::Chapter Fourteen::
Ratchet sighed and shook his head as he glanced at the youngling again for the umpteenth time. His vital signs were still going steady, but whatever was ailing him beneath the surface was unfortunately, beyond even the old medic's reach. He cursed. If that thickchipped scientist hadn't built that machine in the first place, they wouldn't be in this fragging situation in the first place. Growling, the CMO began to check his log out of sheer frustrations, wishing to torture whomever had an appointment with him today."Hmph...Maybe checking up on the major twins would be a good idea. No, they're bound to cause chaos in my medbay, and I don't feel like writing another report to that thickchipped Prowl. No, someone else. Maybe Chromia or Elita...They need to come here anyways for their checkups...Nope. I can't hurt a femme...Grah! This is pointless!", he roared in a low tone and tossed the logbook aside.
In that instant, the medic heard a whirring of gears, followed by the small hiss of hydraulics. Not blinking an astrosecond, Ratchet turned around only to face a fully alert Bumblebee. The mechling's optics shone brightly, and he waved a hand towards him."Hiya...Ratchet...!", he cooed from his speakers. Ratchet only snorted and placed a hand on his hip."You little scoundrel...I'll make you into bits next time you give me a spark attack. Having to deal with you every day is bad enough, but landing in the medbay every few joors or so is exhausting and mind-grueling, you twit!", he grumbled. Bumblebee only blinked, his baby blue optics glowing intensely."...You're no fun...", he pouted. The medic growled."Obviously. If you haven't noticed, this is the medbay, not the Training Room, or the Target Practice Area. I just happen to be the boss around this area, and that's the way it is. And you're not going anywhere without Ironhide anymore...Wheeljack won't cut it. And this time, Optimus agreed.", he said sarcastically.
The young mechling only glared at Ratchet, who was narrowing his optics in suspicion. Something didn't seem right about the little scout. It was like something inside of him had changed when he had offlined...Bumblebee took the moment of silence to hop off the recharge berth and sneak to the exit. However, the medic returned to his senses and caught his intentions. Within seconds, he caught the surprised mechling, who started squirming."Let me go!...Ratchet...Let me go!", he wailed. Ratchet only rolled his optics. Now he was acting up and taking the guise of a sparkling. "Great Primus, he's gonna-?Waitaminute. Taking the guise of a sparkling?", he mumbled. In one swift movement, he dropped the scoutling back on to the recharge berth, and quickly placed a force field around him, giving him no routes of escape.
Ignoring the mechling's cries of protest, Ratchet scanned him and check his vitals. The spark's pulse sounded normal to the human ear, but to a trained cybertronian medic's auditory receptors, it was clear they were slightly erratic and quick. Swearing to himself, Ratchet grabbed a wrench and in a thundering voice, boomed to the sparkling, and tested out his suspicions,"QUIT PLAYING AROUND!". Immediately, Bumblebee whimpered, and he curled into a little ball, his optics leaking fluid."I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll be good...I promise!", he cried. Ratchet only covered his face with a hand. Wheeljack was about to receive two dents in the helm very, very soon.
~TRANSFORMERS~
"Ow! Oh, confound it, Ratchet! Be more careful with those flying projectiles of yours, will you?", a hurt Wheeljack grimaced said as he rubbed his helm. The CMO narrowed his optics and growled."He's gone, 'Jack! I don't know what happened, but it looks like his processors fritzed, and now he has the mentality of a sparkling!", he boomed. The civilian scientist winced and blinked."...You know that this is the effects of the machine, Ratch. I believe I made myself clear on that.", he stated calmly. Ratchet rolled his optics."Yes, but this time, it seems like he's totally out of it! This isn't the Bumblebee we know; this is a different being!", he retorted. The civilian scientist sighed." Easy, Hatchet...Before you decide to send my parts to Ironhide, I will have you know that I recently have been working on that program for Bumblebee. I managed to single out the glitch that is affecting his processors, and have created a small sample of the antivirus. I was about to ask you if I could try it before you rudely snatched me away from my lab and threw your precious wrenches at me.", he replied in a slightly irritated tone. Ratchet grumbled and glared at the youngling, who was staring at them with wide, expectant optics.
Bumblebee cocked his head and held out his servos in a pick-me-up gesture while chirping."Hmph...I don't know. It seems too risky. But if you think it'll work, then go ahead and try. Either way, I'm tired of dealing with this...", the medic mumbled. Wheeljack nodded and left. After a minute or so had passed, he came back holding a strange vial with a swirling bluish liquid in it."Here it is. All we have to do is inject these enhanced nannites into his energon mainstream, and he'll be just fine...I think.", he said. Ratchet covered his face with a hand and sighed. Normally, he would have more wary of an invention of Wheeljack's still in its developmental stages, but today he was tired and upset."Let's just get over with it.", he grumbled. As the medic poured the serum into a syringe, Bumblebee's optics widened and he whimpered while curling into an even tigher ball."...Make it go away!", he cried out.
Wheeljack held down the young mechling, and in a soothing tone, tried to get him to calm down. But Bumblebee knew better and struggled to free himself from the elder mech's grasp."No no no! Go away! Go away!", he yelped, his fear for the syringe apparent. Ratchet tapped the nannites and squirted a small bit of the serum, which only made the youngling whimper even more."Alright..Here we go...'Jack, remove the armor from his left arm. We'll inject it there.", the medic commanded. No sooner did Wheeljack take off the mechling's armor, however, that he bolted for the doors, leaving both mechs blinking in surprise."What the-! BUMBLEBEE! YOU PIT-SPAWNED, SLAGGING, SON OF A GLITCH!", Ratchet bellowed. The civilian scientist winced in pain, then stared at the now-open doors of the medbay."...I'll go tell Optimus.", he muttered. Then, he ran out the door.
~TRANSFORMERS~
Bumblebee ran as fast as his little legs could take him. He was NOT going to let Ratchet give him a shot! Those things hurt, and they were scary-looking too. Rounding a corner, the mechling passed by Prowl, who stared at him in shock."B-B-B-Bumblebee? You...You're...up...arm..armor...off...", he managed to say, before he passed out. Normally, the sparkling would have been rolling in laughter, but he had no time to lose. If he hesitated for a moment, then Optimus or Ratchet would catch him, and he would get that shot, whether he liked it or not. Putting on an extra burst of energy, Bumblebee scrambled towards the Rec Room, where the major twins Sunstreaker and Sidesweep, Cliffjumper, and Ironhide were.
Ironhide was the first to notice the mechling, since he quickly picked him up and held him at optic level."You fragger...Where'd you think you're going in such a rush?", he growled. Suddenly forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, Bumblebee beamed and nuzzled towards the ancient black mech, chirping in relief."...Hide!...I missed yous so much!", he cooed. Startled, Ironhide frowned and merely gave him a pat on the back, smiling lightly as the scoutling leaned into him like a child."...Eh, sure...I missed ya too, runt. I didn't get back in time to fry some Decepticons...but I heard you were in medbay. What gives?", he questioned the youngling. Bumblebee was about to reply when the doors to the Rec Room burst open again, and Wheeljack skidded to a stop, his optics landing on the sparkling."Bumblebee! Please, get back here!", he yelled.
Yelping in surpise, Bumblebee scrambled over Ironhide's face, making the mech curse in return."What the slag? 'Bee, what's wrong with you?", he growled. The youngling merely made a face at his pursuer, and in one daring move, hopped off Ironhide, landing squarely on Sunstreaker's chassis. Sunny widened his optics and sputtered, the energon he was drinking spewing from his mouth."What the heck? You idiot, sunavglitch! Get off of me!", he grumbled. Wheeljack lunged for Bumblebee, but ended up landing on Sidesweep, who cursed and kicked off the scientist."Yo, 'Jack! There are femmes on this base, if you're really that desperate! I know were a dying race an' all, but sheesh!", he grumbled. Wheeljack only gave Sidesweep a dirty look in response."Shut your trap.", he mumbled, his face plates heating up in embarrassment. The mechling made a face and taunted the scientist, who frowned."Bumblebee...Get back here! This is for your own good!", he said.
Shaking his head in a denial, Bumblebee blinked."No siree!", he replied, and nimbly hopped off Sunny's chassis, making the mech choke again."Fragger! Careful where ya land next time! Sunny, I swear this whole thing is all your fault!", he grumbled, cleaning off some of the spilled energon. Sunny only snarled and rolled his optics."Glitch. Why you blaming everything on me? This was your idea in the first place!", he retorted witheringly. Wheeljack only groaned, and in a swift movement, got back on his feet pads and took off after the youngling."Oh dear...I have only myself to blame for this...Bumblebee! Please come back!", he said, running back out to the long, dreary hallways where the youngling had vanished.
Okayyyyyy...So this is probably my most lighthearted chapter yet. I guess BB is a tad OOC, but it is my story, so I'm fine. If some of you don't like it, I'm sorry! Part of it is due to the fact that the story writes itself, and part of it has to do with the fact that this is ME we're talking about, so...Yeah. Anyways, R and R! I'll be happier if you do! And remember, flames Are acepted. So I won't care if you insult me. Besides, one can't recieve compliments all the time. Okies, I am out!