Metal and Stingers

The End

The air was frigid at the top of the base, a chill that hovered just between frosty and freezing. It made your breath billow out in clouds of transparent smoke, floating up quietly into the night sky. The cold wasn't really a problem, as long as one had a thick sweater; not that you were wearing one, of course, as it didn't bother you. You welcomed it, embraced it.

The moon was out in full force, casting enough light to be able to see everything - every dune, every detail on the surrounding mesas. The stars were brilliant as well, little pinpricks of light n the fabric of the night sky.

With the feeling in the air and the clouds gathering on the horizon, you could believe the weather report forecasting a chance of snow later in the night.

Snow. Real snow, all the way out here in Nevada. There was always a chance occasionally, of course, but the odds were so low. You had never seen even a flake of it in your entire life. It felt equal parts magical and dreamy, seeing the growing nimbostratus clouds slowly make their way over to your location as you sat under a clear, starry sky.

The lights of the city couldn't hide the stars from you here. It laid in your periphery, a soft orange glow to your right as you picked out the constellations in the heavens.

Soon there would be different ones above you.

You raised your hand to your neck, brushing against the necklace that lay near your sternum. The medallion that sat on the chain was soothing to hold as the carvings in the metal pressed against your skin. You had gotten it custom made a while ago; it was a simple piece of stainless steel stamped with the Autobot symbol. Getting it was spur of the moment, really, but it was appropriate considering you weren't partial to a tattoo. It was innocuous, a symbol you could write off to everyday people, but to you it was priceless.

You had truly become a part of the team over time. Optimus had loved it.

May your memory live on, Optimus.

You sighed, tightly gripping the metal. You were feeling nostalgic, almost too much for your own good. Soon, that piece of metal would be all you had to remember Team Prime. Spring semester was starting soon at your university of choice, and you were leaving the next day on a plane.

You were all packed and ready, suitcases sitting in your room and tickets on your desk so you wouldn't forget them. All that remained of your time in Jasper, Nevada was this night.

The last few months had really flown by, like desert sand through your fingers. It seems like only this morning you had rejoined Team Prime and fought to return Optimus' memory...

Or when MECH had created a horrid copy of Optimus meant to defame him...

Your hand unconsciously went to your side while thinking of the now dead Silas to where your weapon had been, but all you found was an empty sheath. Right, you had returned the energon sword it to Ratchet, knowing that trying to explain what was essentially a lightsaber to the general populace wouldn't go down well. Gosh, you remembered how you felt when you had first gotten it. Powerful, firstly, but also overwhelmed, not used to the feeling of your power being channeled. Learning how to wield that was an ordeal, but with the help of a few fencing classes you joined, it simply became an extension of your body - a conduit for your energy.

You smiled at the memory of meeting Smokescreen, and his reaction to you and your weapon. He had been so jumpy to see you with the weapon, like you were going to slice his ped off! Well, you were on the defense and you did shake your sword at him... Still, he ended up being pretty cool once you explained your tech and whole deal. Raf and him had eventually hit it off and guardianship of the boy was transferred to the mech, as Raf was the kind of level-headed that Smokescreen needed.