I'm glad people seemed to enjoy the idea of wind dancing. I think I forgot to mention it but I imagine the designs left by the dancers being like the ones made by spiral graph toys. Anyone else remember those as a kid?
Chapter Twenty-Three: Perfection Shattered
The sound of the alarm startled Optimus out of deep recharge. He blindly clawed through the darkness and slapped the alarm back into silence. He collapsed back onto the berth with a tired groan. The only thing to indicate Ironhide had heard anything was a muffled grunt. The weapons specialist shifted on the berth before going still again with one arm thrown across Optimus's chest. Optimus couldn't muster the willpower to shake his sparkmate's arm off and rise just yet. He lay on his back staring up through the darkness at the ceiling. Although only operating at half capacity, the light from Optimus's optics was enough to illuminate the edges of their berthroom's furniture in a dim blue glow. The deep purr of Ironhide's engine was hypnotic. Like a siren's call, it urged Optimus to let himself drift offline and rejoin his sparkmate in recharge.
Optimus wished he could. He would have liked nothing more than to sleep more, but he had to get up. The High Council was set to convene later that day and he was scheduled to give a speech. He had to get to the Tower early to prepare. It had been three lunar cycles now since he and his family had returned from Vos. Since their historic visit, relations between Vos and the rest of Cybertron's city-states had settled into a tentative, cooperative peace. Cloudbreaker had reclaimed Vos's seat on the High Council, and another Vosian representative was set to join the Senate within the next deca-cycle. Vosian credits were already beginning to flood into Iacon's economy from several trade agreements Optimus and Senators Draxil, Phalanx, and Defcon had brokered during their visit. The reopening of Vos had left many business-mechs across the planet scrambling to make connections with the Vosians. Although the chances of a common citizen meeting a seeker on the streets of Iacon or any of Cybertron's other major city-states were still slim, Vosians were becoming more of a common sight in business and political settings.
Not everyone was happy with these latest developments though. There was a minority of the population that was avidly opposed to the Vosians leaving their city. Some of them had proven to be quite outspoken, especially in the news and through privately published media. Vos had become the topic of many evening newsfeed debates. Optimus and Ironhide had listened to several of them on the teleconsol, if only to keep abreast on what others were saying on the matter. Each time one came on, Optimus would delicately suggest that Starfall leave the living area and go play in his room. He didn't want his son to hear the bigoted hatred being spewed about his frame-type by prejudiced mechs on the teleconsol.
Much of the opposition's vehemence seemed to focus on the misguided worry that if the Vosians were allowed to rejoin global politics that Cybertron would run the risk of being dragged into a second Great War. Even though the Vosians hadn't been directly involved in the outbreak of the Great War seekers were still being blamed for it thousands of years later. Listening to such nonsense was almost enough to convince Optimus to personally go on one of the political debate shows and give his own opinion on the matter. He refrained from doing so, however. There were enough politicians and powerful business-mechs already defending the reopening of Vos. For Optimus to get involved would only add fire to an already raging debate. Besides, many would consider his views biased. As the adopted father of a seeker sparkling, he would only make himself and his family a bigger target for the opposition.
Luckily, his speech later that day for the Council had nothing to do with Vos. At least Optimus could find some kind of reprieve from the topic.
Venting a heavy cycle of air, Optimus gathered his willpower and sat up. Ironhide grunted in his sleep and blearily blinked his optics online.
"Wha time is it?" he mumbled.
"It's still early," Optimus said as he stood up from the berth. "You don't have to get up yet."
"Star up yet?"
"No. I'll wake him after I use the wash rack."
"Alright." Ironhide's voice was still garbled with sleep but Optimus knew he wouldn't fall asleep again. His sparkmate didn't have to get up for at least another joor to go to the Planetary Defense Force's headquarters but Ironhide usually liked to get up with him and Starfall to spend time with them before they had to go to the Council Tower and school.
Leaning over the side of the berth, Optimus gave his sparkmate a quick kiss on the side of the cheek plate. They had drifted into recharge the night before wrapped in each other's arms, exhausted and sated after an intense round of lovemaking. The memory of it made Optimus even more reluctant to leave the warmth of his sparkmate's side just yet.
Ironhide grinned up at Optimus through the dim light of their optics. He was more awake now than he'd been a minute ago. Both he and Optimus had fallen asleep with his chest plates open. Reaching up, Ironhide trailed the tip of one finger along the edge of his sparkmate's inner chest cavity, right below the Matrix. He sent a strong pulse of energy across their sparkbond. It was suggestive and playful.
"Yeh lookin' fer a repeat performance 'a last night?"
Optimus fought not to succumb to the husky timber of his sparkmate's voice. He wasn't completely successful and shivered under the other mech's touch. "I would like nothing better, love, but I have to get ready. There's a busy day ahead of both of us."
Optimus felt Ironhide's disappointment across their bond before it lightened with mischievousness. "Later ta-night?"
"Tonight," Optimus confirmed with a smile.
Standing straight, Optimus closed his chest plates and slipped out of the room to the wash rack. When he emerged some time later – washed and shining with polish - he heard Ironhide moving around in the main part of the domicile. It sounded like he was preparing their morning cubes of energon. Going to the end of the hall, Optimus motioned the door to Starfall's room open. It was dark inside. The little body on the berth was motionless. Optimus padded near and carefully sat on the edge of Starfall's bed. Starfall didn't move. His wings rose and fell to the rhythm of the whirl of his vents. Optimus studied his son's sleeping face in the dim half-light, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment.
For some time now, life in the Prime family had been perfect - or at least as close to perfect as Life could actually be. Optimus could barely remember how things were like before Starfall had come to live with them. The days prior to Ironhide accepting Starfall as their son felt like nothing but distant memories anymore. The old weapons specialist was so protective of their son now one would think he had sparked the little seeker himself. Not long before they'd gone to Vos, Skyfire had come to visit one evening. The scientist had seemed pleased by the change he saw between Starfall and Ironhide. Not since the night Starfall ran away had Skyfire mentioned his threat of going to the authorities again. He seemed as eager as Optimus and Ironhide to pretend that incident had never happened. Since then, Skyfire had returned to his previous role of welcomed family friend, not watchful social worker.
"Star?" Optimus softly called. He reached down and gently rubbed the back of his knuckles against Starfall's cheek. "Star? It's time to get up."
Starfall groaned and shifted on the berth, but refused to online his optics.
Optimus chuckled. "Come on, Star. I know you want to sleep in but it's time to get up." He moved his touch to his son's wings and began rubbing them encouragingly.
Another groan. This one slightly more awake. "Ugh… Five more klicks, dad."
"Not today, Star. I'm driving you to school and we have to leave soon. Time to get up."
Starfall grumbled something into the berth mat – a sound that was strikingly similar to one of Ironhide's – before groggily blinking his optics online. He gazed up at Optimus, his turquoise blue optic lens still glazed with sleep. "But I don't wanna."
Optimus fought not to laugh at the pitiful dejection in Starfall's voice. "Time to get up," he insisted. "You have school. You should be excited. Convoy's supposed to come over after school."
Starfall seemed to wake up a little bit more. He rolled onto his back and stared at Optimus. "Can Convoy and I watch the teleconsol when we get home? We wanna watch our show."
"If you both finish your homework beforehand," Optimus agreed.
Starfall sat up, his optics still fuzzed with sleep. His wings hung tiredly down his back. He no longer seemed in danger of falling asleep again though. "Come on," Optimus said, cheerfully leading the way to the door. "Your father is getting your fuel ready."
Starfall dragged himself off his berth and followed Optimus down the hall to the kitchenette. Ironhide was inside, filling an energon cube from the dispenser. Several full ones already sat on the table.
"Morning, daddy!" Starfall called as he hoisted himself up onto one of the chairs.
"Mornin', bitlet." Ironhide set a half-full cube of glowing purple liquid in front of Starfall. "Yeh recharge well?"
"Yeah," Starfall smiled.
Ironhide returned the smile and turned back to the dispenser. As he did so, he rested a fleeting hand on top of Starfall's helm as though to reaffirm his possession of their son. Optimus hid his grin behind the cube of energon he raised to his mouth at his sparkmate's wordless display. Despite his public persona as a tough-as-nails war mech, Optimus knew Ironhide could be surprisingly tender when he wanted to. His interactions with Starfall in the privacy of their domicile proved it.
"Are you still able to pick Star up from school today?" Optimus asked over the rim of his energon cube. "I doubt I will be done with the Council matters until late."
"Yea. No problem. Ah'm due at headquarters ta-day, but ah'll be done before Star gets outta school."
"Don't forget Convoy's coming over after school," Starfall interjected.
"Ah haven't fer-gotten. Just make sure yeh two are waitin' at the usual place on the edge of the lot. Ah don't wanna hafta ta talk Scion if ah can avoid it. Last time ah saw him, he was still askin' bout settin' up a play date for Star an' his kid."
"Scion is being surprisingly persistent on the matter," Optimus agreed. "Perhaps it might be easier to just entertain his request and be done with it."
"Wha? An' give in? Ugh uh. Ah ain't buckling under ta some shiny-plated senator. Plus, who's ta say cavin' in won't just make him more persistent 'bout settin' up a second one?"
"That is true…" Optimus sighed.
Breakfast conversation lapsed into more enjoyable topics. When Optimus finally finished his last cube of energon, he looked up at the chronometer on the wall. "Come on, Star. Time to get going."
"Okay," Starfall said, pushing away his empty energon cube. He began to slide down off the chair when his optics suddenly lit. "Oh! I almost forgot!" Before either Optimus or Ironhide could ask, Starfall raced out of the room. They heard the door to his room open at the end of the hallway, and then close again. A klick later, he reappeared in the doorway, pushing a number of gold planetary rings down over his servos onto his wrist joints. "Alright," he announced, grinning widely. "I'm ready!" The stacks of rings on his wrist joints chimed together musically.
Optimus had to smile. Since returning from Vos, Starfall made a point of never leaving their domicile without at least three rings on each hand. The planetary rings his friends had given him during their stay had become some of his most treasured possessions. As planned, Starfall had given Convoy a small stack of rings as a gift when they returned to Iacon. Ever since, every time Optimus saw the little red and yellow sparkling, Convoy would be wearing Starfall's gifts. It was Optimus's understanding from what Starfall told him and what he'd seen in the transformation lot whenever he dropped Starfall off or picked him up, that planetary rings were becoming somewhat of a budding fad in Starfall's school. He'd seen a number of other sparklings and younglings wearing colorful makeshift metal bands on their wrists. A number of senators and council members with school-aged children that went to district 11's Academy had also approached him asking where they could get planetary rings like Starfall's for their children.
Optimus couldn't help but marvel at the development. Vos's borders had been open for only a few lunar-cycles and already little bits of their culture were starting to creep into everyday life. He wondered how long it would be until Vosian fashions spread outside the walls of Starfall's academy and into mainstream culture. He saw it as a positive sign for the future. If children could come to accept and even wish to mimic someone with a frame-type so different from their own that had to mean there was still hope of the adults of their race doing so as well. Opposition for seekers reintegrating with other cities remained strong, but if children could learn to appreciate one another then so could everyone else.
"Ready?" Optimus asked, standing from the table. He activated the plates of his battle mask to slide shut over his mouth.
Starfall nodded. "Yep. Bye, daddy!" he called over his shoulder vent to Ironhide as he followed Optimus to the door. "See you later!"
"You an' Convoy be ready when ah come ta pick yeh up. No waitin', remember?"
"Ugh huh!"
Optimus smiled behind his facemask and sent Ironhide a strong spark pulse of affection across their bond. "I will see you later this evening."
Ironhide grunted his reply, affection leaking across their bond. With that, Optimus let the door of their domicile slide close behind him.
OOOOOOOO
Starfall wanted to cheer with joy when the final bell of the day sounded. It had been a long orn and Starfall was looking forward to going home and spending time with Convoy. As their history instructor, Backslide, powered down the classroom's projector and gathered up his lecture notes, the other sparklings of Alpha-4 erupted into excited movement and talk. A flood of sparklings rushed for the door, their subspace compartments full of that evening's homework assignments. Eagerly shoving his own data pads into his subspace unit, Starfall turned to Convoy. The little red sparkling had just finished packing up his own things. He seemed just as eager as Starfall to be free of school.
"Ready?" Starfall asked.
"Yes," Convoy nodded. Together, they slid down the row of seats and into the aisle.
"Bye, Professor!" they chorused as they ran past Backslide for the door.
"Good evening, boys," Backslide called after them.
The hallways were packed with other sparklings and younglings all heading for the exit. Taking Convoy's hand, Starfall expertly navigated them through the press of bodies. As in almost everything else they did Convoy let Starfall take control, happy to let him lead. Starfall weaved them in and out of the crowd. Several goodbyes were shouted to them from other sparklings of Alpha-4 as they sped past. Starfall tried to shout back his own goodbyes as best he could over the din of other voices.
School had become more enjoyable over the last few lunar cycles, both for him and Convoy. No longer did Starfall like an outsider amongst his fellow classmates. Since the incident with Aftershock Starfall had gained a certain amount of respect among his classmates and a number of other children in the academy. Starfall didn't know what actually made someone popular, but over the last few lunar cycles he'd noticed a large number of other children, both in his class and others, going out of their way to talk to him between classes or in the hall. And not in a fake way like when Scion had tried to make Aftershock become friends with him. These encounters felt genuinely friendly. After returning from Vos, he'd been surprised by the number of other children that had come up to him wanting to know where he'd gotten his and Convoy's planetary rings. Over the last lunar cycle or so he'd noticed a fair number of other kids in the academy showing up to school with colorful bands of metal around their wrists. Starfall could tell they weren't real Vosian planetary rings, but they were close enough of an imitation to pass. Everyday he spotted someone new wearing a set of rings. It would have been a lie if Starfall said he didn't feel a little bit proud at being the one to make planetary rings cool in District 11.
He and Convoy finally reached the doors of the school. Squeezing through the bottleneck of other sparklings clogging the doorways they broke free into open air. Adults filled the transformation lot outside, waiting to pick up their children.
"Come on," Starfall urged, pulling Convoy towards the far edge of the transformation lot. "My dad's probably already here."
"Did your father say if we could watch our show when we get to your place?" Convoy asked as they jogged across the lot.
"If we get our homework done first."
Convoy thought for a moment. "We only have to read a chapter for history and do five problems for math."
"If we read history on the way to my domicile we should be able to get our math problems done in less than a joor," Starfall said. "Then we'll have the rest of the orn to play."
Convoy smiled, nodding excitedly. "Yes."
They were almost to the edge of the transformation lot now. The crowd of adults was thinner closer to the street. Starfall slowed to a stop. He looked around, confused. Ironhide was nowhere to be seen. That was strange. Ironhide had specifically told him that morning he'd be there to pick him and Convoy up as soon as they got out of school. He had never been late before.
"Where is he?" Convoy said, putting voice to Starfall's own thoughts.
Starfall could only shrug. "I don't know. He must be stuck in traffic. He'll probably be here any klick. Let's wait over there for him."
"Okay."
The two walked to the edge of the transformation lot and sat on the curb.
"What did you get on Professor Doubletime's test?" Convoy asked as they made themselves comfortable.
"I missed two questions," Starfall grumbled. "I know what I did wrong now though. How about you?"
"I missed five," Convoy sighed despairingly. "I still do not know what I did wrong."
"Do you have your test with you?"
Convoy nodded. He fished a sheet of transparent plastic from his subspace compartment and handed it to Starfall. Red marks in Doubletime's handwriting littered the front of it. Starfall involuntarily grimaced. Convoy saw the look and hung his head.
"I am horrible at math, Star," Convoy groaned. "And Doubletime said he is going to give another test next deca-cycle. What am I going to do?"
Starfall's optics scanned Convoy's test. "It's not that bad, Convoy. Really. You just missed a step. Here, see?" He pointed to the first question on the test. "You didn't divide through. It's a simple mistake. But not dividing through changes everything you did afterwards."
Convoy took the sheet of plastic back from Starfall and scanned the questions. "Oh," he murmured in an embarrassed whisper.
"I can help you more when we get to my place," Starfall offered.
Convoy speared Starfall with a pleading, hopeful look. "You will?"
"Yea, sure," Starfall smiled. "It shouldn't take more than a few klicks."
"Thank you, Star."
As Convoy returned his test to his subspace compartment, a bot in vehicle-mode drove up. It slowed then stopped in front of them. The back window rolled down. A sparkling's head popped through it.
"Bye, Star! See ya later, Convoy!" It was Downshift, another sparkling from their class. Despite their rocky first encounter, Downshift had stopped picking on Starfall since the incident with Aftershock. If anything, Downshift seemed to idolize Starfall a bit now for taking on an older youngling the way he had. Perhaps it was because he was friends with Starfall, but Downshift had also given up tormenting Convoy about his accent. Starfall doubted he and Downshift would ever be close friends, but he no longer saw Downshift as an enemy.
"Bye, Downshift," Starfall called back with a little wave.
"Are you children waiting for your creators?" the disembodied voice of Downshift's creator asked from the front portion of his cab unit.
"My dad's picking us up. He's late though."
"Do you want us to wait for him with you?" Downshift's creator asked.
"Dad, do you know Star's dads are the Prime and Consort?" Downshift loudly interjected.
"I am well aware of who Starfall's fathers are, Downshift."
"We'll be okay," Starfall smiled. "My dad should be here any klick."
"If you're sure…" Downshift's creator murmured doubtfully.
"We'll be okay," Starfall assured him.
"Come on, dad!" Downshift urged from the backseat. "You said you were going to take me to the movies. We're going to miss it."
His creator still hesitated. "Alright… You kids take care."
Starfall nodded.
"See you two tomorrow!" Downshift called as he disappeared back inside his creator.
Starfall and Convoy both raised their hands to him as they pulled away and disappeared down the road.
By now, the transformation was almost empty. Only a few groups of adults and children remained. They stood together in small groups talking. Starfall anxiously looked around the transformation lot. There was still no sign of his father anywhere. Where was he? He wanted to go home so he and Convoy had enough time to do their homework before their show. Had his father possibly forgotten he was supposed to pick them up? Ironhide had never forgotten to pick him up before.
"Wait here," Starfall said as he stood up from the curb. "I'm gonna go see if I can see my dad coming."
"Alright."
Starfall jogged to the edge of the transformation lot where it connected with the road. He looked up and down the street. Bots in vehicle-mode zipped past in both directions but he didn't see his father's distinctive red paintjob or armored frame anywhere in the flow of traffic. Starfall sighed. He didn't know if he should wait longer or go inside to have someone in the office try and contact his father. Ironhide had told him to be waiting in the transformation lot for him. Would he get angry if Starfall went inside and wasn't there when he arrived?
Before Starfall could decide what he wanted to do he suddenly felt a presence step up behind him. He turned to find a mech standing there. Where he had come from Starfall didn't know. He hadn't noticed him anywhere on the sidewalk a moment ago. The mech was large and heavily built. His paintjob was dark blue with lots of scratch marks. Dirt and mud caked the edges of his plating. It didn't look like he'd used a wash-rack or polished himself in ages.
"Um, hi," Starfall nervously greeted.
The strange bot didn't say anything. He only continued to stare at him. Angry blue optics silently bore into him. Starfall shifted nervously under the mech's glare. He did not feel comfortable in this mech's presence. Maybe it was the mech's silence or the frightening way he stared at him, but something deep inside Starfall was screaming at him to get away.
Folding his wings down against the length of his back, Starfall turned to go back into the transformation lot. He decided he would grab Convoy and go back inside the school to wait for Ironhide. If his father got upset, then fine. All Starfall wanted to do was get away from this strange mech.
Before Starfall could take more than a few steps he felt a vice-like grip clamp down around his upper arm and pull him back. He gave a startled cry of surprise as he was whipped backwards and spun back towards the mech. Optics of quiet, burning fury glared down at him.
"Where do you think you're going, seeker?" the mech hissed.
Starfall squirmed in the mech's grip. Fear exploded through him, gripping his spark almost as tightly as the mech's hand around his arm.
"Help!" he somehow managed to scream in his panic. "Convoy!"
Somewhere in the transformation lot, Starfall thought he heard the murmur of alarmed voices.
"Shut up!" the mech growled. He began to pull Starfall towards the street.
"Ow! No! Help!"
"Shut up!"
Starfall tried to dig his thrusters into the concrete but the mech was too strong. In a fluid motion, the mech transformed. As his plating shifted apart and began to reform into a heavy-built vehicle Starfall was yanked off his pedes into the mech's interior. He hit the inside paneling of his captor's backseat door with a crunch. Starfall had no time to get his bearings before the door slammed shut behind him. A heavy clunck thumped through the inside of the mech's cab unit. It was the sound of the mech's door locks engaging.
"No! Let me out! Help!" Starfall cried, banging his fists against his captor's windows.
With a squeal of tires, the mech rocketed off the sideway into traffic. Starfall was thrown against the side of the mech's cab unit by the force. Angry horns beeped all around them. The mech accelerated, weaving in and out of other bots as he disappeared into the press of traffic.
to be continued