"Why don't you give each other an intentional hug?" I asked. "For old times sake?"
The both stared for a while.
"Well that's not a no?"
"He'd stab me-" Optimus started.
"Oh really?" Megatron started, "I don't need to trap you into a hug to stab you."
"Likewise-"
"I was suggesting a stab-less hug." I pointed out.
And Optimus did the unthinkable and unpredictable thing and hugged Meg. Megatron let out a strangled inhale as he stared at me in confusion.
I mouthed the words 'mentally unstable' and he nodded.
"Happy?" Optimus asked as he let go, rather grouchy. Megatron just walked off, too flustered to say anything. "Not even a thank you." Optimus mumbled.
"He was flustered." I explained.
"How do you know-"
"I felt it." I shrugged. "Do you want to go back to the planet? Last time it looked like they were setting up a market." I added.
"We don't have any shanix." He said.
"We have cute chicks!" I said and dragged him along to where they would be.
"So?"
"So they are cute and no one would accuse them of theft." I said as Soundwave popped out of nowhere. "We need the chicks." I started.
What about meee? Egg started from Soundwave's arms.
"You're high. We wanna take 'em to the market!" I added.
"I will come." He said, using Starscream's voice.
Optimus, for some reason had to suppress a snicker.
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We managed to make our way to the market without a hitch and started wondering around. The nails took the widest possible radius to get around myself and Soundwave.
"Gemme Copper." I said.
"Why?" Soundwave asked.
"He's the cutest." I said which started an argument amongst the chicks. Soundwave handed him over. "Okay, I want you to wonder up to the shop keeper-"
"Cheep?"
"No that one there- the one selling the high grade, and distract him with your cuteness.
He looked unconvinced.
"I'll let you have a sip of the spoils." I started and that was all he needed to hear. He hopped down and waddled over as I tried to get as close as possible without alerting the shopkeeper. Pretty difficult considering how large I am.
Copper made his way to the stall and started pecking at the table legs and the keeper knelt down to inspect.
I silently wondered up and grabbed a cube, when I turned Optimus shook his helm. Then held up two digits. I grabbed him one too and made my way back to him. Copper had also managed to escape and the keeper was none the wiser.
"Here ya go." I said and handed Optimus one before giving Copper his promised sips. The other chicks were protesting, obviously wanting some aswell. "Ask Egg," I told them.
They glanced over at her to find her sleeping. They were not going to risk it.
For once, Optimus didn't take half an hour to drink a whole cube. "Jeez, what's with you?" I asked and Soundwave played a coo-coo sound.
Optimus scoffed before his optics went wide after spotting a datapad store. "Ooh..." He said and took a few steps in that direction before releasing he had no currency. "Oh."
Can I have some shanix? I asked Megatron.
What for?
Datapads. I said.
Does 'datapads' mean high grade? He asked.
Nah, I already stole some.
I'll have Soundwave transfer some over. He said. And soon enough I had some.
"I have the stuff." I said and grabbed him before dragging him over.
"The what?"
"Shanix!" I said.
"How?"
"Megatron had Soundwave transfer me some." I explained.
"He gave you shanix so you could buy me datapads?" Optimus said in disbelief.
"I didn't tell him about that part." I said as Optimus started browsing. The little bot managing the stall looked terrified. "I'm not Megatron." I told him.
"Ok." He said, not believing me in the slightest but too scared to disagree.
"How much did he give you?" Optimus asked.
"Ahhh" I started as I checked, "Oh! 300!" More than I expected.
"That's generous." Optimus said and started calculating how many he could by with that. "Ten?" He muttered to himself, which was a problem as he had 15 in his servos.
"You're gonna need to make some sacrifices." I said.
-
-
It took him half an hour to decide, but ten datapads was enough to keep him happy. The bot that was managing the stall was equally happy to see us leave. However, the white bot with large optic ridges was not.
"Oh hello Prowl." Optimus started.
"You're causing social unrest again."
"Fine." I rolled my optics. Bastard thinks he's a police officer or something.
"Both of you actually." He added as an after thought.
"How so?" Optimus asked from behind his stack of datapads.
"Well, the NAILs believe you to be equally responsible for the war." Prowl said, sounding a tiny bit awkward.
"Where's Soundwave, you shoo him off already?" I interrupted.
"No, a chicken purged on him and he decided to leave." Prowl said with a remarkably straight faceplate. His expression changed to one of worry when Optimus let out a laugh.
"Ha- I mean- That is unfortunate." Optimus tied to cover up. "We'll be leaving." And he started to walk off.
"He had some high grade." I explained to Prowl before we departed.
Optimus almost dropped his datapads three times on the way back to the ship. And almost a fourth time when we spotted the collection of bots at the door. "Yes?" He asked.
"This is what you spent your shanix on?" Megatron let out, giving me an unimpressed glare.
"He was staring at it as if it were a candy store!" I argued.
Ultra Magnus rolled his optics. "We need to go over some construction plans with a group of NAILs, and then politics with Prowl. The NAILs are proposing plans of co-governance." He explained.
"Shiiit." I started. "You gotta share power with two other parties now?" I teased Megatron.
"I'm shocked you have the cerebral capacity to come to that conclusion."
"Is that not what's-" I started as Optimus unloaded his datapads on me.
"Oh it is, NAILs want to sit out the entire war then collect on spoils." He siad bitterly.
"They do make up the current majority, and many are still returning." Ultra Magnus pointed out.
"Well, lets not put Megatron in a difficult political position." I started, "We don't want history to repeat itself."
Megatron raised his ridge. "I should let you draft my threats more often." He said and started walking in the direction of the NAILs ship.
"That wasn't a-" I started as the other two started following.
"Can you organise the datapads in my Berthroom? The cupboard on the left, in alphabetical order?" Optimus asked.
"Sure." I said. Better than listening to political discussion's anyway.
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A/N: Yay! 200 chapters! Honestly did not expect to get here when I started writing this!