Transformers Fan Fiction ❯ Dearly Beloved ❯ Chapter 10

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Bumblebee showed up to work, only to find everyone ignoring him.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave," said the manager.

"I don't get it."

"How do I put this?" The manager paused for a moment. "I'm going to have to let you go."

"What? Why?!"

"Your little indescretion with the human has become public knowledge, along with your marital troubles. It's starting to have an adverse impact on the company's image, and I can't afford that."

"I understand." Actually, Bumblebee didn't. "I'll get my stuff get out of here."

"No need. Your box is already by the door."

Bumblebee took the box and left. Not only was he now unemployed, but he was now broke. Later than day, he cancelled both the station layaway and the homeschool training, because he could no longer afford it.

Worse yet, he had to give Perceptor some bad news.

"Your dropping me as your lawyer?" said Perceptor. "I can see where your coming from, what with the sudden income shortfall. It's just as well really, since I've found myself a wealthier - and more defensible - client."

Bumblebee would just have to represent himself in court.

Bumblebee then went off in search of a new job. Unfortunately, word had spread about him, and hardly anyone was willing to hire him. He ended up as a garbage collector. The pay sucked, and everyone looked down on this line of work, but it was the best he could do.

There was no way he could pay the next cable bill, so he decided to enjoy this service while he could. He saw another news report about Shockwave; this time he'd incited a riot in a large city, the rioters being more of his old comrades. The rioters had gone back to calling themselves Decepticons. The riot had already turned into a small shooting war.

Bumblebee felt somehow responisble for this, although intellectually he knew it was all Shockwave's doing. He changed the channel to watch coverage of the Cybertron Congress.

What he saw shocked him. The Congress had broken out into a brawl. Even after everyone had calmed down, it was apparent that they couldn't agree on how to distribute government funding. There were many accusations of "prejudice" and "trouble-making". Before long another fight had begun. From the narrator's description, it was clear this was commonplace.

It was also mentioned the Optimus Prime no longer attended these sessions if he could help it.

Bumblebee turned off the television and went online to study divorce law, just in case the worst happened. What he saw discouraged him further. According to old Autobot law, and the current Cybertron law, marital infidelity is considered grounds for divorce, with the offender having to pay a cash penalty for his/her actions.

He then continued reading. He found a silver lining to this cloud. It was indeed possible to fix all this if he persuaded Soundwave, in court, to call off the divorce. He closed the net browser while he thought about what he would say to Soundwave and how he would say it.

Finally, the day in court came. Soundwave entered the courtroom, doing his best not to look at Bumblebee as he walked in moments later.

"All rise," said Prowl.