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sort of a sequel to ardentaspen.deviantart.com/art… , specifically when read with the comment chain added by Foxbear

"Take it slow, Dad," Eli balanced on the Headmaster's hand, acting as resident therapy coach as June was busy. "You've been out of the armor for a month."

"Don't remind me," Vanguard sighed and raised both arms again, pleased to only experience moderate pain this time.

He'd barely been used to the Predacon body that his encounter with the Triptych Mask had rescanned his transtector into. Being out of action for a month after a surprise attack on the winter camp did not do much to help him acclimate. The cockpit had been reinforced at Storm Soldier's insistence, which would prevent a repeat of the incident that had left Jack with a concussion and nearly bleeding out in the middle of an acid rainstorm.

Vanguard struggled to lift his wings, but the sheets of pliable bio-mesh and steel remained flatly hanging against his back. He'd regained almost full range of motion for everything but his wings. Eli could see the frustration in the bright green optics, and not for the last time wondered why his father's armor -- and Aunt Miko's and Uncle Raf's -- had become much more emotive lately. Had Raf upgraded them?

The teenager leapt easily from Vanguard's hand to one of the several large trees that grew in the biodome. Ignoring the mech's outraged exclamation over the risky jump, he held up his hands and grinned.

"Be right back, keep trying to extend your wings."

"Keep trying to-!" Vanguard sputtered a little as Eli slid down the trunk and vanished into one of the tall hangars installed for Cybertronians to use. "Just who is in charge around here, I'd like to know?"

His eldest son returned moments later, with Storm Soldier in tow. "See?" The boy pointed, "He can barely lift his wings at all!"

"You try flexing your shoulder blades sometime, little one, and see how far off the ground you get," Storm Soldier remarked flatly. "Vanguard will recover in his own time, provided," And here he shot a stern look at Vanguard, "That he does not attempt to surpass his current physical limits before he is ready."

The huge mech's wings, which folded out into solar sails on his vehicular mode, rippled once with a snap in an irritated gesture, but they were still held close enough to his armor that Vanguard could read more concern than exasperation.

"Aye, Ærfæder," the mech in question chuckled, quietly expressing that no, he would not be trying to test new limits yet. At least, not until the stitches came out.
"Not exactly the homecoming I pictured," Vanguard joked half-heartedly, running a quick check to ensure that the stitches weren't being tugged at too much.

"Better than a funeral," Storm Soldier said tersely. He, for one, was not eager to remember having to carry the nearly unresponsive human through an acid storm to find medical attention, certain Vanguard would bleed out in his interior.

After a moment's awkward silence, he scooped Eli up off the ground and gestured Vanguard to follow him.
"There will be time enough to torture the frame when Medic Woman is no longer busy. Come: Prime had a forge moved into the hangar."

"But my wings-" Vanguard protested softly.

"Let your wings look after themselves. You are overthinking your actions," the older mech replied, and handed him a hammer. "In the meantime, six Predacons will need new reinforcement on their armor after the last attack. Start working on that while I finish the next shipment of safeties for the Smelt Clan's subsonic repeaters."

Eli shuddered. "Smelt Clan, huh? That Gigatron guy is creepy. Scares the heck out of Mason, and he loves everyone!"

"He's loyal to Predaking," Vanguard admonished, "So "creepy" or not, he's not going anywhere so long as Predaking allows him to rule."

"Unless his ambition gets the best of him," Storm Soldier said thoughtfully, stoking the fires in the forges, "Then I may have to challenge him for leadership of his clan."

Murmur or not, Vanguard and Eli still heard his musings and stared at him. Vanguard had even managed to lift his wings a fraction of an inch.

"You'd challenge Gigatron for his clan, Grandda?" Eli asked, surprised.

Vanguard's concern was slightly different. "You've..." he studied the way his mentor held his wings. "You've actually discussed this with Predaking, haven't you?"

"To work with you!" Storm Soldier scolded, "That's none of your concern!

The boys exchanged worried glances, but did as they were told. It was to be hoped for Gigatron's sake that he had not yet outright defied Predaking.

Description
sort of a sequel to ardentaspen.deviantart.com/art… , specifically when read with the comment chain added by Foxbear

"Take it slow, Dad," Eli balanced on the Headmaster's hand, acting as resident therapy coach as June was busy. "You've been out of the armor for a month."

"Don't remind me," Vanguard sighed and raised both arms again, pleased to only experience moderate pain this time.

He'd barely been used to the Predacon body that his encounter with the Triptych Mask had rescanned his transtector into. Being out of action for a month after a surprise attack on the winter camp did not do much to help him acclimate. The cockpit had been reinforced at Storm Soldier's insistence, which would prevent a repeat of the incident that had left Jack with a concussion and nearly bleeding out in the middle of an acid rainstorm.

Vanguard struggled to lift his wings, but the sheets of pliable bio-mesh and steel remained flatly hanging against his back. He'd regained almost full range of motion for everything but his wings. Eli could see the frustration in the bright green optics, and not for the last time wondered why his father's armor -- and Aunt Miko's and Uncle Raf's -- had become much more emotive lately. Had Raf upgraded them?

The teenager leapt easily from Vanguard's hand to one of the several large trees that grew in the biodome. Ignoring the mech's outraged exclamation over the risky jump, he held up his hands and grinned.

"Be right back, keep trying to extend your wings."

"Keep trying to-!" Vanguard sputtered a little as Eli slid down the trunk and vanished into one of the tall hangars installed for Cybertronians to use. "Just who is in charge around here, I'd like to know?"

His eldest son returned moments later, with Storm Soldier in tow. "See?" The boy pointed, "He can barely lift his wings at all!"

"You try flexing your shoulder blades sometime, little one, and see how far off the ground you get," Storm Soldier remarked flatly. "Vanguard will recover in his own time, provided," And here he shot a stern look at Vanguard, "That he does not attempt to surpass his current physical limits before he is ready."

The huge mech's wings, which folded out into solar sails on his vehicular mode, rippled once with a snap in an irritated gesture, but they were still held close enough to his armor that Vanguard could read more concern than exasperation.

"Aye, Ærfæder," the mech in question chuckled, quietly expressing that no, he would not be trying to test new limits yet. At least, not until the stitches came out.
"Not exactly the homecoming I pictured," Vanguard joked half-heartedly, running a quick check to ensure that the stitches weren't being tugged at too much.

"Better than a funeral," Storm Soldier said tersely. He, for one, was not eager to remember having to carry the nearly unresponsive human through an acid storm to find medical attention, certain Vanguard would bleed out in his interior.

After a moment's awkward silence, he scooped Eli up off the ground and gestured Vanguard to follow him.
"There will be time enough to torture the frame when Medic Woman is no longer busy. Come: Prime had a forge moved into the hangar."

"But my wings-" Vanguard protested softly.

"Let your wings look after themselves. You are overthinking your actions," the older mech replied, and handed him a hammer. "In the meantime, six Predacons will need new reinforcement on their armor after the last attack. Start working on that while I finish the next shipment of safeties for the Smelt Clan's subsonic repeaters."

Eli shuddered. "Smelt Clan, huh? That Gigatron guy is creepy. Scares the heck out of Mason, and he loves everyone!"

"He's loyal to Predaking," Vanguard admonished, "So "creepy" or not, he's not going anywhere so long as Predaking allows him to rule."

"Unless his ambition gets the best of him," Storm Soldier said thoughtfully, stoking the fires in the forges, "Then I may have to challenge him for leadership of his clan."

Murmur or not, Vanguard and Eli still heard his musings and stared at him. Vanguard had even managed to lift his wings a fraction of an inch.

"You'd challenge Gigatron for his clan, Grandda?" Eli asked, surprised.

Vanguard's concern was slightly different. "You've..." he studied the way his mentor held his wings. "You've actually discussed this with Predaking, haven't you?"

"To work with you!" Storm Soldier scolded, "That's none of your concern!

The boys exchanged worried glances, but did as they were told. It was to be hoped for Gigatron's sake that he had not yet outright defied Predaking.