Guardians And Primes (TFP Optimus x Mech!Reader)

A/n, if you recognize the chapter titles, then you and I will get along juuuust fine.

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I awoke some time later than Optimus, the pair of us getting up and heading to the main room. I went off to the side and took on a meditative stance while Optimus and Ratchet wandered elsewhere to talk. Wheeljack, of course, had to be an aft.

"So, you and Optimus are pretty serious, huh?" Wheeljack asked with a cocked ridge and a knowing smirk.

"Yes, we are, now shoo so I can focus." I said with a hint of annoyance.

"Not gonna tell me what went down on your 'scouting mission'?"

"Nothing that concerns you. I wish to keep my... personal life to myself."

"C’mon! I wanna know the details!"

"Wheeljack, you have around 5 seconds to stop before I do something drastic."

"You were a bottom, weren't you?"

"5"

"Awe cmon man! Was he good?"

"4"

"Did he really top? He seems to be a top."

"1" I snapped, skipping over numbers just so I could stand up and smack the back of his helm. "You better be thankful I like you, Jackie, or else that would have been deadlier!"

"Ow! Hey! Okay, okay, geeze!" Wheeljack yelped, rubbing the back of his helm.

"What I do is my business." I growled, storming off to the berthroom and grabbing Riftwall and Riftweld. I attached both of them to my back and went outside to cool my helm. I stretched my wings and took flight.

-back at base-

"Wheeljack, what did you do?" Ratchet asked with annoyance as he watched me storm past.

"I was just asking for details! Didn't think he'd get so angry." Wheeljack said.

"He is a very private individual Wheeljack. It would be best if you didn't press the issue again." Ratchet said, heading over to his workstation. After a long pause, Wheeljack finally spoke.

"Did Optimus tell you anything?" He asked Ratchet, stopping his work and pinching the area between his optics.

"If I give you a little bit of information, will you shut it and let me work?"

"Absolutely doc."

"Don't call me doc." Ratchet huffed. "Optimus said Y/D was very nervous."

"A Palaton? Nervous?"

"Y/D is a high-strung individual, I was not surprised when Optimus told me he was nervous."

"So he's a bottom." Wheeljack said with a grin. "I fragging knew it."

"Wheeljack, for the love of Primus -"

"Y/D to base! I need an assist!" My voice came over the comlink followed by the clashing of combat. They then heard the shrieking roar of the Predacon followed by a cry of pain as the comlink went dead.

"Optimus! Y/D is in danger!"

-back to Y/D-

I whimpered in pain as the Predacon charged at me again, its razor-sharp denta clamping down on my arm and chucking me to a massive boulder. My frame slammed hard into the boulder, and I let out a yelp of pain.

"The Palaton can't handle a Predacon? Pathetic." Starscream sneered.

"Just... stop..." I strained to say, forcing myself to my pedes and grabbing my badly damaged and scorched arm. "You've hurt me enough."

"No, I don't think he's hurt you enough." Starscream sneered, smacking the Predacon and forcing him to attack me again. The Predacon pounced on my frame and pinned me down, his maw clamping down on my shoulder. Suddenly, a ground bridge opened, and a rain of blaster fire showered the Predacon and Starscream, the pair retreating and leaving me alone.

"Y/D!" Optimus exclaimed, rushing to me.

"Palaton, why did you engage the enemy alone?" Ultra Magnus barked.

"Frag off Magnus!" I snapped and winced. "They got the drop on me. But I found what they were after." I said, my good arm lifting up what appeared to be a metal claw that was rusted and fossilized.

"What is that?"

"Frag if I know." I said, chucking it to Ultra Magnus, who caught it. Optimus then helped me to my pedes, and I wrapped my good arm around him for support. We then returned to the base where Ratchet jumped in surprise.

"What happened, Y/D?" Ratchet asked as Optimus guided me to the medical berth.

"He was reckless and engaged with the enemy alone after leaving without authorization." Ultra Magnus said. I shot him a stoic glare and yelped as Ratchet popped my arm back into place.

"What Magnus meant to say was that Sarscream and the Predacon got the drop on me." I said,  wincing in pain as Ratchet inspected the burned areas of my arm. "They were after something that I was able to retrieve. Looks like some sort of fossil, although I don't know what exactly it is." I then let out a hiss of pain as Ratchet gently applied a burn salve. He then wrapped my burns in some fabric and constructed a splint for my arm to rest in.

"Fossil?" Ratchet asked. Ultra Magnus then presented the fossil to Ratchet, the old medic taking it and examining it. "A Predacon fossil? Here?"

"That can only mean one thing." I muttered, a sense of dread coursing through me. "Shockwave is starting up an old project again."

"Do you know something, Palaton?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"I know OF something, yes. Shockwave was always fascinated by the cloning process, obsessed with it, really. He also had a fascination with Predacon's, which I can't blame him. They were powerful creatures who met a tragic end during the Great Cataclysm. As to how some ended up here, I have no idea. But if I know Shockwave, he's planning on bringing more Predacons back from the dead."

"You seen to know a lot about this Palaton." Ultra Magnus said with suspicion.

"What are you implying?" I asked, keeping my expression and tone stoic. Internally, I was pissed.

"I just find it highly suspicious that a Palaton, something that hasn't been seen since the Age of Rust, knows so much about Shockwave's capabilities and desires." Ultra Magnus said coldly.

"If you must know, Shockwave and I know each other and not for reasons you'd suspect. My former... owner Shellshock would 'lease me out' to him. It's how I got my unique wing structure. So you could say I know because I was subjected to being a lab rat." I spat angrily. "Not to mention he harvested my T-Cog, thus leaving me unable to fit in with the rest of Cybertron. I've survived more torture than you would ever know."

The room grew silent at my words, and I stood up with my optics locked to the floor.

"Thankyou Ratchet, if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone and meditate. Without interruptions." I then made my way to the berthroom and sat in a corner, taking on a meditative stance.