Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the very dark hallway, in the busy city of Iacon, a femme walks by herself , unknowing about several bots followed her from behind, zeroing in on the femme special energon she had stolen from a very delicate one of collection of The Thirteen Primes.

She walks dismissively, completely ignoring crowed sound nearby the ragged wall and rusty poles. The stalkers have been threatening her with metal bats cracking on every metal. Although the femme looks so dismissive, she actually aware of her dangerous situation, increasing her walks while her optics glared stutteringly. 

Those stalkers is the most dangerous assassins in the whole universe. They came with many names; The Bounty Hunter, The Stalkers, The List, and the famous Mercenary. No one can stop them as they keep following their prey surreptitiously.

The femme cannot hold the overwhelming feeling of being chased and hunted, she darted away and rapidly take lots of turn in every aisle. But the famous Mercenary never even take this seriously. They always came faster than the femme—and she stumbled onward, hitting a random mining-dolly, slipping down the alley, hitting her helm in her very last destination.

Dead end...

She discarded everything she stole except the rare energon and tried to get up, but the famous Mercenary has arrived. There were thousands of them, optics flared-red, glaring ominously. The femme glared up, stuttered and stumbled down, her pedes shaking uncontrollably, her scream rang out before a thunderstorm silent her desperate voice for help.

"S-Stay away!" she barked, stammered and pointing a very dull pocket blade. "This is wrong! You guys are the bad guys here! This rare energon is the key to make everyone won't have to mine energon again!"

The leader step closer, the femme couldn't see the posture, but it sure the leader look menacing and scary.

"Once a thief, always be a thief," the leader said sardonically. "This is where will you die, feel free to feel how your proximity to your death is closer than the energon you had stolen from the sacred place! Nobody, flood the sacred place with such grime like you!"

The femme gasped, her optics flashed with grim, her processor dwindling with every step the bad guys took, and every scowl they made. Is this the end? will she ever met her true loves? Will she ever save Cybertron, drag it back from its darkness to golden era?

the femme reluctantly closed her optics as a way to say her last goodbye and wave to the Allspark.

One minute of silent, two, three... four and five. What could have happen to them?

She opened her optics again, and was startled to face the truth that her enemies were groaning in pain, with a figure standing menacingly, coldly, and of course, with such a cool stance, and a handsome battle mask, standing on his victims.

The ground were lettered with every mercenary lifeless frame—energon everywhere, desperate groaning reverberated. 

She heard about it. The hero of the city, the vengeance, the darkness with ethereal yellow paint job in his entire body. A dim blue-like energon appear on his left servo—the legendary stinger—while his other servo was holding the leader, coughing out energon, growling angrily.

"W-who... who are you?" he stuttered. 

The yellow figure said nothing but to slid the leader neck cable. He stuttered and gagged, energon spat out from his neck, covering the yellow figure with his energon. He yanked away the lifeless frame, turning his helm slightly to the still femme.

The yellow figure lowered his servos, turning his stinger back into his original servo, hoping that would make the femme at ease.

"Fear not, well and kind citizen..." he said, his battle mask darting away to the dark sky, looking up with his other servo on his hip, standing with his most handsome and menacing iconic pose. "Your savior, is here. The hero nobody ask, has arrive!"

He kneeled down and help the femme up. The femme hold him with gratitude and hug him tightly.

"Thank you, my hero!" She said. "A hero need a name, so everyone could thanks him, and giving their regard to the hero! Yet we never know about our city best vengeance identity."

The yellow bot chuckled lowly and then laugh proudly. "Fear not, Cybertron citizen—the hero doesn't need to be praised."

The femme hold her servos together close to her chest plate. "Oh, my hero... how kind and generous are you!"

The yellow bot nodded rapidly. "Yes! I am generous! But if the citizen insist, you shall call me as—"

"BADASSATRON!" 

The entire bots in the Autobots Common Hall went entirely silent, as every single of their voice boxes were forcedly taken out—And of course, hopefully it won't happen to anyone, right?

B-127 standing with one servo up stepping on a makeshift energon cube, one servo on the hip, the other pointing up with one digits zeroing in the dim light in the ceiling. Bee looks so proud of himself and the story he made every night before he recharged, while everyone in the hall have given him every expression and reaction that Bee never thought—regardless Bee was thinking that they were very deep with his story, not knowing every single of bots in the hall were very confused, unaware, some of them are scared and contemplate to join the Decepticon. Jazz was the only one who laugh hysterically with this very sudden story time.

"What... the slag are you talking about, Bee?!" said some random femme, her face grimace. 

"Eh? It's my story? The story I wrote every night remember? The story about the hero Badasstron that become the savior of Cybertron?! Oh! In case you guys forgot—which is totally okay and normal—let me tell you again on how I made the story, yeah? Well, um... fear not citizen! it started with..."

The Autobots Common Hall once again reverberated with tired and annoying groan, as B-127 tried to repeat, again, the cheesy story he made.

"ARGH! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" Ratchet groaned and took his wrench, pointing it at B-127 as the yellow mech giggled.

"Ratchet! I don't need a wrench! But thank you!" He waved his servos rapidly and haphazardly like a bot losing one of his screw in his helm—everyone once again groaning, some of them are leaving out, which make Bee went to panic.

"Hey! Guys! wait! let me tell you the story about Steve..."

They didn't listen and left the hall. But some of them are sane enough to stay, like Ratchet who look so pissed, Jazz who keep laughing, Mirage who... well, doing "Mirage" thing, zoning out or overthinking that a scary monster that could disappear would eat him alive.

 "Cut it out, Bee." Ratchet vented out. "Step down from the table, now!"

"H-hey Ratchet, but I'm—"

"NOW!" Ratchet pointed the wrench again. Bee winced and jumped off, quickly hiding behind Jazz whose probably already losing his spark by keep laughing.

"Slagging talker... I probably need to screw his talking processor..." Ratchet muttered to himself as he left.

Bee peeked out from Jazz's back, giggling. "Thank you, Jazz," he said, shaking the coolest mech servo.

"Ya welcome, Little Bee." Jazz smirked. 

"Phew... that was intense. They liked my story so much eh?" Bee crossed his arms. Jazz raised his optics ridges, knowing that Bee's pose was more like a nerd-looking mech who's trying to look cool, Bee vented out and hung his helm and servos.

"Maybe I do need to make another story," he spoke, glaring up, "so maybe more people want to hear it!"

"You okay, Little Bee?"

"W-what? me? Pfft! What do you mean you okay? I am Badassatron after all! That was very intense! I can feel the tense and excitement from them you know? Like, like, they were all flabbergasted and so amazed, they all were reverberating the hall with their groan of excitement! Primus i was so nervous when they groan like that! I thought they hated it!"

Jazz frowned. "Uhm... I think they were..."

"YES?" Bee grinned, his optics glints with joy, who the frag want to destroy his conviction of how everyone often likes him?! Jazz couldn't do that, he refuses to be the one to destroy it.

"Um... nothing—yes, t-they, like it." Jazz forced a smile, patting Bee's back to drag him out of the Autobots Common Hall. "C'mon Little Bee, I'll treat you some energon."

"Engex?!"

"Brave ain't ya? sure then—but please don't tell Elita or Ratchet."

***

Everyone didn't know or maybe even remember who is B-127 is, while of course the smaller yellow mech have been isolated deep down into the sublevel 50 for... fragging how long. No one know how exhausting and probably scary and stressing him for staying deep down alone by himself, and some companions he made with inanimate junk.

The yellow mech had been there for a longer time, until Darkwing bring a very careless mech and a hard work one into his pride and joy—and Bee never been so happier of his life. He have two friends, plus got a new one in the journey, and he was the leader! He lead them into a very exciting journey, racing together to find the matrix! fight with some bad bots, getting a new T-cog, he can transform and he had a battle mask! What could be the worst? What could possibly ruin his wonderful life? 

"Whatca doing, Bee?" Jazz raised his right optical ridge, noticing how the smaller mech have been busy staring at his datapad, and Jazz optics became wide and panic once he saw what was he doing. 

"BEE? ARE YOU CALLING D— I MEAN, MEGATRON?!" 

Bee smirked. "Yeah—I saved his comm number."

"I thought he change his comm?"

"Well, he did. But we met again last week when Optimus and Megatron were hugging and crying."

Jazz was dumbfounded, he probably musing about that hot bot he met once in the Decepticon—but then he shook his helm rapidly.

"They were fighting together, Bee," he said, clarifying Bee's incomprehensible statement. "They weren't hugging, or I don't know. I mean they used to do more than hug, i guess."

"What could possibly they used to do, that was more overwhelming and exciting than a hug?" Bee glared, his face flashing with curiosity. 

"Doing taxes together."

They both finally reach the cafeteria and join the queue after a while. After the energon finally flow again, and everyone finally got their own t-cog, there are no reasons for them to make the mining district function. Orion Pax or as everyone call him Optimus Prime now, have a really unique and exciting plans, according to Bee himself which everyone doubt it every time. But either way, the rumor did say that Optimus have been doing some mapping through out the old mining district. He worked together with with Wheeljack as the engineer and Ironhide as the supervisor.

"Orion said—"

"It's Optimus Prime now, Bee," Jazz cut out and clarified. "Is it about his speech yesterday?"

Bee nodded. "Yeah, he said something about in-in... uhm... in.. infragile? infraction? fraction?" he stopped, his voice hitching suddenly." fragging?" he frowned, it doesn't sounds right. "Did Optimus want everyone to interfacing—"

"Woah! Okay there!  That's not what he meant—he said something about inflation. Didn't you hear the news?"

Bee shrugged. He doesn't like the news, he doesn't like when a hologram talks too much. Well he doesn't talk that much, so he think about himself as a fine and normal talker.

Jazz vented out while also keep moving on with the queue.  "Optimus want everyone to get a better live than when Sentinel rule the city. So he build a very healthy community, by making every job that everyone used to desire be available. They can be anything now—like me!" Jazz elbowed his smaller friend, accidentally hitting the back of his helm since he's a bit too short. "I can be an Autobot and solo singer now! I get paid twice! Although the director always ask me to choose between him or Optimus, which I don't know why he said like that." 

Bee optics glittered with excitement. "Woah, Jazz! That's so cool! I always know you are a great singer whenever you sing or play some instrument. I like it when you sing with Prowl last night."

Jazz frowned, looking at Bee as if the yellow mech is crazy. "Sing? With Prowl? I didn't—oh!" he stopped and cursed himself with a really low mumbling that was saying, "I should have keep it low..."

"Huh?"

"Nothing!"

"Well, but aren't we in the war right now? Like why did all of this matter? I mean it's cool—no hard feeling here, I like this plan. I never have tour in Iacon before. But why is it so important to have this kind of plan, building up, new jobs, bots whose jobless, bots whose not jobless. Why does it matter? Aren't we trying to destroy the other government in Kaon? And... and... oh! What about Quintessons?! And why don't we try to use the remain ruins in the mining district to build like some kind of... uhm... oh-oh! A massive weapon?! We could work hard together, and make a weapon that could extinguish..." 

Jazz grimaced, his face laced with concern and... other thousands thing in his processor. Somehow seeing Bee talking like this is... scary, he mused.

"Alright, alright there, killer—you killed everyone with that idea." Jazz quickly bear down Bee's servos before he could killed some frame with his excitement. 

"Next!"

As Bee and Jazz took their turn, and they both startled when they saw Darkwing standing over the cafeteria counter, with a very unamusing grumble, and a apron-made thin metal wrapping his front frame.

"Grr... Dinner..." he grumbled out lowly and deeply, he sounds so tired, poor bot. 

 "Eh... why is he talking like that?" Jazz leaned down and closer to Bee's audial, whispering it carefully.

"Optimus doesn't want to execute Darkwing," Ratchet said, standing impatiently on their back, waiting for his turn. "So Elita have a plan. She punished Darkwing by replacing 'miner' word with other that would sounds a bit..." Ratchet stopped a bit for a derisive grumble. "Nicer."

Jazz just nodded and ask Darkwing to give his tray with everything in the menu, while Bee frowned and just ask for two cubes Energon and was thinking to have some old corroder—a very strong drink that some bot took just to bear down their emotions or to forget everything—but then he decided he want to lay low and have some K-Juice (a kremzeek juice).

"That's all it?" Darkwing spoke, with the same tone like the one when he said 'miner'. Bee chuckled lowly and nodded. He put down some shannix into the tip jar before he left, and Bee swear for the Allspark that he heard some happy giggle from the dark-blue mech.

"No engex?" Jazz stared down, scrutinizing his smaller friend. "You can have some you know? Just don't tell Elita, then, 's on me! Like I promised."

Bee shrugged. "Nah, I'm fine with this. Let's just find some table."

Jazz was unconvince as Bee darted away. But Jazz decided to shrug it off.

***

The dinner went so quick. Jazz already gone to his quarter when Bee said he want to stay in the cafeteria a bit. Although it's getting darker now, and some holo-TV already been turning off, Bee kept waiting. He whistle slowly, while kicking his pedes in the air. And when he hear a low, "Good night," as the cafeteria kitchen opened  by Darkwing—and it was surprisingly gentle—Bee jumped down from the seat and approach him rapidly.

"Hey! Uhm, Darkwing! Yo-hoo! it's mee! Uhm... B-127? Oh, uh-huh! Maybe you forgot! I'm sorry, maybe you know me as Badassatron now! Some of bots now called me that—I don't know what that means and why they called me that, weird right?!" Bee chuckled as he followed the bigger mech step, who just completely ignoring him.

Iacon is raining slow right now. Darkwing grumbled again, walking under the night city. His only purpose now is to go back to his smaller quarter and have a recharge. For one or two times he glared a bit, just to get an annoying bot who won't ever stop talking.

"...Like the other day I was enjoying my cube with Optimus and Elita while we on patrol and then boom! wow! we were under attack! I was quick to saved our energon before we went to attack, and I'm in the, you know? Badassatron mode again—slashing some of them, but not too hard! Or else Optimus would be so sad if I killed someone. He always said, no killing, Badassatron. We rely so much on you!  I was like wow, i mean yeah I'm cool..."

Darkwing rolled his helm, taking his change to turn left on an aisle while the yellow mech keep walking straight. Darkwing chuckled deeply, idiot as always, he mused. And when he keep walking no too far from his turn earlier, he could hear a low and slow jet sound from above.

"Seekers..." Darkwing mumbled. He didn't care about the war—he's useless now that everyone have a cog. Some of the miners are even towering him like he used do to them. He's so lucky that he doesn't ended up like Airachnid, and Optimus was still kind enough to give him the punishment as a cafeteria bot.

He could heard some slow and low fight happening back there. The yellow mech... what was his name again? he could be cared enough to remember that smaller mech, but he doesn't. He cared nothing anymore, although Darkwing did remember that once was the one who responsible for keeping that poor yellow mech in the sublevel 50 for long.

"We finally got you, Talker Bot."

Darkwing stop his movement, glaring back when he heard an high pitch voice. The yellow mech lost? He couldn't care less about it. Keep walking, keep walking.

"What do you think, Starscream? What should we do? Megatron would be so happy if you bring this stupid bot."

Darkwing just keep walking, ignoring it.

"Ngh... I don't know. This little one is so annoying. I wonder if we take his voice box, can he still be annoying too?"

It happens so fast, that the three lower-rank seekers doesn't even have the time to see when Starscream went flying and crashed on a wall far from them. Darkwing, towering over them, doubled over with his left servo clenched, venting out a heavy and hot smoke from each gaps of his digits, and his right servo quickly catch Bee's frame from the sky.

"DARKWING! YOU ALRIGHT! YAY!" Bee squeaked happily, as his stinger almost hit Darkwing visor. "I thought they hurt you!"

"Starscream!" the lower-rank seekers ran towards their leader with such panic in their strangled voice. "Sir?! are you okay?!"

"Are you okay?" Darkwing mumbled deeply. "Can you fight once more?"

Bee blinked and then smirked, he flipped down and reach the ground with one knee on the ground, two stingers in his servos and battle mask on his face plate. Darkwing wouldn't be worry too much about this mech.

"ARGH! WHO ARE YOU?! ARE YOU INSANE?! I JUST POLISH MY WINGS!" Starscream roared out and hovered with the small jetpacks on his pedes.

"Send my regard to your leader that I punch your face as hard as I punched his face once," Darkwing blurted grimly.

Starscream was pissed. "I'll send you both back to Unicron's aft!" 

Starscream, followed by the lower-rank seekers, dove down in a very fast momentum. Bee clashed his stinger and jumped up, reaching a rusty pole above him so he could give the first seeker a hard kick and his wings. Darkwing avoided every shot that was pointed at him. He slid down on the ground when the two seekers was flying at him, which ended up they both hitting each other. Darkwing grabs their pedes simultaneously and threw it at Starscream who were busy with Bee. 

Bee notice the two seekers and cheers in excitement, "Let me polish your wings more, Starscream!" Bee jumped and flipped, as Starscream doesn't have the same reaction too quickly react and avoided his two seekers, who hit him and a very speed movement. Starscream groaned out in pain, while Bee adjust his stinger, and make a small cut on bot of Starscream wings.

They all lost and fall to the ground.

"How ironic," Darkwing scowled.

"Get off me you fool!" Starscream scoffed. "Retreat! RETREAT NOW! TAKE ME WITH YOU!"

As Starscream flew off by the help of his seekers. Bee took off his battle mask and waved his servos in excitement. 

"Bye Starscream! See you again!" he said, grinning widely as he turned to Darkwing. "Ugh, I'm his biggest fan, you know? Aww slag, I forgot to ask his signature!"

Darkwing said nothing, his frame towering over Bee, even though Bee already got a t-cog.

And then he left.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Bee followed him.

"Home, my quarter. You okay, you don't need my help."

 "Aww... come on, Darkwing! Let's have an energon together?"

Darkwing stop, contemplating it.

A few moment later, they were at a nearby bar.

"Thank you, Swerve!" Bee smirked and took the cubes as the minibot smiled widely and waved his servo. Bee walked out of the bar, since Darkwing doesn't really like crowded place. He sat on the edge of pedestrian road.

"Here you go," Bee said, giving the cube. 

"Thanks." Darkwing took it and have a really, really, small amount of sip.

Silent. Bee really want to groan out, or just keep talking and yapping. But for some reason, he knows maybe it's not the right time.

"So..." Bee started, "how are you doing?"

Darkwing glared down. "Good—a bit cramps, my right servo. But it's fine." He stopped, musing about some good attitude he read in a filebook lately. "Uhm... Darkwing feel, grateful, Darkwing thank you."

Bee patted Darkwing's shoulder plates. "It should be me who said thank you! You saved me! You're my friend now!"

"No—Darkwing don't need friend."

"Why?"

"Darkwing is useless now. Darkwing feel sorry and guilty." Darkwing paused, looking at Bee grimly. "I... feel sorry and guilty, about keeping you down there in the sublevel 50. And... about making everyone life's miserable. Sentinel is guilty, Darkwing too. Sentinel is dead, but Optimus Prime forgive me, and want me to be better for the society. But Darkwing feel... unfit."

Darkwing hung his head down, this bot is so depressed!

"Eh, I already forget about it already!" Bee smirked and tried to nudged the bigger bot, but failed. He was just too big, or Bee was just too small. "And if you want to say sorry, you already in a great start. You can start by forgiving yourself and... well, ask everyone forgiveness."

Darkwing nodded. "B-127—"

"Call me Bee, or... Badassatron!"

Darkwing nodded again. "Bee... have lots of friends?"

"Of course." Bee stopped himself and lifted his left servo, opening a small compartment where he put emergency energon. There are three energon cube in it.

"I saved this for emergency, or for my friends!" he said, giving one of the cube for Darkwing. Darkwing took it reluctantly, scrutinizing it, and decided not to consume it, and keep it into his small compartment in his left servo. "And the other two?"

Bee vented out, he was trying so hard to keep a smile on his face, but his voice keep hitching and strangled, as if it was stuck in his neck.

"Ah, the other two is for Optimus Prime—He's my friend to, you know? And... uhm... the last one is for, D—" He stopped and bit his derma, "I- it's... it's for..."

Darkwing patted his back, nodding understandingly. "You believe he'll be back?"

Bee vented out and force a chuckle. "Of course! I believe Megatron will be back one day! and oh! You have to met him and talk with him! he was so funny and cool! He's actually so nice, although a bit scary and maniac, but he's the nicest mech i met alongside with Elita and Optimus. I can't wait until we circle together and drink engex together!"

After that, another long silent hit hard. Bee zoned out was awaken when Darkwing shoved the yellow mech his own shabby datapad.

"Bee's comm number—we're friends now." Darkwing nodded, nudging his datapad as if he was trying to forcing Beet to give his comm number. Bee giving him a delighted smile as he took his datapad.

"If Bee came to cafeteria again, just call me and Bee don't have to wait." Darkwing nodded. 

Bee grinned happily. He just made a new friend again! How wonderful is that?! What could have destroy his overwhelming joy?!

What could possibly ruin his wonderful life?! 

I hope D-16 is here, Bee mused, he must be like it when I tell him about everything!

Chapter Text

"You friend with Darkwing now huh?" Jazz asked, his face laced with concern. 

"Hmhm!"

Jazz hummed. "Don't get me wrong, did he force you or something? Should I be concern here? Do you want me to do something, Little Bee? I could tell Optimus—not Elita though, she's scary."

Bee muttered something gibberish as his mouth and servos full with stacks of energon that for incomprehensible reason his been hungry and munching it for hours as they wait for Optimus in the meeting room.  

"Come again?" Jazz asked, leaning outright and wipe off some grime from Bee's shoulder. "You eat like a little sparkling, Little Bee. I mean sure you are our smallest scout here, but I'm pretty sure you're not a sparkling anymore." 

"Not a sparkling—and don't worry about me." Bee grinned, offering Jazz one of his cubes which Jazz decline politely. "It's been precisely one week that Darkwing give me his comm number—and he's been acting nice."

"More like acting like a creep." Jazz shuddered. "I remember one day he's trailing you with his grimy posture—that was scary. He's like a stalker you know? I remember when he asked you to taste about his new energon recipe he's been trying to do yesterday night, when you both alone in the cafeteria."

Bee raised his optics ridge. "How did you know when and where Darkwing is?"

"I've been following you two this week." Jazz stopped, he belatedly realize. "Frag I'm a creep."

The crowed and noisy room still feel like a whole machine engine buzzing maniacally even though Optimus and Elita have arrived. They both exchange look; Optimus was frowning but in a more soft and concern way as he scrutinize the entire team in the room, while Elita frowning but in a more petulant and pissed way.

"Optimus! Here!" Bee waved his servo, which unsurprisingly got a reply with a genuine smile that were probably saying, 'how are you doing, Bee?'

"Optimus just said how am I doing," Bee exclaimed, still waving his servo even though Optimus was already busy trying to get everyone attention.

"Huh?" Jazz looked over.

"Optimus, he said to me earlier how am i doing," Bee repeated. "Isn't that cool? I know the boss is busy—super-super busy, and he's cool, too! And I'm really excited and proud that I can work with the government now! Optimus put me in a scout rank, which is lame, boo! But he said it's one of the coolest rank, in order to me, to become the great and legendary Badassatron! Well then I accept it because it's fine and—"

"Okay, Bee. I get it, you're THE Badassatron," Jazz chuckled. "But how did you know what were Optimus trying to say to you? Clearly he was just smiling at ya."

"I...  just know it!" Bee raised both of his servo rapidly and then whispering to himself, "Oh! It almost like I can read his thoughts!" 

"Pft! Yeah, sure, Bee. And I can fly." Jazz flipping his door-like part on his back as if it was a wing. I wanna go home quickly.

"I wanna go home quickly." Bee vented out.

Jazz startled and grimaced his face. How did he—

"How did I?" Bee glared, and suddenly he already grinning, almost look like if he was plotting on something, while the yellow mech lean closer conspiratorially. 

Jazz leaned back, his face was almost too funny when he thought, scrap! think of a number! 69!

"Why do you always think about the number 69?" Bee tilted his helm.

Jazz shrieked in terror. Frag! I hope he doesn't know about my deepest secret.

"I heard those freaky magazine was trying to hired you as their model. Is he knows?"

 Jazz coughed out, his voice strangled. Um, purple!

"Hi purple!" 

Jazz frame practically almost reach his own seat as he was stuttering. How did you- how did he- tell me my secret crush?

"Aww... Soundwave."

"OKAY! OKAY STOP THERE BEE!" 

Jazz sudden shout immediately stop the chatter that Optimus was trying to do for a whole two minutes. Jazz vented as some of his face plate went red and stammering. Bee glared suspiciously, but decided to shrug it off as he scroll on his datapad. He's been on his datapad while Jazz was panicking around.

"Okay..." Optimus started, clearing his vocal, trying to act all cool and leader-ish—and he completely fail because his deep-made voice was more like two Decepticon moaning out in front of Shockwave who wish his one optic went blind. 

"Uhm... so everyone we got some  news—"

And the crowed went loud and noisy all over again. Usually they all respect Optimus so much, it takes so much power just to interrupt the new younger Prime whenever he's talking or giving them supportive speech. But today probably isn't the day where the Autobots feel like it. They were all chattering, but mostly about something specific. 

"What were they speaking?" Bee leaned closer to Jazz.

Jazz huffed, probably still pissed about Bee talking about Soundwave earlier. "How should I know? You do it!"

"Huh?"

"You can read everyone processor," Jazz clarified with flat face. "And I can do it to. Look at Hound! I bet he was wished a Decepticon attack happen sooner or later because he's been stuck in Wheeljack's lab with his lab thing that more like a torture device. Bet Wheeljack use one of his lab stuff to  one of his date."

Bee blinked, tilting his helm. "What are you talking about, Jazzy?" he chuckled funnily. "Are you high?"

"High on engex, yes, I kinda need that."

While Bee and Jazz were busy talking almost gibberish, the entire room still feel like a place filled with bots who accidentally went to a meeting room instead of Swerve's Bar. Optimus couldn't try to raise his voice at them.

"Everyone, attention please..." he tried one last time before the younger prime vented out, and quickly jump up in terror as Elita One step in and scream,

"OPTIMUS IS TRYING TO TALK YOU WORTHLESS AFTHOLE! LISTEN UP OR I'LL SMACK EVERY SINGLE FACES OF YOUR WORHTLESS FRAME, GOT IT?!"

The room squeaked and shrieked in fear (except for Bee, he was smiling, wiggling his helm he puts on his servo while kicking his pedes), and said, "Y-yes, ma'am."

 Elita step back and let out a derisive vent before he nodded at Optimus, who were grinning nervously, probably screaming and giggling inside his spark about his very cool commander.

"So, the news. Yesterday after me and Prowl patrolling on the surface and tried to map the area so we can expand Iacon to the surface for more defense from Quintessons, we found out about a very mysterious energy," he stopped, pressing the remote control, a hologram of the surface near Iacon showed up from the table, there are lots of yellow-ish dot on the map, "or i can say it was more like an energon source—energy that mostly and hypotactically came from lots of living bots."

The entire room filled with another chatter and unclear voices, Optimus raised his digits to gain another attention as his face face was worn out, littered with many thoughts.

"Our best engineer and scientist have been trying so best to build our community from scrap, even though..." Optimus paused, his optics glinted with uncertainty. "Unfortunately... we are now in both war, we are going try our best to keep it safe for Iacon and Cybertron. But as for now... Iacon Institute and Sparks University is still opening their registration, for those who used to be cogless bot in this room and want to deepen their knowledge. Full scholarship is guarantee from myself, because... I really think you all deserve a change, where you can be something more," Optimus give another paused, holding his left arm while looking at it, "something more than just a miner bot. You can be so much more, you are all more than meets the eyes..."

The room was silent with awe filling the moment. And then, one by one start standing up and giving him a round of applause, cheerful and quick shout was given to the new Prime.

"What's with Optimus and his favorite words, meets me in the eyes?" Bee shouted right at Jazz's audial as both of them clap their servos. But Jazz just give Bee a digit on his derma.

"I apologize for my absent recently—and still a bit full in my servos—but I tried my best to keep in touch with you all." Optimus smiled and raised his servo for another attention. "Now, I have a mission for some of you, I want to—"

"ME, PRIMUS! OPTIMUS PRIME, SIR, PICK ME!" Hound already raised his shaking servo. frag you Wheeljack and your stupid nerdy conversation! he mused.

"No, it should have been me," said Red Alert, standing up. "I'm not a handful bot—i can be useful. I know some medical term for the mission in case if this one would be dangerous, and I know one or two engineering thing!"

Optimus chuckled, clearly feeling so delight about how excited his team is. Elita just give him a a roll in the optic followed with a funny chuckle too.

"I don't think you guys will like the term of this mission once you know it," Elita said, leaning on a wall. Optimus give him a grimly glare, which got a shrug for a reply.

While everyone was exchanging stare with others, a loud and gloomy voice was heard, and the meeting door was open, showing a very own figure that almost 99 percent in this room hate him.

"DARKWING?!" they (except for Bee, who apparently jumping in excitement) exclaimed in unison. The blue-purple-ish mech just gave them a very depressing hum.

"Optimus, with all due respect, what the frag is this?" Sideswipe blurted.

Optimus raised his optics ridge. "It's Darkwing? Do you forget—"

"How could we even forget this Unicron's spawn?!" Bluestreak cut off, and later added, "I'm sorry, sir."

"Everyone, please remain calm," Optimus said calmly. "I've been reading Darkwing record, and yes, he's still on probation. But his  record show he's been great and kind to us—especially B-127 and Jazz, and the entire kitchen crew of our cafeteria."

"He's just someone who prepare energon for us!" Hound said. "How can that be consider as 'great and kind to us, Optimus?!"

"Hound, like everyone else, I also can't forget about how Darkwing treat us with such unkind—and I respect that some of us still can't move on yet from it. Let me remind you that we here not as Sentinel—don't be like Sentinel. The way you say he was just a bot who prepare energon for us is exactly how Sentinel would refer us as someone who paid for his debt to Quintesson. I respect that some of you still hate him, and please I expect the same respect that I want Darkwing to be better. He deserve freedom. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. And Darkwing deserve it as everyone else too, despite his horrible doing in the past."

No one could possibly doing something after Optimus deliver his speech that always show why he was choose as the prime. Hound, and as other who argued about it, take Optimus reason with pride—because they all respect their leader, and their friends.

Bee was clapping slowly and smiling proudly. "Do you think I can do that too?" he asked, Jazz give him a quick nod and patted the yellow mech helm. Somehow Optimus' speech make his mood better.

"Ugh, I guess I'm fine with Darkwing become good." Red Alert shrugged. "But I don't want him to join in my team. He stinks, and grumpy, and looks like a creep!"

Darkwing probably had enough of this bullshit. He stood straighter and clenched both of his servo and said, "Who fragging care if no one want me with you! I bet you even don't take a shower and smell like Unicron's afthole you fragging MINER!"

The room went silent. There's literally no voice came out from every intakes. Elita growled in annoyance and walked out of the room as Optimus grimaced and clocked his helm to the table and take a seat, just waiting for the chaos to happen anytime soon.

"HUH? FRAG YOU MEAN MINER?!"

"DON'T YOU HAVE A MIRROR IN YOUR QUARTER?! NOBODY EVEN WANTED TO DATE YOUR HORRIBLE FACE!"

"I'D DATED MEGATRON AND DIED IN THE FIRST DINNER INSTEAD OF TASTING YOUR FOOD!"

"WHY DON'T YOU BECOME A FOOD INSPECTOR AND INJECT EVERY RESTAURANT WITH YOUR FRAGGING NONSESE?!"

"LITERALLY YOU ARE HATED HERE! GO BACK TO SUBLEVEL 50!"

The room, is indeed, chaos. Optimus just sat down on a chair, holding his helm and mumbling, "Yay... it good to see how strong my friends are..."

Everyone was practically cursing Darkwing with everything that won't even fit in the dictionary. Darkwing face grimaced, regretting his words as he was thrown lots of bottle metal, metal scrap, and...

"FOR PRIMUS SAKE WHO THROW A FRAGGING TABLE AT ME?!" Darkwing roared out, but of course nobody is listening, he kept being thrown.

"I take my word back, I love Monday," Jazz shouted to Bee, as he throws... A WHOLE FRAGGING GUTTLING GUN.

"FRAG? WHERE THE FRAG YOU FIND A GUTTLING GUN?!" Darkwing groaned. While in the corner, Elita was counting her shannix coin while some of bots buy some "valuable" thing she brings to throw it at Darkwing.

"GUYS, GUYS, GUYS, STOP!" Bee step in front of Darkwing, and they stop immediately. "Please, don't do this, come on! You are so cool and kind, so don't do such violent. I mean, yes, Darkwing did do lots of bad things! Pft! Happens once to me too, you know? But at least he won't push us off of a cliff and then jump to committee a suicide!"

"Move Bee! We like you enough we don't want to throw this thing at you!" Red Alert said, lifting a chair.

Bee shook his helm. "This is wrong, guys. This is not like you, please stop. We love peace and quiet, right?"

Optimus lifted his helm, smiling with hope. But the irony of peace and quiet, coming from a bot who like to yap endlessly. The Autobots stared at the yellow mech with the kind of face that isn't even bored or annoyed.

"OH PRIMUS THIS GUY STINK!" Red Alert growled and looked at everyone. "WHY DON'T WE THROW EVERYTHING RIGHT AT BOTH OF THEM?!"

And they all throw everything at Darkwing and Bee too, while Optimus clocked his face back into the table, and Elita triple the price of heavy objects in case they want to throw it at Bee frame.

Bee squeaked and winced, but Darkwing quickly use his servo to cover half of Bee's frame.

"Bee... okay?" Darkwing said, and Bee smile widely along with a nod. The chaos finally stop right after someone throw Hound right at them while the green mech screaming, "WHAT THE FRAG I'M NOT A FRAGGING CHAIR!"

The room was messy, Optimus was depressed.

"Look, guys, if you don't want him to be in your team, then let him in my team," Bee exclaimed, and the idea doesn't sound too bad for everyone else.

"It was okay," Elita said, "but you need one more bot to pick, Bee."

Bee kicking his pedes to the ground and jumped happily as he scan the entire room to choose some bot.

While the other just gave a very normal and flat face, Jazz grimaced and shrieked while his processor dwindling as he muse, Bee, please don't pick me, please don't pick. And then he belatedly realize that Bee recently can read everyone processor.

"JAZZ!" Bee jumped and waved. Everyone optics were zoning in at the poor mech with intake wide open as he internally scream, hoping Sentinel back from the Allspark and rule Cybertron again.

FOR PRIMUS SAKE, FRAG NO!

***

A few hours later... Cybertron surface...

"Jazz..." Bee whined, it's been a while since they walked around the stout and grime ground of Cybertron surface. "I'm sorry—I thought you want to come with me, you know? We can have a very blast adventure on the surface? it's been a while since we patrolling together."

"Yeah, you thought." Jazz scowled, focusing with the energon reader in his left servo. 

Bee hung his helm down, and Darkwing, although they can't look at whatever his expression behind his visor, his posture is so much easier to read. And right now, he feels guilty and bad. He patted Bee's back and then walk closer to Jazz.

"Name... Jazz... right," he spoke, and after he sure that Jazz will keep giving him the silent treatment, he continued, "we first time met, at the incident. Jazz's leg were... broken. You lost your leg in the mining cave."

"Oh, please Darkwing, don't try to get closer to me just because Optimus trust you. Well news flash, I don't," Jazz hissed, he sounds more jealous rather than upset. "And may I remind you that day wasn't the first time we met—we met every time. And how ironic that this is the time that you finally want to notice a miner bot."

Darkwing nodded after glancing at Bee who stumble on a metal-rock, and kick it before he winced and jump with his leg in the air. He tried to do another kick, which just make it worse as he now sprawl on the ground.

"Jazz seem jealous—"

"Oh great! You can read my processor too?!" Jazz groaned out. "No, I'm not jealous. I'm just pissed and annoyed."

"Why?"

"Frag you!"

"Why?" Darkwing repeated, clearly he wants a truthfully answer.

"Because you join this team instead of rusting in the sublevel 50 where you put Bee!"

"Why?"

Jazz scowled, and then vented out. "Fine." He glanced up. "Yes, I am and was jealous. Because you seem close to Bee. I was following you around this week."

"I know." Darkwing hummed.

"Of course you know. But can you blame me, Darkwing? You were evil and unkind—no offense. But suddenly you acting all nice and kind, especially at Bee. Bee might be an annoying and loud scout but... he's our scout. He's been through a lot down there in sublevel 50 for Primus how long. You were with him all the week as if you were trying to get his attention and the reality of that Bee is closer to Optimus, so you were probably want to try to use him so you don't have to be in the cafeteria forever!"

"But Darkwing love working in the cafeteria."

"Yeah sure I mean- wait what?" Jazz optics glared quickly.

Darkwing nodded, stopping his walk and looked over Bee on their back doing... well, whatever he do.

"At first  Darkwing hates Optimus, and just wish to offline forever. Darkwing isn't really good at making energon better for everyone... because ironically, Darkwing was a supervisor in the mining district. And when Sentinel died... Darkwing feel useless because now everyone got their t-cog. So... Darkwing just wanted to die."

Jazz stared up at him, and somehow, there's a glint of how he also feels a bit guilty for accusing this mech that he was trying to use Bee for his own. 

"I don't blame you, Jazz. I understand you want to protect Bee—and so do I. I feel guilty.... Darkwing feels a lot. And the guilt, gnawing inside my spark. But Bee forgive me, and said that Darkwing should forgive myself first too..."

Jazz was dumbfounded internally. Maybe Darkwing is good? he mused. Darkwing seem doesn't hiding any stupid intention. He probably want a second choice, or, if it's maybe not available more, Darkwing just want to keep working in the cafeteria. for... forever.

Jazz looked over at Bee, and both him and Darkwing chuckled slowly as the yellow mech was running around chasing a poor turbofox. Which incredible consider how fast they usually is.

"Hey, come back! aww... I just want to pet!" Bee vented out.

Jazz quickly approach and drag Bee's servo. "Come on, Little Bee. The dot is closer now." 

Bee was happy that Jazz wasn't mad at him anymore. But then got very mad again as he stumble on stout and thick mound on the ground.

"What the frag?!" Bee cursed.

"I think we just found the source of energon." Darkwing nodded and quickly digging the mound.

"I don't believe it...." Jazz optics widened.

"A pod?!"Bee exclaimed, he approach closer, wiping the pod window. "No! No way! CLIFFJUMPER!"

Darkwing and Jazz exchange look. "Who?"

***

They help opening the pod, and to help a mech, which almost identical to Bee. But his frame is slightly taller and his paintjob is red instead of yellow. But this bot already have a t-cog inside him.

"So you know him?" Jazz asked and Bee nodded.

"Yeah, we were a miner together—he's the coolest and kindest bot you will ever met! He was almost like Optimus, saying that there's a glitch in Iacon hierarchy. But one day he just gone like that and I was send to sublevel 50. And he has a t-cog now! He used to be cogless bot too!"

Darkwing growled in guilty. "Sorry about that."

Bee patted Darkwing's shoulder. But just like that, Cliffjumper's optics opened slowly. He looks very weak as if he was just wake up in very deep recharge.

"B-Bee?" he whimpered, his voice strangle. "Oh Primus... you... you okay?!"

"Pft! Cliff! Of course I'm okay! I'm—"

Cliffjumper cut him off and pulled him in a very deep hug, lubricant coming out of his optics.

"How... How long have I been gone?" Cliffjumper whispered. "It feels so fast but... for some reason it also feels like forever—I missed you, Bee."

"Aww... I missed you too, Cliff." Bee hugged Cliffjumper tightly. "Come on, we gotta go back to Iacon! Gosh, I have so much to show you!"

Cliffjumper didn't pay attention to it, as he was hiding behind Bee's back, looking at the two unknown bots.

"Oh, I'm sorry—fool me! they are my friends, Jazz and Darkwing." Bee smiled. "You already know Darkwing probably."

"Why is Darkwing with you?" Cliffjumper whispered. "Didn't he works with Sentinel?"

"Sentinel is gone..." Darkwing nodded. "I apologize for my bad things in the past..."

Cliffjumper nodded and smiled slowly, but stumble down due to his state.

"You're still weak," Jazz said, scanning him with the device in his servo. "Not good." He shook his helm. "You're in critical conditions—let Darkwing carry you."

"Yeah, Cliff, let Darkwing carry you." Bee nodded in concern.

Cliffjumper chuckled weakly. "Well... as long as you don't throw all of us to sublevel 50..."

Darkwing growled but in more funny way that said, "I won't." As he lifted Cliffjumper frame.

They didn't even haven't walk for five minutes when the ground were shaking. Bee optics widened, he growled and put on his battle mask.

"Oh scrap..." Jazz take out his blaster gun from his back. "They're back!"

"W-who?" Cliffjumper whimpered, hiding in Darkwing's embrace. 

A dozen of a drone-like monster came out from the ground. They were painted with purple bright, with only one optics but dozens of claws and sharp edges.

"It's probably Shockwave doing," Jazz said, standing next to Bee. "Ya ready to killshot some fragging drones, Little Bee?"

Bee replied it with him clashing his stinger.

"Darkwing stay close to Cliffjumper," Jazz said.

"No way! I want to fight too!" Darkwing growled.

The drones were circling them. Cliffjumper glance weakly, his optics closing as he bit his derma. No... no one will ever hurt my friends again!

The drones jumped spontaneously with their sharp claws. Bee already pointed his stinger, and Jazz aiming his blaster gun, while Darkwing was planning to use only his pedes. But suddenly... Shockwave's drones were slashes into pieces, a vortex of dust was made when a very buzzing slash voice was heard, and a ethereal shimmering light could be seen it a few millisecond.

"What... what was that?" Jazz coughed out. "Where's Cliffjumper?!"

Darkwing is as shock as he is too when Cliffjumper frame was missing in his servos. They saw a frame, standing with dust and energon covered on his face plates.

"heh..." Cliffjumper chuckled weakly, taking off his battle mask and turning off his red stinger. "I told you I'm not useless."

Cliffjumper dropped to the ground, and Jazz was quick to slid down and prevent his helm from more damage.

"Scrap..." he said. "Cliffjumper is very weak—he shouldn't do any of that, we have to go! Now!"

"Not so fast... filthy Autobots."

Jazz narrowed his optics and signed them to stay close as Shockwave towering frame walk towards them menacingly. Darkwing just keep silent, he knows about the high guard and the scientist Shockwave. He carefully lift Cliffjumper frame as the red mech whimpering weakly. Bee optics widened, and before he could react and his scream rang out, Shockwave already step his right leg onto one of his dead drones and scream louder,

"GET THE FRAG OUT OF HERE YOU NOISY SPAWN OF UNICRON!" he shouted angrily at Bee.

Darkwing and Jazz froze, glaring at each other before looking down at Bee, who apparently was already talking a lot about how he missed him and the other High Guard while asking about autograph.

"What did you do to him, Bee?" Jazz whispered. "Either way you traumatize him. Now come on, read what ever he was thinking right now."

"He... HE CAN READ THOUGHTS?!" Shockwave shout terrifyingly, taking a step back. "Frag you, not only you are a pain in the aft, you also can read someone processor."

"Bee... can read thoughts?" Darkwing asked calmly, to everyone surprise, Bee was narrowing his optics in confusion.

"I can read thoughts?! AM I?"

Jazz grimaced. "Can you? DIDN'T YOU JUST READ MY THOUGHT EARLIER? ABOUT SECRETLY I ADMIRE SOUNDWAVE?"

Bee blinked, looking conspiratorially as if Jazz is loosing a screw. "What? I was having a chat with Mirage! He was on patrol and he made me guessing which Decepticons he met today—and it was Soundwave!"

Jazz grimaced more. "But what about the color I was thinking?"

"Purple? Oh, Mirage just found some cyber-cat on the surface and decided to named it Purple. It ran away from him in the end."

"And the number?"

"Jazz you always make that funny face when you were thinking about the number 69!" Bee lowered his voice, "especially if Prowl was around."

"But... But... but what about my deepest secret, about them hiring me as a model and you were like threatening..."

"Did I? Mirage just told me about his side work—but he declined, he doesn't want Optimus to know that he's been selling the picture of his pedes—"

"Cut it of already," Darkwing grumbled. Little did they know, he's been busy punching Shockwave face, which now the one optics mech was groaning and cursing about how everyone like to punch his face.

"This isn't over..." Shockwave growled, holding his helm before he flew away.

"We have to go..." Darkwing looked down to Cliffjumper in his arm. "He's sick."

Jazz groaned. "I'll deal with you later," He cursed at Bee.

Darkwing lifted Cliffjumper up and transform into his jet mode. Jazz put on a metal-belt on Darkwing's frame to prevent Cliffjumper from plummeting outright.

"Are you sure you okay with this?" Bee asked Darkwing.

"Darkwing is fine, we need to get quickly to save Bee's friend. He's important, right?"

Bee frowned sadly and vented out.

"He'll be fine, Bee," Jazz told him and transformed. "Come on, we have to drive as quick as we can."

Bee transformed as well, driving as fast as he could back to Iacon.