Really sorry for not updating since July, guys. My vacation from writing started with a nine-day trip, and when I came back I didn't ever really start typing again. Thanks for sticking with me and all my pauses in updates!
Reviews:
T'Reilani –Joseph will continue to be bothered for a while, because he's kind of a bitter. Actually, he's very bitter.
CatGirlFireflare – I was wondering if you'd ever review! :D All my teacher said was "Well, she's right." And thank you! Sometimes I worry about how well the canon characters turn out, so thank you for noticing! ^^ And, in all honesty, Optimus never said humans couldn't hurt humans… :3 Hrrhrr. And I will continue trying to beat writer's block!
Where did the rest of my reviewers go? ;D;
***NOTE***
Alright, just a warning, Joseph and Drake have some colorful language, but they won't curse if they're around the kids. And, if they do curse, the word will have '*'s in it. :D
*\./*\./*\./*
Joseph quietly stood outside of the military compound hospital, leaning on the door of his truck. He was supposed to pick up Drake and take him to the base, and it'd be Drake's first time off the military grounds since he'd been injured. He waited silently, watching the entrance to the military medical bay and crossed his arms, looking bored, but he was very glad to see his brother after so long. Movement suddenly caught his attention, and he saw one of the doctors escorting a familiar face out. He stood and quickly walked towards his younger brother. Drake spotted him and his face instantly broke into a wide grin. The doctor who was escorting Drake out looked to Joseph once he neared.
"Don't do anything stupid. It's a wonder he survived this." The gray-haired soldier grumbled.
"No promises," Drake grinned, and the medic rolled his eyes before he walked away and back into the building. The darker haired brother then turned to Joseph. "So, do I get my hug now?" He opened his arms. It took less than a second for Joseph to oblige and hug his brother. Drake hugged him back tightly. "Missed you," his voice almost cracked in emotion. "And careful on the hug; it still kind of hurts."
"Sorry," Joseph apologized and carefully stepped back.
"It's alright," Drake wiped his eyes and gave his brother a watery grin. "Looks like you got into quiet a fight." He motioned to Joseph's prosthetic and eye patch.
"Being held hostage isn't at the top of my list of fun things to do," Joseph shrugged. "So, no crutches or anything?"
"Nope. But I have a cast," Drake lightly knocked his knuckles against his side, letting Joseph hear a dull, thunking noise. "But I've been forbidden to go on any missions."
"Well, you almost died, so, that's probably a good idea," Joseph raised an eyebrow.
"Almost." Drake snorted and then grinned good-naturedly. "But I don't expect to be out in the field for a while, unless I absolutely have to."
"I'm not sure I'll be out in the field for a while, either." Joseph shrugged and opened the door to his truck, while Drake moved around to the other side.
"Why?" His brother asked curiously, and Joseph explained his fiasco encounter with M.E.C.H. and Arcee. After his explanation, Drake gave him a deadpan expression and clapped slowly. "Wow." He grimaced. "Good job on pissing off someone who can easily step on you." Joseph just rolled his eye and concentrated on driving.
"Shut up." He said simply, driving one handed, since he hadn't mastered driving with a prosthetic, yet.
"I'm just saying," Drake shrugged and winced slightly. "So, I'm curious; what exactly happened to you while you were kept hostage?"
"Not much, other than losing an eye." Joseph was lost in thought momentarily before he remembered he was driving and returned his attention to the road. "But I do know that one of the douches took my credit card from my wallet. I'm not exactly sure why, but I had to cancel it." He frowned.
"Any purchases made?" Drake turned to look at him.
"None," the older brother shook his head. "I'm not sure if they just didn't have any need for it, or it was canceled before they made purchases."
"Well, that's good. I don't think it's a good idea if you had any nuclear item charges on your bill," Drake mused and ran his fingers through his black hair. He pulled down the sunshade from the roof of the truck and inspected himself. "I'm getting scruffy," he huffed and inspected his jaw line, which was indeed rather scruffy with a few weeks of not shaving.
"I'm surprised you can actually grow facial hair," Joseph teased lightly. Drake leaned over and lightly shoved his shoulder.
"Well, excuse me, Mr. 'I Grew a Beard in Twelfth Grade'." Drake frowned good-naturedly at him.
The rest of the ride was quiet, other than boring small talk. Joseph then pulled his truck into the base, and spotted Ratchet lying in the middle of the floor.
"… interesting spot for a nap." Drake stepped out as the mech groaned and stood. Joseph just simply raised an optic ridge.
"Are you okay" Raf, who was standing by Ratchet's feet, asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," the medic straightened and paused, rolling his shoulder. "I'm… more than fine. Energy efficiency up thirty percent? Motor functions optimal?" He chuckled before he sobered. "Any word from the others?"
Raf shook his head.
"Wait, I'm confused… what just happened?" Drake approached.
"Ratchet injected himself with synthetic energon." The twelve year old responded.
"Woah, dude," Drake looked up at Ratchet. "I know you missed me, but there's no need to resort to drugs." He gave him a look like he was crazy. Joseph facepalmed before lightly smacking Drake upside the head. Ratchet looked like he was about to respond before a comm. came through the monitors.
"Ratchet, lock onto Arcee's coordinates and prepare and emergency groundbridge." Optimus' voice came through.
"I'm locked on." The medic answered. "Arcee, prepare to decelerate and return to base!"
The femme instantly answered, "Save it, Ratchet; I'm too close."
"Don't be a fool!" Ratchet glared at the monitors. Drake turned to Joseph.
"Look, your recklessness imprinted on her." He huffed. Joseph just scowled at his brother momentarily. There were few moments of silent before one of the monitors blared.
"She's hurt," Ratchet grimaced and moved away from the comms and turned to Raf. "Man the groundbridges," he ordered before transforming and racing through the groundbridge, leaving the base. There were a few moments of silence.
"… well. This isn't good." Drake grimaced and leaned on the catwalk. It wasn't long before all the Autobots returned.
"What happened?" Raf turned away from the human sized monitors.
"I only saw the glory aftermath, but the Doc was a one 'bot wrecking machine." Bulkhead answered. Drake leaned back as Ratchet leaned forward and lightly picked up Raf.
"Hey, little fella." The medic laughed before setting him back down.
"Alright, what's your secret?" Arcee crossed her arms and looked to Ratchet.
"No secret," Ratchet picked up a vial of green fluid. "Just a little thing I like to call… syn-then." He tossed the vial to the blue femme.
"From the data Bulkhead transcribed?" She guessed.
"The what…?" Drake muttered from beside Joseph and glanced at him. "Holy sh*t, I missed a lot…" He mumbled under his breath.
"I thought the formula was-" She continued but was cut off.
"Incomplete?" Ratchet finished her sentence for her. "Not anymore." He shook his helm. Bumblebee beeped curiously and inspected the vial before handing it to Bulkhead.
"So, Ratchet makes a better tough guy than I make a smart guy?" The green mech then handed the container to Optimus, who looked less than pleased.
"Ratchet, I question the wisdom of using yourself as a test subject." The Prime momentarily narrowed his optics when Arcee spoke.
"Optimus, you didn't see Ratchet out there. He was in overdrive; we should all try this stuff!" She said enthusiastically.
"Or give Ratchet more so we could take a vacation!" Bulkhead suggested.
Optimus stepped forward and the other Autobots stepped out of the way. "I agree that the initial reports seem promising," he handed Ratchet the vial back. "But I recommend that further testing be confined to machines; not Autobots." He gave Ratchet a stern look. "Outnumbered thought we may be, old friend, we need a warrior in the laboratory right now; more than we need another in the field." Ratchet looked ready to object before he frowned and turned away.
*\./*\./*\./*
Not long after, Joseph and Drake were roaming the base, when the wall before them suddenly exploded into dust and fragments, and the two brothers instantly leapt back. When the dust cleared, they spotted Bulkhead up against the other wall, upside down. Ratchet stepped out of the hole in the wall and punched the air a few times.
"What happened?" Arcee turned the corner with Bumblebee.
"You have competition, Bulk." Ratchet bragged. "I'm a bit stronger than I used to be."
Drake and Joseph just watched in silent shock.
"… I am so confused right now…" Drake hissed to Joseph.
"Also a bit faster," Ratchet feigned a punch at Bumblebee's face, stopping just short. "Think you can take me, muscle car?"
Bumblebee beeped in alarm and raised his servos in surrender.
"Wimp." Ratchet basically sneered and walked past the yellow mech before looking at Arcee. "How's it hummin'?" He winked and walked on by.
"Did he just-" She cut off.
"… Oh, that is so creepy!" Drake looked absolutely horrified, standing by the femme's pedes. "Oh, hon, you can do so much better than him!" He glanced up at the femme.
"I didn't even know you were still alive," Arcee commented to Drake, to which Drake responded with a look that silently said 'Seriously?' and with his arms slightly outstretched.
"Stronger, faster, and studlier…" Bulkhead rubbed the back of his helm.
*\./*\./*\./*
About an hour later, the monitors blared once more.
"Looks like the 'Cons found another vein." Arcee turned to Optimus.
"Autobots, roll out." Optimus gave the command and turned towards the groundbridge. Bulkhead looked up at the Prime.
"Hey, shouldn't we wait for our secret weapon?" He asked.
"This mission is unlikely to require medical expertise," Optimus answered.
"But you never know whenever it may require additional firepower." Ratchet, who was leaning on the wall of the adjoining hallway, spoke loudly, before he quiet literally strutted over. "Bumblebee can handle bridge duty," he waved a servo dismissively.
Drake, who was leaning on the catwalk's railing, groaned quietly and buried his face in his hands. "It's like trying to watch those awkward sixty year old men try to be as young as their thirty year old son-in-laws." He whispered to Joseph.
Ratchet approached the entrance to the groundbridge and looked at the others. "Time to put some hurt on those Decepticons!" After the Autobots left, Drake turned to the others.
"… is anyone else at least a little freaked out by this?" He asked, incredulous.
*\./*\./*\./*
"Bumblebee, bridge us back." Optimus' voice suddenly sounded through the monitors. The groundbridge opened, and both brothers looked over and saw Ratchet walk through, first. The mech suddenly turned on his heels and charged back through the groundbridge, disappearing.
"… strange." Joseph commented, frowning. The groundbridge opened once more and the Autobots returned, minus Ratchet. Arcee stepped over to the monitors and looked over the screens.
"Can't get a fix on Ratchet's coordinates." She frowned.
"That bogus energon must be scrambling his signal," Bulkhead looked to Optimus.
"Keep trying; we must find Ratchet." Optimus ordered Arcee. "Before he finds Megatron."
"Wait, so, Ratchet went rogue?" Drake spoke up. Optimus looked over at him, silent for a few moments.
"Not rogue," he answered. "Yet he has disappeared."
"So, he's more missing in action," Joseph frowned again and narrowed his eye. Optimus nodded slightly and turned away. Bulkhead then approached the two and looked at Drake.
"How are you feeling, after the whole M.E.C.H. thing?" He asked, looking concerned.
"Still in one piece, and not dead." Drake shrugged. "Life's all good. I made it out a little better than Joseph." He motioned to his brother, who wasn't really phased by the pointing out of his missing hand an eye.
The monitors suddenly blared for what was probably the fifth time that day.
"Optimus, Ratchet's signal is online." Arcee alerted the Prime.
"Bumblebee." Optimus turned to the scout, who quickly set up the groundbridge. "Autobots, roll out!" Optimus sprinted through the groundbridge with Bulkhead and Arcee following close.
*\./*\./*\./*
It was rather hectic when the Autobots returned, as they dealt with an injured Ratchet. Drake and Joseph stayed well out of the way, not wanting to be underfoot – literally. It was later in the evening when Ratchet woke with a groan and tried to sit up from his medical berth.
"Easy, old friend." Optimus lay a servo on Ratchet's shoulder to keep him down. "You lost a lot of energon. Good, and bad."
Ratchet coughed. "I… I didn't intend to h-hurt, anyone. I just wanted so badly to-"
"Help us." Optimus cut him off gently. "But you nearly caused the loss of something irreplaceable. Our medic, and most trusted friend." He then moved and gestured behind him. "You did lead us to a much needed energon supply," he motioned to the blue cubes Bulkhead and Bumblebee were stacking. "And, for that, we should all be thankful." He looked back to the medic.
Ratchet was quiet before speaking, "The synthetic formula clearly needs refining before it can be tested again." He looked to Optimus before adding. "On machines. Not Autobots."
"Let us take comfort in knowing that you have destroyed the amount that remained." Optimus reminded him.
"You know, it'd be really bad if, like, one drop managed to survive." Drake grimaced. The Autobots looked over with unamused faces.
"… I'll handle it." Joseph stated before smacking his brother upside the head.
"Ow!" Drake turned and stared at his brother, frowning. "I was joking!"
"Well, you suck at joking about things like that." Joseph shrugged.
"You're a jerk." Drake huffed and leaned on the catwalk railing, looking back at the Autobots, who had redirected their attention from Drake back to the recovering medic and newly supplied energon reserves.
*\./*\./*\./*
I feel like that very ending was kind of bad, but, oh well! :D
Look at this! A super long chapter after six months of nothing!
Also, if you didn't notice, Drake pointed something out. Remember in the end of this episode? Knock Out found one single drop of synthen left? ;D