[personal profile] ante_luce
This bit me. I know crack was expected, but...

Okay, so I don't really have a new explanation. Brain cell = 1, Bunny = Legion, as per usual. It's outnumbered and easily trampled over.

Title: Towers' Fall
'Verse: 2007 Transformers. Stuff from TF Defiance and related comic panels.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: TF cussing.






It was at a martial skills meet that he first saw the mech. The team events were over, the mechs and femmes carrying out the Diffusion and Metallikato drills had dispersed to the edge of the platform to make room for the solo competitors. A green and yellow mech blazed through his routine, going for speed over grace, followed by a completely black femme, who traced intricate stances and movements with excruciating slowness.

Then there was a hush, and a figure took the stage, uniquely framed, painted white with red accents, any remaining plating a gleaming silver. The mech’s bearing was almost regal, and the whispers from the crowd about him started up. Towers mech. Noble sparked. An oddity, a divergent from the typical highborn caste, one who took up the rougher pursuits of spars and ritual combat instead of music, sculpture or graphic creation. One who studied tactics and strategy instead of intellectual debate or philosophy.

The mech began to move. There was an elegance to the performance, limb and form controlled exquisitely to the last micrometer of every gesture, a restraint that was shed when suddenly, the mech flashed into a lighting quick succession of moves, strikes and blocks carried out with a precision and efficiency that made his spark thrill like few things ever had.


= = =


He tracked down the mech (who had most deservingly won his event), and found him in the underground chambers, preparing to leave. Guards stationed outside to keep anyone else from interrupting, he approached, and the smaller Cybertronian had politely greeted him, and accepted the proffered congratulations with dignity.

Then Megatron shed his holographic disguise.

“Lord Protector Megatron.”

To his surprise, the mech did not seem startled. Quietly, it was explained to him that there were only so many Cybertronians of the Lord Protector’s mass, and only one ranked high enough to have a personal guard.

“It was a logical conclusion, m’lord. Thank you for attending the meet; it was a great honour to perform for you.”

The mech bowed and slipped away, and from that breem, Megatron knew he was lost.


= = =


It was frustrating. He was the Lord Protector, mechs and femmes clamoured to be in his presence. But this mech was hard to find, and even harder to keep in the same location as he. His fixation only grew, to the point where even his brother commented on his distraction.

Megatron reluctantly brought up the Towers mech to the Prime, and to his chagrin, Optimus only chuckled.

“Brother, the Towers have different ways of doing things. If you truly wish to court him, you will have to learn how.”

His annoyed snarl had his brother patting him on the shoulder. “I know someone who might be able to help.”

And so the Lord Protector found himself ensconced in a private chamber with a small, silver mech (who hid his amusement very well), being briefed on the numerous rituals and gestures of Towers courtship.


= = =


His twenty third attempt involved a gift, nothing so trite as energon goodies or a useless trinket, but a rare bookfile on stratagems.

And to further stack the odds in his favour, he sent Jazz to deliver it (the damn mech was probably still laughing at him, he knew).

Jazz returned with a smirk and a datapad he’d thought was his bookfile at first, but upon closer examination, Megatron realised that it was the enlistment documentation, already filled out and long approved, for one entry level tactician named Prowl.

“Sir, all due respect and such, but why didn’t you tell me Prowl was the one you were courting? The mech’s different from your usual Tower sparked. Standard practice wouldn’t have worked on him.”

“… You know him?”

“Know of him. He’s been enlisted for a while now. Ops and tactics work together pretty often, and they all speak highly of him. Once he gets the vorns in, he’ll be on the fast track to a command post.” The silver mech shrugged. “I guess that’s why he’s been avoiding you. Doesn’t want anyone saying he’s trading favours.”

“Thank you, Jazz. You may go.”

The Ops mech left, and the Lord Protector sat back, staring at the file, faceplates furrowed in thought. After a while, he picked up a blank datapad and began to write.


= = =


Megatron didn’t expect to find the tactician waiting in his chambers when he returned from his training session. His quarters were secure, keyed only to him and a select few, with the innermost room set to allow only him access. Not even Optimus could get inside if the Lord Protector wanted to be alone.

Prowl had to have hacked his doors.

And for some reason, instead of the anger he expected to feel, he found himself laughing in wonder.


= = =


Life was good. Cybertron was flourishing, they had peace and his army was at top efficacy. The last was definitely due to the efforts of his Second in Command, Prowl.

The mech had, as Jazz had said, risen quickly. Megatron had nothing to do with the chevroned mech’s promotions, nor had he been involved in his appointment to the post of Second. He’d sworn it to Prowl on his spark. Only his brother and Jazz knew of Prowl’s relationship with him. Megatron contemplated the mech, concealing his smug grin from the world.

The tactician was subtle, very subtle, and knew exactly how it drove the Lord Protector wild when Prowl flirted with him in front of everyone, with no one the wiser.

Light, careless touches. A brushing against with a sensor panel wing. A look. A dry comment. As he keyed the doors to his chambers open, he smirked, mentally adding another effective tactic to the list.

An appearance in his quarters when he knew the security division had just changed the codes.

Prowl glanced up at the Lord Protector, hiding his own smile behind a bookfile.


= = =


“Prowl, do you know why he’s doing this?”

“I don’t, Jazz.”

“But you…”

“Not for a while. He’s… I haven’t spent time with him outside of work in a vorn, and most of the time, I believe I could resign and not affect anything. He hasn’t been listening to any of my advice or strategies.”

“Frag. I knew something was up, but I didn’t think it’d gotten so bad. You alright?”

“I… I will be, I think.”


= = =


Things only grew worse. More and more often, Prowl’s words were ignored, and the Second was assigned to busy work, or sentry duty. Jazz often joined him, looking bewildered. Ops did sentry cycles too, yes, but to the exclusion of their normal duties?

When the Prime asked Prowl to break into Megatron’s quarters, he’d hesitated, the memory data playing in his CPU. Jazz had leant against him in support, and Optimus had looked at him, sadness clear in his optics when the tactician finally agreed.


= = =


Megatron looked out at his army, his Decepticon followers. Beside him, a seeker stood, and watched as the large mech’s gaze flickered over him, wondering if the warleader’s thoughts had briefly turned to a different mech, also winged, but ground bound, who might have been in his place if things had been different. The seeker knew the Lord Protector would not have had him as Second if he’d had another option, and Megatron knew that Starscream knew. It coloured all their interactions with each other.

And for that, Starscream hated Prowl more than anything he could think of.


(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 05:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
*paws it gently* It's both beautiful and absolutly heartwrenching at the same time. You get a 999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999/10.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 05:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
0_0 Woo, that high? *is pleased* Glad you like.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 05:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
I have wanted fic for that bunny for three years. I don't write well enough to do it (as can be seen here (http://puffitheinsane.livejournal.com/3846.html#cutid1), here (http://puffitheinsane.livejournal.com/2704.html#cutid1), and over here (http://puffitheinsane.livejournal.com/2049.html#cutid1).), and so I am whorishly thrilled over this.

Also? You win the internet. *offers*

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 05:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
Three years? 0_0

(I liked your Motormaster/Prowl one, even though I have no bearings for Motormaster's character)

Yay Internet! *adds to collection*

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
Three years.

(Really? I fought my boyfriend tooth and nail to avoid putting that one up- I think it's awful.)

I has no Internetz. D: I does has a soul, though. [livejournal.com profile] spira_darkeyes gave me hers when her bunny ate mine. *pets it*

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
(It's interesting. In a sorta morbid creepy way. I'm odd. Hush.)

I can share my Internets?

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
(Well, Motormaster's interesting in a morbid, creepy way.)

If you wants, you cans.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
*takes little bits* Yay!

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 04:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
Would you like me to take one of your bunnies? Cause I will.

Oh, and you misspelled 'efficiency'. *hackhackcough*

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 04:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
^_^ Efficacy is the capacity to produce an effect.

(I'd like to give you one, but you've got a bunny horde of your own and I can't bear to add to it -.-;; )

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 05:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
Oh. *feels stupid* See. This is the reason I told them not to pay for college. I fail.

It's fine, I can take on one more! (Although preferably a happy/cracky one. I am covered in angst bunnies.)

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 10:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
I came across the word in common use at Uni, so don't feel bad.

If you're sure :3 *starts sorting through bunnies*

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 07:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] puffitheinsane.livejournal.com
*was an English minor(Design major)* Told them it wouldn't stick!

Go right ahead!

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 05:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nekohitori.livejournal.com
Murr... I feel so bad for all of them at the end. And I love how you can take a cracky prompt and turn it into a completely non-cracky story.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
It's very confuzzling. Crack prompts become srs fic. Serious fic ganks cracky scenes like they're going out of season. My headspace is a rather strange and random place.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nekohitori.livejournal.com
Your headspace sounds like a fun place to visit some time. I'm sure I wouldn't get much done, but I'm even more sure that I probably wouldn't care.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
It's fun ^_^ But part of headspace is also very logic inclined. For most part, the arrangement works and I get bunny ambushed and timelines line up and cause and effect make sense (as much as they can in a world with large sapient alien robots and ray guns that do more than fry people). Crack doesn't count, because it's crack and logically shouldn't be expected to make complete (or any, even) sense.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 05:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] okami-myrrhibis.livejournal.com
OMG!!! O_O I love this!

*very* *very* nice coloring-in of Prowl's character, both from the first intro-scene of him, as well as the break-in.

*flops*

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 06:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
^_^ Thank you!

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 08:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] snarechan.livejournal.com
I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I saw this, but I'm very pleased that I read your story. The pairing is so different, yet you made it work perfectly! Beautiful work. :3

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 10:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
Thank you ^_^

(no subject)

Date: 2009-03-31 10:04 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] lady_katana4544
This is wonderfully done!

You must have a seriously random headspace if this was meant to be a crack fic. ^^

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 10:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
Thanks! A Prowl/Megatron pairing tends to lend itself to crack ^_^ But yes, random headspace is random =.=;;

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 01:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] quidamling.livejournal.com
Excellent. Between Prowl's characterization and the hints of Megs' decent, it's so tragic. Poor lil tactician, all of them. >:

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 10:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
Thank you ^_^

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 05:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mmouse15.livejournal.com
Oh, I like this. Prowl is too damned smart and Megatron is captivated. Jazz giving advice is even better.

I love your headspace. It's awesome and it entertains me endlessly and repeatedly.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 10:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
^_^ Thanks!

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 09:36 am (UTC)
ext_190998: (Default)
From: [identity profile] bookworm-faith.livejournal.com
Wow, that went from crack to sweet to D:
(why yes I am impressed)

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 10:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
My headspace, it has moodswings.

(Thank you ^_^)

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 11:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bookscrazygirl.livejournal.com
This was... wow, just wow.

On another note, is it going to stay a one-shot? Cause I'm starting to get your 'verses mixed up and I have no idea what it's like for you.

*has a mental image of a hand sticking out of a pile of bunnies*

Need a shotgun?

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 12:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
*whimper* I hope it stays a one-shot.

Your mental image is very accurate TT_TT

Though if you need something to separate the 'verses by, there's always the tags ^_^

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 02:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] catraven.livejournal.com
Wow. This is remarkable, in which you took what should be utter crack and made it a comprehensive series of snapshots of interconnected lives. VERY well done.

I simply refuse to give you bunny repellent. I enjoy reading everything you crank out far too much. :D

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-01 03:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
*blush* Thank you :3

I have given up hope in bunny repellent. The stuff doesn't work. ;_;

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-02 11:30 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] adannu.livejournal.com
*hearts your brain*

This is a lovely piece, and it just turns heartbreaking at the end for everyone.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-04-02 01:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
^_^ Thank you, glad you liked.

(no subject)

Date: 2012-01-09 03:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] skylar-matthews.livejournal.com
I was not expecting this when I followed links (almost at random) to get here, however I am glad I did because it was certainly a very neat read. Good job.^^

(no subject)

Date: 2012-01-09 03:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ante-luce.livejournal.com
Thank you ^_^ M'glad you enjoyed it.

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