Of Sparks and Hearts

Of Sparks and Hearts
By Steph

It was that time again, Sam felt himself smile, the world around him drifting silently away in a gentle blur becoming nothing but a small hum in the background. The young teen absently twirled the pen in his hand as he continued to stare blankly out of the window, his mind far from the dull lesson being held in the dingy room, to Sam the world outside held a far greater interest. A shrill noise snapped the young man from his thoughts, the school bell rang through the halls and students began to shuffle around and make their way out of the classroom and onto the grey corridors of the school. Sam’s mind quickly snapped back to reality and he began fumbling with his belongs in a ditch to quickly escape the halls of boredom which imprisoned the youth oppressing them with unwanted loads of useless information. A few fellow students gave Sam a disgruntled look as he walked (…almost skipping) towards his locker, Sam himself could not care less because today was a very important day on his calendar. It was Friday which of course meant the weekend to any normal teenager, but to the happily skipping Sam it meant spending the entire evening with his best friend, a seemingly normal pass time, but not if your best friend happened to be a giant eighteen foot robot from out of space. Sam smiled to himself at the thought. Every Friday evening after school both he and Bumblebee would spend the entire evening on the hill overlooking the city just talking and enjoying each other’s company, it was one of the few things Sam looked forward to.

Sam grabbed his duffel bag and made his way to the parking lot of the school, his eyes scanned around for the familiar sight of the gleaming yellow camero, he spotted his guardian just to the left of him. (not where he originally parked him…) The teen shook his head, to himself, Bumblebee had a habit of reappearing in a different parking space, sometimes Sam was convinced his guardian did this just to make him feel stupid. When the yellow scout had first begun this disappearing act, Sam had convinced himself that he was going mad, he would come out of school to find the spot he had parked his car to be empty. Later to his annoyance he had found out that Bumblebee was moving around the parking lot but found it rather amusing to watch his charge search aimlessly around for him in disbelief. Sometimes… Bee had a very cruel sense of humour. The teen snapped out of his musing and pretty much ran to the yellow car with a spring in his step, the drivers door popped open of it’s own accord as he neared revealing the welcoming interior of Bumblebee, Sam threw his bag onto the passenger seat. The yellow scout’s voice echoed through the speakers, Sam jumped slightly at the sound of his guardian’s voice as the car made it’s way out of the school.

“Hello Sam, how was your day?” the cheery tone of the scout made Sam relax as he took hold of the wheel to make it look like he was driving. Sam smiled towards the dash,

“Fine, though I’m glad its Friday, and best of all, no homework ether” the teenager was clearly very pleased as his body almost bounced off the seat in happiness, he looked like a child that had being given to many sweets.

Bumblebee chuckled at his charge’s actions, a gush of air coming through the vents of the interior,

“Even when you do get homework, I have to nag you almost as much as your mother to get it done, least this way I get a break too”

Sam playfully swatted the dash with the back of his hand

“I’m not that bad!” he argued, a smile clearly alit on the young teen’s face.

Bumblebee let out a sound which could pass for a human snort,

“Oh no, course not, I only have to lock you in my alt mode for at least an hour until you finally deicide to try and get it done.”

Sam laughed at the tone of the scout’s voice,

“Your getting too good at sarcasm Bee, have you been surfing the internet again? “I think it’s rubbing off on you” his tone was playful,

Bumblebee laughed, “Maybe, though it does have it’s perks, it annoys Ironhide a lot”

Sam eyes widened, his eye brows almost disappearing into his hairline,

“You want to purposely annoy him?” his tone was shocked, Sam’s voice rose in pitch as he continued his rant, the young teenager waved his arms around as if to emphasis his point.

“ Is your processor glitching? Does giant cannons and scrap metal mean anything to you?”

Bumblebee chuckled he spoke in a calm voice trying to soothe his distressed charge.

“He will have to catch me first, Ironhide’s not the fastest mech around, besides I’d kick his aft”

Sam sat back in his seat and shook his head in disbelief,

“I think I’m going to have wean you off all this praise Bee, your starting to get a bigger ego then Sideswipe”

The radio suddenly clicked on as music came blasting out of the speakers,

“I’m simply the best,

Sam laughed,

“Yep defiantly bigger then Sideswipe”

Static arose from the radio, it gargled as the station changed,

“Check on the rep, yep second to none”

Sam put his head in his hands and groaned, Bumblebee’s laughter filled the cab and he continued to blear out music from his speakers.

The yellow camero soon turned onto the familiar dusty road that lead up to the overlook, the sun had just started to set behind the city, painting the landscape in a dab of yellow and orange colours, the grass was a deep luscious green colour, drops of water from the earlier rainfall clung to the stalks glittering in the low light of twilight. Bumblebee came to a stop at the foot of the overlook and swung open his door, allowing his charge to exit the cab, Sam padded up to their usual spot just underneath the single oak tree that sat on top of the grassy hill. Behind him the young teenager heard the familiar transformation of his guardian as metal and gears twisted incomprehensible ways and soon a bipedal humanoid robot was stood in place of the camero, blue optics lit scanning the landscape around them. Bumblebee gazed up at his charge on top of the hill, the yellow scout paced over to the tree to join his human.

Sam leaned back against the rough bark of the oak, the texture pressed into his back in an almost familiar way as he sank to the soft grass, his back sliding down the trunk prompting a loud scrapping noise from the tree. Sam shifted his body, angling it so he was comfortably leant against the tree, the ground shook from underneath the teenager, Sam looked up to see the familiar sight of his guardian approaching the tree his yellow armour glistering in the low bands of sunlight. The yellow scout sank to the floor and mimicked his charge’s position, the tree shook slightly as it bore the autobot’s great weight, a few leaves fell to the ground in a spiralling motion fluttering towards the ground a few landing upon Sam’s head. Sam laughed slightly as he shook his head to dislodge the green stars, Bumblebee’s soft optics glanced down at his charge, a small smile clearly alit upon his face plating. Sam smiled at his guardian before turning his gaze out to the hills in the distance, Bumblebee turned his optics to join his charge, the sunlight cascading down on the pair in an almost surreal way. The two sat in a comforting silence, watching the sun as it began to disappear from behind the hills, Sam shifted his body slightly and turned his gaze up to look at the yellow mech sat beside him, his brown eyes alit with curiosity.

“Bee?” the yellow scout turned his gaze to look at the young human sat next to him, the scout regarded his charge’s intense stare.

“Yes what is it Sam?”

Sam shifted as if uncomfortable with himself, Bumblebee watched the slight worry. Sam breathed in a breath of air as if trying to compose himself.

“Can I ask you something? you don’t have to answer if I’m prying but its something I’ve always wondered about”

Bumblebee wordlessly offered a hand to his charge, Sam took the silent invitation and felt the familiar sensation of himself being lifted, Bumblebee carefully set the boy upon his leg, his optics gazed down at the teen expectedly.

“You know you can I ask anything of me Sam” he said kindly, one of his yellow hands touching the boy’s shoulder reassuringly.

Sam smiled up at his guardian and nodded,

“What actually is a spark?” curiosity rang out from the teenager’s words

Bumblebee was slightly taken aback by the question, his blue optics blinked before a quiet whirring could be heard from the yellow mech.

“A Spark is the essence or soul that makes us who we are, it makes us more then just machines, a spark is what gives us life”

Sam nodded in understanding,

“So… a spark is similar to a human heart?”

Bumblebee was silent for a moment, before he nodded,

“Yes I suppose it could be compared to a human heart, it is what keeps us alive, just like a  heart does for your kind”

Sam fell silent, Bumblebee gazed down at his charge faintly wondering the reasons behind Sam’s question,

“Was there a reason for your question?”

Sam nodded,

“Well I was just wondering, where do your sparks originally come from?, I mean what happens to you when you die?” Are they energy? “ How does it power your body?”

Bumblebee jumped slightly as the overwhelming amount of questions coming from his charge. He gently put a finger over Sam’s mouth to silence the teenager’s ongoing rant of questions.

“Sam, slow down” the yellow mech chuckled at his charge’s eagerness, it was one of the many things that the yellow bot adored about him.

The yellow mech removed his finger, Sam chuckled,

“Sorry” he said softly,

Bumblebee patted his human’s shoulder, he smiled down at Sam

“Its ok, there is nothing wrong with being curious, and to answer your questions I will do by best as I am nether a historian or a medic”

There was an audible hum from the yellow mech as the scout contemplated his answer, Sam looked up at Bumblebee, his eyes staring intently at the mech’s face, he loved it when Bee told him stories about Cybertron, though the mech did not do it that often.

Bumblebee gazed down at his charge, he leant his metal body back against the tree, his voice introspective and wise with age.

“As you know, the origins of our race are not known, all our race’s history and how we came to be, was contained within the Allspark”

Sam gulped at the mention of the Allspark, the teen still felt guilty about destroying the ancient relic that gave the cybertroians life. Bumblebee noticed his charge’s posture, he cupped a hand behind the boy’s back.

“We do not blame you Sam, you did what you had to do and we are very thankful to you”

Sam nodded, “I know but I still feel bad, without it you can’t go home” the young teen turned his gaze down at the scout’s metal leg.

Bumblebee sigh, he stoked one finger down his human’s back in a comforting way.

“This is our home now Sam, I do not regret anything that has happened.”
Sam smiled and nodded, the yellow scout’s artic blue optics met the teen’s brown eyes, Bumblebee’s voice once more filled the quiet air around them of a tale from long ago.

“Our best scholars and scientist tried for many millennia’s to decipher the symbols on the cube, the language was ancient well before the birth our planet. What we think is the Allspark is embodiment of the original Cybertroian, Primus, it is widely believed that he created the Allspark and with it our home planet Cybertron. The Allspark is what gave life to all cybertroians each spark is a gift from the Allspark, each one different from any other giving us an individual personality and sentience.

Sam nodded, “So.. the Allspark is what gave everyone of you life, and a spark is like a piece of the Allspark that lives within you”

Bumblebee nodded, “Exactly, you catch on quick I’m impressed”

Sam laughed, “Well there’s a first time for everything”

“So what happens when a Spark goes out”

Bumblebee turned his head to gaze at the hills, his voice becoming very soft

“We die” he said simply

“Kind of like a human’s heart stopping?” Sam asked

“Yes, When a Spark goes online, there is great joy when one is extinguished, the universe weeps. When our spark is extinguished it joins the matrix and becomes one with the Allspark once more all the knowledge and experiences we have had in our life time will be shared and pass down.”

“So it goes back to the original source, like energy?”

Bumblebee nodded, “Yes in essence Sparks are just like energy, capable of keeping us alive for millennia’s”

“Wow, so you guys are pretty much immortal?”

“Yes, most of us here are older then your planet”

Sam’s mouth opened in shock, he took a breath to calm himself, Bumblebee laughed at his charge’s reaction, Sam felt himself wobble as the scout’s laughter shook through his entire body, he smiled up at his guardian.

“Good grief, how old are you Bee?”

Bumblebee jabbed Sam in the ribs playfully with one metal finger,

“I’m not that old, in fact I’m the youngest here, in cybertroian terms I would be around your age”

“Wow really, so your like the youngster of the group?”

“Yes though Sideswipe acts more immature then I do at times” the scout mused

Sam laughed “ Guess I can’t argue with that one”

Sam stared at the setting sun for a moment before once more glancing up at his guardian, Sam frowned he noticed the yellow mech’s slouched position his door wings drooping in what seemed to be sadness. The young teen put a hand upon the mech’s chest plate and gently patted it.

“Hey Bee, you ok? His voice conveyed concern this was the first he had seen his guardian upset.

Bumblebee turned his optics to look at Sam, the teen noted the blue light in them seemed to have dimmed, Sam was slightly taken aback.

“I’m fine Sam,”

Sam cocked his head to one side, “You don’t sound fine”

“I have just being thinking, perhaps to much.”

Sam gave his guardian a sympathetic look, “Penny for your thoughts”

This earned him a small smile from the yellow mech beside him, before he could react the yellow scout had picked up the helpless human and crushed him to his chest in a breath stopping hug.

“Bee… chocking… not breathing… need air” he panted,

Bumblebee immediately released his hold on his suffocating charge his hand relaxing until it became a gentle hold on the young human, he dipped his head in apology.

“I’m sorry Sam, your not hurt are you?”

Sam shook his head as he recovered from the shock, he let out a small laugh

“I’m fine, you just surprised me that’s all” his tone was light trying to brighten the mood.

Bumblebee nodded, he brushed his hand over the top of Sam’s head, his hands shielding the young human almost as if scared that if he let go, Sam would disappear.

Sam looked up at the yellow mech with a questioningly look,

“Seriously Bee, your scaring me a bit here, what’s brought all this on all of a sudden?”

Bumblebee shut his optics, Sam felt a small quiver echo through the mech’s frame,

“After being on this planet all this time, and the recent events of Mission city, it has made me realise just how fragile you humans are” the mech’s voice shook with pain at the statement.

Sam was shocked,

“Bee, I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon I promise” he said it in a comforting tone trying to soothe the distraught mech.
Bumblebee hunched over as if shielding Sam from the dangers of the world,

“I’m just afraid I’m going to lose you” the yellow digits surrounding Sam tightened for effect,

Sam gulped, a lump formed in the young teen’s throat, silently he hugged one of the metal fingers encased around his body.

“Oh Bee, Your not going to lose me,”

Bumblebee spoke in a quiet voice, almost a whisper.

“Maybe not right now, but one day, that little heart of yours is going to stop, taking you with it”

Sam eyes went wide, an idea came to the teenager’s mind, he tightened his grip on one of the yellow mech’s finger, he moved it and gently placed it upon his chest, where his heart strongly beat.

“I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, feel this, this little heart of mine is going to be beating for many more years to come, I promise”

“So don’t worry about it just yet, ok?”

Bumblebee looked down at his charge and nodded, he placed another finger upon his charge’s chest as if to reassure himself of the fact.

“Thank you Sam.”

Sam nodded and smiled up at his friend, he patted the yellow fingers still sat upon his chest.

“Your welcome” he said softly,

Bumblebee smiled down at his charge and shifted against the tree and adjusted his charge’s position so his body was leant against his chest plating over his spark Sam shifted getting comfortable he smiled up at his yellow protector, the two turned their gazes out to look at the sun that had just finishing dipping below the horizon. Sam could feel the strong pluses of his guardian’s spark humming in the mech’s chest plating, as Bumblebee could feel the strong beating of his human’s heart against his armour, both sat in silence, taking comfort in the feeling of each other’s life force. One heart, One spark different in so many ways, one that was capable of lasting forever, the other just a blink of an eye in the forever long reaches of time. Yet similar, both capable of much love and friendship that will forever linger in the bonds forged beyond the reaches of time.

The End