their lives to its cause.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: Summit

Taking a deep breath that filled her with a mix of anticipation and nerves, Zelda turned the bathroom doorknob and pulled the door open. The morning sunlight crept into the hallway through the floor-to-ceiling windows that spanned the length of the hallway, richly bringing out the colours of the suit.

As she stepped outside, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were waiting expectantly a few paces away. Zelda felt a flutter of excitement in her chest. Zelda had wanted them to be the first to see her in the outfit the triplets had chosen.

The auburn and gold truly complemented her features, and Zelda had never felt so…beautiful before. The outfit clung to her in a way that was both unfamiliar and exhilarating. It felt like a bold step into a new version of herself, and she found herself practically buzzing with eagerness.

Though some might consider it a trivial motivation, the thought of sharing this moment with them filled her with a giddy joy that overshadowed her initial apprehension.

The twins turned immediately as the open swung open, and Zelda couldn’t help but look down at herself nervously to brush invisible dirt from her trousers as their wide eyes wandered.

Her trousers were beige, with a black belt to bring it in above the hips. She wore a muted red waistcoat tucked into the trousers, which had a subtle pattern of gold-hued feathers and flowers. Beneath the patterned waistcoat was a white bishop-sleeved button-down shirt with pale grey pinstripes, and a perfectly tied tie that matched the waistcoat was tucked around her neck. On her feet, she wore some chunky platform matt Mary Janes to finish the look.

Her hair was partly styled into four braids, with the two on each side pulled back to meet at the back of her head. The braids were adorned with golden hoops, adding more gold to her look. The remainder of her hair hung loose around her shoulders.

Simple but elegant, as Flareup had declared once the triplets had finished her updo and plain makeup before ushering her into getting dressed.

Zelda tucked her hands into the fabric of her pockets, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation as she bit her lip thoughtfully. “Well? Is it too much?”

Sideswipe struggled to find his voice, his eyes wide as he took in the sight before him.

“You…” he finally managed to stammer, his expression a blend of awe and disbelief.

“Look absolutely amazing,” Sunstreaker finished for this brother, his voice warm and encouraging. A broad grin spread across his face.

In response, Zelda offered a shy smile, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue that deepened under their gaze.

“Really, you’re beautiful,” Sideswipe continued, his admiration evident in the sincerity of his tone.

“Stunning,” Sunstreaker echoed.

At their praise, the blush on Zelda’s cheeks deepened, and Sideswipe and Sunstreaker moved in closer, captivated by her.

“But you always look amazing,” Sideswipe grinned, pressing a kiss to Zelda’s red cheek.

As the brothers exchanged a playful glance, a soft, surprised squeak escaped her, prompting Zelda to instinctively withdraw. Her hands flew to her cheeks, which were now aflame with a mix of embarrassment and exhilaration.

“I—I, well—” she stammered, her voice faltering as words danced just out of reach, a group of butterflies going crazy in her stomach. It was all so unfamiliar and electrifying. In hindsight, Zelda recognised that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had been playfully flirting with her all along, but now their intentions were unmistakably clear, leaving her both dizzy and thrilled by the attention.

…and Zelda didn’t know how much more she could take! They were driving her crazy!

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe grinned at her reaction.

“I still think this is a bad idea,” Eden murmured as people slowly began getting into formation. The three of them stood in front of Optimus’s bumper. “We still have enemies, you know.”

Logan sighed, lightly batting Edan on the back. “Nothing we can do about it. We’re playing normal, Edan. This has become bigger than the D.A.A. If someone wants to hurt either of us three, they’ll do it anyway, parade or not.”

“Logan’s right. Besides, we’ve only got a small number. We’ve always been careful about maintaining anonymity,” Zelda agreed. “M.E.C.H only knew our faces by chance.”

Optimus would never say it out loud, but he worried. Today was significant, and he would rather neither of those three come to harm. In the time Optimus has had the honour of working with Logan, Edan and Zelda, while he was closer to the latter, it wouldn’t go amiss to say the camaraderie was there.

He would much prefer no harm, let alone fatal injuries, occur. Today should be something to celebrate and look back on with happiness. There shouldn’t need to be a dark stain to smudge the memory, let alone ruin the day entirely.

“Besides, considering the security, it’s unlikely anyone would try,” Logan assured. “Now, we’ve gotta get into place. Edan, go get into formation.”

Edan sighed in acceptance and nodded. He knocked a knuckle against Optimus’s plating in a silent parting before taking his leave.

“You feeling ready for this, big guy?” Zelda asked him.

Optimus chuckled. “I helped organise plenty of celebrations before the war. It was something I found a great deal of joy in.”

The memory crossed his processor like a fleeting shadow, stirring a deep and weary ache within Optimus. It was a reminder of moments long past, times filled with joy that now felt maddeningly distant. Memories that had once been vibrant had faded into a haze of nostalgia, leaving behind an emptiness that tugged at his spark.

“Then this shouldn’t be all that different, right?” Logan smirked.

Optimus cycled his vents fondly. “We have similar customs, yes, but…I am eager to see the differences, too.”

Zelda smiled warmly, the corner of her eyes crinkling in a way that happened only when her happiness was genuine. Optimus took a moment to store the memory. The dear femme had gone through a great many trials in her short life. Humans lived such short lives, and their world was often fast paced in comparison to Cybertron, where Cybertronians could be near immortal if they cared well for their frames.

Three weeks ago, both of them had terminated, and yet here they are, all because of Primus's will. Zelda had spoken little of it, not beyond what she had spilled to Jetfire and, ultimately, Jazz and Ironhide. But she did not need to. Optimus could see it. Could see the physical touch. As a Prime, Optimus often saw more, felt more, as was required of him.

Optimus was Primus Touched, as was every Claimed Prime that came before him. He had never thought he would ever witness another species be marked in such a profound way. Primus was Cybertron’s Creator, not Earth’s, and yet here Zelda was, Host of their beloved AllSpark and Primus Touched.

It was a miracle, one none of them would take for granted. Zelda had been chosen for a reason, after all. Everything that has happened, has done so for a reason; Optimus was sure of that. It was a doctrine he had always lived by, one Alpha Trion had instilled when Optimus was still Orion Pax and not yet even Fledge.

“Fate rarely calls upon you at a moment of your choosing,” Alpha Trion would often say whenever Orion Pax found himself grappling with the complexities of their people’s lengthy and intricate history. The weight of these words, steeped in wisdom and experience, resonated deeply with Optimus even now, especially during times of uncertainty and doubt.

On one particularly sombre night, when Optimus had taken Zelda outside to stargaze, she had confided in him during a moment of vulnerability. It had been just after Zelda had returned to them from Aria’s passing. Sleep had eluded her, the exhaustion etched on her face was stark, revealing the depth of her grief. In that quiet, restless lunar cycle, Zelda had begun to speak more freely, her guard lowered by the fatigue that hung over her like a heavy cloak.

She had shared her innermost fears and flickering hopes; words spilled from her lips, echoing the agony of loss mixed with the longing hope. Optimus had seen it fit to share what Alpha Trion had once bestowed upon him. To offer what wisdom he could to a grieving Zelda, hoping that she might find some form of solace.

Even now, Optimus would often bring Zelda outside to gaze up at the expanse of stars scattered across the night sky, which was starkly different from Cybertron’s constellations. It had become a cherished ritual for them both, occurring whenever they could find a moment of respite amidst their endless duties. During these lunar cycles, he would recount stories of Cybertron when his home planet wasn’t ravaged by war but instead vibrant with history and life. He spoke of the grand cities with their towering spires, bustling with activity, and the lush landscapes stretching out under the silvery blue sun, which humans would call blue stars for their size and light emittance.

When Optimus shared tales of his past, ones that resonated with nostalgia and pride, his aim was to paint a vivid picture, allowing Zelda to glimpse the essence of Cybertron beyond what she had dreamed of, and Zelda was always an eager and attentive listener during these nights.

As Will drew closer and seamlessly fell into line with Logan and Zelda, his presence pulled Optimus from his wandering thoughts, grounding him in the moment. The seven-mile parade to the White House was set to begin, and anticipation mingled among the gathered Humans and Autobots alike.

Optimism swelled as he gazed ahead, where the beginnings of a vibrant crowd gathered, a sea of people adorned with colourful banners that danced in the gentle breeze. The lively strains of music flowed ahead, intertwining with laughter and voices, creating a joyous symphony that echoed through the streets. Each piece added to the festive atmosphere, promising a day filled with celebration and unity.

It had been what Optimus had hoped for. To see so many Humans in one place, eager to see them in person, not out of fear but excitement. It had only ever been Optimus’s hope to have his people accepted here, the world where they sought asylum.

Will and Logan flanked Zelda as they began to walk. Optimus, with such a low speed that an earthen vehicle his size would have struggled with, followed after. Behind Optimus were Ratchet and Ironhide, the two who would accompany him to the stage. Then it was Edan, Epps, and a few other fellow soldiers who ranked high up. Following them was Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, and Bumblebee. The femmes were fourth, breaking up the line of mechs, where some more N.E.S.T soldiers trailed. At the back was Jazz, Jolt, Skids and Mudflap were behind them.

Optimus hoped everything went peacefully.

Zelda almost deflated when she exited the public eye. The number of eyes on her person was something Zelda had never before had—thousands, all looking at her. That’s not even mentioning the people watching from their TVs screens.

God-slash-Primus, please don’t let me mess this up, she silently prayed.

Her mind was a whirlwind as she met people by the dozen before being guided through the crowd to the front row alongside Optimus, Ratchet and Ironhide’s holoforms. Logan and Edan join the other N.E.S.T members a few rows back.

Ratchet took her hand and squeezed. “Deep breaths,” he soothed softly.

Zelda almost choked on a laugh, bowing her head to huff it out instead. She couldn’t stop the tremor in her hands. “Easier said than done, Ratch,” she joked lightly.

“You’ll do well,” Optimus assured her.

“Doubt anyone will blame you for a hiccup or two, as you humans say,” Ironhide agreed.

“It’s the number of people,” Zelda rebuffed. “I can speak clearly and not stumble over my words. I’m just…not used to this number of people, all of whom will be watching my every move.”

No answer came as a voice announced the President's arrival. All stood as President Eliot took his place at the podium.

“Please, at ease,” he said, and all present sat once more. “I would like to begin by greeting each and every one of you here today during what is possibly one of the most important occasions in human history.”

“Today, we can confidently say that we are not alone in this universe, and it is our sincerest hope that with this discovery, we can find a way not only to exist peacefully with our Cybertronians refugees but among ourselves as well. The road ahead of us is untrodden but one we should all be excited for,” the President continued. “With that being said, I would like to conclude by extending my personal welcome to the Autobots, to the United States of America, and to the Earth, and thank you all for what you have already done for us in the short time you have been here.”

President Eliot left the podium and walked toward them, offering his hand to Optimus. Optimus and Zelda both rose from their seats. Optimus shook the President’s hand with a respectful nod. Then he turned to Zelda and offered his hand again. Zelda smiled and shook his hand.

The speeches flowed one after another, each speaker taking their turn to address the gathered audience. The General Secretary rose to his feet as the air buzzed with anticipation. He began his oration, carefully recounting the events that had transpired, though his version was notably softened, omitting the more chaotic moments that had unfolded.

Zelda listened intently, her heartbeat quickening as she sensed the moment drawing near.

The room seemed to quiet impossibly more as the General Secretary paused and shifted his gaze toward her. "And now, I invite Miss Zelda Larsson to address us," he announced, his voice resonating with a certain weight that made her heartbeat quicken.

With a determined breath, she rose from her chair, the weight of the room's attention settling upon her. Offering the General Secretary a warm and reassuring smile, she made her way to the front. The polished wood of the podium gleamed under the lights. She pulled out the slightly crinkled speech paper and smoothed it out on the podium. She was sure the nervous tremor in her hands was not going unnoticed. But she smiled, trying her best to hide her nervousness and fear, making a point of looking over the entire crowd.

“Good morning, everyone. I want to start by expressing my gratitude to the United Nations for their apology, which, while largely unnecessary, is nonetheless appreciated. I also feel the need to extend my own apology because I’m not exceptionally well-versed in public speaking.”

There were some tittering laughter and understanding that crossed the entire gathering of people. That knocked a smidge of her nerves off and prayed she didn’t stumble over her words.

“Today, I stand here to talk about something that we all experience but often struggle to understand. That something is fear. Fear is a powerful emotion. It can grip us in an iron fist and paralyse us in moments when we need to act.”

There was a round of nods from soldiers, both still serving and veterans. Zelda even caught Ironhide’s holoform nodding in agreement. There was a murmur of surprise from people who had clearly never seen combat.

“Three weeks ago, I was a fugitive of this fear, which admittedly sounds absolutely terrible,” Zelda said lightheartedly, and it earned her some more tittering. “However, I was a fugitive for less than a week. But the events that took place, the things that were revealed, the fear that came about are understandable. So I ask that the subsidy set aside for me be put to better use because I was a victim of events outside of our control, and I am here today healthy and well, but others are denied safety and rights every day.”

Zelda had never had any intention of taking the money, even when a few people had tried to encourage her to take it. It felt wrong, and so she did what she knew would appease the people who also thought she didn’t deserve it, because people like that always existed somewhere.

Two dignitaries almost leapt to their feet to shake her hand and Zelda smiled. After a few murmured words exchanged and they returned to their seat, Zelda turned her gaze to Optimus. It was enough of a prompt, and he rose from the seat and walked his holoform onto the stage to stand beside her. They shared a smile before Zelda focused on back to the gathered masses and cameras.

Optimus gently rested his hand on the small of her back. It was a nice comfort, and Zelda smoothed out the paper, giving it a quick once-over. Her gaze rose once more.

“I would like to begin my ambassadorial speech by continuing to talk about fear. Throughout my life, I have learnt that fear can be a valuable ally if we learn to embrace it and understand it. As a child, I was taught a simple yet profound lesson that has stuck with me all my life. Whenever I faced something that frightened me, I was encouraged to stop and ask one important question. Why?

The question became my compass in navigating the often tumultuous waters of life. By understanding the roots of our fear, we begin to unravel its hold on us. We start to see fear not as an enemy but as a teacher. Fear can make us freeze. It can stop us sometimes in the worst of times. But we must recognise that fear is a natural response, a survival instinct that has kept our ancestors safe. It tells us to be cautious and aware.”

Another round of nods from soldiers, present and old.

Zelda smiled softly. “However, when we allow fear to dictate our actions, we lose the ability to respond effectively. We become paralysed, unable to move forward. Your heart races. Your palms sweat. You feel the urge to escape because the fear is overwhelming. But what if instead of letting that fear control you, you took a moment to understand it?

We live in a world filled with uncertainties. It is easy to become overwhelmed by fear of the unknown. But fear can also motivate us. It can push us to prepare, to learn, and to grow. When we feel fear, we should ask ourselves what we can do to address it. Can we prepare ourselves better? Can we seek knowledge that empowers us? Fear is not an enemy; it is a signal and a reminder that we are alive and engaged with the world around us. We can choose to acknowledge it without letting it dictate our actions. Understand the fear, and then choose to act. You have the power to turn fear into your ally. Let it guide you, but do not let it control you. Embrace your fear, rationalise it, and rise above it.”

There was a soft round of applause, giving Zelda a small fleeting break to gather herself. She almost let out a shaky laugh, unable to believe she had made it so far. But with a breath to steady herself, she continued onward.

“Which brings me to the reason for this press conference, to the reason why we are all gathered here today. I stand before you to discuss an extraordinary topic that has been the subject of our dreams, our fears, and our wildest imaginations for hundreds of years.

Imagine for a moment beings that defy our greatest expectations. Picture beings who may not look like us, who may communicate in ways we have yet to comprehend, and who may possess a structure and existence that challenge our very understanding of life. But despite these differences, I urge you to see them as we see ourselves. They have the ability to love fiercely, to endure grief deeply, and to care passionately for one another. They, like us, possess a soul that bares compassion and a spirit that yearns for connection.”

It takes a lot for Zelda not to tear up at the sheer pride that came from her bonds.

“Two years ago, I had the honour of learning that we are not alone in the universe. It was a meeting that would change the very course of my life as I had known it. In the time since, I have been blessed with the chance to laugh with them, to fight beside them, and call them my friends.”

Changes the public would never know the true depths of.

“I’ve seen firsthand their own struggles. I have seen them overcome their own challenges and celebrate their victories. They possess dreams and aspirations, just as we do. To view them as anything less would be to deny the very essence of what it means to be alive. We often speak of empathy and understanding, yet when faced with the unknown, we sometimes retreat into fear and prejudice.

Because they understand the weight of responsibility and the joy of connection. They, too, strive for peace and grapple with conflict. It’s what truly unites us in our shared humanity. Because when we peel back the layers of our differences, we uncover the essence of our existence. We all seek companionship, understanding, and belonging. We all yearn for a brighter future for our children and generations to come. The Autobots, and the world they hail from, may have their own unique experiences and histories, but their desires mirror our own.

Now, why is this introduction so crucial? Because it challenges us to expand our perspective. It compels us to embrace diversity not only within our own species but among the stars. Our world is often fractured by misunderstanding and fear. But when we recognise that every being, regardless of origin, has the capacity for love and hope, we begin to dissolve the barriers that divide us.”

Zelda had seen it firsthand. N.E.S.T. was more than just a government program created to combat Decepticons. The soldiers and Autobots had become something of a makeshift family in the short time it had existed.

Those who bleed together, stay together, as Zelda often liked to say.

“In the end, the essence of humanity is found not in our differences but in our shared experiences and aspirations. So, I urge you to let us be pioneers of compassion. Let us embrace the unknown with open hearts and minds. Let us welcome the Cybertronians to our home, for in doing so, we may just discover a little more about ourselves in the process.

I would like to leave you with a piece of wisdom that a dear friend passed on to me—” Zelda looked over her shoulder, past Optimus’s holoform whose elbow she squeezed, and directly at Optimus himself. “—Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing.”

Zelda turned back to the hundreds of eyes and the cameras and made sure to truly look. “So today, let us dare to dream. Thank you.”

Zelda felt a wash of mortification settle over her when the leaders of the United Nations, dignitaries, soldiers and literally everyone present burst into hearty applause.

Optimus gave her a warm, proud smile before offlining his holoform to instead transform alongside Ironhide and Ratchet. But Optimus knelt where Ratchet and Ironhide stood, servo gently brushing against Zelda. She blushed furiously and rested a hand on Optimus’s servo in a show of trust.

He was still bursting with pride—all of them were—and it was taking everything in Zelda not to cry.

President Eliot rose from his seat, confidently making his way to the podium as the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd began to settle slightly.

With a warm smile, he gestured toward Zelda, acknowledging her performance that had captivated everyone present. “I don’t believe anyone could follow something like that,” he remarked, his grin widening as he glanced in her direction. The crowd responded with another burst of applause. “Thank you. I think we all needed to hear something like that.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: On Looker

Three weeks.

Frenzy had been alive for three weeks. One of those had been helping his once enemies-turned-allies in stopping the very mech that Megatron had once looked to for mentorship.

The Fallen, as Frenzy had always only known him as, had not merely been a ‘threat’. Calling The Fallen a threat…it could never articulate the sheer terror he had been, even among the more violent and volatile Decepticons. His reputation, as secretive as it had been, was never something to brush aside.

Soundwave had always kept a large berth, not out of respect but out of sheer preservation. He had known the true depths of The Fallen’s actions and existence and kept it hidden from not just Frenzy but the rest of his cassettes. Frenzy had never seen The Fallen in person. Had never wanted too.

Just his name alone had made Frenzy uneasy, but learning what he had while helping his once enemies-turned-allies…Frenzy had never been so sure in his actions in having helped Zelda. He had made the right judgment call and would never regret it.

But the question stood: why had Megatron even sought The Fallen out for advice, to allow that mech to mentor him, to begin with? Something about it…Frenzy had known Megatron before the war, Soundwave and Megatron had a long history.

Megatron had not always been vengeance-hungry and had not always so willingly slaughtered others unless he had no choice, and that had been a survival tactic within the Gladiator Pit. But until now, Frenzy had merely shrugged it off as war—war makes good mech do bad things. It twisted you into something ugly.

Frenzy had no issues admitting that, technically, the Decepticons are the bad guys in the equation. They had started this war—there was no denying that. Somewhere along the way…something significant had shifted, something Frenzy was only now really…seeing for the first time.

Megatron had only ever wanted change, for the elite to see that the way of life Cybertron was subjected to wasn’t sustainable, and there had been progress. Significant progress, but then Orion Pax became Optimus and…well, something changed inside Megatron. He became crueller and more prone to violence.

Frenzy had reasoned it as betrayal and hadn’t given it any more thought. He fought because Soundwave was his family, and Soundwave held a life debt to Megatron. But more than that, Megatron was Soundwave’s friend.

But in the time following Megatron’s own resurrection, something had changed in him again. It was obvious, crystal clear, in fact. He hadn’t raised a servo to Starscream, hadn’t threatened to rip anyone’s sparks from their chassis. He was quiet, pensive.

Something had changed in both Megatron and Frenzy.

For Frenzy, he savoured the thread that bound him to Zelda. Soft and new, and from the moment it had begun, it had never wavered from the unconditional acceptance. Zelda saw him, flaws and all; she saw the pain his death caused and returned Frenzy to his family without batting an eye about what the Autobots would think.

It said something about who Zelda was. He knew nothing of her history, knew nothing of her hopes and dreams and pain and grief but she felt kindred with the pain his family suffered.

During his time-out in Soundwave’s frame—the last two weeks, ugh—Frenzy had nothing to do, and so, he researched. He picked apart the information Soundwave had gathered, and it was a lot, and tried to piece together what was hidden behind the redacted black markings sprawled across all the documents labelled Ophiuchus, serpent-bearer, as it translated too. A mockery of the constellation codenames the D.A.A used, no doubt.

Zelda had lost her carrier and creator as a sparkling, had lost her twin sister not even two years ago. Twin. Zelda had been a twin. It felt like a punch to the gut.

But there was only so much to glean from documents and records. Zelda had very little presence, but Frenzy couldn’t even find any social media—for the best with her work—nor any public school records, not beyond when she applied to the college.

She was frustratingly…absent, but what information Soundwave had hoarded was regarding the organisation she was part of, the D.A.A mission reports, medical information, videos of their skillsets (which Frenzy had good fun reviewing) and the like. But again, Zelda and her sister had scrubbed information that none of the other members did.

Not even Soundwave had been able to worm his way into getting his servos on the redacted information, and that just made Frenzy all the more eager to find out.

But at present, none of that really mattered because Frenzy was bored and wanted out of his dock.

On the sun's second cycle, boredom began to creep in on him. So after two weeks, Frenzy was chafed at still being under Soundwave's watchful optic. Soundwave, ever the dutiful guardian, had outright refused to set him free, a decision he supported with the backup of Rumble, Ravage, and Lazerbeak—an unyielding trio ready to enforce Soundwave’s decision.

Ugh.

It was always the same excuse: the potential for him to run off and meet an untimely end again. While he couldn’t argue with the logic—it was a valid concern—the frustration of being trapped in this endless cycle of ennui annoyed him greatly.

Seriously, he was just bored out of his processor! Frenzy had no intention of making any reckless decisions, damn it!

It wasn’t like they were anywhere dangerous anyway. The main command had retreated to one of the estates of the humans Soundwave had in his…pocket, as humans would say. In Soundwave’s metaphorical subspace? Frenzy had to give to them. Humans sure had some damn good idioms. He’s kind of jealous actually. Sure Cybertronians had some idioms of their own, but nothing quite to the extent that humans had.

For such a young species, Humans were…kinda cool admittedly.

But that was getting off-topic! Frenzy was adamant about being let out today of all days—he had been on his best behaviour, that had to mean something!

It did, thankfully.

The moment Frenzy was out, his plans were waylaid because Ravage sat on him.

“Ugh! You’re heavy!” he complained.

~Ravage is ensuring pride member stays safe~ she answered, a bit smugly as she sat horizontally across him and covered his lower half to stop any escape. She, as humans say, loafed.

He groaned in annoyance. “I have things to do! Lemme go!”

Ravage grumbled lowly but didn’t answer.

“I wanna watch the news for Zelda’s press conference!” he explained.

There was a beat of stillness from everyone present. He had all optics on him now.

“Press conference?” Thundercracker asked.

“Yes, ain’t you guys been paying attention? The news about Cybertronians is out cause of Egypt! The humans are officially introducin’ the Autobots to the world and Zelda as their ambassador!” Frenzy explained with annoyance. He wanted to see his favourite fleshy!

“Besides being the AllSpark, what’s so special about her?” Rumble complained, crossing his arms. Rumble would deny the fact he was pouting, but yes, his twin was, in fact, pouting.

“Zellie’s cool,” Frenzy defended.

“Zellie?” Skywarp gasped playfully, servos on his cheeks. “You call her Zellie? That’s so cute.”

“Yeah? What about it!” Frenzy went on the defensive, heckled at being called out like that. The nickname had just slipped out!

There was a strum of amusement from Ravage, and slowly, she got off his back. He gave her a fuss behind the earfins.

Frenzy begins his hunt through the tech stored in the warehouse that had become something of a base for the Decepticons here on Earth. Frenzy, Soundwave, and his fellow cassettes have been on Earth for a good forty-odd years, having followed the Ark. They had plenty of locations, but the Gould estate was their main base of operations these days.

He was looking for a few projectors they had used to watch pirated films with.

They were a bit dusty, showing disuse, and it churned his spark knowing why. Still, he pushed it aside to begin setting it up. The others watched him with varying levels of amusement. During his time-out stint, alongside looking into Zelda, Frenzy had been searching all the new stations set to cover the press conference. It was a lot—as in people from all across the globe coming to report on the parade and press conference.

Knowing there would be plenty of different perspectives, Frenzy wanted to play several at once, with only the main one’s audio.

“You guys interested?” Frenzy asked, not missing their peaked interest.

“Yeah.” Skywarp agreed.

“Might as well get the others, right?” Thundercracker queried. “I’m sure they’ll want to see this.”

Frenzy focused on setting up, even getting Rumble to help him despite his twin’s grumpiness.

“Lighten up, Rumble,” Frenzy nudged him.

He gets a glower. “Since you got back, all your attentions been on Larsson. What’s so special about her?” It wasn’t quite a demand, but Frenzy would be a fool to ignore the insecurity his brother harboured, and he had to give it to Rumble, Frenzy had been a little too focused. But that was only because he had been held up in Boss’s frame!

Ravage purred, nudging her helm against Rumble in a motion of comfort.

“We bonded. Literally and figuratively,” Frenzy explained simply after a moment. He mulled it over. “It’s…hard to put into words. The bond I share, it’s like having a younger sister I never knew existed.”

Rumble's frown deepened. The unsettled waver from his side of the bond reached Frenzy before Rumble could temper it.

“Bumblebee said the same when I asked, ‘cept it was an older sister. Wheelie said something akin to havin’ a trusted friend,” Frenzy continued. “Didn’t get to ask the two sets of twins but considering Sideswipe and Sunstreaker’s…affections for Zelda, I doubt what they felt was familial in nature.”

Frenzy turned to Ravage. “What about you?”

Ravage sat, helm titled thoughtfully. ~Like pride-sister. No different to pride-brothers~

“See?” Frenzy reassured Rumble. “It’s not just me. I’m sure if you were bonded with Zel, you’d understand. It’s…slightly different to a regular bond but a bond all the same. It’s probably because of the AllSpark, since Zelda’s a fleshy and all.”

Tension eased from Rumble’s shoulders, and Frenzy was glad to have finally reassured him. It hadn’t escaped his notice of how clingy and twitchy Rumble had become. Losing their twin bond…Frenzy couldn’t imagine the agony. Frenzy hadn’t closed their twin bond since initially trying to get Rumble to stop pinging for his location after Zelda had resurrected him, nor did he have any plans to do so in the future, not after what Rumble had gone through.

The sound of approaching pedes drew Frenzy from his fiddling. He had finally set up the projectors how he wanted. Soundwave, Starscream, and Megatron arrived.

“What’s this about a press conference?” Starscream questioned.

“The knowledge of us is out now. They gotta address the public, and the world is finally acknowledging our presence on Earth by introducin’ the Autobots,” Frenzy explained as he began turning on all the screens to the channels he had selected. They were all on mute since the parade wasn’t due to start for another twenty-odd minutes.

“I suppose the humans don’t have much of a choice after Egypt,” Megatron mused, perching back on a makeshift seat.

Skywarp turned to Frenzy. “You know, you haven’t actually told us what Larsson’s like.”

“Stubborn,” Frenzy said dryly immediately, then turned thoughtful. “Also, I’m pretty sure she has a crippling fear of losing people? But outside of her trauma, Zelda is pretty well-rounded. Can joke in dire situations but keeps it tamed. Level-headed. Accommodating, especially to the human mech that got dragged long. Total wuss but got himself together by the end and I’m pretty sure Zelda had a hand in that.”

Frenzy lulled his helm back. “Hmm…didn’t even hesitate to bring me back and even argued in my defence with the Autobots that didn’t want me comin’ along.”

“That sounds too good to be true,” Starscream remarked, optics narrowed with suspicion.

“Well, I’m the one bonded with her, remember?” Frenzy turned reminiscent, optics distant. “It was…understanding, something that just…didn’t need to be spoken. I’m not sure how to word it. Zelda looked at me and didn’t see a faction. She didn’t see the energon I have on my servos, she just…saw me. Wholly. At the same time, I saw her. I saw her fears and determination. There was nothing malicious nor some…double intent in reviving me, Starscream.”

Frenzy turned his optics onto Megatron, who met his gaze. “What about your bond?”

“Distant,” Megatron answered. “It was not through Zelda’s own intent to bring me back. I doubt it will strengthen beyond a strained bond unless we spend time in close quarters.”

“But what do you feel?” Frenzy pushed, optics narrowed. Mirth sparked in Megatron’s gaze. “Even the most distant bonds have something.”

Megatron sat back. “When we were at a stalemate in Egypt, I could feel her stubbornness, even in the face of failure. I could feel her intent to go down kicking and screaming if required.”

“That’s the stubbornness I was talking about!” Frenzy grinned, earning a few scoffs of laughter, but then he sobered slightly. “You know when she gave off that burst of power at the foundry after you terminated Optimus?”

Megatron rocked a brow. “Yes?”

“She accidentally pulled on the thread until she housed Optimus’s spark.”

“Impossible,” Soundwave denied. “Zelda Larsson is organic in nature and incompatible with Cybertronians in such a way.”

“I saw it when she brought me back! It happened! I had to talk her into severing because it was killing her. It was still killing her by the time we got to the battle,” Frenzy explained, pressing a digit to his chassis. Then he gave a smug smirk. “I was the only one she told, and I was the one to convince her to untether. I also had to convince her to tell the Autobots afterwards because she was still degenerating.”

“That’s…not something to be too smug over, right?” Thundercracker remarked dryly.

“Well, she’s alive now,” Frenzy waved off. “I’d bet you anything that if you went up to Zellie and asked her about it, she’d sheepishly laugh it off.

“You called her Zellie again,” Skywarp crooned.

Frenzy gave him the middle finger.

“What did the AllSpark feel like being channelled through her?” Starscream asked suddenly.

Frenzy was startled, surprised at the question. “Dunno. I never felt the AllSpark before then, Screamer. Rumble and I came into Soundwave’s entourage after Sentinel disbanded the High Guard, remember?”

Starscream paused for a moment, disgruntled. “Then let me reword it. What did the AllSpark feel like?”

Frenzy had to take a moment to think about it. “I don’t think I could even put it into words. Just…power, but warmth. It felt kinda like an embrace? When she found me in the Well, and I took her hand it was like…something I didn’t know was missing slotted into place but that may have been the bond?”

Starscream was still displeased with the answer, but Frenzy could only shrug apologetically.

But before any more questions could be asked, Rumble turned on the volume. “It’s starting.”

Frenzy’s gaze was locked onto the screen as Optimus’s familiar Alt-mode appeared, and Zelda was there, walking in front of him. A weight lifted from Frenzy’s shoulders.

The camera zoomed in closer as a female presenter began speaking. “And here they come, right on time, might I add. Military through and through.”

There was a beat as if to allow time to absorb the sight, and Frenzy did just that.

“For the first time, the world is going to finally see these rumoured Autobots in public. At the very front, we are being told that…that is Zelda Larsson! The young woman for whom the world was searching for three weeks ago. She is officially the recognised Ambassador to Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, and look! She’s wearing quite the stylish outfit, that waistcoat and matching tie! It complements her hair beautifully!”

It certainly did. Her hair was also back to ginger. Frenzy wondered when that happened. Unless she dyed it again? But even through a screen, it mirrored her natural colour from what Frenzy had logged.

“Oh! And beside her are William Lennox on the left and Logan Miller on the right, the leading Majors of the N.E.S.T program working alongside the Autobots.”

Logan, a former D.A.A member alongside Zelda. The former fiancé of the late Arianna Larsson.

Smiling, Zelda waved at a group of children standing at the front of the railing, excitedly waving flags.

“She looks good for an organic who died three weeks ago,” Thundercracker remarked.

“With Ratchet, I doubt he allowed her anywhere out of sight until he was sure Zelda was healthy,” Skywarp snorted.

Between the time the Autobots and N.E.S.T members arrived at the White House, there had been twenty minutes before everything carried on, everyone in their places within the conference room.

The President of the United States made the first speech, followed by others, none of which Frenzy cared about. But the chatter between them all fell silent as the General Secretary finished a speech they weren’t paying attention to by introducing Zelda to the stage.

"And now, I invite Miss Zelda Larsson to address us.”

All optics were on the screen as the camera panned to show Zelda rising from her seat between Ratchet and Optimus’s holoforms. She stepped up to the podium, and Frenzy clocked the ever-so-slight tremor in her left hand. Considering her prosthetic right, it made sense for that one to lack such minute gestures.

She quietly smoothed out a piece of paper on the podium before smiling at the audience. Frenzy could also instantly clock the nerves. Despite how genuine her smile was, one side tilted up more. He had spotted the gesture previously while travelling with her.

“Good morning, everyone. I want to start by expressing my gratitude to the United Nations for their apology, which, while largely unnecessary, is nonetheless appreciated. I also feel the need to extend my own apology because I’m not exceptionally well-versed in public speaking.”

There was some light, sympathetic laughter from the humans present at the conference. Zelda shuffled the paper slightly, eyes glancing it over before she straightened up, something subtle shifted in her expression. It was Zelda’s game face, Frenzy realised with a slight grin. It was when she got focused that Zelda wore that expression, and it made Frenzy excited to hear what she had to say.

“Today, I stand here to talk about something that we all experience but often struggle to understand. That something is fear. Fear is a powerful emotion. It can grip us in an iron fist and paralyse us in moments when we need to act.”

“Experience, I suppose,” Skywarp hummed. “Didn’t you say she was part of some classified government operation, Soundwave?”

“Affirmative.”

One of the cameras panned across the audience, lingering on the Autobots’ holoforms for a moment. A part of Frenzy struggled to log them as the Autobots he knew. Yet, it made sense for them to use the program in this situation. But the audience gave a round of nods, those who were still serving and even some older humans who had likely once been part of the military in some form.

“Three weeks ago, I was a fugitive of this fear, which admittedly sounds absolutely terrible,” Zelda said with a wary but playful smile, which earned some more tittering laughter. “However, I was a fugitive for less than a week. But the events that took place, the things that were revealed, the fear that came about are understandable. So I ask that the subsidy set aside for me be put to better use because I was a victim of events outside of our control, and I am here today healthy and well, but others are denied safety and rights every day.”

“Subsidy, isn’t that like money?” Rumble questioned with a touch of bewilderment. “Were they trying to say sorry by paying her off?”

“Subsidies and similar concepts are common for Humans,” Soundwave explained. “Often seen in their courts. It would make sense for them to deem the events that took place worthy of reparations in a monetary fashion.”

“…But she refused them,” Thundercracker pointed out curiously.

“She made a point when refusing it,” Frenzy noted. “Humans are as flawed as us; people suffer daily without access to food and clean drinking water. Zelda probably feels she doesn’t need the money.”

Two people got to their feet to shake Zelda’s hand. Words not picked up in the mic were traded before Zelda turned to Optimus’s holoform, who rose from the seat to stand beside Zelda. They shared a warm smile, and it almost threw Frenzy for a loop. He didn’t think he had ever seen Optimus smile before, holoform or otherwise.

Frenzy snuck Megatron a glance to see his optics locked onto the screen, something unreadable in his gaze.

Zelda turned back to the audience and cameras. “I would like to begin my ambassadorial speech by continuing to talk about fear. Throughout my life, I have learnt that fear can be a valuable ally if we learn to embrace it and understand it. As a child, I was taught a simple yet profound lesson that has stuck with me all my life. Whenever I faced something that frightened me, I was encouraged to stop and ask one important question. Why?

The question became my compass in navigating the often tumultuous waters of life. By understanding the roots of our fear, we begin to unravel its hold on us. We start to see fear not as an enemy but as a teacher. Fear can make us freeze. It can stop us sometimes in the worst of times. But we must recognise that fear is a natural response, a survival instinct that has kept our ancestors safe. It tells us to be cautious and aware.”

There was another round of nods from people present, but Frenzy didn’t care about that. No, he was far more focused on her words. Because there was truth to them—not that Frenzy would call Zelda a liar. She had been through plenty by being dragged into a war not her own. But even before that, Zelda had done incredible feats.

“Wise,” Starscream grumbled quietly with begrudging acknowledgement.

Zelda smiled softly. “However, when we allow fear to dictate our actions, we lose the ability to respond effectively. We become paralysed, unable to move forward. Your heart races. Your palms sweat. You feel the urge to escape because the fear is overwhelming. But what if instead of letting that fear control you, you took a moment to understand it?

We live in a world filled with uncertainties. It is easy to become overwhelmed by fear of the unknown. But fear can also motivate us. It can push us to prepare, to learn, and to grow. When we feel fear, we should ask ourselves what we can do to address it. Can we prepare ourselves better? Can we seek knowledge that empowers us? Fear is not an enemy; it is a signal and a reminder that we are alive and engaged with the world around us. We can choose to acknowledge it without letting it dictate our actions. Understand the fear, and then choose to act. You have the power to turn fear into your ally. Let it guide you, but do not let it control you. Embrace your fear, rationalise it, and rise above it.”

There was a round of applause from the audience, and tension eased from Zelda’s shoulders the longer she went on, visibly growing more comfortable with the position she had found herself in. Despite her original apology, Zelda was doing excellent with her speech. She hadn’t even stuttered or stumbled over a word.

“Which brings me to the reason for this press conference, to the reason why we are all gathered here today. I stand before you to discuss an extraordinary topic that has been the subject of our dreams, our fears, and our wildest imaginations for hundreds of years.”

But oh, Frenzy had spent long enough on Earth to know all about the Humans' fascination with alien life. It was funny—from stories to movies to supposed real abductions by grey little men. It was funny.

“Imagine for a moment beings that defy our greatest expectations. Picture beings who may not look like us, who may communicate in ways we have yet to comprehend, and who may possess a structure and existence that challenge our very understanding of life. But despite these differences, I urge you to see them as we see ourselves. They have the ability to love fiercely, to endure grief deeply, and to care passionately for one another. They, like us, possess a soul that bares compassion and a spirit that yearns for connection.”

Passionate.

“Two years ago, I had the honour of learning that we are not alone in the universe. It was a meeting that would change the very course of my life as I had known it. In the time since, I have been blessed with the chance to laugh with them, to fight beside them, and call them my friends.”

Frenzy doubts the world at large would ever know the truth about what happened to Zelda. He doubted anyone beyond a select few at N.E.S.T knew either in truth.

“I’ve seen firsthand their own struggles. I have seen them overcome their own challenges and celebrate their victories. They possess dreams and aspirations, just as we do. To view them as anything less would be to deny the very essence of what it means to be alive. We often speak of empathy and understanding, yet when faced with the unknown, we sometimes retreat into fear and prejudice.”

Zelda was giving it her all. He wondered how much of this speech had been prewritten and how much was just…Zelda’s love and passion for those she claimed as family shining through. But it was more than just that—Zelda was speaking about them as a whole, not just about the Autobots; Frenzy could feel it in her words.

“Because they understand the weight of responsibility and the joy of connection. They, too, strive for peace and grapple with conflict. It’s what truly unites us in our shared humanity. Because when we peel back the layers of our differences, we uncover the essence of our existence. We all seek companionship, understanding, and belonging. We all yearn for a brighter future for our children and generations to come. The Autobots, and the world they hail from, may have their own unique experiences and histories, but their desires mirror our own.

Now, why is this introduction so crucial? Because it challenges us to expand our perspective. It compels us to embrace diversity not only within our own species but among the stars. Our world is often fractured by misunderstanding and fear. But when we recognise that every being, regardless of origin, has the capacity for love and hope, we begin to dissolve the barriers that divide us.”

For a moment, Frenzy saw Megatron—the Megatron before the war, before everything went wrong. He saw the Megatron who preached to the people of Kaon, desperate to be noticed so that the lives of the lower castes could be improved from what they had been condemned to by the elites who thought themselves better.

Zelda was…odd. Frenzy had noticed it before and yet couldn’t put a digit on how she was odd. At first, he had just chalked it up to her being the Host of the AllSpark, but now…now he’s watching her here, giving a speech that reminded Frenzy of times long gone, and he thinks he found it.

“In the end, the essence of humanity is found not in our differences but in our shared experiences and aspirations. So, I urge you to let us be pioneers of compassion. Let us embrace the unknown with open hearts and minds. Let us welcome the Cybertronians to our home, for in doing so, we may just discover a little more about ourselves in the process.”

Strive. Dedication. Unconditional.

Zelda had never seen Autobots and Decepticons as separate. She understood they were at war, yes, but…

“I would like to leave you with a piece of wisdom that a dear friend passed on to me—” Zelda looked over her shoulder, past Optimus’s holoform whose elbow she squeezed, and directly at Optimus himself. “—Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing.”

Zelda turned back to the audience, something hopeful and unwavering in her eyes. “So today, let us dare to dream. Thank you.”

“She’d make a good Prime.” The words slipped from his mouth before he even realised, and he immediately had everyone’s attention.

“You believe so?” Megatron, of all the present bots here, questioned, something musing in his voice. A something Frenzy couldn’t put a name too, not yet.

“Yeah,” Frenzy confirmed, more confident in himself now as he watched Optimus transform and kneel beside Zelda. “She would.”

Chapter Text

DAWN - Transformers 3

Summary:

Zelda's survived much in the Cybertronian war between Autobots and Deceptions. Now it's time for another. Perhaps a perceived advantage has arrived in the name of Sentinel Prime. Both new unlikely allies and enemies emerge.

Cybertronians that are already within the story and planned to be introduced/mentioned:

Autobots:

Optimus, Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Jolt, Mudflap, Skids, Bumblebee, Arcee, Chromia, Flareup, Mirage, Wheeljack, Prowl, Bluestreak, Smokescreen

Decepticons:

Megatron, Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Shockwave, Soundwave, Barricade, Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy, Lazerbeak, Driller, Knockout, Breakdown, Dreadwing, Skyquake.

Draft 0 Chapter 1 rough draft (unfinished)

Niece-of-Mine.

Even in the depths of sleep, Zelda knew that voice. With that voice, there was a presence beside her own, warm and comforting, as though the budding of summer.

At least Zelda was fairly certain she was sleeping, and she really, really wanted to stay asleep.

Niece-of-Mine, you need not be awake to pay attention, Primus murmured gently with just a touch of fondness.

Zelda could not help the content sigh that escaped. She was weightless, adrift in the depths of unconsciousness. Zelda so rarely got to such depths. Not when her mind was constantly flickering through knowledge from the AllSpark that left her too tired at the end of the day.

It had gotten easier since her death, but seeing an overlay all day, every day was tiring. On top of that, there wasn’t a day that passed when she didn’t have sore muscles or her right shoulder didn’t twinge and ache from the weight of the prosthetic.

For as strong as you are, your body is too fragile. You must change soon.

That was confusing.

What does that mean? Zelda silently questioned.

You will understand in due course. Rest. You will need it.

He was still as confusing as every time they spoke, as rare as such was. But His command was one Zelda couldn’t refuse, so she didn’t even try, sinking back into the inky darkness that consumed her once more.

*

Zelda roused to the gentle feeling of Sunstreaker’s servo coming to rest over her. She hummed, still sleep-riddled and nuzzled into her pillow. Across the bond, she felt the equivalent of a smile as he stroked a knuckle up and down her back.

“Good morning.” There was a huskiness to his voice, just as sleepy as Zelda felt.

“Morning,” she murmured, swallowing to moisten her parched mouth.

Undeniably, she had slept deep and well last night. But Zelda always did when sleeping above either of her twins’ sparks. The gentle resonance was a soothing balm.

Zelda sat up with a groan and a stretch that popped her spine and neck, brushing loose, messy hair from her face. “What time is it?”

“Just shy of nine,” Sideswipe answered as he scooped Zelda off his twin’s chassis, blanket and all. Zelda hummed, relaxing into the hold as Sideswipe held her beside his spark. “Happy birthday, Zel.”

A laugh of disbelief bubbled out of her. “I’m officially three decades old. Never thought I would see the big three-oh,” she admitted.

A lot had happened in the last seven years, things a much younger Zelda could never have anticipated.

“Well, you are,” Sunstreaker smirked, nudging her with a digit. “You’re officially three decades old.”

Zelda barked out a laugh; that would be true if she hadn’t stopped ageing after being resurrected in oh-nine. It had taken Zelda some time to notice it, for any of them to notice it, but whatever Primus had done, or maybe it was the nanites of their own accord with the AllSpark’s power, she had just…halted in the ageing cycle. Zelda was going to be twenty-seven physically for however long she managed to live for. It had been a jarring and scary realisation.

Zelda hadn’t thought she would ever even see twenty-seven, let alone thirty, but here she was, the big three-oh.

“And I’m thankful for it every day,” Zelda smiled.

She was by no means religious, even with Primus’s existence having such a large impact on her life, but Zelda had come to greet each day with gratitude despite how stressful it might turn out to be.

“Now,” she said, beginning to change the subject because birthdays had never really been all that important for Zelda. “I’m gonna go shower.”

Sideswipe wiggled his brows, and Zelda gave an exaggerated eye roll, lightly smacking a hand on his chassis. “No.”

“Worth a try, Doll,” he teased.

It's not like he had actually meant it. As handsome as their holoforms were, sex wasn’t all that important to Zelda. She much preferred the Cybertronian spark interfacing rather than physical intimacy like that. And…Zelda couldn’t exactly physically interface with Sunstreaker or Sideswipe due to their, well, size difference.

But that didn’t mean they didn’t flirt and tease her. It worked sometimes because Zelda did have hormones, but sex wasn’t a make-or-break requirement for a relationship, for them anyway. She’s more than aware that it could be a make-or-break for some. Sex was intimacy; to some, it was an act of love to take part in with their partner.

Sideswipe pushed to his pedes and set Zelda down on the first floor, where her loft was. Said loft was also currently a bit messy, she acknowledged. It needed some tidying, which had been on the back burner with work taking precedence.

Pulling her blanket from her shoulders, Zelda folded it three times before laying it over the arm of the settee, mindful of Wheelie still recharging on the other end. There were no signs of Brains, but the patio doors were open, so there was no doubt he was outside enjoying the morning sun.

The open doors brought a nice breeze inside, filling the open loft duplex with a cool temperature.

Having formerly been a small warehouse, now it was Zelda’s little sanctuary. It was the first real property she had ever owned—something Zelda was particularly proud of. With D.C having become a permanent residence for the main N.E.S.T base, Zelda had wanted to get a little space of her own.

Of course, the space had room for Cybertronians of varying heights to visit, with the garage open to her duplex's main floor. It certainly had enough space for her twins to transform and move when they, more often than not, stayed here. There was even a small area where Zelda had managed to squeeze in some berths for the twins to recharge outside of their alt-mode.

The apartment had been a pet project that was long finished. After purchasing it, Zelda toiled over repairing the building, sprucing it up with the vintage undertone that pre-existed to complement the warehouse feel.

Most of her furniture was second-hand, which she had repaired and reupholstered. What wasn’t, Zelda had avoided expensive commodities. It brought a cosy, warm feeling to her home that Zelda had always wanted as a child.

But it was also currently a pig stye. She huffed lightly for putting it off for so long. Zelda reached down to drag another blanket that had been dropped when they retired for the night and folded that too.

“We’ll tidy things up for you,” Sunstreaker said, waving Zelda on.

Zelda hummed but accepted that as she dropped the second folded blanket on top of the first to instead head into the upper loft for her shower. She passed by their little artsy corner, where Sunstreaker had a half-finished painting and Sideswipe’s little woodwork desk was covered in off-shavings. Zelda’s own little desk was a tad bit messy, but Zelda had always been relatively tidy. It had been trained into her as a child, despite how her apartment was currently…less than neat.

Hurrying up the stairs before she felt compelled to clean, Zelda wanted a nice long shower to start her day off.

*

Due to the nature of Zelda’s work, she didn’t necessary work Monday through Friday. It all depended on when she was needed. Sometimes, she could go for a week straight with only two or three hours of work, and even then, it could be completed from her apartment.

But Zelda always made the effort of working from N.E.S.T to establish some resemblance of work-life balance.

Today, on the contrary, Zelda had a list of things she had to do as ambassador and liaison, including helping to plan the mission to Chernobyl, Ukraine. Her day was almost entirely blocked out with important issues to be addressed.

Currently, her most important was a man by the name of Alexi Voskhod. He was the General Counsel for the Ukraine Department of Energy. Instantly hearing where exactly he worked had caught Zelda’s attention, and her suspension had only grown when he requested a meeting at Chernobyl, which he had basically outright stated was alien related in nature.

It reasonably made Zelda wary. That was why Zelda had a meeting planned with Director Charlotte Mearing. They were going to discuss, in a roundabout way because the woman was halfway across the country, about greenlighting this mission over a video call.

As much as Zelda respected the woman, she also loathed her. But Zelda had to give it to Mearing, she knew how to get the ball rolling, and so with both her and Zelda collaboration, things got moving quickly.

It just killed Zelda sometimes that things seemed to be on Mearing’s time. Zelda just wanted to strangle the woman—why couldn’t Mearing see she was single-handedly holding up multiple of Zelda’s issues?!

There was a ping on her comm line. It broke Zelda from her concentration, and Zelda set her report down to look at the screen on her arm. She pushed her blue light glasses back up her nose as they slid down. The modification to her prosthetic had happened just shy of four years ago after it had been damaged beyond the point of salvation against some straggler M.E.C.H agents who had avoided arrest up until that point.

Ratchet had made it a point to create a far superior prosthetic to the clunky one that used to ache her shoulder all day long. She hadn’t realised the extent of how much of a burden it had been on her skeleton and muscle structure until the twinge and pain were no longer there.

The screen on the inner side of her arm said it was Ratchet. Zelda accepted the call with a tap. “=Ratchet, is something the matter?=”

Because it was unlike him to call her out of the blue like that, not without reason. Zelda spent less time as a mechanic and nurse for Ratchet and focused more on her ambassador duties these days. Of course, Zelda would never say no to helping him in any way if he needed it, and when work lulled, often that was where people could find Zelda.

“=Nothing serious, Zelda.=” he assured right off the bat. “=But I would like to conduct another round of scans to check on your energon levels.=”

Zelda frowned, head tilting curiously. “=You did some just last month. I’m not due for at least two more.=”

“=I know, but some readings last time bumped your next check-in up on my calendar,=” Ratchet explained.

That…was odd. Ratchet would typically mention if something had piqued his interest, good or otherwise. For example, if she had a build-up of energy, he would nudge her and the twins into spark interfacing in an attempt to drain her.

Apparently, the rush of an orgasm flushed her system. Zelda had no intention to ever question that despite how Ratchet had tried to explain how natural it was. Zelda was by no means a prude and open to talking about a lot most would consider out of their comfort zone, but even Zelda had limits. It just so happened to be Ratchet and his attempts to talk about how her body managed the overflow of AllSpark power and energon production.

Yeah, no thanks.

“=Okay. I should be free in,=” Zelda glanced at the clock. She had that video meeting with Mearing in half an hour, and usually, they lasted an hour if all went to plan. “=about two hours? But my meeting with Director Mearing may go over the typical allotted time.=”

“=Understood. If you inform me when you are free from the meeting, we can convene then. Ratchet out,=” and Ratchet closed the line.

Zelda pushed her glasses up onto her head to rub her face. Mostly confused about Ratchet’s request, Zelda didn’t pay much attention to it because this was Ratchet, and he only ever prioritised her health. He would inform her if this was a good or bad thing later. Zelda was also willing to bet he suggested interfacing to lower the energon levels in her system. Ugh.

But back to work she goes.

Oh, let's not forget Zelda needed to get the group access to Iran after the leader himself had asked for assistance from N.E.S.T regarding some…strays tampering with the Energon Detection Towers that had been decommissioned without his knowledge or permission.

That one, evidently, surprised her the least.

*

Since The Fallen and the retrieval of the Matrix of Leadership in two thousand and nine, more Autobots had been welcomed to Earth.

There was Wheeljack, Mirage, and three Wreckers, Roadbuster, Leadfoot, and Topspin, with the Xantium only three months after Egypt. The latter three spent most of their time at Kennedy Space Centre working on their quote-unquote child. The Xantium was in rough shape at its arrival, and the three slaved over its repairs.

They were the Autobots Zelda saw the least, but when she did, they often took her racing with their NASCAR alt-modes.

In twenty-eleven, Prowl, Bluestreak, and Smokescreen arrived. Zelda knew Jazz was eager to be reunited with all three, Prowl especially—just as the three Praxians were with Jazz.

Since then, it had been quiet for the Autobots, but similarly, more Decepticons had arrived during that time, too. N.E.S.T was unsure of the amount but for sure, they could identity flyer twins Skyquake and Dreadwing, and two grounders by the designations Knockout and Breakdown. Knockout was a medic, one renowned for his…love of his paintjob.

Knockout, alongside Rumble, Skywarp and Thundercracker, Zelda now shared a thread with. Soundwave outright denied, and Zelda suspected something more there but didn’t push. Zelda had not interacted enough with Breakdown long enough to even ask, nor had she even met Dreadwing or Skyquake.

Zelda believed she had made some form of…progress with earning trust.  The first she had earned was Rumble’s, and he in turn earned her’s.

In Frenzy’s attempt to get them to bond literally and figuratively, he had brought them together and ditched. Of course, it also happened to be the day M.E.C.H decided to strike. So, down one arm and later bleeding out of her stomach after (unnecessarily but instinctively) tackling Rumble out of the way, he had returned the favour, taking Zelda to safety.

Which led to Zelda meeting Knockout.

Zelda jerked awake as she was set down on a hard surface. A hand—no, servo. It was Frenzy by the closeness of their thread—put pressure on her wound. She let out a sharp yell as the pain registered over the sparking of her missing prosthetic, constantly zapping the pain receptors in her brain.

“Frag. Knockout!” Rumble yelled.

“What the slag happened?” Frenzy demanded.

Through the blood rushing in her ears, Zelda was aware of the cacophony of noise. There was a strum of Megatron’s bond, too. Zelda would recognise it by how distant his bond was compared to all the others.

“Some human shot her! She said it was stragglers from an organisation called M.E.C.H?” Rumble answered in a panic.

“Zelda?” Frenzy questioned, and a servo pat her cheek. “Open your eyes.”

Zelda grunted and cracked her eyes open. “I’m conscious,” she reassured, entirely awake. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been shot.”

“That…is not as reassuring as you make it sound,” Rumble deadpanned.

Zelda choked on a laugh before grimacing as it just made the pain in her stomach worse. “Can’t tell what hurts more, the arm or bullet wound.”

A red frame leaned into her sightline, instantly catching Zelda’s attention. He had a white face, too, with pretty red optics to match. “Oh! Hi!” Zelda greeted with a friendly smile.

“This is Knockout,” Megatron introduced. He came to kneel on the other side behind Frenzy. “He has…acquired the necessary material to attend to your wound.”

Rumble moved when Knockout waved a servo, and Zelda felt a scan. “I shall focus on the bullet wound presently, as you are liable to…bleed out,” he explained with a distasteful grimace.

“Cool,” was all Zelda could say. She felt… startlingly calm, too calm in fact, and the pain…she squinted suspiciously at the twins when their bonds twanged. “Stop.”

“Stop what?” Frenzy chimed innocently.

“Stop taking my pain,” she snapped.

“You have a problem with them… alleviating you of your pain?” Knockout questioned curiously. His holoform flickered in existence, kneeling beside her. He didn’t even hesitate to stick his fingers into the wound.

Zelda’s remaining hand lashed out and grabbed his shoulder, grasping fabric as her face spasmed in pain. “Fucking hell! Some warning next time, motherfucker!”

Frenzy snorted, patting Zelda’s head in a mockery of comfort.

Knockout didn’t retort to her insult, probably more than familiar with being yelled at as a doctor and instead focused on fishing out the bullet still lodged inside her.

“And yes?” Zelda grit out, feeling Knockout’s fingers wiggling about inside her.

“Share the burden, Zellie,” Frenzy answered. “If anything, think of it as me returning the favour of reviving me, yeah?”

Zelda rolled her eyes, fingers tightening on Knockout’s holoform’s jacket as he finally pulled the bullet. She heaved for air, slumping at the brief respite of pain. A servo pressed some cloth onto the wound.

Letting go of Knockout, Zelda finally took a moment to reach for the remains of the arm, digging into some of the damaged plating to find the equivalent of the off button. She groaned in annoyance before finding it. The pain was still there, lingering like any normal pain, but it eased off into a manageable throb compared to the bullet wound.

“Man, what a day,” she chimed as exhaustion began to settle in.

“You’re still way too nonchalant about this, you bitch,” Rumble deadpanned again.

“I’m used to it. You should see my dissection scars.”

“Your what?” Frenzy choked.

“What did you think the line scar up my chest was?”

“I know nothing about humans and scaring! Why would I think it was dissection?”

“You wanna see it?”

“Sure.”

“Rumble!”

Zelda laughed.

Notes:

• Zelda has learned to use several abilities thanks to the AllSpark which will be used through the story. Main one is an ability to warp but she is limited by her body.
• Story takes place in 2013.
• Zelda turns 30 but stopped ageing after being resurrected.
• There will be flashbacks to moments over the years to set out relationships better.
  • Zelda still only has a few bonds with the Decepticons. Megatron, Frenzy, Ravage, Rumble, Skywarp…
• Sentinel chooses not to create a bond when Zelda offers. He’s very unsure around Zelda. She’s confused but accepting that Sentinel might not be ready. She has never pushed anyone to bond before, so it's not unusal as previously Autobots have chosen to settle in a little before doing so.
• Zelda goes into space with Optimus and co to fetch Sentinel—she’s always wanted to go to space. (Maybe? Maybe not? Depends on correlating scenes and plans. Needs to be fleshed out more).
• Optimus and Sentinel have an unsteady relationship. Sentinel had been leading Prime before Optimus was discovered, and he was the one Megatron and Orion went to speak with regarding the caste system. Sentinel is very…iffy. Really, he’s not that good a mech, but time has blinded Optimus a bit, especially when Sentinel helped once Megatron declared war.
• Sentinel sees the relationship between Optimus and Zelda, how she gets him to loosen up and disapproves. “As a Prime…”
  • He also sees Sunny, Sides and Zelda’s relationship and is boggled by it. Not seeing much sense of “mingling with an organic even if she is the AllSpark.”
  • Zelda, unimpressed, bites back.
• When Zelda hears about Sentinel from the others other than Optimus, she is less warm towards him. This causes a bit of conflict between Optimus and Zelda. It leads to when Optimus and Sentinel fight later. Optimus is conflicted, but Zelda reminds him of all the pain Sentinel inflected on Cybertron. This resolves Optimus's conflict.
• Zelda, having learnt to warp, does so rapidly in a short period.
  • Megatron—discussions about Sentinel and Cybertron and their goal. She tells Megatron they are damning not just Earth but Cybertron if they bring the latter through. Consequences. Cybertron will live one day—Zelda would make sure of that.
  • Optimus and Sentinel fight.
  • Soundwave (and Dylan Gloud)—Soundwave gets Dylan to back off Zelda, who is very disoriented through the use of warping. Zelda begs Soundwave to help her stop Sentinel—talking about how Sentinel is the reason for everything going wrong when he refused to hear Orion and Megatron out about the state of Cybertron. And now the Cons were going to bow down to that very same mech?!
    • (There is more to this conversation--the dangers to both Cybertronians and Humans etc.) 
    • They speak in Cybertronian so Dylan can’t hear.
    • Soundwave finally bonds with Zelda, where before he denied despite Frenzy’s prompting.
    • Soundwave's telepathic. He pulls at Zelda’s pain, soothing it and feeds her the information regarding what Sentinel’s plan is.
    • Zelda didn’t intend to warp there, but something hijacked it, bringing Zelda to Soundwave.
• Mudflap and Skids, not Ironhide, are murdered by Sentinel. RIP.
• Megatron and Zelda have a rarely shared dream. It’s similar to the white void from when Optimus’s died. (Maybe? Needs more thought. Might not—instead include flashbacks?)
• Zelda’s body is breaking down slowly, forming a proper spark that her body can’t hold.
  • Zelda kind of knows, but the Autobots have been very hush-hush and are building a spark casing and frame.
  • The ‘Cons are doing the same, also realising this is happening during the meetings with Zelda.
  • It’s a bit of a competition between them. Which one gets to give Zelda her new body.
• During the attack on Chicago, the Trine scoops Zelda up at Megatron’s order as Zelda’s body is beginning to give up.
  • Zelda demands they let her go, and the Trine explain what is happening.
  • Zelda becomes a flier—a Seeker is only called a Seeker after receiving training.
• Megatron goes after Sentinel while he and Optimus are fighting.
• Zelda warps in, followed by the Trine, who are watching over her at Megatron’s order.
• Prime at casting. Various types of Primes—something to explore more prior to this, need to include scenes. Mention of AllSpark being related to this?
  • The script across her frame is more intricate, detailing who/what Zelda is.
  • Sentinel is shocked and Zelda uses that to her advantage
• She takes on Sentinel. Admittedly, he had already taken a beating, but he was winning against Optimus and Megatron—both parties injured.
• Chevalier Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker background to be explored more.
  • Once, it was their duty to be the main guards of the AllSpark, but when Sentinel rose to power he removed the position out of prejudice against Seekers.
  • High Guard worked beneath the Chevalier. Most Cons (high ranking) were High Guard, who joined in with the cause because of Sentinel’s slights against them.
  • The Chevalier also served beneath the High Protectorate—Megatron, which means the trio following Megatron still.