Halfbreed:
And here's the last one. I actually debated whether or not to post this cause this was the original ending that I had in mind when I first came up with Halfbreed. So if you do read this prepare for a bit of a cheese fest at the end :) Personally I like cheesy endings so that's why I wrote it that way. Though it may have helped to listen to "Bleeding Out" by Imagine Dragons which inspired the first part of this chapter :)
Anyway, thank you so much for sticking through almost four years of me writing (and not writing) with a multitude of great feedback! You've all been amazing! I hope you like this final chapter of Halfbreed! Godbless -Rin
Epilogue: Spark of Life
~One Month Later~
Optimus surveyed the vast expanse of what remained of the human city of Washington DC. From what he remembered it had once been a thriving capital before the Decepticons reduced it to rubble. There was a calmness though, one that pervaded the gray sky and dark husks of buildings. The roar of alien jets and moan of trapped humans no longer echoed and left a stillness. One that was only interrupted by the movements of humans starting to rebuild.
The Autobots leader watched from the roof of the building, careful not to let any human glimpse him for there was still the rabid fear of anything Cybertronian. And Optimus knew that would continue for a long time. The Decepticons had left the marks and not all of them were physical. Humans were already deliberating whether or not the Autobots should stay on Earth.
But Optimus didn't let that prospect nag at his processor for too long. He turned his attention back to the strange feeling withing his spark, empty peace that could only be described as bittersweet. The war that had begun on Cybertron thousands of years ago had finally ceased and when one battles for that long...there is little that one can remember besides.
The Prime vented heavily not sure what to do with himself. So much had been lost in the war and yet much had also been gained. Whether or not that the loss of his planet was worth that...he couldn't tell. All he knew was that something new now had room to come and replace the years of hate and war that had taken up much of his memories.
Optimus looked over the ruined city with his mismatched optics one last time before turning to leave, perhaps to find something to fill the now empty space in his spark.
Slowly I lifted the weight up over my head before bringing my arm back down; up and down and repeat. It was part of my regimen to exercise my injured muscles that Ratchet had strictly recommended for. I repeated five more times before dropping the weight to the ground and wiping the sweat off of my face with the collar of my tank top. I was sitting comfortably in my own private room within the confines of a make shift military base.
Since the world had started to realize that the Decepticons had been defeated many had started to come out and question the wisdom of allowing anything Cybertronian to remain on Earth. This meant that both the Autobots and I had to be moved to a secure place, for our own safety. No one was sure how many knew about my existence so they had all agreed that I should say out of the public eye as much as possible.
What was left of my old belongings had been moved into a room that I could call my own but most of the stuff had been taken from the Haven's stores. I sat up off of my bed and approached the mirror that had been hung on the wall.
Spider-like cracks marred the bottom corner but I was able to see my head and neck clearly. Carefully, I checked the dark scar that stretched from just under my jaw to my collar bone. I noted the silver sheen that was starting to form over the skin and the silver veins that were leading down from my mechanical eye.
Ratchet had told me that the nanites were continuing to repair any injuries by replacing the organic material with metal and mechanics. He warned me to be extra careful from now on but I had already accepted the fact that I was changing. It wasn't like there was anything I could do.
A sudden knock came from the door on the other side of the room.
"Come in." I said as I pulled my now shoulder length hair into a pony tail.
The door squeaked horribly as Annabelle came in, dressed in a gray sweat shirt and black jeans.
I sighed before grabbing my own hoodie, zipping it, and pulling the hood up.
"I guess so."
The next few minutes were spent walking off towards the main hangar of the base where an awaiting Lennox and Epps were sitting in a parked army jeep. The non-transforming kind. The following ride was short, only about three miles down the road to a large warehouse. It wasn't heavily guarded but a checkpoint had been set up outside. Carefully, tugged at the edges of my hood despite the tinted windows.
The jeep rolled up and Epps rolled down the window to look at the armed Haven guard. Immediately the man stood straighter and nodded briskly before waving to let the jeep through. I felt my heartbeat quicken slightly as the car continued forward to park behind the warehouse. As soon as it stopped I threw the door open and trotted quickly to the large metal door that was the only entrance.
I knocked several time in a certain rhythm before waiting, impatiently tapping my foot against the gravel. There was a soft buzz that came from the other side before the warehouse door opened with a loud squeal. It opened just enough for myself and the group to squeeze through before shutting with a slight boom.
Inside it was dimly lit and shifted with many bulky figures that all seemed to turn at the new arrivals. Specifically I sought out the biggest of the Autobots and trotted up to his pedes, looking upwards into the slightly different colored optics. Optimus' large helm nodded and I stepped aside as he lead us to the back of the warehouse where a huge shape was covered by a patchwork tarp.
"Are you okay Kia?" Ann put a gentle hand on my shoulder, her face calm but worried.
I nodded, feeling both nervous and excited as we came to a halt beside the huge covered mass. To the right stood a solemn Ratchet who continued to glance back and forth between Optimus and the covered shape before his gaze rested on me.
"Are you ready?" I asked and the medic nodded before stepping up beside Optimus.
Silence pervaded the dark room and I felt my breath catch in my chest as blue light appeared in Optimus' servo, casting elongated shadows across the walls. The buzz of anticipation coursed through me as the covering was pulled back by Ratchet and the Matrix was lowered towards the bulky form. There was a bright glow followed by several electrical crackles.
I covered my eyes and waited for the light to fade with baited breath, noticing how Ann did the same next to me. The glow faded and left the group in silence as our eyes were locked on the unmoving mass of metal. At first I felt my chest tighten and Ratchet turned to look at me with solemn eyes.
"I repaired all I could…" he said softly.
I knew that he had but couldn't help but feel disappointment course through me as Annabelle put a hand on my shoulder. For a whole month I had waited to only see that it was in was in vain.
I was about to turn when there was a loud clank and with wide eyes I watched the mass of metal and gears twitch, green optics flickering rapidly, my heart jumping into my throat.
The sound out a whirring came to life and with a jerk the blue mech sat upwards, his optics wide as he looked around in a slight panic, vents churning air rapidly. Ratchet placed a servo on the Cybertronian's shoulder, his eyes showing his own disbelief as Bumblebee, Sideswipe, and Wheeljack gave hoots of celebration.
The blue mech looked around warily until his green optics found me and I felt tears start to run down my face, this time because of happiness.
"K…Kia?" the sound sputtered out of the bot's vocal processors and I nodded, coming to place a hand on his pede.
"Hey Cain." I sniffed, putting my forehead against the now warm metal.
The mech smiled and cupped his servo around me, lifting me up ever so slowly.
"What...did I..." he muttered glancing around the room.
I shook my head, "Yeah, you were gone."
Cain looked back up from me to look at Optimus who was standing silently away from the commotion but with a look that could only be described as peaceful.
He went silent for a moment before looking back down at me, "You're leaking..." he huffed with a slight smile.
"Yeah." I sniffed, wiping me face, "I am."
It was then that the other Autobots began jabbering rapidly to Cain, trying to fill him in on what had transpired since his offlining. In the mass of talking I looked over to Optimus as well, knowing that this was only the beginning of a new start for both myself and the Autobots. Softly, I mouthed the words 'thank you' to the Prime.
He gave the slightest of nods along with a rare smile. I turned back to gaze up at my guardian, glad for the moment that everything had finally gone right.
I was glad that our story wasn't over either.
Because even though I didn't fit in with either humans or robots I knew that this group would accept me, the halfbreed that I am.
