Chapter Five: Division

Any war requires you to pick a side. Any 'bout could have told you t hat. That's why, with the newly formed Prank War, the Autobots all had to pick a side. Well, they could stay neutral. But that would leave them open to being pranked by both sides, and that was the last thing you wanted.

So they each had a choice to make. Side with the twins, or the new trio. It was time to weigh the pros and cons of each side.


Ratchet polished the already clean medical berth in thought. Which side did he want to pick? A better question would be which side did he not want to be pranked by?

The answer, in the end, wasn't what anyone would expect.

Ratchet would side with the twins.


Ironhide didn't really want to pick a side, because being part of a prank war wasn't really something he wanted to do.

But he felt Ratchet's decision over their bond, and knowing that he would never be able to prank his bondmate(he was getting too soft), he decided to join up with the twins as well.


Prowl ran every option through his battle computer, weighing the pros and cons of each option. He was the twins' bonded, but that didn't automatically make him opted to side with them.

Prowl gave a nod, his decision made. He would join the new trio, in hopes of getting the twins back for all the pranks they've played on him.


Optimus Prime was all for new things. After all, you didn't get to be a Prime by being closed minded. The prank war sounded rather fun, truth be told.

But who to side with?

He didn't want to come across as playing favorites, although he never would. Besides, siding with the twins would be like giving up a chance to get to know Bolt and possibly Barricade.

So Optimus would side with the trio.


Barricade, Bumblebee and Bolt stood to one side of the rec room, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe the other. Ratchet, Ironhide, Prowl and Optimus stood in between them.

"Alright, just go to whichever side you picked." Barricade broke the silence.

Everyone shuffled off to the sides. Ironhide and Ratchet stood next to the twins, and Prowl and Optimus stood next to the trio. There were plenty of shocked stares.

"Prowl! You're our bondmate, why would you side with them?" Sunstreaker demanded.

Prowl gazed at him calmly. "I am aware of that. However, this option seemed to be the best course of action."

Sunstreaker crossed his arms in displeasure, but didn't say anything else.

Barricade decided the silence had to be broken. "So our base of operations is Bumblebee, Bolt and I's room. No one from the opposing team is allowed inside, understand?" Barricade glared at all of the opposing team.

Sideswipe rolled his optics. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get your circuits in a twist."

"Our base is Sides and I's room. Same rules apply," Sunstreaker was obviously more... down to business.

"No seriously injuring anyone or destruction of the base," Optimus interjected.

Everyone nodded in agreement. "Deal. Let's go plan!" Sideswipe punched the air.


Team One, aka Bolt, Barricade, Bumblebee, Prowl and Optimus sat around their HQ, just getting used to each other.

Bolt decided to break the silence. "So I can kind of understand why Prowl would join us, but you Optimus?"

Bumblebee nodded. "Yeah, why us?"

Optimus shrugged. "I don't know. I suppose I wanted to try something new."

"Bullshit," Barricade snorted. "You just want to get to know Bolt and I better."

Optimus shifted guiltily. "That, too."

Prowl shook his head. "You never change, do you?" he asked with a small grin.

Everyone else laughed. Optimus himself looked a bit embarrassed, but that was to be expected. It wasn't every day you got to be the joke of a normally stoic mech.


Team Two, aka Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Ratchet and Ironhide sat in the twins' room. The twins were bursting with curiosity; why did Ratchet and Ironhide choose them?

"Why us?" Sunstreaker voiced his thoughts bluntly.

Ratchet shrugged. "I wanted to not be on the receiving end of one of your pranks for once."

"You're logic is pretty sound. But..." Sideswipe pointed at Ironhide. "...Why you?"

Ironhide examined his cannons uninterestedly. "I don't really give a slag about all this, so I figured I'd just follow Ratch'." he ended with a slight shrug.

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker shared a look. Although it was sort of unorthodox, it would work. Oh, yes. This would be one for the records.