The Diego Diaries: After The Ball Is Over (dd3 524)
-0-N.E.S.T. HQ, Autobot City, Mars
They finally arrived, then entered the airlock. As they did a large contingent of Hu-An were passing, their stoic exotic forms transfixing even to the humans who'd spent time on world. They walked along the sidewalk that ran beside the highway leading into the hinterlands. Their own habitat was behind the N.E.S.T. HQ, a spectacular lushly green filled space that rose into the heavens under a transparent dome ten times bigger than the N.E.S.T. HQ or the Science Habitat.
Once inside they walked to tables in the dining room to sit. It was silent a moment, then the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives looked at Morshower. "What the hell just happened?" he asked.
-0-After the shooting
Avor and 26 walked into the lobby of the Education Building in the Mare Tranquilitatis. Looking around, they noted that lines, short and tense were standing in three different places. A mech walked over to them. "Are you here to enroll your infants?"
They nodded. "We are. We were told they could go to school here."
"They can. In fact, its required," the mech said. "Come this way and we'll help you."
Glancing at each other, the two walked forward into the new future with their children.
-0-At the hangars
Xantium walked back toward the big hangar where he lived. It was night and all the crazy had been sorted out. He'd wanted to reach down and grab all of the shooters but the Watch and Army had them down before he could get there. He'd have to be faster. But partly, it wasn't his fault. When Grimlock had heard the shooting he'd transformed then began to run toward the scene in his reptilian format. It'd taken Xantium a bit of maneuvering to grab the T-Rex Grimlock before he could get too far away.
He held the bot who squirmed in his servo, then tapped his helm with a digit. Sitting on Xantium's servo with his bell rung, it was thus easier for Xantium to stow him in his carry hold like the recalcitrant sparkling he usually was. Only then was he able to do the task at servo.
When he reached his hangar, he opened his hold and pulled Grimlock out.
The Autobot was furious. "ME, GRIMLOCK NO LIKE THIS SLAG! ME, GRIMLOCK WANTED TO FIGHT! ME, GRIMLOCK FIGHTS GOOD!"
"You do," Xantium said. "But there was already too many guns there. You would've shot some of our guys if you'd been left to go."
"ME, GRIMLOCK, MAD AT XANTIUM!" the tiny mech fussed as he was held fast in the servos of one of the biggest mechs around.
Xantium brought Grimlock close to his own face. "Me, Xantium don't care."
They stared at each other, then Xantium put him down. "Recharge, slagger."
Grimlock looked up, way up at the big bot. "Me, Grimlock not tired."
"I am. I'm going to transform and you go inside, Grimlock. Got it?"
Grimlock stared at Xantium for a moment, then stepped closer. "Can I play video games?"
"For a while," Xantium said with a grin.
"Can Slag not come. Me, Grimlock not like Slag. He cheats."
Xantium laughed, then nodded. "Okay."
Grimlock smiled. "Me, Grimlock go inside."
With that, Xantium transformed, then dropped his ramp and opened his hatches. Grimlock walked up the ramp to disappear inside. When that was accomplished the process reversed as Xantium rolled slowly to his hangar.
Grimlock would play, then recharge in a room that Xantium made up just for him behind the flight deck. He wouldn't be seen until morning.
Nearby flapping up, then soaring downward Swoop exercised his long powerful wings. He was struggling to catch any updrafts in the cooling air of a swiftly gathering night so he glided down to Kappa's servo with grace and ease. Landing lightly, he chatted with her as she walked back to the hangars. She'd transform, he'd recharge in 'his room' and all would be good with the world.
-0-On the road to home
It was dark but there were still lots of individuals out. The cities beyond sparkled with lights as those who now had homes took advantage of their amenities.
"It's going to be really beautiful when the Christmas Surprise decorations go up," Ratchet said as he walked alongside Ironhide. The big mech's servo rested on the small of Ratchet's back, its usual place when they were wandering around.
"It will," Ironhide said in agreement. "You got all your presents?"
"Nope. I have feelers out there. I have to add a new youngster and youngster-in-law to the list, I just heard," Ratchet said smirking at Ironhide.
"How did you find out?" Ironhide asked with a grin.
"Springer let it slip out there," Ratchet said. "Mech was never the devious type."
Ironhide nodded. "Good to see Old Hercy. I have to draft him into the Home Guard as a drill instructor. That old mech knows his slag."
"He does. He looks good, that little mech," Ratchet said with a nod. "I'm sorry that I popped off, Ironhide. I couldn't help it. Something just cracked inside. I could almost hear it snap. I want to shake them. They'd have their boy still if they hadn't been so selfish. I guess I'll have to explain that one someday in the Matrix."
"We all have things to explain," Ironhide said as they crossed the street toward their district.
The Mare loomed before them with a forest of towers stretching out into the distance, the light of their habitations twinkling in the thin atmosphere.
"It sure is pretty at night."
"It is," Ratchet said as they reached their building. The lobby was empty as they found an elevator, then entered to go up quickly. At the 24th floor, they exited, ambling down the hallway to their apartment. Opening the door, they greeted Ravel and Tie Down. Hugs were had by all.
-0-In an apartment in Terra
Bar stood by the window looking out into the darkness, his optics seeing very little beyond the reflection of his own face in the mirrored surface. Dar was lying down, the weight of their son's loss grievous. A couple of mechs were there staying with them according to Cybertronian custom. The family would not be alone until they were able to find their footing. As long as it took, their clan, family or social group would be there.
It was the Cybertronian way.
The night waxed onward outside as the airfield cleared away the scene of battle. He stood at his window watching them, mourning his son as he wondered what life without a youngster would be like now. It was bitter ashes in his mouth.
-0-Prime Residence
Prowl sat on the couch wearily as his genitors and Prime's sat around him.
"This is a grievous orn," Kestrel said quietly. "I am sorry for everyone today."
Prowl nodded. "We are. It was lucky that none of you were hurt." He looked at his father. "I am sorry to dump you but I had to so you'd live. None of those we faced were amateurs."
"I know. Thank you, son. It was awful getting a glimpse of your life all these vorns. Our people will never be able to thank you for all you've done to save us and our civilization," Venture said quietly. "There can never be enough thanks."
It was quiet a moment, then the door opened.
Optimus walked in to the arms of his distraught Ada.
-0-Apartment 24/25, Tower 2, Autobot City, Mars
"ADA!"
"What?"
"WHERE YOU SHE? I YOU ME?"
Ratchet stared down at the tiny mech looking at him solemnly with a dollie in each little servo. He knew what Orion was saying but it was strange to hear complex accurate speech from their younger infants and disjointed semi babble from their oldest littlest youngster. "I was working."
Orion stared at him, then held up his arms.
Ratchet swooped him up hugging him tightly. "I missed you, too. I was working but maybe I can work out some time to play. When is weekend, Ironhide?"
Ironhide walked out of the berth room with a sparkling in each servo wrapped in a towel. "We just had it. This is the first orn of the week. Won't have another one in ten orns."
"Slag," Ratchet said as he swapped out Orion for Hero. He took Praxus as well as Ironhide walked into the wash room for the evening knock down drag out with the sparkling, or as normal families called it, bath time.
Ratchet walked to his green chair, then sat. Settling the pair on his lap, he tuned in to the hoo-hah in the other room.
"ATAR!"
"What?"
"OW ME!"
"I haven't touched you yet, slagger. You're just standing there."
"ATAR!"
"What?"
"WHY YOU ME!? I YOU ME! ADA YOU ME! I YOU ME, TOO!"
"What the … what are you blabbing about?"
The sound of water running raised the level of hoo-hah.
"ATAR! OW ME! YOU NOT GOOD! HURT ME!"
"I'm scrubbing your arm pits like I do all the slagging time. This sponge doesn't hurt. I got it at the pharmacy as a special order for cry babies."
"ATAR! YOU LOVE ME!?"
"Atar loves Orion."
"ATAR! YOU LOVE ADA!?"
(grin) "Most of the time."
"ATAR LOVE ADA! I LOVE ADA, TOO! I LOVE PAX! I LOVE HO-HO! I LOVE PO-PO! I LOVE POT!"
"You're a real lover boy aren't ya." (grin) "Hold still for the rinse."
"ATAR! HURT ME! I OW!"
"Hurt you, my aft."
The sound of water shutting off and a towel being fluffed was heard.
"ATAR! LOVE THIS! HOT!"
"I warm them for ya, slagger. Whine about that," Ironhide said as he walked out with a white cocoon in his servo. Peering out was a ginormously smiling little Ironhide face.
"ADA!"
"What!"
"ATAR LOVE YOU!"
Ratchet snorted, then added Orion to his lap garden. "Ada sort of likes old Atar most of the time himself."
Orion smiled gigantically as did Hero and Praxus. Across the way working on his letter to his pen pal, Sunspot smiled, too.
Ironhide looked at him. "Ready for a spritz, sport?" he asked.
"I am, Atar," Sunspot said hopping down. He raised his arms as Ironhide picked him up. Hugging Ironhide tightly, he relaxed against his father's shoulder. "I hate it when you and Ada aren't home. Are you home now?"
"I think so, son," Ratchet said with a nod. "We'll spend time with all of you. Where's Prowler?"
Ironhide patted his hold. "Saving the smallest for last," he said as he walked to the wash racks once more.
"Atar likes to help us, Ada," Hero said from her little cocoon. She smiled brilliantly as the other two joined her.
"He does," Ratchet said holding his servo in front of his face. "I think I could go blind from all your smiling and cleanliness. What fine little sparklings you three are."
They smiled bigger.
"Atar?" Sunspot said, his voice drifting out of the wash rack.
"What, son?" Ironhide asked.
"Can we wash Spot?"
"Sure. Spot!"
The sound of a dog hopping off a boy's bed, then sprinting to the wash rack was heard. "You soap him off and I'll rinse him," Ironhide was heard to say.
And he did.
-0-TBC November 21, 2013 12-22-2020
Happy Creation Day to Zeng Xiao Long Sunstar Crystal tomorrow. There will indeed be more sparkling goodness tomorrow when you have your orn. Hugs from all the sparklings to you and yours on your great day.
NOTES: Thank you, Guest for catching the continuity errors. I am putting my mountain of notes on a program for writers called WriteItNow. It will have everyone and everything eventually with the ability to recall what I want made completely easy. But it will take a while. :D I will make those changes tomorrow. THANK YOU!
DINOBOT NOTES FROM TF Wiki
Transformer aesthetics consider Swoop's format to be horrifying. He considers this feeling among others among his greatest weapons. His form actually creates fear in others.
Most if not all of the Dinobots hate Optimus Prime and Grimlock is said to be willing to off Prime if he could get away with it. He and the others are not as dumb in some universes as they are in the cartoons.
Slag is the baddest actor and he hates everything and everyone. He will mouth off at Grimlock too. He will fight anyone over anything at any time and cheat. He's 'disturbingly violent' according to the wiki and hates Prime deeply. Because of this, like Soundwave among the Decepticons, if he gets too fragged up no one will come to save him. He really hates humans.
Sludge and Slag hate Prime the most. Sludge believes the strongest should lead and that's Grimlock. He genuinely loves the Autobot cause so he tolerates Prime. He's not as nice and friendly as Swoop but he comes in second ahead of the others. He is also the dumbest, like in has to wear an iPod that tells him to 'breathe in, breathe out' dumb. He keeps his thoughts to himself but likes to fight.
Snarl hates his format (Stegosaurus). Profoundly unhappy, loner, loves war to distraction. Happiest only there. Loves war more than any other Autobot alive. Misses Cybertron so much it breaks his spark. Salves it in war.
FUN GROUP. TF Wiki calls them the 'boy band of the Autobots'. I love that. You can't say it enough. :D