Half Moon

I tie my sweatshirt around my waist and re-tie my hairtie. I can't stop thinking about that father.

Why would he do that to a child? I can still see the sick, twisted smile on his face.

I push it to the back of my head, a reminder to myself I had to get to the palace.

"Can you take me to the palace, bud?" I ask, patting Nightshade's neck. He bobs his head up and down, and takes off.

I cling to his neck, listening to the steady pattern of his wings. I brush annoying strands of silver hair out of my face, seeing the blue jade palace with the black shingles grow nearer with every heartbeat.

Within five minutes, Nightshade landed on a balcony, where the Chief Elder was waiting.

His black tuxedo with the silver stitching glowed in the festival lights. His black dress shoes were polished so well they looked like tinted mirrors.

His gentle blue eyes met me, and his signature smile stretched across his face.

"How's my adoptive daughter?" He says, embracing me tightly. His very mild cologne filled my nose, and I hugged him back harder.

It was like a friendly competition between us. Who could hug the hardest.

He kept his tattered wings hidden most of the time. He didn't like to show others that he was in the Great War. He didn't want to be questioned about it.

"What is the matter, my daughter? Optimus informed me you were injured." He asked me, holding me at arms length.

"Im fine now. Ratchet says I'll be fully healed by tomorrow." I say, but my adoptive father's eyes are worried yet strict.

"Please, don't change the subject. What happened?" His eyes are full of worry now, his only goal to protect his daughter he had since the first day I became Alpha.

I sigh. I sit down on the railing, and he sits next to me. I remember how Starscream tortured me. I remember everything from that day. I kept repeating it in my head, reciting the spell.

At the end of it, I am holding a black orb. A memory.

I hand it to him. He takes it worry in his eyes.

He places it in between his eyes, and the memory fades in and out in his eyes.

He hands me the memory after he had seen it all.

He hugs me, rocking me back and forth. I start crying, but he brushes his fingers through my hair, comforting me.

"It's not your fault. You couldn't fend for yourself. And he took advantage. That is a whole level of coward I never want to witness again." He says, wiping my tears away with his thumb.

We stand up and he offers me a hankerchief, but I wipe my tears on my sweatshirt sleeve.

We walk down the hallway, and the ancient painted ceiling high above our heads was being covered in different colored powder and then lights being added later on, making it look like a galaxy.

Guards were at thier posts, nodding thier heads in respsect as we passed.

We get to a tapestry that has a crescent moon on it, about the height of Optimus, and about as wide as a house.

We move it to the side, revealing a wooden door. I keep the heavy wool out of the way while Chief unlocks the door.

He pushes it open, and we both walk through.

The cobblestone tunnel only had torches hanging on the wall for light. But we didn't need it, because Moon angel's vision is strongest in the dark.

We just decided to leave them because they added atmosphere.

The tunnel smelled of mildew and you could hear the occasional drop of water hit the ground, but other than that, it was a nice walk.

We reached the end of the tunnel, and another wooden door was waiting for us.

I pushed it open, being greeted by the other nine faces that were the other elders.

They hugged me, and stroked Nightshade gently as he laid down on his giant cushion by the stone fireplace that was never lit.

The room was made of simple wood, with a grandfather clock, blue velvet chairs, and a round table used for meetings.

Nightshade curled up, and you could soon hear him snoring.

I got bombarded by hugs and congratulations.

"What am I being congratulated for?" I ask, listening to the steady click of the grandfather clocks gears.

They all smile.

Head Elder, Chief Elders wife, also my adoptive mother walks up to me, her olive eyes gentle and happy.

Her long, grey hair is up in a bun, like usual. She is wearing a navy blue dress, going down to her ankles. Her shoes are a dazzling sapphire color, with black beads creating intricate patterns.

"We have a surprise for you." She says, telling me to cover my eyes.

I place my hands over my eyes, with my fathers above mine, making sure I don't peek.

I hear shuffling and hushed comments, but at the end of it, Mom tells me to uncover my eyes.

I look, and it's the most beautiful dress I had ever seen.

At knee length, the strapless silver dress shimmered in the light. Black and grey beads covered the sash, creating and old-school elegance. Glass beads created constellations from the waist up, and the blue glass shoes were underneath the stand. The open back was for my wings, no doubt.

The shoes were stilettos, with a greek-style strap that would go all the way up to my knee. They had a little moon clip on them, keeping the straps from unwinding.

I look at the dress on the stand, feeling the delicate fabric.

"Thank you!" I say, hugging all of them at once.

"That's not all." Dad says, handing me a black velvet ring box.

I open it, and a blue ring (below) is staring up at me.

I take the beautiful ring out of the box carefully, not wanting to break it, and slip it on my right middle finger.

I hug everyone again, this time, everyone hugging me back.

"Is it for the ceremony?" I ask, pointing to the dress.

They all nod. "But you're going to be fitted for it today." Mom says, slipping the dress off the mannequin and handing it to me. "Well, go put it on." She says, pointing to the extra room in the far corner.

I grab the shoes and rush to the room. In the room has a mirror and sink, with a candlestick for every side of the mirror. It also has a little wooden chair in the corner, caked in dust.

I slip the dress on, but before I sit down, I brush as must dust off as I can. I don't want to get this gorgeous dress dirty.

I kick off my socks and shoes and slip the heels on with ease, and all I have to do to re-tie them is to press one of the clips. The straps wind around my legs, clipping in place when they were finished.

When I stand, I feel giant. But I quickly get over it and redo my sloppy hairtie and turn it into a quick bun.

I open the door and walk out professionally, no fear that I would fall flat on my face.

I feel the silver silk on my body, sliding with ease as I walked. I would have no problem dancing in this.

I walk out, and Mom shows me pockets on my sides that would completely hide my daggers.

"That's handy." I smile, grinning to the point where I made my cheeks hurt.

I get fitted as soon as the seamstresses arrive, creating the even more perfect fit.

I twist the ring around my finger, excited for tomarrow. I would be able to fly again, and the Renew ceremony is in less that 48 hours. But, who's counting?

As the seamstresses finish the last stitch, I hug everyone as they leave, leaving myself alone in the room, besides Nightshade.

I already commed the autobots telling them I would spend the night here.

I change back into my regular clothes and leave the dress on the mannequin. I didnt want to put my socks or shoes on, so I stuff my socks in my sneakers and carry them.

I wake Nightshade up, which he huffs at me and then grumbles before finally getting up from his cushion.

We go to my room, a floor up, and I open the door. The familiar scent of flowers fills my nose.

I crawl into the black sheets as Nightshade goes to his bed in the far corner of my room.

I don't bother changing into pajamas. I would have to get up early anyway for Ratchet to check on me.

I fall asleep, thinking of dancing the day away in that dress.