♡ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠɪᴏᴜʀᴀʟ ᴘᴀᴛᴛᴇʀɴꜱ ᴏꜰ ʙɪʀᴅꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴇᴇᴋᴇʀꜱ ♡

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ℙℝ𝔼𝔼ℕ𝕀ℕ𝔾 ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

The voyage to Cybertron had been eventful thus far. They were making good time on their venture through space, using only the fuel that was necessary and they were not in any particular hurry. The engineers had suggested that in the event the plan proved unsuccessful, it would be prudent to conserve their power reserves to allow for a smooth return trip back to Earth, should that be the outcome. Optimus was more than hopeful that his initial plan would succeed, since his secondary plan already had a few kinks in it.The sparkling had shown small demonstrations of hostility to some of his crew that he, as leader of the Autobots, considered mildly concerning. He found it incredulous that the sparkling was showing more affection to the Seekers than his own crew, but perhaps their similar frame type had something to do with it.Wheeljack in particular had come to the control room not long ago questioning why the sparkling cowered whenever he drew near. Optimus didn't have an answer for him, so he calmed his old friend's worries and assured him that the sparkling had undergone a great deal of stress in recent cycles and it was to be expected that they were a little shy and nervous when meeting new Cybertronians. Wheeljack had left dejected but was slightly heartened by Optimus' assurances, and renewed his efforts in monitoring the sparkling's berth room door since his quarters were closest whenever he was off duty.Last Optimus had seen, Ratchet had been escorting Skywarp and the sparkling (who was in some sort of low-energy stasis-lock) to refuel and he hoped for the best for his CMO. Optimus could feel his friend's anxiety through his EM field as they left the cargo hold. Ratchet had been distraught for cycles after the moment he had lost his claim over the sparkling, and while Optimus knew there was no better carer for the youngling, he prayed Ratchet would succeed in whatever redemption he was due. Losing the sparkling to the Seekers had not been his fault, but the event had occurred regardless and there was nothing Optimus could do about it at the time.Bumblebee didn't seem to care much about the sparkling in general, whether it was due to the fact he was previously one of the youngest of their race, or perhaps due to the fact he had the most experience with the Terrans when they had been initially brought online. The yellow scout had taken to performing any and all duties aboard this ship that were asked of him without complaint, evidently more excited to return to Cybertron after so many vorns than the sparkling. Perhaps being one of the newer sparked before the war meant his Guardianship protocols were weaker? But there was no way for Optimus to know for sure without unnecessary and invasive procedures. He was just glad at least one of his crew members was staying out of trouble when the sparkling was involved. Elita-1 was the only member of the Autobots who hadn't met the sparkling directly. Arcee had had her brief encounter with them, and she was eagerly looking for excuses to make more. But Elita was more focused on her primary mission; the containment and security of the Emberstone. He could think of no better 'bot to be in charge of the pivotal artefact. Optimus had put his trust in Elita a thousand times before and she had never let him down.With their extra additions (the Decepticons) on board and walking around like they owned the place (Barricade excluded, he was still confined in a private unused berth room that doubled as his cell), Optimus had no choice but to process theoretical outcomes of what may have to come to pass. If the Seekers refused to give up their claim over the sparkling, refusing to even let any of his Autobots interact with the youngling, he would have to take more drastic measures. The guilt in Optimus' spark had not dissipated over the extinguishing of Thundercracker's spark. Seeing one of his own kind fall and go grey was a sight he had seen many times during the war, but he supposed the few scant years of peacetime had softened his spark. The loss felt like a blow, both to Seekers and Cybertronians. Optimus was acutely aware that the vessel he commanded was as much a funeral barge as it was a beacon of hope.This was far from how he hoped his plan would go, and he prayed to Primus that some of his words had gotten through to Starscream when it came to the sparkling's wellbeing. Their recent conversation had been far from pleasant, but they had not come to blows, for which Optimus was immensely grateful. It seemed that the sparkling had done wonders in tempering the Seeker's anger. But there was still that element of rash, hot headed rage that encapsulated both Seekers when the sparkling was involved. Both brothers were protective when it came to the sparkling, which was to be expected (even Optimus had to keep himself from rushing forward when the Guardianship protocol surged to the front of his processor), but the excessiveness in their continuous reckless behaviour had Optimus questioning if it was really in their best interest to keep them on board.The sparkling, of course, would do best to receive a well-rounded education when it came to the history of Cybertron. They were the future of their race, whether the Emberstone's success in reviving the Allspark succeeded or not. Without the Well of the Allsparks there would be no more Cybertronians; it was pivotal that at least one of his plans succeeded. If the sparkling was brought up as an exemplary member of their race, then even without the Well being revived, their species could continue. Rather than relying on their previous parasitic cooperation they had with Earth's people, they could elevate humans beyond their limits to a race far longer lived and advanced technology. Optimus wasn't sparkless; he would never change mankind without their express permission. Freedom was the right of all sentient beings, after all. But in order for humankind to be successfully swayed into accepting his potential offer, he needed a positive example to show just how good it would be. What better than a single sparkling lovingly raised by his troupe of Autobots?Optimus could see the advantage in allowing the Seekers to aid in raising the sparkling; after all neither he nor any of his comrades had any flight capabilities nor knowledge of the history of Vos. But to have the Seekers as the sparkling's primary caretakers was far from his ideal vision. In order for them to grow into a positive, well-rounded Autobot, they needed the more positive teachings that could only be received from his friends and allies. How could the Seekers not see that they were doing the sparkling a disservice by isolating them from potential other mentors? The last sparkling known in existence and they were currently under the care of two of the most dangerous Cybertronians left in existence.He hadn't been lying when he said that it wasn't his intention to prevent any of Primus' people from returning to Cybertron. That statement rang true deep in his spark. Any Cybertronians were welcome once the planet was revived, no matter their previous affiliation. Before the war they were all Primus' people, and Optimus was confident that they could return to that state once life was brought back to the planet.But the sparkling's upbringing was another matter entirely. They needed to be presentable . They needed to be a perfect role model for all the newsparks that came afterwards.(Somewhere in the back of his processor something blared at him that he was forgetting something, but with all of the other vital plans and potential outcomes cluttering his HUD, he barely acknowledged it. If it didn't have anything to do with Cybertron's revival or the plans to educate the sparkling, it wasn't vital.)He was prone to walking the halls of the Ark II when his processor was too cluttered to focus. Patrolling and checking in on each of his crew members individually did wonders in improving his mood, as well as the knowledge that his personal check-ins with each of his allies was meaningful to both sides. Every one of his crew was a friend, and each check in was as much a social call as it was a report on their current progress.These were lifelong comrades that he had fought in many battles with. Each one he trusted implicitly to defend their cause and they each had a coloured history together. Though his oldest friend was Ratchet, war had a way of making every interaction meaningful, as the outcome of any potential battle was always uncertain. Now during peacetime, he could visit his friends without the worry of death drawing near, and he relished each moment with gladness. It was these positive moments and memories that he wished to share with the sparkling. Barricade had made himself an enemy the moment he had engaged his comrades in violence. Optimus knew the black 'Con must have been desperate to resort to such a drastic battle plan on his own, but it was far more reckless than his usual battle prowess that he was more accustomed to. If Barricade had come to him willingly and lay down his weapons, Optimus would have ensured his safety and welcomed his presence aboard the Ark II . But the pride of Decepticons was never easily broken, and Barricade had made his choice to be transported back to their home planet as a prisoner rather than a guest. He had put Elita-1 in charge of his containment, and Barricade had shown no signs of escape (or even attempted escape) thus far.He had been on his way to check on their wayward prisoner when he noticed the sparkling's small form standing at the base of Barricade's cell door. His spark had sank briefly, worried that the dark Decepticon had said something to the sparkling, but he was also heartened to see that they were active and charged since the last time he had seen them.This was far from where he expected to find the youngling, but he supposed that every sparkling had an air of mischievousness that meant going to the precise places they shouldn't. So when Arcee had noted that Skywarp had been seen running around the corridors without the sparkling in tow, he had presumed that the little one was with Ratchet. A quick comm to his medical officer had confirmed that no, Ratchet did not have the sparkling, and thus a discreet group search comm line had been created in the event any of the Autobots had found the little one.Once he confirmed that the sparkling was safe and sound, he sent a comm out to the group that they had been found and was currently in his custody. He approached the little one from down the corridor, servos open and inviting."There you are, little one. You had us all worried."The sparkling didn't respond, instead looking curiously behind his pede to see if anyone else had accompanied him. The way their optics widened as they looked around was adorable, Optimus couldn't help the flare of affection as the Guardianship protocol pressed pleasingly into his circuits. His servos even warmed incrementally, preparing a heated platform for the sparkling."Are you unharmed? You look a lot better since I last saw you."Their brow ridge furrowed. Ah, they had been in stasis before. He explained. "You were underfuelled last I saw you, in a temporary state of stasis. I am glad to see that you have recovered well." He smiled, making himself more approachable. "I am glad to hear that our preparations were well-used. We were unsure if you would refuel using Energon or Emberstone charged water, so I am pleased we prepared for both outcomes."The sparkling glared at him, catching him slightly off guard, but Optimus continued speaking undeterred. "Come, let me take you out of this dreary hallway to someplace more comfortable." He moved to scoop up the youngling, but they made a move to dash behind him. They were too slow for his quick reflexes, and fighting a smile, he delicately grabbed the sparkling by their waist.How wonderful! They were already comfortable enough to engage in play! Optimus' spark warmed alongside his servos, the Guardianship protocol purring. "Now, now, this is far from the best place to play. I have a place much more suitable in mind." The sparkling scrambled in his hold slightly, stopping when he rose to his full height. "Careful now, try not to move too much or you may become unbalanced. But do not worry, I will always catch you." His coding rumbled pleasingly, the sparkling was right where they belonged in his servos. The sparkling stopped moving abruptly, happily obeying his suggestion of safety. Their tiny servos gripped his digits sharply, and he fought back a croon.It had only been a few cycles since the last time the sparkling was nestled in his servos, but Optimus forgot how good it felt. To feel the tiny sparkbeat of a youngling in his protective servos, the knowledge that the future of Cybertron's people was here, safe, and cared for.The sparkling's EM field still pulsed with anxiety, but Optimus chalked it up to their recent interaction with Barricade. The black 'Con had been speaking to the sparkling before he had entered audial range, and Optimus was thankful that any conversation had ceased once he had made his presence known through a warning pulse of his EM field. Barricade knew not to interfere with Optimus for fear of dire consequences, and the Decepticon had remained peacefully quiet on the other end of the cell door.Making his way back down the hallway he came from with the sparkling in tow, Optimus made a note to head in the opposite direction to where the Seekers were last located. He wanted his time with the sparkling to last, and he could not remember the last time they had spent some time alone together."We have not seen much of each other on this voyage, little one." His pedes echoed heavily down the empty corridor. "While we still have a ways to go before our destination, I am glad to be spending this time with you." The sparkling pointedly refused to meet his optics, which made Optimus worry slightly. Had the Seekers said something to make them see his Autobots in an unsavoury light? While he was hopeful that was not the case, he would not put it past them.Optimus could not stop a wave of worry from emitting from his energy field. He hoped that the sparkling could feel his earnestness. "The Seekers do not allow us to see much of you, save for the recent incident on the flight deck. We were worried for your safety then, too." He frowned slightly, his earlier smile fading. "We only wish for your well-being."This appeared to get the sparkling's attention, and their field pulsing with a wash of anger. Had something he said upset them? "Did you ask me?" Their little voice nearly causing Optimus' pedes to stumble. "Hmm?" he inquired. "What do you mean?"The sparkling's bright green optics finally met his own, but there was no affection there."You promised to bring me home !" They practically screeched. They sunk their tiny claws into his servo plating. Tears began to leak out of their optics."Oh, little one." His Guardianship protocols engaged several programs that caused his energy levels to spike with use. It was taking up every bit of HUD space now, blaring in his processor. The sparkling was distressed and he needed to fix it right this klik . His opposite servo moved to stroke their strut before he knew what he was doing, but the youngling moved sharply out of the way to avoid his digit. His systems were crashing and rebooting all over the place from the sudden influx of active programs; the only reason he was still standing was thanks to the Matrix of Leadership's stress inhibitors. He barely heard what they said, focusing his remaining energy on comforting the youngling. The protocol made their spoken words enter through his audial but they were erased before they entered his processor.They hiccuped a few times, tears now streaming down their faceplate, their tiny servos rubbing the moisture out of their optics. They were making an attempt to calm themselves, but by attempting to suppress their cries they were only succeeding in overloading their systems. If he didn't do something they were going to experience a crash.He sent out a pulse of a calming frequency that had been long-since buried in his code, the vibrations of a song that mirrored a Sire's engine purr. The song lifted and spun with comfort and affection, but it only succeeded in making the sparkling cry harder. Optimus was at a loss.They opened their intake to speak further, but their sobs had grown too strong, making their words unintelligible babbling. Their wings, normally raised and curious, were trembling with sadness.So he cupped them in both servos and brought them up to his faceplate. The bowl-like shape ensured that they would be secure to prevent them falling, and the proximity would hopefully calm both of their systems. He allowed himself a small croon, resurfacing more dusty old protocols for sparkling care that had been dormant for eons, and used his thumb to stroke whatever part of the sparkling he could reach.They were too distraught to notice his ministrations, and Optimus could do nothing but shush them quietly, muttering soft comforts like I am here , and, you will be alright which for whatever reason only succeeded in making the sparkling cry harder.Worried further that the sound may carry to the Seeker's audials, Optimus ducked inside a nearby room and swiftly changed the authorization key on the locking mechanism to his unique spark signature. Slightly embarrassed that one of his crew may come upon them as well and blame the sparkling's distressed state on him, he succeeded in buying himself more time to calm their sorrows."There, there little one. I will not leave you. Soon we will arrive on Cybertron and all will be well." Parts of his processor pinged, he only vaguely remembered that they were Earth sparked and had never known Cybertron as he had known it. He experienced a sudden flood of eagerness to share his experiences of their home planet, surges from dormant memory banks resurfaced, all of the surrounding information filling his HUD with more windows than available space.The sparkling glared at him through angry, gleaming green optics. "I'm not –", they heaved out a great sob. "I'm not one of you!"His processor was buzzing. Why wasn't the sparkling calming? The ancient sparkling carer code dictated his caring sequences should be at least 70% effective, and yet his actions seemed to be making their emotive outburst worse.Another ping flashed briefly across his HUD at their words, and he struggled to process them. All the windows and alarms overpowering his systems made it difficult to focus on this one thing, but he deactivated as many programs as he dared and listened .Oh. Optimus had almost forgotten. They had been human before this. The Guardianship protocol must have muted that fact for longer than he realised, there must have been a reason it considered the fact of lesser importance. But it hardly mattered. All of the new protocols had muted previous processor functions, focusing solely on a sparkling's care. The surge of guilt that had begun to swell within him was immediately squashed down within his processor in favour of prioritising the sparkling's current mental and physical wellbeing. But none of the code was supplying him with an answer that he needed for this situation."Little one–"Optimus opened his intake to say something, anything to make them feel better, but they clearly weren't finished with their emotional tirade. He watched as the sparkling focused enough of their system power in wailing out their next words clearly."Now I can't even remember ! And there's no one to help me on this stupid ship !" Their heaving sobs took a turn for the worse, their biolights starting to flicker with an overheated charge. A crash was imminent and he had to do something to stop it.In his desperation he commed Elita-1, who he knew never strayed far from Barricade's corridors and thus was likely the closest in proximity to their location. He couldn't trust his own programming right now to act rationally, and Elita's presence had always done wonders in calming both the mind and spark of many an Autobot.The sparkling's optics were now glazed, unfocused. Their breathing had become shallow with sharp hitches, a clear indicator of their consumed mental state. They were crashing, and he hadn't stopped it. Optmimus added a pulse of urgency to his message, and was greeted by a rap on the door that almost made him jump."Optimus? I'm here. Let me inside." Elita's vocalizer made him want to turn into an Energon puddle of relief on the floor. Every circuit in his body was close to following the sparkling in his own imminent crash, and he had just enough ability to authorise Elita's access to the room.The moment the doors opened, the pink femme rushed forward to aid her leader. Placing a sturdy servo on his pauldron before the doors even had a chance to close, she spoke in hushed tones."Optimus, focus on my voice. Your processor is overheating; I can see steam coming out of your smokestacks." Her voice was oddly soothing, and Optimus forced himself to take an unneeded breath to steady himself. His HUD was still flooded and he could barely see her, but her pulse of calm buffering the edges of his EM field gave him enough clarity to deactivate some of the blaring alarms that were overloading his processor.She was right, he was overheating. That fact helped his systems complete a hard reboot, too much heat in an enclosed space would be bad for the sparkling's delicate circuits. His overpowering need to prioritise the sparkling's care helped him calm down enough to activate his vocaliser and address Elita-1."Thank you, Elita. I had not realised that my carer protocols were so out of use that they overpowered my logic systems. I suppose I had no need to calibrate them alongside my battle protocols, so they took over unexpectedly." He hummed, mostly to himself. Powerful code, the Guardianship protocol. He had to be careful going forward. Still not trusting himself enough to act fully rational, he gingerly motioned for Elita-1 to take the sparkling. He was still in the process of manually deactivating the unstable program windows in his HUD, and it would take a few further astroseconds until he was fully functioning again. Elita dimly accepted the small treasure, her faceplate showing a mix of awe and concern, as while Optimus was on his way from calming from his panic, the sparkling's distress had not yet alleviated.Their breathing had turned raspy, clutching at their neck cables in a bastardised attempt to breathe. Their wings twitched arrhythmically, as if being electrocuted. It looked like their tiny body was in the middle of a battle with itself, and neither side was winning. They looked to be in pain and both Autobots were combing their processors for methods of care.Elita did some of the same motions that Optimus had attempted, (no doubt unearthing the same if not similar carer protocols) which were similarly unsuccessful. The small ministrations of petting and caressing were met with no change in the sparkling's pained behaviour, and the continuing pulses of calm did nothing to soothe their distress. She grunted, concern growing. None of the normal protocol specified methods were working, what could they do?Optimus watched as an idea formed on Elita's face, and she carefully moved the sparkling to a single palm while she used her opposite servo to reach into her subspace. Pulling out the Emberstone, he clued in to what she was doing immediately.Elita had always been a religious 'bot, even since before the war. He recalled in dire situations they had experienced together that Elita always took time to make some sort of mention to Primus or the Allspark prior to a dangerous fight. These mentions were her way of praying, to ensure that the memory of their people's religion remained alive so long as she functioned. So while Elita would look deep within herself during times of strife to make that connection between her spark and Primus, she knew that there was no such connection between the sparkling and her god. Therefore, she substituted the next best thing; the relic in charge of the sparkling's creation. The literal seed of their animation.Pulling out the Emberstone, the room was awash in its ethereal light. Both Autobots gazed upon the relic with a kind of sympathetic awe. Any artefact of any Prime was an object that should be treated with reverence, and the underlying hope contained within its core lay heavily in the spark of every Cybertronian. In this moment he hoped fervently that its presence would have a positive effect on the sparkling.Elita-1 brought the artefact closer to the sparkling's proximity, and there was a brief moment of hesitation in her optics. It was akin to the thought of giving a blaster to a youngling; there were more things that could go wrong than could go right. But both she and Optimus were desperate, and the moment the sparkling gazed upon the Emberstone with their still-wet optics, the shuddering sobs began to ease.Taking a deep breath themselves, both Optimus and Elita met each other's optics with a look of relief. The Emberstone was still out of reach of the little one, but it was closer than they'd ever been to it save their creation."An inspired idea, Elita." Optimus praised his officer, still breathy from the tension. "I am glad we can always count on you."Elita nodded her affirmative, her attention torn between her leader and the two irreplaceable weights in her servos.Although he was loath to leave the sparkling, (his processor was blaring at him to pick them back up and hold them close to his chassis, nearest his spark) Optimus couldn't risk the youngling slipping back into their panicked state. He took a few extra moments to observe the scene in front of him, and knew that the sparkling was in good hands for the time being.He could not risk the sparkling's health with his continued presence, so he would retreat temporarily and return once the little one had calmed down enough for him to be in their presence again. Something about his presence had brought about their system crash, so he made the executive decision to remove himself from the current situation. He knew they would be well cared for in Elita's servos, and he sent a private comm to her that they should remain inside this room until his return. She accepted dimly, her focus clearly elsewhere.As much as he wanted to stay, he knew it was unfair to occupy all of the sparkling's attention. His time may have been cut short by the panic, but he would return and they would have their time alone together. And judging from the look in Elita's optics, she too wanted to finally get her opportunity to spend time with the young creature. Taking a step out of the room and keeping the authorization key to just his and Elita's signature, Optimus walked away still decluttering his processor. ________________The glow of the Emberstone engulfs all your senses. It is smaller than you thought, yet it exudes a presence that is far larger than your miniscule understanding. All of a sudden, you understand that this is a legendary object, and its role in your creation, as impossible as it sounded, is suddenly feasible . It is an unknowing thing , like believing you could keep a star trapped in a jar. You had no idea the significance or the sheer importance of the object until you lay optics on it for the first time.For all the times the Emberstone had been mentioned, you never understood why something like a rock is so important to a race of huge metal aliens. But looking upon it now, you feel so small. The size of it does nothing to detract from the sheer immenseness of how it feels .Idly, you note that you're in the servos of someone new. You don't know when, but at some point Optimus must have tossed you to this new 'bot. His faceplate was the last thing you remember seeing before the Emberstone brought you back to clarity. This new bot had their face illuminated with the light of the Emberstone, and your aching body struggles to lift itself up enough to meet their heavy stare.Another pink one, is your first thought. But they're a different shade than the other pink one you'd met previously. Their colouring is more of a bright magenta while Arcee had been more of a dusty pink. Their gaze is serious with a hint of curiosity and they say nothing as they look down upon you.With a groan, you manage to kneel, and without thinking you lean a little closer to the Emberstone. The pink Autobot moves it incrementally away from your position, as if afraid you'll break it, and they shake their head minutely as if to shake the thought from their processor. Your internal record of Autobots that don't stare at you is sitting at an exact zero , but you brush off your irritation at the thought."Oh wow." Comes their voice, feminine but on a lower register than what you remember of Arcee's. She speaks in a whispered tone, almost reverent, as if she doesn't even realise she's speaking aloud."You really are here, aren't you?" You look quizzically at her expression, now registering as awe rather than curiosity. Her digits tremble slightly, but it can't be because you're heavy.Annoyed, but slightly curious as to her question, you make an effort to talk back even though your glossa feels like it's made of lead. Your voice is staticy. "What do you mean? Why are you looking at me like that?"She blinks as if clearing her processor and then smiles down at you. "My name is Elita-1. I apologise for staring, it's just been so long since I've held a sparkling."You finally have a definition for the thing everyone's been calling you. Barricade said that a sparkling was a Cybertronian youngling, something like a baby. You tamper down your fury."Yeah? And why's that?" Your tone has a hint of challenge.Elita-1 smiles a little sadly and answers your question. "After Cybertron went dark, there were no more sparklings. Without Energon, they couldn't survive long to make it to full frame. We thought Bumblebee would be the youngest forever." She chuckles depressingly. "I am just so happy to meet you." Her gentle, quiet tone does wonders in snuffing out some of your pent up rage. She's not lying, she does look genuinely happy to see you. It's a kind of deep longing you see in her optics, and it scares you as much as it soothes you. She won't hurt you, somewhere deep in your spark you know that, but that doesn't change what's already been done."So what?" You respond snidely, unable to stop the sliver of resentment that comes out with your words. "Did anyone ask me what I wanted? You and the Autobots took me away when Optimus promised to bring me home!"Elita blinks as if confused. She looks to the Emberstone in her opposite hand and then back to you. "I do not understand, I was under the impression that the Emberstone was what created you."You scoff, breaking your gaze. "Yeah, but not what I was before ." You can't help that your voice sounds a bit whiny, but this is important!She looks well and truly confused. "Before? I still do not follow."She's doing a great job at acting dumb, but a small part of you is whispering that maybe she doesn't know. "I was a kid before! A human kid." You're not yelling, but it feels loud in the room. Her optics widen. It looks like she really didn't know. Your next words come out at barely a whisper, you really don't want to work yourself up into another panic attack. "Where did you think I came from?"Her jaw is slack, a million thoughts probably going through her processor. Finally, finally, someone is reacting properly to your situation. A glimmer of hope warms your spark."I-I did not..." She trails off momentarily. "I am so sorry. I did not know. We did not know."You look back at her angrily. "Optimus knows. Ratchet knows. And as far as anyone else is concerned I will tell them myself! This is my life , and all of you are done making decisions for me." You can't help the rush of suppressed emotion from spilling out of you, all of the words that you attempted to yell at Optimus were coming up now. Elita-1 may not have signed up for this, but she is getting the brunt of your repressed frustration. You leave out the part of you losing your memories, that part had slipped out to Optimusin a rush of emotion before you could stop yourself.Her servos lower you to the floor a fraction, keeping the Emberstone close to her chassis. It shines down on you like a crystal star, illuminating the already lit room with swathes of green and blue. You glance up at it briefly, this thing was the root of all your problems. You wish you could ask it your million questions, but it's a rock . It may have been made for one hugely important purpose, but communication, unfortunately, isn't one of them. A rock isn't sentient . She doesn't lower you to the ground like you initially expect, there was a part of you that thought she might be disgusted at the idea of holding a human turned sparkling. Like your transformation could be considered freaky and that it taints the concept of kid sparklings. But the reason your view is lowered is because she takes a knee, suddenly unsteady. Did your information really affect her this way? A part of you feels bad; she didn't know. It's not her fault.Your rage simmers and cools within you, leaving in its place a heavy ball of guilt. You just yelled at a completely innocent person, and it's clear she feels so bad that even a giant being like her has to steady herself. Idly, you notice that even though she's clearly got a swarming processor and unstable pedes, she's still making an effort to keep you stable in her palm. Her care for you is evident, even as she's currently undergoing a mental crisis.The remaining anger within you dries up abruptly with this realisation. She's being nice to you, even though you were mean to her. Your guilt settles like an itchy blanket over your helm. A small chirp makes its way out of your intake without your permission, and you give her servo a small caress in a motion of apology."I-I'm sorry, Elita-1. I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's not your fault." You gesture vaguely to your form, the ship, everything. Her blue optics are similar to the rest of the Autobots you've met. They pulse with something deep and sad, and they meet your green optics bravely. "No, little one. You have nothing to apologise for. If I'd known earlier..." She offlines her optics, her intake a grim line. She shakes her helm again, clearing her processor and meets your optics once more. "You said you wish to tell the others yourself? I will abide by your wishes. You are correct, your choices should be your own." Her faceplate is frowning, and her thoughts are clearly elsewhere and here at the same time. Maybe she's thinking about Optimus, you don't know.You nod at her declaration, finally glad someone is listening to you. She's the first Autobot that you've met that seems genuinely concerned about the fact that you're a human in space. Or, were previously a human and now in space. Maybe the other Autobots would react the same if you told them. The more allies you had in helping you get home the better; maybe you had been treating the Autobots too harshly for their participation in your kidnapping. If they didn't know , this could change how you feel about them.But you have to ask. "Are you going to hand me over to Optimus? I would really appreciate it if you didn't." You try to stop your digits from trembling but she definitely notices.She looks at you pensively, as if trying to come up with the answer herself. Her optics flicker with light as if her HUD is so busy it's showing on the outside. "I-" she starts, intake opening and closing. "Optimus Prime is my superior officer." She seems conflicted, and you feel you understand even though a spike of fear shoots up your spinal strut."I understand." You try not to sound mopey. You've already put her through enough, and you don't want her to feel bad. Your dour mood must show on your face because Elita speaks up."Little one" she begins, her voice clear of any static, "When I feel conflicted, I think of Primus and my connection to them." You blink, not putting a face to the name she mentions, though you think you may have heard it a few times before. She blinks back as if sensing your confusion and explains. "Primus is our creator, the same way the Emberstone is yours. In a strange way, you are similar to the next stage in our evolution. It was Quintus Prime, one of the original Thirteen Primes, who created the Emberstone, and all of the Primes had a direct connection to Primus themself. Thus by your connection to the Emberstone, you too are of Primus' creation. Even if you did not start that way." Her voice is soothing, but her words sound more like a religious sermon than a history lesson. "When my spark feels troubled, I look inside myself to find the answer. Even if it takes time, I know that through my connection to Primus and belief in myself, I can overcome any obstacle." You look up at her, trying to make sense of why she's saying this to you."Are you saying that because I'm Cybertronian now I have to believe in Primus?" Your words hold no malice, and you're grateful that it doesn't come across as condescending. She smiles a bit at your words."No. Like everything, it is and should be your choice." She brings the Emberstone a little closer to you. "Your current form may not have been your choice, but I can't help but think that you should make the most of your experience. You may not see it, but you are a gift to our race. Every Cybertronian, Optimus Prime included, sees you as a shining beacon for the future of our species." The weight of her words feel unbearably heavy on your spark. "And if I want to change back?" She hums, her smile never faltering. "That too, is also your choice. Though I do not know if it is possible for you to change back to your previous self. Is there a similar human relic that changes metal life into organic?" You shake your head, there's no way such a thing exists. Elita speaks more."And where you came from, your home, there are humans waiting for you?"Pointedly ignoring her question, you opt instead to ask one of your own. "So you're saying Optimus has my life planned out for me. But he didn't even ask if I wanted to go back!"Elita-1's frown breaks through her smile. "That..." Her intake scrunches a little. "That is a serious offence. I can see why he may have been hesitant to bring it up, but it is still unlike his usual character. I will speak to him on your behalf concerning this lapse in judgement."Fluttering all the way to your spark, you try not to get overwhelmed with the honesty that you hear in her voice. For once , someone is actually seeing things your way, even if she can't intercede directly on your behalf. In your next words, you speak from deep within you, a familiar croon breaking out of your intake in absolute gratitude." Thank you , Elita-1." You mean it. She might be the only Autobot that sees any sense. And she's even willing to speak to Optimus for you? It seems almost too good to be true. You hope that she's truthful to her word, you're tired of Autobots breaking their promises. But she's sincere, and in this moment you believe her. She'll talk to Optimus Prime and maybe you'll even get to speak your mind about wanting to go home.Oh geez. You'd better start remembering then. And you'd better tell the Seekers the truth before you go. It feels like there's a knot in your fuel lines somewhere in your delicate abdominal circuitry. You don't want to leave on bad terms. But if things go well, you could be going back sooner than you think!Sadness and hope bloom in simultaneous currents through your fuel lines, and you try not to get caught up in the rush of feelings. Don't hope, don't get ahead of yourself. Don't become attached to things that won't last. (A blip of wrong zips through your processor, you might already be too late in that respect)Having experienced your first ever system crash only moments ago, the rush of relief sends you to your knees in a hurry. All the strength from before has left you, leaving legs of jello and twitching servos. You can feel your wings move from your back struts, probably twitching alongside your frayed nerves.Elita immediately notices. "Status report, sweetspark."A claw tipped wobbly servo waves her off. "'m fine. Just tired all of a sudden." She lets out a breath. You've begun to notice as soon as anything's less than optimal with you, these giants seem to lose their minds. Once you notice, it's kinda hard to ignore. It's even starting to become somewhat endearing, some small part of you cherishes the attention. Probably the same baby robot protocols that turn the alien robots into cooing bubbly messes. The more you think about it, the more it's kind of like a superpower. You like the sound of that.The pink Autobot doesn't make a move to do anything bafflingly, like she's waiting for your signal. Her optics are trained on you like a hawk, every motion catalogued and memorised for later study. Of the Autobots you've met so far, Elita is quickly becoming your favourite despite the fact you had only properly introduced a few moments ago. If she stands by her promise, you have no doubt she'll shoot up to the top of your list.Her expression looks like she wants to ask you something, and in your brief time together you know that she won't hold back. The expression only flits across her faceplate for a moment before she asks you:"I can understand why Optimus and Ratchet make you nervous, but why the Seekers?" She seems genuinely confused as to why you would pick them, which you find odd. The answer is obvious to you."The enemy of my enemy is my friend." You try to express the statement sagely, but it only comes off as immature to your audios. She frowns at the statement. "You would consider us your enemies?" Her expression looks genuinely hurt, which tugs on your conscience."No, no! Uh, It's just..." You find it hard to explain this weird connection you have with the Seeker brothers. You haven't known them long, maybe even the same amount of time you've been with the Autobots before, but it feels decidedly different.You may have chosen them because of that reason at first, but over time a certain fondness had grown between the Seekers and you. You couldn't explain it, but there were times they just knew what you needed. There was a trust there that meant you felt safe, and even happy sometimes. It wasn't like that with Optimus and Ratchet. Though it might have been if they hadn't pulled this garbage.Maybe there was something in your coding that connected you all? Being part machine meant there were specific ways in which your body worked that you straight up didn't understand. And being a robot was one thing, but being an alien robot? The questions you didn't have answers to seemed endless.Being away from the Seekers felt like a rope pulled taut; your insides were tight and uncomfortable. Even when you asked Skywarp to leave you alone with Ratchet, there was a part of you that vehemently hated the idea of being away from him. There was safety in his proximity, and there were moments like now in servos that aren't theirs, you feel slightly uncomfortable.Your silence must speak volumes, because Elita nods as if she understands. What's with all these robots guessing how you're feeling? And weirdly accurately too? Inside you, your processor is grateful it doesn't have to explain these wordless emotions to her, because you can scarcely understand them yourself. The Seekers just felt different from the other Autobots you knew, and their actions had proven that your harm was the furthest thing from their minds. Ratchet and Prime had a lot to answer for, but you can't begrudge them if Elita's willing to vouch for their behaviour. She seems to think something's wrong with them. And if this really is outside of Optimus' usual self, then something might be really wrong. She hadn't mentioned anything about Ratchet, but maybe it is something you could catch, like a cold? You're about to ask her about it when a ruckus is heard on the other side of the door.At the noise, Elita takes the Emberstone and swiftly tucks it back into some sort of magic pocket in her chassis. The light in the room changes immediately from an ethereal green to the usual bland fluorescents. She lowers her opposite servo next to you, creating an impression of a giant shield, as if protecting you from whatever is on the other side of the door.There's muffled yelling and the sounds of heavy pedes. Whatever's going on out there, it's amping up in volume. Like a kettle close to boiling, you hope that it doesn't turn to violence. Elita's optics are trained on the door, as if expecting someone to try and break it down. No one does, but the yelling is more constant now. It sets your denta on edge.For a moment, she glances down at you, as if trying to make a difficult decision. Both her servos are cupped around you protectively, like a living barrier against the tension on the other side of the door. You test your shaky legs briefly, finding them still jelly. Her optics glitter at your antics, it shows on her faceplate that she finds you absolutely charming. There's still an underlying worry of course, but it's hard not to feel embarrassed by her clear adoration. A lot has happened in the last little while, and you know based on your recent experience that it most definitely won't chill out anytime soon. Whatever's going on outside is no doubt something that you're involved in, and you're better off dealing with it sooner rather than later, especially at the risk of impending violence.You give Elita's palm a double pat, assuring her that you'll be fine no matter what's happening outside. She seems tentative, but she huffs and rolls her optics good naturedly. She stands to her full height with you still nestled protectively in her servo, takes a step outside.The door opens with a sound like a rush of air and a dangerous scene unfolds before your optics. On one end of the hallway, Optimus Prime and Ratchet are standing menacingly, their posture tense and ready for action. Optimus has a blaster aimed beyond where Elita is standing, trained on the figures on the other side of the hallway.The figures are your favourite Seekers, each as hunched and threatening as Optimus. Starscream has a missile you don't remember seeing on him attached to his forearm panel, and it's trained right at the leader of the Autobots. Both his and Skywarp's optics are narrowed and venomous, their wings making them look larger than their usual sleek forms. Where you and Elita are placed is directly in the centre of the hallway, right in the middle of the tense battle. Both sides look like they're a hair's breadth away from pulling the trigger and opening fire, but whatever they were yelling at each other dies in their respective vocalizers the moment you are spotted in Elita's servos."Sparkling! Get away from there, it's not safe!" Ratchet yells, beckoning you with his large servo. The blue of his optics are wide with concern, even from this distance, but you don't make an effort to move.Feeling oddly calm considering the situation, you look up to Elita to get a clue on how she's feeling. Her optics dart from her Autobot allies to the Seekers, and her pedes show no indication which way she intends to turn. Instead, she looks down with a wry smile on her faceplate as if to say boys, am I right? The Seekers haven't lowered their weapons, but they definitely take notice of you. Skywarp even looks visibly relieved while Starscream glares at Elita first and then Optimus. "You vile Autobots, I knew you took them!" He snarls, missile poised and ready. He wouldn't fire with you so close, right? The look on his faceplate is scarier than you've ever seen so far, and that includes the battle on the flight deck of the ship. The scary expression isn't aimed at you, and a small warm feeling curls up in your chassis at the fact that he's this angry on your behalf.Ratchet's arm, which you hadn't realised was still raised, continues to beckon fervently. You hadn't even gotten a chance to cool off from your conversation with him before you devolved into a full blown panic attack with Prime, but there are still a few choice words you want to share with him. However, now isn't the right time, even though you can tell how much he wants to continue his previous conversation with you. You've been away from your flying guardians too long, and that tight feeling within your spark eases when you look upon the Seekers.Optimus doesn't respond to Starscream's barbed comment, even if it was true to a degree. You don't feel that the animosity in this scene is justified just because you had only been gone a maximum of a few hours, but that clearly didn't stop them. Most of the Cybertronians on this ship went crazy whenever you were involved, and while it was endearing from some, it was getting annoying from others. Optimus' weapon also hadn't lowered, and due to Ratchet's exclamation you know there's no way he doesn't know you're there. His gaze flickers briefly to you but is mainly focused on the Seekers. You have no doubt that he's comming Elita to deliver you to his open servos. A confused twitch goes unnoticed to everyone but you on his faceplate when Elita-1 pointedly refuses to take a step.She instead takes a knee and lowers you to the floor slowly, giving you more than enough time to shake out your wobbly knees and swing your legs over the side of her palm. You stand with a briefly unsteady gait, and you rest your hands on the side of her servo for balance. Speaking quietly, you look up into her blue optics. "Please keep your promise." Your words are clear, but the worry is still present. Her optics crinkle with a smile as she looks down at you. "In Primus' name." She responds. You were expecting a sure or affirmative , but that works too. She stands up but doesn't move from her place."Elita–!" Optimus exclaims out loud, as if he forgot to use his comm unit. There's a look of shock on his faceplate that echoes with a scant-perceived betrayal. You take a few tentative steps on shaky legs towards the Seekers, giving Elita-1 a quick nod to show your gratitude and that you'll be fine. One pede after the other, your steps get more confident and steady, and you take your time in walking through the corridor back to your sharp looking guardians. Running in this situation seems too risky, the air too thick with tension for you to even consider trying it as much as you want to be back with them. So the sound of your steps heralds your arrival to the Decepticon brothers, and the moment you enter their range Skywarp scoops you up and presses you into his throat cables as if he's trying to fuse you both into one being. A low purr can be heard from his engine, calming and soothing like nothing you've ever known as a human, and you can't help turning into warm goo at the sound. Starscream thus far hasn't moved, but his optics never leave Optimus' even as you're cuddled to death into his brother's armour. Optimus and Ratchet both look at the scene with devastation, with Elita smiling gently from her spot in the middle of the would-be battle. You can see her a little from the gaps of Skywarp's snuggles, his chin caressing the top of your helm like a big cuddly bird of prey. She gives you a small wave that makes you smile back, then she turns and faces her comrades.Taking a step towards them, her pedes are heavy with distinct emotion. She's stomping angrily to get their attention as much as she's clearly trying to intimidate them. Both Ratchet and Optimus look justifiably nervous, and you hear her words clearly even though she's facing the opposite direction halfway down the hall."We're all going to have a little chat ."You definitely don't want to be in their place. But it looks like she's already making good on her promise. Maybe the other Autobots deserved a chance too?Starscream finally lowers his weapon and turns his back to the Prime and his allies, now giving you his full attention. Skywarp gets the hint and tosses you high in the air, your wingtips barely grazing the ceiling, and Starscream catches you. He cuddles you just as ferociously, his talons finding all the right places where you didn't realise you ache, and you're back in that warm honey state. Unable to stop yourself, you chirp happily at both of them, your affection for them on display for all to see. Elita might be your favourite Autobot, but these two were on a different list entirely. Both their engines release a sound akin to a great purring cat, and you're basking in the attention you're receiving. Despite only being away from them for a few hours, you feel like it's been ages since your last cuddle session. The brothers take a few steps down the hall, cuddling you incessantly all the while, and you don't miss the look of absolute triumph on Starscream's faceplate.