Oh dear. G1, Earth, but family relationships rather than pairings. Featuring Ratbat, Rumble and their dad.

I blame Scooby Doo.

Song: Allstars, Things That Go Bump In The Night. (Hides in ball of shame.)

Edited 11/6/2012- cosmetics, slight elaboration and grammar.


Ratbat squeaked, hearing the trees groan loudly in the dead of the night. He didn't like recharging outside of the Nemesis, but Creator had refused to leave him alone on the ship when he and his siblings were all on their own missions. Rumble, the only one also mission less (and not considered adequate protection when he was more likely to laugh- or bring the trouble over in the first place), was dead to the world, deep in recharge. He envied his brother.

The wind picked up, shrieking through the leaves. He drew his wings over his audios in an attempt to keep the sound out, but didn't dare turn them off entirely because then he wouldn't hear if something tried to sneak up on him. It was dark, and cold, and wet...

It had started raining that afternoon, and hadn't let up since. Ratbat was as much afraid as drowning in his recharge as being slaughtered by some as of yet unknown animal.

He checked his internal chronometer. Five hours till sunrise. He could hold on until then, no matter the multiple warnings of impending statis lock if he didn't shut down soon...

Rumble turned over, twitching in his sleep. Ratbat screamed and jumped into the nearest tree. He just felt safer, somehow...

Four hours fifty-eight minutes...

A dislodged leaf drifted down from the branches, settling on Ratbat's head and covering his optics temporarily.

He shrieked and jumped down from the branch in one leap. It was too easy to be ambushed in the tree.

Miserable, shaking and soaking, Ratbat curled up next to his brother and off-lined his entire sensory net. Creator would be displeased, but it was the only way he'd get any recharge... at least now, if something did try to eat him, he wouldn't be aware of it... and hopefully it would go for Rumble first, as his sibling was bigger than him...


"Rumble: online."

The cassette twitched, before recognising the voice and shooting upright. "Urg. Another sunrise." He wondered why Soundwave was so annoyed; he hadn't been awake long enough to do anything wrong. He looked around for his brother who'd stayed the night with him in the clearing.

Ah. Yes, that would annoy Soundwave.

"Look," he began, hesitantly. "I was in recharge the whole night through! I have no idea where the pipsqueak went, or what he-"

"Problem: observe," Soundwave interrupted. "Ratbat: eject."

He felt a momentary swell of relief that his younger brother was okay. Then annoyance, that he was being told off (and probably put on punishment duty when they got back to the Nemesis) because of said baby brother.

"What in the Pit did you think you were doing?" he hissed. "We were meant to stay together last night!"

Ratbat trembled, looking at the ground. "The noises... scary. You wouldn't wake up!" he accused. "It was terrifying! I hate this world and its scary monsters in the night! I thought something was going to eat me and you wouldn't wake up and help!"

Rumble's optics went very wide. His gaze rose to meet that of his creator's, saying eloquently without words, are you serious? The stern, continuous stare of Soundwave's visor answered that question.

"Ratbat." How did you tell a small robot that the alien monsters would not want to eat you, and that it was only the weather and his imagination? "I'm sorry. Next time I'll stay awake and keep watch over you."

Soundwave was fiercely protective of his youngest's innocence. Short answer: you didn't.

All Rumble hoped was that Frenzy didn't hear of this, until... frag that. He didn't want Frenzy to hear of this, period.

Ratbat was still trembling and whining in their creator's hold.

Frag it, Frenzy was going to have blackmail material for vorns.