Just One Bunny

[katsuko]

...and I may be a tad seeker-obsessed.

For various reasons – protection from threats, a short supply of suitable frames, creators not always able to take care of an older creation, etc – seekers tend to upgrade from sparkling frames to adult frames when they should by all accounts fitted with youngling frames instead. This tends to be the reason why seekers are so unpredictable when they are 'young adults' but tend to mature and act more like other adult-frame Cybertronians as they get older.

During a battle, the elite trine (Skywarp/Thundercracker/Starscream) is captured by the Autobots and suffers heavy damages while trying to escape. Since Ratchet refuses to not treat any wounded mech, he has them hauled to his med bay and sets about their repairs. Due to one of the trine having a damaged spark casing, Ratchet discovers that the spark is much younger than he would expect; the seeker he's working on is technically only halfway through his youngling stage. A check on the other two reveals that they are just as young, if not a bit younger (scarily, in Starscream's case, given that even though he's so young he's already been through both the Science and War Academies and passed with flying colours).

Possibility A. There are mixed reactions amongst the Autobots. Some of them want to prevent the 'younglings' from being returned to the Decepticons, while others still view the seekers as dangerous especially due to their young ages.

Possibility B. One of the Cassetticons – Laserbeak or Ravage – records the discovery and returns to base with the information. Reactions range from disbelief (younglings are supposed to be kept from harsh realities until they're much older) to amusement (it really goes a long way to explain Thundercracker's moodiness/Starscream's attitude/Skywarp's enthusiasm) to protectiveness (Soundwave is thisclose to breaking the trine out of the Autobot base and adopting them all).

Possibility C. While the seekers are still offline, the science division sets about building youngling-specific seeker frames. When the trine does come back online, they are given the option of downgrading to the more-suitable frames, reporting to the brig as-is, or (to the horror of several mechs) leaving to return to the Decepticons.

In the event that they opt to downgrade, it's startling how much their personalities seem to settle when they're in frames better suited to their ages and needs (even if Starscream is still frighteningly smart and Skywarp insists on pulling pranks with no specific pattern).

Comments

[katsuko]

Actually, I remember that bunny! I always rather thought someone should adopt it; apparently it followed me home and mutated XD

Seeker lovers of the world, unite! Oh man, if we did that, I have the feeling we could terrify nations. O.o

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

I love both the idea of Soundwave wanting to adopt them, and them ending up opting to downgrade. Now I find myself trying to work out how both of those would work together...

[katsuko]

Hmmm... maybe Sounds has the Cassetticons keep up the recon on the Autobots and plans an attack shortly after the downgrading? Then slips into the Ark while everyone's out dealing with the random attack and retrieves the trine....

*smacks self* Lovely, the bunny bred again, didn't it?

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

XD I think it did! I think I need a "Certified Plotbunny Breeder" icon - it seems that while I would never get past writing even the first chapter of a fic, it doesn't stop the damn bunnies from breeding in my mind.


Something else though, I think Soundwave would have a rival for parental rights over the Seekers in Skyfire. Certainly at least when it comes to Starscream, but I'd think that if he decided he'd take care of Star, he'd probably also extend that care to Star's trinemates too.

[luki-dimension.livejournal.com]

I love the notion that Soundwave becomes an overprotective parent, but as much as I love the 3 of them getting youngling frames, I can't see them agreeing to being downgraded (Starscream especially). Least not willingly - I think they'd have to have a reason other than 'cause you could'. Like their current bodies being beyond repair or something.

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

True enough there, it does seem unlikely, and your solution sounds like a sensible one.

Being that badly damaged would also give another reason why they end up in Autobot custody to start with - if they are so badly damaged they'd need to be totally transferred to new frames, Megatron may have left them behind because such a transfer is too costly on Decepticon resources.
The Autobots? Soft-sparked fools that they'd do something so extensive for enemies... but in this case, there's extenuating reasons why (going back to the whole point of the Seekers being younglings in adult frames).

[(Anonymous)]

I have to wonder if Megatron knew already or not. Knowing quite well that Starscream's attitude due to age, and that he'll improve as he gets older, might explain why he puts up with all the overthrow attempts.

[meirelle.livejournal.com]

Possibility C makes me cackle with glee. Although, I don't think they'd downgrade willingly. Maybe having an adult body is putting too much strain on their sparks, and a downgrade is necessary if they hope to live much longer.

[madwriter223.livejournal.com]

I think you already wrote something similar, at least I think it was you. It was that Thundercracker was Prowl's creation, and Prowl was a flightless seeker. That yours?

Btw, might if I snatch?

[katsuko]

Yeah, I actually started working on that story because the bunny wanted attention. I might get back to it eventually, but at the moment want to focus more on NYWYHYLY and TFYC.

And feel free to snag if you like ♥