[It was a nice day on Cybertron. Everyone was excited because today was the grand opening of the new central mall. This was going to be a place where Autobots and Decepticons shop in peace, and they couldn't wait. Even the former Decepticon leader and his group were there for the opening.]

[But then, Optimus got a call from Bumblebee. His team needed help, so Optimus went to help him. Before he did, he had to put someone in charge, but Ultra Magnus was sick, so he decided to put Sentinel in charge.]

[When Sentinel heard he was in charge until the Prime's return, he was excited, he could finally prove to everyone that he could be a better Prime. He's always been jealous of Optimus, though he'd never admit it out loud. So this was the perfect opportunity to one-up the Prime.]

[Right now he was strutting down the hallway of the Autobot base, giving bots different jobs and telling them what to do. Then he went to Jazz and Soundwave.]

Sentinel: What are you both up to? [He asked upon entry.]

Jazz: Oh, hi sir. Wave and I were just about to deliver the music and decorations. [Jazz explained, Soundwave nodded.]

Sentinel: Without my overview? I'm the one in charge here! [Sentinel stated.]

Soundwave: Explanation: Already got permission. [Soundwave replied.]

Sentinel: I don't care! Just let me hear it. [He said, crossing his arms. The two shrugged, then Soundwave began to play the song of choice.] No. That song is old school, we need a better one. [He said.]

Jazz: But sir, The Touch may be old, but it's still got the grove. [Jazz said, earning a disproving look from Sentinel.]

Sentinel: Just change it.

Soundwave: Inquiry: Into what? [He asked.]

[Sentinel thought about it for a bit, then told them to change it to heavy metal, since that wasn't as outdated. Both bots cringed, then asked if he knew what it sounded like, to which he replied no. Then went to the decorations.]

Sentinel: These look ridiculous. Why are they so colorful?

Jazz:... Because it's a celebration?

Sentinel: Change it. [And with that, he left.]

[Jazz and Soundwave looked at each other, then sighed.]

• • •

[Sentinel was having fun being in charge. How was this hard? It was so easy for him, who needs a prime when he's around? The next place he went was the med bay to get Ratchet and Knock Outs report. Afterward, he went to the lab.]

[Shockwave was working on something when he came in. Sentinel was supposed to get a report from him too, so Shockwave began to give his report. As he was talking, Sentinel got bored and decided to look around. Then he saw a bottle labeled 'Don't touch.']

Sentinel: What's this? [He asked.]

Shockwave: That is an experiment I am working on. It requires additional testing before It can be... Utilized. [He explained.]

Sentinel: What's it supposed to do? [He asked curiously.]

Shockwave: It is presumed to enhance durability, stamina, velocity, and intellect. Do not utilize it until further testing is done. [Shockwave said, then went back to work, while continuing his report.]

[Sentinel stared at the bottle in awe, did it work? If he had that much power and wisdom, he could be prime for sure. All the glory could be his, he could be the greatest leader of Cybertron, he could be unstoppable!]

[Sentinel looked at Shockwave, he had his back turned to him. So Sentinel took off the 'Don't Touch' sticker and put it on a bottle that looked similar to the original, then put the real bottle into his subspace before walking away from the table.]

[Once Shockwave was done with his report, Sentinel left the lab. As he thought about the liquid and when to use it, he got a call. Now he had to go see how construction was doing. So he left the Autobot base.]

• • •

[When he got to the construction site, he was met by Dirt Boss.]

Dirt Boss: We wanted to wait on Optimus, but we were pressed on time. Do you know if Optimus would like us to move this to the left or right of the structure? [He asked.]

Sentinel: Maybe to the left. [Mixmaster and Scrapper began to move the object.] Hm... You know what? It may look better to the right. [They began to move it again.] Actually, the senior is better. [They picked up the object and moved it again.] Uh... No. Move it to the left.

[This went on for several minutes. At this point, they wanted to dump cement on Sentinel, but fortunately, they didn't have to do it themselves. While Sentinel was walking backward to get a better view, he accidentally tripped over a tool and landed in a bunch of buckets full of cement.]

[The three bots went to see if he was ok, only to bust out laughing when they saw Sentinel with buckets on his right foot, left arm, and one on his helm like a hat. With a few splotches of cement on him.]

Scrapper: Nice hat ya got there! [Scrapper laughed.]

Mixmaster: Hate to break it to ya pal, but that ain't what ya use buckets for! [Mix said, holding back laughter.]

Sentinel: Be quiet! All of you! You could have warned me about the buckets! [Sentinel yelled, trying to stand up, but failing, making the three laugh again.]

[Finally, Sentinel got up. He was embarrassed by what happened and quickly made his leave after telling the three to figure out their problems. He hobbled as fast as he could, tripping a little.]

• • •

[When Sentinel returned to base, he was told that he needed to help move food to the loading truck to get to the mall opening celebration. At first, the bot told him not to worry about it after seeing how Sentinel was, but Sentinel insisted that he could do it, so he went.]

[When he went in, he saw Starscream and a few Vehicons moving the food. (Different types of Energon.) They were surprised to see the state Sentinel was in once he entered.]

Starscream: Wow, what happened to you? [Starscream asked, holding back laughter while the Vehicons indulged in it.]

Sentinel: I don't want to talk about it. [He replied before trying to grab an Energon cake.]

Starscream: Sir, I don't think that's wise, you should at least take off the buckets before you try to carry anything. [He said worriedly.]

Sentinel: I tried. There was cement in the buckets, so they won't come off. [He said as he lifted the cake.]

[Sentinel just wanted to show bots that he was still cool, even with the buckets on him, he wanted bots to take him seriously. So if he could prove himself useful, even in this predicament, others would be impressed. Or so he saw it.]

[Starscream and the Vehicons watched, they kept trying to help him, but to no avail. Just when he was halfway across the room, Wheeljack and Sideswipe raced in.]

Wheeljack: I won! [Wheeljack said, triumphantly.]

Sideswipe: Yeah right! [Sideswipe brushed him off.]

[The two came to help load the food into the truck when they heard about it and decided to race there. While they were talking, they didn't see Sentinel in the middle of the room until they crashed into him. The Energon cake went flying, Starscream and the Vehicons tried to catch it, but it all happened so fast, one moment the cake was in the air, the next it's all over Sentinel.]

V 328: The cake! [V 328 shouted in disappointment.] Now we need to make a new one.

Steve: Do we have time to do that? [Steve asked.]

V 328: If we start right now, then yes. Come on everyone! [And with that, the Vehicons left.]

[Wheeljack, Sideswipe, and Starscream helped Sentinel up.]

Wheeljack: Sorry about that, we didn't mean to crash into you. [Wheeljack said. He would laugh at how Sentinel looked if he didn't have the face of a volcano about to explode.]

Sideswipe: Sorry! It won't happen again, sir. [Sideswipe said, his reason for not laughing the same as Wheeljack.]

Sentinel: Just leave me alone! [He yelled, hobbling away.]

[Then the three called someone to help them load the food into the truck through the com-link, and soon got back to work.]

• • •

[Sentinel was storming down the halls. Why was this happening to him? (Just look at TFA and you'll see why.) Some time has passed since the last incident, but he was so busy with other things that he didn't have time to clean up. Then he spotted Jazz and Soundwave taking the last of the decorations to the new mall opening. It didn't take long for Sentinel to notice that the decorations were still the same.]

Sentinel: I thought I told you to change it! [He yelled, anger from the day getting to him.]

Jazz: I'm sorry sir, but we don't have any good decorations besides these to use. [Jazz explained, stepping back a bit.]

Soundwave: Defense: They don't look bad. Suggestion: Use what we have. [Soundwave said. Neither bots knew why Sentinel looked like a mess, but figured that's why he was mad.]

[Out of frustration, Sentinel tried to tackle Soundwave but failed, resulting in him losing his balance and falling inside the decorations. When the two bots helped him out, he was now covered in streamers and confetti, adding to his look of Energon cake, cement, buckets, and his original colors that were barely visible.]

Sentinel: How. Could. This. Get. WORSE!? [He yelled angrily. Jazz and Soundwave backing up a lot.]

[Then his com-link went off.]

::Sir, just got word from Optimus that he won't be able to get to the mall celebration on time, so you'll have to do it. If you leave now, you can make it with a few minutes to spare.:: [A bot said.]

Sentinel: ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I'M A MESS! I CAN'T DO THIS! [Sentinel practically screamed. At this point, Jazz and Soundwave left.]

::U-Uh... S-Sorry sir, but no one else... Is a-available...:: [The bot replied fearfully before ending the call.]

[Sentinel began to pace back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. He was so busy with his tasks that he didn't get time to clean up. If only he was as fast as Blur, then he could clean up in seconds.]

[Then he stopped. He went into his subspace and pulled out the bottle with the liquid Shockwave had yet to test. He remembered Shockwave mentioned speed as one of the things it could give the user. So, out of desperation, Sentinel drank the liquid, and shortly after, the effects took place.]

• • •

[Ratchet and Knock Out were talking with each other when Megatron came.]

Ratchet: Glad to see you could make it Megatron. [Ratchet said.]

Megatron: I wouldn't miss it. [He replied.] Where are the others? They came here before me. [Megatron asked.]

Knock Out: Soundwave and Jazz are finishing with the decorations, Shockwave is talking with Perceptor, and Starscream is having a dance-off with Smokescreen and a few Vehicons. [Knock Out said, pointing in their directions.]

Megatron: Good to see them having fun. [Megatron said with a smile.]

[Then the crowd quieted as a bot on the stage got their attention. After the briefing, Sentinel got on the stage, and everyone gasped. He was a mess! And to top it all off, he was the size of Knock Out. What happened?]

Sentinel:... Mechs and femmes. Sparklings and younglings... Welcome to this grand event... [He said dryly, in a high screechy voice.]

[They stood corrected, this toped everything off.]

Megatron: Uh... [Megatron didn't know what to say as Sentinel spoke.]

Knock Out & Ratchet: What happened? [Both medics said in confusion.]

Starscream: I wasn't expecting that... [Starscream said, from where he was watching. The Vehicons and Smoke nodded in agreement.]

[Sentinel never felt this humiliated in his life, he wanted to get off the stage so badly. When he drank the liquid, instead of doing what it was supposed to do, it shrank him and changed his voice, and he didn't know how long it would last.]

[About halfway through the speech, the music began to play. Instead of the classic song, everyone knew and loved, heavy metal blasted out, scaring everyone as they backed up, covered their ears, or both. The vibrations of the noise were so strong, it made the stage shake. Sentinel lost his balance and fell off the stage, landing on a table with drinks on it, getting it all over him.]

Ratchet:... Yeah. I'm calling Ultra Magnus. [Ratchet mumbled to himself as he called him.]

* * *

[When Ultra Magnus showed up, he was still sick. He didn't know why he needed to come until he saw Sentinel trying to clean himself off while heavy metal was playing.]

Ultra Magnus: What happened? [He asked, looking to Ratchet.]

Ratchet: Don't know, he won't say. But he changed a few things, as you can hear. [Ratchet said, referring to the noise humans called music.]

Ultra Magnus: And his... Hight?

Shockwave: He stole an experiment I had yet to test. Thinking it would be logical... It wasn't. [Shockwave said.]

[Magnus nodded, then went to finish the grand opening. By the time Optimus came back, things were going smoothly, and Ultra Magnus went home to get more rest. When Optimus went to thank Sentinel, -who was back to normal- he said to never put him in charge again. This confused the Prime, but he complied.]

[Then everyone enjoyed themselves as they celebrated and went shopping together. It was quite a day, but in the end, it all worked out, and everyone was ok.]

❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣~❣

Hey guys, thanks for reading this short! I had a lot of fun writing this XD. Happy April 1st!❣

Originally Posted: April 1, 2022