Five joors later

Ratchet nodded at his work, "A little longer than what I would have liked, but he's good."

Ember looked her brother's new body over. "... Doc, I hate to break it to ya, but you forgot the hands."

"Those need to be transferred over from the old body." The old medic replied, grabbing a laser scalpel. "Medic thing."

"Oookay, whatever you say."

He waved her off, carefully removing Lightning's hands and attaching them to his new body. "Okay, there. Now to get him out of his temporary stasis lock." He opened a panel on his neck, attaching a small cable to a port in it to send a signal through to the processor.

His optics slowly came online, turning a bright electric blue as a silver battle guard slid down over the lower part of his faceplates. He sat up slowly, systems whirring as he looked himself over.

Ember approached him, giving a low whistle, "Dang, bro, you look awesome."

He had to pause for a moment to get full control over his new vocaliser, "... I do."

"But also a startling shade of silver."

Ratchet folded his arms, "Well, sorry that the body transplant couldn't come in color. I could give you a standard blue paint job."

Ember spoke before Lightning could even start to activate his vocaliser again, "Primus no! Those chip super easily - we're gonna get Sunstreaker to do it for ya."

"Oh, no, we really shouldn't-"

"It's fine!" Ember interrupted her brother, tugging at his hands, "Come on!"

Lightning stumbled to his feet, shaking a bit, "J... Just a minute. Need to adjust."

Ember paused, waiting.

He shifted his weight a bit, before turning to her, "Okay. I'm good."

"Good!" She started to drag him away, grinning wide.

He stumbled after her, twisting sideways to walk through the doorways.

Sunstreaker was painting as Sideswipe was tossing a ball into the air when a knock came to the door. The golden twin didn't even look over his shoulder as he spoke, "Your turn."

Sideswipe groaned, "It's always my turn." But, regardless, he got up and opened the door. "Oh, hey Ember and - whoa."

Sunstreaker glanced over his shoulder briefly at his brother, "What?"

"... Lightning, is that you?"

The golden mech paused, lifting his brush off the canvas.

"Heh, yeah..."

Odd, Sunstreaker thought, that's deeper than I remember Lightning sounding. He finally looked over.

Lightning was ducking his helm as Sideswipe invited him and Ember in.

Sunstreaker nearly dropped his brush he was so shocked.

"Dude, you are huge!" Sideswipe marvelled, lifting one of his arms.

Lightning carefully took it back, "Yes, I noticed." He turned to Sunstreaker, "So, uh, I was kinda wondering if you could... Give me a paintjob?"

Sunstreaker looked him up and down, "... Primus, you need it. I can't let this slide." He went to the wall, opening a secret panel and quickly typing in a code.

And with that, the wall slid open to reveal a variety of paints and sprayers. Lightning walked over, looking them all over with his mouth open behind his battle guard, "Whoa..."

"Go ahead and transform," Sunstreaker told him, grabbing one of the sprays and a navy blue canister, hooking them up together.

Lightning complied, turning into a rather bulky medical transport. While shorter than his robot mode, Lightning was now at helm level with Sunstreaker and just as wide as he was tall. His vehicular armor was especially bulky in the front, with a smooth curve back to allow the air to flow right past him.

Sideswipe and Ember whistled, the mech stating, "Dude, sick wheels!"

"Thanks." Lightning's voice came from the cockpit, headlights flashing briefly.

Sunstreaker put white tape on the edges of the windshield and side windows so paint wouldn't get on them, then started to spray him with the navy blue paint.

The red siblings of the two watched silently, marvelling as the golden mech worked on the now larger bot.

After a bit of time, Sunstreaker put away the spray paint and grabbed a second sprayer.

Ember raised her servo as if she were in a classroom, "Sunstreaker? What's that for?"

"It's to dry off her paint and make it waterproof."

"Actually, Sunny-"

"Don't call me that."

"-Lightning wants to use mech pronouns."

He paused briefly, "... I understand. My mistake, and I apologize, Lightning."

Lightning was glad he wasn't a robot, because he was sure he'd be blushing, "You're forgiven..."

Sunstreaker started to spray Lightning down, the paint drying off and sparkling lightly in the light. "Almost done. You still want your lightning bolts?"

"Yes."

Sunstreaker set down the sprayer, then grabbed the first sprayer but with an electric blue canister. He also grabbed a slip of cardboard with a pattern of realistic lightning on it. He then set to work, holding the cardboard to his side as he sprayed it down with the electric blue.

Ember watched him in silence until he was done with the color and then the second spray yet again. "You done?"

"I'm done."

Ember looked her brother's alt mode over - the lightning streaked over the sides and around the wheels in an impressive pattern. "Nice job, Sunny!"

"Don't call me that."

Lightning transformed, showing the lightning carried over to his arms and in two streaks down his back. He looked himself over, optics lighting up slightly. "... Thanks, Sunstreaker."

He nodded, "You're welcome, Lightning."

Ember clapped her hands once, "We have to show the rest of the team!" Then, without waiting for a response, she grabbed his servo and dragged him out the door, "Seeya later Sides and Sunny!"

"Bye Ember!"

"Don't call me that!"

But she was gone, and his statement fell on audio receptors that wouldn't care.

Sideswipe turned to his brother, grinning. "So, Lightning's a mech now."

"Yes."

"You still find him hot?"

"... I choose not to respond."

"Ha! That means you do!"

"Oh, shut up."

"Nope!"

Ratchet was sorting through his tools after Lightning's body shift when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning his helm, he saw John and a few of the other Autotroopers. Raising an optic ridge, he asked a simple, "May I help you?"

John spoke first, "We heard you could... Give us new frames?"

"I could," he turned to face them fully, arms folded, "is that what you all want?"

A lot of nodding and sounds of confirmation came from the crowd.

"Alright. Well, it... Can be arranged, I suppose. Who's first?"

John raised his hand.

Ratchet focused on him, "Do you know what you want?"

"A tank."

"Model?"

"A Bruiser Class, Model 1A-15."

"Doable. Lay down."

John nodded, setting himself down on the berth.

It was gonna be a long solar cycle for Ratchet. But he didn't mind all that much.

And hey, maybe these upgrades would mean medbay trips would be both shorter and fewer in-between. Which was a bonus for him.

Whoa, what? Another chapter? And just two days after the last one?

It's short, granted, and looking back on it perhaps this one and chapter fourteen should have just been the same chapter.

...

Oh well! Too late now.

So, enjoy this chapter and I hope you all look forward to future ones!

Please remember to like, favorite, and comment - I always love seeing them!

Til All Are One,

-Alpha