Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while since the last update. The trip to the west coast was good and now I'm home. This chapter is a bit darker and has more angst in it but I swear to you, that the twins will soon begin their prank career! The next chapter should be a lot lighter. ;)
Chapter 11
"Sunny…wake up!"
The yellow twin rolled over on his other side and tried to ignore the pestering voice that kept bothering him.
"Wake up!!"
Two small hands roughly shook him, until the yellow youngling had no choice but to return to the world of the waking.
"What?" he grumbled as he stretched stiff servos. He turned an irritated look at his twin and blinked blurry optics in an effort to refocus them after a long recharge.
"Come on, let's go."
"Go where?"
Sunny glanced around to see that Jazz, their caretaker was still snoring softly on the couch and that the holovid was long over. His brother was the first to awaken, obviously…
Sides turned pleading baby blue optics on his brother until Sunny gave in.
"Only for a few minutes…" the red youngling promised him.
"We have to come right back here or Jazz will get mad at us," Sunny added with narrowed optics.
Sides scurried for the door and impatiently waited for his twin to follow.
The twins raced down the corridors, feeling a little more awake now that they were free to do whatever they pleased (within reason of course).
"There's nothing to do that's fun," Sides whispered as they neared one of the observation decks.
"I know…" Sunny sounded bored and looked highly uninterested in exploring the ship.
Sides gently turned Sunny around to face him and looked his brother in the eyes.
"Sunny, something is wrong with you."
The yellow twin wiggled himself free of his brother's grasp and continued walking, choosing to ignore Sides entirely.
/Please, brother…let me help you/
Sunny halted in his tracks. He had forgotten all about their bond and their ability to communicate telepathically.
The youngling sighed and shook his head and looked back at his concerned brother with sorrow filled optics.
/Not this time, Sides. I don't want you to get hurt/
/Sunny, please…/
"Maybe someday…" the yellow youngling whispered, mournfully.
At that moment, Sides looked at his brother and could see a difference. It was as if Sunny was years older…like his twin had matured years ahead of him and deep down, it hurt to see that his brother was leaving him behind.
"Don't leave me…"
Sunny cocked his head in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"You're different Sunny…we aren't the same as we used to be."
Sunny couldn't help but feel guilty at the anguished look that Sides was sending him. He wanted Sides to understand that he was trying to protect him. His twin did not have to see or experience the uglier side of life…and the yellow twin wanted to keep it that way, for as long as possible.
In a way, Sunny was jealous of his brother. Just the fact that Sides had been unconscious through the whole Decepticon ordeal, made him angry. Why did HE have to suffer and his twin didn't? It wasn't fair…but at the same time, Sunny loved his brother and didn't want to see him get hurt.
"I know…but I'm still your brother."
Sides appeared to be studying him and then smiled.
"I'm glad, Sunny."
Sunny stiffened reflexively when he felt his brother connecting to him through their spark bond. At first, Sunny tried to resist the instinctive pull of the bond but in the end, he succumbed to it entirely. This was his brother…and being close to him as he could be, was the only way that he could protect him.
The twins for the first time since the day of the Alpha Sigma Youth Sector evacuation felt their bond begin to strengthen, bringing their sparks closer together.
Sunny actually allowed himself to relax when his twin stepped forward to wrap him in a comforting embrace. It was strange, how something as simple as a hug from his brother, could make him feel so much better. Through their bond, the yellow youngling could sense that this was all Sides knew to do for him—and Sunny was grateful.
/Thank you/
/We have to stick together/
Sunny pulled away and gave Sides a genuine smile.
/Always/
Just as the two younglings prepared to run off down the right corridor, a deep voice startled the twins and two identical sets of baby blue optics locked on to the scowling face of a strict looking bot…one that neither of them had the privilege of meeting up until now.
"What are you two doing, roaming the halls unsupervised?"
"Who are you?"
Sides questioned out of sheer curiosity, earning a frown from the elder.
"My name is Prowl, Optimus Prime's tactician. Now please, answer my question."
Sunny nudged his brother with a foot and opened their link.
/This guy looks kind of mean/
/Why is he glaring at us like that…/
Sides mentally responded as he shrank away from the intimidating figure of Prowl with a small grimace.
/Because he's mean/
Sunny honestly didn't know how else to put it. He did look pretty grouchy…and the look in his optics held within their depths suggested great intelligence—and great potential to be a total stickler to the rules. Which of course summed the tactician up in one simple word—BORING.
Prowl placed two hands on either sides of his hip joints and leaned towards them with a menacing glare that demanded the younglings to reply right now.
"Well?"
Sunny took a step forward, placing himself in front of his brother and matched Prowl's frown with one of his own.
"We are being supervised."
"Really," Prowl responded dryly.
The Autobot elder glanced both ways as if expecting someone to show up. When he returned his attention back to the younglings, his expression screamed volumes of his displeasure.
"Then why don't I see your assigned caretaker with you?"
"He's sleeping," Sunny flatly replied, not at all impressed with this elder bot.
Prowl's frown became downright scary after hearing that one and actually made Sunny squeak and take a step back.
"He's what?!"
"Anyway, it was nice to meet you Prowl!"
Sides grabbed his brother's arm and the two fled, running away from a stunned Autobot tactician. Prowl yelled something behind them but the twins were too focused on escaping that they didn't bother to pay him any attention.
"Is he following us?"
"I don't think so…"
"I hope that Jazz doesn't get in trouble," Sides whispered nervously as he glanced behind them, half expecting Prowl to come screaming around the corner.
"Let's go find him and make sure that doesn't happen," Sunny suggested.
Before long, the twins found their way back to the rec room where they had left a recharging Jazz on the couch.
"Uh oh"
The room was empty…Jazz was gone.
"Now what do we do?"
As if in response to Sunny's question, the ship's intercom activated and the calming baritone voice of Optimus Prime filled the room and the hallways outside.
"If two younglings aboard this ship can hear me, I need you to report in on the com system, please."
The twins shared a surprised look.
"Wonder what he wants us for?"
"Maybe Prowl got mad that we ran away and told on us."
"Let's find out"
Sunny reached up and touched the button on the com system and saw a little red light appear.
"Now what"
Sunny jumped when he heard his own voice echo through the sound system aboard the ship. Sides laughed at his twin but stopped when his voice echoed back as well. His brother smirked at him before turning to face the com system.
"Hello? Uhh…Optimus…this is Sunny."
"And Sides!" the red youngling piped up from beside his brother.
The red light disappeared and Optimus's voice returned.
"Very good…I need you both to remain where you are."
The twins both looked at each other with mixed expressions that ranged from wonderment to complete rebelliousness that clearly said "we should just leave". Before they could run for the door, Prowl appeared.
"Please follow me…Optimus would like to speak with you both."
The younglings had no choice but to follow strict-bot. He led them through a maze of corridors and hallways, some of which seemed vaguely familiar to Sunny, until at long last they arrived in front of a sliding door. As a matter of fact…this entire hallway was filled with identical such doors.
It slid open to reveal the towering form of Optimus Prime. The twins had to crane their heads to look up.
"Thank you Prowl for escorting them here"
The stern tactician nodded once in acknowledgment before continuing on his way to the bridge to return to his duties.
Optimus looked down to see two apprehensive little faces peering nervously up at him. Sunny looked down at the floor while Sides fidgeted next to him, feeling a bit uncomfortable under the intense gaze of the Autobot Captain.
"Please come in"
The twins obeyed, without question or argument. They entered what appeared to be living quarters. Optimus sat down on the Cybertronian equivalent of a couch and appeared to relax, no longer intimidating.
Sides and Sunny remained together as they explored the living quarters, just to appease their youngling curiosity. They soon returned to the near vicinity of Optimus, neither aware that their every move had been carefully scrutinized by a pair of wise, yet amused cerulean blue optics.
Sides, was the first to speak this time on behalf of both himself and his twin.
"Are…are we in trouble?"
Optimus shook with laughter at the innocent question. Once he composed himself, he replied with mirth still evident in his vocal processor.
"You two gave Jazz quite a scare."
"So we are in trouble," Sunny sighed heavily and his shoulders sagged a bit dramatically, earning another chuckle from Prime.
"No. You are not in trouble this time. I would like you both to inform your caretaker or guardian of your whereabouts before you leave so unexpectedly next time."
The twins nodded their heads in understanding. Sides smiled and relaxed a notch, now that he knew they weren't in trouble.
Sunny stepped forward and placed a hand on Optimus's shin, just below his knee plating since he had yet to grow into his first set of youngling armor. He couldn't help but pout when his voice squeaked…reminding him that no matter how mature his mind may be, his body was still far younger. Nevertheless, he continued speaking in what many past caretakers described as his "adorable youngling voice".
"Optimus?"
"Yes, little one?"
Sunny had to hold back a growl at being called "little"…even though he knew it was true.
"Why is Prowl so mean?"
"Was he unkind to you, younging?" Optimus's face turned serious and a protective edge seeped into his voice.
Sunny shrugged and glanced away, unwilling to answer.
Sides stepped forward then and answered for his brother.
"He acts scary…and he makes mean faces at us."
Sides lifted his arms up, so that Optimus could pick him up. The elder did so and placed the red youngling on his knee and held a hand down to invite Sunny to join them but the little one refused with the shake of his head.
Sides got Optimus's attention again by placing a small hand on the side of his face.
Once Prime was looking at him he asked the biggest question that had plagued the twins since their first encounter with the strict one.
"Why is he so…so…BORING?"
Optimus fell victim to yet another laughing fit. Younglings were amazing little creatures. They were so innocent, naïve, and completely honest. Only Sunny had been robbed of some of that. The sobering thought, made Optimus clench a fist in response to internalized anger at the Decepticons for their destructive and spark-less nature. When he spoke, his voice was steady and failed to betray any emotion he was really feeling.
"Prowl is a mech of great thought and does not express his emotion as openly as others. Once you get to know each other, he will lighten up…hopefully."
Optimus set the little one back down so that he could stand next to his brother. He leaned closer to them, all serious once again.
"I have summoned you both for a different purpose."
Neither youngling said a word although they cocked their heads in mild curiosity.
"You will both be assigned different guardians in order to further your educations and to look after you when I am unable to care for you myself."
He was not prepared for the cacophony of loud squeaks and yells of angry protest that greeted his audios as both twins assaulted him with furious complaint.
Optimus reached down and rubbed the sensitive areas on their heads, quieting them almost instantly as the calming technique took effect.
"One at a time, please."
Sunny spoke first, anger written on his adorable little face.
"We can't be separated! My brother needs me…because I have to protect him!!"
The red twin responded next although his expression spoke volumes of his anguish at the prospect of being separated from his brother.
"We have to stick together Optimus! Please…please don't make us."
Optimus sighed as he listened to their pleas and then responded carefully.
"Little ones…it is too great a challenge for any of my crew to look after you both at once. They do not have as much experience with younglings as your former caretakers at Alpha Sigma. Until they learn a bit more as far as your well being is concerned, you two will have to be temporarily separated."
Sides began to cry at this, unashamedly in front of both his twin and Optimus. It felt like his spark was breaking…the very idea of being separated from Sunny after just recently being reunited with him hurt.
The Autobot leader felt his spark flutter at the sight of the sobbing youngling. If that wasn't enough to break his spark, the very fact that Sunny snarled and ran at him with rage in an attempt to strike him with tiny fists sure was.
"You can't do this! I WON'T LET YOU!!"
Optimus was deeply disturbed by the little one's rather uncharacteristic and violent behavior. He lifted him up by the scruff bar and held him carefully as he continued to kick and punch at the air.
Optimus spoke with Ratchet on an internal com-link.
:Ratchet, are you receiving this?::
::Yes, Prime. I am already on my way::
Optimus tried every trick he knew in the book to calm the little one down but nothing was working. He felt the energon in his systems running cold when he saw a drastic change in the precious youngling he had practically called his own.
To Optimus's relief, Ratchet came running through the door at that moment. The CMO was already running scans on the youngling the nano-second he locked optics on him.
Once the youngling spotted the medic he turned his angry screams on him.
"YOU CAN'T SEPARATE US! I HATE YOU!! I HATE YOU ALL!"
Sunny's optics were turning a shade of violet, the more enraged he became—the very characteristics of a Decepticon. Only a Decepticon's optics turned red…and Sunny was nearly to the brink of switching over completely.
"Prime, hold him still!"
The CMO transformed his hand into a gadget of some sort, aimed it at the struggling youngling and fired.
A wave of blue light struck Sunny, who shut down into stasis immediately, going completely limp in Optimus's grasp.
"What did you do to him?"
"A concentrated EMP burst. He was on the brink of a systems over-ride. This little one needs to return with me so I can keep better watch on him."
Sides, was screaming now as tears continued to run down his face. Optimus picked him up and massaged his sensitive head until the little one had calmed, releasing an occasional click or a chirp. He was too drained to respond and his dimmed link with his twin soon forced him into a recharge.
"Ratchet…will Sunny be alright?"
The CMO turned to look at Optimus with a concerned look and frowned.
"In my professional opinion…I'd have to say no. The kid has gone to the pit and back. He just nearly re-programmed his own processor to that of a Decepticon, for Primus's sake!!"
"Will he return to normal when he awakens?"
Optimus gently handed over the unconscious body of the yellow youngling, albeit reluctantly.
Ratchet took him and cradled Sunny carefully in one arm.
"In my experience and with what knowledge I have in this case, one of three things will happen. One, the youngling awakens and goes virtually insane, unable to cope with the drastic changes to his processor. Two, the youngling does revert completely to Decepticon programming."
Ratchet began to walk out the door but stopped at the next question.
"And three?"
Optimus dreaded the answer.
Ratchet looked back at him, now completely expressionless.
"He loses his memory completely."
Optimus watched the CMO walk out the door and sat heavily on the couch in a stunned stupor. He couldn't believe this. Not this…not Sunny.
The great leader of the Autobots, the one who rarely expressed emotion for the sake of his troops, couldn't hold back the tidal wave of raw emotion at bay any longer. In the solitude and privacy of his quarters, Optimus Prime held his head in his hands…and wept.
TO BE CONTINUED!!
A/N: OMG…I seriously started crying after writing the end of this chapter you guys. And if you absolutely hate me for such angst go ahead. Cause to be honest, I'm not too happy with myself for writing what happened to Sunny either. Of course, that is what this story has been evolving into…how Sunstreaker developed his near decepticon personality. That wasn't what I had originally intended for the story but let's face it…a story is usually boring unless it has some type of conflict in it. And this is it, I guess.
Don't worry, nothing TERRIBLE will happen to our dear Sunny, because I love him too much for that! Look at his adorable little face!
Sunny: *growls* I heard that.
Whitedino: But you are! *hugs him like a teddy bear*
Sunny: *chokes* You're crushing me!
Please Review and let me know how you think and/or feel about this installment. Thank you for reading! I will work on the next chapter very soon!