#but hot rod is the one who’s finally able to end the war

[gayemeralds]

what do you think of Optimus and Hot rods relationship, yknow if he gets to hang out with hot rod before kicking the bucket

oooh thats a good question. in my mind i don’t think optimus thinks that much of hot rod. i think he LIKES hot rod and obviously he’s nice to him etc etc but i dont think optimus would have ever guessed hot rod would be his successor. they’re fundamentally opposed in opinions and personality.

like optimus CHOOSES ultra magnus to carry the matrix of leadership. he doesn’t know hot rod is the one who can open it- if he did, surely he would have just given it to hot rod, and saved them all lot of grief. but during the movie, hot rod continuously proves himself worthy of the matrix, listening and learning from the people around him, and i think that’s why optimus gives him the name rodimus when he finally unleashes the matrix- optimus recognized him as worthy.

but when they’re alive, i don’t think optimus would think twice about hot rod. he’s a great kid but not the next prime. that’s his unruly leaps before he looks fun loving low on the chain of command hot rod. that’s his friend, surely, but not who he would have picked.

as for hot rod, i think he has an amicable relationship with optimus. probably tries to get him to lighten up more and teases him a lot. also doesn’t hesitate to disobey one of his orders if he thinks it’s wrong, which can lead them to butting heads. but hot rod also has a great deal of respect for optimus, which is why taking on the mantle after him is such an enormous burden. the shadow that he lives under is HUGE. hot rod is terrified of not living up to him, not only because everyone else’s thinks he should be like optimus, but because he ALSO thinks he should be like optimus, because he also respects and admired him and feels so much dread and guilt when he believes himself guilty of getting him killed.

i think the idea of them having a mentor-mentee relationship is fun but ideally i actually don’t want that. i think it’s more interesting when they don’t have a particularly strong relationship beyond a bit of hero worship from hot rod (that skyrockets after optimus dies), that optimus doesn’t view hot rod as his successor, that they’re amicable friends but if it had been optimus’s decision he would have never chose hot rod. optimus will choose someone else to carry on his legacy but in the end it isn’t his choice- it’s the matrix’s.

[theoceanoasis]

Rodimus having a fire outlier he barely uses because they’re seen as bad and a curse by autobots. But when decepticons see it they know its a gift and maybe Deadlock or Soundwave help him through the trauma he received for having such a gift?

Also either one or both seeing him being able to light himself on fire & that he is fire proof

They were in the training room working together to take down Quentessons. They had recently passed their highest score and things were intense. The two of them were back to back fighting off twelve Quentessons each.

It was difficult and he found himself getting tired from all of the training. Which caused his glitch to get worse. One moment he was training and the next he was back in the parade.

He heard a crash and what sounded like.

"Watch out!"

He was tipped to the side which released him from the loop. Looking around confused. He could see Hot Rod above him and injured.

"Come on!"

Hot Rod helped him stand.

"I think it's best if we end training."

He wanted to argue. However he was distracted by Quentessons attacking. Still out of it from the loop. He found himself having a hard time. Hot Rod who'd been trying to turn it off. Looked at him in panic.

"It's not working!"

The Quentessons kept coming and they were overwhelmed. They were taking more hits then actually fighting and he felt his glitch start up again.

"Hot Rod!"

The Autobot looked at him only to get slammed into the ground. He ran towards him and also hit the ground. Where he was attacked by multiple Quentessons. He didn't know how much more of this they could take.

Black spots entered his vision and when he looked at Hot Rod, he could see him panicking. He was being held down and beaten. Struggling against his captors. He suddenly released fire from his body.

The Quentessons nearest to him were burned to a crisp. While others melted from the heat he gave off. It was enough to finally stop the training exercise. Hot Rod collapsed, his sudden fire power gone.

He stared at him in shock. Because he didn't know Hot Rod was an outlier. He never knew the Autobots had outliers. He always assumed they joined the Decepticons at the beginning of the war. Because of the injustice they faced on Cybertron.

"Hot Rod?"

The Autobots head snapped over so quickly he winced. Watching as his optics widened in fear. Hot Rod dragged himself backwards, pressing himself into a corner. He brought his legs up like a shield, shaking his head and mumbling to himself.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I'm not a monster I swear. Please don't turn me in. They'll hurt me. Please. I'm so sorry. I'll never do it again."

He stared at him in shock. Watching as he broke down. Sobbing and scratching at himself in a panic. Completely oblivious to his presence.

"Hot Rod?"

The Autobot stared up at him with tears streaming down his face.

"Please don't hurt me!"

He begged and he took a careful step forward. Only to freeze when the Autobot panicked more.

"What's wrong?"

"You can't tell the others I'm a filthy outlier. Please Soundwave. I'm begging you. I'll do anything just please don't tell them."

"I'm not going to tell."

"Promise?"

"Yes of course. I don't understand though. Why don't you want me to tell them?"

"Because I'm dangerous. A monster. Outliers are a curse, who can only hurt others and I promise I'm good. I'll be good for you. Just please don't tell."

Hot Rod cried rocking back and forth, hugging himself.

"What happened to the outliers who joined the Autobots?"

He felt his spark spin rapidly. He tried not to think of his own outlier ability, as he looked at Hot Rod. Who was usually so brave and confident. Now reduced to a sobbing mess, quivering on the floor in fear. He could only imagine what the Autobots have done to people like them.

"Outliers are monsters who have to be controlled. Too dangerous to be with others. There are these chips that control outliers. They shock you when you're bad. Outliers can only be weapons and that's exactly what their turned into. Experimented and sent to die on the battlefield."

He looked at him in horror. Suddenly too many things he once shrugged off adding up. Times when Autobots acted strangely, almost like they wanted to die. Their optics haunted, from what he assumed was war. As they were sent to be slaughtered. Having no chance of survival. Wounds all over their bodies. He thought were from previous battles.

He shuddered and took another step forward. Hot Rod pressed himself further against the wall. Staring at him with wide eyes and hyperventilating.

He crouched down so he was at eye level, trying to be reassuring.

"It's okay Hot Rod, I'm not going to hurt you. Decepticons believe outliers are special. That we've been given our gifts for a reason."

"Really?"

Hot Rod stared at him in shock and he nodded.

"Do you want to know a secret?"

"What?"

"I'm an outlier?"

Hot Rod immediately shook his head looking panicked.

"You're lying. It's a trick. I've heard that trick before and I won't fall for it. I won't let you experiment on me. I'm good. I promise. Please don't hurt me. I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. Not a monster. Please. I'm sorry. Don't hurt me."

"Hot Rod no, it's true."

He reached for him and then thought better of it. Seeing the way it made Hot Rod panic more. He gently brushed Hot Rods mind. Using his outlier ability to soothe him. He watched as Hot Rod relaxed slightly.

"What?"

"I'm a telepath."

Hot Rod closed his optics and shuddered swaying slightly.

"Can I see yours again?"

Hot Rod frowned. Opening his optics he glanced at the door and then back at him. He seemed to be debating it for a moment. Before finally he lit himself on fire. He watched the flames dance across his frame. Hot Rod completely unharmed, as he played with the flames in his hands.

"Beautiful."

Hot Rod looked at him with wide optics taking in a sudden influx of air.

"Really?"

He tentatively asked, looking at him with hope. He carefully moved closer and Hot Rod put out his flames. Allowing him to touch him.

"Yes. You and your outlier ability are beautiful. You are something special Hot Rod a gift and you shouldn't have to hide it."

He watched Hot Rod bite his lip trying to hide a smile and then he lundged at him, wrapping his arms around him in a hug. He pulled him closer rubbing his shaking spoiler in comfort.

"You are so beautiful."

He held Hot Rod as he sobbed in his arms. Letting out years of tears and pain, as he was forced to hide his gifts and feel ashamed.

If you liked this one here's something similar.

[storm-and-starlight]

so the idea of an Earthspark fic following the bots not on Earth after the spacebridge broke has been rattling around inside my head basically since the show first came out, centering around "what if the Quintessons took advantage of Optimus and Megatron being out of the game and Rodimus had to step in", but I never really had a plot for it until about two-ish weeks ago when one just Showed Up.

I'll warn you now it just straight up doesn't have an ending, but who knows, maybe that'll show up too someday.

Anyways since I doubt I'll ever be able to write in in a way that does it justice, here's the bulletpoint outline of what I do have, under a cut bc Long

Important Backstory Notes (not, like, a prologue, just stuff that would need to be sprinkled throughout as context)

The whole Knights of Cybertron thing was well before the Thirteen Primes, enough that it's mostly fallen into legendary-type history instead of commonly-taught history, though the process is more pronounced due to how centralized information storage (and really the entire concept of information storage that isn't entirely dependent on a living being like a Titan) wasn't really a thing until late(er) in the Age of Primes, and only became standard until after the loss of most of Cybertron's Titans.

The Thirteen Primes, Prima and all the rest, rose to fame during the last Quintesson war by being generals and heroes and scientists, the figureheads of the war and the people who saved the Cybertronian species from perpetual slavery.

All but one of them, that is. Quintus Prime, researcher, scientist, who loved life in all its forms (and, some would say, who loved organic life a little too much), disappeared with his artifact the Emberstone -- the final safeguard against the loss or corruption of the Allspark -- and was later found to have defected to the Quintessons, with his technology and that of the Emberstone showing up in the Quintesson efforts.

The Primes eventually won, and beat the Quintessons away from Cybertron.

Unwilling to lose their image of planetary harmony that they worked so hard to create even before the war, the remaining Primes recorded his disappearance as a death in battle, implying that the loss of him, his Titan, and the Emberstone was simply a terrible accident), and went about rebuilding and beginning the Age of Primes.

(Timeline note: the Thirteen Primes unified Cybertron, got attacked by the Quintessons, fought in what was actually the Second Quintesson War -- the first was the initial liberation of Cybertron before the Knights set out on their explorations -- and then started the Age of Primes, which ended in the betrayal of Solus and the departure of the colony Titans.)

(post-betrayal leads into another age of unrest, before the new lineage of Primes (ones without the Matrix) begins the Cybertronian Golden Age, which really wasn't all that golden.)

Story begins millions of years later, about, oh, twenty years before the events of Earthspark

Most of section one takes place well before the spacebridge closes, and the initial journey back to Cybertron takes a few years, so from the time of Hot Rod's capture to their return to Cybertron just after the spacebridge closes is probably in the vicinity of five-to-six years.

Hot Rod, way out in the middle of nowhere on a mission, is captured by the Quintessons and presumed dead by the Autobots. He's not, but he's been enslaved by them -- however, they're still operating on their understanding of Cybertronian neurological defenses from before the Autobot-Decepticon War, meaning that their ability to control him is unable to keep up with his anti-virals and is slowly weakening over time. He gains more and more autonomy back, right up until the Quintesson ship he's on discovers Theophany (by horrible chance) and elects to begin the Quintesson resurgence right then and there.

Crucially, Crystal City hasn't been part of the war, so their anti-virals aren't at Hot Rod's level, and so nearly the entire city is enslaved and formed into the first and worst core of the Quintesson army.

In the middle of the attack, he finally manages to grab back almost full motor control, flames on, and burns out most of the adaptive nanites that are serving as a reservoir for the control code even as his anti-virals keep destroying the stuff that makes it into his processor. He flees the battle, ending up in the wastes of Theophany while Crystal City is overrun and the Third Quintesson War begins.

There is, however, one mech in Crystal City who has war-grade antivirals and manages to survive the inital assault of a non-nanite transmitted code infection (think radio broadcast) and who fled the city at Wing's request once it was clear the entire city was lost and the Knights of Light taken captive and the city destroyed.

He meets Hot Rod once they both come back to the ruins of the city for lack of anywhere else to go, and Hot Rod reveals what, exactly, happened to everyone around him. Hot Rod manages to convince Drift that they need to go and warn whoever else they can find, so they take one of the least-damaged ships in deep storage and set out to warn Cybertron.

En route to Cybertron, they slowly gather together a crew of various outcasts and misfits -- people who for one reason or another have been stationed out in the reaches of deep space, far away from Cybertron -- and even the odd prisoner (Whirl), all packed together on an ancient tiny shuttle and still desperately trying to outrun the Quintessons and make it in time to warn Optimus and Megatron.

At one point, they meet the Camien trio, Windblade, Nautica, and Chromia, who are also heading to Cybertron to ask for aid for Caminus completely unaware of the Quintesson threat, but in finding an ancient, injured Titan who's already been taken over by the Quintessons everyone learns of the risk they're all facing, and the dangers of letting this war spread further than it already has -- the destruction of Crystal City was bad, but the fact that every Cybertronian infected is another weapon in Quintesson hands is what really sinks in here.

At another point, they come across the remains of the Ark and manage to pull two people out of stasis: Cyclonus, the perfect warrior and Galvatron's right hand, and Tailgate, sanitation worker kept in stasis since the launch of the Ark as auxiliary personnel that they wouldn't have to feed since he wasn't awake.

The major climax is encountering Kimia, a secret Autobot research station under attack by Decepticons. With the Quintessons right on their heels, Hot Rod and Drift attempt to reconcile both the primarily-Autobot crew and the Decepticon squad attacking (maybe Deathsaurus's?), but negotiations keep breaking down until the Quintessons show up with an entire army of enslaved Cybertronians. Hot Rod manages to destroy their ship by crashing the entire station into it, but only a handful of people on either side survive the battle (Chromedome, Rewind, Brainstorm, Perceptor, and probably a handful of Decepticons that I haven't decided on yet), and everyone in their tiny enclave of free Cybertronians realizes that this is bigger than their old war, and that if they don't work together they're never going to survive.

End Section One

Section Two

They finally make it to Cybertron, but it's already too late -- the spacebridge to Earth is closed with most of the Autobot and Decepticon high command on the other side of it, the Allspark was lost somewhere while it closed (it's actually stuck in-between the planets in subspace, since the subspace route is still open but inaccessible with one end of the bridge destroyed, but this isn't relevant to the rest of the fic) and the Quintessons have already arrived and begun a planetary takeover -- most of the ground troops still remaining on the planet have become part of their forces.

Jazz has escaped with a handful of special ops from both sides and is hiding down in the deep underlayers struggling to survive and start up a resistance, and the arrival of Hot Rod and his motley crew is a huge boon and a huge hassle, since most of them (yes, even the Kimia scientists) was assigned that far from the front lines for a reason. About the only ones who're really considered command material are Cyclonus, and he's still struggling with the fact that he's been in stasis for millions of years and has no desire to lead what he sees as a pack of misfits and rejects, and Ultra Magnus, who has no desire to be in command whatsoever, so Hot Rod got the job largely by virtue of being the person to start this mission in the first place.

Moreover, they can't even get off Cybertron because the Quintessons have a major planetary cordon eliminating anyone who tries to flee.

Still, they try to get a resistance going and start figuring out how to actually fight the Quintessons, rather than just escape them, and are making some progress. Slowly. The deep planetary tunnels are largely safe, and a lot of the Kimia scientists have managed to use one of Shockwave's labs to find some protection against Quintesson influence -- as long as they don't get physical access to your brain, you probably won't get enslaved! -- and are attempting work on a cure. It's starting to look like it'll be long and hard but they might even manage to win this war!

And then the judge shows up, and brings with them not just the limited number of Cybertronian slaves they have, but nearly uncountable hordes of mass-produced Sharkticons, because they have access to Cybertron's entire industrial complex and all its fabricators.

On top of that, the Quintessons have discovered the existence of the deep underlayers, and are preparing an assault on the resistance bases.

Right before the assault goes down, Drift gets a vision (he's been having weird premonitions his entire life but it's only after he started actively using them to avoid Quintessons that they've started getting noticeably stronger) and gathers together a group (definitely Hot Rod and Rung, maybe also a bunch of the Camiens/some scientists) to try to find the location of a ship he saw, one that can get them off the planet.

They've been gone less than a day but are already entirely out of range when the Quintessons attack

Magnus and Cyclonus rally, together, against the assault and and try a desperate attempt to repel it and save the scientists' work that might be the only hope to save their species.

NOTE: Prior to this, Magnus and Cyclonus had not gotten along, with both of them having an extremely rigid code that is not... entirely compatible with the other but when it comes down to the wire and both Hot Rod and Drift are off on hopeless errands, they're the only ones left to coordinate the defense and try to save what they can.

Midway through Drift and Hot Rod's journey, the planet transforms (something it has, quite notably, not done since the Age of Primes) and cuts Hot Rod and Rung off from the rest of the group, with the only way out being down deeper into the planet, past even the deep layers and down into the core.

Separated, they continue on.

Drift ends up in the Hand of Primus, way out in the middle of the wastes, the site of the last true hotspot on the entire planet (after it was harvested during the early years of the Golden Age, all new sparks on the planet came from the Allspark). Deep below the surface, underneath a strange spiky red metal formation, they find a ship literally embedded in the stone, not entirely spaceworthy but possible to get to working conditions, and with a set of unique quantum engines that might be enough to get them away from the planet before the Quintessons can shoot them down.

Leaving Nautica (and possibly any other scientists they brought with them?) to try to repair the ship and get it flying, Drift and the rest race back to the base only to find it under attack. Magnus and Cyclonus manage to punch a hole through the Quintesson ranks and start the evacuation, and they all race up through the sublevels back to the surface.

Meanwhile, Hot Rod and Rung are (apparently) desperately trying to find a way out of the deep tunnels and back to the surface, but every turn they make just redirects them deeper towards the core, and eventually Rung comes to the conclusion that whatever's at the center of the planet must want them to go to the core. As they travel, it's apparent that there's something going on with him, though he won't tell Hot Rod what (the truth is that he's regaining his memories of being a part of the long-dormant core of the planet, and he's realizing that the Core, that Primus, the heart of their world, is somehow calling Hot Rod in).

Upon reaching the core, Rung acts almost as cityspeaker for the planet, one of the many fragments of its great multi-part mind that's separate enough to speak for itself, and offers Hot Rod a Matrix -- not the Matrix, the old one, the original one, the one that Optimus Prime still carries and that was lost on Earth when the spacebridge fell -- but a new, empty one that still nevertheless holds the ancient property that the Matrix was made for in the first place -- protection against the Quintesson scourge, a way to store crucial information in a way that can't be stolen by them and is much harder to lose if groups are split up or scientists killed, and most importantly the chance at a true cure. 

Hot Rod accepts the Matrix from Rung, and becomes Rodimus Prime.

Rung, in making a new Matrix, returns to the Core and cannot return with Rodimus, who races back up through the planet desperately, trying to reach the ship before they write him off as dead and leave.

Right as Nautica and the rest get the ship's strange quantum engines online, engines that almost seem to work as a spacebridge in their own right, Rodimus appears and gets on board, and they flee the planet ahead of the approaching hordes, abandoning Cybertron entirely to the Quintessons.

End Section Two

Section Three

Now the fight has gone to the stars -- there are still the colonies, Caminus and all the rest of the titans, to consider -- though there are a couple that aren't in Caminus's or Cybertron's records at all, such as the titan of the traitor Quintus Prime, who in the last war against the Quintessons led by the Thirteen Primes that cemented them in history as a collection of heroes.

The project begun on Cybertron, with the addition of the Matrix, has mostly succeeded -- they have effective defenses against Quintesson mind control, and with the Matrix in hand the scientists are making real breakthroughs on a genuine cure, instead of something that leaves the "cured" screaming and nearly catatonic.

Rodimus, still trying to figure out what it means to be Prime and what it means to now be considered the unambiguous leader of the remaining Cybertronian forces instead of having to deal with balancing the authority of Jazz, Magnus, Cyclonus, Windblade, and several of the more prominent Decepticons, is in command and is trying to find and gather the remains of the Autobot and Decepticon fleets into something that can actually fight against the Quintessons.

He's... not the best at it.

While they're fighting and gathering new members, they intercept some kind of Quintesson communication and find out that Caminus, thought safe because of how hidden it is, is under attack. The Lost Light and the few other ships they've got (Vis Vitalis, maybe? which is another major source of character conflict, becauseRodimus still feels inadequate as a leader in the face of Thunderclash's... everything, and lets it lead him to make bad decisions) race to Caminus to try to save the city.

They try, during which there is a huge battle, but they cannot stop the Quintessons from infecting Caminus, who sacrifices himself to save his people as they all flee, and Cybertronians become a species without a home, adrift in space. At the same time, the records of the last Quintesson War are given to them by Caminus, revealing the strategies used by the Thirteen Primes and the record of Quintus Prime's treachery that nearly lost them the war -- as well as the fact that Quintus Prime's Titan is still alive -- lost, but alive.

The war continues, and Rodimus slowly gets better at learning to be a general and at gathering people together to try to survive this. They start making progress, though it's hard and often painful. Maybe Caminus is the end of the section, maybe there's something more that's less of a downer ending, I don't know, but Section Three is all about the war as it goes on in space, a tiny desperate fleet trying to beat the odds and win.

Oh also at some point the Lost Light is revealed to be a newborn Titan, the first one to be born in millions upon millions of years, who aligns herself with Rodimus because he's a Prime and also her captain.

Also Metroplex possibly shows up at some point, and he and Windblade form a very strong bond together, to the point where when he dies, not even in sacrifice but just straight up in battle, it deeply deeply affects her, to the point that not even Lost Light can help. (Might be a plot point, might not be, depends how dark I want the overall story to end up.)

End Section Three

Section Four

Years into the fight, Rodimus is a far better leader than he was -- massively depressed about the whole thing, but still learning how to be an effective general. They haven't quite been making progress, but they've been surviving and gathering together fighters from all the different colonies, and it looks like the tide might turn any day now.

Drift, prompted by visions he's been having of Quintus Prime, is working alongside Nautica and a handful of other historians to put together the true story of what happened during the last Quintesson War. The facts aren't entirely adding up -- if Quintus was truly a traitor and gave the Quintessons the Emberstone, why weren't the Thirteen Primes overwhelmed by endless armies of newsparks? Why was it only certain pieces of Quintus's hybrid technology that got integrated into the Quintessons, and not the organic-Cybertronian bonding elements that would have massively increased their ability to control Cybertronian slaves? Why did he disappear, only recorded by his technology showing up in Quintesson warships, and why did his Titan drop completely out of the spacebridge network, even though Caminus insisted that he was still alive?

He realizes that figuring this out could be the key to actually winning the war, instead of grinding along slowly getting themselves worn away by attrition the way they've been doing -- the Quintessons can constantly replace soldiers while the Cybertronians have lost every method they had of reproducing, and on top of all that any soldier captured or infected on the battlefield will turn against them.

With Rodimus and Jazz and Brainstorm's knowledge (and maybe a few others, haven't decided yet), Drift fakes his death and goes flying out to search for answers, thinking that there has to be something Quintus was hiding and that it might be the answer to surviving, if not winning.

Meanwhile, Rodimus and the rest of the United Cybertronian Fleet's (name subject to change) high command find out from Jazz and his espionage corps that the Quintessons are looking for something, some kind of newly created weapon that can be used against them more effectively than anything created before (over the course of this war, they've gone on a total scorched-earth policy with regards to their planetary conquests and any species, biological or cybernetic, that even remotely gets in their way -- the new Judge created to lead this war is ruthless and angry and isn't interested in things like "public relations" -- so while there isn't really anyone who can fight back against them the way the Cybertronians can, because in terms of firepower and who's willing to get involved in this, they're kind of the only ones, it's totally plausible that there might be the last remnants of a destroyed species out there who are working on creating some kind of weapon).

Both of their paths, Drift's journey looking back through the records of the last Quintesson War and the history of the Thirteen Primes, and Rodimus's search for something to turn the tide, lead them back towards Earth, which somehow hasn't been found by either side yet, and has remained totally undisturbed. No matter how hard anyone looks, they can't find any outward sign of Cybertronian activity that might indicate Earth's location.

Drift, following the history of what happened to Quintus and his Titan and the Emberstone, finds a subspace connection that leads him to a strange system of caverns, filled with green light and old Cybertronian writing and technology that looks extremely similar to Quintesson tech and yet has somehow been neutralized without being destroyed.

Rodimus, following something (maybe some kind of connection through the Matrix?) lands in secret on green and blue planet that looks a whole hell of a lot like Earth, and traces the signal down into a system of caves.

Both Rodimus and Drift get attacked by an ancient Quintesson defense system, bioengineered monsters that feed off energon and which pursue them through the tunnels and herd them towards a central location, where bang they run into each other--

--and also into Optimus, Megatron, quite a lot of both Autobot and Decepticon High Command, and the Malto family, who are all down in the tunnels for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with either Cybertron, ancient weapons, Quintus Prime, the Emberstone, or the Quintessons, and everyone is very confused and also kind of panicked about what to do about the giant monster.

But when it arrives, the Maltos and the Terrans are able to fight it, without being affected by its energon-eating nature or the defenses it usually has against Cybertronians.

They flee down the only route they have left, deeper into the cave systems, where they pass through a massive and very strange green door into a set of corridors that look like metal, and that are decorated with icons and emblems of Quintus Prime, though woven through with Quintesson mind-control tech -- ancient Quintesson mind-control tech, not the modern kind currently in use and not even the kind of outdated tech that was used on Hot Rod before they managed to adapt to modern Cybertronian neurological defenses, but the kind that was in use back in the last Quintesson War, against the Thirteen Primes, and the pattern of the tendrils seems to be leading them somewhere.

Where it's leading them to is a massive processor chamber, one for a Titan -- Quintus Prime's titan, lost all these many millions of years.

Drift, finally, reveals what he's learned about Quintus Prime's supposed betrayal, and what really happened -- how he tried to be a double agent, learning about the Quintessons: half just for the sake of learning about them -- remember, he was most noted for his fascination with organic life -- and half for the sake of finding ways to end the war.

Before he could find a way, his Titan was overrun, exposed to an experimental piece of technology that would take over not just his mind but his body, turning him into an unending weapon that couldn't even be killed.

Quintus fled to Earth, looking for a way to save his Titan, and apparently died there.

worked against the Quintessons from the inside, stealing away secrets of their technoorganic engineering and their mind-control techology and eventually fleeing with his Titan and the Emberstone to an unknown location, and Rodimus reveals that they're here hunting a supposed "weapon" that the Quintessons are terrified of.

The Titan (name TBD) manages to tell Windblade the story of what really happened, that Quintus defected with the Emberstone to try to find a way to use it to create Cybertronians who were naturally immune to Quintesson control, who could live in peace away from the war and everything and never have to worry about being made into slaves, and all of the bots that have been trapped on Earth all this time turn to look at the Malto family -- and the Terrans.

End section four

aaaaaand that's more or less where I run out of ideas, because I have no clue how to effectively pay off this reveal with how the Terrans are supposed to defeat the Quintessons, but who knows, maybe I'll think of something

[kalahannikolai]

My own take on Red Alert, a boy I valued the Armada-incarnation of very much growing up. So of course mine had to also have a giant turtle shell on his back, lol. I haven't quite decided what this Red Alert transforms into just yet, but he's not a vehicle; and thus no wheels!

Lore and backstory below!

A dutiful student of the master doctor Ratchet, Red Alert had hoped to bring revolutionary medicinal technology to the cybertronian people. He hoped to limit pain as much as scientifically possible, to make healing and recovery as seamless a process as transformation itself. After all, was healing not but another form of transformation? To turn pain into life, and to reshape a wound into undamaged cyber matter.

Then the Civil War began, and all Red Alert had time to do was stem the bleeding of his home. He had little other choice but to heal battle wounds, to reattach limbs and repair damaged systems. Despair creeped into Red Alert's spark like a disease, and he worried he'd never be able to actually make a difference. If all he did was heal so that they could do more harm, what was even the point?

That was when Red Alert met twin brothers Hot Shot and Hot Rod, and through them he realized what the war actually meant.

The freedom to fight was just as important as healing those who fought. The autobots didn't just fight for any old cause, but to keep their people from succumbing to bloodlust forever. If Red Alert left warriors like them to die from their injuries, he would risk only leaving monsters like Bonecrusher left in the fight.

When the war finally ended with the truce against Unicron, Red Alert was honored to be chosen among those who would travel into space in search of long lost kin. Their search would lead them to a world seeded with energon, lost from their records and yet inhabited by organic and cyber life alike. There they found their old khadracon brethren, and reunions were had across the face of the land called Fódlan.

Red Alert would, centuries down the road, choose to ally himself with the Church of Seiros Caelus. They had need of a medical expert who could safeguard the bodies of fallen mini-cons, to watch over them as they rested within Vector's Sanctum in Garreg Mach. There, he faithfully served not as an autobot, but as a faithful cybertronian who believed in the cyberkins' goddess and just wanted to help.

A more noble desire there rarely was, even as Red Alert would one day find his faithfulness betrayed, and his mind possessed by dark forces no one ever warned him of.

[brotoman-exe]

Well at least gives me an excuse to expand on this a bit. Just gonna call it the Pretendformers AU.

Basic setting idea: A mid sized city somewhere near Pacific Northwest. Not so small everyone knows absolutely everyone but not so large you can have 100% anonymity, works for being able to slot in bunch of human characters from the franchise history. Maybe the ships hit somewhere between Oregon and California and blame Crater Lake on the Arc crash, cause nothing says you have to have the war be a strict 4 million years ago. Both Autobots and Decepticons have only been awake a few years before the modern day and each so far thinks the other side died in the final battle. The humansonas are some combination of hologram construct, pretender tech, nanobots. Basically can fully interact with the human world but also can blink out of existence until a bot/con needs them again. Also can only be so far away from their regular body before blinking out of existence as well. Both sides are just trying to get enough resources to fix their ship and find out what has happened on Cybertron.

Not a comprehensive list but some of the status for various bots/cons is

Autobots

Optimus Prime: Disgused as a long haul trucker it acts a convenient way to transport materials overland between various places and the Arc. While some point out as the leader he doesn't have to do grunt work but he feels it is only proper to shoulder part of the burden. The city is technically where he is considered to live and stops when not making deliveries. Unintentionally has ended up being really close with June a single mother who works as a nurse at the hospital Ratchet also works at. Both Ratchet and Ironhide are worried this is going to end badly.

Bumblebee: When first getting his Earth alt mode at a car dealership had to accidently hide as it turned out there was still humans around. This led to his alt mode being bought by a young woman named Charlie. While great for getting a free cover to be considered scouting the local area is bad for Bee getting much social activity on the day to day, no matter how much he'd like to can't talk to the human. But maybe the place next to Charlie's going up for sale would give him a chance to start a human identity without suspicion.

Ratchet: Took the easiest job to do without pretending to be something he is not and became a doctor at the local hospital, studied human medicine for a year first to avoid malpractice. Still secretly provides medical care for those that can't afford it on the side like he did on Cybertron before the war. Mostly avoids being to chumy with humans but this one called Drift, of all things, who helps with getting supplies for the free medical care stuff insists on hanging around him.

Hot Rod: The world's only young influencer, lot of racing content and gaming, who isn't also a terrible person. Got famous completely on accident but because he doesn't want to buy a mansion or anything has plenty of money to use on getting the Autobot supplies. Got sponsored by an energy drink that while Ratchet points out is somewhat toxic for humans is actually great for synthesizing more energon and can even be drank by Cybertronians directly. People in the city have seen him show up and interact with Optimus enough they think he might be his secret son or something.

Wheeljack: A chemistry and machine class teacher at the local university, he was gonna do high school but with his penchant for explosions made the more safety built University campus a better according to the rest of the Autobots. Coach for a group of students that participate in a Robot Wars style competition, this team has already caused 3 rule changes about weapon restrictions after he started coaching. In the running for most well liked professor on campus. Also some say is working on some secret robot dinosaur thing in the off hours?

Other Autobots that I can expand on later: Arcee, Jetfire, Windblade, Ironhide, Prowl, Chromedome and Rewind.

Decepticons

Soundwave: Works as a famous DJ. His cassettes can slot into his dj booth and it actually has a low level hypnotic effect on humans to want to pay more for his appearances or give him things. Actually likes being a DJ and getting to show off his artistic side versus just spying or fighting. Him and his cassettes are a found family in this continuity with Soundwave basically being their protective older brother that got them all out the gutter. Soundwave been considered though lately cause this one influencer who shows up at a lot of the same parties seems to be immune to the hypnotic thing and might be catching on that something is up. It's a shame cause Soundwaves likes him and would prefer not to have to eliminate them, also unknown to Soundwave it is Hot Rod who hasn't realized anything is up and just finds the DJ weirdly attractive for a human.

Thundercracker: An actor that recently got a steady gig on a new prime time detective series. It's hard to find places to hide his jet mode at times near enough to keep his human body going. Really wants to direct one day, the stated goal is to better help the entertainment industry push secret pro Decepticon propaganda, and has this wartime romance epic he is on his fourth draft writing. Has adopted a dog named Buster, who let's say in this continuity is a French Bulldog cause they are cute. Starscream is his manager.

Flamewar: Technically also an influencer/modern day stunt driver who when told to stay and guard the Nemesis she heard "Flamewar you should jump your alt mode over canyons and stuff and post it online" which she thought were the best orders ever. She'd be punished more harshly if it wasn't bringing in resources and a collective decision she is a bit of a hazard when cooped up too long. If Slipstream can't hide her alt mode nearby enough to mind her then at least one of the cassettes is keeping an eye on her.

Megatron: Officially doesn't bother pretending to be a squishy and is working on his plans to make sure Cybertron stays conquered. Unofficially is teaching political science and poetry at the local university. It was originally meant to be this whole plan to corrupt the freshly away from their parents youths into thinking like Decepticons. Which it kind of is, the issue is though he's been teaching the original Decpticon way while forgetting to include the more modern tyrannical parts. Extra issue is he has a level of care for his students and actually likes being an activist again and not a warmonger. So now he can't tell any of the other Decepticons because they'd see it as him getting weak and he'd actually have to do nasty things like take a moment to self reflect. Despite not knowing the other is a fellow Cybertronian him and Prowl hate each other in their human lives.

Shockwave: Was left behind to watch Cybertron when Megatron left to chase Prime and the autobots. So he definitely doesn't have a way to been on Earth. Certainly not with any space bridge. He also definitely hasn't kidnapped the head of Sundac Industries, pretend to be him, and secretly use its resources to conduct experiments. Also definitely didn't take the one Decepticon who stumbled upon him, Swindle who was just looking to con a CEO that was said to have become distant after his daughter disappeared, put a chip in their brain so they can't say his name and makes do his dirty work under threat of complete personality erasure.

Other Decepticons that I can expand on later: Starscream, Slipstream, Drift (considered KIA in the final battle), The Combaticons, and Sixshot.

What at first seems to be a Humanformers AU but then it turns out the Autobots and Decepticons have just gotten way too into character for their human disguises while trying to collect resources in secret. Also each side at first doesn't realize the other is still alive and it will become a problem later.

[telemna-hyelle]

What You Look At, You Change: Chapter Two (Palace of the Four Sword AU)

So apparently what I mean by "I'm taking a hiatus to focus on work stuff" i mean "I'm immediately going to hyperfocus on the Palace Au fic and write the last 70% of the next chapter"

So uh

Here, have the next chapter :D

Chapter Two

*-/-*-/-*-/-*-/-*

The fire crackled, the sound blending pleasantly with the drumming of the rain without. The firelight danced, filling the cave with shifting swathes of light, casting it’s own sort of spell; somehow managing to make the cave they were hunkered in feel welcoming and warm.

Not too warm though, I hope. Four frowned slightly, and laid a hand on Time’s forehead. He’d caught a bit of a fever with his injuries, the rain, and his general habit of running himself to exhaustion; and while the red potion had fixed the wounds well enough, the fever remained. Time had gone rather obligingly to bed as soon as they’d finished eating, and had hardly stirred since.

Time’s forehead was hot and clammy. It wasn’t worse, but it wasn’t better, either. Certainly not ideal.

Hopefully he’d be able to sleep it off, and the fever would be gone by morning. Until then… Four picked the rag from the bowl of cold water (courtesy of having one of Wild’s ice rods stuck in it), wrung it out, and folded it precisely, laying it neatly across Time’s forehead.

Until then, they’d watch over their leader and make sure he was well.  

Time shivered, and Four’s frown deepened, and he reached out, snagging the end of the blanket and tugging it higher over his shoulder.

Time still shivered, curling in on himself slightly, seeking warmth.

“Hey, Captain, can you toss me my blanket?”

Wars was pacing nervously nearby, but at the sound of the smith’s voice, he paused, spinning on one heel to face him. “Yours is on the smaller side, though, do you want mine instead?”

Four bit his lip, considering, before finally shaking his head. “No, I have first watch, I can spare my blanket. You need yours.”

Wars wrestled with this fact and his need to be of use, and finally dipped his head in a bow. With three quick strides he was at Four’s bedroll, snatching up the blanket and tossing it through the air. Four caught it easily, snapping it out and draping it over Time’s form.

Four examined the effect with a rueful quirk of his eyebrow. It was… a little short, admittedly. When he tucked it up under Time’s chin, the hem fell somewhere about mid-shin.

Wild glanced over from the stewpot at the cave’s entrance (where he was cooking very industriously to distract himself from the situation) took in the scene, and snorted.

Four stared flatly back at him, unimpressed.

“Are you sure…?” Warriors voice piped up, a note of pleading in his tone.

“Yes.” The smith replied, his voice firm. “You need your blanket. Mine will serve just fine.”

The captain sighed and ran his hand through his hair for what might have been the hundredth time in the past hour.

With Time down, Warriors was de-facto leader, but with half their group missing… well, Warriors needed all the rest he could, to help combat the stress. Besides, Warriors wasn’t the only one who wanted to be of use.

Wild was keeping them fed. Warriors was looking out for them.

Four wanted to be of use, too. To his brothers. To his family. To their leader. To Time.

Yet all he could do was this, and by all the gods, he was going to do it.

“Do you think they’re all right?” Warriors said. His voice was pitched low, so as not to alert Wild nearby. The cook was stressed as it is, with Time down and the others missing, the last thing either of them wanted to do was break his attempts at distracting himself.

Four eyed the way Time seemed to settle underneath the extra warmth of the second blanket, reaching out and smoothing down the cold cloth on the hero’s forehead. Time’s breath seemed to come slightly easier now, his shivering stilled, and it eased a tight knot clenched in Four’s chest.

“I wouldn’t worry too much,” he said in return, just as lowly as the Captain. “They have each other, and they’re all capable heroes. I’m sure everything’s fine. They know what to do.”

*-/-*-/-*-/-*-/-*

“I have no idea what to do.” Legend said, staring at the carvings on the wall. “I don’t even know where to start. What in all of Hyrule are we supposed to do?”

“Let’s think through this.” Sky said, a pillar of serenity compared to Legend, who was fairly vibrating with nerves. “What do we know?”

“Four’s cursed, this isn’t Legend’s timeline, and someone wrote a note on a wall for us?” Hyrule rattled off, ticking off fingers as he went.

“Yeah, but who wrote the note?” Wind piped in, standing on his tiptoes, trying to get a better look. “Do you…” He bit his lip, bouncing on his feet a little as he thought. “Do you think… it’s one of us?”

Silence fell. The heroes looked at each other, questions in their eyes.

“It’s�� possible.” Sky said, slowly.

“This whole adventure has been a twisting mess of time travel, of course it’s possible.” Legend crossed his arms and scowled, his knee bouncing nervously. “Just what we need—more time insanity.”

“It could be any one of us.” Sky mused, cocking his head thoughtfully as he considered the message. “At any future point during our adventure.”

Twilight groaned, shoving a hand through his hair. “My head hurts too much to think this through right now.”

“Well at least I think there’s proof your head comes out all right.” Hyrule stated, squinting at the wall.

The rancher raised an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

“Well, you probably wrote it, right?”

All heads swiveled to face Hyrule. Twilight’s hand dropped from his hair, eyes wide and blinking. “Me?”

Hyrule rubbed the back of his head, confused. “Yes, you?”

Twilight opened his mouth, sorted through his options, and decided on, “Why?”

“Why’d you write it?” Hyrule blinked again. “Uh, probably to help us save Four, right? I thought that was pretty obvious—”

“He means ‘why do you think it’s him’?” Sky cut in helpfully.

“Oh! Well.” Hyrule coughed and turned to point at the wall. “So I can kinda sorta read the one script—it’s like an earlier version of mine, but it looks really badly made. The letters are all kind of wonky.”

Everyone looked at Legend. Legend shrugged. “It’s true. The guy has bad handwriting.”

“But he doesn’t!” Hyrule said, waving a hand emphatically at the second pair of script. “It’s in Twilight’s Hylian, and just look at how neat all the letters are! He knows what he’s doing!”

Everyone stared at the wall again. It was true. The letters in Twilight’s Hylian were formed neatly and precisely, while the ones in Legend’s were of wobbly and poorly-formed, only barely legible.

Twilight frowned at it. “Huh.”

Wind tipped his head to one side. “Can it even be called handwriting if it’s carved on a wall?”

Sky hummed thoughtfully, “Depends on how it’s carved, I’d say.”

 “All that aside, do you think we can agree that Twilight wrote—writes—whatever—this?” Legend cut in, his knee bouncing with frantic energy.

Everyone exchanged glances, then turned to stare at Twilight. The rancher blinked, then threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. “Fine. I could have written it, but I don’t know, as I haven’t done it yet. Will that suffice?”

“It’ll do.” Hyrule said cheerfully, then turned to Legend. “So what’s the plan?”

The veteran bristled. “Why are you asking me?”

“Well,” Sky said, and beamed cheerfully in that rather intimidating way of his that could cow nearly any opponent instantly and make them agree with his plan, “You do know this place best.”

Legend scowled back at him, feeling the mantle of leadership hovering over his shoulders and wanting nothing to do with it, thank you. Unfortunately, he was also very aware that Sky was also very right.

“Fine.” He grumbled. “Everyone, get your swords ready and follow me. I’ll fill you guys in as we go.”

However, when they stepped out of the small, statue-lined antechamber, the twin rows of chain chomps were nowhere to be seen. The only thing hinting as to their existence were the pillars they once would have been chained too, but now the pillars were half-ruined, their facades crumbling, cracked, and covered in dust..

“Huh.” Legend said, narrowing his eyes at the pillars distrustfully. “Someone back me up.”

He marched towards the pillars, Wind a half step behind him. The sailor had been hovering around the veteran since his moment of panic earlier, and Legend was gracious enough not to bring attention to it.

Not to mention that Wind’s nearby presence was soothing, a balm on his anxieties in a way Legend couldn’t quite explain, though Twilight would probably call it big-brother-instinct.

Legend stopped in front of the nearest pillar, waited a moment for Wind to take up a ready position behind him, and poked the pillar with his sword.

Nothing happened.

He poked it a second time for good measure.

The room was still.

“Huh.” Legend said, his voice dripping dislike. “Let’s move on, then.”

He stomped back to the group and then proceeded to lead them down the hallway, Wind trotting in his wake. His scowl only deepened when they stepped through the doorway into the dungeon’s central chamber, only to find it completely devoid of stalfos.

“I don’t like this.” Legend hissed, gaze darting about the room, daring the skeletons to show themselves. “Where are they all?”

The other heroes shuffled about. Twilight and Sky exchanged glances, silently volunteering the other to speak up. To Twilight’s annoyance, Sky had surprisingly forceful elbows, prompting him to stumble forward and catch everyone’s attention.

He cleared his throat. “So, which way, veteran?”

Legend stared at him with narrowed eyes for a second longer, huffed, and turned in the direction of the leftmost door.

This room was also empty, but instead of the echoing silence that emptiness brought, this room was filled with the rushing of water. Legend peered around the room with a critical eye, shoulders relaxing slightly.

“Alright,” he said, with a surprising amount of natural authority for one who deliberately avoided the position of leadership in the group. “While the turrets are absent, it looks like the trap is still functioning.” He pointed at an empty brazier in the corner. “The current’s too strong to swim, but if we light that, we’ll have a window to swim down the hallway to the other side, diving to avoid the rolling spike trap.”

He propped one hand on his hip, eyeing his brothers thoughtfully. “Right, who can swim?”

He raised his own hand, followed quickly by Sky and Twilight. Wind flip-flopped his hand in a so-so gesture. Hyrule coughed and looked sheepishly off to one side.

“I can share my water dragon’s scale.” Sky said, pulling a necklace out from his pouch and holding it out. It hung in the air, gleaming blue in the dimness of the temple, pulsing faintly with an ancient power. “It helps you hold your breath for longer, and gives you better maneuverability in the water.”

“That’ll help me, but Rulie can’t swim at all!” Wind piped up, frowning in concern.

“I have an idea,” Twilight said, already pulling a large bundle from his bag. “Here’s how we’ll do it.”

*-/-*-/-*-/-*-/-*

“All right, ready, Sky?” Legend stood next to the brazier, holding his lantern aloft.

Sky shifted his stance at the pools edge, the water dragon’s scale shifting from where it hung about his neck. “Ready!”

With a well-practiced swipe of Legend’s lantern, the oil in the brazier burst into flame, and in the same moment, Sky dove into the water. He clearly knew what he was doing, barreling through the water with a fierce spinning motion, completely avoiding the spike trap and rocketing up onto the landing on the far side in a total of thirty seconds.

Legend let out a long, slow whistle. “I think that completely ground my best time into the dust. You’ll have to wait a bit for the trap to reset before you can go, Twi.”

Twilight grunted in acknowledgement, stretching his arms above his head. “I’m ready when you say the word.”

It took another minute for the fire to burn out, then Legend lit the brazier again and Twilight was off. He took twice as long as Sky, but was climbing onto the landing in good time.

With a grin and a reassuring slap on the back, Sky passed off the dragon scale to the rancher, who dove back into the water. The current reactivated, sweeping Twilight back down to the far end.

“Right,” Twilight panted as he pulled himself back onto solid ground. “Who wants a tow first?”

Wind’s hand shot into the air, practically vibrating with excitement. “ME ME ME CAN I GO FIRST TWILIGHT PLEASE?”

Twilight grinned and shot Hyrule a raised eyebrow. “How ‘bout it, Rule? Mind Wind going first?”

Hyrule gave the water a complicated look. “I don’t mind waiting.”

Twilight nodded, and tossed the dragon scale to Wind, who hurriedly slipped it around his neck. “Ready?”

Wind bounced a little at the edge of the water, ready to jump in. “Ready!”

Legend swept the flame across the oil, and Twilight and Wind jumped into the water with twin splashes. Since Wind and Hyrule weren’t familiar with the use of the dragon scale, everyone (meaning, Sky, Twilight, and Legend) agreed that it’d be best if they simply use it to breath and swim faster, and let Twilight do most of the hard work.

Wind did use it to rocket up onto the landing, though, and let out a whoop as he rolled to a stop next to Sky. “That was awesome. Can I borrow that some time?”

Sky grinned and laughed a little, extending a hand to help the sailor up. “I think that can be arranged.”

Twilight, who took the slightly longer way up onto the landing, shook his head, scattering water from the long tail of his Zora armor’s helmet. Wind giggled. “You look like Wolfie when you do that.”

“Hmm, do I?” Twilight grinned, and ignored the sharp look that Sky shot him as he held out a hand for the dragon scale. Wind passed it over with a regretful look, and Twilight jumped back into the water with a terrific splash and rode the current back down to the start.

Hyrule was waiting for him, face set and fists clenched with determination. Twilight took a moment to breathe, bending over and setting his hands on his knees, and eyed Hyrule thoughtfully.

“You sure you’re up to this?”

The traveler’s expression didn’t even so much as waver, and he nodded firmly. “I’d face a whole lot of worse things to help Four. And besides,” and he shot Twilight and Legend a grin, “I have my brothers to back me up, right?”

Twilight and Legend shared a look, before Twilight swept Hyrule up into a bear hug that lifted him off his feet. Legend meanwhile turned away and grumbled about the oil levels in his lantern, pretending as if his heart hadn’t melted like the incurable softie that he was.

Hyrule let out a squeak of surprise, and burst into laughter when Twilight plopped him back down onto the ground only to give his curls a wild ruffling.

“I’m proud of you, Hyrule.” The rancher said, and Hyrule’s shoulders straightened, his determination bolstered with confidence. Then Twilight pressed the dragon scale into his hand. “Ready?”

Hyrule nodded, and when the brazier once more caught fire, they dove into the water.

This trip went just as smoothly as Wind’s, Twilight smoothly towing Hyrule down below the water to avoid the spike trap. Their landing was a bit less spectacular, as Hyrule couldn’t quite get the courage to rocket up and out. Instead, they pulled themselves up the steps onto the landing, where Twilight promptly collapsed onto his back with a gasp to recover from three back and forth trips.

A minute later, Legend joined them, smoothly jumping out of the water and onto dry ground. Wind could’ve sworn he caught a glimpse of something flickering in the water as Legend did so—something scale-like—but whatever it was, it was gone when Legend’s feet touched land.

“Still got it.” The veteran said smugly, “Though that was a lot easier without the turrets raining rocks down on my head.” He glanced around at them all.

“Got through all right, Rulie?”

Hyrule nodded, toweling his hair off with a spare cloth from his pack. Legend nodded back, satisfied, and toed a still-collapsed Twilight none-to-gently with his boot.

“Up’n’at ‘em, rancher. Did you spend all your time going through dungeons taking naps?”

“Kick me again and I’ll bite your foot.”

*-/-*-/-*-/-*-/-*

Twilight was the last one to step through the door into the next room, and the instant he stepped through, the stone door slammed shut behind him.

The heroes all exchanged glances, hands flying to sword hilts. And not a moment too soon, for a gigantic monster materialized in the middle of the room. It appeared to be a giant one-eyed jellyfish, with a cloud of electric Baris hanging around it.

“Finally!” Legend shouted. “What a relief!”

Sky shot him a look as he raised his sword. “Why are you happy that we have to fight a boss?”

“Because I didn’t know what to expect in all those empty rooms,” Legend responded, already digging in his bag for his hookshot. “With this ugly sucker, I know exactly what to expect. Twilight, Sky, you’re on hookshot duty. Rulie and Wind, once we pull the Baris towards us, wait a second for the electricity to go off and then hit them.”

He grinned wildly, aiming his hookshot at the monster. “Honestly, Arrghus II here gave me a bit of trouble when I first came through, but with five heroes?”

His hookshot sank into the Bari, ripping it away from Arrghus II and dragging it towards it’s doom, where Hyrule waited eagerly with his sword at the ready. The electricity went off, and then the silver blade of the magic sword was arcing through the air, instantly dispelling the monster into mist.

Legend grinned and aimed again. “This’ll be a breeze.”

*-/-*-/-*-/-*-/-*

Legend’s plan went off flawlessly—between the five of them, Arrghus was wittled down quickly, and with a final swipe of Sky’s sword, was dispatched into nothingness.

Wind looked around the room thoughtfully. “Isn’t it funny that the boss was left while all the other monsters were cleared out? Why do you think that is?”

Everyone turned to look at Twilight. The rancher threw his hands into the air. “Don’t look at me! I haven’t done it yet!”

“Nayru’s bleeding heart, I hate paradoxes.” Legend muttered, and headed for the door into the next room. “Come on, guys, the first sword in the next room. We just need to grab it and move on.”

They obediently trailed after him, a slight hush falling them as the realization that they’d achieved the first step of their goal. Only three swords left, and they could save Four.

They stepped through and saw the sword, sticking out of the pedestal. The golden hilt had a green gem that sparkled faintly in the dimness.

“Who’s gonna draw it?” Wind whispered into the quiet, and Legend let out a sigh.

“No reason to just stand around,” And with a few quick strides he was at the sword. He sucked in a deep breath, grasped the sword, and drew it out of the stone in a swift motion.

There was a brilliant flash of light and magic, and all of a sudden Four was lying at Legend’s feet, clad entirely in green, and oozing black blood from a wound in his side.

“Farore’s roaring winds!” Legend screeched, and stumbled back, eyes wide. The others cried out and rushed forward, Sky and Hyrule falling to their knees besides Four’s crumpled form.

“Why didn’t you mention this before?” Twilight gasped, looking down at Four in horror, and Legend shook his head frantically, face white.

“This didn’t happen last time! I have no idea what’s going on.”

“Hyrule!” Wind cried out, peering over Sky’s shoulder. “Look at his blood, I think he’s cursed!”

Hyrule’s face pinched as he looked. “I can try the life spell, but I don’t know—"

Sky’s face settled into a grim line, fire blazing in his eyes. “Cursed, is it? Well, I can solve that.”

With a swift movement—so swift it was as if Fi herself leapt into his hand—Sky had the Master Sword drawn and pressed the flat of the blade against the wound in Four’s side.

There was a flash of brilliant blue, and Four jolted and screamed. Then the flash died down, and the heroes all gasped.

The blood was flowing red again.

“Now this I can solve, no problem,” Hyrule said, ripped the cork off a bottle of blue potion with his teeth. Twilight bent down and pressed open Four’s mouth, and in a twinkling the potion disappeared down Four’s throat.

Four fell still, and the heroes all froze, not daring to so much as to breath, and waited.

The blood flow slowed, stopped, and Four’s breathing eased.

As one, they sucked in gasps of air, like they’d just burst past the finish line and collapsed in relief on the far side.

“Wait---did—did we do it?” Wind grabbed Sky’s shoulders, shaking him a little, dampness gathering at the corners of his eyes. “Is he gonna be okay now?”

Sky carefully lifted the sliced edges of Four’s green tunic, peering at the skin beneath. It was hale and whole, the blue potion having done it’s work well.

He let the cloth fall down again, a tenseness he’d been carrying since Legend had first shared his story slowly eking out of his shoulders. “It seems like he’s out of the clouds, now.

Four jerked, a strangled yell bursting out of him. Green eyes flying wide open, and Sky narrowly avoided being smacked upside the head by a thrashing arm. Hyrule wasn’t so lucky, and let out a pained grunt as a knee slammed him in the gut.

Sky somehow managed to wrestle Four’s arms down against the floor, while Twilight firmly wrapped his arms around Four’s shoulders, holding Four’s upper torso against his lap. Meanwhile, Wind and Hyrule rushed to grab Four’s legs, and Legend stood by, hands full of Four’s sword and getting antsier from a desire to help by the second.

 Four need to calm down, Sky thought frantically, exchanging panicked looks with Twilight. Hyrule may have had healed Four’s injury, but Sky remembered how exhausted Sun had been after she awoke from her long sleep. Magic and curses and seals sapped one’s energy. Four need to lie , and Sky was going to make sure he did so.

Four didn’t seem to agree, if the constant attempts at moving indicated anything.

“Calm down, Four,” Twilight said gently, somehow managing to conceal the panic roiling within. “It’s us. We’ve got you, you’re safe.”

Something seemed to get through to the smith, for Four stilled for a moment, his breath gasping, gaze darting about wildly. “Who are you—I don’t know—what—”

Sky shared a nervous glance with his brothers.

…did Four lose his memories, just like Wild had?

Suddenly, Four let out a ragged gasp. The next moment, there was sudden surge of movement as Four bucked furiously in their grip, forcing Twilight to clutch him tightly. “Let me go!” His voice was a snarl, raging and wild. “WHERE IS HE?”

“Where is who?” Wind piped up.

Four refused to stop struggling, nearly managing to kick his legs free from Hyrule and Wind. “The King! Where is the Gerudo Kin---”

He froze, his face going white. “ZELDA!”

*-/-*-/-*-/-*-/-*

To be continued...

[silkling]

Am I the only one who feels like Cheetor deserved better in Cyberverse? I wanted to bring this up with the movies dropping soon, but it’s been on my mind for a while now.

So I want to preface this whole thing by saying that Cheetor is one of my favorite characters of the show. I unashamedly adore him. He’s so cute and pure and watching how he handles all the things that are thrown at him is just…it’s the Good Stuff, guys. It’s so good. Like, seriously remember that episode where he was made an Autobot scout cause he’s really good at being a sneaky little spy-cat? I do.

Like seriously. He’s genuinely good at. Its shown that Cheetor is a very fast learner, and very intuitive. He’s smart, very much so. There’s so many instances of this but really two come to mind.

The first is the episode where Bumblebee is training him. At the end, we see him use all the things he sneakily stole one by one, very ingeniously. He finished by catching one of the scraplets with Wheeljack’s device. And Bumblebee didn’t tell him how to do any of that. He did it all on his own.

And then the space surfing episode. Like, it took him literally seconds to figure out how to do it. Cheetor is a genuinely clever character, and it makes him so fun to watch. Especially cause he’s not smug about it. He’s just…smart, and he casually shows that with clever problem solving, but it’s never made into a thing.

But that all aside, there’s one other thing I want to being up. Cheetor is implied to be a lot younger than the rest of the Autobots. Why do I say this? Well, let’s look at a few things.

1. We know the others were all adults before the war started. We can see this in Bumblebee’s memories. The earliest memory we see is Megatron in the arena, and shortly after we see Bee meeting Windblade for the first time.

2. We know that there were a few years in between those early memories and the war starting. We don’t know exactly how long, but some time definitely passed.

3. We know that the war spent many years on Cybertron, enough that the planet got wrecked, before Optimus threw the All Spark off world and then subsequently took the Autobots to find it in the Ark.

4. We know the Ark crashed during the era of the dinosaurs and the Bots on board spent that time in stasis.

5. We know the All Spark created Cheetor after it arrived on earth.

What he don’t know is whether that was before or after the Ark crash. However, for the purposes of this argument, let’s just say it was before. Even with that, it means that all the Autobots are much, much older than Cheetor, having spent millions of years fighting a war, and then having spent millions of years just living normally before the war started, all before Cheetor came into being. So even if the All Spark gave him the body and mind of an adult, he is still very young. We can see that in the way he acts. Everything that isn’t from Earth is new to him. He’s very naive. He doesn’t fully grasp the full weight of the war until after the All Spark is stolen from him. Like, seriously people. His first thought when trying to decide what to do with the All Spark was to basically play a game of Final Jeopardy with Megatron and Optimus. Look at this little wholesome idiot. Look at him.

But anyway. I’m getting distracted. The point is, he’s young. He’s not stupid, and he knows how to fight and handle himself, but he’s still young. And all he wants is to make friends and find a home. Remember the episode where Bee and Hot Rod were telling him about Cybertron? He got so excited. He finally had his home in reach and he’s get to see and learn everything about it that he hadn’t been able to. He’d get to return the All Spark to its proper place and could leave behind much of the weight that came with being its Guardian.

But that didn’t happen. Instead, Shockwave tried to corrupt it, and he was forced to give his own spark to fix it. He died, and he didn’t even get to experience all the things about this joke he’d been so excited for.

And then after his death, he wasn’t ever mentioned. Not once. Not by Bee, or Hot Rod, or literally anyone. He sacrificed himself for everyone, and then they all just…forgot about him.

Just…god.

I don’t know people. I love Cheetor. I love him lots and lots, and he’s a genuinely good character, and he deserved so much better.

[animemangasoul]

You Are Wanted Obi-Wan Kenobi

Summery: Summery: Qui-Gon lives and Mace gets a new Padawan.

[In which Qui-Gon repudiates Obi-Wan and Mace isn't about to let the kid leave the order without a fight.]

Chapter: 8/10?

His mission debrief was held in private with only himself standing in the middle and Master Yoda sitting across from him. Feemor was grateful for that. It was a small thing, a tiny gesture of consideration but it meant a lot to him and Feemor was sure his Great Grandmaster was aware of it, after all, Yoda had always been kind to him and that hadn't changed even after Qui-Gon Jinn disowned him.

So standing there; ignoring his throbbing knee for all it was worth, he carefully and with enough detail to suffice, summed up his mission.

The disastrous mission that nearly cost him everything. Might still be costing him everything. With the haunting voice at the back of his mind, echoing a constant reminder off his stripped humanity, of his lost dignity of……

When he closed his eyes at night, he could still hear it. The roars, the thirst for blood, the calling of death. He could still feel the grim of filth under his nails, the rot of expiration on his skin and he could taste it, the pain.

He'd fought in the Pits for over a year and a half and it clung to him like the stink of penance yet to be absolved.

After all, how could he call himself a Jedi if he'd killed to survive?

And yet….. here he was, back in old Jedi robes, skin clean, shaved head although marred with scars, actually alive with dust of blonde locks peaking out and hiding his damaged scalp.

He was tainted, Feemor knew that all too well. Maybe if he'd been a Shadow he would have been able to set aside the disgust, the horror, the guilt, but…. He wasn't. He was just an ordinary Jedi Master who'd gotten himself into more than he could handle and then felt too honour bond not to do the logical thing. The smart thing. He'd let his emotions rule him and now…now he was giving his report as if…. As if what he'd done, what he'd sacrificed had all been part of the mission.

"Hard on yourself you are," Master Yoda spoke up, breaking him out of his spiraling thoughts. "Believe this you might not, but the right thing you did. Saved those Padawans and force sensitive kids you did with the choice you made."

Feemor swallowed thickly, eyes blinking furiously to hold back the stinging of tears. The pride in Master Yoda's voice was obvious as the sun was bright and any other day, any other time in his life Feemor would have soaked it in like a starving wild animal thrown a piece of meat . But after everything….. After his failed mission….. After all that he'd been through. The praise felt like hot coal against his skin and he found himself recoiling away from it. Eyes drilling into his boots, bottom lip catching between his teeth.

How had everything gone so wrong?

The mission had been simple. Track down missing lightsabers currently being sold in the black-market by a notorious black-market dealer, known to have belonged to the Coruscant Temple's missing Padawans. Report back and let the Shadows handle the rest. Simple enough. Or it should have been. It's after all the reason why he took it in the first place.

Coming back from a grueling long mission on the outer-rim, Feemor had taken it as a chance to finally get that break he'd been putting off for so long. He would go, track down the dealer, report back and let a Shadow take over.

Simple enough.

Simple….enough.

But it wasn't. Because loathe as he was to admit it, Feemor was nothing if not Qui-Gon Jinn's former Padawan and if there was anything that their lineage was infamous for was their ability to get into more trouble than was imaginable. The simplicity of the mission should have clued him in from the very beginning. But it hadn't and that was his first mistake.

And now here he was, unable to breathe a single minute without remembering the hands touching his skin, without recalling the foul breaths of those masked men, sizing him up like nothing more than the slave he'd become. Unable to go a day without remembering the fear, the terror of even taking something as innocent as a nap for you never knew……

["Left, you could have," Master Yoda had said when he'd come off the ship yesterday. "Choose to stay you did."]

And he had. He had chosen it. No one had forced his hand. No one had been there to force him. The slice of a knife, the burns of hot metal rods, the combats of death, he'd endured it all for a chance to track down the kids. Kids he'd found out weren't actually dead but being……

He'd chosen to stay in the darkness. Freedom had been in touch. Fresh air, warm clothes, home, it had all been so very close. He'd managed to escape the clutches of Mir'randa, managed to collect his lightsaber, info chip in hand, just a step away from his passage out of the accursed planet. He could have taken it, but he hadn't because at the end of it all. Despite everything he'd been through, everything he would continue to endure, he was a Jedi. So when he'd sensed the new shipment.

The force sensitive shipments.

The choice became obvious. So painfully obvious.

They'd been kids after all. Some unknown, unfamiliar but most of them….. They'd been theirs. Jedi Padawans. Their missing Jedi Padawans, and now those kids, terrified, hurt, having been through force knows what were about to be pulled into the very nightmare Feemor wanted to escape, and what had he done?

He'd watched as his window of escape closed. Watched as his last hope off the planet disappeared with a single droid; carrying a single chip meant for the Jedi temple and he'd made his way back inside. Back into the darkness. Back to the clutches of Mir'randa, back to being less than human. Less than a Jedi. Knowing this might very well be the last time he'd be able to sense the force dancing and flittering around him because this time around he knew his force-suppressant collar would likely be impossible to remove.

And for what?

For…..

What……

Gritting his teeth, Feemor dug his fingernails into his palm, the jolt of pain bringing him back to reality. Back from there.

"Sit down, you should." Feemor choked down a strangled noise of despair and shook his head, left knee straining under him.

"No thank you, Master." For he would be damned if he let himself show weakness. Not when he'd failed so spectacularly. Not when he'd only manage to save seven of them. Just seven. Four Padawans and three force sensitive kids.

Only seven when there had been sixteen.

He'd only managed to save seven……seven kids out of sixteen.

His stomach turned. An image of the Pit flashing through his mind for a single agonizing moment before he brutally shoved it to the back of his mind with the rest of his darkest deeds.

Seven.

"Will that be all, Master Yoda?" He managed to keep his voice stable even as his knee screamed, his heart thudded like the dreams of war and his scars ached with every breath. "Because I need to find my former Master and have a long overdue conversation with him."

A flicker of amusement danced across his Great Grandmaster's eyes before it was drowned out by concern yet again. If the concern was for him, for Qui-Gon, for Obi-Wan? Feemor didn't quite know. But he appreciated non-the-less. "A talking to he needs," the old troll rumbled, gimer-stick hitting the ground twice. "But first to the Halls you need to go. Grateful I am for the people of Dugmulo for taking care of you and the young children, but a secondary check up by our own, ease my heart it would."

Feemor smiled, it made his cheeks ache, strain. "Of course Master," he said, clasping his hands under his robes and giving a shallow bow; his knee protested but he refused to let it bother him. "I'll do that right away."

After all, he had all the time in the world now, didn't he?

He'd busted the ring, he'd shut down Mir'randa's Games, he'd…..yes, yes he'd failed to save them all but he'd saved some and those he hadn't been able to, he….. those Padawans, their bodies, he'd recovered them for the proper Jedi burial they deserved and for the others, Master Yoda had secured a journey back to their own families as their last resting place. Had it broken something fundamentally vital within him to do so? Perhaps. Had it cost him sleepless nights fraught with horrors brought on his creaking shoulders, horrors he'd been subjected to and caused himself to keep them all alive for just one more day. Yes, of course, yes. But…..

It was all over now, wasn't it?

He'd come back. He was home. Where he belonged. It had taken weeks.

After the Pit, after the Jedi came to the rescue, weeks of bacta tanks and treatments and several weeks more to ensure the safety and security of those kids who still----

He swallowed thickly, refusing to allow himself to collapse in front of his Grandmaster, no matter how much that might help liberate the choking guilt clawing at his throat because how could any of these kids trust him still after everything they'd seen him do? After the scars and burns and tears and blood. After seeing the filthy arena filled with the bodies of their fallen under the same sky as the cheers of their spectators?

How did anything he'd done to get the word out, to stop the trafficking, how did any of that lessen his desperate actions to keep them alive for another day, another week, another month, year…..how did it make up for it?

But he had all the time in the world now.

All the time.

And he'd come back for a reason. For Obi-Wan Kenobi. Because with all his newly acquired scars, still, no matter how, somehow being repudiated by Qui-Gon ran the deepest.

So what could he do but try and help his Padawan brother the only way he knew how? Running off to go fix what his former Master had somehow managed to break in his absence. As if Xanatos hadn't been enough of a nightmare to deal with as it was.

Maybe after he took care of that he could answer back Kuflo's insisting messages and Androlet's updates on how things were going Dugmulo. Maybe, maybe.

The Halls would just have to wait a little while longer. Because if he could do one right thing today, maybe it would be his first act to wipe away the blood marring his soul.

He took a step back from Master Yoda and turned to the door, wincing at the strain that simple action put on his knee; saying a soft goodbye.

"May the force be with you Great Grandpadawan."

Feemor's lips twitched, it didn't reach quite reach his eyes. "May the force be with you as well, Master." And with that, he left.

One foot in front of the other. Eyes focused on nothing but the path ahead. Ignoring the murmurs around him, the gossip, the looks of concern at his bandaged appearance and his limp. He ignored it all. Only allowing himself the briefest glimmer of satisfaction at the positive mutters on one Obi-Wan Kenobi that he caught every now and then. Apparently being the new Padawan of the Master of the Order was something to behold.

It did hurt a bit, Feemor silently had to admit to himself, not having had the chance to take on the kid himself.

After all, that was the primary reason why he'd wanted to rush back to begin with, despite initially deciding to supervise the imprisonment of the Gamers, but it hurt less knowing that the kid hadn't been thrown to the side for too long. That he hadn't been alone, confused, broken hearted for months as he wondered what he'd done wrong to be discarded like his time with Qui-Gon meant nothing that he was worthle…..clenching his fists tight enough to leave dents, Feemor gritted his teeth.

This wasn't about him. Going down this path would only lead to his suffering. Only reopen old wounds he was not quite ready to acknowledged. So he needed to focus on the here and now. This wasn't about him.

It was about Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon and little Skywalker and what he, Feemor could do to make things better. That was it. Nothing more. After all, hadn't he already lost his chance to get to know his Padawan brother with his own indecisions? He could have gotten to know him any time he'd wanted, but he had….he'd been so angry, so hurt, and he'd refused to have anything to do with the must innocent party in all of it. And that wasn't, shouldn't be an excuse.

So Master Windu was fine. Great even. The perfect Master probably. The one who stepped up when no one else would.

And…. He…..Feemor….he was not well. Not anymore. So taking on a Padawan brother who probably didn't even know who he was, that was just a recipe for disaster. So this was good. 'Yes,' he told himself firmly, taking one step after the other as he traced his steps from the council chambers to the Room of Thousand Fountains. 'This is good. Master Windu is a perfect choice so all I can do for Obi-Wan now,' when his knee nearly buckled under him, he again regretted not putting on the brace. 'Is to find Master Jinn and set things straight. For the betterment of everyone.'

'One problem with that plan though,' he grimaced, slamming a hand against the nearest wall for stability. Taking a moment to be grateful he was in an empty hallway and no one was there to witness his momentary weakness.

Frowning down at his right leg, he bared his teeth in frustration. Looked like his knee would refuse to carry him all the way to his destination after all.

"Kriff it," he hissed, teeth biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. "Kriff it all."

The agony coursing through his leg was almost unbearable. It had stiffened significantly on his walk over to the Council debriefing and Feemor should have known then that he wasn't going to make it but……

Weakness Is Death

That had been a mantra, his mantra that he'd lived by for what felt like forever. Instilled it in the kids. Bad'kuu, Kuflo, Gaa'ah, Androlet…. Everyone. He'd said it so many times it was all he knew how to say to them anymore. Weakness is death. To show a vulnerability was to allow yourself to be broken. To be scrapped from the inside out. The fingers. The touching, the prodding, the dragging…….

Weakness Is Death.

So Feemor refused to show it. To wear the brace, not in front of Yoda. Not in front of those who'd already seen his failures. Not when he needed to be strong and honorable to show…. To show he hadn't fallen.

He hadn't even been allowed to come back until several Jedi Masters had confirmed he hadn't turned. He was good. He was still a good Jedi, tainted yes,  but not fallen. Not yet. And what a relief that revelation had been. To know that despite everything he'd done, he could still call himself a Jedi. But he wasn't delusional enough not to know he was still under keen observation. Falter once, fall one time and it was all over.

So, no knee brace.

He'd managed to make due in the Pit. Fighting with a bad knee was disadvantage enough without him broadcasting that fact to the entire arena. Spectators and fighters alike. He'd always had a weak right knee ever since that disastrous first mission he took as a Master, but it hadn't been too hard to deal with at first, even if he'd had to take up Jar'kai to make up for his lack of mobility when it acted up.

Jar'Kai had been a way for him to compensate for his damaged knee at first, nearly two years in the Pit however, and it had solidified itself as the only form he could trust to keep him safe. To keep him alive.

Protect yourself for no one else will protect you under the skies of Miiir.

Sinking to the floor, eyes blinking back the sudden wetness burning at the edges, Feemor allowed himself a moment to just loathe it all. The regret, the pain, the failure, the shame. And then he breathed in and let it go.

It wouldn't do to dwell on the unchangeable.

Shoulders sagging he let his head drop back with a gentle thud against the wall behind him and he let his eyes fall shut. It all felt rather heavy. Being back here, being back home.

Maybe a moment to rest his eyes would be enough. Just a moment. Until the pain dulled. Then he'd go see Master Jinn, talk to him about missing his recent appointments with the mind healers and maybe…..maybe finally get the chance to talk things out. Yeah, maybe.

But a moment turned into two. And two turned into three and before Feemor could help it, he was clutching at his knee with both hands. The agony unparalleled.

It burned like thousand knives being sliced through his skin simultaneously. Feemor grimaced, head throbbing with the nausea bubbling in the pit of his stomach, screaming at him in aguish. 'Make it stop,' he thought, squeezing harder, fingers digging into the joints, face ashen and bottom lip bleeding. 'Kriff, make it stop.'

And then, it did. Not by much, not even half way but enough to bring a sense of clarity to him. And it was only when his mind wasn't being clouded by the bolt of sheer agony dancing through his body; paralyzing him in place, that he noticed the cold hand resting across his forehead and one atop of his joined hands. Soothing sense of warmth intermingling with his force signature and somewhat dulling the pain coursing through his veins. And Feemor breathed, raising his eyes to come face to face with one Obi-Wan Kenobi.

----------

"Stop," he ordered when he finally found his voice behind the sudden lump in his throat, gently pushing those hands away even as he instantly missed the soothing force healing that came with them. But Obi-Wan looked like death warmed over himself and Feemor would be force damned if he let his first action back home be to hospitalize his Padawan brother. "Thank you, but I'm okay."

The young man kneeling in front of him didn't look convinced, brows furrowing slightly and lips pursed, but he did back away, choosing to sit down next to him; grunting as he adjusted himself against the wall, cane coming to rest by his side. Feemor raised a brow in question, making his Padawan brother laugh lightly.

"Anakin had his first lightsaber practice today," he said in answer, tapping his cane lightly. "I still have a hard time getting around so---" His smile is hallow and Feemor felt it echo in his soul.

"Yeah," he muttered back, looking down at his knee, toes curling with each pulsating burst of electric pain shooting down his leg. He shouldn't have walked on it for so long. "I get it."

"I suppose you do."

Feemor snorted. "When you say Anakin?"

"Skywalker, yes." Obi-Wan's voice was much more lighter this time. "He was….really excited about it and asked me to come so I did. I was on my way back when I----" here he trailed off, but Feemor knew exactly what he was trying not to say, and it made him flush with embarrassment.

"When you found me lying on the floor trying to tear my leg off with my bare hands?"

"Well," Obi-Wan muttered. "I wouldn't exactly say, lying." Feemor stared and Obi-Wan snorted. "Okay, you looked pretty helpless."

"Hey, you don't look so great yourself."

The answering grin was a lot brighter and more real than Feemor had expected and it tugged at his heart. Because somehow despite the dark circles under the kid's eyes, despite the paleness and the fragility to his frame, somehow, when he smiled, really smiled, Feemor could almost drown in the regret of all the wonderful years he'd missed with this kid. The years he could have known him if he had been less of a coward.

Checking up on him religiously didn't make up for not being there for him. For not protecting him against what was likely Qui-Gon's darkest years. To not be a buffer, a confidant, to be a brother. In that sense, Feemor supposed he was a lot like his former Master. Who was just as guilty in tracking his movement as he was in tracking Obi-Wan's without ever taking the first step in meeting the other party half way.

Obi-Wan Kenobi.

His not so Padawan brother. Or all the more his Padawan brother for being tossed aside like himself.

Running a bandaged hand over his head; still feeling that momentary flicker of surprise at brushing against tufts of growing out blonde hair, the broken Jedi Master breathed in deeply and let it all out.

"Feemor," he said, pointing at himself. "My name is Feemor Einar."

Obi-Wan's eyes glittered. "I know."

"Oh?"

The Padawan nodded, fingers tapping away at his wooden cane. "You're the talk of the Temple."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan's voice was neutral as anything and Feemor silently allowed himself to be impressed. He'd never been very good at keeping his emotions in check. "Sounds to me like you stopped a force sensitive trafficking ring and ended a barbaric gladiator tournaments in one single mission."

Feemor couldn't quite suppress the flinch at those words, and it made him burn with shame. "Not soon enough I'm afraid."

"I didn't mean---" Obi-Wan started, clearly noticing his sudden change in demeanor. The harshness in his force signature, the darkness and Feemor internally cursed himself for losing his grasp over his emotions, for his Padawan brother should never sound so uncertain and worried around him. "I didn't mean to bring it up I only heard----"

"It's okay," Feemor cut him off, careful to keep his voice gentle this time despite how his soul screamed and his heart longed for him to hide away for all eternity. "I didn't mean……" He sighed. "It's just been….tough."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yeah."

Digging his nail into the crack between the tiles, Feemor focused on the pressure on his barely growing in nails and opened his mouth, keeping his voice playfully light. "I hear you're pretty famous around these parts yourself."

A beat and then another, silence filling up slowly between them and it's all Feemor could do to try and find a way to backtrack and try again? Figure out another way? Help? When his Padawan brother, pressed himself even tighter against the wall and clutched at his cane. "You could say that," he whispered, tone strained and part way broken. "You could say that."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

A single shake of the head.

Feemor hummed softly in understanding. "Then Obi-Wan Kenobi, it's a pleasure to officially meet you."

A huff. "Likewise Master Einar."

"You know who I really am, don't you?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Not for long. Just after," The kid pulled at his braid. "Thanks for the bead by the way."

Dragging his focus away from his knee, Feemor nodded. "Of course."

A welcoming silence fell between them this time and Feemor was content with it. To sit there with his Padawan brother, after everything, just sit there with him. Not moving, not doing anything. And enjoy his company even if he didn't quite know how to connect with him yet. Even if they still had so much to talk about. And it's not like he didn't have a good reason. After all, the simple thought of trying to stand on his busted leg made his stomach do nauseating flips. But he couldn't stay here forever, not when he needed to see Qui-Gon and sort this all out, not when he still had that medical check up and the kids back at----

So when Obi-Wan bumped his cane against his shoulder and said "You look like you need this more than me," it's all Feemor can do not to drag the haunted looking kid into a desperate hug meant to suffocate with affection. Instead he grinned, taking the offered cane but still remaining seated.

"About Qui-Gon---"

"What about him?"

"I'm sorry that he did that to you."

Obi-Wan paused. And then, "I'm sorry he that to you too."

Feemor nodded back. "Thank you." And he meant it. Of course he meant it for there were very few who could truly understand what he'd been through and sympathize, even if he would never wish this on the kid given a choice, he was still so very grateful for the shared understanding no matter how much it grated on his dignity to admit so. "And I know it doesn't mean much, but I promise you Obi-Wan it wasn't your fault. Master Jinn, he's just…." He should really be getting up, but----. "He lashes out when he's cornered and that reflects badly on him and not you." He really really needed to get up and or he might never get up at all today and yet----. "You are wanted Obi-Wan Kenobi, I promise you that."

He should get up, but when the kid took a sharp intake of breath, then tentatively rested his head on his shoulder after a brief second of hesitation; auburn hair brushing under his chin, Feemor couldn't quite make himself do what he had to do because there was something that was so much more important right here, right now. "I'm going to punch him in the face." He didn't know why those words came out, but he meant them. And---

Obi-Wan laughed, it sounded a little bit broken and a little bit wet but it put a smile on Feemor's face and this one didn't quite ache as much. "Good luck with that."

"Thanks," he said, shifting closer so the kid could rest on his shoulder more comfortably. "I'll make it a good one."

Obi-Wan bumped their shoulders together and Feemor bumped him back, eyes feeling suspiciously damp.

Repudiated Padawans of Qui-Gon Jinn ought to stick together after all.

The End

Chapter: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

[teratron]

Transformers: Last Bot Standing #3 Review

By Nick Roche (writer/artist), E.J. Su (artist)

-----

Man, this series has been great. Roche and Su really got something special going on here.

Besides the action scenes, which really kick into gear in this issue, the best stuff of this issue were interactions between Steeljaw and Rodimus. Steeljaw espousing he's and the rest of the Visitor's doing what they need to survive, as all species do especially ones known for the ability to change.

Later adding on that even with all that they're species did do the known galaxy, it's not really up to Rodimus to decide that they get to live or die.

Rodimus, unsurprisingly, taking the opposite view. Their species had their chance and the reason the Visitors are even in the dire straights they find themselves in are because of how much the universe has been left an apparent wasteland because of the Autobot-Decepticon War.

Do like though that even though Rodimus is characterized as very worn-down and cynical, he still has that sense of immature rebelliousness to him. Roche has said Rodimus/Hot Rod has always been one of his favorites and he shows a good grasp on the underlining fundamentals of the character, even showing through in these different circumstances than we usually find him in.

I enjoyed Wheelie's brief usage in this story. I know some will role eyes at taking the maligned kid-appeal character and making him this but thought he served two good roles in this story. One being for Rodimus to call out a former contemporary of how far they're species has fallen and it's makes Wheelie as disgrace to the Autobot insignia he wears. Goes to show Rodimus still has a few scraps of Autobot idealism left in him.

And two, some comedy. This was just funny and I say this as someone who doesn't even hate Wheelie. This is right kind of stupid fun I expect from this franchise.

If I had any serious critique so far is that while I like Shib herself, the rest of the residents of the town so far (in particular the Sheriff character) tend to fall into standard Western genre stereotypes. That's most fine as they're clearly not the main threats, or focus, of the series but does make wish the town had a bit more of a unique vibe to it.

I'll save my other thoughts for when we finally reach the end of the series. Sad it's only four issues but hoping Roche and Su are able to stick the landing, I'm expecting something ranging from bittersweet to full on depressing.

[shikai-the-storyteller]

Mae Catt’s Cyberverse Q&A

Here’s a neater version of some key Q&A responses from Mae Catt’s Cyberverse stream. 

Please note: not everything is verbatim, and also note that Mae Catt said “Don’t take things I say as the end-all be-all.” She’s a big supporter of fanfic writers!

This Q&A session contains spoilers for Season 3 of Cyberverse. For a (somewhat) more comprehensive transcript, please refer to this post.

Q: Megop rights?

“Oh absolutely, duh.”

Q: What does Optimus do when he’s not giving speeches / being a leader when they were all hanging out on the ARK?

I think he reads, he seems like a heavy reader. It’d be cute if he read really bad Earth romance novels. He seems like a guy who needs a break from everything.

Q: Does Optimus have hobbies?

Not to borrow from Rung, but doesn’t it seem like Optimus would make model ships? Very quiet, very focused detail-oriented hobby. *pauses* Oh duh, he also plays basketball.

Q: How did the Decepticons learn to stream? 

Because they’re deceptive! Megatron knew he should dedicate some time to winning the hearts and minds of humans. Starscreams’ funeral was not the first time they streamed. Optimus would use the official media channels (like the news), not a streaming service. Megatron would try to speak more directly to the people.

Q: Is Optimus the type of streamer who would take 10 minutes to figure out how to un-mute his microphone?

Optimus is a dad. He has no idea what’s going on with streaming. Optimus would say embarrassing things while Bee and Hot Rod were in the middle of streaming something.

Q: Is Megatron dead?

In discussions we wanted to kill him. We wanted to do a reverse Optimus death. However, in the final product, I kinda enjoy the ambiguity rather than the final decision. Can’t remember if we were decisive about that in the script.

Q: Did the Titan mind Decepticons living in them?

The Titans want to be cities. They want citizens. They want to be lived in, that brings them joy.

Q: Does Megatron do anything for fun or is he too angry?

I want to say he’s too angry, he has fun beating people down but I don’t think he’s had fun for a long time.

Q: How would you feel about a female Optimus Prime? 

[GAY LAUGHTER] 

The question is: do you turn Optimus Prime into a woman, or do you take characters like Elita One and uplift her? I would want to lean more into giving Elita One more oomph, I do love how Optimus doubts himself and if he’s worthy of being a Prime.

(Mae Catt talked a lot about representation and later mentioned how there's more pressure to write the girl characters well, especially because of the need for better representation. They wanted more girls in the show, and they planned to have Jazz be a girl).

Q: Elita prime when?

All the time, in my heart!

Q: Did you plan to have ___ character in the show?

Almost every character was discussed at least once. 

She really regrets that they didn’t get to have Beast Machine Obsidian or Rumble and Frenzy in the show, and says she would’ve loved a MTMTE-style Ultra Magnus / Minimus and Transmutate. She didn’t know what Obsidian’s personality would be, it was just a “Look how cool he is!” sort of thing.

(Note: We have Mae Catt to thank for Whirl getting into Cyberverse)

Q: What was your favorite episode?

“I Am the AllSpark” because of the Megatron and Starscream dialogue (which she wrote). Also S2 04 Soundwave and Shockwave.

I enjoyed writing Starscream most, Clobber and Hot Rod became a joy, S2 E4 was my first episode, and it was fun getting into Hot Rod’s voice. It was hard doing Optimus’ voice, I’d always pass it off to someone to look at it.

Q: Did you ever plan to have Hot Rod become Rodimus?

Rodimus was never considered for the show because Optimus dying has been covered to death, but we were adamant about portraying Hot Rod as someone who wanted to be a leader. Hot Rod is someone who is learning to be a leader.

(On that note, when someone asked if she thought Bee would ever become Prime, Mae Catt said:)

I don’t think Bee would be a Prime. Windblade and Hot Rod would be a better Prime. He wouldn’t want to be a Prime. He’s the #2 to Primes!

Q: Did Megatron always plan to return to Cybertron?

Megatron’s priorities changed when he saw his doppelganger. Realizing he was a horrible tyrant, that scared him enough to return and not kill Optimus and make peace no matter what.

Q: Which death hurt you the most?

Starscream. (Slipstream’s hurt too).

We didn’t want to kill people off willy-nilly for shock value, but in certain instances it made sense. Like, the audience will fall in love with Slipstream because she’s becoming good, so she has to die. (She apologized for that sounding harsh). We killed Prowl because it was Shadow Striker doing the killing and he’s a self-sacrificing lieutenant. I almost wanted Starscream to emerge from the Judge’s head untouched, but I’m ultimately glad that idea got shot down.

(She circles back to this comment later, so I’m making note of that here since it wasn’t a direct response to a question)

When I was desperately trying to save Starscream’s life even though I brutally murdered Slipstream, I wanted Starscream to have amnesia and have a redeption arc. I wanted him to have a Windblade shard and have it be kind of like Castaway, where the only person he talked to was that (and the shard only had 5 phrases it could say). Eventually Bee would befriend him and he’d wind up with the Autobots.

I wanted to write Starscream kind of like an abuse victim who expects the worst of the Autobots, but I wanted him to warm up slowly to them. I wanted to have a Starscream and Optimus episode where Starscream messes up on something and Optimus is like “you did your best and that’s what counts”, a response which is totally new to Starscream. But obviously we didn’t have time for that.

Regarding redemption arcs (a continuation from the previous question, and a huge highlight from the stream):

Re: the potential for Starscream’s redemption arc “A redemption arc needs to be facilitated by a character acknowledging that what they did was wrong. He would have had a laundry list of excuses for it, even if there was all that evidence to the contrary, but the character needs to acknowledge that reasons don’t matter because people got hurt [by their actions]. [The character] needs to intend to do better. Let them try and let them fail, they don’t need to do a 180, it’s hard work to be a better person.”

NOTE: Mae Catt also made a few more comments re: the idea of a Starscream redemption arc on her Tumblr page.

Q: Did Megatron really kill Starscream?

The Starscream beatdown was super severe and they were like “holy frick they’re really going for it” when they saw the storyboards. According to Maecatt, Megatron didn’t kill Starscream when he slammed him down (which is a bit confusing since the show definitely made it seem like Starscream died). 

Q: Did Drift die? Why was he a double-agent?

According to us, Drift did not make it, but I fully endorse whatever you want. We needed a double-agent, someone who would (seemingly) kill Hot Rod. (She says they went with Drift because of his history in the comics).

(Later on in the stream)

Maybe Drift is alive, maybe he’s rethinking his decision and he’ll come back later. Drift would’ve been helpful in S3 for sure, maybe he’d come back with Repugnis or something.

Q: Why are you so mean to Percy? 

He's so mature and pragmatic that he can take it, and is willing to take one for the team bc he understands that it's what he needs to do. (In response to someone’s comment about his personality) Yes, he’s calmly feral.

Q: Is Skullcruncher Percy's bouncer now that he's running Maccadam's? 

Oh totally.

(She later mentions that Percy has permanently taken over Maccadam’s. Also: Skullcruncher is a lady! She misses Mac, but Percy takes good care of her).

Q: If Tarn is the perfect Decepticon who's the perfect Autobot? 

A firetruck alt mode, and an Autobot insignia as a face. Nat (her fiance) and I talked about it a lot. Optimus SHOULD be a fire truck, it makes the relationship between him and Ratchet a little more fun since Ratchet is an ambulance, and Optimus has an ax. It just makes sense! 

(She agreed that the perfect Autobot would be Thunderclash after the chat said that).

On that note, Mae Catt said they used Tarn for the show because: “OBVIOUSLY (the perfect decepticon) should look like this guy. A faceless mindless Decepticon that only serves Megatron”.

Q:  What sort of documents DID Optimus work on in the archives? 

Probably historical archives and working on stuff about all the Primes. Something like the French / American revolution equivalent, which informed his speech writing for Megatron and his own ethics.

Q: Did you always plan to make Optimus socially awkward? 

We “found” the social awkwardness for Optimus. Optimus was depicted as a father figure in S1 (implying it’s because S1 is from Bee’s perspective), S2 / S3 we were able to explore more and found the limits [writing him] and found it was hard to maintain that level of heroic dialogue. Optimus would feel awkward about it too. Randolph did an impression of Optimus’ speech for the Party Down episode. “[Optimus] can’t not be in war-mode.”

Q: Were Optimus and Megatron ever friends, or did they just work together on the speech stuff? 

Oh hell yes, I think [the story] is always enhanced when they’re friends and when Optimus really believes in what Megatron was working on. Optimus’ rejection of Megatron is what pushes him over the edge, his best friend rejecting him pushes him into a place where he becomes a tyrannical person.

Q: Does Maccadam know we love him? 

Mae Catt: *puts hand over hear heart and looks off into the distance dramatically* Yes.

Q:  What’s the best selfie Arcee’s ever taken? 

I like the one with the giraffe. Or maybe a selfie with some humans. I like the idea of Arcee having a bunch of human friends. 

Q: What do the Transformers think of the Florida Man? 

They can’t really tell the difference between humans, they don’t really get it. It just sorta looks like all the normal stuff they see on Earth (or something). 

Q: Who’s the Florida Man of the Transformers? 

Rack ‘n Ruin. But he’s too nice. Hmmm.

Q: What was most important to you personally to put out in each episode? Like humor/characterization/arcs 

I wanted to make sure I didn’t write dialogue that was condescending to kids, wanted to be true about the character. Dialogue needs to be true to the characters, and gay. (Laughs)

Q: Do Transformers know what memes are?

They know what they ARE, but they don’t get it. We wanted Hot Rod to be super into Earth culture (winning races and driving off before humans could realize no one was in the car), but we never had time to really get into that.

Q: What music does Soundwave like?

We had a cut joke from S2 E5 [where Megatron and Optimus are popping through portals all around the world trying to find the All Spark] . Soundwave pops into Brazil where there’s a music festival and he crashes the concert and hang out. He likes EDM the most? 

His favorite song is Despacito. He thinks its so sad.

Q: Were you surprised that Jake Tillman was in his 20s listening to his Optimus voice the first time?

She apparently listened to his vines a lot when he was in his teens so meeting up again like that was a cool coincidence. 

Q: What other dimensions or places did you want to be in the show?

I would’ve liked to have the other Transformers series show up (TFP, TFA, G1, Shattered Glass) but we don’t have those assets or budget. 

“This will quickly become unclear to audiences who aren’t (you people).” They couldn’t have all these references when some of their audience wouldn’t get it. 

Q: What about ____ ship?

Mae Catt says she doesn’t want to yuck anybody’s yums. For example, someone asked about Arcee/Grimlock, and while she said she sees them more as friends, she didn’t say they can’t be in a relationship. (Mae Catt also said she doesn’t ship Bee with anyone because she sees him as a little brother).

As she said several times in the stream, “Don’t take things I say as the end-all be-all”!

That being said, she did say she likes Dead End / Perceptor and Windblade / Slipstream.

Q: Why are there no humans in the show?

From the show’s conception, there were no plans to include any humans. They didn’t want humans distracting from the Transformers.

Q: Why did the Scientist collect Soundwaves?

He collects Soundwave because Soundwave is COOL! Wouldn’t you collect a single father of 5 who carries them around in his chest?

Why does anyone collect what they collect? “That’s a really angry dad who’s got five children he carries around in him and he plays music. Gotta have that!”

(Later on, she circles back to this question)

All the Other Universe Soundwaves the Scientist collected also had their own Laserbeaks. I wonder if the scientist would’ve taken them out. He might’ve just gotten rid of them.

(And of course, here are the boyfriend questions from the stream:)

Q: Is Dead End a good boyfriend?

Dead End is a work in progress, but maybe Percy is patient enough to get him there

(Mae Catt says she really loves the Deadceptor ship. She knew people would ship it, but she didn’t ship it herself until she saw the fanart for it).

Q: Is Astrotrain a good boyfriend?

No, no...he’s not a good person, really.

Q: Is Percy a good boyfriend?

Absolutely--WAIT HOLD ON. He’s very blunt, he doesn’t mince words, if you can handle his bluntness then you’re good. He is what he is and you have to deal with him.

Q: Is Soundwave a good boyfriend?

Soundwave is not a good boyfriend. He’s a good casual romance but he’s not a good boyfriend. Soundwave would be a terrible listener. He hears a lot but he’d tune you out.

Other information tidbits:

- If Thunderclash was in the show he and Jetfire would HATE each other. Thunderclash would be a rival reality star (maybe) to Media Fire.

- Mae Catt said “A lot of intelligent life is inherently mechanical” in space, explaining why so much of the non-Cybertronian life we saw in the show were robots.

- Knock Out was considered for the show, but every Transformer under the sun was discussed at some point in the writer’s room. (Ex: “Rumble and Frenzy are always considered in my heart, but there wasn’t enough time or space or assets to do so”).

- “The brand team had grown up on the toys as we had grown up on the ‘toons, so we just wanted to make the best thing imaginable.”

- They decided Optimus would be in the Other Universe’s Matrix and have a plinth because they wanted to show he was dead. “Logical backflips because he needed to be among the 13 to talk to Windblade.” 

- Dead End’s eyes are white.

- The team wanted Jazz to be a lady (!!!!!!!)  

- These characters have their own lives that we don’t see. Lots of stuff happening between episodes that we don’t always necessarily see.

- Developing Sky-Byte’s character was simultaneous with Jetfire’s character. “We knew we wanted Sky-Byte to be a poet, and we wanted him and Megatron to be chummy”.

- Percy did permanently take over Mac’s bar.  

- Her favorite VA is Jeremy Levy, he’s a really cool guy.

- She thinks Starscream and Cheetor could become (not necessarily friends, but connected?) because of their connection to the All Spark. Mentions how Starscream acknowledge Cheetor as the “Guardian of the Allspark”.

- Mae Catt describes Starscream as an “Awful gremlin” several times.

- Astrotrain and the Insecticons are from Megatron X’s universe.

- She thinks Cliffjumper and Bee wouldn’t get along, solely because of the IDW2 comic stuff. (They had a cut joke about someone telling Bee he should paint himself red and Bee saying, “But then everyone will think I’m Cliffjumper!”).

- Cyberverse got 26 episodes for season 3 because they had the 4-part episode movies.

- Megatron cares about his troops, but not in a way that we would notice that care. 

- AcidStorm is genderfluid. 

-  Cold Construction doesn’t exist in this show. When asked why all the Seekers look the same then, Mae Catt says “Maybe there’s one jet mode all the seekers really like”.

- She loves the idea of Wild Wheel robbing Astrotrain in train-mode, totally Wild West-style.

- One of the things she’s proudest of was turning Lugnut into a gal (and having so much body diversity and gender-neutral designs for a lot of characters). They wanted to include many more girls in Cyberverse (Nickel and Lightbright among them). She also mentioned that  Shadow Striker is taller than Optimus or is his height.

- She describes Cosmos as “R2D2, but a Transformer!”

- Maccadam looking like a buff Rung was just a strange coincidence.

- Blurr really was the fastest.

- Mae Catt says we absolutely SHOULD write fanfic. Fanfiction made her into the writer she is today. She wrote non-stop Matrix fanfic from the age of 12-20 years old. It helped her learn a lot about writing.

- She uses “They” pronouns for Rack ‘n Ruin when referring to both of them, but says that individually they both use “he”.

- She’s really sad that Skywarp didn’t get a speaking line.

- Mae Catt won’t say whether Ratchet finished medical school or not. (She laughed when someone commented "I don’t believe that man has ever been to medical school”). She also says she wants “I choose to believe Ratchet has never been to medical school” on a T-shirt.

- When asked why Rack ‘n Ruin were captains of the Ark in one universe, she says they’re probably the Prime in that one weird universe (lmao).

- She loves the idea that Transformers have siblings / families.

- In a world where they had an unlimited budget, it’d be fun if Cybertronians were constantly shape-shifting and changing their forms. Example: she’d like having Transformers who “grew a beard” and decided to “shave it”.

- She doesn’t understand cycles or astrocycles, she doesn’t understand the weird Transformers time stuff. (mood)

- She loved Beast Wars Inferno, she loved that Inferno called Megatron a Queen. It was played as a joke because the 90s weren’t very socially conscious, but she liked that Megatron never corrected him or beat him down.

- Shockwave altered his spark to have maximum bad vibes to destroy the All Spark.

- She said it’s hard talking about writing a show because you’re designing the experience and you have to make sometimes what sounds like cold and pragmatic decisions (eg: "we need a cold and spunky female”) which sucks, but they need to balance out the show. She says she’d never do that just for the sake of doing it, but it’s part of something that they do need to be aware of while working on a show. “It starts from a weirdly cold pragmatic place, but we try and put truth in it”.

- They didn’t want to have Unicron in the show since he’s the default “big bad”, but if he was in the show, Mae Catt says “If you put the proverbial budget-gun to my head, I’d keep Unicron in planet-mode because it’s more mysterious, but I want both alt modes”.

- Her favorite Megatron is Beast Wars Megatron.

- She doesn’t like Sky Lnxy’s design, it’s creepy. “He talks in the G1 episodes and the voice makes it worse.” She can’t get over his face.

- “I’d love to see more jets [who aren’t our usual gang] and find out all jets are kinda snobby, which explains why Starscream’s the way he is”.

- Everyone on the Autobot side are friends with each other.

Thanks for your time Mae Catt! We’re lucky to have you. Thank you for all your hard work on this amazing show.

[mattzerella-sticks]

⭐2020 Fics in Review ⭐

Happy New Year’s Eve! 💫💫💫 2020 sure was a year... between everything that was happening on the macro (the pandemic, elections, etc.) and on the micro-level (shows delayed, some ending - disastrously, so much drama, etc.), the past 12 months felt like a blur. Especially since we’ve been inside and realized time is an illusion!

But, there were moments where I was able to ground myself in the present and not be swept away by the tide. Most of them were because of fanfiction. Whether writing or reading, fanworks became a soothing balm. And I’d be remiss (and breaking tradition) if I didn’t reflect on my past works of 2020! 

I’ve written 43 fics across a wide array of fandoms - the most being Supernatural, with 9-1-1, DC Comics, Marvel, Boku No Hero Academia, Stargirl, Star Wars, Hollywood, and RWBY sprinkled in. I really branched out this year, and am looking forward to what I will write in 2021. Maybe new fandoms? Maybe an original work? Who’s to say!

Thank you to all those who’ve read my works, and am grateful for both your support and continued engagement - can’t wait to see you in 2021 with me 😁

Here are my works!

9-1-1 (TV Show)

Caught (Evan ‘Buck’ Buckely/Eddie Diaz, side Athena Grant/Bobby Nash, side Maddie Buckley/Howie ‘Chimney’ Han)

Photobooths are prime for catching special moments and making them last forever, even if they are less both and more open spaces with a backdrop. When Athena, Bobby, and Michael stumble upon one such moment between Buck and Eddie, what will they do?

And how will it affect Maddie and Chimney?

Lumped Together (Evan ‘Buck’ Buckely/Eddie Diaz, side Henrietta ‘Hen’ Wilson/Karen Wilson, side Maddie Buckley/Howie ‘Chimney’ Han)

As an apology for keeping her thoughts about medical school secret from her wife and partner, Hen takes them (and Maddie) out for lunch. With the promise that it would only be them. And for the most part it was. Until Buck and Eddie strode in with every intention of eating Takoyaki.

Just not with them.

Armed with new information, what's a girl to do? Hen spends the next day fighting back the natural instinct to tease her friends about the wonderful step they've taken together in their relationship. Can she make it home without saying anything? Or will she give in?

DCU

Lonely Together (Barry Allen/Bruce Wayne, past Barry Allen/Iris West, past Bruce Wayne/Selina Kyle)

Barry needs others, yet whether by his enemies or his own actions, he ends up alone. After Iris leaves him, Barry feels as if he drifts through life. Like lightning humming in the air without a rod to ground him.

Until he struck another lonely soul and entered a relationship he never thought possible. Now, months since he and Bruce began sleeping with each other, Barry feels settles. At peace in a way he hasn't felt in a long while. Since he and Iris started petering out.

But it's not love... is it?

Come Home (Jason Todd/Kyle Rayner)

Jason Todd gets a message from Bruce. He's surprised to see it. Then, he's surprised by the message itself. Hearing Bruce's final message stirs something inside of him, urging him towards a place he's avoided ever since his and Bruce's falling out. So he gathers his things, and then... waits.

He can't leave yet. Jason doesn't know why. Bruce gave him a mission, just like old times. Except it's not, because he... Jason can't move. Can't even stand.

That's how Kyle finds him.

Restless (Barry Allen/Bruce Wayne)

Returning home from a mission in outer space, the team picks up a distress signal off-course. They rush off to help, landing on a strange alient planet teeming with life. Especially within the plant kingdom.

While guarding the Javelin, Bruce and Barry encounter one such member while engaging in some familiar fight-flirting. Will its effects spell trouble for the League, or help these two relax their guards long enough to explore new possibilities?

(Hint: It's a little bit of both)

Marvel

Hot Seat (Peter Parker/Johnny Storm)

Spiderman likes Johnny. Like likes him. And he thought Johnny felt the same. He wasn't wrong, but Johnny like liked someone else, too. Someone he actually wanted to pursue, over Spiderman.

Unfortunately that someone is Peter Parker.

However, after a terrible misunderstanding, Johny isn't too keen on seeing either Peter or Spiderman; the longer this confusion left unresolved, the more Johnny's hurt would fester. Can Peter find a way to make Johnny listen?

Hollywood 

Merrily We Roll Along (Archie Coleman/Rock Hudson)

With their careers still on the rise and no peak in sight, sometimes Archie's and Roy's lives get a little too busy. Understandably so. Archie's in the midst of writing his next screenplay while the latest opens across America. Roy spend more time on set than at home working on his latest project. When their schedules allow it, all they want is to be together.

Can they enjoy a simple morning together, or will the clouds of Hollywood cast a heavy shadow over their sunny day?

RWBY

Lucky You, Huh? (Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi)

After all that happened, it's time for the dust to settle. Choices were made. Now, the consequences for certain actions need to be carried out.

Even though he fought alongside her to save Mantle, Robyn Hill couldn't help save Clover from the whims of the Council. Without a job or home, Clover needs to find a way to carry on.

If anyone understands what that feels like, it's Qrow. Never being one who can communicate his feelings well, would he be the best to comfort the other man. When he's the only one who can, what does that mean for Clover?

Star Wars

Fourth (Poe Dameron/Finn)

What's a man and his co-general to do when they're on a mission together on a planet known for frequent sandstorms?

Flirt? That is a possibility. And definitely the one they take.

Stargirl

I’m Here (Courtney Whitmore/Yolanda Montez, past Yolanda Montez/Henry King, Jr.)

Coda to 1x10 "Brainwave Jr."

Losing Henry was sad, but it's not the first person Courtney knew whose future was snatched by the Injustice Society of America. That doesn't make his death any less tragic. It does remind Courtney how screwed up and dangerous her life was. At least she was able to wake up the next day and keep moving. And so was Beth, and Rick. But Yolanda...

Where was Yolanda? Courtney needs to know.

Crusher (Lawrence Crock/Paula Crock, Pat Dugan/Barbara Whitmore, Lawrence Crock/Pat Dugan)

When Lawrence met Pat, he saw another body that could benefit from some exercise at his gym. The more they interacted, became friends, he saw that body doing other things in other places. And his wife is totally supportive of this. While in the midst of an afterhours training session, Lawrence drags his feet on telling his friend a few important things. Egged on by Paula, will he say what's on his mind? How will Pat react?

And does Pat have a secret or two of his own?

Boku No Hero Academia/My Hero Academia

Little Secrets Everywhere (Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijiro)

Mina thought letting Bakugo read whatever was in her folder wouldn't be too bad. Maybe he would snipe at her for her less than perfect English translation and sentence structure, slap her on the head with the balled up assignment. What she wasn't expecting was for him to charge with hellish fury towards her in the common room with all their friends to see.

One careless mistake leads to many things coming to light. Everyone walking away with something new to think about.

Boku No Fundanshi (Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijiro)

Bakugo Katsuki is a top student at the premier hero academy in the world. Bakugo Katsuki is a boy with the ability to use his sweat as a weapon, each droplet containing enough nitroglycerin to obliterate a phone book. Bakugo Katsuki enjoys reading manga where boys fall in love with one another. Two out of the three are commonly accepted facts. The final one is a heavily guarded secret that Bakugo protects with his life. At least until his vigilance lapses, and he loses a doujinshi.

Will he be able to recover what he lost before anyone realizes it's his? Or, by the end of this, will he have found something he didn't know he was missing?

Portmanteau (Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijiro)

Portmanteau (port·man·teau) n. a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others

Like Bakugo's chosen hero name. But was that his first choice? Kirishima doesn't think so, after finding a damning piece of evidence hidden within his notes. Except it's not what he thinks, at all...

Supernatural

 Real (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

Coda to 15x09 "The Trap"

Morning after, and Sam spies a little something blossoming in the kitchen. Something that stokes the fires of his curiosity. When the scene ends, he walks in with an intent to investigate. Learn about the strange magic that happened before his eyes. How quickly Dean and Cas's relationship repaired. And what brilliant new shape it took on after Purgatory.

Will Sam be satisfied with the answer?

Half-Priced Chocolates (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

The day after Valentine's Day is great for many things. Basking in the glow of a night well spent, sharing the joy of love with your family, and eating chocolate priced considerably lower than it was the day before.

Except Sam can't enjoy any of that, because Dean won't let him. Because Dean woke up in a sour mood and has picked up the banners of war against romantic love.

Albeit, the three aforementioned things might make his conflict the shortest in history.

Spill (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Dean always thought it would take more to force him into retirement. Yet here he is, locked in the Bunker until the world figures out a cure for a deadly virus. It could be worse - at least they have a home. He cannot imagine how worse it would be if this happened years earlier, where he and Sam were trapped in a tiny motel room together. Here they have options, and miles of outdoor space they can stroll through if their options become stale.

And they were beginning to. Dean could only do so much indoors. Dean knew he needed to shake things up, but couldn't begin thinking how. Luckily Castiel has an idea, and gives him a new way of looking at their kitchen.

Supernatural Crack🩹tober

Following the Supernatural Cracktober prompt list, one day at a time.

Prompts will be listed in the notes and the chapter title.

Enjoy!

Bullets Over the Bayou (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Everyone wants Castiel Novak to quit the force, including Castiel. But he stays on despite the toxic work environment he’s surrounded by. Still believing he can do some good despite the many lines of red tape impeding him. Luckily, a pair of scissors by the name of Dean Winchester drops into his hands, and he finally feels like he can do some good.

Dean Winchester thought he would be in New Orleans for a day or two. Identify the body of his deadbeat father and then move on. No one knows he’s here. His mother and brother are blissfully unaware of the danger his father roped him into. With a parting gift of a journal, delivered to him the same day he received word about his father, Dean has become the target of a group of people who want him dead. The same people who killed his father.

Racing against the clock, can Dean and Castiel figure out what is so important about John Winchester’s journal that someone would kill for it?

Kick Ball Change (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

Coda to 15x10 "The Heroes' Journey"

Dean has the Bunker to himself at a time after he and Sam regain their supernatural abilities. With nothing needing his attention, he decides taking time for himself wouldn't hurt. But the usual fare leaves him bored and tired.

So he tries something new. Something he wanted to try, but wasn't sure he would be good at. Dean starts off strong, but doing it on your own can only be so fun. Get you so far. Luckily a partner happens by and truly allows Dean to enjoy a part of himself he knew was there, but didn't want to share.

Tempered Desires (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Charlie Bradbury/OC, background Sam Winchester/Jessica Moore, background Sam Winchester/Ruby, background Sam Winchester/Mick Davies, past Dean Winchester/Arthur Ketch)

Dating, sex, and finding love were the farthest things on the minds of both Dean and Castiel. There were more important things to worry about - namely the pandemic that swept across the globe and changed everything. Navigating this new environment was hard enough without adding romance.

But fate never intervenes when you expect. From first meetings to first dates, we'll see how Dean and Castiel's relationship blossoms despite the circumstances.

Sunrise (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

Dean and Sam were free. Finally, unequivocally, free.

But this wasn't the happy ending Dean had expected. Maybe in the past, having Sam in the passenger seat tearing across an open stretch of highway as the sunsets, it'd be what he wanted. But that was years ago. He's not that man anymore. Dean's tired of sunsets, of saying goodbye. He yearns for a different ending. One that's less of an ending, and more of a beginning. A sunrise instead of a sunset.

Sam has his. Dean lost his. Despite this setback, he won't stop. He'll live in memory of his sunrise.

Except, what can he do when he feels those rays on his face again?

Coda to 15x19

Fixing It (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

Dean Winchester walked a long & difficult road. House burning down when he was 4, constantly being on the move until his father lost a fight with demons at the age of 25. Reunited with his mother only to lose her again. Have a son only to lose him, too. Of all the shadows that have crossed his path, he thought one of the main sources of light was his husband Castiel.

But he had to ruin that, too.

Can he ever have that shine again? Or are there things that are too good for him to hold? Will they mend what was broken?

Heart in My Hand (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

He was right there.

Cas was telling Dean everything he ever wanted to hear since meeting the angel of the Lord... only each and every word of his confession stabbed at Dean's heart. Because once he finished, there's no more time for them. For him. For any chance of happiness - all that taken away by the Empty. And now he has to carry on.

He tries. Stands, gets in his car and drives where Sam tells him. When he meets with the others, though...

Coda to 15x18 "Despair"

A Dumb Idea (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

They celebrated Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, birthdays, even the Fourth of July. What about the other holidays? What about Valentine's Day?

Mrs. Butters actually had a plan for that, but she left before it could come to fruition. Sam, however, stumbles on Dean and a leftover piece from said plan. Something Dean would rather Sam not see. When he does get a peek as to what it is, well... Dean and Sam have a lot to talk about.

Coda to 15x14 "The Last Holiday"

What the Water Gave Him (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

It was over. Chuck lost, Sam and Dean can live their lives how they want them. But their victory wasn't without losses. The biggest upset nearly taking Dean out of the game, happening so close to the final battle. Now he's on the other side, alive against all odds, but Sam knows he isn't happy. Not truly happy since the Empty stole his best friend.

But there's a chance they can save him. A slim chance. A risk that Dean's willing to take despite every logical nerve in Sam's body screaming at him to look for better options. That threading a needle this small is too dangerous. That they don't have to take on another big bad, not anymore. That they don't have to risk their lives anymore. Dean is far past the point of listening. Dead set on this mission, Sam can only watch.

And pray his brother proves him wrong.

(Now with art from gabester-sketch)

Acutely (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Jack said he's sorry, after getting his soul back.

Jack said he's sorry, and he's looking at Dean. They're all looking at Dean.

Jack said he's sorry, and Dean can't take it. It's too much. Like a frog thrown into a boiling pot he hops out, jumping out from the room towards safety. Doing his best not to succumb to the pain.

He can't hide forever, let the wounds fester. It's too much to deal with on his own, though. Can someone help him through it?

Leeches (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Sharing a Netflix makes sense, in hindsight. Dean gets it. But that doesn't mean he appreciates seeing a bunch of profiles after his that weren't there last he checked.

He's gonna get to the bottom of this - of when this happened, why, and how they were able to guess his password.

Revival (Dean Winchester/Castiel, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

Sam and Dean stand there on the bridge, the camera panning out on them as they are finally reunited in Heaven.

But then Sam wakes up.

(Coda/Fix-It Fic to 15x20 "Carry On")

Memento (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Why did Castiel have a photo of himself in a cowboy hat? Where did he get it? Who took it, and more importantly who gave it to him?

Coda to 15x15 "Gimme Shelter"

The End (We Deserve) (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Dean Winchester dies in Sam's arms.

And then he doesn't.

(How that scene originally looked...)

Constants

Meeting with alternate versions of themselves makes Sam and Dean think about what the landscape of the former multiverse might have looked like - or, really, "If there can be multiple Deans and multiple Sams, can there be other versions of things they know. Like... Baby?"

Dean says no. There's only one Baby. She's got four wheels, black paint, and has been his from the beginning. Sam thinks otherwise.

Let's explore what the possibilities of Deans, Sams, and Babys in different universes might look like.

Enjoy the Present (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Sam had a birthday, Jack had a birthday...

It would only be fitting for Dean to have one, too. It's expected, really. Yet the one Sam and Jack throw him still catches him by surprise. Maybe because he actually agreed with Butters, about having outgrowned birthdays. Or because his thoughts were pulled elsewhere because of some disappointing news.

If it's the latter, than a birthday will definitely take his mind off of that. Especially when it comes time for his present.

Coda to 15x14 'The Last Holiday'

Swallow It Whole (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

"The older you get... the less lies make everything better"

But when you've told as many lies as Dean has, it's hard to tell what's true and what's not. How can he remove all the rotten parts of himself without bringing everything down? Which lies have ingrained themselves so firmly, that removing them would change everything about who he was?

And, scariest of them all, who would he be without those lies?

Coda to 15x16 "Drag Me (Away From You)"

Desperation, Baby! (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Death took her sweet time parsing through Chuck's book, meaning Lucifer spent longer than he'd like surrounded by his former vessel, his brother, his son, and a man whose obvious longing made him want to vomit. Instead of returning with his prize, Chuck welcoming him back, he must waste his valuable time playing 'nice; with those he can't stand.

Not that it matters. They don't trust him, each member of this ragtag group of survivors watching Lucifer in shifts. Never leaving him alone.

It's Dean's turn now, and he's driving Lucifer up a wall by doing nothing at all save for broadcasting a never-ending supply of feeling. Can he cut the signal without showing his hand, or put Dean's heart to good use?

Coda to 15x19 "Inherit the Earth"

A Healing Touch/New Experiences (Dean Winchester/Castiel, Adam/Serafina)

Maybe if Cas hadn't abandoned him, he wouldn't have agreed to Adam's offer. But with free will finally theirs, Cas made his choice, and Dean his. Now he has to live with the consequences - even if they are awkward. He won't die from it, certainly.

It's only a massage.

But what Dean doesn't know, is that it's more than a massage. It's healing.

It Feels Real Good (Claire Novak/Kaia Nieves, background Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Jody sent her to Yosemite, and she brings her back. For what reason, Claire doesn't know. But it had better be important, otherwise Claire gave the Dark Figure that stole her happiness another chance at escape. Will Jody's house hold a reason important enough for Claire to let go of the heavy burdens she's been carrying since hopping through a rift into another universe?

Coda to 15x12 "Galaxy Brain"

Through the Door (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Cas tells Sam that Chuck and Amara are here. But how does he know? Sure, he could've felt them land through his grace. But all that time Sam was gone? There was enough there that he could've investigated. They'd need to know where they were anyway, when the time came.

But Cas should've known better. Now wasn't the best moment for a little family reunion, especially when there's so much bad blood it can drown them all. Yet he came, and finally got the audience he always seeked with his father.

Coda to 15x17 "Unity"

Four of Swords (Dean Winchester/Castiel, background Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

The Four of Swords, in the present position, means you don't want to interact with the rest of the world. Because of stress, you need to spend some time with yourself - unhealthy always being 'on'. That the healthiest thing to do is to escape.

Dean might crave escape, but it's not something he thinks he can have. Something he deserves, even. After his and Sam's most recent hunt, this cancerous feeling has grown heavy and weighs him down. He cannot escape on his own, as best he tries.

Luckily a guardian 'former angel' angel swoops in at his lowest. Helps pick up the pieces as best he can and lovingly put them back together. But he can only do so much. The rest is up to Dean.

Can Dean take those final steps, say those final words, and finally free himself?

i’d like to teach the world to sing (Dean Winchester/Castiel, Castiel/Others, WIP, 10 out of 15 chapters posted so far)

Mar del Vista, California - 1972

The groovy counterculture that dominated conversation in the past few years still clings to the landscape, floating around like smoke off a burning joint. Changed by the fires of war, Manson, and life into something new. Less trusting, optimistic, and innocent.

Cas is just one of many disillusioned hippies, saddled with a general distrust even before the movement self-imploded. Wary of about everything. Perfect for his line of work, where what's on the surface might not match the truth underneath. It's not an easy life, but he's comfortable with how it goes. Coasting until he hears a case he has no business accepting. For one, it's about a missing teen. And another, it's personal.

Except Jack's disappearance, like every other case he's worked, isn't so cut and dry. Like a rock skipping across a then-placid lake, the ripples stretch far and wide. Those waves slamming at Cas; of cops, federal agents, hippie cultists, and a certain green-eyed detective who's a little too interested in Cas's investigation.

Will Cas find Jack? Or will he drown in the tides.

Checkmate (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Billie saves Jack from suffering a fatal end from her plan, and knowing Jack was safe gave Cas space to focus on his own troubles. Nearly losing his son again... revelations from Chuck... choices Dean made, were set on, until Sam broke through at the last minute - too close - they all were...

It was too much. Cas needed to digest these roiling experiences away from faces it hurt to look at. Except he stumbles exactly where Chuck wants him. After countless times praying for guidance, Chuck finally decides now is perfect for a long-awaited heart-to-heart.

Coda to 15x17 "Unity"

Slide (Dean Winchester/Castiel, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester)

This isn't his day. It's Sam's and Eileen's. But while out on the dance floor, Dean realizes something that forces him to act. Act boldly.

It's not his day, but he cannot push back what's been there all along, dam bursting with no hope or need of rebuilding itself. He has to say something to Cas.

Why? Because it's Electric... boogie woogie woogie

(Inspired by the Suptober Day 9 prompt - Electric)

Unwrap Me (Dean Winchester/Castiel)

Dean never thought he would make it this far. Nor would he have as many wonderful things that he has now. A home, friends, family, and most importantly love. With a former angel.

Given how normal his life is now, Dean decides he wants to go all out celebrating Christmas. Parties, feasts, and the perfect presents. He wants to get Cas something that will translate everything that resides in his heart. Dean believes he has the right gift, but decides against leading with it. Instead surprising Cas with it after showing him his Christmas best.

Although, during his entire time planning Cas's present, he never wondered what Cas got him...

Disappointment is temporary, but creativity is eternal 🥂 to more fanworks in 2021!!!

[savagesbonergarage]

Tranquility | Kit Fisto x Reader

Word count: 2326

Warnings: Near-drowning, near-death experience, blood, brutal injury, CPR (or whatever this star wars equivalent would be), scars, fluff, super slow-burn, smut in later chapters

Summary: You often dream about the night you nearly lost your life at the maw of a karkarodon, however it isn’t the trauma that haunts you. Fortunately, fate presents an opportunity to reunite you with your savior face-to-face, and this time, you aren’t going to let him forget you.

(a/n: @hxldmxdxwn​ this is 4 u bby bc i know you’ll read it. :) i have a really bad habit of making established backstories for the reader so sorry if thats annoying. Second chapter will have the *chefs kiss* sexy times, so dont worry if this one isn’t doin it for ya - it’s comin)

Chapter 1 of  4?

It’s so cold.

The small speederboat that carried you across the waves was softly rocking, beginning to lull you to sleep. You had deflected the remaining power in the boat to the repulsorlift and scanners in order to conserve enough energy to make it back home once you had done all you could after a long day and night of sifting through the sea’s garbage. You had collected as much trash as your cargo floor could hold and managed to save thirteen different sea creatures from their mangled nooses, but you weren’t ready to call it a night yet.  

There’s always one more, I can save one more life.

And you were always right. The scanner in front of you beeped loudly, depicting what appeared to be a large turtle caught in an old electroshock net approaching on the screen. You rushed to action and honed in on the poor creature’s location, your vibroblade at the ready. Once you were close enough, you carefully pulled the turtle closer to the speeder and cut away all the suffocating bits of netting that trapped it.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, there...that’s better.”

As soon as it was freed from its entanglement, the turtle swam a quick delightful loop around the speeder before it returned to you and rested its head in your palm. You smiled, thanking it with some soft chin scratches. This is why you always went above and beyond doing what you do. You loved the seas and it’s creatures, and knowing that you were making a difference, even for only a handful of lifeforms, was worth it. You bid the turtle farewell as it returned to the depths, uttering a sigh of relief that was hastily followed by a yawn. If you were going to have the strength to do all this again the next morning, you needed to head out. 

The giant net you had saved the turtle from weighed far more than you anticipated. Once you had finally pulled it all from the water, the screen beeped a loud warning signaling cargo capacity was at its absolute maximum. 

“Well, looks like we’re going the old-fashioned way tonight.”

After the push of a button, the speederboat hit the surface of the water with a huge smack nearly sending you overboard. Repulsors were convenient for saving time, but your old speeder simply couldn’t handle the weight. Every night you contemplated getting a bigger and better one once you had earned enough credits, but for now you had to make due. You set the course for home and climbed into your seat, looking up at the stars. Your eyelids became heavier and heavier, and with the aid of the swaying waves, you drifted off to sleep.

***

There was a loud thud accompanied with the convulsion of the boat, which knocked you out of your seat and jolted you awake. Your forehead hit the hard durasteel control panel and you felt the hot blood trickle down your face. You held your hand beneath your nose and stumbled up onto your feet, groaning in pain, as you checked your surroundings. You weren’t sure how long you’d been napping, but the speederboat was stalled and you couldn’t see land in any direction. More importantly, there weren’t any obstructions nearby that your boat could have hit. You started to panic as you jumped over to your control panel and searched the area. Luckily, the shoreline was only about eight klicks to the southeast, but you still weren’t near as close as you should have been; especially considering the fact that your fuel reserves were gone. Completely empty.

“Oh, no…”

You did your best to keep calm and think rationally, trying to focus on how you were going to get home. You had some emergency rations on board, and there was likely something in the garbage pile that you could use to help row the speeder back to the docks. It would take a while, but you would get there eventually. Unfortunately the moment your panic dissipated, a giant red flash sped across the tracking screen. If you blinked you would have missed it. The air felt ominous and your gut was screaming at you to defend yourself. You pulled out your vibroblade and took a defensive stance, hoping, praying, that your instinct was wrong.

It wasn’t.

The monster shot up from the water and slammed directly into you, pinning and crushing you beneath its massive, heavy frame. It’s forearm was pushing against your neck, immobilizing you as a rumbling roar of a chuckle escaped it’s gargantuan jaw. Rows and rows of deadly sharp teeth flashed at you, filling you with dread. A karkarodon. It released its hold on you and stood up, laughing at the sight of your incapacitated state as you coughed and groaned.

“Finally. I’ve been hunting you for a while…”

He studied the substantial collection of trash on board and scoffed. You tried to ignore the pain and prop yourself up onto your elbows, just in time to watch the vile shark start throwing the piles of junk back into the water. You choked on your words many times before you finally got them out.

“S-stop! What do you think you’re doing?! Isn’t the sea your home?”

The karkarodon snarled and stomped back over to you, waving an accusatory webbed finger in your direction.

“Your actions are disrupting my meals, pathetic human! With the shallows obstructed with this, my prey are forced into the deep waters where I reside. My prey would swim directly into my jaws, until you encouraged them to return here.”

His words were meant to intimidate you, however you took them as a compliment. Your hard work was beginning to pay off after all, and you were saving more lives than you knew. You spoke through a hearty grin, blinking away blood and tears.

“Sounds like a personal problem.”

Before you could even react, his denticled leg collided with your ribs and launched you into a durasteel plate on the other side of the boat. Blood now coated your tongue with a metallic film, and your vision was beginning to fade. Was it really going to end like this? Your eyes danced across the floor, spotting your vibroblade that was thankfully just within reach.

Not yet. Not without a fight.

You pushed through the torment your body was suffering through sufficiently enough to grab hold of your weapon. After a handful of wheezes through gritted teeth, you willed yourself onto your feet and charged at the gilled bandit, catching him off guard with enough time to cleave your blade deep into his rhomboid with all your strength. 

With a resounding bellow you were knocked onto your backside by the seething karkarodon, who now gazed at you with rage-filled predatory eyes.

“That’s it, time to feast!”

Pain still shot through you from your attack and although your body couldn’t be willed to move, you had to move, somewhere, anywhere, soon, quickly, now. Move!

However, it was too late. It had all happened so rapidly. As you were preparing to fling yourself off the vessel, the beast shot at you with accelerated velocity and clamped his jagged maw deep into your flesh, encompassing the entirety of your shoulder and bicep, the crunch and popping of bone and muscle fermenting into every cell within you as you were both plunged into the sea. The water erupted in crimson plumes the further the teeth sank into you and the deeper you descended into the cold abyss. You could no longer determine which hurt was coming from where, and your breath had become lodged in your throat. 

So, this was it. You were going to die.

Strangely, you began to feel at peace. You relaxed every part of your being and gazed upward into the bursts of your own blood that gracefully danced up to the surface of the water. You pondered on the life you had lived, and prepared to accept your fate.

I only wish I could have done more…

Something dropped into the sea above you, creating a foamy eruption of bubbles as it dived directly into the swirling red. It was nearly impossible to tell what it was, as you began to fade in and out of consciousness. A rod of peridot light illuminated in front of the mysterious personage as it drew closer to you. Another monster? You couldn’t be sure; you were fading, and fading fast. The presence of this figure comforted you in a strange way you couldn’t explain, and as it swam nearer you could finally see that it wasn’t an it, but a he. His face, his body, his rippling tendrils entered your field of vision, and you couldn’t help but smile as you let go of everything. 

It all faded into blackness, and you were gone.

***

“Breathe. Please, breathe through me.”

A voice. It echoed in your mind as though it were yours, but it clearly belonged to someone else. There was a feeling, a desire, to focus solely on your breath. To remember how to breathe. Slowly, ever so slowly, sensations began to return to you. Firstly, pain. Maker, it was almost unbearable.

“It is alright. Keep breathing.”

The next sensation was pressure; you sensed varying pressures all over as you started to encapsulate your own body once again. More soreness and pain, but also warmth. You could feel...something. Where were your hands? Your eyes refused to open, but your skin was able to feel touch better than before. You willed your fingers to move, and there was another sensation - something was pressed against you, or someone, that was supporting you. You felt skin, so unlike your own, but so smooth and warm. 

“That’s it. Stay focused.”

There was something so soothing about this voice. It was so close, just who did it belong to? Another sensation overtook you - chill, the chill of the moving water. There was a stable pressure at the nape of your neck, around your waist, and...on your mouth. Something sparked, but you weren’t entirely sure what. You focused on your breathing again, and you clutched the warm body that was holding onto you. This was a person after all. A man, and his mouth was pressed against yours. You were breathing his air. You felt your body squirm a little as your face tensed with all the nerves that were hitting you.

“We’re almost there, just a little more.”

 The outline of his lips against yours became more prominent with each passing second. It seemed that the longer you felt this intense pain, the faster your mind was being restored. Curiosity began to overtake you now, and you had to see...slowly, you opened your eyes. Everything was blurry and distorted for a while, but you could see his silhouette. Your arms were wrapped around his neck, and your hands were clutching onto some of his numerous headtails. His eyes - you could finally see his eyes, mere inches from your own. You gazed into them, completely mesmerized by how somehow the entire galaxy was reflected in there, while they bore into yours in return. You felt the corners of his mouth extend into a smile.

“That’s a good girl.”

Water rushed around your ears as the both of you emerged your heads through the surface of the sea. He still clutched you tightly, but he moved his hand from your nape to your cheek as he broke your oral connection, allowing you to breathe for yourself. Naturally, you gasped and coughed, the sting of the pain from your endeavor engulfing your entire body in waves. Your nautolan hero kept you above water as he used the force to pull the edge of your speederboat to him and carefully lifted you into it. You rolled onto your back, still convulsing and shivering before he hopped over and held you with your back against his chest. He vigorously rubbed your good arm to conduct heat while he activated the comm on his free wrist to contact his astromech. 

You made the mistake of looking over at your shoulder; or at least what was left of it. The churned flesh was flayed into hanging bits, and you had lost so much blood that the exposed meat was nearly white. You instinctively used your good arm to grab the nautolan’s right hand and clutch it desperately, trying to think of whatever you could to distract from the pain. You had a thousand questions for him, but one more dire than the rest. You did your best to form a coherent sentence.

“N-name...w-what’s your-”

He carefully pulled you in even closer to his bare chest, enveloping you in as much warmth as possible. You felt the rumble in his throat as he answered you.

“I am Kit Fisto. Jedi Knight of the Republic.”

 The whir of a Republic transport sounded overhead, and Kit swiftly carried you in his arms over to the hatch. Your eyes never left his face - you wanted to remember it forever.

“Kit…”

He looked down at you and smiled handsomely with both his lips and his eyes, a Kit Fisto trademark that you would come to treasure for the rest of your life. You could hear the sound of clones clamoring around to get you ready to transfer to the med unit, and your lids became heavy again. You drank in Kit’s features until exhaustion overcame you and you slowly released his hand.

Thank you, Kit Fisto.

***

(Notes below the cut)

(Thanks so much for reading! Better yet, thank you for sticking through to the end :) I wanted to add some notes before I post chapter 2, since there are some things that might need clarifying. First, not super important but I thought it was neat: turtles are a thing in star wars canon, and nautolans were meant to be depicted living on the backs of giant turtles in the special features of the clone wars. I like to think that the reader saving the turtle is forshadowing her encounter(s) with Kit. :) Next, there’s the ‘breathing Kit’s air’ thing that without context totally seems weird, so I’ll try to clarify for those who haven’t read the Tides of Terror comic: (spoilers?) Kit is amphibious and can breathe both air and water, so when Aayla is underwater unable to hold her breath for much longer, Kit totally fucking kisses her in THE MOST SEXUALLY CHARGED IMAGE IN STAR WARS links their mouths and is able to breathe for both of them. :) Hope this helped some things make more sense! 

If you have any questions for me my asks are always open :) happy reading!)

[cripplerage]

I need to go on a rant about my real estate so... cw for real estate, brief mention of c*m, homelessness and abuse, cockroaches, and capitalism.

I live in Queensland, Australia. I'm 19. I graduated highschool 2019, right before Covid. I tried to move out but failed because of covid and stayed living at my foster carer's. In around August, I had to leave suddenly due to the abuse in the home worsening. I was then couch surfing and ended up staying at my partner's parent's overcrowded house with him. Let's call my partner C. Not an ideal situation, but not on the streets either.

We couldn't stay for long, though, because they were moving and they couldn't take C or me with them. There were 2 problems with this:

1. It turns out that it's nearly impossible to get a rental without a renting history, which we obviously didn't have.

2. Our area began to face a very serious housing crisis.

We got more and more desperate, applying anywhere we could afford and reaching out to any and all organisations that might be able to help. In the end, we had one week left when we found out that one of C's siblings had once private rented a room from a guy, and the room was currently empty. Thank god. Again, narrowly avoiding living on the streets.

So, we now lived with someone I'll call A. And... it sucked. The room had a bunch of mold on the walls, A barely cleared any space for us in the kitchen, he would shave his whole head over the sink and never clean up the hairs (in the end, C did it.) He even would regularly leave his c*m unflushed in the toilet. Not to mention he said the rent would be one price before we moved in and then increased it after we moved in. And he tried to get us to lie to Centrelink that we were paying rent so that he wouldn't lose his benefit. AND he's a transphobic gamer man who screams slurs at people on Dota at all hours of the day/night.

But we had to stay, or we'd be homeless. Bit then it comes time to sign the lease, and the rent is increasing. A couldn't afford rent on his own. We don't want to stay that long obviously, so we're forced to move out so he can get someone who'll sign the lease with him.

Side note: when we moved put, he tried to get us to scrub the walls for him because he said it was our responsibility, even though it was the same as when we moved in. I was so mad at this point but also scared because he's a big man, so I planned on us leaving and saying we'd come back but then not. But after my foster carer secretly spoke with him, he mysteriously changed his mind... I guess she's not all bad!

Anyway, again, we're frantically searching for housing, though we had never stopped looking because we hated living with A. Again, nearly homeless. At this point, so many people were homeless that many of them had set up tents on the local showgrounds. Then, an organisation finally came through for us. All we had to do was sign a lease - it's a unit, we were saved!

This brings us to 3 weeks ago. The unit kinda sucks but we have no choice, so we sign. Luckily there isn't an end date, we just have to give notice when we leave. The unit is furnished - it's mandatory. It sounds like a good thing, but it means we're presumably paying extra rent for really crappy furniture and it has to stay. And when it needs fixing, we have to wait for the real estate to fix it.

So we discover, after moving all our cold food into the old shitty fridge with D-rock etched into it with a knife, that the fridge emits hot air instead of cold. It spoiled all our food. So we then have to rely on 2 minute noodles and takeout for over a week until the fridge is fixed. It turns out the issue was that the door jams just slightly open, so that even the light has turned off but it's not closed. We learn how to close it properly, and life goes on. Except the fridge is now only slightly cooler than room temp, and the freezer part is about as cold as the fridge should be. The doors had been closed properly, and the settings had actually been set on the coldest option - more than most fridges need and using more power.

So then we had to ask for another technician. They booked a time, but never showed up. It was too late in the day to call them before we realised they weren't just late. It's now been 3 weeks since we moved in and we still don't have a working fridge - we have to keep our milk in the freezer.

For context - we need a freezer. I have undiagnosed chronic pain. We don't know what it's from yet, but we do know that ice packs are the only thing that significantly helps. So you can imagine the fury I felt in bed one morning, in excruciating pain. I was unable to move; sobbing and nauseous, knowing that something as simple as an ice pack could make a world of difference... and not having any that were frozen because the freezer is broken.

On top of that, the washing machine didn't work, the toilet paper roll doesn't work properly, the blinds are very broken, the hanger rod in our cupboard is detached from the wall on one side, we have a cockroach infection that has been here since we arrived, and we have very loud possoms in the roof and even louder neighbours. All except the neighbours have been reported, only the washing machine has been fixed.

Which would be mostly ok in this timeframe. Except we've just been told that we have a house inspection in 2 weeks? The notice came less than a month after we signed the lease; the standard is 3 months. How are we supposed to be fully unpacked and tidy when we don't have a working fridge/freezer and I sometimes can't walk from the pain because of it?

I am just so mad and upset and I feel so helpless. I feel doomed to be in unstable housing forever. How can I focus on getting better when I literally found a giant cockroach on my pillow tonight???

By the way, we pay $210 a week for this shothole. And it's VERY small.

So anyway, this was part 1 of my war on capitalism and the government. And I didn't even MENTION the homelessness experiences I had as a kid. Let me know if you want to hear the injustices I've experienced in the health system, in the legal system, in the education system, or in the foster system next. Yes, I could write an essay on each of these... and I probably will.

[transformersvn]

Thoughts on Transformers: War For Cybertron - Earthrise

My thoughts on this are less cohesive than last time, so I hope you're ready for a long ramble as I try to figure out exactly what I think about the series.

Tl;dr - still looks really pretty, but Siege’s weak writing hasn't improved.

Spoilers below the cut.

Earthrise generally suffers from being part 2 of 3. It's focused on getting characters from point A (Cybertron) to point B (Earth) and doesn't really do much in the meantime. You could've cut episodes 4 and 5 and it wouldn't have affected the plot all that much.

Megatron and Optimus

They need to stop having fights. It'd be best for their characters and the plot if they hadn't spent several minutes pointing guns at each other and saying that *this* time they were actually going to kill them. Just follow through already and if you can't then keep them apart until the climax.

Optimus getting distracted by Cog running up and going 'Optimus! What are you doing?!' was stupid. Cog should've been glad that Optimus was finally at the point where he wouldn't sacrifice every last Autobot to save Megatron if given the opportunity.

Them being trapped together was pointless and stupid (aside from that one screenshot we all made). Megatron's point that Optimus keeps screwing up and it's Megatron who pays the price was interesting - but it was surrounded by so much nonsense that it fell flat.

Speaking of…

Autobot Decepticon teamups

Are they trying to lean towards ending the series with mutual cooperation and peace? Their 'we all need to work together' moments were always horribly shoehorned and the Autobots didn't once try to put measures in place to defend themselves when the Decepticons inevitably betrayed them.

I like hero/villain teamups, but it doesn't work if the heroes are stupid about them.

Scorponok fight

There is a big room with a big enemy in. The Autobots have shut themselves in a corridor on one side of the room. They need to reach the other side of the room without getting killed. Whose idea was it to try and kill Scorponok instead of just evasive maneuvers to the other side of the room?!?

To be fair, Optimus did try and run distraction, but Bumblebee decided that was a stupid plan and standing still and shooting at the enemy - that none of their blasters had even scratched - was a better one.

It was a stupid fight. If they wanted a Megatron/Optimus moment so badly then, hey, the Autobots have rigged the station to blow and the Decepticons don't know that - have Megatron set off an explosion by accident and trap him and Optimus (who could've been diving forward to try and stop Megatron, thereby getting close).

The Dead Universe

You could've replaced this with Optimus getting a vision from the Matrix and Megatron having a short visit from future!Galvatron. It wasted time that could've been spent on actual character development.

Skylynx had about 3 lines that he just repeated variants of the whole episode.

Was it clear to anyone who hadn't seen the 1986 movie exactly what the Megatron/Galvatron link was? They were pretty vague about it.

Also, if Skylynx's advice made Optimus go 'hmm, yes, I should stop looking back and actually kill Megatron to prevent my own death', then Galvatron's advice to Megatron should've made him go 'I don't hate Prime this much/if he’s dedicated all his effort into stopping Prime and still failed, there must be another way'. I suppose, he didn’t kill Optimus when given a perfect opportunity, but that also just felt like an extension of their endless *points gun* “one-liner” *tables are turned* cycle.

Elita

Poor, poor, badly written Elita. She can't get anything done without Jetfire - the big strong man - questioning her or being the one to save the day, or making a desperate plan to try and fight their way out of captivity when they're going to be sacrificed, but we never see their escape attempt.

I don't think she acts like someone who is on a doomed planet. Breaking into prisons camps makes less sense than trying to find a way to fix things. Let her fail, fine, but give her a fighting chance to try and reignite Cybertron or, say, find someone who is rumoured to be able to create synthetic energon - which could've been a reason for prison breaks at least.

And it was probably meant to be read differently, but Elita's silence over her name when Megatron called her Ariel to her face, versus Optimus snarling that ‘her name is Elita-1!′ when Megatron used 'Ariel' around him, kinda makes me wonder whose decision it was to rename her.

Cog

They don't get to make me sad about a character death when that character had previously stopped Optimus from finally trying to kill Megatron and also failed to just bloody shoot Deeceus. And had he really taken the enemy ship? Really?

Misc

We never found out why the station was trapped halfway through the Spacebridge.

Optimus's voice actor still sounds like a bad Batman when he's angry, though he might've gotten away with it if Megatron's voice actor didn't have such a good "Prime" snarl.

Everyone is miserable, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in a series about the struggles of war, but when it's aimed at kids you have to ask the question: are they enjoying it? It is fun to watch?

Ultra Magnus's head was sort of flagged up as important - specifically its location was noted by Elita - but never appeared again once Megatron left Cybertron. Did he take it with him?

For having such a hard-on for the 1986 movie, their decision to have Megatron beg for mercy (something quite out of character for this version of Megatron) and not include Optimus's 'you who are without mercy now plead for it?' line was a weird whiplashy moment.

Showing Glavatron and Unicron in the trailer when they literally appear for one episode and five second respectively was seriously false advertising. When did people forget that watching a trailer is supposed to give you an idea of the type/style of plot the media is supposed to deliver?

The editing is bad in several places. There were often moments where there would be an explosion in place A, then it'd cut to a battered character in place B getting up in a ruined room, making it look like they'd been in said explosion. Confusing in a series where palette-swapping and similar character designs already make it difficult for newcomers to tell what's going on.

The velociraptor-bot at the end looked like 90's CGI and I really hope Kingdom doesn't all look like that.

If Hot Rod doesn't show up and get the Matrix in Kingdom I'm going to be severely disappointed.

Starscream really likes speechifying to a tiny audience. He makes his bid to become leader in front of a nameless Decepticon, Soundwave, Ravage, and an injured Megatron - who promptly shoots him. I have to admit that he’s probably the character they did best by, his coup moments were pretty good and captured Starscream as we all know him.

Like the question of what exactly was under siege in Siege, Earthrise only gets to Earth at the end of the last episode.

Wheeljack felt weirdly useless. He didn’t get to go through with his plan of blowing up the station and couldn’t open a pair of blast doors that Soundwave had 0 problems with. After not being the one to fix the Spacebridge in Siege, he’s not feeling much like an engineer.

You had to guess motivations and plans and fairly often piece things together backwards after the fact. Having an idea of who everyone was made that easier for me than for non-fans, but I still ended up running on incorrect assumptions about what people were going to do and why.

...

So, there you go. I guess I’m still going to watch Kingdom when it comes out, but I think I’ve lost all my optimism for it being any good.

[redcameleon]

SSM 2020 Day 3

Prompt: Sleeping Soundly

Summary: Sakura has the ability to travel to people’s dreams and alter them. So she helps resolve Sasuke’s nightmares.

Rating: K+.

A/N: The story is set during ancient times when kingdoms still existed. This was inspired by the drama Mystic Pop Up Bar. Go check out the show!

Life is surely filled with mysteries. Mysteries of the mind and the body. One can argue that they both are just equally as important, equally dependent on each other, and equally strong. But Sakura would argue otherwise. The mind is the key to everything. A strong-willed mind can withstand anything. It can even push one’s limit beyond anything they imagine. Unbeknownst to some, it even has the ability to affect one’s body. When the mind is strong, the body is as well. And when the mind is weak, so too is the body. Thus, becoming the key to unlock one’s potential.  

This is what Sakura has control over. Not necessarily the mind itself, but the thoughts underlying it. One might ask, how is this possible? Through dreams.

A scholar once believed that the mind is the door that to peak into person’s subconsciousness. A dream is like a projection of one’s beliefs, thoughts, and hopes. Many things are uncertain, but one thing Sakura’s certain, is that she is not like other people. Ever since she was little, her dreams have never stopped being so vivid, so clear. Her mind has always been so alert and conscious, even during sleep, movements so clear and swift, she can practically do whatever she wants in the dream plane.

That’s when she realizes she’s special. She was ten when she found out her abilities can be stretched out to enter other people’s dreams. Seeing what they see, standing in the sidelines, watching the events unfold and change from one thing to the other.

She was thirteen when she found out she was able to alter those events. Creating her own playground in other people’s dreams, architecting rooms and houses, making things disappear or appear.

Back then she had to learn to manipulate her powers and hone them by using it on her friends. But soon, she realizes, it’s both a blessing and a curse. She was then feared by many. Feared that she is a puppet master who can control people’s minds to do whatever she wants. Feared that she will someday bring doom to their village.

The thing is, she did believe them. By the time she was sixteen, she decided to run away and leave her village behind.

.

.

Sasuke’s day has finally come to an end. With a war coming, the palace is becoming more eager to manufacture weapons and armors. Bows, arrows, swords, and spears are constantly in the make each day. Constantly being surrounded by the hot furnaces, handling scolding metal and heavy hammers, Sasuke’s body aches all over.

The walk back to his house feels the most rewarding. A day at the forge earned him three days’ worth of meals. He can barely remember when he started working there. The only thing he remembers is the face of his brother going into war. It’s been two years since he last saw him. He wonders if he’ll ever see him again.

Boiling some water in a pot and cutting up vegetables, he settles for a simple meal for his dinner before deciding to sleep right away. All cleaned up from the coal and dirt on his body, he lays himself on the futon, closing his eyes.

Just as his mind is starting to drift, flashes of blood fill his mind. He can hear the screams of women, of children. He sees arrows lodged into trees and ground. He keeps running and running deeper into the forest, running as fast as his legs could carry him. His body feels sluggish, as if putting one leg over the other is the hardest thing to do. His whole body feels heavy. He looks back to see if anyone’s following him when he accidentally trips on a branch, rolling down a hill and falling into a dark endless pit.

His body jolts as he sits up, covered in sweat. This has been the nth time he’s had the same dream. They never fall far from similar themes of blood, war, and fear. It’s like he’s watching his memories on tape being rewinded over and over again. Memories of the civil war that happened in his village years ago. Sometimes he gets to see his brother in them and they’re not as bad as he thinks. But some days they’re worse because he sees his brother in them, dead.

He runs a hand over his tired face and ruffles his hair in frustration. He lies back on the futon and stares at the ceiling.

Brother, where are you?

.

.

“Hey, Sasuke, Sasuke!” Someone finally snaps him out of his musings. He turns to the source of the voice.

“Careful with that.” The man points to the hot rod in his hand. Sasuke quickly sets it on the table before taking off his gloves.

“You okay? You look like you barely got any sleep last night.” It’s apparently too obvious that he didn’t get any sleep last night.

“I’m fine.” He goes to the back and splashes some water on his face. He lets it cool himself down as he stands there, staring at his reflection in the water. The man places a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder.

“Hey, you know what might help? I heard there’s a shaman in town that can give you good dreams!” Sasuke quirks an eyebrow at the suggestion. He surely is not one to believe in ghosts or spirits. He might believe in an afterlife, but hearing about someone who can supposedly give him good dreams is a bit too far-fetched.

“I’m telling you it really works! My brother went to see her the other day and he said she could really do it! Just try it once. You got nothing to lose, right?” He’s right. He doesn’t have anything to lose. His nightmares are already bad anyway, he can only hope that things get better from there, right?

He decides to give this shaman a try. At the end of the day, following the directions the man gave him, he comes across a small house at the edge of the village. The house looks small and humble. The yard seems barren except for the clay jars lined up along the sides. He notices the bell that hangs from the ceiling. He approaches the entrance and knocks a few times.

“Come in.” He hears a voice from inside. He slides the door and steps inside. He finds a woman sitting on the floor behind a table. He’s never been inside a shaman’s house before but he can say it’s not like anything he imagines. The room appears empty, except for a futon on the right side of the room, and an incense on the other side of the room.

She eyes him and chuckles.

“Wow you must really need my help.” Sasuke is beginning to re-evaluate his decision. But he might need her help after all. He steps closer and takes a seat in front of her.

“I’ve been having nightmares.”

“I see. And what kind of nightmares?” She’s probably heard this so many times, judging by the unchanging tone in her voice.

“People dying. War.” He can’t tell if it’s just his imagination but he can see her eyes widen a bit.

“That’s rare. You see most people say they want dreams of meeting their loved ones, flying, travelling.” She can tell that he only wants one thing. Peace. Peace of mind.

“Okay. I’ll help you.” She gets up and sits next to the futon. She gestures him to sit as well. He gives her a questioning look before he decides to follow her words. He sits there and Sakura hands him a cup of tea.

“This will help you relax. It’s chamomile tea.” He takes a sniff before sipping the beverage. He then lies down and tries to even his breathing. She’s lying of course. It’s not just any regular tea. It’s a special liquor of hers that can put a person into a deep slumber. Not long after that, Sasuke begins to drift into sleep. His eyes flutter closed.

Sakura grabs his hand in hers and touches his pulse. She closes her eyes and tries to match his breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. She focuses on Sasuke’s heartbeat in her fingertips. A few minutes pass and she begins to enter his dream.

Darkness. Everywhere around her. The moon is the only thing lighting up her path. She notices she’s in a forest. She walks a few steps before she sees an arrow lodged in the ground, followed by a trail of blood. She then begins to hear screams. She keeps walking and starts hearing fast footsteps. She quickly steps to the side, hiding behind a tree. She then sees Sasuke panting and running. She follows behind him to see where he’s heading. He keeps on turning back, as if someone is chasing him. She looks back to see no one.

She keeps following him. Deciding that she should end his misery, she grabs both his shoulders, startling him.

“Hey.” He turns around, fear evident in his eyes. His face is covered in dirt and sweat.

“Who are you? Let me go!” He tries to break free, but she holds him in place, remaining calm.

“There’s no one here. No one will hurt you.” Sasuke keeps his gaze on the ground, seeming afraid to look at his surroundings. Sakura decides to brighten the surroundings. Literally.

The sun slowly starts to rise, a colorful orange and yellow hue appearing from the horizon. Sasuke notices this and looks up to the sky. He can see the woods clearer now. The arrows stuck on the ground begin to crumble and sprout branches and leaves. The blood on the ground and barks slowly fades to nothing.

His eyes widen in surprise. Fear and terror seem to have dissipated from his eyes and Sakura can’t help but let out a relieved sigh.

“Look, there’s nothing here that will hurt you.” She points towards the path behind him. He turns around to see a clear road ahead of him. The trees surrounding him appear livelier. Birds are singing and the sun shines down on him, engulfing him with warmth that he hasn’t felt in a long time. He breathes in the clear air.  

Sakura takes his hand and starts walking along the path. He lets her lead him to wherever they’re going. A village is starting to come into view and before he knows it, he’s arrived at the entrance of his village, of the village where he grew up in.

He takes in the surroundings. Children are running around laughing, women are carrying tubs of leaves, and the men are carrying a boar, laughing and patting each other on the back, celebrating their hunt.

He can’t remember the last time he’s seen his village this happy. He feels his mind is more at ease as he finally spends a well-rested night.

.

.

He opens his eyes, and finds sunlight peeking through the cracks and edges of the house. He rubs his eyes and looks around. He sits up and notices he’s still at the shaman’s house. However, the shaman is nowhere to be found.

He spends some time to recollect his thoughts and remember what had happened the night before. He remembers seeing sunlight and trees in his dream. He remembers hearing children laughing. He gets up to find the shaman to thank her before he hears a door being opened.

Unbeknownst to him, a door at the back of the house open and he sees her walk in with a bowl and a glass of water.

“Good morning. I see you must’ve slept well last night.” She sets the items on the table in front of him and kneels. He sits himself back down.

“Thank you.” It’s the best rest he’s had in years and he has her to thank for it. She shakes her head and smiles at him.

“I’m glad I can help. Here’s some breakfast for you.” He eyes the bowl of soup in front of him and thanks her for the meal before downing it all in one go.

He gets up to head out for the forge.

“My name is Sasuke.” Sakura looks at him for a moment before responding.

“Nice to meet you, Sasuke. I’m Sakura.”

Sakura.

He will surely remember that name from now on..

.

.

tbc?

A/N: I have a few more ideas on how to expand the story. So let me know if you guys are interested in reading more :)

[writeyouin]

Swerve X Reader – Changes - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - I’m Sticking with You 

A/N – Here it is to keep you all company in quarantine. Also, this reminds me of a fave song of mine: Honey by Bobby Goldsboro. As usual a special thank you to @rocksinmuffin​ for starting this off with the amazing prompts.

Warnings – Mentions of suicide and mnemosurgery.

Rating – T

Swerve sat at a table inside his hab-suite, holding a gun in his servo. It wasn’t fancy or large; it was little more than a pistol really, but it would do the job. He thought he’d feel something about his upcoming demise, but after spending all of his tears on you, there was nothing left to feel. Still, Swerve didn’t think he deserved a quick and painless death. That was why he was spending a short while re-watching his memories of you; it would help further twist the proverbial knife to cause a little extra pain.

“(Y/N), my dearest, my darling, my everything,” Swerve said to the paused memory that only he could see. “I always knew this day would come. I knew if we ever got together you would eventually learn that I was no good for you and that you would leave. Admittedly, I was being selfish when I married you. I hoped… I wish we could have had a bit longer together before you went away.”

He sighed, finding that he wasn’t out of tears for you as he previously thought he was. The coolant slipped unchecked down his cheek and Swerve continued his monologue, though his vocaliser was heavy with static as he did so.

“No matter what happens, or wherever I end up after this, I want you to know, I will always love you, even if you don’t love me anymore.”

With that, he played the memory he had been saving till last; it would be the last thing he saw before taking the fatal shot.

The memory was one of the many times that you had sang the Velvet Underground’s ‘I’m Sticking with You.’

Swerve’s frame shook with his final tears. He couldn’t keep his servos steady as he lifted the pistol.

‘Anything you want me too

I'll do anything for you

Oh, I'm sticking with you

Oh, I'm sticking with you

Oh, I'm sticking with you.’

The song drew to an end and Swerve closed his optics. He held the pistol barrel to his helm, vented air through his systems and put his finger over the trigger.

Ultra Magnus ran to the holding cell. Only minutes ago, he had made a check on the security cameras, which was where he saw Whirl unmoving in a pool of his own energon; if he had ever thought Whirl to be suicidal, he would never have sent him to solitary confinement.

Slamming his palm against the cell’s scanner, he opened the door. He scanned Whirl, finding him alive, barely. Rushing to his aid, Ultra Magnus applied pressure to the stab wound whilst calling Ratchet and Velocity for medical assistance.

Fortunately, while Ultra Magnus was doing all that he could to save Whirl, he didn’t miss the giant note on the cell wall. His optics widened in surprise and he sent out an all-bot-alert to find out who was the closest to Swerve’s room. It was Chromedome who responded first, with a general message of curiosity.

Ultra Magnus thanked Primus that he had go in touch with one of the bots who knew just how important a Conjunx Endurae was.

“Chromedome, you must take this message to Swerve immediately. (Y/N) did not leave him intentionally. An accident must have caused the Rod Pod to malfunction. He needs to know.”

“What are you going to do?” Chromedome responded, concerned for your safety as he had been since the moment you left.

Ultra Magnus didn’t mention his priority to Whirl. Instead he simply answered, “Organise a rescue party. Now tell Swerve. Go!”

That was around ten minutes before Swerve picked up the gun that could end his life.

You pressed a servo to a dent in your helm, already regretting the damage that had come to your new body. Fortunately, it was mostly just scraped paint, but you still felt the occasional twinge of pain from another bump elsewhere. Then again, you felt you could live with a bit of minor damage to your systems. After the Rod-Pod crash-landed on the alien planet, you knew your previous human body would have died upon impact.

Orienting yourself, you stood up, feeling nauseous when the ship lurched forward. You stood as still as you could, waiting to see if it would make any more sudden movements. When you thought it was safe, you walked across the ceiling of the upside-down ship to the control panel.

“Ship,” You called, hoping it might respond. “Rod-Pod? If I say I’m Rodimus will you wake up please?”

The ship didn’t respond. You had hoped it might at least send out a warning or an error code or something, but it seemed completely destroyed. You didn’t even think there was any power left in it since the screen and lights were off.

You remained perfectly calm as you kicked at the ship’s entrance, taking a few goes before it broke open. You stumbled out into a desert comprised of fine white sand wherever you looked.

“Great, I couldn’t have landed in a city or near a town. No, I had to land on fucking Tatooine.”

‘Ugh,’ You thought dismally, ‘More like discount Tatooine. At least real Tatooine had some buildings…somewhere.’

Still, you were Cybertronian now. Maybe somewhere in your brain was instructions to repair the Rod-Pod. You looked at the crashed ship, noting for the first time that the exterior was on fire. There was no way in hell you were repairing that.

Trying to hold onto your previous sense of serenity, you thought about how Whirl had taught you to bring your optics online during your previous panic attack. If making a call was anything like that, maybe you could call Swerve. You hoped you could. Not only were you in need of rescue from the desert planet, you also needed him to know you were sorry, that you still loved him, and most importantly, that you would get back to him, no matter what.

“If Marlin the fish can get his son from a dentist in Sydney, I can do this. Uh, body, call Swerve,” You commanded.

Nothing happened.

“Please, call Swerve?”

You closed your optics and pictured your old communicator as well as Swerve’s face. ‘Please… I need him. Please don’t cut him out of my life.’

You grew both frustrated and upset when several more attempts at calling your husband didn’t work. What if it was the dent in your head causing interference? Or maybe you were too far away from Swerve for anything to happen? Was that possible? You had never thought to ask Swerve how his body worked; it had simply never come up in casual conversation. Suddenly a truly dreadful thought hit you. What if word of your departure had reached him already? He wouldn’t think you had left him, would he? He wasn’t the most stable bot at the best of times, and you knew the way his separation anxiety and fears of being inadequate could course him to self-destruct.

“CALL SWERVE!” You screamed at yourself, fearing for his well-being. “NOW! I- I need to know that he’s safe. Please…” You fell to your knees, crying and holding your head in your servos, “Please, call Swerve.”

Once again you were left with nothing but the deafening silence that surrounded you on the barren planet, but you weren’t ready to give up. At least, you thought you weren’t until you heard the rumbling of engines. Looking to the horizon, you saw five vehicles that looked like quad-bikes in the distance, the riders of which were hidden under white body armour.

Venting air through your systems in a manner that simultaneously soothed you and freaked you out, you decided to take a long walk away from the Rod-Pod. You had heard tales of the scavengers that lived on barren planets. They had probably been travelling since you crashed, hoping to steal whatever was left over from the ship. Yet, as you moved further to the left, so did the bikes. You continued moving further away from the Rod-Pod, but the bikes changed course to match yours. You prayed that they were coming to your aid, yet as they got closer, you saw the giant crossbows come up from the vehicles subspaces.

If you were still human you would have broken into a sweat. As a Cybertronian you couldn’t do that, but you still had your fight and flight response to work with. You ran. Every so often, you would risk a look behind you, hoping that you would be able to scan one of the vehicles and transform. As with your earlier attempts to call Swerve, nothing happened when you tried to transform. The only thing you did find from occasionally looking back was that the organics chasing you weren’t actually wearing white body armour; they were the armour, so to speak. You supposed it had to be some kind of exoskeleton, stretched over long bony limbs that stuck hideously outwards.

You kept on running, putting all the power in your new legs into fleeing the monstrous organics. What had started off as the Star Wars experience had quickly turned into a bad remake of Mad Max: Fury Road.

You wished that having a Cybertronian body could have been as easy as having a human body, but apparently without instructions or a mentor, you were useless. You couldn’t call for help, you couldn’t transform, and worst of all, you couldn’t outrun your hunters. That much became clear as you saw them gaining in your peripheral view. What you didn’t see was the two quadbikes behind you aiming their crossbows for your arms, though you soon felt it. Screaming in pain, you fell to your knees.

Although it was probably futile, you fought the waves of searing hot pain, forcing yourself back up and facing off against your eerily silent attackers. You pulled against the barbed hook in your left arm, trying to remove it. However, no amount of brute strength could save you from the electrical charge that both crossbow bolts emitted, coursing through your systems to temporarily shut them down. This time, when you fell to the ground, you didn’t get back up, and the raiders were free to claim you as their prize.

Chromedome pelted down the hallway, making his way to Swerve to tell him the partially good news. He couldn’t wait to see Swerve’s face when he told him that you hadn’t left him and it was only going to be a matter of tracking the Rod-Pod’s trajectory to find you and bring you home to him.

Without even bothering to knock, Chromedome burst into Swerve’s hab-suite, shocked to find Swerve holding a gun to his own helm. As quickly as he had entered the room, Chromedome wrestled Swerve to the table, which wasn’t too difficult considering how much smaller Swerve was compared to Chromedome.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Chromedome yelled in a panic.

“GET OFF ME!” Swerve cried out in a mix of anger and pleading. “I NEED TO DO THIS!”

“NO, YOU DON’T. YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT (Y/N).”

“DON’T! Don’t Mention her name please,” Swerve voice fell to a whisper and he stopped struggling against Chromedome, though he still reached for the gun which was only a short way from his grasp. “I failed her, Chromedome. I failed her and she hates me. My wife… My wife hates me.”

Chromedome had been to the emotional prison that Swerve was trapped in many times before. He had lost count of the amount of times that he had visited relinquishment clinics on Cybertron, preparing for the day he might snuff out his own spark. He knew from those experiences that Swerve wouldn’t just believe him if he told the truth about you. Instead, Swerve would think it was all an elaborate lie to stop him from ending his life. That left Chromedome with the problem of what to do.

Without thinking about it, Chromedome held Swerve down more firmly, releasing his mnemosurgery needles from the tips of his fingers. He told himself he was doing this for Swerve. After all, he was only planning to remove the memories of your departure until Swerve was in a safe place for him to explain everything. If Rewind was there, he would have told Chromedome that he was only doing it for himself, and that mnemosurgery was both addictive and evil; Primus knew they had had the argument enough times in the past, but if Rewind wasn’t around to see it, then it didn’t matter if Chromedome fell back into old habits and performed one tiny memory rewrite, did it?

“What are you doing?” Swerve asked, feeling the panic rise inside him. He began struggling again, babbling as he did so, “Chromedome, did I hear a shunk? I distinctly heard a shunk. Was that your needles? You can’t rewrite my memories. I don’t deserve to live for what I’ve done. CHROMEDOME, I MEAN IT! DON’T YOU DARE CHANGE ME! DON’T YOU DARE!”

“Shhh,” Chromedome hushed the mini-bot in a tone that was supposed to be comforting but sounded only menacing to Swerve. “It’s all going to be all right. In a few minutes, it will all be over.”

There was a quiet knock at the door, followed by Rung’s soft voice, “Swerve, are you in there?”

Chromedome cursed and covered Swerve’s mouth. Seeing the needles that were to wipe his memories only made Swerve panic more, and he was afraid that he might purge his tanks, even if his mouth his covered.

Rung continued speaking, used to being met by the silence of his patients when they had been through something traumatic, “I was just finished with work today and I thought you might like some company.”

Throwing his head from side-to-side rapidly, Swerve managed to shake Chromedome’s servo loose, “HELP! HE’S GONNA RE-WRITE-”

Chromedome pushed Swerve’s helm into the table, and whispered in his audial-receptor, “I’m helping you, idiot.”

But it was too late for Chromedome, Rung had heard enough in that cry for help and had used his all-access pass to enter the hab-suite. He took everything in, made a note to work with Chromedome to save him from his mnemosurgery surgery addiction, and called security all in the space of under a minute. For now, Swerve was safe and alive, though Swerve knew it wouldn’t be long before his second attempt to journey to the afterspark.

You woke up in a metal cell and you didn’t have to touch the bars to know they were electrified; evidently, you new body had better hearing than your previous one, allowing you to hear the hum of a strong electrical current. You wondered whether you should call for a guard to see what they were going to do with you, but what was the point? You would probably find out soon enough anyway.

Sitting up in the corner of the cell, you examined the damage to your arms. You had always thought that Cybertronians didn’t feel much pain compared to humans, but evidently you were wrong. The only difference between the two species was how resilient Cybertronians were. Whoever your kidnappers were, they knew how to get past Cybertronian resistances.

You heaved a sigh and winced as you put your arms down. You thought about trying to call Swerve again but decided against it. He was probably trying to call you, and if he couldn’t do it then you had to be too far away.

‘Swerve…’ You thought of him and all the ways he made you happy. Being without him since the first time you were married only made you morose as you sat with nothing but the hum of the fence to keep you company.

This could be the last night of your life before it came to an untimely end. With that in mind, you thought of Swerve and started to sing.

“I'm sticking with you,

Cause I'm made out of glue.

Anything that you might do,

I'm gonna do too.”

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