Disclaimers: Transformers © HasTak, IDW.

Low Impact

Jason M. Lee

Frustration ran through his servos and not having found his regular methods of venting it out available, Grimlock decided to take a page out of Spike's book.

Hitting rocks with a reinforced I-beam like in baseball.

Part of his processors quailed at the monotony of it, deeming the activity stupid and not as exhilarating as trashing a Decepticon. Or trying to outlast Sunstreaker in the sparring room without ending up in the Med Bay.

The more logical part of him -- he snickered, remembering the look on Red Alert's face of hearing "logic" mixing with the Dinobot leader the first time -- pointed out how the younger Witwicky seemed to calm down after a good round when he was annoyed with something.

Grimlock had to grudgingly admit the repetitive motions was surprisingly meditative and calming.

It wasn't until he hit a particular large rock -- boulder, really -- that a loud yelp snatched him back to reality. Turning to look revealed Sparkplug lowering his arms from a shielding gesture, no doubt from the flying shrapnel.

"Geeze, Grimlock! What are you trying to do? Make gravel for the construction industry?"

"Venting," he answered simply, resting the slightly mangled I-beam against the cliff face and dropping down to an earthquake rattling seat. No doubt Beachcomber would be calming down the fire chief Lambo about the seismometers. "Saw Spike do it before, wanted to try. Not bad idea."

The elder Witwicky raised an eyebrow as he scrambled up to a higher seat. "And you didn't go for the shooting range or the sparring room because...?"

A rumbling snort. "Him Hoist threaten ancient building lessons with Perceptor if interior rooms blown up more than usual, other than Wheeljack. Don't want to sit through stuffy class with Perceptor; better if with Skyfire."

Sparkplug had to chuckle, not that he blamed Grimlock on avoiding the Autobot's chief scientist and preferring the Valkyire. Skyfire was a lot more easier to understand when he gave explanations, opting for layman's terms rather than the long-winded style that was practically Perceptor's trademark. "So you went with hitting rocks."

"Not hurt anybody."

At that, Sparkplug gave a small smile. "Well, maybe so but still, you should be a bit more careful where you're hitting rocks, boulders in your case. They don't hurt until someone throws them, or hit them, at your head."

Red optic band flickered. "We in open area and on Autobot property. What human crazy and stupid to trespass, other than Decepticons and paparazzi?"

"You'd be surprise, big guy." He looked up at the few clouds, nostalgia drifting in. "Spike nearly got into trouble just for that."

Interest perked, hydraulics shifting to move closer. "What happen?"

"When he was in elementary school, about, oh, seven or eight years-old, he had been tossing rocks because he was bored during recess and he thought he was fine in the school field. Unfortunately, one of them wound up hitting a fellow student right on the head. The kid's parents pretty much raked over Spike for that."

"Bad as Ratchet?"

He shook his head. "It's worst for a child, Grimlock. Sometimes, they might not know what adults are saying exactly, but kids more often than not know a malicious comment when they hear one and it'll stick with them for a long time. Spike was pretty much in near tears when I finally got to the office and the parents were threatening to sue me, but the principal quickly talked them out of it. Luckily, their son suffered only a good nasty bruise and there was no lasting effects so they pretty much dropped it. Took Spike a long while to get over it himself, even with the kid forgiving him."

Grimlock rumbled softly, considering the scenarios on what would happen if one of the flying stones wound up crashing onto some poor Autobot without warning. Or worse, human visitors, be they cleared by Red Alert or not. "Then Sparkplug have better idea for venting safe way?"

Sparkplug furrowed his brows for a moment. "Saw something when I was visiting a couple friends down in southern California..."

x x x x x x x

"First Aid..."

"Yes, Swoop?"

"Me seeing things, or that really Grimlock practicing tai chi?"

"You're not the only one whose visual processor keeps rebooting."

"Good -- thought me had accidentally drank Sideswipe's high-grade."

A/N: Done for MoonMadKitty, who had won one of my kiriban on my deviantArt page. When you live in the Monterey Park/Alhambra area, having a large Chinese population, and near a senior citizens complex, it's not uncommon to see them practice tai chi daily at the local park.