Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Blah, blah, blah.
Enjoy.
Chapter 15
Blinking big baby blue orbs in every direction possible Bumblebee lay still—well still for a youngling—on his back in the weird white tube thingy that was humming and buzzing all around him. Every now and again there was a bright flash that made him squint his optics shut and whine a little under his breath, but he kept still like Ratchet asked him too. Only because Ironhide's spark was pulsing so close to his though.
Bee could feel him, just on the other side of this weird white tube thingy. He could almost see it through the feelings in his spark. Ironhide standing just on the other side of tube. His hand pressed against the cool metal where Bee was laying.
This was upsetting the massive ebony mech.
And Bee really didn't know why.
For that matter, he wasn't all that sure why he was even in here, or why Ratchet needed to run 'tests'.
Tests on what?
What was about him that needed to be tested?
For that matter, what did this big white tube thing in the back of the med bay that made him feel even smaller then he normally did test?
He really wanted to ask, but for now had decided that with one look at Ratchet's faceplate it would be better for everybot if he just lay there on his back and be very still and do just what Ratchet told him to do.
So that was what he was doing.
Laying very still staring up at the giant white round ceiling that was twisting back and forth over him. The machine gave another loud buzz type noise making the youngling jump just the slightest bit and start to pull at his fingers.
"Please be still, Bumblebee." Ratchet's distracted voice rose over the sound of the buzzing. Twisting back to be still Bee lay his hands to his sides and stared up at the ceiling again.
"Ratchet?" He called softly in his young voice, the sound echoing strangely back to his audios as it bounced around the cylinder.
The CMO hummed in response.
"Can me come out now?"
"In a few klicks, Squirt. I'm almost done."
"Mkay." Letting out a little nervous breath Bumblebee tapped his finger against the squish gel surface beneath him. Sensing the nerves that were swirling in the bottom of the little yellow youngling's tanks Ironhide let off a soft pulse to remind his son that he was right there on the other side of the IS Scan Machine and that he was okay.
"You're alright, Bee." Ironhide rumbled lowly tapping his fingers against the outside of the spinning machine that was keeping his youngling from him. He was in no way please about all this, but the look on Ratchet's faceplate had muted him as fast as it did the youngling. The CMO was worried about something.
Something he wouldn't tell Ironhide.
That was not setting well with the guardian, or the two overprotective big brothers that were hovering in the back of the medical bay. The twins knew better than to question Ratchet when he was running around muttering under his breath, reading charts, and taking the youngling away from Ironhide and sticking him in an Innermost Spark Scanner.
That didn't stop them from ignoring his orders of berth-rest though. Which was why they were fidgeting uneasily watching the two big mechs that stood near the machine.
When Ratchet snarled a curse under his breath again Ironhide paused in his drumming lightly on the scanner while the big mech twisted his head to look over to his old friend. Opening up his comm link he questioned the mech in a way Bumblebee would not hear the tension and worry in his words.
"Just what the pit is going on, Ratchet?"
The big yellow and red mech ignored him in favor of typing something on a datapad and then looking back at the screens of data attached to the IS that were rolling away before them.
Hide had no idea what any of the data meant. All he knew is what an IS Scan was used for.
And the fact that it was currently being used on his youngling was not something that was really helping his latest series of spark attacks.
"Ratchet?" He let a growl slip through the link. "What is going on?"
Slamming a fist down on the computer monitor to his left the two tone medic swung on his friend his optics narrowed and worried, causing the weapons specialist to step back just a bit before the large medic—who had more than once put the trigger happy bot back in his place when he wouldn't listen to sound medical advice, and for quite a few other things—that was now giving him that look that he always did before he started throwing sharp objects at mechs' heads.
What he hissed lowly for just the guardian and the two brothers that had cranked up their audios to hear. though, that was what really scared Ironhide.
"I'm an idiot." He seethed. "That's what's going on!"
"An idiot?" Sideswipe shot a nervous glance to his twin who did the same while Hide's whole frame tensed up even more then it had already been. His thick armor shrank tightly against his protoform—an aged frame that had lived through so much battle instinctive reaction to stress or unease—until it had settled together creating less grooves and seams where injuries to the sensitive protoform that lay beneath could be sustained.
"Why are you an idiot?" Hide's hushed tone shared just how much real worry was starting to seep into his spark that he had to carefully keep from Bumblebee without letting the youngling feel that he was keeping something from him. He was already nervous enough about being in that machine. If he knew Ironhide was truly upset about something he'd completely glitch out.
Ironhide didn't have the frame of processor at the moment to be able to deal with that.
Ratchet glared for a moment longer as he took in Ironhide's—in his opinion—stupid as pit question before he huffed out a snort, spun on his heels, and went back to taking down the data before he gripped tightly at the data pad in his hands shutting off the IS machine letting the rolling berth slide back out.
And as soon as he was clear of the buzzing white world Bumblebee popped right up on the squishy berth and glanced every which way before he locked optics on his guardian, gathered his little self up, and sprang the short distance to Ironhide's arms.
As always the over grown lug nut caught him.
He would always catch him.
Though that didn't mean he didn't have the same grumbled words he always did when Bee leapt off something several dozen feet above the floor to a guardian that might not have been paying enough attention to stop him from doing it before he had to catch him.
"Bee," Ironhide scolded softly as the little mechling giggled and scrambled around until he was nestled safely in the crook of his Hide's powerful arms. "How many times do I have to tell you to not do that?"
Lifting his tiny head up the yellow youngling tilted it ever so slightly flicking his antennas back and forth quickly as he grinned like a mini sun. "One more time."
"One more time?" The weapons expert couldn't stop his chuckle.
"Yep." Bumblebee nodded quickly. "One more time."
Ironhide ran a loving digit down the youngling's back earning himself a tiny vibrating purr as Bee snuggled into the warmth of his adopted sire's armor before he glanced around the medical bay to find Ratchet back in his office throwing files and data pads out the door.
That was weird.
"Hide," Poking a finger between the tightened grooves of black armor beside him Bumblebee glanced between the grumbling medic, the pair of brothers that were inching their way toward his door, and his guardian who had just torn his attention from the medic to his charge.
"Yes?" Ironhide asked.
"What wrong with Ratchet?"
The massive mech swallowed hard. "I'm not sure, Bumblebee."
Well that sure didn't answer any of his questions. He kind of expected a better answer than that.
At least to explain why Ratchet was currently damming a file cabinet to the pit. Because Bumblebee totally didn't get why that was happening.
After all, what had the file cabinet done to deserve that?
It was just a file cabinet.
"Why me have to go in weird thingy?" Bee tilted his head the other way as he watched the medic dig through data pads and old folders of hard copy files that were now dumped all over his office floor. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had made it to the cluttered doorway now. The red twin carefully stepping around the thrown things to get closer to the very strangely acting Ratchet.
"Ratchet wanted to test something." Ironhide tried to explain though he was now looking back to the medic and not the youngling that was nestled in his arms.
"Test what?"
Hide tightened his grip on Bumblebee just a little bit. "I'm not sure."
Apparently Ironhide wasn't sure about a lot of things. That alone was weird.
Was all this because Bumblebee had thrown a fit?
If it was he didn't mean to cause it. He hadn't meant to upset anybot.
In fact, he was very much okay with everything going back to normal now. He didn't like this Ratchet that was too busy tossing things to notice the red mech crouched down in front of him, or the big mech that held him and yet didn't really look at him and had no answers to his questions.
What the pit was going on?
"Hey, Wrench?" Sides spoke quietly. "You alright?"
Ratchet paused in his digging through hard copies to glance up at the red twin before his optics traveled to the little yellow ball of adorableness that was leaning over Ironhide's bulky arm to watch him with big curious optics.
Clamping down on his scattered emotions the medic pushed himself to his feet before cutting his optics to the twins.
"Sides," He said. "How about you and Sunny take Bee down to Wheeljack's lab?"
The twins glanced at each other while Ironhide lifted an optic ridge.
"You want us to take Bumblebee to Wheeljack's lab?" Sunstreaker stared in disbelief.
"Yes."
"Did you hit your head?" Sideswipe question.
Ratchet shot him a glare. "No I did not hit my head. Wheeljack was working on a game Swoop found on some vid show from that planet Jack is fascinated with at the moment. He was making it for the Dinobots and Bumblebee. Take him down there and see if it is finished. If it is play with him for a while. Ironhide will be down later to pick him up for dinner."
"You're letting us off berth rest?" Sideswipe blinked.
"Yes." The medic ground out. "I am."
Standing there for a long moment the red twin just kind of stared at him until he turned slightly to cast a look over his shoulder to his brother who stood just a bit behind him, expression unreadable, with his arms crossed and his vented head tilted to the side watching the medic with guarded optics. They stood in silence for a few klicks, Sideswipe waiting on his twin to work through what it was he was processing until he heard the private comm link channel they shared with the medic open up.
"You'll tell us what has you so glitchy afterward." It wasn't a question. Because Sunstreaker wasn't asking.
Ratchet's gaze drifted to the little yellow youngling again before they returned to the huge golden frontliner that stood before him. "When I finish this diagnostic, and after Bumblebee is in recharge, I'll tell you all."
"Tell us what exactly?" Sideswipe spoke up.
"When I'm sure, you'll know." Ratchet told him.
"Something's wrong." Once again it wasn't a question. Sunstreaker wasn't in the mood to ask questions.
"I might not be right." The medic countered.
"Wrench," Sides shifted a little uneasily on his feet. "You're never wrong."
Ratchet's optics fell slightly before he took a deep breath. "I know."
This was weird.
And that was putting it lightly.
Not that Bumblebee was really complaining or anything. He had no problem with being swung up around Sideswipe's neck and venture with the twins wherever it was they wanted to go.
But hadn't he just kind of been in trouble? And having tests run on him that he didn't understand?
This was weird.
Which was why the little yellow youngling grasped to Sideswipe's audio horns and leaned forward until his little mouth was level with the red warrior's audio.
"Sides?" He wiggled.
The red mech tilted his head to gaze at the little mech out of the corner of his optics while he and his brother strolled down the long black halls of Eternity. "Yeah, Half Pint?"
"What goin' on with Ratch?" He questioned.
"Wish I knew." Sides sighed.
Sunstreaker huffed.
Bee tilted his little head. That really didn't answer his question.
So he tried again.
"Why me have to be in weird scanner thingy?"
Both brothers paused for the slightest nano-klick in their strides before taking them up again.
"Because Ratchet wanted to." Sunstreaker told him quietly.
Well, Bee guessed Ratchet had that right. He was the CMO after all.
But Ratchet never did anything without a reason behind it.
"But why?" He pressed.
"He was . . . ." Sideswipe racked his processor for something that the clever little mechling would take as an answer right now since there wasn't a real one to give him. He wouldn't truly understand what it was that an Innermost Spark Scanner did, and the twins really didn't want to have to address it with him as of yet. Simply because they were kind of slightly terrified as to the reason that Bumblebee got stuck in one.
What was there that Ratchet needed to test in an IS machine?
Those scans . . . they were too find spark damage.
Spark damage!
Why the frag was the mechling being scanned for spark damage!?
That was what the frontliners wanted to know at the moment as they walked the rumbling halls of the mighty battleship that was still soaring toward Tyger Pax. That and why Ratchet wasn't telling them what was going on.
Ironhide had stayed.
The twins assumed that meant Ratchet was telling him what was going on. They weren't sure though. The big medic was acting strangely. It was not often the mech acted like this. He was normally a whole pit of a lot more put together then this. He didn't normally banish Bumblebee from his medical bay, let the twins off of berth rest early, and throw things without intending them to hit bots.
It unnerved the brothers, but with Bumblebee swung around the red brother's neck and their track down stairs and long halls almost at an end they didn't have any time to worry about it.
For now all they could do was play like nothing was wrong and hope that Wheeljack didn't blow them all out of the sky.
"Him Wheeljack mean like this?" Swoop's airy voice danced to the tri colored inventor's audios as he was bent over his latest contraption. Glancing up from the strange silver mass of metal and wires that at the moment he wasn't all that sure what was the mech looked to his right and found the large flier sitting cross legged on his work bench with a cannon coil mechanism between his long claws. He'd just finished rewiring the coil so that the back spring would not be as harsh.
To say that Wheeljack was excited that the Dinobot wanted to learn about how to be a medic would have to be the understatement of the last three thousand vorns.
More like a part of his spark was vibrating in joy and he had no plans of stopping it anytime soon. And he was perfectly alright with that.
It was sort of surreal to the inventor.
In a way not yet truly feeling real. Some part of him suspected that this was all a dream and sooner or later he was going to wake up to find that the five mechs he thought of as his younglings hadn't really come waltzing back into his life. He wondered, in a darker part of his imagination, when he was going to find out that they weren't here and all this was a taunting dream of some sort.
Then he'd hear one of them chuckle—well at least he'd hear Sludge or Swoop chuckle, the other three really didn't do it much unless they were taking something apart rather violently—and he'd find himself standing there smiling as he was reminded that they really were here, he wasn't dreaming.
Like what was going on currently. Nothing especially special was happening, yet Wheeljack found it amazing.
Swoop sat quietly on his long, cluttered, workbench cross legged and playing with firing pens and the recoil system his red optics flashing in happiness. Sludge was over against the wall behind the Chief Engineer with a few cans of paint that he'd found among the shelves that lined the back of the lab—Jack was pretty sure there wasn't anything in there too explosive or flammable—and the massive mech was leaned back painting some kind of something—apparently Jack was not allowed to see until it was done—it resembled a cannon of some sort from the peek he got of it. The tri colored mech hadn't known Sludge had any interest at all in painting, or drawing, or making things for that matter but the sparkle in his optics said enough. So Jack just let him go on with what he was doing, pretty excited to see what was going to come out of it.
Slag and Snarl were no less in his range of attention. However, they were not as busy at the moment. Because Slag was laid back in the corner with his arms crossed behind his head dozing lightly with Snarl propped up beside him doing the same thing. They'd been hanging lazily in the corner as long as their brothers had been in here. They had no interest in what was going on between the other mechs unless it went boom.
Now when that happened then they would be interested.
Until then the inventor was very aware they would simply hang out and wait for something that would entertain them for a while.
Jack was content to let them.
They wanted to be around even if there was nothing for them to do, and that meant enough.
And then there was Grimlock.
The massive dark mech stood quietly in the back of the lab leaning against the large windowpane watching the clouds roll by as the battleship thundered through the sky. Leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, ankles crossed and visor along with mask pulled up to hide away the very obviously heavy thoughts that were currently rolling through the mech's processor.
Whatever it was that had Grimlock so quiet Jack knew he'd find out eventually. Because there certainly was something that the big brute was thinking quite hard over, and when he had reached the conclusion he was after he would talk.
Until then Wheeljack would let him brood and go about his tinkering while he made sure Swoop didn't cross any wires that would blow them all to kingdom come. Because that was his expertise. Swoop didn't need to pick it up.
That would not help his chances of becoming Ratchet's newest apprentice. Which seemed to be something the beast flier truly wanted. So Jack was trying his best to help the mech get what he wanted.
It was something he was currently working over in his head when the doors to the his lab swung open to the crimson red and sun bright golden frames of two hot headed frontliners that currently had a youngling wrapped around the back of the former's neck.
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker along with Bumblebee . . . .
Wheeljack tilted his head. Weren't they all supposed to be in medical?
"Sides? Sunny?" Wheeljack lifted an optic ridge as they strolled in. "What are you mechs doing down here?"
"We were pardoned." Sideswipe shrugged as he and his twin made their way across the clutter that was Wheeljack's lab to stop in front of the workbench he was currently behind that held a large flying beast mech.
"Pardoned?" Jack repeated warily.
"Yep, pardoned." Sunstreaker nodded. "As in Ratchet kicked us and the Half Pint out."
"Kicked you out?" That wasn't like Ratchet at all.
Okay so yeah that wasn't totally true. Ratchet did have a known record of tossing bots out on their afts or by the threat of sharp objects to the head when they got in his way, but that rule never applied to the twins after they'd been seriously injured and it certainly never applied to Bumblebee.
Ever.
Bee was welcomed to play around Ratchet's feet whenever he felt like it. It was not some big secret that the two tone medic loved to have the little thing hang around. He made the orns pass a lot quicker. That was a fact that the whole ship was very aware of. It was a fact most of the ship exploited on a regular basis.
Bumblebee just made everything a little brighter, a little better.
"Yep."
"Why?"
"Him wanted to run tests." Bumblebee spoke up before either of the twins could again as he fiddled with the softer wires at the edge of Sideswipe's helmet, not even noticing when the words snapped the inventor's optics to the little mechling.
"Test?" He then snapped his optics to the twins.
Sideswipe's grip on Bee's little feet tightening just a bit while Sunstreaker's gaze drifted over to the tiny thing before it returned to Wheeljack's.
"He's gonna tell us all about it later. Nothing is wrong." The golden mech explained though his tone was nowhere as sure as his words. The tri colored mech knew that much for certain, but whatever was going on he knew with one look he knew that the answers would not be had until later. That much was written in the pair of vivid, dark, blue optics that stared back into his lighter ones.
"If you say so," Wheeljack nodded to them, mindful of the five sets of deep red gazes that were watching them with interest. Especially the dark visor behind him.
Grimlock was watching them carefully, his optics burning into the back of Jack's plating.
In the mean time though Sideswipe had moved to gently scruff the youngling around the back of his neck and pull him down with a fit of giggles at being swung about in the air toward the workbench. However, the red warrior was stopped when a golden arm jerked out latching hold of his wrist stopping him with Bumblebee dangling over the cluttered surface. Sides' optics darted to his brother, a question pulsing between their sparks, but the golden mech didn't do more than glance his way before he turned to attention to Jack.
"There isn't anything on this table that will blow him up is there?"
Jack's optics narrowed. "No, Sunstreaker there is nothing on here that will blow him up. You think I would let you put him down if there was? I mean, honestly. I'm not that irresponsible."
"Jacky, no offense." Sunstreaker huffed. "But you blow yourself up at least four times a decacycle. Forgive me if I'm just a bit cautious."
"I wouldn't let him get blown up though!" Wheeljack snapped. "There isn't anything really all that explosive in here at the moment anyway! Just don't let him get in my supply closet. Or lose on the floor . . . or around the back shelves. And I'm not a hundred percent sure that firing pen Swoop has is completely stable."
There was a moment of silence as Swoop stared down at his assortment of wires and gears before he snorted.
Said firing pen was promptly tossed across the lab from the Dinobot's stash of pieces where it bounced across the tile floor with a metallic 'ping' and rolled to a stop beside Grimlock's huge, clawed, feet.
Where it was promptly stepped on.
Bumblebee giggled all over again as he swung from Sideswipe's gentle fingers, his little toes stretching for the table below him.
"Anything else?" Sides lifted an optic ridge.
Wheeljack made a show of checking around himself before turning back to the twins and nodding. With that the red warrior let Bee plop down to the cluttered work bench. Once his tiny feet hit the clutter covered surface the tiny mechling went to giggling again as he scrambled over the assortment of things he didn't know what were as he headed for the smallest Dinobot at the end of the table.
Swoop grinned brightly as Bee scrambled over and up into his lap. The project he had been working on laid down and forgotten for now as he scooped up the wiggling mass of soft yellow metal in long sharp claws to bring him up closer to his faceplate.
And Bumblebee refused to stop wiggling until he was right in front of Swoop. Little fingers splayed across the arched curves of his cheeks as he pressed himself against his noseplate which made the big mech chuckle lowly to himself, the rumbles vibrating through them both like the welcoming pulses from the flier's spark.
"Hi, Swoop." Bee grinned brightly.
"Hi, Itty Bitty." He responded.
Wheeljack laughed softly behind them shaking his head back and forth before he let his optics drift back to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker who watched their adopted little brother interact with the beast mech he brought home. The inventor chose then to open a private comm link between them.
"Mechs?" His voice rang over the waves drawing both twins' optics to him. "What's going on? I figured after that little stunt this morning Ironhide would have the twerp all orn."
"When he woke up Ratchet went all glitchy." Sides explained.
"Glitchy how?"
"He put him in an IS machine." Sunstreaker let a low rumble echo over the airwaves.
Wheeljack tensed up before relaxing as quickly as he could at the words.
IS machine? What the pit?
"Why in the name of the Unmaker did he do that?"
"Pit if we know." Sideswipe grumbled. "He just got the scans and started tossing stuff here, there, and everywhere then he told us to bring Bumblebee down here to you. Something about a game you and Swoop have been trying to make. He just wanted us out."
"Sounds like it." Wheeljack nodded slowly. "That's not like him."
"It's an innermost spark scanner, Jack." Sides stressed. "Why did he put Half Pint in one?"
"Haven't got a clue, Sides." He admitted watching Swoop bounce the youngling and begin a tickling match that drew Sludge over and had Grimlock watching them from across the room while Slag and Snarl pretended to not be interested.
"Well that's just wonderful." Sunstreaker hissed under his breath as he looked around the cluttered lab. "I love it when nobot will tell me what the frag is going on."
"You and me both brother."
The airways were quiet for a few klicks while Bumblebee's laughter drifted around the lab. Then Sideswipe spoke up again.
"What's this game you've got that is supposed to distract him?"
That seemed to snap Jack back into focus. He grinned brightly before kneeling down under the workbench and went to digging around drawing the youngling's attention to him.
"Jacky?" Bee chirped from where he was perched in Swoop's palms.
"Yep, Bee?"
"What ya doin'?"
"Looking for something."
"Oh," Bee nodded then leaned more over Swoop's careful claws. "What lookin' for?"
BANG
"Oww!"
Bee's hands flew up to cover his lips to hide his smile as the white, red, and green mech came out from under the table rubbing the back of his head.
Sideswipe didn't have the same tact that Bee was trying to express though.
He through his head back laughing at the inventor's expense as he pulled himself back to his feet glaring lightly to the red mech before he cast his optics back to the little one.
"Well I was looking for a game Swoop and I were making you . . . but I seem to have, umm, misplaced it."
Sides went to laughing even harder while Sunny cracked a smile while Snarl and Slag joined the younger twin in his laughter. Swoop and Sludge didn't seem to think it was all that funny though.
"You Wheeljack lost it!?" Swoop cried out in frustration hopping off the table in a flash of tri colored metal. Bumblebee suddenly found himself passed off to the massive, yet very careful, hands of Sludge while the flier flung himself under the table and went to digging around. His actions made Wheeljack stumble backward with a huff at the Dinobot.
"It's around here somewhere, Swoop. Calm down." Jack tried to reason with the frantic flier while Sludge took a few thundering steps backwards his attention solely focused on the little mechling in his paint splattered hands that was peaking though his claws to watch Swoop chunk things behind him as he went through all the boxes.
"Me Swoop worked hard on that!"
"And we'll find it, mech. Now—NO DON'T THROW THAT!"
The thing that Swoop wasn't supposed to through went sailing across the room—and probably would have burst into flames upon impact with the back wall—but luckily Grimlock darted out a hand snatching it up before the strange jar of grey-ish liquid could shatter against the wall.
And the warning snarl that rose up in the massive mech's chest brought Swoop's flinging to an end.
"You Swoop," Grimlock hissed. "Knock it off!"
Swoop cringed at the harsh words, quickly removing himself from the scattered items to find a place hiding behind Sludge. That didn't save him from the King's burning glare cutting through the visor that had nailed him where he stood.
"Me sorry, Grimlock." The flier mumbled as he hid behind his larger brother.
Grimlock just pealed his lips back in another snarl as he stalked over to Wheeljack and handed him back the strange bubbling liquid filled jar.
"Thanks, Grimlock." Wheeljack nodded to him. "That would have ended badly."
"Me Grimlock figured."
"Yeah . . . ." Jack carefully placed the jar back under the table.
Sides and Sunny took about three steps back from said table when he did.
They'd hadn't survived countless vorns living on the same ship with Wheeljack because they took what he played with lightly. They'd learned a long time ago to never underestimate whatever it was the wacky inventor was toying with this time around.
That old rule of run when the bomb expert runs was not a joke told to rookies to freak them out.
It was very true.
Because Wheeljack blew himself up on a regular basis and then just laughed about it. He was built tough enough to survive most explosions he caused with minimal medical care needed afterward.
So if whatever he managed to frag up this time was bad enough that he was running from it, it was probably a good idea to try and keep up.
With that in mind the twins took one more mirrored step backward.
"Oh stop your fretting it won't blow now." Wheeljack rolled his optics at them when he stood back up and glanced toward Swoop.
"Me sorry, Wheeljack." The flier was wringing his hands nervously and the sight pulled at the tri tone mech's spark.
"It's alright, Swoop." He shushed him, waving Grimlock off when he growled again before he went to casting his optics around the lab. "I'm not sure where I put it, but I'll find it. It might take a bit though . . . I don't think we were quite done yet. So why don't you bots take little Bee down to the shooting range and play down there.
Slag and Snarl were on their feet in less than a nano grinning widely at the prospect of finally having something to do while Grimlock nodded liking the idea of getting to blow off some pent up energy. Sludge and Swoop nodded as well. It was Sides and Sunny that lifted a mirrored optic ridge at the mech.
"Take Half Pint down to the shooting range?" Sunstreaker huffed. "Jacky you've been breathing in too many chemicals."
"Ironhide would have a fit." Sideswipe added.
"I don't mean go down there and blow each other up." Wheeljack shook his head, ignored the shared groan that ran through the more violet of the Dinobots. "Go spar. Show the mechling some moves."
"Yeah!" Bumblebee lit up in Sludge's palm. "That be so awesome!"
Because that really would be awesome! He wanted to play with the Dinobots and the twins. That would be so much fun!
Turning his attention to the two hesitant pair of brothers that stood on the other side of the lab he beamed brightly at them his big baby blue orbs sparkling with honest, innocent, excitement.
And both of them crumbled before he even opened his mouth again.
"Can we, Sides? Can we? Can we please? Please, Sunny! I be good! Me not get in the way. Me promise. Oh, please, please, please."
Sideswipe's resolve cracked as well as did his poker face as he stared into those bright optics caught up in the happy glitter inside them while Sunstreaker shifted uncomfortably next to him choosing to glare at Wheeljack as appose to getting lost in Bumblebee's optics.
"Well thanks bunches for that one, Wheeljack." The golden mech grumbled.
"Yeah." Sides sighed.
"Can we?" Bee bounced a little more in Sludge's palm while the big mech rumbled a purr at his actions looking over to Grimlock.
"Be fun Grimlock." The only mech known to Cybertronian kind at the moment that was taller than Grimlock offered him a sparkling grin. "Want too?"
Grimlock looked over his brothers for a moment—including the little yellow one—before he nodded. "Dinobots spar. Teach Itty Bitty thing or two."
"Yay!" Bumblebee bounced up and down clapping his hands together and cheering.
"Hey now," Sunstreaker's gaze snapped to the massive beast mech. "You won't be taking him anywhere without permission."
Grimlock's visor locked with Sunny's optics, the makings of a fight brewing in the air before Wheeljack quickly stepped between their heated glare match. "Alright now, mechs. Lay off each other. I'll comm Ironhide and see what he has to say. How's that work for each of you?"
Grimlock glared.
Sunstreaker snorted.
Bumblebee dropped to Sludge's palm in a huff.
"Awwwwww." He whined. "Hide gonna say no."
"Most likely." Sunstreaker nodded, knowing full well that the shooting range wasn't really anyplace that the mechling should be. There were a billion and two ways he could get offlined down there. There was a reason he wasn't allowed in.
Even the twins respected that rule.
For Wheeljack to suggest such a thing was odd. What was the mech thinking?
Sure the twins and the Dinobots would rather die than let Bumblebee get hurt, but there was a lot that went down in a sparring match or a shoot off. A lot that could go wrong when somebot was still small enough to fit in the palms of almost everybot on this ship.
"Me wanna spar." Sticking out his bottom lip Bee glared down at his own toes while he crossed his arms and huffed under his breath sitting there in Sludge's palm—content to ignore the vibrations of laughter he could feel rolling through the massive mech that held him—as he contemplated how utterly unfair this was all turning out to be.
First, he has to have tests. Second, the game he was sent down here to find was nowhere to be found which meant that he had no game to play. And then, Wheeljack had a great idea and then the Twins of all bots wouldn't let him do it without asking Ironhide.
Who was going to say no!
It just wasn't fair.
As it turns out, Ironhide didn't say no.
Strange as that is.
The overgrown, overprotective, walking arsenal calmly and coolly told Wheeljack that it was absolutely, completely, and totally fine that the twins and the Dinobots take Bumblebee down to the shooting range and spar with each other in his presence.
Bumblebee was ecstatic.
The Dinobots were smug.
The twins had just kind of glanced at each other before shrugging and heading off toward what they hopped wasn't going to end too badly.
And Wheeljack . . . well as soon as Bumblebee was out of sight the tri colored mech sprinted full tilt to the medical bay to figure out if everybot on the Primus damn ship had lost their ever loving minds.
All and all . . . .
It had been a good conversation.
At least as far as Bumblebee was concerned. Which in the end was really all that mattered. Bee was happy, everything else just kind of went along with that. As far as he was concerned.
But hey he put up with being stuffed in a medical machine for half a breem. He was pretty sure a little fun was owed to him right about now.
Earlier temper tantrum aside.
And so that was how the little bundle of yellow protoform found himself snuggled in the safety and warmth of Swoop's arms as he and flier sat perched, cross legged and hunkered down, atop one of the observation benches that circled the large padded sparring ring in the back of the shooting range.
The 'shooting range' itself was more than just the name implied.
It was Ironhide's domain, it was the playground of pretty much everybot on the ship, it was the best kind of therapy there is, it was almost the whole basement level of the ship; a huge expanse of open area split between weight lifting stations, gun ranges, holo projection rooms, a few tracks, obstacle courses, and sparring areas.
It was a soldier's dreamland—or more accurately Hammerdown's dreamland seeing as he helped Hot Rod design it—that much was for certain. Ironhide sure did enjoy it. As did the twins and many others.
And Bumblebee . . . well he'd never actually seen it before so he was kind of in awe about the whole thing. There was just so much every way that he looked that he wanted to explore it all.
Unfortunately, neither the Dinobots nor the twins were about to let him go toddling around a room full of weapons and explosives so the mechling was stuck in Swoop's grasp as the other Dinobots and the twins milled about the giant, squishy, roped in, red square in the center of the observing benches.
Bee's bright baby blue optics drank in every detail as Sideswipe crouched on the outside of the ring with Sunstreaker while Grimlock leaned on the other side with Sludge as Snarl and Slag slipped their gigantic frames into the ring.
The two black, yellow, and red mechs jagged armor decorated in spikes and horns shook themselves as if shaking out a kinked wire as they loosened up their inactive frames from the orns of doing little more than hanging around Wheeljack's lab. A smirk played on both their lips as they circled slowly in an ancient dance they had preformed for vorns claws flexing, sparks hammering, and optics blazing.
This was the games they enjoyed.
This was testing skill.
"You Slag ready?" Snarl rumbled out as he circled while his triangle like spikes—almost hidden into the folds of his back armor in this form—quivered in excitement.
"Just come on with it." Slag laughed his optics narrow in anticipation.
And 'come on with it' Snarl did.
Launching himself forward he leapt for Slag's left only to find that his brother sprang out of the way at the last possible nano. Swinging around to slam his heel into Snarl's back as he went flying past drawing out a hiss as the other mech crashed forward into the rubbery ropes and floor.
Grimlock barked a laugh while Sludge shook his head as their brother growled under his breath and pushed himself back to his large feet spinning back around to face the brother on the other side of the ring.
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe said nothing, simply observing as much as Bumblebee was. They'd never seen the Dinobots fight. They were curious to see just what made them tick.
What it would take to take them down.
"Me Slag one. You Snarl zip."
"Mute it." Snarl warned.
"Make me." Slag retorted.
And they clashed again.
Over and over.
Coming together and braking apart in a surprisingly elegant display of agility and brute force.
It was a strange sort of sparring. For they were far more brutal then most would be in a match such as this. No energon was shed—every time there grappling got a little too rough, when Snarl got Slag pinned to the floor and was retching his arms behind his back, or when Slag slammed Snarl into the ropes and almost tore a spike from his shoulder a low rumble rose up from Grimlock to remind the pair that they just supposed to be playing—they were mindful of pushing the other too far as they spun and clashed and spun and clashed. Dodging and leaping and tackling. Unyielding claws slamming together as they locked hands one final time, massive arms refusing to yield as they shoved into each other, playful growls rumbling in their chest as they struggled.
Claws locked together with Slag's Snarl gave a twist, throwing his weight to the left trying to unbalance his brother, but Slag was not so easily out done. Shifting to ride the momentum of the action just as Snarl did it making them both spin into the move and come out even. Locked in their stalemate all over again.
"Gotta do better little brother." Slag teased him as he shoved harder backing Snarl up a few paces along the slightly squishy red floor before the other mech could get his footing again and stop his backward slid to the ropes.
"You Slag always too cocky. Never pay attention." Snarl taunted.
"Attention to what?" Slag's optic ridges rose just in time for Snarl to let his arms go limp and fling himself backward. The sudden movement startling his brother who was unprepared for the action which let the other mech roll himself backward throwing Slag's weight over his shoulders like it was nothing to send the other Dinobot sailing out of the ring and crashing into the benches about three feet from where Swoop sat perched with Bumblebee.
Neither concerned that the massive weight of the huge mech just crashed down beside them. Bee trusted that Swoop would have moved if they were in danger, and Swoop knew quiet well that they wouldn't be slammed into.
Though Grimlock's rumbled warning came all the same. "Watch it."
"Aww," Snarl swung to face his older brother while a groaning Slag picked himself up out of the benches rolling his optics at the giggling youngling that was peaking over Swoop's thin—for a Dinobot—arms. "Come on Grimlock. Me Snarl won!"
"Is great." Grimlock nodded. "Not toss mechs at Itty Bitty no more though."
Snarl pouted.
Bee laughed.
Slag limped his way back to the ring grumbling the whole time that his younger brother slipped out from between the ropes.
"You Snarl getting faster." Swoop praised from the sidelines. "Did good job."
Snarl grinned his way while he received a pat on the back from Sludge.
"That was awesome!" Bumblebee laughed as he stood perched in Swoop's lap. His words and bright smile brought grins to the faceplates around him before he turned his attention to the pair of frontliners that lounged to the side of the ring.
His focus drew Sideswipe's optics back to him and the red warrior smiled even brighter gaining his brother's attention as well.
"Sides," Bee called softly.
"What's up, Half Pint?" The red mech had to hold back a laugh at the slightly nervous tone in the little mech's voice. He was having fun, but was unsure of what to do with himself.
Suddenly, an idea struck Sideswipe and he lit up as brightly as Bumblebee ever could.
His twin groaned.
He knew that look. That was the look that usually got them both sent to the brig after he pulled one of his stunts.
But Sunstreaker had no idea what he could possibly be thinking now.
"You and Sunny do it now?"
"Well," Sides kind of skipped around the ring over to where Swoop had Bumblebee perched in his lap. Kneeling down in front of them both the warrior offered the flier a smirk while he lifted Bumblebee a bit higher so the little mech could scramble over his arms and fling himself into Sideswipe's grip.
Laughing the red mech caught him—as he always would—and brought him up to rest against his chest where Bee leaned on the unyielding crimson armor looking up into his vivid blue optics.
"I've got an idea." Sides went on.
"That's never good." Sunstreaker mumbled.
"No bot asked you." Sides shot back. "We've got permission for him to be down here. Stop being a spoil sport, Sunny."
"Yeah," Grimlock sneered the golden mech's way. "Stop being a spoil sport, Sunny."
Dark blue optics cut to that red visor. "I will dismantle you."
Grimlock snorted. "Me Grimlock like to see you Sunny try."
"No bot said you could call me that, Rexy."
"Rexy?" Grimlock's optics narrowed behind that tinted piece of glass making it darken ominously.
"Mechs," Sides pushed himself back to his feet, optics darting between his brother and the King of the Dinobots, his tone full of warning as he held Bee close to his chest. "We're here to goof off not kill each other, remember?"
The pair glared at each other for a moment longer before Sunstreaker turned his attention back to his brother with a huff.
"What's this idea of yours?"
Sides grinned broadly before he spoke. "Let's spar with Half Pint."
He was met with dead silence.
Well apart from Bee's happy gasp as the little one twisted around in his arms and went to hopping.
"Really!?"
"Yeah," He nodded down to him. "It'll be fun."
"Has you Sideswipe been hit in head too many times?" Swoop said from where he was still perched on the bench. Sides turned his way with a huff just as his brother spoke up.
"Yes. Yes, he has."
"Hey!" He huffed again spinning back to his brother. "True as that may be you don't have to agree to it! Sunny, mech, I thought you loved me!"
His twin just lifted an optic ridge.
Bumblebee giggled all over again.
Sides pouted. "Some twin you are."
"Even me Sludge know that bad idea." The massive mech still leaning on the ring ropes started. "Itty Bitty get hurt we spar with him."
"I didn't mean actually spar with him." Rolling his optics Sides glared at each of them. "That's the stupidest idea in the known universe. I meant we could just mock spar. Just show him some moves. Play. Have some fun. We never have enough fun. Come on Sunny you know that. Let's just have some fun for a little while. Teach Half Pint a thing or two."
"Me wanna play!" Bee bounced in Sides' arms. "Please! Please! Please!"
Sunstreaker tilted his head taking them both in before he let his optics rest on the excited glittering in Bumblebee optics. How was he supposed to say no to that?
It be like kicking a turbo-puppy.
And not even the infamous golden demon from pit known as Sunstreaker could do that.
"Alright," He sighed. "We'll . . . mock fight the youngling."
"Yay!" Bee cheered, bouncing out of Sideswipe hold just enough to force the mech to put him down before he busted it on the floor and once Bee's tiny feet hit the tiled floor he bolted toward the arena as quickly as his clumsy little frame could manage it. Which really turned into him toddling across the floor to end up staring up at the raised floor of arena until Slag stuck out his foot and gave the mechling a lift into the ring. Once he was on the slightly squishy floor he bounded forward giggling until he was dead center of the roped in box looking around to the towering forms around him eagerly awaiting what was going to happen next.
"Me Swoop think this bad idea." The beast mech rose from his place over on the benches and joined the other mechs in forming a circle around the ring the youngling was bouncing in.
"Oh it'll be fine." Sideswipe patted the flier on the back before he slipped between the ropes and skipped his way over to the smiling mechling in the center of the ring smiling up at him. Placing himself next to the little thing he squared himself playfully beside him before he turned his optics to his twin. Lifting a hand he bent to fingers at him. "You comin' Sunny?"
Sunstreaker smirked. "Bring it, half wit."
And he stepped into the ring, mindful of the little bundle of yellow that was giggling between his brother's feet.
"We've been over this whole half wit thing, bro." Sides chuckled as Sunstreaker moved fluidly around him in a close circle eying him and Bee playfully.
"You call me a half wit again, I'll shove your foot up your aft."
"Now is that any way to talk in front of a youngling?" Sides lifted an optic ridge while Bumblebee held tight to his ankle smiling up at the golden mech that circled them.
"Don't pull the behave in front of the youngling card on me." Sunstreaker lifted an optic ridge right back at him, his optics light with mischief toward the mechling that was gazing up at him while the Dinobots took to leaning on the ropes watching the three of them.
"What you twins gonna do?" Grimlock rumbled from where he leaned.
"Don't you ever just goof off, Grimlock?" Sides snorted.
"When we Dinobots goof off it don't tend end well." Sludge answered.
"Get in trouble most times." Snarl agreed.
"Break stuff usually." Slag agreed.
"Still much surprised even allowed down here." Grimlock glanced to the youngling and then back to the brothers. "Itty Bitty breakable."
"I don't think you'd break him, Grim." Sides replied, feeling Bumblebee peak around his leg.
"Did once." The King retorted.
"Yeah," Sides nodded. "I did. Now I don't."
"Really?"
"Yep."
The massive mech cut his optics to the other brother.
"And you Sunstreaker?" He asked. "What think about we Dinobots?"
"I think you saved Half Pint from that bounty hunter." Was the golden mechs only response.
And that was the only response he was going to give. The only one the King knew he would get. Strangely enough, he was okay with that.
"Grimy fun." Bee chirped up from where he peaked around the strong red armor. The words brought the beast mech's visor to the little mechling's optics and he offered a smile to which Bee beamed back too.
"Itty Bitty not so bad himself."
An even brighter smile.
"Alright," Sunstreaker huffed. "Enough of the touchy feely slag. We gonna show the mechling a thing or too or not, Sides?"
With a chuckle they locked optics. "Hit me with your best shot, bro."
"Gladly." And with that he sprang.
To all outsiders looking in the move would have looked in every way very real and very deadly, but it wasn't.
Sunstreaker might have dropped his shoulders and bull rushed his younger brother, but the movements were tamed and restricted. He collided with Sides with not even a fifth of his normal strength and when he took the glitch off his feet and brought them both crashing to the ground he did so in a way that not even a single paint nanite on the youngling's frame was disturbed.
Actually, as far as Bee was concerned.
It was really cool!
One klick he's holding onto Sideswipe's ankle and the next he's watching Sunstreaker's huge golden frame cartwheel them both to the other side of the ring leaving Bee standing there grinning.
Yeah.
He was pretty sure that was awesome.
Like. Really awesome.
So, he told them so.
Giggling he bounced up and down on the squishy floor clapping his hands together as the pair crashed into the mat Sunny perched atop Side's chest with his elbow in his throat grinning not a millimeter away from him. As Bee cheered the older twin smirked down to the younger one that was chuckling as he lay pinned beneath him.
"And what is it exactly you were wanting to teach Half Pint?" Sunny baited.
"How to get offlined." Slag offered.
Sides ground out a growl in response before he twisted just enough under his brother to free a leg and then in a flash of red and gold blurred together the pair somehow switched. It kind of baffled Bumblebee. One klick Sunny had been winning and then Sides was straddling his shoulders while he had him pinned to the floor on his front a snarling mess of golden armor.
"That is what I wanted to teach Half Pint." Sides offered a giggle of his own while his brother just thrashed and growled against the red mat.
"Why you—get the slag off me!" Sunstreaker hissed.
Sideswipe ignored him and the chuckling Dinobots in favor of turning his attention to the little yellow thing that was inching his way with curious optics.
"Did you see that, Half Pint?" Sides laughed. Nodding Bumblebee watched how Sides shifted just a little bit and his left foot kept Sunstreaker from retching his arm up and digging into his platting. "Did you see how I did it?"
Bee nodded again. "Ya twisted him with your foot."
"Good!" Sides praised while he patted his snarling brother on his vented helmet. "Now can you tell me how Sunny would get himself out of this little predicament?"
"How about I gut you like a slime-eel as a way to get out?" Sunstreaker growled, twisting under Sides' weight trying to get his arms free enough to get him off. So far it really wasn't going well.
"Oh now, Sunny." Sides patted his shoulder. "You said you wanted to help teach Half Pint."
Sunny growled. "I'll teach him how to strangle an idiot."
Bumblebee walked closer tilting his little head, watching Sunstreaker work his arm up under his chest without Sides knowing he was doing it. He was going to get out, that much Bee was sure of. Sides just hadn't noticed yet.
Bee grinned. "Sunny's gonna flip you both."
Sides perked up. "Yeah . . . actually. That's just what he would do. That's goo—holy pit!"
A crash, bang, and blur of two mirror frames and then it was Sides pinned once again.
They blinked at each other for a klick and then Sides huffed. "Well damn."
Bee laughed as Sunstreaker leaned back and smiled at his brother while he stood over them with a foot to his throat.
"I win." Sunstreaker grinned. "And so does, Half Pint."
Giggling Bee hurried forward until he was scrambling up Sideswipe's side climbing until he was leaning around the foot Sunstreaker had pressed to his neck smiling down at the red twin who winked back at him.
"I win. Sunny says so." He laughed that bubbly little youngling sound they all loved so much.
"Yeah, yeah," Sides rolled his optics. "I guess you—"
"Sideswipe?" Ironhide's voice echoed over the comm link channel the caretakers kept open.
"What's up Hide?" The red mech replied as the Dinobots strengthen up and Sunstreaker removed himself from his brother's frame letting him sit up while he held a wiggling, giggling youngling to his chest.
"You have my youngling?"
"Yeah mech."
"Bring him to the mess hall. It's time he had dinner and got to berth."
There was a pause while they all looked at each other before Sunstreaker answered.
"Be there in a klick."
"Good."
"Oh and Ironhide?" The golden mech spoke up before the comm cut out.
"Yeah?"
"What did Ratchet—"
"Just bring me Bumblebee." And the line cut out.
It's not nice to hang up on bots Ironhide. Big mech, learn some manners. They watched your kid all day.
Anyway, I wanted some adorableness thrown in before the drama of . . . oh wait, that's next chapter. Sorry. Guess you'll all have to wait and find out what horrible thing I've done now.
But yeah. I had fun with this chapter. Thought it was time the twins and the Dinobots had some alone time. What better way for them to be on a level playing field then a sparring match? So this happened, and I'm okay with that.
Bee has to learn to be a bad aft somewhere along the way.
As always you guys are amazing. You're reviews mean so much to me, you have no idea. And have you guys looked! I'm almost to 100 reviews! Wow. Who thought that would ever happen? I feel like something special should happen when we hit 100, but I'm not sure what it should be. I guess I'll think on it. Maybe I'll try and do a fic for whoever is number 100. (No promises, I've never do a request before.) Or maybe I'll put up another chapter . . . if I get it done before next Sunday. . . .
Who knows, but I wanted you guys to know it really does mean a lot to me. I feel like I owe you something for being a part of this with me. It really does mean a lot. And as for what I'll do when I hit 100, we'll see when we get there, and what you guys want. Let me know. I'm all ears.
Next chapter is less adorable, more you guys probably wanting to strangle me. At least the bots will.
Here's your hint because you are all so amazing. Angry Jazz is not something that should be taken lightly. Ever.
Never do it.
He'll turn on his friends if he has too.
Yep.
I'm going there.
See you next weekend!
-Jaycee