Chapter 6: Painful Pasts

Months had passed.

Agent Fowler had managed to get the authorization for the plan. Kazuto, Suguha and Asuna remained in Japan, with Asuna working on her physical and psychological therapy, gradually regaining mobility. Every few days Miko would bring Asuna, and sometimes Kazuto and/or Suguha through the GroundBridge for a few hours, and spend time talking…at Soundwave. At least at first, as eventually he began to speak as well, albeit mostly notifications, affirmatives, negatives, and status. Very rarely did he make a full sentence.

In addition to Soundwave, the three and Miko worked with Ratchet into adapting the Cybertronian translation algorithm for use by Humans, as translating was a lot to pin on Miko. They also spent time getting to know the other Autobots; Bumblebee, Wheeljack and Arcee, in addition to the additional Human consultants Jack Darby, Rafael Esquaviel, and Jacks mother, June Darby. It took time, as again Miko had to translate, but both groups were eager to hear about the other: The consultants about SAO, and SAO survivors about the adventures with the Autobots. Both sides were stunned at the adventures and experiences the other had had.

Poor Suguha felt a little left out, as she did not have as much to tell.

The VR industry in Japan had also been changing. Fortunately, the 300 players that had been experimented on by Sugou had awoken no memory of the experiences, and no visible neurological troubles, so they were in the process of rehabilitation as well. RECT, the company that had taken over the SAO servers through which Sugou was able to enact his plans, had suffered a huge loss, with the branch that managed ALfheim Online shutting down, and the company's CEO, Asuna's father Yuuki Shouzo, had resigned.

Things had looked bleak for the VRMMO industry in the wake of all this, but the introduction of the mysterious World Seed had brought about a resurgence to said industry. Placed online for free, the World Seed was a modified basic of the Cardinal system used in the creation of SAO. This gave an ability to anyone who had the access to a good enough server could download the Seed, allowing for companies and even people and create their own virtual worlds. This had, essentially, revived the VRMMO industry. Even ALfheim Online was able to stay operational, as a new company called Ymir had emerged that was founded by ALfheim Online players. It had acquired the ALO data from RECT and had both reestablished and upgraded ALO.

It seemed ALfheim Online was here to stay.

But the question that remained: where did this World Seed come from?

"…he's been at home a lot recently. I hope he finds a hobby or something." Asuna had stated out loud, describing her father. She was currently sitting on a fold out chair, leaning on a fold out table in the hangar, Kazuto sat in another chair at the table, reading a magazine and occasionally looking up to observe his girlfriend talking to the alien robot. Wheeljack was nearby, lying against a wall, with the Human guards still present in their positions.

Soundwave didn't respond to that.

Asuna smiled softly. "I've been doing better at physical therapy, according to the doctor. I'm able to walk without my crutches now."

"Agreeable."

Asuna raised an eyebrow. No matter how many times they got Soundwave to speak, it still caused her slight surprise every time he did speak.

"Thanks," Asuna paused, "you know, my dad is kind of in the situation you are in, actually…"

Another pause.

"Elaborate."

"Well…He has lost his job, a job he spent years working to build up and perform to the best of his ability…" Asuna's tone softened, "He has now lost that job, and all he has worked to create. It's almost like he has lost his purpose…"

"…"

"But…" Asuna continued, lightening her tone, "He's still got life in him. And I want him to find something new, like a hobby I mentioned. I really want him to find a new purpose."

The sound of Ratchet walking up to his computer, speaking with Suguha about the translation algorithm distracted Asuna, who turned toward the commotion. It looked as if the two of them had been talking rather heatedly.

"Look, you might want to consider taking into account you are trying to push two different languages into one!" Suguha exclaimed.

"Are you implying I don't know what I am doing?" Ratchet snapped back, "I have been working with this algorithm for longer than you have been alive."

"I didn't mean that!"

"Then but out and let me work!"

"You know what?" Kazuto suddenly burst out, surprising everyone as he slammed the magazine he was reading on to the table, "What's your problem?! Suguha was just trying to help, and you go and bite her head off!"

"And what would you know about this kind of technology?"

"Nothing. But I know you're being a real jerk."

There was a long and tense silence as the two of them stared each other down. Ratchet finally closed his optics and sighed.

"I'm sorry…" Ratchet stated, "I shouldn't have snapped like that. But the past few months have been extremely…difficult. I…really feel lost without Optimus. I've known him for so long, and he has always been there for me. Now that he's gone…"

Ratchet paused. Then choked out the next words.

"I wasn't there during the battle…I was taking care of Ultra Magnus…I had worked so hard to restore Cybertron…yet tobe helpless while our planets future was on the line…and now because of that battle, Optimus is…Optimus is…"

Ratchet buried his face in his hands, unable to finish. Everyone was silent for a moment.

"I know how you feel." Kazuto finally spoke up in a quiet voice.

Ratchet looked up.

"Back in SAO, I had joined up with a guild. The Moonlit Black Cats. I was being ostracized as a 'beater,' and it felt good to be in a guild with friends. I didn't want to ruin that, so I lied and said that my in-game skill level was around their levels, while it was actually much higher. I was a member for the next couple months, and…it was great."

Kazuto paused, clearly beginning to fight back emotions at this point.

"We had finally gotten enough money to get a home. Our leader, Keita went into the Town of Beginnings to buy one. Everyone wanted to get money for a celebration, so we went into a Labyrinth. A trap was triggered, and we were unable to escape."

Kazuto was fighting back tears at this point.

"They all died. Tetsuo, Sasamaru, Ducker…Sachi. We were swarmed, and I couldn't save them. They all died before my eyes. When I…got out…alive, I told Keita: he committed suicide."

Kazuto took in a deep breath, the tears still flowing.

"They were my friends. They were my friends, and I lied to them. If I had told them about my actual level…If I had insisted, we not go into that Labyrinth…maybe…maybe…then maybe they would still be alive!"

'crash'

What sounded like glass cracking startled everyone in the room. Wheeljack jumped up and pulled out his two swords. The soldiers had manned their weapons and aimed at Soundwave. Ratchet stepped in front of the children. Everyone's eyes and optics were wide at this point.

Soundwave's visor had fallen off.

For the first time, Humans and Autobots could see Soundwave's face.

Soundwaves optics were red, shaped like a pair of sunglasses, and his mouth was covered with a metal plate-like mask. His intakes were rasping again, and he was shaking. Out of the corner of his optics, there appeared to be…tear-like lubricants.

Soundwave was holding back sobs. And the whole hangar was silent.

"Analysis: energon levels low. Effect: emotional suppressant systems functioning at low efficiency. Why SLAG IT WHY!"

Soundwave turned his head toward Ratchet.

"Ratchet…Optimus Primes death: not your fault."

Soundwave turned from a stunned Ratchet to Kazuto.

"Kirigaya Kazuto…Moonlit Black Cats deaths: not your fault."

Soundwaves optics flashed grey, indicating he had 'closed his eyes' in Human terms.

"My squad…my squad…dead…utterly destroyed…AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

Lubricants were streaming down his face now.

"Rumble…Frenzy…Ravage…Buzzsaw…"

All that could be heard was Soundwave, choking back raspy sobs.

"What happened."

To everyone's surprise, it was Wheeljack who had spoken up.

Soundwave looked up at Wheeljack, his red optics furrowing, as if he was scowling, for a moment. But they soon softened. And Soundwave began.

"During the time after the Exodus from Cybertron, I was in command of a squad. It consisted of Rumble, Frenzy, Buzzsaw, and the Mini-Cons Ravage and Laserbeak. For stellarcycles, we had fought on many battlefields and completed many missions together. We were a great team, the best brothers-in-arms."

"On one mission, we were assigned a scouting mission for energon deposits in an asteroid field. We had completed our sweeps and were returning to base. On our return journey, we encountered an Autobot listening post we had missed during our original sweeps."

"I eventually gave in to my troops request for a little 'fun' and we attacked the listening post, intent on destroying it…"

"Halfway through our attack, Decepticon artillery fire suddenly struck. I had been unaware that an artillery strike had been planned to take out the listening post, allowing us free reign to begin mining operations in the field without fear of detection."

"They were killed. My squad was killed: Rumble, Frenzy, Buzzsaw and Ravage were all destroyed. Only myself and Laserbeak, who was badly damaged, managed to survive and return to the Decepticon lines…"

Everyone was beyond stunned.

"I was in command: The squad was my responsibility. Because I gave in to indulgence, they were wiped out…If I had been a better leader…If I had bothered to check for artillery strikes…all my fault. Their…destruction…was the result of my foolish indulgence: Therefore, emotions were the cause. I had to work to suppress and purge my emotions: Focus on the cause, and only follow orders, nothing more."

It was as if the world had stopped rotating; everyone was stunned. Ratchet just stared at Soundwave, looking like he was unable to comprehend what he had just heard. Wheeljack's optics were wider then they had ever been. Suguha and even Kazuto were crying.

"You cared."

Everyone turned to see it was Asuna, with her bangs covering her eyes.

"You cared. You cared so much for your squad, and it crushed you when they were destroyed. You focused on the Decepticon cause because you didn't want feel the pain of losing them: they meant that much to you."

Asuna lifted her head, showing that her eyes were burning with passion.

"Well, I'll give you a new cause. I'll be there for you, even if not officially."

She stood.

"I, Yuuki Asuna, pledge myself to Soundwave's squad."

AN: I have always loved how despite Soundwave's cold and calculating nature, he has had so much care, bordering on parental love, to his cassettes. So, when musing how much I miss the other cassette minions in Prime, I had this idea: What if he used to have the squad, like in the War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron games, but something happened to them, and this utterly destroyed Soundwave. And caused him to purge his emotions and cease to speak. (Except 2 lines when he was captured by the Autobots)

And to clarify, in this fanfic Rumble, Frenzy and Buzzsaw are not Mini-Con cassettes; There is a reason for this.

Please let me know what you think!

Update 7/25

I performed some much needed maintenance on all chapters. I finally added scene lines, and added a vocal quirk to a certain character. Here's a challenge: See if you can find out who it is and what is the quirk!

Be back soon with more!