Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers or any of the characters mentioned in the story. They are trademarks of Hasbro and the other companies responsible for their creation. So pleeez don't sue me.
When We Were Young
Chapter7 – Unexpected Partings and Ancient Cybertronian Doors
"I can't believe your little bot, creation, thing, bit me, and that you actually punched me Soundwave!" Skywarp snarled rubbing the dent in his jaw, as he, Thundercracker, Megatron and Soundwave walked down the street toward the Aerial House. Soundwave glared at Skywarp in response.
"Serves you right," Megatron smirked. "What did you expect would happen when you called Ravage an 'oversized petro-rabbit'?"
Skywarp huffed indignantly, then mumbled something about wishing some petro-rabbits would eat Soundwave. Apparently Soundwave heard Skywarp's mumbling, because Megatron saw him shoot a glare so harsh that if looks could kill, Skywarp would be dead before he hit the ground.
"Megatron, when you're done yelling at my brother, would you do me a favor?" Thundarcracker groaned.
"That depends, what is it?"
"Shoot me. Put your fusion cannon to my head and pull the trigger. Please?" Thundercracker half whimpered.
"Sorry, no can do Thundercracker. No taking the easy way out of a hangover." Megatron chuckled
"You're mean."
"Hey Soundwave! Why are you coming with us back to the Aerial House? I figured you'd want to stay as far away from Blitzwing as possible." Sneered Skywarp.
"The Decepticon Museum is in this same direction. I am meeting Shockwave there. When you reach your destination at the Aerial House I will keep going." Soundwave answered calmly.
"Figures, you guys would--- Hey what's going on over there." Skywarp pointed straight ahead. In front of the Aerial house they saw their fellow students, who belonged there, all gathered around Astrotrain in his space shuttle mode.
"Hey! Guys!" The group saw Thrust running toward them.
"Thrust what's going on?" Megatron inquired.
"Didn't ya' hear Astrotrain's been drafted! He's about to leave!" Thrust spoke frantically.
"WHAT!" The news about Astrotrain alleviated Thundercracker's hangover. "Does Blitzwing know about this?"
"Yeah when Astrotrain told us, he got really pissed off, went into his room, slammed the door and hasn't come out since." Thrust reported. "And if I were you, I wouldn't get within a 100ft of him."
Thundercracker didn't wait for Thrust to say any more. He broke into a run toward the group of students and Astrotrain. He made his way through the crowd and stopped just in front of Astrotrain's nose cone.
"Is it true?" Was Thundercracker could manage to say.
"Yes I have been called to go to the Decepticon frontlines. They are in desperate need of a transport transformer who knows how to fight and keep a cool head. I've been chosen."
"When did you find out about this?"
"2 hours ago, from the Headmaster himself. Now that all of my belongs have been loaded, I have to leave."
"When will you be back?"
"I don't know. Maybe a few days, a few weeks, or……" Astrotrain trailed off, everyone knew that there was the definite possibility that Astrotrain might not return. "All I do know is that I'm not going to be able to play in the War Ball Championship Tournament."
Astrotrain saw everyone's sorrowful expressions and attempted to lighten things up. "I trust you guys will be able to choose a new captain without ripping each other's cranial chambers out."
Everyone remained silent with partially bowed heads.
"Please you guys," Astrotrain said dejectedly. "This is hard enough as it is. Blitzwing is already sore at me, but not you guys too."
"Astrotrain is right." Megatron stepped forward. "He doesn't want to remember all of us dejected and depressed."
Megatron turned to Astrotrain. He wore a genuinely sympathetic smile on his face. "Don't worry, I think everyone's just depressed because they don't have the time to give you a proper 'Soldier's Farewell.' So I guess you'll just have to come back so that we can give you a proper 'Welcome Home' party."
At that Thundercracker and the others managed weak grins and smiles.
"Hey Astro! Could ya' bring me back a souvenir from the front." Skywarp chimed in cheerfully.
"Sure."
"Don't bring him back too much. His 'collection' is already beginning to spread to my side of the room." Thundercracker smirked, but then it subsided into a gentle smile. "Come back to us Astrotrain. Ok?"
"It's getting late I have to be on my way, but I just want to say that it's been great being part of the team."
Everyone backed away as Astrotrain started up his engines and took off into the sky. Thundercracker nearly jumped when Blitzwing walked up next to him. The triple changer's optics were focused on the shrinking image of Astrotrain, until the young space shuttle was but a tiny speck and then disappeared completely. Thundercracker thought he saw something shimmer just below Blitzwing's optics.
'Could it be…No…Somebody else, maybe, but not Blitzwing.'
Thundercracker turned his gaze back up to the sky and wondered.
Would we ever see our friend again…?
Megatron sat in the study room staring out the window at the academy in the distance. He was alone in the house. After hearing the news about Astrotrain, Starscream headed over to the Arial House to see if any of his fellow seekers needed anything, and Soundwave and Shockwave were at the museum. Megatron's thoughts were on the loss of Astrotrain and how to the captainship of the Metal War Ball team. 'Too bad about the circumstances. Astrotrain is a good, cool-headed team player, and one of the few transformers that doesn't annoy the hell out of me. Unfortunately that's the way war goes, you can try to save as many as you can, but regrettably some are lost. I'll have to handle this carefully at first, if I'm too forceful they'll reject me, but if I'm too soft they won't respect me.'
Megatron's thoughts were interrupted when Soundwave and Shockwave entered the room. The silver robot was surprised when he noticed that the two seemed a bit shaken, like they'd just failed on their grade report.
"You guys ok?"
"The strangest thing happened." Shockwave's normal cold and condescending voice had dwindled to a weary and bewildered one. "I found Soundwave standing in front of the ancient artifact door in the museum. You know the one with the prehistoric Cybertronian symbols on it. Well Soundwave put his hand on the door and one by one the symbols began to glow slightly."
Megatron raised and optic and looked over to Soundwave.
"I was in a trance–like state. Reason for touching the door is unknown." Soundwave answered.
"I," continued Shockwave. "I walked over to Soundwave to ask what he doing. It was then I put my hand on Soundwave's shoulder. I felt a painful electric shock, and for a split second the motor circuits in my lower body shut off and I began to fall forward. I reached out my hand to steady myself and I too touched the door. The symbols glowed brighter and then very slowly the door began to open."
"Yes, yes and?" By then Megatron was thoroughly intrigued by this story.
"We lost consciousness." Soundwave answered gravely.
"Ah." Megatron said with a slightly disappointed tone to his voice. "Did anyone see you?"
"Negative, who else, but Shockwave and I enter the museum on the week's end."
"Good point."
"But the strangest thing was." Shockwave wearily continued the story. "During our unconsciousness both Soundwave and I had the same vision."
"Which was?" Megatron's interest perked up again.
"We saw a creature with five faces…"
Well there you have it chapter 8 up and running. Thanks again for all of your reviews and again keep them coming, make suggestions, tell me what you would like to see and how I'm doing on character portrayals.
Now, HotShot94 asked me what the ages the Transformers are in human years. Here they are:
Shockwave: 22
Soundwave: 22
Megatron: 21
Astrotrain: 20
Blitzwing: 20
Thundercracker: 19
Skywarp: 19
Thrust: 19
Dirge: 19
Ramjet: 19
Starscream: 18
Till next time! See ya'!