C169 Bonded
C169 Bonded
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As Bee fell to the floor, writhing in agony, Peter’s eyes widened in alarm, and he instinctively reached out as the AllSpark was violently expelled from Bee’s grip, flying back into his hand.
The moment it touched Peter’s skin, the energy subsided, the cube’s glow dimming until it was calm once more. “…”
Bee gasped for breath, the pain slowly receding as he looked up at Peter, his optics filled with confusion and fear. "W-What happened…?"
Peter was just as confused, the AllSpark now resting calmly in his hand. "I… I don’t know," Peter admitted, his voice tinged with surprise. "It just… reacted. Like it didn’t want to leave me."
Bee struggled to process what had just happened. The AllSpark had never behaved like this before. It was supposed to be a neutral force. But now, it seemed almost… possessive of Peter.
Peter clenched the AllSpark tightly, his mind racing to figure out what to do next. "Maybe… Maybe it’s bonded to me somehow," he speculated, though the thought made him uneasy. "I don’t know why, but it doesn’t seem to want to leave me."
Bee slowly pushed himself back up, still trembling from the aftershocks of the energy surge. "It shouldn’t be possible," he said, his voice shaky. "The AllSpark… It’s supposed to be for Cybertronians, not… not humans."
Peter frowned, looking down at the AllSpark in his hand. "Well, whatever the reason, it looks like we don’t have a choice. It stays with me for now." He glanced at Bee, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?"
Bee nodded weakly, though he was clearly shaken. "I’ll be fine… It’s just… I’ve never seen anything like this before."
Bee managed to regain his balance, standing on slightly unsteady feet as the aftershocks of the AllSpark's energy still rippled through his circuits. He watched intently as Peter carefully placed the AllSpark back around his neck, its soft glow once again dimming to a faint shimmer.
"I don’t understand… The AllSpark, it’s never reacted that way before..." Bee muttered, still a bit shocked.
Peter looked down at the AllSpark resting against his chest, the weight of its significance not lost on him. He had known this was an extraordinary artifact, but the idea that it might have somehow "chosen" him was something he hadn’t anticipated. He frowned slightly, trying to piece together what this all meant.
"I don’t get it either," Peter admitted, his tone thoughtful as he turned the cube slightly, watching the way the light caught on its surface.
Bee tilted his head, his optics narrowing slightly as he processed Peter’s words. "You said you think it’s bonded to you?" he repeated, the concept foreign to him. "But how? You’re not even Cybertronian…"
Peter shrugged, "I’m not sure. It’s like it doesn’t want to leave me or something." He paused, his mind racing through possibilities. "Maybe… maybe it’s because I have the Force?"
“The Force?” Bee asked, his voice tinged with confusion. “What’s that?”
Peter took a deep breath, trying to find the simplest way to explain something so integral to his life but so alien to Bee. “The Force is... well, it’s this energy that connects everything in the universe. It’s in everything—living things, inanimate objects, even in the spaces between stars. Some beings, like me, can tap into it and use it to do all kinds of things—move objects without touching them, control the elements, sense danger before it happens. It’s powerful, but it’s also kind of mysterious, even to those of us who can use it.”
Bee listened intently, his optics wide with fascination. “And you... you can use this Force?”
Peter nodded, sensing that Bee was beginning to understand. “Yeah, I can. I’m what’s called a Jedi Knight—someone who’s trained in the ways of the Force at the—”
As soon as the words “Knight” left Peter’s mouth, Bee suddenly dropped down to one knee before Peter, his massive frame awkwardly lowering as he attempted a gesture of respect. “I... I apologize, Sir Knight! I didn’t realize!”
Peter blinked, caught completely off guard by Bee’s sudden change in demeanor. “Uh... what?” he muttered, raising an eyebrow in bewilderment.
Bee’s movements were clumsy as he tried to bow his head further, his voice filled with sincerity. “I didn’t know you were a Knight, and I should have treated you with more respect from the beginning. Please forgive me!”
Peter stared at Bee, the situation becoming more awkward by the second. “Bee, you really don’t have to do this,” he said, trying to sound reassuring. “I’m just a guy, okay? Being a Jedi Knight isn’t... I mean, it’s not that big of a deal. You don’t need to kneel or anything.”
But Bee stubbornly shook his head, still trying to maintain his respectful posture despite his obvious discomfort. “Knights should be respected! Even Optimus Prime was once a Knight, and he’s the greatest leader Cybertron has ever known!”
Peter sighed, realizing that Bee’s understanding of the word ‘Knight’ was very different from his own. He supposed that on Cybertron, being a Knight must have been a revered and prestigious role.
“Look, Bee,” Peter began, trying to find the right words. “I get that being a Knight means something big to you, but in the Jedi Order, it’s really just the next step after being an apprentice. It’s not that grand, I promise.”
Bee remained steadfast, his optics filled with determination. “Even so, I must show you the respect you deserve.”
Peter groaned softly, realizing there was no way he was going to talk Bee out of this. So, he decided to take another approach.
Without a word, Peter reached out with the Force, focusing on Bee’s massive form. With a gentle push, he began to lift Bee up off the ground, guiding him back to his feet.
Bee’s mouth dropped open as he felt himself being lifted by an invisible force. His arms flailed slightly as he tried to keep his balance, but Peter’s control was precise, and he set Bee back down on his feet with ease.
“W-Was that the Force?!” Bee stammered, his voice filled with wonder and awe. The stars that seemed to light up in his mechanical eyes were almost childlike in their amazement.
Peter chuckled, finally managing to break through the awkwardness of the moment. “Yeah, that was the Force,” he said, smiling up at Bee. “So, you see? You don’t need to kneel or anything, okay? Just treat me normally. Please…”
Bee’s awe didn’t diminish, but he nodded in understanding, though it was clear he still held Peter in high regard. “Understood, Sir Knight… I mean, Peter,” Bee corrected himself, a bit sheepishly.
Peter couldn’t help but laugh. “There you go. Now, let’s focus on what we need to do next. Because it seems like two armies are headed to earth right now...”
Peter watched as Bee slowly recovered from his awe at the display of the Force, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. Sensing that Bee was calmer now and more focused, Peter decided to address something that had been on his mind.
“Bee,” Peter began, his tone serious but gentle, “shouldn’t you be contacting Optimus? I mean, we’ve got the AllSpark, and it seems like a pretty big deal. They probably need to know you’re okay and that we have it.”
Bee’s optics flickered as Peter’s words registered, and he suddenly realized that he should have contacted the Autobots long ago. His absence, combined with the lack of communication, would undoubtedly have worried Optimus and the others. Who knew how long he had been in stasis, with the AllSpark unaccounted for?
“Oh no…” Bee muttered, his voice tinged with panic as he sat down with a heavy thud, the ground shaking slightly beneath him. “You’re right! I should have contacted them as soon as I woke up. They must be so worried… And the AllSpark, they need to know it’s safe!”
Peter nodded, understanding the urgency. “Yeah, let’s get in touch with them. Maybe they’ll know what’s going on with the AllSpark, too—like why it seems to be bonding with me.”
Bee didn’t need any further prompting. He quickly accessed his internal systems, his shoulder panel sliding open to reveal a communication array. He scrambled to initiate the call, a slight mechanical whirring sound filling the air as the holographic projector activated.
Peter watched with interest as a beam of light shot out from Bee’s shoulder, expanding into a holographic screen that flickered for a moment before stabilizing.
After a few tense moments, the hologram stabilized, and the imposing figure of Optimus Prime appeared before them, his form towering even in holographic form. The deep blue of his optics softened with relief as he took in the sight of Bee, alive and well.
“B-127…” Optimus began, his voice filled with both authority and warmth, “It is a relief to see you safe. We feared the worst when we lost contact with you.”
Bee’s optics brightened at the sight of his leader, the weight of his guilt easing slightly at Optimus’s words. "Prime, I’m sorry... A Decepticon kill squad followed me to Earth. I managed to eliminate all of them, including their leader, Blitzwing, but I was damaged in the process and went into stasis. The AllSpark is safe, though. I have it with me... Actually, Peter has it. He used it to heal my cracked Spark..."
Optimus's eyes widened as his gaze shifted to Peter, taking in the sight of the human standing beside his young soldier. A flicker of doubt crossed Optimus's face before he finally spoke. "I see," he said, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "You must be the one who aided B-127."
Peter nodded, still reeling from the shock of speaking to Optimus Prime, though he managed to keep his composure. “Yeah, I found Bee with the AllSpark’s help.” He said, lifting the chain from his neck so Optimus could see. “I managed to fix him up with it as well, but there’s something weird going on. The AllSpark seems to have bonded with me, and when Bee tried to take it, it… well, it reacted violently.”
Optimus seemed to contemplate this information, his optics narrowing slightly as he processed what Peter had said. “The AllSpark is a powerful relic, ancient and mysterious, even to us. That it would bond with a non-Cybertronian is… unexpected. But if it has chosen you, Peter, then we must respect its will. I will do everything in my power to understand what this means and how to proceed when I arrive...”
Bee nodded, feeling a sense of reassurance at Optimus’s words. “I’m just glad we were able to reach you.”
“When will you arrive?” Peter asked.
Optimus’s holographic form seemed to straighten, his presence commanding even across the distance. “We are on our way to Earth and will arrive in seven days. However, the Decepticons might reach you before we do, and they won’t stop until they have the AllSpark. We must be prepared to defend it at all costs. Peter, it’s crucial that you keep the AllSpark safe until we arrive. B-127—or is it Bee now?—you must stay by his side and protect him. We cannot let the AllSpark fall into Megatron’s hands.”
Peter nodded, “Sure, we’ll keep it safe. Rest assured, Megatron won’t have as easy a time as he thinks. Earth is stronger than you Cybertronians might realize…”
Optimus inclined his head in acknowledgment, though he still appeared doubtful. “May the AllSpark guide you, and may we meet soon. Stay vigilant, my friends. The fate of Cybertron—and perhaps this world—rests with you.”
With those final words, the hologram flickered and then faded away, leaving Peter and Bee standing in the hangar, the weight of it all fully settling in.
A/N: 2000 words :)
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