Optimus turned to Ratchet, seeing the equally suspicious gaze on the medic as they watched the three disappear down the hallway. "Soundwave's..."
"Not sounding right at all? He was the only one I didn't get to check over when you all returned from your battle." Ratchet thought aloud as he cleaned up the scattered tools he and Mirage left.
"Soundwave was coughing a bit before we even began our battle Ratchet." Optimus told to the old medic.
"We'll have to monitor him. Perhaps Megatron's attempt to take over him and Mirage effected more than just their sparks." Ratchet mentioned.
Optimus was uncertain about that theory but agreed to monitor the young mech anyway.
"Soundwave!"
Soundwave drew his helm back in surprise seeing the twins already on top of the base. "You two are up early?"
"Well we thought we'd get up early to spar up here." Sideswipe said walking over to the three.
"Isn't that... a little risky?" Soundwave questioned considering the twins were not flight vehicles.
"What's with your voice?" Sunstreaker commented on the young mech's sore voice.
Soundwave ignored the golden mech's comment, following Arcee off the lift.
"Ugh they need to be dropped an their heads, maybe they'd make more sense." Arcee scoffed.
"Look how big this area is we're not going to fall." Sideswipe mentioned gesturing to the large rooftop.
"Famous last words." Mirage snorted kicking a pebble off the edge.
Soundwave shook his helm sitting Arcee on a boulder before sitting himself next to her. Quickly realizing he forgot to grab a data pad. "Stupid... I forgot to bring a data pad..."
"I'll go get one for you." Mirage kindly volunteered going back down the lift.
"Hey want to spar Soundwave?" Sunstreaker asked poking the violet mech in the back.
"Not particularly." Soundwave replied putting a servo on his sore throat.
"Oh come on just quickly, we can stop when Mirage returns." Sunstreaker begged the younger mech.
Soundwave thought for a moment, Sunstreaker was actually not being rude for once. A friendly spar may just earn the golden twin's trust. "Just quickly."
"Great, Sideswipe was getting boring." Sunstreaker scoffed gesturing for Soundwave to follow him.
Arcee got a worried look on her face as her mech got up to follow the golden twin. "Keep it friendly you two."
"Of course." Sunstreaker rolled his optics with a smile.
Soundwave had no intentions of causing Sunstreaker any harm. He just wanted to keep everything friendly, choosing to go easy on the twin.
"Ready?" Sunstreaker asked standing just across from the violet mech.
Soundwave gave a nod as electronic burning sensations ripped through his throat.
Sideswipe quickly moved himself near Arcee as the two mech's began their spar. "How's Wave doing this morning?"
"So far, so good. Besides not finishing his energon after spitting it all over himself, he's so far been in good spirits." Arcee shrugged watching as Soundwave batted the golden twin away from him.
"That's good. I know he was pretty upset about Steve. And Megatron." Sideswipe added as Sunstreaker kicked out Soundwave's legs dropping the violet mech to the ground.
"Rightfully so. He's not as emotionless as many believe. Even Optimus was upset about Megatron." Arcee mentioned as Soundwave returned the favour to Sunstreaker dropping the twin to the ground.
"Of course, I mean as much as he was a monster. Megatron still was their family." Sideswipe replied as his twin brother jumped on top of Soundwave pinning him to the ground.
Soundwave could've easily gotten out of Sunstreaker's grip. But decided to be generous and give the twin a victory. "I..." Soundwave cringed at the pain surging through his vocals the moment he tried to speak. "S...st..."
Mirage stepped of the lift seeing the twin pinning his big brother. "I got the data pad." He mentioned walking over to the mechs on the ground, figuring since Arcee wasn't losing it the mechs were sparing.
"Alright I guess we're done." Sunstreaker sighed helping Soundwave get up. "Next time don't hold back so much."
Soundwave sorted with a smile taking the handed data pad. "Sure... I'll... try..." the violet mech replied wincing in pain as he spoke.
Mirage raised an optic ridge noticing Soundwave's pained expression. "What's wrong Wave?"
"Nothing." Soundwave cleared his throat as he walked over to the femme. "Sun... Sunstre..." the violet mech began to cough in pain.
Arcee hopped off the boulder steadying her mech as he coughed. "Take a seat Soundwave."
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe gave equally concerned looks at the harshly coughing younger mech.
"What do you need boss?" Sunstreaker asked putting a servo on the violet mech's shoulder.
After a few moments of coughing Soundwave was able to finally calm his coughing down. He was surprised to see Sunstreaker was showing a modicum of respect towards him. "Wake Jazz... I want you three... to cover the city that's not far from the human town..."
"You got it." Sunstreaker and Sideswipe both nodded.
"Arcee, Mirage, go with... take Bee... and cover different sectors of the city." Soundwave ordered the two.
"Sure thing Wave." Mirage agreed to the order, following the twins to the lift.
"Are you going to be okay up here by yourself?" Arcee asked with concern.
"Yes... I'm just... doing data work..." Soundwave smiled at his femme.
Arcee nodded following the others onto the lift. She was going to inform Optimus whether her mech was telling her the truth or not.
"Report any spikes in energon readings, or any suspicious activity!" Soundwave called out as the lift disappeared downwards. Triggering another coughing fit as electrical zaps and popping could be heard as his throat burned even worse than before.
Arcee cringed hearing the violent coughing fade out of ear shot as the lift reentered the base. Walking down the hallway the twins were disappointed that Jazz was already awake and in the main room with Bumblebee.
"Come'on Jazzy Bee we gotta go to the city." Sideswipe beckoned for the mech and youngling to follow them out of the base.
"Is that so?" Jazz scoffed raising an optic ridge at the twins.
"Yeah Soundwave assigned us there for today." Sideswipe replied transforming.
"Yeah so get your ass in gear." Sunstreaker added transforming as well.
Jazz shook his helm transforming following the twins out of the base.
"Come'on Bee you're with us." Mirage gestured for the scout to follow.
"Alright!" Bumblebee excitedly drove out of the base with his brother.
Arcee quickly made it a point to walk over to her leader. "Optimus, I don't know what's going on with Soundwave. But he's been coughing..."
"Violently, and speaking as if it hurts to talk?" Optimus finished the femme's sentence.
Overhearing the conversation Ratchet sighed, lifting his helm up from his research. He spun around rummaging through his medical serums.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Arcee questioned watching the medic.
"I'll explain to you later. Right now you have some impatient younglings waiting for you." Optimus gestured for the femme to catch up with her patrol team.
Arcee nodded quickly transforming zooming out of the base to catch up with the younglings.
Optimus turned as Ratchet placed a large vial filled with magenta liquid in his servo.
"Give this to Soundwave, tell him to take the whole damn thing. Then come down for some energon, I'm going to warm some up for him. I got to make a whole batch of that pain reliever for him. I had completely forgotten about his need for these." Ratchet spoke disappointed in himself for forgetting the young mech's medical condition.
"Do not beat yourself up old friend I had forgotten as well. Until certain circumstances during my recharge reminded me." Optimus Prime tried to reassure his old friend.
"He had been silent for so long with the Decepticons. Soundwave's old injury finally caught up with to him." Ratchet sighed as the Prime left to the lift. "I just hope I have enough ingredients to make the pain reliever for Soundwave."
Soundwave spat out the energon he coughed up. Catching his breath after the coughing attack. He attempted to refocus on the data pad, getting distracted by the sound of the lift being used. "Ugh... Arcee..." the young mech began to cough again bringing up more energon.
As he walked up behind the young mech Optimus could tell Soundwave was trying to hold in his coughs.
Soundwave groaned hearing the footsteps of the Prime behind him. Blinking his optics in surprise as a massive servo holding a vial of magenta liquid appeared next to him. "What's this?" Soundwave coughed, recognizing the bright liquid but not pin pointing as to why.
"It's to ease your pain youngling." Optimus replied as Soundwave curiously took the vial from his servo.
"For my throat?" Soundwave raised an optic ridge.
"Drink the whole vial, then come with me." Optimus told the confused young mech.
Soundwave was a bit leery about drinking another liquid, last time he tried to drink it caused horrific stinging in his throat. "I don't want to..."
Optimus placed a servo on the young mech's back. "It'll make you feel better, I promise."
Soundwave shook his helm no. Getting a disappointed sigh from his mentor.
The Prime took the vial back from the scared young mech. "Come youngling. Ratchet is waiting for you." Optimus wasn't giving his apprentice a choice anymore. Lifting Soundwave off the boulder, he placed him in front of him facing the direction of the lift.
"Sir!" Soundwave whined as Optimus escorted him onto the lift.
Upon entering the base Optimus sent the violet mech forward down the hallway. Walking up to the medic he placed the full vial on the counter next to Ratchet. "He doesn't want to take it."
Ratchet rolled his optics turning around to see the young mech standing nervously behind them. "Sit now." The medic pointed at the medical berth.
Soundwave hesitantly sat his aft on the berth. Ratchet Immediately began scanning his throat. "Soundwave how old are you?" Ratchet asked with a growl.
"Eight... t... t..." Soundwave struggled to talk as the coughing took over his voice.
"You may as well be eight cycles if you continue to refuse help." Ironhide scoffed from where he stood outside the med bay working on a monitor.
Ratchet hissed grabbing the vial. "Soundwave, you've been taking this for most of your... well... besides your training and being with the Decepticons..."
Soundwave raised an optic ridge at the medic.
"Whatever, my point is. You've been required to take this since you were a tiny little sparkling." Ratchet waved his servos in frustration.
"Why..." Soundwave was confused for a moment, before remembering the mining accident he was caught in as a sparkling.
Both Optimus and Ratchet could see the youngling was remembering that scarring memory.
"My voice... sounds like this... because of that accident, doesn't it?"
Ratchet nodded with a sympathetic sigh. "Unfortunately it was inoperable. You can't reverse the damage from a smelters molten liquid. But we can manage the pain, that's why you have to take a vial of this twice daily." The medic picked up the magenta vial, pouring it into a clear glass mug filled with warm energon.
Soundwave was upset but understood what the medic was saying to him.
"Now you can take the pain reliever with or without energon. If you prefer to take it with energon make sure it's warm or else it will loose it's soothing properties. But if you don't have time to take it with energon drink it straight, it'll send an odd numbing sensation before it completely soothes your throat. That's all though, no sting or pain alright?" Ratchet explained handing the young mech the mug.
"I understand." Soundwave nodded, unwillingly drinking some of the energon. As soon as the liquid trickled down his throat the burning eased off.
"Now I said take it twice. But doing a scan on your vocals I'm going to say take as needed, until your flare ups become manageable." Ratchet said as he searched for his more resilient vials.
"I get that, but am I supposed to come running to you for a vial every time I have a flare up? I can't do that if I'm on patrol." Soundwave scoffed making Optimus chuckle.
"Feeling better?" Optimus chuckled as Ratchet pulled out a large crate full of metal vials.
Soundwave smirked giving Optimus a playful optic roll.
"Not at all youngling, once I make more of that pain reliever. I will put them in these almost indestructible vials, then you can keep a small case of the glass vials in the med bay. And the more resilient vials in your room, and on your person at all times." Ratchet said as Soundwave finished his medicated energon.
"I have to carry them around? I'll look ridiculous." Soundwave whined.
"You have a storage compartment Soundwave, keep them in there until you need them. You'll look more ridiculous if you're standing there coughing up bloody energon." Ironhide once again chimed into the conversation.
"Exactly, now that was the only one I had prepared so I am going to make more. I'll tell you when they're ready for you." Ratchet said to the self conscious young mech.
"Sure Ratchet, thanks..." Soundwave sighed hopping off the berth to make a quick escape out of the med.
"What if he has another attack before then?" Optimus asked stepping in front of the young mech.
"Come back to me, and I'll try to find a substitute while I make the pain reliever." Ratchet replied to the Prime's question.
Optimus nodded stepping off to the side, allowing Soundwave to leave the med bay.
Soundwave quickly escaped back to the top of the base, releasing Lazerbeak so the drone could have some freedom while he finished making the patrol schedule.
An hour had gone by and Soundwave was still fuming over his glitched vocals. "Stupid vocals..." Soundwave grumbled halfway through making the schedule.
Lazerbeak twittered flying up to his master, gently nuzzling the violet mech.
"It's alright Lazerbeak." Soundwave sighed stroking his concerned drone. "Sorry, I just... I... I hate my voice..."
Lazerbeak chirped softly nuzzling Soundwave once more.
"I know you don't care if my voice sounds weird." Soundwave laughed patting his beloved drone. "I guess I'm not really upset about the way it sounds, but I am upset about the way it is." he looked at the horizon. "I mean what Autobot runs around having to carry medicated serums in their storage compartment? Or take serums, let alone carry it around with them. I'm a Prime apprentice for Primus sakes. What good is a Prime with a glitch!" Soundwave hissed on the verge of angred tears.
Lazerbeak crooned soothingly, hopping in Soundwave's lap, nuzzling the young mech's chest affectionately.
Soundwave's took a deep breath, his spark calming down thanks to the soothing humming coming from the drone. "I'll be alright Lazerbeak." Soundwave gave a small sigh petting his drone. "I just have readjust to it, I'll get over it quickly... I hope..."
"Even if you have an inconvenient glitch, you still will become an amazing Prime some day." Optimus Prime's voice made the young mech visibly jump in surprise.
Soundwave looked over his shoulder to see the red and blue mech approaching. "Thank you sir."
"I'm sorry you had to endure that horrible accident so long ago." Optimus Prime sighed sitting next to the young mech.
"What's done is done, it wasn't something that could've been prevented." Soundwave shrugged as Lazerbeak returned to his torso.
Optimus turned his helm away. "It could've been prevented youngling. The caste system was cruel to those who were of lower caste. Your mother and father both being from the lowest in the caste system, had to endure dangerous jobs. Taking you with them as they couldn't leave a sparkling home alone."
"I remember a little bit of that. I remember once I got maimed my mother refused to go back to the mines." Soundwave mentioned as the Prime stared off in the distance.
"Yes, your maiming also completely charged Megatron's motivation to bring down the caste system. He was furious, incredibly upset when he found out that you were permanently damaged." Optimus mentioned to his young nephew.
Soundwave was silent for a moment, remembering Optimus's conversation with Ratchet this morning. "Did you really mean what you said to Ratchet this morning?"
"What would that have been?" The Prime questioned.
"That you wished you could've changed my father's mind?"
"Yes I truly meant that." Optimus sighed sadly. "I told you that Megatron had to be destroyed. Even though I said I didn't see him as a brother anymore. Megatron would always be my brother Decepticon or not. I will always mourn the loss of a family member."
Soundwave nodded in understanding. Even though Megatron was a monster that Optimus had battled for so long. The Prime still was honourable about his brother's passing. "I finished making the schedule sir."
"Thank you." Optimus smiled taking the data pad. "Why don't you find Arcee and the others and join their patrol?"
"Yes sir." Soundwave transformed flying off to find the team.
During his flight he received a very faint ping. Disappearing too quickly Soundwave didn't have a chance to track it. He called his little brother figuring maybe it was him. "Mirage where are you?"
"Just on the outskirts of the city. There's no signs of the Cons anywhere." Mirage replied over the comlink.
"Twins, Jazz, report." Soundwave called over the shared Autobot com channel.
"Hey Waverz you're sounding better!" Sideswipe chimed.
"Yes I am doing fine. What's your status?"
"Everything is clear boss. No odd signals, and no sign of the Decepticons." Sunstreaker and Jazz reported back to the violet reaper.
"Same here with me and Bee. Glad you're feeling better." Arcee's voice came over the comlink.
"I'm just on the outside of the city, rendezvous with me and we'll return to base." Soundwave told his patrol team who obliged without issue.
Once the team arrived Soundwave offered to bridge them home. "Would you guys like a bridge back to base?"
"Nah lets just drive." Jazz suggested.
"Sounds good to me." The rest of the team agreed with the grey Porsche.
"Alright." Soundwave followed the convoy of sports vehicles. Once back on the lonely road in the desert The twins began to race the others into the canyon near the base. "Hey Soundwave can you open a bridge to base?" Sideswipe asked as the team went into the canyon.
Soundwave dove into the canyon, transforming next to the sports cars. "Sure, but why'd we go off course?" Soundwave queried creating a bridge as Sideswipe and the others transformed.
"I'm just going to grab something so keep the bridge opened." Sideswipe said as he jogged through the created bridge.
"That didn't answer my question." Soundwave scoffed as Arcee walked over to him.
"We're just going to have some fun Soundwave. I think we could all use it." Arcee said wrapping her arms around her mech.
"Sure." Soundwave shrugged as Sideswipe came back through the bridge with a large metal ball.
"What's that for?" Soundwave asked shutting the bridge.
"Lobbing." Sunstreaker smirked as Sideswipe passed him the ball.
"So we just throw that at each other?" Soundwave questioned as the ball was passed to Jazz.
"You got it Wave." Jazz smiled tossing the ball to Mirage.
"That's it?" Soundwave cocked his helm curiously as the ball was tossed to Bumblebee.
"No, the goal is to get to the end of the canyon without dropping the ball. Whoever drops it gets whaled by the ball." Sunstreaker said making Soundwave cringe at the last rule.
"No that's not how it goes." Arcee scoffed catching the ball. "We all have go to the beginning of the canyon and start over."
"And we can't hold the ball for more then three seconds." Mirage added.
"Oh, okay sounds simple enough." Soundwave shrugged as Arcee placed the heavy ball in his servos.
"Alright start us off." Sideswipe nodded at the violet mech as everyone spread out ready to start sprinting down the canyon.
Soundwave threw the ball at Mirage who caught it, quickly tossing it at Bumblebee as they ran down the canyon.
"Catch it Sunny!" Bumblebee called out as he tossed the ball at the golden twin.
Sunstreaker caught the ball, throwing it at the unprepared grey mech.
"Scrap!" Jazz cursed as he fumbled the ball to the ground.
"Dammit Jazz now we gotta start over." Sunstreaker groaned walking back to the beginning of the canyon.
"Oops sorry guys!" Jazz apologized restarting the game. Throwing the ball at the femme.
Arcee caught the ball tossing it over to her mech.
Soundwave caught the ball strongly tossing the ball at Sideswipe across the way.
"Primus Wave you got a good arm!" Sideswipe laughed running backwards throwing the ball to Bumblebee.
"Thanks!" Soundwave chuckled through a small tickle in his throat. Following the team down the canyon as the ball was passed around.
The canyon grew shady as the sun lowered in the late afternoon sky. The team of young bots had been playing in the canyon for a few hours. Having to start the game over numerous times due to the younglings growing tired. Soundwave finally caught the wining catch leaning back into the wall at the end of the canyon.
"Woohoo Soundwave!"
"Can we go home now?" Both Mirage and Bumblebee sighed at the older bots.
Soundwave laughed through a cough. "Yeah we can." He opened up a bridge as irritation set into his throat.
Bumblebee and Mirage happily ran into the bridge, while the others slowly made their way to the bridge.
"Nice play Waverz, we'll have to play this more often with you." Sideswipe complimented the young mech.
"I'd...like to do that..." Soundwave tried to ignore the pain settling in his throat, causing him to cough. "Can... you... take this Sides..." handing the ball to the silver twin Soundwave turned his helm away as a violent coughing attack began.
"Soundwave?" Arcee called her mech's name with concern.
Soundwave completely turned himself away from all the others as he coughed up energon. He bent over placing his servos on his knees as his chest began to ache from coughing so hard. Spitting out the coughed up energon, he took deep raspy breaths as the attack slowed, leaving an electrical burning irritation in his throat.
"Are you alright Soundwave?" Arcee asked placing a servo on her mech's back.
"Yeah..." Soundwave replied through a painful uncontrollable cough.
"Come'on dude lets get you home." Jazz said helping the violet mech stand up straight.
"I'm fine..." Soundwave shook off the helping servos as he walked through the bridge with the rest of the team.
"You were just coughing up energon, you sure as hell don't seem fine." Sunstreaker scoffed as Soundwave tried to hide his irritation.
Ratchet and Optimus exchanged looks, grabbing one of the filled glass vials, Ratchet handed it to the Prime. While he continued to finish off the pain reliever serum for Soundwave.
"I'm... fine... Sunny..." Soundwave coughed harshly, making the younglings cringe at the painful sounding coughs.
Optimus quickly took the handed vial walking over to Soundwave, he wrapped an arm around his coughing nephew, taking him off to the side.
The others watched as Optimus leaned down to speak quietly with the struggling violet mech. Placing the coughing young mech in front of him Optimus handed the vial of serum to the violet mech. "Take it Soundwave, no one can see you." The Prime said, with his massive frame blocking the team from watching Soundwave take the medicine.
Soundwave quickly threw the liquid to the back of his throat, it quickly began to coat and soothe his irritated vocals stopping the flare up attack.
"Ratchet has placed a crate of pain reliever on the desk in your room. He's just finishing the ones for the med bay." Optimus whispered to the young mech catching his breath.
"Okay, thank you Optimus." Soundwave gave a heavy exhale.
Optimus nodded at him, taking the empty vial back to Ratchet. "Twins Jazz I need your reports from today and yesterday, get them done please." Optimus sternly told the three mechs who quickly went off to obey the Prime.
Mirage walked over to his brother after Optimus walked by. "What's wrong Wave? I can help."
Soundwave smiled at his little brother kneeling down to be level. "That's a kind offer Mirage but what is wrong can't be repaired."
"What is it, maybe it can." Mirage continued to be hopeful.
"My vocals are just a little glitched from an injury that happened a long time ago, way before you were sparked." Soundwave replied.
"Is something missing from them? Maybe I can use my regeneration device." Mirage asked.
"Nothing's missing everything is just..."
"Fused together, melted, and deformed. Your regeneration device would do more harm then good youngling." Ratchet mentioned as he turned Soundwave to get another scan of his damaged throat.
"Hello to you to Ratchet." Soundwave joked as Ratchet lifted his chin to get a good look at the severely melted burn like scars on the mech's neck.
Arcee watched from a distance giving her mech some privacy as the medic examined him. Clearly whatever was causing him pain embarrassed him enough to try and hide it all together.
"Wanna watch a holo vid Arcee?" Bumblebee asked gesturing for the femme to follow him.
"Sure. Mirage why don't you come join us." Arcee called the young assassin over.
"Uh sure..." Mirage gave a sympathetic smile before walking over to the recreational part of the main room.
"I know the flare ups have been pretty harsh. It's just been building up all these deca cycles kid. You're going to be going through a lot of that serum for a while, but as long as you keep taking the serum it will eventually slow the flare ups. Then you'll only have to take them twice a day." Ratchet said finishing his examination.
"I know..." Soundwave sighed noticing Arcee watching him from the couch.
"I put the pain reliever in your room. They're the metal reinforced vials, put at least three of them in your storage compartment for when you're not in the base." Ratchet told the young mech.
"Understood..." Soundwave groaned walking over to join his femme.
"How are you feeling?" Arcee asked making room for her mech to sit down on the couch.
"I'm alright now, thanks for asking." Soundwave replied staring blankly at the odd cartoon playing on the holo vid.
After a few hours of cartoons the twins emerged from their room playfully pulling Soundwave off the couch.
Soundwave quickly twisted around once he was halfway off the couch pulling Sideswipe to the ground with him.
"I guess I deserved that." Sideswipe laughed after hitting his helm on Soundwave's.
"Uhuh..." Soundwave snorted rubbing his helm.
"What are you watching?" Sideswipe asked helping Soundwave up.
"Cartoo..."
"No we're not!" Sunstreaker retorted taking the remote from Arcee.
"If it wasn't their bed time. I would so be kicking your ass right now." Arcee threatened the golden mech as she guided the younglings to bed.
"Pah, whatever you say sweetie!" Sunstreaker waved off the femme as he surfed through the channels.
Arcee stepped back into the main room to yell at the stupid twin. Only to see Soundwave whack the twin in the back of the helm.
"Shut up, before she kicks all our asses."
"Thank you." Arcee smirked walking back into the hallway.
"You watching a scary movie with us?" Sunstreaker asked rubbing the back of his helm.
"What exactly is a scary movie?" Soundwave raised an optic ridge.
"None of them really, they're all terrible and cliche but they're hilarious to watch." Sideswipe shrugged hopping over the back of the couch.
"Well I'll think about it, I'm going to see what Arcee wants to do first." Soundwave shook his helm at the twins.
The twins both rolled their optics at the Soundwave's gentlemech response.
"Oh watch the movie, I don't feel like leaving the base unless I have to." Arcee sighed walking up to her mech. "Move over twidiots." Arcee grumbled shoving the twins over on the couch.
"Fragging hell you're like one of the smallest Autobots on the team, how much room do you need!?" The twins whined tripping over each other.
"Soundwave's watching the movie with us so move it!" Arcee hissed back at the whiney mechs.
An hour into the movie Soundwave could barely keep his optics opened trying to follow the movie, it was such a slow build up for something that was supposed to be scary.
"Do you wanna just go to bed?" Arcee whispered leaning over to her mech.
Soundwave nodded helping the femme off the couch. "Yeah, we're going to recharge twins."
"Yeah I think we are to. Sunstreaker you picked the most boring scary movie ever." Sideswipe groaned getting off the couch.
"Yeah I picked a bad one sorry guys." Sunstreaker shrugged following his twin down the hallway.
"Goodnight Arcee, Soundwave." Optimus followed the young couple down the hallway.
"Goodnight Optimus." Arcee said walking into their quarters.
Soundwave stopped the Prime in the hallway. "Thank you..." Thanking his mentor for helping keep his condition somewhat hidden.
Optimus smiled cupping both his servos on each of Soundwave's shoulders. "Do not thank me youngling. I know this is another difficult transition for you, I want to make you feel as comfortable as possible. Now get some rest, we'll go back to the canyon quarry early tomorrow morning." The Prime gave a smile before retreating into his own quarters.
"What's this stuff?" Arcee asked as soon as her mech shut the door.
Soundwave turned seeing the femme examining his pain relief serum on the desk. *Ratchet said the serum was in a crate, not a vial rack...*
"Soundwave?" Arcee gave a confused gaze.
"It's uh... it's um..." Soundwave mumbled trying to think of answer.
"These are medical serums." Arcee read the Cybertronian text labeled on the bottom.
Soundwave sighed defeatedly, knowing Arcee would've questioned the serums whether they were hidden in a crate, or out in the open on a rack. "Yeah, they're mine..."
"You made these, really?" Arcee raised an optic ridge, peeking into one of the vials to see magenta liquid.
"No Ratchet did, for me." Soundwave unwillingly replied sitting himself on the berth.
Arcee went quiet, placing the vial back before sitting down next to her embarrassed mech. "Is there something you're not telling me Soundwave?"
Soundwave turned his helm away shamefully.
"Did something happen? I saw your neck when Ratchet was examining you earlier." Arcee placed her servo in her mech's.
"It happened a long time ago, it's just finally caught up to me." Soundwave began. "My voice is weird like this because of a mining accident I got caught in as a sparkling."
"What were you doing in a mine as a sparkling?" Arcee gasped at her mech.
"My mother had to take me with her to her job. There were constant deaths and accidents, I just happened to get caught in one and get maimed." The violet mech explained to his angered femme. "Long story short, smelting liquid splashed on my chest and neck. My spark was fine, but my vocals are permanently glitched. I have to take this serum everyday, the only time I didn't was when I got captured and put on the Decepticon team..."
"Because you were mute. Then you joined as and began using your voice again." Arcee finished her mech's sentence. "Is that why you've been sounding like you're going to cough up an air intake?"
Soundwave gave a small chuckle. "Yeah I get flare ups every now and again."
"Every now and again? You mean every few hours?" Arcee scoffed at the young mech.
"Well right now it's at it's worst because I haven't spoken or managed it in deca cycles. So now I'm dealing with it again now that I speak. But Ratchet said once I get used to the medication again, I'll only have to take it twice a day, or when I have an attack." Soundwave told his concerned femme.
"Can't Ratchet repair your damaged vocals?"
"If he could've he would've done so when I was a sparkling. You can't reverse the damage from a smelters molten liquid." Soundwave repeated what the medic said to him earlier today.
"Okay I understand." Arcee nodded patting her mech's leg. "Are you ready to recharge?" The femme asked laying herself down on the berth.
Soundwave nodded using one of his tentacles to turn the lights off. Laying himself down he got a few little zaps tingle through his vocals.
"You're like a night light." Arcee chuckled at the violet glowing mech.
"I glow, Ha ha, laugh it up." Soundwave sarcastically rolled his optics.
Arcee giggled giving the violet mech a small kiss. "Thank you for telling me about your glitch."
"Please just don't tell the others." Soundwave begged with worried optics.
"Soundwave you shouldn't be ashamed because of something you can't control. Everyone was really worried about you today." Arcee attempted to reassure the self conscious mech.
"Please..."
"I won't say anything." The femme gave a deep sigh closing her optics.
Soundwave closed his optics shortly after Arcee. Both falling into slumber.
"You went back to that medic didn't you?" Megatronus growled watching the femme warm up a bottle full of energon and pain relief serum.
"I did."
"I thought I told you not to?" Megatron grumbled turning to his coughing sparkling.
"Your sparkling is in pain, he has to live with this handicap for the rest of his life cycle. I had to get more serum for him." Xanthia said walking over to her coughing sparkling.
"Soundwave's fine he doesn't need that scrap." The gladiator scoffed as the femme picked up her suffering sparkling.
"Last time I checked you weren't a medic. And Soundwave was maimed, he didn't just singe his paint." The mother retorted to the gunmetal grey mech
"A sparkling with a glitch is useless and nothing more then a malfunction that should be put out of its misery..."
"Get out!" Xanthia yelled making Soundwave cower in her arms. "You've grown blind in your quest for power! I never want you to come near me or Soundwave ever again!" The femme shoed the gladiator out of the shack of house.
Soundwave began to cry unsure of why his mother was yelling at his father.
"I'm not blind, I have just learned to see the bigger picture." Megatronus hissed as he stepped into the street.
"Well you can look at that big picture all you want. You won't see me or Soundwave in it." Xanthia slammed the door. Tears escaped her optics as she held her wailing sparkling close to her spark.
Megatronus venomously glared as his brother pulled up to the femme's home. He had no time to talk to the data clerk, transforming flying away from the home.
Orion thought it was odd his brother didn't want to speak with him especially since they've gotten very political. Thinking nothing of it he made his way to the femme's door, hearing muffled cries on the other side. "Xanthia?"
"Orion?" Xanthia moved away as the door opened
Orion Pax stepped into the home shutting the door behind him.
Soundwave saw Orion and quickly tried to escape to him.
Orion Pax quickly caught the sparkling that almost fell out of his mother's arms. "Xanthia what's going on?" he asked as Soundwave curled up in his arms hiding his face from his frightening mother.
"Megatronus is not the mech I thought he was..." Xanthia wiped her tears away as Orion tried to comfort her. She could tell she had terrified her little sparkling.
Orion Pax was confused it seemed as though the femme and his brother were very close, he found it odd Xanthia would say that. "What happened?"
"He was upset I took Soundwave back to your medic. Then he said some unforgivable things about Soundwave I'd rather not repeat. I just banished him from mine and Soundwave's life." The upset femme explained to the concerned data clerk. "I will never trust that mech near Soundwave ever again."
Orion looked down at the crying sparkling in his arms, wondering what his brother could've said that was so terrible.
"I scared him half to death just screaming at his father." The femme sighed trying to look at her sparkling's face. "Soundwave it's okay..." Xanthia cooed to no avail.
Soundwave coughed continuing to hide from his mother.
Xanthia exhaled deeply backing away from the violet sparkling. "I'm going to have to go back to the mines. I'm not going to do anymore energon raids with that monster."
Orion tried to coax the sparkling out of the tight ball he had curled up in against his chest plate. "You cannot go back there. What if the next time there's an accident Soundwave doesn't just get maimed. You risk both of your lives."
A few more silent tears escaped the femme's Cyan blue optics. "I need energon for my sparkling..."
The mech took the femme's servo in his free one. "Xanthia come back with me to Iacon."
The bioluminescent femme gave a dry chuckle. "That's a sweet thought Orion but I can't, I'd get us both arrested."
"Please at least let me take Soundwave." Orion felt it was wrong to ask such a thing from a very caring mother. But he just wanted the sparkling to be safe, comfortable, and well. "No one will question a sparkling's caste."
Xanthia was put off by the offer, but knew it was the best chance for her sparkling's survival. "What about when you go to the Hall Of Records?"
"Ratchet will gladly watch him, he would pass as one of his patients in the hospital facility he works in." Orion replied knowing the old medic would take Soundwave in a spark beat.
Xanthia nodded. "Okay..."
Orion blinked surprised the femme answered yes. "We'll find a way for you to stay in Iacon." He promised giving the femme's servo a gentle squeeze.
"I know someone who forges travelling passes. I can visit you two." Xanthia smiled at the red and blue mech.
Orion nodded, he disagreed with the dishonest way of getting into Iacon. But understood the femme needed to see her sparkling no matter the risks.
The next few hours Xanthia prepared everything for her sparkling to leave with his Uncle. Soundwave was still quite upset with his mother, but he allowed her to hug him one last time before he departed with his Uncle. Confused as to why he was leaving without his mother.
Once in the mech's home Soundwave scanned the large pristine home with his optics. Orion placed him on the very clean floors.
"Ga!" Soundwave chirped at seeing his own reflection in the shiny marbled floors.
Orion smiled as Soundwave played with his reflection. Walking to the large kitchen area, he began putting away the sparkling's bottles and medical serums.
Soundwave quickly got bored with his reflection, crawling across the floor while Orion was occupied.
Orion Pax finished putting away the sparkling's supplies, turning back to where the sparkling was playing. Panic set in as the sparkling was no where in sight. "Soundwave!"
Soundwave giggled from behind the couch as his Uncle ran throughout the house calling his name.
Orion stopped moving so he could listen for the sparkling. Hearing giggles coming from behind the couch Orion sighed with relief.
Soundwave squeaked as the couch was pulled away. Smiling up at the red and blue mech.
Orion scooped him up in his arms with a smile. "Seems I have to keep my optics on you." Orion cooed as Soundwave happily chirped.
Later that night Orion didn't realize how unprepared he was to keep a sparkling in his home. He had no crib, or toys, but Orion knew the violet sparkling was used to that. But he was lucky Xanthia gave him some energon that was safe for the sparkling, he'd have to get more. Looking at the glowing sparkling recharging on his chest Orion sighed. "I'll have to ask Ratchet for some supplies."
Orion suddenly jolted in surprise as the tiny sparkling woke up having a coughing attack.
Optimus couldn't recharge, he spent the past hour reviewing reports. Finishing his own reports in the process, during that he thought about the morning he would have with his apprentice tomorrow. The red and blue mech visibly jumped hearing violent coughing coming from down the hallway. He could here the medic getting up in the next room, and Ironhide grumbling as the coughing woke him as well.
Arcee shot up sitting in the berth as soon as her mech began coughing.
Soundwave painfully pushed himself upright in a sitting position as his coughing became violent.
Arcee quickly hopped out of the berth grabbing one of the vials off the rack. Placing a servo on her mech's back, Arcee opening the vial handed it to her struggling mech.
Soundwave shook his helm no to the femme trying to give him the serum, as he had to calm his coughing down before he could take it.
Optimus stepped out of his room knowing Mirage and Bumblebee were probably awake as well. Ratchet stepped out at the same time locking optics with the Prime. "I'm not going to bother him unless it continues further."
"Arcee is in there she'll enforce him to take the serum. I'm just checking on the younglings." Optimus nodded in agreement with the old medic.
"I might have to make something stronger then the usual serum he takes. I worry these vicious attacks will eventually damage his vocals further." Ratchet sighed following the Prime down the hallway.
Optimus peeked his helm into his younglings room. Seeing both of them sitting awake in their berths. "He's alright younglings. Recharge."
Bumblebee nodded laying back down. Mirage was hesitant but obliged, doing the same.
Shutting the door Optimus turned back to the medic. "The serum seems to be working old friend. It needs time to fully work, you said it yourself. I would continue to monitor him then make a decision." Optimus suggested to the concerned medic.
"Alright." Ratchet sighed as they halted at the young couples door, continuing to hear the coughing.
Optimus knew the red and white mech was going to check on Soundwave now. He gave a small smile to his medic before going back to his room as Soundwave didn't need a crowd to stress him out further.
Arcee sighed hopping off the berth to open the door that was knocked on. "Come on in." Arcee gestured for the medic to walk in.
"Distract him please..." Ratchet whispered to the femme as she handed him the open vial.
"Look at that we have a midnight visitor." Arcee lightheartedly told her mech as she sat next to him again.
"Hey... Ratch..." Soundwave greeted through painful coughing while Arcee rubbed his back soothingly.
"It's calmed down enough for you to talk, take it now." Ratchet said handing the open vial to the young mech.
Soundwave did as he was told tossing the serum down his throat. Ratchet took the empty vial from him placing it on the desk.
"Next time you have an attack I need to scan you while you're having it." Ratchet said as he walked back to the couple.
"Why?" Soundwave asked in a painfully sore voice.
"Because I need to see if these attacks are doing damage. And if so I need to create a stronger serum." Ratchet explained to the sore mech.
Soundwave nodded in acknowledgment he was already growing tired of his attacks. They hurt him a lot, coughing violently was beginning to make his chest sore it was hard to ventilate. And every time he spoke after one, there was a faint burning sensation even after taking the serum.
"Try to get some rest now. Goodnight you two." Ratchet bid goodnight leaving the couple's room.
Flopping onto his back with a sigh Soundwave looked over at his concerned femme. "You alright?"
"Why are you asking me that, I should be asking you!" Arcee scoffed.
Soundwave gave a weak chuckle and smile. "You worry too much."
Arcee shook her helm in disbelief. "Soundwave do you know how frightening those attacks are?To everyone else it sounds like you're trying to gasp for the last bit of life."
"You're blowing this out of proportion. I've lived with it my entire life. Yes it hasn't happened since I was a youngling, but it's always been there. I've made it this far, it didn't kill me when I was a sparkling, and it's not going to kill me now. It's a glitch not a death sentence." Soundwave explained, pulling his femme down into his arms.
"Fine, tomorrow you need to explain these attacks a little more so I know how to help you when you have them." Arcee sighed relaxing in her mech's embrace.
"I will after my patrol with Optimus. Ratchet could probably explain it better, why don't you ask him, and I'll just answer whatever he can't?"
The femme rolled her optics with a groan. "Alright now get some rest spark attack."
"I don't have spark attacks?" Soundwave cocked his helm in confusion.
"No but you give me one." Arcee hissed closing her optics. Soundwave smirked closing his own optics.
"Scrap!"
The next morning Arcee woke to the sound of her mech cursing through a whisper followed by a jingle coming from the rack on the desk. Rolling over in the berth she saw her mech putting three vials in his storage compartment.
"Sorry, sorry... I didn't mean to wake you!" Soundwave whispered his apologies as tried to silence the rack.
Arcee yawned with a laugh. "It's alright Soundwave. I'm just glad you're taking care of yourself."
"You're not going to recharge any more are you?" Soundwave winced as he sighed as his chest was extremely sore.
"No I should help Ratchet organize the med bay and the energon storage, I'm pretty sure Ironhide is taking the twins to the mine you found. And Jazz and Mirage have patrol with Bee." Arcee said following the violet mech into the main room.
"Busy day." Soundwave noted firing up the monitors.
"Good morning you two." Both Ratchet and Optimus greeted the couple.
"Good morning sirs." Soundwave greeted both mechs solemnly.
"Good morning Optimus, I am all yours today Ratch." Arcee addressed both entering mechs by their names.
"Great, we've got a lot of organizing to do." Ratchet was happy to have an extra set of servos helping him.
"We're off on patrol Ratchet, tell Ironhide we'll check in on them at the mine on our way back." Optimus told the old medic as he followed the young mech to the base exit.
"I will let him know Optimus." Ratchet gave a thumbs up while reading the monitors.
Soundwave gasped with a cough as Optimus grabbed him by the shoulder to halt him.
"I did not mean to startle you youngling." Optimus apologized as Soundwave turned to face him. "Do you have..."
"My medical serums? Yes I do." Soundwave cleared his throat, knowing what the Prime was thinking.
"Do you need to take one before we leave?" Optimus asked noticing the violet mech was showing signs of a possible flare up.
"No, I'm alright. Just a bit sore." Soundwave shrugged leading the way out of the exit tunnel.
Arcee turned around hearing obnoxious yawning coming from behind as the twins entered the main room. "Wow even earlier today?" Arcee joked at the tired looking twins.
"You're mech woke up the whole base with his death coughing. How many air intakes did he cough up?" Sunstreaker complained grabbing some energon.
"Yeah is he alright, does he have a virus?" Sideswipe asked sounding a little more concerned then his twin brother.
Arcee was about to reply with the reason why, but remembered Soundwave didn't want her to say anything about his glitch. "He doesn't have a virus, he's okay."
"Then why's Soundwave coughing like he's got a sword stuck in his ventilator?" Sunstreaker grumbled handing his twin some energon.
"It's not our place to tell you Soundwave's personal health data." Ratchet said while trying to calculate a formula. "Now quit being nosey, and surprise Ironhide by being at the mine before he wakes."
The twins shrugged guzzling their energon before driving out of the base.
"So Ratchet..."
"Yes Arcee?" Ratchet cocked an optic ridge at the femme.
"When would you say is the best moment for Soundwave to take that stuff?"
"I would say when he is beginning to have a flare up, so he can prevent a full blown attack." The old medic replied mixing chemicals in a test tube.
"Okay how do we know when he's having a flare up?" Arcee asked moving a large file of data pads.
Ratchet groaned not knowing how to answer that question. "That's hard, because he had so many attacks yesterday he's probably still feeling a small burn even after calming an attack. But my guess would be when Soundwave is having a hard time speaking clearly, followed by subtle coughs."
Arcee nodded remembering how sore her mech looked this morning. "Soundwave looked like he was having a hard time ventilating this morning."
"His ventilators are working over time, they're not built to hyperventilate like that numerous times a day." The old medic sighed as Mirage walked in.
"So why would my regeneration device be more harm then good for Soundwave's vocals?" Mirage asked figuring they were talking about Soundwave's glitch.
"Because it regenerates missing objects, not permanent injuries." Ratchet told the youngling.
"Why can't it be repaired?"
"Mirage didn't we go over this yesterday?" The medic complained trying to get work done.
"Kind of, you only said that my device would do more harm than good." The young assassin argued.
Ratchet furrowed his optic ridges with a groan. "I also said that his vocals were melted, fused together, a mangled mess. Your bother is lucky he can still speak."
"But you fixed Bee's."
"Yes Bumblebee's voice box was crushed, so after a lengthy operation, his mother's donor voice box replaced his broken one. And yours regenerated back over time due to your unique genome." The old medic tried to explain the difference. "My point is, molten liquid being thrown onto your vocals is a little different, compared to having your voice box crushed or ripped out."
Mirage was confused didn't his brother have the same unique genome as him?
"It's kind of like a really bad welding job in your throat."
"But you don't weld a voice box." Arcee thought aloud.
"Exactly." Ratchet nodded raising his optic ridges.
"Doesn't Soundwave have the same CNA as me? Why hasn't it repaired it?" Mirage finally asked his burning question.
"As far as I can tell it's a regeneration response. Soundwave had this injury previous to having your augmentations. His systems probably didn't respond because it was permanent and previous. You two also have very different systems, I don't believe Soundwave can recover to the same extent you can." Ratchet thought aloud as Bumblebee entered the main room. "Mirage you were built strictly to be an assassin, battlefield ready. While your brother was built for spying, battle, and data collecting. Not saying your brother can't with stand some horrific damage, his systems just aren't as resilient as yours."
"Interesting..."
"Why don't you two go wake up Jazz? You're supposed to be going on patrol with him today." Arcee spoke to the younglings changing the subject.
"Okay!" Both younglings charged down the hallway into the poor slumbering mech's room.
"I truly wish I could fix the damage. But I know if I do so he won't be able to speak, or I might damage Soundwave further." Ratchet said to the organizing femme.
"I understand. Ratchet you have helped him tremendously just by giving him that serum." Arcee smiled.
"I know, but the serum might not be enough..."