Right. Here we are! How To Take Care Of Your Seeker, at last.

This fits in nicely before The Edge Of Reason, actually. It's the same 'verse, and everything! :D

Call it the official prequel, and expect wonderful little hints and scenarios that you Reason readers may be able to interpret differently.

When writing this originally, I realised it wasn't going to work as a one-shot.

And at the same time, I apologise for the random dark theme at the beginning. I tried to... lighten it up a bit. Hope I succeeded.

Anyway, this is my interpretation of the movie-verse. Therefore, expect trademark bizarreness. ;D

If something doesn't make sense, feel free to PM or whatever. I'll be very pleased that you care.

Maybe I should mention that we're back on Cybertron, back in the days where Megs isn't particularly evil.

That's about that! I think the rest you can work out as you roll.

Onwards!

(P.S. A deca-cycle is about three weeks, I think.)

This is dedicated in its entirety to Clumsy Peg, because I just read her profile and WAILED and MELTED and LAUGHED with unexpected LUBB.

You're the BESTEST. Hope it's worthy! xD

"I can't believe that things like this still happen," the Lord High Protector of Cybertron fumed, stepping over burning rubble and twisted metal.

"Sir-!" A hideously coloured mech- luminous green and dirty yellow- leapt into his vision. "Optimus Prime has arrived...this way!"

Megatron followed the mech (it wasn't like you could take your optics off of him) through the chaos, looking around at the decimated building they were walking through disbelievingly.

Eventually, he saw the welcome sight amongst the disorder, and strode over to his brother.

Optimus managed to disengage from being assaulted by some reporter, and sighed. "This is terrible."

"I know," Megatron replied mournfully.

The equally disgusting-to-behold purple and pink reporter quickly made notes. "'This...is...terrible.' His brother replies with untold sorrow lacing his deep, mechly tones: 'I-"

Megatron growled, and cracked his knuckles in a long rippling motion.

The reporter quickly withered and scurried away.

Optimus eyed him. "I wish I could do that."

Megatron smirked. "You're too soft to do that."

"Bah, I'll show you soft."

They stood quietly for a moment.

"...I cannot stop looking," Optimus suddenly intoned emotionlessly.

"I know. It's terrible- hard to look away."

"I mean seriously: green and yellow? What were his parents thinking?"

"Green an-? Optimus! I thought you were talking about the devastation!" Megatron waved a hand at their surroundings, then realised the mech who had brought him here was standing close by.

"No, no. That mech there is commanding my entire attentions."

Megatron turned to look. "...They should have been sterilised."

Both brothers stared at the object of their interest/disgust, who shuffled uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny of the two most powerful mechs in existence.

Optimus hesitantly reached out and poked the armour. "...I cannot believe this. I didn't imagine it. I had hoped that it wasn't true. Elita would scrap this abomination for a crime against... against..."

"Everything." Megatron was also inspecting the mech incredulously, tilting his helm as he looked more closely. "Oh, Primus! Look-!"

Prime narrowed his optics in concentration, then shrieked, visibly cringing. "OLIVE GREEN, TOO?"

Megatron quickly turned around. "I've got to look away, before I purge, or say something cruel."

"I quite like it, actually."

He whipped round again. "Excuse me? What did you just say?"

The vivid mech spoke loudly. "I love my armour. It's a gift from Primus. We're not all sparked with boring colour combinations, or a single colour." There was a definite sneer going on there.

Megatron narrowed his optics. "You idiot. I like being silver. Simple; to the point, yet with an air of sophistication. It has somewhat of an understatement, yet cries: You want me, you can't have me. I'm far superior. Pit, the word itself has an edge. Observe. Green. Siiiillverrrrr. Siiiiiiiiiillllverrr."

Optimus actually snarled. "And red and blue is so heroic. Combined with sexy silver, I'm simply gorgeous. Next time you think you have a right to insult my brother and I, remember how you look. You're obscene."

"And a gift from Primus? He must have hated you," Megatron shook his helm in revulsion. "And I sincerely hope that you haven't got any siblings. If your parents even think of sparking again-"

"We shall have to make a personal visit," Optimus finished.

The mech flinched, and twitched quietly.

Turning away with dignified sniffs, the brothers watched as medics hurried around the complex, shouting.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Statement," Optimus answered. "I take it some of your lot discovered...?"

"Indeed. There wasn't much to save when we got here."

Optimus bowed his helm, then froze, frowning slightly.

Megatron recognised the signs of him being commed, and waited patiently, taking in more of his depressing surroundings.

"Looks like I'll be giving a statement with you," his brother finally announced.

The bigger mech raised an optic ridge. "Am I not good enough?"

Optimus smiled sadly. "Obviously not."

They walked to the front of the destroyed buildings.

"Well, I heard you didn't lose any mechs... that's good news."

"It is indeed," Megatron replied. "At lea-"

Ironhide suddenly jumped in front of Optimus, cannons whirling.

"'Hide, what the Pit are you doi-"

"Assassin!" Ironhide shouted, aiming his weapons into the rubble. "Show yourself!"

There was a moment of silence.

A blur shot from the ruins and attached itself to Optimus' arm.

Blinking, they made out a tiny sparkling desperately clinging onto the limb.

"Oh," Optimus said stupidly, holding his arm out for the others to see. "A sparkling."

"Hold your arm out; I'll rid you of it."

"Ironhide!" The Prime twitched, regaining himself. "You can't just shoot a sparkling!"

"I can if it looks like it's about to attack you," the black mech replied, optics narrowed.

"'Hide, it's a sparkling. What is it going to do? Bite m- OW!" Optimus winced as the tiny Cybertronian gnawed his hand.

"See? You just can't protect yourself. You throw yourself into these dangerous situations-"

"It savaged me!" Optimus stared at his hand, the sparkling still dangling off of it. "...It's still savaging me!"

Megatron sighed, and firmly grabbed the assailant around the middle. "Drop my brother, sparkling."

The beige youngster blinked large red optics, and opened his mouth.

"Thanks, Megs," Optimus sighed, wiggling his fingers. "Ah, I'm up first... I hear you're joining me in a minute. See you then."

Megatron watched his younger brother tread gracefully to the small crowd that had gathered and address them.

His smooth voice floated back occasionally. "What happened here cannot be repeated-"

"There's nothing more we can do. First Aid, scram." A familiar voice made itself known.

"Will do, sir. ...Seems like those glitches didn't want anyone left alive."

"Or they were already dead."

"That's the spirit, sir. Can I recommend you have a rest?"

"No, you can't. Get lost." Ratchet came into view, waving off another medic. Jazz suddenly bounded towards them, as Jazz is wont to do.

Megatron frowned at the sparkling in his hand. "Um, Ratchet...?"

The CMO trotted over. "Megatron? What the Pit are you doing with a sparkling? If you haven't told me about a femme, I'm going to personally dismantle your interfacing systems. A sparkling is-"

"It's not mine," Megatron scowled. "It leapt at Optimus."

Ratchet blinked. "...A survivor?"

"...the testing of sentient life forms is strictly prohibited. And testing on sparklings is a heinous travesty-"

Jazz shook his helm in disgust. "Sparkling testing."

Ratchet's shoulders sagged. "Sixteen bodies, Jazz. Sixteen innocent lives lost. Lost in unimaginably painful ways. If we had only gotten here sooner... what if some could still be alive?"

"Primus... Sadists." Ironhide growled, and rotated his cannons. "I'm glad I took a few."

The medic reached out for the sparkling, which snapped at his fingers.

"It bites," Megatron said pointlessly.

"Yes, thank you, Megatron. I'm sure I'd bite too, if I'd been what this little guy had been through."

Ironhide was puzzled. "Why isn't he biting you?"

Megatron had no reply, so he queried Ratchet. "He's a mech?"

"Yes, he's a mech. Can't you tell?"

"He's very small, and..." Megatron hefted the sparkling, which screeched. "-very light- what the Pit was that noise for?"

"He's had a deprived life," Ratchet sighed. "Of course he's going to be small."

Jazz smiled. "Sounds like he liked that."

"What? This?" Megatron moved his hand again.

The sparkling giggled happily as he soared through the air.

"Look, whatever. I don't have time for this."

"The masterminds behind this operation were difficult to trace. They wor-"

"So why didn't you try a little harder? Why didn't you put more funds into finding them? Did it occur to you that lives- sparklings- were on the line?"

Megatron's helm snapped round as someone ruthlessly interrupted Optimus.

"That's it. I'm going over. He's not having everyone pin the blame on him-" The silver mech handed the sparkling to Ratchet. "...What the Pit is he doing?"

"He obviously likes you," Ratchet pursed his lips as the mechling growled and wriggled towards Megatron, who tilted his helm, noticing something.

"What are those?"

Jazz jaunted towards them. "Are those what I think they are?"

"Yup," Ratchet confirmed mysteriously.

Ironhide wandered over. "Can I blow them up?"

"Certainly not. Look-" Ratchet pointed out two little nubs on the sparkling's back.

"Are they necessary? I could blow them off of him. It would be painless and eas-"

"No, Ironhide! He's a Seeker, you fool!"

"A Seeker? They're quite rare, aren't they?"

"Especially this far out from Vos," Jazz confirmed. "Wonder how our lil' guy got here?"

The sparkling chirped.

"So why has it taken this long? If this tragedy is so regrettable, why haven't you discovered it sooner?"

With a snarl, Megatron strode to join Optimus, and glared at the reporters. He did not like reporters. Especially idiots like this one, who had no idea and did not care what burdens his little brother carried. "We're doing all we can. This really isn't our fault. Why don't you go and whine at the scum who actually create the problems? Oh- I forgot. It's because you have no courage. None whatsoever."

There was a slight murmuring and shuffling in the crowd as Megatron asserted himself.

"But-"

"No buts. And, if you hadn't realised, nit-picking your Prime isn't going to help. Why don't you bunch of half-malfunctioning losers go and do something useful? If you care so much, and we're doing such a bad job, go undercover. No one's stopping you. Try to find all of the glitches on or off of Cybertron, and once you know how hard and dangerous it is, and if you succeed, then I'll listen to you. But not before."

There was a shocked silence.

"We're done here." Megatron put a hand on Optimus' shoulder, and steered him away.

The reporters burst into a deafening, frenzied rabble.

"It's not fair," Ratchet sighed, holding the wriggling sparkling.

"What isn't, Ratch?" Ironhide asked, ever oblivious.

"This," he scowled. "Those two have got more pressure than... I'm surprised they can cope."

"Rough times," Jazz agreed, then smiled at the sparkling. "At least there's lil' ones like this, though. Those media bots forget th'good that Optimus and Megatron manage to squeeze out of this place. There's more hope now than there was before," he added, in a rare moment of sincerity.

A drooping Optimus headed towards them, guided by Megatron, who was speaking to him earnestly.

"But they're not wrong! I'm just not doing enough, Megs!"

"No, they are not. Could they run a planet? No, they couldn't."

"Well, I cannot either." Optimus looked up at his brother.

"And that-" Megatron tapped his chassis. "-is why you have me, little fragger."

Optimus frowned. "Stop calling me 'little fragger'. I am an adult!'

"Then act like one. Anyway, what are you going to do about it? You'll always be my little fragger."

Optimus pursed his lips in a fake scowl. "And you will always be a patronising... patroniser."

Megatron grabbed him in a helm-lock. "Need to work on your insults, huh?"

As they noisily approached, the sparkling drew back slightly.

Optimus growled playfully, attempting to break Megatron's grip. "Get offffffff..."

"Not until you say it."

"Oh, come o- no! Don't give me a Primus-forsaken-"

"NOUGIE!"

"How immature are you?" Optimus squirmed unhappily.

"I'll do whatever it takes. Say it! Before I drag you into the cameras and give you a nougie before the world...! Make your choice, brother. And make it wisely."

"Fine! Fine!" Optimus took a deep breath, preparing himself. "...I may be Prime..."

"Aaaaaaaand?"

There was a deep sigh as Optimus pretended to be annoyed. "...I may be Prime, but Megsy knows best."

"Thank you." Megatron flicked his helm and released him. "Now, where were we?"

"That was one of the best statements you've ever given, Megatron," Jazz grinned.

They waited for Ratchet to berate him, but nothing came. Surprised, they looked at him, only to find the CMO watching the sparkling, who was trembling quietly.

"Maybe he doesn't like nougies...?" Jazz tried.

"Hmph- more like you idiots scared him."

"What's going to happen to the little guy?" Optimus asked.

"Plenty of bots want a sparkling," Ironhide replied. "I can't understand why. How can anyone have time?"

"Not everybody revolves their lives around their cannons, you fool. ...I suppose he'll go into the adoption system."

"Imagine a sparkling at HQ," Optimus mused.

Jazz clasped his hands in delight. "The fun! He could be a mini-Jazz-"

"You're already a mini Jazz," Ratchet scowled, to a glare from the saboteur. "And one's enough for the Universe."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Of course it was," the CMO glowered unconvincingly.

The sparkling slowly removed his helm from under Ratchet's arm, and looked around.

"Aww..."

"We can't keep him," Ratchet said firmly. "He needs a proper home. I'll hand him to the authorities."

And with that, he span around, and marched off to do some Ratchety-business, sparkling in hand.

Jazz clicked in disappointment. "We ARE the authorities!"

Ratchet stopped to scowl and flick a rude gesture at him. The sparkling wailed suddenly, and squirmed in his arms.

"You're upsetting him with your crudities," Optimus noted.

"I'll give you crudities. But not this astro-second."

They watched as Ratchet disappeared.

Optimus broke the silence. "Think we'll ever see him again?"

"Who, Ratchet?" Jazz howled with amusement and slapped his leg armour.

Ironhide sniggered in appreciation.

Optimus quietly remained completely sincere. "...Honestly? Think we'll ever see him again?"

"Even if we don't, you'll have saved his life. Isn't that enough?" Megatron asked.

"...No."

A deca-cycle later, Megatron found himself inclined to agree with his brother. It wasn't enough to know that the sparkling has survived. He had to make sure he was living.

This was what he deduced as he stood outside a shabby looking building.

It hadn't been that hard to track him down. And, he had discovered some bot-traffickers at the same time. Somehow the sparkling had ended up in the wrong hands, again.

Anyway, Megatron decided, he'd just go in, and check out the situation. No ties, no nothing. Just see that he was okay.

Steeling himself, he strode to the door, and pushed it open.

The door fell to the ground with a depressing thud.

Megatron sighed, and stepped over it, entering the dark building. "Anyone there?"

"I am here," a voice replied.

In the silence that followed, Megatron could hear faint rustling noises and squeaking. Could this get any weirder?

"Here, put these on!"

Someone forced some kind of contraption onto his helm, and suddenly he could see a mech bouncing before him, leering dementedly. He looked around, and was a bit disturbed.

"Only sixty-"

"I don't want your ridiculous device," Megatron snarled, hurling it to the floor and activating his night-vision. "What the Pit is this place?"

The red mech he could now see before him whimpered briefly as the weird appliance cracked. "Ah, interested? I call it: Swindle's Emporium!"

Megatron wrinkled his faceplates, and grabbed him roughly, scowling into his single optic. He disliked single-opticed Cybertronians. They were usually a bit weird. "Well, wonderful. What I mean, you fool, is it legal?"

"Of course!" the mech choked. "Everything is! Just call me legal!"

"Very well, Legal."

There was an uncomfortable silence whilst Megatron continued surveying his surroundings.

"...Can I help you?"

"Finally. Some decorum. I'm looking for a sparkli-"

"Wonderful! I have plenty of those. This way, this way."

A slightly bewildered Megatron was enthusiastically guided down a long corridor, past stacks of metal, in between precariously balanced data-pads, pushed between a giant pair of- what the Pit were they?- and under a variety of ridiculously bright Do-It-Yourself paint kits.

Eventually they reached a fenced off section. The mech keyed in a complicated code- which Megatron instantly memorised whilst pretending to look the other way- and they entered.

"Yes. By the way, the name's Swindle-"

"I don't give a frag about you. He's small, slight, and a Seeker."

Swindle paused. "That's not much of a description."

"How many Seekers can you have, you glitch!"

The smaller mech beckoned him into another room, this one even more secure than the other.

Inside, Megatron spotted an enclosure. "Primus."

"He's called Primus?"

"No! He is-this can't be legal. I refuse to believe that you can keep Seekers in a pen."

"Hey, have you tried not?"

"NO!" Megatron snarled.

Prowl should really start making a list of legal things. Bar the obvious offences, Megatron didn't have much idea of what was what.

There was a brief silence, then an excited chirping broke out.

Megatron walked over to the enclosure and peered in. About sixteen squirming sparklings stared back. "Oookay."

"What do you want one for?"

"Pardon?"

"Seekers make very good pets, you know. For show, or just as a companion. Very loyal. Occasionally," Swindle muttered under his breath. "Here! Read this-" He thrust a book at Megatron, who had no choice- it was either take the book, or get uncomfortably close to the other mech.

How To Take Care Of Your Seeker. The front cover displayed a wide-eyed Seeker sparkling chewing on a toy.

The aim may have been to look cute, but it looked rather vicious, to be honest.

Well, as today couldn't get much more bizarre, he might as well have a look.

Swindle watched as he speed-read the guide. A sparkling warbled randomly, so he discreetly kicked the cage. This was not lost on Megatron.

"Interested, then?"

"Becoming more so," the large mech muttered, turning a page.

"So. See any you like?"

"What on Cybertron do you mean?"

"Special offer. Buy one Seeker, get two free."

Megatron's optics twitched. "You can't sell a life! You especially cannot put them on offer!"

"Seekers go in threes! ...Are you with the authorities? Maybe the military...? I swear I've seen you somewhere before."

Megatron resolved the easiest course of action would be to get the sparkling out of here, then alert Prowl. The mech would have a riot.

Despite himself, he continued reading, finding himself more fascinated by the second.

"Do you have any colour preference?"

"Beige. He's beige," Megatron muttered.

"Hm. No telling what does it for some people. Best age to get them though, if you ask me...?" Swindle stopped as Megatron's icy gaze burned through him.

"I didn't." Slowly, the silver mech moved to the cage, and bent down, scanning for the sparkling.

"...I don't see him in there. I-"

"Beige? There should be a beige."

"Not in there," Megatron corrected, giving a Withering Look. "You must have sold him already. You have to tell me who to."

"I sell all the tim- ahhh! Okay. You say a specific sparkling?"

"I do."

"...A beige Seeker?"

"How many times-!"

"...Did he bite?"

"No- hang on. He did! You did have him?"

"Still do," Swindle scowled. "He's in here somewhere; can't sell the bleeding aft. He's got cute appeal, but I can't even catch him. Put him in there, he gets out. Try and catch him, he's too fast. Somehow corner him, he bites. You'd be better off with-"

"No," Megatron shook his helm, scanning the entire room. "I want that one."

"Really?" Swindle sounded delighted. "If you can find him, he's yours. I won't even accept money."

"That bad, huh?" Megatron asked apathetically, looking thoroughly at some shelves.

"That bad. ...He can't fly yet, so he's not going to be up high."

"Have you even read this book?" Megatron demanded, wafting it before him. "He will be off the ground."

"Well, he never comes out when I'm in here."

"Then get lost."

"Wha-" Swindle stopped as a particularly acidic snarl burst forth from the mech in front of him. "If you want to be alone with sparklings, then that's what you like. Are you CRB check- you know what? I'm going outside. Call me when you're done."

Megatron sighed heavily as the door closed and glanced about the room. Time to employ his tactics. They worked with sparkling-Optimus, so why not now?

He sat down, leaning against the wall near the cage, opened the book- might as well get some advice whilst he was here- and began to read.

It took less than two minutes for the sparkling to emerge.

Megatron lowered the book slightly, and saw two little red optics watching him curiously from a rafter.

He raised the guide and continued reading.

Thirty astro-seconds later, there was a soft thump.

Megatron ignored it, merely turning a page.

There was a small growl.

Megatron turned to the index page and scanned for interesting keywords.

The growling turned into a loud yap.

Megatron fanned his face with the book, then opened it again in the middle, and looked at some interesting diagrams.

Out of the corner of his optics, he saw the sparkling crawl up to him.

He didn't look away from the guide until the Seeker whined.

Unlike Optimus, he didn't tug at Megatron's armour and shriek with hysterical joy at him.

Nor did he bounce on him until his helm collided with Megatron's chin, then quietly start crying.

Nor did he silently crawl onto Megatron, then curl up on his lap and fall into recharge.

But then again, that was Optimus' job.

Slowly, he lowered the book and regarded the mechling next him, then continued reading.

The sparkling screeched. Loudly.

Megatron paused, looked at him again, then held out a hand.

The Seeker barely hesitated before grabbing it and curling his tiny talons around one claw.

"Who's a good little mech, then?"

Optimus always liked this question.

The sparkling just looked confused. Alright, so it was unlikely he had a clue what Megatron was talking about. Sometimes Megatron didn't know what Megatron was talking about.

"Do you want to prove how good you are?"

The sparkling blinked at him and tightened his grip on Megatron's claw.

Well, that was a reaction. "Right. It's going to be hard, but I want you to trust me. Got it?"

The Seeker nibbled his claw gently.

Megatron lifted the sparkling as he stood up carefully, and watched as his little wing nubs twitched. "Legal- or whatever your name is- get in here!"

Swindle barged into the room loudly, then stood in a state of shock.

"Y-y-you caught him?"

"I did no such thing," Megatron replied.

"Right... lucky day! Okay, just pick the other two, then scra- I mean, take your leave."

Megatron sighed, and wandered over to the enclosure. There weren't many Seekers in it.

"They usually die, if they aren't sold quickly," Swindle announced.

From the safety of his arms, the sparkling squeaked angrily.

"Ignore the aft," Megatron reassured, then pointed at the pen. "Do you have any friends in here?"

"He sure does," Swindle scoffed. "The first few times, they broke out with him. He masterminded it, the little p-"

"Where are they?"

"Solitary confinement. He broke out of that as well."

Swindle crossed to what looked like a wall with a handle. Pulling on it, a small part slid out like a drawer.

The sparkling hissed, and squirmed to Megatron's shoulder. "Let them out, then."

"Are you insane?"

"Would you like to be?"

There was a small sound from inside- a boom, then a painful sounding clang.

The mech sighed and released the heavy security. The hydraulics hissed, and the door swung open.

There was a one second pause before a blue blur streaked past.

After managing not to fall over, Swindle moved to the next, and opened that one too, but there was no movement. "Whoops," the mech noted. "Looks like he's dead."

"You know what?" Megatron snarled. "Just get out of here. I can't take your inane comments anymore."

"But-"

The venomous glare he received was reason enough to leave.

"...I'll just...um...go and...just go...?"

Megatron snorted and turned back to the wall.

The sparkling hopped down his arm and perched on his hand, peering into the hole with a chirrup.

There was an angry twitter from behind him, and Megatron turned to see a blue sparkling glaring at him.

The Seeker on his arm screeched at the other, little wing nubs bristling indignantly, and a loud conversation burst into life. It sounded more like a debate.

And Megatron knew how long debates went on.

Sometimes, he and Optimus got so bored by the whole process, they started playing games over their bond.

Right. I spy... something beginning with...S.

Senile Senator? Megatron guessed.

Curses! Your turn.

Yours are too easy. Hm... I spy... something... beginning with T.

T? ...I can't see anything beginning with T. Optimus discreetly glanced about the room. This is ridiculous... what am I missing?

Can't tell you, can I?

Smart-aft- ow! His brother had turned round in his chair, forgetting about 'discreetly', and his helm had collided with Ironhide's cannon- the black mech had chosen to stand directly behind him. He was obsessed with body-guarding the young Prime. Attacks could come at any moment, according to Ironhide.

Aha! 'Assassins pick the most opportune moments...' It's Trigger-happy mech, isn't it...? Although I do believe that your choice verges on cheating. It should have been T and H.

Damn you, Optimus- and I don't agree.

Megatron found himself smiling slightly, then remembered where he was. Slowly, to refrain from startling the mechling, he bent down and placed him on the floor. Then, he stood and reached into the hole. He felt his claws wrap around a small body, then-

VOP.

Then there was no body. Alarmed, the silver mech looked into the hole. No, no sparkling.

Confused, he looked around to see three sparklings chattering animatedly. Three? He concentrated. Beige, black, blue. Black? Where had the black one come from?

He knelt down and caught their attention. The black sparkling jabbered excitedly and-

VOP.

Suddenly something latched onto his faceplates, and he toppled over in surprise.

Megatron winced as the something clawed him. Opening one optic, he saw a dark shape spread across his face.

Just as he recovered from his shock and was preparing to deal with the shape, there was a boom that shook his audio receptors, and another something slammed into the other side of his helm.

"Holy frag!" Megatron growled, about to sit up when-

Another something jumped onto his chassis and shrieked loudly. The other somethings disengaged from assaulting him.

Immediately, he sat up- then instantly remembered he needed to move slowly: the beige sparkling jumped away, and the other two tensed.

"It's okay," Megatron told them, standing again. "...but we need to get out of here. You, beige, tell your vicious friends not to wander off, you hear me?"

The sparkling he had addressed blinked at him.

Megatron sighed, and made his way to the door. Suddenly, he felt a slight weight scramble onto his shoulder, and looked to see the mechling perched there. The Seeker turned back, and twittered.

VOP- another weight suddenly dropped onto the top of his helm.

There was a brief moment before the pattering of tiny feet headed towards him, and the last sparkling climbed up his leg, then settled for clinging to his abdomen.

"Primus!" Megatron pulled off each one and deposited them on the floor. "You have legs! Use them!"

The sparklings blinked.

Megatron opened the door with shake of his helm, and strode out into a jungle. A jungle of merchandise. Which definitely had not been there before.

Swindle beamed at him, standing proudly on top of a huge desk. "What do you think? I just know that I can tempt you with-"

Megatron quietly powered up his fusion cannon and glared at the mech before him. "So help yourself if you do tempt me."

"I know you...!" Swindle blinked and fainted, which ended with a satisfyingly hard fall as he bounced from one of his wares to another, rebounding off of several items before finally smacking into the floor.

He stirred momentarily before some heavy furniture he had dislodged teetered and plummeted towards him. Upon seeing it, he spasmed feebly before the painful-looking collision.

"Didn't even fire," Megatron muttered, as Swindle was buried loudly and thoroughly.

With a sigh, he exited the room, two sparklings following close behind with twitters and chirps.

All that was visible of the red mech was the tip of a finger.

The beige sparkling eyed this finger, and toddled over to it, stumbling several times. As he inspected it, it twitched feebly.

Narrowing his small optics, the sparkling yapped, and bit the protuberance hard.

Suddenly, the ground shook. He looked up to see the tremor passing through the remaining mountain of merchandise- and saw a large object hurtle towards him.

Frozen in fright, he could do nothing but tremble.

The piece plunged closer, filling his vision, and- THABOOOOOOOOM. A loud, blisteringly hot explosion erupted before him.

Yelping, he curled into a tight ball.

There was a sigh from above, and he found himself being lifted into the air.

"Honestly. Five astro-seconds. You're an absolute pain."

Megatron put away his cannon- Primus, it felt good to shoot something, even if it was falling furniture- and regarded the shaking sparkling dangling from his hand, still curled into himself.

"You," he sighed. "...You had better be worth this fuss."

With that, he gently placed the quaking Seeker into the crook of one arm, and turned to face the other two wide-opticed sparklings.

"What? It's not like he's going to be walking anywhere like this." He felt like he had to defend himself, and haughtily lifted his chin. "Don't look at me like that."

VOP.

Again, Megatron felt a sudden weight on his helm.

"No...!" Reaching up, he picked the black sparkling off. "No random warping, and no helm-rides, you hear me?"

The sparkling definitely pouted as he was set back onto the floor.

Megatron gently nudged him with a foot. "Move out, mechs."

As he walked past, he felt something attach itself to his leg with a squeak.

"As commendable as your persistence is, no still means no." The silver mech disentangled the blue Seeker's talons from his limb.

"Walk, sparklings. Or suffer the silent treatment."

Indignant twitters and cheeps followed him down the corridor.

Sparklinged up, Megatron resolved to finding his way out of this maze.

Hoorah!

Well, I wonder if Megs knows what he's getting himself into...?

"THABOOOOOOOOM." - Yes, apparently, this is the sound that a fusion cannon makes. Do not question this sound.

And red and blue being heroic... it's kind of true! Think of Spidey, Superman. Red and blue.

Optimus? Red and blue.

Goku? Okay, so he's orange and blue, but orange is nearly red. It just isn't as hardcore, is all.

Bear with me. I promise that I'll try and have cute moments in the next chapter. :D