Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Okay six heads of clover to 2 pinches of herbs.” he paused for a moment, “What kind of herbs?… Oh those.” Alex read from one of the spell books. With him being one of the children of the mountain witches, His cousins being younger than him. He was to get the books first, once he mastered: the spells, indications, and potions recipes. He would give it to his cousin Valerie, then she would pass it to their younger cousin.

“Stir counterclockwise in the moonlight.” he stopped his movements, ‘Well Shit,’ he thought. It was midday, welp this was no longer an ‘energizer’ but it did have the same starter ingredients as a ‘vision’ spell that would have to do for now. With a flick of his hand the book's pages began to turn on their own before landing on the needed recipe for the spell. He skimmed over the page finding the section to resume the work. Reaching for the powders needing to alter the composition, right as he grabbed a small handful he heard the clinking of glass being picked up.

 “Put it down.” Alex spoke out adding the powders in hand to the cauldron. Still keeping his eyes on the mixture, watching the color shift from the once light blue to a deep indigo with small glimmers of gold. “I fail to see why you need dried out flowers. They are not even prepared right, even for tea.” the voice of the second body called out. Alex turned his head away from the caldron looking at his cousin.

 The half-fox spirit hybrid was holding one of the glass jars only half full of the dried flowers, turning it in his hands watching the petals and small amounts of stems tumble in the sealed jar. “Because I don't need the flavor from the flowers, I just need the chemical component in the flower.” Alex answered him grabbing a jar of pickled eggs then only pouring the juice out into the awaiting liquid. 

“Still whoever did these only did a half assed job.” Burshine said, still turning the jar in his hands only this time he was looking at the liquid in the cauldron. “Then take your complaints to Aunt Taia and Dawid, they’re the ones who did all the flowers this past restock.” Burshine only clicked his tongue at Alex's retort.

 Lightly tossing the jar of flowers, then catching the jar. Burshine kept doing this all the while Alex ignored him and kept stirring the mixture. “So, what are you doing?” Burshine asked his cousin, “I was making an energizer elixir, but I messed up so I'm making a foresight potion.” Alex explained to him, then picked up a small vial of honey using a dipper, he scooped some out then shook the honey off the dipper into the cauldron. 

“How did you mess that up?” Burshine asked all the while messing with the jar. “The potion needed to be made in the moonlight.” he deadpans, Burshine huffed at his cousin's mistake with the potion. He sat the jar down, “well I was going to take your dried flowers for tea but they're wrong so I'm gonna steal from Nathaniel.” Burshine told his cousin. “You could always make your own.” Alex suggested to his cousin in a dry voice. “No.” was all Burshine said in a cheeky voice before he turned around.

Only for his tails to knock bottles and bowls of powder into the cauldron.

 “Shit!!” Alex jumps back and Burshine turns around only to see the once steaming cauldron now bubbling over. “What happened?!” Burshine asked, alarmed but before he could get a reply a flash and explosion happened. 

Alex's ears ringed at the loud noise, while the explosion was not that loud compared to dynamite his father had used in the past to clear large sections of land, the noise was still deafening. 

Sure, Alex has caused many explosions in the past from mixing the wrong ingredients together but never this caliber of reaction happened. No doubt his parents heard the explosion, it won't be long before they'll race down here to check on him. Wait, not just him Burshine was here too. 

The half fox spirit had more sensitive hearing than him. He can only imagine the pain he is feeling right now, the last time this happened with Burshine being so close to an explosion was when they were little. His ears rang for weeks and couldn't hear certain sounds after that, it got better. “Burshine!!” Alex yelled out, only to break out into a coughing fit.

Smoke? The smoke should have cleared out a while ago. Were the vents not open? That has to be it. If the smoke was still in the room it could mean it was trapped. His eyes still hurt from that sudden light assaulting his retinas. He tried forcing his eyes open only to screw them shut tight, the light still hurt but the smoke was making them burn. He listened around the room trying to find his cousin and he could hear him groan in pain. But he couldn't quite pin-point where his voice was coming from. 

He partly opened his eyes looking around, he could make out the vague surface of the walls in the room, then stumbled over to the wall. His equalibram unbalanced from being shoved to the ground either from the explosion or possibly from his cousin. Tripping over his feet his shoulder hit the wall, making pain erupt from hitting with all his body weight.

The smoke filled the room making it hard to breathe. Alex coughed, he covered his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt and the smoke was burning at his eyes. ‘Where is that stupid lever?’ he thought, searching through the thick smoke, feeling along the wall he couldn't feel it. It was getting harder to breathe, his eyes watering. He could hear his cousin coughing and bumping into tables knocking over items and glass breaking in the process. Was it getting worse? The smoke was almost impossible to see though. Soon Alex fell to his knees. Holding his chest, he had to find that lever to open the vents to let the smoke escape. 

Feeling his way around the room , he found one of the bookshelves. Moving his hand  around he felt the missing chunk in the bottom shelf. ‘Okay, I'm on the left side of the room from the door, so the lever would be behind me!’ Alex thought then turned around trying to stand up feeling light headed and dizzy he pushed through the mental discomfort. 

Staring through the smoke he felt his way towards the lever. Only to trip over a large mass, ‘ow! What was that?’ Alex though. It hurt to open his eyes, he would have to see what it was later. 

Feeling around trying to place where exactly he was he felt the wall sliding his hand up the wall hoping for the lever. Only there was nothing there. “No” Alex rasped out, it hurt to be upwards so his body fell down on the floor, he didn't feel good, tired was all he felt, ‘i’ll take a small nap’ just for a moment. The last thing he felt before blacking out was like he was falling.

With the two boys unconscious they didn't see the floor shift. The planks of the wooden floor folding over itself opening to a hole. Both bodies fell into the hole with the floor righting itself, the planks fixing themselves slotting into each other as if the floor never opened. The bodies fell through the blackened void falling down. Soon colors were wisped by the unconscious boys, the hues ranging from the brightest of scarlet to the deepest of navy. Falling past a giant dimmed white sphere, if you watched closely the slightest hints of this orb pulsing, almost like a heartbeat. 

The two boys kept falling past the spheres, some of them weaving around the boys moving upwards to the giant one. The boys kept going, before long their descent slowed. The space around the responding to the as if hitting large amounts of drapery. Right as the boys slid down the space like drapery a ring of clouds formed with twinkling stars inside the clouds. The two fell through the ring, as they free fall the once black a barren area around them began to lighten. 

The blacks shifted to tones of gray and white. As Alex and Burshine continued their descent, inverted trees and bushes began making an appearance, giving the illusion of a forest covered in thick vegetation. As the two approached the ground the grey grass welcomed the two embracing them. Unlike the floor of the potion room where the boards folded appart making a hole. The grass instead sunk in on itself brings the two unconscious boys underneath the earth, only the grass pushed outward this time in a colored filled world. The once many tones of gray, began shifting in hues turning into many shades of green and blue with many pops of other colors making an appearance. 

The two boys that started in Alex's home, the hardwood floors, the many bookshelves decorating the stone walls, those very bookshelves not only holding books but the many pictures of alex and his family, the various little knick-knacks that were spread out on the many shelves and even on the top. 

Then briefly traveled through the blackned void with the many colored spheres.

Only to land in the wild forest, some of the little animals and creatures that were startled from the earth moving, began to come back. Seeing the two boys lying down on the ground, some of the more braver animals came closer to investigate the two.

Burshine was the first to wake up. The bright light attacks his eyes; he raises his hand to block the light from his eyes, giving them time to agust to the brightness.

Sitting up on the forest floor, he removes his hand from his eyes. Blinking away the spots appearing in his vision he takes in the forest around him. ‘We must have teleported far away from the mountains.’ He thought to himself. Staining his ears he tried listening for the sounds of nearby villages but he only heard the sound of the forest, a faint roaring sound, and the remaining ringing in his ears. “Ohh… right… the explosion.” Burshine muttered to himself. He rubbed at his head then moved on to his ears trying to relive the pain.

Standing up any remaining animals scattered at this, while Burshine watched a few birds fly higher into the trees. A groaning sound caught his attention from the birds. Turning his head away from the sky, he looked over at his cousin who was starting to sit up while holding his head. 

“My head.” Alex grumbled Burshine walked over “you ok?” Burshine asked while he already knew about his head hurting from the previous statement, he couldn’t smell any blood. That was a good sign.

“Just peachy, my head feels like there’s a stake stabbed into my skull, my ears have a faint ringing in them, and my throat is dry, but otherwise I’ll live!” Alex ranted all the while Burshine helped his cousin up from the forest floor.

“Yeah, yeah, you are in pain and mortality is a bitch.” Burshine snarked to Alex only to be met with, “And your fluffy ass is why we ended up in this predicament.”

“I know it was an accident, but really watch your tail, you could have killed us.”  Alex reprimanded his cousin while pulling out a compass looking at the needle. “So how far are we from home?” Burshine asked his cousin, no answer.

“Alex? How far?” Burshine asked with a slight panic in his voice. Alex doesn't respond, only staring at the enchanted compass. Burshine slowly walks up to his cousin and looks down at the compass in his hands, only to see the needle spinning in circles.

That only happens when they are in another dimension where the original coradents aren't set.

They are in another dimension. 

Shit.

Alex snapped out of his stupor looking over to his cousin seeing the half fox spirit freeze up just like he was. Alex could not think, all rational thoughts were overwhelming his brain. His fist was shaking. Fight or flight took over, he needed to hit something, fight won.

 His cousin? No, that would end up in a blood bath. The trees? That will have to do it. 

Pivoting on his foot he pulled back his arm preparing the strike. With a lean forward and throwing his weight, his fist shot forward striking the tree. Normally where they were from it would take a few hits with an axe for a tree this size to come down. Only the cracking sound of wood ringed out in the forest. 

Snapping the two boys each out of their own minds, both looking up at the tree slowly leaning towards the two. The snapping and cracking of the wood tearing itself from the point of contact. The two boys run away from the falling path. The force from the tree falling hit the ground and shook the earth.

Alex and Burshine looked at the tree then each other. “Ok how the Fuck! Did you do that!?!” Burshine shouted at his cousin, the shock still evident on his face. “I don't know!! One minute I hit the tree, the next it falling down on me!” Alex yelled back. “Oh my, Fuck !” Burshine shouted out in the forest, holding his hands holding the side of his head. 

Both of them just stood for a moment, letting the situation settle in their minds. “Wait, I hit that tree down in one hit.” Alex recalls. “Yeah, you did.” Burshine remarks. “What else do you think changed?” he asked. Burshine pauses, looking up at the tree. ‘I wonder’ Burshine thought he walked over to the tree. “What are you doing?” Alex asked him. He got his answer from what happened next. For what was supposed to be a simple 2 foot vertical jump soon turned into an ascension into the trees canopy! 

Burshine soon scrambled up to the nearest branch and rested on it. Bursine looked down seeing the distance it had to be about 12 feet down. “Hey! You good?!” Alex shouted up at the tree. “Yeah!” Brushine yelled back down. “Do you see anything!?” He asked, projecting his voice.

Burshine looked around, he could see some land clearings, he could see the sun sitting low in the sky. It wouldn't be long before sunset, ‘that’s west then that must be east.’ Burshine thought looking in each respective direction. 

“Well?!” Alex shouted from the forest floor. Taking one more scan around the area, Burshine shouted down at the ground “hang on let me get down, i'll tell you then!” jumping and hanging from branch to branch he worked his way down the tree once out of branches to hang on to, he found the lowest branch then taking a deep breath he jumped

Once close to the ground he rolled, then popped up. Slightly unbalanced before walking over to his cousin. “To the north the forest continues, in the south there are some clearings with fences dividing them from a large path.” he reports to alex. “Getting to that path might be our best bet to find some idea where exactly we are.” Alex reasons “while I was up there I saw the path stretching westward to the east.”

“We’ll figure out which way to go once we get there.” Alex called out while walking away. Burshine huffed and trotted up to his cousin walking beside him. With them walking, Burshine kept tabs on what's around them, his ears twitching and turning in different directions to hear each tone and sound better. 

The humming tune of magic soon caught his attention. Turning his head at his cousin he could see him messing with his magic, the light blue almost white magic waving between his fingers. “You got something?” Burshine asked. Alex didn't respond, instead focusing on his magic in hand. “There’s exposed energy around here.” Alex muttered to no one in particular. Bursine hummed out in understanding, turning his focus back in front of him.

Soon the footsteps beside him sped up. Looking over to his cousin he could see him jogging fast up to the clearing. Quickening up his pace he could see his cousin stopping on the edge of a large hole in the ground almost the size of a quarry. Alex looking down into the hole could see large blue almost glowing crystals. “So? What do you think they are?” his cousin asked him. “Not sure, but if there is energy in them I can use them in future potions.” alex responded before climbing down into the hole

Burshine, not wanting his cousin to get hurt, followed him down into the query-like hole. 

Reaching the bottom of the cavern he walked around the large crystals, he could see why his cousin came here. These crystals had an influence on the soul. While most could not see their souls, his mother possessed an ability to see these souls and was passed down to him. “Hey come give me a hand with these crystals!” Alex shouted, snapping burshine out of his daze.

Trotting over to his cousin, who is trying to break off a piece of crystal by hand. “Why don't you use your pickaxe, it should be in your bag right?” Burshine questions his cousin. “Because I need a sample untainted by enchanted metal.” Alex responds to him. 

Finally a piece breaks off and he holds it in his hand. “So what do you want me to do?” Burshine asked.

“I need you to break off more pieces. Once you have about 10 little ones you can use your pickaxe and break off some larger pieces.” Alex instructs him before resuming his task in breaking crystals on the main one. Burshine walks over to another crystal and starts pulling off other crystals. 

Right as his hand was about to reach for the fifth one he heard it . 

The faint roaring sound from before. It sounded like it was coming from the west.

The roaring got louder like it was approaching fast towards the two.

“Alex. something is coming this way.” he informs his cousin. Alex stops what he is doing and listens too. The roaring got loud and closer. “What is that?” Alex asked, he didn’t recognize the sound. “Not sure, get behind the crystals, just in case it’s not friendly.” Burshine stated before taking cover behind some of the large crystals, Alex doing the same. 

Just then a strange red metal contraption came to a sudden halt up to the edge. While Alex couldn’t hear the voice coming from the metal contraption Burshine did. 

“I just found a whole lot of energon!” The voice sounded masculine with an odd tone or maybe an accent like his uncle.

Soon a large shadow covers the land. Both Alex and Burshine looked up and saw an even larger metal contraption hovering in the air. Unlike the red metal contraption this one was far larger in comparison it looked like it spanned for miles and blocked out much of the sky.

The sound of metal shifting sounded out. The noise altered the two and caused them to look over at the metal contraption; it now resembled a metal man. ‘A metal golem?’ Alex thought he had seen his aunt use magic to make golems from stone and metal, they didn't look like that.

A blast fired out from the large metal contraption hitting the ground near the red metal golem causing him to fly through the air and land not even 5 feet from them. Soon other metal golems fell from the metal contraption all landing one behind the other Alex singled to his cousin ‘I’m counting at least 10’.

 “Arcee, about that back up.” The giant red golem said out loud like he was speaking to someone in his head. But his gaze never left the imposing threat of other metal golems.

                                                                                          ☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

Chapter Text

“Fair warning boys, I'll put a few dings in ya.” The metal golem threatened the others. Alex and Burshine watched as the metal man shifted his body into the strange metal contraption from before. Then sped up on the rocks, launching himself up in the air, shifting his body back into the metal man, coming down with his fist reeled back ready to hit one of the others. And as he descended he shot his fist outward hitting one on top of his head knocking him down.

The other golems soon swarmed him trying to pin him down only to be met with a foot or fist in their head. Alex and Burshine came out from behind the crystals and climbed up a few of the more jagged ones to see over the edge and watched the fight. 

Burshine was keeping an eye on the purple and grey golems watching them try and make a formation before attacking, only to have changed the formation due to the red golem.

Alex was keeping count of the downed purple and grey golems, once the fight was done and the red one moved one from here he could check out those metal golems and see if he   could perhaps make his own. After all, making most constructing magic is based on the natural elements and reverse engineering. 

Soon one the purple and grey golems gets thrown down in the valley with the two. Seeing the metal behemoth fall in their direction they jump off the crystals, avoiding the unfavored pain and death associated with being squatched by possibly 15 tons of metal.

Once the golem stops Alex runs over and starts looking it over. The clashing of metal hasn’t settled yet and continues on. Burshine, also curious about these metal golem trots over to his cousin and looks at the fallen golem.

The once red glowing “eye” of this golem is all but absent, leaving only a solid black glass bar in its place. Looking over this golem, this was much different from what he was used to seeing. For one reason, golems back home never needed to be this large even for the heavy labor work. “Burshine, take a look at this.” his cousin tells while showing him the arm of the golem with his “arm” now open showing all of what was inside. 

“What in the…” Burshine muttered tailing off looking into the open arm. There were tubes and strange colored lines all in the arm, the next reason, “golems are not supposed to have that, right?” he questioned his cousin. “The closest I've ever seen was a golem that was running for years before it broke down, even then the magic vines and red powder keeping it moving left engravings in the metal that didn't stay after breaking down.” he recalled from his memory shaking his head at what he is looking at. ‘So this particular golem has been operational for years, and wasn't even built the same as the ones from home.’ “whoa!” Alex shouted in surprise before quickly back up on his feet, steeping away from the golem. 

The one vibrant purples and black soon shifted its tones to more of a dusty grey soon covered the body. Both look at the golem in shock. “Well… its shifted color when it dies ... .how about that.” Alex remarked slightly disturbed at the thought of thousands of these golems with black eyes and grey bodies not the types of zombie he would like resurrected anytime soon.

They soon hear a shout of pain being yelled out and hear the repetitive strikes against metal before seeing the red golem and a silver piece both falling down back into the valley. The fall from both shaking the earth from the impact. Burshine, curious about this silver piece, runs over to it only to see it was one of the horns from the red golem. 

The red golem didn’t stay down for long, he soon got up from where he landed near a large blue crystal. The purple and grey golems followed after him in the hole. “YOU WANT THE HORNS!” He yelled out then shifted his hands, into some form of gun. “You got 'em.” the red golem growled out.

He fires at the purple and grey golems, one of the golems explodes into a fiery blaze. The other purple and black golems soon fire at the red one. The red golem jumps and leaps out each path of the gunfire as they fire, returning his own.

But with this action a shot meant for him hits the blue crystals causing a large explosion to happen, the explosion spreading to other crystals making the explosion even larger. Alex quickly casted blast protection on him and his cousin just in time to not be killed by the explosion, but still get scraped up from the debris hitting them. 

Looking around Alex and Burshine can see the red golem laying face down on the earth. He not moving, he might be dead, or dying if going by what they know about them from the little dissection lab they did one the fallen golem from before . Burshine being the closest cautiously approaches the golem unsure if it’s alive or dead. The light groaning of pain, the twitching of his fingers, but by most golem standards he is still alive but wounded.

“He's alive! But he's hurt, badly!” Burshine shouted out. Alex soon ran over to look over the injuries himself. Some of the metal is scorched; he has some strange blue liquid seeping between the cracks of metal, and the glow from the eyes are dimming then brightening. 

“I think I can help him!” Alex said, reaching into his bag and pulling out two books. These two are different from before the one from before centered on potion making. Setting them down on the ground, he gathered magic in his hand, the pages in both books flipped rapidly before settling on a ‘Repairing spell’ and an ‘Healing spell’.

While Alex was working on trying to get this golem back up and fighting, Burshine ears flicked up in attention. ‘Right the other golems.’ Burshine reminded himself. Looking over he can see two purple and grey golems making their way through the smoke and ash towards them. 

“Shit!” Burshine's exclamation brought Alex out of his concentration. “What?!” Alex asked aggravated, “We got company!!” Burshine informed him “He is not ready to get up, even less to fight!” Alex responded, taking note of the golem in front of him. “You keep working on him! I’ll take care of our guests!” bursine commanded before running off to the side trying to formulate a plan to get these golems away from Alex and the favored red golem.

He could get their attention in a way his mother taught him long ago. A way to gain attention and scare the hell out of any one who was nearby. He took a deep breath, and screamed. 

But this scream did not sound like any normal human scream. No no no no, this was more on the fox side; the jagged scream caught the attention of the purple and grey golems instantly, he even saw one of them jump back. Leaving no time for them to really react to him and run at them. The one who did jump back soon saw him and reached his hand out most likely to catch him only for Burshine to jump over his hand and run up his arm.

Now trying to run up an arm like appendage with the golem trying to swat you off and shake you off was no easy task. Much less trying to jump around the area. After getting up to the head and handing on to dear life the golem was jumping around the other golem who was with it, tried to swat at Burshine only for him to move off the way and causing the golem to hit the other. 

Taking the moment of chaos of the one he is on. He jumps to the other except this time he lands right in the middle of the pseudo-face of the golem, this golem reacting similarly to the other swatting at his own face and taking large steps back. He did this about four times, each one missing him, but actually hitting him on the last swing knocking Burshine down to the ground. 

Groaning Burshine pushes himself up from the ground, quickly getting to his feet and looking at the two golems. The two stare at him for a moment before a loud gunshot went off hitting one of the golems. Turning around he could see the red golem up and moving, his cousin rushing towards him. All other purple and grey golems soon rushed back towards the strange giant metal contraption. After watching all of the get back inside the stage contraption soon speeds off into the sky not able to be seen.

“You alright?” Alex asked, “I'll live with just a few bruises.” Burshine answers him, not long after he felt the soothing relief of the healing magic fixing his cuts, then the slight burning followed afterwards. “You two are not normal humans on this planet are you?” the giant red metal golem asked. “Define normal.” Alex retorts while Burshine rubs at the previous locations of the cuts and scrapes then his ears perk up at a sound.

A loud crackling and whirling sound soon ringed out. The red metal golem soon turned around. And look up and the top of the hole. “That must be my backup.” right as he said that earth shaking tremors soon followed one after another with the fifth one being the loudest bringing the two down on their knees. Burshine’s ears focused on the sounds coming from above the ridge. “What do you hear?” Alex asked

Burshine only kept staring up there, his body tense like he was ready to run. Alex cast a small sense improvement spell, enhancing his own hearing to hear what his cousin was listening too. “An untapped energon deposit.” a deep and soothing voice spoke out loud.

“What's left of it.” a gravelly voice committed. “First decepticon activity in three years.” a cautious voice with age attracted to it informs the others. “That we know of.” a sound of metal shifting sounded out. “ If they're scouting for energon, then they may be preparing for his return.” the deep soothing voice assesses. 

The sounds of heavy footsteps makes it way over to the edge. From where the burshine was parched, he could see a large red and blue golem standing over the edge gazing around the area. An orange and white one along with a green one doing the same but looking down into the hole. With a blue and pink with a yellow and black both jumping down inside the valley.

Looking around the blue and pink one gasps as it spots the silver horn from the red golem. “No” it whispers while holding the horn. “A little late to the party!” the red golem shouts out, causing the blue and pink to shoot its head up in surprise at the red golem coming out from behind a large rock. “Had us worried partner, thought the cons might have you in deep scrap!” the blue and pink replies with relief in its voice. 

The red golem only chuckles and he continues over to his friends. The orange and white ones make quick work moving over to the red one looking it over for injuries. “I’m fine Ratchet, just a little scorched.” The red golem tells the orange and white one named ratchet.

“I'll be the judge of that, Cliffjumper!” ratchet scolded cliffjumper while pushing him to sit down on a nearby rock to look him over. “So how did you survive that encounter?” the blue and pink one asked. “Funny you should ask, Arcee. I probably wouldn't have, if not for my little buddies, one of them even patched me up.” Cliffjumper answers. All five of the golems look at cliffjumper as if he had grown a second head. 

“A human helped you?” the green golem questions. “Ya bulkhead, as weird as it sounds they did.” cheerfully answered. “They? Were there more than one?” the blue and red asked. “Ya, two boys. They're just behind that rock.” cliffjumper answers while pointing at the large rock. 

The red and blue walked over with the yellow and black following him. Walking around the rock they see no humans in the area, the yellow and black one gets close to the ground and looks at the footprints in the dirt. He makes a series of beeps and whirls, like he was talking to the red and blue one. “Understood Bumblebee.” the red and blue one answers. Guess bumblebee or the yellow and black talks like that.  

“The humans were indeed here,but have left a while ago from what bumblebee says about the tracks.” the red and blue informs the others as they walk up. “Optimus, I swear they were just there.” cliffjumper tries to assure the others. “That may be but we may need to inform our human liaison, to find these other humans for us.” Optimus suggests.

 “We should make our way back to base, repair any remaining damages and contact allies to aid in the search.” He ordered, the other golems nod their heads in agreement and walked over to the wall of the hole and started climbing up. Once at the top all the golems but optimus shifted their bodies and started moving away from the hole and towards the clearings. Only Optimus halted his movement and looked behind him at the woods, he could not see them, but the matrix was trying to tell him something, letting out a huff of air he shifted his body and followed after the other making sure no one was left behind. 

Far off in the trees Alex and Bursine surveyed the whole interaction, the red golem named cliffjumper was safely with his family and leaving. The two watched the group heading westward towards the sunset, Most likely their home base. “Optimus, the red and blue one, was looking in this direction.” Alex recalled the action of the tallest golem. “Yep, looking for us.” Burshine confirmed what he witnessed. “Should we follow them?” Burshine asked him wondering what those golems were up to and he had a few questions. 

“If they're heading anywhere near a village we could use the aid and supplies to get home.” Alex committed before climbing down the tree Bursine followed after him. “Or they could be in the middle of nowhere.” Burshine countered. “Why ask for my opinion, if you're just gonna give a reason why not to follow them.” Alex snarks at him. “I'm just being realistic.” Burshine retorts, feet hitting the ground. Alex only sighs at his cousin before tearing off a chunk of bark from a fallen tree and starts shaping it into a horse-like appearance with his knife he pulled from his side.

Once done shaping the head he places it on the ground and repeats the spell his aunt Aniganna taught him long ago when his magic first appeared. Burshine watched and the ground moved and the horse-like figure pulled itself out of the dirt all the while Alex kept his hand on the mussel of the horse.

Once out of the ground and standing up Alex walked to the left side then mounted up. Burshine approached from the same side and got pulled up on the golem horse. With the two boys sitting on the horse, Alex influenced the horse to follow the path the metal golems took from before. The horse trots around the hole avoiding the massive hazard, it follows the dirt path to the larger concrete path then starts running down the side of the path leaving room for whatever they may come across to go by. While a golem horse is faster than a normal horse, they are lessed favored in the end due to the roughness of the ride.

After what felt like an hour and a half they arrive at what looks to be a small abandoned shack on the side of the road. It has these 4 strange metal boxes in front with a large glass window and doors. Burshine slid off the horse leaving Alex on the golem horse while he approached the building. Once at the door he looked through the glass and he could see some items in the building, pulling on the door to open did nothing. He tried pushing it in, didn't work either. Then he pulled really hard and it shattered the glass in the door. 

Looking back at his cousin who only gave him a shrug then looked around the building reading the large lettering on the building “Will and son’s corner store.” Alex read aloud while Burshine stepped through the broken door looking around the store. He could see shelves empty with items and items scattered around the store. Walking around he found a few picture books of people in different styles of clothing, flipping through the pages he gathered an idea of what the standard for normal is around here.

 Taking the small amount of illusion magic he learned from his mother he shifted his warm clothing into a more suitable clothing for this region. After shifting his clothing he spots a thick piece of folded up paper on the ground near one of the shelves. Still holding the picture books he stepped over to the piece of paper and unfolded it revealing it was a map. 

Walking outside, Alex is investigating the strange metal boxes outside, he looked up and looked over at his cousin's new look. “You look weird as fuck, without your tail and fox ears.” Alex comments on his appearance.

“Yah, yah, here pick a new look for this place. The last thing we need is more problems.” Burshine retorts to his cousin’s teasing, tossing the picture books at him. While Burshine looks over the map trying to see where they could go. 

Once Alex picks his new look, and alters his clothing the motions the golem horse over to his cousin and looks over his shoulder to look at the map.

“So where are we?” He asked, trying to make sense of the map. “I think we are about here. I see the name of the building and the clearings and forest we just came from.” Burshine answered him.

“Looks like the closest village is… Jasper.” Alex points out. “It's about a 100 mile ride from here.” Burshine adds on. “How fast can that golem go?” Burshine questioned. “We will get there in about 2, maybe 3 hours” Alex guessed. 

Burshine huffed at his cousin's answer then approached from the left side mounted up in the horse behind his cousin “well let’s get to it!” Alex motivated the horse golem with a small kick and the golem speed off.

Chapter Text

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

After the long drive from the energon deposit, the six autobots finally make it back to base. With Bumblebee and Arcee leading the front Cliffjumper, Bulkhead, and Ratchet being in the middle, and finally Optimus Prime bringing up the rear of the group. Entering through the hidden entrance the bot pull into base then shift their bodies from the vehicle modes to the more human-like forms.

After cliffjumper shifted his body he hissed, holding his side while leaning on some nearby crates. Arcee quickly walked over to him. “Cliff?” she asked, worry heavy on her face. “I'm fine just… probably pulled something.” Cliffjumper tried to calm her nerves but the look in her eyes never left. “We can be sure once I look you over.” Ratchet came over, helping Cliffjumper across the main area to the corner he claimed for the medbay.

With Ratchet and Arcee helping Cliffjumper down onto the berth. Ratchet stepped away grabbing a scanner then running the beam of light over him scanning his injuries. Reading the results ratchet huffed at them. “The damages done at the energon vein, seam have to open up along the way here.” Ratchet concluded trading the scanner for scraps of metal on the counter.

“But you looked over Cliffjumper, before we even left. You didn't see any of this before!” Acree frustrated voice carried over the med bay alerting Prime who was waiting outside. “I spotted the injuries at the vain, but it looked like the injury was repaired by his systems with little outside force, that part however confuses me” he explained while searching Cliffjumper over, locating the damaged panels and fuel lines. “Why would that confuse you ratch?” Cliffjumper asked, his voice wavering at the pain in his systems.

“Becasue your injuries should have been worse at the sight, but from the looks of the damage and repairs done it almost looks like your body repaired faster than normal, unbelievable, truly.” Ratchet concluded.

With Ratchet working on Cliffjumper, pinching the fuel lines, cutting, replacing, and sealing each one stopping the problem before releasing the clamps letting the energon run, watching the line making sure of no more leakage. He continues this repetitive motion. Properly sealing each one then welding the panels over the lines sealing them away from sight.

While this is happening Arcee begins to walk away from the doctor and his patient, but Prime stops her. “Arcee..” he addresses her. “Standing around in the med bay worrying won't help cliffjumper mend faster. So unless anyone minds, I'm going back on patrol.” she informs him before shifting her body into a motorcycle before leaving the base through the exit.

The sound of welding ceased. “That should do it for now, better than before.” Ratchet stated cleaning up his tools, stepping away from Cliffjumper, letting him get up and test his movements. Cliffjumper thanks ratchet then moves towards Optimus. “Optimus, I know you said we should wait for Fowler to help us locate the two boys, but I just got this feeling that we should find them before the cons, you more than anyone understands what they will try to get one over us.” The concern in his voice makes it very evident that he is worried about the boys, “not to mention Arcee and everyone is still startled about the sudden con appearance.”

“I understand Cliffjumper, but Arcee is a warrior just like you. While the appearance of the decepticons are worrying we must not lose sight of all our efforts. While the thought of what they might do to those they perceive as our allies is indeed cause for worry, we will not let that happen. We will not let them repeat what they have done to our fellow autobots again." Optimus informs him, the worry and grief heavy on his spark at the thought of losing any of his friends. From grief or war. Looking at Cliffjumper he could see the mental battle going on in his head.

“But just looking around the nearby town might give you some clue on where they might be. and perhaps you could assist Arcee in her patrol." he offered solutions to Cliffjumper to give him peace of mind. Cliffjumper nods his head at Prime's suggestion and then leaves the base after shifting his body into the muscle car. Standing alone he walks over to one of the terminals while trying to rack his processor over all the events that happened today; The reappearance of the decepticons, almost losing Cliffjumper, and the two human boys that know of their existence along with the depictions thinking they might be potential allies.

While going though his metal check list of events he will need to sort out soon. Ratchet approaches after disinfecting the last tool. “Optimus, helping humans will only result in more tragedy.” He informs Optimus while thinking about all the pain and mental turmoil that come from protecting these small organics. “Your opinion is noted.” he responds looking at the screen in the main base showing the two tracker beacons on Arcee and Cliffjumper heading towards a nearby town called Jasper.

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

“You just HAD to jump that rock! My ass is still hurting!” Burshine griped at Alex. Using one hand to rub at his tail bone despite the disguise covering the tail and ears they are still very much still there. The rock of course didn't need to be jumped, but Alex was bored after riding for hours on a horse made of stone and dirt. To say the least, it was in a way needed. “I don’t know, it was in our way and we really couldn't go around it.” Alex informed him, trying and failing to hide the amusement in his voice.

“Hey!” Alex shouted in surprise to Burshine, flicking his ear in retaliation. Alex tried to get him back, both boys blocking and grabbing each other's arms to prevent the other from getting a hit in. With them doing this Alex’s focus of magic was diverted causing the stone horse to fall apart and sending the two on the ground with Burshine rolling over Alex.

“Owwww! You squished me!” He complained while pulling himself up, dusting off the sand and looking around for the wooden horse mask to remake the horse from earlier. Burshine groaned leaning forward rubbing at his back it felt like we landed on a dried bush or something with how his back was feeling.

Looking behind him he sees the culprit of his back pain, the once whole wooden horse mask now laid in multiple pieces. ‘Shit’ he thought while picking up the larger pieces. At this time Alex turned around and saw the pieces in Burshine’s hands then looked down at his feet seeing the smaller ones there. “Shit” Alex mumbles looking at the state of the key of their ride. Looking around Alex can see the town in the distance. “On the bright side we are really not that far from the village.” Alex comments dropping his hand to his side after pointing it out. Burshine looks over his shoulder seeing the town his cousin pointed out. “Huh. how about that.” he looked back at alex “What do you want me to do about these?” he asked, gesturing to the broken horse mask. “Just leave it, the worst it can do is spout a magic tree.” Alex informed him walking towards the town.

Dropping the pieces in hand, he jogs after him, catching up to his cousin he walks alongside him as they walk into the outskirts of the town. Digging into his pockets looking for one of the many snacks he had on his person. He could feel some of the smaller vials of potions, the small knife his dad gave him in its sheath, some gold chunks, and a small leather pouch.

Pulling out the leather pouch he undoes the cord holding it closed pouring a small amount of berries into his hand, Alex looks over at what Burshine is doing. “Hey, can I have some?” he asked, holding out his hand, Burshine only responded by pouring the few berries left in the pouch into Alex's awaiting hand. Both eating the berries as they walk around the village. They looked around taking in the sights of this strange place, and soon a sign in front of a building caught the attention of the half fox spirit. “Hey, check that out.” Burshine notions his cousin looking in the direction of the building.

The building itself was not all that impressive, just a simple onestory brick building with a flat roof, iron bars over the windows, and a heavy looking door. The sign that caught Burshine's attention was black with yellow lettering “We Buy Gold.” Alex read out loud, and from that sentence alone he knew what Burshine was suggesting. Taking a quick glance over at his cousin, he could see him mirroring the very expression on his own face. Nodding their heads they walk towards the building and open the door with much less force from before. “Hello, Welcome in.” a voice shouted from the back of the store. Alex looked around and he could see jewelry in a glass counter, rifles behind the counter, and many musical instruments propped up on stands. Soon a man with grey hair walked in from another room separated by a beaded curtain.

“How can I help you gentlemen today?” the man asked, taking a seat behind the counter. “We have some gold we would like to sell.” Burshine told him pulling out the gold chunks he had in his pockets. Taking the gold from Burshine's hand, the man inspected it over. The man himself was quite round in figure, meaty hands holding the gold gold chunk in between three fingers, his hair most likely was a dark brown but the amount of grey overran the original color, he even had a small curly beard covering the lower half of his face.

“This is a good size, where did you find this?” the man asked “It was a gift from my cousin. She said found a pocket of them and gave me one." Burshine told him clearly having his story figured out, it is not too far from the actual truth, but the man didn't need to know that. The man nodded his head then put the gold chunk on a strange metal block and watched it, for a moment “18.56” the man read outload, is that small metal block a scale? “The going rate for gold right now is 8 dollars and 10 cents per gram. The man pulled out another strange device and started typing on it. “That puts ya’ll at $150.34” the man said before pulling the gold away and opening another strange metal box on top of the glass counter he pushed some buttons and a drawer popped out he pulled some pieces of paper out and small metal coins.

“Here you gentleman go, will that be all today?” the man asked. “Thank you sir, that will be all, have a nice day.” Burshine told him a slight bow in his posture. Both of them walking away towards the door Alex opened and held the door open as he walked out Burshine followed after almost out he heard the man whisper under his breath “must be new to town.” The door clicked close behind him, quickly shaking his head he continued walking to keep up with Alex. “We might be standing out more than we noticed.” he told him in a hush voice. Alex squinted his eyes at him. “What?” the word sounded on the verge of a noise. “I'll explain later.” he affirms “Dude! Don't say cryptic shit like that then don't follow up!” Alex rants at him, the only response to that little is a gratuitous eye roll.

“Hey, it's more of those weird metal contraptions!” Alex points out, the previous annoyance leaving his body as they walk by the metal contraption. Similar yet very different from before. The black color is a drastic contrast to the vibrant red from before, and the lack of horns decoration on the front leaves his metal contraption almost plain looking. The boys continue walking, not needing to say a word to each other, for a similar thought to cross their minds.

All these strange metal contraptions that decorated the side of the black path and others going past them on said path didn't feel like the ones from before. Burshine looked at the metal contraptions. Earlier the metal contraptions from the hole, all had souls, sure they looked different but it was a soul none the less. And Alex while he couldn't see the soul like his cousin could instead the magic he used could feel it, a slight buzzing at his finger tips. And at that hole with the blue crystals it felt like holding bees’ in his hands with them trying to fly. But these metal contraptions didn't have that, They were just that machines, soulless.

Taking a turn around the corner the feeling of buzzing and the sight of people with their souls made them straighten up their posture, watching everyone pass them, some held their gazes at them for a while others just looked past them. A screeching sound soon ringed out and a metal contraption came rushing by. Fleeing away from something with laughing teenagers inside. Saying something about scoring free food and the look of someone's face. Burshine and Alex shared a confused expression with one another, shaking their heads as they continued on.

Walking past the building the teens speed away from they could see people outside the building conversing with each other and eating some food together. Crossing another path intersecting with the one they are walking alongside. As they walked down Alex felt it before Burshine seen it. The buzzing was back more intense than the other humans around could produce. Both Alex and Burshine both dashed over behind some buildings out of sight, Alex then messed with the magic showing a faint trail of magic leading towards the road making both of them poke their heads around seeing what exactly was affecting them.

Looking down they see a blue contraption smaller than the red one from before, with two black and purple contraptions trailing far behind. They watched the blue one speed away with the others following. The roaring sound was back almost softer but it was the same sound. Burshine turns toward the sound and sees him the red golem from before, while it may look like the other metal contraptions on the road the red color, the set of horns, and the presence of his soul was a dead give away from was the same from before. “Alex.” Burshine kept repeating this while shaking his cousin's shoulder. “Dude! What could you possibly need me to look at….” Alex’s scolding falls off as he too sees the red golem from before.
The red golem moves right next to them, “Hey guys, It's been awhile.” the golem greets them in an uplifting tone. Neither boys said a word to the golem speaking to them. It would have been dead quite if not for the village around them. “Cliffjumper, right?” Alex broke the silence between them and shifted his gaze towards the golem in the form of the metal contraption and the area around them. “You caught that from before? Impressive. Listen, I need you boys to come with me.” Cliffjumper suggested heavily to them “And why would we do that?” Burshine interrogated, flexing his hand making the illusion of his fingernails fade showing his claws. The threat making it evident trust is low between the two. “Look I'm not going to hurt you, you guys saved my life I owe you, but there are some bots out there that would not hold that same sentiment.” Cliffjumper reasons with them.

“Is that a threat?” Alex grits out. While Cliffjumper wouldn't hurt them that doesn't mean he could send someone else to get them. “No. But it is a warning, a group of cybertorians are also on this planet called the decipitcons, the guys from the energon supply. And they'll be after you.” cliffjumper informs them the warning in his voice making it evident these decepticons are not to be trusted. But with him telling all this it only raises more questions. What exactly is a cybertronian?

And why would the decepticons be after them?

Was it because they helped cliffjumper?

Or because Alex tore apart one of their guys to look inside?

Or maybe Burshine for scratching and jumping on that one golems face?

And energon? Was that the blue crystals that Alex has in his bag?

With both the boys thinking everything over, cliffjumper tried again. “Listen I know you two don't trust me, but let me change that. Just ride with me to base and meet my friends and I'll answer everything you want to know.” he offered hoping they'll at least trust him with this. Alex looked at him first "You'll tell us everything you know, from what exactly you are to why these deception guys want us.” he questions leaning forward. “I promise.” Cliffjumper answers him. “Alex!” Burshine chastises “What?! He said he is going to answer our questions without holding back, I don't know about you but I have some I need answered!” Alex yelled at him walking towards Cliffjumper. “Get back here!” Burshine gripes at him. “You coming?” Alex asked him, “Well, I can't let you leave me alone in this village, plus your mother would skin me if I let something bad happen to you.” his body releases all the tension in his body “so yah im coming along.” he gives a clear answer to both Cliffjumper and Alex.

Cliffjumper opened his door, startling them. Looking inside, they could see two seats in front. Putting two and two together Alex sits down in the seat closest to him making Burshine walk around to the other side and Cliffjumper opens the door for him then closes his doors and drives into traffic. “Ok to start off let me explain what I am..” Cliffjumper started “I'm from the planet cybertron, we came here because our planet became inhabitable after years of war. And we are looking for energon our fuel and life blood.”

“Energon? The blue crystals?” Alex asked while digging into his bag and pulled out the crystals from before. “You have Energon!” Cliffjumper shouted in surprise quickly stopping making the two inside go forward hitting the dash and sterling wheel respectively. The two grown in pain holding their faces. “Ohhh Sorry! I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that, let me just.” straps soon crossed over their bodies “There that should prevent that from happening again.” cliffjumper chuckles awkwardly. “You know for a large cybertronian, you are not very graceful." Burshine hissed at him still holding his nose. Cliffjumper laughed at that “Me? Graceful? Hahah nah I'm definitely not that.”

“Yes I have energon, the blue crystals, I was planning on using them in future experiments, but going off your reaction these crystals are more than just fancy glowsticks that mess with you. Aren't they?” Alex questions Cliffjumper. Before he could answer a voice cut him off “Cliff!! I need some back up, I got two decepticons after me!” a feminine voice yells make the two boys jump at the sudden sound. “Arcee?!” Cliffjumper responds back, making the contraption surge forward on the streets “Cee! I need your location, where are you?!” he asked with worry and panic laced in his voice. “Just getting off the feeder heading on the highway, but Cliff I got a human kid with me! The cons went after him too!” Arcee responded back informing Cliffjumper and his passenger what was going on.

“Hang on Arcee! I’m Coming!!” Cliffjumper announced before making the contraption go so fast it makes his passengers press into his seats. “Who is that?!” Burshine asked, wanting to know exactly what they were getting into. “That's Arcee! One of the best warriors the autobots have!” cliffjumper told them.

Burshine always wondered if someone could be rushing to a call of help while also speaking praise of the person he is helping. Turns out all you need to do is ask Cliffjumper who Acree is and that very answer will happen. “What's an autobot?!” Alex asked, watching all the other metal contraptions, he really needs to learn the name of, zip by as Cliff races to his friend."I'll answer that another time!” he answers before clipping the end of one the purple cybertorians making it spin right as a yellow one did the same making the two purples hit each other.

“Buddy of yours?” Alex questions looking at the yellow cybertorian riding beside them.
“Family” is all cliffjumper says, then speeds up getting in front of the yellow cybertorian blocking the two purples, when did they get there?, from passing them. The two purples teamed up and caused the yellow to do a similar move from earlier that they did to them. Watching the yellow contraption spin then hit the metal fence blocking the path? Highway? In. “Is he ok?!” Alex asked Burshine, looked over his seat and stared at the yellow guy. His soul is fine, he's ok. Looking at him normally he can see the yellow correcting himself and speeding after them. “He’s ok. I think.” Burshine asses to the best of his ability.

Both turning around facing forward they see the blue cybertroian from before and a person riding, but in front of them were more fences blocking off the highway. “Please tell us you have a plan about how to get around that.” Alex was almost scared of the answer. “Hang on boys!!” was all the warning they got before Cliffjumper turned off the highway and drove on the dirt beside the highway, the blue golem jumping over the fences going down. Worried from the boys lurch forward only to be stopped by the strap that cliffjumper did from earlier. Not long after they also headed down the hill how the boys could see the blue from before driving down on its real wheel then putting down the front one. Getting close to the edge the blue one jumps down with cliffjumper not that far behind.

Alex and Burshine can feel themselves leaving the seat but being held back by the strap from before preventing them from hitting the roof. With a hard landing, sending the two back into their chairs going forward but stopped by the stapes, cliffjumper swerves around the blue one preventing them hitting the other. Coming to a full stop their breathing heavily, shoulders hurting from all the pulling and jerking looking up they see a young boy dropping something he was holding then grinned at them amazed by what he just witnessed. “Cliffjumper.” Alex addressed “Yeah?” “Let us out, please.” Burshine finishes from him. The straps undid themselves and the doors opened letting Alex and Burshine step out. Catching the tailend of what the teen on blue was saying “you have no idea.” The teen on blue had the same idea about getting off his ride as well.

Stepping away they walked towards the teen and the young boy. The sound of roaring sounded out at the top of the hill making the four of them look up seeing the two purple cybertorians from before. They came racing down the side, sensing the danger Alex and
Burshine stepped in front of the younger boys protecting them from the on coming threat. The two purples changed their forms from the metal contraptions to the more human-like ones from the energon hole. Staring them down they hear the sound coming from behind them assuming its Clifjumper and Blue. “This ends here cons!” knowing that voice they turn their head around and see a small blue cybertorian standing next to cliffjumper, that must be Arcee.

The glare she was sending the purple cons would have made the toughest of men shudder. Sensing what was about to happen, Burshine and Alex each grabbed one of the younger boys and moved out of the way of the two giant metal people about to make the other regret it. Soon Acree and Cliffjumper charged the two cons and somehow avoided all the shots the cons were sending out. Either these guys had really bad aim or cliffjumper and arcee were just that fast. Acree closing in on one if the cons jumped up and came down and hit him with her foot making both of them hit the ground with her still standing up right then dismounted when closer to the ground and cliffjumper wrestled with the other holding the gun like weapon downward preventing anyone from getting shot Arcee then turned around and kicked the one cliffjumper had in his grasp in the head.

While on the side lines away from any of the fighting Burshine and Alex still stood in front of the two protecting them if any harm were to come this way. “What are they?” the young boy asked wonder and fear mixing together. “Talking cars that turn into giant robots, or the other way around.” the teen answers him from what he knows, his voice cracking from the nerves he was feeling. “So that's what they're called.” Alex whispers under his breath at the reveal of the name of the metal contraption they have been seeing today. The fight had been moving towards this way. The constance back and forth but Cliffjumper and Acree kept them away, the blue one Acree hitting one of the purple ones repeatedly varying from the face to the stomach. And cliffjumper punching to the point of shoving sends other purple con backwards.
Pushing the boys more behind them Alex, commanding magic at his fingertips, starts weaving the magic into the shape of a ruin forcing a shield to form over the group. Acree stopped punching for a moment letting the purple con look down at her he then started firing at her, only she matched that with dodging each shot with a back flip putting more distance between the two. Only with the last shot hitting its mark sending Arcee fly back a little landing on her back then sliding more from the inertia. With arcee down, cliffjumper tries to keep the cons back switch between the two hitting one and dodging the other, till both hit him at the same time sending him flying towards the boys.

All the boys stare up at the mass that is cliffjumper flying at them only for him to hit the shield that Alex had been putting up, then bounce off flying towards where Arcee had landed, a sounding thud he hit the ground hard. Another roaring sound sounded out making all the boys look up seeing that yellow was coming to help, changing his body he landed on one of the purple cons and hit the other making sparks fly off as if it were blood. Acree and Cliffjumper picked themselves up from the ground getting back up. With the yellow one stepping off the purple cons a crushing sound followed after, with the boys and the yellow cybertroain looking at his foot all that remained of what was a small car now crushed under its foot.

The sound it made was hard to describe, almost like a whirling noise as it looked at the group. “No problem, really.” The young boy answered him back, he could understand him. The moment would have been wholesome if yellow didn't get shot by one of the cons sending his flying back towards Arcee and Cliffjumper. The con, yellow had landed on, walked up to him a stomped hit foot right on top of his head making him hit ground again , when yellow turned around he was greeting with two glowing purple guns raised to his face. Burshine is not sure if it is courage or something else entirely when the youngest of the four yells out “Leave him alone!!” at the two cons making them in turn snap their heads at them. “Please?” the boy whimpers out “bad call.” the teen tells him hanging on to his shoulder.

“Plese tell me that shield can hold up against that con.” Burshine asked, his eyes locked on to the con. “I have no idea.” Alex answered him honestly. Inadvertently freaking the two boys out behind him. With the approaching con the four take off running “go! go! go!” Alex shouted out as the teen yelled out “Come on! Come on!”. “There! A tunnel!" Burshine shouted out pointing toward the large circle hole in the wall, the four running as fast as they could towards the opening. The young boy and the teen make it first with Alex and Burshine following after them. “Keep going! Keep going!” Burshine shouted out, making them run deeper as the con reached its arm in trying to grab them. Quickly turning around Burshine grabbed one of the digits and pulled hard as he could down, snapping the joint making it bend at the angel. Then the arm gets abruptly pulled back towards the opening of the tunnel, the sound of crashing following.

Once it stopped yellow angled his head to see down the pipes to make sure all four were ok making noises as it did. The little boy thanked yellow for the save,and yellow responded before moving away from the opening. The sound of crashing continues on. “Dont look back!” the teen tells the young boy urging him forward. “What did we just see?” the young one asked, the teen was quick with his reply “No idea,and not sure i wanna find out.” Burhsine and Alex followed after them, gazing back making sure nothing was trailing them.

After a while of running they slowed down. Hands on their knees they try to catch their breath. “Anyone hurt?” Alex questions the three with him. “Im….” the teen gasps “....ok.” he breathes out still trying to get his breathing under control. “Peachy” Burshine remarks hands holding his sides standing his breathing. Only the youngest of their group is quiet. “Kid you ok?” Alex tried to ask directly. Still not getting an answer he conjures up a small ball of light illuminating the tunnel there. Seeing the faces of his group they all squint at the sudden light before he dims it making it more bearable. Now able to look at the kid he sees him clutching his hand. “Let me see.” he asked the boy squatting down at the boy's height, the boy opened his palm showing the aggravated skin and small cuts decorating the surface. “Small wound, easy fix.” the mutters before riffling in his bag before pulling out a small glass bottle. “Woah what are you doing!” the teen gets between them blocking him from the boy. “Relax, I'm healing his hand.” Alex told him before trying to sit step him, only to be blocked again. “With What! My mom’s a nurse and she taught me everything about first aid and that stuff in a bottle I don't recognise!” the teen points out.

Not willing to argue with the teen much longer, Alex reaches down to his boot, pulling out the knife he keeps in it, and slices his hand showing the cut, freaking the boys out quickly. Only then did he pour a small amount of the liquid onto his hand and show him the cut slowly closing itself up. “Whoa” the two gasped out at the sight. “As if it never happened.” Alex flexed his hand showing the non-existing cut on his palm. “Will you let me help him now?” he asked The teen only nodded his head and stepped aside allowing Alex to help the young boy. “This might burn a bit.” he warned as he poured some of the liquid on his palm. Just as he warned it did sting but only for a moment then it was gone. Corking the bottle Alex placed the bottle back inside his bag.

The boy still looking at his hand looked up at him, “who are you?” he asked “My name is Alex and this is my cousin Burshine” he told him Burshine only cut his eyes at Alex before continuing to walk down the tunnel. “And who might you two be?” Burshine asked as all followed after him. “I'm Raf,” the young boy answered. “Jack Darby” was all the teen said, possibly still reeling from what Alex had done earlier. After walking for a while, their path still illuminated by the light ball Alex made earlier, they found a ladder leading up. “Wait here.” Burshine told them before climbing up and moving the lid off, poking his head up to see where they were and to be clear of any cons or others. “All clear!” he shouted down then pulled himself up and watched as raf and jack climbed up the ladder with Alex being the last one up.

After he pulled Alex out he put the lid back on the hole and turned to the two boys, “You might wanna get home before too long, who knows what comes out at night.” He told them, his guard up and watched all the shadows. Alex mimicking his movements after assessing there was no immediate danger look at the two again. “I hope we meet again under better circumstances.” he offers the two boys “Yeah, same” Raf answered him existment behind his eyes Jack however is more hesitant. “Jack, why don't you acompany Raf home, this is a small village so it might put Raf’s family at ease knowing he is safe and with someone known.” Burhsine suggests snapping Jack out of his stupor “yeah, yeah I can do that.” he answers “come on Raf” he waves his hand and the two start walking away raf turns around a waves goodbye to the two. Returning the wave, Alex and Burshine look at the two leaving, then at each other.

Turning around they walk further into the village looking at each building. On the far side of the village they find an old building with many doors and windows. Looking up at the sign the odd spelling may be due to the letters falling off only leaving behind the letters m,t,e,l. “Trees?” Alex questions “Trees.” Burshine confirmed, a large oak resting behind the building being their target for the night. The two jump and climb up the tree, sitting at the joints. Looking out at the view you could see the top of the building in front of them, the village lights illuminating, the paths and the many, and many stars that decorate the sky.

“It’s strange, you know?” Alex started Burshine only to look down from where he was perched. “One minute we are just at home enjoying our self’s next minute we wake up in a forest in another dimension.” Burshine thought it over. Yeah it was strange. The events from all today were strange; the metal contraptions called cars, the giant beings called cybertronians, even the currency is strange metal coins and paper like cloth as a form of payment. “Yeah, but who is to say that this place is strange? We are strange. We're in a place we do not belong.” Burshine reminded him

Thinking it over for Burshine was right, they are in place they do not belong. Therefore they are the strange in this places’ normal. “Welp, I'm going to sleep, you got the first watch?” Burshine questions him already, propping up his feet and letting the illusion fall from today, his tails and ears fluffing themself up like they been trapped under clothing, the risk of being seen was very low due to the amount of leaves covering them, and who would look up a tree for two young adults. “Yeah, yeah I got it.” Alex grumbled at him. Leaning his back against the bark watching the area around them and listening to all the sounds around them.

Some would say that staying awake is the hardest part of having Nightwatch, time feeling like it's moving slower than anything. Any little sound you hear could be explained by an animal wrestling in the garbage, or just by a coincidence of nature, but one thing was known he hated this so much. Without having any form of a clock to know how long time has passed, he can only rely on the position of the moon even then, which was a stretch given that most of the buildings and trees blocked his view of the moon. He had a maneuver a little bit just to see it, but he swore to himself once the halfway mark was met across the sky. He was waking up Burshine to take his place so he could get some sleep.

Sometimes zoning out helped he could zone out for a spot just thinking in his mind and who knows maybe 30 minutes past maybe only three who knows. Looking up at the sky again, he could see the moon shifting so slowly, but still nowhere near his pointed mark. He cannot wait for this to switch so he can get some sleep. All night he saw nothing strange. All he saw were wild animals making their way through the village digging through peoples garbage or chasing other animals trying to get themselves late night meals or the slight swinging in the breeze getting all the plants moving, but otherwise no threats, just peace and quiet.
It was horrible.

After what felt like hours the moon was finally at the halfway point he claimed for shift change. Turning his gaze to his cousin, he smacked his hand against Burshine shoes Jumping awake Burshine severed the area trying to see if there is any threat or danger seeing none he looked down at his cousin. “Your turn.” was all Alex said before using his jacket as a cover then falling right asleep.

Standing up on the branch and gripping onto another, he shook himself free of sleep and sat right back down, surveying the night just as his cousin did before him, seeing the exact same things he was seeing all night. More time passed though the night each one eventless and the next the only entertaining event happening would have been two raccoons fighting over a pizza crust. It started getting brighter out the area around getting brighter looking at the sky he couldn't see the sun, early in the morning then. With each moment passing he could see and hear the village waking up and starting their day.

The sound of cars driving by and the birds singing their songs made more noise making its way though the town. The quiet life of the night ceased to exist as the loud day began with its own animals and challenges beginning. ‘We should get something to eat.’ he thought looking down at Alex, still asleep, an evil plan formed in his head taking the tip of his tail, he started brushing just the tip on Alex's ear. Oh, of course, responded with the natural way of trying to swap away whatever it was bothering him Burshine pulled away his tail just redo it again when he put his hand down, this went on for a little bit until he advertently slapped the crap out of himself waking himself up.

Slapping oneself awake was not the way anyone wanted to start their day. Yet here was Alex, the side of his face hurting from the slap and his cousin's laughter right above him. Looking up at his cousin with anger, he grabbed his hand and pulled him down not really thinking of the consequences, sending them both flying to the ground only to meet with a hard metal surface.

“What tha…” a familiar voice spoke out. “Alex? Burshine? You two uhh ok?” he asked uncertainty of what to do. He was only met with groaning from the two. Alex was the first to speak “How long have you been there?” Both slowly lifting themselves up from the roof of cliffjumpers car form, then sliding off to the side, landing on their feet. “Ive been here for a while now, looking for you guys actually.” he answers still surprise that the two people he had been looking for been up in the tree he parked underneath to watch his scanners looking for any strange activity.

“That's all good now, but I'm hungry. What about you?” Burshine then looked at Alex waiting for his answer. “I could eat.” he answered “Hop in, I'll take you somewhere that apparently humans like to eat for the first meal of the day.” Cliffjumper told them opening his door for them.

Alex, trusting in his new friend, jumped in the seat as he did last night. “You coming?” he asked Burshine, looking at him, faced with the same dilemmas before, he could not argue with his cousin, only dropped his shoulders, walked around and got into the seat he did yesterday. Cliff then closed his doors and drove off to a little donut shop just a ways down from where they were.

Getting there Alex got out with the money they got from selling that gold and stepped inside leaving Burshine and Cliffjumper in the parking lot. “What’s an Autobot?” Burhsine questions, already wanted answers from the day before, questions that didn't get answered.
“Dont you want to wait for your cousin to get out with your food before you start the questions?” Cliffjumper asked, curious at his actions. “I want to know if the events that happened yesterday, is a sign that I need to start looking closer at what you are and what you stand for or if I need to do some work to prevent this from happening." Burshine ranted at Cliffjumper staring at the glass in the middle of the dashboard with that symbol glowing.

“You don't trust us fully I get that, but kid what happened yesterday wasn't how I wanted our first, well second meeting to go.” he answered earnestly Burshine looked at him for a while before turning his attention to inside the store at alex talking with someone in line. “If you don't trust me all that much, why did you get in?” Cliffjumper questions confused at his actions. “Call it intuition.” he answered, still not looking away. “How does that work?” he adds on. “I get this feeling that you're true to your words, not having a double meaning to them.” Burshine tells him explaining it the best he can.

“You're worried that feeling is wrong?” cliffjumper asked, hitting the nail right on the head. Burshine snapped out of his thoughts and looked right at the glass. “How did you know that?” he demanded. “From the way you're holding yourself, the tenses around people and unknown environments, the questions and uneasement with people. You most likely trusted someone that ended up being the wrong move and now you're constantly second guessing yourself on whether or not to trust certain people.” he inferred based on the little actions and speaking that Burshine has done in his present that he's noticed.

Stunned at Cliffjumper assessment, Burshine only sits there looking at him. Missing Alex walking out the shop with the bag of fired pastries. Cliffjumper opens his door allowing Alex to take a seat with his hands full, with one holding the bag and the other holding a donut up to his mouth. After cliffjumper closed the door, Alex looks over at Burshine's shocked expression and shook the bag containing the donuts in front of his face.

After eating their fill in fried pastries and talking for hours about the oddiest of topics and even some questions about what they are and how they did all that they did at the energon vain and the culvert. They were talking about how they assumed cliffjumper was a golem. “So after you changed your appearance from the car to your more bi-peadle one I assumed you were a golem based on how you looked.” Alex defended himself at his thought process against Burshine's amused expression and cliffjumper laughing voice. “Ive been called robot, alien, and many other versions of those but never a golem!” he continued laughing at the title. They enjoyed conversing with each other then. They got interrupted by a series of beeping and wheeling.

“Got it bee, heading that way now.” Cliffjumer answers back. “Sorry to break up this little party but we better get going if we want to make the arrival with the others on time.” he tells them making his car self leave the spot he parked himself at. “Others?” Burshine questions him. “Yeah Arcee and Bumblebee, are getting the other two boys from last night.” They remember Acree. “Whos’ Bumblebee?” Alex asked right as Burshine asked the same with “Jack and Raf?”. “Bumblebee was the other one who helped me and Cee last night." Cliffjumper tells them. “The yellow one?” “That's him.” he confirms right as he turned on a street with the very bot they were speaking about driving away from the village, not long the after leaving the village’s edge Arcee caught up with them carrying Jack and a young girl with them.

“Hey Cee! What's with the extra passenger?” cliffjumper asked, teasing her. “Take a guess.” is all she responded before Cliffjumper broke out laughing. Driving down the road they can see all the mesa surrounding them and how they seem to be approaching one not slowing down at all. Soon the smooth ride from the road turned bumpy from driving off the road onto the dirt. Getting closer to the mesa both the young adults tense up as they get closer, sure cliffjumper would not intently hurt them but driving into a wall would make anyone tense up. checking their straps making sure they're good and would ensure that their heads did not meet the dash and sterling wheel respectively.

All that worry was for nought as the wall opened up revealing a passage for the three vehicles to pass inside. Burshine and Alex started laughing with one another, the similarities to home being very strong. Ridding up the path with light seaming to blinking as they pass. Open into a large area as the three slowed their speed coming around a large mass they see another cybertroian, this one being white and orange looking at the three, another walks with one large and green and accents of black. Coming to a stop they undo the straps and get out, stepping away allowing cliffjumper to change his body to the bipedal one.

They start walking forward seeing Jack and Raf walk up to them and the unknown girl. “I thought there were four?” the orange and white one , I think his name is Ratchet?,questions looking at the five of them. “Havent you heard, humans multiply.” Arcee sassed him walking towards some crates leaning up on a wall Cliffjumper joined beside her. “I'm Raf.” he introduced himself, holding out his hand to the new member of their little mismatched group. “I'm Miko!” the girl exclaimed “who are you?” she asked the large green and black one. “Bulkhead.” He responded unsure about her sudden attention to him. She gasps, “Are you a car?” “I bet you’re a truck, a monster truck!” “Do you Like Heavy Metal?” “How much do you weigh?” “Ever use a wrestling ball for a punching bag?!” her rapid fire question seems to overwhelm him.

“So if you guys are robots, who made you?” Raf asked curiously about them. Only for the orange and white, pretty sure his name is Ratchet, to roll his eyes “Puuu-lease” his response exaggerating his physical response. The heavy thudes shook the ground making Burshine and Alex quickly put an idea together about who is behind them. Turing around and looking up they see the large blue and red, they think is named optimus prime, looking down at them.

“We are autonomous robotic organisms, from the planet Cybertron, also known as auto bots.” he informed them, that had to be him, the voice matched. Jack stepped in between Alex and Burshine putting himself forward when he asked his question. “Why are you here?” “To protect your planet from the decepticons.” he answered “The jokers that tried to bump us off the road last night.” Arcee adds on to clearly who exactly they were to them. “Okay.. why are they here?” He continues on wanting answers for everything going on. Optimus kneels down to their height “A fair question Jack. In part they are here because our planet is uninhabitable, ravaged by centuries of civil war.” Miko and Raf step up beside the three forming a line of sorts. “Why were you fighting a war?” ref questions concerned about these metal beings.

“Foremost over control of our world's supply of energon. The fuel and life blood of all autobots and decepticons alike.” he paused a projection illusion appearing on the floor letting all five of them see this warlord. And their home planet. “The combat was fierce, and endured for centuries. In the beginning I fought alongside one whom I considered a brother” he pauses like the pain is still hurting him “but in war ideals can be corrupted. And it was thus, that megatron lost his way.” he stops the illusion making Burshine stare off in that spot for a while before being snapped out of it by an excited yawn from miko. “Is there going to be a quiz?” she half joked, messing with her hair. Burshine and Alex squinted their eyes at her behavior. Apparently Jack and Raf are doing something similar. Snapping out of it Jack looked up at Optimus and asked “So what is megatron? Or any of this? Have to do with us?” “Megatron has not been seen or heard from in some time, but if his return is imminent as I fear, it could be catastrophic.” he answered honestly that it was very heavy on his voice.

Chapter Text

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

So to recap, The giant metal beings are extrastrials from a planet called Cybertron, they are no longer on their home planet due to a civil war that broke out.

Optimus Prime, the big guy in front of him, previously fought together with the leader of their enemy faction so they all could get a better life for everyone on their home planet, but something happened causing the Decepticon leader to take more aggressive approach about this change, leading to the two to have a fallout with each other, devolving into a new version of the war making Autobots and Decepticons.

Alex would need to write all this information down later to keep up with everything, trying to recap everything he was told in the 15 minutes is tricky. Looking out the corner of his eye he can see his cousin looking up at Optimus taking in everything he is saying, he should too, hey where is ratchet going?

Watching the white and orange medic walk over to some type of ledge or table messing with something, being far shorter than any of the current bots in the room he couldn't see what he was messing with. While they started talking in front of some strange metal rings they slowly moved over towards a giant glowing green screen.

“And now that you know of our existence, I fear that as of last night the Decepticons know of your’s.” Alex caught the tail end of what Optimus was saying, looking back up at him he could see the slight calculated look in his eyes. This bot might be stoic in his voice, body language, and have a decent poker face, but his eyes were so expressive it's a tell, showing the hint of worry in them.

“Got it. If we spot any strange vehicles call 9-1-1.” Jack paused, “Can we go now?” he asked, sounding like he just wanted to go home. “Are you insane! I’m living a dream here in Botswana. And I will not allow you or anyone else to shatter it.” the Girl, Miko was her name? Sternly told him her brows furrowed at him.

“It is best that you five remain under our watch.” Optimus answered making the two look back up at him “at least until we can determine our enemies intentions” at him finishing that statement Ratchet turned around from what he was doing. “Optimus, with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here as anywhere.”

“Children?!” Jack asked shocked about the notion of him being called a child, right as Burshine and Alex looked up at him with confusion evident on their faces. Given that the two of them are considered adults back home, young adults granted, but still adults.

“They have no protective shell! If they get underfoot they will go..squish.” He finished pausing right before saying squish, as to prove his point he just slightly moved his foot and the sound it made caused the younger three to slightly move back.

“Then for the time being ratchet, we must watch where we step” optimus answered him with a slight sass in his tone hands resting on his hips, what do you know the stoic boss has sass.

Soon a deep sounding alarm echoed throughout the base accompanied by flashing green lights, causing all the bots to look up at the sound then turn to face the screen, with Ratchet walking towards it.

“What’s that!” Jack asked in alarm, Alex looked over to his cousin, seeing him scrunching his face and the loud sound, with the illusion up Alex couldn't see His Fox ears turning every witch way trying to pin the sound.

Bumblebee turned around to them and answered Jack's question in his wirling and beeping, looking over to the others Jack and Miko looked confused, but Raf just looked at them and translated what he said. “Proximity sensors, someone’s up top.”

Just as he finished that, Ratchet turned off the Alarm. Looking up at the screen Alex and Burshine could see a screen showing someone walking away from some strange metal contraption that didn't look like a car.

“It’s agent Fowler.” Ratchet called out, letting everyone know who was here. “I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys?” Jack questioned confused Alex thought it over, from all the earlier statements from Cliffjumper and Optimus Prime, Alex Assumed the same with him and Burshine, but that was proven wrong with the appearance and Jack and Raf, then Miko, Now with the new information this guy called Agent Fowler.

He didn't know how many people currently populated this world but if he had to guess three children and one adult didn't sound so bad. “Special agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world, as he tends to visit only when there are issues.” Optimus answers

Ahh or just three children, one adult, and two young adults from another world, but also part of the government, he hopes only a small part knows of the autobots for the sake of optimus given how much Cliffjumper stressed they were not to be seen.

“It may be best if you do not meet him at this time.” right as he finished all five look at one another then start making their way under one of the stair cases out of sight unless your on ground level

Hearing a series of beeping first started far away but got closer with each beep, the beeping started with a different tune then the others with an air compressed sound followed after. Footsteps ringed out on the metal floor alerting them of the other human.

“Seven wrecks, thirty-four fender benders, a three hour traffic jam, and a particular note numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown make, a red muscle car with bull horns on the front, and a black and yellow custom muscle car.” Fowler ranted off, from where Burshine was peaking out beside the corner of the wall he could see this fowler more clearly but quickly pulled himself behind the wall once Fowler turned his gaze away from optimus to the three he described.

“So anything you care to get off your tin chest, Prime.” Fowler's voice drips in condescension to finish off in a stern tone demanding answers to what happened. “We have the situation under control, agent fowler.” Optimus tries to reassure the leason of what is happening “They’re back. Aren't they?” he questions but by his tone he knows the answer.

“If you are referring to the Decepticons, I have doubts that they ever left. Your planet is much too valuable.” he answers back in that stern and monotone Burshine peaked out again from where they hiding he could see the tension of aggravation of respect between the two.

“Then it’s time to wake up the Pentagon.” Fowler tells him, what the hell is The Pentagon?, “Here me, agent Fowler, we are your best, possibly your only defense against the Deception threat.” Optimus informs him “Says you.” He Agues back

“Hey fleshy!” Bulkhead called out, making Fowler turn his head towards him and making Burshine and Alex, who was peaking out beside him, quickly pull back out of view. “Did anyone get spattered on that freeway? Team prime knows when to use force..” he pulled a metal arm off the nearby table. “and how much to use.” he squeezed it making the ‘hand’ part pop off.

“Bulkhead! I NEED THAT!” Ratchet yelled at him

“Enough!” Optimus called out to the two, turning back to Fowler. “Military involvement will only result in catastrophe.” leaning up to his full height. “Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties, agent fowler, I however cannot.” Optimus tells him leaving no room for argument.

“Then do us both a favor and handle this Prime, under the radar.” Fowler asked him, walking away towards the lift. “Or I will.” The threat he made hangs in the air as the door closes and the beeps staring again ascending the noise fading out.

“Pretty big bearings, for a human.” bulkhead says out loud walking up next to Optimus. “Agent Fowler is concerned for his world, bulkhead. As he should be.” Optimus informs him

Alex, Brushine, Raf, Miko, and Jack come out from around the corner. Walking out further in the room just able to see the elevator they look towards where the once angry liaison for the autobots was. “Well. isn't he just a ray of shineshine.” Alex quips

“He sounded just like Aunt Zudite, when she was covering us for our pranks when we were kids.” right as Burshine finished that sentence he stopped. A slight almost unnoticeable purple wave rippled through the floor but just as soon as it started it stopped.

‘Hmm weird.’ he thought, shaking his head, "Burshine are you ok?” Raf questioned looking at him. “Yeah, yeah I'm fine just thought I saw something.” He reassured the young boy, patting his shoulder before walking off.

Looking up the giant screens he wants a better look then from down here quickly looking around he spotted a ladder leading up to a little platform that runs right beside it.

Walking over and climbing up, he could see the giant screen much better. While he could see the symbols better he didn't understand what they exactly said but he could make out that they mostly like they were status of different systems currently running.

Not long after with him being up here Jack and Raf climbed up mostly likely wanting to get out of the way of the autobots, soon Alex and Miko made their climb up wanting to mess with the smaller screens of to the side, if he knew anything about his cousin, he couldn't say much for miko.

Right as he finished that thought the screen began a steady beeping and soft whooping accompanying it. “Blasted earth tech!” Ratchet growled out startling all of them to look at him. “An unusual energon signal is fading in and out.” ratchet reported to the rest of the team who happened to be off to the side of the platform there on.

“What's energon?" Miko asked, confused at the statement. “How is that possible?” optimus question next.

“It isn’t. Another bug, the systems chock full of them.” Ratchet answered prime thinking about the signals. when they got one the signal would stay, not fade in and out. “If there is energon for the taking, we should get it!” Cliffjumper suggested “who knows when the cons would get to it first.” Arcee added on.

“We will investigate this strange signal to see of its origins. Ratchet, monitor the single and report if any drastic changes happen.” Optimus ordered, then formed his battle mask over the lower half of his face. Walking towards the ground bridge only taking a few steps before being stopped by a voice shouting.

“Hey!” He looked over at Miko and the four boys all looking up at him. “What can we do?” she asked, no doubt wanting to help or just see a battle, not wanting her to get hurt he gave a simple command to the group. Remain with ratchet.”

Miko whined then to be matched with Ratchet’s own groaning, the ground bridge let out a whirling noise, the rings of light shining as each one powered up pulling energy then pushing it towards the center opening portal going, if Alex had to guess, to the signal.

“Autobot. Roll out.” Optimus called out to them before shifting his body into a large vehicle with Arcee, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, and Bulkhead shifting their bodies into vehicles all following him into the portal. “What just happened?!” Jack asked, amazed at what he just saw.

“I transported them to the designated coordinates, via the ground bridge.” ratchet informed him. Raf then followed up with his question. “What’s a ground bridge?” Ratchet sight annoyed as if reminded of something tedious.

“Scale down version of space bridge technology.” he turned towards the screens to monitor the teams’ travel through the bridge “Since we don’t currently possess the means or the energron required for intergalactic travel.” he told all of them

“You’re stuck here. On earth.” Jack concluded “With the likes of you, yes.” Ratchet snaped. “But I constructed the ground bridge to enable travel from here to anywhere on your planet.”

Despite being grumpy at his situation, ratchet still explained how it worked simplified of course he sounded proud of his achievement.

Alex had to ask for a more in depth explanation later.

“Whoa, does it work for humans?” Raf asked wonder in his expression and voice. “Naturally.” Ratchet confirmed.

“You mean I could just shoot on over and visit my parents in Tokyo?” miko asked “Within moments. In fact, allow me to send you there immediately, all Five of you.” he leaned down his face being close to miko, miko didn't look scared one bit.

“Watch it, Ratchet.” she sassed at him making him pull back away.

A beeping from the screens pulled him away from his slight stare off with Miko alerting him of the teams’ arrival on the other side of the portal. Walking over to some set of levers he pulls them up, closing the portal and turning off the mechanisms powering down.

“Alex, do you think we could use the energon crystals to help get us home?” Burshine walked up to his cousin keeping his voice low out of hearing shot of the three other humans but not for the lone bot.

“Ratchet said that the ground bridge only currently works for anywhere on this planet, they can't do planet traveling.” He pauses “and we are not even in the right dimension if we were the compass would have shown us the way. But do you remember what it did intestd?” Alex asked him letting him pick up the pieces.

“It spun. Meaning there are no set coordinates on where we are.” Burshine answered huffing at the dead end.

“So the ground bridge can teleport you anywhere on earth.” Jack commented at the bridge.

“No, not teleporting but a portal to another location.” Burshine clarified "Isn't that the same thing?” miko questioned.

“No, completely different, teleporting is when a person or object is transferred from location A to location B the space between the two is minimum almost eliminated. While Portaling requires a stable physical structure, has to have a literal hole in space or space warped to travel and requires you to walk though it, what the ground bridge does is portaling not teleportaling." He informs them of the difference only to be cut off from Ratchet scoffing.

“teleporting is a useless way to travel, needing to see where you're going, completely inferior to bridging.” Ratchet grumbled still messing with the screens.

“Can you even teleport?” Burshine rhetorically asked, having a good guess at the answer. “No, But I only know of one bot who could, can you?” Ratchet interrogated him Burshine disappeared from his spot appearing on Ratchet's shoulder hanging on to the little orange bit where his ears would rest.

“Yeah I can.” He confirmed startling the medic to scream. With Ratchet yelling and the three children watching this exchange with shock, excitement, and confusion they didn't notice Alex looking though his bag trying to find a missing object. He could have sworn he had his protection charm with him.

Chapter Text

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

After driving through the ground bridge Optimus leading he transformed then shifted his servo into his plasma rifle aiming in front of him surveying the area as the others transform Arcee and Cliffjumper covering the front while Bumblebee and Bulkhead cover the back.

All of them scan the area looking for any sign of the decepticons.

“Energon mine” bulkhead spoke out loud while so far the signal they received did take them to an energon mine, but ratchet did say the signal was unusual. “Judging by its scale the deceptions have been tunneling here for quite some time” optimus asset looking around the area they were dropped at walking forward getting every detail he could. But if the decepticons have been here for a while, and they didn't pick up the signal until now, what had changed for them to get that signal?

Hearing the sound of drills breaking down rocks the autobots approach, taking cover behind some rocks covering the five of them. They could see numerous soldiers collecting raw energon and the many crates of the crystals they were collecting, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. Optimus stood to full height and started walking around calling out to the others. “Let's find what the decepticons have been working on.”

Heavy footsteps alerting the mining soldiers of the Prime and his friends approaching, they quickly turned their guns to the bots, the autobots doing the same. The decepticons started firing at them as one on a large drill turned away from what they were doing and charged at the bots.

Bulkhead ran to the side of the drill and hit it, with his servos that turned into maces, causing the drill to turn over on its side. Optimus, Arcee, Cliffjumper, and Bumblebee returned fire at the decepticons. Bumblebee dodged to the side avoiding a shot, then joined Optimus, Arcee, and Cliffjumper surging on. 

Arcee flipped in the air dodged shots aimed at her returning her own landing on one of the closer cons, pinning him down the other con aimed at her and she jumped right on time for the shot to miss causing the con she landed on to die from a shot head on. She landed on the con who fired using her sharp peds she spun taking the head off. Landing back on the ground. Running off the charge for the next one. Mirror what her partner was doing

Cliffjumper punched one after another firing shots behind him taking down any stragglers, even head butting one to knock them down while he grasped one of the cons shoulder bring them down then firing bring his fist up and knocking another down then fired at the two he stunted, making sure they can't shoot him in the back.

Bumblebee , who was in his vehicle mode, drove up a steep hill. launching himself in the air shifting into his root mode and shifting his blaster that rests on his forearms returning fire at a con beneath him, landing on them. Looking up, Bumblebee sees a drill heading right for him. He jumps out of the way making the drill run over his comrade, only to be stopped by Optimus lifting the dill upwards. 

Optimus fries at the drill taking out the drill and the driver, before running forward taking out another con before jumping out of the for Bulkhead to come driving quickly hitting the con there sending him flying back and Bulkhead allowing inertia for him to travel forward shifted his body back into root mode then transforming his hand into the mace hitting the con sending him into the ground ending their spark.

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

Back at the base Miko and Jack looked around the main part of the base looking at all the old and new tech.“What is this anyway?” Miko asked, looking at an upright box covered in buttons, wires, and plugs. “Broken don’t touch.” Ratchet told her walking up to the screens after correcting one of the systems when it crashed. 

With Ratchet not looking Miko reaches to touch one of the buttons. “Don’t touch that either.”

he warned her, not even breaking concentration from the screens in front of him.“Is there anything we can touch?” Jack asked, trying to make light of the situation. Ratchet looked over at them only to be pulled back at the screens from a warning popping up.

“How come you guys are using human computers?” Raf asked, Alex was curious too, if they were supposed to be these advanced race why not have the correlating tech. “It certainly isn’t by choice.” Ratchet told him, turning back to the screens. “It was handed down from the previous tenants. When we inhabited this former missile silo. I make modifications as I see fit.” he explained trying to fix the problem only for more ‘system overload’ to pop up he groaned at the action.

“I think I can fix that.” Raf stated, then dashed off to the nearby terminal plugging in his laptop. “Really? You know this is complex technology don’t you? I mean it isn’t a Childs toy.” Ratchet informed him not seeing what this child could do if he couldn't fix it. While saying all this Raf was typing some commands on his laptop, Burshine watched all this seeing how this fixed the problem. “Now try.” Raf suggested and looked up with Brushine and Alex at Ratchet. He looked back to the screen seeing each warning changing to a fixed pop up before removing itself from the screen, showing all the systems running fine. Ratchet looked back at Raf surprised. 

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

In the Mines the last drill so far charged at them only to be stopped dead in the tracks from Bulkhead hitting the front causing the Drive to go flying in the air then shot by Optimus. Transforming his blaster back into his servo. Walking forward Optimus following the three others, catching up to bulkhead he shifts his mace back into his servo he falls in with the other making a sudo wall in front of Optimus.

Walking towards them were more decepticons having their blaster drawn and three more dills coming at them. The bots move out of the way for Optimus as they start running towards the cons. 

“Maximum overdrive” He called out all five transforming into their respective vehicles: Optimus as a 18-wheeler, Arcee as a motorcycle, Cliffjumper as a charger, Bumblebee as a Muscle car, and bulkhead as an armored SUV. The cons fire at them some shots only grazing past them 

Surging forward prime knocks down con after con not stopping even flipping a drill in the process knocking the driver off hitting bumblebee, cliffjumper,and bulkhead with arcee dodging the drills who are driver less and the many cons who’ve been hit. Optimus continued surging and hit each con knocking them down clearing a path for his team.

After the last con fell the path further into the cave was finally clear. They all drive after Optimus, keeping up with him.

After coming around a turn they see a large cavern Optimus transforms, followed by Arcee, Bulkhead, Cliffjumper, and Bumblebee. Taking cover behind some crates they were able to assess the area they could see cons moving crates of energon up to an elevator with rings of levels hanging from the walls almost spiraling upwards. With even more rings leading up to the opening of the mountain. 

Bulkhead whistles “quite an operation.” he comments right before shots ring out missing them, they retire fire taking down each con before moving on to the next one. With each shot they fired they didn't notice that a stranging looking figure was making its way to the recently deceit cons ripping them apart. 

With both sides firing at each other they didn't notice that the strange figure had changed shape till it let out a dreadful roar startling the cons from firing at the autobots turning their attention to it. While the Autobots couldn't see the mysterious figure from where they were but they could hear everything. 

The shots fired at this beast. 

The sound of metal scraping against another.

The terrified shouts of the cons. 

Finally one con managed to hit this beast over the side of the platform making it fall all the way down. The shockwave it gave off when it hit the ground shook the earth. No one moved till the monster pulled itself up revealing what it was.

 Vehcons, it was many, many, vechicons that formed together. Purple colored energon leaked everywhere, the autobots froze at this monstrosity something that should not be alive. 

It roared at them trying to come at them only having one leg limped at them, the bots snapped out of their stupor and started firing at this thing trying to end its suffering. The beast was picking up pace from hopping, then starting running on all 3 limbs like a deranged animal coming at them. 

With Arcee being the closest, even backing up, the beast tried to swipe at her. Cliffjumper quickly tackled her to the ground avoiding the claws the first time. The vechicon beast seeing its attack not landing the first time corrected its attack, by bringing its arm up then down onto cliffjumper forcing him flat on his back.

 Only with his hands cliffjumper keep pushing against the large hand from crushing him against the earth. Getting up and close with this thing cliffjumper could see the parts of the vehicons where they separate around the neck.

A weak spot.

Moving his arm in place of his hands he frees one and shifts it into the three barreled blaster and starts firing at the weak spot. The beast lifts its head away from cliffjumper revealing the spot cliff shot to the other, Optimus spots it. “Aim for the neck!” He orders all the bots, focusing their shots to the neck. 

Trying to get back the beast stubbles back tripping over a knocked over cart falling backwards it lands and some unmined ergon crystals stabbing it in multiple places but it still was not dead, it roared in pain the vibrations shaking the platforms above it breaking the final bolt holding the piece together before it fell landing corner first into the weak spot.

The gurgling noise that followed made the bots unnerved; they heard that very noise coming from their comrades right before their spark gave out and the frame turned grey. Even if this was their enemy, Optimus approached the beast and shifted his blaster into his hand before changing again to a blade reminiscent of a sword. Walking right up to its chest he plunged the blade into the spark cavity finally letting this beast rest.

This moment of stunned silence was coon interrupted by a raspy voice laughing. The voice many of the bots recognized. Fist clenched, eyes squinted in glares, the bots see none other than the second in command of the Decepticons, Starscream.

“Prime!” he called out, making all bots arm their weapons. “I’d stick around but, I’m squeamish.” He tells them, pressing a button on the side of some type of cylinder with beeping following, then letting it go, dropping it below with the five autobots. 

Jumping off the platform and through the space of the rings, he transforms into his jet from taking off into the sky though the center of the rings, leaving the bots and bomb below.  The cylinder continued to beep landing on the unmined energon letting the bots see what Starscream dropped. 

It was a timed grande.

“The joints gonna blow.” Bulkhead yells out. Optimus turned back towards the way they came and shouted out his order pointing his finger. “Autobots Rollout!” The bots wasting no time turning and transforming into their alt.mode driving away from the grande with bumblebee taking the lead followed by Bulkhead, Cliffjumper, and Arcee with Optimus taking the rear ensuring no one gets left behind.

Driving back though the tunnel they could hear the explosion ringing out with many more following after it, before too long the blast was checking up with them the smoke and debris nipping at their rear.

“Rachet! Bridge us back!!” Optimus calls “Use the arrival coordinates now!” right as he finished that sentence the swirling blue and green portal opened up letting the bots escape the mine but not the explosions following them. Looking ahead, Optimus could see the others ahead of him and ratchet looking back at them. Waiting for them to be clear of the start of the opening before closing the bridge down. 

Right as Optimus crossed that line, he pulled the lever up, shutting it down. Optimus transformed back into human-like form, flipping away from the blast at his heels, landing his hand on the ground first, his body following the motion, his feet meeting the ground cushioning his landing. The smoke trailed after him right as the rest of his armor shifted in its final spot.

The many whoa and wows left the humans amazed at what just happened from the bots coming from the ground bridge.  “Cutting it a bit close.” Ratchet committed then turned serious “How about the signal?" he asked. The bots all slowly shook their heads either trying to come to reason about what they saw or confirmation that it was nothing good.

“What was that explosion! Was there a fight? Can I come with next time?” miko, not really paying attention to the bot's expression, shoots off with rapid fire questions about what she just saw. Arcee growled in frustration “Look!-” she was about to start lecturing Miko only for Jack to intervene at that moment. “Hey hey, Miko lets go see what the bots hide in their sock drawers” he suggests pulling her away from the bots. “Seriously?” she retorts 

“Cliffjumper, Arcee, what did you two see?” he asked, wanting confirmation about what he saw or if it was a trick.

“Veahicons, At least I think they once were. I could barely make out where one began and another ended” Cliffjumper started, "mutilated and butchered” Arcee adds on. She pauses before speaking  “seeing them like that reminded me of those old con experiments from during the war!” she would have felt no remorse for those cons but the similarities from her fallen friends made her feel just a tad sick.

Her head felt lighter, the room was slightly spinning, she just needed to sit down for a moment or even rest her head against something. Her legs gave out underneath her, she tried to catch herself on a nearby crate. 

But Cliffjumper was faster, catching and supporting her by her elbows “Cee?” Cliffjumper asked right as Bumblebee started making low tones whirls, slowly stepping to the two. “I'm fine, just dizzy.” She tried to reassure the two.

“Robots who get dizzy.” miko remarks, “Robots with emotions.” Raf notes with Jack following up with “Robots who can die.” Burshine and Alex looked on at the children then at the bots, they would be concerned at the children assuming that the Autobots would be just bots to them, however from what Raf explained, robots typically are emotionless and have no free will, these autobots were far from that explanation.

Looking over at the bots he can see the clear worry and fear on each of their faces either clearly or just in the eyes. Ratchet is currently scanning Arcee with some strange device, the light projecting from it staying blue before flashing red around her hand. 

Turning the device off and setting down Ratchet looked at Arcee's hand, Alex and Burshine along with the children looked over trying to see what it is, Purple sludge? “What is this?” Ratchet asked her, wanting to see if maybe she knows what it is.

“Don’t know, those cons were covered in it. Leaking it.” she informed him while he took what looked like a knife or scalpel and scraped the purple goo off. “Go take a decontamination bath now.” he ordered her. Cliffjumper offered his hand only, to be stopped by Ratchet pulling his arm into view, the small purple goo on Arcee’s hand was almost nothing compared to Cliffjumpers’s forearm covered in said goo. 

“Cliffjumper! Why didn't you say anything!” Ratchet barked at him while Bumblee placed his hand on Arcee’s back leading her towards the decontamination area while Ratchet chewed Cliffjumper out. “Ratchet, I didn't even know I had that stuff on me, honest.” Cliffjumper tried to explain that it didn't bother him to Ratchet. But Ratchet only pushed him to the medbay area to look over him to make sure all his systems were reading correctly and no problems were popping up.

Optims watched as his friends are being lead over to the medbay, he tried racking his processor for what could have effect Arcee so badly but had yet to take effect on Cliffjumper, only to be pulled out of his mental list of poisons and drugs by a young voice calling out.

“Optimus I hate to bug but no bars.” Jack pointed out showing a small item in his hand, two thin metal boxes held together by a hing, ‘what the hell is that?’ Burshine thought looking at this odd item. 

“A security precaution, the silo walls isolate all radio waves.” Optimus told him it made sense if you had a hidden base you have precaution to keep it hidden even if it means difficult for outside communication. 

“Well if I don’t call my mom like now I’m pretty sure the cops will be out looking for me.” Jack tells Optimus of his situation, Burshine and Alex could both relate to having to come home at a certain hour to show everything is alright, granted both might have caused some chaos for others. But they nonetheless showed up, mostly on time.

“Have you broken the law?” Optimus Questioned leaning forwards to the humans on the platform. 

“Ahh curfew its after ten pm.” Jack answered , with Raf to follow up with his own “I better get home too or I’ll be grounded for a year.” Alex slightly scrunched his face at the mention of grounding. “Earth customs. I hadn’t considered” Optimus reasons slight nodding at them, standing up to his full height, he addressed them again.

“But the issue of your safety remains.” then turns off to his side, calling out. “Bulkhead, accompany Miko home.” he tells him as the mentioned bots walks up, Miko hearing this gets excited. 

“Awesome! My host parents will freak.” she exclaims looking at the four others, Jack leaning to put some distance between the ecstatic girl bumps into Alex knocking himself slightly off balance before correcting his stance. 

“And maintain covert surveillance in vehicle from.” Optimus clarifies making sure both the bot and human girl understood they were not to be seen. “Curbside duty, got it.” Bulkhead nods at the order, both of them looking over at all the humans. Miko whined at that, not being able to show off her new friend.

“Bumblebee, you’ll watch over Raf.” Optimus called out to him, bumblebee looked over at Raf and the boy smiled at him, Alex had a feeling those two in particular are going to be good friends.

“Ratchet.” he called out, turning around to see the medic and his two patents, letting the humans see between the two and looking at the conduction of Arcee and Cliffjumper.

“Busy.” was all ratchet said while raising his hand not breaking focus of the reads of Cliffjumpers scans while in the chamber. 

“Arcee, you’ll accompany Jack.” He assigns her, looking over at the mention human,Alex and Burshine can see he’s startled at the pair-up but doesn't speak out as instead he scratches the back of his head  “Woo still dizzy.” she tries to faine still being unwell, only to Ratchet to correct her. “Youre fine, says your physician.” Her only response to that was a rough exhale.

All mentioned bots walk over to the area near the ladder and the exit, transforming their bodies into their vehicles as they wait for the children to descend the ladder and make their way over to them. 

Miko was the first down practically sprinting towards bulkhead side and climbing in as he opened and closed the door for her, he waited for just a moment before leaving the base, mostly likely waiting for her to place that strap over her torse, as Alex and Burshine painfully learned, to prevent any harm to her.

Next down the ladder was Raf. He didn't sprint over to Bumblebee like Miko did but he didn't walk either. Doing the same as Miko he climbed while Bumblebee opened the door, it closed behind him, and waited a moment before Bumblebee took off as well.

That only left Jack, Alex ,and Burshine left in the silo with the other bots. Jack turned to them, “what about you guys, don't you have to get home or something?” he asked. “That kind of you to be concerned Jack, but we don't have a home exactly here.” Alex answered him. If Jack was concerned for their well being before it's been amplified 10 times more now. Burhsine followed up with "Don't worry too much for us, I'm sure once Cliffjumper is done being examined, he’ll give us a ride back to where we were the night before.” Jack was going to ask something but was cut off by a load revving. 

Looking over they could see Acree still in vehicle mode waiting on Jack. looking between the two, he seemed conflicted. Brushine stepped forward “You probably should get home didn't you say your mom would be expecting you soon?” Alex followed up "Relax Jack, we'll be here tomorrow you can ask us anything you need to know, as long as they're not like Miko’s questions."All three shivered at the memory of miko’s slight invasive questions

“Never like Miko’s questions.” Bushine agreed. “A-a-aright, I'll see you guys tomorrow.” Jack said to them as he descended the ladder jogged over to a slightly annoyed Arcee climbed up grabbing the handlebars, and Arcee took off out the exit.

The loud sound of footsteps altered the two away from the exit and towards Ratchet looking over Cliffjumper. “Any pain or numbness.” Ratchet questioned wanting to make sure nothing was amiss. “Ratch I’m fine, I don't feel anything wrong with me, and if there was a reason I couldn't feel it you would have found it already.” Cliffjumper reassured him stepping out of the chamber having his arm cleared of any of that goo.

Optimus standing nearby looked at his team, once again that emotion in his eyes was a dead give away to what he was feeling. “Cliffjumper if you are feeling well, perhaps you can take Alex and Burshine back home.” Both young men grimaced at that, who was going to tell him that they didn't have a place and slept in a tree. 

“Bout that Optimus…” Cliffjumper started gaining the attention of both bots left in the base, he then explained about how he found both of them this morning, which Ratchet followed up with recalling the event that happened while they were dealing with the energon signal. “Then he just appeared, like that!” he shouted still hung up on that Burhsine thought it was funny. Optimus then turned to the two of them “Alex, Burhsine have you two no place to stay?” he asked. “Prime Sir, we're a lot more similar in our situation than you think.” Alex started out.

 “Roughly a few days ago I was working on a potion when Burshine visited me, an accident happened sending us here. At first we thought we were just portaled away but when we looked around we realized we are not in our world.” Alex explains to him leaving out some little detail to simplify the answer for them. “So when you said our situation is more similar than we thought, you mean..” Cliffjumper trailed off one of them to confirm what he was thinking. “If you mean we are not natives of this planet either you would be correct.” Bushine answered him, lifting the illusion of his person reaving the fox ears and tails that were hiding. 

“How exactly did you get here?” Ratchet asked ”I told you I was making a potion when an accident happened." Alex answered him “Yes I understand that, I mean what exactly happened for you to come here. What accident happened from the potion you were working on went wrong.” Ratchet pressed, wanting answers. 

“To answer the question the best I can Ratchet, extra ingredients were added. I don't know what ingredients or how much was added, but it caused the reaction that brought us here, that's all I know.” Alex reconfirmed to him avoiding looking at his cousin so the bots dont think it was his fault. He may have knocked in the ingredients but it was an accident, they're alive, sure displaced but alive and he’ll bet that Burshine will be more cautious with his tails.

“I knew it, I knew you had tails, I knew my processor wasn't damaged.” Cliffjumper snapped Alex and Burshine out of there trance with cliffjumper seaming happy and the thought his memory wasn't damaged. 

Optimus stands to his full height from his crouched Position front he ground when asking them about what happened. “Given the circumstances of your situation, I can offer you to stay with us for the meantime.” Alex and Burshine look up at Optimus in surprise; they were expecting sympathy, sure, but an invite to stay that new. “Optimus! Sure having the humans here during the day to protect them I can understand, but having them live here, is another!” Ratchet gripped out. Alex thought back to what Ratchet said earlier. 

“Hey Ratchet! Didn’t you say you inherited this missile silo from humans?” Ratchet turned and looked down at him “Yes, what about it?” he asked. “I may be new to the world, but I'm pretty sure that they would have a place for them to sit down and rest wouldn't they?” Alex asked, everyone looked at Ratchet waiting for his response, he only huffed and nodded. 

Optimus nodded then looked at Cliffjumper, “Cliffjumper perhaps you can show the young men to the room they can stay in.” He offered, Cliffjumper nodded at his leader. “Sure thang optimus.” he leaned down offing his hand Alex climbed up on it. Leaving Burshine on the ground before his disappeared and reappeared on cliffsholder hanging on to his horn. Cliff jumped at the sudden appearance but then followed it with a laugh taking the two to one of the human sized rooms he knew about.

Ratchet turned to Optimus “why offer them a place to stay with us? They'll have better chances of staying in a human residence than here. Not to mention less likely to get hurt”  He questioned wanted to know why exactly he offered. “Whould it be wrong to offer aid and help to those in similar circumstances, with even less than us.” Optimus asked him, “They needed help, Ratchet.” He looked over at his friend and Ratchet only groaned “You better know what you are doing.”

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

If anyone asked Burshine how he slept on a cot in an old room that Cliffjumper showed them versus the tree branch he found them in, he might just have to go with the cot but not without its downfalls. 

The pillows and blankets that were left behind are covered in dust making the two of them sneeze and the one who was watching the whole ordeal thought the door in the catwalk, clear his vents which in the cybertroian version of sneezing.

And hearing all the autobots walk past either shook the walls made things fall over, startling the two awake ready for a fight, only to be met with the room empty and the heavy footfalls of the bots. They groaned at being awake then flopped back down on the cot without hurting themself’s and that was a challenge itself.

This time when they woke up, it was to a taping on the walls. The one that faced the hall. Burshine getting up from his cot pillow, fabrics, and blankets thrown everywhere in his spot. Slightly hissing as his feet hit the cold floor and sharp pains cover the bottom of said feet. Stumbling towards the door he looks up at the culprit.

“Good morning Cliffjumper.” He greeted his voice rasping from sleep, “Morning Burshine, your cousin awake too?” He asked, quite cheerful despite it being so early, turning around to look at his cousin who is still buried underneath all the blankets and fabrics with only a foot and a hand sticking out underneath all that.

He can still hear his breathing and heartbeat from underneath all that fabric, he looked back at Cliffjumper “He’s still asleep, it'll be a while before he awakens.”

He informed him, but even if his cousin is up out of bed doesn't mean he’s awake. “Oh, I thought both of you guys would be up by now, this is roughly the time I found you guys yesterday.” Cliffjumper reasoned looking in the room seeing the still sleeping you man. Burshine knows the reason they were up that early to begin with, but decided not to tell him the reason, as it causes no harm.

Walking over Bushine shakes his cousin's shoulder or at least what his shoulder might be. This action only got him a groan from under the covers “Alex, you need to get up.” he tells him only got a whine mixed with a groan. “Alex, Get up.” he orders pulling at the covers. Alex finally pops his head up from laying down his eyes squinting at the light coming from the opened door and is disturbed sleep.

“Put your shoes on, come on, let's go get something to eat.” Burshine tells him tossing his boot closer, Alex on the other hand is still half asleep only making slow movements to put on his boots. Alex stumbles towards the door where Cliffjumper is waiting, Burshine grabs Alex's bag containing all his stuff and follows him outside the room closing the door behind him. 

“Morning Alex, Rest Alright?” Cliffjumper asked,  He only got a nod and a slow blink from him. “Youll have to pardon him, when he first wakes up he’s not going to retain anything you tell him.” Burshine explained while Cliffjumper transformed into his vehicle mode and opened the doors for the two young men. Sitting down in the seats they both put the strap over their torsos, Cliffjumper races out the exit towards town to get the boys something to eat. Maybe something different today?

☆•✧⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯✧•☆

“Hmm the base elements of this goo are like nothing I’ve ever encountered.” Ratchet ponders looking through a microscope, while a nearby screen shows the molecule of the goo. 

“Must be extremely consecrated to affect Arcee so rapidly.” He murmured out loud to himself, taking hold of a pair piler shaped tweezers. “Unfortually complete results are slow coming without the use of proper diagnostic tools, thank you very much Bulkhead.” he griped at the progress being slowed down, taking the sample he collected on the glass plate and walked over to the decontamination chamber intending to clean some of the tools he used and to properly store and contain the goo. 

Not seeing that a single drop of the goo landed on the busted claw bulkhead mentionly broke, seeing the goo work its way into the crack and crevices of the device the light pulsing purple before the broken object started twitching. It rolled itself rover right itself upright with the claw cylinder shape starting changing. The claws become sharper, metal shifting making a barrel from on top of its body in the center a giant glowing purple eye sitting on top. This thing was no longer the claw part of a tool for Ratchet, instead it became something else.