Chapter Text
The day that Bumblebee lost everything had started out as any normal day was on Cybertron. Admittedly, tensions were high between Cybertronians with the influx of fighting, but Iacon was safe and untouched by the war that was slowly rising between the two sides that called themselves Decepticons and Autobots. What they were fighting about, Bee was unsure, but he was still very young, and wanted to focus more on keeping his family safe and secure. Which is why he had gone out today instead of staying home, despite the uneasy gossip that had begun to spread out among the streets. Gossip about Decepticons and Autobots and the bloodshed that seemed to be trailing after wherever they fought.
Stopping at a store for supplies- having assured his creators that he would be quick and not be pulled into any odd conversation- Bumblebee paused as soft murmurs reached his audials. Titling his head slightly, Bee pretended to continue to look through the items in front of him while tuning into the conversation somewhere to the right of him.
“-tron’s been sighted near Iacon,” the low rumbly voice of a Cybertronian spoke in a hushed, worried voice, “Causing destruction wherever he goes. Can’t get why he’s doing this now when there are much bigger issues to deal with.”
“Oh hush,” a softer voice scolded slightly, “We know that he’s doing this because of the issues at hand. Everyone knows, they’re just not acknowledging it.”
“Sure, but there’s got to be a better way at doing it,” came the replying grumble, “I can’t even travel anymore to do my business without fear of by tail end getting blasted by some afthole-”
Whatever was going to be said after that was cut off as Bumblebee, who was paying more attention to the gossip rather than where he was putting his servos, accidently fumbled with a can of oil, the item falling off the shelf and clattering to the ground loudly. Feeling a flash of warm embarrassment against his face plate, Bee quickly scooped up the can of oil while avoiding the burning gazes of the two Cybertronians and hurried to buy what he already had.
It wasn’t until he was out of the store that Bumblebee allowed the tension to leave his shoulders with a sigh, storing what he bought in one of his compartments before moving further into the city’s center, mulling over just the smallest snippet of gossip he had heard. Most likely, they had been talking about Megatron- once a powerful and well known gladiator- now the powerful and well known Decepticon leader. Bee hadn’t known that he had even been near Iacon.
Pausing next to a building that sat next to a large space that was packed with Cybertronians mingling and enjoying the day, Bumblebee considered turning around and going back to where his family was. Hearing about Megatron had left an uneasy feeling that had squirmed it’s way into his spark and sat heavily in his chassis. After a moment of thought, Bee decided that he could always get the rest of what he was looking for another day. With a nod, the minibot turned and took a step back to where he came- which is when the shouts of alarm started to rise.
Jerking back around in surprise at the noise, there was barely a moment to react before the world around him burst into fire and debri. A cry tore it’s way out of Bumblebee’s throat as he was thrown back from the force of the explosions, his back slamming into the ground with a painful screech of metal on metal. Wincing in pain at the stinging against his back, Bumblebee pushed himself up, a grimace on his face as he realized he had much bigger issues to deal with.
Namely, the fact that he was now surrounded by blazing fires accompanied with the sound of intense fighting. Oh, and the piece of shrapnel sticking out of his leg. It wasn’t horribly big, or very far deep into the metal plating, but it was enough that removing it was probably not the best idea at the moment. Pushing himself unsteadily to his peds, a sharp vent hissing out in pain when the shrapnel shifting slightly at the movement, Bumblebee limped over to the still partially standing building to his right, leaning up against the wall and squinting through smoke that cloaked the area like a blanket.
Dark shapes moved through the smoke, only discernible by their outline, accompanied by screams of fear and anger that rang through the air. Glancing behind him, Bee could see that it was the same situation. So, he was evidently stuck smack dab in the middle of a Decepticon attack. This was fine. Bee totally had it handled.
Shuttering his optics closed for just a moment to gather his thoughts, Bumblebee opened his optics once again and scanned the fire and smoked filled area around him. There were large chunks of rubble all around, not big enough to hide a full cybertronian, but the perfect cover for a young, still growing minibot. If he moved quickly and carefully enough, Bee could use the rubble pieces to maneuver himself out of the center of the fight and further to the edge of the city- where the damage and chaos was hopefully thinner- and then he could contact his family and figure out how to get to them.
Peeking out his head carefully from around the corner of the building, just in case there was someone waiting right there to jump the minibot, Bee let out a vent of relief when he saw that he was technically alone. With the cost clear- as clear as it could be in the middle of a battle- Bumblebee pushed himself off the wall, limping as quickly as he could to the first pile of rubble and ducking behind it. Since there was no extra yelling or gunfire his way, Bee was content to say that he had not been spotted by anyone.
Shuffling to and from the next several chunks of rubble, Bee had to admit that despite the sort-of terrifying and dangerous situation at hand, there was a thrill of excitement that coursed through his energon lines as he snuck to each of his hiding places.
Despite the bright yellow of his plating, Bee was fully aware that his size as a minibot- and he understood that he was also considered small by minibot standards- gave him the perfect ability to creep around unnoticed. It almost made him wish he was old enough to join the Autobots- to put his skills to some sort of use.
Putting those thoughts aside for now, Bumblebee began to limp across the next stretch of space, aiming right for a building that had remained upright despite the damage to it when Bee felt it hit. The bonds between him and his family, always present and familiar to the minibot, were suddenly torn away from his spark.
A soundless scream of pain tore at Bumblebee’s throat as he dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. The motion caused the piece of shrapnel in his leg to dig in deeper, energon now dripping freely from the wound, but it was barely noticeable compared to the flaring pain in the minibot’s spark, the empty, gaping void of where his family’s bonds had been just moments ago expanding over his entire being. Static sparked across Bee’s optics, practically blinding him as he crawled forward, somehow realizing that despite the pain he was in, he still needed to get to cover.
Bumblebee barely made it to a small pile of broken pieces of steel, just enough to keep the minibot hidden as he collapsed against the ground, limbs no longer willing to hold him as he let out shallowed, pained vents of air in a desperate attempt to cool his overheating systems. Energon glittered in a trail behind him like a bright beacon of pain. Bee pressed his helm against the ground, pained whimpers leaving him as his spark weakly fluttered and pulsed, still reaching in a desperate attempt for something that was no longer there. Spark bonds were never meant to be broken, not so suddenly, or harshly, and never four all at once. It meant that his family, somehow, in some way, had died.
Vents hitching as another wave of pain washed over him, Bumblebee was faintly aware, over the static and pain, that there was a good chance he was dying as well. He could barely feel his spark, the thing having faded to a wobbly pulse, still somehow reaching out for something to attach to. Shoving down the sob that was working it’s way up his throat, Bee curled up into a tight ball, focusing on the static and the pain in an attempt to keep awake as darkness began to work it’s way through the static and whatever awareness the minibot had left.
Right before the darkness could completely envelop the minibot, something strong latched onto Bumblebee’s spark, sending what felt like a surge of adrenaline to the minibot’s hardly present spark. Bee let out a gasp as his spark flared to life, chasing away most of the static and darkness, as well as soothing some of the pain from the broken bonds of his family. Sitting himself up unsteadily, Bumblebee was able to lean himself up against the rubble behind him, servo pressed against his chassis where his spark lay in disbelief.
He had been dying. His family bonds had been torn so violently from him that he should be dead, but something had given his spark a boost of energy- enough for the minibot to live. And now that something was seemingly gone. At the very least, Bumblebee could no longer feel it. Lifting up trembling hands to his mouth, mutely aware that the sounds of battle had faded to a tense silence, Bumblebee let out a muffled sob as coolant tears welled up in his optics, the relief of being alive clashing against the overwhelming grief of his family being dead.
*********
Amidst the wreckage of the city and the crackling flames that burned a low light stood Soundwave, the communications officer of the rising group known as the Decepticons. The attack on Iacon had gone without a hitch, proving that even a city like Iacon was not as protected as the Autobots tried to prove otherwise.
Soundwave had cleared out his section, scaring off civilians and tearing the area apart, watching them scatter with cries of fear when he jolted to a halt. Something had squeezed past his em field, weak and fragile, before latching onto his spark. It felt like one of his cassettes, but when he reached out through his bonds, all of his cassettes were well and strong-sparked as they cleared through the areas they were assigned to. Then who in Primus…
The sudden spark that had been present just a moment ago disappeared from Soundwave’s presence, the decepticon jolting slightly as he reached out again in curiosity. But whatever it had been- a spark or something else entirely- was no longer there. The light in his visor narrowing, Soundwave scanned the area with a frown. There was no one else besides him, the area too thrashed to properly hide a full grown cybertronian. But…
Attention latching onto a large piece of rubble not far from where he stood, sensing something there, Soundwave expanded his em field, reaching out and about to brush against whoever had been hiding when his comm crackled to life. Em field instantly retracting back against his armor, Soundwave accepted the comm and listened to the new orders given to him by Lord Megatron. Rumbling an affirmative, Soundwave spared one more glance at the rubble and whatever- or whoever- was hidden behind it before shaking his head and moving on.
Whatever it was, it couldn’t be that important.