Lazerbeak and Ratbat join the family.

[Rewritten 8/NOV/2024]

Ravage huffed quietly from his space beside his charge and silently watched as Frenzy and Rumble ran ahead of him and Soundwave to explore the new region that had been opened to them via Soundwave's ground bridge ability.

~Rumble, Frenzy: Don't wander too far~

~Gotcha!~

~No problemo!~

Ravage heaved an air cycle at the younglings excitement but watch fondly as his charge's little sparks used the terrain to climb and crawl and just explore.

The mechlings weren't able to do this nearly as often as Soundwave liked, often working odd hours during the day, and then going to fight in the Pits in Kaon at night which left only a few joors between them that Soundwave used to her full advantage with the twins but more commonly they just went for walks in the city instead of exploring unfamiliar places.

Well, 'unfamiliar'.

Soundwave would never take her mechlings to an unknown location which could possibly cause them harm. She would be a bad carrier if she did that, and Soundwave was not her carrier and creator. She knew how to properly raise a sparkling and actually care for them.

Soundwave watched on with a fondness as she felt the mechlings' excitement flood their bond. With half a thought, Soundwave wished she had invited Harmonious with them—maybe next time they could even make it a picnic.

Being mindful that Ravage was at her side, Soundwave sat and continue to watch as her younglings began roughhousing.

Ravage sat on his haunches, tail flicking and a soft purr escaped as he watched the mechlings playing. A devious look glinted his optics and he lowered himself, stalking forwards, taking great care in making sure Frenzy and Rumble didn't notice him.

Soundwave's lips curled upwards as Ravage pounced onto her mechlings and they yelped, having been too engrossed by their fighting to pay attention to any outside assaults.

Rumble was the one to escape from Ravage and he scrambled to his carrier, babbling about needing protection and processed to climb her frame and settle on her right shoulder.

"Oh?" She blinked, peering up at him, "And how do you know I'll protect you?"

Rumble's optics widened. "Bu—but you have to! You can't be the bad guy!"

Soundwave's optics twinkled as she reached up and snagged the blue mechling where he cried out dramatically.

Ravage gave a hissy snicker as he stalked forward, and Rumble fought against his carrier's hold on him as she slowly lowered him.

"N-NO! Please, I'll do anything! Just not the beast!" he shouted. Frenzy, who was playing died, failed to stifle his giggle.

Ravage growled and raised a paw, Rumble pleaded loudly and—

Bop.

Rumble 'died', slumping in her grip.

Soundwave grinned, her free hand covering her mouth to hide it as she also failed to stop her laughter. Rumble soon started giggling, leaving the entire familial unit laughing.

Eventually, once she had gotten a hold of her laughter, Soundwave set Rumble back onto the ground, watching as he and his brother both rushed off to continue exploring again.

Soundwave watched on with a gentle expression, she had seen so little of them lately. Her schedule the most hectic this last stellar cycle, she had her technician job at the High Pavilion, which was a forty joor long shift, then she had approximately ten joors after that before she was needed in the Pits or spent that time training Megatronous which could last up to twenty-nine joors. By the time she got home, her mechlings were already in recharge which she'd get fourteen joors of herself.

But they understood her troubles and busyness and she loved them impossibly more because of it. She was just glad that she had Ravage to rely on to watch over them. The cyber-panther was almost scarily as sentient as Cybertronians, it was rare to see animals so intelligent.

Over her four thousand stellar cycle life, Ravage had proved to her many times over that he wasn't like most other animals and it made her grateful that her carrier and creator didsomethingright for her.

The thought made her snort and Ravage peered up her. He chuffed quietly.

"Soundwave: just thinking about youngling years," she answered.

Ravage groaned, he hated her carrier and creator just as much as her. She then grimaced, recalling the email she had received recently from her carrier inquiring about meeting for some Energon after nearly twenty stellar cycles.

There was a reason she didn't visit them often or allow them to come to her.

She hadn't even spoken to them about Rumble and Frenzy because sheknewthat her carrier would criticise her for adopting them and that she would surely be the worst carrier toeverexist!

Her carrier had even thought about it several times in the past and Soundwave just so happened to catch them. It had her angry at them because who were they to criticiseherwhen she practically raised herself!

Soundwave suddenly became increasingly aware of the silence and her optics snapped upwards to where her younglings had been playing moments before.

~Rumble, Frenzy: locations?~

~By the lake! Carrier, you gotta see this!~

She frowned and stood, walking to where her younglings wanted her. Ravage let out his own huff and followed. She manoeuvred down an embankment with the towering wild crystals illuminating her surroundings.

Finally, she rounded a rather large one to see her mechlings crouched, optics ahead and her own trailed upwards to see what they were looking at. She felt their curiosity and worry, and she frowned, moving forward.

She stopped when she saw what it was that they were looking at. A cyber-condor and cyber-bat—the latter of which was visible injured and the former was snarling at her mechling in an attempt to make them back up but her mechlings were a stubborn duo.

She moved closer, the condor's optics locked onto her, and his frame tensed. She stopped and instead crouched—she was close enough anyway.

Soundwave used the chance to examine the cyber-bat that was pink in colour with purple as her secondary.

~Carrier?~ Rumble questioned.

Soundwave didn't answer, instead, she gently sent a pulse asking her mechlings to move and allow her to get closer. They did as she asked.

The condor continued to eye her as she held out her servos up. "Cyber-condor: allow Soundwave to help."

It paused but didn't stop staring. However, the weak chirp from the bat broke their staring contest. The condor cooed at her. They seemed to converse with one another….

Perhaps….

She twisted to face Ravage, who returned it. ~Ravage: convince them Soundwave means no harm and only wishes to help~

He chuffed and moved forward. She listened as the condor engaged Ravage in conversation, his frame was still tense in defence and protectiveness for the cyber-bat behind him.

For a solid several kilks, Soundwave listened as the animals spoke back and forth before she felt relief from Ravage.

~He has agreed to allow you to help his friend~ came Ravage's reply.

She sent her gratitude back with the promise of treats. He purred in return.

Soundwave reached forward slowly, and the condor moved out of the way to allow her to pick the cyber-bat up. The femme clutched the bat to her chassis and turned, already finding the coordinates she wanted to open a ground bridge to.

It whirled open and the family with plus two walked through.

They arrived at Shockwave's unit, to which she rang the bell and waited for him to answer. It only took a kilk and the door opened to reveal the single optic mech.

"Soundwave," his voice revealed his surprise—since he lacked the ability to show it with no actual faceplate.

"Assistance is required," she said. Shockwave glanced down at the cyber-bat in her servos.

He opened the door wider.

The condor shuffled nervously the entire time Shockwave worked on bat's frame. Almost instinctively, Soundwave found herself gently stroking down his back strut. A soft churr escaped, and his nervous shifting lightened.

"She is in capable hands," Soundwave reassured when the condor glanced up at her. He nodded. It seemed Soundwave just attracted intelligent animals.

It was a joor before Shockwave finished working, and he approached the waiting unit and condor. "She is fine, perhaps a bit sore but other than that in perfect condition."

The condor slouched in relief.

Shockwave glanced to Soundwave. "I'm not all that surprised you turned up in such a way, friend. You have quite the soft spark when it comes to the young."

Ravage chuffed out a laugh.

The condor cawed and Shockwave stepped aside as he flew into the room where the cyber-bat was.

The sound of a cyber-cat—a breed a lot smaller than Ravage—came pottering into the room.

Soundwave recognised Logic as soon as he had stepped into the light. He leapt onto the table and moved closer to Shockwave, who in turn, ran his servo across his pet's back strut.

Logic turned to Soundwave. "Wasn't expecting a visit from you."

Ah, Soundwave had almost forgotten that Shockwave had given Logic the ability to speak—then again, Logic wasn't exactly the most normal of cats either, having been created within Shockwave's lap two orbital cycles ago.

"Visit: unexpected."

Ravage peered up at Logic in confusion. ~He can speak?~

~Logic was created within Shockwave's lab, he has since added further upgrades, one of which allows him to speak~

Ravage looked to Soundwave with a slight look of longing—sometimes he wished he would speak aloud and not just through the bonds he shared. That longing drifted over to Soundwave, and she pursed her lips… it was worth an ask.