Shadows of Darkness: Dark Secrets

by Shelly LeBlanc

Fifth story in my Seer Series. Cheetor makes a startling discovery about his mother and who his father really is. And the Seer population has just gotten that much stronger, on both sides.

Dark Secrets

By: Shelly LeBlanc

The dark night smothered the Earth like a dark blanket. The normal twilight of the stars were eerily absent that night, and the moon was asleep behind clouds, resolved not to show its gleaming face.

It was not a pleasant night for the young animal that was at hunt. It lived for the light that shined during the night, the sparkling stars, the glowing planets, and the beautiful face of the moon. Each light, to the creature, meant that there were other worlds out there. Worlds just like this one. Worlds like his home.

He growled, sending a sound wave though the land, scaring small creatures back into their hiding places. He started to run, going at a slow pace at first to warm up his legs. After a few moments he sped up, going to his fastest speed. It was a very unnatural speed for most creatures, even for his kind.

He ran for a good few hours, never slowing down, and only paying enough attention to his surroundings to not get lost or ended up somewhere where he did not want to be. His mind was on other things. Such things as the role he played on this Earth, the battle he was fighting, both mental and physical, and the beings he was with, his fellow teammates, the Liberals.

Liberals were what Cheetor had called the force that was fighting against the Seers, robots with the power of sight. Cheetor himself was a Seer, but did not believed in the things the Seer leader, Shadow Demon, do. He believed that everyone should be equal, no matter what power you had. Shadow Demon believed that all those he believed to be inferior should be killed, such as non-Seer robots.

That day had been a particularly hard day for Cheetor. There had been three separate battles, resulting with injuries on both sides, especially his side. Even if the first battle of this war had sent many Seers to the Pit, the Liberals were still greatly outnumbered.

Worst of all, Goldenwind had almost went offline permanently with the amount of injuries she took on. It scared Cheetor to death to think about loosing another loved one.

'This is war, Cheets. What did you expect?'

Not this. Not more deaths. Not more pain, and anger, and sorrow. And that is what exactly this war was, sorrow. The sorrow was that they couldn't live in a universe without persecution, that they couldn't live without fear of death every single day.

Cheetor finally knew what it meant to be grown up, and he didn't like it one bit.

Cheetor had spent his entire life following someone else. He followed his parents around when he was a child, slowly and unsteadily walking the path they had followed. He was ripped from that path to another, the on Starhopper had chosen. Cheetor followed him, a little faster and a little straighter than before. But then he was torn from that path, landing right in Stinger's one, then the Orphanage, and then finally he met up with Optimus Primal and his crew. By then Cheetor knew how to blend in and walk the path he was set on, following his team-mates into space and then into battle. He learned the meaning of war. He knew the meaning of faith. He didn't need to learn the meaning of death, for he had seen it thrice before. Or so he thought.

He now led a path of his own, following nobody. He was also leading about half a dozen people behind him, down a journey that none could foretell the true meaning of it. He felt like he was the blind that lead the blind. He knew leading wasn't going to be easy, he just didn't think it was that hard to do.

He was forced to make decisions everyday that he did not like. Who took patrol, who went into battle, who lived or died. It was an awful decision to make, and it ate him up every night about it. He worried more and more about the upcoming battles, the possible fatal decisions, and anger and sadness he felt after he would make them. They were weighing down his metal shoulders.

And he didn't know how long it would hold.

With the Beast War, at least their enemies had a scheme, a reason besides killing the Maximals. The Predacons wanted power and would try anything to get them. If they had to choose between fighting a Maximal or getting power, Cheetor could bet all his worth that Megatron would have gone after the power first, then deal with the Maximals. But with the Seers . . . they were power. Some could see the future, other the past, and the few lucky ones, like Cheetor himself, could do both. They knew things others did not. They were arrogant enough to go after the Liberals and ignore more power. Seers thought there was no power greater than the gifts of sight they already possessed. They are not stupid to believe any other gift could make their Seer powers stronger, or this war would probably be over by now.

Six months, this war has already battled six months. It felt like six years to Cheetor.

Cheetor knew he was battle worn. They had just finished fighting the Beast War, for Primus sake, he didn't want another one.

But none of them had any choice, except for Shadow Demon. He had wanted this war; he thrived for it, the sick S.O.B.

And what got under Cheetor's skin the most, was that Shadow Demon could leave any time he wanted. He didn't have a busted ship, so that wasn't a reason why he kept going on this planet. But he stayed on, watching the battles the Seers and the Liberals fight out, with that sick smile on his face. It made Cheetor want to throw up, if he could.

'You could just leave. Grab your friends and teammates, and run.'

He could. He could just jump onto the Dark Eagle and run. They did not need to worry about the Ark; Shadow Demon was not like Megatron. Though both were Predacons, Shadow Demon wouldn't touch the Ark, he knew it would be a fetal error on his part if he tried to change history. Nothing was stopping the Liberals from fleeing.

But Cheetor couldn't retreat.

It had nothing to do with pride. Pride be damned in a case like this. It was the fact that if they left, Shadow Demon would just follow. It would end up to be a huge race through out the Universe. It was just safer to battle it out here, on Earth. They had four million years to battle it out before the Great War. By the looks of it, it was going to take that long anyway.

This did not comfort Cheetor in the least.

By the time he had rethought all these things, he was back at the entrance of the base. Cheetor blinked a couple of times in surprised. He subconsciously went back to the base without realizing it. It spooked him a little, but he shook it away. Leaders shouldn't be spooked.

He opened the door of the base and walked in. He tried to walk as softly as possible so not to disturb anyone who was on duty.

"What's up, Boss Kitty?"

Of course, he forgot about the cameras.

"Hey, Rattrap." Cheetor veered off the course to his room and went up the shaft to the main bridge. There he saw the Transmetal bot relaxing at the security controls.

"Dat was a long run."

"Yeah." That was all Cheetor could say. He stayed in beast mode as he went next to Rattrap's seat and settled down on the floor, his front paws under his chin, staring at the screens in front of them both. He heard Rattrap's audible sigh and turned his optics upward. "What?"

"Yous worry me sometimes, Kiddo," Rattrap said, not taking his own optics off the screen.

"I worry myself too, sometimes. It was a bad day today, Rat-face."

"So, it was a bad day, so what. We've had worse."

"Yeah, I know."

"Moping, or runnin' around all hours of da night ain't goin' to do anybody any good. Especially you."

"Why especially me?"

"Because, you're a leader. A new, young leader, to be exact, an' that's understandable. But even youths need deir sleep, Kiddo."

Cheetor sighed and looked back at the screen. They watched absolutely nothing for a few moments before Cheetor sighed again and looked over at the CR Chamber. Rattrap glanced down and followed his eyesight.

"She's out now. She now back in her room, sleepin'."

"Good."

"Which is what you should be doin'."

"Please stop lecturing me, Rattrap? I have a mother to do that, you know."

Cheetor saw Rattrap bite back a retort. The rat had learned to restrain himself the past few months, and, basically, Cheetor was grateful. Especially when his mother was part of the subject. It seemed that no matter how long a mother has been away from her child, she still knows how to treat them like one. Even ones who have to lead their squads into battle. They seemed to clash sometimes, like all mothers and sons do, but they always come at the wrong moments.

Today they had another fight, but this time it was Cheetor who caused it. He had been extremely upset when his girlfriend was put in the CR Chamber. He had a feeling that his mother was keeping something from him. He felt that both Optimus and his mother were. He had caught them yet again whispering to each other again after checking up on Goldenwind that he blew.

"Fine! Keep your secrets, I don't care!"

It plagued him the rest of the day, as did all the other things. He had yet apologized for his overreactions and felt horrible. Leaders don't yell at their mothers and former commanders.

"I've been thinking about giving Optimus full command."

Rattrap fell out of his seat. 'Well that came out of no where,' he thought.

"What do ya mean, Spots?

Cheetor sighed yet again and closed his optics. "I mean, I don't think I'm cut out to be a leader."

"Of course you are, Kiddo." Rattrap said, sitting back in his seat. "You've kept everybody from being killed so far, so I say yous are doin' a good job."

Rattrap received a look that was not all that thankful. "Look. Everybody has to start someplace; it might as well be here. Bein' a leader is not all fun and games, ya know dis."

"Yeah, I know. I mean, I knew it wasn't easy when I took the job. I just didn't know it would be this hard."

"Yous mean bein' in charge of other bots lives, right?"

"Yeah . . . if one of them dies, Rattrap, it will be on my hands. I lead them into battle, I would be the one to kill them!"

"Dey wouldn't follow your orders if didn't want to, Kiddo. Dey know you wouldn't ask dem to do anythin' dat you wouldn't do yourself. Dey know you would die for dem."

"I would."

"See. Dey trust you. Yous just need to trust yourself." Rattrap smiled and brought his hand down, and scratched the small patch of fur behind Cheetor's right ear. A deep purr filled the room, making the atmosphere much lighter.

"I'll try. Thanks, Rat-Face."

"Anytime, Spots, anytime. Now get your tail in bed, Boss Kitty. We might have a big day tomorrow.

Cheetor lifted himself of the floor and stretched, sending out a yawn. "Night, Rattrap."

"Night, Kiddo." Rattrap watched the feline go down the shaft and head towards his quarters. He sighed and shook his head. 'That kid is something.'

~o~o~o~

Cheetor awoke the next morning by the light tapping of his door. He suddenly recalled how he used to sleep like a rock, and the only thing that could wake him up until he was ready was the high blaring of an alarm. The past two years changed that.

He got up out of his bed and transformed into robot mode, and then he called out to the being on the other side.

"Come in."

The door opened and Cheetor's gut twisted with guilt. There stood his mother, Taká, giving him a small smile. She walked in and closed the door.

"Did you sleep well, sweetheart?"

"I rarely do, Mom. But last night wasn't so bad. I . . . I got a few things off my chest."

Her smile widened. "Rattrap's a surprising bot."

Cheetor opened his mouth in shock, and Taká laughed.

"No, I didn't read your mind, nor did I sneak up on you two. He just told Optimus and I the nightly report and told us about your little running break and that you two had a nice talk. I have no idea what you two talked about, and I'm not going to ask."

Cheetor smiled. "I will tell you anyway . . . I was thinking about turning over my leadership to Optimus."

It was Taká's turn to look surprised. "Why on Earth for?"

"I . . . I didn't think I was worthy to have so many lives in my hands . . . I couldn't bare it if I lost on of my team-mates and have it be my fault."

"Oh, honey. Nobody wants that. No good leader would."

"I know. It was just easier to follow Optimus. I didn't have anybody's lives depending on me but my own. Mom, when I was following Big Bot, I would have done anything for him. Mom, I would have died for him, I nearly did. Now I have people who would do the same for me. I . . . I don't know if I should be allowed to have that responsibility."

The femme bot looked at her son with sad optics. "You are a very brave robot, Cheetor. You have a good heart and a wonderful mind. You are so caring and so, so worthy to be a leader. It is not your choices that made you be a leader, it's your heart. Your will to do good and peaceful things that makes you a great leader. And you are one. You care about your teammates. You care about who you are in charge of. Only if you did not care would you not be worthy of being a leader. You took your responsibilities to heart, and if you keep doing that, nothing will stop you."

Cheetor stared at his mother for a few nano-clicks before he drew her near and hugged her. "I'm so sorry for yesterday! I was upset and blew up for no reason."

Taká hugged her son close and sighed. "It's okay, baby. I know. I know. It was a hard day for all of us. It's understandable. Besides . . . you're right. We have been keeping something from you."

"Mom-"

"No, just listen. I don't know if I can get another chance to tell you this. I better tell it now while I'm brave enough. It really should be both Optimus and I should tell you, but . . ."

"What? Are you two dating?"

Taká blinked. "No . . . but you are close. We used to."

Cheetor backed away quickly, unbelieving. "What? You and Big Bot dated? Whoa! How long did you guys date? When did you date? Did you leave Optimus for Dad-"

"Whoa! Slow down," Taká said, raising her hands. "Jeez, when you said you were fast, I didn't know it wasn't just running . . . Oh, dear . . . I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than that."

Cheetor opened his mouth to ask again what did she mean, when their comm links crackled and Optimus's voice boomed out.

"All Liberals on alert! Sting and Waspinator are under heavy fire and out numbered! All available robots are needed."

"No!" Cheetor cried out in anger. His men were in it. "Damn!"

"Cheetor?" The youth ignored his mother for a moment as he opened his comm link to answer Optimus back.

"I'm on my way, Optimus! Tell Goldenwind to stay at the base!"

There was a slight pause. "She already left."

"Damn! I'm off, Cheetor out!" Cheetor turned to his mother and ordered her, "Stay at the base. I have a bad feeling about this."

"All right. If you need back up-"

"I won't call you." Cheetor said seriously. He then gave his mother a quick kiss and transformed into beast mode, and was gone long before Taká could respond. She sighed as she saw the door automatically close behind him.

"Oh, son. What are we going to do with you . . ."

~o~o~o~

By the time Cheetor finally reached the battle, it was in full swing. All of the Liberals were fighting, except for him and his mother. Cheetor cursed again to himself and joined the battle.

It was a hard battle, as it was the day before. The Liberals were doing well until reinforcements arrived for the Seers. When he looked around, he was shocked. All of remaining the Seers had joined the battle, except for one.

"Oh, no." Cheetor muttered, as he knocked yet another Seer off-line, hopefully for good.

'When did you start hoping that?'

When it came down to them and us.

'Wasn't it that way before?'

Not as bad. Not this way.

'What way is that?'

Death.

"Optimus! We need to retreat!" Cheetor shouted out in his comm link. "It's a trap!"

"That's what I thought," Optimus said. Then he heard a great yell.

"All Liberals, retreat!"

'All Liberals, retreat!' Cheetor linked then he said again with his voice. "Retreat! Retreat!"

He continued fighting until he saw that all of his team and Optimus's team fall back. He hit on last Seer, and went to leave. That's when it happened.

A million voices entered his head, all at once. Voices crying out for his help, voices telling him how weak he was, voices blaming him.

"Aaarg!" Cheetor cried out, placing his hands over his ears. He dropped to his knees as a sharp white pain filled his head. The voices grew louder.

'Cheetor! Help me! Please help me!'

'You can't help us, you are brave enough. You aren't strong enough.'

'It's all your fault, Cheetor! You did this to us.'

"No!" Cheetor cried against the voices, feeling his defenses weakening. His whole body was starting to feel like jello. The voices kept getting louder and louder, and all he could see was white.

Suddenly, he felt the vision come through.

It was no longer white, but red. Fire. Fire was everywhere. People were fighting. The Seers and the Liberals.

Goldenwind shot an arrow at a Seer, and it returned fire, hitting her square in the chestplate.

"No!" Cheetor cried out, trying to rush to her. He saw her fall down, off- line. He was already too late.

He then saw Waspinator, helping a bot that Cheetor had never seen before up, before shots were thrown at them, sending them to their deaths.

His sorrow added to his spark one by one as he saw all his friends fall. Rattrap, Tigatron, Sting, Airrazor, Rhinox, Jack, Silverbolt, Black Arachnia, Optimus, his mother.

"Noooooooo!"

Cheetor fell to the floor as the images faded and he was alone in a dark void. He then heard the voice of Shadow Demon.

"The sorrow you hold is deep."

"Yes."

"Let me take it away from you."

"No."

"You have already watched your friends die. There is no one left but me."

"Then I rather be alone."

"Do you still defy me, even though you have lost?"

"I haven't lost yet; that was just a vision. I will stop it."

"There is no way to stop it, young Seer. I will make sure what you saw will come to pass."

"I won't let you. Leave me alone."

"But I am stronger than you. You cannot stop me."

"Then I will get stronger."

"How, young Seer, will you do that."

"Kill you, I guess."

"Ah, you have hatred. That's good. Use it."

"Of course I have hatred. I'm not perfect."

"I can make you perfect."

"No. I rather be me."

"That will only lead to your death."

"Then so be it."

"Cheetor?"

~o~o~o~

Optimus felt Cheetor lose control before he saw him. The youth's anguish cry rocked all of their circuits like an earthquake. Optimus stopped and turned around, as did half of the other Liberals. There they saw Cheetor, hands over ears, kneeling down towards the ground. His mouth opened in a silent scream, as if his voice had been cut out after the first one. Pain etched across his face.

"Cheetor!" Optimus yelled to his fallen comrade and moved to retrieve him, when he saw a medium sized Seer edge towards the younger Seer, raising his weapon. "No!"

Optimus raised his own weapon, aiming at the Seer, when suddenly his target was no longer in sight. Optimus lowered his weapon to find the Seer knocked on the ground with, what Optimus could only guess was a metallic zebra, on top of him. The zebra turned his attention to Optimus and shouted in a deep voice.

"Get the young Seer out of here! I'll hold him off." Just then, the medium sized Seer knocked him off, giving Optimus a clear shot of him again. The giant transformer took his shot and the Seer went off-line. He moved to pick up Cheetor, who looked to have finally gone unconscious, and turned head to the zebra.

"There are many of them, friend. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Well, they are one less now, I know the odds. You just get the youth out of here. He should have never been here."

"Thank you, my friend. I will return for you."

"Don't bother. I won't be here where you get back." With that the zebra stomped his hoof and cried out, "Zed! Maximize!"

The Maximal transformed and started battling with the other bots. Optimus transformed back into flight mode, and, with Cheetor resting on his back, flew back to the base, watching the warrior named Zed battle a losing battle.

~o~o~o~

The tests in the CR Chamber showed no damage to Cheetor's outer or inner structure. Whatever had triggered the attack on the young bot was mental, something the computer could never even begin to comprehend how to mend.

"Shadow Demon found a weak spot in Cheetor's protective shield," Taká told the group of non-Seers that gathered around her and the CR Chamber that held her son. "Every Seer has a built in shield, protecting them from weaker Seers from seeing in their minds. Only the Seer himself, or the one superior to him could let the shield down.

"Well, Shadow Demon is de strongest Seer, right? He would be able to do dat," Rattrap said, looking at the femme bot.

Taká sighed, "Shadow Demon is strong, the strongest any has ever known . . . but this is something Cheetor himself doesn't know. There once was an elderly Seer called Hevas could predict so far into the future, it is rumored he could see the end of the Universe. But Hevas didn't use his sight for evil, or personal gain. He would use it to help the Maximal Elders and Autobots prevent devastating wars and illnesses. One day, fifty years ago, Hevas was stolen by a very powerful Seer. The Seer used Hevas to find other powerful Seers to join his army. Hevas had predicted that this Seer would one day strike fear in the hearts of all the Universe, and this Seer liked it."

"Gee, let me guess," Sting said, sarcastically, "This Seer would have the words Shadow and Demon in his name?"

Taká nodded grimly, "The very one. So years and years had passed by with Shadow Demon waiting in the shadows, gathering his army, waiting for the time to strike. Finally, nearly twenty years ago, Shadow Demon finally thought he was ready, so he went to Hevas, who had kept in a small room for the previous thirty years, and asked him again what his future brought."

"By then, Hevas was crazy, having forced to be silent for three decades. He laughed in Shadow Demon's face. Barking mad, he was. He muttered words, which scared the Shadow Demon to his bones. And with one quick flick of a trigger, Hevas was dead, but his words still haunted him."

All was silent before Optimus cleared his throat. "What did Hevas say to Shadow Demon."

Taká looked up at him, the serious and sorrowful look on her face was clear. "He had said, 'Shadow Demon! The powerful and evil Seer that will mean to strike fear in our hearts will fall! He will fall to a boy! The infant will be born in few days time and will strike fear in the heart of Shadow Demon! The boy will defeat him, end the world of his evil! And there is nothing Shadow Demon can do!' "

The fennec never took her optics off of Optimus Primal. "He laughed and cackled, but he wasn't finished."

"'And not only that! Oh, not only that, he will be born of a Seer and a normal! He will be more powerful than Shadow Demon himself! He will have the powers of both Past and Future, along with the power of Heart! He will survive anything the Shadow Demon throws at him!'"

All of the Maximals felt their mec fluid freeze. "The power of Past and Future . . . and Heart . . .What is the power of Heart?"

All turned to Goldenwind, who stood apart from the group with her arms crossed over her chest, as if cold and frightened. Taká smiled.

"The power of Heart? It's a very rare Seer ability. Heart Seers have the ability to see into the Heart of another being, either Seer or not. It's a power that can't be trained, but just there."

"But . . . Cheetor says he has the power of Past and Future, but he didn't say Heart. So . . . he's not the one."

Tigatron cleared his throat. He stepped forward, looking grim. "Cheetor is still young, he does not know his limit. It is possible that he has this power, and not know it."

Sting suddenly remembered something. "That would explain why Cheetor was attacked. If he has the power of Heart, he is acceptable to the feelings of other Seers. Obviously, Shadow Demon thinks Cheetor is this bot in the prophecy to try it on him, or he would not have heard it."

"So, sayin' de pussy cat does have dis Heart power, does that mean he's de one? What about the other factors, are dey right?"

"Cheetor is of age." Tigatron commented quietly.

"And he does fit the other factor . . ." Taká said just as softly.

"You mean about the half-Seer thing?" Sting asked. "But I thought both you and his father were Seers. I thought you had married a Seer."

"I had."

"But-"

"Cheetor's father was not my husband." Cheetor's mother glanced to her side before lowering her head. Everyone was so in shock that they did not catch the movement, except for Black Arachnia.

"What is going on here?" she demanded. Both Optimus and Taká looked up with guilty looks on their faces, though she did not understand. "What do you know about this?"

The last was directed at Optimus. He was taken aback for a short moment before he decided to open his mouth. But before any words could come out, the CR Chamber opened and gave them all a view of a semi-conscious Seer.

"Cheetor?" Goldenwind asked, watching him slowly awake. He shook his head groggily and turned to look at her.

"Whoa . . . talk about switching places," he commented, giving her a half smile. She ran to him and gave him a hug.

"You scared me half to death!" she cried, holding him tight. He started rocking her.

"I scared myself too, Golds." Cheetor continued to hold her tight. "I heard awful things. I saw them too . . . I saw you die . . . I saw you all die . . . But I won't let that happen. I promise you!"

No one said anything as they watched the two young bots continue to hug. It was a touching moment, but not enough to forget was just played forward. All but Cheetor felt the dark curtain that fell over them, but being a very powerful Seer as he was, it didn't take him too long to figure out something was amiss.

"What happened while I was out?" he asked, nonchalant. But they all knew how he was. He knew something happened, and it wasn't good or pleasant. Optimus decided to start it off.

"A lot, apparently. We actually have a guardian angel of sorts."

"What? Who?"

"One of Shadow Demon's warriors apparently switched sides. He provided enough distraction for us to get you out of there after you had . . . that attack." Cheetor sighed and let go of Goldenwind. He then moved to one of the seats and sat down, lifting his head to Optimus, a signal for him to go on.

"Then we returned you to base and put you in here . . . whatever it was, it was done by a Seer."

"Shadow Demon. I know he talked to me, showing me a future that would happen if I fail. But I won't let it happen. I'll die before that happens."

"You may not have to, Kiddo," Rattrap commented softly.

Cheetor blinked his optics a few times before asking, "What do you mean?"

That was when Taká retold the story about Hevas, and the mad prophecy he foretold. Cheetor listened intensely, growing anxious with every word that came out of his mother's mouth. When she was finished, he sat back, staring at the floor.

"Hevas was mad, he could have just made it up to piss off Shadow Demon."

"That is true . . . but Hevas could possibly be telling the truth. Don't you want it to be true?" Silverbolt asked, staring at the younger bot. Cheetor optics flashed angrily and he shot up.

"Of course!" he yelled, "I just don't want to raise any hope that might not be there."

"What's wrong with hoping?" Silverbolt asked, not effected by the anger in Cheetor's voice. Cheetor ignored his question, afraid of what his answer was.

'I may have forgotten what hope is . . .'

He knew the other Seers had heard him, and knew they wouldn't comment on it. He didn't see one of the femme bot shiver with sadness, nor did anyone else.

"Why has this topic been brought up?" Cheetor asked instead, turning towards his mother. "You think I am this boy? That I'm the one who will defeat him?"

"We think so, Cheetor." Goldenwind spoke up, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezing it. "You have a lot in common with bot that Hevas talked about."

"But-"

"When izzz catbird'z birrrthday?"

Cheetor blinked at the green and yellow bot in the corner. "November. I will have lived twenty Cybertron years the 8th."

"The prophecy was made the 3rd of November."

"So? I was born when the bot was, so what? What about the power of Heart?"

"What did you feel today when you were attacked?" Tigatron asked urgently. Cheetor looked at his mentor.

"Pain, guilt, sorrow . . . It felt like it was tearing my soul apart . . . oh, Primus . . . I have Heart power, don't I?"

"I believe so, little cat."

They watched Cheetor shake his head in amazement and sat back down. He stayed quiet for a few clicks before he turned his head back to his mother.

"And the last one. The about a parentage of a Seer and a normal? If I were to be the boy, my father would not have been a Seer . . . did he mistake that part of the prophecy, or is there something you haven't told me about my youth?"

If Rattrap had ever thought the kid as dim, he was kicking himself over it now. Apparently, Cheetor was smarter than any of them gave them credit.

"It is possible that he didn't get it all right, but . . ."

"But you lied to me. Dad wasn't a Seer."

"No . . . your father wasn't a Seer . . . but the man you had thought was your father was one."

A silence like no other filled the room. Cheetor looked at his mother with an odd look on his face. Taká knew he was thinking about the conversation that had happened earlier that day and he was putting two and two together. He let out a sigh that sounded too much like a bull snorting, and he removed his optics from his mother to his former leader. Optimus didn't back down.

The Liberals watched Cheetor stare daggers at Optimus, and the older bot looking at the younger with sorrow. Finally the tension exploded.

"No Pitting way. You're lying!" Cheetor spat out.

Optimus sighed, his shoulders slumping heavily. "We wanted to tell you when you were ready."

"Ready? When I was Inferning ready? I'm nineteen freakin' years old! I'm bloody well ready enough! How long did you know? Huh? Did you just impregnate my mother and run off knowing you had a son somewhere out there?"

"No! I just found out! Your mother and I broke up before either of us knew you were on the way!" Optimus tried to defend himself, but Cheetor wouldn't let him. He was angry enough to do anything.

"'Just found out.'" Cheetor snarled out, standing up and facing the bigger man. "What does that mean, anyway? Give it to me in months!"

Optimus paused before answering, "Six."

A laugh busted out of Cheetor's mouth, a cruel one that none of them have every heard before. Rattrap stepped back in fear. 'The Kiddo snapped.'

"Six months? Oh, Primus! He thinks 'just found out' is Six Pitting Months!" Cheetor's maniac laughter made all their mec fluid freeze. It was a sound they had all imagined the laugh of Hevas during his last moments.

"Cheetor, calm down!" Taká moved closer to her son, who whirled around on her.

"What is it, Mother? You didn't expect me to take it like this?" Cheetor asked her, centering his attention on her. "What did you expect? That I would open my arms and say, 'It's okay, Mother Dearest! I forgive you for letting me believe I was an orphan for fifteen years! I forgive you for cheating on your husband with my future leader!"

"I never cheated on my husband. Optimus and I were together before I married Raven . . ."

"And what, Mother? Did he know I wasn't his son? Or did you lie to him too!"

"No . . . He knew. It was his idea to marry me . . . to protect me. And you . . . he loved you like he would have loved his own."

"Oh, wow. I'm touched." Cheetor's voice was hard and cold. He turned blazing optics back to Optimus. "And where were you, Dad? You just broke it up with her, Dad, and not bothered to check back? Did you just abandoned her, Dad?"

For the past six months, Optimus had hoped to hear that word from the young bot that turned out to be his son. But had never dreamed it would come out so cold, so mockingly. "Cheetor . . ."

"I told him to leave." Cheetor turned from his father to his mother, who was right at his right arm. He backed away from her when she lifted a hand to place on his shoulder. She flinched and lowered her hand, but continued. "I knew I was in danger, and thus would put Optimus in danger. Shadow Demon was growing stronger, and I didn't want Optimus to get hurt."

"I didn't want to leave . . ." Optimus continued. "I didn't know anything about her being a Seer. She had kept that a secret . . . to protect me. I refused to leave."

"So I left," Taká said as she stared at her son. "I left during the night without a word. So, do not blame Optimus for this. Blame me. I had no clue I was pregnant with you."

"But you didn't return to him," Cheetor stated. "You ran straight into the arms of Raven, and out popped me. And then he dies, you pretend to die, and you hand me over to Starhopper, who then gets killed, sending me to the streets, where I almost get slagged and handed over to the orphanage. And then comes, surprising enough, my real father and pulls me into space, where we meet up with a bunch of rebel Predacons and thus started the Beast Wars, where I saw people I care about die, and I find out that I'm a Seer. And, hey, the prophecy came true! I defeated the Shadow Demon, and then everything was peachy pitting keen. That is until you come back from the dead, I find out dad ain't my dad, but my pitting leader is, and I'm here, trying to pick up the freakin' pieces. And not only that! I am responsible of slagging off the most powerful Seer known so far. Wow, ain't life Pitting Grand! The chosen one not only has to kill Shadow Demon, he has to find out his pitting life is a freakin' Soap Opera!"

With that, Cheetor transformed into beast mode. He gave a snarl and sped off, leaving the rest of the Liberals in the wake of his wrath. They were all too stunned to move.

It was finally Goldenwind who made the first move, and that was only to transform into her own beast form and follow quickly behind her leader. It was Optimus who moved next, but Tigatron moved himself in the bigger bot's path.

"No, let them go. He has much to think about and only the love of someone he feels he can trust will help him."

Optimus seriously looked like he was going to reject the old cat's idea, but finally backed down. He lowered his head in defeat, moving his optics to the small blue and gold femme bot. "What have we done?"

~o~o~o~

There was a storm blowing by the time Cheetor had made it out of the base. The heavy clouds had not burst open just yet, but there was a definite threat given to him by the strong winds that blew against him. He ignored the angry wind, for it was nothing like the battle that was blazing inside him.

His anger at his mother and Optimus was great, and any can admit it was justified. Spending nineteen years believing one things, and as quick as that, his world turned upside down. He was not the same robot now as he was a few mega-cycles ago.

As he ran top speed towards Primus knew where, he went over the conversation he had just had over and over in his mind. 'You lied to me. No Pitting Way. Where were you, Dad? Lied. Lied. Lied. Dad. Dad. Dad.' He remembered the coldness of his voice. He remembered the sorrow in his mother's voice, the pain in Optimus's optics.

'Lied. Lied. Lied,' his minded taunted him. 'Dad. Dad. Dad.'

Cheetor didn't know at whom he was angrier. His them, or himself.

~o~o~o~

Goldenwind barely saw the golden streak that was Cheetor. He was already miles ahead of her, and the wind was already against them both. She could not fly, for the storm was too strong; it would only make her crash. She was forced to use the speed of her cheetah form to try and catch up with Cheetor's faster and more advanced Transmetal 2 one.

It had started to rain a few miles after they had left the base. It did not start slow, but came down in hard sheets of water. Goldenwind's sense of sight was failing her, leaving only her sense of smell to guide her. She couldn't trust sound; the rain was pounding down too hard. Even if Cheetor had cried out, she would not be able to know which direction it was coming from. Fortunately for her, Cheetor had a very distinct smell, and she had come to know it well the six months they had spent together.

After a few more miles of tracing Cheetor's sent did she finally realize where he was going. Even though she couldn't see her surroundings properly, she could make out some landmarks she came to know well. Cheetor was heading towards the underground base they had first used when they had to hide from Shadow Demon. Cheetor had decided to keep it, and continue to hide it, incase they had ever needed it again. As it turns out, he was right. It was a perfect place to get out of a storm, even a storm that fills his own spark.

It had only taken a few more cycles before Goldenwind finally reached the secret base. By then, the wind was positively howling, and it would have been suicide to continue in it much longer. She did not see him when she first entered; it was blacker in there than it was outside. But finally her optics adjusted, and she saw the shaking figure in the back corner. A pitiful moan escaped the figure's mouth; it's face wet with the rain and tears together. Goldenwind opted to stay in her beast mode and carefully walked over. She stopped a few meters away, uncertain of what to do. She stood in silence for a few moments as she listened to his ragged breath. Finally, she decided to speak.

"Cheetor?"

The sobs stopped, and she saw him lift his head. His red optics stared into her green ones for a few nano-clicks.

"You shouldn't have followed . . . it's a bad storm out there." His voice was husky with tears.

"You are hurt. I would follow you to death if I have to," was her simple reply. For some reason unbeknownst of her, the tears started up again.

"No! Don't say that . . . I don't deserve to have someone do that for me . . ." He lowered his head again, silently cried, his shoulders shaking with each sob. "You saw how I treated them."

"You were angry, and hurt. I would have done the same thing."

"No. No, you wouldn't have. You are too good," Cheetor argued.

"So are you." Goldenwind's own soul ached to see him in this much pain.

Cheetor lifted his head and shook it. "No. I used to be, at least, I thought I was . . . but I've been fighting too long, seen too much death. I've grown cynical and hard."

"No. You are good, Cheetor. You are. You are the best person I know. You were the first person I ever remember seeing. You rescued your friends. You even redeemed a Predacon, for Primus's sake! You are a wonderful being, Cheetor. Your only fault is that you don't have enough faith in yourself to know that."

Cheetor stared up at the catbird with such admiration Goldenwind didn't know what to do. She moved closer to him and rested her head on top of his shoulder, putting her paws around his body. He moved his head in her chest and started crying again.

Neither knew how long they stayed in that position, nor did they know who looked up first, but they found themselves staring at each other. A strange expression filled both of their faces. They didn't understand what they were about to do, but they knew they were going to do it.

It was Cheetor who moved first, moving his head up towards hers. Goldenwind did not back away as she saw him draw near, but closed her optics, meeting him half way. His optics closed as their lips touched, sharing a kiss that set them both on fire.

It was that kiss that started a reaction that would change their lives forever.

~o~o~o~

Rattrap was starting to get worried. No, scratch that, he was beyond worry. He was worried when Cheetor fell to the ground. He was worried when they put the cat-bot into the CR Chamber. He was worried when he heard the prophecy. He was worried when he saw Cheetor run out of the base. He was worried when he saw the storm.

But this was so far beyond worry; he wasn't even sure what it was called.

After the storm died away a few hours after it had started, Optimus sent out patrols to find the cheetahs. The comm links had not worked during the storm, and all of the Seers refused to use their linking power to find them, they were more than a little upset about the events that had occurred and had opted to let Cheetor be in peace. But it had been more than a few hours and they didn't even have to be asked. Whether Cheetor was ignoring their cries, or he wasn't able to answer.

And Cheetor's never been this angry before.

So the Liberals had split up, a Seer in each group, and searched for their missing comrades. Rattrap was positive that Golds' and Cheetor were together, but he had no clue where.

With the comm still out, their only hope to contact Cheetor was with the Seer's help. And Rattrap's Seer partner wasn't getting anything.

"Slag this to the Pit!" Sting cried out after a five-minute semi- meditation. Rattrap would have thought he had been in a coma if the fuzor hadn't warned him in advanced.

"Still getting' a busy signal?" the rat asked. Sting just scowled and started pacing back and forth. Rattrap sighed. He had learned that this guy had as much conversational skills as a cactus, with a temper as sharp as the needles on one too. Rattrap had found out the hard way when he did his trademark wise crack to the kid and was found at the firing end of Sting's gun. It had taken Cheetor a great deal of talking to get Sting to just put his gun down. The Transmetal rat had learned something that day and had started laying off of Cheetor when ever the crazy fuzor was near.

"Why is he ignoring us?" Sting muttered. Why is he ignoring me?

"I have never seen him act dat way before." Rattrap commented to the wolf/scorpion/crow. Obviously, it was the wrong thing to say. Sting was upon Rattrap before the last word left his mouth.

"Are you saying he had no right to act the way he did? Are you saying that Optimus and Taká should have done what they did?" Sting accused Rattrap. The rat maximized and threw the bot off. Sting maximized in air, landing swiftly. He moved towards Rattrap again, but Rattrap had lifted his hand up, stopping him.

"Back off, Fuzor! I never said any of dat! If I were Spots, I would have probably acted worse. I was just sayin' that I never seen him so angry! Who knows what could have happened. Jeez, lay off, will ya?"

Sting breathed in heavily a few times before turning away. Finally, a sigh was heard, and Rattrap saw his shoulders' sloop.

"I'm sorry," Sting said, not turning around. Rattrap was slightly shocked, but tried his best to hide it. "I'm just so aggravated, I don't know what to do."

Rattrap moved up next to the bot. He didn't look at the taller bot as he spoke. "I know what ya mean. We can't find hide or hair of him, and he's not answerin' our calls. I don't know what to do now. I guess we jus' have ta wait until he calls or shows up."

"I guess you're right . . ." Sting said resignedly. He moved to turn around when a phrase had caught up to him. 'We can't find hide nor hair of him.' Rattrap had said. The last time they couldn't find Cheetor was six months ago.

"Holy Slag! I know where to find him!" the Seer cried out and jumped into beast mode, causing Rattrap to almost fall over.

"Whoa? Hold it, Fuzor. Where do you think you are goin'?"

"To find my friend."

"Den yous gonna have to wait for me. He's my buddy too." Rattrap argued, expecting the Seer to argue, but instead Sting landed back on the ground and moved his wing. Rattrap stared in awe until Sting snorted.

"You going jump on, or what? We don't have all day." With that, Rattrap climbed on Sting's back and the fuzor flew up again, heading towards the destination Sting had in mind.

~o~o~o~

Optimus did not like the feeling he was having. He had spent the past few years in a war that should have never happened, and now he was in a war that couldn't be avoided. From what he knew of the Seer history, this was a start of a war that the Seers had been planning for millions of years. The Seers had not been slaves turned free, nor were they being prosecuted for what their ancestors had done and had grown bitter. No, the Seers just wanted power, a lot of power. They had nothing but greed driving them, not hatred, not anger, just greed. Optimus didn't have to be a Seer to know that was a dangerous thing. The Seers had no underlining emotion, nothing that could work in the Liberals' favor. If Optimus were to offer the Seers free reign over the Universe, they would take it . . . then kill off anybody who posed a threat to over throw them. The first would be Cheetor.

And the fact that they had not found him yet, it made Optimus a little more than worried.

~o~o~o~

The figure stared at the sky, searching as if for a clue. The stars twinkled red, blinking out a warning. The femme bot closed her optics and drew a deep breath. It was a hopeless cause, searching for their lost friends, at least that's what her brain was telling her.

But somewhere deep inside the Maximal, in a place that was new and different to her, she felt a strange warmth, telling her that Cheetor was alive, and well, and, if it was possible, happy? Worry and pain were there also, but the feeling of content was strong, and it had calmed her circuits down slightly.

Just as she felt the feeling, it was gone. Replacing it was a horribly hot feeling that she had felt before, evil. She wasn't sure why she was feeling it, but she did know two things. It wasn't coming from Cheetor, and it was near by. She knew that it was getting closer and closer, for it was getting hotter and hotter.

She turned to her comrades and saw one other looking as uncomfortable as she was. The old tiger started to wince and turned her way. They stared at each other, as if in understanding, and she closed her optics. Then she heard a calm voice in her head.

'He has blocked us all from his mind in pain and confusion, you are our last hope.'

'How can I be?'

'He does not know that you and him are the same, he needs to be found. You know what to do.'

'How can you be so sure? You know who I am.'

'It is because I know you that I understand.'

'That sounds reasonable enough, stripes.'

She paused slightly, taking a deep breath.

'Cheets, he's coming, we need you.'

~o~o~o~

Cheetor slowly opened his optics, sensing that something wanted him to come out of sleep. The moonlight shined through the opening of the secret base, telling him approximately how long he had been asleep and that the outside storm was over. He knew the one in his heart would take a while to calm down. He rolled his head to his left and stopped.

He didn't know had woken him up, but he was slightly glad he was awake to this.

Goldenwind was in her beast form, napping right beside him. She looked so beautiful and peaceful it warmed his heart. He loved her.

Love. It concept was both new and old. He loved a lot of things. He loved Christmas. He loved flying in the air. He loved running. He loved his friends. He loved the General. He loved the man he grew up believing was his father. And as mad as hell he was at his parents, he loved them as well.

But had never felt a love like this before, not for a bot like Goldenwind.

He could understand slightly what it was that Optimus and his mother had shared. They shared it, and then had him.

'And everything went down hill from there, didn't it, Cheets?'

No. I had some good times. I had some great times.

'And you had some bad times, some horrible times.'

Yes.

'And the bad out weighs the good, don't it Cheets?'

Yes. No. I don't know.

'You've gotta know before speaking.'

I know. I feel bad already.

'Then my job is working.'

I should have known better than to let you be my conscious.

'But I do my job correctly. What person would have been better than your past self?'

You got a point. I hate when you're right.

'You're right, too. We are the same robot, remember.'

Don't remind me.

"Cheetor?"

The Transmetal cheetah snapped out of his musing and looked at the catbird next to him. He gave her a smile, one that was real, and kissed her. "Hi."

"Hi, what were you doing?"

"Huh?"

"You looked like you were linking."

Cheetor blushed. "Oh, no.I.er.was having a fight with my conscious."

"What?"

"Yeah . . . you see, when the Seer War started, I was afraid I would lose focus on things, so I sorta . . . I programmed something in my body to make my conscious be more . . . helpful than normal ones. It was a theory Sting and I had when we were younger and I had Rhinox try it out. I made him keep it secret, because I didn't want anybody to get weird when I wanted to put voices in my head."

Goldenwind stared at him for a moment before speaking. "Wow. And you trust me with this secret?"

Cheetor smiled. "I trust everything with you."

She smiled and kissed him softly. She then snuggled up next to him and gave a contented sigh. "So . . . what does your conscious look like?"

The grin on Cheetor's face made her spark jump. "Actually, I had Rhinox give me my old self . . . the way I was when the Beast Wars had first started."

"You had him give you your innocence back." Goldenwind exclaimed in awe.

"Something like that, that me wasn't tainted. I needed something like that to help me not be so bitter."

"You're not tainted. You're not bitter."

"I'm not?" Cheetor said flatly, "My behavior earlier proves otherwise."

"You were angry, and hurt. You're not tainted. You are more like your younger self than you know."

"You don't know my younger self."

"I've heard stories. Did you really disobeyed Optimus's orders."

A chuckle filled the space. "Quite a few times."

"And did you really end up in the Pred base after having a sensor land in some energon?"

"I still say I did that on purpose," Cheetor claimed, turning slightly red.

"You saved a lot of lives that day."

"Even the Preds."

"Even the Preds. You are still that Cheetor. You didn't need to put in a super conscious."

Perhaps he didn't, but he missed his old self. He missed the energy, the jokes, his . . . naiveté.

A sound coming from outside the hidden base brought both Cheetor and Goldenwind out from their comfortable positions and in battle mode. With him blocking all of his friend's signals and also Shadow Demon's, he had no clue who or what it could be. If he turned it on now, and it was Shadow Demon, he and Goldenwind were dead.

They quietly transformed into their battle mode and crept up towards the entrance of the base. Cheetor had motioned Goldenwind to stay back as he went on a head. There he ran right into a beast and fell backwards.

"Freakin' Pit!" Cheetor cried out as he landed on his back. He groaned in pain for a nano-click and moved to get up, but the beast jumped on him, placing abnormal amount of weight on Cheetor's torso. Abnormal.

This was no normal beast, had to be . . .

"Do you know how freakin' worried I've been?"

Sting.

"Nice to see you, too." Cheetor muttered, trying to maneuver the fuzor off of him, but older bot wouldn't budge.

"You run out in the middle of a storm, turn off your sight, and freakin' ignore us! I know your upset but that doesn't give you a right to ignore the people who care about you."

Cheetor's anger flared up again. "Right?" the cold voice was back. "I don't have the right to feel?"

"You don't have the right to make us worry."

"Worried, were you? If you were so worried, why are you just finally finding me, huh? Do you think I made it hard on purpose? I was too busy feeling betrayed to do anything on purpose!"

A few moments of silence had filled their lives before the beast called Sting growled and jumped off of Cheetor, maximizing in mid-air. "I don't know what to think."

The anger wasn't totally gone, but it was no longer directed at Cheetor. It was directed at himself.

Cheetor stayed on the ground for a few more nano-clicks before slowly getting up. He avoided his friend's optics as he dusted himself off.

'He was only worried. You didn't have to blow.'

I know.

*Sigh* 'I know you know.'

By Primus, my conscious even sighs!

'Rhinox did a good job. Wait till you see me playful.'

Cheetor realized then that he hadn't been playful in a long time.

Cheetor looked up at Sting with guilty optics. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Save it, Kiddo." Cheetor jumped and turned to the left, where he finally saw Rattrap. The Transmetal rat moved in closer. "We understand. It's hard enough job bein' Harry Potter, but to find out yous don't even know your own parentage, it can drive even de normal robots crazy."

Cheetor gave Rattrap another appreciative smile and swatted at him. The smaller bot gracefully ducked the arm and gave a cheesy smile of his own. "Thanks, Rattrap." 'For not hating me.'

Rattrap shrugged it off, embarrassed. "Ah, whatever. Come on; let's get yous two out of here and back at base. Dere is a lot of talking dat needs ta go on."

Cheetor nodded and looked at Goldenwind, who was beaming. He held out his hand to her and she grabbed it. The started heading out as Sting walked up besides him. He gave Cheetor a looked and asked, "Harry Potter?"

Cheetor's grin widened. "I'll explain later."

"Okay," Sting shrugged and moved a head of him, instinctively protecting Cheetor in case of an unseen enemy. Cheetor's smile softened at the gesture. He was about to comment on it when suddenly a familiar female voice filled his head.

'Cheets, he coming, we need you.'

Cheetor stopped short. It couldn't be . . .

'Listen, pussy cat, if you don't find us soon, we're dead meat.'

It was . . .

'Black Arachnia?'

~o~o~o~

'Black Arachnia?'

The femme bot sighed with relief. She was never so glad to hear the pipsqueak's voice in her whole life.

'About time, Spots. Shadow Demon is coming, can't you feel him?'

There was a pause before he answered. 'Now I can. Primus. Where are you? Scratch that, I can feel where you are. I'm on my way!'

'Better hurry, Cheetor. We don't have much time.'

'I know . . . since when did you become a Seer?'

'Pit if I know, cat. Just get your spotted tail-end over here!'

'Ow, meow. I'm coming, hide.'

Black Arachnia opened her optics and gulped. The Seer army was there, with their Shadow Demon leading his troops.

'Too late. Hurry.'

Cheetor didn't answer back, but she knew he got the message. She prayed, probably for the first time in her life, to Primus that Cheetor really was the robot to end Shadow Demon's evil reign.

~o~o~o~

Shadow Demon saw the Liberals. He knew they couldn't see him, but they could sense him, at least, the rebel Seers could. Even if they could feel him, it was already too late. They had no chance over his army, no matter how they faired so far in battle.

Shadow Demon knew this might not be the last battle, but he knew it was the turning point.

Indeed.

~o~o~o~

Cheetor flew faster and harder than he had ever flown before. His desperation to get his friends proved to be the only thing that made this already fast cat faster. Right now all he felt was worry.

'Where is the anger you had before?'

I put it aside. Lives are at risk here.

'But now that you know the truth, isn't their life a little less important?'

No. No life is devalued because of what they have done. The lives of my family and friends are still important. Maybe even a little more.

'Now you're talking.'

Cheetor glanced behind him briefly, to make a head count. Goldenwind was slightly behind him, just to the right, while Sting was behind her, with Rattrap riding on his back. Cheetor quickly turned back to the front and tried to push his body faster. But he could not; he was already at maximum speed. He winced at the thought of not getting there in time.

As if she had read his thoughts, Goldenwind struggled to catch up with him to tell him, "We're going to get there, Cheetor. We're going to get there in time. They can defend themselves long enough for backup."

"That's what I'm hoping," Cheetor said, gritting his teeth against the air.

'We will make it.'

I want to believe that.

'We will.'

~o~o~o~

Optimus stared the hundreds of fighters heading their way. He knew it wasn't the grand number they had fought before, but the way they moved and the feel of the air around them made them more intimidating, more deadly.

The Liberals had yet lost anyone to the Seers. Optimus was not sure how long it would before they did, if they did.

When they did? He did not want to think about it. But he did.

He turned to his teammates. With the exceptions of Cheetor, Goldenwind, Sting, and Rattrap, all of them were there. All ready for battle, but the tall bot saw the expression of anxiety hidden behind determined masks.

"Steady. Let them come to us." The Liberals acknowledge his command with a "Yes, sir," or a quick nod of the head. They knew that this battle would be different.

The Seers moved closer and closer, seemingly growing larger in size with every step they took. It took only nano-clicks before they were upon the Liberals. It was Optimus himself that shot the first blow, and then the battle was on.

Cheetor's band showed up only cycles after the battle was started. They wasted no time joining in. Cheetor took out two just landing. He didn't look around to check out how the others were doing, he didn't dare.

What he did dare to do was attack without mercy. It was a decision he knew he would regret later, perhaps for the rest of his life, but if he was going to protect his teammates, his friends, his family, he was going to have to the game that way. It was nothing to be proud of, yet he saw no other option.

He let his anger and his hatred for Shadow Demon drive him. With every blow he gave, he put in the strength he would have used for Shadow Demon himself. He was not going to let what he saw in the future to happen. If it took his last dying breath to stop it, Cheetor knew he would do it.

After what seemed like many days of fighting, which probably was only a megacycle, Cheetor finally came to the middle of the mass of Seers, somewhere he had only been once before. With a trail of fallen robots in his wake, Cheetor stood just a few meters away from the leader of the Seers, Shadow Demon, unguarded with the exception of the lord's own defenses. This was his change, his chance to finish it once and for all.

'It ends here,' said the object of his youth.

It ends here.

Cheetor slowly moved forward, knocking down the robots that just happen to get in his path. His optics baring into the back of Shadow Demon's head, his anger rising with every step he took. He was barely a jump distance away from his target, when the Seer leader turned, and gave him an evil smile.

Cheetor froze. His first instincts were to turn around. It was only then that he knew it was a trap. He had let his anger and disgust fill him to the point that he ignore his instincts, something he had relied on for many years. He knew it was already too late.

I lost.

It was the first thought that came to his mind after he felt the first sting. Three other stings followed, and the soft ground, that had had many robots trample on for the past hour, loomed before him. He landing with a thump that could not be heard over the noise of the battle.

Cheetor closed his optics in defeat as he felt some of the Seers move over his body to check to see if their poison worked. He was so stupid for believing it was going to be that easy. He had let Shadow Demon play with his emotions, and Cheetor had just let him. Slag it.

Suddenly, a buzzing sound filled the air around him, and the arms that he had felt earlier disappeared. Cheetor opened his eyes and was marveled at sight that which he saw.

It was Waspinator, forcing the Seers back while protecting Cheetor from anymore harm. He was doing a great job at it too. Cheetor smiled in awe and appreciation. He knew Waspinator was good deep down inside.

The joy on his face disappeared when he had heard what Shadow Demon shouted over the crowd of people.

"Grab the bug and retreat."

Cheetor stared in horror as he saw the swarm of Seers grow larger, and finally taking down Waspinator. He saw the green and yellow robot plunge into stasis lock and fall into the arms of waiting robots.

"No! Waspinator!" Cheetor cried out, and tried to get up from the ground, but found a pair of arms knocking down his attempts. Cheetor moved his head and saw Sting's face looming above him. "Help me up! We need to get Waspinator!"

"No, it's too late."

"No!" Cheetor struggled against the restraints of Sting's arms. "I have to get him back!"

"We will. But let them retreat. We need to regroup," Sting told him, lifting his friend's weak body up. "Don't worry, we'll get him back."

After a few more nano-clicks of Cheetor finally stop struggling, growling at the top of his lungs.

"Shadow Demon! It's not over yet! You hear me, Shadow Demon? I know who I am now, and I know you know who I am. I will defeat you. One of these days, I will defeat you! I will get him back! You better count on that, you slaggin' Inferno worshiper! I will coming for him!"

The Seers kept on running, with their teammate somewhere among them. Cheetor hung his head and sighed.

"He will be okay, won't he, Sting?"

"I sure hope so, 'Chase." With that, Sting helped his leader move back to where the rest of the Liberals were, heavy hearted with the lost that they had just had.

~o~o~o~

It had been over three megacycles since they had returned to base before Cheetor finally talked to Optimus. Everyone had taken turns in the CR Chamber for repair, and a few of the Liberals teamed up to talk strategy for their next move, the finding of their missing comrade.

Cheetor had just dismissed small group that he had rounded up to help plan how they were going to retrieved Waspinator when Optimus entered the main room. Cheetor stood silently still for a moment before he cleared his throat. Optimus looked over at the robot that was revealed to be his son and felt the guilt wash over his system. But he moved closer Cheetor, stopping only a few feet away from him. Neither spoke for a moment, both waiting for the other to speak first.

It was Optimus who spoke first. He moved his optics downward and gave a sigh. "Cheetor, I'm so-" But Cheetor didn't let Optimus finish.

"Don't." Cheetor raised his hand up, stopping Optimus in mid-sentence. His own optics filled with pleading. "Just don't tell me how sorry you are. I know you are. I just can't handle hearing it again." Cheetor sighed and shook his head. "And I know I could never tell you how sorry I am for how I reacted earlier. I had no right to say the things I did. I just . . . It surprised me. I thought that finding out that I was a Seer was the biggest secret in my life. It's hard to try and understand that everything that I grew up learning was false. I know you nor mother wanted to happen that way, and I understand why it was kept from me so long. So I forgive you. Both your and mother for . . . keeping it a secret, I guess . . . But I want you to know. I'm not ready yet, to acknowledge you as a father. Not yet. I need . . . I need more time. Just give me time, and I will try and find a way to accept the truth."

Optimus hadn't tried to interrupt him. He had just let him talk, knowing it would be the best thing for both of them. And when Cheetor had finished, it had left him strangely empty. He understood Cheetor's plea for patients, Cheetor's plea for time. Primus, he knew he needed it. But to know he had hurt his son so much that it took him time to accept it, it made him feel as if a part of his spark was missing. Optimus was comforted to know that they might have a change to become a family by Cheetor's promise. Some of the guilt he was holding was lifted slightly, and the emptiness didn't seem that much of a burden. Optimus let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and nodded his head.

"I understand."

Cheetor nodded, also. He moved his glaze away from Optimus to the plans on the table, Optimus's line of sight followed.

"When are you leaving?" Optimus asked, nodding at the plans. Cheetor moved back, letting his former leader take a look at them.

"Tomorrow at dawn. A small group of us will be heading towards the Seer base at top speed. Due to the number of solders they have, it's going to take them longer to fix themselves up and form a defense. They know we are going to try, but I don't think they will expect it to be so soon. They will most likely place him as bait, we just will have to be sure that we don't fall into anymore traps."

"Who are you taking with you?"

"Sting, Tigatron, and, with your permission, Rattrap and Black Arachnia."

"Of course, take anyone you need."

Cheetor nodded, "Sting is good for the offensive, Tigatron knows the territory, I need both Rattrap's and Black Arachnia's skills to get inside the base undetected . . . did you see how he defended me?"

Optimus wasn't surprised at the change of topic. In fact, he would have been disappointed if the emotional tie to this mission didn't come through.

"I did. I was very proud of him."

"So was I . . . I'll get him back. I promise I will."

"I know you will. You don't have to tell me that."

Cheetor sat down, looking a lot older than his nineteen years. "I know."

Optimus bowed his head, letting the calming silence wash over them. They reflected on how the past few days had changed them, and the days still to come. Finally, Cheetor took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.

"I better rest up. I have a big day tomorrow."

"I know," Optimus said, watching Cheetor turn away and move to his quarters. Cheetor was almost to the lift when Optimus called out again. "Cheetor!"

Cheetor turned around, and with a passive face, looked up at the tall bot. "Yeah, Optimus?"

"I'm . . . proud of you, son."

Cheetor gave a small smile, and then entered the lift.

The End.