Once again, I just want to thank all of you for reading my piece :)

I know I've got a ways to go before they're really up to standard, but I appreciate all your support!

Thanks again :D

Alright, moving on:

Things are slow now, but they should pick up soon-

Also, I was thinking of holding a little contest

Maybe you guys would be interested?

Enjoy!

Of The Spark And Heart

Part 1

Chapter 38

~Really, everything is ok, you don't have to check in on me so much Smokescreen, I'm perfectly able to go on a simple patrol alone.~

~But that's why I'm worried Rain: you're alone.~

The fembot snorted over the comlink and continued on her original path around the outer skirts of the state border. In doing so, she made sure to take the time to actually enjoy the scenery of the new planet they called 'home'. And by everything so far, she was enjoying it. Cybertron never had bared a blue sky so clear as this one, or possessed the wispy puffs of clouds that lazily drifted along either. Because she was one of the last Autobot jets on Earth, her ability to fly allowed her to soar and twist among the breezy airs whenever she pleased. Now, she took advantage of this lax round among the gathered states of the Northern American continent by rocketing higher into the air and slicing through the walls of vapor. A thin veil of white followed in her path, breaking off to form their own bunches of cotton.

~Is the great, illustrious Smokescreen actually worried about a little ol' fembot like me?~ Rainwing teased, softly giggling as she cruised above the cloud line and basked in the beautiful expanse of pink and orange hues. The sun sent gorgeous arrays of gold over the bumpy surfaces of the suspended air, laying as an ocean of warm color and light. Was this how it had been during the Golden Age of Cybertron- when the grounds ran yellow with vibrant life and the air was filled with, not screams and gunfire, but laughter and happiness? ~Hardly.~ Smokescreen grunted over their link, making Rainwing's spark buzz in amusement, ~I just don't trust the 'Cons. The Sand Diego attack happened only three kalons ago you know.~

~I know Smoky, I know.~ she paused, her tone fading out as she carefully considered the mech's statement. The fembot couldn't understand the inspiration behind the attack, or what they could have gained from it. However, it did make her angry and frustrated, for this was just another in many assaults made by their enemy. When would they finally be found and stopped? If this was to go on for much longer, each and every one of the Autobots could be picked off, one by one, until there was nothing left but those hiding along the galaxies. It made Rainwing's plating itch with a new anxiety as she realized that she was in more danger than she originally predicted. ~How are Ultra Magnus and the others doing?~ she inquired, trying to distract herself.

She floated lower so she was just a few feet above the fluffs of white, waiting for his answer. ~Better,~ Smokescreen sighed and Rainwing felt her spark drop, ~but I can tell it's still bothering them.~ The San Diego Autobots had recently arrived in Washington D.C merely the Earth day before, carrying a precious cargo with them no less. Her flier comrade, a mech designated Lero, was stolen away into immediate medical care upon his arrival by Ratchet and the other medics on the premises. Tragically, the only fembot on base, her designation being Soulsearcher, had been killed in the line of duty by a Decepticon Seeker and two Combaticons. It saddened everyone as they proceeded to lay her to rest far below the floors in a specially made morgue, it's belly vastly large enough to hold a full Cybertronian tomb. It hurt to watch a fellow fembot tucked away to rest, especially considering they were already so few in number.

While there, it was immediately discovered that the deadsparked Autobots Ironhide and Jazz were there as well among the fallen. It had been originally figured that they were back on Cybertron, beside their brothers and sisters as they joined with the Matrix. Although the humans were kind enough to perform and respect a procession for their fallen ally, afterward, they were demanding answers. It was then that Optimus Prime left to speak with only a select few in private to discuss the matter, while the other humans and Cybertronians were left speechless and confused.

~As it shall for decacycles to come.~ Rainwing noted quietly, tipping herself to the side so she was skimming the tops, dipping a crevice inside the smoke that broke it apart like the parting of the waters on Earth's surface. ~I think it'll be better when we move on. The sooner we return to the alert, the better. No doubt the Decepticons would use this to their advantage.~ the mech went on. True as Smokescreen's words were, Rainwing couldn't help but feel a small sting from the possibility of simply 'moving on' from such a fresh wound. She wanted to return to normality, but it would be hard to do...very hard indeed. Pushing Smokescreen's comment to the back of her CPU, Rainwing sent him the images of the sky she was sailing, making sure to give him the exact same vision she was experiencing. ~It's so beautiful here...~ she vented, drawing into the body of the cloud before rising and falling in large waves. ~Don't you think so?~

Their comlink abruptly severed as Rainwing was unexpectedly blindsided.

Her side exploded in pain as her plates screeched in protest to a large impact on her right. Her wiring snapped and her internal pipes stalled. The fluid in her tanks jumped with the hit, and her wings tipped dangerously before she felt her cone dipping forward. Her spark pumped quicker than before, making it that much more difficult to react right away. The roars of her CPU cried in a chilling, purge-worthy voice.

The sight of the so-blue sky left her as her vents were stripped of air and her optics threatened to black out. They flickered and shorted at one point before rebooting. A feeling of aimless floating overtook her as her equilibrium dropped and she was left in a dizzying free-fall. Her shocked CPU suddenly faded into a muggy daze, obscuring any sense of clear thought. Her wings burned with a fiery lace of discomfort, stretching across her alt mode with a violent vengeance. The world spun below her, mixing together as an incomprehensible mass of color and blurred shapes. Light was incomprehensibly brighter, adding a fuzzy white to the edges of her vision.

The wind whipped past her audio receptors, encasing them in a soundless barrier of racing air. She could hear nothing, process nothing, only feel the confusion and the foggy sheen laid over her thoughts.

Through the blue of her processor, distant screams droned on and fought for her attention. Confused and disoriented, Rainwing struggled to grab ahold of something in herself- something that was far more solid than this empty drop. Focusing on the agony in her right side and drawing further into herself, the fembot was bombarded with threats and warnings that suddenly kick-started her instincts. Optics shooting wider and her energon running feverishly, Rainwing sucked in a sharp, cold cycle of air. She saw herself falling, limply, towards the awaiting ground that was now less than a thousand feet away. Her entire form was swirling downward in a spiraled decent, beside her immediate control. The currents her slim wings were slipping through let her drop that much faster. Her tanks were somewhere in her aft while her initial clarity was nearly shot.

Realizing her window of opportunity was quickly closing, Rainwing called out in effort as she yanked her B-2 Spirit alt mode upwards against the drafts. The sharpness of her correction caused webs of stress to inch over her scorching frame and wallow deep in her core. She needed to land and assess her damages before she overheated and went through an involuntary shutdown. However, that would possibly be difficult for her to do considering there was a suspicious, emerald-green F/A-18 Hornet jet trailing behind her.

It was uncertain if this flier was Decepticon, Autobot, or other, for there was no instantly visible insignia located over their lengthy body. Rainwing cursed lowly to herself and she put on an extra burst of speed, attempting to dislodge the assailant. She was a fembot, smaller and sleeker than her mech counterparts. As so, this allowed her to be far faster in the air around any other jet alt modes that mechs would take.

But, to her utter displeasure, the jet was easily able to match her increase. She would even go as far as to say that they were getting steadily faster. Rainwing braced herself before executing a barrelroll to the left, then swinging around in a large bank through the skies. The mysterious aircraft behind her followed right along, smoothly gliding around her same path without a hint of effort. Frag it all to Pit! she thought to herself, glancing back at her trailer as she dived low and took a right. Who is that?

By now, she knew this was no simple human or drone locked on her aft. This was a full-fledged Cybertronian, sticking to her every move as she calculated her next steps. Rainwing sent herself into a spin as she dived again and swung straighter. Once righted, she lifted up and produced a steady, large loop upwards. She could see the jet beneath her, sailing ahead as Rainwing came up behind them. She zeroed in on their aft, trying desperately to identify the large character. The Hornet held no tags or affiliation decals, so she assumed it was a rouge Cybertronian looking for a little game. They hadn't attacked yet, so they couldn't be looking to harm her? Her defense fell slightly and she gained on the jet, trying to study it further.

Without warning, a hissing click struck the air and the jet violently spun before her. Rainwing slowed, unsure of what was happening as the quickly transforming Hornet stretched its four limbs and shot backwards against the drafts. Rainwing, unable to react in time, was suddenly grabbed by a massive Cybertronian. Their servos clasped over her wings' edges, steadying them as they finished reforming. Then, their true intentions appeared.

Rainwing was thrown to the side, her pulled from a controllable flight pattern to a speedy downfall once again. Her panic rose when the ground continued to rush towards them perilously. The Cybertronian didn't seem to care about this fact however, and they kept Rainwing on this crash-course no matter how hard she tried to move. Her altitude swiftly dropped, her alarms lighting up her windshield. They warned her of her impending doom, screeching and blaring at her to pull up. Little could they care though, she couldn't.

Rainwing's new passenger leapt from her as they hit the two hundred feet mark, using their own momentum to transform and attach to her top. Painfully, the Hornet used a supernatural power to guide them on a less harsh landing path. Rainwing fought to free herself, blasting her engines so to possibly vibrate herself free. The fire protruding from the rockets on her lower wings flushed air hot enough to void oxygen. For a nanoclick, she thought her plan worked when the jet released her. But the understanding hit her and she felt her spark freeze in horror.

Her follower parted away from her, allowing her to hit the ground below in an explosion of dirt, rock, and vegetation. Rainwing felt her whole body shake and shriek in affliction as she hit the hardly packed earth, shattering the particles over her. Grasses lodged in her engine and stalled her rotors; trees snapped when her wings collided with them; rock scrapped along the belly of her alt. Her cries were lost as she dug in her landing pads to slow her speeding form. She was skidding along the ground, creating her own path of destruction as she flashed past. Rainwing felt her pads brake loose, flying through the air as her plating began to heat again from the incredible friction.

Her wings cracked against a bolder, sending her in yet another rapid turn. This had the fembot on her underside once again, slowly circling on the flatter expanse of meadow. It seemed that this finally began to slow her down, allowing her to heave a long moan and wait out the last of her landfall. Greens and browns slurred together as a single curtain surrounding her entire field of vision. Her pivotjoints complained with stiffness while her limbs burned with both the remaining heat from the friction and a buzzing nervousness. The warmth coursed through her plating, giving her internal fans quite the workout as they doubled their attempts of cooling her. With a series of grating, groaning, agonizingly slow parts, Rainwing went through her transformation to end up on her side.

The flier lay in a heap of her bleary confusion, willing herself to stay conscious despite the increasing want to do the opposite. She could feel the fire that was her frame and the twisting pain echoing deep in her spinal support and overall body. Every inch of her pulsed raggedly, continuing on as she curled into a loose ball on the dirt. Her internals turned with a livid revenge while her arms and legs felt too heavy to move correctly. Slowly, Rainwing wrapped her arms around her midsection, trying to somehow hold herself together. Shakes wracked her and her energon pounded in her audios. She fought to gain her lost thoughts, sorting through her CPU to make sure everything was in place.

As she did so, her body gave tiny jumps as the ground rocked under her. She thought it was just a trick of her bewildered processor, so she brushed it off. However, her arm was suddenly and roughly grabbed, wrenching her onto her spinal support. The wings on her hipbolts splayed behind her, fanning out as she lifted her kneebolts and rolled her helm in the blinding grip of the Earth's star. Before her was a giant black shadow- a mass she couldn't identify no matter the amount she squinted at it.

In a split nanoclick, she was up and slammed against a solid surface. Her spinal support cried out with her, and she bowed off what she was against with a shock of paralyzing flares in her relay. The shadow came closer, brushing by her audio receptor as her vision finally began to clear up. They were under the shade of a grove of trees, with Rainwing backed into the face of a cracking wall of rock. She felt a solid form by her tank cavity and another holding her upper arm with a painful force. "I didn't realize you were a fembot." the mech -because she was certain by now it was the other species of their race- growled beside her helm, pulling back, "You were a difficult trophy to catch. Nonetheless, it was quite fun."

Rainwing's optics widened as she looked upon the mech known as Skyquake: the merciless, cold, cruel Decepticon Second In Command of the skies. He was right behind Arachnid in power, controlling the other wings of the troops that Starscream had left behind. Frightened and hurting, Rainwing began to struggle, finding her weapons immobilized against the rock with the flier's arms holding her bracers in place. He was awfully close; far too close for her comfort.

Skyquake gave a deep, rumbling snarl as he leaned into her and shoved her arms harder into the rock. Rainwing whimpered as she jerked to get herself free, even using her legs to raise her chances. Though she was fast, this mech was twice as strong as her. He was easily able to control her, using his much larger size to pin her to the wall. "Feisty aren't we?" Rainwing felt him moving her arms so to grab them both in one large servo, using the other to travel down her side and stall at her hipbolt. The fembot squealed in defiance, desperately pulling on her arms as her disgust rose. Smokescreen's faceplates flashed before her optics, and the fembot's circuits ran icy with dread.

The mech shoved his leg between hers, sending a wave of fear through her chassis and causing her tanks to churn. This wasn't happening... this couldn't possibly be happening...

"Let me go, please don't do this." she begged, absolutely hating herself by the pitiful break in her voice. Skyquake laughed darkly at her request and he increased his pressure, putting their entire bodies into contact. "Fembots are just too few and far in-between to pass up..." his free servo slipped over her pelvic armor towards her panel, "I couldn't simply reject such a delicious opportunity." Rainwing could feel the warmth from her crash turning into a remnant of Skyquake's own heat, leaking deep into her cracks and crevices as he continually meshed his armor with hers. His digits were too rough, too dirty with the energon of his race. It made Rainwing want to purge her tanks.

Rainwing put up her defenses and locked her interface panel, placing up a firewall in her systems that shut down any functions relating to the part. Skyquake rumbled his chassis in a chuckle and he tucked his faceplates into the side of her neck. "Truly a treasure to find you here, especially more so since you are of Autobot party." before she could react, his lip plates were upon hers, crushing them together as he roughly took dominance and kissed her far with too much claim. It was almost as if he were stating his authority than actually kissing her. As Rainwing snatched her cranial unit away, she felt her wiring buzz with offense and her arms go numb. The discomfort in her shoulderbolts and upper spinal support was unbearable, causing her to squirm again. "Let me go!" she spat, giving one last fight for freedom before her panel was pulled by Skyquake. He realized she'd locked the device pretty quickly, but that didn't stop him from forcing it back. Rainwing growled with the painful lurch of her panel and her optics flashed with the intrusion.

Skyquake kept her still by pressing his chassis to hers, ceasing her ability to move properly. They both gave feral snarls as Skyquake went for his own panel, moving with Rainwing whenever she did and adding pressure when needed. Rainwing kept up her stubborn ire, even screaming at one point as Skyquake finally unlatched his panel. "You fascist, intrusive, troglodytic psychopath! Get your servos off of me!" she let loose a whole new volley of fight as the situation darkened. Her CPU raced with different options, yet none seemed to help her. Frustration crept into her spark, intensifying the helpless sense inside her. Skyquake went to connect them, having a difficult time as Rainwing continued to wiggle her hipbolts.

"Hold still!"

"Never, you disgusting fragger!"

They continued to fight with each other, the mech gaining more and more of an annoyed demeanor the longer this went on. Skyquake finally slammed himself into Rainwing, trying to use his overall bulk to hold her still. His servo curled around her wrists, squeezing impossibly tighter and making Rainwing wince. "Behave, little fembot. There is no one here for you. You might actually enjoy this if you quit your incessant griping." he insisted with another malicious purr. Rainwing huffed in response, too out of air to retort properly as her chassis heaved for viable air. Skyquake returned to his work, ignoring her weakened attempts for escape and instead putting his attention to other affairs.

And then he was gone.

Just like that, the mech ripped away from her. Rainwing was thrown to all fours as the force of his removal shook her stand. The grasses knitted into her digits and she shook her cranial unit, trying to make sense of what just happened. She lifted her heavy helm, peering around in search of evidence. The flier spotted Skyquake seated off nearby, holding his shoulderbolt as energon leaked between his digits. The scowl on his faceplates was deep and dangerous, making Rainwing nervous and satisfied at the same time. He didn't look pleased.

"I do not appreciate a mech of your stature taking advantage of a slighter fembot." this voice, a newer one to Rainwing, was smooth and even. It almost reminded her of the golden rays that blanketed the clouds above. Rainwing twisted around, falling back to sit on her peds as she did so.

A figure, tall and slim, encroached from the shadows. It was definitely a fembot, rugged-looking, with a frame that was as large as a fembot's could potentially come in. Her shoulderbolts were flared and came up in an odd, almost fan-like way. Her chassis was squared and pointed at the bottom, leading into her curved tank cavity. Her hipbolts held a long cape of armor, layered for comfortable movement. The armoring on her legs was wider towards the bottom, with a middle that caved in and showed a lower layer beneath the top. Her helm was smooth and curved, coming to a point at the back and arching gracefully towards the sky. The deep greens and blues of her paint helped her to blend in nicely with the shades of the grove.

The new arrival held herself high and confidently, one servo on her hip while the other supported a strange blaster by her helm, the nose aimed overhelm. Her intriguing lime-green optics narrowed at Skyquake, daring him to make a move. Rainwing watched as he did just that, his shoulderbolts hunching in anger as he began to stand. Then, behind the fembot, other sets of green lights bobbed in the black, concealed forms crouching ominously nearby. The fembot dropped her arm, letting her blaster aim for the middle of the Decepticon's chassis.

Rainwing slowly rose to her peds, trying to hide the weakness in her kneebolts as she gently rubbed the soreness in her wrists. "Leave here in peace. Maybe there won't be a hole in your spark if you comply." the fembot continued, causing Rainwing to look to the 'Con curiously. He suddenly appeared uncertain- almost unnerved by the sight of so many now against him. With one last scalding glare at Rainwing, the mech leapt into the air and transformed, jetting off with an audio-rattling recoil.

Rainwing watched the mech leaving, wishing so badly that she could have been the one to put that hole in his shoulderbolt. He tried to interface with her! It made her want to purge all over again recalling the feel of his servos on her hipbolts and the way he had a thrilled gleam to his optic. He enjoyed seeing her helpless and trapped. The brush of his lip plates against hers; the way he forced his dominance; his glossa sliding along her own... He was a sick, sick son of a glitch, that was for sure.

"Greetings,"

The distracted 'Bot whipped around in hearing the fembot's voice so close now. She actually had to tip her helm back to look into the faceplates of the fembot. Was she taller than Bee? This was by no doubt the largest fembot Rainwing had come to see, excluding the species of Cybertronians who took neither fembot nor mech qualities, and transferred into imposing figures of both height and bulk. Despite her deadly aura from before, her optics were now kind and noble as she slouched to be at a better height with Rainwing.

"My designation is Cameo: leader of the autonomous organisms known as Fabials. We are an elite group of Cybertronians who have taken refuge here alongside you on this planet." she turned to the side, exposing the shapes of five other hulking creatures that prowled from the expanse of trees. As they approached, Rainwing took an uncertain step back, surprised at seeing the very size of each being. She had never seen alt modes like these before, and she was sure that no animal on this planet was like them either. She could compare them, but nothing could describe the awe one experienced in setting optics on them.

Cameo opened her servo at each as they transformed, pointing out one after the other once they were bipedal. "This is Zincar, our Chief Medic," she held her servo at a towering creature of a mech. While he could easily match Optimus' height, Rainwing noticed that his paint was an array of browns and golds and not blues and reds. He nodded when Rainwing saw him, but then looked away as Cameo went on, "Galax, our Technician," next was a mech with fiery reds and stunning yellows for paint. He wasn't as tall as Zincar, but he was definitely taller than Rainwing ever could be. "Beta, our Weapons Specialist," another mech, clad in a simple shade of brown, with a hefty supply of ammunition and Cybertronian weaponry strapped to him. He too was taller, with a broad chassis and intricate armoring.

"Our Sniper Corra, and Tactician Tettara." the last two of the group were nearly the same in expression, but were far different in coloring and armor design. Corra was sleek and set in a darker shade of crimson and dark brown. Tettara however, was covered in thicker armor, with a more square pair of shoulderbolts, and colored in vivid yellow with brown accents.

Rainwing gave her best smile and tried not to look at any of these...Fabials too long. Their optics were chilling, yet so interesting to ponder that she almost stopped and studied a pair herself. "I'm...Rainwing." she responded finally, returning back to Cameo as the fembot gave a respective dip of the helm. "Well, Rainwing," she began, hooking her blaster back onto her hipbolt, "it seems time has brought our two kinds back together once again. It would grant me great pleasure if you were to allow us the company of your Autobot comrades. We have many questions that need to be answered: ones that require the insight of your leader." she offered a servo, which Rainwing reached for in turn. Cameo grabbed Rainwing's upper arm, offering a supporting smile. The Autobot flier returned the grin and caught herself studying a metal symbol on Cameo's upper arm, right on the fan of her shoulderbolt. By no doubt, it must be their symbol.

Communications were down, she was stuck in an unfamiliar territory with a damaged frame and a new group of supposed Autobots who called themselves Fabials, and she had nearly been forced into interface with a Decepticon miscreant. Could this kalon get any better?

The lights were dark and the room left cast in grey. Sunlight filtered through the windows, letting dusky rays provide the only luminance. Untouched pieces of large furnishings sit here and there around the floor. The hold of the walls was like a cold cage, keeping in the argument brewing between the two owners. Their words were foreign to anyone but their kind, full of high-pitched whistles, clicks, and other unique noises. The front door remained locked to whomever tried to interrupt them and it would stay that way until they saw to involve anyone else. The larger of the pair stood by the back, facing a door as he knocked for the hundredth time over.

"Rethalia, please come out. I want to talk to you properly about this..." he pleaded, his servo hovered in the silence. Waiting for a nanoclick, he sighed. His spark was aching in its casing, yearning to see the one being whom he had appalled so deeply. She was blocking him from their connection, and had been since he'd returned from the meeting with the humans.

Ironhide and Jazz's lifeless forms below the crust of the base was a great surprise to them, and had led to a flurry of questions concerning why they were there in the first place. The Prime tried his best to explain their presence, but it was still a boiling issue that needed dealing with. The truth was: Ratchet wished to revive them. A simple act in words, but far more complicated once put into consideration. They were fighting to repair the two mechs' frames so to possibly revive them later on, which in the human's eyes, was a selfish attempt at broken trust. They had not been informed of their allies' attempt at resuscitation, therefore they were displeased.

However, what they hadn't known was that they were not the only ones left in the dark about this.

When Optimus made his way back to his shared quarters, he came to an obviously furious sparkmate sitting on the couch in the living area. She had not yelled; she had not spoken a word. Her optics and silence said it all for her. She had Liora in her arms, bouncing the youngling into recharge when he'd come. Standing, she proceeded to make her leave with the young one in her grasp. That was what had started this cold distance given to him by his mate, and it was putting him through great pain dealing with it.

He knocked again, getting nothing but an empty response from his hails for her side of their bond. "Rethalia..."

"How could you?" she suddenly hissed from the opposite side of the barrier, making his optic ridges burrow further and his spark twist, "You...you hid this from me." she said, her voice full of betrayal. Optimus flinched and he carefully watched the silver of the door, wishing so strongly to take his sparkmate into his arms and tell her he was sorry. So, so very sorry.

"Rethalia, I never wanted for you to find out this way-"

"Then how was I to Optimus? How was I supposed to discover the bodies of deadsparked friends sitting beneath the surface of this planet?" she demanded.

The block before Optimus that was separating him from his sparkmate flew open, revealing an angered fembot with her upper half leant forward in her excitement. Her black and pink armor gleamed in the soft light, her silver faceplates etched beautifully. Her sky-blue optics flashed in aggravation, framed with opaque liquid. The substance of her tears flowed freely down her cheekplates and dripped from her mandible to the floor. Optimus, shocked, froze when he saw the hurt in her expression. It was rare for the Prime himself to be the reason for her utter fury, but now it seemed this was one of those times, causing even more guilt to crush his spirits. "Rethalia..." he began again, only to fall short. What could he say? He hated himself for keeping this secret from her, but he had no clue it would effect her so deeply.

She snorted and shouldered her way past, storming into the room past him. Optimus followed behind, reaching out to touch her shoulderbolt and stop her from going any further. She jerked away from his touch, startling him. "Do you have any clue what this feels like, Optimus? Do you have any idea what sense of duplicity I have right now? Fragging Primus, Optimus!" she turned again and grabbed a large stretch of fabric from the washroom, rubbing it across her faceplate roughly so to dry her tears.

"Rethalia, I never meant to suppress any hint of trust between us, however this was a situation imperative to secrecy. Ironhide and Jazz are soon to be trialed for revival-"

"That is not your decision to make. They were supposed to be on Cybertron Optimus, not Earth!"

Optimus nodded and averted his optics like a scolded youngling, unable to hold a steady contact with his sparkmate's accusing gaze. She was right, they deserved to rest in the holds of their true home... But would they have wanted that? They deserved no less than a restful lay, but something had been pulling in his spark, refusing to let him sign that compad that would allow the Xanthium's transport from Earth to Cybertron. "They deserve a peaceful rest," Rethalia went on, the fluids in her optics building again, "yet you were selfish enough not to give it to them." her optics narrowed and she jabbed a digit at his chassis. He didn't react to her move, simply letting her say what needed to be said because he knew she was right. She was always right.

"The others don't get a chance like this, do they? Thousands of our brothers and sisters are rotting on the surface of our planet while two are unfairly selected for this second chance of manifestation." Rethalia threw the cloth away from her, instead grabbing her elbowjoint and holding a fist by her mandible, "They had families and lives as well, had you not cared to recall. They held goals and morals, along with Ironhide, Jazz, Que, and the rest of our deadspark comrades." she pointed out, pressing her digits to her lip plates.

"Oh Primus, and Chromia?" Rethalia suddenly moaned in despair, beginning to rub her foreplate, "What will that be like for Ironhide if he is somehow revived? She's gone too Optimus, not just 'Hide. He'll...he'll go insane!" she shook her helm, seemingly denying that any of this was really happening. Optimus reached out to her through their bond, but she just pushed him away again. "I can't believe you're doing this Optimus..." she murmured, wrapping her arms around herself, "I just can't..."

The taller mech looked down helplessly at his mate, desiring so painfully to comfort her. But then, the realization would return and he would remember that he was the reason for her condition in the first place. He could feel the end tails of her emotions through their connection, but that was only because she wasn't completely blocking him. They could never do that to each other, for that was taking things too far. "Forgive me," he rumbled gently, "I can't bare to see you so angry with me- not after all this time we've been apart."

Rethalia sniffed and shuddered, keeping her optics away stubbornly. Optimus waited for her to say something; anything. However, she was stalling for too long- allowing the silence to play with his processor and make his own conclusions. "I am not angry Optimus, merely disappointed." Rethalia vented a sigh and Optimus felt his chassis constrict. Disappointment was far worse than anger. His lip plates fell into a harsh frown, showing his inner discontent. Things would have been so much better for the both of them if Optimus would have simply warned his mate beforehand. However, with her here now, on the same planet as he, his thoughts had been elsewhere.

Rethalia shook her helm again before drawing in a long, slow vent of air. She seemed to be calming down, but Optimus couldn't be completely sure. "How are you planning on...bringing them back?" she whispered after a moment, catching Optimus' optic. She still wasn't looking at him, but at least she wasn't yelling anymore. "The AllSpark sliver is in Decepticon control," he began, making Rethalia glance at him from the corner of her optic range, "however there is still...the Stone of Primus."

The fembot whirled on him, facing him with her optics wide and her arms by her sides, "The Stone?" she repeated in shock, "That artifact is raw power Optimus; it's something that has not yet had the examination that the AllSpark had. They could be destroyed if you try to revive them with it!" she stepped closer and Optimus found the pure skepticism in her optics. He sighed again and nodded, knowing all too well what she felt. "I understand the risks," he agreed, moving forward to take her servos in his, "however, Fera's revival of Solas Kaon has given me hope. If she really is the key to the Stone, then we could very well have the next AllSpark on our servos."

"An AllSpark that's tenfold less predictable!" she retorted, not making a move to take back her servos, "The Stone of Primus was considered legend until now, with the knowledge surrounding it being more so prediction than solid fact. This reckless attempt at reactivation has offered me the opinion that we truly know less of the Stone than we originally figured." she leaned in, "We're going into this blind Optimus, don't you realize? They can't be protoforms for Ratchet's experiments. Think of them and what they would do." Optimus' expression became grim at her words. She was making too much sense, and he was seriously beginning to doubt himself now. Maybe it was best to let them rest...maybe it was better to send them to Cybertron where they could receive a hero's welcome and be among their lost brethren.

"I have, Rethalia." he stated flatly, bringing up one servo to rest over the scar on his chassis, "They have done the same for me that I wish to do for them. I only want to return the favor."

"Where will that get us Optimus?" she was grabbing his servos now, almost as if she were trying to reason with him, "If the Decepticons get ahold of it, however you're doing this, and it works..." she trailed off and shook her helm from side to side, her optics closing. Optimus brought Rethalia to him, holding her firmly with his larger mass as closely as he could. She held onto him as well, voicing her worries in whispers that were barely audible to even him. "I don't want to see Ironhide without her...he's nothing without his sparkmate, you know that..."

"I fear I may not be able to fix a broken spark Rethalia. She could possibly be revived like the others, but would their bond survive?"

"It would have to!" she claimed, pushing herself far enough so she was looking up into his faceplates, "Sparkmates are literally half of their other. They are already split, so if you were to revive one, you must the other or they won't be able to go on. You would just be placing him through a slow, antagonizing end."

Of course he knew that- he always had. However, getting Chromia's body to Earth in aims to revive her beside her sparkmate would be a major task. They were low on energy, for their solar-powered electric-to-energon converter was slow in making even average sustenance. His chassis trembled in frustration when he felt his plans falling to pieces around him. Rethalia began to gently rub his plates, massaging the tense wiring and placing her digits in crevices only she knew of. Optimus shuddered and watched her steadily, reminding himself for the thousandth time that she was really here, in his grasp. She was real. She was really here, with him. Recently, even the smallest touch had become enough to make him go insane.

"Tia? Tia?" a tiny voice called.

And apparently his sparkling was also real.

Rethalia broke away from Optimus and the two creators turned towards the sound of their creation's cry. When Optimus found his youngling standing in the doorway to their personal recharging area, he couldn't help the warm grin that stretched over his faceplates. She looked to have just awoken, for she was rubbing one servo over her optic, the other wrapped around a stuffed bear given to her by Bumblebee. The young one simply adored the elder cyberling, almost to the point as if he were a sibling. They played so well with one another that Optimus encouraged they spend time together.

When he'd first learned Optimus had a sparkling, the yellow Guardian was speechless -as if that wasn't already normal considering his vocal processor-. However, soon enough, he was ogling like Moonracer over the tiny creation. Now that she was upgraded to her youngling casing, she came up to his thigh, placing her at only nine feet at her tallest. Moonracer still visited every Earth day, taking care of the sparkling when both creators were absent.

Rethalia had made a deal long ago with Optimus that she was to pick the frame and he the color. However, that had been made vorns earlier in their fresh bond, making him figure the compact had rusted. However, to his surprise, she recalled it, and put it to use. Optimus spent at least a week shifting through the compads Ratchet had given him, trying so desperately to find a proper frame that Rethalia would find pleasing for their youngling. And by the way she accepted the design with a beaming smile on her lip plates, she had.

It was an intricate series of bowed edges and pointed, swooping curves. Small, delicate pieces of armoring lined her arms and spinal support. More of these puzzled slips of metal ran down her legs and covered her slight peds. Her chassis was two sets of connecting plates that were shaped like raindrops, linked by small chains in the middle. Her helm held itself beautifully, with just enough grace and youngling touch that it fit her without flaw. The middle of it met in a long, curved seam that would smooth out at the back and sit between two attachments on the upper sides. The crest was a wider version of her mech creators, yet not so tall. All of this was blanketed in a vivid indigo paint. When the light hit her just right, she shined a soft purple that simply stole the air from Optimus' vents.

Liora let her arm drop and her intensely blue optics caught her mech creator's. Her faceplates broke into a great grin and she ran forward on still-unsteady legs. She was just beginning to get the hang of her now stronger, larger limbs, and through this time, Optimus found himself nor his sparkmate could prevent their amusement in watching her waddle along. With the large teddy bear clutched in her arms, Liora met Optimus' outstretched arms. He picked her up easily and brought her close, releasing a few chuckles as Liora giggled into his neck. "Mime! Mime!" she cried gleefully, her newer tone like the sound of joyous bells while her laughter spilled like a bubbling creek.

Optimus drew away his sparkling and she rested on his arm as he held her before him, his free servo on her spinal support. Rethalia came around them both and stood on Optimus' side, her servo on his arm as she watched them with a pleased expression. "What is my designation?" Optimus inquired, faking a serious expression. Liora laughed and reached out to him, setting both servos on his cheekplates while somehow keeping hold of her toy at the same time. "Mime! Opimus Mime!" she called out mischievously. Optimus smiled and began to tickle his youngling, who squirmed and batted at his digits when he found the sensitive wires underneath her armoring. "Silly youngling," he cooed, pushing out his faceplates to touch her foreplate to his. Liora happily cooperated, watching him with her vibrant and hyper gaze. Their noseplates brushed and Optimus huffed at her, making the youngling squeal in delight. "What is my designation?" he tried again, pulling back.

Liora threw her arms into the air as she exclaimed, "Optimus Prime!" and enveloped him in an accomplished hug. Optimus, almost too proud to speak, hugged her in return. He adored this personal time with his creation, and he wouldn't trade it for anything. His servo nearly took up her entire spinal support, while her small vents whirred against his upper chassis. Liora's helm tucked neatly beside his neck, curling in close as she gave a content sigh.

Hesitantly, Optimus broke their contact once again to turn towards his sparkmate. "What is her designation?" the Prime asked next, glancing between Liora and his sparkmate as the youngling watched her fembot creator with curious optics. "Tia! Retia!" she responded purposefully. Rethalia took the little one from Optimus and used her turn to tickle the playful creation. Liora screamed in elation and tried to shove the fembot's servos away. "What is it?" Rethalia demanded, still strumming her digits over the youngling's wires. Liora's vents were gasping for air, her optics filling with liquid. "Rethalia!" she managed through her vents, "Rethalia! Rethalia!"

Rethalia gave mercy to the overheating youngling and she held her close, pressing their foreplates together as the two smiled at one another. Optimus saved this image far, deep in his processor's core- storing it so he could relay it later in the loops of his recharge. It was the closest thing to 'dreams' that Cybertronians were supposed to get.

Then, amidst their touching moment as a family unit, the door hissed in opening. Both creators and creation snapped their helms up to see who was there. Optimus froze, the arm wrapped around Rethalia's shoulderbolts tightening. Liora was no longer laughing, but rigid alongside her creators. As their visitor entered, Rethalia softly cursed under her vents and she moved to fully show Liora. Optimus straightened, standing tall behind his sparkmate with a cold set of features. Personal quarters were never meant to be entered unless given permission, or in an emergency situation. They were never, ever entered freely.

The fading sun's light hit off of the one outlined at the door. They were but a shadow against the lighter luminance of the hall, their features unapparent until they stepped forward. "It is good to finally see my High Commander again, especially when he seems so...tranquil." this voice was immediately recognized by Optimus as the mech entered, his shoulder mounts barely surpassing the limit of the door's height.

"Ultra Magnus, I hope there is a good reason you are entering my personal quarters unauthorized." Optimus warned sternly, less than pleased to see the mech though he was a very old, very close friend. The red, white, and blue City Commander strode into a better light, showing his own expression of seriousness. In his left arm, he cradled an emerald-green mech sparkling that had wide, eager optics. "Of course." he nodded, looking over the family unit before him. "First of all, I congratulate you on your creation." he gave a kind grin to Liora, who hid shyly in her fembot creator's neck when the mech acknowledged her. Firelight watched her curiously, while she only peeked at him every so often. Optimus respected the mech's words, giving a dip of his helm with his sparkmate in gratitude. Magnus didn't show his surprise in Liora's presence, but Optimus was sure beneath the stoic features of his peer, he was beyond words.

"However, beside that," he went on, shifting Firelight in his grasp as the little one tried leaning forward to get a better view of Liora, "I was concerned from the noises I had heard from outside your door. I had been searching for you in the intentions that you would come to the front lobby. We have guests approaching."

"Guests?" Optimus questioned. He didn't like the uncertainty in Magnus' voice. Ultra Magus nodded, standing in a silent wait for the Prime's next order. Giving a sigh, Optimus rounded Rethalia and bent before his family, raising a servo to cup Liora's faceplates. "I shall return, my brightspark." he promised, kissing the top of her helm. Liora leaned forward before he completely pulled away and she pecked his noseplate. Smiling at this act, Optimus grabbed a quick kiss from Rethalia and switched back to Ultra Magnus. "Stay here with Rethalia to guard the offspring. I shall go greet our...guests myself." he ordered. Magnus didn't argue, but Rethalia walked around her sparkmate and took Firelight from Magnus.

"No, you go too." she opted, pivoting on her heelped to walk over to the couch by the back. She placed both young ones there, sitting between them as she looked up at the two towering mechs, "We can't have our City Commander caught up in the back with a couple of young ones, now can we?" her lip plates came up in an encouraging smile, but Optimus still stalled hesitantly. Could she handle these two alone? Optimus started forward, about to offer himself to watch them himself while she went in his place, but she raised a servo, stopping him. "I already have comlinked Firestar, and she is on her way as we speak. Go, we will be fine." she assured him.

Optimus, still anxious, glanced at all three on the couch in turn before locking optics with his mate again, "Are you sure Rethalia? You shall be alright?" he pressed. Rethalia nodded and wrapped her arms around the two on her sides, rubbing their arms soothingly, "Of course. I'm a fembot, aren't I? This is what we were created for."

Satisfied by her answer, Optimus relayed his trust through their bond, which now lay open and free between them. He and Ultra Magnus departed, passing Firestar on their way out. The fembot beamed up at them, her attractive faceplates flashing that compassionate gleam they always did. She was more than not the one bringing out the happiness in the day, even in the gloomiest of times. It was why so many gravitated toward her, including her bonded Inferno. She waltzed into Optimus' personal quarters, the door unable to shut in time to cut off her gasp of blatant shock.

The two Commanders walked calmly through the halls, neither needing to speak a word. They passed the scaffolds lined with humans, carefully dodged the bodies below, and greeted those who were kind enough to acknowledge them. When they had came upon the main entrance, Optimus felt as though a vorn had passed and he'd logged hundreds new faces. These would be replaced within the Earth week however, leaving room for the recruits and 'fresh meat' as they were called by Captain Epps. Optimus didn't understand the term until he'd attended a training session for the incoming human soldiers. Humans and their wish for personal torture...that scene reminded him too much of the newly drafted on Cybertron.

Ultra Magnus led the way into the main lobby, walking before his leader as the two mechs stepped alongside the humans out to the runway. Already here was many of the upper ranking human officials, such as Captain Robert Epps, the Directors Cameron Ferk and Peter Solamen, General of the Armies Wendell Hendricks, and Colonel James Marks. The Autobot forces included Solas Kaon -with Fera of course-, Bumblebee, Arcee, Ratchet, Smokescreen, Ultra Magnus, and himself. The party was unusually small compared to the forces available on base, but when Optimus scanned the nearer area surrounding them, he could pick up the familiar signatures of his warriors among the tree line and by the hangars.

"Heads up everyone! Incoming transformers!" Epps suddenly shouted, catching Optimus' attention again. The darkly skinned human faced his gathered troops, raising his hand to signal they prepare for his mark. The Prime then peered across the land, focusing immediately on the bridge leading from the mainland to Roosevelt Island. Ultra Magnus announced his own order for preparation, causing the tension in the air to rise greatly. The shapes along the hills were becoming larger, approaching at a speed Optimus became wary of. They were definitely large, as they appeared so even from a distance.

The group coming closer was made up of six oddly shaped...creatures? They didn't appear to be in alt form, but in quadruped. One was bipedal, but it was so oddly built that Optimus strained to understand. One of the largest was front and center, leading the group in a massive, four-legged creature that resembled closely to a reptile. Following behind, there was a three-headed canine, a giant being almost in the shape of a bird, another reptilian creature with no limbs but a cranial unit and slender body, a quadruped with the front of an eagle and the aft of a lion, and a smoother figure that was smaller than the others, but also canine in appearance.

~What...what are they?~ Bumblebee asked in awe through the comlink. Optimus continued to stare at the incoming party with a focused gaze, never leaving them for an astrosecond. ~I don't know Bumblebee.~ he admitted, his bracer buzzing with awareness. They didn't appear like they wished to attack, but the Prime could never be sure. He curled his servo into a fist, willing himself to keep away his jumpy energon sword and put forth a better sense of calmness.

Out of the dusky-blue skies and roaring overhelm, a jet broke the quiet and shattered audios with their pass. Optimus winced with everyone else and lifted a servo to cup his aching cranial unit. The unexpected addition made a wide arch through the air and soared towards the ground, reforming mid-land and coming out in bipedal mode.

Optimus recognized the battered, beaten form as the fembot Rainwing running across the meadow. Her slim frame dashed quickly and agilely over the expanse, showing a slight show of discomfort as she sprinted on. Smokescreen broke from the lines and walked to the front, waiting for his fembot to meet him. Optimus saw the concern on the mech's faceplates when he saw Rainwing's injures and the dirt caking her usually pristine armor. She finally reached him and launched herself at the Diversionary Tactician, roping her arms around his neck. Smokescreen stumbled back at the power behind her reunion with him, and he was slow to put his servos on her spinal support.

She hid her faceplates in her arms and his neck, her optics closed tightly. She looked scared and younger than Optimus had ever seen her. Instead of a fembot clinging to her lover, she was a youngling holding dearly onto her mech creator. Words of comfort breezed from Smokescreen's lip plates, carrying onto Optimus' audio receptors as he took a single step forward. He wanted to make sure one of his warriors was ok, but he stopped when Rainwing produced another comment in Smokescreen's audio receptor and the mech froze solid.

A clear, reverberating snarl came from him, and everyone paused in hearing it. Optimus noted the way Smokescreen's servos hugged Rainwing to him tighter and the way his body tensed. Optimus' hesitance made him take a step back, his CPU filling with a wisdom that only space would be good for the mech. Whatever she had said to him couldn't be good, but the Prime was in the dark about whatever it was bothering her. Carefully, he watched the two a moment longer to wait out their conversation. When it ceased for a few nanoclicks, Optimus opened a private comlink to the Tactician.

~What has happened to her Smokescreen?~ he asked experimentally, testing the level of aggravation this mech was dealing with. The Prime already went through one explosion that kalon, he didn't think he could handle another. Smokescreen kept Rainwing close even when her embrace ended, keeping them from moving very far as their arms wound around each other. ~I knew she shouldn't have gone out alone!~ he sent back, expelling his rage through the connection. Optimus flinched at the volume connected to the message, and he sent his own softer one hoping Smokescreen would follow his example, ~A Decepticon attacked her then?~ he assumed. Smokescreen growled both physically and through the comlink. ~Of course! It was Skyquake, he...he tried to...~ he snorted and grabbed the flier fembot again. Optimus needed nothing more, for the disgust in the mech's tone was enough. With a stone-cold tone, Optimus ordered Smokescreen to take the fembot inside. He agreed quite easily, disappearing with her inside the base within the click to take her to see one of the medics on base.

Prime returned his attention forward, ignoring the questioning glances thrown his way as he came forward to intercept the arrivals. The apparent leader of the group approached with a leisured pace, giving off an almost nervous edge. The others showed the same aura, though they didn't hide it as well. Optimus stood a good few yards away, giving them their space so he didn't seem threatening. The new creatures shuttered odd, yellow-green optics at him from their elevated height. If Optimus came any closer, he was sure he would be at least a foot shorter than most the group.

Ultra Magnus came on his right side, while Bumblebee came onto his other. Optimus warned the cyberling to keep his distance even though he knew there was an itching curiosity just beneath his surface. "Greetings," he called to them in Cybertronian, hoping that these truly were six of the dwindling race, "my designation is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobot faction of Cybertron. I hope you understand me, for I wish to accommodate peace between us." he offered, patiently waiting for a response. The leader of the group before him stepped forward, beginning a transformation that confused and amazed him all at the same time. Their whole body melted away and transferred smoothly to their spinal support and overall frame. Their cranial unit opened to reveal a smaller, nobler one underneath.

A slight two feet easily dropped off from their height, putting them back to an equal height to Optimus. Their alt form dipped over their arms and down their legs, giving a wider berth to each ped. Their arms were slim before their bracers, which transitioned from wide again to thin down by the servos. A sort of cape circled around their lower midsection, hanging off their hipbolts as their final armoring settled. An averaged-sized ion blaster was connected to their hipbolt, flashing pitch black in the afternoon sun. Rolling their neck once, their helm snapped into place. This, was by far, the strangest yet most natural reformation Optimus had seen. "We have been waiting for vorns to meet you Optimus Prime. In fact, we've been waiting for longer to see a fellow Autobot at all."

The tone was higher than a mech's, but still low for even a fembot. Optimus studied the expression of the incredibly tall fembot before commenting. There was a symbol on her shoulderbolt that intrigued him, but he just couldn't find the file. He recognized it from the archives vorns ago when he'd apprenticed with Alpha Trion, but the memory seemed to have rusted in its lack of recognition. Optimus brushed it aside and raised his arm, which the fembot took. This was the largest fembot Optimus could say he'd ever seen. Rethalia was considered tall to him, but she was still at least five feet shorter than him. This Cybertronian on the other hand was able to look into his optics without a tilt of the helm.

The others behind her transformed as well, revealing great, hulking Cybertronians that Optimus hadn't seen since the Dinobots and those rare few back on Cybertron. He wasn't used to being the shorter one of a group. Around him, Optimus could see the group being made up of three fembots, including the leader, and three mechs. The shortest of them was a fembot, who was taller than Bumblebee still.

"I am Cameo." the lead fembot announce, drawing her arm back, "And we are the Fabials."

Smokescreen's got a bone to pick with the Decepticons...

No one messes with a mech's femme.

Ever.

And remember the little sneak watching Solas from ch. 33?

Yeah, that was a Fabial :)

Ok, now about that contest:

As TF fans, I know all of you have talent. Whether it be writing, or drawing, or photo manipulation, or even music, I know each of you have your own special abilities :) Because of this, I wanted to have a contest showcasing them. It goes like this: Each participant is to create a piece of work based off of the Of The Spark And Heart story. It can be anything that makes you think of this story - lyrics for a song, fan art, a poem, ect. - made by YOU. It should feature one or more features from the piece, and a touch of your own original idea as well.

Rules:

If you take an idea, give credit to that person.

A poll will be given at the end showing the top three picks, and you may only choose 1

You may enter as many times as you want

There will be three total 'top entries', but only one 'winner'

Prize:

1st prize: The top winner will get a FF written for them of a topic of their choice

2nd top prize: An original character of theirs will be introduced into Of The Spark And Heart Part 2

3rd top prize: A Gimp-manipulated image of a TF character of their choice

When you're finished with your entry, just send me a link through private messaging and your entry will be officially submitted

Thanks for playing :D

*Chapter Inspiration: Going Under- Evanescence*