The Final Hope - Transformers Prime (3)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Happy New Year, you amazing people. Still so thankful to have each of you still follow the path of this series. Without you, I'd be a weirdo with some unpublished stories. Lots of love!!
Also, I apologize in advance for this chapter. It hurt, it really did.

[Raf]

  "Incoming space bridge," I said immediately when the icon popped up on the computer screen. "Guess Ratchet finished up whatever he had to do on Cybertron."

  "I leave for one day, and all this happens," Jack, who had just arrived, shook his head. "Remind me to never go furniture shopping again."

  I shot him a grin. The moment Jack showed up at the base, we all launched into the explanation of what had been happening all day, which left him shocked for a split second before he concluded that he should just never leave the base. Still, I was glad he was back. It never felt right around here unless all five of us were here together tackling these problems.

  Finn glanced around. "I'll go find Amanda, then we can fill Ratchet in on what's happened."

  Miko elbowed him, a smug smirk on her face. "Yeah, go find your giiiiiiiiirlfriiiiiiiend."

  A laugh burst from me, earning me and Miko both a look from Finn before he shook his head and set off. Miko only gave me a grin, and Jack snorted, a smile on his face as well.

  "Too easy," she said, making me laugh again as Ratchet walked through the space bridge. I put my laptop and notebook aside, and moved to the edge of the platform to greet him, only to see the grief-filled expression on his face.

  "Ratchet?" All my previous humor instantly vanished. "What's wrong?"

  That was when he looked up, the sadness clear in his eyes, but he didn't get the chance to reply because Amanda stumbled back onto the platform, Finn hurrying to catch up with her. She only stopped once her wild eyes landed on Ratchet, swaying a bit as she stood, which made Finn come up behind her and steady her.

  "Ratchet," Her voice shook, and her pale skin made my heart race. I'd never seen her look this panicked, not when we were up against Cons, not when we first found her powers, never. Seeing someone who was usually so strong look so distraught scared me.

  "Ratchet, what happened?" She demanded. "I felt a snap and- Something bad, something really bad happened-" She shook her head, expression pleading. "Ratchet, what happened?"

  The medic, who had been avoiding her gaze until now, finally spoke. "I'm afraid I have news that you won't want to hear." He paused, looking at each of us. "That none of you will want to hear."

  "What is it?" Amanda's voice was close to breaking.

  "Optimus..."

[Elsewhere]

  The space bridge opened near the Well of Allsparks, and six sillouhettes appeared at its mouth, one Autobot and five humans. Jack, Finn, Miko, and Raf were all wearing spacesuits to protect them from Cybertron's atmosphere, but Amanda didn't, her body covered in her silver magic the moment she stepped through. Team Prime's Autobots, who had expected the visit and had grouped at the well, watched them arrive, and moved to greet their human counterparts. Jack went to Arcee, Miko to Bulkhead, Raf to Bumblebee, and, after a long hesitation, Finn to Smokescreen. Ultra Magnus and Ratchet exchanged a somber look as they watched Amanda approach the well.

  Amanda herself hadn't said much at all since Ratchet told her what had happened. How Optimus used the Matrix of Leadership to absorb the Allspark in order to capture Unicron's spark. How he could no longer split his own spark from the Allspark. How he sacrificed himself to restore the Allspark and allow life to begin again on Cybertron. The only words that left Amanda's mouth were those insisting she visit the site herself.

  As she walked towards the edge of the well, the only thoughts that crossed her mind were those of the Prime. The first time they met. The times he'd saved her from Cons. The days they spent doing nothing but driving around. The mornings and afternoons they spent driving to school and to the base. The last time she saw him, when he'd taken her to one of his favorite places on Cybertron.

  She finally reached the edge and reached out with the powers of Cleona, feeling the emptiness where she used to be able to sense the Prime. The pain from the snap she felt earlier faded, and now all she could feel was the space where her father used to be. That was when the knowledge of his death hit, and the first tears slid down her face.

  Amanda fell to her knees in front of the edge of the well, crying freely now. One word crossed her mind over and over again.

  Nonononononononononononononononononononononononononononono-

  He can't be gone.

  She covered her face with her hands, her tears flowing. Behind her, Finn surged forward, but Smokescreen put his hand out in front of him, blocking his path. Miko tried to move towards her as well, but Bulkhead shook his head.

  "She needs this," Arcee said quietly, understanding what the girl was going through. No one else tried to make a move towards her, just let the weight of what they learned crush them a bit.

  Amanda's chest ached as she reached for the Prime again, trying anything to get a sense of him somewhere. Instead, she felt Primus.

  "Do not despair, my child," The god said. "All is not lost, just at rest."

  A bright light pried at her eyelids, and Amanda opened them to see an orb of light hanging in front of her. She put her hand out and the spark floated down to graze her fingertips.

  "Hey there," She said quietly, blinking back tears as a small smile formed on her face.

  "Life on Cybertron," Cleona said. "I had begun to fear I would never see Primus light another spark."

  Despite herself, Amanda gave a small laugh when the spark flew close to her cheek, the warmth of the orb seeping through her skin before it zipped off.

  "I'll see you soon," She said, watching the spark until it disappeared into the distance, before she got up and made her way back to Team Prime. Her eyes immediately met Finn's, who's gaze reassured her she wasn't alone. Taking a deep breath, she was about to join them when an idea came to her mind and she whirled around, facing the well once again. She spread her arms, pulling on the powers of Cleona and the planet around her.

  "To the Primes who have given their lives to protect Primus and those who needed protecting," She announced, everyone in the area turning to see what she was doing. Out of the metal that surrounded the well, statues of past Primes rose, all with their backs to the opening of the well as if to defend it, but one spot directly in front of Amanda was left empty. Amanda moved her hands to aim at that spot, forming one last statue.

  "And to Optimus Prime, who gave his spark so that those of the future can have their's lit," She said, a statue of the Prime in his pre-beast hunter state standing in the place of the empty space. Her arms dropped and the planet stopped rumbling, the metal stopped moving. With her gaze on one statue, Amanda stood in front of the beautiful memorial she created.

  "May all of your sparks live amongst the stars." She finished, before taking a deep breath, her last words lower and directed to one statue. "Goodbye, Optimus."

  With that, she turned and rejoined Team Prime, bidding them all farewell before walking through the space bridge back to Earth, not once looking back.