dens_tf_den | sv, Autobot Base, Imminent Danger?

Nightwish: ...Why is Mudflap green?

Sideswipe: *Groans and goes to get something to clean the sparklet with*

Nightwish: *looks to see what colour Runabout is*

Runabout: *orange, with a few green splatters*

Nightwish: *optics narrow and she turns her head to scan the entire plant and find the culprit*

*no visible or scanable culprit, but there are a few open paint cans that should've been out of reach of sparklets... unless the sparklets worked together to get to the cans*

Mudflap: *squealy giggles as Sideswipe wipes the paint off with a rag*

Nightwish: *small disgruntled sound as she goes to put the tops on the paint cans and press them down hard* They did it themselves, the little mudflaps.

Mudflap: *chirrups at Nightwish, squealgiggleflail*

Sideswipe: Figures...

Runabout: *Squeaks as Sideswipe catches him as well*

Nightwish: *coming back to catch Mudflap and hold him around the middle with her arm* At least they didn't eat any.

Sideswipe: This time. Ack! Hold still! *trying to keep ahold of a squirmy Runabout*

Mudflap: *Gigglefit*

Nightwish: *reaches over and catches a little arm to help hold Runabout still*

Runabout: *Clicks, is innocent!*

Sideswipe: We're gonna hafta sparklet-proof this entire place, aren't we? *bemused expression*

Nightwish: I thought it was already supposed to be sparklet-proofed. Isn't that what the Prime was doing the other day?

Sideswipe: Maybe we'd better double-check then... I thought the paint got put away... but obviously these two knew where to find it... *tickling Runabout and earning a gigglefit in exchange*

Nightwish: It was up on the shelf, but together they were able to get up there.

Jazz: *sleepy blink from where he's curled on the couch with Steelsong, falls asleep before he manages a comment*

Steelsong: *sleeping hard after figuring stuff out all day*

Sideswipe: *soft chuckle* They're gonna be real troublemakers when they're old enough to plan things out...

Nightwish: Like you? *scoops Runabout up to join his twin in her arms and then rubs one of the little backs in the way she's learned puts the sparklets (and their dad) to sleep*

Sideswipe: Heeey, Sunny and I aren't that bad...

Mudflap: *Snuggles, making happy little sounds*

Nightwish: *giving Sideswipe that little frown that means that she's working over what he's said and trying to figure out exactly what he meant by it so that she can respond correctly*

Cragbuster: *comes in, looks in the cupboard with a frown*

Sideswipe: *Glances that way* What's up, 'Buster?

Cragbuster: *glances toward him* Hmm? Oh nothing. *back to frowning at the cupboard* Just wondering if I've been here long enough.

Sideswipe: *blink blink* ... For what?

Cragbuster: For the old bot to get sick of me. *never mind that he's pretty old himself* *gets a pickle and wraps it in blitzbread* He's got his bondmate now, and a new granddaughter. He doesn't really need me around anymore, if he ever really did.

Sideswipe: ... *soft snerk* Good luck trying to make him sick of ya... Sunny and I tried that already.

Cragbuster: *makes a grumpy sound and turns to go back to his room*

Runabout: *Squeals and wiggles, wants to go see 'Buster!*

Nightwish: *rubs the little squealer's back and plays soft music to him* Stasis. Now.

Mudflap: *biiiiig yawn, sleepy noises, snuggles close for a nap*

Runabout: *not having any of it, squeals and wiggles more*

Sideswipe: Here... *moves to grab Runabout*

Nightwish: *gives wriggly sparklet* Nightside says he likes the lights they're seeing.

Sideswipe: *Small grin as he begins to walk around the room with Runabout* Humans have some weird traditions, but that one's actually kinda neat.

Nightwish: *walks over and looks at the Christmas tree, still gently rubbing Mudflap's back* Emblems of the Greater Creator....

Sideswipe: *nod* Or of a Pagan holiday... *small shrug, earning happy clicking from Runabout*

Nightwish: *takes an energon sausage out of the tree and sniffs it*

Mudflap: *makes a small sound when he catches scent of the sausage, but doesn't wake*

Nightwish: *doesn't even bat an eye at having found it there, just walks over and pokes it at her mate's mouth*

Sideswipe: *Surprised, will nom anyways*

Nightwish: *thinks she knows what he'll like after the sausage. Leans down and kisses him*

Sideswipe: *kisses, acks when Runabout wiggles out of his arms*

Runabout: *Wheeeeeeee! Ruuuns*

Nightwish: *gives Sideswipe the sleeping sparklet and goes after the other one*

Runabout: *ruuuuunning and laughing*

Nightwish: *hand shoots out... got 'em!*

Runabout: *Squeal! Wiggles and fusses, wasn't done running!*

Nightwish: I think I should take this one for a ride. He's got too much energy, and this is the time he's supposed to go into stasis.

Sideswipe: Want me to come with? I can bundle Mudflap up...

Nightwish: *pauses and blinks, thinking this over* I suppose that I could fly low. If I'm careful I won't be breaking laws?

Sideswipe: *small grin, offers Nightwish the sleeping sparklet*

Nightwish: *takes him in her other arm so that his brother can't disturb him*

Sideswipe: *runs to grab a couple of blankets, before returning and transforming. Once he's in alt-mode, he opens his door, revealing the blankets in the driver's seat* Here, tuck Mudflap in.

Nightwish: *holds Runabout between her knees as she wraps Mudflap up and fastens the seatbelt around him*

Mudflap: *soft, contented sigh, continues to sleep peacefully*

Runabout: *Squeal, wiggle*

Sideswipe: *amused headlight flicker* Runabout's gonna get away if you hold him like that...

Nightwish: *finishes with Mudflap and uses her hands to pick the wriggler up again* No. I know the right amount of pressure to keep him immobile without damaging him.

Runabout: *Squeak, wiggleflail*

Nightwish: *turns and strides toward the door. Once outside she tucks the little one in her cockpit as she leaps up and transforms*

Runabout: *happy squeal!*

Sideswipe: *pulls out of the base, revs his engine a bit*

Nightwish: *dips low, and then goes above rooftop level and heads for the freeway*

Runabout: *giving a running commentary in the form of excited clicking, chirping, and squeals*

Sideswipe: *following on the streets, being careful to follow the traffic laws*

Across town

Kendell: *asleep in the bundle of blanket in First Aid's arms*

First Aid: *admiring the beautifully lit house she's standing in front of*

Optimus: *holding onto Air Raid's leash, though he's only really doing it out of habit, as the young mech is admiring the lights without trying to get closer*

Fireflight: *clinging to Ace's arm, her optics wide and her mouth an O of wonder*

dOmega: *asking Arcee questions*

Arcee: *Answering the questions as well as she's able, though Ratchet does have some input, having been on Earth longer*

dGobaith: *had been in a snowball fight with dGoel, but both drones have climbed up onto Ratchet's shoulders to get a better view of the lights*

Slingshot: *tries inserting a snowball under Silverbolt's plating*

Silverbolt: *Squeals, shows Slingshot what a snowball to the face feels like!*

Skydive: Hey, guys. I don't want to go back yet. Remember what Optimus and Ratchet said?

Silverbolt: *scoots over to stand on Ratchet's other side, razzes Slingshot and apologizes to Skydive through inside talk*

Skydive: *stern look for Slingshot, who starts to scowl, but then gives Optimus a guilty look instead and starts looking at the lights*

Ace: *watches them, and then talks softly to Fireflight, his big hand gently patting hers where it lays on his arm*

Stiletto: *in alt-mode, is laying on Nightside's shoulders like a big scarf*

Nightside: *admiring the lights. Is aware of the shadow over on a housetop not too far away that is Prowl*

Stiletto: *slight tail swish, is content to watch the lights*

Fanzone: *calling Optimus*

Optimus: *pokes his audio* //Optimus Prime speaking.//

Fanzone: //Yeah, Optimus, you watchin' da news?//

Optimus: //Er... No... Most of us are out admiring Christmas decorations...//

Fanzone: //Well get a load'a dis.// *gets one of the cops with him to snap a picture with his cellphone and send it to Optimus. It shows a building downtown... a building totally encased in webbing*

Optimus: //...No... way....//

Fanzone: //Did dat go through?//

First Aid: *looking toward mate as she picks up his jag of dismay*

Optimus: //Y-yeah...// *pinches the bridge of his nose*

Fanzone: *grim* //Dat look familiar to youse?//

Optimus: *Just as grim* //Very.//

Fanzone: //I'm headin' fer yer place now. We gotta talk about dis.//

Optimus: //We'll meet you there. Optimus out.//

Fanzone: *cuts out in a squeal of static*

Ratchet: *scowl, knows something's up*

First Aid: *softly* Optimus?

Optimus: We've got to get back home. Captain Fanzone's going to meet us there.

Slingshot: ...Everyone?

Optimus: *nods, clearly isn't happy about this* Yes, Slingshot, everyone.

Slingshot: But I wasn't doing anything!

Fireflight: *distracted from the pretty lights and watching sister with a distant expression*

Optimus: Nobody's in trouble. We just need to go home for now. We'll come back to look at lights another time.

Stiletto: *stretches, ear flick. Knows something is up, but not what just yet*

First Aid: *starts herding youngsters into alt mode to turn homeward*

Optimus: *trying to keep his expression calm as he helps herd youngsters*

Silverbolt: *moves to cling to Skydive* *quietly* Trouble?

Fireflight: *looks at Silverbolt sister and transmits what she just picked up. Trouble soon. And trouble maybe-sad*

Ace: *has a protective hand on her back and is making sure baby brother keeps up, despite baby brother being indestructible*

A short while later, after everyone's returned to the plant...

Stiletto: *up in the rafters, is totally working the panther thing*

Prowl: *crouched in human form on the couch arm*

Jazz: *sleepily sitting up and looking at Fanzone, who was driving without a block heater and is grumbling and chattering as he tries to thaw out with a cup of instant coffee*

dOmega: *sitting very seriously in Ratchet's chair, a frown on his face as he watches the human*

Nightwish: *walks in, looks up at her niece* Bed.

Stiletto: *headshake. Will not be moved from her perch*

Nightwish: *reaches up, catches hold of her, and carries her down the hall*

Stiletto: *Maaaad! Growling and hissing*

Sideswipe: *Carrying both Mudflap and Runabout back in, and thanking whoever's listening that they're both asleep now*

Cragbuster: *walks in out of the hall, shaking his head at the row Stiletto's putting up* What's this I hear about something out here that needs my attention?

Prowl: *quietly, as he glances at Sideswipe and the small twins* Optimus and Captain Fanzone will explain, once the young bots are in bed.

WakeJumper: *frowning from his spot against the wall*

First Aid: *coming out of the hall, Kendell now wrapped only in a soft inside blanket and contentedly drinking from her tank. Goes over and kneels to check on Fanzone despite his grumbling, and then gets up and sits on the couch by Prowl*

Ironfist: *coming in from her patrol, her browridges pulled together in a frown*

Optimus: *also coming out of the hall, having just finished tucking the Aerialbots in. His expression is grim*

Fanzone: *sniffs and pulls his borrowed blanket closer around his shoulders, then gives Bumblebee the stink eye for poking him* So... Optimus. Youse t'ink's dat's dat spider dame youse told me about?

Prowl: *quick glance toward his leader*

Bumblebee: *frozen in the middle of a second poke* 0_0

Optimus: *small nod* *Quietly* We should alert Alpha Trion as well... I did promise him I'd notify him if there was any sign of her.

Fanzone: *brows draw together in a deep frown* She's dat dangerous.

Optimus: *quietly* Hard to say... But Alpha Trion... was the one who built the shell of the femme who became Blackarachnia... In essence, he's her father...

Fanzone: ...So she's yer sister?

Prowl and Jazz: *both glance quickly at Optimus with surprise at his words and the captain's*

Ironfist: *ditto*

Optimus: *aware of the surprised looks coming at him from all over the room* In a sense, yes.

Fanzone: *noticed all those surprised looks* I take it dis ain't common knowledge.

Sunny: *Small scowl* No, really?

Skywarp: *glances up at her mate from where she's cuddled in his arms*

Bumblebee: Waiiitaminute. You're telling us you're Alpha Trion's kid?

Fanzone: *makes like innocent whistling as he realizes how much he just let out of the bag*

Optimus: *nods* *quietly, his processor clearly on what impact Blackarachnia's reappearance might have on his family* That's right, Bumblebee.

Bumblebee: *dramatic gesture with the hands* And you never told anybody???

Ratchet: *Grumbles* You didn't ask.

Bumblebee: *stares at Ratchet, and then flails a little* And.... You just let Sentinel WALK all over you??? *totally gobsmacked*

Jazz: *just gives Optimus a slight smile. He's cool with this new information now that he's processed it*

Optimus: *quietly* It doesn't make much of a difference who built me....

Ratchet: Of course it doesn't! A bot's got to do his own growing, no matter how tall his creator was!

Fanzone: Anyhow. So what're youse gonna do about dis, Optimus?

Ratchet: *scowls at him too*

Optimus: *headshake* *Quietly* I don't know...

Fanzone: *gets to his feet, taking the blanket with him, as he hears Kathy's car outside* Well when youse knows, youse got my number. 'N t'ink fast, alright?

Optimus: *small nod* Yessir...

Prowl: *watches Fanzone go, then transforms to bot as he leaps down from the couch arm. Walks over to Optimus and puts a hand on him* *quietly* You'll get through this too.

Optimus: *small nod, glances to First Aid and Kendall, his concern for their safety clear on his face*

Ratchet: *gruffly* We're here, kid. Don't get your fuel lines in a knot.

First Aid: *looks back at her mate, her gaze steady*

Jazz: We all behind you, O P.

Nightwish: *silent nod*

Cragbuster: *scowling at his datapad and making like he hasn't heard a word*

Sideswipe: *serious, for once, nods*

WakeJumper: *pings Cragbuster's comm* //Oy. You paying any attention, or is trying to peeve Ratchet off more important?//

Cragbuster: *ignores him too*

Skywarp: *giving the yellow and white bot a worried look*

Sunstreaker: *'accidentally' flicks a small piece of charcoal at Cragbuster*

Cragbuster: Will you all stop poking at me? Can't a bot even mind his own business around here?! *gets up and stomps off down the hall*

Skywarp: *hiding now, kthnxby, and comforting a startled Sundog*

Sunstreaker: *Calls Cragbuster a very rude name, goes to comfort family*

Ratchet: *Sighs, and gets up to talk to Cragbuster*

First Aid: *finishes feeding Kendell and holds the sleepy sparklet out to her father*

Optimus: *Gently cradles Kendall close to his chest*

Kendell: *blinks and sighs, small fingers opening and closing against his chestplate until she slips into recharge*

Prowl: *quietly* You should all get some rest. I'll go look at the site.

Optimus: *small nod* Be careful...

Prowl: *small smirk as he steps back and vanishes into the shadow of the couch* That's what you should be telling Blackarachnia....

Bumblebee: >_o Y'know, sometimes he really creeps me out.

Sideswipe: *reaches over and slaps the little yellow speedster in the head*

Optimus: *Quietly* Let's all go get some rest...

Bumblebee: *giving Sideswipe a dirty look as he gets up and heads for the hallway*

First Aid: *has Optimus' arm and will steer him to their own room if he'll let her*

Optimus: *will gladly let First Aid steer him to their own room*

First Aid: *pulls the door down behind them, and then gives him a gentle little push toward their berth* *softly* You need to rest too, Optimus.

Optimus: *small nod, moves to gently tug First Aid over to the berth as well*

First Aid: *soft light of laughter in her optics as she teases him without words about his love of snuggling*

Optimus: *Small, unapologetic smile as he gently tugs First Aid towards the berth again*

First Aid: *comes with him, one hand going to rest on his that's on Kendell's little back*

Optimus: *expression softens even more* *Quietly* Let's tuck her into her bed....

First Aid: *moving the blanket off of the rectangular dog bed that sits on the night table, then carefully plumping the soft raised sides*

Optimus: *once First Aid finishes getting the bed ready, he gently kisses the top of his youngest daughter's head and carefully sets the sparklet in her bed* *softly* Sweet dreams, Kendell....

Kendell: *big sigh and a snuggle as First Aid covers her up and tucks her in*

First Aid: *soft smile as she touches the tiny face, and then she turns to her mate and puts her arms around him as she offers him a kiss* It's going to be alright, Optimus.

Optimus: *holds First Aid close as he kisses her* *small nod*

First Aid: *ups the charge, trying to dispel the worry she can still feel echoing from his spark*

Optimus: *starting to get a bit spinny-headed, holds First Aid close*

First Aid: *dizzy herself, but bumps him toward their berth*

Optimus: *almost misses the berth as he moves to lay down*

First Aid: *snuggles against him once he's settled and continues to apply her prescription for worry*

Optimus: *diiiiizy, cuddles, what was he upset about again? Oh yeah... Pulls First Aid closer*

First Aid: *sends her love through their bond, her optics shuttering so she doesn't share the impression of a spinning room with it*

Optimus: *cuddle, love upon*

First Aid: *reciprocates, though she finally breaks the kiss and rests her head on Optimus' shoulder. Sighs, her spark singing softly with contentment*

Optimus: *content, gently nuzzles First Aid's helm*

First Aid: *soft whisper as her fingers rub his shoulder* Get some rest, Optimus.

Optimus: *small nod, snuggles* You too, First Aid...

First Aid: *fingers gently moving from his shoulder to that spot right between them... the one that's like an off button....*

Optimus: *Soft sigh as he relaxes*

First Aid: *sighs herself and silently asks for protection and guidance before following him into stasis, unaware of the crimson eyes that are watching through the window up by the ceiling*

((co-written with

random_xtras))