Lookie that! Two chapters in ONE night! Hee!

Chapter 2: Revolution

He'd overextended his recharge again. This simply wouldn't do. He felt warm and comfortable, though, except for the fact that he was alone. He had been certain that someone had been there... Starscream. The exotic-looking Seeker had lay next to him, holding him as they both drifted off...but it was just that dream again, even if his frame remembered how it felt quite readily.

There was noise coming from the other end of the dwelling...a loud noise, and Revolution shot up off the berth. This likely was not good... Maverick was here alone this cycle, and he'd likely gotten into...

Revolution trotted off at a run.

The grey and pale yellow seeker turned the corner, optics narrowing to see his younger brother covered in sticky energon goo. "Maverick!"

The youngling's helm snapped up and he smiled sheepishly. "Hi Revvy."

"Don't you 'hi' me!" He snapped, crossing his arms over his chassis, favouring the youngling with a stern glare. "I told you to leave that batch of gel alone! And what did you do?!"

"I just wanted a taste." The orange and black seeker pouted.

"You can't taste with your chest plating." Rev said, frowning. "Nor with your legs, your arms...I was planning on saving that for a special treat, but I suppose that's impossible now."

Maverick's face fell. "Revvy, come on! It was there and I wanted it!" He gave his brother his very best winning smile.

"No. It hadn't even set all the way." Maverick's face fell into a pout. "Up! You need to wash that off before it sets on you." That would be a nightmare. Hardened energon gel in the joints and seams…

Maverick stood and trudged down the hall of their small two bedroom flat. Outside, the city of Evos had already awoken. Fliers filled the skies on their way to work or other destinations and the streets below echoed with the groundlings as they did the same. His world was so peaceful, so different than the one his dream Seeker described for himself. He couldn't imagine losing your entire city for the sake of power hungry senators.

Rev had to work today- he was a Peace Officer, a job that tended to be rewarding as well as challenging at times- and was stationed at the Hall of Justice this day. He checked his internal chronometer and swore almost silently; he was running nearly a joor late and he hadn't even dropped Maverick off at his caretaker's. "Mav, I suggest you hurry with that...we're late!" he called. The only response he received was a loud snort, so he stood with arms folded until his brother exited the tiny 'racks, still dripping with cleanser. "Revvy I gotta shine-" Maverick began a whining tone in his voice.

"Tough. You should have thought of that before you made such a mess of yourself. Come. It's time to go visit with the twins."

By the time Maverick had finally toweled off and they had ridden the lift three floors up, Revolution was running another half joor late. At this point he would be lucky to make it on time in traffic. He stood outside the door of Eclipse, Windshear and Cloudwisp, waiting for it to slide open. It did and he quickly rushed his brother inside as the elder femme Seeker came from their kitchen area.

"Revvy? Running a little late this cycle aren't we?" She said with amusement, crimson optics glinting repressed laughter. "You just missed Zephyr. He dropped off the Twins late today as well."

As if the word was a summons, two streaks of red and yellow darted from the hallway beside the floor to ceiling windows of one wall. "Kanu! Sides won't give me my drawing pad back!"

"There's nothin' on it!" The red mechling shot back. "You weren't usin' it!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Boys!" Eclipse snapped, both quickly quieting. "Good. Sideswipe, give Sunstreaker back his sketch pad."

"Don't have it, Kanu." the little red mechling said innocently.

"Liar!" the golden one said, glaring at his twin. Maverick took one look at his two best friends and busted out in giggles. Sunstreaker just looked at the Seeker. "Help him find it before I beat the slag-"

Eclipse raised a single optic ridge as Sideswipe gasped loudly. "You said a bad word!"

Revolution eyed Eclipse- she certainly had more patience than most, keeping an eye on her only creation's hellions, plus Maverick. "I am running late, Eclipse, but thank you. I shall return later-" And with that, he left for work, indeed getting stuck in traffic and showing up a joor and a half late.

"So it was the same dream again?" Cobalt asked as the two mechs took their midcycle break at a small cafe in between both their places of occupation.

Revolution sighed and nodded. The large cobalt blue opter leaned forward, considering, rotors flaring on his back to relieve tension. "They seem to be increasingly more common." Revolution nodded again. "And more real." Another nod and then a sigh.

"And it's really not the same dream." The smaller flier clarified. "Not precisely. Just the same mech and the same place. The rants, the problems, his emotional state, it's always different in some way. He... intrigues me, Cobalt. Is this supposed to be normal? Does it mean something?"

"Maybe it means that you will meet him someday, that he is your true love." Cobalt, the hopeless romantic who saw love wherever he looked, thanks to the happiness he'd finally found lying right in front of him, once he'd finally seen. That reason came striding through the doors of the cafe, resplendent in the bright artificial light, and leaned up to give Cobalt a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Quickrazor seated himself to Cobalt's left and tilted his head. "Revolution...do tell me what's bothering you? Cobalt felt odd there for a moment, almost as if he were giving the advice of a lifetime...perhaps he was..." he finished, having been filled in by his bondmate. The medic frowned, though.

"I know of no one by that description here, though. Maybe he resides in another city?"

Revolution shook his helm. "I do not think so." He said softly. "He speaks of war and the destruction of Cybertronith. Only he calls it merely Cybertron. Of a mech called Megatron who fought in pits and was a gladiator for Blood Sports..." The idea did not sit well with him. Nor did it with his two friends apparently. Cobalt looked a little sick and Quickrazor absolutely appalled. "He has spoken of many a terrible thing he has done and yet... He seems sad, mislead and quite frankly like he bears the weight of the world on his wings."

Quickrazor shook his head sadly. "This is... Strange. It makes little logical sense. Perhaps it is just an odd series of dreams, or perhaps you even have a physical reason for having these strange mental fluxes. I can fit you in for an appointment this afternoon, if you like?"

Cobalt, too, looked concerned, his mismatched amber and blue optics flashing with worry though he glanced fondly at his mate. "'Razor, you always think that a mech is ill. Maybe he's not ill, perhaps this is Prima's way of showing Rev Her will!"

"You know my stance on Religion, Cobalt." Quickrazor smirked.

Cobalt grinned. "I do. I also know a mech who's versed in The Book of Prima. Things like this happen everywhere in the past. Perhaps you should talk to him?"

"At this point, I'd do anything to make sense of why I see these things." Revolution sighed. "I cannot keep comforting and trying to make him see the good I see. I fear that one day, I may not see him ever again."

Cobalt placed one large hand over Revolution's smaller one. It looked like a child's in his. "The next time you get a chance then, there is a mech in Iaconus. He teaches at the citadel. Go to the Knowledge room and ask for a mech named Bumblebee. He can help you."

"And if you do not find the answers you need there, I can always schedule you in." The silver and grey triplechanger added with a smile at his bonded. Cobalt just shook his helm fondly and squeezed his love's shoulders.

Rev nodded slowly, standing up. Break time was over and he had to watch over a trial this afternoon. "I appreciate the kindness." he told his friends, offering a credchip to help pay for the refreshments. Quickrazor just stared at him until his cheeks heated up and he put it away- 'Razor was a successful medic and refused to let Revolution pay when he knew that he wasn't wealthy. He left the small cafe, thinking very hard on this.

He found himself hoping and offering the smallest prayer to Prima that Starscream was all right and in one piece, and sent along his good wishes as well. The dark face of the Seeker haunted his meta, and he entered the Hall, preoccupied.

"Yo, Rev!" Revolution looked up to see his fellow Officer on Duty, a grounder called Barricade. "Glad I caught you! They're starting the trial now, ahead of schedule. Something big came up and they may even have to postpone and continue another day."

Revolution nodded. "Did they say what it was?"

Barricade shook his helm, black doorwings twitching. "No, Red Alert's jurisdiction in Akaon. Just we need the officer they need to recall to speak here. He saw some of what went down as first Officer on the scene."

"I see. Alright then. Let's go." And with the professional air of an Officer on Duty, Revolution pushed thoughts of his gorgeous phantom to the side.

The accused looked to be utterly without remorse, and his guileless optics proved that. He was either the sparkless killer that he was accused of being or he was incredibly unlucky and more than a little dense, Rev decided.

Tracks stared wide-opticked toward the officiating judge and said not a single word in his defense for the entire hour that the prosecution went on and on, describing a terrible scene to the jury and the people huddled on the benches. Rev was there to keep the peace...and ensure that the accused did not escape. He took his duties very seriously, even with the spectre of Starscream haunting his meta. So he listened and watched, and even began to feel sorry for the mech sitting there locked in double stasis cuffs and a power inhibitor on his back.

Actually, the mech did look a little sick himself.

So maybe not quite without remorse.

Revolution pulled his optics away from the red faceplates as the prosecution made their final statements to the jury and sat, looking rather smug. Then the defending lawyer stood, the black and white regal looking doorwinger standing tall and stoic as he approached the judge and turned to face the jury. In his hand he held a single datapad and it was tense a few moments before he opened his mouth and began to speak.

"I have to admit, I didn't see that outcome when I walked into the courtroom." Revolution said as he walked from the room beside Barricade.

The mostly black mech barked a laugh. "Kid, you have a long way to go. It was rather obvious when one looks at the evidence. The prosecutor had a strong argument based on hearsay and the mech's long line of overcharged induced misdemeanors and rages. But really several mechs stood to gain if the heir to the largest body shop franchise ended up behind bars. There are too many holes."

Revolution thought on that a moment and then nodded. "I suppose you are right. Officer Silverstreak did point out many of the prosecution's flaws in his own testimony. And then the defendant's lawyer was very strong in his counterevidence."

"Ah, see, you're learning." Both mechs paused as a crowd blocked the front entrance of the Justice Hall, reporters and civilians alike crowding around the recently freed Tracks and his lawyer Prowl. Barricade watched the elegant Praxonian with an obvious glint to his optics. Revolution grinned.

"You haven't got a chance with Prowl."

"We'll see youngling. I get a date with him tonight and you owe me three trays of the good gummies you make."

"You're on. And if you can't you owe me dinner at the Highflyer!" Revolution laughed as he bid his friend farewell, quite looking forward to a fancy dinner he didn't get often tomorrow night as he made his way home.

The day had gone relatively well, Revolution thought as he made his way back to Eclipse's place to retrieve his wayward brother. He planned on allowing his friends the twins to come over for dinner...if they'd behaved, which wasn't at all certain. He smiled, pinging her door, and a more than frazzled-sounding voice answered.

"Thank Prima someone's here; I think everyone else heard it and vanished." she said wryly. Three younglings sat on a couch, looking sullen, angry, and more than a little tired.

Revolution stepped in. "Oh my? What happened?"

Eclipse huffed and a rather big Seeker stepped into view and came up with a small smile and rubbed her wing. The white and blue seeker nodded to Revolution and Rev nodded back. "Cloudwisp."

"Windshear's left wing is going to take a week to heal." Cloudwisp said mildly. "These three, led by the little red hooligan that is unfortunately directly descended from yours truly, decided that today was Divebomb the Seeker day."

"Nuh uh!" Sunstreaker said angrily. "Was Maverick. He said he could take us flying!"

"Dumbaft, I wouldn't pull on a Seeker's wing!" Mav said, snorting loudly. "Sides started it and you know it. I just...um...Revvy...I kinda boosted him up." Maverick admitted, unable to lie to his brother.

Revolution looked mortified as well as extremely apologetic. He turned to the two Seekers. "I am so sorry! Here, how much was the medic's bill? I can pay it."

They both shook their heads in unison. "Unnecessary; but I believe that Maverick should likely receive a bit more punishment than we were permitted to give him."

The twins gave Mav a dirty look. "We got a spankin'." Sideswipe announced, as if it had been a momentous event.

Maverick himself was a tad too old for spankings, but Revolution's optics grew stern and hard. "I assure you he will be."

He apologized again and after being refused to help pay, they were on their way. Revolution huffed angrily, placing his hands on grey hips as soon as their door was closed. "Maverick, what have I told you about playing too rough?"

Mav shrugged. "I didn't do it on purpose. I wouldn't hurt someone like that and mean it. Sunny an' Sides just didn't quit." He looked both ashamed of disappointing his brother and slightly fearful of his punishment.

"Regardless, you are older and could have said no. Even if others do not quit, does not mean you cannot walk away. If your friends were to cut their engines midair and plummet to the ground for a thrill, would you?"

Maverick hung his helm and shook it.

"I do not mean to make you feel bad, Maverick. You have obviously done that enough for the both of us." Revolution continued gently, placing his hands on the littler seeker's shoulders. "However, I need you to think about these things before they happen. That is how we avoid making decisions we will regret later. We cannot prevent everything, " He explained, mind flashing to his Dream Seeker. "But we can prevent that which is in our power to do so."

He straightened.

"Therefore, you are grounded. No vid-games, vids, or others like it and you will sit on the couch for two joors by yourself every cycle until Windshear's wing is healed. I will be letting both Eclipse and Cloudwisp know."

"WHAT?" Maverick said, incredulous. "No games?! I'll die of boredom! You'll find my rusted frame lying against a pile of datapads, whimpering and moaning for just a taste of recreation!" Dramatic to be sure, but Mav was pretty good at this. He gave his best turbopuppyoptics to his brother.

"No, Mav. You know that he cannot fly right now?"

Maverick hadn't considered that. He bit his lip.

Revolution nodded, satisfied. "Your punishment starts now. So I want you to get to the washracks and then it's to recharge."

Maverick moved off sullenly and Revolution sighed, suddenly very weary. He knew Maverick had already had his evening cube at his caretaker's, but he himself was rather low. And tired. And maybe just a tad eager for recharge.

The sound of running cleanser-laced water was Rev's dinner music, and he sat down in his comfortable chair, sipping his fuel slowly. Just before he finished the last of it, he sat back and sighed, offlining his optics for just a moment, he convinced himself. Just for a little while, just to rest before he got Mav off to his berth and himself prepared for tomorrow's workday.

As anyone who makes plans can tell you, sometimes intentions mean nothing. He fell away into recharge even as he sat there, wings twitching as he closed his optics in one world...and opened them in another, a dark Seeker smiling down at him.

"You're here." Starscream said the smile on his lips enough to light the world.

And again, feedback welcome~