Author's Notes: READ THIS.
Okay, so as of late (like since before I finished this story) I have been bothered by many bits of my story, from grammar to plot holes, to parts that I knew was rough because I completely changed my plot direction at this point.
So, now that I have a set and unchanging direction in Chasing Shadows of Angels, I am now going to start rewriting this story.
Yes, rewrite it. My ideas of editing it have been thrown out the window because the original makes me cringe at times.
So, without further ado, here is my rewrite. ENJOY~!
P.S.- These stories are going to be started by songs that either feel relevant to the story or gave me inspiration for the chapter. But, like in the sequel, the first chapter shall be opened by a poem.
Also, I'm going to set up links to the songs for each chapter on my profile. (hopefully) I would love if you listen before or while you read the chapter~!
Now we can get to the story. v_v
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Transformers. Only my OC, Everon Prime, and possibly others later on.
Beta Reader: The wonderful Mist-Howler~! (who actually survived reading through the first copy of this and followed through to the sequel XD)
Bleed me out
You know me
I'll just pretend
I like to bleed
Drag me through
All your dirt
Well, that's all right
I like to hurt
Broken, lost
For your gain
It's only death, love
It's only pain
Author Unknown
The day was gorgeous. Perfect and serene; one that might have been a wonderful memory to look back onto, had everything not gone to the Pit.
Who could have predicted how that day would turn, how everything would change? Who could have known that my already strange life was about to grow more complicated than I ever would have imagined?
Who knew that this was the start of the last few months of my life?
You are probably confused by this point, and you should be. Basically, what you should take from this is that not all stories have a happy ending. My human life shall be short lived, yet it will be the focal point of everything. I live my life for those around me. I live for my friends, my family, for the hope of peace. I live for others, but not for myself. Unfortunately, my life draws destruction in my wake. While I inspire hope, I can never see anything but the destruction.
I know much of hope and destruction.
The void was blank: no walls, no ground, nothing. All that I see is the white, the absence of color. The Nothingness. The silence envelops me as I float along, and I wonder vaguely if I'm dead. But at this point, I suddenly gain traction and find myself standing on some unseen, newly formed ground.
And that's when I hear the sound.
The flutter of wings.
"You have such poor timing, girl." I spin around, and immediately I see a shadowy figure off in the distance.
"Who are you?" I demand. "Where am I? What's going on?"
She makes a sound of disdain before answering me. "I'm not going to bother telling you something that you will forget as soon as you wake." Okay, she sort of answered me…
"Wake?" I ask. "You mean this is a dream?"
"A dream…" She then laughed, a low sort of seductive sound. "My dear, a dream is something that works in your subconscious mind, something that you have already left for here."
I'm utterly confused by this point. "Where is here?"
Ev.
Spinning on heel, I look behind for the familiar voice. "Where did that come from?"
Ev.
I look back to the figure, and I can make out more features, though she is distant. I can see her shape, her arms and legs, and her eyes: they were two silvery glowing optics. And spreading from her back was a pair of long, shadowed wings. "What's going on?"
With a sadistic tone, she says, "Time to wake up, my little girl."
Everon!
Jumping up in my seat, I yelled, "For Primus sake, what the frag, Cliff?"
My only response was a deep and joyous laugh from the dash, followed by a feminine voice over the comm system. "Stop harassing the poor girl."
"Aww, but 'Cee, it's fun to make her jump." That was Cliffjumper. My best friend.
"Fun this," I responded, kicking the car dash in front of me.
"OW!" he yelled in response. "What was that for?!"
An unfeminine snort could be heard over the comm. "I think that's for you being an aft, Cliff."
"I feel bullied," he responded in a sulking tone. I glowered at the car's mirror before turning my attention to the window, watching the expansive scenery go by. The view was similar to my home in the desert, with rolling hills and few human buildings to interrupt the vast, natural landscape, but the main difference would have been the lush greenery that covered the ground and surrounding farmland.
And the sun wasn't near as beautiful as my desert sunset.
"Aww, c'mon Ev…" Cliff poked in his pouting voice. "Can't stay mad at me?... Right?"
A slight smile grew on my face, and I sighed. "Fine, I forgive you…"
Cliff had let out a whoop of happiness as Arcee chimed in over the radio. "You need to stop coddling him."
"I'd rather coddle him than deal with the pouting," I replied off-handedly.
"You two know I can hear you, right?" Both Arcee and I could now be heard laughing at Cliff. "Okay, just thought I'd check…"
"Aww, Cliff," I responded cheekily, leaning towards the driver seat to hug the steering wheel. "You know we love you!"
"Yeah, I am certainly feeling the—" he was cut off, the sound of beeping coming from his dash. "Hold on, I'm getting a signal on my scanners."
At this point, you might want to be informed of the little oddities in this scene. For example: why I appear to talking to and interacting with a car. The answer? That is exactly what I am doing.
Because currently, the person talking to me was the car I was riding in.
My fingers had absently ran along the red stitched seams in his black leather seats, and I thought back to my early memories of riding along with him, curling in the passenger seat, listening to his voice until the sound and slight rumble of his purring engine lulled me to sleep.
I had always preferred his vehicle mode to the other Autobots. Built for speed, but not the modern, smooth curves like with Bumblebee. Cliffjumper's Charger form was more angular, his chrome horns on the front of his hood shining in the light. And I remembered the pride that swelled in my spark when I returned to find that the red streaks that had grown into my hair were the same shade as his crimson paint job.
Other than Cliffjumper, there was Arcee, the one involved in our conversation via the comm system, who was Cliffjumper's partner. She was also a ground vehicle, but a sports motorcycle versus Cliff's Charger car form. I could just imagine her blue bike form with pale pink accents driving down some deserted and dusty rode, her holoform, which she affectionately named Sadie, riding along with her. "Need backup?" she asked him eagerly, hints of excitement lacing her tone.
The two had been searching their respective quadrants for energon signals. Energon, the lifeblood for these two and the rest of the team, was hard to find on this planet. So while they often went on patrols, I had sometimes found myself tagging along.
That is, whenever I was allowed to tag along…
"Do I ever need backup?" he responded in his normal, confident tone. "Besides, I have all the backup I need right here."
I felt my face light up, a Cheshire grin growing across it as I let his words sink in. Immediately jolting upright from my slumped position in his seat, I began to rake my long, wavy brown hair back from my face, the crimson red streaks showing through as I used his rearview mirror to make sure I caught all longer strands.
As to why I had red streaks, I could tell you that I dye my hair, as I told most humans, but honestly, the strange red was natural. Just like my pale skin, just like my thin and lean frame.
Just like the bright, silvery eyes that greet me in my reflection.
Checking my makeup, I began to take note of the outlandish, silver black shadows I used to create wings off the sides of my eyes, while the deep, blood red lip stick took a shade that was only a hint darker than my hair. Preening was something I couldn't help: a habit that I had picked up from a… friend of mine, one who was more obsessed with looks then I could ever be.
Arcee spoke up with a serious and pointed tone to Cliffjumper. "Be careful, especially with her. Prime will have your head, if something were to happen to Everon."
I rolled my eyes at the mention of the Prime. "Noted," Cliff responded, with a rare, serious tone to his voice. "And trust me, I will be just as protective, as always, with her. She will be perfectly safe."
I gave a sharp snort and responded with a bit of a clipped tone to the pair as I adjusted the bits of slightly shorter hair about my face, remnants growing out from when I had bangs. "'She' can still hear you two." A strand fell over my eyes, and I huffed in annoyance when it refused to cooperate. "And I am perfectly capable of handling myself."
Cliff just laughed as Arcee responded. "Of course you are. Just be safe." And with a slight tone, she added, "Both of you."
"Don't worry, 'Cee," Cliff responded in his normal confident tone, adjusting our course towards the energon deposit. "Everything will be just fine."
Oh, how I wish that had been true.
Soon, we swerved off road, and Cliff skidded to a stop next to a deep chasm. Peering over his dashboard, I had been greeted by the sight of a large collection of brilliantly blue shards, ones which I had grown very familiar with over my lifetime. "We just found a whole lot of energon," Cliff happily reported over the comm link. Just as he finished his statement, though, a dark shadow forms overhead.
All I could think to say was, "Scrap."
"Decepticons," Cliffjumper sneered. Immediately after, I could hear the familiar, tell-tale sounds of shifting metal. Soon, the confines of his car mode twisted and bent, pieces of armor moving and rearranging while I pulled my knees close to my chest—and thank Primus I wasn't buckled in. Within moments, I found myself sitting in a large, metallic hand, and my arms propped behind me to keep me sitting upright as I looked to Cliff's now visible face.
In his bipedal form, Cliffjumper was easily six times taller than me, maybe more. The crimson plating from his car form now covered him like armor, and his frame was thicker than most, sort of stocky representing what might have been a human who was solid muscle.
His front grill wrapped about his mid torso, leaving his frame to taper slightly beneath it, and his chest plates were made up of the top of his vehicle mode and his front windshield. A pair of tires resided in his hips, and his legs were sturdy, much like his thick forearms and shoulders, following the theme of an overly muscular form.
His face, though, was framed in angular pieces of his crimson armor, one piece tapered down the center his face where his nose would have been if he had one. My favorite feature had sat atop his helm: his shining chrome horns were now proudly displayed, the signature feature to his look.
"Cliff…" I say nervously, feeling the blood drain from my face as I look between him and the familiar vessel that loomed overhead, worry causing my body to shake ever so slightly. His gaze never faltered from the ship, the Nemesis, so I spoke a little more forcibly. "Cliff!"
"Run." The way he spoke, his words were but an almost inaudible whisper as he continued to stare above, his frame growing tenser as he slowly shifted to a fighting stance.
"What?" I ask, still dumbfounded and confused by what was happening, my brain refusing to process the situation.
He then practically threw me on the ground, sending me rolling away as he yelled, "Run!" I caught a glimpse of his panicked blue optics, and the worry and concern for me on his face haunted me through the rest of my days. Knowing nothing else to do, I did as told.
I ran.
And just as I was haunted by his face, I was haunted by my actions as well.
I felt like a coward to run, but what else could I have done? How could I, a human, have taken on a fully sized Decepticon? Not only was I ill-equipped, but honestly…I don't think I could ever have the spark to kill one.
Reaching the edge of the chasm, I slid behind some rocks, skidding along the ground before finally scrambling up them to peer over at Cliff. During this time, I could hear the loud blast of cannon fire, followed by the crashing of rocks and metal. Looking around the rocks I had pressed myself to, I could see Cliff standing down in the clearing as several Vehicons approached.
"Not good," I muttered as I took in the squadron, each armed and ready to fight. I knew Cliffjumper was skilled, but this… there were too many. Too many for one lone Autobot. Too many for my friend.
"Uh Arcee," Cliff suddenly said, obviously speaking into his comm link. "About that backup…" Her answer went unheard by me as I helplessly watched from the side.
I couldn't stand it. My mind was racing as I sat uselessly. I had to swallow all thoughts of running out and helping him. He would just end up having to try and rescue me from the Cons. I could do nothing but watch and hope.
"Fair warning boys," Cliffjumper drawled, retaking his stance. "I'll put a few dings in ya." Then, he sprung into action.
Transforming from his bipedal to vehicle mode, he took off, driving straight up the curved slope of the canyon and into the air. Shifting mid flight, he landed right in the middle of the Decepticon welcoming committee and moved straight into the fight. Cliff fought valiantly, taking one down easily, only to have two more seemingly to appearing its place. No matter how many he took down with his skill, I knew that it would not be enough in the long run.
Where are the others? Cliff needs help now! I knew the answer. We were all currently scattered, searching for energon deposits. The feeling of helplessness and just watching the ensuing fight made the minutes seem to drag on even more.
Soon, Cliff lost his advantage. Their numbers were overwhelming his skill, and he was sent flying through the air. I saw his horn fly off to the side as he crashed right back down into the hole filled with energon. Managing to catch his footing, he announced to the ensuing enemy, "You want the horns? You got 'em." Then, his hands shifted into a pair of blasters, and with experienced movements, Cliff began to jump and dive from the enemies' fire as he shot right back at them.
Unfortunately, in the heat of battle, they all overlooked one crucial fact: Energon is an extremely volatile substance. With one stray shot from the enemy, the supply currently behind Cliffjumper ignited.
And the crater blew sky high.
Ducking down, I hid from the blast behind the rocks, my ears ringing from the sound and my body trembling from the violent shakes it sent through the ground. I only peaked my head out just in time to see a pair of troopers dragging Cliff from the site of the explosion. "No," I whispered, shock taking over any cognitive thought I had. "No, this can't happen. This can't be happening. No…" But it happened. And I just watched as they dragged away my brother. A sharp, distinct pain grew in my chest, and I just watched on.
Then, I grew numb.
I watched as they took my closest friend, as they dragged him aboard their ship. Immediately following the departure of the Nemesis, I could hear the faint sounds of a ground bridge opening. Then, I heard my name being called, over and over, the others trying to find me. But I just sat there.
Numb.
Someone spoke to me, words trying to coax me out of the rocks to them. But I couldn't go, wouldn't go. My mind just kept spinning, playing had happened over.
And over.
And over.
And it wouldn't stop, couldn't stop. My mind was twisting and breaking, the shock enveloping me, controlling me. Eventually, the voice gave up trying to coax me out. "Aww, kid…" Two overly large hands tried there best to scoop me up gently, and I didn't protest. I just let him carry me over to the others, calling out to them.
"Over here!" he yelled. "I found her!" The mech holding me was Bulkhead, the largest in our group as far as girth went, and only second by height. He was our powerhouse muscle, though the sweetest mech you could ever meet. Dark green armor covered him, headlights on his chest, and slight traits giving way to his jeep alt mode.
Soon, another mech was right at his side. "By the Allspark, is she injured Bulkhead?"
The large green mech was about to answer the mech, our medic, but I cut him off with a clipped, "I'm fine." My slumped and still form certainly said otherwise, but I didn't feel like explaining myself to them, couldn't explain myself to them.
Ratchet, our resident medic. Easily the oldest in the group, the white armored medic had bits of red along his form, such as the red pulse lines along his forearms. A red bit of metal also sat along what resembled a brow line, and another red piece of metal sat where a nose would be, much like Cliffjumper….
My silver eyes leveled with Ratchet, me feeling slowly more and more hollow. Ratchet, the one panicking over my condition, suddenly seemed hesitant, and he settled on slowly backing away, giving room for others to see me. I didn't look at any of them. How could I? After what happened to Cliff…
I heard a familiar beeping and whirring sound beside us. "Ev, are you okay?" Our scout, Bumblebee, whirred and beeped to me, his unique speaking voice drawing my attention to him and his large, expressive and blue optics.
The yellow and black mech was the youngest of the Autobots, and the only one I could genuinely never grow frustrated with. His doorframes stuck out of his back unlike the others, almost resembling wings, and his mouth was covered with a strange device, one Ratchet crafted to allow him to speak, his voice box being damaged long ago and left unrepairable.
I open my mouth to speak, but then, a sight behind the scout caught my attention. Arcee, the motorcycle Cliff and I were speaking to earlier, his partner, was approaching, cradling something in her servos like a lifeline. The blue femme was easily the shortest in the group, bits of pale pink on certain parts of her blue armor, including a tall point on the top center of her forehead. My voice caught in my throat, and a slight strangled cry comes out as I look at the horn she cradled in her hands.
The pain in my chest returned.
"I'm sorry," I choke out, looking deep into her pained optics as I wrap my arms about my chest, as if trying to hold myself together. Then, another, taller mech approached from behind her.
His optics were obviously upset as well as worried. Our leader, the tall and regal Prime, looked to his saddened soldier, kneeling next to her and resting a supportive hand on her shoulder. I watched the sun glint off of his red and blue armor, his mouth covered by a metal mouth guard. He slid it back before he looked to me, where I sat curled up and slightly shaking in Bulkhead's large palm. I met his gaze, and I felt the sharp pain in my chest worsen as the reality of the situation finally set in. The look in his optics confirmed everything I feared.
Cliff was dead.
Optimus Prime reached for me, and I merely curled more tightly in a ball, tucking my face into my knees. I couldn't face him, couldn't look to the worry and concern he showed to me. I was too ashamed from what happened, from not being able to help my brother, my best friend.
I was too ashamed to look at my father.
"I'm so sorry."
The sun was beautiful that day. The way it set along the desert, casting a warm golden glow on everything its light touched…. The view would have taken your breath away. I could remember sitting along this edge, staring off at the sun, Cliff amicably and animatedly talking next to me. I would smile and laugh, occasionally interjecting, but mostly I would bask in the view while he talked, he knowing that I was listening even though I never looked at him.
The view was perfect.
It was perfect, yet it felt so….hollow now.
My father, our leader, spoke behind me. This was Cliffjumper's funeral. Honoring his death, speaking words of wisdom, and just generally an excuse to stand around and be sad for the loss.
I hated it.
"We must not allow our loss of Cliffjumper to impair our judgment," my father spoke in his loud and wisdom infused voice. I remember the feeling of my fingers slowly digging into my palms as I stood off to the side, near the edge, refusing to watch the proceedings but unable to leave. My gaze had just locked on the distant sun as it set beyond the horizon, willing it to take it with me.
"As of today, only we five Autobots remain on this Earth." I mentally scoffed at the tally. Such little numbers, such a huge task before us. The odds were and will forever be in the enemies favor, and I vaguely thought of how he had said five… I would never be counted…
"We owe it to ourselves, to the memory of Cybertron, to any Autobots in any galaxy seeking safe harbor, to human kind…" …I would never have been considered a true Autobot. Not in their views. I was a liability, a child, for now and until my short little human life was over.
And they continued on in this never-ending war.
By this point, Arcee had begun to step forward from the group, still clutching Cliffjumper's horn as she moved forward before she finally sat it on the ground, "…and we owe it to the memory of our fallen comrade, to survive." After she sat down the horn, Arcee turned to leave in a stoic fashion. "Arcee…"
"If Cliff's gone, standing around and sulking about it isn't going to bring him back," she snaps, her voice having shown hints of wanting so desperately to break, but she would never do that. She would never let herself break down. Not in front of Cliff, and certainly not in front of us. "So if any of you mind, I think I will go back to protecting human kind." The bitterness seeped into her words as she marched away from the group.
"Wait."
It was the first time I had spoken since the incident. I could feel all of their optics on me, but I refused to meet any of their concerned gazes. I only had one gaze to catch. Stiffly turning and making my way to Arcee, I had merely looked at her. My mouth was set in a tense line, but my eyes…
I knew I was skilled at lying. At masking my true emotions. But when I wanted to, I could speak with just a look. With just a gaze.
Arcee gave me a silent nod, understanding my silent request. Shifting to her vehicle form, she idled while I strode forward, lifting one leg gracefully over the seat. My voice was hollow when spoke next, and I had leaned down against her as I gripped her handlebars tightly.
"Drive."
And drive we did, my hair flowing and whipping about my face as we rocketed off among the golden, sun kissed desert that surrounded us.
And that ends the first chapter of my rewrite~! Please review and let me know what you think! I love critiques and your opinions!