#aerogunstanfavero

[blizzardbreaker12]

Here it is! The Circle Circle Dot Dot animation meme! I've been working on this for weeks, and I'm so excited to show ya!

[blizzardbreaker12]

Mayavin introduction!

Here is the big bad of the Wandering Connections AU! Mayavin, the Master of Illusions! They might be just the biggest enemy the trio has ever faced!

[blizzardbreaker12]

Wandering Connections Chapter 6: Mind Games

Everything seemed to just blend into each other like paint - one second, he was walking down the hallway, and the next - a void.

The world moved around him in a rhythm he couldn't place. Bots moved along and around - making sure to not step on him. They were all aware that Aero was now on the ship, but they weren't aware of the fact that his body wasn't his to control anymore. They only saw what the outside could provide - a cover.

Aero could view the world from the holes in the void, still able to only see half. His blind eye made it harder to deduce where the voice was guiding the body to. It mentioned something about the file room. But why? It only had files about Cybertronians and him. Why would an entity want a file on extraterrestrial beings?

The entity guided his body to the file room in an unnatural gait, the room expanding beyond the doorway, giving a full view of the consoles and terminals inside.

*"Wonderful... Now, where to start?*" The entity spoke, a meticulous yet conniving tone in its voice.

Aero floated in the void, looking worried.

"Um... why are we here?" He asked.

*"That, little Aero... is on a need-to-know basis. You will know soon enough..."* The entity responded.

Before he knew it, his body was up on one of the terminals, having climbed up without his command.

*"You wouldn't happen to understand this, would you?"* The entity asked, its mock innocence palpable.

Aero looked uncomfortable answering. He'd taken to understanding Cybertronian language when he first met the Decepticons, slowly teaching himself the language over the years he'd known them. But he didn't wanna risk telling the entity that fact. Who knows what they could do?

"... Not... all of it. I'm still struggling with some parts..." He said innocently, hiding details and hoping the entity didn't poke into his thoughts.

The entity went silent for a bit before sighing.

*"Oh well! Guess we'll have to find an alternative, won't we?"*

"An alternative?" Aero asked.

*"You'll see..." The entity said. *"For now... be a good boy and play with the others, hm?"*

Aero made an uncomfortable noise, before suddenly blinking back into reality. He looked down at himself, clenching and unclenching his hands to see if he was back in control. He sighed in relief, but he wasn't completely off the hook.

*"But don't get too comfortable..."* The entity whispered in Aero's ear.

The man flinched, before looking around. He sighed when he saw nothing there.

The ship hovered in the sky with a quiet, rhythmic hum, the inhabitants onboard going about their daily tasks and routines.

Megatron and Starscream had stayed on the bridge to keep an eye on things. Soundwave was with them, checking surveillance footage every now and then. Vehicons occasionally came and went, quickly and quietly doing their thing like normal.

Aero, meanwhile, had wandered down the hallway, having thankfully shaken off whatever concern and anxiety he had. He sighed to himself before a familiar voice broke silence.

"Ah, hello Aero! Wasn't expecting you to show up on the ship today!"

Aero snapped out of his thoughts and looked around, spotting Knockout behind him.

"Oh, hey Knocks! It's been a while since I last came here!" He said, a soft smile on his face.

"I agree. We've been missing you quite a lot since we last met. What caused you to come up so suddenly?" The medic asked, gently crouching down, and offer his servo for Aero to climb up on.

"Well, I just wanted to see how everything was going! I was kinda missing you guys, actually!" Aero explained, gently climbing up onto the bot's servo, letting him pick him up.

"Missing little ol' us? How generous of you. We missed you as well, Aero. Especially your advice on mechanics." Knockout said, a chuckle escaping his lips shortly after.

"Glad to have you back here." He said, walking towards his medbay.

The door hissed as it opened, letting Knockout enter inside. Aero looked around with a smile. He'd missed being in the medbay with Knockout. He'd spent most of his time here ever since he was taken.

"The medbay is still running, as you can see. Nothing much has changed." Knockout noted.

Aero chuckled softly.

"Dang. That boring, huh?"

Knockout nodded.

"Unfortunately, so. This stalemate has given us time to relax, but... I do miss beating the Autobots every other days sometimes." Knockout explained.

"Yeah. I'm kinda surprised it's still going." Aero said.

"Agreed. But... it gives time to reinforce ourselves and upgrade whatever's necessary. I'm sure the Autobots are doing the same thing." Knockout said.

"Yeah. But hey! More time to hang out!" Aero said cheerfully.

Knockout gave a soft chuckle.

"Mm. I like your thinking. I do miss chatting with you. For starters, what would you recommend for a change in rims? I've been driving around a bit across Earth to pass the time, and my rims are becoming quite... lackluster, in a sense." Knockout asked, gently setting Aero down at a nearby terminal.

Aero pondered the thought. He loved talking to Knockout about mechanical stuff, so he was excited to talk about it!

Time seemed to fly as the two talked, the topics of frame color and axle size getting jumbled in with talks about radiators and upgrades. They were in their element, able to freely talk about something they both had deep connections with.

After a while, Knockout got a notification from his comms that Breakdown was back, having arrived at the docking bay.

"Ah, Breakdown's returned. I'll be back." Knockout said, before quietly leaving the medbay to go greet Breakdown.

Aero smiled as he stayed put, clearly still giddy about his conversations with the medic. But that changed when the voice suddenly reared their head again, suddenly plunging Aero back into the mind fog and switching into place

*"Good. That bot is gone. He was starting to annoy me. At least he was polite enough to leave the terminal unlocked."*

Aero whimpered a bit as he was back in the void, flailing around a bit before getting his bearing again. He watched as the entity used his body quickly and efficiently, almost as it was its own. The terminal showed a file of Aero on it after a few button presses.

*"Ahh! There we go!"* The entity said, quickly skimming over pieces of data.

*"My, my, you really have made yourself quite known here, little Aero! Something tells me you might be a lot more useful than I initially thought!"*

Aero looked worried and slightly frustrated.

"What do you want? Knockout will be back any minute!" He asked.

The entity merely chuckled at his question.

*"Now, now. We wouldn't want to be pushing our boundaries now, would we? I'm sure you wouldn't like being on the other side of a pede, now would you?"*

The man stopped for a moment - the thought scaring him a bit before he reluctantly went quiet. He couldn't really do much inside his own mind. All he could do was watch.

*"Good boy..."* The entity said, before gazing through the file once more.

[blizzardbreaker12]

Wandering Connections Chapter 5: Hitchhiker

The roar of jet engines and thrusters cut through the otherwise calm atmosphere of the docking bay. Some Vehicons were there doing routine work, averting their gazes from what they were doing to welcome the warlord and second-in-command's arrival back. A couple of them looked surprised when Aero popped out of Starscream's cockpit before he transformed into his robot mode, clearly not having expected the human to come along so out of the blue. But they didn't seem opposed to it!

Aero hoisted himself up to sit on the Seeker's shoulder plating, having done so many times now that it was almost second nature to him. He understood the risks of being a smol boi surrounded by dozens of giant mechs who could smush you under their pedes if they didn't look too close. And Starscream himself was used to it by now, almost having the entire interaction memorized down to the muscle. Or... you could suppose circuits.

The three made their way to the bridge of the ship, soldiers occasionally saluting to them before carrying on with their day. Aero waved at them, a soft, polite smile painted on his face as he watched each soldier come and go.

Soundwave was already at the bridge working on some surveillance tech. The silent mech turned to face the sound of Megatron's impending pedesteps, nodding to him and Starscream as they entered.

Megatron nodded back, his authoritative gaze looming over silently.

"Ah, Soundwave! How is everything going?" He asked, his hands crossing behind his back strut.

Soundwave gave an affirmative nod to the question, making sure to give the warlord a full show of his security feed around the warship.

Megatron was pleased with the officer's work, nodding silently and smiling a bit.

"Good..."

Aero, meanwhile, was looking around with wide eyes filled with awe. Of course, he'd been here many a times, but it was always such a surreal experience for him every time he came - still fascinated by the otherworldly tech that made up the Nemesis. Especially after his first encounter with the Decepticons. Even if they initially got off on the wrong foot - with Aero having been taken by force - it was still able to give him a bit a nostalgia every time. Like deja vu happened every time his foot met the metal floor.

Although, the nostalgia didn't last for long, as his mind began to fog once again.

*"Hmmm... So this is the Nemesis I keep hearing about... Quaint, isn't it?... Why don't we... have a look around when you finish...?"*

The fog seemed to happen only for a few seconds at most, but Aero felt as though time itself stopped completely. One second, he was gazing at the warship, and the next... His mind was suddenly something that seemed to house him - not where he kept his thoughts. It was almost like his own consciousness was suddenly swapped with someone else's. But he couldn't really figure it out. Like a computer that wasn't given enough data or time to load.

He could still see, but what he saw wasn't anything he'd experienced, even in his sleep - a dark void with the only source of light coming from two windows - presumably where his eyes were. Only he was able to see clearly out of one eye. The other still cloudy and glassy as before the fog settled. He glanced out, trying to get a gist of what was going on. He knew that he was still in the bridge with Megatron and Starscream - their frames coming into view as he slowly panned his gaze. But he couldn't move. He couldn't hear the others, even if he saw their lips move and their servos gesture to combine with the words they spoke. it was certainly unsettling, to say the least.

A few moments later, he seemed to snap out of it, with Starscream's voice grounding him back to the present. He blinked a few times before looking up at the Seeker, almost dazed before collecting himself.

"Huh? Sorry! I was busy looking around!" He responded sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

The second-in-command smirked at the reaction he got, chuckling softly before repeating what he said.

"Of course. You always seem entranced by this warship, no matter how many times you've been here. I merely stated that we needed to complete a few tasks around the ship. You are free to wander about if you'd like while we attend to these errands." He repeated.

Aero smiled, nodding in quiet understanding.

"Okay!" He said, before climbing down from his perch on Starscream's shoulder, leaving the bridge so Megatron and Starscream could work.

Megatron watched on with a humble expression, only for the dark energon to pulsate once again in his spark chamber. Why was it acting like this? Maybe a mine was nearby full of the stuff? Maybe. But... it always seemed to happen once Aero left... weird...

As Aero wandered down the endless hallways and sectors, dodging bots' pedes as he went about, his mind began to fog once again. This time - someone took the reigns completely from his hands.

*"Now... Let's see what this ship has of use to me...*"

Aero was plunged back into the void again, looking around in confusion and shock as his body was taken from him.

"Woah! H... Hello?! What's happening?!" He called out, his consciousness emanating a faint blue glow within the void.

*"Don't you worry, little Aero. You are safe in my hands... I'm merely... taking a tour of this place for myself..."* The voice responded.

Aero's gaze darted from side to side, trying to locate the source of the voice, but to no avail.

"W-Who are you? How are you doing this to me?" He asked, anxiety starting to creep up into his mind.

The voice responded initially with a deep chuckle before answering.

*"Just... a friend, one would say. And don't worry! I won't do anything too dangerous! I'm just letting your mind take a back seat for a while."*

The man didn't like this at all. He couldn't move, couldn't yell out for help. He could only just float there in the vast darkness.

"I don't like this. I want my body back." He said in a slight protest. He wasn't really good at defending himself, or being able to project himself, that is.

The voice snickered a bit at the pitiful attempt.

*"Patience, little human. Let me handle the heavy work."*

Aero's anxiety didn't seem to waver. But what else could he do? He could only watch as the voice controlled his body to its own bidding. It was scary to watch, like an out of body experience coming to life... literally...

*"Now... Where to find the file room?..."*

[blizzardbreaker12]

Wandering Connections Chapter 4: Underneath the Skin

After a well-deserved nap, Aero awoke refreshed and well, yawning and stretching a bit before sitting up. He took a minute to fully wake up, before getting up from his bed and heading out of his room.

Megatron and Starscream both heard his footsteps coming down the hallway, their gazes averting from what they were doing at that moment: Megatron with his book, and Starscream from his datapad.

"Ah. Good afternoon, little Aero. How was your nap?" Megatron wondered, a soft smile etched on his face as he momentarily averted his gaze from the chapter he was reading.

"It was good! Definitely needed it!" Aero responded, chuckling a bit.

"Understandable. Weren't you working on another human's vehicle?" Starscream inquired.

"Yeah! They said they had a problem with their radiator, so they asked me to help!" Aero said. "I almost got it up and running! Just gotta put coolant in it!"

"Wonderful. You certainly live up to your name." Megatron complimented, a deep chuckle escaping his lips.

"Agreed. You are quite the mechanic here, Aero." Starscream chimed in, smirking softly.

"Aww, thanks!" Aero said, blushing a bit at the attention. "It's nothing, really! I just like working with my tools!"

"Well, Knockout seems to take a personal liking to you. I don't think that's nothing." Starscream noted, Megatron nodding alongside him.

Aero blushed a bit more. He wasn't used to people giving him attention. Even if he was the golden boy, he still gets flustered easily.

The two Decepticons smiled at the man's flustered state, a momentary reprieve from everything going on.

Aero made his way to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat, humming to himself quietly as he rummaged around. As he did, he felt a chill go down his spine, his mind fogging up a bit.

*"Let's see how you tick, little human…"*

He stopped humming for a moment, blinking a bit in slight confusion.

Megatron and Starscream sensed something when they heard the abrupt silence, both looking up at the human.

"Everything alright?" The warlord asked.

Aero snapped out of the mind fog thanks to Megatron's question, and gave a quick smile, nodding softly.

"Mhm! Just had a thought about the radiator!" Aero said.

Megatron nodded, sensing something but not knowing what it was. He shrugged it off before continuing with his book. Starscream followed suit, going back to looking through reports on his datapad.

The moments seemed to just fly by, combining into a fast track. At least, it was like that for Aero. One minute he was in the kitchen eating a sandwich, and the next, he was back in the garage working on the last part of the radiator. It seemed... odd, how time flew by for him. But he didn't think much of it. For now.

The chill didn't seem to go away, however. It felt like he was constantly being watched or analyzed by something, but he couldn't figure out what it was. It made him look around maybe a few times just to make sure. Even Digit seemed curious about his behavior, chirping slightly.

Aero tried to ignore the signs, just trying to finish up with the car so he can go about the rest of his day. The chill around him didn't stop, though. It only stayed - fermenting around him in an invisible mist of dread he couldn't fully explain, even to himself.

*"Such a naive little human... Just you wait..."*

Aero froze as he heard the words. It almost sounded like... it was in his head. That's crazy! It couldn't be in his head, right? There has to be a better explanation than that!

He shook off the thought, trying to get back to work. But the voice kept going.

*"Don't be foolish... I'm more than a mere thought..."*

The man flinched, almost hitting his head on the hood of the car. Who was speaking to him?! How could it hear his thoughts?! Was it a mind reader? A psychic he didn't know about?

Digit was getting worried by Aero's reactions, the starling flying over and landing on the man's shoulder as a way to ground him. Her chirps sounded concerned, a series of trills and chirrups emanating from her tiny throat.

Aero took a moment to himself, the presence of his companion helping him slightly with the noise she gave out. He glanced at the tiny avian creature with a more relieved look, gently petting her head with a finger.

"Thanks, Digit." He said softly with gratitude, appreciating her concern. "I probably had another nightmare again."

The European Starling responded with a calm and happy chirp, nuzzling her tiny head against his neck like a service animal would to alert their owner. She knew of the nightmares he had and still have after the incident, being there for him when he wasn't fully there.

Aero sighed, tightening the last bolt on the radiator before setting the wrench down. He nodded to himself before adding the coolant and closing the hood.

"There. Ms. Pachenko's car is good to go!" He said, smiling a bit.

Digit gave a proud chirrup to Aero, flapping her wings a bit.

He looked down at his dirty clothes for a moment, chuckling a bit.

"Proooobably should take a shower and do some laundry, too! He added.

After Ms. Pachenko came for her car and left, profusely thanking him repeatedly and insisting that she pay him, Aero did just that - taking a bit in the shower to get the grease and oil off and putting his clothes in the washing machine afterwords. He seemed proud of himself for helping, as he always did. It gave him a boost of positivity every time.

He was currently moving his clothes to the dryer when the voice came back, making him stop for a moment. His mind fogged up again, almost like someone was hijacking it.

*"You certainly seem to have quite a connection with those extraterrestrials, dear Aero. Why don't ask them if we could go to their ship? I'd love to see how things are run..."*

And without any hesitation, Aero's body moved, one foot in front of the other without his permission. He could still see, but even he didn't know what was going on that moment. Because he was suddenly back in the living room with Megatron and Starscream. His body was its own machine, with a directive he himself didn't program.

He snapped out of it a split second later, blinking a few times before giving a smile.

"Hey, guys! When do you think you'll be heading back to the Nemesis?" He asked.

Megatron looked up from his book, and Starscream his datapad.

"In the nest cycle or two. Why do you ask?" The warlord inquired.

Aero smiled, shrugging a bit.

"I was wondering if I could tag along with you guys! I haven't been to the warship in a while!" He said.

Starscream gave a curious glance but understood. It had been a while since Aero was on the Nemesis. It wouldn't hurt to bring him along for a trip. Knockout and Breakdown were asking about him the last time they went, so it wouldn't hurt to bring the human along.

"I don't see why not. I'm sure the others wouldn't mind seeing you again."

Aero's eyes lit up, almost a fraction too much if they paid any close attention to it.

Megatron seemed to agree with his second-in-command. Though, the dark energon within himself pulsed faintly for some reason. He didn't know why, but he brushed it off. Probably just the energon doing its weird thing of keeping him alive.

When Aero left, the pulsing only grew more palpable, as if his presence was somehow affecting it. It made him question a bit.

Starscream glanced over at him, looking curious at Megatron's lack of speech and his blank expression.

"Are... you alright, my liege?" He asked quietly.

The warlord didn't know how to answer that question at first. The feeling was... odd, to say the least. Even he couldn't explain it.

"... I'm alright, Starscream. Just the dark energon pumping." He responded.

Starscream's expression shifted into slight curiosity, but didn't push. He knew the effects of dark energon. He'd experienced it first-hand himself. But he kept a tab on it for now.

[blizzardbreaker12]

Wandering Connections Chapter 3: Disturbing the Waters

The days seemed to go on just like normal - with Megatron and Starscream occasionally leaving for several days at a time before returning to the house on the outskirts. The stalemate kept each faction at the edge for a while, but also gave them a bit of a reprieve. Which for some, meant a well-deserved bit of downtime. But for others... not so much. When you've been fighting a war for eons, it's not so easy to fit into civilian life around those that view you as scary aliens.

Aero understood when they had to leave, often checking up on them via texts when they headed up to the Nemesis to check on the army. He was one of the few humans the Decepticons tolerated, even if he himself didn't show up as often in person. Knockout and Breakdown both took a liking to the human man when they first heard about him from Megatron and Starscream, appreciating his love for mechanics and restoration of vehicles. The medic would actually ask Aero for his advice on certain parts for his frame, to which Aero kindly obliged and explained. Breakdown did his best to be gentle with the human when he first showed up on the Nemesis, noting his cheery and slightly shy demeanor around the other Decepticons. I mean, who wouldn't be slightly terrified about being surrounded by giant sentient alien robots?

Thankfully, Aero had company around thanks to Vivienne and Carlos, his two best friends. They'd come by whenever the warlord and his second-in-command left, helping Aero and giving him so calm camaraderie to help ease the loneliness of the house. They both had known of the Decepticons and Autobots at this point, having found out thanks to Aero introducing the two leaders to them. The initial reaction was... a bit tense, to say the least. But at least they were getting along.

The shadow kept to the shadows as time went on, observing the three as though they were test subjects in an experiment. Only they were particularly intrigued by Aero, gauging his expressions and logging them into their memory like constantly updating software. They made sure to stay out of sight, so as not to spoil the surprise too soon. They'd scowl quietly whenever Vivienne and Carlos would show up, not fond of them taking time away from his prize. But all they could do was wait.

Then the show could begin...

On one particular day, Aero had just finished up in the garage, covered in sweat and oil from working on someone's car. The salty substance mixed with stain of the oil on his body in a messy gradient, but he didn't seem to mind. He was happy to help someone else. Work was always going to get dirty in his hobby.

He was currently getting himself some water to cool off, looking for a cup to drink from. The sound of cabinets opening and closing cupboards and cabinets filled the home in a quiet cacophony as he searched, eventually finding a cup, and working on filling it up. As he walked to the fridge, he felt a sudden chill of air graze his neck, almost as if someone had blown their breath against it. He froze for a second before snapping his head around to look, meeting with the gaze of Mayavin staring directly at him, the signature cheshire-cat grin plastered on their face.

"Why hello there!" The entity spoke.

Aero physically flinched at the sudden intrusion, spilling water onto his shirt and jacket as the cup almost slipped from his hands.

"Gah! Good God! You almost gave me a heart attack!" *He exclaimed, his hands shaking slightly at the wave of shock and surprise now coursing through him.

"Oh dear! Someone's jumpy!" Mayavin cooed, leaning in closer, the mist curling around Aero like a snake, the mental pressure feeling all too real. "I just came to see how my favorite human was doing!"

Aero looked semi uncomfortable at the presence, but shook it off, setting his cup down on a nearby counter.

"Uh... I'm... fine. Just got done working on a busted radiator." He said, averting his gaze.

Mayavin chuckled at Aero's attempt to act unfazed, no doubt sensing the fear inside as a feral dog would.

"I see. That explains the filth covering your body. I do say that you are quite the social butterfly around here! I see you've made some... acquaintances around here!" They noted, cocking their head to the side in an uncomfortable manner.

"Y... Yeah. They're just best friends of mine, Vivienne and Carlos. I've known for a long time." Aero pointed out.

"Oooohhh! How wonderful!" The aberration chimed, their eyes glowing faintly with mock glee. "I certainly didn't expect visitors around! They do seem quite chatty when they're here. Especially the girl. She sounds... a bit eccentric, don't you think?"

Aero shrugged slightly.

"Meh. I don't mind! Viv's nice to me! And so is Carlos! They kinda take over whenever Megatron and Starscream are out! It's sweet!"

Mayavin nodded along, silently reigning in their annoyance of the disturbance to his observations. It was a good thing this human wasn't really paying attention to the little things.

"Ah, yes! How... delightful!" They commented, giving a snicker. "I wasn't aware you'd befriend a few... extraterrestrials before. Seems a bit much."

Aero smiled, not being any the wiser.

"Yeah! I get that a lot! Some people think I'm crazy for being friends with them! But it's nice to see them! They aren't as malicious as other people think!"

"Mhm..." Mayavin said, his eye twitching a bit. "And... how often do they venture out?"

"Days, at most! I think 4 or 5. I don't mind, though! Someone's gotta run an army!" Aero explained.*

"Mmm... I see." Mayavin replied, the gears turning in their head as they processed this piece of info.

"So that leaves you... alone for the most part. Must be quite lonely without them."

"Yep!" Aero said with a smile. "It was weird at first, but it got better!"

Mayavin's eyes narrowed a bit, an idea forming in their mind.

"I'm surprised you aren't heartbroken at their absence. But you have a new friend to hang out with now!" Mayavin remarked, spinning around Aero for a bit before returning in front of him like a sentient cloud.

"I do?" Aero asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mhm! I could help ease your loneliness! It must be exhausting with those humans and bots constantly coming in and out of your home every day. But I'll happily stay with you!" Mayavin told, a smirk slowly growing back in place.

Aero looked a bit unsure at the prospect, but quietly agreed.

"Alright then." He said.

Mayavin snickered quietly under their breath.

"Goodie! But let's keep this a secret between the both of us, yes? I'd hate to let anyone steal the attention away from you!" They said, their sinister intentions hiding behind the layer of camaraderie they exploited.

Aero looked a bit confused at the last part, but went along with it. His

After another day came and went, Starscream and Megatron returned from the Nemesis, their human disguises walking in through the door.

"We have returned, Aero." Megatron called out, placing his jacket on the coat rack. Starscream followed suit, his stilettos clicking against the hardwood floor of the living room.

Aero looked over from drinking his water, smiling brightly as he saw them enter. He got up from the seat in his kitchen, making his way over to them.

"Hey guys!" He replied, waving as he walked. "How's everything back at the warship?"

"Everything seems to be good so far. The stalemate still seems to be in effect." Starscream answered, sighing softly. "No Autobot ambushed or other activity as of recent."

"Oh wow! It's been weeks since it started! I'm surprised it's still going!" Aero pointed out.

"Agreed. It doesn't help relieve any tension for us. We've been more uptight so as not to drop our guard so easily." Megatron added, his face blank but still showing some unresolved paranoia hiding underneath.

"I'm sure the Autobots are planning something far bigger than we imagine." Starscream chimed in, sitting down on the couch. "We can only wait and see for now."

Aero and Megatron agreed.

As the conversation went on, the aberration stewed in the shadows, glaring at the two Decepticons talking to his specimen with apparent annoyance and jealously.

"Who do those two think they are? Taking my pet away? This is absolutely unacceptable." They though to themselves. "I must start taking action. Or else I won't be able to have him."

After the three dispersed to do their own thing, Mayavin quickly and quietly traversed through the air, following the human to his room before he lost sight of him. They needed to act. And they knew exactly how to do it.

They slid underneath the crack of the door, and hovered quietly in the shadows, waiting patiently as Aero got into more comfortable clothes and went to his bed to take a nap. The sound of breathing evened out after a few minutes, their eyes watching the man's chest slow to a calm rhythm.

Finally... Let's get this show on the road... Shall we?...

[blizzardbreaker12]

Wandering Connections Chapter 2: Hidden Identity

The door opened with a weak creak that evolved into a chorus of the winter wind and the combination of footsteps, both heavy and light. The rustle of coats and the crinkling of bags followed soon after, making its way to the kitchen as Aero made his way over.

The man hummed to himself a catchy yet soft tune as he walked around the kitchen in various laps, putting away the groceries in a timely fashion as if he'd worked in retail before. His hair bounced with each step, the strands rippling to imitate the waves of the ocean. His coat danced around his body as he maneuvered around the island counter in the middle gracefully.

Megatron and Starscream both made themselves useful, helping Aero out in any way he needed. Since he was a pretty smol boy, he had them put the spices and seasonings in the cabinet above for him. It was one of the things he still chuckled over with the two. When they were first in their human-ish disguises, he noticed that they were still taller than him by a margin. He kinda grew to laugh about it over the years that he'd known them, because he was the teeny one in the group and therefore the cutest one in the group.

And who could resist such a sweet personality?!

After that was done, the three chatted with each other around the counter, enjoying the peaceful moment for the time being. Around that time, Digit came fluttering by, chirping happily that Aero had returned. Digit was Aero's European Starling that he'd found on the side of the road one day, still a fresh hatchling. He'd saved her from almost being hit by a car and helped her ever since. She'd imprinted on him, and she's never left his side.

Megatron lifted his head to gaze at the miniature bird with a soft look, smiling a bit.

"Good afternoon, little Digit." He greeted, letting the Starling perch on his finger.

Starscream chuckled to himself at Digit's presence, enjoying the soft chirps emanating from her.

"My, my. You're vocal today." He commented softly.

Aero smiled, walking over to greet his companion. Digit let out a joyful chirrup before hopping onto the man's shoulder, gently nuzzling his neck in greeting.

"Hehe! Hey, Digit! How are ya?" He asked, to which he was greeted with a flurry of chirps and trills.

"I believe she seems to be doing well." Starscream chimed in, smiling at the interaction.

Aero giggled as Digit practically attacked his neck with nuzzles, letting out more squeaks and sounds of affection. Aero was obviously giving his share back, giving the small bird gentle pats with his fingers and nuzzles with his cheek.

In the midst of the interaction, a small presence made its home behind the counter, hiding but watching with interest. Specifically, to the human. It was so strange, seeing him amongst two otherworldly beings that could crush him if given the chance. But... they didn't. He was still here.

What made him so special? It enticed them.

It stuck around a bit before dissipating as the trio wandered to different parts of the house. Megatron headed to the living room, returning to his recliner and opening the book to resume reading it. Starscream was on the couch, reading some things on a datapad to keep track of what was happening on the warship while they were away. Which left Aero to head to the garage to work on his motorcycle.

He was alone. Perfect.

The small black mist made its way to the garage door, slipping through the door just as Aero had made his way in. It kept to the shadows, watching as Aero took off his jacket and set it aside so he wouldn't get it dirty. He moved to grab a cart and some tools, as well as his earbuds, and went to work.

The entity, taking this as an opportunity, slowly maneuvered around the place, keeping an eye on the man as he worked on his motorcycle. What immediately caught its attention was the metal arm on the man's left side. That really fascinated them. What caused him to have it? Maybe it could be used as a weapon.

It took its time studying Aero, almost like it was analyzing him. Not as a human, but rather a test subject to experiment with. He seemed young - spry, agile. His overall physique was acceptable, muscular, able to hold himself up well. Though, what irked them was the scars on the man's face, covering his left side. It looked like he was blind in one eye. A bit of an obstacle, but one that could easily be worked around. His knowledge of mechanics seemed promising. Maybe he could build something to their advantage. Perhaps a contraption of some kind? It's too soon to tell.

They moved in a bit closer to get a bit more information from the human. He seemed innocent enough, almost oblivious. Just focused on his work. Good. He knew how to get something done. That was something they could benefit from.

After a few more minutes, the mist slowly made its presence known, making the air in the room a bit colder and clinging to Aero's leg like a sentient cloud.

The man didn't recognize the change at first. It took a couple of minutes before he felt the drop in temperature, lifting head up a moment. He got up from where he was working, and walked over to the thermostat. Seeing that the temperature was still at 78, he was a bit confused. But he chalked it up to the air conditioning coming on, shrugging it off and going back to work.

The entity, sensing that Aero didn't notice it, flared up a bit. It didn't like that. So it tried a bit harder.

When Aero was back near the bike's handlebars, the mist slowly climbed up onto the seat, making itself larger in hopes that he'd notice.

To its surprise, Aero noticed. He looked down as he was about to start using his wrench. He took out an earbud, curious and confused at the same time. He set the wrench down and moved slightly closer, like a human version of a golden retriever.

The entity appreciated this. This is exactly what they wanted. Now to introduce itself.

An eye appeared from the dark fog, glancing straight up at Aero with a wide look, a Cheshire-Cat grin making itself known.

Aero, justifiably freaked out, jumped back and yelped. Which gave the entity space to take form, a ring appearing in the air. A serpentine form slowly emerged from it, a physical form taking the space Aero was just at a few seconds ago.

It took a few minutes for them to make its presence a reality, but it was worth it. They couldn't wait any longer,

"Helloooo...." They cooed, looking Aero up and down like a prize.

Aero looked a bit worried as the entity took residence in his garage, shock coinciding with the tension.

"... H... Hi..." He answered back, giving out a small, nervous wave.

"You're quite... different, human." They commented, slowly walking around the man, a ring of smoke enveloping the two. They moved like a hyena waiting to find an opening. "Kind... muscular... and... that arm... What happened? Were you in an accident?"

Aero felt uncomfortable. Righteously so. Here was this... weirdo, looking at him like he was their next meal like an apex predator.

"Uh... something like that..." He managed to utter out.

"Oh? What's the matter? Scared? I promise I won't bite! You're much too fascinating to me!" They said, almost too enthusiastically.

"I-I'm sorry?!" Aero asked, his nervousness rising.

"Oh... my apologies. Let me introduce myself! I, am the embodiment of illusions! A being that can shift reality itself with a flick of a finger! You can call me Mayavin!" The entity said.

Aero took a moment to process the being's words. A being of illusions? How is that possible? And here he though alien robots fighting a war on his planet was weird.

"Maya...vin." He repeated.

"Mhm! Correct! I've watching you for some time now, young Aero. You're quite a fascinating specimen, indeed!" Mayavin said, floating closer to the man.

Aero looked even more uncomfortable with each passing second of this interaction. What the hell was even going on right now?!

"I-I'm not sure... what's going on right now..." He stuttered.

Mayavin grinned like a maniac.

"No need to fear, Aero! Like I said, I won't hurt you! In fact, I need you for a little... something. A project, if you will." They said.

"A... project?" Aero questioned.

"Mhm! One, which involves you!" Mayavin said, nodding a bit.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind helping, would you?"

Aero seriously contemplated it for a moment. Who in their right mind would want to help a strange being that just manifested out of thin air? Yes, he was kind, but he wasn't sure with a literal lunatic in front of him.

"... I don't know..." Aero said hesitantly

Mayavin sensed the hesitation, and smirked.

"Why don't I... give some time to think on it, hm? I know it's a lot to ask of a stranger." He said, luring Aero with a calm voice.

Aero seemed to like that, even though everything in his gut told him to run.

"O-Okay..." He said.

"Splendid..." Mayavin said, before dissipating into thin air.

The man stood there for a few minutes, his mind a blur. He then shook his head and got back to work on his bike. Mayavin watched in the background, looming like an invisible guardian.

Except he wasn't here to protect...

[blizzardbreaker12]

Wandering Connections Chapter 1: Smooth Sailing

The day seemed to go just as normal as one would think in a given world - the usual barking of dogs and tv's airing some nonsense people watch now these days. That's how Aero felt at least. Some people had called him crazy for thinking that. And... they wouldn't be wrong. He *did* have two sentient alien robots living in his home. But that was just how it was now. Cybertron had fallen, and the war between Autobots and Decepticons had moved to Earth. Humans... just happened to be caught in the middle of it. So, that was something, at least! Humans were none the wiser, actually, since they never really paid attention to anything outside of their own personal lives. So, they just carried on, not knowing they were now at risk of being killed by otherworldly beings from another planet.

Right now, the war seemed to be at a bit of an impasse from both factions, granting them temporary relief from the constant fighting and stress the Cybertronians had endured. It certainly gave both Megatron and Starscream enough time to acquaint themselves with Aero, a human mechanic who seemed quite fascinated by the concept of Cybertronian lifestyle. The man was more welcoming than most humans would be to extraterrestrial life, that's for sure! A pure soul with a heart of gold holding his arms out open to complete strangers seems... almost too good to be true. And yet... the two Decepticons trusted him. Bizarre, given their... less than pleasant initial outlook on humanity. Most Decepticons viewed humans as insignificant and worthless to be around. But over time, Aero had helped them get more familiar to human society, assisting them in how to stay low profile to avoid being called by the authorities, and making sure their tempers were in check. Normal things, surely. But it seemed to be working out in their favors thanks to their human companion. They seemed a lot calmer around most humans, albeit reluctantly. People tended to act stupid when given the chance, which was all the time. Especially when it revolved around Aero and his prosthetic arm. Let's just say... it tested both of their patience a lot.

On this day, the three were all just enjoying the day go by as usual; Megatron sitting in the recliner reading a book, Starscream watching the TV, and Aero making himself something to eat in the kitchen. The atmosphere was certainly cozy and warm on a chilly day in December. The house smelled of fresh cinnamon and vanilla from the candles around the place. The fireplace flickered with a bright energy that gave the living room a sense of comfort and safety. And the lights were dimmed enough for the three to experience a sense of pleasant familiarity. It all seemed all well and dandy for the trio for the time being. At least for now...

"Hm... I'm running out of butter." Aero muttered to himself thoughtfully, using the last bit of butter to add to his toast, and taking a bite out of the food, smiling to himself at his handiwork.

He looked around the kitchen, noticing that he was running out of some other groceries as well. He took out his phone and pulled up the notes app, making a list of the stuff he was running out of. He nodded to himself, before looking over at Starscream and Megatron with a soft smile of innocence. "Hey guys, I gotta head to the grocery store to get some more groceries. You guys wanna come with?" Aero asked, his tone gentle and sweet.

Megatron looked up from his book for a moment to look at Aero with a curious look, taking his glasses off and placing them on the coffee table. He grabbed his bookmark before placing it in between the pages he was reading, setting the now closed book on the table as well. "I don't see why not." he said, his gruff as it normally would. His expression was stern but held no aggression. It was his resting bitch face. "Besides, I don't trust most of these humans to keep their hands to themselves. With how overly kind-hearted you are, I don't want them to take advantage of you." He added, standing up from the recliner with a soft groan, the seat creaking a bit from the movement.

Starscream looked up from the TV screen, seeming curious about the conversation. He contemplated for a few moments before making up his mind and getting up from the couch, stretching a bit and adjusting the cuffs on his wrists. "I might as well go too. He said, sounding slightly bored with staring at the TV. "It's been a while since I've done something that has been productively worthwhile."

Aero smiled softly at the confirmation from the two before grabbing his wallet, keys, and coat, heading for the front door. " Great! Let's go!" He said enthusiastically.

The three were now out and about, walking through the snow-covered sidewalks of Jasper, Nevada, their footsteps leaving prints in the cold flake piles as they headed to the grocery store. Cars beeped in traffic as they waited for pedestrians to walk across the crosswalks, and folks stood by in small groups asking for charity for the holidays. The crisp December air blew around in a calm, even flow, sending a chill up everyone's spines.

Aero smiled as he witnessed everything around him, walking with a bit of a pep in his step, his hands in his pockets or, well... hand, to be specific. he had his prosthetic arm out freely, swaying a bit with each step he took. The metal covering glistened in the sun's rays like a newly polished car, creating a little prism effect on nearby windows. Megatron seemed unfazed by everyone around him, focused more so on Aero like some sort of guardian. The cold didn't really bother him since he was wearing layers like Aero was. Starscream shivered as he walked alongside, grumbling about the weather that he deemed unbearable for him. Though, to be honest, he was wearing mostly tight things like a compression long-sleeved shirt and tight pants to match his figure, and what not.

"Ugh... this weather is a bit too... brisk for my preference." Starscream grumbled, his body trembling a bit from the cold.

"Eh, it's like this every Winter. I keep forgetting that you're not used to it like we are." Aero chimed in, trying to be positive as always. " Maybe when we get to the store, I can pick up some coffee and hot cocoa to warm us up."

Megatron chuckled a bit at Starscream's distaste for the chilly weather, a smirk growing on his face.

"Perhaps you should invest in some more clothing options for that disguise, dear Starscream. That outfit doesn't seem to be doing you any favors in terms of insulation."

"Oh, quiet you. This outfit is what makes me stand out from the rest of these fleshlings. It gives me a sense of superiority." Starscream hissed, before a gust of cold air made him shiver again.

"Indeed, because these humans need to immediately bow down to you wherever you go." Megatron teased.

Starscream glared at Megatron with an irritated look before sighing.

"But... I might.. browse the clothing aisle for better protection against this incessant weather." He relented.

The three finally managed to reach the grocery store's double doors, entering the warm facility's cozy, festive atmosphere. Starscream sighed with relief at the temporary warmth of the building, shaking himself off a bit before looking around the place. It was definitely a stark contrast from Cybertron's more bleak idea of holidays. Even though he and Megatron have been living with Aero for quite some time, he was still getting acclimated to humans portray of things.

"So... This is what humans do to commemorate special occasions..." Starscream commented, seeming a bit put off by the vibe.

"Yep! Decorations, limited stuff, and music to match!" Aero said with a smile.

"It's getting to be about Christmas time, so you'll be seeing a lot of this throughout this month!

Starscream looked a bit opposed to the idea, but he kept it to himself for now.

Megatron gazed around, taking in everything in sight. As a warlord himself, the concept of holidays was almost foreign to him. He was too busy fighting against the Autobots, not really worried about all the hoot and holler that came with special days.

"Mm... It's certainly not what I'm used to." He commented.

The trio walked around the store, shopping cart in tow as they browsed the aisles, grabbing whatever they needed and putting it in the cart. The hustle of customers and cash registers created an odd melody that played in the background, with the occasional conversations adding in on top.

Aero was grabbing some groceries from the dairy aisle, checking the prices before putting them in the cart. A decisive look was plastered on his face as he compared the items.

"Hm. This is a few dollars short. But this is healthier." He muttered to himself.

After a few minutes, he put one of the items back before putting the latter in the cart. He smiled as he pushed it along, humming a soft tune to himself.

Megatron and Starscream trailed behind the man, their expressions neutral, if not a bit on guard. They never really cared much for human discrepancies, but when it came to Aero... that was different. They'd glare at anyone who stared for too long, or who whispered to their peers about the man's prosthetic arm and his scars. Megatron especially, was the worse of the two. He'd become a sort of father figure to Aero ever since they first met, and it had amplified ever since the incident. Safe to say, if you messed with Aero, you messed with the big Con himself. And he didn't like being messed with.

The three made it through their trip with little to no issue. Well... sorta. Megatron had to stand in front of Aero to block someone's view, barely holding back his temper. Starscream wasn't faring much better, glaring at the humans who were snickering. Aero, being the soft boi he was, didn't think much of it. He just smiled at the two, completely oblivious.

Ash was at the self-checkout, scanning everything and putting the items in bags. Megatron and Starscream helped him since he was having a bit of trouble with his shoulders.

"Phew! Thanks, guys! My shoulders are acting up again!" Aero said with a chuckle

"Of course." Megatron said respectfully, giving Aero an almost fatherly smile.

"It would be unwise to help you, dear Aero. We don't wish to see you struggle." Starscream added, his tone less cocky than normal when speaking to the man.

The trio had left the store shortly after, feeling the cold air return to them in a sharp familiarity. Starscream grumbled, crossing his arms tightly his breath visible in front of him.

Aero looked over at the Seeker with a soft smile, rummaging through one of the bags and pulling out a coat, handing it to the Con.

"Here, Star! This should help!" He said

Starscream instantly took the coat from Aero's hand, putting it on without hesitation. His whole body relaxed at the comfort of the garment.

"Ahh... Thank you." He said.

Aero nodded and kept on walking.

As they passed a nearby alleyway, a flicker of smoke arrived just as the footsteps moved on. It floated close to the ground, almost curious at the presences. A wisp-like echo followed its sway as it trickled to follow the trio, keeping its existence hidden.

It finally caught up with Aero, seeming to take interest in the boy. It clung itself to his leg, almost imprinting itself on him before dissipating.

Something told it that this was the perfect target...