This is a little story I wrote on a whim, so please excuse me if it doesn't make sense! To help you all understand what's going on, I just watched the Transformers Movie (I have several versions!) and remembered that Springer and Arcee (a personal favorite!) were a couple later on. But I noticed, as so many have I'm sure, that there was SOMETHING between Hot Rod (adorable, but as Kup says, a punk!) and Arcee. So I got to thinking, "What was Springer's reaction to all this?" Also, you'll see some of my views and opinions on Hot Rod (please don't hate me!) and my take on his origins.
*Little itty-bitty references to the movie!
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Springer glowered as he watched the youth. He was obviously attracted to Arcee. And the fact that he was being so painfully blunt about it angered the triple changer to no end. They all knew that Arcee and Springer were a couple. In fact, if it weren't for Optimus and Alita, they would have been the most popular couple on Cybertron.
He looked up as Daniel cried out. Damn, the Decepticons had nearly killed them. If he'd been paying attention, Devastator wouldn't have… Better forget that and get the others out. Even HIM. They stayed on the defense all night, trying to stay alive long enough to buy the others some time.
Finally, the shuttle arrived. But instead of them simply repelling the attack, they lost Prime to Megatron. Springer waited outside while the others mourned. He couldn't believe it. That brat had gotten Prime killed. If he had stayed out of the way, Prime would be alive. He cocked his head as he heard Kup speaking about the Matrix. He was gone. He was really gone. The only time they had ever spoke of the Matrix was when the current holder died and his successor took his place. And it was HIS fault that Prime was dead.
Clenching his fists, he vowed to make him pay.
Rodimus looked around his new office and couldn't help but feel lost. He didn't feel it was right to move into Optimus' life like he had never existed. He hadn't asked for this, he had merely wanted to help. He knew what they were saying about him- that he was a traitor or an assassin sent to kill Optimus. But that was far from the truth. He was merely an overeager child forced to grow up too fast and who rarely used his head.
*I can't even give a good speech…* He shuddered as he remembered his words about a new age of peace and such. He wasn't good at stuff like that. *Maybe Arcee will make me feel better…*
Leaving his office, he headed for the Femme's quarters. Along the way though, he ran into Springer.
"Hey, sorry for all this," he began.
Springer turned and glared at him. "Arcee's not there," he stated flatly.
"Wha…?" Rodimus stared at him dumbfounded.
"Oh, come on… It's common knowledge that you want her. Everyone here knows that you're dying to take her from me."
"I don't know what you're talking about. We're just friends…"
"Sure, so why did you sign the order to have me sent to Earth while she stays here? Planning on stealing her while I'm away?" Springer sneered.
"No! I wouldn't…"
"You may be our leader, and the one the Matrix for some unknown reason chose, but I'll go to the Inferno before I let you use your status to take her." With that said, he turned and stalked off.
Several hours later, Arcee stormed into Springer's quarters. "What in the name of Alpha Trion did you THINK you were doing?!" She stood with her arms crossed, shooting daggers at him.
"About what?" Springer asked as he stood and faced her.
"Rodimus," she snapped. "Has begged me to stay away from him because he's worried you're come after him. What did you say to him?"
With an easy casualness, Springer calmly replied, "I told him I wasn't going to let him push me around and use his power to keep us apart."
The pink Femme shook her head. "He wouldn't do that. He's just a friend and no threat to us."
"Yeah, and Starscream really could lead the Decepticons… Come on Arcee, he's crazy about you! If he thought he had a chance…"
"I thought you were his friend!"
"I was, until he butted in on us!" Why was she so angry with him?
"Springer…" She sighed and sat down. "You really don't know why he hangs around me so much do you?"
"What-?" He sat down across from her and frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Hot Rod is not an Autobot by nature." She raised her hand to forestall anything he might say. "A few years before the Femmes returned to the surface, just before the Ark was discovered on Earth, Alita, Chromia and I were out scourging for energon. We went into the neutral territory in hopes of finding something we could use. All we found was an abandoned lab and a very young and frightened Transformer." She paused to study his face. "Hot Rod was in such bad shape, we didn't think he'd make it through the night. Several of the Neutrals had beaten him, ripped open his armor plating and stole some of his circuits, systems and even his energon. His CPU was nearly shorted and all he could do was whimper. He couldn't even scream for help. We couldn't just leave him. So we took him back with us. Alpha Trion helped us repair him. We were going to send him back once he was functional, but when he pleaded with us to let him stay, we couldn't refuse. Going back there terrified him. He would sooner have face all the Sentinels alone than gone back."
As she finished, realization began to dawn. "So, to him, you're a symbol of security? When he's around you, he feels safe…" It made sense, after all. Both Chromia and Alita were gone and Arcee had such a kind heart. "That's why he's always around you… He's afraid…"
"He's afraid that the security he's found will slip away from him. Springer, he thinks of me in the same way that Daniel does of Carly. He thinks of me as his mother."
Rodimus sat behind his desk going over countless reports. It had been nearly three weeks since Springer had left for Earth. Arcee had stayed behind, despite the young Prime's fears. While he wanted to keep her near for his own sanity, he didn't want a certain green triple changer to come barreling through trying to kill him. He had to admit; his need to have her close by was strong. But she had more important things to do besides baby-sit someone as insecure as he.
"I was beginning to think you were asleep…"
Freezing up, Rodimus slowly lifted his head. "Springer…" He steeled himself, ready to defend his reputation (and life) if need be. But the painful blows he expected never came. He stood and faced the other Transformer. "I didn't expect you back so soon…"
"We managed to get Autobot City back online. So," Springer said. "How are you?"
"That depends…"
"On what?"
"Do you still want to kill me?"
"I never said I wanted to kill you."
"True, but you didn't have to. I could see it in your eyes. You hate me."
Springer was beginning to see where his leader was coming from. Arcee had, rather reluctantly, told him more about Hot Rod's past. He had been beaten by the stronger Neutrals and was constantly attacked for what little energon he had. It was no wonder that he felt Springer had been angry enough to kill him.
"I don't hate you. And I don't want to kill you." He stepped closer, causing the Prime to back up against the wall. But he easily cornered him and said, "You've been there for me, no matter what. In the few years we've known each other and been friends, I've never known anything about you. You're mysterious, Rodimus." He locked eyes with him. "But I want you to know, no matter what may happen, I will always follow you." With that, he turned and headed for the door.
"What about Arcee?" Rodimus' voice was barely a whisper. Her friendship was vital to him.
"As the humans are fond of saying, let's let sleeping dogs lie…"
Rodimus caught the barest hint of a smile as Springer left his office. Suddenly, he knew that everything was fine.
"Let sleeping dogs lie…"
Fin
*Little itty-bitty references to the movie!
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Springer glowered as he watched the youth. He was obviously attracted to Arcee. And the fact that he was being so painfully blunt about it angered the triple changer to no end. They all knew that Arcee and Springer were a couple. In fact, if it weren't for Optimus and Alita, they would have been the most popular couple on Cybertron.
He looked up as Daniel cried out. Damn, the Decepticons had nearly killed them. If he'd been paying attention, Devastator wouldn't have… Better forget that and get the others out. Even HIM. They stayed on the defense all night, trying to stay alive long enough to buy the others some time.
Finally, the shuttle arrived. But instead of them simply repelling the attack, they lost Prime to Megatron. Springer waited outside while the others mourned. He couldn't believe it. That brat had gotten Prime killed. If he had stayed out of the way, Prime would be alive. He cocked his head as he heard Kup speaking about the Matrix. He was gone. He was really gone. The only time they had ever spoke of the Matrix was when the current holder died and his successor took his place. And it was HIS fault that Prime was dead.
Clenching his fists, he vowed to make him pay.
Rodimus looked around his new office and couldn't help but feel lost. He didn't feel it was right to move into Optimus' life like he had never existed. He hadn't asked for this, he had merely wanted to help. He knew what they were saying about him- that he was a traitor or an assassin sent to kill Optimus. But that was far from the truth. He was merely an overeager child forced to grow up too fast and who rarely used his head.
*I can't even give a good speech…* He shuddered as he remembered his words about a new age of peace and such. He wasn't good at stuff like that. *Maybe Arcee will make me feel better…*
Leaving his office, he headed for the Femme's quarters. Along the way though, he ran into Springer.
"Hey, sorry for all this," he began.
Springer turned and glared at him. "Arcee's not there," he stated flatly.
"Wha…?" Rodimus stared at him dumbfounded.
"Oh, come on… It's common knowledge that you want her. Everyone here knows that you're dying to take her from me."
"I don't know what you're talking about. We're just friends…"
"Sure, so why did you sign the order to have me sent to Earth while she stays here? Planning on stealing her while I'm away?" Springer sneered.
"No! I wouldn't…"
"You may be our leader, and the one the Matrix for some unknown reason chose, but I'll go to the Inferno before I let you use your status to take her." With that said, he turned and stalked off.
Several hours later, Arcee stormed into Springer's quarters. "What in the name of Alpha Trion did you THINK you were doing?!" She stood with her arms crossed, shooting daggers at him.
"About what?" Springer asked as he stood and faced her.
"Rodimus," she snapped. "Has begged me to stay away from him because he's worried you're come after him. What did you say to him?"
With an easy casualness, Springer calmly replied, "I told him I wasn't going to let him push me around and use his power to keep us apart."
The pink Femme shook her head. "He wouldn't do that. He's just a friend and no threat to us."
"Yeah, and Starscream really could lead the Decepticons… Come on Arcee, he's crazy about you! If he thought he had a chance…"
"I thought you were his friend!"
"I was, until he butted in on us!" Why was she so angry with him?
"Springer…" She sighed and sat down. "You really don't know why he hangs around me so much do you?"
"What-?" He sat down across from her and frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Hot Rod is not an Autobot by nature." She raised her hand to forestall anything he might say. "A few years before the Femmes returned to the surface, just before the Ark was discovered on Earth, Alita, Chromia and I were out scourging for energon. We went into the neutral territory in hopes of finding something we could use. All we found was an abandoned lab and a very young and frightened Transformer." She paused to study his face. "Hot Rod was in such bad shape, we didn't think he'd make it through the night. Several of the Neutrals had beaten him, ripped open his armor plating and stole some of his circuits, systems and even his energon. His CPU was nearly shorted and all he could do was whimper. He couldn't even scream for help. We couldn't just leave him. So we took him back with us. Alpha Trion helped us repair him. We were going to send him back once he was functional, but when he pleaded with us to let him stay, we couldn't refuse. Going back there terrified him. He would sooner have face all the Sentinels alone than gone back."
As she finished, realization began to dawn. "So, to him, you're a symbol of security? When he's around you, he feels safe…" It made sense, after all. Both Chromia and Alita were gone and Arcee had such a kind heart. "That's why he's always around you… He's afraid…"
"He's afraid that the security he's found will slip away from him. Springer, he thinks of me in the same way that Daniel does of Carly. He thinks of me as his mother."
Rodimus sat behind his desk going over countless reports. It had been nearly three weeks since Springer had left for Earth. Arcee had stayed behind, despite the young Prime's fears. While he wanted to keep her near for his own sanity, he didn't want a certain green triple changer to come barreling through trying to kill him. He had to admit; his need to have her close by was strong. But she had more important things to do besides baby-sit someone as insecure as he.
"I was beginning to think you were asleep…"
Freezing up, Rodimus slowly lifted his head. "Springer…" He steeled himself, ready to defend his reputation (and life) if need be. But the painful blows he expected never came. He stood and faced the other Transformer. "I didn't expect you back so soon…"
"We managed to get Autobot City back online. So," Springer said. "How are you?"
"That depends…"
"On what?"
"Do you still want to kill me?"
"I never said I wanted to kill you."
"True, but you didn't have to. I could see it in your eyes. You hate me."
Springer was beginning to see where his leader was coming from. Arcee had, rather reluctantly, told him more about Hot Rod's past. He had been beaten by the stronger Neutrals and was constantly attacked for what little energon he had. It was no wonder that he felt Springer had been angry enough to kill him.
"I don't hate you. And I don't want to kill you." He stepped closer, causing the Prime to back up against the wall. But he easily cornered him and said, "You've been there for me, no matter what. In the few years we've known each other and been friends, I've never known anything about you. You're mysterious, Rodimus." He locked eyes with him. "But I want you to know, no matter what may happen, I will always follow you." With that, he turned and headed for the door.
"What about Arcee?" Rodimus' voice was barely a whisper. Her friendship was vital to him.
"As the humans are fond of saying, let's let sleeping dogs lie…"
Rodimus caught the barest hint of a smile as Springer left his office. Suddenly, he knew that everything was fine.
"Let sleeping dogs lie…"
Fin