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Description

Aphrodite stood on one of the mountainside cliffs near the base, the wind gently caressing her hair as she took in the last bit of sunlight she could before she had to leave for home. It was calm on base that day...she had stopped by to drop off some supplies she thought her Cybertronian friends could make use of, and stayed to chat and help them with the maintenance. But now, it was almost time for her leave, and she figured that she might as well get some energy into her system before she left, and hey...why not enjoy an amazing view while she was at it.

She took a single strand of hair into her hands, and began to gently comb her fingers through it. She rarely ever took her hair out of it's bun, or at least that was the case whenever her friends were nearby. Part of it was just habit, but the other part was because she couldnt help but feel anxious when her hair was let loose with other people around. It had been a long time since she had let her hair free for that reason, but while she was alone on that cliff, taking in the sun's rays, she figured it was worth letting it breathe for once. Besides, those buns tended to hurt after a while. Her scalp needed the break.

She heard the footsteps before she sensed the person attached to them, gasping gently at the sound before turning to face her visitor.

"It's alright, Aphrodite...it's only me." Optimus spoke gently before he came up beside her. His face stoic, but kind. She sighed heavilly, shaking her head before she shot a playful half-glare in his direction.

"One of these days you're gonna get yourself killed sneaking up on me like that." She chided gently, chuckling as she turned back to the setting sun, folding her hands in her lap. "How did you know where I was?"

"You're not that hard to find out here. I spotted you ten minutes after I stepped outside."

Aphrodite laughed despite herself. She supposed a giant pink dragon wouldnt exactly be difficult to spot out here. She was more colorful than even most of the plants. "Alright...fair enough." She said, turning her eyes up to him with a gentle smile. "Are you okay?"

His eyes remained fixed on her, intense and focused. "That depends. Are you?"

Aphrodite's smile fell, her heart sinking with it. "What do you mean?"

"You don't normally wander off without telling someone where you're going. We were growing concerned."

Damn...
She groaned and smacked her hand to her forehead, hiding her eyes with her palm. "Goodness gracious me...I'm so sorry. I didnt even think of it. Hopefully I didnt make you all too upset... Bulkhead always gets so out of sorts when he's worried..."

"Aphrodite..."

She looked up at him, blinking in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Her eyes widened, then, clenching her fist in defeat, she took in a deep breath and ripped her eyes from his focus, her brows crushing inwards like the weight of her worries. "I...I don't want you to be concerned...I've just... Something's been eating away at me lately and I can't quite seem to shake it, is all."

"And that would be?"

She paused and sucked in her lips, struggling with the words. "I...I don't want to give off any air of disrespect."

"You know I would never assume that of you. I promise I will not take it that way. Now please, tell me what's on your mind."

Aphrodie's shoulders deflated as a heavy exhale exited her nostrils, her eyes locked on the sun as it set on the horizon. She wasnt sure if she had the right words to say to properly express her concerns...but given that this was Optimus, she figured...it was at least worth a try.

"Optimus..." She started, her tone treading lightly, "Our people were allies once, friends, even, which is why you knew what I was when we first met, correct?"

"Yes."

"And...given that that was the case, you trusted us to be there for you if you needed us to be, right?"

Optimus hesitated, a sneaking suspicion growing in his mind of where this was going. "Yes, of course..."

"Then...why...why is it that when you found your planet plunged into a civil war...you never came to us for help...?" She turned to him finally, her bright silver eyes glistening with concern. "We could have helped you... We could've helped prevent your planet from being destroyed... So why didnt you contact us...?"

Optimus held her eyes for a moment before looking to the sunset before them, contemplating his answer. If Cybertronians were capable of breathing, she was sure he would have released one then.

"There were already too many lives being put at risk on our own planet, and your people had wars of their own to settle at the time." He said. "We did not wish to drag you into our madness and potentially endanger you further."

Aphrodite blinked, visibly confused as she stepped closer to him. "But...Optimus... My people may have their weaknesses, sure, but not even we are so self-centered as to deny a friend in need. If you had only asked, we would have dropped everything and helped you in a heartbeat! Regardless of what we were going through."

"Exactly."

Aphrodite's worried expression deepened and she reached up to grip her arms, crossing her hands over her chest as if she were cold. "You lost your home Optimus...and a great many of your warriors. I may not know exactly how much Esthera knew about your kind...but I'm sure that if she knew you had been left without a home because of all this, she would have been devastated." Her eyes cast to the ground before looking back at the horizon again, her tail now beginning to twitch uncomfortably behind her. "I just...knowing how close we were once...I just wish there was more we could have done...or more that I could do now...to make any of this easier. And yet here I am, able to talk to a nearly lost friend face to face and yet...the most I can do is idle by and occasionaly bring you supplies, if that, even. It just...I don't know...it doesnt feel...right somehow... It isn't fair to you. A-And I...I just don't know what I can do to fix it..."

Optimus looked down and stared at her for a long time, the spark in his chest somehow aching for her when he noticed the slightest glimmer of tears in her eyes. In a small attempt to comfort her, he reached out a gentle hand and touched her shoulder, the size of it nearly consuming her arm completely.

She turned and looked up to him, the guilt in her gaze nearly breaking him into pieces.

"Aphrodite...While your kindness is always appreciated, especially in times like these, none of this is your weight to carry." He said, a kind and gentle tone to his voice. "I cannot have you ripping yourself apart over things you cannot change."

She frowned and shook her head as she ripped her gaze away, her eyes shutting as if to block out his gentle stare. "If only it were that easy..." She muttered, looking up to the sun again. It was almost gone now, nothing left but a sliver of light and spray of red and yellow clouds. "You see Optimus, I'm so used to being able to look at any problem that faces me and finding a way to fix it so that those around me can feel better. But here...I-I cannot do that and it just makes me feel so...useless. Perhaps I'm...merely having trouble adapting to the reality that there are some things that I cannot wave my hand and restore...even if I wanted to."

Optimus kept his hand on her shoulder, though he couldnt be sure if it was actually being the source of comfort that he intended on, and he nodded in agreement. "Thats not unlikely. But you need to understand Aphrodite, this was never your people's war to fight. It's already enough that we ended up bringing this war here. I don't need you thinking that it's your responsibility to fix all our problems too."

Aphrodite paused, then grit her teeth. "But it is my responsibility now, isn't it?" She said with a new sharpness to her voice as she turned Optimus a firm look. "I'm stranded here for however long it takes for my Princess to find me, assuming they're even able to look for me in the first place. So either way, this war is mine to fight just as much as it is yours, as now it could potentially threaten the only home we have left. Am I right?"

Now THIS was when Aphrodite could've sworn she heard a mildly frustrated sigh come from the man. She had a good heart but she was incredibly stubborn, and sometimes he couldnt help but wonder if she was aware of this and said these things just to test him. "Yes, you are. But I don't want you taking responsibility for things that arent your own. You're doing everything you can do, given the circumstances. And none of us deny or disregard that."

He took his hand off of Aphrodite and crossed his arms over his chest as he turned away, his eyes going back out to the still darkening skies. "You are a valuable member of this team, regardless of what you're doing in it. I don't ever want you to forget that. Nor do I want you to be too hard on yourself for not being able to do more. You are doing what you can. And believe me, that is enough."

Aphrodite kept her eyes on him as he spoke and slowly, but surely, her expression softened and a small smile managed to creep up onto her lips. As if her worries were slowly beginning to melt away.

Optimus felt a sudden warmth embrace him as Aphrodite hugged his waist, nuzzling into him without any sense of fear or hesitation. She could change her height at will if she wanted, but today she was fine with only coming up this far. She squeezed as tight as she could manage, even letting out a soft, unconscious purr.

Although Optimus was a bit stunned by the hug, he didnt have the spark to push her away as a small smile overtook him, and he couldnt help but chuckle slightly. One of his hands made its way to her back and started gently stroking the long, delicate tresses of her hair, her usual warmth radiating off of it.

"I really hope you know just how adored you are..." Aphrodite muttered into his waist as she looked up and met his eyes, her own glittering with love and care. "If I were to be stuck here with anyone, I'm glad that it was you. You're an amazing friend."

It was then that his smile softened upon her, and he bowed his head in an attempt to show her proper respect. "You're very kind, Aphrodite... I'm glad you're here with us as well. You've been a wonderful ally to us."

Aphrodite smiled and looked back out to the horizon, a wistful sigh escaping her when she realized that the sky was almost completely dark. All that was left of the sun's light was a distant hue of pink and purple, lingering like clouds on a rainy day.

"Well...that's it for my sunbath. I think it's time I headed home..." She said, a hint of sadness in her tone, but still smiling as she turned back to her companion. Picking up the folds of the maroon evening gown she wore, she paid him a curtsy. "I'll be back later this week to visit." She said, looking up and giving him a playful smirk. "Don't let the others make a mess while I'm gone."

Optimus chuckled as he turned to watch her leave. "I'll have Bumblebee escort you home."

"Oh no, no, no, Love! Please, don't fret over me!" She said with a passive wave of her hand as a bright flash of light consumed her. When it vanished, her gown vanished with it and was replaced with her guardian's uniform, her hair had twisted itself back into a bun again, and a pair of wings had expanded from the two stones in her back. She shot another smirk Optimus's way from over her shoulder, confident and glowing. "I can make my way back just fine on my own."

His smile widened slightly before he nodded and turned back to look at the horizon, where a select few stars were beginning to appear. He was silent for a second, then he spoke again. "Aphrodite?"

She paused before taking off from the ground, and turned to her companion. "Hm? Yes Love?"

"Your hair... You should let it down more often. It...looks beautiful when it's down."

Aphrodite couldnt help but jerk back slightly, a light flush of color lighting up her cheeks at the rather unconventionally intimate compliment. It wasnt long before a wide smile overcame her and she forced herself to look away, pushing the loose hair she still had back behind the tufts on her cheeks while she tried to hold back from giggling like an absolute fool. "Oh good Ludrus above... Darling, you flatter me... You little snake charmer." She muttered, her voice trailing away as she attempted to regain composure. After clearing her throat and straightening out her collar, she turned back to her friend, and nodded to him, even though he couldnt see with his back to her. "Goodnight, Optimus..." She said smoothly with a proper bow, before she turned and launched into the air with a single flap of her wings, a powerful gust of wind following her.

Optimus smiled to himself as he listened to her fly away, his head shaking slightly as he chuckled at her.

"Goodnight, Aphrodite."

~~~~~~~~~~

Pls remember I'm an artist first and a writer second so if my writing isnt great or if Optimus feels OOC in some areas please be kind lmao. I'm very shy about my writing but I had a story to tell and cuteness to get out into the world and I tried my best.

So recently one of the peeps who follows me asked what exactly the relationship is between Ahrodite's species (the Venrai) and the Cybertronians. At the time I couldnt really answer because I hadnt been able to give it a ton of thought yet, so to whoever that was, this is your answer pfft.

After brainstorming it a bit I ended up deciding that Cybertronians and the Venrai not only know of eachother's existence but actually considered eachother friends at one point in time, and potentially still do. The exact depth of their relationship, I cant say right now bc I still have to fully brainstorm it, but I could assume that, back in the golden age, the Venrai helped cybertronians develop their music and art, while the cybertronians helped the Venrai develop some of their technology, just as a general rule. Ofc, I imagine all of this occurring in the golden age, when Cybertronians had a lot of freedom to explore and learn about these things. But by the time their war broke out, Yamora was struggling with the whole incident surrounding the tyranny of Queen Seph, so while the Venrai would have probably dropped everything and helped in an instant if they could have, they already had their hands full with their own planetary conflicts, and I'd imagine news like that tends to get around.

I imagine this scene occurring before the show actually begins, and thus, before the kids come into the picture. Though it could probably fit anywhere and still be okay. Aph gets incredibly lonesome and out of sorts sometimes with how often she's probably has to be in human form for, so being able to go see her Cybertronian companions and actually be herself for a little while is a blessing. It's probably one of the few places where she can actually relax and feel at peace with herself.

Also, just a quick sidenote about this drawing; holy crap this thing was a struggle and a half. I had to do like three separate character studies of Optimus in order to get this guy looking right. Granted, it was worth it, but it was still a huge learning curve. There was a lot about his design that I had to simplify just to keep myself sane. So please excuse any inaccuracies in that department. I'm not sacrificing my sanity for a bunch of ultimately kinda useless details. They all would've looked cluttered when transferred to my style anyway. That said, I may still make some small adjustments before I try drawing him again. I'm still collecting screencaps for references so I'll probably get better at drawing him over time.

Same can also be said for the background tbh, because I wanted so badly to create a sunset-feeling but I have never painted a sunset before lmao. So that was yet another hurdle I had to conquer with this drawing. I was challenged in so many ways with this sucker. But in the end I am happy to be branching out and learning new things, even if it can be frustrating. Sometimes growth sucks. But it's necessary. And hey, this may not have been the way I planned on learning how to draw mechanical stuff (assuming I ever even planned on it at all), but at least it's a fun way of doing it.

I really do hope you all enjoy this. ;w; I worked really hard on it. May God bless you and protect you, always! And I hope you have a wonderful day.

Aphrodite, Art (c) ME/Sherendipity
Optimus Prime/Transformers Prime (c) Hasbro, (Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Duane Capizzi, Jeff Kline, apparently??? idk this is just what Google gave me.)
Please do not steal, trace, repost, re-distribute, copy/heavily reference, edit, or use (etc.) my art/OC's under any circumstances. It's taken me years to develop these characters and it takes me hours to make a single drawing so it's really disrespectful and rude to take that for granted and abuse my willingness to share my art. So please don't. Thank you!

Description

Aphrodite stood on one of the mountainside cliffs near the base, the wind gently caressing her hair as she took in the last bit of sunlight she could before she had to leave for home. It was calm on base that day...she had stopped by to drop off some supplies she thought her Cybertronian friends could make use of, and stayed to chat and help them with the maintenance. But now, it was almost time for her leave, and she figured that she might as well get some energy into her system before she left, and hey...why not enjoy an amazing view while she was at it.

She took a single strand of hair into her hands, and began to gently comb her fingers through it. She rarely ever took her hair out of it's bun, or at least that was the case whenever her friends were nearby. Part of it was just habit, but the other part was because she couldnt help but feel anxious when her hair was let loose with other people around. It had been a long time since she had let her hair free for that reason, but while she was alone on that cliff, taking in the sun's rays, she figured it was worth letting it breathe for once. Besides, those buns tended to hurt after a while. Her scalp needed the break.

She heard the footsteps before she sensed the person attached to them, gasping gently at the sound before turning to face her visitor.

"It's alright, Aphrodite...it's only me." Optimus spoke gently before he came up beside her. His face stoic, but kind. She sighed heavilly, shaking her head before she shot a playful half-glare in his direction.

"One of these days you're gonna get yourself killed sneaking up on me like that." She chided gently, chuckling as she turned back to the setting sun, folding her hands in her lap. "How did you know where I was?"

"You're not that hard to find out here. I spotted you ten minutes after I stepped outside."

Aphrodite laughed despite herself. She supposed a giant pink dragon wouldnt exactly be difficult to spot out here. She was more colorful than even most of the plants. "Alright...fair enough." She said, turning her eyes up to him with a gentle smile. "Are you okay?"

His eyes remained fixed on her, intense and focused. "That depends. Are you?"

Aphrodite's smile fell, her heart sinking with it. "What do you mean?"

"You don't normally wander off without telling someone where you're going. We were growing concerned."

Damn...
She groaned and smacked her hand to her forehead, hiding her eyes with her palm. "Goodness gracious me...I'm so sorry. I didnt even think of it. Hopefully I didnt make you all too upset... Bulkhead always gets so out of sorts when he's worried..."

"Aphrodite..."

She looked up at him, blinking in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Her eyes widened, then, clenching her fist in defeat, she took in a deep breath and ripped her eyes from his focus, her brows crushing inwards like the weight of her worries. "I...I don't want you to be concerned...I've just... Something's been eating away at me lately and I can't quite seem to shake it, is all."

"And that would be?"

She paused and sucked in her lips, struggling with the words. "I...I don't want to give off any air of disrespect."

"You know I would never assume that of you. I promise I will not take it that way. Now please, tell me what's on your mind."

Aphrodie's shoulders deflated as a heavy exhale exited her nostrils, her eyes locked on the sun as it set on the horizon. She wasnt sure if she had the right words to say to properly express her concerns...but given that this was Optimus, she figured...it was at least worth a try.

"Optimus..." She started, her tone treading lightly, "Our people were allies once, friends, even, which is why you knew what I was when we first met, correct?"

"Yes."

"And...given that that was the case, you trusted us to be there for you if you needed us to be, right?"

Optimus hesitated, a sneaking suspicion growing in his mind of where this was going. "Yes, of course..."

"Then...why...why is it that when you found your planet plunged into a civil war...you never came to us for help...?" She turned to him finally, her bright silver eyes glistening with concern. "We could have helped you... We could've helped prevent your planet from being destroyed... So why didnt you contact us...?"

Optimus held her eyes for a moment before looking to the sunset before them, contemplating his answer. If Cybertronians were capable of breathing, she was sure he would have released one then.

"There were already too many lives being put at risk on our own planet, and your people had wars of their own to settle at the time." He said. "We did not wish to drag you into our madness and potentially endanger you further."

Aphrodite blinked, visibly confused as she stepped closer to him. "But...Optimus... My people may have their weaknesses, sure, but not even we are so self-centered as to deny a friend in need. If you had only asked, we would have dropped everything and helped you in a heartbeat! Regardless of what we were going through."

"Exactly."

Aphrodite's worried expression deepened and she reached up to grip her arms, crossing her hands over her chest as if she were cold. "You lost your home Optimus...and a great many of your warriors. I may not know exactly how much Esthera knew about your kind...but I'm sure that if she knew you had been left without a home because of all this, she would have been devastated." Her eyes cast to the ground before looking back at the horizon again, her tail now beginning to twitch uncomfortably behind her. "I just...knowing how close we were once...I just wish there was more we could have done...or more that I could do now...to make any of this easier. And yet here I am, able to talk to a nearly lost friend face to face and yet...the most I can do is idle by and occasionaly bring you supplies, if that, even. It just...I don't know...it doesnt feel...right somehow... It isn't fair to you. A-And I...I just don't know what I can do to fix it..."

Optimus looked down and stared at her for a long time, the spark in his chest somehow aching for her when he noticed the slightest glimmer of tears in her eyes. In a small attempt to comfort her, he reached out a gentle hand and touched her shoulder, the size of it nearly consuming her arm completely.

She turned and looked up to him, the guilt in her gaze nearly breaking him into pieces.

"Aphrodite...While your kindness is always appreciated, especially in times like these, none of this is your weight to carry." He said, a kind and gentle tone to his voice. "I cannot have you ripping yourself apart over things you cannot change."

She frowned and shook her head as she ripped her gaze away, her eyes shutting as if to block out his gentle stare. "If only it were that easy..." She muttered, looking up to the sun again. It was almost gone now, nothing left but a sliver of light and spray of red and yellow clouds. "You see Optimus, I'm so used to being able to look at any problem that faces me and finding a way to fix it so that those around me can feel better. But here...I-I cannot do that and it just makes me feel so...useless. Perhaps I'm...merely having trouble adapting to the reality that there are some things that I cannot wave my hand and restore...even if I wanted to."

Optimus kept his hand on her shoulder, though he couldnt be sure if it was actually being the source of comfort that he intended on, and he nodded in agreement. "Thats not unlikely. But you need to understand Aphrodite, this was never your people's war to fight. It's already enough that we ended up bringing this war here. I don't need you thinking that it's your responsibility to fix all our problems too."

Aphrodite paused, then grit her teeth. "But it is my responsibility now, isn't it?" She said with a new sharpness to her voice as she turned Optimus a firm look. "I'm stranded here for however long it takes for my Princess to find me, assuming they're even able to look for me in the first place. So either way, this war is mine to fight just as much as it is yours, as now it could potentially threaten the only home we have left. Am I right?"

Now THIS was when Aphrodite could've sworn she heard a mildly frustrated sigh come from the man. She had a good heart but she was incredibly stubborn, and sometimes he couldnt help but wonder if she was aware of this and said these things just to test him. "Yes, you are. But I don't want you taking responsibility for things that arent your own. You're doing everything you can do, given the circumstances. And none of us deny or disregard that."

He took his hand off of Aphrodite and crossed his arms over his chest as he turned away, his eyes going back out to the still darkening skies. "You are a valuable member of this team, regardless of what you're doing in it. I don't ever want you to forget that. Nor do I want you to be too hard on yourself for not being able to do more. You are doing what you can. And believe me, that is enough."

Aphrodite kept her eyes on him as he spoke and slowly, but surely, her expression softened and a small smile managed to creep up onto her lips. As if her worries were slowly beginning to melt away.

Optimus felt a sudden warmth embrace him as Aphrodite hugged his waist, nuzzling into him without any sense of fear or hesitation. She could change her height at will if she wanted, but today she was fine with only coming up this far. She squeezed as tight as she could manage, even letting out a soft, unconscious purr.

Although Optimus was a bit stunned by the hug, he didnt have the spark to push her away as a small smile overtook him, and he couldnt help but chuckle slightly. One of his hands made its way to her back and started gently stroking the long, delicate tresses of her hair, her usual warmth radiating off of it.

"I really hope you know just how adored you are..." Aphrodite muttered into his waist as she looked up and met his eyes, her own glittering with love and care. "If I were to be stuck here with anyone, I'm glad that it was you. You're an amazing friend."

It was then that his smile softened upon her, and he bowed his head in an attempt to show her proper respect. "You're very kind, Aphrodite... I'm glad you're here with us as well. You've been a wonderful ally to us."

Aphrodite smiled and looked back out to the horizon, a wistful sigh escaping her when she realized that the sky was almost completely dark. All that was left of the sun's light was a distant hue of pink and purple, lingering like clouds on a rainy day.

"Well...that's it for my sunbath. I think it's time I headed home..." She said, a hint of sadness in her tone, but still smiling as she turned back to her companion. Picking up the folds of the maroon evening gown she wore, she paid him a curtsy. "I'll be back later this week to visit." She said, looking up and giving him a playful smirk. "Don't let the others make a mess while I'm gone."

Optimus chuckled as he turned to watch her leave. "I'll have Bumblebee escort you home."

"Oh no, no, no, Love! Please, don't fret over me!" She said with a passive wave of her hand as a bright flash of light consumed her. When it vanished, her gown vanished with it and was replaced with her guardian's uniform, her hair had twisted itself back into a bun again, and a pair of wings had expanded from the two stones in her back. She shot another smirk Optimus's way from over her shoulder, confident and glowing. "I can make my way back just fine on my own."

His smile widened slightly before he nodded and turned back to look at the horizon, where a select few stars were beginning to appear. He was silent for a second, then he spoke again. "Aphrodite?"

She paused before taking off from the ground, and turned to her companion. "Hm? Yes Love?"

"Your hair... You should let it down more often. It...looks beautiful when it's down."

Aphrodite couldnt help but jerk back slightly, a light flush of color lighting up her cheeks at the rather unconventionally intimate compliment. It wasnt long before a wide smile overcame her and she forced herself to look away, pushing the loose hair she still had back behind the tufts on her cheeks while she tried to hold back from giggling like an absolute fool. "Oh good Ludrus above... Darling, you flatter me... You little snake charmer." She muttered, her voice trailing away as she attempted to regain composure. After clearing her throat and straightening out her collar, she turned back to her friend, and nodded to him, even though he couldnt see with his back to her. "Goodnight, Optimus..." She said smoothly with a proper bow, before she turned and launched into the air with a single flap of her wings, a powerful gust of wind following her.

Optimus smiled to himself as he listened to her fly away, his head shaking slightly as he chuckled at her.

"Goodnight, Aphrodite."

~~~~~~~~~~

Pls remember I'm an artist first and a writer second so if my writing isnt great or if Optimus feels OOC in some areas please be kind lmao. I'm very shy about my writing but I had a story to tell and cuteness to get out into the world and I tried my best.

So recently one of the peeps who follows me asked what exactly the relationship is between Ahrodite's species (the Venrai) and the Cybertronians. At the time I couldnt really answer because I hadnt been able to give it a ton of thought yet, so to whoever that was, this is your answer pfft.

After brainstorming it a bit I ended up deciding that Cybertronians and the Venrai not only know of eachother's existence but actually considered eachother friends at one point in time, and potentially still do. The exact depth of their relationship, I cant say right now bc I still have to fully brainstorm it, but I could assume that, back in the golden age, the Venrai helped cybertronians develop their music and art, while the cybertronians helped the Venrai develop some of their technology, just as a general rule. Ofc, I imagine all of this occurring in the golden age, when Cybertronians had a lot of freedom to explore and learn about these things. But by the time their war broke out, Yamora was struggling with the whole incident surrounding the tyranny of Queen Seph, so while the Venrai would have probably dropped everything and helped in an instant if they could have, they already had their hands full with their own planetary conflicts, and I'd imagine news like that tends to get around.

I imagine this scene occurring before the show actually begins, and thus, before the kids come into the picture. Though it could probably fit anywhere and still be okay. Aph gets incredibly lonesome and out of sorts sometimes with how often she's probably has to be in human form for, so being able to go see her Cybertronian companions and actually be herself for a little while is a blessing. It's probably one of the few places where she can actually relax and feel at peace with herself.

Also, just a quick sidenote about this drawing; holy crap this thing was a struggle and a half. I had to do like three separate character studies of Optimus in order to get this guy looking right. Granted, it was worth it, but it was still a huge learning curve. There was a lot about his design that I had to simplify just to keep myself sane. So please excuse any inaccuracies in that department. I'm not sacrificing my sanity for a bunch of ultimately kinda useless details. They all would've looked cluttered when transferred to my style anyway. That said, I may still make some small adjustments before I try drawing him again. I'm still collecting screencaps for references so I'll probably get better at drawing him over time.

Same can also be said for the background tbh, because I wanted so badly to create a sunset-feeling but I have never painted a sunset before lmao. So that was yet another hurdle I had to conquer with this drawing. I was challenged in so many ways with this sucker. But in the end I am happy to be branching out and learning new things, even if it can be frustrating. Sometimes growth sucks. But it's necessary. And hey, this may not have been the way I planned on learning how to draw mechanical stuff (assuming I ever even planned on it at all), but at least it's a fun way of doing it.

I really do hope you all enjoy this. ;w; I worked really hard on it. May God bless you and protect you, always! And I hope you have a wonderful day.

Aphrodite, Art (c) ME/Sherendipity
Optimus Prime/Transformers Prime (c) Hasbro, (Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Duane Capizzi, Jeff Kline, apparently??? idk this is just what Google gave me.)
Please do not steal, trace, repost, re-distribute, copy/heavily reference, edit, or use (etc.) my art/OC's under any circumstances. It's taken me years to develop these characters and it takes me hours to make a single drawing so it's really disrespectful and rude to take that for granted and abuse my willingness to share my art. So please don't. Thank you!