The Diego Diaries: PARTAY! (dd6 230)
-0-In there
"Orion. What are you doing?" Ratchet asked as he sat by the window chowing down on a plate filled almost impossibly full of food.
Orion glanced up at his ada. "Ada, I doing she."
"What have you got in your hand?" Ratchet asked.
He held up a cake pop, one covered in sprinkles. "She going for this. Her. Ha-Ha."
"Is that her name? Ha-Ha?" Raptor asked as he leaned forward to peer at the two infants. Halo was sitting in her bouncy chair on the floor in front of three grandpas and three other grandpas of various greatness. Grand, Great Grand and Great Great Grand Ammas and Appas peered at the two with big grins.
Orion smiled back. "SHE NEED THIS ONE!" he said happily as he held up the cake pop.
"Orion, you eat it and tell her how good it was. She can't eat those yet," Ratchet said using a trick that never failed on the good sparked little yellow banded bandit.
He stared at Ratchet, then the cake pop, then his sister. He took a bite and it was gone. Chewing it, he looked at the empty stick. Leaning down close to Halo, he grinned. "Ha-Ha, dis good. I, Orion, gooded it." He paused a moment, then leaned in closer. "I, Orion, eated it. It good. Good this. You not eated it. You she. I eated it. Good me." He smiled brilliantly.
She smiled back equally.
"Come here, Spud. Eat your food. Halo will be fine," Arcee said as she rose to pick him up. Planting him at the table, she returned to sit down beside Magnus who was holding her plate. "You little ones crack me up."
"Get your own," Blackjack said. "You'll have a floor show all orn long."
"I'll take that under advisement," Magnus said with a shake of his helm. Huge laughter greeted that.
The door kept opening until someone pinned both back. Friends, strangers and familiars who everyone knew but couldn't quite place fogged in and out, dropping food off, carrying it by the plateful to someplace both inside and out to sit and eat while others gathered by the doorways to chat before entering. Prime and Ironhide sat in the two chairs, his and Ratchet's, their plates never emptying and their glasses always topped off. Prime who sat with his peds on the coffee table grinned at Ironhide. "Thanks for the feed, old friend."
"You're welcome," Ironhide said with a grin. "Eat until you drop."
"You have to Santa Prime tomorrow, the lot of you," Ratchet said as everyone laughed.
"I get the leftovers all over the colony," Jetta said with a grin. "Sounds like fun."
"It will be," Elita said. "I can't wait to arrive in style in the horse wagons."
That brought a bunch of discussion, then the kids began to rally. Sliding down, they began to run around, hopping into the mound of service animals by the window which were still growing, then running madly together only to pause by an adult for a bite. Orion who had his eyes on the cow and tiny horse paused beside the cow. He patted him, then looked at Ratchet. "ADA! I, ORION, LOVE THIS DOG!" Huge laughter. He grinned at everyone's laughter, then looked at Ratchet. "Ada, I, Orion, want this dog."
"Oh, frag. Ironhide, just say no," Ratchet said.
Ironhide who was eyeballing the cow-let grinned. "I don't think I can, Ratchet."
"Oh, frag. You have to clean up their debris then," Ratchet said. "How are you going to justify getting a cow, Ironhide?"
"I don't know," Ironhide said. He glanced at the others who were admiring the little cow, too. "What about you taking him in and letting me play with him? You know … like my cyber fox, Appa. You both took care of him and I got him when I got home."
"Don't tempt me, Ironhide," Raptor said with a grin. He leaned down and snapped his fingers. "Here, cow."
Everyone laughed, then a little femme walked to the cow. "Come on, Nova. Let's go show him how cute you are." The little cow stepped over a couple of dogs, the followed the little femme to Appa Raptor. He paused next to Raptor who rubbed his fat little side.
"Is this your baby cow?" Raptor asked the tiny femme.
"He is, Abba. He's my friend. I couldn't recharge too good so Amma got me a cow. I love cows! I saw little ones on the Animal Channel and they gave me this one. ISN'T HE CUTE!?" she said.
"He is," Raptor said with a grin. They chatted, then Nova and his girl walked back to the window where he moved to a sunny spot and stood, his contentment off the scale.
"Appa … are you really getting a cow?" Ironhide asked with immense curiosity.
Raptor sat back with a grin. "I'll let you ruminate on that thought," he said.
Ironhide glanced at his Amma. Turbine grinned. "He's brought home worse."
Huge laughter and requests for details followed. Mechs and femmes filled up and sat here and there as others came in with their own offerings. There were so many now that they were in the corridor up to the elevator and down around the corner. Some sat in the grand genitor's houses as they ate and chatted. Christmas Surprise lights were warm and bright as the children played or ate in the crowded rooms.
"How was Las Vegas?" Delphi asked Alor who was feeding a piece of something to Prima and Scout.
He glanced up. "The White ship is just about to reach the destroyed base so we're going to flash bridge them to the other side so they won't see it. Tennyson is on station and all seems well, right, Tennyson?" he asked as he leaned to the side to look around a number of individuals.
Sitting on the floor laughing at a joke with Fort Max and Metroplex before heading out to Typhoon's apartment, Tennyson glanced toward Alor. "What?"
"What's it like on station at the moment?" Alor asked.
Tennyson paused to consider that, then grinned. "All is well. The White ship has two more orns to the point of transport. We have that on automation because it has to happen fast enough to move their ship ahead but not fast enough to trigger their stasis."
"You can manage that easily," Ratchet said.
"We try," Tennyson said as the room erupted in laughter and catcalls.
"I wonder how that will turn out in the long run," Optimus mused. "They, after all, have a relationship with the humans and the situation would be explosive if not handled right."
"Everything is explosive to the humans," Cliffjumper said as he sat nearby with Buzzie. "The humans are nuts."
"I can see that bonding has mellowed you, Cliff," Turbine said with a grin. "When can we expect a sparkling, Buzzie?"
Buzzie paused his fork to his mouth, then almost blushed, if mechs could. "Uh ..."
Huge laughter.
"Speaking of sparklings … we're going to the Valles to camp in a few after the new year. I just thought I'd warn ya," Ratchet said.
"We are? Since when" -the entire Prime-Ironhide family.
"Since now," Ratchet said. "After all, we have to be there to begin the First Annual Mars Autobot Scouts Jamboree."
HUGE angsty screaming and overall laughter at Prowl and Ironhide's expense ensued, both of which nearly rose out of their exoskeletons at the mere mention. "WHAT DO YOU *MEAN* JAMBOREE!?" -both of them.
"I was reading up on jamborees and it appears that you have one periodically to celebrate the … the, uh, the will of the pack or something. FRAG ALL OF YOU! HERE I AM TRYING TO MAKE NICE EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES FOR THE SPARKLINGS AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS RIDE MY BUMPER!" Ratchet said with massive indignation.
It was silent a moment as everyone stared at Ratchet, then Prowl and Ironhide, then Ratchet. Ironhide frowned. "Look at them looking at you like you're some kind of hard working VICTIM who doesn't get a lick of support."
"Is it working?" Ratchet asked the crowd around him with a dazzling smile.
"It's working for me," Hercy said with a grin. HUGE hoo-haw followed that. Hercy and Ratchet grinned at each other.
"What's a jamboree and how do I get out of the detail?" Sunstreaker asked as a concerned Drift and Springer nodded in agreement.
"Well, for all you slaggers that don't care if our babies grow up with any good memories and experiences, if you don't care if their little quivering chins ever turn into smiles, if you don't care if their nightma-"
"WHAT THE FRAG, OLD MECH! WHAT'S A SLAGGING JAMBOREE!?" Ironhide asked to tumultuous laughter.
Ratchet dazzled him with a smile. "Well, you bottomless pit of uncouthness, its this. Its a big rally of scouts from all over the place every four Earth years or so where they get together for slag and companionship. They do a lot of things. A zip line is part of them along with long distance bike riding, climbing and rappelling, kayaking, rescue exercises, scuba, free swim and dragon boats … we don't have water so those are problematic ... UNLESS WE HAVE THAT PART AT DIEGO! … golf, archery, shooting of all kinds … skeet is a big thing … orienteering which is fun, geo-caching, tours of fancy places, sing-alongs, eating out, sleeping in camping set ups … its about six days usually." Ratchet grinned. "WARLORD! What's the scout creed thing?"
Warlord who was sitting with his parents, all three of which looked at him with delight, smirked at Ratchet. "On my honor, I will do my best. To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight."
It took a moment for the applause to die down, then everyone glanced at Ratchet. "What were we talking about?" he asked to great laughter.
It was silent in the room for a second, then Twin Twist grinned. "Why the frag would anyone voluntarily go bivouacking? I don't get it."
"You have no high conceptual ability," Hercy said. "You and me? I could give a frag about camping out. Been there, done that a zillion times. But look at him."
Everyone turned to look at Orion who was sitting at the table showing the others how to put bread sticks up his nose assemblies. Huge laughter broke out. Prime glanced at Ironhide who was torn between paralyzing embarrassment and intense pride. "He takes after you, I see."
HUGE, HUGE LAUGHTER and agreement.
Orion turned to look at everyone. Two bread sticks stuck out of his nose and he looked like a walrus with giant tusks. Ravel stood up and walked to him. "Infant, you take after your ada," he said as he sorted the baby out.
"YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!" Ironhide said to huge laughter.
"You were saying, Ratchet?" Twin asked with a chuckle.
"Consider how they will remember their youth some fine orn when they talk about camping out at the jamboree with Uncle Twin and the boys," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
"I hate you," Prowl said darkly to ENORMOUS acclaim.
Ratchet gave him his best dazzling smile. "Frag you, too, Miss Priss."
"When is this train wreck supposed to happen, Ratchet?" Kup asked.
"Soon. The sooner the better. We can have Galaxy film it, then we can show it to the humans. We can record a message to the scouts on Earth who have their jamboree in 2019. Hands across the sea and all that slag. YOU DO REALIZE THAT I, RATCHET OF IACON, AM ALMOST SINGLE HANDEDLY BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EARTH AND US! DID YOU NOTICE THAT!?"
"I noticed it," Drift said as the entire room stared at Ratchet in silence.
"You would," Springer said. "Mama's boy."
HUGE laughter.
"When can we all expect to suffer? I'm assuming you're going to draft all of us, right?" Springer asked.
"You got that right, slagger," Ratchet said. "I'll let you know."
"Frag. There goes the new year," Ironhide said.
"Ah, poor widdow baby," Ratchet said with a grin.
"Who wants pie?" Alor said as he stood. A number did so he walked to the pies, picked one up with a serving fork, then began to ladle it out to those who wanted what he had. It took a lot of desserts to fill everyone up. Sitting again, he grinned. "What about T-ball. Do they have a jamboree for that?" Alor asked innocently.
Bedlam.
-0-TBC 12-27-17 edited 12-18-17 edited 1-11-18
I was so tired last night, sorry about that. Eating too rich food is enough to lay me low. My family cooks too well. :D I cook like Ratchet. :D
NOTES:
Miniature cows are for real. Google it and *die*
Leoness: I think its going to take hooking Orion up like a yo-yo and bouncing him in the floor to fix him. LOL!
First off, Blondie rocks absolutely!
I was wondering when that fucker would screw up. Now Hobbs has to choose between his cousin and his barn. That should be an interesting conversation don't you think?
Happy Christmas, fancy spinner
ME: Blondi is a go-getter. She reminds me of my younger sister. :D Hobbes either has to choose family or despair. That's going to be fun when he has to tell Traachon he's on his own. :D
Leoness chapter 226 . Dec 22
Heh! Blondi rules. And the "elves" in the form of those miscreant high castes should be a hoot. Doofuses.
ME: Ratchet is evil. I can't wait to see Lucien in an elf hat. It will be fun to see if all of them can handle it. Keystock is a tightly wound dude so this could be fun. :D:D:D
HUGE HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! I think I'm back on my feet again. :D:D:D