A/N: Here you guys and girls go! Enjoy!

NordicAutobotGirl: Thanks! There will be big things happening! If I can get to them, that is. Writer's block is hitting me hard. .

Swirlspot: I know, I know, and I'm sorry! Lol, Megatron is going to be extra-bad in this story. :D

Seeker3: Lol, no, I don't think that there will be any of those Predacons. Sorry! :P

PLEASE REVIEW! IT HELPS THE WRITER'S BLOCK! (Seriously. It also gives me motivation!)

Back again at the human military base, Darkflame glanced about for the human that had drawn a picture of her the last time she had been at the base.

When she did spot him, Darkflame moved on, slowing near a group of obvious newbies. They gaped at her and Predaking, who had insisted on coming along this time when he had heard of how the humans were impressed of the 'bots, and he wanted to get a look at human.

"It does not look like he is here.." Mused Darkflame, lifting her tail a bit higher to allow several vehicles to pass underneath. "Where did you see him last? Maybe he is there, again?" Predaking said, disguised eagerness in his tone.

"Why are you so excited to meet him?" Darkflame asked, surprised. "I thought you did not like humans."

"Maybe, but he captured the beautiful likeness of you so well, I wanted to know if he could manage the same with me." Predaking struck a subtle pose, then continued on quickly, seemingly oblivious to the excited murmurs of the newbies, who admired his red-gold frame and piercing yellow optics.

"Predaking, if you really want to show off, you could have just said so," Darkflame teased, "Humans are easily impressed."

The male Predacon tossed his horned helm high. "Is it really that obvious?"

"No," Darkflame snorted smoke, "But it is to me!" She gently hip-checked him, taking longer strides to reach the main building for the Cybertronians. Predaking rumbled, sending a strong pulse of love across the sparkbond.

She slowed, glancing back at him tauntingly for a moment before disappearing into the building. When Predaking entered, she was already transformed and standing near the platform with Optimus Prime.

Darkflame waited for Predaking to join her before nodding to the human official to begin.

Smokescreen chirred softly as he peered out from underneath the table at the remaining Cybertronians.

He waited for one to walk close enough for him to pounce on. The base had been rather boring with Carrier gone. She had been quiet busy for a few 'cycles' as she called them, rushing about so that it was hard to entice her to play with him.

Creator wasn't a very playful bot either, laying on the berth all day. The only one willing to play with him at any time was the white and orange-pink 'bot. Smokescreen called her Lesfether, a word Carrier had taught him, which meant 'Butterfly'.

Smokescreen wasn't sure what that was, either, but he thought it sounded pretty.

The Predacon sparkling chirred softly again, a Lesfether lifted her helm, looking about questioningly. She called out, and Smokescreen recognised his name. He chirred again, then squealed as if in pain.

Before-Carrier had taught him this trick, before Carrier and Creator had come. Lesfether stood, moving about slightly before calling his name again. Smokescreen squealed, clicking his glossa as he did so to make it sound like he was in another place.

Her movements became more hurried, and she began talking to the others. They stood as well, moving closer and closer.

Smokescreen waited a moment longer, then squealed again. The blue one Carrier occasionally refered to as "Arcee" finally walked into range. With a ferocious snarl (In Smokescreen's opinion) he leaped out, sinking his tiny denta and claws into her ped.

She yelped, tripping over Smokescreen and falling down, twisting to avoid landing on him. Smokescreen didn't notice, and continued knawing on her ped.

He let out a disgrunted roar when he was abruptly lifted into the air. Twisting lithely, he slipped free of the servos holding him and fell to the floor. What was intended as a graceful landing ended in a undignified sprawl onto the floor.

Tired of everything suddenly, Smokescreen let out a wail. Lesfether swooped in and picked him up, making worried noises with her mouth. Smokescreen pushed against her arms, calling for Carrier.

Dusk had taken Smokescreen into her berthroom in a attempt to put him into recharge, but faint cries could still be heard.

Ratchet was bandaging Arcee's ped. "Why didn't you warn me, Ratchet?" The blue cycle-former was saying. "I'm probably going to have to stay in at base for a while now."

"I didn't think he would injure you so badly," The medic was saying, "I was observing him. He was fascinating! That trick would be a valuable trick in battle."

"But did you stop and think who taught him that?" Arcee said, setting her ped down when Ratchet finished. "Probably Darkflame."

The medic shrugged, opening a cabinet to put his medical supplies away. "Maybe so. But she was only following her instincts and looking out for her sparkling."

"Maybe so." Arcee replied. "But they're not just mindless beasts anymore, Ratchet! They think like us! Maybe even better. And what if they see us someday as threats? Darkflame's now the leader of a entire army of Predacons, and if she decides humans aren't worth anything anymore, or..."

Arcee trailed off, seeing Ratchet's look. "What?"

The medic leaned back against a table. "You make good points. But that's also my arguement. They think like us, maybe even better, right?"

"Yeah..."

"So, why would they suddenly view us as threats? Darkflame in particular? She was doing the right thing, teaching her young to take care of itself. He was merely practicing, and went a bit too far." Ratchet turned and finished placing the medecinal objects into the cabinet.

Arcee sighed. "Good point, Ratchet. I'm going to go see if Dusk needs any help with Smokescreen."

As she left the medbay, Ratchet called after her, "And don't even think about running or fighting with that ped or I'll take a wrench to your helm!"

"When do you think Darkflame's due back?" Dusk said worriedly, looking at the still-wailing Smokescreen. "I mean, it's so bizarre how he suddenly went from happy and naughty to sad and sobbing in so short a time!"

"I agree." Arcee said, waving a Energon crystal in front of Smokescreen in a attempt to feed him. "And she'll be gone a day or so. Maybe more, if the bosses don't throw too many contracts at her."

"This is bad, bad, bad!" Dusk wailed. "We won't be able to recharge!"

Arcee shushed the 'bot. "Maybe we can ask Ratchet for seddatives." Picking up Smokescreen, who wailed louder and tried to push her arms away, the two femmes hurried over to Ratchet. "Any sedatives for this guy!?" Dusk yelled.

"I have sedatives, but I don't think they would work!" Ratchet replied.

"Why not?" Arcee yelled back.

"Because. Too strong, or, if I thinned the dose with Energon, it might make it too weak and do nothing!"

"Well, can't you give him a tiny bit of sedative?"

"I could, but it'd wear off in a few joors since it wouldn't be that strong. And I can't just keep stuffing sedatives on him, he get sick and/or die!" Ratchet yelled, clamping his servos over his audios.

Arcee shouted a unintelligible reply and turned, pulling Dusk out of the medbay. "We gotta take him to Darkflame. That should quiet him down."

"Yeah, but she's at the military base, remember?" Dusk said, gently jigging Smokescreen up and down.

"Hmmmm..."

Bumblebee sighed, throwing the data-pad he'd been reading against the wall with a plap!

He couldn't concentrate with his music so loud, but if he lowered the volume, he could hear Smokescreen's cries.

Smokescreen.

His best friend since forever. Dead.

And in his place, a Predacon.

A sparkling Predacon.

Bumblebee's blue optics flashed and he leaped to his peds, picking up another data-pad and throwing it at the wall again.

He threw another, and he had just picked up another and was preparing to throw that one, to, when the door to his berthroom swooshed open, allowing Smokescreen's wailing to be heard.

Bumblebee froze, anger disappating. "What're you doing?" Arcee asked, while Dusk hurried over to his radio and turned the volume down.

"Nothing..."

Smokescreen's cries had quieted slightly as he grew tired, but they would soon pick up again. "Listen, 'Bee, I need a favor." Arcee said hurriedly, before Bumblebee could chase them off. "Smokescreen seems to really like you, so do you think you could quiet him before we all go deaf?"

"PLEASE!" Dusk begged, edging toward the door.

"I'd owe you one, 'Bee!" Arcee said, moving toward him. "I-I don't know..." Bee said warily, backing up as Arcee advanced on him. "We're so tired of his crying! And Darkflame won't be back for a cycle or so, as you know, but we'll take him back tomorrow or so, we just need a break..." The blue cycle-former said hurriedly.

Bumblebee's back hit the wall, and he held his servos up defensively. "But I don't want it!"

Arcee didn't reply, but dropped the white-grey sparkling into his servos and dashed out the door. "Thanks, 'Bee!" She called back, and the door swooshed shut behind her.

Alone with the sparkling, who was staring up at him with large blue optics while making sniffling-noises.

Bumblebee sighed, and set the sparkling down on his berth. The sparkling began wailing.

In a attempt to ignore the sparkling, Bumblebee picked his data-pads up and set them in a neat stack on his desk, then reached slowly toward the radio.

He knew the loud music would scare the sparkling, and despite disliking the sparkling, he couldn't be so mean to the innocent Predacon.

The cries had grown louder, and Bumblebee, who now wanted a nice, long recharge. "Alright, alright!" Bumblebee growled, picking the sparkling up and rocking him gently back and forth.

As the sparkling's cries quieted, and the yellow Autobot sat down on his berth. This would be a long night.

FLUFF