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 the proper chapter 9 up O.o so here's the update for that, look back at "Dark Energon" for the formally missing chapter!
Atlantis
Matrix
Optimus rumbled as he led Wing into his room, his optics moving to the two ancient objects that were more than just relics. The Star Saber of Prima hummed a silent greeting for To Pure For This World from where it was mounted over the Prime's berth, and the Forge of Solus Prime was resting hammer side down against the wall in the large room, quiet and dormant. The big mech moved aside, humming as he waited for the Knight- and his own living sword's reaction as he purred.
The small mech followed without a hitch, greeting the relics in turn and admiring both of them. He glanced up at Optimus for guidance, looking just the tiniest bit lost.
"Its alright," Optimus assured, resting a hand on the smaller mech's shoulder then cupping his face.
The jet nuzzled the hand briefly then moved over to the ancient sword, brushing his hand lightly across it's hilt and guard, cooing happily at it. Then he eyed Optimus again, wondering what he had in mind.
The Prime touched the handle of the Forge, feeling it react to him, not exactly how the sword wing was, that would only be held by a prime. "This can be a short time, or a longer amount." Optimus started to explain, and hesitated afore a moment before motioning Wing all the way back up on the berth as his chest plates loosened, "And you have to... 'meet' so to say first."
Following was something Wing did without fear or hesitation; he pulled Too Pure out of its brackets and settled it against the wall next to the berth. Knowing that as long as it was in field distance it would react to him and guide him if necessary.
Then Wing hesitated briefly before crawling up after the other mech. Hesitation came less from what he suspected was about to happen, but rather from having no clue what to do.
"I assure you Wing, you cannot hurt it, nor will I hurt you." The Prime said as his chest plates parted and opened. A minor transformation sequence, and a second heavily armor section in his chest pulled back, lighting up the room- that seemed dim now. It was... it was everything, the complex and smooth crystal, the true Matrix that was behind the gold and silver housing. Hope, love, power of creation and so much more that couldn't be absorbed at first. It was the conduit to Primus after all.
It drew Wing like anything shiny ever to cross paths with the eager and curious jet. He scooted closer, barely acknowledging that he had straddled the others frame as he reflexively cooed in awe. Speechless for once.
Optimus chuckled, leaning back a little as he lifted one of Wing's arms by the elbow joint. It put the jet's hand almost over the Matrix of Leadership. The crystal, the same size of a spark even rotated like one in its casing, showing interest right back at Wing.
"You may touch," Optimus said softly if the Knight needed to hear it.
Wing curiously reached out, mesmerized by the shiny object as much as by the power it radiated. He traced the housing, holding the spark trapped within the Matrix, fingers gliding over the sides. He slowly moved closer to the crystal, brushing gently against it, whether his touch was merely curious or something more wasn't really distinguishable with the white knight.
Contact had an unexpected result, energy pulsed and connected to Wing. A thread touched his spark and for a moment the world was split, doubled in to different visions. That other image, so strong Wing could see it not just in his mind but from his optics. Of an massive chamber that was dimmed, a shimmering wall of what looked like energon was up right and wavering like the surface of water. Standing in front of the glowing wall, before reflex to pull away from the Matrix (and there was a background sound of many whispered coming from the crystal, was this what the Prime heard all the time?), a tall but lean mech was standing infront of the wall of energon, his orange wings held out as he smiled at Wing, as if waiting for him.
He extended his hand, this new... or not so new mech. He looked like someone Wing had read about.
Wing was unsure of what this was, but he had never allowed himself to back away from a challenge. Fear was a short moment of insecurity before it wavered and fell away to the strong curiosity and enthusiasm that made Wing who he was. He grasped the hand crooning curiously like a sparkling that wanted the treat it somehow knew was meant for it.
The hand felt real and strong as the bigger jet grinned, "Hello brother." he said, for now Wing's world was here with him with that conection.
The young white mech blinked. "Brother?" He asked tentatively.
"Yes," The blue optic mech grinned, "Though your creators are not mine Knight. I am Airway Convoy."
More confused blinking followed before Wings processors caught up, "One of the civilian Primes!" He exclaimed, and then fell into stunned silence for another moment. "Wait... WHAT?!"
"In a term yes," Airway inclined his head, reaching up to his chest. "Though not many know that Convoys all, are technically lesser war Primes. Given our Matrix shard is merged with our sparks. But mostly we aid the civilians of our world. More when the Primes must focus on defending."
"Why me out of all mechs?" Wing realized it was probably a question that was asked every time someone was confronted with this. He sighed and rubbed his face. "Better question, what happens now, what is expected of me?" He asked shyly.
"You're not a Convoy yet, little brother." Airway laughed, clamping the white jet's shoulder, "You have to earn it, and your spark has- but you also have to prove yourself to the shard of the matrix that watches you." The orange and white mech turned, pulling Wing to the shimmering wall.
Golden optics went about as wide as they possibly could. "Then we will see if I can prove myself." He purred humbly, knowing that he had no clue how to prove himself but also knowing that if he stayed true to himself he would most likely prove worthy without knowing it.
He allowed himself to be pulled, unafraid of the other mechs intention.
"You're about to be judge on your intended task, if you realize that its your choice yet or not, but we only have a short time, and I need to show you someone that will help you when they come, and if you do become a Convoy." Airway looked at what seemed to be his reflection at first, then it dissolved to be more like and out of body memory, he was leading Autobots on an alien world.
Wing nodded quietly, staying close to the larger mech, purring softly. He couldn't help himself, nestling against the long since gone mech's side. He watched what was displayed, trying to discern what Airway meant.
"This is my death," Airway said, unbothered by seeing it again. He pointed to a thick looking mecha, one that transformed and fired his- or her, cannon firing on command of the Convoy, "And my former second's rebirth into a Convoy to replace me. She, he, which ever she's going by now, was Bypass. Changed her name to Byway in my honor she said." Airways optics soften as he looked down at wing, stroking wings.
The jet chirred softly, listening intently. "Byway is still alive then?" Picking out the important information he looked closely at the frame in question, it would make recognizing this convoy easier, "Where?"
Airway watched himself get separated, and overwhelmed but not stopping. He even remembered dropping the emptily guns and resorting to hand to hand, then claws, then falling in battle.
"Byway is the commander of the Autobot space fleet," Airway said watching the Decepticons being crushed under the tank that was wading in after his body, fallowing after him in what she had thought was her death too. "When Optimus ordered his Autobots to retreat from Decepticon advance, he moved them to defending those evacuating, including your own city and his mate. To become living shields to give them a chance at escape and peace. Byway has been protecting a mobile population, waiting for word from our Prime to come back to Cybertron, or another world." He grinned, and there was something there he wasn't saying yet.
"So it is likely I will meet her soon enough, hm?" Wing asked, giving Airway an amused look, he knew the Convoy was hiding information but not what. He chirred softly, knowing the price had been high for the cities to escape. Crystals panic jump was testament to that.
"If your carrier can bring himself to approach others of our kind, that aren't directly under his command, sooner than you think." Airway smiled, "I don't know what Byway's form is after she changed- you will likely not, as you are not a warrior in spark- but she will always be a tank if I know her."
"I like my wings and stunt frame thank you very much." The small jet retorted. "No way I'm going to give my agility up. And I can't say how carrier is going to act, though I do hope Achat pulls rank on him... he's already done it anyways. You should worry more about Carrier not blowing a gasket when he finda out about everything..." He giggled, thinking of something. "If I prove myself he will probably sit on me to keep me out of trouble."
"If Byway or the Prime haven't already sat on you," Airway purred, tweaking one of the folded wings out to admire. "I do not know much about what you will do... or I am not allowed to know. But I will tell you this Knight, tread lightly in the crystal halls. The city is not the same as you know from your Sire's memories and stories. She's in stasis- but mad, angry and in pain, we can feel it from this side. Something happened to the Crystal leaving Cybertron."
"I think I'd like not to be sat on and cause all the trouble I can." Wing grinned then sighed softly. "After what Optimus said and that Crystal is here... on Unicron, surrounded by his essence... I cannot imagine that she would be healthy. I just hope she will heal again. Achat misses her and I always wanted to meet her."
"It is not Unicron who affected her, it was on Cybertron." Airway corrected as he looked at the wall of energy, shimmering and rippling like the oil pools. He put a hand flat on Wing's back.
"That what caused her to panic?" Wing asked uncertainly. Not sure what on Cybertron could've otherwise affected the femme Titan this much.
"Something did, I do not know what." Airway shrugged, paused and vented before pulling Wing into a tight hug, lifting the smaller mech up to press their helms together. "Be safe brother."
The jet snuggled close for a moment, nodding. "I will be. Don't worry, everything will work out." He purred, confident.
Airway smiled as he lifted Wing off him, and then threw the smaller jet into the wall of energy. Back to his body, where only three seconds passed since he touched the humming Matix.
Wing chirred confused, then eyed Prime, slowly lifting his hand away and sitting back, staring at the Matrix weirdly.
"Had an interesting reaction?" Optimus asked gently, "The crystal ball is a conduit after all, not just for Primus."
The white mech nodded slowly, "Very interesting. So what now?"
The Prime tilted his head, and hummed, focusing inward and on his Matrix, activating it truly. The energy was warm and it felt like someone was giving Wing's spark an embraced. A faint echo in the background like a proud sire and carrier watching, and reaching to stroke unseen on the side of the near spark.
"Try not to get flooded," Optimus said softly, supporting Wing for now in case of random moments that the Knight would need as he adapted to the Matrix energy.
The jet purred deeply, staying where he was and simply let this feeling wash over him, cooing contently. "Feels good, very much."
"Yes," Optimus agreed, purred back, "A Matrix can start connecting sparks in a range, or help look for one. To see if its in our world, or the well of Allsparks. Through your mate Wing, I think we might find Crystal City's spark."
Wing curled up, eyeing Optimus. "He's aware of our efforts." The jet informed him quietly, concentrating on the bond to Achat and the link within the Metrotitan's spark to the lost city.
Optimus nodded, unsurprised as he rumbled, "I need you to help guide Wing, because of you link to Achat, and his bond." The Prime leaned forward, holding the Knight so their helms touched, "You may touch the Matrix if you need to." The leek of power from the artifact was growing, extending out as Optimus made a physical link so Wing could see what he did in this state. No visual sensors really, but bright lights all around, many close to where they were... The Autobots? ...and smaller flickers like that of newly created sparks, only not housed in a second spark chamber.
Wing looked around in awe for a moment, unsurprised by what looked like new-sparks where he knew it was the human teens. He shifted his focus onto Achat, then further to the link hidden in the city's spark, feeling along the secondary bond. At the same time he pushed Optimus along towards lights that felt like the femme Metrotitan then towards what most definitely had to be her.
Optimus couldn't do an overly wide spread sweep-scan, it just didn't work that way. Getting a feeling for the bonds and then testing the direction first before slowly reaching out. There were a few specks along the way, struggling alive, pulsing contentedly or flickering out. The Prime hummed in pride, joy and crooned in grief when he found these, and it would take some nudging to get him focused again. The Matrix was attracted to life after all.
Wing crooned gently, a few of the sparks close to the newsparks felt like the city he pushed the Prime along that way, towards those who most definitely were Crystal's own consorts. The Matrix touched one, carefully feeling for the health, brushing another, and then the third almost had Optimus jerking off the berth, if he hadn't braced himself. Both physically and in memory of what had been going on in the Exodus that the Knights hadn't known about.
The flash was... horrifying in a word. The Prime gripping Wing as the spark-imaged flashed to something like reality of a nightmare. A broken mech that should have been dead, but with veins of dark energon wrapped around his spark- keeping it in this world but the mind overwhelmed and damaged into a purple optic monster that was half way to being an unknown beast-former.
Terrorcon.
At least one infected mech was patrolling the crystal halls.
The keen wasn't the jet's but that of his mate, the old mech crying out for both the mech and his other half. Wing watched with pained optics, cooing at Optimus and the Matrix to just move on. Her, he urged on to find the city's own spark. Her, to find out what had happened on earth. Where is she?
The Prime pushed slowly, struggling as he found more half alive sparks... and something else that was and wasn't like the infection. One of the Knights of Light that had stayed in Crystal City, there was something wrong, unclear what but also a sense that this spark knew something. This one had to be found as well... and then Optimus warbled as he found what he was afraid of.
The Metrotitan spark. She was buried in darkness, dark Energon had worked into her spark chamber to crystallize there, as well as many other areas, and through the Matrix he could see the long 'slender' lines of purple-black curling over the spark itself. Not dyeing yet, or kept half alive, but folded into stasis to fight off the attack- wanting to keep it from her bonds even though the old spark was shifting, echoes of who she was, and flashes of rage from the infection.
Optimus was only just starting to shield himself, he knew it was going to be a failed attempt to keep Achat from overpowering both him and Wing but he tried.
The ancient mech did overwhelm both with his grief and pain stricken keen, not realizing when he physically shorted the small jets vocalize out. When it faded enough for Wing to push Achat back, the young mech quietly sank in on himself shaking from both his own and his mate's sobs.
He didn't dare pull away from the connection, instead the young to be Convoy pushed deeper, demandingly. Where?
The Autobot struggled against the weight, pressing and then shoved firmly back against the grief and demands. He had to extend his own will as Prime, using Wing, the living swords and forge- clinging to his Matrix as he reached for the crystal titan spark.
"Tell me where." He ordered and pleaded, for Achat, for the smaller jet that was struggling more, unknown that in the real world he was holding Wing against his exposed Matrix, arms locked. Then it started, wavering but Crystal City's memories of leaving. The other half of what happened back on Cybertron to make her panic.
The young mech let go of what little energy he had left to struggle when the memories pushed a wave of panic and terror through, he allowed it to wash over and through him, only when they finally stopped did he dare to struggle back to regain his equilibrium.
Wing knew it was utterly useless to try and stay rational, he couldn't and he knew. He also did not dare to cling to anything, it would not have made it easier to him to be held emotionally aware when a torrent tried to tear him apart. Instead he had gone along, living the memories as if they had been his own.
Something reached out, gripping tightly to Wing's spark- it felt like a Great Sword really, but an anchor line, or thread through the memories.
It was from a Metrotitan's view, linked with Achat to start with, watching everything. Crystal City gave a keen of fear that only her kind could hair as she pressed into the bond, seeking comfort from her mate and protectors as many small feet ran back and forth, Knights where pulling civilians in from the non living city frames to the core cities. The full ranks of Autobots forming in sight and that heighten, sensitive side she had telling there was something wrong with the planet under them.
~Achat... you're right, we must go.~ She said over the mate bond, finally gave in, and in that moment she stopped resisting her mate as well as her City Commander and Dai Atlas. The sense of danger for her was coming from below them, not the pulse cannons of the Deceptions.
The jet went absolutely quiet, watching the memory. He gently forced Achat to watch, forced the giant to for once listen to his consort and behave.
He nuzzled against Optimus clinging to the Matrix and the Prime's presence.
Crystal City keened as her last guardian, Omega Supreme returned, but remained in the Autobot ranks, glancing back as she sang to him to return. To leave with them. Omega sent a warble of farewell, as one of her oldest friends and guards turned his broad back with every intention of ending his spark if he had to, to give the two Cities more time and cover. Achat was tugging on her, like the same sensation when he would stand or transform to alter the inner city lay out. The Bigger Metrotitan rising in a differ way, to a ship form that hadn't been used in a long time.
The glittering city keened again as she finally obeyed Dai Atlas and Axe, rising as well, having to break almost completely from her mate as she was a little behind. Then the keen turned to a howl as something hot, dark and far too fast to fully let her react came up from under, stabbing into her under side before the armor plates closed. Dark energon was coursing into her frame, using her own crystals to travel faster. Crystal City didn't think, she panicked as many things happened at once to her, overwhelmed to block her bonds. The connections between the joined cities snapped shut- forcing Axe to crash into the sudden door, separating him from half of his group of Knights that were making the last minute dash back to their city. She could see the dark energon infecting her residence, the dead deceptions and even some wounded Autobot she had taken in. The infecting was using her own body to conduct, and Crystal City saw it was aiming for her spark chamber and...
"Achat!" The shining titan roared in panic, and jerked, firing thrusters on one side as she literally tore parts of her frame off, leaving them still attached- in a way those sections also house the most vulnerable residence. Achant would make sure they were folded into his armor.
But Cybertron was infected by Dark Energon- that horrid stuff that should have been locked away. She was infected- and by the pits would she let her beloved mate be infected as well. Colored energy formed in rings over her frame as she blocked the mate bond down before making a blind jump into deep space, determined to put too much distance between her love so he wouldn't fallow closely and be in danger of she couldn't get the Dark Energon off her.
It tore another keen from the Metrotitan, watching and reliving the memories of losing his mate. Achat had locked his true frame away from access for himself, forcefully muted himself to avoid keening the audials of his residents off. Knowing that he would hurt them. Nothing but his field and the vibrating walls of the living city gave away in what kind of misery he was. Wing curled around Achat's presence, trying to sooth the pain, reminding him that they had a chance to save her now.
Optimus Prime growled as he pushed, halting the flow of memories to gasp and vent hard, trying to get the heat out of his frame, for a moment of being himself instead of a conduit. He was aware of Ratchet there beside them, wanting in a way to stop but slid back, letting himself bow under the Matrix and feel for the rest, to watch what happen- where Crystal City had jumped. How she hit against a moon, and then turned to the one planet in system that had water. Seeking it to cool the burning in her frame, keening at the Knights that were struggling with the infected terrorcons and the failing gravity.
He watched, traced the ancient continents. Optimus saw the impact the sinking under where only a few towers rose out of the sea. Isolating whole sections of her frame so the few remaining live residants could live in a tower and wait while their home batted a whole different fight with her spark. The passage of time, rise and fall of organics until something closer to this time. With humans. The mech rumbled and watched the Knights retreat under the sea... to about there.
Then Optimus shoved, heaving back his will to push Achat off him, to pull away from the damage spark of Crystal City. The connation through him was closing as he started, then did drew away from within the Matrix. Resisting Achat as he pushed back before Wing was lifted off the Matrix and Prime, weakening the physical contact to the link.
Ratchet grunted, using both arms to lower the pale Knight down to the ground, "Come one kid, easy does it."
Wing barely responded. He whimpered and curled up, still shaking from the experience. While Optimus was rid of the grieving Metrotitan, Wing was not and no matter how difficult it was, he couldn't block the ancient mech, knowing he wouldn't deny him a shoulder to lean on.
Golden optics were offline as the shivering frame used what energy it had left to snuggle against the medic, clinging for dear life. The knights broken, hoarse voice was barely a whisper. "Gotta find her, heal her. Safe them."
Ratchet paused, glanced up to see Optimus looking back and nodded before the big mech laid back. He was still venting hard but at least back more to himself. "I hope the Knights can help calm their living home." He said, exhausted as he pushed his chest plates mostly closed.
"If they can't no one will be able to." The medic said, letting the jet cling tightly before pushing and prying at least to pick him up, "I'll take care of this one- you rest." And hope the decepticons didn't realize what happened, and guess that Optimus would be useless fighting for the rest of the human week. Blue optics looked down at Wing, half carrying him half supporting, and guessing the flier would be out of it for longer. He only moved to the other room, not caring that it was Bulkhead's, as the berths were almost lined up to put the flier near his great sword.
"Alright lad, its over now, at least that part." The old mech said, settling down to wait until the clingy mech was aloud to recharge.
It took a while for Wing to settle, he churred lightly, eyeing Ratchet quietly, unspoken appreciation for letting him cling in his gaze, then he pulled away and curled into a small tight ball, recharge claiming him almost instantly, even if this wouldn't be a nice rest cycle, but rather full of nightmarish memory purges.
"You can't recharge alone..." Ratchet vented and settled down, activating his coms to start sorting.