#please read ignition

Poor kid. He was from Earth, supposedly in status throughout the whole war. Of course, the ‘Cons had no documentation of the mech. Something to do with the human military force finding him first. I’m not to sure. I was never got much on Light-Edge’s backstory. It was clear that he was hurting though. Ratchet and Arcee followed him around like a pair of hawks. He was sick or something to the like. I was never told what it was. It wasn’t my business to know.

Light-Edge was so dissociated when I first met him, all those months ago.

Yet, upon Prime’s secret orders, I started coming to the base. I started to get to know Light-Edge. I started to get to know the members of Team Prime. Everyone began to open up and enjoy my company. And I was enjoying theirs.

To the point where I was steadily powering down on Light-Edge’s shoulder one late and stormy night. The solar winds had brought the summer heat from the Sea of Rust over Metroplex like a blanket; making everyone hazy in function. The first really muggy summer since we all returned. Most of the bots where readjusting. Expect for Light-Edge. The humans pulled him out of a desert on their planet. The mechling was used to it.

I felt my helm dip one last time. It clinked off of Light-Edge’s shoulder plating with a quiet ‘tink’. I finally gave up and yawned. The mechling I was sitting on chuckled in amusement as I lifted my arms over my head to stretch.

“What?” He asked, smirking softly, “Earth cinema not good enough for your Cybertronian palette?”

“It’s not that.” I yawned once again, “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe is clearly a masterpiece that needs to be preserved for generations to come.”

I slowly slid down his outstretched arm to look at him face to face. I smiled wearily and added, “It’s late, kiddo. I don’t know what you do all day, but I have work in the morning.”

There was a crack of lighting outside the base. I could hear the rain pounding off the roof. I didn’t need to look out the mechling’s cramped room window to know that the rain was pouring down in sheets. He looked at me with great disapproval.

“You’re going home? In this?” Light-Edge said dryly. He gestured to the downpour blowing pass his window.

“That? You?” He continued, “You’d get blown away.”

“I can walk.”

“You’ll get swept up in the streets.”

“Then I’ll call for a pick up.”

“Night Glide will get hit by lightning.”

I smirked. “You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

The blue mechling huffed. He crossed his arms and tried to give me a tough face. However, the mechling was still a mechling. It came out more like a pout then anything resembling a threat.

“I just don’t want you to go home in this. It’s too dangerous, Sky.”

“I agree with Light-Edge.”

My helm swiveled to the door where Ratchet, the Autobots head medic, was making his way into the room. Medical kit in hand.

Light-Edge’s nightly diagnostic. I scampered to Light-Edge’s other arm as Ratchet didn’t skip a beat and began to set up for the mechling’s tests.

“I haven’t seen winds like this in eons. You’re too small to make the journey across the city on your own.”

“Jeez, thanks for the vote of confidence, Ratchet.”

Ratchet didn’t even look at me as he lifted a digit to silence me. “I’ve repaired enough Minicons before the war to know what their physical limitations are.”

The old bot took Light-Edge wrist and plugged in one of his scanners. Ratchet paused for a moment before added briefly, “As Light-Edge said; we don’t want to see you get hurt, Skyfall.”

I smiled softly upon hearing that. Ratchet was a bit of a hard bot. Four million years of war made his bedside manners less than to be desired, but underneath all that flaking plating was a spark of gold. Even when he didn’t want to admit it.

Ratchet waved me off; trying to shoo me off of Light-Edge’s shoulder. I took to the air to avoid his servos.

“You two sparklings can finish your movie once I finish here.” Ratchet said, “Now, shoo. You’re a distraction.”

“Sparkling? I’m only 400,000 years younger then Arcee.”

“Well, you’re a sparkling compared to me. Shoo, will you?”

Ratchet continued to bat the air in front of me. Light-Edge was finding this very amusing. He was laughing by the time I retreated to the doorway. Light-Edge waved at me. I waved back. Ratchet grumbled as he returned back to the blue mechling’s side.  

“Really now. Minicons.”

Outside Light-Edge’s dorm, I stretched out my arms and wings. I turned on my peds, walking towards the common area of the base. The large hanger was filled to the brim with the rest of the other Autobots; lounging around to avoid the summer storm outside.

Bumblebee and Smokescreen where sparring while the rest of Team Prime watched and chatted among themselves. The clashing of fists was almost as loud as their trash talk. I couldn't help, but chuckle. Mechs would be mechs. The two rounded pass me as I entered the room.

“Hey, Sky!” Smokescreen said cheerfully, pinning Bee’s arm painfully by sitting on the poor mechling, “Not going home in this, are you?”

The bots started tumbling once more. I sidestepped out of the way. Bee gave his partner a swift kick. Smoke fell like a bundle of bricks.

Bumblebee added, “Need a ride home?”

“I'm staying here for the night. Doctor’s and Light-Edge’s orders.”

The sure fire sound of Optimus Prime’s peds came echoing throughout the chamber. The roughhousing nearly stopped when he came into the room. Almost. Prime looked fondly at his team, then his optics fell onto me.

“Both Ratchet and Light-Edge are wise to think that.” Optimus said, “We have plenty of space for you to stay until the storm passes, Skyfall.”

“Oh, hell yeah,” Smokescreen remarked. The mechling’s doorwings were bouncing with excitement. “I always wanted to do a sleepover ever since the kids ever talked about!”

Bumblebee’s servo shot up straight into the air, “I call first pick for movies!”

Somewhere down the hallway, Light-Edge retorted. His answer echoing off the metal walls.

“We’re still watching Gamera!”

Ratchet also sighed. Seemed like wrangling three energetic young mechs was a full time job. My spark swelled up, once again amazed by the seamless family they had all became. I giggled, but it quickly because loud and clear with delight.

I had not felt a something like this since I was with Jetstream and her trine.

A wave of bittersweet washed over my spark; making it heavy with the memory. Sure, I was bonded. And yes, Glide and I were a family. However, it was just the two of us against the world for such a long time. Something deep in my coding always longed for more though.

Night Glide was raised a Vosian Seeker. He was cool and distant. Affectionate, but never openly showed it. Ever since we came home, he worked long days. He was a cop, after all. Even with the battles over, there was still grudges that would arise.

I was working a lot myself. Immigration and all that. A lot of my free time, I was responding to emails from off world colonies or here. Helping with Light-Edge’s reintegration into our society.

Our schedules never quite lined up anymore.

I don’t know. Maybe I was overthinking this. Maybe I was lonely. Or maybe I was greedy and wanted more. Whatever it was; I pushed it down and enjoyed the rest of my evening.

It went as well I one would expect what three mechs would think would be entertaining. It was a B-movie marathon. I was introduced to a wide array of Earth films; ranging from slashers to spaghetti westerns. All of them equally trouble in their own unique ways. I don’t think I’ve laughed as hard in a long time then listening to Smokescreen’s and Light-Edge’s constant commentary.

At some point, Knock Out came and joined us as well. Another follow fan of the art form. The medic would regal about his time sneaking into the parking lots of Earth’s drive-in theaters with his partner, Breakdown; watching the local picture show. The former ‘Con seemed a little down over the memory. He was hiding it though through wit. I knew that he and Breakdown where close, but I guess the scars of war hadn’t healed just yet for the red sportscar.

Slowly, as the night and storm dragged on, one by one; the mechs turned in for the night. I was set up in a spare dormitory next to Light-Edge’s room. That’s where I found myself just unable to sleep. Not for the reason I thought I would either. I thought I wouldn’t sleep being so close to the Autobots, but in reality, I couldn’t sleep without my carrier.

I was just used to being held in my carrier’s deployer compartment. I had not (or at least very rarely) ever just recharged on my own. I was used to the warmth and feeling of safety that being in my carrier provided. It also was a good way to mentally unwind too. Hooking up to my carrier provided me a safe way to ‘unload’ my emotional stress as well. It was easier to share the anxiety between two, then to suffer alone.

As another hour clocked by, I finally gave up. I shifted from my alt. mode (my prefered charging state) and sat up in the massive berth I was provided. I looked towards the wall where I could hear Light-Edge sleep peacefully. I groaned in embarrassment. I had two options:

Ask for help with this predicament.

Or risk not getting any charge and crashing at work.

Ask for help with this predicament.

Or risk not getting any charge and crashing at work.

I swallowed my pride. I hopped out of berth, crept into the hallway and peeked into the blue mechling’s room.

The kid was powered down, breathing softly as I tip toed closer to his berth. On cue, like he knew I needed something, his optics dimmed online. Light-Edge yawned and lazily stretched. My wings hung close to the floor. I immediately fault stupid over this and regretted my actions.

“Hey…” He mumbled, “What’s up, Sky…?”

It took me a moment to answer. My mouth suddenly went dry. I also felt so much smaller. Light-Edge tilted his helm in concern when I didn’t say anything right away. Though, he waited until I was able to piece my words together.

“I have the dumbest question...”

“It’s not a stupid question if you were willing to wake me up in the middle of the night to get an answer.” The mechling gave me a haft smile. He lowered his servo to allow me to hop up onto his berth and sit next to him. “What’s wrong? You seem upset.”

“Not upset. Just...embarrassed.” I looked up at him. I smiled weakly. “I can’t sleep.”

Light-Edge chuckled, “That all?”

“Yeah. Normally have Night Glide around.”

“Used to having another person to share the berth or something?”

“More like used to sleeping in the other person.”

Light-Edge raised a puzzled eyebrow. A tired chuckle escaped me. I leaned back. I rested my helm against the larger bot’s shoulder plate. Light-Edge shifted and curled an arm around me. I smiled weakly. That helped a bit.

“It’s a Minicon thing.” I explained, “I link up with my carrier every night and power down with them. I’ve been doing it for so long that it just feels...weird not charging like that.”

“So, you just need a box or space like that to sleep in?” Light-Edge said.

“Something like that. Yeah.”

“What about my trunk?”

I blinked. Wait? He was going for it? Actually?

He chuckled. My confusion must have been plain to see. He pointed over his shoulder with his spare arm.

“My trunk.” He repeated, “It’s on my back. Do you just want to charge in there? You’re not going to bother me. I’ve slept through much worst.”

It took me a moment for his words to actually sink into my mind. Slowly, I felt a chuckle creep up my throat. My turbines whirled to life as Light-Edge sat up. He offered me a servo to land on while he smiled. With a click, the hatch between his shoulder blades opened. Light-Edge rested his forehead against mine.

“Night, Skyfall.”

“Night, Light-Edge.”

He pulled away as I took off from his servo; transforming into my jet mode. I rounded his shoulder and landed squarely in the back of his trunk. It closed behind me. I settled in the darkness; feeling a hundred times better. Comforted in the metallic blanket I was wrapped in. Soothed by internal hums and machinery.

I found myself listening to the consistency of Light-Edge’s sparkbeat. Every spark had a different rhythm then the one next to it. Every bot was it’s own little song. It’s own little record spinning through the cosmos. Light-Edge’s spark was no different. His spark steady and calming. Melodic. Much like the bot it belong to.

It ended being my own personal lullaby. I was asleep before I knew it.

***

I missed my home. The one that was thousands of millions of light years away.

On a blue, glassy planet was my home. The only one that I had known in my short life. The sand and rock of Jasper. The vistas and the nearly endless expanse of the desert skies. How quiet and peaceful it all was.

I missed my family. My mom and my friends; Raf and Miko. I hadn’t seen them since I came here. I missed watching movies, playing video games, working on my bike in the garage...the warmth of my mother’s hug.

I missed so much of my homeworld. So, so, much.

I wasn’t this. What I become. I was a monster now; a mess of wires and metal and energon. Ratchet made me like this to keep me alive. Yet now I had to keep up a living lie. I couldn't become what Optimus wanted me to. Now I'm stuck. In between something I am and something alien.

My name was Light-Edge.

I am Jack Darby.

We were Skyfall.

I gasped for air as if I was drowning in mercury. No. It was Ratchet’s cybermatter. Or at least the memories of it. I floundered. My frame felt slow and sluggish; my processors trying to catch up with the rest of me. My interfacing cables unplugged themselves as I began to realize what was happening. I had plugged myself into-

“JACK!”

The kid was screaming. I knew why. Oh Primus, I knew why. From the bottom of my spark, all the way through my wiring; I realized with crystal clarity was if I felt every fiber he was feeling that he felt every inch of mine. And I had four million years of wars, surgery and abuse on top of his meager nineteen.

“JACK!” I yelled once more, but the bot- boy- kid, was still screaming.

He probably couldn’t hear me under all the plating. I went to eject. Yet, the way was firmly locked. Jack was on his back. He probably woke up from a dead charge like this and didn’t understand what was happening.

Against better judgement, I did the only thing I could do while trapped within my carrier. I plugged myself back in.

Somewhere between our two minds was the meeting point. Every carrier/deployer had one. It was the space where our two hafts became one; where the passing of knowledge was seamless. I knew he was there. What I didn’t expect was to find the human; not the mech, doubled over in pain and sobbing.

“Sweet Solus Prime...”

I came over to him; finally eye to eye with each other. I set a servo on his back and traced it along his spine. Jack sputtered out a gasp. Wild blue eyes looked up at me with both confusion and relief. I smiled weakly; pulling him into a hug. Jack grabbed onto my back plates like it was the last things on Cybertron. In our combine minds, they might as well be. I continued to rub his back to calm him.

“I know…” I cooed softly, “I’m so sorry… You’re ok now, kiddo. It was just a bad dream-”

“No, that wasn’t.” I heard muffled against my plating, “That was real. That happened. To you.”

Slowly, his shaky hands wrapped themselves around my helm’s filigree. I had thought I was used to Jack’s striking eyes by this point. Yet, his steel blue eyes looked so heartbroken. So, concerned for me. Let alone his own well being.

I think that hurt more than the fact I just traumatized him with eons of my memories.

“Why didn’t you tell me about any of this?” He asked.

My breathing hitched. I tilted my helm to nuzzle into his palm. I gave Jack the only answer I had.

“Cause I’m still working through it.” It wasn’t a lie. “It hurts, but not as much as it used to.”

My servos brought him closer in the hug, “I’m sorry that I dragged you into all of this, Jack. It’s-”

A pop up window flashed before me. I felt my face scrunch up as I pulled myself away from Jack to read it. Jack swiveled his head to see it as well; looking as completely lost as I was feeling. His eyes flickered as he tried to read what I had already finished.

Primus, no.

“Sky?” He questioned, “I’m not up to date on my Cybertronian. What is that?”

I let the boy go quickly. A hissed slipped through my teeth. I closed the window. Then opened one of my own. Jack finally got to his feet as I began to furiously type on a holoboard.

“Sky?” Jack’s fear was starting to creep back into his voice.

My screen crashed. The keyboard disappeared. I looked quickly at the boy before Ratchet forcefully ejected me from my current carrier. Both carrier and deployer where screaming with my removal.

Ratchet should have known better. With our two minds linked like that; it was similar to a psychic patch. It was mutual. A symbiotic process. A respectful partnership.

It wasn’t as abrasive as the patch. However, a forced deployer ejection was just as dangerous. Luckily, (or out of the medic’s skill) it didn’t outright kill the both of us. It just felt like our bodies where being ripped in half.

Though, I have a feeling that the old medic was pressured into it.

I could barely figure out what was happening before I was unceremoniously dumped onto the main hanger’s floor. Ratchet’s voice was coming down the hallway; trying to calm down Jack. I was caught under the seething gaze of Jack’s guardian, Acree.

“What the frag where you thinking?!” The blue femme screamed at me.

Terror ripped through my body. My intakes hitched as I backed off from the femme. Arcee closed the gap between us. My mouth hung agape. I was shaking; from my helm to my wings. A crossed Arcee was a dangerous one. I had read about it in Decepticon reports. She was quick; precise and more often than not, vindictive when concerning her partners. I think out of all of Team Prime’s warriors, besides Prime himself, I feared her the most.

“Are you going to say anything, ‘Con?”

The two-wheeler was looking for answers. Ones that I didn’t have. My mind was blank. My mouth was as dry as those solar winds that brought us this horrible summer storm. I couldn’t even breathe. I was just staring up at Arcee. Like an complete idiot.

Maybe I was just a dumb Decepticon.

“Arcee, leave her alone!”

Thunderous peds falls came crashing down the hallway. I couldn’t figure out who it was at first until they were right on top of us; wedged between me and Arcee. The bot did cause Acree to back off slightly.

Light-Edge was standing over me. The mechling had his shielding on and firmly pointing it towards his partner. He was glaring. I had never seen him like that. Arcee had a look of surprise. So, it must have been a rarity. I, on the other hand, felt tears roll down my cheeks. It was as if an invisible servo was squeezing my spark.

...What was I doing here?

“Arcee, I know that you’re scared.” Light-Edge said calmly. Yet, firmly. He was making a point to her. “Hell, I’m weirded out too. I’m still getting used to all of this Cybertronian head probing stuff, but I don’t think Skyfall intended this to happen. It was a mistake.”

Light-Edge looked down towards me. His face softened once he noticed I was crying.

“Isn’t that right, Sky?” He said gently.

I nodded. Slowly, at first. My processor unable to anything more than that. I croaked on a sob. My helm nodded faster. Oh Primus, if I could speak, it would have been a long string of apologizes. Instead, I just pulled up my knees to sob into them. The only thing I could do. My spark ached. I couldn’t tell from what anymore. Fear, guilt, the reopening of old scars. All things where equal in my mind.

Arcee seemed to understand my complete lack of vocal communication. The femme’s stance shifted. Her shoulders sank. Her optics went distant with thought. After a moment, she vented out a sigh. Light-Edge straightened out; putting his shield generators away. Carefully, the mechling lifted me off the floor. And in an ironic twist of fate; it was now my turn to cling to him for dear life.

The stalemate between Light-Edge and Arcee only lasted a moment. Ratchet came stomping towards us. The older mech simply glared all three of down in complete disappointment. Like a sire scolding his sparklings. That made me feel even smaller in Light-Edge’s grasp.

“That’s enough from the three of you.” He hissed lowly, “You’re going to wake up the whole base if you keep this up. The heat is getting to you.”

He jabbed an accusing digit at Arcee first. “You know better. Skyfall has been coming here for months. Optimus even approved it himself.” The old mech flattered for a moment as he glanced at Jack, “She was bound to find out about all of this. Sooner or later.”

Ratchet’s optics fell on me briefly. He opened his arms towards Light-Edge and gestured, “Give her to me. I need to look her over. And go back to bed.” He eyed Acree again, “Both of you.”

“But Ratchet-” Light-Edge started to protest as the medic plucked me from his hold. Ratchet shot him another glare.

“That’s enough.” Ratchet retorted.

With a defeated sigh, Light-Edge nodded. He made his way back towards his room; disappearing into the dark corridor. Arcee didn’t leave right away. She was simply staring at where Jack had ventured. Ratchet shifted me in his arms.

“He’s fine, Arcee.”

She hummed softly in thought. Finally, Acree broke rank. She walked passed us; patting Ratchet’s shoulder plating as she did. Perhaps as a way to either thank him or apologize. The femme went down another hallway. Ratchet huffed a sigh out of his vents.

The old medic walked over and set me on to a table to properly examine me. I was surprised how careful Ratchet was in doing so. Even to a Minicon like myself. After taking my vitals and running a few tests, Ratchet sighed quietly in what I would like to believe was relief.

“Everything checks out. Would you like some help getting back into bed?”

There was a beat of silence between us. I looked back up at the old medic and whispered, “You saved his life...”

Ratchet was caught off guard by my comment. He hid it well. He ignored me at first; choosing to pack his equipment. Though, it slowed until he sighed heavily. There was regret in his eyes when he looked over his shoulder to see me.

“...Did I?” Ratchet mused, “You would know better then I would. You were the one that was linked to him, after all.”

I hummed. Newly adopted memories of Earth flooded my mind. That feeling of loneliness. The feeling of homesickness. That feeling of being trapped on a completely alien world in all sense of the word.

That feeling of being loved by a family. Both biological. And found.

I smiled weakly.

“You did, but he needs an outlet.” I looked up at the big mech, “He needs something to do. You can’t keep him locked up in here. He’s a good kid, Ratchet. If you were worried about him not fitting in, keeping him sheltered from Cybertron isn’t going to help. Let him help us. Let him help us rebuild. And let him go back to Earth and see his family.”

I chuckled softly and added, “Though… I have a feeling that I didn’t need to tell you any of that…”

Ratchet’s big shoulders sagged slowly. The silence fell between us once again. The rain outside was not as vicious. The winds not so harsh. Ratchet turned on his ped and offered a servo to climb onto. It was a moment before he spoke again.

“Sometimes I need a reminder…”