The Diego Diaries: MORNING IS DAWNING LIKE THE FIRST MORN-OR-ORNING! (573) edited
-0-At the Temple of Doom
"You are on my ped."
"Sorry." Optical ridges waggled suggestively. "And what a fine ped it is."
"It is isn't it? By the way, look behind you."
Ironhide glanced over his shoulder spying four tiny mechanisms smiling up at him along with a tongue lolling dog wagging a tiny tail. "Aren't they cute and inconvenient."
"They are, both." Ratchet grinned down at them. They grinned back up at him.
"Is this allowed? Them watching and all?"
"You tell me, Elf. I'm just the ada here." Ratchet reached up for more presents on the top shelf of their closet cum gun safe.
Smoldering optics and not in a good way met that designation. "Slagger. That was your fault."
"No. That abomination belongs to Prowler alone," Ratchet said as he glanced at that mechanism's name sake who was lying on his belly on the big berth nearby trying to fly. Ratchet ignored the obvious clue to the infant's readiness for school. It was no fun making someone cry especially when it was Ironhide. He had forced the issue four times already. He wasn't up to doing it again. When Prowler was a sub adult perhaps, he, Ratchet would take him to Sparkling Day School but that was about what it would take. He grinned at Ironhide. "I think you're slagging cute in that hat. It sorta turns me on, Ironhide."
Ironhide glanced at Ratchet, then grinned smugly. "I am aren't I. It is a bit on the debonair side," he said.
Ratchet snorted, then grinned broadly as he stacked Ironhide to the gunnels with presents. "Debonair. That's you, Only One. Go. Put them under the trees."
Ironhide turned and carefully side stepped the infants who turned around to follow him out. In the living room, he put them down on the kitchen table, then looked at the now four tiny trees lining the window. "I think I like the big tree thing too, the one Prime has. It gives a lot of light."
"Keeping up with the Primes are we?" Ratchet said as he sat down on his chair, the forest green one next to the bright red one.
Ironhide snorted. "Those two slaggers need to keep up with me, IRONHIDE! SPARKER OF WILD AFT MEDICOS! ATAR TO EIGHT! COUNT THEM, EIGHT YOUNGLINGS!"
Ratchet snorted, then chuckled. "Virile old slagger, you are. Eight younglings and you only sparked four yourself. I am impressed, Only One."
Ironhide grinned at him as he took several presents, then walked to a tree to place them. "Should be, slagger. Putty in my servos."
Ratchet snickered as Ironhide turned to get more of their large stack of stuff. As he did, three sparklings descended on the ones under the trees. Spot and Sunspot stood watching with surprise. "Atar. Look," he said.
Ironhide turned to see Hero, Praxus and Orion standing among the presents, picking them up to look. He turned and removed them. "Not yet, slaggers," he said as he plucked them out of the shimmering delectable mass.
-0-Seconds later
They sat on the arm of Ratchet's chair, their sniffles loud as they watched their atar place the last present. Orion and Praxus were sucking their thumbs as they keened lowly. "Next time, we do this when they aren't looking, Ironhide."
"Ada, why can't we look at them? They are so pretty," Hero asked with a big weep of her own.
"You get to at Uncle Optimus and Uncle Prowl's house later, babies. We're going to see Santa Prime and get a present from him and his elves," Ratchet replied as the little femme leaning against his chassis with drooping wings whimpered sadly. "We want everyone here when we see what those things are don't we? Wouldn't your grand genitors to be sad if they missed your happiness would we?"
They all looked at him, then Orion slid off the arm of the chair. He turned and marched toward the door. Ironhide watched him, then turned toward the door too. "What are you doing, Orion?"
The tiny bot turned, then looked way up at his father. "ATAR! I GO GET OTHER ADA AND OTHER ATAR! THEY COME HERE! WE DO THIS!" he said pointing to the pile of shiny presents under the tiny trees.
"Smart little slagger isn't he," Ratchet said with a grin. "We better get going before they have a melt down. We can't have you miss your big moment, Ironhide."
With a grumping Only One who was secretly delighted at helping Santa Prime but would circle the Pit at high speed before admitting it, they gathered fussy protesting infants, donned them in coats and hats, then stowed them in their holds. Sunspot got pride of place on his father's arm as Spot took up his place beside them. They stepped out and rode down joining the masses for the short trip to the educational tower and the Youngling Day School.
They were closed for the holidays but opened to allow easy access to Santa Prime. The students would stay in their classrooms, have a party there provided by the schools, then go down for their gift by groups. After that, they were free to go. Infants from some of the small sects that had reached the colony would be there too, taking their place with their friends and neighbors including the Circle of Light Preparatory Academy, a religious pre-Youngling Day School care center for some of the Circle members.
When Sunspot was inside and on his way, they turned and nearly walked over the top of Prime, Prowl and Miracle. The little mechs had gone in ahead of them and the two were caught in an eddy of mechs and femmes coming and going. Joining them, Ironhide and Ratchet waited too.
"Well, you got up late too I see. That will teach you," Ratchet said with a grin.
"Do I hear whining? I hear whining from a whiner," Prowl said smugly as he held Miracle.
Ratchet plucked him free and snuggled his tiny aft. Miracle smiled, patting Ratchet's face. "Cutie. Come live with us if your old ada becomes even more insufferable than he already is."
Prowl smirked, then the group began to move. It would be a slow trip and a long wait for an orange train to take them to Terra.
-0-Terra
They stepped out of the underground station and moved with the crowds to the school tower nearby. It took a while to get inside but they made it to their floor. Neo who was gathering sparklings and directing adults with treats to the cafeteria nearby turned to walk toward them. Taking Miracle, she kissed him, then smiled. "When can we expect Santa Prime and his little elves?" she asked knowing full well when already.
"I'm surrounded by slaggers," Ironhide said with a grin.
"Don't look at me," Optimus said with his own grin. Though he was crabbing about the situation too, he was inordinately pleased to be the jolly old elf himself.
Infants were retrieved from holds and delivered to aides and teachers. When all were on their way to their classrooms, Prime and the group turned. They would have to swim against the tide to the school tower in Autobot City. It would be there that Santa Prime would begin his epic trek all around the city. But it would not be the first stop he had made on his journey.
-0-Earlier that same morning
He walked down the corridor with Ultra Magnus, the lights coming on with their movement. Standing at the open door of the command deck, Scamper grinned at them. "Merry Christmas Surprise, Optimus, Magnus."
"Merry Christmas Surprise, Scamper. Are you and the others going out to celebrate?" Optimus asked.
"I am. Hot Rod and the rest are coming by shortly. The others are staying in," Scamper said as he led the way inside. The room was lit up, the colorful interface of the great spark known as Metroplex filled with movement and flashes.
"Good morning and Merry Christmas Surprise, Metroplex," Optimus said as he paused before the panel.
"And to you, Optimus Prime, Magnus," Metroplex replied, his deep voice surrounding them. "I wish you the same good possibilities as well."
"There are going to be a lot of parties in your confines, Metroplex. I want to know if there is anything that I can do for you today," Optimus replied.
"I am most content. Thank you," Metroplex replied. "Maximus and I are very happy to have our brothers back with us. It is enough for us to have their company and know they are alive. They are anxious to host."
"We are anxious to have them do so. The lists for residency in their confines is overly long. There will be some who will have to wait for more of your siblings to arrive," Magnus said.
"They will come. I feel energy emerging in the universe," Metroplex said. "Metrotitan is reviving. The virus is removed and his remorse is great."
"If there is something we can do to help him, you merely have to ask," Prime said. "I am aware that you and he have had harsh times together in the past. I would assume that you will work that out?"
"We are," Metroplex said. "He is filled with remorse."
"I will speak to him," Optimus said.
"Thank you," Metroplex said with relief. "He will benefit from that and contact with the Matrix."
Prime nodded. "I will see him and the others. Right now, its very busy on the streets."
"I like this holiday, Prime," Metroplex said. "I like the beauty of the cities and the focus on the infants. This was a good addition from the humans."
"They asked to film you in their show, the one about our army," Magnus said. "I told them I would put their proposal to you and your decision would be final. You do not have to be a part of this, not you nor your siblings."
"Thank you," Metroplex said. "I will discuss it with Maximus. He is more tuned in to the aliens than me. I will give you an answer after consultation. Will they include the footage of the landings of my brothers?"
"Only with your consent," Prime replied. "I will not allow exploitation of anyone."
"Thank you. I will discuss it with them and Maximus."
They chatted a moment, then bade farewell. They would visit Fort Max and the others one by one, welcoming them into the city and the love and company of her people. They would spend time talking to a severely remorseful Metrotitan, then turn to walk back to the subway that would take them back to The City. The light would be breaking over the horizon when they did.
-0-Trine
They sat on the couches holding their infants who had just finished eating. A mountain of presents were arranged under the three trees that twinkled by the windows. Blue had cleared away the dishes and made up the berth rooms as the twins sat silently on their afts. He came from Uraya's room, then paused. Bob and Dawg were sitting on the couches by Sunstreaker as he held Kaon. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked with anxiety.
They looked at him. "Yes." They replied together.
Blue considered that, then walked to the couch joining Sideswipe. Taking Iacon, he settled her, then looked at the others. "Good. I think we need to press on."
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker looked at him, then the infants. "Relax, Babe. We got this," Sideswipe said with a grin. Uraya grinned up at him, then patted his face. He grinned at her, then kissed her forehead. "We better motor to the school. You going to stay for the party, Sunny?"
He nodded. "I have to help with it. You and me, Blue."
"What will you do, Sideswipe?" Blue asked.
"I'm going to find Santa Prime and his elves."
Bluestreak and Sunstreaker grinned. "Good."
-0-At the Educational Tower in The City
Huge pallets of boxes were driven into the huge open doors of the service entry of the Educational Tower. It was where the warehouses for the schools were located, both ground floor as well as several levels below, where all deliveries that couldn't be carried by the mail or messenger services were taken. Pallet after pallet stood waiting for Santa Prime. They would be moved into the huge lobby where he would sit on his 'throne' and hand them out with the help of his elves … the big surly one and the smaller snickering one.
The mechs of the Teamsters Union were managing the presents with the help of the Longshoreman's Union and volunteers of the Genitor-Teacher Association of Autobot City of which Sunstreaker and Ironhide were members.
Yes, wonders never cease.
Nearby entering the building, Optimus Prime followed by Prowl, Ratchet, Ironhide and several others related to the event joined all of the family including an excited Appa Ratchet for the great moment.
Jazz who was already there wearing his green hat jauntily grinned at Ironhide who was arguing with Ratchet about his own. He lost that one which internally he had only done to ensure that the masses knew his CHAOS BRINGING reputation was still intact. Putting on his own hat, he followed Prime to his throne. That big bot sat and put on his Santa hat. Grinning at all the individuals in the room, he looked fondly at his elves. "Stand at attention, Elves. You will enjoy this. That's an order."
That got all the slag it deserved and more.
-0-TBC January 2, 2014