Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was dark. And cold. They were frozen stiff, surrounded on all sides by frigid, unrelenting metal that pressed into every nanometre of their armoured outer shell. Each program and sensor activated in a numb and muddled state, systems puttering online at a glacial pace. Limbs shifted, starting as mere twitches and growing stronger as warmth and awareness spread to each frozen form. Old, frozen joints cracked to life. The breems ticked on, and the metal mass thawed.

Bodies - thousand upon thousands of crawling, buzzing, hungry bodies - woke up.

Elytron was slower to come to. Their processor sluggishly assessed the information it was being fed, and then finally did something with it. Elytron's memory banks stuttered as they struggled to recall the last... whenever.

Yelling. Crunching. Buzzing.

SLAM! into the capsule with the rest of the pests. BVVOOM! as the shuttle launched into the cold, so cold, abyss of space.

Ah. That's right: they were shut in a scraplet trap with the rest of the vermin. The sounds of metallic teeth whirring startled Elytron into joining the squirming masses trying to escape their prison. The small bot's body was weak, and their mind was fritzing. Alerts flooded Elytron's HUD. Their empty tanks pinged insistently. The whirring and grinding of metal being devoured grew louder. Light bloomed from above. The breach widened into a gaping maw and scraplets were flooding out of the capsule, carrying Elytron's frame atop the writhing, unstoppable wave. Elytron felt much like a stray piece of garbage caught in a planet's pull. Or a rock being tumbled alongside the gravel and rust, mistaken for a crystal when it's really just the same as the other junk.

Elytron waited for the bulk of the swarm to disperse before shambling after the scouts that seemed to have some idea of where to go. Elytron had a better chance at finding energon with the scraplets. Critical errors flashed on their HUD. Yes, they knew they were low on energon, thank you for using valuable energy to announce it.

They didn't know how long they walked, stick-thin legs of their alt mode tik-tik-tiking on the floor. Their chronometer had shut off to conserve power. A thought of What if there is no energon? swirled around their helm. Then they would go into stasis, and die. Elytron didn't have enough power to worry about it.

Familiar sounds of drilling drew Elytron's weakening chassis.

Elytron would later be embarrassed of the way they lunged for those few drops of energon. They had one shred of dignity left and didn't want to squander it, even if they were a starving mech. Elytron transformed with their last dregs of energy and tipped their helm back to catch the fuel trickling from the damaged pipe. When they'd consumed enough to regain higher brain function, Elytron continued to stand under the leak, now with even less self-respect. They cupped their servos together and poured the precious pooling energon into their intake.

Sated, Elytron surveyed their surroundings and pondered where the Pit in Unicron's exhaust pipe they'd landed.

A massive concrete hallway stretched on either side of them, cables and ducts and fuel lines running along the walls and ceiling in a distinctly non-Cybertronian design. There was a reinforced, subterranean feel about the place, one that Elytron recognized from their time in the mines. A bunker? Whose dumbaft idea was it to drag a scraplet trap into their bunker? Elytron waggled their antennae around the leaking fuel line, skimming the multitude of question marks that popped up. Those were not Cybertronian metals. Doing the same to the energon revealed similar unknown minerals that hadn't been refined out - likely due to damaged or subpar machinery. An alien planet equipped with functioning Cybertronian tech. Refugees? The war was getting bad, city-states in ruins all over the world and governments falling apart, when Elytron had been unceremoniously ejected from its atmosphere. The last image burned into their processor before the door sealed was that red, boxy face welded with hard lines and wielded proudly.

Elytron wanted to know more about this place. And needed somewhere to hide.

Elytron freed their wings from their protective shell and gave them a good shake. They jumped into the air and nearly became integrated into the floor when their wings locked mid-stroke. Lopsided, panicked fluttering gave their thrusters time enough to sputter to life and save their frame some nasty dents. They unscrewed a vent cover and climbed inside.

The place was a maze, each hallway a copy of the last. Doors were embedded in the walls, some large enough to fit a heavy construction frame, and some oddly sized for a Minicon. Still too large for Elytron. Their visor dimmed in a scowl at one such door. Scraplets pitter-pattered past, ignoring Elytron's once-vibrant green and blue plating; Elytron wasn't on the menu. Scrap, they might as well be part of the hive. They pitied the sparks that had unknowingly brought this infestation down upon themselves.

A voice reached Elytron's audials. Inquisitive, they followed it to its source.

An organic. Elytron had never seen one before. Were all of them so... squishy? Brown fibrous growths sprouted from the top of its round head. Maybe a fungus of some sort? A symbiotic relationship with its host? The organic appeared to be unwell, stumbling over itself as it failed to traverse forward. Was it starving, too? Ew, or maybe it was infected with one of those organic brain diseases. No, it wasn't sick. It was playing: pretending to be in a harsh environment, separated from its colony. Why such a scenario would be 'fun' was lost on Elytron. Aliens were just strange like that.

Elytron was about to move on... but then the organic found a scraplet. Absolutely no idea of the danger it held in its hands, treating the pest like a domesticated mechanimal, petting it and speaking in soft, friendly tones. Elytron shook their helm, dumbfounded. They explored on. Watching an interesting alien make terrible choices was a wonderful pastime, but it didn't take precedent over scouting their new abode and finding a reliable source of fuel.

The screaming started after Elytron located the energon store room.

They jumped out of their shell when they heard it, antennae jolting into the air, rigid and alert. The shrieks continued anew: distant, but plenty clear enough to hear the raw terror and pain. The scraplets had found their prey. Elytron made note of the store room in their mental map and jettisoned up to the vent. They shifted into alt mode, scuttling swiftly through the ducts. They came to an intersection and stopped. Buzzing engines echoed up from one passage. The sound became louder, closer, intensifying as the floor under Elytron's pedes hummed.

A storm cloud of ravenous scraplets whizzed past. Elytron flew after them.

Why?

Mm, it was a toss-up between morbid curiosity and wary concern. Concern for their living situation if the big bots bit it, that is. Elytron didn't even know the state of this planet, let alone where to find energon. It didn't sprout up from the veins of organic... mish-mash. Elytron envied the organics and scraplets: being able to pop outside and take a bite out of the ground would make surviving a millions times less stressful. They tried it once. They didn't get the appeal.

The scene that greeted Elytron's optics was tragic, and one they'd witnessed far too many times. Three Cybertronians were being swarmed. Mangled trails littered each bot as the scraplets chewed through heavy armour like tin foil. Three organics helplessly waving about their weapons gave a valiant effort, but they were mere irritations to the hive. The hive had one goal, and it was to eat. Elytron turned away.

Green light flashed, brilliant and bright.

"Ready for the main course? Come and get it!"

Elytron turned back.

The utter mountain of a bot who'd yelled was upright, his dark green armour just as damaged as his comrades'. Thousands of optics focused on him, and he took off into the swirling tunnel of light. Elytron clutched the slats of the grate, pistons taut with suspense as they leaned in close. Every one of the flying forms gave chase, disappearing after their prey. And just like that, the infestation had been subverted. The few stragglers that remained fell victim to the organics and their blunt force instruments. Two more bots returned alongside the brave mech, no worse off than he'd left. Recovery began, helping servos lifting each other up despite their own injuries. The organics ran around, finding ways to assist where their diminutive forms could. This was a common occurrence, Elytron learned as they began to settle in.

It took days for the mechs to completely recover. Elytron's chronometer functioned once again, but this planet was ruled by different units of time. So they adapted. The organics - humans - were the dominant species here. Contrary to Elytron's original impressions, it became more and more obvious that these 'humans' were not, in fact, pets. Nor servants. They were equals. Well, close enough: they were still talked down to, but not out of malice. These were students, apprentices, still learning and eager to do so. Space travel was beyond their level of technology and these few Cybertronians were their first contact with other lifeforms.

Oh, and the intense red mech that generated his own gravity was the last Prime. The war never ended, and in large part resumed on this very world because Cybertron... well, Cybertron was dead. And energon was in frighteningly limited supply.

Elytron didn't mourn a world that was never home.

Soft fabrics were found hidden about the place, rolled and folded in little closets and coated with a fine layer of decaying matter. Elytron snatched those up, dragging blankets to a section of the vents they'd claimed as theirs - not before giving every piece of fabric a good whack. They shuddered at the volume of dust that billowed off. Blankets cushioned the metal floor, a large portion of them clumped together to make a plush nest that Elytron burrowed into when it was time to recharge. A few shards of glowing crystals sat in a pile: raw energon they'd nicked in case of emergency. They couldn't sneak out enough of the refined stuff to be worth storing and taking a whole cube was out of the question. Not only because of their diminutive size, but because these bots were too diligent about their supplies, particularly the cranky orange one. Elytron dreaded that anger turning on them if they were discovered, and Primus forbid any one of the mechs saw their beast mode. Another pest. Thief. Parasite. They'd go out just as elegantly as the other scraplets, flattened underfoot or booted out the door to starve.

"Optimus, take a look at this."

For some reason, Elytron's back struts straightened. They peered out at the large, open room that was essentially the spark of the whole base. Just two bots inhabited it.

"What is it, old friend?"

The orange mech held a cube of energon up to the Prime. "Do you see these scratches here? I thought nothing of them at first, merely cosmetic from rough handling, but if you look closer..."

The Prime did so. A bead of energon seeped through as Ratchet tilted it. "Such small incisions," said Optimus. "Ratchet, what does this mean?"

Ratchet's expression turned grim. "Vermin."

"But how? On Earth?"

"We had scraplets, didn't we? Who's to say something else didn't sneak in, as well? The last thing we need are leeches sapping our already meagre stores. We can't take that risk. I'm going to have to decontaminate the base."

"The children?"

"Will be fine. So long as nobody locks them in an airtight room."

Optimus visibly disapproved of his blithe tone. "Very well. Perhaps we should move our energon to somewhere more secure."

Ratchet nodded. "You do that. I'll deal with our... pest problem."

Elytron's self-assuring grip on their long antenna tightened. Bright blue liquid stained the tips of their claws. "Frag," they whispered.

And just like that, Elytron's attempt at living contentedly had been subverted. Again.

When the extermination came, it came in the form of a noxious gas. Elytron held little concern for its effects - it was homemade and spewed from a reconfigured leafblower, so call them skeptical - but hid in the rafters regardless. Their few possessions were stored in their subspace, reeling blankets into their chassis like one of those old street performers with seemingly infinite room. Unlike them, Elytron did not have an endless subspace and had to stash the remaining blankets in a high alcove. Once the gas cleared, Ratchet sent in a human to search for enstasised bodies. The pillows secured to Miko's fragile frame muffled the clanging and banging of her progress through the vents, and the only thing she found was a dead lizard that she dangled in Jack's face, cackling at his reaction. This disconcerted Ratchet - the lack of bodies, not the lizard - but Elytron would not see his next attempt at catching them for some time. For the most part, due to the fact that virus traps and electrical pulse lures weren't effective against a bot with intelligence higher than a glitch mouse.

Elytron needed a different way to secure energon. Their levels were high; they had time.

As they had learned, time moved faster on this planet. It still took Elytron by surprise when a few breems passed and suddenly the children were back again. Days, weeks - all spinning by in a blink. In the beginning, the humans were annoyances. Organics with squeaky voices, always getting underfoot; hadn't they learned? And yet, Elytron found themself... distracted by these creatures. The Miko one provided endless entertainment, and while too loud sometimes, the wired-up organic reigned herself in when prompted. The Jack one seemed to hold himself responsible for the others, but wasn't without his moments of levity. And the Raf one, quietest of all, had allocated all bodily growth to his processor. He was a clever sparkling, and Elytron would do well not to underestimate that naïve, squishy face.

Elytron's first mistake was assuming the residents forgot about the energon thief after a good, long abstinence from so much as looking at the stockpile.

Their second mistake was looting said stockpile in the middle of the day.

Their third was doing so in beast mode.

When the two-wheeler opened the door, Elytron's instinct was to freeze. When her optics bulged and a blade popped out of her forearm, Elytron's next instinct was to book it.

"Scraplet!" she screeched.

Elytron hid amongst the cubes. They couldn't reveal their exit, their only access to this room. Arcee didn't dare shoot at their sole supply of energon. If backup arrived, Elytron was fried. How in Unicron's left lugnut did they get out of this?

Elytron slunk around piles of junk, staying low. Heavy footsteps rattled their sensors. Backup had arrived, consisting of the medic and scout. Three bots for one little scraplet seemed overkill, but Elytron was probably biased.

The Autobots worried amongst themselves. They decided bait was the best course of action and Arcee was voted as the candidate. Elytron suspected pettiness was a factor here, sending in the one that didn't get chewed up last time.

Elytron thought if they snuck along the edges of the storage room, they could slip past. But the scout was too keen. He squealed when he spotted them. His arms transformed, ready to blow them to smithereens.

"Bumblebee, no!" the medic cried. "If you hit the energon-"

Elytron didn't waste any time bolting out the door. Thrusters activated, giving them a boost down the hall before sputtering and failing. They needed that energon, badly. Even a transformation would sap too much.

Arcee was not far behind. Blaster fire scorched the floor inches from their plating and Elytron gave a startled squeak. Scrap. They should've stayed with the energon.

"It's headed for the atrium," Arcee said. Oh, were they? Lots of places to hide there. "It's not interested in me at all."

TSCHE-CHU-CHU-TSCHE!

"Snack time's over, vermin," said the motorcycle.

Oh, boy.

Even with a motorcycle bearing down on them, Elytron reached the atrium - mostly - intact. They had to sacrifice fuel for speed, but it was either become a smoldering ball of scrap or starve. Elytron beelined for whichever refuge caught their eye first.

Hot, scorching pain erupted on their back. The force of the shot sent them hurtling into a sturdy stack of crates. Dazed, it took them several moments to kick into higher gear. One final burst of their thrusters propelled Elytron under a medical slab. Their frame rattled, fear and pain seizing most of their processing power. All that mattered was an Autobot couldn't fit underneath. Safety.

"Scrap. I lost it."

"Lost what?" one of the humans asked her. Jack.

"Apparently, when that scraplet horde infested the base, one got left behind."

"What?" came three alarmed shouts.

"That's what's been taking your energon?" Raf asked.

"Looks like it," Arcee said. "It's strange, though - I've never known scraplets to need it."

"It's never been recorded in known history," Ratchet interjected, the quaking floor signifying his arrival. "Strange things seem to be a regular on this planet."

Bumblebee beeped nervously.

"A straggler," Miko said ominously. "I'll get the crowbar."

Drip. Drip.

Nonono, frag. Elytron was leaking. The blast didn't cauterize!

Soft footsteps drew closer. Elytron huddled against a support strut, trying to make themself even smaller.

"Careful," Raf said.

"Chillax, Raf - they don't care about us, remember? Not metal." Closer. Fleshy features became clear as Miko crouched low, creeping nearer, a metal rod in her grasp. "Come out, come out, I'm not gonna hurtcha. Much. Aha - found you, freaky."

Curse their glowing optics.

A gleam entered her eyes. They didn't like it.

There was nowhere to run. Elytron was trapped.

"No more bot bites for you," she said, winding back the crowbar.

Elytron transformed. They flung out a trembling servo. Weakly, they pleaded, "Wait. Wait, I'm not a scraplet. Don't."

Surprise filled her face. Her arm dropped. "Whoa."

"Don't, please..."

"What are you?"

"I'm- I'm a Minicon. Please, that's my alt mode. To - zzwrrch - blend in. Not a scraplet." Their voicebox was glitching. Biolights flickered. The wound had transferred to their leg, energon oozing onto the floor. "I nee- zrrt - energon. Energon." What a sorry state they must be in. Reduced to begging an organic to spare them... sigh. They'd stooped lower. "I'm - zzzrrt - fade anyway. Way. You can walk away. Lea- ffzzzt - me. They don't have to know." Warnings flashed. Elytron dismissed them. "Just leave me. Me. Don't have to know."

Elytron had lived a long, unfulfilled life. They'd flirted with death over and over again, and it prowled a little closer each time. Fighting every second to survive was exhausting, and at a certain point, giving up tasted sweeter than any drop of energon ever could. Elytron had things to say to Primus when they finally confronted him, none of them pleasant. Questions, too, but they weren't expecting answers. Beings beyond comprehension were infuriating like that. Maybe the Well would be a nice vacation. That'd be nice. Nice. Could be nice. A vacation would be nice...

Elytron powered down.

Chapter Text

It was dark - but it wasn't cold. And Elytron wasn't dead.

Elytron's joints creaked as they blindly felt around. Their antennae reported organic and artificial materials. Papers rustled under their wings. Whispers reached their audio receptors through a fabric enclosure. A sharp sting in their leg drew a hiss from Elytron, but when they prodded the wound, they were surprised to find a fresh weld. Not without difficulty, Elytron sat up. Their antennae stood on end. Where were they? Who fixed them?

"I think they're awake," said a voice - one that Elytron knew. Rafael? "Should we-"

"We're not telling our bots," Miko asserted.

"Ohh-kay, why not?" said Jack. "Shouldn't they know someone is hiding in the base? I mean, you said yourself they're a 'Con-"

Rafael interjected, "Bee told me 'con' can also just mean another type of bot. Sharkticons, for example. They said they're a Minicon, right? I think I've heard of that before."

The humans. Did they...?

Elytron regarded their repairs with this information in mind. The sloppy weld lines and unusual material were far more valuable than any professional's work. The humans saved Elytron's life and didn't tell the Autobots. Elytron's servos tightened into fists. What do they want in return?

The children's bickering continued. They were deciding Elytron's fate, and Elytron decided to have a say.

"I am not a spy," Elytron bitterly announced. "Release me from this prison." As an afterthought, they added, "Please."

The top zipped open. Elytron stood, grunting as their leg strut protested the movement. Pulling down the fabric, they saw that the unusual cage was simply one of the children's school bags. Elytron was torn between humiliation and awe.

"Sorry," Rafael said, his hairy human brows crinkling. "How's your leg? I did my best, but, um, I only know a little bit."

"I'm functional," Elytron stiffly answered. "It will heal." They hastily, and poorly, extracted themself from the bag and assessed the room. A human habitation suite. There was a desk, a bed, and other neatly assorted paraphernalia. The trio were huddled on the cushioned floor. Soft, chunky fibers scrunched under Elytron's feet and left depressions where they limped. They resisted the urge to dive into the carpet.

Jack said, "So, you're not a Decepticon?"

Elytron's antennae twitched irritably. They could have sworn this was cleared up already. If anything, by key context clues; the lack of any insignia was very telling. Elytron said, "I am not affiliated with either side."

The children glanced at one another.

"You can do that?" Rafael stage-whispered.

"Why not?" Miko asked Elytron. "You could be a rocking spy for the Autobots and help the good guys!"

"There are no 'good guys'," Elytron said, making air quoes with their fingers and antennae.

"But-"

Eugh. Elytron was not opening that bucket of whirr-mites. A servo flew to their forehead. "I am not in a state to be explaining political history right now. Why did you fix me?" In addition to their leg, Elytron's energon levels were significantly higher. The trigger to reveal Elytron's intake port wouldn't be obvious to civilians - especially not organics. Transfusion via open wound? Delicate work, but effective. Whatever the case, they saved Elytron's life. Elytron said, "What are you asking in return?"

Another round of glances. Elytron's antennae furled. So strongly did they wish organics had EM fields to read - humans were so reliant on facial expressions.

"We don't want anything," said Jack.

"You were hurt," said Rafael. "You almost..."

"You were pretty much dead, dude," said Miko.

"It wouldn't be right to leave you like that," Jack added.

How... nice of them. Elytron said, "Thank you. I owe you my life." The bot stooped low into a dramatic bow, and their leg nearly gave out.

"Careful," Jack said, reaching out.

"Don't push yourself," Rafael fretted. "I- I did my best, but I don't know how much your leg can take."

"It's fine," Elytron gritted out, raising a servo to stop Jack's unwanted help.

"Doesn't look fine," challenged Miko.

"It's fine. I have survived worse."

"Do you want a crutch, maybe?" Rafael offered.

Elytron thought about it. Walking was going to be difficult, and transformation was out of the question until their self-repair nanites integrated the foreign patch. They were screwed, but an aid would make it bearable. They accepted the crutch. Rafael passed them a wooden measuring tool, about the length of his forearm. Elytron leaned on it. They introduced themself properly and got some answers about their whereabouts. They were brought to Jack's home because he had power tools and because 'mom' was at work. Feeling obligated, Elytron answered some of the children's questions in turn: how Elytron arrived on Earth, what the antennae were for, why they were hiding. The latter question was from Jack. Elytron stared at him.

Jack muttered, "Oh, right," and averted his sheepish gaze from the pseudo-scraplet's expressionless mask and visor.

"But the Autobots would understand," Rafael tried to reason. "They know you don't eat other bots. Um. Right?"

Three heads turned to Elytron.

Scandalized, Elytron objected, "I do not!"

"Why hide, then?" Jack pressed on. "I'm sure they'd help. Optimus wouldn't let someone just die."

Elytron had lived history that demonstrated otherwise. They let it slide. "It's complicated. Listen to-"

"Optimus would totally help," said Miko. "I'm no snitch, but the big guy's super reliable."

"I can't-"

"We should tell him anyway," Jack insisted.

"Of course you'd snitch," said Miko.

"It's not- look, this is different than telling the teacher that so-and-so cheated-"

"Oh-ho, I knew it was you!"

"-it's- stop - it's the bots defending us and our planet. We shouldn't lie to them, and they should know that someone else is living in the base so they stop hunting Elytron down! It's for the good of everyone, including Elytron."

Elytron piped down and waited. They saw Rafael in a similar state. Even Elytron could see his discomfort; the way his squishy face scrunched unhappily as he frowned. When Rafael looked to Elytron, the Minicon shrugged and dramatically rolled their head - their own version of an eye roll - earning the smallest of smiles from the boy.

Elytron's leg gave a painful jolt and they were forced to sit down. Some dampeners would go a long way right about now. No chance in the Pit any of those were around. What a shame.

Rafael interrupted Jack and Miko to point out that Elytron was right in front of them, and they should listen to what the bot has to say.

Elytron's visor flickered in bafflement.

"You're right, Raf," Jack said, then, "Sorry, Elytron. Why can't we tell the Autobots?"

Elytron collected their thoughts. They didn't have an easy explanation, and not one they wanted to get into - preferably ever. They settled on: "A bot like me isn't welcome most places. I cannot take that risk - not on this planet. My life absolutely depends on it."

There. That was clear and concise. Hopefully, putting an end to all the questions so that Elytron could return to the school bag and recharge till the next ice age was over and that damn squirrel on the television very dead.

The Minicon got up to do just that, leaning on their ruler for support. Another question stopped them in their tracks:

"Can we help?"

Elytron turned. Rafael's words rang in their processor.

"Help...?" Elytron echoed.

Miko lit up. "Hey, yeah! You need someplace to crash, right? 'Til the bots give up on the scraplet hunt."

"And we can get you energon," Jack said. "One bottle could probably keep you going for a while."

"We can even make a decoy," suggested Rafael. "Get some scrap metal that sorta looks like a scraplet. If Miko beats it up, it won't look any different. Then you'll be safe."

Miko enthusiastically concurred. The youth fired out more ideas, and all Elytron could do was stand in stunned silence. They didn't process half of what was said, and struggled to believe the rest. The hidden intentions of these humans were impossible to decipher. There must be something they sought for repayment. Elytron would not be under anyone's thumb - never again. Finding out the humans' motives was a priority, right after getting that energon. So, Elytron would play nice. They had no other choice.

Recovery was not quick, and Elytron's fate rested in the hands of alien younglings with a mere fraction of Elytron's total life experience. It was not comforting. Elytron would sit inside the garden shed that served as a temporary habsuite, thinking, inanely picking at their healing weld. There was nothing to do except think. It was getting to them: they were jumpy, processor all scrambled without a goal to chase. Was this boredom? They almost preferred running for their life. The monotony was broken by an occasional visit from the humans. Jack would poke his head in - checking that Elytron was where they belonged - and some days he was joined by one or both of the other younglings. On one of those days, Rafael brought over a broken appliance and gutted it to replace the insides with convincing parts. Then he took it outside and told Miko to go wild.

Miko hefted a metal bat, bearing a ruthless grin. Elytron was only mildly horrified at the resulting carnage. They pulled their wings and antennae close as they watched an innocent machine become a mangled mound of mulch. Jack, too, was rendered speechless. His eyes were wide open.

Rafael inspected Miko's work, touched it up here and there, then got Jack to shovel it into a box.

"Aaand ta-da!" Rafael proudly proclaimed. "One scraplet decoy."

"How morbid," Elytron remarked, then rushed out, "Thank you, ah, my companions."

"You're welcome!"

"Hey, no problem."

"Anytime! Need anything else smashed?"

The child yearned for destruction. Elytron pointed with their flat crutch. "Those plants specifically are interfering with the lawn's ecosystem. Yes, those ones. They are invasive. Ah, 'go wild'."

Miko kicked her foot in the grass. "Maaan. You're just tricking me into weeding June's garden."

Despite her grumbling, Miko proceeded to weed without mercy.

"Huh," said Jack.

"Miko, can you sneak this into base with your guitar case tomorrow?" Rafael asked her.

"Sure thing, gramps. Aw, but no guitar. I gotta practice!"

"Can you sneak it into base with something else?"

"Uh, ch-yeah! I can get snacks past Ratchet. I'm a pro smuggler."

The children left, decoy in tow.

Night fell, and then it was another dawn of another day. Elytron remained powered down. Their energon levels dwindled further. They had to conserve and wait. And hope.

Later that evening, the shed door squeaked open and a trio of jubilant faces greeted a groggy Elytron. It worked, the children declared, all abuzz: Ratchet threw out the decoy with hardly a glance, all-too-happy to dispose of a scraplet, and then scolded the children for being so reckless as he checked them for injuries.

"Grumpiness has gotta be Ratch's superpower," Miko said, idly swinging the bat around Jack's fenced-in backyard. Jack, Rafael, and Elytron sat on the deck. "Anyways - you're in the clear, dude! We faked your death, now we change your identity!"

"That's not necessary," Elytron hastily chimed in. They accepted the plastic bottle of energon from Jack and popped open their intake port. After downing most of it, they noticed three staring faces. Jack and Rafael averted their gazes. Miko did not.

"I thought you didn't have a mouth," she said, her tone comedically suspicious.

Elytron's intake snapped shut. "I don't."

"Miko," Jack warned.

Elytron surprised themself when they said, "No, it's alright. Some mechs have mouths under their faceplates. I don't. It's quite common."

Rafael scooted closer, thinly veiled curiosity now on full display. "Not like Optimus does. Do you have eyes under your visor? Does it work like my glasses?"

"Hm. I'm inclined to say no, but truthfully, I've never seen what's underneath. Hard to." They chuckled, then vented in surprise, not expecting the sound. It was unfamiliar.

"Do you have all those freaky scraplet teeth?" asked Miko, curling her fingers around her mouth in an imitation. "That go vrrrrr."

Wincing internally, Elytron was quick to reassure, "Only in that form."

"What's the toughest thing you've chewed up?"

Elytron did not like this line of questioning. Their antennae coiled. "Door."

Children loved asking questions, Elytron was reminded. Always searching for knowledge, for answers and reasons and more - so much like newsparks. Each youngling had their own method of seeking that knowledge. Miko chased the 'whats', Rafael wanted to know the 'how's', and even Jack threw in a couple 'why's'. Elytron steered the trio clear of questions about their alt mode and sensitive topics, but did not mind others. It was too easy to drop their guard. Elytron had to remind themself not to fall victim to human tactics - such as Rafael's weaponized doe eyes, shiny and genuine behind large frames that he pushed up his button of a nasal ridge.

Elytron didn't entertain the children much longer: June-Mom - Jack's other guardian and his provider - had returned. Jack shooed them all into action and Elytron retreated to the shed.

Before Elytron could shut the shed door, Rafael trotted over, calling their name. He crouched down to their level.

"You can come back," the boy said. "To base, I mean. Now that you're not in danger anymore, we could sneak you back in. If- if you want." Elytron didn't have an answer for that. Rafael smiled and said, "It's okay if you need time. Bye, Elytron. See you later." He ran toward the house. Elytron shut the door.

Shadows lengthened and the sky darkened. Through the sole window, Elytron watched unfamiliar constellations flicker and fade from view. Insectoids chirped throughout the night, ensuring it was not a quiet one.

Elytron deliberated. Denying that they felt safer here, in the shed, were too many mental gymnastics for even Elytron. Not being actively hunted, not jumping at every creak and whisper; paranoia echoed under every thought, but the thoughts were no longer impending threats. The shed had become a place of safety and voices no longer meant danger. They weren't scurrying around for energon, always one bad week away from starvation. Most vermin would never see such times. And yet, Elytron couldn't stand one more day of stagnation and boredom.

June-Mom was gone when Jack got up for school. This was a good thing, because when Jack walked into the kitchen, he screamed.

"Oh, my god!" he said, clutching his chest. "You-" He exhaled, something between a sigh and a groan. "Morning, Elytron."

Elytron was perched atop several books they'd stacked on a chair. Another book lay open on the kitchen table. With their green visor and biolights, the bot looked quite ghoulish in the dim lighting. "Morning, Jack. I've decided to go back."

"What?" Jack squinted. He processed the words in real time and said, "Oh, you mean- alright. Um, well, I've got school, and then work, so I don't know if I can... do that." He rubbed his face and opened the refrigerator. "I need to eat before I can start thinking about alien... stuff." He whirled around, suddenly fully awake. "Arcee," he hissed, eyes wide. "She-"

Elytron flipped a page, unconcerned. "She left earlier. I'll hide in a school bag. It worked before."

"Okay, but that was just for the ride here. You'd be at school all day. I'm worried about what might happen. What if someone sees you?"

"I'm very good at hiding. You could say it's my life's passion."

Jack didn't reply. Unfortunately, Elytron's impassive tone did not convey the levity behind their words. The boy made food while Elytron buried their mask in a book they found on the medicinal, culinary, and noxious properties of certain plants. They recognized a few from their hours staring forlornly at June-Mom's garden. The sheer variety of life in one little patch of dirt was downright absurd, and a reminder of why Elytron didn't do organic worlds: too much of everything. Organics were too unpredictable and prone to getting everywhere, especially where you didn't want them.

Bumblebee collected Jack for school. Jack propped his bag on his lap, careful to not let it touch Bumblebee, and chatted with Rafael about upcoming assignments. Rafael was concerned about his English grade and an upcoming essay. Jack offered to help; Rafael cheerfully agreed. Bumblebee dropped them off and honked a jolly tune as he left.

Jack waved to Bee, then leaned down to murmur, "Elytron's in my bag."

Rafael didn't get a chance to react before Miko was bounding over. Jack gave them a rundown of the plan to smuggle Elytron into the Autobot base: at lunch, Jack and Rafael would exchange 'the package' and then Raf would sneak away at base to deliver 'the package'. The children treated Elytron's return as if it were a high-stakes mission. This was amusing to Elytron. Miko was all for it and dished out code words in case of emergency. Elytron's code name was 'Eli'. Receiving a human nickname was... interesting. They'd only ever had the one name.

Elytron shifted to relieve their aching leg. Jack yapped at them to stay still and Elytron spitefully poked the boy with a pencil. As if they didn't know that.

Their leg was healed - for the most part. It gave the odd twinge, but they trusted it to withstand a transformation sequence. A bell rang out - far too loud - and youths funneled into the building. Elytron settled in and prepared to endure those few grueling hours. Jack shrugged off his bag and stored it under his desk. He opened it a crack to retrieve relevant tools and check on Elytron, who was fine, Jack. Elytron didn't expect much from a school for younglings on a primitive world. They resolved to power down 'til it was time to leave. The cacophony of noise was already whittling down Elytron's tolerance. The teacher wrangled their students into obedience and the lesson began. Elytron scarcely paid attention - enough to know it was geography. Elytron didn't care much for it.

That accursed bell startled Elytron at the end of first period, and their antennae flattened against their helm when they realized they weren't in danger.

The rest of the day did not drag on as the Minicon expected.

Elytron found themself devoting their full attention to the lessons, learning just enough of the planet's history and culture to spark Elytron's curiosity. They wanted to know more. It was a shame they wouldn't get another chance once they returned to the silo.

Jack and Rafael met up according to plan. Miko guarded the door while Elytron swapped backpacks.

"This was an informative and interesting experience," Elytron said. "Can we do it again?"

"Not now," Jack said and zipped the bag shut over Elytron's head. "Raf, here. How is that? Too heavy?"

With Jack's help, Rafael shrugged on his backpack. He clasped the straps, saying, "Nope, I'm all good. Thanks, Jack."

They both paused upon hearing a dreadfully familiar nasally tone outside the bathroom.

Miko was guarding the door. Vince just also happened to be there.

Leaning against the doorframe, Miko rolled her head in a big, exaggerated eyeroll. "I said go away, Vince. My eyes are hurting from the cloud of cologne following you around. Seriously, have you ever thought about your carbon footprint?"

Vince was gearing up a reply when the rest of the weirdo trio exited the bathroom. Seeing his favourite nerd put a smirk on his freckled face. "Heya, Darby. You making another funky-ass failure project? Wonder what part of the school you'll wreck next."

"Hope it's your face," Miko mumbled. Jack sighed a little. Vince scowled at her, then turned his attention to the littlest member of the trio, who was trying his best to sink into his oversized sweater vest. Vince especially noticed the sagging backpack.

"What's up with you, shorty?" Vince jeered, grabbing the handle of the younger boy's bag and wrenching Rafael to the side. Jack was quick to snag Raf's arm, but Vince got the bag. Vince victoriously held it high - but only briefly, the weight forcing him to hang it by his side.

"Vince, stop," said Jack, his tone stern.

Vince scoffed. He opened the bag. He half-expected to find something illegal or contraband in the kid's backpack, not a toy robot. Vince grabbed it. "What's this? A lame-o toy from your favourite kiddie show?" He waggled it out of their reach, taunting them while they cried and begged like the babies they were. He gave the toy a closer look. It was hefty - and good quality, too. But it'd also suffered a lot of wear, covered in scratches and rust and spots where the paint was completely stripped. It kinda looked like a bug. How did that little twerp afford-

In a blink, the toy moved - and Vince was suddenly reeling back, holding his throbbing nose. "Ow!" he yelped. "The fuck!"

All Vince saw was the colour pink as that crazy girl shoulder-checked him into a row of lockers - right in front of a teacher.

"Miss Nackiday," barked the teacher, "detention!"

"Yes, ma'am," Miko automatically replied. She pulled a face at Vince, who was already playing the victim card to teach. Vince glared at her and Miko pounded a fist into her palm. Then she walked away, whistling a catchy tune while Vince tattled.

Elytron was safely in Rafael's arms, forgotten in the action. Jack helped him hide the Minicon and ushered him out the back door. Miko joined them not a minute later. Jack didn't need to say a word before Elytron claimed the punch was an act of self-defense. Miko and Rafael snickered.

"It's my bot for our sci-fi club," Rafael said innocently, already preparing a cover story. "Vince hit the jab button."

"Robot fight club," Jack said, smiling as though remembering a joke.

"Mini bot battles," Miko said, reverent.

That topic hit too close to Elytron's spark. They said, "Does that happen often? That Vince character?" and successfully kick-started rants from all three of them.

Rafael dug into his lunch, wordlessly giving Miko parts of his meal that he didn't want. Miko passed a box of raisins to Jack, sticking out her tongue and calling him a weirdo without any heat behind it. As Elytron observed the children eating together, a pensive yearning fell over the Cybertronian. There was a gentleness as the humans shared food and a moment of contentment together, talking and laughing in the shade of the school building. Elytron felt something twist unpleasantly in their spark.

Straightening suddenly, Jack turned to Elytron and made a sound to get the bot's attention. He reached into the side of his backpack. Retrieving a metal bottle, he shook it - sloshing the liquid inside - encouraging Elytron to take it. Stuck to it was a strip of yellow tape, the letter 'E' scribbled on.

"Thank you," Elytron said, and they meant it. Elytron popped open the lid and was unexpectedly pleased to see a straw inside. They drank. They exchanged meaningless conversation with their human companions, their only worry in the world the occasional passing stranger. They savoured the warmth in their fuel tank and in their spark.

Their shared moment of peace came to an end and Elytron hid once more. They were eager to hear what clever Rafael learned in his classes.

Math, Elytron quickly determined. Rafael learned math. Elytron would honestly rather get shot again. They listened to the teacher droning on about numbers and equations and considered powering down. Mathematics and Elytron never got along. They caught their helm drooping several times and finally decided a nap was in order. They got comfortable, tucking in their limbs as they prepared to slip into recharge.

That Pit-damned bell rang, sending Elytron's relaxed mood into a nosedive. Elytron's fists and antennae curled tightly. They dampened their audio receptors 'til the thing cut out its unbearable racket. They half-hoped Rafael's next class was just as boring so they could actually recharge.

Rafael claimed a seat in the far corner and sat his backpack in the chair next to him. He opened it.

"How are you doing?" he whispered.

"Fine," Elytron grumbled, their visor glowing dim within their confines. They caught a glimpse of the outside world. Rows of clunky computers filled tables and rows of children filled seats. Elytron looked at Rafael's computer. Ah, programming. This was where Rafael honed his skills. Elytron was rusty at it, themself - they knew enough to open a locked door, but that came with practice. Elytron wondered what they could've done with an education. Would they pursue medicine? Law? Science? Unlikely, but it didn't matter: they would never find out.

The monotonous click-clacking of keyboards soothed Elytron's anxious mind. They powered down.

BRRRRiiiing!!

That fucking bell.

Science was next. Science is cool, or whatever: they didn't care.

Elytron's bad mood was not sustainable. They fumed in silence, in the dark, 'til their engine ran out of steam. They cooled down enough to actually enjoy the lesson about plant and animal cells. The teacher put on a strangely catchy song and Elytron had never been more baffled in their long life. What was next? Colouring pages?

Rafael tucked a loose questionnaire sheet into his bag at the end of class. Elytron held it up to examine.

"You can use my highlighters to fill it in," Rafael quietly told them. "Sorry, I know you're probably bored."

Through a crack in the zipper fell a ray of fluorescent light upon a black-and-white diagram. Elytron coloured it in with the bright and colourful markers they found at the bottom of the boy's school bag. It was quite satisfying. Elytron scanned the questions printed on the rest of the paper. They recalled some of these topics.

Elytron finished the page a moment before the bell rang. Rafael checked on Elytron and was absolutely beaming upon noticing the filled worksheet. Elytron was so very confused by these humans.

Rafael looped his arms through the straps of his backpack and shrugged it on. He joined the sea of chatter, dodging bodies and bookbags and - hopefully - bullies. Raf kept his eyes peeled for bright pink pigtails. Miko was probably booking it for the parking lot to avoid detention - which was honestly fair. Vince was the one that deserved detention. That wasn't fair.

Someone shoved past Raf. He bounced off another person's bookbag and they snapped at him. He stuttered out an apology. It was harder to avoid people with the extra weight on his back.

That didn't matter, though, because the shove was completely intentional. Vince guffawed behind him and Raf felt his cheeks go red.

"Watch where you're going, twerp," Vince taunted.

Raf's fingers tightened around his backpack straps. He kept walking. He didn't look anywhere but the doors ahead.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," Vince jeered, his voice taking on a harsher edge. Rafael walked faster.

Rafael walked out the front doors and down the stairs. His feet walked until his hand was reaching for a door handle.

"Hi, Bee," Raf chirped. Bee chirped back, swinging his steering wheel around and bouncing on his tires.

"Can we go straight to base today?" Raf said. He rested his bookbag on the floor and buckled in. "I've got a bunch of homework to do, but then we can hang out, okay?"

Bumblebee beeped agreeably. He was just happy to see Rafael. He asked about the boy's day.

Elytron listened. They always listened.

Rafael recounted the day and things he learned, skipping the parts with the Vince-boy. Elytron found that peculiar. He could spin the tale to omit Elytron's involvement, but he chose to omit the altercation altogether. Meanwhile, he was so quick to lie about the fake scraplet to his guardians' faceplates.

Elytron had no idea what the child's motives were. He truly was a mastermind.

Bumblebee's engine echoed inside the tunnel that led into the heart of the Autobots' base. He swerved - hard - and screeched to a halt. Elytron went tumbling; gravity glued the Minicon and the contents of the bag to Bumblebee's interior. Wherever Elytron landed, they stayed, awkward limbs and all. Elytron's frustration faltered as they were overcome by suspense and excitement. This is home, Elytron decided, and they could scarcely wait another joor more to climb into their nest of borrowed blankets.

Rafael needed to sneak away. Ratchet was the only other bot in the room, but Bumblebee was bored, which made delivering 'the package' impossible. Elytron would have to wait a little longer.

Getting settled on the couch, Rafael unzipped his backpack.

"Okay?" whispered the boy.

Elytron waved a dismissive servo.

"Alright. I need my laptop and that book..."

He extracted both from behind the Minicon, checking his surroundings as he did. Bumblebee was pestering Ratchet for something to do. Rafael was impressed by Ratchet's tolerance today; he must have gotten some sleep for once. Raf focused on his book report. He still had to finish the book, of course.

Elytron peeked through the crack in the zipper. They skimmed the page they could see. Rafael was making faces at it, but Elytron hadn't a clue what they meant. Was he troubled, sad, angry? Scrap it all, Elytron wanted out of this cramped bag! They put their head in their servos. Their antennae twitched restlessly. Patience, Elytron reminded themself. Just a little longer. They were accustomed to waiting - but not while confined, and not relying on a human child delivering them to safety. Elytron knew what they signed up for: all they had to do now was clamp down and keep quiet.

Footsteps clomped over. Bumblebee beeped.

"Oh, I'm just working on a book report for English," Raf replied.

The mech buzzed, confused.

"I do! But we're not just learning a language. That's why we still take classes - we read books and we write reports so we learn to look at the deeper meanings in the stuff we read or watch. I used to take Spanish - that class is actually for learning the language - but I convinced my mom to let me drop it so I could take computer science instead."

Bumblebee beeped inquiringly.

"Spanish is technically my first language, but I have to practice or I start forgetting. Mama would never let me leave the house again."

Hopeful, Bumblebee whirred.

"Okay!" Raf agreed excitedly. "That's a great idea, Bee. Spanish is easy once you get the hang of it. I still have to finish this, though, sorry."

Bumblebee bwooped.

"I don't know how much you can help - I have to actually finish the book first. I could read it to you?"

No! Elytron was thinking. Do not engage! They clutched their antennae and screamed internally. Damn younglings and their damn, erm... their- their damn friendships! And getting distracted!

Thankfully, to Elytron's immense relief, Rafael seemed to remember his mission. He blurted, "Shoot! Sorry, Bee. I forgot I have, um, I- I have to use the bathroom first! I'll be right back!"

Bumblebee beeped an acknowledgement. Rafael grabbed his bag and Bee offered the boy a lift. Raf climbed onto the mech's servo and Bumblebee bent down to let him hop to the floor.

"Be right back," Rafael called as he trotted off.

At last, Elytron thought. Their wings buzzed in anticipation.

The boy's head swiveled side to side as he ventured deeper into the base. Enormous nondescript hallways yawned around him; he tried not to feel too intimidated. Getting lost in here was incredibly easy, so he kept track of every turn he took. Vents and pipes and massive doors decorated the walls. Rafael stopped under one such vent. It was so high up - he hoped Elytron's wings weren't just for show.

"We're here," he said. His backpack wiggled, then ziiip!

"I return," Elytron said.

Raf slung off his bag and knelt next to it. Elytron emerged like a butterfly from its cocoon. They shook themself, giving their wings a flutter and their joints a stretch. Raf thought they were being dramatic on purpose. He smiled.

"You must be happy to be back," he said. "I miss home when I'm at sleepovers."

"I am ecstatic," Elytron stated with no discernible emotion. Their antennae stood loosely curled over their helm - not straight, not coiled - and there was a noticeable antsiness in their limbs, wings abuzz and fingers fluttering.

Raf took note of these things and his smile broadened. "I'm so happy for you! But, um, are you gonna be okay? We can still bring you energon, if you need it, and- and we'll come see you! It must get lonely. We can bring games, or books, or-"

"Thank you for helping me, Rafael," Elytron cut in. "That will not be necessary. You've done enough."

Rafael's shoulders slumped. His smile fell. "Oh. Okay." When his smile returned, it did not look right. It was missing something. Elytron couldn't decide what. The human said, "You're welcome. If you need help, or- or just wanna talk... you know where to find us."

Elytron couldn't parse the meaning behind his words - of course they knew where the children inhabited. Why was he telling them this? Elytron said, "Yes, I do." They waited - perhaps, for Rafael to elaborate or comment further. He did not. He stared at his hands. Elytron opened the shell of their wings and said, "Farewell, Rafael."

Suddenly, Raf lifted his head and lurched forward - so suddenly that Elytron jumped. "Wait!" he said. "Call me Raf. Only my parents - well, and Optimus - and Ratchet - say my whole name. But I prefer Raf."

Elytron flicked a wing. "Raf, then. Goodbye, Raf. Tell the other two..." Elytron paused. This wasn't a final farewell. They would meet these children again, if only to satisfy their own curiosity. "Tell them I enjoyed experiencing your 'school' today, and I would like to do so again."

Raf's smile reached his eyes this time. There, Elytron figured out: That's what was missing.

"I will," Raf said. "Goodbye, Elytron."

Elytron paused again. "Will you... call me Eli? I have never had a 'nick-name' before. I want to try it."

Rafael beamed. "Okay! See you around, Eli."

If I'm doing this right, hopefully not. Elytron spread their iridescent wings and took to the air. They flitted between the bars of the air duct and vanished from the human's sight.

Sighing, Raf zipped his backpack shut. He expected the extra weight - and was thrown off by how light his bag was without it.

Raf dragged his feet back to his book report. Bumblebee asked if he was okay.

"I'm fine," Raf answered. He opened his book to the first chapter. "Here, I'll start over so you know what's happening..."

The boy read aloud to his friend, unaware that someone else was listening.

They always listened.