The Diego Diaries: Stuff (dd6 504)
-0-That afternoon
Ratchet walked out of the school with a hold filled with infants. Orion and Praxus were chatting away inside as he took a walk to the school metro to head for Metrotitan and Hero. The car was crowded with those going home or to other stations from other places, a homey sense that made him feel happy as he contemplated the relentless next few orns ahead. It was tough being essential equipment and having to work so much but the kids were troopers and the Godly Squad, the ammas and appas were stellar.
Stepping off at Metrotitan, he walked up to the street to the consolidated headquarters of all that related to the police, administration of the colony and Cybertron on world as well as public safety, engineering and public works. This was the place where all the 'utilities' of the colony were located as well as on world offices and officers of Cybertron. This was the place where stores were kept that were used by the colony to keep the plates spinning. Most of the officers of the colony had their headquarters here including extension offices of things like City Hall and the School District. It was here in the Autobot City Unified School District tower that the Pioneer School with its six bright kids was housed in the Central Office of the district. Going in and up after getting the data packet for Ironhide for the school board, he walked out of the elevator for the walk down to room 47-52 on Floor 18 which housed their little classroom.
The door was open and several adults were here to get the children including an aide from the Circle of Light Day Care Center now open in Autobot City. The prep school had actually asked for and taken an entire floor in the Polyhex Business Plaza to house part of their school given that their population had outgrown their buildings in Terra. They divided it. Older kids would go to Autobot City and the babies would go to Terra. It also included a busy daycare for working and military genitors. It was also a drop off for this and that child and housed some babies and children overnight depending upon the circumstances.
Daycare was not only a right but a seriously reasoned out reality here on world.
Hero walked out with her little blue backpack, then smiled. "No cab today, Ada?" she asked as Ratchet picked her up.
"Nope, cupcake. Let's get Prowler, then show Uncle Prowl your new gear," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. She slid in, the hatch closed, then Ratchet walked to the elevator for the journey to Prowler and the infant's new school location in Autobot City.
Earlier concerning the 'new location' for Circle Prep infants …
"Did you know about this?" Ratchet asked as he read through a notice from Prowler's school.
"What?" Ironhide asked as he sat at the table nearby perusing the 'wish book', a compendium of catalogs he had gathered to figure out what Christmas Surprise gifts to get everyone. Mech got his Christmas Surprise on early. It left more time for orbs of deliciousness and beer.
"They're moving the kids in Prowler's group to a new school site here in town," Ratchet said. "A business is moving out of the Polyhex Business Plaza and they took over the entire top floor. Floor three is going to be The Circle of Light Preparatory Academy - Autobot City Annex. The old school in Terra is going to be their intake site for new students and the youngest newer ones. Those who entered and are advanced like Prowler and all the others will be going to this one. That means a bus for Sunspot to Centurion for Youngling Day, a bus for the three dreads to Iacon for Intermediate, a bus for Orion and Praxus to Terra for Sparkling Day, a cab for Hero to Titan for Pioneer School and a bus to Polyhex Plaza for Prowler unless we carry him there."
It was quiet a moment.
"Frag." Both of them whispered softly.
In the here and now ...
Ratchet grabbed a cab at the stand and in moments they were at the Polyhex Business Plaza to pick up Prowler from his first orn in his new school. On the first floor, his genitors toiled away. Apparently, they hadn't heard about the change up either or they would have gotten him themselves. The crowd around the elevators was dense so an escalator was quicker. They zipped up with Wheeljack who was here for Resolve. The usual group to pick up children for daycare were already there as well as family for the children going home. Prowler walked out dragging his panda, then smiled up at Ratchet. "Ada. We go home now?"
"Not yet," Ratchet said as he picked the baby up. "We're going to see Uncle Prowl first." He stowed the baby, shot the breeze a moment with the others gathered there, then went down the escalator for the short walk through afternoon foot traffic to The Fortress. It was a straight shot inside.
-0-Moments later
Ratchet went over the latest intel, then requisitioned Sideswipe and Hot Rod for the trip to Earth the following orn. He had a number of ideas of who to take, Springer and Drift predominant, but they weren't in the throes of young(ling) love and no one had invoked on their sorry afts. Where was the gossip potential in them? He leaned back, then grinned at Paragon and Prowl. "Ironhide got them new outside duds. Its genius. Want to see?"
Prowl smirked. "Dare I?"
"You do," Ratchet said as he popped his hatch and pulled them out one at a time setting them gently on the table top. They stared at Ratchet, then everyone else with huge smiles. "OWL!" Orion said as he struck his usual Superman pose. The others lined up with him and smiled. Everyone watching was transfixed.
"This is Prowler or as he's now known … Laa-Laa. The purple one … Orion is Tinky Wink. Hero is the red one, Po and Praxus is Dipsy, the lime green one."
It was silent a moment as the genitors in the room marveled at the sight, then Prowl gathered all of them up in his arms, sweeping them toward him. "Mine. All mine," he said as he laughed.
Loudly.
-0-Shortly later
Prime walked in with the mechs who had been with him all orn long. He paused by the table and dropped a kiss on Prowl, stepping outside their usual reticence about public displays of affection. Raptor grinned as he sat to join them having seen their ship coming in over the airfield. "Someone told me that it looks like their grandparents making out when I did that. Welcome to my club."
"Who said that about us?" Prowl asked with a smirk as the big mechs pulled chairs to sit.
"Everyone." -everyone.
"Fraggers," Prowl said as Prime laughed.
"Ratchet brought my children by after school," Prowl said to Ironhide. "I saw their new outdoor garb."
"It was amazing. By the way, they want to be birds for Halloween which is in how many orns?" Ironhide mused.
"Six," Raptor said.
"Then Thanksgiving is next followed by Christmas Surprise, New Years and Veteran's Day on the same orn. Time to get our party started," Blackjack said with a grin. "Or not," he said as he glanced at the list of stuff needing attention laying on the table before them. "Frag."
"Really," Prowl said.
Turbine grinned. "You're due on Halloween, right?"
"Maybe. Schedules be damned," Prowl said.
"Three orns later, we name the little thing. What about the Caste Court necessitated by big mouth here," Delphi said as he grinned at his son.
Raptor grinned and preened back.
"Name the date. The slagger says he's ready," Prowl said.
"Well, we're going to need Ratchet just in case so how about the orn following his return from Earth? Or is he going to be gone early? If he is we can begin that afternoon," Hardie said.
"I'll send him early. Then we can get on this," Prowl said. "Something tells me that it won't take very long. He thinks he can skate."
"Well, he can think all he wants," Delphi said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "These be new times."
Raptor grinned. "This caste court is going to be interesting. We have three more judges given the gravity. We've only done one other special circumstances court but the Pantheon never weighed in."
"They were probably too disgusted," Turbine said with a grin. "We're living the dream."
Everyone agreed on that.
-0-A joor later
Ironhide walked in with food and dessert, then put it on the counter. After a moment of mayhem and chat, the kids hopped off to wash up and the big kids helped set the table. Spot and Cousin were face deep in their food bowls and had no opinions on anything. Putting dishes on the table, putting plates and utensils with them, they were ready when the mob came out and began to clamber into chairs. After a moment of monkey motion, they settled. Food was passed out and dining began in earnest.
"I have to go to Earth tomorrow early," Ratchet said. "The Prowler has spoken. I'm sneaking out. When I get to New York City, its going to be 1400 on the TMC their time."
"I go, too, Ada?" Orion asked.
"Nope. I want to get there and get back. We have a lot to do in the next few so I'm not messing around. You can come. I just changed my mind."
Everyone looked at Ratchet. He smiled. "You can't. I forgot I don't have a carry hold in my pretender shell."
HUGE disappointment from the stature challenged commenced, then died down as the bun basket made the rounds of the table.
"Uncle Hercy came to school today and watched us during science," Fireball said. "He's such a nice mech."
Ironhide nodded. "Old Hercy is the best. Did you show him your stuff?"
"We did, Atar," Genesis said. "Lumi, Fireball and me are doing experiments."
"Don't blow anything up," Ironhide said as he popped an orb into the old pie hole. "Buns are mech food. Remember that."
Eight kids nodded solemnly.
"So is gravy and spuds. Mech food. Warrior grub," Ironhide said as he began to warm up. "Also, pie. Pie is warrior food. Cherry, apple, punkin ... cherry … apple crisp, cherry crisp … punkin things. All good."
Everyone nodded.
"Tater tots. That is, too. Ice cream. Thut pops."
"I never had those, Atar," Hero said. "What are thut pops?"
"A frozen dessert that was huge on Cybertron. We need to look for thut pops at the store, Ironhide. How can a mech or femme grow up right without thut pops?" Ratchet asked.
"How can they?" Ironhide echoed as he stared at an Orb of the Crescent Moon in his big servo. "Note the shape. Note the texture. Note the golden tone that's just … so." He turned it slowly to show each side as the kids solemnly watched. "Mech food. CHAOS FOOD!"
"Prowler dropped his spoon."
"Oh, let me get it," Ironhide said as he leaned down to get a little silver spoon with Mickey Mouse ears on the handle.
Ratchet grinned. "Where were you, Only one?"
"CHAOS FOOD!" he replied and so it would go.
-0-Early that following morning
Ratchet snuck out of the apartment and headed toward The Fortress. He popped into the Grocery and got a breakfast sandwich before heading out into the ice cold dark early morning on Mars. The streets were pretty empty but for street sweepers going on their nightly rounds. A bin truck, non-sentient was gathering garbage that was due to be sorted and recycled at Industrial Park Recycling if it could be and burned if not.
The street lights threw pools of illumination in the darkness as he reached the junction. Heading for the huge building, he entered, drew a hot cup and sat down at a table. He was nearly finished when Sideswipe and Hot Rod finally appeared. "Slaggers. What kept you?"
"I was fragging Bluestreak. What about you?" Sideswipe asked Hot Rod as he sat down with a big grin.
"Ha, ha, Sideswipe. Slagger," Hot Rod said as he turned toward Ratchet. "What do we do?"
"Nothing. Just look sexy and silent. You know the type. Sort of you under invocation," Ratchet said as he dropped a shot of his garbage into the recycler with precision.
"If this is going to be the way this goes," Hot Rod began.
"You're going anyway," Ratchet said with a grin as he stood. "Don't crap out on me now. I'm doing you a service giving you experience with the humans. Just stand there and say nothing."
"It might be a stretch," Sideswipe said as he stood and missed a punch from Hot Rod. Bitching together, the two followed Ratchet to the corridor and downward to the bridge room below.
-0-Moments later
They stood on a street in a business district having stepped onto Earth from an alley. Following Ratchet after he got his bearings, the three walked off into the busy street heading for a large office and business complex where a group of kids who got their backing from Autobot Nation and worked for them on Autobot business as well as their own would have a surprise visit. It was warm and sunny in New York City as the three disappeared into the crowd.
-0-TBC 10-24-18 edited 11-3-18