The Diego Diaries Part Seven

by arctapus

This is a continuation of the universe started in Diego Diaries and continued through parts two to six. The premise is a joke that led to world building. This is about family, friendship, overcoming adversity and finding the best parts of yourself. This is an adventure, a trek through the world of Transformers and its a comedy/drama. Everyone is here and if you are, too, then YAY!

113. Chapter 113

The Diego Diaries: Talko (dd7 113)

=0=There

"What about Siphon?"

The team stared at Rocco as they considered what they'd do. Scar came in and sat down at the table.

Turley, the processor health tech glanced at him. "We have to decide what to do with Siphon. He's a kid with problems. The course the law dictates is the Youth Center, treatment, then placement in a foster home until he becomes of age."

"I don't think that'd be a good idea. I don't care what youth centers are like here. They're youth centers," Rocco said with an edge to his voice.

"What would you suggest? Anyone in your group? Someone who'd take on a kid?" Scar asked.

It was silent, then Rocco shifted slightly in his chair. "No one. They have their own thing and most of them can't be trusted to handle a kid."

"What about you?" Ocher, the med-tech asked.

It was silent, then Rocco glanced at him uneasily. "I'm not so good with kids." It was silent almost too long. "What about I take him until he's on his peds, then maybe I'll consider getting him into someone's home. That person would have to be slagging good to him. He's had a hard life. He … he likes toys. He plays with toys." Rocco shook his helm as unaccustomed emotion rose into him.

Rocco reached for the box, stared at the little homemade toys inside as memories of Siphon's joy at getting them came to him unbidden. He closed the box, then looked at the others. "I get him for now. We can get him up to speed then think about what comes next. Right now, he stays with me."

Ocher sat back feeling relief himself. "Very well," he said. "Tome can put that into the plan. We're going to need you to work with us. We have to patch him up, get him treatment for his health, counseling for his processor and beginner school for his education. He can live with you and go to these places. There's after school activities that are supervised for kids whose families or mentors work. He can go from school to there until you get off depending on what you choose to do."

Rocco looked relieved for a moment, then the mask was back. "Do the stuff you need to do but that kid stays with me until I'm convinced he's going to be able to do something else."

"Sounds like a deal to me," Scar said with a grin. "What about you doing the paperwork, Ocher, then get his status settled while I get them into the life. Is the kid good enough to go?"

"He is, Scar, but he needs to start his rehabilitation tomorrow. I think you could use a medical as well," Ocher said. "I'll send the schedule for all of this to you, Scar, as his mentor and when you can come to sign on as temporary guardian of Siphon, Rocco. It'll be a legal document and you'll be responsible for Siphon's care and scheduling."

"Nothing will change from before. I am now," Rocco said.

"Good. Then I'm relieved," Tome said as he stood.

They all did, shook hands, then Scar and Rocco with toy box in hand walked to the door to leave.

Siphon who was waiting in the lounge rose to look at them expectantly. "What happens now, Rocco?"

"You come with me," Rocco said as he handed the kid his toys. "For now, you're with me. We have things to do and you'll do them … school and counseling. That sort of thing. Scar will be mentoring both of us into this life."

Siphon stared at Rocco, then Scar. "I get to stay with Rocco? He's my hero because he's helped me."

It was suddenly emotional in the room.

Rocco glanced at Scar. "What now?" he asked.

"Come with me. I'll show you your home," Scar said as he nodded to the team. "I'll make sure they get the schedule and come in with him tomorrow to finalize Siphon's status. Come on," he said to the two. "Let's go home."

Rocco nodded to the others, then gently nudged Siphon to go. They left and it was quiet for a moment among the techs.

"Sometimes I hate this job and others … this helps," Tome said as the others agreed.

=0=Out there

"I think this will do," Hardie said as he held two round rocks in his servos. "What I think I'm going to do is see how close I can get to their cages without hitting them directly. The one who does wins."

"What do we win, brother?" Sun asked Hardie.

"You get to step on the box," Hardie said with a straight face. "No matter what happens, we can say they fell into a smelting pool touring the steel mills and this is all we got out of it. I imagine if we drop their flattened carcasses into one of them their ashes will fill a shot glass."

The two humans listened with dread and intense fear. These things didn't look like they were kidding. Were they even capable of understanding and empathy? It didn't look like it to either of them.

:What do you want?: Collin asked as Horst glanced at him with panic gathering in his mind.

Hardie threw a rock so fast and hard that it didn't register on either until it hit the stone their boxes were sitting on and spiraled away. It was intensely close. They were too scared to see or appreciate the skill that shot required from Hard Drive. They probably at the moment didn't care either.

Both jumped, then looked at Hardie. Pressing their hands against the side of the box, they didn't see the one Steiner threw that hit nearly in the same place.

"Frag, Stein, your rock wasn't as close as mine," Hardie said with a grin.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Jack said as he took up his part.

"You wouldn't, wuss," Sun said as he pitched one with perfect arc to the rock where it flashed off and careened into the darkness. "Score. Mine's closer than yours, brother," Sun said to Hardie with a grin.

Jack stepped between the group and the boxes, dropping his stones as he did. "You know … I don't think this is a good idea. This would make the third and fourth dead human here and Prime's having enough trouble about it without this happening."

"Wuss," Sun said as he glanced around for new rocks.

"This isn't Cybertron during the day, Sun. We could get into real trouble here." Jack stared at them with his back to the two humans. He was grinning as he spoke and the others struggled not to grin back.

"Move, Sun. These two are extremists and terrorists. They won't talk. Those types never do," Hardie said as he tried to peer around Jack to throw another rock.

"No, Hardie. This is no better than what they did," Jack said almost dramatically as he held his servos out. He also grinned at his brother.

:This will set the world on fire on Earth: Horst said. :They'll know:

"know what? That two more humans were killed or died? They'll know that two humans were trying to take a selfie at a smelting pool, slipped in and turned to dust immediately. You slaggers and your phones … who won't believe that story?" Sun asked as he chose two more rocks.

:Earth will: Collin Anderson said.

"What? That you fell in taking selfies? You slaggers fall off cliffs and buildings all the time making faces for your camera phones," Sun said. "Hurry up, Hardie. It's my turn."

:STOP!: Horst Mueller cried out. :Don't. What do you want to know?: He glanced at Collin who stepped back from the windows in fright. :If we tell you what we know what happens then?:

Hardie considered that, then looked at the rocks in his hands. He put them down on a nearby flat rock in a neat pile. "Put your slag here, Sun. You, too, Steiner. We're going to take them to Prime. If they change their minds, we come back here, get our rocks, then finish this. I'm sick of this slag."

"Frag!" Sun said as he put his rocks down. Steiner and Jack did as well. "I'm holding you to it, Hardie." He looked at the two humans with a cold expression. "Fraggers. If you think you can hold back or lie, I'm going to take both of your cages and shake the slag out of them. Understand?"

Both of them stared at Sun with almost breathless fear. Both of them nodded.

=0=On their way to the transitional housing tower for the FDA in Bern

They rode on a painfully clean and swift subway metro car on the way to their new home city. Siphon held his toy box as he sat staring out the windows. He was happy and excited about the new life they were going to have. Rocco and Scar talked off line.

:This kid needs someone to take care of him. Someone he likes and trusts. It's good of you to do that: Scar said.

Rocco glanced at him, then the small excited kid. :He reminds me of my cousin. He was small and good sparked. He lived with us half the time because his genitors worked odd hours. This kid reminds me of him:

Scar nodded. :You can run around a few orns until things get sorted out and you decide what you want to do. Do you have an idea?:

:I like flying. I think I'm going to stay with the army. Does Prime allow that? I've been a soldier longer than anything else: Rocco asked.

:You can. You have to be retrained to our system. Then you can become regular army and be rotated in and out of the schedule. You'll have down time and it'll help him. Day care is everywhere here. My kids are in the Circle Day Care Center in Autobot City. That's a good place for him. A lot of ex-Decepticon kids go there, small and older. They have a lot to do and they help kids with school and their problems:

:I'll find it: Rocco said.

:I'll show you. I arranged to take tomorrow off to show you around, then an FDA counselor will help you out for the next several afterward until I'm off work: Scar said.

:What do you do?: Rocco asked.

Scar grinned. "I'm a construction boss, one of four that run the entire project here and consult with Cybertron on the rebuild there. I'm getting my engineering degree at the University," he said with a proud sound to his voice. "My bond is a college graduate who's important to the way things run around here." He glanced at Scar. "I serve on the Civilian and Senior Autobot Community Council making plans and decisions for the colony, Cybertron and the reclaimed empire. I speak for the unions and guilds." He grinned. "You're only limited by your dreams."

Rocco nodded as the train slid to a stop at Bern Metro #3.

The door opened as Siphon rose. "What now, Rocco?"

"You're coming with me, kid. Let's go to your new home," Scar said as they walked out, then upward to the street.

When they arrived at the street level, lights were on everywhere. They walked onward, turned down streets, then arrived at a massive tower. They walked in, crossed a beautiful lobby to a bank of elevators, then took one upward. On the fifteenth floor, they exited then walked a long way down the corridor to pause before Apartment 1578.

Scar turned to them, then showed the two how to key their transponders to the lock. He then entered, turned on the lights and gestured the two inside. They entered, stared around with surprise, then turned to Scar. He grinned. "This is the type of housing we all get. Look around. Memorize your address. This is home now."

Siphon glanced at Rocco who nodded. Then Siphon moved around staring at the apartment with astonishment as he clutched his little toy box. He went down the hallway, then returned swiftly. "There's two berth rooms and another one that's empty. There's even a wash rack, Rocco."

Scar grinned. "A berth room for each of you, a spare room for whatever you want and a private wash rack. Everyone gets this kind of life here and it costs nothing. I'll explain that tomorrow. This is the monitor for news and calling, everything you need to know about the colony is here. All entertainments can be found here.

"There's energon in the kitchen by liquid on that machine or you can go to a restaurant or the grocery and get what you want. They deliver it to your door. Let me show you around."

Scar led them around as he explained the apartment. Siphon chose 'his room' then put his toy box on a dresser by the door. He grinned. "I never had a place of my own before. This is nice, Rocco. I like this place."

Rocco stared at the kid. "I do, too." He turned to Scar, then grinned. "Who do I kill to get to live here?"

Scar grinned back.

=0=TBC 10-19-19 02-20-2021

NOTES:

What Lies Beyond chapter 112 . Oct 18

Here's hoping Siphon and Rocco get to stay together. I think those two are more emotionally dependent on each other than they (and possibly anyone but Scar at this point) realize…

ME: I agree. Right now, Rocco is keeping him and I don't think its a big jump to making it permanent. Siphon is a nice little kid. I hate war. :[ HUGS, HONEY!

leoness chapter 112 . Oct 17

Aww, the toys are heartbreaking.

ME: I remember seeing a kid cling to a teddy bear once and it never left my mind. He got here just in time. Imagine a bunch of Deceptions making little toys for Siphon. It makes me tear up. HUGS!

AuroraArgentiSilvereye chapter 111 . Oct 17

Ohhhhhh crap...when the big guys get involved...well, those two can kiss their butts goodbye. Why is it I can hear "Bad Boys" in the background? Lol, great chapter as always.

ME: BWAHAHAHA! I love Ironhide's crazy family. Military, Show Biz and Religion are their trades, some of them doing more than one. I think Ironhide's so much fun to flesh out and I wanted it to be sort of playing against type. I think the voice actor for Ironhide in the movies did that for me. He sounded so cultured. Hmmm … what a great idea. Our boy hiding his candle under a bushel. ;) HUGS! (LovesTheShes. I love that name. LOL! HUGS!)

Dark Mind and Saddened Soul chapter 111 . Oct 17

Now gentlemen, don't try breaking things off the squishies, it is messy and you will have to remove the fleshy stuff if you want trophies so it doesn't start to stink.

ME: BWAHAHA! Guess what I had to remove from my shoe this morning when I went out into my backyard? I know what you mean about them. :D:D:D HUGS!

leoness chapter 110 . Oct 16

Ha, I love the twins fanboying over the uncles.

ME: I do, too. :D:D:D Having a bunch of renegade elders around with kids like the twins is hilarious. :D:D This reminds me of my uncles. HUGS!

fancyspinner chapter 109 . Oct 15

I'm so sorry about your trees!

I love the fact that this encounter ended peacefully. :-) It was so great. I really enjoyed the domestic dispute. LOL that was great! I feel so bad for all of these child warriors. I hope that they can have a life that's as great as the one that Sunny has.
Thank you so much for continuing the story. Let me know when you post it revised on ao3 OK?

ME: I miss my trees but slag happens unfortunately. Thank you, honey. This one just seemed to want to be peaceful and more of these kind of kids are coming along. Rocco stepped up and I'm glad. Siphon will remain in the story to let you know how he does. I will tell you and the others. I think I'm going to post it ten pieces at a time. I think I have 3200 of them now. :O) HUGS!

Ragemoose chapter 108 . Oct 13

im sorry about your trees. I know how uncomfortable that sort of change can be. I hope things keep getting easier for you!.

Also, why do i have the distinct impression that siphon might be another child warrior? he reminds me of skids and mudflaps a lot.

ME: Thank you, honey. Its a process losing slag. :[

These kids will be coming along and I'm going to stay with Siphon so yu can know what happened. He's sort of stunted like them. Sad. I hate war. HUGS! :D:D:D

AuroraArgentiSilvereye chapter 108 . Oct 13

Oh my...well that went well! The fact that 90 percent of the slaggers seemed to 180 when "the football" was dropped is an amazing, yet hilarious thing. Loving all of the good content and awesome visuals!

ME: I know. Never underestimate the power of sports. LOL! We have a championship basketball game and the start of football with the fam and Prime on a team. I CAN'T WAIT! :D

Side note: hello! I just opened an account with Fanfiction after years of following this work. I commented a few times as "LovesTheShes." Super excited to finally be on the roster as an official follower, and can't wait to see what's next. Love love love you, and have a wonderful day/night!

ME: WELCOME ABOARD! Your other name is hilarious. Orion loves it, too.

"I, ORION LOVE LOU!"

See? :D:D:D More to come, darling. HUGS!

leoness chapter 108 . Oct 13

I am very sorry about your trees. I had some old friends growing up in the form of a big old oak or two I was sad to leave when we moved.

ME: It's horrible isn't it? :[

Oh dear. Siphon is giving me Sunspot vibes…

ME: He is. More of them to come. I hate war so much. HUGS!

Ragemoose chapter 106 . Oct 10

so relieving to see things go off without a hitch this time around. Though, knowing the people they have in the prison with the severe mental health disorders, i sort of worry for springer and drift. it would be pretty scary if Cog was legitimately stalking that's not the case. It will be interesting to see how the imperialis boys fare in the lockup. something tells me they'll be there a good long while :P

ME: Cog is going to be an interesting character. Its canon for them to work with 'Cons sometimes, at least with the Wreckers. There is a lot of weirdos in the 'Cons. Some were bound to show up. HUGS, Darling! :D:D:D

SunnyandSidesexcellentadventur chapter 106 . Oct 10

OMG! I fragging love this story! Drift is jealous!

ME: Its usually the other way around. LOL! More to come, darling. HUGS!