The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 71)
-0-After a siren blows
"This is good, Amma. Too bad no one can cook like you." Several pairs of molten optics fixed themselves on Ironhide who grinned at them. "You're so easy to wind up."
"You think so?" Ratchet said as he glared at Ironhide. "Maybe I should shut off the spigot."
Prowl nearly vomited as the fork in his mouth stabbed the back of his throat. He looked at Ratchet. "You're disgusting."
Ratchet gave him a dazzling smile. "No, I'm merely misunderstood."
"Not really," Ravel said glaring at Ratchet with his own molten optics. "I'm going to paddle you later for being a potty mouth in front of the Prime."
Prime who had said a few words himself in his own time grinned at Ratchet. "Potty mouth."
"That's me!" Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
Ravel eyeballed his son. "You can't shame someone who has no shame."
That's me!"Ratchet repeated.
"What's the Thanksgiving thing again, Ratch?" Hercy asked as he worked his way through a mountain of food on his plate.
"Cookies. All manner, shape and size of cookies," Ratchet said. "I, Ratchet of Iacon plan to win. I have spoken."
Hardy laughter greeted that as Ratchet stared at the lot of them with a slight smirk. "Fraggers."
Prime grinned. "I can not wait. There's something about a really good warm cookie."
Everyone gave him an awww moment, then nodded. The discussion figured on cookies for a moment, then Ratchet sat back with a thoughtful expression. "We have no more holidays or football weekends until Halloween."
It was silent a moment, then Kup glanced at Prime. "You better check the human's calendars. There has to be a good holiday or two left. I'm personally leaning to an orn dedicated to beer."
General agreement was swift on that sensational idea as some of them hit the calendar trail in Teletraan. "How about Father's Day?" Lon asked as he sat on the floor next to Bezel and Drift.
Everyone considered that, then looked at Prime.
He grinned. "Okay."
Huge laughter met that one, then the more obscure dates began to rise to the surface:
"What about Hurricane Supplication Day?"
"Culturama Day sounds fun."
Martyr's Day sounded too morose so that was discounted right away.
"What about Day of the Institutions?" someone asked. "Because Ratchet belongs in one."
"HA-HA, IRONHIDE!"
It was put on the list anyway.
"How about Day of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation Day?"
Everyone stared at Drift for a moment.
"It's uh … from somewhere called North Korea."
"It sounds amazing. I like 'Day of Victory in the Hinterlands of the Foreground Consummation!' or as we call it, the day Prowl finally fragged Prime," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. The only reason he got to still live was that Optimus nearly threw a rod laughing. It was a good thing he didn't because Prowl would have beaned Ratchet with it.
That one.
"Day of the Rebellion."
"Buddha's first sermon day," Drift said.
They paused a moment to look it up, then agreed. It was a very fine holiday.
"Renaissance Day. I can see you now, Prowl, standing in a tall tower in a long flowing dress with Prime on a horse in armor below. 'I DO DECLARE! WHO WILL SAVE ME FROM THIS AWFUL FATE?!' you'd say, Prowler. Prime would wave his sword, then reply.'REPULSIVE! REPULSIVE! LET DOWN YOUR HAIR!"
For a moment, no one got it, then they did.
Prime laughed the loudest.
Prowl eyeballed Ratchet. "You disgust me," he said with a paint peeling tone.
"I hope so, Prowler." Ratchet gave him his best smile.
"I rather like Father's Day, the Day of the Institutions which I would like to change to Guild and Union Day and that other one," Prime said as he thought a moment. "Renaissance Day. Call it … what could we call it? Cybertronian Cultural Appreciation Day?"
Everyone stared at him.
"That doesn't really trip off the tongue," Hercy said with a grin. "What about Cybertron Day?"
It was silent a moment, then Prime grinned. "Okay," he said, then glanced at Prowl. "Make it so, trusty little sidekick. Also, put a Nana Day in there too. We don't want to be accused of being sexist do we?"
"Can they?" Bezel asked with curiosity. "Accuse us? We sorta don't have genders."
"I don't know," Prowl said. "I don't care," he continued as he shot demonic optics at Ratchet.
Ratchet smiled. "While we're at it, scheduling things and all … when is our jamboree going to be?"
Prowl nearly levitated out of his chair.
Moments later …
Ironhide and Prowl stared at Ratchet with smoldering optics.
Ratchet grinned. "You doknow that Starscream was rooked into the Autobot Scouts, too."
"And that matters how, fragger?" Prowl asked. It didn't matter that his ada stared at him with amusement. Some things were just that. Some things.
"Delegate," Ratchet said. "Ah, Prowler … you need a nanny."
"You need institutionalized," Prowl replied.
"GOOD! I hear there's a day of celebration for that somewhere," Ratchet said.
"Anyone for cake?" Ravel said as he stood with a smile.
Everyone was.
-0-Later that evening
Ironhide and Ratchet lay down on the berth, worn out from food, holiness and laughter. The kids were sleeping over at Prime's house while the adults trudged home as Drift and Springer went to work with Lon, Bezel, Hercy and Kup. Time and drunks waited for no one.
"This was a good orn, Ironhide."
"It was. Prowl is so easy to wind up."
"He is. I love to make Prime laugh."
"I know. It's the only reason I still keep ya." (Giant grin on a Kewpie doll face)
A fist to the gut (dis)abused Ironhide of that notion as Ratchet rolled over to snuggle. "I'm too pooped to party."
"Me, too. Good night, Ratchet."
"Good night, Only One."
-0-Morning
They wandered out and upward to gather up kids to take to school. The adults who usually did were slow off the mark. Ratchet and Ironhide were up early, driven by practice to rise even if the kids were somewhere else. The big kids had stayed with their Appa and Ammas so they had the place to themselves.
"HEY!" Ratchet said as he entered The Residence with Ironhide in tow.
There was a moment of chaos as kids and dogs jumped them, then everyone got organized. Pulling tiny book bags out of their carryholds, Ratchet and Ironhide got them loaded up and ready to go. "When is the staff meeting or is that off again?" Ratchet asked.
"In three joors. Don't be late, loon," Prowl said with a grin.
"With that kind of invitation, how can I be?" Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
Everyone exited, then made it to the ground floor. Hailing a cab for Hero, they put the pleased and mildly self conscious little femme into it, then watched it drive off.
Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "You following or me?"
"Neither. I just let the school know she's on her way. Someone will get her when she pulls up. Go later and get it worked out but for now, let's let her be a big girl." Ratchet began to walk to the corner.
Ironhide watched him, then followed. "SHE'S NOT A BIG GIRL! SHE'S A PEEWEE! SHE CAN BE A BIG GIRL LATER ON! I HAVE SPOKEN!"
Ratchet would laugh for a while. So would a lot of pedestrians on the street passing by.
-0-At Youngling Day School, Centurion, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire
They gathered outside, the human kids who came there meeting up with those from N.E.S.T. and the Family Tower Habitat. It was still awkward between them but they were getting to know one another, though neither side had bonded yet. No one visited each other and probably wouldn't for a while. The human group at Earth2 were still under restrictions so they'd have to have permissions to do the odd different thing. It was considered unlikely that Lennox would approve those measures yet.
Rain Harris, Lily Brown, Camilla Baker, and Jaycee Jameson, all of them the teenaged children of the four billionaires who had fronted half the money for this project stateside stood together by the steps that led inside. They'd come with the others by bus which drove up into the habitat entrance for trucks, allowing passengers only to board when the atmospheric safety devices signaled it was alright to do so.
They would load up, drive out and see the countryside as they hit the highway traffic heading into The City. They would pass the Basilica, the Mausoleum and three Metro Districts before heading west to the Tri-Cities. The journey through Tyger Pax would be slow due to morning traffic and pedestrians going here and there.
Trucks would be unloading goods to stores, carrying things out to be delivered elsewhere and making the wheels of commerce turn. Buses with children going to various schools, buses with Resort visitors going sightseeing, shift changes, horseback police entering or exiting the flow, all of it surrounded them on their way. After leaving Tyger Pax they would drive on the eight lane highway through the open land between cities, pass the odd utility building and the huge public works parking area for their non-sentient equipment before entering the city of Centurion.
It would be busy and filled with activity but eventually they would drive into the bus lanes for drop off, slowing to a stop behind other buses and the odd parent driving in vehicle mode. Children would get off, then be directed by staff to their appropriate entrances where they would gather until the doors opened. More and more kids came including those who were well known to every human with a television on Earth. Prime's kids and those of Ratchet and Ironhide made their way to their door, too.
The bell rang, then the doors opened. Children poured in, running for the lines that marked the elevators where they would wait for their turn to go to their rooms. They were dismissed to go up, those who shared the same floors filling the elevators for the short journey. When they arrived, they ran out, heading for the open doors of their classrooms.
Harris, Brown, Baker and Jameson followed the other humans to their classroom, that of Terradive. Annie Lennox, Sandy Thomas, James Hoyt, Bobby Epps and his sister, Lucy walked ahead of them laughing and talking with other kids, all of them alien. They entered the room, then hurried to their lockers in the back. The four new girls followed them.
It was noisy and chaotic as they put their things in, then took what they needed to their tables. Turning to look for everyone, James Hoyt waved. :COME ON!:he said, then ran for the door.
The other kids followed including Cybertronians as they exited swiftly for the playground and the last part of the remaining morning recess.
The human girls watched, then turned to Terradive who was organizing at his desk.
He glanced up at them. "Are you ready to go out or is there something you need?" he asked.
Rain Harris walked to Terradive's big desk, then halted beside it. :Mr. Terradive, what was that thing that happened yesterday? There was a bright light three times."
"It was nothing to be afraid of. It's a comforting light that happens at the Festival. It's only for the good of all, to make everyone welcome," he said.
They stared at him, then nodded. As one, they walked to the door to go down where they would stand on the steps and watch as the kids talked together, played on the equipment on the playground or chased each other. The siren would sound shortly after.
-0-At a school in Metrotitan
The cab pulled up, then a tiny femme climbed out. Thanking the cab though it was non-sentient because she was that polite, she walked toward the door of her school which was housed in a tower by itself as part of the Central Office of the Autobot City Unified School District. An aide standing by the door smiled at her, holding it open for the little mite to enter. They would go upward together discussing their impressions of the Festival and what it all meant.
-0-At The Fortress
They began to gather for the meeting postponed since the Festival. It would be new business, old business, who was going to get the business, fun, laughter, trolling Prowl, for the good of the order, loose ends, wits ends and 'the good stuff'. In short, it would be the same old, same old once more. But in the end, there would be a few new holidays on the calendar for the new paradigm.
-0-TBC 7-23-17 edited 8-2-17 edited 01-28-2022
NOTE: Let me repeat … if there is no posting for more than one night once in a while then the site is giving me fits. They just now let me post again. It happens, unfortunately. HUGS!
Someone asked a source at Hasbro who has the Transformers brand if there was such a thing as genders recently and they reiterated, "no, there isn't'. So they just give the gender thing when they're around aliens who have genders. :D