Prologue
"Sire?"
"Hmm? Yes, Bluestreak?"
Bluestreak snuggled close to his sire's chest, looking up at him with sad, hopeful optics. "Did Carrier love me?"
Longshield blinked down at his creation. "Of course, sweetspark. He loved you more than you'd ever know." He wrapped his youngling tighter in his arms, nuzzling their helms. "What brought up such a question?"
"I dunno." Was the childish reply.
"Did someone say something to you?" Longshield looked down at Bluestreak with concern.
Bluestreak scrunched up his nose, shaking his head wildly. "No!"
"Then why would you ask such a thing, spark?" Longshield asked.
"Because carrier's not here." Bluestreak said, as if it were the most obvious reason on the planet.
Longshield fell silent, focusing on gently smoothing Bluestreak's helm. They stayed in silence for some time, before Longshield let out a wistful sigh.
"Sire?" Bluestreak looked up at his creator.
"Bluestreak," the older mech addressed the youngling, while shifting on the berth, "did I ever tell you how your carrier and I named you?"
Bluestreak frowned in concentration, before shaking his helm. "No." He nuzzled closer. "How, Sire?"
Longshield cleared his throat. "When you were born, it was late in the evening. The stars were out and shining bright, and all was quiet except for the soft humming of the crystals through the open window." Longshield smiled longingly at the memory, while Bluestreak watched his sire, transfixed at the story.
"We weren't expecting you so early, so we were at home when you came. It was so sudden, we didn't have time to make it to a medical centre. Luckily, one of our neighbours was a trained medic, and rushed over to help deliver you.
"It had scared both me and your carrier. However, that moment we got to hold you in our arms, we couldn't have been happier. And just as our neighbour was calling it in, and we were settling down in berth with you, our neighbour's mate came in. She said, 'Oh, what a beautiful creation you've sparked. He's as brilliant as the light's in the sky!'
"Confused, we headed outside, followed by our guests. The sky had lit up with the most beautiful green, purple, and pink hues-"
"My name isn't Pinkstreak, though." Bluestreak interrupted.
His sire shushed him. "As I was saying!" Bluestreak giggled, "The sky was alight with green, purple, and pink hues, swirling together in the most amazing display. And as the colours shifted, changing to a brilliant blue," Longshield smiled at his creation, "you opened your optics, and you gave us the biggest smile… They way the lights twinkled in your optics, that's when we knew…"
"That you weren't gunna name me Pinkstreak?"
"Oh hush, you." Longshield laughed, tickling Bluestreak's sides. The youngling giggled, wriggling out of his sire's arms.
Bluestreak flopped down on the berth next to his sire, gulping in air between laughs. Longshield shifted, adjusting himself so their helms were side by side. The two were quiet for a long while, watching the stars through the apartments skylight.
"Sire… It's late…" Bluestreak started.
"Yes, it is." Longshield confirmed.
"Can…" Bluestreak turned to his sire. "Can you read me a story?"
Longshield smiled. "Of course, Blue-buddy."
Bluestreak jumped up from the berth, softly padding across the room to the collection of datapads on the adjacent wall. Longshield sat up, turning on a small light so that his creation could see better. Bluestreak took his time looking over the colourful datapads, before pulling out a green coloured one with city spires printed along the back. Longshield hid a smirk. Of course Bluestreak chose that one. It was his favourite story.
Suddenly, Bluestreak stopped dead, the datapad falling with a clatter onto the ground. His hands went to his chest, and he started to whimper.
"Bluestreak?" Longshield asked, concerned. "What's wrong, spark?"
When he received no answer, Longshield lifted himself from the berth, crossing the room to his youngling's side. "Sweetspark, what's the matter?"
Bluestreak looked up at his sire, optics wide and brimming with tears. "M-My chest… H-Hurts…"