Zephyr
I really needed a tired and warm Megatron. He's been through so much and this war is just not ending like he planned. Things just... need a change. Optimus has such hope, but so stressed as well. His laughter comes from the last place he ever though possible!
Nemesis
Megaton punks down in his throne and lays his tired head back against the rest. As his cheek turns to the side, he feels something soft against his cheek. Although exhausted (even though professionally bored) he adjusts to pick it up. He smiles looking down to the small purple and blue blanket in his hands with a black wavy trim to it. The old warlord's body sags into the chair fondling and playing with the edge.
The door to the bridge opens but Megatron doesn't turn. Yes, he knows who it is, he can see that glide out of her peripheral vision. What does make him turn his attention from the blanket is when a paw lays to his battered knee. Megatron lifts his optics ever so slightly above the binding of the blanket to look into the red optics of the young creature before him. Megatron tries that grumpy grandfather tone but it comes out too soft thus the little one knows it's a soft tease. "Yes? What do you want, Ravage?"
Carefully the young one takes the bottom edge of the blanket in his teeth and tugs. Megatron shakes his head and the little one stops tugging. He doesn't let go, but nor does he whimper even though his optics are pleading. Megatron places the blanket to the arm of his throne and cants his helm in a side/downward tilt. "I warned you last time about this." The paw slips to the floor and the snout sinks so the optics are looking at the leader's pedes.
Megatron can never be truly mad at this creature nor his older sister. They are as much his as their creators' so his spark feels. Some of the other young sparklings running around the ship and causing mayhem and trouble, are not as close in his spark as these two. Yes he has been irritated and sharp with all of them at one time or another, but these two creatures, no. Never. Just not possible.
He leans forward and scoops his thumbs under the arm pits of the penitent little one. The retired gladiator sets the smaller form into his lap with a long stroke to his body. Ravage stretches out his snout to pull his blankie close and then tucks his head into the strong elbow cup.
Megatron snuggles back into his seat bringing one ankle to the other knee. A soft warm youngling in his lap? Most certainly something he never thought he would find comfort in. A soft purr begins to rumble against his torso just mewling the Warlord the next step. His head slumps to his shoulder and the bridge hears something they haven't heard in a very long time… a deep soft snore of the leader.
A few soft key strokes and everyone knows the bridge is off limits right now. The current acting Duty Officer says nothing as they all take in the sight of their devoted leader sleeping soundly in his throne with son of a devoted officer safely in his arms.
Ark
"I needed that!" A little red and white mech chases after a pink and red femme of nearly his same age as she giggles dashing away.
Two sets of blue arms scoop up one of each sparkling. "Nah-ha what was said about running through the main area?"
"Ah but Uncle Magnus, I just wanted-"
The stern look finishes off the rest of the excuse. Before he can scold them any further though, a splat hits him in the belly. A dual set of squeals has him plunking his prisoner into the other set of blue laughing arms and chasing down the little punks.
A set of pink arms slide around the Leader's waist and he smirks to his prisoners. "Now that was just down right devious you two. If I didn't know you any better, I would call you Decepticons."
"Optimus Prime!" The femme gapes his name out. "How can you say something so HORRIBLE!"
"Ooh, Dad, you are so BUSTED!" The femmeling pokes.
Optimus sets both of the little ones down and gives them both a pointed finger, "I'm not done with you two. Now, go find Ratchet and tell him to prepare to roll out."
"Really?!" the red and white mech bounces up and down. "Where are we going?"
The mate of the Prime plunks her fists to her hips, "Yes, just where do you think you are going and DON'T even think I'm done with you either."
The leader pulls his back up straight and proud, "Out. The little ones need room to run and quite honestly, the Decepticons have been no threat to us in a good long time. So, I have decided we are going on a picnic." With a flick of his hand, the little ones gleefully do as ordered.
Now that he has Elita alone for a moment, he pulls her to himself. "I'm curious too what Megatron and his hoard are up to, but honestly… it's like they have lost their will to fight. For some strange reason, I feel at peace about it. I think this is a good sign."
Elita leans in, "Okay, I will agree with you on the fact they have gone rather quiet, but you still aren't off the hook for calling our next generation rogues."
Optimus leans into her audio, "That's not what you said about me last night," and gives her a nip. She flushes and leans in for more.
Lake Side
On one side of the lake majority of the Autobot parents and friends are sitting out enjoying the sun's warmth and the soft breeze of spring time. The little ones are having a good time with made up games and exploring the great outdoors. It's Perceptor's daughter that finds the hole in the rocky burm that has the others joining the explorations of the cave.
Hillside
Starscream and Soundwave have brought the sparklings and some of their parents off Nemesis to give the leader some peace and quiet and the little ones much needed room to roam. As the grown ups enjoy conversation of memories and other things, the sparklings play their games. It's Lazerbeak that finds the hole in the top of the outcropping that brings the others to explore it with her.
Inside the Cave
The Autobot younglings are fascinated by all the writings on the wall. They laugh about some of the goofy animals doodled there. Pulling out some of their own markers, they add their own designs.
A sound has Springer's son lifting his head and seeing a couple more younglings their size drop in. Thundercracker's son is excited to see another young flyer. Perceptor's daughter is drawn to Lazerbeak. On and on the sparkling's are drawn to each other. Soon they are drawing, laughing and playing games together.
The two oldest offspring of geniuses knows what they all are. Hope. Peace. The end to the war. Their parent's war does NOT have to be theirs. They step away from the others and begin to plot and scheme.
Lazerbeak gives a final smirk and hacks Nemesis asking her younger brother to bring their leader to the picnic. Ravage melts Megatron's spark like no other and can manipulate the leader without him even knowing it. Like leaving a blankie in the throne.
The two wise femmes wait until they hear the vortex up above open bringing forth the final two pieces of their plan. Now they strike.
With a wave of the hands, the snipers' daughter makes her move. "Hey guys, who wants to race Lazerbeak?"
Oh ho, nothing better than a little competition to bring out the best of fun. So they all crawl out of a third hole in the cave. Lined up, the sparklings all wait for the call. "On your marks, get set, GO!"
Laserbeak dashes off and they all race after her. Ravage takes his place at the top of the burm watching them all go by. He knows what his duty is and his tail twitches in excitement.
The trail of sparklings squeal, cheer and laugh racing after the slow moving flyer. Along the lake's edge, she leads them and then cuts quickly bringing the string right through the middle of the picnic making a mess and riling up the adults.
"LAZERBEAK!" Arcee cries out in horror! That brings all the adults to their pedes in an instant.
The blue flier picks up her pace heading for the rocking outcropping's path. Up and over she flies bringing Ravage into play.
The Autobot parents are in a pickle. They can't run too fast or they might end up trampling their own sparklings and … and… and…
Brows furrow looking at all these other sparklings. Where did they come from? That's when Optimus' spark begins to tingle in excitement. Ahhh, this is what the Matrix was trying to warn him about. With a soft hand, he has his other soldiers slow down their pace a bit. They scowl back at him, but he smirks in reply making them even more confused.
The sparklings scramble up and over the rocks in a mad dash to beat Lazerbeak back around to the cave entrance. None of them are paying any mind to the first picnic they ran through, nor are they paying any more mind to the second one they are encroaching on.
The Decepticon parents reaction is just the same as the Autobot ones as the sparklings disturb conversations, cuddling and Energon goodies. It's when Laserbeak buzzes right over the top of Megatron's helm that the catastrophe comes to it's height and end. Ravage lands in Megatron's lap followed by Perceptor's daughter only to be followed by the rest of the sparkling gang. All the weight piled upon even the great former gladiator is too much and he falls flat back under a dog pile of giggling squiggling younglings.
The parents stop and gape at the pinned Warlord. A deep rumbling chuckle from the approaching second set of parents draws attention from the squashed one.
Optimus approaches carefully although he can't hide his full laughter. It's so hearty and rumbling that it's too the point where he is finding it hard to breathe and his optics begin to moisten.
Megatron goes from startled, to irritated, to confused and finally amused. Pushing someone's little body off his face, the arrogantly proud mech smirks looking up to his foe. "Well, don't just stand there, Prime. Help me up!"
Optimus can't. That was the last straw for him and he sinks to the ground beside his former foe but always brother laughing hysterically. A little femme wriggles out of the mess and on top of Optimus.
"Daddy, are you alright?" She pats his cheek ever so worried.
Optimus kisses her cheek and nuzzles her, "I'm just fine, darling."
Megatron crooks a brow. "Humph, well I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. Any more of these yours?"
The sparklings start untangling and finding their parents. Elita is concerned but can't be that concerned when Megatron is still rubbing a sore spot in his belly where someone's knee got him. He looks up to her. "Ah, Commander Elita One. I take it you taught them this trick. Pretty slick, I must give you credit."
She blinks unsure if this is a real taunt or just of his playful side. "Ah, no," she defends.
A black and red femme steps forward and looks up to the silent blue spy holding Lazerbeak. "We did."
That draws all parents' attention to the oldest two sparklings. One born at the beginning of the war, one not too much longer in. Laserbeak leaves her parent to join the Autobot's genius' arm. "Forgive us, Leaders. But your war, is not ours."
Optimus and Megatron's shoulder's sink in unison. They share the same expression. Megatron looks to Optimus, "Got a smarty-aft in your ranks too?"
Optimus grumbles, "You have no idea."
Megatron flicks a finger to three identical boys standing before Blizwing, "Got a trine?"
Optimus smirks to that. "Not like that." He flicks his own hand towards Ultra Magnus' daughter, his own, and then Springer and Ratchet's sons pushing each other around.
"Ah, I see," Megatron nods. Thundercracker's son comes forth next to Ravage. And the two start tussling over a ball. "Gets a bit noise enclosed doesn't it?"
Optimus rubs his temple. "Almost makes you wish someone would pick a fight so I can get some silence."
Megatron roars with laughter and then grimaces to his sore belly. With a heavy pat to the truck's back Megatron smiles, "Oh Optimus, what are we going to do?"
With a wise optic, Optimus looks between the fellow leader and the ringleaders of this meeting. "You know, it might take someone smarter than both of us combined to figure this out."
Megatron nods his helm and then sees something that makes even his jaw drop. A young Predacon dragon landing right before the lead Autobot-Decepticon Ambassadors with his parents coming to rest on either side of the leaders. Predaking crouches down beside the sat faction representatives. "Whatever you do, we want to be involved. It's our future too."
Megatron puts a hand out towards Optimus. Optimus accepts it. Then both of the faction leaders reach their hands out to the Predacon leader. He accepts their hands. No one is in any hurry to let go. If anything, the three leaders clinch down even harder pulling them closer.
Before long the refugees of Cybertron's past, the future of their race sit and share goodies together.
The royal blue and logical purple scientist share a single thought: "Who knew that the winds of change would encompass and direct us here?"