#LED Bulkhead

[dragqueenstarscream]

y'all have no idea how much money i would pay for a tfa dating sim

like you get stranded in new detroit while on a business trip after your car gets wrecked thanks to decepticon shenanigans, and after optimus rescues you, sari invites you to stay at the warehouse until you get your car fixed

cue you getting to romance your team prime (and maybe elite guard, if possible. maybe that's in the dlc) member of your choice over the few weeks you spend at the warehouse

i would pay ANYTHING for this shit

[clariannt]

Discover how Clariannt Wave LED Bulkheads offer a blend of durability, elegance, and energy efficiency for all your lighting needs. Explore the features and advantages of these versatile lighting solutions suitable for both residential and commercial applications.

[myblogscmi]

Bulkhead Lighting Market Is Estimated To Witness High Growth Owing To Increasing Demand for Energy-Efficient Lighting Solutions

The global Bulkhead Lighting Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 432.34 million in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 5.52% over the forecast period 2023-2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights. Market Overview: Bulkhead lighting refers to a type of light fixture that is mounted on walls or ceilings and is commonly used for outdoor lighting, particularly in areas that require sturdy and durable lighting solutions. These fixtures are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, making them ideal for applications such as industrial facilities, commercial buildings, parking lots, and residential complexes. The key advantage of bulkhead lighting is its ability to provide uniform and diffused lighting, which enhances visibility and safety in outdoor areas. Additionally, these fixtures are highly energy-efficient, resulting in lower energy consumption and reduced electricity costs. The growing need for energy-efficient lighting solutions in various sectors, coupled with the increasing focus on safety and security, is driving the demand for bulkhead lighting. Furthermore, the rising urbanization and infrastructure development in emerging economies are expected to further fuel market growth during the forecast period. Market Key Trends: One key trend in the Bulkhead Lighting Market is the increasing adoption of LED-based bulkhead lights. LED technology offers several advantages over traditional lighting solutions, including higher energy efficiency, longer lifespan, and lower maintenance costs. LED-based bulkhead lights also have better color rendering capabilities, providing improved visibility and aesthetics. For example, companies like Eaton Corporation and Philips Lighting have introduced advanced LED-based bulkhead lights that offer enhanced performance, durability, and energy efficiency. These products are designed to meet the evolving needs of customers and comply with stringent energy conservation regulations. The adoption of smart lighting solutions is another important trend in the bulkhead lighting market. Smart lighting systems can be controlled remotely using mobile devices or automated systems, allowing users to adjust the lighting settings based on their preferences. This technology offers greater flexibility, convenience, and energy savings. These technological advancements are enhancing the functionality, efficiency, and versatility of bulkhead lights. Key Takeaways: Paragraph 1: The global bulkhead lighting market is expected to witness high growth, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.52% over the forecast period, due to increasing demand for energy-efficient lighting solutions. The advantages offered by bulkhead lighting, such as uniform illumination and durability, make them an ideal choice for various applications. Paragraph 2: In terms of regional analysis, North America is expected to dominate the bulkhead lighting market due to the presence of key players and the adoption of advanced lighting technologies in the region. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing region, attributed to rapid urbanization, infrastructural development, and favorable government initiatives promoting energy-efficient lighting. These players focus on product innovation, strategic collaborations, and mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their market position. In conclusion, the bulkhead lighting market is poised for significant growth due to the increasing demand for energy-efficient and durable lighting solutions. The adoption of LED technology and smart lighting systems are driving market trends, while favorable political and economic factors support market expansion. Regional analysis reveals North America as the dominant region, with Asia Pacific expected to witness rapid growth. Key players play a crucial role in shaping the market through innovation and strategic initiatives.

[uroborom]

Home Bar - Galley

Large modern galley-style seated home bar idea with a concrete floor, dark wood cabinets, and granite counters

[lets-try-some-writing]

A more humorous concept.

Cybertronians, despite being non-organic in origin, do in fact have to shed their bulky outer armor every now and then. Old plates get brittle or otherwise damaged over time, and while rather energon consuming to regrow, sometimes it just has to happen, especially if rust or other nasty stuff has gotten into it. The missing plates regrow in relatively short order and the shedding only occurs after sufficient damage it taken or once every few vorns or so. Sometimes, the plates can even be removed by a medic with a quick visit if they are loose enough. The only problem with this? Everyone experiences something a little different.

Poor Ratchet suffers from what amounts to alien chickenpox. In order to get all his old armor off, he claws at it like there's no tomorrow. He will die before being caught trying to drag himself along the ground or rubbing himself up against various textured surfaces to get old armor off, but it has happened. It still happens when he's pretty sure he's alone. Optimus was there to watch Ratchet roll around on the Archive carpet many times.

Arcee is lucky in that all her old armor tends to drop within a few hours, but without it, she can't regulate her internal temperature very well. To compensate, she practically turns into a space heater as her systems kick into overdrive. The kids can't touch her without getting burned and the team are left yelping whenever she touches them when they aren't prepared for it.

Bulkhead is forced to endure losing his plates agonizingly slowly. He'll lose a plate, a new one will grow in. He's in a near never ending state of shedding. And so, much to Miko's horror, he'll just lose pieces sometimes. He's not all that concerned since the shedding, while continuous, is so slow. But the humans? It still startles them to hear an ominous THUNK out of nowhere and see a chunk of metal on the ground.

Ultra Magnus, much to his chagrin, turns into a beacon every time he sheds. His already vibrant colors come in even brighter as new armor grows into place. And so for a few weeks, he looks like an exotic fruit of neon blue, bright red, and blinding silver. Sunglasses are required.

Wheeljack likes to say he never sheds, but when he does, he recharges like the DEAD. Growing in new armor is very biologically taxing, and rather than suffering from other side effects, Wheeljack just takes a really long nap. He'll recharge for days at a time, getting up only to raid the fridge and then pass back out again until his armor is back where it should be. The humans have no clue he sheds armor because of this. But Bulkhead knows. He's been the one paying for Wheeljack's shed time groceries since before the war.

Smokescreen has only shed a handful of times, and all those times he was usually instructed to keep out of the way since he was in danger of being skewered without his armor. So now, whenever he sheds, despite experiencing no negative side effects, he instinctually goes to hide somewhere dark and safe until his armor grows back in. This has led to several incidents of someone screaming like a little girl as a spindly Smokescreen capitalizes on his status to scare people whenever they turn on the lights.

Bumblebee doesn't necessarily suffer whenever he sheds old armor, but he's just uncomfortable to look at. The scout tends to look like a plucked chicken whenever he loses his armor, and due to the weight shift when he losses so much mass, he hunches over oddly. In total, he looks a bit ghoulish and it actually hurts the team to witness, so usually he's given a few days off to get himself in order.

Optimus is in a similar boat to Ultra Magnus and Bumblebee on the rare occasion he sheds old armor. He always gives Ratchet a scare by going entirely grey about a week before the shed actually begins. He loses any and all color in affected areas and then proceeds to lose exactly all his armor within a few hours. Then he's left looking like a gangly half grown youngling due to the length of his arms and legs compared to the rest of his body. Megatron never ceases to mock him whenever it happens, but when Optimus's armor comes back in, his shoulders always come in bigger and sharper than before, a fact Megatron despises.

[michaelbrusinbetween]

Perth Galley Seated home bar - large modern galley concrete floor seated home bar idea with dark wood cabinets and granite countertops

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: Never prank a Human

Alien: So were you able to get back at the captain?

Alien 2: I don’t want to talk about it…..

Alien: What do you mean?

Alien: Last time you were here you told me that you found out that the human was afraid of “clowns” and had just ordered an outfit to wear and scare him with.

Alien 2: It did not go as planned.

Alien: What; did you not scare them?

Alien 2: Oh I did.

Alien 2: Waited in his quarters and then when he was just about to lay down in bed I jumped out and scared him before running out of the room.

Alien: Alright, mission complete.

Alien 2: I had just made it back to my quarters when the intercom activated and the captain spoke.

Alien 2: *Imitating human captain “All crew, all crew; we have a code clown, repeat, we have a code clown; this is not a drill.”

Alien: Wait, humans have a code for that?

Alien 2: Apparently.

Alien: But aren’t they silly humans wearing makeup and silly clothes.

Alien 2: Nope.

Alien 2: Turns out “Clowns” are intergalactic beings that feed on humans and try to lure them away from their packs with their bright outfits and silly faces.

Alien: Oh gods.

Alien 2: Next thing I knew bulkheads were sealing left and right and armed patrols were conducting a room by room search.

Alien: Shut the florp up.

Alien 2: I watched through my doors peephole as they dragged my next cabin neighbor out kicking and screaming as they found white face paint amongst their belongings.

Alien 2: After that everyone onboard was removed from their cabins and placed in the main hall before it was sealed off.

Alien 2: The captain came out with a row of armed guards on either side and demanded whoever was harboring the clown step forward at once.

Alien 2: When no one did the captain became angry and said he would begin interrogating people until he found the culprit. Any who were found guilty would be sent out the airlock.

Alien: This all seems rather unlike humans.

Alien 2: I thought so to.

Alien 2: Yet it seems to stem from their great fear of these clown like beings.

Alien: What happened next?

Alien 2: The captain led people one by one into another room before coming back for another person.

Alien: What happened to the first person they took?

Alien 2: They never came back….

Alien: Dear gods….

Alien 2: One by one the entire crew was hauled away until it was just me and the captain.

Alien 2: He asked me, *Imitating captain “Are you a clown?”

Alien 2: I said “No sir.”

Alien 2: They said “Have you helped a clown board my vessel an place us all in jeopardy?”  

Alien 2: I said “No sir, I would never.”

Alien 2: He said “I know you’re a lying sack of froth shite and you’ve just dug your own grave. We searched your room and found the clown suit!”

Alien 2: I said “There must be some mistake!”

Alien 2: He replied “I don’t make mistakes boy; and now your time has come to pay for your crimes.”

Alien 2: A pair of guards came over and began dragging me to doorway I assumed was the airlock intent to shoot me out of it.

Alien 2: I kicked and screamed and begged but they threw me in and locked the door behind me.

Alien 2: I heard the countdown timer begin as the captain leaned in and laughed at me as I started banging away at the door.

Alien 2: The timer reached 0 and the opposite door flung open as I prepared myself to die.

Alien: Well I take it you didn’t die since you’re right here telling me this story.

Alien 2: I was greeted by a laughing throng of guests standing around on our destination planet.

Alien 2: It seemed we had landed the night before and the captain had failed to inform the rest of the guests.

Alien 2: He had known it was me in the clown suit and had pulled each guest aside to get them onboard with his revenge prank while making me believe they had been flung out an airlock.

Alien: Wow. That’s fucked up even by our standards.

[techhiz]

Hi Tech!

May I request a fic of [TFP] Optimus Prime with a Cybertronian!Autobot![S/O] [Romantic] [Gender Neutral] who’s secretly conjunxed to him?

[Prompt]: Optimus and [S/O] are secretly conjunxed to each other for a LONG time (even before the war) and try not to let their personal relationship interfere with their works/missions. The others don’t know this information (except Ratchet knows their relationship because that’s what friends are for), until a certain hyperactive human (Miko) accidentally overheard [S/O] calling Optimus his secret nickname, “Oppy”. Then everyone is surprised by the sudden reveal.

I’m Swift, by the way. You probably seen me around here.

Secrets Beneath the Stars.

Optimus Prime was a bot of many titles—leader, warrior, protector—but the one he cherished most was known only to one other soul: conjunx.

You had been bonded with him long before the war had sundered Cybertron. Before he was Prime, before the weight of leadership bowed his shoulders, he had been Orion Pax, and you had loved him with the entirety of your spark. That love had endured through the ages, through countless battles and immeasurable loss, growing stronger with each trial you faced together.

The only other who knew of your bond was Ratchet. The cranky medic had discovered your secret early in the war when your injuries had exposed the shared spark signatures between you and Optimus. Ratchet’s loyalty ensured that your relationship remained hidden, a sanctuary amidst the chaos.

Now, millions of years later, on Earth, you and Optimus still guarded your relationship with care. Leadership demanded impartiality, and you both had agreed long ago to place the needs of the Autobots above your personal lives. That didn’t stop small, stolen moments from slipping through—a lingering glance during strategy meetings, a brief touch when no one was looking, or the occasional murmured “Oppy” when you were sure you were alone.

The day your secret unraveled began innocently enough.

Miko Nakadai had a penchant for mischief and finding herself in places she wasn’t supposed to be. This time, her curiosity led her into the quieter corridors of the base. She was on a quest for adventure, perhaps some secret Autobot tech she could show off to Raf and Jack later.

What she found instead was you, tucked away in a quiet corner of the base, speaking softly into your comm.

“Oppy,” you murmured, your voice carrying a warmth and affection that Miko had never heard before. “You don’t need to worry. I’ll handle it.”

Miko froze, her eyes wide. Oppy? Who was that? And why did it sound suspiciously like Optimus’s voice responding on the other end?

“I trust you,” came the familiar baritone voice, softer than she’d ever heard it. “But do be careful.”

Miko clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp. This was huge.

The next morning, the base buzzed with activity as usual, but Miko couldn’t keep her discovery to herself.

“Hey, guys,” she said, sidling up to Jack and Raf. “Guess what I found out?”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“[Y/N] called Optimus Oppy. Like, seriously. They were all... cozy or something.”

Raf blinked. “Wait, what? Are you saying [Y/N] and Optimus are... together?”

“I’m just saying what I heard,” Miko said, her grin mischievous. “And I definitely heard it.”

The humans’ whispers didn’t escape Ratchet’s notice. The medic narrowed his optics as he watched them exchange furtive glances. He knew the truth, of course, but he wasn’t about to let a group of meddling teenagers jeopardize it.

Unfortunately, the humans weren’t the only ones curious. Bulkhead, who’d overheard part of Miko’s recounting, couldn’t resist bringing it up to Arcee during a lull in patrol.

“Do you think it’s true?” Bulkhead asked. “About Optimus and [Y/N]?”

Arcee gave him a skeptical look. “What are you talking about?”

Bulkhead scratched the back of his helm. “Miko said she overheard [Y/N] call Optimus ‘Oppy.’ Sounds kinda... intimate, doesn’t it?”

Arcee frowned. “It’s probably nothing. Optimus wouldn’t let something like that distract him.”

“Still,” Bulkhead said, “it’s kinda hard not to wonder...”

By the time you returned to the base later that day, the atmosphere felt... different. You noticed the lingering stares, the half-whispered conversations that ceased when you entered the room.

“What’s going on?” you asked Ratchet, who was busily working at his console.

The medic gave an exaggerated sigh. “Your little nickname slip didn’t go unnoticed.”

Your optics widened. “You mean...?”

“Miko,” Ratchet said, his tone exasperated. “That human has an uncanny knack for stumbling into things she shouldn’t.”

Before you could respond, Optimus entered the room, his commanding presence immediately silencing the chatter. He gave you a brief, reassuring glance before addressing the team.

“We have an incoming Decepticon signal,” he said. “Prepare for deployment.”

The mission went smoothly, but the air of tension followed you back to the base. As the Autobots regrouped, Miko couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer.

“Okay, seriously,” she blurted, “are you two, like, a thing?”

Everyone froze.

“Miko!” Jack hissed.

“What? I’m just asking!”

Optimus’s optics flickered briefly to you before he spoke. “Miko, such inquiries are inappropriate.”

“But she called you ‘Oppy’!” Miko protested.

Bulkhead’s optics widened. “Wait, that’s true?”

The room erupted into a cacophony of voices, everyone talking over each other in surprise and disbelief.

“Silence.” Optimus’s voice cut through the chaos, and the room fell quiet.

He looked at you, his optics softening. You nodded, giving him silent permission.

“It is true,” Optimus said, his tone calm but resolute. “We have been bonded as conjunxes for many millennia. However, we chose to keep our relationship private to ensure that our duties to the Autobots remained our primary focus.”

The room was silent for a moment before Ratchet snorted. “Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long for you lot to figure it out.”

The initial shock soon gave way to acceptance, though not without a fair share of teasing.

“I can’t believe you kept this from us!” Bulkhead said, grinning. “I mean, ‘Oppy’? Really?”

Arcee smirked. “I guess even Optimus has a soft side.”

Optimus took the jabs in stride, his composure unwavering. You, on the other hand, found yourself blushing under the team’s playful scrutiny.

“I think it’s sweet,” Raf said, smiling.

Jack nodded. “Yeah, it makes sense. You guys do balance each other out.”

Even Miko, who had started the whole thing, seemed pleased. “Okay, I admit it. You guys are kinda cute together.”

Later that night, as the base quieted down, you found yourself alone with Optimus.

“Well,” you said, leaning against him, “I suppose the secret’s out now.”

He chuckled softly, the sound rumbling through his chassis. “It was bound to happen eventually.”

You smiled, resting your hand over his. “I’m just glad they took it well.”

“As am I,” he said, his optics glowing warmly. “Though I must admit, I had grown rather fond of our secrecy. It made our moments together feel... special.”

You tilted your helm up to look at him, your optics meeting his. “Every moment with you is special, Oppy.”

He leaned down, pressing his forehead gently against yours. “And every moment with you strengthens my resolve to protect what we hold dear.”

In the quiet of the night, beneath the soft hum of the base’s lights, you allowed yourself to savor the moment—no longer a secret, but still deeply, profoundly yours.

[originalwinnerfanfish]

JASPER TRIO!

Jack

- Seashore Jasper is his hometown.

- His mother is a local healer and his father was a sailor, but died in the storm many years ago.

- Jack took over his love of sailing (despite his mother protests). He likes fishing and explore new places on his old boat.

- The only one from Seashore Jasper trio, who has a survival instinct.

- Pretty crafty and cunning, knows how to save his ass in the dangerous situation.

- Very close with Arcee (she probably sees him as her dragonet), and became a best friend for Smokescreen

Miko

- Born in the tribe of jungle people culturally close to Maya.

- Was send to the Seashore Jasper for the cultural exchange (actually her own village just tired of her really much), but even there couldn’t integrate well.

- Great hunter, fearless fighter.

- She paints her skin with hieroglyphs which bringing a good luck. She actually likes to draw them everywhere: on the tools, on the walls, on the other people…

- Makes voodoo dolls.

- Miko sees Bulkhead and Wheeljack as her real family members, and they see her as their tiny little sib, spending a lot of time with her and teaching her a mudwings wisdom)

Rafael

- Born in the family of northern people (basically vikings), who moved in the warmer region for a some time.

- Raf has a health issues because of his weak body. He always wearing warm clothes because he’s always cold.

- He is very literate and knows a lot useful facts.

- Like to study alchemy with Ratchet, help him with peaking herbs.

- His flock has a lot of legends and stories about dragons (probably because they had the most contact with them in ancient times), so he knew a lot about dragons before meeting team Prime.

- Love to learn new things about dragon tribes

Raf got his scar from Unicron infection (which works like Other mind in this AU). It’s also made his eyesight worse, and led to him having to wear glasses

P.s.

As I mentioned a while ago, in this AU Jasper is a small port city and called Seashore Jasper (because it’s sounds cooler). It’s looks quite similar to Italy and is part of a large country that basically plays the role of Europe here. It is adjacent to the lands of the northern people and the territories of people from the southern tropics. At the moment, all three peoples are trying to maintain peaceful relations after a series of conflicts, including exchanging knowledge of culture and traditions

[mossyscavern]

Transformers parental megatron skits… TF animated flavour pt: 2

______________________________

*Before finding out about his dad/mom*

Bumblebee: I can’t believe the allspark actually exists! I can’t wait to tell sire!/carrier! He’ll be so proud!

*after finding out about his dad/mom*

Bumblebee:

Bumblebee: d-16 is megatron… the same mech that eats protoforms for breakfast… is my sire/carrier. Who’s now dead… WHAT THE SLAG-?!!

———

Optimus: megatron is hiding something…

Ratchet: what makes you say that?

Optimus: he keeps hesitating with his vocabulary and is acting really suspicious. He’s either scheming… or hiding something.

Ratchet: … ok well, if you’re done, Lugnut is back, so get yer, axe.

Optimus, axe in hand: say less. LUGNUT!

———

*the sleepover episode*

Bodiless Megatron: hahahahaha, this defeat shall be swift and victorious-. Is that my son on that conveyor belt?! Not on my watch!

Bumblebee, struggling: get. Off mE-. *get’s moved off the conveyor belt placed down gently before getting a head pat.* …

Bumblebee: … I-… uh. W-wha-? Huh?? What the pit-??!

The rest of the crew:

Bulkhead: should we be concerned or glad?

Ratchet: I AIN’T COMPLAINING IF THIS GETS US OUT!!

———

Dr sumdac: decepticons? But you told me you were an autobot.

Megatron: and I hate. Every moment. Of that humiliating charade.

Dr sumdac: … all of it was a lie? Even going as far as pretending to be a mother/father

Megatron: I did not pretend a disappointing thing you insignificant little-!

Lugnut: wait… the glorious leader has an heir?!!

Megatron:

Megatron, to Dr sumdac: now see what you’ve done? Now I have to tell Lugnut.

———

Bumblebee: geez, bulkhead wasn’t kidding when he said you’re no good.

Soundwave, calculating:

Bumblebee, awaiting his next move: hello, everything right in that processor what?

Soundwave, bowing to bee: greeting. Designation, soundwave. Soundwave: is honoured to meet you. You’re highness.

Bumblebee:

Bumblebee, realisation to deadpan: My dad/mom is alive and built you-... how is he anyways?

Soundwave: your sire: is alright… bodieless but getting there.

———

Bumblebee: *instinctive sleepy chirp* … what?

Optimus:

Bulkhead:

Prowl, unbothered:

Ratchet, also unbothered: nothing kid, just that you can still chirp and beep.

Bumblebee: really? *test chirps and beeps* … huh, didn’t know I can still do that.

———

Megatron: and as it stands, no autobot shall be just waltzing into our base.

Starscream, half listening: *optics shift to something yellow in his peripheral*

Bumblebee, waltzing in with an energon smoothie like it’s nothing:

Starscream, double takes: I uh w-wh uh… *mouthing* what the frag

Bumblebee, mouthing at starscream: no one will ever believe you.

———

Megatron, side eyeing wasp with a deep murderous disdain:

Wasp, blinking up with confusion and worry:

Megatron, scoffs turning and walking away from wasp:

Wasp: … what did wasp do to earn that?

———

Black arachnia:

Megatron, facing away from arachnia:

Black arachnia: … at least I was closer to grabbing the key from that human than-.

Megatron: you’re temporarily off duty, leave. Now.

Black arachnia: that’s fair.

———

Prowl: so what’s your sire/carrier like exactly?

Bumblebee: why’d you want to know?

Prowl: to see where this behaviour might’ve led to

Bumblebee: well… he’s nice, he can be stern, doesn’t raise his voice like sentinel, has good advice and makes great energon! Both savoury and sweet.

Bumblebee: I know he’s a miner before I was made but he gets a good amount, doesn’t really spoil me unless I’ve earned it fair… honestly he’s a great sire/carrier, mostly checks on me when I hadn’t called.

Prowl: that… sounds like a healthy relationship- he sounds like a great carrier/sire too! My primus, what’s his name?

Bumblebee: oh, he doesn’t have one, he goes by d-16 mostly.

Prowl:

Prowl, internally: didn’t a mining bot say d-16 disappeared from the mines..? Also which d-16 is he talking about-.

———

Random bot of your choosing: you dated… the tyrant of fragging koan?!

Shutter: i didn’t know he was ‘the tyrant of koan.’ When I wAS DATING HIM!!

______________________________

I’m back on my TFA parental megs shenanigans.

Just… some canon episode divergent shenanigans both bee, megatron and sometimes the others of their respected factions themselves get into.

There’s also canon divergency in the aftermath of the episodes too… *shrugs* cause why not?

Oh yeh, the last bit is just a silly thing for most of the parental megs franchise… so-.

[raileurta]

Some of the Humans’ traits are amplified tenfold in “Don’t Look At Me” au. For Miko it's her protectiveness; which has led her to stalking Bulkhead and the rest of her friends to make sure “they're safe.” Bulkhead however being more in danger is stalked the most. He knows Miko is doing this but he has no tangible proof. Bulkhead sees her in the corner of his eyes almost constantly but every time he turns around to catch her Miko has already disappeared. Cameras or other recording devices haven't captured her either.

He's a bit paranoid now.

[in1-nutshell]

Hi! I was wondering if you could write where Sari asks NightLight how Ratchet and her became Conjunx endura?

This story caught the other's off guard for sure.

Hope you enjoy!

How did Nightlight and Ratchet get bonded?

SFW, Platonic, Romance, Mention of injury, Cybertronian reader

TFA

The questioned started after movie night.

Nightlight had finished her evening patrols earlier than expected and the others had been preparing for Movie Night.

Nightlight had nothing better to do for the rest of the evening and decided to join in.

This made Sari very happy, seeing as Nightlight didn’t join in many nightly activities that were around patrolling or work.

The movie ended with its main protagonist getting married and riding off into the sunset.

Sari looked up to Nightlight, who was sitting next to Ratchet. Sari: “Nightlight, how did you and Ratchet get married?” All the bots are caught off guard by the question. Bumblebee: “Now that she mentions it, I don’t think either of you have told us.” Ratchet: “There is a lot you young bots don’t know.” Bulkhead: “Did you have a spring wedding?” Bumblebee: “Or maybe something like in a church?” Prowl: “…Who asked who?” Nightlight: “You do realize we did Conjunx rites? We didn’t do a ‘wedding’ like the humans do.” Sari: “Oh right, aliens… but then how did you get… umm…” Optimus: “Bonded?” Sari: “Yeah! Robo married!” Ratchet looks over at Nightlight and gives her a knowing smirk. Ratchet: “Yes Nightlight, how did we get ‘robo married’?” Nightlight looks uncharacteristically flustered and tries to make a break for it before Ratchet traps her on the couch using his magnets. Nightlight: “Ratchet!” Optimus: “Okay now I want to know.” Bumblebee and Sari: “Tell us!” Nightlight sighs in defeat. Nightlight: “All right, all right… sit down everyone… it’s a bit of a long story…”

…

It took place during the final days of the war.

The pair had been ‘dating’, if you could call it, for a while.

A couple hundred years give or take, but it felt a bit shorter given each other’s professions took a lot of time and dedication to.

It was a miracle for a field tech and detective could even find time for each other that wasn’t based on screen calls or rare mission briefs.

Nightlight’s most recent case had led her to the same base camp Ratchet was in.

It would soon come to her attention that the base would be under siege in a matter of days.

Normally a quick call would have sufficed in warning the others and getting the relief team on their way… if the base wasn’t under a tech blackout.

Nightlight made sure to call in the relief team for the base before racing to get to the base herself.

Ratchet was surprised to see Nightlight in the base looking so disheveled and panicked.

After briefly explaining the situation, the two helped getting the injured and other personnel bots out of the base before the siege started.

Too bad some Con scouts had entered earlier.

It was up to Nightlight, Ratchet and a few other bots to hold everything down before the others would arrive.

The small group was doing okay for the most part.

Ratchet spots a Con sneaking behind Nightlight. Ratchet: “Nightlight! Get down!” Nightlight immediately drops to the ground as Ratchet uses his magnets to throw the Con. Ratchet looks down at her worried as she hadn’t gotten up yet. She just stared at him. Ratchet quickly pulled her up, looking over for any injuries. Nightlight grabs his free servo. Nightlight: “Be my Conjunx?” Ratchet stops, completely caught off guard by the question. Nightlight punches a Con who was trying to attack them both. Nightlight: “We’re busy!” Ratchet shakes his helm in disbelief. Ratchet: “You decided that NOW of all times is the right time!?” Ratchet and Nightlight punch a couple more Con’s. Nightlight: “I am not going to go out without asking that.” Ratchet: “No one’s going out!” Nightlight: “Just being realistic—HEAD’S UP!” Nightlight drop kicks another Con. Nightlight: “I made my decision Ratchet… would you do me the honor of being my Conjunx for whatever time we have left?” Ratchet blinks before turning his helm to a nearby bot. Ratchet: “Kup!” Kup: “Yeah!” Ratchet: “You’re our witness for the Conjunx rites!” Kup does a double looking at Nightlight and Ratchet ducking from the blaster fire. Kup: “Now?!” Nightlight: “Please Kup?!” Kup: “… Sod it… Say your things! I’ll cover for ya!”

Both bots are fighting and yelling out their rites, gifting each other enemy blasters at one point.

Now officially Conjunx’s… just as the relief team came.

Everyone had survived, hurt and wounded heavily, but alive.

Many bots where surprised to hear that the sour field tech and detective had the bearings to do their Conjunx rites in the midst of battling the enemy.

The pair didn’t care too much about what the other younger bots were whispering about.

Mainly because Ratchet had a bit of a lovesick smile while Nightlight had tucked her helm on the side of his helm.

Both their servos tightly wound together.

They had lived for another day.

It would take them a few hours to get back to the capital for better care on their injuries.

It would also be a few days later before the war would have officially ended.

…

The team’s mouths were on the floor.

They were not expecting that!

Ratchet and Nightlight earned some respect on their names.

Optimus and Prowl are just surprised when they had made the rites.

It was completely dangerous and risky for Nightlight to make such a decision.

Though to put it in perspective, if she was that scared to risk doing one last thing with Ratchet before she went off line…

The two bots just hoped that they never had to see Nightlight make such risky decisions like that on Earth.

Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Sari are just floored with this story.

They were expecting something like a sappy love confession or them casually wanting to do it to lower their taxes.

This story gave the married couple a new light for the young ones to look at.

Optimus: “But there is one thing I don’t understand. Nightlight looked very flustered when mentioning about the story, why?” Bulkhead: “Maybe because she’s just embarrassed.” Ratchet chuckles. Ratchet: “No, its what happened shortly after we bonded.” Nightlight hid her face in her servos. Nightlight: “Ratchet please…” Ratchet: “The kids are going to keep on asking.” Nightlight graoned: “…Proceed…” Ratchet chuckled a bit rubbing circles on her back. Ratchet: “She apparently had a whole series of plans to ask me to be her Conjunx. All colored coded, alphabetized and in most likely to least likely to fail.” Sari: “Can we see it?” Nightlight jumps up and is out the door. Ratchet chuckles a bit. Ratchet: “Give her a couple of days, a few puppy dog eyes and maybe you get to see Plan Yellow C.” Prowl: “What is that one?” Ratchet: “Lets just say it involved several jetpacks, a few favors and Megatron’s sword.” Optimus: “Megatron’s what!”

[lets-try-some-writing]

Sparklings chirp. Birds chirp. Humans occasionaly too the mimics that they are. Cue bots and cons making fools of themselves

Cybertronians are known for their intelligence as a general rule. A technological species built for increadible adaptation and industry is not exactly the most likely to be fooled. However, there are a few things which are the most likely to trip them up across the board. The sound of a sparkling happens to be one of those things.

A sparkling has a unique signature sound that they develop a few cycles after their emergence. But a fresh sparkling does not have this signature song and instead spits out something akin to a chirp. It is simply meant to make noise as a sparkling tests their voice and develops their call. However this has in turn led to a few false alarms amongst Autobots and Decepticons.

Logically they all know that there cannot be sparklings on Earth. It is an impossibility. It is even more of an impossibility for a sparkling young enough to make a basic cry to be anywhere near and organic world. And yet, instincts are strong in those who have not seen a sparkling since the height of the war.

Arcee has tripped up more than a few times due to birds with calls just high enough to sound eerily similar to a smaller framed sparkling crying out for attention. She has, while tired, followed a few of these birds for several minutes before realizing her folly and turning back. No one will ever know, at least, that is what she tells herself. Soundwave knows everything.

Starscream doesn't like sparklings all that much as a general rule, or rather, he doesn't like the idea of any being around him during a war. He adores them in any other situation. Thus it was not hard for him to almost go nose diving toward the ground when a flock of birds got a little too close and had him frantically scanning the area in search of a fictitious sparkling before he figured out that it was just the organic fauna fragging with him.

Knockout had done more than a few hopeful rounds after hearing something small making a whistling almost chirp like sound while on patrol. He is fully aware that a sparkling being on Earth is impossible, but that hasn't stopped him from tailing such sounds only to end up very much disappointed when he finds a human messing around or some sort of bird chirping away. He wants to hope, and one can never be too careful. This has led to issues when Rafael made a squeak that bordered on a chirp during battle. Knockout almost dropped what he was doing to grab the boy on instinct before a punch brought him to his senses.

The bots at base have been led to panic on more than a few occasions when the children or even Agent Fowler whistled a little too high to be registered as normal. There has been scrambling and instinctual urges to coddle in response to the sounds. Surprisingly, Jack of all people has weaponized this to get Arcee's attention when he really wants it. He does not abuse this more than necessary. Rafael tends to accidently get Bumblebee to pick him up when he makes any sound a little too high pitched for comfort. Miko can't seem to get the whistle right, but Bulkhead has internally registered her attempts as her unique call and so he will respond anyway.

[swiftyangx12]

Continuity Crossover! #5

[D/N] = Designation (Your name)

Cybertronian!Reader

TFP![D/N]: *In their Holoform* Wait, you guys don’t have avatars?

MTMTE![D/N]: *Also in their Holoform* Weird. My crew and I use them whenever we need to visit Earth.

TFA!Bulkhead: We actually don’t have that kind of tech in my universe. *Rubbing his helm*

B-127: Not in mines, either. But, they look cool. You guys look so small.

TFP![D/N]: It’s the average human size, ‘Bee. Wonder why you don’t have these disguises.

MTMTE![D/N]: Oh, wait. One universe where humans haven’t evolved to existence yet, and they haven’t traveled beyond Cybertron until the next few cycles. The other was full-on Cybertronian propaganda led by a corrupted government who were extremely prejudiced against “Organic” life forms and other Cybertronians who possess flight-based frames. Also war-frames.

TFP![D/N]: Oooh right.

TFA!Bulkhead: If you put it that way…You’re kind of on point.

B-127: Technically, we both were led by corrupted governments, but I work for one now. We’re rebuilding everything.

MTMTE![D/N]: That’s true. Reconstructing a better system.

B-127: *Crouching at their level* What’s it like being in a human’s perspective? Are the frames softer like your human friends’? Can you do that “breathing” thing while using the avatars? I gotta ask Wheeljack if he can make something like your Holoforms.

TFA!Bulkhead: Why do you need them now?

TFP![D/N]: The kids need some supplies for school, so shopping for me.

MTMTE![D/N]: Roddy and I have some time off, just to hang and have fun on the planet.

B-127: Hold up. Are you two…

MTMTE![D/N]: *Blushing* No! No way! He only see me as one of his crew mates. His bro, y’know. I don’t think he sees me that way.

[Somewhere Far Away]

MTMTE!Rodimus Prime: *Sensors going off* Why do I feel a disturbance?

[wolveria]

The Raven's Hymn - Ch 54

Pairing: SCP-049 x Reader

Series Warnings: Eventual smut, dubcon, slow burn, violence, horror, death, monsters, human experiments, dark with a happy ending

Chapter Summary: "Trust me?" "Always."

AO3

Spotify

Against all odds and expectations, you made it to the archives without being attacked, waylaid, or harassed. Considering your company, even the most dangerous anomaly would hesitate before crossing paths with your group. 682 might not be back to his original size, but he was still deadly and unkillable, and 053 would mentally affect any humans before they ever caught sight of you.

Much like Safe Object Storage, the archives contained items that were labeled as Safe and needed minimum containment. What made them so lethal as to be buried deep within Heavy Containment was what they could do to a person when touched or perceived.

You glanced around the large foyer, doors surrounding the walls that led to different hallways and sections of the archives. It reminded you of 106’s dimension, of the circular room filled with gaping corridors that branched out into the darkness, and you shivered.

“So,” you began when the group came to a stop in the middle of the room, “do you know which way to go?”

It took 049 a moment to realize you were talking to him.

“I have never been here before, nor do I know of an exit—”

He tilted his head in a peculiar way, as if catching a sound only he could hear.

“What? What is it?”

“I do not know. There is something…” He trailed off, turning in a slow circle to face the plethora of doors. He came to a stop, facing one, and said, “There.”

“Is it the Pestilence?”

“No.” The answer came out faint, his gaze distant. “But it is… familiar.”

You exchanged a glance with 682, but the reptile said nothing, giving a roll of his eyes before turning toward the door. Apparently, he didn’t think much of 049’s choice.

Seeing as you were the one closest to the door with opposable thumbs, you strode forward and pulled open the door on its tracks. It moved with a pneumatic hiss of released pressure, and thanks to 079 in the system, didn’t require a keycard you lacked.

682 with 053 on his back went first, with you in the middle and 049 covering the rear. He closed the door behind you, and white light illuminated the long hallway. The power in this section had its own separate grid and had remained online during the breach.

Doors lined both sides of the corridor, first on one side and then another, alternating so no two doorways faced each other. They appeared to be made of thick concrete and steel, the size of their hinges and the hatch handles giving the impression of bulkheads or vault doors.

As you continued along the hallway, you watched 049. The idea that 035 might have been right about him knowing a way out made you more uneasy, not less. And the distant look in 049’s eyes began to change, sharpen with focus, and when he stopped before one of the doors, you knew you’d found your destination.

“Wait.”

049 paused, his hands freezing before grabbing the hatch. You eyed 682, and wisely decided to ask before reaching for his neck.

“I need to get out 079. Make sure it’s safe to open and the security measures have been disabled.”

“Fine.” The reptile, now the size of a small pony, eyed you with one large, yellow slitted eye. “I suggest you take care.”

“I promise I’ll be gentle.”

“Sarcasm does not become you.”

Instead of rolling your eyes, which was quite tempting, you offered a tight-lipped smile and pulled the bag strap from his neck and over his head, careful not to tangle it in his green mane. You looped the strap over your neck and shoulder before pulling out the laptop, and unable to find a nearby flat surface, you smiled at 053 and put the computer on her lap.

“Wanna say hi to 079?”

“Yeah!”

You flipped open the laptop and immediately the screen illuminated with the black and white image of 079’s projected image.

“079.”

“Reid. Your success and survival are an aberration.”

“I missed you, too. Can we get into this room safely?”

“Yes.”

“Great—”

“Hi, 079!”

The snappish computer didn’t have an immediate response to the girl’s outburst.

“…Hello.”

“We’re going on an adventure.”

“If that is what you quantify as a journey that will likely end in the deaths of everyone in this facility—"

“Okay.” You lifted the laptop from 682’s back. “We can catch up later. Anything else we should know before going inside?”

The computer glared at you as much as possible with a static face.

“Do not linger.”

Helpful.

“Thanks.”

“The Foundation has sent outside forces, and once they have finished reconnecting the skybridges, they will attempt to recapture the facility.”

“Oh. Right, thank you.”

You closed the screen, tucked it away inside its bag, and then stepped forward only to be blocked by a gentle hand.

“I will open it.” Despite the troubled look he held, his words were soft. “You’ve done more than your share to get us this far.”

You stepped back and nodded, mostly because you didn’t trust yourself to speak. Even now, with death all around you and danger chasing at your heels, your mind still went stupid and fuzzy when his eyes went all soft and warm like that.

049 gripped the hatch in his gloved hands and turned the handle. It might be unlocked, but with the strength it took for 049 to open it, you guessed it would ordinarily take two guards to turn the wheel and open the door. It rumbled on his hinges as 049 pulled it outward, the corridor wide enough to give plenty of room to the massive door.

He stepped through first, and you followed him into an entry way, beyond that a second doorway, this one constructed of two sets of glass to form an airlock.

Next to the airlock was an informational placard in an octagonal shape. At the top was the green lock symbol for Safe. Next, a weaving triangle that indicated it as a Warning risk class, and on the other side, a Keneq disruption class. Both were level three, indicating significant risk to an area the size of a city.

At the top of the placard read, ITEM#: 5917.

“049,” you said, “I don’t think we should—”

The glass door shattered as he hit it with the point of his elbow. He cleared the remaining fragments of tempered glass with his arm, the shards unable to pierce his thick hide.

No alarm sounded, proof that 079 had indeed shut down any security measures or alarms. The second glass door broke as easily as the first, reinforced glass not presenting much of a challenge to the SCP. He strode forward into the room, and you followed at a more cautious pace.

There were two objects contained within the space, and the muted lights overhead reminded you of a museum exhibit, especially with one of the objects housed under a glass display on top of a pedestal. The other was a large, oblong box in the middle, lying flat on the ground.

049 homed in on the smaller object, but you walked up to the coffin-like structure and read the plague melded onto the side: SCP-5917-1.

Another round of shattering glass filled the room as 049 broke the glass, and he opened the box and pulled out an intricately decorated silver scroll case with gold trim. He stared at it, mesmerized, and said, “This will guide us out of our captivity.”

You barely heard his words; you stepped onto the ridge around the base of the large box, recognizing it for what it was. It was an anomalous-corpse cryogenic chamber, and under the glass lid, you could see the body inside.

It was both humanoid and avian, with brown speckled feathers that disappeared under dark brown robes, and what you mistook for a mask was an actual curved beak.

“They look like… you.”

“There are no others like me.”

When you didn’t move or speak, only continued to stare at the bird-like being, 049 joined you, and he froze with a wide, confused expression.

“I do not understand.”

682 cast a narrow eye at the contents of the coffin and let out a horse-like snort.

“More crows. Not so special, are you.”

053 tried to reach for the lid, her eyes large and curious, but 682 pulled her away before she could do more than smudge the glass with her hands. 049 remained stock still, his own expression wide and on the edge of panic.

“Hey.” You rested your hand on his arm, your thumb stroking the course fabric of his skin. “It’s okay, we can figure this out later.”

You indicated the case in his hand, sealed with tiny silver latches.

“You said that will help us escape. Do you know how?”

He was lost, his words unsure as he met your eye, something pleading in them.

“I… I don’t know.”

“Come on, Doc,” spoke a voice from the doorway. “Use that birdbrain of yours.”

Lifting your shotgun, you spun and aimed, but 035 already had his rifle pointed at your chest.

“Now, now. Let’s not be hasty,” he crooned. “No one needs to be riddled with the un-fun kind of holes.”

You took in his appearance, changed since you last saw him. Black liquid oozed from the eyes and mouth of the mask, the decayed state of his body leaking through and staining the MTF’s attire. He was eating through his body too fast, and if you had to guess, he didn’t have much time left.

049 slipped in front of you, forcing you to aim the shotgun at the ground. Goddammit.

“I beg to differ,” he growled. 035 sighed.

“Are you still sore at me? Come now, it’s been over a hundred years. Let it go. I forgave you for that little crypt incident, didn’t I? Can’t we all just get along?”

“No.”

035 spoke louder and said, “Be a dear and convince your beau that I’m only here to help.”

You moved out from behind 049, out of reach before he could grab you, and aimed your shotgun again at 035. He mirrored the movement with his rifle, and you had the distinct feeling he enjoyed this game.

“What do you want?” you snapped.

049 gave you an unhappy look but stayed where he was. 682 was on the other side of the cryogenic chamber, hunched down as if to leap, but he didn’t. You didn’t think it was possible for the reptile to be unsure about anything, but as 053 clung to his back, eyes round with fear as she watched the oozing mask, you knew the reason why.

“Like I said before,” 035 said in a lazy drawl. “A ride out. And judging from the good doctor’s vacant expression, he doesn’t remember how to use the map.”

“What map?”

035 tilted his head toward 049, or more accurately, what was in his hands.

“That map.”

“Another one of your tricks,” 049 seethed.

“Is that poultry-popsicle a trick?” 035 gave him another curious look, his tone as equally interested. “You really don’t remember, do you?”

049 said nothing but narrowed his eyes, and 035 rewarded him with a mocking laugh.

“That’s all right, I couldn’t either. Being away from the Golden City tends to… distort one’s memories. But I sense your broken mind goes much deeper than that. They didn’t want you to remember anything. Not after what you did.”

He nodded toward the cryogenic chamber, his words laced with sinister glee.

“Are you saying 049 did that?”

“Is that what I’m saying?” 035 giggled at your scowl. “No, this death isn’t on his hands. But there are others, and their blood stains him down to the marrow. He’ll never wash it clean.”

“Falsehoods,” 049 growled. Maybe it was because of the corpse nearby, but you could imagine the snapping of a beak. “Your words are air, without substance. You speak lies and dress them as truths—”

“Am I lying about the feathers, Valens?”

049 went rigid.

“They itch, don’t they.” 035’s voice was low, equally seductive as it was insidious. “It must be torture. A constant prickling you can’t scratch, trapped under that hide like a coat of paint over rotted wood.”

“What’s he talking about?” you asked, and the unnerved look in his eyes made you far more uneasy than anything else. And how does he know your name?

“More tripe. A palaver of nothing.”

“Gods, you’re just as stubborn as you were a millennium ago.” Gone was 035’s amusement, replaced by genuine anger. “I’m trying to help, you old quack. If you don’t get that stick out of your ass, you’re going to die here, along with your precious assistant.”

049 started towards him, hands clenched at his sides as if he would like nothing more than to beat the mask into ceramic dust.

035 raised his rifle and aimed it directly at your face. 049 froze.

“I’ll do it. I’ll blow this place sky-fucking-high with a bullet to her skull. I actually like her, but I’ll see us all dead before I go back to that suffocating box.”

A sniffling noise interrupted the dead silence, and 682 released a low growl as the mask looked at the girl. Her face was teary as she clung to the reptile’s fur, and 035’s words went sharp.

“Really? You brought the brat and the dog, but you won’t take your old pal? And I was just about to tell you how the map works.”

“It’s okay,” you said to 053, your voice soft and hopefully calming. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

035 sighed, and like a switch being flipped, his hot anger became sweeping melodrama.

“Come on, sweetheart. You know kids make me antsy, and I need a steady trigger finger.”

049 stiffened, and his fists curled at his sides.

“Fine,” you said. “We’ll help you escape.”

049’s head snapped in your direction.

“Splendid,” 035 cajoled, but you didn’t pay attention to him, and instead met 049’s eye. His look of surprise and then anger faded into something more confused the longer you stared.

“Just how long have you been planning this containment breach?” you asked, finally breaking eye contact as you turned back to the oozing mask. “Most of the Site-19 anomalies are here. That can’t be a coincidence. Even the Dream Man showed me the Site-19 breach and said it would be important.”

035’s head went at a tilt, and his curiosity was like unseen fingers trailing over your skin. You held back the shiver.

“Yes… if only we all made it. Too bad about 173; I assume that was your work. Shame. I liked that little creep.”

“Dýo.”

The mask immediately perked up at 049’s tired voice.

“Oh, I love it when you say my name. Yes, dear?”

049 looked like he would rather be flayed than say another word, but he still asked:

“How do we use the map?”

“I’ll show you just as soon as you put down the gun, Reid.” He leaned his head in your direction, leering. “You no longer need it, and I’m not fond of that murderous little glint in your eye.”

You moved your hand to regrip the stock of the shotgun, but 035 didn’t see you reaching for the laptop bag. You sent him an ugly look, just in case he was mistaken in the belief that you didn’t despise him completely, and you set the shotgun on the ground and kicked it out of reach.

“Attagirl. Now, Valens, if you would, take the scroll out of the case and open it up.”

049 hesitated, but with 035’s rifle steadily aimed at your head, he didn’t have a choice. He unlatched the glittering case and took from it a scroll of old brown parchment. He carefully unfurled it, and as he did so his eyes widened, his gaze transfixed on what lay across its surface.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” 035 purred like a satisfied cat. “Do you remember how to read it?”

“I…”

That was all 049 said, as if entranced.

You reached for the bag again, and with both of them occupied, neither noticed you slip SCP-178 from an outside pocket. But someone did. 682 appraised you with one yellow eye, noting the anomaly clasped between your fingers before meeting your gaze again.

“Well?” 035 said, his tone clipped. “You better not fuck this up, Doc. You’re making more than one trip.”

That finally snapped 049 out of his fixation, and he looked at the mask with a growing frown in his gaze.

“What?”

“You’re taking me out of here first. I’m not staying a minute longer, and I gotta make sure you really give it your best shot.” 035 nudged the muzzle of his rifle in your direction. “Otherwise, ton cœur gets left behind to live out her days in a cell. So, you know. All the pressure.”

049 gripped the edges of the aged scroll so hard you worried he would tear it.

“No.”

035 dropped his playful tone, and his grinning face turned into the tragedy mask within the blink of an eye.

“What’s the problem? If you don’t screw it up, you’ll be back within seconds.”

“Rot in hell, enfoiré.”

“Stubborn old cloaca—”

“Run!”

You shouted the word to 682 at the same moment you put on the 3-D glasses, and the room erupted into chaos and strange, screeching nightmares.

The reptile bounded for the door, carrying 053 on his back and out of harm’s way as they made it through the broken airlock. You dived for the sarcophagus, blocking 035’s line of sight and his ability to shoot you. But he was too occupied to care; several 178-2s had popped into existence inside the room. Almost seven feet tall with smooth bodies and oblong heads, dozens of tiny black eyes dotting their surface, their claws were poised for ripping, and the appendages on their back could act like cutting whips or lethal blades.

035 yelled what sounded like curses in several languages before he started to fire.

Bullets ricocheted across the tile floor and embedded into walls and lights. More screeches filled the room as some of the bullets hit their targets. Terrified he’d been hit, you peeked around the cryochamber to search for 049, and found him trapped in a corner, one of the entities attempting to stab him with its scythe-like appendages.

049 gripped the appendages, and blood oozed down his wrists from where the blades bit into his palms, cutting through his hide.

You yanked off the glasses, and the chromatic double image of the world returned to its normal focus and color, and you stuffed 178 back into the bag and then crawled across the floor. The 178-2s had stopped popping into existence, but the remaining creatures were here to stay, and they were pissed.

049 was losing the fight with the larger anomaly. A slice bled from across his chest, and his arms shook where the 178-2 pushed down, making a horrible gurgling noise as its blades cut deeper into 049’s palms.

You lunged forward and grabbed it by the ankle, and before it realized its fight was over, the entity dissolved and fizzled into nothingness.

A wave of exhaustion hit you, and you lowered your forehead to the ground in an attempt to stop the room from spinning. You hadn’t caught your breath before you were grabbed by the waist and hoisted off the floor, 049 pulling your arm over his shoulder before half-dragging, half-carrying you out of the room.

Bullets pinged off the metal frame of the airlock behind you. 049’s hands were slick with his blood, and it must have hurt to support your weight, but he didn’t stop until you were at the end of the corridor in the rotunda room with the doorways leading outward.

He leaned you against the wall, putting his own back to the surface, but he wasn’t catching his breath. He was waiting for something.

The gunfire had stopped. Either 035’s body had succumbed to the 178-2s, or he’d killed them all. Either way, you had to find the others. Did 049 still have the scroll?

You opened your mouth to ask, and snapped it shut at the sound of racing footsteps down the corridor.

049 reached out and snatched the barrel of the gun as soon as it appeared, wrenched it downwards, and punched 035 hard across his porcelain face.

035 let out a string of curses that might have been Greek, stumbled off balance, and 049 grabbed him by his covered throat and slammed him against the wall.

“Son of a bitch—"

049 snapped his neck.

Whatever else 035 wanted to say, he wouldn’t be saying it now. 049 let his limp form slide to the ground, the legs splayed out like a broken doll, and he released a held sigh.

“I have waited a long time to do that.”

You also sighed, too tired to have patience for their thousand-year grudge match. You knelt next to the body and set the bag against your knees, and then you carefully pulled the mask off the corpse’s face. Nothing remained but a black, oozing sludge pile.

“What are you doing?”

The mask itself, stained with greasy pitch tears a moment ago, was now pristine and white in your hands.

“Taking him with us.”

“Tell me this is a poor jest.”

You looked up, but at the sight of his wounds still trickling blood, your irritation softened into a need to reach out and touch him. But you didn’t, not yet.

“Better us than the Foundation. He’s too dangerous to stay here. 035 trapped me in your containment chamber.”

“Pardon?”

“He manipulated at least one researcher to make it happen.” You swallowed hard. “Kenneth locked me in your cell, and that’s only what 035 has admitted to. Knowing him, he has more personnel under his sway. Maybe by removing him, they have a chance of being freed of his control.”

If they survived. Was Kenneth still alive? You couldn’t think of the alternative, not right now. You were mentally worn, trembling with physical exhaustion, and approaching the edge of what your sanity could handle.

049 watched you for a long moment, and then his shoulders lost their rigid edge.

“I will defer to your judgement.”

You placed the mask in the bag, using a separate pocket. The last thing you needed was for 035 to try and wear 079 like a body. You slung the laptop bag over your shoulder, and after a moment, you took 035’s rifle as well. Once you were on your feet, you reached for 049’s hand and gently squeezed his fingers, mindful of his injuries.

“Thank you.”

He smiled with his eyes, and you quickly looked down. You laid his knuckles across your palm and spread open his fingers, examining the wound more closely. The blade had sliced deep, and you were sure his other hand wasn’t much better.

Reaching for the bottom hem of your gown, you tore off two long strips, uneven and a poor substitute for a real bandage. You wrapped it around one hand, careful to cover the wound and tie it off tight before starting on the other. 049 allowed you to do this without a word, a compliant patient, even as he looked at you in a way no patient should.

“I know you two have a history,” you said, still cradling one of his hands even though you’d finished treating both, “but once we escape, I’ll find a way to safely secure him and—"

An explosion nearly rocked you both off your feet, and rumbling followed in an aftershock, deep within the bones of the facility. The growling screams of nearby 178-2s joined in with melodic cacophony, and a second shockwave sent you scurrying for the security desk. After yanking out the ethernet cable from the computer and inserting it into 079, you opened the lid and yelled, “What happened!”

Instead of responding with words, a surveillance feed flashed onto the screen showing a man on fire. He roamed down a hallway, leaving a conflagration of melting panels and combusting wall insulation in his wake.

“That’s SCP-457,” you said. Shit.

“At the current exponential increase of catastrophic events, this facility will be uninhabitable within a quarter hour. It is statistically unlikely the Foundation will be able to retake and salvage Site-20.”

“Where are 053 and 682?”

He showed you another corridor, and your heart fell. The burning man was either stalking them, or simply going in the same direction, but either way, you were cut off from reaching them unless you went straight through the anomaly.

“How do I get there?”

“I will guide your way.”

The room plunged into darkness, and with a low rumble, one of the heavy doors slid open, the corridor behind it illuminated with a trail of fluorescent lights. It was like the lit catwalk to 682’s cell, an unwelcome reminder.

After tucking 079 away, you took off down the corridor, making sure 049 was right behind you. The rifle you’d taken off the MTF body grew heavy in your hands as your strength continued to flag, and eventually you left it behind. You doubted bullets would harm an anomaly like 457 anyway.

It was easy to pick up his trail, the corridor blackened and still burning like a tunnel to Hell. The heat coming from the flames was considerable, but it wasn’t scorching like you expected, and you stepped closer.

049 took a quick step toward you, his eyes wide with fear at what you were about to do, but you walked into the flames before he could stop you. The fire licked your feet and legs, but it didn’t burn you or your clothing.

You looked back at 049 and held out your hand to him.

“Trust me?”

He glanced from your hand to your face, and his eyes were far warmer than the flames.

“Always.”

He took your hand and walked into the fire. The flames caressed his robes but didn’t burn them, and he followed you through the path of destruction, trusting that you would keep him alive with a single touch.

Now instead of following 079’s hallways of light, you followed 457’s corridors of flame, until eventually you rounded a corner and the burning man was there. He had no features to speak of, his entire body glowing white-hot, but even without eyes you sensed his gaze as he slowly turned to face you.

You paused, swallowed down your nervousness, and continued forward. The entity remained in your path, the flames around him hungry. You were forced to stop in front of him, and you gripped 049’s hand harder. You knew you were hurting him, but at this range without your protection, he would burn to ash within seconds.

457 continued to stare at you, but it didn’t feel like a challenge. It felt like he was waiting for you. You couldn’t explain the irrationality of it, but that thought scared you more than burning.

“Move.”

For a moment, you didn’t think the anomaly would listen. You could erase him, just as you’d done to 173, but you couldn’t do it while touching 049. You’d learned that hard lesson with the anomalous patient. But if you released 049, he would die.

Another few seconds passed, and you considered turning back, but then the anomaly stepped aside. He was letting you pass.

Come with me, you could almost sense the anomaly saying. Come with me, and we will burn it all.

No, you thought. I already have.

You walked past the burning man, and the heat that radiated from him ran hotter than any of the flames at your feet, and you wondered if you reached out if he would burn you.

But you held onto 049 and made it through the fire. 457’s gaze lingered on your back until you were out of sight. Neither of you stopped until you reached the corner where 682 and 053 were trapped against a containment door sealed shut. From the deep gouges around the edges of the door, 682 had tried to claw it open but lacked the strength of his full size to do so.

682’s mane was singed, but otherwise they were unharmed. The girl leapt and hugged you around the legs, and there were tear-tracks through the soot on her cheeks. Smoke filled the corridor ahead of the fire, and it burned your eyes as it clogged your throat. The fire might have been anomalous, but the smoke was from the burning of real material.

You coughed and held the neckline of your gown over your mouth, but the others weren’t affected by the rapidly darkening air. It was another reminder that despite your abilities, you were still very human.

“Hold onto my robes. I shall need both hands.”

You looked up in time to see 049 pull the scroll case out of his robes. You didn’t know how the parchment, presumably a map, was supposed to help you escape, but 049 seemed confident it worked by touch.

Hooking one arm around 053 and hoisting her onto your hip, you held your other around the crook of 049’s elbow. 682 sunk his claws into the hem of his robes and said, “Do not fail, crow.”

049 ignored the reptile’s verbal barbs and actual claws, and rolled open the scroll until it was held aloft between his hands. On the other side it looked like a blank canvas of old parchment, but on this side, it displayed a view of the night sky, constellations twinkling and nebulas swirling.

Your head ached, but you didn’t look away even when the vertigo threatened to tip you forward and swallow you whole.

And then you jolted forward, sounds and colors and air bleeding together and rushing past. You held 049’s arm tight against your cheek, scared if you lost your grip you would be tossed into the whirling cosmos around you.

And then you fell. Not far, maybe a foot or two, but it was enough for your knees to buckle and throw you to the ground. You immediately curled so you wouldn’t land on 053, but your landing was soft, cushioned by something that littered the ground.

Leaves. Brittle red, gold, and orange autumn leaves.

053 darted out of your arms, squealing and giggling as she leapt into another pile of leaves. 682 spotted the girl and sat close by, licking his paws as if entirely unbothered, so you let her go and rolled onto your back, still trying to catch your breath. The chill air bit at your skin, but after the heat of 457’s destruction, it was welcome.

You must have been lying on some kind of natural forest path or trail, because the sky yawned above you, bordered by autumn-dressed trees. You’d forgotten how blue the sky was.

You let out a single laugh, quiet and disbelieving, and then a louder bark, and you covered your mouth but couldn’t stop giggling more. You felt drunk, heady and euphoric.

And then you looked to your left and saw him. The sun had just broken through the trees, and the morning light painted 049’s robes in dusky black, his face angled toward the sun as he closed his eyes, basking in the natural warmth he hadn’t felt in years.

You just… watched him. Far more mesmerized by him than even the sight of your newfound freedom.

049 out in the world should have felt like an unnatural thing, but he looked like he belonged here. A dark creature of the forest that bathed in the sunlight before it retreated to the shadows, a remnant of something ancient that was long forgotten by man.

He was beautiful. And the thing in your chest suddenly felt too enormous to name, but you knew its name, anyway.

As if he sensed the attention, 049 opened his eyes and looked at you. His gaze softened, tender in a way that twisted your insides—

He doubled over. A pained noise wheezed from his chest, and then he dropped to his knees.

“Valens!”

You scrambled, not bothering to stand as you rushed on hands and knees until you reached his side.

“What’s wrong?!”

He shook his head, still bent over and holding his stomach. No… not his stomach. He was hiding his hands, cradling and shielding them.

“I do not know,” he said, breath trembling. “My hands…”

“Let me see them.”

He uncurled his back only enough to extend his arms, and you knew something was wrong. His hands had always appeared gloved in nature, thick and leathery, but now the skin was stretched, and in some places even ripped.

The makeshift bandages were still in place, and 049 suddenly ripped them off. But he didn’t stop there. He dug his fingers into the back of his hand, and you cried, “No, don’t!” but it was too late.

With a terrible ripping sound, he tore off the skin from the back of his hand. You prepared for a spray of blood, maybe to even see bone with how much he tore off, but that didn’t happen. There was skin underneath, a dark grey that was a shade lighter than his robes.

And it was smooth, not coarse and leathery like his hide. In his other hand he held the strip of old skin, and it looked like nothing more than a torn piece of glove.

You could only stare as he continued to rip off the old pieces of hide, first from one hand and then the other, shedding his old skin to reveal fresh skin beneath. 049’s posture relaxed the more skin he removed, and after he’d stripped off the old hide completely from both hands, he let out a small sigh of relief.

You hesitated, and then gently took one of his hands, cradling it in yours as you examined it. It looked, and felt, like an actual hand, aside from the dark grey tone and some rough patches on his knuckles and the backs of his hand, reminding you of the scaly feet of a bird. You could see the details along these rough patches, and when you traced the thin lines along his palms, his fingers twitched. He was sensitive.

He was also healed, no sign of the deep gouges dug into his palm by the 178-2. Along with the grey color, the other noted difference curled from the ends of his fingers. His glove-like hands had been without fingernails before. Now, each finger was tipped with a dark talon, short and curved.

“What… what is this?”

“I believe the map caused it.”

“The map?”

“Yes. Though I do not know how.”

He didn’t resist as you continued to examine his hand, his own expression curious and not nearly as worried as you felt.

“Look.”

He followed your gaze. The smooth skin stopped at the sleeve of his robes, but just beneath the hem was a new pattern. Beginning at his wrists, small, delicate black feathers grew from his skin.

“I assumed he was lying.” He spoke softly, almost windswept, like someone had delivered him terrible news.

You traced your thumb over the feathers lining his wrists. They were soft, glossy, and slightly puffed up at the stimulation of your touch.

“035 tells the truth when it suits him.”

“Yes. He has not changed in that regard.” 049 gently withdrew his hand from yours, flexing his clawed fingers once before pulling them closer against his chest. The girl had moved in close, at first frightened by 049’s displays of pain, and then curious as soon as she spotted the claws.

“I think they’re neat!” she chimed in, her smile wide and dimply.

“They’re small.” 682 shuffled over, and he was big enough now that he towered over you from where you sat on the ground. “But at least your actions were not completely incompetent, crow.”

“I think he just complimented you.”

682 snorted and walked away, his thick tail missing your head by a narrow margin. 053 chased after him, unmindful of the cold, but you were starting to shiver, and your breath clouded the air.

“Come. We should get settled in.”

049 rose to his feet easily, the previous pain gone, and even the chest wound and treated injuries didn’t seem to bother him. Unlike the wounds on his hands, these still remained, and you planned to bandage him as soon as you could.

“Settled… in? Wait, you know where we are?”

“Of course I do. I brought us here.”

You stared at him blankly, but he only smiled with his eyes and extended a hand down to you. And then he paused, realizing the hand he offered was now tipped in claws.

But the talons looked blunt, like they were meant for gripping rather than tearing, and they didn’t bother you. In fact, when you took his hand and his warm, smooth palm pressed against yours, you might even like it.

You barely gained your feet before your knees buckled again, and gentle hands caught you on the way down.

“Sorry,” you mumbled. You tried to make your legs work, but they seemed to have quit. “More tired than I thought.”

And in pain. Every part of you had found a way to ache, but the soreness in your abdomen made each breath uncomfortable. Without another word, 049 hoisted you into his arms as easily as if you were a doll, and his expression brightened at your embarrassed one.

“You should be off your feet and resting,” he said. “Do not protest, I am your physician.”

Your mouth popped closed. With the bag in your lap carrying 079, 178, and 035, and 682 and 053 somewhere ahead of you, you’d somehow survived the containment breach and had more anomalies with you than when you’d started. You didn’t know how it was possible, how you and 049 managed to escape together, and some part of you didn’t think it was real.

But you rested your cheek against his shoulder, and that felt very real, as did his arms hooked under your knees and back. The gentle quiet of the forest and the cold autumn air was almost shocking compared to the climate controlled, fluorescent-filled artificial environment of the facility.

“Where are we?”

“Southern France. Far enough away from where the Foundation captured me that I am confident they do not know of its existence.”

You saw your destination, what drew the girl and reptile so far ahead of you. A cabin sat nestled in the trees, fallen leaves collecting on the slanted roof, the windows dark and vacant where they were set into wood walls.

Rustic was an understatement; it looked at least a hundred years old, but still in remarkably good condition.

“What is this place?” you asked and looked up at him.

His answer was warm, fond, and his gaze on you equally affectionate.

“Home.”

Next Chapter

[dragqueenstarscream]

i had a few breed ideas for the autodogs, so here's where i'm throwing ideas at a wall until i find something that sticks. subject to change if i come up with something better

optimus - german shepherd/mastiff mix. he's all grizzled and scarred from his time living on the street. of all the animals at the shelter, he's been there the longest. his scars and intimidating demeanor have led to him getting passed over for adoption by most people.

ratchet - brittany spaniel. dumped on the street as a puppy, he knew optimus when the two of them were street dogs. he's one of the oldest dogs at the shelter, save for possibly optimus.

bumblebee - greyhound. an ex racing dog, he broke his leg after taking a nasty tumble. thankfully, he's mostly healed, but he was tossed in the shelter as a result of his injury. he's strongly attached to raf, one of the shelter volunteers.

arcee - either a bluetick coonhound or a blue weimaraner. haven't decided on that yet. she and cliffjumper were owned by the same people before they were dropped off at the shelter together. she's pretty cold towards humans, with jack being the only human she respects.

bulkhead - american bulldog. as mean as his beaten up mug might look, he's a big teddy bear. he and wheeljack knew each other in dog fighting rings before they were both taken to the shelter. he's especially protective over another volunteer, miko.

cliffjumper - redbone coonhound. a former hunting dog, he and arcee were given up when their owners had to move across the country. he left arcee his favorite chew toy, a squeaky stuffed bull, when he got adopted.

wheeljack - akita/pit bull mix. initially forced to fight in dog fighting rings, he managed to escape and live on the street before he got taken by animal control. he's an escape artist and keeps breaking out of the shelter, only to get caught and brought right back in.

smokescreen - border collie. he's the newest arrival to the shelter. despite coming from a very bad home, he's surprisingly friendly and eager to please. he quickly got attached to optimus and doesn't like to leave his side.