Percy

When Leo opened that file, we thought he made a terrible mistake.

We were all preparing for, well, I had no idea what any of us expected. But it clearly wasn't what actually happened.

See, when that file finally opened, Soundwave began convulsing like he was having a seizure. As he did, his cassettes started sparking and yelling. One of Laserbeak's and one of Buzzsaw's wings were on the fritz each, Ravage's foot was spazzing out, Rumble's arm was twitching, Frenzy's eyes were sparking, and Enemy's entire body was convulsing. As we watched, Soundwave was groaning in pain.

Eventually, when it all stopped, Soundwave shot up as if he woke up from a nightmare. Once he did, all the chaos stopped. Annabeth, Leo, and I were all huddled on the far side of the bunker. He looked at us confused but began to explain what he saw. He said that, according to his 'dream,' he was built by these Quintesson people.

Whatever these Quintessons were, they really seemed to freak the cassettes out.

Rumble, after Soundwave told us everything, shouted, "Hold on, you're telling us that you are-"

"A Quintesson construct?" Soundwave guessed.

"A butt-kicking super soldier?!" Rumble finished. Soundwave perked up, probably not expecting him to react like this.

"Wha- I," he stammered, "but I'm a Quintesson creation, a weapon."

"Sucks to your Quintessons!" Frenzy shouted. Annabeth whispered in my ear that it was a reference to 'Lord of the Flies'.

Ravage added, "As far as anyone is concerned, you are alive, are you not?"

"Yes," Soundwave answered. At that moment, Soundwave's difference in voice became apparent to me. He no longer spoke rigidly in a monotone voice, now he used contractions, didn't respond with "affirmative," and spoke with an actual tone.

Ravage responded, "Then you are not a weapon. A weapon is not alive, you are."

"Heh, thanks, old friend." Soundwave chuckled.

"So, any of us gonna point out how we have the coolest dad in the Galaxy!" Frenzy shouted.

At that, Soundwave and his cassettes began laughing. However, now Soundwave's laugh sounded a lot less stiff.

Soundwave asked, "How about our demigod hosts? You guys doing okay?"

"Yeah. Just, you know, a giant robot convulsing. The usual." Leo dryly joked.

"Did I really convulse?" Soundwave asked.

Leo answered, "Yeah. Also, do you know what that 'Dreamer' stuff means? That laptop called me that, and I want to know what it means."

I was surprised. "Did you just say the laptop called you 'The Dreamer?'"

"Yes," Leo haltingly replied, "why? Is that important?"

Annabeth explained, "Yes, it is. You being the Dreamer means that Soundwave found what he was sent here to find."

"I'm confused. Can you explain it like I'm an idiot?" Leo asked.

Soundwave elaborated, "I was sent here to meet the Dreamer, who would help me find out my past in a dream. When you opened that file, it put me in a dream-like state. Meaning, I accomplished the reason I was sent here for. Which means..."

Ravage finished, "We can go home!"

"But how?" I asked. "Last time you tried, the portals bugged out."

Soundwave explained, "That file didn't just contain my origin. It also contained a second alt mode, schematics for two cassettes, and how to make the portals do what I want."

Annabeth responded, "That... Actually makes sense. Somewhat."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Frenzy eagerly shouted. Rumble continued, "No offense, but we'd like to get back to Cybertron."

"None taken. I'd probably feel the same way in your situation." Annabeth reassured.

We all laughed and chatted as we walked back out. Nico and Will, rejoined us, and they seemed a bit surprised at Soundwave's sudden expressiveness. But they quickly got accustomed to it.

We all walked to the shore, ready to give a farewell as they left for Cybertron. I somehow felt that the portals would work this time. The Stolls, a handful of Apollo campers, Calypso, the rest of the Seven, Reyna, and Chiron all joined for a final farewell.

"Goodbye, Soundwave!" "Visit again soon!" It was nice to meet you!" "So long, cassettes!" "We'll miss you!"

Soundwave and his cassettes said their farewells. They promised to return one day. Maybe to throw that party they promised, maybe to go on a joyride, and maybe to show off whatever new cassettes they could build from the schematics.

The cassettes bowed as Soundwave opened the portal. It seemed effortless now, and I could see the metal world on the other side, Cybertron. They posed to walk through, but something happened.

The portal started changing. It flickered, and then a energy blast came launching through. I barely heard Soundwave yell for everyone to get out of the way before he was hit and sent flying. Then, the area around it exploded, throwing the rest of us onto the ground.

I looked up in a daze. My eye landed on the familiar figure from my dream. "Logos...?"

Standing there was Logos. Same insignia, same Soundwave-like look, everything. But he was different. He was various shades of dark grey with pale orange eyes rather than silver with pale blue eyes. Just like he looked like when he flickered.

He yelled in an aggressive, booming voice that starkly contrasted his previously soft and paternal voice, "I am Logos Prime, and I have come for my Matrix."

I am really sorry this took so long. I just got caught up with real-life junk and my other story. But I finally got the motivation to publish the beginning of the end!