A Lonely spark wanders through the outer reaches of space. It saw the whole galaxy till it slowly found its way back to the place it was meant to go . . . the allspark. It made its way to the large metal planet and went through its outer crests to the core. It then floated ghostlike around the giant spark, like a soft wind over a dancing meadow.
It went to go to the place where all sparks go when they leave their holder's body, but a force came from the allspark that stopped it from entering it to rest. The spark floated there not moving anywhere. It wondered why the allspark would not grant it rest. Ever it wished to rest, for if it could not rest in the allspark and not in a body of its own then in what could it find rest?
Optimus could not find it in his spark to tell the children of Hot Shot. Optimus couldnt find it in his spark to tell the children that all those years of searching for Hot Shot was a waste of time. How could he tell them that he failed to protect the one he loved the most . . . his son? His spark ached too much for that.
Jetfire then took it upon himself to tell the kids of what befell Hot Shot, and sometimes the kids wished they hadn't asked. None wanted to believe Hot Shot was dead. None wanted to believe that they would never see Hot Shot's loving face again. It was like a nightmare that none could wake from.
It had been a year now . . . since he had been gone. All went on like he never existed, but for Optimus he couldn't continue without Hot Shot there by his side. Optimus would, often, visit, when war didn't call him, Hot Shot's grave. Hot Shot still laid where Optimus had last put him.
Hot Shot's motionless body lay on top a golden bed. They had tried to repair his body to what it looked like before the years of toture by Unicron, but they couldn't. He was too badly damaged. This only reminded Optimus of his failure to protect him and be like a father to him.
Optimus knew to be a father meant to be a protector, but he wasn't . . . he never was to Hot Shot. That is what Optimus thought. He then thought that he never should have been able to be blessed by having Hot Shot. He thought that Primus should have never given such a blessing that he would throw away all to soon.
Optimus stood by the dead dim body of his son. He placed his hand on the side of Hot Shot's cold face. He just stood there gazing at him with sad optics. He rubbed the side of Hot Shot's face slowly as he thought to himself.
"I never deserved you," whispered Optimus gazing into Hot Shot's blank optics. "Primus was wrong to give you to me."
Optimus then gazed up as a tear ran down his optics. He then breathed inward and said-
"I don't know how to see a blessing even if it shot me in the spark . . . I throw them away too much . . . like I did with you."
As Optimus gazed at his dead child he soon couldn't bare the sight of him anymore and so . . . he left. He wondered if he'd ever come back to look upon him again. The same thing happened with Elita One when she died. Optimus used to visit her grave regularly, but his visits soon dwindled down to nothing and he stopped coming.
One reason was because he had to take care of Hot Shot and the second reason is that war called him too much, but will his visits to his family's graves stop now just because of war? Optimus wanted to visit them as often as he could, but when he did so he could barely be able to stand to see their faces. Every time he saw Hot Shot it only reminded him of what a failure he was to himself, to Primus, to the Primes, to the high council, and to . . . Elita. He failured protecting the last thing she gave him . . . the last thing of her he had left . . . now Optimus had . . . nothing.
All could tell that Optimus had not been himself since Hot Shot's death. All understood how hard it must have been to have your only child die in your arms . . . to watch his life pass . . . to watch him slip away when you held onto him so tightly, but he let go . . . Hot Shot . . . let go. Optimus , everone knew, felt it was his fault. Many would never know what it felt like to have all your family die . . . and you watch their lives pass away into nothingness.
This only made everyone treasure each other's lives and families, for sometimes they may be all you have in the universe . . . the only ones you love. Many wished Hot Shot was still here for only Hot Shot could lighten Optimus' mood. Hot Shot would not want Optimus to ever be said, but some times . . . you just couldn't help it. Some times . . . it came like a natural reflex.
There were still decepticons that didn't like the autobots way and so they fought against them. Optimus was ever tired of fighting, but it was the only way to resolve things. He began to want to give everything up. To give up the matrix . . . his name Prime . . . just so he wouldn't have to fight for he was in no condition to fight.
But he was called into battle and so he went one day when his spark hurt the worst. So Optimus . . . he . . . just wanted to die. Optimus fought very carelessly in that battle and all saw it.
"Optimus . . . are you CRAZY?!!" shouted Jetfire as he dodged blasts from countless enemies.
Optimus just shot into space as all shot at him out in the clear open. Optimus sighed sadly and said-
"What is the point of fighting anymore?"
"What?!" shouted Jetfire not understanding. "Look, would Hot Shot want you acting this way?!"
Optimus just starred at Jetfire with dampened optics not saying a word.
"Hot Shot would-!" started Jetfire.
But then there came a large blast that knocked Optimus and Jetfire across the feild. Optimus fell to the ground and just laid there. Then a large blaster was pointed into his face and he looked and saw a very large decepticon standing upon him making sure he was to go nowhere. He just smiled at the pathetic downed autobot leader and said through his teeth-
"Well, well, if it isn't the autobot leader Optimus Prime."
Optimus just wanted him to kill him already, Why didn't he just shoot?
"Gotten alittle careless huh Prime?" he said. "Well this is what happens when you get too careless . . ."
Then just as the blaster heated up a voice rings out through the battle field-
"Get away from him decepticreep!"
As Optimus Prime looked up he saw a yellow transformer standing on a high hill just above him. Then he took action and jumped down kicking the decepticon causing him to fall backwarss. He then took his own blaster and shot the decepticon clear in the spark.
"Take that decepticon!" he shouted.
Optimus then slowly stood up and gazed at the new transformer that stood before him . . . Optimus . . . knew him.
"Hot Shot?" asked Optimus his hands trembling wondering if it was true.
"Is that my name?" he asked as he turned to Optimus and gazed at him with baby blue optics.
This scared Optimus a little. Was this Hot Shot? or was this someone else? It must be him . . . Optimus felt it in his spark somehow.
"Yes . . . do you remember?" asked Optimus now afraid he wouldn't remember him.
"Prime," he said remembering.
"Yes, it's me Hot Shot," smiled Optimus so happy to see him alive.
"Then it's me Hot Shot," smiled Hot Shot. "I remember you . . . I remember saying something once before like 'back at ya' . . . right?"
Optimus' optics then began to tear up and as Hot Shot saw this he said-
"Aw come on Prime, please don't cry."
"I thought . . . you were dead," cried Optimus realizing it was Hot Shot, but with a changed body.
"Was I?' asked Hot Shot.
"Why don't you remember?!" said Optimus beginning to panic a bit.
"Does it have something to do with Primus?" asked Hot Shot.
"What did Primus do to you?!" whispered Optimus.
Optimus then thought of the one thing . . . perhaps the matrix could help him regain his memory. Optimus then opened his chest and took out the matrix. Hot Shot gazed at it with a blank espression on his face as Optimus held it before him. Optimus then came closer to Hot Shot saying things that had happened to him through his life trying to make Hot Shot remember-
"You were adopted by a brother and a sister named Geargadget and Sandrone. You joined the army at the young age of 15,000. You went with me to recieve and help free the minicons on earth . . ."
Optimus then handed the matrix to Hot Shot and then he started saying Hot Shot's memories again hoping that he'll remember.
"The Unicron battles . . . you were captured along with Starscream and Wheeljack. They escaped . . . but you . . . didn't."
Hot Shot then turned his gaze to Optimus and said-
"You mean I let them escape . . . Wheeljack wouldn't go first . . . he took so long causing me to not have enough time to get out."
Hot Shot began recalling accounts that he, himself, thought he didn't know. Optimus noticed this and so said-
"That's right Hot Shot . . . remember!"
The matrix began to glow in Hot Shot's hands as he remembered. Hot Shot paid no attention to it . . . his mind was only on his memories.
"Cheetor helped . . . me . . . to . . . escape. Unicron . . . fused his spark with something . . . I . . ."
He then remembered all and dropped the matrix crying-
"NO! Why did you make me remember Optimus, why?!"
"Hot Shot," said Optimus as he picked up the matrix and slowly came to Hot Shot. "Everything's going to be fine . . . how are you here?"
"Primus," said Hot Shot seein everything was so clear now. "He . . . wouldn't let me rest and so . . . here I am."
"But why?" asked Optimus. "We all thought you were dead . . . amd I . . . Hot Shot."
"Yes Optimus?" said Hot Shot putting his gun away.
Then a smile came to Optimus' lips and he then said-
"We're glad to have you back."
Then the same ole smile that Hot Shot was famous for was seen again and he then saluted Optimus and said-
"Glad to be back sir . . . just . . . please don't mention Unicron . . . I'm trying to forget those five nightmare of years."
Then across the field they hear a familiar jolly voice ringing in their audio receivers.
"Hot Shot . . . is that you Hot Shot?!" came Jetfire.
"Jetfire!" smiled Hot Shot as he turned to him.
Jetfire then embraced him in a bearhug almost breaking him in two.
"It's nice to see you too Jetfire," gasped Hot Shot.
"Don't think you're done with those just yet," said jetfire releasng him. "Just you wait till you get back to cybercity. Hoist and Sideswipe are gonna kill ya."
"You don't say," chuckled Hot Shot. "I just don't know if I'm ready for the high council that's all. Those guys are always on me for some reason."
Optimus then came beside him and placed his hand upon Hot Shot's shoulder and said-
"Don't worry Hot Shot . . . I'll be right there beside you . . . always."
"Thanks big bot," smiled Hot Shot turning to him. "It's just I've gone through so much and I wish to rest for a good . . . long . . . time. Perhaps a millenia?"
"I'll see what I can do Hot Shot," smiled Optimus. "But son't count on that much rest. After all you are one of my best soldiers."
"Aw come on Optimus . . . you're making me blush," laughed Hot Shot.
"Not as bad as I will when we get back to cybercity," said Jetfire throwing his arm over Hot Shot's shoulder.
"Gee, I can't wait," smiled Hot Shot sarcasticly.
Optimus just let out a joyfull laugh . . . one that he forgot he knew how to do. Yes indeed the world had gone back to normal with Hot Shot alive again.
"Well, well, Optimus . . . you got your laugh back," smiled Jetfire hearing him laugh. "You know he hasn't been the same since you died?"
"Really?" said Hot Shot. "I didn't mean to cause you such sparkache Optimus sir."
"No, no Hot Shot," smiled Optimus. "There is no need to apologize."
"I guess I just don't know how much I'm loved," smiled Hot Shot as he walked off with Jetfire.
"No . . . you don't," smiled Optimus as he watched him walk away. "Thank-you Primus . . . for giving my only joy back to me."
Hot Shot's girl: Now you see, I was just asking a question not implying that it was 'the end'. I could never end a story like that . . . and plus I just don't want to get killed;D