Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Hasbro does.
However, the plot and OCs of this story are mine. So no touchy please.
Alright, Chapter 7 and all its agony.
On top of that it's a day early. You can thank early Christmas Break for that one! Enjoy.
Once again thank you to my reviewers also all of you who watch and favorite this crazy mess. Hopefully you won't hate me to much by the end of this chapter.
Chapter 7
"HIDE! OPTIMUS!" Bee's panicked little inner voice screamed its way into his spark, so scared that it wasn't able to distinguish who it was pleading for, making the weathered warrior, the majestic Prime, and the seasoned medic swing back to the door in absolute horror as only one thought flashed through all their processors.
Bumblebee!
Earlier
With the stealth of death the foreign presence slithered its way into the center of the unsuspecting Autobot ship. Its mission was clear and simple. A one way trip that would make its sacrifice worth the effort. The task seemed simple enough even for the basic drone programming that made the assassin function. What fight could its target prove to offer? It would be over and done with in a hiss and a bite. The Autobots would never see it coming.
And his master would have what he wanted.
It had took a while of being coiled up in dark corners masking his signal as he waited for the massive guardian to leave his target, but once he did the long bodied mech silently slipped through the floor vents at the side of the hissing door and found his way into the large, black room. Then he had curled up in the corner and waited.
There was no point rushing what was sure to happen.
Besides the quiet purrs rumbling through the room set the assassin on edge. Narrowing his slanted red optics he raised slightly, his hooded head swaying back and forth in the shadows, his parted jaws dripping acid like venom from his wickedly curved fangs, as he set his dark sights on the slumbering target that lay buried under a mountain of blankets and the watchful gaze of a robo-cat.
The assassin would have hissed if it wouldn't have given away his position.
The robo-cat had not been known to be here. It was not accounted for in advance. Now he really would have to wait. At least until the pet was deep in recharge and would only prove a problem after the assassin's fangs were buried deep.
About a breem and a half pasted slowly and the guardian never returned as the pet slipped further and further into recharge leaving his precious master at the mercy of the assassin. It was too bad he wasn't programmed with any.
Satisfied with the state of his target and its protector the long, black virus-viper slithered from his hiding place, his forked metal tongue lashing out to taste the air, his merciless red optics narrow with purpose, and his parted jaws dripping with poison. Climbing the short berth was no difficult task and in a matter of klicks dark red optics peaked over the edge of the berth to find a small yellow mech curled up in a pile of blankets naively thinking he was safe there. His large protector with razor claws and fangs was recharging deeply at his side its long tail curled around him and his muzzle resting beside his master's head. The assassin saw his opening and took it.
Arching from the berth with a hiss the viper sprang forward sinking his long black fangs deep into the soft vulnerable wires of the youngling's side.
Pain exploded into the safety of Bumblebee's dream drawing him back to the real world with an agonizing scream that poured out from his spark. Twisting in the agony that struck him Bee's optics flew open and found the evil glow of red staring back at him as his attacker's fangs dug deeper into his frame pouring it's acid like venom into the youngling.
Bee screamed again.
Risk barely had time to process the sight before his optics when they came online at his master's scream before instinct took over his frame launching him forward. Razor like teeth latched onto the virus-viper's neck forcibly tearing the assassin's fangs out of Bee catapulting both the pet and the assassin to the floor.
Another shriek echoed from Bee's spark as he twisted on his berth.
His tiny frame felt like it was on fire, and it was spreading from his aching side rushing into every wire that flowed energon through him. Withering in pain that was shutting off every logical thought in his processor Bee watched as Risk rolled on the floor shaking the creature with burning red optics back and forth while it buried it's dripping fangs into him over and over again. With another gasp of agony the little mech curled in on himself clutching the place on his side that was currently torturing him. With a moment of clarity brought on by the angry yowls and hisses from the floor Bumblebee did the only thing he knew to do.
He screamed for help.
He wasn't quite sure who his spark called for in the agony and confusion that was flooding his processor all he knew was he had to reach somebot.
His spark instinctively had been trying to find Hide. He knew that Hide could make the pain stop. That he could help him, but he didn't understand this burning inside him, nor the creature that Risk was trying to rip apart on the floor in a raging fury of yowls and hisses. All the youngling knew was that it felt like his spark was going up in flames. He wanted it to stop more than anything else in the whole universe.
It hurt so much.
Bee whined quietly tightening the ball he was curled in. Hide. . . Opt . . . help.
The world began to darken around him even if the room was already pitch black. It was a different kind of dark. It was almost like it was inside of him.
He didn't understand.
All he really knew was that the pain was overriding his systems as his inner circuits burned with the acid venom that was rushing through him making him twist in pain as the door to the room burst open. Bee knew some kind of sound should have accompanied it, but nothing reached him. All he could feel was the burning that was quickly starting to become numbness as his systems shut down without his consent. Through the waves of pain he was hardly aware that somebot had scooped him up as everything started to go fuzzy to the little youngling who could hardly keep his optics open.
Part of him didn't want too.
The numbness that was over taking him was far better than feeling like he was burning alive, but with the numbness came this overwhelming urge close his optics. The blackness that was seeping into his processor cutting off the rest of the world was welcoming and terrifying at the same time. However, it was better than the pain. He was quickly starting to sink into it when a pleading voice finally reached his audio receptors.
"BUMBLEBEE!" It was Hide, but it sounded like he was very far away as if he was talking through liquid.
The youngling tried to pry his optics open to see his guardian, but at that point he could hardly part them.
"Bumblebee! Please Bee, look at me!" His beloved guardian sounded like he was having a panic attack. That was enough to force the little mech to try harder. Even if he really didn't know at that point what was going on. All he could feel was black emptiness starting to close in around his spark and processor seeming to cut him off from the rest of the world.
He tried to push it away, but it swam back in as if it was suffocating him. He couldn't fight it off.
"Ratchet, do something!"
"I'm trying!"
"Try harder damn it!"
Sunny?
What was Sunny doing in his room? For that matter why was Ratchet there? It was past Bee's recharge time. Hide would never let Sunstreaker in past recharge time. Why couldn't he open his optics? What was this blackness that was slowly taking over his spark?
He couldn't remember.
"ALL OF YOU GET OUT!" Ratchet bellowed.
"I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!"
"GET OUT! Both of you!"
"Ironhide! Optimus! You have to go!"
"Preceptor, lock them the Pit out of here! Red, get those damn transfers going! Wheeljack, do what you can for that robo-cat he's the only reason Bee's still breathing this much!"
There were crashes and curses. The slight sting of jabbed needles making its way through the numbing nothingness and frantic calls that echoed into things the youngling's foggy processor couldn't make sense of.
"Ratchet! His spark is failing!"
Bee couldn't even tell who the voices belonged to at that point. The blackness was suffocating him, sinking in around his spark, and cutting him off from feeling anything. Even his own spark-beat, which was slowly fading away by the nano-klick, was a foreign concept. The last thing the youngling heard before he slipped into nothingness was a pleading cry.
"No! Primus, you can't fraggin' have him yet! Come on, Bumblebee! You can't quit on me, Youngling! Hang on a little longer!"
And than nothing.
"Bumblebee,"
Bee shifted in the blackness that had taken him over, but he didn't open his optics. He was tired. All he wanted was recharge.
"Young Spark, you must wake."
With a tired whine Bee rolled over away from the strange echo like voice that kept probing into his rest.
"This is not a request." A warm glow suddenly wormed its way into the youngling's frame making him finally peak open an optic to see something that absolutely threw him for a loop. Picking his little head up the youngling pushed his exhausted frame to a sitting position and twisted back and forth before fear crept in on his weary spark.
Nothing.
That was all he saw as far he looked in any direction. Up, down, left, and right. Nothing, but black emptiness as far as his optics could see. Where was he? Where was Hide?
"Hide?" The terrified mech squeaked out as he curled himself up into a ball, his little shaking arms holding tight to his legs while he tried to make himself as small as possible. "Optimus?"
"Your guardian and leader cannot help you here little youngling. You must help yourself if you wish to return to them."
Bee yelped in fear scooting back when a flash of gold light brought a large floating ball of pulsing, sun bright, energy to hover in the emptiness in front of him.
"Calm, Youngling. I will not harm you. Quite the opposite actually. I am here you help you if you will let me."
Bee scooted further back from the strange thing and the strange voice that seemed to be echoing inside his spark. He didn't understand it. He wanted his guardian. He wanted his Optimus. They would understand. They would take him home. He didn't like this place. He wanted to go home.
"You can go home if you try."
Bee froze.
Did it know what he was thinking?
A small chuckle seemed to rise up from the brilliant light before him that glowed with the fierceness of the sun and yet seemed to welcome Bee in. "We are closer than you might think, Bumblebee. Yes I can hear your thoughts—well actually your spark—just as you are hearing mine."
Weird. Bee tilted his head.
The chuckle rose up again. "Fascinating if you ask me, but we can call it weird if you like."
Bee tilted his head the other way. Something about this strange light was comforting the fear in his spark, and it did kind of interest him. Concentrating on all his guardian and Optimus had been trying to teach him and the way he knew to talk to Risk he focused on his spark and then forced his thoughts into syllables.
"Who you?" The words were hard, harder than when he was talking to Risk, and just like when he was trying to talk like a big bot with his voice. They didn't really ever come out the way he wanted, but he had done it. That alone satisfied the little mech. His caretakers and Risk would be proud of him. That is when he figured out how to find them.
"I am a friend." The ball of light danced back and forth in what seemed to be amusement.
"Where me at? Where Hide?"
"You are not too far from him, Young Spark. If you come with me I will take you back to him. You're far too young to be in this place anyway. Come, I will show you the way home."
Bee hesitated in his spot for a moment longer until the ball seemed to swing away and started to slowly dance back and forth as it made its way into the darkness before them. Bumblebee wasn't sure if he should follow or not, but the thought of being left in this emptiness made his mind up for him. He was not going to be left here all alone.
If this strange 'friend' could take him back to Hide than he would follow.
Hopping to his small feet the youngling followed the ball as fast as his stumbled and clumsy steps would allow him to. The light never danced to far away, always seeming to look back some how to make sure he was still following. Bee figured if he reached out he just might be able to touch the bright thing, but at the moment he was just following. He didn't want to do anything to anger the only thing he had to help him find his way back to his family.
They went on like that for what seemed to be a long while to the youngling, but he made no argument. He just wanted to go back to his family. However, his short legs were getting tired and this blackness pushed down on him as if trying to force him back the way he was leaving. Bumblebee didn't really comprehend the pressure that was trying to take over his spark and its strangeness made him gasp for breath every once and a while as he tried to make it go away. When he did this the strange 'friend' would rush back and come just within Bee's reach than suddenly warmth would spread back into his spark letting him catch his breath and feel his spark start to beat just a little bit harder. That alone confused Bee though he just thanked the 'friend' and went on following. He didn't know what else to do.
That is until something caught his attention.
Laughter.
Spinning around the youngling caught the faintest sounds of laughter that pulled at his memory. Tilting his head to the strange sound he could only stare at what had caught his optics. It was a magnificent glow coming from the once empty blackness that had now taken over the way he and the 'friend' had come.
Bumblebee was certain the radiant light hadn't been there before. So how was it there now?
Taking a few small steps back the way he had come the little antennas atop his head flickered to life as the bell like laughter rang out again. Somehow it was almost familiar.
How it was he wasn't sure, but its sound called to his weak spark making him take even more steps back toward the massive arch of light that was looking more and more like a doorway to the youngling by the nano-klick. It poured warmth and welcoming into the blackness he was trudging through. The passage seemed a much better option than gasping though the emptiness that didn't seem to want to let him leave as he tried to follow the 'friend'.
"If you wish to return to your family that is not the door you want to take, Bumblebee."
Bee looked over his tiny shoulder to find the sun bright ball tilting this way and that just over his head seeming to look down at him with optics that he couldn't see, and yet their wise and calculating gaze was there to his spark.
"Why?"
"That is a path not even I can lead you back from."
Bee looked back at the arching glow. "Why?"
"All beings have limits."
"Not the way home?" Bee glanced to the 'friend'.
The voice almost seemed to sigh. "That is the path to a different home. I do not believe you are too return to it yet. There is still much for you to do."
"What I do?"
That earned the youngling a chuckle. "Now it wouldn't be good to go telling secrets just yet would it?"
Bee narrowed his optics at that. "I not like secrets."
"Sometimes they are there for a purpose, Young Spark."
"Still not like."
"One orn you will understand the purpose of this secret. For now though there are a few very powerful mech's about to rip their own sparks out if I don't get you back to where you belong. So come along now little youngling."
With one last fleeting glance at the fading echo and light Bee knew that he belonged back with his family and not where ever it was that doorway lead so he stumbled on after the 'friend' back into the suffocating darkness.
Only this time they didn't stay long.
One klick he was tripping over his own feet trying to keep up and the next he was somehow standing in the middle of a hallway of Artemis 1. Outside the med bay to be specific. And the scene he found there brought guilty tears to his optics.
Ironhide, his beloved, powerful, stubborn, ever present protector was leaning against the closed med bay doors his massive cannon wielding arms wrapped tightly around himself as he trembled on the floor with silent tears running down his faceplate. Hammerdown had the weathered warrior held close as he sat there next to him looking as if he was whispering to him trying to calm him down. Optimus was standing beside Ironhide the thick door holding up his weight as he repeatedly slammed his head into the metal, his frame trembling with the effort it was taking to keep himself under control and not turn into a sobbing mess on the floor.
Even if that was all his spark wanted.
Though the desperate leader had enough of his emotions under control to keep a tight grip on the shoulder of the massive black mech that was trembling just to his side even if both knew there were no words that could calm either of them at the moment. Prowl stood just behind the Prime his hand on his shoulder in a act of comfort even if the mech's optics were watery with his own forced back tears. Jazz was sitting at Prowl's feet his head bowed as he rocked steadily back and forth his hands curled into tight fist with an energon dripping, long, black, sleek, strange looking, scratched up and torn in half frame clutched in them. The other half of the strange broken frame, the half that bore a harshly pointed head, parted jaws still dripping energon and a dark green bubbling liquid, and offlined optics that still held a tint of an evil red glow to them even if they were long dead was swinging back and forth in Sunstreaker's grip as his clenched fist steadily dented and crumbled the metal even more than the gashes and bite marks that littered it. The golden twin stood across from the doors his dark blue optics narrow with rage, but as Bee stared up into them he could see the buried panic that was glowing within. Sideswipe crouched next to him staring emptily at the locked door before him as if the entire universe was crumbling into nothingness around him.
Bee shivered at the sheer pain that poured from all of them and those that he could feel hanging back just around corners or those that he could feel running around franticly searching the ship for something he didn't know what was.
Slowly making his way forward the little mech toddled over to his guardian's side placing a hand on his shivering arms only to realize that no bot knew he was there. He touched the familiar warm metal that made up his guardian's thick arms, but knew that the grieving mech couldn't see him let alone feel him.
"Why you sad, Hide?" He questioned though he was given no response.
"Because he needs you, Bumblebee. They all do. As much as you need them." Bee glanced back to find his strange 'friend' hovering a few feet away pulsing and shimmering like some type of tiny star.
Bee tilted his head.
"You have something to treasure. Never let it go."
Not quite sure what the strange being meant or how he was supposed to respond all Bee knew to do was nod before he gently asked. "I can go back now? Please? Don't like it when my family sad."
The warmth of the ball of light almost seemed to smile. "Yes, my Young Spark. You may go back."
Bee smiled in return.
"Until we meet again, little Bumblebee. I'll be waiting."
A dazzling flash of gold captured the air making Bee turn away from the light as a burning warmth seemed to rush back into a place in his spark where it felt almost as if it belonged before he somehow slipped back into nothingness.
The steady beep of some kind of monitor and a relieved prayer of thanks coming from the familiar voice of a medic was the last thing the little youngling heard before recharge took over his suddenly once again weary, slightly aching spark.
Well, it can't be rainbows and puffy clouds all the time you know. . . but I couldn't leave you hanging too much this time so there is some what of a satisfying end of a chapter. Even if this is the shortest chapter I've written in a while.
Anyway, what did you think? I'll admit I almost cried when I wrote this chapter and I knew how it was going to turn out. It was just so hard to hurt adorable little baby Bumblebee! However, there is a plot to this story and it needed to be done.
So lets do question time.
Any guesses about Bee's new 'friend'? And where in the name of Primus was he?
The strongest bots the Autobots have reduced to a mess of tears? How badly is Bee hurt? Why was an assassin sent to offline him? And what in Pit is gonna happen to this psycho family next?
All in due time my wonderful readers, all in good time. All secrets have a purpose, especially Bumblebee.
Now I wanted to do a head count of my OCs so far because a lot of them are coming to light in this part of the story and I want to see who you guys remember. Along with your opinions on them if you want to give them.
We have the 'Watchers', who for now will remain nameless. *hint hint* Not for much longer.
Then we have Quickfire, who has been mentioned if you remember but you guys have yet to meet. That will change in the coming chapters.
Risk, our adorably possessive robo-cat who might have just saved Bee's life.
Hammerdown, who has gone from complete aft, to emotionally scarred child, to security blanket to Ironhide. Yeah, he's an emotional roller coaster. Hop on and enjoy the ride with him guys its gonna be a bumpy one.
Cyber, who I adore and who's story gets brought to light in the next chapter. *chuckles darkly* I'm cruel. In my defense though it's his fault. He yelled it.
And than the last we have for now is Outrider.
Anybody catch his mention in Hide and Hammer's backstory. Outrider was Ironhide's little brother. You'll learn more about him as this part of the story goes on as well and who knows what could happen . . . .
So yeah, the action here and there is so much more where this is headed. So please read and review I want to know what you guys think. Also I'm thinking about putting chapter 8 up this weekend because this chapter was shorter and well because I love this story too much. So if you would like chapter 8 before next weekend please tell me.
Wow, once again this note is ungodly long. Sorry about that . . . thanks if you actually read it and if you did here is a little bonus question for you guys to chew on.
Anybody figured out why the series is called The Guardian's Guild yet? Hints are coming soon. I promise.
Chat with ya later.
-Jay
