Are you certain we can trust them?" Zerlina asked.

Nebula glanced back at Zerlina. The decepticon leaned against her courter's open door. Her black purple rotors twitching every now and again.

"After last night, yes," Nebula stated.

"Are you certain? We both know you can impulsive at times," Zerlina questioned.

Nebula sighed, but she didn't disagree with her friend's opinion. In fact, Zerlina was right. The blue femme had a habit of looking before leaping. Whenever that happened it usually ended with the decepticon catching her and pulling her back from the edge. That was once of the main reasons for their close friendship. Zerlina was polite, passionate, and well-mannered. Even in a fight the decepticon fought with the grace of gladiator. While Nebula was fiery, impulsive and quick like a whip (though she had mellowed out in recent stellar cycles). As such on the battlefield, Nebula was fast and ruthless with her attacks, using her surroundings rather than just brute force. They were opposites, even if they shared many of the same values, meaning they balanced each other out.

"Maybe not trust them, but I believe Rodimus," Nebula said.

"You believe him? A bot who claims to be from another dimension? No less the alternate version of…"

"Yes! Zer, I do. I know it sounds crazy but we've seen weirder things."

Zerlina raised an optic ridge, "Have we?"

"Evil squid people."

"Everyone knows about the quintessons."

"Space pirates."

"The universe is full of outlaws like Thundertron."

"Ghosts!"

"You know I don't believe in spirits."

"A moon full of zombified vampiric insecticons!"

"Neither of us were even there for that one."

"You're right but the twins were and so was Wildbreak."

"Fair point, but I'm only saying that because one of your sources is Wildbreak."

"Look I'm just trying to say we've seen a lot of weird slag. Inter-dimensional travel shouldn't be more than an average Tuesday."

"Alright say we do believe them. What can we do to help them? We know little to nothing about crossing the barriers of reality."

"We'll figure it out."

"Nebula, figuring it out how to pierce through time and space is going to take more than your processor and a sketch board."

"Vector Prime could figure it out. He and his doppelgangers could look into thousands of…"

"Once more Nebbie! Stop comparing yourself to a dead mech. Not that I don't doubt you, I know how stubborn you can be, but it could be vorns until you figure this one out."

"I can get us into the Shadowzone by overloading a groundbridge, if I just increase the power output…"

"Nope, nope. Stop right there. I see where you're going, but don't. Outliner abilities have limits, including yours Nebbie. Have you ever even generated that much energy? You can't kill yourself to save them."

"I know Zer, but I have to try."

Zerlina sighed, "I know you do."

"Speaking of helping them, I need to get them back to the palace," Nebula stood up from her berth and started towards the door, "You know where Soundwave is?"

"Currently trading camera tips with Cheetor."

Nebula snorted, "No offence to Soundwave, but I think there a difference between cinematography and spy work."

Zerlina chuckled, "Don't let either of them hear you say that."

Rodimus glanced around the lab. Now after talking with Nebula and finally getting some recharge, he felt much more alert. Which meant he could start taking in the details of his surroundings. It wasn't marvel of modern science. That much anybot could tell. It was made in haste, and out of what looked like salvaged parts from a ship. Which made sense as they had crashed recently if Nebula's word meant anything.

However, it wasn't the machinery or other equipment that had caught Rodimus's optic. It was the odd collection of organic plants, that seemed to be glowing.

Rodimus reach out and held one of the leaves in between two of his digits. The deep green material, felt organic to his touch. Though it didn't look organic. The veins in the broad deep green leaf, glowed bright blue, rather than matching the rest of the plant. He flipped the leaf up examining the branch underneath, finding a number of little glowing buds attached it.

"Those interest you?"

Rodimus tried not to jump, but his helm did switch around at a rapid pace. Thankfully, whoever caught him by surprise, only chuckled warmly. Somehow that sound stopped the young prime from feeling embarrassment. It felt so fond and loving.

His pair of blue optics met with the odd cyan eyes of the only human he had seen in this alternate world. Doctor Sari. Well, that was what he had heard the others call her (with the exception of Cheetor, as he called her mom).

"Sorry, I really need to stay out what isn't mine," Rodimus said.

"Don't worry about it. My son had a habit of snooping," She chuckled.

"Can't keep a curious kitten out of trouble, huh?"

She shook her head, "No, Cheetor usually keeps to himself, although you might find him sleeping in spots where he shouldn't be. I'm talking about his older brother. Me and my husband's eldest, he just had a hard time staying out of other people's business."

Rodimus nodded, "So, what are these?"

"Technorganic Plants. Their bio-engineered to produce energon."

Rodimus's optic ridges rose. Energon producing plants? That would solve any energy shortage.

"Did you make these?" Rodimus asked.

"I helped grow them yes, but I can't take full credit. The idea was Data's, but Nyx'lee was the one to figure out the formula to merge organic tissue with energon producing alloys," The doctor pointed to the femme seeker, who was currently spraying Springer with a garden hose.

"It was actually our enrollment project in-order to get the Iacon Academy of Science and Exploration. It almost got us in," Data chimed in from her work station.

"What happened?" Rodmius asked.

"There was a lab accident," Nyx'Lee said walking over, leaving a soaked Springer in her wake.

"Yes, there was, but he's going to wake up," Data said.

"He woke up yesterday," Nyx'lee said.

"Oh, that's good," Doctor Sari said.

"Then he screamed and went back into a coma," Nyx'Lee said in a monotone voice and with a straight face plate.

Rodimus and Springer just shared an alarmed glance. While Doctor Sari cleared her throat.

"Well, I guess all that screaming tired him out," Data said in a strained voice.

The door to the Lab opened, letting in Nebula and Soundwave. The blue femme took one look at the room, and said, "Nyx'Lee your other half is looking for you. You're on in two!"

The femme seeker dashed out the room, a large mischievous smile on her faceplate.

Nebula raised an optic ridge, "Let me guess, Nyx'Lee got Springer with the gardening hose then gave you all a heathy dose of dark humor?"

"How'd you guess?" Springer said sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Because if you pissed off Data you'd have a dent in your helm," Nebula said before a flash of grey came flying at her. Nebula ducked and a moment later there was a wrench sticking out of the wall.

Nebula turned to her CMO, and casually said "Nice try."

Data just grumbled and returned to her work.

The blue femme turned to Rodimus, "Ready to get back to the palace?"

"I should say so," Rodimus said, "I only wish we could help you more."

"The offer is appreciated Rodimus, but this isn't your world or your problem to fix. You'll be getting plenty of those soon, don't worry," Nebula sighed, "Now come on, we only have until sunrise to get you two back," She gestured to Soundwave to come forward.

The slim mech stepped in front of them. The small bit of space between him and Nebula suddenly erupted into a bright swirl of green and blue. A twisting vortex, that seemed far too violent…and…oddly familiar.

"Okay, stick close, don't move and don't scream," Nebula said quickly.

"What?" Springer said.

The blue femme's body was suddenly consumed with waves of bright blue crackling lightning. Her optics whitened out. The portal whirred wildly as the lightning reached out to it. The green glow brightened to an unsettling level. Rodimus barely had enough time to finch. Then came the scream and finally the flash.

Rodimus opened his optics, surprised he was still alive. However, something wasn't right. The world was washed out. Colors muted, and there was no obvious source of light. He looked around the surrounding cybertronians's optics were dull, no longer glowing and they didn't seem to be looking at him anymore.

"You alright?" Nebula asked.

Rodimus looked towards the blue femme. Her painted now faded as well, but her optics still as bright and alive as ever. He opened his intake to say something but Springer beat him to it.

"WHAT THE FRAG HAPPENED!?" The lime mech shouted.

"Be glad Zer, can't hear you," Nebula mumbled before speaking up, "Calm down Springer I just sent us into a half-dimension to make travel easier."

"Half-dimension?" Rodimus looked back at Nebula, "You mean…"

Nebula's optics widened before the they saddened, draining the small amount of hope that the prime had gained, "No. I'm sorry Rodimus. I know what you're thinking, but the Shadowzone is not the same thing as traveling the multiverse."

"The what?" Springer said, still rather loudly.

"The Shadowzone. It's a half-dimension," Nebula said.

"Half-dimension?" Rodimus said.

"A half-dimension is not place or another, it's in between. And usually exists in small pockets around a universe. It's not its own dimension, merely a shadow of one. Hence the name. That's why we can see everyone but they can't see us," Nebula explained while walking THROUGH Soundwave.

Rodimus just stared, intake loose with shock.

Nebula paused, seemingly for confused for a moment, before realizing what was wrong, "Oh, yeah we can walk through things here," then she turned around and started walking towards the lab door which Zerlina opened just as Nebula was approaching it.

Rodimus and Springer shared a glance but quickly followed the blue femme.

"So, how did you do that?" Rodimus asked.

"Do what?" Nebula said as she walked through the now open door.

"Bring us here?"

"Oh, well in order to get to the shadowzone you need to overload transwarp energy. Like a groundbridge which is pretty much just a vortex of the stuff. Usually, you'd need a second bridge to the exact same coordinates to open up a breach to the shadowzone, however my outliner ability seems to do the trick"

"You're an Outliner?"

Nebula dryly huffed, "Yep. Outliner, Heir to cybertron, Daughter of a great hero. I must have the most luck in the universe," she said with a sarcastic smile.

BANG!

Rodimus tried not the jump at the sudden sound that cut through the silence of the shadowzone, but he couldn't really help it. His helm whirled around, frame tight like a drawn bow string waiting for the order to launch. Though the young prime relaxed when he saw Springer standing in the door frame, a servo rubbing the side of his faceplate.

"Did you just walk into the door?" Rodimus said, while Nebula was trying to stop herself from laughing.

"Yeah, I thought I would go through it," Spring groaned, as he walked through the door.

"Why?" Rodimus said, an optic ridge raised.

"She said we could walk through things," Springer gestured at Nebula, who still had a large smile on her faceplate.

"Yeah, about that…sadly walls don't count," the blue femme said.

Zerlina let the door to the lab close. The large chopper then started to walk to another apart of the back. Nebula watched her second for a moment, before starting to follow her.

"Come on, boys we got a schedule to keep if we want to not be ghosts anymore," Nebula said.

Rodimus and Springer followed the royal blue femme. Zerlina was quick in her journey, her heavy pede steps made louder as they echoed through the Shadowzone. The Decepticon's paint was ever greyer now, almost corpse like, having lost the silvery shine it had before. Though none of it really mattered as they followed her through the dark and light hallways. Eventually they were brought to what looked like a dead end at the top of a narrow staircase. Zerlina pressed the side wall and the dead end slid forward a little before splitting in half and opened.

On the other side was a small darkened room. The metal walls a rusted color, with shelves stacked high with energon and serving glasses. Some kind of store room? In the distance music could be heard, but it didn't sound like a cybertronian melody. There was something rougher about it, slower, more acoustic. The Singer's voice echoed quietly as she reached the chorus.

"I dug my key into the side of his pretty little supped up four-wheel drive! Carved my name into his leather seat! I took Louisville Slugger to both headlights! Slashed a hole in all four tires! Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats…"

Zerlina shook her helm, faceplates twisting in a mixture of exhaustion and concern, "Only she would sing a song about revenge torture so passionately," The decepticon shivered, before closing the door, leaving the trio of dimension hoppers and princess alone.

Nebula calmly nodded towards the door exit door on the far wall, asking them to follow her. On the other side was a decent sized room, with rusty umber walls in warm yellow lighting. Bots of all frames and colors sat in booths that lined the side walls, chatting and laughing loudly. Waiting drones buzzed around with trays filled with glasses of energon and visco. The bar counter was on the backwall right next to the door, with its own collection of costumers.

"Your base is in a bar?" Springer said.

"My uncle owns the place," Nebula said, walking through the patrons in the crowd.

Rodimus's attention was drawn to the small stage that was tucked into one of the corners of the establishment. Two seekers stood atop of it, two familiar seekers. Were they the twins!? Nyx'Lee and Wingnutt, both of whom were wearing blue visors over their optics, danced around on the stage and played the oddly acoustic tune that rang throughout the bar. Nyx'Lee was on the microphone, with what looked like an earth violin in her servos. Wingnutt however was clearly trying to steal the show. The seeker mech was playing at least eight different instruments at once. All of them also seemingly from earth. Why were they playing earth instruments?

Rodimus just shook his helm, deciding not the think about it. He was pretty sure the twins were either magic or just mad geniuses. He was starting to lean towards magic, as there was no way that Wingnutt could play that many instruments without some kind of other-worldly power on his side.

Outside the street was dark and relatively quiet, maybe a few bots on the road, but other than that empty. No other noticeable businesses or buildings were nearby, but if there were than they were probably closed at this hour. A small street lamp on the closest corner flickered every now and again.

"Shall we go," Nebula said walking down the street.

Rodimus followed her, without question. However, the same couldn't be said for Springer.

"Wait we're walking?" The lime mech said.

"Yeah," Nebula said.

"Why aren't we driving? If we go through people, traffic won't be a problem," Springer said.

"Uhm," Nebula's faceplate pressed into an uncomfortable wince, "Well you see the thing is…"

"What?" Rodimus said confused.

"I…" She laughed nervously, "I can't drive."

Rodimus could feel the record scratch in his helm. The young prime looked at Springer, only to see the triple changer's intake hanging open loosely, before turning back to the sheepish princess.

"What?" Rodimus said before he could stop himself.

"You can't drive?" Springer almost shouted, "How can you not drive!? It's basic cybertronian junk! Can you even transform?"

"Yea! I can transform! I can technically drive I'm just really, really bad at it," Nebula squeaked, servo rubbing the back of her neck.

"How?!" Springer said.

"I grew up inside all my life! I never had anywhere to learn or practice! Besides I've always been much better on legs, rather than a four-wheel drive," Nebula said.

"How bad are you?" Springer asked.

"Like can't go fifteen feet without hitting something," Nebula said.

"Okay, we'll walk," Springer said, shaking his helm.

She looked out from her balcony, boredom and disgusted etched into her stolen faceplate. Well, it wasn't technically hers, but it didn't matter if everyone thought that she really was the heiress to the matrix. So, she treated all this luxury and wealth like it really was hers. And who wouldn't turn down all the perks of the highest rank in all of cybertron. Only matched by leader of a colony world. The only downsides were the responsibilities. You'd think when you're literally in charge of a planet, you could hire someone to do your job for you. Pit, she probably could, but that would be out of character, and she needed to keep the reigns tight. For now.

Quintess Prime she hated the role she was playing. She hated the Princess with all her being. Nebula had taken everything away from her. How she desired to crush Quintessa killer's spark in her own servos.

A sudden beeping tore her out of her brooding. She let out a heavy groan that almost sounded like a growl. She pulled her false form, and sluggishly walked into the luxurious apartment. She pressed the button on top of wailing commutation device on the nearby side table.

"I know what you're going to say. And not I'm not coming back!" She growled.

"You must return to the homeworld."

"Your presence is a need in this trying time."

"The council has decided to leave the origin world to itself."

Each line from the com. Was spoken in a different voice, but she knew that they were all from the same person.

"I don't give a flying frag about what your council has decided. The cybertronian race has embarrassed and insulted our kind for far too long. I will bring the end to their race, if it's the last thing I do."

"Your revenge is not the important factor."

"With Quintessa's death…"

"With Quintessa's death I am the next in line! You have no authority over me anymore! Lead the people for now and I will return once victory is ours once and for all!"

"You act with idiocy."

"Your rage is blinding you."

"I am not compromised! I have already infiltrated successfully, and have most of the guards already on my side. And recently the perfect asset just fell into my servos."

"An asset?"

"A prime from an alternate world. If I can charm him then I will have access to every relic and secret of the primes."

"If he believes you."

"He will."

"Your plan is flawed."

"All it needs to crumble is for the true Princess to…"

"Princess Nebula is dead! I shot her ship down myself! By morning I'll have the prime in my servos, and victory will be ours. Then! Only then will I return!" She slammed a fist onto the communicator.

Collapsing onto the ornate sofa, with a gravely sigh. Oh, how she wished to end it all. How she wished to melt this chaotic hideous world into nothing but smelt, and reforge it into something beautiful. Like the homeworld. A perfect picture of order and efficiency. With people in jobs that were built to do rather than in something they weren't fit for. Orderly factories and barracks, a paradise of production. Not this mess of an emotion and dream driven pit world.

There was a knock on her chamber door. Oh, she didn't not want to deal with this now, however she played her part. Steeling her demeanor, and setting the sweet smile on her face plate, she called out, "Enter."

The door creaked open and entered the council member Copperbottom, "Your majesty," the bronze bot greeted.

"Stow the formalities, I do hope you have a reason for such a late and unscheduled visit," She spoke in the Princess's voice, though her tone was a bit forceful.

"I do so humbly apologize, you grace," Copperbottom quickly said, "But I thought you would like to hear about some rumors regarding the conspiracy you informed me about."

The banging of a fist on his door was what startled Kup awake. The older model grumbled slightly as he forced himself to get off of the incredibly comfortable berth he was using. He had initially been upset at the fact he was woken up from what was probably the best recharge of his life cycle however once he saw Arcee, her face plate twisted with concern, at his door all anger melted away.

"Arcee?" Kup said.

"Kup something's wrong," the young pink femme said, "I can't find Rodimus and Springer anywhere."

"They're not in their rooms?"

"No. I checked."

"Maybe they went on a walk, lassie. Rodimus has had a lot on his processor lately."

"If they did, then Springer would've dragged him back by now. It's almost morning."

Kup hummed, and just then did his audio receptors picked up something.

"Where are those guards marching to?" the older model said.

Bumblebee sighed, his pede tapping against the pavement below with vigor. Impatient being the word for how he felt at the moment. He just wanted for Nebula and the wayward other-world-travelers to get here, so his anxiety can go down. Honestly, how did he not notice them peeking into his room? He had raised two over excited little mechs, who got up to all sorts of trouble. He should have noticed. And now they were alone in an unknown city, just great.

"Bumblebee, could you please just calm down. You're going to wake up all of Iacon," Starscream grumbled.

"Sorry," The yellow mech said, "I'm just worried."

"Bumblebee they're all adults. Besides Nebula can take of herself and the others in case they come across some poor soul who turned feral after getting trapped in there."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's just…"

"You can't help it. Believe me I felt the same anytime the twins weren't in optic sight. You're just wasting more energy by letting the feeling become physical."

Bumblebee looked at the seeker. Starscream had taken off the cape and crown that he was wearing to the festivities earlier that day. Leaving all of his frame visible. He had changed since the war. Physically he didn't look all that different from the defector that joined them late in the war on earth. Sure, he had changed his color scheme to something that more resembled his original frame, but he had kept the old earth F-15 Eagle vehicle mode.

It was how Starscream held himself that was different. The Starscream that had joined the autobots had been at first twitchy, anxious, and reclusive. After being on his own or so long and after the abuse he suffered at the servos of Megatron, the seeker had been broken down into husk of himself. Riddled with PTSD, nightmares, and other mental problems. It had taken Bumblebee while to warm up to him once Starscream had swapped his sigils. Not just due to the incident with his T-cog and MECH but Starscream wasn't really one to socialize with the others bots at first. The only people he really talked to at the time were Ratchet as they worked on the syth-N formula and Nya, his human partner.

Now, those days were far behind both of them. Starscream slowly recovered from his trauma after the war, and built a life for himself with good supporting people that he could trust. The seeker could never be the arrogant prideful celebrity that he had been in his days before the war, even if he played a similar role to the one, he had before the war. Starscream, while regaining his confidence and mental stability afterward, had been humbled by the war, and becoming a father and husband only added to that. Honestly, the woman who had become the Winglord's wife had been the best thing to ever happen to Starscream in Bumblebee's opinion. Even after her death her memory still influenced the seeker, the proof of that was in the fact that Starscream still wore his wedding ring on his digit.

Bumblebee looked down at his left servo. Specifically at the gleaming golden band on his own digit. He could relate. He hadn't seen Sari in so long. Not since the day that travel to other planets was shut down. That had been one of the worst days of his lifecycle. He could still remember the announcement that told shut down the space bridges and called any exploration teams or autobots that were living off world to return to cybertron. After what happened with the Vok, when a threat had been made against cybertron Optimus decided to cut off all ties they had with earth in order to make sure that the young planet wouldn't be made a target again. Sadly though, that meant that no humans could be caught on cybertron if an invasion were to happen. Bumblebee had to return to his home world with their eldest son, but Sari was left on Earth. Even if she was technorganic and not an actual human she still resembled one. And that was enough.

The former scout ended up raising their son, and eventually Cheetor, alone. However, he thought of her every day, and tried to raise both young mechs in the way she would've wanted. Even if she hadn't known about the cheetah cub, Bumblebee knew Sari wouldn't have left him where he was.

Cheetor had been a protoform kidnapped, right after being forged from the well. His spark still small as was his body, but he would've grown into a perfectly normal two-wheeler. That is if he hadn't been taken by the rogues. There had been rumors of rebel medics and organic biologists who had been preforming unauthorized cybergraphing. Experiments that included splicing CNA with organic DNA. Cheetor had been one of their victims. Bumblebee could still remember the sound of that tiny cub's cries in that empty laboratory. Primus, he had been so small, so young, barely a few mega-cycles old. The former scout had taken the cub home that very day, not the council or even prime could've stopped him. He had the most contact with a technorganic out of anyone in Iacon, he was the only one who could give Cheetor the life he deserved. He knew that, and he knew that even if there would be bumps in the road with raising a half-cat, Cheetor had been better off in Bumblebee's servos than the council's questionable care.

And Sari wasn't allowed to be there to watch the little cub grow up. To see either of their little ones grow up. He knew she wouldn't have argued with him over keeping Cheetor if she had been in their apartment when he brought the cub home. She knew what it was like to be considered an experiment and not a person.

"Thinking about Sari?" Starscream asked, drawing Bumblebee out of his thoughts.

"Yeah," Bumblebee said.

"You shouldn't worry. She has returned, and with Nebula taking charge relations with earth and the colonies will resume. She'll be able to stay on cybertron this time, and you'll get your happily ever after."

"I hope so."

"You'll get more then I will," the seeker said, fiddling with his own ring.

"I know saying sorry won't do anything, but I won't forget her."

"I know and I hope others don't. I know my trine won't. Thundercracker and Skywarp had loved her. And the twins will never forget their mother. I only wish she had had more time with them. See them grow up into the fantastic weird people they became."

"You know I always wondered, why you didn't try to raise them to take over the vosian throne after you?"

"That's not how their mother would've wanted them to be raised. And it's not the why I wanted to raise them. I grew up in a society that organized its people's worth by sorting them into jobs from birth. I'll admit, I was lucky. Fliers were often given a life a luxury, but that doesn't mean it was a perfect life. Status was everything. Only those who were exceptional were praised, that was the only type of affection and validation you could get. I was ambitious, and I was taught that you were only worth something if you could achieve something. Power and success became my drug and no one knew what type of damage it did. I wasn't going to let that happened to my children."

A bright green vortex opened in front of them. Then lighting began to spark.

It was weird walking through this washed-out world. This almost ghost business was nuts. Rodimus just tired not the think about it too much, because honestly if he did after everything else that happened recently, he was probably going to shut down. Why was this so disorienting?

"It's not that weird if you don't think about it!" Nebula called back, as she walked through the crowded road. The traffic just phasing through her legs.

Rodimus just shuddered his optics and shook his helm, before following her. Even if the cars went right through his legs and didn't feel him, he still felt a vague sensation each time one faded through him. It was like a walking through a thin dust cloud, a touch so soft it almost wasn't there. then it sent small rippling tingles up through his legs like static. After that it left a sinking feeling in his tank, similar to disgust and dread. He didn't like this. He didn't like feeling people go through him like he was a ghost. Like he was dead.

"How are you so okay with this?" Rodimus asked Nebula after catching up with her.

"You get used it after being here a few times," The blue femme said.

"You've done this before?"

"We've been using the Shadowzone as a means for espionage and transport for a while now."

"Really?"

"In enemy territory it makes gathering information a lot easier if the bad guys can't see you. You just need to stick to your timeframe and always come armed."

"Come armed? I thought you said this place was safe?"

"Well, it doesn't have the usual dangers, but that doesn't mean it's a good vacation destination."

"So, what could we find out here?"

"Nothing on Cybertron, but out in the wastes, there are a number of poor sparks that get stuck in here and become feral."

"Feral?"

"Spending vorns on your own slowly running out of energon and rusting away. It doesn't do wonders for the processor. They become husks desperate for parts and fuel. They can be troublesome if you run into them."

"I take it you've come across a few?"

"More like put a few out their misery."

The walk continued. Sure, walking was slower then driving but honestly Rodimus didn't mind it that much. Even with the color and sound drowned out, there was still much to appreciate about this Iacon's beauty. They went slowly, but they could see everything. And Rodimus wasn't the only one looking, Nebula seemed to be just as awed with the city sights as him, while springer just seemed bored.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Nebula said.

"Yeah, you're lucky you get to call this home," Rodimus said.

"I wish I knew it better."

Rodimus looked at her oddly.

Nebula shrugged, "I grew up inside remember. The truth is I know the galaxy better than my own city state."

"You'll have the chance to get to know it now."

She smiled, "What is your Iacon like? Or is that not the autobot capital in your world?"

"No, Iacon is still the autobot epicenter, but it's nothing like this. It's more industrial. A lot more factories and assembly lines. And it's golden not purple. So, almost nothing like this utopian city you got."

"I'm sure it's got its own charm."

The rest of the journey was done in silence. Slowly they made their ways through the streets, and that had honestly been the hardest part. Nebula might had been unfamiliar with Iacon itself, but she was an expert when it came to palace layout. After they climbed over the outer wall she knew exactly where to go. She knew every crack and cervices in the security, be it the guard shifts or what doors didn't lock properly. She wasn't kidding when she said she used to try escape this place, now she was just doing it backwards.

Eventually they came to a small nook in the place walls, next to a small unassuming exit door. It was away from the guard posts and the cameras had obviously not been working for sometimes. Standing next to said door was their welcoming party, which was made up of Commander Bumblebee and Winglord Starscream. Both of them now stripped of any extra polish or flashy garments and with washed out paint jobs due to looking at them through the shadow zone's invisible fog.

"Okay we're here," Springer said, "What now?"

"What do you mean?" Rodimus asked.

"Well, we're at the palace, but incase you haven't notice we're still trapped in dull color world," Springer said, "How are we supposed to get back to the real world."

"Like this," Nebula smirked, pulling out what looked like a remote control from her subspace.

She pointed the remote at the space in front of them, and opened another ground bridge with the press of a button. Then the blue lighting began to crackle up her arm and spread to the portal. Once again Rodimus's vision was overwhelmed by a flash of green light.

"There she is," Spoke a somewhat familiar voice.

Once Rodimus's optics cleared he could see that he was still standing the same spot, but the world looked a whole lot different. The colors had thankfully returned to their natural saturation. Looking much more alive rather than the half-dead appearance of the shadow zone. And the bots that were greeting them now looked at them rather than through them.

"Hello, commander," Nebula said giving said bot a hug; he was about a helm shorter than her.

"Your highness," Starscream greeted with a nod of his crested helm.

"Winglord," Nebula said with the same polite respect.

"How's Sari and Cheetor?" Commander Bumblebee asked.

"Their fine. Cheetor said he was almost finished with his documentary and he wants to interview you both for it," Nebula said, "They miss you."

Commander Bumblebee nodded.

"He's almost done with the footage?" Winglord Starscream said, "Don't tell me Wingnutt is doing music for it?"

"No, that's Nyx'Lee's job," Nebula shook her head, "Wingnutt's the narrator."

Winglord Starscream huffed and then cackled fondly, "Of course he is."

"Alright, as good as it is to see you again, kid," Commander Bumblebee said, "But we need to move, and you need to get out of sight. We don't have long until…"

"How long until what?" Spoke a voice that made Rodimus's tank churn.

The young prime's helm whipped towards the voice, and his spark frozen. Standing just in the shadows of surrounding imposing walls of the palace, those dull dead blue optics glared at them. Just behind the clone Rodimus could make of the outlines of several guards.

He heard a click, and turned to the real Nebula. The crests on the top of her helm shifted downward and flipped up. Forming two curved antennas on the side of her helm. Two metal plates slid out from underneath the blue cap on her helm, making a facemask that covered her intake and olfactory sensor. While a blue visor slid down shielding her bright optics, completing her battle mask.

"I take it you're my double," Nebula said, her voice distorted by the mask.

"Please, we both know who's the real monarch," the copy said, "Look at you, covered in scars, and unpolished you look like a common civilian. Not the royal they need."

"Commander," The copy spoke her voice laced with a threatening tone, "I honestly expected more from you. Siding with the enemy, a quintession clone and its raging conspiracy. Especially after what this race did to your son. The poor little soldier who went to war and never came home. Pity to see how desperate his father has become. Honestly what would he think?"

"Don't you dare speak of him that way!" Commander Bumblebee nearly shouted, festering rage and grief just below the surface of his words. Barely kept under control.

"And you, Winglord Starscream," The copy said, "I should've realized that you were after my throne. Your defection is a joke. You're still a disgusting decepticon at spark. My father should have never allowed you join them. They should've killed you once they got all they needed out of you."

"Rodimus! Springer!" Arcee said as she rounded the corner, quickly followed by Kup.

"Arcee!" Springer called.

"Run!" Rodimus screamed.

But their warnings to their comrades came far too late.

"Seize them!" The clone shrieked.

The guards moved.

Rodimus heard Nebula draw a blaster made out of her own servo.

Then came the screaming.

"So, you don't find that song the least bit morbid?" Zerlina asked.

"Not really," Nyx'Lee said.

"Nope," Wingnutt said.

"Seriously it's about torturing someone," Zerlina said.

"Well, it did get this one grip from mom," Nyx'Lee said.

"Yeah," Wingnutt said.

"Oh, at least the more I hear about this 'mom' of yours the more sensible-" Zerlina tried to say.

"She said it was a waste of a good bat!" The twins cut off the decepticon in unison.

"Of course…" Zerlina groaned.

Suddenly the middle of the plant nursery exploded in a storm of green transwarp energy and blue sparks of lightning. At first Zerlina wasn't too worried about it, believing that Nebula had just returned home early and wanted to make a show of her arrival. Well, that was until she saw the blue femme, kneeling over a limp body of a red and blue seeker. Her servo pressed into his side, holding back bleeding energon.

"DAD!?" The twins shouted in horror.

"Get Data!" Nebula ordered.

A/N:

It's over it's finally over! I Finished this chapter! So many months of fighting writer's block! So many months of handling dual enrollment courses and a job!

And now I'm back baby!

Winter break has started and I'm ready to get back into the swing of fanfic writing! This chapter has been fighting me through out the semester but I am victorious! I have conquered this monster! Hopefully next update won't take nearly 6 months!

Yes, this story and my other story "A Fallen Star" are in the same continuity.

Song Nyx'Lee sang – "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood. I do not own it.

I'm off to work on the next fic in my update list! Happy holidays Y'all!