~General Narration: The twins~

    Jade and Blaze watched as the strands reached through the UP, showing for only a short distance. Their breath caught as the watched the silvery, thread-like lights shone in the peaceful dark, entering through one portal and exiting through another. The portals themselves were invisible, of course, but they knew where they were by instinct. The holes where the conscious world connected with the unconscious. But they would never be able to travel between as Angel did. As their mother sometimes did.

    Jade vented softly, turning back to her brother, trying to ignore the shimmer that had held their attention so effortlessly.

    Slowly, it faded, and a small ache formed in the young femme’s spark chamber. Those rare occasions where that light worked it’s way into their lives were the few occasions where the twins felt close to their mother when they had no real contact.

    Blaze placed a strong servo on his sister’s shoulder. He felt the loss, too. They’d lost their bodies, and that had formed a barrier so strong between them and their parents. It was hard enough when they were just sparklings and their parents had no idea their spirits lingered so close yet out of reach . . . but now? Now their parents didn’t even know who they were . . . it had taken it’s toll on them over time.

    Jade shook her helm lightly and brushed Blaze’s servo away, optics glued to the darkness beneath their peds.

Jade: “So we’re all clear on the plan?”

    Blaze nodded, knowing his twin felt pain at this, but she’d never allow him to comfort her.

Blaze: “We’re clear, Jade.”

~General Narration: Jasmine~

    Jasmine sat on the rooftop a while longer, the sky blackening, the rush of the city slowing to a quiet buzz. Finally, she gave in to her body, closing her eyes despite the ache and fear of loss she felt would hit when she let down her guard.

    She just couldn’t fight it anymore. Even if the loss came, she wanted that temporary bliss.

    The blow to her temple was the first thing she felt, and a shooting pain wracked her skull.

???: “HOW DARE YOU BLOCK ME! YOU ARE MINE! DON’T YOU EVER FORGET!”

    She blinked slowly, trying to regain herself, even trying to shake it off her skull like a discarded item from her hair, but it only made it worse. She waited, opening her eyes slowly, to see the man with the silver hair styled in odd haircut she’d never seen among modern men. It made her think of something more . . . primitive.

    She stammered slowly, trying to regain herself.

Jasmine: “I- . . . I don’t KNOW you . . . I swear . . . who are you . . . ?”

    His scowl turned into a smirk.

???: “You don’t really know me, do you . . . ?”

    She shook her head, much slower this time, careful of the ache in her head. His delight grew.

    He took her chin in his large hand. It was rough and merciless.

???: “I am your lover, Maiden . . . Jasmine . . . I apologize for my rudeness, but I tend to get . . . aggressive when you’re gone. Your contact calms me, nothing else. Just look at the wonders you do for me, now . . .”

    Her eyebrows stitched together slowly, staring at him in disbelief.

???: “Why do you run from me, Jasmine?”

    She couldn’t formulate a real response in her mind, she couldn’t even process the information he was telling her clearly.

Jasmine: “I . . . I don’t know . . . I’m not trying . . . I’m sorry . . .”

    She looked down, ashamed for reasons she didn’t know. He tilted her head back up, refusing to release her chin. His grip was slightly tighter than necessary. He was working to control his frustrations, but it seeped through in the little actions he made.

    A smirk crossed his face. He had her cornered. She belonged to him and him alone. She would finally accept that and there would be no more interference, because even if Optimus did find them, did step in, somewhere in the back of her mind, she would always believe she belonged to him. To Megatron and Megatron only.

    And that thought brought him smug satisfaction. For once, he had bested Optimus. He had bested Orion.

    Until she stepped in. At first he thought it had been Optimus who had stepped into their dream again, the presence was powerful on it’s own, mimicking the last intrusion down to a T . . .

    But this time, it was a quiet intrusion. And there was no immediate interruption. Slowly, he became very unnerved, he felt . . . his privacy had been violated. And it was a gradual change, making him wonder exactly how long the intruder had been there.

    When he turned his head, he saw a teen girl with black hair, a sheen of auburn mixed in, showing only when the light caught it at just the right angle, with pale skin and eyes that seemed to waver impossibly between a rich, light blue and jade green.

    She glared at him her anger restrained from her body, but her eyes spoke volumes.

    She wished him no less than a painful death.

???: “Don’t you ever touch her.”

    Her voice was hardly above a whisper, but the command was unquestionably stern.

    Megatron stood, releasing his hold on Jasmine to turn towards the girl. He laughed harshly, staring down at her from his higher vantage. She was early teens. Thirteen or so. But as he glared down at her, she glared back up, refusing to be intimidated.

    He leaned down, bring his face closer to hers, a wide smirk across his mouth, showing his pointed teeth.

Megatron: “And what are you going to do about it?”

    He raised an eyebrow mockingly, obviously expecting no action from this small girl.

    And that’s where he made his mistake.

    In the blink of optic, her fist made harsh contact with his temple, sending him back several feet. In that same instant, she’d aged from young teen to early twenties. Her form would always adapt to the situation as necessary since she wasn’t confined to a shell and the UP was everywhere, allowing her that freedom. At least, in these kinds of situations . . .

    Megatron had made an impact with his desk, and now he was blistering with anger, all evidence of his superiority gone. He glared at her, animosity and fury at the brunt of his gaze. Now, all he wanted, despite the weak presence of Jasmine, was to dispose of this pest previously unknown to him. He would destroy her and go back to his task.

    It wouldn’t be hard. Despite the confrontation, her eyes were still glued to the floor, contemplating things she didn’t understand, lost in her own mind, oblivious to the world around her.

    The girl let her eyes glance at the woman in the chair, noticing a small flash of emerald in her eyes, but the small distraction cost her. In Megatron’s eyes, it did.

    He lunged, massive servo gripping her by the throat, lifting her off the ground, slowly choking the air from her lungs.

Megatron: “Now, I don’t know who you are . . .”

    His grip tightened and she gasped, her age slowly beginning to reverse.

Megatron: “And I don’t know what you want . . .”

    He squeezed tighter, her face turning red, becoming younger still.

Megatron: “But that femme belongs to me and you will never change that! I will make sure of it myself as I crush your throat!”

    Again, his servo tightened, again she became younger. She now looked to be about seven, and the size change allowed for just enough air.

???: “MOMMY!”

    Checkmate.

    It was a risky move. Megatron would know. But it HAD to be done. It was the only way to get through to her.

    The high-pitched scream finally snapped through her mind. Her emerald eyes snapped from the ground to where the man held the young girl.

    And all of a sudden, she felt the utmost rage. All of a sudden, everything came flooding back to her despite the walls Megtron had always unintentionally placed when he invaded her mind.

    But tonight was different. Tonight Jade had come for her.

    And she would allow nothing less in return.

Jasmine: “MEGATRON PUT HER DOWN!”

    The command was harsh, absolute, and thanks to her greater control of the UP than Megatron, thanks to her natural affinity for it, the ropes vaporized in an instant.

    An instant later, she was lunging at him. He barely had time to react. The young girl was dropped, and she landed without grace, but well enough so that she was without harm. Her bright eyes watched as her mother took on the man she’d watched torture her night after night . . .

    She smiled. This was the side of her mother she’d known existed but had waited so long to see.

    This was the side of her mother that was so fiery and passionate.

    Jasmine pinned Megatron to the wall immediately, her scowl deep. He’d been caught completely off guard, and was now staring at her in disbelief. She’d been helpless, devoid of fight, of hope, and now . . .

    The blows came to his skull relentlessly. To his ribs and abdomen. To his chest and shoulders. He was disoriented to the point that he couldn’t prevent her from what she did next. It didn’t even register.

    She grabbed him, one hand to his shoulder, the other to his opposite waist, a knee weakening his core strength and any resistance as she lifted him, flipping him from his standing position and sending him onto his desk, through his desk.

    The wood splintered and cracked as the momentum crushed the frame. He stared up at the ceiling blankly, and Jasmine slowly crossed into his vision, arms crossed above him. She crouched down, gripping his head tightly.

    She thought for a moment, then her hand went to his throat, gripping his flesh roughly.

Jasmine: “Listen to me you son of a hell-bitten lugnut, got it?”

    Her voice was a low growl, her resentment clear.

Jasmine: “You. Do not EVER. Touch her. Or Optimus. Or Blaze. You do not touch ANYONE I care about. Not any family. Biological or adopted. Got it? I swear to AllSpark I will END you if you cross that line.”

    Her hand tightened, and were it not for the disorientation he was feeling, he would have fought back, but the blows had caused a serious lag in his processor.

    Finally, she released, still glaring at him, but she calmed herself and turned around, standing up.

    She was real. The young girl. The young girl she could not deny her connection to.

    Jasmine’s lips pressed together briefly, trying to hold herself together.

    She closed her eyes, and the scene around them changed. No longer were they in Megatron’s human office. Now they were at the pond surrounded by willow trees, a small breeze flowing through the branches, the cruel mech nowhere in sight.

    Jasmine opened her eyes again, breathing slowly.

    She was still there. Watching her in disbelief.

    Jasmine smiled so wide it hurt, rushing over to the small girl, picking her up in her arms and spinning her around until she fell down back first, the child’s dainty arms wrapped around Jasmine’s neck, nuzzling against her.

Jasmine: “I missed you so much, Jade.”

    It was barely a whisper, but those few words made everything so real . . . especially when the small form pressed against her didn’t vanish after they were spoken.

    And for the first time that she could remember in her life cycle, Jade let out a small sob.

Jade: “I missed you, too, Mom . . .”