Times Are Changing

I would like to see how far I can get with this with a half-built plot. As usual, any feedback at all is appreciated, bad or good, though good tends to be a nicer boost than bad.

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3

"Ironhide?!"

Jadefire slapped a hand to her taller brother's mouth, nervously looking to see if any sentient being had heard the bot's outburst.

He tried talking again, muffled by her hand.

"Will you keep your vocal processors down, Glitch-head?" she hissed, slowly removing her hand. "This is embarrassing enough."

"The guy's ten times older than you, Jade!"

"To a human that'd be a bad thing, not to us. You're hanging around Katrina too much."

"Yeah but… slag it, Jade, when you said older, I was thinking like, Bulkhead old, or Cliffjumper."

"Only means he's survived more."

Icestriker ran a hand over his face. "Well, all right. Do as you wish, I suppose. But if I know my mentor at all, he'll be hard to crack."

"You also just know his fighting side."

"And that he spends his spare time cleaning and recalibrating all his weapons."

Jadefire frowned. "Not always. He goes home with Lennox enough to keep watch over there."

"Keeps watch as in repairs and upgrades his cannons."

She rolled her optics as they continued to their respective quarters. "It probably won't work anyway."

"Why's that?"

"Multitude of reasons." She shook her head. "It's best to look from afar, at this point." She kept walking, not noticing her brother stop short.

"So that's it?" He scoffed. "What happened to the Jadefire I remember?"

"Does it matter? I'm a med bot now, not a warrior."

He growled and drew his knuckle dagger, aiming a blow to her back. At the last second a Chinese Sword transformed from her arm and into her hand, effectively blocking and parrying Icestriker's blow. "See? You still know how to fight!"

"Fighting doesn't matter much anymore. Really, Popsicle, just drop it. This is how we Autobots live now; especially if Optimus wants us to start life anew on Earth."

He slumped forward a bit, watching his sister walk away at a bit of an offset pace.

---

Icestriker staggered back from a blow delivered by his trainer.

"You're sucking more than usual," the weapons master said with a frown.

"Distracted, I guess." He lowered his weapons as well. "'Hide, can I ask you something?"

"I suppose you can."

"What would you say or do if… well, if someone liked you?"

Ironhide frowned at the boy. "Look, you're an all right bot by me, but I don't—"

"No!" He waved his hands in front of him. "Not me. I'm just saying in general."

"It's been a long time since I've had this discussion with anyone. Haven't had to in centuries." He rubbed at his chin. "I guess nowadays without life being so hectic, it'd be an easier process than before." He looked back to Icestriker. "Has one of the femmes caught your attention?"

"Uh, more like I know a femme who wants advice." He tilted his head. "So what would you do?"

"If I 'liked' this femme back, I suppose I'd indulge her a bit. But you have to remember, I'm not as young as most bots here. When I was your age, things were much different, in every way."

"Yeah, but you're not that old!" Icestriker persisted. "You can still wipe the floor with all your opponents. Show me one old bot who can do that."

"Ratchet just won't let my parts run out."

"Ratchet obviously knows you're too needed to let your parts wear you down." Icestriker frowned again. "So just indulge her?"

"Kid, I got out of the old dating game a long time ago. Was a war to fight and all. My cannons ended up being more faithful, anyway." A gruff sound came from his vocal processors. "Where in the world did you get the idea to ask me all of all people?"

"I—uh—figured you'd know most about this. Oh, hey, should get back to practicing!"

Ironhide narrowed his optics. "You're hiding something."

"Who me? Never, sir!" He let out a nervous laugh, glancing around. "Nope, not hiding anything."

He sighed. "Just get it over with. Thank the All Spark you didn't want to be a spy."

The much younger bot looked around once more before sighing in defeat. "All right, but you have to swear this doesn't leave here, and you have to pretend you don't know anything."

"Out with it, 'Striker."

"Oh all right…" He took a deep breath. "Well there's this femme you and I both know…"