Playing with Kids Razorsharp
featuring Lady Moonhawke's Raven, Cerise, and Peregrine
"Can you see her, Cherry?"
Two pairs of blue optics peeped around the wall.
"I don't see anything, Perry."
"Me either."
"Well we can't stay here," whispered Cerise. She grabbed her microns-younger twin by the hand. "Come on."
Silently the two Autobot sparklings crept along the corridor, audios pricked for the tiniest sound.
They rounded a corner-and found themselves face to face with a huge silver-grey metallic she-wolf.
"Eep!" squeaked Cerise.
"Aha!" said the wolf, ruby optics glowing. "I have you now!"
"Run!" shrieked Peregrine, and pulled his sister back the way they came. Together they ran pell-mell down the hallway, flailing and screaming.
"Haha!" The wolf bounded lightly down the hall, swatting at their heels with a massive paw. "You can't escape Rachacharv'sururie, 'bright-blade-that-chases-you'!"
"Aaaaahhh!" screamed Cerise. "She's gonna get me, Perry! I don't think I can make it-" She stumbled and fell flat, moaning feebly as the wolf pounced on her.
Peregrine let out an anguished wail. "NO! Cherry!"
The wolf and the small, deep-pink Autobot wrestled on the floor in a growling, giggling tangle. Finally, Cerise rolled over onto her back, one arm thrown theatrically over her optics.
"Till...all...are...one," she gasped out, and lay still.
Razorsharp let out a howl of victory. "Such is the fate of all Autobots who oppose me!"
Peregrine brandished a toy pistol, his optics narrowed and his mouth set in a hard line. "Say goodnight, Decepticreep!"
The wolf lowered its head with a growl. "Foolish Autobot! Now I come for you!"
The pistol lit up with a blue glow. "Not today, Decepticon! POW! POW!" Peregrine clicked the trigger twice, and the wolf sprawled to an undignified stop.
"Grraggghh!" she choked. "I'm hit! Oh, the agony!" She rolled over onto her side and feebly raised her head. "Great and noble warrior," she whispered.
Peregrine put the pistol down and walked over to his vanquished foe. "Yes?"
"Grant me your forgiveness," the wolf wheezed. "I know no other way."
"You are forgiven," said Peregrine solemnly, placing his hand upon the wolf's head. "Go to Primus, brave soldier."
"Honor...and...glory..." The Decepticon's optics blinked off, and the wolf's head rolled to the side and lay still.
There was solemn silence for a few moments before Cerise's muffled words broke in.
"She's dead, Perry. Can we please play something else now?"
One of the wolf's optics frittered to life. "Eh?"
Peregrine sighed. "Well, I suppose so. Dead Decepticons are kind of boring."
The wolf sprang up with a snarl and toppled Peregrine to the floor. "Ahaha, she lives!"
Peregrine burst out into a flurry of giggles. Cerise flung herself at them, and all three went rolling in a cacophony of laughter.
"That's their favorite game?" said Raven, her words edged with distaste. "'Kill the Decepticon'?"
"Peregrine Maximae seems to enjoy it," said Razorsharp, as they watched the children play with Destiny and Velocity, Razorsharp's young daughters. "Cerise not as much, but she will play along."
Raven shuddered. "From the beginning we teach them to hate each other. I thought we were supposed to be beyond this now."
"It is in their culture, it is in their stories. They hear of it everywhere: Autobot versus Decepticon." Razorsharp smiled. "Take heart-we are trying to change that."
"Not fast enough to suit me," Raven mused.
"Nor I," Razorsharp agreed. "The point is that we began-even if we still have a long distance to go." She nodded in the direction of the children. "Look, Raven. Our hopes come to life: Decepticons playing with Autobots."
"But they're children." Raven shook her head. "I'm afraid that once they're grown, they'll learn to hate each other."
Razorsharp laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "All the more reason to persevere in our cause."
-END-