The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 32 (Edited for boo-boos) :D
-0-In a conference room in a school tower
Roto grinned. "Let's talk about Orion now," he said.
They all stared at him intently, each of them filled with either massive angst or joy at the prospect of hearing about the mad little hoodlum of apartment 24. Roto looked at his information and grinned.
"I am happy to say he only got the Chairs of Doom ™ twice this learning period."
Ratchet actually grinned. "That's pretty good. Right, Ironhide? He has improved."
Ironhide whose own optics were twirling in relief nodded. "He has. Little mech is getting better."
"He is," Roto said. "He's been under behavior modification since he started school and because he's more on the ball, more aware and more tuned in, he's actually applying techniques that we have been teaching him. He comes for help. He asks. He understands more readily his own greater strength. Best of all, he's a very good little mech who just loves everyone."
"What about hugging a sparkling? Does he do that the right way?" Ironhide asked.
"He does. Sometimes he forgets. He will grab someone to hug, then catch himself. That's new for him. He catches himself and lets go. There isn't a mean bolt in his chassis. He's just immensely strong."
"Praxus is optimal too," Alor asked. "Is this a problem for him as well?"
"It will be a problem for them until the other babies catch up but Praxus has a different personality than Orion. He's gentler and more tuned in to other sparkling's feelings. He is less likely to go with the moment and let himself grab and love. He's loving but more reserved … that's not the right word … more sensible and polite." Roto grinned. "Both sparklings have great manners. Praxus is just less likely to be as wildly demonstrative about it on the fly," he explained as anxiety filled the optics of everyone at the table.
Ironhide nodded. "He means well. He's just strong. I wanted him to be able to protect himself and his siblings. You never know what the future can bring. Not that he's going to be a soldier. He isn't."
Everyone nodded including Alor and Blackjack who had been soldiers like their genitors ad infinitum. Ironhide was given a choice and he followed the family business. Orion wouldn't have that choice. None of the sparklings would. They would all see to it.
"How is The Feud?" Ratchet asked with dread.
"Well. They have developed their own friendships and when they are in groups, they get along. They mostly still don't like each other but they are polite. I think Revo and Heva are as diligent as you all are about that."
"You can't choose everyone in your life, Mr. Roto. Our sparklings must learn to be kind and get along with others. That way they will have a happy life. Being contrary is not the path for our babies," Ravel said with a thread of stern intent in his soft sweet voice.
Everyone smiled and nodded. Ratchet squeezed his ada's servo.
"That's what I think. Too bad it didn't take with Ratchet," Ironhide said smiling down at his diminutive father-in-law.
Ravel grinned up at Ironhide. "It didn't take with you either."
Guffaws broke the moment and they all relaxed. Roto chuckling turned to the monitor. "Let's look at the videos now."
The videos included a bit of swimming on his belly, a haphazard sinking affair mostly as a plucky black sparkling splashed in a sort of swimming way across the pool, his face bobbing above the water as he 'swam' resting on the servo of Mr. Roto. They also included him trying to spy play doh that somehow got smashed on his butt, walking in circles until he fell down dizzy.
He was shown playing sweetly, listening with an incredibly laser like focus to stories being read, puppets being shown and short videos showing this and that thing. Roto paused the video. "I can't emphasize enough how focused this sparkling is to things being presented to him. He loves being read to, watching things that are interesting and puppets? He even talks to them when they're in their boxes. He really loves the puppets."
"He's always watching and listening when I read to Sunspot every night or when we go over homework. That's my job," Ironhide said with an almost impossible pride. "Little mech listens really hard and watches when we do that. Praxus too. Can't say if Hero does yet. She's still very small."
Ratchet smirked. "She's huge and ready, wimpy."
"Not yet," Ironhide countered. "Little femme still hasn't had all the advantages."
They all took a moment for 'awwww', then Roto began again, a big grin on his face. "He's absorbing information as fast as he can and he's really thrilled to learn. He's also pretty much potty trained. He's got his number named and actually uses the proper facilities."
"That's good," was the general commentary among the group as they looked at each other happily. Then they turned and looked at Roto with the same laser like focus as a tiny black sparkling of his acquaintance. Roto grinned and began again.
The films continued. Finger painting, riding in the wagon to visit the Day/Night Watch station in their new town. Playing in the park-like center of Terra under the guise of picking up stuff that didn't belong there. Rocks and good stuff were turned in to the aides and teachers along with the odd scrap of trash. Things were returned to their proper places, sparklings in tow to complete a teachable moment.
Images of Orion dancing, like the images of Praxus were exclaimed over, the smiles for Orion as bright and delighted as they were for Praxus. Music was a hoot. He sat on his tiny chair, a pair of cymbals in servo. He watched like a hawk for his turn, the teacher pointing to him at last. Clapping the tiny cymbals was harder than it looked but he managed. Walking in lines, skipping and jumping, getting tiny chairs out, putting tiny chairs up, sitting at tables for snacks, art, dexterity games and all around hanging out were also shown.
It nearly put Ironhide in vapor lock.
HIS LITTLE MECH WAS DOING AWESOME! JUST LIKE HIS BROTHER!
When the videos were over, the data came.
"Orion is very advanced for his age. I was wondering when the point would come when he would reach equilibrium with the rest of the sparkling population. At some point, I wondered if he would be caught up to or not. I don't think so, at least for now. He's had a lot of attention, adults and stimulation. He hasn't had trauma, been a refugee or starved. He's never been afraid, shot or alone. That has given him a huge advantage and we are seeing it among a few of the homegrown sparklings over the refugee babies.
"Orion is ahead in all categories of measurement. Even Praxus is not going at his pace but then Orion's personality is different than Praxus'. He's curious, smart and brave. He has no fear. That is good and bad. He walked off the edge of the pool the first time he went there because he had no fear. He will try things and meet people with a smile. Hopefully, he will be able to moderate as he grows up.
"His speech is off the hook. He's so young for such vocabulary. But then, he has had plenty of parental attention and no traumas. He's got the language skills of older sparklings, is organizing full sentences and growing his vocabulary every day. He still has tense problems. He calls Hero She or Her. Its going to take care of itself. Enjoy the cuteness while it lasts.
"His abilities don't break down along different areas, math or language or whatever. He's up to snuff in all the cognitive areas. He's a smart little mech who likes to learn. He's also been terribly helpful lately. I think having grand genitors has helped him a lot. I don't see deficits in this baby. He's on or ahead of schedule in the learning areas and is much improved in the social arena.
"He's doing good." Roto handed them packets of work, pictures Orion had made with finger paint and 'cut and paste'. He had a silhouette and a plaster servo print that Tie Down would replicate in stainless steel for everyone. All of his work was explained and exclaimed over.
"Well, that's a relief. What do we need to do to help you, Roto? Let us know," Ratchet asked.
"Do what you're doing," Roto said with a nod.
Ratchet nodded back. Looking at Ironhide, he reached over and popped his hold. Slipping Hero out, he slid the baby toward Roto. "What do you think? Ready to go to school or does she need more time with old mech?"
Ironhide blanched, glancing at Ratchet with an intense expression of the deepest betrayal not seen on an Ironhide-like face since Orion was a baby. "What?!"
"What do you think, Roto?" Ratchet persisted.
Hero looked up at the new face peering over her and smiled back at it. She waved her arms as she lay on her Daffy Duck blanket wearing a Daffy Duck hat and booties. The little sweater that she wore buttoned up to her chin was new. Roto looked at Ironhide. "You got the memo I see," he said with a smile.
Ironhide shot a triumphant glance at Ratchet. "I did. Some of us did. Some of us really pay attention to the school and Femme Hospital bulletins."
Ratchet smirked slightly. "I love her little outfits, Ironhide. Did you get the message about the little mechs' hats arriving at the Requisition Center yesterday?"
"No," Ironhide said with a slight frown. "Might have told me. The warmer they are, the better they grow. Schools said so." He looked at Hero and grinned. "I think she looks beautiful."
An 'awww' moment was had with copious amounts of agreement. Then Roto leaned down and kissed Hero. "I would say she has a bit more to go, Ratchet. After all, we are talking about the advantages."
Snickers greeted that as Ironhide slid his daughter back. She lay on her blanket, her Daffy Duck hat, booties and sweater a pretty contrast against the satin of her black infant armor. "You're the prettiest femme in the room."
Ratchet leaned on Ironhide's arm. "She's the only femme in the room."
"The rest left because they can't compete," Ironhide said as he wrapped her up and settled her in the crook of his arm.
"You exceed expectations, Ironhide," Alor said with a touch of pride.
"He does," Blackjack said rising.
They gathered the piles of work in the carry case that went with it, the one with their infant's glyphs and art all over it for decoration. Disks of videos were handed over as well, disks that would be copied for everyone's personal files. Thanking Roto profusely, they turned and walked out passing a number of individuals who were waiting for their turn. Prime and his mob were already inside getting the 411 on Miracle.
Easing out of the happy crowd, they took the elevator to the train platform and gathered to wait for the one that would take them to the city. Blackjack looked at Ironhide, who was grinning at his daughter who was grinning back at him. "The infants did a great job. I'm proud of them and I'm proud of you, Ratchet and Ironhide. You do a great job being genitors."
Ravel nodded. "There is no more important job to do, son." Tie and Alor nodded.
Ratchet grinned. "We had great examples," he said just as their train arrived. They all stepped inside and disappeared into the tunnel that would take them to the city and Sunspot's school.
-0-Nearby
"He's a wonderful little mech. He's very bright and learns quickly. He's getting ahead of the curve on his vocabulary. He doesn't use it much."
"He doesn't have to," Optimus said with a grin. "He just points and the other three mechs get what he wants."
Mr. Ab-3 chuckled. "That happens. You might tell them to let him ask first. I can see why it would be easy to do this for him. He's very sweet and happy, this little mech."
Prowl sat listening with a laser focus as the word of his son's progress was laid out. Miracle was gifted with art, generous with his toys, played beautifully with others, liked math because counting 'seemed to be fun', shared with anyone who looked sad whatever was in his servo at that moment, took his nap like a champion, had more words for his age than he should have, liked to write as well as cut and paste, and loved everyone. No one was a stranger.
"Having older mechs for brothers is a gift for a sparkling like this. He's so smart, he will pick up things and given that your three older children are smart and lovely, he will benefit. Having grandgenitors like you," he said nodding to Miler and Venture who were listening and recording as he talked, "is a wonderful benefit for our infants. I don't see any deficits in this sparkling. I see great potential in the arts and mathematics. Reading is hard to assess at this age but the markers we look for to assess readiness and success are all there.
"He can dog paddle in the pool, has no fear of water, likes to walk and ride in the wagon and play. He's a great all around bright, good sparked little sparkling."
They sat a moment absorbing that, then Prowl leaned forward. "He's a recipient of excellent teachers and teaching. I can't thank you enough, you and the little mechs' teachers. You make me so happy to know that they will have a world class education."
Venture nodded. "Such a wonderful school. It exceeds even the schools that Prowl attended. I am so happy to work here as well. Both Miler and I are."
"We are happy to have you," Ab-3 said with a smile. "Are there any questions?"
They all looked at each other and grinned. "Nope," Optimus said with a nod. "I'm happy. Are you happy?"
"I am," Miler said with a chuckle. He rose and so did Venture. They watched as Prowl gathered the bounty of their baby into the decorated portfolio that would keep it all together. He grinned. "Thank you, AB. If there is anything we can do or you need, let us know."
AB-3 rose and nodded. "I will," he said as they turned and walked out of the door. He smiled as he watched them go. He was the primary teacher of a Prime sparkling. It didn't get much better than this.
-0-On the platform
Prime, Prowl, Venture and Miler walked to the platform to wait for a train. It was festive at the school station stop and everyone reflected that. Standing nearby waiting for his own, his guards in evidence, Barricade watched them as they entered a train. The doors closed and it left, leaving him behind both figuratively and literally.
"Story of my life," he thought sourly. Then his train came and he left too.
-0-TBC
2013 (2)