I was hit with a burst of inspiration recently! So have not only a new chapter but all previous chapters have had a face lift. The biggest being chapters 1 & 2! They read much more how I initially pictured them but lacked the skills to get it across before!
I hope you enjoy them as my as I did writing them.
This chapter is set on earth, some time before Silas hooked himself up inside Breakdown's frame, centred on Soundwave and Rafael. I was always a little disappointed the two never got to interact as much as they could have. So much potential!
Rafael Esquivel, the human mechling the Autobots had taken in, was hiding behind some boxes. It was only through the use of her infrared setting that she had even spotted him. The moment her senses picked him up, Soundwave found herself facing a dilemma.
She was not sparkless, despite how some might call her that. In fact, Soundwave was deeply fond of the young human. After their first face-to-face, where they had tried to stop Soundwave from locking the satellite onto Cybertron, she had kept a close eye on all three humans. It was her job, after all, but Soundwave had found a deep sense of familiarity and affection for the young mechling.
While Soundwave was a single child, her parents had never made time for her. Rafael was the opposite; he had too many siblings and was never visible enough to his parents to pay much attention to him. He was, as human's say, a smart cookie. He had channelled his loneliness into learning, and it had paid off. Just like Soundwave had.
She enjoyed the chess games they played. Of course, Rafael did not know it was her, but Soundwave likes to think she had made a little friend via their online communications. Her family liked to tease her about it.
So, her dilemma—she could not leave the mechling here. The human organisation MECH was still lingering about and the Autobots had been scattered trying to combat them. Soundwave did not know why the human children were here but they were.
With a cycle of air through her vents, Soundwave knelt. She could hear the soft hitch in Rafael's breath as she pushed the boxes aside. He stared up at her with terrified wide eyes.
Soundwave knew better than to reach for him. "~Dangerous~why are you here?~"
Rafael flinched and stumbled over his words in clear shock and fear. "I—I, uh…"
She tilted her helm and slowly reached out her digits. Rafael watched her attentively, fear not diminishing. Soundwave was not offended by this fear. It was rational. "~Autobots~not here~mech~are still here~how dangerous.~"
"They're—" Rafael blanched.
"~We've gotta split up!~" Soundwave used Arcee's voice that she had logged not too long ago. "~Autobots, spread out to cover more ground!~" Optimus this time.
Rafael swallowed. Soundwave offered her digits again. "~No harm shall befall you~no harm shall befall the children.~"
Slowly, Rafael crawled onto her digits, and Soundwave curled them around him securely. He clung to her as Soundwave stood once more, cradling the mechling to her chassis. He was tiny, smaller than a new born sparkling. Her own mechlings were small for minicons, but they were closer to Arcee's waist than adult humans.
Some were naturally inherently made for smaller frames, but Rafael was still young—the youngest of three human younglings. Soundwave was sure he still had plenty of growing to do.
Now that her cargo was secure, Soundwave began to make her exit. The reason she was here had been completed, but now she had an additional mission. She merely had to find some way to reunite the youngling with the Autobots without them instantly thinking the worst.
At the exit of the warehouse, Frenzy and Rumble were waiting where Soundwave had left them. Good. Soundwave was going to reward their good behaviour with some energon treats Knockout had made up at her request.
"Yo, Boss!" Frenzy greeted.
"What's up with the human?" Rumble questioned, spotting Rafael immediately.
Rafael flinched and Soundwave could feel how he shied away from their gazes.
"~lost~Autobots~scatter!~" Soundwave explained briefly.
"Oooh, I see" Rumble nodded.
"So we dropping him off where the Autobots can find him?" Frenzy asked.
"~Affirmative~"
Soundwave began walking once more, her younglings trailing after her.
"So, human," Frenzy began, and Rafael hesitantly peered down at him. "Got any recommendations for human video games?"
"Uh…" Rafael stumbled over his words again. "…I suppose so? What…what games do you like?"
Rumble eagerly began regaling Rafael with his favourite style of games—simulations, specifically farming ones. Frenzy, in contrast, enjoyed quick-action ones ranging from horror to open-world fantasy, anything that required choice and how they changed the game.
Soundwave was proud of her mechlings, and even if they didn't realise it, they helped keep Rafael calm.
Extra energon treats for them.
Soundwave stood there with Rafael still cradled within her servo against her chassis. Opposite her were the Autobots. They had met in a clearing surrounded by towering, mature trees. It was a way away from the human organisation's base, and that meant safety.
[Let him go!] Bumblebee demanded, blaster raised at the perceived threat of Soundwave to Rafael.
Her mechlings ducked behind her legs, wariness projecting through their bond.
"Bumblebee," Optimus Prime spoke up, voice chastising as he raised a servo, but his optics were on Soundwave, flickering to her mechlings when they peered out from behind her. "There is no need for violence."
"A Cons a Cons," Bulkhead scoffed.
The other two humans, Jack Darby and Miko Nakadai, were behind the Autobots, who stood in a staggered formation. Bumblebee had broken that when he stepped forward beside Optimus Prime, weapon raised.
"Soundwave of all Cons shouldn't be so easily dismissed, Optimus," Arcee added with distaste.
Soundwave almost allowed herself to make a jest but reframed from doing so—not when it would be at Rafael's expense.
Instead, Soundwave moved slowly, extruding an aura of nonchalance as if she were not threatened by the Autobots and, in truth, she wasn't. Soundwave hadn't been thetop gladiator of the pits for no reason. It may have been some time since she last fought, but Soundwave and Optimus Prime, by the gleam in his optics, knew she could take them all on and win.
The younger bots tensed as she closed the distance between her and the Autobots. Arcee gestured for the two older human younglings to get back a little. Despite the protests of the young femme, they did as requested. More so that Jack pulled Miko away by her elbow.
Soundwave's mechlings trailed after her but kept a distance at her silent command.
Optimus took two steps forward, closing that final distance.
Soundwave could remember when the mech before her wasn't much taller than her. Now, he towered over her. But she was no more threatened by Optimus Prime than when he was Orion Pax.
She unfurled her digits, ensuring Rafael was secure before holding her arm out. Optimus Prime copied her, with his servo facing upward. Soundwave held her digits over his servo, allowing Rafael to slip from her grasp. Once sure he was safely sat on Optimus Prime's palm, Soundwave stepped backwards and turned.
She exposed her back in a silent exchange of trust.
"W—wait, Soundwave!" Rafael called after her. Soundwave paused, partly turning back to look at Rafael . Seeing he had her attention, Raphael continued. "Thank you."
Soundwave dipped her helm in acknowledgement and called for her mechlings todock themselves into her frame. Their forms folded up and slotted into place. The moment they were secure, Soundwave transformed and flew off.
Later that earth day-cycle, when night had long fallen, Soundwave found Rafael had logged in to his Discord account. His notice went from Offline to Active.
She messaged in their private channel—Good evening, Raf. You are on later than normal.
Soundwave makes the observation knowing it was part of the character she had portrayed to the youngling. On Sunday evenings, Rafael was always on by five pm Nevada time, then left for an hour for dinner before returning.
—Long day is all!
—Had some stuff that had me out the house all day!
—What about you?
Soundwave pondered over her answer—I had a busy day too. I hope everything went well?
—It went better than I expected?
Soundwave smiled behind her visor—That's good. A game of chess?
—Of course!
—I'm always up for a game!