I don't own Transformers or the Riordanverse; they belong to their owners.

All canon dialogue is credited to Rick Riordan, the original writer.

Chapter 24: I Start To Make Amends.

I watched as Piper and her friends departed in Blades, leaving me in the care of Hot Spot and Carter Grayson.

Once I was done with that, they had a ground bridge open up that transported us to Autobot City, the primary headquarters of the Autobots on Earth. This base had been established after the first year of our arrival on Earth, and over the course of the past nine years, it had developed from a standard headquarters into a small town that catered not only to Autobots but also to their human allies. Sort of a "Cybertron Town" or "Little Iacon," if you will, except it's own independent city.

Hot Spot didn't say much when we got there. He just guided me through the city streets. I stayed quiet too, awkwardly looking around. I had never seen the city from this position before. It was a sight to behold. Buildings for both Cybertronians and humans were scattered around, with a small park right in the middle.

Despite being the headquarters for a major military operation, the place had a calm and peaceful aura. I saw Autobots and humans walking around, going about their daily lives.

It hit me that this is what I had been fighting to undo for over nine years by this point: peaceful cooperation with humanity.

I was both surprised and unsurprised when the place Hot Spot was taking me to was a courthouse.

"So am I being put on trial?" I asked.

"You are and you aren't." Hot Spot explained, "It's more of an impromptu thing."

I shrugged and then found a seat and sat down.

"They'll be here soon." Hot Spot said.

Soon ended up being an hour later, but eventually more Autobots started coming in. The leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, Autobot Military Analyst Prowl, Wrecker Leader Springer, Chromia, Jazz, and a few other bots stood in front of me.

"Thundercracker," Optimus said, addressing me.

I stood up. "Yes, sir," I said.

"We've received a report that you've befriended a human, Piper McLean?"

"Yes, it's true. And her father, Tristan." I confirmed.

"Wait," said Jazz. "Tristan? As in Tristan McLean? The Tristan Mclean?"

"Yes," I said, smirking.

Jazz gazed at me in awe.

"It's also worth noting that all Decepticon communications shut down all at once earlier today." Prowl noted, "This gave us a distinct tactical edge in the battles we were engaged in at the time. Did you have something to do with it?"

I shrugged. "I figured if I was going to say goodbye, I could do it in style."

The Autobots contemplated this for a minute or two.

"Maybe you could explain your full side of the story?" Optimus proposed,

"Of course," I said, and I told them everything. How I met Tristan one day after saving him from an on-set accident, how I met Piper soon afterward, how I got to know them over two years, how I was there when Piper was discovered to be a demigod, how Piper getting angry at me was the wake-up call I needed, and how I left the Decepticons.

The Autobots just stood there, taking my story in. I guess it was a lot.

Prowl finally spoke up. "Regardless of your claims to have repented and regardless of the kindness you've shown the McLean family, you're still guilty of multiple acts of violence against us," he pointed out coldly.

"Yeah, man, I still remember when you nearly bisected me in South America!" Jazz shouted.

I looked down in embarrassment and shame at that reminder.

"He hasn't been as sadistic as some of the other cons." Chromia pointed out, "I've only seen him kill when it's kill or be killed.".

"But he has killed," Prowl retorted.

"We all have, though," Chromia said.

"Yeah and..." Jazz shuffled his feet a bit. "I gotta admit, he had the chance to take me out, but he let me go."

"It wouldn't have been right," I added, "killing a defenseless opponent. You had already been beaten."

Prowl was silent, but he seemed to concede the argument.

"I know that I can't make up for everything I've done." I said, "All I can say is that I'm sorry and try and be better. Do the right thing. Even if it means facing the consequences."

"So you are earnest in your desire to repent?" Optimus asked.

"I am," I confirmed.

Springer finally spoke up. "If we turned away every Decepticon who got a conscience, I wouldn't be here," he reminded everyone.

Optimus turned to me. "So you want to join the Autobots?" he asked.

It might sound surprising, but I actually had to think about that for a minute. Did I want to join the Autobots? I wanted to make amends and fight the Decepticons, but were the Autobots right for me?

"...No." I finally said.

"No?" Prowl asked in confusion. "I thought you said—"

"Look." I stated, "I do want to make up for all I've done; I haven't lied about that. But I still believe in the Decepticon ideals. Of expanding Cybertron's reach and breaking it out of stagnation. The stagnation you put it through Optimus." I finished with a glare.

"Now wait just a-" Prowl began.

"I don't agree with the Decepticon way of doing things," I continued. "With all the lives they've taken and the damage we've done, But look at all we've accomplished since coming to Earth—both of our sides! We're stronger than ever before! That's what Megatron had been championing before this war started!"

"I don't know what I am now. But I do know that I'm not an Autobot. Not yet, at least..." I finished sadly.

The Autobots stared down at me.

"You're not making this easy for us, Thundercracker," Springer said.

I shrugged.

Optimus raised a hand. "We will discuss this matter further in private," he said. "For now, Hot Spot, take Thundercracker to a cell."

"Yes, sir," Hot Spot said, and I complied.

I spent the rest of the night in an uncomfortable jail cell before I was brought before Optimus and the other Autobots again.

"Thundercracker." Optimus began, "We have reviewed your case, but before making our final decision, we must know one last thing. If we accept your offer of repentance, will you be willing to fight against your former Decepticon brothers?"

I didn't have to think about this one, "Everyone except Skywarp." I answered, "I'm sorry, but I'm too close to him..."

I was surprised when Optimus nodded in understanding. "Then I guess that settles it," he said.

"Thundercracker." Prowl declared, "You will be turned over to the jurisdiction of Springer and the Wreckers. There, you will serve with them under probationary status until further notice. You will surrender all the information you have on the Decepticons to us. If we find out you have held anything back, there will be punishment."

"Is that understood?" he asked.

I nodded. "It's more than I deserve.".

"Well, then Thundercracker..." Springer said, stepping forward and extending his arm, "Welcome to the team."

I took Springer's hand and shook it. "Thank you for giving me this chance." I said.

"Now, I assume you have some business to attend to?" Springer asked.

Boy did I ever.

The first stop was the McLean Mansion. It was time to come clean to Tristan.

When me and Springer arrived in the backyard via the Autobots Ground Bridge, we found someone there waiting for us.

"Well, you picked a heck of a time to show up," Hedge said when he noticed our arrival.

"Are you going to attack me again?" Springer asked.

"Nah, you're alright, for a Transformer." Hedge said gruffly, "And Tristan seems to like you, so I'm gonna have to put up with ya I guess." he said, pointing at me.

"You're working for him now?" I asked.

"Well, Mr. McLean, it seems has been looking for a life coach, and since I was here, I figured why not?" Hedge explained, "I didn't have much going on outside of camp duties anyway."

Hedge explained to us what happened after Dana brought him and Tristan to the mansion. The press had naturally wanted to know what had happened to Tristan exactly, especially after all that evidence came forward of several of his staff trying to ruin him. So Hedge told the half-truth that Tristan had been the victim of a cruel kidnapping scheme to steal all his money and leave him with nothing. Tristan himself had no memory of the past week, so he didn't know the details or how he got rescued.

"How's he doing?" I asked.

"Better, but still not quite there." Hedge explained, "The plan is to keep him out of the public eye for a month to give him time to recover." Hedge explained.

"I think Tristan could use a break from the public anyway," I noted.

Hedge took us to the outside patio, where Tristan was being served some coffee by who I assumed to be his new personal assistant. What was weird was that she was nearly transparent.

"Is that a ghost?" I asked.

Hedge laughed. "That's Mellie, a wind-nature spirit who helped us out during the quest." Hedge explained, "She'd been looking for a new job, and I figured she couldn't do any worse than the last assistant Tristan had."

"No kidding." I laughed.

Mellie looked up at me, "Hello. You must be Thundercracker," she said cheerfully.

"That's me," I said equally cheerfully. After only one sentence spoken from her, I could already tell she was going to be much better than Jane ever was.

"Thundercracker, it's good to see you again," Tristan said. He was pretty much back to normal, but I could tell there was still some uneasiness with him, as if he knew something wasn't quite right.

"Likewise," I responded.

"What happened to your wing?" Tristan asked.

I paused. I'd completely forgotten that my left wing was still missing. "Uh, you know...battle gone wrong." Not a lie, just not the whole truth: "I'll get it fixed soon."

Tristan nodded. "I see..."

He looked lost in thought for a minute. "I heard about what Jane and the others tried to do... Piper was right about her." Tristan muttered, "How could I not have noticed sooner?"

I shrugged, "No one did Tristan. Piper didn't either."

"It still hurts... I trusted them, and they tried to...what could have possibly made them do that?"

Oh, if only he knew...

"Look Tristan I know you've been through a lot, but there's something I have to tell you." I said, "Something important."

Hedge, Mellie, and Springer gave us some space to talk in private, and I told Tristan everything. About how I was a Decepticon, but how meeting him and Piper had opened my eyes and made me want to be better, and how even if I wasn't officially with them, I was working with the Autobots now to make things right.

Throughout my whole explanation, Tristan was silent, taking the whole thing in.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." I finished.

"...I understand Thundercracker." Tristan finally said, "It's just a lot..."

"I get it..."

"Truthfully? I think part of me always knew or suspected," Tristan admitted.

"You did?" I asked shocked.

"I'm in the news a lot, Thundercracker; you pick up a few things." Tristan explained, "I saw a few mentions of a Decepticon called Thundercracker, but I wrote it off as two bots sharing the same name."

"Yeah, that happens sometimes." I said, "All the best names are taken..."

Tristan laughed before turning somber again. "I guess I just didn't make the connection because I wouldn't want to risk ruining one of the few genuine friendships I have."

"But I'm not with them anymore," I affirmed. "I'm going to make things right now. But you deserved to know the truth regardless."

Tristan nodded. "Thank you for finally telling me," he said.

"So does that mean we're still good?" I asked.

Tristan smiled, "Yeah. We're good."

I smiled back.

Mellie came up to us suddenly, "Excuse me, Mr. Mclean?"

"Please, Mellie, call me Tristan."

"Right. Well, Tristan, your daughter Piper is calling."

Tristan sat up. "Thank you, Mellie." He turned to me. "Are you coming Thundercracker?"

I deployed my holomatter Avatar, and it materialized right next to Tristan: "Of course I am."

Tristan and my Avatar walked into Jane's ex-office, now Mellie's, and found Piper on a video screen.

"Pipes!" Tristan greeted with a big grin.

"Hey," Piper called. "You feeling okay?"

"Just tired," Tristan said.

"Don't worry, Piper," I said. "Soon enough, he'll be back to filming movies and wearing silly outfits."

"You know. For once, that'd be a relief." Piper laughed, and so did me and Tristan.

After he stopped laughing, Tristan took on a more serious face, "Look, Piper, I'm so sorry about this disappearance business. I don't-" He stopped, as if searching for a memory that wasn't there. "I don't know what happened. But I heard what Jane did or tried to do..."

"Yeah..." Piper murmured.

"Mellie and Coach Hedge have been a godsend," Tristan said, perking up.

"A godsend..." Piper repeated.

"So they told me you found a school you'd like to go to?" he asked.

"Yeah, me and Thundercracker found it while you were gone." Piper explained. "It's more like a summer camp and school hybrid, but it's still great."

"Are you sure you want to transfer for the next semester?" Tristan asked, "From what I've heard, it's all the way on the East Coast, and you were doing really well at Palm Valley."

"Bear in mind," I pointed out, "Jane was the one who picked that school."

"Oh yeah. Forget I said anything," laughed Tristan.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm sure." Piper confirmed, "I've made a lot more friends here. This is where I belong."

"I guess my promise to spend more time with you without Thundercracker's help is already falling apart..." Tristan said a bit guilty.

Piper's eyes widened. "You—you remember?" she asked. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

I was a little shocked, too.

"Of course I do. That's what kept me going through all this. 'When I get out of this, I'm gonna make sure I spend more time with my daughter'"Tristan explained, "Not sure why I remember that and not anything else."

Piper blinked away the tears. "Thanks, Dad," she said.

"I love you, Piper," Tristan said. "And I'm so proud of you. You remind me so much of your mother. She'd be proud. So would Grandpa Tom. You're gonna outshine me one day. They're gonna remember me as Piper McLean's father. That's the best legacy I can imagine."

Piper didn't say anything, but she nodded.

Mellie walked into the room, "Excuse me, Tristan? Another call for you."

Tristan sighed and facepalmed. "Well, Hollywood calls," he said, annoyed. "I'll talk to you soon, Pipes. Love you."

"I love you too, Dad," Piper said. Then she looked at me through the monitor. "Oh? And Thundercracker, can you come over to visit me at my new school? There's something I've been holding off on doing until you got here."

"That was the plan," I said, giving a thumbs up.

"See you soon," Piper said, and the call cut off.

I spent a bit more time with Tristan, but soon it was time to go and see Piper. Springer opened up a ground bridge to Camp Half-Blood.

Right as I was about to step through the portal...

"Thundercracker?" Tristan called.

I turned around, "Yeah?"

Tristan smiled softly. "Thanks for being my friend," he said.

"Likewise," I said happily.

I had a feeling that, from now on, things were going to be better than ever.

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