True Healer
Hopefully this will meet the criteria for tf_animated's contest this time around. The theme is "Be True to Yourself" so this is my offering, featuring Ratchet and Sari...
True Healer
Ratchet completed his final circuit of the old factory, shutting down unnecessary lights and machinery to save power. That done, he headed back to his workroom to see what else needed tinkering with before the others returned from their patrols. Primus knew at least one of them would need a repair when they came back.
As he entered his med-bay/workshop he paused and looked around. Something was a little off, and as he took a couple of cautious steps in, he heard it - a tiny organic sniff from a corner behind a pile of crates. Sighing as he strode over, he moved the crates aside and looked down at the small red-headed ball curled there.
About to ask her what she was doing there at this time when she should be home in bed - it was a school night after all, even for her - he stopped when she looked up at him with moisture-rimmed eyes. Spark softening a little, he gently cupped her in his hand and set her on one of his work tables as she hiccupped with sobs.
“Alright youngling, tell me who I need to slag for making you leak optical fluid,” he said in a gruff, but gentle tone.
“I don’t think you could.” Sari drew the back of her palms over her cheeks. “They’re a bunch of kids who keep making fun of me and saying mean things because I’m different.” She accepted the scrap of cloth Ratchet handed her.
The medic frowned. “Different? But aren’t all you humans of the same species?”
“It’s not that. It’s the way I look and who I am. My skin’s darker than theirs, and my grandparents come from another country, a poorer country, and I don’t have a mom. That’s why dad took me out of public school and started giving me private lessons.” She blew her nose. “I just wish I could be like the other kids. No one wants to be friends with a freak. You guys are the only real friends I’ve had.”
Ratchet dabbed at her tears as she started to cry again. “Come now, I know you’re tougher than this. You’ve faced down Starscream and lived to tell the tale. I’ll bet not many like you have done that.” He picked her up carefully and held her. “Besides, don’t you think it’d be boring to be just like everyone else?”
“At least you’d be accepted.” Sari curled up on his palm.
“If they can’t accept you for who you are, despite where you come from, they’re not worth having as friends. You’re a very special little girl, Sari, be true to that.” He lightly tapped her chest with a finger. “You’ve got something in here that they don’t have. The Allspark would have never given you that key otherwise.”
Sari touched her key like it was a protective talisman. “How do you know?”
“I’m an old bot, youngling, I know everything.” Ratchet quirked a bit of a grin. “And I know you’ve got a good spark in there, else you wouldn’t be here helping us try to fit in.” He set her back down. “So be proud of who you are.”
Sari hugged his hand as best she could. “Thanks Ratchet.”
“Don’t mention it, scraplet. Now, do you want to help me fix a few things till the others come back and I can send you home?”
She brightened considerably. “Sure! Just tell me where you need me.”
Ratchet grunted and placed a device on the table. Younglings, hard to live with, but he was still fond of them in the end.
END.
Enjoy!
EDIT: If you're hearing Ratchet in this, then my work here is done XD... Prowl wanted in on this, too, but then it would have wound up being too long again, so I had to sit on him and keep him quiet.