I missed updating on Thursday again this week.. *facepalms*
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters and the story.
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Five - This is the End
"Why should we let you in? You are too young, youngling."
Steeldust stared up at the broad mech standing in the doorway, blocking him. "Just give me a chance, please! I can prove that I can race!"
The mech rolled his optics, crossing his servos. "Heard that one before. Look, you want to race? Come back in a few vorns when you are old enough to join the juniors'."
Steeldust stubbornly didn't move.
Motioning with a hand, the mech made a shooing gesture. "Off you go. Shoo."
"Can I- At least talk to Blurr?" Steeldust asked hesitantly.
The security guard raised an optic ridge. "Blurr? You know everyone wants to talk to that mechling? Despite what you mecha seem to think, he's got better things to do than talk to everyone who decides they want to. Chances are, he won't want to talk to you, even if he wasn't busy."
Steeldust crossed his servos, glaring angrily to the side. "You-got-that-right," he muttered lowly.
"What's that?"
"Nothing."
"Alright. Now unless you have something else you want to tell me and try to persuade me to let you in, I have actual work to do," the mech said, watching the youngling carefully. "He seems like the type to try something. I'd better watch him; he does seem quick- "
"Actually-I-do," Steeldust replied rapidly. He threw his shoulders back, straightening to his full height.
Which, considering he only came up to around the large security guard's knee joints, wasn't that impressive.
The guard sighed. "And what might that be?"
"I'm-the-youngest-son-of-Wingracer-and-Harmony," Steeldust said confidently. "Now-he-should-listen-to-me."
The mech stood, blinking, for several kliks. Steeldust returned his stare calmly.
"Pardon me?" the guard finally asked incredulously.
Steeldust's shoulders and doorwings slumped. With a sigh, he repeated what he had said, only slower so the mech could understand him.
"I am the youngest son of Wingracer and Harmony."
"Uh-huh. And I'm Alpha Trion," the security guard said, irritated. "I've heard that one way too many times also, youngling. And I really do not appreciate your trying to get me to let you in."
Steeldust stared up at him, confused. Others had claimed that they were him?
"Now scram. You have wasted enough of my time," growled the mech. "The audacity of some mecha, pretending to be some youngling that's been missing for vorns just to get their way."
"But- I-am-him! I-mean-I'm-me!" Steeldust protested, backing up as the mech advanced. "I'm Steeldust!"
"Nice to meet you. Now leave."
Realizing he wasn't going to get anywhere without a fight, which he rathered to not get into with this mech, Steeldust nodded. "Okay. Fine. I'll go," he hissed angrily, plating and doorwings flaring.
With one last dark glare, Steeldust turned, helm held high. After walking a few yards, he ran off into the offcycle.
The mech waited at the door for several kliks to make sure the youngling wouldn't return.
"If looks could offline," he grunted, shaking his helm. "And if every speedy mecha got in, we'd be overrun."
Steeldust sat in an alleyway, throwing a small ball at the opposite wall and catching it when it bounced back.
"Well, at least I didn't get thrown out into a puddle by this security guard," he muttered. "Being wet, cold and sore wasn't fun."
"Now-what-do-I-do? I-can't-find-Jazz. I'm-too-young-to-race-and-they-won't-let-me. Probably nobody-would-let-me-join-the-army-either-and-I-don't-think-I-want-to."
Steeldust shuddered as he remembered the deserted battlefield he'd come across in Altihex.
"I-don't-really-want-to-go-all-the-way-back-to-Praxus-by-myself. Blurr-wants-nothing-to-do-with-me. I-don't-know-anyone-else-besides-Blaster-and-Steeljaw-in-Iacon-but-I-couldn't-find-them-either. I-don't-know-where-to-look-for-Gasket."
Burying his helm in his servos, Steeldust tried not to cry. He felt so alone.
It was like no one cared about him anymore.
"Everyone leaves," he thought sadly.
Steeldust woke up to something touching his pedes.
He jerked upright, and heard squeaking.
Looking towards the sound, he tilted his helm.
Not very far away, a couple retrorats sat, observing him carefully in case he suddenly moved again.
Putting the pieces together, Steeldust grimaced in disgust. "Eww!"
They'd been nibbling on his pedes.
"Shoo! Get out of here!" he hissed, waving his servos.
The retrorats scurried away, squeaking fearfully.
With a shudder, Steeldust checked over his pedes. Seeing no bite marks, he laid back down, curling up again.
For awhile, he laid there, trying to go back to recharge.
The thought of the retrorats returning to chew on him prevented him from doing just that. Every small noise he heard made him wonder if they were watching, waiting for him to fall into recharge.
Finally, the youngling got up with a small groan and left the shelter of his alley.
There was no point in staying there now.
"I hate retrorats," he decided out loud as he trudged down the sidewalk.
After walking for some time, Steeldust found himself near the Towers.
Gazing up at the tall buildings, the navy and black wondered how the mecha could bare to live like they did when there were other mecha who lived with nothing out in the streets.
"Maybe they don't even know we exist," Steeldust thought, counting himself in with them.
After all, he didn't really have a home anymore either. And he was an outcast now too.
As he watched the little he could see through the windows high above him, he heard someone approaching.
"Hey! You!" a deep-voice yelled.
Steeldust glanced towards the voice. It was a guard, probably patrolling the area beneath the Towers. Steeldust braced himself, refusing to run just because someone yelled at him.
The mech came closer, an angry frown on his faceplate. He held a stick in one hand, a flashlight in the other.
"What do you think you are doing around here, guttersnipe?"
Frowning, Steeldust looked up at the mech who was by now right in front of him. He twitched his doorwings and answered as polite as he could. "I was just walking around, Sir. I- "
"You have no business being here! Now go! Get out of here!" the guard growled, looming threatening over the youngling.
"I-didn't-mean-any-trouble!" Steeldust protested, trying to stick up for himself. "And-I'm-not-a-guttersnipe!"
"You look like one to me," remarked the mech, looking him over. "Now go back to the gutters that you came from."
Steeldust glared up at him. He knew he should just walk away.
But he didn't.
He had had enough of mecha like this.
Instead of leaving, he moved closer and stomped on the mech's pede as hard as he could.
The mech let out a small, surprised yelp, jerking his pede back. He recovered quickly, moving to grab Steeldust.
"You little pit-spawn! You will pay for that!" he growled threateningly.
Dodging the hands that reached for him, Steeldust dove forward, punched the mech in the jaw that was now within reach, and ducked back under the extended servos. He danced a few steps away, watching the mech warily.
"Don't touch me!" snarled Steeldust, doorwings hiked sharply upwards in a V.
The mech rubbed his jaw in some shock, then lunged forward again.
Deciding he'd had enough, Steeldust bolted, leaving the guard wondering what sort of youngling he had just encountered.
Unbeknownst to both the guard and the youngling who'd just taken off in a blur, a lone Towers mech stood at his window watching the whole thing. With a smile, he lifted his hand to his comm.
"I have a job for you," he said lowly.
A deep voice, tone betraying annoyance with the caller, answered. "What is it now?"
"A trade," replied the short Tower mech slyly. "You bring me something, I'll give you first pick of my next weapons haul."
There was a pause.
"What is it that you want me to get?"
The noblemech's smile grew wider. He knew he'd already made the deal.
"One youngling. I'll send you his description. He should be any easy find, perhaps not such any easy catch."
There was another pause as the mech on the other end of the comm went through the sent information.
"I can guess what you want him for. Any tips on his location?"
"He just was near the Towers. Ran off towards the west. Think you can deliver?"
"Of course," scoffed the other mech. "Regular meeting place?"
"You got it." The Tower mech ended the comm, chuckling to himself.
Maybe Barricade had lost track of the youngling, but he would still get him.
Seemed like some orns, you had to do everything yourself.
Steeldust stopped once he figured the guard wasn't following him.
"Stupid, stuck-up mecha," the youngling huffed. "I wasn't doin' anything!"
He was getting real sick of mecha thinking just because he was wandering around that he was up to something.
"Time to find some energon I guess," Steeldust muttered, noting that his fuel level was getting really low.
He began walking towards a spot he knew was any easy place to get it.
Steeldust still didn't like stealing. But how else was he supposed to get anything? The few credits he'd had left over from the subspace upgrade were now long gone.
Singing for his supper had sometimes got him a few credits. Apparently, mecha thought he was good, or thought he was cute. More often then not though, mecha would simply walk by anyone who was begging, pretending not to notice them.
Hunger eventually won out over not wanting to steal.
After he'd snatched his energon and starvingly drank it, Steeldust wandered on.
There really wasn't much else to do. He didn't really feel like finding a place to recharge again since it was almost the solarcycle.
He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice a tall, green and black mech slip out of the shadows behind him.
It wasn't until the mech had grabbed him and stuffed him into a bag that Steeldust noticed someone near him.
"Hey! Let me go!" Steeldust yelled, kicking and thrashing in the bag. "Someone help me!"
Lockdown didn't pay any mind to the youngling's protests. He strode back the way he had come, transforming into his alt once he reached the street.
Steeldust continued to fight, trying to find his way out of the bag. He began kicking the mech who held him hostage.
"Stop it," growled Lockdown threateningly. "Or I'll have to knock you out."
Stilling, Steeldust considered what he should do.
"I'd-better-do-what-he-says. Maybe-I-can-escape-when-we-get-to-wherever-we're-going."
"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Steeldust asked, settling down.
"I want nothing with to do with you," replied Lockdown.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Be quiet and sit still," the mech growled, his engine revving menacingly.
Scared and seeing as there wasn't much use in asking anything else, Steeldust was quiet for the rest of the ride.
Lockdown entered an old warehouse on the outskirts of Iacon with his captive. Heading for the room that his contact would be in, he snarled a warning to the youngling.
"Don't try anything. It won't end well for you."
Steeldust refused to acknowledge. Scared as he was, as soon as the bag was opened, he'd make a run for it.
The youngling felt them stop and there was the sound of a door opening. As the mech walked in, with Steeldust unwillingly accompanying, the door closed behind them. A loud click followed, signalling it had locked.
"Well, that was faster delivery than I expected," came a new voice from somewhere in front of them.
"He might be fast, but I was able to sneak right up to him," Steeldust's captor replied.
"Ah, you're good. That's why I hired you," said the other mech confidently. "Now, I'll let you know when I have your items. Mind letting him out?"
Lockdown smirked, holding the bag aloft in front of him with one hand. With the other, he withdrew a knife.
Steeldust froze at the sound of the blade being unsheathed. "They're-gonna-offline-me!"
With one swift swipe, Lockdown cut the bag, just beneath the knot. The rest of it, plus its contents, fell to the floor with a thud.
"Ouch!" came a muffled yelp.
Steeldust sat up and untangled himself from the bag. He poked his helm out and looked around.
The mech that had captured him still stood behind him. He glared down at the youngling, silently warning him to not try to escape.
Steeldust shrank away. He didn't like the looks of the green and black mech.
The other mech in the room seemed much friendlier.
He was shorter than most mechs, even his guardian, Steeldust observed. His paint was orange and purple with not even one scratch on it. Large purple optics gleamed as he watched the youngling.
"Hello there, youngling," the mech said, grinning broadly. "I hope my friend Lockdown here didn't scare you too badly now?"
Steeldust said nothing, his helm moving from between the two mechs to scanning the room for an escape route. He slowly moved his frame into a position that he could easily spring up and run.
"Sorry we had to bring you here like that," continued the smaller mech cheerfully. "But you see, I wasn't sure if you would come willingly, since you don't know either of us. And I really did want to meet you."
The mech now had Steeldust's full attention for the moment. The youngling tilted his helm, a rather confused expression on his faceplate.
"Why?"
"Well," the mech replied, taking a few steps over and bending down to be more at the youngling's level. "I heard that there was a youngling who had the gift of speed wandering the area. I've been looking for someone like that for some time now. And when I heard about you, I just had to take the chance you might be interested."
"Interested in what?" Steeldust asked, curiosity getting the best of him.
"A chance to race! Though, I can't offer you a spot in the professional leagues, they'd tell me you were too young." The mech frowned, then waved it off. "But I have connections elsewhere and I believe that there would be an opportunity for you there. You could maybe start there and work your way up to the big leagues depending on how well you did."
"Really?" Steeldust's faceplate brightened for a klik. Then, he frowned, optic ridge raised as he stared up at the mech suspiciously. "Wait. Why would you help me?"
The mech shrugged. "Why not? I think it would be a mutual benefit to both of us. Unless you don't want to race?"
"No, I really do want to!" exclaimed Steeldust, scrambling to his pedes. "I've always wanted to race, just like my Sire."
"Of course you do then!" the mech smiled again. "And if you decide that you don't want to, then we will make arrangements to have you come back home."
Steeldust's doorwings drooped. "I- I don't have a home anymore. Or anyone to take care of me. My guardian joined the army- "
"Well, then. That's terrible that they left you to fend for yourself," interrupted the purple and orange, shaking his helm. He continued, gesturing widely with his hands and servos as he did. "We can't have you wandering around by yourself with no place to go. How about this? To help you out and make it fair to both of us, I'll make you a deal. You come and race for me, maybe do a few other odd jobs here and there with some of my other employees. I provide you with energon, a safe place to live, and the racing you've always dreamed of!"
Steeldust twitched his doorwings, considering. It would be nice to not be all alone. And maybe he'd still be able to find Jazz when he wasn't busy.
Sensing the hesitation, the mech continued. "Come on, youngling. It can't be a great life being all by yourself in the big world. Just try it. If you don't like it, we can always make other arrangements."
Slowly nodding, Steeldust agreed.
He was tired of his lot in life. Nobody seemed to want him. Everyone had left him. Everywhere he went, mecha tried to chase him off or told him to get lost.
He was sick of it all.
And if one mecha wanted him, even if it was sort of just to hire him, Steeldust decided he would accept.
"Okay. I'll try it out," the navy and black said firmly.
"Good!" The mech grinned widely, extending a hand. "It's a deal then. What's your name, youngling?"
Steeldust took the mech's hand and shook it. "I'm Steeldust."
"I'm Swindle," replied the noble. "Now, let's get you cleaned up and then I'll escort you to your new home. I have transport already arranged for us to leave immediately. Ever been to Polyhex?"
"I used to live there."
"Perfect! You'll fit right in and be quite at home!"
Swindle then turned him around and began leading him out of the warehouse.
Steeldust noticed that sometime during the conversation, Lockdown had left.
He didn't think about him any more than that. He was too excited about the possibility of belonging somewhere again. And the possibility of racing. He'd show everyone who had ever doubted him or thrown him out.
In front of the youngling, Swindle grinned. He finally now had a racer for the illegal races. And he was sure that Steeldust's speed would in time assist in some other operations he had going.
Already, the youngling was a fighter. He had spirit and determination. With a bit of training, the conmech was sure he'd make a great addition to the rest of his employees.
Swindle wasn't sure how exactly Steeldust had gotten from Praxus to Iacon, ending up on his own, but he wondered what the story behind it was.
Not that it really mattered, he decided. Even with Barricade losing tabs on the youngling, Steeldust had landed right where he wanted him.
And possibly, in an even better position to be prepared for what his future intended occupation might be.
Swindle could tell by looking at him. This youngling had been exposed to the real world.
Young Steeldust's optics had been opened to reality, harsh as it was.
Perhaps, in time, Cybertron would know that the missing youngest son of the former champion racer was still online. And that he was just as good, or perhaps, even better, than its new favourite racer.
Eventually, if he was comparable in speed and skill to his older brother, Steeldust would likely compete against Blurr.
Swindle smirked. Blurr would not know what hit him when he was kicked out of his spot of top junior racer. It would serve him right for being so rude to Swindle the time they'd met.
Besides, who didn't love watching a sibling rivalry?
But for now, Steeldust had some training to do.
The two mecha reached a sentient transport who had been patiently waiting nearby. Gesturing for the youngling to get in first, Swindle paused outside for a klik.
"Nitro," the noblemech said into his comm. "Please make sure you are at headquarters when I return. I have someone I would like you to meet."
Steeldust wasn't sure where Swindle was taking him. And he had a feeling that he had signed up for more than just racing.
But if he was honest with himself, he no longer cared.
Jazz was supposedly somewhere in Iacon. Steeldust had also been in Iacon for more than a decacycle. It had been more than a jour since he'd left Praxus.
There had been no sign of his guardian. Or Prowl. Surely, had they been looking for him too, Steeldust would have been found.
They should have crossed paths at least by now.
The wanderers in Altihex had been right.
Jazz wasn't looking for him.
His creators, not by choice, had left him.
Blurr had left him, refused to even talk to him. Steeldust had tried again since he returned to Iacon.
Prowl had left him. So had Jazz.
Jazz.
Who had promised to never let anything happen to him. Who promised it would be all okay.
Well, it sure wasn't okay anymore.
Steeldust remembered something Jazz had said to him. Back when Steeldust first discovered that Blurr was still online.
"Look here, Steeldust. I want you to know, just cause your brother didn't care enough doesn't mean nobody does. I care about you, more than you know. And I will never leave you. And you have Prowl and Bluestreak and Smokescreen. Silver and Aftershock and Aurora Star too.
"Never forget that you are loved, youngling. You hear me? We're here for you."
"Then, why do I feel so forgotten and alone?" Steeldust thought bitterly. His optics then widened in horror. "Was... Was Jazz... Lying to me?"
Steeldust was afraid of going all the way back to Praxus. He didn't want to know if Aurora, Aftershock, Nightracer, Silver, Bluestreak, Smokescreen, and everyone else he'd known had left too.
So why not see what this Swindle had in store for him. It wasn't like he had anyone to ask permission to do things anymore.
Steeldust was on his own. He had to make his own choices now.
Even as he thought all this, gazing out the window as they left the city-state of Iacon, Steeldust wondered if it was the right choice.
And he wondered if he'd see anyone he loved ever again.
"Goodbye, Jazz. Goodbye- Everyone. I'm sorry."
The End.
Steeldust will return.
Thank you all so much for reading this story! To all first time readers and those who read the original, thanks for sticking with me through it all.
Again, it's been fun and I'll miss working on this story, even the second time through. But, as some of you may know, there is a sequel (and eventually, a third story). Part of Runaway is already up, and in addition, an alternate ending to this one.
Thank you all again for your support, and I hope you enjoyed reading Rise as much as I enjoyed writing it.
See you in another one!
Skyshadow54
Credit Song: Crossing a Line - Mike Shinoda
