The concept of sparks isn't talked about enough.
Like, in universe it's a vital part of a transformer, something one literally cannot function without- their equivalent of heart and soul, possibly mind, to an extent. The very core of one's self.
Do we really know what they even look like? Do cybertronians have biology/mechanical textbooks with depictions of them? The sparks themselves are taken as something seriously significant in culture, almost holy. Like, how showing one's spark to another is such a grand gesture, or how amica and conjunx bonds are the highest honor one can have in someone else's life.
And they can be felt by others, the light and aura are emotions of the one's whose spark is exposed. They can be felt but not as intensly as if one would touch it. It is very sensitive and fragile as well, such a strange little thing. In many universed processor is depicted as "mind" but i think it's more of a "translator" for the spark; it takes the contents of it, deciphers it and projects into coherent memories and thoughts for self and others to understand.
Do regular transformers know what a spark looks like? Do they learn it after they online like school or they just assume it's something that powers them and that's it? Do some of them go all their life without ever seeing a real spark?
What if Sari started talking about "symbolism vs real" when it came to the heart gesture/depiction? How drawn hearts are different from real ones, would that cause an interest as to how real sparks look like? Would Ratchet explain it?
"How does a real spark look like?"
"Well, it looks like a crystal orb. Almost completely clear with an exception of structural patterns, somewhat akin to quartz to a degree. But it's never visble when the spark is lit."
"Then how does a lit spark look?"
"It's the same as extinguished one, except filled with life energy making it glow bright. Each spark glows in their own way, even if they all might look the same, all sparks are one of a kind."
What if Bee got interested? What if he wanted to see a real spark? Would he be scared to look if it wasn't what he expected? What did he really excpect from Ratchet's tale?
Would he lock himself in his room? Hesitantly but steadily open his own chassis, his inner mechanisms working in ways he never seen before. His own spark chamber nestled right in the middle of it all, slowly splitting open to reveal a small but bright spark, softly pulsing with life.
Its light illuminating the dark room, reflecting off the big mirror in front of it, countless colors individually flickering for just a splinter of a second in the bright white-like glow, brief but still noticable.
How would Bee feel about it? Would he think it's beautiful? Would he cry if he touched it, truly feeling his real self for the first time? Finding it so vulnerable and fragile yet so significant and beautiful? Would he still think it's him? Would seeing it be the reason he'd stop believing his insecurities? Would he believe he's as beautiful and important as it is? Would he try to protect it even more after he saw it, not only in a physical sense?
Would he wonder what others' sparks look like? Would they be different from his? Would they be larger or brighter than his own? Or maybe they would overshadow his with their own beauty? Would these quiet questions sitting in the back of his processor bother him? Would others notice something has changed in him? Would he even let them know? Sparks are important to oneself, would asking to see it, just because, be outrageous? Would his curiosity be considered scandalous? If he did see, would they reflect what he always saw or would his view be shattered with a completely new perspective of someone he thought he knew? Would he be able to handle seeing someone's true self if he was barely able to hold himself when seeing his own?
What if they asked to see his spark? Would he be able to show them? Would they think he's as beautiful as he thinks he is? Would they be gentle with him if he showed it? Or would they look away, thinking it was too much? Would it bright them all closer or would it drive them apart?
He doesn't know but his own spark's glow tells him he doesn't need to know. He is alive. He is okay. And he doesn't have to worry about anything.
