Chapter 4: The Stranger With A Kind Face
A.N. This chapter is dedicated to Canadian-American television personality, game show host, and actor Alex Trebek, who sadly lost his lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer recently at the ripe old age of 80.
R.I.P. Alex Trebek
(July 22, 1940 - November 8, 2020)
Elsewhere, back on the train, Hot Shot had awoken from a period of stasis in a portable inflatable stasis pod (essentially a Transformers version of a sleeping bag, at least the best that I could come up with) that he had brought with him and was looking out at the scenery from the open door of the boxcar as the train continued to thunder down the tracks.
"Man, it's so beautiful out here." he said. "If only the other guys were here to see this."
But then, he remembered, and he took out the photo of him and his friends from his gym bag.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss you guys." he sighed. "I wish you were here with me. But, leaving the Academy like this was probably for the best."
Just then, he heard someone playing on a guitar.
"What's that?" he asked.
When he traced the source of the music, he saw a man that looked to be fifty years of age with a bushy graying beard and wearing tattered clothing and holding a corn cob pipe in his mouth while sitting on a crate strumming on a Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar. A guitar case as well as a stick holding a bundle wrapped in red cloth with white polka dots lay on the floor of the car. The man took notice of Hot Shot and smiled.
"Hello there." he greeted.
Needless to say, Hot Shot was very surprised. Normally a human would feel how he was feeling if they saw an individual of an entirely different species. But not this one.
"Come here, my friend." the man prodded. "Don't be afraid."
Hot Shot carefully went over to the man.
"Aren't you scared of me?" Hot Shot asked.
"No, not at all." the man replied. "My name is Alex. Who are you?"
"I'm Hot Shot from the planet Cybertron." Hot Shot said. "I was a Rescue Bot Trainee until yesterday."
"Is that right?" Alex asked. "And why is that?"
Hot Shot told Alex what had happened, all while trying to keep back the oily tears that were building up.
"Gee, that's terrible." frowned Alex.
"It's all Heatwave's fault!" Hot Shot snapped, his voice slightly choked-up. "Sure, I did make him mad, but why did he have to go and say that?! Just why?! Why?!"
Hot Shot was ready to cry again, and Alex patted his arm.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it." Alex comforted. "In fact, I'm sure he already feels bad about what he did and wants to make it up to you."
"I guess so." Hot Shot shrugged.
Just then, Alex had an idea.
"Would you like to hear a story?" he asked.
"Okay." Hot Shot replied.
"Alright." nodded Alex. "I hope you're sitting down comfortably, because this is going to be a long one."
"Don't worry, I am." Hot Shot reassured.
With that being said, Alex put his guitar back in its case and began his story.
"A long, long, long time ago, in a place called Bethlehem..." Alex began.
As Alex continued to tell his story, Hot Shot became very captivated by it.
"Wow." he gasped. "I've heard many tales about cool figures in human history like George Washington or those Beatles guys, but this one takes the cake! I mean, how was that guy able to make a blind man see, turn water into wine, or feed lots of people with just five loaves of bread and two fish? Man, he must've been one cool guy!"
"And it gets better." said Alex. "One day, soldiers nailed him to something called a cross and left him there to die alongside two criminals, and three days later, he rose from the dead and told his followers to go into the world and spread his teachings."
Alex then pulled a leather book from his bundle and opened it up.
"It says in here that those who believe in him will have eternal life." said Alex. "And that he watches over everyone on this planet who believes in him like a shepherd looking over his flock."
Hot Shot was even more amazed than before.
"Wow, you humans sure have had lots of cool people among you." he said.
"That's right, we have." agreed Alex. "And we still do."
Hot Shot began to feel happy.
"Thank you for the story, Alex." Hot Shot said. "That was just what I needed. Say, what's that book called?"
"The Bible." Alex replied. "This baby contains everything about Jesus' life, as well as the lives of many other famous people like him, and not so famous ones, too."
"Interesting." said Hot Shot. "Do you know where I might find one? I think I might check it out for myself."
"You can find them in the religious section of any bookstore or you can find them online." said Alex. "This one was given to me as a child by my parents."
"Okay." nodded Hot Shot. "What now?"
Alex picked up his guitar.
"How about I teach you some Earth songs?" he asked.
"Sure, why not?" agreed Hot Shot.
Alex then took a harmonica out of his bundle and gave it to Hot Shot.
"You can back me up on this." said Alex. "It's a harmonica, a musical instrument we humans sometimes use in our music. You play it by blowing into it."
Hot Shot took a deep breath and blew into the harmonica, and a few notes sounded loudly and brightly simultaneously from it.
"How was that?" he asked.
"That's good." replied Alex. "That's a good start. Now, are you ready?"
Hot Shot nodded, and the two began playing, Alex plucking and strumming his guitar and Hot Shot backing him up when necessary. They played a total of four songs, then stopped.
"That was fun." Hot Shot smiled. "Thanks, Alex."
"No, thank you." replied Alex. "I like having you as company."
"Likewise." winked Hot Shot.
The train was passing by a river then, and Hot Shot saw a vision of himself and Heatwave fishing from it.
"Okay, Hot Shot, just lift." Heatwave was saying. "10 and 2, 10 and 2."
Hot Shot, compared to how gently Heatwave was moving his rod, was instead flailing his rod around rapidly, and he accidentally whacked Heatwave in the head with it.
"Ow!" said Heatwave. "Not like that. Now lift. And again, 10 and 2, 10 and 2."
Hot Shot then hit Heatwave in the head again (again, accidentally), and Heatwave then found the line from the former's pole around his legs. When Hot Shot lifted the pole, he caused Heatwave to fall forwards, his face hitting the water. Rather than getting angry, Heatwave began laughing.
"Come here, you!" he laughed.
Hot Shot smiled as he watched this vision, but then shook his head.
"What was that?" Hot Shot asked. "Are my optics playing tricks on me? I could've sworn I saw Heatwave just then."
Hot Shot just decided he was just seeing things and continued to watch the view. But then, they passed by a field of wildflowers, in which he saw another vision. This one was of him, Heatwave, Chase, Boulder, Blades, Bumblebee, Grimlock, Whirl, Wedge, Hoist, and Medix dancing around in a circle holding hands.
"Okay, what is going on?!" Hot Shot demanded after seeing this second vision.
"What's the matter?" Alex asked.
Hot Shot told Alex what was going on.
"Perhaps you're starting to miss Heatwave and your friends." Alex suggested. "It seems that you and Heatwave appear to be close."
"He's like my father." replied Hot Shot. "But I know I can't go back. I bet he's happy that I'm gone. But at the same time, I can't help but feel guilty about my decision to run away in the first place."
"Looks like you're starting to have a guilty conscience." said Alex.
"Yeah, I guess I am." agreed Hot Shot.
Hot Shot then sighed.
"I'll never forgive myself for this." he said. "Heatwave and the others, maybe, but not me."
Alex put his hand on Hot Shot's arm.
"Chin up, Hot Shot." he smiled. "I'm sure you'll find it in your heart or whatever your kind has to forgive yourself just like Heatwave might."
Hot Shot felt better.
"Thanks, Alex." he said. "You've really been a big help."
"Hey, it's no problem." said Alex.
"If there's anything I can do to repay you, name it and you've got it." said Hot Shot.
"That won't be necessary." denied Alex. "I'm just being what's called a Good Samaritan. There's no need to return the favor."
"I understand." nodded Hot Shot. "But I still feel like I owe you."
"I mean, if you want." shrugged Alex. "I'm just saying you don't need to."
Just then, Hot Shot saw the sunset.
"Wow." he gasped. "The sunset looks much more beautiful from here than from the Academy."
"Yeah, isn't it amazing?" agreed Alex. "Only God can create such wonderful masterpieces as that."
Hot Shot couldn't help but agree as he and his new companion continued on their ride.
End of Chapter 4