Soundwave flew over the semi truck driving in a canyon below. Finding a trace of an energon signature on his radar. Soundwave veered down to the truck, transforming just in front of his leader. "I believe there's an energon source nearby." Soundwave mentioned as Optimus drove up to him, transforming.
"Excellent work, lead the way." Optimus gestured for the mech to lead him.
Soundwave nodded leading the Prime down the canyon.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the canyon. Inside, Soundwave was attempting to muster up the courage to talk about his mental state, to his Uncle.
Optimus could feel the nervous energy radiating off the young mech. Looking over at the violet mech's saddened optics. "Are you alright Soundwave?"
"No." Soundwave replied unconsciously, staring sadly at the ground ahead of them. Not noticing his visor was off.
"You're having nightmares. They're troubling you?" Optimus replied to Soundwave's surprise.
"What, no!" Soundwave shook out of his trance, trying to act like the Prime was wrong.
Optimus stopped, turning to face the young mech beside him."Soundwave it's alright. You don't need to act like you have no emotions. Nobody will hurt you for having them."
Soundwave sadly turned his helm away from his Uncle. If he was still with the Decepticon's, he would have been beaten and laughed at for showing what his Uncle told him not to fear. "I... I'm struggling with my transition to your world. I am adapting though, but my mind says otherwise. I feel haunted by the weight of my past, and leathel programming."
"That's alright, Mirage was just beginning to adjust to his Autobot life. These things take time." Optimus reassured.
Soundwave gazed up at his leader with watery optics. "Optimus?"
"Yes Soundwave?" Optimus returned a sympathetic gaze.
"My nightmares. They're terrorizing my mind, the more I get them, the closer I am to harming anyone who ever tries to help me." Soundwave felt embarrassed to tell the Prime what he felt.
"Soundwave please don't feel ashamed for having something that's out of your control." Optimus placed a servo on the young mech's shoulder.
"I try not to be, but I don't want to hurt her." Soundwave cringed for mentioning his biggest fear.
"You're afraid you'll harm Arcee." Optimus pondered.
"Every time she wakes me, it takes all my strength not to harm her. The scary part is, the worse my nightmares get, the more they hinder my thought process. I'm getting closer to almost killing her, and all she wants to do is help." Soundwave sadly confessed, allowing a tear to escape his optic. "When you woke me this morning, my systems actually alerted me to your presence, but not as a threat." Soundwave explained to the Prime, his voice becoming shaky with every word.
Optimus narrowed his optics, in deep thought.
Soundwave coward away from the massive mech. His processor expected the Prime to strike him, as Megatron would have for admitting such stupid things.
Optimus stared at Soundwave, with deep concern. Putting both his servos up to show his nephew he meant no harm. Optimus had to remind himself that unlike Mirage, Soundwave had spent decades of abusive Decepticon torture. Anything Soundwave did as an Autobot, such as show his true personality, and admit his feelings. Was seen as a punishable offence to his Father and Decepticon leader. Who would in return, deal out a punishment done with brutal force.
Slowly lowering his arms, Optimus spoke to his nephew with a soft tone. "I have a solution to your nightmares. It may not cure them, but I am willing to help."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that." Soundwave stood up straight apologizing for cowering. "I'm listening to you."
Optimus gave a reassuring smile. "I think you're systems didn't alert you to attack me, because we have a fully formed spark bond. When you are having a nightmare, I will glady come to wake you, for the sake of your sanity, and Arcee's safety."
Soundwave mulled over the Prime's suggestion. Realizing if he took the offer, Arcee would most likely feel insulted. "Optimus it's a nice offer but..."
"I will talk to Arcee about it. As much as she's a spitfire spirit. Arcee is very understanding. She will still be there to comfort you if needed." Optimus could see Soundwave was worried about hurting his partner mentally.
Soundwave felt like it would be awkward to have his Uncle wake him from his nightmares, whenever he had them. But given he had no other options. Wanting to end his night terrors, he accepted the offer. "Thank you Optimus."
Optimus nodded, before continuing along the path, with Soundwave in tow. "Soundwave, I have told this to Mirage, and Bumblebee already knows. That they can always come talk to me about anything." Optimus turned his helm to face the young mech. "I want you to know, that offer will always stand for you as well. I will never punish you for speaking your concerns to me."
Soundwave did not reply. He only smiled, in understanding. He wondered if this was what it felt like to have a caring father. Soundwave visibly jumped, as the familiar voice of the old medic rung through his helm.
"Optimus, Soundwave check in."
"We're here Ratchet." Optimus replied, as they came upon exposed raw energon, in the canyon wall.
"What's your status?" Ratchet asked, happy the base comm systems were working.
"Soundwave found an energon source, we followed it, and have found a fortunate find." Optimus replied thrilled to not have to worry about slim energon supplies.
"Excellent news, I'll send Jazz, and the twins to mine it." Ratchet replied, with thd twins protesting in the background. "Oh shut it, all you have to do is mine it, so I can process it!" Ratchet hissed at the young mechs.
"I can send a bridge." Soundwave said over the comlink.
"Nah, we'll test out our new wheels. Hey Ironhide should come with us, since he can carry the energon in his alt form." Jazz replied enthusiastically as usual.
"Sending the coordinates." Soundwave shrugged, ending the call.
After a few minutes went by, the roar of engines confirmed the arrival of their mining crew.
"The grunts have arrived." Sunstreaker transformed, sarcastically waving his servos.
"Thank you Autobots, mine as much as possible. Supplies are short, and we have a lot of bots to fuel." Optimus Prime thanked the small crew.
Before Optimus could ask, Soundwave opened up a ground bridge for them. Returning to the base, they were met by a happy youngling, and sparkling.
"Soundwave come play with us!" Bumblebee begged tugging the mech's arm.
"Yeah, it's your turn to be pestered." Arcee groaned sarcastically, from the couch.
Optimus was just about to approach his medic, before noticing the parked vehicle almost underfoot.
"Please don't step on my car, that's my only tide out of here." Agent Fowler pleaded to the Autobot leader.
Optimus stepped around the car, walking over to the medic and human. "Agent Fowler, you returned?"
"Yeah, your medic called me back to assist him, in providing more human knowledge to your bots." Agent Fowler spoke in a casual tone.
"Thank you." Optimus nodded at the human.
"Sure, how about a puzzle?" Soundwave suggested, sitting next to his femme.
"Okay!" Bumblebee happily went over to his toy chest.
Mirage scaled up Soundwave's leg, onto the couch. Summersaulting off his older brother's lap. Mirage giggled, crawling over to the couch arm, watching the scout find a puzzle.
"Well aren't you a fit little sparkling." Arcee snorted at the sparkling.
"Found one!" Bumblebee sat himself down on the floor, with the puzzle.
Mirage leapt off the couch, sitting next to his yellow brother.
"Come on Soundwave." Bumblebee gestured for the violet mech to join them on the floor.
Soundwave sighed with a smile, sitting on the other side of Bumblebee. The puzzle making was peaceful for the most part. Until Mirage began to get fussy.
"No Mirage that piece doesn't go there!" Bumblebee gently pushed the sparkling's servo away from the incorrect spot. "It goes over here." Bumblebee pointed to a different blank spot.
"No!" Mirage grumpily threw the puzzle piece at Arcee.
"Hey, grumpy, is it someone's nap time?" Arcee raised an optic ridge at the moody sparkling.
Soundwave chuckled, reaching across the puzzle to grab the thrown piece.
"What happened to your back Soundwave?" Bumblebee asked curiously, noticing the huge scars down the mech's back.
Arcee cringed, also noticing the nasty scars on her mech's back.
Soundwave quickly sat back up hiding his scars from the line of sight. "It's nothing. Just scars from something that happened a long time ago." He tried to brush off the touchy subject.
Scanning the mech's frame, Arcee took note that Soundwave had quite a few scars on his frame. She never really noticed them, they blended so well into the dark mech. Untill the youngling pointed them out.
Soundwave was beginning to feel numb, and uncomfortable. "How about you two finish the puzzle. I forgot I had to do something." Soundwave quickly excused himself from the puzzle making, walking into his room.
"Soundwave?" Arcee called after the mech.
Optimus sighed, overhearing the triggering interaction. Walking over to the femme. "Arcee, may I speak with you?"
Arcee wanted to chase after Soundwave, but reluctantly obliged her leader. "Yes Optimus?" Arcee met the Prime in the hallway.
"Soundwave told me about his night terrors. He's really suffering from their effects." Optimus began.
"I know." Arcee sadly replied. "I'm glad he's speaking to you about it though. Every time I try to help him, he gets even more flustered and upset."
"He's voiced his concern about that. His systems are forcing him to try to attack you, when you wake him." Optimus replied to the femme's surprise. "I've purposed, since his systems do not read me as a threat. I told him that for your safety, and his peace of mind. I will wake him when he gets them."
Arcee was surprised. "Soundwave mentioned he was concerned about attacking me by accident. But he didn't say it was while he was getting woken from his nightmares." The femme mulled over the Prime's information.
"He didn't want to scare you. He almost denied my offer to help him, because he didn't want to hurt your feelings." Optimus mentioned, looking over his shoulder at his young sons.
Arcee smiled thoughtfully. "He's quite the sensetive mech."
"Indeed. Given that when he joined the Autobots, on Cybertron. Soundwave was immediately put to work with us. Since Soundwave has always been a busy, hard working mech. He's never really had the chance to relax his systems." Optimus began his explanation, moving their conversation to the main room.
"Not to mention that if he wasn't working he was being beaten until he found something to do. So he never figured out his full power, that could easily overtake Megatron and Shockwave." Arcee scoffed following the Prime.
"With almost nothing to occupy his working mind, while adjusting to this planet. His systems are extra sensitive, and on high alert. I think we forget, Soundwave has endured constant abuse, and maiming procedures his entire life cycle, until now. He was never seen as a mech with a spark beat. Only a highly classified war machine, with no personality." Ratchet added his thoughts to the conversation. "Although somehow he's a more subtle bot, than his little brother. Soundwave lives with permanent trauma, that effects him everyday. Just like his younger counterpart does."
"But he had a few cycles of a regular life as a sparkling, before he was captured." Arcee replied to the medic.
"Do you remember most of your sparklinghood?" Ratchet raised an optic ridge at the cobalt blue femme.
Arcee sighed in defeat. "No, I don't."
"Sounds like CPTSD." All bots turned their attention to the human standing on the platform next to the monitors.
"I'm sorry Agent Fowler, excuse our lack of knowledge of human terms. What is this CPTSD you speak of?" Optimus curiously questioned the human.
"It's another form of a mental illness, called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, that plagues a lot of humans on this earth." Agent Fowler began. "A lot of soldiers, including myself, suffer from it do to mentally scarring moment during our service. I'm not going to give examples as you can probably use your imagination. But alot of humans don't understand, it's not just something that effects people of war. Your buddy who went through years of repeated trauma and abuse. From what you say, seems to have the other form of PTSD, called Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It has similar symptoms, to PTSD, but has quite a lot more added. But it is caused by long term trauma, not just a single or couple traumatic events." Fowler tried to explain in as much detail as possible.
"So what your saying is this is an illness that heavily effects your psyche? Is there treatment for this illness?" Ratchet asked wanting to learn more about this new illness.
"It doesn't just effect your psyche, it can be physically debilitating. There are long term treatments, it's not something that can be cured. But you can help the effected person cope with it." Fowler sighed, with a shrug. "But I am no psychiatrist, but I can get the information from one such doctor, and have them send me the schooling and research they took to help treat the illness." The Agent suggested to the curious aliens.
"If you could please do that, Agent Fowler, we would greatly appreciate it." Optimus replied before Ratchet could.
"Of course. I'm amazed, for such an advanced alien race, you have such little knowledge of mental health?" Agent Fowler scoffed. "But I will admit it's, a subject deeply underlooked at, in human culture, so I can't really comment." Fowled sighed, making his way to his car.
"Everyday is an opportunity to learn, Agent Fowler. Nobody knows everything. For those who claim to know everything, truly know nothing at all." Optimus replied with a smile.
"That couldn't have anymore truth to it Prime. I'll send that info as soon as I receive it. I will see you bots later." Agent Fowler bid the Autobots a goodbye, before driving out of the base.
"Optimus I have found some articles on this illness, on the human world wide web. But I am sure whatever Agent Fowler sends will be greatly more detailed. This merely just lists the symptoms that both Mirage and Soundwave have displayed quite often." Ratchet gestured to the monitor in front of him.
Optimus scanned the information with his optics, mulling over it all. "This may not gove us all the answers. But it does help us understand."
"Indeed." Ratchet replied, catching Soundwave reentering the main room.
Soundwave walked past the arguing brothers. Walking up to the cobalt blue femme, placing his servo gently in hers.
Arcee turned to her mech with a warm smile. Closing her servo on Soundwave's, she could tell he did not want to speak. Only wanting her physical comforting love and affection. Arcee didn't mind though, she wasn't going to pressure her mech.
Optimus sighed as both Mirage and Bumblebee whined and argued over the puzzle. "Alright, that's enough puzzles for now. Bumblebee clean it up and put it away." He sternly spoke, approaching his arguing children. "It's your nap time." Optimus promptly picked up the grumpy sparkling.
Bumblebee groaned, cleaning up his puzzle. While Mirage strongly protested against his nap time, by wailing loudly, as he was placed in his crib.
Optimus sighed, walking back into the main room to fill a bottle of energon.
Ratchet smirked, handing the frustrated Prime a full bottle.
"Thank you..." Optimus kept an unamused face, as he returned to his screaming sparkling.
The roar of engines made Bumblebee excitedly put away the rest of his puzzle. Before making his way over to the four arriving mechs.
"Well that was about as entertaining as your class about Earth rules." Sideswipe retorted at the medic, as he transformed.
"Stop chatting, and unload this damn energon." Ironhide growled, reving his engine.
The twins just rolled their optics, doing as the weapon specialist requested.
Bumblebee chuckled at the twins, bouncing over to the spec officer. "Jazz can we go for a drive? I wanna see what's out there."
"You're not going to see much, except dust, and dirt. It's totally dampening my finishes metalic shine." Sunstreaker grumbled, tossing the mined energon into a pile.
"Aw lil Bee, let me chill for a moment, and grab some energon, then we'll see alright?" Jazz tiredly smiled, patting Bumblebee's helm.
Bumblebee sighed lowering his doorwings. "Okay..."
Grabbing an energon cube, Jazz winced at the sudden loud cry coming from the down the hallway.
Mirage's screams triggered a flashback in his older brother. Visions of the facility they trained in, younglings being murdered, and tortured, played in Soundwave's helm.
"I'm guessing it's nap time?" Jazz chuckled, watching Optimus walk in, looking quite annoyed.
"I just gave Mirage a bottle. Hopefully he drinks it and soothes himself into a stasis nap." Optimus shook his helm. "Looks like a nice haul. Good work Autobots." He praised his team, for their efforts in retrieving energon.
"Yeah, it was decent find, for sure. Great find you two." Jazz replied, finishing his energon.
"Soundwave did do an excellent job, tracking it down." Optimus Prime smiled at his nephew, that seemed to be deep in thought.
"Yeah good Job Wave." Jazz praised the zoned mech as well.
Arcee gave a gentle squeeze to the violet mech's servo, bringing him out of his flashback.
"Hmm?" Soundwave lifted his helm, finally realizing he was being spoken to.
"I was just saying you found a good find." Jazz mentioned, gesturing the pile of energon to Soundwave.
Soundwave blinked, blankly staring at the pile of glowing blue raw energon.
"Soundwave?" Arcee called tugging at the mech's servo.
"Sorry, yeah, you guys did good." Soundwave shook his helm, unconsciously speaking towards the grey mech.
Jazz just shrugged with a chuckle, not taking offence to the Communications Chief's disconnection.
"Can we go now?" Bumblebee begged the cool mech.
"Sure, but just a little drive. I wanna come back and get some chill time." Jazz replied in defeat, escorting Bumblebee to the base exit.
"Be careful, and remember the rules of the road!" Ratchet called after the two.
"How can we forget when you practically beat it into our helms." Jazz retorted, before peeling off with Bumblebee.
"Little scrap heap!" Ratchet cursed, returning back to his work.
Soundwave tuned himself into the base schematics, noticing he missed repairing a very large artillery lift. Unconsciously Soundwave led his femme down the hallways, locating the inoperable lift. Tilting his helm, scanning the dead control panel. Releasing one of his tentacles, attaching it to the panel he sent through an electrical charge, awakening the lift.
"So are we going to test it out?" Arcee asked, visibly making Soundwave jump. "Yes I'm still here, you're still holding my servo." She chuckled at the surprised mech.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was." Soundwave sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his helm. "Optimus I am activating the heavy artillery lift." Soundwave warned the Prime, so the team knew they weren't under attack. "After you." He kindly gestured for his femme to step onto the lift.
"How kind of you, young sir." Arcee sarcastically joked, stepping into the lift.
Soundwave rolled his optics, shaking his helm as he followed the femme on. "Aren't you just full of it."
"Just hit the button, mister polite." Arcee snorted.
Hitting the button, the lift groaned as it powered up, the beginning was a bumpy ride, but after it was above the entrance it was smooth.
Both bots looked up, watching as the ceiling parted opening up to the orange sky. Reaching the top of the base, the view of the desert valley was stunning.
Soundwave wasted no time stepping off the lift, walking to the very edge of the mountain.
Arcee stared at the slender mech, from the lift. Walking towards the mech, sighing, she wondered what went through Soundwave's active mind. Soundwave was one of the most calm mech's she's ever met. He was even more chill than Jazz, and that was saying something. Arcee stood beside her mech, she stared off into the valley. Having a thought cross her mind, a warm smile creeped across her face. Soundwave reminded her of Optimus, when he was a young mech. With the exception of Optimus being more open, and social. Even though Soundwave preferred silence, keeping to himself. He shared quite a few of his Uncle's traits. The smart, stoic, caring demeanour, the Prime carried, seemed to glow brightly inside his nephew.
"It's a beautiful planet, it's nice to see a planet that's not completely ravaged by war." Arcee took in a deep breath.
Soundwave nodded in agreement. His studies on the Earth's history, told of many wars the planet had gone through. Yet the humans were able to overcome the wars, and rebuild their lives. Though there is always continuous wars going on, the wars seemed to be in certain areas of the world. While the rest of the world gets to live without to much worry about war effecting them.
"The days are shorter on this planet though. I don't know where the day went?"" Arcee chuckled, thinking aloud.
"Yes, you look quite beautiful in the sunsets light." Soundwave complimented his femme's beauty.
If she could blush, Arcee surely would have, at her mech's kind words. "You're just saying that." Arcee sheepishly replied.
"I suppose I am." Soundwave shrugged. Before replying quickly with a smile. "You're always beautiful. No matter what light you're in." Putting his servo in the femme's, he pulled her closer to his frame.
"You've already won my spark, Soundwave. No need to coat me in sugargon." Arcee playfully chuckled, leaning into her mech.
Soundwave exhaled deeply, as he watched the sunset with his femme snuggled up in his side.
After a few quiet relaxing hours of watching the sunset. Taking Arcee under his arm, Soundwave kindly escorted the femme back into the base.
"You two have a nice date?" Jazz teased the two, as they entered the main room.
"You mean a nice peaceful hour without you pests bugging us. Yes we did, thanks for asking." Arcee retorted at the grey mech.
"Alright chill Arcee, I was just teasin ya." Jazz put his servos up in surrender. "Goodnight, Imma go catch some Zees before I get my spark torn out." Jazz quickly retreated to his quarters.
Soundwave allowed the femme out from under his arm. Shaking her helm, Arcee made her way over to their energon supply.
Soundwave walked over to the monitors, where Optimus and Ratchet, seemed to be preoccupied with reading human studies.
"Soundwave!?" Ratchet gasped, quickly switching the screen to the proximity sensor. Until he was done his studies, on the illness the human spoke of. Ratchet did not want to falsely diagnose Soundwave, or possibly cause more harm to the mech's psyche, by mentioning what Agent Fowler was suggesting the mech had.
Soundwave cocked his helm curiously. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."
"It's alright, just alert me next time. I would prefer to avoid a spark attack." Ratchet scoffed.
"Aw Ratch, if anyone's going to give you a spark attack it'll be me." Ironhide snorted, from the nearby wall he leaned against.
"Yeah, from you stressing me out, not from sneaking up on me." Ratchet hissed at the annoying weapon specialist.
"Is there anything I can assist you with Ratchet?" Soundwave offered his help to the CMO.
Ratchet smiled at the helpful young mech. "I'm alright for now. Thank you though."
Soundwave nodded, turning his attention to his leader.
"Someone was looking for you." Optimus held out the Communications Chief's little brother.
Mirage practically leapt out of Optimus's arms, onto Soundwave.
Soundwave clumsily caught the sparkling in his arms. "Primus Mirage, I was only gone for a few hours."
"Wave, no go." Mirage wrapped his arms around his brother's neck.
"I'm not going to." Soundwave replied in confusion. Rubbing the sparkling's back.
"He didn't nap for very long. Nightmares kept him awake." Optimus mentioned, lowering the violet mech's confusion.
Soundwave's confusion, was quickly replaced with fear, and concern. "I'm not going anywhere Mirage."
"Wave, no go with Megtron?" Mirage looked into his brother's mixed coloured optics.
"Never again. I'm with you until the end Mirage." Soundwave reassured his baby brother. The mere thought of going back to his Father's side, made him feel sick.
Mirage didn't reply, tiredly laying his helm back down on his brother's shoulder.
Soundwave continued to sooth his little brother into recharge. Hearing the soft snores emit from the sparkling, Soundwave walked down the hallway, carefully placing Mirage down in his crib. Being extra quiet, making sure to not wake the slumbering youngling in the room.
"Thank you, he's been fussing over the last few hours." Optimus thanked the entering bioluminescent mech.
"He's exhausted, he'll hopefully sleep through the night." Soundwave replied. If he was being honest with himself, he also felt exhausted. His reluctance to rest was beginning to take a toll on him, it had been decades since he rested properly. Given he never had a real chance to recharge, while with the Decepticon's. Not that he wanted to recharge, with Megatron and Shockwave lingering around.
"Soundwave, come relax with us." The twins beckoned for the former con to join them on the couch.
Soundwave shrugged, walking over to the couch. The twins sat at one end of the couch, while Arcee sat at the other. Sitting himself between the couch arm, and the femme.
"You look exhausted buddy, figured you could come chill with us." Sideswipe said, as Sunstreaker tried to make a remote work. "Thanks for fixing the couch, by the way."
"You're welcome." Soundwave replied, tiredly watching the golden twin grow more frustrated.
"Sides you said you hooked it all up. Why isn't it working?" Sunstreaker threw the holo vid remote at his brother.
"Primus Sunny, I did set it up, but if you don't recall, it went through a firey crash!" Sideswipe hissed at his twin. "Maybe it's operator error!"
Arcee rolled her optics, giving Soundwave a few nudges with her elbow. "Can you please help them, before they start brawling?"
Soundwave blinked, half concious, he sighed not wanting to get up. Releasing his tentacles they locked onto the holo vid machine, quickly repairing a frazzled wire. The holo vid began to project on the wall in front of them.
"See it works." Sideswipe gestured to the now working holo vid.
Sunstreaker rolled his optics at his twin, thanking the mech that actually fixed it. "Thanks Soundwave."
Retracting his tentacles, Soundwave nodded in reply. While Arcee pulled him in closer to herself, the mech's frame resisted for a moment. Warnings going off in his processor. Ignoring them, he relaxed his frame. Laying his helm against the femme's shoulder.
Arcee wrapped an arm around the exhausted mech's torso. Using her free arm, she soothingly caressed her mech's helm. A few minutes went by, Arcee narrowed her optics, watching the twins flip through human channels. "We get human channels on this thing?" She raised an optic ridge.
"Yeah, we figured use Earth's holo vid signals. Watch something different, than the usual holo vids we have in the archive." Sideswipe shrugged, while Sunstreaker attempted to find a decent human program.
"Huh, you two might just learn something." Arcee shrugged jokingly, thinking Soundwave would at least give a chuckle. Looking down at the violet mech's face, she smiled seeing her mech's optics closed. Soundwave emit barely audible snoring, as the femme continued to caress his helm.
"You know, I've never seen him actually recharge." Sideswipe glared over at the femme, as he thought aloud.
"Didn't think the mech could. He's always finding work at all hours of the day." Sunstreaker scoffed, stopping on some sort of human car show.
"It's a rare occasion, and when he does it's short lived." Arcee replied, tuning into the show.
"Primus, look at this guy, grabbing parts of that vehicle mode, and explaining scrap. That's rude." Sideswipe snorted, watching the human on the holo vid, pull apart a car.
"We're the only bots on this planet, except for the Cons. I highly doubt that car is alive." Arcee explained to the cofussed twins. Feeling Soundwave shift in his recharge.
Soundwave sat on a medical berth, swinging his legs. Curiously watching a red mech work on repairing a tool. "Can I help?"
Knockout looked over his shoulder, at the youngling hopping off the berth. "I suppose so. Can you grab me that welding torch, on your way over?" Knockout pointed over to the table full of tools, next to the youngling.
Soundwave nodded, going to grab for the welding tool that lay next to quite a few surgical tools.
Knockout curiously watched, as the youngling hesitated to grab the simple tool. As Soundwave reached for the welder, the medic could see the violet youngling's servo trembling.
Soundwave quickly scooped up the tool, jumping back from the table. He fast walked over to the medic, offering the retrieved welder.
"Thank you." Knockout sympathetically gave a pat to the youngling's helm. Knockout could only imagine what fears flowed through the youngling's mind.
Only being on the ship for a few weeks. Soundwave was relatively new to the Nemesis. Being the only youngling to barely survive Shockwave's super soldier program. After the his second mission, that ended in him getting horribly maimed. Soundwave was transfered onto the Nemesis, to recover, and get used to his new visor.
Knockout began to make small welds on the broken tool, while Soundwave watched. "So how are you feeling today youngling?"
"I'm alright." Soundwave replied, scanning the tool being repaired.
"You getting used to your visor?" Knockout smiled, as Soundwave voluntarily held up a broken piece of the tool, so he could weld it in place.
"Yeah, I still sometimes get disoriented with the different visions. But I am starting to understand them better." Soundwave simply replied, letting the newly welded piece go.
"You've adapted quite quickly, considering what you've been through." Knockout tightened a few loose bolts on the tool.
"Knockout, could you teach me about medical?" Soundwave asked to the mech's surprise.
Knockout was shocked, that after all the torture of being disected alive, by Shockwave. The youngling was curious to learn about the medical field. "You seem to be well enough to learn something new I suppose. I could, but it would be something you'd have to ask Megatron for permission, first." Knockout sighed, although he would gladly teach the youngling about medicine. He could not do such a task without Megatron's say. As it might interfere with Soundwave's programming.
"Okay." Soundwave quickly made his way out of the med bay.
"No Soundwave! I didn't mean, ask right now..." Knockout gasped, unable to stop the youngling from exiting.
Megatron gazed over his shoulder, seeing his youngling enter the bridge."Soundwave, you look to be doing better."
"Yes sir, I'm getting used to my visor." Soundwave replied, even though he knew his father did not care.
Megatron rolled his optics, in annoyance. "A shame Shockwave could not be here, to speed up your recovery, but Knockout seems to be monitoring your situation quite well."
"Knockout actually says I'm recovering quite quickly." Soundwave mentioned to his father.
"Hmm, is that all Soundwave?" Megatron didn't care to hear what the pathetic medic had to say.
"No, I was wondering if I could learn to do some medical work. Like Knockout does..."
"No! I will not have you focus on such pathetic studies! Your main objective is to recover, then get yourself back out in the field!" Megatron finally turned around to face his youngling.
"But dad, Knockout says I'm alright enough to learn..." Soundwave yelped after being struck hard, across the room, not even able to finish his sentence.
Arcee looked down at Soundwave, as he shifted uncomfortably in his recharge.
"Is he alright?" Sideswipe asked, noticing the pained expressions on the slumbering mech's faceplate.
"I'm not sure." Arcee sighed, looking over in the Prime's direction. "Optimus, come here please." She called the Prime over, knowing her mech was having a nightmare episode.
Optimus walked over with out question. Seeing his nephew recharge uncomfortably, as he approached.
"Here, it will be safer for you to wake him." Arcee began to carefully slide herself out from under the mech.
Optimus knelt down in front of the slumbering mech. Carefully holding the mech in place, as the femme safely removed herself out of harms way.
"What's going on?" Sideswipe asked as the Arcee now sat next to him.
"Soundwave's having a nightmare." Arcee replied, not breaking her gaze from her mech.
"Is he like Mirage? Should we duck and cover?" Sunstreaker cringed.
"Yes, but Optimus is going to handle it." Arcee sushed the twins.
Megatron violently grabbed his bleeding youngling by the throat, lifting him off the floor. "You ever address me like that again, I will rip out your voicebox myself! Do you understand!?"
"I'm sorry Lord Megatron, I vow never to speak again. My actions, shall speak louder than words!" Soundwave cried out in pain, as the warlord's grip tightened.
"A wise choice." Megatron venomously hissed, dropping the youngling to the floor. Leaving the bridge, to go deal with the pipe dream giving, medic.
Soundwave lay on the floor bleeding. His recovering internal circuitry, sending out waves of excruciating pain.
The nearby working Eradicons, watched the faceless youngling lay in pain. They could not tell if the youngling was crying, due to the fact the faceless youngling could not produce tears through a visor.
"Soundwave, wake up." Optimus softly shook the trembling young mech. "Wake up."
Soundwave woke up from his nightmare, his systems not attacking his waker. Trembling, feeling weak, tears flowing down his face. Soundwave tried standing up, ending up falling into the Prime's arms.
Optimus stood up, embracing his trembling nephew. He could tell Soundwave was horribly embarrassed, he did not want to be seen like this, in front the entire team.
Arcee was shocked, she had never seen Soundwave wake from a nightmare like that, before.
"I'm going to take him to your room." Optimus said to the femme. Taking his weak nephew under his arm, he slowly guided the mech to the room.
The twins were in complete shock as well. They had absolutely nothing to say, not even a sarcastic remark.
"I've never seen him like that." Arcee thought aloud, watching the now empty hallway.
Optimus stood in the middle of the couple's room, holding the mech tightly in a soothing embrace. Most other mechs probably would have felt awkward doing this. Soundwave was not a youngling anymore, although he was younger then the rest of the young adults on the team. Optimus would not care, even if his nephew was, Ratchet's age. If hugging, comforted the young mech, then he would gladly do so, without hesitation. He saw Soundwave, more as another son to him, rather then a nephew. Optimus would gladly comfort any of his sons in the same way, should they ever need it in the future.
Soundwave felt shameful for blubbering like this, especially in front of a Prime. Finally having the strength to push away from the embrace. He unsteadily tried to hold his balance.
Optimus held Soundwave steady, with both his servos. "Would you like to take a seat?" he gestured his helm towards the berth.
Soundwave nodded, as Optimus kindly guided him there. He was not surprised the massive mech sat himself beside him.
"I may be over stepping the line here Soundwave." Optimus began with a sigh, as Soundwave blankly stared at the floor. "But for a nightmare to cripple you that badly. Please help me understand, what you're going through. I want to help you cope with your nightmares, so they do not effect you in such a way."
"Do you remember me mentioning earlier, my past was haunting me?" Soundwave spoke, not breaking his sad gaze.
"Yes." Optimus replied, internally cursing at himself for not questioning about the subject, when the young mech mentioned it earlier.
"My nightmares started off with Megatron trying to kill off Mirage. Then they began to be about replaying the worst parts of my training. But those times, you guys usually woke me before I could really relive the pain." Soundwave began, looking at the Prime from the corner of his optic. "But this last one felt so real, it was like Megatron was really here." Soundwave tried to hide the tears escaping from his unique optics.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Optimus figured he would not hold back on asking this time, the worst that could happen, was Soundwave declining to speak.
Soundwave mentally beat himself up. "It was my fault, I was such a stupid little youngling. I was on the Nemesis, recovering from the mission that melted my face off. In that time, I mostly spent it with the ships medic, Knockout. Megatron occasionally visited, I don't remember much, but he only visited to see if I was cleared for battle again. He never spoke to me while I was recovering then."
Optimus shook his helm, wondering how his brother could be so selfish, as to not give a damn about his own youngling's well being.
"But after a few weeks, I was up and moving, getting adjusted to my new visor. I helped Knockout repair some of his tools here and there. At some point I was interested in learning more about the medical field. I asked Knockout if he could teach me about it. He said yes, but it came with the condition that I had to get permission from my father." Soundwave wiped away some of his tears, as his optics began to fill up with more. "I thought nothing of it. I happily made my way to the bridge to ask Megatron about it. He instantly rejected my request, saying I needed to focus on recovery, so I could return to battle. In the heat of the moment, I tried to explain that I was okay enough to learn something new. But that was also the moment I slipped up." Soundwave clenched his servo into a fist.
Optimus listened intently to the young mech's story. Afraid of what the end game was, as his Brother sounded like nothing more than a warmongering monster.
"The one and only time, I ever called him my father. I called him dad, and that was enough to send him over the top. He struck me so hard across that bridge he put me in the med bay for another month. He threatened to rip my voicebox out, if I ever called him that again. That was the day I vowed I would never speak to any Con ever again." Soundwave tried to stop the flow of tears escaping his optics.
Optimus vibrated with anger, truly disgusted in his brother for treating his own youngling like a piece worthless piece of scrap. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that Soundwave. My brother truly is a monster." Optimus held back his anger, keeping his cool demeanour in check. "I wish I could've been there to protect you." Optimus shook his helm, as Arcee entered the doorway. "But Arcee will be able to comfort you better than I. I will check on you in a while." Optimus switched places with the femme.
Making his way into the main room, Optimus shook his helm, mentally beating himself up.
Ratchet could tell the Prime was fuming, as he approached him and Ironhide. "Optimus, what's the matter?" Ratchet asked, his tone full of concern.
"I should've taken them in..." Optimus muttered under his breath.
"What?" Ratchet couldn't understand what Optimus was muttering.
"I should've taken them into Autobot safety, as the damn war was breaking out!" Optimus cursed, smashing his fist onto the upper, human scale platform, crushing the protective railing to the platform floor. Making every bot in the room jump, the twins nervously focused on their leader, from where they sat on the couch.
"Optimus, what are you talking about?" Ratchet questioned, with concern lingering in his tone.
"Soundwave and his mother. I should've taken them in." Optimus sighed calming himself down.
"Optimus, you lost contact with that femme. And found her assassinated husk, before the war officially began. You couldn't have predicted or saved her from that." Ratchet tried talking sense into the upset Prime.
"Maybe I couldn't have saved her. But I could've saved my sparklings, from Megatron." Optimus continued to deny the fact that he couldn't have made things different.
"Sparkling, Optimus. Soundwave's Megatron's son. Plus you couldn't find them, Soundwave and Mirage were long gone, running around through the streets." Ironhide corrected.
"That's what I mean, I should've searched for them harder. So I could've raised both Mirage, and Soundwave as my own!" Optimus hissed at the weapon specialist. "I could've given them a chance to see what life was really like, to be raised in a caring, family environment. Given, I know I couldn't have sheltered them completely from the war."
"Optimus..." Ratchet sighed, sadly shaking his helm at the guilt ridden Prime.
"Instead I failed them both."
"Optimus, you didn't fail them, Mirage may have gone through some major trauma in the first few months after being sparked. But he was raised in the Autobot base. And look at him now, he may have been thrown back as a sparkling, but look how happy he is now. You may not have done the same for Soundwave. But you managed to rescue Soundwave from Megatron's control." Ratchet explained the good the Prime has done. "Mirage may have still been struggling as a youngling, but he's come so far."
"You're correct about Mirage, Ratchet. He's a much happier sparkling now, especially with his brother back in the picture. But Soundwave, I failed him completely. After what cruelty Soundwave told me Megatron wrenched upon him. We've only seen a fraction, of how evil Megatron truly is." Optimus's voice carried hardship.
"What do you mean Optimus? Wasn't Soundwave his most prized asset. Didn't he just keep him locked up in the Decepticon base all the time?" The twins finally had the courage to come join the conversation.
"While you two speak a lot of truth, about the more recent years. A lot of damage can be done, behind years of closed doors." Optimus said to the young mechs. "I'm not at liberty to say why, as that is Soundwave's business. But just spending a few hours with him today, showed me how immensely frightened, and damaged he truly is."
"I know, you see all those wicked looking scars that kid has all over his frame?" Ironhide scoffed folding his arms.
"Ironhide it's not just the physical scars, we're talking about." Ratchet shook his helm at the larger mech. "We've got to remember, like Prime said, we rescued Mirage in time, for us to be able to help him cope with what he's been through. Soundwave has been living with Megatron's abusive servo, most of his life, until now."
"But Soundwave's so powerful, he could've easily kicked bucket heads aft, deca cycles ago." Sunstreaker scoffed to the medic.
"Megatron and Shockwave are master manipulators. Why do you think Megatron holds such a large following?" Ratchet snorted shaking his helm. "Don't you ever wonder why Soundwave stays distant? Why he shy's away from even the simplest of gestures, such as moving your servos, or making a certain expression. Or why he constantly keeps himself occupied with duties. Even the ones that are utterly useless, or weren't even thought of?"
"Not really." Sideswipe shrugged innocently.
"He's a creepy weirdo." Sunstreaker folded his arms, receiving pointed glares.
"No, Sunstreaker. You think Megatron allowed Soundwave to lounge around, and watch holo vids in his spare time like you two do? Not a chance!" Ratchet made Sunstreaker cower. "If he dared to outsmart him he was beaten. If Soundwave ever questioned, or ask about something, that didn't mean anything to Megatron, he was beaten until he was barely functional. And that was just Megatron, I'm not even including Shockwave into this equation. Try living with that for fourteen cycles of your life! Then tell me you're not afraid of life itself."
Sunstreaker quickly changed his demeanour from snarky, to apologetic. "I didn't look at it that way."
"But Optimus listen to me. Soundwave is with us now. Although Mirage is a sparkling now. Before that, you spent deca cycles getting Mirage to be the confident youngling he was." Ratchet looked directly into the Prime's royal blue optics. "Do the same for Soundwave. You'll only fail him, if you give up on him now."
Optimus looked away thoughtfully, mulling over the Medic's advice. "You're right, Ratchet. I won't give up on Soundwave."
Ratchet nodded with a smile. "And with the information Fowler kindly provided me with. We have the best knowledge on how to help him through this."
"You're confirming Mirage and Soundwave, have what Fowler mentioned?" Optimus curiously asked the old CMO.
"I'm not confirming anything yet, Mirage is much to young for me to tell, now. And Soundwave, I would need to speak with him more often, to get a real diagnosis." Ratchet sighed, staring up at the monitor full of information.
"You seem discontent, old friend." Optimus sensed the red and white medic's, disappointing aura.
"I've had eons of medical practice, I know every piece of our biomech, preformed countless life saving procedures. And not once, have I ever thought to study the medicine of psychology."
"To be honest Ratch, I don't think any Cybertronian medic ever has. We work, fight, and live. Pretty simple, we don't really focus on our psyche, although I do believe it should be something we look into. Don't beat yourself up about it." Sunstreaker mentioned to the disappointed medic.
"You can be the first to study it though." Sideswipe cheerfully pointed out.
"I'll do my best to at least." Ratchet smiled at his adopted sons. "Maybe if I do, we can figure out how Megatron's sick mind ticks." he scoffed jokingly.
At that, a thought crossed Optimus Prime's mind. "Ratchet, could you do me a favour?"
"Of course Optimus, what is it?" Ratchet looked over at the large red and blue mech.
"When you get the time, Soundwave mentioned he wanted to learn about the medical field. Would you be kind enough to teach him your medical expertise?" Optimus asked the confused medic.
"I can, but won't he just be a nervous wreck? Those brothers barely want me to scan them, let alone pick up a harmless tool to show them." Ratchet questioned the Prime's odd request.
"That's quite possible. But perhaps it's something he can overcome, with your help." Optimus replied to the CMO.
"Sure Optimus, I can do that for you." Ratchet shrugged.
"Well, meeting adjourn. I'm turning in for the night." Ironhide said, making his way to the hallway.
"Yeah, I guess we should do the same. I wanna explore this region a bit." Sideswipe yawned, following the older mech down the hallway.
"Yeah, but no dirt roads." Sunstreaker grumbled following his twin.
"Don't stay up all night, old friend." Optimus smiled at the medic, before making his way to the hallway.
"Don't beat yourself up anymore. We're going to figure this out." Ratchet replied to the leader.
"I understand that now, old friend." Optimus sighed, continuing down the hallway. Stopping at the young couple's door.
Before Optimus could knock, Soundwave opened the door, stepping out, bouncing off the Prime's chassis, back into the now closed door. "Prime, sorry I didn't..."
Optimus chuckled helping Soundwave stand up straight. "It's alright. How are you doing now?" taking a step back, allowing the slender mech, to have some breathing room.
"I'm doing alright now. Arcee is recharging now, I figured I could go find something to." Soundwave replied to the Prime.
"You're not going to recharge?" Optimus quirked an optic ridge at his nephew.
"No." Soundwave replied emotionlessly.
"Okay, I'm here if you need anything." Optimus bid the bioluminescent mech goodnight, before retreating to his quarters.
Soundwave shrugged, walking into the main room, to see Ratchet awake, studying away at some articles he was reading.
"Behind you." Soundwave reminded himself, to alert his presence to the medic.
"Primus!" Ratchet cursed as he was startled.
Soundwave tilted his helm, grinning trying to hide his laughter.
"You know I should just get a mirror." Ratchet shook his helm in defeat.
"I could set up a spare monitor so you can see what is behind you." Soundwave suggested.
"No, no, Soundwave. You don't need to go to all that trouble. I've just been surrounded by loud bots for too long. You see why I'm old and grumpy?" Ratchet retorted sarcastically making fun of himself.
"Optimus is quiet." Soundwave pointed out.
"Loud foot steps. You're like your brother, light on your peds." Ratchet countered back, waving a digit at the glowing young mech.
Soundwave nodded in defeat. Turning his attention to the monitors. "What are you studying, psychology?"
"Uh, yes. Agent Fowler thought it was a wise idea for us to study the importance of understanding how different mental states effect everyone." Ratchet cleared his throat, turning back to the monitors.
"I can give you Shockwave's studies on psyche, if you'd like?" Soundwave offered, making the CMO turn around in shock.
"Shockwave did studies on psyche? Preposterous." Ratchet scoffed waving off the mech.
Soundwave sent the studies, displaying them on the monitors.
Ratchet gave a deep sigh, skimming over the sickening information the mad scientist's collected, from all his test subjects. "I appreciate the offer Soundwave. But this isn't exactly what I am trying to study..." Ratchet said, closing the horrible files.
"I apologize, I didn't know wether Shockwave's research would be helpful or not." Soundwave sighed tiredly.
"Shockwave's view of things, are quite sickening. He would gladly cause mental anguish, rather then study it's effects." Ratchet turned around to the tired young mech. "Soundwave, I think your frame would do good with some rest." Ratchet mentioned, noticing the young mech's tired optics.
"I'm not tired, I will be alright." Soundwave waved off the CMO.
Raising an optic ridge at the bioluminescent mech, Ratchet snorted. "Soundwave, I'm a medic, I scanned you the moment you notified me you were here. You haven't had a decent recharge in cycles, and your processor says you're due."
"I can go without recharge for a few deca cycles." Soundwave simply replied, with an excuse his little brother used to use when he was a youngling.
"Trust me I know. Mirage gave me that excuse to, but in your case it doesn't work." The medic smirked deviously at the young mech.
"Why's that?" Soundwave dared to ask.
"Because you haven't recharged in a few deca cycles!" Ratchet hissed.
"That's not true." Soundwave argued with the grumpy mech.
"How old are you?" Ratchet asked folding his arms.
Soundwave brought his helm back, suspiciously staring at the medic. Wondering if it was a trick question. "Twenty..."
"Primus, it took you twenty cycles, just to answer that. Anyway, you haven't had a decent recharge since you were a sparkling. Do the math Soundwave." Ratchet rolled his optics. "Go, and, recharge!" Ratchet poked the mech in the chest, as he spoke.
"I can't..." Soundwave sadly looked away.
"Why?" Ratchet changed to a softer tone.
"I don't want to have anymore nightmares, and I don't want to keep breaking everyone else's recharge. Why should everyone else be punished, because I had a nightmare?" The young mech scoffed, being incredibly bitter towards himself.
"Soundwave, don't be that way. We're all here for you. You're not burdening us with anything, we all want to support you." Ratchet placed a reassuring servo on the violet mech's shoulder. "You can rest on the couch, or medical berth. If you have a nightmare, and you don't want to wake Arcee, or Prime, I can do it." Ratchet offered receiving an immediate head shake.
"No, I will hurt you if you try to wake me. My systems go into attack mode, if I'm unconscious when a threat approaches." Soundwave quickly explained to the confused medic. "I'm not safe..."
"Soundwave..." the medic sympathetically sighed, placing a servo on the young mech's shoulder.
Soundwave looked away from the old medic, feeling lost. Staring at the cold grey concrete floor.
"Tell me Soundwave, what do you know of our biomech?" Ratchet cheerfully spoke, changing the subject.
"All the kill points." Soundwave replied, as Ratchet led him to the med bay.
"Okay, not really what I meant. Would you like to learn why those kill points are so sensitive, and how those organs make us function?" The CMO gave a sheepish grin, sitting the mech down on the medical berth.
"Um, sure?" Soundwave replied, unsure of what was happening.
"Good, now I will give you some simple questions, and you answer them. Then I will see where to go with you from there." The medic continued his happy tone.
"Okay..." Soundwave looked at the medic, with unsure optics.
"A conversion cog is?" Ratchet began, holding his servos behind his back.
"Something you should damage on your opponent immediately, so they're disarmed, and unable to escape in their vehicle mode." Soundwave quickly replied, with the knowledge he gained from his past training as a youngling.
Ratchet blinked, unsure of how to reply. "I was actually just wondering if you knew it's functional purpose. But I suppose, in a roundabout way, you did answer it." The medic rubbed the back of his helm. "Let's find something else for you instead." Ratchet sighed looking around for something to change the subject, grabbing a surgical tool. "How about this, do you know what this is used for?"
Soundwave's spark immediately began to race, as the medic approached him, with the all too familiar surgical laser, that was used to cut bots open. "Please no..." Soundwave muttered under his breath, his frame tensing up the closer the medic got.
"It's used to make small clean incisions, similar to the scalpel but..." Hearing the whir of over heated vents cycling, and trembling metal, finally made the Medic look up from the tool.
Soundwave had his optics shut tightly, his frame trembling, waiting to be sliced open.
Ratchet quickly took a step back, placing the tool back in a tray. "It's alright, it's put away Soundwave." Ratchet slowly approached the terrified spark.
Soundwave didn't reply, getting off the berth, he quickly slunk back to his quarters, to hide his shame.
"Stupid, idiot Ratchet. Stupid move." Ratchet cursed himself.
Soundwave shut the door behind him, leaning his back against it. He slid himself down to the floor, hugging his shins, hiding his helm between his knees.
Arcee tiredly opened her optics, noticing that the space beside her in the berth was vacant. Sitting up, with a yawn, her optics focused in the dark. Seeing the curled up glowing mech on the floor. Getting up from her berth, walking towards the bioluminescent mech. "Soundwave?" Arcee knelt down in front, placing a gentle servo on the mech.
Soundwave gasped, looking up at the femme. "I'm sorry I woke you." His voice shaking with fear.
"Come to bed, you don't have to recharge. Let's just get you settled down." Arcee coaxed her mech to get up, and follow her to the berth.
Soundwave's frame unconsciously followed his femme. He no longer felt his mind was connected to his frame.
Arcee gently guided her partner to the berth, sitting him down. The sudden sound of a sparkling's cry, distracted the femme's attention. "Okay, now lay down. I'll be right back." Arcee gestured for the violet mech to lay himself down, as she left the room.
Mirage cried loudly, making Bumblebee hold his helm, trying to muffle the screams from his audio receptors.
"Shhh Mirage, it's alright." Arcee cooed picking the sparkling up out of the crib.
Mirage was miserable, continuing to wail, as the femme rubbed his back, as she gently bounced.
"I'll settle him down, go back into recharge." Arcee said to the yellow scout, who nodded in reply.
Arcee walked out into the main room, to find a warm bottle to settle the sparkling down. "You're still up?" Arcee scoffed walking past the Medic.
Ratchet rolled his optics, putting away the relic he was working on. "Yes, why are you awake?" Ratchet retorted, handing the femme a bottle full of energon.
"I think it's self explanatory Ratchet." Arcee rolled her optics, feeding the sparkling the bottle.
"How's Soundwave, is he alright?" Ratchet sighed changing the subject.
"He was on the floor when I woke up. I just put him in the berth, before I grabbed this little one." Arcee replied, continuing to rub the sparklings back. "Why what happened?" She asked suspiciously raising an optic ridge.
"I was trying to teach him about some medical equipment. It went south real fast." Ratchet replied to the femme's question.
"Well of course, Ratchet come on. That's a major trigger for these two, you know that!" Arcee scolded the medic for his wrongful actions.
"I know, I know. I'm stupid for even trying." Ratchet admitted he was in the wrong. "I'll put him back to bed. Go tend to Soundwave." Ratchet gestured for the femme to hand him the sparkling.
"Aren't you busy?" Arcee quirked an optic ridge, handing over the feeding sparkling.
"No I'm going to recharge, I'm done for the night. You get going" Ratchet sighed as Mirage stared up at him.
Arcee shrugged, going back to her quarters. She was hopping Soundwave would be recharging. But he only stared blankly at the wall across the room. Sighing she crawled into the berth with her mech. Pulling him closer to her frame, she held the mech close to her spark. Arcee did not argue, or comment on her partner, she closed her optics. Knowing her mech would stay up all night, she continued to cuddle him close to her spark. Laying like that for the rest of the night.
Morning came not fast enough, in Soundwave's opinion. Standing by the exit tunnel of the base, he patiently waited for the others to wake. Soundwave jumped, swinging around to face who grabbed his ped.
Mirage giggled madly, as the ped he hung onto swung around.
"We're the early risers this morning hmm?" Soundwave snorted, shaking his helm at his little brother.
Mirage giggled, hopping off the ped, running towards the base exit.
"Where are you off to?" Soundwave grabbed the tiny little doorwings, picking up the running sparkling.
"Go?" Mirage tilted his helm, as he was held in front of his brother's face.
"I don't know where you're planning on going, but I think you'd need to ask your dad first." Soundwave chuckled, placing the sparkling back on the floor.
Mirage shrugged, quickly toddling down the hallway.
"Good morning, little one." Optimus winced, as a tiny little sparkling smacked him in the face.
"Up up up up!" Mirage jumped off the Prime, waiting in the doorway.
"Alright, alright." Optimus sighed getting out of his berth. Following the sparkling into the hallway, Mirage quickly ran into the medics room.
"Mirage no!" Optimus whispered, trying to call the sparkling out of the medics room.
Mirage giggled softly, climbing onto the slumbering medic's berth.
Optimus cringed, quietly tip towing into the room.
Mirage smiled standing on the opposite side of the sleeping medic. Optimus shook his helm no, as Mirage got ready to poke the medic. Optimus reached over the recharging medic to grab the evasive sparkling.
Ratchet opened his optics to the feeling of a presence hanging over him. "Optimus, could you kindly explain, what the hell you're doing?"
"I apologize old friend. I am trying to get Mirage out of your room." Optimus explained, taking a step back.
"Well you're sparkling is on the run." Ratchet grumbled pointing at the doorway.
Optimus sheepishly smiled, briskly making his way to the main room.
"Mirage where are you?" Optimus called softly, making his way down the hallway.
"He's with me Optimus, I'll bring him out" Arcee called from her room.
"Thank you Arcee." Optimus exhaled, entering the main room. He barely noticed the mech standing at the base exit tunnel. "Good morning Soundwave. Are you going on patrol?" Optimus asked, stopping beside his nephew.
"I can go out?" Soundwave looked up at the leader standing beside him.
"Yes, as long as you're not assigned to any tasks, and you let someone know. You're more than welcome to patrol the area." Optimus warmly smiled at the young mech.
Soundwave took a step forward into the tunnel, he stopped looking over his shoulder, at the Prime for reassurance.
Optimus nodded with a smile, as the young mech hesitantly left the base.
"What are you waiting for, Agent Fowler to mow you down?" Ratchet scoffed, tiredly trudging past the Prime, to the computers.
"Good morning to you to, old friend." Optimus snorted, following the medic.
"You said good morning, when you were leaning over me this morning." Ratchet scoffed, as the Prime walked past him. "Where's Soundwave, he's usually awake before everyone else?"
"On patrol." The leader replied, handing the CMO some energon.
"He voluntarily left the base?" Ratchet scoffed in shock, as Ironhide entered the room.
"Not exactly, it took a little convincing." Optimus sighed, handing energon to the weapon specialist.
"I find that odd. What Con doesn't want to escape and spread his wings?" Ironhide thought aloud, taking the offered energon.
"Well first of all, Soundwave's not a Decepticon anymore. And second, not every bots the same." Arcee hissed, following the two rambunctious little brothers into the main room.
Mirage quickly lept onto the CMO's ped with a giggle. "I think I will focus on this little one today." Ratchet sighed, plucking the sparkling off his ped.
"Oh, meaning what?" Ironhide raised an optic ridge.
"Soundwave was kind enough to provide me with Shockwave's sparkling converter schematics. I figured with what scrap we pulled from our ship, I can get it started, and remake that relic again. I started remaking it last night, before a certain sparkling interrupted me." Ratchet rolled his optics at his to do list.
"You think it will permanently work this time?" Bumblebee asked, as his father gave him some energon.
"I'm going to make sure it does this time. No one needs to relieve the past, over and over again." Ratchet placed the relic and Mirage on one of the medical berths. Grabbing a scanner.
Mirage protested being scanned by the medic, backing up into the wall the berth sat against. "No!" Mirage cried dodging the scanners laser.
"It's just a scanner Mirage, it doesn't hurt, I promise." Ratchet tried to coax the frightened sparkling.
"Wave!" Mirage cried out, curling himself up into a ball.
"Just hold still right there." Ratchet tried to scan again, as Mirage hopped out of the way again. "For Primus sakes! Can someone help me out here?" Ratchet hissed trying to grab the evading sparkling.
Ironhide being the closest, sighed placing his energon down on the berth. "Come on killer." Ironhide cooed trying to grab Mirage.
Mirage quickly protested, threatening the giant mech with his little blades.
"Hey, watch those bloody blades buddy!" Ironhide scolded, trying to grab the red sparkling that jumped into the energon cube, splashing it all over the floor, berth, and medic.
"Mirage, that's rude, don't threaten Ironhide!" Optimus scolded, trying to stop the sparkling from leaping off the berth.
Bumblebee and Arcee both attempted to hide their laughs, as Ratchet glared at them.
"Ironhide, why'd you put that there?!" Ratchet hissed, wiping the energon off his optics.
"Sorry, I was trying to grab the hellion!" Ironhide retorted as Mirage leapt away again, landing on the rebuilt relic.
Upon impact Mirage slipped causing both him and the relic to fall of the berth, onto the energon soaked floor. The hum of the relic activating made the medic's optics go wide. As a flash of light blinded the entire room, the medic could do nothing to stop the activation.
"Scrap, scrap, scrap!" Ratchet cursed trying to navigate, as the light dampened.
"What the frag just happened?" Ironhide peered his face out from behind his arm.
"That's a really good question. Next time you try and hold me down, know that I will slice off your servos." Mirage flicked energon at the black and grey mech.
"Mirage, you're a youngling again!" Bumblebee gasped, as his big brother got up from the floor.
"Yeah, ain't that grand. Please tell I'm going to stay like this, this time." Mirage grumbled, glaring at the medic.
"I don't even know how this is possible. But If you let me scan you, I can tell you." Ratchet growled, waving his scanner.
Mirage sighed, allowing the medic to scan him. "What did you think, was supposed to happen?" Arcee asked the cranky energon covered medic.
"Well honestly, I rebuilt the relic to restore. And since Mirage was already a sparkling, I figured it would restore him to nothing. But in fact it did the complete opposite. Mirage you're fourteen Cycles again. And looks like you're going to stay that way." Ratchet explained, with a smile.
"Oh joy, another lippy youngling, once more." Ironhide grumbled, wiping the energon off of him.
"I don't know what you're complaining about Hide, you're usually blind to any of twins taunting. Mirage barely counts as a nuisance." Ratchet scoffed at the weapon specialist.
"I was joking, Primus..." Ironhide rolled his optics.
"Where are you off to, youngling?" Optimus asked, as Mirage snuck off towards the exit tunnel.
"I'm going to go out, and find a vehicle mode, so I can blend in with this stupid planet." Mirage replied to his father.
Optimus shook his helm, at his red youngling's typical moody demeanour.
"Oh, can I go with!?" Bumblebee excitedly asked.
"You may. But Mirage, you have to listen to Bumblebee, he knows the road rules." Optimus reluctantly replied.
"Got it, bye!" Mirage transformed driving off.
"Please do not show yourself to any humans!" Optimus called after the his eldest son. "Bumblebee please, make sure to call if anything happens."
"I will Optimus, don't worry." Bumblebee nodded, before transforming, peeling off after his big brother.
"You want me to follow them?" Arcee asked her nervous leader.
"No, Soundwave's out there, I'm sure he'll alert us to anything that catches his attention." Optimus replied to the femme.