Chapter Ten
Hazily Lanna blinked her optics. The berth was empty of her Ota. She propped her arms underneath her and glanced about the room, and saw only the possessions that belong to her and Ratchet. The youngling frowned, Ota was always there when she woke up. Silently she stood up and made her way to the main Med. Bay room. Walking down the giant hallway, a bright red color caught Lanna's attention from her peripheral vision. Her whole body spun 90 degrees, and her helm cables whipped through the air as her optics targeted the red. Through the window of one of the personal rooms was a red pair of legs laying on a berth. Servos cupped to block out reflection, Lanna peared through the window, and saw up to the bot's mid chassis, behind him was flickers of yellow. On the floor scraps of metal and debris were scattered around. Lanna hesitated at the door, she wasn't sure if it was a good idea to go in, but she was terribly curious and it was her job to clean to help Ota. Breaking, she opened the door and entered as quietly as she could. The red bot didn't move when she came closer, and she then noticed the golden yellow bot on a berth beside him. Were these the twins? She noticed several new weld marks on each of their frames, and that they were big bots. Circling around, she wasn't able to see their faces because the height of the berths, and she stopped on the side of the red bot. Deciding that she should probably leave soon, she turned and started to pick up the junk that littered the floor. She picked up her third piece of metal before a loud voice caused her to jump and fall over with a yelp.
"What do we have here?" Lanna scrambled to get up but a large red servo loomed over her and two fingers grabbed her sides and Lanna suddenly got a very good view of the red bots face. Lanna squirmed, but the bot was very adamant about seeing her. Distress filled Lanna and her spark called out to her creator.
"For real though, what are you? Are you a mini bot or something?" A finger came up and started to mess with her helm cables and Lanna started to get frustrated and she swatted at the finger.
"No! I'm Lanna!"
"Open the priority package you slagger." Lanna's mouth dropped down as she turned to see the yellow bot that was now sitting up on the other berth. The red bot now had a look of concentration and he paid no attention. In an awed and disapproving tone Lanna whispered,
"You said a baaad word." The yellowbot bristled and his optc ridges narrowed even further as he spoke with acid slipping in his tone,
"Yeah, so what?" Lanna's optic widened and she started to be scared, he looks mean. Her brows pulled up and together as she softly said,
"It's not good to say bad words." Yellow was opening his mouth when red cut through.
"Wait a click, this says Ratchet is your adopted creator, is that for real?" Lanna nodded and her captor exploded, laughing with words,
"No way! The Hatchet has a creation! And you're not covered in dents? He's the most impatient, violent, off-the-planet, rust-" Lanna then yelled, with optics and helm cables brightening with anger,
'YOU- YOU STOP IT! D-dd-DON'T TAL-ll-LK THAT WAY!" Red put up a hand in defeat,
"Woah hey, calm down, no need to freak." Lanna struggled, going through what Ota had taught her, trying not to glitch.
"Hey slagger, did you read the whole package? She's got a glitch-" THUNG! A wrench ricocheted off of red's helm, and a second later, off of yellows.
"YOU GIVE ME MY YOUNGLING RIGHT NOW SIDESWIPE!" The three occupants swiveled to see a fuming Ratchet, two of them clutching their helms and one trying not to cry as her glitch filled her with panic. Sideswipe cried out,
"Ouch! Jeez Hatchet, I didn't do anything!" Ratchet marched over,
"Didnt do anything?!-" He stole Lanna while she started to convulse,"Look at her you fool!" Sideswipe looked down at the youngling that was quickly being treated by Ratchet, coolant leaking from her optics. Sideswipes face fell and he didn't say anything. Sunstreaker sat there and glared, in a fully defense posture. Servos then hid Lanna from sight and Ratchet glared at them,
"You half-bit-processors stay right here, I'll deal with you later." And with that he stormed out of the room and brought Lanna to their personal room. Holding her to his spark, he opened the door and entered, letting the door slide close behind him. Sitting down on the berth, he held her out so he could see her as he sent his love through the bond, blocking out his anger. Speaking softly he asked,
"How are you feeling spark?" Lanna was hugging his fingers, her head hung down against them as she spoke,
"Sad. Mad at them. Scared because of my glitch." Bringing her to his chassis, Ratchet moved so he was leaning against the wall and he asked,
"Why are you sad?" Lanna squished herself into Ratchets chassis as she said,
"I… I don't know. Maybe that I'm mad?" Ratchets brow ridges reached up and he stroked her helm cables with a finger.
"You're sad… that you're mad."
"Yeah, I mean- I think." Frowning, but ridges still up, Ratchet gave a "Mmm." Then his frown deepened and he growled. Lanna knew he wasn't angry at her though so she just payed attention to how his chassis vibrated when he continued,
"Just what happened with them?"
"Well, I thought that they were sleeping, and I wanted to see, and then I was cleaning up and the red one scared me and I fell over and then he picked me up, and I don't think he knows how to pick people up because it kinda hurt, and then he was asking me what I was, and he messed with my hair! And then the yellow guy told him to open something and he said a bad word and I told him that." Lanna paused to think. "I don't think he liked that because he was scary and then the red one started saying really mean stuff about you and I got really angry and I told him to stop. Then you came in and threw your tools at them." Lanna smiled a little at the last part. Ratchet made a mental note, if throwing his wrenches at the twins made Lanna feel better, he will be doing it more often. A small part of him also swelled at the thought of Lanna being so loyal to him, that she had stood up to Sideswipe.
"Lanna, I am sorry it took me too long to get to you, I felt your call but I was working on Prowl." "Its okay, is Prowl alright?"
"He's doing fine. And Lanna?" Lanna looked up, but only saw Ratchets chin and a little more.
"Yes Ota?"
"Stay away from the twins. Not because of you, but because of them. You are not ready for the emotional turmoil they bring with them."
"I will." Lanna had no problem with that. Her first experience with the twins lead her to believe that they were rude and they didn't care about her feelings. She had a better time with Jazz anyway, he told her that he would teach her how to dance! Well dance lessons will be happening after shes done learning from Ota and Optimus, and helping Ota in the Med. Bay, and then she could dance.
"Are you tired Spark?"
"No. Yes, uhh.. kinda." Ratchet brought her so he could talk to her face to face and suggested,
"You could rest with me until you feel better and then I can introduce you to Prowl and Seaspray."
Lanna nodded and Ratchet opened his chassis. Climbing in, Lanna was glad to be so close to her Ota. As Ratchets chassis closed, he waited until Lanna was settled before getting up and going to finish his work on Prowl. He entertained the thought of going and yelling at the twins, but his chassis wasn't soundproof and Lanna would feel the anger from his spark. Ratchet got to work on Prowl, answering the occasional question and asking his own.
Lanna was not ready to come out until after Ratchet was done with Prowl and Seaspray. They were in the Rec Room with most of the crew, who were catching up, excepting the twins and Will, so Ratchet turned to the wall while Lanna got out. Turning back with Lanna in hand, Ratchet sat down next to Optimus on the substantial couch and set her on his knee. Lanna stared at the two new bots that sat on the couch across them. A black and white bot sat with straight shoulders with a face that gave away no emotion, he had two red protrusions on his helm guard . Another bot about the same size was colored blue with hints of orange, with long thick arms and on his shoulders sat large hovercraft tech. Both looked like they meant business. Optimus introduced them,
"Lanna, this is my military strategist, Prowl, and Seaspray, the best of the best of my Wreckers." Lanna gave a small smile,
"Hello, its nice to meet both of you." Prowl inclined his head,
"Pleasure to meet you as well Lanna." Seaspray took his turn,
"Nice to meet you too little…" He floundered for a term of endearment, but wait, he just meet her was it appropriate to call her one? He didn't know so he called her by her name. "Lanna."
Lanna smiled, a bit awkwardly but she didn't want to offend. What Lanna didn't know was that Seaspray was notoriously awkward with all femmes, youngling or not, Seaspray did not know how to interact with them. Seaspray could destroy whole Decepticon bases, but was destroyed in conversation with the opposite sex. Jazz and Epps leaned against the wall, trying their hardest not to laugh. It was all over once they saw each other and their pain filled faces and they started to snicker. Which was even more painful to hold in, and soon enough they were full out laughing. Helms swiveled their direction and two had a hard time keeping the smile from their faces. Gasping, Epps tried to explain through his laughing,
"Sorry-he-Hahaha-ha- Jazz was making some weird-huff-hehe- faces." But on the inside Epps it was a different story, A robot that can't talk girls! Owhmehgawdhahaha. That was so freaking awkward!
"Mmm. Alright.-" The attention was turned to Optimus before anyone could say anything else. "There will be a meeting tomorrow with our new members and our human allies, also, I trust everyone is in fine shape Ratchet?"
"Everyone but the twins, but they will be just fine for the meeting tomorrow."
"Excellent, then if you would all excuse me, I will be in my office." Lanna perked, she was not in the mood for social interaction today
"Oh can I come with?" Optimus lowered his servo to let her on,
"Of course." Lanna was lifted,
"Bye Ota, bye guys!"
A chorus of farewells followed the pair as they left. When they were in the hall, Optimus vocalised his thoughts,
"I heard you had a rough start with the twins." Sitting, Lanna loosely wrapped her arms around his thumb, slumping.
"Yeah. They didn't say nice things." Approaching his office door, Optimus's other servo was occupied as he opened the door.
"What they said bothered you?" Lannas helm was pulled to the side by gravity as she looked to the floor,
"Yeah."
"Perhaps you should not let their words bother you." Optimus sat down and put Lanna on his lap, and pulled out a datapad. Lanna thought, her mouth pulled to a frown,
"What do you mean, they said them to me." Chuckling Optimus responded,
"I mean you should not take them to heart, the twins say many things that are wrong. You should not let their words have a negative effect on your feelings or attitude. That gives them a power to manipulate your feelings in a bad way. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good." And Prime then leaned back and began to read. Lanna sat and thought, but after a while found one of the data pads with her books on it and settled down in Optimus's lap to read.
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About an hour and a half later there was a beep from the door. Lanna jumped at the sudden noise, Optimus chuckled and tapped on his console and the door opened, and in came Prowl carrying several datapads.
"Delivering my reports sir."
"Thank you Prowl, but I hope you know that I was not expecting these for another two solar cycles." The pads were placed on the desk and Lanna stretched to see what was on them.
"I was informed, but I found that these needed to be done before I started with my other work." Lanna climbed to the table and walked over to the top datapad, and turned on the screen. Prowl and Optimus's optics both followed her as she started to read. Prowl was not concerned on what she was reading, it was just the report on their latest travels.
"What work Prowl? You just arrived." Prowls optics flickered to Optimus as he answered,
"I noticed that our present facilities do not include a brig." Yet again both bots watched as Lanna's face puckered into a confused scowl and she reread the last paragraph.
"Yes we have not had the need so far." Finally Lanna gave up and she exclaimed,
"Wait! I'm sorry, but, why do we need to know the particle makeup of dust that was on the ship?" Lanna's bewildered face turned to study Prowl and she waited for an answer. Not intimidated, Prowl gazed evenly back.
"I was running out of things to do." Lanna's mouth parted, and her optics got minutely bigger. Quietly she said,
"You did that because you were bored?" Prowls face was impassive except for a tiny frown, and he tilted his head five degrees and back, as if to shrug.
That was the day Lanna decided that Prowl should not be allowed to get bored.
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( Not all relationships start out smoothly, and from what I've seen, most people don't like being around snobby, stuck up, arrogant and selfish people. Thats one thing I don't like about some Fanfictions, they make unlikable people lovable to everyone. Come on peeps, lets be real.
Don't worry though, Lanna/twin relationship will build in a healthy way. BTW when I said romance down the road, I mean WAAAY down the road. heheehheh just you wait, and trust me, you'll know it when you see it. ;)