Note*~

For the first round, a technical error came and ate up all my work... Hopefully, I'll get it right the second time. ;;

I'll try and get new chapters up often, with school in the way. I have a strong idea where I want to go with this, so hopefully, it will be done. ^^

Enterrrrr Cliffjumper! :D

Hope you like the chapter. ^.^

Dimming Spark

Chapter Two

Jump Off A Cliff

The lights were still on in the hallway as Arcee entered the house, careful not to make too much noise. From the lights dimly set, everyone else seemed to already be set for the night's recharge. She hated to come home so late, but what happened with Wild Fire caused her delay.

Hopefully, she wouldn't make too much noise...

"Arcee...!" called her mother in a sing-y song voice. "Is that you?"

Cringing, Arcee opened her eyes. The whole household might as well be up because of her. She didn't mean to wake everybody up because of her sudden emergency.

"Yes, mother it's me," sighed Arcee, trying not to yell over the night silence.

"Why were you out so late, did something happened? I thought the festival would end earlier."

Arcee sighed.

"I met Wild Fire at town center, and we were hanging around the city. She had a medical emergency, and I was with her at the hospital."

"Alright, darling, I just wanted to know. I'm glad that you were helping Wild Fire, but do call the next time you think you'll be out late. There are rumors of riots, nowadays. I hope you didn't run into anyone bothersome."

A smile came across Arcee's face and a light chuckle left her.

"No, mother... no one bothersome or annoying at all."

"... achoo!"

Breakdown glanced at Knock Out through the lights of the club, music blaring throughout the room.

"Primus, bless you, you caught a virus or something?"

"Yeah, I'm sure it's just a femme talking about me..."

Breakdown sighed and shook his head. "For some reason, I don't think that's the case..."

Arcee sipped her morning energon, reading the data pad for the daily news.

Frowning, the headlines seem discouraging. Riots from Megatronus's supporters were occurring more often. How could they be so inconsiderate that their rage was causing damage to the city and the safety of the people? Wasn't the Elite Guard doing anything to stop them from causing more damage? Her family was part of the Guard and the military, but even though her father held power in the Guard, it wasn't high enough to halt the riots. Wasn't the high council doing anything to bring back peace to Cybertron? Hopefully, all will be settled in the city, and everything will be back to normal.

Cybertron was around for eons and generations... How could it die out so quickly?

Nitrostorm, Arcee's father; was already at the Elite Guard Academy campus earlier this morning; thus Arcee left the house packed, and ready to go.

Arcee was proud of her military background and the work her grandfather and father did. Deadbolt, her grandfather; in his earlier years helped a race of unknown creatures to safety without harm, and managed to save them all. He was just, fair, and placed the well fare of others before his, and his name was proudly held in the Guard.

His son, Arcee's father, helped the people in the slums of Cybertron from oppression, upholding his father's great name.

Arcee was a cadet in the Academy. Her little brother Ironbolt, who was partly named after their grandfather, had no interest in a military career. Deadbolt was sad to hear when his grandson announced his plans, but he was happy when he heard Arcee was going to be in the academy. When Arcee was just a sparkling, perched on the great general's lap, he could tell from his optics he was proud of his granddaughter.

"You may even be the next general... The first femme General of Cybertron! Times are changing, and you, my fair lass, will change the course of Cybertronian history!"

As she passed by his memorial on the grounds of the academy, she almost felt tears rolling out of her eyes. It was hard not to cry every time she remembered what grandfather said.

Once she finished storing her things away in her locker, she headed out and warmed up on the fields. Training was challenging at times, and the drill sargents were sometimes overly demanding, but she loved the rush as she ran through the obstacles. When she ran... for a moment, she was free. She marched on, trekking through the mud and dirt. The energy pulsing through her as she lunged forward, she almost felt herself flying. There was no one around her at all as she ran. All of reality just went away... She almost flew.

Racing through the course, oily sweat and wire cramps pulsed through her, but she kept going. Pain was good, and she loved the pain as she ran. It meant that she was giving all of her effort. Strength and power worth the fight on the battlefield. She couldn't wait for the glory.

Dodging obstacles here and there, she just about stumbled from almost tripping against an unseen groove. Retaining her balance, she continued on.

Too close!

As she saw the ledge of the ramp, a smile came across her lips. This was her favorite part. Picking up speed, she prepared herself and bounded... Landing, her smile widened.

She flew! A precious few seconds of freedom from the ground... and they were the best moment of the entire cycle. Another course, completed and accomplished. General Deadbolt would be smiling from the Well of Allsparks... Arcee hoped he saw that.

Cleaning herself off with a polish cloth, Lieutenant Barricade came up to her with another mech beside him and saluted Arcee. Returning the gesture, Arcee wondered what the Lieutenant needed from her.

"Lieutenant Barricade, sir."

"Cadet Arcee, at ease."

She lowered her arm. Even though General Deadbolt was her grandfather, she didn't want anyone to go easy on her, just because of her pedigree. So far, her wishes had been respected.

The Lieutenant then indicated the mech beside him.

"This is Cadet Cliffjumper, he just transferred from the Zeta unit from Iota. I trust you'll ensure that he'll know the ropes around here and you'll show him around the academy."

The newcomer had a bright read finish with a deep metallic face. On his forehead were twin horns that seemed sharp, they could tear through any alloy. He seemed unfamiliar with his surroundings, but he looked confident and sure. Almost to the point of being cocky...

Cliffjumper...

Not the same one who... He was the same one.

His gaze turned to two other femmes walking across in the corridor. With a wink and click, they both instantly giggled. Arcee could feel her insides churn in disgust.

Out of all the places to transfer to on Cybertron, why did it have to be the main branch of the academy? Something told Arcee life at the Academy was going to be a little... different.

"Certainly...!" the blue femme grimaced through a smile. "I'll make sure he knows his way around here."

Oh, joy...

When it was just the two of them, Arcee made sure no one she knew saw her with the newcomer. She'd sink and drown in embarrassment if she had to explain his presence and why she was with someone like him... Which she knew she'll never live to tell.

Arcee broke the silence.

"You have quite the reputation back in Zeta... we heard what you did down there."

"You mean that?" began Cliffjumper. "Ah, the whole crashing of the monument thing... The thing was unstable anyways, it shouldn't have been there! It's old, and it wasn't entirely my fault."

"It was an honorary monumental tribute that was for the Elite Guard, and you're part of it. How could you do that to the Guard, something that you belong to?"

A scoff left Cliffjumper. "It's not like it suddenly decided to fall apart that day when we were around... When there aren't enough femmes around, you get bored easily. ... Speaking of femmes, do you know any city femmes around here?"

Forehead knitting into a scrunch, she paced away from the red mech, her outrage boiling over. And her mother wondered why she wasn't seeing anyone at all.