So here we are! Last chapter. Finally. It's been a long, long ride - nineteen chapters and almost a hundred reviews! This is seriously the longest thing I've ever written. I might do a companion fic to this, but that's not decided yet. Well, this is over, anyway. I can't believe it! I'v e been writing this fic for... Let's see... three months. Whoa!

Thanks to all the reviewers who read this and gave me feedback, right from the first chapter. I really appreciate it.

Sidekicks-anonymous: No kidding.

Game-Watch: Tyger Pax... Well, at least he gets his voicebox back eventually.

RoboDiamondDragon09: I know, right? XD.(about the leak thing.) Glad you enjoyed the last chapter, though I myself hadn't liked it too much. What do you mean, I'm alone now?

I don't own TFP.

Enjoy!

Entry #50

Today's is a special log entry, since I just can't get this stuff out of my head. It's fragging impossible. I've been up for way, way too long, but there's just no way that I can recharge right now. Whenever I shut down my optics, I see and feel like I'm running through the smoke again, dodging shots and seeing others fall to the side. I just can't get it out of my processor. I have no idea how the others have powered down so easily.

I know that Cloudburst isn't sleeping, she never does. But I haven't approached her and she hasn't approached me, either. I don't know about her... but I just want some peace and quiet right now. A nice way of saying I want to be left alone, I suppose.

Okay, I guess I should just quit stalling and get right to it.

Early this morning, we were deployed. Our original orders were to scout ahead into Decepticon territory, and so we did. All of us were there, both Units, to form a common scouting unit. Giga was the leader, with Olo as the second-in-command.

We were ushered into the temporary shelter that had been put up for the Commander. The Commander gave us a quick briefing. "Yer to cover the area and tell us the number of troops, what they're doing and so on. You know the drill. Just don't be seen. Or they'll flay you alive. Dismissed! Roll out!"

We knew that the 'Cons would be attacking from two sides, most likely, so Giga divided us into two groups. I was with Gallant, Olo (the leader), Breakout, Cloudburst and Traction. We were to take the west side, the others would be taking the north. Our side was actually more dangerous, since it was closer to the Decepticon base. It was scary heading out for the first time, but I steeled myself and did it.

We started off close to the hills on the west side, being careful so that the 'Con's wouldn't be able to point us out with their long range scopes. There was no way to stay out of range, so we would just have to make sure that no thermal imaging scans detected us. We finally peeked out over a range.

It was crazy! I can't remember the last time I saw so many bots. Maybe it was at that party we held to celebrate the victory at Kalis. We guessed that there were about a thousand and five hundred in total, all standing in perfect formation while being briefed right outside their base. We saw a couple of bots with fusion cannons– maybe a division of them? - and there seemed to be plenty of long rangers as well, along with materials for the construction of platforms and rocket launchers. Those could be a real problem for Autobot troops. That made me realize that Decepticon scouts were also probably looking at neatly arranged Autobot rows and columns and reporting that back to their commander as well. Cloudburst says that it's all just a game that both sides play, since they're mostly equally matched and there's really no point to it at all.

We came back and reported all this to the Commander. And we thought that was that. Except we were called back in about 5 cycles later, saying that there weren't enough Bots and we had to join battle. And he would, hereafter, be expecting us to this for every battle. So we got ready. And then the real chaos erupted.

We were split into groups of three and deployed to different sides. Cloudburst and Traction were with me. We ran through, shooting through any 'Cons we could see, not caring or having the time to look behind to see if we were still together. Everything was panic. There was no way to tell who you were fighting – it was just a mass of frames struggling to kill the ones around them just in order to gain enough space to vent, let alone survive. There was danger everywhere, in the 'Cons I shot at, in the frames I tripped over, in my unit members – I was half afraid they'd mistake me for somebot else and shoot me. I don't even remember half of what happened. All that I know is that eventually the fighting stopped, and I could drag myself back to camp without the fear of being killed by a fusion cannon laser.

There was a frame on the ground. Still alive. Livid red optics. He was a 'Con. He wanted me to help him up, so that he could shoot me and 'preserve his honor' or something like that. He was leaking, lying in a pool of his own energon. I knew that there was no way he would survive. I just stared at him. He was slowly growing delirious. Finally, he begged for me to end him. Then I shot him.

Those optics are going to haunt me forever, I think.

When I came back, I was scolded for losing contact with my unit. They all looked really relieved to see that I was okay. The medics told me to clean up and go straight to my berth. But there's no way I can recharge now. I don't even know what to feel.

I remember once when I was really little, I asked a mech who'd come into the medibay for a war story. What I got instead was," Never forget those who you kill. Because they'll never forget you." That was the first and last time I ever asked for a war story.

Bumblebee out.

"Well, that was depressing." Knockout muttered. "That's enough, I think." said Arcee quietly. "I'm not reading any more."

"We agree." answered the Vehicons from across the room. Everybot stared at them. Wheeljack snorted. "Oh come on, they've probably been in countless battles too."

"Bumblebee?" Ratchet asked. All optics turned to him. The young mech stared at the datapad for a while before answering. "Let's stop." He agreed tiredly. "There's a lot more of this kind of stuff in the next entries. It's not something I want to remember. In fact... I'm going to destroy this datapad tomorrow morning. There's just way to much sorrow in there for me to handle."

"No."

Bumblebee looked towards the direction of the sound, stunned. "What?" Then he looked again. "Wait, what!?"

Optimus Prime stood in the doorway.

"You were listening?" Optimus nodded.

"The entire time?" He nodded again.

"Are you alive?" He shook his helm. Bumblebee groaned. "Really? You come back, but you're not alive? What kind of a resurrection is that?"

Optimus ignored him. "I came back," he said patiently, "because I needed to make sure that this was not destroyed."

"It's an evil thing!" One of the Vehicons protested.

"It is actually a valuable piece of history." He corrected.

Ratchet glared daggers at him. "Let me get this straight." He said slowly. "You came back, since destroying this would be like walking on Orion Pax the archivist's grave."

"Well..." admitted Optimus,"I do have a slight ability to interfere when I want to, but I came to make sure that this datapad is not forgotten, actually."

"You may find its contents unsettling right now... But later, Bumblebee, when you read this, you'll realize how much you gained and not how much you lost. One day, you will understand its importance. Perhaps not tonight, but it will happen."

Bumblebee opened his mouth in protest, but Optimus cut him off. "And," he thundered, and everything seemed to grow quiet, "When that solar cycle comes, it will be your responsibility to remind our bots of the wounds that they don't realize to lay unhealed. One solar cycle, it will trigger revolution."

"So Cybertron is doomed?"asked Arcee, narrowing her optics. "No matter what we do? To yet another war? More destruction?"

"Not for a long time." said Optimus softly. "Maybe history will turn one way or another. But until then... I ask that you remember who you killed. So that their role in this long chain of events is not forgotten. If you remember, and learn... Only then can you be called wise."

Then he disappeared.

8 vorns later

"Ratchet didn't even realize he'd been painted a brilliant blue and was somehow glowing, until I started laughing. Luckily, since I was out yesterday, he didn't think that I was involved. Which is true. Honest."

"Was it really?"

"Well... I don't really remember, Flora. It was a long time ago."

"So...You were involved. Hah!"

Bumblebee scowled. "I was not. He said pointedly. The other sparklings giggled. "You want me to continue tonight's story, or are you going to interrupt me again?"

"Sorry. I won't again."

Later, as the sparklings were put to recharge (or, more accurately, pushed into their berths), Bumblebee sidled up to a distracted Arcee, who was sitting on a small bench outside the house. "Arcee..."

"What?"

"Is this what Optimus intended? Cybertron is currently, for all intents and purposes, a daycare center."

Arcee grinned. "Now you feel my pain. And Ratchet's."

Bumblebee snorted. "Seriously, though..."

"'Bots will come back. Eventually. And then we can begin reconstruction properly."

They sat in silence for a little while. Both moons were full today, a rare occurrence.

"Are you going to tell them the whole story?

"Not the gory or depressing parts, but yeah... As much as I can bear to. Somehow, now... It feels like somebot else's story. Like it wasn't really me typing it at all."

"We're changing... Slowly... But we'll never forget."

"Bumblebee! Arcee!" It was Ratchet. "What on Cybertron are you two doing out here?"

"There are two full moons, Ratchet, look." He looked, and sure enough, they were there, like two pearls in the sky.

"Ah, yes... How could I have forgotten... Come in. There's plenty of work to do."

Bumblebee sighed and went inside, after offering a servo to Arcee. They would work to a better future. Where nobot would have to live like he did.

He was sure of it.

How'd you like it? I'm not very good with endings. But I tried my best. Please do review with your thoughts, for the last chapter!