Wild Ride (Cyberverse Mech!reader X Hot Rod)

11: A Different Path

"Y/D, you need to concentrate." Windblade said as I struggled to maintain a meditative stance.

"Windblade, you still haven't told me what we are doing." I said in annoyance.

"I told you we are trying to get your telepathic abilities in line since you are now completely defenseless."

"I gave up my weapons for a good reason, Windblade." I said. Windblade sighed in slight annoyance and pinched the space between her optics.

"So you say."

-earlier-

"And that's what happened to me on the Nemesis." I said after debriefing Optimus.

"Why would you give up your weapons to Megatron?" Hot Rod asked.

"Megatron gave them to me because I was searching for a murderer. Since there was no murder and it was an accident, I no longer needed them."

"But what if Decepticons attack you again? You won't be able to defend yourself."

"I have my fists, and I do have a nasty right hook. But I don't think I will be partaking in battle unless it's absolutely necessary. I... there's no point to it. In truth, I don't even know what to do now."

"You can keep training with me?" Windblade said. "You've gotten pretty far in a short amount of time, and who knows? Maybe you'll find a new purpose as a Titain Master?"

"That would be a wise course of action." Optimus said. "But it is up to you, Y/D."

"I... have a choice?" I asked in surprise.

"You always have a choice, Y/D." Hot Rod said with an adorable smile.

"I just... please forgive me. This is something I'm not used to."

"Well, you better get used to it, big guy." Hot Rod teased as he playfully punched my shoulder.

-present-

"You need to remember that you can't just punch your way out of things." Windblade said. "Now try it again. Focus on accessing your memory files." I gave her an annoyed sigh but complied as I closed my optics and accessed the interface within myself.

'Nice work, Y/D!' Windblade said as she appeared in my mind. 'Now let's get you familiar with... whoa.' Her translucent vestige seemed quite puzzled at the amount of damaged memory cells that were scattered about the gray of my mind.

'What? What is it?' I asked her.

'These memory files are seriously damaged, worse than Bumblebee's when I first found him here on Earth.'

'They've kinda always been like that. Dunno why.' I said with a shrug. I watched her float about and inspect the damaged memory cells, her face growing more and more concerned the longer she studied them.

'Weird question Y/D, how old are you?' She asked as she hovered in front of one of the cells.

'Not much older than Optimus. Why?'

'Unless I'm mistaken, all of these memory files? They are older than Cybertron itself. But that's impossible!'

'Maybe the time stamp is damaged as well?' I suggested as I brought the cell she was looking at towards me. In the cell, I saw the void I had seen before, my optics going wide with familiarity. 'I know this place! I've seen it before!'

'Really? How?' She asked.

'In a dream, and in a few visions. I don't know why I know this place or how.' I then sent the memory cell back to its place and searched about for the dream. 'Dammit, where is it?'

'Can you describe this dream?' She asked.

'It's hard to explain, but I think my spark was floating around there at some point. And there were these voices calling it an Anomaly or something. I don't know. I did take a few knocks to the head back on Cybertron.'

'Hmm, these could be spark memories.'

'Spark memories?' I asked with a head tilt.

'Sometimes, if a spark is transplanted into a new protoform or if it was frozen after a bot passed away, it can retain memories. It's extremely rare for it to happen, and the memories are often... traumatic. So traumatic that they engrain permanently into the spark. What I'm having difficulty figuring out is why these memories are so old?'

'Your guess is as good as mine Windblade.' I said with a shrug.

'Try accessing that cell.' She said as she pointed to one of the memories. I focused on it, and a strange scene unfolded.

'My Lord!' An unknown bot cried out to me as I made my way towards a tall spiral of some kind that dug into the ground of what appeared to be Cybertron. 'Please! This is suicide!'

'I am obligated to protect my universe from whatever threat dares show itself.' I said, yet my voice didn't sound like my own. It sounded ethereal and deep, like some sort of ghostly supernatural being.

'But it could destroy you! They are too powerful! Even for you!'

'If I do not face them, this universe and everything within it will be destroyed. I have seen it.'

'My lord... please... please don't do this. We need you.'

'Young one,' I said as I knelt down to be at the same height as the unknown bot. 'My physical form may be destroyed in this conflict, but know that no matter what, I will always exist in one way or another. It is as I was created.'

'Please... be careful and... and come back in one piece.'

The memory ended, and the cell merged back into its place, both Windblade and I even more confused than we were before.

'Was... was that me?' I asked.

'A version of you that your spark remembers. But that doesn't explain very much. Let's try one more, and then we can take a break.' She then floated about and gestured to one of the other mostly undamaged memory cells. 'This one seems mostly intact.'  I guided the cell forward, and a new memory played.

'So, this is the Anomaly that the beings of this universe worship?' A multi-faced being with long tendrils questioned.

'That is what the Priest told us, Judge.' A smaller being with razor sharp denta and a squat shark like body said as I was jabbed forward. 'He is ready to be judged, is he not?'

'Yes, and we find this universe guilty.' The being called Judge said.

'You will not have it.' I said coldly.

'You can not stop us!'

'Then I shall fall trying!' A brutal battle scene broke out between myself and the Judge, one that did not end well for either party.

As I ripped one of the faces off of the Judge, a tendril stabbed its way all the way through my chassis and out my back, a choking gurgle sound escaping my dermas as my optics widened. Not giving up, however, I forced myself to grab the top of the Judge and I tore it in half, terminating it permanently. As the now lifeless being plummeted to the ground its razor sharp tendril was ripped out of me in a spray of blue energon, the other beings of a similar nature and the small shark-like creatures all backing away in fear.

'Leave this universe.' I said as I struggled to stay functioning before them. 'And never... come back.' The memory faded, and I pulled away from my mind with a puzzled look on my face, Windblade sharing that same look.

I didn't say another word as I stood and headed towards the mess hall for a thing of energon, my mind racing at the memories Windblade and I explored.

'Who were those bots? Where was this? When was this? None of this makes sense!'

"Hey, Y/D!" Hot Rod waved, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. I gave the younger bot a small smile and went over to where he, Grimlock, Bumblebee, and Arcee were all seated. "How's training going?"

"So far, so good." I half lied as I pulled up a seat and awkwardly sat down. "I just wish I had some answers for some things. But that doesn't matter."

"Ah, you have to love the unknown." Grimlock said with a grin. "So many possibilities to discover!"

"I suppose."