Transformers Short Story

Old Friends

Gold Line hurried after Ironhide as he lept over the training foliage in the simulator; made to train their skills in different environments. She ducked as a robotic form swung his sword her way, trying her best to not lose sight of Ironhide as she bowled through the feature. Ironhide overtook another bot and turned on her, his optics wide in half-concealed adrenaline and excitement, "Come on...is that all you got scraplet?" Gold Line bit her glossa from retorting at the bot who was only a few years her senior and charged at Ironhide's side, effectively stunning the guard; but her aim wasn't for him. She kicked the other mech's attack off-kilter, stopping his sword from colliding with Ironhide's back struts. The simulator wavered before a cool tone sounded from somewhere above them, "Simulation 1, Level 40 complete." She dusted off her frame before turning to eye Ironhide, who was still fighting his hurting ego at being snuck up on. Gold Line surveyed the decreasing coding as the room turned blank once more, "Is it okay if I go now?" Ironhide whirled his cannons back into their rests before nodding sheepishly, "Yeah, yeah go wait for Alpha Trion...good job today." Gold Line accepted his praise with a small smile, exiting the module, "You too, Hide." She shook out her joints before leaving the training halls altogether, not bothering to wait for her mentor to chaperone her. A cool breeze welcomed Gold Line as she wandered out onto the streets, carefully navigating the packed roads until she was standing right in front of the Iacon Halls. She eyed the busy streets before racing up the stairs, smiling at the double doors before her. She pushed them open and quietly slipped inside, trying to find her creators before she was caught by any guards. Gold Line wasn't supposed to go anywhere without her creators, a guard, or Alpha Trion but she also wasn't inclined to wait on her mentor to pick her up like some sparkling; she was six in human years now and old enough to care for herself, especially with her recent battle training. Iacon Halls were almost entirely empty this time of day...only clerks and the occasional student were seen throughout the many sections of the library-like building. Gold Line peered down each section with curious optics, making sure to keep herself hidden from any passerby. She circled back to the farther side of the records and looked through some of the books, bored. The sound of bot pede steps startled her out of her findings and she turned on her heel struts to view her interrupter. The mech was barely her height, though she was tall for her age so that didn't bother her much, and his vibrant green optics caught hers first. He nodded at her shyly before motioning to the section she'd been ruffing through, "What are you looking at?" Gold Line tilted her helm to take in the mech more; he was impressively built, with a light orange abdomen, light blue forearms, and dashes of vibrant pinks throughout his platings on his sides and ear fins; when he spoke his glossa was bright blue. Gold Line turned back to the section with a shrug, "Not sure...I just was looking through the section." The mech smiled sweetly, "That's cool...I'm Swerve by the way." Gold Line shook the servo he had extended with a similar smile, "Gold Line, nice to meet you." Swerve pursed his lip plating and suddenly brightened, "You want to see the racing section? They put up a new display!" Gold Line smirked, she'd seen the display yesterday but humored the mech, "Sure...I didn't take you as much of a racing mech though." Swerve flushed slightly, leading her toward the new corner, "My Sire used to race so I used to watch him from the stands all the time when I was little." Gold Line raised her optic ridges at him and pointed out, "You're still little though." Swerve shrugged at her tease, "You're just tall...I like it though, it's cool." He smiled at her before coming to a halt in front of the display, his optics blown wide in excitement, "Look! They modeled it after the Planet Cup on Velocitron! It even has moveable pieces so you can race any bot!" Gold Line smiled softly at his excitement before picking up one of the model species, this one a bright blue Bugatti, inspecting it with sharp optics, "I'll race you." Swerve picked up another model, a green Porsche with black racing stripes, "You're on!" They both set their chosen modes at the top of the racing flat and Gold Line hovered a digit over the start button, smirking in Swerve's direction, "Don't be too sad when my mode beats yours." Swerve blinked before chuckling, "I think my modes are faster than yours." Gold Line shrugged before pressing the button, sending both cars racing down the track. They competed for first through the first loop and edged around the second till Swerve's mode beat hers at the last second. Swerve pumped his fit in joy, "Wooo, look who's talking now!" Gold Line rolled her optics, setting both cars away on the display with a chuckle, "Good job...I was so sure I had you beat." Swerve nodded his head suddenly bashful, "Yours did really good though...I thought I was going to lose not going to lie." The clearing of pipes interrupted the two from their banter and the bots whipped around to face the mech standing in the hall; Optimus Prime and a severe-looking mech with a light blue frame and orange optics. Swerve bowed politely to the Prime before running to the mech with a cheerful grin, "Hey Sire...this is Gold Line, I was playing with her!" The mech smiled down at his Mechling before nodding to Gold Line, "Is that so? Did you have fun?" Swerve rushed back to the display to show off the previous modes they'd chosen, "Yes...we raced!" Optimus surveyed his own sparkling with amusement clear in his optics, "You didn't wait for Alpha Trion?" Gold Line shrugged, "He didn't show up in time." Said mech towered behind Optimus as he joined the conversation, laughter in his voice, "That is a polite way of saying I'm slow." Gold Line shook her head, "Your words, not mine." Alpha Trion's shoulder plating shook with laughter before he controlled himself, motioning to the mech, "This is Lightning, leader of Velocitron, he's an old friend of your sire's." Swerve's intake fell open and he stuttered, "Your Sire is Optimus Prime!" Gold Line studied the newly introduced Lightning with a polite nod before addressing his sparkling, "Yup." Swerve moved to bow but Gold Line stopped him in his tracks, "Don't do that." Swerve paused before resetting to his full height with a sheepish look, his voice awed, "Okay." The adults watched their interaction with amusement clear in their frames before Optimus spoke up, "I've invited them over to our hab-suit...would you like to show Swerve the way?" Gold Line pursed her lip plating before waving the Mechling to follow her, "Sure...let's go, slowpoke." Swerve shook his head and raced after her, "Hey, I'm not that slow." The two sparklings raced down the hall and out onto the street; running through the alleyways and shortcuts with their sire's not far behind. Gold Line paused, panting as she made it to her door first with a triumphant smile, "Beat you!" Swerve clutched his side struts with an ex-vent smiling in her direction, "Yeah, you did!" Gold Line shook herself before knocking on their door, hoping her carrier had gotten off work early. A low murmur filled her ear fins as her carrier pulled the door open, looking unimpressed by his femmeling's guest. Gold Line intercepted him before he could speak, "This is Swerve, sparkling to Lightning! They're coming over for a little while...sire said." Ratchet smiled softly at the nervous sparkling behind her, motioning them inside and leaving the door, Optimus could get in on his own. Gold Line showed him their living room, jumping up onto the couch and patting the side next to her, "Come on, we can sit up here!" Swerve eyed Ratchet before jumping up beside her, fiddling with his servos. The door opened for a second time and Gold Line peered over the couch to watch both their sires enter their hab-suit. Lightning came first, greeting Ratchet with a polite smile, "Ratchet, it's been a while...still practicing medicine at your center in Kaon?" Ratchet shook his servo firmly, "I've got First Aid watching it for me...I'm working for the council now...and sparkling sitting." He eyed her before smiling at his mate, moving to greet him, before addressing their guest again, "And you, still racing or retired? Is Blue Code still running her hotel?" Lightning smiled at the mention of his mate, "She is... the best one on the whole planet, which means she's busier than you would believe!...I'm retired now." He chuckled before turning to his sparkling proudly, "Though we may have another racer in the family." Swerve blushed and announced, "I'm going to be the best!" Lightning's optics softened, "That you are." He turned to study Gold Line, "And what of your sparkling?" Gold Line shrugged, "Either a medic like Carrier or a leader like Sir!" Lightning nodded, "Those are both worthy jobs, I wish you the best of luck." 

Present time: 

Golden Prima (Rose) smiled as she greeted familiar faces from her childhood on Cybertron. With the end of the war, the defeat of Megatron, and the rise of Cybertron again Rose had been given Primahood, the Matrix of Leadership, and her Cybertronian form. She was still trying her best to blend in with the growing crowd of guests who flooded the rebuilt Iacon Halls just to see the new Prime. Optimus and Ratchet stood on each side of her, intercepting guests and counting old friends and coworkers. A brightly colored mech caught her eye; his abdomen was light pink, his forearms light blue, and splashes of vibrant pink littered his frame and helm. He was standing to the back but was bombarded with fanfare as he made his way to the front of the crowd, right at Rose's station. He smiled up at her with his interesting orange optics and Rose was suddenly thrown back to when she was sparkling and Swerve was chasing her out in the fields or showing her new racing tricks he'd learned on the track. He bowed but Rose intercepted him before he could speak, "Swerve? It's been a millennium." Swerve looked up at her in surprise, "Goldie...I didn't think you would remember me." Rose stepped closer to him, pulling him off to the side, while her creators occupied the crowds, "How could I forget? You were the only sparkling I knew who was going to be a racing sensation." Swerve flushed under her teasing praise before straightening, "Well I did...for a little while at least...the war kinda ended that." Rose winced but brightened, "Well you have a chance now." Swerve smiled softly, "I've decided to retire, I'm taking over for my Sire... you're looking at the new leader of Velocitron." Rose smiled, "They couldn't have picked anyone better." Swerve sighed, his field radiating a soft sadness, "I can't believe everything that's happened, Goldie...carrier's gone, my sire's a war hero, and you.... you're a Prima." Rose's optics softened, her field reaching out to comfort him, "I'm still somewhat the same...but do I have a story to tell you." Swerve smiled, his optics warm, slinging his arm around her shoulders and leading her back into the crowd, "I'd love to hear it, old friend."