Summary: Starscream onlined feeling out of sorts
Warning: Crack, of the highest order.
Notes: A spin-off of Kite Strings but not part of it. Set a bit into the future but not that far. Beta'd by rezuri
Starscream onlined, feeling out of sorts. He attempted to run a diagnostic and was alarmed when he couldn't. He unshuttered his optics and was startled to see that his recharge chamber had somehow grown larger while he was offline.
He sat up, squinting at the lights that activated with his motion... and stared dumbfounded amazement at his arms. They were an ash-grey color and soft, like a human's. A quick inspection showed that the rest of him had been turned into a human, or "human- like" (as he didn't think humans were that color naturally).
He was nude, and as he watched his skin bumped up; 'goose-bumps' he had heard it called. He also realized the spasms in his muscles must be what humans termed "shivering." This new body was cold, apparently.
"Stasceam?!" Optronix's distressed cry had him moving. Starscream wobbled over to the edge of the now-vast berth, where he paused as another unpleasant aspect of this bizarre situation made itself known; it was fifteen feet to the floor and he had no way, no safe way, to get down.
"A moment, Optronix," Starscream called, managing to sound more confident than he felt. "Stay where you are."
"Kay." Starscream heard blankets rustle as Optronix settled down.
Returning his attention to the edge, Starscream growled in frustration; he would just have to risk the fall. He instinctively flexed his wings... and was startled to feel something attached to his back move.
Twisting around, Starscream caught a glimpse of delicately veined gossamer that reminded him, oddly, of butterfly wings before they followed his body around.
Not just a human, but a human with wings.
Starscream shook his head in disbelief.
Still, if they could be used to get him down to Optronix, Starscream could ignore the strangeness of it all for now. Concentrating, his wings flared around him in response to his thoughts. A few tests convinced him that he would, at the very least, be able to glide to the floor.
The landing was harder than he liked, jarring his organic body, but he didn't think anything was damaged. Organics used pain to gauge damage and his pains lessened quickly.
Starscream swiftly made his way to Optronix's floor-berth. At his new height, the edge of the berth was at mid-chest level to Starscream. "Optronix?"
A small human head popped into view, blue eyes huge. "Stasceam?"
"It is me." Starscream boosted himself onto the bed, using his wings to assist. Optronix sat on his bed, staring, lower lip trembling. He too was nude, and presenting as a male human, with bright blue eyes and pale skin, dark hair shimmering blue under the lights.
"Come here." Starscream held an arm, gathering Optronix to him while his other hand pulled bedding close. It was designed to absorb heat but a Seibertronian's recharge temperature was roughly equivalent to a human's; it would do to warm them for now. The chill wasn't enough to endanger their health but it was uncomfortable.
"Don' like this," Optronix mumbled, pulling the edge of the blanket closer. "Change me back."
"I would if I knew how." Starscream ran a hand through Optronix's hair. All of the leads from the recharge computer were intact and had retracted properly. There were no imperfections on Optronix's scalp, either.
Thank Primus.
They needed assistance, and that was only available in the other room.
"We need to go to the outer rooms." Starscream told Optronix softly. "I need to call for help."
"To change us back?" Optronix asked hopefully.
Starscream hummed thoughtfully, not wanting to admit they might be stuck like this.
"Want Thing." Optronix turned in his arms. "Oh."
Oh, indeed; Thing was now larger than Optronix himself. "We will come back for it."
"Kay."
Starscream managed to get them both to the floor without incident and strode awkwardly to the outer room, trailing the excess of the blanket. There was an intercom near the door; his communication restrictions had been lifted to the point he could call separate beings without alerting the entire base using the internal comms.
Reaching the wall, having gained a new appreciation of the difficulties faced by the Autobot's human allies, Starscream considered his options; the comm was placed at a height comfortable to his mech form. Which meant it was well above his head now.
"A moment." Starscream placed Optronix on the floor, carefully bundled in the blanket; he had read that human younglings chilled easily. "I am going to try for the intercom."
"Kay." Optronix pulled at the blanket and watched him closely.
Starscream flexed his wings, extending them to their full width. Flapping them gently, he gauged their ability to lift; he was used to anti-gravs assisted by thrusters to fly. This organic method was going to take adjustment.
But at least he could still fly.
It took several attempts to reach the comm but he finally hooked a hand around the upper edge of the comm and braced his feet on the lower part of it. Then nearly fell off. "Primus damn!"
A soft giggle floated up from Optronix's position but the child looked innocently at him when he glared. "Hn."
Returning his attention to the comm, Starscream hit the commcode for the mech he wanted. "Ratchet."
"Starscream?" Ratchet's annoyed voice came through. "Can this wait? We had an unusual energy surge-"
"Anybody else get turned into organics?" Starscream interrupted.
"Yes! There are f-" Ratchet cut himself off. "Anybody else?! You're telling me you're- "
"Soft and squishy." Interrupting Ratchet was restoring his equilibrium. Really, the mech was entirely too predictable. "Both Optronix and myself."
"Okay. Okay." A pause, then Starscream heard voices just out of range of the comm's pickup. "Okay, Wheeljack's going to come get you. You are nude?"
"Yes." Starscream cursed softly as he slipped, then recovered. "But I have wrapped Optronix in one of his blankets."
"Good. Wrap yourself up in one as well; Spike's been called and he's bringing clothing."
"Acknowledged. Starscream out."
"See you in a few." The comm went dead and Starscream jumped to the floor, landing more softly this time.
"Jack coming?" Optronix held his arms up, tangled in his blanket.
"He is." Starscream rearranged the blanket around himself and Optronix, grateful for the warmth. "It will be a few minutes."
Optronix bunched up part of the blanket, holding it close like he would have done with Thing. Starscream stroked a hand through Optronix's hair, leaning against the wall to wait for Wheeljack's arrival.