I have no idea what this is other than a partial AU. Anyway, it is basically set during the destruction of Praxus, but please, take everything in this ficlet with a grain of salt. It is not likely to be continued unless someone specifically asks. Enjoy! Also, I am tired and my eyes are aching.


Prowl vented out softly as he wondered when it would end. Surely the bombing would end soon? Maybe they were fortunate that the main refuge area of Praxus' temple rested so far underground... and maybe they were not. He and his present company-those that were Praxians like him and those that were not-would likely be the only survivors of this horrifying tragedy. From his perch on the spiral crystal tower above everything, Prowl glanced down at the sparklings, younglings, and adult Cybertronians fitfully trying to rest on the hard berths that had hardly ever been used by the residents of the temple that housed them.

Optics softening, Prowl felt tears well up inside of him, and his frame seemed to rattle in sorrow. A sigh escaped his vents the more he thought about the destruction occurring above them all. He jumped and very nearly swore as the underground hiding place rattled and shook with the force of a huge bomb as it landed. It terrified him, but he had to be brave for his people.

A soft, terrified cry made him look down, and he saw a youngling cling to its carrier in fear. Prowl jumped onto the next crystal tower down, then continued to do so until he reached the ground. Some of the Cybertronians looked up at him in desperate questioning. With a sigh, he looked around at his despairing people before practically gliding over to the youngling he had noticed crying. Prowl kneeled next to the youngling and its carrier, cooing softly while reaching to the broken family.

They reached for him; and he manipulated his wings against them, letting them weep against him. Prowl's EM field flickered around them as he let them feel his emotions through it: sorrow about the loss of so many of his people, anger at whoever was killing his people, and fear about whether or not they would last through the attack.

Gently, Prowl pressed his lipplates to the femme's forehelm, and then pressing his lipplates to the youngling's helm. Offering them comfort in such a way made him feel better, even if nothing about the situation was made better by the actions.

The two fearful beings he had kissed and those around him felt marginally better by his actions, too, as Prowl could tell. They truly believed that, as long as Prowl survived, they also had a chance. Prowl himself, however, didn't have that assurance. The sparkling and femme curled closer to him, burying their faces into his chest armor.

Softly, he spoke, "My people, we will get through this tragedy. I will make certain it is so." They were all startled when he spoke so suddenly, though his words reassured them.

"Dearly beloved prince," began an elderly femme, "thank you for caring for us for so long. We know you don't have to. Some of the Praxian emperors of the past have been careless with us. You have not, even as young as you truly are."

A tear escaped from Prowl's optics and he sobbed softly. "I thank thee for thy kind words. Even so, though, I had merely been doing my duty to the best of my abilities, as my predecessors should have done."

"But they didn't do as you have done," said the femme.

A loud chirp brought Prowl's attention back to the sparkling that was resting against him, and he cooed back to it, earning a giggle of laughter as he flapped his doorwings in a silly manner.

Chuckles brought his attention back to the other adults in the area, causing his plating to rattle in embarrassment. He gave a small, sheepish smile. He couldn't help it though; whenever he was around sparklings, his full attention was given to them and he stopped paying attention to nearly anything else-except what could harm the little one. Sparklings did seem to be the future of Cybertron with the way the war was going; because at the current rate, their precious Allspark would be destroyed.

Sadness enveloped him, cradling his spark in a way similar that he would cradle a crying sparkling-much like the one currently in his arms.

Ducking his head, Prowl laved his glossa against the sparkling's helm, gently pulling the child closer to him. A tiny squeak told him that the sparkling was surprised at the attention, causing him to smile at the adorable sound. He continued to lave his glossa against the child's helm, gaining squeals and laughs as he also lightly dragged his fingers across the little being's sides.

Around him, he could hear the soft whispers of his people as they watched him play with the sparkling, whose mother had shifted away from them to watch them play together. Prowl smiled as he invited some of the other sparklings to come to play as well.

"Come now, my little sparklings; play with me!" he exclaimed happily, only partially pretending as several sparklings ran over to him, looking at him expectantly, the boldest of which asked:

"What games can we play, emperor? What are we going to play?"

Prowl hummed thoughtfully, optics dancing, "Would all of you feel up to a game of Chase?"

At hearing the excited squeals and cheers the younglings gave in response, Prowl gave a soft growl, lurching forward as the game began, doorwings flaring in an mock-aggressive display, "You can't escape me, my pretty younglings, for I'll catch you!"

The younglings squealed and straightway started running in different directions, leaving Prowl to chase after his chosen target-a femme youngling of red and yellow coloring named Firestar. Optics dilating in anticipation, he crouched lowly, pressing himself low to the ground in an imitation of an organic predator he had studied once while off world.

He silently stalked after Firestar, determined to capture the youngling... and tickle her to submission!

A positively devious grin came upon his face at the thought.

And, unknown to him, all the other adults breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the sight of their ruler chasing after sparklings in happy play, laughter ringing and echoing off the walls of the huge cavern.