How To Catch A Bumblebee

Chapter One

The small yellow bot vented harshly, wrapping his tired servos around his aching body. The small, cold room he was in didn't provide much comfort as he lay down on a tiny berth in the corner. His blue optics were trained on the roof, as if he could make it disappear if he stared hard enough. 

Shockwave had been especially hard on him today, but for what reason the bot didn't know. The cycle had started out normal enough. He had woken up early, per usual, and went into Shockwave's laboratory for the daily testing. He completed the normal assessments, and the scientist had uploaded a few programs into his processor. 

The youngling had then consumed some energon (he was always starving) and did different battle tactic exercises until his processor hurt. When he thought he would go cross-opticed, Shockwave forced him to fight the battle simulation a couple hundred times with the Decepticon watching impassively. When he was to the point of exhaustion that he could barely stand, Shockwave had finally allowed him to go back to his quarters and rest. Then he would repeat it all again tomorrow. 

If he didn't complete all of these tasks to Shockwave's satisfaction, he was severely punished. These punishments often meant no energon for cycles, making him fight the battle simulation until he actually did collapse, doing different battle exercises and being shocked with electricity when he made mistakes, or being locked in complete darkness for cycles on end. 

But that's all besides the point. The youngling had beaten four levels on the training simulator today. Four! He normally didn't complete more than two! And he didn't complain or even fidget when Shockwave uploaded more programs and lines of code into his processor than usual, too. He was extra good today. But Shockwave didn't even give him a second glance. 

When it was a schooling cycle, the youngling completed every task and reading and problem required of him. But the same thing happened. He couldn't count the times that he completed or did something and looked up at Shockwave in excitement and delight, only to find the Decepticon wasn't paying attention to him. Or even worse, Shockwave wasn't even there. The young bot was slowly learning not to rely on approval and validation, but every time, it still hurt.

Shockwave said Decepticons were strong. Any weakness would be eliminated. But... was it too hard for Shockwave to at least give the young bot a proper name? Well, he had a name (B-127), but it was impersonal and made him feel more like an experiment, and less like an actual Cybertronian. 

Did he count as Cybertronian? The youngling didn't know. See, when he was a sparkling, Shockwave had taken his CNA and combined it with that of an ancient predacon. He now had heightened senses, and was much faster and stronger than the average bot.

Could he breathe fire? The youngling had never tried. It was probably better that way. 

As far as physical differences go, the youngling looked very similar to an average Cybertronian. Apart from his unique optic-style, you could also see a tinge of an amber-yellow color at the centre of his otherwise blue optics. He also grew and aged at a slower rate than a normal bot, and was only now nearing the middle of his youngling-hood. Plus, his armour was naturally yellow, which was incredibly rare.

The young bot ex-vented. At least tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow, he was being sent on a mission to spy on the Autobots. 

The yellow youngling had done this a few times before, and knew practically all there was to know about the Decepticon's biggest enemies. Their favorite weapons, where their bases were (before the Decepticons attacked and destroyed them, of course), the way they genuinely cared for one another-- he knew it all. His small frame was good for getting into small spaces, and despite his bright color, he knew how not to be noticed. He never made a sound, and once he had hacked into their mainframe, he got in and out of their base without ever being detected. 

But tomorrow-- tomorrow, he was finally going to escape this pit.