Ever Babysat a Giant Robot? (TFP Little Series) (Wattys 2017)

>》1《<

The Nemesis was tense and eerily silent with anticipation. The cons were trying to be invisible as the warlord stormed through the ship. He was angry and no one knew why. If he saw a con he would punch them into the wall or shoot at them. Knockout was getting frustrated with them coming to the medical area. They eventually just avoided the warlord altogether. The only ones he didn't harm was Soundwave or Shockwave. Though some of the vehicons wanted to see a fight between them.

At one point it almost happened. Megatron was angry and frustrated with Shockwave for not having his experiment completed. He threatened to throw him off the Nemesis if he didn't hurry up. Shockwave patiently explained it couldn't be rushed, and he was almost done. Megatron got angrier every time he said 'illogical' or something similar. Soundwave finally stepped in and advised the warlord to fight in the training room. To let out his anger.

"And who pray tell will I fight!" He shouted as he glared darkly. Soundwave just stared at him blankly. The warlord smirked and chuckled darkly.

"It's been a while since we've fought against each other." He muttered then walked off. Soundwave glanced at the scientist then followed to the training room.

A vehicon saw and immediately alerted the others. They all gathered where they could watch but not get into trouble. Knockout was collecting bets and telling them to hurry. They soon settled and watched quietly.

After a while the cons became exhausted from the fight and the two gladiators called a draw. Again. They vehicons looked at each other unsure what to do. One cheered happily as it was officially called a draw. He was the only one that bet on that. Megatron furrowed his optic ridges and looked to the doorway. The vehicons quickly covered the ones faceplate.

"Shhh! Shut up Steve." They hissed angrily and quickly scattered as they heard heavy ped steps. Megatron stopped at the doorway and looked around. He glared at Knockout who was standing there with a data pad.

"Lord Megatron." He muttered calmly and nodded once. He walked down the hall as if he was just passing by. The leader narrowed his optics and went back to the bridge.

~

A few days later, Shockwave had finished the project and gone to report. Starscream came in and looked around with boredom on his faceplate. The scientist ignored him as he wrote his report for the warlord.

"What fantasies have you made up this time Shockwave?" The seeker sneered as he looked around. He saw the project which looked like liquefied energon.

"It is illogical for you to touch anything in my lab. In general it is illogical for you to even be in here." Shockwave said seriously without looking at him. Starscream narrowed his optics and folded his arms.

"What is this anyway?" He muttered as he looked at the energon.

"An experiment." He said seriously and bluntly. Starscream glared as he stated the obvious.

"What does it do?" He asked as he clenched his servos. He was getting frustrated with him.

"What I have created and designed it to do." He responded. The seeker sighed in exasperation then wandered off. He didn't go far and simply listened as Shockwave reported to Megatron.

The energon was supposed to be a typed of poison. If one covered a crystal of energon with it, the liquid would absorb into the crystal. It wouldn't be detected until it was too late. Shockwave said he had to test it still, and needed to monitor it's progress. Starscream smiled wickedly and ran off as he got an idea. He would destroy the Autobots and get the glory.

A few hours later they discovered an energon mine and Megatron went with them. He demanded that most of them go considering how large of a mine it was. Starscream snuck into the lab and saw that Shockwave had stepped out. He smiled wickedly and grabbed the poison then headed out again.

Once at the mine the vehicons quickly got to work to obtain all the energon they could. Megatron walked around with the medic and his second in command. They talked about their next move to destroy the Autobots. Starscream pretended to have no idea about the poison.

Just like clock work, the Autobots soon arrived. They always seemed to be late in obtaining any mine. In Starscream's mind they were just late with anything. Megatron growled angrily and charged the bots. The others fought with him and the two leaders quickly got separated. Starscream broke away and ran to get the poison. There was a cluster of energon crystals and he had a plan to infect them. Smokescreen tackled him from behind and the vial went flying into the energon.

"You fool!" Starscream screeched and looked at him. "You-" He got punched in the faceplate.

"Shut up." The rookie muttered and fought him.

Bumblebee ran over and attacked him as Knockout went to help the seeker. During the fight the vehicons gathered what energon they could and ran through the portal. They didn't know it was infected. After awhile Megatron retreated and the others quickly followed. The Autobots took what energon they could and left before the cons decided to come back.

~

Optimus made sure the energon was safely inside the base before he left to scout out for more. The team was low on energon and he knew they needed more. He also knew they needed to refuel and didn't want to consume any until they had. He couldn't bear to think of what would happen if they didn't. He had told them all to refuel before he left. Unfortunately, all they had left was the infected energon.

A few hours later he came back and found the base was eerily silent. His spark clenched as he looked around the main room. He didn't even see Ratchet in his normal place. He slowly searched the base and called for them. His spark beat faster as he thought of what might have happened. Did the cons somehow find them? He heard someone talking in the training room.

He ran down the hall and froze when he came to the doorway. He blinked in surprise as he stared at his team. They were all sparklings. The only one he didn't see was Ratchet. He just stared at them as they wrestled with each other.

Bulkhead and Wheeljack were wrestling. Arcee sat on Smokescreen as she pouted and folded her arms. The little speedster was protesting and smacking the ground with his servos. Bumblebee sat off to the side as he sucked his digit and watched them. The little scout looked at him as he stared at them blankly.

::Sire!:: he beeped happily and shakily stood up. ::Sires home!:: he chirped and the others stopped suddenly.

They looked at the Prime and cheered happily. The sparklings ran passed the scout and crowded their leader. Optimus just stared at them and carefully crouched down to their level.

Wheeljack and Smokescreen pushed each other and climbed onto the Primes back. They held on to his shoulder plates and Arcee joined them. Bumblebee and Bulkhead climbed into his arms and held on. Optimus wasn't sure what to do and slowly stood up. The sparklings cheered happily and giggled as he walked to the main room.

"Ratchet we have a situation. I'm not positive how this-" He stopped suddenly at the doorway and stared at the medic blankly. Ratchet was sitting on the console trying to type. He stopped suddenly and looked at his friend.

"I'm little." The medic huffed angrily and pouted cutely as he glared. Optimus just stared at him blankly as the sparklings giggled at each other.

~

Megatron furrowed his optic ridges and looked around. His entire crew had disappeared. He wandered the empty halls of the Nemesis as he looked around for them. He wandered to the hall where they had all gathered to refuel on energon. He opened the door and froze as he stared at his crew. They were all sparklings.

Starscream was standing on a table yelling at the vehicons to listen to him. All the little cons were running around doing random things. Chasing each other, wrestling, throwing energon and whatever else they wanted. Knockout was sitting on the table playing with his data pad, and Soundwave was standing in a corner staring at everyone blankly.

"What in the pits of Kaon?!" Megatron roared angrily as he looked at them.

~

Sorry if it seems odd and rushed... been struggling with some stuff...