Transformers Prime: A Sparkling Issue

Chapter 3 - Prime Sitter

Slowly, Optimus raised his helm. Even though it was common knowledge that the extinguisher wasn't going to take back off without pressure, Optimus stared a moment longer to confirm that it was officially "dead". He sat back on his heel struts and checked on the four sparklings in his arms. They looked a bit confused at what had just occurred but were all thankfully unharmed. Bulkhead tossed up little arms with a happy garble, clearly asking to do it again. Ratchet just glared judgingly at the Prime, unamused about being suddenly swept up and stuck in such a tiny spot.

"I begin to grasp Jack's intimations that this is not the simple task I had anticipated," Optimus thought aloud as if speaking to them. His only reply was a soft chirp from Bumblebee.

Carefully, Optimus let them down and they crawled out of his servos one by one like a little train. He then took care of the hydrant, putting it in a corner up on the platform where little servos wouldn't get ahold of it again.

Angry chattering wails blared from behind.

"Already?" came out in half surprise, half sigh.

He turned to find Ratchet and Arcee at it again, having found the ball where it had rolled to after Optimus had dropped the tub. Again he took the ball; and again the flood of lubricant tears started flowing. New things might take their processors off it though and Optimus quickly retrieved the tub where he'd dropped it. He carried it to the middle of the room near the sparklings.

Now to see if my efforts bear positive results, he thought hopefully.

When Ratchet saw the tub the large mech carried, his expression went from a pout to defiance, remembering the last time he had seen that and the bath he'd been forced to take. His little frame tensed in preparation to throw a major fit. But instead the tub was dumped and its miscellaneous contents clattered to the floor. Curiosity took over and Ratchet cautiously approached where Arcee was already cooing happily while rummaging through the new items. She let out a happy chatter when she spotted the rocks and instantly dumped them on the floor. Bulkhead seemed very impressed with a clevis and was gnawing on the fastener's curve as though it were a chew toy. Bumblebee was happily batting a bearing back and forth between his legs, treads wiggling in delight with little clicks and bleeps. The way it rolled reminded Optimus of something and gave him another idea.

He quickly hurried off down a hallway, nearly jogging as he didn't want to leave them alone too long. He was quickly learning what repercussions that could produce (his faceplate still ached from the extinguisher). He reappeared a moment later and was relieved when all four colors were present and accounted for. They all looked up as Optimus knelt down and placed two tires down flat on the floor. They were spare ones of Bumblebee's that were kept in the store room along with the rest of the bots' kibbles that Ratchet kept a stock of.

Bulkhead instantly crawled over, bringing his new favorite toy with him, and pulled himself up against a tire's edge, balancing himself on unsteady legs so he could peek inside. After a bit of bouncing and scuffling, the roly-poly sparkling rolled in. A moment of exploring and his helm popped up over the edge, squeaking in happiness while waving his clevis as if inviting the others in. Bumblebee readily complied and chirped playfully as he climbed over to join his friend in the fascinating hole. Arcee was already exploring the second tire and soon began climbing in and out, bringing in all her rocks one at a time until she had all the biggest ones in her little circle fort. She began stacking them and knocking them down or sticking them inside the tire's rims. Ratchet seemed contented where he was, piling all the gears, sprockets, and bearings on top of each other; peeking through each of their holes at his surroundings before adding it to the growing stack in front of him.

Kneeling down, Optimus picked up the now empty container and put it in the tire with Arcee. She blinked, then slowly reached out and picked it up. Not sure what to do with it, she tried to stick her helm inside. With a hint of an amused smile, Optimus took it and replaced it in front of her again. The femme just looked on curiously as he picked up a rock and dropped it inside. It fell to the bottom with a clatter. He showed her twice more before waiting to see what would happen. Arcee processed a moment, then slowly mimicked as she picked up a rock, held it over the opening, and let it fall in. It clattered to the bottom. Violet optics widened in sudden understanding. With a happy squeak she began to fill it quickly using both servos. When it was full she began taking them all back out again one at a time before the whole routine started over again.