A/N

For ApritelloForever

Worlds United

World Still Full of Light

The shifting breeze of the open desert switched to the low hum of an engine beneath the metal floors. Windblade steadied herself, turning to Bumblebee. Techno Storm pulled away from the two, shuffling away, but Windblade was quick to grab him by the wrist.

"Now, where are we?" gasped Windblade, trying to take in the nondescript hall.

"Don't know, but we should probably find somewhere to hide. I'd rather not run into someone who knows another me," Bee grumbled, peering around the corner. "There's a door over here. Let's see where it goes."

"What if there's someone in there?"

"We'll knock first," winked Bee, rounding the corner.

Windblade chuckled, dragging Techno Storm. This may not be her Bee, but he wasn't far off. The way he walked, his jokes, it was like a mirror. It made her smile. She missed Bumblebee and maybe this is some weird sign that she'll bump into her world's version soon. She stepped up behind Bee, listening to him knock on the door. Silence. Bee glanced at Windblade. After a reassuring nod, Bee opened the door.

The room was too large to be a bedroom but too small to be a command center. Based on the equipment, Bee reckoned this was a lab of some kind. The lack of spare berths meant it wasn't a medical one, leaving it to be a science lab. Computers, scattered components, reminded him of…

Windblade listened to Bee audibly sigh as the doors closed behind them. He looked distantly at the devices and whatnot. She released Techno Storm, placing a hand on Bee's shoulder.

"You okay?"

Bee spun around.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just…remembering an old friend I haven't talked to in a while…probably should've stayed in touch better than I did," Bee nodded.

"I know how you feel," she nodded. "So, now what? We wait for him to…jump again?"

"Basically…it'll probably happen mid conversation," Bee hummed, looking around some more.

"Based on hum, we're flying," Windblade offered. "How high up do you think we are? Space even?"

"Hard to say," Bee shrugged, fiddling with some spare parts. "Man, I haven't flown on a ship in ages. Just ground or space bridge everywhere."

"Same."

Bee and Windblade jumped, listening to the sound of approaching footsteps. The soft clanks of bots coming close echoed as Bee and Windblade exchanged glances. Techno Storm ducked under a table, peering out from behind the leg. Windblade pulled her blade, raising it.

"Don't!" gasped Bee, reaching out.

"What?" snapped Windblade.

"First, we don't they're Cons. Second, we're the trespassers…" Bee spoke flatly, lowering Windblade's arm.

"Fine."

"Let's take a note from our crazy bot here and duck," Bee offered, ushering them back.

They stepped back as the doors opened. The two bots entered, oblivious to Bee and Windblade's existence. They seemed deep in conversation as they walked into the lab and the doors shut behind them. Windblade glared at Bee as the two froze in place. Even if they ducked in time, they were far more noticeable than the white painted Techno Storm. Windblade recognized one of the bots who entered as Perceptor, though his armor was slightly different. The blue one spotted them first though.

"Uh…"

Perceptor looked up from the conversation, spotting Bee and Windblade. He jerked back, slamming the panel beside the door. The blue raised his arms with a tilted head.

"This…is unexpected…" the blue grinned.

"What is going on here!" snapped Perceptor.

"Perceptor…" muttered Techno Storm, peering from under the table.

"I'm calling Ultra Magnus," Perceptor shook his head.

"You look like Bumblebee…but you don't look like Bumblebee," continued the blue, pointing to Bee. He turned, pointing to Windblade. "You definitelylook like Windblade."

Perceptor stopped, looking between the two. He grumbled under his breath, stepping back up beside the blue.

"IamBumblebee, and this isWindblade," Bee offered, gesturing between the two of them. "We're…from a different dimension."

"We just…I'm not in the mood for another adventure…I just want to stay back for once," sighed Perceptor, throwing his hands up exasperated. "I just…I can't. Brainstorm, this is your problem."

Brainstorm bobbed on his feet, clapping his hands together. Perceptor slumped into a chair. Brainstorm practically leapt forward, dancing around the two and speaking faster than either could process before falling to his hands and knees to reach eyelevel with Techno Storm.

"He's a Decepticon, with a red logo? How interesting!" Brainstorm finally spoke at a reasonable speed.

"Look, we're sorry for intruding," Bee offered, gesturing between Perceptor and Brainstorm.

"We didn't have much of choice," Windblade nodded. "Our transport is a little random."

"Transport?" perked Brainstorm, appearing in front of Windblade faster than she realized. His optics were wide. "How did you transport between dimensions? I know it's possible - I've done it. I've made it – but you don't seem to be carrying anything…"

"Wait, you've traveled between dimensions?" gasped Bee, stepping beside him. "Like, on purpose? Intended destination?"

"Not quite," mumbled Brainstorm, stepping back. "It was intended to be a teleporter back to Cybertron, but…wrong Cybertron."

"Still impressive though," Perceptor pipped up, "Just like the Time Machine…"

"You've made a Time Machine!" Bee grinned.

"Back to the point," Windblade chuckled, "Our transporter is that bot down there. He goes at random, and we don't know where we end up."

"Really?" purred Brainstorm, kneeling beside Techno Storm again. "I wonder how he manages that…"

"I just wish we knew where he was trying to go," Windblade nodded.

Brainstorm perked, jumping up. He turned to Perceptor, grinning under his faceplate. Perceptor shook his head, shoving out of the chair and hurrying toward the door. Upon unlocking the door, Brainstorm had his arms around his partner, escorting him back into the lab.

"We could totally make something that redirects that energy!" cheered Brainstorm, sliding Perceptor forward. "Redirecting and channeling that energy to lead us wherever this lil guy wants to go."

"We?" shouted Perceptor.

"Us?" gasped Bee and Windblade.

"We're all in this together now," giggled Brainstorm, jumping across the lab. "First, we just need to register the energy and then…"

Bee lost track of Brainstorm's conversation, listening to the random scientific nonsense the blue bot was spatting. Between parts of the conversation, Brainstorm would lean over to drag Perceptor back to the table. Windblade chuckled. She'd never seen Perceptor in quite the relationship as the bittersweet association taking place in front of her.

"Can you bring him over?" Brainstorm prompted, gesturing to Techno Storm.

Bee looked over to the still huddled bot. As they met optics, Techno Storm shook his head. Bee rolled his eyes, shuffling over and reaching down.

"C'mon, Techno Storm," Bee sighed. "They're nice guys, I think."

"Based on the Perceptor in my world, I can vouch for this guy," Windblade nodded, kneeling beside Bee. "And I don't think the other guy is all that bad. I bit excitable but…not bad."

"Perceptor," whispered Techno Storm, peering out again.

"Do you…know Perceptor?" perked Bee, glancing back.

"A Perceptor?" corrected Windblade.

Techno Storm paused, looking back to the two lab rats talking, before nodding. He smiled lightly. Bee grinned in response, holding out a hand.

"Then you know he's good."

Techno Storm took his hand, getting up from under the table. Windblade and Bumblebee brought Techno Storm up to Brainstorm and Perceptor, allowing the former to place a large harness onto him. Techno Storm jittered, glancing back at Bee. Windblade patted him on the back.

"What is this thing?" huffed Bee, watching Brainstorm hook up straps around the waist.

"It should register the energy levels and allow us to redirect or channel the energy properly!" explained Brainstorm, stepping back to admire his rush job.

"Should?" Windblade asked.

"It was a rush job," sighed Perceptor, walking away again. "I'm too old for this…"

The harness' straps along the arms began to glow, revealing to be pipes to the center piece, a large concave circle with pulsing epicenter light. Techno Storm whimpered, looking around. Bee placed a hand on one shoulder, Windblade did the same on the other side. Brainstorm leaned in, adjusting the straps again.

"Techno Storm," whispered Bee, "Where are you trying to go?"

The lights grew brighter, changing from soft white to green. Techno Storm's optics widened, staring forward. His body stiffened, and for the first time, he was absolutely still. With a deep sigh, he shut his eyes. The center light stopped pulsing, stopping on an overpowering glow. Bee tightened his grip, nodding to Windblade.

Perceptor watched as they began fading, and the split-second Brainstorm realized it and grabbed tightly onto Techno Storm's arm. The group faded without a sound. Perceptor groaned, leaning back in his chair. While he wasn't a part of this adventure, he would have to tell Rodimus.