MY BABY BUMBLEBEE

Baby's First Boot camp

"Smokey wake up! Come on, come on!" Sideswipe bounced up and down on the berth, trouncing the sleeping praxian underneath him.

"Are you going to sleep all day! We get to start training today!'' Sunstreaker cheered as he tore back the covers. Smokescreen grumbled and covered his face with the pillow.

"Do you two even know what time it is?" he lamented.

"Yup, fifth cycle of the first shift! Warriors wake early." replied Sunstreaker.

"I wonder what they are going to learn first! Super sonic punches? Triple ninja kicks?" Sideswipe was flailing his limbs in a juvenile attempt at each aforementioned move. The twins pulled at smokescreens as they shouted at them to hurry up. By the time they were halfway to the mess, the twins' excitement had rubbed off on him. The three were bouncing up and down in their seats as Ironhide set their cubes in front of them.

"Woah boys, slow your roll. Eat too fast and ya won't be able to do any trainin' without purge'n ya tanks." Ironhide chuckled as the three sparklings chugged down their cubes. They had no idea what was in store for them today.

First Ironhide led them through a series of stretches. Ratchet would kill him if someone pulled a cable. Then a few easy laps around the field to warm up their engines. Finally he lined all three up in the middle of one of the sparring pads.

"Ahl right cadets! Today for your very first day of training, I have brought in a very special guest!He will be helping me to administer your first, and most important lesson." The three young boys were trembling with excitement. Smokescreen had not been sure about today, but so far it had been just like Chromia's p.e. lessons. The twins' anticipation washed over him from either side as a black and white bot entered the ring.

"Aww scrap yea! We get to learn from JAZZ! This is going to be so cool!" Sideswipe whispered.

"Alright boys, there is only one rule to surviving any combat situation. This golden rule can be applied to any and all encounters with the enemy. It is the one and only thing you will truly need, and once developed, all other skills will rely on it. It is the one thing all Autobot soldiers strive to achieve, and it will become your motra for the rest of your functions." Jazz addressed them with his arms folded neatly behind his back.

"This one and only rule is of course-DODGE!" he whipped a training pistol out of his subspace and in a fraction of a second hot pink paint had splattered all three of them in the chest, right above the spark. Shocked they all looked down at themselves

"My finish!" Sunstreaker cried.

" Oh you have bigger problems than you finish. If that had been a real lazer you all would be scrap by now. The best offense is a good defense, and the best defense is not getting hit. Until you can master that skill there will be no further training! The rules of the game are simple. I will stand in this circle," Jazz cast a small halo ring on the floor. "Ironhide will cover targets around the gym for you all to touch. Use any means at your disposal to not get hit. If you get hit, take a lap. Cleanest at the end of the day wins. The game starts....."the kids waited with bated breath, cables tense. They were each determined to be the winner. "NOW" as soon as Jazz stepped into the circle he opened fire, plastering each of them with paint before they dove for cover.

Prowl watched silently from one of the upper balconies.

"Sideswipe! Cube rack! Smokescreen weight station! Sunstreker third track line!" Ironhide bellowed. As predicted all three botletts ran out from their cover. Almost immediately they were splattered in paint.

"All three take a lap!" Ordered Jazz. While the kids transformed, Ironhide went into a supply closet to set up some more cones and mats for targets and shelters. The game was a good choice; it enforced situational awareness and environmental based tactics. After all you can't win a fight if you get taken out by a stray shot before you even get there. Prowl remembered playing a similar game when training for his slot in the enforcers. Instead of paint they had used shock pods. He didn't let himself get tagged twice. Jazz, of course, was not even trying. He was really here to evaluate any special skills that would need to be nurtured for later more individualized training. The one benefit to starting their training so early was that special skills could be maximized for future use.

"Smokey red dot! Sides 3rd cone! Sunny purple mat!"

This time there was more hesitation. Prowl could practically hear their little processors trying to plan their routes. Predictably the twins choose their alts to try and cover the distance as fast as possible. They ignored every option for cover and both got tagged on the bumper. Smokescreen on the other hand waited for the twins to break cover before heading to his own target, ducking and weaving as he went. Only problem was his door-wings were completely exposed. And completely pink. This was going to take a lot of work, Prowl thought with a sigh.