The Diego Diaries: Chaos 7 (dd3 17)
-0-In the bosom of love
"What the frag is that?"
"I got it at The Infant Center, Ironhide. Grab Orion and put it on him."
(Walk. Glom. Grab. Grip.) "What now?"
"Put the rig on him."
(Grip. Slip. Snap.) Tiny blues stared into big blues, the two giving each other the stink optic. "ATAR!? WHAT ME?"
"Ask your Ada."
(Severe optic shot at both from Ada brings them both into submission) "Ironhide, put him down and slip knot Praxus."
(Severe obedience follows as one botlet sets down and another achieves liftoff) (Grip. Slip. Snap) "There. You both look ... interesting. What the frag is this supposed to do, Ratchet?"
"Those are harnesses and these are leashes," Ratchet said holding up two long leads. "You clip it on their harnesses and they can't get away, rather like you and our bond." Ratchet stood before all of them with a dazzling smile and two leashes.
Ironhide looked down at his two rather dapper botlets then up at Ratchet again. "Why do they need leashes, Ratchet?"
"Because, Only One, these two are going to start earning their keep. They're going to walk to school."
It was silent a moment, then Ironhide almost sniffled. "I can carry them."
Ratchet who was shocked for a moment grinned at the big emotional doofus. "You can. When they get tired."
Ironhide stared at Ratchet silently with his angst writ large.
"They will get tired. They will need their old dad's guidance and strength a long time, Ironhide."
He looked down at the two. "When you get tired, tell me."
They looked up at him, then each other. Then they began to explore their harnesses and bellybuttons.
Ratchet grinned.
Ironhide shook his helm.
Flint smirked.
Sunspot stared at them. "Purple is a Decepticon color, Ada."
Everyone looked at the earnest little bot who was staring at the infants. "Oh. I'll look for other colors. They were just the prettiest colors there and they didn't have a large choice yet."
"It's alright," Sunspot said looking up with a smile. "I like purple."
Ratchet grinned. "I like little botlets that like purple. Are you ready to roll?"
He patted his book bag. "I am."
Ratchet stepped forward and hooked up the botlets. Handing the lines to Ironhide, he headed for the door. Pausing to look back, he smirked. "Last one to the elevator is a rotten targ." Then he stepped out.
The dash would be intense but Ironhide would be the one wandering in last with two little bots enjoying their first taste of (semi)freedom of their short statured lives.
-0-On the way
Ratchet walked alongside Flint as they meandered toward the school tower nearby. Behind them with a leash in each servo Ironhide held his infants in check as they toddled along fascinated with every rock, lump of dirt or passing creature they met. The image was hilarious Ratchet thought as he peered over his shoulder. A giant Autobot with a fierce visage was following along behind two very tiny bots who were his image.
That one of them, bar his three shiny yellow bands was his twin was funny enough. That the other one was a Ironhide double also bearing his ada's paint scheme was doubly so.
Bots passing by smiled at the tiny walkers who looked up to smile back. Praxus ever the sweet natured baby held his arms up to everyone who passed by to exclaim over them. He'd never known a bad orn and he acted accordingly.
Orion staring at the cobblestones that made the path, here and there tried to pry one up. Putting down a dollie, working hard on a stone, he looked up. "ATAR!?"
Ironhide who was enjoying himself to a ridiculous degree shrugged. "Nope."
Orion would look from his atar to the stone to his brother and then walk on with dollie in servo. It took a very long time to reach the front door of the school building before they were scooped up and carried inside.
Flint walked into the elevator there with his nephews and rode upward. Stepping off and setting the infants down, he followed them with a big grin as they wandered in the general direction of their line.
Standing in line himself, Han watched them coming. Frowning strongly, he gripped his dollie and waited.
Orion looked at the walls, floor, ceiling, the bot next to him and his brother. Staring at Praxus, he walked into someone's leg and tipped over falling on his back.
Looking down, Revo looked at Orion with surprise. He leaned down to help Orion stand up.
The little bot looked at him and smiled ginormously.
Revo smiled back. "Sorry, baby."
Han was watching and frowned. Walking closer to his atar, he hugged the big bot's leg and frowned at Orion.
That little bot looked at Han and frowned, too. "HAN!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare downward as two tiny bots squared off.
Han looked up at his atar who looked down at him with a quizzical expression. Then Han stepped forward and slapped at Orion. His tiny servo bounced off Orion's nose structure, such as it was.
Orion blinked and stepped forward slapping at Han. Connecting with Han's nose, he stepped back and looked around uncertainly.
Various adas and atars watched in horror, then moved to intervene.
"Don't."
They hesitated, then looked at Flint. "Let them settle it here," he said quietly.
The two infants looked at their genitors for an uncertain moment, then each other. Identical frowns formed on equally adorable faces and they waded into each other.
Orion walked to Han and slapped at his face. He missed.
Han blinked surprised. He swung his fist at Orion and connected, his tiny servo bouncing off Orion's cheek.
Backing up slightly, rubbing his cheek as he did, Orion frowned deeper. "HAN! HAN BAD!" He walked forward and planted a hard one on Han's belly.
They both glared at each other, then dollies hit the ground. Both gripped each other to shove back and forth.
"HAN BAD! ORION ME!"
Han shoved hard and backwards they went.
"BAD! YOU BAD!" Han said, his first words ever.
His astonished genitors stared down at the tiniest, most short-statured titanic battle of the millennium they'd ever observed. Their little bot's first words weren't ada or atar. They were throw down taunts in a micro statured brawl in the lobby of their school.
It wasn't exactly what they'd hoped for.
Ironhide on the other hand stood rooted to the floor mentally sending battle directions to his little pugilist.
Ratchet shifting from ped to ped in utter dismay was silent.
Flint knelt watching to make sure they didn't hurt each other and waited for the little brawl to end.
"BAD! YOU! NO!" Orion hollered as they staggered around, each of them clamped onto the other.
Han added his own loud commentary as they waxed and waned across the floor.
The other genitors had gathered to watch with their sparklings staring at the two with solemn expressions.
Laret, Roto, Neo and Herling stood behind Flint watching with doubtful expressions. The only sound heard was the shouting of the tiny bots shoving each other back and forth.
Orion connected his servo against Han's face. The slap could be heard.
Ratchet winced.
Ironhide nearly passed out.
Flint tensed to intervene as Han's balled fist connected with Orion's nose. He stepped back to watch as Orion rubbed it.
Then the little black Autobot stepped forward with his servos in fists. "BAD YOU! BAD, HAN, BAD!"
Han's cute little face scrunched up in a scowl. "YOU PFLLLT!"
Both bots took a moment to stare at each other.
Then Orion grinned as a chuckle came out of his little pie hole.
Han staring at his arch enemy hard. He watched Orion a moment, then began to chuckle.
Orion stared at Han, then he looked at Flint. Pointing at Han, he said, "HAN?"
Flint nodded. "Friend."
Orion looked at his uncle struggling to understand.
Flint leaned in and kissed Orion's helm. Then he leaned over and kissed Han's helm.
That little bot looked up at the big black Autobot, then Orion. He pointed at the tiny black bot and said, "Me Good?"
Flint grinned. "You both are good. Be friends. No more fighting."
They both looked at him, then Han picked up his dollie.
Orion looked around and found his. Then he held it up to Flint. That worthy kissed it with a smile. Orion smiled.
Ratchet looked relieved.
Ironhide was on the edge of tears.
Heva and Revo looked weak in the knees.
It was another day at the Sparkling Day School in Autobot City, Mars.
-0-Outside a short time later
Ratchet walked across the groomed immaculate pad toward the now sitting format of Metroplex. He was an enormous robotic mechanism, his shadow alone throwing itself past Fort Max. He was surrounded by his siblings who chatted together as they watched the teams working to set up for a manual join. When he reached Metroplex he beside Goldwing. "What's the status of our mech, Goldie?"
"He's ready to move to his pad. What will have to happen is manual joins. They have the infrastructure ready for him. He has to transform and sit down. Then they can go inside to make the attachments."
Ratchet felt enormous relief. "Good. Metroplex!" Ratchet said leaning back as he looked upward.
Metroplex looked down, then leaned in toward Ratchet. "Doctor."
"How do you feel today?" Ratchet asked as he scanned the big bot lightly. It all appeared good.
"I feel well. I would like to transform and allow my residents to come back. I will be repairing what is broken in my city structure. I wish I could be more sure about all of their belongings."
"Metroplex, you don't have to worry. No one cares about that. They just want you to be well so they can come home again. You were missed terribly."
"I missed them."
Prime and Prowl crossed the pad halting to stand next to Ironhide, Flint and Ratchet.
Looking upward, he smiled. "Metroplex, you look much better. Are you well?"
"I am," Metroplex said smiling slightly. "I am ready to go home."
Prime glanced around. "We have cleared the area for you to move. I was told that Jetta and the engineering department have told you what they have done to help you. Do you feel ready or do you need more time?"
"I am ready," Metroplex said.
"Then you are clear. We have removed anyone and anything that might impede your transformation. We will move away and give you free reign. Please, take your time," Prime said.
All of them hurried along with Prime to the edge of the vast pad where the huge Autobot sat, moving back toward Fortress Maximus and the Temple.
Nearby at the Habitat, the humans gathered. They hopped on their jalopies and buzzed out to find a space to watch nearby Ratchet and the others. As they did an amazing thing began to happen.
Metroplex began to transform.
The humans watched as the massive robot they saw sitting on the ground nearby begin to rise. Around him stood five others, the Supreme models that were siblings to Metroplex. The humans stood on their segways and watched as he carefully and in a measured way began to rise upward into the sky. He was so massive they had to crane their necks to see him when he finally stood up straight.
They didn't know that he was a bot who was so tall that air flights were curtailed during this process. They didn't know that his weight was so extreme that he had to place a ped and wait before placing another one so that the ground tremors could settle because structures and individuals could be harmed otherwise from the mere placement of his feet.
They had no idea that his demeanor was of such a kind soul that his favorite company was children. He loved their innocence and peacefulness. War had nearly driven him to self destruction and when he stepped away it was in self defense.
Here in this city he'd found the most peaceful personally fulfilling setting for himself that he had known since before the war. His beloved Autobots and civilian Cybertronians lived in his buildings. He could feel their contentment and watch them play.
He knew them all by name and could tell when they were happy or sad. There was very little sadness in his environs. He worked hard to provide a safe happy domicile for the five thousand who called him home and in return he had a purpose that was fulfilling and healing. Now he was headed back to his life and he was filled with joy.
Looking down with sensors on full, he took a step and put a ped down. the tremor through the ground was felt by all and when it subsided he began again. It would take ten steps to cover the ground and turn to position himself. It would take an entire breem to do so safely.
-0-Nearby
"I can't see the top of him."
"I know. I saw this on television when he arrived back when but that didn't do it justice."
"That's a living being. I can't believe it. It's a city, a ship and a robot. I'm in awe."
"All of that and sweet rides, too," Epps said with a grin as they stood together, the group of humans, watching the awesome show unfold.
-0-Metroplex and Jetta
:You are go. You're positioned optimal, Metroplex:
:Affirmative, Jetta. I am go: At that, the bot began to reshape his body to become something other than he was at the moment. He did it slowly and because of it the process was more clearly seen by spectators who had begun to gather around the edges. Some of them were residents watching as their benefactor began to remake their lives again.
He began to decrease in height even as he began to spread out in mass. The sound was mechanical, the rise of towers and buildings beginning to grow even as his helm disappeared into them. He would be near the City Hall, a command center beneath street level which could be approachable by anyone who needed to speak with him or to manage any part of his superstructure. The door that led inside opened to a corridor that would take a visitor to where Metroplex was, a spot just next to and below City Hall.
By the time he was flush with the ground, the towers were still climbing. They were intact outwardly but inside, one couldn't be too sure. Only the residents would be able to tell that story.
When the sound settled, Public Works and Energon Administration mechs standing around hurried forward to begin the manual linkup of the giant. Standing nearby, chatting with him over their own personal channels, the Guardian Supremes and Fort Max kept their brother company.
=0=TBC 2012 (9) 4-24-2022
Everything said about Metroplex, the Supreme mechanisms and the metroformers is canon. Metroplex is this guy and has these feelings. The bigger the frame the more of a pacifist they are. I adore them. I'd have to invent them if they didn't already exist. Metroplex gave up his energon and basically his life to get the Ark off the ground in the War for Cybertron game video. I think it was that one. :D When Optimus stood on his hand and then Ironhide and Optimus on his shoulder they looked like little bees buzzing a redwood tree.