At the Autobot meeting after school that day, the faction was a buzz with the news of the expulsion of Breakdown and Skyquake.
"I can't fragging believe it!" Bulkhead exclaimed. "I can't believe Breakdown was expelled, and it wasn't me who did it."
"Hey Bulk chill," Smokescreen said. "It's fine. The glitch is gone, what's to worry about?"
"Maybe it's 'cause you're younger, Sam, but when you've got a grudge it just don't feel right when the object of your grudge is taken out by someone other than you." Bulkhead retorted with a sour face.
"Ah, scrap. At the end of the day that's two Cons down." Wheeljack added.
"Yeah I guess."
"Plus, Bulk, this way, you can concentrate on gettin' ready of the Galaxy Games."
Bulkhead perked up. 'Yeah that's right! The Games are startin' up soon! Aw man, hey Jackie we gotta up our football practices."
"Uh huh…" Ultra Magnus muttered. "Regardless, Breakdown and Skyquake are gone. I highly doubt that Megatron losing two of his inner circle will make him feel very nice. We're going to have to prepare ourselves for any nasty surprises that the Deceptions decide to send our way."
"Hm, I can't say I don't agree." Ratchet replied. "However, why are you speaking Magnus? Isn't this sort of thing Optimus' job?"
"Indeed. However, Optimus said that he had to leave early. Top priority, he told me. Asked me to cover the meeting today. And…hey, what's wrong with me fulfilling this role?"
"Could it be that no one cares when you talk, Stiff?" Wheeljack suggested.
Magnus narrowed his eyes.
"If I were a lesser man Jackson—"
"You'd still be boring to listen to."
While the two glared at each other, Ratchet turned to Miko and Raf.
"Speaking of absences, Radar, Impulse, where's Jack?"
Most of the Autobot faction had heard about Jack's predicament. Until it was resolved, they knew he wouldn't be joining them.
"He has to go straight home. His mom's orders." Miko explained.
"Could you get the table ready, dear?" June asked Jack.
"Yeah, coming mom." Jack answered.
As Jack entered the dining room, the doorbell rang.
"Now who could that be…Jack, I'll get the door." June spoke.
She opened the door, and was met by a teenage boy. Brown hair, blue eyes, red jacket and holding a bag of groceries—it was Optimus Prime.
"Oh, hello." June greeted.
"Ahem, Mrs. Darby? Good evening." Optimus replied. "My name is Orion, I'm one of Jack's upperclassmen."
"Ah yes, I do believe Jack has mentioned you once or twice. May I ask what you're doing here?"
"Of course, well, I know you know about the faction war, and that you didn't want Jack to join, and that he did so without your permission." Optimus began.
June crossed her arms and nodded, her expression hardening.
"I am the leader of the faction he joined, and I was under the assumption that he had gained your permission to take part in the faction war. As such, I feel responsible for his disobeying you—seriously it's been eating away at me for the past week—and I would like to say that I am sorry that this situation took place."
June looked at the boy from top to bottom. As both a mother and a nurse, she usually saw children, even around his age, shy away from this sort of examination. Instead, this boy stood his ground, keeping his back straight and looking her dead in the eyes. He seemed to possess the maturity of an adult, but the gleam in his blue eyes revealed that he was more than capable of acting his age. The way he clenched his fists as he spoke said that he truly was nervous about her response, which in turn meant that he really did mean what he said.
"Hm…your apology is a truly sweet gesture, but the only one that I really needed was from my son, and have gotten that plenty of times already." June finally answered.
Optimus' squared shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
"Of course. I'm sure you have. Well then, thank you to listening to me ma'am. Now, I'd better get going," he held up the grocery bag. "I've gotta make myself dinner."
"Oh, you're parents aren't home?"
"Ah…no. I live alone."
"…well…why don't you join Jack and I for dinner, then?"
"i couldn't—"
"I made enough curry for a third person."
"—!"
"Optimus!" Jack exclaimed as his mother returned to the kitchen with the Autobot leader in tow.
"Jack, set out a third spot will you? Orion will be joining us for dinner." June said.
As she left for the kitchen, she left Jack staring at Optimus slack jawed before he went to make an extra place on the dinner table for him.
Optimus had set his groceries down near the front door, and was currently taking in the house's scenery. Beige walls covered with the occasional painting and similarly coloured furniture.
"What a nice house you've got here." Optimus commented.
"Uh, thanks." Jack replied. "Hey, Optimus, what are you doing here?"
"I came about your punishment I suppose. As leader of the faction you joined behind your mother's back I guess I feel partly responsible. A proper leader would have done a proper background check."
"No, Optimus don't beat yourself up over my mistake. My getting in trouble is my fault and mine alone."
"Yeah, and I wanted to ask to you about that as well. I hope you understand that I don't approve of your actions either. If your mother didn't ground I'd still take away your Autobot privileges. I get that sometimes rules have to be bent when in desperate times, but that was a limitation expressed from someone worried about you. That was just disrespectful."
Jack winced. "Yeah I know. I just did what I thought was right."
Optimus' expression softened and he placed his hand on Jack's shoulder.
"And I commend you for that, being able to do what you think is right is a truly valuable trait. However, foresight is just as if not more important. Look at all the trouble you're in. It really was unnecessary."
Jack nodded in agreement.
"Your mom seems really nice. She obviously loves you a lot. You're lucky to have a parent like that."
Jack looked up at the older student.
"Optimus…what happened to your parents?"
"…let's just say I had parents who cared about the wrong things. Look, what I'm trying to say is just be a good kid, alright?"
Jack nodded as his mother returned with bowls of curry in her hands.
"Anyways, more importantly, it looks like there's a lovely bowl of curry waiting for me."
—
Optimus waved to the mother and son duo as he left their house, groceries in hand.
"What a nice young man…maybe that faction you liked so much isn't as bad an influence as I feared it'd be." June commented.
Jack looked up at his mother hopefully.
"Oh, rest assured you're still grounded young man."
Jack deflated.
"But…if you wanna hang around with your friends every now and again after school I suppose it would be alright."
Jack smiled. "Thanks mom."
Well, I'm back in school, and it's turning out pretty great. Any who, Jack is in less trouble now. Optimus sure has a knack for smoothing things over huh.
Let me know what you think! Comment and review!