Co-Authered by Kitra and Omicron

"Human spoken dialogue"
"~Human speaking rough Cybertronian dialogue~"
"Cybertronian spoken dialogue."
::Cybertronian communication/Comm. Line dialogue::
-Bumblebee's translation dialogue-

Added note: Somehow I missed putting this chapter up O.o so here's the update for that.

Atlantis

Dark Energon

When Wing finally stirred awake, he wasn't with Optimus, but had been gently plopped down with Blaster as she took her turn resting. Curled up against and almost under Wing's armor so close they were. The femme was making a soft clicking in her sleep, Blaster looking, like this, like someone Dai Atlas would latch onto after seeing the mini.

Wing gently stroked along her armor, looking around lazily, not really up to moving, snuggling sounded much better right now. He made a note to drag her along for cuddles in the future. The femme shifted and reached out to Wing's chest and pulled herself closer now that the mech had moved. She settled back into happy clicking with her cheek against the still polished white. The jet snickered, holding her close and settling back down comfortably, purring. Yes, he could get used to this a lot.

It took a bit before Blaster stirred, stretching out and relaxed, looking up at golden optics. "Hi... thought you'd want company while in that trance."

Wing snickered. "Yeah someone for snugs is always good."

"Yeah," Blaster giggled, and then again, "Is Achat up yet?"

The jet snorted. "He's busy complaining about all the sand and questioning his intelligence for having settled on Aelios in the first place." Wing nuzzled her, then rolled onto his back pulling the femme on top, "You living version of a plushy."

"Nah, that's the humans." Blaster giggled and then crooned, "They're so soft and huggable! I really want to know what the others haven't had a chance to explain about the three, being just young and exposed to Cybertronian does explain how the organics can read and even speak it."

"It's baffling, they're so similar to us." He chirped in agreement, petting her. "And you're as adorable as Raph. All cute and lovable."

Unless I'm fighting, Blaster thought, but kept it to herself as she nuzzling against Wing's chest, "Of all the ways to evolve, they have a protoform shape." She said before giggling, she knew one thing and was going to have some mischief with it, "I'm getting my new alternate mode today!"

"Oooh, something shiny but inconspicuous, eh?" He asked, trilling happily. He mulled the information over for a moment then decided to drop the topic.

"Maybe..." Blaster giggled again and added, "You have a whole range of native crafts to see, if you want to change."

"I doubt there's any so compact and pretty like mine." He giggled, poking her forehead with a finger.

Blaster tilted her head up and caught the poking finger with her denta, "Some are rustically hansom..."

"I know, they've got a few nice ones, but the stunt jets they have aren't suited to the speeds I reach, and I really don't want to sacrifice maneuverability or speed. Maybe some form of prototype." he shrugged and wiggled his caught finger amused. "Oh no, you have a hostage now." He giggled but pulled a theatrical face of tragedy off.

"You don't have to keep it, but it would be funny to see reactions of those other Knights." Blaster grinned, letting go and pushing Wing's hand to the raised audio fins, very delicate and very sensitive. She was trusting Wing and wanting a slightly different cuddle, not to overheat but something that was likely her off switch.

The Knight obliged keeping his touches neutral as he traced the frail sensors, purring deeply. "We'll see, though I think Achat might demand this form back, it's easy to catch and tangle me up in his machine arms." Wing admitted amused.

"He might want to dress you... up... to..." The femme purred as she was soundly distracted, humming no true tune but in that moment as she was put into a trance like state, that Blaster had quality in her voice box. It gave the impression of a Singer.

The white mech greatly enjoyed that, snorting at the half formed thought. He rumbled contently as she hummed.

Blaster melted now, just content with the world and able to ignore the war she spent a good part of her life in. She stirred at a com. ping, not at the voices passing the closed room. "Hmm?" Her optics flickered on, and then squeaked as her blue optics let up. "It's here!"

Wing blinked and let go of her audios. "What is here?"

The fans folded back safely as Blaster clung to Wing, then wiggled to be let up, "My new alternate! I'm going to have wheels for once...!"

Wing trapped her for a moment. "You could race away!" He squawked in mock outrage. "Not going to let my snuggly get away." He grinned then let her go after a bit of hugging restraint.

Blaster pounced on top of Wing after he did, then gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Not that you couldn't out run me."

Smiling he pushed her off gently. "Go and get your alt mode."

Wing waited until she was off before rising to follow. The Minibot giggled and bounced away, all sorts of mischief coming off her. Running to the main room, where a new human had brought the requested car to the Autobots. The jet sauntered after her, purring happily. It took him a tiny bit longer to follow, so when he arrived Blaster was already in the main room, all over her new altmode.

There was something red on the other end of the room, that Blaster was examining the little thing carefully, making sure she wanted it. There was a new human as well, giving the smallest Autobot a bemused look as Jack came trotting over to her. They looked too much alike not to be related, and that the teen greeted her as mom and hugging her. She looked like a very graceful femme, just smaller as she listened to the update of new mechs, and the return of Wheeljack. The woman glanced over at Wing when Jack mentioned and pointed to him.

The white jet beeline over, poking Blaster, "Shiny... tiny... adorable. Already looks like you." He snickered then moved away, flopping on one of the crates.

"I'll blend in then a mini version of Bumblebee," The femme huffed as she scanned the car, then her form shifted. The armor rippling and altering over the protoform, changing to that red color before transforming into her new compact form.

"Utterly adorable. Achat said you look like a box on wheels."

"I am!" Blaster trilled.

At the same time Arcee said, "She is. But cute for a near-ly there grounder."

"I love it!" The little matchbox of a car drove around the other femme, giving a little meeping beep of her horn.

Snorting amused the jet watched. "You even sound like a cute little toy car."

"She is," Cliffjumper grinned from where he was sitting to the side, then shifted to look down, "Hello June," He addressed the human woman that came over.

"Good afternoon Cliffjumper," June said.

"Can you give us a lift up?" Jack asked, lifting his arms as the mech leaned forward to pick both up, and set on the raised section where Miko and Raphael where playing a game with bumblebee.

Wing settled more comfortably where he was, quietly watching Blaster's rather evident excitement. Since he had nothing better to do, he pulled his Great Sword out of its hold on his back, setting it in his lap, together with a sharpening tool and some polish. Even being away from the Circle didn't mean he could slack off with his swords maintenance. Besides a happy sword was better than a bickering one.

"Wing, when your done," Optimus' voice sounded from the one hall the Knight hadn't been down yet. The big mech waited to see that the flier looked up and met optics to be sure he heard, but didn't demand him to drop and come. "You need to see something to warn your mate."

The jet looked up and listened then nodded. "Okay, might take a bit though." He went back to work, not so much sharpening the sword as removing small irregularities. Then it was polish until the entire blade gleamed. Once he finished he trotted towards where Optimus was.

It looked like several smaller rooms for storage, the ones closer to the main room for energon storage, sorting and refining. Somewhat crude or just... old looking. The state there's equipment was in was a bit sad, or so it seemed to look like it. The refinery was working steadily with all the raw energon that had been brought back. Farther along seemed to house other storage, and Optimus was in one of the back rooms, strangely empty but for one shielded stand. He was standing back, staring thoughtfully at the glowing crystal shard within. The thing was purple-blue, glittering like a raw energon crystal, even shaped the same. Except this seemed to have other shards inside it, reflecting the light.

Optimus Prime shifted, aware of Wing when he came, as much from the sound of his peds, but more so the Great Sword gave him away. He was ready to stop the young mech if he started coming closer to the crystal then the bigger mech was standing.

Wing didn't care for moving silent yet he nearly did. He stopped next to Prime, the sword's vibe utterly unhappy in the presence of what is considered pure evil. The jet whimpered barely audible. "What is that?" The young knights was overlaid by Achat's voice, making it clear Optimus had the Metrotitans full attention.

The Prime reached out, one hand on Wing's shoulder and pulling the flier into his field. As soon as contact was made the sudden heavy feeling coming from the crystal was overridden, or rather buffered against it. Optimus was using his Matrix to shield himself, and then extending that energy to shield Wing, as well as To Pure For This World at the same time.

"That, is Dark Energon. Very few knew about it, even less that we used to have it on Cybertron, protected by a Metrotitan." Optimus started, looking down to see if he had to use more energy in case Wing was more sensitive to the effects, though with no Unicronians in his line it wasn't likely he would be as much as Arcee was.

The jet instantly relaxed, strained whining replaced with a soft rumbling of jet engines. Wing moved just a bit closer leaning against Optimus. "How did it get here? Who kept it on Cybertron?" They both asked, Achat less curious than wary.

"The reason for keeping it 'on,' I do not know, other than perhaps study." Optimus admitted, looking down at Wing as he started to explain. "It was housed on an Unicronian station, a Metrotitan called Tripticon. He stayed in a high, far orbit, more so around one of our many moons then the planet itself."

Achat growled, hugging his consort mentally. "I barely knew him." He replied, then let Wing have his voice back. "So what does it do? How did it come to earth?" It was purely Wings somewhat frightened voice.

"I do not believe what happened next was Trypticon's fault, rather... the actions of Megatron and Shockwave." Optimus said, he glanced at Wing, "Dark Energon is also called the Blood of Unicron, it is the opposite of our energon. It will effect Unicronian decedents faster, but it can corrupt them as easily as it will us. As it did with Cliffjumper not long ago... and how Megatron had corrupted Cybertron, after your creators left." Starting just as the first wave of the exodus was leaving in fact.

"So they narrowly escaped that?" He asked quietly. "I cannot imagine the terror this must have caused. I'm easily enough affected by the pure evil it radiates, but I can't imagine people feeling it this explicitly." Wing nuzzled against the Prime, quivering in distress. He did not even want to know how Trypticon had lived through that.

"Many do not survive the first contact, and... the result is something you yourself may not wish to know, but there are still terrorcons on earth, as well as Cybertron." Optimus Prime said, rubbing the back of Wing's head, "If you do come across one, and the chance is there, do not get bitten and try to get to Cliffjumper if there are too many." He looked back to the crystal, humming as the visible energy shifted, as pretty as it was dangerous to the mechs.

Wing shuddered. "I'm fairly sure I can defend myself against them. Our swords come at a price, but using it carefully is not going to kill me." He huffed. "Though I really hope I don't get to meet those monsters." There was a wave of reassurance coming from Achat, enveloping the jet. If the giant had any say Wing would only ever know the injuries of penances or sparring.

"You do not have to risk your spark," Optimus reached behind, pulling out an old, but still carefully cared for battleaxe, double sided and looking much like one that would be in the collection of Wing's sire. "It may take a swing or two longer but they will fall."

Wing chirred eyeing the ax. "It's pretty and old." He looked at the crystal again, then tugged Optimus gently towards the door, he wanted away from that piece of evil.

The Prime hummed and stepped back, moving away from the raw dark energon crystal. He rubbed the back of Wing's helm, purring in a reassuring way. "Dark Energon is the true reason I ordered my Autobots off Cybertron, once the civilians were gone."

Wing followed, practically fleeing from the room. A full shake of his frame wasn't enough to settle his armor. "Scary stuff. How can anybody want this near them? I understand the desire for science... but otherwise? No, no and biggest no I have." He chirred, armor rattling from another shiver.

"I do not know Wing, except for the drive and greed for power can do sad things to one's spark." Optimus rumbled, his powerful field rippling a moment in a mix of betray, smoldering pain and a flash of something like fear, for others. Then it smoothed out a few moments later, the Prime always able to control himself, more so when not on the battle field.

The white mech huddled close to the larger blue and red one. He wordlessly stayed there for a moment then moved away. "I think I need to grab someone for more snuggles." He gave the Prime a slightly forced smile then eyed the direction of the main room.

The Prime gently rubbed Wing between his shoulders, not quiet on his Spot. "Go to the wash racks." He suggested, knowing his Autobots.

The jet nodded and padded away, purring. He made his way where he had been directed to.

Away from the main rooms, it was dark, to conserve energy. Mechs could see better in the dark after all, and it was mostly mecha here. At the end of the hall was a glow from the lights in the wash racks, the door open as there was no door. But in that light was both Jack and his mother, followed by Cliffjumper as he moved behind to guide them, or rather just meandering after. He paused and looked back, rumbling and then gave a chirp-click of greeting to Wing, grinning the warrior waited for the Knight.

Wing bounced over and didn't stop, no, he pounced Cliffjumper and grinned. "Cuddles!"

The red mech used his bigger frame to brace and hold onto Wing, then shifted and pushed him up and over one shoulder, hanging onto the jet's legs, "Cuddles eh? How about a bath first?"

"How about both at the same time?" The jet trilled and wriggled happily. "Noowwww!"

"Well good thing we're at the pool," Cliffjumper adjusted the moving jet, just kept a hold on as he entered the room that was more hanger to the humans. The red mech lifting and turning Wing around to the see the pool that was talking about.

With his wings tucked, his carrier could just lay down in it. It was made to be big enough for Optimus and Bulkhead to get in, deep enough that at one end they could stand around chest deep or just under, the other side kept shallow so Arcee, and now Blaster, wouldn't be out of their depth and able to sit down. On the far side was different scrubbers, and solvents- though with the humans here this time the chemicals were stored for now. There was also another side room that had been carved into the stone like the pool chamber, a place to dry off where, again the two biggest Autobots could side. Limited they mechs might be but they tried to make it comfortable.

Right now the humans where here too, Jake leading his mom to the far side where Miko was running from under something she used to change. The girl hopped into the pool with a gleeful sound, passing Raphael as the boy sat on the end with just his toes in the water. He couldn't swim on his own and was waiting for Bumblebee to finish his scrub down, or one of the other mechs. The yellow scout was sitting in the warm water, he had a blissed look on his exposed face as Arcee worked on cleaning his back, the sensor loaded door wings as well as everything else Bumblebee couldn't reach. The Autobot second in command was giving the young mech a softer look as she worked and he purred.

Cliffjumper shifted, setting Wing down after spotting Raphael on the edge, stopping from just tossing the jet in. He leaned over Wing to see who was submerged and enjoying the deeper end.

Wing giggled and looked down. "Ey Raph, away from the water, better for you." He warned and prodded Cliffjumper. "Toss me!"

The boy looked up, yipped and scrambled to get up and then run away, while Miko hurried to swim more to the middle of the pool. Then with an amused rumbled, Cliffjumper lifted up Wing off his feet and at an odd angle for him. Then heaved the jet into the pool, in the deeper end where, at the bottom Wheeljack was jolted awake from the sound.

Wings cheer was cut of by a splash of water. "Yaaaaayy-blrgl..." He blinked innocently at Wheeljack nudging the other swords mech, then he pushed back up, peeking out of the water. "Heeeeeey!"

He came up just in time to see Cliffjumper pouncing, it wasn't a full body tackled but sent the knight back under.

"Whoa," Miko said from where she was clinging to Arcee's back.

"I think a water fight is about to start." The blue femme said as Bumblebee wiggled free to join in.

Another sound from the jet got cut off by the water, thus time a startled squawk. When he finally came up again he giggled and eyed Bumblebee, splashing at the other young mech.