Transformers Prime: Eclipse

Chapter 6: Field Test

Feeling cold and rough stone beneath me, I opened my eyes to once again find myself overlooking the prehistoric jungle expanse from my previous dream. Unlike last time, however, the Sun had been replaced by the gentle glow of a full moon. The sounds of nature were nearly drowned out by the rushing current of the waterfall I found before me.

Looking around, I realized that I was in a cave of some kind, a hole built into the side of a canyon wall. The jungle beyond the curtain of water was murky and distorted, more so a collection of vibrant colors, mostly green. "So, I'm definitely dreaming. But why do I keep dreaming of this place?" 

Doing my best, I imagined Raf next to me trying to explain how this all had something to do with a combination of lucid dreaming and subconscious desires. I laughed a bit at the poor attempt to take my mind off of what was really troubling me.

{"Do you worry for them?"}

Craning my neck from where I sat overlooking the jungle, I found myself staring into the eyes of the ancient Predacon wolf I had met before, Suneater. The massive frame of the beast seemed to take up nearly the entire cavern, her blue optics and accents glowing in the darkness.

"Yeah, I do. Though I doubt that they would return the favor . . . not that I deserve it."

A hot breath was vented over me as Suneater laid herself down to watch the waterfall cascade over into the lake below. The two of us silently observed the land for a short while, listening to the sounds of nature and the night.

{"Why do you think so lowly of yourself and your companions? Surely, they would not take kindly to you demoralizing yourself in such a way."}

I . . . didn't have an answer to that. At least not one based in logic. My relationship with the Autobots and my human friends may have become strained, and now thanks to Megatron it was nonexistent, but I still cared for them. Otherwise, the Decepticons wouldn't have any leverage over me. My only answer was from a place of deep hurt.

"Because all I've done since meeting them is screw things up. I get involved in things I shouldn't be, I make everyone's lives complicated and stressful."

{"Your Cybertronian allies have been fighting their war for millions of years, long before you even existed. They have faced far more troublesome setbacks than whatever you could provide."}

" . . ."

{"You wish prosperity for them, and they desire the same for you, child. The sparks and minds of the Autobots are not so fickle as to cast you out for a simple misunderstanding."}

"Then why?! Why did they stop talking with me?! Why did the others just keep me isolated all the time?! Why did they make me feel so alone?"

Suneater gazed at me knowingly, a calm sadness present in her optics as one of her feathers gently moved to bring me closer to her. I felt the love and care of a parent I'd never known envelope me in that moment, like a mother bear protecting her cub.

{"They believed their actions were protecting you from danger. Millions of years old they may be, but in the end the Autobots, all children of Primus, are still mortal. Each and every one of them is capable of great good . . . and evil. Mistakes are a part of life, yet when one lives for so long, such errors can become unrecognizable from the established norm."}

"So, what, they were just following protocol?" Suneater let out a huff that could vaguely be interpreted as a laugh. The Predacon let her gaze wander outward to where the moon hung gracefully in the sky, a look of pain and remembrance on her faceplate.

{"Since the well of sparks has dried up, new Cybertronian life has become stagnant. Primus still heals from his wounds to this day. It has been quite a long time since any of your allies have interacted with a sparkling. Their knowledge on such matters has not been deemed a primary function for ages, and thus was deemed unimportant in the face of winning the war."}