Chapter 2: Idyll

Optimus stood amongst the destruction and debris of their battles aftermath.

Sirens wailed in the distance as more emergency personnel made their way through the wreckage of Mission City. Human civilians were being escorted away from where the large group of soldiers and the remaining Autobots had gathered. Optimus looked around him at the devastation. The devastation they had caused by bringing their war to this unfortunate planet. Vents cycled in what could only be the Cybertronian equivalent of a defeated sigh. This was not how this was supposed to happen. None of this.

In a far off hope of Optimus', Megatron had been reasoned with. His brother had not gone as far as he had. The All Spark recovered and their war ended many years earlier. But he knew now it was just that; a hope. It would never happen. His brother was dead. Optimus could not deny the small spark of happiness he had felt, watching his brother fall. The world; this world, would be safe from his tyrannical ideals. Yet…he could also not refute the fact that he almost couldn't bear to look down on the cooling corpse that had once held the spark of his brother.

He had known, deep down, that this moment was inevitable. Whether on this planet or the next, he knew that one day he would have to face the body of his once-brother. He knew that any grief he felt would need to be hidden away as others mourned the losses they had sustained; and celebrated the victory they had achieved

He mourned for his comrades; his friends. Primus, of course he did. Especially when he felt partly responsible. When he was responsible. This war, it all could have been avoided if he had just done something. Anything. But instead he had allowed his judgment as a Prime to become clouded and chose to look away as his brother slowly warped into someone Optimus himself hardly recognized.

And still he could not bring himself to hate his brother.

When Sam came to, he didn't open his eyes.

He didn't want to. He was hoping, praying that it had all been a dream. That he had simply been knocked unconscious, he would be in the hospital when he opened his eyes. He would be greeted with sterile white walls, ceilings; anything but blue. His parents would be there, maybe even Mikaela, waiting for him to wake up. They would be here for him, and then he wouldn't have to worry anymore.

"But you need not do that already Samuel. Not whilst I am here with you…only you. I am all you shall ever need… You mustn't trouble your mind with such thoughts…"

At that, his eyes snapped open. No…he was still on the roof of the empty blue city. The large orb incased in glass still thrumming contentedly, remaining bright. The All Sparks voice echoed through and around the buildings after it whispered in his head. Its' words of advice, of what it thought was reassurance, did nothing to quell his thoughts. Tears pricking at his eyes again, temporarily blurring the world around him. He thought of them, all of the ones he had been forced to leave behind. Sam knew he would never them again, nor would he see anything outside of this…this void.

Another breeze picked up from nowhere and curled around him, holding like arms that would never truly be there. Another gust of air stroked the top of his head; as if to comfort him.

"Shh…" The voice hushed him, "Samuel, I have told you previously, you must not think such things if they make you this…sad. I do not wish to see you sad."

The breeze around him died down, like the entity had moved away from him. Sam was left now both relieved and, disturbingly enough, almost…lonely.

"Then why can't I go back. If you want to see me happy, then take me back." There was silence for an instant before a small noise echoed. Like someone clucking their tongue.

"No, no Samuel. I cannot do that… It would not make things any better, would it? If I sent you back, then what of myself?"

The voice whispered alongside the wind in his ears, Sam shuddered involuntarily as it continued,

"I would not be very happy…if I had to give you up."

The All Sparks voice died done to silence, but the menacing undertones of its sentence did not go unheard. Off in the distance, a building flickered in and out of existence. Sam shivered again and took an involuntarily step back, towards the edge of the roof. There was a pause. The wind died as the orb seemed to dim and shrink in its cage.

"I…have frightened you." It was not a question. Sam waved his hands in front of his face, staring at the air in front of him.

"Ah…no, no. I-I wasn't scared or-or anything. I was just, uh- I tripped. So just, just calm down, o-okay?" His voice cracked as he continued to ramble on. Everything went still. As though an invisible someone had paused and taken a breath.

"Whilst I appreciate the sentiment, Samuel…you cannot lie to me. Please do not be frightened of me. I have done nothing to harm you." Sam just stared at the empty space in front of him. All thoughts of fear vanishing in an instant.

"D-done nothing to harm me?" He repeated in disbelief, "But-I…you killed me. How does that not fall under harming me?" The mysterious wind picked up again, blowing fiercer than before.

"That was for your own good Samuel. I saved you from a slow death at the hands of my own creations. Do not argue with me... I have done nothing wrong."

"What about the Autobots? They'll all die out without you. How is any of that right? You're abandoning them!" The wind blew so hard, he was knocked to the ground.

"I have done no such thing Samuel. It is they who have abandoned me… They must be taught about the true fatalities of war. They must be taught that this is not simply about defeating the opposing side. They never considered that perhaps there was a higher power involved in all their frivolous disputes. That perhaps it had a conscience, and that it had grown tired as well." Even as the All Spark continued, its voice never changed from the neutral, airy tone it always retained, "They believe me obliterated…however that was merely a vessel… So they will die out. They will most likely never know the true reason to why their planet was ravaged by war. They will feel the effects of this war."

"So that's it? Your just letting them die out? Just like that?" It just seemed so…harsh in his opinion. Total extinction as a result of warring factions. A soft, humorless laugh brushed his ear.

"Humans are a very young species. You do not- cannot understand how it is being around for many millennia, watching the very thing you have created, destroy you from the inside. How it must feel... The betrayal…" The All Spark trailed off, almost wistfully, and Sam suddenly had a feeling that the All Spark had somewhere skewed off the topic of itself. But he daren't question anything. Not after that little outburst. Because in truth, he was scared.

Now kneeling beside the body of his once-brother, Optimus noticed something out of place. A shard -not an exceptionally large one, he might add- but it was definitely something. Reaching gingerly into the twisted, melted metal that had been his brothers' chassis, he pulled the shard free and quickly sub-spaced it. This would become their last hope. After he and every 'Bot around him had last nearly everything, it just had to be.

Jazz's death had dealt them all a hard blow. The saboteur had been an important part of their ever dwindling family. Always around to provide warmth and humor when things looked bleaker than bleak, always prepared for battle. Jazz had been a friend and a brother to everyone within the Autobot ranks.

And now he was gone.

Sam's body had been taken away by human medics, after pronouncing him DOA. Optimus clenched his fist as he straightened up. Another thing which had not gone as planned. Samuel was only seventeen years of age in human years.

Barely an adult here.

Only a sparkling back on Cybertron.

It was not supposed to be like this.

Not like this at all.

Wow, I just wanted to thank everyone for the amazing feedback. Seriously, I'm gone for a weekend and when I get back, there's like, fifty messages in my e-mail. So thanks again!

So for the revised version of F&A, I have decided to do a bit more development in the 'real world' (where the Autobots are) because it'll tie into the story later…maybe.

Sorry if the editing/grammar kind of sucks. I do it myself and sometimes I get lazy.

Idyll: A place of state where everything is peaceful, picturesque; a paradise or utopia.

~DrHooksTowingandCo