I am so sorry that this took so long! I hope you won't kill me...
Well, you've been waiting for it, so here it is. Lastly, don't expect the other chapters, what few are left, to be uploaded quickly. I am very proud of this story, but I regret to say that I have lost most interest. They will be here! ...eventually.
Now, on with the show!
Saga 10
Bumblebee and Horsefly walked through the long hallway. The scout felt near ashamed in the fact that his steps were louder than Miko's guitar turned all the way up compared to the lack of echoing, or noise at all, coming from Horse's footsteps. He wanted to believe that it really was Horsefly, he wished that they could just chill and shoot some hoops like they used to, but it was time go grow up now and adults didn't play ball.
Yeah, the scout loved Optimus and couldn't wait to get him back, but anxiety was griping him more than excitement. What was this ritual that they needed to perform? What would it involve? In all honesty, what really scared the scout more than anything was the dread that it wouldn't work. If it didn't, by the Spark it should, but if it failed Bee would have to use his secret weapon. His fourteenth way to save your life, if you were lucky, though he swore to himself that he would never use it simply because he was terrified to his Spark of the consequences.
"Hey, uh... Bee," Horse said. He swiveled his head toward the scout as he awaited a reply. When Bee didn't respond, the other 'bot sighed. "Stop," he demanded, pressing the stale air in front of Bee with his open palm.
Bee froze. His optics rotating with worry as he watched Horsefly sulk. The 'bot's optics were strange and Bee couldn't read them like he usually could. And he always could.
"Let me tell you a story," Horse began, trying his best to push aside the awkwardness. After a long sigh, he began, "A story about a young Autobot, who lived during the Great Cybertronian War. This 'bot hated himself because of his resemblance to a Decepticon and found his mechanical humanity in his closest friends. They were the only things that kept him knowing that he was an Autobot, despite what everyone else said about him.
"Eventually, his friends were called off to fight in the war, and he was left all alone. He struggled to find himself without them, and did some... undesirable things in his attempt to do that. Those things got him kicked out of his house and made his family both resent and forget him. He didn't hurt anyone, don't even go there, but his family just didn't trust him anymore, and he found out that they never really did.
"His friends were all he had left, so he tried to get himself instated. But the generals thought he was a 'con and he was pretty weak.
"But he didn't take unearned ridicule lying down, he never did. He trained himself in everything he could learn. Fighting skills, medical operations, stuff that would get him accepted into the army. But his biggest source of knowledge came from books. He read and studied every single thing that could help end the war against the 'cons, in an effort to impress the generals in his knowledge, and hopefully deem him worthy to join. But, in all reality, he was really trying to convince himself that he was an Autobot instead of a Decepticon.
"Eventually, the Primes themselves said yes, since the generals refused to acknowledge his Insignia, and he was accepted to the side of the Autobots.
"The new soldier rose fast, and his know how of the underbelly of Cybertron helped him lead his squad in many victorious attacks.
"The Deceticons were... intimidated by the new soldier, so they plotted to destroy him. But their own spy near took care of that, when he betrayed his scout and squad by attacking before the advancing Decepticon army even arrived.
"The injured scout took his fellow soldier and assisted him to the nearest medical squad. The soldier never figured out what happened to his friend, but he learned that the scout was arrested for treason.
"Having suffered a what seemed a fatal injury, the 'bot was honorably discharged from the services. But that made neither him nor the 'cons happy. He hated what happened; that his best friend was charged for treason. And the 'cons hated what didn't happen; he was still alive.
"Eventually he developed a knack for civilization, but it clearly wasn't for him. Convinced that he had to bring his friend, the real traitor, to justice, he trained himself in a less... noticeable fighting style. Basically perfecting one of the styles that he learned in his studies.
"The 'cons got word of where he was hiding an ambushed him. He was still recovering, and able to mask his real strength, so they took him down easily. But not before blasting him and the entire National Cybertronian Library that he was studying in at the time into the void of space.
"Truthfully, he doesn't remember much of what happened, but when he woke up, his body had mainly... rebuilt itself," Horsefly finally concluded, clearly getting more into his story the further into it he told. Thinking, he decided that there was one last thing that he had to say, while the air of him doing so was as thick as it was. "And he doesn't go by 'Horsefly' any more."
For the first time in the story, Bee outwardly responded.
"No he don't. With new bod' comes a new name," he said with a shrug as if it was the most common thing that Cybertronians got a new body in the first place.
They worked a little longer in silence. Just into the beginning of his story, they had arrived at what would be his room. It was an old hanger, probably the largest that the mountain was equipped with. Being the hanger that it was, it had some rearranging to do.
Horse liked it because there was a high roof that he could use to his advantage to get the drop on somebody. What few, old jets and planes that were left were also to his liking because of the shadows they cast throughout the room. If the lighting was just right, he could move about the entire perimeter of the space without once stepping into daylight.
Bumblebee worked with a strange anticipation. He wanted to know what happened to his friend while he was in his supposed stasis, why he couldn't remember, what life was like for him, and what his new name was. But same old Horsefly seemed to be perfectly satisfied with keeping the scout guessing.
Finally he couldn't take it any more. He was tired of being in the spooky room with not even spoken words to stir the silence and, more importantly, he had recently grown tired of not knowing. Asking Horse to explain, the scout was taken back when his friend neither responded nor was visible.
Bee beeped for his friend curiously, but was answered by another being. Who wasn't even a 'bot.
"There you are, Bee," Rafael said as he made his long way over to his Guardian.
Bee's optics swirled with recognition and responded that nothing was wrong when Raf asked what was troubling him.
"Oh," the child responded, leaving his comment hanging idly in the air.
Bee stalled his search for Horse and looked at his human. He chirped simply to get Raf's attention, then asked him what was wrong.
The child sighed. "I was just wondering when we can start the ritual to save Optimus," he said, saddened as Bee rolled his optics half way through his statement. A slight rage overtook Raf, and he was greatly upset at Bee's response. "Bumblebee, after all you and Optimus went through, with the Powers and everything, you're the one who should be asking when you can bring him back!"
Bee was again taken back, so much so that any reply escaped him. Before he could even take a gasp, he and Raf jumped when a black 'bot lowered down from the ceiling, upside-down as he clenched a chain between his feet.
Flipping over himself, the 'bot landed silently on the concrete, the chain not even twitching as he twirled off. Straightening his back, his visor slipped up, allowing his green optics to see when the child and the scout breathed again.
"He carries a heavy point Bee," Horse said as he walked over and squatted before Raf, using his pointer finger to lift the child's chin. "I want you to listen to this, Rafael. Performing what you call, the ritual, will only revive Optimus' Spark. I can't account for his mind. Understand?" he continued as he stood, his optics steady on Raf as the child wandered away. "Hey! If there really was some Decepticon probe inside his mind causing internal damage, chances are near nonexistent that Optimus will ever be Optimus again, even if his Spark cones back.
"A Spark is like your human soul. It not only keeps you alive, but it has yourself inside. It's you in essence. But I know what you're thinking. Sure it makes you you, but your brain translates you and puts yourself into actions and thoughts. So without it..," he paused and shrugged wearily, figuring that they could figure what he meant by themselves.
"Well," Raf said, really just to say something and break the silence. "If we bring back his Spark, then Ratchet and I can work on his brain," he offered, making it more like a question than he intended.
Bee blipped and buzzed questionably. Raf really wanted to operate on Optimus' brain while he was alive and conscious?
"Well that's the only way to do it, right?" the child asked Horse who was dreamily inspecting an old airplane.
"Wot?" he asked, mouth forming a small oval as his question tripped out.
"Fixing Optimus' brain while he's awake. Isn't that the right way to do it?" Raf repeated.
Horse swung his head back as his torso swayed toward the child. "You're asking me?" he clarified, making sure that his auditory nerves weren't deceiving him.
Raf immediately turned a bright tomato color. "Well, I just assumed... I mean you're so smart with everything else," he tried, but stopped happily when Horse chuckled.
"I only know a few medical operations and procedures, and working on a brain isn't one of them. Well, actually, I know a slew of medical stuff, but I lack experience, so they're all pretty much useless," he explained, tapping a finger on his chin faintly as he remembered all that he had learned.
"If you don't have experience, then how do you know-"
"Library, young man. Reading, it works the mind, makes knowledge available, bountiful learning, wastes plentiful time, and it can be your's for three payments of $49.99," he said in the best salesman voice he could muster.
"I go to the library," Raf said, hoping to find any connection that he could use to relate himself to the cool, popular 'bot.
"Really?" Bee crossed his arms as Horse answered.
"Yeah, quite often actually."
Hating to interrupt their happy moment, Bee blipped that they should probably gear their conversation back to Optimus.
"Yeah, probably," Horse admitted, supposedly happy in his defeat. "So then, let us go fetch that medic of yours and get going," he said cheerfully.
"Just like that?" Raf asked, somewhat suspicious of the 'bot's eagerness to help when before he demanded meditating.
"Yup," Horse responded simply. There was nothing to argue about, so he wouldn't waste his breath or time doing so.
"Okay," Raf said, allowing Bee to scoop him into his large, metallic hand then onto his shoulder. "Let's go."
A strange seriousness came over Horsefly as he simply nodded. Bee and his human noted this change with a shared glance, Raf attempting to read Bee's optics as Bee tried to do the same. They didn't want to talk knowing that Horse would hear them, and they were barely comfortable thinking sensing that the newby 'bot could read and hear those as well.
They followed the silent, serious Horsefly as he navigated the halls like he'd lived there near as long as they had. "Ratchet?" he asked, stepping a foot into the main room.
"Nope. Why?" Arcee clarified as she turned from the computer monitor.
"No reason really, was just wondering about my ship. Told these two that I would let them tour the library," he lied easily, motioning two his followers over his shoulder.
"And you wanted Ratchet to make you a Groundbridge so you could 'tour' your ship?" she asked, crossing her arms and turning to the 'bot full face, her tone telling that she refused to believe him, or at least had her doubts.
"No. I wanted Ratchet to make me a Spacebridge so that I could take them on a tour of my vessel. Savvy?" he countered her skepticism easily with a tilt of the head and a grin.
She narrowed her optics and he raised his eyebrows. She placed her hands on her hips and he smiled. She breathed a deep sigh and he tilted his head, awaiting her reply, optics steady with the other 'bot's.
"Whatever," she finally sighed as she turned round again. This was as close to admitting defeat as she ever came now-a-days. Back turned to the three, Arcee tried not the see Horsefly's low bow to her, removing his imaginary hat as his back bent forward, over his waist. A smirk graced her hard, metal face as she watched him, but once he rose any sign of enjoyment disappeared as her optics shifted back to the screens.
Horse was still smirking however as he lead his parade of three back through the halls. He knew she saw him, he could see her reflection in the monitors and he was willing to bet that she was cursing Ratchet right now for always having to keep them so shiny. "Where else would he be?" the 'bot asked his followers.
"He's probably at the Energon Chamber," Raf stated as Bee stopped. The hallway they were currently in joined another, perfectly perpendicular to the first.
"Good thought," Horsefly said as he turned and walked ninety degrees to the left.
Raf and Bee shared another look at the other, amused. "Other way," the child spoke, leaning forward as if to watch Horse's reaction to the news.
They watched as Horse silently appeared in the left, walk a few Cybertronian feet, then vanished behind the corner to the right. Leaning back into view, he asked if they were coming or if they decided to stand there all day. Chuckling, even reddening a bit, they followed.
Horsefly's crisp voice echoed through the halls, no other noise coming from him as he spoke. "I guess it's too late to say 'I told you so', huh?
.
"Two minutes out," Knockout informed Starscream, who flew ahead and was circling where he believed the outpost to be. But the medic had a feeling that this was just a desperate measure to regain his position as 'leader'. Finding the Autobot base would not only end the war, but it would poise Starscream as the Cybertronian leader alright.
Knockout rolled his optics. He could only imagine what their fearless 'leader' was doing now. Where he was, what he was saying to himself. He didn't know where the base was, that was the most illogical-
"Wait a second; I'm getting bleeps," Knockout radioed to the other 'cons.
"What kind of bleeps?" Starscream asked back, rather quickly for a 'con that had so much control.
"Hold on... scanning... narrowing... Autobot bleeps," he informed the other two, surprise leaking into his voice like some spilled Energon, feeding his engine with dreaded excitement.
No response came from Soundwave, which was typical, but nothing audible came from Starscream for the moment, which was as far from normal as they were from Cybertron. But, careful not to disappoint, Starscream barked orders through the comm. "It's a good thing that you fixed your scanner, dear Knockout. Not that we would have needed it, of course. Now, go to where ever they are telling you! I'll, uh, meet you there."
"Whatever you say, Lord Starscream," Knockout twisted his insult into an obedient follow up. Seriously, if the Autobots didn't kill Starscream today, he would have to severely convince his medic not to.
.
The glow of the Energon Chamber met them at the large doors of the room. "Ratchet?" Raf asked, slipping off Bee's shoulder as Horse studied the space. It was large, open, with a medical table near hugging the left wall. The Energon Chamber itself took up most of the room as it dominated the center, its back side pressed against the wall opposite of the door.
"Oh, yes," the medic said as if he was just stirred from a sleepy hypnosis of old times as he studied the screen that usually displayed a 'bot's vitals.
Stepping forward, the three took in the sight of what was Optimus Prime. His helmet was a lump of bent and twisted metal, making a lopsided shape out of the sheet that covered it best it could. The Prime's chassis had a large hole in it to the left, directly where his Spark would have been.
"Quite earthly, I know, but it was the only thing that I could think of concerning covering bodies, and it's what I had at best disposal," Ratchet spoke to their thoughts, his voice raspy with a difficult sigh.
Horsefly's troubled optics shimmered a little duller as he shifted them toward the pained face of the medic. Ratchet's optics reflected easily the immense pain that he had gone through the past few days, with but the slightest spark of hope. And that was diminishing quickly. "Ratchet," Horse carefully addressed the medic, paranoid about startling his weak Spark to death, "I need to see what's left of his mind."
"Whatever for?" Ratchet retaliated. So he was still strong despite it all.
"If I'm going to even consider reviving his Spark, I need to know that I'm not using it in vain. I need to know that his mind still has the capability of coming back as well. Without it..," he calmly, yet sternly explained, his tone gripping to the point that you were forced to listen, whether you were willing to accept what he said or not.
"If you really think it necessary," Ratchet sighed, moving toward Optimus' sheet covered head.
Horsefly breathed heavily. He was not going to enjoy this, not in the least. There was nothing about the shredded, cut apart mind of a Prime that was pleasing to him.
"Bumblebee, escort Rafael out," he commanded. The last thing that tender child needed to see was his Prime's mind. And the same went for the human.
Bee blipped disapprovingly, with Raf's complaints getting his back. Horse rolled his optics despite the moment of sincerity.
Ignoring them, he watched Ratchet reach his unsteady hand toward the white, Energon stained, bed sheet.
Horse felt his nerves relax as he breathed. Performing any ritual, or rain dance, or spell of any sort would not help this mind. Shredded was not the right word to describe the condition of it. Knowing the harshness of the truth, the ninja-bot was faced with a choice; Does he tell them what they what to hear, that Optimus can be helped, or make them face the truth. The latter option was a lie. No doubt about it. Honestly, he wasn't sure which would hurt them more. Believing the fog of their make-believe reality that Optimus could be brought back, only to realize that Horse tricked them in their time of truth or knowing the dead truth straight forward, no lies, no hope.
"Ratchet, Bumblebee, Rafael-" but the 'bot's confession was interrupted by an explosion ripping it's way somewhere through the mountain. "What the Pitt?"
"Guys- wshh shhot shhhh-shhhh!" Bulk's comm transmission was cut short by very aggressive static. "Geshh shhis, shhhr 'conshhh!"
"'Cons?" Raf asked, his face showed severe worry as he glanced up at Bee, hoping that the 'bot would say that Bulk was wrong, or that the human misheard him.
"Impossible!" Ratchet interjected.
"Improbable!" Horse corrected the medic as he pulled a pair of swords from his back, slipping them down from his sides. "Wait." clapping his swords together, he secured them into one hand, placing the other on the ground, feeling the vibrations through his fingertips. His optics narrowed as his visor slipped down, supposedly optimizing his auditory senses or those of touch.
"What?" Raf asked, but was hushed by Horse placing his hand to where his ear would be, signifying his demand for immediate silence.
Standing, his visor slipped up allowing him to speak once again. "The Groundbridge was activated. Bulkhead and Arcee went through; and, I think there's only three 'cons out there."
"Are they fighting?" Raf's small voice echoed to the 'bot, who turned to address him with a look. "So, 'cons really did find us," he muttered, reading Horse's honest optics.
Bee was taken back, heavily considering the odds and details. There should have been more than three 'cons. No way only three survived the Nemesis' crash. If any, while only three? Placing a hand on his human's shoulder, Bee nearly swore their demise as he transformed his free hand into a Stinger. Looking up at Ratchet, he revved his Stinger hoping to revive the medic's fighting spirit.
Ratchet nodded. "Let's go kick some-"
"Wait!" Raf yelled, the tone making all Cybertronians present turn toward him. "What about Optimus?"
"Optimus can't be brought back!" Horse yelled, shaking his head with his words. "Listen!" he called again, interrupting the other 'bots and Raf's concerned and confused words. "I can not help him. I can't- Excuse me!" he yelled at the rumbles, the explosions, and the static that surrounded the air in the light of the attack. Everything fell silent as if he had power over them. "-do that to him. Sure his Spark can be brought back, revived, but it's absolutely useless without his brain! Do you understand?"
Those present took a moment to comprehend what he said. It-it couldn't be over. Optimus couldn't be dead, he couldn't.
Another explosion tore through the mountain, the closest one so far. Raf and the 'bots looked around, half expecting most of the room to be missing. Raf glanced at Bee, wondering where his reaction was, but was surprised to see that the Scout's optics were locked with those of the ninja-bot in a straight on glare. He beeped and buzzed angrily, but the other 'bot didn't even flinch.
Suddenly, as the mountain shook yet again, a chunk of ceiling was shaken down and threatened to crush Raf.
"Rafael!" Ratchet yelled, stepping forward. His actions were out down, however, by the flying leap that Horsefly took in order to reach the boy in time.
His visor slipping down before he even took off, the 'bot launched himself into the air. Flipping over so that he would land feet first, he landed but a few inches away from tiny Raf. Immediately dropping to one knee, the 'bot hugged the child close as the debris fell onto the both of them, burying Horse's down leg under a heavy, metal rafter.
The 'bot looked up as the smoke cleared and carefully examined the human, pulling it away from his chest.
"I'm okay," Raf said, smiling into the visored face of his rescuer. Horse's mouth prepared a smirk, but he frowned as a glow bounced off Raf's huge glasses and hit him in the optic.
Glancing quickly over his shoulder, Horse studied in horror what the glow was coming from. "Bee!" he yelled, his visor slipping up, allowing the trouble in his optics to shine through.
Raf crawled up Horse's shoulder and stood on it, himself surveying the dramatic scene. Bumblebee had clamped two power cords to Optimus, one to his Spark, the other inside the Spark chamber. Taking a dizzy step back, Bee felt every servo and wire inside him tingle as he carefully pried open his own Spark chamber., revealing a hesitant, yet strongly pulsing blue orb. The Scout tried to stand higher, but was knocked back by another mountain rattling explosion. His trembling hands, shaking how they were, did manage to keep him from hitting the cold, unwelcoming floor, though he couldn't find enough consciousness to straighten back up.
Every servo in him shaking violently, the Scout felt himself unsteadily stand on the verge of consciousness and slipping away. But he had to stay awake, he had to. Horsefly's yelps of concern were only distant echoes in Bee's quaking mind and quivering Spark.
Managing to release his grip on Optimus' bad with one hand, Bee slow reached up to grab his Spark. Holding the other end of the power cord in his hand, he suddenly slammed it into his blue, life giving orb.
Small, white hot sparks flew out of the chamber, unhappy that they had been disturbed and intruded. Bee's glowing optics, shifted on everything, yet focused only on the oblivion before him as he dropped his head in anguish. That hurt. A lot.
"Bee! What's he doing?" Raf asked Horse, scared to leave the 'bot's shoulder as if he had a protective shield around him.
Horsefly only stared forward, his optics ever tightening as they narrowed. "His seventh way to save your life, if you're lucky," the 'bot quoted his friend from long ago. "Frag! Why didn't he tell me it was using the Powers!" he cursed, pressing his chin away in anger.
"The Powers? So Bee is going to bring back Optimus?"
"NO! Optimus can not be brought back, Bee is killing himself for nothing!" Horse uncharacteristically yelled, heaving at his leg, hoping that the rubble would give way. "Pitt! Bee! Stop!" he yelled as a last resort when the rubble refused to loosen it's grip on him. Raf looked up suddenly as Bee's torturous whistles echoed louder than the static over the dead comm.
"Bee!" he yelled, slipping down Horse's shoulder.
Bee, hands gripping the table again, pressed his head down, attempting to hold the screams of pain under control. But he failed, and the pain threw his head back as he yelled further. A glow emerged from the power cod that was attached to his Spark as made it's way down the wire, toward Optimus'.
"No!" Raf yelled, understanding that that was a bad thing. But he was too late. Jumping off the shoulder the rest of the way, he ran toward his 'bot when Horse wasn't looking. His raced past Ratchet, who has blown to the side in the most recent explosion, just as the medic was looking up. Racing hard along the pebble and dust covered ground, Raf was tossed into Ratchet as another explosion shook the room like an intense earthquake.
Looking up again, Raf saw Bee's shaking body fall back from the table, the power cord stretching to it's limit before tearing the 'bot's Spark nearly out. A small silver flash, however, cut the wire before Bee's Spark was completely dislodged from his chassis saving him.
Raf looked far to his right and saw Horse lower his arm from the throwing position it was in.
The eerie blue glow, however, was not cut off by the ninja star and instead traveled the rest of the inches to it's clip, where it was absorbed greedily by Optimus' dead Spark. The Prime's Spark stayed still, momentarily dead like it was before. This lack of pulsing, vibrant life, however, was outdone by a brilliant, yet terrifying glow that emerged from the metallic sphere. Absorbing the entire body, the light seemed to stabilize the mountain with some impenetrable force as it made your heart and Spark shake as violently as your home just was.
"He didn't," Horse muttered, taking advantage of the peace to steady himself enough to shove the metal beam off his leg. The movement echoed throughout the entire mountain, rustling the uneasy, captive stillness that was previously ruler with a loud, long clang. Glancing about wearily, calming his nerves as his comrades did the same, startled, shaken to their Spark with the abrupt crash.
"Sorry," he muttered simply, knowing that a simple whisper would be audible enough for all occupants in the military base to hear him. His green optics focused back forwards as his head swiveled that direction, glancing on the light from Optimus as it reached out, grabbing for what it could. "That is so not good."
No one dared speak, or even breath. The smoky, misty arms, searched around the room, planted at Optimus' Spark. Then, suddenly, his optics glowed, his Spark chamber closed, and he sat up... alive.