The evil side of Prime

Chapter 10: Unconvinced

"Ironhide won't be easy to convince, you know that right?"

"Quiet, I'm thinking!"

Prowl had been "thinking" for the past half an hour. In that time, Ratchet was cleaned off and was fixing his joints. Ironhide wouldn't be easy to convince. Any Autobot or Decepticon could tell you that. Prowl sighed. He was really hoping the Decepticons would stay home for a now, while this matter was being cleaned up.

Ironhide and Optimus were old friends. Convincing Ironhide that Optimus was going to prank him seemed a little…well, farfetched. Ratchet wasn't helping with the planning though. Prowl wished the little resistance group would return. Red Alert was still in the base but was being watched. If they tried to get him, Optimus would be alerted.

"How do we expect to catch Prime, though Prowl?" whimpered Ratchet. "He's our commander. He knows everything about us!"

"WWA," mumbled Prowl.

"Watch, wait and anticipate? You've been hanging with the twins too much" sighed Ratchet, leaning back in the desk chair.

"They learned things I didn't know before like game addictions, fears or…" Prowl stopped, perking up. "Habits! Ironhide goes out to exercise at precisely 1730!"

"Wow," Ratchet hummed. "I should watch my back more."

"Ironhide always works out alone though," Prowl nodded. "He kicks everyone out. We could get him then!"

"So could Prime," Ratchet sighed.

"Its 5:15 right now," Prowl stated, completely ignoring Ratchet. "We could still catch him."

"Fine," groaned Ratchet, standing up.

Meanwhile, Optimus was onto the same revelation of Ironhide and moving toward the workout room, causing a small disturbance to be later told. Entering the training room, at 1720, Optimus only found Brawn and Cliffjumper. They were talking in the back, glancing at the clock constantly. They were awaiting Ironhide's arrival, spending what time they had left in the training room before he arrived.

"Prime!" the two gasped, seeing the leader enter.

Optimus simply took in the room. He didn't enter this room often enough to know it off memory. It was mostly a hologram center for hand to hand combat training but weights and training games were also available, courtesy of Wheeljack. The two Autobots awaited Optimus to notice them directly. Optimus chuckled.

"Have you two seen Ironhide? I've been looking for him everywhere!" Optimus laughed.

"He should be here in a little bit," nodded Cliffjumper.

"Yeah, we were just leaving," offered Brawn.

"Alright then," sighed Optimus. "I'll wait for him here."

Brawn pushed Cliffjumper out of the room, leaving Optimus alone with the many equipment of the area. He chuckled again, marching around to find a perfect spot to unleash…well, that's yet to be told as well.

While Optimus was setting up shop, Prowl and Ratchet were making a dash for the training room. Turning the corner, they tripped over some conveniently placed wire. Looking back, Prowl noted the wire near snapping.

"Um…Prowl," Ratchet whispered, pointing up.

"What?" Prowl snapped, following the motion.

The wire climbed the wall, weaving into the alarm and lights, and finished onto a bucket with unknown contents. Prowl sighed, the wire snapping and bucket tilting over. Ratchet covered his optics. Oil poured over them as the alarm sounded and the lights snapped off. Prowl screamed in frustration.

"What the-" wailed Wheeljack, rounding the corner and almost slipping on the oil spill.

"Don't ask!" ordered Prowl, standing up and nearly falling down again.

"Who? How? When?" stuttered Wheeljack.

"Don't ask!" ordered both Prowl and Ratchet.

"Oh dear," sighed Wheeljack.

"Hey, what is going on here!" screamed Cliffjumper and Brawn.

"Don't ask," growled Prowl. "For the third time."

"Where's Optimus?" gasped Ratchet.

"Where's Ironhide?" groaned Prowl.

"Optimus is waiting in the training room for Ironhide, why?" Cliffjumper answered.

"We're running late, Prowl," whimpered Ratchet.

"He played us once more," hissed Prowl, sitting down.

"Who? What?" shouted Wheeljack, "What just happened! What is going on!"

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you," sighed Prowl, banging his head against the wall.

"Try me," hummed Wheeljack, hands on his hip. "I've dealt with several strange things. I think I can handle this."

Prowl and Ratchet exchanged glances. Ratchet nodded, agreeing that Wheeljack has probably dealt with worse. Cliffjumper stood curious and Brawn stood trying to find a path around the oil mess. Prowl smiled. Three for the price of one.

As Prowl and Ratchet slowly stood, the clock struck 1730 and Ironhide entered the training room. He was slightly surprised to find Optimus heading toward the door. The leader nodded lightly, slipping out of the room. Ironhide shrugged, entering the room fully. He activated the hologram center, code Alpha Omega.

The lights dimmed and the room glittered. Ironhide glanced back at the door, curious of Prime's visit. As the hologram test activated, Ironhide was distracted, completely missing the new additions to the level. Ironhide looked down, watching the ocean floor splash before him, and slightly panicked as it grew closer to simulate falling.

Hitting the imaginary water, Ironhide felt water fall on him. He groaned, heading for the controls. The hologram altered, moving him to the desert. He began sinking. Immediately, he wished to curse out the twins for this but memory served him well in recalling the twins being out for the entire day.

"What the…" grumbled Ironhide, ducking as something was thrown over his head.

The hologram faded, revealing the training room again. Ironhide looked over to the controls which sputtered with pain. Looking back, Ironhide examined what had been tossed at him. He gave a confused look as he lifted the small rubber duck off the floor.

"What is going on?" he whispered.

As soon as the words left him, he felt something pat his armor. Turning around, something hit him in the face. Looking down at the ground, Ironhide found two more rubber ducks. That was all he recalled before the rapid fire of the squish bath toys started. Unbeknownst to Ironhide where the small things were coming from, he slowly backed against the wall. Keeping his optics safe with one arm, he scanned the room for the source. Finding a small, well hidden, machine in the back corner, Ironhide took it upon himself to destroy it quickly.

Wheeljack entered the training room. He found Ironhide in the back corner, resting on a bench with a pile of rubber ducks sitting beside him. A shattered machine sat to the other side. Wheeljack sighed, slowly marching toward Ironhide. The latter didn't seem fazed by the inventor's presence.

"This yours?" he asked, pointing a thumb at the destroyed duck shooter.

"No," mumbled Wheeljack, looking the thing over. "Not that I'm aware of."

"Where the twins at?" Ironhide grumbled.

"On patrol, as they have been all day," answered Wheeljack, glancing at the rubber ducks.

"Jazz?"

"Also on patrol," nodded Wheeljack, turning forward the address Ironhide.

"Wonderful," huffed Ironhide, leaning back against the wall with closed optics.

"Would you believe me if I told you…Prime did this?" Wheeljack stuttered.

Ironhide opened one optic, looking at Wheeljack. The latter felt the half sided glare seep into his spark. He took a step back. Ironhide closed his optic again, sighing.

"Why on earth would Prime do this?" snapped Ironhide.

"Why would he prank Prowl and Ratchet? Or the twins last night?" answered Wheeljack.

"Who told you this…junk?" growled Ironhide, leaning forward with glaring optics.

"Prowl and Ratchet," sighed Wheeljack. "I just finished cleaning the oil off of them."

"You got proof that Prime did this?" Ironhide snarled in disbelief.

"Only what they've seen with they're optics," Wheeljack nodded.

"Ha!" laughed Ironhide, leaning back again. "Bring me proof and I'll believe you that Prime did all this! Even then, what would you lot want to do about it?"

"Well," mumbled Wheeljack.

"Exactly," Ironhide smiled, standing up. "You lot got no plan. Prime's not doing a thing. I'll get my hands of the twins when they get back."

"But they didn't-" gasped Wheeljack.

"Enough!" ordered Ironhide, marching toward the door.

Wheeljack watched Ironhide leave. The former let out a heavy sigh as the doors closed behind the gruff soldier. Ironhide went to his room for some high grade. He stopped halfway, looking down one of the other halls. Prowl and Ratchet argued over a large oil spill. Ironhide sighed, rolled his optics, and continued toward his room.

"Ironhide, a word."

Ironhide felt a hand grab him by the shoulder and spin him around the other way. Looking over, he watched at Optimus led them down the halls of the base. Usually Optimus wouldn't be so demanding of a word by taking a fellow Autobot by arm. Ironhide sighed, looking at the ground to think over what Wheeljack had said.

Optimus led Ironhide to his office. Ironhide sat down while Optimus locked up the door. Ironhide watched him do such. Before sitting down himself, Optimus checked the Comm. Links. He nodded, finally taking his seat.

"Sir…" whispered Ironhide, curious about the whole experience.

"You talk to Prowl lately? Or the twins?" Optimus asked, leaning back.

"Not really," shrugged Ironhide. "I did just talk to Wheeljack though."

"Oh!" perked Optimus, "What did he say?"

"I don't see how that…"

"What did he say!"

Ironhide was startled at the demand. What Wheeljack had said seemed slightly more plausible. Ironhide gulped. This was more a moment of truth and alliance, it seemed. If he told Optimus what Wheeljack had stated, he would plunged into this and side with Optimus. If he lied, saying it was just something about another invention, he'd be covering them and ultimately siding. Even saying he forgot seemed to lead to siding for one or the other. Ironhide groaned, sinking in his chair. He didn't know what to do.

A/N

I left it off on a specific point for a reason. Who should Ironhide side with?