Embers of a Flame

Chapter 2.1

That night is the first time that the newcomers manage to get some peace and quiet for recharge.

They all receive a room for themselves, to rest away from prying eyes and optics. After all, NEST's base is crowded with curious humans.

Exhausted as they are, it takes none of them long to fall away into recharge.

Willowisp is the first to give in to it, the young medic overwhelmed and tired out by every experience he had.

For a while, there is only darkness behind his optics.

Until a shock of some sort draws him from his recharge. Expecting to wake in his berthroom, Wisp takes his time, rubbing his optics as he sits up.

What he sees is not his berthroom, far from it. He's sitting up in a chair against a table in a room he knows all too well.

Lost for words, the mech looks around. There was no one else in the room, but it looked like there had been. Empty Energon cubes sat across some of the tables.

"Ah, you're awake. You look like you could use some Energon" a voice says.

Wisp freezes. He knows that voice. Snapping his helm towards the source, his suspicions are more or less confirmed.

Behind the counter stands none other than Maccadam, or Alchemist Prime for those who know.

The helibot quickly stands up, unsure how he should react otherwise. "Maccadam!" The name leaves his intake before he can stop it.

The legendary mech chuckles, waving him over with a friendly gesture. "Come here, have some Energon. My specialty" he invites.

The dumbfounded Willowisp can only take the mug of Energon while he stares. Realizing that is rude, he tears his gaze away and instead looks around the room again. Maccadam's Old Oil House, no doubt about it.

There is a bit of silence. Maccadam cleans used mugs and Wisp consumes the Energon given to him.

"What… how, how am I here? Why am I here?" The young medic finally breaks the silence.

"You are nowhere, technically. This is your mind. We are only here, in this oilhouse, because you associate this place with my name and presence." The bartender replies, finally looking up from his work. It's hard to see his optics behind his signature lenses.

"Well, yeah. This is your oilhouse, is it not?"

"You are well informed."

Wisp bites his derma nervously. Can he share his knowledge with Maccadam, Alchemist Prime?

The friendly mech chuckles again, coming out from behind the counter. "Not to worry. I know that you know."

'Right, I suppose it was stupid to assume he didn't know. He's a Prime, after all.' The helibot thinks to himself.

Maccadam walks, inviting Willowisp to follow. They exit the oilhouse, onto the empty streets of a ravaged Iacon City.

Willowisp still wonders why he is here, and for what purpose. But he is hesitant to ask.

They walk for a while, and eventually, Maccadam breaks the silence.

"I understand that you're confused, young bot. I came to you for a reason, yes. What reason is unclear to me as well."

This surprises Wisp. "Uhm, how so, Maccadam sir?" he asks.

"Just call me Maccadam, Willowisp," he replies kindly with a smile.

"Right, Maccadam. How come you don't know either? You.. you're Alchemist Prime, one of the Thirteen." the mech inquires.

"When I learned of your arrival, I took an interest in you, Willowisp. You reflect many of the qualities I was praised for. You're kind-sparked, sympathetic, and gentle" Maccadam says, sporting his ever-gentle smile. He turns to look Wisp in the optics. 

The young medic isn't sure how to reply, receiving praise from a Prime, no less. He just nods and smiles. He tries to be those things. But that doesn't answer his question exactly.

Maccadam stops for a moment, turning to Willowisp. "Truth be told, I brought you here to talk to you. But that is not all I brought you here for."

The mech reaches up to his helm, where his lenses are fixed. There is a bright light and suddenly Maccadam is holding a visor much like Wisp's own.

"This visor holds the power of my Lenses" Maccadam explains. "It'll allow you to look further and deeper than ever before. I want to give this to you."

Willowisp is stunned for a moment again, before he bows his helm. "I'm honored," he says.

"In a way, it'll bind us together," The Prime says. "You'll wield my power and know things that mortals would slaughter civilizations for. In turn, I will serve as your guide and your protector. Do you accept that responsibility?"

"Yes… yes sir" Wisp says, a little out of breath.

"Very well," Maccadam says while he clicks the visor in place on Wisp's helm.

Willowisp looks up, blinking his optics a few times as the HUD powers. It has all the functions that his old visor had, but so much stronger. That, and he sees. Sees things that he isn't sure what to make of.

Just as he wants to ask Maccadam, he realizes that the mech, and with him, Iacon, is not there anymore. He's just in his berthroom at the NEST base of operations.

As the visor retracts, Wisp sighs heavily and lays back down. "This is crazy…" he mutters. "It's not even been a week as a Cybertronian and I already met Alchemist Prime."

With lots to think about, he falls back in recharge.