What Is Light?

Chapter 7

" How long have you been a musician?" Sunshine asked Hyde. " I've only been a Keeper for a few months and I'm still not sure what I'm doing." He joked, which caught a smile from End.

" A year I think. My first music sheet was no. 3." She informed him. " I take it you've met a lot of moths as a Keeper. As a musician, they can be a little annoying when I'm trying to practice. Always had to somehow get out of bounds and practice there."

" Wouldn't that get you in trouble?" Sunshine whispered.

" If she hasn't broken any rules it's fine. I go out of bounds often myself." End said as she led them down the stream. " Here." She gestured them to come a little closer to observe the three mantas that circled each other gracefully over the waterfall and a few butterflies flying about, their bodies glowing dimly. " Can you both play no. 7?" She asked as they prepared their instruments and nodded. Taking positions on either side of the stream, Sunshine took a deep breath and started playing the bell with a gentle rhythm before Hyde joined him.

" Ratchet, we could use a ground bridge. Prepare for some guests." Bumblebee informed him as he sat near Sunshine while the children played. The song was gentle like the rain and the butterflies soon started to swarm carefully and approached them, followed by the mantas. The mantas were slower as they took their time performing loops and circled both End and Knockout.

" They seem to like you." End said with a smile beneath her fox mask.

" So it would seem." He sighed as Ultra Magnus watched solemnly as the glowing creatures moved towards the ground bridge. " I think that one is stuck." He pointed to one such manta that was immobilized in a strange fungus like plant.

" Dark plants. Not a good sign." End said as she rose from her place. " Hyde, take the others back, we'll meet you once it's free. Sunshine, could you lead her?" The smallest child nodded and took Hyde by the cape as he guided her and the remaining creatures through the ground bridge.

" Anything we can do to help get it out?" Bumblebee asked as Ultra Magnus only sighed and went through the ground bridge as Hyde asked. End used a red candle this time to melt the dark plants in order to free the poor creature. As promised, Sunshine returned just as she was done melting the manta in order to guide it back. Before she could speak, she tensed at the sound of grinding metal. Taking Sunshine, she looked around carefully as Knockout froze.

" Krills." She ducked Sunshine. The sound felt as if it was crawling right behind him and he was right. The blue light barely missed him as Bumblebee prepared a blaster as it started to pass. " Knockout, tell Ratchet to close the bridge." She said to him and he did as she asked before the curious creature could attempt to go through it.

" It would be helpful if you let me use my weapons." Knockout hissed to Bumblebee as he backed away from the creature. A roar echoed above them as they watched the manta they rescued get swallowed whole by a second krill.

" The spear!" Weslen exclaimed as he pointed to where the butterflies once hovered over. The size was impressive, a Cybertronian could definitely handle one of those just like the hammer.

" There's like two Krills out there." Bulkhead said. " Unless you got a plan,"

" I do," He looked down at the frightened moth. " Patch, look at me. This is important. We'll distract the krills while you power up the spear. It'll send a signal that no one would miss. Okay?"

" I.."

" Patch, you have to be brave." He said briefly with a pat on her shoulder before jumping out of hiding, staff ready.

" Wait up, kid!"

" Something doesn't feel right." Val said as he was close to melting the last piece of darkness.

" The fact you magically started a campfire or that you used a glow spell or whatever." Smokescreen joked ::Is everything okay on your side, Ratchet?::

::There are butterflies and mantas all over the base.:: He heard the mech grumble over the comm. ::What the? The hammer's reacting to something. It's moving. :: The sounds of crashing could be heard.

:: Ratchet?::

:: It's gone. The hammer it...it destroyed the fragging roof!!:: Smokescreen's head turned to bright colorful lights of fireworks flashing over the woods.

" No." Val said as he just finished. He flinched as the sound of metal grinding came from the side. The long dark creature moved towards where the fireworks were shot. " Damn it, Weslen!"