• The sun was shining. Sparklings and younglings laughed as they played with their guardians and others, smiles on their faceplates as they enjoyed themselves.

    All, except one.

    He stood in the shadow of a building, watching as they played, yellow optics watching two smaller black jets as they giggled with their parents. One looked up, running over.

    “Why don’t you come play Sky?”

    “I-I’m ok…”

    “Awwwah come on!”

    The black jet tensed as the other took his arm, pulling him out of the shadows. The second his armour hit the light, the youngling cried out, recoiling his hand and backing back into the darkness. The second jet blinked, optics peeled on the other.

    “What’s the matter Sky?”

    “Go back to mum and dad Shift…”

    “B-but what about you?”

    “…I’m fine watching…”

    “Ok…”

    Sky watched as the jet ran back over to his younger brother and parents, talking to the mech with them. He looked up, shrugging and returning to tickling a small baby blue sparkling who giggled happily.

    Throughout the day, the jet just watched as the others played in the sunlight, never moving from the darkness no matter how many times his brother came over and asked him to. Staring at the floor, a tear ran from his optic, running down his young face and hitting the dusty ground. His drooped wings twitched as a red sparkling ran by with its carer, laughing happily.

    He wanted to play with them… but he couldn’t. Walking to the edge of the shadow, Sky put his hand out, watching as smoke started to rise from it, the wiring burning from the sunlight hitting it. Wincing, he pulled it back in, staring at it as the smoke slowly subsided, the smell of burnt metal wafting from it.

    Sighing, the youngling sat down, back leaning against the building which was protecting him. With a sniff, he brought up knees up and hugged them, more tears running down his face as he continued to watch the others playing. A couple of sparklings came over, pulling on his arms for him to join them, but the second he hit the light and screamed, they started to cry, running back to their carers as he retreated back into the darkness.

    “Why do you do that?”

    Sky looked up, a group of older younglings standing beside him. Nervously, he stood, wings twitching.

    “I just do…”

    “Hey I know you! You’re that freak who lives in my sector who only leaves the house at night! Sky Shadow ain’t it?”

    “Y-yeah…”

    “Why don’t you go into the light? Not like its gonna kill you”

    “I-I…”

    “Scared?”

    “Come on lets help him!”

    Sky tensed as the mechs grabbed his arms, pushing and pulling him against his protests towards the edge of the shadow. Letting him go, he felt them shove him forwards. He stumbled into the light, falling on his front, screaming as his frame was exposed to the sun, his armour smoking and hissing. The black jet squeaked as he felt someone pick him up, before the coldness of the darkness as he was put back in the shadows.

    “Sky you need to stay in the dark I’ve told you this!”

    “B-but…”

    “No buts! You know what the sun does to you!”

    Looking up at his mother, Sky nodded and sniffed. He opened his arms for a hug, but the femme just stood, walking back into the light and over to the others. Dropping his arms, the black jet sobbed, hugging his knees once more and crying into them.

    “He was right you are a freak!”

    “Yeah! You’re like a vampire!”

    Sky Shadow cried as the others chanted the word freak, hugging his knees tightly, his frame shaking. They were right. He was a freak…

    Standing, the jet turned, running into the alleyway consumed in darkness, hiding behind some boxes and shuffling right up to the dead end wall.

    He remained there for the rest of the day, crying quietly to himself. His parents never appeared to take him home, no one came to see if he was ok. As the sun set, the jets yellow optics finally looked up, the darkness now spreading further out as the sound of children playing slowly subsided. As the night kicked in, the jet stood, sniffing and walking out of the alleyway, finally being able to step out. He slowly walked over to where his family were playing, looking around, a small glint of hope in his optics that they were still around and ready to play with him.

    He remained there for a while, before finally realising they weren’t going to show and had in fact gone home without him again. Choking on a sob, he bowed his helm, walking towards the city as he headed for home alone. His tears stained the ground as he walked, wings drooped completely, twitching every now and then as he headed for a sector in the large city, streetlights guiding him.

    Sniffing, he finally looked up, typing the keycode into the small building. He quickly wiped his optics as it opened, vanishing through the door. A shout could be heard from a femme as the door slowly closed, hiding the youngling from the world once more…