A Christmas special
Keoni and James was making the Autobot base as festive as they could. They had brought into the base a bunch of makeshift Christmas trees which they gathered from the edge of the dense forest. They set one up in the command center and decorated it. As they decorated it, a group of Autobots joined in and help to decorate the tree. Once that tree was up, Keoni and James dragged another Christmas tree into the sickbay. As they dragged it in the sickbay, they were spotted by Ratchet who was just coming back on duty.
Ratchet ran up to them and shouted, "You can't put that in here! You'll make a mess!"
"Come on, Ratchet. Where's your festive spirit?", said Keoni with a cheery smile.
Kelly approached them from behind and added, "He left it back on Cybertron."
"Watch it, Kelly. I might be getting old, and my joints are a little rusty, but I can still hear", Ratchet rebutted.
"Boys, you can put the tree over there, because it will be out of the way, and in theory should be in the best place that won't annoy Ratchet too much", Kelly instructed them, as she pointed towards an
empty corner.
"Right, Kelly. Cheer up Ratchet, it's Christmas time. A time to be happy and enjoy life", said James, as he smiled at Ratchet as they took the tree to the corner and set it up.
"There is nothing to be cheery about. The Decepticons are still out there somewhere, along with the Predacons, and there is enough work in here to implode a space shuttle. We have patients in intensive care, general care, and our ER is practically always busy", Ratchet said defensively.
As they set up the tree, Ratchet was keeping a very close observation over them. Ratchet didn't want the tree in his sickbay. One thing that Ratchet hated, apart from the Decepticons and that was a mess. He had set up his sickbay exactly the way he liked it. It was clean and tidy and everything had its place. There were other reasons why he didn't like the tree being in his sickbay. The tree brought back memories of all of those who had passed throughout the year, and sadly this year cost the lives of First Aid and Sally. First Aid was more into the festive spirt than Ratchet was, and he would have gone out of his way to share the cheer. As Ratchet looked at the tree, he remembered the year prior. He remembered First Aid, Sally and Kelly carefully decorating the tree, when Sideswipe and Carl threw a makeshift water balloon which was full of green algae that they had gathered from a nearby pond. It had hit First Aid in the face. First Aid just wiped it off and chuckled.
First Aid teased, "Is that the way you two want to play it? You should know not to mess with the medical staff here", as he told them, he got syringe that was designed to either extract or infuse Energon into a patient. However, he had filled it with water. The water hit Sideswipe and Carl directly head on. Ratchet remembered being so mad at First Aid for that, and now he looks back that he shouldn't have been so harsh on First Aid. But, as he thought deeply enough he realized that there was no way that he could have known that this would be his last Christmas alive, and in a few months time he would lose his life to the Decepticon Justice Division.
As the final touches were applied to the tree, James notice that Ratchet seemed to be a bit upset.
James approached him and put his hand upon his chest and asked, "Are you alright Ratchet?"
"I'm fine, James. I was just remembering last year, that is all. I..er..I regret being so harsh on First Aid last year, when he saturated the sickbay. If only I had known that he only had a few months to live, I wouldn't have been so harsh to him. Also, if I had known, I would of went in his place. I'm old and tired, my death wouldn't have counted much, not like his. He was young, and brilliant. And so was Sally, neither of them deserved to die at the D.J.D.'s hands. Now, all I have are memories", answered Ratchet as he started his bed checks.
"Hey, Ratchet! They aren't gone not truly. As long as we remember them, they remain with us", said Keoni sorrowfully.
"I know, Keoni. Thanks to both you", replied Ratchet quietly.
After they had placed a tree in the security station, and after they had received a warning from Red Alert and Inferno, they dragged a tree into the Dinobot cave. As they had gotten there, they were surprised that no one was home. But this was good. They could decorate the tree without having the Dinobots billowing smoke out of their mouths and nostrils, and not having a fight. Every year they had a tree, it was destroyed in a matter of minutes. But even they deserve to have some Christmas cheer, and if it makes them happy to just destroy a tree then so be it, it was Christmas after all.
Upon the completion of the Christmas tree in the Dinobot cave, they dragged another tree to the Maximal part of the Autobot base. The Maximals lived not far from the Dinobots.
Keoni asked James, as they dragged a tree towards the Maximal section of the base, "James, why did Optimus assigned the Maximals so close to the Dinobots? Because from the very first day the Maximals had arrived here at the base, they have been at each others necks."
"Well, I think the reason why he assigned their quarters in close proximity to each other, may primarily be because the lack of space. More and more Autobots come to this base every day, and everyone needs a place to call home. And another reason is that both the Maximals and Dinobots are very similar to each other, and also they might need more room for them to spread out as well", answered James, as they entered the Maximal part of the base they could hear the Maximals and Dinobots talking amongst themselves.
Keoni looked at James with a surprised expression on his face, and said, "Well, James we have found the Dinobots. Who would have guessed it, they are actually getting along with each other?"
"There's a first for everything, Keoni", replied James, as they entered the main part of the Maximal part of the Autobot base.
As they entered the Maximals could hear them drag something large into their base, and upon them seeing them. They were surprised to see James and Keoni dragging a tree into their base.
Tigertron approached them and asked, "How you doing James? I don't believe that we have met?", as he held out his hand to shake Keoni's hand.
"I am Keoni. Nice to meet you. This is the first time I do believe that we have met, what's your name? The only one of you guys I have met was Rattrap", replied Keoni.
"I'm Tigertron, this is Airazor, Cheetor, Rattrap you already know, and that over there is Rhinox", said
Tigertron, as he introduced his team Keoni.
Cheetor approached them and said, "I do believe that we have met before Keoni. I was there when you and Rattrap had a fight in the mess hall. By the way thanks for hitting Rattrap for us."
"Not a problem Cheetor", replied Keoni with a smile on his face.
"What's with the tree?", asked Airrazor, with a warm smile on her face.
"It's a Christmas tree. We are putting them up all over the base", James informed them.
"What's a Christmas tree?", asked Cheetor curiously.
"Well, it is a decoration for a human tradition. You can't have Christmas without a tree", Keoni answered.
"For bootin' up cold, there are enough tree's outside. You have to bring them inside as well? I, I, I, jezz", said Rattrap, while shaking his head, he didn't understand the reason why you would bring in a tree for a simple decoration.
Grimlock transformed into his alt mode and ran over to the tree, smoke began to billow out of his mouth, and said, "Me Grimlock like tree time."
"Yes, yes, we Dinobot's love tree time", agreed Slag.
"You guys have your own tree to destroy. This is the Maximals tree. Ohh, and by the way Grimlock we have a message for you from Red Alert and Inferno. They said if you set fire to the decorations again they will throw you away without the key", James informed them.
"Why is that?", asked Cheetor.
"Every time the Dinobots have a Christmas tree they always have a bad habit of turning it into charcoal", Keoni answered.
"What's charcoal?", asked Grimlock while he was wagging his tail very happily.
"That is what is left of your trees ever year. Like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. Inferno I think is getting a bit tired of rushing to your part of the base to put out your trees", replied James, with a stern look on his face.
"If you set the Maximals tree alight, then we'll remove your tree and give it to the Maximals. Why should the Maximals miss out in having a Christmas tree, all because you destroyed it", Keoni added.
"Me Grimlock was lighting tree up", Grimlock replied, as he was trying to defend his actions.
"You're not supposed to do that with your breath, Grimlock", said James, as he raised the tree up into position.
"You do realize James, telling the Dinobots that, is like telling Rattrap here to stop opening his mouth. You're not going to go anywhere, as it goes in one audio receptor and out the other", commented Keoni with smile.
"Hay!", shouted the Dinobots and Rattrap.
As the tree was set in place they began to decorate it, and after a little persuasion the Maximals joined in. Keoni led the Dinobots out of the Maximals base and back to their own, to prevent them turning the Maximal's tree into a Roman candle. As soon as they notice their own tree inside their cave, Grimlock and the Dinobots ran up to it in glee. Keoni was waiting for them to set it alight, and preparing to get an ear full from Red Alert and Inferno. However, they just sat in front of the tree.
Keoni approached them and asked, "I thought you guys were going to torch it, like you do every year?"
"Dinobot's not complete", Grimlock replied.
"Ohh you're waiting for Ripper, huh?", inquired Keoni.
"No fun without Ripper", said Snarl.
"He'll be out before you know it, then you all can destroy it", Keoni suggested to them.
"Me Grimlock like", replied Grimlock.
Keoni returned to the Maximals part of the base to assist them in decorating the tree. By the time, he got there the tree was almost fully completed.
He approached James and said, "You wouldn't believe it, the Dinobots aren't destroying their tree. However, they are waiting for Ripper though. So, it is still death row for the Christmas tree."
"They miss him. I'm not surprised, they are very close", replied James.
"With the walking fang factories, nothing will surprise me", commented Rattrap.
"Shut up Rattrap!", shouted everyone.
It wasn't long for the tree to be fully erected, and decorated. They bid them farewell, and a merry Christmas. And returned to their duties.