A week has passed since the shadow zone incident, and Azura did not have any nightmares of the incident, which was good. She did learn from Ratchet about a part of her mind that seemed to have an anomaly, which could have occurred from the bridge explosion, and it so has not changed. According to Ratchet, it actually seemed that part of her mind was working on accommodating the anomaly and it likely could be a permanent part of her. She did worry this would be bad, but Ratchet reassured her it might not even reveal itself fully until after the procedure.

Speaking of, Ratchet has been preparing for it recently as well. Azura could not help but be nervous about it as she did not know everything about the procedure. Even Optimus was still being kept in the dark about it, but they knew they would know soon enough. And the fact that it would be happening very soon was good, even if it did make Azura extremely nervous regarding it. Regardless, Azura at least knew it would only be a short time, and she would be a whole Cybertronian. That is what she hoped for anyway.

And as another surprise, Bulkhead and Bumblebee refurbished Azura's bathroom to accommodate her growth spurt, and that included a large toilet. Azura was thrilled about it, as she also got a bigger bath as well, which made it even better. Especially as Bulkhead added jets to the bath, so she could enjoy bubble spa bath. And she took advantage of it the very first night, which resulted her in falling into recharge. Optimus found it quite adorable, and Azura enjoyed having the bubble spa bath each night.

Today, it was another weekend, and Azura was currently eating some mac n cheese that Jack had made, and she decided she wanted some. It had been a while since she has had any human food, and it was nice for a change from having energon everyday. She was watching Miko and Raf play on their video game together as she and Jack were waiting their turn. Having been a quiet week, everyone was relaxed at the base, and it was very good.

Bumblebee and Bulkhead were watching keenly as they both cheered on their human companions. Azura enjoyed watching them have fun while she happily enjoyed her bowl. She and Jack do not interrupt Raf and Miko as they enjoyed playing against each other. It seemed that Raf was very good at the game though, so he was easily beating Miko, and she was getting a bit irritated, but that still didn't stop her from playing.

Optimus was watching them with a smile on his face. He enjoyed watching Azura spend time with the others and have fun. He wanted to take her out for some carrier and sparkling time tomorrow, as he felt that they need that time alone. Azura would love it. Especially with the procedure just around the corner, and he knew that Azura was feeling nervous about it. She was excited, but nervous. He was anxious about it himself, but he was patient.

"Optimus." He turned his head as he heard Ratchet's calm voice and saw the medic walking over to him. The medic glanced over at the children and he sighed a little. "It's been a while since Azura has eaten any human food. But I guess she enjoys having the occasional treat." Optimus nodded in agreement. "Just so you are aware, you should try get some bonding time with Azura. I believe we can proceed with the procedure in a few days. I don't want her to know that though, as I am aware she's nervous about it. And she will likely be alarmed if we tell her that news."

"I have already planned on doing that. Plus, Azura told me once that she could create a cavern safe for us to mine the energon mine in the Arctic, and I was thinking of allowing her to proceed with that as well." Ratchet seemed surprised, but he wasn't alarmed as he simply smiled at Optimus. "Having a sustainable amount of energon will give us the edge we need. And I have no doubt that I will need to ingest more energon than usual during the procedure. Even more than I am to keep up with Azura's appetite."

Ratchet chuckled a little as Azura's appetite did seen to increase since the shadow zone incident. "That's normal, due to the fact that Azura is likely entering another growth spurt. You're going to find that you will get used to ingesting more energon than usual until she's able to be weaned onto middle grade energon. And personally…" He glanced at Azura for a moment and looked back at Optimus. "I am expecting a lot of kicking and screaming, especially due to her deep attachment to you."

"I am expecting that too. But it will be many years before that happens, Ratchet. While I am thinking of how things will go in the future, I am also aware of the fact that things could change. After all, we do not yet know Megatron's new plans." Optimus took a deep intake as he was thinking deeply about the future. "Especially since he's seen Azura."

"I know you think Megatron may try and snatch Azura, but he knows she's protected. It is going to take sometime before we learn of his new motives. And I will suggest that you don't focus on that as well. You need to be as relaxed as she is for the procedure." Optimus smiled as understood, but he did feel that being the leader, it was his job to worry. "Let me do the worrying for a while."

"I don't think you need prompting to do that." Ratchet raised an eyebrow and rolled his optics in amusement. "But thank you for offering, Ratchet."

"HOOYAH!" Miko cheered, standing up and holding up her arms straight with a big smile on face. "I won!" Miko danced happily as Raf looked at the girl with a smile on his face, accepting the loss with grace. She turned to the boy and gave him a thumbs up. "This has been a lot of fun. But now I want some more mac n cheese!" She placed the controller down to grab her bowl to fill with the pasta dish. "You and Azura can play now, Jack."

"We will when we are finished." Jack looked at Azura who had eaten most of her food. "Do you still want to play?"

"Hmm…" Azura had been thinking if she wanted to play or not. "Well…I do, though I did play a lot yesterday, so I wouldn't mind doing something else instead…" Azura thought about what she might want to do for a little while. "Hmm…though I am not sure what I would want to do yet either. But maybe I'll think of something when I have finished eating this."

"Sounds like a good idea. After all, it seems to be good," Bulkhead commented as he listened to them quietly. "What about some off roading?" Azura shook her head. "Hmm…we could…go back to the island." She shook her head again. "Oh, tough one this time…uh…I suppose you'll want to do something here…" The sparkling nodded while looking at him with a smile. "Alright, I guess that narrows it down a bit. Weren't you wanting to redecorate your fish tanks at some point? I know you have some new ornaments, but some of the fake plants might need an update too."

"I know I mentioned it the other day…but I don't have a great lot to replace the old ornaments with, so I can't do that until I have every piece." Azura took another bite of the mac n cheese as she thought about it. "But even so, me redecorating the tanks aren't really a group activity. That's something that I can do it my own time."

"If you need more ornaments, Arcee and I can duck into town to get you some. That won't be any problem." Azura hummed as she thought about the offer Jack made. "But you are right that redecorating the tanks is a solo activity. So, I was thinking, we could play some games. Like Twister, for example. Though you are getting quite big, so you might…"

"I wouldn't mind playing Charades." Jack smiled, even though Azura had interrupted him. "That way anyone can be involved, and it is always fun to guess what the other person is trying portray." She ate the last bit of mac n cheese and set the bowl down for a moment. "What do the rest of you think? It will be a lot of fun, and it will certainly pass a bit of time."

"I'm down for it!" Rafael responded enthusiastically. "I tend to be a bit bad at that game, but I still have a lot of fun." Raf looked at Miko who seemed interested as well. "Do you want to join?"

"Of course!" Miko giggled softly. "But we should tidy up before we do anything. We might accidentally knock everything over. But only after everyone has finished eating."

They all agreed with Miko as they did not want to leave a mess. Azura didn't have another bowl of the pasta anyway, so that was fine, and she cleaned her dish since she had finished. The teenagers were still hungry naturally, and they finished the last bit of the pasta dish and enjoyed each bit of it. Azura was more than happy to wait for them, as she knew that they should enjoy their lunch. And she was considering about agreeing with Jack on his offer to go into town to buy her ornaments for her tank, as she did need new plants.

As she returned to the lobby, she saw that Optimus was standing close to the door into the kitchen, and she looked up at him curiously. "I'm not hungry, in case you were curious, daddy." She smiled at him as he looked down at her. "Is there something on your mind?"

"There is. You remember when you told me could create a safe cavern in the Arctic around the energon deposit there?" She nodded affirmatively. Optimus smiled as he knelt down slowly. "How would you like to try tomorrow? I believe it is something you should be able to do, as you have shown considerable control over your abilities, and I have full belief that you will be able to create a safe cavern for us."

Azura gasped in surprise as she had not expected to be asked to do that at all. "Really? You…you actually think I can do it?" Optimus nodded. "And…what about Ratchet? Does he think I can do it too?"

"He does. However, he is likely to accompany us to the Arctic to ensure things go okay. Especially as you will need to remain in my chassis to stay warm." Azura was immediately excited, and she was already looking forward to it. "We do know that you may not be able to do it, but it is an achievement that I believe is possible for you."

"And if I do, do it, you won't have to look for other deposits for a long time!" Azura giggled as she was feeling motivated to achieve it. "I will do my very best, daddy! I want everyone to be able to have enough fuel for a long time. At least the decepticons will not know, and you will be safe to mine it. And the walls of the ice will protect you from the harsh wind that the Arctic can stir up."

Optimus gently picked the sparkling up to hug her as her enthusiasm was just adorable. "It is definitely an idea that I believe will be beneficial overall, Azura. Even if you don't do it now, it might be some other time. It will likely be after the procedure, though I believe it might be a long time after the procedure." Azura nodded in agreement and he placed her back on the ground. "But until tomorrow, do enjoy your day with the others. I know you may want to do it today, but you did agree to spend time with them. And it would be unfair."

"I know. And after tomorrow…uh, maybe you and I could go do something else. Umm…" Azura had to think for a moment. "It's coming towards winter…maybe we can bridge up to a cooler place, as this time of the year there are a lot of things that happen that does not happen any other time. Like…I know there are certain mushrooms that can be harvested at this time of year, along with wild berries and, of course, pinecones."

"I assume you wish to spend time in the wilderness."

She nodded. "Yeah! Show you some of the good parts of Wyoming when I used to live there. Especially as the weather can also start to turn to bad at this time of the year too with freak storms and such. It's also cold, but not too cold like the Arctic is. And, also, the state is not heavily populated. So there are many places we could go to and not be spotted by a human."

"That does sound interesting. Aside from spending time in the wilderness, what else would you want to do?"

"Hmmm…not sure yet." Azura had to think on what other things she would want to do while they were there, but she needed time to do that. "I will think about it. Since we have until after tomorrow to think about it, I am sure I'll figure it out." She leaned to the side to see Jack and Miko walking towards her with the empty bowls. "Seems like we are going to be playing some Charades soon anyway. I am interested to see how Bee and Bulkhead will play, as I know they have played before, and they have learned more about different creatures and things on this planet since the last game."

Optimus was amused as he has observed the game before, and he could certainly see the enjoyment of the game. "I know Bumblebee and Bulkhead had a lot of fun the last time you played the game, and I believe they have learned a bit more since then. Regardless, I am sure you will all have fun even if they get something wrong. After all, from what I believe, it's a game of guessing and there's no win or lose, it is just fun to do."

Azura nodded. "Yep, I can definitely agree with that. And that's what makes it so great!" She turned to Jack as he and Miko got closer. "Hey, Jack. I might take you up on the offer to get new decorations for my fish tanks. I don't mind what you get, though I wouldn't mind going for a lot more color in my tanks at the moment, so that should make it fun."

Jack smiled as he was glad she would take his offer. "I will gladly go and get the decorations for you, Azura. Did you want Arcee and I to do it today, or tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow would be best. Especially as daddy and I have plans tomorrow, so that'll give you time to go to the aquarium to buy the decorations." Azura knew that she could take longer with the ice, but that was okay. She would need as much time as possible to get the cavern correct and safe for the autobots to travel to and from the location. "But there is absolutely no rush either, Jack. You and Arcee don't need to stress about getting fish tank decorations."

"I know. I'll probably sleep in since I get tomorrow off from school and work, which is always a nice bonus. So I probably won't be here until the afternoon anyway. Plus, that gives you and Optimus plenty of time to enjoy your time together."

"Sounds like a good idea to me! Alright, I guess I'll go and help Raf to get ready for Charades." Azura ran around Optimus and over to the stairs to make her way up. She saw Bulkhead and Bumblebee had moved the sofa so that it was angled to allow the humans and sparkling to sit comfortably while playing Charades, and to watch the two autobots when it was their term. "I hope you already know what you are going to try and make us guess."

Rafael smiled her as he was relaxed on the sofa. "I do. I hope Jack and Miko won't mind if I go first."

"I don't think they will mind at all. If you want to go first, you can." Azura walked over to the railing, looking at Bumblebee. "So I was thinking that we could go and do something sometime this week again, Bumblebee. Maybe we could do another beach day, or even a snow day somewhere. I think that would be a lot of fun."

"We could do a snow day here," Rafael suggested, and Azura looked at him in surprise. "With Optimus and Ratchet's permission, of course, as I doubt they would appreciate water everywhere from any of the melted ice."

"It is an idea…but better outside the base." Azura did not want to test the waters at this time, even though it would be a lot of fun to do. She looked back at Bee who was thinking of what they could do. "What do you think?"

"Well…I'm not sure yet. I would have to think about it. I enjoy spending time with you and just doing silly things, so I am sure we both will be easily entertained." She didn't disagree with him on that. "But you have been doing something just about every day, Azura. I guess you must be trying to get as much pushed in before this procedure Ratchet wants you and Optimus to go through, but you could be overdoing it if not careful."

"I feel fine. I do feel tired at the end of the day, but that's normal. Makes life easier for daddy as well." She could see that Bee was still a bit worried though, so understood he might go for an easy day. "Alright, we can always do something more relaxing, Bee. I will be happy with what you decide to go with."

"Good. There's no need to get yourself overworked. I know we are kind of having a quiet day today, but we are still remaining quite busy entertaining you. While we wait for Jack and Miko, there is something I did want to ask. Raf, can you bring up the website again?" Azura looked at the boy as he grabbed his laptop and began to type. She sat beside him to see he was going to a website. "We were thinking of getting you a new toy, and he found a place that make custom plush toys. So…we wanted it to be a surprise, but I think you should get to pick."

"Ooohhh…you got me interested…" Azura smiled before she thought over her options. "Hmm…is it only going to be one?" Bumblebee nodded. "Right…um…" She knew she already had so many plush toys, and she loved each of them, and when she was on her own in her room, she would play with them. She had to think of what she didn't have so she could have one. And it took her a moment before she decided on something. "Ah! I know!" Azura turned to Raf curiously. "But…how are you gonna pay for it?"

"You still have the credit card that Fowler gave you, don't you?"

She shook her head. "Not anymore. I don't really have a use for human money now, Raf."

"Right…" Raf immediately seemed uncomfortable. "Um…I'll think of a way…"

"Then I think I'll keep what I want to myself for a while. I don't want to get excited for something that I may not get." Raf looked guilty, as did Bee, and Azura smiled at them. "Don't worry, I appreciate that you wanted to get me something nice."

"Sorry…we got a bit ahead of ourselves…" Raf looked back at the screen thoughtfully. "But…" He smiled and looked back at her with curiosity. "You could tell us what you want. It is still nice to dream about something."

"I guess you are right. Well…" Azura grinned and played with some strands of her golden hair. "Uh…I was kind of thinking of a giant, pink, fluffy otter with bits of glitter through it. I think I would love something like that! But it has got to be bigger than my large Stitch and Angel toys. It needs to be like a bed for me."

Raf, Bulkhead and Bumblebee laugh lightly as her response definitely was something they had expected from her. Something like that was definitely not a surprise for what she would want. Of course, Raf didn't have any money, so getting something like that would be impossible. But he would figure something out, and he planned to. It might be something that will be a surprise for Azura though, but it will be a bit of time.

"That sounds quite cute. And otters are generally cute as well. What about ferrets? Would you want something similar?" Azura shrugged before she nodded. "I guess we can at least make a note of it, and it might be something we can work on getting. Though I'll have to speak with Jack and Miko, because they might have an idea. And I don't want Jack to spend all of his money too."

Azura felt the same way. She didn't want Jack to spend all his money on her. She already appreciates that he helps her with getting the necessary stuff for her fish tanks, and now he was going to get her some new decorations, so he didn't need to spend any further money on her. But she at least was able to dream of what kind of toy she would want. She knew it would be expensive to make and ship, so it might not even be possible. But she could dream.

Azura, Raf, Bulkhead and Bumblebee wait patiently for Jack and Miko to return so they could start their game of Charades. They were all happy for Azura to be the first to start the game, as she wanted to get them to guess what she was trying to act as. If took them a bit of time, but Miko guessed correctly that Azura was acting as Olaf, which they were all amused by, as they knew that Azura liked Frozen, and she has watched it more than once. Elsa's story was what had her liking the movie the most.

Optimus watched from a distance as they play their game. Arcee was in the base, she was just catching up on some recharge, as she has been tired for a few days, and took the opportunity of getting some extra rest. Optimus encouraged it, as he wanted all of his autobots to be in top condition, and while they do not know what the next moves of the decepticons will be, they do take the quiet moments and enjoy them while they were able to.

Optimus has looked at the scanners to see if there was any indication of decepticon activity while Azura was recharging or distracted. He was always concerned of Megatron's next moves, especially since he is awake from his stasis. At this time, he could only guess that Megatron was simply plotting. And he hoped that Megatron would continue to just plot for a while. Especially when he and Azura undertake the procedure. He did not need the additional stress, even if it was out of his control.

But he has been assured by Ratchet that he will still be fit for battle, but he would need to be extra careful. And Optimus fully understood that. Regardless, he was looking forward to tomorrow. As he knew that Azura was going to do her best to create a safe cavern in the ice of the Arctic so they can harvest as much energon as they need. The deposit in the Arctic had enough supply of energon to last for years for the autobots, so they did not need other energon deposits. But he did know they would still need to act like they need energon, or Megatron could get suspicious and discover what has been done. And that would only make him want to take Azura to ensure she does things for the decepticons, and not the autobots.