The Diego Diaries: After the Ball(game) (dd7 69)
=0=Heading for the barn
They ambled out of The Residence around midnight leaving behind sleeping infants in a spare berth room suite. They would meet for breakfast in the morning so they left the kids. The colony was having parties from one end to the other even among those for whom sports wasn't their second religion.
On Earth, the conversation was about the games on most channels and their news and discussion shows, the games and Prime's participation. Kaon had defeated Vos but it had been a riotous affair. Nearly everyone in the vast arena was a Seeker, called to the game by Starscream who felt that if there was enough community support, a miracle could happen.
It didn't.
He was home now pacing in his apartment to the amusement of the guests who'd been invited to his 'victory' party. It would go on all night long. The bitching, not the party. It would also be incredibly amusing to everyone but Starscream.
As usual.
As it was, the first ever basketball championship of the world(s) would be between Kaon and Iacon. The game would be in a decaorn and would be a focal point of a long rollicking weekend that coincided with Elders Day on the holiday calendar for the colony. It was the first ever Elders Day and would be a family orn off from schools and work.
It would be a fitting day to honor both the old and the new.
Optimus Prime lay back on his berth and felt every ding and knock he'd received in the game.
Prowl lay back, then shut off the lights. It was quiet a moment. "You okay? You took a lot of hard knocks," Prowl said.
"I am fine," Optimus said. He grinned. "Football starts September 16th on the calendar. First time for the Crater Comets."
Prowl turned his helm to see Prime's profile. "You're trying to provoke me."
Optimus snickered. "Perhaps I am."
It was silent a moment, then Prowl grinned. "Comets, then? Crater Comets? Sounds like a human high school name."
Prime grinned. "It is."
It would be a very companionable chat until they drifted off into recharge.
=0=Upstairs, then downstairs
They lay in the dark in a house with big boys and no little boys. Or girls. A cow lay on his soft pad near their window, his snoring audible.
"No one at The Animal Center told me that cows snore," Ratchet said.
"That's part of his slagging allure," Ironhide said with a grin. "Little cow is a slagging warrior."
"Is he?" Ratchet asked with amusement.
"Maybe. Looks like one. Nice horns."
"They aren't as long as they usually are. I wanted him to walk through the doors without getting hung up," Ratchet said.
"Slagging fine cow. Best cow of all. Don't tell the others," Ironhide said.
"I won't," Ratchet replied.
He would.
=0=At the break of dawn
They began to rouse as the light began to gather in their berth room. It wasn't early but it wasn't late either. It was in the Goldilocks Zone … just right. Prowl rose, then walked to the berth rooms to check everyone. They were still sleeping so he walked out and down the corridor to the living room, dining and kitchen area. Cleaning up what little there was out of place, he walked back to the berth room, then fell back into recharge. If no one was up, he wasn't going to be the only one.
=0=At the jailhouses
Numbers of drunks were sleeping it off, most of them being held in protective custody rather than being arrested. They were found draped all over the colony so they were gathered up to be taken into safer parts to recharge until they were sober. It would be then that they'd be let loose to sin no more.
Most of them would. There was one more game in the season. THEN THERE WAS FOOTBALL!
Springer and Drift had ridden to the barn with a number of others to step down from duty. It was cold and quiet as the sun began to rise. The odd car drove past and many were the trucks and other delivery vehicles making their morning runs. In the distance, they could see trains coming from the north on their runs to deliver big heavy things to construction sites and other stops. They were a feature for some time now, trains that ran in set circuits above ground, many of them following track laid down to parallel the major highways. It was a nice sight to see.
They rode into the barn, then dismounted. Unsaddling, then brushing and wiping down their horse's broad backs, they led them to their stable handlers, then hung up their own tack in the Watch officer's tack room nearby. They gathered to tell Springer and The Boss about their shifts, then walked out to the 'Feed Bag' also known as The Diner On The Corner. Another shift was completed.
=0=ELSEWHERE!
"OWL!"
Prowl jolted awake, then turned his helm toward the doorway. Standing alongside the berth, Miracle, Sojourner, Solus, Hero holding Halo's servo, Praxus, Prowler holding his tiny teddy bear and Sunspot standing in the doorway holding Possibility who was holding HIS tiny teddy bear as Spot sat beside them smiled as one at Uncle Owl. "Good morning," he said with a grin of his own as he sat up.
"Hi, Uncle Prowl. Everyone was getting up so I sorta got them into a group," Sunspot said with a dazzling smile.
"That's because you're perfect, Sunny," Prowl said as he watched Rambler, T-Bar and Spirit join them. "Good morning."
"Hi, Ada. Everyone's up," Rambler said as he watched Prowl take Possibility into his arms.
"Your atar isn't. Why don't you help him?" Prowl said with a smirk as a good dozen kids and a dog smiled brightly, then began to converge on the berth.
Prime who was a good sport pretended to sleep as bigger kids helped heft the heavy little afts of the smaller ones so they could get on the berth to 'help' Uncle Him as Orion usually called him now.
They gathered, then ran forward to fall, jump on and slide off the big mechanism who had already plotted his defense which would allow them to climb around without falling onto the floor. It was loud and funny as they swarmed Prime.
Prowl watched with a smirk. :That will teach you to try to sleep in:
:This is better: Prime said as he gently tussled with the mob. :Are we on for the Diner?:
:We are. I'll clear it with Ratchet: Prowl said as he walked out the door and down the hallway for the living room. :Loon:
[Pause]
:Are you talking to me? ARE YOU TALKING TO ME!?: came the reply in Ratchet's best Travis Bickle impersonation.
:Only because I have to: Prowl replied with a big grin.
:Oh. Are we still on or can Ironhide and I continue 'facing?: Ratchet asked with a grin.
It was amazing how close Prowl came to actually barfing. :You are evil:
:See ya in seconds: Ratchet said as he finished cleaning up the kitchen. He glanced at Ironhide lounging in his chair. :Fragging. That's us: He grinned. "Get up, lead butt. Time to go to The Diner."
Ironhide arose, then glared at Ratchet. "I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW, MY BUTT IS TITANIUM!"
Ratchet laughed. "I can see that." He walked to the door of the corridor. "ARE YOU COMING, INFANTS!? WE'RE GOING TO THE DINER WITH EVERYONE!"
Three big kids walked out to the dining room with two of them stowing their book bags in their holds.
"We're coming, Ada," Fireball said as he took Ratchet's servo into his own. "We have to go to the library later. Okay?"
"Sounds fine and dandy. It's not like you're going barhopping." Ratchet grinned at Ironhide. "Unlike some I know."
Ironhide grinned as they walked to the door. "I AM IRONHIDE! I HOP BARS!"
"When I say its okay," Ratchet said as he walked out.
Ironhide leaned out. "THAT'S TRUE!" Then he stepped back in to look at the three big grinning boys watching him. "I just lied. That isn't true."
"I HEARD THAT!" Ratchet's voice could be heard as he held the elevator for everyone.
Ironhide snickered, then walked out.
The three boys stared at each other, then Genesis grinned. "I love my life."
The others agreed as they walked out with him.
The door closed by itself.
=0=Jailhouse
Rockwell sat in his cell staring at the wall. He was going to speak to Periodic in a joor so that would break up his orn. Pico and Carbide were somewhere else, where exactly, he didn't know. They'd fallen apart and turned coat on him. Frag them, he thought, as he waited silently for breakfast.
It would come, be slid into his cell and the silent workers would leave. He stared at it, a beautiful bounteous meal, then picked it up. At least, this would be diversion for a while.
=0=Sun room at the Processor Hospital
Pico and Carbide sat in chairs staring through the window at the increasingly busy street below. They were here for a few until discharged into the personal custody of the Praxians, or so they were told. What happened after that, they didn't know.
As they watched life go on below, they noted that Prime and Ratchet were passing by below with a lot of individuals, some elders, some titanic and others small and various. They were going somewhere together so the two watched them until they were out of sight. When they were, they would feel a real sense of loneliness.
The orn would drag onward.
=0=Diner
Everyone who was anyone was there along with the Night Watch and a few construction guys who were friends of some present. Finding their seats, ordering with the usual flare, Ratchet and Company grinned at those who were occupying half the room. "What's up? How was the haul last night?"
"Lots of drunks. We have a drinking town with a basketball problem," Drift said with a chuckle. "Most of them are going to be sent packing when they sober up."
"Good. I guess," Ratchet said. "Speaking of criminal elements," Ratchet said as he peered around the booth toward Hardie who was sitting in the booth by the window with his brothers, Delphi and Orion. "What's going to be the word on Pico and Carbide? I'll probably sign off on discharge if things are equal.
"I'm going to take Pico in and Raptor will have Carbide. Those two need a bit of care to make the changes manageable. Rockwell is going to stay on the slag trail. Pico and Carbide will work in administration with a social worker and my gentler staff," Hardie said.
"Good. Now … what are we ever going to do about Ironhide?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.
"I did the best I could," Alor said as he held Possibility. The baby was smiling a shiny smile almost as brilliant as his pure white coloration.
"HA-HA! SLAG IRONHIDE!" the big mech said with a grin. "Frag all of ya."
"Me, too?" Turbine asked as he held Halo.
Ironhide blanched a little. "No. Maybe not you, Amma."
"But I'm okay?" Delphi asked with a grin. Orion who was sitting on the table with his amma glanced at his big old pa.
"Not you, either," Ironhide said as he glowered at his ada. "YOU, HOWEVER, AREN'T EXEMPT!"
"No, that part is true," Alor said as the room roared.
Orion smiled, then looked at Delphi. "AMMA! WHY SHE!?" he asked as he pointed at his dear old pa.
"She is a crybaby," Delphi said. "A very cute, very sweet crybaby." Delphi kissed Orion who smiled then leaned in to hug Delphi's neck with his considerable strength.
"Frag all of you, then," Ironhide said as their food came.
Hell fire fell down on his cute finials as the group turned their enthusiasm on the food and feeding the babies. Copious treats went to the floor for cow, dog and bug alike. All was well in everyone's world until someone asked Sunstreaker about the game the night before.
TBC 8-23-24, 2019
NOTE: Taxi Driver, Robert DeNiro played Travis Bickle, a nutcase and loner who wanted to be an assassin. He practiced before mirror with a gun saying to a stranger, "Are you talking to me? ARE YOU TALKING TO ME!?" Its an iconic remark now. :D
ESL:
turncoat, turncoated: someone who takes the other side. During early wars when color of uniform mattered on the battlefield mattered so you wouldn't be shot by your own troops, if you wanted to change sides, you turned your coat inside out. Turn coat. :D