Note: This chapter is a prequel to the next book in this tale. This book will focus solely on Frenzy, Sunstreaker, Barricade and the group of sparklings they are charged with protecting. So it will NOT spoil the '09 movie sequel for any of you – promise! I'll wait until after the Revenge of the Fallen has been out a while before I start the section where the rest of the characters come back in it…… Enjoy…

Matter of Pride

"I'm NOT going to babysit a bunch of fucking ugly crankshafts!" Sunstreaker snarled as he stood his ground. Glaring defiantly up at Optimus, his optics just dared him to take him on.

Not wanting this fight, even though his opponent would most surely lose, Optimus rapped his digits along his side armor, trying to figure out how to convince the mech to do his duty. He had a major problem it seemed. He needed a mech that was not only capable of keeping up with the two swift con femmes – but could also fight and win solo if need be. Unfortunately only the former gladiator met those particular qualifications. A gladiator that happened to not even like the two femmes!

But they needed to keep them safe. Keep the sparklings safe. Battle was looming in the near future. And they faced an enemy far stronger than any they had faced before. So there was only one way to keep the future safe. And that was to hide them. To do that – he HAD to convince this mech to accept the assignment he was given. This was far easier said than done though..

Ironhide tapped his shoulder. "I got this one Prime," he said with a smirk.

Since he didn't have any better ideas, the leader stepped back and let the Weapon Specialist handle this slight personnel issue. He was very curious as to what he had up his barrel… He doubted that blasting the yellow mech a new one was going to work. And what else would the ornery Ironhide think of?

"Your big guns ain't gonna change my meta," Sunstreaker snorted. He geared up his linkages just in case the black mech decided to try that route. Sure Ironhide was fast – but the yellow mech had no doubt that HE was even faster.

"Now why would I go an' do that?" Ironhide purred. His tone got lower, as if he was telling the mech a big secret. "When you're the only mech I'd even allow ask Bumblebee out when she's ready."

Optimus's optics got huge in surprise; his mouth falling open in shock. He was about to stammer a question when Ironhide cut him off.

"Sorry Prime, but after that threesome ya'll had, little Bee told me she wasn't interested in ya at all. Don't take it too hard." At this point, Ironhide gave him a conspiratorial wink.

Somehow the big mech realized that the Weapon Specialist was just leading Sunstreaker on. The arrogant yellow mech was probably the LAST one that the overprotective hen would allow to date his adopted daughter. Relaxing a bit, Prime simply nodded and continued to watch the interchange in amusement. This was a tactic that he'd never seen his old friend use – or even thought he was aware of its existence!

A creepy sensation worked its way up the big mech's circuits. Had Frenzy been busily teaching Ironhide HER tricks – while Ironhide had been teaching her his??? He didn't know if he should be afraid – or completely terrified.

"You fraggin' had a THREESOME?!?" Sunstreaker glared at him accusingly. "What about your rule in no one even approaching her for three years?!?" He put a digit in Prime's face plate, his optics shooting daggers….

Optimus shrugged, "It wasn't my idea." Actually, it wasn't – now was it? He hadn't expected to be ambushed, electrocuted, tied up and forced either… He glanced at Ironhide, once again wondering just how in the slag did the mech think all that stuff was erotic.

"Yeah right. I wasn't slaggin' sparked yesterday. You're nothing but a Primus-damned hypocrite!" His handsome face plate was becoming hot with rage. HE wanted Bumblebee – NOT that freagin' ugly Barricade who was constantly harassing him!

Ironhide chuckled mischievously and slapped Prime on the shoulder armor. "Thought Frenzy taught ya to enjoy being shackled?" he teased.

Rolling his optics, Prime couldn't help but to clench a hand into a fist. "For seventy-two hours I thought about what I was going to do a particular mech for teaching the technique TO her. Perhaps I should not delay a certain aft whooping?"

The teased threat didn't phase the black mech much. "Welp, we're gonna be on the road without my mate for a while. And I like a little pain with my pleasure." His reference was plain. Ratchet hadn't been the only mech he'd found a little release with before the femmes had emerged from hiding – and everyone knew it.

"Suck each other's tailpipes in private," Sun snorted. Not that he was any different from them. A mech found release however he could. He turned back to Prime. "So you've already mated with her then? You're a fucking selfish prick – you know that?"

"Negative on both those counts Sunstreaker." Prime crossed his arms and gave the mech a grin. He envisioned Sun shackled spread eagled on the ground being forced to witness two femmes bonding. Truth be told, it was quite a satisfying vision. Maybe he'd ask Ironhide to allow Frenzy to 'teach' Barricade those tricks? Spread the 'love' around a bit…

"He said you had a threesome. So just what WAS Bumblebee doing with you then? Hmmmm?" Sarcasm dripped from every word. Sunstreaker couldn't believe that any mech wouldn't thrust his transfer into Bee at the first opportunity.

"She was playing with Frenzy." Why not be honest about it? Heck, with Frenzy's big mouth most mechs already had an idea of what had occurred. So much for kiss and not tell….

"So you just sat there and watched them? Yeah right. Like my processor's so slow as to believe THAT!"

Breaking into the conversation, Ironhide's chuckle made them both look his way. "Young mech, the WORST way to torture a mech is to chain him up and MAKE him watch two femmes going at it." With a look of pride he straightened his shoulders. "Glad I trained my femme juuuuuusssstttt right!"

Optimus snorted and shook his head, still wondering at the slight insanity his Weapons Master showed. HOW he could find a femme like Frenzy – sexy – was beyond his understanding. Especially after being her somewhat unwilling bonding captive for almost three days! Primus he hoped she was pregnant now, because he was NEVER EVER going to breed that psycho femme again! And just how was he going to pay the mech back for that underhanded trick anyways???

"So you DIDN'T do her?" Sunstreaker's face plate lit up. He still lusted after the young femme. Every night he thought about her yellow armor under his digit-tips. Their matching armor meeting in the darkness….

"Course he didn't. Frenzy asked Bee if she wanted a piece – and she didn't." Ironhide was lying through his dental plates on that one – but Prime wasn't about to correct him.

"Why not?" the yellow mech was a little suspicious now; what femme wouldn't want to bed the most powerful mech functioning? Isn't that what femmes liked?

"Cus she likes mechs her size. Well, that's what she told Frenzy," Ironhide replied with a shrug. "An' she won't do nothin' without Frenzy there. So if ya get in good with Frenzy.."

"She might talk Bumblebee into dating me." Sunstreaker easily made the connection now. He'd have to befriend the freak in order to obtain what he wanted; Which meant, he should be the one 'guarding' her – then he'd have plenty of time to figure out how to make Frenzy come around.

But there was a problem though. If Bee didn't do anything without Frenzy – and Frenzy was Ironhide's mate…. "What about Frenzy? I don't want to do her too – no offense 'Hide."

The black mech just chuckled. "The more the merrier….." he said evasively…..

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Optimus watched the trio and sparklings as they disappeared into the distance. "You weren't really serious were you?" he asked the mech standing next to him.

"Naw, ya know me." Ironhide smirked as he rested an arm around his daughter's – no, now she was to be considered a mech again – shoulder armor. "An don't ya worry 'bout it Bee. I just told him he'd get 'A' date. Didn't tell him it would be supervised."

"You sure? I don't like him like that," Bumblebee stammered, her – no his – face plate heating up. She didn't like the fact that they had had to trick the gladiator into protecting the Decepticon femmes and sparklings – especially using her as the bait to lure him in.

"Yeah, I'm sure. 'Cus 'ol Ratchet's gonna be the one supervisin'," he replied with a conspiratorial wink.

This caused both mechs to roar with laughter. Even Bumblebee began to grin. For now that she'd come clean and had quietly tried to accept the timetable – Ratchet had actually become a good friend to her. She knew he'd tear the yellow mech a new one if he tried anything!

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Note: Next part of this trilogy can be found at: http : // www . fanfiction . net /s/ 5187855 /1/ (hint: take out the spaces)