AC: Hello everyone. Took a while to do it, but I had a writerblock.
Chapter 3: Hercules Hang On
Hercules passed near Ratchet without saying anything and just walked somewhere else. Ratchet saw this and stood in the way of Arcee and Tek.
"What happened out there?" Ratchet asked. He looked at Arcee and Tek and waited for an answer. They resumed what happened with more details and Ratchet nodded. "This is bad. I was sure Hercules did something, but...just being there. Even for me, all they said is way overboard. I'm sure he's destroyed right now."
"I know. He may not completely build his confidence after last time. It isn't that long. I'm going to talk to him," Arcee said.
"I'm coming-" Tek was cut by Ratchet.
"Maybe it would best if you let Arcee try first. He just walked away and didn't talk to both of you after this. He might turn you away Tek, but since Arcee is his queen, he won't."
"Don't worry. I'm sure he'll come to you once he feels better," Arcee told him.
Tek nodded. Arcee turned around and searched for Hercules.
"Ratchet...I never said anything about it, but...I didn't take it well when I learned that Hercules tried to commit suicide because of me," Tek said dropping his helm. He looked at Ratchet and waited for an answer.
"I was surprised that this clumsy Insecticon would try to do it. I wasn't sure about it first, but I think he doesn't forget his mistakes easily. He's a tough Insecticon, but I'm not sure he's that tough right now," Ratchet said.
"I just hope he won't return to his suicidal state," Tek commented.
"He won't," Ratchet said.
Tek vented, relief about Ratchet replied. He knew Ratchet wasn't the type to lie about it.
Arcee searched for Hercules and wondered if he walked to a place he felt safe or comfortable. She tried to search in her room and once it opened, she didn't see him. She thought about his second best place when he heard pede steps behind her. She turned around and saw Hercules with two energon cubes.
"Sorry my queen. I came after you and not before," Hercules said.
"Good. I won't have to search for you," Arcee vented.
They entered in her room. Hercules sat on Arcee's berth with once energon cube on each of his lap. Arcee sat by his side.
"Here. I brought one for you my queen," Hercules said.
"Thanks," Arcee replied. She checked the energon cube Hercules offered: "You didn't confuse regular energon with highgrade right?"
"No. I didn't. I don't want to be overenergize by highgrade. I saw myself in a video when I was overenergize and...It was awkward," Hercules said when he remembered he said that he loved Arcee. He wasn't sure how he meant it anyway.
They both took a sip of their energon cube and said nothing for a few minutes. Hercules closed his optic and vented. Arcee watched him and he seemed sad and a little irritated.
"I'm sorry I caused trouble my qu- Arcee," Hercules said with a sad voice. "I really tried to be perfect."
"You are not at fault here Hercules," Arcee started before patting the flank plate of the Insecticon. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's...It's the fact that your kind killed a lot of them during the war and they cannot forgive you that easily. You cannot feel guilty over the rest of your kind actions. They were obeying Megatron's orders."
"I know. One time I'm glad to be considered not good enough to be in the war. I didn't offline any Cybertronian by attacking them. I was always defending myself when I offline another Cybertronian," Hercules replied with a small smile.
"That's good for you," Arcee replied.
They both took another sip of their energon cube. Arcee was worried that Hercules just took sip of his energon cube. Hercules put his energon cube on the berth and stood up. He moved his claw on his arf and started scratching it loudly.
"Awww! It was inching so much," Hercules said relief when his arf wasn't itching anymore. He then sat back on the berth and picked back his energon cube.
Arcee watched his faceplate and saw the Insecticon wasn't feeling that much better. His irritation was gone and only sadness remained.
"It's not only that. They also said something that is true. I am not created by the Allspark my queen. I am not. I just realised then that if an Insecticon is offline...Where is our spark going?" Hercules asked.
"I thought you already thought about it," Arcee said.
"I never thought about anything important except doing my mission and...Been online," Hercules replied. "I never mind how I was created until I heard that neutral said that as if I was a monstrosity. I know I was created by Shockwave, but I never saw myself as a monster. I also didn't see myself as different and I still don't. I'm an autobot, but it hurts."
Hercules and Arcee took another sip of energon.
"Hercules...This is going to be a difficult fight. You will have to find a way to gain their trust and/or forgive your kind. It will be hard and extremely long for that. The autobots will be by your side, Tek and me too. As for the Allspark...If you want the answer, we should have to find a way to ask Primus himself for answers. If you want to know my opinion, I think you have a real spark. Just looking at who you are and what you do, I really believe you are one of us Hercules. They cannot know you or understand you like us," Arcee said honestly to Hercules.
Hercules looked at his queen and didn't say anything for a while. They both took another sip of energon.
"My q- Arcee. Thank you. I know it's going to be hard," Hercules replied. He drank the rest of the energon and put the cube at the back of the berth. "I know this...Will happen often. It worried me when I thought about the other Insecticons my queen. If it's that bad against me, what would they do when they know there's a Hive under Kaon? They don't consider us really online. They won't care if an Insecticon is offline," Hercules finished.
Arcee finished her energon cube and said: "We will have to change their mind Hercules."
Hercules looked at his queen and remained quiet for a while. He put his fang on his jaw plate and thought about it. He vented when nothing appeared in his processor: "I have no idea how to change their mind my- Arcee. I have no idea."
"Do not worry. We will help you find something. You will have to start by proving them that they are wrong about you," Arcee said putting her servo on his shoulder plate.
Hercules nodded before he turned at the direction of his queen and grabbed her in his metallic arm and hugged her against his chest plate: "Thank you my queen. I feel better once again."
Arcee didn't reply. She simply hugged back the big Insecticon. Hercules smiled and released his queen. They sat there and said nothing. They silently thought about everything.
Hercules eventually stood up and said: "I'm going to see my friend. I'm sure Tek is worried about me."
"I'm sure he is," Arcee replied as Hercules walked out of her quarter. Arcee vented lightly when she thought about what happened: "I hope Hercules won't end up trying to offline himself again. Although, I'm not really worried about that."
Hercules didn't have to walk for long before he heard a cheerful shout: "Hercules!"
Hercules turned around and Tek jumped against him and hugged the Insecticon.
"I'm alright," Hercules said.
"I'm so glad you are fine buddy! Don't listen to those mean cybertronian. They don't know what they are talking about," Tek replied joyfully. He patted the shoulder of the Insecticon.
"Don't worry," Hercules replied. He smiled and added: "I'm not going to let them get in my processor. I know I have you, my queen and the other autobots. I'm not alone and I won't offline myself."
"That's good. Most of us are worried about you. You are our friends Hercules," Tek said as he let go of the Insecticon.
Hercules closed his optic for a few seconds before finally replying: "I know. This is my home. I won't forget it."
"That's good to know buddy!" Tek joyfully said lightly punching the chest plate of Hercules.
"Haha. I know," Hercules chuckled. He lost his smile and looked down.
"What is it?" Tek asked.
"I was wondering...What will happen to the Insecticon of Kaon. If they treated me that way, what about them?" Hercules asked.
Tek looked at Hercules and nodded: "I really don't know."
Hercules raised his head and said: "I'm going to see them. I have to talk with Titan," Hercules walked at the direction of the ground bridge.
"Wait for me!" Tek shouted.
Hercules stopped and Tek smashed against Hercules back.
"No! It's too dangerous. You almost joined the Allspark last time," Hercules replied.
"I won't let you go there alone buddy! I don't want you to join the Allspark either!" Tek shouted.
Hercules vented and said: "Alright. Promise me you won't take a hit for me. Because I'm tougher than you."
"Can't promise it buddy," Tek replied.
"...Good enough," Hercules said defeated.
They walked at the direction of the groundbridge and passed at the other side.
AC: Here's the chapter 3.
Chapter 4: Tension rising.
