Chapter 20 – reunion

My Name Is
By Eminem

Hi.

Armageddon's POV

"Holy shit!" I swore, swerving but regaining my control, "Oh, my God! I thought you guys were dead! What the fuck happened to you?"

"Acheron?" Skullzy exclaimed, "you're alive!? We thought you were dead too! This is unreal!"

"You're telling me," I responded, "seriously, what happened? I heard the story about how the Gizmo Glasses apparently didn't work, but how are you here?"

"The Glasses did work," Fyromaniac corrected, "well... all of them but two. Massacre died during the transformation and Jumpy's malfunctioned, so she didn't get transformed. I was captured by the 'Cons, Skullzy followed me, then went back to the hospital to get Jumpy. She came back to the 'Con base to try and get me out, but both of them were captured."

I didn't tell them that I didn't know who this 'Massacre' person was.

Jumpy shrugged, "It wasn't bad. Blitzwing treated me good, he was like a big brother. Because Fyro and Skull are my friends, they also got protection by Blitzy, and we got to annoy the hell out of Lugnut. I got bored sometimes, so they let me work on this thing called a 'Space Bridge'. It's very interesting work. I finished it pretty fast, considering how big it is, and now they're getting me to work on improving it and other of their technology."

"After a while we just weren't prisoners anymore," Skullzy explained, "we were only allowed out of the base when we had to stretch our wings. By the way I'm a white Mikoyan MiG-29 and Fyro's a mottled red and black Sukhoi Su-37. The 'Cons treat us pretty good and, if anything, Lugnut gets treated worse by us than everyone else put together."

I laughed, "The son of a bitch deserves it. Nice alt forms, some of the best from our time. So do I drop you off at the base or would that blow your cover?"

"There's a building on the edge of town," Jumpy said, "just drop us off there and we'll be good. There are underground tunnels which we can use to get back to the base."

"Except for Argent, are the guys the 'Cons?" I inquired.

"Yeah," Fyro answered, "the one with the monocle is Blitzwing and the guy who looks like a footy player is Lugnut."

"You pick on a football player?" I chuckled, they laughed in return. Then I asked, "So how does Argent come into all of this?"

"He's the Retro Guy," Skullzy explained. I remembered the name, but I couldn't place it, "he has this amazing ability to mime any song you play, even ones no-one has heard before, but he usually did hits from way back when, especially the early 2000s. He used to be a street performer, and everyone who saw him said he's unreal. There have been searches for media players and stuff but no-one has ever found one. People have watched his entire day-long performances, from when he found a place till when he went home and they haven't seen him really set up, but sometimes they see him go into the building he performs in front of. All he brings with him is a display folder with lists of hundreds of songs, himself, the cool but not expensive-looking clothes he wears and his hat which he collects money with – lots of money, the people love him."

"Are you saying—?" I began.

"That he sings the songs himself in the actually artists' exact voice?" Fyro interrupted, "perhaps. Perhaps not. Some people think that, while others dismiss it as impossible. Some people even think that he somehow makes the music himself without any instruments or devices. Personally, I don't know what to think."

"He's got other talents that he uses in performances, too," Jumpy said, "he's an amazing dancer, and seems to know every move known to human kind and every song on the planet. He not only mimes the words, but the instruments as well."

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

Jumpy continued, "For example, if there's a guitar in the song, he can play air guitar so well that you could put the real thing in his arms and it'll sound right. It's like he can actually see whatever he's not actually playing."

"So this guy's a freak?" I asked, "Not as a bad way, but like Don Bradman. He had unreal hand-eye coordination. I mean, no-one can hit the ball that far so consistently. He was a freak."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Fyro said, "his appearance alone definitely makes him one, but because no-one's sure how he does the singing thing you can't include that. We found him one day and he just followed us home. Turns out he doesn't have one. He gets his clothes from Vinnies and places like that mostly, cuz he knows it goes toward helping people like him, he bought food with the money from odd jobs and performances and slept in alleys. All of his possessions were in a single plastic bag. The place it just on the right corner."

I stopped in front of the building. It didn't look old or abandoned or anything, it just looked like a bunch of units. Good cover.

I took more notice of the guys. Soundwave had short sapphire hair and eyes and was pretty tall. Lugnut stood over a head above him, though, with firm muscles, like a footy player, blood red eyes and spiky deep purple hair. Blitzwing's eyes were crimson red, with his monocle perched in front of his right eye, and violet and black hair mixing.

Ratchet and them looked like they had gotten off on the wrong foot, like he knew something was not right about them and vice versa. Even so, I didn't think that any of them knew the other were TFs, otherwise they would be attempting murder.

Blitzwing draped an arm casually around Jumpy's shoulders. Fyro explained in a whisper to my ear, "She loves him as a big brother, but he loves her like a girlfriend. He's still waiting until she's ready to go further, but she doesn't look like she will anytime soon."

I nodded and said bye as they went inside the building. We got back into our respective cars and headed back to the base.

Ratchet said over the comm., "those guys, except for Argent, just didn't seem right. I don't trust them. They're trouble."

"Right," I responded, "you're a quick one to judge."

"Call it a gut feeling."

"I didn't get any bad vibes from the guys. I reckon they have a sweet sense in hair styles. I think they're cool."

"I'm telling you, those young men are bad news. Don't trust them, in fact, stay away from them completely."

"Uh huh... and you suddenly don't respect or trust me enough to look after myself, why?"

"It's not like that, I know you can look after yourself, but if you were caught alone by three at once in your cyborg form... I don't even want to imagine what might happen to you."

oOo

Grims POV

I stared after Acheron as she and the others drove off. Suddenly I felt very self conscious. I looked around and spotted Echo, quickly ducking behind him and hiding myself from Bee and Opty's view.

"Hide me," I whispered. He looked over his shoulder at me and chuckled.

"Nice underwear." I blushed and turned my head away quickly, my wet hair whipping his pale back.

"Nice boxers." I said, he looked down for the first time and seemed genuinely surprised at his white boxers. His face turned the same red colour as mine when we both realised that white fabric goes transparent when wet… and it clings to the skin… every little (and big) curve.

"Hide you? Hide me." He laughed, pulling me in front of him. Prowl stifled a laugh and Opty and Bee turned to stare at what he was laughing at, making my blush even deeper. Echo chuckled and spun me around to face him, hugging me in his pale arms. Bulkhead whistled "Nice view." I could swear my cheeks would have turned scarlet by now.

"Hugzilla." I muttered.

Echo pulled away and looked at me strangely. "What?"

"Hugzilla! That's what I'm going to call you from now on." I smiled. He rolled his eyes and pulled me into a hug again.

"But I like hugs…" he mumbled, then opened his eyes, looking straight down my back.

"Bulkhead is right. It is a nice view." He said, I rolled my eyes and pulled him back inside.

"Come on, let's get you a pair that aren't transparent." I said, pulling him towards his room, I sat down on his bed and turned around to give him some privacy. A few moments later pale, cold arms circled themselves around me from behind, I smiled and hugged his arms. I spun around, he was wearing black boxers now, I laughed, "We match." I was wearing a black bra and undies. He chuckled and picked me up in his arms, carrying me outside into the rain.

"Do I still have to hide you or can you hide me now, Prowl and Bulky are starting to scare me." I asked him teasingly.

"Hmm…I'll have to think about that…" he said, throwing me over his shoulder, I squealed, I could feel my undies riding up over my ass.

"Put me down! Put me down!!" I squealed as he started spinning me around. He was laughing. I briefly wondered what Acheron was doing now, and why did those girls look so familiar? It was funny when they squealed when Echo gave them his human name, but he was my Edward Cullen. Wait a minute… who would know about Twilight in 2058? Oh shit…

"Echo! Put me down! I'm serious!" I yelled, all humour gone from my voice. He nodded and put my feet back on the ground. "We have to go after those girls." I said quickly.

We rushed outside and I demanded, "Bumblebee, get your true aft over here right now. We have to go after those girls."

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes glowing blue, "You're bi now?"

I choked, "What? Jeez, and they think I'm the kinky one. How come you keep getting mentally scarred for life if you're kinkier than I am? Oh well, you're more hyper than Skullzy, and that's killing all logic and breaking every law of nature and reality."

His true form rolled around the corner, in alt mode. We scrambled into the car, dismissing the fact that we were still slightly underdressed. We tore down the road after the girls, tracking Ratchet and Acheron's energy signatures. We passed a red and white Nissan GT-R and black Audi R8. I could see through the windows that there was only one passenger in each vehicle. All three vehicles screeched to a halt.

Shit. I thought to myself. Where the hell are they?

I jumped out of the car – ignoring the fact that I was only in my underwear – and started pacing angrily up and down the sidewalk, pulling at my hair with my hands. I was so damn close! My friends, which I thought had been dead for months, were alive! And I had just missed them!

A drunk was staggering down the same path and blinked at me, thinking he was dreaming that a tall, mostly naked chick was standing right outside his apartment building! I stared at him, what the hell did he want?!

"Hey gorgeous, wanna come back to my apartment?" he slurred.

I looked at him disgustedly, and told him politely to "FUCK OFF!" I barked. Echo hopped out of the car as well and walked over to me, standing in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Piss. Off. Or you die," he snarled, very un-Hugzilla-like.

The drunk stared wide-eyed at him, then screeched, "Naked ghost!" and took off down the street. Echo looked confusedly back at me and I shrugged. He wasn't that pale…was he? Or was I just used to it…? Eh, didn't matter anyway, drunky-perv was gone and Echo and I were still stuck – nearly naked – in the rain. That and I had lost my friends. Why do I feel like such a loner now?

"Defensive much?" I asked teasingly.

"Why are you guys here?" we turned around and looked at Armageddon, who had spoken.

"Where are the girls?" I asked.

"We dropped them off at their place," she answered, "why? Are you bi now?"

"Did you talk to Bee or something?" I asked, "and NO! I am NOT bi!! I think those are our friends."

"Yep," she nodded, like it was the most natural thing in the world, finding out that your supposedly dead friends are alive and kicking.

I gaped at her, I had been looking for them for months and now I couldn't even talk to them. Ah, well. They are human-ish after all, they need their rest. I would see them in the morning – when I was dressed and dry. Then we could catch up on the last few months. I chuckled, imagining us gathered around a little table, sipping tea and eating 'biscuits' like old ladies. But with us it was more likely to be Samedi and tim-tams… if they still had that stuff.

"Ok, how the FUCK do you know?" I demanded.

"They told me," she replied, "duh. I don't read minds, that's your thing."

I rolled my eyes and started towards the car again, I was getting a little tired. It was after midnight after all, but then again, that was pretty early for me.

We drove back to the warehouse to find Opty and Bulkhead making love out the front. No clothes. Their boxers were strewn across the road and we ran over them a few times on our way back in. Bee was sulking in a corner.

When Opty and Bulkhead came back in, with tire tracks all over their new boxers, which Armageddon was staring at, intently, Opty saw Bee and said, "Hey, don't be all upset, baby. You've done it several times. I need some variety. That's what you said to me after you had interfaced with Prowl. And Ratchet. And Ultra Magus. And Sentinel. And..."

"Alright!" Bee snapped. He sniffed, "Sentinel wasn't any good anyway, so you can't count him. Just for future reference, was Bulkhead good?"

I looked disturbed at all three of them and turned to the nearest wall and started banging my head against it, trying to rid myself of the vivid mental images. Echo placed his hand between my forehead and the wall.

"It hurts later, believe me." He said, rubbing his head. I shuddered, why was Bee so… horny? Was the freaked-out-when-he-saw-everyone-else-making-out thing just an act? The Ratchet and Armageddon thing certainly wasn't…

Armageddon re-entered the room, a frown on her face.

"There's a leak in my room. And Ratchet and my bed's all wet…" she pouted, "Proowwwl? Can we sleep with you?"

Oh crap! Orgy! I turned and started hitting my head against the wall again, and noticed to my amusement that right next to me Echo was doing the same.

"Ok," Prowl answered a little too quickly.

"Don't go denting your heads, Echo and General Fluffles," Armageddon said to us. Great. A new nickname to add to the list. When will anyone actually call me Spectre, I wonder? "You can join us if you want…" I looked up from the wall and met Echo's gaze… and retched.

"'Scuse me." I said quickly before running outside and puking. Sleeping with Ratchet… and Armageddon… and Prowl… that's too much for my delicate stomach to handle… but sleeping with Echo was fine by me. I came back inside and noted to my amusement that my bed was also soaked, thanks to a leak coming from the roof. Out of curiosity I walked into Acheron's room, the bed was totally dry. I retched again.

Was she sick of Ratchet already?

That girl changes guys faster than she changes clothes.

I walked back into the main room to join the others, I looked up at the sky out the window. It was about 2 AM, and I didn't feel like sleeping…yet. Prowl had Armageddon sitting on his lap, Ratchet and Bee were talking, Opty and Bulkhead had started up where they left off. Which even I must admit, it would have to be pretty fun in the rain. I walked over to Echo and he pulled me into a hug. What was it with him and hugs? He was tired, I could tell. But that wasn't enough to stop the hug-machine. I looked up at him and grinned.

"My bed is all wet." I stated, "Armageddon's is perfectly dry." His right eye twitched and I nodded. I was trying to convince myself that she might have accidentally walked into my room by accident but knowing Armageddon, nothing was by accident. "I'll need a place to sleep…"

oOo

I couldn't sleep. I slipped out from between Echo's warm arms and walked over to the window, it was still raining outside. It was about 3:30 AM by now. I looked back at Echo, who was still sleeping peacefully. His face crumpled slightly, unconsciously noticing my absence, and rolled onto his other side, getting comfortable again.

I smiled, pulling on some jeans and a T-shirt and slipped out the window, landing neatly on the ground. I walked across the road, through the rain, and made my way down the road to the park. It was only a ten minute walk and it gave me time to lose myself in my thoughts. By the time I made it to the park I was soaked, but getting a cold or anything like that didn't even cross my mind. Acheron was right, it was difficult to walk in soaked jeans, what made it easier though was the fact that I wasn't wearing any shoes.

I walked out into the middle of a grassy clearing, and spun around in the rain, my soaked hair plastered to my face. I stuck my tongue out and tasted the rain. I looked around, a heavy mist had settled on the ground. Must be near the lake, then.

I took a step forward and slipped on the muddy grass, getting mud right up the right side of my jeans. I cursed and stood up, making my way towards the nearest tree, and clambering up it, in the distance I saw others in the park, I would have seen them more clearly if it weren't for the mist, they were staggering, and had bottles in their hands. Oh crap. As they got closer I could see they were teenage boys – the type that were in gangs and got in trouble with the law – so I climbed higher, until I found a sturdy branch that was well concealed. They came closer to my tree, not even noticing me up here, I nearly breathed I sigh of relief, if it wouldn't blow my cover. One of the guys tripped and fell, passing out at the base of the tree. The other laughed and sat down next to him, taking another swig of his bottle. Oh crap. This could not end well.

Half an hour passed and the other guy began to feel drowsy, my feet were beginning to go to sleep, perched there on the branch I decided that this was my opportunity, and began to shift on the branch, he was too drunk to chase after me by now. I moved to the farthest branch away from him and jumped down, hitting the ground running. I staggered for a moment, my feet reacting painfully to the drop and the half hour of not moving. The man looked up, dropping his bottle and advancing on me.

"Hey, girly, where ya goin?" he called after me. I looked back quickly in panic and began to run again. He wasn't as drunk as I had hoped and was able to run after me, albeit clumsily. I pushed myself further, willing my legs to go faster but he was keeping up with my pace easily. How the hell did he manage that? I broke out of the park and my feet screamed at me as soon as I hit the gravel path, but I dared not slow down. My long legs gave me a bit of and advantage but his shoes levelled that out. I cried out as I stepped on a sharp rock and saw a trail of blood behind me.

He grinned when I slowed down, sensing an easy victory. I looked back in panic, he was getting closer, I whipped my head forward again just in time to slam into something hard and fall down on my ass, which was already covered in mud. I looked up, and saw Echo. Thank God!

He stood with his hands on his hips, glaring daggers at the drunk. I scrambled to my feet, standing behind Echo, feeling 100% safer than I felt a couple of seconds ago.

"He bugging you?" Echo asked, not tearing his dangerous gaze off the guy, who was getting closer.

"No, he was terrifying me."

He nodded and grinned evilly, glad that he had a reason to kill the guy now.

"Hey baby! Where ya goin? Come here!" he called out, ignoring all 6 feet 7 of Echo standing in front of me.

"Get back to the warehouse." Echo hissed quietly.

"What?" I complained.

"Just go." I nodded and complied. Just when I was ten metres away I head the man scream as I guessed Echo punched his nose in. I shuddered, almost feeling sorry for the poor creep, but touched at the same time that Echo cared so much.

I laughed and remembered a saying: I want the guy I can run to with tears running down my face and the first thing he says to me is "Whose ass am I kicking, babe?" I smiled, well, I got that guy alright. I dared not turn around as I limped home, grunting as I stabbed my other foot, and that started bleeding too, so I resolved to walk on my toes home.

The sky was slowly getting lighter, but only faintly because sunrise was still a long time away. I looked on the ground behind me and saw the faint trail of blood that I had left and wondered if simply crawling would be easier?

Suddenly strong arms scooped me into the air and off my grateful feet. I sighed in relief, it hurt so much less not walking at all. I looked at Echo and wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me bridal-style, "Well that was quick." I said, he grinned, then suddenly the grin disappeared and he frowned at me, that added to the fact he was carrying me made me feel childish and like I had done something wrong.

"I can't leave you alone for one moment can I? Not with you getting yourself into trouble all the time, like this. Why are you so irresistible to drunken bastards, huh?" he said.

I smiled and rested my head against his chest, "there's a simple solution to that." I said quietly, he looked at me quizzically. "Don't leave me alone." He laughed.

"Just because you don't sleep doesn't mean I can't." he replied. I stared dreamily at his face, his shaggy white hair was plastered to his forehead, which looked incredibly cute. We soon made it back to the base and he set me down on a couch. I lifted my feet up to cross my legs and immediately regretted it. I gasped and kicked them down quickly. Echo spun around and I grinned sheepishly.

"Nothing, I'm fine!" I lied. He narrowed his eyes and bent down to my feet, lifting one in his hand and sucked in his breath quickly through his teeth, grimacing. "Oh they can't be that bad!" I complained, then took a look. The skin on the underside of my feet was all ripped and scratched, bleeding, and had several small rocks lodged in it. "Ew." Was all I said, in all truth, they looked gross.

He lifted me and took me over to a basin where I washed the blood off, and knocked all the stones out. Then I bandaged them up, feeling rather stupid, waddled over to the couch again, pouting. I felt like a cripple already. He laughed and joined me on the couch, wrapping one arm around me and pulling me into a hug.

"Hugzilla." I mumbled, he smiled.

"Am I going to have to carry you everywhere?" he asked teasingly.

"I can walk!" I complained

"You can waddle, you can limp, you can stagger and crawl, but I wouldn't call it walking." He grinned. I shoved him lightly in the arm. It was still raining outside.

I love the rain, I thought to myself, smiling, I love Echo. They both have something in common: they wash away the dead parts and bring new life.

A/N: LOL! Me and my bestie, Grim, wrote this together. It was fun! Crazy, disturbing, but fun. Review!