When All Lights Go Out II (TFP)

Chapter 8

Laying on a med berth while sipping an energon cube, Optimus was patiently waiting for Ratchet to be finished with tending to Bulkhead at this time. He was caressing his abdomen while he waited, and the other autobots were currently in the med bay. Arcee had finished informing Fowler regarding the incident and the man had left to do some further investigations in trying to locate Mech, even though he was uncertain if he would be successful. But he would do his best, knowing that they possess a danger to the entire world.

Optimus had already ingested two cubes of energon, but he had not felt satisfied, so he had retrieved a third cube before making his way to the med bay and laid down on an empty berth. Ratchet was glad that Optimus got himself settled on the berth without any prompting. Optimus himself was hoping that they would be successful in aiding Azura today. He hoped to break her free from the dream she could be stuck in, or at least get peace of mind that it will be okay and she would wake when she was ready.

When the kids asked about the dream Optimus had a glimpse of that Azura was having, and he told them what it was, Miko attempted to draw it out of curiosity while they waited for Ratchet to be finished. It was not necessary, but Miko was trying to picture it in her mind. Even though Optimus's explanation of what he saw, a dry, barren, flat land with a dark sky, was more than enough. But Miko was also bored, so it was something for her to do.

"I wonder what we should expect when Optimus's mind connects with Azura's. I know it isn't the same as what Bee did with the cortical psychic patch, but I am still curious." Optimus looked at Raf and smiled as he overheard the boy talking to Jack and Miko about it. "I hope that he can find out if this deep recharge is good or not."

"I think we will be able to see the dream once Ratchet has all the equipment hooked up to him," Jack responded. "I know Optimus won't particularly like it, but better to know everything than nothing or a little bit. Somehow, I don't think that this deep dream is anything but good."

Miko looked up from her sketchbook in surprise. "What makes you think that?"

"Well...Azura's never had a deep dream that involves training for more than a single night. I know she's within Optimus...but..." Jack had concerns as he thought about how long Azura has been recharging for, and he didn't think it was good. "Maybe it is connected to what happened to Azura. You know, when Starscream threw that shard at her."

"Hmmm...maybe..." Miko tapped the end of her pencil against her cheek and looked back at the sketchbook to keep drawing. "But why would that be?"

"This might be a stretch, but..." Jack looked at Optimus and noticed that the leader was listening to them. "I don't suppose there are still traces of dark energon in her system, is there?"

Optimus was surprised Jack had come to that conclusion and he nodded. "Yes. Unfortunately, Ratchet had discovered that she does still have traces of it in her system. But it is different, for some reason." Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee were staring at Optimus in shock, but they said nothing as they listened. "We are unsure why, but it seems as though Azura's body has somehow changed the dark energon, but the elements are still there."

"Oh...that is interesting. But...this is going to be stretch, but what if this dream she is having is a way for her to tap into...I don't know, new abilities?" Jack questioned and Optimus hummed as that had not crossed his mind. "We know she's connected to elements of this planet, but she could also now be connected to new elements...like darker elements...maybe even astral connections..."

Optimus groaned as he sipped more energon from the cube. "I would hope that is not the case. However, it is possible. Astral abilities would definitely be something connected to dragons, but Azura is not..." Optimus grimaced as he thought more about it. "I would not think she is even old enough for that..."