The Diego Diaries: Santa Ho-Ho 2
=0=At the schools
Payload and Caro stood in line with their son, Mars. The class that their infant was grouped into, 'D', was called forward to visit Santa Prime downstairs. Scar, Arlot and their daughter, Beju were in this group as well so they wiled the time chatting.
"I think this is a great idea. 'Santa Prime'," Arlot said with a grin. "The younglings are going to explain this holiday tonight at the program."
Scar grinned. "If someone even a few decaorns ago had said this would be part of my life I would have slagged them good."
Payload chuckled. "I hear ya."
What they didn't say but was evident to all who cared to listen, both wouldn't trade this moment for anything in the universe and beyond. The line began to move led by a smiling Laret. They would enter an elevator and ride downward.
-0-On the deck
Prime sat on his 'throne' with a grin waiting for the next group to come. Lennox standing on the platform commed him. :Hey, Santa. What do we get for Christmas Surprise?:
Prime glanced over grinning. :Coal?:
At that moment, the elevators opened and all infants in Group D were carried out by genitors, aides and teachers led by Laret. She was wearing a Santa hat herself as she paused before Optimus. "Ho, Ho, Santa Prime."
"Ho, ho, Laret," Prime replied with a chuckle.
"We are here, Group D of the Sparkling Day School to say hello," she said whipping out her camera. "And take pictures."
Prime smirked as the first infant was laid in his arms. She was Meep, a tiny femme who had lost a leg and arm on one side during an attack on her migration. She had her leg back but several surgeries had failed to re-attach her arm. It would take a lot more time and a lot more protoform development before they would try again. Until then, this weak but happy little femme would follow her regimen of treatments, physical therapy and all the love her family, teachers, aides and doctors could give her.
Which was a lot.
Gifts were given, chat was made, family members stood in pictures of their infants with Santa Prime and all was good. Ironhide glanced at Jazz. "If Primus is on our side, we won't be in any pictures," he said softly.
Jazz smiled and nodded. "Hey, Optimus … Santa Prime. Ironhide thinks an elf should be in the pictures."
Ironhide shot Jazz nuclear optics as he turned and looked down at the hilarity that was the saboteur. Jazz for his part was snickering and he continued to do so even when ordered by Optimus to 'be the designated elf'. Ironhide on the other servo laughed hilariously on the inside. He knew better than to laugh out loud. He had missed family album immortality by a smidge. Primus indeed was on his side.
For now.
Mirage on the other servo, standing nearby would laugh off and on for orns.
-0-Nearby
Ravel held Hero as Ratchet took snaps, chatted with genitors and kissed babies. One would almost think he was running for public office. Tie Down crossed the room and worked his way to stand beside Ironhide. "This is so wonderful, Ironhide. I am so happy to see this for the infants."
Ironhide nodded. "This is a holiday started by those little femmes over there," Ironhide said nodding to a happy gaggle of female humans standing on a table nearby. "They wanted the infants to have a nice time."
Tie Down nodded. "Ravel and I will be going to Sunspot's party."
"We decided to divide up and go to all of them. Sunstreaker started that tradition. For an anti social mech with a hard helm, he's one conscientious genitor."
Tie Down nodded. "He's a very nice mech, that one."
Ironhide grinned.
-0-Leaning against a wall with his bond
Blackjack watched the fun commenting on the sweet little kids with Alor. The babies were beautiful and the genitors happy, some of them from their migration and colonies. It was good to see happiness after all the horrors of the past. "We're due in Sunspot's room at a particular time. Ratchet has us all rotating in and out of all the parties for the infants."
"Ratchet has it in servo," Alor said with a grin. "This is fun. I haven't had so much fun in so long, 'Jack I almost forgot how it felt."
He nodded. "I know."
They stood together watching the endless lines of little kids, their ecstatic parents and extended families.
-0-Upstairs
Nova leaned into Terradive's room and caught his attention. "Your turn, Mr. Terradive."
The squeals of the kids were roof raising and they turned to their teacher with expectation. "All stand and push in your chairs."
They did.
"Line up nicely."
They did.
"Contain yourself and mind your manners," he said with a grin as he walked to the front of the line.
They would try.
-0-Downstairs
They exited the elevator taking their place in the line up. There were two groups ahead of them so they waited as best they could watching the festivities ahead. Music was playing softly, a melange of Christmas carols from Earth and holiday tunes. Some of the tunes were Cybertronian and most of the best loved, most well known were Alor's.
Blackjack tapped Alor's shoulder and nodded, both of them grinning at the excitement of the little mechs and Sunspot who had moved up in line. They were shined and happy, Sunstreaker bringing up the end of the line as they waited their turn. Ratchet walked to Sunstreaker and the two chatted as all around them infants were being feted to the high heavens.
Prime for his part sat with a grin greeting each child, bold or shy, handing them the present that had been planned, packed and provided just for them. Teachers chatted with genitors, genitors chatted with aides, aides chatted with students as they inched forward. By the time Mr. Terradive's class was ready to greet Santa Prime, the little mechs were nearly jumping out of their exoskeletons.
"Silverbow," Prime said with a grin as she ran to him for a hug. He hugged her, handed her a shiny copper bag with her name on it. She smiled and hugged him back, turning to show the others her gift. "I hope its a dollie for my teddy bear, Uncle Optimus. He needs a friend when I'm at school."
Prime grinned. "I hope so too, Silverbow." Nearby watching with great happiness, Trailbreaker and Hound stood. They would be at both Silverbow and Rebel's parties.
She hugged him again turning to walk back to her group triumphant as other infants in the class walked forward to get their hug and gift. Comet and Turbo chatted a moment, their excitement almost overwhelming. Gypsy and Cambo who were watching and filming the moment were due to be in Mr. Terradive's class too. Gypsy would read one of the new Christmas Surprise stories to the younglings. The two walked back to their line as Spirit and T-Bar ran to Prime, hugging his neck. He hugged them back, looking at them with a smile.
"I love your hat, Atar," Spirit said with a smile. "It's cute!"
Prime snorted glancing at Prowl who had kept the gear intact between holidays. Prowl snapped a few pictures as he watched them, a grin on his own face. Venture and Miler were already in classes with Rambler and Miracle. They would switch off and sit with T-Bar and Spirit later on. "I wore it just for you."
They grinned at their father, patting his leg as Jazz handed Prime their presents. He turned and gave them to his kids, kissed them and watched as they ran back with excitement to their line. Sunspot was next and he walked up with confidence, his smile brilliant and his affect warm with delight. "Hi, Uncle Optimus," he said as he was enveloped in Prime's arms.
"Hi, Sunspot," Optimus said patting his wings gently.
"Isn't this fun? I like parties and fun. I never had it until I came here. Christmas Surprise is my favorite holiday."
Optimus looked at the little Seeker who was smiling at him without a shred of guile. "I love it too, Sunspot. I love the infant holidays best."
"You make the best Santa Prime," Sunspot said as Optimus scooped him up. He held the little bot in his arms for a moment, then set him back down. "Thank you, Sunspot. I love you too." He took the gift from Ironhide, who looked on the verge of tears. Handing it to Sunspot, Optimus grinned. "Happy Christmas Surprise, Sunspot."
He looked at the gift with intense happiness, then looked up at Optimus. "Merry Christmas Surprise, Uncle Optimus," Sunspot said with almost too much happiness. "I love you."
Optimus kissed the little mech's helm. "I love you too," he said quietly.
Sunspot turned and paused before Ironhide. Holding up his gift, he smiled. "Look, Atar! Look at what Uncle Optimus gave to me!"
Ironhide scooped up his son and kissed him. Holding him tightly a moment, he looked at Sunspot. "No one deserved it more, son," he said hugging Sunspot once more.
"Will you come to our party?" he asked. "Sunstreaker is making it all nice. We are going to have stories and things to eat. I'll save you a cookie," he said.
"You do that, son," Ironhide said with a husky tone. His emotions were squashed flat as he held his son. "I will be there. I'll always be there for you."
Sunspot looked at him for a moment, then lay his helm on Ironhide's shoulder. "I love you too," he said softly.
Ironhide would hold Sunspot until his group was ready to leave.
-0-At the prison
They watched the city nearby with all its festivities and traffic. It was clear that it was a major settlement with all manner of advantages. The idea of the Temple being restored, the relics included was an astonishing thing to consider. Prime was on the good side of Primus, Sentinel thought. But then, Primus had always favored that Prime over all the others. His own short reign was nothing on the scale of the achievement of Optimus.
He sat on a bench staring through the bars as the sun traversed slowly overhead. The orn would be long, the company dull and when the darkness finally came, the sound of rejoicing and fireworks from the air field would be another indication of his isolation.
Sometimes things just sucked.
-0-Here and there
Drift and Springer walked to the schools and made their way to where Santa Prime sat. Leaning against the wall, they stood watching, chatting with bots here and there as they did. Kup was standing across the way with Sandstorm watching as friends stood with their infants for their turn.
"This is fun," Springer said.
Drift nodded. "The infants are having a good time. So are their genitors."
Springer nodded. "This could have been us a while back."
"We were careless. I hear you can get that process short circuited. Ratchet did it for the trine. Most of them anyway."
Springer nodded. "You have to let Ratchet mess with your … dainty bits. You ready for that?" He glanced at his partner with a smirk.
"I let you. What's one more mech?" Drift replied with a smirk.
Springer snorted. "Alright."
Drift looked at him for a moment. "You serious?"
"Sure," Springer said watching as a little femme squeed back into her line. "I'll do it if you go first."
"No guts, no glory," Drift said looking at Springer with affection. "Leaders lead."
"Leaders delegate. You first."
They would banter and enjoy themselves until the last infant walked back to the elevator at last.
-0-In the Sparkling Day School, Group B
Bluestreak sat on the floor, two infants crawling over him as they clambered around enjoying themselves. The femmes were sitting on the floor perched on their knees. They had no understanding of what to do after that but they were trying. Sessions with their ada had made them capable of moving at least this much. "I wonder where Sunny is?"
"He's with Sunspot. He's going to stay with them until Tie and Ravie come up," Sideswipe said as he slipped his servo under Iacon's little belly. She tried to look at him to smile, but couldn't see him from her vantage. So she looked at her servos planted on the floor and grinned.
So did Bluestreak and Sideswipe.
-0-The Youngling Intermediate Day School
They came in, small lines of the older students reflecting the lack of volume in older students thus far in the system. All of them reflected their ages and greater maturity by their behavior. Prime nodded and a small Seeker femme walked to him halting uncertainly. He handed her a silver shimmering bag with a present inside. "Merry Christmas Surprise, Aurora. Welcome to Autobot City," he said.
She nodded. "Thank you, sir," she said. Then she turned and walked back, Rambler taking her place.
The youngling hugged his atar and took his gift, turning to pose with Optimus as Prowl and Ratchet took their pictures. They chatted a moment, then with a hug Rambler walked back to his line to wait. A small femme was next, receiving her gift from Prime. "Merry Christmas Surprise, Inspire. Welcome to Autobot City."
She grinned and nodded, looking at the bag with amazement. "Thank you, sir," she said. She returned to the line and when the last youngling was received, they all turned heading upward once again.
Prime looked at the others, watching as the empty pallets were stacked on a non-sentient truck from Specialty Fabrications-structural/scaffolding. It drove off when the last one was placed. "Where do we go now?" he asked the big mech standing behind him who was coordinating the show.
He leaned down and grinned. "The Vos Senior Center for the non school infants," he said.
Prime nodded and rose, glancing around to the spectators. "Time to take the ho-ho-ho on the road," Prime said with a grin. He turned and stretched, glancing at Prowl. "What ho, Prowl?"
Prowl referenced the expression and grinned. "What ho-ho-ho, Optimus," he said slipping his servo into Prime's. They turned, walking to the door and the short stop nearby for the rest of the city's most precious treasure: their youngest and oldest citizens.
=0=TBC
2012 (12)