The Diego Diaries: Down Time 3 (265) edited for boo boos :D
-0-In the optic of the storm
"Ironhide." Ratchet held the big mech's helm in his servos and looked at him pointedly. "Calm down."
Ironhide paused willing himself to calmness which he didn't feel. "Alright."
"We have our plan. We need to execute it now," Ratchet said letting go of his helm.
"Alright." Ironhide just stood staring at Ratchet. Ratchet grinned and sent the text message alert to all the hithertofor agreed upon individuals: Alor, not Blackjack, Tie Down, not Ravel, Bluestreak, hell the frag no, twins, Prowl, not Prime, Venture, not Miler and Wheeljack, Perceptor and Gypsy. She would tell her team.
He turned and looked out the door. No one was up so he tip toed to the sparklings' rooms. All three were recharging angelically in their cribs and big boy berth. Turning, tiptoeing with Ironhide behind him, he looked into Sunspot's room. The tiny Seeker was curled around his dog, Spot lying very still on his side of the big berth. He looked up and wagged his tail. Ratchet pulsed him warmth, then stepped out turning to bump his face into Ironhide. Pushing that big bot backwards to the living room, Ratchet paused as a soft rap on the door was heard. Opening it, he let in the sitters, a pair of sweet femmes from the University neurosurgical program. "Come in, sweet things."
"Ratchet, you're separating?" Geenie asked with excitement.
"I am. We have a new thing to tell you about," Ratchet said leading the femmes silently to the berthroom of Sunspot. :That is Sunny's service dog, Spot. He looks ferocious but he has a spark of gold. Sunny will take care of him. Prepare to be licked on the face, he's such a nice dog," Ratchet said smirking.
They looked at the dog who looked at them and internally filed them in the 'no threat' folder in his processor. Then he lay back down to recharge. Turning, pausing as Ironhide backed out again, they walked to the living room once more.
"I don't know how long this will take. I don't think long. But the infants have to go to school so you won't be all day long. Ironhide will be back or someone in the family because we're still waiting word on whether Spot can go to school with Sunspot and be his service dog. Someone will have to go with them and help explain to the younglings that Spot is safe, loving and has to be a working dog for Sunny."
They nodded, their expressions enthralled. "We understand."
Ratchet grinned and hugged them both. "You two are so adorable." With that, he turned and walked out the door with a silent intensely emotional Ironhide behind them. Doing that, they nearly were run over by Alor, Blackjack, Tie Down and Ravel.
"RATCHET! HOW DO YOU FEEL?!" -all four of them.
Ratchet snorted. "Fine. This is number four you know. Ironhide is the one who needs the love."
They looked at Ironhide who looked to be circling somewhere at the end of the WTF!-OMG! scale. His father straightened up and drew upon reserves he really didn't feel. "Get yourself together, Ironhide."
His son looked at his father and straightened. "Okay."
With that and Ratchet's loud laughter, they turned walking to the elevator and the short stroll next door to the Hospital Tower.
-0-Prime and Prowl
"Hurry, Optimus," Prowl said. He grinned in spite of himself. Ratchet had said this sparkling would be named after him. He wondered if Ratchet knew the full extent of doing that. He probably did, Ratchet was that end of the awesome scale. Standing by the door, Prowl waited as Optimus explained to the sitter all the nuances of their family routine. Turning, walking to the quivering winger standing at the door, he headed out with a big grin.
-0-At the emergency room at Metroplex
They stood beside the medberth smirks firmly in place. Even through they weren't on duty, dinner at Maccadam's Old Oil House had been not only tasty but the floor show was stunning. Two mini-cons over too many maxi drinks had a difference of opinion on the playoffs coming up. They had stood up, slammed each other with fists, then proceeded to toss each other here and there. After landing on the middle of their dinner table, Drift had picked up one by the ped while Springer grabbed the other by the neck. They dripped energon so the two walked to the hospital nearby to drop them off. As they did, they heard about Ratchet. Walking to the Separation Center on the third and top floor of the hospital, they settled into the waiting room for the fun.
-0-Wheeljack and Perceptor
They walked into the Separation Center, a tiny box in servos. Pausing to shoot the shit with Drift and Springer, telling them of the miracle of dogs, they continued onward entering the room where the other miracle would happen. Gypsy and the femme team were already there and the place was ready. Laying the box on the table nearby the berth, Wheeljack paused a moment before opening the lid. The femmes looked at him, then the protoform when the lid was lifted.
They stared at the incredibly beautiful little protoform inside it, then Gypsy looked at Wheeljack. "Ratchet is brilliant. What a beautiful little protoform."
Wheeljack nodded. "I agree," he said with a grin. Then he put the lid back on.
-0-Trine
They stood around the sitter as Bluestreak filled them in. Both of the twins were itching to leave and when they did, they both lifted Bluestreak by the arms, transformed from ped to wheel and buzzed to the hospital in jig time, Bluestreak's yelling notwithstanding.
-0-Miler and Venture
They hurried from the tower and walked to the corner, the jog to the hospital a short one from Vos Tower. "This is so exciting, Venture. The infant is going to be so small compared to the others."
"I know," Venture said taking Miler's servo into his own. "I love newborns."
"I do too," Miler said as they disappeared into the evening crowds.
-0-Jessie Landon
She yelled, then turned pausing before the crowd staring at her. The Defense Secretaries/Generals of Germany, the United Kingdom, France and America along with the Secretary General of the United Nations, General Morshower, Colonel Fulton, the entire N.E.S.T. Team on duty here, Sam, Mikaela, a couple of newbies who newly arrived that day to work on the possibility of a permanent human habitation, several scientists, Warren Roberts, his aides and several filmmakers including Leonora Huttle looked at Jessie.
She jumped up and down. "RATCHET IS GOING TO SEPARATE!"
Half the room understanding what that meant ran for the air lock, the stampede epic to see. When they entered and the door closed to pressurize, the remaining humans glanced at each other. "What is he separating into?"
Lola and Cindy Teasdale coming out of their near coma at the news rose in their seats nearly upending the table. "SPARKLINGS! RATCHET IS GOING TO HAVE A SPARKLING!" -both
(Cindy) "What the fuck are we doing standing here?"
(Lola) "How the fuck do I know why? Let's go!"
With that, the two blasted off racing for the air lock with the rest of the scientists who had come out of shock at the same time. They stood chattering excitedly as the air lock closed. The remaining humans, the secretaries or generals including the UN one just sat puzzled.
-0-At the hospital
By the time Ratchet and entourage arrived everyone was there waiting. All of the in-laws and a few of the out laws applauded as he walked in, his swurve intact even as his chassis felt like a flame thrower was trying to get out from the inside. He paused and bowed slightly, then continued onward to Gypsy and Cambo who were calling to him to come. Ironhide followed like a zombie, shuffling after Ratchet with the usual wretched expression on his comical face.
Following behind in two waves, half the human population of Mars arrived. They would find their place along the walls, Jessie getting pride of place inside on a shelf over Ratchet's berth and all settled to wait. It would be a hilarious time once Kup arrived.
News traveled fast.
-0-In the city, earlier that evening
He walked along the street taking in the city. It had been so long since he was in an actual Cybertronian urban area that this felt completely unreal. He had lived in Iacon and had been in all of the most important and exclusive enclaves that Cybertron could boast all of his adult life. He was extremely beautiful and he knew it. His paint scheme was exquisite and his manner admirable. He was a polished jewel, wanted and admired all of his life. Mechs wanted him and he was available for the right price if you had the right connections. He was educated, refined and able to have a captivating conversation with anyone. He walked along the street looking at the miracle all around him and wondered what he would do now. As he did, he didn't notice someone watching him, someone who could spot someone like him in complete darkness.
Barricade was on his way back to the prison for the night. He had spent his orn playing cards with fools who liked danger, walking around the city admiring the scene and searching the crowds for anyone he might know even accidently. He had enjoyed watching high castes having to wait in line behind lower and mid castes. That never got old. He had lunch with Scorponok and Stiletto, both of them equally intrigued by the newcomers. Now he was on his way to the lock up and across the street he spotted the unmistakable form and figure of the first pleasure bot he had seen in the city. This one was a high class expensive escort, someone who would have never looked twice at him on Cybertron. He watched that bot walk down the street until he disappeared. Then he turned and walked with a bemused expression toward the prison, guards in tow. Things had just gotten interesting.
At last.
-0-In the Separation Center, Femme, Youngling and Elder Hospital, Autobot City, Mars
He sat in an easy chair that was heated. The warmth was soothing and even the sparkling was enjoying it. It was a new therapy that Gypsy was trying to great success. She sat rubbing his peds and shooting the slag as everyone in the room found a place to sit. All of the usual suspects were inside including genitors, in-laws, younglings and committed friends. Prowl pulled up a chair and sat next to Ratchet. "How do you feel?"
"My aft is warm. I recommend this new therapy, Prowler. I think for the next three from you or Optimus make sure you use this chair. I am going to recommend it to Sideswipe and Ironhide when its their turn."
That got the slag it deserved and everyone settled down staring at Ratchet. He stared back and grinned. "If I had known I would be stared at this much I would have done something to my makeup." He grinned. "I feel pretty somehow."
That got the slag it deserved too. Prowl grinned. "You said this one would be named after me, right?" he asked with a whisp of hopefulness in his voice.
Suppressing his 'awww' response like everyone else in the room, Ratchet nodded. "That's the only thing I'm giving away. I told you, Prowl, the next one would be named for you. Prowler."
"That's so sweet, Ratchet. I love Prowl's name myself," Miler said. Everyone had an internal 'aww' moment. "Don't you love it, Venture?" He nodded and joined everyone in the room for another internal 'awww' moment.
"I see that you get your cuteness from your ada, Prowl" Ratchet said. Then he flinched and bellowed. Everyone sat jangling like live wires when he settled back. "That smarted."
Everyone nodded silently.
-0-Outside in the waiting room
"Slag. That sounded painful." Drift looked at Springer. "I will hold your servo while you scream."
"Dream on, slagger," Springer said with a smirk.
"Did I ever tell you, Kup, that Springer thought he was sparked a while back. He broke into the Emergency room and stole a scanner. He wasn't sparked," Drift said, "but I was prepared to hold his servo and afterward make him an honest mech."
Everyone snorted as Kup nodded. "I remember that. You younglings got no sense. There are ways to prevent that."
"Yeah, but celibacy isn't one of them," Springer said glancing at his mentor and all around drinking buddy.
"Celibacy isn't my problem either," Kup said champing on his stogie. "Never was, never will be."
"As long as you have a light socket and a steady servo, you will be alright," Springer said patting Kup's leg.
Slag out the wazoo met that remark.
-0-Inside in the separation room
"They're having a party out there, Ironhide. You can go and offer all your experience in the sparking department to those sparklings out there. Although if memory serves me, Springer and Drift have got that covered," Ratchet said to Ironhide who had moved a chair to the other side of his own. "Four sparklings in what? Three Terran years? That's pretty virile to me."
Ravel shook his helm. "Ratchet, you should know better than to talk like this in mixed company. I didn't raise you to be this kind of sassy."
Ratchet glanced at his little ada who sat with a look of disapproval on his sweet little face. "No. I learned that on my own." A huge pain cut off further discussion as Ratchet groaned loudly through it. It would take a while for this sparkling. Or as Ironhide was inclined to say: "WHAT THE FRAG IS TAKING SO LONG!?"
-0-TBC
2013 (4)
ENVY: ARGH! Get well soon, honey bun. I am sorry to hear you haven't felt well. I am sending battalions of good cheer and healing energy your way. I love all dogs but pits have a soft Spot in my heart. :D I hope my next dog is a pit rescue, an old dog who needs love before he checks out to the Matrix. I love that you love my :D I love Vegeta. His irritation with Goku is killer funny. I love them all. Cell is so awful he's awesome. I don't like Freiza though. There is nothing good to like about him. The penpal thing is epic. I will do that. Perhaps it can be in the Chronicles part too. Take care and get well, honey.
LEONESS: Service dogs are gods to me. Dog spelled backwards in god and I don't think its accidental. :D :D :D Petey was so beautiful. I thought a pit needed to be the dog. They are so wonderful. HUGS, Leoness!