4 Chapter 4: Sad Angel

Branches and nature were brushed to the side violently as a red and orange mech stormed past. There was no way that the only bot who understood him was dead. They were supposed to find a lively planet and fight for peace and justice. Nothing was going to stop them; they promised that to their parental units.

Rocks and pebbles clattered as the mech barreled down the rocky slope toward the looming mount of boulders. The distraught mech stared at the only remains of his family. He collapsed to his knees, tears falling to the ground as he gave out a strangled cry.

Soft pede-steps sounded behind him, but he did not register them until a servo was on his shoulder. Quickly he moved away from the comforting touch and glared at the pink femme.

"This is your fault! Why didn't you save him?" the mech yelled with blue optics full of pain and anger.

"I'm sorry, but there was nothing I could do. With the amount of time that's passed, Skyrider's been here for two days. Even if I found him alive, I wouldn't have been able to put his body back together, and all his energon bled out. It would've been impossible." the femme answered with a calm tone, laced with sympathy, placing both servos on his shoulders.

The mech hunched over with the weight of grief. No sound came out as he knelt there. Firespark got on her knees and held the mourning mech; a few of her tears streaked her face.

"Why did it have to be him? It should've been me!" the mech hoarsely spoke.

"Why should it have been you?" Firespark whispered in his audio receptor.

The mech looked at her in distrust before sighing, "As we neared this planet, a Decepticon warship was hovering above the atmosphere. Skyrider told me to land on this planet's moon," he paused, his voice straining, "I thought I could avoid them by going behind but look where that got me. Blown out of the sky. It's my fault my brother is dead."

Firespark shook her helm, "No, please don't blame yourself. These things happen, and sometimes these occurrences have no explanation. The Decepticon's cannons had already locked onto your ship. There was no way to go around them. They would've sent Vehicons to your location if you did land."

"Those Decepticons will pay. They're the reason our planet's destroyed, and they slaughtered families. They're nothing but filth that deserves to be eliminated, every last one." the mech sneered.

Firespark flinched at his words but replied softly, "Revenge isn't always the answer, and it damages the persecutor rather than the persecuted. Would Skyrider approve of you doing those actions?"

The red and orange mech looked conflicted, "Yes, I mean no, I mean," he gazed at the ground in shame, "I don't know,"

Firespark embraced him. He was broken like her and won't ask for help. She stood up and started to head for the slope.

"Where are you going?" the mech questioned, also rising to his pedes.

The femme turned her helm to looked at him, "I'm going to look for a spot to bury him. Would you like to come with me?" She held out her servo toward him, waiting for him to take it.

The mech somberly looked at the ground as if fully realizing that this was real. His only family, a brother, was going to be buried in the soil of this alien world. Slowly he grasped her smaller servo, entwining his digits with hers, and they both walked back up to the top.

Firespark led the broken mech toward a small sunny meadow that was thriving with life. It was the same meadow where Soundwave would take her when he was stressed or just wanted a family bonding time. She looked at the mech behind her, "Would you like to bury him here? It's a peaceful place and only a two miles journey from the Autobot base." She watched his blue optics scan around, admiring the beauty for just a moment, before nodding.

"Yeah, I think he would've liked this. He was always the nerd in the family."

Firespark grabbed his hand and held it, looking at him, "Do you want to get him, or should I? You can stay here and dig the hole if you choose not to."

His optics welled up with tears and squeezed her servo, firmly shaking his helm, "No, no, I want to be the one to bring him."

Firespark nodded in understanding and watched the red and orange frame disappear into the shadows of the forest.

~~~~~

With the hole dug up, Firespark wandered around the grassy plains, collecting wildflowers. Once she was satisfied with the number of blossoms, she walked back toward the large pit. She placed them next to the neat stack of smooth stones.

A sad bleating caught Firespark's attention as a lone doeling wandered into view. The poor creature was looking for something, perhaps her herd, the buck, or was it something else? The snapping of twigs scared the deer, and Firespark whipped her helm around to see who it was.

The mech had returned with his brother's torn halves. He looked at her, then at the dugout pit and back again. "I-I don't think I can do this,"

Firespark walked over to him in smooth strides, "I know you can but not alone. That's why I'm doing this with you."

Tenderly, the femme prompted the mech to walk with her. He complied, and together they slowly walked toward the gravesite. With shakey servos, Skyrider's halves laid in the earth. Dirt flowed onto his body as Firespark thoughtfully refilled the pit.

The mech watched on silently as tears left his optics. This was not what he was expecting when they fled Cybertron as it burned. He had seen many perish, and he had done his share of fighting, but this was the hardest thing he'd ever experience.

His thoughts vanished when the femme's lips moved, and a flower was in her servos. "I-I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

Firespark smiled sadly, "I was asking if you'd like to decorate his grave. I've collected a variety of wildflowers from this field. We can even outline it with these rocks from the lake."

A small smile appeared on his face, "Yeah, yeah, I'd like to." He took the yellow flower from her servos and placed it on the rock formation serving as a headstone. The femme also smiled and began the line of river rocks around the dirt mound.

She also decided to start a conversation, "If his name was Skyrider, what's yours?"

The mech didn't look up, "My name is Solarflare. We were spilt-sparks. I guess that's why both of our names start with S."

"Huh, it suits you," Firespark mumbled under her breath. His frame coloring reminded her of a sunset.

Solarflare didn't appear to hear her comment as he continued, "Alright since you know mine, how about yours?"

Firespark shook her helm with a laugh, "I already told you, but you were half in stasis. My name's Firespark."

He seemed to stiffen at that, but it didn't faze his work.

The sun was setting by the time they finished. They didn't mind their dirty frames as they paid their last respects. Firespark started to head toward the cave to give Solarflare time to reflect, but pede steps resounded behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the mech following her.

"I hope you don't mind me staying a few more nights. I kinda like it here,"

Firespark smiled at him, "Of course, it's not like I don't have anything else to do."