RWN. Cybertron. Gold and Lilac

[dens_extra_pups]

Ironhide: *in the outer office, cussing Chromia*

communicator: *beeping nearly can't be heard for the crash that just happened out there*

Windblade: *was just stopping by to see if she could borrow Chromia for a bit* ... *sighs and shakes her head before moving to see what the beeping is*

communicator: *has been buried under a huge takeout bag, but is beeping manfully*

Windblade: *wonders who brought the takeout this time, will move the bag and answer the communicator* This is Windblade.

mech: //Governor, this is Tankor, from the birth factory. We've got a defective sparklet here.//

Windblade: ... Defective? Howso? *doesn't understand how a sparklet can be defective*

Tankor: //Well...//

in the background: //YEEEOWWW!//

Tankor: *muffled* //What happened now??//

background: //He bit me!//

Tankor: *muffled* //I told you to stay away from him!//

background: //I was trying to look at the purple one!//

Windblade: ... I'll send a couple enforcers. *pings Chromia and Ironhide's comms*

Ironhide: YEEEOWWW! Confounded woman!

Chromia: Serves you right. *moves to see why Windblade pinged her*

Windblade: *sternly* Chromia, Ironhide, that is enough!

Ironhide: Fahn tahm t'be sayin' th't...

Windblade: *still stern* Both of you report to the birth factory. They need assistance with an aggressive sparklet.

Chromia: ... An aggressive sparklet? *raised brow ridge*

Ironhide: *is the sound of big feet running out of the outer office*

Chromia: *facepalms and hurries after the red mech*

Windblade: *sighs and moves to see what takeout was brought in today*


A short while later, at the birth factory


Ironhide: *leans over the counter* Ah'm here t' see 'bout 'n aggressive sparklet.

receptionbot: Oh good. Right that way. *points to a door*

Ironhide: Th'nk y'u kahndly. *hurries through the door*

Chromia: *caught up with Ironhide a little ways back* *jerks her thumb toward his back* I'm with him.

receptionbot: *blink* Go right ahead, sir.

Chromia: *long-suffering sigh at being called "sir" (it happens regularly), will hustle after Ironhide*

Ironhide: *from an office up ahead* D'awwww. Y'u ain't aggressive, 're y'u. No. *deep, soft chuckle*

Chromia: *hurries to that office, not sure what to expect*

Ironhide: *standing by the end of the desk, holding two sparklets. One is a pretty light purple colour, and the other is gleaming gold with bright yellow eyes. The purple baby is clinging to Ironhide's back and peeking happily with big blue eyes as it licks Ironhide's shoulder. The golden baby is clinging to him and glowering at the factory CEO* Sweet babehs.

Chromia: ... *snorts and gets an image to show Windblade later* I thought we were going to be dealing with aggressive sparklets, not cute ones.

Ironhide: *looks up with a frown* Can't y'u see th'y ain't aggressive?

Chromia: That's my point. These two aren't aggressive. So what's the problem?

CEO: *huff* That golden one has stabbed, beaten, and BITTEN various of the workers. He's a dirty little menace.

Ironhide and golden baby: *both growl*

Chromia: *not entirely sure about that* Uh-huh. Anything prompt that course of action?

CEO: We didn't treat him any differently than any of the rest of the sparklets. *reaches toward the purple baby, and then yelps and yanks his hand back as the golden sparklet darts up with another growl and a cocked fist*

Ironhide: *deeps scowl* Watchit. *steps away from the CEO, pulling the purple baby around to his front and holding both little ones protectively*

Chromia: *snort* The gold one is protective of the purple one. Were they born at the same time?

CEO: *frowning and rubbing his hand* They're siblings. Two different sparks settled into the same pod.

Chromia: *blinks* Huh. Never heard of that happening before. But it explains a lot.

Ironhide: *sneaking out the door when the purple sparklet shrieks and makes him cringe* Wh'ut's wrong, babeh?

purple baby: *reaches imploringly toward Chromia*

Ironhide: *frowns over his shoulder toward the pale blue woman*

Chromia: *had just turned to ask Ironhide what he thought should be done, is now blinking at seeing the purple sparklet reaching for her* Er...

purple sparklet: Mam.

Ironhide: 0_0

Chromia: ... *confused expression is a go* What?

purple sparklet: Mam. Mammammam.

golden sparklet: Mah mam, too.

Ironhide: *confused and disappointed expression on that craggy mug* Ah thought y'u wanted t' stay with me.

golden sparklet: *looks up at him* Pap.

Chromia: ... *so confused, will move to ask Ironhide what's going on*

CEO: *frowning as he picks up a scanner and runs it over first Ironhide, and then Chromia* *surprised sound and expression*

Ironhide and golden sparklet: *scowl at him*

Chromia: *looks at the CEO with a frown* What's going on here?

CEO: You're both related to these sparklets.

Ironhide: *scowl goes possessive and is turned toward Chromia*

purple sparklet: Mam?

Chromia: ... *quietly* Oh. *very shocked now*

Ironhide: *turns abruptly on his heel and strides out of the room, taking both sparklets with him*


Back at Windblade's office


Windblade: *got distracted from refueling by catching up on paperwork (Yes, again). This time, she's actually humming something she picked up on one of her patrols*

Ironhide: *slams her door open and thunders inside, then slams the door closed again before darting behind her chair and turning at bay*

Windblade: *startles badly* Ironhide?

Chromia: *just arrived, in a nearly identical manner to Ironhide* *glaring at the mech now* You left me behind!

Ironhide: Ah did no such th'ng! Y'u ain' tahd t' me!

Chromia: *gonna belt you, but good, Ironhide!*

Windblade: *getting the bleep out of the way*

Ironhide: *arm of iron shoots out and blocks the swing* *thunderously* Th't's enough! Y'ur scarin' th' sparklets!

purple sparklet: *wailing*

golden sparklet: *so much confused scowl*

Chromia: *not sure why, but part of her wants to fuss over the sparklets* They're related to both of us, idiot!

Ironhide: *glower* Th't don' mean anehth'n'. Y'u th'nk Ah'm low class trash, remembah? Well, th'y's related t' me.

purple sparklet: Maaaaaam!

Chromia: They're related to me as well, Ironhide. You heard what that stuck-up glitch said! *optics very bright now*

Ironhide: So th't means th'y's low class trash too. *growls, his eyes suddenly flashing unnaturally pale as the purple sparklet wails again*

Windblade: *moving to mediate* Alright, that's enough, both of you. You're upsetting the sparklets.

Ironhide: *growls at her too, then cuddles the sparklets close and tries to back through the wall* Ah need Wheeljack...

Windblade: Ironhide, sit down. *she's using her Governor tone, Ironhide*

Ironhide: *still pressed against her note board* 'Jacks gotta sparklet. Ah needta talk t' 'im.

Windblade: We can try and put a call out to the Lost Light...

Chromia: You're holding them wrong, Ironhide!

Ironhide: *growls at Chromia, his expression showing that he's starting to lose his mind with the stress of this person that doesn't like him wanting to take his babies*

Windblade: Chromia, you don't know anything about holding sparklets. You and I both came from the hot spot on Caminus as full-sized bots. Both of you need to sit down. Now.

Nightbird: Chromia, back away. Step out of the office.

Ironhide: *is now aiming a weapon at the stranger who just spoke up, optics nearly white*

Chromia: *unprintable as she startles and automatically drops into a defensive stance*

Windblade: Awk! *startles and draws her sword*

Nightbird: *soothing but firm* Put away the weapons. Chromia, get out. Now.

Chromia: *tense glance to Windblade, who nods. She'll keep an eye on the stranger as she leaves, though!*

Windblade: *slowly sheathing her sword once more*

Nightbird: *as she watches Ironhide relax* *softly, to Windblade* He and Chromia have become batch initiators to the same sparklets.

Windblade: ... *blink!* I see.

Nightbird: And both the sparklets are female.

Ironhide: *quick and startled look for the clinging babies*

Windblade: They were assumed to be male.

Nightbird: *slight smile* Women haven't been in fashion for a long time on this world. Primus wants to change that.

Windblade: *small nod* I've seen evidence to support that statement. *quick glance to Ironhide and the sparklets*

Nightbird: *quietly* And Chromia doesn't look down on you, Ironhide. She didn't realize that her insults would get through that thick armour of yours.

Ironhide: *confused frown* Wh't?

Nightbird: She almost looks at you the way Bluestreak looks at Wheeljack.

Ironhide: *must sit down. On the floor*

Windblade: *quietly amused* I noticed that, as well. She's just a bit... rougher around the edges on the days you're working a different sector.

purple sparklet: *hopeful* Mam?

Ironhide: *looks at the little one* Th't's wh't human younlin's call th'r carriah.

purple sparklet: Mam... *gonna try and taste taste your armor now, Ironhide*

golden sparklet: Pap. *pats Ironhide* Carina. *pats her sister* Nova. *pats herself* Mam. *points to the door and twinkles her fingers in the universal gesture of "gimme"*

Ironhide: *strong old chin wibbles as he looks down at the two new lives he's holding. Draws up his knees to protect them a little*

Windblade: *gently* They're both asking for her.

Nightbird: Give me a moment, Governor. *slips out of the room and looks around the outer office*

Chromia: *didn't go far, at least. It's clear she's still pretty tense by the way she's pacing in tight circles*

Nightbird: *stops just inside the door* Chromia, listen to me.

Chromia: *startles before she can stop herself*

Nightbird: *soothing and firm* Circulate.

Chromia: *working on that*

Nightbird: *quietly* In some places you'd be his wife now.

Chromia: 0_0 *faceplates heating. Why are they heating up?!*

Nightbird: *still quiet* He thinks you despise him.

Chromia: That... *headshake*

Nightbird: Under all the iron hide, his heart is soft. Even after all he's been through.

Chromia: *quietly* That mech...

Nightbird: *gently* Would you like to see your alternate in our sister reality?

Chromia: ... Sister reality?

Nightbird: *nods* The story went a little differently there.

Chromia: ... How differently?

Nightbird: Do you want to see?

Chromia: *nods* Yes. I want to see.

Nightbird: *walks over and lightly touches Chromia's shoulder*

Primus: *shows an image. Ironhide, kneeling on a field of soft earth, his hands cupped around a gleaming young spark as he bawls with sobs that shake his sturdy frame. In the background, Chromia is hurrying toward him with a large scoop of soil in her arms*

Chromia: *soft gasp*

Primus: *shows Chromia setting down the scoop, and then putting her arms supportively around Ironhide as the young spark shines with calm content*

Nightbird: *quietly, in answer to an unspoken question* That's Starforge.

Chromia: *startles at that. She knows a mech by that name, on Caminus*

Nightbird: He's your son. And Ironhide's. *takes her hand away so that the images fade*

Chromia: ... *aft, meet ground*

Nightbird: *hunkers beside her, hand on her shoulder comforting now instead of connecting* He was first born on Cybertron, but died in the bombing of the factory. Primus sent him to Caminus instead. *gently* Will you reach out to Ironhide?

Chromia: *small nod*

Nightbird: *stands and offers her a hand up*

Chromia: *reaches for the offered hand*

Nightbird: *lifts her up with surprising strength, and then steps aside while opening the door*

Windblade: *looks up from where she's situated herself to talk soothingly to Ironhide and the sparklets, startling when Carina lets out a squeal upon spotting Chromia*

Carina: Maaaaaammmmmm! *reaches while holding onto Ironhide's armor*

Nova: Pap. Mam.

Ironhide: *looks up with an uncertain scowl*

Chromia: *moves to help Ironhide up off the floor* Hold onto the sparklets.

Ironhide: *scowl deepens as he clasps the little girls protectively*

Chromia: *seriously* I'll bring you to meet their older sibling. *circulates, then* His name is Starforge... He's related to you and me.

Ironhide: *startles hard enough to make Nova growl as he straightens and looks down at Chromia* Wh't's 'e look lahk?

Chromia: He's red, like you. *circulates more* *softly* ...Just like you.

Ironhide: He's back. *shutters optics and lowers head over the sparklets for a moment as he gives thanks to the Greatest Creator* *then looks back to Chromia* *gruff and soft* Ah'm readeh.

Chromia: *moves to bring Ironhide and the sparklets to the space bridge*

Windblade: *watches them go, and then abruptly remembers she has lunch*

((Written with random_xtras))