Chapter 1: Fairly Innocent
Spark in the Night
Disclaimer: Transformers is a Hasbro product, has been since its creation back in 1984. All Transformers, names, etc. are property of Hasbro.
Jazz sighed on his way home from work that morning. It was a long night at the bar and he didn't think he could get out of there fast enough. His boss, Slammer, was offered yet another proposition by a group of drunken mechs looking for a good time and decided Jazz would be their "time". Thankfully Slammer turned them down, knowing Jazz's response at hand.
"It would have been good credit though." Slammer later told him as he helped clean up. "They were offering over fifty thousand credits. You'd be well off for a while if you consider at least one time." He informed him in front of the other staff who just stared at Jazz like he was insane. They knew his reasons why though and never pestered him about it.
Glancing down at the sidewalk as he walked, he shook his head at the realization that maybe if he did it once he wouldn't have to worry about credit for a while and the sparklings would be well taken care of. No don't think like that… He told himself as he clutched the small box in his arms. All it takes is one mistake and we already have enough to deal with…
Giving up the thought he turned down a separate sidewalk heading towards him small home. It wasn't much to look at but at least it was better than nothing.
He smiled walking up the steps to the front door and pad in the code to enter, closing the door behind him.
From the outside, his home appeared to be a run down, condemned structure but within it was obvious the building was very well cared for. Jazz had spent cycles upon cycles over several orns rebuilding the structure from the inside out, purposefully leaving the exterior to appear in a distressed state. After all, he had two sparklings to care for and needed to give the illusion it was an undesirable hell hole.
"Hello," Jazz called out as he eased on the light dimmers. Soft, excited clicks filled the air with the stammering of footsteps. "I'm home." He walked into the small living quarters as two little sparklings, one bright yellow with a black protoform and bright blue optics and the other sparkling was black with a silverish-grey protoform and bright red optics, came running into the room with arms up wanting to be picked up, both radiating with joy and their excitement.
Jazz placed the box down as he knelt and wrapped his arms around them, their little servos tracing his faceplate and helm. He laughed as he stood only to be greeted by a cyan and silver femme who leaned upon the doorframe with a smirk across her faceplate.
"Hey Chromia. Have they been good?" He asked as they chirped and clicked that they were.
"Yes," she stepped towards the small family. "In fact, they were both eating their morning energon when you came in."
The yellow sparkling turned towards Chromia clapping his servos together. The black sparkling tried to bite Jazz's helm. He laughed.
"Oh really," stepping back as Chromia lean down and pick the box up. "That's more sparkling grade."
Chromia shook her head as she walked with the box towards the storage room (similar to a kitchen for humans but lack things like fridge and stove). "You're almost out of normal grade for yourself." She stated as she put the energon away for him.
Jazz seated the two sparklings within their high-chairs, handing them their small cubes (think of cubed sippy cups). "Yea…" His tone was a little lower but he still bore a smile. "I'll worry about that after today's check-up." He stated, trying to not bring up the topic.
Chromia frowned as she finished, setting the box aside. "Alright. Well, Acree is waiting for me. I'll see you tomorrow night?"
He glanced up at her, nodding.
"Kay, see you then," she stated as she gathered up a few datapads and subspaced them before walking towards the sparklings the pat their helms. "I'll see you two tomorrow night." They clicked up at her their approval. She smiled at them before patting Jazz on his shoulder. "Bye."
"See you and thanks again."
After she left, Jazz leaned back, shutting his optics off as he waited for his two sparklings to finish their meals. Checking his chronometer and sighed.
"Alright, little Bee," a red and white mech stated as he set the little yellow sparkling on the examination berth. "Let's get you your check up."
The sparkling clapped his servos together as he chirped. His brother chirping from Jazz's lap as they sat beside the berth, waiting their turn.
The mech pulled out a scanner and began scanning the little bot for a moment before going through the results and turning to Jazz. "He seems to be growing quiet well. Now let's check on his brother."
He gathered the black sparkling up and placed him on the berth beside 'Bee'. The sparkling immediately tried to grab the scanner from the mech's servos when it was leveled to him.
"Now 'Cade, don't give First Aid a hard time," Jazz softly scorned the little sparkling whose optics flickered slightly for getting in trouble.
The mech laughed, "He doesn't mean any harm." He stated, patting 'Cade's' helm reassuringly. 'Cade glanced up at First Aid. "If you're patient, I'll get you two gifts in the back."
Both sparklings optics lit up brightly in excitement as they began to chirp and click wildly. Jazz and First Aid laughed at the sight before First Aid clammed them down and continued with his scans.
"I'm rather impressed, Jazz," First Aid complimented him. "I thought it would be difficult for a single mech to raise two sparklings as his own but they've seem to taken to you quiet well." Turning to Jazz, he began scanning him. "They probably programmed you as their creator." He smirked.
Jazz sighed, glancing at the duo who smiled back at him. "You know they know better. But thanks for the thought." He smiled gratefully at his friend. First Aid paused and looked up into Jazz's optics but didn't say anything.
Knock knock knock
The four turned towards the medical door as it swooshed open.
"Yes?" First Aid stated.
A small framed red femme stepped in, "Sorry for interrupting but the sparkling's awake and he's panicking." First Aid stumbled to get up and head towards the door as his patients stared after him. "We just don't know what to do." She stepped back as First Aid exited, the door closing behind them.
Jazz glanced at the little sparkling who went silent, staring at the door. As if knowing what they were thinking, "No, we are going to wait here like good little mechlings until he returns." He told them, earning their attention before watching them form frowning pouts. "Don't make that face with me. I said no."
The sparklings glanced at each other before making their optics lubricate with shimmering clear green coolant, forcing droplets to slide down their faceplates as they started to click. Jazz sighed, standing and picking them both up. "Fine. But if we get into trouble no energon treats. Deal?" They chirped agreeing.
As they wondered the facility it didn't take them long to find First Aid as well as several other medical staff. The medical door to the room they were in was left wide open as First Aid was yelling at the femmes while trying to calm the sparkling down.
"Whose bright idea was it to strap him to the berth?!" An irate First Aid shouted, struggling to calm the clicking and very upset sparkling.
The femmes began trying to explain their actions but First Aid just ignored them.
Jazz knelt down, releasing his two sparkling and looked them in the optics, "You two wait here. I'm going to go help." They nodded at him as they held hands, servos interlocking.
Jazz walked in and up to the berth, around to the other side, startling First Aid. "Jazz!" He exclaimed, "What are you-"
"Helping you," He replied, not looking up as he stared at the small blue sparkling on the berth, locking optics with the panicked form. "Ssh.." He spoke gently as he began to pet his helm, reaching for the release for the straps.
First Aid felt the sparkling slowly settle as he stared at Jazz. Once the straps came off, the tiny mech suddenly latched onto Jazz, servos clinging around his neck as his optics leaked coolant and he clicked; his frame trembling.
"They aren't going to hurt you," Jazz whispered as he pet the little helm, running a hand along the sparklings spinal strut to calm him.
Jazz and his sparklings, Bumblebee and Barricade, sat quietly back in their service room awaiting First Aid's return. The duo stared up at Jazz seeming to be engaged within a conversation about their Guardian. Jazz smiled back at them warmly.
As the medical doors swooshed open, First Aid walked in with a grim expression. Jazz stood up. "Is something wrong?"
First Aid gave a reluctant nod. "Everything's wrong, Jazz." Sitting down, he glanced up at his friend, "That little sparkling's been through so much. He…..needs replacement parts." First Aid grimly exclaimed without going into detail.
Jazz felt his tanks knot.
"Unfortunately our facility can't afford the new parts needed for an orphaned sparkling. We're going to have to hand him over to The Facility as he is and even then there is no guarantee he'll get the parts replaced."
Jazz nodded, understanding his friend's grief. He glanced at his sparklings who seemed to have a telepathic, firm, conversation and reasoning with Jazz before they nodded. Jazz turned back to First Aid.
"How about I pay for it," he stated firmly. Before First Aid could respond after letting his words sink in, Jazz held his hand up. "The little ones seem to agree we can adopt him into our little family and I can pay for his medical treatment."
First Aid glanced at the duo who nodded, proving it was their idea. With a sigh First Aid nodded before smiling weakly up at Jazz. "Alright, I'll call 'Hide to come get the paperwork in order for an adoption and have them sent over."
Jazz nodded. "Go ahead and take the credits from our account so you can order those parts right away."
First Aid nodded, thankful there was at least one mech in the world that would give up everything and take in broken sparklings into his home. He reached forward and hugged his friend. "Thank you, Jazz." Jazz hugged him back. "Thank you."
Jazz smiled faintly.
A few cycles later the four mechs made their way home as a newly expanded family.
Ironhide was familiar with Jazz's adoption file so he filled out most of the information and sent the forms over to the treatment facility for First Aid and Jazz to complete, authorizing and authenticating the guardianship of Bluestreak to Jazz, whom was very excited and willing to leave with the mech and his two other sparklings. Though Ironhide never met the mech he was somewhat grateful there was someone out there willing to take in the three sparklings instead of them being sent to The Facility.
The Facility was an orphanage for sparklings and younglings. When they became old enough they were sent to the Academy to be trained as soldiers. It was sad but that's how the system worked.
Jazz held the clinging blue sparkling to his chassis. Bumblebee and Barricade walked hand-in-hand beside them. They were excited to have a new brother.
Unaware to the three sparklings, Jazz was running the mathematics across his optics of their account and their funds. He winced internally at the cost of the medical price for Bluestreak's parts and upcoming surgery to get them installed.
Altogether, it was a huge blow to the credits they had saved up and unless he found a way to make up the difference fast the four of them might not be able to survive on their own anymore. Thank Primus I bought sparkling grade this morning…
To be continue….