Work Text:
Vector sigma, 4 million years ago
Anvils fingers trembled as the spark he held sung to him it's true frame. A melodic scream for the open air and flames, a call he knew would only cause pain. Beside him a svelte mech sat flicking through a data pad while steam billowed around them in the forging chamber.
"Well?" His supervisor sighed as he had for the last 70 sparks.
"I- it's a seeker."
The mechs cold blue optics caught the light as he looked up and Anvil suppressed a shiver.
"Follow protocol clipped"
Anvil swallowed the lump in his throat that may well have been his tank, and got to work on calming the steadily heating mass in his hands. After the decepticon rebels became a recognised threat in the eyes of the council, it had been decided that certain frame types were too dangerous to manufacture due to their tendency to rebel and tenacious nature. This legislation was made public and caused both great relief and outrage amongst the masses.
If only they knew what the institution was doing. A protocol was enacted for new sparks presenting as the offending frametypes. Unfortunately for the life he was now shaping, seekers were no longer allowed to exist.
The new sparks song turned sour as Anvil shaped the protoform into shape, knowing instinctually this was wrong.
It is much easier to modify a trait than it is to erase it, to guide the protometal into shape as he was now and stunt it before it could develop further. Anvil was very good at this, he had experience.
He wanted to purge.
The cockpit was coerced into smooth metal, thrusters rerouted into flame throwers, and sharp arching wings reduced to a perky spoiler.
When the protoforms colours finally faded in and Anvil released his grip, the new mech whimpered and snivelled in place.
"Hello?"
"Greetings young one, what is your designation?"
"Ro... Hot Rod.."