Chapter 214 – The Homecoming
(SiPOV)
"Hey Sidey, can we get ice-cream?" Anabelle asked curiously.
"Feeling peckish?" Sideswipe asked in amusement, glancing up at the femme on his shoulders as he navigated his way back through the crowded, winding corridors of the school.
"A little, momma's eating dinner right now and we don't get to for another three hours," Anabelle stated with a little moue on her face. Sideswipe didn't need to see the femme to know that tone.
"I think we can justify that, you did eat a decent sandwich for lunch," Sideswipe nodded with a grin, making a beeline for the little shop on the corner. "Got your homework in order?"
"All written down!" Anabelle stated cheerfully.
"I didn't understand all of the biology stuff, will you explain it to me later?" Sideswipe asked curiously.
"We didn't even have biology today Sidey!" Anabelle laughed, lightly bopping the top of his head.
"Fair point," Sideswipe stated gravely.
"This comin' from the bot that explained cold fusion to me?" Anabelle asked gravely. "Are your processors slipping Sidey?"
"No, but your trouser leg is," Sideswipe stated idly. Anabelle huffed and squirmed slightly on his shoulders, wriggling her leg against his chest until the legging slipped back down again.
"Coulda helped Sidey," Anabelle stated in an irritated tone.
"Could have asked," Sideswipe stated innocently.
"You're a butthead sometimes, you know that?" Anabelle stated peevishly, plonking her chin on his scalp.
"Did you want ice cream or not?" Sideswipe asked teasingly.
"I wuv you Sidey," Anabelle sang sweetly, wrapping her arms around his eyes.
"Oh now you're being a brat," Sideswipe stated with mocking indignation, stopping to stand rigidly straight with his hands on his hips. "Where are we?" he demanded, spinning to the right a bit with Anabelle laughing all the way. "So not funny Sideswipe, where's my ice-cream!?" he demanded in falsetto, stomping his foot on the ground.
"I do not do that!" Anabelle shouted, kicking his chest somewhat.
"You just did it again!" Sideswipe hooted.
"I did not!" Anabelle protested indignantly.
"Did too," Sideswipe rejoined, delicately catching Anabelle's wrists and relocating them to his forehead before walking into the little shop.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"What kind of ice cream did you want?"
"Did what? Mint chip please," she corrected herself sweetly, smiling at the man behind the counter.
"Do little girls who argue with their parents get ice cream?" the human asked with a stern curiosity. Sideswipe smiled, he couldn't help it.
The man sounded like Ironhide.
"He's not my daddy, sir!" Anabelle stated with a grin. "He's my second bestest friend in the whooole universe," Anabelle sang, hugging his head and covering his eyes again.
"Second best?" Sideswipe demanded indignantly.
"Sunstreaker's my first 'cause you're a butthead," Anabelle stated seriously. Sideswipe laughed.
"We've been serious and studious all day," he cheerfully informed the smiling man behind the counter, patiently ignoring the arms covering his vision.
"But now it's time to play!" Anabelle sang cheerfully, throwing her arms in the air again.
"One kid-size mint chip, and one kid-size surprise," Sideswipe stated definitively.
"Surprise?" Anabelle asked in an amused tone.
"Surprise," Sides nodded gravely, offering the man two dollars more than the correct change. His little-sister had taught him that. The man automatically offered the two extra notes back, and Sideswipe waved it off with a smile. The man grinned and lightly snagged one of the little cones, ducking into the freezer and emerging moments later with Anabelle's cone; handing it to her with a smile.
"Thank you," Anabelle stated sweetly.
"Now what flavour was it that you wanted son?" the man asked curiously.
"A surprise," Sideswipe stated with a smile.
"A surprise?" the man asked curiously.
"What's a day without a little bit of variety?" Sideswipe asked with a laugh. "I've tried Anabelle's before, what's your favourite flavour?"
The man smirked and ducked back in, emerging with something that was white and tan and gooey looking. "Praline pecan, nothing like it," he commented with a grin.
Sideswipe accepted the little cone with a nod of thanks and immediately sampled the sweet, creamy, nutty morsel.
"Ooh! That is good," he grinned at the man.
"Have a good day you two, what can I get for you sir?" the man smiled at them, looking behind Sideswipe somewhat. Sides took the cue and left the shop with a nod to the man before wandering along the sidewalks, munching on his little treat as Anabelle happily slurped on hers. Sticky coldness was making it's way into his holoform's hair, but Sideswipe couldn't care less. The day was perfect: the sun shining bright and warm, their reliant happy on his shoulders and his brother deeply ensconced in Wheeljack's shop, contentedly appeasing the artisan in his spark.
::. Lena to Sideswipe, are you ready to come home?.:: Lena's voice asked sweetly.
::. In another ten minutes or so.:: Sideswipe replied comfortably. ::. Belle and I are wandering through the park areas eating little ice-creams after a long day of study.::
::. I'll be standing by.:: Lena informed him with a smile. Sides passed his thanks and took a slow, breem long wander back toward his form, just savouring the moment.
"Home time?" Anabelle asked curiously.
"Yes indeed," Sideswipe smiled, gently lifting Belle off of his shoulders and settling her into the passenger's seat. "Your femme creator is going to be waiting for you."
"D'you have any wet-wipes?" she asked curiously, holding her hands out toward him. Sides grinned and tugged the wipes out of his glove box, handing one to the femme.
"Don't eat the stuff, it's technically for my armour," Sideswipe stated gravely, scanning the packaging again. He made a note to keep the humans' version on servo for the next time…
Once he'd found them…
"I know, I've used it on your armour, remember?" Anabelle stated sweetly, wiping the goo off of her own face and hands.
"I do," Sideswipe nodded with a grin. "I also remember you having smooshed that popsicle stuff on me in the first place."
"True," Belle nodded gravely.
"Why'd you do that again?"
"I wanted to see what colour your armour would turn with purple added to the mix," Anabelle shrugged.
"And the result?"
"Sparkly purple."
"Fingers," Sideswipe chuckled, lightly closing his door and flicking the holo to sit in his driver's seat. He scanned the traffic and pulled out, driving toward their bridge-out point.
::. Ready Lena.:: he sent with a smile, parking at the mouth of the little alleyway he and Sunstreaker had decided on for their bridge point. Large enough to fit through, small enough to be concealed, and no trace of the nomadic humans that on occasion slept in these spaces.
::. Standby.::
"Didn't you want me to get the ice cream out of your hair?" Belle asked curiously, turning to look at him.
"It's gone," Sideswipe shrugged, running his holo's fingers through his hair and watching the bridge spin up in front of them.
::. Bridge is stable, come on through.:: Lena called out sweetly. Sideswipe immediately took the opening and cycled his optics as the brightness dimmed into the familiar surroundings of their base.
"But didn't Annie Kae say that if you didn't clean food stuff off of a holo it'd get into your systems?" Belle asked gravely.
"I'm... pretty sure that's just Bee..." Sideswipe stated musingly, blinking his holo to stand beside his own passenger door again and delicately tugging the femme free.
"And now I'm pretty sure you're gonna smell like mint-chip ice-cream for a month," Belle stated gravely, winding her arm across the back of his neck as she sat on his forearm.
"No you don't just smell like stuff you taste like it! Did you get stuff on you?" Bumblebee demanded cheerfully, Sideswipe jumped and looked at the scout.
"Mint-chip," Belle stated gravely. "And he blinked his holo."
Bumblebee's holo promptly caught hold of his.
"Gah!" Sideswipe protested as Bumblebee promptly licked his face from jawline to temple.
"Yep! Definitely mint-chip!" Bumblebee laughed.
"Really?" Anabelle asked with a laugh, licking the other side of his face. "He does!" Belle fairly squealed with delight, catching his neck in a vice-grip and licking his face like a cyberhound.
"Argh! No! You've had your ice-cream already!" Sideswipe protested, working to get his face out of licking range.
"What on earth?" Sarah asked in an amused tone, walking toward them.
"Sidey didn't let me get the ice-cream out of his holo's hair before he blinked it and now his holo tastes like mint-chip!" Anabelle squealed with delighted laughter, teasingly squirming and making the effort to lick him again.
"She's tryin'a eat me!" Sideswipe howled, finally holding the femmeling out at arm's length. Anabelle squirmed in his hands for a second and Sideswipe automatically set her down on the ground. In moments the femmeling was running toward her mother.
"Momma!" Belle shouted with a bright smile.
"Did you have fun today?" Sarah asked with a smile, scooping her child up.
"Did I ever! Sidey let me try walking to class all by myself but some guy picked me up trying to find you or daddy but it's okay 'cause Sidey was following me anyway and he got me out of the pickle before the brine even got poured in you should have seen the other kid's face! He was twenty something and in the same classes that I am and he said sorry and handed me back then when school started properly teach' kinda snidely asked Sidey if he was gonna take notes or just make me do it 'cause apparently he didn't get the memo and Sidey said he's not taking the course 'cause he'd already learned this stuff vorns ago then added that I'm the genius and he's just there to keep me company and prevent folks from constantly trying to take me to the dean's office thinkin' I'm lost and then he corrected my spelling for subatomic in the same breath 'cause there's only one 'm' in it apparently - oh and I need to get a copy of Romeo and Juliette from the library for English! - So I rode around on his shoulders all day which was perfect 'cause even he had to run to get to the next class on time. You didn't really kill Unka Wat'chet did you? Momma? He just pretends to be all mean and grumpy until you smile at him you know, and he makes the best counter-attacks in chess where's Sunstreaker?" Anabelle reeled off cheerfully looking around the hanger while Sarah beamed at him.
Sideswipe straightened proudly as she did, even if his holoform now tasted like ice-cream.
(JPOV)
"Nah fo' th' las' time Sandie, yo' should go back to Earth instead a' me," Jazz stated firmly.
"Soundwave: not assigned to return for personal leave," Soundwave stated patiently.
"Do yeh wanna see Symphony agin' or not?" Jazz demanded, then he grinned at the bot. "Besides, what makes ya think Ah wanna get back to Earth jus' yet?"
"Femme: Flareup," Soundwave informed him gravely.
"She'll be along soon," Jazz stated with a shrug, then he smirked. "That don't mean I don't expec'cha ta carry a message cube to her fo' me; I'll see ha' when she gets here."
Soundwave stared down at him for a long moment then formally knelt, bringing his optics down to Jazz's level.
"My deepest gratitude, Autobot Jazz."
Jazz grinned and clapped a servo to Soundwave's shoulder.
"Nah whaddya say to the security codes fo' this baby?" Jazz grinned, gesturing vaguely to Iacon Defence One.
Soundwave straightened gravely on his knees and ejected a small drive, handing it to him. Jazz ran an idle scan on it and stared. Not a simple memory chip, a full processor.
"It's tiny!" he stated with a broad grin, examining the oddly shaped drive for a moment before looking back up at the mech.
"Apologies. Nanite programming: frozen on symbiont repair protocols."
Jazz blinked and stared at the mech for a long moment.
"Yo' goin' back ta earth so's Ratch and Kae can take a look at you," Jazz stated flatly.
"Soundwave: Agrees," Soundwave nodded to him. "Saboteur Jazz: should plug that in before the transfer protocols wear out."
Jazz grinned and receded his helm, offering the processor to a clear port. Then he staggered, Soundwave kindly reaching out and supporting him the next second. Jazz leaned against the mech and shuttered his optics, allowing the transfer protocols to run their course. To his shock, Soundwave's processor began scanning it's way through his systems, modifying it's own coding and structure to sync properly and effortlessly to his.
"Hah the slag did ya' do that!?" Jazz demanded, cycling his optics to stare at the mech still patiently kneeling to support him.
"Soundwave: smarter than he looks," Soundwave replied in an amused tone. "Soundwave processors: incompatible to most mechs. Result: processor sharing protocols require more elaborate coding."
"Hah ya gonna get this processor back into y'own mainframe then?" Jazz demanded, scanning the frankly massive amount of new space now available to his processors.
"Soundwave: incapable of reuniting with Jazz-mod processor. Result: Jazz retain new backup processor to do with as he wishes. Request: access to Jazz mainframe for purpose of full security protocol upload."
Jazz stared at the mech for a moment before he burst out laughing.
"Neva' thought Ah'd see the orn that Ah'd jus' go an' let ya right into my processors," he grinned at the thin mech, clapping a companionable servo onto the bot's shoulder as he bared his interface panel. Soundwave chuckled softly, lightly connecting into a comfortable port. Jazz promptly shuttered his optics again, admittedly enjoying the featherlight way Soundwave's presence gently brushed against his, seeking out the signal from the processor that had donated itself to his memory banks.
The next second he was blasted grateful for the size of that tiny processor as reams of data began uploading itself into his memories. A solid eight breem and Soundwave delicately disconnected, but that was all he did. Jazz continued to lean against the mech as he sorted his way through the new data, all but a few bytes of that new processor utterly crammed with information.
Then he came across a program, a new program.
"What's this?" Jazz growled suspiciously. Patiently, Soundwave receded his visor, letting Jazz look straight into the mech's optics.
"Program: will not interfere with Jazz processes. Function: present Soundwave signature to Decepticon security systems. Result: full access." Soundwave informed him calmly. "Secondary function: maintain correct realtime data-sort categorized by city-state."
Jazz's mouth was hanging open. He knew it was, but he didn't really care as that lightweight program began booting up and his systems ran a full diagnostic. Soundwave reached out and lightly closed his mouth with a single, gentle finger.
"Human translation: program is… a skeleton key?" Soundwave stated unsurely in the silence. So he wasn't even listening to Jazz's processors with his empathy.
Jazz promptly reached up and caught the mech's helm in both servos, dragging him forward to plant a kiss to the mech's lip plating. He pulled back the next second to view Soundwave's stunned expression with a broad grin, capturing the image for later sundry blackmail.
"Now Ah see why Bumblebee was so happy t'go searchin' fo' ya' sparkmate, ya deserve one. Go pack ya subspace and getcha aft to earth, Sim's waitin' on ya," Jazz informed the mech cheerfully. The diagnostic finished itself, indicating the program's willingness to run for him without a single glitch nor bug, and a few more code strings added themselves to his diagnostic systems, catalogued as bugs Soundwave himself had created or come across in his vorns of experience and the manner required to counteract them.
Soundwave looked at him with amusement evident in his optics.
"Saboteur: review Soundwave timeline projections?"
"Good idea," Jazz grinned, leaning a casual shoulder against Soundwave's shoulder plating as the mech patiently remained kneeling; scanning his way through the data once more, and coming across a rather substantial little to-do list as he did.
The vast majority of those tasks were perfectly suited to him. Jazz began chuckling softly, then outright laughing as no few of those tasks began detailing themselves for him, perfectly laid out by Soundwave's little processor.
Weak points to be utilized out in the various city-states, the requisite upkeep of Iacon's 'Decepticon' occupation, and the schematics, schedules, loopholes and optimized timelines for which to hit those city states and frag up Megatron's allies. Or more precisely, to frag up Soundwave's long vorns of work solidifying the Decepticon cause in the most spectacular fashion.
"Ah'm sorry," Jazz stated with mocking seriousness.
"For taking such amusement from fragging up all the work I've done trying to strengthen the Decepticon ranks?" Soundwave asked in a deeply amused tone, looking down at him fully. "Don't be. Reason: building was far more entertaining than maintaining."
(MPOV)
I followed Sentinel along the land route, I'd lost the bet. Five twisted sparks had been in the seminar today, I'd only bet two. Sentinel was driving slowly on purpose. I knew it, and he knew that I knew it.
Slagger.
I transformed and strode the final twenty steps into the base, stretching the kinks out of my wings and realigning my airfoil with relief.
"That's Archangel!? How the hell did she do that!? She's supposed to be a plane!" a voice called out in a stunned tone. I casually glanced around, intently looking for the source of the voice and working to keep the wariness out of my stance. There was no one in visual range.
::. Jolt do a scan of the exterior.:: I sent with a purposeful tone of idleness, walking casually into base.
::. Yes ma'am, fourteen humans wait...::
I waited patiently.
::. There's only supposed to be twelve.:: Jolt replied with a frown. ::. Oh, two are moving off...::
::. Try to snap a picture of them and run a match against the rest of the snoopers please?.::
::. You got it.:: Jolt replied with a nod. I listened to the doors closing behind me and heaved a sigh before shaking myself lightly.
I could feel the dagger in my back, an unknown blade, and I didn't like it.
I smiled as Anabelle gave her mother a running commentary of her day, glancing around at all present in the entrance bay. There were unfamiliar faces.
::. Chrome could I get the updated newbie faces?.:: I sent with a frown.
::. At 'cha.:: Chromia replied cheerfully, sending the packet along. I couldn't help but grin, the femme's mood was practically infectious with cheer.
::. Had fun did you?.:: I sent in amusement, running the faces against their identifications as Sideswipe transformed and stretched.
"Did good did you?" Ironhide's asked at his shoulder, Sideswipe jumped slightly and turned to grin at the weapons master.
"It was fun!" Sideswipe stated with a broad grin on his face.
::. I had a blast!.:: Chromia replied happily. ::. After I was done with those boys they were threatening Ironhide right back!.::
::. Well done.:: I chuckled.
"Good, good," Ironhide rumbled calmly, seemingly nodding to himself. "Any idea what that twin of yours is doing?" I rolled my optics.
"He's building Bell's bed," Sideswipe stated patiently.
::. I thank you.:: Chromia replied smugly.
"Any idea what it looks like?" Ironhide muttered with a frown.
I smirked slightly, delicately reaching up to lightly caress my own cheek; sending the feeling directly to the spark of my mate. Sentinel glanced approvingly at me and I barely held back the laugh.
He thought I was hiding my smirk.
"Of course not," Sideswipe snorted in amusement.
"Really?" Ironhide asked curiously.
"Really," Sideswipe stated with a shrug. "We're twins Ironhide, not bondmates. If Sunny's concentration is fully on his artwork nothing short of an explosion will snap him out."
"I know that," Ironhide rumbled irritably as my mate snuck up behind me.
"That took longer than usual," my Optimus murmured into my audio.
"Quit rubbing it in," I grumbled, lightly whacking at his hip in amusement before tucking myself into his embrace.
"It's not that bad," my mate chuckled, planting his face into my shoulder for a moment.
"I keep saying the same damn thing to you about flying, and you never seem to believe me," I stated in amusement, turning my helm to look at him with a smile.
"I just don't like doing it alone," my mate murmured innocently.
"Do I get a kiss?" I asked sweetly, and smiled with my mate; a gentle kiss pressed to my lips the next moment.
"Saps," Ironhide grumbled, giving the both of us a light shove.
"Of course," I agreed pleasantly, shooting an innocent glance at an exasperated Sentinel as my mate idly readjusted his grip around me. I glanced down and smiled as Anabelle promptly latched onto her father, giving him a repeated blow-by-blow replay of her day.
"-And now he tastes like ice-cream!" Anabelle finished excitedly, I winced.
::. Comm me before the cream starts turning rancid?.:: I sent to the predator tentatively.
::. Systems purge?.:: Sideswipe sent in a resigned tone.
::. Systems purge.:: I affirmed gravely.
::. Tomorrow after patrol?.:: Sides asked with a sigh.
::. I'll log it.:: I nodded calmly, looking at the predator and smiling. No amount of unpleasantness at the prospect of having to strip his holoform down to it's bare programming just to isolate the ice-cream could get the proud grin off of his faceplates.
::. Just decon the holo!.:: Bumblebee stated cheerfully.
::. Does it work?.:: Sideswipe asked curiously. I looked at my little brother.
::. Well you gotta stand under the water for like fourteen breem and blink a few times but it feels really good anyway.:: Bumblebee stated with a grin.
::. By your leave Prime?.:: Sideswipe sent to me with a half grin.
::. If it saves me stripping you down to your component parts? Go for it.:: I chuckled.
"Where's 'Streaker?" Anabelle asked sweetly, looking around the bay.
"He's in Wheeljack's shop," Will stated in an amused tone.
::. How much longer is he gonna be?.:: Ironhide demanded, looking at Sides.
::. I don't know, ask him.:: Sideswipe shrugged.
::. He's not listening.::
::. And you're surprised?.::
"How come he didn't come say hi?" Anabelle asked with a pout.
"He's lost track of time, he'll be out soon enough," Sideswipe stated aloud with a shrug.
Ironhide harrumphed and began pacing toward the central. I looked up at my mate in confusion.
::. Ironhide has had his berth for Anabelle finished for the past joor.:: my mate informed me in amusement. ::. Wheeljack has been locked out of his own shop for roughly the same amount of time whilst Sunstreaker works.::
I shook my helm in amusement and allowed my mate to guide me toward the central. Down the corridor a little way, Wheeljack was parked rather forlornly against the wall opposite to his shop, watching the door which evidently barred his way in. I shook my helm slightly and turned into the central, stopping dead in my tracks. I looked around in shock for a long moment: the new growth had been out and out stripped.
"What happened in here!?" I demanded with a worried frown, reaching up to caress the torn ends and watching with a bit of relief that they immediately sealed into the smooth, growing buds they'd been a few months prior.
"Needed some metal," Ironhide grunted, settling down into his normal spot.
"Ten bulbs?" I asked incredulously.
"Mnhrmn," Ironhide rumbled, nodding proudly.
"What on earth did you build that needed ten bulbs?" I demanded.
"Berth for Anabelle," Ironhide grunted. I blinked.
"But each of those bulbs were easily the size of your fist, if not bigger," I commented neutrally.
"Mnhrmn," Ironhide nodded again.
"Doesn't Anabelle fit in your fist with room to spare?" I asked innocently.
"Mnhrmn," Ironhide nodded innocently. I watched him for a long moment while that stewed in his processors. "Ah slaggit," Ironhide grumbled irritably, crossing his arms and glancing at a cloth covered bench in the corner which would easily accommodate Longbolt and Wingnut with room to spare.
I chuckled and settled down in my place in central, cuddling up against my mate. I stepped my processors down somewhat, relaxing and listening to the hum of my Optimus' spark, and the goings-on of our unit over the primary. After a few breem my little brother crawled up on my lap, cuddling against my chest plates and stepping his own processors down as I wound an arm around him. Another three hours passed in blissful silence until Sunstreaker finally stepped into the central, gently carrying a little cloth-wrapped package in his hands and glancing around. He smirked slightly and set it on top of Ironhide's construction, eliciting an embarrassed scowl from the older mech.
::. Play nice you two.:: I murmured over the primary. Ironhide grunted irritably, and Sunstreaker smirked at me.
built a youngling's berth.:: Sunstreaker commented cheerfully.
::. I did.:: Ironhide rumbled irritably. ::. I'm prob'ly gonna have to melt it down now...::
::. Wing and Longbolt would probably like it.:: Sunstreaker stated in an oddly commiserating tone.
::. That's true.:: Ironhide rumbled, perking up somewhat.
I smiled and nodded approvingly to the predator.
::. Clear for me to bring Belle to central?.:: Will called out tentatively over the Primary.
::. Clear and waiting for you.:: I replied with a smile.
"'Streaker!" Anabelle squealed the next second. Sunstreaker smiled and knelt down, delicately offering his hands to the girl.
"Did you have fun with Sideswipe today?" he asked gently.
"You know we did!" Anabelle giggled, winding herself around his thumb. "Where have you been!?"
"Wheeljack's shop," Sunstreaker shrugged.
"You locked him out of his own shop," Anabelle informed him gravely.
"I did."
"Why?"
"Because he looked like he was building something that was ready to-"
In an instant I was on my feet, tucking my little-brother against my mate and covering the both of them with my wings and forcefields as the building shook to the tempo of something Wheeljack had no doubt accomplished.
"Anabelle!" Sarah's voice was shrieking in panic as the woman sprinted into the central.
"What was that!?" Anabelle screeched in a terrified tone. I looked at Sunstreaker's optics just in time to watch them flash back to blue from red as his systems automatically reset.
"Ahem, like I said, Wheeljack looked like he was building something that was ready to explode, and I didn't want to be in his shop for that," Sunstreaker stated patiently, shrugging off the handful of neurals which had been shaken from the ceiling and turning to offer the unharmed girl to her mother.