Nice Dream

Chopper sighs and flips on his com link. He received a transmission earlier from Gearbug asking for a status report, and Chopper couldn’t pass the opportunity to speak one on one with her.

Gearbug picks up immediately when Chopper calls.

“CHOPPER! Oh my I didn’t realize you would be the one to call me,” She looks at Chopper with lidded eyes. It looks like she hasn’t slept in a while.

“You ok Buggy? You look ill…” Chopper leans forward in hopes of understanding better. 

“Sure! Um… boss wanted to know what you found in that base you raided yesterday, and um…” Gearbug looks down.

Then it clicks in his brain. *Gearbug gets like this sometimes. What did Ghostfin suggest he do?* “Did you eat today, or recharge at all?” Chopper says.

Gearbug shakes his head to clear it, “What does that have to do anything? I need the status report.”

Chopper looks over his shoulder to make sure no one is paying attention. “I don’t give a shit about the status report and I know you don’t either, what’s wrong with you?”

“I do care about it! I want to know whats going on Earth!” Gearbug shouts back “You have no idea how stifling it is to be here alone stuck in this room all day-“ She sways on her feet.

“Gearbug?” Chopper holds the screen as if he could feel Gearbug. 

someone rushes over. Skurpoink appears on screen as he scurries across the desk.

“What happened? I was trying to nap... heard a clank…”

Chopper frowns. This happens all the time. Should he space bridge to see her? to make sure shes ok? *It’s so hard to get permission… but with Gearbug as bad as she is…*

“Skurpoink can you make sure he’s fine till i get there,” Chopper says with a sigh and a roll of his optics. Skurpoink shrugs.

“I’m like a toothpick to her what will I even do? But suuuuure leave the tall erratic cannibal to me,” Skurpoink says.

“Oh my primus just shut up,” Chopper ends the call and leaves the console. He looks around until he finds Ghostfin, who is writing something down. A new device they found at a base sitting on the table. *He’s probably testing something but that wont stop me* “Hey Finnie got a sec?”

“Chopper?” Ghostfin looks away from his writing and glances down at Chopper.

“Can I ask you a favor? A big serious one?” Chopper kicks the dirt by his feet. he feels so awkward asking for permission.

“Yes of course,” Ghostfin says exasperated.

“Can I head to Cybertron for bit? I need to see Gearbug.”

Ghostfin kneels down, looking worried this time. “Is he ok? What happened?”

“Just the usual stuff. Skurpoink can’t really fix him up right now so I need to use my medical expertise to help.” Chopper tries not to look as worried as he is.

Ghostfin frowns. He always looks at Chopper like that, more so recently. “You may go, but please be safe and don’t leave the facility, is that clear?”

“Crystal,” Chopper sighs and heads to the space bridge.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gearbug feels his head being slowly lifted. Skurpoink? No, to small. The boss? No, to gentle. 

“Bug? I brought earth energon…” Chopper says. *Chopper… how lovely to see him. He’s the only one that ever advocates for you.*

“No Chopper-“ Gearbug starts to say but Chopper cuts him off.

“Since when did they put a guard here by the way? I had to hit him with the autobot badge. You know I hate doing that.”

“Chopper what are you doing here?” Gearbug says ignoring the guard question. *I could totally take that guard too. He’s kind of pathetic. He’s not really stoping me.*

“Dude you collapse while we’re on call and what am I to do? Let Skurpoink help you? Lil bro can barely reach your shin,” Chopper shakes his head, “Ghostfin is worried too. You need to take care of yourself better, and that’s coming from me of all people.”

“I don’t care that Ghostfin is worried. I do take care of myself, I just forgot a recharge or two. I’m working on something really important I can’t waste time.”

Chopper looks down at him. If Gearbug wasn’t laying in his lap he’d look away, but he just looks back at him. “It’s not wasting time, I know you’re smarter then that. What are you even working on that’s so important?”

Gearbug frowns. Chopper sighs and gently pats Gearbugs helm. Chopper is very rarely gentle. *Did I scare him that much?*

“Gearbug… you can’t do this anymore… we need to get you out of this room. This stupid facility or whatever. You’re so trapped.”

*He gets me so well. Makes you wonder how he understands so perfectly. Chopper never talks about his problems. He’s not very good at hiding them either.* “I want to go to Earth. It’s so beautiful there. I could meet your armadillos, I could see the Earth sunset in person. I could go where ever I want…”

“I would take you with me right here right now. They won’t find us.” Chopper looks earnest and Gearbug lets herself think about it for a second.

“That’s a nice idea,” She sighs. “But it’ll make things worse. They barely trust me to begin with, well more like think I’m unstable. Which is true haha.”

“Gearbug I don’t want you to live your whole life in a cage, I don’t want you to die here.” Chopper looks so sad. *He looks strange like that. Without his shit eating grin or pouting face. Like he’s actually distressed.*

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I don’t… I don’t know how to fix it. I would love to leave but I can’t. The council, well that is to say Cyclonus, doesn’t want me to leave.”

Chopper doesn’t respond. He just holds Gearbug in silence.