Disclaimer: Transformers and all the characters belong to their respected owners, not me, but that'd be kinda cool. Other than that, the plot/story does.
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Do you believe that a fleeting, head spinning moment can change everything? Being in a war you learn to believe it fast, I can testify to that. A split second decision can change the out come of a battle, determine whether that you come out victoriously or defeated for what ever is your side. It can decide whether someone lives or dies, whether someone is going to be changed forever, for the good or the worse.
If you don't believe, that's fine by me but I do. It was in the middle of a battle when it happened. It was raining hard and it was so dark we had to use our lights almost. I was exhausted from being chased after a Seeker; Skywarp. I had no more weapons on me except what comes naturally. My fuel reserves were starting to run low faster because I was damaged. The Decepticons had separated me from my team. I knew it. I had ticked off Skywarp from the last battle and he was out go get me now. Not the first time I've had someone after my head.
Finally I couldn't drive anymore because of the mud and rain that and I was trapped like a rat in a maze dead end, so I transformed. If I was going down today I was going to go down fighting. No one would suspect anything less. Before I had time to regain my bearings I had, not only one but two very large missiles coming straight at me with, I'm sure, more behind them that I couldn't see yet, there smoke trails following behind them. Talk about over kill. Giving a split second thought I dropped to the ground mud splattering everywhere, and in the next second the missiles collided with the rock face just above my head and before I knew it very solid, large rocks were falling down toward me.
Within our shared link, my brothers and mine, there were so many emotions suddenly rushing threw me I couldn't tell you all of them, I don't think I could if I tried.
I heard him scream my name both out loud and threw our bond. Within those moments my life was on a changing course and all it took was an audio ringing shot of a rifle.
I don't know how much time passed I didn't think to look honestly. The next thing I remember was silence; it was as if the world had literally frozen in time. Cliche I know but it felt that way. Then I realized it was still raining and coming down on my frame. Did you think I was going to tell you I died? Well honestly at that moment I was thinking it myself, wondering if I had finally joined the Matrix or whatever after life waited for me if there was one at all. This time though, if Primus exists, I guess he thought that I shouldn't meet the end yet. I'll thank him one day if so.
Lowering my arms from where I had - at some point put them over my head - and looked around. I spotted my brother running to me, rare concern and worry written on his faceplate in his own sort of way.
"Sideswipe!" he began as he sunk to his knees in front of me putting his hands on my shoulders tightly gripping them. On some other occasion he wouldn't have dared to do that, to vain for his own good, him dropping in the mud to his knees total disregard for his golden frame, told me enough that, yes, he was truly concerned. I knew, without a doubt I'd be hearing it later though. "Are you alright?" he asked loud enough only I could hear him
"Wha. . .What happened?" was the only thing that I could manage to come out of my mouth
I was still in shock at the time. Could you blame me?
In one click Sunstreaker was worried the next he had a pissed off look on his handsome faceplates. "You almost go killed you aft-head!" he bellowed slapping me upside the head
"Ouch! Hey!" snapping my hands up to nurse the new found dent on my helm he successfully knocked me out of my stupor. No pun intended. "I got enough dents, don't go addin' to my collection!" I snapped back at him
The sound of running footfalls came just in time before my brother and I erupted into an all out fight of some sort. Optics still narrowed Sunstreaker turned around one mud caked knee lifting off the ground while I just shifted where I sat, muddy legs sprawled out before me and watched a few of my team mates running toward us. I think I kinda looked like a little kid who'd just got caught playing in the mud when he wasn't suppose to be.
"Sideswipe?!"
It was Bluestreak who called who was running at the head of the small group. That was good ole Blue' for you. It took Sunstreaker and use a while to start liking the little mech way back when. It didn't take me nearly as long as Sunny did to warm up to him, but that was to be suspected. In the end the two of us finally did get along - Sunstreaker 'tolerated' him - the, at the time, youngling. We've been good friends ever since, taking in Blue' as a sort of little brother.
"We saw what happened! Are you alright? I was sure those rocks were going to fall and crush you, and I'm glad they didn't. It scared the slag out of me!"
I couldn't help but to laugh as the Datsun ran up beside Sunstreaker and I, I saw his optics scan me over quickly searching for any critical damage. The look of worry on his young faceplate was funny for some reason, I knew I shouldn't laugh but I couldn't seem to help myself. I ended up letting out a little chortle but other than that remained silent.
"Yeah, I'm good Blue'. All appendages 'counted for." Getting to my feet and spreading my arms out wide beside me showing that, indeed I had all my limbs. For once anyway.
"Question now; who fired 'at shot?"
The smile on my face vanished as I looked over at Jazz who'd been one of the mech's who'd arrived in the small group with Bluestreak. Dropping my arms I suddenly became somewhat serious again. I looked up to where Skywarp's missiles had impacted with the rock face where now a big gap was like someone had taken a bite out. Then I turned my gaze down to the ground around me. Little chunks of rocks scattered the ground nowhere big enough to do really any critical harm beside possible knock some one out for a bit.
"Yeah. . .no kidding" I muttered rubbing the back of my head felling a dent
The sound of engines caught our attention. Turning around, coming around the edge of the rock slop a few yards away was some more of the Autobot's. We watched them transform and stride up but my attention was elsewhere. I didn't realize at the moment that so was Sunstreaker's.
For some reason there was this feeling running through my systems like something was about to happen. I also knew a similar feeling was running throw my brothers' as well. No, that wasn't it but I couldn't figure it out that's all that I could recollect with the feeling. It was that feeling when you were alone somewhere and you felt like someone was watching you, waiting to slide up to you from behind while you didn't know it and put a knife to your throat or a gun to your temple. . .something. At the same time though, I didn't feel threatened but it didn't feel familiar either and that's what had me in a knot.
I felt Sunstreaker's presence from his side of the bond wrap around me. I didn't even have to look at him to know that he was getting the same odd feeling it was and really wasn't liking it. 'Think we should say something?' I whispered over to him but got no reply from him. Naturally I glanced over at him. He was standing in that stance; optics narrowed to slits and deep frown on his faceplate. Well more than usual and only I would know the significance of it.
"What happened?" asked Bumblebee from somewhere behind me since I was still looking for something. What was I looking for? I don't know. "We saw the chase." He finished
"Yeah, Skywarp decided he wanted to get a bite out of my brother for what he did last week." Replied Sunstreaker not looking over at the little yellow bug.
Finally I felt that I could stop looking for what ever I was searching for so I leaned back and put my fists on my hips and turned my head to look over my shoulder at my brother. And at that moment I froze, no I didn't freeze I stopped and just stared past my brother. Sensing my emotions threw his side of our bond Sunstreaker double tacked back at me and stared at me few a few clicks before he followed my gaze behind him. I saw his back tense suddenly as he spotted it now, too.
I narrowed my optics and frowned and even though I was fixated on what I was glaring at I knew the others had picked up on my brother and I.
"I believe we found the culprit." I muttered
As on cue almost all the Autobot but a small handful drew their weapons with years of fighting and having to stay on their metaphorical toes. There seating a few yards away down the same path I had took on my run to get away from Skywarp sat, its frame close to the ground, was a obsidian black Lamborghini Countach looking innocent enough. We weren't going to be deterred that easily I can promise you that. In some less serious situation it almost reminded me of KITT(1. No, KARR(2 is a better example I guess.
From somewhere behind me I heard Prowl mutter something most likely to Optimus. ". . .I'm trying to hail him but I'm not sure if he is receiving my IFF data-burst."(3 I scowled
I watched Optimus Prime stride forward past me from the corner of my optics but remained where I stood keeping my optics on this newcomer. The butt of my own gun I think started to creak.
"I identify yourself." Prime called voice thick with calm, authority. "Are you friend or foe!"
It took us probably less clicks than it actually felt like before we got a reply and I have to say I started to feel slightly threatened by whom ever this shady character was. That and he were beginning to tick me off a little, or maybe that was tingles of Sunstreaker. Coming out of nowhere and not even coming forward with him self about what I don't care I just wanted to know who he was so I could blast him. I didn't know for sure but I was pretty sure he was the one who fired that round destroying the boulders that would have crushed me. I'd have to thank him first. Frag.
After a good few minutes and still no answer Prowl started walking forward to join our commander at his side weapon drawn in an I'm-not-going-to-shoot-but-I-will-if-provoked kinda way he often did. Just when Prowl was about to stop to Prime's right he stopped bluntly as the familiar sound of transformation echoed off the rock slops.
We all watched quietly at first tense and then slowly I felt my spark, I honestly don't know what it did, either speed up or slow down but there was this tightening feeling in my chest to my abdomen. I think it was my own nerves getting to me.
This new mech stood probably the same height as Sunny and I and just as imposing. His black frame glistened from the slight slivers of weak sunlight that was coming out of slowly parting clouds despite the rain that was still coming down.
"My apologies." The mech stated voice crisp "I mean no harm." bowing of his head in respect
I didn't realize I had walked up to my brother's side but I had. At about the same time, no the exact same time the mech's dark blue optics that looked like the sky at night only a tad bit brighter met mine. His optics, they were so strange yet at the same time so very familiar. You could almost see the history in them that he was a mech who'd seem too much in his lifetime and it was wearing down on him. At the same time though you could see a mech would didn't need to be reckoned with.
Then I realized as he put the rifle he had been holding to his back, it disappearing in subspace, as a ray of light hit its surface and hurt my optics I realized who he was. Why my spark was pacing in its chamber like an anxiety ridden beast waiting to get out of its cage. Why I felt the sudden suspected rage on Sunstreaker side of our bond.
". . .Brother. . ."
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notes:
KITT: (Knight Industries Two-Thousand) The black Trans-Am from the early 1980's TV show; Knight Rider.
KARR: (Knight Automated Roving Robot) Original prototype version for KITT, major antagonist in Knight Rider.
IFF: Identification; Friend or Foe.
Currently I'm having to use a different program other than Microsoft Word since it currently doesn't work since I got my desktop fixed. I apologize profusely for any grammar and format errors. I've caught as many format errors and grammar mistakes as possible, my spell check has also been changed because of the program so I'm having to do it basically manually. So far Firefox has done a good job at catching them. I've went back and re-read this several times just to make sure checking for further mistakes but I'm only human I could have missed some anyway.
Firstly I hope I made Sideswipe believable and not completely OOC. I know what his character is mostly like I find it hard not only getting into a head of a character but also first person pov. 1st pov isn't something I normally do but I wanna practice with it so I'll get better at 1st pov.
Yes, kind of cliche but when I start writing this it wrote itself for the most part. Sorry that is kinda short but consider more of a teaser for what else I have planned. Unfortunately I haven't gotten my mess straight with this so it could take a while. Just wanted to go ahead and get this out of the way. Hope you liked it nonetheless! It'll be getting more 'interesting' as we continue...I hope.
-iShockwave