Spectre: Woo! That took some time. Just decided to start collecting some TF figures, and I decided to start with RiD Warrior Class Windblade which should arrive in a few days. Maybe after that, I'll go for the R.E.D Arcee figurine despite its limitations. Also heard Windblade's also getting a Legacy treatment next year, so I gotta be prepared for that!

Just a heads up, this chapter has a very suggestive section. So be warned!

Or-lan-do626: You got me there! I have plans for the pup in the future chapters!

LongingResider: Glad that it is. When writing this chapter, Blackout was supposed to be the one accompanying Breakdown for the Polarity Gauntlet because someone's gotta replace Airachnid somehow. Then I watched Animated and thought; maybe Blitzwing and Lugnut would be great additions instead since I wanted to reserve Blackout (Also because Blitzwing apparently doesn't exist in the Aligned Continuity while Lugnut is very obscure of the appearances he had through books/comics)

Psuducode Samurai: Yep! The plan I always had for Que is for him to become the Autobot tech wiz giving something unique at the table, and at that point, I plan to have him make special equipment for Bee, Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Optimus, while likely giving ones for Arcee or Airachnid. Though I also intend to expand upon his character beyond that.

Yes, I also imagine Arcee deciding to train up Jack through exercising and having a bonding experience between them. And Airachnid for being the 'classy' type despite the whole sadism part which is kind of sad because it almost felt cartoonishly evil for her character.

united88: Soon! We'll see soon enough!

MarioDS01: Thank you!

Chapter 9: Not what I had in mind!

"Here you go, partner. A little something before we head home"

Arcee held out her hand, receiving a cone of the familiar sweet and cold dessert in a greenish-blue color, a grateful smile gracing her lips as she stared at it. "I-uh..., thanks, Jack", she was eager at this point, though she wouldn't exactly tell that to him, bringing it over her mouth and licking the sweet delicacy of a flavor unknown to her and feeling a tinge of excitement and anticipation of having to consume such a wondrous dessert she had ever tasted.

"It tasted a lot different from the one we had at the house", she curiously commented, noting the sweetness mixed with others as well as giving off a cool tinge off her tongue. "What flavor is it?"

"Bubblegum Mint. It's pretty popular with the kids around here, so I thought maybe you could give it a try", he said to her, taking a lick from his own cone. "Not when it looked like you really wanted to get one of those when we walked across it the first time"

"Do I really look that excited?", she asked him with an inquisitive eyebrow. "Or you're saying that just to make fun of me?"

"Could go either way", he snickered at her suspicion. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with having something to look forward to every once in a while"

Silence fell after that, accompanied by the mall's ever-so-busy schedule for the day. Jack took his time in eating his own ice cream, watching as Arcee eagerly consumed her own while visibly relishing the flavor like a child having to eat one for the first time of his life. It was an amusing sight, given her background, and the thought of her actually having human reactions and preferences never really crossed his mind. After a few minutes, he decided to break the ice between them. "So, what do you think of your first visit to the mall?"

She stopped devouring her ice cream, with splotches of bubblegum mint cream splattered around her face from her onslaught. "It's a mixed bag if I'm going to call it that. Could be boring, could be the opposite, really", Arcee honestly said. "It's still strange, but it's a whole lot different than going to the front and making sure the Cons don't do anything stupid. Any word from base?"

"Ratchet and Que are getting started on the relic, and probably some tech that Que had in mind", he relayed to her. "While the rest of the team are already on their way on the coordinates Airachnid gave them"

Her mood soured upon hearing that blasted Con's name, narrowing her eyes in contempt. "I still can't believe they would just believe her like that just because of some faint signals that could be glitches in the system that Ratchet hasn't fixed", she mumbled. "And to think the rest are already on whatever sick game board she had in mind"

"But what if she was right though?", Arcee turned her head to face her partner, astonished at the words he uttered. "About the intel she gave to the team?"

Her response was a rather angered sigh. "Then she's probably thinking of what Optimus would owe her once they got confirmation of whatever stories she spewed at them", she replied in contempt toward the Decepticons. "And it wouldn't be out of the ordinary if she decided to take advantage of our leader's trust the moment she got it"

He winced at the visible hostility she displayed at mentioning his would-be killer, concerned about her well-being and her thought process. "Aren't you overthinking this a bit too much, Arcee?", he asked, concerned. "What if she actually wanted to help the Optimus?"

"After what she had done to you and me, Jack? I'd rather be devoured by Scraplets than ever welcome her in open arms", she lowered her her hand holding her cone, becoming lost in her own mental dilemma.

Only to feel a pat behind her back from none other than her partner.

He looked at her, his face expressing understanding and hope towards her. "Hey, I know it's been tough, given on what had happened to the both of you. I might not get how hard it is to deal with everything she put you through, but I want you to remember something important—you're not you because of what she did"

"You're a good friend with your own values, qualities, and strengths that set you apart. The fact that you have managed to hold on to yourself says a lot about it", he gently said to her, his support unwavering. "Which is why we brought you along here, so we could at least work out what you're constantly thinking about"

She looked at him, perplexed. "You and June planned this?", the bluenette asked, puzzled.

"Well, kind off", Jack replied, lightly scratching his chin with a free finger before she heard a snicker escaping his throat alongside with a smile, that only gave her more questions at that.

"What are you smiling about?", she demanded from him, feeling a bit uneased as to where went wrong at.

"You got a cream goatie", he pointed out to her.

"A cream goatie?"

"Hang on", he pulled out his phone, snapping a picture of her as she watched in curiosity before he gave her his phone to look at.

Arcee, was by all means unimpressed and unamused at that, especially with that grin on his face. "I look ridiculous in here", she muttered.

She gave back his phone to him. "Here", Jack then pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, moving it closer to Arcee's face. "Let me clean that up for you"

The bluenette remained still in muted silence, watching Jack gently wiping off the cream from her mouth with a tender touch against her warm skin. Arcee wasn't sure what was happening. Something inside of her felt off as if they were scattering like nanobots, and a warmth spreading through her cheeks that had nothing to do with the sun from the open ceiling window above them.

They had been inseparable, sharing their struggles and memories with one another. She had always been there for him, not hesitating one bit to come for him whenever he needed her. Their bond was built on trust, support, and an understanding of one another. As Arcee looked into Jack's eyes, she couldn't help but notice the way his gaze lingered, full of genuine care and concern. It wasn't just in that moment – it was a pattern she had noticed over time. His kindness and unwavering support had slowly woven itself into the fabric of whatever she had felt, even despite her current form that severely limited her ability to protect him.

"I could've done it on myself...", she trailed off and momentarily looked away, not sure how to respond with the kind gesture shown to her. "But still, thank you", the bluenette uttered, her mind shifting at the continued kindness and care he gave her. He didn't need to help her, but he still did. Not because he has to, but because he wants to.

Jack only gave her an assuring smile at that. "Hey, consider it my turn to keep an eye on you this time", he teased, earning a bashful look from the former two-wheeler. "Besides, once they got the Relic fixed, I guess we'll just go back the way we were"

"I hope so...", Arcee took a mouthful from her cone, relishing on the cool flavor before it could melt. "When do you think we'll come back here?"

Jack looked surprised at the inquiry she gave him. "Well, you could say anytime if we're not preoccupied with anything", he replied, then he remembered her little visit from the pet shop earlier; she would want to visit her little friend again someday. "How's that sound?"

She gave him an approving nod and a smirk at the proposition. "I'm all set at that"

"So where do we go from here?"

Jack took a moment to think. "We're gonna have to catch a bus to my place", he informed his partner, with the two carrying several shopping bags from their venture at the mall. "The next stop should arrive in a few minutes, and I'll let you know if we're good to go"

Arcee rubbed her forehead at the information, relieved. "Good, because I'm gonna need to use the restroom", she mumbled, after having drank two glasses of the carbonated drink called Coca-Cola back at the fast-food chain they went to for lunch. "If you're all right to wait, that is"

Jack passed her an approving wave of his hand. "Yeah, sure. Just take your time out there, okay?", he reminded her before adding. "Your hands are also sticky from the melted ice cream from earlier, so you might as well get it washed"

Arcee merely passed the teen with a light slap behind his back, walking briskly to the restroom. Just as she had entered, Jack breathed out a heavy sigh, calculating what they spent while inside. Okay, let's see...groceries? Check. Some clothes that Arcee would use? Check. Cash on hand? Check. Take out for dinner? Check., he recalled, before deciding that they already brought what they needed. Toiletries and other things needed for the bathroom? Also check. And-

"Hey, Darby!"

Jack rolled his eyes, recognizing the voice. And sure enough, he saw a parked sports car with flaming highlights and its driver approaching him with a smug grin that he had to deal with every so often.

"Vince", he replied simply.

"Huh, who would've thought seeing you here and waiting at the bus stop", he paused for a moment, realizing something missing from the teen. "Where's your scooter, Darby? Pounded?", the bully mocked, only to be replied with muted silence from the teen who only gave out a dejected sigh at having to deal with this sort of thing. "I guess flipping burgers isn't enough to pay off the parking tickets?"

"Hey"

Vince's ears rang when he heard the voice and he looked back, finding himself staring at a pair of glowering electric blue eyes of a tall, blue-haired woman crossing her arms waiting for him to continue. Jack widened his eyes for a bit, now seeing Arcee had just finished her business. Needless to say, she was not happy with what she was seeing.

"Something wrong here?", she asked him in a cold but calm tone, maintaining a cool demeanor that could be viewed as being displeased from the inside. She had known him for a few altercations with him on the road and at Jack's workplace. The problem was, neither could do anything with him because Jack would lose his job if he decided to give him a piece of his mind and the obvious that she couldn't blow her cover. But now, she wasn't going to let that slide.

Vince took a step backward, looking at the athletic woman awkwardly and nervously as she looked down at him expressionlessly. "Care to tell me what he's been telling you, Jack?", she asked her partner, sounding eager to receive a confirmation from him.

"Not really...uh-", Jack paused mid-sentence at his partner. Hang on, I can't call her by her name at this point...what am I supposed to call her then? Until he remembered what her hologram was named, or at least how she called herself when she was undercover. "Sadie"

Arcee raised an eyebrow upon being called by her hologram's name until she remembered the state she was in right now. Vince's head darted back and forth as he tried to register the idea of Darby having a girl, or rather a woman, who looked like she had graduated with a sports major as his companion and quite the looker herself. "Hang on, you know this guy?", he asked in a disbelieving tone, pointing at Jack.

She crossed his arms, maintaining a stone-faced expression toward him. "Yeah, a friend", she pointed out to him, wanting to give him the message while clearly making her dislike of him evident. "Got a problem with that?"

Sweat began to form on both boys; for Jack because he wanted to defuse the situation right away while Vince saw that the bluenette wouldn't take anything lightly resembling a mockery. Fortunately enough, something caught Jack's eye as he quickly grabbed their bags and nudged Arcee by the elbow. "Oh, the bus is here!", Jack quickly pointed out, cocking his head to signal his partner. "Come on, Sadie"

Arcee watched as the bus awaited them, and she grabbed her bags and climbed up the door. She took one last look at the other teen, narrowing her eyes into a glare daring him to do anything to Jack before she went inside.

The ride on the bus was quiet enough. Neither of them really spoke with one another, other than Jack giving the payment to the conductor and Arcee wondered wether or not the near altercation at the bus stop with Vince was the reason why. Both placed the shopping bags at the kitchen, while Jack was evidently exhausted from the work he had to do earlier. And he opted to head upstairs and get cleaned up.

As she sat on the sofa, lost in her thoughts, Arcee couldn't help but think about her partner. She had always seen as a good friend with a will of iron, but seeing him treated like that made her Energon, or blood in her current case, boil. Sure, she may have at least given that brat the memo on trying to pick on Jack but it might not be enough. But she can't exactly beat some sense out of him or that'll just lead to more problems for both her and Jack, not to mention Optimus' rule of not harming any humans.

It was frustrating to think about it and she rubbed her temples to wipe off the sweat off of her.

An unpleasant odor came to her senses, and she immediately figured out that it came from none other than herself when she took a sniff on her armpits.

That's right, June asked me to get cleaned up once we returned, she remembered the nurse's advice for her, hearing the running water that came from the bathroom upstairs. Since Jack is already there, maybe it's also a good time to ask him for help with that too.

Shedding her clothes took a while. She first started by unzipping her hoodie and pulling it off her shoulders, followed by pulling up her sleeveless top over her head to reveal a blue bra-clad chest. She unbuttoned and pulled down her pants, leaving her in her underwear, but that didn't last long as she quickly unclasped the bra and pulled down her panties, leaving her completely naked as the bluenette shivered slightly from the cold air coming from the house's air-conditioning unit. Picking up a towel from one of the cabinets, she could hear the running water colliding on the floor as its occupant was still inside before her hand made contact with the door knob.

Feeling the warm water raining upon his body, Jack breathed out a sigh of relief. Tired would be an understatement, and the hours spent showing Arcee around the mall and getting everything they needed was easier said than done. Not as boring as working at KO's, but at least he managed to come around. So far, taking a shower managed to get all the stress and fatigue away from him in an instant, hoping that there is nothing that would throw a wrench of his relaxation period.

That is until the sliding door of the shower opened, catching him off guard and gazing upon his partner, who lacked any clothing except for a towel that covered her rather athletic build. "Arcee?!", he exclaimed, covering the middle of his legs and looking away from her figure. "What are you doing here?!"

"Clean up", she simply said, a bit surprised by his reaction as she went inside. "Thought this would be a good time to use the washroom"

"Yeah, but for me!", he backed away from her. "Can't you just wait until I'm finished?"

The former two-wheeler wasn't certain as to why her partner reacted as if the Cons were in front of him. "Calm, down Jack, we've gone through worse than this and I doubt getting a clean-up with a partner is one of them", she told him in a deadpanned tone. "Besides, June told me to ask you for help with what to do in the shower"

That's not how you're supposed to interpret that! Jack felt like smacking his head to see if he was dreaming, and not that kind of dream despite how great it sounded for some. "W-what?!", he stuttered, exasperated by her sentence. "We can't do that here!"

Her reaction read of indifference. "Cybertron's maintenance facilities are communal, so we help out one another to do repair and maintenance whenever we can, and that includes cleaning", she merely said with a huff, hanging her towel next to his, forcing the teen to shut his eyes from the sight.

"That sounds great and all, but we're not in Cybertron!", he tried to reason out with her. "And humans don't work that way!"

"And why not?", she crossed her arms at him, appearing skeptical of his reaction. "You've been the one making sure that I didn't have any splotches whenever you're the one cleaning my wheels. And given that there aren't any parts in my current frame, I'd say you wouldn't have a hard time at that"

His eyes remained shut, forcefully covering his thighs hoping that she wouldn't see what is under him. "If it helps, just imagine me in my vehicle form getting a clean-up like you did every week"

That's easier said than done given your proportions! At this point, Jack would've taken the option to bolt out of the bathroom and leave her here. But when it comes to Arcee, she would rather see things through by any means. And it wouldn't be out of the ordinary that she would tell Mom that he didn't help her, and he didn't want to deal with the consequences of that once she realized that he had been showering with his now-human partner.

If this meant to at least earn her silence of this event, he would have to ride out the storm in front of him. "If I'm going to do this, you'll remember every detail of where you'll need cleaning off", he finally relented. "And that you won't call me again regarding this subject, and you won't tell Mom about this, okay?"

Arcee's reply was a complying nod, promising him her silence. "Duly noted"

He would start by at least not having her in front of him. "Turn back for me", he asked her and she did without question. "Okay, stand still", he reached out to the faucet, allowing the shower's warm water to rain into Arcee's body. Nervously, but somewhat determined, Jack scuffled around her hair, making sure that it was soaking wet and all sides were clear for the shampoo to be applied. "So this is how it feels when human skin makes contact with water", Arcee commented, a feeling of relaxation, invigoration, and comfort within and outside her human frame. She now understood why people take their sweet time inside the washroom.

"Yeah, just make sure it's neither too hot nor too cold" He reached out a small plastic stool, motioning for her to take a seat. Jack handed her a washcloth, but not before she began to feel Jack's soft fingers massaging her scalp, noticing how the shampoo is now being applied to her hair. "Is this the part where the shampoo is used?", she asked him, feeling that he was making sure that every inch of her scalp was already applied with the foamy, yet quite alluring, substance, but not before some of them caught her eye. "Yep, just make sure to keep your eyes peeled whenever you're using the shampoo or soap. It could get ugly if it actually went through the eyelids"

He got ahold of the two washcloths that were hanging at the other side of the washroom picked up a bar of soap, and he handed her one of them. "It's a bit simple, watch and learn while I clean with one side while you deal with the other. That way, you would learn how we clean up our bodies when in the shower"

She understood his reminder clearly. "Got it", she glanced behind him, noticing him breathing in and out of the mounting pressure within. "Come on, you don't have to be embarrassed about it. If anything, this sounded easier than what Optimus and the rest are up to"

Jack took her words in stride, realizing them to be quite true to some degree. "Speaking of which, what do you think they're doing right now?"

"Stay alert, Bumblebee", Optimus cautioned the Scout, looking over at his surroundings with a raised blaster. "We are close in the coordinates provided. And if the Decepticons have found out first, then it is to no doubt they are now excavating the relic as we speak"

'I don't mean to be a bummer, Optimus. But can we really believe what Airachnid just told us?', the Scout beeped in inquiry as they traversed the island, glancing around the dense forests and the network of cliffs and mountains around them. I mean, Arcee could be right about her leading us to a trap'

The leader appeared to ponder for a moment. "I have my own doubts about her claims, but it is best if we follow any possible lead that Megatron and others may pursue and there is no telling what awaits us, old friend", he admitted, not completely on board with having to follow a lead from someone who had a spreadsheet on her record among his soldiers. But before he could diverge in that thought further, his scanner began to blare, its signal becoming stronger at every step they were taking. "We are close", he said as they picked up the pace.

They found themselves in a ditch, seemingly having been dug up in a while. From what they could describe, it was a device with a circular green object in the middle, and its properties indicated it was made to produce waves of unknown capabilities as of now. The Scout slid down from the spot, as did the leader where they took a closer look of the relic, carefully assessing as to how they would be able to extract it.

Until a glint from above was noticed by Optimus from above and he quickly reached out to the Scout. "Bumblebee, get back!", the Prime called out for him, just in time for the latter to quickly evade a blue beam where an icy surface formed on the spot that he had been standing from, causing the two to look up the source as to where it came from.

"I'm afraid zat is not yours for ze taking, Autobots", a calm voice called out just as the Prime's hand neared the relic, causing the duo to shift their attention at the source of the voice, locating it above a hilltop overlooking the relic.

A Cybertronian stood before them, with the beige and purple colors of his armor made him distinct from those they had faced before. His size at least equals Wheeljack in terms of height, though he had a heavier build than the sword-wielding Wrecker. Two wings reminiscent of jet fighters were attached to his back, while the middle had two cannons as his 'backpack', for heavier firepower. Lastly, his defining feature was a purple faceplate alongside a glowing left optic shaped like a monocle, although something was evidently hidden behind that calm visage, and his chassis was embedded with an insignia of the Decepticons.

"Greetings Optimus Prime", the Con professed to the leader. "I zee you have survived ze Ark's voyage to this planet", he then looked over to the yellow scout. "And to you with Megatron"

"Blitzwing", Optimus called out the Decepticon's name, having been aware of the process he had gone through at Cybertron. "Then rumors Shockwave's experiments are indeed true"

The Decepticon gave a curt nod at the statement. "An overall improvement, I might say", he replied, looking over to the relic. "As convenient as it is to speak with you, I have other priorities to go after. And I would have to ask you to hand over it for safe keeping"

"We will not allow Megatron to do as he wished with the relic, Blitzwing", the Prime only stated, preparing to face off with the Triple Changer. "Surrender to the Autobots, and we can assure you fair treatment"

To Bumblebee's unease, Blitzwing's purple face switched, revealing a red faceplate with a red visor covering his optics. "LIKE I WILL SURRENDER TO A GROUP OF AUTOSCUM!", the 'Hothead' snapped, bending down a bit to allow the two cannons behind him to swivel down and fire two powerful purple beams of destruction. Optimus and Bee quickly evaded the attack and they looked up to the Decepticon who launched up in the air, morphing into an American F-16D. As he did, a hail of purple gunfire rained down upon the Autobots, taking cover behind a massive boulder. Optimus looked back to find Blitzwing, narrowly dodging a shot aimed at his head as he returned fire with his own pair of blasters, as did Bumblebee.

"Autobot! Come here and fight like a bot!", Blitzwing's 'Hothead' persona taunted, ejecting a pair of missiles that forced both Autobots to retreat from their cover, just in time for it to be destroyed by the impact.

Sent flying from the impact and crashing onto the rocky surface, Wheeljack quickly rolled out of harm's way upon seeing Lugnut's arms crashing down at him. Jumping away from the bomber, the Wrecker quickly morphed his right arm into a blaster, firing several blue beams at Lugnut's chassis. However the shots were harmlessly dissipated upon impact on the Decepticon's armor, and Lugnut was unfazed of the pathetic attempt of resistance.

It was quickly replaced with aggression, with the Bomber tackling the Wrecker with his shoulder and pinning him through the wall. Lugnut lunged his fist towards Wheeljack's, who cocked his head on the left right on time before

"FOOL! NO ONE HARMS LUGNUT", a pair of rocket thrusters activated behind the purple Decepticon's back, launching him up the air while raising his fist for a massive punch with a pair of thrusters rapidly boosting its impact. "NOW WITNESS THE WRATH OF MEGATRON!", he proudly proclaimed.

Widening his optics upon realizing the impending attack, Wheeljack quickly jumped away and morphed into his vehicle form, watching as Bulkhead's fist clashed with Breakdown's hammer, pushing back the blue Decepticon after breaking the lock between them.

"Bulkhead! Get back!", the Green Wrecker glanced at his partner hastily falling back from the area, and he took it with stride, switching to his own vehicle form upon seeing the purple Con approaching the ground in neck speed.

Breakdown watched as his opponent broke off the fight between them and turned back from him, completely caught off guard until he saw Lugnut's fist finally making contact with the ground below him.

From a distance, a massive dome-like explosion rocked the area for miles, reducing everything in its path to nothingness as it quickly spread like wildfire. Unfortunately, the blue Decepticon wasn't so lucky to fall back earlier.

In the aftermath, a massive crater had been formed from the destruction caused by the bomber's fist, his optics scanning the area for any survivors. From the rubble, Breakdown emerged, clearly angered from the case of friendly fire made by the newcomer and he promptly struck Lugnut's head, causing the bomber to look over at his fellow Decepticon with annoyance. "Give me a heads-up if you're pulling that kind of stunt!", he reprimanded the bomber.

Lugnut merely ignored his colleague when a glint caught his optic, prompting him to head over a dig out the remaining rubble. A gauntlet-like object was embedded into the ground, miraculously surviving Lugnut's attack. Breakdown brought his servos and grabbed the gauntlet. "Jackpot", the blue con proudly proclaimed.

"We have achieved a glorious victory for our Master, Megatron!", the Bomber quickly interjected, raising his fist in triumph and watching him utilizing its properties. "We must return to his fold immediately and report our success!"

His proclamation only resulted of a hail or blue-blaster fire raining down upon them. They looked up to find both Wheeljack and Bulkhead firing their weapons at them, forcing the Decepticons to return to the surface.

"You've gotta be dreaming if you think we're running away!", the sword-wielding Wrecker snarked at duo, brandishing both his swords against the purple Decepticon.

The Triple Changer found himself staring at a blue Energon blade, gripping the leader's arm with all his strength as Optimus tried lunging him from behind when he swatted away the yellow Scout when Bee tried to jump over him and send him a distance away from them. Angrily glaring behind his red visor, Blitzwing grabbed the Autobot leader's other arm and proceeded to deliver a powerful headbutt with his helmet, disorienting the leader. Optimus felt his chassis being struck by a powerful knee from the Triple Changer followed by an elbow struck him from behind. Blitzwing grabbed the Autobot leader by the torso and threw him several feet away from him.

He took this opportunity, morphing into his tank form and aiming both its turrets at the Prime. "I'll make sure that you malfunction! Or go offline!", Blitzwing's 'hothead' voice roared as it began charging up his tank form's two cannons on the downed Autobot leader.

Bumblebee's optics narrowed in anger as he quickly dashed towards the tank, grabbing the turret forcibly moving out of Prime's direction, resulting in a misfire. The angered Triple-Changer transformed back to his robot mode, allowing Bumblebee to climb behind the Decepticon and land a few straight punches at Blitzwing's faceplate, only for the Scout's body to be lifted by a pair of arms and Bee found himself staring directly at Blitzwing's face.

Where it once again rotated to reveal a purely black screen, save for a smiling face that read insanity.

"HAHAHAHAH! PEEK-A-BOO!", the 'Random' face laughed maniacally at the Scout whose optics widened in complete repulsion at the sight before he was gloriously thrown next to the Autobot leader.

Blitzwing's faceplates reverted back to its 'Icy' demeanor, walking over at the unearthed relic. "So zis is ze Liquefier", the Triple-Changer marveled at the simple-looking relic, looking over at his two adversaries, a small smirk appearing on his mouth plate and raised the relic towards them. "I wouldn't mind using a few subjects to see if it worked"

Optimus took his time to regain his bearings, optics widening in alarm as he gazed at Blitzwing pointing the relic at him and the Scout. "Bumblebee, get down!", he ordered, and the two hit the ground as the device unleashed a freak wave of energy, causing a nearby cliff to literally melt upon contact and slowly collapse before them.

"Melted like a snow cone! HAHAHAHA!", Blitzwing's 'Random' personality gleefully described the damage he had inflicted.

Arcee mellowed in the warm waters that cascaded her body and of the scents that the shampoo had brought out into the room. Who would've thought having to wash as a human would be so relaxing? she thought to herself before she applied the soap onto her own washcloth as she cleaned the front of her torso; Jack told her she would be able to do that without his help, though he appeared embarassed when she asked his assistance for it.

So far, so good. As long as nothing weird happens between them, then it's smooth sailing all around. With a washcloth and a bar of soap in hand, Jack proceeded to scrub the cloth with the soap, resulting in a foamy surface forming on the cloth, until it inadvertently slipped out of his hands and to the floor below them.

"Scrap...", Jack muttered, putting away the washcloth momentarily. "It slipped..."

"Hang on, partner. I'll get it for you", She bent down to retrieve the bar of soap, inadvertently allowing the teen to have a wide view of her behind as well as the...slit between her legs. Jack forcefully shut his eyes at the sight, absolutely hoping that Miko wouldn't find out about this because he was certainly sure he would not hear the end of it.

"Here", she handed him the bar of soap, signaling that the coast was clear. Breathing out, he scrubbed the washcloth with the bar until it was foamy enough, and Arcee mimicked the process with her own. "Here, put your hand up", he instructed her, with the bluenette complying as he wiped her arm with the washcloth. Gently, his hand went below her armpit and he watched as Arcee mimicked the method on the other.

"I think I can deal with my legs", Arcee suddenly stated, causing Jack to thankfully sigh in relief as it would have been a very odd scene for him to enact at that. "But can you help with my back?", she then asked him, slightly turning her head to face him. "I can't seem to reach it with the cloth I'm using"

It was a genuine request for help at that, at least it shouldn't be that hard for the both of them. "Alright, here take a seat on here", he gestured at the stool. The bluenette used this as an opportunity to straighten her leg a bit, beginning to clean every inch of her lower part of the body.

Jack had already the pressure and anxiety leave him as he continued to assist his partner with the activity. As long as nothing else happens between them, it should be alright, and they are already more than halfway through of the sessions. Sat on a stool, Jack gently wiped her back with a foamy washcloth, hearing his partner hum in complete comfort and relaxation. He quickly shook his head of whatever thoughts that intrude his mind.

Arcee felt a gentle anticipation tingle through her body. She closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the moment, and trusted her partner's touch as he soaked the washcloth in the water, imbuing it with tenderness. His strong, yet delicate hands cupped the cloth, and as he brought it closer, she could feel the anticipation within her intensify. Jack moved closer, despite the distance between them, his breath caressing the nape of her neck. The bluenette's skin tingled in anticipation as he began tracing delicate circles, starting from the base of her neck and gradually moving down her back. The warm, soapy fabric glided effortlessly across her skin, leaving a trail of cleansing serenity in its wake.

All the while, Jack maintained a cool head as continued to assist his partner in cleaning up while doing it quite briskly. As much as possible, he would prefer this to be finished. He continuously thought as to how it had come to this. Sure he had been cleaning his partner whenever she asked him to when she was still a Cybertronian, but this is one scenario that he never thought it would happen. People might say he was in a 'lucky' situation, but he would beg to differ in more ways than one, and he didn't want to appear like a weirdo in front of Arcee of all people.

But as he drifted further into his thoughts, he had lost momentum in what he was doing. And his washcloth-covered hand had slowly drifted away from Arcee's back and onto the front, not realizing the surface had become softer until it was too late. "Ah~!", a moan escaped Arcee's mouth, causing Jack to yelp in surprise.

"Gaaaah!", the teen yelped, watching as Arcee turned her head around to face him. "I think your hand pressed too hard onto my chassis", she explained to him, realizing what just happened.

"I know!", he wailed, feeling that he wanted to bash his head onto the wall. "It was an accident and my hand slipped!"

"By Primus, just relax Jack", she advised him, waiting for him to calm down. "If it's an accident, then there's no reason for to kick yourself at the back because of it", she assured him. Arcee's body tensed when she felt the crack of her behind being touched by a rather...peculiar object. "Uh...there's something poking right behind me", she then turned around as soon as stood up from the stool.

Her eyes looked down between his legs, looking perplexed at what she was seeing. Why does it look like it was swiveling upwards like a cannon?

By the time she had looked up to look him in the eye, the teen felt like blacking out from embarrassment, just in time for Arcee to catch him before he fell, not minding that her naked body was straddling his.

Guess that clears up the lesson in human bath time then?

Spectre: Welp, that went a little cliche, but I figured it's a memory-making scenario for the two, especially Jack since he's still a teenager at that point. And I apologize for the fight scenes! We'll see more of them in the next chapter and in its conclusion! Next would also give focus to Airachnid! If you have any reviews or questions, feel free to comment them!