One In A Billion | TFP

𝟎𝟎𝟐𝟐

Dammit, should've prepared for chilly weather. 

As soon as we stepped through the groundbridge, I was instantly hit with a chilling breeze. The sudden temperature change from Jasper's deserts to here was so sudden it reminded me of home.

I looked around. Crisp, white snowfields stretched into the horizon, interrupted only by the occasional outcrop of ancient rocks. The ground was dirt brown, soft, and slushy, with patches of green. Moss-covered rocks stood as sentinels, jagged crevasses and bending ice formations adorned the ground. To the east and west, green valleys unfolded, surrounded by frozen oases.

The land was beautiful, a billow of smoke taking that thought away as I looked up at a massive glacier. Mountainous terrain surrounded it, with icy cliffs pointing to the sky. Past the ice was a dome-shaped area of rock and a pillar of white smoke came billowing out of it.

The volcano.

"I don't get why it's called Iceland if the land isn't made of ice," Wheeljack thought aloud as the groundbridge snapped closed behind us. 

"Nobody claimed Iceland or Greenland," I ripped my concentration off the landform, "they're technically North America but nobody wanted to deal with the cold and harsh conditions. So, they were left alone."

Wheeljack nodded, processing the information. "Interesting way to stake your claim without actually claiming anything. I like it."

"It's a bit like how you Autobots landed on this planet, isn't it? No one claimed you, so you're free to do your thing,"

"True, Ember, true." 

We both stared back at the ice cap, covering the volcano's caldera. For the moment, the volcano looked stable enough to step foot in; it didn't look like it was getting anywhere near erupting.

"Kid, you look cold," Wheeljack pointed out, noticing my stiffness.

"Fine," I gritted my teeth against the wind. "It's only 25 degrees. This isn't too far to be in my territory." 

We started walking, observing the area some more. The air became tinged with the scent of sulfur, and I realized it was caused by fumaroles in the ground. We reached a point where the ground transitioned from solid to porous, the remnants of ancient lava flow forming a network of caverns and tunnels. I examined the landscape, my gaze catching the irregularities in the terrain.

"Look at these fumaroles and lava vents," I commented. "The patterns suggest recent activity. We need to be cautious."

Wheeljack nodded. "Understood,"

Soon we reached the entrance to a tunnel carved by receding lava. The opening loomed before us, a dark passage leading right into the heart of the volcano. Inside, the walls of the chamber were rough and jagged, and the cartoonish sound of water dripping from the rocky ceiling almost made me jump into a fighting position. 

The deeper we went into the lava chamber, the darker it got, and I felt the rocky womb close up from behind as my shoes cracked the surface floor. Dust instantly brushed up against my legs, and I bent forward to see if I had severely cracked anything, given that the floors were highly unstable. 

To my relief, the ground was still intact. I let out a small sigh as I trod lightly against the footing, not wanting to fall and slip through a notch in the ground anytime soon. 

I couldn't help but ponder the peculiar circumstances that led me to be on this scouting mission alongside Wheeljack. His reputation for recklessness precedes him, and I couldn't shake the lingering question in my mind—how did I end up here with him?