Chemical Rebound Chapter 3

"I'm gonna freak about what?" June asked as she strolled on to the med bay, not having any view of the berth that the transformed children sat on.

"Uh, hi Mrs. Darby!" Bulkhead exclaimed nervously, "when did you get here?"

"Optimus bridged me in. Now, what exactly am I going to freak over?"

"Well-" Ratchet cut off the reply before the green bot could say more.

"The children have come into contact with a form altering type of nanites that managed to enter their blood streams a week ago. They have now been transformed into various mixtures of different creatures, and will be un able to revert back until the command nanites that I injected them with take position in their brains, and get accustomed to their brain waves."

"But they will be able to change back?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fairly positive that they will, and also have an untold amount of control over their transformations."

"May I see them?" she asked after a slight pause. The medibot lowered a servo to the ground for her, and then moved the nurse to the berth. June wasn't too sure how she felt when she saw the assortment of creatures before her. There was definitely surprised, and a hint of fear at how big they were, but the foremost emotion in her mind was awe. The black winged cat that approached her was easily the size of a full grown Clydesdale, and its head towered a full yard above her own. She was retched from her shock at the sound of her only son's voice flowing from the massive feline's maw. "Hi mom, are you ok?" As always, his tones were soft and comforting; nourishing and cultivating a sense calm that he had perfected over the past decade to relax her when she came home stressed from work.

"Am I ok? What about you? I knew you would be taller than me one day, but this is ridiculous." She replied with a hint of humor as her gaze strayed to the other two. She was fairly confident the smallest of them was Raf, though still as big as a very large bullmastiff, and Miko, the largest, was as big (if not bigger) as an elephant.

"We're fine Mrs. D! Ratch said we'll be able to change back eventually, so no big!" Miko reassured. It was quite humorous to hear her high pitched voice come from the huge mouth of her new form.

"Yeah Mrs. Darby, we're fine. We may not know exactly we will, but in the mean time we can see what our new bodies can do." Raf said as he jumped off the berth that was easily twice his height.

"Well, you won't be going outside. Being as it is, I'd rather be able to monitor you all. You can go to the training room. It's built for roughhousing." Ratchet informed as he made his way in that direction.

They all congregated in the training room, each going over what they thought their new abilities would be. Raf was very fast, easily out pacing the other two on the Autobot sized treadmill. He would easily be able to keep up with 'Bee in a race; plus was much more agile due to his smaller size.

Miko was quite the opposite. Like the boy genius, she took after her guardian. She was all muscle. Jaws that were able to lever and crush just about anything she was given. (including the servo of her guardian who tried to catch her long tail before she whirled around and clamped on his extended appendage. She is still apologizing.) She could push and pull the full weight of all the bots (save Optimus), and had proved so with a series of tug-o-wars. (It took her a while to beat Bulkhead.)

Jack had participated when he was asked, but stared pretty secluded most of the time.

He was feeling a bit overwhelmed again from being in such close quarters with so many, but at least it wasn't with his sense of smell this time, though the deadener had worn off around an hour ago. The scents weren't that bad in this form. No, he was trying to block out the different mixture of emotions he was bombarded with from his friends. The different levels of joy, excitement, and slight apprehension were enough to cause mild overloads on his mind and leave a growing nauseous feeling in his gut.

When he had tried to discreetly leave, the medibot had requested that he remain with the rest of them to continue monitoring. Not wanting to argue, he had reluctantly taken up residence in a distant corner of the room, clawing and ripping at a training dummy in an effort to help block out the wave of emotions that weren't his own.

He nearly jumped out of his fur-clad skin when the deep baritone of Optimus Prime sounded no more than a few feet behind him. "Jack, are you alright?"

"I… I'm fine. Nothing I can't deal with. No need to worry big guy." Jack half heartedly reassured as he made to walk to another corner. That is until he felt a large appendage on his wing.

"Jackson, I would find it easier to not worry if you were to share your troubles. You informed me before you changed that you were overwhelmed in the presence of others. Are you still feeling so?"

The onyx feline's large gray-blue eyes glanced at the bot with indecisive hesitance, "I've gotten kind of used to people coming to me for someone to talk to, though I'm not use why. It feels strange that anyone would want to know about me. Why do you?" UP until he met Miko, Raf, and the bots, most everyone avoided him. Well, except the oldest kids in the high school who hung out at the park to study. The bookies tended to like him a bit, but he had lost touch with them after they had moved to collage. So he distanced himself from the majority of his peers, because he wasn't comfortable with their misunderstanding stares. He couldn't find enjoyment in the things they did, and they had shunned him for it. Then he met his new friends, and had opened up a bit, though he tried to keep his inner opinions to himself for fear of more ridicule.

"I ask because I care, Jack. We have been given a taste of who you are and who you can be, and I do not wish myself or others to be deprived of your refreshing persona via a problem you feel is unworthy of our efforts, or fear of being shunned for nonconformity." Optimus answered with reassuring tones. "Please answer me. Are you feeling pressured by our presence?"

The ebon cat glanced at the ground by the large bot's peds. He remained silent for a moment before the red and blue bot knelt in front of him and took his chin between the thumb and pointer digits to direct his gaze to the bot's optics. "Jackson?"

Their emotions are tolerable for a while, but… it is starting to fray my nerves a bit. I can handle it though."

To be truthful, the emotions themselves were not what were uncomfortable, but just receiving those emotions and having his own run through his head was enough to make him feel mildly… the best way to describe it would be motion sick, though he would never say so out loud.

Optimus looked like he was going to say more, but was interrupted by the hulking form of Miko slamming into his back, just barely stopping himself from falling on top of the feline in front of him.

"Whoa! Opt! I'm so sorry, are you guys OK?" Miko exclaimed in-between light pants.

Using the distraction for what it was, the onyx feline slipped away from the other two and padded quickly to his original corner. He was becoming disoriented from the constant exposure to the foreign emotions and went into a meditative state in order to try and counter it.

He focused on his center, pulling at the calm reserve that he had cultivated since he was young. He was so deep in his own rituals that he didn't notice the cease of all activities around the room.

When Jack had delved into his calm reserve, it spilled from him to the other occupants of the rom. It took Optimus a moment to realize that the sudden calm sensation that was pushed onto his senses was not his own, and sought out the source. He scanned the room to find the rest of his team and two of the children held similar looks of confusion, but Jack, sitting head bowed and eyes closed in the farthest corner, was seemingly immune (or the most effected ) to the emotional wave.

A deep, booming purr erupted from the ebon cat's chest, and the apprehension at the foreign sensation of emotion dissolved into nothing as the calm engulfed his spark.

Then, he stopped, and the sensation was gone, though the calm was still there. The room was now very quiet and ringing with silence.

"What… What was that?" Raf asked, shattering the fragile silence.

Optimus shared a look with his medic before both turned to the panther sitting in the corner, eyes now open and… 'Is that fear on his face..?' the red and blue bot thought as he opened a com link with Ratchet.

/Do you suppose that this was Jack's doing? / The medic asked.

/I do. Do you think this is an after effect of his exposure to the nanites? /

/No. He must have had this ability before. He may have been born with it. He did always try to distance himself. The injection of the command nanites must have intensified his natural abilities. /

That made sense. If he felt distrust or apprehension in the presence of those he knew when he was young, he might have been much more reluctant to be near them, thus, his self seclusion and the continuation long after due to habit or natural development of his abilities.

/Would you be alright if I were to take him else were? / The Autobot leader asked.

/I think that might be for the best. /

"Jack, please come with me." Optimus said in his most calming tones as he headed out of the room.

He led the large feline out if the base to the top of the silo. The moon was just coming up off the horizon, the sun setting in the opposite direction, painting the sky a dark rainbow of colors.

Jack's POV

I was a bit apprehensive of the conversation that was bound to happen, but all negative feelings fled at the sight of the gorgeous scene before me. I have always loved the sunsets of the desert. They always displayed the most vivid colors I have ever seen. The deep shades almost like liquid to my eyes. The stars that spotted the great sea of the sky were like chips of ice, and the light wisps of the life forces that inhabited the landscape glowed faintly against the expansive desert scenery. It was simply breath-taking.

After a few moments I was pulled from my musings. "What is occupying your thoughts, young one?" The deep baritone of the Autobot leader seemed to accentuate the surreal and tranquil mood that surrounded them both.

"How much do you see?"

When he didn't answer and I felt his confusion, I continued in a soft wistful tone. "Do you see the life that surrounds us, even though the land seems barren? Can you feel the soft waves that each life form emits? Do you hear the whispers of tones or the echoes that bounce off everything it touches? Can you feel the life that simply thrives despite the ever present promise of the silence of death? How much do you see, because your song is so beautifully intricate, your waves firm and confident, your wisps of life bright and venturing? What have you seen and experienced that has tampered your very being into an aurora as spectacular as the scene that we stand at now."

The confusion had lifted mostly, and was replaced with awe. I could feel his mind working for an answer, and his gaze, who had been roving over the scenery, had settled on me, his optics filled with a curious wonder.

I suddenly felt an intense wave of ice ran through my veins. I missed anything he might have said, because I felt the fur on my skin receding back, and my form shrinking.

It didn't hurt, but it was definitely strange. By the time the transformation was finished, I was crouched on the ground… As naked as the day I was born, though I still had my wings and tail.

I moved my (still fairly large) wings around my prone form, tail curled closely around my legs.

"Uh… I think I would like to go inside now. It's kind of cold out here."

Later 3rd POV

Well, as it turned out, all three turned into their new 'half' forms at the same time. June had taken the liberty to head back to the house to pick up some replacement coverings for them, and bring plenty of bedding. (Because neither to the younger humans wanted to be seen by their parents) So for the time being, they were making themselves comfortable in the base.

"Judging from the new data that I have acquired, you should all be back in your human forms with complete control of your transformations in around twenty-four hours." Ratchet stated as he came out of the med bay.

"That's a relief." Jack stated.

He was about to settle into the make-shift bed that they had set up when he spotted a spot of light on the floor right behind Arcee. It twitched and twirled with each of the blue and pink bot's miniscule movements, and he had the biggest urge to try and catch it. So without giving it a second thought, he started prowling along the edge of the room, always keeping the fluttering light in view. He didn't notice his partner watching him with a confused expression on her face plates. He got within pouncing distance and crouched, the tip of his tail twitching faintly and cat ears forward and alert. His hips swayed unconscientiously as he prepared to leap, and just as he was about to make his move, the cycle-bot shifted to one side, causing the little light to dart away. All of Jack's senses flared as he sprung after the reflection.

Recognizing what it was her partner was doing and never missing a beat, Arcee angled her plating to control were the little glimmer went, and watched with immense amusement as Jack tore after the illusive fluttering glow, body staying close to the ground and never getting less than a few inches behind the fast, shinning spot.

The scuffling sounds he made echoed across the room, and soon attracted the attention of the rest of its occupants. The boy was so enthralled with his current, self appointed task that he wasn't even aware of the increase in amusement emanating off of his friends. Arcee directed him with the little reflection from one end of the room to the other, never allowing her partner to touch the tiny fleck of light.

June was delighted that her son had become so comfortable around other besides herself that he allowed himself to play (albeit like a cat) in their presence. About half an hour later, Jack was sprawled out on the ground, sides heaving and extra appendages lax. A very faint giggle slipped from his lips and he glanced at the rest of the room's occupants. "What are you all looking at? Haven't any of you ever chased a little light around the room before?" his voice was dripping with good natured sarcasm. He rolled onto his stomach and got to his feet, then made his way back to his bed.

Miko got a mischievous grin on her face, and then went about her own stalking; only her pray was a bit livelier than a reflection. Jack's tail was poking off the end of the bed pallet, swaying lightly in (to her) a taunting motion. She didn't take nearly as long in her stalking process, being a lot less careful and was much clumsier, but still got the basic form from instinct. When the ebon appendage went into a lull, she pounced, but was disappointed when she landed on nothing but the edge of the pallet. She turned a playful glare on the owner of her appointed pray and saw his wry grin.

The girl lunged at the older teen, and with him still in his playful mood, he accepted the challenge and they lightheartedly wrestled on the large padded platform. The girl tried to pin her larger peer with her new found strength, while the boy remained elusive to her endeavors. Jack, in order to keep the game going, leapt from the pallet and darted around the legs of his autonomous spectators. Miko took off after him and tried to corral her older friend into a corner where she could pin him down.

The boy saw what she was doing a bit too late to avoid being cornered, but with a burst of inspiration, he ran as fast as he could at the wall and leapt at it when he was about five feet from it, all four of his motor appendages making contact six feet up said wall before he pushed off, and opened his wings at the same time, taking him right over his friend's head. His wings beat powerfully as he gained height and landed gracefully on one of the support beams that created natural rock shelves just wide enough for him to gain a stable perch.

"No fair! Who said you get to fly?" Miko complained as she crossed her arms with an irritated pout.

"Well, if you don't use your super strength, I won't use my wings!" Jack countered from his high perch.

"Who said I was gonna use my strength?" Miko asked.

"Who said you weren't?"

"Quit stalling and let's get back to the fun!"

"But this is fun!"

"No it's not! Fun is pinning you to the ground!"

"To you maybe, but I think taunting you from here suits me just fine!"

"Just get down here!"

Jack got a mischievous glint in his eyes before he complied, albeit not the way Miko was expecting. He dove from his perch and dive bombed her, grabbing the tip of her tail (making her yelp in surprise) then letting go at the lowest point in his dive as he adjusted the angle of his wings to redirect his trajectory and bring him back up to land on another perch across the room.

"Dude! Hands off the tail!" She exclaimed exasperated.

"Oh? You gonna make me?" Jack taunted.

He dive bombed her again and swiped at her ear, but this time she caught his tail, swinging him a bit, trying to ground him, but only managing to redirect his route before she lost her grip. His new flight path sent him strait at Optimus, who had turned from the play fight momentarily to comment to Ratchet, and was startled by a flurry of wing beats sounding close to his audio receptors and a weight settling on his shoulder. He only just stopped himself from reacting violently to the sudden intrusion to his space.

"Whoa! Sorry Optimus." Jack exclaimed.

"It is fine Jack. Perhaps it would be wise to settle your selves for sleep. It is late."

Jack got a sad expression, but nodded and glided down to the soft bed substitute, though Miko definitely had objections to the plan. "But we just started! Can't we go a bit longer?"

"No, I think he's right. I could go for a bit of shut-eye right about now."

Miko pouted, but complied and the three teens gathered on the padded mat. Miko settled on the side closest to the TV and flipped it on to a scary movie. Jack gave her a disapproving look. "What? It's a slumber party. We gotta watch a horror. It's like, tradition."

Jack shook his head with a small smile before he settled down on the farthest end with Raf between them. Bulkhead dimmed the lights, and Miko was out like a light not half way through the film, though the same couldn't be said about Raf and Jack. The older teen had delved into his calm reserve again, but he was adding to his reserve instead of using it so it didn't spread to his friends. He found out long ago that he could save his calm feelings (and/or any other emotion he may need to draw on) into reserves deep in his subconscious. He never knew just how much time he would need to have stored in them for the next time he needed it, so he gathered when he could.

The youngest teen was trying to ignore the film as best he could, but the sudden screams and foreboding sounds emanating from the TV were seeping into his mind, setting him on edge and making it impossible to relax. The movie soon ended, but the fear never left the boy. All of the bots had moved to their rooms for recharge, and had left the teens to sleep (or in Raf's case, stew in his own terror).

Jack, who had just come out of his meditative state to get some sleep, finally picked up on his younger friend's frightened state. "Raf? You OK?" he whispered.

The boy jumped slightly at the older boy's voice and stared at him with owlish eyes full of fear.

Jack couldn't leave his friend like that, not scared out of his mind like he was. "Come here Raf." He coaxed and pulled his younger friend closer. He whispered a quiet stream of comforting coos and drew some of his newly stored calm out, and funneled it to the boy as he stroked the skin behind his large, velvety ears. It didn't take long for the older teen to squash enough of the fear in the younger boy's mind for him to drift off into a fitful sleep, curled into a tight ball in the curve if Jack's body. He continued for a moment more before he followed his comforted friend into the blissful realm of dreams.