C.M.D: Well, the parents' stories have come to a close (except for Blast Off and Cosmos's... How could I forget that?) so it's time to write about the kiddies! Since I have a few drabbles planned for each of the characters, showcasing cute, sad and endearing highlights of their lives growing up, I thought it would be best to start yet another fic. Because I don't want to try and squeeze them all into Tooth and Claw. Ratings to vary, but will probably stick around PG for the most part.
So, please! Enjoy this new update and I'll see you all next month!
Behind the shed, hidden by a couple of trees and bushes, and covered by some awning, was a spot that Deadend liked to retreat to. It wasn't always warm, especially in the winter, but compared to the rest of Onslaught's house, it was a safe haven from the noise and idiots. So the hybrid would sneak away while no one was watching, bring along a snack and a book, and settle in for a pleasant enough read until one of his creators came to collect him or Auntie Skydive called all the sparklings in to eat. It was on such an orn that Deadend sat in his secret spot; eager to get along in his newest book, when he heard a sharp whimper render the otherwise silent air.
Before the hybrid had time to assess what was happening, Motormaster's angry roar of "Get back here, Dweeb!" echoed outside, and the whimpering transformed into outright panicked ventilation as the bushes next to the shed began rustling violently. Suddenly, Breakdown stumbled into Deadend's secret spot, falling flat on his face in his hurry to get free of the jabbing branches.
While the frightened sparkling was momentarily immobile, the other hybrid made note of the fact that he'd been dressed (shoved, more like) haphazardly into a dress not quite his size. It appeared that Motormaster had been tormenting poor Breakdown again...
"WHERE'D YA GO, YA STUPID SQUIRT!," Motormaster shouted, the sound of the patio door thunking loudly against the house's siding.
At the yell, the shivering hybrid scrambled upwards, only just taking notice of his cousin sitting but a few pedes away. If it wasn't for Deadend's quick lunge forward, Breakdown's resounding shriek would have given them both away. Thankfully, the quiet sparkling's servo muffled any sound and despite his tearful optics, the other hybrid did not move to free himself. On the other side of the yard, Motormaster could be heard stomping about and swearing before the sounds of his presence vanished entirely.
"...T-thank you," Breakdown sniffed softly as he was released.
Deadend waved a servo in dismissal.
"I-is this yo-your spot?," the white sparkling swallowed anxiously. "I-i'm sorry, I d-didn't know... I-i was... I'll j-just go no-now."
That was surprising. Deadend shuttered his optics, puzzled by Breakdown's behavior. He had not uttered a single word, yet now his cousin believed he was being cast back out into trouble, with Motormaster on a vengeful prowl. How odd.
"...you need not go," Deadend spoke up, just as Breakdown began to push against the bushes experimentally. Shih tzu ears perked in alarm as the other sparkling turned around to face the smaller hybrid; coolant collecting in his optics hopefully.
"R-really?," Breakdown vented desperately. "I-i'm not a bo-bother?"
The quiet hybrid shook his helm. "He's chasing you still. If you leave, you'll have nowhere else to hide."
It was the truth. Onslaught's home did not have many nooks and crannies to hide in, and most of those were occupied by Motormaster or the lynx. Breakdown knew what awaited him if he left this sanctuary and Deadend did not wish to see his nervous cousin bullied by that angry idiot. Breakdown was too sweet for that...
Warbling his thanks, Breakdown quickly plopped back down on the ground, yanking the dress over his helm unceremoniously and wiping his weeping optics. It was such a sad sight and it distracted Deadend from his book. Silently, he thought to remedy the situation, and came to a decision as he patted the open space beside himself.
Again, Breakdown shuttered his optics in disbelief but when the black hybrid did not retract his invite, the other sparkling crawled over hesitantly. "W-what you reading?," Breakdown softly asked after a few kliks.
Deadend, who'd gone back to reading after his cousin had settled down some, paused, looking up at the taller hybrid. Breakdown had the prettiest lilac optics Deadend had ever seen, but he kept them glued to the ground in fright all the time. It was such a shame.
"Moby Dick," the black hybrid answered simply, realizing he'd stared a few astroseconds too long. "It's old."
The white sparkling gave a short chuckle. "Y-you read a lot of old books. I wish I could read such big words like you."
"...Would you like if I read to you?," Deadend offered quietly.
Surprise a third time from his cousin, yet it was accompanied with a hopeful sparkle in his lilac optics and a shy, little smile now. "R-really?," Breakdown sighed in awe, "I-i'd like th-that. A-alot." The smaller hybrid nodded, opening his book up once more and adjusting it so the other sparkling could follow along if he'd like, before softly beginning to read aloud.
xxXxXxx
Wildrider rocketed for the door as soon as he'd heard the first knock. Hardly deterred by the five deadbolts, two padlocks and one electric keypad lining up the frame side to the top, the hybrid made quick work of the obstacles; clinging to one of the deadbolts like an ape as he went. Two more knocks later, he successfully pulled the door open, finding himself greeted by a sharp hook.
"Daddy!," Wildrider crowed loudly, jagged mouth splitting wide in his excitement.
"Heyo kid," Lockdown returned, putting out a cygstick on the door frame. "Where's your carrier?"
"Office," the hybrid answered distractedly, zoning in on the bag the albino had half-tucked away behind himself. "What's that? What's that? Mine? Is it mine? Can I see? Can I touch? Gimme gimme gimme gimme!"
Lockdown arched an optic at the words rapidly shooting from his son's mouth, grunting as excited optics followed the path of the gift bag as he swung it out from hiding. "Yeah, it's yours. Happy birthday, sport," the thug congratulated, tossing the bag for the sparkling to chase so he could step inside the apartment. "Swindle! Swin, get yer aft out here!"
There was a cuss from down the hall before a devon rex poked his helm out from the berthroom, glowering at the taller kittycon. "Who the slag let you in?," Swindle demanded angrily.
Lockdown jabbed a thumb in Wildrider's direction. "The kid did. Seriously Swin, you need better security. What if a burglar tried to break in here while ya were slumbering?"
"Then I'd pity the moron that did," the entrepreneur dismissed dully. "They'd find Wildrider before they did me."
The albino wanted to comment on the callous statement, but he realized that the devon rex was just speaking truthfully -Lockdown even had the scars to prove it. "Yeah, alright, fair point," he huffed, leaning against the wall as the smaller kittycon drew closer. "I got a question for ya, anyway."
"Oh? And what 'eloquent thought' do you have to share with me this orn?," the information broker asked snidefully. The tiger refrained from biting.
"Yeah... Where the frag are the balloons? Streamers? Ya even got a cake stashed away somewhere?," he demanded coolly, staring the grouchy mech down.
"Excuse me?," Swindle returned, optics narrowing. "Cake? Balloons? Why -so I can have a maniac sparkling nipping at my pedes all the night through?"
"Wh- Oh, cut the slag, Swin!," Lockdown growled, taking a moment to get over his sudden stupor, "It's the kid's birthday! Are you seriously pretending that it's not or did you just forget?!"
The devon rex sniffed disdainfully, turning away from the tiger. "I really don't see why that matters to you. So he's another year older -big whoop. Wildrider's never had a party and he's perfectly fine. Besides," the tan mech added, "I have work that needs to be done. Or are you going to pay for the extensive damage bill he procures daily?"
"Y-you... you...," the thug struggled to say. He brandished his hook wildly, so many words of rage trapped in his vocalizer from the sheer volume that spiked immediately within him. And even then, Swindle stood there, glancing over a shoulder casually at the trembling mech.
"Listen, if you're done, I have a client to return to," the devon rex stated flatly. "Honestly, I'm surprised you're throwing a fit when you're the one who refused to have anything to do with Wildrider."
That was low. Lockdown grit his fangs, watching as the entrepreneur began to walk away; swinging his hips a little and overall trying to act like a cute, lil' smart-aft. Well, two could play at that game... "At least I don't act like Wild's not my kid," Lockdown hollered after Swindle. "I mean, I stop by -with a gift!- because it's his birthday and you don't even have a cake. Seems like I'm more of the parent here and you're the inattentive warden!"
At the insult, the entrepreneur stopped dead in his tracks, whirling around and opening his mouth in outrage, but Lockdown didn't give the other kittycon a chance to reply. "Hey, kid, let's watch some 'toons," the tiger called calmly to the hybrid making soft noises in the living room.
"Yeah! Toons!," Wildrider cried out happily, jumping across the room and grabbing his sire's hook. "I want to see the exploding coyote!" Smirking smugly, Lockdown threw one last glance at the rigid Swindle, before following the sparkling back to the other room and the comfy couch.
xxXxXxx
"Are you excited?," Skydive asked, smoothing down Dragstrip's coat.
The femme nodded curtly at the question, little fingers straightening the bow atop her helm for her carrier. "Yes mama," she answered politely. "I have my knapsack and all my supplies are labelled, and I put my lunch on top so nothing is squished."
"You're such a big femme," the autodog smiled warmly, pecking the sparkling's forehelm. "And you, M... Motormaster?" Skydive shuttered his optics in surprise; instead of turning around expecting to find his son, no one was there and no Motormaster could be seen among the other sparklings in the playground. Looking down at the tug on his fingers, the shih tzu stared quizzingly at his daughter, following her finger as she pointed off in some direction.
"He's over by the window," she informed. And indeed Motormaster was at the side of the school, pushing and banging against a window, possibly trying to get in.
"Oh dear," Skydive sighed, grasping Dragstrip's servo and hurrying them through the throng of other parents and sparklings. "Motor, hunny, don't do that please!"
The black hybrid paused for an astrosecond, glancing over a shoulder at his family, before he turned right back to the window and kept shoving against the glass. The poor mech could only vent softly at his rambunctious sparkling, pausing to pick up the knapsack and things that Motormaster had discarded all over the ground sometime during his excursion over here.
"Motormaster, you can't go inside through the window," Skydive explained calmly, finally approaching the mechling. "The windows stay closed until the bell rings, meaning the school day has begun, and then everyone goes through the door to their new classes."
Motormaster wasn't listening. Smiling wryly, Skydive grabbed the hybrid's swinging fists, gently turning his son around to face him as the autodog knelt to be more level. "You have to be patient for a few more kliks," the blue mech said to the glaring sparkling, "Can you do that for mama?"
Motormaster only narrowed his optics further, sullenly shoving a thumb in his mouth and refusing to respond. Skydive refrained from sighing this time. Despite his and Onslaught's best attempts, they had not been able to get the black hybrid to quit his thumb-sucking and not knowing what encouraged the bad habit, the two mechs were forced to let the issue resolve itself in time. The shih tzu only hoped that his son wouldn't get teased for it on his first orn of school.
Just as he began to fret, the school bell rang out shrilly across the playground; teachers stepping outdoors and calling for certain grades to come to certain doorways. Quickly, Skydive stood, taking both his sparklings' servos and directing them to the kindergarten side.
"Alright, this is it," the mech chirped, bending down and fixing both of the hybrids' clothes one last time. Dragstrip held prim and proper, folding her servos before her dress, while Motormaster squirmed and blew a sloppy raspberry around his thumb. Reluctantly, Skydive gave his hugs and kisses, gently urging the sparklings toward the kindergarten teacher who waved in greeting at the trio.
"Have fun now, okay? Your papa will be by to pick you both up the moment school let's out for the day," Skydive said with a smile as Motormaster and Dragstrip followed after the rest of the crowd of lil' 'bots. "I love you!"
Then they were gone. Skydive vented heavily, feeling a mixture of sorrow and pride all at once. It was a strange situation to be in but the shih tzu chalked it up to nesting anxiety. Waiting a moment longer, the mech bundled up his coat and walked away, hoping his two sparklings would be safe and sound on their first orn of school.
And at the end of it all, the only thing that Skydive ended up really having to worry about was Motormaster getting time-out for most of the orn, for beating up several sparklings teasing him about his thumb-sucking.
xxXxXxx
Many things scared Breakdown. Lots and lots of things. Spiders, for one, and other creepy crawlers. Ghosts, monsters and animals terrified him too. Funny shapes in the dark, the creak in the stairs, the moonlight above... Slag, even tulips outside his berthroom window, warm in the light of a beautiful summer's orn, scared the bejeezus out of him!
Of course, nothing compared to the top rankers of his list -his family.
Vortex was without a doubt first place in that category, followed closely by Motormaster. His grandpa Onslaught was a resounding third because of how grumpy and growly he was; Uncle Lockdown was tied for fourth with Uncle Blast Off. It was kind of hard for the pup to decide whether he was more frightened by either the siamese's cold disposition or the tiger's sharp, sharp hook...
Dragstrip and Wildrider were also very scary, and so were Uncle Brawl, Uncle Slingshot, Uncle Swindle...
Breakdown's other aunties and uncles though weren't so bad. Uncle Air Raid gave him lots of sweets, and Uncle Silverbolt made sure he was dressed up all warmly when it was cold outside. Even Auntie Cosmos gave him pretty books, with lots of pictures of cute and happy things. Auntie Skydive liked patting his helm and stroking his ears as well.
By far though, the hybrid's favourite 'bots (and the ones he never felt scared or lonely with) were his mommy and his cousin Deadend. Fireflight always gave him hugs and kisses, and soothed his boo-boos and stayed up with him if the sparkling saw monsters under the bed again. He read to him and played with him, and if things were really bad, the shih tzu would make a little fort that both him and Breakdown could crawl under; snuggled together, singing songs and playing games, safe from the rest of the world and all its scariness. His mommy never would abandon him or hurt him.
Deadend was in many ways similar to Fireflight in that aspect. He didn't read to him or tuck him into bed, or even kiss his scrapes and cuts... But the other hybrid did get him a band-aid if he happened to trip and fall. When Breakdown was scared, he let the anxious sparkling hide in his special, secret spot and he shared with the other his cookies after Motormaster had stolen all of Breakdown's. His hugs, though small, were nice and warm too.
The little hybrid hoped that he would never lose his cousin or his carrier.