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
Flight
When Wing woke up, the jet would find himself far from alone. His internal clock said it had been almost a native week, and there was a sense that Achat hadn't moved fast on his end. Having been semi sedated for his residence to help calm him down, as well as keep heading to earth, just at a slower pace. In the room, Wing would find himself snugged, though not trapped in the space between a green bulk of a mountain, and that mountain's arm. There was a sealed energon can balanced on the arm for Wing, and the green mech, Blukhead was snoring.
A giggle came from just out of sight on the mech's chest, Miko laughing at her guardian as is vibrations just made her tab out the wrong glyphs. "You're hopeless sometimes big guy. But I love you." she said.
Wing chirred gently, blinking sleepily at the cube then at the giggling human. It took him a bit of wriggling to get more comfortable and into a position where he could easily drink. He felt the nearly completely muted bond to Achat full with lingering grief and pain, the giant was a long way from moving past that.
The jet carefully grasped the cube, opening it and sipping with a pleased rumble, all the while keeping a curious optic on Miko and her guardian.
The girl hadn't seem to notice Wing waking up, but then the wrecker was snoring and she right there on the center of his chest. Miko lifted her data pad, frowning at it as she talked about everything and nothing. Just rambling as she practiced her cybertronian.
"That's crystal not rockshim kid." Wheeljack's voice suddenly said from where he was on floor sharpening his swords as we all checking his other weapons.
"I was close!" Miko tried, glancing over. Apparently she wasn't rambling to the recharging Bulkhead after all.
Wing struggled free of the heavy arm, peering down at Wheeljack. He watched him quietly work on his swords and sighed. "If you even out the movements you'll get a better edge to your blade." He grinned then eyed Miko. Trilling in Cybertronian, slow enough that she might be able to understand him. "Hey wild one."
Wheeljack looked back and up, arching an optic ridge before looking at what he was doing, lifting the blade and peering down it from a few angles to see if it was uneven.
Wing giggled at Wheeljack's expression. The jet was feeling well enough to joke, since no matter how hard the search for Crystal City's spark had been, Wing simply didn't allow the bad memories to drag him down when he knew he couldn't do a thing to change what had happened.
"It's even," Wheeljack was saying in the background, but was taking time to check.
Miko giggled and grinned, setting down her pad and scooted over to look down at Wing. "Hi." She flopped and propped her chin over her folded arms, legs kicking in the air.
The jet chuckled and reached up to gently stroke the girls back. "Easiest way to get a laugh is telling someone they're doing things wrong that they do routinely. Worked with me too." He purred softly, happy to be surrounded by friends and cuddled. The jet finished his cube and glanced thoughtfully down at Wheeljack, who was busy again with maintenance.
"I'll remember that," the girl grinned, not minding the pets for now. Then she laughed at the vibrations from her guardian as he shifted, "Quick! Before he rolls over on you!"
Wing blinked and climbed out of the green mechs hold, since the Wrecker below had no sword in hand, he dropped forwards right onto him, purring innocently, "Hey there."
The mostly white wrecker paused, a hand reaching to the one of his energy pistols. He tilted his head in an attempt to see the jet, "Good to see you not dead after all." Wheeljack said in return, rumbling as he heard Miko start the trek down to the ground.
Churring softly, Wing nuzzled the Wrecker. "Sure felt like it. Achat has muted himself as much as he dares without blocking me entirely, he took it worse than either Prime or me." Sighing he scrambled off the other mech and flopped on his side, a good imitation of an exhausted pet, with the adorable expression and all.
That had the rough mech leaned away for a moment, surprised at the action, but calmed down as his filed smoothed out. "I would imagine, from what Prime said, and what Cliff' has described." He said, letting Wing be as he leaned over to grab a kit, than with the speed of long practice started taking his firearm apart, then started on cleaning the parts one at a time.
Wing hummed softly. "Infection is a living nightmare. There are parts of Crystal city that are unaffected, many mechs are still there that live a fairly normal life. Normal enough to have contacted humans eons ago." The jet explained quietly, remembering the mural they had found. He glanced to Miko who was finally on the ground and moving over to them.
"Would there be any there?" Miko asked as she climbed up the white Wrecker's pede and standing on it. "Optimus said this city place was underwater."
"I don't know. I suspect there are some, but I really can't say for sure." Wing admitted, watching her. "Come cuddle?" He asked shyly.
Miko stared up at the flier, debating for a moment. Then she smiled and shrugged, "Okay," Miko agreed, climbing up to Wheeljack's lap, but before Wing could get her, the Wrecker reached down to stroke and rub the girl's back, grinning.
"You make such a good pet sparkling." He teased, and grinned as the human femling razzed up at him, but hugged the big hand. Miko really did seem to love the two Wreckers, and also had slipped in under Wheeljack's thick armor as well.
"Yep very good, though I think she does sparkling better than pet. Too unruly for a pet." Wing teased, reaching over to prod Wheeljack. "If you keep her I will need someone else for snuggles..." he purred amused, holding no grudge that the Wrecker easily distracted her.
Wheeljack picked Miko up and offered her to Wing, the girl giggling at the action. "Not just any sparkling."
"I'm a ~Wrecker!~" The teen proudly said, striking a pose with large fingers wrapped around her middle.
Wing facepalmed, then reached out and took her. "That you are, you also are utterly adorable and cute, like a fluffy little plushy." He grinned and rolled onto his back setting her down on the cockpit on his chest.
"I'm not fluffy!" The girl protested, wiggling under Wing's hands before calming down, and peering into the cockpit with a thoughtful sound, "Soft but not fluffy."
The jet gently played with dark hair. "And this isn't fluffy at all, hmm?" He calmly stroke down her back, purring deeply, the vibrations of it carrying throughout his entire frame.
"Well, maybe." the girl shook her head, her hair moving a bit as it was tied up at the moment. Then she sprawled openly, pressing the side of her head against Wing to listen to the vibrations as well as just his systems.
Wing churred, going lax with the simple distraction the youth provided. "I think I really need to go somewhere remote and have a few hours of just flying. And maybe meditate again." He sighed softly, feeling the deep seated unease from the memories, he felt out of balance like he had never before.
"With the Prime sitting in the desert, I think you can be aloud out too," Wheeljack said, starting to reassemble his weapon, charged and checked it a few times. It was slipped into subspace as he set his swords to his left, between him and Wing, and reached for another to clean.
"Desert you say? Might mean I have enough room to actually take a passenger along. I do need a bit of runway for that." He snickered, full aware of the girl on his chest listening. "And definitely enough space for some true dancing."
The human stopped kicking her legs, paying attention more if possible as she tilted her head.
"Yep, that's where we're at." Wheeljack grinned, "You never came up to the surface the normal way did you?"
The jet shook his head. "Nope. The only time I ventured outside was when we scouted in the forest." He admitted, shifting Miko around to sit up, still holding her in place against his chest. He liked having the barely there weight and soft energy field of a human close to his spark. It was refreshing and somehow took the edge off of everything.
"Not a lot to see out here." Miko said, shifting so her side was against the mech's chest now that he was up. The girl paused and added, "Though it is kind of pretty, and the off roading rules!"
"Have you thought about my altitude ceiling. I can easily reach above normal planes without the pressure or breathing problems." He told her, gleefully. Her body wouldn't take the extreme maneuvers he could do, but considering he planned to fly for a few hours he saw no problem in taking all three children up if they wished it. He would still be able to get some sky dancing in after making the kids happy with this opportunity.
"Ooo...what about the squishage factor?" The girl paused, looking back as Wheeljack snorted.
"Wing wouldn't let anything happen to you femling," The wrecker said, glancing over and tilted his head back to bulkhead, "Not just because of him, but he would give himself nightmares about it."
"So its okay?" Miko asked looking between them, but her waiting for the grounder's aprovel, squeaking happily as she got a nod.
The jet smiled softly, rubbing her back as he stood up. He glanced to the recharging Bulkhead then to Wheeljack. "Want to come along, since he's still recharging?"
The grounder shrugged, putting together that second weapon almost without looking, "Sure, let me put something on Bulk so he knows he didn't roll over and hurt the kid."
"Bulky never moves in recharge when I'm around." Miko piped up, resting a chin on the mech's armor.
Wing hummed softly. "Leave a note then." His namesakes wriggling from their tuck in badly contained excitement.
"Go ahead and go check in with the Prime before you start flying," Wheeljack said as he got up, the hunched mech stretching before gathering up his swords and the other things he was working with.
Wing chirped in affirmative, then walked out of the room with Miko. "Let's collect Raph and Jack then you can guide me outside to Optimus."
"Jack's at work, but Raph should be gaming with Bee," Miko said, wrapping her arms around one of Wing's fingers.
Purring the mech almost bounced through the corridors to the main room. Chirping at both of the gamers. "So who's losing?"
"The monsters!" Raphael called, grinning as he looked up from the game for just a moment, Bumblebee was churring excitedly and playfully, having a controller his size that looked almost like the boy's.
Walking over allowed Wing to see what they were playing and he snorted, "Want to keep smashing monsters or come outside for a round of flying if Optimus allows it? And in your case, Bee also." He asked the young boy while absently petting Miko.
"Fly?" Raphael asked, and his guardian paused the game to save the characters.
-Fly?- Bumblebee echoed, tilted his head and chirped quizzically. Him? Fly? The scout wasn't sure about that, but he turned and asked if Raphael wanted to.
"Like in the open air?" Some of the boys building interest dampened as he remembered what Miko had explained.
"More like safely tucked away in my cockpit." Wing explained amused, wings fluttering from their tuck again.
"Bee won't fit," Raphael giggled, and again as Bumblebee trilled a laugh and made a motion of a sparkling, his optics glittering. Then churred as he picked his human up, winglets twitching away as he lead the way outside.
"Did not expect him to. He'd have to cling outside to my frame... which would be the worst addition to my aerodynamics in a long time, but also look funny." He grinned and idly padded after the yellow mech, glancing down at Miko and Raphael. "I'll leave you two to convincing Optimus that it's safe to come along, you pull the adorable cute face of better than me."
Miko laughed, "I saw you do a good one a bunch of times already." She turned, trying to get up Wing's front, if he would let her, and to his shoulder again.
The white mech let her, his pinions flattening against the nacelle. "You think he can resist me and both of you?" Wing suggested conspiring.
-Not all four of us.- Bumblebee said as he lifted Raphael, giving the boy a nuzzle, and then chirped in the direction where Arcee was at the main computer and scanner for her shift. The blue femme gave a back handed wave and stared the outside door opening. Not minding them leaving at all, as Bumblebee knew where to go to avoid humans. Optimus was out there too.
The scout held his charge close, acting like a big brother, or maybe even a first time carrier. Bumblebee paused just outside the massing platue that hid the half underground base, letting the warm desert air filter over sensors and into intakes. He knew the smell of rain, the clouds forming a pocket around them so it was still sunny, but soon one of the desert rain storms was going to start. What had made him pause was something of a different adorable, something Wing likely would save- and send to his mate or creators, as well as Miko whipping out her trusty cell to snap some pictures.
Raphael hand held on after the nuzzle, tugging on the almost ever present battle mask. "Bee? Please?" He begged the scout, who shifted, winglets twitching before it slid back, and a small smile formed as Raphael leaned against his guardian and best friend.
The jet almost instantly crooned. "D'aww, that's adorable. I think we won't have to do a thing, Bee can kill with cute." He teased, patting the other mechs shoulder lightly. "Get going, show the way, Lord Adorable."
The scout, flustered, buzzed and holding his charge close looked about to just transform and drive off. With the equivalent of blushing, as Bumblebee wasn't used to using his adorable-factor like Wing was, and started to walk to the right, along the edge of the vertical wall of stone.
Wing followed closely, he purred softly. "You know you really don't have to be embarrassed about anything." He looked around, noting there were few obstacles and little civilization around.
Bumblebee mumbled something, that had Raphael giggling again and hugging his guardian's neck, "This is Jasper, Wing," He said peeking back at the flier, "There's not many people over at the town itself, even less who come out here to the Mazes."
"Good to know, less of a chance to get seen." He bustled after them grinning when they finally reached Optimus.
The Prime had settled into a patch of sunlight, partly under and overhang, but folded into his truck form. It was semi-sleek, with an interesting edge of primal, mechanical beauty in the lines. Even with the warn paint and scratched chrome, it looked wonderful for a grounder, a charge in a way to some fliers. There wasn't much visible blue on the red frame, but a few interesting things hung inside the cab, a few even glittered. Presents from the kids. Optimus shifted and opened his door invitingly as Bumblebee set Raphael down, hovering close in case the small boy needed help climbing into the semi truck as the Prime purred.
Wing watched, then simply plopped down, mindful of Miko still settled on his shoulder. He quietly took the scene in, enjoying the sun much like the semi did.
"Hello Wing." The Prime rumbled softly, sounding relieved to see the flier, and not minding when Miko climbed down to get in him as well. Or the thump of bumblebee 'pouncing' lightly on his bed, wiggling teasing fingers at the human. "How are you? And Achat?"
The jet flopped on his back when Miko had climbed off. "He's growling and grumpy, sounds much like my carrier after a nasty surprise. Especially mad they slowed his journey down. Will take him a bit to get here since his engineers decided to take his warp engines out of commission." He sighed softly, weary. "I'm as well as expected. Unsettled but that's something only flight and meditation can work out of my systems."
"I thought as much," the Prime said, Optimus watching as small hands batted at the grey fingers poking through the open passenger side window. "It may have been some vrons since I had fliers under my detect command, so to say, but I have not forgotten. There should be no human flights over and around this area. The humans here call the dessert canyons and plateaus here 'the mazes.'" He chuckled, "If you stay in the area you should be safe from detection."
"Hm." He made the non committal sound, leaning up on his elbows to glance through the trucks windows, grinning, challenging the kids to speak up for themselves.
"Can we go up with him?" Miko asked, scrambling and wrapping her slender arms around the big steering wheel, half on it, partly on her way up to the dash, "Please? Pleeaaase?" She glanced to the side for support.
Raphael looked up from reaching for the integrated computer in the dash, tucking his hands under him, "I'd like to go too Optimus... but not really high..."
"I think this would be up to Wing," The Prime said, his tone indulgent to the human-sparklings, full of affection and in his field was the distinct feeling of want. Optimus wanted a sparkling again, and these humans were the closest he had, and there was a creator feeling of him.
The jet grinned amused. "I do not see a problem with it." He stood up, then turned a bit and folded down into his jet mode.
Miko dangled out of Optimus' window staring with wide eyes as Raphael peeked out behind her. "Whoa..." She muttered looking at the Cybertronian alt-form.
"Do you wish to stretch your wings first?" The Prime asked, keeping his doors closed at first.
"Them first. The weather is good for me to fly for quite some time. Giving the first flights to them is better than having to stop when I don't want to." The jet chuckled softly. "I might have enough room for both of you but I think it might be better to take each on their own. Not that you have totally different preferences." One got the impression of a smirk from the alien jet.
"Me first!" Miko paused before falling out, looking back and waiting to see that Raphael didn't mind. Then yipped as the door she was balance on opened, and Bumblebee lifted her free before getting up and stepping to Wing with a chirp.
The jet wriggled his wings in invitation, the cockpit glass split and slid to the sides, giving her enough room to flop in the seat that was meant for someone about twice her height. "Buckle up, Miko."
"Um..." The girl looked around when she was slid in, touching the edges of the mock control panels and poking at the seat, "This is huge!"
Wing snorted amused. "The design came from a species long since extinct. Other stunt frames at home share the frame design. It's one of the most agile and lightest frames my size." He explained, using small diodes to draw her attention to the not quite hidden straps.
With a few sounds of effort, the girl managed to pull the straps down and start clicking them together. "Ouff...so mechs take forms from other worlds too?"
The jet nodded, rather dipped his wings. Alt modes really made reading the gestures harder if one wasn't used to it. "Look at your guardian and the others. We sometimes get fond of certain alt modes, so we keep them, some scans get integrated into the once global database, so others may build frames based on them. My creators knew I'd stay much smaller than them, and my tendency for acrobatic stunts as youngling led them to upgrade me into this frame. And I'm too fond of it to change it to something earth made, mostly because I have yet to find something appealing."
"That makes sense I guess." Miko said as she considered it, trying to tug the straps tighter around her small frame. "Ratchet keeps saying he wants his 'coils' back." she added, giggled and asked, "Um...help?"
Wing giggled and gently pulled the straps back into their housings until they were snug against her. "He had a hover car as mode back on Cybertron then. I can understand him, it so much smoother a ride than wheels." He slid the cock pit close, the normally tinted glass perfectly clear as if it wasn't there at all.
Enough so that Miko had to try and reach out to touch, grinning and pulling out her phone to take a picture of Bumblebee as he touched a finger to the other side. The scout gave a light scolding, not translating but playful, as if reminding Wing to be careful as he backed up and out of the way
Wing shifted his voice to a conspiratorial one. "I shall never bring her back! Haha!" All with the evil laughter as his engines whined to life and he neatly accelerated across the uneven ground, then was up in the sky with Miko, setting himself up for a simple circular fly over. "Anything you want, loopings, barrel rolls, corkscrews?" He suggested, already calculating the top speed he could take for the maneuvers without nauseating Miko or doing worse.
"Loops!" The girl cheered, still pressed in the seat.
The jet speeded up, slower than a fighter jet but well faster than any normal plane as he pulled up, then twisted his frame into the loop. When he was back in his original position he went right back to going higher. Above what normally would be cruising altitude for airliners. Then he flipped onto his back, flying belly up. "Enjoy the sights."
"This is so much better then coming to the states!" Miko squealed in delight, first clinging to the straps, then tossing her arms up, on hand holding her phone to get pictures.
Wing chuckled, leaving her to making the pictures. Then he twisted around and pointed his nose straight up, straining his engines until he was as he could get, just enough that one could see space beyond. He stayed there for as long as his engines allowed, a bit more than a minute maybe, then cut them and slowly started to drop, twisting around, noise pointing straight down. "Freeeeefaaallllll."
Miko had enough time to strain and get a picture of the darkness and stars, hoping it would turn out. She, admittedly let out a, "Eeeeeeiiii!" In a mix of delighted fear and enthusiasm, clinging onto the straps holding her with a white knuckle grip. As much thrilled as afraid, though more thrilled at the freefall, as likely this might never happen again.
The jet vibrated in delight, purring happily as he dropped several miles down again, igniting his engines slowly to bring them around carefully. Abrupt stopping would have been possible, just not with the human on board. He lazily sank further down, a downward spiral giving a nice view of the land beneath them.
"Oh...wow... Looks so much better up here," Miko gasped, trying to get her breathe again.
Wing hummed softly. "It does. Many worlds look better like this. There's nothing better than getting the overview, seeing how everything merges together, a large harmony of the surroundings that you just can't grasp from the ground."
"Being a mech is so cool, that you get to do things like this," Miko threw her arms up, as if into imaginary wind, "all on your own!"
"Yeah. It's a wonderful thing to be free of everything and just fly for the enjoyment." He filtered warmed air into the cockpit, giving Miko a breeze to enjoy. He rolled gently onto his side, spiraling tighter towards the ground.
That seemed to delight the girl to no end, and she mouthed something with, 'I wish I...' Before a happy whoop came out at the sudden motion, laughing as she watched the ground at this odd angle.
The white jet purred happily, flopping on his back in the air again, flying as if he had never turned upside down. He went further down, skimming over the tops of the plateaus scattered in the desert and then the spot where Optimus and Bumblebee were with Raphael. He was just so fast enough to not drop out of the sky.
Bumblebee warbled a greeting up to him, waving as Wheeljack was seen transforming to let Raphael sit on his hood. Wing wriggled back down at him, then pushed himself upright, nose pointing upwards as he throttled his engines, literally standing upright in the air for a moment before shooting straight up again.
Once more he had a little human happily giving mock-screams of fear as she enjoyed the flight, but even with him being careful soon Wing would have to land to give the young frame a rest. The jet giggled then dropped down with a long drawn half loop, pulling a corkscrew at the end before slowing down to land.
It seemed he timed it just right, as Miko was clutching the straps and part of the false controls, "Ooooo...Wing... I'm starting not to feel good."
Wing purred. "Your body reached its limits, you go and flop across Wheeljack's hood while I go and take Raph for a round." He chirred softly, setting down as carefully as he could, stopping close to the others and releasing the straps as the false glass slid aside again.
Bumblebee came over, peering inside with a chirp, and then gave a light purring as Miko gave in and just held out her arms to be picked up.
"Bee? I don't feel good." She said with a pleading tone, not resisting gentle fingers and gripped the armor of his chest after being picked up, "So freakin' cool and worth it...!" She sighed.
The jet hummed softly. "Good to know a little nausea is worth the living rollercoaster. You should drink some water and rest." He advised quietly, Wing had done his homework obviously.
Raphael was looking over, not having made it past Optimus' grill, pressing against it as he took in Miko's reactions. He wasn't so sure about flying now.
The jet watched Raphael insecurely standing there. He sighed softly. "Raph, you don't have to be afraid. Miko wanted a rollercoaster, she got one. You want sightseeing, you get that. I'm not going to do something you don't want."
"Not 'really' fast?" The boy asked pushing his glasses up, needing the extra reassurance, even as the massive truck moved the inch forward to press against the youth and nudged the boy into stepping forward.
Wings wriggled in affirmative. "You saw how slow I was when I passed right over you. That's the slowest I can manage, above that is a limit that you set. I can go way faster than you could tolerate, but that's for unmanned flight." Wing sounded distinctively hopeful that Raphael would fly with him. He chirred softly, patiently waiting for the boy, despite the restlessness of his EM field betraying him to the other mechs.
Wheeljack rolled forward, letting Bumblebee put Miko on his hood, rumbling reassurance to both humans. Almost at the same time Optimus gave a deep purring, half using the engine. The mech ever so gently nudged Raphael again, and after one more moment he came over to Wing, waiting for his guardian's help to get up. Then Bumblebee placed the lighter, smaller human inside of Wing, chittering a set of chirps and whistles that only the boy seemed to understand, trying to help with getting him strapped in, one hand on the jets back.
Wing was warm to the touch, vibrating from the restlessness and giddy enjoyment. He had no problem with letting the scout strap his charge in. Courteous as Wing was he patiently let the young boy settle down. "Just say when you feel ready."
The boy shifted, having to tug at each strap before he pushed his glasses up again, the held onto the harness. He looked up at Bumblebee, getting a purring sound back, and with the approval of his guardian he nodded a little shy. "Okay... I guess I'm as ready as I'll be."
Only after that did Bumblebee step back, the scout moving out of Wing's way. Giving just a tiny sound of worry, but trusting the Knight none the less.
Wing slid the cockpit shut, giving the young boy an unmarred view of the outside world as he took off. Flying a lazy circle over the spot they had come from, he was in what most humans would associate cruise speed for normal planes. He made his way unhurried across the landscape. Rolling gently through the sky, the movement far less abrupt and more even than with Miko as he rose higher.
The boy slowly relaxed, still hanging on to be extra sure, but he was staring with wide brown eyes. Full of quiet awe as he turned his head one way and then another depending on which way the Knight was banking.
"Wow..." He muttered, holding his glasses in place, "I can see the old mine shafts!" The boy pointed to a section of the Mazes.
Wing purred deeply. "And next you get to see space." He speeded up, banking upwards, not straight up but enough to press Raphael back into the seat. The boy squeaked, sounding more like a sparkling then he intended, clinging tight and tensed before making himself go limp to watch what was happening.
The jet hummed reassuringly. Pushing through into the upper spheres to the same height he had taken Miko. Allowing Raphael to see space.
"Oohh wow..." The boy breathed as he looked, and then pointed at something up, glittering well out of Wing's range nearer to the moon, "That's where the space bridge was."
Wing eyed the debris the boy meant, humming softly. "Too bad you couldn't get control of it." He sighed softly. "Want to have the slow descend or rather freefall like Miko? It would be similar to those tower rides you have in theme park, just a much longer drop and less abrupt stop and no wind." He quietly explained.
"Can you do both?" Raph asked, for the first time pressing against the straps to see the forming curve of his home world.
The jet rumbled softly then started to loose height, seemingly floating down, he decided he would wait with the freefall until they had left the altitudes of space watching. His human passenger seemed to really like this, watching the world become even larger, and lightening up. He squirmed in his seat before stilling to just watch.
Wing slowly went over into a nosedive, taking far longer than he would have for it as his engines cut out for the drop, leaving Raphael in the eerie silence of the thin air, the white frame largely dampening the sound near the ground, it wasn't audible up here at all, even the slight hum of Wings other systems barely registered.
The boy hummed and then pressed down into the seat for comfort as he stared at the landscape. "Wing?"
"Yes, Raph?" The jet answered with a purr.
"With the others coming... does that mean... or, I mean." Raphael shifted and asked while safe with just Wing to hear this worry, "Are the Autobots going to leave when Achat comes?"
Wing hummed thoughtfully while engaging his thrusters again, leveling their flight path slowly out. "No, I severely doubt it. While Achat might settle on another planet or the moon, he can easily be reached through bridges. I doubt Optimus is willing to leave you and your planet unguarded."
"Bumblebee said there's a lot of mechs coming," Raphael sifted and asked, "Do you think any will help?"
"It's an entire city coming. There are some who might help, some who will help, but many who won't. In the very least the Autobots will have a steady supply of materials and energon." Wing explained.
"I hope they do, if it means anything," Raphael said, using a more hugging hold on the straps, "Optimus is so sad, and the other bots too. They hide it but I can see it sometimes, Jack says he can feel it most from Optimus... does that make sense?"
"They fight a war older than me. I can imagine." Wing sighed softly. He banked slightly, descending further in a wide spiral.
"I hope Optimus will be happy more- and Bee too." The boy lifted his head, being sorter then Miko he was lower in the seat and less view of the world outside, at least closer things.
The jet purred softly, rolling onto his back, giving Raphael an upside down view of the world. "They will have a lot of things that were eradicated with the war back in reach. Optimus will likely immerse himself in the libraries. We added a lot of things to it. Imagine Ratchet not having to repair with insufficient materials and tools that are in better shape too."
The boy fumbled to keep his glasses in place, looking 'up' at the moving world at this angle. "Do you think he, or the new medic... can help Bee? Ratchet almost as sensitive about that as Bee is about his voice, his real voice."
"Yes. Repairing that won't be much of a problem, we could do a full frame rebuild if necessary. Although I am sure as heck keeping far away from the medbay when Redline and Ratchet meet. And Redline starts growling about all the work he's going to have." Wing said, shuddering at the thought of those tempers clashing.
"I think Ratchet's done a great job, being stuck here," Raphael, held one hand to his head to hold his glasses, the other reaching out to pat at the cockpit, "Can you turn back up?" He asked, uncomfortable now.
Wing rolled gently. "He has. But I know he's hating the limits he has."
"Like Jack's mom when she just has band aids." Raphael said softly as he remembered the two acting alike, and the boy lifted his hands to the spots under his shirt where he knew was the energon marks he had, shivering in reflex in the memory.
The straps tightened in a gentle squeeze of comfort. "There's a theory that the grouchier the medic, the more empathy and care he possesses. They have a deep desire to help, but doing so with insufficient materials wears on them, it's like an itch you can't scratch. The knowledge they do less than what they know they could because they don't have what they need."
By now Wing was low enough to be seen again and he banked to the side slightly to allow Raphael to see that they were passing Jasper.
"I can see where I live," The boy giggled despite himself as they started back to the Mazes area.
Wing chirped happily. "You okay with another upside down flight? Passing right over them, let them see you?" He asked, enjoying this relaxing cruise as much as he had the stunts with Miko.
"I guess," Raphael held his glasses in place again, "But not too long?"
"Just for passing, after that we are going to land." Wing assured the youth as he headed directly for the small group, rolling onto his back as he slowed as much as he could, allowing Raphael to get a good look at them from up here, and for them to see him. Once they fully passed them he rolled in a gentle corkscrew that ended up with him flying back towards the group and upright again.
The human youth had just time to wave at his guardian, and Bumblebee waved enthusiastically back. Waiting for them to land and help his charge out, chittering excitedly as he asked how it was. Soon his gentle hands lifted Raphael free of Wing, letting him transform again, or get ready to take off for his own solo flight.
The jet did transform, pulling a simple cube of energon out of his subspace, it was obviously still a ration from Achat since the color was a bit off from what the Autobots had on earth. He downed it in one go, padded over and hugged the Primes alt form, before taking off, transforming mid air and shooting away fast enough for a sonic boom to reach the group a moment later. By that time he was already dancing through the air.