As is always the case, this got away from me! Guys, guess what, after this there is only ONE more update of Fledgling, holy crap! It certainly won't be the end of Updraft's story, I am in no way done, but other installments will be at least one following oneshot and a bigger, planned sequel. We've come this far, haven't we?
We are definitely about to get into some AU-but-familiar territory here, as Cybertron marches on and ol' Megatron gets his ideas. I've mentioned before that this story is mostly based in Prime, but pulls heavily from IDW's phenomenal canon and worldbuilding.
For the readers here on fanfiction-this will probably be the last story finished out on this account, before I delete it. All my work is also on ao3 under this same name, so you'll be able to find it there too! I'm just tired of posting to two places, haha. Enjoy!
"This is a bad idea."
"You said that before your Academy interview, too."
"Okay, Updraft, sure, but this is not the Academy. It is the furthest thing from the Academy. It's—"
"Seeing history in the making? I thought you liked that class, Windjammer."
"I agree," Uppercut said, ducking under a low pipe. She walked close to Updraft, almost touching her. "You know Dad would be upset, Draft. It's not safe."
Updraft sighed, her plating ruffling up. "He said himself that he doesn't mind us going out, if we all go together. And we're sure in a little bunch now!"
"This isn't what he had in mind," Windjammer said. "I'm only here because I don't want you to get killed."
"I'm top of my melee combat class!"
"You're the size of an energon cube!"
Royale interrupted them, her steps almost silent next to theirs. Her lips quirked in a smile, one Updraft watched intently.
"I thought you said you guys got along," she said, all amusement.
Uppercut folded her arms. She liked Royale, but now her optics blazed. "Let me guess, you think this is all a ton of fun, too?"
"Debatable," Royale said. Her fingers brushed Updraft's shoulder, and her spark stuttered. "It's probably not a good idea, but I'm interested."
Updraft flicked her wings up in pleasure. She ignored her sibling's scowls, before turning to look past the corner they had just passed through.
"Coming, coming!" Smokescreen called. He was venting a little heavily as he appeared next to him. "Sorry, Heatwave got stuck in that arch…"
Updraft stifled her snort as their sixth companion appeared, and he was scowling, too. A big mech, mostly red, dropped his visor back down as he passed by.
"Thanks, Smokescreen," he said, completely deadpan. "Glad everyone knows."
"Not even I got stuck," Windjammer said. Even he was stifling his grin.
Heatwave rolled his shoulders. "Smokescreen held that flap up for you, but apparently it was fine for it to knock me in the face."
"I'll buff out the scratch tonight," Uppercut said. "No charge."
Heatwave just grumbled something, but Updraft ignored him. He was interested in the "cause," or so Smokescreen said, and that was why she'd let him bring his roommate along. She and Smokey both agreed that he was just a touch too dour for their tastes, but he was probably the only one there besides Updraft herself who tuned in to Megatronus's broadcasts.
He had also actually been to the Rodion gladiator pits. For Updraft and her family, this was a first.
"We're almost there," Heatwave said. "It would have been faster, like I said, to just use the main entrance…"
"But you said so yourself, the seats are better around the side," Updraft said. "I should say bottom, since we are currently below ground, but hey, worth it, right?"
Heatwave grinned. "Missing the sky, Seeker? You told me yourself you were tough, so prove it."
Windjammer sighed, deeply. Updraft was forced to wonder how it was she would get him not to tell Knock Out.
To her relief, there were voices around the next corner, and she quickened her pace. The arena was, in fact, partially underground, but it would be open space when they actually got into it. (And thank Primus, because even the mod shop's basement made her wings twitch.)
But they weren't here to see a fight. Megatronus was far too busy these days to participate in the arena. He had travelled here to speak, and Updraft was determined to hear him.
She had thought Breakdown, of at least Knock Out, would want to hear him too, but they had been extremely sharp when she'd broached the subject.
"The arena, or wherever he speaks, won't be safe," Breakdown had told her. "I want you to be safe."
She had agreed, to his face…and called Smokescreen, who was eager enough to see some gladiators, if less enthusiastic about the main event.
With some convincing that would have made Megatronus proud, she had assembled her little group, and here they were.
"How much?" Updraft asked the sturdy looking mech at the gate. Surely Megatronus required operating costs.
He looked her up and down skeptically, then smirked—the average response in Rodion to her small stature (and her fine plating, though Knock Out had a hand in that). No big deal, when her neighbourhood now knew her and her Iacon classmates had learned early she could pack a punch.
"Just a shanix each," said the mech, holding out the card reader. "Megatronus accepts donations as well, of course."
Updraft transferred sixteen shanix: one for each of them, and her personal donation. The mech sniffed—evidently, he'd expected more from a bot of her make.
"You didn't really give that mech more money, did you?" Windjammer whispered to her, as they made their way in.
Updraft frowned. "Of course," she whispered back. "He's fighting for equality."
Windjammer frowned, stepping away. "I'm not sure a gladiator is the person to give us a better life. That's all."
Megatronus wanted the same things her siblings did—the right to choose your function, the right to be educated, the right to move up in the world without a stroke of luck. He was zealous about it, sure, but Updraft couldn't understand why her siblings didn't share her enthusiasm for his words. And wasn't it Functionist of someone to mistrust a gladiator?
Still, they had come with her, and that must have meant something. It was a lot of trouble to risk just to try and protect her.
"Where do we sit?" Uppercut asked. She glanced around at where they had walked out, and winced at the same time Updraft did. Instead of metal there was gravel beneath their feet, scratching her legs where other mechs kicked it up. Heatwave snorted.
"You kidding?" he said. "We stand. The rich attendees get booths."
"Windjammer's big enough to sit and still see," Smokescreen said. "I can just watch from his lap—"
"No," Windjammer said, his faceplate flushing darker. "You can stand."
Still, he was next to Smokescreen when they found a spot by the railing. Updraft had realized that Knock Out would know they'd gone somewhere that wasn't some Academy event, or club, from the mess her paint job would be in. She would have to deal with that as it came. They were already here, after all.
Royale sidled up next to her, their shoulders brushing. "Swindle took me to the Kaon's arena once. It's gigantic, compared to this."
Uppercut, on Updraft's other side, leaned over to stare at her. "Your sire took you to the pits?"
Royale shrugged. "Not many mechs available to watch me. I wasn't allowed to go anywhere, anyway, I held his hand the whole time. But I saw some of the fight."
The viewing deck filled up, and Updraft wished they were higher up and she could watch the makeshift stage properly. Other mechs—those who hadn't come up from underground—milled above them, their voices growing louder as more mechs filed in. They ended up somewhat in a corner as their section filled up, Windjammer's wingspan useful in blocking unwelcome mechs. Smokescreen and Royale ended up on either side of her, and Uppercut just behind. Heatwave was stuck in the corner, but he was tall, enough to see over Smokescreen's head. Still, he scowled spectacularly, and Updraft tried not to laugh. Their section filled up, and she still had space to flare her wings. So far, so good.
A small door in the pit's wall opened. Updraft's vents caught, and apparently so had everyone else's, as the first mechs emerged and a hush fell over them. None of them were Megatronus—Updraft had seen him on a holovid at school, and none of these rough, no-name mechs were the one she had brought them all to see.
"Wait," Uppercut whispered. She tugged her sister's arm, and pointed at the mech standing in the middle of the ring. He certainly wasn't Megatronus, but he got Updraft to stare nonetheless. "Look, he's—"
"—got no face, yeah," Updraft said quietly. Of course he turned his visor (mask?) right their way then, and she felt a prickle through her spark. "Mechs cannot come up forged like that."
"He probably had that made," Updraft said. "Is that normal? For someone to cover their whole face?"
Uppercut shook her head. The mech was an upside-down triangle, broad-shouldered and tapered into a skinny waist. Updraft would have studied him more, and taken in more of the mechs around him, but Megatronus appeared on the stage.
Instantly, she was grateful for their spot after all. There would have been no way to appreciate Megatronus's size, or how he carried himself, if she was looking down on him. She could see that it was more than his voice or sheer power that kept bots listening. His attending mechs stepped neatly aside to let him pass, until he was standing at the faceless one's side, scanning the crowd. They were close enough that Updraft could see the soft curl up of his grin. Uppercut tensed behind her.
"It has been a long time since I spoke in Rodion," said Megatronus.
A shiver rippled through her. The voice was the one from the broadcasts, all right, but without the static of Breakdown's old radio its power was amplified. It held you in its grip.
Megatronus paused, and there were no sounds except the vents of bots and their shifting.
"Still, this place is not unimportant," he said. "By no means. It was in a Rodion bar where I had my first great realization. A certain Enforcer showed me that that my idea of peace was naïve at best."
There was a confused murmur in the crowd, before Megatronus raised his hand.
"Peace will be ours, my friends. It is only that we will have to seize it, rather than eke it out slowly."
Windjammer's vents hitched behind her. Smokescreen had turned his head to look Updraft's way, but she was too distracted by Megatronus's words. Her spark thrummed with her desire to know what, exactly, that meant. How she might help, when he so badly wanted her to.
Hey, so, I really don't like this, Smokescreen said over his comm. I have a feeling we should be making for the door, like, now.
You're listening to Jammer too much, Updraft commed. Hush, you're distracting me.
Then one from her brother. I never wanted to be here to begin with. It's going to be bad.
It's a talk, not a fight, Royale said to all of them. I can feel you all wound up like springs, just relax.
"…this Rodion enforcer beat me within an inch of my life," Megatronus continued. "He left me leaking in my cell, barely online, and so before my release I had already come to my conclusion."
He needs to get to the point, Smokescreen commed, always impatient. Updraft planned to ignore him and keep listening, as raptly as she could, when Uppercut tapped her.
So many distractions! She should have just snuck out by herself. Still, Updraft turned to her sister, and followed her gaze to two mechs standing atop the stadium.
What about them? They probably wanted a better view.
I don't like this, Uppercut said again. I feel it in my spark, we should go.
Please, just let me finish watching him speak! Now Updraft was getting truly impatient. If they had wanted her to stay home so badly, why hadn't they told Knock Out or something? She couldn't be that charismatic.
Still, the mechs up there had narrowed optics, and disappeared out of view almost like shadows.
Updraft decided to think nothing of it. Even if Uppercut's engines hummed nervously next to her, her fists clenched.
Megatronus had just opened his mouth again at the first explosion.
There was a shock of silence. People looking at each other, wondering if they had all just heard that, when a half-dozen more followed and Updraft knew it was real.
She went still, and found herself looking at the silent, visored mech. And swore that he tapped Megatronus, pointing one long finger at them. It meant Megatronus looked her way too, as the first piece of the stadium fell and he was being ushered away.
Updraft's first thought was Iacon bombs.
She knew it was Smokescreen's, too, because his hand clamped onto her wrist as shouting, anxious mechs shoved past them, and the roar in her audials threatened to completely overtake her. She reached for Uppercut, and found with a rush of terror that she wasn't there.
CUTTER! she screamed, crackling out over comm. There were four others dear to her that needed to get out, but something made her call for her sister, even as Smokescreen pulled her through the first gap he saw.
A good exit's a few kliks east, Royale said, though it crackled over the activity in the stadium. Not ours, it's packed—
The comms went out, and Smokescreen's grip tightened.
"C'mon!" he shouted, over the next explosion, and the subsequent screams. "C'mon c'mon c'mon, Primus fraggit, Jammer was right—"
A mech bigger than Uppercut shoved into Smokescreen, and he yelped, but Updraft's grip on their wrists kept them together, if not upright.
She tried to remember what she'd been taught, just that year, about what to do in a disaster. To stay calm (failed) move in an orderly way (failed) and help civilians (ha! They were still civilians!).
The crush of mechs was pushing on her wing, and Updraft struggled to keep her vents on. She still had a hold on Smokescreen, but there was pressure on their arms, and a roar in her audials.
They'd be crushed, if they couldn't get upright. Updraft pushed, but she certainly hadn't chosen her alt mode for speed, and Primus, she was going to get her and Smokey killed—
A large, familiar hand tugged her upright and into a corner. Updraft's instincts were wrong—it wasn't Windjammer, or even Uppercut.
"Damn fool girl," said Skyquake. Before Updraft could react, a rush of blue-and-gold nearby signified that not only one twin was here.
"What are you—" she started, as Skyquake threw an arm around her shoulder. They joined the crowd flowing outwards, her hand still on Smokescreen's wrist until they were out, into the cool night air and to one side of the commotion.
Smokescreen was venting too heavily. To her horror, she saw energon oozing from his free arm, a stream of it running thick down his hand. Skyquake was pinching the line closed already, expression unreadable.
"I believe we met under similar circumstances," he was saying, though Smokescreen's jaw was too slack to say if he really heard it. "You're fine. Don't move it too much, and get it welded."
"What are you doinghere?" Updraft asked again. The next look Skyquake gave her she could read, and it made her feel like a misbehaving child.
"The same reason as you, I'd think," Skyquake said. "To see a great mech speak his mind."
Smokescreen seemed to have gotten his bearings. He stared at Skyquake, rubbing gently at the place his line had been pinched.
"I can't believe it," he breathed. "You saved us when we were kids, too!"
"I certainly did," Skyquake growled. His optics blazed brighter for a moment. "You might be well-intentioned, children, but you're too young to be here."
"We're not children," Updraft said on reflex. (Even if, infuriatingly, she was crying, coolant in two streams down her face.)
When Skyquake reached out, she actually flinched, but he only wiped her wet cheek with his thumb.
"You're hurt," he said. "You haven't noticed your wing is twisted?"
Smokescreen's optics went wide, and Updraft stiffened. After a moment, she could feel the warmth of her own spilled energon, and the painful pull of a wing out of place. Her spark felt like it was stuttering.
"Is this one yours?" Another, blessedly familiar voice made her turn. Dreadwing was here, and he held a dirty and disheveled Uppercut by the elbow. "I found her shoving and screaming Updraft's name."
"Draft!"
Uppercut shoved Dreadwing aside to rush them, Skyquake stepping back neatly to let her through. She took her sister's arm, and her optics were so wild with panic that Updraft thought she might die from the shame. Uppercut's side leaked, too, though not nearly as much as Smokescreen's arm.
"Primus, Updraft, your wing, I'm sorry," she gasped, as if any of this was her fault. "I mean, we can fix it, definitely, it'll be easy, but—"
"It's fine," she said weakly. "It doesn't hurt."
"Not now, it doesn't," Dreadwing said. He touched her cheek, and Updraft leaned into it on reflex. "When the shock wears off, it'll ache."
"I can't believe this," Smokescreen repeated. He sat down hard on the curb, scooting out of the way of a mech running past. "Our comms didn't work back then, either, did they?"
"Back when?" Uppercut asked. "Or—wait, Draft told me about that attack. When you were kids?"
"We were hoping she'd mellowed out of getting into trouble," Dreadwing said grimly.
"No," Updraft said. "Guess I'm even better at it now."
Uppercut had turned towards the crowd, which was more fragmented now. The sound of Pyrobot sirens could be heard faintly over the commotion. Updraft hoped that the reason Heatwave had disappeared was because he was performing his function. She refused to think it could be something worse.
"Did you guys see Windjammer?" she asked, voice fainter. "Or Royale? I couldn't keep track of them…"
She couldn't imagine Windjammer caught in a crowd, not with his size. And to look for Uppercut, he'd probably put aside his usual sweet self and push through. She hoped—so far, she'd hurt two of them already.
"What do they look like?" Dreadwing asked, but Skyquake shook his head.
"We need to go," he said. "The Enforcers will be on their way."
Uppercut snorted. "Enforcers don't care about people like us."
Skyquake's optics narrowed, making Updraft's energon run colder. "Exactly."
"Well," Uppercut said firmly, drawing herself up to full height, "I'm not leaving without my brother."
"I'm not going without him either," Smokescreen declared. "Or Royale, or Heatwave."
Skyquake raised a brow, hands protective on Updraft's shoulders. "You travel in packs now?"
Updraft didn't answer. The comms were crackling back to life, and to her relief several from Royale, and Windjammer, came through at that moment. A lot of where are you? and Be careful, I'm on my way!
Royale seemed to have dealt with this with skill, which made Updraft wonder just where her parents had been taking her all her life.
Underground, trying to track you. Saw your brother, tried to catch him, couldn't.
So Windjammer was alright, at least. Relief had dawned on Uppercut's face, so maybe Windjammer had sent something clearer her way.
Apparently we have to go, Updraft sent to Royale. Enforcers, or something.
Go home, Royale said. Are you with the others? Safe?
Yeah. I think Heatwave's putting out the fires, but the others are here.
Good. Don't hang out, it'll get scary, Royale wondered how she'd know. Swindle might already be flipping his lid, so I'm already driving.
Don't get hurt.
Stay safe, little bit.
The nickname didn't have its same thrill. Uppercut slumped, her posture relieved—though her optics were still too bright.
"Windjammer's coming," she said. "Said he saw us, but got held up by—"
"LEAVE—ME—ALONE!"
Gentle Windjammer's voice didn't thunder. Updraft almost jumped off the ground, wound up as she was, and she heard the noise of a blaster charging before she saw her brother shoving past two mechs, towards them and away from…
…the faceless one. The one from Megatronus's side, who had looked right at them. He stepped neatly past another mech, towards Windjammer.
His optics narrowed, and his wings flared out to nearly their full length. Updraft took a surprised step back. He was so much bigger at his full height, than in his usual slouch.
The faceless mech reached out one (hand? It was more accurate to say fingers, magnetized to the arm) and Windjammer took a protective step in front of Uppercut.
"I don't want anything to do with you," he said, barely keeping his voice level. "I'm only here for my sister's sakes, not yours. Go blow something else up."
"We did not do this," said a deeper voice, one they all knew.
Updraft's vent caught in her throat when she saw Megatronus, towering over most of the crowd as he approached them. He was damaged on one shoulder, but not severely, and held under one arm a cracked datapad. He only looked short when he stood before Windjammer, tipping his chin upwards just slightly.
When he looked at Updraft, it was like he had pierced her armour.
"This was a sabotage," Megatronus said. "And now that things are calming, I'd like to speak with you."
"If you think I had anything to do with this—!"
"Please," Megatronus said, holding up his free hand. "That is not why I'm trying to speak with you. I see that you're protective, and cautious. And strong. These are the qualities I want to discuss."
Windjammer's optics blinked wide for a moment, confused. Then they narrowed, and he straightened up. As he pulled up his wings, Updraft swore she saw the faceless mech lean forward in interest.
Before he could answer, Skyquake spoke, his head inclined respectfully. "Megatronus. Soundwave."
To her endless shock, Megatronus inclined his head right back. "Good evening, Skyquake and Dreadwing. Do you know these mechs…?"
Dreadwing nodded. His grip around Updraft's arm tightened a fraction, though surely not enough to be noticed.
"We worked in Vos for some time as bodyguards," he said. "We knew this Seeker well when she was young."
Now Megatronus, again, looked at Updraft.
"She's young still," he said, more quietly. "Small, too. And well-built."
He meant she was rich, or had been, and it showed. She hadn't changed out her fine build or shining paintjob, after all (though it was looking considerably more dull after tonight). Updraft knew the look well, after so long in Rodion.
Dreadwing had opened his mouth, but Updraft beat him to it.
"I came to hear you speak," she said, her voice wavering only slightly. "I've always known no one's better than anyone else, you just—put it into words."
"Have you?" Megatronus asked. His tone held more interest than suspicion. "It took even me some time to learn that."
Updraft flicked her good wing up higher, though her span was less impressive than Windjammer's. "Yes," she said. "It doesn't matter how important you are, if you step on those you think are beneath you. I'm glad you're getting that message out."
Windjammer looked like he had something to say about that, but Megatronus seemed deep in thought for a moment. The faceless mech, Soundwave, touched the crook of his arm, and Megatronus nodded once.
"What are your names?" he asked.
"Updraft," she said immediately. She almost introduced her siblings, before the look Windjammer gave her made her change her mind.
Smokescreen looked from Updraft to Windjammer, to Megatronus—and then looked away.
"Updraft," Megatronus said. "I will remember that. And your companion has no need to fear, when I only want to know my supporters.
"I don't support violence," Windjammer said quietly. Megatronus sighed.
"Violence is not my end," he said. In spite of herself, Updraft tried to tell if he was lying. "Please consider my offer. I could use a good mech like you."
"Whatever," Windjammer said. "We have to get going. Good luck to you."
Megatronus nodded. "We will be in Rodion some time more, if you—"
"Thank you."
Windjammer had only not started walking because Uppercut was planted firm, staring at Updraft. Dreadwing and Skyquake looked at each other too, something wordless passing between them.
"We'll be escorting our young friend home as well," Dreadwing said. "Old habits, of course."
"Of course," Megatronus said. He said nothing else out loud as he surveyed them, optics lingering on Windjammer. "Travel safely."
It was only when they had disappeared back into the crowd (now much less harried, though still trickling away from the stadium) that Windjammer rounded on Dreadwing.
"You're with that mech?" he asked. He glanced at Updraft, who gave him a desperate look in return.
Dreadwing leveled his gaze at Windjammer, before he shook his head. "We're from Kaon. It is quite easy to encounter Megatronus of Tarn there, when you are of our status."
"Are you gladiators?" Smokescreen asked. His optics had gone brighter with interest.
"No," Skyquake said. "Many things, but not gladiators."
To Updraft's surprise, Windjammer relaxed a fraction. "My sire is from Kaon. He likes this damn radio program, too."
Dreadwing gestured, down a side street. "It's not safe to wait for your friends. Let us walk these young ones home."
He said it as if Windjammer wasn't a young one himself, but it seemed to have worked. He nodded, and Uppercut finally relented too, turning down the street. Smokescreen opened his mouth to protest against, but Updraft shook her head silently at him.
They're fine, she commed. Royale is going home.
Without you? Slagger.
Yes, because she knew I was safe. Let's go.
Royale had street smarts, she told herself. And Heatwave had come here before, was a first responder. They would be fine.
But they were an odd-looking group, shuffling home. Skyquake out in front, wings flared and arms folded, was enough for anyone else out so late to keep a wide berth. Windjammer had his arm around Uppercut, and Smokescreen almost trotted to keep up. His wheels were actually spinning—he wanted to be driving, getting out of there as fast as he could.
Updraft took up the rear, with Dreadwing. She had started to rush up ahead, to walk alongside Smokescreen, but her struts has nearly failed her and she'd had to slow. She limped, her twisted wing now sending out pulses of hot pain. Dreadwing let her hold his arm, patting her hand once or twice as they went.
You're doing well? he asked her at one point. Besides the immediate problems.
Updraft had taken a moment to comm him back.
Yeah, she said after a moment. My sire is wonderful. And my sister is my best friend.
His brow quirked with amusement. Not Smokescreen? He never left, I see.
Well, they're both important! Updraft had added quickly, but Uppercut and I are real close now. I…
Dreadwing reached over, to gently squeeze her hand. She wished, for one desperate, ridiculous moment, that she was very small again, and he could fix every hurt in her. Hurts planted by others, as they had been before, not her own fault.
…I feel so bad about all this, she finally managed. My sire will be so angry. My brother and sister only came to keep me out of trouble, and that's not their job.
You made a mistake, Dreadwing acknowledged. Certainly not an unfixable one, though. Remember that.
Updraft gave him a desperate look, now glad they were behind the others. Knock Out and his conjux might not care about that. I got their sparklets hurt.
You are Knock Out's sparklet, too, Dreadwing reminded her. And you're also hurt. You would not have stayed in a place with just another Starscream.
That was probably true—at that point, she might as well fly home, look sorry, and live with Skywarp and Thundercracker while she hoped for the best. But she knew full well she was too proud, and maybe she wouldn't have gone back. Maybe it would have been worse.
But it hadn't been. And there was no use fretting over what wasn't.
The building was dark when they got back to it. They'd walked far enough that the commotion across town could barely be heard—though a plume of black smoke obscured the view of Polyhex, to the south.
They'd had better come up with a good story when her sire woke up.
"Did you get any comms?" Uppercut asked Windjammer. Their brother turned, his wings lowered again, and shook his head.
"I guess they're still in recharge," he said. Their window was as dark as the rest of them, and Updraft wondered if they'd even been missed. Breakdown had worked a double shift, and there was no trace of the attack from this side of the city.
Smokescreen rolled his shoulders. "Well, thanks for the escort," he said. "Actually, just heard from Heatwave. They got the fires out, and he says he's gonna kill me."
"Well, he'll at least kill you fully repaired," Uppercut said grimly. "Come in quietly and I'll close that line. Updraft first, though, her whole wing needs to be turned around…"
"You need a repair, too," Windjammer said, more sharply. Uppercut only shrugged.
"It's already clotted," she said. "Breakdown of Kaon's kids are well-armoured, right?" She fumbled with her keycard, optics narrowed.
Dreadwing's hand cupped her cheek, and Updraft looked up. He was doing a poor job hiding his affection, and it made a lump form in her intake.
"I'll keep my long distance line open," Dreadwing said. "And if you need anything, you will call."
"I will," she said. "Will you be in Rodion for awhile?"
He smiled. "We'll try," he said. "I'm sorry to have left you so long, little one. You've done well, and gladder for it."
Updraft smiled, and heard the click of the door unlocking. Time to go. "I'm doing my best," she said. "In school and all. Though tonight…"
"Wrong place, wrong time," Dreadwing said. "You have a fine spark, Updraft. Keep your fire."
Skyquake waved from down the road, and Updraft let herself turn away and be led inside (she had to lean even harder on Uppercut's arm, just to get through the door). It was dark, and it seemed that Knock Out and Breakdown had stayed in recharge after all.
Updraft thanked Primus. This was already hard enough.
So far, so good, said Uppercut over the comm. I just need to get into the workshop, and—
"Evening, kids."
They must have planned this, because the lights all went on at the same time, and Updraft nearly jumped out of her plating. Next to her, Windjammer's wings flared in such alarm that Updraft heard a crash, as something hit the ground.
"Jammer," Breakdown said, tiredly. "That was a good vase."
"Updraft!"
Knock Out had pushed past, and she almost jumped again as he took his face in her hands, looking into her optics critically. He pulled back, his mouth set in a grimace.
"By Primus, you walked home on that?! Workshop, now. You're going to recharge in the medical berth, so I can monitor your self repair."
"I was just going to—" Uppercut started. Breakdown flared his optics for a moment, and instantly she closed her mouth.
"You need a weld," he said. "And Smokescreen does, too. He'll have Updraft's berth if she's downstairs."
"I'm fine!" Smokescreen said quickly. Updraft could see now that his pinched line had opened back up, and his biolights had paled from how much energon he'd spilled. "Really, I am. I can drive home."
"Like the Pit you will," Breakdown snapped. "You're swaying. Come here, I'll patch it."
Smokescreen looked reluctant at putting his medical well-being in Breakdown's hands, at that moment.
Knock Out was still talking, though Updraft was only half listening. She realized she'd let herself be led to the workshop's patient berth, and that her sire already had a scanner out, checking her vitals.
"…don't understand the way you young things think," he said. "The fighting ring, the very idea! We heard the bombs and were ready to hunt you down!"
"In the dark?" Smokescreen asked.
Knock Out gave him a look that could have curdled energon.
"And when got there, we would have dropped you off for scrap," he snapped. "Now be quiet for your technician."
"I'm checking the news," Uppercut said quietly. "No one died, though arrests were made. Some people released."
"Arrested in the arena is no better," Breakdown said. "Jammer—wash up and get some rest, kid. We'll take care of these ones."
Knock Out pursed his lips as he started gently untwisting Updraft's damaged wires. She had braced herself for a worse lecture, but none came. When she whined softly from the pain, he gave her an injection, and the feelings fuzzed up into something more tolerable. She could hear Breakdown and Uppercut speaking quietly, but had suddenly become too tired to hear their words. Even the guilt had fuzzed out, as the anaesthetic worked through her systems and Knock Out set her wing back in its place.
"I only want you safe, sweet spot," she heard him say. His hand rested on her forehead. "From the moment I knew about you, it was all I wanted. And this world isn't safe."
That was the thought she recharged on.
"Alright," Breakdown said, sitting down. "We're unraveling this."
The table was more crowded than usual, with Smokescreen sandwiched between Updraft and Windjammer. She had the most space on her other side, for her wing, but it was still a tight fit. There was really no room to hide from Breakdown and Knock Out's firm gazes, either.
"You're not my parents, you know…" Smokescreen started, like it was going to do him any good.
"Why, you want them to know what you got up to?" Breakdown asked.
Smokescreen's sulk would have been thoroughly entertaining, in any other situation. At the moment Updraft's spark felt like it was trying to squeeze tight and snuff itself.
Windjammer's optics blazed brighter, and Uppercut's were downcast. Knock Out sighed.
"You're all very lucky you're safe," he said after a moment. "We could lecture you, but it won't do any good."
"Then why are we here," Smokescreen moaned—than squeaked, when Updraft kicked him under the table.
"You're the one who started listening to him," Windjammer said suddenly. He was looking at Breakdown, frown deep.
They all turned to look at him, and his wings lowered a fraction. Still, his optics shone bright.
"You did tell Updraft not to go," he said, more quietly. "I know you did, and you were right about why. But, Dad, you never miss a broadcast."
"His cause is something good—" Breakdown started.
"Yeah, but the mech's dangerous," Windjammer snapped. "He's smart, deadly smart. His obviously isn't the way to peace."
Updraft frowned, though she wasn't sure whether or not she was being defended. It was only when Knock Out's optics narrowed too that Windjammer's resolve cracked, and he looked away. He never could bear to have his carrier upset with him.
"I only went to look after the girls," he said finally. "I knew Uppercut would go with her, to keep her out of trouble. Sorry."
Knock Out rested his hand over Windjammer's big one, and squeezed. The other one held too tightly around his energon cube.
"Cause or not," he said, "a slagging good way to lose your place in school is to be caught in that arena. Especially wrapped up in a worker's movement like this one. You're all big bots now, and you can make your own decisions…but it's something we need you to think about."
Uppercut looked so frightened that Updraft wanted to purge. Now Smokescreen nudged her, because he knew as well as she did that they weren't in the same danger.
"And we'd know," Breakdown added. "The combat arenas eat opportunities, like it or not."
"You'd know," Uppercut agreed, very quietly.
Smokescreen blinked. "How would you know?"
Breakdown raised a brow. "Owned mech, then gladiator, now free. It was a Pit of a hole to dig out of."
Smokescreen's jaw dropped, and it took true effort for Updraft's not to. Breakdown sighed, his chair creaking as he stood up.
"We'd better head for work, kid," he said to Windjammer. And the meeting, to speak, was adjourned.
"Updraft," Smokescreen said.
She had been about to shut the door, but paused. Uppercut was clearing up the table, leaving Updraft to see their guest off.
Smokescreen tilted his head as he looked at her, and she found she couldn't place the look in his optics.
"Did you take what Breakdown said to spark?" he asked. "About Megatronus?"
She shrugged. Suddenly the tips of her fingers were the most interesting thing on the street. "Yeah. Of course. Don't get caught in the lower town, watch out for our futures. Real good info."
"Yeah," Smokescreen said. When Updraft looked up, he was looking to one side. "I think Windjammer's right. And it's not just about our places at the Academy. Which I hadn't thought about, and will now be thinking about, a lot."
"Breakdown also said the cause is good," Updraft said quietly. "I don't like where this is going. What you're implying."
"Yeah, you wouldn't," Smokescreen said, his door wings twitching. "I think his bad feeling is right. This peace stuff is a means to an end."
Updraft have him a long, level look, leaning heavily in the doorframe for a moment. She smiled, crooked, when she looked up.
"See you in class. Early lecture tomorrow ."
She hated that he looked a little hurt, even if he'd managed a smile back in an instant.
"See you. Like old Kup ever notices when we're late."
He transformed, his engine roaring as he tore ahead up the street. Updraft locked the door behind him in silence, thinking about the parts that needed sorting. If she was a disappointment now, she might as well make an effort to be better. She'd even hold off on calling Royale, since she'd pinged that she was home safe. Venting would have to wait.
Still, it wasn't as if she couldn't make the work a little interesting. On her way to the workshop, she opened a comm to Dreadwing.
If you're not busy, I bet you have more info than the radio…so, what can you guys tell me about Megatronus?