Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformers, they belong to those lucky dudes at hasbro.
Summary: My second fic. A group of the Autobots talk about what they might do if the war ends.
On a quiet, dark afternoon on Earth whilst the rain was pouring, a number of Autobots were sat around in the centre of the rec room inside the Ark. Everyone was pretty relaxed and kicked back, an atmosphere of thoughtfulness and boredom radiating throughout the room. After the usual messing around and joking that came with drinking cans of high grade together, the inevitable conversation was finally brought up…
"So man", Jazz started, gently shaking his almost empty can of high grade, "What are you gonna do once the Wars over, Prowl?"
The war was part of all of them now, it had gone on for so long. Some of them were terrified of what life after the war would be like, what else it would hold for them. After having your life consumed by it, it was hard to imagine life without it, regardless of how much they wanted it to end. Prowl who was sat on a chair to the front left of Jazz, had his legs stretched out and his feet crossed at the ankles, also brandishing a can of high grade which he sipped slower than the others.
"That's if the war ends. At least in my lifetime." He said thoughtfully, looking at his can before taking a sip from it.
"Well, just say it does, yeah?" Jazz continued, everyone else listening for an answer.
"Well" Prowl tilted his head, "I'd continue as a law enforcement officer, same as before the war started. I like that line of work and I'm good at it, so it makes sense." Prowl finished confidently. Certain Autobots in the room who were more uncertain of what lie ahead for them after the war ended found Prowls confidence concerning the matter somewhat reassuring.
"Cool, I dig that." Jazz said nodding his head, arms crossed over his blue and white chest.
"What about you, Jazz?" Bumblebee piped up, sitting on the floor across from Jazz. The little yellow bot had his arms resting on his knees and seemed very interested in the conversation at hand.
"What are you gonna do?"
Jazz thought for a little.
"I…don't really know Bee. I'm really gonna miss Earth though, ya know? Not that I don't miss Cybertron man, but kinda got attached to here." Jazz looked deep in contemplation, staring down at the floor whilst scratching his head. Some of the Autobots were surprised to see the usually cool Porsche so serious. Bumblebee tilted his head in wonder.
"This is like a second home to us now. Damn, I miss Cybertron though." Conflicting emotions ran through Jazz's processor. Jazz always knew within himself that if they ever did manage to return to Cybertron, he was one of the mechs that would find it hardest to adjust. Pushing those biting thoughts aside, he tried to spark up a bit and smiled,
"Hey though, maybe I'll open up a music shop on Cybertron, show them all tha good music they' been missing out on. The place'll have killer lights in there and a bass like you ain't never heard before. It'll blow your audio sensors!" Jazz said, gesturing wildly.
Bumblebee and Ratchet smiled, and the twins who were sat next to each other looked at each other as if Jazz had lost it with a slight smirk on their faces.
"Yeah, sounds like my kinda place alright, will miss this place though."
"I don't get how anyone can miss this mud ball" Sunstreaker cut in, "The only thing its good for is racing, bashing Decepticons, showing off in Alt mode in front of the humans and more racing, and that's when the weather ain't crap." He said, then taking a gulp from his twins can of high grade, having drunk all of his own already.
"Hey, bro?!?" Sideswipe looked at him, optics wide.
"Shut up, siblings are meant to share and care, or something"
"How about you share some of your wax and chrome then, 'Brother'?
"Slag off! I need it."
"Yeah, you got that right. It's the cheap stuff anyway, I'll get better…"
"Who you callin' cheap?!?"
Whilst the twins continued to bicker for a little while, the others continued with the conversation,
"Well Bee, what about you?" Prowl asked, still stretched out and sipping from his can.
"Ahhhh, welll…" Bumblebee's optics flickered for a second, "I think I'm gonna stick to being a soldier still, as a career ya know?"
"Really??" Ractchet leaned forward from his chair, looking at Bumblebee, somewhat amused.
"Well, yeah…I like it, apart from the destructive side of things, but I want to get better, I want to be the best I can at it. I really admire Prime. I really can't think of anything else I'd like to do." He said scratching his head.
The twins were quietly laughing to themselves, hands covering their mouths. The high grade had made them just a little bit giddy.
"Wow Bee, just never really expected that of you. Whatever floats your mainframe, I guess." The medic grinned.
"Okay Doc, what are YOU gonna do, huh?" Sunny cut in, pointing at Ratchet, one of his favourite bots to torment.
"Oh, I wonder" Ratchet said sarcastically, rolling his optics.
Sunny just snorted.
"I still wanna be a doctor when the war is done. I don't know if I could give it up even if I tried, its my calling. I've been told I'm one of the best at what I do too, so why give it up?"
"Your not ONE of the best, you're THE best you old fool." Ironhide interrupted, walking into the room.
The other Autobots voiced their agreement, including Sunstreaker, albeit quietly on the latter's part. Ratchet couldn't help but smile with embarrassment,
"Ahhhh, I'll miss you old wrecks."
Sideswipe immediately clamped a hand over his twins mouth, knowing he would have taken the 'wreck' part of the comment a little too seriously.
"So what have I missed, what have you guys all been talkin' about, huh?" Ironhide asked, taking a seat next to Ratchet.
"Its not like everyone one to be sat around gassing like old timers." He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest.
"We're just nattering about what we're all gonna do after the war…if it ends." Ratchet tagged on at the end.
"Oh right. Well, ya know what I'm gonna do?" Ironhide said, pointing at himself with his thumb. Everyone was listening.
"I'm not telling ya."
Everyone groaned.
"Hey, come on" Bumblebee jumped in, "Everyone else is spilling."
"Ironhide's gonna retire, 'cause he's so old" Sunstreaker said.
Sideswipe joined in,
"Yeah, him and Kup will sit around all day 'cause of their old joints, drinking some good old low grade –"
"-They call it vintage-" Sunny quickly cut in,
"Reminiscing about the good old days when they were top models-"
"-Which was millions of vorns ago"
"and complaining."
"Whilst playing Bridge." Sunny finished, hiccupping.
The room erupted in laughter, all except for Ironhide…
"Why you young punks, I'll teach you some respect!" Ironhide shook his fist at them, snarling.
Ratchet pulled him back by his shoulder, trying to hide his laughter and failing miserably. Both of the twins were smirking.
"Let me tell you, back when-"
Prowl quickly cut in, knowing no one was able to listen to one of Ironhide's back-in-the-day stories without dozing off or offlining with boredom.
"Come on 'Hide, what are you gonna do, or are the twins right?" He asked trying to keep a straight face.
"Hell no! The real deal is me and Kup are gonna train all the new cadets. There's always gonna be a need for law and order ya know."
"Yeah, that's something Magnus never let me forget." Prowl nodded.
"Speakin' of tha big fella, wonder how he's holding up, back on Cybertron." Jazz said.
"Ahhh, he'll be good. After Prime, he's second to none."
"Yeah, I guess your right man. Can't wait to see the old gang back on Cybertron…
So come on, who ain't said anything yet? How about the twins" Jazz said, looking at them.
"Oh, Sunshine's said plenty already, just nothing actually relevant." Ratchet smirked.
Sunstreaker scowled at him.
"Do you want your aft kicked, Doc?"
"Do you want me to weld your hands to your face next time you come in for repairs?"
There was no argument from Sunstreaker there, just a snarl. Sunstreaker cared way too much about his beautiful self to risk pushing the medic into taking revenge during repairs.
"Sunny, what are you gonna do after the war?" Sideswipe looked at his brother. The yellow Lamborghini turned to face him,
"I dunno. Maybe we should go exploring?"
"Dunno, that might get boring."
"Maybe. I want to continue fighting."
"Well, if that's what you'd do bro, so would I."
"Stay in the forces then, huh? Show all those lowly cadets what they'll never get to be."
"Yeah. Their jaws would drop if they heard half the stuff we've done. They'd never have the circuitry to do any of it."
"We'd have to go racing too."
"Hell yeah."
Prowl interrupted the two of them,
"Your not gonna go back to your art then, Sunstreaker?"
"Mmmm, I don't think so" Sunstreaker said sincerely, surprising some of the Autobots.
"I don't know if I could get back into that sorta thing after all that's happened. Maybe just as a pass-time…"
Sideswipe patted his brother on the back, who in turn took another gulp of his high grade.
"I mean", he continued, "How can anything compare to jumping on jets and blasting Decepticons into tiny pieces of scrap? Life is going to be so boring after this."
"Boring, but peaceful we hope." Prowl said.
"Boring is boring. I don't want any of that." Sunstreaker huffed, throwing his long-ago empty can into the bin on the other side of the room. Sideswipe finished the last of his high grade and did the same.
Aware they'd probably gotten all they could out of the now brooding Sunstreaker, the attention turned to Sideswipe.
"What about you Sides', huh? Same as your brother?" Ironhide asked.
"Whatever he decides to do, I'll do too."
"Okay, so Sunny decides to join the Decepticons. You gonna too?"
Sunstreaker looked up, from Ironhide then to Sideswipe.
"Yeah, I would. Sunny wouldn't do it without a good reason."
Sunstreaker lightly clanked Sideswipe across the head with a smile on his face.
"Whatever, you two puzzle me" Ironhide gave in. He found there was just no understanding the twins sometimes.
There was silence throughout the room for a little while. Suddenly, Bumblebee spoke,
"Hey guys…what do you think Optimus will do if the war ends?"
No one spoke, the room was silent.
A/N: Thank you for reading. If you have the time, please tell me what you think and leave a review, I'd really appreciate that!