Transformers Prime: Eclipse

Chapter 19: Tribute From Beyond

After having been woken from my nightmare by Smokescreen and Ultra Magnus, a peaceful, dreamless sleep was finally granted to me. Yet as I started my morning stretches alongside Arcee while Ratchet and Knockout quietly observed to gauge my recovery progress, I couldn't help but feel annoyed about the whole thing.

The dream weaving process was a bit strange in its own right, not unlike the Cortical Psychic Patches I would frequently experience thanks to Shockwave. But despite the similarities of the two phenomena, dream weaving didn't feel nearly as invasive for some reason. Still, it looked like it was going to become a trend, which meant I still had a lot of sleepless nights ahead of me.

Part of me also felt bad about inadvertently dragging my friends into my mind just because I couldn't handle some bad dreams, even if they were actually grim memories. I didn't want to saddle the team with my problems, and selfishly, I wasn't keen on everyone knowing exactly what I went through. Sure, they knew the second-hand information, but now each of them was getting a front row seat to the experience.

At least with Smokescreen and Ultra Magnus, there hadn't been a previous emotional connection established yet. Now the three of us could only go up from here. But the others . . . I was still a little wary of them. Multiple times I'd woken up scared that this whole thing was one big nightmare, that I'd still be trapped aboard the Nemesis, lost and abandoned. And every time Arcee had held me and promised me that it was all real, that Team Prime was here for me. My only saving grace was that I was pretty sure that this dream weaving thing only extended to Cybertronians, meaning I didn't need to worry about my human friends getting in my head.

I still had yet to speak to Jack or Raf since my return to base, I just didn't have the courage. Getting to have a heart to heart with June was nice, and I yearned for the chance to do so again soon. Agent Fowler couldn't look me in the optics, but I could feel a deep exhaustion surrounding him. Optimus and Arcee had explained that he was juggling a lot of concerns from the government with my new identity, figuring out how to break the news of my 'death' to my parents in Tokyo and my host family in Jasper.

I appreciated the man's effort to help me in any way he could, and I fully understood the pain of working for a higher authority that liked to drag its heels in the mud, but I honestly didn't have the heart to care about what he told any of my previous guardians. They had never taken an active interest in my wellbeing, only providing the bare minimum. They wouldn't care that I was gone. And even if they did, it's not like they'd be able to find out what happened to me anyway. No, this was my chance at a clean slate, at least on one front. Which is why when asked by the team about my preferred designation, I replied,

"I'd like to be called Eclipse from now on."

A variety of reactions could be seen across the room. Bulkhead, Breakdown, and Bumblebee seemed surprised. Arcee, Dreadwing, and Optimus smiled and nodded. Knockout smirked and Ratchet scoffed, and the two proceeded to exchange something behind their backs. Perhaps I should have been mad that the doctors had been betting on me, but my happiness at getting a reaction out of Ratchet outweighed any annoyance I felt. Wheeljack just shrugged his shoulders, Smokescreen proclaimed how awesome of a name it was, and Ultra Magnus was completely indifferent, his stoic expression not once wavering.

To the side on the catwalk, where all four of my human friends sat on the couch or leaned on the railing, similar reactions could be seen. Agent Fowler was penciling in my new name, already working on updating the official records to show his superiors. June looked calm and serene, acceptance clear on her face. Jack and Raf . . . they looked slightly crestfallen, but they both did their best to quickly hide it. I was grateful. 

{"Not that any of us are against your choice, Eclipse, but why? I mean, didn't that designation come from Megatron?"}

"Yeah, it did. But that doesn't mean I can't use it for a good cause. The reason Megatron gave me that name was to remind me of my purpose, to 'eclipse the Autobots'. But I found someone who helped me in my time of need in a way no one else could, someone who helped me find my own meaning for the name Eclipse."