To say that everything went back to normal after Swift returned home would have been inaccurate. After all the events of the past few days, she wasn't even sure what normal was anymore, let alone whether things would ever feel normal again.

Ironically, the guards posted outside their apartment weren't the biggest shift from the norm. She never knew if Shockwave had assigned Astrotrain as one of her guards on purpose, knowing his relationship with their family, or if it had been a complete fluke, but she was oddly grateful. Even if his interference had chased Terminus out of her life for good, it was still comforting knowing that someone she trusted was keeping an optic on their apartment.

"Sorry to nark on ya, kid," Astrotrain told her one night after a shift change, when he had ducked into their apartment for a few games before going home. "I don't make it a habit to spill personal business… but after you went missing I got worried. 'Specially knowing you had a stalker."

"It's okay," Swift replied - not entirely honestly, but she couldn't be too mad at her uncle for trying to do what he thought was best for her. "I… I know I should have told my parents about him in the first place. I just wasn't sure if they were going to listen to me."

"Yeah, Blitz said somethin' about you guys having some communication problems." Astrotrain scowled as the screen flashed a GAME OVER at him, but rather than grumble and swear he just set the controller down to give Swift his undivided attention. "Things okay now?"

"Mostly." Swift idly fiddled with the joystick on her own controller. "We're talking again. Mom and Dad still don't trust Terminus, and I'm still banned from seeing him or talking to him until Mom can get Soundwave to vet him. It sucks… and it's not like I want Terminus to replace my parents. I just… want to have some kind of relationship with him. He's still my spark-father."

Astrotrain shrugged. "To be fair, you still don't know jack-slag about him. I'm sure your parents just wanna be safe. You're still their kid, after all."

Swift sighed deeply. "I know… it doesn't mean it doesn't still suck."

Astrotrain smiled. "Look on the bright side - if your parents are still freaking out about Terminus, then they don't have the energy to freak out about your Autobot girlfriend."

Despite herself, Swift chuckled. Glory had taken the news that Swift and Harmony were in love a lot better than she'd been expecting, considering her rant about the Autobots during their big fight. Blitzwing still looked at the carformer suspiciously, but Glory assured her that he would have given any of her romantic partners a cold optic and what sigil her spark-mother had worn wouldn't have made a difference.

"How're you lovebirds anyhow?" Astrotrain asked. "When's the bonding ceremony? Need a witness?"

"Uncle Astro," Swift groaned. "We're not even close to that stage yet. We're just taking things as they come." She sighed again. "Her mom was nice about it, at least. I was worried she'd assume her daughter had brought home a 'Con girlfriend and freak out about it."

"Thought you weren't a 'Con anymore."

"I'm not… but getting mechs to understand that is the hard part. Everyone's so used to everyone belonging to one category or the other that getting them to understand that we don't want to be part of that system anymore is hard."

"Give it time, kid. Mechs have been thinking in terms of 'Bots and 'Cons for longer'n most mechs on this planet have been alive. It's gonna take a long time for things to change."

"I just hope things DO change, and for the better." Swift settled in to watch as Astrotrain started up another Shadow Team game. "We've got another rally planned for this weekend… if Shockwave lets me out of the house by then."

"Didn't they already catch the idiot who called in the bomb threats, though?"

"They did." Swift knew she shouldn't feel so gleefully vindictive about it, but she couldn't help it. "It turns out it was someone at school - one of her cronies turned her in. I knew Sunburst thought the factionless movement was a load of slag, but I didn't know she'd go THAT far."

Astrotrain cackled. "I knew I didn't like that stuck-up little scraplet! Did she get expelled?"

"Suspended pending further investigation," Swift replied. "There'll probably be other charges, but we'll have to wait and see." Though some might argue that Sunburst had already been punished enough - not only had her entire friend group broken up in the wake of her arrest, but rumor had it that every university she had applied for had already banned her from attending. Swift almost felt sorry for her.

"So Shocks should let you go to the rally," Astrotrain noted. "At least, I don't see the harm in it. I got no idea what ol' One-Optic'll think, but I think my CPU would explode if I ever got into his head."

"Astro, are you camping on our couch again tonight?" Glory asked from the living room doorway. "You KNOW you have an apartment to go home to."

"It's boring there." Astrotrain nudged Swift in the side. "All the cool mechs are here."

Glory half-smiled. "Nice to know you think we're cool. Why don't you go hang out with Blitzwing for a bit? I need to talk to Swift."

Astrotrain quit the game and tossed the controller aside, then squeezed Swift's shoulder. "Take care, kid. Next time you decide to run away from home, my place is open, all right?"

"Astro," she groaned. "There won't be a next time."

"You never know," the triple-changer noted. "I must've run away from home too many times to count before I was your age."

"You also grew up in a foundling home, that's a bit different," Swift pointed out. "See you after school tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it." He squeezed again, then walked out. Glory sidestepped to let him pass, then sat down in the spot he'd vacated, nudging a controller out of the way.

"Hey Mom."

"Hi Swift." Glory smiled a little. "How are you holding up?"

As well as I was two hours ago when you asked, Swift thought, but decided saying that would be more trouble than it was worth. After weeks of feeling pushed aside in favor of their upcoming child, it did feel nice to be worried about. "I'm all right. How about you and Dad? Still working on the new sparkling designs?"

Glory's smile remained, but somehow her expression looked more unsure than before. "We've actually done about all we can on them. We do have an appointment with Vector Sigma in a few decacycles, but… we wanted to let you have a look at the design too, before we turned the plans over to Knock Out."

Swift rebooted her optics. "But… I'm not one of their parents. I'm not contributing spark programming, am I?"

"With or without your spark programming, they're still going to be your little sibling. We… we realized we've been leaving you out of all of this, and we wanted to give you an opportunity to give some input. If you wanted, that is."

Swift smiled in return. This wasn't precisely what she wanted… but her parents were trying, frag it. They'd heard her frustrations, and they were trying to make up for their past behavior. So while the offer didn't appeal to her as much as Glory probably wanted it to, she appreciated the gesture.

"I think whatever you guys have come up with will be awesome," she replied. "But… if it's okay… could I have a hand in designing their new bodyguard?"

Glory's expression brightened. "I think that would be wonderful, Swift. We really didn't stop to think how much Wildfire meant to you… and I'm sorry we just assumed that he'd automatically go to your sibling."

"I'm sorry too," Swift admitted. "He was your pet first, and I was kind of a brat about giving him up-"

"No, don't be sorry. I had Wildfire for a few years, but you had him for your entire childhood. He's just as much yours as he was mine." She reached out and squeezed Swift's hand. "We've had a rough time of it lately… but we're going to do better from here, right?"

Swift nodded. "Um… am I still clear to go to the rally this weekend? Shockwave hasn't recalled the guards at all."

"I think at this point, he's just assigning a guard to our place to give Astrotrain something to do," Glory noted with a little smirk. As far as I'm concerned, you can go. Just be safe, okay?"

"I will… but Mom, are you SURE you're okay-"

Glory raised her hand, and the rest of the question died in her vocalizer. "Swift… I know I said a lot of things about your factionless movement. I wish I could say that it was all in the heat of the moment and I didn't mean any of them, but the truth is your father and I may never fully be free of our distrust of Autobots. And we still choose to wear our Decepticon symbols with pride." She twitched one sigil-emblazoned wing as if to emphasize her point. "But that doesn't mean you have to follow in our footsteps. You're free to choose your own path… and while it's not the path your father and I would have chosen for you, well, it's YOUR path to choose. We'll still support you."

Relief welled up in her spark at those words. "That's all I want. That's all WE want - for mechs to be able to choose, instead of staying with what their creators choose."

Glory's smile took on a teasing angle. "Does that go for girlfriends as well as factions?"

"Mom!" Swift yelped.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Glory laughed. "Honestly, Harmony seems lovely. If you're happy with her, then we approve."

"Thank you." Her gaze moved to the floor as she tried to figure out how to voice her next request. "Mom… sometime… it doesn't have to be right away, but… could I talk to Terminus again? I know you and Dad don't trust him, but…"

Glory's smile faded, and Swift let her sentence trail away. Then the violet Seeker gave a deep sigh and gazed at the vidscreen, as if the looping menu screen of Shadow Team would provide answers.

"I'm sorry," Swift said quickly. "I shouldn't have asked."

"No… you have every right to ask," Glory replied quietly. "It's just… hard. We all assumed whatever creators you had were dead. We never imagined your spark-father would turn up again. And I still can't decide if it was just coincidence that he re-entered your life at this time, or if it wasn't intentional somehow." She shook her head. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid… I just don't want my little girl hurt."

"I'm not so little anymore," Swift reminded her. "And Dad taught me self-defense. I can handle myself."

"I know you can," Glory replied. "I just… I just want to be careful, is all. That's all anyone wants." She took Swift's hand in hers and squeezed it. "I'm going to have to say no for now… at least until Soundwave's finished his background check. If that comes back clean, then we can talk about it again."

She wanted to argue, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. As much as she wanted to protest that if Terminus had wanted to hurt her he'd have done so by now, she also knew her parents were just trying to protect her.

"I don't want him to replace you two," she said at last. "He might have sparked me, but you and Dad raised me. You're my parents, and nothing changes that. I guess… I guess it was just nice to have that connection to my past."

Glory sighed again. "I know… and Primus knows I've done stupid things before, chasing after mechs who I thought might be links to my past and family."

"Scourge, right?" Swift had no memories of her great-uncle Thundercracker save images her mother had shown her, but she had met Scourge a few times. And she remembered her mother's quest to find him… and while she still wasn't entirely sure how Scourge and Thundercracker were connected, she didn't question it too much.

"Right." Glory smiled a little. "Maybe we can go with you to meet him if his past checks out. We just want you to be safe, okay?"

She nodded. She didn't particularly like it, but she wouldn't argue either. Her parents had bent over backwards already to try to accept her new factionless cause and her Autobot-created girlfriend - she didn't want to push this any further.

"Get some rest," Glory urged. "You've got to be up early for school tomorrow. You've got final exams, don't you?"

"Don't remind me," Swift sighed. "I finally got my essay finished, at least… I just hope my advisor thinks this draft is decent."

"I still wouldn't mind reading your essays sometime," Glory told her. "Or even your fanfiction - which, by the way, I doubt I'll find as silly as you think I'll find it. But only if you're comfortable with it, okay?"

"Okay." She still wasn't sure if she wanted to share her fanfic with her mom yet - especially the ones that got a little explicit. But maybe she'd let her parents read her final essay draft, once Datastream had looked it over. If she wanted them to be interested in her life, then perhaps it was time she started opening up a little more.

The last rally had been a motley gathering on a street corner in Polyhex, and it had quickly descended into chaos when the crowd had opted to start throwing things. This time, their demonstration took place much farther from home - Platinum Square in Iacon, on the Autobot side of the border. And not only was the crowd much larger than before, but security forces from both factions were present, forming a cordon between the factionless protesters and the growing crowd of onlookers. Camera drones circled overhead, capturing footage for the newsfeeds, and more than one reporter lurked close to the ring of guards, scoping for information… or just evidence that things were about to turn ugly again.

Swift felt a shudder trail down her spinal strut as she showed her ID to an Autobot guard and moved to take her place with her friends in the rally. Part of her was thrilled to see that the movement had grown so huge in the past few weeks… but part of her was terrified that bigger crowds would just mean a bigger explosion if things went messy.

"Swift!" Firebolt called out, waving the shuttleformer over. "You came!"

"Did you think I wouldn't?" she asked, jogging over and letting her palm smack against Firebolt's in a high-five.

"Harmony said your apartment was still under guard," Stardust pointed out. "Plus your parents kind of freaked out last time… we thought maybe they'd ban you."

"We came to an understanding," Swift replied. "And Mom finally chased Astrotrain off last night, so no more guards."

"Oh, so this means I can sneak in through the window for a little snuggling?" Harmony asked with a little smirk.

Swift laughed softly and wrapped her hand around Harmony's. "No… but you can come in through the front door. You know my parents are okay with you."

"Oh good," Harmony noted. "Because I suck at climbing. Still, the thought of the two of us sneaking around Calypso/Gaia style for a little kissing is kind of exciting-"

"Eww, get a room, you two," Hornet groaned.

"Oh hey, look who the electrokitty dragged in," Lancer noted.

"Har har," Valiant grumbled, striding up at that moment. "I can't stay. Just thought I'd say hi to you guys before I took up my post."

"You're not joining us?" asked Swift, her spark sinking a little. After they had patched things up with Valiant at Terminus' home, she had hoped he would warm to their cause. He'd even joined the group chat, and had assisted Hornet in moderating the chat and banning people who posted threats or had joined solely to troll the factionless members.

"This cause is important to you guys," Valiant replied. "I respect that. I just can't join it directly - I'm still a Decepticon, and I'm still fraggin' proud of that. But I'll support you guys' right to speak out for the factionless movement." He nodded at the perimeter. "Which is why I signed up for the security detail. Nobody chucks garbage at my friends if I can help it."

Her spark rose in her chest at that. Despite their differences in opinion, they still had Valiant's support and friendship.

"Just don't get clobbered yourself," Echo reminded him. "And be careful. Even if they caught the bomb-threat caller, there are others out there who might try to sabotage things."

"That's why you've got my sharp optics on the job," Valiant replied with a wink, then stepped away to take his post. Stormrunner was barking orders to the Decepticons making up the security cordon, and she nodded at Swift before directing Valiant to his post.

"Speaking of the bomb threat, any word on what happened to Sunburst?" asked Ricochet - the young beastformer had finally given up name-hopping and opted to stick with his old name, whether or not it fit his dragon form.

Hornet grinned, bursting with glee at the opportunity to drop some juicy gossip. "Suspended for the rest of the school term! And on probation for awhile, I dunno how long. Her parents are apparently suing to get her charges dropped, but I doubt that's gonna go far."

"I wish I could say I feel sorry for her," Stardust noted. "But my father likes to say 'play stupid games, win stupid prizes.' It's her own fault she's in this mess."

Swift might have argued with them on that point - even though Sunburst had been a bully to her and had tried to frame her for the bomb threats, she had no special hatred for her. She even felt a little bad that the gold femme's stunt had cost her not only her friend group, but a hefty scholarship for university. Still, Stardust had a point - she had no one to blame for her loss but herself. Maybe if she came back to finish out her schooling, she'd be a little more careful in the future.

Harmony patted her arm. "You all right, hun?"

Swift nodded. "Just thinking. A lot's happened since we all decided to ditch factions over drinks at the Fleet Fox, hasn't it?"

"It really has," Harmony agreed, smiling up at the taller femme. "But most of it has been for the better, I think."

"Yeah… it has." Swift smiled back. "You ready for this?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Harmony stooped to collect her sign, then straightened up to face the crowd.

Swift, for her part, let her gaze move over the assembled factionless for a moment. Her friends were all present, save Valiant at his guard post. She spotted Swindle in the crowd… and shockingly, Vortex and Blast Off had accompanied him, each minus a Decepticon symbol. Steelwing and Windsheer were deep in discussion with a couple of Autobots Swift didn't recognize, a winged Dinobot and a young red mech with bright yellow flames painted across his chest. A black-and-white Autobot with a blue visor was grinning cheekily as he held up a sign reading MAKE LOVE NOT FACTIONS, not caring that a Sweep was rolling their optics at him. There were even several Junkions present, belting out advertising slogans and holding up a large banner declaring DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING.

Her movement had exploded past her wildest dreams… and that was both exciting and terrifying. She just hoped she was up to the task of continuing to lead it.

Someone shouted her name, and she turned to spot three familiar faces in the crowd - her parents and Astrotrain. All three still bore their Decepticon sigils… but all three were still there to quietly support her. And that support meant the universe to her at the moment.

Harmony nudged her, then pointed to another spot in the crowd. Swift caught a flash of silver… and smiled inwardly. Perhaps Terminus wasn't cleared to actually visit her yet, but he still managed to find a way to show up. She just hoped that Soundwave found nothing sketchy in his record, and that she would be able to talk to him again soon.

Drawing in a deep intake of air, Swift turned to the lectern they had borrowed from the school for this event - no more supply crate as a makeshift platform. She raised it as high as it would go, then spoke into the built-in microphone.

"City of Iacon… citizens of Cybertron… welcome one and all!"

The crowd went mostly quiet, though a background rumble of conversation still filled the square. Someone shouted something - possibly rude or threatening - but Swift couldn't make out the words. Her fuel pump was pounding too hard for her to hear anything but her own voice with any clarity.

"Cybertron has been at peace for a generation now," she went on, doing her best to keep her tone steady. "Yet we as Cybertonians continue to divide ourselves by faction, by parentage, by whatever side of the Great War we or our creators fought for. And many of us no longer wish to live with these divisions.

"There have been many lies spread about our cause over these lunar cycles - that we wish to destroy both factions, or force mechs to renounce their sigils. What we fight for is NOT the destruction of the factions, but for mechs to be able to choose their own factions… or in some cases, choose no faction at all. We want a Cybertron where we can decide our own allegiances, and not have them decided for us.

"A great leader once said that freedom is the right of all sentient beings. I don't consider myself a greater leader than that mech… but I say that freedom includes the freedom to choose who we are for ourselves. We want to Cybertronians first - not Autobots, not Decepticons, but Cybertronians! Let us all be free to make that choice!"

The mechs gathered behind her roared with approval, and many began chanting their own declarations - "Cy-ber-tronians!" or "Let us choose!" or "No Bots, No Cons!" In response the camera drones swooped closer, and the security guards stepped forward as if expecting immediate trouble.

Swift wouldn't lie - she expected trouble as well. Last time the violence had started in the middle of her speech, and part of her wondered if that wouldn't be the case here as well.

Harmony gripped her hand. "Don't worry," she murmured. "Nothing's going to happen. And even if it does… we'll face it together."

Warmth flooded her spark, and she squeezed her hand back. She had her family, her friends, and the femme she loved by her side. Somehow, she felt that nothing bad could happen… at least nothing that they couldn't overcome.

To her relief, the expected uproar never came. Some of the crowd glared in disapproval, and shouted insults of "cowards!" and "traitors!" rang over the square. But no one threw paint or projectiles, no one tried to breach the security perimeter, and the few mechs who got feisty with the guards were escorted away with minimal fuss. The reporters slinking around the outskirts of the rally finally slipped away, disappointed at how tame everything had turned out to be, and even the swarm of camera drones thinned out until only a few flitted about to see the event through to the end.

As peaceful as the rally ended up being, it was still exhausting, and Swift was fully ready to call it a day by the time things drew to a close. She barely had the energy to help the others pack up their signs and the lectern.

"Well, that went better than we expected, huh?" asked Swindle, cuffing her shoulder gently.

Swift mumbled something in response, something she hoped sounded like "yes."

"Hey kid… you head on home," Swindle urged. "We'll finish up here. You go home and rest."

"I'll walk you to the train depot, okay?" Harmony offered. "Make sure you meet up with your parents and make it home safe."

"Thank you," she murmured, and took Harmony's hand and let her lead her away. She had a feeling that not every event the factionless movement took part in would end this peacefully, but she would enjoy this peaceful resolution while she could.