The Unity Of Two

6: First Encounters

"Did you hear that?" A gruff voice asked, the voice of the Prime.

"If they catch us, I will never forgive you." Unicron told me.

"Shut up, they'll hear you." I muttered and squinted my optics so they would not be as visible. They rounded the corner and I could make out their outline, hopefully they would just pass. Then I could slip out.

"Don't you dare have a panic attack now." Unicron threatened, the words startled me to look through Optimus' optics, force of habit. I went back to my vision quickly.

Optimus brought a servo to his helm.

"Another helm ache?" The yellow one asked.

"I'm fine Bumblebee." He reassured him.

"Do it again." Unicron whispered, rather giddy, they still hadn't noticed us (Although they were just meters away). I did it again, I regretted it instantly as he looked through my optics afterward.

I froze, he blinked in confusion and looked around, then he looked down and caught my optics. I tried to bolt but wasn't fast enough, he grabbed me by the shoulder and tugged me back, rather gently, considering that it included force.

"Why did you listen to what I said?" Unicron grumbled, I stiffened, I told him to shut up! The Prime kept a firm grip on me as he turned me to face him. I tried to squirm out of his grip but found myself unsuccessful. As a last resort, I kicked him in the bearings.

He didn't even loosen his grip?! Balls of steel!

"Calm down," He tried as he noticed my venting get faster, "We won't harm you." He tried and got a little lower to my level. Harm? Maybe he will maybe he won't.

"He's smaller than I remember." Bumblebee whispered to himself.

"Let him go, you do good-er!" Unicron shouted at him, 'large vocabulary indeed', but they did not seem to hear him. "ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GONNA IGNORE ME!?" He screamed, still nothing.

"I don't think they can hear you." I whispered to him.

"Huh?" Unicron asked.

"Pardon?" Optimus asked.

"Nothing." I said quickly. Yay, I found my voice. He frowned. "Can-can you let me go?" I stuttered.

"That's a good question." Unicron said and yet again, not earning a reaction from them. Was I the only one that could hear him?

He loosened his grip and I ran for the exit only to crash into Bumblebee who was blocking the exit.

"Ow." I mumbled, realizing I gained a few dents. I stiffened as Bumblebee helped me up. Maybe they mean well.

I looked up at both of them timidly. Why did they have to be so big? Why did I have to be so small?

"We want to help." Optimus said with soft optics.

"Yea, and kill your Sire." Unicron mumbled.

"Shut up." I told him.

"Language!" Bumblebee said.

"Wasn't talking to you." I told them hastily.

Optimus frowned.

"Wait, if they can't hear me... You're having a one-sided conversation in their view, so they think you're crazy!" Unicron spat out.

"That would be better than the alternative." I told him and once again, the Autobots looked confused.

"Who are you talking to?" Optimus asked and looked around.

"Tell a lie or a half truth." Unicron instructed.

"My Sire." I told him, fully aware that Bumblebee had, once again, blocked the exit.

"That's the truth! I said to lie!" Unicron shouted. "Maybe they can't hear me because they're not connected to me..." He added in afterthought.

"But there's no one else here." Bumblebee said in confusion, Optimus shoot him a glare in warning.

"I'm sure he lives on in you." Optimus said smoothly.

"He has no idea how literally that can be taken." Unicron giggled.

"Non the less, we are here to offer you protection," Optimus continued. Next thing he was going to do was probably invite me to his house. "From the Decepticons-"

"I already-" I started

"Don't admit to that!" Unicron interrupted.

"Why not?" I asked him.

"Cause then they'll want to know where and when and then they want to know why you were at the volcano- you following me?"

"Yea." I answered.

"Good and they probably think you're crazy." He added and I looked up to catch a glimpse of their worried gazes.

"I suggest you come with us." Optimus said.

"But-" I started.

"For your own safety." He added, leaving no room for discussion. He most likely thought that I need medical treatment.

I neither nodded nor shook my helm. And somehow, he took that as a 'yes I will go with you!'

"Ratchet, we require a ground bridge." He said into a com.

"Oh, so he talks to apparently no one and he's sane?" Unicron asked.

"He's on a com." I told him and he fell silent.

Bumblebee wasn't even trying to hide his worry for the apparent youngling with processor damage. He shook his helm, "What's your name?" He asked as Optimus turned around to face me.

"Augury." I said shyly.

"Nice name." Bumblebee said as a green, swirly portal opened. "Mine's Bumblebee and that's Optimus." He said and gestured to themselves. I nodded.

They started to lead me through, "Wait, what about Carrier?" I asked, mainly Unicron.

"Leave him." Unicron said.

"Your Carrier?" Optimus asked and I nodded. He stood still for a bit, thinking. "Bumblebee." He started and his helm snapped up, "Go with him, I will brief Ratchet." He said and Bee nodded.

He left through the ground bridge. "So, where's your Carrier?" He asked.

"You do realize that this will only make you look more mentally ill." Unicron said.

"Maybe, but he would be more directly connected, you know." I told him and started walking out the cave, leaving Bumblebee to follow confused.

"Huh, you know. You could actually be, you know, hearing voices. But you wouldn't know. Crazy bots don't know their crazy." He said.

"If he sees the scarecrow-" I started.

"Yea, I know I'm real, I'm just messing with you." He laughed.

"So, where are we going?" He asked, I pointed out to where the pod was, far on the horizon. "I don't see anything."

"It's rather hidden, all the light reflecting of the sand does that." I explained.

"You're quite smart for a youngling." He complimented.

"I'm a mechling."