"Follow the light," Ratchet instructed Optimus as he shined a light into Optimus's optics "Good. Good." Ratchet turned the light off "I wouldn't advise anything strenuous, Optimus, but it appears that your systems have fully recovered from the Cybonic plague,"
"Thanks to your medical expertise, old friend," Optimus praised
"Yeah, but it was Bumblebee who braved unknown territory to locate the cure," I said from Ratchet's shoulder
"I didn't do anything," Bumblebee buzzed causing me to smile.
"Lucky for us, Megatron was still alive," Arcee claimed causing a shiver to go up my spine.
"Did you just..."
"Yeah, I actually said that,"
"What matters is that you are on the mend, Optimus," Ratchet said, "While Megatron..."
"Well we actually don't know what happened to Megatron," Bumblebee interrupted
"He's right. I did my best to finish Megatron's story. Just couldn't stick around long enough to see how it ended,"
My eyes wandered over to Bumblebee as he walked off.
***
"Basketball, by way of Cybertron." Miko cheered "Let the games begin," she blew her whistle.
Bulkhead took the lob ball and threw it into the makeshift hoop.
"Yeah! Go, Bulk!"
Bulkhead took the lob back and looked at Bee "Come on. Best two out of three," he tossed it to Bee.
Bumblebee took the lob ball and began to dodge Bulkhead.
"Bee, you're in the clear!" Rafael cheered from where he, Jack, and I were sitting. "Dunk it, Bee!"
I watched in confusion as Bumblebee just stopped.
"Bumblebee quit hogging the ball," Bulkhead chastised
I stood up in shock as Bumblebee threw the lob at Bulkhead.
"Whoa!"
Miko blew her whistle "Eh, Flagrant Foul!"
"Dodge ball by way of Cybertron," Jack teased as he noticed I was on edge.
"Bee, Hoop's over there." Bulkhead reminded as he pointed to the hoop.
"I don't know what happened," Bumblebee buzzed
"Bee? You okay?" I asked
"Three out of five?" Bumblebee suggested
"Yeah." I nodded "Uh, three out of five,"
***
"Ratchet?" I voiced as I came in with Rafael, having picked him up after he called and we saw Bumblebee on the berth "What's going on?"
"Bumblebee's complaining of intermittent visions...waking nightmares if you will,"
"But you said Bee was fine when you checked him over," Rafael argued
"Physically, but the experience he endured seems to be having a temporary effect on his psyche. This induced power-down should force Bumblebee's mind to rest and recover," Ratchet and the Autobots turned to his computer as it beeped.
"Prime..." Agent Fowler said on screen "You spot any Decepticons wearing hula skirts lately?"
"No, Special Agent Fowler," Optimus said, "Why?"
"'Cause I was hoping you'd have a lead on the 'cons that busted into the Kauai Naval Observatory. The place looked like it was hit by an army of wrecking balls,"
"Why would 'Cons break into an observatory?" Arcee questioned
"Does the Hoit-Nikogosian ring any bells?"
"The Space Telescope." I noted causing all eyes to turn towards me "It's common knowledge...I didn't hack!"
"As of last night, missing its primary lens,"
"It's difficult to guess Starscream's intent without knowing where the lens has been taken," Optimus explained
"Good thing the lens has a tracking device," I smirked causing Ratchet to glance over causing me to blush "also...common knowledge?"
Fowler revealed the location on-screen.
"The Arctic?" Arcee voiced "Great. Another chance to freeze our spark plugs off,"
Bulkhead whistled "That's an ND-7 class. Biggest unminable Energon deposit there is,"
"Unminable until Starscream melts his way down to it," I scoffed as I crossed my arms "with the help of the lens,"
"Melting a glacier that size would cause sea levels to rise and demolish coastal cities," Agent Fowler claimed
***
"So, I blow past the finish line," Rafael recalled as he sat next to Bumblebee's power downed form. "Then my other sister Pilar asked how I got so good at racing games. And I told her I know a guy who knows cars,"
"Rafael, I'm afraid Bumblebee can't hear you in power-down mode,"
I hit Ratchet's ped as I walked over to Rafael and sat down next to him "Let him talk," I looked at Raf "It's getting late. Why don't I drive you home to your family?"
"Because I told Bee I'd stay. He is family, too," Rafael stated
"Don't be ridiculous. You're not even the same species,"
I crossed my arms " That's being related. It's not the same thing. You and I aren't the same species, and I consider you and the other bots as family,"
Ratchet sighed and went over to his computer.
"Look..." Rafael pulled out his phone and I looked at a picture of his family. "This is my family,"
My heart panged a bit as I looked at the picture, my mind wanting to find memories of the same...only to come up with more tests done by Sector 7. I felt a shift in my mind and came across the memory of how Lennox and I met, along with Skids and Mudflap doing pranks while running from Ratchet's wrenches. I looked over at Ratchet as he glanced over at me slightly, I nodded my thanks.
"Sometimes I can shout and no one hears me." Rafael explained "But Bumblebee always listens. And I can understand him. I'm not sure why, but I do,"
"Pixel, I'm going to the supply vault to see if I can find parts to repair this." Ratchet reported "You know what that means?"
"No boys at the base," I teased with a smirk as I winked at Rafael.
Ratchet shook his helm as he walked off.
"Wait till you see this new laptop I'm saving up for, Pixel." Rafael said but I wasn't paying attention as I was looking up at Bumblebee "Pixel?"
I pushed Rafael out of the way as Bumblebee stepped down from where he was resting.
"Bumblebee, wait!" Rafael called out as he quickly took off after the young scout.
"Raf!" I exclaimed as I followed after to ensure the boy didn't get hurt.
Bumblebee inputted coordinates into the Groundbridge and powered it on.
"Bumblebee!" Rafael exclaimed as the mech disappeared into the swirl of blues and purples.
"What did you do?!" Ratchet demanded
"Nothing," I said with a shake of my head "Bumblebee just got up and..."
"He was in power-down. Where does he think he's off to?"
I felt a shiver go down my spine at the possibilities as Ratchet headed over to the computer to see where Bumblebee had ventured off to "These are the coordinates for the site of our previous battle with Megatron's undead,"
"M-Maybe we should call Optimus," Rafael suggested
"Optimus is busy preventing a polar ice cap from melting. We need to handle this on our own,"
I bit my lip as I looked up at my guardian "I was afraid you were going to say that,"
Ratchet started up the ground bridge, but stopped when he saw Bumblebee already walking back through "bumblebee? What have you been doing?"
I took a frightened step back "Ratchet..."
Ratchet took hold of Bumblebee's arm and noticed the crystal he was holding "Dark Energon?"
"Ratchet!" I exclaimed as Bumblebee punched the medic into the controls. I hurried over to my guardian only for Bumblebee to grab me in his servo "Bee, what are you doing?!"
"Pixel!" Rafael called out in worry as Bumblebee took me through the ground bridge.
***
Bumblebee carried me through Decepticon Warship, my skin crawling with every step as got closer and closer to Megatron's body.
I tried struggling continuously but the Dark Energon in Bumblebee's other servo was making everything fuzzy. A whimper escaped my lips once we came across Megatron's body, his current status reminding me of how I first came across the Warlord himself inside Sector 7's freezer.
Bumblebee placed me inside one of Knockout's jars as he began working on the console.
"Bumblebee...please," I pleaded as he put the psychic link cord onto Megatron and then on himself.
"Ratchet, don't hurt Bumblebee!" Rafael exclaimed causing me to look over and see my guardian.
Ratchet threw a punch towards Bumblebee but he dodged.
Bumblebee threw his own causing Ratchet to hit the wall hard.
"Ratchet!" I screamed
Bumblebee walked towards Megatron with the Dark Energon shard
"Bumblebee, no!" Rafael called out as he ran towards the scout
"Raf...no!" I exclaimed
"Remember who you are!" Rafael said ignoring my pleas "Remember me! Remember Pixel! I know you always listen to me, no matter what,"
"R...R...Raf?" Bumblebee buzzed
"That's right, Bee. It's me,"
Bumblebee buzzed in pain as he grabbed his head.
Rafael ran towards his guardian only for Bee to swat him as if he were a bug "Unh! Huh!"
I gasped when my container moved only to see it was Ratchet "Ratchet!"
Ratchet held a servo to his lips and I nodded in understanding. He got me out and placed me on his shoulder as he walked over to Megatron to remove the psychic patch. "Farewell, Megatron,"
Bumblebee attacked once more throwing Ratchet to the wall, I screamed as I tried to hold on.
Ratchet doing his best to shield me from the fall.
"Bumblebee!" I exclaimed as I stood, taking a step in front of Ratchet and Raf.
Bumblebee turned his eyes focused on the Dark Energon...but instead of a buzz, it was Megatron's voice. "Bumblebee can't hear you anymore!"
"As much as I want you to leave Bumblebee's body, I can't let you go back to your own!" I ran towards the cord that still hung on Bumblebee and held on, Rafael doing the same but our human weights were not enough as we were only just swung off. I cringed as I felt the Dark Energon's power go into Megatron.
Ratchet took a protective stance in front of me as we could only watch as Megatron awoke.
We all took fearful steps back as Megatron walked towards us.
I kept a hand on Rafael to ensure he stayed behind me. Energon coursed to my hands as vehicons approached the medbay, stopping once they saw their master had awoken at last.
"Decepticons..." Megatron addressed "Your rightful lord and master has returned," he continued walking passed us, Ratchet using his ped as a barrier between me and the Decepticon. "Finish these pests! I have my own extermination to perform,"
Ratchet swiftly picked me up as Bumblebee grabbed Rafael as the Vehicons fired at us.
"Let's get out of here!" Bumblebee buzzed
***
"Ratchet, we need a bridge," Optimus commed
I looked over at Ratchet as we overheard "You want to tell him or shall I?" I said as we walked up to our team.
"You are not the only ones," Ratchet said causing Team Prime to turn and see us.
Rafael waved happily, as I only gave a grimaced smile as I looked to Optimus.
"Hey Oppi," I said meekly
***
"Everything's back to normal." Ratchet said with a sigh of relief as he finished his scans on Bumblebee.
"Well, normal for Bumblebee," I smiled
Bumblebee knelt in front of Rafael "I'm sorry if I hurt you," he buzzed
"It's okay," Rafael assured
Bumblebee buzzed.
"Of course I was."
"I'm sorry," Bumblebee buzzed
"I know,"
Bumblebee gave Rafael his servo and buzzed.
"What'd he say?" Miko asked me.
"He said thanks," I translated