The Diego Diaries: Home is where the spark is. (dd6 144)
-0-Home, yet not home
Prowler nibbled on his piece of fudge, that is, the new fudge with 'nuts, cherries and chocolate chips' that was piled up in Ironhide's cart with a lot of other goodness. Ratchet had gotten another cart and while he had, Ironhide had loaded up the one they started with. Sharing a bit of the new obsession with the infant was just what the doctor (hadn't) ordered.
Rolling back, Ratchet grinned. "Slagger. Prowler, hold off some for dinner," Ratchet said as he steered them onward toward the vegetables and other 'good food groups'. It meant cutting through the personal care, simple health fixes like vitamins and other boo-boo cures aisles into home and 'household needs' before they reached the produce section. Ironhide rolled to a stop and began to cast an expert optic all around for the best soaps and lotions for all their household needs.
Ratchet leaned against his cart with a grin as Ironhide scrutinized this and that, holding a bottle in one servo and a bag in another as he compared the two. Which one was the better at getting those 'stubborn stains out'? It made a mech wonder. "So, how many joors are we going to be here and how many strange things are you shooting for?"
"A mech has to do what a mech has to do," he said putting into his cart a bottle of something that would get those stains out and leave a sweet smell behind. Good trade off in Ironhide's book and Ratchet was on the same page. "Let's look at vitamins for the kids."
"You know I'm a doctor, right?" Ratchet asked as Ironhide rolled down the aisle.
"A slagging fine one, too," Ironhide said, "but they do like their little animal-shaped vitamins."
Ratchet grinned as he got some that tasted like cherry and some that tasted like glutz, a favorite flavor on Cybertron. It was a taste that was a cross between diesel and motor oil. He got some of those for himself as well. Grinning at Ratchet, he turned his cart. "Drive on, old mech, or I'll pass ya."
Ratchet turned his cart and moved onward. "In your dreams, mom van." They laughed all the way to the produce section where Ratchet halted, then gave him a stern look. "Just stand there. I'll get what we need. We need a salad."
"I hate salads, Ratchet. Slagging human custom. I NEED MECH FOOD!" he said as Prowler glanced up with a startled expression. Then he smiled and laughed loudly. "ATAR IS FUNNY!"
"Atar is a big baby," Ratchet said with a grin. "Stay here. I have to keep us upright and moving in spite of you, Ironhide." He blitzed the produce and fruit section loading up on the 'good stuff'. Then they ambled onward to the 'meat' section where they would load up on all manner of goodness. Wheeling onward to check out, they joined the line. Leaning against his cart, Ratchet turned to Ironhide and Prowler. "Partition, the femmes, Maelstrom, and Jetta are out at the Valles camping. So is Magnus and the rest of the hangers-on, so I thought we could have dinner at our house and have Prime in along with all the in-laws. I want enough to feed an army."
"Who's cooking?" Ironhide asked with a grin, more than content that a cart was between him and Ratchet's swinging arm.
"You have to recharge some time," Ratchet said with a smirk. They inched forward, then halted. "I thought I'd cook the turkeys, then fix all the trimmings."
"We can order stuff from The Catering Place," Ironhide said.
Ratchet turned to glare at him. "We can?"
"I'm just saying that's a lot of work in a short period of time. You might want to lighten the load a little. You're talking about a battalion," Ironhide said.
"Nice recovery, slagger. Actually, Ironhide," Ratchet said with false brightness. "I'm going to cook it all. I'm going to slap it together with my amazing ovens and you're going to slagging eat it without a comment. I have my giant frying pan and I know how to use it."
Ironhide grinned. "That frying pan makes me laugh every time."
"It is rather hilarious," Ratchet said. "That's why I got it, that and I can use it like a pro."
"You can," Ironhide said. /... HA! … a pro at what? …/
"Thanks, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a grin. /... you lying liar …/
They got to the front of the line, then checked through, giving a delivery time for the boxes. Ambling onward, they walked to the street and took a look around. It was getting onward so they walked toward their tower with Prowler who was in his tomato onesie with the curly hat. It was a mellow trio that entered their building to go upward.
-0-Around the family grapevine
:Alor: -Blackjack aka BJ
:What?: -Alor aka AL
:Head for Ironhide's house when you get off shift. Dinner will be had there: -BJ
:Who do you have with you, 'Jack?: -AL wishing he was off duty immediately
:I have Scout. I had to finish some business so I couldn't play: -BJ
:Frag. We better get this sorted out next time. Have you talked to the others? Ratchet?: -AL
:I haven't yet. Ratchet says he's fixing dinner and not to bring anything but ourselves: -BJ
Pause.
:I'll talk to Ratchet. Alor out: -AL
-0-Grapevine continued
:Alor to Ratchet:
Ratchet paused before the stove with one of two big turkeys on a baking pan. :Ratchet here. What's up?:
:Dinner. Do you need anything?: -AL
Ratchet smirked at Ironhide. "Did you tell your ada to bring food for dinner?"
Ironhide glanced up from Prowler who was showing him four, blue and rectangle in a book. "No. Why?"
"Just asking," Ratchet said. :I don't need anything, Alie. I'm getting it together. Just bring yourselves:
:You sure?: Alie asked.
:Yes:
:Okay, Ratchet. See you in two joors. Alie out: Alor grinned, then sat back. "Well, I asked."
-0-Also
:Appa: -Ironhide
:What?: -Raptor
:Where are you?: -IH
:Hero and I are taking in the sights: Raptor said as he stood in front of a store window looking at the pretty things inside. Hero was asking him about them and they were comparing tastes. Both of them were simpatico. They had very good tastes, indeed.
:We're having dinner here. Come. Get Amma and the others, too. We're having a crowd: Ironhide said as he watched Ratchet organize his dishes and recipes like a artillery commander bombarding a fortress. It was hilarious.
:Do we bring anything?: Raptor asked with a smile.
:Antacids?: Ironhide asked more to be ornery than anything.
:I'm telling: -Raptor
:I'll deny everything. Two joors, Ratchet said. Okay?:
:On it: Raptor said. :Raptor to Turbine:
:I'm here. What's up? Where are you?: -Turbine walking through the mall with Orion and Praxus
:We're on Main in Luna. Where are you?: Raptor asked as he entered the store with Hero. She was deeply enamored with a tiny figurine of a dragon carved out of red stone with inset emeralds for optics.
:We're not far. What's the store and we'll meet you there?: Turbine said bending to pick up the two gabby little sparklings. Settling them on his arm, he waited. :Raptor?: he asked.
:I have to get something for Hero. She likes some little thing here: Raptor said as he held Hero out to pick up the little dragon. Her optics were shining. "Appa! This is so beautiful!"
He grinned. :We're at Skyrim Fine Arts. We'll wait here for you:
:On our way: Turbine said as he walked to the metro station that shared entrance space with the Mall of the Tri-Cities. They disappeared in seconds.
-0-Race Track
They sat together, nine well raised sweet kids who had been gathered up by a number of fatherly type soldiers who were friends of Typhoon. They were coming to the races for a bond's night out and said they would keep the kids with them. They sat together, a big friendly happy group eating food from the concessions, something called nachos and cheese. It was the bomb diggity. Soon enough, the races would start and half a million individuals would be riveted to the hoo-hah. The big mechs would make sure that the kids made it home in one piece. They would have a ripping good time at the track.
-0-Elsewhere
Hard Drive and Delphi walked Bos, Co-D and Reflector to their towers and watched them safely get on their elevators for home. Waving happily, both sides parted, then Hard Drive picked up Sunspot. "Your old ada called us to come for dinner. All of us. We're going to meet Amma Turbine and Appa Raptor at the station in Luna, then head toward home. Come on, Spot. Time to hit the trains."
Sunspot hugged Hard Drive, then grinned at his Amma. "I like this. This was so much fun."
"I think you speak for me, too, infant," Delphi said with a grin as they ambled toward the metro and the train ride home.
-0-Elsewhere
Ravel and Tie Down closed down the shop, then walked toward their tower. The evening was picking up as restaurants, bars and clubs began to attract the early dinner crowd. The races had a good card tonight, Cybertronian football would be starting again shortly, it was First Sunday and all was well. One more day of weekend and the rat race would start all over again. Until then, they would enjoy the odd concept of weekend, another reason to thank the friendship with Earth. The two chatted as they walked along, disappearing in the crowds as they went.
-0-Home base
Ratchet watched the turkeys cook through the windows of his two ovens, then walked to the counter where he had piles of vegetables laying in groups. He took his favorite big knife and began to wack the slag out of them, piling some of them in water, a huge pile of potatoes, while the rest went into two big salad bowls. He tossed them until they looked better, then put them in the fridge.
Ironhide watched him with a grin as Prowler ran about the room playing some kind of super hero game. He was happy, Ironhide was happy and both of them hoped Ratchet was. "Need help?"
Ratchet who had added water to the pan for potatoes glanced at Ironhide. "Nope." He turned to the task at hand quashing a grin as he did. / … the Pit will freeze over before I ask for help … don't you know that by now? …/
Ironhide grinned as he watched Ratchet's nice aft bend and turn, doing this and that. / … the Pit would freeze over before you'd let me help you … slagger …/
-0-Meet up
"AMMA! LOOK WHAT APPA GOT FOR ME!" Hero held out a tiny red stone dragon with intensely green emerald eyes. "Appa is so nice!"
Turbine grinned. "He's a softy, your old appa." He looked at Raptor. "We can bring dessert."
"Did you ask?" Raptor asked as they walked toward the metro station with the three little kids babbling to each other over the little dragon.
"No, but I'll feel better. I don't know if Ratchet has one already and I'm too scared to ask," Turbine said as they walked down the steps to disappear. Raptor's loud laughter followed.
-0-Corr, Chan, Appa Ratchet, Docker, Ravel, and Tie Down
"Poor Ratchet. He had duty all orn and now he's making dinner for everyone. The trine and the babies are coming. So is Venture, Miler and Prima. Lord Optimus and his family are as well. What do you think? Do we help him?" Ravel asked with a bit of anxiety.
"I don't know. That little mech is a bit of a touchy thing about his cooking," Docker mused.
"HE COOKS LIKE A CHAMPION! THAT'S MY ONLY GRANDSON! HE'S A CHAMPION!" Appa said as his cat jumped down into his lap.
Everyone grinned at him, then looked at each other. "Dessert. We can bring dessert."
Ravel looked at the group, then Docker. "Let's go get dessert for our little mech," he said, then the two walked out to get it.
-0-Up in the clouds
They had come home together at last and were organizing everyone. Miler and Venture were there and the children were chasing around the house playing hide-and-seek with Sojourner, Solus, Prima, and Miracle. Prowl grinned as they ran past, then looked at the others. "Ratchet is cooking. I shudder."
"I think he does a fine dinner. He's very good with some things," Miler said because he was sweet and true blue.
Everyone grinned at him. "Ask Ratchet if we can bring anything," Prime said as he sat on his chair to relax. A cat joined him and curled up on his lap.
:Ratchet. You there?:
:Hey, Prowler! What's up? I'm preparing fine cuisine as we speak:
Prowl grinned. :Since you invited half the colony, what do you want me to bring? I have a miraculous talent for cooking:
Ratchet grinned. "Slagger," he whispered. :Bring your aft and the others too. I have this:
Prowl looked at the others. "Ratchet has it. What do you want me to go get and bring?"
Everyone grinned, then glanced at each other. Miler stood. "Let's bring dessert."
Prowl nodded. :Alright, Loon. Prowl out:
Prowl and his ada walked out the door to get dessert.
-0-Trine
"That was Ratchet. We're invited to dinner," Bluestreak said. He grinned. "Get the lead out."
The twins were sprawled on couches. "Do we bring anything?" Sunstreaker said as he got up to gather the kids.
"Yes," Blue said as he picked up Kaon. "Good manners."
All three laughed loudly. They would settle on dessert.
-0-Valles
Arcee laughed loudly, then glanced at Elita. "Ada is cooking dinner for everyone. Everyone is fidgeting."
Elita grinned. "Ada cooks better than me."
"How do you know?" Jetta asked as he opened another beer. He was sitting next to Magnus listening to him explain a few things to three enraptured youngling mechs, Partition and his brothers. "You never cook and I do only under extenuating circumstances."
"That's true," Elita said with a smile. "Poor Ada. I hope he kicks their afts."
"He might do that anyway even if the food is good," Arcee said with a smile. It was swinging in the Valles, too.
-0-TBC 10-01-17 edited 10-04-17
NOTE: I am editing and even rewriting missing messed up parts like Diego Diaries, Part Two #7. I am also adding new stuff all along. I will post when a part is completely edited before telling you about it. I am hammering this thing down hard. It's been interesting but worth it. Hugs, everyone. You are loved.
ESL:
Simpatico: same, similar.
Time in days: Since Mars has about two days for each of our own, I'm calling them First and Second Monday through Sunday. They're currently on First Sunday with Second Sunday following. Then First Monday rolls around again. :D Obsessive-compulsive is me. :D