One of Arcee's favorite things to do in the early morning was practice in silence. That didn't seem to be possible today because while she began to go through her punches and kick's she heard voices coming from down the hall. Voice's that drew her attention and made her curious enough to follow the sound to her sister's room where she could hear Chromia and Mika talking.

"Okay, now just sit perfectly still..."

"... How much longer?"

"Not too long, I'm sorry."

"I'm locking up over here, or as you human's say 'cramping'."

"Just wait a mo- Chromia stop moving!"

"I'm bored, and this is taking way to long."

"You can't rush art! I thought you said as a warrior you had an abundance of patience?"

"That is for battle not for standing around doing nothing. I thought you were meek and shy, yet here you are sassing me like a certain Rock lover we all know and love."

Mika blushed at that, had she been getting to bold around the bots?

"Hey, It's a good thing." Chromia, who had been standing a few feet away from Mika, shifted from her uncomfortable position. "It makes it feel like you accept us more. Now... Are you finished? I'm going to rust by the time you're done."

"Now you're starting to sound like Ratchet." Mika peeked a mischievous smile to her femme guardian who blinked at her audacity.

"Well." Chromia said slowly as she reached behind her, eye's closed and a creepily calm aura surrounded her. "If that is how you feel..."

Mika frowned in concern before yelping and rolling out of the way as a wrench went flying by her only for another to nick her arm. "Ouch! Chromia that hurt!"

"What in the world are you two doing?" The two froze before looking over to the door where Arcee stood with her hand's on her hips.

Chromia, unable to take the expression on her charge's face at both having wrenches thrown and the look on Arcee's face, burst out laughing so hard she fell onto the floor. "Oh please, I didn't even throw it that hard you big baby."

Mika glared at her for a minute, getting up and brushing off her cloths before a pout rested on her face with her cheeks puffing out a little as well in the pout.

Finding this completely adorable, Chromia had to add in, "Aww, did I injure your processor?" She teased before turning to her sister. "Mika wanted to draw me, but I can't just stand here forever."

Blinking, Mika scowled over to Chromia, "I'm a human not a computer, I have a brain."

"And I am not a model, I am a warrior"

Arcee watched in amusement as Mika rolled her eye's before grabbing a sketch book, something she'd returned to doing since her project Swoop was finished and left her nothing to do to keep herself busy. It'd been just a few day's since the children's science project's and the kids were still miffed with Ratchet for 'ruining' their project's. Although, Ratchet wasn't happy that his work was scored so low and would grumble at them every now and then. Mika had been trying to draw in the main room but with Optimus discussing something serious with Agent Fowler and Ratchet's curses over the human Technology, Mika couldn't get anything done with all the noise. 

"What made you want to draw Chromia anyway?" Arcee couldn't help but ask as she looked down to the drawing's in amusement. There were a few good one's there and Arcee had to admit she was pretty talented for a kid.

"When I tried leaving to find somewhere else to draw I found Chromia practicing her battle formation's and it kind of inspired me to draw her. Though I just got a rough outline yesterday so today I wanted to do the detail's." Mika explained before narrowing her eye's at her guardian. "But, SOMEBOT, won't quit moving."

The response only triggered a smirk from Chromia which made the irritation in Mika rise before she quickly switched to a new page and began madly scribbling on the paper. Arcee, being able to see what was being drawn, started laughing which made Chromia curios. Her curiosity especially rose when Mika began to smirk and she wasn't sure she wanted to see the picture. But, human art was still fascinating even if it wasn't her forte.

"Done." Mika cheered while Arcee's laughing turned into sniggering.

"Let me see." Chromia demanded, making her way over and snatching the sketch pad only to pause as she was met with a retarded looking chibi drawing of her wearing a Dunce hat with her glossa/tongue sticking out. Upon her chibi's face was cross eyed optic's and the words 'Duhhhhhh' in the background.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Mika smiled cheekily to Chromia who's face took on a blue color while Mika's eye lashes fluttered from underneath her glasses.

"You are so scrapped." Arcee said before leaving the room and Mika to her doom.

"Okay." Chromia nodded. "Okay, alright. So that's how it's gonna be?"

Furrowing her eyebrow's in confusion, Mika watched as a darker look appeared on her guardian's face and a squeal left her as she tried scrambling away when Chromia grabbed some wrenches.

"No!" Mika yelped, racing out of the room (Slipping and sliding around because she was only in her socks) before continuing down the hall. Chromia took off after her, laughing at her charge's fearful shrieks. She laughed even harder when Mika made a mad dash for a certain bulky green bot who was coming down that very same hall.

"Bulkhead!"

Alarmed at the shout, Bulkhead froze (not really noticing the small CLUNK as Miko ran into his pede face first when he abruptly paused.) just as Mika shot past his pede's. Confused on what the heck was going on, he turned back only to yelp and duck as a barrage of wrenches soared past him. "Whoa! Bee run! Chromia found Ratchets wrench stash again!"

A startled whirr came from down the hall, signaling that Bumblebee had been following them at a distance, before frantic clanks from his pede's could be heard running down the hall. (Clearly Bee was now running for his life.) Bulkhead was quick to pick up Miko and go running as well, making sure to pick up Mika on the way, and hightailed it out of the line of fire.

"Get back here! I just want to tweak a few things." Chromia cackled, amusement filling her as they ran.

"Every bot for themselves!" Bulkhead cried out, though he was amused as well when Miko began yelling with Mika to step on it.

Now, as soon as Optimus had finished with his call to Agent Fowler about an issue with the higher ups, he had made his way back to his berth room to gather a data pad to give to Ratchet; choosing to ignore the commotion from the training room and brushing it off as Chromia over doing it as usual. When he found what he'd been looking for, he exited his berth room only to rear back on instinct as a yellow an black blur raced past him.

Tilting his head in confusion, the Prime looked after the blur. "Bumblebee?" He called out only to hear someone shouting from the other way. Turning his head, Optimus' expression turned blank at the sight of Bulkhead being chase by Chromia and (Very much not wanting to be run over) he stepped back once more as they raced right past him without noticing that he had been standing there watching in amusement.

"I don't want to know." He decided before going to storage for some Energon, that should give them time to cool off before he entered the main hanger as well as time for Ratchet to get ahold of them.

When the four had made it too the main part of the base, Bulkhead managed to barely miss Ratchets computer set up and instead began running around it while Chromia chased him, though no one noticed Ratchet who had been at the computers and was watching them wide eyed before he caught the sight of Chromia and his wrenches.

"What in the world are you doing with my wrenches!?" He shouted over the commotion and watched as everyone froze.

All had paused at the sound of his voice, seeing as they hadn't even realized he was there to begin with Chromia had frozen mid throw, Bulkhead mid step, Mika clinging for dear life onto Bulkheads shoulder, and Miko who was snorting with laughter and being held against Bulkheads chest.

"Uh.."

"Well you see..."

"Chromia's practicing to usurp you." Miko said seriously causing Ratchet to blink at her.

"What?"

"Let's face it." Miko said with a shrug. "Your wrench throwing has gotten rusty."

Feeling his eye twitching in annoyance, he growled before pointing at her. "Shouldn't they be in school?" He asked Chromia and Bulkhead before yanking his wrenches away from Chromia with a glare.

Said femme rolled her eye's before turning and retreating back to the training room.

"Aww, didn't you miss us doc bot?" Miko almost began laughing at the agrivated twitch of his eyes.

"We don't have school on Saturday." Mika continued as everyone calmed down. "We have the whole weekend off."

"To spend with you~" Miko purred making Ratchet groan.

"Speaking of." Everyone turned to Jack as he got up from the couch, having sat there since Bumblebee brought him and Raf in. "I wasn't expecting a carpool. What gives Arcee?" He asked his bot who was calmly leaning against the wall.

Glancing over to her charge, having just finished preparations, Arcee replied, "Tag-team, Jack" She started, ignoring the groans of Bulkhead and Bumblebee who didn't want to be reminded of their icy mission earlier today. "It's my turn for exploration duty."

Raf, who walked over in curiosity to what was going on, noted the odd look in Jack's eyes as he suddenly looked 'forlorn'. "Huh... well that's to bad. It's such a beautiful day for a ride, I mean... I would hate for you to feel guilty for leaving me indoors."

"Get him a collar while your at it." Miko replied nonchalantly, causing Jack to glare at her. "And a leash so he doesn't run away."

"What's his name going to be?" Mika asked. "I mean he could still stay Jack, and I know they bot's don't want any pets but at least he's potty trained."

"Ha ha." Jack said sarcastically. (An; Idky but am I the only one who kind of pictures Jack like Sam Witwicky in a way?)

Smirking in amusement, Arcee shook her head. "Arctic exploration duty." She told him.

Eye's widening, Jack quickly nods. "Indoors where it's warm." He replies with his thumb cocked back towards the couch before walking off to said thing and plopping down upon it.

"The Arctic?" Arcee turns to Raf who's face is now alight with excitement. "I've always wanted to see snow."

"I would invite you, however I'm afraid that the conditions are much to extreme. Even for us Autobot's." Optimus replies as he enters the main hangar, noting how everything had calmed down while he retrieved his Energon. "My apologies."

"Oh..." Raf frowned before plastering a smile on his face. "It's okay, I understand."

Optimus frowned as well, feeling guilty at making the boy sad before opting to alleviating said sadness, "But I will try bring you back a snowball."

That did it, he noted as Raf's smile grew back ten fold. "That would be awesome!"

"Could you imagine the size of his version of a snowball?" Optimus blinked down to Miko who had spoken up and threw her hands as wide as she could get them. "Huuuuuuge!"

He chuckled at her example before turning to Arcee. "Let's roll out."

Arcee nodded before the two made their way to the bridge, Ratchet opening it, and disappearing through the vortex. "Transport complete." Ratchet muttered as soon as the bridge closed. "Alright, now-"

=BANG! FTZZZZSSSSS.. .. . . .=

"What in the-" Ratchet flinched as a small puff of smoke and sparks began spraying from the Bridge control's, causing the bot to spew a few curses and drag Bulkhead and Bumblebee over to help him find what the problem was.

Rafael was playing his racing game when this happened, Mika watching from behind the couch with her head resting on her folded arms, and was on a winning spree when Miko came over and stole his remote; Jack grabbing the other one.

"Hey-" Mika started but was cut off as the two began to argue about who'd win and she scowled as Raf frowned sadly, most likely feeling like a third wheel.

"Oh, You wanna go Raf?" Miko said as she realized she stole the remote, not really thinking when she did it (usually she did this to Mika and sometimes she just automatically did it) "Sorry."

"No... I'm just going to walk around for a bit."

Watching him walk away, Mika turned to her twin who went on playing Jack in a race and she rolled her eye's at the two "I'm going with him."

"What? But you're my good luck charm!" Miko whined making Mika laugh slightly.

"Good luck without me~" Mika blew a mocking kiss before taking off, laughing at Miko's cursing when she accidentally crashed from being distracted.

When she found Raf, she smiled slightly as he was 'fighting and facing the icy cold snow storm' And feeling a little playful, she walked up to him enough to hear him speaking.

"Temperature sub-zero and d-dropping." He stuttered from the 'cold' as he tried walking on. Though he paused and turned when he felt something latch onto his shirt and noticed Mika smiling slightly at him before a serious expression took over her face.

"W-will we make it C-Captain?" She stuttered from the freezing temperatures, huddled close for warmth.

Raf grinned before turning back around and grunted with effort as he trudged forth in the snow. "W-we gotta try!" They continued on, having trouble getting through the 'snow' while arguing about the best means for safety.

"If we don't reach c-camp before sunset I-I fear we will not make it."

"We have to continue on."

"Oh no, Avalanche!"

"Run!"

"Take cov-"

=Clank=

"-er... did you hear that?" Mika said as she stood up strait and looked around in confusion. "Chromia is that you?"

=Clank=

Mika quickly looked around, heart beat beginning to rise at the unknown noise, and spotted a near by crow bar. She scrambled to grab it, opting to use it for protection before she paused in shock when she spotted a small creature with a large head and big glowing eyes that stared up at them and a small little croon came from it.

It was pretty cute with the coloring and everything which consisted of a purple body and glowing bright purple almost pink seems and eye's. Though for Mika she could swear she saw that design somewhere but it wasn't coming to mind.

The creature tilted its head curiously before making its way over to them with a large yawn (An; I literally yawned haha!) and looking up at them once it reached their feet. "Where do you think it came from?" Raf wondered as he bent down to curiously look at it. "The Autobot's never said anything about having pets."

"I don't know." Mika replied before reaching down to pick it up and smiling slightly as it snuggled into her. Raf gasped as another appeared and came over to him before he looked around and found a little screw.

"Wanna play fetch?" He questioned and it began to hop up and down before running in circles like a dog would. "Go get it!" He said as he threw it far and watched as the little creature went racing after it before picking it up in it's mouth. Only it didn't bring it back, instead it began to attempt to eat it. "Oh no! Don't you'll-"

=gulp=

"-choke... Mika did you see that? It just ate the metal!"

"Maybe that's what they eat? Metal? You don't think it'll try hurting the bots do you? Since they're metal and all..." She inquired before looking at the one she held before to Raf's "Yours is silver with lavanderish eye's, that's weird but I guess normal?"

"Not sure, hey, lets go show the bot's what we found." Raf suggested before the two made their way back to the main part of the base where Ratchet and the other's were huddled around some sort of opened compartment in the ground and her sister and Jack still griping at each other as they raced.

"Hey guy's, look what we found." Raf started but paused when Ratchet stood up with a grumble.

"We're busy!" He snapped but looked to Raf anyway only for his optics to widen and back up in shock at the creatures the two humans were holding. "Buy the Allspark!"

Bulkhead looked up at Ratchets shout in worry before he too spotted the thing's and let out a scream in fear. "Scraplet! Scraplet!" Bulk yelped while the three Autobot's began scooting back and aiming their weapons at the two who also backed away in shock.

"Whoa!" Miko shouted as she jumped up from the couch and ran in front of Mika. "What the hell Bulkhead!? Don't point that at my sister!"

"What's your problem?" Jack had followed Miko and stood beside her, despite the fact that the two could offer little protection if the bots fired...

"Put those away." Miko demanded and as odd as it was, for a moment the Autobot's felt a strong inclination to obey her command.

Just for a moment.

"It's a Scraplet." Ratchet shuttered, not putting his weapon away and ignoring Bee and Bulkhead who were still shouting.

"What's a Scraplet?" Raf asked curiously, still afraid that he'd get shot or something.

"The most dangerous vermin ever to crawl upon the face of Cybertron." All turned to Chromia who narrowed her eye's at them.

"Are you kidding me?" Miko snorted. "The most 'dangerous vermin ever' is small compared to you guys." She waved them off. "You're giant robot's, Scrappy here is tiny."

"He wouldn't hurt anything." Raf defended as the creature who had been harmlessly napping in his arms woke up with a croon, yawning before its large eye's looked around and locked onto Bumblebee who's eye's grew even larger.

A growl let lose from its tiny body, startling Raf as its mouth suddenly opened and millions of teeth were bared as it lunged out of Raf's hold. It's teeth moved and revved like a chainsaw as the little creature made a beeline (An; Hehe see what I did there?) to Bumblebee. This gave him permission to shoot, and he fired shot after shot at the creature only to miss and fall back as it leaped upon his frame and bite into him. Bee whirred, beeped and screamed as it bit at him and left a trail causing him to flail wildly in pain and panic, his weapon shooting at it in attempt to get it off.

Raf watched in terror as this happened and as soon as Bumblebee managed to tear the thing off and send it crashing into the wall he grasped the crowbar Mika had stuck into her pants and yanked it out, lunging and smashing it over the creature again and again until it was a sparking mess upon the ground. Before he could hit it again, Jack ran over and took the crow bar, "Easy there killer."

"I-I-I'm so sorry!" Raf cried before running over to Bumblebee and placing his hand upon his armor. "Bee, Bee are you okay?"

Bumblebee sagged with visible relief and nodded, whirring and telling Raf he was okay before standing up with a wince as Ratchet made his way over to make sure there was no extensive damage. After observing Bumblebee for a moment, Ratchet turned back to the kid's with assurance. "Only a mesh wound. He'll live." He told them, making Raf sigh in relief and walk over to Bee's pede and hug him, said bot patting his head gently.

"Now do you believe me?" Bulkhead ground out. "All those vermin do is dismantle machinery and eat it. Especially living metal."

Mika flinched, that was very unnerving, and she found herself walking back to Chromia who was now standing behind her and searching around for anymore of the Scraplet's. "W-well you killed it." She murmured, temporarily forgetting the one clutched to her sleeping.

"Bug squashed, game over right?" Jack asked as he too began to feel on edge, partially wishing he'd gone with Arcee anyway.

"No." Chromia responded, her weapon out and eye's narrowed. "When it comes to those creature's there's never JUST one."

"And I fear I know how they got in here." Ratchet growled before straightening. "Follow me." He said before walking towards the corridor's of the base, the room he went into was large and in the center of it was a giant round metal contraption that seemed to have been opened by teeth, eaten from the inside out.

"Scraplet trap!" Bulkhead cursed, now he was more nervous then ever! "An empty Scraplet trap." His eye's shifted from left, to right and repeated the process as his mind was on high alert.

"Most likely injected into space eons ago." Ratchet muttered as he circled the trap with a quizzical look. "Only to wind up in the Arctic where the temperature's kept them in stasis."

"Until we brought the thaw." Bulkhead groaned, allowing himself to fall unto the floor dramatically.

"Now they're wide awake." Miko continued dramaticlally. "And ready for brunch."

"Really Miko?"

"What?"

"How many are we talking about?" Mika asked in worry, what was going to happen to all the bot's if that was the case?

"Thousands." Ratchet looked down to Mika before taking in the one she'd forgotten she'd been holding. "By the Allspark! Mika, What are you doing!?"

Confused, Mika looked down to the one in her arm's and paled. "O-Oh!" She gasped and the Autobot's around her backed away as the creature's eye's opened and stared at them, it studied them for a moment before barring it's teeth in a hiss. "No!" Mika scolded, making it look up to her and retract its fangs with a huff. Then it climbed out of her grasp, ignoring all around it before perching its self upon her shoulder with an indignant look.

"Di-did that thing just listen to her?" Jack wondered.

"Mika... what did you do?" Ratchet demanded as he observed the creature more. "The coloring of the optics is abnormal and its metal is different. Normal Scraplet's are gun metal grey and their optics are lavender, but not that hue." He began mumbling to himself in thought.

"I just... picked him up." She whispered, staring at it through the side of her glasses.

"Him?" Chromia asked.

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"I just do?" Mika tilted her head. "I don't know." She then looked down and shook her head. "I have no idea what's going on Ratchet."

"Well, you most certainly cannot keep it." He decided only to pause as it hissed at him, barring its teeth once more. Feeling himself shutter he scowled, having a stare off with the bug before growling. "Never mind."

"Ratchet, with the malfunctions and the bridge damage it could be a sign that there are more. We have never had that problem before." Chromia spoke up after a moment.

"I fear an infestation is well underway." Ratchet eyed the bug again before turning to the rest. "I must try to contact Optimus." He quickly walked back to the main hangar with the other's following.

"Bulkhead, Bumblebee, you two with me." Chromia barked.

"What?! I'm not going anywhere!" Bulkhead denied and she narrowed her optics on him.

"As second in command you do as I say." She pulled rank, though she didn't always enjoy doing it. With Optimus not at the base she needed to help keep everyone in check, especially before they began to panic. "And right now, I need the remainder of the team to keep guard on the halls. Jack! You stay with Ratchet. Miko with Bulkhead. Raf you are with Bee and Mika you with me."

"Got it." Jack said as he made his way over to Ratchet, who was cursing at the computer once more.

"Sir yes sir!" Miko saluted before marching off with Bulkhead, said bot grumbling angrily.

"You can count on us!" Raf adjusted his glasses and then ran off with Bumblebee.

Chromia then looked down to Mika who offered a worried smile before the two took off down their own hallway for patrol.

"Ratchet to Optimus, do you read me? We have a situation! I repeat, we have a situation!" Ratchet spoke as he attempted the main Com-link-system.

:::chhhhhhhhhh::::

"Scrap." Ratchet growled as he pounded a fist on the desk. "The Scraplet's have gotten to the com-link-system! If we do not eradicate these creatures immediately, they will reduce the entire base to a scrapheap." He had to keep trying... "Ratchet to Optimus! Do you read me? We have a situation!"

The screen glitched, fading on and off before shutting down completely and caused Ratchet to growl in frustration.

"The Scraplet's have gotten to the main com-link system. We must locate them before the base is destroyed as well as our mean's to bring Optimus and Arcee back." Ratchet growled into their travel com-links. (Acting as a radio to those close by)

:::Well I say we bug out of here and let em' have it!::: Bulkhead exclaimed, replying back through the link.

:::Bvvvwooop!::: Clearly Bee agreed.

:::Are you crazy?::: Mika yelled, shocking the group.

"Evacuation is not an option, if we do not get the ground bridge back online and stat; Optimus and Arcee with perish." Ratchet solemnly informed.

"They will?" Jack turned to Ratchet in shock, "Is it really that cold there?"

"Yes." Ratchet said. "Even our frames cannot handle the cold temperatures."

:::Bulkhead you never run.::: Miko growled from where ever they were, queing the group into the fact she and her bot had been arguing.

:::Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot! Well I have. They pick you apart from the inside out! They go for the small juicy bit's first, fuse by fuse and circuit by circuit till there's nothing left! Devouring you like a swarm of piranha's in your horror movies, devouring every last bloody bit of their prey... Not even your op-:::

:::Enough Bulkhead!::: Chromia harshly snapped causing a silence to ring out and the sound of crying could be heard. :::Don't cry Mika, we'll be fine, I won't let those cretins get us.:::

"Bulkhead, thank you so much for that visual." Ratchet huffed as well. "And Chromia is right Mika, we just need to get the bridge to work... Everyone, I want you to keep an eye out while I continue to attempt to fix the bridge."

:::Got it.:::

Chromia ended her com link, not because they were finished talking for now, but because Mika was still crying (Her Scraplet sleeping soundly in the hood of her jacket) and she had to growl to herself angrily that Bulkhead had put those images into her charges head. Sighing in frustration, She took a scan around them for any Scraplet's and transformed, activating her Holoform. Now on humanish legs, Chromia (Or Cecelia as she calls her holoform) walked over to Mika and hugged her to her.

"It's okay Mika."

"I'm sorry..." Mika mumbled. "It's just, I don't want that happening to anyone." She wiped her face. "I'm such a cry baby..."

"Hey." Chromia forced her to look at her. "No you're not! Now, dry your tears. We've got to keep strong okay?"

Mika nodded, wiping her eye's before looking into Chromia's blue optic's with a small smile.

"There's my little warrior." Chromia grinned to her before patting her head in a motherly way and dispersing her holoform. "Now, lets get moving."

"I'll protect you Chromia." Mika whispered before following after her purple guardian.

The base was now dead silent, even the typical hum of the electronics' seemed to be silenced as the two walked on. The only noise now, was the ever present thunking of Chromia's pede's followed by the light and gentle tap's of Mika's shoes. The base was seemingly empty despite the fact that Mika knew there were more people then just them and as they walked a sudden bang is heard and the power went out accompanied by the most girly scream the two had ever heard before.

"Okay, who screamed like a little girl?" Chromia asked, her eyes casting a blue glow around them almost in an eerie way.

"I don't kno-" Mika's breath hitched when a crunching sounded from underneath her foot and for a moment it seemed like time slowed as the light's flashed back on and she turned to look at Chromia's horrified expression. Then, as if it caught up, Mika went falling down as the floor beneath her crumbled and she went into the dark with a horrified scream.

"MIKA!"

...

...

...

Okay! This part's been read through and some mistakes fixed with only slight changes to some of the scene's that I previously had. Not enough to really effect anything. The reason I wanted to fix up chapter's was mostly because of the little thing's here and there that irritated me hehe... like a few misspelled word's and where I would forget to put ' on plurall thing's. So.... yeah. Tune in next time on-

TFP: Pull Me Into The Dark 

ps. I gotta change the name or something, it's kind of a mouthful.