I'm a little upset over the fact I couldn't get a chapter of Aftershock out yesterday, and I majorly procrastinated on this!
Sorry if it's not the best, but we're having a bit of progression in this story.
Chapter 10
It's been a few months since I first began making flower crowns and necklaces. Sometimes, we spend our Saturdays outside, picking flowers. But they had disappeared as the seasons changed.
Now, I had picked up more with words. I could form some basic sentences. My walking has improved too.
My family was proud of my progression, and I was glad to see the smiles on their faces.
But there'd be a few times when those smiles weren't happy. They were sad, or forced. I could sense the tension in the air sometimes.
I didn't know what was going on, but I always wanted to offer them the best smiles! I didn't cheer them up all the time, which was almost discouraging, but I could deal with it. I've had my off days.
My teeth have grown in some more, and I was teething like crazy. I still had my favorite grabby toy, gnawing on it while it was cold.
The upset mood had become more and more frequent as time went on, and it was beginning to wear on me. What was wrong?
Another thing was that my parents were working to wean me. I didn't want to give up sparkling energon or breastmilk yet! I wasn't ready, and it didn't seem like they were either, if the bond was anything to go by, but it seemed like it had to be done.
Normally, I'm a happy and quiet kid. But when they'd have me drink energon from a cube instead of feed directly from them, I'd cry. I didn't want to drink this yet!
We were becoming frustrated with each other, my parents at themselves more than me. It wasn't something we wanted to do.
I've seen less of Ops and Grandpa Ratch, and less of their smiles. My parents smiled less. My uncles too.
What had gone wrong?
I hoped it wasn't me who caused it, but the others on base were also affected. What had happened?
So here we were in our room, Mom, Sire, Daddy and I, all around the bed. Save Sire, he was cleaning his golden armor.
Daddy held a cube up to me to take, while Mom held me in her lap.
I turned my head away in distaste. I didn't want it! I shoved that through the bond at them harshly. I told them many times, I hated it. I just wanted theirs.
They refused me food a lot too, and forced me to drink from a cube. They weren't too happy about it either. But there was something about it, about weaning me off of breastmilk and sparkling energon. I didn't know what, but whatever it was, I didn't care.
I squirmed in the arms that held me, trying to move from the energon cube.
"Come on, Sterling," Dad urged, "Just drink it."
"No!" I squealed, twisting my body away.
We've gotten into arguments before, and have gotten mad at each other. Why were they doing this to me? I knew they hated this too. So why?
Something must have definitely happened if they had just suddenly began feeding me from a cube.
I turned myself around the best I could and tugged at the collar of Mom's shirt. She wore ones that were higher on her chest, so it was almost impossible to tug it down to expose her breast to me. I didn't like that. I wanted food.
My stomach growled. I refused to drink that energon.
Whining, I tugged again, also poking the bond between us. She took my hand in hers and took it away from her shirt.
Lips trembling, I was turned back around. I stared into Daddy's eyes, even though he was blurred by the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes.
"Just leave her be," Sire said from the corner, catching our attention. For a moment, I thought he was on my side, until his irritated gaze fell on me, his tone cold, "She'll have to drink it eventually."
And here is the mech that the others knew. He was less happy around me now, more angry. I wasn't doing anything. They were the ones causing this.
What made matters worse, is that Uncle Prowl was the only one who had made me willingly drink from an energon cube. He had suggested I began feeding from all my family members "just to be safe," I quote, and I had agreed. I had started receiving sparkling energon from him and Uncle 'Cade a while ago, while taking in a bit of pure energon.
But my parents didn't go by that. They cut off all feeding. It frustrated me.
At least I had another source of good energon, but it tasted different. And I didn't have breastmilk! Grandpa Ratch had said it was the most beneficial to me, yet Mom gave me no more.
It's been a week since I've taken food from them.
Twisting my face, I shoved anger and my dissatsifaction across the bond, hoping they'd feel how unhappy they've made me.
I'd rather be with my uncles! Or Grandpa Ratch! He started feeding me too!
Daddy set down the cube, deactivated his holoform and dampened the bond. He was mad again. And I caused it.
I never liked it when I made my parents angry, but they were the ones to bring it to this. Sometimes I felt bad, and other times, I was mad for a while too.
Mom frowned, picking up the cube and held it up for me.
By now, tears were running down my little cheeks. I was very upset and hungry. I took the cube in my hands, Mom still holding it to keep it steady, and tipped it up to my mouth.
I hated it.
In no way did I like normal energon, especially when I was in a sour mood.
Shutting my side of the bond as much as I could to the point where it almost hurt, I drank the energon, letting the anger boil in my spark.
I've been called a grouchy sparkling for this. Spoiled, or hitting the "terrible two's" early. I didn't let it bother me. It was my parents job to feed me and they give me this? They know I hate it.
Slowly sipping on the bitter energon, I tried to find myself in a happier place. Tension had risen among us and it's been affecting me.
I tried to picture myself back then, the first time we went out and made flower crowns and the like. The smell of the air, the warmth, the smiles.
I wanted it back.
"'Ling," Uncle Prowl called me over. I toddled over with a smile, gazing up at him. He gently scooped me up and held me at his parted chestplates, where a sparkling energon line was lying in wait.
I eagerly began to feed from it. It definitely wasn't the same as my parents', but it was still good. It had a sweeter taste to it, not where it was bitter, but almost. Maybe it was slightly tart?
Whatever it was, it was decent enough and I enjoyed it.
He fed me energon cubes too, much to my displeasure, but also gave me his own energon in return.
Uncle Prowl and I don't get to be around each other a lot. Once a week at most, so I valued any time with him.
I was still angry at my parents, but at the moment, I didn't concern myself with them. I had sparkling energon, that's all that counts.
A digit softly stroked my back, calming my nerves. I knew he could sense my distress, and helped in any way he could.
My parents, uncles and Grandpa Ratch were having vastly opposing views. While my parents wanted me completely on energon cubes, my grandfather thought it'd be better to have me on more sparkling energon. My uncles suggested both.
I honestly just wanted to go back to how it was, but they didn't listen.
If nothing has been done concerning what I want, it must have been something pretty serious to have caused this.
But what?
May 27, 2018, 11:21 pm