Fandom: Transformers G1
Author: gatekat, ultrarodimus on LJ
Pairing: Axe/Dai Atlas
Rating:
Codes: Slash, Historical Setting, Knights of Light
Summary:
Disclaimer: The authors are only playing with their own twisted muses. Transformers belong to Hasbro. Fandom-side, check the inspirations page (gatekat-fics .livejournal 290 .html). We draw from a ton of amazing stories and authors you should read.

Demeter was created by switchxtrick and bount by me fav .me/d4xlyt9

Kneeling to the Sword 08: Greeting an Old Ally
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It was one of the rare off orns for Wing, Atl and their Initiates. The whole group had actually slept in for once, until Thorn had come checking to make sure they were actually still among the functional. The black Knight had found Atl still recharging in his room, and a cuddle pile of Dai Atlas, Axe and Wing in the Initiates' room. Wing had been purring in his recharge, managing to sprawl over both of the larger mechs, occasionally letting out a soft chirp.

Evening found the four in the Knights' rec room, gathered around one of the tables, other Knights and their Initiates scattered here and there. A few had settled at tables near the quartet's, participating in the conversations. They were listening to, commenting on, and laughing at a tale a large orange and blue mech named Hydrau was telling about something he'd encountered while he'd been out on walkabout.

It triggered Axe to spin a tale of youthful mischief trailing across a dozen worlds, from changing out the senior officer's washrack supplies with paints, glue and anything else they found that didn't belong there, all the way to the experiments many of them ran on creating high grade and any number of other intoxicants.

Laughter echoed through the room, drawing curious looks from the other occupants. The laughter doubled as Dai Atlas added a few of his own tales, of the trouble he'd gotten into when he'd been a young troublemaker.

Some time later, one of the others spotted someone entering the rec room, craning his neck to look. "Hey, Demeter's back!"

Both giant triple changers perked up sharply, but for the moment they merely watched the slender, brown furred microbot trot into the room dominated by mecha that while average sized by official standards still towered over her like Dai Atlas towered over most mecha.

~She's still wearing that canine alt,~ Dai Atlas mused. ~Slight upgrades, but that's definitely Snapjaw, no matter what she calls herself these orns.~

~That's the smallest Great Sword I have yet to see,~ Axe mused, looking at the hilt showing over her helm. ~She looks good, though.~

Wing looked around one of the other mechs. "Demeter! Welcome back!"

She turned to smile at the familiar voice of the mech she'd long enjoyed traveling on the shoulder of only to freeze with her mouth open in a greeting that never made it out of her vocalizer. Only a strange squeaking sound escaped as her large brown optics went huge.

Axe smiled brightly, lifting a hand to wave to her. "You look like you've seen a ghost," he commented, blue optics gleaming.

"I get the feeling you two were the last mecha she ever expected to see here," Hydrau drawled, reaching over to swat lightly at black armor.

"If her optics get any wider they'll pop right out of her helm," another mecha, a femme of tan and cream and sandy-brown commented.

"G-General Dai Atlas..." she tried to get herself collected.

"Initiate Dai Atlas now," he smiled at her. "I'm sure you heard that we left."

A small nod and Demeter seemed to pick herself up from her shock. "I did. I think the entire empire talked of nothing else for at least a vorn. I'm shocked you survived the Prime's rage."

"We're survivors, first and foremost," Axe pointed out. "We've learned more than a few tricks over the vorns. He tried to bring us down, but, as you can see, we got away. Found our way here literally flying on fumes."

"Both of them are Knight Initiates now, and doing very well." There was pride in Wing's voice. The white jet pulled over another chair, inviting Demeter to join them. With a grin that was quite familiar to everyone, she easily hopped up, then decided that Wing's shoulder, leaning on his audials, was a better spot once he'd sat back down.

"So which of you picked who?" she asked, looking between Wing and Atl.

Wing grinned up at Dai Atlas. "I'm not the only one who likes to perch on shoulders," he commented teasingly, then looked back to the microbot on his shoulder. "Dai is my Initiate, and Atl is training Axe."

"It's not just his shoulder you perch on," Axe chuckled. The white jet made a face at him, getting a laugh from the larger triple changer.

"It's the best way to get optic level with a group of mecha," Demeter chuckled. "So did you manage to dodge when you tried the first time?"

"Barely," the white jet replied with a chuckle. "He's got fast reflexes. Makes me bless my stunt engines sometimes."

"Wing only managed to stay on his shoulder for maybe four nanokliks that first time," Axe added, picking up the energon cube on the table in front of him.

"He's lucky he didn't end up perched inside the wall for it," she giggled madly, her rich brown optics glittering in amusement at her former General.

"I think he learned well from the first time I put him into a wall," Dai Atlas smirked, managing to joke, a little, over the traumatic event.

Wing grinned. "I learned, yes. I've gotten very good at dodging."

"I think it took roughly a decaorn to get Dai used to having a jet on his shoulder, or at least used to it enough that he wouldn't try to swat him off," Axe added.

"I'm still not used to it," the largest mech grumbled in good humor. "I've just learned that particular weight isn't going to stop trying."

"Wing does tend to get what he wants," Atl chuckled. "So what's the news from the outside?"

"At least you don't try to swat me off anymore." Wing reached over to pat a dark forearm. "And you're used to it enough to tease me about it!"

The rest of the group leaned over in anticipation of some new news to chat about.

"The Prime is still fuming about his Generals, though most everyone else has either forgotten or is very quietly cheering your escape," she began with the obvious subject of interest. "Rumors are rife as to where you two are, though I didn't hear anything about you being here. Most are that you joined one of the rebel groups and are plotting to assassinate the Prime or other such nonsense."

Axe snorted into his energon. "We want nothing to do with him, in any way. Hopefully no one ever does connect us to this place... Though the Citadel is pretty much out of mind to the vast majority of the population. I'd only heard of the Citadel in passing; not even Dai here knew where it was."

Other bits of news Demeter had to offer included a collapse at the Sonic Canyons, an artists' feud-turned-paint-war in Crystal City, alliances and new bondings and sparklings in various noble Houses, and a great deal of assorted casual gossip. All of it was eagerly picked over by the group. The Citadel had very little contact with the outside world, so most of their news came from Knights returning from walkabout. It was always vorns out of date, but no one cared.