I could tell as soon as I entered the hidden base, by the expressions on their faces, that they were worn out. Tensions were high. They always were, apparently.

The room was massive. It resembled a giant cavern with pathways branching off. The lighting was modern and lit the room well. Computers were scattered about with various other equipment mingled in and humans wandered from station to station. The symbol on their shoulders caught my attention as did the word 'N.E.S.T.' written below.

I noticed a short and round mech with green painted armor half turn to peer at us.

"Look lively!" Crosshairs called out, his vocals echoing inside the cave. "We got company."

"Fellow Cybertronians." Drift added.

I studied Hound before smiling. "If it's not what I spy I don't know what it is- is that friggin' Hound before me?" I threw up my arms as he strolled over, leaving his post at a computer.

"Layla!" He pulled me into a hug. "Well the Pit didn't take you!" He patted my helm before pushing me to arms length. "You've grown." I nodded. "I haven't seen you since.. Cybertron." He frowned.

"How have you been, old brute?" I arched a brow, watching with crossed arms as he rubbed his facial 'hair'.

"Handling everything, 'bout all I can do. Yourself?"

I shrugged. "Requiem and I arrived on Earth around one Earth week ago. Since then we've been learning through the.. Internet and making our way here."

He patted a shoulder of mine before flicking away a chewed on empty round cartridge. He spun to address the room, beaming to his comrades as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Listen up lads and lassies! These two are old war comrades. They fought for the Autobots before our planet became a ruin. Treat 'em like family, ya hear?" He shook me at his side, chuckling. "This red lass is-"

"I go by Flurry." I interrupted before he could give them my old Cybertronian name. He paused to look at me before nodding.

"Flurry.. and her brother Requiem." Requiem remained quiet but dipped his head in greeting.

I could see several bots in the room, some of which caused me to freeze at Hound's side. I first noticed Bumblebee had a spot next to Drift, who stood across from Prowl, who was facing away as he typed at a keyboard.

To the left by a large machine stood two Autobots I easily recognized: Sunstreaker and Jolt. Beyond them, arguing with a human, was Mirage and walking down a hallway by them was clearly Blurr. The loudest of them all was on the far right.. the dynamic twins.. the obnoxious devils themselves.. Skids and Mudflap.

Movement caught my optics as I glanced up to a rocky ledge set back and to my far left. A silver and red mech sat with his legs dangling from the edge, blue optics pinned on me.

"That's Zephyr. He comes from a long line of proud mechs and femmes of the war." Hound explained before gesturing to my right, a bit behind me. "That's his little mechling Gale." I examined the young 'teenage' bot who matched his 'father's' silver, but with blue instead of red as if to contrast. He paused when he was introduced, having come from a hallway that branched away beyond my view. He blinked, peering up from playing with some spare parts in his hands. Blue optics of mine met the cool black set of this youth.

"You must be Flurry." The child said in a low voice. His eyes were narrowed as he blankly stared at me now. His eyes shifted to my brother, just a bit behind me and to the side. "And Requiem."

"We are but.. have we.. met somehow?" The kid had this look like he hated us, but why? I didn't know him or his father and I doubted that my brother did either.

He shook his head. "No, but I regret it now."

His father, from his seat, acknowledged the conversation by stating; "My son has this.. gift. By studying a bot he can determine quite a lot about them. Personality trait.. attitude.. stats.. even what the spark truly wants." What did he mean by that?

I focused on the kid, stooped and rested on my knees to be optic-level with this mechling. I smiled at him, resting a hand on his little tensed shoulder. "We'll get along nicely, kid, but for now you should run along. Let the grown-ups talk." If the kid wanted to be cold and rude.. then two could play that game.

I heard an exasperated sigh from behind as I stood, shifting my gaze from the slowly fuming child to my brother, who was shaking his head with a hand cupping his face. "Leave the kid be, Flurry." There was this shadowy gleam to his optics, which were barely visible between his fingers. A shiver passed through my spark at this sight.. and for the first time.. I could feel this dark aura wafting from my sibling. I shoved it off, playing it as he was tired and cranky and to good reason.

I returned my attention to Hound, who had stepped away as I dealt with the youngling, as he approached me to re-establish a conversation. "Let's get you settled, aye?" We nodded and so the green mech led Requiem and I down one of the long hallways. As I walked I turned around to see one last glimpse behind.. and noticed something unusual.

Up above the moving bots.. on a 'rafter' set up high into the cave, above the entrance.. sat a shape mostly concealed by shadows. The mech, which it clearly was, had his armor painted a light sky blue color.. and his optics, the brightest aspect that glowed from his perch, were a penetrating white.

Hound halted when he saw I had stopped to stare. He grabbed my arm and dragged me along, Requiem on ahead of us.

"Who was that?" I questioned in a whisper.

Hound chuckled without humor. "Name's Snowcloud. He was a close ally to Sentinel Prime and friend to Prowl on Cybertron. He's a loyal Autobot."

I mused this mysterious entity as we turned, heading down another hallway.