Wow, it's been awhile.
I hit a bit of writer's block and wasn't sure exactly how I wanted this chapter to go, plus I needed to tie in another plot line, which is in the next chapter.
Thank you to all who have been patiently waiting. I hope to keep up with this story a little better than I have previously.
Hope you all enjoy.
Chapter Seventeen - Breaking Points
Shockwave wordlessly entered his lab and went straight to a computer monitor.
The two younglings watched silently until he finally turned around.
Somehow, they could feel that this orn would be different.
The scientist began hooking up a spark monitor to Bolt.
"What are you doing?" questioned the frontliner.
Skyshadow furrowed her optic ridges. "Something bad is going to happen."
"I am beginning an experiment," replied Shockwave, continuing with what he was doing. "You should be honoured to be involved."
"Like that'll happen," snapped Bolt. "Hey, get your hands off!"
The scientist had begun to open up the mechling's chest plates. Bolt tried to wriggle free, but he was still strapped down to the table by his limbs.
"What's the experiment?" Skyshadow asked, dread creeping into her tone.
Surprisingly perhaps, Shockwave answered.
"I intend to test how mecha react when the bonds they hold with other mecha are extinguished," he said, explaining it as if it was a simple medical procedure.
The younglings' optics widened in horror.
Skyshadow's energon ran cold. "No."
"You can't break mecha's bonds," Bolt protested. "Only individuals can do it. Or when mecha offline it gets broken."
"Incorrect," Shockwave replied. With little effort, he opened the casing to Bolt's spark. "It is possible for a mecha outside the bond as well."
"Why would you want to do that?" demanded Skyshadow. "It is already known what happens."
Shockwave looked up, directing his gaze towards her. She stared back, refusing to squirm under the single optic's scrutiny.
"It is unknown what happens when a pair of twins suffer the event," he said.
Both Autobots froze.
"Oh no," thought Bolt. "Razordrift told him."
"Bolt isn't a twin," Skyshadow said quickly, fear invading her optics.
"No," Shockwave replied, turning back to Bolt. "He is not. But you are."
Skyshadow grit her denta. "Who told you?"
Shockwave glanced over at her again. "You, half-seeker, may be proficient at retaining information from me. However, one scan of your spark told me that you have a twin. I have known for some time.
"Unfortunate that I do not have you both to compare."
Panicking, Skyshadow protested, "You might offline us. What good will that be?"
"I have other use for you, but this experiment takes more importance. Not often do twins occur, let alone survive."
"You can't do this to us!" yelled Bolt, optic turning to Shockwave, then to Skyshadow. "Even you can't be this sparkless."
Shockwave ignored him, selecting a tool of off the nearby table. "Say your goodbyes if you wish."
With that, the scientist moved his hand, directing the tool into Bolt's spark chamber.
The frontliner screamed as the bonds he had with his creators were cut and extinguished.
Skyshadow tearfully opened her bond with Bumblebee, knowing she was next.
"Bee," she said, sending love through the bond.
"Sky?" her twin inquired, feeling the fear and sorrow creeping through as well.
"I'm so sorry. Please try and hang on," Skyshadow said, tears trickling down her faceplate. "I hoped this would never happen. I love you."
Before Bumblebee could reply, Skyshadow slammed the wall back into place, blocking him out more than she ever had before.
He gasped at the sudden loneliness, then tried to get her to lower the wall again.
Bolt stopped screaming and fell unconscious, Shockwave closing his chest plate and moving to his computer.
Skyshadow vented hard and opened her other bond.
"Skyshadow?"
"Sire, I'm sorry. Take care of Bee. I love you."
She then slammed down a thick wall on his bond too.
"Maybe it will hurt them less," she thought through her sorrow and fear.
She was certain she would offline.
She hoped her twin wouldn't.
He was the stronger one, perhaps he would survive.
Shockwave moved towards her, bringing his equipment with him.
Time seemed to slow as the scientist began the process of hooking her up to the spark monitor.
Skyshadow knew there was no escape.
To her shame, she laid frozen in fear, knowing it would be useless to plead to the merciless scientist.
She could feel both her brother and sire banging on the walls she had put up, sending feelings of fear, pleading for her to open up to them.
"I'm sorry," she whispered as Shockwave hovered the tool above her spark chamber.
Tears still flowed from her optics and she squeezed them shut.
The bond with Bumblebee was sliced and she screamed. It was more pain than she had ever felt before. Instantly, she felt as if half of her spark was gone.
Moments later, the bond she shared with her remains creator disappeared.
Skyshadow screamed for several more kliks.
Then, she knew no more.
Shockwave drew back, watching the spark monitor.
The femmeling's spark beat was fading.
Whether or not it would stabilize, he didn't know.
It was morbid curiosity that had drove him to perform this experiment perhaps. And he was interested to see what the outcome would be.
Far away, in Iacon, a certain Autobot scout collapsed to the floor.
His comrades rushed over to him, one calling for a medic.
Luckily, he was in their base.
One fellow Autobot watched, optic ridges furrowed as the medic hurried to stabilize the young scout, yelling orders to his assistants.
Bumblebee had been fine only kliks ago, the Praxian tactician noted as he watched.
A trine of seekers was traveling through an unfamiliar area when one suddenly banked and flew towards the ground.
The other two followed, concern for the leader urging them to catch up.
The one who had left formation first transformed, landing on the ground. He seemed to speak to someone through a bond, his optics dimming.
Landing nearby, the two other seekers cautiously drew closer.
Kliks later, their leader stumbled, optics widening.
"No," he whispered.
"What's wrong, boss," one of the others asked urgently, rushing to place a steadying hand on his shoulder.
The head trine member slowly brought his helm up to meet his gaze.
With a sinking feeling, the other seeker drew closer to her two friends. "What is it?"
Pain evident in the trine leader's optics, he spoke, voice barely above a whisper.
"Skyshadow's gone. Bumblebee may be dying too.
"I failed them."
Lifting his helm, the sky-blue and black seeker listened.
Pained, anguished screaming.
He smirked, unstable optics glinting.
"Serves them right," a voice hissed.
"Exactly," Cloudbreaker agreed.
A tiny voice, one that was not often heard, one that was drowned out by all the rest, spoke then.
"They were your friends."
"Shut up," the seeker growled, launching himself to his pedes. He began to pace, muttering under his breath.
"They accused me and then abandoned me. All of them. Every last one."
He never should have joined this team. Never should have joined the Autobots.
If they truly cared about him, he would have been rescued by now.
"They must think I'm a fool," Cloudbreaker hissed. "That I'm worthless. A disappointment."
Not even his creators had been happy with him last he seen them. They wanted him to join the Armada.
"Nobody cares anymore, Cloudbreaker," a voice said.
Another one added, "No one is coming."
"You're on you own."
"Except us!" shrieked another one happily.
Cloudbreaker growled, optics glaring towards the door.
"No more," he hissed.
Unsteadily, he ran forward, shoulder first.
Hitting the cell door with a bang, he stumbled when it opened easily.
Blinking, the young seeker looked around, rather confused.
He should have had to hit it hard at least a few times for it to break open.
Right?
With a shrug, he strode towards the room's entrance.
He did have to take a few runs at that door to get it open.
Soon enough, he was out in a hallway.
Barely, he remembered the twists and turns that he'd traveled to get to the room with the horrid cells and walls that seemed to close in around him.
It had seemed so long ago.
"Go on," the voices chorused. "Leave this place.
"It's what you've wanted so long."
Stumbling forward, Cloudbreaker headed in the direction he hoped was the way out.
His memory proved to be correct and he eventually arrived at the front door. Surprisingly un-apprehended by the mad scientist or any of his lackeys.
As memory came back to him of the journey into the building, Cloudbreaker remembered he was not alone then.
He hesitated, wondering about Bolt and Skyshadow. He'd heard nothing since the screams.
The mad scientist's domain had been eerily silent ever since.
"Who cares about them, you fool," one voice angrily demanded. "They left you. They didn't come back for you, why should you go and find them?"
"You're right," growled the seeker, balling his hands into fists. Angrily, he shot forward and grabbed the handle of the door, wrenching it downwards.
The door opened and the seeker burst out, blinking against the sudden light.
Wind rushed over his frame, brushing past his wings that twitched even faster now.
His optics, now adjusted to the brightness, widened as he stared at his surroundings.
With an ecstatic grin, he crouched, then launched himself upwards.
Surprisingly, he could still transform.
Spiraling upwards, Cloudbreaker let out a delighted cackle.
It had been so long since he'd flown. So long since he'd even seen the sky.
It was like reuniting with an old friend.
"The only friend who hasn't left you," a voice reminded.
And so, the young seeker, half starved of both energon and air, flew away.
Far from his tormentor, Shockwave.
Far from that awful room that had caged him and drove him mad.
Far from the friends who had not forgotten him as he thought.
Cloudbreaker had no clue where he was going or what had just happened to his two remaining teammates.
He didn't care about where he was going, as long as it was away.
But the voices went with him.
And he didn't look back.
He was finally free.
Thanks for reading.
Credit Song: Promises I Can't Keep - Mike Shinoda