Chapter 51: The Reunion of Sparks
"Hey! Soundwave!"
The mech hardly lifted his head to the voice, not breaking stride. "I'm only here to get some energon Bumblebee."
Bumblebee chuckled deeply as he hurried over to the mech and stood at his side. "Where you been Soundwave? We haven't seen you in ages."
"I've been away." He replied cryptically, heading off for an energon dispenser.
Bee stared at him as they walked. "Well you got some great timing! You missed all the excitement. Knockout's got himself a sparkling! The first one in… like… forever!"
For a while, Soundwave walked in silence before letting out a breath. "That… is something."
"It's just been given the all clear. We're having a bit of a party so it can be introduced to everyone. I'm on my way there now. Why don't you join me?"
The 'con shook his head. "I'm not in the mood Bumblebee."
Looking at the mech, Bee gave him a slow sad smile. "Look, I know you're still upset about losing her but…"
"I'm not upset about 'losing her'." Soundwave snapped, stopping suddenly. "I always knew I would out live her. I was prepared for that the moment I accepted that I loved her!" He paused, a wave of sadness sweeping over him. "But I… I should have been there. I should have been with her." His hand snuck up to his neck where he wore the silver lock. "She promised to always wait for me. And… I forgot her."
"You never forgot her." The yellow scout said as he held his shoulder. "It's just that… time moves so much faster for us."
"I never should have left her!" He yelled at the top of his voice, twisting free of the grip. "I should have been there! On Earth! With her! I swore I would go back! I never did."
Bee felt his own spark sink at the pain in the purple optics. He never would have imagined the Soundwave he'd heard so many dark rumours about could be so emotional. "Listen, why don't you just come to the party? I know everyone's been worried about you. If nothing else, just so they know you are alright."
Feeling utterly beat, Soundwave stared at him for a moment then just nodded, his head hanging low. "Fine."
Bee smiled as he led the way, taking Soundwave to one of the few social hubs set up across the newly revived Cybertron where the party was taking place. Entering, Soundwave looking over the room; it was very raw, the music old and sounded funny from obsolete technology, the beverages just energon and the people were mostly strangers to him. He did spot a few he knew; Decepticons who had been spread out across the stars and returned home at his orders.
Then his eyes fell on the extravagantly dressed Knockout as he stood chatting to Ratchet, Shockwave and Arcee. There was also another form at his side, dressed in a long black dress with long red hair to match her creator but he couldn't see them clearly.
Guessing this to be the sparkling and with the new knowledge that this sparkling was a female, it made Soundwave pause in his approach. He wasn't ready for this. He probably never would be.
Just as he began to plan his escape from the gathering, Bumblebee grabbed his shoulder and pulled him forwards. "Hey, look who I found!"
All optics turned to him and he was sure he saw several knowing smiles at him. As if they knew something he didn't but at the announcement, Knockout looked over his shoulder and grinned. "Ah! Soundwave? Where you been?"
"Thinking." He said quickly. "I only came back to get some supplies."
"Oh." Was all Knockout said.
Soundwave stiffened a little. "I hear you are a creator. Congratulations."
"Well, she sure is a funny one, that's for sure. Her spark jumped in age twice!"
His gaze shifted the femme who appeared to be shyly hiding behind Knockout, keeping out of his sight. All he could see of her was a small tuff of red hair over his shoulder. He had wondered why the creature was so big, practically fully grown. "Well, congratulations. Now… if you don't mind."
Turning, he moved to step out through the crowds and escape, returning to his solitude and mourning.
Then his audios caught a light musical laugher and a voice. "Same old Soundwave, always trying to keep things locked up, never willing to let others share your troubles."
He froze, his spark pounding at the sound. Spinning on the spot, he looked to the voice and saw everyone around him was grinning, none more than Knockout who stepped to the side and revealed the creature who had been hiding behind him.
Soundwave's jaw went slack, much to the amusement of those around him but they kept silent, watching as he stepped forwards towards the newest of them all.
The femme's smile was soft and caring; her eyes wide and filled with love, as young as many of them remembered. She blinked her dark green eyes and lifted her head a little, running a hand back in her short hair. "Hello Soundwave."
Eyes wide and features blank, Soundwave gradually pulled himself out of the shock. "Who are you?" He demanded, not trusting his optics.
The female didn't look insulted, just amused as she grinned and stepped forwards, her face turning playful while brushing some hair back over an ear. "What's the matter Soundwave? Don't you recognise me?" She stopped, toe to toe with him, staring up into his eyes. "It's me. Scrap."
"Don't play with me. You can't be her. She … she died."
"So Knockout keeps telling me." She giggled. "But here I am." Her face fell a little more serious. "I can't explain it but… it really is me. I can even prove it."
"How?"
Smirking she stood on tip toe and leant over his shoulder to his ear. "I know why you changed your name." She moved away to look at his reaction. "You changed it a when you lost Gold Wave, as tribute to her."
His eyes widened as he looked at her. "I… I never told anyone about that… anyone but…." He smiled at her. "But Scrap." His hand reached up to her cheek. "You… you really are her! You're alive!"
The sparkling nodded. "Yes Soundwave." A light blush came to her cheeks in embarrassment while leaning into his hand. "I told you; I'll never leave you."
Soundwave smiled even more before leaning over and stealing her lips up in a kiss. The action causing the many cybertronians around them to break into cheers, applause and in some cases, tasteless whooping but the two just laughed and held each other in a deeper kiss.
Leaning back, he held her shoulders loosely, lost in her strange green optics. "How did this happen?"
"I don't have a clue." She confessed. "Knockout and the others are still trying to work that out but… to be honest, I don't really care. After all… I'm here, with you."
"Yes… yes you are." He laughed, nuzzling his way into her hair. Everything about her was just as he remembered, right down to the smell. But he could feel his own spark pulling towards her, something that had never happened before.
Knockout regretfully cleared his throat and stepped forwards. "Ahem, I… I'm sorry to interrupt Soundwave but you don't want to be making plans just yet."
"What do you mean?"
Scrap sighed as she leant back. "Knockout's right. This time… he really is my creator."
The medic placed a proud hand on her shoulder. "Her mind and memory, by some miracle, are Scrap's but the body and spark is still a sparkling's. She has to stay close to me for a while until it can sustain itself."
Eyes turned away, the 'human' huffed. "It's really embarrassing, I have to sleep in the same bed as him."
Knowing a little about new-borns himself, Soundwave just nodded. "Will I be allowed to visit?"
"I guess." Knockout nearly growled. "But only under my supervision."
"Knockout!" His sparkling moaned. "You do know Soundwave and I are bonded right?" Her mate glowed a little at her declaration.
The red haired creator didn't look as impressed. "That was your old body. This is a whole new one. And I'm ordering you not to go near Soundwave unless I say so."
An interesting moment passed for Scrap right then. Her mind, the human memories and way of thinking, hated him for ordering her not to go near her mate. But the cybertronian body and spark submitted to his instruction, even filling her with coldness as if to seal it in her memory. She pulled a face but then lowered her head.
The other male growled a little but knew that things were going to be different now. But all that mattered, was that Eleanor was alive and here with him.
~#~
"It really is strange here." Scrap commented as she walked with Soundwave through the recovering Cybertron, her arm tightly around his. "But… beautiful at the same time."
"You should have seen it in its heyday." Her partner stated, looking around as well. "When it's finished, it will be amazing."
"And we'll live to see it?"
"Of course."
Eleanor smiled and hugged her mate a little tighter as they walked. Cybertron was beautiful, the whole world made entirely of metal that should have felt cold and lifeless but it was far from that. It was pure life.
Everywhere they went, there were cybertronians, working together to repair their home. There still were 'Autobots' and 'Decepticons' and each side kept to their own but they worked and lived in peace.
A few months ago she and Soundwave had held a breath-taking ceremony before all of their friends and family, the prime himself overseeing the event where the two had sworn to be together for the rest of their lives and even confirming it in a bond that very night. It filled them both with love but it had made things a little more difficult.
As the first sparkling of a generation and the first bonded since the end of the war, Eleanor was easily recognised by everyone and often mobbed by people wanting to shake her hand or just say how happy they were for her.
Because of this, Knockout had taken to keeping her locked away in their room on the Nemesis so Soundwave took every chance he had to get his mate out of her room and down on the planet, interacting with people and introducing her to the new life she had.
"If Knockout had his way, he'd never let you out." He said while thinking about it. "I know you are still settling but…."
"'I'm the sign of new life.' That's how Ratchet put it anyway. He's been trying to get Knockout to let me out more as well."
"Well, until there are other sparklings, you are going to be quiet a celebrity."
Catching the eye of a young mech passing them on the street, Scrap smiled and brushed her hair away. "I'm not sure I can put up with this much attention."
"It will pass. Trust me."
"Yes System."
"Don't call me that." He said as he gave her a rough nudge in the side before sweeping her up in a quick kiss.
Smiling a little, Scrap backed away and sighed, reaching out and holding his hand, looking out over the city as they walked. "Soundwave." She whispered as the pair came to a steady stop.
"Yes?"
"Do you think we could move in together?"
He huffed while looking over the city around them. "I hope so. I mean, Knockout can't keep you forever. Not with us now being bonded. He's just being stubborn."
Looking down, Scrap bit her lip, squeezing his hand tighter. "Well… he might not have a choice."
"Why?"
Her other hand touched her 'heart'. "A sparkling needs both parents."
Next Week: The door finally closes on The Sound of Scrap's Heart.
A/N: Yes, I know, it's short but the feelings should make up for the shortness. But... well... next week is the final one. The final chapter. A whole year. Wow.
But a few chapters ago, I gave the fact that Scrap and Soundwave couldn't have children because they were different species. Well now... they are both cybertronians! So that means... THEY CAN HAVE SPARKLINGS!
I've been wondering if I should write the bonding ceremony or if I should make it like a competition? Let you write it, how you would imagine it happening. Would you like that?
Anyway, next week is the last one so I will see you then.
