Fire of Youth
One-Shot: An Unanswered Question
"Uncertainty is a sign of humility, and humility is just the ability or the willingness to learn."
–Unknown
This is what happened during my conversations with user What Lies Beyond today. I pm'ed her this as a sort of random little present to help with her sketching of Infernus because she was having a bit of trouble with his expression after adding his armor. She flipped out and she ordered me to publish this. So. Here ya go. :)
Out in the dark of the compound a lone white figure wandered. Fireflies flickered in and out, in and out, like tiny burning specters around the parched desert shrubs and cacti. The asphalt roads and landing strips that crisscrossed the compound, once crawling with personnel and vehicles like ants in a mound, was devoid of movement save for the lone figure. Faint moonlight streamed down from a thin sliver of a crescent that hung suspended in the velvet skies. Stars twinkled and sung softly their cosmic chorus.
Infernus didn't really have a destination in mind. He had just become restless and needed to move. Bluestreak and Miko had wanted to follow him out, but he'd managed to convince them to stay in. He promised he'd come right back once he'd stretched his legs. They'd given in at that. Ratchet had watched him leave with a bit of a skeptical gleam in his gaze. He snorted in remembrance. That mech wouldn't be happy unless he was chained up inside the hangar with Bulkhead sitting on him for good measure. He wasn't mad about that, not really. Ratchet just didn't want to lose him. He wasn't taking any chances with him.
His legs slowed of their own accord. He turned his helm up towards the cosmic singing above him. The electromagnetic song wasn't as loud as it had been back home. The atmosphere muffled it. His enhanced hearing helped though. He guessed that was one good thing about being burned alive by a demi-god dragon from the dawn of time. Pain flashed through his frame as he remembered that, the agonizing reformatting process he'd been forced to go through. He winced. He could still feel that burning even now with an effort. The visions he'd seen, too. He could still see that bright, blazing sphere of starfire singing to the dead and dying, collecting them and bringing them home. Only in retrospect did he realize that had been Praxus – after the Slaughter.
He sat on his haunches and kept looking up, trying to read some message in the stars. He saw nothing. He just saw little blips of light against the void of black. One constellation he recognized after a bit of thought. Three stars in a near straight line, an arc of them further up. With a little imagination he could see a vaguely humanoid figure, bow drawn to strike – a bow of stars.
Orion the Hunter.
'Am I really a good substitute for you, Optimus?' he wondered.
No answer.
'Why did you even pick me? Why me? Why not somebody else? Was I just the most convenient because I was right there?'
No answer. His snout curled into a faint snarl. It only lasted a second. Confusion replaced it swiftly, along with a touch of frustration. If there was one thing that remained unclear to him, one question that remained unanswered, it was that. Why the slag had he been chosen? What, was he expected to figure this out on his own? He didn't even slagging know why! That's why he was asking! He'd appreciate at least a hint!
The stars continued their song. They did not answer. Nor did the Matrix.
He sighed. His expression softened. He shook his helm. Forget it. Just forget he asked. He knew an answer wasn't coming for him, not at this rate. All he could do was try to uphold the Prime's legacy. That was all he could do. And he just hoped that it worked out alright.
Silence. He lost track of time, staring up at the Hunter in the skies. Sadness percolated into his gaze. A single tear trickled out from the corner of his right optic. It dripped to the ground.
'I wish you were here, Optimus. It'd make this easier...so much easier...'
Still no answer.
Yeah. I get bored and this sort of thing just happens. :P What Lies Beyond – thank you so much for your positive reviews and entertaining me with massive pm chats where I basically ramble off questions and head-canons. And thank you even more for drawing Infernus in your spare time. You have no idea how happy it makes me to know there's fan art of some of my work out there on the interwebs. :3 *hugs* I can't wait to see it finished!