Sweet Surrender

Chapter 13

A knock on their door soon sounded.
"Come in." Said Maxa. Instantly Shuri stepped in,
"Good morning-" she froze, "You...three?" She smiled with confusion, "Who is this?" She sat down beside them as Maxa began to explain. Shuri was mesmerized when looking into Sikia Storm's eyes, smiling ear to ear. Bucky couldn't help but chuckle at her reactions, especially since he felt the exact same way.
"Wow...this is incredible...she's incredible! I must learn more about her! We absolutely must see her fly!" She swiftly stood up.
"In due time, lass." Maxanarda turned her head to the young beast beside her.
"Oh I almost forgot! We have a gift for you, Barnes." Shuri gestured with her hand, already walking out the door. He glanced to his family before they followed.

"Umm, who is that?" Sikia Storm stumbled a bit as she followed her parents into the lab. She stayed hidden behind her mother.
"We'll explain, brother. Give Bucky his gift!" T'Challa, obviously unsure, grabbed a fairly long case. He opened it to reveal a brand new arm.
"Since Maxanarda has helped give you a fresh start, we wished to make a contribution." He said with a gentle smile. Bucky ran his human hand over the smooth metal, and once it was attached, it fit like a glove. He moved his arm in circles, stretching it above his head or away from his body.
"It works great, guys. Thank you." He bowed his head to T'Challa.
"It is our pleasure. Now, about this one." The king pointed to Sikia, who was currently sniffing some of Shuri's equipment.

Later that morning, they'd made their way outside into the bright Wakanda sun and green grass. Sikia was looking around in every direction with wonder in her eyes. A small insect landed on her muzzle, making her practically go cross-eyed.
"That is a butterfly, lass. A very beautiful and delicate creature." Said Maxa. Using her right wing, Sikia carefully brings the butterfly off her muzzle and slowly onto a nearby flower.
"Nicely done." T'Challa praised.
"She's gentle like her mother." Bucky smiled as Shuri took down notes of the youngling. She wasn't about to miss the opportunity to be the one to write about the first human-Cybertronian in history. To see Bucky smiling brought warmth to Maxa's spark, and it certainly was something special to him no doubt. Nowadays Bucky's heart ached still, but in a good way most of the time. Every time he looked in Maxanarda's eyes, his sadness would disappear. And yet again she's given him another gift, fatherhood.

Barnes kept his hand around Maxa's waist during their morning stroll. Sikia Storm continued exploring, with T'Challa explaining things she saw along the way. Bucky placed a kiss neatly on Maxa's temple,
"She's beautiful," he chuckles, "I didn't know I was ready for her either."
"Our fates, our hearts, led us to this very point in our lives. We are one, lad." She responded.
"Ever since I realized you're my destiny I've never looked back, Maxa," He gently brings her face towards him as they stopped, "And I think I juuuust missed a spot." He pressed his lips on hers lovingly. It was after a while they pulled back,
"But as much as I love this, this," he gestures to her whole body, "is not the one I fell in love with." She nodded calmly while placing a hand on his cheek.
"Our daughter must see who I truly am now," she gently grabbed both his hands, "Who we both are." Bucky nodded with a half smile, using his thumbs to softly rub her hands.

Later that day the family is brought to a familiar part of Shuri's lab. Maxa's original body lay there in wait for its host flat out on its back taking up a lot of space. Maxanarda positioned herself beside it, laying down in a white-sheeted bed. Sikia Storm didn't really understand what was going on, and kept her eyes fixed on Maxa through the window. Once again the Naita Koa's heart is taken from one body to another. This mesmerized Sikia, the way her mother's spark glowed and how it was so carefully placed back into the robot body. When the Autobot's chest closed to conceal her spark, Maxa's eyes burst to life. She sat up as Sikia and Bucky were let into the room. Before her eyes Sikia witnessed Maxa transform for the very first time, into her Naita Koa form. The massive beast lowered her head to her young one and nuzzled Sikia Storm's neck. Sikia rumbled softly as she nuzzled in return. By the time Sikia opened her eyes again, Bucky had already become his beastly self as well. He calmly approached the two with a warm look in his eyes and half smile. He too reached down to nuzzle his daughter gently.
"Father." A new voice softly said. Sikia Storm had spoken her first word. Maxanarda was thrilled inside her daughter could talk, for not every Cybertronian is given such a trait. Since Sikia hadn't said anything until now, she was beginning to think perhaps her daughter couldn't speak at all. After hearing his own daughter say that word, Bucky knew there was no other feeling in the world like the one he felt right now. Bucky rumbled more to her before gesturing to his back. Sikia tilted her head a little, glancing at his metal wing. She wondered why it was so different from the rest of him from the moment she first saw him.
"Your father has gone through treacherous hardship, lass. Tortured, muzzled, and chained up inside to the point of inhibiting his very soul. But he has broken free. Now we ask you to join us in his freedom." After listening to her mother, Sikia Storm decided to climb on. When Bucky knew she was securely laying down, he started walking outside with Maxa and Shuri. It wasn't long until Bucky was able to spread his wings out under the warm sun. He felt Sikia hunker down just as he took off, her claws grasping the brown fur on his neck and backside. Maxanarda followed suit with Shuri on her back. She climbed and climbed until meeting Bucky and Sikia high in the clouds of Wakanda. Once again, Shuri was taking notes and footage the entire time as the pair glided. Sikia glanced below. She reached her left forearm claws down to touch a cloud, slicing through its puffiness. Sikia then noticed her mother move out of the corner of her eye, looking up to see Maxa directly above her. Maxanarda grabs her daughter using her middle and back pair of paws, leaving the front ones free. The Naita Koa returns to Bucky's side,
"Open your wings and become one with the sky. You have instincts buried deep inside, you just have to set them free and trust in them." Maxanarda could sense the hesitation in the young one, watching as Sikia Storm's wings inched their way open. The air under her wings at first felt strange, making her close them almost instantaneously out of fear. She nervously looked to her dad who flew nearby. Bucky smiled somewhat and rumbled,
"I'll never let you fall." Sikia Storm looked out in front of her and into the great blue sky ahead. She opened her wings gradually, this time without quickly folding them again. When they were completely spread out, Maxa's claws let go. The sudden release of her mother's hold struck panic into the young one's heart. Sikia began frantically flapping her wings to stay afloat in the air.
"Someone help her!" Shuri yelled just as Bucky started to dash over, but was stopped by Maxanarda's wings.
"She'll understand, lad. We must give her a chance." The parents watched as their daughter tumbled all around, wings completely out of sync. She roared frightfully as she quickly spread her wings out wide and shut her amber eyes. When Sikia realized she stopped falling to the ground, she peaked her eyes open. Rather than plummeting, she had started gliding on accident. She looked back to see her tail floating behind in the wind like a banner. Her heart pounded as her nerves settled down. Sikia excitedly roared to her parents, then looked left and right at either of her wings. She watched the puffy white clouds float on by underneath, sometimes moving a wing to slice through them. Sikia Storm's mind brightened, flapping as hard as she could to gain altitude and cut through more clouds. She twirled and zoomed around in their wispy softness to create new pictures in the sky. Shuri smiled with an impressed nod,
"She is a fast learner."
"Much like her father." Added Maxa who fittingly glanced in Bucky's direction. He half smiled to her,
"Only because I had a good teacher." The pair nuzzled each other before returning their attention to their daughter.
"I think she's ready to go home." Said Bucky, "Back where I was freed."