Authors Note: First, let me thank Meramorand PrimeDeception for all their help. I would have given up on this story if they didn't give me a HUGE push of help. This chapter wouldn't have been possible without them :) Thanks guys!

Sorry for the lonnnnnnnggggg break, but I been having family problems and such so I only had time to write this very short chapter. Sorry again. Review on your way out! Thanks!


Chapter 5

For some time after Chromia's run-out, I felt what most would say….awkward.

These past few days had been nothing but horrid, vile, and daunting. Their so called leader had kept postponing the second meeting we were scheduled to have almost a month ago. Apparently, he hadn't been able to make time because of a lot of recent run-ins with the Decepticons. I didn't even know who those 'bots were!

I'd heard rumors about them, but I never had the guts to actually ask anyone, because the last time I asked questions about those things, I got laughed at. If you were present at those times you would see that I did NOT take criticism well. And…that time I earned myself a night at the brig. Some ugly, mean mech named Prowl sent me there saying I was disturbing the peace when I was actually the one trying to conceal it! That fragger probably didn't even know right from wrong, and he had the nerve to blame all of it on me!

To cut a long story short, there was some mech called Jazz, and he was what I would call a repulsive, monstrosity or just a pervert. He walked up to me, said "Hey hottie, where you from?", then squeezed my aft. You can probably guess what I did in response. I punched him square in the faceplates and the little guy literally went flying.

I almost felt sorry for him. Almost...

I believe he deserved what he got, but of course he found a way out of it while I was stuck. He totally sucked up to Prowl and I swore I saw Prowl suck up to him. I really don't want to know what's going on between those two because I have a feeling it's not really interesting.

Anything to do with that boring, bitter and emotionless mech called Prowl the 'tactician' is not in ANY relevance to me. I have better things to think of than him. As for Jazz… he is actually kind of cute, though I would never admit that to anyone after what he did. Oh well, too bad for him.

Anyway… after the Board-Room Meeting I was discharged to a recruit area until I had a correct confirmation to meet with Optimus Prime himself. The first meeting was too sudden, but that was because Optimus needed to figure what to do with me until we had a good-time to deal with this.

Moonracer promised me that she would try to convince Optimus to invite Alpha Trion, but she couldn't promise anything because apparently the mech comes and goes whenever he wants, and that no one knows where he is at any given time. Which sounds spot-on to me.

Optimus on the other hand, well, I wasn't sure how he led his people with a stupid processor like his. When I first met him, he was a mess, a HOT mess. But it was actually a rather amusing experience, if you were there to see his face when he talked to me after the meeting.

He doesn't have much experience with femmes, I gathered. Except Ariel, who he apparently was in a relationship with. I still can't figure out how she relates to me, though.

From what I was told, she died during a brutal battle with the Decepticons. It's very sad, but lately I haven't showed much emotion except that few times when I let my anger get the best of me. I need to keep acting mature or everything I worked so hard to achieve will be blown to smithereens.

I am Elita-1; let's not forget that part either.

2 cycles prior

After Chromia left, I'd felt so very uneasy around here. Things had a way of unravelling, but in the worst way possible, as if time was flying backwards into a vortex.

I was sure that this wasn't how everything was supposed to happen; even with the bad luck I carried above me like a black cloud full of acid rain, threatening to fall down and obliterate me. If only I could have learned from the past and plan for the future, but in all things that were truly impossible as of right now.

My situation had limited me of my options and actions, so there was only hope and faith that one of those doors could open to more possibilities. Hence, hope and faith was all I had. It looked as if I had already run out on me, which was devastating in ways I cannot explain, but only feel with these mixed emotions. And I've been sitting here having the time of my life listening to the merry Tailgate talk my audio receptors off.

Half of me didn't mind being here since I was enjoying myself dearly, but I would rather go do something notable. Ratchet and Moonracer could have at least had me do some chores or give me a tour so I don't get lost again, but…no! They had to keep me here under Arcee's supervision.

She's not that bad but she keeps looking me up and down, and it's extremely uncomfortable, especially under her close gaze. I almost spit out 'What?' but I contain myself. Better things will come of self-control. That I hope.

At least I knew I'd be attending a meeting with their leader in a couple breems. I was told that they wanted to discuss my problem so they could clear it up for me and make sure I was all good and on my way, which was another way of saying "Once you know what's going on, get the pit out of here."

Yeah it's just dandy.

Though I thought I could hear Ratchet coming back, I peered over Tailgate's shoulder, and he spun around at my sudden movement.

It was indeed Ratchet entering the silent room with his optics sparkling with excitement. Moonracer followed directly behind him with a weary expression, and she kept looking back out the door as if there was another mech or femme out there.

But she closed the door and nodded at Ratchet, who nodded back at her, who nodded towards me and I just nodded at everyone in the room, though I did not know what for.

Primus, this was exhausting.

Thinking can really tire you, and with me, the more I think the more confused I get. And I contemplated that Tailgate was feeling just the same way. He was sitting in front of me staring at Ratchet and Moonracer, his mouthplates slightly ajar and a bit of drool hanging out, his eyes halfway open.

His expression made him look like more of an idiot than anything else, but I wasn't calling him an idiot, just a little….oblivious. I'd been studying him a lot these past few cycles and it has been enough time to figure him out, though I can't say the same for Arcee. Only some 'bots are as open and predictable as Tailgate.

I sighed, looking down at the energon that Arcee had brought me earlier. When I had asked for it, I was starving, but for some reason, I just didn't feel hungry anymore. I stared into the swirling blue liquid, enthralled at the way it had its own ability to glow. It was intriguing just looking at it, even though I was supposed to be consuming it.

The thing is, I just didn't know what I was supposed to do. It seemed that Moonracer was the only femme that seemed like she was okay with me being here, and to be honest, it sucked. I had gone through so much work to get myself here, because Alpha Trion told me it was the right thing to do.

But how was I supposed to believe him when I didn't even know who I was? The only thing I could do was sit and wait, hoping that someone from my past would come and pop up into my world, fixing all of my problems. I glanced over at Tailgate, who was continuing to drool. Except this time he was slightly snoring. My guess was that he probably fell into recharge... with his optics open? Looking over at Arcee, I noticed that she was working on a data pad.

Intrigued, I looked a little closer, "So... Arcee. What're ya writing?" I asked timidly yet perky, seeing her optics dart up to me suddenly, then back down at her datapad.

"I'm just drawing..." she replied back to me, paying closer attention to the pad.

"... Do you mind if I take a look?" She paused for a moment, it seemed like she wasn't sure what to do. Somewhat reluctantly, she passed me the data pad,

"It's not that great though."

I shrugged and took the data pad, not expecting much. To my surprise, I was blown away. It was the most gorgeous painting I'd ever seen (not that I'd seen that many), and it looked like some sort of city.

I just stared at it, absorbing every single little detail there was, "Arcee, this is amazing! What city is this?"

She blushed suddenly, her faceplates staining a slight blue. "Uh... thanks, it's just Iacon, the Autobot capital."

My thoughts were interrupted when the door -which had automatically closed itself, slid open. Glancing up from the datapad to see who it was, my thoughts froze in their tracks.

Standing in the almost-to-small doorway, was the most handsome mech I'd ever seen in my entire existence. Not that I'd been around that long, but I'm sure I've never seen such a mech in my past life as stunning as this one.

He paused just as Moonracer had, although instead of looking back he scanned the room with careful optics, probably checking we were all here, and that's when his gaze locked onto mine.

My breathing hitched in my vents, and his stare sent my pump into overdrive, so much that I thought everyone could hear it hammering away in my chest. His optics were the most breathtaking shade of blue, and they spoke highly of his intelligence and wisdom gained through the Matrix of Leadership, to which he possessed proudly in his chest compartment as Prime.

He held my bewildered gaze for a while longer, also slightly startled as I was, then looked around again, as if to see if anyone else had noticed our little "interaction". His gaze flickered back to mine for a split second, like I was an illusion and he was making sure I hadn't disappeared into thin air.

Reassuring himself, he strode proudly to the center of our little crowd, the overhead lights reflected off his magnificent red and royal blue paintjob, making him look as if he glowed under the florescent lights.

"Autobots," he greeted with his earned authority. "I do believe we have a problem that needs attending to. And I also understand that this may be of importance to us if it does in fact have anything to do with the Decepticons, which I deem is unlikely."

"Optimus," Ratchet said as he oddly appeared behind the commander. "Maybe we should limit this conversation to a crowd who actually has anything to provide in this situation."

Optimus stared at him with an unreadable expression. "Elaborate." He asked single-wordily.

"Well, Tailgate and Arcee should maybe leave until we make sure it is safe to have this announced to the public. Myself, Moonracer, you and the 'complaint' should discuss this matter alone, but if you rather not…."

"I understand your concern, Ratchet. But Arcee and Tailgate may in fact be able to contribute in helping our fellow foreigner."

"Yes, I can harmonize with that, but after we discuss this alone. If we need them after we can situate what the problem actually is at the moment, then Arcee and Tailgate can be of use."

"That is reasonable." Optimus gestured awkwardly with his hand to nothing in particular as he began to face Arcee and Tailgate. They were already on their feet and joining their circle of discussion.

"Optimus." Arcee greeted.

"Arcee." He replied with a slight smile and a soft nod.

"This meeting is to be kept a secret until we figure out just what is happening in our current situation. Arcee, Tailgate? If you don't mind…"

"Not at all, Op—" Tailgate started to head toward the door as if he was in a hurry to join other 'bots. I would've followed him if I could've.

"Don't call me that." Optimus said as he watched Tailgate pause at the door waiting for Arcee who was gathering up her datapads, or I should say 'drawings'.

"Sure thing, Oppy-"

"That either."

"Alright boss 'bot…" Tailgate replied as he gave up on that note. He and Arcee walked out together, but Arcee did glance back with curious optics. I knew she wanted to stay and find out what was going to occur and I wished she could've. Leaving me alone with these strangers was not something I was not looking forward to. Just send me to an asylum for the insane. Problem fixed.

"Good luck, Elita. I really hope you find out what happened to you."

"Wait! Arcee, don't go!" But it was too late. She vanished behind the self-closing door. Then….I was alone. Well, not alone. I still had Mr. Muscles, Hatchet, and Miss. Nurse. I really can't come up with a name for her. She's too—normal for that.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" I turned to see Ratchet facing me with eyes of concern. "You're shaking."

"I-um. I'm fine…just unsure."

"Of what? You have nothing to be afraid of, you know."

"Do I? Because I can name about ten reasons against that." He looked at me curiously. "First off, you're scaring me with your close proximity…"

"Oh, sorry." He apologized as he stepped back leaving about five lengths between us. Optimus was still in the background talking to Moonracer while glancing to me occasionally. "Everything will be fine as I was saying, Miss. Elita. We have a superior private eye team, who I am sure would be jovial to help you."

I snapped. "How do you know that? You don't. You don't know the fear of not knowing anything and being in an unfamiliar environment without knowing anybody." My sudden anger was more of anxiety than infuriation.

I continued. "Besides, I don't want any team to help me. I just want to leave. I can manage on my own, thank you very much."

"I'm sorry, but I think you have no choice in that matter. It may seem not much of a big deal-"

"Of course it does, idiot-"

"—But your problem nonetheless is of great importance to us."

I stopped in my tracks. "Oh really?" I questioned as I focused my optics on Optimus who was currently in deep thought. They were both positioned to the side and both looked as if they were going through a few comm. links now. "What are they doing?"

"Who? Oh—Optimus and Moonracer? Probably working out a proper meeting. If this comes to be a bigger conundrum than it is, Optimus probably wants a specially selected group of certified Autobots who can help solve it."

"What is a conundrum?" I twiddled my thumbs absently as I concentrated on Optimus' optic ridges that were pressed together in his own deliberation. What a hunk, I thought as my optics traveled down the length of his body and down to his codpiece. It must be big for a such a huge mech.

My optics widened immediately when I realised what I'd just thought. What the slag? I shouldn't think like that, it's just disgusting. What would Optimus say if he knew a femme who had only known him for a few clicks was already looking down between his pedes? He would be repulsed.

"– A confusing and difficult problem." He rolled his optics skyward. I guess he has dealt with more fatuous 'bots than me. Figures.

Just look at him. He's smart, patient, and surprisingly didn't look much older than what I was meant to be. He's probably been halfway across the galaxy by now.

"Yeah, whatever. Who cares? Can I go now?" I asked peevishly as my head rolled around in a circle flexing my neck cables. I squinted over Ratchets round body (He was a fat, old mech.) to see that Optimus and Moonracer had disappeared. "Hey! Where did they go?"

"Not sure, but they will—hold on a sec—mmh hm—yes, Optimus—Okay, we will be there."

"What's up?" I said as I pulled up a servos to stroke my helm as I glanced at the corner as if something strange was to appear, but turned back to face Ratchet.

"Optimus said they found something that may relate to you. He gave me special orders: Meeting in Board-Room. ASAP. We need to be there now, so let's be on our way" Ratchet came around to grasp my wrist but I shook it off, pissed. I felt as if nothing was going my way. I didn't want to have a meeting, I wanted to leave and I was very determined to do so.

"Get away from me." I hissed, a warningly.

"Elita-I. I'm not going to hurt you. You just need to come with me." He tried to reach for me again but I hopped off the seat and was against the wall in just a few clicks.

"Stay away from me. Now I don't want no trouble but I best be on my way, so you gotta' let me go." I was nervously contemplating if I should make a run for it, but something in my circuits was pushing me to stay though I don't know why.

Should I listen to it? Should I listen to Alpha Trion? What if I did go with Ratchet? How do I know they just wouldn't just kill me? And how do I know Alpha Trion isn't lying to me? What should I do? And most importantly….Who am I becoming, or rather, Who was I?

I started forward as two brawny guards came to assist Ratchet. I didn't notice before but they were here the whole time. They were inanimate in the corner watching, observing, and being noisy. Aft-scratchers I would call them. Always up someone's aft and being in there business. In any other situation, I would have thought to make a run for it when two scary, mean-looking creatures started to approach me, but in some way I felt safer with them around, because at the moment I was more afraid of myself than Ratchet the Hatchet over here.

But that is beside the point. I needed to make a decision if I should stay or…go. Disappear so I can complete my mission. Did I want to complete my mission? Did I have a choice? Did I care if I had a choice or not. Well, I know the answer to that one. It is clearly a solid "No". I needed to follow my spark on this one.

If there was a chance my insides were telling me to stay, I thoughtI should take it. It might lead me to a brand new start. Forget the past; I can make my future now. Any mistakes I might have had in the past could now be long gone and I can start over.

Wait a second. I can start over! I can fabricate my own life without the blockade of my past. I don't even think I want to know what my past was. It could be something horrible.

Could it? Did I live a good life before this? My mind is weighing more towards a no, but maybe a yes. Can't tell. But what I can tell is that I was going to be led into the Board-room and we were going to have a proper meeting with Optimus Prime. All well. It is clear that I have lost this time. Time for another meeting, Yay! I thought to myself sarcastically.

"Okay, fine. You won. Happy? But I don't want your nasty hands on me. You too," I said, pinning my gaze on the two guards who were hovering over me now with Ratchet right on their heels. "And then when you get what you want, I want something back."

Ratchet looked at me sceptically as the door in the background slid opened. Another guard was there waiting. He then took a step backwards I took in a big breath through my vents and I stood up straighter. His hand rose to his chin as he thought through this one and he spoke. "What might that be?" He asked warily as if he didn't trust me. Why would he anyway. I don't trust him.

"I'll let you know later. Looks as if your friends are getting impatient. Won't want to have them waiting any longer, now would we?" I pushed past the two guards as they reached to take hold of my wrists. The one on the right knocked lightly against the wall as extra force struck him. I swayed my hips, which was totally unnecessary, but I was in a good mood. I had a plan to get what I wanted, and I knew it would work.

It wasn't dirty, but not too worn out. It would work. Optimus will be fooled out of his God-like body. If that was possible…. Anyway, might as well see where it takes me. Ratchet led me out with his hand placed lightly on the small of my backplate as I strutted forward.

We went through mazes (hallways) and impossible obstacles (stairs) as we made our way to the Board-Room. It was just my luck that it wasn't in the next building. I was already tired and needed my recharge.

We finally got to a wide door that stretched across the whole wall, but only had a small opening in the middle. Ratchet knocked politely before entering (What a suck-up) and when he was summoned in he pushed a button to slide across the doors. Well, maybe a few buttons. It looked as if it was a keypad.

As we entered I scanned over the unblemished walls of the room. They were painted a cool white with gray bordering framing the room. The hieroglyphics lined the walls with such splendour; my air got hitched in my vents once again at the sight. But what really caught my inhalation was the figure who stood stunningly and prominent in the centre of the room having a look at a computer screen that was stretched across the capacity with completeness. It took all my courage to follow Ratchet all the way into the room and toward their leader. And when he noticed our entrance he spun around with such grace I almost fell back on my heels.

"Elita." He spoke with his wonderful, luscious, bass voice. "You have joined us, finally, Ratchet," He nodded toward his old friend with a slight smile he tried not to show too much. "I had worried you decided you wouldn't show up, since it was taking too long, but here you are."

"Oh, yes. My apologies, Optimus. We had a...complication," He glanced at me with a trivial grimace. "But it's all good now. Dilemmas are too common here on Iacon. It's such a misfortune."

"It is indeed, my old friend. But now that you are here we can discuss this matter that has taken its place among our Autobot tribulations. Shall we?" He gestures to a long table that was right at his side. It was already filled with other Autobutts. Yes I said Auto'butts'.

All were monumental and strapping. Go figure. But two of them caught my eye. It seems that Arcee and Moonracer had a place here. I guess Optimus found something valuable in Arcee being present, but I can guess why it wasn't the same for Tailgate.

I wave at Arcee, but my face fell when she looks away. I guess they don't wave around here. Go figure. This place is so miserable.

I wonder what the Decepticons residence is like. I go to take an empty seat next to Ratchet and my pump starts to pick up pace when Optimus sits right next to the old, grumpy medic. He was only one seat down, and I was sweating energon on my foreplates. Not a good thing. The silence was deadly as we all were seated at the table. And of course I had to break it.

"Can we get this over with already? I'm ready to leave and go catch a ride out of here. This place ain't so cosy." I folded my arms over my chest as everyone's jaws go slack. And then I realize what I just said. Unholy Pit! I heard a small, short mech say that before and I thought that was how they talked, but judging by their expressions, I think not.

"Oh, I meant...um...er...sorry?" I sulk down in my seat as my cheekplates flush red hot and everyone continues to stare at me.

"Well, I didn't see that coming." I look up to see Arcee with a wicked smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, and I automatically feel better. It seemed Arcee was on my side, at least I think so.

"I did," Ratchet says as he shakes his helm in disappointment. "She has suffered memory loss. Most likely due to the terrible injury she sustained, which can lead to erratic confusion, like what she just said. I don't think she meant to say that, but couldn't control it coming out the way it did. She is just remembering the proper way of speaking all over again."

"Elita?" I dared to look up from under my low hanging optic ridges.

"Are you alright? You seem very confused. Tangled, if you will." Optimus Prime rumbled in his deep voice.

"Well, you mechs don't really know how to talk to a femme do you? I would feel less confused if you knew how to explain things. I don't speak your special warfare language. Talk normal."

I shrug as I think about what I said. It wasn't too rough, just true. I didn't understand the situation at hand correctly because these mechs don't explain things at all when they should. I need to know to keep from freaking out.

"My apologies, ma'am. I thought I was very clear when I said that we were going to try fix your problem."

I look at him like he's an idiot. Yep, there's no doubt about it-He's defiantly a mech. He doesn't get the concept that I'm confused on what the problem is exactly so I go straight forward with this.

"Okay, well I got that. The problem is that I don't even know what the problem is. If you are following me, you would see how that would make me confused."

"She has a point." A mech who wore a clashing black and white paintjob and possessed odd yellow optics-hidden behind a visor, spoke up.

"Names Prowl by the way." He introduced himself insouciantly like it didn't matter. It did. "If she was debriefed with the situation, then maybe figuring this out wouldn't take so long, like it has."

"Prowl, we couldn't debrief her if we didn't know the problem ourselves." Arcee spoke up and Optimus nodded in agreement.

"We did though." Moonracer cut in as Arcee and Optimus flashed her attention. Ratchet started to become more interested.

"We did?" Ratchet asked bemused as he sat at the end of his sit in anticipation.

"We most certainly did." Moonracer continued before Optimus interrupted her.

"You are speaking in many riddles, Moonracer. Please tell me what you know. Tell us all." He was in a focused stare as he fixed all of his attention on Miss. Nurse. She cleared her voice box as she opened her mouthplates to speak.

"Okay well, what we do or should know is that Elita," she looked at me and it seems the whole table turns at her gesture. "...woke up mysteriously in Alpha Trion's laboratory. She told me how he said that he saved her from a terrible accident and reprogrammed her which led to the loss of memory, she also said that he left her alone to fend for herself and find out her past. So it is clear that one of the problems is that she doesn't know who she is and..."

"And what?" Prowl pressed, clearly very intrigued with the story.

"...And, well, there must be more to Alpha Trion's rescue. I believe that he didn't just save her from an accident just so he could reprogram her. To save someone you don't need to change their whole identity. It just doesn't fit. Alpha Trion is up to something and I bet it has a whole lot of meaning to it." Moonracer slammed her clenched fist down to emphasize her point.

"So you are saying, Moonracer that you think Alpha Trion is working on something and keeping this from us because it has more meaning than we think. Also, I believe he is operating an experiment that he has absolutely no clearance on whatsoever. So I am forced to believe that Alpha Trion isn't being completely honest with us." Optimus deliberated methodically as he folded his servos together on the table.

"So Elita's an experiment?" Another anonymous mech asked. He was green with yellowish blotches on his armour. His face was old and wary as he held his gaze.

"I guess." Arcee replied as she forced herself to lock optics with me. Though I wanted to speak so badly I decided that it was better if I just listened. I learn more that way.

"So what do we do with her?" Prowl asked.

"Send her to our testing lab. We can see what kind of creature Trion made this time." Ratchet answered with a snap. He must not have noticed that I was in the room.

"We can, but I don't think that would be right. What if she has feelings?" Prowl asked to no one in particular as he leaned back in his seat.

"Elita. What do you think?" Moonracer asked me with apologetic optics. Since I was so dazed out I couldn't answer her fast enough before Optimus spoke up again.

"If Trion has really saved her from an accident, I doubt she is a normal femme anymore. I have to take the risk of her being dangerous. We don't know what she is capable of or…what she is. But she is still a sentient-being and deserves to be treated as such."

I finally stood up and replied to that. "I feel normal. I think I look normal. You cannot make such an assumption without proper reason. I can help. I really can."

"She has another point." Prowl said as he smiled to himself. "We are lacking femmes on our force. Why not let the experiment help us out? We'll dump her right onto the battlefield. Is that what you want Elita?"

"Prowl, though that may be true I cannot risk anyone life for an extra hand. Besides, a femme cannot make a difference in our force. We need trained soldiers. Megatron's army would crush her in an instant if we just let her onto the battlefield."

"Yeah, she is just a femme. We need strong mechs." The unknown mech said to him quietly, thinking no one heard him, but he wasn't as quiet as he thought he was.

That last thoughtless comment made Arcee, Moonracer, and I grow quiet.

"You did not just that." I said in a low, growling voice. Then I laughed bitterly as I noticed how much that hurt and how much of a jerk he sounded like.

The bots' optics widened with fear. He realized that what he just said was so very sexist. "Please...um… I didn't mean it that way. You understood me wrong… my apologies."

"Yeah, Ariel would have kneed you in the crouch if she heard you say that." Prowl pointed out in disbelief.

"He's lucky I didn't just do that." Moonracer growled under her breath.

"Wow…now I defiantly didn't see that coming. I guess Elita here gave you her virus. Now you both just said things that were…you know." Arcee said as she put in her two senses.

I stood up in rage and pushed in my chair, glancing angrily at Optimus and the rest of the 'bots at the table. "I may have been experimented on in Alpha Trion's Lab and he turned me into something. Or I might even still be a normal 'bot. I don't know. But what I do know is that I still have feelings. So you all just can't talk about me in front of my face like that! I knew I should have followed what Alpha Trion said. I should have never come for your help!" I roared. Everyone in the room turned inanimate.

"What did Alpha Trion say, Elita?" Optimus pressed with concerned optics. Though they seemed more concerned on what Alpha Trion said rather than concerned about me.

"Ugh! Do you have any feelings whatsoever? I just gave a short lecture of how you are hurting my feelings. Wow you mechs are so deaf...even Arcee." I spat her name out through gritted dental plates, and then I bolted out of the room. I kept running until I ran straight into a dead end.

Pressing my backplate to the wall, I slid down to my aft and just sat there.

This meeting went all the way to pit. I knew that was going to be the case…

Moonracer happened to have been following me and she fell down next to me. Her close proximity made me cringe a bit, but I decided I need some kind of company at the moment. The whole day I've been so strange. I didn't know how to control my emotions. One second I'd be happy then angry. Another shy than defensive or loud, like earlier with Ratchet when he was talking to me and I erratically jumped up and lashed out at him, then after a few seconds I went back to my normal self.

This body and mind was too strong for me and I needed to learn how to control it. At this point I realized what I had to do. I had to grow up fast. I had to take this situation with maturity or else-I might as well be known as the uncontrollable fussy brat.

I needed to show everybody who I really am. Starting now I am going to be a different 'bot, I thought to myself. I'm going to be mature, confident, and in-control. I am going to be Elita-1.

I looked up to see Moonracer staring into my optics-searching for something. She was slouched a little with her back rounded against the corridor wall looking as friendly as possible. I gawked back with my vents circulating my air better than before. I felt the energon in my body flowing easier than earlier as well.

I just took another step toward my destination. I didn't just need to know who I was then, but also who I was becoming. I had the power to steer myself in the right direction and I was going to start using it. I was 'The Chosen One' and I needed to start acting like it.

"Elita?" Moonracer's head was tilted to the side as if she was trying to find a way to see through me.

"Moonracer," I started, now sure of myself. "I want to start over."

She nodded slowly with thought as she heaved her frame up from the ground, brushing her servos down her thighs as if there was dust on her. "Ah. I understand," she paused awkwardly. "You know you don't have to be brave, Elita."

"Yes I do." I said with a new authority I did not recognize. It was different.

Strong.

It was who I needed to be. It was who I was. "I am tired of making everything a mess. I'm going to walk right back into that board-room and I'm going to show them who I really am. I'm going to show them that I know how to defend myself. That I know who I am. I am Elita-1, and I'm not one to mess with. I want to be treated fairly and not rudely, I want explanations and good reason. I want what I need and then I want my freedom. Is that understood?"

Moonracer stared at me, surprised and slightly awed. I stood up to my full height which was a good distance taller than her.

"Wow, Elita. I-uh didn't know that how you felt. Well, I understand now. Though...I can't say the same for the others-"

"Don't worry about them. I'll show them."

"No." I snapped my head towards her in surprise.

"Huh? Moonracer what are you..."

"We are going to show them together." She put her hand on my shoulder and gave me her best smile as we stood facing each other.

"Thank you." I said as I sighed internally. I was ready to head back with Moonracer at my side as well as having my back.

"Well," I started. "Here we go."

And then we started to make our way back to the board-room.


1) The format of the story is changing. The background of Elita-one is officially OVER! YAY!

2) We will be introduced to another femme who will be of great importance later on and to Elita-one.

3) The next chapter will be when Elita-one and her group head to earth.

BACKGROUND STORIES ARE OFICIALLY FINISHED AFTER THIS. Well until awhile. A lonnnng time.


I left the recruit area to attend another meeting. The one I had awhile ago ended with Optimus telling me that we would finish it another time. Some decepticons managed to break through Autobot defences and he was needed.

I stayed at the recruit area in an extra room with Moonracer accompanying me with the time being.

The whole time there I managed to get in trouble, have fun, and discover. Some of that was due to a new friend named Jazz. Little guy was one over-energized freak with a distasteful sense of humor.

Anyway…

The second conference went by pretty fair. I was upright and so were the others. We never mentioned Alpha Trion or anything to do with experiments, instead we conversed me.

Me as in Elita-one.

I was given an identification card and a bypass code to a room for refugees. We also discussed about the war and what was happening or what has already happened, the Decepticons and how they were the evil barbarians who turned Cybertron into a barren waste land because of their power-crazed leader, Megatron. His name spoke of pure evil.

I learned all the names of the people present at the boardroom as there was a proper introduction. It was a very professional meeting and it made the meeting we had before look like a frayed piece of paper, in fact, it seemed Optimus took more control over his bureaucrats. He spoke even more through this meeting than the last one.

I out-grew some of my unripe manners during the meeting. Such performances got me farther to my new life than when I acted like a brat. I should feel proud but I did not. Instead I feel…poignant. As if I am not being the person I am meant to be. I just wanted to be someone who fit in. Someone who used to exist. Someone who used to be me.

As the meeting ended two soldiers were assigned to take me to the refugee centre, but before that Optimus beckoned me over to the corner where he was idling to the side. I felt some kind of happiness, because I knew all the chaos was over. I was finally getting somewhere. Somewhere where I would belong. Thanks to Optimus Prime and his soldiers.

"Elita-1, I thank you for your tolerance. I understand how hard this must be for you, but you finally have a chance to start a whole new life." He made motions with his servos whilst he spoke. "I hope you can accept that, and I trust you will get along just fine with the others in the refugee centre. I am well-aware of how you wanted to be of assistance, but you would be helping more if you were off the field and out of harm's way. We are not in need of anyone getting hurt." He gave me a saccharine look, but it held his professionalism.

I gave a small smile. "I just want to thank you, commander. I finally have somewhere to go. Somewhere to start. And the refugee centre sounds like a perfect place to start. Thank you." I was heartfelt as I spoke. My vetos are behind my back as I stood face to face with the gigantic mech.

Well, almost face to face. My optics stood level with the tops of the windshields that sat at the top of his chassis.

"You are very much welcome." I caught sight of a barely-there smile in return. " I am pleased with your cooperation towards myself and my forces. You are doing well and I deduce that things will work out very well. Nothing can ever change destiny. Whatever is meant to be will work out perfectly; I have full faith in that statement." His veto brushed my arm and I shuddered my lenses. The heat is fantastic, I thought.

"Well, let us hope for the best. I hope to help serve your army someday, Optimus. Though that may be awhile, I want to help." Was my response.

"After you sort out your hardships."

"Yes-after." We both chuckled dryly.

Optimus smiled with only the corners of his optics as he looked down at me with soft ocular lenses.

"So we part then, Elita-1." his baritone voice echoed through my audio receptors as if it was a mixture of low bells.

"I suppose." I said with mild sorrow as I prepared to go with the two soldiers. "Good bye, Optimus Prime. I hope to meet again."

"Likewise." I turned around and headed to the door where the guards were, but skidded to a halt.

"Optimus?"

"Yes?"

"What do I do if I see Alpha Trion?"

He paused to contemplate a response. "Contact one of our military officers immediately. Avoid contact with him at all costs. We do not know what he might be up to."

"Who knows? Could be nothing." I shrugged as people continued to exit the boardroom. It was almost empty. Only a few stood to the side discussing matters that had nothing to do with me.

"Perhaps, but until we know I need you to keep a low-profile." He said as he faced me with Ratchet suddenly appearing beside him, waiting for me to go so he could consult with his commander alone.

"Yes sir." I saluted him and he chuckled silently to himself.

"Take care, Elita-one. Be safe."

"You too, Optimus Prime." I hesitated at the door as the guards motioned for me to come. I looked into his optics for the last time it would seem and I saw a sunset. It was going down slowly, but going down nonetheless. I didn't know exactly what his sunset meant, but I wondered.

Was it hope that was disappearing? Or was it something deeper. Much deeper. A feeling that dug so deep the personal connection was one that no one knew about. A part of him that no one knew existed.

He stared right through me and I shivered with pleasure until I felt it was necessary to leave. But I felt something. It was a compelling feeling. A longing of some sort. Something was telling me to stay. Telling me to walk right back into that room. It was pushing me toward Optimus. It was as if Optimus was calling me himself.

The thing was…I didn't answer back. The pain I felt was great with my departure as the soldiers named Bulkhead and Cliffjumper led me down to the refugee centre. I knew what I had to do and whatever was calling me had to wait.

I would act on my own time.

I will do what I please.

I will keep moving forward.

And as I entered the gates of the refugee centre I would never return to Optimus as long as he was on Cybertron. The days to come would be disastrous and chaotic. The Decepticons would break into the city and a battle so chaotic would occur causing me and a handful of other refugees to be captured by them while the rest would be left for dead. This would lead to the Battle of Tyger Pax, where I would escape off-planet with a few other lucky survivors. There I would learn how to fight and survive. There I would be led slowly by destiny to a planet called Earth. Its inhabitants would be fleshlings known as humans.

There I would meet those I have lost a long time ago. There I would encounter my past in the most painful way possible.

The refugee centre.

The place was phenomenal. It was constructed on a tremendously robust foundation, and the frame of the gate wound around a puny city of survivors taking refugee there. The non-soldiers. But the soon-to-be. It much more of a primitive civilian militia that trained everyday for war but were not ready enough for war. I suppose they were there for backup. Every day soldiers come to recruit people there who are ready to serve in the army.

The refugee centre is more of a training field I realized. We may not be helping serve our resistance, but we were preparing for it. Matter of fact, the soldiers and our Prime were counting on us to learn how to fight. And this made my excitable trait come alive. This was what I wanted to do.

Optimus was right when he said I would be better off at the refugee centre. I now understand that. He solely wanted me to get ready for warfare rather than be unprepared for it.

I held my only belongings, my identification card and bypass code key, tight in my palm. I was led into the gate after I was confirmed clearance by the officers. The gate was made of fine Cybertron steel and aligned with gold on the edge to give an appeasing façade. It had to be miles high as it towered over the whole city.

I felt scared in a way that seemed normal, but it also was wrong. These mixed emotions were confusing and they always got in my way. I guess this is life. Or maybe this is war. As I've heard, life and war went together nowacycles.

I was a little surprised to see my room. It wasn't huge but it wasn't small either. It was decent. A little too decent. But I was grateful…until I found out that I would have a roommate. Yeah that's when my spark sank in its casing. I was not looking forward to sharing a room. I like my privacy.

When I got there my room-mate was out at my district shooting range. The refugee centre was divided in districts for different levels of fighting expertise. I was in the lowest. She apparently was also. Though at least I'll have an instant friend unless she turns out to be wicked brat. I'll pray for that not to be the case.

Maybe being alone is a thing that the Autobots didn't really associate with. They liked to stick together I gathered. And they are doing a good job at it. Optimus Prime has good control over his people and I admire that of him.

Optimus may pop up in my mind a little once in a while, but he didn't interest me much. Just something seemed familiar about him though I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe it is nothing. Either way it doesn't matter. What matters right now is the present not the past…maybe the future.

The soldiers who escorted me to the gate were assigned to check on me every cycle. I was given orders to take a chance to get settled in before further instructions. I was glad for that.

The soldiers –Bulkhead and Cliffjumper, if I remembered correctly. Bulkhead was a buff ball of steel, one serious mean green fighting machine. He was positively enormous! The Cliffjumper guy was a bit smaller in height, a little leaner but no different from Bulkheads build, but he was a solid red in color and wore intimidating yet stylish horns on the top sides of his helm.

They were friendly, but didn't talk much. We made small talk as they described warfare to me. It was some gruesome details they were telling me, but it interested me in a weird, creepy way. I laughed out loudly and the noise echoed in my dorm as I stood alone in the chamber.

I sat down gingerly at a desk that held a machine that carried Cybertron internet. I decided to look up some of the history on this joint.

It turns out I found none. The internet held no information containing the war, only useless preppy crap from before the war. Like videos, movies, and music. I turned the computer off uninterested and decided to lie down. I had a processor-ache and it was traveling throughout my chassis. An infection that was spreading. I was like an illness that fought control over my form. Sometimes it succeeded, and sometimes I was able to fight it off.

It sent terrible feelings through me and sometimes I got wonderful ones when I took the pain-killers. The thing was…no matter how many pain-killers I take to ease the pain, the infection still holds no cure. I can run, but I can't hide. It will always find me.

But is that what I want to do? Be always running away?

1,234 vorns later.

"Hey Elita? Pass me my Scar-L will ya'? Careful-it has a tendency to go off on its own." My roommate requested. I complied with good faith.

"Here. This thing looks as rusty as ever, Meteora. Perhaps you should trade it in for a semi-automatic or maybe a decent rifle?" I inquired with helpfulness though I knew what she would say.

"I don't want any of that new age mumbo jumbo. This here is a classic. Don't hate my senior citizen, he still packs a punch." she said shielding. But the corners of her mouth fought to curve upward in a smile as she scowled at me playfully.

"Yeah, yeah. That senior citizen looks like he's ready for retirement, doll." That was the nickname everyone called her because she can act so sweet, she can be like a playful doll. But she has a temper, believe me. Talk about killer action figure.

"Nah. I give him another few vorns." She said intransigent. She never bends, it's crazy. I expect for her to break sometime but it's never happened. She's hard.

"Are you kidding?" I said shaking my head. "His bridge looks like it's ready to collapse. At least handle him with care." I pointed out the chipping away at the middle.

"I feel clinically insane talking about my gun like it's a real person." Meteora grinned up at me with her beaming lenses.

I returned the smile. We were standing at the shooting range for the last time. The soldiers were coming to recruit us into the army. I never thought this day would come but it has. My roommate Meteora has been my best friend since I can remember. Now we were being entered into the real world-together.

The post we were at stretched across the ranging field as we looked on over it. Meteora stepped up to the plate as she aimed for the targets spread out over the field. I bet half of them to be knocked down before she fired her first shot. Accurate. Second…accurate. Third…accurate. And the rest she all got but one. That was way more than I guessed. I don't give her as much credit as I should.

"Your turn, hot shot." She walked past me with the smuggest expression. I wanted to slap her.

"Be prepared to be amazed." I muttered to more to me and less to her.

I aimed and…BOOM! I missed. Shoot! I aimed again…..missed. Slag! I aimed again…my gun got stuck. Frag! The rest I managed to barely make it. I missed two more than Meteora and I felt like an aft. She patted me on the soldier and said 'next time'.

"I'm still far more advanced in mortal combat martial arts." I countered with smugness.

"Good for you." She said like she didn't care. My face fell all the way. All well. When it comes to Meteora that is how it always plays out.

"Fine, whatever. Let's get packed up. We need to be at the station soon and we need to get our belongings out of our apartment in an hour." I slung my rifle over my soldier as we walked to the trolley corner.

"Elita, we're going to be great soldiers." She said dreamily.

"We are." I said with my own whimsy fabricating its way across my mind.

We boarded the station train on time as we headed out to Iacon. The Autobot capital. The thing that kept my mind racing was not the real war or being a part of the army, or finally doing something worth doing. What made my pulse quicken was the thought of seeing Optimus Prime again. The memory of him still haunts me. Since the first time I met him something about him drew him into my mind. Now over time I literally became obsessed with him. I was fascinated with the stories that were told about him and the holocubes some people managed to get of him. It was extremely unhealthy.

But what can I say? I can't resist these feeling that I feel. I am still a femme, after all.

"Tell me Elita. What is the first thing you are going to do when you get to Iacon?" Meteora was leaning back with her optics closed in a relaxed way.

"Take a nap." I said absently and she barked out a laugh.

"No. Come on, be serious." she turned her face toward mine and lifted both optic ridges up in curiosity.

"I am serious. I am so tired it isn't funny."

"Well then…how bout after the nap?"

"Go to the shooting range and practice. My aim is as rusty as ever. As rusty as your senior citizen and that's saying something." Meteora barked out another laugh but it turned into a chorus. The rest of the ride we kept on with our small talk. We talked about Optimus half of the time thanks to the same interest Meteora has in him as I have.

But the vehicle stopped abruptly with a jerk.

"What the…" Meteora said startled.

I looked out the side window and saw nothing, so I just sat back and shrugged.

"I don't know. They probably stopped to check something out. Probably nothing serious." I assured Meteora but she wasn't convinced.

"I don't know Elita. It seems pretty odd for the train to stop without reason or warning. Something's wrong."

"You can't know that, doll."

"No….. But I'm sure they do." She said pointing out the window. "Look!"

I turned scared by the tone of her voice. It was filled with fear. There, coming from the side, was a large group of bots carrying heavy loaded weapons approaching dangerously towards the transporter. They were very brawny and had hard, smirking looks on their faces. My energon lines froze.

Decepticons.

I knew this wasn't good. Not good at all."

"Oh no! What do we do, 'Lita?" Meteora only calls me Lita when she is scared out of her whits.

"I-I-We have to fight." I decided.

"Fight back? We can't possibly win!"

"No, but we have to try so we can't say we didn't do anything. Who knows? Maybe help is on their way." I said hopeful though I knew that help wasn't likely. This was too unexpected and Iacon was still miles away. Way too far for help to come on time.

The whole transportation broke out in panic. Everyone was screaming and crying and it annoyed me deeply. I had enough of this.

I stood up. "Everyone! Hello? Everyone listen to me!" The train went quiet. "We need to stay calm"

"Stay calm? We can't afford to stay calm!" Someone in the back shouted, panicked.

"And we can't afford to panic either." I had their full attention. "We must fight back. We may still have a fighting chance."

"A fighting chance." someone scoffed. "That's all we got?"

Everyone shouted and agreed with him.

"Listen to me! What kind of pathetic fragile beings have we became. You should all be ashamed of yourselves! We come from a place where no tears are allowed. Where we fight bravely. Where we don't give up. Where we don't panic!"

"Elita's right." Meteora said finally sticking up for me. "If we fight back we may be able to stall enough time for help to come. Surely someone contacted them!"

Then that's when it hit. A huge missile planted its way right through the carriage. We all gaped at it before everyone got up and tried to exit before it went off. Meteora and I were closest to the exit. We managed to get out before the bomb detonated, but the distance wasn't enough. We went flying across the barren field and hit the ground hard. The impact instantly knocked both of us out. The worst part of the blackout was that I felt the pain before I was knocked unconscious. And it was a pain I was too familiar with. A pain back at Alpha Trion's Lab when he was saving my life.

When I woke up I was in the hands of a familiar face. One that carried concern all over it. A doctor with much experience and history.

Ratchet.

I was so glad to see the Doctor that I literally jumped up on the berth, before a firm hand pushed me down. A helm rush swayed in the back of my mind.

"Whoa there soldier. Take it easy." he pulled out a bright blue light. "Follow the light…that's it. You seem to be very responsive to light. That's good. I was afraid your vision might have been affected but maybe your hearing. Can you hear me?"

"Ugh….where am I?" I asked even though I knew. It was a stupid question, I know.

"Where else would you be. Where else would you be where I would be. Iacon, of course." He said with mild irritation.

"Right. Iacon. I knew that." I said weakly. My joints and circuits ached severely and I couldn't move without gasping out in pain.

"So hearing is good. Maybe not full, but functional."

"What happened?"

He stopped to think longer than he should have, but I thought nothing of it. "Decepticons caught us by surprise. It was an ambush. They were planning that for a while to minimize the size of our army. It was a wicked plan, but a smart one."

"Where's Meteora?" I suddenly said panicked. I almost forgot about my best friend. Was she okay? Alive? Was she already up and walking? Maybe shooting up the shooting range?

"Meteora? I don't know the whereabouts of your friend, I'm sorry." He said apologetically trying to hold me from getting up. I laid back, defeated. I was in too much pain to fight back.

"I need to know if she's alright, Ratchet. I-I need to k-know." My voice was raspy and dry. If I didn't have energon soon I'm afraid my throat might close up.

"I'm sorry I don't-"

"Please!" I stared at him with wide frantic optics and grabbed his wrist. He looked at me stunned for a few seconds before he shook his head.'

"Okay, okay. Fine. I'll try to see if she's present in the med bay…let me just make a call." he turned away and walked out of the room as someone was coming in.

"Hey, hey, hey. You can't go in there." Ratchet said in alarm.

"Oh please Doc. Save it. I gotta see my friend." A familiar, humorous voice sparked up.

Jazz.

"Oh Jazz!" I said in pure delight. "It's really you isn't it!"

"Hey 'Lita? You're up. Are you feeling alright?" he said with deep concern as Ratchet shook his head once more and exited the room. "You look like slag."

"Thanks." I said sorely. And sarcastically.

"Just keeping it real." he said with a sunny smile.

"How'd you know I was here?" I asked still shocked that Jazz was here.

"I saw them bringing you in on a stretcher when I was leaving the med bay for a regular maintenance check-up. I immediately tried to see you, but they wouldn't let me. Op had strict orders. No visitors. Surprised Ratchet let this one pass."

"Probably didn't want to put up with your annoying aft whining." I chuckled weakly. It hardly made a pleasant laughing sound as it exited my mouth.

"Probably." he grinned, but the grin faltered a little.

"What's wrong?" I demanded.

"There's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time, Elita." Jazz never called me Elita. Only 'Lita. Something was up.

"Tell me." I pressed.

"You'll think I'm crazy then yell at me." he scrunched his face up at the thought.

"No I promise I won't." I leaned toward him but gasped out loud with pain.

"Whoa. Are you okay… 'Lita speak to me. Don't die now…'Lita'!" Jazz said frantically as he rushed to the side of the berth.

"I'm not dying you idiot!" I said way too snappish. "Sorry."

"No harm. Thought I was losing you there for a second."

"Never." I breathed with pain engulfing my body. "Finish what you were saying."

"Okay…well Elita-um. Were leaving, 'Lita. Off-planet. Me, Chromia, Ironhide."

It took me a while to process what he said.

"What?" I said in a whisper.

"The planet is pretty much dead. We need to get off and find a new home. If we stay here any longer we'll just perish along with Cybertron."

I stared at him confused by his words.

"Wha…what are you saying?" I cracked a little.

"I'm saying, come with us Elita. We'll find another world and start all over. We won't have to worry about the Decepticons. Shoot, they can have this planet if they want-"

"Jazz wait-stop."

"Elita, but-"

"No, no, no. Just stop. Don't say that Jazz. Don't talk about leaving." I shook my head in disgust. His words were foul as they stunk up my mind.

"Elita I need you. I need you to listen to me on this one." He begged squeezing my hand.

"I want to Jazz, but we can't just abandon our home…or our people. It wouldn't feel right. The war. It still goes on. This world still has life. Cities…." I trailed off as a painful contraction ripped through my chest.

"Elita." Jazz said firm.

"What?"

"The war is over."

"Huh?" I said unsure by his words.

"I said the war is over. The planet is dead. There is no more to save or fight for. Nothing left to abandon."

I was silent. It all sunk in at once and I burst out in sobs. There were quiet but they held so much sorrow. Jazz tried to comfort me, but the tears kept coming. This would be our little secret. My break down. The time when Elita-one actually cried.

"It can't-oh Jazz!" I hugged him close, even though the pain that traveled in my body was excruciating-I didn't care. We lost. We lost everything. We lost our home.

"You've been out for awhile. Way to long. The Last battle raged a long time ago. Something with your systems shut down to protect your body from further damage I heard Ratchet say."

"What? Wait..how long has it been, Jazz?" I asked wearily.

"A long time." he paused. "In fact your friend Meteora has already started a whole new life. A boyfriend and everything. "

Meteora? A new life? A boyfriend! Oh Primus that's wonderful…I think.

"So she's safe?" I asked anxious.

"Yeah. But she isn't anywhere near here. Actually no one actually knows she exists."

"What the pit are you talking about no one knows she exists?" I said impatient.

"I mean exactly that. She wanted to keep a low-profile. Cleaned her file. She said she wanted out. She didn't want the war life anymore. She said she wanted a family. Can you believe that? A family!" He exclaimed with his hands thrown in the air.

"Well I'm glad she got out. She deserved a better life than this." I sighed internally. As long as she's safe, I thought.

"So what do you say about ditching this Jon?" he asked me with beaming optics.

"What else is there to do, except recover?" I frowned. "I guess I have no choice, do I?"

"No you do not. But guess what?"

"What?"

"Meteora is coming with us!" He squealed a very un-mech-like scream.

My spark stopped beating in its casing and my face lit up. But then fell.

"So who's left?"

"Huh?" Jazz asked confused with my sudden change in topic.

"The survivors. Who survived the war? On our side, I mean."

"Oh, not many." He said slowly with sadness creeping on him. "A far as I know it's just the boss-bot, Ratchet, Arcee, Cliffjumper, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Chromia, Ironhide, and Meteora. And you."

"That's like nobody, Jazz! Oh God! Is everyone really gone?" I couldn't take it all in. It was too much. Tears threatened to fall again and so did my strength.

"I know Elita. It's really over." Jazz looked up at the ceiling and frowned for the first time. "Get some rest. We need to be out of here before the boss suspects it."

"Were leaving him?"

"He refuses to leave and I can't bare it anymore. If he wants to stay here and rot into nothingness then so be it." Jazz said coldly.

"You don't mean that."

"Do I?" He challenged. "Get some rest. We need to get out of here. I'll gather the others and prepare for our departure.

"Okay." I said imperceptibly and I felt oh so feeble.

I closed my eyes and dreamt of a better place. Thought about Optimus. And how disappointed he would be in us.

Elita-one never saw Optimus ever again on Cybertron. Elita-one hasn't regained her memory, but hopes to get as far away from the barren waste-land her home as become as possible. The problem with this is that she was actually heading straight for the middle of the action that ruined her home in the first place. Her, Jazz, Chromia, Ironhide, and her best friend Meteora were leaving together without a trace. Making it seemed they died so the others would never suspect. But the time would come when they would.

Somewhere else on Cybertron Meteora and Ultra Magnus have a conversation before her departure with Elita-one off-planet after she comes back from being reunited with her long-lost best friend. She learns of the plan and plans to go along with it.

The Departure

Meteora POV

"I'll never be the same if we ever meet again. Next time I'll never let you get away." I said even though I knew there would be no next time.

"Were you ever planning on letting me go? Now? Right now. Right here." He spoke with precise caution. He was standing directly in front of me as I held both of his hands in mine. They were strong and gentle, but they were fighting back the need to hold me tightly and with no chance of letting me go.

"It's the only way. They're tracking me. As long as I'm with you…you can never be safe. That's why I have to leave you behind." My thumb traced numbly on his hand as it shook with the rest of my body. I hated lying. I was making up a whole story of decepticons tracking me so I wouldn't blow my cover.

"My spark is not cold, nor hard, or even frayed. It is broken. It yearns for your calling. A healing that only your energon can wrap around, intertwine, and stitch together as one bond that we can share through all eternity. Our sparks merged and as one is the most powerful thing that can ever exist. All I need is your will." his veto brushed lovingly across my face-plate and down to my lower jaw before my hand hastily stopped it from bringing my helm up to his waiting lips.

"Don't. Please. Don't." I whimpered weakly. It was very unlike me.

"Don't what? You cannot possibly be serious?" His optics grew huge on his flawless face.

"It will only make things harder…eh…if you do I won't be able to let go."

"Then don't."

"I can't…I uh…I have to go. I have to." I tried to pull away but his hands only held me tighter and stopped me from leaving.

"Please-"

"No you please. We part tonight. I will call for my departure when the sun sinks sharp. No more, my love. There is nothing you can say or do. You cannot fight destiny." I let my optics swell as they bore into his.

"But can you fight fate?"

I hung my helm down as I thought of the right words. This good-bye was more complicated than I had imagined. "They say that fate lies in someone's hands. Either your own or another's. Let that be."

"What will I do without you?" His tone matched his distress, but I did not comfort it.

"Think of me fondly about when we said good-bye. Remember me once in a while. When you find that once again you long to take your spark back and be free….if you ever find a moment…spare a thought for me. Please promise me you'll try." He let my hands fall so that they were back at my sides. I snatched them back up close to my chest so he could not grab them again. He winced at this action but softened as he prepared to let me go.

I knew this would be difficult but very easy. I knew he would let me go with ease. I knew he wouldn't try to hold me down or beg me past decision.

A part of me hoped he would have though.

"There will not be a second your beautiful face will not occupy a thought in my mind. You will always be the one for me my love." he vowed as he took my helm gingerly in his hands and kissed the top of it. I did not pull back.

"I have one more thing to ask of you." I said wearily, predicting he would be very skeptical.

"Yes?" he asked innocently. I let a fresh intake of air pass through my over-heated vents.

"Promise me you will love again. For me? I need to know you will let go for me to live on."

"I…I uh. I can't. I will never let go." He stuttered with stubbornness.

"I beg of you-" I began but he cut me off.

"But I promise to love. For you my dear. But I will never let go."

"Never? Even when time rots the lost memories of me you will not let go. When you make room for a new and fill your thoughts of only her you will not? Even when I have no more meaning to your being?" I was awed by the love he had for me. It made my spark swell in its casing and I thought it would explode and kill me now. And all these years I longed for love but it didn't long for me back. Until now.

"Never. You are the meaning to my existence. Without my meaning I cannot live." The air in my vents started to hitch again through my intakes. He dropped my face and I quickly brought my hands up to my face-plates which were still warm from his touch. He was trying so hard to speak those words; to tell how he loved me. He didn't really love me. He couldn't. He is better than me. He was deceiving himself as I looked in his exasperated optics.

"You never needed me but you have always wanted me. That is why you can live without me." I vented even harder as the words flowed through my mouth. "You do not need me to survive, but you want me there though you do not need my presence."

He opened his mouth to speak but I was not finished. I continued. "Magnus, I rather be wanted than needed. I know how crazy I sound. To want fake love, but I have my reasons. You can need me but not love me. Meaning you need me there to survive but doesn't necessarily mean you want me there. To be wanted means that you want me there because you love me but you do not need me. If I left you would still be able to live."

"I can live without you because I love you enough to let you go." he choked and paused painfully between words because he hated lying. I knew him well enough. He knew that the love we shared wasn't big enough. It only sparked a strong friendship that we wished could be more.

"You need to stop fooling yourself. It was never love. It was need polluted by want. It was a desire that did not specifically want me or need me. You just needed someone. And…I am not that someone. She exists in this world or in another. Only time can bring you two closer. I was just the decoy. To prepare you for the future," I took a deep breath and smiled. "But you said you would never let me go." Confusion briefly crossed his face before confronted by meaning.

He was caught off guard by my last sentenced before he recalled what he said before. "In my spark…But in the world it cannot be. I presume that we were never meant for do or die. Our perfection together couldn't always keep our love alive."

"You know I never wanted it to end like this. I never wanted our," I paused looking for the appropriate word. "…'friendship' to die out."

"But we had no control over our love's fate. The fate of it never lay in our hands." He spoke those words as if they were made of glass and might break if the wrong pressure was made upon it.

"Then whose?" I questioned as if he knew the answer or if there even was an answer.

"I cannot say." He started to reach for me again but I pulled away. His faced was so tortured and pained I couldn't take it anymore.

It may not be "love love" we shared but it was a deep, deep friendship. A love of a friend. We were not in love, but rather just loved each other.

"See? That is why I must go. Someone has to leave and if it must be me then so be it." My feet moved backward as it carried my feet to the ledge of the roof.

He stood his ground but it was evident he was holding himself back from moving. "I love you, my friend. Forever and always. Nothing you do now or then can ever change the way I feel about you. And when you are gone I shall cherish our time together."

"Well…start now because…I'm already gone." I spoke the last words as a whisper. The sound barely traveled but I knew he heard them by the expression on his face. So much anguish filled it. He was losing another friend. All the loses from the war piled up and I just made the top of it.

"So I will never see you again?" His voice slightly choked on his words.

"Keep your door unlocked and just maybe I'll stop by for mid-morning energon." I smiled a sad smile.

"Even through the spark-break you are still cracking jokes." He chuckled darkly as his optics dimmed with his voice.

"What can I say. I can't be changed." I said flatly but the same cheerless beam was still pasted on my face.

"Or saved."

I paused and took a squish of air in my vents. "Remember when I cried…to you a thousand times? I told you everything. You know my feelings. It never crossed my mind that there would be a time for us to say good-bye. What a big surprise. But I'm not lost. But I'm not gone. I haven't forgot these feelings."

"I remember when it was together till the end…now I'm alone again. Where do I begin?" he looked down at his feet and sighed.

"Farewell. I'll always stand by your side and fight and defend. Even if I am not visible to your naked optic. My essence will overwhelm you and keep you safe. I promise. Do you?" I promised with my whole soul and mind as I climb the ledge and readied for flight.

"I promise." he breathed through his steaming vents. "I shall never forget you Meteora. Your story will live on."

"Then I shall be on my way. May the best make its way through you."

"And you, Meteora. Tell Elita I said Hi" he added the last part with a heartbreaking smile.

"Will do." I paused for a minute before continuing. "I love you, Ultra Magnus. Our love may be lost in this world but we still keep it deep down and buried in our sparks. A love of the strongest friendships we have ever encountered."

So we realized that we didn't really love each other. We were pretending and we both knew it. How pathetic how we builded our lives on a foundation of fake love that we oh so wish existed. We just wanted someone there to comfort us, be there, and make us believe. We just wanted to keep holding on to something that made us feel whole, but we were never whole and we never would be.

We are just held up so high on such a breakable thread. He was everything that I wanted and all the things that I thought I knew ,and I thought we could be. We were meant to be, supposed to be but we lost it to reality.

I remember the first day we started to realize that it wasn't going to work. He told me one time that we needed to keep it real, that this world wasn't meant to keep us together; that we were already separated at the spark.

So much for my happy ending.

I gave him the last smile I would smile in a long time before I turned and jumped off the ledge. The winds whipped past my armor as they screeched past me. My jet systems activated as my rocketing engines turned on and lifted me back into the high sky. I flew back to my apartment where I prepared for my long journey. And before night fell I was gone with Elita-one and the others. We took through space for another home somewhere in the galaxy. Whether it be a planet with no one occupying it or a world full of beings. Either would suffice.

We all just needed a way out.

And I would never return. Not back to Cybertron or to the person I was known to be. Me, Elita-1, and a few others would escape to space.

The upcoming war would change me and everyone else. The war where I fight for all I ever cared about. Including my freedom. including my friends.

Elita-one turned towards me as we entered orbit. She squeezed my hand thoughtfully and I gave her a tight smile.

"Meteora-I hope we are doing the right thing in leaving." Elita said to me with guilt all over her face.

"Me too, Elita. Me too…"

"Tell me what happened when you told your boyfriend good-bye." Elita asked me.

I answered. "I cried a little bit….he died a little bit."

"Please say there's no regret. And say you won't forget."

"Don't worry. I'm not lost and I'm not gone. I haven't forgotten this feeling." I repeated the same words I had at my departure with Magnus.

I expected them to come out choked but instead they were…strong- though -weak. A pair that should never be compared and put together.

"Oh and Magnus said hi."

"Who's Magnus?"

"He's the one I just-Oh never mind…"


E/N: Thanks to everyone who has been bearing with us two and our overly-long waiting periods between chapters! And please take the time to review! It makes Jazz and I happy to know someone appreciates our combined effort to get this story written, edited and published, and getting peoples comments makes it all worthwhile!

I hope you've all enjoyed the story so far!

~Meramor and Exdouselita