Structure of Origins Chapter One: Abandoned

Two little younglings slept peacefully in a small bundle in the corner of a dirty old alley. That was no place for younglings, but where else could they go? Their creators had abandoned them and they had to find shelter on their own. They didn't want to go to the orphanage because if they did, they would be separated. They were only five years old and they to lived on their own.

The red and white youngling thrashed and struggled in his recharge underneath his red and gray brother. He was prone to having frequent nightmares.

The slightly larger red and gray youngling woke with a start to his brother yelling and thrashing around in his sleep. "Hu? Ratchet? Ratchet wake up! Yer doin' it again!" He cried, frantically shaking his brother from recharge.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was having a nightmare again." The red and white youngling apologized.

"Th' same one again?" His brother asked.

"The very same."

"Grrrrrrr." The red and gray youngling growled lowly. "Seriously. If we eva see our creators again, I'll teach 'em a lesson 'bout hurtin' you." He drawled in his thick accent. He really did talk funny for a youngling.

"Forget it. We'll never see them again and you know that." Ratchet sighed sadly and sat up, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, weeping softly.

"Ratch'," The red and gray youngling started. "Yer still upset? Dey hurt ya."

"I know, Ironhide, but I still miss them. They're our creators. That'll never change."

"Dey left us on the side o' tha curb! They abused ya for four years an' left us on da side o' tha curb ta die! Tha only reason dey left meh alone is 'cause ah'm more threatinin' than ya are!"

Ratchet's huge youngling optics welled up with coolant tears. "'Hide… I know what they did. You think I'm that stupid? I was the one that they were abusing!"

"Then why miss dem?"

"I miss the real them, the creators we had when we were first sparked, the way they used to be…" Ratchet trailed off, squeezing his knees tight and choking on his sobs.

"Ahm sorry Ratch'. Ah know what ya meant. Ah just could neva forgive dem fer hurtin' my brother. Ah just can't." Ironhide shook his head and looked down to the ground.

"S'okay," Ratchet said as he got up, leaned forward, and pulled his brother into a warm embrace. "You didn't mean to hurt my feelings." He mumbled into his brother's shoulder where he was resting his head. He pulled away and they both went back to sleep, Ironhide always keeping slightly alert. He meant it when he said he would never let anyone hurt Ratchet again.