TFA: Youngling
Ch.17~ Prognosis
I held Stargazer close as Triage and his assistant looked over their findings. Today had been a lot for her; no, this past decacycle has been a lot. It was a relief in a way that she had fallen into what seems to be a peaceful recharge. Hopefully, Triage will have more answers or at least solutions for her condition as well. If we came all this way to be told nothing that would be devastating. He had been looking at his findings for a while now which was worrying.
"I have an idea of what's going on with her." He stated and turned to us with a hard to discern expression. "Normally this would have been caught when she was much younger but given her circumstances, it's only being discovered now."
"What's wrong and what can we do for her?" I pressed, he turned a monitor to us and I saw her spark scan displayed.
"Her spark bears the trauma and two broken bonds; I assume those are from her birth creators' deaths. A broken bond is hard on a fully formed spark but for a young sparkling, the damage is far worse.
Usually, in such cases, they would either die or find surrogate creators and create new bonds. But she did not have this opportunity, though her spark has been resilient and survived despite the odds." He began, so it's like Ratchet guessed. "Close contact with your sparks will help her form surrogate creator bonds and help her spark heal. But I can tell her frame is lacking certain minerals but from what I can tell this is her permanent frame.
So, the best we can do is introduce these minerals into her fuel. I'll be prescribing her an additive mixture that I want to be added to all her fuelling's. I will also put in a recommendation that she stay with both as she has already started the bonding process with you both.
As for her processor glitch that is not something that can be fixed. Stress, intense emotions, and of course the overuse of certain processing faculties will affect the amount her glitch affects her life. It will improve with age as she learns her limitations but that is a long road of trial and error. So, it's just a matter of learning how to care for her when glitches due occur."
"Does that mean the degree of the glitches will vary as well?" I asked.
"It does." Triage answered. "Also, I believe her guess on her age was off, she's closer to half a stellarcycle into her youngling stage."
"The medic on our team has been resetting her manually, is that what we need to do?" Prowl quizzed.
"While that is a method in the event of a full systems crash, I will show you other methods as well." Triage said, we both nodded. "Let us get started."
(Later)
Stargazer clung to both Prowl and me as she received her first injection. They wanted to give her systems some boosters by injection first before we left. She grimaced in pain at the injection, I hummed to her softly which seemed to help soothe her. The other two injections seemed to bother her the same amount.
"There, all done, you did well. Here you can have this." The assistant praised, offering her a rust stick.
"What's this?" she asked taking the sweet and looking over in curiosity.
"It's a sweet called a rust stick," Prowl answered, she lit up.
"So this is what they look like." She hummed, she seemed to think a moment. "How do I eat it?"
"I believe it is eaten similar to the candy bars Sari eats." Prowl explained, she nodded and took a bite from the treat.
"This flavour, it's not like anything I've had before." She rambled before taking another bite.
"That flavour is called sweet." Prowl stated as she scoffed down the rest of her treat. "We'll buy you some to take back to Earth."
"Really?! Yeah!" she cheered, I smiled at her fondly.
"You're all set to go, here is our contact information call us if her condition worsens again." Triage explained, I turned to take the small info pad.
"We will, thank you for seeing her." I thanked; he smiled.
"It was no trouble." He replied.
"Ready to head out Star? Your new brothers are outside waiting for us?" I posed, she nodded eagerly.
Prowl scooped her up and we began to head out of the backroom, entering the main area Rodimus and Ultra Magnus walked over. Seems they decided to wait for us. Rodimus smiled at me and I smiled back. I was glad he was able to help us. I knew I could trust him with Stargazer.
"Got some answers I hope," Rodimus stated, I nodded.
"We did, thanks for recommending him to us." I thanked; he waved it off.
"Not at all, what are friends for." He replied, I smiled. "It'll probably be a few cycles before the council gets back to us. I asked my Sire to vouch for us during their talks."
"Tell him, thank you as well," I said, he nodded.
"So you all going to head to your creators?" he asked, I nodded. "Tell them hi."
"Will do, tell your little mechs and creators hi from me," I replied, he nodded a big grin on his faceplate.
"Shall we go?" Prowl asked, I nodded.
"Yep." I chimed.
We left the medical center and I turned to see the twins hanging off to the side of the building. Seeing us they brightened up and came barreling toward us. I smiled as they skidded to a stop before me, they leaned down and I rubbed their helms. They pulled back and peeked around me.
"Jetfire, Jetstorm this is your new little sister Stargazer." I introduced; Star looked entranced.
"Nice it is to be meeting you little sister bot." Jetfire chimed, "I am Jetfire, I am being the cool one."
"If by cool you mean ugly." Jetstorm teased, "I being Jetstorm, I being the handsome one."
"Cool." She stated, the twins grinned leaning toward her.
"We can be being even cooler." They chimed, I smirked as they both combined into Safeguard.
"We are Safeguard." They greeted.
"Woah! You two can combine! That's so cool!" Star exclaimed and jumped into the waiting arms.
"Yes, we being very cool, the coolest!" They chimed, "You being the cutest little feme we ever be seeing!"
'I'd assumed they would have been more hesitant of this form, considering how they got it.' Prowl stated.
'Despite how they got them they genuinely love all their upgrades; they love flying and combining.' I explained.
I smiled as they spun Star around as they rambled out praises and ideas of fun. They had been so excited when I told them about Stargazer just as they had been to meet Prowl. It made me very proud to see how much they relished in life. Taking everything in stride and smiling despite it all.
"Alright ya three, it's gettin' late we should head to yer grand creators." I interrupted, Star was passed back to Prowl and twins uncombined.
I am glad to see them all so happy.
(Stargazer's POV)
I looked around in awe, grand creators I was going to meet grand creators! I was so excited; I wonder what they were like? I watched as we arrived at a large house, there was a small fence-like structure and a gate, beyond that, were many different coloured crystals. Carrier opened the gate and we all walked in and headed down a small path to the door.
"They've added more crystals." Sire stated, Carrier nodded.
"Yep. They've done some renovations while ya been gone." Carrier explained, he walked to the door and coded the door open. "Cari! Sire! We're here!"
"Jazz!" a voice called.
We walked in and I saw a grand look place. A beautiful femme raced into the room and tackled Carrier in a hug. She was similar in colour to Carrier with big bright blue optics with what looked like makeup around them. She turned to me and Sire and raced over to us. Before I knew it was being picked up by her and she pulled me close. Her field was filled with love and joy.
"Isn't she just the most precious little thing!" she cheered, she pulled me back only to pepper my faceplate in kisses. "It's so good to meet you!"
"Prowl, good ta see ya." A gruffer voice greeted. "Rhythm don't smother tha lil' thing."
"But Repeat look at her!" she whined. "She's the cutest feme I've seen!"
I was trust toward a larger set mech, he had a scar over his lipplate and a calm blue visor. His chestplates were broad and looked oddly familiar. He was boxier than most mechs I've seen in this world. His colours were a deep red, black and a bit of blue. He smiled down at me and reached over to rub my helm.
"Lil' cutie ain't ya." He hummed.
I was pulled back to the Rhythm's chestplates and I felt her rub my helm as she hummed. I watched as Repeat pulled Sire into a headlock-like hold. Sire didn't seem perturbed by the action. I turned my gaze back up the Rhythm. She smiled down at me, her smile was a lot like Carrier's.
"Jazz, Prowl she's absolutely perfect, just like the twins." She said, "Did the medic help her? If not I'm sure we can find another tomorrow."
"They were, she's on supplements fer a bit and just needs ta make new creator bonds with us," Carrier answered walking over to us.
"Then I best hand her back to you, want her to make a strong bond with you." She chimed passing me to Carrier. "I made some spiced energon for dinner, you all must be hungry after such a long day."
Spiced Energon? Was it sweet like rust sticks?
"Sounds great Carri," Carrier said.
"We got your rooms all ready for you, I called your brother, he's going to swing by tomorrow to visit." She continued, Carrier's brother so I had an Uncle too?!
We began to walk into the house, it was so grand inside. Soon we reached a room with a large table and a counter to the side. There looked to be a pot on the different-looking spot of the counter. I had no idea you could cook energon like this. Moving to the table Carrier sat me down on a chair before taking the seat next to me. Sire moved into the other seat beside me.
Behind us, I could hear humming and soon Rhythm began to set steaming cubes of energon before everyone sat down. A small cube with a handle on each side was set before me. I leaned up to look at the energon more closely. It was a pink colour but had specks of what almost looked like glitter mixed in.
"Mind sitting back sweetspark gotta add yer supplement," Carrier said, I nodded and leaned back.
He pulled out a vial and added it into the energon, swirling it a moment he placed it into my servos. Looking down into it I saw it was now a darker shade of pink. I took a sip; it was warm in a nostalgic way and the flavour was different but good. I relaxed as I drank the fuel trying my best to savour each sip.
"Seems ya won over another youngling with yer cooking Carri." Carrier stated, I felt him rub my helm. "Love it don't ya sweetspark?"
"Yummy and warm." I hummed.
"You drink all you want my dear spark; we've got lots more." Rhythm stated; I could have more?!
I quickly chugged back the rest of my cube and held up my cup, I could hear chuckles around me. Rhythm reached over and took my cube and walked away. I looked over the back of the chair as she refilled my cube. I felt a servo rub my helm and I turned to see Sire looking at me fondly.
"Can we have more too!" the twins chimed, I heard a chuckle.
"Of course." Rhythm stated, I watched as my brothers jumped from the table. "Healthy appetites on those two. Here you are my little spark."
I took the offered cube and watched as she moved back into her seat, I looked at Sire and he motioned me to drink. Guess I didn't need my additives in this cube. Taking a sip I smiled, something about this felt some familiar. I feel like I remember having fuel that was this good and warm before. When had that been?
"So how old did ya say she was again?" Repat asked.
"A little over a stellarcycles into her youngling stage," Sire answered.
"She looks older than that." Rhythm said, I did?
"She does?" Carrier quizzed.
"She's much bigger than most at her age." She elaborated.
"Our medic did say her frame type was closer to a war frame than civilian class," Sire said, I nodded.
"Uhuh, he said my plating is way tougher than most bots here," I added.
"Is that so. Seems you have three tall creations." Rhythm hummed, I felt a servo rub my helm.
"It would seem so, hopefully, this one stays small fer a while yet," Carrier said, I set down my empty cube and moved into his lap. "Ready for cuddles are we?"
"I have to get an image capture of you all together." Rhythm chimed as Carrier pulled me close.
"Like ya ain't gonna be takin' a hundred of those before we head off." Carrier teased, image capture, did they mean photo?
"I can't help it, my darling grand-creations are too precious!" she cooed, "I can't wait to brag about my newest grand-creation at my next crystal growing class."
"Can't argue with ya there Cari." Carrier hummed.
Was this what all grand-creators were like?
(Prowl's POV)
I held Stargazer as we headed to Jazz's old room, his creators never downsized after the creations grew up. They had a very eager open-door policy, any of their creations were welcome back home at any time and with their new families. I'd grown accustomed to their tight-knit nature over the stellarcycles. Though it seems they are even more eager to have us here now. Grand-creator giddiness I suppose.
Reaching the room Jazz opened the door and I stepped in, it was the same as always. His room had knickknacks from his youth scattered around, it hadn't changed much since we became adults. The only difference was the upgraded berth.
"Carri is really excited ta have us here. Kinda feel bad that we can't stay longer." He mused.
"We can stay a bit longer, perhaps a decacycle?" I suggested, he smiled.
"I'd like that, Star seems ta be enjoying herself now." He replied, I nodded.
"I believe this is the first time she's been around so much family." I mused.
"I hope she'll be able ta call Cybertron home someday." He stated, "Want her ta have a normal younglinghood. Ya know go ta academy, make friends her age. I know she ain't ready fer that yet…"
"Not yet, but she will be. We can use our time here to warm her up to that kind of life." I suggested, he smiled nodding.
"Yeah. Maybe we can make some sweets with my Cari tomorrow, I loved doing that as a bitty."
"I'm sure she'd enjoy that; I believe it will be her first-time eating sweets as well."
"I want to give her everything she's been missing out on."
"So do I."
"It's late, we should get some recharge, I know Cari will be up bright and early ready to spoil her and tha twins again."
"I think they deserve some spoiling."
"They do, they really do."
