Eventually Cobra went to the Carers for the first time so that Lightburn and Tripwire could return to their occupations in the governmental sect.

He hadn't been too young to notice how the Carers kept all but the truly curious sparklings away from him. But it didn't stop him from trying.

"Can I come play with you?" Cobra chittered shyly to a blue sparkling who was playing flight tag with a yellow femme Carer. The sparkling chirped back and made to descend down to him, only to be caught by the scruff bar by the Carer. "Not now 'Dancer, it's time for recharge. Go play with the thinking blocks Cobra." she added as she walked away.


On another day Cobra had tried jumping into the sky from the top of the play sphere, his optics fixed on the fluttering sparklings above him. The ground was really hard and he tried not to cry but he did and it burned his cheekplates until someone wiped it away. He tried again, swinging hard on the swings till he felt the air rushing beneath his plating as if he were flying at the speed he experienced in his dream. He pushed off with his pedes at the height of the swing and managed to not-quite miss the edge of the slide which left a light dent in his helm.

Cobra didn't quite understand how he was naughty but he had received quite a lecture from one of the older model Carers, a green femme by the name of Softstrider until he stopped trying to jump off the playground, mostly because he was not longer allowed on it. Though he hadn't exactly been told this so much as shown.


One day, Tripwire had been called into occupation on one of his designated days off and Cobra had been at the Carers on an unusual day. It hadn't been too bad, there were different sparklings there than he usually saw who didn't mind playing ground games sometimes and liked to read Vid-Files like Cobra did. He was just about to go rejoin the others after a really good one ended when he was grabbed by the scruff-bar.

"Now Cobra… the sun is too hot today, why don't you go back inside while we fetch the others?" One Carer said and he nodded as he followed her instructions only to wait two decaorns before the other sparklings had come inside, licking energon treats off their fingers and churring to each other excitedly about their adventures outside, plating warm as they passed by the spot he had by then chosen to hide in.

The Carers looked for him at first, calling for him with promises of energon treats too when he refused to come out. But they didn't find his hiding place.

"Oh leave him then, he'll come out eventually." Softstrider said, voice drifting away from his hiding spot. "Swiftstrike… put that down!"

When he heard the familiar tread of his Sires pedes, careful as he stepped around the other vulnerable frames, his tanks were already churning without day rations.

"Where is Cobra?" Tripwire rumbled at the Carers.

"He was off playing outside." The same Carer that had told him to go inside said and his optics widened at the lie.

He clicked softly in distress as he felt, rather than saw, his Sires presence approach his spot, obviously intending to go in the direction the femme suggested. What if he walked passed him like all the others?

"Sire?" He croaked out, the sound of his own voice shocked him. The single glyph was full of static and fresh energon bubbled from his optics, stinging the already sensitive plating.

Tripwires pedesteps paused and a large hand suddenly came underneath the table, searching blindly for him. Cobra allowed himself to be cradled into a large hand before he was pulled out.

Tripwire growled when he looked at him, field bursting with sudden fury and the sparkling was curled into his sires chestplates as the mech towered over the Carers, hissing in a tongue that might've been glyphs but moved too rapidly for him to follow. He didn't really care though.

He was safe.


I'm not entirely happy with this and I may revist. I am enjoying the 'world building' side of this fic and any constructive suggestions or comments would be welcome.