Author's note. So, what's going to happen in this chapter? Last we looked, Chromia had managed to sneak away from her erstwhile guardians and is now roaming the Decepticon base. Read on to find out what happens.
Enjoy and please review.
"I can't believe this," Skywarp wailed to Thundercracker as they walked. "I took my optics off her for just a moment, and then she's gone."
"It's alright, Warp," Thundercracker said soothingly. "Soundwave will find her and bring her back, you wait and see."
"Where do you think Chromia could have gone?" Skyfire asked as Skywarp pulled him and Ratchet along.
"Who knows," said Ironhide as Elita said, "Chromia's my best friend, she can handle any Con she comes across."
"Not to doubt her any anything, but she's still Sparkling sized," Ratchet pointed out grimly. "And that unfortunately makes her vulnerable."
Chromia's POV.
Meanwhile, totally obvious to the trouble she was causing, Chromia happily snuck along the Nemesis corridors. It had been boring up till now, being dragged along to see the Nemesis, only to be told they couldn't go anywhere, touch anything, blah, blah, without supervision.
Where was the fun in that? So when Ironhide and Ratchet had started fighting Rumble and Frenzt, she had slipped away to do some exploring on her own. And you never know, maybe she could even find a device to turn them back into adults. And so with this cheerful thought in mind she hurried along, nonetheless listening out for any Decepticons that might be about.
She saw an open door and crept inside. To her delight, there was a box of Energon treats and she quickly rushed forward to sample some. In order to get at them, she had to first shove a chair against the table they were on and climb up, but it was well worth the effort. The treats were lovely little purple cubes and very tasty, as she found when she ate some.
However, she wasn't greedy, she didn't eat all of them, just half the box. And she also made sure to tuck some away in sub-space for her friends later on. She giggled as she jumped back down and shoved the chair away, they'd never know it was her.
In an even better mood than before, she set off again in an even better mood than before. But as she made her way along a deserted corridor, the sound of voices alerted her to the fact it wasn't going to be deserted for much longer. Quickly but silently she charged up the corridor, but to her dismay most of the doors were locked and she needed to hide now.
To her relief, she finally found one and dashed in. With a sigh of relief she slowly turned and froze in horror at the sight that met her optics.
"Well, well, what's this, this?"
Optimus's POV.
Optimus grimly brooded as his officers sat discussing ways to get their comrades back. Jazz and Blaster were all for Mirage scouting out the Nemesis to see how feasible a rescue operation might be. Prowl agreed that they needed more information but since there were Sparklings involved he was advocating extreme caution.
Optimus just nodded whenever anyone looked at him, somehow he couldn't summon the energy to take part in the discussion. He just couldn't get over what had happened to his beloved it was almost too much to take in. And unfortunately, none of the others really knew what he was going through as none of them had lost their mate.
Except maybe for Wheeljack, he and Rathcet weren't together or anything but they were very close. Which wasn't really surprising considering they'd built the Dinobots and done many other projects together. Optimus listened with a half an audio to Wheeljack's suggestion that he blow the Decepticons up or something of that nature.
"So like I was saying," said Wheeljack hotly. "We go in there with a little TNT, grab the kids while they're distracted and high tail it out of there. What do ya think..."
"Where him Ratchet?" came a voice from right behind Wheeljack.
They all spun around to see the Dinobots in their robot form standing there, looking peeved. Optimus had a nasty feeling this wasn't going to go well.
"Grimlock, guys, what are you doing here?" Wheeljack asked, rushing forward.
"Him Ratchet meant to give us check up today," Slag said grumpily, eyeing the Autobots gathered in the room.
"Yesssss," Swoop hissed. "Check up today."
"Ah, well, see that's going to be a bit of a problem," Wheeljack said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"Why?" Grimlock demanded, obviously annoyed that he wasn't getting answers.
"Because he and some others have been taken by the Decepticons," Wheeljack said, sorrowfully.
The Dinobots optics darkened in anger and Grimlock growled.
"Them Decepticons have him Ratchet?"
"I'm afraid so Grimlock," Optimus now said. "Along with Elita, Ironhide, Chromia and Skyfire."
The Dinobots grumbled angrily at this as Grimlock annouched.
"Me Grimlock fight Decepticons and get him Ratchet back."
"And others," muttered Swoop to which Sludge nodded.
"Wait, wait, you guys can't just go charging over to the Decepticon base," Wheeljack cried, grabbing hold of Grimlock's hand, the only bot apart from Ratchet who was allowed to do that.
"Why not," demanded Grimlock irritably.
"The situation is more complicated than you know," Prowl said as he turned to Jazz.
"Jazz, show them the footage."
Jazz complied, putting on the security tape of the Cassettes running off with the Sparklings. The Dinobots watched with frowns on their faces. Finally, Grimlock said.
"Why you show us film of little baby bots when me Grimlock thought we were watching film about him Ratchet and others?"
"See that small white one?" Jazz said pointing to which the Dinobots nodded.
"Well, that's Ratchet."
The Dinobots froze and they now stared intently at the screen as the scene of the Sparklings being kidnapped played over and over.
"The Decepticons turned our friends into Sparklings," Optimus said grimly. "And have taken them for their own."
For a long moment, the Dinobots didn't speak or even move. And then Grimlock roared.
Soundwave's POV.
Soundwave strode rapidly through the Nemesis corridors, searching for the so far, illusive blue Sparkling Femme named Chromia. He was confident of finding her, what he wasn't so sure of was whether or not she'd get into trouble in the mean time. But with the data he had on her, there was every probability that she would.
Spotting one of the Stunticons up ahead, he held up his hand for the Mech to stop and asked.
"Query, have you seen a light blue Sparkling wandering about?"
"Sparkling? That one of Skywarp's brats?" Wildrider asked as he stopped, it seemed he wasn't in any hurry for once.
"Correct," replied Soundwave as one of his Cassettes grumbled within his chest. Mentally he glared at the offender which happened to be Rumble, he and his brother could stop in his chest for their behaviour. He didn't want those Autobot Sparklings picking up bad habits from his own kids, how embarrassing would that be.
As Wildrider started to shake his head, indicating that he hadn't seen Chromia, there was suddenly an audio piercing scream that echoed along the corridor. Both Soundwave and Wildirder spun around, it was the sound of a Sparkling in distress.
Soundave charged forward, seeking where the sound was coming from. He calculated it was coming from the third down up ahead of him and went for it, Wildrider at his heels. But as they both skidded to a halt outside of the room, they got the shock of their lives as they looked inside.
"Bad bugs, bad, bad bugs."
Soundwave felt his jaw drop ever so slightly behind his face mask as beside him, Wildrider was gaping at the sight. There was Shrapnel holding an angry blue Femling at arm's length as his brother Bombshell just stood there cowering. Said Femling had a large metal rod which she was using to hit the poor Insecticon holding her over the head, while yelling.
"You very bad, I hit you, you bad bug,"
"Ow, ow, ow, stop that, that," Shrapnel hissed with a wince, somehow unable to put her down and get away from her stick. Then again, Insecticons weren't known for their sense so it wasn't really that surprising.
Beside him, having gotten over his shock, Wildrider was now grinning at the sight. Even Soundwave couldn't help but quirk a small smile before turning serious. The situation needed to be diffused, now.
"What is going on here," he demanded and the Insecticons turned to him in relief.
"Thank goodness you're here, Soundwave, wave," Bombshell said getting up and edging away from the spitfire that was Chromia.
"This little hooligan snuck into our room and attacked us."
"Aw, has the little Autobrat Femme got you all scared," Wildrider said scornfully, causing them to scowl.
"You take her if you're so clever, clever" Shrapanel hissed as he held the kicking and still hitting Femling out to the two Mechs in the doorway.
"Nah, it Soundwave who wants her," the Stunticon said with a shrug, backing away slightly.
"I don't need you," Chromia said scornfully as she hit Shrapnel again. "I can handle these bugs by myself."
"No doubt," Soundwave said sardonically as he reached out and took her off a grateful Shrapnel. Plucking the rod out of her hands, he said.
"Why were you hitting them?"
"They said they were going to eat me," the little Femme said indignantly. "So I showed them whose boss."
Soundwave didn't say anything as he beckoned a reluctant Shrapnel and Bombshell to follow him as he started down the hallway. Wildrider followed as well, no doubt eager to see someone in trouble. As he walked, the tall dark blue Mech suddenly noticed that Chromia's mouth was stained. She noticed his scrutiny and innocently said, "What?"
"You Femling," he replied simply. "Are in a lot of trouble."
Author's note. If any of you are wondering about how I write the Insceticons, I swear that's how they talk in the cartoon, repeating the last word. Next chapter, the Sparklings find out what it means to be punished and we see more of the Dinobots who aren't happy. Till next time.
You all know what time it is, it's Haluwasa2 time.
Me: *letting the kids play because they finally got to come off the chairs*
Chromia: "At least you didn't get hit by Megatron, Ironhide, he's probably worse than Soundwave. But I wouldn't want to be spanked by Soudwave either."
Ironhide: "I don't want to find out what it is like to be spanked by Megatron."
Me: "You poor things." *gives them energon treats*