"What you'we doing is against school wules." Red Alert calmly looked up at the two mechs from his class, a younger mech was clinging to his back, making small nervous sound.

"Well look at that Sidecross, little glitchy is talking." The two gray and blue mechs laughed.

"Awww." Sidecross cood. "Why don't you run home and tell your daddy the good news? Wait! He's too busy getting criminals out of jail to care!" More laughter.

"Beat it kid." Both of the large mechlings glared down at him now, getting uncomfortably close. "You're too small to do anything about it."

"What you'we doing is ille-" Red Alert's voice cut off when Sidecross hit him across the face. The youngling behind him flinched at the sound.

"If that's all you can say glitchy, then stop wasting your breath." Sidecross's companion shoved the stunned mechling to the ground. The white and black youngling faltered back, his blue optics flicking between the three strangers. The light-gray and blue mechling stepped forward, picking up the youngling and grinning maliciously at him.

"No one to protect you now little guy." The youngling cried as he was given a rough shake.

"Stop it." The black and white youngling squeaked as he was pulled away from the big mechling. "This is wong." The white and red one locked his arms protectively around the younger bot's chest, arms hooked awkwardly over the small door wings.

The two older mechs glanced at each other, shared a smirk, and closed in.

⃠⃠⃠⃠/
"What have I told you about fighting?" Firestorm sounded tired as he walked Red Alert home that evening. His son was sporting a few fresh welds across his dented face.

"But I wasn't fighting father." The words weren't very loud, his jaw was really sore. "They were going to hurt a youngling. I just twied to stop it."

"Tried." Firestorm corrected.

"Tried." Red Alert repeated.

"Red, the law doesn't care if you had a good reason for breaking it or not." He opened the door to their home. "All that matters is you did." Firestorm opened another door, pointing inside. Red Alert lowered his helm and stepped in. "We will discuss this further in the morning." The door to the Quiet Room closed and locked.

⃠⃠⃠⃠/

"Hi. Can I sit here?"

Red Alert grunted, not looking up from his lunch tray as he scooted over on the small booth to make room. His jaw still hurt from the fight and he was sore from his father's punishment. From the corner of his optic, he saw a black and white frame slide in next to him, then a small hand was thrust in front of him.

"I'm Prowl. What's your name?" The youngling Red Alert had help said. Red Alert twisted in his seat so that he could better see Prowl, though he didn't take the offered hand.

The youngling was definitely Praxian, he had a little red chevron on his forehelm and tiny door wings fluttering on his back. He was smiling almost from ear-to-ear, which Red Alert didn't think was possible with the long, fresh, weld mark running over his mouth.

"Wred Alert." He didn't return the smile, just went back to finishing his lunch in silence.

⃠⃠⃠⃠

According to Prowl, his sire usually came to pick him up from school at about three, and since Firestorm wouldn't be home until about five, Red Alert asked if he could wait with the young Praxian.

"We just moved here last week." Prowl was animatedly explaining why it was that Red Alert hadn't remembered seeing him before the fight.

"From Pwaxus?"

"No, no. I've never actually lived in Praxus before." Prowl laughed. "My mom was raised there, but she's never asked dad about moving there."

"Oh." Red Alert inwardly slapped himself for making such an assumption. He'd have to make it up to the other sometime soon.

"Have you ever been to Praxus? My mom says it's a beautiful place, in an odd sort of way. I've never know what she meant." Prowl looked up at the mechling.

"No. But my father gwew up there." Red Alert glanced away to see a tall mech stepping through the school's gates. "Is that your fathe'?"

Prowl turned to see. "Dad!" He called, face lighting up as he waved at the pell green mech.

"Hey Prowl." The mech crouched by his son's side. "How was my little dude's second day at school?" He gently ran a finger along the weld on his son's face, checking for cracks.

"It was really nice!" Prowl grinned, pulling his father's hand away and turning to introduce the red and white mechling behind him. "Dad, this is my new friend Red Alert." He said it very matter-o'-factly.

"Why hello Red Alert. I am Rainshower." He extended his hand to shake.

"Nice to meet you mister Wrainshower." Red Alert quickly shook the proffered hand. "My father will be expecting me home soon." Firestorm wouldn't even be home for at least two hours, but Red Alert was starting to feel rather odd around Prowl's father, he'd need to repent for the lie at home. "Good bye."

"See you tomorrow!" Prowl called after his quickly disappearing friend.

"Let's go home now Prowl, mom's got a great meal waiting on the table."

⃠⃠⃠⃠

"Did Prowl tell you about his new friend?" Rainshower asked his bondmate Rainbow as he tumbled into bed next to her.

The femme rolled onto her side, curling against her husband. "My word yes." She murmured, snuggling into his arms. "That's all he talked about while getting ready for recharge."

"He was much the same on the way home too. Did he tell you Red Alert's the one who stood up for him the other day?"

"Yes." Rainbow murmured tiredly.

"He seemed like an odd little mechling." Rainshower mused.

"Dearest, can we talk about this in the morning?" The femme twisted around, signalling the end of the their conversation with her little door wings tucked neatly against her bondmate's chest. "Good night."

⃠⃠⃠⃠

Red Alert sat quietly on his small bed. Firestorm had retired sometime ago, after punishing his creation for lying to Prowl's father and for not coming home right away after school, he'd gone to his study. He was sore and tired but he just couldn't fall asleep.

Prowl called Red Alert his friend. He had a friend. He had someone closer to his own age to talk with now. Red Alert smiled, ignoring the tight welds over his face. He had a friend.