Chapter Text
Ch. 6
“You want me to entertain at this gathering? What about the twins?” Meister asked as he helped said twins with their homework packet that Alchemist got them two orbital cycles ago. The two didn’t tell anyone outside of the manor or the Council about Star and Saber because they didn’t want their code holders to get ahold of them again. Alchemist had also noticed that the twins were becoming more open like Meister in expressing themselves.
“They’ll have to stay in your chambers because high grade will be involved. Don’t worry though, we can have Backdraft keep an optic on them.” Alchemist stood up with a groan.
Saber sat his stylus down and looked out the balcony window with a bored sigh. “Why do we have to do school? We don’t go through the same life cycle as Cybertronians.”
Meister chuckled with an understanding nod and leaned over the chair that the youngling was sitting in. “Because, you are still a young AI and education is important. Even though our life cycle is different doesn’t mean you can’t learn still. Numbers four and ten are incorrect.”
The Prime had kept his receptors open for any possible creators looking for missing creations, but not even Artificial Life came knocking on his door. “Younglings, why don’t you go play out back? I’d like to discuss some adult topics with Meister.” All three of them looked surprised at the sudden request, but the two brothers weren’t going to question at the chance not doing school. While they rushed out of the room, Meister cleaned their mess as he listened to what his code holder had to say. “Did you do something to them? I can’t believe that their creators let alone Artificial Life haven’t come for them. I’m not saying we should return them, but I would like to know.”
The Polyhexian looked over with his brand new cerulean blue visors that were coated in diamond dust. He wore them everywhere he went, and he could see an immediate difference in treatment by Cybertronians because of it. Only time he didn’t wear them was when he had to act like a droid. “I did the same thing to Star and Saber as Maccadam did to me. I also managed to deactivate their trackers. They’re code holders do not deserve them Alch; if they were willing to hurt them what would they do to their actual creations? I thought Cybertronians were supposed to care about their young?”
“I can’t be sure what they would do to a creation they would give life to. And remember Meister, I said that fully grown Cybertronians, like myself, are harder to determine whether they are good or bad. For an AI that wasn’t… ahem, programmed to care for younglings or sparklings, you do an excellent job. But back to my request, you don’t have to do any entertainment if you don’t want too.” Alchemist picked up his energon and Meister’s oil, bringing the drinks over to his friend. Meister took the oil with a soft thanks.
“Well it’s not like you have much in the way musical interest. I suppose it would be nice to actually preform.” Meister sat the datapads back down and took a sip of it with a thoughtful hum. He looked up at his code holder, “this is premium oil mixed with something.”
Alchemist walked around the small droid waiting for a reaction. Meister took another sip of his fuel, but after the second sip he started coughing and handed it back to him with a shake of his helm. The Prime finished his energon and quickly retrieved a trash bin that was in his office just down the hall. He handed it to Meister in case he lost his tanks.
“It tasted like what I imagine battery acid would taste like. A bit of warning would be nice.” Meister said while trying to end his coughing fit. He went to lean against the table behind him, but his entire servo missed, and he fell to the ground with the table falling against him. “Primus Alch, what did ya put in that?”
Alchemist was quick to set the energon down and assist his friend back onto his peds. Well, they tried to get him on his peds, but it was like Meister’s legs were made out of petroleum jelly. “Okay, garnet and energon mixed into oil is a definite no. And look, you just successfully used a Polyhexian accent without thinking about it!”
“Celebrate later Alch, I would much appreciate the use of my legs.” The AI looked up at his friend as the Prime half carried his friend to the kitchen. Alchemist nudged the swinging door open with his ped and led him inside. The kitchen was pristine and empty which Meister was silently thanking for because this was really embarrassing to be seen carried around.
“My apologies, I should have another container prepared in case something happened. Do you have a mineral gauge in your systems like us? It keeps track of the minerals we are supposed to have in our systems.” Alchemist asked as he looked in the large cooler for the oil. He perked up when he saw something better. “Hey, you know what we haven’t tried? Treats!”
The titan turned with the oil cake that was meant for the party in his large servos. Meister looked interested in the oil cake, and he was become more curious in seeing if he could consume it. The Prime sat the plate down on the island that he sat Meister on. The oil cake's base was this tan color with a tan color and oil had been poured on top of it. “There is .25 percent lead in the oil. Lead was one of the additives in the energon you had me try.”
“Then shall we try it?” Alchemist was once again an eager sparkling stuck in an adult frame. He went over to a drawer and pulled out two forks. Meister watched his friend cut a small slice for what he assumed was for the both of them to share. The droid watched how the Cybertronian stabbed a bite size piece off and ate it with a satisfied smile before doing the same.
The silver mechanism chewed it softly and thoughtfully before swallowing it. They watched and waited for a reaction, but when there was nothing Meister looked thrilled and jumped into Alchemist’s frame with a cheer. “There was only 15 percent energon in the oil cake. We did it, Meister!”
The two were soon joined by the young AI's standing in the doorway. Meister dropped out of the hulking frame and dropped to his knees with his servos going to their chests. The younglings looked up at Alchemist with pleading optics when they saw the reason for the excitement. Alchemist lifted them onto the island and fed them each a bite. Saber was the first to squeal in excitement before bouncing in his spot with his legs kicking.
“This means we can be like you, Alchem?” Star looked at their guardian for an answer.
“I’ll have to make something that will adjust energon for you, but yes you’ll be able to consume it just like me. Perhaps I can even make something for your optics, and you can go to school without anyone picking on you.” Alchemist was so excited that he had a million inventions he wanted to make just for the droids.
Saber shook his helm and leaned against Meister’s frame with his arms tightly holding on. “I don’t want to go back there. I like being here with you and Meister. You’re better Creators.”
Meister stilled at the compliment, “oh Saber.”
“He’s right! You and Alchem treat us like younglings. I… I was recoded twice because my Creators got tired of me.” Star looked at his lap with a sad expression.
Alchemist’s arm wrapped around all three of the AI with a big smile on his face. “I don’t know what you are or how you came to be, but I will never allow either of you be recoded again. You have my word.”
The time for the party was here and Meister was feeling something in his mid-section, and he was just standing quietly beside Alchemist and the other Primes before he heard the voice from Artificial Life advertisem*nts. The droid turned with his frame tensing when he saw a black and gold striped droid that was in an Iaconian frame. The Cybertronian beside the droid was the same height as Prima, he was a dark blue color with a white v-mark on his back. The Council saw that the droid was no longer engaging in conversation and saw what caught Meister’s attention.
“Esteemed Council, it warms my spark to hear that you purchased one of my droids. And this must be it, I recognize my handiwork anywhere. My name is Gearshaft, founder of Artificial Life, and this is my personal droid Artemis.” Gearshaft introduced the AI beside him more as a formality before focusing on Meister with a smug smile. Meister saw that Artemis went to touch him, but he moved out of reach. “Well there seems to be a glitch with this droid, they aren’t supposed to refuse trading information.”
Alchemist was quick to defend his friend, “I told Meister to allow any information to be traded. I imagine you can understand that as an… inventor you don’t wish to have all of your valuable data be leaked.”
“Oh right, how foolish of me. Well this specific droid had pass all of the standard tests with flying colors. If you hadn’t taken him, I would have added him to my collection.” Gearshaft folded his arms with one of his servos going up to his face. Meister looked down with embarrassment at the attention he was getting. “What’s the purpose of the AI droids, Meister?”
The droid looked up at Gearshaft as he was forced to answer. “AI droids were created to make Cybertronian lives easier, take dangerous positions where Cybertronians could deactivate from, and do whatever else our code holders want.” Like mindless drones. Meister knew what was happening, and he knew that he had to keep up the act just long enough until Gearshaft and Artemis left. He looked up at Alchemist with his arms going behind his back and the fakest smile he could muster. “Alchemist Prime, your tank levels have lowered ten percent. You also have to mingle with seventy percent of your guests.”
“We can mingle in a bit.” Alchemist didn’t want to have Gearshaft or his AI out of his sights. He smiled down at his friend, “are you up to singing?”
The droid saw that Artemis was watching the way they were interacting. His helm whipped to the Polyhexian with his helm slightly twitching. Meister smiled and bowed his helm. “I will put on an excellent performance for you and your guests.” The party was held in the empty party room that took four cycles to clean and prepare for the party.
Near the back of the room was a small stage with a microphone standing at the front of the stage. As soon as Meister walked onto the small platform, the room silenced, and all optics were glued to him. He didn’t know why he was feeling unsure or safe or whatever this feeling was, but he took a soft calming intake and played what song he could think of first.
I'm trying to hold my breath
Let it stay this way
Can't let this moment end
You set off a dream in me
Getting louder now
Can you hear it echoing?
Take my hand
Will you share this with me?
'Cause darling without you
All the shine of a thousand spotlights
All the stars we steal from the night sky
Will never be enough
Never be enough
Towers of gold are still too little
These hands could hold the world but it'll
Never be enough
Never be enough
For me
Never, never
Never, never
Never, for me
For me
Never enough
Never enough
Never enough
For me
For me
For me
All the shine of a thousand spotlights
All the stars we steal from the night sky
Will never be enough
Never be enough
Towers of gold are still too little
These hands could hold the world but it'll
Never be enough
Never be enough
For me
Never, never
Never, never
Never, for me
For me
Never enough
Never, never
Never enough
Never, never
Never enough
For me
For me
For me
For me
When Meister hit the final note, he stared into the crowd for a gauge on how he did. Solus started clapping with her brothers soon joining her, and then the rest of the room joined in. Meister smiled brightly and bowed with a servo on his chest. He stepped off stage when the Primes migrated over to the stage. Alchemist put a servo on his back with pride in his field, which made the AI feel even better.
“That was beautiful Meister.” Prima congratulated the droid with a smile.
“You were extraordinary.” Onyx was impressed as well.
There was lone clapping coming from behind the group. They saw that Gearshaft was walking to them once again, but this time he was by himself. Primon excused himself, saying he was getting more energon, but Meister felt the lie in his field. “Truly magnificent, I knew you would represent my company splendidly.” He pulled out a small cube in his digits and got in Meister’s personal space with it pressing against his lips.
“Gearshaft.” Alchemist said his name with such disgust at how he was treating his friend, regardless if he was just seen as a tool by him or not. Meister took the cube with absolute reluctance; once he took it Gearshaft said his farewell and left them. “Meister, are you okay? You didn’t need to take that from him.”
“I can’t let him know.” Meister kept his helm turned away from them. He felt absolute embarrassment for what Gearshaft did to him. Megatronus was watching the AI closely to what he what he would do with his shame. He may not have viewed the droids as equals to Cybertronians, but he knew how he was feeling.
The party had ended near two groons ago and Alchemist had yet to find Meister, which was worrying him. He looked at the nearly unopened master file that Meister had transferred to him when he brought him home. There was a sub-file labeled ‘locater’, when it was opened Alchemist saw the blip appear in the holo-map in his HUD. “The greenhouse?”
Alchemist went outside and made the long walk to the small building that housed some light sensitive cyber-organic plants. He had taken the AI there only a couple times during the lunar cycle to show them a different kind of beauty that you wouldn’t be able to see in the solar cycle. When the Prime made it to the brick building that eerily only had one soft glowing light on the outside above the door, he knew that the AI was inside.
He opened the door to reveal the rows of bioluminescent purple leaves that showed they were getting close for harvesting. Picking off the leaves of one plant was Meister. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you, had to use that tracker. I’m glad to see that Wicker’s teachings are sticking.”
“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t be inside after the party. The bio-plants are ready for harvesting. They seemed to have responded positively to my harmonics.” Meister kept his voice soft as if he were to speak any louder it would disturb the plants.
“Meister, I’m sorry I didn’t stop Gearshaft from doing that. I don’t even know how he heard about the party. It was just the Council and our supporters.” Alchemist apologized once again as he joined the Polyhexian’s side.
The AI sat what leaves he harvested on the table they were sitting on and turned to face his code holder. His face felt strange and he touched his face with his systems screaming at him that this wasn’t normal. The Prime could tell that something was stressing Meister out, but without a field to feel it did make it difficult. Meister pulled his servo away to show a blue staining his digits. He started to panic more until Alchemist intervened.
He tilted Meister’s face up to see that streams of tears were running down his face. “Meister, are you crying?”
“Crying? I can’t cry Alchemist-"
“I know, I know AI can’t feel their emotions. But this,” He wipes off some of the blue tears from his face and showed him. “These are tears. Did what Gearshaft do to you really upset you?”
Meister pressed himself against the larger frame as he felt more of these tears fall down his face. “It was so degrading and embarrassing. Being talked about like a product when you’ve treated me so kindly just reminded me of what I am. What is happening to me Alch? Am I glitching? I shouldn’t be questioning you or anyone, feeling anything, or crying. I’m not real.” Alchemist felt a ‘but' coming on, “but I feel real at the same time. Is that wrong?”
“No that isn’t wrong. It just shows and proves our theory that you are more than coding and simple AI or drones.” Alchemist held onto his distressed friend, knowing that he needed to be held until he was done. “Come on, let’s harvest the rest of these and then head inside. Hey, I got the perfect thing to cheer you up.”
The AI looked up while wiping his face, “I don’t think preforming for tests would cheer me up Alch.”
Alchemist laughed with a shake of his helm as he started harvesting the leaves. “No, this experiment I actually did not need you to be present. And that is all you will get out of me. Now help me finish this so I can show you.”
Meister nodded with a small smile. They got all the harvestable plants finished and in the light proof container before heading back to the manor. The AI could feel the giddiness coming from the Prime which made him smile almost with pride, knowing that despite what Meister could only label as a ‘meltdown’ Alchemist was still happy. “How you can always be happy despite the bad things that happen?”
“I find there are moments to be sad but there are more things to be happy about.” The silver Prime held a digit up as if he had a brilliant idea, “like for example despite your bad creation, you gained many friends and are raising two intelligent younglings.” He looked down with his servo gesturing to make his point. Meister smiled and nodded at the encouragement. They entered the conservatory and the AI gave his friend a look, but Alchemist just gave him a calming gesture before holding up a flask that contained purple energon with black swirls in it.
“I tested it on your Synth-En, and nothing happened to it. I haven’t come up with a name for it, but it should have the same effect as if it were high grade.” Alchemist offered it to Meister with an excited smile. The silver droid took the flask and took a sip of the concoction. He looked at his frame and then shivered violently, “how do you feel?”
Meister took another sip, “it’s like a surge of energy! And it’s good, what’s in it?”
“80% Full synthetic oil, 10% pure energon, 5% lead, and 5% silver.” Alchemist said enthusiastically. He was so glad that his friend didn’t react too badly to the mixture he made for him. Meister continued drinking it until he hit the half way mark, and Alchemist took the flask away from him with an apologetic chuckle. “Okay, I don’t think we want to see what happens when you become overcharged right now. I’ll have to make some more of this.”
The AI nodded before giggling into his servo and Alchemist gave him a puzzled look. Alchemist looked around for whatever could have gotten such a reaction from him. “What is so funny?”
“My anti-virus software is trying to purge a glitch from my systems, but… but there isn’t one.” Meister started laughing into Alchemist’s chest. The Prime took note to add less energon to the next batch he makes. The silver mechs went to the AIs’ room and told Meister to quiet his giggling since the younglings were in stasis. “Alch, is this going to backfire tomorrow?”
“Perhaps, but you recharge now, and we’ll see how you’re feeling in the solar cycle.” Alchemist helped the older AI into the berth and made sure they were all situated before heading for the door. He turned around to see they all snuggled closer to each other with their servos touching their chests. The Prime smile sadly at the sight, remembering all the memories the sight brought. “You are destined for great things my friend.”
