Title: The Prime
Genre: Action/Drama, Friendship/Romance
Rating: T for mild transformer swearing, some violence, and crude language
Short Summary:
When a young mech destined to be the next Prime is exiled by his evil uncle, he must learn what it means to become a great leader.
Chapter Seventeen
Booming music was what jolted Optimus out of recharge, making him jump on his wheels. He felt as if he was going have a spark rupture from being woken up like that.
"Will you turn that racket off?!" Came Ironhide's booming voice from outside their large shelter. "It's too early for it to start!"
"Come on, Hide! We just wanna listen while we're watching you work!" Sideswipe yelled back over the loud music.
Optimus heard Ironhide growling threats before the twins yelped. It was obvious the large grumpy black mech was storming at them.
Chuckling, Optimus decided it was time to get up and see what everyone was up to. It sounded like they were doing some form of work. He could hear the torch blowers going and some pounding of metal. So they were doing something.
Going outside, Optimus looked around and found his strange family doing all sorts odd things. Jazz, Prowl and Starscream were standing over a long but wide sheet of metal wielding on it. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were attempting to climb a tree to get away from Ironhide, who was still growling threats at them. Bumblebee was at the energon pool, filling up a large bowl full of the rich liquid, and humming Jazz's favorite song he had written.
Everyone looked busy with what they were doing that they didn't even notice Optimus was up. Until it was Bumblebee who turned and saw him.
Whirling in surprise, the little black and yellow botling jumped and dropped his next bucketful of energon, spilling it on the ground. Everyone else jumped and looked at Optimus sheepishly.
"Awwwwww! There goes the surprise." Sunstreaker pouted before he yelped as he slipped from the tree and fell into the pool.
Optimus laughed right along with the others as Sunny cclimbed out, moaning and groaning about his paint. But then the tall Cybertronian looked around. "What are you all doing?" He asked as he made his way over to Jazz, Prowl and Starscream.
Jazz grimaced as he attempted to cover up what they had been wielding on the sheet of metal but then shrugged. "Did you honestly forget your own sparkday, Optimus? You have one every vorn." He told him in amusement.
Optimus blinked several times before it hit him. It was his sparkday! He was now twenty-nine vorns old. "Oh." Was all he could think of saying before shaking his head. "I think I might be getting a little too old for surprise sparkday parties, don't you think?" He asked with amusement.
"No!" The twins yelped and even Bumblebee was shaking his head quickly.
Jazz laughed and shook his own head. "Definitely not, Optimus! You're never too old for parties! Our whole lives are about the parties! What else are we gonna do? This just gives us a real reason to celebrate!" He told him cheerfully.
Optimus merely shrugged before offering his hand. "All right. All right. We will throw the party. But allow me to help." He told them.
"No way! It's your sparkday! You ain't helping! We are doing all the work! You go do something else. Go wash up or something." Jazz protested immediately, dancing backwards away from Opimus with the blow torch.
Optimus sighed but chuckled. He knew hemwould never win with Jazz. So with a shrug, he headed to the wash area of the pool. He, however, paused amd looked back at the twins. "Hey, Sides, Sunny, how some music to keep us upbeat?" He asked.
Both twins perked right up with big grins and began booming their music again. It was loud and energetic, but it created the right mood for everyone. Even Ironhide shrugged before going back to working on something in the corner of their area.
There was ome final blast of her cannon before it sent that thing scuttling away from them, diving deep into the ground to retreat.
"That'll teach that little slagger to come crawling back to attacking us!" Chromia growled as she watched the sharp tail being dragged after he rest of the scorpion.
Elita One shook her head as she slid her energon blade back into her arm before looking around at the rest. She noted how all of her femmes and Ratchet looked exhausted and starving from their long journey through the Badlands.
They had had so many problems as it was. The first few cycles they had figured out they had been going around in circles. That had been aggravating. It would have been so much better if there was a load full of magnetic rock through the lands, messing up their navigational systems. Even Ratchet's scanner had had problems. But as they went on, it began to clear up. They had tried to think of where to go to look for help. There were a lot of cities to choose from but...they were just so far away and there were a lot that were Decepticon infested.
So they decided to try the closest city on their mapping guides and that was a place called Tranquility. Problem was, they were sure having a hard time finding it.
"What was that scorp's problem anyway? Why did he attack us? He was acting as if he was guarding something." Slipstream asked as she folded her wings behind her back.
"We do not have time to think about it right now. We need to find a city or town soon. Arcee, how long do we have before we run out of rationed energon?" Elita One asked looking at the pink bike former.
Arcee looked into their packing box and shook her head. "We do not have a lot, Elita. That last fight with that big bug roughed some of them up and some are broken. We have enough for only one last refill and then we are out." She reported.
Elita One sighed before looking around at the femmes and one mech. "Who needs refill?" She asked looking around.
No one answered but glanced around at each other. But the stern loom Elita One began giving them made everyone cringe and slowly, all raised their hands.
Sighing, Elita One nodded and looked at Arcee. "Split two energon cubes among everyone, Arcee. We need to conserve as much..." her optics narrowed and she bgan looking around. "As much...as we can...does anyone hear music?" She suddenly asked.
Ratchet and the femmes blinked before looking around. Now that no one was talking, they did hear something. It sounded far off but it couldn't have been too far if they could hear it.
"It sounds as if it is coming from that direction, Elita." Ratchet said pointing to what looked like a huge wall of rock and metal in the far off distance.
Elita One nodded as she transformed into her pink and silver car from. "Then let's transform and check it out. If there is music playing, it means someone is out here in the middle of the Badlands. Slipstream, fly ahead and see what you can spot."
"Right on it, Elita!" The Seeker said before kicking up high into the air and flying towards the sound.
"Yee-haa!" Sideswipe cheered before he let go of the tree and jumped into the pool, sending a large wave rolling everywhere.
Everyone either laughed or rolled their optics as they watched Sunstreaker dive in and attempt to drown his twin brother. Optimus was sitting with Prowl and Jazz, watching. Starscream was staying as far away from the twins as he can, knowing they would attempt to pull him in. Ironhide was off to the side cleaning his cannons, keeping them, making sure they stayed up to date.
And Bumblebee was playing with a sparkball that tje twins had snatched from Tranquility. He was sure enjoying it.
After a little bit, Jazz looked up at Optimus, smiling. "Y'know, Optimus. After all these vorns, I realized something." He said to him.
Optimus smiled back as he leaned back against his palms. "What's that?"
There was a pause as Jazz considered his words very carefully. He knew he would have to be careful with what he was about to say. "Your sparkday...is on the same day as the Old Prime's sparkling had been." He said rather quietly.
Both Optimus and Prowl stiffened but kept their optics adverted away from their older friend.
But that was enough.
Jazz slowly nodded before he lightly nudged Optimus to make him look at him. "Don't worry. The others haven't figured it out. Well...I think Star has but I don't think he rightly cares. You are the one who found him and rescued him from dying alone out there. So he won't say anything. But I gotta know, why did you run away from home? Shouldn't you be back home, being, y'know? Leaderish and all?" He asked.
Optimus shook his head as he looked away from Jazz. "I...I do not deserve it, Jazz. I did something terrible and I will never forgive myself for it." He said quietly.
"Bullscrap, Optimus. If anyone deserves it more, it is you. You are already the leader type." Jazz said, raising one optic ridge at him. "You are brave, noble, peaceful when we get ourselves in a bind. You are extremely protective over Bumblebee. You follow your spark and always come out on top. You might be younger than me and Hide but we already see you as a leader of our rag tag group. So why not be...?"
"There is a lot you do not know, Jazz about what I have done. My father..." optimus was saying.
"Would have been proud of what you are becoming, Optimus." Jazz cut in with a point. "If he wouldn't be, then he would'a been crazy. You are a good mech, Optimus. I just wish you could see it in yourself." He then shrugged and looked away watching as the twins snuck up on Starscream and dragged him into the pool, ignoring his screams and swearing at them.
Optimus just looked away, noting that Bumblebee had kicked his ball too hard and sent it sailing through the trees. He smiled and shook his head before looking over when Sunstreaker started screaming at the Seeker for shoving his head under energon. He could only laugh.
Bumblebee chased his ball right out of the crack of the sanctuary, laughing as he went. He slipped through to the outside and continued to kick at his ball. He knew he shouldn't be outside but he was enjoying himself too much.
Kicking the ball a little ways, the little botling chased after it. He figured he better go back in before...
Before he could reach the ball and start heading back inside, Bumblebee came to an immediate halt when a big foot landed hard on top of the ball, stopping it from rolling any more.
Bumblebee stiffened before slowly looking up. feel his spark spiking as his optics traveled upward, moving along the large frame that was now standing over him. He nearly stalled in fright to see gleaming red optics baring down on him.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't our little slave. And so alone and unguarded, just like how we warned your big ugly guardian of what would happen." The Decepticon, Strikeout sneered.
Bumblebee gaped at the Decepticon before whirling around to run as fast as he could back to the sanctuary. He needed to get back as fast as he could.
But then he slammed into another Decepticon, who grabbed him by the throat and slammed him to the ground, knocking the air from his vents. He couldn't even fight back Decepticons yanked his arms behindnhis back and began cuffing him with stasis cuffs. "Opt...Opti-imus...!" He choked and sputtered.
"Let's get him back to town." Strikeout said as he yanked the now strugglin botling to his feet.
"N-no! Let m-me go! Optimus! Ironhide! Help!" Bumblebee choked as he continued to thrash and break loose. He had energon tears now spilling down his face as he was being dragged across the terrain.
The Decepticons ignored him as they started to drag him after them. They were just happy they finally caught this little...
Turnimg around to leave with their catch, the Decepticons, Strikedown and Autoclave came to a sudden halt when they found several pairs of burning blue glares on them. And one pair of red optics.
"Let him go." The pink and silver femme growled as her battle mask slid into place and an energon blade slid out.
"Primus! How many guardians does this little brat need?" Autoclave groaned before roughly shoving Bumblebee to the ground and pulling out his blaster ray. He immediately fired at the many femmes and one mech.
The femmes and mech dove to the side to avoid getting shot before they were whirling out their blast cannons and returning fire.
"Arcee, Moonracer! Get to the botling and protect him! Ratchet! Find out if he is hurt! Chromia, Slipstream and I will take care of these clowns!" Elita One gave the orders before they were diving in to fight.
The femmes clashed hard with the two Decepticons, firing their cannons and hitting at them hard. They had to move quick to avoid getting chopped in half by the Decepticon, Autoclave's large battle axe. They practically danced around, striking, dodging, striking again and dodging.
Arcee, Moonracer and Ratchet were immediately at the yellow and black botling's side, who flinched heavily and whimpered in fear.
"Easy, little one. We are friends. We won't harm you. Now sit still. I am going to scan you for injuries." Ratchet said gently as he began his scans. "What is your name, little one?"
Bumblebee cringed from the scanner but didn't try to fight it. "Bum-Bumblebee. I want my dad! Where is my dad?! Where is Ironhide?!" He cried, looking frantically around.
"We will help you find him in just a megatick. Let me check you over first." Ratchet said soothingly.
Elita One ducked under the battle axe flying at her head and slashed through Autoclave's midsection, earning a pained roar as he went down. She spun on her heel, ducking low as Strikedown tried to shove his ray into her face ad fired.
Slipstream took to the air immediately, barely escaping the hit before she was slammed into right out of the air by something, sending her flying into the ground with a screech of rage and pain.
It was Chromia who finished off Strikedown by shoving her blaster gun into his helm and firing. Parts went flying everywhere along with energon. But hearing loud foot steps behind her, she whirled around to do the same to who snuck up on her only to have her wrist wrenched upward. She looked up into the bright blue optics of a big black giant.
Optics wide with surprise, the powder blue femme suddenly grinned when she saw what the mech was pointing at her. "Well, hello, big boy! That is one big gun you have there! Can I touch it?!" She asked excitedly.
"Better. Why don't you get a close up look? But don't move or it might go off into your head." Chuckled the big black mech as he stuck his large cannons right into her face.
But instead cringing back, Chromia squealed in delight as she looked into the barrel. "Wow! Me'sa like! It is so big! And you definitely use energon oil for this thing, don't you? For the ammo to slid out easier and faster for more damage! Nice!" She said excitedly, even though all it did was make the mech stare at her in surprise at her lack of fear.
"Get away from our botling!" Snapped a black and white and purple mech, forcing the medic and two femmes to whirl around only to scatter when a flash of silver and yellow came at them.
Bumblebee looked up with relief as the twins stood over him, growling protectively as they glared at the femmes. He was never more happy to see his family than now. Though, he did feel somewhat uneasy seeing all of them looking rather fierce and ready to attack the ones who had just rescued him. "Wa-wait, Prowl! It's...it's all right!" He tried to say.
Elita One felt someone grab her shoulder and she reacted as if it was an enemy. She grabbed the offender's hand and yanked him over her back, throwing him hard in the air. He didn't go very far because of his size. She ended up having to jump over a large foot coming at her legs to trip her.
Twisting and flipping across the ground, the femme turned sharply to face her newest opponent and nearly froze when she got a good look at him.
The mech was pretty tall and powerfull built in frame but handsome nonetheless. He was a brilliant red with blue flames designed across his chassis and arms. He had a battle mask over the lower part of his face but even then, he was good looking with it on.
"Who are you?! Why did you attack Bumblebee?!" The handsome mech demanded as he climbed to his feet.
Elita One would have snapped back but a screech reached her audios and she turned to see Slipstream pinned down by...another Seeker?! She gasped at the sight before she growled and started forward.
But a heavy hand landed on her shoulder, stopping her from going.
Growling at the appendage, Elita One grabbed it tightly, spun under the arm and yanked it behind the big mech's back. She kicked out hard at his legs, hitting the back of his knees to force him down onto his front. She didn't stop there as she sat on his back, pointing her cannon right at his head.
Everything seemed to stop there. Even he did. He actually froze, as if he recognized that move.
"Optimus!" Nearly all of the mechs yelled when they saw their large friend's situation. The black, white and purple mech even started forward.
"No! Don't move, Prowl!" Optimus yelled when he saw his best friend starting to move. He felt the femme on top of his back stiffen. So he turned his head to look up at her stunned look. She was staring at Prowl with shock. "Ariel?" He asked with uncertainty.
And she snapped her attention back at him with shock.