Chap 23

(Flying Home) Epilogue

Sitting atop a crumbling skyscraper in the remains of what was once the glorious city of Vos, your processor is preoccupied by other thoughts. The assault (Skywarp insisted it not be called a battle, as that meant the assumption that both sides were on equal grounds) had ended and the ensuing discussions were mostly concluded.

Megatron had ensured that Optimus essentially had a 'restraining order', or whatever the Cybertronian equivalent was, wherever you were concerned; meaning he wasn't allowed to be near you without at least one Seeker present. Your Guardians were insistent on the matter, and while they originally called for more vengeful treatment, that was what was essentially agreed upon.

To your collective surprise, Ratchet agreed as well. Him, as well as a few other Autobots, served as witnesses to the declaration, and in the hour of Cybertron's rebirth these young laws were upheld to strict standards, and even Optimus was loath to break them.

Everyone seemed mostly fine afterwards. The damage that ensued was mostly due to Wheeljack's reckless lobbing of explosives in every direction, meaning most of his penalty was rebuilding that which he destroyed. It's what he would be doing anyway, so you don't fully understand how it's a punishment.

During the discussions, you're able to spend a little bit of time with your favourite Autobots, namely Elita-1, Ratchet, and Megatron; Barricade too even. The time you spend with them is brief, having only just reunited with your Guardians, but you're relieved to know that they bear you no ill will despite how their leader has treated you. Part of you thinks that they were the ones that were worried you bore them ill will for Optimus' actions. Either way, you're all on better terms now.

During negotiations it was discovered (by Bumblebee no less) that certain strains of the Well's liquid core had changed the chemical compound of the Mithric Sea, changing it to an Emberstone-charged liquid. There was no longer any restriction placed upon your fuel source from the Autobot's storage depots; there was more than enough elsewhere.

This brought an idea to the Seekers. Now that they weren't tethered by any means, it was finally time to show you their old home, or what remained of it. It was like a family trip, in a way, and you found that your favourite part was actually the journey.

Flying together was amazing, having a Seeker above, below you, and beside you all at the same time. You all chatted over comm as you flew, receiving historical accounts from Starscream of the landscape below while Skywarp added his own quips in response to his brother's dry prattling. It was all good fun, and filled with a lot of laughter on your part. Being able to fly with them was a dream come true, and even thinking for a second that you might've never had the chance to fly with all of them felt like an anomaly.

But that's not what has been consuming your mind. Despite how the brothers now had the ability to flit about inside your processor, they never did so unless they had express permission or if there was some kind of emergency. That didn't mean that they didn't do it unconsciously, it just meant that you knew when they had something to talk to you about but couldn't find the right moment.

In this particular scenario, you'd been feeling Starscream tickle the empty designation slot in your settings display a few times in the past cycles. Every time he'd done so, he'd stop himself and retreat, but you could tell he wanted to bring it up.

Which brought you to your current dilemma. How could you tell him you already had a name in mind? You could tell he was excited, and based on how well you know him you knew he had some ideas in mind.

Somewhere along the line you had chosen without them, but wouldn't make the final call without their input. It was important to you, but it was also important to them. Choosing a name for this new form made it seem so final, even after everything you'd been through.

It's like there was no going back after that.

So, sitting atop a Vosian skyscraper, kicking your legs against the panes distractedly, you mustered up your courage to tell them.

: U-um, do you mind coming up here for a klik? I have something to show you.: The fact you'd rather do this in person was evident in your tone, and in no time at all you could hear three engines sputter to a stop behind you.

The sounds of transformation shifted to the feeling of being scooped up into servos you know from experience are Thundercracker's. There has been a lot more physical handling after the assault, enough that you were now pretty confident who was picking you up based on feel alone.

"What did you want to show us, little wing?" The blue brother's gentle voice brings your attention to the group. Skywarp looks relaxed while Starscream looks a little tense.

Putting a small servo atop your chassis, next to your spark, you turn your green optics to look at them.

"You know I spent some time with the Terrans while I was on Earth, right?" The trio nods, though you hadn't shared the extent of your time with the Malto family with your family yet. "Well, they gave me something that gave me a bit of an idea." Reaching into your subspace, you pull out the book Dorothy Malto gave you: The Behavioural Patterns of Birds.

Starscream looks down at the book, his optics squinting. "Hmm, a primitive datapad." He reads the title quickly. "Concerning the Earth avian creatures. I can't see why they would bestow such a thing upon you, but you seem happy to have received it."

You smile down at the book and all it represents. "It's one of the few things that connects my old life and my new life. I'm happy with where I am, and who I am. I can't and I won't go back to how I was before. But this book has something in it that ties both me's together, and that's what I wanted to show you."

Three giant helms lean in closer as you flip to a page you'd been shown by Dot cycles ago.

On the page is a photograph of a bird, which makes Skywarp gasp slightly with recognition.

"Hey! This avian creature has your colours!"

The photograph depicts a small grey bird with a similar black mask covering its eyes. The grey cap and wings make it seem like a relatively docile looking bird, until one reads the description.

You look up timidly from the book to glean Starscream's reaction. You can tell from his EM field that he can tell where this is going. His expression goes from tense to slow disappointment.

Nervous, you try to explain, "I-I just think this might be a good option for a designation, 'cause it seems kinda fitting you know? I-I haven't settled on anything yet, I just wanted your opinions." You spark skitters with anxious energy, and Thundercracker sighs.

"I have to admit, it's a fine designation. And particularly fitting." He turns to Skywarp. "Your thoughts, 'Warp?"

"I like the deadly part that's written in the description. Though you'll have to grow a lot bigger until you're able to do stuff like that. Or focus on smaller targets." Skywarp's wings flutter behind him in emphasis with his words. He doesn't turn to his remaining brother, and silence fills the space.

You can't stop your lip-plate from trembling a little. It was Starscream all along that you had to convince, and the silence was telling. You look up at him with slightly watery optics, the book still open to the page with the grey capped bird.

Finally, Starscream breaks the silence by growling low, a disappointed sound. "Ugh, I had so many good ones planned out. But even I can admit this designation is very fitting for you." He wrenches the words out like a bad taste, but you can tell from his field that he's just pouting.

Relief flushes your systems. "I can still hear them, if you want to share?"

Starscream waves a talon and looks away briefly. "No need. I know when I've been bested." He turns his helm back to you and gestures with a tip of his talon on your chin. "Shrike is a fine designation."

You beam up at him, incredibly relieved. But he wouldn't be Starscream if he didn't tag something onto the end.

"Not sky-themed or anything, but it's fine. I mean Smallscream would also be a fine designation. Or Starfire, or Comet or…." He trails off, scooping you up from Thundercracker's palm as if an unconscious movement.

"What matters most is you like it. Nothing would take precedence over your opinion concerning this matter." You can feel his digits flittering around the empty designation slot in your processor.

You nod back at him, happy. "I think…it's a good sign. That I was always meant to be like this. Or at the very least, that I never forget where I came from, even when I'll always come back to you three."

Skywarp makes a wet sound, bringing your attention back to him. "Ugh, I'm blubbering again, I can't handle this." Ever the softie when it comes to emotional matters, Skywarp.

"Shall I do the honours?" Starscream looks at his brothers, his talons poised as if to write on a chalkboard. Thundercracker nods while Skywarp wipes the remnants of tears from his optics.

Smiling broadly, you close your optics to get a better view of your HUD. Slowly, the letters appear in your previously empty designation slot, before one last pop up appears in your display.

Designation: Shrike. Confirm?

Never more sure of anything, you press accept.

You somehow convince the brothers that an occasional excursion to Earth would be beneficial to your mental health. You were never able to get any sort of wifi working to enable cross-planetary email, so you had to opt for more drastic measures. Relations with the Autobots are fine, if not stagnated, and you use it as leverage to propose the excursion.

The Autobots are still in possession of the only working Space Bridge, and if the brothers need any supplies (or speciality equipment, expertise, etc) they would need the Autobot's cooperation.

So you suggest that they start small. A quick galactic romp to visit the Malto's and introduce your Guardians to them, as you promised, as well as get the Autobots used to the idea that the Seekers might occasionally drop by to either ask for something or just chat.

(Skywarp, weirdly, is the one most on board with the proposition. He even brought up the fact that Elita-1 would be most amenable to the idea, as if he knew her opinion about it without even asking her. Whatever was going on there, you aren't sure, but it helped your cause so you don't think too hard about it)

Thundercracker is neutral about the plan, choosing instead to hold you close whenever you draw near, flying or otherwise. He's always gentle about it, but his mannerisms are bordering on clingy. You aren't sick of it yet, but you are beginning to think about just how unconscious the actions might be.

Starscream takes the longest to convince. Partially because you know you'd need a lot of logical backup in order to get him to agree. From his perspective, you'd only just been reunited, barely a blip in his long lifespan.

Which actually helps your argument, incidentally. The Malto family is still mostly human, therefore there's a limited time in which to spend time with them, especially in these childlike days. It is still unclear how long your own lifespan is (or even theirs), but you want to make the most of the time you have.

So although it took a while to convince him, you do eventually succeed. And before long you are waving goodbye to Ratchet through the teal light of the Space Bridge, promising to bring back a shipment of Energon on your way back. Megatron had already long-since returned, though he was a frequent visitor back to Cybertron, namely to keep an optic on these early political days of new Cybertron.

Elita-1 even decides to join you, much to Starscream's chagrin. Your group of giant alien robots arrive on the Malto lawn just as Earth's yellow sun is setting, and a red bullet is aimed in your direction exactly as you expect.

Thundercracker makes a noise when he notices the oncoming projectile, and you can see Starscream flinch for a moment in midair, ready to make evasive manoeuvres. The red blur turns into Twitch before your optics, and you are well-enough prepared to enact your petty revenge from the first time you met when she ambushed like this.

As soon as she is within reach, you grab her by the base of her propellers and flip her downwards, using her momentum to change her trajectory to a nearby hay bale situated directly beneath you.

Her brief moment of confusion is burned into your memory banks as she is shot down towards the pile of hay, making a sound like a gentle oof as she lands.

A pause echoes around the scene before you hear her voice.

"What." She spits hay out of her intake. "Was that?"

"A new move I've been practising!" You holler down at her, still floating in the air with the help of your thrusters. Your Guardians look on with agape (and somewhat impressed) expressions. "It's called the Shrike."

Pealing laughter escapes from the hay bale as Twitch giggles, unrestricted by any social decorum. Her giggles kick nearby strands of hay into the air.

You can barely make out her words from between the laughs.

"That's so dorky!"

"Hey!" You yell down at her. "At least I'm not spitting out cow food like you, Twitch."

"Touché. I have to admit the manoeuvre was very well executed." Nightshade glides gracefully next to you, their wings nearly silent in comparison to the gentle roar of your thrusters. They turn to the rest of the Seekers, who regard this new flying being with complicated expressions. "I'm part of the official welcoming committee. My name is Nightshade and my pronouns are they/them. Please follow me while I escort you to meet the rest of our family."

Skywarp's intake is slightly agape as he matches the looks on his brother's faceplates. You can already understand their confusion; here there are more beings like you but not like you. New breeds of fliers, Seekerlings yet… not quite. Their confusion makes total sense, and the only thing that would fix their understanding would be to spend more time with them.

Thundercracker leans in slightly closer to you and mutters under his breath. "Are all Terrans fliers?"

You chuckle at him a little as you all follow Nightshade, Twitch is still spitting hay somewhere beneath you, though she's ascending to meet up with you at the same time. "No, they're all different. You'll see."

Before you turn to catch up with Nightshade more, you catch a look that Skywarp shoots his brothers. He mouths Trine and something else you don't catch. You'll ask him about that later.

Twitch eventually catches up and starts chattering aloud a mile a minute, as she's known to do.

"So, you must be the Decepticons we heard so much about! Nice to meetcha, I'm Twitch Malto, I'm one of the elder Terrans and can I say it's so cool to meet you, I've always wanted to meet a Seeker ever since I heard what one was."

"Twitch," you sigh exasperatingly, "I'm the one that told you what Seekers were."

"Exactly!" She chirps brightly. "And ever since then I've been excited to meetcha."

Starscream looks uncomfortable while Skywarp and Thundercracker chuckle to each other behind him.

"Well," the Trine leader starts, coughing slightly, "I can't say it's been that long since we knew that Terrans existed either." He quips back.

"Totally fair!" Twitch chimes with a note of conclusion, her body already turning to face you. Starscream, you note, seems mildly relieved that the conversation ended so quickly.

You and Twitch continue to chat as you descend towards the back field where your three giant Guardians can land with ample room. The Malto matriarch and patriarch are standing by the back door, Alex's arm around Dot's waist in a relaxed posture.

Your Guardians ruffle the grass with their descent, landing politely and with minimal damage to their surroundings. To your surprise, Starscream lands in front of the two and immediately takes a knee to regard Dot Malto seriously.

"Thank you for taking care of our youngling." His voice is thick with his rasp. It's the first time you've ever heard him say the words thank you.

"We would do it again in a heartbeat. There's nothing to be thankful for, they're a delight." She turns her eyes away from your hulking Guardian and smiles at you. "Hello Shrike, welcome back."

You rush into a hug, scrambling through the grass as quickly as you can. She gives you a big squeeze as only a human mother can, and you hug Alex soon after.

"I promised I'd be back, didn't I?"

She pats your helm, leaving warm traces. "And we knew you would. Now, would you care to properly introduce us to your Guardians?"

You do so, starting with Starscream, then Thundercracker and ending with Skywarp. The purple Seeker scratches the back of his helm sheepishly as you call his name.

"I-er owe your family an apology–" the awkward tone in his voice doesn't suit him, but you can tell he's being earnest. Alex waves him off before he can finish his sentence.

"Don't mention it. You're family now. Family forgives." He claps his hands together. "And besides, I have a few recipes I think you'd be interested in learning. Filipino-Cybertronian cuisine was invented here, you know."

To his credit, rather than Skywarp, Thundercracker's the one who looks more interested. Skywarp just looks relieved he's been forgiven so easily.

You watch your three Guardians take their first steps in interacting with humans in a positive way, and feel your spark swell with emotion. They were both family, in different ways, and you'd be happy if things stayed like this forever.

Maybe it's always been about this - just spending time with each other. Simplifying your worries and just allowing yourself to enjoy their company. Not overthinking or getting wrapped up in the complicated stuff.

You'll never be a typical family. Maybe you'll never know what kind of life you led before. What you have now is all you need, and you'll protect it with all you have.

From your human relatives; the Maltos, to their Cybertronian children; the Terrans,

To your Autobot aunts and uncles,

Your awkward Decepticon uncle,

To your Seeker dads.

You wouldn't change this for anything in the universe.

You're happy.

END