Author's notes: Happy Holidays, everyone! This was my first attempt to write a fanfic with a Christmas theme. It's a fruitcake of a story featuring Skywarp (from Transformers: Generation One), that was written about several years ago.
Thank you, "Bongo" Bob and Dr. "Dr. Gori" Tanaka, (my two tough as nails, sticklers for perfection, beta readers) for your assistance with the editing, the revisions, and the new title. You guys are fantastic!
Special thanks to the cast and crew of "Touch By An Angel". No, this is not a cross-over story, but was heavily inspired by "Touch By An Angel". Spiritual, religious and supernatural themes ahead...
As always, the usual disclaimers apply: Hasbro, Takara, etc. own Transformers. And CBS and Warner Brothers own "Touch By An Angel".
Here's wishing everyone a safe and joyful holiday season! Peace!
Arashi the Banjo Cat
"Skywarp's Gift"
Skywarp double-checked his calender. Yes! Today was the twenty-fourth day of the last month of the year, he thought excitedly. He could hardly wait for night to fall! Tonight was the night that the old man in the red fur coat was supposed to pay him a visit and bring him his heart's desires! Skywarp giggled amusingly, then deeply sighed. If only this were true, he thought. But alas, it's just a silly human legend...
Skywarp always wondered what an old man in a red fur coat had to do with the birth of the Messiah. Tilting his optics skyward, he asked aloud, "All right, God. Would you please tell me, what does this Santa-person have to do with a baby in a manger?"
Silence was the only answer Skywarp received.
"Yeah, just as I thought! Apparently, the humans' God is all a superstition, too," Skywarp mused to himself. "It doesn't hurt to play along and pretend, just as long as Megatron doesn't find out!"
He glanced nervously around; hoping no one heard his mumbling. Soundwave's telepathic abilities instantly came to mind. What if Soundwave reported his fascination with Christmas to Megatron? Skywarp didn't think Soundwave would waste Megatron's time with such trivial nonsense. After all, his private infatuations didn't quite rate the same as backstabbing and mutiny!
Why can't we have such a colorful holiday as Christmas? The humans sure know how to celebrate! We should take a tip or two from them, he thought. The only holiday the Decepticons celebrated was Megatron's Creation Day. The festival lasted a week, and Skywarp was ready with his suggestions to spruce up next year's event. Megatron's birthday tree would look fantastic where the ship's bridge used to be, he grinned cleverly. As he readied for tonight's guard duty at the desert post, he quickly sorted through the various areas where a string of twinkling multi-colored lights would hang nicely...
Skywarp's internal chronometer told him it was exactly 7:00 P.M.
"Better haul my rear axle out to my post before I end up on Megatron's 'naughty' list!" he softly groaned. Once outside, he settled comfortable upon a large flat boulder, and inhaled a deep intake of the crisp night air. His optics scanned the sporadic cluster of stars sprinkled within the royal blue sky. As he swept his optics toward the east, he focused upon one star in particular. At first he wasn't certain, but he was sure he saw the star growing in size and brightness.
"Great Primus!" exclaimed Skywarp, as he leaned forward, attempting to get a clearer view. "It is getting bigger! Just like that star I heard about! The Star of Beth-Beth-! Oh, nuts! What was its name?"
"Bethlehem."
"Yeah, that's right! Bethlehem!" Skywarp yelped in fright, leaping off the boulder as fast as a cat on a hot tin roof. "Jesus Christ! You scared the energon out of me!" He clutched his chest, trying to calm his thumping fuel pump.
"Yes," answered a voice. "That's exactly what this is all about. Jesus Christ. And would you kindly refrain from using His name as a derogatory epithet? I find that very offensive and disrespectful! You wouldn't enjoy hearing people dragging your name through the mud like that, would you?"
"Well, no," Skywarp replied sourly, looking for the source behind the voice. He kneeled on his left knee and spotted a young man glaring back up at him. "Who are you and where did you come from? What are you doing here? This is Decepticon territory! No humans ever come here, except those pesky human friends the Autobots have." He pointed his rifle at the man. "Beat it, before I turn you into a pool of slimy protoplasm!"
The man's mouth spread in a wide grin. Instead of running for cover, as most humans usually do, the man stood firm. He looked back at the dominant star and stated, "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Skywarp lowered his weapon and returned his gaze to the celestial body. "Well, it's all right," he answered, attempting to sound indifferent.
"All right?" the man asked dubiously. "Good grief, the way you keep staring at it, you're acting like you've never seen anything like it before! I'd say you're quite fascinated with it!"
"Okay, it is sort of pretty," Skywarp answered softly. "You still haven't told me what you're doing here. You're lucky I didn't shoot first and ask questions later! Aren't you afraid of me?" The Seeker stood up tall and straight. "I'm Skywarp! And I am a Decepticon, after all!" he added proudly.
"Afraid of you? Why would I be afraid of you? You're just a twenty-foot tall kid who's acting like he's waiting for Santa Claus!" the man replied. "I'm Percival, but you can call me Percy. Tonight is Christmas Eve. It's a beautiful night and I didn't want it to go to waste. So I decided to take a walk, enjoy the stars, that sort of thing."
"In the middle of the desert?" asked Skywarp suspiciously. "You live here in the desert?"
Percy chuckled. "No! I'm here camping with family and some friends. It's an annual trip we take. The Three Wise Men traveled through the desert to find the Christ child. This journey is the same for us, both symbolically and spiritually. It gives us a chance to reflect and meditate, to reconnect with God." Percy climbed up on the boulder and sat next to Skywarp. "What are you doing out here, Skywarp? Were you waiting for Santa Claus?"
"No," Skywarp answered bluntly. "I was doing my job. Guard duty."
Percy smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, I know what that's like; having to work holidays."
Skywarp intensely studied the human. "Hey, you look really familiar," he mused. "Like I've seen you before somewhere." There was something different about him, but he couldn't quite figure it out. After a few moments of silent pondering, suddenly, it struck him. "Yeah, of course!" he cried, "You look just like that Michael guy that used to play basketball for the Chicago Bulls! He's also the guy that used to wear his underwear in those television commercials! You could be his twin!"
Percy laughed amusingly. "Yeah, I get that a lot! I look like Mike, but I wouldn't mind having his talent for shooting hoops! So tell me, Skywarp, what would you like Santa Claus to bring you for Christmas? Or, I guess that's a silly question to ask a Decepticon."
The Seeker's optics brightened. "Well, a Decepticon victory would be nice! Then the war would be over and Titania and I can be together again."
"She's your girlfriend?"
"Yeah," Skywarp softly replied. "She's the best." After a brief pause, he said, "You know what I really want for Christmas, Percy? I want a gift that tells everyone who I am! I want the universe to know I'm Skywarp and I'm somebody special!"
"Well, you are special, Skywarp!" Percy answered in surprise. "I've heard all about you from the newspapers and Marty Minkler's news reports. You can turn into an F-15 fighter jet, and you have teleportation abilities. I'd say that makes you stand out in a crowd!"
"Yeah, I have those abilities! But that's not what I'm talking about!" the robot said in frustration. "I want something more! It's hard to explain! Like for instance, both of my brothers Eclipser and Quasar are musicians. Thundercracker has the gift of being a great listener. My oldest brother, Comet, is a doctor. My sister, Starlight, has a great singing voice. And then there's Starscream. I haven't quite figured out what his talent is, other than being a thorn in Megatron's side! Or maybe he has this special gift of keeping his butt out of the smelter! It's a wonder Megatron allows him to keep functioning!"
"Oh, yes, I've heard about him, too," Percy returned with a chuckle. "So you want something personal, like a special talent, right?"
"Yeah, that's right? Why do you ask? You're not really Santa Claus, are you?" the Seeker asked hopefully.
"No, but how would you like to be Santa Clause? Just for tonight?" Percy's dark eyes twinkled merrily.
"Be Santa Claus? What do you mean?" Skywarp asked curiously.
"Transform and I'll show you."
Skywarp shook his head. "No, I can't! I'm on guard duty! If I leave my post, Megatron will have my head!"
"It's all right. We won't be gone too long," Percy assured him.
"Why should I trust you? You're a human! I'd be the laughing stock of the Decepticons if word got around that a human got me into trouble! No thanks! I'm not going to fall for your tricks!" scorned Skywarp. The purple and black robot snapped up his rifles and aimed them once more at the human. "Maybe it's time for you to go back to your little camp and forget this whole conversation ever took place!"
Percy held up his hands in a surrender pose. "Easy! Easy! Calm down! I'm not trying to trick you, Skywarp! I think you're a swell guy and I really like you! You're out here all by yourself on Christmas Eve, and you deserve to share in the Christmas spirit!" Percy gazed thoughtfully at Skywarp, when the robot threw him a look of doubt. "Look Skywarp, I really don't think the Autobots will try anything tonight! If they do, they have no respect for human customs!" he added in confidence.
"Not that they had any respect to begin with!" Skywarp hissed under his breath. "All right, Percy," he told the human. "Let's do this quickly before I'm missed!"
Skywarp transformed to his ebony F-15 mode. As he fired up his jets, he popped open his cockpit and unfurled a sub-space ladder. "Get in, quickly!" he urged.
Percy rapidly scaled up Skywarp's ladder and slid himself into the Seeker's cockpit. After his passenger had strapped himself in, Skywarp accelerated and took to the sky. Percy navigated the black Decepticon, instructing him to fly southeast.
The brilliant star illuminated Skywarp's flight path. "Great Primus! That star is as bright as a crevice of corlonium crystals! Maybe even brighter! But when I look directly at it, I'm not even blinded! This has to be some sort of a once in a thousand-year phenomenon! This is one unusual star!" he gasped in amazement.
"It sure is!" agreed Percy. "See that farmhouse over there by the grove of trees? That's our destination. Land in front of the barn."
"You've got it!"
Percy climbed out of Skywarp's cockpit. "Wait here. I'll be back shortly."
Minutes later, Percy emerged from the farmhouse with a young human boy at his side. The child appeared to be no more than a decade old, and by his ghostly pale complexion, Skywarp surmised that this child had something very wrong with him. A trio of humans followed behind. They must be the boy's family, Skywarp concluded.
Despite his weakened condition, the boy ran up to the transformed Skywarp and placed his hands on the jet's belly. He began to stroke it as if it were a live pet. "Wow! A real F-15 fighter jet!"
"Percy!" exclaimed the boy's father. "Where on earth did you get an F-15 fighter jet?"
"Connections," answered Percy with a sly wink. "I have connections."
The boy looked back at Percy with expectant eyes. "Is it mine, Mr. Percy?"
"No, Troy," Percy replied warmly. "I'm only borrowing him for a little while."
"Him?"
"Go ahead, Skywarp, introduce yourself," Percy told the Seeker.
The sleek black F-15 jet unfolded itself into the gigantic robot, Skywarp.
Troy's family simultaneously took three giant steps back. Their smiles instantly disappeared from their faces and were quickly replaced with expressions of terror.
"Percy! Are you crazy bringing him here? He's one of those lousy Decepticons! They're evil machines out to destroy us all!" yelled the boy's father.
Troy's mother ran and quickly snatched the child away from Skywarp and shielded him behind her. "Just what were you thinking, bringing that horrible creature here!" she wailed.
Skywarp flinched at the degrading expletives being hurled at him. "Hey!" he yelled back indignantly.
"Calm down, everyone! It's all right! I'm taking full responsibility for this," Percy said gently. "He's here because I invited him here. He's not here to cause any trouble. He's going to help me celebrate Christmas with Troy, and then he'll leave. That's all. I promise!"
"But why him?" Troy's sister asked. "Why a Decepticon? Why didn't you bring an Autobot instead to see Troy?"
"Skywarp's really a great guy, Sarah. Just give him a chance!" Percy argued. "What happed to your message of tolerance, Jim? Funny, how you've conveniently closed your minds on Christmas Eve suddenly! Isn't this supposed to be the time for peace on earth, goodwill towards men? Or does that not included alien robots? Come on, Anna! Everything's fine! Trust me! You've always trusted me before, haven't you?"
The slim, blonde woman nodded wordlessly, still leery of the imposing Decepticon.
"Dad, Mom, please can I go with Mr. Percy and Mr. Skywarp? Please?" pleaded Troy.
"All right, son," Jim reluctantly agreed. Jim turned his attention on Percy and issued a stern warning. "He can go, Percy. If anything happens to him, you'll be held accountable!"
Percy nodded. As Troy hurriedly scrambled to Percy's side, Skywarp returned to his jet mode. Percy carried Troy, carefully settling him into Skywarp's cockpit, then took the seat behind the boy.
Skywarp was airborne once more. He climbed to an altitude of fifteen hundred feet, then leveled off. "Where do you want to go, Troy? Tell me and I'll fly you there," his voice sounded over his console.
"Just fly me once around the world," requested Troy. "I can't stay out for very long, and I have to take my medicine."
"Okay, kid," Skywarp answered cheerfully. "One trip around the world, coming up!"
Skywarp was surprised that Earth's geography could be so interesting. As he passed over the various areas, both Troy and Percy gave him a quick narrative on each place. Skywarp kept mental notes. This information might be useful to the Decepticons later on. Troy remorsefully announced that he was tired and wanted to go home, and Skywarp was all too happy to oblige. He had to return to his post! Troy begged the Seeker to come inside and stay awhile, but Skywarp gave him a strange look.
"And just how am I supposed to get inside?" he teasingly question with his arms akimbo. "Hello? Your house is as big as a doll house to me!" He shook his head. "Even if I could stay awhile, I can't! I'm on guard duty, remember?"
"Oh, I don't think a few minutes is going to hurt. Come on." Percy motioned the Decepticon to follow.
As he drew closer to the farmhouse, the farmhouse appeared to grow taller. An optical illusion? Sort of reminds me of "Alice In Wonderland", he thought whimsically. Skywarp quickly submerged into a state of disbelief! He was actually standing eye-to-eye with Percy! When they entered the threshold with Troy, Skywarp scanned the inside of the building and found the interior quite interesting. The house reminded him of a certain TV sheriff's home from an old 1960's comedy series. Skywarp almost expected the bumbling deputy to come barging in yelling, "Andy!"
Troy grabbed the Decepticon by his hand and eagerly started to escort him up to his room.
"Troy!" his mother uttered, stopping him. "Just what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm showing Skywarp my room," he simply replied.
"No, you're not!" snapped Anna. "All right, we let you go flying with him, but he's not welcomed in our house! You're not taking that...that thing up to your room! He's an evil Decepticon! You don't know what he's like! He'll-!"
"That's right, Mom!" Troy shot back. "You don't know what he's like! He was nice to me! I don't care if you like him or not, he's my friend! This is my house, too, and he's welcomed to stay if he wants!"
"Troy James, don't you talk back to me like that! I don't care if you are sick, you're not going to disrespect your father and I like this!" Anna cried. She turned to Percy. "You!" she hissed accusingly at him. "This is all your fault! What kind of dangerous nonsense have you been filling my son's head up with?"
"Anna!" Percy gasped in surprise.
"Jim, say, or do something!" Anna yelled. She looked to her husband for support. "Get that evil creature out of our house!"
Before Jim could say or do anything, Skywarp shouted, "Shut up!"
The robot glared furiously at the astonished faces around the suddenly silent room. "Great Primus, I've never seen such a bunch of hypocrites! And I thought the Autobots were bad!" he exclaimed. "This is Christmas Eve! I'll admit, I'm not an expert on Christmas, but I know enough that this is supposed to be a time for peace and sharing, and all of that sappy stuff! I know that I'm not the most righteous person around, but neither are you! This is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, and you want me ran out of town on a rail! You know, I was going to leave quietly, but since you're all acting like a bunch of nincompoops, I think I will stay awhile! I know you hate me and that's fine, because the feeling's mutual! I don't give a slagging heap about any of you either! But please, don't ruin this night for the boy! I don't want any trouble! I just want to visit with him for a few minutes, and then I'll leave! And then you'll never see me again!"
The Decepticon and the boy walked upstairs, together, leaving Troy's family in stunned silence.
Skywarp peered over Troy's shoulder as he scribbled furiously with a black crayon on a piece of beige paper. "What are you doing?"
Troy handed Skywarp the paper. "For you," he answered. "I love to draw. I'd liked to be an artist, but I really want to be fighter pilot and fly an F-15! I want to be like Tom Cruise in "Top Gun". That movie was awesome! But I have to get better first. I know you're very busy, fighting the Autobots, and all. But you came to see me, and you don't even like humans! That means a lot to me. Thanks, Skywarp, you're the best!"
Skywarp's optics flicked up from the drawing. "Well, yeah," he sheepishly smiled. "I'm not very fond of humans, but I'll make an exception in your case! Don't tell anyone! This will be our little secret, okay?"
"You bet! Our secret will never leave this room," Troy sincerely vowed.
Skywarp studied the picture, clearly impressed by the boy's drawing. Since the portrait closely resembled the Seeker, he sensed the child's artistic skills were exemplary. This kid's a fantastic artist, but he wants to be a great warrior when he grows up. Too bad he's a human. He would've been a great Decepticon, Skywarp thought benevolently. He carefully folded up the picture and placed it in his right sub-space compartment.
"Skywarp, do you like Christmas carols?" Troy asked.
"Uh, yeah, but I don't know too many of them," Skywarp said. "Yeah, I like Christmas carols."
"I love "Silent Night". That's my favorite. I'll sing it for you," the boy said.
Troy sang the first verse of the old beloved Christmas song. His voice was high-pitched and grating because of his age, but Skywarp listened patiently. "I'm sorry, I don't sing very well," he apologized.
"That was fine, just fine." Skywarp stood abruptly. "Look, Troy, I have to go now! I'm not supposed to be here! If Megatron ever found out I left my post, he'll have me melted down for paper clips! But I will try to come see you again sometime."
"I'd like that!" Troy stood and hugged the Seeker's waist with his frail arms. Skywarp affectionately wrapped his left arm around the boy's thin shoulder and walked him downstairs.
Percy was waiting. The robot hurriedly left the farmhouse and the human followed suit. Skywarp knew he wasn't wanted here, and he was all too anxious to leave.
"Goodbye, Skywarp! Thanks for everything!" Troy called, weakly waving his hand. "I'll never forget this! You're the greatest!"
Skywarp turned and saluted a fond farewell to Troy, then transformed to his jet mode. He also returned to his normal size, as Percy climbed into his cockpit. As they headed back for the desert, Percy repeated reassured Skywarp that everything was fine. Still, the jet felt uneasy...
Back at the boulder, Percy sat next to Skywarp. "See, what did I tell you? Things are still quiet. It's like you've never left!"
As the robot and the human sat together admiring the dazzling star, Skywarp noted, "Yeah, right now, things are quiet. A little too quiet!" Silent minutes passed, then Skywarp finally asked, "Percy, can you tell me something? What does Santa Claus have to do with the birth of the Christ child? If a newspaper told Virginia that Santa Claus is real, how come nobody's ever seen him? I sat up last year on Christmas Eve, watching the sky for Santa and his flying reindeer, and I never saw them!"
"Well, Skywarp, Santa Claus was a real person. His name was Saint Nicholas. He was a patron saint whom lived in the third century in Asia Minor," Percy explained. "He was the Saint of Children. Unfortunately, we don't have an accurate account on his life. Most of the details have been lost, or, are historically unconfirmed. According to many sources, since the Messiah is God's gift of Salvation to mankind, Saint Nicholas started giving gifts of money to poor people during Christmas time. That's where the stories of Santa bringing gifts came from. In some cultures, Santa Claus is known as Father Christmas, Saint Nick, or Father Frost. In some European countries, he rides a white horse. Or sometimes he wears a white fur coat, instead of a red one. So, yes, the newspaper was right. There really was a Santa Claus, but this guy was just an ordinary human that continued to do what Christ started as an adult. He loved his neighbors, fed the hungry, and clothed the naked. He nursed sick people and helped the poor. The Santa Claus of today is a mythical person that grew from centuries-old fairy tales and legends, to remind us of a time of peace, joy and giving. And that, my friend, is what Santa Claus has to do with the birth of the Christ child."
"Is that how I was supposed to be Santa Claus?" asked Skywarp. "Because I flew some kid around the world?"
"That's part of the reason. Troy has terminal cancer. He doesn't have long to live. The doctors have done all they can for him. They told his family to take him home and just make him as comfortable as possible," Percy sadly replied. "Troy has two passions: robots and fighter jets. When he grows up, he wants to join the Air Force and be an F-15 fighter pilot. But unfortunately, that's not going to happen."
Skywarp sat staring down humbly at his feet. He realized he was right about the boy's condition. "How much time does he have?"
"Not long. A week maybe, or he might live for a month. But it's all in God's hands now. Troy's family fervently believe that God's going to heal him."
Skywarp shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah," he finally spoke. "I get it. I'm a robot that turns into an earth-styled F-15 jet. I know this sounds really banal, but I made some dying kid happy on Christmas Eve. I just hope that Megatron never finds out about this!"
"I don't think he will," Percy replied, patting Skywarp assuredly. He stood up and stretched his arms with a yawn. "I'd better get back to camp before the folks send the FBI out after me! It was nice meeting you, Skywarp. For a Decepticon, you're all right!"
"Yeah, you're not so bad yourself, for a puny, worthless human!" Skywarp shot back with a grin.
Percy chuckled. "Oh, Skywarp, before I forget, remember that special gift you wanted? Tomorrow morning you shall have it! And then the universe will know exactly who you are!"
Skywarp's optics lit up. "Really? I'm going to get a present? What is it?" he asked, barely containing his excitement. "How will I know where to find my present?"
"You'll know," the man answered simply.
"Skywarp, who are you talking to?" A voice asked behind him.
Skywarp was on his feet in a flash. He whirled around and faced Ramjet, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Uh, just-just some human trespasser! Yeah, that's it!" Skywarp stammered. He stomped his foot and fired his weapons in the air. "Go on, beat it, before I change my mind and vaporize you!" he hollered at Percy. Skywarp cleared his throat nervously. "There! I chased him off!"
The white Decepticon eyed him with concern. "Are you sure you saw a human? It could've been a coyote."
"No-no," stuttered Skywarp. "I'm sure I did!" He didn't see any point in lying to Ramjet. Ramjet would have spotted Percy's camp, flying over the desert. "What are you doing here? It's not time for you to relieve me yet."
"Megatron said he doesn't need you for guard duty after all. Our satellite says there's no Autobot activity of any kind tonight," Ramjet reported. "Maybe because they're partying with the humans! Megatron wants us to use this time to revitalize our forces. He wants us ready in two days. If you need repair or recharging, now is a great time to do it."
"Go on back to base," Skywarp told him. "I'll be there in a little while. I want to look at the star again."
Ramjet glanced up at the sky. "What star? I see about a billion tiny stars in the sky. Which one are you talking about?"
"That big star that's in the east." Skywarp pointed to an empty patch of black where the gleaming star used to be. "What? It's...it's gone! It was right there! I swear it!" he exclaimed. "There was the biggest star I've ever seen in my life over there! Didn't you see it? How could you have missed it? It was so bright, it made the corlonium crystals look like a bunch of candles! It was the Star of Bethlehem!"
"There's no Star of Bethlehem over there! And there wasn't one tonight, that I know of!" Ramjet answered in annoyance. "And you're babbling about seeing humans when there are no humans out here!" He gently grasped Skywarp by his arm. "Are you all right? You sure are acting weird tonight! Are you sure you haven't been sipping from the Nuclear Juice bottle? Have you been doing a little holiday celebrating of your own?" he teased with a giggle.
Skywarp yanked his arm away from Ramjet. "Very funny! I'm not drunk! And haven't been drinking! I don't drink on the job! Unlike you-!"
"All right, don't even go there!" warned Ramjet. "That happened when I was young and didn't know any better!"
"Yeah, and you still don't!" Skywarp muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Ramjet demanded.
"Nothing!" Skywarp sang with wide-eyed innocence. "I didn't say anything! Come on, let's get back to headquarters. I sure could use a shot of Nuclear Juice. What about you, conehead? You want a drink? It's Christmas Eve!"
"Only if you're buying!" Ramjet merrily answered, as the two robots flew back to their underwater base.
Christmas morning...
Skywarp rose from his recharging berth at 6:00 A.M. sharp.
He sat in his quarters wondering what the special gift was that Percy had promised him. It can't be an actual present, unless Percy left it for me in the desert, Skywarp pondered. An hour later, he met his brothers Thundercracker and Starscream in the commissary for their daily energon intake. This morning, Starscream was in a foul mood, silently sitting at the end of the table, drinking his energon. He's probably upset that Santa didn't bring him any presents, again, Skywarp thought jovially. He excused himself from the table after he finished his energon. Since he had some free time, Skywarp went back to the desert. He had to find Percy and discover what this present business was all about!
In the air, Skywarp searched the desert floor, looking for Percy's camp. It was nowhere to be found. After finding nothing on his second search from the sky, the Seeker landed and decided to seek the human on foot. Still, there was no camp around or any evidence that there ever was a camp. Skywarp rubbed his head in confusion. "I don't understand! He must have been here! Maybe I'm looking in the wrong direction. Or maybe they've packed up camp and left already. Yeah, that's it! Why would he tell me I'm getting a present, then he doesn't give me a clue as to what it is?"
Skywarp suddenly had a melancholy feeling within his spark. "Maybe this never happened! Maybe it was all a dream! If I fell asleep on guard duty last night, I'm lucky I woke up before Ramjet came! That brown-nosier would have squealed on me for sure!" He sighed in relief. "Yeah, I guess it was a dream, after all. It was a really weird dream, and it seemed so real!"
With a shrug of his shoulders, Skywarp transformed and flew back to base. He thought this would be an appropriate time to watch his bootlegged copy of "It's A Wonderful Life" in his quarters.
He switched on the film. As the movie filled up his personal video screen, he suddenly had the feeling he was not alone. Growing suspicious, he wondered if Soundwave had one of his cassette 'bots hiding in his room. So, Soundwave is finally getting back at me for all those little pranks I've played on him, Skywarp thought in amusement. The guy is so stodgy! He never could take a joke! He leaped to his feet and shut off the film. "All right, Frenzy! I know you're in here! You, too, Rumble! Ravage! Ratbat! Come out! I don't feel like playing games with you guys!"
"We're not here to play games, Skywarp. We're here to thank you."
Skywarp cringed. "Jesu-!" he began, but stopped himself when he recognized Percy, whom had Troy's family with him. "Great Cybertron! What are you doing here? Are you people crazy? This is Decepticon Headquarters! How did you get in here? Megatron will have me slagged for sure if he catches you here!" Skywarp knew something was amiss when he noticed that Troy wasn't among his family. They had red noses and fluid leaking from their eyes. "What's wrong? Is it Troy? He's not..." his voice trailed off.
Percy nodded sadly.
Jim was wiping his face with a tear-stained tissue. "Yes, Troy passed away this morning. We went upstairs to wake him so we could celebrate Christmas, and he was gone."
Anna continued, her voice shaking with emotion. "He looked so peaceful. He had a calm smile on his face, so I don't think he suffered when he passed over."
Skywarp sank slowly to the floor as a wave of grief overpowered him. His vision blurred and his face was drenched with optic fluid. No! I can't feel this way, he thought in distress. Why do I weep? It's only an insignificant human! He was nice... for a human! One of the few humans that ever respected the Decepticons! And he respected me! The kid didn't even look that sick, thought Skywarp as he rubbed his optics with his fists.
Anna reached over and laid a gentle hand on Skywarp. "I'm so sorry, Skywarp! It was wrong that we treated you so terribly! Troy was so fond of you and we should've given you a chance!"
Sarah, Troy's sister, also offered the Seeker a comforting hand. "You made Troy's last day so happy! Thank you, Skywarp!"
Skywarp exploded in anger. "This really sucks! Christmas is supposed to be the best day of the year, and this happens! Where was your all-powerful God? I thought He cared about sick children! I thought He was supposed to cure Troy, not allow him to die! What kind of God would allow this sort of thing to happen? Especially to Troy! This isn't fair! I'll never have anything to do with Christmas again!"
Percy stepped forward. The man's face glowed and his entire body was surrounded by a radiant halo. "Only a non-believer would not understand," he said gently. "Troy was cured, Skywarp. He knew this day was coming and he was ready to go. The angels came this morning to take him to his Heavenly home. Right now, he has a new body, and he's living in a place where there's no more war, sickness, sorrow, or darkness, or death. What a great gift! To go home on Christmas Day!"
Skywarp's optics blinked hard. "Who are you?" he whispered, as he wiped the back of his hand across his damp optics. "What are you? Are you like Clarence from "It's A Wonderful Life"?"
"Yes, Skywarp. I'm an angel, sent to Earth by God. The Lord wants you to know that you are indeed one special person, Skywarp. You have a unique gift that will bring joy to others."
"Yes, I know. You told me, but what is this gift supposed to be?" the Seeker impatiently queried. "Please tell me! What do I do?"
"You'll know," Percy replied. "You've had this gift within you all along. I just gave you a push in the right direction. You'll accomplish great things in your lifetime, Skywarp. Your comrades, and even your enemies will respect you."
"Time to go," Percy announced, and the three humans joined his side.
"We have to leave, Skywarp," said Jim. "We had to come and thank you for bringing joy to our son's life, even if it was for one night."
"Thanks for being there for Troy," Sarah agreed through her tears. "Goodbye, Skywarp."
"Thanks for everything," Anna added between sobs.
The humans huddled around the angel. A shimmering cast engulfed the group, which sharply intensified, then dissipated into a swirl of sparkling specs. To Skywarp's amazement he was alone in his quarters once more.
"Great Cyberton! It's like they teleported right out of here!" he gasped in disbelief, as he sat on the edge of his bed. "Oh, Primus," he moaned. "That was some drink I had with Ramjet last night! Now I'm sure I dreamt the whole thing! Or did I?" Skywarp felt around in his sub-space niche, where he had pocketed Troy's drawing. The drawing was now the size of a postage stamp, but that was proof enough for Skywarp. He didn't dream this, nor did he imagine any of it!
"You've had this gift within you all along," Percy's words repeated again and again in Skywarp's mind. "You have a unique gift that will bring joy to others. You'll accomplish great things in your lifetime, Skywarp. Your comrades, and even your enemies will respect you."
Skywarp's optics riveted on the tiny sketching. He studied the picture for a brief moment, while regarding the angel's words. His optics beamed as he leaped to his feet. Of course! Everything made sense to him now! He knew exactly what his special gift was! Racing from his quarters as fast as his feet could go, he barged into the engineering department and quickly sought out the Constructicons. "Do you have any extra paint? If you have some that you don't need, I'll gladly take it off your hands! And do you have an extra brush and a roll of paper?"
"This is Engineering, not the corner hardware store!" Scavenger grumbled. "What do you need paint and paper for? Are you redecorating your quarters again? You just did that last month!"
"I'm not redecorating. It's for a special project," Skywarp replied.
Long Haul glanced up at Skywarp with an inquisitive look. "And what is your special project?" he called from the far side of the room.
"You'll see," the black and purple Decepticon grinned mysteriously.
Scrapper approached Skywarp with an air of scrutiny. "That's an odd request. However, we are a bit overstocked with paint, so I guess there's no harm in letting you have some," he relented. "This project sounds interesting. I'm curious to see it when you're finished. Go head."
"Thanks, Scrapper!" Skywarp called, as he proceeded to raid the Constructicons' supplies. He hurried back to his room, armed with an armload of materials and inspiration. Once inside his abode, he set up shop and went to work. Much to the intrigue of his comrades, Skywarp spent most of the morning locked away in his quarters. That afternoon, he invited Megatron and his fellow Decepticons to meet him at fourteen-hundred hours sharp in Megatron's war room.
Megatron was bitterly annoyed with Skywarp. He had been intensely preoccupied, and he did not appreciate the interruption! "What's this all about? You'd better have a good reason for this! Be warned, Skywarp, if you've wasted my valuable time I shall have you doing custodial work for the next ten years!"
"Yes," Starscream scowled with his arms crossed. "This had better be good!"
"I don't believe it!" Thundercracker mumbled to himself. "That's the first time Starscream and Megatron have agreed on anything in a long time!"
Skywarp coyly handed Megatron a huge rectangular shaped object in white paper painted with intricate designs. "Merry Christmas, Megatron!" Skywarp beamed proudly. "It's...it's Christmas, and I had to give you something!"
Megatron irritably snatched up the gift, as Starscream grunted nosily and Thundercracker stood silently by. The Constructicons nudged in closer, cutting their way through the crowd. They had to see what Skywarp had done with their donated supplies.
Megatron's scowl turned upright into a malicious grin. He savagely tore through Skywarp's handmade wrapping paper and callously tossed it to the floor. His jaw suddenly dropped, and his optics softly glowed. "Why, Skywarp! This is amazing! It's...it's quite nice!" he stammered. He turned the recangle around so that all may see. "Skywarp, I didn't realize you were so talented! I didn't know you had it in you!"
"Neither did I!" the ebony robot answered humbly. "It was quite a surprise!"
Megatron proudly held up the like-sized portrait that the Seeker had painted for him. Skywarp's comrades gathered around the artwork for a closer look, clearly impressed.
Even Starscream was won over, sort of! "If you were going to paint a portrait, it should've been of me, instead of the unworthy Megatron! I'm your brother, for Primus' sake!" he bitterly complained.
The picture was so amazingly real, you could almost hear the Decepticon leader's biting commands coming from it. Skywarp stood amidst a sea of congratulations and pats on the back.
"Yes, my dear Skywarp. This is an amazing piece of work that you've done!" Megatron praised. "When we defeat the Autobots, and we're the masters of Cybertron once more, I shall have your work commissioned! There will be portraits of me everywhere! I do hope you work with other types of media besides paint. I want marble statues of me in every public square!" His optics burned a bright scarlet, while his calculating smile grew wider. "I think we should give the earthlings a special gift as well! We'll send every museum and art gallery on the planet a bust of me! Think of it, Skywarp! You shall have your own galleries and traveling exhibitions! Featuring...me! Yes, Skywarp! Because of me, you'll be a living legend, known throughout the universe!"
"Good grief!" Starscream spat disgustedly. "You are so full of yourself, Megatron! I deserve recognition, too! Next to your meager bust shall stand a full-size handsome likeness of my aesthetically perfect figure; sculptured by my own brother, Skywarp, for all to enjoy! The universe shall know the truth, Megatron! Why, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be where you are today!"
"Yes, Starscream! It's because of you that I'm in this losing situation!" Megatron snapped back. "The universe will know that my lieutenant commander is also a bungling idiot!"
"Well, that's your own fault, Megatron!" Starscream returned sarcastically. "You're the one who appointed me!"
Skywarp quietly and abruptly left the aptly named war room. Christmas is supposed to be a day of peace, he silently scowled, but not with those two around! He also pondered how to delicately explain to Megatron and Starscream that he did not need, or want anyone launching his new artistic career. The universe would hear about the legend of Skywarp soon enough, but it would be on his terms!
Thankfully, he had his unfinished movie waiting for him in his quarters. He gratefully left the bickering and headed for the tranquility of his room.
Along the way, he stopped to uncurl his fingers. Troy's picture was still there, nestled safely within his hand. It was Troy whom revealed his hidden talent as an artist! The galaxies out there, were his potential galleries. He would fill them with masterpieces fashioned with his own two hands, and it mattered not if they were of friends or enemies. He relished the thought that even the Autobots might reward him handsomely for a marble likeness of their beloved Optimus Prime! He smiled joyfully at the tiny portrait resting gently in his palm.
"Thanks, Troy! Thanks, Percy! Thanks for everything!"
The End