Optimus Prime stood by the operating table as he watched with sorrowful eyes as Ratchet worked vigilantly to revive the fallen Cheetor.
"Optimus," Ratchet frowned and leaned against the table, placing his oil stained instruments to the side, "I've done all I could. He's in temporary stasis, but you know as well as I do, the tools I have access too are subpar at best. This is all is all I can do with what we have."
Optimus placed a sorrowful hand onto Ratchet's shoulder, "You did all you could old friend."
"There's...something else." Ratchet replied.
Optimus looked surprised at this news, and he nodded silently.
"I scanned Cheetor's data-tracks; I seem to have stumbled upon a rather interesting bit of code imprinted in his memory." Ratchet began to say.
"What is placed in those codes?" Optimus replied.
"A last will and testament."
Optimus' eyes opened in surprise. Cybertronians weren't known for final wishes, let alone wills, it was a human tradition, one Optimus thought highly of, but seeing Cheetor take it upon himself to make a will, it was a true shock.
"And who does this will, address?"
"Luna, and, well, no one else."
Optimus Prime left the medical room, and gathered up his crew. He stood next to Ratchet by the operating table, as he began this most grieving meeting.
"It pains me to gather you here today." Optimus said, "Especially after the loss we have already endured just recently."
The entire team had thoughts of Wheeljack in their head. Optimus turned to Ratchet and nodded, "Cheetor's condition has yet to improve. His spark has yet to be extinguished, however, it is only active due to the stasis he is currently in."
A gloom, eerie silence befell the room, as Rattrap, standing behind Bulkhead, rolled his eyes, not caring for the funeral service. Optimus broke the silence, with a heavy spark, he utter his words, "I am afraid to say, our scout may not see duty for some time..."
Arcee looked down and noticed Luna below her, a steady frown on her face, "Luna?" she asked as she knelt down to check of her.
Luna ignored Arcee's gestures and walked over to the table, she stood there. Broken. Devastated. Looking as though all hope was gone from the world. Her spirit was lost.
Optimus looked to his team, his friends, and sighed, "Meeting is adjourned. We have our duties to report too. It's what Cheetor would want."
All of the bots leave the med-bay, Rattrap lingering a bit longer, to savor his victory. Luna stayed put, and looked down at Cheetor, sighing to herself, her eyes begging to produce tears.
Optimus Prime knelt down out of respect and looked at her, knowing the pain she felt, "Luna, there is a matter we need to discuss."
With eyes of sadness, and pale skin, she nodded, without saying a word.
"Cheetor's data-tracks had a file within them, created some time ago. It would seem, he had something for you, in the off chance he left us. I think now is the best time for you to receive this."
Optimus delicately placed a small box from Ratchet's desk into her hands, taking great caution in handling the item. Luna took the box and looked up at Optimus, silently looking at him in question.
"I have a feeling, Cheetor's gift will help." Optimus said.
A robotic arm clung tightly to Optimus' finger as Luna buried her head against the metal of Optimus, her eyes shedding tears of sadness as Luna let it all out.
"I did not mean for you to endure this much in such a short amount of time." Optimus sighed, a deep frown forming on his face, his optics lowering to look at the small human, "In my attempt to protect you, I fear, I have done more harm than good. But I will always, be here for you Luna. You always have a servo to cry on." Optimus stayed put, letting Luna release all her sadness onto him.
Nodding, Luna wiped her eyes, breathing in, "I know."
She let go of Optimus' hand and looked at the box in her hands. She opened the small box, and looked inside. Inside the box, lies a small photo album, embezzled with an Autobot insignia, and the words, "Family Memories" on the cover. Luna looked at the album and removed it from the box, looking at the covers as she tried to make sense of the item she now held.
"This is Cheetor's gift to you, it is, and has been, his most treasured possession." Optimus said as he pointed to the album.
Puzzled, Luna sniffled and wipes her eyes again, as her hand shook as she opened the cover. The first photo in the album showed a large red truck, and in front of it, a man in a tuxedo, and a woman in a wedding dress.
Luna eyes widened as she looked up at Prime, pointing to the photo, "Are those-?"
Optimus nodded as he smiled softly, the memories of that day coming to mind, "Yes, those are your parents."
"So...I've seen you –or my family has known you- before the hot-wire accident?" Luna coughed as she still wiped away some tears, staring in awe at the picture.
"Yes, I knew your parents and you as a child. I am afraid you were too young to remember the meeting. Your parents were some of our closest friends on Earth, and some of the first civilians to have contact with our kind. We cherished their friendship, and watched them grow...and watched as the seeds of their future blossomed into what you humans call, love."
"My parents..." Luna whispered, "My parents were your allies?"
"Yes, they were some of our most important allies too. Jack and Miko, your parents, helped us during the Decepticon attacks. I'm sure you have many questions, though, I think your answers will be within the book you hold."
"Answers?" Luna rubbed her neck as she still focused on the picture.
"Trust me." Optimus smiled and left the room, leaving Luna with her album.
Luna sighed and flipped through the book, each photo telling a story of the Autobots and her parents, some photos even going back to when Luna's parents were her age. However, nearing the back of the book, one photo stood out more than the others. It was her dad, and mom, very much pregnant with Luna, with a very familiar face. Cheetor.
"Freckles?" Luna held the book closer and stroked the picture, lowering her eyes.
More photos appear in the album, showing the Autobots with her parents, and Cheetor with her parents; one in particular, baby Luna, hugging Cheetor's neck. Luna winced as she watched more pictures pass as she flipped through the pages. Seeing her friend was her lifelong friend. She turned the last page, as an envelope fell out onto the floor. As Luna opened the envelope, she picked out the poorly written letter, as well as a small micro chip enclosed in the envelope.
Dear Luna,
Wow, that was corny even for me. Well...if you're getting this, then my suspicious are correct, and Rattrap has done away with me once and for all. But he'll get what he deserves; after all, you can't keep this cat from getting his revenge! I knew Prime would give you the album when I died, I hope you like it, thought I'd leave you something to remember me, and your parents by. I still remember how small you were when you were a baby, never did get all the baby food out of my fur either, you had a habit of using me for target practice. Luna, you're like a sister to me, I just wish I could be around to see you kick butt, and become the person I know you always could be...
Love, Cheetor.
Luna's eyes watered as she read through the letter, her memory of Cheetor flashing before her eyes with each word she read. She scrolled to the bottom, and read the last lines of the note.
P.S. Turn the paper over.
Luna did as the paper said, and on the back of Cheetor's letter, were five words.
This might sting a little.
In a burst of light the small chip in Luna's hand sparks up, melding directly into the circuitry of her robotic hand as she recoiled back, Cheetor's note falling to the floor as the chip melded with her. Above her, Cheetor's body rattles, his components beginning to crack and splinter, breaking apart as Luna's arm erupted in an aura of green energy.
Her eyes widen and clenching her hand, Luna fought to stand straight, "This doesn't STING; it BURNS!"
Luna watched as Cheetor's broken body was lifted up from the table, descending down upon her like a phantom of her former friend.
"No, no! No more tricks! Please, why do you have to torture me like this?" Luna cried out.
Cheetor's body melded itself onto Luna, his mechanical form breaking apart, as a small bright orb exited Cheetor's body and converged onto Luna's arm. As the chip begins to cool down, the burning subsiding, Luna looked to see her body now encased in the Savage Claw Armor.
"What...what happened? Cheetor, what did you?" Luna turned to the table to find Cheetor wasn't there; she looked over her body once more, confused, and puzzled.
A voice rang out in her head, but she felt no fear, it was a familiar voice, "Oh, is that the thanks I get for coming back to say "hello"? This wasn't exactly easy y'know!"
Luna's eyes widened as Cheetor's voice rang out. "Well..." She smiled, trying to fight back tears of happiness to hear her friend again, "You did DIE after all, you could've told me about this in the first place!" She let the tears out and began to sniffle, "How are you back? I...I thought I lost you."
"Well," Cheetor's voice echoed through her head, "I knew with Rattrap here, it would only be a matter of time before he tried to do me in...And I knew he'd probably be successful, sadly. So, I had no other choice, I removed my combiner chip and stashed it away for you to find."
"But why me? Why not Optimus, or Ratchet?"
"Because I trust you...and, because I knew you'd be able to activate the chip, allowing me to combine with you. See, my body was essentially scrap, with a spark in it. I couldn't use my body for anything, and my spark would've died in there, but, with the combiner tech, I can place my components onto you."
"And your spark? How is that in me?"
"Well, you did carry Prime's spark for awhile didn't you?"
Luna, still crying, nodded slightly, "It burned you idiot!" She said as her words broke past the tears, "You're using me you, butthead!" Sniffling, Luna managed a small smile as she joked with her friend once more.
"Oh it's only temporary, and hey, I'm the one who died! You know how much it hurts? And...Well funny thing about dying for a few hours, things come into perspective. Mom and Dad say they're proud of you." Cheetor replied.
"I wouldn't be proud of me. I wouldn't be proud of the girl that got her friends killed just by living!" She choked on Rattrap's words from before, tears falling down her cheeks.
"They're proud because you keep fighting, you're making friends, and Luna, c'mon, and no one is really truly dead. They always live on in your hearts, or, in this case, your head. You didn't see the Christmas picture by the way, did you? Your mom made me wear the antlers!"
Luna's tears subsided as she wiped her eyes, a small giggle coming from her, "Y-yeah. She was very persuasive when she was alive, and you looked good in those antlers." She smirked and laughed a bit more.
"Your parents love you very much y'know. They always wanted you to be a part of the big robotic family, and they also endured their fair share of losses, but their love for their friends, for you, and for each other, always kept them going."
Luna smiled fully this time, and looked up at the ceiling, "Yeah, I've been letting this get to me." She scuffed and kicked her foot against the ground, "I'm going to keep on fighting too...just like them."
"Luna..." Cheetor said softly within her mind, "Before we tell the others, I gotta make sure you're okay with this. I know you don't particularly care for the mental link."
"Well, it's fine for now, I'm alright. Thanks for checking though, most guys don't when they invade someone's MIND!" Luna replied.
"Okay, good, well..." Cheetor spoke, as Luna's mind began to get a bit foggy, "Since we share one mind at the moment, allow me to show you how this all began."
Luna's mind blanked out to white, slowly, black figments filled her head. Before her, was an image of something she had never seen, but always dreamed of, a supernatural looking world she wished to go to.
Cybertron