A Single Change Chapter 105: 103 Titles, a transformers fanfic

Chapter 103 - Titles

(MPOV)

"You trained Megatron?" Moreshower whispered in a horrified tone. I looked over at the group along with Ratchet.

"He trained us together," Optimus murmured. "In the days when I was a clerk, and Megatron a gladiator."

"To my dying flare, I will always regret training that bot, I should have seen it." Ironhide rumbled sadly. "It is my right as a weapons master to look directly upon a spark, I should have demanded that right, I should..." Ironhide shook his head sadly. "When he betrayed us, you should have executed me then and there," he told Optimus quietly.

"If he had, then I would never have known my Uncle," I piped up gently, looking at the dear, gruff, rough and ready bot. As always, Ironhide smiled gently at the name.

"And I would have lost a good bot, a great mentor, and an extraordinary friend," Optimus added gently, reaching up and laying a gentle hand on Ironhide's shoulder.

"I should have focused on training you to be a Master," Ironhide stated heavily, looking at Optimus. "What can be said of my spark, when the only comfort left to me was that while I taught him everything he knows of weapons, I did not teach him everything that I know?"

"And increased Megatron's hatred?" Ratchet snorted. "It says that two hundred and fifty some vorn ago, you were still kind enough to believe that there was good in every spark. For all we knew old friend, Megatron was destined to be Prime. Not Orion Pax the gentle-sparked archivist."

My Optimus gave that wry smile I so adored as Weapons Master and Medic looked at each other, looked at him and burst out laughing.

"Hah! Nobody saw that coming," Ironhide guffawed. "Closed mouthed little glitch. You played your part well, Optimus. Always asking your quiet little questions and learning every single byte of information you could 'for the archives'."

My Optimus smiled, memories of a happier time in his optics.

"Always wearing my blasted chest plates so nobody could see my markings," he snorted softly. "I miss the Archives, they were quiet. I could go wherever I pleased for the love of knowledge."

"Right, until you started up the music," Ratchet snorted.

"You guys had music?" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"Come off it, you hear our sparks humming." Ironhide snorted, he froze for a moment. "Kae, come here!" he demanded.

"I don't have a spark chamber to resonate," I laughed at him softly, walking obediently to the weapons master anyway. Regardless, Ironhide picked me up and held me to his auditory receptors. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Shush," he rumbled. I held my breath as long as I could, of course the look on Ironhide's face was priceless.

"Now you know why I so enjoy having her with me?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Now I do," Ironhide sighed, smiling and pulling me into an enveloping embrace. I hugged him back for a long moment before the implications hit.

"You can hear my spark humming?" I demanded incredulously.

"And every time I add it to the gathering it is the most beautiful of counterparts," Optimus rumbled gently, smiling at me.

"The gathering?" I asked, I could feel my eyes widening.

"Here we go," Ratchet snorted. "Answer one question and a dozen more spill out." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"The gathering?" Will parroted my question.

Ironhide grinned and focused for a long moment. The General and Major's eyes bugged out as they listened to the sounds of hundreds of sparks humming together.

It sounded so absolutely beautiful.

"Ratchet, hurry up with Optimus' body so the humans can see what we looked like," Ironhide commanded softly.

"You guys sounded like a full orchestra together," Moreshower whispered.

"That was Optimus' coronation gathering," Ratchet murmured with a smile.

"I am not showing that," Optimus grumbled irritably.

"Alright, I will," Ratchet grinned at him. "Come on Orion, you archive knowledge for the education of the following generations. The coronation of Optimus Prime the Reluctant Emperor of Cybertron was a turning point in our history!"

I sat, still cradled in Ironhide's arms for a long moment before that little factoid hit my brain.

"What, your Imperial Majesty isn't as quick to flaunt his titles?" Arcee asked innocently.

"The humans should know who they're dealing with," Ironhide added with a snort, looking at Moreshower and Lennox.

I glanced at them to see Lennox glaring at me.

"You couldn't have told me!?" the Major demanded.

I looked at my Optimus, stringently keeping my face as calm, cool and idly curious as I could. The Major was irritated, the general looking back and forth in shock.

I took a deep breath and listened intently to the sparks, Ratchet, Arcee and Ironhide were amused. Optimus... Optimus was resonating the soft, insecure tone that always made me want to hold him, to make the fright go away. The discordant buzz of dread.

"Optimus?" I asked softly. He looked up at me with saddened optics, and beneath my hand Ironhide's spark began resonating worry.

He refused to look me in the eye. I bit my lip, taking a slow breath as I flew through every possible outcome I could think of, everything I had observed of my Optimus, of my family. Safe option: break tension.

ΩI like that name,Ω I murmured softly. Optimus stared at me. ΩOrion Pax, do I get to call you that, every now and again?Ω

(OPOV)

"What, your Imperial Majesty isn't as quick to flaunt his titles?" Arcee asked him innocently. Optimus sat in shock. He couldn't think fast enough, he didn't know what to do.

He hadn't told his Kae. He hadn't wanted to see the mischievous sparkle in her eyes become hidden behind the reverence in every other optic.

After. After she was bonded to him. When she was secure in her knowledge of his love for her, then he was going to tell her.

Not now.

"You couldn't have told me?" the Major asked close by, Optimus looked at him, he was glaring at his Kae.

But he couldn't look at his Kae. He couldn't bear to see her laughter hidden away from him. He was terrified now, he couldn't do it.

"Optimus?" Mikaela whispered softly.

But he had to, now... Optimus sent a prayer to Primus that he would be able to remember the sparkle of his Kae's true self as it shone from her eyes. He looked up at her.

Her face was neutral, curious. He couldn't look her in the eyes, even as his Weapons Master's spark began resonating worry.

ΩI like that name,Ω Mikaela murmured softly.

In the language of the Primes. Optimus stared at her in shock, he couldn't help it. The look in her eyes was gentle, understanding.

ΩOrion Pax, do I get to call you that, every now and again?Ω Mikaela asked softly.

ΩYour eyes,Ω Optimus whispered. Without thinking about it, his processor devoted every ounce of it's available power memorizing the look in those beautiful, mischievous, piercing, teasing, loving, falling... falling? Scrap.

But his Kae was there, beside him, beneath him.

Supporting him.

ΩI believe we discussed this before, I love you,Ω Mikaela murmured directly into his auditory receptors before she pushed him back somewhat more vertical to look in his optics. ΩMystical leader of a race of autonomous robotic organisms or not.Ω

Optimus stayed frozen in shock for another damnably, eternally long moment, digesting that simple fact.

Slowly, he reached up and touched her cheek.

ΩAlways,Ω Kae whispered.

Instantly, Optimus felt himself thaw, he wanted his Kae close to his spark.

He needed her there, his pillar of cherishing love and support.

The spark for which he would gladly die a thousand times over.

Automatically, he lifted his Kae and held her close, loving the way she squirmed slightly until she was resting lightly against him in the circle of his arms.

Sans exoskeleton, he'd have to ask Ratchet how she'd managed that later.

His spark flared in response to the closeness of hers, the soft, muted hum of her life force reaching toward his. It required no thought, no effort, he buried her face into her hair, and as though she recognized his need before he even knew it was there:

She buried herself into him.

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched worriedly as the room dissolved into shock. Kae was good at concealing her outward emotions, but her pheromones were washed in shock.

::. He didn't tell her!.:: he sent to Ironhide and Arcee in shock.

::. But...:: Ironhide rumbled back worriedly.

"Optimus," Mikaela murmured softly. Optimus finally looked up at her.

She spoke, quietly.

The language of the Primes. Scrap it. Ratchet needed to know what damage needed repairing. He sent up a prayer to Primus that it would be repairable. Optimus was staring in shock at her now. She spoke again.

He replied, finally, the hum of his spark the best translation. The fear was decreased, somewhat, fading slowly away.

Except then he began falling. Ratchet would have been amused but for the fact that he only had one processor going. He took a step forward to catch Optimus, only to witness the most endearing of sights.

Mikaela was flying, her exoskeleton's components forgotten in a shocked Ironhide's hands, she was beneath Optimus, holding him upright.

She spoke again, and the change in Optimus was shocking in itself.

Fire re-kindled from hopeless, grief stricken optics. He stared down at her for another moment before gathering his Kae close, picking her up and holding her in gentle arms.

In moments, the only thing distinguishing the two of them was the soft pastel of her flesh and the gentle shine of metals.

"Uh..." Will started. He fell silent.

"So. Cute." Ironhide rumbled flatly.

Ratchet snorted. Optimus shot a helplessly wry glare at him.

It was the bolt that broke the scrap drone's axels.

The both of them were howling the next moment.

Arcee strode forward and lightly thwacked Optimus' shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell her?" she demanded, "it's Kae."

"You have seen the reverence in bot's optics," Optimus rumbled quietly. Arcee sat down hard, staring at him.

"That puts it in an entirely different light, now doesn't it?" she murmured. She reached out and gently patted his leg. "You're going to have to let him have this one, Kae," she added quietly, looking at the femme.

"Do I get a translation?" Mikaela murmured.

"Your eyes," Optimus murmured quietly, looking at her. "Your eyes are so beautiful, my Kae. Piercing blue-green eyes that look directly into my spark, so full of life, of laughter and mischievous intent. I could not bear to see your eyes masked with the reverence I have seen in so many other's optics."

"The second people find out you're royalty, you become a pretty thing to look at, nobody notices that you're still the bot they knew before." Arcee added softly. "They don't notice, or they don't care to see that we are the same, simply bearing the brunt of titles."

"So I'll stick to looking reverently at you behind your back," Mikaela murmured, looking up at Optimus with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

Arcee began giggling, and just as obviously trying desperately to not giggle. Mikaela caught her optics, glanced at Ratchet and looked at Arcee again.

They both promptly fell to laughing.

"Not so much fun when you are on the other end of that?" Optimus rumbled innocently, looking at Ratchet.

"We're not that cruel," Ratchet protested immediately. "At least Hide and I'll let you know why we're laughing at you."

And the femmes promptly began laughing harder.

"Hint hint," Ironhide grumbled.

"What, you thought we'd tell you?" Arcee asked sweetly, reaching for Kae.

"If femmes didn't have their own secrets, what could we possibly offer to keep the interest of our bots?" Mikaela added just as sweetly, reaching up to kiss Optimus' jaw before accepting Arcee's help down from the bench.

They began whistling in the language of femmes, even as Kae retrieved her exo from Ironhide and integrated back into it. She walked over to Optimus' body and continued her tasks, chatting with Arcee the entire while.

"What?" Will asked curiously.

"Translation?" Moreshower added hopefully, looking at the femmes.

"Unfortunately, language of the femmes," Optimus grumbled, gesturing to the females in the room. "Not even I know that one."

"Maybe when you bond her, you'll learn it?" Ironhide rumbled hopefully.

"I was bonded to Elita," Optimus snorted. "Never once did I see her language circuits."

"That was Elita, we're talking Kae," Ratchet snorted.

There was silence for a long moment.

"True," Optimus rumbled musingly.

"Love?" Mikaela called out cheerfully.

"Kae?" Optimus replied automatically.

"You know how-" she said something in the language of the primes. Scrap it. "-can only be understood by certain sparks?" Mikaela asked with a benign smile. Ratchet looked at Optimus hopefully. The bot sagged somewhat irritably.

"Scrap it," Optimus grumbled.

"Translation?" Will called out hopefully.

"We're never going to understand the femmes," Optimus grumbled irritably, crossing his arms and glaring at his Kae. She looked up at Optimus and took a step toward him before visibly putting herself in check.

Arcee whacked her lightly and they both burst out laughing again.

(MPOV)

"You have seen the reverence in bot's optics," Optimus rumbled quietly. Arcee sat down hard, staring at him.

"Do I get a translation?" I asked softly.

"Your eyes," Optimus murmured quietly, looking at me. "Your eyes are so beautiful, my Kae. Piercing blue-green eyes that look directly into my spark, so full of life, of laughter and mischievous intent. I could not bear to see your eyes masked with the reverence I have seen in so many other's optics." I felt my spark flare at the absolute of emotion in that statement.

Oh. Well then... "So I'll stick to looking reverently at you behind your back," I stated mischievously, looking up at my Optimus. He stared at me, his spark humming confusion.

Arcee began giggling, and just as obviously trying desperately to not giggle. I caught her optics, glanced at Ratchet and looked at Arcee again.

The language of sisters. Right, we both looked 'reverently' at our bots.

We both promptly fell to laughing.

"Not so much fun when you're on the other end of that?" Optimus rumbled innocently, looking at Ratchet.

"We're not that cruel," Ratchet protested immediately. "At least Hide and I'll let you know why we're laughing at you."

Arcee held my eyes, because we were definitely going to tell them why we were laughing.

Not. Girl thing!

We fell to laughing harder.

"Hint hint," Ironhide grumbled.

"What, you thought we'd tell you?" Arcee asked sweetly, reaching for me.

"If femmes didn't have their own secrets, what could we possibly offer to keep the interest of our bots?" I added just as sweetly, reaching up to kiss my Optimus' jaw before accepting Arcee's help down from the bench.

ƒSo shall we speak like this just to annoy them a bit more?ƒ Arcee whistled to me sweetly.

ƒOh absolutely,ƒ I whistled back gleefully, retrieving my exo from Ironhide. I connected to it again and strode beside Arcee back to Optimus' body. ƒBecause we spend so much time looking so reverently at our bots.ƒ

ƒWhat's wrong with reverently? It's so much more dignified than the lovesick looks we're always throwing at their backs,ƒ Arcee laughed.

ƒMy lovesick looks are nothing but reverent!ƒ I protested gleefully. ƒI mean look at his body, why would I ever do anything but love this body!?ƒ

ƒOh amen my sister, however I believe I will retain my grumpy medic,ƒ Arcee murmured, smiling in spite of herself.

ƒOh now who's got it bad?ƒ I teased her.

ƒWe both do. Duh.ƒ she stated with a perfectly straight face. We glanced at our menfolk and fell to laughing again.

"What?" Will asked curiously.

"Translation?" Moreshower added hopefully, looking at us.

"Unfortunately, language of the femmes," my Optimus grumbled. "Not even I know that one."

"Maybe when you bond her, you'll learn it?" Ironhide rumbled hopefully.

"I was bonded to Elita," Optimus snorted. "Never once did I see her language circuits."

"That was Elita, we're talking Kae," Ratchet snorted.

There was silence for a long moment. Arcee and I glanced at each other as our resident menfolk pondered that.

"True," Optimus rumbled musingly.

ƒDo I remind him of the spark inherent languages?ƒ I asked curiously.

ƒDo it,ƒ Arcee murmured softly. ƒAnd pay attention to your next lesson. Exits.ƒ

"Love?" I called out cheerfully, not looking around.

"Kae?" Optimus replied automatically, my dear bot.

"You know how ΩspeaktruthΩ can only be understood by certain sparks?" I asked with a benign smile, Arcee and I turning to face our bots. Ratchet looked at Optimus hopefully. My bot sagged somewhat irritably.

"Scrap it," Optimus grumbled.

"Translation?" Will called out hopefully.

"We're never going to understand the femmes," Optimus grumbled irritably, crossing his arms and glaring at me. I took an automatic step toward him, prepared to make it better before I called myself into check.

Arcee whacked me lightly, catching my eyes.

In the language of females she laughed at me for being so hopelessly drawn to my Optimus. We broke out laughing again.

"We need a man language," Will piped up suddenly, I looked at him.

"You already have a man language," I laughed. "Why do you need another one?"

They stared at me.

"It involves a great deal of pointing and grunting, unfortunately I'm fluent in it, too, I had to understand what my father and uncles were saying pre-coffee." I stated with perfect innocence.

"Let me re-phrase that," Will stated calmly. "We need a male-language just to annoy the femmes with."

"But if we annoy you, you still get laid at the end of the day," Arcee stated placidly.

The Med-bay froze.

"Which reminds me," Arcee continued with a benign smile, she leaned down slightly and kissed my cheek. "I will see you in the morning," she murmured before my sister strode gracefully toward Optimus and peeled her helm back, unplugging one of her spare processors. "You're going to need that, Optimus. We made very certain to pick out a spectacular berth for you and Kae, and if you don't take this opportunity to utilize it while you're small enough to fit on it, I will be very upset with you. And you," she continued, looking at Ratchet sternly.

"Yes dear?" Ratchet asked innocently.

"If you do not report to our quarters in less than ten breem I will be most put out," she stated, throwing a practically commanding sultry look at him.

She glanced over her shoulder as she walked toward the doors.

"You may wish to plug that in before the transfer codes wear out," she stated patiently, nodding to Optimus. "Good evening Major, General."

I leaned against the berth and watched my sister in awe as she made her exit.

ƒNow that is style,ƒ I whistled softly.