Companion for Company. Or: Soundwave's parents get her a pet.

[Rewritten 8/NOV/2024]

"Soundwave?"

Soundwave blinked as her creator called for her. Placing down her homework datapad, she slid down from her seat and followed her creator's voice to the living room, where he stood with her carrier.

Confused about either of them going out of their way to acknowledge her existence, Soundwave tilted her helm, silently asking what they wanted her for.

"Darling," her carrier started and Soundwave's hidden green optics flickered to her. "Your creator and I have come to a decision."

A decision? Her optical ridges furrowed.

"Since your carrier and I are almost always busy and are forced to leave you alone, even if we trust you to be safe, we can't help but feel guilty at your lack of socializing," her creator continued.

Soundwave continued to frown but she didn't allow her lips to move, not willing to portray something as such to her carrier and creator. Soundwave liked being by herself because everyone else was nosey and annoying, and they couldn't mind their own business.

"We've decided to buy you a pet to keep you company," her carrier finished.

Oh, thank Primus, she mentally vented, glad that they hadn't paid someone to look after her or force her to have a 'play-date' with others her age. Other younglings were just…no. They did not understand Soundwave, they did not understand her choice to reframe from speaking unless she chose to speak; they did not understand her chosen speech pattern; most did not understand her desire to learn and study to the extent she did; and lastly, they did not understand her lack of expression of emotion.

Okay, the last one might have been because of a lack of contact with others, but she found emotions tedious. They just got in the way.

"Inquiry: a pet?" Soundwave questioned.

The parents smiled as she spoke—maybe not how they wanted but still—she hardly spoke, even to them. It didn't matter, they were like everyone else, they did not try understand.

They had just given up trying to get her to act normal a long time ago. Soundwave did not like normal.

"Yes," her carrier beamed as her creator left the room, without a doubt going to fetch this new 'pet' of hers.

He returned and Soundwave had the urge to smile at the sight of the cyber-panther. His yellow optics were sharp and he had slick black armour that he was without a doubt proud of. Soundwave would definitely be making sure to keep his armour polished and clean.

The panther blinked, briefly glancing up at her creator in annoyance—oh, yes, she liked him already—before his gaze moved to her, he slowly trod over.

He was taller than her (his head came up to her carrier's hips), and with a gentle exhale of his vents, he sniffed her. Soundwave raised a servo for him to smell, and he did, rubbing his forehead against it afterwards.

Turning her gaze back to her parents, Soundwave spoke. "Soundwave: appreciative of thoughtful gift."

Her parents' smiles dimmed at her continued use of her chosen speech pattern, but they quickly covered them with wide now false smiles.

Soundwave hated the fact that her parents were disappointed with her chosen ways which made her spark clench in sadness, never mind—she didn't need them.

It wasn't like they were around anyway.

She learned almost everything herself, with the assistance of her teachers at school but even then, they were always hesitant around her because of her cold and distant attitude, they tried because of who her parents were, but Soundwave preferred to be by herself.

That way she didn't have a need to disappoint anyone else.

But maybe now she had a friend.

Her optics were back on her new panther friend, he'd sat back on his hind legs.

"Inquiry: Name?" Soundwave asked.

"He doesn't have one yet darling," Soundwave could hear the smile in her carrier's tone.

Did they not understand that animals could have their own names? They might be less intelligent than Cybertronians, but some have good enough intelligence to give themselves names. Such as this guy here—just the look in his optics said so.

"Clarification: Soundwave's question for panther."

Even before Soundwave had finished speaking, she could feel how their expressions dimmed, she did not need to see them. Her newfound odd empathic-slash-telepathic ability did that for her. They thought about her as freakish, much like the other younglings.

The cyber-panther blinked his optics, surprise flickering into them as he stared down at his new owner. A shake of his head was her answer.

Soundwave reached up and placed her servo on his forehead, beaming as she spoke: "Designation: Ravage!"

Her parents sighed once more.

She ignored them, she did not care for them because Soundwave had Ravage now.

Ravage purred in gratitude and acknowledgement. His optics shimmered in amusement.