The Diego Diaries: Cloudy (dd7 372)
=0=Far away in a dimensional plane
He stood on a silvery beach staring out at a silvery sea. The sky above was hard to peg, not quite silver and not quite blue. A dark line of trees and tall plants edged the sand beach disappearing into the distance both directions. He knew where he was. He'd been here before.
This was the beach house of the Primes of Cybertron, a perk of office from way back in the day. It was completely private for miles each direction as part of a national preserve and no one could come within three nautical miles of the shoreline. Glancing toward a walkway that entered the trees, Turbine began to follow it knowing that the beautiful house a few hundred meters away was there with all its historical and architectural flourishes. It would be a nice walk.
The only thing different from the original place was the color of things. None of the colors matched the same place on Cybertron.
=0=Riding a train to another city later that same night
Ironhide sat on a bench with the note subspaced. His amma and appa had been very good about signing it though it required 'some information' before they did…
"So … Ironhide. How does Ratchet feel about your effort here? You're basically a total stranger to him," Delphi had asked as if he were interviewing his great grandson for a job.
Ironhide who was mortified kept it off his face though his aura was poisoned with cringe and embarrassment. He decided to brazen it out. "We talked about it. Bond and all. He's good with it."
"Your atar has questioned a few things, say clause 2a which says Ratchet has discretion on the … operation," Hard Drive said with a soft voice. He was 'interviewing a recruit' to Ironhide.
"That's … that's part of it. I'll honor the agreement," Ironhide had said.
"And the bond situation," his Amma Delphi asked. He also asked about how he was settling in, how his parenting was going, how his children wouldn't respect him if he was a dolt, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
He'd nearly crawled out of their place on broken legs when they finally signed and bid him farewell. Now he was sitting on a subway seat brooding. No one else was in the car and it was getting late. However, he was bound and determined to succeed. If the lunatic he was bonded to required documentation, he would get it.
The car sped onward into the everlasting night time of the underground metro system.
=0=Telephono Redux
:Ratchet:
:Ratchet here:
:He just left our apartment. We grilled him good: Hardie had said with great amusement.
Ratchet chuckled. :I didn't think he had the ball bearings to do this:
:When he was an infant, you couldn't stop him from doing what he set out to do. He takes after Raptor that way: Hardie replied.
:Is this a closed line?:
:RAPTOR!: -everyone
:Ironhide is here making his pitch to Turbine:
:How's he doing?: Delphi asked.
:He's sort of shrunken down about five feet. He reminds me of all the times he got caught and tried to explain why he wasn't wrong and should get a treat: Raptor said.
:That's my boy: Hardie said.
:He just got the signatures and he's heading out. He's probably coming back your way, Ratchet. Are you going to keep us on the party line?: Raptor asked.
Ratchet laughed loudly. :And make you cry?: he asked to general slag and laughter.
They bantered a while, then everyone signed off after getting promises for 'the good stuff' the next orn.
Ratchet rose to check on everyone who were now recharging before walking back to the berth room. He lay back with a grin. This could just be getting good, he thought.
=0=On a train heading home
They entered the cars at the last stop of his train before Metro Station #1. A large group of drunken kids celebrating something or other filled the car he was riding in to capacity. Ironhide was squeezed against the wall of the train as it began to slowly move forward. He was stinging with humiliation but also celebrating his great good gall. He was young, free and about to be laid by a ravishingly beautiful and madly mad good time mech. He was glad for the bond for the first time since he got here.
The train sped along, then slowed for Metro Station #1 where it slid to a halt. The doors opened and as they did two drunken gangs came together face-to-face , one on board and one seeking to board.
=0=Riding the range(roving)
Springer got the 'squeal' over the comm line for the Watch. He and Drift along with their 'posse' were heading through the Mare Tranquilitatis toward Club Cybertron where it was reported that a lot of kids bearing gang flashes had come to celebrate something and had tied one on. They'd been asked to leave and had gotten belligerent. A few well placed bops on the noggin by steel bars wielded expertly by the bouncers had made retreat the best option. They left pissed™ and PISSED™.
Rushing onward, they reached the club, were steered to the metro and got there in time for the aftermath of a full on riot.
Lucky fraggers.
=0=Ironhide the Very Much Younger
The fight exploded immediately and he was swept up into it. He didn't have his canons, subbed or unsubbed, having taken them off per usual around the kids so he was left to his fisticuffs which weren't as honed as they would be millions of years and battles later. Crushed against the wall, he took every shove and blow delivered by their attackers just because he was.
Crushed, that is.
There were shouts, fists, steel bars and brass knuckles with long spikes. By the time a couple of big bruisers punched their way to him he was staggering from the crush and a few misplaced slams to the kisser. They made short work of him, then continued to blaze their trail onward. By the time they were working their way back, the cops had arrived and were dragging them off including a swearing but dazed Ironhide.
By the time Springer had arrived the car that held Ironhide had been shucked of its 'peas' which were cuffed and thrown into a paddy wagon that passed them as they arrived. Given that no one knew their old pa was heading for the jail on Cultural Center Road, they weren't able to save his sorry aft.
=0=Ratchet
He lay on his back with his hands behind his helm. He was playing solitaire as he waited for Ironhide to swagger in. He didn't know about the riot, nor did he knew that Ironhide had been booked into the jail. It hadn't mattered to the desk sargent. Ironhide was a drunk smelling mech with lumps here and there given that someone had dumped a beer on his head and had walloped him with a steel bar.
Ironhide had been shoved into a holding cell as all along the cell block on that side the gang kids were carried in screaming and yelling to receive their own accommodations. It would be epic.
Sort of.
It would take a moment before Ratchet would find out that Ironhide was in jail with a big headache and a cloud of frustration over him like the exhalations of Vesuvius on a good day.
=0=Ratchet
He got the call from Springer, then asked his atar to come watch the kids. Walking out of the apartment with a grin on his face, Ratchet reached the street, then transformed to drive to the courthouse and the jail around back. There would be little traffic given how late it was.
=0=A cell in the jail
He sat on the bench fuming almost to the point of radiating heatwaves. He smelled like a brewery, had a few really hard punches and blows on his helm and forearms where he'd raised them to protect his helm. Two big mechs with steel bars had decided to drum line his face. Given the crush, he couldn't maneuver and defend himself so he was battered, pissed, smelling of beer and frustrated.
It was going to be a long night of rage staring at the slaggers around him in the other cells and of course, the obligatory Blue Ball(bearing)s of Frustrated Youth.
That one.
=0=Courthouse Jail Intake
It was still wild and woolly when Ratchet arrived, then transformed to go inside. Horses indicated that a mounted patrol was here. Maybe Springer would let him in on things since he spotted Yancy and King among the remuda hitched in the parking lot nearby. He entered, waited until a number of very drunk kids were dragged to their cells to calm down, then glanced at the desk sargent. "Hey, Callous. How's the catch?"
"Good," he said as he entered the last data. The kids were gone so it was easier to talk. "I think we have your old mech."
"I think so, too," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I don't suppose you can release him?"
"He's been booked. Sorry," Callous said with a smirk. "Go on inside. He got bopped so he might need a bandaid or something."
Ratchet shot him a dazzling smile, then walked to the corridor that led to cells. No one had to show him. He already had the way memorized. The door shut behind him.
=0=Telephono Ringy-ding-ding
:Hey, Raptor:
[Pause]
:Raptor here:
:I had no idea you helped raise Ironhide in a barn:
[Grin] :What happened?:
:'Little mech' got arrested:
[Bigger grin] :For what?:
:A gang melee on a train and getting into a fight. Apparently, he also smells like a tub of beer:
:On my way: Raptor glanced at Turbine who had sat down to relax after an orn at the Matrix. "Little mech is in jail. Apparently, he was caught up in a gang melee on the train. I'm heading to the jailhouse at the courthouse."
"Count me in," Turbine said as he rose. "Lead on."
He would.
=0=Cell block(ed)
Ratchet paused before Ironhide's cell with a big grin. "Well, look what the cat dragged in." He leaned in slightly. "Point of information … we have a cat."
Ironhide frowned. "You find this funny do you?"
"Hilarious," Ratchet said as the bars dropped and he stepped inside. They went back up again. He sat down, then scanned Ironhide. "You have a few good blows but you'll live. I'll fix them after Magistrates Court tomorrow."
"Court? Can't you get me out of here?" Ironhide asked with surprise.
"I would but you're already booked which makes you the property of the legal system until the courts decide." Ratchet grinned. "I can keep you company if you want."
Ironhide frowned. :I was hoping for something more:
"Did you get the permission slip to frag from your genitors and grandgenitors?" Ratchet asked (fake)/innocently.
Ironhide shot him a look that Ratchet decided would make a great Christmas Surprise card. :Keep it down:
"Okay." Ratchet smiled a dazzler at Ironhide.
Ironhide felt sparkly bits ache with frustration as he stared at Ratchet. This was monumentally fragged. "They don't have night court?" he asked.
"No," a familiar voice said from nearby.
Ratchet and Ironhide turned to gaze down the room at a number of big mechs heading their way. His genitors, four great uncles, his Auntie and both sets of grandparents were walking toward his cell with big grins on their faces.
"Oh frag," Ironhide whispered softly.
=0=TBC 9-6-2020 edited
Note: for ESL:
Gall: (Rhymes with ball) In this usage, someone who has a lot of gall has a lot of nerve, they're brazen and assertive but not in a good way.
Tied one on: Gotten drunk as a skunk. Drank to get drunk.
Noggin: (Nah-gun) Slang for head.
Pissed/Pissed: Can mean extremely mad and extremely drunk in different countries. It means both here.
Blue balls: Its rather rude but someone who hasn't gotten laid in a long time is said to have blue balls. There. I'm totally rude. LOL! :D:D:D
Vesuvius: Iveh-soo-vee-us) A mountain in Italy near Naples that is terrifyingly active and which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum a couple thousand years ago. Its often a descriptor for sulfuric broiling anger or explosive anger. :D