"I hope to solve this in ten minutes of conversation." I said, as my eyes wandered across the almost surreal beauty of this place.
With every step I took, the forest seemed to reveal itself as a new world. It was as if the scenery before me constantly transformed, offering fresh landscapes to my eyes hungry for discovery. The light filtering through the treetops created dancing patterns on the uneven ground, mixing metallic shadows with organic glimmers. It was simply fantastic.
As strange as it was, many trunks and branches displayed shiny metallic parts, as if the trees had been forged in a fusion between nature and machinery. But this cold aspect was softened by what seemed like living tissue, muscles covering the metal in harmonious, almost artistic forms. The fruits, if they could even be called that, were made of pure Energon, shimmering with a natural light that softly illuminated the environment, giving it a magical—and somewhat ironic—air.
And the animals… each creature was a wonder on its own. I saw metallic larvae digging through the earth as if mining the planet's own heart, and ants, which, despite being called small, were at least five to ten centimeters long—gigantic by the standards I knew. They climbed the trees in organized rows, collecting drops of Energon with an almost sacred dedication. The balance between the mechanical and the biological was so perfect it seemed as though it had come from a dream—or a magnificent nightmare.
My attention was drawn when my eyes caught sight of a colossal spider, intimidatingly large, perched atop a branch like a sentinel ready to strike.
"Is that one of your relatives?" I mocked, with a crooked smile, pointing at the arachnid.
"She and I have nothing in common!" Airachnid retorted, offended. A faint reddish tint tinged her cheeks, causing her to turn her face away in embarrassment.
Airachnid then turned her head to observe the surroundings more closely, as if the place might reveal an ancient secret.
"This place now feels very different from the first impression I had that day," she murmured, more to herself. "I no longer feel like I'm on Cybertron, though in a way, that's somewhat comforting."
"Since we left, this place hasn't stopped evolving," I explained, my eyes fixed on the pulsing glow of a blue mushroom at the base of a tree. "It's skipping millennia of evolution in a few hours. What puzzles me is why its expansion suddenly stagnated."
"Could the energy have run out?" Airachnid asked, frowning.
"No, that wouldn't be possible," I replied, thoughtful. "The core of this forest is connected to me. It should be able to expand without any restriction. In theory, this forest could spread across the entire planet and fully Cyberform it."
"Keen insight, my creator." A female voice echoed in the air, carrying a strange sweetness and reverberating from all directions at once. The sound sent chills down my spine, as if the forest itself were whispering in unison.
"If you want to put on a dramatic show, forget it. I've had enough of that today," Airachnid said, crossing her arms, though her guard remained up, her eyes alert to any movement.
"I hate agreeing with the super-developed goth over here," I commented, trying to lighten the mood, though I noticed Airachnid couldn't decide whether to take it as an insult or a subtle compliment.
In front of me, one of the giant trees began to shift, twisting as if made of liquid metal. The transformation was quick, and in moments, a colossal form emerged—twice the height of Airachnid, perhaps more. It was hard to be sure; at that moment, there were no clear references. But what I saw was immense.
"I think it would be more appropriate to assume a form so we can have a more direct conversation," said the creature, its voice resonating like a soft echo among the metallic leaves.
"If that's the case, why don't you introduce yourself to us?" I asked, feeling something strangely familiar in its presence.
"I call myself Gaea," it replied, as its form solidified completely. Its metallic structure gleamed under the mystical light of the forest.
"Nice name, and I'll also say it's a bit ironic, but I won't judge. Gaea." I said, my voice carrying a tone of respect, but with a slight trace of sarcasm. My gaze roamed over her figure, an entity that seemed to have chosen that form as a reflection of her own will, since she still had the possibility of taking a less humanoid shape if she didn't have a fixed reference.
Gaea tilted her head slightly, as if evaluating my words with a mix of curiosity and serenity. Her voice echoed, melodic and deep, like the profound sound of roots intertwining beneath the earth.
"So, my creator, how may I receive you?"
Before I could respond, Airachnid, standing at my side with narrowed eyes and a tense posture, broke the moment. "Aren't you surprised that she can tell you're the Allspark?" she asked, with a touch of distrust in her voice.
I took a deep breath, still admiring Gaea.
"I'm not surprised. In fact, it would be logical for her to sense me and know what I am. She is extraordinarily similar to Primus. Ironically speaking, she has the same capacity as Primus to bear life. In other words, we can say that Gaea is what we might call a little sister of Cybertron." I replied, noticing that Airachnid's expression shifted; her eyes widened slightly, surprised by my words.
Gaea closed her eyes for a moment, as if absorbing my words through the very earth beneath our feet.
"From what I can feel and from your words, my Creator, I can understand then that you generate energy, and Primus, like me, has the ability to create a suitable habitat for life, shaped as you desire."
Before the silence stretched too long, Airachnid raised her voice again, in a tone of incredulity. "Wait, wait. If you're like Primus—or rather, Cybertron—you shouldn't be a giant planet?"
I turned to her, my gaze serious.
"To begin with, Airachnid, there are many differences between Primus and Gaea. Primus was already a gigantic being. He was practically a god created by me. Gaea was born from my own essence. But unlike Primus, who already had a ridiculous amount of energy supplied by me beforehand, Gaea is practically a novice. So her body—her true body, which is the extension of this entire forest—is still developing. But what surprises me is that you've remained stagnant, deliberately." My eyes fixed on hers, shining like living emeralds amidst the vegetation. "Why?"
Gaea lowered her gaze, as if reflecting before speaking. Her voice came calm, but with a weight that made the surrounding branches seem to bow before her presence.
"Optimus Prime… He came to me to negotiate a way to request neutrality regarding my progress on this planet in forming my image."
His name unleashed a whirlwind of memories. My eyes drifted for a moment among the treetops.
"Optimus Prime… it's been a long time since I've heard that name. How long? Ten million years, theoretically? Three hundred thousand, counting Earth, with my human mind. So… yeah, ten million years and a few broken numbers." I muttered, more to myself than to the others. My voice became almost a whisper, lost in memory.
"Although my last memory of that miserable… he kept throwing me at 400 km/h into some damn portal. Oh, I remember the headache when I slammed into the meteors. Oh, damn, that hurt like hell." The words slipped from my lips before I realized what I was saying.
"You okay?" Airachnid's voice came low, almost concerned.
I shook my head, trying to push away the weight of those memories. "Sorry, I got distracted by the memories of my other self, if you know what I mean, huh?" I whispered, with a tired smile. "At least that rookie did me the favor of preventing you from doing some disaster against humanity. So, I can say I owe him for at least anticipating what I wanted to do."
Gaea stared at me, her eyes like serene lakes, but there was something there… something I couldn't ignore.
"I understand. So you share the idea of peace and prosperity with humans."
The wind seemed to pause for a brief moment, and the air around us grew denser. I knew there was more behind that phrase. Much more.
"Gaea… to be honest with you… humanity is made up of a bit of everything. There are bad people, good people, assholes… and people who are truly worth it. It's a strange mosaic. And, look… they make mistakes. But they also get things right. But a world where humanity accepts the different, where they live in peace with what they don't understand… that's not going to happen anytime soon."
My eyes drifted over the vastness of the forest. The distant sound of a metallic bird echoed through the alien valleys, a strange, deep call that seemed to come from the very heart of the woods. Its wings, wide and heavy, spanning over three meters, cut through the air with a low hum as it crossed the sky, reflecting the ambient light. The rhythmic beating of its metallic wings sounded almost like a response to Gaea's silence.
"You've built a paradise here. The little I've seen… it takes one's breath away. Creatures I could never have imagined. A balance so pure it feels otherworldly. But the truth, Gaea… humanity isn't ready for this. And, honestly, I don't want you interfering. There's no need to create more problems for them. Your presence has already brought enough."
She said nothing. She simply looked at me, with that serenity that seemed as ancient as the planet itself. Her silence felt just like the quietest nights in forests thousands of years ago.
"Humanity has come close to the end so many times I've lost count. The last time I had to intervene was during the Black Death. All because, in their ignorance, they decided to kill the cats of Europe. And what happened? The disaster only worsened. The plague spread like fire, and part of it was because, beyond superstition and fear, people simply had no sense of responsibility for their own hygiene."
As the words left my lips, I couldn't help but recall the bitter thoughts that crossed me. How I hated walking through those European cities back then. The smell was unbearable… a mix of rot and old sweat that clung to clothes and skin and seemed impossible to wash away, even after days away from the place.
"I can see in your eyes that you don't like humanity. And, look… I get it. I really get it. But, Gaea… it's worth waiting. Give them two hundred, three hundred years… and if they don't learn, they'll find a way to destroy themselves anyway."
She blinked slowly, as if digesting each word. The slow movement of her metallic eyelids emitted a faint creak, almost imperceptible, like the whisper of gears. Within her, small servomotors adjusted tiny angles of her head and neck, producing soft clicking and rotating sounds, as if Gaea's own body were trying to keep pace with the weight of reflection. The rhythmic hum of her mechanisms seemed to echo in the air, a subtle mechanical murmur giving voice to what she had not yet spoken.
Then, when she finally broke the silence, her voice sounded calm, fluid, like a serene river flowing in the distance.
"To be honest, my creator… I am surprised by your opinion."
I took a deep breath, letting the wind mess my hair, and looked up at the sky beginning to take on shades of purple and dark blue.
"I am like this because… because I see their potential. To create wonderful things, to do good… but also to make mistakes that can't even be put into words. But there's one thing in all this… their failures… our failures… they're part of what makes us grow. And I won't lie: humanity doesn't know how to deal with the different. Your forest, your creatures… they will become targets, Gaea. That's why the one thing I can ask of you most is patience. That's it. Patience."
Beside me, Airachnid snorted, incredulous, as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Seriously?! That's it?!"
I gave a tired, almost amused smile.
"Look… I'm the only person in the universe who can curse humanity however I want, until the end of time. But you know… that's the beauty of life. To fail, to learn, to coexist. All the good and the bad come together in the package. It shapes who we are. Legendary kings, iconic figures, people who made history… and people who just screwed up. Everyone left their mark. And, in the end… humanity knows how to adapt. So that's what I ask. Give them time to adapt to you."
She seemed to reflect, her gaze distant, as if contemplating something far greater than the words she had just heard.
"Patience…" she repeated softly, as if testing the idea.
I shrugged, feeling the weight of time on my shoulders, even though these shoulders in particular were brand new, despite the gothic arachnid having broken them earlier.
"You know… most Cybertronians, like this crazy one next to me, have seen more history than all of humanity's existence. You, Gaea… you could live for billions of years. Time is on your side. And time… time always wins. In the end, either they evolve… or they vanish. Simple as that. Humanity cannot compete with time."
The wind blew stronger, carrying my words away, while the forest seemed to listen in silence.
Airachnid, with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, tilted her head and asked, her voice dripping with disdain, "Do you need to insult me?"
"Yes." I replied automatically, without even looking at her. My eyes were fixed on Gaea. "So, Gaea? Could you be as patient as possible with my idiotic species?"
For a moment, silence fell heavy as a rock. Gaea did not respond. Time seemed to drag as she reflected, and the exact ten seconds she remained mute felt almost suffocating.
Finally, in a calm voice that carried a trace of admiration, Gaea said,"I must say, your perspective impresses me. You are a bit more realistic than Prime. I can feel that you are less optimistic, yet you clearly know what to expect from your own kind."
I let out a tired sigh, crossing my arms, feeling the weight of the past hours on my shoulders."Not always, believe me. I can't predict everything that happened. The past twenty-four hours have been sheer chaos."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Airachnid nod subtly, a gesture almost imperceptible, yet it said more than words ever could.
Gaea sighed, her metallic plates emitting a soft creak as they shifted."I confess to you, my Creator, that I would only maintain my plan of not attacking humanity when humans do not attack me again. But now, with your words, I understand that I must be a bit more ambitious in being patient, even if it does not please me." She raised her gaze to the dark sky, where dense clouds hid the stars. "Yet, obviously, my patience is not limitless, in comparison to yours."
I raised an eyebrow, a tired half-smile on my face."You have every right. Don't think I want to prevent you from doing or thinking anything. But humans are worse than a headache. So it's a matter of getting used to it."
Airachnid and Gaea exchanged glances before asking in unison, genuinely confused, "What's a headache?"
I brought my hand to my forehead, massaging it in exasperation."Seriously?" I asked, feeling my patience beginning to run thin. "I'm already sick of dealing with an attractive Goth girl with no social skills. Don't tell me I'll have to put up with another one of these messes," I whispered, but I whispered too loudly.
Before I could even breathe, Airachnid transformed part of her back into one of her arachnid robotic limbs. The movement was quick, almost imperceptible. In an instant, the limb appeared, lunged like a blade, and struck me squarely on the head. The dry impact echoed in the heavy air around us. Immediately after, with the same naturalness as it had appeared, the limb retracted, disappearing back into her metallic back as if it had never existed. Airachnid crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly, expression indifferent, as if nothing had happened.
"Ow!" I complained, bringing my hand to the spot while lowering myself slightly. The impact still throbbed in my head, pulsing like an alarm. I inhaled deeply, trying to muster the little patience I had left. Deep down, I knew I'd have to make a tremendous effort to make this gothic assassin, addicted to graphic violence, act a little gentler. It was like trying to teach manners to a starving predator.
"Ah… okay… I guess I can start with a minimal lesson on Terran socialization."
I sat on the ground, crossing my legs in a lotus position, letting out a long sigh."I'll only answer questions on the topic for two hours. I want to eat something before nightfall."