A/N Art for this chapter can be found here, just remove the spaces: : / / drago-night . deviantart gallery / 25760338 ? offset = 2 4 # / d 2 teonj
Chapter 56: First Sign
…they thought he was asleep. By all accounts he should be, considering how exhausted he still was, even after a full day of rest.
Axeltron had been given his helmet that morning. It was a regular helmet, the standard all sparklings got, back had still been common. Made from the same protomatter that made up protoforms, it would merge to the sparkling and form a unique shape for them especially. Since sparklings were so fragile, and their processors still developing, the helmet was a must.
Wheeljack and Perceptor had spent deca-cycles recreating one from schematics and broken examples of the originals, since they didn't exist anymore! No one had expected what would happen when they gave it to the sparkling however. It had worked true, but Axeltron's had merged right into a battle helm, like his father's and his half-brother's. It had shocked everyone in the room into silence. The helmet was sharp-angled, with an audio vent that went around his helm and a strong facial border that jutted out to protect his high cheeks just like Galvatron's and Megatron's, though Cliffjumper horns were in there too. The way all the bots had stared at Axeltron after that it was like the sparkling had killed a bot right in front of them. The worst part was that Highbrow had come to visit him too, probably to get a good look at the sparkling for a profile picture, Cliffjumper thought grumpily.
Now, he could hear them whispering outside and he knew it would only be the first of many whispered conversations. Would this follow Axel throughout his life? Would he be sneered at? Distrusted? Hated? Primus forbid!
The pacing shadow of Highbrow passed repeatedly over the fogged glass doors of his room as he spoke in a harsh whisper, "We should have terminated that sparkling when we had the chance! He's got Decepticon coding in him!" Cliffjumper glared at the shadow, clutching Axel closer to himself. Just let the slaghead try! Cliffjumper would rip his spark out!
Alpha Trion stood tall and still by his door. It almost look liked he was guarding him as he spoke up, "He has Autobot coding as well! And he's the last sparkling to have actually been sparked! Can you even remember when such a thing last happened successfully! Even before the war! It's a sign!"
The other shadow stopped pacing, drooping tiredly, "A sign of what Alpha Trion?"
"Of change! Of hope…I see the true end of the war in this sparkling…" he said cryptically.
"…Even so, what if he turns out to be a spark-less monster like his father…?"
"If he is not raised spark-less, he will not be spark-less…" Alpha Trion replied softly, placing a hand on the other bot's shoulder. "Now come. I doubt you've refueled today." Highbrow hesitated, a servo reaching for the door handle. Alpha Trion pulled him away. "Leave the bot be. The child poses no threat." They both made their way towards what Cliff assumed was the exit, or a refueling station. He hadn't seen much outside this room since he was first admitted.
Looking at Axeltron recharging in his arms, nuzzling one of his fingers, he cooed against the new helm, whispering softly, "Don't listen to any of them sweetspark…your father wasn't a spark-less monster…"
Cliffjumper knew that better than anything now. With a heavy sigh, he looked towards the window, past the city's lights and at the stars.
After he learned that Galvatron was gone, Cliffjumper had tried to erase him, to forget him and wipe away what they had as a traitorous and pointless folly, not worth remembering because Galvatron had started it with the goal of gaining information. When he'd learned of Galvatron's fall into insanity and efforts to find him, he moved past his hurt to look for the fallen warlord. He was still doing so. He didn't know if the bot was alive, but he really hoped he was. It may seem selfish, or unrealistic, but when Cliffjumper held Axeltron in his arms, he wished Galvatron was there with him too. There to see his son and share in the utter joy and warmth Cliffjumper felt whenever he even thought of the sparkling. Cliffjumper was so grateful to the Decepticon. Grateful that he had given him the little sparkling in his arms. Their time together hadn't been a lie or a stupid fancy. The truth of their love was sleeping soundly right now.
Galvatron had given Cliffjumper his spark and Axeltron. And because Galvatron attacked him, he was able to have this sparkling now, when it was safe, where he could have a future. Galvatron really had saved them...
His spark soared inside his chassis, free of the regret and sadness he had held ever since he woke up. He thanked primus for letting him meet Galvatron. And for better or worse, even if the bot was dead or alive, Cliffjumper wouldn't stop until he learned the truth. He certainly owed the bot that. With a lighter spark, Cliff joined his sparkling in recharge.
End chapter 56
