"James Franklin Wallace, what on earth is that?" Jimmy's mother stood with her hands on her hips and her feet planted in the doorway to the ten year old's bedroom. Jimmy sighed inwardly, hoping he would have had at least a little more time before his mom found out about his new pet. His new Sparkling was standing next to Jimmy's open erector set on the floor, it's purple eyes glowing most intently as it surveyed all the parts and mechanisms. Now it looked up at Mrs. Wallace, blinking innocently as Jimmy scooted up onto his knees.
"It's a Sparkling, mom. All the kids have one these days." he answered, his hands on his lap as he rocked back and forth a little.
It was the wrong thing to say.
"What have I said about that before? I don't care what the other kids get away with, it doesn't mean you're going to!"
"I'm not trying to get away with anything, mom." He whined, holding both hands out to the tiny little life-form in explanation.
"It's a Sparkling. A little robot."
"How did you get it?"
"A Sparkling? They choose you. This one followed me down the alley after school so I brought him home."
It was the second wrong thing to say.
"Brought it home? What have I told you about that too?" his hefty, formidable mother growled.
"He's not hurting anything." Jimmy let his arms fall and he toyed with his erector set, falling back on the defense all children used.
The little gray colored Sparkling looked at Jimmy and then back at his mother, it's eyes wide and uncomprehending.
"It sure is a homely little thing." She sneered.
"And how do you think Mr. Jinkers will take to your new pet?" Elizabeth Wallace went on. She loved her son dearly but tolerated no usurpers to her beloved Mr. Jinker's place as the rightful family pet. As if on cue, the over-fed large orange Tabby cat appeared at her feet, purring and twirling around between her thick legs.
Mr. Jinkers spotted the Sparkling just as the Sparkling spotted him and the tiny little robot remained still as the big male cat stalked slowly into the room, his tail fluffing up.
"Ah come on, mom." Jimmy whined. "Tell him to leave Meggy alone."
"Meggy?" His mother raised an eyebrow.
"That's his name. He told me."
Mr. Jinker's golden almond eyes narrowed as he crept slowly forward, leading with his nose. The two small purple eyes of the Sparkling hadn't moved, but they glowed brightly.
"Are you sure it's even alive?" Jimmy's mother frowned. But then Mr. Jinkers swiped out a fat paw quick as lightning and batted the Sparkling back a pace.
It chirped and twittered in fright and turned to scramble up Jimmy's shirt, seeking refuge on his shoulder. It clung to his collar, hiding behind Jimmy's ear as best it could.
Mrs. Wallace chortled.
"I guess that settles that. As long as you pick up after it, it can stay. But only in your room! I don't want to see outside this door, James." She used 'the voice' to make her point before she turned away.
Mr. Jinkers drew close to Jimmy, his tail lashing as he looked up at the Sparkling.
"Go on. Get outta here Mr. Jinkers." Jimmy sighed, pushing the large tabby away with one hand. The cat ignored him but finally adopted a bored look as it sat down and licked one paw. Then with one last look, it got up and turned away, sauntering out of the room.
"Forget about him, Meggy. Mr. Jinkers just thinks he's the boss around here." Jimmy sighed, digging around in the erector set. He started chattering, quite happy with the arrangement his mother had allowed, as he showed pieces to the Sparkling and explained their use.
The Sparkling wasn't listening as it stood on Jimmy's shoulder. It was looking out into the hallway, it's face serious.
Megatron's eyes narrowed
ooo
Later that night Mr. Jinkers was a cat on a mission. It tolerated Jimmy as the offspring of it's feeder but what it would not tolerate was challenges to the realm.
In this house, at night, when the humans slept, Mr. Jinkers was the absolute power. In the incessant greed that was the mind of a 'house cat' it considered everything within these walls to belong solely to itself and it mattered not what other pets the boy brought home.
They either obeyed, or died. And many a new toy, turtle and even pet rocks had to grovel before his twenty one pound might.
Mr. Jinkers was the paw of God around here and he intended for it to stay so.
This new one? This interloper? He was too special. Mr. Jinkers wouldn't suffer him to live.
So he padded around noiselessly through dark hallways and up carpeted steps, heading for Jimmy's room.
At last glance, the great Feeder had settled her offspring in to bed, allowing Jimmy to hold his new Sparkling under one arm as he slept.
Mr. Jinkers had seen the boy do so from his vantage point under the hallway table. So, under the arm. Nearest this side of the bed.
He would find the intruder there.
It would be a simple matter then to drag it away and take his time shredding the life from the little wretch.
ooo
Mr. Jinkers shouldered open Jimmy's door and padded across the carpet, weaving around a few loose toys.
He crouched, listening for a moment and then sprang up lightly, for all his bulk, onto the small dresser next to Jimmy's bed. Normally he might find a cookie or some candy here, such was his nightly routine. But not tonight.
Tonight the game was murder.
His glowing eyes stared unblinking at Jimmy's recumbent form. Slowly he moved closer, towering over the bed from his vantage point. His eyes were hunting for the Sparkling.
Suddenly, he was brought up short at what he beheld.
There was no little robot life-form clutched under Jimmy's arm!
Mr. Jinkers froze, one paw still raised.
What was that? A tinkle of glass? From across the room? From the shelf of toys? Did the shadows move? His eyes might be playing tricks on him. It had been sometime since he prowled like this for a kill, cat or no. Mr. Jinkers turned, making up his mind quickly and dropping to the floor with a thud.
He would check under the bed. Perhaps the offspring Jimmy had dropped his precious new pet there. And Mr. Jinkers could use his full weight on the floor, crushing and killing if necessary.
Megatron dropped like a meteor out of nowhere from above, clamping around Mr. Jinker's neck with his arms and legs. He chortled in glee as the cat's eyes went wide, it's head shoved low to the floor by the impact.
"So you would be my assassin in the night, eh? You fat furry interloper!" Megatron snarled like an enraged Smurf in the cat's ear.
Mr. Jinkers recovered quickly from his shock, every inch the old alley brawler that he was. He immediately raised his paws, trying to hook Megatron off of him and when this failed, he actually rolled head over heels like a large ball. Anything to dislodge the attacker!
But Megatron held on, laughing dryly as the cat rolled around the room. His sharp little teeth sank into Mr. Jinker's ear and the tabby hissed in rage, shaking it's head and stopping his death roll.
With a great heave of his massive weight, Jinkers threw Megatron from his back. The Sparkling flew through the air and dented in Jimmy's small Sponge Bob garbage can.
"Oof!" Megatron's musical little voice grunted. He rolled to his feet as the large cat came charging across the carpet like a tidal wave of orange fur.
Undaunted, Megatron snatched up the tin garbage can and bashed it into the side of Mr. Jinker's head, rolling him into the erector set.
The cat scrambled to right itself, scattering parts everywhere as Megatron tossed the can aside and picked up a sturdy little steel girder from the set, one his own size, with a good heft.
Mr. Jinkers turned on him with a snarl and Megatron brought the improvised weapon down across his nose.
Snarling loudly the cat backed away, hissing and pawing as Megatron waded right in.
Darting back, the cat readied a retreat, it's eyes on the open doorway but Megatron kicked the garbage can at it and came howling across the carpet, swinging his weapon two handed through the air.
An odd chase started up, the panicked cat running in a circle with Megatron right behind it, cackling and whooping as he gave chase.
All the noise woke Jimmy, who sat up bleary eyed and not even awake.
"What's going on?" he murmured.
Megatron stopped in his tracks as Mr. Jinkers darted under the bed.
"Go back to sleep, James." His little tin voice said as he looked up at his human keeper.
"Ok." Jimmy answered and rolled over into his covers.
Megatron lowered his face back down and then tossed aside his make shift weapon. His eyes glowed purple as he scanned under the bed, but he wouldn't enter it's shadow.
"Here kitty kitty kitty." He hooked one little finger in the air.
Mr. Jingles came flying out of the dark and leaped into the air, aiming to come down on the Sparkling and rip and rend.
Megatron looked up, the round shadow of Mr. Jinkers covering him.
He raised his arms almost like a hug.
And caught Mr. Jinkers as easily as a beach ball.
The cat yowled in surprise at how easily the mighty little Decepticon handled his massive twenty one pound weight, and turning, Megatron fired him through the open door to slam against the hallway wall. Upside down and almost knocked senseless.
Mr. Jinkers heavy bottom slowly slid over to the floor and he looked back into Jimmy's room in a daze as he righted himself.
Megatron, back lit by the moon from Jimmy's bedroom window, stalked across the bedroom carpet in the dark, menacing, his shadow long and eerie.
His eyes glowed a murderous purple, giving his face a devilish glow and he held his fingers up like claws as if he was about to feast. Mr. Jinkers shook his head, wide eyed and staring. He could see Megatron's pointed teeth gleaming now in a wicked smile.
It was like death itself was approaching and the great tabby knew fear.
"You've scratched and farted around here long enough." Megatron's tiny little voice snarled wickedly as he approached.
"The day's of your blubber ass ruling the roost are over." He went on as he reached the doorway.
He stalked out into the hallway, crouched low like a maddened gremlin.
"If you ever raise a fat paw to me again, I'll skin you alive. I've burned whole worlds to have my way. A hairball like you is beneath my contempt!" He spit the last word, and grabbing Mr. Jinkers by the whiskers he pulled them face to face.
He tore the collar and bell free from around Mr. Jinkers neck.
"Now fuck off!" He snarled, letting go.
Mr. Jinkers tucked up his tail and ran away, weaving slightly as he bounded down the carpeted steps.
Megatron stood tall and watched his enemy retreat.
Now for the mother.
ooo
Elizabeth Wallace awoke with a tiny weight on her chest. She snorted and blinked, raising her head and looking over her double chin at the small little being standing there. It's eyes glowed purple as it watched her, it's hands on it's hips.
Her mouth start flapping in surprise.
"Ohhh my Gawd! Frank!" she blubbered, coming fully awake, trying to thrust herself up, curlers and all. The bed creaked ominously under the combined weight of her and her husband.
Megatron shook his head in disgust and stepped forward, clamping her mouth shut with one fist.
"Silence, fat one!" he raised the other fist threateningly.
Elizabeth Wallace's eyes pinched shut from the pain of the little Sparkling squeezing her lips shut. She opened them again when her husband sat up with a grunt, his face sleepy in the dim light of the bedroom.
"Wha? Whaizzit?" He smacked, drool on his cheek and unshaven.
Before she could do more, the little Sparkling raised it's free arm and shot her husband in the temple with a little pop of purple light from a tiny cannon on it's arm.
Her husband slumped back down on his pillows and went right back to snoring loudly.
Those gleaming little purple eyes turned on her next and she winced.
Slowly he released her lips, raising a warning finger to her and Elizabeth Wallace nodded her head pathetically.
The tiny being stepped back onto her chest, putting it's hands behind it's back.
"It has come to my attention that you resent my presence here." The little voiced snarled more than it talked but she could hear it clearly.
She shook her head.
"Are you daft? I was right there when you issued your ultimatum to James. But now this 'homely little thing' has a new ultimatum, yes?"
This time she nodded weakly.
"Tomorrow you will take your enormous ass to the store. You will procure everything that I need and you will do this or I will set my cannon to more than just 'naptime'!" It snarled, turning to her bed stand and shooting her water glass off with a snapping hiss of air. The glass hit the carpet, unbroken, but the little Sparkling ignored it as it walked across the blanket and set down a small paper list.
It turned back to her.
"And there are things on there for James as well." It added. It walked back over the blanket and loomed over her face, staring down into her eyes.
She tried to cringe back from it.
"Do not get any ideas, fleshling. They will avail you nothing. You will obey...or we'll be having kitty kibble for supper." To her horror it raised up Mr. Jinkers collar and jingled the tiny bell in her face.
"Do we understand each other?" it asked, one eyebrow raising up.
She nodded again.
"This house is now the domain of the Decepticon Sparkling Armada!" The little metal being raised it's tiny arms and shouted to the ceiling. Then tossing the collar aside, it flipped into the air, folding up and reforming into a small armored flying vehicle.
It hovered there over her chest and she could still see it's eyes glowing out at her.
"And don't forget the fucking string cheese!" it snarled and then it flew off into the dark of the house.