You've waited over a year for this, and I think my skills have either improved or gotten worse... It's been so damn long! My computer has gone through many things and my life has more than just stories involved. The last time I tried to make another chapter to this, my flash drive broke completely in half. So I hope this makes up for the wait. This is the second to last chapter of Tranquility, NV

Chapter 16

I heard that a group of humans once believed in a life after death, and another believed in recycling life and let that soul be born into probably another human or an animal. I thought "What if I died and came back a human? Maybe that would be a way for me and Zikya to be together." I knew it was impossible. I was a car for Pete's sake, I was not born with a soul or spirit; I gained one by accident. Does that count?

"Quit dozin' off, worm," said the gruff voice of Lockdown. His hooked hand pushed my chin up and I looked him in the optics. "We need you awake. Megatron wants to see that spunk you had earlier. It could be useful for your reprogramming."

I did not have the energy to tell him to back off, so I gathered fluid in my mouth and spat straight at his nose. He wiped it off and growled. I smiled. He walked away to grab a sword off of the ground and came back to hold it close to my neck.

"Let's see if your blood is enough All Spark power!"

Before he could lift it to swing, Soundwave called him off. "Cease. Subject needs to be functioning and online. Megatron's orders."

The bounty hunter threw down the sword and walked away, grumbling in a sonic language. Before I could let my optic offline for another short nap, a monitor not too far from the wall I was at picked up a transmission. Soundwave ordered Lockdown to release me and haul me over there. I was going to meet the one who killed my home, who killed my lover's family.

/So you are the one…/

I looked up to see a black-grayish, spiked form, showing only from the shoulders up, on the screen. His bright red optics stood out the most. My first thought that this might be Satan and the Decepticons simply gave him the name "Megatron." Whoever he was, I hated and feared him.

/Speak!/

"Hi."

I did not mean for it to come out sarcastically, but that was how it turned out. The devil on the screen squinted, studying me.

/I hear from Lockdown that you willingly and silently came of your own accord./

"That's right."

/Tell me why./

I looked over at Lockdown. He had a slim grin stuck on his face. He knew about my plan, so he must have told Megatron. Now was the time to think of another plan.

"I think you already know," I said, not looking away from Lockdown.

/A sad attempt to save a dead planet. What were you hoping to accomplish there?/

I said nothing.

/Soundwave. Extract his spark./

As the blue mech moved toward me, I felt it. Something welded up in my chest and was itching to get out. It heated up in my entire body, burning like the desert sun. I knew what was going to happen next; I fell into its power.

"ZIKYA!"

(-)

"Runner?"

"No. It's Sunny."

"Oh… Did he come back yet?"

He looked down and bit his lower lip. I sat up from my earthen-made bed and stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"Well?"

"Zikya, I'm sorry."

My eyes widened. Did he mean…?

"Road Runner's dead."

"No… No, he can't be! He's not dead! You're lying to me! Just to get me to go out with you! You're sick!"

"I'm not lying. The was an explosion in the mountains an hour ago. We thought it might've been Road Runner, but we didn't want to bother you. While you were sleeping, Wheeljack and I went to check out the mountains and… Well, the base was blown up and…" He reached behind him and grabbed something small. He turned around and held it out to me. "This was all we could find." He dropped into my hands a small piece of grey-blue metal. "That's part of the All Spark. That's what's left of Road Runner."

My eyes immediately started flowing. I fell to the ground with the shard close to me and cried for him. How could he be dead? My own man that promised to take care of me and to love me, and he died an hour ago.

"Primus, what was he hoping to do?" I heard Sunstreaker talking to the others. "He just committed suicide, and for what?"

"He did it for a reason," said Wheeljack. "No one kills themselves for no reason."

I looked at the shard in my hands. A tear dropped from my cheek and onto the surface of it, making it shine even for a second. A smile inched its way to my face. I slowly stood up and looked at the sky. After weeks of seeing ash and fire etched into the canvas of the heavens, it turned into the color of Road Runner's eyes. I knew that even in death he was going to watch over me. I knew why he went to his death sentence. I knew why he died.

To make sure I would live.

xXx

Remember, this is the second to last chapter! I have no idea when the epilogue will be up, so have patience!