*3rd POV*

"On nights just like this one, from deep in the trees, an icy fog rolls in. Cloaked in night's shadow, this monster glides on leathery wings. Its glowing eyes pierce the dark and see all. Its ears hear every whimper as it hunts for a lost child." Alex explained and that got Robby and Mo to sit up.

"When it finds one, and it always finds one, it swoops down, silent as a starlight. The prey never sees it, and there is no escape from... the Wakwak!" Alex explained and Twitch touched Robby's shoulder, while Thrash toughed Mo's causing both of them to scream.

Robby got up and ran, only to headbutt something. He shook his head to snap out of it and he faced the two Terrans. "Twitch, Thrash, you can't sneak up on people like that!" Robby told them as he glared.

"You can't have story time and not invite us." Twitch told him angrily. "Ru-ude." Thrash told Robby. "It's my fault. I was so excited to share folktales that I forgot to expand the guest list." Alex said before laughing.

"Sorry." Alex apologized. "You could tell it again, Dad." Mo offered her father. "Enjoy. I'm too old for this "Wakwak" stuff anymore." Robby said as he yawned. "The Wak, what now?" Twitch asked confused on what that was.

"Too old? My grandfather fought the Wakwak with these bastons and he saved the lost child's life." Alex explained to Twitch. "But you never saw the Wakwak, right?" Robby asked his father. "This never stopped us from searching for it every time the signs appeared. You'll always have to be ready." Alex explained.

Robby's phone chimed. "Speaking of ready, I'm late for gaming practice." Robby said walking past his father. Mo got down and went to her father. "Thanks for the bedtime story, Dad." Mo said and Alex leaned down for Mo to kiss his cheek.

"Love you." Mo said before following after Robby to go to bed. "We don't sleep, so..." Thrash said, causing Alex to smile and sit down. He cleared his throat. "On nights just like this one..." Alex began reading as Thrash and Twitch listened to their father happily.

| The next day |

Mandroid was looking at a picture of Optimus. He held up his arm that now had a gun to it. "Vile Cybertronian. I, Dr. Meridian, will rid this planet of your invasive species." He said as he sent the attack, but it missed the picture completely. 

He sent another one only to get a small piece. "Ugh, why didn't I choose an arm with a built-in weapon?" He asked angrily before trying to send an attack, only to actually get the head this time. 

The Arachnamechs laughed. "So many volunteers for my next target." Mandroid said before the Arachnamechs shut up. Mandroid sighed. "Your laughter is earned. If I am to end this world's suffering, I must evolve into the hero it needs. Arachnamechs, Cybertronians are all around us, hiding in plain sight. To destroy them, I must become them. Find their kind and bring me their parts!" Mandroid demanded.

| Meanwhile |

Robby was on his phone walking, when Alex came up. "Robby!" Alex said happily causing Robby to scream. "Guess what day is it?" Alex asked happily as he held up a poster. "Ugh, Dad, I don't wanna go to the Wakwak hunt this year. I have a game tournament today." Robby said walking past his dad.

"But this is our special thing, Robby. We'll sing, practice our kali. You used to love it." Alex said showing his son the poster more. "Maybe when I was a kid. Now it's just boring." Robby told his father honestly.

"It's a celebration of our family heritage." Alex told his son and held him close. "Then why don't you just take Mo?" Robby asked when suddenly off-key string music was heard. "Sorry, Dad. Thrash just discovered music, and I should probably coach him through this." Mo explained as she helped Thrash. 

Robby began walking away from his father. Alex reached out. "I'll be waiting at the big stump if you change your mind." Alex told his son as he was in the barn. "Have fun. Love you. Bye!" Robby said before he disappeared from sight. 

Twitch appeared upside down. She noticed Alex was sad and looked to where Robby went. She got an idea, and she disappeared from sight. 

*My POV*

Bee was trying to shoot a basketball. He dribbled it before shooting only to get it in the hoop, only for it to spin on the inside and bounce right out. Bee looked down sadly and I hugged him gently as he wrapped an arm around me.

Alex suddenly picked the basketball up and he dribbled it and gave it a shot few feet in front of where Bee was, and he landed it in the hoop, and it fell to the ground. Bee smiled. "Ooh, Dr. M, dropping straight buckets from way downtown. Seriously, how'd you do that?" Bee asked as he bent down.

"I'm happy to show you. Actually, there's a lot I could share with you today if you're free." Alex said as he spun the basketball on his finger before looking up at Bee as he stood up. "This isn't another attempt to read my diary, is it?" Bee asked hopefully.

"I'm a history professor. Having a primary source is...not what today's about. I'd like to share a Malto tradition with you, show you my history and culture." Alex said as he rolled the basketball along his arms and shoulders and he threw it, and we watched as it went through the hoop again.

"Whoa. If that's part of it, I'm in." Bee said happily. Alex smiled. Alex and Bee began walking into the woods and I walked into the barn. "Robby, what's a tradition? I heard Dad talking about 'em. Do I have one?" Twitch asked.

"Huh? It's just a thing you always do. Like whenever I'm in an online tournament, I use my lucky chair pillow." Robby said as he was going through a box. Twitch jumped down from the higher part of the barn.

"Is our secret handshake a tradition?" Twitch asked curiously. "Well..." Robby said as he grabbed something and placed it on his shoulders. He got up and him and Twitch did their little handshake. 

"It's great, but no. Traditions mean something. Being part of 'em is how you know you belong." Robby said as he walked off. "Then how do I know?" Twitch asked as her little wings flattened. I frowned and held her close.

*3rd POV*

Bumblebee and Alex were walking through the forest. "Today is about observation and reflection. Nature can teach us about ourselves." Alex said as Bumblebee walked into a branch. He groans and moves it only for birds to fly around. 

"I think it just taught me I don't like trees." Bumblebee said with an unamused look. They soon kept walking after that and stopped. "This oak's been around a long time. See, here? This mark shows when the tree was hit by lightning and here is a year with good rain." Alex explained to him.

"You can tell all that from a stump?" Bumblebee asked curiously. "My grandfather taught me everything carries a story. He's why I love history. He used to say, "The past is a present the present passed."." Alex explained.

"What does that mean?" Bumblebee asked confused. Alex laughed. "I don't know. I just enjoy remembering things my lolo said." Alex said smiling. "Lolo?" Bumblebee asked curiously. "That's Tagalog for 'grandfather'. Have I never told you I grew up in Bohol in the Philippines?" Alex asked.

"What? I've won drag races at the old Tagbilaran City Airport." Bumblebee said happily. "No kidding? I'd love to hear your--" Alex said before he cleared his throat. "Let me tell you why we're out here today: the Wakwak." Alex said.

Bumblebee immediately got his weapon ready. "Wait, Witwicky has a Wakwak?" Bumblebee asked pointing his weapon around. "You know what the Wakwak is?" Alex asked. "A huge vampire bird that attacks people? Not something you forget." Bumblebee said before they heard an odd caw. 

"The legend says it makes less noise the closer it comes to its prey." Bumblebee said as him and Alex were looking at a certain way. "Then it's time for my lolo's lesson on Wakwak defense." Alex said as he held up his weapon.

Bumblebee grabbed two big sticks to match Alex. "All right, stick it to me." Bumblebee said ready. "Ah, you flatter me with your wordplay." Alex said happily.

*My POV*

Robby was playing his video games, which was honestly annoying. I was watching him through the window with Twitch. "Covering you, Daxilon24. I--" Robby said before Twitch tapped on his window.

She opened the window and Robby moved his mic. "What's up, Twitch?" Robby asked her as he kept playing his games. "Since I don't have a tradition, would it be okay if I borrowed the one you have with Dad?" Twitch asked him.

"Sure." Robby said not paying attention. "Great! Can you show me what to do?" Twitch asked happily. "Mm-hmm. Right now?" Robby asked and Twitch nodded happily. He groans and I heard players whining on his game.

"I am paying attention! So, for a Wakwak hunt, you need to get some sticks." Robby said. "On it!" Twitch said and she went off to go find some sticks. She soon came back with sticks. "How's this?" She asked happily.

"Are those the trees Mom just planted?" Robby asked. "Not anymore. They're tradition sticks." Twitch said waving them a little bit. "Yeah, you're gonna wanna put those back before she gets home from work." Robby said.

Twitch gasped. "Is that part of the tradition?" Twitch asked excitedly. "Uh, no. Now you go act like you're hunting something. Dad said he'd be at the big stump." Robby said causing Twitch to squeal happily and leave the window.

"I'm gonna catch the Wakwak. I'm gonna catch--" Twitch said before a crash was heard. I went to go check on her. "Oh, come on!" Robby yelled annoyed.

| In the woods |

Soon enough Twitch and I were walking through the woods. "Dad? Bumblebee?" Twitch asked as we looked around. "Bee?" I called out. "Ready for my first tradition, Dad. Are you already hunting the Wakwak? I'll chase 'em over to you." Twitch said before hitting everything in her path before throwing her sticks in the air.

They landed in a tree. "Huh, I don't feel different. Maybe I did it wrong? Or maybe this tradition is only a Robby-Dad thing." Twitch said before she transformed to get the sticks, only for them to move. 

Suddenly I saw the sticks disappear into the tree. "Huh?" I asked confused. Before Twitch was shot down, causing her to go to the ground. "Twitch!" I shouted as I ran to her. She powered off, and I looked up to see who got her and I was shocked to see who it was.

He picked Twitch up and began walking off. "Hold on, come back here!" I said walking after him. "You can't just take Twitch." I said walking with him. "Watch me." He said, soon Twitch powered back on. 

"What? What?" Twitch asked before she flew out of his hold and flew in the air. "You're not a Wakwak. Are you?" Twitch asked. He walked into the light. "Incredible. Though I never programmed my drones with speech, it seems this one's AI has evolved. I will attempt conversation. Greetings, my drone." Wheeljack said, causing me to facepalm.

"I'm not your drone, I'm Twitch." Twitch said to Wheeljack. "Sparks! It named itself. Go into sleep mode." Wheeljack said. "Uh, go into 'get lost' mode." Twitch responded back. "My creation has developed a personality. Dissect for future study." Wheeljack said before he shot at Twitch.

"Hey!" I said as Twitch transformed and landed on the ground and I got in front of her. "Watch it, Wheeljack!" I shouted. Twitch transformed her hand into a gun. "You wanna try that again?" Twitch asked.

Wheeljack walked over. "You're a Cybertronian. No Autobot I know. Deception?" Wheeljack asked holding Twitch. "Neither. I'm a Terran." Twitch said. "The new beings Optimus told us about." Wheeljack said.

"Let's start over." I said taking Twitch and setting her down. "I am Wheeljack. It seems you took your vehicle mode from one of my inventions. Sorry for the mix-up." Wheeljack said. "You built the drone I scanned?" Twitch asked shocked.

"One of my better inventions. No accidental self-destructions. Yet." Wheeljack said. "Yet? Why is there always a yet with you?" I asked. "You never know about inventions." Wheeljack responded. "You're kind of like...my dad!" Twitch said happily.

"No, no, no, no, that's not how it works." Wheeljack said shaking his hands. "But I already have a dad. Ooh, I know! You can be my dad number two! And Izzy can be my mom number two!" Twitch said hugging Wheeljack who took her and placed her on the ground. 

"Be nice, Wheeljack." I mumbled and he sighed. "So, what are we doing out here, Dad2?" Twitch asked excitedly. "And we aren't doing anything. I'm chasing mechanoid spider-creatures." Wheeljack responded. 

Twitch gasped happily. "Like the Wakwak hunt!" Twitch said happily. "The what-what hunt?" Wheeljack asked confused. "It's a family tradition. We can do it together. We just need sticks." Twitch said as she began walking off.

"Eh, sorry, Twitch. I can't play." Wheeljack said standing up. He helped me up as well. "But I can help." Twitch said facing us. "You can. By pretending we never met. Bye now." Wheeljack said as he transformed and drove off.

"Wheeljack!" I yelled as he drove off. Twitch was holding sticks as we stared, off after where Wheeljack drove off to. Twitch frowned. 

*3rd POV*

Robby was still in his room playing video games. He won the game. "Yes! First place!" Robby said before he ran out of his room, only to walk to his dad's office. "Dad, guess what?" Robby said but realized his dad wasn't in there.

He went to the barn. "Mo? Thrash? You're never gonna believe..." Robby said but realized no one was in the barn. He walked out of the barn and looked around "Twitch?" He asked looking around more.

*My POV*

Twitch and I were walking through the woods. Twitch was still holding the sticks. We heard something snap. Twitch turned and gasped. We saw one of the Arachnamechs came out of the tree. Twitch groans nervously as the spider came towards us.

*3rd POV*

Alex and Bumblebee were having the time of their lives together. They were moving their sticks together in sync. "Nice move, Rob--Bee." Alex said and corrected himself. "Alex, your kids are seriously missing out by not being here." Bumblebee said facing him.

Alex sighed. "Somehow this tradition went from cool to boring when I wasn't looking." Alex said as he sat down and looked up at Bumblebee. "We do it for the family memories. They make us who we are, like...like those tree rings." Alex explained to him.

"I'm gonna go get Robby and Mo. They need to know how important this is to you, and when I'm back you're teaching me that basketball shot." Bumblebee said as he transformed. "I've already been doing that. All in the wrists." Alex told him as he moved his wrist a certain way.

Bumblebee drove off quickly to get the kids and as he did more Arachnamechs appeared as he kept driving and soon the Arachnamechs began following him.

| Meanwhile |

Robby was walking through the woods till he heard an engine. He turned and saw Bumblebee driving by. "Bumblebee! Where are you going?" Robby asked but he didn't get a response. 

*My POV*

Wheeljack was looking at the dirt. He held up his wrist to communicate on his device but suddenly an Arachnamech landed in front of him. "Whoa!" Wheeljack said as he fell to the ground. 

"See? I'm helping." Twitch said as she was the one who dropped it in front of him as I stood beside them. Wheeljack crawled towards the Arachnamech. Wheeljack touched it and it lit up "Aah!" Wheeljack and I said as we watched it run off.

"Aw, you lost him." Twitch said. "Why didn't you use your EMP on that thing?" Wheeljack asked. "Because I don't have an EMP?" Twitch said in a more questioning state. "You're a Wheeljack drone. You have that and more." Wheeljack said.

"Can you teach me how it works?" Twitch asked happily. "Under one condition." Wheeljack said. "Oh, great. Conditions, that's got everyone somewhere." I said sarcastically. "Shush." Wheeljack said before pushing me aside. "Hey!" I said as I glared.

"I'm still calling you Dad2." Twitch said quickly. "I was going to say you help me catch that arachnabot." Wheeljack said as Twitch transformed and hugged his arm. "Mm." She said happily. "Okay, two conditions." Wheeljack said holding two optics up.

*3rd POV*

Robby was walking through the woods looking for everyone. He heard a twig snap, and he turned only to see nothing. He took a deep breath. "There is no Wakwak. There is no Wakwak. There is no Wakwak." Robby said before mechanical whirring was heard. 

He saw Arachnamechs and gasped. He backed into something. "Wakwak!" Robby yelled and began running away.

*My POV*

Me, Wheeljack, and Twitch were standing together as Wheeljack and I taught Twitch. "Your EMP is part of the drone's power matrix." Wheeljack explained. "To access it, you need to look for the--" I said as I held something up.

"Found it!" Twitch said and she shot at me, exploding the thing I was holding. I smiled. "Fast learner. Do you think you can activate your shield tech?" Wheeljack asked as we faced where she kept flying.

"I have that too?" Twitch asked excitedly. "It should be nearly instinctual once you identify a threat." I said as I got my blast and show at her, and she created a shield, blocking my attack. "Nice work, Twitch!" Wheeljack said happily.

"Bet you can't do it again." Twitch teased. "Oh, yeah? Lemme show you how we did things on Cybertron." Wheeljack and I said as we got our blasters ready and ran after Twitch who flew off. Wheeljack shot at her next, causing her to face us and create the shield.

She shot at us, and we blocked it. "Surprise!" Twitch said as she got us from behind and giggled. We rolled on the ground, before I shot at her, causing her to dodge all of them, and hid in a tree. We looked around.

We felt a strong wind blowing at us, and we held our ground, seeing Twitch. She shot at us and got me a little. "Whew. I know I didn't program that. Impressive tactics, Twitch." Wheeljack said as I rubbed my servo.

"Thanks, Dad2, Mom2." Twitch said as she transformed and got my gun off the ground. "Um, is that really how you did things on Cybertron? Did you have family traditions that maybe you could teach me right now?" Twitch asked holding my gun.

I took it gently. "Well, they're kind of hard to pull off on Earth, and we don't exactly fit in with the local culture." I explained sadly as Wheeljack rubbed my shoulder. "You feel like you don't belong. Me too sometimes." Twitch said softly.

"You're a new species. You have so much to teach us, so much promise." Wheeljack explained softly. "So, much pressure! Am I a Cybertronian? A Malto? A drone? All of them? None? I don't even have a tradition." Twitch said looking down sadly.

"Why do you want one?" Wheeljack asked. "So, I know I'm part of something. Not different and alone." Twitch said and looked down. "You need to think like a scientist. Look at the data: you have a family that loves you." Wheeljack said softly.

"Here's the thing about family: you can always find new traditions with them. Like for example, me and my brothers, Optimus Prime and Megatron, before the whole war, we created a tradition where no matter how angry we were at each other, we would always sit together and watch the stars, and we continued doing that during the war." I explained softly. But we heard rustling. We turned.

*3rd POV*

"Dad? You out here?" Robby yelled out looking around, when he heard rustling. Robby gasped as a lot of Arachnamechs appeared, surrounding him as he stood on the center of a wooden stump. The Arachnamechs approached.

"Okay. You got me. What do you want?" Robby said as he slowly backed away from them. They moved a certain way, causing Robby to look at them confused. When he saw his sleeve glowing. He held it up and moved it a certain way, and the Arachnamechs followed. 

"My Cybersleeve? Well, we come as a package!" Robby said and more Arachnamechs approached. He jumped and dodged them. He began running with the Arachnamechs following him.

He kept going as they followed him, he pants as he runs, and he run to a log and climbed inside. He pants as he got inside. He saw them run past as he climbed to the other end, only to have an Arachnamech trying to get to him.

He yelped as he backed away and watched it try to grab him. Suddenly it disappeared, only to stab through the top of the log. Robby dodged, causing it to start rolling with the Arachnamech on top of it, and Robby on the inside of it. 

He kept rolling, till it slammed into something, causing Robby to get out and turn the other way to leave, only to have the Arachnamechs coming for him. He stood worried, and as they approached, he grabbed a stick. 

"You wanna go? I'm ready!" Robby yelled as he waved the stick around like an insane person. The Arachnamechs followed the movement of the Cybersleeve. Robby noticed this. "You can't have my sleeve unless you rip my arm off!" Robby yelled.

The Arachnamechs kept approaching. "That wasn't an invitation!" Robby said panicked as they got closer to him. He screamed as he backed away and he fell to the ground. The one that crashed into the rock was awake and reached for him causing him to scream.

He backed away scared, when suddenly something was stabbed into it. "Huh?" Robby asked and he looked up to see his dad. Alex jumped down and grabbed his stick. "I don't like to hurt spiders, but when you mess with my son, you leave me no options." Alex said dangerously.

The Arachnamechs charged forward, and Alex's moved destroyed the Arachnamechs. "Dad, where did you learn that?" Robby asked his father. "My lolo's Wakwak hunts." Alex told his son. Robby broke the stick he was holding.

He got in the same position as his dad. "You know the moves." Alex said as him and Robby began doing the same thing, making the Arachnamechs run off. 

*My POV*

We were looking when suddenly Twitch gasped. "Robby!" Twitch said flying a little higher. Wheeljack and I got up. "What is it? What's wrong with Robby?" I asked worried. "He's in trouble." Twitch said and we looked worried.

Suddenly Arachnamechs appeared running towards us. "And so are we." Wheeljack said and he shoved me and Twitch out of the way. "Wheeljack!" I yelled worried. "Get to safety!" Wheeljack yelled to us.

*3rd POV*

Alex was fighting off an Arachnamech, skillfully and Robby joined him, and they looked at each other. "You would make my lolo proud." Alex said as him and Robby faced the other Arachnamechs.

*My POV*

Twitch and I blew the Arachnamechs off Wheeljack. Twitch flew up as I got my blaster. "Twitch, up high." I said and she did just that. She began creating a tornado like thing. "Down low." Wheeljack said as me and him shot into it. Creating some time of blast tornado, that shot at the Arachnamechs and they were destroyed.

*3rd POV*

Robby and Alex were beating an Arachnamech together. And it was the last one.

*My POV*

"Whoo-hoo!" I said happily. "Whoo, yeah!" Twitch said as she flew towards us. "Look at all these specimens. I've been hunting these things for weeks. Thank you, Twitch, Izzy. I'm truly honored you chose to scan my drone, Twitch." Wheeljack said smiling down at her.

Twitch was sitting on one of the Arachnamechs. She held her arms out to him. Wheeljack walked off to one of the spiders. "Wheels..." I said softly. "So, much to study and questions to answer. Who created these mechanical menaces? What's their power source? Why are they here?" Wheeljack asked a lot of questions.

Twitch and I walked to him. "I guess this is goodbye, huh?" Twitch asked softly. I put my servo on her shoulder. "Mm-hmm." Wheeljack said glancing at us, before looking at us fully. "But I think we should make mechanical spider hunting our tradition. What do you say?" Wheeljack asked us. 

Twitch smiles and hugs Wheeljack. He wrapped an arm around her. I smiled happily and joined. Wheeljack laughed and hugged both of us. 

*3rd POV*

"Sorry I chose the video game tournament over spending time with you dad." Robby apologized to his father. "I know you have many important things in your life. Just keep a little time for your tatay, okay?" Alex asked and Robby hugged his father.

"Is it too late for today's Wakwak hunt?" Robby asked his father, when they heard rustling. They looked and held their sticks., when they heard something. They walked back to the house to see Mo and Thrash playing some music, and Bumblebee listening.

Bumblebee looked up smiling. "Robby!" Bumblebee said causing Mo and Thrash to stop. "No wonder I didn't find you. You were already with your dad." Bumblebee said smiling. "But he did find us." Mo said in a sing-songy voice.

"And we have a surprise for you, Dad! Hit it, Thrash!" Mo said and they began playing more music. Bumblebee got a bored look. "Is that my lolo's song?" Alex asked happily. "If you have a really good imagination. Be honest, Dad. Have you ever really seen a Wakwak?" Robby asked.

*My POV*

"Well--" Alex said when suddenly Robby and Alex both yelp as I threw an Arachnamech to the ground. "Incoming! Whoo-hoo. Hi, Dad! Hi, Robby!" Twitch said as she flew around and I walked towards them.

"Twitch! Izzy!" Robby said happily. Bee got up and immediately hugged me. I hugged him back. Alex bent down to the Arachnamech. "Strange, I used to have a colleague that used similar technology." Alex said.

Twitch went to Robby. "Robby, I did it! I hunted Arachnamechs and made my own tradition with Wheeljack and Izzy." Twitch said happily. "You met Wheeljack?" Bee asked surprised. We turned to see Wheeljack.

"That's me. Howdy, y'all." Wheeljack said. Twitch transformed. "Dad, I'd like you to meet--" Twitch said but Wheeljack spoke. "Dad2." Wheeljack confirmed. Twitch gasped. "Eeeh!" Twitch said happily.

Alex looked at Wheeljack. "And Izzy's Mom2." Twitch said happily. Thrash hugged Wheeljack's leg. "Hey, that makes you my Dad2 too. And that makes Izzy my Mom2 as well." Thrash said happily.

We heard the basketball bounce and Bee looked at it. He picked it up and did Alex's trick, which made it in the hoop. "It worked." Bee said so amazed. "What, didn't expect it to?" I asked smiling as he wrapped an arm around my waist. "I gotta spend more time with Alex." He said.