[1107]

The tree in question is a Redwood/Sequoia, and I know that they don't have very thick branches. Please pretend that, for the sake of this short, they do.

name: comm. line

"Rumble, what are you doing?"

From his perch several hundred feet in the air Rumble glares down at Frenzy. "What does it look like I'm doing you half-bit?"

Frenzy stares carefully up at his seemingly insane twin, "Climbing a tree?"

Rumble snorts and goes back to climbing, "You make it sound like you're not sure."

Frenzy tilts his head sideways, as though that will help him understand what he's looking at, "I'm stuck on the 'why' part actually."

Rumble scoffs, but doesn't stop climbing, "Why not?"

After a moment Frenzy shrugs and starts climbing up after his brother.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Prowl didn't expect to actually find any Decepticons climbing trees, regardless of what the reports said. He honestly did not see why any Decepticon in their right processor would engage in such a ludicrous activity to begin with.

That's why, upon arriving at the tree in question, he nearly locked-up when he saw that there were, in fact, two Decepticons bickering on rather slim branches several hundred feet above the ground.

Prowl: Prowl to the Ark.

Of course it would be these two, he thought resignedly. Out of all the Decepticons there are very few that would ever consider climbing a tree to be a suitable recreational activity, and even fewer that would actually be capable of it.

Sideswipe: Yo, Copper, what's up?

Had the humans standing around been able to read Cybertronian body-language they would have all started running away at the very visible tension that came with the sound of Sideswipe's voice.

Prowl: Sideswipe. I was unaware you had the comms today.

Prowl stared up in silent fury at the two little Decepticons currently responsible for his situation, and he was oh-so-tempted to shoot them, tree be damned, when a giggling Frenzy threw a twig down in his direction.

Sideswipe: Yeah, well, I owed Blaster a favour. So? What's the situation? Are there really two 'Cons in a tree?

Prowl ran plan after plan through his processors, trying almost desperately to find some way to make this day end. It was supposed to be his day off. Why couldn't he ever get a day where nothing strange or bad happened? Why? Was it really too much to ask?

Then a grin that would have made every single Cybertronian, Autobot and Decepticon alike, run screaming in the opposite direction crossed his faceplates.

Prowl: Nevermind, Sideswipe. I will deal with the issue shortly.

He knew exactly who to call.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Soundwave was not pleased, to say the least.

On a normal day he found that he could ignore Rumble and Frenzy semi-easily, despite their many antics.

On a bad day he found locking them in a box strangely therapeutic.

Today? No. Today was beyond bad.

Getting a call from the Autobot Second in Command was not expected, but something he could deal with without having to stop what he was doing.

Having that call turn out to be about his twins climbing a tree in the same human-state as the Autobot base like those freakishly hairy primates and then have to stop filling out the endless piles of datapads shoved onto him by both Megatron and Starcream was not something he would have ever wished to deal with.

He could have his creations contacted over their bond, but Prowl had called him personally. This was not something he could let slide. A show of control would be required.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Rumble glances over at Frenzy with something that could be counted as worry, "He hasn't moved in a while. What'd you think he's doing?"

Frenzy snickers and drops another twig, "Who cares? It's not like he can get us up here. He can't shoot because we're not technically hurting anything, and he's way too big to climb up here."

Rumble increases his optical strength and peers down at the seemingly frozen black and white Autobot. "I think he's smiling."

Frenzy pauses and stares at Rumble, "Smiling?"

Rumble leans forwards a bit, "Yeah, he's definitely smiling. It's freaking me out."

The branch Frenzy's sitting on creaks as he leans forwards to stare more carefully down at Prowl, "Wow, he is. Wonder what's got him so happy."

A quiet rumble has the twins looking up, though they can't see the sky from their perch. Their not high enough, and neither are willing to risk climbing any higher than they currently are. They're bored, not suicidal.

The rumble dies down, and Rumble and Frenzy exchange a nervous glance. Prowl couldn't have called in a flier, there's no way a winged mech would be able to avoid damaging anything.

Then their vents stall as the ominously quiet form of Soundwave comes to stand next to Prowl.

Rumble and Frenzy subconsciously enhance their audial receptors so they can more easily hear what the two mechs are saying.

"Soundwave. Thanks Prowl for calling."

Soundwave sure as the fragging Pit doesn't actually sound grateful, but only someone that knows him would be able to tell.

Prowl doesn't know Soundwave, and interprets the words as the compliment they're not meant to be. "Of course. I figured this would be the most effective course of action."

The twins can imagine their creator's grimace, "Indeed."

Soundwave looks up at the twins, well aware of their not-so-subtle eavesdropping, "Rumble. Frenzy. Return."

The twins don't even hesitate, they start making their way carefully down to their exceedingly unhappy creator. At least no humans are around, they all left rather quickly when Soundwave appeared.

It seems like forever until their pedes touch the ground, and when they finally do Soundwave turns from glaring at them to glare at Prowl. "Prowl's assistance. Most helpful." Rumble and Frenzy exchange a glance at their creator's blatant disrespect, it's a very good thing nobody can tell a sarcastic Soundwave from a normal Soundwave. "Soundwave. Will take it from here."

Prowl nods, and with one last disdainful look at the twins he walks away. As soon as the sounds of his engine fade away Soundwave turns back to his wayward creations. "Rumble. Frenzy. Return to base. We have much to discuss."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Megatron quietly hums a jaunty tune as he walks down the hall from his office to his private quarters, inordinately pleased at the amount of progress Soundwave made with all of the datapads and organization work he couldn't bring himself to do.

If he didn't know any better, he'd say his TIC had help.

Thoughts?

I'm trying out this perspective again. Hope you don't mind!