So first, I apologize for not getting this up yesterday. But second- Yay! Look! My computer's alive! I didn't accidentally murder it! :D That's good news right?! :3
I also hope that you will bear with me a bit because this chapter is a little- no, a lot weird and I'm only sorta sure of it. But the freakishly weird part is straight out of the Fall of Cybertron game, so...yeah. But it was just too good to pass up! I seriously laughed my head off when I saw this part of the game. And then my sister said I should put it in my story and...well it was just too funny not to. So the ending it a bit...trippy. I hope you like it, if for nothing else than it's random-like-ness ;p
Anyway, gianormous thanks to go my sister Mini-Grimmy (who gets credit for the aforementioned idea whether she likes it later or not ;3) along with all of the other wonderful people who sent in advice about what to do when you almost accidentally murder your laptop! I honestly did not expect anyone to review to that, but thanks! I'm was grateful for all the advice and support! And of course thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 34. I loved reading your thoughts and responses to the Underworlders and the Autobots' trek through the caves. :)
And with all those reviews/advice, you have now gone over 300 reviews! o.O I can hardly believe it! But YAY! Thank you guys so much for leaving me so many reviews! And I'm so amazed and glad and excited (and a number of other things) that all of you have stuck with The Long Road Home this long. Thank you so much! ::sends air hugs and throws confetti::
:) Hope you enjoy this next chapter, or at the least that you get a laugh out of the end. ;3
...
The Long Road Home
35 – The Core – 35
Optimus and Ironhide stopped in the shadow of the tunnel as they tried to decide what to do. Ahead of them, standing in the polished, well lit room that housed the entrance to the Core of Cybertron stood about a dozen Vehicons, each with sensors trained on the various tunnels that led from the Core to the different areas of Cybertron's surface.
Down at their feet, Nathanial crouched down to get a better look at the space that lay beyond. He felt his eyebrows raise slightly when he saw it was an actual room instead of just another cavern. It was shiny and vast, a perfect cube carved underground and plated with the same high quality metal that made up Iacon's central buildings. Only without the soot and degradation left by the war.
Consoles lined the walls on two sides and part of the third, but otherwise the room was stark and silver. The back wall, however, was taken up by a door the size of a New York high rise. It was shut tight and Nathanial was sure that not even all three Autobots together could force it open, but presumably one of the consoles would open it for them.
Nathanial frowned. Even if they found the right button to open the doors though, how were they going to get through them without having to wade through a mass of Vehicons?
Nathanial frowned thoughtfully as he took in the three other tunnels he could see from his low vantage point. There were two Vehicons watching each opening at the very least, with more watching the main tunnel.
"Fortunately we didn't come out there." Nathanial thought in grim relief. "Our route must be a side entrance to the Core."
He couldn't be sure without leaving cover, but he thought their tunnel was sitting a ways up the wall off the floor. And with the two Decepticons watching it with bored looks on their faceplates, he reasoned that this was one of the few places they weren't expecting any trouble. And while Nat still wasn't sure what this Core everyone kept talking about did or why they needed to see it so badly, he figured from the sheer dimension and clean upkeep that it must be pretty important.
He straightened up and looked back up at Optimus and Ironhide. He thought they must be using pulsewaves to communicate because they looked deep in conversation despite the fact that they hadn't said a word since reaching the end of the tunnel. They must have finally finished though, because Prime looked down at Aria and gave her a sharp nod.
"Right," Aria whispered as she straightened up from her own inspection of the Core's entrance, "looks like I'm up."
Nathanial wasn't sure why he was still surprised by anything Aria said – really he wasn't – but he still couldn't quite keep the shocked look off his face.
She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh don't give me that look Nathanial. You think the bots can get through that without all those Steves noticing?" She gave a small snort as she pulled her rope and grapple from her belt and gave it the once over. "No, sneaking is my specialty." She did the same with her human-sized pistol before reaching up and taking what looked like a bandolier from Ironhide. She strapped it over her chest as she added in a somewhat stern whisper, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a group of Steves to mess with so..."
She left it at that and turned toward the large room, but not before Nat saw the nervous twitch of her eyebrows or the way she clenched her fists as if to steel her nerves.
"Good luck Aria." Nathanial said quickly.
She paused just long enough to give him a tiny smile over her shoulder before taking the hook end of her rope and attaching it to a stalagmite near the entrance.
Nathanial couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. That was the first non-glare she'd given him since Tyger Pax.
Aria waited just long enough for the Vehicons watching their entrance to look at someone talking behind them before stepping off the side of their hole. There was the slight whizz of rope sliding along metallic rock as she briefly repelled down the smooth wall, and then the slight clink as the hook released its stationary post and tumbled over the side to join her.
Nathanial looked back at the Vehicons, but they hadn't noticed Aria's descent. Ducking low to avoid their line of sight and staying behind the stalagmites Aria had used to anchor her rope, he crept forward and stretched his head over the side of the hole.
The drop wasn't nearly as bad as he'd thought, and down at the bottom, tucked safely out of sight behind the consoles lining their side of the wall, Aria was quietly making her way to the other side of the room.
Aria could hear what was left of her heart pounding in her ears as she made her way down the space between computers and wall. It was a small enough space that she could touch both walls if she stretched her arms out, and there was enough dust back here to make her worry about sneezing her position away, but otherwise it wasn't that bad. She could hear the power running through the cables as she stepped over them and a Steve cracking the occasional joke about protecting the Core from turbo-mice, but otherwise it was quiet.
Soon enough she reached the end of the first row of consoles. Slowly, trying not to attract too much attention to herself, Aria leaned around the corner of the last computer console. The Steves hadn't moved and four of them were still watching the main entrance next to her.
She ducked back behind the gray console and released a large breath. "Now for the hard part..."
She snapped off one of the green capsules from the bandolier Ironhide had given her and twisted one side to activate it. A row of digital zeros appeared on the screen set in the middle of the bomb as it gave a ready beep.
Taking another breath and holding it this time, Aria leaned back around the console and threw the bomb away from her before disappearing back behind her console. She heard the capsule clink as it rolled along the floor, going past the Vehicons' large boots before finally coming to a stop behind their line.
She knew they had seen the bomb, and therefore knew an enemy was near even if they hadn't been able to make her out before she had hidden behind the console again. She heard one of them start to shout a warning, but before he could finish she had firmly pressed the activation button.
The bomb went off and more than one Vehicon shouted at the impact. Even knowing it was a small explosion as far as Wheeljack's toys were concerned, Aria kept her back pressed tight against the console behind her as what felt like a wall of fire and heat shot past her hiding spot.
She waiting just long enough for the fire to die down before breaking from her safety and running across the empty space in front of the main entrance. Distantly she heard the Vehicons shouting as they searched for something to shoot at through the haze of smoke and dust.
"What was that?!"
"Where are they?!"
"Show yourselves you cowardly Autobots!"
"Medic!"
Aria was still five feet from the safety of the other row of consoles when she heard one of the Steves shout above the rest.
"Hey! Hey there it is! It's the Autobots' pet squishy! Don't just stand there. Shoot it! Shoot it!"
A blaster shot sizzled through the air above her head and Aria ducked instinctively, but didn't stop running. More purple-pink blasts started to rain around her as she fumbled for another bomb with stiff fingers. She tossed it at the lead Vehicon just before disappearing again behind the row of consoles.
The enemy fire died down as they all backed away from the rolling explosive, but she didn't detonate it yet. Instead she ran through the dusty crawl space, scrambling over the cables when they were too big to jump.
"Where'd she go?" The same Vehicon that had ratted her out shouted.
"Behind the computers! Squishy's behind the computers!"
"No! Don't fire at it you glitch! You'll scrap Teletraan!"
Even breathless, Aria managed to grin. "I guess even Decepticons think twice before destroying stuff as old as Teletraan and the Core."
"Well then what the heck do we do huh?!" The other Steve was yelling back as the dust cleared from the middle of the room to reveal three injured Vehicons. "Just wait for it to crawl out and bite us again?!"
Aria reached the end of the second row in a skid of dust as the Vehicons continued to scream at each other. Trying to catch her breath in the limited time she had, she pulled her second to last bomb off the diagonal chest strap and peered around the corner. The Vehicons were looking everywhere, blasters ready to fire and searching for her small frame.
Eyeing the black opening in the rock that separated the console she hid behind from the next one in line, Aria steeled herself for what had to happen next.
"Hate this next part," she whispered breathlessly to herself, "definitely hate this next part."
Then she sucked in a big breath, spun around the corner and threw the bomb towards the cluster of Vehicons.
She twisted back just as it went off, making the Vehicons shout and swear some more. But before they could start searching for her head again, Aria stepped out of the crawl space and shouted at the Vehicons.
"Come and get me you Deceptic-drones!" She screamed at them, whip-hook held tight in one hand. Then when she had enough of the group's attention, she turned and dove straight into the inky black of the Underworld tunnel.
...
Still hidden in their own tunnel, Optimus and the others watched as the Vehicons still able to ran after Aria, quickly disappearing into the underground blackness. When the dust had finally settled, only three Vehicons were left in the room. Only one was standing though, the other two having been wounded by Aria's explosions. One was already in stasis lock, and while the other's knee joint was sparking something fierce, he was still conscious enough to aim and shoot a gun.
Prime waited another few cycles to make sure the other Vehicons were well out of audio-range, then he gave Ironhide an affirming nod.
Ironhide nodded back and the well known whine of his cannons charging filled the tunnel. Then together, Optimus and Ironhide fired on the still conscious Vehicons.
Ironhide blew the Vehicon's spark away with one shot. His partner however, was smart enough to roll just as Prime's blast hit the ground where his chest had been. He came up against the wall as the other Vehicon's frame hit the floor with a crash. Now with nowhere to run, it didn't take too long for the Autobots' fire to catch up with him.
Ironhide's sharp aim ended the second Vehicon as well, and the purple and black Decepticon slumped against the wall as his spark faded.
The black mech grinned and dramatically blew the smoke away from the mouth of his cannon. Optimus ignored him as he jumped down to the floor of the console room, but he still heard Cloudraker mutter, "Show off," from the tunnel above him.
Ironhide just chuckled as he joined Prime on the ground floor. "So what now Prime?" He asked as Cloudraker, with Nathanial held carefully in his hands, climbed across the consoles under their hole and quickly stepped down to the ground behind the older mechs.
"We need to find a way into the Core." Optimus said as he looked around at the different computers, hoping there was some identifying marker next to the door release. They needed to get through before any of the other Decepticons following Aria made their way back.
"Is this it?" Cloudraker suddenly asked.
Optimus turned to see the younger mech pointing at a rectangular panel next to the great doors themselves. He blinked in surprise. That hadn't taken nearly as long as he had feared.
He made his way over, but Ironhide was closer and beat him there. He firmly pressed the door switch with a large thumb, but other than a faint click, nothing happened.
Frowning, Ironhide pressed it again, then several times in a row, making the button click each time.
"Nothing's happenin'!" He exclaimed, giving up on the button. "The switch must be somewhere else."
Optimus' optic ridges lowered in uncertainty. "Possibly." He admitted, but his tone clearly said he didn't believe that. Needing to be sure, he stepped closer and pushed the button with a long digit. He drew back slightly when a small jolt of static electricity lightly shocked him.
With the rumble of long unused machinery, the doors began to drift open.
Optimus stepped back in surprise. Next to him, he heard Ironhide snort. "Primes." He mumbled, but he sounded more like he should expect this by now rather than annoyed.
Optimus spared a glance at his long-time friend before turning his optics back to the opening doors. Light spilled through the doors as soon as room appeared between them. It was so bright that Prime had to shield his optics with a large hand, and it was at once too beautiful to comprehend and corrupt enough to make him feel sick at spark.
As the doors finished their torturously slow opening, a voice, sick and weary, appeared in his processor. Its whisper strange, but familiar, as if he had heard it once a long time ago.
Enter Optimus Prime...
...
"Don't trip," Aria's brain screamed at her as she fumbled her way through the dark, "don't trip, don't trip, don't trip!"
The light from the metal room had disappeared behind her a good ten minutes ago, but she didn't need to see them to know the Vehicons were hard on her tail. She could still hear them clanking and stumbling down the tunnel after her, swearing more often than not as they ran into rocks, walls, and each other.
"If ya trip, ya die." Her brain told her rather insensitively. "And let's face it; it'd be really dumb to be killed by a hoard of Steves that are so stupid they haven't even remembered to turn their headlights on."
Aria giggled somewhat hysterically as she half tripped on a rise in the ground, caught herself on her hands, and fumbled her way upright again as she forced herself to keep going.
"Ouch!" She heard the lead Steve shout behind her as something clanked loudly, again. "Watch where you're going Rory! That's my arm you just about blasted!"
"Sorry Maurice. I thought you were the squishy. You're certainly as dumb as one." Rory snarked back.
Another sharp clank and a shouted, "Ow!" made Aria laugh again. Now she knew why the Vehicons were always used as cannon fodder.
"Would you too glitches stop your whining already?! We're gonna lose Prime's pet at this rate! Now get your act together and turn on your lights before I turn you both into flaming torches!"
"Uh-oh," Aria muttered to herself as she darted sideways to the wall and felt around the rocks for a place to hide, "looks like fun time's over."
Groping around the slick walls with her hands, she managed to find a crack in the wall just large enough for her to slip through. It was a tight fit, but somehow she managed to squeeze herself in without getting stuck.
"This is worse than shopping for my prom dress!" She thought, remembering the countless too-small dresses she'd tried on because all the cute gowns in her size had already been snatched up.
She pulled in shallow breaths in the small space and prayed that the Steves would get out of here before she passed out from hyperventilating.
Outside, the first of the lights flicked on. She turned her head towards the rock wall on her other side as they lights swung from side to side, looking for her pale form in the dark tunnel.
"Slag." The Vehicon in charge swore softly as he twisted his headlights left and right in the tunnel's narrow space. "She must be faster than we thought. And with all your whining," he glared at the two mechs behind and to either side of him, "she knew just which way to go to get away from us. Slaggin' idiots." He grumbled.
Rory and Maurice's shoulders slumped. "Sorry Roger." They both muttered, looking like kicked dogs.
"Yeah well you're gonna be even sorrier if we don't find her. I've heard that organic femme never goes more than a half a cyber-mile away from Prime. If she's here, then he is too. If we find her, I'll bet she'll lead us right to him."
Aria bit her lip to keep from giggling. He sounded like some bad soap opera villain, right down to the evil 'Mwuhahaha!' she knew he was just dying to let loose. This was just too ridiculous. They had all the right information, and they kept jumping to the wrong answer! It was just so stupid!
But knowing what they would probably do to her if they found her helped Aria swallow down her laughter.
She pressed her lips tight together to try and keep from breathing too loud. There wasn't enough room to turn her head from shoulder to shoulder, but if she turned her neck as far as she could without scraping her nose against damp rock, she could see the outside tunnel from a large corner of her eye.
The light of the Vehicon's headlights was abruptly cut off, throwing her into purple shaded darkness again. It took her eyes a moment to adjust and she realized that the lead Vehicon – Roger probably – was now standing right outside her hide out.
Aria closed her eyes and swallowed hard. He was standing so close to her she could hear the whirs of moving machinery as he moved, scanning the tunnel up ahead.
"I know you're there Sparkfinder!" He suddenly shouted, making Aria jump even in the small confines of the tunnel wall. "I bet you don't remember me but I was one of Shockwave's guards when you and your slaggin' Autobots came for that little yellow squishy Shockwave liked so much. 'Cept I was called Torque back then. But when you managed to get away, they took my name away and gave me one of your disgusting squishy names instead! Said if I was stupid enough to let two fleshlings like you leave tread marks all over me then I deserved it."
Normally Aria would have rolled her eyes and mentally told Roger to stop being such a baby, but she could practically feel the homicidal wave rolling off of him. This close to the Core the tunnels were hot like saunas, but Aria couldn't help the shivers that made her shoulders shake.
Roger still hadn't moved away from Aria's hidden frame. "That was a long time ago now, but I've got a long memory Sparkfinder." He told her, his voice echoing down the tunnels. "But I bet you don't. You probably won't have any idea what's going on when I finally catch up with you."
An eerie, wet kind of silence fell over the tunnel again as Roger's echoes faded away. Aria held her breath, afraid he would hear her in the quiet. But Roger still didn't move.
"Leave you glitch!" Aria thought, her chest starting to hurt as her air went stale. "At least make some noise before I pass out!"
But Roger just shifted his weight to his other foot and silently swept his headlights over the tunnel in front of him.
"Slagger," Aria thought as her hands balled up in an effort to hold her breath just a few seconds longer, "he knows I can hear him."
Stale air started to burn in her lungs. She couldn't hold it any longer. She had to breathe or pass out and risk the Vehicons finding her unconscious form.
But then a timid voice whispered, "What are we waiting for?"
Roger turned sharply, his hydraulics making enough noise to cover Aria's gasp for air. The following slap of metal on metal helped even more.
"Idiot!" Roger hissed, but offered no further explanation as he shoved his poor unfortunate subordinate into the Vehicon behind him. "Never mind, just search ahead! She's around here somewhere. The fleshling's scent is too strong for her not to be."
With a clanking step, Roger finally pressed forward, the rest of the Vehicons following him with their weapons at the ready. For a second, she could see the highlighted rock across from her as the Vehicons' lights made new veins of dark energon shine slightly in the tunnel wall. But then the Vehicons moved on, taking their light with them.
Aria waited for their echoing steps to die away before she wriggled out of her foxhole. She could have sworn there was a faint pop when she finally managed to get herself free.
"Whew," she breathed deeply when she was in the tunnel again. She looked in the direction where the group of Steves had gone. Even now she could just barely make out the faint bobbing of their headlights.
Aria frowned after them. "Just what I need," she thought as she propped her hands on her hips, "a homicidal Vehicon that blames me for a bad nickname."
But then she shrugged, realizing that that didn't change her objective. "Well," she thought as she jogged after the Vehicons, her small feet making little to no noise on the hard floor of the tunnel, "at least now I know why they've all got human names. This is the reject squad."
She could see why they were the reject squad the longer she followed them. They never turned around, never stopped to check behind rocks littering the floor when they appeared, and they never ever shut up. Someone was always talking to someone else, no matter how many limbs Roger threatened to remove.
Even Roger himself was too hell bent on finding her to do it right. He looked to high, like he was looking for a bot, instead of closer to the ground where she was.
Aria followed them like this for some time, staying just beyond their ring of light and careful not to make any noise loud enough to be heard above their clumsy footsteps, before they finally came to a sharp turn in the underground passageway.
The Steves were still smart enough to check what was around the corner (and Aria was actually surprised they remembered to) but when they didn't find anything, Roger waved them forward.
Aria half ducked behind a small stalagmite and watched as each of the Vehicons disappeared around the corner up ahead. As soon as the last one disappeared, the light reduced drastically around her, leaving her in almost tangible darkness. But without the competition of the Vehicons' headlights, the dark energon veins in the walls started to glow again.
Blinking to help her eyes adjust to the violet glow faster, Aria carefully approached the turn in the passage. Slowly, she flattened herself against the wall and leaned around the edge. None of the Vehicons were looking back.
She ducked back behind the safety of the corner before pulling another capsule off of the bandolier she still wore. The dark energon crystals gave off enough light to make out the bomb's outlines as she switched it on.
Green lights blinked on, showing it was ready, and slowly she leaned back around the corner and attached the bomb to the metallic wall.
It gave a small, high pitched beep.
"Did you hear that?" One of the Steves asked his partner up ahead, making Aria freeze, one hand still holding the bomb.
The second Steve stopped and half looked around, but didn't see the green lights of the Autobot explosive. "Nah. You're hearing things again Joey."
Not needing any further explanation, Joey shrugged, then followed his partner down the tunnel after the others.
Aria released another breath of air. Her heart was pounding and her spark was glowing hotter than usual against her skin as she slowly removed her hand.
"I hate Steves." She mumbled as she retreated back down the tunnel. "Annoying, annoying Steves. No gummy bears for Steves."
She stopped when she came to a familiar set of boulders left lying on the tunnel floor. She turned and saw she was still within sight of the bend, although the light was so dim now that it was almost impossible to tell.
"This is about as good as it'll get." Aria told herself as she pulled out the same button as before. She made sure she had all her extremities hidden by the shelter of the rocks before she sucked in a steadying breath and hit the bright green switch.
The explosives blew with Wheeljack's usual signature of loud and impressive, even as the shape of the tunnels directed it away from Aria and towards the Vehicons. The sudden light of the fire seared itself onto Aria's retinas and she squeezed her eyes shut. Even over the roar she heard the Steve's sudden shouting as rock walls began to crumble and disintegrate, large chunks dropping to the ground with shuddering force.
Aria kept her head down as the thud of rocks reverberated down the passageway, sounding as if they were landing right next to her instead of up ahead.
It didn't take long for the rocks to settle and, slowly, Aria raised her head. She peered past the rocks that had protected her to see that the corner where the two tunnels had connected was now covered by fallen rocks.
Aria stepped out of hiding. Even past the familiar ringing in her ears she could hear the Vehicons shouting, most in panic, and the scrabbling she knew was them trying to claw their way out again.
"That'll hold them for a little while." She mumbled to herself. "Hopefully long enough for us to get in and out of the Core."
She turned to head back to Prime and the others, but then hesitated.
"I have a long memory too." She murmured before finally heading back down the tunnel towards Prime and the Core.
...
"Sweet Primus..."
Optimus wasn't sure who said it – or if they had all said it – he just knew it was a spark deep prayer.
A large sphere of raw, white energy, almost crystalline in nature, stood before them. It was supported by three large, gray blocks growing out of the floor beneath it and one claw-like appendage on top, like a crystal ball held still on display. As they watched, sparks of energy shot across its surface like flickers of electricity, sparking in a flash of light and skittering across the surface before being pulled back in.
But the white of the energy was now marred with large streaks of violet. Dark energon crystals bloomed out of the sparking energy like beautiful, parasitic flowers. And all throughout the room the harsh whoosh, swish, whoosh of overworked vents came and went, like labored breathing.
The Autobots had finally reached the Core.
Optimus Prime finally became aware of a strained whimper pressing itself on his senses. At first he had thought that it was the Core straining against the dark energon spearing it, but when he turned around he saw the sound was actually coming from Cloudraker. The young flier was holding the side of his head as if it hurt, but his optics were fastened onto the infected Core.
"Hey kid," Ironhide said, even his voice lowered and more subdued in the presence of the Core of Cybertron, "kid you alright?"
Cloudraker's optics remained so fixed on the Core that Optimus wondered if he could look away. Another strained noise escaped his vocorder and he pressed his hand harder against his head.
"Hear it-" he finally managed to say through clenched teeth, "-I can hear it. Hurts."
"What hurts Cloudraker?" Nathanial spoke up from down near their feet.
"Core." He said tightly. "The Core hurts."
Optimus and Ironhide shared a glance. "You can feel what the Core feels?" Optimus asked the young bot softly.
"Yes." He said, wings starting to shake now. "No. Too close. Too much dark energon. Hurts."
Ironhide carefully pulled on the young Seeker's arm. "Come on kid. Let's get some space 'tween you and this-" he jerked a thumb at the sight behind him, "abomination."
He had pulled him back a bare step when a noise so deep they felt it appeared. It shook the floor beneath them, slightly at first, but then grew louder until the entire room was shaking around them. Optimus threw his arms out, straining for balance and watching for anything that might fall on their heads from above them. Somehow, even above the deep noise of the monstrous call, he heard Cloudraker start to shout.
The young mech shook off Ironhide, making the older mech fall to the floor with a thud that was lost in the clamor. Not able to walk across the vibrating floor, Optimus watched as Cloudraker powered up his boots and flew across the room so fast that Prime had no chance of stopping him.
The noise kept droning even as Cloudraker made contact with the first dark energon crystal. Optimus felt his optics widen as the young bot grabbed the thick, purple crystal and wrenched it into pieces with his bare hands. The crystal shattered, little pieces of hardened violet energon flying everywhere and landing in the crevices in the Seeker's armor.
But he didn't stop. Still shouting something Optimus couldn't hear, Cloudraker flew at the rest of the dark energon, tearing it away form the Core in massive chunks before throwing them to the side where they slid across the steel floor until coming to a stop against the rounded walls.
The noise didn't die down until Cloudraker had forcibly removed most of the offending energon spikes. As the shaking died down and the sound dwindled into a deep moan, Cloudraker slid down to the floor, his only support one of the base prongs keeping the Core aloft.
He sat there, vents wide open, as the older bots watched him with wide optics. Neither was sure what to make of the usually calm jet's sudden frenzy.
It was Nathanial that finally broke the silence. "You," he said slowly, "you alright there Cloud?" He asked like one would ask someone with questionable sanity.
Optimus didn't miss the flicker of the younger bot's optics as he heavily cycled air. "I," he stammered, "I don't know. I don't-" He finally noticed the slivers of dark energon clinging to his frame and hastily began to brush them off.
"I could hear it." He said a moment later as Nathanial pulled on his gloves and helped him remove dark energon from his armor. "I could hear it screaming in my head. I just-I couldn't take it anymore!" He insisted frantically, as if he was afraid they all thought he was crazy.
"It's alright Cloudraker." Optimus said slowly, hoping to erase his anxiety. "There are many things we do not understand about the Core. Bots other than you have claimed to hear it before."
The young bot slumped farther against the prong supporting him, not enough to say he was completely at ease, but enough for Optimus and Ironhide to notice.
"Hmph," Ironhide vented in disbelief. "You ask me it was more dark energon making you all wonky than the Core talkin-"
He suddenly trailed off. Optimus turned towards his long time friend, concerned. The black mech's optics were wide and he was staring at the Core now too.
Optimus felt his optic ridges furrow. "Ironhide?" He asked, reaching out to place a hand on the other mech's shoulder. "What is it?"
Prime...
The same ghostly voice as before drifted across his processor, making him freeze in mid-motion.
Hear me Optimus Prime. It said again. No, Optimus realized, not it. He. The voice was distinctly masculine.
Optimus was dimly aware of letting his hand drop back down to his side. "I hear you Core." He heard himself answer.
Silence followed his words, enough to make him wonder if he had imagined everything. But when the voice spoke again, it sounded wearier than before, as if it took every ounce of energy it had to make this contact.
I have asked...much of you Optimus Prime. The voice intoned breathlessly. And I will ask even more before you are called home to the Well of AllSparks.
A small part of Optimus' spark – the part that was still Orion Pax deep down – cringed at the Core's words, instinctively knowing they were true. What made them worse was that he wasn't sure how much worse the future could get, considering the present.
I am...sick. The Core murmured, his voice dimming to almost nothing for a terrifying moment. I...cannot sustain you for much longer. I must...rest.
"Rest?" Optimus asked, his spark squeezing in a flash of anxiety.
The Core seemed to understand his intent. It chuckled softly, more of the energy skitters running across its surface when he did. My spark is not extinguished yet Optimus Prime. Indeed, I will outlive you. As I have outlived all of your brethren, save one.
But I must sleep. The Core told him, immediately sobering. Before Unicron's blood infects me completely. If that happens, then not even you will be able to save what remains of my creations. I must hibernate in order to purge myself of my brother's infection. When I do, nothing I have created will be able to survive on Cybertron's surface.
Stunned at what he was hearing, Optimus couldn't find any words for a long moment. Dimly he heard a small sound behind him; the skidding of small feet coming to a quick stop on metal floors followed by a brief, feminine gasp. Ariah had arrived.
Somehow, Optimus managed to shove down his questions, his doubts and his fears, and he looked again up at the Core. He could feel it watching him back with calm optics.
"What must I do to save them?" Optimus Prime asked.
Again, the Core was temporarily silent. Optimus felt that it was getting harder and harder for him to speak. Or perhaps more of his attention was being spread between the others in the room. Distantly Prime knew that the Core was speaking to them too, however he could not hear what he was telling them.
You must leave Cybertron.
Prime reeled back in shock. "No!" Optimus shouted without realizing it.
The Core seemed to sigh. I have been poisoned Optimus. I am sick and I feel my frame and spark withering because of it. Any who stay will be extinguished. I cannot change that the Core said sternly and you cannot lay this burden aside.
You must lead them outward. Back to the stars. You have been there before and there are still explorers on Cybertron. They will remember the way.
So many questions. Optimus couldn't speak because he had so many questions. How would he get everyone off planet? Where would they go? What about the Decepticons? Should he just leave them here to die?
But the one he finally managed to ask, in an awkward, awed whisper was, "What will we see?"
He felt the Core smile at him. Everything. He whispered. Things more amazing than even you have imagined.
Again the Core chuckled, energy skittering over him. And you have imagined quite a lot Optimus Prime.
Optimus fidgeted, feeling more like an errant youngling in front of its guardian than a Prime for a moment.
But the moment ended quickly. "They won't all listen to me. Even some of the Autobots-" the more stubborn ones, "-won't leave just because I tell them too. And there are others – Neutrals. Captives. I cannot leave them behind."
The Core seemed to vent a forlorn sigh. I know. He said tiredly. I have heard their sparks crying out for help for so long now that I will never forget them for as long as my spark burns. You must leave your captives here. I will look after my creations as best I can. But I am so weary...
He sounded almost child-like in his weariness for a moment that Prime dared take a step closer, pitying him.
You must take the Neutrals with you. It is time they find their own place in the stars as well as you. You are Prime. They will listen.
"Not all of them." Optimus told him.
Then you must make them listen! The Core suddenly thundered and Optimus felt himself step back again. Megatron he could handle without flinching, but hearing the Core's anger made his spark shudder.
The Core calmed again and when it spoke next it was again in a weary, forlorn tone. I know of their stubbornness as well as their doubt, but if they do not leave now then they never will. Tell them this.
Prime nodded, hesitating only a nano-klik. "Yes Core."
The violet within the Core's energy grew brighter a moment and Optimus felt the whole room shudder again. They did not have much longer.
I have no Matrix to give you. The Core told him, speaking softer now. No sign that will tell others you are one of my children. You must find it.
Optimus nodded without hesitation now. "Yes Core."
The Core's voice was growing weaker now. Others will doubt you. You will doubt yourself. But even then you will know who you are.
"And," Optimus asked carefully, "who is that?"
The Core's voice was so weak that for a moment Optimus thought he was now unable to speak. But again the words drifted across his processor.
You...are the last of the Primes.
Till all are one.
And with that, the Core's voice faded away, leaving nothing behind but the constant hum of overworked machinery.
With military precision, Optimus inclined his head and brought a fist over his spark.
"Til all are one." He affirmed.
...
The square metal room was completely empty by the time Aria found it again except for the offline frames of two unfortunate Vehicons.
Ignoring the too-still frames as best she could, Aria scoured the room for the others before finally noticing that the back wall had parted, revealing another room on the other side. She heard Optimus' familiar voice ask a question from inside and quickly ran towards it.
And then came to a skidding stop when she caught sight of the brilliant ball of energy twisting at its center.
She gasped as her eyes trailed over the sphere of energy, the violet stains that marred its surface, and the shattered remains of dark energon crystals now littering the floor.
Careful to avoid the violet chips, Aria made her way deeper into the room. For some reason the others were standing so still that for a moment she thought they were offline too. But she could still feel Ironhide, and to a lesser extent Cloudraker and Optimus, through her spark, so she knew that they were still alive.
"Optimus?" She called. "Ironhide? Guys we shouldn't stay here too long. I know they're not all that smart, but those Vehicons sure are determined. They're gonna dig their way out sooner rather than later and seeing as one of 'em wants my head on his wall, I'd feel a whole lot better if we got out of here before he gets the ch-"
She was cut off by a voice. One so soft, so beautiful, so comforting that just hearing it made tears spring into her eyes.
Hello Sparkfinder, it said...
...
I have been waiting a long time to meet you young Sparkfinder. Your name fits you well.
Aria blinked. Somehow she knew the voice was coming from the Core, just like she somehow knew that it was talking to everybody else at the same time even though she couldn't hear what they heard.
But even with all that strangeness, she still couldn't help but think that was a weird thing to say.
"Excuse me?" She asked, not knowing what else to say.
The Core somehow chuckled, despite the fact that it didn't have a mouth. Sparkfinder suits you young one. It is a good name. One you will be remembered by long after you have returned to the earth.
Given where she'd been living for the past who-knew-how-long, Aria could have understood that to mean 'once she'd managed to get back to the planet Earth'. But she knew that's not how he had meant it.
She swallowed hard at the mention of her death. "Yeah, right." She finally said the first thing that came to mind.
She felt the Core raise the energy equivalent of an eyebrow at her. Why so incredulous Sparkfinder? Don't you know how important you are in this?
Aria blinked at the question. Was he serious?
"Look Core," she said, trying to brush away her discomfort, "I appreciate the sentiment, and you're a very nice energy...crystal...thing," she stopped, knowing just how far that had gotten away from her, "but I know I'm just a supporting character in all this. Sparkfinder's just an honorary title. I'm just Aria." She told him with a half hearted shrug. "Just Jie Mei. I'm not anything special." Her shoulders slumped at the admission and she looked away from the Core, as if suddenly thinking she had no right to look at it.
She was just about blown off her feet by the Core's sudden blast of laughter.
Aria Sparkfinder – first of the Techno-organics – Nothing special! Ha!
Aria stared at him as he started booming with laughter again, white energy skittering around the almost crystallized sphere in the center of the room. He was so loud that she covered her ears, but that didn't do a thing to block out the sound, although she noticed that none of the others seemed to hear it either.
"What the heck's so funny?!" She finally demanded, hands still clapped over her ears.
Even then Core's laughter receded slowly, until Aria was sure that if had had optics he would have been leaking coolant tears all over the place.
You foolish little creature! He finally said through his dwindling laughter.
Aria glared. "Hey!" She shouted, but got no further in her telling off.
You will do great things Sparkfinder. The Core told her, sounding as if he already knew what those supposedly 'great things' were. You have already done great things. How many other humans could have survived here? He asked her, seeming to spread himself wide to take in every inch of Cybertron.
Aria frowned at him anxiously. "But that wasn't because I'm anything special." She insisted. "I just had to find my sister. I couldn't leave her here!" She insisted somewhat defensively.
The Core seemed to nod as if understanding her answer. I understand your love for your sister young one. Solus felt much the same, although I did not understand her when she tried to explain it to me. You remind me of her at times young Sparkfinder.
Aria blinked at the causal reference to the first femme, the Forger, Solus Prime. He was just messing with her when he said they were like each other, right?
But returning to your earlier question, he continued as if it was no big deal, just how many other organic femmes do you know that could have kept seven younglings in line for so long?
He said it like it was a trick question, so Aria didn't answer.
The Core seemed to realize this and instead shook his head. Or, whatever he had instead of a head anyway. You keep insisting you are nothing special Sparkfinder. Why are you so afraid of being great and necessary?
Aria gave the Core an all out glare. "Because I'm not great and necessary!" She told him, rather louder than she had meant to. "And I'm not going to lie and pretend I am to make myself feel better." She insisted.
But you are necessary. My creations would not be so well off if it wasn't for you Sparkfinder.
Aria openly scoffed and resisted the urge to turn in a frustrated circle. "Anyone could have been driving along that road when the space bridge freaked out." She told him.
But it wasn't anybody. Core pointed out calmly, only infuriating Aria more. It was you and your sister.
"Only now Sera's gone and I'm stuck here alone!" Aria shouted suddenly. "Even my younglings have outgrown me now Core. I can't help them anymore! I have nothing. I am nothing!"
She stopped, arms held straight at her sides as the words landed with the force of a hammer on an anvil in her ears. "So tell me Core," she eventually continued, hands balled up into fists, "just tell me what exactly I'm supposed to have done that's so fraggin' great?"
The Core soaked up her angry words, and as her temper reduced to a simmer, Aria thought he was looking at her sadly.
Then he seemed to shake his head. Or whatever it was that spheres of energy had instead of heads. You have already given them so much, Sparkfinder, but it seems you will never truly realize that. For that...I am sorry.
Feeling somewhat ashamed of her outburst now, Aria looked away again and forcibly relaxed her clenched hands. "It's not your fault." She mumbled.
Core sighed. Aria Sparkfinder, look at me. He told her gently.
She did, and when she saw the sphere of violet tinged energy again, she felt that he had pinned her with a firm but gentle stare, despite his sickness.
You have served as a quiet reminder to my creations of what they are fighting for Sparkfinder. Of what is still worth fighting for. You think yourself useless because you cannot fight alongside them, but that is not true. You inspire them to keep faith that all of their pain and loss will not go in vain. You remind them that innocence is not a waste. That falling to the Decepticons' level in order to win is not worth it in the end.
You give them faith that one day things will be better.
Don't give up your own faith so easily Sparkfinder.
"Til all are one."
Aria visibly jumped as Optimus' voice suddenly boomed from nearby. She looked up at him, and then quickly back at the Core, but the energy sphere was now silent. Instinctively she knew he had nothing else to say to her.
Aria wasn't sure how to feel about that. A large part of her wanted to shout, "Is that it?!", but she knew it wouldn't help. Somehow she managed to swallow the words down, but another part of her wanted so badly for what the Core had said to be true that she ached. But for some reason she wasn't sure if she should trust the Core's words. But then, why would he lie to her?
Prime's somber words had broken whatever spell had been hovering over them all. And as she looked around, Aria was a little surprised that she didn't feel like it had all been a dream, like she had half hoped.
She looked over to see Cloudraker still staring at the Core in awe, but she knew he couldn't hear him anymore either, because he looked up at Ironhide when the older bot came to help him up off the floor. Ironhide himself looked grim, like he'd just received bad news, but knew he had no other choice than to accept it.
Nathanial was the most changed. Aria noticed with a start that his eyes were red, but his back was straight, his shoulders squared. She hadn't noticed before now, but ever since Tyger Pax, Nat's shoulders had been bent slightly with the force of his guilt, like he thought there was nothing he could ever do to make up for his lie.
But now, now he looked like his old self, but even more so. No lies to keep hidden, no more worrying about what everyone would think.
Aria thought he looked like he had been forgiven.
She expected to feel rather angry at the idea, or at the very least slightly irritated, but no. Maybe she was too tired, maybe it was her talk with the Core – maybe it had just been so weird a day that it didn't matter anymore – but she wasn't angry.
Aria turned away from Nat before he could look over at her. Today had been too weird, she decided. She couldn't deal with the whatever-it-was she was feeling right now. She was still having trouble processing just what had happened with the Core to deal with anything else.
She looked up at Optimus to find him looking back at the rest of them. Like Ironhide, he looked like he'd just received heavy news, but instead of looking grim, he looked determined.
"What now Prime?" Ironhide asked, voice heavier than usual.
Prime blinked his optic shutters and looked over at the other mech. "We must return to the surface. The Core has told me what me must do and we have very little time."
Ironhide nodded and looked at the ground, like he'd expected this, but still wished Prime had said just about anything else.
Cloudraker looked between the two older mechs before carefully saying, "The Core told me that someone was coming to take us to the surface. They should be here any klik."
Optimus nodded. "Very well." He said gravely and then walked towards the doors to wait for their guide, Ironhide joining him in silence.
"What else did the Core tell you?" Aria asked her brother as he joined her.
Cloudraker looked back at the Core, and then looked back at his sister. He shook his head slowly.
Aria understood. She supposed she didn't want to talk much about what Core had told her either.
She patted his leg to show she understood and he sent her a grateful squeeze down their informal bond.
Neither was aware of Nathanial's presence behind them until he asked, "Is that your guide Cloud?"
Cloudraker and Aria looked up towards the giant doorway. If they listened hard, they could just make out the sound of footsteps past the hum of machinery.
"Sounds like bots." Cloudraker said.
Aria was the first to realize just which tunnel the bots' footsteps were coming from.
"Take cover!" She screamed.
Just as the hoard of Steves, led by a raging optic Roger, burst into the square room.
...
Optimus and Ironhide dove for cover just as the Vehicons opened fire. Their laser fire splashed against the door frame in violet puddles too close to the Autobot's heads for comfort. Aria noticed as she ducked down on the other side of the open door that even the Decepticon fire barely scorched the ancient surface of the Core's housing.
Ironhide half rose, cannons whirring, but didn't get a chance to fire back before ducking down again as three of the Vehicons suddenly fixated on his head.
"Well now what?" He shouted crossly over the noise.
If anyone answered him, Aria didn't hear them over the noise of gunshot and the general ringing in her ears. She eased around the side of the partially open door and managed to get a brief glimpse of the console room before Roger noticed her.
She threw herself backwards, but still felt the force of the blast slamming into the wall where her head had been. Nathanial was crouched down on her other side and she sent him a hard look.
"I really hate Roger." She told him, somehow being heard over the chaos.
"How many are out there?" He asked, not really sure how to respond to that.
Another volley of shots hit the door, making it vibrate against her back. "About ten." She answered him. "That's still about five less then when they all went in and they don't look too happy about it."
Another shuddering set of blasts made that even more obvious.
Aria tried to think past the noise. "I've only got one of Wheeljack's bombs left, but they were too spread out so I don't know how much good it'll do. "
Nathanial craned his neck to look at the metal wall they were hiding behind. "How close were they to the wall?" He asked.
Aria followed his line of sight, but it didn't give her any better idea at what he was thinking. "Pretty close I guess-" she started.
Nat just nodded and twisted himself around so that he was facing the half open door head on. "Get away from the door." He told her as he pulled out his own strange looking weapon.
Sharing a concerned look with Cloudraker, Aria quickly sat away from the wall. "What-"
"Just back up!" Nat told her.
Confused, Aria and Cloud watched as the other human pointed his flash gun at the partially open door and pulled the trigger.
Aria flinched automatically, expecting a loud bang and ricocheting bullets, but all there was was a brief zztt! noise like an electric fence being turned on.
From the other side of the metal wall there was a chorus of shouting Steves, followed by a series of loud thumps as they either fell to the floor or scrambled to get away from the suddenly electrified wall.
Aria blinked at Nathanial as the flash gun ran out of charge. "I forgot you could do that..." she muttered. He just grinned back at her.
She shook herself and pulled the last explosive from her belt and waited for the blinking numbers to show it was ready. She looked over at Ironhide and the black mech nodded once to show he understood her non-verbal request. The whine of his cannons rose high enough that it barely registered to Aria's hearing as he fired blindly around the corner, gathering the Vehicons' attention long enough for Aria to lean around the door and fling the bomb into the console room.
The Autobots and the humans ducked their heads, expecting the usual good sized boom that came with practically everything Wheeljack touched.
What they got was an explosion whose aftershock knocked both humans to the floor and threatened to take the Autobots down too before fading.
"Ow..." Aria whined as she unglued her nose from the hard floor. "What the heck was that?"
Cloudraker leaned a hand against the wall to stabilize his balance, and then quickly removed it when he was lightly zapped by the lingering electricity from Nathanial's flash gun. "Dunno." He answered. "Wasn't just the bomb though..."
A familiar, bone-shaking roar suddenly rang out from the other side of the door.
Aria felt her eyes go wide. "Oh come on-" she started to say.
"It's the Underworlders," Nathanial hissed from beside the door, "they're back!"
Aria forced herself up on her hands and knees and scrabbled over to the other human, careful to keep the door between her and the creatures. She shared a frightened look with Nat before peering around the edge of the door.
Her small gasp went unnoticed with the noise now filling up the other room. The Underworlders – led by the same one that had taken an unhealthy interest in Nat earlier – had charged through the main tunnel, ramming through the main door that had previously blocked their path.
For only a nano-klik, the Vehicons were silent as they stared at the monsters they had tried so hard to convince themselves weren't real. But then the lead Underworlder gave his own terrifying cry and their fluids ran cold in their frames.
They opened fire on the monsters, forgetting the Autobots still hidden in the Core's chamber. Their laser fire spattered against already blackened armor and for the first instant, the Underworlders drew back.
But then they realized that it didn't hurt. It was just really annoying.
Aria's eyes went wide from where she peered around the door. She watched in horror as the first creature snatched up an unfortunate Vehicon in its jaws, flung him around like a rag doll until his spine snapped, and then tossed him against the far wall.
Aria ducked back and pressed a hand tight against her mouth. "I really didn't need to see that." She said past her hand.
Nat, his face whiter than earlier, just nodded.
Aria swallowed past her dry mouth and dared to take her hand away. "If these are supposed to be our guides, then the Core is more twisted then I thought." She mumbled in wide eyed horror as the Underworlders tore through the Decepticons like tissue paper, stealing armor and gorging themselves on their internals as they went.
Cloudraker flinched, looking sick, as a three legged creature with sulfurous yellow light showing through his armor at the joints slit a Vehicon from nose to naval with its tail before sinking its fangs into the mech's gut. "Primus I hope not." He muttered before looking away altogether from the slaughter.
"I don't think so," Nathanial spoke up before pointing at the hole the Underworlders had come through, "I think he sent them."
Aria and Cloudraker followed his pointing finger to the freshly made hole the mechanical monsters had made. The dust was still settling, making it difficult to see into the murk, but even then they could just make out the faint movement of something else coming their way. Something big, even by Cybertronian standards.
Aria groaned and hung her head, looking frustrated. "Now what?" She moaned."I don't know how many more of these freaky surprises I can take."
Nathanial suddenly snorted laughter behind her left shoulder and Aria snapped her head up. "Is that funny to you?" She demanded angrily.
Nathanial quickly shook his head, but he was still trying to keep back a ridiculous grin. Aria's frown deepened. What the heck was funny about any of this?
Nat managed to get enough of a hold on himself to say, "No, but you might not want to look up just yet. I don't think Core is done with his 'freaky surprises'."
"Well now I have to look." Aria thought as she, slowly, turned her head to see just what was coming through the veil of falling dust.
When she did, her eyes just about popped right out of her head in shock.
Next to her, Nathanial just started laughing again.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me." Aria said as she stared at the giant, mechanical creatures now slouching their way out of the dark. Their bodies were thick and thickly plated, walls of Cybertronian metal muscle that made Aria feel even smaller than usual. "Slugs?" She somehow managed to work her mouth. "Slugs?! We're trapped underground and he sends us giant slugs to get us out? Is he high on dark energon now?"
Nathanial just laughed harder at that.
"B-but look," he said through his ridiculous laughter, "they got little gun turrets on their backs." He snorted laughter again. "They're weaponized slugs."
Behind them, Cloudraker coughed to try and cover up his own, slightly hysteric laughter.
"Slugs with guns," Aria muttered, "slugs with guns." She half turned towards the Core behind her. "What the heck is wrong with you?" She muttered before turning back.
She wasn't sure, what with all the noise coming from the console room, but she thought she heard the Core laugh behind her. It sounded kind of like static on a shag carpet.
The console room was now a churning mess of combatants...if that's what you called Steves getting eaten by monsters which were now getting pounded by giant metal slugs with cannons strapped to their backs.
"I'm delusional." Aria finally decided as one of the slugs turned around and smashed the Underworlder that had just sunk its teeth into its side, with the force of a train running into a deer. "I'm actually seeing things. It's the only thing that makes sense."
Nathanial rolled his eyes as he got to his feet. "Delusional or not, our ride is here." He said pulling her to her feet. "So let's get out of here before the Underworlders realize that organics are easier to catch than Steves."
Aria got to her feet almost automatically as she continued to mutter to herself under her breath. It wasn't until Ironhide gave a whoop and holler that made her ears start to ring again that Aria realized he and Optimus had already left their cover and were lying down cover fire for her, Nat, and Cloudraker.
Optimus was standing near the head of the closest slug, shooting at the Underworlders still paying them attention. But Ironhide was already standing on the giant, gunmetal gray beast's back, and was using the guns mounted there to change the minds of anyone foolish enough to pay them any attention.
Aria blinked as Nat dragged her forward, Cloudraker covering them from above. "How'd he get up there?" She asked, staring in confusion up at Ironhide. He looked like he was enjoying this way too much.
"Doesn't matter." Nathanial shot back. "You're delusional, remember?"
"Oh. Right." She certainly felt rather delusional. The stress must be getting to her.
She still had enough of her wits to lasso her rope around one of the turrets though, and it wasn't long before she was on top of one of the slugs herself. She couldn't hear much as the slug's guns fired into the crowd of enemies, but as she watched a set of Vehicons finally take down one of the Underworlders with a volley of laser fire, she realized she probably didn't want to hear the death screams filling the cavern anyway.
Nat made short work of the climb and soon he was standing next to her. "How do we drive this thing?" He shouted over the percussion of the turret firing, looking around as if he expected to find a steering wheel somewhere.
"How the heck should I know?" Aria shot back in between fire. "It's a giant slug!"
Seeing that the rest of the Autobots had gotten to the relative protection of the metal slugs, Optimus left off firing on Roger and found his own ride on the lead slug.
As if that was the signal they had been waiting for (and Aria felt crazy even thinking that the slugs were smart enough to have waited for them at all) the slugs broke away from the main fight. And they were fast. Fast enough that Aria was almost knocked off as their own giant metal beast turned around and began to slide back the way it had come. Only Cloudraker's hand at her back kept her from going over and landing in the slug's slime trail.
As they rocketed into the darkness of the Underworld for the last time, Aria found Nathanial's eyes in the brief gray light.
"Delusional or not," she told him as the noise of dying Vehicons and ravenous Underworlders receded into the background, "this definitely cracks the top five for 'weirdest missions ever'."
She got no disagreement as they left the Core behind them, and the slugs sharply angled their route back to the surface and the Well of AllSparks.