Chapter Text
“A flat what now?”
Sideswipe was throughly confused.
It wasn’t often that he was baffled by Prowl.
Normally he was the one doing the baffling.
He didn’t like it.
So he crossed his arms over his chestplate and mirrored his twin’s stance beside him. He could do a good Sunstreaker impression when he wanted to.
“A Flat Stanley, they are compressed likeness of human sparklings. One for each student in the class. A teacher of a class of grade two students has reached out to our Human Outreach Initiative and sent an tube full of them.” Prowl gestured from where he sat behind his desk to a brown tube in front of him.
“You want us to take squished forms of human sparkling around the base and take image captures of them?” Sunstreaker asked, revulsion clear on his face.
“They are replicas that the human sparklings created of themselves on paper. They coloured them to look like themselves. Each one arrived with a letter about the sparkling that they have written themselves.”
“Why us? Isn’t this the kinda thing you normally ask Bumblebee to do?” Sideswipe asked.
His brother was still looking at that tube like it might explode.
Okay so his brother was glaring at it like it might explode.
“You two are the only ones yet to complete your Human Outreach Project.” Prowl stated matter of factly.
“I’m not letting any of their greasy, sticky hands anywhere near my finish. And the less time I spend outside the Ark picking up organic debris on my finish the better. Patrols on this mud ball are punishment enough.” Sunstreaker wrinkled his nasal ridge in disgust.
“You got to admit Prowl, the humans have some great ideas, but they ooze, and they flake their dermal layer everywhere. Have you ever had to hear Sunny complain when he finds Carly’s hair clogged in a joint?”
Because Sideswipe certainly had, and he’d rather not thanks.
“Have you ever seen what Bumblebee leaves in the drains in the washracks? Sunstreaker shuddered with a pointed glare at his twin as he clamped down his plating in response.
“Your preference of avoiding interactions with humans is known and is precisely why I am assigning this particular project to you.” Prowl shot them a pointed look as he nudged the tube toward them.
Sideswipe recognized that look.
There was no getting out of this.
Well slag.
“The parameters of this project are simple. This tube contains life size paper replicas of human sparklings. My understand is that each child has colored and drawn their own features and labeled the back of each with their designation.”
Now Sideswipe mirrored the look of distrust on his brother’s faceplate.
Sunstreaker had a point.
That tube couldn’t be trusted.
“Their instructor has stated that she understands our time is valuable so she doesn’t expect much. Just a few photos of the children’s “flat friends,” as she put it, among a few Autobots to prove they were here. Then you simply mail them back.” Prowl stated as he leaned forward and he linked his finger tips together in front of him.
Definitely not getting out of this.
“We do this and we’re done?” Sunstreaker stated through clenched denta.
“Prime was clear in his expectations that each member of the Autobots participate in a human outreach project. This is the best I can offer you.”
Sideswipe gave an over dramatic sigh and grabbed the tube from the desk.
“Fine. Let’s get this over with Sunny.”
Sunstreaker smacked his twin at the back of his helm as they left.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Would you prefer Big Ol’ Sunshine of Doom and Glo - Ow! Fraggit, that hurt, I think I’m bleeding.”
“Good.”