Hello my fellow readers. I'm very sorry for the long wait, but here's chapter nine. Anyway I just want you guys to know that I changed the gender for Laserbeak because I had a debate if Laserbeak was a girl or boy, so I finally decided to make Laserbeak a girl because to me it sounded more feminine than masculine. So enough chit chat and let's get on with the story.

Chapter 9: Family and Friends

POV Megatronus

For the first few years of Harmony's birth, I've tried to be there for her and her mother. Some days I have a lot of free time to help Neonna care for our sparkling, play with her, and be a good father to her. Other days I would be so busy with tournaments, competitions, and training rookies that I would just get too caught up in my work to interact with my daughter.

But today is a special day. Today is the day I spend the whole day with my family because today is Harmony's onlineday. Neonna is already making the energon cake at home while I go pick up a very special present for Harmony that I think she'll love. I walked into a nearby toy store. I went into the stuffed animal aisle and browsed through it. That's when I saw a cute light pink color cyber bear with light purple eyes. The bear had a light blue bow on its right ear and around its neck.

I decided to purchase the stuffed teddy bear. After I left the toy store, I started to head home. Once I was home, I went into the kitchen so see Neonna icing the cake in beautiful floral patterns. I then saw little Harmony in the baby high chair playing with her plastic cups again.

I shook my head while smiling at my baby girl's antics as I came over to her and picked her up. She giggled and laughed as I walked over to my wife.

She turned to smile at me and said, "Did you buy something for Harmony, dear?"

I nodded in reply as I said, "I think she'll love it."

My mate looked at me sternly as she said, "You better not have bought her something that would make a lot of noise like those block toys you gave her two years ago."

I laughed as I replied, "No, I got her something that hopefully won't keep us up at night."

"What is it?" she asked me curiously.

"I'll show you it later" I replied to her.

Later that night, we celebrated Harmony's twentieth onlineday. She's no longer that simple shaped mercury color sparkling any more. She has developed the shape and coloring of her armor. Her main color in her armor is a beautiful blue color with a light blue color on parts of her arms, legs, and abdomen. Her helmet looked almost sports like with tiny light pink "horns" emerging from the side of her helmet.

She was eating her cake with her servos. Making a mess as usual. I laughed as I took a soft cloth napkin and started to whip the frosting that was covering her faceplate. Neonna giggled as Harmony made a face when I was cleaning her frosted covered face.

Then we decided that it was time to give her our presents. I took out the little teddy bear from the bag.

Neonna smiled as she said, "Awe that is so cute."

I smiled as I said, "I hope that she likes it too."

"She will" she replied to me as she picked up Harmony. She took her to the bathroom so that she is all washed up before bed.

Once she was cleaned, Neonna and I put her in the crib so that she could sleep. Neonna draped the purple baby blanket, which had pink and blue floral designs on it, over Harmony.

She yawned as she rubbed her optics. I smiled as I took out the teddy bear.

"I got your little friend for you" I said as I handed her the toy. Her hands reached up, took the bear, and hugged it lovingly.

Neonna and I giggled at the action as we watched her fall soundly asleep. Neonna kissed her on the forehead as she said, "Good night, my little star." She caressed Harmony's cheek for a brief moment.

We both started to head out of her room before I turned around to turn off the light and to turn on her night light. I stood there for a moment before I said, "Sweet dreams, little one." I then gently closed the door while leaving a tiny crack in case Neonna or I need to go to her in the middle of the night.

*A few decades later*

POV Harmony

I can't believe it! I'm finally going to see my father fight today in the arena. I've been begging my mama to go see Papa fight, since like forever. Mom would always tell me that I couldn't go because I was "too young". Ugh, I'm only forty five years old for Primus' sake! I'm not a toddler any more.

Anyway long story short, I asked Dad last night if I could go see him fight in the arena, and he said yes. I was leaping for joy when he said that I could go. Mom was a little bit nervous about it, but Papa convinced her not to worry so much.

So I was playing with my pink teddy bear in my room when I heard a knock on my door. I looked up to see my father in the doorway. I put Lillybear down on the ground as I ran up to Papa.

"Daddy!" I said cheerfully as I was picked up by him.

He laughed as he said, "You ready to go to work with me?"

I nodded my head as he put me down.

As we left my room, we saw Mom coming towards us. She was carrying a small tin box, which I suspect was for me.

"Don't forget your energon lunch box, Harmony" she said to me. I grabbed the lunch box from her and put it in my backpack.

My father looked at her as he asked, "You're not coming with us?"

She sighed as she replied, "I can't, dear. I got to go help my employees with this large order that we have to deliver soon."

"I see, but then who would watch Harmony then?" he said.

"I was hoping that you already had a plan for that" she replied to him.

He sighed as he turned to me and said, "I'm sorry Harmony, but I'm afraid that you have to spend the day at Grampa's."

I looked at him angrily as I retorted, "You promised!"

He looked at me for a second before he said, "I did, didn't I."

I smiled as I whispered cheerfully, "Yes."

Mom looked at Dad as she asked, "Dear, who is going to keep an eye on our daughter while you fight in the arena today?"

"I'll see if Thunderdash could watch her and watch Shadowwave's son at the same time" he said to Mom.

She sighed as she replied, "Oh alright," she then turned towards me and said, "Now Harmony, I want you to be on your best behavior while your father is battling in the arena today, alright?"

"Yes Mom" I replied to her.

She smiled as she kissed me on the forehead before she turned to Dad and said to him, "Good luck honey on your match today."

He laughed as he said, "Do I ever need luck in a match?"

She looked at him before she kissed him on the cheek.

Then we said goodbye to Mom before we left to walk all the way to the arena. Once we got to the arena, I couldn't help but stare at how huge the place is.

"Wow" I said as I looked at the building in awe.

Dad noticed as he smiled at me before he grabbed my servo and said, "Come on, let's go find Uncle Thunderdash."

I looked at him with a smile as we went into the public area of the arena to find Uncle Dashie. We looked for him for a while before I spotted a red and yellow mech talking to a jet black mech with a young grey blue sparkling around my age standing next to him.

I broke away from my father as I ran towards Uncle Thunderdash as I called out, "Uncle Dashie!" He turned around to see me running towards him as he knelt down to give me a hug.

I hugged him as he said, "Hey, you've grown a lot since we last met."

I giggled as we separated from the warm embrace. I then saw the grey blue boy standing behind his father shyly.

I smiled warmly as I waved my servo and said shyly, "Hi. Um what's your name?"

He shyly ducked his head, which had a black visor covering his faceplate, as the black mech urged his son to answer my question.

"She asked you a question my son" the mech said as he looked down at his son.

The boy timidly stepped away from his father as he faced me and replied, "Um...my name is Soundwave."

I smiled and replied, "Nice to meet you Soundwave. My name is Harmony." He just nodded in reply.

Then my father finally came up to us and said, "It's been awhile since I've seen your sparkling, Shadowwave."

Shadowwave nodded before he replied, "And it's also been a long time since I've seen your beautiful daughter, Megatronus."

I looked up at Dad and asked him, "You guys know each other?"

Dad replied to me, "Yes, Shadowwave and I have been friends since we were sparklings."

Shadowwave nodded in reply before he bent down towards his son and said to him, "Hey why don't you take off your visor and go play with Harmony, Soundwave."

Soundwave shook his head as he said to his father telepathically, ~ "No, I...I don't want people to see my face. I...I'm afraid that I may frighten them, Dad." ~

Shadowwave looked at his son as he said, "No one will judge you Soundwave."

Soundwave turned his head slightly before he sighed as he took off his visor. His faceplate was a silver gray color like his father's faceplate, but he had two rows of black streaks from the bottom of his optics to the side of his cheeks. He also had the coolest optics that I've ever seen! His optics were pitch black with blue violet pupils that glowed slightly.

He shyly hid behind his father again before his father said, "Soundwave, go ahead and play with Harmony for a few minutes while we grownups talk."

Soundwave looked at his father with pleading eyes before I jumped in and said shyly, "I don't bite", I then grabbed his servo gently as I said, "Now let's go play hide and seek."

I then smiled gleefully as Soundwave said, "But don't you need more than two players?"

I laughed as I replied, "We'll improvise. Now come on, let's go play already!"

We both went into the garden to play our game. Soundwave was counting to ten as I ran to hide in the bushes. Once he finished counting, he began to go on the search to find me. I giggled to myself as he checked behind the group of trees to see if I was there.

He then turned to where I was hiding in the bushes as he smiled as he made his way over to me.

"I've found you" he said as he approached the bushes.

I smiled as I jumped out of my hiding place as I said, "But now you have to catch me!"

I then started to run before Soundwave shouted, "Hey, that's not how the rules go!"

The turned around and shouted back to him, "That's why we're improvising! Now, catch me if you can!"

I started to run as I heard running footsteps following from behind me. I ran passed a few other gladiators and spectators as I made my way to the fountain. I went behind it for cover as Soundwave tried to catch me as he came around it, but I would always move to the other side.

I then felt someone tapping me on the shoulder as I turned around to see a long tentacle cord behind me. I was so shocked that I tripped and fell into the fountain.

Soundwave came by and helped me up out of the fountain. He looked at me sincerely as he asked, "Are you alright?"

I whipped off a bit of water from the fountain as I replied, "Yeah, but what was that thing?"

Soundwave looked down slightly as he said, "Oh, um that was my tentacle arm." He then showed me his tentacle arm that was coming from his chest.

I looked at him and replied, "That is so cool! Were you born with them?"

He nodded as he replied, "Yes, my dad said that I inherited my great-great-grandfather's genes to have retractable limbs."

I smiled as I said, "Man, I wish I had genes like that so that I don't have to get up every time to go get something."

He smiled as he said, "Anyway, you're it now."

I smiled as I turned around and started to count to ten.

We played this for a few minutes before Thunderdash came up to us and said, "Alright you two, the battle is almost going to start now, so we better get to our seats before we miss your father's battle."

"Wait, Soundwave's Dad is fighting against my dad?" I asked my uncle.

He shook his head as he replied, "No, they are actually in a double battle, so they are partners in this match."

I turned to Soundwave and said, "Wow, we're going to see our fathers fighting together!"

He nodded in reply as we walked towards the stadium. We found our seats in the stadium and sat down. I was so happy to see my father fighting today that I couldn't help but smile.

Soundwave saw my smile as he asked, "Your first time seeing your dad in a match?"

I nodded my head as I replied, "Yup, my mom wouldn't let me go to these events because she thinks that I'm 'too young'."

He looked at me as he asked, "How old are you?"

"I'm forty five years old, what about you?" I asked him.

"I'm fifty years old" he said.

I smiled that we were so close to each other's age. Then I heard cheering as I turned to the arena to see Dad and Shadowwave entering the arena. Then I saw two other gladiators, who look awfully like if they were spark twins.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today we bring you a double battle that would go down in the historical records!" the referee said into his mic. "In this corner we have two of the fiercest, cunning, and slyest duo Megatronus and Shadowwave!" The crowd cheered as I also gave out a loud cheer for my papa.

"Woohoo! Go Dad!" I shouted at the top of my vents.

"And in the other corner we have the two spark twins that really work together as one Dreadwing and Skyquake!"

Then the match started as I watch Father go up against Dreadwing while Shadowwave tried to fight against Skyquake. I watched the match go on for a long time. The twins were giving my dad and Soundwave's Father a hard time, but eventually they turned the tied around in their favor. I noticed something flying off of Shadowwave's chest.

"Whoa! What was that?" I asked out loud.

Soundwave turned to me and answered, "That is my Dad's Mini-Con, Laserbeak."

I turned to him and said, "Mini-Con?"

He nodded before he said, "Yup, they are creatures that can powerlinx with a Cybertronian. Once powerlinx, the Cybertronian and Mini-Con become one and cannot be separated unless one of them dies."

"Oh." I said before I asked, "How did your father find Laserbeak?"

Soundwave replied, "My ancestor from thousands of years ago came across her in the high mountains of Dark Fire. He heard of a rumor of a Mini-Con that is wild and has immense power and speed.

It took him centuries until he found her at the very top of the mountain. She battled against my ancestor for hours on end, neither of them given up on the fight. Then suddenly an avalanche happened and was going to collapse on top of her, but he pushed her out of the way so that she could live.

Lazerbeak was about to fly away before she realized something. He could have saved himself instead of sacrificing himself so that she could live. So she then began to dig into the rubble until she found him. He was on the verge of becoming one with the AllSpark. In the end, Lazerbeak saw his loyalty, honor, and compassion in his spark that she powerlinx with him to save his life. From then on, she swore her loyalty to him and his family for ages to come."

"So Laserbeak is the ancestor of the first Mini-Con in your family?" I asked.

He shook his head as he replied, "No, Laserbeak is still the same one that met my first ancestor from thousands of years ago."

My optics widened in surprise as I said, "Wow, she must be like over four thousand years old!"

"She's way older than that, but the reason why she hasn't kicked the can yet is because of the symbiosis she has for my father's ancestors. She lives off of the bond she'd made through my family from generation after generation. But if she's separated from her dependent Cybertronian alliance, she could possibly die. That's why my ancestors would pass her down in our family generation after generation so that she wouldn't die, unless if she wants to become one with the AllSpark" he replied to me.

"Why? I mean she lived for thousands of years, so doesn't she want to move on in life and be reborn again?" I asked curiously.

"She says that the reason why she doesn't move on in life and become one with the AllSpark is because of the vow she made with my ancestor to protect them until the end. That's why she refuses to leave and move on" he replied to me.

I nodded my head in response as we continued to watch the battle.

In the end, my father and Soundwave's father were victorious in defeating the twins in the tournament. The twins shook servos with our fathers and said what an honor it was to battle with them before they left the arena to go and rest up.

We had to wait for our fathers to come out of the medical bay before we could go home. I waited patiently in the public area until I heard two pairs of metallic feet coming our way. I turned around to see Dad and Shadowwave coming our way. I ran towards Dad as he picked me up. Then he put me down so that I could go play with Soundwave some more before we leave.

We were playing hide and seek again, and it was my turn to try and find Soundwave. I searched every bush, every metal rock, but still I could not find him. As I scratched my helmet in confusion, I felt someone tapping my shoulder. I turned around to see that no one was there. Then I felt another tap on my shoulder as I turned around in confusion to see no one behind me.

I narrowed my eyes in frustration and confusion before I felt something poking the top of my helmet. I looked up to see Soundwave snickering at me.

I grinned maliciously as I said, "Found yeah!"

He smiled as he said, "But you have to catch me!"

"Oh yeah?" I said as I walked up to the tree.

"Yeah, I doubt that you can get to me all the way up here" he said as he swung his leg back and forth carelessly.

I smiled even more before I started to climb the tree.

His optics widened as he cursed, "Oh scrape!" He then began to climb up even more to try and escape, but I already caught up to him.

I touched his leg and said, "Tag, you're it!" I then started to climb down so that he doesn't tag me back. Once I landed on the ground, I started to run. I heard Soundwave following behind me before I almost got hit by a black blur.

"Whoa!" I said as I stepped to the side and turned around to see what almost hit me. I saw Shadowwave's Laserbeak hovering a few inches away from Soundwave.

I saw him nod before he shouted over to me, "She said that our fathers want us to head home now."

"Aw, but we were having so much fun" I said sadly.

"Yeah, but I guess our dads want to go home and rest from that battle they had today" he said to me.

I sighed as I replied, "Oh alright," then I smirked as I said, "Last one there is a rusted egg!" I then took off running before I bumped into something.

I fell backwards as I looked up to see a grey and white mech with light cyan blue optics. He looked at me menacingly before he said, "So, you're his sparkling."

I stood up as I gulped while taking a few step away from him. He was about to advance when Laserbeak intervened. She hovered in front of me so that the mech doesn't come any closer to me.

The grey and white mech grunted as he said, "Out of my way bird!" He swatted her away as she fell to the ground hard.

"Laserbeak!" I cried out as my optics widened in terror as the mech advanced towards me. Then I felt someone's servos on my arm as I turned to see Soundwave standing by my side protectively.

Soundwave was prepared to fight back as the mech advanced even more. He was about to strike us when we heard a familiar voice shouting at him.

"Arron!" said the mech.

We turned to see Shadowwave, Thunderdash, and my father running towards us. My dad looked at the grey mech hatefully as he said hoarsely, "Leave the children alone."

Soundwave nudged me as we ran past the jerk and towards our fathers. I ran to Dad as I hid behind his legs for protection while I started to cry in fear.

Soundwave also hid behind his father as well, but he looked at Arron with hatred while we waited for this scary mech to go away.

Arron smirked as he said to my dad, "You have a very beautiful sparkling, Megatronus."

My dad narrowed his optics as he said slowly, "Just get out of here."

"You can't tell me what to do. This is a public area after all so it's not yours" he retorted.

"You are not welcome here" Shadowwave said as he stood his ground.

"What seems to be the problem here?" asked a femme.

We turned around to see a group of five more gladiators walking towards us. I saw the sky twins in the group as they came towards us.

My father replied to the dark red and gold femme, "Arron is harassing our sparklings."

Dreadwing frowned as he said to Arron, "You are disgrace to all gladiators. You've stained your honor too many times for it to be redeemed."

Arron laughed as he retorted, "Honor is for wimps like you."

"Why you!" said Skyquake as he tried to attack Arron, but his spark twin held him back.

"Just leave this place, Arron" the dark red and gold femme said as she narrowed her optics at him.

"Fine I will leave because I'm obviously not welcome here. But I will come back and get my revenge on you Megatronus. Even if I have to harm your sparkling to get to you" he said with an evil smirk.

I closed my optics as I cried even more while I clung to my father's leg. I whimpered softly as the warm lubricant ran down my faceplate.

"Just leave this place" Dreadwing said while leering at Arron in disgust.

Arron smirked as he turned to walk out of the arena.

Dad decided that it was best to leave and go home. But before we left the arena, I went to Soundwave and said to him, "I hope that we would see each other again soon, Soundwave."

He smiled at me as he replied, "Yeah, I would like that."

"Well, I see you next time, bye" I said as I headed towards my father.

"Bye" I heard Soundwave said before he too turned to head towards his father.

Once we got home, I ran into my room and grabbed Lillybear from the floor and hid under the bed and cried from what the scary mech said.

Later that night, I heard Mom and Dad arguing about what happened today at the arena. I began to cry even more before I heard Mom starting to cry. I stopped crying to try and listen what they were saying but I could only hear soft whispers.

An hour had gone by before I heard footsteps coming towards my room. I gasped when the door slowly opened.

"Harmony?" I heard my father calling out to me softly. I saw his big metal feet come towards my bed. He then knelt down and looked under the bed to see me at the corner holding my teddy bear tightly.

"Harmony, why are you hiding under your bed?" he asked me.

"Because" I replied.

I heard him sigh as he asked, "Won't you come out from under there?"

I shook my head in reply.

"Please?" he asked sincerely with a bit of worry in his tone.

I slightly moved a little more in the corner as I buried my head in my lap.

"I just want to talk, Harmony" he said.

I sighed as I slowly crawled out from under the bed, climbed up on top of my bed, and sat at the head of the bed. My dad then stood up as he sat at the edge of my bed.

He sighed as he turned to me sincerely and said, "I'm sorry that you have to see my demons today, my pearl."

I hugged my teddy a little tighter as I asked, "Why does he want to hurt me, Papa? Did I do something wrong?"

My father shook his head as he replied, "No honey, you did nothing wrong. He….he just wants to see me get hurt."

I turned to look up at him as I asked, "Why?"

He sighed as he replied, "He wants to see me suffer because I married your mother."

I looked at him in confusion as I asked, "Is he a relative of ours, who didn't want to see you two marry, Dad?"

He shook his head as he replied, "No, he's not a relative of mine or your mother's. He was your mother's ex-boyfriend, who hates me because she picked me over him."

"Why did Mom pick you instead of him?" I asked.

He replied, "Arron was possessive over your mother and he cheated on her. That's why she wanted to be with me instead of him because of his cold spark and for other obvious reasons. That's also the reason why he hates me is because I had affection for her and she had affections for me."

"So if you two love each other, then why did you two fight?" I asked.

"Your mother and I just had a little disagreement with what Arron said and almost did to you, that's all." he replied.

"Oh," I replied before I paused for a moment and said, "Then why was she crying? Did you hit her?"

My dad's optics widened in shock as he turned to me and said, "WHAT? No honey, I would never harm your mother or you."

"Then why was she crying?" I asked.

"Your mother was crying because she was frustrated with what happened today and what would happen in the future" he replied.

I nodded my head as my father lovingly stroked my back. I let out a yawn as he said, "I guess it's bedtime for you."

I looked up at him sleepily as I replied, "But I can't sleep, I'm afraid."

My father looked at me lovingly before he said, "It's alright little one, I'll be right here for you."

He then got up and tucked me under the covers before he sat at the edge of the bed and started to stroke the side of my head tenderly for a while.

"Papa" I said as I looked up at him.

"Yes, my pearl?" he said while stroking my cheek.

"Can you sing me a lullaby?" I asked.

He blushed a little before he said, "I don't know, I don't really sing."

"Please?" I begged him.

He smiled as he replied, "How about I hum it to you, okay?"

"Okay" I replied to him.

He nodded as he took a deep breath and began to hum the lullaby Mom would sing to me at night.

My eyes slowly began to shut as I started to fall asleep. I heard him stop humming as he kissed my forehead and whispered, "Good night, little one." He then headed out of my room as he left a sliver of light through my door in case I ever needed to get him or Mom in the middle of the night.

I yawned for the last time as I fell into a deep sleep. Dreaming that tomorrow would be better.