"When I was young, I spent some time in America. I finished high school there, actually," the woman in the bed smiled. "And I made some amazing friends. Well, I coerced my friends into agreeing to come back after twenty years, and we did. At the time, you were but a child, I doubt you even remembering me leaving. But now, you have to go in my place. You've heard the doctors, I'm not going to live to see next fall."
"That's not true, there are treatments-"
"I've lived a long life, Haru," his mother cut him off, her eyes drifting out the window. "And I've seen a great many things, some things that not even a mother can tell her son without bringing the American government's attention to the matter. So, I won't say a word. You'll meet my friends, they will tell you."
"But Mom-"
"I wonder if they will be there too," the woman mused, but ended up just shaking her head. "Probably not, they're long gone by now. I wonder why they came back last time? What was it, something about Arctic exploration? Maybe something landed here, and they came to retrieve it. Yes, that's possible. Why else would they come back from Cybertron?"
"Nurse!" Haru called out, rushing to the doorway. "My mom's having a hallucination or something," he explained when Nurse Akito came running.
"What? Memory loss and now this? You're mother is definitely racking up symptoms faster than anyone else here," the nurse laughed, pulling out a vial and syringe and injecting the woman's IV bag with a sedative.
"Go to Jasper for me, son. Mile marker 25, tell them...tell them you're my son, Miko's son, that I want you to know about Them..." her words trailed off, until Miko's eyes slid shut, and she was asleep.
"So, final mission. I think you should do it," Nurse Akito spoke up. "It's like her last request, it's dishonorable not to fulfill it for her." She reasoned, smiling as she watched the man's resolve waver.
~(0)~
Why are we going back?
Raf had this thought in the back of his head during the plane ride to Jasper. He really did want to see Jack and Miko, it had been so long since he had heard from them. Miko, in her usual fashion, had lost his telephone number almost from the start, and Jack had a city to look after. Raf himself had children to worry about, and the trio had simply lost touch. Miko's promise, however, made sure the three would come back, no matter where they were or what they were doing.
"We will be reaching our destination in five minutes, so everybody please return to your seats, buckle up, and prepare for descent," the chirpy flight attendant's voice same over the loud speakers. "And as always, we thank you for choosing Hunter's Flight Airlines."
The Autobots won't be there, Raf thought sadly. Jasper never seemed the same without the giant protectors, and Raf knew the group wouldn't be the same without the Autobots. But, they were where they belonged on their home planet, and Raf knew they were happy up there, wherever they were, on Cybertron.
I can't wait to see Jack and Miko, they'll be so surprised to see I finally got contacts!
~(0)~
"I can't believe we're going back to Jasper," Sierra marveled, shaking her head in amazement.
"We've been gone a long time," Jack agreed. "But, everyone goes home eventually, and it's time we did. Besides, Jasper in spring is beautiful."
"It's hot," Sierra contradicted him. "It's by a desert!"
"So? You just have to look for the beauty around yourself," Jack smiled at his wife.
"Since when were you so wise?"
"Since I helped save the world a couple years ago," Jack replied, turning to look out the window.
"What?!"
"I'm just kidding," Jack laughed. "I haven't helped save the world since I was kid."
"What am I going to do with you?" Sierra shook her head with a chuckle.
"Not much," Jack replied. "You're pretty much stuck with me."
"Good thing I like you then," Sierra laughed, leaning over to peck a kiss on her husband's cheek.
"Good thing I like you too," Jack smiled back at her.
I wonder how much Jasper has changed since we were children? Or even since we last were here, twenty years ago...