The Flower Born in Chaos

Chapter 5: The Return

(The image above is what Smokeblade looks like. Much like Shockwave, Smokeblade is a victim of the horrid practice of Empurata. Empurata is the removal of the servos and replace the helm of criminals as a punishment for their wrong doings. The image isn't mine. The picture is actually of someone's rendition of Tarn after Empurata.)

[Outskirts of Jasper, Nevada]
(Several hours after the transmission)

Thunder cracks in the distance as Megatron and Optimus stare each other down; their optics unblinking. Lightning flashes as the warlord begins to move forward, Optimus' optics carefully watching Megatron's every step with caution. "Did you bring my end of the bargain Prime, or did you come to see the fun I'll have with your precious fleshling?" The Decepticon leader says, holding his servo slightly tighter, causing Miko to cry out in pain.

"Megatron, leave the child alone! I have who you have asked for, now hand her over!" Optimus speaks, gesturing towards Skylight and her sparkling. Megatron nods with his malicious smirk still gracing his face. "Ah, Skylight, It has been such a long time since I've last seen you." The warlord's smirk grows larger as he sees the innocent life held in her arms. "And you have obtained a sparkling." Skylight could only nod her helm as he bellowed out a mighty laugh, waking the poor sparkling from her stasis nap.

Before Lunaria could think to wail, Skylight began rocking back and forth to soothe the little one back to sleep. Megatron, meanwhile, began to walk towards the Autobot leader. His optics never leaving Optimus' as he comes closer. "Now, Prime, you will hand over the femme and her sparkling, or there will be nothing but a mangled carcass left of your human pet." "Give me the child first, then Skylight will return with you, Megatron." Optimus responds, holding his servo out to take Miko. Megatron tosses the girl towards the Prime jokingly saying, "Catch" as he does so.

Optimus hears Miko's scream and quickly grabs her by her shirt, careful not to harm her, and holds her in his hand. Before Optimus could yell at the warlord, he sees said mech walking through a groundbridge with Skylight mouthing an apology; only to follow suit. "Miko, are you alright?" Trying to catch her breathe, Miko smiles and nods. "I-I'm good, Op. Just..., a bit shook is all." This relieves the Prime, to some extent. He then coms Ratchet for a groundbridge and reports an oddly successful retrieval.

[On the Nemesis]

"What a wonderful surprise we have. Not only have we returned a femme to our faction, but one who has produced a new spark." Megatron roars in his own pride. Every mech in attendance turns to acknowledge their leader's presence. One mech in particular seems to react much faster than the others around him.

"Knockout, take Skylight and her sparkling to the medbay and give them a thorough check up. Breakdown shall assist you. Smokeblade, you shall accompany them to the medbay and provide intel to Skylight in order for her to understand the happenings of the recent times she has missed." Megatron instructs.

The group nods their helms in unison, all following their leader's orders. "Smokeblade? Is that really you, Dear?" Skylight whispers, a single tear falling from her optic. The mech only nods and holds her wrist gently. "We can catch up after you and Lunaria get checked out." The femme only nods and follows the mechs to the Decepticon medbay.

After multiple physicals and armor checks, Knockout cleared the femme for her check up; allowing her to leave with her conjunx. Smokeblade, gently rocking his recharging sparkling in his arms, begins to lead the two to his current living quarters. The room was barren, but still held a strange homily feeling to it. Maybe because it was his, but the femme couldn't care less as she through herself into his chassis, arms wrapping around his neck.

"Oh Smoky, how I've missed you so." Skylight cries, her helm nuzzled into his neck-cables. "I've missed you as well, my light." His voice wavering as emotions he has long forgotten begin to surface. The feeling of joy begins to overwhelm the faceless mech, tears begin to fall and his own arms wrap around his conjunx. "How I've longed to hold you again, as well as our sparkling. I will let nothing separate us again. I swear so on the All Spark." He says, lifting his sparkmate's helm to speak to her once more, with her full attention.

"Nothing."

(Hope you enjoyed. Sorry it has taken me forever to continue this. Life has been wild and inspiration is hard to come by. Hope this chapter was enjoyable.)