Nexus. By the sign. Ratchet's reply
"Yeah, I'm here, you old rustbucket." Ratchet pops into sight and walks over to put a hand on his brother's shoulder, then looks down at Nova's sudden scowl and chuckles. "Don't worry, I'm not here to drag him back. He's supposed to be with you guys right now."
"And later?" The golden sparkling's scowl grows.
"He's going to be here as long as you need him." The former CMO's voice goes soothing. "No one is going to take him away from you."
Nova eyes him warily for a moment more, but then looks up at her creator as Ironhide rumbles a chuckle and rubs her back.
"Easy, lil' lady. Ya don't gotta be worried 'bout yer ol' Uncle Ratch. He's a good guy."
"For an ol' clunker," says Chromia softly, laughing herself. "You lugnut, ya had me worried, hangin' round like that."
Ratchet winces. "How did you know?"
"Lil' ones saw us that time ya brung me ta Pansy's lab." Ironhide scratches his nose sheepishly.
"I didn't realize.... My bad." Ratchet shakes his head ruefully. "Did Ironhide tell you about my job?"
"Yeah. Messenger 'a Primus 'n the Allspark." Chromia shakes her head and rubs Starforge's back as he peeks at the newcomer. "How's Prima?"
"She's alright. When Cyclonus and I left she and Elita and Galvatron were having a discussion on the merits of different caliber of plasma rifle and how young free sparks can get that hyper without any warning."
That gets him laughter from the silvery blue femme. "Spike actin' up?"
"Only a little, and only on days that end with Y in the English calender." Ratchet grins. "He's Hot Rod all over again."
"Aww." Chromia sobers. "Oriana 2 ain't so peppy. She's a quiet lil' thing."
"I know. I've met her. So has Spike when we all went to meet Kup." Ratchet moves his hand to Nova's shoulder and smiles down at her frown, wondering how she wound up so wary at such a young age and what she's going to be like when she grows up.
"Y'know Skytrail's back?" asks Ironhide.
"I'd heard." Ratchet nods.
"All 'a that time we couldn' track 'im down was 'cause he'd gone 'n changed the name 'e was goin' by." The red free spark snorts. "Ghosthunter, sheeeya right."
"How'd he wind up with that handle?" Ratchet blinks.
"'Cause 'e hunts alone, 'n nobody ever knows where 'e is or when 'e's gonna hit." Ironhide absently strokes his daughter's helm. "'N the guy still never talks."
"Auspex says he was talking in the Nexus the other day."
"Really? Well don' that beat all."
Chromia shakes her head and pokes her mate, who squeaks and vanishes.
"Mama!" scolds Nova, wobbling slightly. "I was huggin' him!"
"Sorry, darlin'." She reaches over and pulls her second creation close as Ironhide reappears looking sheepish. "I was jes' gonna say ta yer daddy 'n uncle... you two're gab worse'n Jazz on overcharge. Les' go set a spell at Blue's 'n have a drink."
"Ah, I can't." Ratchet's face falls slightly at having to refuse the invitation. "I have things I have to do."
"Maybe later," says Ironhide, feeling a bit stranged out to think that he can no longer accompany his brother whenever he wants to. After so long together in the Allspark, having separate lives seems unreal.
"There are a lot of tomorrows," agrees Ratchet, also looking a bit tripped. But then he shakes himself and claps his fellow free spark on the back. "Take care, hey?"
"Yeah. You too." Ironhide looks for a sparkling to hug, and settles for putting an arm around Chromia and both youngsters. This reminds him of why the separation is necessary, and his smile returns. -Be careful.-
-You too, you lugnut.- Ratchet's optics are serious for a moment, but then he turns and takes leave of his sister in law and the sparklings, chuckling as Nova gives him another wary frown.
He's smiling as he vanishes.
"And later?" The golden sparkling's scowl grows.
"He's going to be here as long as you need him." The former CMO's voice goes soothing. "No one is going to take him away from you."
Nova eyes him warily for a moment more, but then looks up at her creator as Ironhide rumbles a chuckle and rubs her back.
"Easy, lil' lady. Ya don't gotta be worried 'bout yer ol' Uncle Ratch. He's a good guy."
"For an ol' clunker," says Chromia softly, laughing herself. "You lugnut, ya had me worried, hangin' round like that."
Ratchet winces. "How did you know?"
"Lil' ones saw us that time ya brung me ta Pansy's lab." Ironhide scratches his nose sheepishly.
"I didn't realize.... My bad." Ratchet shakes his head ruefully. "Did Ironhide tell you about my job?"
"Yeah. Messenger 'a Primus 'n the Allspark." Chromia shakes her head and rubs Starforge's back as he peeks at the newcomer. "How's Prima?"
"She's alright. When Cyclonus and I left she and Elita and Galvatron were having a discussion on the merits of different caliber of plasma rifle and how young free sparks can get that hyper without any warning."
That gets him laughter from the silvery blue femme. "Spike actin' up?"
"Only a little, and only on days that end with Y in the English calender." Ratchet grins. "He's Hot Rod all over again."
"Aww." Chromia sobers. "Oriana 2 ain't so peppy. She's a quiet lil' thing."
"I know. I've met her. So has Spike when we all went to meet Kup." Ratchet moves his hand to Nova's shoulder and smiles down at her frown, wondering how she wound up so wary at such a young age and what she's going to be like when she grows up.
"Y'know Skytrail's back?" asks Ironhide.
"I'd heard." Ratchet nods.
"All 'a that time we couldn' track 'im down was 'cause he'd gone 'n changed the name 'e was goin' by." The red free spark snorts. "Ghosthunter, sheeeya right."
"How'd he wind up with that handle?" Ratchet blinks.
"'Cause 'e hunts alone, 'n nobody ever knows where 'e is or when 'e's gonna hit." Ironhide absently strokes his daughter's helm. "'N the guy still never talks."
"Auspex says he was talking in the Nexus the other day."
"Really? Well don' that beat all."
Chromia shakes her head and pokes her mate, who squeaks and vanishes.
"Mama!" scolds Nova, wobbling slightly. "I was huggin' him!"
"Sorry, darlin'." She reaches over and pulls her second creation close as Ironhide reappears looking sheepish. "I was jes' gonna say ta yer daddy 'n uncle... you two're gab worse'n Jazz on overcharge. Les' go set a spell at Blue's 'n have a drink."
"Ah, I can't." Ratchet's face falls slightly at having to refuse the invitation. "I have things I have to do."
"Maybe later," says Ironhide, feeling a bit stranged out to think that he can no longer accompany his brother whenever he wants to. After so long together in the Allspark, having separate lives seems unreal.
"There are a lot of tomorrows," agrees Ratchet, also looking a bit tripped. But then he shakes himself and claps his fellow free spark on the back. "Take care, hey?"
"Yeah. You too." Ironhide looks for a sparkling to hug, and settles for putting an arm around Chromia and both youngsters. This reminds him of why the separation is necessary, and his smile returns. -Be careful.-
-You too, you lugnut.- Ratchet's optics are serious for a moment, but then he turns and takes leave of his sister in law and the sparklings, chuckling as Nova gives him another wary frown.
He's smiling as he vanishes.