Chapter 1: The Prologue
Many millions of years ago on the planet Cybertron, life existed. But not life as we know it today. Intelligent robots who could think and feel inhabited the cities. They were called cybertronians.
The cybertronians had existed on the planet for eons, and lived within a golden age of their long civilization, enjoying a long period of peace and tranquility.
On this day, it was especially peaceful in Iacon City. A peace one older bot was letting himself enjoy as he slowly walked through the circle in the city center.
Kup sighed as he looked at his datapad before raising his head to look around at the quiet city center. He liked the quiet, the cities on Cybertron seem to just get busier and busier with each passing cycle.
Right now, however, it was peaceful, and he was going to embrace that. He was technically working now, however, his job wasn't exactly demanding. As the energy manager, all he had to do was to keep watch of energy transmissions throughout a single region of the city, and thankfully the internal systems do the watching all for him. If an unusual energy spike pops up, or if an energy flow goes out, his datapad will pick it up and let him know. All he has to do is contact a repair squad to check it out and describe the briefing of the issue the datapad told him.
Simple work, but Kup was older, and he knew well he deserved the position. Gives him the ability to enjoy moments like these.
Lowering the datapad, Kup sighed again and turned his gaze towards the center of the circle, basically the crown jewel of it. The Well of All Sparks.
It's stood there as long as Cybertron has existed, and there it will stay. He smiled fondly as he slowly approached the circular structure. He remembers in his youth he'd always visit the well, every day he could. He would stand around for maybe an hour or so, hoping to for once be among the crowd to witness what he'd only read on the telegram about. To see…
His datapad suddenly beeped, a red light in the corner flashing. He darted his pad up at the sight. Red was a signal for a massive energy spike, usually a large emergency, like an entire Energon pipeline blowing out.
He turned away from the well as he looked at his datapad, raising his hand to his head to contact a repair squad, but he froze before his fingers could touch his head.
"This… can't be right. An energy spike… here? There's nothing around to power except…"
Kup bit his words down as he spun on a dime back to the well, watching a blue glow suddenly erupt from its center, the sound of long unused mechanisms churning as the well opened.
Jogging to the edge of the well, Kup mantled it and turned his head, watching as three more bots jogged close to watch the rare spectacle unfold. He turned back to the well, seeing an opening had appeared in the center, blue glowing out from inside and the sound of metal crunching rising.
As he watched, a bot behind him on the ground excitedly patted at their friend and said, "The Well of All Sparks is giving birth! It hasn't done that in stellar cycles!"
Kup couldn't help but crack a smile as he gazed down into the well. He dreamed of this day since his youth, and now he gets to be one of only a few who get to witness this birth. He wondered what this bot would look like.
The glow became brighter, forcing Kup to look away and cover his optics. Suddenly, the mechanical churning disappeared and the bright blue glow from the well slowly faded. Lowering his arm, Kup turned back to the well to see a bot now standing in its center, their gaze falling on Kup.
The first thing Kup noticed was the size of the bot, being over two heads taller than him. Along with their height, they had a somewhat slimmer overall build, and they lacked facial features. They lacked any mouth or nose and had a wide yellow glowing V instead of optics.
Shaking off his nature to observe the bot, Kup cleared his pipes and said, "Welcome, young Cybertronian!"
The yellow glow of the bot's visor gazed into Kup's optics, not a sound resonating from their body, not a single readable emotion. Kup couldn't help but feel a tad confused, taking a step backward.
"Uh, my name is Kup. You're lucky I was around for your birth, since being an older bot, I know a thing or two about Cybertron I could teach you in your early days. So, what's your name?"
All he received in return was a yellow, sparkless gaze.
If Kup could sweat, he'd have beads shooting down his face.
Before he could say something else, the new bot reached around to its back, making Kup perk up. Tilting to the side a bit to see, Kup noticed the bot had a large backpack of some kind attached to its backside, their hand gripping onto a plug coming out from the pack's side. Pulling the plug out revealed it was a cable.
The bot pulled the plug in front of him, the cable attached to the pack and then pointed at Kup's data pad.
"O-oh, you… want this? This is Iacon property, technically…"
Kup met the lifeless gaze again, then held it out with a nervous chuckle and said, "D-doesn't matter. Here, do what you gotta do."
The bot gently took the data pad from his grasp, then plugged the cable into it. After a few seconds, the bot turned the datapad back to Kup, and on it read, "My name is Perpetrator."
It suddenly clicked for Kup as he looked up from the data pad to the bot's mouthless face. Tapping the screen, Kup nodded at the bot and said, "You can't speak, huh? Interesting… I've never seen that before. Perpetrator, right? I got an old friend I want you to meet… maybe he can help you."
The new bot's gaze shifted a bit to him, then the words on the data pad changed, reading, "Help?"
Kup chuckled and said, "Yeah, with your speaking issue. And if not, he's even smarter than me. I'd recommend getting to know him anyway."
Perpetrator nodded his head, then the data pad read, "Then let's go."
#
Kup led Perpetrator down a somewhat quiet street, Iacon still lacking it's usual business today. Despite that, all optics were on Perpetrator. The word was already spreading about the wellborn, and camera shots of the well caught him. All the attention made him nervous, he didn't want to be out here anymore.
Stopping, Kup put a hand on Perpetrator's shoulder and turned him towards the building entrance next to them. The two gazed up at the holographic name glowing above the entrance, reading out, "Iacon Medical Clinic."
Looking down at Kup, Perpetrator held up the datapad, which read, "I feel slightly insulted."
Laughing lightly, Kup patted his shoulder and said, "I'm not saying you're broken, pal. But my friend runs this place, so he'll be here, is all. Now come on. Maybe if we catch him in a good mood he won't charge me anything for this visit."
The door slid open for them as they marched in, Kup giving the desk clerk a wave and walking past. The clerk waved back, though their wave stopped as their eyes locked onto Perpetrator's dead stare as he passed with Kup. The clerk froze up as they passed, Perpetrator turning back to follow Kup as he confidently marched through the building.
Kup led Perpetrator back into the building, all the workers they crossed giving Kup a warm smile as he passed before seemingly freezing up as they met the new bot's gaze. It left Perpetrator perplexed.
The two stopped outside a door, Kup giving it a knock. After a few seconds, it slid open, revealing a red and white bot on the other side.
Leaning forward, Kup said, "Hey Ratchet, how's business?"
Waving them in and turning back into the room, Ratchet said, "Very very slow, which is a wonderful thing. And how are you, Kup?"
Stepping in, Kup followed behind Ratchet and said, "Today was pretty peaceful, very nice. Then, it got really exciting. So it's been good."
Sitting down on a chair on the other side of a desk, Ratchet said, "That's good to hear. I'm bored of hearing you complain about how much better Cybertron used to be."
Walking into the room, Perpetrator gazed around at it. Ahead of him sat Ratchet's desk, looking like an office, but to the left, it looked like a medical ward, with a single operating table surrounded by a few high-tech machines he couldn't recognize.
Gesturing back to the approaching bot, Kup said, "Anyway, the reason I'm here isn't for small talk."
"I assumed not, or else you wouldn't have brought along quite the formidable-looking stranger."
Kup chuckled, then patted Perpetrator's shoulder and said, "This is Perpetrator. He's a new friend I made today, and you will never guess how I met him!"
Ratchet stared at the two of them for a few seconds, then spun his monitor around to show a drone shot of Perpetrator rising from the well. Both Kup and Perpetrator leaned in to see the footage, perplexed.
"Where did…"
Ratchet chuckled softly as he stood up, turning the monitor back around, "Iacon has automatic sentries to record the well. All of Cybertron knows about him already, so I'm surprised you got here without issue."
Holding the data pad out toward Ratchet, it read, "Is that why everyone in here looked at me weird?"
Ratchet peered at the data pad for a few seconds, then chuckled as he walked towards the operating table and said, "I think that's due to your appearance. You're a big bot, Perpetrator. And your face is featureless, so you just look intimidating is all. So… I assume you brought him here because he can't talk."
Kup and Perpetrator both looked at each other, then Kup looked back at Ratchet with a nod and asked, "Yeah, how did you know?"
Ratchet turned on one of the machines next to the table, typing on a holographic monitor, and said, "The data pad. Other than that he seemed perfectly fine."
Turning his gaze to Perpetrator, Ratchet gestured to the table and said, "Lay down here, I'm going to run a diagnostic and scan, checking you out is all. Figure out if we can alter your speech synthesizer."
Nodding, Perpetrator approached the table and laid down on it, the backpack on him making it somewhat uncomfortable. Kup stepped next to him with a soft chuckle and said, "Don't worry about it, kiddo. Ratchet here is the smartest cybertronian I know. He knows what he's doing."
Perpetrator nodded and watched as a beam ran up and down his body. After it finished scanning, Ratchet attached a tube to his head and backpack.
"Strange…"
Walking around to Ratchet's side, Kup asked, "A problem?"
Ratchet shook his head, gesturing to the backpack and said, "Not a problem, really, but he seems to lack transformative pieces."
Perpetrator turned to them, as they talked, curious.
Kup gazed over Perpetrator's body, then asked, "Uhuh… yeah. No wheels, no wings… and the backpack doesn't have transformative divots. Does that mean…"
Waving his hand, Ratchet said, "Let's focus on one issue at a time. Look at the screen here and tell me what's missing."
Kup chuckled as he turned to the monitor and said, "You know I don't know much about the science and stuff about our insides. I just know we work…"
Leaning forward, he gazed at what appeared to be an x-ray image of Perpetrator's throat, his biocomponents visible.
"What am I…"
Ratchet reached a hand over and placed a finger on the monitor, tapping at the picture of the neck, and said, "Here is where he should have a speech synthesizer. Now if he was simply missing one at birth, that would simply be a fixable defect. But he's not just missing one, he was simply designed without one."
Tilting his head, Kup asked, "And the difference being?"
With a sigh, Ratchet took the tubes off Perpetrator and said, "There isn't room to put a new one in. If we tried, we'd disrupt more important processes. And it seems the backpack is a rudimentary replacement, capable of plugging into any console or input jack to communicate via text."
Nodding with a low sigh, Kup glanced at Perpetrator and said, "Uhuh… seems rough."
Ratchet nodded and said, "It will be. And to top it off, because of it, he cannot transform."
"He really can't? Does he not have…"
Shaking his head, Ratchet said, "He has a t-cog. But whatever alternate mode he would've been capable of taking, he can't. The backpack is a solid non-transforming component on his body."
Kup stroked his chin with a grunt, then asked, "Is it fixable?"
Ratchet stayed silent for a few seconds, simply looking at his terminal and typing. After a few more seconds, Ratchet said, "He was birthed from the well today, a momentous occasion. So knowing that, and you being my friend, I'll do some research. See if I can find or come up with a solution."
"So there isn't one?"
Turning from the terminal to Kup, Ratchet said, "No, but there are theories about similar operations. Here…"
Ratchet turned, tapping a cabinet on the wall and letting it slide open. He reached in and retrieved a small device, then turned to Perpetrator and held it out. Perpetrator took it gently, sitting up.
Nodding, Ratchet said, "Hang onto that. If I come up with something or have an update, I'll contact you with that."
Perpetrator nodded, watching as Ratchet then turned to Kup.
"So what is your plan with him? You have to take him to the courts and such, but Well-born are big deals. It might not take long for people to recognize him."
Shaking his head with confidence, Kup chuckled and said, "No worries. The city is quiet for now. I know I'll be able to escort him to the court chambers safely. Plus, you know as well as I do how quickly the public becomes disinterested. No one will even spare him a glance after a week or two, guaranteed."
Nodding with a sigh, Ratchet slowly returned to his desk's seat and said, "Perhaps. We always overlook how rough the well-born have it at the beginning of their lives. They are thrust into the world fully developed knowing no one and lost, really. While we used to have a program for them, it became unsustainable once they became so rare."
"I know that all too well, Doc. That's why I'll be sticking with him for the lot of it. So don't you sweat it, Perpetrator. I'll make sure you get on your feet. First things first, you need to get registered into the Iacon database. So come on, time we head to the court chambers, then the Iacon records."
Perpetrator gladly nodded and hopped off the bench, giving Ratchet a nod of thanks before leaving the room. Kup patted his back as they left, turning to Ratchet, "See you another day, Ratchet."
Ratchet nodded and waved to them as they left. As they left the building, Kup took a glance up and down the street. Patting Perpetrator's arm, Kup walked down the road and said, "Let's make you official, friend. A wonderful life awaits you here on Cybertron!"
Perpetrator nodded with some enthusiasm as he caught up to Kup and followed him. Despite now being acutely aware of what was wrong with him, he felt good knowing there were bots putting some work into figuring it out. Despite being fresh out of the Well of Allsparks, he didn't feel alone.
#
Ratchet sat at a two-seated table quietly, looking to his right out a window exposing a bustling street of Iacon. Fortunately though busier than the last few days, it wasn't exactly loud. Not that much noise could get into the records library.
With a soft sigh, he turned back forward and put his hands down on the table. The table beamed to life, a holographic display activating overtop it where he could research whatever books, research papers, or other information this specific library held.
Though he was really just killing time as he scrolled through what he could find, awaiting the arrival of an acquaintance he had called out in hopes their minds put together could help him.
As if his internal monologue had summoned him, the entrance to the library opened. Ratchet turned towards the door, watching a purple, one-eyed bot enter.
Ratchet waved him over with a soft smile, "Shockwave, good to see you."
Waving back, Shockwave hurried into the seat opposite Ratchet and said, "Great to see you, too. It's been too long, and it's always nice to know someone in the scientific community doesn't detest me."
Ratchet softly chuckled, "Well, how can you blame some when so many of your proposed tests would include multiple living test subjects."
Waving the claim off, Shockwave said, "Exactly, proposed. Say a few wild ideas, and suddenly they forget exactly how important you and your past research are. I mean, I'm the reason the rust plague doesn't exist anymore!"
Nodding, Ratchet said, "Yes, but that is only partially true. Remember, your initial design had a major flaw, one which I corrected."
Shockwave bobbed his one-eyed head and said, "I know, yes. But that was only the engineering design of the unit that spread the cure. Not the bio-mechanical genetics of the cure itself. You've always been better with the mechanical, but I've been working to improve on that ever since! I haven't had a flawed final engineering design in my work so far."
"Good to hear. But today I wanted to know if I could share some of your genius in figuring out a solution to a problem afflicting a new friend of mine."
Shockwave tilted his head and asked, "Is it a new virus of some kind?"
Ratchet shook his head, "No, nothing like that. You see, he's the newest wellborn…"
He watched as Shockwave's single eye seemingly widened, then he said, "I've heard about that! He can't talk, right? I mean, that is an issue, but it's not too hard to install a supplementary voice synth…"
"No, talking is only part of the problem."
Tilting his head again, Shockwave asked, "And the other part?"
"He can't transform…"
Nodding with a sigh, Shockwave said, "Let me guess, not because of a rare lack of t-cog, but the physical barrier that is that big backpack he hucks around?"
Ratchet nodded, then Shockwave softly chuckled, "Well, the answer to this problem is either ridiculously simple or ridiculously complicated. And if you called the so-called mad scientist to help, it must be the former."
"Precisely. Removing the backpack entirely would not only cut off his ability to communicate at all, but my scans of him showed even with it gone, his transformation would be incomplete. It's as if he needs the backpack, but the backpack simply wasn't developed to transform."
He turned to gaze out the window, pondering the problem. As he did so, Shockwave was already aggressively scrolling through research logs on the holographic table.
Raising a finger as he scrolled, Shockwave asked, "Did you do a bio-scan on his t-cog? Maybe if we can pinpoint what kind of transformation he is meant to do, it'll help us figure out a solution."
Ratchet chuckled softly, then turned back and said, "Your mad scientist is subconsciously kicking in again, Shockwave. You'd need the t-cog out of his body to properly bio-scan and pinpoint that. So no, I haven't."
Waving his hand dismissively, Shockwave said, "If he came to me, it would've been the second thing I did after figuring out the problem itself. Perhaps you can bring him to me so I can take it out and put it back in at my lab for the scan…"
"Maybe, but besides that, what makes you think that will matter?"
Looking up from the research logs, Shockwave said, "It's like you said, without the backpack, his transformation would be incomplete. So, my current solution is to simply figure out whether he is a flyer or a ground bot, and recycle his backpack into the parts for his mode. Each piece of a cybertronian exists for a purpose, including his backpack. As is, it seems whatever power is in charge of handcrafting Wellborns put aside a transformation to supplement his speech defect. Once we solve his transformation issue, some form of speech synthesis will be easy to create for him."
Ratchet pondered the one eye's words, then nodded and looked down, beginning to comb for research himself. "Yes… that seems right. Still, such a surgery on a cybertronian is… unheard of."
"So is the condition. While some have the defect of missing t-cogs, a simple transplant can solve that. But this… is more complex. We're seeing if we can self-alter a bot's alt-mode. Giving wheels or wings to one who never had them before. Switching alt-types is impossible, and only triple-changers can do both, and they're rare. Perhaps research on their internal structures may prove fruitful in finding a solution…"
Nodding in agreement, Ratchet said, "As you were saying that, I thought the same thing. I'll contact you again if I am able to get a hold of him for the t-cog bio-scan. For now, let's gather what research seems useful and run through ideas…"
Shockwave let out a long sigh with a chuckle, "Yes, this reminds me of the days of getting lectures from the greatest minds. To be at the table with one now as an equal despite our different upbringings…"
"You flatter me. I'm nothing more than a doctor now. You are the proper scientist now. Nevertheless, let's get to work!"
Shockwave nodded in agreement, both sticking their heads into the records, researching like their sparks depended on it.
#
Perpetrator looked down at the small device Ratchet had given him, rechecking the coordinates he was given. Ratchet had sent him these yesterday, telling him he'd b meeting his colleague, Shockwave.
As he gazed at the device, Kup patted his arm and said, "Don't worry about it, Perp. Shockwave and Ratchet go way back. He's only a little weird, but totally trustworthy and reliable. You go on ahead."
Perpetrator gazed at Kup for a few seconds, then nodded and turned back towards the laboratory. This lab sat on the outskirts of Kaon, a city he only learned of when he got the message. It was quite different from Iacon, though not in a bad way.
He walked forward, the clean and clear front doors to the lab sliding open for him as he entered. Looking around the sterile laboratory, Perpetrator's gaze landed on a massive mechanism on the opposite end of the room and slowly approached.
The large machine stood up on four long legs, the machine's bottom holding a drill with a hole at the tip, being raised above the ground by the legs. Above the drill appeared to be a large containment module.
The sound of metal footsteps approached from behind, prompting Perpetrator to turn and watch as a purple, one-eyed cybertronian walked up to him. Stopping and standing next to him at the same height, Shockwave admired the machine as well and said, "I see you appreciate a good machine when you see one, Perpetrator. This is an Energon extractor. It can even be used as an Energon infuser as well. A mining machine of my own design, in the hopes to lessen the weight on the shoulders of our poor miners."
Turning to face Perpetrator, Shockwave held out a hand, "I am Shockwave. Ratchet told me you'd be here, it's nice to meet you, Perpetrator."
Perpetrator shook his hand with a nod.
Stepping back and waving Perpetrator on, Shockwave said, "I'll take you to my underground lab. It's where my tool is. If Ratchet didn't tell you, today I'll be doing a simple procedure. I am going to remove your t-cog, the organ in you that allows all cybertronians to transform. I will then do an in-depth scan of it, then put it back to you. Quick and easy, shouldn't run into any problems."
Perpetrator only gave him a nod, then followed the purple bot across the room and towards an elevator. As the doors shut and the elevator descended, Shockwave continued, "It honestly should only take, at most, another week after this scan for me and Ratchet to come up with a solution. So soon, you might be soaring through the air or racing across the motorways with the rest of us."
It wasn't long before the elevator door swung open, revealing a vast, dark grey hall of doors. Shockwave walked down the hall, waving Perpetrator on as he led him to the door at the very end. Perpetrator followed, watching as the door slid open for them and revealed a large operating room.
Gazing up at the ceiling, he watched on as a large machine slowly lowered over an operating table. Stopping next to the table, Shockwave typed away at a computer and said, "There's no need to be cautious. This is a state-of-the-art surgical machine. It will safely remove your t-cog with more care than I ever could. Please, lie down on the table now."
Perpetrator nodded, sliding onto the table and feeling as it shifted under his backpack so he laid properly flat. He gazed up and watched as the machine quickly scanned him, then slowly shifted closer.
Shockwave walked next to his head, pressing a device into his head, "Deactivating your pain receptors now. This will only take a couple of minutes."
He watched as Shockwave moved away and continued to work on the computer, then relaxed back with an internal sigh. He listened cluelessly as the machine went to work on his lower abdomen.
As a few minutes passed, Perpetrator raised his head to see his t-cog raised up over his opened abdomen, perfectly in view. For most cybertronians, that might've been a horrific sight to see, but Perpetrator wasn't exactly accustomed to norms yet, so he could only revel in the organ's design.
The machine gave the organ a slow scan, Shockwave focused on his computer as he typed. Once the scan was finished, Perpetrator watched as the organ was slowly lowered back into his body and out of sight.
Turning away from the computer now, Shockwave walked up to Perpetrator as the machine began refitting the t-cog in place and said, "It appears your t-cog is that of a flyer, congratulations. I've already sent Ratchet the data."
Perpetrator nodded in reply before laying his head back, staring up at the working machine. Shockwave then walked down and watched as it worked on his abdomen.
As the surgery was being finished, Shockwave said, "I'd be happy to show you around the place, but I'm going to focus on researching with Ratchet about solutions for you, to speed upm the process. Perhaps, when it is all said and done, you could come back for a look around. I have plenty to show off, and so few are interested these days."
Raising his hand, Perpetrator gave the scientist a thumbs up, making Shockwave softly chuckle to himself, "Fantastic. I'll put on a good show for you when that time comes. And feel free to bring with you any new friends you make. I'd love to psych analyze them."
Perpetrator replied with a so-so wave of his hand, making Shockwave chuckle more. After a few seconds, the machine above them lifted back up to the ceiling. The scientist waved Perpetrator up, letting him sit up and do a quick stretch. To his surprise, he felt completely normal, like surgery didn't happen.
Giving his patient a thumbs up, Shockwave asked, "Like it didn't even happen, no? I told you it was good at its job."
Nodding in agreement, Perpetrator climbed off the table and stretched. Shockwave quickly walked past him and said, "I will now show you out."
Following the scientist, the two left the room and reentered the elevator at the hall's end. As they rose upward, Shockwave asked, "Has Kup set you up nicely in Iacon? I can't imagine it being easy, being wellborn."
Perpetrator nodded with a thumb up, the elevator coming to a stop and opening. Leading him up to the front door, Shockwave finally came to a stop and said, "Well, let's hope you continue to be well set. Me and Ratchet will make sure to get you what you need."
He then held out his hand, Perpetrator looking at it for a moment before grasping it, the two shaking. Once they let go, the door slid open and Perpetrator walked out, waving back at the purple scientist before turning and leaving. Waiting a bit in the distance was Kup, leaning on a light pole.
Shoving off it with a grunt, Kup waved over and asked, "We all set then? What were the results?"
Perpetrator nodded, then thought for a moment before zooming his hand through the air like a jet. Kup laughed and put his hands on his hips, "You're lucky! Getting to soar through the open air… you're sure to have a great time. Now come on, time to head back home to Iacon. Ratchet will come up with a solution to get you that alt mode real soon."
With that, Kup turned and the two walked off, heading for the transit back to Iacon. Perpetrator looked back down at the device Ratchet had given him, giving the message another look. As he did, the sound of whooshing came from overhead, making the two raise their heads and watched a red and white jet soar over the sky, heading into Kaon.
He gazed at the jet, half-listening as Kup made a comment about a gladiatorial show, wondering how it would feel to fly. Would he look as majestic as that flyer did just now?
#
Perpetrator gazed upward at a massive skyscraper, watching as a group of flyers zoomed past it. Looking back around the street, he could see many eyes gazing at him. It wasn't something he could say, but he hated the stares. Still, he knew he was lucky compared to some past well-borns. Nobody was around when he was born, so the event went under a lot of bots' radars. Still, it caught enough attention to make him a bit uncomfortable when alone in public.
Walking into the skyscraper, Perpetrator quickly paced for the elevator. As he did, the bot at the front desk welcomed him as always over the past couple of weeks, "Nice to see you, Perpetrator. What was it… ah, did the t-cog operation go smoothly?"
Stopping and turning to the bot, he nodded. He watched the smile on her face soften a bit at the news, then she said, "Well, that's good. I know it's got to be rough only relying on public transit when you're so young, and a well-born to boot. All the optics on you… well, let's just say I think your being a shut-in right now is justified. A-anywho, I'll be here if you have any questions or need anything."
Perpetrator felt bad that all he could do was nod and wave as he turned back and entered an elevator. He wanted to be able to say something, it felt rude having someone be so kind, yet not being able to return it.
As the elevator rose, Perpetrator looked out the glass on one side, gazing out at Iacon. The sun was slowly setting, giving off a beautiful glow over the whole city. He could see more flyers in the distance, some even pulling off some spin as they darted through the sky.
He planted his hand against the glass, growing a tad bit excited. Once he got his alt form and his voice, his life could really start. He could join his brothers and sisters in the skies, and make a life for himself. Perpetrator could feel his excitement build up inside, feeling lucky he had been introduced to people so quickly who could make all this a reality for him.
He stepped back from the glass with an internal chuckle, his yellow glowing, narrow V-shaped eye brightening in his excitement.
#
Ratchet walked into his operating room, quickly going over all his tools and equipment. As he was, Shockwave entered behind him, reading a holo-tablet. Raising his one-eyed head to face his colleague, he asked, "You know, we could just use my operating machine back at my lab. It does a far cleaner job."
Shaking his head with a tsk, Ratchet began sterilizing his equipment and said, "This is a first of its kind, experimental procedure. You can't program your machine to do it. Plus, my hands have always been steadier than yours. I'm confident I can do it, with time."
Nodding, Shockwave put the tablet down and said, "It'll be an honor watching you work again."
Ratchet chuckled as he finished, then looked back to Shockwave, "Thank you. It's been an honor to work with you. You truly are a genius. It took so little time to come up with this procedure thanks to you."
Shockwave softly laughed and leaned on a table, "We came up with this together. Speaking of it, however, I believe it's best that my name is kept out of it when it gets published about."
Ratchet's soft smile turned to a frown as he looked upon the purple bot, then asked, "Why would you think that? This is your work as much as mine."
Quickly dismissing him, Shockwave said, "In truth, I don't much care about the public's opinion, I care about the work. And the work will be far more respected if the mad scientist wasn't involved. Trust me on this, Ratchet. I don't wish you or Perpetrator to fall under any scrutiny because of it. Honestly, your praise is all I need."
Walking up to Shockwave, Ratchet sighed and said, "I don't want to leave you out of it, but if you're so sure, I won't fight. If you ever change your mind, though, I'll happily let it be known to every cybertronian what role you played."
Patting Ratchet's shoulder, Shockwave nodded, "Thank you, Ratchet. Now, I'll help you prepare, our patient will be here soon."
Ratchet nodded with a soft smile, the two turning and readying all the equipment for surgery.
#
Walking into Ratchet's medical office, Perpetrator looked towards the ward, seeing both Ratchet and Shockwave preparing inside. Making sure the door shut behind him, Perpetrator walked forward and knocked on the glass, watching as the two scientists turned to see him. Pacing up to the door between the rooms, Ratchet pressed a button, making the door slide open.
Leaning out of the room, Ratchet ushered Perpetrator in and said, "Great timing, we're ready for you, come on in."
Perpetrator nodded, walking into the surgery room, Ratchet shutting the door behind him, Gazing around the room, he watched as Shockwave was prepping some very sharp tools behind the table.
Noticing his patient's gaze, Shockwave lowered the tools with a chuckle before speaking in a reassuring tone, "We are professionals, and you'll be in stasis for the duration of the operation, so do not mind us."
Walking behind Perpetrator, Ratchet nodded and patted Perpetrator's shoulder, "Yes, so just relax and lay down on your front for us."
Rolling his shoulders, Perpetrator nodded and laid face first on the operating table. It wasn't long until he felt something pinch into his metal neck, and then the sound of moving machinery came from above.
After a few more seconds, Ratchet said, "This operation will be the first of its kind, at least in our recorded history. Who knows if they could do this back in the golden age… either way. It is historical. Initiating stasis now…"
The world and his mind slowly turned to black, Perpetrator's yellow glowing V-shaped visor turning off as he powered down.
Making sure his patient's head stayed straight, Ratchet watched as Shockwave carefully clamped Perpetrator's body into place. Once it was done, Ratchet moved and took a few tools, then said, "Beginning procedure now. No rushing through this, okay Shockwave?"
Shockwave nodded in agreement as he typed into a holo-computer, readying the machine above Perpetrator. "I understand completely. I'm prepared, go ahead, doctor."
Giving his colleague a final nod, Ratchet moved forward and began working on the large backpack. Shockwave watched the doctor work with a closed eye, as usual, impressed by his precision. He's worked a long time to match up to him, and now that they were comparable scientists, Ratchet had already long retired, only working as a simple medical practitioner. A downgrade in status, a real pity in Shockwave's mind.
Ratchet softly hummed under the sounds of his tools at work, focused on his patient and the job ahead. A procedure like this doesn't just fall out of the sky every day, he had to make sure this was done right.
#
The wind was modestly weak, a strike of fortune given the altitude of Iacon's tallest tower. Stepping forward and gazing down to the distant streets below, Perpetrator shifted his new wings and thrusters on his back. He was yet to get used to his new form and take flight.
He trained back in his room how to transform, a completely new sensation to him. Rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, Perpetrator leaned forward a bit, gazing down again. He was so far up he was above the clouds, watching them drift casually below.
So much distance until the ground should give him ample time to figure out how to fly. Ratchet had warned him against actions like this, but Perpetrator has grown impatient since the procedure. He wanted to take flight properly, to soar through the skies like all the other cybertronians he's seen.
He's done his research, but obviously, his nerves were slowly getting to him. Taking a step back, Perpetrator hopped a bit, pumping himself up and shaking his head. After a few seconds of this, he nodded his head and ran forward before leaping off the tower, plummeting downwards.
Straightening his form, he darted straight downwards before putting his practice to work. To him, it felt almost like an internal squeeze, and then he suddenly transformed. His jet form took the shape of a trident of sorts, with two long sweeping wings and two rectangular rear engines. The main body was shaped like a spearhead, coming to a point ahead of the wing tips.
The wing's control surfaces wiggled as his engines roared to life before suddenly shutting off. Panic slowly set in as he spun downwards, breaking through the clouds in a flat spin. His engines sputtered as he tried to activate them desperately. They roared to life for a second as he pulled at his control surfaces, which gave him the power to boost out of the flat spin and forward straight. He wiggled in the air as he tried to get used to keeping straight, his form dipping and shaking as he glided quickly forward.
At least now he was in a glide of sorts, giving him a moment to still his nerves and calm down. Once he was able to do that, he was able to properly control his engines and jet forwards. Looking towards the tower he had leaped from, he attempted to turn and fly around it.
As he turned in a wide circle, he slowly lost himself in the sight of the city. With his focus lost, he lost control of some of his surfaces, suddenly dipping downwards and spinning. Internally yelling, he tried to jerk away to avoid hitting the side of the tower, accidentally overcorrecting.
He was jerked to the left suddenly, spinning, when another jet form came speeding right in his path from around another terror. In the turmoil of his own internal screaming, he could've sworn he heard the other bot yell right before they smacked into one another, both bouncing right toward the roof of the closest building.
As they crashed into the roof, he could watch as the other bot transformed back into their robot form and rolled into the roof like an expert. As for him, he couldn't even think about transforming before he rammed into the roof and skid across it, coming to a stop as his wing banged into the roof's edge. His body came to a shuttering stop completely.
His body ached and his head was spinning. He could barely make out any sight and sounds, though a voice did quickly cut through his haziness.
Running up to his form, the bot he crashed into quickly crouched next to him and pulled him away from the edge, and loudly said, "Hey! You good?! Primus, you gotta change forms before you crash! You get damaged more easily in your alt mode! Hey, buddy!"
Her voice was ringing in his audio receptors, and after a few seconds, he finally registered her words. With an internal grunt, he transformed onto the ground, splaying out, his wings twitching as his head bobbed softly left and right. The head of the bot he hit hovered over him. She had a face mask up, her eyes a simple red glowing slit across her face, and her red head had a sharp fin pointing off the back of her head. It was a very recognizable face, as so was her weirdly sympathetic voice, given he just hit her.
Holding his head still and lifting it up a bit, she asked, "Are you okay? This was a rough landing… I should've been paying attention."
Slowly recovering from his haziness, Perpetrator raised a hand and shook it side to side, trying to tell her she did nothing wrong. Looking at the gesture, she seemed to panic, "So you're not okay? Primus, this roof doesn't have an elevator! We'll need public evacs… authorities should already be close by, crashes like this don't go unnoticed…"
He quickly repeated the action, slowly sitting up to stand. The bot was obviously reluctant to let him, but he was bigger than her, and her attempts couldn't stop him from getting on his feet. He wobbled for a moment as he stood before getting his footing, then simply shook his head.
The bot tilted her head, then asked, "So… you're fine?"
Perpetrator nodded with a thumb up. Sure, he was hurting, but he wasn't leaking anything and everything was working just fine. He watched as she gazed at his face, then she leaned upwards to study his face further.
Naturally, he leaned his head back a bit, wondering what she was so interested in, then she asked, "Can you talk?"
Shaking his head, Perpetrator pointed to his throat for a moment. She slowly nodded, then said, "Oh, oh, oh! You're that wellborn! The one that can't talk or transform!" She quickly started walking in circles around him, gazing at his body and new wings.
He shuddered for a moment as she ran her hands up one of his wings, then spun back in front of him and said, "So you did go through an experimental procedure! No one ever sees you, so a lot of bots started thinking Ratchet was just lying out his pipe."
Now that his mind was clear and the pain was disorienting, he was able to get a good look at the cybertronian before him. She stood only up to the base of his neck, her two wings on her back angled downwards with her single thruster between them. Her whole body was more curvy, compared to his angular and sharp form, and she was a shiny silver with red colorations across her body. And even with a mask covering her face and no proper eyes, she gave off so much emotion. Probably because her red, glowing slit of an eye would widen or narrow, and her exuberant body language.
Bouncing a bit on her feet, she leaned forward as she peered at his body and asked, "Hey, was that… your first time flying?"
Perpetrator quickly shook his head, ending his train of thought, then nodded. He couldn't think of a way to display an apology, but she only chuckled, "I thought so! Nobody loses control like that! So, how was your first attempt at flight?"
The two stared at each other for a moment as Pereptrator tried to think of a way to show her. After a few more seconds, she put a hand on her masked face and said, "Oh, scrap, sorry, I keep forgetting. So, did Ratchet not find a solution for you about the talking?"
Perpetrator nodded, gesturing to his head. Peering at him, she asked, "So he did… but you still can't talk?"
Nodding again, Perpetrator gestured to the side of his head where a panel sat, then pointed to the side of her head. After a second, she slowly nodded and raised her hand to her head, "Oh! My communications module! Yeah, what do you need?"
Softly pressing his fingers against her head, he opened the tiny panel, quickly opening his own and pressing something on the inside. After that, he gestured to hers.
She nodded and said, "Do what you gotta do, wellborn."
Carefully putting his fingers to her head, he pressed a similar button inside the panel, manually inputting a connection. After he finished, he shut the small panel on her head, then shut his own.
Looking up at the wellborn bot, she crossed her arm, expecting something to happen. After a few seconds of nothing, she suddenly heard quiet static in her head, then a soft voice spoke, "... hear me. Can you hear anything?"
Her eye slit widened, then she nodded and looked up at Perpetrator's face, "Yes! I heard you! Well… heard, is a weird word. I can't hear a voice… as much as I just know one is there. Like thoughts."
Nodding enthusiastically, the voice spoke again, "Yes, that's how Ratchet described it! I can only connect with a single person at a time, but it's better than what I had before."
She slowly nodded and said, "That's really cool."
Nodding, Perpetrator then hung his head and said, "Yes. Now, my name is Perpetrator, and I am so, so sorry for being as stupid as I was and crashing into you. I could've gotten you killed, and…"
Waving her hands, she stopped him with a chuckle and said, "Hey, hey, don't, stop that. It's fine, really. My name is Phoenix. And look here, barely got a scratch, I'm fine. And look at you! You're… fine too. Which is crazy given how hard you crashed, but hey! You must be built like a tank for a flyer. But seriously, seeing a flyer who doesn't know how to fly is… really strange."
Perpetrator tilted his head, then asked in her head, "Why is that?"
Before she could speak, the sound of distant sirens slowly faded in, making Phoenix spin her head around. Perpetrator watched as she ran to the tower edge and looked down, then she ran back and asked, "Okay, before we can talk, we're gonna need to do something here. You don't know how to fly, but can you use your thrusters?"
Perpetrator nodded, then she quickly took his hand and led him to the opposite edge of the building. Once there, she stood him on the edge before moving in front of him. He watched her foot step out onto the open air, and he was about to reach out to stop her. Before he could, her back thruster activated, and she effortlessly floated in front of him.
The movement was quick and subtle, but so precise it had him in awe. Suddenly snapping him out of his admiration, she grabbed his arms and lifted them up before saying, "I'm going to transform, and you're going to grab onto me. Then, you're going to just keep your thrusters on, okay? The extra thrust will help balance out the extra weight."
Nodding, Perpetrator spoke in her head and said, "Yeah, yeah I'm ready."
Phoenix nodded back then looked forward and said, "You better be, Perp. Jump!"
She suddenly transformed, forcing her body to suddenly fall a bit as he jumped. He landed on her back with an internal grunt, grabbing onto her tight and using his thrusters at full blast. He could feel the heat of her own thruster under his legs as they suddenly shot forward. Looking back, he watched half a dozen flying cybertronians slowly hover just over the edge and start looking around the tower's roof.
Loudly sighing, Phoenix said, "Scrap, that was close! I got a reputation to keep, and another misdemeanor charge might just screw it up! We can talk more once we're safe, just keep using those thrusters!"
Perpetrator kept his thrusters running with his nod, Phoenix steering them down low between the buildings, still high above the lower streets. They flew like that for almost a dozen blocks until they neared an older-looking, low building, then Phoenix said, "Alright, let off the thrusters. I'll glide us in."
Turning his thrusters off, Perpetrator watched as she slowly glided them right over the building's roof, where he promptly jumped off, landing on his feet. Once he did, Phoenix transformed and hovered herself down to her feet with her thrusters.
She chuckled as she dusted herself off, then said, "I usually prefer a quicker getaway, but that worked just fine."
Spinning around to face him, she walked close and said, "So, Perpetrator, I know you got some questions, and fortunately, so do I."
Tilting his head, he asked, "What kind of questions do you have for me?"
"Well, you're a Wellborn. You're so new, you probably don't know the full extent of what that means, huh?"
After he shook his head, she said, "Basically, a long time ago, almost every cybertronian was wellborn. But as generations went on and on, birth was more popular through our own means. As our planet became more populated through alternative means, the number of cybertronians being born through the well became less and less. And because of that, the well shrank to the size it is now. At this point, a wellborn is super duper rare, and the well has been that small for as long as any living cybertronian today remembers."
Gesturing to herself, she said, "I am a journalist, of sorts, and I'm doing a story on wellborn cybertronians today."
Walking slowly around him, she gestured to him and said, "It's a new story I'm cooking up, so I'm beyond baffled and happy that you crashed into me."
Watching her slowly circle him, Perpetrator asked in her head, "What's so interesting about being wellborn?"
Stopping in front of him, Phoenix's eye slit widened as she excitedly asked, "Exactly! What is!? It's cultural beliefs and rumors, versus the truth. A lot of cybertronians believe that nowadays, Primus himself wouldn't ever create a wellborn unless they served a certain purpose. Have some kind of destiny! That they are the best of our kind! Others think they are nothing more than pampered sparks that get to be born in the richest and most privileged city on Cybertron. So what are they really? Normal people, or something more? And where are they now?"
Perpetrator nodded as he rubbed his chin, "I see. So what, you want an interview?"
Phoenix clapped her hands and said, "Yes, but more than that! First I have to ask, do you have a job? Found your calling?"
Once the big bot shook his head, Phoenix chuckled and said, "I need an assistant! Plus, my story will seem even more believable and have more meat in it with a wellborn being part of its process. Lots of recording for clips, written stories, and a documentary. Plus, I can teach you all the important parts of living life. And, flying! I'm an expert at that."
The offer certainly was appealing to Perpetrator. Despite his time here, he had spent most of it in and out of Ratchet's office, only to return to his temporary home in that tower. After hearing about how much attention wellborns get right after they are born, he was eager to stay out of the public eye.
"What would this position entail?", he asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head.
Phoenix shrugged and said, "Oh, nothing extreme. You're my assistant, you'll be spending now up until my story is done with me. I mean, we're friends now, no? We ran from some cops together. You'll help me with editing what recordings we got, writing out the story, doing the actual interviews and on-the-scene stuff, ya know? Good work experiences."
She watched his pose stay exactly the same as he asked, "And why should I believe you're legit?"
Gesturing for him to follow, she walked towards an elevator and said, "I'm technically an independent journalist, but I have a sponsor journalist company. They give me paychecks and supply me, but I get way more freedom to report and do stories of my choice than your average journalist. I'll take you to them, then you can decide."
It all sounded fair enough, so Perpetrator nodded and followed her into the elevator. They lowered down to the ground floor, walking into the lobby of the building. It appeared to be a simple low-cost office building. As they walked out the front door, being ignored by all the bots inside, she gestured down the street and said, "It's only a block away, come on."
As they walked, Perpetrator noticed he wasn't being paid much mind anymore. Phoenix seemed to notice him gazing at the disinterested cybertronians walking about, softly patting his arm to say, "Probably don't recognize you in your new form. The only similar part about you is that face and color scheme."
Perpetrator bobbed his head, "You're probably right. I'm glad about it, though. All those optics on me… I hated it."
Leading him down the road, Phoenix walked backwards in front of him and said, "I get that completely. Some bots just aren't as social as others, that's fine. But, working with me, we'll fix those social skills."
After a bit more walking, the pair stopped in front of a tall building at the corner of a street intersection. It was a tall and white building, but certainly not the most impressive looking building around. Tapping his arm, Phoenix pointed into the building as she walked in, Perpetrator following her through the front doors.
The lobby alone was a pretty busy space, bots walking here and there. In the center was a circular desk with two bots working inside, the very back of the lobby holding a few elevators, and the rest of the walls lined with doorways.
Walking up to the circular desk, Phoenix leaned on it, tapping away to garner the workers' attention. After a few seconds, one turned towards her, a frown appearing on the fembot's face as she approached.
Leaning on the counter to face the two, she plainly said, "Phoenix, I see you're finally dating. Congrats."
Slapping Perpetrator's chest with a single loud laugh, Phoenix leaned towards her, "Ha! No, he crashed into me, and now he's my friend. And soon-to-be assistant."
Tilting her head, the fembot asked, "Assistant? Wait, you crash into a random bot, and now you want him as your assistant? Are we going to have to put him on a payroll too?"
Turning back to Perpetrator with a soft chuckle, Phoenix said, "My correspondent here, Metria, has given you more than enough proof that I'm legit, no?"
Perpetrator panned his gaze from Phoenix to the other fembot, Metria, who sighed and said, "I don't blame you for not trusting her. She's a bit too in your face to seem professional. If you want that job, I will get you a payroll. But, Phoenix, why some random bot you crashed into?"
Giggling softly, Phoenix turned back to her compatriot and asked, "You remember that I'm doing a big story on Wellborn, right?"
Metria nodded, making Phoenix gesture loudly at Perpetrator and say, "He's one! The newest one, fresh outta the pipe! Remember the news about Ratchet's one-of-a-kind operation on the wellborn to give him flight?"
Perpetrator watched the bot slowly nod, then stare right at his face for a few seconds before the realization visibly struck her. Standing up straight now, Metria nodded, "Y-yeah! Oh, scrap, I didn't even notice. So, he can't talk, yeah? Won't that be hard for…"
Tapping her head softly, Phoenix chuckled and said, "Already got a solution to that. His, like, inner voice is tapped into my communication link. So I can hear him when he 'speaks', so to say."
Nodding with a chuckle, Metria leaned back on the counter and said, "Ah, so you're voluntarily schizo, eh? Fun. But yeah, is he in then? Because I have to get him to fill out a form real quick if so."
Looking back at Perpetrator again, she softly elbowed his side and said, "What do you say, big guy? You get a job, experience, and a friend! Plus, this story is going to be so fun to cover, we'll be flying all over Cybertron for it!"
Gazing at Phoenix for a bit longer, he finally nodded and spoke in her head, "I'm convinced. I'll be your assistant, starting today."
He watched her red glowing slit eye glow much brighter as she squeezed her fists in front of her chest. Spinning back to Metria, she excitedly said, "Get out that form, he's in!"
Metria slowly lowered her body, rising back up and sliding a data pad across the counter for him. She quickly explained what he had to sign, and once he was finished, she took the data pad back with a smile and said, "This will technically be one of her company expenses, but since she always goes under budget with her work, they'll more than happily give you a good payroll for working with her. The communicator you have will receive a few company messages just confirming your employment. All payments will be transferred to your account hands-free. Welcome to the team."
Turning from Perpetrator to Phoenix, her smile disappeared, "Go easy on our new guy, ya hear?"
Dismissing her words with a wave, Phoenix said, "He'll be fine! You'll be fine, Perp, I'm not actually that bad. She just likes to grind my gears."
Phoenix softly grabbed Perpetrator's arm and walked away, leaving the building and going down the street. Gesturing to the sky, she said, "I'll take you to my home, then we'll start your flying lessons. But… I guess we gotta take public transportation to get there. Primus, it's been a long time since I did that."
Perpetrator apologized for that, though Phoenix quickly dismissed his apology, "No, don't be sorry about that. Besides, it might be a bit fun, it has been a long time. Last time I used it, I only stood up to your waist."
She watched the big bot look down at himself with a tilted head, making her chuckle and explain, "Yeah, being wellborn I guess you don't understand growing. Most cybertronians are egg born, technically. Some others are actually lab-created drones, though a lot of cybertronians consider them second-class citizens, which is kinda how they're treated. I'm not going to explain it too much right now though. Anyway, my home is in Trannis, a smaller city outside Iacon. It's a lovely place, thanks to it not being as rich and pompous as this place."
Following her closely down the street as they weaved through foot traffic, Perpetrator nodded and said in her head, "I can't wait to see it. I've never been outside Iacon, except for the one time I went to Shockwave's lab."
Looking back at him in surprise, Phoenix asked, "The mad scientist? You went to his lab? Cool."
Perpetrator mentioned how he helped Ratchet solve his issues, which Phoenix simply nodded in reply to before saying, "Yeah, makes sense why he'd want his name out of the papers for that. So many people would immediately dismiss the procedure if so."
She led him to a stairwell leading underground, where he was met with a large tram system, many cybertronians littered around the station. It was remarkably clean, though packed semi-tightly. A bit too tightly for his tastes, and he had large sweeping wings as well, forcing him to shift them awkwardly a bit as they walked.
Gesturing at the trains, Phoenix chuckled and said, "I know a transit system seems a bit redundant in a society of bots who can turn into vehicles, but Cybertron is a very big planet, you'll see that soon. And these puppies can go very, very fast. Even faster than flyers! So, they're perfect for longer-distance trips, or just for lazier bots. I personally prefer using my own wings, but until you can fly and keep up with me, this is our way around."
Perpetrator watched as a massive train shot through the station on the far side, another one slowing down and stopping on their side. The massive door slid open, obviously designed to fit bots of all shapes and sizes. Phoenix took his hand and led him in, sitting them both down on the seats as more bots filed in.
Folding her wings flush to her back, she leaned back on the seat with a sigh and said, "Though, this is kinda nice, once in a while at least. Been a loooong time."
Perpetrator squeezed his body to minimize his size, lowering his head a bit, and getting nervous in the crowd. He didn't want to look around too much and meet someone's optics with his own.
Turning and noticing his uncomfortable state, Phoenix leaned over and softly tapped his arm with an elbow, garnering his attention. Once he lifted his head to look at her, she pointed off to her left and said, "Remember when I said we grow?"
Looking past her to where she was pointing, he did indeed spot a smaller cybertronian sitting on another's lap, being less than half their size. He was born from the well of all sparks with only so much knowledge, so the idea of a machine race being capable of producing something like that was astonishing to him. All he knew about it was that the process was complicated and not on Ratchet's list of things to explain.
After telling Phoenix this, she bobbed her head and quietly said, "There are technically two different ways that both do the same thing. The normal, natural way no one is afraid of talking about. Then, the… 'taboo' way. In the end, all that needs to happen is two partners share a sliver of their own spark energy, then the slivers meld and turn into a kind of… the organic term would be an egg. It's more of a small pod that later on opens and reveals a tiny cybertronian. Protoforms are either adorable or atrociously ugly. I was an ugly one, but my kin told me that just means I'd be attractive when I got older."
Turning his gaze back to Phoenix, he tilted his head and spoke in her mind, "They were more than right, then."
Smacking his metal bicep with a chuckle, Phoenix said, "You're a real sweet spark, but don't kid yourself. There's a reason I keep this mask up. Though, maybe that's what you like, hm? I can imagine a faceless bot finding facelessness attractive. I do find myself pretty cute like this."
Perpetrator bobbed his head at the comment, unsure himself what he really considered attractive or not. All he knew was that his new friend was anything but an unpleasant sight.
After some time of traveling on the train, they reached their exit and departed from the locomotive. Leading Perpetrator up from the subways, Phoenix held out her arm in presentation to a noticeably smaller and roomier city.
Gazing around a bit, he heard Phoenix chuckle softly, "More space and fewer people. It'll be a perfect fit for you. Come on, my place is near the city's edge."
Patting his arm, she led him down the city street, Perpetrator gazing around and taking in the view. As they walked, he noticed Phoenix occasionally greeting or waving at a passing cybertronian, a bounce in her step whenever she did so. Did she know all of them? He couldn't imagine knowing so many people, or even picking them out in the city like she does. Phoenix was a very social bot, as it seemed, and he couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. He knew he wasn't, and he doesn't do very well around strangers or in crowds, but maybe she could be a way for him to step out of his current anti-social shell , like she said she would. Not that it'd be very easy for him to ever be so social, he can't even talk.
After a few minutes of walking and Perpetrator continuing this line of thought, Phoenix turned around to face him as she walked and spoke with a chuckle, "You know, a few of those things you're thinking come out as, like, mumbles in my head. And I just gotta say, don't stress yourself out now. I'll help ya out, I know life is confusing and difficult for you right now."
He looked at her for a few seconds before his head and turned to gaze at the city, letting her know his appreciation. Rolling her wrist and bobbing her head, Phoenix chuckled, "It's fine. I gotta make a good assistant outta you anyway, and a journalist can't be an introvert. Now let's hurry up, to my half decent homestead!"
Grabbing his arm, she sped them both up to a run through the city, Perpetrator softly chuckling in his mind, and hers. He really had no idea what he signed up for, but if what followed by being her assistant was half as exhilarating as what he's gone through the past day, he knew he was in for a ride.
Hello, it's me, again. Here with my second project, uploaded and ready for your judgement. I've been brainstorming this for a long time, so I hope this first chapter was a good start and enjoyable read. I hope you liked it, please leave your judgements, and have a good day or night.
