Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Other people with more money and power do. I also do not own Bioshock, Metal Gear, Halo, Warcraft and Final Fantasy. I am making no money from them.
A/N: The Xbot360 communicates using videogames. The idea does not belong to me, I am quite sure I read it on livejournal but I do not remember who it's rightful owner is. And while I own neither the Earth-robots nor the idea, their names are mine.
Ratchet's Holiday
It had been a year since the battle at Mission City. Twelve months after she'd both been given life and tasted mortality. Three hundred and sixty five days after she'd been saved and welcomed within the ranks of the Autobots.
Her existence, and that of her little group of ragtag survivors, marveled them. There had been only four of them: a cell phone by the name of Droppedcall, an unstable car named Totaled, a soda machine called Quenchthirst and her, Cheat, a videogame console. Unfortunately, Totaled died after causing a horrible crash on the Highway. Cheat didn't feel bad for the loss. Totaled had been out of control and it was better she died alone rather than taking the rest of the group with her. But thinking about a dead ally was not on today's plan for the Xbox femme. Today she would repay the Autobot medic for everything he'd done for her group.
Created for the sole purpose of entertainment, Cheat had observed the medic, analyzed his everyday actions and concluded that she'd never seen him relax. She even double checked her results with the Camaro and the Pontiac. She'd been right! And who better to get the medic to relax than her?
The small earth-based femme creeped into the Autobot's med room stopping only to see the Autobot slowly cleaning his tools.
"What do you want?" the medic said, startling her and making her jump slightly. The medic had stopped his work and was now looking at her expectantly.
"Is the screen giving you problems?"
The screen in question flipped open and a little girl appeared screaming, "Mr. B! No! No! No, no, no!"
Ratchet cocked his head to one side, obviously analyzing her message. Cheat found it slightly frustrating, but if it wasn't for the screen, there would be no way for her to communicate outside of her group. Their communication signals were so different Ratchet had not seen a way to make them compatible.
"If everything's fine. Why the slag are you here?" he finally responded. Cheat puzzled over the strange curse word while looking for the correct message.
The Xbox's screen changed images, "You're good!"
"Don't need to thank me. I'm just doing what I was programmed to do."
The images changed yet again. A green-armored human talking with a soldier formally dressed soldier. Ratchet didn't waste time concentrating on the imagery.
"And you told me you were going to wear something nice. Folks need heroes, Chief. Gives 'em hope. So smile, would ya, while we still got somethin' to smile about."
Ratchet's processor faltered, "Are you trying to cheer me up, Cheat?"
"You no longer need to sacrifice for your people. You no longer need to bear the weight of your crown. I've taken care of everything," the now medieval looking imagery continued.
Ratchet surveyed the room. He'd already finished with the scheduled routine check ups, cleaned the room, performed inventory and sent Optimus the list of materials that needed restocking. The only thing left for him to do had been to clean his tools and his day would've been complete. Which would make him search for something else to do, like going to the hospital and help out or study more about organic anatomy, but Cheat's appearance changed everything he had planned.
If Ratchet was honest, they had no idea how to treat the small group. When they met, only the cell phone had been able to communicate with them. All of them were violent and angry, and although right now they weren't running around destroying things, injuring or killing the humans, Ratchet was sure they had some Decepticon programming inside them. To see the self-proclaimed leader of the group actively seeking him out, out of gratitude, was something amazing in the medic's eyes. To hear that she'd planned something for him made his spark pulse in anticipation.
"What do you have planned?"
"Alright! Let's hit that PAAH-TAY!" the image of a yellow dressed girl on the screen said and the Xbox closed the screen and ran past him into the hallway.
To Ratchet's view, they walked slowly towards what Jazz called the rec. room. It was big enough for all of them. The robots, and their human allies, had slowly filled the place with whatever they found amusing. Ratchet had been there a few times, usually to drag one of them for a check up.
Everyone was there. Even the Autobots that had preferred to roam around had apparently returned for this. There was enough fuel to last them for a few weeks. Music, courtesy of Jazz and a recently arrived Blaster filled the place. The humans were also catered to and were apparently having a nice time among them. But it was the giant sign that read: "Ratchet's Day!" that made him stop.
"Ratchet's Day?"
"Yeah, can ya believe that, Ratch? I don't know how she did it, but the little femme talked Prime into this. From now on, every September three will be Ratchet's Day," Blaster told him while changing music.
"There are those that said this day would never come...What have they to say now?" a funny looking creature spoke from Cheat's screen and Ratchet couldn't help but laugh.
Edited: 2/16/09 - added and fixed