"Ratchet. Soundwave, and Arcee were able to find a small amount of energon." Optimus turned to the old medic working beside him.
"Great, we need it desperately." Ratchet replied, continuing his work.
"Yes, it's a minor victory. But we should continue our searching for more." Optimus sighed, going back to scanning for suspicious activity.
"Wave, you tense?" Mirage mentioned to his brother, who was pacing around.
"No Mirage, I'm just thinking." Soundwave replied, stopping next to the little youngling.
"Well stop that, we can see the smoke sputtering out of your helm." Sunstreaker sarcastically remarked to the young mech.
Soundwave cocked his helm mockingly at the golden twin. "That's funny you can see that, over the scrap sputtering out of your mouth!"
"Oooooh, he got you good." Sideswipe teased, grinning at both his twin, and Soundwave.
"What were you thinking about Soundwave?" Jazz quickly asked, changing the subject. While Sunstreaker decided on which bot to beat first.
"There's a Decepticon mining operation, not far from here." Soundwave mentioned gaining the small teams attention.
"No, I don't think so! No way Soundwave!" Arcee snapped, waving her servos, and shaking her helm.
"Arcee we're in desperate need of energon. Adding a small Decepticon mine on top of our findings would bring our stocks up. We've got a large team, we need it." Soundwave attempted to reassure the upset femme.
"Soundwave's not wrong Arcee, Optimus wouldn't discourage us from gaining more energon from the Decepticons." Jazz agreed with the young mech, fueling the femme's irritation.
"I'm not going to get captured again. We need the supplies, and it's a small operation, not a major one, Megatron's watching over." Soundwave placed a reassuring servo on his sparkmate's shoulder.
"I don't know, I'm with Arcee. How do we know you're not just faking being back on our side, and trying to lure us into a trap?" Sunstreaker suspiciously questioned the violet mech.
"I'm on your side Sunstreaker, I don't know what makes your tiny processor question that." Soundwave groaned, pissing off the golden twin.
"Well Shockwave did such a great job of fooling us with your stupid mother, I wouldn't be surprised if he did the same with you." Sunstreaker scoffed, glaring at the faceless mech.
"I'm not a Decepticon. You can happily put me out of my fragging misery, if I do such a thing..." Soundwave sighed, getting tired of being labeled as an evil mech. "Look, I'll even invite Optimus to join us there."
"How does that prove anything? You could be luring Optimus into Megatron's trap." The golden mech shook his helm in disagreement.
"Really Sunny, are we going to start this scrap again?" Sideswipe complained elbowing his twin brother. "Soundwave's innocent, you know that."
"You're being an aft, because Fowler brought up the fact Soundwave isn't to be trusted." Arcee hissed at Sunstreaker.
"The man proves a good point though. How do we know that all his Decepticon tendencies were deleted?" Sunstreaker argued back at the femme.
Soundwave took a deep breath, walking over to the golden mech. "Look I don't take offence to this, we've been through a lot. Being tricked by the Cons, me being captured, and converted back to my Decepticon formalities. I understand your suspicions about my actions, and information. You're correct, I have not deleted my Decepticon history, I'm not a Decepticon anymore, I never willingly was." Soundwave watched as the golden mech glared at him with skepticism. "If I had deleted all of what happened on the warship, I wouldn't have been able to give Optimus the recent Decepticon data."
"As enthralling as your words are, if you're such an Autobot, why don't you overtake that energon mine by yourself." Sunstreaker challenged the young mech.
"Sunstreaker don't be ridiculous, That's not how Autobots prove anything. Soundwave's not going to single handily, overtake a Decepticon energon mine." Jazz scoffed, with Arcee nodding in agreement with him.
"Why not, you've single handily taken over Autobot operations on Cybertron, haven't you Soundwave? You're a so called super soldier, why don't you put your Decepticon abilities, to Autobot use?" Sunstreaker continued to challenge, getting face to face with the young mech.
Soundwave said no words, simply conjuring up a bridge. Swiftly pivoting, turning his back on the golden twin, Soundwave walked through his created bridge. Shutting it, as soon as he stepped in, so Arcee could not follow him.
"Where's he going?" Sideswipe thought aloud, stepping away from the energon he was mining.
"Probably running back to his daddy." Sunstreaker snorted, tipping Arcee off the edge.
"You know what Sunstreaker, thanks to you, Soundwave's putting himself in danger!" Arcee hissed, slamming the ignorant mech against the canyon wall. "If we wanted Air Raid on our team, we would've brought him to Earth!"
"Soundwave's not in danger, he's going back to the side he belongs to." Sunstreaker argued attempting to wriggle out of the enraged femme's grasp. "I'm not being Air Raid. Plus he hated Mirage, not Soundwave!"
"Soundwave doesn't belong with the Decepticons, he was forced! Both Soundwave and Mirage, received a threat from the Cons after he returned to our base last night. They're being hunted down, with a death threat!" Arcee growled, releasing the golden mech.
"Uh, where is Mirage?" Jazz thought aloud, noticing the red youngling was no where in sight.
Soundwave gave a small sigh, pushing his rage and frustration aside. "Mirage, I know you're here."
Mirage sheepishly laughed, deactivating his cloaking. Walking next to his brother.
"Like I said, this is a small operation. We should be able to easily take over this mine. Just remember, flammable, explosives." Soundwave whispered, knowing his stubborn brother wasn't going to leave.
"I know!" Mirage hissed through a whisper.
"Alright no elaborate plans, just don't blow up our energon. I'm already jamming their comlinks, and the communications outpost. You want to do the honours?"
Mirage nodded with a smirk, reactivating his cloaking. He snuck off, blades at the ready as he snuck up on the unsuspecting Eradicon soldiers.
Soundwave watched as Mirage sliced off multiple Eradicon arms. Following his brother shortly after, calmly making his way through the attacking soldiers. Using his tentacles, Soundwave swatted away the charging mechs with ease, before destroying the communication console.
Mirage smirked, playfully kicking the last Eradicon at his brother, who turned slamming the poor soldier onto the ground, so hard, Soundwave's servo went through the soldier's spark chamber.
Soundwave mentally cringed at what he had done. Pulling his servo out of the lifeless spark chamber, he knew he was powerful, but he did his best to restrain from killing like that. Soundwave was truly tired of the violence.
"Why they not defend the entrance?" Mirage queried, walking over to his big brother.
"I'm going to transfer the data on how to form proper sentences, to you." Soundwave sighed, stepping over the Eradicon.
"Wave..." Mirage groaned following the glowing mech.
"Starscream is in charge of the sending out soldiers, on patrol, and guard duty. He figures the smallest operations are the most worthless, and not worth sending extra security." Soundwave shrugged scanning the walls of the cavern, using an X-ray filter on his visor. Seeing plentiful amounts of untouched energon.
"Dumb." Mirage scoffed, getting a laugh out of his older brother.
"I agree. Now speaking of dumb, I guess I should send Sunstreaker a bridge, so they can mine all this energon." Soundwave retorted creating a bridge.
"Bloody hell, what's with the bridge we didn't call for one." Ironhide gasped backing away from the suddenly appearing bridge.
"Power down your canons Ironhide, it's just Soundwave coming back to prove a point to a moron!" Arcee hissed, glaring at the golden mech.
"Soundwave returning doesn't prove anything." Sunstreaker scoffed folding his arms, as the mutant brothers came through the bridge.
Soundwave simply gestured for the golden twin to walk through the bridge. Sunstreaker rolled his optics, walking through the bridge with Ironhide, and Arcee.
"A Decepticon mine, overtaken? Excellent job boys, Jazz, Sideswipe, get your afts over here, and help mine this energon." Ironhide praised Soundwave and Mirage for their efforts. "Soundwave do you mind helping move the mined energon, at your first find?"
"Not at all, I'd be happy to." Soundwave nodded at the gruff mech, as the others came through the open ground bridge.
"You're going to leave us here to mine this by ourselves?" Sideswipe whined as Arcee, Ironhide and Mirage, made their way to the bridge.
"Yeah it could still be a con trap." Sunstreaker scoffed, making his brother roll his optics.
"Twins, seriously?" Arcee raised an optic ridge at the complainers.
"Sideswipe stop your whining, Sunstreaker shut the hell up. And lose the grudge against Soundwave's background!" Ironhide scolded his adopted sons. "I'll be back here to help, when we finish moving the other energon. Now get working!" The weapon specialist hissed, following Soundwave and the others through the bridge.
Arcee couldn't help but secretly enjoy Ironhide's scolding words towards Sunstreaker. "It's about time someone else said it."
"Says what Arcee?" Ironhide questioned the femme, as he gathered the raw energon in a pile.
"Telling Sunstreaker to chill with tearing into Soundwave." Arcee replied helping the large mech.
"He's been on edge since Soundwave's forced betrayal on us..." Ironhide replied with a sigh.
"I completely understand that, I am not offended by that. You all have every right to have suspicions about me, after the last events. All I want, is to be as far away from being forced to be a Decepticon." Soundwave mentioned the black mech.
"You're kind to except our rude behaviours. But I do blame myself, in the peak of your Decepticon status on Cybertron. I filled the twins helms with stories, and rumours of how terrible you were, and how you'd never be excepted as an Autobot." Ironhide explained to the young mech.
"I still don't see the issue with that?" Soundwave shrugged, at the guilty feeling weapon specialist. Soundwave knew he was a terrible mech, that did horrible things when he was a Decepticon. Ironhide had every right to warn the twins about him.
"You're being modest Soundwave. It was wrong of me to say that about you." Ironhide scoffed at the unbothered young mech.
"But I was a Decepticon, I was all that you say. Except I did become an Autobot." The faceless mech simply replied to the slightly annoyed large mech.
Ironhide smiled, shaking his helm with a sigh. "Look, I'll try to keep Sunstreaker in check, just don't start any brawls. That's all we need is another reason for Sunshine to dislike you, just because you kick his ass."
"Sure Ironhide." Soundwave nodded, as Arcee and Mirage placed the rest of the mined energon on the pile.
"Alright, I'll transform, just load the energon up." Ironhide said before Soundwave shook his helm, waving his servos.
"I wanted to try something..." Soundwave said, stopping the mech.
Arcee watched as her mech's visor lit up, showing a virtual version of the pile of energon, and coordinates for a ground bridge under the pile.
"We need more energon..." Optimus sighed looking at the small amount of energon in their storage. "Ratchet, although Soundwave found a small amount of energon, I think we all need to search a little harder, I may send you and Ironhide on more energon scouting patrols." The Prime said, turning around to face the medic in the med bay.
"Whatever it takes Optimus, I understand." Ratchet nodded in agreement with his leader.
"We may need to start..." before Optimus could finish his sentence, a ground bridge appeared above him, he raised an optic ridge, confused.
Ratchet was just as confused, his optics widened as a shower of raw energon rained on the Prime.
Bumblebee, who was on the couch watching a cartoon, burst out into laughter seeing his father burried in a pile of energon. "Careful what you wish for!"
"Bumblebee! That's... it's not... that's not funny..." Ratchet scolded with a laugh as the bridge shut, and another one opened not far from the base enterance. "Sorry for laughing Optimus. Finding new ways of transporting energon, Soundwave?" Ratchet smirked looking over his shoulder to see Ironhide, Soundwave, Arcee, and Mirage entering the base.
"Yeah I figured it would save time..." Soundwave unconsciously replied walking towards the medic, who was helping the move the raw energon away from the Prime. Soundwave drew his helm back in a cringe worthy manner. Realizing he had dropped the load of raw energon on Optimus. "Guess I should've gave a heads up about that..." the young mech mentioned sheepishly to his mentor.
"It was so funny!" Bumblebee laughed from the couch.
"It still is." Arcee chuckled watching the medic free their leader.
Optimus shook his helm, with a small optic roll. Stepping out of the pile of energon, towards his apprentice.
Soundwave coward slightly as Optimus stopped in front of him. He was expecting some sort of consequence for his unannounced actions.
Arcee watched her mech curiously, as Soundwave tensed up, the moment the red and blue mech stepped towards him.
"Yes Soundwave, a little warning would definitely be appreciated next time." The Prime smiled, about to place a friendly servo on the young mech's shoulder.
Soundwave was already in a different state of mind, instinctively he tensed up, waiting to be struck down for his stupidity. He jolted as the large servo gently cuffed his shoulder, looking over at the servo in surprise.
"It's alright Soundwave." Optimus reassured the violet mech, who was trembling inside. "You certainly did find a new means of transporting energon quicker." Optimus chuckled, giving a reassuring squeeze to the young mech's shoulder.
The faceless mech cleared his thoughts. Looking up at the towering mech in front of him. "Optimus, Mirage and I also ceased a small Decepticon mining operation, while the others mined this energon. Jazz and the twins are mining the Decepticon mine now."
"You infiltrated a Decepticon energon mine by yourselves?" Optimus wasn't upset, but still carried a concerned tone in his question.
Mirage nodded standing next to his glowing brother.
"We were able to take over the operations with no troubles. No back up was called, nor was Megatron alerted to our attack." Soundwave explained to the listening Prime. "I'm sorry I did not inform you of our raid."
"That's because Sunstreaker was being an aft, telling you to raid a Decepticon mine by yourself. Because he thought you were setting up a Decepticon trap." Arcee snorted, gaining the Prime's attention.
"Speaking of the twins. I better help them mine that energon." Ironhide scoffed walking towards the base exit.
"Can I go with?" Bumblebee asked, hopping off the couch, to follow the weapon specialist.
"Sure, we're doing grunt work again." Ironhide shrugged waving for the scout to follow him.
Soundwave sent Ratchet the mine coordinates so he could open the bridge for Bumblebee and Ironhide.
"Usually I would be opposed to going after Decepticon guarded mines, as it risks us spilling our own energon, rather than gaining energon supply." Optimus began, watching his youngling scout leave with Ironhide. "With our supplies so low. I was telling Ratchet, we should start looking into small Decepticon mines."
"Sir, I have the locations of quite a few Decepticon mines." Soundwave mentioned to the Prime.
"We only have a short window of time, before the Decepticons find out we've raided their mine." Optimus thought aloud. "I believe if we take over one more mine, we'll have enough to supply us for a few months. Giving us time to find our own energon mines that are Unoccupied by Decepticons."
"Okay, well lets hit the mine now while the Cons are still unaware." Arcee suggested to the team.
Soundwave pulled up a set of coordinates on his visor, Optimus leaned down inspecting the coordinates it was a good distance in the desert. No humans would be at risk.
"What is our plan for taking over this mine?" Optimus Prime stood up straight, staring at the young mech, waiting for an answer.
Soundwave stood silently, waiting for Ratchet or Optimus to suggest a plan. Clueless to the fact the Prime directed his question towards him.
Arcee elbowed her quiet mech, gaining his attention. "I think Optimus asked you a question."
"What, to come up with a plan?" Soundwave snorted, turning his helm towards the femme.
"Yeah Soundwave." Arcee smirked, gesturing back to the Prime.
"You want me to give an infiltration plan?" Soundwave asked his mentor, his tone full of curious doubt.
"I want you to lead us on this mission, yes." Optimus Prime replied with little to no emotion.
Soundwave nervously looked around at the remaining team in the base. "Okay...Umm..."
Mirage reassuringly smiled up at his brother, eagerly waiting to start the mission.
Seeing his little brother's smile, eased his nervousness, giving him a clear moment of thought. "I'm going to go off of what Mirage and I managed in the last mine."
Optimus nodded, waiting for the young mech to explain his plan.
"This is a slightly larger mining operation, a little more security. But not to the point where the Decepticon warship is hovering over it. I need to get in undetected first, so I can scramble, and block any communication systems. Before they can announce our attacks, and call for back up." Soundwave began to explain to the small team. "Mirage and I will infiltrate the mine from the extraction point, the top of the mine where the warship would pickup the energon. Mirage will be able to stealthily clear a path for me. So I disrupt communications. Arcee, and Optimus, you attack the guards at the mine entrance, then find your way in from there. Even if the entrance guards call the miners, to inform their team of our presence, it will fail."
Optimus smiled with a nod. "Let's put this plan into action."
"I'll inform the others, once they get back from the first mine." Ratchet mentioned as Soundwave created a bridge for them.
"Alright give us 5 minutes, then go in for the kill." Standing on a nearby cliffside, Soundwave transformed flying to the top of the mountain the mine sat in. Once on top he opened a bridge for his little brother to come through.
Mirage eagerly leapt down into the cave. Activating his cloaking, he began to silently take out clueless Eradicon soldiers, while Soundwave followed cautiously.
Soundwave was already sending out a frequency to block all Decepticon communication grids and comlinks. Looking down at the cavern below, there were quite a few Eradicons, mining and guarding. "I'm already blocking any sort of communication. We can go in after them, but I worry about their bad aim hitting the energon."
"As long... if it doesn't... no chain reaction, no problem." Mirage shrugged, trying to put the right sentence together.
"A chain reaction isn't something you can predict. It's an energon mine there's bound to be a chain reaction." Soundwave scoffed, shaking his helm.
"New mine, not a lot of energon." Mirage continued to downplay his brother's concerns.
"Fine, let's go." The violet mech groaned not wanting to argue with his little brother. Soundwave leapt down first, landing in the midst of all the Decepticons.
The soldiers all stared curiously at him for a moment. Soundwave cocked his helm, wondering if the record of his second betrayal had gotten to the mines yet. He supposed he got his answer as Mirage landed next to him shortly after. Causing the soldiers to open fire on them both
Mirage eagerly leapt into battle, taking down numerous firing Eradicons.
Soundwave shielded himself with his arms, releasing his tentacles to fend off the charging Cons. "Take out that control panel!" Soundwave shouted at his battling brother.
Mirage kicked a con out of his way, turning his helm to the left, locking sights on the control panel Soundwave was talking about.
Engine's could be heard roaring down the tunnel, as a few more Eradicon soldiers sped towards the battle against Soundwave. "Soundwave brought Prime! He's a traitor, we have orders from Megatron, to kill Soundwave on sight!" The soldiers shouted as they began to surround the violet young mech.
Mirage transformed drifting around a couple of Eradicons, while running over the two Cons at the console, attempting to contact the warship. Transforming Mirage wasn't sure on where to start he didn't have any explosive weaponry to destroy the panel.
"Step away from the console sparkling!" One of the two Eradicons challenged, charging his blaster aimed at Mirage.
Mirage grinned, leaning against the console in a taunting manner. "Make me." he smirked folding his arms.
Mirage quickly leapt out of the way as the Eradicon's fired at him, exploding the panel in the process.
"Scrap!" The soldiers cursed staring at the smoking deactivated console.
"Where'd he go?!" The other soldier panicked, noticing the red youngling was out gone.
Mirage reappeared behind the two, using each of his swords to offline the mechs. Mirage turned towards the attack that was aimed at his brother. Seeing Soundwave struggling as the Eradicons continued to surround and attack him.
Soundwave took his tentacles on each side of his frame. Using them to push away the attacking Eradicons. It only benefited him for a moment, as the Eradicons that he pushed behind him began to attempt to tackle him.
Arcee sped into the cavern seeing her mech under attack. She charged towards the attack, transforming, Arcee leapt off the ground with force, over Soundwave. Tackling the attacking cons off of the violet mech.
Soundwave stood up destroying the Decepticons attacking him from the left side.
Optimus also sped into the cavern, transforming, he punched a row of Decepticon soldiers away from Soundwave.
Mirage drove around the cave, making sure no one escaped the mine. Taking out the Eradicon stragglers attempting to escape.
Soundwave drew his sword, slicing two cons in half, while stabbing another through their spark chamber. He watched as Arcee drove around The cavern, helping Mirage with the stragglers.
Optimus put with drew his sword and blaster, turning to the young mech. "Are you alright Soundwave?"
"Of course." Soundwave replied with a nervous laugh. He didn't want to admit that he was mentally unsettled, by the fact the Decepticon soldiers are making a great effort to destroy him. "I guess I miss calculated how many guards would be here. Sorry sir." The bioluminescent mech apologized to his mentor.
"Don't apologize Soundwave. The guards at the entrance were talking about your latest betrayal, the extra fire power seemed to be expected." Optimus reassured his young apprentice.
"Megatron has given the order to destroy you on sight. He threatened any who come in contact with you, better bring your head, or battered frame to him. Or perish for failure to do so." Arcee sadly mentioned, walking over to the glowing mech.
Soundwave looked away from the Prime and femme. Mulling over what they had said to him. He was shook by those threats but not surprised. "I guess Shockwave's threats are empty ones." Soundwave snorted, as Mirage approached him.
"That may be. But that still doesn't excuse the fact you're in danger." Optimus replied to the young mech.
"I've always been in danger, I don't think that's going to change." Soundwave chuckled in response to the Prime's words. Patting his worried little brother on the helm.
"Maybe you should stay in the base for a while, let Megatron cool down." Arcee suggested, fearing for her mech's safety.
"I'm in danger no matter where I go." Soundwave scoffed. "Same goes for Mirage. Megatron has already been looking to strike him down. And especially will be now, knowing that Mirage and I work against them in unison."
"What are you talking about Soundwave? No one's going to hurt you at the base." Arcee replied confused with the young mech.
Mirage stared up at his big brother, with saddened optics, he knew his brother speaking about the verbal threats they received from sceptical teammates.
"We're mutants, as everyone else would put it. Anything different is terrifying, and should be eradicated according to most bots." Soundwave scoffed, staring down at his little brother.
Arcee sadly sighed, figuring Soundwave was referencing about Sunstreaker. "It's not right, you two shouldn't feel like that."
"No it's not, and I will yet again be having words with Sunstreaker. If Ironhide and Ratchet haven't already." Optimus thought aloud, looking around at fresh energon mine they captured.
Soundwave could feel Mirage's worried spark, clashing with his equally terrified spark. He sighed turning to his sparkmate. "Can I talk to you?" He couldn't bare to stand there any longer, sickening his little brother with worry, and fear.
"Of course Soundwave." Arcee nodded stepping closer to her mech.
"Uh, with your permission sir, is it alright if we leave?" Soundwave respectfully asked his mentor for permission to leave the mine.
"Granted, Mirage and I will stay here and guard until the others are ready." Optimus Prime granted the violet mech permission to leave the cave.
"We'll stick around on the outside of the mine, to insure there's no Cons coming to check on their mining operation ." Soundwave assured the Prime, as he led Arcee out of the mine.
Soundwave led his sparkmate to the top of the mountain that the mine sat in. Walking just a little bit ahead of Arcee, he slowed his stride so his femme could walk with him.
Arcee wasn't totally impressed to go on a hike up the mountain after a battle. But she supposed Soundwave was trying to be polite, instead of flying off to the top without her. "You know, I wouldn't have been offended if you flew to the top, and bridged me up after." Arcee mentioned, stopping next to her waiting mech.
"We can stop here, I just want to talk. I didn't mean to take you trekking to the summit." Soundwave playfully replied to the femme's comment.
Arcee smiled with a laugh. "Ha, is this the first time you decided to pull us away from the team, so we can speak?" Sitting herself down on a rock overhang.
"No, I'm pretty positive it's not." Soundwave scoffed at his sarcastic sparkmate.
"I'm teasing you Soundwave. What did you want to talk to me about?" Arcee continued to keep a lighthearted conversation with her mech.
"I know you were... sorry... I just..." Soundwave stopped speaking seeing a ground bridge appearing below them, revealing the twins and Ironhide.
"Is everything alright with you Soundwave? You just haven't been yourself since you got back." Arcee asked following her mech's gaze. "I know Sunstreaker has been giving you a hard time. And I'm not saying you acting a little differently is a bad thing. I'm just wondering what's going through that processor of yours?" The femme took a deep breath, turning back to her focused mech.
"I guess I'm just a little anxious about what's going on..." Soundwave unwillingly replied, turning his gaze off to the side.
"You seemed pretty tense when I mentioned Megatron's orders." the femme mentioned, making Soundwave's stomach churn.
"I don't know what's with me, I've developed so many new functions, it's beginning to be overwhelming." The faceless mech said with an awkward edge in his tone.
"Those functions you're speaking of, are your emotions developing. It's alright to be afraid Soundwave, you're not made of stone." Arcee told the violet mech, gesturing for him to sit next to her.
Soundwave carefully sat next to his sparkmate. "Emotions... I liked it a whole lot better, when I had them repressed. And everyone thought I was an emotionless mech."
Arcee gave a warm smile to her mech. "I disagree with that."
The violet mech stayed silent for a moment, staring off in the distance. "What made you fall in love with me?"
Arcee was caught off guard by the question. But wasn't afraid to answer her sparkmate's query. "Soundwave, I'm going to be honest with you, I feared you. I only knew you through the horrible rumours, and running into you on the battlefield, narrowly escaping with my life every time we met. Although seeing Mirage's determination to reunite with you, despite what you had done to him. I knew there was something good about you. When you finally made that jump to join our side, I was just as shocked as everyone else. But I was also incredibly skeptical, and wary of you, especially since you were Megatron's best soldier." The femme knew she was making her mech uncomfortable, but knew he appreciated her honesty. "But after spending some time with you, I saw a deeply beaten down young mech, that was unsure of what to do with himself. You were different, just like your little brother. What made me fall in love with you was that, and the fact you were naturally kind and caring, with inept social skills. Just the mere presence of your pure, innocent, spark, made me attracted to. And I want you to know whatever doubts I mentioned does not change how I feel for you now." The cobalt blue femme smiled, grabbing hold of the violet mech's servo.
Soundwave kept his gaze on the horizon In front of them, watching the dark storm clouds roll in. Raising Arcee's anxiety with each second he stayed silent. "Your honesty speaks volumes on levels I still don't fully understand. I don't know what to say really except, thank you." The young mech really didn't feel as if that was a good reply, giving Arcee's servo a gentle squeeze. "What I mean by that is. Thank you for giving me a chance, thank you for supporting me, for unlocking my ability to feel. You were not wrong, I was emotionless, a mindless drone bending to his masters will. There was no time, or place for me to retain what emotions I had, before my training."
Arcee chuckled softly at her mech, placing a kind servo on the violet chestplate. "You're welcome. I will definitely thank you for keeping me sane, if I hadn't have met you, I might've turned into my sister Chromia. She's a particularly bitter femme, but hey, Ironhide finds that attractive for some reason."
Soundwave snorted with a chuckle. "No wonder Ratchet and Ironhide get along."
"Ha, that's a good point." Arcee rolled her optics, resting her helm on her mech's shoulder. "Now what did you really want to talk about?"
Soundwave glared over at the cobalt blue femme. She seemed to know him, better then himself.
Arcee barely looked up at the black visor, although Soundwave no longer had a face, she could only imagine he was mentally raising an optic ridge at her. "You've been having many moments of deep thoughts all day long. What's the matter, what did Megatron really do to you?"
Soundwave silently thought for a moment. The only thing Megatron really did to him, was put arduous thoughts in his mind. "I honestly think we can end thi..."
"Soundwave! We could use your assistance please!" Optimus called Soundwave from down below, near the mine entrance.
Soundwave was secretly relieved that the Prime had called him. He felt the conversation he was about to have, was not the one to have with Arcee.
Arcee sighed, lifting her helm off the violet chest. "We can talk later."
"Sure." Soundwave replied standing up, he turned offering a helping servo to his femme.
"Alright mister enthusiasm, why don't you save us the trouble of fighting this terrain." Arcee sarcastically scoffed, using her mech's servo to pull herself up to her peds.
"Of course." Soundwave laughed, creating a ground bridge for them.
"Yes sir?" Soundwave finally replied, walking up to his mentor.
"Ratchet is doing maintenance on the ground bridge. It was malfunctioning on the last load of energon." Optimus explained, leading the young couple into the mine.
"You going to pull your energon transfer trick again?" Arcee jokingly asked the glowing mech.
"As long as Optimus is here, I may as well." Soundwave chuckled, turning his visor towards the red and blue mech.
"As much as I was surprised to get get hit by a pile of mined energon. It was a very efficient way of transporting it." Optimus smiled, agreeing with to allow Soundwave to create a bridge under the mined energon.
Soundwave created the bridge, the energon pile was quite large, the twins and Ironhide were making quick work of the energon mine. Soundwave winced as the annoyed voice of the ancient medic screeched in his processor.
"Primus Soundwave! Give me a little warning next time, scared the living hell outta me!" Ratchet hissed over Soundwave's comlink.
Ironhide and Sideswipe both laughed overhearing the medic's tantrum. Soundwave secretly watched as Sunstreaker didn't join the laughter, giving Soundwave a quick glance, before turning his attention back to mining. Soundwave figured Optimus, and Ironhide must've spoke to him about his earlier comments.
Mirage groaned, transforming as he reentered the cavern. "No cons in area."
"Thank you for sweeping the area Mirage." Optimus replied to his youngest's reporting in.
Soundwave mentally smiled, Mirage was starting to figure out how to piece together the vocabulary downloads he had gotten from Soundwave.
"We're probably going to be a while longer. Why don't you return to base with Mirage?" Optimus suggested, turning to the cobalt blue femme.
"Sure Optimus, come'on Mirage let's take a drive." Arcee agreed to return the bored youngling back to base. Both Arcee and Mirage transformed driving out of the mining cave.
Both Optimus Prime and Soundwave stared blankly at the mining mechs in front of them. A small moment of silence went by before Optimus broke the silence. "How are you feeling youngling?"
Soundwave was slightly shocked by the question, considering nothing in particular, had really happened to trigger such a query. "Fine sir, why do you ask?"
"You've seemed to be in really deep thought lately. You also took quite a bit of skepticism today." Optimus answered the young mech's questioning.
"Nothing out of character for me, if you think about it sir." Soundwave kept a friendly tone, trying to hide his obvious concerns.
"I suppose you're correct in a way, yes. But you seem to be clouded by thoughts that take you away from the reality around you." Optimus continued to point out, what Soundwave thought he was hiding well from the Prime.
"You have a point sir. I will gladly speak with you later about this, just not right now." The violet mech sighed, not wanting to argue with his mentor.
Optimus respectfully nodded in reply, as Soundwave walked over to help the three working mech's.
"Optimus, a patrol of Cons Is heading your way. Mirage couldn't help but shoot at them, he distracted half of the patrol. But no guarantee the team of Cons heading your way aren't calling Megatron already." Arcee announced over the comlink.
Soundwave was able to pick up Arcee's distress signal and broadcast it for the rest of the team to hear.
"We're just about finished, all that's left to mine is the scraps." Ironhide replied before the Prime could.
"Soundwave can you bridge that pile, we don't need the scraps. We have more than enough." Optimus ordered his Autobots, as he heard engines roaring down the cave tunnel.
Soundwave quickly did as he was commanded teleporting the rest of the energon. While the twins and Ironhide prepared for battle.
"Soundwave if you can fly through that opening, go and assist your brother and Arcee!" Optimus gestured to the large opening at the top of the cavern, as gunfire was exchanged between them and the Decepticon soldiers.
Soundwave nodded, transforming, he flew straight out of the mountain, it was now raining and stormy. The wind made it difficult to fly, but he pressed on, reaching his little brother's location. On his approach he could see Arcee and Mirage in a heated battle with a few Eradicon soldiers. His radar alerting to five bogeys in the sky just ahead of him. "Arcee there's five seekers on route to your position, can you two handle the cons on the ground?"
Arcee struck an Eradicon down with manic force. Looking up at the stormy black sky, barely able to see the violet Reaper. "We're holding up here. I think you were right though, the Cons are fighting pretty hard to take Mirage down. But they're not really standing a chance." Arcee replied as she kicked another mech down.
"I was afraid of that. Anyway I'll deal with the seekers, once your clear of the Cons on the ground, get Mirage out of here." Soundwave told his sparkmate over his comlink.
"Ugh, fine, just call for help if you're in trouble." Arcee reluctantly agreed to evacuate Mirage once they got clear.
Mirage easily destroyed multiple Eradicon soldiers. Many Eradicons were second guessing their mission task to destroy the indestructible youngling.
Soundwave used his dark colour scheme to his advantage, the silver seekers blind to his existence. Slowing his acceleration down, he banked left, firing at the first three seekers. Two seekers dropped from the sky in a fiery demise.
Mirage kicked a soldier away from him, the soldier picking himself off the ground, ended up getting struck by lightening bolt, finishing him off. "Alright Earth weather is deadly..." Mirage noted as Arcee batted an Eradicon his way.
"It certainly is, especially when you're metal!" Arcee hissed using her sword the cut a soldiers helm off.
Soundwave flew back up into the storm clouds, with three Seekers pursuing him. He destroyed two mechs giving them a fiery landing. As the last remaining Decepticon seeker chased his, hot on his afterburners. Soundwave looped the seeker, ending up directly behind the silver alien jet, easily shooting him down. On the last shot, Soundwave was suddenly struck by a multitude of lightning bolts. Sending the violet Reaper plummeting to the ground, Soundwave transformed hoping he could try and save himself as he lost consciousness. Everything went black as he impacted the ground hard.
"Orion, can I ask a favour?" Xanthia asked, stopping in front of the Iacon Hall Of Records, next to the red and blue mech.
"Of course Xanthia." Orion replied, playfully scooping up the giggling violet sparkling off the walkway.
"Can you watch Soundwave, while I quickly meet up with Moonracer. She needs some assistance." Xanthia asked with a hopeful grin.
"Xanthia you know I have to go in the archives, Alpha Trion..."
"I'll end up back here in Iacon, I can pick him up here at archives. Please your job is a lot safer than what Moonracer and I are doing." Xanthia begged for the librarian to watch her child.
Orion sighed staring down into the violet sparkling's cyan and red mixed coloured optics. "Fine, just don't take too long please. I am not sure if Alpha Trion will appreciate me bringing a sparkling to work with me." Orion reluctantly agreed to take the sparkling with him.
"Thank you, I'll try to be quick!" Xanthia thanked the red and blue mech with a peck on the faceplate. "Be good for Orion, Soundwave. I'll be back soon!" The bioluminescent femme told her sparkling, as she transformed.
Soundwave watched in confusion as his mother flew off leaving him behind. "Mommy go?"
"Just for a little while. Alright little one, let's go before Alpha Trion has our helms for being late." Orion sighed with a smile, as they entered the Iacon Hall Of Records.
"You're late Orion, that's not like you." Alpha Trion greeted his young apprentice. "What caused your delay..."
Soundwave gurgled, giving the ancient mech a bright smile. His piercing red and cyan blue optics staring into the tired royal blue optics of Alpha Trion.
"Primus, you bestow two of them at the same time. Each for different eras in our future. You are certainly full of surprises Primus." the burgundy red mech gasped, seeing the violet sparkling in the future Prime's arm.
"Sir?" Orion tilted his helm in confusion at his mentor's awestruck behaviour.
"Do you know what you're holding Orion?" Alpha Trion replied with a question.
"A sparkling sir?" Orion shrugged innocently at his mentor.
"Not just a sparkling Orion, that's the son of Primus himself." Alpha Trion corrected the confused red and blue mech.
"It's the son of Megatronus and Xanthia. I am just monitoring the sparkling while Xanthia assists a friend." Orion corrected his mentor naively.
"That may be, but this sparkling is the key to our successful survival." Alpha Trion smiled at Orion's naivety. He knew the curious sparkling that sat in the future Prime's arms, was the very creation of Primus and Unicron. Fragments of creation and destruction, merged together in one tiny frame.
Alpha Trion was almost baffled by Primus's odd creation. He knew this sparkling had an even bigger future to fulfill, than Orion Pax did. Remembering Vector Sigma mentioning two creations that would appear during the beginning of warfare, and during conflicting times. The other being the creation of Primus, with the fighting spirit of Unicron. "Xanthia is that nice femme you've been good friends with?"
"Yes sir, she is." Orion replied with a modest smile.
Alpha Trion smirked with a nod. As Soundwave babbled playfully at him.
"Hi!" Soundwave chirped, reaching up at the burgundy red mech.
"Hello, and what's your name little one?" Alpha Trion cooed, as Orion handed the cheery sparkling to him.
"I Soundwave!" the violet sparkling twittered at the ancient mech.
"Nice to meet you Soundwave, I am..."
"You Afa Trion, you teach Orion." Soundwave finished Alpha Trion's introduction for him.
"I see Orion keeps you up to date with information." Alpha Trion chuckled walking with Orion towards the archives. "Orion, I would like you to continue your studies on The Thirteen. It is pertinent that you continue it's study, as our time is running short." The burgundy mech said, handing the sparkling back over to the red and blue mech.
"Yes sir, I will continue my studies." Orion nodded, placing the sparkling on the floor next to him.
Alpha Trion nodded in acknowledgment, walking away from the sparkling and Orion.
Soundwave cocked his helm curiously at the all the monitors and data flashing in front of him. All the lights and Cybertronian text, very intriguing to his little processor. "Pr... i... pri..."
Alpha Trion returned with data pads, moments later. Exchanging them behind the red and blue mech, and sparkling, with more data pads.
Orion tried his best to focus on reading the monitor, as the sparkling babbled, his optics looking back and forth between Soundwave, and the monitor.
"Pri...pr... im..." Soundwave continued to try and read the monitor.
Orion softly chuckled, realizing Soundwave was trying to pronounce the word Prime. "Prime Soundwave, that says Prime. Good reading little one." Orion praised the sparkling for attempting to read.
"Prime?" Soundwave questioned, raising an optic ridge at his father figure.
"Yes, I am reading about the thirteen Primes." Orion replied turning his gaze back to the monitor, as Alpha Trion walked by them.
Soundwave tilted his helm thoughtfully, before toddling after the ancient mech. "Afa Trion Prime?"
"You're a clever one aren't you?" Alpha Trion turned to see the violet sparkling following behind him.
"Orion, Prime?" Soundwave continued to follow the ancient mech down the hallway.
"Not yet sparkling, but the time will arise sooner, rather than later." Alpha Trion sighed, placing the data pads on a console.
"When?" The sparkling asked, climbing up on a small crate next to the burgundy mech.
"The more Megatronus pushes his unreasonable demands, the hotter the ignition of war burns. I am pushing the Council to pronounce Orion as a Prime."
"Why pushing?" The sparkling continued to question the ancient Prime.
"The coming war, will need a carrier for the Matrix Of Leadership, a bold leader to fight for peace, and freedom." Alpha Trion sadly explained to the curious little sparkling.
"Why war? Fight bad, no bot fight, we live happy..." Soundwave continued to question and chat with the old mech.
Alpha Trion smiled, exhaling deeply, turning his helm towards the chatty sparkling. "You're certainly a chatty little sparkling."
Over the next few hours, Soundwave continued to follow the ancient Prime. Helping the burgundy mech encrypt scriptures. Alpha Trion was surprised that the violet sparkling was tirelessly chatting, and questioning subjects that no sparkling would ever know about, let alone talk about.
"Afa Trion, I be Prime?"
Alpha Trion smiled as Soundwave climbed back up on the crate next to him. "I don't think I will live long enough, to see you as a Prime. But you were certainly born with a purpose sparkling. I have no doubts, that you will change Cybertronians, and lead them into another golden age."
"Soundwave!" Orion called, jogging over to his mentor. "I'm sorry sir, I got carried away, and lost track of Soundwave. I didn't notice Soundwave had followed you." the red and blue mech apologized, promptly picking the violet sparkling up off the crate.
"That's quite alright Orion, I enjoyed this extraordinary sparkling. Your next sparkling will be a spitfire spirit, compared to this intellectual little one." Alpha Trion replied, guiding the red and blue mech to the exit.
"He's not my sparkling sir, but I'm sure Soundwave appreciates your compliments." Orion replied, gesturing for the sparkling to thank the old mech, as they left the Hall Of Records.
"Thank you, Afa Trion..." Soundwave yawned, his drowsy optics trying to focus on the burgundy mech.
"Primus he does deplete of energy after all." Alpha Trion chuckled at the sleepy sparkling in Orion's arms. "I will see you tomorrow Orion Pax, don't be late." The ancient mech bid farewell, returning back in the Hall Of Records.
"Orion Pax, finally out of the library?" A familiar gruff voiced called out, snapping Soundwave out of his drowsy state.
Orion looked over his shoulder, to see the gunmetal grey mech, standing at the bottom of the staircase. "Megatronus, good afternoon." Orion greeted, walking down the small flight of stairs.
"Good afternoon Orion, you missed the equality rally, after my match." Megatronus stated, as his brother stopped in front of him.
"My apologies Megatronus, I got caught up in my studies. How was the rally?" Orion apologized to his older brother, for missing the rally to bring down the caste system.
"It got things moving, I may be finally getting an audience with the Council." Megatronus enthusiastically replied. Looking curiously at his tiny sparkling in his brother's arms.
Soundwave stared up at his father, he shyly chirped at Megatronus, with a smile.
For a quick moment, the gunmetal grey mech returned the smile, making Soundwave gurgle bashfully. Before hearing a familiar jet engine approaching them. Soundwave looked beyond his father, seeing the dark metallic blue, Cybertronian jet, transforming behind Megatronus. "Mommy!"
"Hi sweetie." Xanthia greeted her sparkling, ignoring the gunmetal grey mech completely. "Were you good for Orion?" the bioluminescent femme asked, as her sparkling leapt out of his Uncle's arms, and into hers.
"Yeah!" Soundwave chirped excitedly, wrapping his arms around his mothers neck In an embrace.
"Was he?" Xanthia raised an optic ridge at the red and blue mech.
"Yes, Alpha Trion took a strong liking to him. He seemed to be astonished by Soundwave's mere existence." Orion Pax replied with a playful chuckle.
"Orion will join me, I have a gladiator match in a while, but I would like to converse before that." Megatronus said to the future Prime, changing the attention onto him.
"Sure Megatronus... Go on ahead I'll catch up with you." Orion Pax nodded, gesturing for the large mech to walk on ahead.
Megatronus nodded with acknowledgement, glaring at the disgusted femme, as he walked away from them.
"Orion, I can't believe you're continuing to follow Megatronus. Can't you see he is corrupt?" Xanthia hissed angrily at the red and blue mech.
"I'm going to attend his council meeting, and I will see where to go from there. I am still trying to keep Megatronus on a peaceful path. I know he's begun to treat you, and Soundwave unfairly. I completely disagree with that, but I am hoping I can convince Megatronus to treat you two fairly." Orion sighed, defending his reasoning for sticking around his corrupt brother.
"You're trying to do the impossible Orion, you know he won't change..."
Soundwave's visor activated, regaining his foggy vision. His processor was throbbing, the lights on the ceiling making the pain worse.
Ratchet turned, hearing the young mech on the medical berth behind him, hiss in pain. "Easy Soundwave, you're back in the base."
"Ugh... what happened?" Soundwave groaned, covering his visor with his servos.
"You were struck by lightning, during a dog fight. It took you right out of the sky. Just about gave Arcee and your brother a spark attack." Ratchet replied to waking young mech.
"Lightning... good to know it's not just Cons trying to kill me..." Soundwave sighed heavily removing one of his servos from his visor, only to put it back as soon as the light hit it.
"My advice would be avoid lighting when flying." Ratchet sarcastically remarked to the violet mech.
"Great advise doctor, why didn't I think of that..." Soundwave hissed trying to remove another servo.
Ratchet chuckled walking over to the young mech. "I'm sorry Soundwave, how are you feeling?"
"My processor is throbbing..." Soundwave complained, removing his servos from his visor, sitting up on the medical berth he laid on.
"You fell out of the sky head first. Any dizziness?" The medic scoffed, doing a quick medical scan on the violet mech.
"Yeah, how long was I out?" The bioluminescent mech replied, noticing how empty and quiet the base was. "Wait, where is everyone?"
"You were only out for a couple hours, Bee is recharging. While the others are on patrol. The Decepticons are sending out multiple patrols. Optimus wants to make sure they're staying clear from the human territory, so he sent out multiple patrol teams." The old medic replied, tapping away at a data pad.
"I should help them." Soundwave thought aloud, hopping of the berth, using his arms to steady himself as he lost balance.
"You certainly can, from here in the base." Ratchet retorted, seeing the young mech try to regain his balance.
"But..."
"But nothing, it's either monitor the team, or process energon." Ratchet growled, giving the recovering young mech only two choices.
Soundwave groaned in annoyance, trudging over to the monitor nearest to the ground bridge. "This is Soundwave to patrol teams, status report?" Soundwave broadcasted to all Autobots.
"Soundwave you're alright!" Arcee happily replied over the comlink.
"Hey lightning bolts awake!" Sideswipe's cheery, mocking, tone replied, followed by snickering from his twin and Jazz.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just checking on everyone's status." The young mech replied to the femme.
"Good to know, you can bounce back from being electrocuted!" Sunstreaker jeered, joining the teasing.
Soundwave threw his helm back in frustration and annoyance. "Are you going to give me a real reply? Or just mock me?"
"Chill Wave, all patrol teams are returning to base as we speak." Jazz chuckled over the comlink.
Soundwave turned to the base entrance, hearing the roaring of many engines entering the base.
"Bloody Cons skipped town the moment they saw us pull up." Ironhide complained, as he transformed.
"You sound disappointed?" Ratchet snorted, as his old friend walked over to him.
"I only got to kick a few afts today." Ironhide scoffed, helping Ratchet process the mined energon.
"How are you feeling youngling?" Soundwave turned to face the Prime, that stood behind him.
"I'm alright just a little sore." The bioluminescent mech told his mentor. As Arcee approached him with a warm smile.
"Glad you're alright, can you set proximity warnings for the human territory. I do not want the Decepticons to go unseen if they find their way into that town." Optimus Prime asked the young mech.
"I already have sir." Soundwave tiredly replied, looking over at all the raw energon that needed to be processed.
"Don't even think about it, kid! Go rest, I will deal with the energon." Ratchet warned the tired young mech.
"Let's go before Ratchet knocks you out himself" Arcee laughed, pulling the violet mech towards their room.
"Mirage what are you doing?" Ironhide quirked an optic ridge at the red youngling, that began to help process energon.
"Helping." Mirage simply replied, as Optimus followed him.
"Mirage we can do that tomorrow, it's time to rest now." Optimus told his young assassin.
"Why, I'm not tired? And I want to help." Mirage raised an optic ridge at his father.
"Is that so?" Optimus smiled, happy Mirage was now able to fully process sentences.
Ratchet nudged the Prime with his elbow. "I'm only going to be up a little while longer. Let him stay up, I'll put him to bed soon enough."
Optimus sighed with a smile. "Alright old friend. I'm going to power down for the night, listen to Ratchet Mirage."
"I will." Mirage replied, watching his father make his way down the hallway.
Soundwave sat on his berth, staring blankly at the wall across from him.
Arcee sat next to her mech, gazing at him thoughtfully. There were times she wish she could just read minds, so she could know what Soundwave was thinking.
"I'm fine, just setting scanners. And trying to recollect my thoughts, that's all." Soundwave voiced what was going on in his helm, before Arcee could ask.
"Thanks for the report, are you planning on getting rest tonight?" Arcee sarcastically replied with a smirk.
"I got knocked out for a couple hours, doesn't that count?" Soundwave tilted his helm playfully at the cobalt blue femme.
"If you prefer that method, I will gladly condone to assisting you." Arcee grinned back at her sarcastic mech.
"No, I'm good thanks. How about we just lay down and see where it goes?" Soundwave shrugged innocently at his sparkmate.
Arcee quirked an optic ridge at the violet mech. "Lay down, and see where it goes huh?
"I didn't mean it like that..." Soundwave facepalmed, with a laugh. "But I mean, I'm not opposed to it..." the violet mech sheepishly shrugged at his smirking femme.
"How about you finish what you were saying to me, before Optimus called us." Arcee folded her arms at her playful mech.
"Honestly, I don't even remember what we were talking about?" Soundwave honestly replied, trying to find the moment Arcee was talking about.
"I asked you why you were constantly zoning out in deep thought. And what Megatron actually did to you on the warship." Arcee reminded the faceless mech, of the conversation they had on the mountain.
"Oh... can we recharge on that?" Soundwave sheepishly replied, not wanting to discuss his thoughts with his sparkmate.
"I'll be here when you're ready Soundwave, I won't force you to answer, unless it's a life or death situation." Arcee nodded, placing a gentle servo on her mech's back.
Soundwave nodded, laying himself down on the berth. Arcee followed him shortly after.
Ratchet was busy reading data pads, while Mirage processed energon quietly. Too quietly to Ratchet's disliking. "Alright kiddo you're quiet." Ratchet sighed, turning around to see the youngling in the med bay, fidgeting with something. "What are you doing there?" The old medic curiously queried, seeing the young assassin creating some sort of electronic device.
"Soundwave sent me Shockwave's research, on that bomb, that turned him into a sparkling..."
"You better not be creating explosives in here!" Ratchet gasped, trying to get a good look at the device.
"Why would I be making a bomb in the corner of the med bay, it's a finite area?" Mirage groaned putting his helm on the work bench. "Does everyone think I'm the sole bot, of destruction?" Mirage complained, looking up at the red and white medic.
"No, that's not how we see you Mirage. I'm sorry, what are you trying to create?" The medic apologized to the young assassin.
"I'm trying to make Soundwave a thingy?" Mirage quirked an optic ridge in confusion.
The old medic looked equally confused. "A thingy?" Ratchet chuckled folding his arms.
"I can't find the word..."
"Restore?" Ratchet guessed, seemingly guessing right.
"Yes, that!" Mirage excitedly replied, making the medic jump.
"That's very thoughtful of you. I haven't seen you create devices since we we're on Cybertron." Ratchet mentioned, walking over to the monitors, shutting them off.
"Well I was a sparkling for the last almost freaking cycle. I haven't really had the chance to play with inventing." Mirage retorted to the tired medic.
"That's true. It's time to pack it all up though, youngling. It's time to recharge." Ratchet tiredly sighed, walking back over to the red youngling.
"But I want to keep working on this." Mirage whined at the old mech.
Ratchet wasn't in the mood to argue with the Prime's youngest son. "I'm going to let you take your project to your room. Just don't wake your brother. And don't tell Optimus I let you stay up, alright?"
"Okay!" Mirage enthusiastically grabbed his project, and a few of Ratchet's tools. Before hastily making his way to his room.
Ratchet chuckled shutting off the base lights, before following the youngling down the hallway. "Goodnight youngling."
"Night Ratchet." Mirage whispered, shutting his door, as Ratchet continued on to his shared bedroom.
"Orion?"
"No, Soundwave, Orion's going with Megatronus..." Xanthia sighed, watching the red and blue mech rejoin the gunmetal grey mech down the street.
"Follow?" Soundwave cooed innocently at his mother.
"No, I will never follow Megatronus. Even if Orion's blind to his corrupt aggression." The bioluminescent femme shook her helm at her sparkling.
Soundwave gave a disappointed sigh, as his mother carried him away from the Hall Of Records. "Hungry?"
Xanthia chuckled warmly, giving her sparkling a playful squeeze. "I knew you would be. We're heading home now though, little one." Giving Soundwave a quick tickle as they walked by a play field.
Soundwave giggled, shielding himself from the tickling digits. The moment the tickling stopped, his optics locked sights on the play field with younglings. "Play?" The violet sparkling squeaked, pointing at the play field.
"You're hungry remember?" Xanthia reminded, following her sparkling's gaze.
"Play first!" Soundwave bounced in his mother's arms.
"You need a stasis nap..." Xanthia walked over to the play field with a sigh. "Fine, just a quick play though." The femme knew her sparkling's hunger, would over take his playful mind, sooner rather than later. Placing her violet little sparkling on the ground.
Soundwave wasted no time toddling away from his mother, towards the play obstacles.
Xanthia furrowed her optic ridges, seeing only younglings, and no sparklings. Wary of her little sparkling, not being able to find a playmate.
Soundwave toddled over to two identical younglings, tripping right over one of their toys. "Hi, I Soundwave!" he greeted picking himself off the ground.
The twin younglings stared blankly at the violet sparkling for a moment.
"That your little sparkling?" A red and gold coloured femme asked, from where she sat on metallic bench.
Xanthia snapped out of her thoughts, turning her helm towards the red and gold femme. "Oh, yes that's my little one." she nervously replied, walking over to the bench.
The golden youngling seemingly gave Soundwave a judgemental look, while his twin smiled, introducing himself. "Hi Soundwave, I'm Sideswipe."
"Hi Siwipe." Soundwave smiled, plopping himself down next to the golden twin.
"And this is Sunstreaker, he's a grump." Sideswipe laughed, gesturing to his brother.
Sunstreaker groaned, rolling his optics, pulling his toys closer to himself.
"Those your twins?" Xanthia asked, engaging in casual conversation.
"Yes, they're quite a handful." The femme chuckled, gesturing for Xanthia to sit on the empty side of the bench.
"I can only imagine having two, is double the work." Xanthia chuckled, sitting next to the friendly femme.
"Definitely, especially since they're complete opposites. Sideswipe, the silver one talking with your sparkling. Is very outgoing, and friendly. While Sunstreaker is a grouchy little one, but he does have a friendly side." The red and gold femme chuckled, gesturing to her twins.
"Wanna play hide and seek tag?" Sideswipe asked Soundwave, as his twin frantically shook his helm at him.
"Okay!" Soundwave chirped, clumsily pushing himself off the ground. "How play?"
"One of us is it, the bot that's it, seeks and chases the others, trying to tag them. Who ever gets tagged becomes a hunter with the bot that's it. If you're the last one to be found, try to get to the sphere without getting tagged." Sideswipe explained to the violet sparkling, pointing to the spherical looking jungle gym.
"Okay!" Soundwave nodded toddling away from the brothers.
Sunstreaker grabbed, and yanked his twin into him. "He can't play tag with us, and the others, he can barely walk." the golden twin hissed, gesturing to the sparkling toddling towards the group of younglings waiting for them.
"So what, it's just a game. Give him a chance." Sideswipe rolled his optics, pulling out of his brother's grip.
Sunstreaker rolled his optics following his twin towards the group.
"Who's the sparkling?" One of the younglings scoffed, glaring at the violet sparkling."That's Soundwave, he's going to play with us." Sideswipe replied. "Okay Sunny's it, go!" Sideswipe called out, running though the group of younglings.
"Argh, Sideswipe!" Sunstreaker groaned, before closing his optics, beginning to count down.
All the younglings scattered, yelling with excitement, almost running Soundwave over in the process.
Soundwave quickly toddled off, trying to find a good hiding spot, as all the younglings settled in their spots. Soundwave toddled over to a large maintenance supply crate, just on the border of the play field and the city streets. Toddling onto the side of the crate that faced the street, he plopped himself against the crate, peeking around the corner. WatchingSunstreaker search and find the other younglings.
"I will be there for your council meeting, I promise." Soundwave heard the familiar voice of Orion Pax behind him.
Megatronus nodded, as Orion transformed driving away. "I will see you soon brother." Megatronus replied bidding the red and blue mech goodbye.
"Megatronus, I'm not sure how loyal your brother will stay, once things all unfold. It could be cycles before you gain an audience with the council." A one opticed purple mech mentioned, following his friend.
"Orion?" Soundwave turned his little frame to watch as Orion drove away. The sound of large peds, walking by the playing field, turned the sparkling's attention onto the massive gunmetal grey mech.
"Shockwave, that's why I'm relying on you, to help ensemble soldiers worthy of fighting with me." Megatronus walked by, catching a violet glow out of the corner of his optic. Turning his helm, to see his tiny sparkling all by himself.
"I don't quite have that strategy quite yet. But I'm running through some ideas... Sir?" Shockwave rambled, as Megatronus lost interest in his speaking.
Straying off the pathway, Megatronus approached the small sparkling. "What are you doing all by yourself?" The massive mech asked, kneeling down to speak with his sparkling.
"I presume this is the sparkling Alpha Trion took great interest in?" Shockwave noted, watching his mentor.
"I hiding. Playing hide tag." Soundwave gave a bubbly reply to his father.
"This is certainly a good hiding spot." Megatronus smiled.
"But it's not very safe for a sparkling, to be wondering near the streets." Shockwave scoffed joining his mentor.
"It not?" Soundwave cocked his helm.
"That's everyone found, seekers win!" Sunstreaker cheered, as a look of worry came across his twins faceplate.
"No you didn't. Where's Soundwave?" Sideswipe scoffed, looking around to see no violet sparkling.
"Ugh, who cares. He probably ran off to his mommy, to get his wastage tank changed." Sunstreaker carelessly retorted, with an optic roll.
"His mom's talking to ours, I don't see him." Sideswipe pointed out, gesturing to the conversing femmes.
Xanthia sighed with a smile, getting up from the bench. "Well I better get my little one home, before he grows overtired."
Soundwave could hear the younglings and his mother talking in the background, as the two intimidating mech's conversed with him.
"Yes, we wouldn't want you to wonder off into the traffic, some bots would not be able to stop quick enough." Shockwave explained to the curious sparkling.
Xanthia scanned the play field, panic set in as her sparkling was no where in sight. "Where's Soundwave?!"
"I think he was playing hide and seek with my boys. Sunstreaker, Sideswipe!" The red and gold femme replied, calling her younglings over.
"Yes mama?" Sideswipe and Sunstreaker both answered jogging to their mother.
"Where's the sparkling?" The red and gold mother asked, getting off the bench.
"We don't know, Sunstreaker and the others couldn't find him." Sideswipe replied, sending Xanthia into a panic.
"Soundwave!" Xanthia called out frantically searching the play field. Before locking optics on the familiar gunmetal grey mech, and his mad scientist friend. "Get away from him!" Xanthia hissed rushing in between her sparkling and the two mechs.
"You're being quite dramatic Xanthia." Megatronus scoffed standing back up.
Soundwave squeaked as his mother snatched him off the ground.
"I'm not being overdramatic, this is my sparkling. And I don't want your sick corrupted mind, and equally corrupted goons anywhere near him!" Xanthia hissed, walking away from the two mechs.
Megatronus snorted watching as the femme walked away with his sparkling.
"I may have just figured out how I'm going to get your super soldiers." Shockwave thought aloud, keeping his vision fixed on the sparkling that stared back at them.