Title: Differences Between Sparklings and Hatchlings
For the Prowl/Jazz Anniversary challenge 2017
Prompts: first light/remembering times past/silence
Summary: Prowl and Jazz talking about their first memories
"What was it like when you hatched?" Jazz asked as he cuddled with Prowl on their pad in the nest's quarters. He'd grown used to the close nature of nest life.
"What brought this question up now?" Prowl asked quietly, not wanted to disturb the others recharging across the room. Sideswipe was sprawled with Bob on his chestplate on another pad over by the door. It was sweet how the trio were still taking turns guarding Prowl despite her no longer being gravid.
" It's my first time; I want to know what to expect. It's gotta be different from when I was a sparklings," Jazz pointed out.
"I'll never understand why Cybertronians typically only having one at a time. It's so inefficient," Prowl said with a small sigh before she thought back to her to the fragments of her first memories. "The only thing I really remember is warmth. If it gets too cold or hot it can kill a hatchling; the shells protect hatchlings from temperature variations in the crystal cave nurseries. I couldn't move much, but I didn't need to because I was surrounded by everything I needed."
"I always had my carrier's emotions and frame around me while I grew. My creators used to talk to me while I was developing," Jazz said, pondering the differences in their early beginnings. "The first time I was actually alone was after I was born."
"While duo-sparks like the twins are never alone," Prowl said thoughtfully, storing that bit of information for later analysis. "I didn't know what alone was because I didn't know what company was until I was strong enough to crack my shell. I can't say it was dark because at first my optics didn't work. Once my audials developed enough to come online the first sounds I heard were the ones I made. I didn't start to hear my hatch mates as they started breaking out as well. We used to hum to each other once we got our voices. I do remember the first time I touched one of my hatch mates. We were fascinated by each other. Eventually everyone wound up in a big pile that we would only leave when we wanted to feed."
"First things I ever saw was my creators and the medic extracting me. I always knew they were my family," Jazz mumbled, thinking about the different between the small family he had belonged to and the extensive nest Prowl had joined as a hatchling.
"Crystal cave nests are never truly dark," Prowl said with a small sigh as she thought about what was gone. "Once our optics develop they cast enough light to make the crystals softly glow. We stayed there safe and secure until we began running out of food. Then we clawed our way out into the open. In our case, our creation nest were waiting for us. Other hatchlings join whichever nest was there when they emerged."
"We'll be there for them when they emerge," Sideswipe said from his pad as he turned his head towards his adopted creator. "Just like you and Skids were for us."