Hello, everyone! It's been so long since I've posted anything, and over five years since I wrote the previous chapter! I hope everyone is staying safe and doing okay during this time. I'm grateful to be working from home now, and (quite happily) I've been able to write a bit during the quiet times on the clock! So, I have this chapter, and another chapter on the way. I look forward to hearing from you guys again.


Prowl kept his optics shut and system quiet as he felt himself waking up. He was cozy and content and didn't want to wake up just yet. He could imagine for a few minutes that he was still at home. Ironhide would be mixing up some delicious spiced energon for breakfast, and Streamline would be making sure things were tidy, her sensitive fingers seeking out any misplaced items around the kitchen.

He missed his guardians. How he would love to tuck up against Ironhide and be snuggled. Big as Ironhide was, Prowl would always be small enough to get cuddled. Streamline would snuggle him, too, even though he was the taller one now that he'd upgraded to his adult frame. He was still getting used to that. She'd always been the taller one, his femme-guardian, his champion looking after him. It was strange to be taller and physically stronger than her now. He and Jazz had always felt a certain protectiveness over their femme-guardian because she was blind, but that feeling had grown with his upgrade. He was still her mechling, though. He always would be.

He missed her. And Ironhide. And Bumblebee. Poor little Bee was probably still upset about them leaving for University and abandoning him. More often than not, he'd left his own bed to sleep soundly against either Prowl or Jazz, preferring his brothers to solitude whether or not they liked it. Prowl missed Bee enough that he was completely glad to share bed and blankets all with him now. Cozy, snuggly little brother-

That wasn't Bee's spark-pulse next to him, though, Prowl's system realized. His wings twitched lightly as he fully woke up. He wasn't home, and Bee wasn't snuggling with him. But who was?

Prowl flicked opened his optics and gazed in surprise at the bot who definitely wasn't Bumblebee. It was Sideswipe. Prowl blinked. He and Jazz had invited the twins to stay the night, but they'd been set up on the plush couches in the living room.

Prowl shifted slightly to look at the twin better. Sideswipe was sound asleep with his cheek resting on the pillow and one hand curled up near his face. The punch Prowl had dealt him in the energon-hall had left a bruise on his cheek, but it wasn't a very bad one. If Sideswipe had seemed very young while awake, he seemed even younger asleep. Prowl, a protector to his core, felt a strong pull at his spark and thought it was no wonder that Sunstreaker was protective to the point of near hostility over his brother. Well, Prowl would look after both twins to the extent he could. Sunny definitely had a chip on his shoulder, which would make anything hard, but Sideswipe had already shown that he would happily be friends.

Prowl turned his thoughts toward the day ahead after another minute. First, he'd get a little energon, and then he'd do his workout and personal training. Then there were a couple classes to go to. He decided that he would come back to their dorm for lunch no matter what Jazz said. He would burn with embarrassment if anyone even glanced at him in the Energon hall, yesterday's incident painfully fresh in his processor. After lunch, he'd do some studying or homework or both. Maybe Jazz really would start up a study group, and he would have to attend. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He sighed, wishing he could settle in to new situations as easily as Jazz did.

Sideswipe stirred a little, and his optics flickered as they opened; then he recoiled, shoving away from Prowl and sitting up and backing up with a look of terror on his face, his whole frame shaking.

Prowl froze, not wanting to scare him. "You're safe," he told the twin gently, watching him with concern. "It's okay."

Recognition filtered into Sideswipe's expression, and his look of terror ebbed as he ran a shaky gust of air through his system.

"You're alright," Prowl reassured him softly. "All's fine here."

Sideswipe shuddered. "I didn't remember where I was or who you were," he explained, looking unsettled still.

"Perfectly normal when waking up in a different place," Prowl said with a sympathetic smile. "I myself was imagining I was home an my wee brother Bumblebee was wi me, but na, I found you instead."

Sideswipe chuckled softly. "What a terrible let-down."

Prowl smiled at the joke but shook his helm. "Was the couch na comfortable?"

Sideswipe hesitated and then lay back down, not as close to Prowl as he'd been before. "It was super comfy, but I got cold."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Prowl said, feeling genuinely bad. "We should have double checked that those blankets were cozy enough for you." Streamline and Ironhide both would have thought of that, Prowl knew, and he felt worse.

"It's okay. I'm sure Sunny's warm enough. I just don't stay warm enough, since I've been sick."

"Well, I'm glad that you're comfortable enough wi me to snug in," Prowl said. "An we'll make sure next time you want to stay over. We'll na have our guests be freezing again, I promise." He moved his hand to touch Sides' helm to confirm the promise, but Sides flinched, and Prowl saw a vulnerable shadow cross the mech's face. He drew his hand back. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Sides hesitated. "Nothin," he said, but Prowl saw pain in his optics.

"Something is wrong," Prowl said, shifting to sit up and look at Sides more closely. "Does your helm hurt?"

"N- Y- I don't want to talk about it."

"Shall I get Sunn-"

"No!" Sideswipe cried, hiding his face the next moment.

Prowl sat still, quite bewildered and a bit perplexed.

"Sunny would just yell at me," Sideswipe snuffled. "I shoulda stayed on the couch."

These statements added to Prowl's confusion. "Wh… Why? An na, you needed to be warm for a good rest."

"I should have persisted in gettin a blanket from you!"

"Persisted? I'm getting verra befuddled, Sideswipe, an more by the moment," Prowl said very gently, not wanting to further distress the younger mech but wanting some clarity. "Please, what is going on wi you?"

"I'm sorry," Sideswipe said somewhat muffled by his pillow. "I came in last night and said I was cold, you said to come-along under the blankets. So I did, but I should have just asked for a blanket like I'd meant to!"

Prowl blinked. "I must have been three-quarters asleep, Sideswipe, for I've na recalling of that. But, na matter. I really must have thought I was talking to Bumblebee, for he was always coming up wi reasons to climb in wi me or Jazz. I am verra used to sharing an have no bad thought about sharing wi you either."

Sideswipe didn't say anything.

"Why would Sunny yell at you?" Prowl asked.

"B'cuz I'm too trustin'," Sides said with a pitiful sniffle.

Prowl shifted a wing. "I guess if one were to trust the wrong bot, that would na be good, but I would never intentionally give you reason to regret trusting me. Sunny wants to protect you. An I'm wi him on that."

Sides kept quiet, except for a little whirring of his cooling system.

"Now, can you tell me about your helm? Do it hurt or na?"

"It hurts a little, but just from bein' upset. Not from bein sick or anything. I'm okay."

"Ah… alright." Prowl didn't feel he had the complete story. "What… what did I do that initially distressed you? I did na see anything about me what could have upset a bot, but I do na want to do anything to upset you again."

Sides didn't answer for a few moments, and then he murmured, "I'm thinkin about it."

"Okay." Prowl started to wait, but then he thought of Ironhide and how Ironhide might handle the situation. He shifted a wing. "I'll go fetch us some morning snacks," he said, slipping off the bed. This would give Sideswipe some space and time for his thoughts.

"Thanks," Sideswipe said very softly.

Prowl went quietly through the living room, peeking over at the golden twin to check on him as he passed by. Sunny looked like he was probably going to sleep a couple more hours at least, and he'd kicked off all the blankets except for one corner pulled across his chest and belly. Quite a difference, Prowl thought with a smile.

He took his time mixing up some small spiced energons and picking out some tasty snacks. He set them up nicely on a tray with some napkins and then headed back to his room.

He found Sideswipe sitting cross-legged on the bed and looking pensive.

"Here we are, breakfast snacks," Prowl said settling onto the bed with the tray.

"Brek-snacks?" Sideswipe guessed, perking up.

"Or snack-fast," Prowl mused with a twinkle in his optics.

Sideswipe chuckled for a moment before the worry shadowed back into his optics.

"Sunstreaker is still sound asleep," Prowl reported, handing a little cube to Sideswipe.

"He'll probably stay that way for a couple hours. I always sleep and wake early, and he sleeps and wakes late."

"Na? Jazz is a late one, an I'm an early one. We're matched," Prowl said, pleased at finding another bot who would understand what it was like having a brother on a different schedule.

Sideswipe smiled but didn't say anything.

As much as Prowl wanted to ask Sideswipe what was going on, he decided to keep waiting, at least for a little bit. He ate some tin crisps, dipping them in his energon first, drank half his energon, and ate several rust-bunnies. He tried to not watch Sideswipe too closely, but the red mech sipped away at his energon slowly and ate a few tin crisps.

"Did you want a rust-bunny?" Prowl offered, pointing to the fluffy treats.

"Umm… I don't know what they're like."

"I think there's more air than solid in them, but they have a nice taste, a little sweet, but na cake-sweet. Bumblebee says they're 'verra edible.'"

"Oh, okay." Sideswipe nodded, looking at them. Prowl picked up and offered the whole dish, and Sides took one, inspecting it before popping it into his mouth. A look of surprise crossed his face, and Prowl smiled. "That practically just dissolved in a second," Sideswipe declared, amused, reaching for another one. "Why?!"

"I told you I thought they had more air than solid," Prowl said, chuckling. "You can eat all the rest if you want; we have plenty more left in the box."

Sides smiled and finished them, polishing his fingers afterward with one of the napkins on the tray. "Thank you," he said softly.

"My pleasure," Prowl answered. "It's nice to share some food this early in the morning."

"I… I don't mean just the food," Sides added, optics lowered.

"I'm still glad to do whatever I may for you," Prowl replied. He wanted to give Sides a gentle rub on the shoulder, as he would Jazz or Bee, but he held back, remembering how the younger mech had flinched from him earlier.

"So…" Sides ventured slowly, shifting a little. "What happened… is… Sunny and me usually didn't have a home. We… well, we sort of had a circuit that we made, stayin one place and then another. There w-was this one place, and…" Sides shuddered. "Th-the mech… h-he didn't actually do anything horrible to me physically, but… he could get really creepy if Sunny wasn't around."

"I'm so sorry," Prowl said softly.

"I was too young to really understand what was goin on, but when I told Sunny- he was so mad. I mean, not at me, but he was so mad. It was a long time ago, but… th-the memories still bother me, catch me unaware sometimes." Sides shook his helm. "I can't even talk about it to Sunny because he gets furious at the whole world."

Prowl sat in silence for a few moments, processing all this, his young spark aching. "That's an awful thing to bear by yourself, Sideswipe," he said softly. "I'm so sorry you've suffered, but I'm glad you shared it wi me."

"I guess you can kinda see why Sunny is so overprotective now."

"That I can."

"I'm fine with you touchin me. I just woke up badly, and… I don't know."

"I understand."

Sides rubbed at one optic and then sighed. "Well, I'm okay now."

"Hug?" Prowl offered. Sideswipe scooted over and hugged him.

"I'm glad we ran into you," Sideswipe said. "Even if my face still kinda hurts where you punched it. And my side, too."

"My face aches where your brother punched me, now that I think of it," Prowl said, and Sides peered around to inspect the damage.

"That's a bit of a bruise."

Prowl halfway smiled. "I'm sure I've had worse."

Tilting his helm for a moment to observe the winger, Sides nodded. "I can imagine." He emptied his energon cube and then halfway stretched. "So, what are you doin today?"

"Many things," Prowl said, starting to tidy the breakfast tray, and then he outlined his planned activities and scheduled classes.

"Sounds like a good day," Sides said, sounding almost wistful. He fidgeted slightly and then added, "You know, Sunny don't like bein here much at all, but I like- well, I like some of it."

"There is a lot to like here," Prowl said. He gave Sides a thoughtful look. "I know certain places are off-limits for you at the moment, but you're quite welcome to come along wi' me this morning for the workout."

"That would be fun!" Sides' expression lit up. Then he hesitated, dimming. "Sunny…"

"We can leave him a note an let him know our whereabouts. We may get back before he much wakes up, though."

Sides considered this soberly and then smiled. "Okay. When are we goin?"

"Soon as I put this away and get a little polished."

"Ah, polish." Sides looked at his own armor.

"You can borrow some of mine if you want," Prowl offered, sliding off the bed with the tray in hand.

"I've got some, but thanks." Sides answered. He did some polishing in Prowl's absence and then looked over at Prowl when he came back from the kitchen. "You don't even look like you need polish."

"Not much," Prowl agreed. "We Praxians are a wee bit vain, though," he explained, making the twin smile. He applied himself to the task, and Sides pulled the blankets smooth over the bed.

After a few minutes, Prowl said he was done, and Sides peeked out into the living room. "Scrap, I gotta write that note. Can I borrow a data-chip?"

Prowl handed one over, and Sides put a quick message on it, letting Prowl added a few lines as well. Then Sides slipped into the living room and set the chip on the low table between the couches before following Prowl out the door into the fresh, cool morning.

"This is fun," Sides announced once they were a good distance from the dorm. "I love mornings, but Sunny don't like me goin out solo, and he sleeps too late."

Prowl gave him a sympathetic smile but didn't say anything, feeling that talking would encroach on the morning quiet that he liked so much.

"You're the early one like me, but you're non-talkative like Sunny," Sides realized with a chuckle.

"I do na talk as much as Jazz or you," Prowl agreed. "But I do talk a bit more once the day gets farther on."

"But there's so much to talk about!"

Prowl laughed. "Now you're sounding like Rivet! –the wee femling sister of my femme-friend. Are you quite imaginative, too?"

"Fairly? I think, anyway."

Prowl's optics twinkled. "It will be fun taking you home with us on break."

"You really are gonna let us go home with you over break?"

Prowl's wings twitched up in surprise. "Why, yes. I said so, did I na?"

"Well… yeah." Sides looked a little abashed. "But Sunny…" He shifted one shoulder.

"Oh." Prowl shook his helm. "Na, Sides. Sunny misjudged me there. I would na say you could come home wi us an then say you could na."

"We kinda argued," Sides admitted.

"You do na need to argue wi your brother. Let time be, an then he'll see what's so."

Side chuckled. "I'm gonna enjoy the look on his face."

Prowl had his doubts as to how nice this was, feeling sympathy for the bitter Sunstreaker instead. Prowl had had disappointments and hardships in his life, and other bots had let him down from time to time, but clearly nothing to the extent Sunny had. Ironhide and Streamline had been there for him, always, but Sunny had been forced to become the protector and guardian of both himself and his brother, and clearly not enough good bots had been in the twin's life.

"Annnnd he's quiet again," Sides announced.

Prowl shook his helm at him. "I was merely thinking. There's a lot to think about."

"There is," Sides agreed and then saw fit to settle into a reverie of his own.

They walked in companionable silence until they came into view of the open air gym and training course.

"Oh, na…" Prowl murmured.

Sides looked over with curiosity. "What?"

"Them…" Prowl motioned discreetly to a group of six bots clustered at their intended destination.

"I've seen that tall dark blue mech before. And the middle-high cream'n'copper femme, too."

"The tall blue mech is Rail Gauge, and the femme is Ingot," Prowl said in a low voice. "StayBar is the tall dark femme, Barricade is the red-optic mech. Red-Lead is the orange and red mech. And Nimbus is the iridescent femme."

Sides though they looked harmless enough at the moment, standing around and discussing something with data-pads and energon. Barricade was a surprising sight among so many cool-optic bots, but he didn't appear to mind being different, and he was quick to smile. StayBar, the tall femme, had a scar across one cheek, but it didn't detract much from her teal-green optics that matched the accents and trim on her black armor. Red-Lead, despite his flashy paint job, seemed to be a quiet mech. And Nimbus, already putting her armor-guards on, looked like she probably had enough energy to make a femme twice her small height rather hyper; hardly a moment passed without some movement of her little frame.

"What a paint job on her!" Sides said with admiration, dazzled by the shifting pinks and purples, blues and greens, of her iridescent armor, but he copied Prowl's low tone. "Sunny would glitch. Why 'oh-no,' though?"

"Because I didn't want to see them…"

Sides looked over at Prowl, expecting more explanation.

"They are also in the Enforcer program. I have classes wi most of them, but I'm the only new bot. They have their wee covey set up, an I have na problem wi that, but their workout times keep overlapping wi mine more an more. I do na know if it's a territorial thing, or a hazing thing, or if I'm merely being a wee bit paranoid because I'm new, but it's starting to bother me some. None's said anything to me beyond a 'hello' or a 'good morning.' Now… now that I've been in a kerfuffle, I'm afraid they'll say something."

"They're definitely up to somethin," Sides decided with a nod. "They're probably tryin to figure you out a bit before they invite you into their proto-Enforcer ranks, I would think. I mean, you've only been here two weeks, but you're gonna be here for the next several years with them. They might not want to get all friendly with you right up and then find out that you're some kind of slagger they actually don't want in their covey. What?" Sides asking, seeing a look of distress on Prowl's face.

"I want t'go home."

"Well, okay. We can just walk past them and then circle back to the dorm once we're out of their sight."

A wistful smile touched Prowl's lips. "That's… a nice thought, but I meant home, not the dorm."

"Oh." Sides turned and looked at Prowl as the winger slowed to a stop. Beneath the red chevron on his helm, Prowl's blue optics were downcast. Sides wasn't entirely sure if his friend was going to start crying or not. "Prowl?"

"I'm so homesick," Prowl whispered. He cycled air through his system, shifted his wings, and then started walking again. No crying.

"I honestly don't know what that feels like, but… if I can help somehow… uh, let me know?"

"Thank you, Sideswipe," Prowl said softly.

"Okay, now, about the proto-Enforcer covey, can we go to a different part of the workout area so we won't be near them?"

"We'll certainly go to a different area, but we have to cross their path to get there from here."

"We could hop this fence and-"

"Sides, na!" Prowl was appalled until he saw that Sides was teasing.

"Well, anyway, the proto-Enforcers have spotted us now, so we'll have to behave."

Prowl sighed, but he didn't did show any other outward appearance of his dread as they neared the other bots.

Sides looked perfectly carefree and indifferent, but he was on alert. Four of these bots were perfect strangers to him. The two he'd encountered before didn't worry him greatly, though. Rail Guard, the big mech with dark blue armor, was professor's assistant in his self-defense class; he'd come across as a level-helmed bot of good character and kind words. Ingot, the cream and copper femme, had been in the energon hall yesterday; during the incident, after Prowl had punched him in the face and sent him stumbling backwards, she had helped him and put her hand on his shoulder and looked him firmly in the optics. He certainly hadn't been intending to engage Prowl after that punch, but after the femme's commanding look of authority, he had sat himself meekly on the bench. She'd halfway smiled and then sat back down on the bench at the opposite table. She'd had a no-nonsense air, but the smile had shown a kindness in her spark, and Sides hoped he would still see that in her today.

"Good morning," Barricade said once they were fairly close.

"Good morning," Prowl answered as the six bots all looked toward Sides and him.

"It's our astonishingly quick-fisted Praxian," StayBar, the tall femme, remarked with a slight tilt of her helm as she moved out from the group a little.

Only Sides heard the tiny hiss that caught in Prowl's vocs.

"And he's brought a friend this time," Rail Gauge, moving to look keenly at Sides.

"Or, possibly a punching dummy," Barricade offered with a twinkle in his optics as he sauntered a few steps over to Sides, putting him in striking distance.

Prowl's wings trembled.

"Punchin? Sometimes, yes," Sides quipped. "Dummy? No. I prefer to talk my way to peaceful resolutions when possible, and that's the better and cleverer of the two ways, I think."

"I won't argue with that," Ingot said, giving him a speculative look.

"So we're in accord already!" Sides said, making a playful bow.

Ingot raised an optic-ridge. "I'm sure we're all wondering why, if that's your philosophy, you and your brother jumped Prowl in the Energon hall yesterday."

"Minor lapse in judgment, and we were in a bad mood," Sides admitted freely. "Though we didn't 'jump' so much 'just run into' Prowl, and it was actually a-" He looked at Prowl. "What was that phrase Jazz used?"

"'Serendipitous glitch?'" Prowl answered quietly.

"That," Sides said with a grin. "We're quite good friends now." He nudged his shoulder against Prowl's.

"And what does Prowl have to say?" Rail Gauge asked.

"He uses his mornins for thinkin, not for talkin," Sides supplied since Prowl appeared to equate speaking with pain at the moment.

"We would still like to hear his thoughts on the matter," Rail Gauge said. A kindness in his optics kept him from seeming too threatening, but his voice was firm.

"I was not paying attention to my surroundings, which allowed them to run into me," Prowl said quietly, all traces of his Praxian accent gone. "I then automatically reacted to what appeared to be an attack. We had good talk afterwards, and we are friends now."

"We slept over at his quarters, and I ate all the rust-bunnies he brought out for breakfast," Sides added.

"Rust-bunnies for breakfast?" Nimbus queried with half a chuckle.

"With breakfast," Prowl said, a hint of heat showing on his face. "We had energon and tin curls as well. Which is actually none of your business. Sideswipe and I came out here this morning for some exercise, not to be interrogated by - whatever you think you are."

"Oho! So, we think we're something, eh?" StayBar remarked. "What do you think we are, Prowl?"

Prowl paused. "You are my contemporaries in the study of becoming Enforcers."

"That is what we are," Nimbus said, lightly shifting her weight. She leaned forward. "But what do you think we are? What's your personal take?"

Prowl tilted a wing. "Not knowing your sparks, I have only your outward behavior to judge you by. None of you have said anything to me aside from greetings until this morning, and now you speak only to bring up an embarrassing incident and question my food choices while blocking my path. Decide for yourselves how you must look from this perspective. I have a busy schedule, so please excuse us now. Come on, Sideswipe." His wings pinned back as he started to move past StayBar.

"Now, hang on a moment," Rail Gauge said in an easy tone.

Sides hesitated and then stayed put as Prowl halted and turned to face the group again. They both knew a bot couldn't launch those charges and not allow the other party to explain themselves. Prowl made small offering motion with his hand.

"While you always answered our greetings politely, you never added a word or made yourself friendly," Rail Gauge said. "Now, we could have called after you, and maybe we should have, but we thought it would be better to give you some time to adjust to being here before we tried adding ourselves to your acquaintances."

"There is a lot here for a new bot to adjust to, and you seemed to want some space," Nimbus added, pushing her hands out, iridescent paint winkling.

Prowl shifted his wings in thought and gave his helm a small nod. "Those are reasonable observations."

"As for meddling about what happened yesterday," Ingot said, "You've enrolled to become an Enforcer. That makes you one of us, so if you're gonna stray, it's our business to nudge you back between the lines."

"Or steer you toward a different road if you don't want to be in the lines on this one," Red-Lead put in, speaking for the first time.

"We take Enforcerhood very seriously," Nimbus said, putting her fists together. "And our reputation along with it."

"As do I," Prowl said, respectfulness in his tone now that he understood. "I have studied unofficially since I was a youngling."

Ingot smiled. "So, are we in accord with you as well with Sideswipe now?" she asked, and Sides couldn't help but smile in response.

Prowl dipped his helm and wings in a small bow. "We at least have a much better understanding of each other."

"Good then."

"We won't detain you from your workout any longer," Rail Gauge said. "But we'd like to invite you to join us in ours."

Prowl shifted a wing, and Sideswipe sensed a 'no' in the makings.

"That sounds great!" he answered before Prowl could open his mouth. "Thank you!"

Prowl made a stiff nod of acceptance.

"Let's move out then," Rail Gauge said. "Good to have you along."

"Good to be along!" Sides responded.

The squad of six moved out, Nimbus doing several handsprings ahead, and Sides and Prowl followed behind, but Sides detected a tiny hiss of displeasure from Prowl as they did so.

"What?" he whispered to the winger. "Why were you gonna say 'no'?"

"I was going to say 'perhaps tomorrow,'" Prowl whispered back. "He invited us just after I pointed out that all they'd done was make greetings. He was obligated to. If I had given them a soft 'na,' then they would have had the opportunity to ask –or na ask—again tomorrow."

Sides gazed at him. "That is very Sunstreaker."

"He's na entirely wrong."

"Well-"

"Circle UP," Rail Gauge called, and the six bots moved to stand in a circle with space for Prowl and Sideswipe. Sides moved in beside Nimbus and gave her a friendly grin as he did so, but she was looking straight ahead with her attention on Rail Gauge. He glanced at Prowl beside him, and saw that Prowl had turned his attention to big mech as well, looking quite official in his stance. Sides glanced at his own pedes and then at the others', trying to gauge if he was too far in or out of the circle. He wasn't evenly spaced, he realized—too close to Nimbus. He scooted over and then back a little and checked around again. He was straight across from Ingot, whose optics twinkled as she subtly directed him slightly toward Prowl a hint more. She winked when he was in place, and he smiled as he turned his attention toward Rail Gauge.

The big mech was looking at him with an amused but gentle expression of patience. "We have a couple rookies in our ranks today, bots," he said. "We'll go around and give our names since we have new bots, and then I'll briefly explain our game here so they won't be completely lost." He lifted a hand. "I'm Rail Gauge."

Ingot, her copper trim gleaming as the dawning sun hit it, gave her name next. "Ingot!" she said.

"Barricade, of Kaon!" Barricade declared.

Amusement flickered in the green optics of the tall femme next in line. "StayBar."

"Nimbus," the iridescent femme announced.

"Sideswipe," Side said, since he was next in the circle.

"Prowl, of Praxus," Prowl stated, wings lifting a hint.

"Red-Lead," the brightly painted quiet mech said with a final tone.

"Thank you," Rail Gauge said. "Welcome, Prowl and Sideswipe. Our intent in this squad is to better ourselves and assist each other. In every aspect. We work on strengthening and toning our frames, but we also exercise our minds. As Enforcers, we will have to make many decisions, and we must have sharp thinking skills as well as a solid moral foundation. We are working on our present selves with our optics on our futures. With that in mind, we do a lot of role play in our squad. I'm squad commander today, so that's why I have to do so much talking. Tomorrow, Ingot is going to be the commander. After that…"

"Me," Nimbus put in.

"Nimbus. We rotate our roles so we can all learn from each other. We treat each other with the professionalism, respect, support with which we will treat our future fellow Enforcers, while also having a strong spark of camaraderie among ourselves. You look like you have a question, Sideswipe. Go ahead."

"I… uh, I'm not studyin or plannin to be an Enforcer, but can I still… I mean, am I still welcome?"

Rail Gauge smiled on him. "As long as you are in line with the spark of our squad and do your best to be at one with us, you are welcome to be in it regardless of your career choice."

"Awesome! Thank you."

Rail Gauge tapped his fingers lightly together. "I think that's all the important stuff. Any additions?" he asked the other bots.

Red-Lead shook his helm, as did Barricade and StayBar.

"Not that I can think of," Nimbus said, rising on her pedes slightly.

"Ingot?" Rail Gauge asked.

"You got the most important stuff, sir. They'll learn the rest along the way," she said.

Rail Gauge gave a nod and then changed his tone to a more formal one. "Good morning, Enforcers!"

"Good morning, sir!" answered five strong voices as Sides looked to Prowl for direction.

"Good morning, Rookies," Rail Gauge added, looking at the two with a twinkle subdued in his optics.

"Good morning, sir!" Prowl and Sideswipe answered.

"Today, we'll start off with warming stretches, practice some kicks, move to several drills and then get more active, after which we'll cool down with easy yoga and mindful discussion. Any questions?"

Sides raised his hand a split-second before Prowl.

"Sideswipe."

"Will all that be done before Prowl's first class, or will we have to cut out early?"

"When is your first class, Prowl?"

Prowl told him the time smartly with a "sir" at the end of his answer.

Rail Gauge gave a nod of approval. "Not only will we be done before then, you'll also have time for a shower and a snack."

"Perfect!" Sides said, pleased.

"And your question, Prowl," Rail Gauge said.

"Are the more strenuous activities going to be gentle enough or modifiable for a bot who has only recently recovered from serious illness, sir?"

Sides looked at him. "That was my second question, Prowl."

"They can be modified," Rail Gauge answered. "Who are you asking for?"

"Me," Sideswipe answered. "I was sick to the point my brother thought I was gonna die, and he hasn't gotten over that. If I go back overexerted or much too tired, he will blow a fuse. I don't think I need to go as easy as he thinks I should, but I do need to be a little careful."

Rail Gauge nodded. "Understood. I'll watch out for you and work with you so you can participate without overdoing it."

"Thanks! -uh- Thank you, sir."

"Any other questions?" Rail Gauge checked. Nobody had any, so he directed them to spread out.

The circle grew as the bots moved backward, Prowl almost in sync with the others, while Sideswipe looked around to see just how they were spreading out. He scooted backwards.

They moved through several stretches at Rail Gauge's direction, reaching toward the sky, imagining energy rising from the ground and going up through their fingers, reaching right, changing and reaching left. Sideswipe suspected he wasn't doing it exactly right, but he tried, and the movements felt good.

"Sideswipe, Ingot," Rail Gauge said. "Switch places, please."

"No!" Prowl objected rather firmly, alarmed at the thought of Sideswipe being moved so far from him. Sides hesitated, understanding Prowl's problem.

"I'm squad commander today," Rail Gauge said. "I give the orders, rookie."

"I am responsible for watching over Sideswipe in his brother's absence, sir."

"The squad commander is top in the responsibility of watching over his bots, Prowl. Sideswipe is coming here. You can still watch over him from across the circle."

Sides traded places with Ingot, his optics a bit wide. Prowl's wings twitched and then settled with a flick.

Sides was now between Rail Gauge and Barricade, and Prowl's optics had a shade of anger in them. 'Very Sunstreaker,' Sides thought. He glanced up at Rail Gauge as this big mech directed their next movements, and then he did his best to follow and copy, as he had been.

"Bring your shoulders back a little bit, Sideswipe," Rail Gauge said in a gentle undertone. "And turn your right pede out several more degrees. There you go," he said as Sides shifted into better form. "Shift to Peaceful Warrior," he directed the group in a stronger, louder voice, and then guided Sides in adjusting to this new pose with the quieter voice. "Good."

Sides smiled, pleased. The stretches felt good, and he appreciated Rail Gauge's extra guidance. A glance at Prowl showed that the zealous Praxian had calmed down and seemed to be focusing and doing well on the poses. He at least looked like he fit in. The rest of the stretching session went smoothly, and Sides felt satisfied and ready for what was next by the time Rail Gauge announced that the next few minutes were free stretch.

"Every frame is different," he said to Sides, settling on the ground and starting some leg stretches. Sides sat and looked around, listening as Rail Gauge continued, "we make sure everyone has some time to meet their own particular needs. Our acrobatic Nimbus is doing a bit more work on her arms and wrists," he pointed out. "And Prowl's using this time to give his wings some extra care since we didn't do anything for wingers in particular."

Prowl glanced over at the sound of his name.

"You have excellent form and posture, Prowl," Rail Gauge said.

"Thank you, sir," Prowl answered in a neutral tone.

"Why do you work your legs extra?" Sides asked Rail Gauge.

"I can't corner like you smaller bots can, so I need a more powerful stride to catch up on the straight stretches of a chase.

"Gotcha," Sides said. "Oh- I mean, I see, sir."

Rail Gauge gave him a nod of approval and then got to his pedes. Sides hopped up and copied the other bots as they came to attention.

"We are going to practice some kicks now. So partner up. Nimbus and Barricade, StayBar with me, Prowl and Ingot, and Sideswipe with Red-Lead."

Prowl's wings spoke displeasure before he opened his mouth with a respectful tone. "Sir, I much prefer Sideswipe partner with me."

"Am I the squad commander or not?" Rail Gauge asked him as the other bots moved around. Sides slipped away, feeling awkward.

"You are, but-"

"Is it the squad commander's job to look after his bots' well-being or not?"

Prowl's wings shifted slightly down. "It is, sir."

"Did you see why I had Sideswipe move during our warm-up session?"

Prowl nodded minutely. "So you could correct him without calling across the whole group," he answered almost softly.

"Exactly. I also wanted to have him close by so I could hear if his cooling fans were kicking on too much. I know that you barely know us, but it'd be a lot easier if you'd try a neutral or positive mindset rather than a defensive one."

Prowl looked toward where Red-Lead was showing Sideswipe a particular kick.

"I paired him with Red-Lead for a reason, Prowl. I said I'd watch out for him, and I meant it."

Prowl looked back to the tall mech and then glanced at Ingot and StayBar who were waiting on them. He cycled a tiny gust of air through his system. "Understood, sir," he said, tilting a wing before moving away to join Ingot.

He not at all happy. He was outnumbered by bots he didn't know, non-wingers at that. And two tall bots. And a Kaonite. And he couldn't even watch over Sideswipe to make sure he was safe. Rail Gauge was unfairly separating him from Sideswipe just because he could. He didn't like not being able to keep a close optic on the younger mech, and he didn't appreciate the fact that some mech he didn't know was going to be kicking at Sideswipe. Sides would have protective gear, of course, but the other mech could "accidently" miss and kick Sides.

"He'll be fine," Ingot said. She already had her guards on, and she dropped a padded training shield from subspace. "Red-Lead is a good teacher. He's not as aggressive as Barricade or hyper like Nimbus. Or very tall like Stay and Gauge."

Prowl looked at her as he activated his small force-field generating armor guards. "What about yourself?"

"Good question. I'm tough." Her expression was thoughtful and outgoing despite her words. She smiled at Prowl. "So, get your processor in the game, Prowl. You're a rookie in the Enforcer Corps now. We've achieved our star badges, but you have a lot to work on still."

Prowl looked down at the ground. He wanted to go home. He had to get through this, though. He wanted to be an Enforcer, and he knew it wasn't going to be easy. And he wouldn't be able to control all situations, like the one he was in here now. He would have to work through them, in control himself. He cycled air though his system and focused his resolve.

He met Ingot's optics. "Yes, ma'am," he said firmly.

"That's more like it, mech," she said with her smile. "Now, let's see how you kick."

Prowl halfway laughed at that. Ironhide would have said that he kicked a lot, and he wouldn't have meant it just literally but figuratively as well.

Ingot positioned the shield, and Prowl gave it a few light practice kicks. (At a glance, Sides appeared to enjoy being the deliverer of kicks to Red-Lead shield). Prowl told himself to stay focused.

"You do have good form and posture," Ingot said. "You've practiced a deal, haven't you?"

"Yes, ma'am," Prowl answered, kicking the shield harder.

She smiled a challenge at him, and he dealt the shield a forceful slam with his pede, hard enough to make her grunt in surprise.

She chuckled. "Don't strain us. We still have a good hour to go, not to mention whatever our classes have for us."

Prowl smiled and then moved into a nicely balanced set of kicks, giving them strongly but without unnecessary force. Ingot gave her feedback fairly, giving him evenhanded praise and a small bit of thoughtful critique, neither of which he found any reason to disagree with.

"Trade," Rail Gauge called presently, and Ingot tossed the shield to Prowl.

Prowl felt his unease welling back up as he established how best to hold the shield.

"Hey," Ingot said. "We're Enforcers, remember?"

He nodded, meeting her optics. He tried to not worry about Sideswipe.

Ingot gave several different kicks lightly, letting Prowl get used to her and her pedes, and he decided it wasn't too different from practicing with his friends at home. (And Red-Lead seemed to be going easy on Sides, too, Prowl noted out of the corner of one optic). He gave Ingot a half-smile of acceptance, and she brought in the stronger kicks.

"So, how am I doing, rookie?" she asked.

"Your kicks from your left leg are weaker, and your balance could be better when you bring that roundhouse, but your form is general—" He broke off, helm whipping around to see what had caused a great clatter of armor.

Nimbus and Barricade were on the ground, but only for a moment. Nimbus sprung neatly to her pedes in an instant, and Barricade picked himself up. And Sides was fine with Red-Lead.

Prowl snapped his attention back to Ingot. "I apologize for allowing myself to be distracted, ma'am" he said, wings dipping.

"Apology accepted," Ingot said with a smile and a kick. "Another day I might put you on the ground for that but you're new enough right now that I wouldn't. And it is easy to get distracted with Nimbus around," she added, fondness in her tone. "She has the spark of a stunt-flyer caught in a ground-roller's frame."

"I noticed her doing handsprings earlier."

Ingot chuckled. "Wait until she hits the obstacle course. Now, continue your evaluation of my kicking."

Prowl did so respectfully and fairly easily, and she agreed with him.

"Circle UP," Rail Gauge called presently, and they all moved into their circle, putting away shields and deactivating armor guards as they did so. "Did you overexert yourself at all, Sideswipe?"

"Nope –uh, No, sir. I did not," Sides answered easily.

"And was Red-Lead fair and reasonable to you?"

"He was, sir! And nice and constructive, too. I learned a lot."

Prowl didn't look at Rail Gauge, but he suspected these questions weren't for the tall mech's curiosity.

"Good," Rail Gauge said. They did some drills next, practicing how to walk like an Enforcer with the right attitude of authority and service in their bearing. How to turn neatly, keeping light pedes with a sturdy stance. How to stand at attention, at alert, half alert, at ease. Rail Gauge didn't separate Prowl and Sideswipe when they lined up for the drills, and Prowl was glad to have Sides nearby again, even if he nearly tripped over the younger mech several times.

"Sideswipe, step out, please," Rail Gauge called.

"Not sure exactly what that means, sir," Sides answered apologetically.

"Come out of the line, come over here," Rail Gauge motioned him over. Prowls wings tensed up slightly. "Ingot, call the drills until notice," Rail Gauge called.

Prowl tried to make himself focus on the drills, but he was concerned about Sideswipe and why Rail Gauge would call him out. The twin had been clumsy and not quick at all about any of the actions in the drills, not to mention he didn't appear to know east from west or ninety degree turns from 180 degree turns. Sides' posture as he listened to and answered Rail Gauge seemed relaxed enough, though.

The next moment, Prowl found himself colliding with Nimbus and falling to land on his backside with the femme coming down after him. She caught herself, her palms on his chest, and she was back up on her pedes in a second. Prowl picked himself up in a quick smooth motion, but his cheeks heated up because he knew he was at fault.

"I apologize," he said, wings and helm dipping. "I lost focus."

"It's happened to all of us," Nimbus said as she practically skipped back into formation. "Come on."

Prowl went back to his place near her and kept his attention sharply on Ingot and her directions. She didn't say anything about his fall, but she gave him a look said she expected better of him. He wanted to decide if today was worse than yesterday, but he didn't dare let his processor take up more than one task.

When Ingot called an end to the drills, they circled up with Rail Gauge and Sides again. Prowl found himself between Nimbus and Red-Lead.

"Our game today is a cop chase," Rail Gauge said.

"Yeah!" Nimbus said, bouncing on her pedes. "I mean- Ready, sir."

"The chase will be through this end of the obstacle course," Rail Gauge said. "We'll have one fugitive, one lead Enforcer, and five backup. Sideswipe is going to be the fugitive-"

"Nao!" Prowl objected, imagining in a split-second how badly that could go.

"Slaggit, Prowl-" Nimbus hissed.

"Nimbus." Rail Gauge pinned her with a stern look. She dipped her helm, lowering her optics before the squad commander; it wasn't her place to rebuke Prowl at this time. It was Rail Gauge's. "You are out of line, Prowl," he said, his tone deep with disapproval. "Out of line again. Drop and do twenty pushups."

Prowl opened his mouth in objection, his wings flicking.

"No." Rail Gauge moved toward him. "I told you to drop and do twenty pushups."


YES, I left you with a clifhanger! Don't worry, though; I have the next chapter pretty much ready to go, so it won't be a couple years before you find out what happens next. It'll even be less than a month. X'D Do review, please! I love hearing from you guys!