A/N: Fun fact! The birds Shade' listed for potential alt mode changes to Stark last chapter were ones I had originally considered for her! So you guys got a little peak into what she could have been! I do not foresee her ever changing her altmode, though. In my mind, at this time, it's not even possible for her to do so.

Chapter 25: Trip to the Forge

"You're cleared to leave medbay today," Ratchet said.

Drift shifted on his pedes as he watched Ratchet filling out some forms. "Where will I go?" He asked uncertainly.

"Well," Ratchet said. "Ironhide mentioned he would like you to stop by his forge." He paused, checking over the form. "To be clear, this is a security clearance. You will still be staying here as if medbay is your quarters for a little while. Your…other quarter arrangements are still being discussed. And your frame is still healing, as well as the need to repair your spark casing still being an issue, prolonging your medbay stay."

"I see," Drift said, tilting his helm with a frown. "And am I to leave alone?"

"No," Ratchet sighed. "Seeing as how you are a recently defected ex-Con, Prowl believes it best that you have a bot who is at least semi-friendly with you at all times. For now."

Drift nodded. He wondered who, in that case, would be the one to take him to this forge of Ironhide's. If the mech himself would come fetch him or the Prime or some bot else. The number of bots he felt were even semi-friendly toward him were small.

"Is Shadebreaker cleared to leave medbay yet?" Drift asked. Next to Ratchet, she was one of the friendliest bot toward him, if not the friendliest.

Ratchet glanced at him and then back at his paperwork. "She is," he said hesitantly.

"You do not know if she will want to go," Drift observed. "Does it have to do with whatever has caused her to be…distant this last week?"

"Short answer is yes," Ratchet said. "I can't give you the long answer without sharing what is not mine to share."

Drift nodded in understanding.

"If it makes you feel any better, she hasn't talked to me that much either," Ratchet sighed, looking saddened by this.

Drift was about to say something, but stopped when the door to medbay opened. He looked over to see a light blue femme walking in. Drift recognized her as Chromia from when she'd come to visit with Shadebreaker.

"I have come to kidnap your patients, Ratchet," she said, smirking mischievously.

Ratchet rolled his optics. "Ironhide sent you for Drift, then?"

"And Shadebreaker, if she has clearance to leave?" Chromia raised an optic ridge, looking around. "Where is she?"

"I'll go see if I can coax her out from her room today," Ratchet said gruffly. He passed the datapad he'd been writing on to Drift and pointed to where he needed to sign.

Chromia made a face. "Hiding is she?" She asked. "What'd you mechs do?" She narrowed her optics at Drift as the mech signed the datapad.

"We did nothing," Ratchet said, beginning to walk away. "It's her father you should be angry at."

"And that's new?" Chromia asked, raising an optic ridge. "I thought we already knew he was a fragger."

Drift tilted his helm as Ratchet waved a hand. He frowned in confusion. "What'd her father do?"

"Not my place to tell," Chromia said, considering him.

"I understand," Drift said, bowing his helm slightly.

Chromia gave him what looked like an actual smile at that. "Good mech."

They waited in silence for several minutes for Ratchet to return. When he eventually did, it was with a subdued looking Shadebreaker, wings held low.

"Aw femme," Chromia said upon seeing her. She reached her arms out. "Come here."

Shadebreaker moved toward her, accepting the hug and falling into it a bit as the blue femme wrapped her arms around her.

"I don't know what happened, but know that I'm here if you want to talk," Chromia said gently, rubbing her back.

"Not right this moment," Shadebreaker replied quietly. "But…probably soon."

"We're all here when you are ready," Ratchet said, reaching out and rubbing her helm.

Shadebreaker's shoulders rose and fell a little bit and she tightened her arms around Chromia for a moment before pulling back. "I know."

"Good," Chromia said as Ratchet dropped his hand and she replaced it with her own. "Now, you ready to get started on some new armor with Ironhide?"

"That, I am ready for," Shadebreaker said dryly, ghosting a hand over her mangled armor on her side.

"Then let's get out of this prison of a medbay," Chromia said, humor in her tone.

Drift smirked a little as Ratchet rolled his optics. He handed Ratchet the datapad back and moved toward the door as Chromia motioned him and Shadebreaker took up a spot next to him, prompting Chromia to walk right behind them as they walked through the double doors leading out of medbay.

"Ah, sunshine sweet sunshine," Shadebreaker said as they started down the street.

"You would've gotten more if you had not hidden in your room," Drift teased lightly.

"Touchè," Shadebreaker said, lightly smacking his shoulder.

Drift had hoped this small banter meant she was done being reclusive, but she fell silent after that. He tried a few times as they walked to strike up a conversation, but all he got from her was short answers, a contrast to the larger ones she usually gave.

"The birds are active today," Drift observed.

"Hm."

"Do you think you will be permitted to fly soon?"

A shrug.

"When do you think we will study together next?"

"Soon."

"How are you doing?"

"Fine enough."

Drift was feeling frustrated by the time they'd even gone a block. "You do not seem to be doing fine enough."

"Compared to the other day when I wanted to smash a tank in for being loud as it passed by medbay, I am doing perfectly fine."

Drift blinked.

"Look, Drift," Shadebreaker sighed. "I usually enjoy our talks and I appreciate you trying to get me to talk like normal. I do. But I'm not in a good mood to talk and pretend to be ok. I learned something the other day that really pissed me the hell off and I am still processing it. I don't have the energy for socializing. I'm sorry. We'll get back to normal soon. And then figure out whatever normal will normally be whenever we're not both stuck in medbay when that comes and whatever. You know? I'm just trying to get through each moment right now."

Drift nodded. "I…can understand that," he said. "You are…drifting on the winds."

"That's a…poetic way of putting it," Shadebreaker said, chuckling. "It's more like I'm facing down a tidal wave and hanging onto an anchor, though. Less drifting and more shouting at the wind to calm the slag down."

Drift chuckled at that a bit. "I can see where that differs."

"Hate to break up the impromptu therapy session," Chromia said, humor in her tone. "But do you two even know where you are going?"

"I do not," Drift said readily. "I was following Shadebreaker."

"The building was being built before I got captured," Shadebreaker said uncertainly, looking around. "But…"

"Progress has been made while you were away and then trapped in medbay," Chromia said, optics sparkling as she motioned for the two infirmary-bound bots to follow her. "I wondered how long it would take you to notice, but after two wrong turns, I think I should just lead the way. Ratchet would be unhappy if I let you overdo it too much."

Shadebreaker looked a bit embarrassed. "To be fair, I also have only flown over the area," she said as they shifted direction to follow Chromia now. "It looks different from the ground."

"And that's why portaling and flying shouldn't be your only form of transport, even when you are solo," Chromia said, waggling her finger at the purple femme.

"And do you walk everywhere when solo? Or do you drive?" Shadebreaker asked, sounding amused.

"Touchè," Chromia chuckled.

Shadebreaker fell silent again, but this time Drift didn't pester her. He understood her need for quiet now, which was likely why she had holed herself in her room for so long.

Drift instead turned his attention to their surroundings as they walked. The buildings were clearly made out of Earth materials, even the Cybertronian sized ones, and he wondered if they would truly hold up to Cybertronian living. Humans were making their way through the streets and they had to step aside to let several tanks go by.

Eventually they were entering a large building and Drift noticed immediately how massive it was inside. There was a massive forge toward the back of the building and all the required tools and stations filled the space between that and the front of the shop. There were a few sets of ready-made armor on display on one wall and Drift wondered if they had purpose beyond displaying his skillset.

"Mech!" Chromia called. "I brought your bitlets!"

"Bitlets?!" Shadebreaker asked, sounding mildly offended. "We're not even small."

Chromia flashed a smirk, optics sparkling back at them as Ironhide emerged from behind the forge, armor covered in soot. He looked them over, optics taking in each of their appearances. His optics looked sad and gentle when they took in the state of Shadebreaker's armor.

"Good morning, MyMia," Ironhide said gently as he met them midway through. He moved to hug her, but she stopped him.

"You're filthy," Chromia said, making a face.

He took a rag from subspace, beginning to wipe his servos clean with it. "I was cleaning a mess that was made when the humans delivered the last batch of fuel for the forge. One of the containers burst open and it got everywhere."

"I'll say," Chromia said, eyeing him up and down.

"I was able to salvage most of it," Ironhide said, sighing.

"Well," Chromia said. "You are definitely going to the showers before coming home."

"That was the plan," Ironhide said dryly. He leaned over and quickly kissed her before she could retreat.

"Mech!" Chromia protested. "You even taste like soot!" She complained, but her optics and smirk contradicted her complaints.

Ironhide smirked in triumph, then turned to the waiting bots. His optics softened looking at them. "How are you two this morning?"

"I am doing well," Drift said. "Nice to broaden my horizons out of medbay."

Ironhide chuckled lightly at that. "I imagine," he said gently. Then he looked to Shadebreaker. "And you?"

Shadebreaker shifted a wing, wrapping her arms around herself, covering her side. She looked self-conscious now. "I am…ok," she said hesitantly. "Not great, but…ok."

Ironhide looked sad, gazing at her for a long moment. "Do you wish to talk about it?" he asked gently.

Shadebreaker opened her mouth, probably to say no again, but she hesitated. Something in his tone must've reached her in ways no one had yet been able to. Or perhaps there were other factors going into it, but she sighed and nodded lightly. "Yeah, maybe I do."

"Ok," Ironhide said. He took a datapad out and passed it to Chromia. "Why don't you go over some armor designs with Drift while I take Shadebreaker aside to talk?"

"You got it, mech," Chromia said easily, accepting the datapad.

Drift watched as Ironhide led Shadebreaker away, disappearing through a door and then turned his attention to Chromia as he heard her sigh. He saw some worry in her optics before it was hidden, smoothed over into a look of calm interest as she lifted the datapad and addressed him.

"Let's see what you like, eh?" Chromia asked.

Drift nodded and followed her to a couch on the opposite side of the forge from the door Ironhide had disappeared through.

"Now what's going on, fembot?" Ironhide asked gently.

I swallowed, frame shaking a bit as I remembered the event from a few days ago.

"Is it something the 'Cons did?" Ironhide asked gently.

I shook my helm lightly. "Not…exactly," I said quietly. "Though something they did is what led to me finding out about this thing. So they are kinda connected."

Ironhide nodded in understanding when I looked up at him, his optics gentle as his hand rested on my shoulder.

I tightened my arms around me and my wings trembled slightly. "Soundwave had fiddled a bit in my helm to deactivate my T-cog," I said. "Not sure why he didn't just pull what they wanted to know that way. I guess Soundwave's not great at mnemosurgery without…damaging bots…and I fought him, fragmented him a bit, I guess."

"He has caused a great number of bots a great deal of mental damage," Ironhide confirmed. "Megatron might have thought he would destroy the information by mistake when you fought him. And he seems determined enough to get it to take precautions. Also, if you fragmented Soundwave once, Megatron might've not wanted to risk the one mech he trusts to a procedure known for its risks of fragmentation and death. Surprised they didn't use a cortical psychic patch."

"It's broken," I said, smirking slightly. "Breakdown broke it in a fight with Barricade early during my captivity. It would've been comical if I wasn't, well, you know…" I sighed, shaking my helm.

Ironhide rubbed his thumb over my shoulder as I shuddered.

"He hid the code that deactivated it in a memory," I continued quietly. "So when Chromedome, I don't know if you've met Chromedome yet?"

"I have," Ironhide nodded. "He seems like a good mech."

"He's a mnemosurgeon, supposed to be retired, but came to help with me, I guess," I said, sighing again. "Anyways, when he went into my helm to find it, we found the code in my memory of when I was taken from my human reality."

"Ah," Ironhide said. "That must've been painful. I'm sorry you had to relive it."

I nodded. "I learned something, too," I said quietly.

Ironhide was silent, but he gave me an encouraging look.

"Apparently Shockwave had dulled my memory of the event," I said. "Enough so I wouldn't recall who had actually done the snatching, but not enough for me to investigate too much into it."

Ironhide narrowed his optics. "How would he know how you'd react to that?"

"The one who took me," I said, trembling a little more. "Was Vector Prime, Ironhide. Stands to reason, he had probably watched me for long enough to know at least some of how I function to make that judgment."

Ironhide's grip on my shoulder tightened a little and then he pulled me into a hug as tears pooled into my optics. "I'm so sorry, Shade'," he said. "That's awful that he did that."

"At first I was just furious," I said as tears started to fall as I leaned into his hug. "And I still am. But I'm also confused and hurt and…I don't know. I'm not fully sure what to feel. I don't understand. Why me? What did I do to deserve being taken apart like that? Being torn away from everything? And then he turned around and rescued me? I don't get it."

"Don't you think it has anything to do with anything you did," Ironhide said firmly, placing a hand on the back of my helm as I pressed my face into his shoulder. "You didn't deserve any of it." He pulled back to look me in the optics. "You hear me? You didn't do anything to deserve it."

I hiccup slightly as tears fell from my optics.

"It's not your fault what you went through," Ironhide repeated firmly, fingers firm on my shoulders. "Your worth is not tied to what messed up mechs decide to do to you. Even if they are somehow related to you biologically. Understand?"

I swallowed again, frame trembling. I nodded and reached up, wiping tears from my cheeks, ignoring the soot that covered my armor now. A small price to pay for the comfort I had apparently desperately needed.

Ironhide pulled me back, sensing that I needed more time in his big old bear hug. He just held me there for what felt like a long time and I made no move to get away as I listened to his spark pulse.

"On one hand," I said quietly after a long time. "Vector told Shockwave it was a one time deal. And knowing it wasn't Shockwave who took me….I feel a bit better that what happened to me won't happen to anyone else…not from my reality at least. My human family is safe, or should be." I wasn't sure if I should confess to going and checking on them, even if I had been super careful. I would probably tell Optimus about it, but I wasn't ready to talk about it with anyone else.

"That is a positive," Ironhide agreed, rubbing my back.

"Doesn't make what he did any better," I said, sighing. "But at least I can stop fretting about wondering if somewhere out there someone I love is suffering my same fate and I don't even know it."

Ironhide tightened his hold on me a little bit. "You worried about that a lot, huh?"

"I worried cause they would suffer," I replied quietly. "I worried cause it was something the 'Cons could try to use against me, causing them to suffer. I worried cause some of them also have information. I worried cause others in that reality also have information and not all would be on your side. It was constantly in the back of my helm as something to watch out for signs of.

"So while what he did was wrong and I don't think I'll ever forgive him," I made a face. "Knowing it was him and not Shockwave, there is some level of peace that wasn't there before. I mean, he could change his mind, but he seemed pretty adamant. Said I was the only human it would even work with."

I felt Ironhide frown due to his chin resting atop my helm. "That's a strange thing to say."

"Yeah," I agreed. "The questions keep piling on, don't they?"

"Hmm," Ironhide hummed, shifting his hold slightly. "That's ok. It doesn't change anything here. You are still you and we are still us. No one will think anything differently if you share this new information."

I sighed, relaxing a bit more in his hold. "I appreciate that," I said quietly. "I don't know if I believe you. Not for everyone anyways. But I appreciate that it will be true at least for those present in my life. I am sure there will be some that may have…issues with me for any number of reasons."

"The ones that matter won't care what some ancient old mech did with you," Ironhide gruffed dismissively. "Or judge you for anything as shallow as optic color or altmode or anything else you are worried about."

"Eccentricities and previous status as an organic being," I said in a much more chipper tone than I felt.

Ironhide chuckled shortly.

"I haven't even told Drift I used to be human yet and I mostly trust him," I said. "I just don't know enough about his just-left-the-'Cons self to know how he will react. He does know I was raised by humans and seems not to think poorly of it. He seems fairly neutral on the idea of humans so far. He seemed rather confused when I called myself 'whatever I am'."

Ironhide chuckled. "Fembot, anyone would be confused by that," he said, sounding amused. He pulled back some and tilted my chin up with a finger. "Are you ready to rejoin the others and get started on sorting out new armor?"

"Hmm," I hummed. "I think so."

Ironhide gave me one more snuggle and then pulled back and looked me over. "I'm afraid now you need a trip to the showers."

I chuckled, looking down at the soot now covering my armor. "I'm probably due for one, anyways," I shrugged. "Small price to pay for snuggles."

Ironhide chuckled and reached over, giving my wing a touch similar to one I've seen him give Bumblebee. I was unfamiliar with the meaning, but it felt pleasant and like a friendly gesture so I just smiled and made a note to do some wing touch research later.

We went back out to where Chromia and Drift were waiting and I smiled at the sight of them hovering over a datapad discussing armor designs. Drift, who seemed to keep his distance from everyone, was sitting pretty close as they hovered over the datapad by nature of hovering over the same device. He didn't seem uncomfortable, though, which was good to see of the ex-Con.

"Hey you," Chromia said, looking up as we approached. Her optics landed on me and softened. She held out an arm in invitation.

I moved forward and accepted her hug readily.

"You feel better?" She asked.

"Yeah," I replied. "Talking helped me process a bit more. I found a positive, even. And Ironhide gives some good reassurance and hugs."

"Hmm," Chromia hummed appreciatively. "That he does. Now maybe next time you won't hole yourself up for three days, eh?" She teased lightly, tweaking my wing.

I squirmed. "Heyy," I complained as she tickled at my side as well. "I can't make that promise. But I will try to be better about talking sooner."

"Will you, though?" Chromia asked, as I started to try to wrestle from her grasp.

"Femmes." Ironhide's gruff chiding voice made us stop before we could start.

"Sorry, fembot," Chromia said, holding me firmly. "No wrestling for the infirm."

"Disappointment," I said dramatically.

Chromia chuckled at that. "Perhaps you can help Drift finish narrowing down his armor choice instead," she suggested.

I shifted to sit between the two bots, which caused me to be slightly squished between them and have to hold my wings tightly behind me so they didn't smack either in the face as I leaned forward. "What we got it down to?"

Drift shifted slightly so we weren't so pressed up against each other before holding the datapad where I could see. "I am between these three," he said.

I looked at the three displayed on the screen and found myself unsurprised to find two sets looking very similar to what I was familiar with seeing on the mech. Armor looking much like what he wore on his frame at the start of his venture aboard the Lost Light in that other universe and also a set much like what he bore upon returning from his unfair exile. The third wasn't bad either, but I knew which one I personally liked best for the mech.

"Do you have any preference for one over the others?" I asked him.

Drift frowned. "I am torn," he said. "I like them all for different reasons."

"Ah," I said. "Have you tried breaking those reasons down?"

"That's what we did just before you came back out," Chromia said dryly.

"Which do you think would be best?" Drift asked.

"Are you asking me to choose?" I asked, raising an optic ridge. "Or simply for more data points?"

"Chromia told me her opinion," Drift said and pointed at the one I happened to like more myself.

"Chromia has good tastes, I agree with her," I said bluntly. "That armor would look good on you."

"Ha! I told you!" Chromia said triumphantly.

"What do you think, Ironhide?" Drift asked, passing the datapad to the mech, who'd been standing there and watching silently.

Ironhide grunted as he accepted the datapad. "If two femmes are in agreement, I'd bet they're onto something." He said gruffly and then looked at the designs. "And they also have an optic for better protection. This armor is better suited for a mech that may be in the battlefield. I would be inclined to agree. That being said, if you like the other choices enough, I can make them, too, over time, for less dangerous occasions."

Drift looked surprised at this. "You'd do that?"

"Mech, most of us have more than one set of armor," Ironhide said. "For various reasons. One of which is sitting next to you with her side exposed."

I flinched a little, putting a hand self-consciously on my side. "At least the bandages cover it," I grumbled.

"We'll fit you with some temporary armor today so you have something while I work besides that," Ironhide said, looking at me with gentle optics. "Preliminary as well."

I sighed, tracing the damaged edge of the inner armor with a finger. "I appreciate that." I said softly.

"That goes for you, too, Drift," Ironhide said. "I've been told you don't even have preliminary armor."

"I do not," Drift said.

"I would've gotten to it sooner if the forge was up," Ironhide said regretfully as I blinked and slowly looked at Drift.

"How do I have prelim and not you?" I wondered quietly.

Drift frowned. "I lived on the streets before the war, proper armor was not something I could ever afford," he said. "And preliminary armor was not something afforded me by my commanders."

I narrowed my optics slightly. "Those fraggers," I said simply and decided to leave it at that.

"Indeed," Iornhide agreed.

"But how is it strange that you would have it when I did not?" Drift asked curiously.

I shifted my wing that had a bit more space to move. "I…that's a bit of a story," I said carefully. "Involving Shockwave, my father apparently, and a suspension of disbelief."

Drift frowned, tilting his helm.

I glanced up at Ironhide for encouragement and he nodded, optics communicating that he was here for me. Chromia's hand on my shoulder communicated the same thing.

So I told him, finally, the truth about me. At least part of it. That I had once been human, living in another reality where everything we knew here was a work of fiction. That I had been plucked from that reality by who I had thought was Shockwave, but had just learned was actually Vector Prime, a mech I was related to by CNA. About how I was given over to Shockwave and experimented on for years, turning me into the bot I was today. And then rescued by Vector Prime and sent here. For Primus even knew what reason.

"And now you are all caught up on Shadebreaker's Trauma Story, as told by Shadebreaker," I said, making jazz hands and speaking in a dry tone. "I mean, there's more, but that's the basics as far as understanding some of the weirder and confusing things I might say."

"Well, that explains Ratchet's words when I came to pick you up," Chromia said, pulling me in for a snuggle. "Finding out it was Vector and not Shockwave who took ya."

"It explains a great deal," Drift said, tilting his helm.

"And? What do you make of me now?" I asked, holding a hand out, palm up. "Think of me any different now that you know I was once an organic lifeform and have this weird mysterious past and have knowledge of which I may or may not tell you what it is?"

Drift look at me with a raised optic ridge. "Your story is what made you who you are," he said. "How could I judge you negatively when you have not judged me negatively? I am the one who has done bad things. You have merely had bad things done to you that you didn't deserve."

"Damn," I said. "Are you sure you have not encountered the Circle of Light?"

"Pardon?" Drift asked, tilting his helm.

"Nevermind," I waved it off, halfway smirking. "I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. How did you end up with the 'Cons for so long and come out so sweet?"

Drift raised an optic ridge. "I do not think anyone else would ever call me 'sweet'." He said dryly. "If you had met me even five months ago you would've found me cruel and vindictive and any number of other negative descriptors."

"Ah, but remember, that was then," I reminded, holding up a finger. "I judge on the now."

"Very well," Drift said. "In the now, I have a sweet teacher." He looked at me. "And I endeavor to make her proud of me."

Ironhide and Chromia both chuckled.

"Well, you learn well, then, young Padawan," I said, feeling tears in my optics.

Ironhide shook his helm while Chromia wrapped her arms around me and tickled.

"Padawan, eh? What are you filling this young mech's helm with, fembot, eh?" She asked, teasing.

I giggled, squirming and pushing her hands away. "He knows it's a joke," I said, grinning. "Mostly."

Drift grinned, optics sparkling. "Mostly."

"Can we get back on track now? We have a lot to do," Ironhide requested.

"I think I will go with the armor the femmes picked for now," Drift said. "Though I like the middle one for backup, perhaps."

Ironhide nodded, making notes in his datapad. Then he pulled a different one and passed it to me. "This one has different styles for femmes. We'll have to modify whatever you choose given your frame is different from any I have made armor for before, but it can give us a rough idea of what you'd like. We can, of course, stick with the style you came with. Nothing is really wrong with it, though I'd like to reinforce some areas if we do that. And do something about the lack of protection you have on those wings of yours."

I nodded in understanding as I listened to him. I figured he wouldn't have anything exact to look at. It's not exactly like beast formers were common. It was no surprise to me that I was Ironhide's first beast former customer.

"I'm going to take Drift to get him fitted for his temporary armor," Ironhide said, motioning for the mech to get up. "And do the scans I need for measurements for his regular armor."

"Ok," I said, watching as Drift stood and walked away with the mech for a moment before turning my attention to the datapad.

Chromia and I went through the datapad for quite some time, going over the different armor designs. We discussed a few options and I pointed out what I did and didn't like about each one as Chromia made notes in a little notepad feature for Ironhide. I tried not to think about how much part of me wanted to learn how to make the armor myself. I wanted to learn how to do everything even remotely creative if I was honest.

"What if-" I started as I tried to contain ideas bouncing around in my helm.

"Slow down, femme," Chromia chuckled at me as I bounced slightly.

"Sorry," I said and sat on my hands.

"You are awfully excited now that we've gotten into this, but I need time to make notes," Chromia said, looking highly amused as she finished writing. "There'll be plenty of time during the process for you and Ironhide to go over what ifs. This is just seeing what kind of looks you seem drawn to for now."

"Ok," I said, sighing a bit. "I just…always wanted to make my own armor back when I was human and never had the money for the supplies or tools, so…I might have got a little over excited to be able to customize my new armor. Anything creative my processor can go wild with sometimes. Writing, too. And painting things. Not, like, on a canvas, but, like miniatures. I painted several miniature dragons back home and had a model of Optimus I was supposed to paint, but hadn't yet."

Chromia chuckled at all that, listening with patience as I info-dumped about the reason I was getting excited. "Ironhide will enjoy that enthusiasm." She said. "And I bet, if you ask nicely he might even let you help."

"Yeah?" I asked, wings perking up as I brightened.

"Yeah," Chromia said. "You'd have to listen to him and follow everything he said, though. If he says not to touch something you don't touch it."

"I would," I said earnestly. "I wouldn't dream of not listening to him."

"Then I'm sure he'll let you," Chromia said, smiling. "Maybe you could be his apprentice." She winked.

I grinned at that. I had always written my characters to be Ratchet's apprentice in the stories I wrote and I often helped the medic in medbay, but…I looked around the forge with ideas in my helm. Something more creative would suit me more if I was honest with myself. And this would be creative and helpful.

Chromia chuckled at me. "Give me some time to talk to him about it first, femme," she said. "Butter him up for ya, as the humans say."

I chuckled a bit. "I should probably heal first anyhow," I replied easily, not entirely sure Ironhide needed much convincing, but knowing Chromia didn't want my hopes to get dashed on the off chance he said no.

"Indeed," Chromia said. "Now, let's get more data points while we wait for the mechs, eh?"

"Let's," I agreed readily.

By the time they returned, Drift sporting a set of plain temporary armor, we had a whole lot of notes for Ironhide of my likes and dislikes. They were very thorough.

"Alright, fembots," Ironhide said. "Time for Shadebreaker's fitting and scans."

"Great," Chromia stood, stretching languidly in a way that showed off her frame. "We'll do that while you iron out any kinks in Drift's temp armor." She passed him the datapad.

His optics took in the notes.

"There's plenty to keep you busy the next few days," Chromia said, grinning.

"Hmm," Ironhide hummed appreciatively. "I can appreciate notes."

I grinned at that and then let myself be pulled away by Chromia before I could say anything that might give away our idea of apprenticeship.

"Come on, fembot," Chromia said, sounding amused.

I grinned, wings fluttering as I followed her without any fight.

Now that I was in the room with the express purpose to use it, rather than have a heavy conversation, I looked around. It was small in comparison to the other room, but still big in its own right. Armors and prelims filled the space on one side while a big mirror took up one wall. A big machine stood across from the armors with a monitor and console sitting next to it and that's where Chromia led me first.

"Here's the scanner that will take your measurements for Ironhide," Chromia said, motioning to it. "You just stand still in the middle with your arms out and it will do the rest. You aren't claustrophobic, are you?"

"A little bit, but this shouldn't bother me," I replied, eyeing it. "It's similar enough to some of Ratchet's scanners, but a little bigger and standing up. And I can cope well enough with those."

Chromia nodded. "Stand with pedes apart, arms out, but not all the way, like this," she demonstrated her meaning. "Probably keep your wings out from your frame as well, and still. Not sure you have enough room to stretch them completely, but a little would be good."

I nodded. "Got it," I said, then looked at the machine again.

It did look a little imposing, but I was sure that feeling would pass in time, especially if Ironhide accepted me as an apprentice and I had the opportunity to understand it more. Understanding things always made them less worrisome. I went from being terrified of snakes to absolutely loving them after growing to understand them.

Chromia moved to the console and then motioned me to move into position. I did so and she typed some commands. I listened to the hum and sounds of the machine as it came to life and began doing its job. Chromia had me shift my wings into a different position for a second scan and I tracked the scanner with my optics whenever it passed in front of me on this one, feeling the tingle in my wings.

"Alright," Chromia said. "That should do it. I think your wings might be tricky, but Ironhide will enjoy the challenge." She ghosted her hand over one of them as I stepped out.

"I have ideas of my own," I said, turning my helm and looking at them. "Though, Ironhide will know more about what's possible." I smiled at Chromia.

Chromia smiled back. "Now," she said, pulling a chip from the console and plugging it into a datapad. "These measurements will also help us set you up with some temporary prelim and regular armor. Your back pieces are fine, so we'll leave them for now since we don't have any that accommodate your kind of wings. It'll just look funky."

"Temporary funkiness is a small price for proper coverage," I said dryly, touching my side self-consciously again. "I expected as much when it sounded like the forge had just gotten to running status. Plus the fact my wings sit so differently from those of Seekers and Praxians."

"Yup," Chromia said as she pulled some pieces from the rack. "Do you need some help stripping?"

"I think I got it," I said, shrugging.

It was a slow process, my frame didn't yet like some of the ways I had to bend to reach clasps on my armor. But I was able to get most of my armor off by myself. I did have trouble with the more severely damaged pieces and Chromia ended up helping with them, careful not to aggravate my healing injury.

"Slag," Chromia winced at the mostly healed scars across my frame that were free from the bandages now.

"Yeah," I said, wrapping my wings around myself self-consciously. "It was… a lot. But…I got through. And didn't tell them slag."

"I was less concerned with that and more with you, but that's impressive," Chromia said softly, a note of respect in her tone. "I'm sorry we couldn't find you sooner. We tried."

"I know," I said quietly. "I remember how hard we all tried to find Bulkhead. I trusted you all put the same into finding me. I mean…I doubted some. But…I tried not to let that doubt sink in. Told myself it was my own lack of feeling of self worth creeping in and that those were lies. I knew Megatron was unlikely to make it easy to find and rescue me. I just…found whatever hope I could in each moment and held onto it as tightly as I could. And…I told myself that if you didn't, that at least I could know that I could live with knowing I wasn't giving in. That he couldn't break me. If Shockwave couldn't when he tried to make me his slave, sure as pit Megatron couldn't."

Chromia smiled sadly at that. "You really are a resilient femme, huh?"

"For all the suckiest reasons," I said, giving her finger guns.

Chromia shook her helm at me. "Let's get this armor on."

She helped me re-armor up, careful of the pieces that didn't quite fit right. Ironhide would adjust those pieces, she assured me. She would take Drift outside while it was done to protect my decency and there would be no worries of Ironhide doing anything inappropriate.

Once I was fully armored, we went back out to the others. Ironhide and Drift had moved over to the forge and Drift was sporting a bare shoulder as Ironhide worked the piece that would cover it with a mallet on the anvil.

We walked over quietly and I flinched a little at the way some of the armor pinched and poked. "Adjustments definitely need made," I grumbled a little, twisting a little to tug at a particularly annoying edge.

"'Hide will take care," Chromia reassured gently as we approached.

"Not quite fitting either?" Drift asked, looking at me as we finished our approach, me still squirming a bit.

"No," I said. "Kinda expected that mine would need adjustments, though."

"It always does," Ironhide gruffed, looking over the shoulder piece. He looked satisfied with it and then plunged it into what I assumed was some kind of cooling vat that sat next to the anvil. "We'll get it sorted, though."

I nodded as I watched him pull the armor piece from the cooling vat. He took it from the tongs and turned it over in his hands, inspecting it. When he seemed satisfied with it, he turned, picked up another piece that had been set aside, standing and approaching Drift.

"Alright, let's try these pieces again," Ironhide said, fitting the pieces both over his shoulder. "How's that feel?"

As Ironhide backed up, Drift tilted his helm and moved his shoulder in a circle before outstretching his arm. "A ton better, thank you." He said, tone both genuine and grateful.

Ironhide nodded, looking pleased. "Perfect," he said. "You're all set for now, then. And I'll have your spark casing bits to Ratchet as soon as I have it separated from the rest of your old armor."

My optics widened, not that they could see it. I filed away that the Decepticons had that practice in this reality. Or, at least, they had it at some point. It would be good to know if we got anymore defectors—my mind went to Knock Out and Breakdown, wondering what decision they would come to.

"Thank you," Drift said gratefully.

"Of course," Ironhide said kindly.

"Come on, mech," Chromia said. "We're gonna wait outside while Ironhide helps Shade' sort out her temp armor."

"Very well," Drift said.

The two of them departed as Ironhide asked me what pieces I could already tell were ill-fitted. I told him, picking a bit at the edge of the armor on my waist and shifting my right pede a little bit. As I did so, a piece plopped off from my thigh and I caught it on reflex.

"Ope," I said, blinking. "I could tell that was loose." My tone was dry.

Ironhide chuckled. "I will take that and the matching piece on the other side," he said gently.

"Ok," I said, removing the piece on my other thigh. I passed them to him with one hand while placing my other on the piece on my waist.

"If you are comfortable, I can take the piece on your waist now as well," Ironhide said, setting the thigh pieces aside. "Just let me check how it is fitting so I know how to adjust it."

I considered it for a moment as he poked and prodded. I listened to myself how I felt with him this far in my bubble, touching me in this fashion.

"I trust you enough that the discomfort of the fit is more than the exposure," I said, voice a little vulnerable.

Ironhide nodded. "Alright," he said, removing the piece for me. Then he checked the prelim armor piece. "I'll have to adjust this, too. I'll have you remove it. And check your thigh prelims."

I shifted and moved for a moment before taking those off and passing them to him. "I think there's a shoulder piece too," I glanced at my left shoulder.

"Good audial," Ironhide smiled gently as I moved my arm a bit more with a frown. "It's not very bad, I almost didn't hear the rubbing myself."

"I got sensitive audials," I said quietly. "That rubbing would bother me even if it wasn't a problem." I removed the shoulder piece and then moved my arm again. "Prelim piece seems fine."

Ironhide chuckled softly. "I will get these taken care of and then we can check if there is anything else."

I nodded and then moved to sit on a stool when he motioned toward one that was nearby. I watched him work with rapt attention as he inspected a piece before beginning his work on it. He treated each piece with just as much care and attention as I remembered giving to my dragons I used to paint.

When he would hammer the pieces was the only bit that made me second guess my thoughts of being his apprentice. It was loud as heck each time he struck. But it was predictable, there was a rhythm to it that was almost calming in a way. By the time he was done with the first piece, the second guessing was faded and I was at peace in the presence of the noises caused by his forging.

Of course, it might feel differently if I was the one doing all that. I doubted it would be different in a negative way, though.

"There we are," Ironhide said after finishing the last piece and inspecting it. He passed it to me, as he had done each piece as he'd completed them. He checked the fitting himself as he felt the need. "Try that now."

I placed the shoulder armor back on and then shifted my arm in different ways, listening for the rubbing sound from before. "Perfect," I said simply with a small smile.

"Alright, now I'll have you walk and move a bit to see if there is anything else," Ironhide told me, motioning with a hand.

I did so, moving my frame and limbs in different ways to make sure I had full movement without anything catching. Everything else seemed in order. "It seems fine."

Ironhide nodded in agreement. "I'm not seeing or hearing anything either," he agreed. "Let me know, though, if something feels off later, alright? We can always do more adjustments later."

"Alright," I said as I came back to stand before him, looking up at him. He wasn't very taller than me, but enough that I had to look up.

He reached out and rubbed my helm fondly. "Now, I believe 'Mia and Drift are waiting for you, so you ought to scamper along now," he said, smiling gently. "I'll go over all your notes and we'll talk more at length next you come in, how's that?"

My wings lowered a bit in disappointment, having hoped to talk more about it now, but I understand he needed time to go over everything and he had stuff to deal with Drift's old armor. Namely the mech's spark chamber bits, which seemed rather important.

"Sounds fair," I said after a moment, accepting I couldn't hold all his time. We probably weren't the only two bots in need of new armor either. "When will the next time be?"

"Hmm," Ironhide hummed, considering me with a small amused sparkle in his optics. "I will have to let you know, but hopefully it will not be too long. You and Drift are the most urgent cases I have to work on, after all. I don't foresee it being more than a couple days, but it also depends upon mission need."

"Alright," I said easily, accepting that answer.

I gave Ironhide a hug and then slipped away to meet Chromia and Drift outside. I found them lingering not far from the door, Chromia leaning against the side of the building and watching as Drift knelt to interact with a bunny.

I paused the moment I saw it, almost afraid to approach and scare the bunny away. But the bunny had already heard me and had turned from sniffing his outstretched finger to stare at me with its wide eyes. I looked it over with its orange and white fur. Domestic was my first thought. Had a human snuck a pet bunny in and then lost it?

Drift shifted his fingers to try to regain the bunny's attention and one ear shifted at the sound, but the creature didn't turn back.

Very, very slowly, I lowered myself as Drift was, hoping to demonstrate I was not a threat. I lowered a hand, palm up but fingers curled. I was much too far to reach the bunny, it would have to hop to me. But the movement still caused the bunny to hop twice away before it stopped and looked back, hesitating. It hopped around to look at me again, but when Drift moved just very slightly it hopped away entirely this time.

"Ah well, almost had a bunny in your hand, mech," Chromia said, sounding amused.

"That was a domestic bunny," I frowned. "I had not seen any among the wildlife. It must belong to one of the humans and escaped their home. They're probably looking for them." I tilted my helm.

"Are the humans allowed pets on base?" Drift asked.

"No," Chromia said. "Unless one of the children convinced someone to make an exception, maybe."

"Bunnies are not typically military animals," I said, standing up. "If we started seeing typical domestic animals around, I would've expected military dogs, or even rats for search and rescue or bomb squad. I haven't heard of bunnies having a role. Perhaps we can ask June if Jack, Raf or Miko got a bunny. And if it's missing."

"Will it be alright?" Drift asked.

"Domestic bunnies do not typically thrive in the wild," I replied. "They don't have the instincts. But they are also hard to catch, because bunnies are not very quick to trust and are very fast, but also very fragile. Left alone, I doubt that bunny will see longer than a month or two. Maybe a little longer, since we're in the tropics and won't see a true winter, but still."

"I can read on your face you don't want that bunny to die," Chromia said, smiling gently. "I'll alert the appropriate people and they will take care of it. I'm sure it's like you said, one of the kids got someone to make an exception for them and they chose bunny and bunny escaped."

I nodded. "I appreciate that," I said. "The humans will likely have a better chance anyways. Between our size and my wings likely making me somewhat resemble a predator. My coming out was probably the worst timing for catching it."

"I also did not know catching it might be needed," Drift admitted with a tilt of his helm. "There is much I do not know about this planet."

"You will learn it all in time," I reassured, clasping him on the shoulder as I approached him once he stood to his height. "Now, off to the showers we go."

Chromia chuckled at my chipper attitude, moving to lead the way.