Shadowfire

Chapter 17

"What's wrong with her? Why hasn't she woken up yet?"
"Her systems have suffered a massive shock, I needed to preform extensive repairs on her chassis and she almost bled out of energon completely, it is understandable that her processor is taking some time to reboot- I believe she is reliving memories from her data banks in a dream sequence, it would be wise to allow her to rest"

I was conscious of the fact I was in the medbay, body lying still and deactivated on a berth, every now and again my surroundings would swim into focus before I drifted off again. It was easier to live in memories than face reality.

The Decepticons were a harsh group, yet even they shared bonds of camaraderie, that was the first thing I noticed about them, the second was that they got drunk a lot. I had never been intoxicated before, living with humans had led me to assume that Cybertronians were immune, yet barely half a cycle after my arrival Starscream was handing me some high grade and telling me to knock myself out. The third thing I noticed was that they liked doing reckless things while their judgment was impaired.

Someone suggested going outside of the base, into the rocky, mountainous desert we were located in and testing the suspension of our alt forms, launching ourselves into empty air above canyons. The fourth thing I noticed was that they loved practical jokes, and that half the stupid stuff they did was to fool another 'con into one upping them, usually with disastrous consequences.

And the fifth thing was that they were all terrified of my sire. Their fears proved founded when they returned his sparkling to the base a little worse for wear, having tricked her into trying to jump a canyon a little too wide.

I feared that I would be set apart from them, kept separate by my lack of an insignia and my rank- I had been informed that I was immediately promoted to third in command due to my status as Megatron's heir. Yet after I proved myself to them, showed them that my recklessness matched theirs and I wasn't afraid to risk my sire's anger in withholding the names of the 'cons who had shown me how to race while half transformed, they accepted me. While my delicate sensibilities had been upset at first- they were apt to fight each other often over the most trivial things, fights involving weapons (which never happened with the Autobots) and guaranteed to send at least one participant to the medic, I eventually learned to take it in stride, so what if squabbles resulted in a little scratch or dent, also unlike the Autobots 'cons rarely had a medic fix them up unless the injury would result in enough damage to impair their functionality- their wounds were battle scars, showing their bravery and obstinacy in the face of adversary.

"Seriously what's taking so long? She should be healed by now?" Lennox demanded.
"Her circuits are perfectly operational" Ratchet assured.
"Then why is she still out cold?"
"I told you, her memory banks are playing a sequence-"
"Wake her up! You can do that can't you?"
"It's inadvisable to-" something smashed and a door slammed. Ratchet sighed.

When my sire arrived in his throne room- the location where he reigned absolute, he almost glitched at the sight of someone else lounging on his throne, something that everyone knew was a death sentence. Just as he was about to attack the fool that had dared to disrespect him in such a manner, they turned- revealing their familiar faceplate to him. He seized up when I turned to face him, grinning.
"Shadowfire" he said warningly, I looked at him- my faceplate the perfect mask of innocence.
"What is it Oppi? You only call me that when I'm in trouble" I asked, optics wide. And just like that his hire melted away.
"Nothing" he sighed "come on, I need to give Starscream another talk about what he can mislead you into doing" my sire led me out of the throne room, oblivious to the smirk I was sporting as I looked over his shoulder to give Screamer and Barricade the signal. Megatron would be quite confused as to why his throne was covered in oil and springs when he returned.