Hello, everybody! Got something new for you!

So this story was inspired by another writer on this site by the name of Answerthecall (a specialist in Transformers stories involving interspecies adoption, for those who don't know him), and he's something of a favorite of mine. While reading his stories, I came up with one of my own, a sequel to his A Whole New World, and with his permission I'm posting it here. It's almost a year in the making, so hopefully something comes of it.

The short recap that starts this chapter should explain the setting and summarize this story's predecessor, but I'd recommend you read his story if you haven't already. It'd be a nice help.

And all the people coming here from After Hours - I haven't abandoned it, don't worry. I'll be juggling these two stories, and I will get the hang of it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers or its canon characters, nor do I own any of the songs used in this story, any OCs created by Answerthecall, or any of his depictions of canon characters. I do, however, own any OCs created by me, starting with Jonathan "Johnny" Hale and going onward from there.

Pairings: Any from A Whole New World, eventual OCxOC (Johnny and a human girl), possible eventual SmokescreenxBulkhead (I haven't decided yet)

Simple Acts

My Rescue

I watch this city burn

These dreams like ashes float away

Your voice I never heard,

Only silence

Where were you when our hearts were bleeding?

Where were you? It all crashed down

Never thought that you'd deceive me

Where are you now?

"Let It Burn" - Red

xxXxx

Thousands and thousands of years ago, Cybertron was a war-torn planet. The culprits were a powerful faction known as the Decepticons, formed by the once-renowned gladiator Megatronus (later renamed Megatron) in an effort to defy the caste system set by the planet's rulers. Their opponents were the Autobots, an opposing faction formed to stop them, led by the legendary hero Optimus Prime.

Cybertron was ultimately destroyed... but after the war ended with a decisive Autobot victory over Megatron, it was reborn anew – at the cost of Optimus Prime's life.

Years later, after the planet had been rebuilt and repopulated, it turned its attention to a new planet, one far more primitive but no less worthy of respect. One whose history had become tied to Cybertron's in ways no Cybertronian could ever have imagined.

Planet Earth.

The initial period of contact was rife with uneasiness and suspicion, but even so the two planets formed solid relations with one another, their dual civilizations intertwining to form something neither could achieve alone. In essence, they have become one.

About a decade after Cybertron's rebirth, the Autobot leader Ultra Magnus discovered a young boy in the Iaconian slums of Kaon. Taking a liking to the boy, Joshua, Ultra Magnus took him under his wing, eventually adopting him into his home as his own son.

It has been almost five years since then...

Solus Park was beautiful when the sun set.

From the outside edge, winding pathways led park visitors all around the area, over gentle hills and underneath tree-like growths made of a strange metal strong enough to maintain shape but neither as sharp or rigid as most. Growing from these metal trees like buds were small, delicate crystals of countless shapes and colors, lightly swaying in the wind like chimes. At dawn or dusk, when the sun was in just the right position, one could see the crystals glow in an almost mystical way.

In the center of the area, where all of the pathways came together, was a statue of a tall, majestic Cybertronian wielding a mighty-looking hammer – Solus Prime herself. Water gushed from spouts around the base of the statue into a basin around it, creating a nice reflecting pool.

However, by the time Jonathan – Johnny, to a few people – arrived at the park, it was largely devoid of visitors. He could see why; the early autumn air was chillingly brisk already, but come dusk it all but drove people indoors.

That was more than fine with Johnny. He'd long grown used to being alone.

"...Every time I close my eyes and travel into the place at the back of my mind. It's a place..." Johnny sang along to the music playing through his earbuds as he walked along the pathway. Looking up at the metallic trees, he was delighted to see that he'd timed his visit perfectly, as the crystals growing from their branches were all aglow. He saw red, orange, violet, and countless other hues all around him in a festival of rainbow light. Reaching up and tapping a few crystals with a fingernail, the young man chuckled at the light tinkling sounds they produced.

Continuing along the path, Johnny at last reached the Solus statue. Gazing upwards at its silent power and glory, he pulled out his camera and took a picture. And then a few more from other angles to be sure.

There were thirteen original Primes. Each of them had a park somewhere in Iacon that honored them. Even Megatronus the Fallen and Liege Maximo, the manipulator, had theirs. Johnny never quite understood why that was, but it didn't make much of a difference to him, so he let it by.

Thirteen parks. He'd visited seven of them before this one and taken pictures of the Prime being honored there each time. Solus Prime was the eighth in this ritual. That left five.

Johnny knew that he couldn't travel to the others anytime soon. They were all scattered pretty far around, even with his bike, and the sky was getting dark. But then again, it'd taken a while for him to reach this park, and there was no one waiting for him at home. If nothing else, he could afford to spend a little more time outside.

He stole a quick look into the reflecting pool at the feet of the statue. It wasn't necessary, really – Johnny knew perfectly well what he looked like – but there was something a little bit comforting about seeing his reflection. His brown hair was windswept from the autumn gusts, laying neatly over his dull hazel eyes. His earbuds were still planted firmly in his ears, pumping out music like the fountain pumped water. Now it was some song by Coldplay that Johnny couldn't remember the name of offhand.

He smiled. Maybe his reflection was so comforting because it was constant. He could always count on it being there and being the same.

Once he'd had his fill of the view, the young man turned away and walked a short distance to a nearby bench. He sat down, pulling his jacket around himself as the wind kicked up once more, and watched the crystals' last lights die out as the sun set fully.

Solus Park really was as beautiful as he'd heard, Johnny had to admit. It would've been even nicer if he'd had somebody to come along with him. Maybe he'd ask his parents when they were home next... whenever that would be.

Johnny felt himself nod off a little, and he fell asleep, music still flowing into his ears.

…

Johnny couldn't have slept for too long before he was forcefully awoken. Something – his eyes were too tired to immediately see – had jostled the bench he was resting on, shaking him back to consciousness. It was dark out now; the sun had finished setting, stranding Johnny's half of the planet in inky blackness.

What he could make out, however, was that somebody else had sat down on the bench right next to him. He couldn't see them in the darkness, but whoever they were, they were breathing heavily. Almost gasping, really, as though they'd never tasted oxygen before. Johnny considered saying something but the right words failed to come, so he stayed silent and listened to the person's labored breathing.

After a while the mystery figure burst into a fit of coughing, one longer and more forceful than any Johnny had seen before. They capped it off with a loud, painful-sounding retch, although nothing came out.

Finally, Johnny knew he had to speak, if only to say something simple. "Are you alright?"

The shadowed figure inhaled suddenly, as though they had been unaware that it was a shared bench. In the dark, Johnny could see them turn slightly to face him. "Oh, uh... sorry. Didn't mean to-" Another coughing fit cut off their dialogue, followed by them spitting something very thick onto the pavement. The voice was absolutely male, Johnny decided at last, and fairly young sounding, too. Maybe around fifteen, the same age as Johnny.

But more importantly, the voice was raspy and deeply congested. Whoever this person was, he was very sick.

"You don't sound, good," Johnny spoke. "Do you... need help?"

The other boy took a deep, shaky breath and shivered noticeably – even in the dark, Johnny could see it. He let out a loud, low-pitched groan, and finally managed a response.

"Please."

And then he tumbled forward off the bench.

Johnny's breath caught in fear, and before he was even aware of it he'd jumped off the bench and knelt down next to the other boy. He'd fallen and landed flat on his back, and his breathing sounded weak.

"Hey, hey! Are you alright?! Did you hit- did you hurt yourself? What should I do?" Johnny shouted in a panic. This wasn't – he didn't know what to do here. What was he supposed to do?!

"Call... call my da-" The other boy started, before his voice gave out into a pained wheeze. "Phone... left pocket..."

In spite of his panic, Johnny processed those three words and quickly fished around in the dark for the indicated pocket. It didn't take long, thankfully, and he practically ripped the phone out to use it. It was one of the newer ones, the same kind Johnny had.

Now what? The kid had started to say something earlier. Call my d... What started with 'd'? Doctor? Driver? Dad? Probably dad, Johnny guessed. But what would he say? He didn't even know this person, and now he was supposed to call somebody for him? What if Johnny screwed it up somehow, and this kid was left with him while he was trying to figure out what to say?

He'd have to call for an ambulance instead. He'd never done it before, but it was the option that he was most comfortable with.

"Hey," Johnny turned to the silhouette before him and nudged it gently. "I'm, gonna call 911, okay? Hang on for me."

The mystery boy groaned softly. Johnny took that to mean 'go for it.'

Switching into the phone's keypad, the young man practically hammered the three digits and raised the phone to his ear. As the dial tone rang a buzz into his ear, Johnny closed his eyes in focus.

Stay calm, okay? You gotta stay calm here, he told himself. Talking's not your thing, but this kid's relying on you. Don't freak out. Just talk slowly, the way you always do. If you freak out, it's gonna make things a lot harder. Got it?

"911, what's your emergency?" A voice rang out from the other end of the line.

Go time.

"Okay, I'm in Solus- Solus Park," Johnny began, his voice already skipping like it sometimes did. Not a good sign. "I was hanging out here, and this other boy collapsed, in front of me. I don't... don't know what to do."

"Can you describe the other boy's condition, sir? Is anything wrong with his breathing? Is he still conscious?"

"His– his breathing's weak," Johnny continued. "I don't know if- if he's still awake though. Listen, I think he's sick, or something. He was coughing a lot when I- when I met him... and his forehead's hot and clammy." Of course, Johnny had reached over and felt the boy's head to confirm this.

"Okay, if his breathing is weak, roll him onto his side. It'll open his airway. Keep his head tilted back."

Johnny did so quickly, making sure to keep the boy's head supported with one hand. Just to be safe, he pulled his jacket off and draped it over the body. "Okay, he's on his side. Now what?"

"I'll send an ambulance your way, but it won't arrive for a little while. Are the two of you alone?"

"Yeah."

"Can you tell me anything about this person? Name, age, anything that doesn't seem right?"

Johnny strained his eyes to make out anything in the dark, but it was to no avail. "I don't know. It's too- too dark out. But I think he's about fifteen. Maybe?"

"...Hey, I'm J..."

Johnny stopped as a voice gargled out from the person he was trying to help.

"Sir? Are you still there?" The operator asked after a short period.

"Oh, uh, yeah," Johnny stuttered. "I think he's trying to... say something. Hold, on a sec." He leaned in as far as he could while still keeping the boy still. "What is it?"

"My name... it's-" The boy coughed weakly, then spoke again, gathering as much strength as he could. "It's Jo... Josh. I'm... Josh Magnus."

Johnny nodded firmly and turned his attention back to the phone. "Okay, I got his name. He says- he says it's Josh Magnus."

It didn't quite sink in until he said it aloud, but the instant he did it hit him like a car.

Josh... Magnus. It'd been years ago, but Johnny had heard in the news about how Ultra Magnus took in a kid from the Kaon slums. He hadn't thought too much about it, other than being a little jealous, but...

Oh scrap, and this was that kid. It was stressful enough when Johnny thought this was some random person, but now things had gotten so much worse.

"Magnus?" The operator spoke up. They sounded a little bit skeptical, but it was gone in an instant. "Alright sir, the ambulance should only be a few minutes away. Keep supporting him and checking his breathing. Has there been any change in condition?"

"I don't think so."

"What's your callback number? We'll need to call later for verification."

"Oh, I'm not using my phone," Johnny replied, growing nervous. "I borrowed his, and I... I don't know his- his number."

"Then tell me your phone number, and find yours quickly."

Johnny supplied his number quickly. "I'm not at home, so I can't get to it, for a while at least."

"You'll have to try. Let me know when you see the ambulance, and stay on the line until then, got it?"

"Okay," Johnny nodded. At the very least, he could do that.

The ambulance arrived about two minutes later. Whether it was an actual car or a Cybertronian, Johnny couldn't tell (not that it mattered, but he was curious). In the vehicle's flashing lights, Johnny could finally make out the boy's – Josh's – features. He looked to be a teenager of some years, as Johnny had guessed, with blonde hair and a strong-looking body.

Well, he would have looked stronger had he not been pale as a ghost and sweating profusely. Apparently, Johnny hadn't been wrong when he'd guessed Josh was sick.

A couple of humans – paramedics? – came out of the back of the ambulance and scooped up the other boy onto a gurney as Johnny watched. They didn't seem to pay him any attention, although one of them turned to him at one point and gave him an approving nod. It made him feel surprisingly good.

Before long the ambulance drove off into the night, and Johnny watched as the flashing lights gradually dimmed away into nothingness. Somewhat belatedly, he realized that he'd left his jacket wrapped around Josh. It was too bad – he'd really liked that jacket, and it was cold out tonight. All the more reason to get home quickly.

Johnny ran through the paths until he found his bike, then hopped on and started pedaling his way home. Josh was out of his hands now, and he'd done all that he could. All that was left was to hope he'd be alright.

Along the way home, Johnny couldn't help but think back on what had transpired. That kid – Josh – what was going to happen to him? He knew he couldn't have done any more than he had, but... that didn't stop him from worrying any. Sure, Josh would be taken to a hospital and taken care of, but hospitals and doctors weren't infallible. Sometimes they just couldn't make you whole again.

Johnny felt his left hand raise off of the handlebar and gently finger the side of his head, just above his left ear. It was a nervous habit, one he'd developed a long time ago and never tried to overcome.

And then there was that 911 call. He was relieved it went well, maybe even a little proud. But speaking to other people like that only reminded him of the flaws in his own speech; it was slower than most others', and riddled with pauses, repeated words, and even outright stops. He knew it wasn't his fault; talking had been a chore for Johnny for years now. His thoughts worked fine, but they had a hard time forming themselves into spoken words for him, forcing him to wait for them to convert.

The doctors called it aphasia – a relatively mild case of it, but Johnny still felt the effects. That was why he made himself talk slower, so that if he did make mistakes, it would be less like hitting a wall at running speed and more like stumbling over a rock. Much easier to recover from.

It wasn't a complete nuisance, but it was something that he couldn't control. That made it frustrating. At least he hadn't had another headache while on the call. He couldn't imagine how badly that would have gone.

Which was why, as Johnny pulled into the driveway of his home in the middle-class district of Iacon, he had no further plans for tonight than to go inside, make himself a snack, turn on some music and maybe a movie, and then fall asleep.

He wasn't that lucky, as the phone in his pocket suddenly rang. For a moment, Johnny was confused. He hadn't brought his phone along, after all. Then, as he pulled it out, his guts froze. It was Josh's phone, the one he'd used to call for help. He'd forgotten to give it back.

And on the touchscreen, in thin white letters, was the word "Dad." As in Josh's dad.

As in Ultra Magnus.

The phone continued to ring as Johnny panicked silently. Speaking to a kid he didn't know? Easy. Speaking to a 911 operator? Harder, but he'd still pulled it off. Speaking to one of the most powerful people on Cybertron? No chance, no way. He'd just have to let it go to voice mail. The hospital would probably have already called about Josh, so Ultra Magnus must know about what had happened... right?

But Johnny knew that was flawed thinking. If Josh was really in such bad condition, his dad would've gone straight to him, right? Wasn't that how parents were supposed to act when their children were in trouble? Besides, Josh wouldn't have been able to take calls in the state he was in. So Ultra Magnus must still have been oblivious.

At a loss, Johnny stared at the phone as indecision raged inside of him. He prayed like crazy that something, anything, would happen to get him out of this. There couldn't be that many rings left...

...Damn it, what was wrong with him tonight?!

He answered the call.

Ultra Magnus tried not to worry too much about his son. Josh was fifteen now, old enough to start making his own decisions without being coddled. Mistakes happened, as they always did, but Josh was a good young man and could take care of himself as needed.

Of course, that didn't stop Magnus from worrying entirely. Like any good parent would, he reasoned. But he was generally good at keeping it inside – a side effect of working within the government.

But tonight had not been a good night thus far. Josh had gone out after dinner for a walk down to Solus Park. It wasn't far away, and so Magnus had let him go with only instructions to take his phone. It had been two hours now, and Josh had neither called nor returned from his excursion. Magnus had already sent a couple of texts, but when Josh had sent no reply he'd finally allowed himself to be a little nervous. There hadn't been any incidents, Con-related or otherwise, in a long time. Had something started up again?

So finally, Ultra Magnus gave his son's cell phone a call. He wasn't sure what would happen if Josh didn't answer; it was a possibility he was terrified to even consider. When Josh picked up on the other end and uttered a simple "Hello?" it was enough to make Magnus' spark leap with relief.

"Soldier, where are you?" The Autobot leader started, voice tinged lightly with anger. "Did you not receive my messages?"

"I'm sorry is, this Ultra Magnus?" The voice on the other end replied. Magnus was bewildered at the response. Was his son playing some kind of trick? After he'd made him wait?

"Is this some kind of joke to you, Joshua? I've been worried!" Anger filled his voice more freely now. "Get back here now! I'd like to have some words with you."

"What?... Oh! No, n-no, no, no! I didn't mean it like...!" The other person grew frantic. "I'm not- I'm not your son! I'm not Josh, I'm Johnny!"

If Ultra Magnus had already been surprised before, it was nothing compared to what he felt now. And when he listened a little closer, really heard how the other voice sounded, he was blindsided by one certain truth.

This voice was not that of Joshua Magnus. He'd never heard this voice before even once. Somebody else, somebody unknown to him, had taken Josh's phone, and they had picked up his call.

He wasn't angry anymore. But he was still scared, even as he tried to keep a level head. "You... who are you? Why do you have my son's phone? Do you want something from me?"

"No, please, please!" The other voice – a male voice, Magnus noted – shouted back. Magnus was stunned to hear that whoever this man was, they sounded even more afraid than him. "I didn't hurt anybody, I just, met your son and he, he, he-" The voice cracked as if breaking into tears.

So Magnus moved quickly. "Sir, please calm down. I didn't mean to frighten you. Tell me what's happening. I promise to listen well," he spoke as gently as he could. This person, whatever their identity, sounded young.

"Right, okay. Sorry about that," the boy (Johnny, was it?) replied, sounding more calm but still deeply choked up. Was he actually crying? "It's... kind of a long story."

...

Ultra Magnus listened patiently as the boy who called himself Johnny explained himself. Apparently, he'd gone to Solus Park before Josh had to see the crystals, and had stumbled across his son later that night. Magnus was shocked when the other boy explained Josh's condition.

"He was, coughing a lot, and it sounded like it hurt him to... breathe. His skin was so hot and- hot and clammy, and I don't know what was wrong but he sounded, really sick."

"My son was sick?" Ultra Magnus asked. Primus, he'd known Josh had been feeling under the weather for a couple of days now. He hadn't expected it to escalate so swiftly. "Where is he? Is he alright?"

"...I don't know. He collapsed in front of me."

"He WHAT?" Magnus roared, shooting out of his chair. He was certain it would send somebody running to check on him, but that didn't matter now. "Is he alright? Where is he?!"

"Please, please don't yell!" Johnny begged. "I... I used his phone to call- to call 911, I swear! I did everything, they said and an ambulance... ambulance came for him and took him away." He then added, as an afterthought "You might be getting a- a call about that soon."

Magnus ran what he'd been told through his processor, over and over again. Slowly, he felt himself grow a little calmer. But only a little – this was nothing to sneeze at. "So..." He breathed. "My son is in the hospital."

"I'm sorry I scared you. I swear I, didn't mean to take his phone."

"Sorry? Young man, you have no reason to be sorry." As Ultra Magnus spoke those words, he felt a deep gratitude bloom within his spark and a genuine smile forming. "My son is a stranger to you, but you still helped him. He may very well be alive because of you. I assure you, with all that I am, that I'm very, very grateful for what you've done."

"...What, really?" Johnny stammered. "You, you're... thanking me?"

"Is there any reason I shouldn't?"

"No, I'm- I'm just not used to it is all."

Magnus briefly considered asking what the boy meant by that, but he ultimately chose not to pry. "Very well. Now, you said your name was Johnny, correct?"

"Yeah. It's Jonathan, actually," he corrected. After a pause, he added more. "...Jonathan Hale."

The Autobot nodded. "Jonathan Hale. I will remember that name. Thank you for what you've done tonight."

"Hang on, what about your kid's phone?" Johnny piped up suddenly.

Ah, right. He'd almost forgotten about that. "I can send somebody to pick it up once my son has recovered some. Would that be alright with you?"

"Oh, uh... I guess so," the boy conceded. "Bye, then?"

And then he hung up.

Magnus closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, waiting for the hospital to call. Of course, half of him was worried beyond belief. All those times he'd been in the hospital... he'd never realized how Josh must have felt waiting in limbo for him. It wasn't a mistake he intended to make again.

The other half still brimmed with joy and gratitude toward the person who'd saved his son.

Jonathan Hale, was it? He wouldn't forget that name anytime soon.

This is gonna be a bit of a slow story, at least at first. Just that I'd throw that out there.

Still, if you won't give up, then neither will I.

Tomorrow's Hero, signing out.