The Diego Diaries: Abi (dd8 59)
=0=Late that night
The furniture had arrived earlier and was in its place, a dresser and toy box in the baby's room while a nice rocker sat by the window. Outside, light was filtering in from the towers that surrounded them. They lived in a block of towers that were surrounded by other blocks of towers on all sides of the massive city grid that separated things into well planned streets with a highway through the center of everything.
Iacon was a great town to live in. It had a divided city plaza, one with the central block of governmental and social buildings splitting the wide open public space in two. They lived three blocks from that area and a metro wasn't that far away, Iacon Metro 3. They knew their town inside and out. Their favorite bar was here as well as other social amenities for this, a mostly small family and childless bonds urban center. They knew every takeout place here and all the spots where you could hang out on the stoop and chat up the boys.
You can take the boys out of the neighborhood, but …
Right now, the towers outside were spilling out lights where the families or dwellers therein went about their nightly business at home. They weren't doing theirs because their life had taken an 180 degree turnaround in the blink of an optic.
Drift sat on the chair rocking the baby as he slumbered in his new blankets. His new dad, his Abi had risen to the level of proficiency required at the moment after a perusal of the book that Dear Old Dad had written. Its conversational no nonsense tone and practical loving advice had made it, oddly enough, a bestseller in the colony. Though Ironhide didn't tell too many about it, he was sought out on the street by genitors and fans alike.
It was amusing to become a well read author to a guy who got run over by a car after starting the first page of his 'diary' to keep up his competition with Ratchet back on Diego Garcia back in the orn …
"It's hotter than the Pit today which makes it fine with me. Unlike some yellow aft slaggers, I can take a lot. Today, the soldiers are running around like idiots. Even the birds are sitting on trees. The humidity is about a very high number. The weather forecast calls for thunderstorms and cooler weather. That should help the joggers. I don't suppose I'll be sitting here tomorrow if it comes."
Mech had come a long way since then …
"How is he?"
Drift glanced at Springer who was laying on the couch seemingly dozing. "He's a champion."
"Well, there's that," Springer said with a grin. "I just commed the twins. They can come over tomorrow and detail him. I suppose we can add white to him then."
"That's a good idea," Drift replied. "His original color will be primary and the white can be secondary."
"You don't want his wings to be white? Or maybe add some red?" Springer asked.
"White's okay but this shade of green with red would look kind of harsh, I think," Drift replied.
"I suppose but I want you on this kid somewhere," Springer replied.
Drift grinned. A timer internally set rang. "He's going to need his bottle."
Springer glanced at them, then rose to walk to the refrigerator. Several prepared bottles were inside and he drew one out. Walking to the pair, he handed it to Drift. Sitting on the floor beside the two, he stared at the baby. He was slightly rousing for the bottle, then took it. His optics flared a second, then shuttered as he slid into a slightly dreamy state of half recharge. He grinned. "He's a champ."
"He is," Drift replied. "He's so easy, I'm almost afraid to mention it."
Springer nodded. "Tomorrow, we can get him detailed, figure out his verses, then maybe Bluestreak can add them. Blue's really talented."
"Good call," Drift said as the baby rested a moment. "I like the poem you chose. It suits the three of us."
"Thanks. You can add more," Springer replied.
"Maybe. Maybe later," Drift said. "I'll get with Lady Sela and the Gatekeeper to present him and get the blessings. Heatout said to bring him in any time we can."
Springer nodded. "We can take him with us on the night patrols. We can take turns carrying him. If there's trouble, whoever has him stays out of it."
"Within reason," Drift said. "That's the plan."
Springer nodded. "There's only one thing I'm scared about relating to him."
Drift grinned. "Maxi?"
Springer grinned, too. He nodded. "Yep."
=0=Grapevine
"WE HAVE A NEW BABY!?" -all of Ratchet's family.
"WE HAVE A NEW NEPHEW!?" -all of the biggest kids
"ADA! WHAT LOU!? THE SHE!?" -you know who
=0=The next morning
"And my brother, Springer and my brother, Drift have a new baby. His name is Tell and he's very small. I LOVE HIM! I love babies. They're so cute." Clapping followed Hero as she walked happily and self consciously back to her tiny table, one she shared with Ferri. She was killing show and tell this morning.
=0=:D
"And my brother, Springer and my other brother, Drift have a new baby. Ada said he's my nephew. I HAVE ANOTHER NEPHEW! I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! He's small and light green. We get to see him maybe today. My other brothers, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are going to detail him, THE FIRST ONE HE EVER HAD, then my brother-in-law, Bluestreak will do the poems. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM! His name is Tell." Clapping followed Sunspot to the round table he shared with his classmates. He sat and smiled at everyone. Show and tell was the shit this morning.
=0=:D:D
"When do we get to see Springer and Drift's baby?" Santee asked as he gathered with all eight of his brothers in the foyer of Intermediate Day School #1 at Iacon waiting for the day to begin. "Did you see him?"
Genesis shook his helm. "It was done late in the afternoon and we didn't. He's supposed to be small and really cute."
"They all are," Lumi said with a grin. "I like little kids. They're so cute."
The others agreed just as the bell rang. No applause met them entering the concourse to walk to their elevator and school many stories above. But it didn't matter. Their family just got bigger and they were delighted anyway.
=0=:D:D:D
"So, tell me about this new nephew, Orion." Roto sat back to enjoy himself in this, the free conversational part of their therapy together.
Orion smiled brilliantly. "SHE! My she gotted him." He smiled brilliantly.
"Who is him?"
Orion considered that, then grinned. "My she." He gave a fat chuckle at this, his own personally designed 'get out of jail' card when vocabulary escaped him.
Roto smirked at Orion. "Little goofball. Tell me about this new baby."
Orion considered that. "I, Orion not seed dis one. Not seed she. He smoll." Then he grinned a giant grin.
"Smoll?" Roto asked with amusement. Having seen a few animal videos on YouTube, though not as many as Orion, his siblings and Ironhide had with him. The task of getting a good 'a' sound out of the word small had taken a hit. "Smaaaaaall."
Orion smiled. "SHE! SO FUNNY! I, ORION HO-HO-HOED!" Then he did and Roto had to take a moment to compose himself.
He would've applauded but he didn't need to. The usual audience of off duty teachers and aides who always came for his sessions did it for him.
=0=:D:D:D:D
"Well, they finally did it."
"What? Who?" Lancer asked as she looked up from a computer where she was working sorting intel from the mission with the other femmes from the team.
"I just got the word that Springer and Drift adopted an orphan mech, a little one named Tell," Arcee said with a chuckle. "They're officially tamed."
"Wow. We need to get them something. We can find out what they need," Greenlight said. "They never really got over the three little foster kids they had. Someone told me that they'd stop by the school once in a while during recess to watch them."
It was silent a moment, then Elita sat back. "I didn't know that. Then I guess it was inevitable. Which one of them is 'ada'?" she asked with a grin.
Huge laughter greeted that.
"Abi," Lancer said. "That's the endearment they're using."
"Works for me," Chromia said. "That is … it'll NEVER work for me. Maelstrom and I have a few mountains to climb, 'Cons to slag, tournaments to attend."
"You're still Auntie Chromia and Uncle Maelstrom," Greenlight said with a smirk.
"Works for me," Chromia said as she applauded herself.
=0=An apartment in Iacon
Drift opened the door and let the twins and Bluestreak inside. After a moment of hugs and congratulations, Springer brought the baby out wrapped in a towel.
"I washed him," Springer said as he handed the baby to Sunstreaker.
"Looks good," Sunny said as he walked to the table to lay the baby on a soft folded blanket. Peeling back the towel, everyone stared at him as the baby stared back.
He glanced at all of them, then waved his arm in Drift and Springer's direction.
Both of them looked emotional a moment, then Drift glanced at Sideswipe. "Want us to do anything?"
"Hang around if he cries," Sideswipe said as he and Sunny began to unpack their gear.
"I'll sit with him," Bluestreak said as he set his etching kit on the floor next to his chair. "Your poem is wonderful. I'll make it that script, too."
"Thanks," Springer said as both he and Drift hovered.
It wouldn't take long to make the baby pure color and shine. It would take less time to etch him. When he was finished, Drift picked him up and walked to the rocker to sit and settle him again.
Sunny smirked. "Slaggers. Welcome to the brat race."
Springer would laugh a while on that one.
=0=Later that morning
They walked out of the Halls of Order after a very moving and happy blessing from Heatout. All of the council was there for a meeting and joined them. Getting it from Heatout meant a lot to Drift, Springer could see. They stood on the corner with Tell secured in Springer's hold. "Next stop, the Monastery or the Temple?"
"Temple is closer," Drift said as they walked toward the cab stand nearby. It would only take a second to get there.
=0=In the Temple
They met Sela at the door, Sela exclaimed over the baby, then led them to the sub floor where the Well of Allsparks was located. Waiting there, Chevron, Lauren and Cameo, the educational director for the Temple in Simfur in for the meeting saw them come with their usual smiles and kindness.
"Well, well, look at us," Lauren said as the little mechs gathered around. He took the baby, held him up to the others, then they lay a servo on him as he rested in Lauren's arms. Gathering around, the priests and Sela began to sing the blessings, the prayers for genitors and their children and the blessings of Cybertron.
Standing side-by-side, Drift and Springer gave their part when it rolled around. It was incredibly emotional and then it was over.
Lauren handed the baby to Springer with a smile.
"Its time to show them to The Powers," Sela said with a delighted smile.
Springer glanced at Drift, then both walked to the Well, pausing before it. The Allspark turned enigmatically as Springer held the baby up to both relics. "This is Tell of Polyhex-Kaon of Cybertron. I'm Springer of Polyhex," he said, then Drift said, "I'm Drift of Kaon."
They held the baby up, then the Well began to fog upward, spilling white clouds of essence onto the floor.
The Allspark slowed, flashing electricity over its surface, then continued as the clouds slowly dissolved into nothingness.
Sela who was watching bowed to the relics. "Thank you, Lords and Lady. Thank you for Your blessing."
Springer and Drift would take longer to express their gratitude around their emotions.
=0=TBC 01-06-2021 01-0-2021