Chapter 5
- Cybertron – Ratchet's room -
The loud blaring of an alarm clock echoed annoyingly around the plain white room of Ratchet. It made the Autobot medic groaned in protest. Ratchet struggled beneath the covers of his bed and reached for his alarm, sitting on his nightstand, with his left hand. He slowly sat up and grunted pleasingly as he stretched his neck.
"Drift, little junxie of mine, wake up." The doctor whispered as he turned to his right and pulled the cover, revealing another Cybertronian – his husband, Drift.
"Hmm…five more minutes Rash…"
"Nope, I'm going to the lab. I need to report my findings to Starscream."
Drift let out a small chuckle and then smiled at him. "Ok, Doc. But let me sleep for five minutes."
Ratchet rolled his blue optics and made an amused grin. "Fine, just lock the door after I leave." He moved closer, bend down and kissed his husband's right cheek and whispered to him.
"See you later, alligator."
Drift smiled as the doctor moved away and left the room.
-Iacon – Office of the P.M.-
Ratchet and Knockout stood at the center of Starscream's office. The whole room was lit up by blue holograms, all showing the Cordyceps and its structures. The doctor was explaining how the accursed disease infects only the humans while Starscream silently listened to his words, making several plaintive grunts.
"So, these Cordyceps only infects humans."
"Yes, that is correct however," Ratchet looked at the hologram and watched as the Cordyceps suddenly grew and grew until its shape was monstrous and unrecognizable. "We also learned that these Cordyceps are growing."
Growing? Starscream's red optics hardened in the grim discovery.
"And, as it grows, its infection rate also increases." Knockout revealed his and Ratchet's research results. "It will soon infect the lower species – the animals, I mean."
"But didn't these Cordyceps only start to infect humans when it was still a bunch of spores, jumping from wheats and crops, which what the humans ate and thus infecting them?"
"Apparently, their mode of transmission was mostly aerial and through saliva. However, if the Cordyceps grew more, it will soon gain the ability to suspend itself in air for an indefinite period of time. In other words, you don't need to be bitten or to stand near an infected spore just to be infected."
Ratchet fixed his glasses as he pressed a button on his tablet. The Cordyceps Fungal grew again, this time more menacing than before. "It will gain the ability to glide through the air and fly all over the world. In short, the surface of the parallel earth would be completely uninhabitable and very dangerous to the natives."
Starscream moved to rest his back on his chair, a grave look formed on his face. "The people, if they could move underground-"
"No, the Cordyceps would eventually seep into the ground and not only that. This fungal disease would grow so resistant that it could infect a running river, a large lake and even the ocean." Knockout removed his glasses and cast a grim look.
"Sir, this Parallel Earth is doomed to die."
So, Optimus cannot help the humans of 'this' Earth. Starscream clasped his hands below his chin, thinking deeply of any solutions. Then he remembered the recent report of Optimus.
"Optimus had met an immune girl."
"Do you mean Ellie?" Ratchet asked as a new image of a girl appeared. The three Cybertronians studied the figure. They were startled that a simple human girl possessed such gift against the ravaging disease.
"Can we create a vaccine or cure out of her?" Starscream asked with curiosity.
Ratchet lowered his head, an unsure frown appeared on his face. "Well, it could be possible, but…"
"Vaccines or cure are very tricky. Like we said, the Cordyceps are evolving at a staggering rate. The vaccine or cure wouldn't cope up against its new strain." Knockout paused and his orange optics stared at the girl. "Also, it would endanger the girl's life."
"Yes," Ratchet grunted and scratch the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Optimus and Megatron had grown fond of the girl and if we're going to create a vaccine out of her, she wouldn't survive the operation. That will displease the two."
Starscream let out a tired sigh and stood up from his chair. His red optics calmly watched the blue sky of Cybertron and the city life below them. This view always calmed him.
"If he ever suggests helping the humans of that world, we will not be able to." Starscream glanced back at the image of the girl and a sad frown formed on his face. Why am I feeling that something bad is going to happen to this girl? A foreboding feeling formed on his spark chamber, but he snapped back to reality after Knockout called him.
"Sir, should we tell our findings to Optimus and Megatron?" Knockout suggested as the Prime Minister looked down to the floor and closed his red optics.
"Yes, you may."
The Seeker sat down on his chair again and added with an ominous frown. "But don't tell them that Ellie's immunity could be the cure or vaccine against the infection." I don't want them to know that Ellie must sacrifice her life just so the cure could be created.
Starscream thought with heaviness as the two doctors bowed and leaved the room.
- Parallel Earth -
Ellie silently sat up from her sleeping bag. She stretched her arms and legs while making a grunt. She then stood up and walked out of her room. The girl looked around the store front. It was empty and the two Cybertronians weren't around.
"-to Iacon, this is Optimus-" Ellie heard the familiar voice of Optimus outside the store. She immediately walked outside and found the two Cybertronians. Optimus Prime was kneeling on the ground in front of his metal-square backpack, which was lit up with lights and a holo-graphic screen.
Megatron noticed her presence and greeted her with a smirk. "Good morning, sleepyhead."
"You too, Buckethead." Ellie glanced with a puzzled looked at Optimus and his backpack. She could hear static coming from it.
"We're currently sending a message to our home planet via a Spy Comm satellite that passes through our location every two hours."
I didn't understand that at all. Ellie only nodded as Optimus stood up and his backpack shut down.
"Done with the message, as for the reply we will receive it tomorrow."
"That's fine I guess."
"So, you do phone your home world, huh, Optimus? Like E.T.?" Ellie said, gleefully, and Optimus nodded as he put his backpack on his back.
"Yes, we also sent some samples of Cordyceps to them. They are going to analyze it and hopefully give us some intel."
Ellie looked around and saw the whole Grand Canyon again. She sighed in a relaxed manner before she glanced at the two of them again. "So where will you two go now?"
Optimus and Megatron looked at each other, clueless on their next move. "Our scanners have detected a large amount of Energon in Lofoten Islands, Norway. However, we will have to make a pit stop in Austin, Texas."
Austin? Ellie's green eyes perked up after the former Decepticon mentioned Austin. The two Cybertronians noticed her reaction and Optimus asked her.
"Do you know someone in there?" The girl looked down and her lips curled into a forlorn frown. A memory started to surface within her.
"Can I…come with you?" she slowly asked with a heavy tone as if she was begging deeply to the two.
Why is she so sad, suddenly? Megatron, intrigued by her reaction, said to her without hesitation. "You can come with us." Optimus glanced at him with a startled expression while Ellie made a smile from ear to ear. "However, you're not gonna ride me."
The Decepticon added with a feigning smugness while Ellie chuckled.
"Never would I—! Wait, what do you mean by ride with you? Aren't we gonna walk all through there?"
Optimus and Megatron looked at each other and made excited grins before they suddenly transformed into their vehicle modes. Ellie froze on the ground, her green eyes widening in surprise as she watched the two change. But then she quickly remembered that the two came from an advance alien robot society.
"You guys can transform into vehicles!" The girl watched as Megatron started hovering.
"Indeed. Now then, shall we go?" Optimus opened his left side door. Ellie glanced at the truck for a moment.
If I'm going to sit there…it would be like I'm sitting inside someone's guts! The thought made the girl hesitant to ride, but logic reasoned with her. She groaned heavily in protest and quickly jumped in.
And with that, the trio drove towards their next destination.
- (Five Hours Later) -
Ellie fell asleep without her realization, now she slowly sat straight up and looked around. She was inside a truck. "…Oh right, I am riding Optimus Prime right now."
Megatron's chuckle echoed on the speaker, making the girl look out of the truck's window and saw Megatron flying beside them. "You know, that sounds very funny for oh so many reasons."
Ellie blinked in confusion and then she quickly realized what she had just said. Her face reddened in embarrassment as Optimus spoke through the speaker. "Hmm, funny? What's so funny about it?"
"Nothing, Optimus, nothing really. I-I am lesbian, by the way, and I'm not really attracted to guys."
"Sure." Megatron said and snickered laughter.
The girl looked out of the window again and saw a sign that said 'Welcome to Austin, Texas,'. "We're here." she muttered in a gloomy tone, making Optimus glanced at her with curiosity.
Ellie found herself looking at abandoned buildings and shops as Optimus and Megatron drove along the empty road. She saw ruins of the city and it didn't surprise her at all. She had seen many cities that had fallen apart – why would this one be any exception?
"We're here." Megatron said as he transformed. Optimus stopped and the girl looked out again.
A grey colored building loomed over them and she read the name plastered on the wall. "Texas Aeronautical Museum." She blinked in confusion before she grinned at Megatron. "Oh Buckethead, you didn't tell me that we're going to attend a family reunion. I should've dressed up and applied make up on my face."
"What the frag-!"
Megatron exclaimed while Optimus and Ellie laughed their hearts out. The Tyrant blushed a blue shade in humiliation before he cleared his throat. "I'm just here to get some spare parts. So where would you go then Ellie? You said you wanted to see something here. What is it?"
The laughter died down and Ellie's smile shifted into a plain look. "There's a place here that I want to go. I have the address."
The girl told the address to Optimus, who then showed a map on its wind screen. "It's a normal house." the autobot said as Megatron looked at the museum.
"You two can go there first…I'll follow you guys later," the Decepticon said as he walked towards the museum, separating from the two.
Optimus screeched to a halt in front of a run-down house. Ellie looked around. The house that lay before her was old and decrepit. The garden, which must've been beautiful when someone was taking care of it, was dirty and filled with tall grass and weeds. She opened the door and slowly walked towards the house. She stopped by the house's old door and reached the knob with her left hand. Her hand shook and didn't move as she took a mouthful of air through her nose.
"Ellie?" Optimus's human avatar materializes behind her, a look of concern was on his face, but the woman didn't look at him. Mustering her strength, she opened the door with a loud creek.
The living room was the first thing that greeted her. It was all dirty and filled with dust. She walked slowly while her melancholic green eyes inspected the broken furniture. The paint around the walls were peeling off, showing the skeleton framework of the house.
She stopped, however, when she reached the foot of the stairs that led to the second floor.
Optimus glanced at her and gently asked. "Whose house is this, Ellie?"
Ellie slowly faced him and the Autobot saw her green eyes, all red and on the verge of tears.
"Its Joel's."
Optimus didn't reply and only followed her as she ascend the stairs.
Ellie was in a woeful mood as she opened a door with a sign 'SARAH'S ROOM' on the front. It was a girl's room, the paint on the walls dusty pink while the furniture was frilly and cute like it was used by a child.
"Sarah was Joel's original daughter." A cold and despondent voice came out from her mouth. You've a lovely room, Sarah. She thought before she walked out.
Ellie looked down on the hallway and saw Optimus standing by a door that stood ajar. The autobot glanced at her and made a moving smile.
She knew whose room was on the other end. Ellie walked slowly towards it and then opened the door.
The room was dusty just like that rest of the house. The bed, all tattered and torn, lay before her while a study desk stood by her left, it was on the floor, all broken and rotting away. However, she imagined that the room was also lovely like Sarah's. She imagined Joel waking up on the bed and getting dressed in front of a closet before grabbing something from the study desk.
She imagined Joel greeting his daughter by her bed room and they would walk down together to eat breakfast.
The image that played before her made her close her eyes. She leaned on the decaying wall. A regretful anguish was displayed on her face.
"Ellie."
"I saw and hunted down the killers of Joel."
Ellie began as she slowly sat down on the floor. "I hunted them down, one by one until I arrived at the sole person who killed my beloved old man." The woman looked down to her left hand, the stubs of her missing fingers greeted her and she frowned as a memory surfaced inside of her.
"It was a woman who killed her, a firefly member. I tried to kill her; she was within my grasp!" Her voice hardened as she gnashed her teeth in anger. Optimus felt the anger rising from within her, the rage that she kept so long.
"But I couldn't…because she was taking care of a child, a boy. And I saw him, Joel, as I try to drown her on that beach." Ellie tightened her hands into a fist. "He was there as if he was asking me to stop. He was there as if he was saying that nothing would happen if I killed his killer."
Ellie stopped and looked up to Optimus with shameful eyes. "I let her go…is it right, Optimus? Is it right that I spared his killer because if I kill her, I would certainly loose the last of my humanity?"
"Ellie…" Optimus was lost to her words. The girl had endured so much pain and he saw all of that on her face. Ellie stood up and walked closer to him and asked him again, this time with a desperate voice.
"Optimus…is it right that I spared his killer in order for me not to lose the last thing that would've reminded me of Joel, the happy memories that he had given to me?"
"You're right, Ellie." The voice of Megatron cut the conversation between the two. Ellie and Optimus looked to the door and saw the Decepticon's human avatar leaning against the door way. His empathetic red eyes were stern while his face was thoughtful.
"Megatron, you're back." Optimus said as Ellie turned around, hiding her depressing face. However, Megatron walked towards her and tapped her left shoulder.
"Ellie, would you accompany me?"
Ellie tuned to him, startled to his request. "Why?"
"Please, El, it'll be quick." The girl was startled at what he said. The former tyrant and Decepticon leader had just politely asked her and it completely surprised her.
"Fuck it, fine." Ellie followed the former Decepticon warlord out of the room and downstairs.
They walked outside of the house, Megatron's vehicle form was parked beside Optimus. He moved towards there and his human avatar vanish after he touched the hull. "Get in, Ellie."
The door of the Cybertronian opened, which startled the girl. "You want me to ride you?" she asked in an unsure manner.
"Yes, and again that question is very off putting."
Ellie hesitated at first, but after she gulped down in nervousness, she climbed up the cockpit and sat down. The cockpit door closed and immediately the girl was surrounded by different holographic screens.
"Seatbelts, please."
"Ok, grandpa." Ellie said with annoyed tone as she put her seatbelt on. Megatron suddenly lurched upward and began to hover, making Ellie yelp inside.
"What was that for!?"
"Quiet." Megatron commanded in a gentle manner, making Ellie click her tongue in irritation.
"Where the fuck are we going?"
She asked and looked outside and then she went still.
Megatron's engines might've been so silent that girl had failed to realize that the two of them were already high above ground. Ellie sat in complete silence, her mouth half slacked in astonishment. She saw the whole city of Austin below her. It looked like city model from a toy shop.
She shifted her eyes and the view of the setting sun greeted her. "Whoa…" The glow of the sunset enveloped her and made her glow immaculately. The sadness in her heart had completely vanished and Megatron saw it through his camera.
"The sun is beautiful, isn't?"
"Yeah," Ellie said. She suddenly grunted as Megatron quickly dived down.
"Megs!?"
"This isn't what I want to show you." Megatron said in a teasing manner as he swooped down. The Cybertronian flew on the level of the skyscrapers, his engines loud and bare, echoing throughout the city until he slowed down and started to hover.
The girl found herself on a middle of a wide four-way intersection. She looked around, completely lost.
"Megs, what are we doing here?" she asked but the Decepticon roared its engines.
*SCREEE!*
Ellie's green eyes widened after she heard the familiar screeching sound of Cordyceps.
She looked to her left and was shocked as she saw dozens of infected popping out of an opened manhole. The girl then glanced to her right and she saw a large horde, coming out form the street alleyways, both were charging towards them.
"You're angry, aren't you, Ellie?"
"What?" Ellie looked at the screen and saw Megatron's face, all worried and sad.
"You're angry, because you couldn't bare the reality in front of you. You thought Joel died because of you, but you're wrong." Ellie was confused by his words. However, before she could respond, a panel in front of her opened up and a joystick emerged from within.
"The red button fires my plasma cannon, the longer you press it, the stronger the beam. Are you ready?"
"Ready for what!?" Ellie shouted in irate as the horde closed the distance towards them. And then Megatron thundered at her.
"THE REASON WHY JOEL DIED IS BECAUSE YOUR WORLD IS FUCKED UP! YOUR WORLD IS WRONG! THE PEOPLE ARE WRONG! EVERYTHING IN THIS EARTH IS WRONG!"
Ellie didn't move, the Tyrant's words slowly dug inside of her mind. "THE CORDYCEPS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE WRONG. SO, I'M GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO RETURN THE FAVOR TO THEM!" Megatron flashed an evil grin at her. "DO IT! KILL THEM ALL!"
She had finally realized what Megatron was trying to do to her. Ellie slowly formed a devilish smile on her face. She took hold of the joystick and pressed the red button.
A long line of purple beam swept charged and hit the horde in front of her. The horde disappeared completely. "So easy…so…powerful…so…fucking dead!" Ellie shouted wildly as she pulled the yoke, inverting the whole jet upside down. A blast purple beam erupted and hit another charging horde, burning them to oblivion.
"Die all of you! Its because of you, the whole world is fuck up! Its because of you that I don't have a childhood! It's because of you…Joel died!" Ellie screamed furiously as she yanked the controller back and forth, killing all of the unfortunate Cordyceps horde that appeared within her vision.
"Die!" her voice, vengeful and filled with fury, echoed inside Megatron as she fired the cannon onto a large sky scraper. The building collapse, sending dusts through the sky. However, the girl's rage wasn't over yet. Ellie continued her ungodly attack and Megatron only watched her through his screen, a sad yet understanding smile formed on his grey face.
Optimus saw the fire raging on the city of Austin with his human avatar eyes. He already got an idea on what Megatron and Ellie was doing. He looked up to the sky after he heard the familiar roar of a jet engine.
The Cybertronian landed and the cockpit door opened. Ellie walked out slowly as Megatron's human avatar manifested beside her. A small and tired smile was displayed on the girl's lips while Megatron looked at her with a relieved smirk.
"Hey, Optimus, sorry to keep you waiting." Ellie said with an apologetic tone. However, the Autobot didn't answer her. The girl gasped softly as Optimus hugged her in a tight embrace.
"It's ok. What you did is right." Ellie's green eyes widened as Optimus continued. "Joel is happy that you'd chosen to let go of vengeance instead of walking to a dark path." The Autobot slowly moved away and Ellie's face contorted into a sorrowful frown. However, she felt Megatron hands on her right shoulder.
"However, Ellie, you must find the strength to be happy again. Joel had given you a life. It would be a waste if you continue walking in the path of misery and pain." An understanding smile appeared on Megatron's face as he continued.
"I had a father figure once; his name is Terminus." Ellie was surprised. She thought that Megatron wasn't the type of person to share personal stories about himself. "I've told you before that I was born in the lowest caste. Terminus was just like Joel to me. Cold and stern at first, but he eventually warmed up to me." Megatron's smile slowly turned into a nostalgic one as the image of his once father figure emerged from his brain module.
"He had given me a life, a hope, so that I could live and move everyday in the mines." He glanced at Ellie and saw the woman was transfixed on him, listening to his story.
"There was an accident. The mines collapsed and I watched him die in front of me. He was the reason why I waged war against Cybertron. I was so lost in rage and revenge that I'd committed genocide without knowing it and not caring at all."
Megatron looked down to the ground as the cold wind brushed the three of them. "I wanted better treatment for my people. I wanted justice for my father, Terminus. I-I never wanted the war to happen." A former tyrant casted his sad red eyes at them, a tear slowly formed and trailed down on his cheeks. The girl that she has to console him however she heard the Autobot spoke to her.
"So please, Ellie. Don't be sad anymore. You've got to keep looking at something to fight for." Optimus moved closer and brushed a small lock of hair on Ellie's face. "The sun may've set, but it will soon rise up once again, ushering us to a new day, a new world, a new life."
Ellie peacefully smiled at his words. The sadness in her heart was gone. In its place was relief and tranquility. She wiped a tear on her cheek and chuckled. "Boy, and I thought I'd the worse life."
Her words earned some chuckles of joy from the two Cybertronians.
"Shall we stay here for the night. We would be leaving Tomorrow." Optimus said as he walked towards the house.
Ellie stopped for a moment before she asked the Autobot. "Where would you two go again?"
"To Lofoten Islands, Norway." Norway, well that's too far.
Ellie looked down and frowned. Should she go with them or not? She didn't know anymore. All that she knew right now was that she'd nowhere else to go. She wanted to go with them. However, she was afraid that something bad might happen to the two and she'd get hurt again.
"Ellie," Ellie looked behind her and saw Megatron with a kind smile. "Would you like to come with us, in our exiled journey?" The words of the former tyrant made the heart of the girl beat quickly. Ellie gasped happily and nodded her head. She was waiting for this, to be asked to come with them.
"Yes."
The trio entered the house and Optimus closed the door behind them. Megatron glanced at the living room and saw the guitar again. An idea suddenly popped into his head.
"Would you like me to play some music before you go to sleep, Ellie?" Ellie stopped in her tracks. She remembered how Megatron sang and she was completely astounded by his voice.
"Well as long as its not Wonderwall, why not?" She sat down on the rotten couch while Optimus leaned on the stairs.
Megatron picked up the guitar and hit the strings, feeling the vibration of the musical instrument. And then he began to play the guitar and, with a strong inhale of air, he began to sing.
"As my dream comes to an ending,
Through this rain that's everlasting
All I find are cold hard memories
Pale fragments of the past."
There it is, Ellie smile as the faint image of Joel appeared on Megatron. His voice, his smile, all of it had reminded her of him. But she no longer felt pain – just pure happiness.
"Take my love
Take all I am
A price I would pay to save all I can
Grant me a single wish to finally set me free"
"This is my heart, my strength
Full of color, full of life
My story ends in pain
But I'll be all right."
"This is the LAST STARDUST
So stand, rise up
Dust to dust, ash to ash into the night
May our dreams bring us hope for all time."
Megatron shifted his red eyes and saw the happy tranquil smile of the girl. The afternoon sun had cast a beautiful shadow of her immaculate face and it made his spark chamber shine brightly.
"Brave shine…
See your light…
Saved my life…
Your brave shine…
Brave shine…"
"This is my heart, my strength
Full of color, full of life
Our story ends in pain
But we'll be all right
I do this all for us
Farewell JOEL
Dreams of old turn to dust and fade away."
Joel, I've completely forgiven you. From now on, I will choose to be happy, for the sake of you…for the sake of us. Ellie smiled and closed her eyes, trying to feel the ephemeral voice of the Decepticon.
"Memories come to me
Light a fire in my soul
And though my heart is weak
I choose to walk alone
This is the LAST STARDUST
So I'll rise up
Dust to dust, ash to ash into the night
May our dreams bring us hope for all time."
You've completely change, Megs, Optimus smiled happily at his friend and the girl. He had seen it all, how they had changed and looked for the bright side of life. He couldn't help but feel joy for the two of them. "Thank you, Primus. This world, isn't so bad at all."
The songs ends and Ellie clapped her hands. "Nice, you guys are the best in singing." She looked down at her left hand, staring the stubs of her two missing fingers. "If only I could learn how to play the guitar using my left hand, maybe I could play one day with you."
Optimus and Megatron looked at each other before they both smiled at Ellie. "I can't wait for it too, Ellie." Optimus said and Megatron followed after. "Yes, I can't wait to see all three of us playing our favorite songs."
Woo-Hoo! New Chapter guys!
So how was the chapter!? Do you like the song that Megatron sung? Its from FATE/Stay Night, when I heard this song, it somehow reminded me of Ellie and her journey. I dunno know why but the lyrics fits with her life! Also, what can you say about Megatron and Optimus's words to Ellie? Should she really live in pure bliss of happiness, is there still a beautiful place in her rotten, dying world? Stay Tuned for more!
Special thanks to Pure Red Crane for beta-reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Transformers Prime and Last of Us. I also do not own the lyrics above. Listed below are the artists involve with the lyircs. Also, names, places, and events are all purely fictional. If one exists in real life then its purely coincidental.
Song Title : "Last Stardust."
Original Artist(s): Aimer
Vocalist: Sapphire
Lyrics: Sapphire
Music: The L-Train