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Chapter Text

Cat. There was a cat sitting on the roof of Edo's shop. There was a cat sitting on the roof of Edo's shop and not in Dexter's lap, a fact he was determined to change rightaway.

The mech made himself comfortable on the dusty ground and he did it gently so as to not frighten the feline that was so much smaller than him, and cute and fluffy and truly, very perfect.

Dexter looked around to find how the cat could have gotten there and upon spotting a nearby forklift, he figured that it must have climed the machine all the way to the top. The roof was rather high, so the cat's fluffed up fur must have been a sign of its anxiousness to get down.

"Aren't you a brave one," Dexter marveled. He held out his servo and watched the cat eye it warily. But after a few seconds, its ears darted forwards and it sniffed at his metal palms. It approached him and he locked his joints, until it sat down right in his palm.

His optics smiled down at his new friend. "Good kitty! Let's get you some food. You must be hungry, huh, little one?"

Chapter Text

Jun checked his watch for the fourteenth time and sighed. Still, that did not make a blue-and-white patrol car appear out of thin air. Looking up to the sky, he noticed the clouds getting denser and darker by the minute. He pulled his jacket tighter aroung his shivering shoulders and braced for the rain.

Suddenly. the water-laden air around him began to glow-and there he was! The light of an approaching car engulfed him and only now did Jun notice how soaked his clothes were. He slumped into the seat, at which his Cardbot friend activated the heating.

"Sorry I'm late! Spark Bit asked me to teach him and his brother how to make coffee," he explained in a hurry, but Jun waved it off. It was nice of Blue Cop to worry about him, but unnecessary at the time.

"You can always notify me when you're running late, you know that? But it's alright, you came in time. My feet are cold, though." 

Jun frowned at his wet shoes, clacking them against each other once.

"Just please don't make me wait like this again."

Blue Cop laughed sheepishly, "With how chaotic things have been lately, I can't promise that."

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"Jun? I have found some files from Machina you might find interesting."

With these words, Musclehyde led the boy to one of the Speranza's terminals that showed an image of a bot he recognised on the spot. The photograph was imbedded in what he could only presume must be the Cardian's 'newspaper', sporting a title, a subtitle and a text concerning the mechanism it seemed to be about.

"What's this?" Jun asked, but before Musclehyde could answer, a third voice piped up.

"Good grief! Out of everything that survived Machina's destruction, why must it be this!?"

There, hovering short above the Metal Breath, was a hologram of Black Hook's bewildered expression. Jun summoned the Metal Cardbot only for Black Hook to storm to the terminal and shove Musclehyde aside.

"What impudence! What a disgrace! They dare label me Machina's second most wanted criminal! Second most wanted! As if it hadn't been me who had stolen the Star Crown right before their eyes! Shame on them."

Musclehyde failed to keep the amusement from seeping into his voice when he said, "That mug shot is horrible. But you’re still worth half a fortune!”

“Only half! Ugh, I’m losing my edge.”

Chapter Text

Rustling leaves alerted him to someone approaching his resting place. The light steps sounded like a human's and Heavy Iron turned his helm only to have his suspicions confirmed. One of his new master's friends had come out, the feisty girl, probably to check on the troublesome new addition to their team. However, he did not care for company.

"I’d rather be alone right now."

Anna either did not hear him (highly unlikely) or she ignored him on purpose (the foolish human), and so she crossed her arms and replied, "I'd rather not let you," in a tone that left no room for discussion. It was quite courageous of her to resist his wishes. Were she capable of putting up a fight, he would have challenged her for her audacity.

"They're bright," he said out of nowhere. When he looked at her, her face was tilted upwards into the sky.

"What do you mean? The stars?"

"Yes."

They didn't talk for a while. Then, after a few minutes of silence, she spoke up. “Were they not normally this bright when viewed from your planet?”

“No”, he said as he looked up to the starry sky. “No, they were not.”

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The first time Wild Guardy saw him in action, the workings of his processor were changed forever. His visual feed remained trained on Blue Cop's lithe form while the inexperienced Star Guardian celebrated his triumph, and in the tribunes, Wild Guardy with him. It was an indescribable feeling to watch such raw talent (skill, he reminded himself; talent had nothing to do with this) being molded into a perfect, new shape in the arena. He was... enraptured. And yet his celebrity crush did not persevere for long.

The second time (he thought) he saw him, Machina was already in bits. Wild Guardy did not know whose escape pod he glimpsed through his window, but he liked to think that it was Blue Cop's. The other Star Guardians were likely dead, or if they were lucky, on the other side of the planet and drifting through space in the opposite direction. They were most likely never going to see any of them ever again.

The third time, he saved Blue Cop and the other Cardbots from a potentially fatal blast. He tried to reason with his conscience that he only did this to challenge his former idol in a fight, and not because deep down he still respected him. But now he knew better. Blue Cop was a reliable ally more often than not. Any failure they faced might have been prevented under a different command structure, he believed, but it was unfair to the boy to claim so. His lack of experience meant that he was willing to experiment during battle, and that he did not want to retreat until all options have been exhausted. The kid was a fighter. Blue Cop had made the right decision and he could respect that.

These days, however, he was angry at him. He hated being angry at him. Blue Cop did everything to protect his team after all, didn't he? He may be, but that did not excuse this self-sacrificial streak he has developed during their brief time on Earth. As soon as he could catch Blue Cop without Jun bustling about his feet, Wild Guardy would let him know just how much his behavior peeved him.

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They didn't know that when they started their journey they would never return.

Their captain's mission statement had been vague, disclosing only technical details and prattling on about expanding their horizons. In his words, it meant setting foot on a distant habitable planet, but they all figured he was equally thrilled at the prospect of adventure. Oh, how wrong they were.

Red Blitz had hung on to his every word like a lifeline. Ever since the giant mech accepted him into his team of adventurers, he had been eager to repay their act of kindness. He would do anything for Gigantrex, so much did he appreciate him.

Exploring uncharted space was what the crew was trained for. Traveling back through time, however, was not something anyone could have prepared them for. 

With the press of a button, the organizer activated itself, Gigantrex interfered, the Speranza crashed. They were stranded on an alien planet far from home and far from their time, because Red Blitz made a mistake. He would not forgive himself in the following four millennia, but eventually, the pain would fade and he would be able to look toward a better future with his friends and his dad.

Chapter Text

Nothing beats a leisurely drive in the sunshine.

They passed by a lake and a ghost town to take pictures for a report Jim must hand in soon and spontaneously decided to take the long route back to Mowtown. The sun was setting and colored rows of wheat fields in bright gold.

It was beautiful as far as sunsets go and Glober couldn't refrain from letting his amazement show.

"Wow," he marveled at the sight before him. His voice was nearly drowned out by the droning of his tires on the road, and a frequent 'click' here and there. Looking into his drivers cabin, Jim sat in the driver's seat and tested out all kinds of configurations on his new camera.

"I've seen more places than I can name and over time they all start to look the same," Glober said after a while. "But no less beautiful. I'm sure you understand what I mean."

Jim looked up from his camera to take in the view. The sun was almost gone, though its last rays still haunted the sky. It was magical.

The reporter smiled and leaned his head against the window. "Yeah, I totally do, Glober. I totally do."

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Ten pairs of children's shoes trampled over carpeted metal floor on their way to the driver's cab. An android in formal wear hurried after them, waving and shouting, "All passengers are kindly requested to refrain from running in the carriages. Please slow down!"

The kids did not until they reached their destination. One of them, the little troublemaker that Red Blitz hung out with these days, tried to push the cabin door aside with his weak arms. Blastrain chuckled at the sight.

"Mr. Train, can you please show us your room?" another child asked him and looked at Blastrain with such big, pleading eyes that he could not refuse. Before he could say something, Mona poked her head into the cabin to reprimand them, "Listen to the conductor, kids. Don't run through the carriages and be careful!" She shot him a worried look. "Did something happen?"

"Oh, no, Miss. I was about to show them the driver's cabin. They are just excited to see it from the inside."

"Ah," was all she said. Then she joined them. The door opened on Blastrain's silent command and eleven humans let out sounds of amazement at varying volume. Blastrain couldn't feel more abashed.

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How is one supposed to talk to their ex-boss who tried to kill everyone? Blue Cop was at a loss for answers.

Even sharing a room with Flame Nova proved to be a challenge for him, though he tried his best not to show it. He was aware of the weird looks his friends gave him if he flinched at sudden movements from Flame Nova, or fired back heated responses whenever his former superior said something.

Their morale had dropped a bit since the final battle and Flame Nova's resistance to Jun's attempts at making him part of the team. That's why he was wondering how he ended up pouring out his heart to his once-enemy.

"I was never the hero they wanted me to be."

"I wouldn't say that. Don't get me wrong, I have no desire to play nice with you lot, but I will not admit defeat against a Star Guardian who thinks so lowly of himself. You did a solid job."

Blue Cop's optics widened. This sounded like something the old Flame Nova would have said back then, when Blue Cop was still training as a rookie. It made him feel better. If only a little.

Chapter Text

Drifting through deep waters, Deep Bite circled an abandoned oil rig in the ocean. Half his systems were switched off to rest while the other half navigated his submarine form. This allowed him to stay vigilant in case of an incoming SOS.

But instead of an emergency, he was woken by a message from his mission partner. He resurfaced on the spot and swam towards the platform where a drill tank was watching him.

"Hey, I have a question," Rock Crush said.

"Get cracking, lad!"

"You, uh, you mentioned once that other Cardbots are afraid of you, but you never explained why. Can you... can you do that now? I still don't get it."

The young bot was a coward in most situations but fearless in the face of an infamous outlaw like him. He could at least answer his question.

"I guess it has something to do with my appearance. I can be scary sometimes, with my long claws, sharp teeth and uncanny face. People would call me a monster and run away. And then I'd wonder, 'Maybe I am a monster.' I don't think I'd know if I were one."

Rock Crush hummed. "No, I don't see it."

Chapter Text

"Abort mission! Abort m-" was all he heard before his audio cut out. A nearby explosion scrambled his vision before a sudden wave of pain overcame him and everything went black.

The next system boot-up felt unbearably slow. Flame Nova groaned as his sensors re-calibrated themselves. He sensed a touch on his shoulder pad and glanced up to Phoenix Fire who retracted something. A syringe?

"Whuh- what..." Static rendered his voice unrecognizable.

"Anesthesia. Mega Ambler will see you soon."

Flame Nova shook his helm and tried to get up. "Nhhhh- No, I don't need a doctor. Everything is fine. I'm fine. I only need tape."

"Your arm's missing. I don't think tape's going to suffice." Phoenix Fire pointed at his pauldron that was indeed missing an arm. "In any way, we almost won."

"Almost is such an ugly word."

"It's still better than suffering a severe defeat. How do you feel now?"

"Strangely happy. Must be the... what's it called... the anesthesia wearing off."

"That's good. It means you'll recover quickly. Mega Ambler will see you soon and in the meantime, I can help you get the mud off your plating. If you want to."

"No. I'll do it myself."

Chapter Text

One of the grand joys in life was hanging out with friends and trading quips and stories amongst each other. To Peruru's dismay, two Cardbots had other plans in mind and just had to make it everyone's problem. She knew now how Jun must feel playing the mediator between Black Hook and Heavy Iron. It was tiring.

"One would think thou knewest the difference between falling and flying."

The black and white bot loomed over the significantly smaller jet who seemed like he was about to combust.

"What! You're one to talk! You can't even fly properly, you big overgrown-" he gestured with his machine guns at Sky Gallop's centaur body, "-horse."

And indeed, Sky Gallop was less flying through the air like a plane would and was instead galloping alongside the other fliers as if it made sense and did not break physics in the same way that Blastrain's light rails did.

Sky Gallop shrugged off the silly insult and pointed one end of his bow at Cielo. "If thou thinkest so highly of thyself, what doest thou say about a race in the skies?"

Cielo squinted thoughtfully, then his optics lit up. "The race in on, big guy!"

Chapter Text

"If you could go back home, would you?"

Red Blitz jerked at the sudden interruption. His helm bumped into the first floor of Edo's garage and he jumped a second time.

"Ow, owowow..."

A few paces to his right, Blue Cop held up his servos in a placating manner. Before he could apologize, Red Blitz spun around and puffed his plating up. 

"In a heartbeat!" he said. "What kind of question is that?"

Blue Cop shrugged and looked away as if embarrassed. Red Blitz knew, the former Star Guardian was anything but. "Call it curiosity. You told us the reason why the Speranza crashed——you must miss Machina a lot. But I do have another question for you. Wh-"

"Why."

Blue Cop nodded. "Yes, why. Why would you want to go back? Don't you like the Earth?"

"Of course I do!" Red Blitz exclaimed, then his voice turned subdued. "But... I miss the place I once called home, is all. I'm sure you of all Cardbots understand where this is coming from."

Blue Cop's optics crinkled to show his smile. "We wouldn't be having this conversation if I didn't."

"Suuure. I'm happy to be stranded here with my dad though."

Chapter Text

Standing next to infamous outlaws, skilled bounty hunters and heroic Star Guardians, Mega Trucker didn't feel anywhere near as important, as extraordinary as them.

His solid, bulky plating didn't stand out much. His orange paint was bright but not too garish, making him blend in well in group shots. His alt mode was as common as one could get. He was powerful and an ace when it came to defense, but there were Cardbots stronger and more protective than him.

However, this did not make him feel useless. No, quite contrary, he felt like he belonged. The other bots may outdo him in many fields (except dancing - no one did it like him), but they could count on him to always have their back and to be there whenever they needed his help.

Because, at the end of the day, there were only so few of them and if they couldn't overpower a foe with strength, they were strong in numbers. And while he may not have been number one, he could and would make his effort count.

Besides, he was one of the few Cardbots who could get away with disrupting quiet-hours. Being "ordinary" wasn't so bad after all.

Chapter Text

There are two kinds of folks who sit around thinking about how to kill someone.

One announces those thoughts loudly and proudly to the world, like Black Hook threatening to blow a hole into Heavy Iron's chassis until there was nothing left. Most of the actual planning is left to Buster Gallon, though the smart mech protests his involuntary involvement in the flying ship's rivalrous affairs by ignoring his ramblings.

The other plots in silence, like Heavy Iron who has mapped out each and every weak spot on Black Hook's frame and come up with at least five foolproof plans to get rid of him without anyone noticing. At least, until Jun figures out why one of the Cardbots wasn't responding to him anymore.

And so they sit on opposite sides of the same warehouse and glare daggers at each other, which, of course, is falsely interpreted as a friendly spat by their team... much to their dismay. But that can be remedied with a simple fight, dents and scratches, some broken struts, torn paneling and torn out wires. Only Edo would suffer more than they do, because to them this is normal, and to him this means more work.

Chapter Text

And so he found himself stuck in an expanse of nothingness for the second time in his life.

He couldn't believe his luck. 

Flame Nova was still in pain from the previous fight and feeling groggy—it must be the influence of the Metal Breath, he assumed. The artifact had the power to alter a Cardbot's psyche, to make them docile and subjugating them to the wearer's will.

It was a defense mechanism Deus Machina must have come up with to keep unruly mecha like him in their place, a way to unite its people under one leader, but it was also a tool to take away their freedom, and he hated it so, so much. He refused to become just another item in this stranger's collection, he was sick of following orders. But there came no orders.

The kid didn't talk to him, at first. Or, he did not actually know how much time had passed since he was sealed, but it felt like a long time. So when he spoke, it came as a surprise. Flame Nova did play with the idea to simply not answer. It was futile.

The kid did make him talk.

He was a natural.

Chapter Text

The benefits of turning into a galaxy-wide accepted form of an emergency vehicle greatly outweighed the downsides. Who cared if he broke the Geneva Convention for impersonating humanitarian services? He did not even sport a red cross! If anyone believed him to be one of their vehicles, that was entirely on them.

His unconventional alt mode more or less created suspicion among humans, but most of them waved it off and let him pass uninterrupted, but the few who couldn't resist their curiosity soon found themselves bound in bandages and treated for ailments they did not have, only to be charged a heavy sum at the end of their treatment.

Mega Ambler's plan did work for a while, but then he was sealed and Jun showed him a different way of living. His existence did not depend on hunting down and fighting potential patients he could scam, no. He had a safe space to recharge and repair his new team in peace. It gave him hope. Life was good. He couldn't ask for more.

The downside of being an illegal emergency vehicle was that he could not just switch on his flashing lights and siren to escape a traffic jam.

Chapter Text

Shadow X loved spending his days perched on his favorite resting spot: the roof of Heavy Iron's cab. 

To the other Cardbot's chagrin, he knew to be persistent and no verbal reprimanding in the world could disencourage him from making himself comfortable on his moving throne. Yet, after a while, Heavy Iron got used to it. 

'What a surprise!' one might think—or not. Having a certain weight on his cab did make him feel more grounded. And Shadow X was happy to be allowed to stay up there more often. However, this also meant that he saw this as an invitation to bother the grumpy semi. 

Had it not been Shadow X but Black Hook, he would have killed him for his insolence. Strangely enough, Shadow X was welcome to spend time with him. In a way it was ironic how the pirate ship's greatest rival had befriended a "parrot" but Shadow X didn't care about the pirate the same way Heavy Iron did neither. 

And so the chipper mech sat once again on the blue, comfy roof and prattled on about the newest gossip. Then he clapped and proposed, "Let's compare scars! I'll tell you whose is worse."

Chapter Text

Smoke rose from their overworked frames to dye the salty sea air in a grey hue. Gigantrex heaved himself up from where he had been resting mere seconds after the enemy was sealed. Jun had approached Flash Vector's and Spark Beat's corrupted forms right afterwards but he did not know what actually happened to them.

What he did know was that his team was doing fine. Cielo was off to the side talking to (quarreling with) the other fliers and Musclehyde was standing nearby. He couldn't spot Red bLitz, until suddenly the mech materialized next to him and Gigantrex couldn't help but reach out for him.

Red Blitz understood immediately and rushed to the bigger bot's side, hugging his legs as far as he could reach. Gigantrex kneeled to properly hug him back and Red Blitz fell around his neck in the same way human children and parents hugged."I am... so sorry, my boy. For everything."

Soon, Cielo and Musclehyde joined the impromptu cuddle pile. His voice was soft in a way they weren't used to hear coming from him. "Don't forget that no matter what, whenever you need me, I'll try my best to be there for you."

Chapter Text

Perhaps he shouldn't have been so quick to judge Blue Cop for his self-sacrificial tendencies. Wild Guardy wasn't really that much better off if he was honest with himself. Especially not when Crest's life was on the line. The boy had infiltrated his proverbial heart one kindness at a time and it had left a lasting impression. 

Crest may not bear the Metal Breath, but he possessed every quality someone worthy of its power would, and that was enough for Wild Guardy. To keep things short, he would die for his friend and the only guilt he felt at this realization was that he did not want Crest to grieve for him. Wild Guardy wanted to live for him. To make him happy. To bask in his company for as long as life would permit.

"For you, I'd sacrifice myself a thousand times over," he'd say to his friend, "but if I had a choice, I'd choose to stay with you until you grow tired of me. You, Crest, are my best friend and I'd change nothing about that. Ever."

And then, after he would unburden his heart to him. Wild Guardy would look at Crest's sleeping form and smile.

Chapter Text

3 a.m. was that magical time of day where everything was possible but also when Buffalo Crush woke up every night to a churning tank. He couldn't rest when his reserves were low, though he did not want to bother anyone, least of all Edo, until it was time for the Cardbots to refuel.

His performance suffered and as his best friend, Buster Gallon was the first to take note of it. So Buffalo Crush told him about his predicament.

When he woke up the next night, his friend was gone.

"Buster Gallon?" he shout-whispered. "Buster Gallon, where are you?"

His answer came in the form of a shadow shaped like a bulldozer creeping outside the garage. In its shovel was something, a familiar-looking device. Before he stepped out of the garage, he heard him say, “Close your eyes.”

“I swear, if you do something nasty I’m out of here.”

But nothing happened. Instead, Yuri—he almost fainted—giggled and held up the plug to the device. 

"Eat up! We have borrowed a generator from the Milky Way yesterday and it should still be fully charged."

"Thank you, misses! And thank you too, Buster Gallon! I love you guys!"

Chapter Text

Flash Vector sat squinting behind a container. There, in his direct line of sight, sat Blastrain in his decombined form, talking to Spark Bit as if the latter's brother did not have unfinished business with him that needed to be cleared.

Flash Vector was still mad about his defeat. It was fortunate Spark Bit had interfered back then to save his plating, but Flash Vector did not like slinking around with the knowledge that his former opponent was walking the same grounds. He needed to do something about it.

It seems that SPark Bit had expected a confrontation and so he shook his helm in disapprovement and walked away. Flash Vector was taken aback. He had fully expected his brother to cheer him on, but Spark Bit had been uncharacteristically against the whole thing from the start. What if they were friends now? Flash Vector shuddered. His mind composed a tragedy. But no, he shouldn“t get ahead of himself. It didn't have to mean anything.

"Hey, you! I demand a rematch!"

"What? Why? For what?"

"Don't play games with me, mister. You know damn well what I'm referring to. Let's settle our fight once and for all!"

They did.

Chapter Text

One peculiarity of flying Cardbots was that they seem to carry flowers everywhere with them at all times. Vera could confirm. Peruru too, but she wasn't present to discuss this topic with the aspiring reporter. 

What she wasn't aware of was Shadow X's penchant for mischief, which apparently also included making flowers spring out of unexpected places. Cielo was the exception since he preferred to start conversations with his fists (and guns) rather than a nice bouquet.

Vera thought about switching her friend group as she eyed the countless flower bouquets littering her room.

On their next meeting, she admitted to her biggest fan, "It's really sweet of you to get me all these flowers, but..."

"But what? Are they not enough? I can get more for you if you so desire!" he interrupted her explanation and he was visibly distressed.

"NO! I mean, I love them, but... it's too much. Flowers are a gift for special occasions. I don't know where to put them anymore."

"Ah, I see."

From this day on, he did not gift her flowers anymore. The next bouquet arrived on her birthday via mail addressed to her residence. It was a nice change of pace.

Chapter Text

Three heavy-hitters stood outside Edo's garage. Peruru was on vacation and had begged her mother to visit Mowtown again which she could hardly turn down. Most of her Cardbots couldn't wait to interact with Jun's old Machinian friends for the first time since the battle on the Speranza and this has turned out to be the perfect opportunity for everyone to mingle.

Right now, Gigantrex was questioning his life choices.

"Tell me, does any of this correspond to the truth? Do you really believe his stories?" he asked Heavy Iron who had joined him in story time with Black Hook. The pirate ship was allegedly talking about his adventures, but Gigantrex couldn't wrap his head around the sheer absurdity of some of his tales.

"No and no one does." Heavy Iron responded. "He's a fraudster of the highest calibre—don't ever trust a word that comes out of his speakers."

Black Hook must have heard them because he laughed. "Oh? And you're such a perfect little angel yourself, aren't you?"

Heavy Iron snorted. "I never said that. Takes one to know one. So from the bottom of my cold, dead 'heart', screw you.”

Gigantrex did not want to be there.

Chapter Text

It was another uneventful day of work in the Milky Way. Jun's parents and even the high and mighty Blue Cop in person had asked Shadow X to take over the mascot role for a day. 

Initially, he had been ecstatic at the idea. Standing around and watching humans walk by while trying to figure out what he was sounded fun! And it was, for the first couple of minutes. But then boredom struck him at once and Shadow X started counting the milliseconds until his shift was over.

Around midday, Jun's father, Johan exited the Milky Way ...and, what the hell, why has the cook abandoned his kitchen?

Johan did not seem pleased at Shadow X's job if his deep frown was an indicator. "Shadow X," he said and the helicopter froze in dread. "It’s not okay for you to threaten to kill everyone at the slightest provocation. We are civilized people- I mean, Cardbots, right?"

Right. He had no defense. But this gaggle of adults he had encountered previously had been downright mean to one of the pedestrians. He couldn't just stand by and watch.

“Oh, but you never told me that so how should I know?”

Chapter Text

Normally, the duties of a butler did not include nursing giant alien robots fallen from space back to health. If the decision had been up to Sebastian, he would have disassembled the intruder in situ and incinerated the remains until nothing was left. His master's health was his priority and jeopardizing it over an unknown lifeform wasn't worth it.

What he did not expect was the inherent desire to form friendships which transcended terrestrial boundaries.

Crest and the alien refugee, Wild Guardy as he prefers to be called, grew close over the months that they have spent together. Wild Guardy learned a lot from the boy and through cultural and media osmosis, but what he did not know he liked to ask Sebastian. SO they too became good acquaintances and the butler would lie if he said he did not grow fond of the ten times larger than him robot. 

Wild Guardy was a welcome sight in Crest's vicinity. Because Crest's parents were always away on business trips that spanned weeks, it was nice to have someone else to interact with that was not an old-man-coded service robot. The alien was someone Crest could befriend. Wild Guardy was a good friend.

Chapter Text

Everyone was aware that Blastrain had a (not so) secret admirer in the form of an enthusiastic boy who loved nothing more than to follow him around and inspect every corner of his locomotive mobile form while gushing about the importance of public transport.

'How endearing!' Blastrain thought. No one had ever complimented his work, let alone been so happy to spend time with him as much as Theo. Other kids like Kent's friends cheered when he did what they wanted him to do and Mona still thanked him for helping her reach Oatland station in time.

However, Theo had been busy lately and couldn't come over after school for a week in a row. Jun had said something about a project one of their school's student teams were working on that Theo was a part of, so he wasn't too surprised when the boy stopped showing up after a while. He understood the wish to do what one's heart called for. For him, it was running along rails.

Only after he returned did Theo show Blastrain the model train their team had built. Its locomotive and two cabins were painted in a familiar combination of black, red and gold.

Chapter Text

The second she set foot on the ground of Porcaca, Peruru's mother tackled her in a bone-crushing hug. They had been apart from each other for far longer than anticipated. The expected couple of days had turned into weeks then into months, until at last the girl had found what she had looked for and more.

Her new human friends returned to Mowtown and she to her own family whom she really wanted to introduce to the Cardbots.

Currently, her mother joked around with Musclehyde who was trying to catalogue the changes this village had gone through in the past four millennia. Thankfully, Peruru's mother was more than happy to talk about their history and introduce them to other, more knowledgeable people.

"Mom, please don't overwhelm them! They just arrived here, give them some time to settle." 

Peruru saw it fit to interfere when Gigantrex' team was ushered to the local museum. Musclehyde raised his finger in objection but didn't say anything. It was no wonder the former reporter wanted to visit the museum, it must be a relic from past days on Machina that triggered his need to gather more information.

"Alright, alright. We will resume the tour tomorrow, okay?"

Chapter Text

He can feel it. His mechanical heart is still beating and for the first time in a while he takes that as a good thing.

The smoke cleared and the light around them diminished, until they could switch on their optics again. Eight frames hit the purple ground, their frames battered and covered in soot and dirt and dust. Only Blue Cop stood above them. He had one arm slung protectively over Jun who was, thankfully, unharmed.

Their Ultra Mega Power Shield didn't counter Heavy Iron's Heavy Buster Cannon. It stopped the beam from hurting Jun, but his Cardbot friends had absorbed the blunt force of the attack.

Jun surprised him when he unlocked the Metal Breath's secret power-up. The Ultimate Armor might be what they need to defeat Heavy Iron, but what they could never make it without was Jun's courage and will to make the best of every situation. The boy only saw the best in everyone and he wanted to give everyone a chance, to make them his friends, even an outlaw like Heavy Iron.

Jun's heart was an inspiration, something the Cardbots could learn from him. And Blue Cop was happy to call him his friend.

Chapter Text

"Wait, can you please land on this meadow, Sky Gallop?"

The plane replied with a question of his own over the intercoms, "What reason is there to further delay our flight?"

Their journey had been going well until Spark Bit spotted a flash of light gleaming into the lenses of Sky Gallop's exterior camera. He begged him to land and promised a compensation for his efforts, when the big flier waved it off, reasoning that a short detour won't hurt their schedule.

Upon landing, the three of them marveled at the soft grass under their pedes and the myriad of flowers which decorated the ground for miles. Sky Gallop bent down to pick up one of them, a purple primrose with a yellow center.

Meanwhile, Spark Bit picked up what they could only assume was a camera. A pretty worn-down and non-functional one.

"Aw, a pity!" Spark Bit turned it this way and that, assessing the damage. "I wanted to propose we take a picture but..."

"Another time," said Flash Vector. He fished the device out of his brother's servos to stash it in his cockpit. He would look at it at a later time. Repairing it shouldn't be hard.

Chapter Text

Days later, Flash Vector presented a fully functioning digital camera to Spark Bit, the same device they had stumbled upon a while ago.

Spark Bit laughed and turned the camera as he did before, but, looking at its welded casing and carefully polished buttons and at the cracked but still working display, he wanted more than anything to try it out. Spark Bit's digits trembled in excitement.

Turning to Jun and Peruru and their respective teams of Cardbots, he shouted, "Guys, look! Let's take a photo! All of us together in one frame. What do you say?"

Ignoring the grumbles of certain Cardbots, they all played along and positioned themselves in a pile of new friends, new acquaintances and new friendly rivals, holding aloft their human companions so that everyone (save Flame Nova) was in the shot. One of them, in all this fuss Spark Bit forgot to check who it was, took the camera and set it a few steps away on a crate.

All heavy-hitters lined up at the back of the scene, the shorter bots moved forward, until everyone was visible. The timer started counting down, everybody fidgeted in place. Then the camera clicked and it was done.

Screenshot taken from season two's ending by paul-transformlifemashup on Tumblr!