Chapter 4:Siblings forever/Examined

When Ratchet and Lifesaver got to the medical center, he was antsy to see his sister and was scared for her. He nearly ran all the way up to the fifth floor to room 50. Inside the room, on the berth laid Starlight. She was hooked up to the spark monitor, the I.V. and there was a small tube down her throat. Her colors didn't look too good either, they were dull, almost gray looking. Ratchet slowly approached the sleeping femme who must've heard him coming over because she opened her optics and she tried sitting up, Lifesaver told her not to move. "How is she?" Ratchet asked. "She's ok, but the symptoms were worse this time. She needs to stay here for a few months." Lifesaver explained. Ratchet looked over at his sister, "What can we do to help?"

"All we can do is keep her condition from going down hill." Ratchet knew as a medic in training that Starlight's well being was vital to him and he wanted to make sure she would get better. But, there was a downside to that, he couldn't always be there with her. Other medics were there to care for her and Ratchet didn't like not being able to help.

His days at medical school were slow, he couldn't bear to be away from his sister while she was in a bad position. When he couldn't help her, he went to an energon lounge in Iacon for a few high grade energon cubes.

The young medic in training sat at a table downing a second cube when Stella approached. She had grown to be pretty tall for a seventeen year old, and her armor was a bit thicker. Ratchet looked up at the femme and didn't say anything. "Look, I know what you're thinking, me coming to see you when I teased Starlight all these years, but I heard she is in the hospital again and I want to say I am deeply sorry for everything I did." Stella explained, still getting nothing from Ratchet. "And, if you want me to never come near you or Starlight again, I'll go ahead and walk out of here right now."

Ratchet sighed, "I have no reason to hate you for that."

Stella smiled, but it faded when Ratchet added: "My sister's sickness was no laughing matter and you go ahead and tease her for seventeen years. Now she's in need of medical attention. Go ahead and laugh if you want, no one will stop you."

"I won't laugh, I know now that her condition is a big deal. I can help if you want."

Ratchet shook his head, "No, Starlight doesn't need help from you."

"Can't I just see her?" Stella asked.

"See her? What is wrong with you? No, Starlight wouldn't want you to see her." Ratchet tells her in a rough tone.

"Why not, I'm not teasing her anymore." Stella says.

"Starlight is off limits to anyone except me, my father and other medics." Ratchet said, "And that includes you too."

"Please, I just want to see her. Just this once." Stella almost begged, "You won't see me again after."

Ratchet sighed, "Fine, just this once." He took Stella down to the medical center where in her room, Starlight was laying on the berth in recharge. Stella slowly approached the berth, her spark broke at how Starlight looked. She turned to Ratchet, "I had no idea it was this bad." she immediately hugged the mech as she started crying. "I teased her for too long... I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, we knew it would get worse as she got older. The two didn't see Starlight open her optics and sit up on the berth, she tried saying something but no words came out, she felt her throat and it hit her; she couldn't speak, her sickness has caused her voice box to stop working.

She started sobbing quietly.

Ratchet saw this and went over to comfort the distraught femme who kept crying. Stella joined on the other side of the berth and asked what was wrong. "She can't speak. Her voice box stopped working."

"And you didn't think to tell her?" Stella asked almost raising her voice. "We didn't want to scare her." Ratchet says.

"We?" Stella asks in confusion. The room door opened and Lifesaver came in, he froze when he saw Stella. "What is she doing here?" He asked, "She wanted to see Starlight," Ratchet replies as he stood up, "I know it's a bit strange but she said she regrets teasing Starlight all these years."

Lifesaver frowned at the femme next to the window by the berth, "You better fragging regret it! My daughter is on the verge of death!" Stella flinched at the tone Lifesaver used. "You need to leave, you are not welcome here."

Stella gawked at this, "B-but, can't you see I changed? I won't ever tease her again!" Her optics well with tears and she ran out of the room. "Stella, wait!" Ratchets calls after her but she was gone, he turned to his father with a frown on his face, "Why did you do that?! She said she wouldn't tease Starlight again!" Lifesaver scoffed, "And you trust her? You're the one who wanted her to stay away in the first place."

"That was a long time ago, Stella changed, and so have I." Ratchet states and starts to walk out of the room. "Where are you going?" Lifesaver asked, "After Stella. She needs someone to talk to and that someone is me." Ratchet walks out of the room and Lifesaver turned to Starlight to comfort her of what happened.

Ratchet managed to catch up with Stella just outside the building, she was heavily sobbing on the bench nearby. Ratchet walks over to her and pulls her into a hug. "I'm sorry about that, my father just wants my sister to recover." Stella didn't respond, she kept crying in Ratchet's chest. "Look...maybe it is best you don't stick around, my sister needs to recover and I don't want you to anger my father more." Ratchet tells her as she kept crying, "But, I'll come see you if you want." Stella shook her head, "No, it's fine, I'll stay away. Your sister needs you more."

"You sure?"

Stella nods and Ratchet nods back. He just hoped nothing worse happens.

(Three months later)

Ratchet gets an urgent call from his father at midnight telling him he should quickly come to the medical center, it was Starlight and she was flatlining and was rushed into stasis for an operation on her spark. Ratchet was at the medical center in no time flat to help his sister but he wasn't able to help since he was still a medic in training. He was told to wait in the hallway until they were able to stabilize Starlight. He sat in one of the chairs in the waiting room near the operating room waiting impatiently for anything on his sister, once again he was left out in helping.

Orion and Ariel soon came in the waiting room. "Ratchet, we heard what happened, how is she?" Orion asked, "She's in surgery, she flatlined and the sickness has gotten to her spark." Ratchet says, "And I can't even help."

"I guess all we can do is hope she'll be alright." Ariel says taking a seat next to Orion.

A couple hours passed and the trio nearly fell asleep when Lifesaver came in the waiting room with a sad look on his face. Ratchet knew that face, he asked how Starlight was. "We were able to stabilize her but the sickness got too serious and I'm afraid she doesn't have much time. I suggest you go in there and say your goodbyes." Lifesaver explains, Ratchet felt his spark stop when he heard that, he suddenly ran down the hall to his sister's room. She was hooked up to the spark monitor again, the lifeline was very faint and her colors were close to gray. "Oh, Starlight." Ratchet says in a low tone as he walks closer to the dying femme. He sits on the chair next to the berth and takes his sister's hand in his. "Don't you dare let this virus take you from me, I need you." He said a shaky tone while bringing Starlight's hand to his forehead. He felt his sister's hand move and he looked at her when she opened her optics. She gave a small smile to her brother before speaking in a low voice, "They were able to partially fix my voice box so we can say our goodbyes properly."

Ratchet smiled slightly then hung his head, "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

"Don't be, we both knew that my sickness would make me end up here." Starlight said, "And you don't need me, you can be a medic without me."

"I do need you! Without you what can I do?" Ratchet asks, Starlight frowned, "Don't be an aft, you can still be a medic without me, maybe you can become the best medic Iacon has ever seen."

"What about you?"

"I'll be with you, just not physically."

Ratchet closed his optics tightly, "No, I'll find a way to cure you of this." Starlight shook her head, "No, there's no cure for this, there never was. I rather be in the Well of Allsparks than suffer from this." Ratchet now had tears on his face, "No, no, don't say that, I will find a way to cure you." He gently squeezed his sister's hand but didn't feel her squeeze back.

"You heard me, right, sis?" Ratchet asks still not getting a response from the younger sibling, "Star?" He looked at his sister who had her optics closed and her armor colors were gray, she had a smile on her face too. "Star, no, no. Wake up." He gently shook her shoulder and still no answer. "Starlight, don't leave me. Please, I need you." He finally let his sad feeling take over and started crying softly.

In the doorway, Lifesaver, Orion and Ariel heard everything. Ariel buried her face into Orion's chest while crying softly, Lifesaver looked away so no one would see him breakdown. The only sound was Ratchet mourning his sister. Things got harder afterwards and Starlight's funeral was planned to be a week later. It gave Ratchet time to mourn with his father.

(A week later)

Ratchet with his father stood in front of Starlight's casket saying their final goodbyes before her body is sent into space. Orion and Ariel came too. Ratchet couldn't believe his sister and best friend was gone, he didn't want to believe it but it's how it was. Orion comforted his friend but he could only do so little for it.

Ratchet sat at the end of the row of chairs as others arrived, including Stella. She saw the young medic sitting alone and walked over to him. Ratchet must've heard her coming and he turned to face the femme. "What are you doing here?" Stella ignored his gaze, "I came to pay my respects." Ratchet frowned, "I thought my father told you to stay away?"

"And miss seeing your sister one last time? I couldn't miss that." Stella replied, "I did tell you I changed, right?"

"Yes, you did, but my father won't like it if you are here." Ratchet tells her. "Please, I just want to stay for a little while." Stella said, Ratchet sighed, "Fine, only for a bit."

The funeral got started and Ratchet was asked to say a few things about Starlight. He was hesitant to go up at first but he had to, for his sister. He stood in front of the small crowd, taking a quick glance at his sister before beginning to speak. "My sister was someone very special, she was stubborn, yes, but she was my world and she has done what she could against the sickness she had, now she is one with the Allspark…goodbye sis, I hope you find mother with you, until all are one." The small crowd applauded and Starlight's casket was shot into space, Ratchet watched as it disappeared into deep space. Many years passed and Ratchet finished up with medical school and became one of the best medics in Iacon. Then, the war broke out and Ratchet was recruited by Orion, now Optimus Prime to be a medic for his team of Autobots including, Ariel who was now Elita One, a former wrecker named Bulkhead, a scout named Bumblebee, a weapon specialists named Ironhide, and his lady friend and Elita's sister, Chromia. Ratchet still thought about his sister while he patched up Autobots who were wounded, he still held her close to his spark and knew she was watching over him.

(Back to the Present)

Once Ratchet finished talking, I couldn't believe what I heard. This was almost similar to the way I lost my mother. I tried to prevent from crying out loud but tears came out anyway. I wanted to comfort my friend who I now know shares a similar past with me. "Now, you know." Ratchet tells me. "What happened to Stella?" I ask. "She became a sniper during the war and I haven't seen her since Cybertron went dark." Ratchet replied, I whimpered and suddenly hugged the medic's hand. "I'm so sorry for your loss. You were where I was when I lost my mother."

"Was she sick?"

I shook my head, "No, she was sick when she was pregnant with my brother and she died a couple days after."

"What happened to your brother?" Ratchet asked.

I sighed, "It was five months ago, a few months after my mother died, my brother and were in the grasslands on our first exploring day without our father."

(Flashback: Heroville-Five months ago)

"Be careful out there boys!" Our father called to us. "We will Dad, don't worry!" I called back as I led my younger brother, Jack down the pathway from the Lion Palace. We were finally able to go out without our father's guidance and I was in charge of course.

"Come on, Leo, last one to the Oval Lake is rotten fruit." Jack playfully mocked as he ran ahead of me. I rolled my eyes, "Come on yourself. We can't just go anywhere, Dad told us there are places we can't go."

"Don't worry, we won't go that far." Jack tells me, I scoffed and followed the younger cub down the pathway.

A couple hours later, we passed the Dark Forest and Jack wanted to check it out. "Ah Ah! Don't even think about it." I tell him sternly. "It looks deserted," Jack says, I pulled him away, "That's what worries me." I urged the six month old cub in front of me to keep an eye on him. A while later, we were close to the Oval Lake and I didn't see Jack with me, I panicked and looked around for him, I saw him near a cave a few feet away from the Dark Forest. Running over, I grabbed his paw and pulled him away. "What are you doing?!" I hissed, "Never go in a dark cave alone!"

"I wasn't going to." Jack tells me.

"Really?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"Yeah, it looks vacant anyway."

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just go to the lake." I say quickly.

"Leo, look, there are bones around. Old bones. This cave might be worth looking at." Jack said.

"So, old bones could mean anything. Whatever's in there could not have been out for months." I replied, frowning. Jack rolled his eyes, "Don't be a baby." He walked into the cave and I quickly went after him, "Jack, we can't be in here."

"Dad didn't say anything about this place."

"Yeah, but-"

"Leo, lighten up, no one is here."

I sighed and followed my brother deeper into the cave not knowing we were heading into a dangerous place. The cave looked terrifying as Jack and I walked farther into it, there were a lot more bones, dried blood was on the walls of the cave, as were scratch marks. Some of the marks looked fresh. Something must live here. "Jack, we should go," I told him, feeling uneasy, the younger cub waved his paw dismissively, "No one is here, Leo."

"Jack I'm serious, we should go and-"

A low, dangerous growl cut me off, looking up, I saw a huge grizzly bear standing in front of me. He had a heavily scarred face and his claws were seriously long. "Two lion cubs in my territory, that's never a surprise." The bear said in a deep voice with a bit of an accent. "Jack, go hide, I'll hold him off." I whispered to my brother who shook his head, "No, I'm not leaving you."

"Just go." I hissed before the bear attacked.

I managed to to hold the bear off while Jack ran to hide, but I was a lot smaller than the bear and wasn't strong compared to him. The fight turned around when the bear smacked me into the cave wall, knocking me out. I didn't hear the bear roar or my brother screaming my name.

When I came to, the bear was gone and I didn't see my brother. I stood up, wincing at the slight pain in my side and looked around for my brother. I raised my muzzle in the air and caught the scent of...blood? I walked to where the scent was coming from and my paw suddenly stepped in something warm. I looked down and there, right in front of me was my brother! He had four deep scratch marks on his torso, from that bear. "Jack...no." I went behind him, avoiding the marks on his torso and held the dead cub in my arms, crying softly.

(Back to the Present)

"When my father found us, he wasn't mad, but he wasn't thrilled about his orders being disobeyed." I concluded. "What was that bear's name?" Ratchet asked, my ears pinned down against my head, "Monzue. That's his name."

Ratchet took me in his hand, "You're safe now, Leo. That bear or the hunter won't hurt you."

I wiped away a few tears, "Thanks."

Ratchet couldn't help but feel a strange feeling in his spark, he saw something in me that reminded him of Starlight a little, but didn't want to let me know, at least not yet.

Later that day, Agent Fowler came to the base and it wasn't about any Decepticons, he was here for me. "Hey, Fowler, what's going on?" I ask as I was laying on the couch watching TV.

"Leo, I want you to come with me." Fowler tells me. I quickly sat up, "Why?"

"Relax, you're not in trouble, I just need you to come with me."

I slowly got off the couch and followed Fowler to the elevator.

The agent joined me and the elevator went up. "What's going on?" I asked again. "General Bryce wants to meet you." Fowler says, "Who?" I ask. "He's my superior. And don't worry, he won't do anything bad to you."

The elevator opened on top of the base where a helicopter was. "I can fly, you know." I said, Fowler turned to me, "Have you flown near a helicopter?" I shook my head. "Then, it's safer if you get in." I got in one the front seats of the copter while Fowler got in the other seat and started it up. We were way up high in a few mins and I had to say, it looked pretty cool, even I've never gone up this high myself. "So, this boss of yours, why does he want to see me?" I ask, Fowler glanced at me, "He just wants to know about you."

"You told him about me?" I questioned, "Isn't that enough?"

"I thought it was too, but I guess he wanted to see you to prove it." Fowler said.

"Prove what?"

"That you are not as dangerous as humans think."

I slumped down in the seat, great, more humans.

A long while later, I woke up to hearing the helicopter land and Fowler telling me we were at our destination. I jumped down from the copter and followed Fowler inside a building. I just hoped General Bryce goes easy on me. We came to a room where it was dimly lit and had one window on the side. Sitting at a desk was General Bryce and he looked like someone who wouldn't harm someone like me. "Sit down, Leo," The General tells me as I sat down in the chair in front of his desk, "Agent Fowler tells me you were living with the Autobots for six months."

"That's right." I nod.

"You're just here to tell me about yourself, relax." Bryce tells me which made me relax a bit. "Now, where are you from?"

"Heroville." I say.

"Never heard of it."

"It's another world separated from yours," I replied, "very few humans live there."

The General moves to the next question, "What is your occupation?" I moved slightly in the chair, "I have no duties yet, I'm too young." Bryce checks that question off and writes what I said, "Any family?" I froze at that and Agent Fowler stepped in, "Leo doesn't like talking about his family, sir. He's had bad experiences." General Bryce nods and moves on, "Do you have any abilities?" I nodded, "I have flight, super speed and strength."

"So, you're a super powered lion?" Bryce inquired I nodded again, "You think you can cut out to be a hero?"

I huffed slightly, "Maybe, if I gain all my powers."

"You have more?"

"Yes, they came from my father."

"What was your father's job?"

"He was king of Heroville and the second Super Lion." I answered, General Bryce arched an eyebrow, "Who was the first Super Lion?"

"My Great Grandfather, Leonidas." I replied. Bryce nodded and moved to the next question. "How did you come here?"

I sighed, I did not want to speak of the war but something had to be said, "A war in my homeland broke out. It was between my kind and humans, my father was killed by the hunter leader, Charles Hunt and I was exiled. My father's power watch opened a portal and it led me to Jasper, Nevada." General Bryce nodded again, "Do you plan on going back?"

"Not now, no, but when I'm old enough to be king, I'll go go back." I said. General Bryce placed the paper down and stood up, "Come with me, you'll need to be examined."

"Why?" I asked getting off the chair, "To make sure you are in shape." Bryce tells me. I looked over at Agent Fowler, "Don't worry, it'll be quick."

I followed General Bryce to a room downstairs where three humans dressed in white were standing. "General Bryce, sir," one of them said coming over, "is this Leo?"

"Yes, I trust he'll be in good health." Bryce said, "Yes, sir." the doctor nodded and led me over to the table. "Alright, Leo, we're just going to look you over and see if you are in good health." The doc tells me and I nodded. They started with looking at my eyes and ears which were in good condition, then they looked at my teeth which showed no damage of any kind, "You are healthy, Leo. No chips or anything on your canines."

I was amazed at how good the doc was with me, he must know about my kind a bit. "By the way, lions are my favorite animals." I perked up at that comment, "Really?"

The doc stared at me, "So you can talk."

"Yes, I can." I say.

"I actually used to work at a zoo and mostly with the lions there."

I smiled, "What's your name?"

"Ryan. Ryan Miller."

"Nice to meet you," I say. "Likewise."

When the exam was done, Dr. Miller let me off the table and I went back to Agent Fowler and we went back outside to the helicopter and went back to base. I was happy to make a new friend and that General Bryce was easy on me. I just hoped I would meet those two again someday when I'm a bit older. Maybe when I get back to base I can spend more time with Ratchet.