The Diego Diaries: Himself, the Elf (575) edited
-0-At the Santa Ball
Sunspot stood smiling at Prime and his father, then he held up the datapad to read. "Dear Santa Prime and your elves ..." He looked up again and smiled brilliantly at the group watching him, some of them at the point of tears. Elf Ironhide nearly burst with pride at his son. "We would like to thank you for all that you do for us at Christmas Surprise. You like to help the children and the children love you." He paused. "I LOVE YOU!"
The crowd watching included all of the humans that were from the Habitat, the families who were from Earth, the sportscasters who were getting a few days to look around and the soldiers who were always here. Bob Costas turned to Will Lennox. :Who is that little guy?:
:That is Sunspot. He's Ironhide and Ratchet's adopted son. He's a Seeker who was a soldier for the 'Cons. He's a good little baby who is working to overcome a lot of problems he didn't ask for. Fuck Megatron:
Bob Costas looked at Lennox, then the tiny Seeker who was reading from a datapad. :Won't get an argument from me: he said quietly. Everyone around him nodded. They continued to listen to the translation over their comm systems.
"We work hard every orn going to school and getting teachings for our futures. We love our teachers and our genitors. We try to be good like you say. NO ONE WANTS COAL IN THEIR STOCKINGS!" he said with a giant smile.
Laughter and clapping greeted that remark. Then he began again.
"Mr. Terradive is our teacher and we love him. He let us make this sign for you. If we can give it to you we will be very happy." He looked up and smiled, datapad in servos. Apparently, the spoken part of their presentation was done.
Optimus Prime leaned forward, then caressed Sunspot's cheek. "I would love to have it. My elves will be happy to take it so we can hang it up. Thank you, Sunspot, Mr. Terradive and everyone in your class. You have made me and my elves here," he said glancing at them with a grin, "very happy."
The elves smirked, then stepped forward taking the banner gently. "What a fine banner this is," Ironhide said looking down at the tiny infants who smiled up at him, AN ACTUAL ELF OF SANTA PRIME! Taking it back to where he stood, he handed it to Herling who with another teacher would hang it up behind Santa Prime for all to see. The children watched, then smiled.
"I think this class needs their presents," Optimus Claus said with a grin. "Ope," he said as an ecstatic little femme stepped forward. She had come to the colony at death's door but was now a thriving little femme with a great grasp for writing just like her father, Nitro. She hugged Optimus, stood for a picture with him and her genitors, then walked happily back to the line.
"Spirit," Jazz said handing a present to Optimus.
He came running, then hugged Optimas's leg. He took the present, then paused. Leaning forward, he whispered, "Santa Prime … you look just like my atar."
Prime who blinked, then leaned forward charmed by his little boy. "I hear that sometimes."
Spirit smiled up at him, then hopped back to the line.
"T-Bar."
He ran to Optimus, then hugged him tightly. Glancing over his shoulder, he smiled at his father leaning in closely. "Atar … Spirit doesn't know that you are filling in for Santa Prime. He thinks you are him," he whispered.
Optimus finding out how lovely the thinking of children could be nodded, then leaned in closely. "That will be our secret."
T-Bar smiled, then took his present. Kissing his father, he turned and ran back to the line.
"Sunspot."
Sunny marched forward with great purpose and confidence, Spot following. He paused, then looked at Prime with intense love and emotion. "I LOVE YOU, SANTA PRIME! I NEVER GOT PRESENTS BEFORE COMING HERE! YOU ARE SO NICE TO ME!"
The room fell quiet as Optimus hugged the sweet little Seeker. "Who could not love you, Sunspot."
"I TRY TO BE GOOD! I HAVE A DOG NOW! I DIDN'T LAST TIME! SPOT IS MY FRIEND!" Sunspot looked at Santa Prime without guile.
Prime looked at him with wonderment. "You are good. Remember that, Sunspot."
"I WILL TRY!" he said with almost too much happiness.
Optimus took the present, then handed it to Sunspot. Ironhide who was emotional and silent handed another one he had pulled from subspace. Prime took it, then handed it to Sunspot. "I GET TWO!?" Sunspot asked with surprise.
Prime glanced at Ironhide. Ironhide looked from Prime to Sunspot. "That one is for Spot. Santa said so."
Sunspot smiled brilliantly. Then he looked at Spot holding his present out for the dog. He took it gently in his mouth. "LOOK SANTA PRIME! SPOT HAS HIS PRESENT! THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR GIVING MY DOG A PRESENT TOO! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!"
Ironhide grinned. "It is with you, youngling."
Sunspot looked up at Ironhide. "YOU ARE SO GREAT HELPING SANTA PRIME, ATAR! YOU MAKE THE BEST ELF EVER!" With that, he turned and walked back to the line where he was surrounded by friends who turned with him to watch more.
The other children came forward taking their presents, their happiness contagious. The crowds including individuals who had no children and had never seen Santa Prime stood taking pictures, talking, smiling and enjoying themselves. Some of them were sub adults and pre-school infants who would get a present at the Central Labor Hall later that morning.
When the last present was gifted, the wrangler of the whole project, Bulkhead smirked at Optimus. "You need to head over to the Sparkling school. We will bring this over and we can go from there."
Optimus stood up, thanked the crews, then turned to his own. "Let's roll out."
Moving through the snarking joking crowd, the senior Autobots began to make their way to Metro Station #1 nearby. It would take a while to get there and to wait for an orange train that could hold them but they managed. Away they went to Terra.
-0-Out there
Paragon stood at the command table of his ops center. Around him, all of his mechs worked hard. Arrow sat at the table, his arms crossed, his optics fixed on his bond. :Are you going to tell me what is on your processor or do I have to play 20 questions?:
Paragon glanced at him, then paused. :Tell me what you think it is:
:I think you are shaken by what you saw. That you have come to some kind of conclusion that to oppose Prime is to oppose Primus or some such slag. I think you aren't clear anymore what we can or should do:
Paragon looked at Arrow, at the love of his life, the only mech who ever was able to pierce the hard shell of his emotional control to see inside who he actually was. :You are prescient:
:I am: Arrow stood. :Walk with me. Let us sort this out:
Paragon followed the big Seeker as he led the way to their quarters. They entered, the door shutting. Arrow sat waiting as Paragon stood considering their predicament. "Well?" he asked.
Paragon looked at him. "You should have seen it, the colony. It is the most Cybertronian place I have been since the Fall. There are at least six city-formers there. There are more than six or seven Supremes. They have about fifteen cities either finished and connected or in the process of being so. Their industrial base is impeccable. They have a lot of bridges including a Trigger. That device is fed from the ground which means they have a plasma chamber and geo-synchronous energon bridge to feed it. They have bases all over the place, some in the system and out. Tens of thousands of Decepticons live there peacefully, many of them in the Autobot Army now.
"I wish you could have seen the plenty. I wish you could have seen the luxury. There is no system there. Everyone is equal, everyone works, everyone lives in a good way."
"It sounds like the Matrix," Arrow said. "Or at least what Primus and the Pantheon envisioned for us back in the orn."
Paragon nodded. "There are two stadiums for sports. They hold over 200,000 each and more are planned. There are real museums, a huge public library, habitats for allies and the Temple. I saw the AllSpark, the Well and the Flame. I saw them, Arrow. Armour and Lauren were there. Alpha Trion and Chevron. They were there. The Temple grounds were vast. They are building a Primal Basilica."
"What are we doing here opposing all of that? Why are we opposing this out here in this wasteland?" Arrow asked.
Paragon stood a moment, then looked at Arrow with the most serious of expressions. "Why indeed."
-0-Terra
They made their way to the school lobby and began the glory of the ages giving presents to sparklings. They were awash with joy, many of them squealing like pigs. Orion, Miracle, Praxus, Kaon, Uraya, Iacon, Hero and Prowler got presents, kisses and gathered up by the trine and others in the family. They would be taken away to the apartments for naps after the last gifting was finished in the Central Labor Council Hall.
Unless they needed to leave earlier.
Magnus handed tiny gift bags to Optimus along with Jazz and Ironhide. He watched the infants, some of whom had to be carried forward with a grin on his usually serious face. Then El came forward.
Bob Costas turned to Will Lennox. :Who is that little thing?:
:That is El. She lost an arm and leg on the same side when her refugee group was attacked. She was in agony for three days before rescued. Her protoform is growing back slowly because she is allergic to some of the treatments. She's had surgery to replace her leg but the three operations that have tried to replace her arm have failed. Infections. They are going to try again when she's a bit older. Until then, she makes do. She is one sweet little femme:
They turned to watch her, the tiny femme walking to Santa Prime on two wobbly legs. She patted his knee with her one good arm. Smiling upward, she looked at him with happiness. Optimus kissed her helm, enfolding her with his servos. "Hello, El. How are you?"
"Good," she said clearly. She smiled at him, then lay her cheek on his knee. He patted her, then sat up taking a golden gift bag with a tag that bore her name. "This is for you, El. This is because you are a good little femme and we love you. All of us love you, El."
She smiled at him. "I love you," she said in her tiny voice. Her atar who was kneeling beside her took her present, then El into his arms. Looking at Prime with emotional optics, he nodded. "Thank you, sir."
"Thank you for coming here. What would this colony be like without you and El?" Prime asked.
He bowed his helm. "We are happy to be here. I can't remember when I felt so happy. Thank you, sir," he said rising. He bowed his helm, then turned to walk back when he paused.
They felt it, the rising of a warmth that felt intelligent. It grew brighter as the light began to emanate from the chest of the Prime. It grew so brightly that optics and eyes were overrun. Then it began to recede. When it did everyone stood blinking. El looked at Prime, then smiled. She raised her little arm to wave at him. That is when her father noticed. She waved with an arm that hadn't been there a moment before.
Prime who stared at her, rose. Holding out his servo, El's father sat her on it with astonishment on his face. Prime looked at El, at the two arms now attached to her body. She looked down at two servos, then up at Prime. Smiling, she looked at him with twinkling optics. "Good," she said.
Prime nodded. "It is," he said handing her back to her genitors who looked at him with worshipful optics.
"The Matrix," her father said before he couldn't speak more.
Optimus nodded. "Yes. Merry Christmas Surprise," he said softly.
They looked at him, then bowed deeply. Everyone in the room bowed their helms including the soldiers and scientists who had been there long enough to know what had happened. "Thank you, sir. Thank you." He looked at Prime. "We will go to the Temple and thank Primus. Thank you."
Prime nodded, watching as the little family turned. Other members and friends followed them with rising happiness out the door to Autobot City. Prime who sat grinned at the elves. "Who is next?" he asked.
-0-TBC January 3, 2014