Megatron and Optimus clashed in battle like they had several times before. Nothing was different and they fought like they usually did, Megatron fighting for an angle so he could effectively cheat.
And then he pulled out a grenade.
"I've perfected this poison gas. This battle ends now," he said, and he pulled the pin.
Optimus' optics widened and the grenade exploded, green gas enveloping the Autobots and the Decepticons.
ooo
Jack was worried. When he commed Arcee, all he got was babbling nonsense. So he opened the Bridge and walked through. What he saw made his heart warm and his eyes widen.
Optimus and the Autobots and even the Decepticons were laying, sitting, or standing on wobbly legs. They were short, standing only up to Jack's knee or mid-way to his knee in Arcee's case. He smiled as he looked down at Arcee, tickling under her chin as he laughed gently.
Then he started to get concerned when he saw Ratchet, and Arcee was sobbing like an actual sparkling. Jack hoped that they were just shrunk, not actual sparklings...
Miko followed him, and she immediately lifted Bulkhead and Breakdown, holding them on each hip. She grinned at Jack. "Come on! Raf will know what to do. Let's just get them inside and hope this will wear off..."
Jack nodded and he lifted Arcee and Optimus, struggling with the large mech as he groaned and he sighed softly. "I know this can't be easy..."
"Of course! They're children. It's not going to be easy."
Raf carried Bumblebee, and they looked back at the sobbing Decepticons. Jack frowned. He ran into the base, deposited Optimus and Arcee on the couch, and he ran back down to grab a cart.
He set Megatron in front of Starscream, then sat Soundwave behind Knock Out. He scooped Airachnid up and he laid her down in Megatron's lap. He wheeled the cart into the base just as the Bridge closed and he set the sparklings out in a line.
Optimus slumped into Megatron's side. Breakdown was swatting at Bulkhead. Starscream was sobbing, his red optics squinted while tears rolled down his cheeks.
Raf was tending to Bumblebee and Miko rescued Bulkhead. Jack set about preparing Energon, giving them cubes until Arcee spilled it down her front and sobbed at the loss of fuel.
"They need bottles," Miko said, letting Bulkhead suck the Energon off her fingers.
Jack brought an open palm against his forehead, sighing in frustration. But they weren't babies! They were an advanced, intelligent race that didn't need bottles. But seeing them otherwise made him think different.
So he ran to the MedBay, skittering down the steps and rumaging through the cabinets until he found tiny, glass bottles his mother must have left him when they were taking care of newborns with the Autobots. Optimus had wanted to know the stages of humans, and so June carried a few orphans to them. The bottles remained.
He ran back up the stairs, out of breath while he filled a bottle with the Energon and he lifted Arcee, setting her in his lap as he helped the rubber nipple into her mouth. She was greedy, and she finished the bottle quickly.
There were four bottles. Miko got one for Bulkhead, who was hesitant, and Raf held one for Bumblebee, who wasn't positive that the bottle wasn't a plaything.
Jack had experience with babies, having worked with them when June was short handed. Raf was the baby of his family and Miko was an only child.
Jack had to poke extra holes in the nipple for Megatron, who was convinced that the Energon wasn't coming out fast enough. Starscream was trickier to feed, and he knew that he couldn't grip the Seekerling's wings like he wanted to keep him still. He finally got the little grey flier to nestle into his arm and drink the Energon like a good little Seekerling.
Miko started on Breakdown, Bulkhead curled up in her lap. Raf was feeding a sleepy Bumblebee, the little yellow sparkling sucking on the nipple slower and slower until he fell asleep.
He left Optimus for last. He lifted the Prime off the couch and he fed him the last quarter bottle of Energon. He expected Optimus to fuss like Megatron, but he swallowed the last little bit and he laid down in Jack's lap, curling up to sleep.
Miko was petting Breakdown's helm. "I know they're evil and everything, but look how cute they are!"
Jack nodded, watching Megatron curl up on the couch with Starscream and Soundwave. "They're cute, but we have to figure out a way to turn them back to their old selves. They can't stay like this."
Raf looked up. "Well, why not?"
Jack and Miko looked at him.
"If we keep them like this and raise them, the war's over and we don't have to fight this war anymore!"
Miko smiled. "That's not a bad idea."
Jack grumbled, rubbing his face as he sighed. He was about to refuse, and then he saw Arcee curled up with Airachnid, both femmes sucking on their knuckles. He tilted his helm. As sparklings, they knew nothing about factions. He looked at Raf and he nodded. "Okay..."
