Family is Forever
Dec. 26th, 2010 11:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ante_luceTitle: Family is Forever
'Verse: TFA
Characters: Ensemble
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: TF cussing
It was a quiet, peaceful day in a certain abandoned warehouse in Detroit-
“Oooh!”
… It had been a quiet, peaceful day in a certain abandoned warehouse in Detroit, before the sound of frustrated growling and stomping and door slamming made the white mech on the Autobots' makeshift couch look up over the back of the seat and call out to the young girl storming past.
“Everything alright, Sari?”
A glare met the cyberninja's query, only to slide harmlessly off Jazz's plating as the visored bot chuckled at her.
“Good effort, sweetspark. You'd scare the oil out of the average bot back on Cybertron for sure.”
Sari huffed and he tilted his helm at the spot beside him in invitation, smiling when the little techno-organic flopped down, a perfect picture of teenage affront.
“Alright, so who was it, what did they do and can I take care of it for you?”
“My dad, trying to be the uber-dad, and I don't think anyone can do anything about him when he's got a notion in his head.”
Jazz nodded understandingly. “Got on your last circuit, huh.”
“Pretty much.” Sari exhaled loudly and crossed her arms. “I had to get out before I punched something. Odd were I'd go through a wall or hit something that'd explode. Stupid mad scientist types.”
“Well, scientists aren't usually stupid-”
“Jazz.”
“Alright alright, just saying.”
She smacked her head into the back of the sofa, but she was smiling slightly. The ninja grinned, then offered.
“That's just the way parents are, Sari.”
The girl looked at him oddly, sitting up straight and frowning. “How do you know? Don't you guys come from... well... like how I was before my dad found me?”
“Protoforms. Yeah, a lot of us do now, but before, when I was sparked, bots could also build and raise a sparkling together. So yeah, I have parents, just like you do.”
Jazz shrugged, and Sari blinked at him, eyes wide.
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. I ran wild all over the place, my folks had a time of it getting me to heed the 'house-rules', and even when I did obey, I didn't always do it in the way they wanted.”
= = =
“Augh! Jazz!”
“Hi mom!”
“Your father and his thrice glitched 'pouncing lessons'! What are you going to pounce on? Turborats?”
“You did say they were disturbing your recharge cycles, dearest...”
“You wait your turn, mech. I'll get to you later. Jazz! What have I told you about coming inside covered in dirt? You must have left footprints all down the corridor!”
“No I didn't, mom.”
“Oh? And I suppose you flew all the way back to our rooms?”
“No, I used the air ducts.”
“You what?”
“I found dad's anniversary present for you too. He hid it up here this stellar cycle.”
= = =
“Mind you, it was a two way process. They drove me outta my processors sometimes too. We fought, like the average human youngling would with their parents, and over similar things, like the friends I'd keep and what I'd chosen to do with my life.” Jazz sighed, gaze distant.
“They didn't want me to join the Autobots, but there was no force in the galaxy that could stop me.”
= = =
“You want to what?!”
“I'm signing up with the Autobots. It's already done. I get my faction symbol next cycle.”
“What's all this shouting?”
“Your son wants to join the Autobots.”
“This is your fault, you realise. I told you we were too soft with him! We should have done something about those bots he's been associating with!”
“Jazz, what your mother and I want to say is that we feel you're-”
“He's being an idiot, that's what we feel! Those fools will get him killed!”
“I can't-”
“Can't what, Jazz? Can't stay here with us? Your own parents? What do you know? You're barely a vorn into your final upgrades! Is this how you repay us?”
“I know what my spark tells me. I know they're doing the right thing.”
= = =
“... Wow.”
The white mech sighed, smiling ruefully at the girl beside him. “Yeah, I inherited a big ol' stubborn streak from my mom, so it was a pretty bad fight. I stormed out, didn't see them again for a good long while.”
“But you did eventually, right?”
He nodded. “I dropped into their place and was coerced into staying a while. And the first thing my mom said to me was that the Autobots weren't fuelling me properly and that I was dressed too skimpily for her tastes.”
Over the sound of Sari's giggles, the Guardsmech continued blithely, grinning cheekily.
“Then she went on to fuss about my health, my paintjob, whether I understood everything about what career prospects I had... All that mom stuff. My dad was just concerned about how fast the ship I was going to be piloting would be.”
= = =
“Look at you! What kind of swill do the Autobots fuel their soldiers with? And what kind of mods are those fools issuing you? Where's all the armour? I can practically see your wires! And their medics! Pah!”
“Now dear, you're over-reacting.”
“Over-reacting? He's gone and painted himself white! He stands out like a salt crystal on an oil lake, and stands about as much a chance of survival as one! Any glitch with a targeting scope and a gun will be able to hit him!”
“He's managed so far, hasn't he? And he's a pilot, they're usually away from the frontlines. Speaking of which, Jazz, how fast can that ship you're assigned to fly?”
“Jazz, you listen to your mother in this, at least. Do not do anything stupid out there. No fancy flying, no breaking the sound barrier, no trying to impress anyone! No son of mine is bound to stay in the lower ranks, but climb them slowly. Don't make yourself a bigger fool target than you already are.”
= = =
Jazz waved a hand aimlessly as he reminisced.“We had a long talk, they accepted I wasn't going to change my mind and I accepted that they weren't going to change theirs and we decided we'd find a way to work around it all. Family is like that, no matter your differences, you still love each other.”
= =
“We are very proud of you, Jazz. Even if we don't agree with your choices. Never forget that.”
“And before you go, take this. Your father used it for his very first...”
“Ah, memories... ”
= = =
“They did give me something before I left, to make up for the way we parted.”
“Oh? What?” Sari was curled up against the ninja now, attention fully focused on the mech.
“Something of my dad's. An heirloom piece, you could say. He met my mom while using it, though he did say he thought she was more interested in it than the mech holding it...”
She giggled again. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” Jazz grinned, and Sari perked as a thought occurred to her.
“Ohh! Did you show...”
“Well... Not while I was convincing him to consider me. Though my folks had lots to say on that matter.
= = =
“That's the glitch who's gotten his hands on my mechling?!”
“I must confess my own misgivings, Jazz. This Autobot... he is rather small, isn't he?”
“Well, I'm pretty small too, and I got through the war alright. Better than alright even.”
“Elite Guard, I knew my Jazz would get in. Even with that paintjob.”
“First rule of ninja club is not to let on that you're in the ninja club, and the white is perfect for that.”
“You have spent too much time on that planet. Your paint is still too distinctive, Jazz. I cannot see you passing by unnoticed.”
“I got a workaround, don't worry.”
“Very well, this Autobot... He is capable?”
“He's taken down Lockdown. With no backup.”
“The bounty hunter? On his own?”
“Mm... He'll do. But he hurts you, and he'll have us to answer to.”
= = =
“You're a little young yet for that sort of thing, but to a parent, no one's ever going to be good enough for their kid.”
“So... Be prepared to defend anyone I bring home from death rays and hmm...” She shot a sly look at the chuckling ninja. “Killer robots?”
Jazz pulled on an innocent expression. “We won't kill anyone... Maim a little maybe...”
“Ja-aazz!”
“Kidding, Sari. You ready to head home?”
“Home... Frag, dad's gonna make those sad eyes at me!” Sari bolted off the sofa, only for the cyberninja to call after her, laughing.
“I called him the moment I heard you coming, sweetspark. It'll be fine.”
She stopped dead in her tracks, then slumped against the doorway in relief. “Thanks Jazz.”
He grinned. “No worries. I know how intense parents can get.”
= = =
“Jazz?”
“Mm, yeah Sari?”
He looked up as the young girl inched her way inside the room and let the door slide shut silently. Sari looked drained, leaning against the wall with a weary expression. “Can I stay here with you for a bit? Outside... It's too much.”
“Sure thing.” The visored mech smiled faintly, beckoning her over to tuck her against his side comfortingly. Fighting back a sob, she buried her face in white plating, trembling slightly.
“It's not fair. I'm happy you guys saved Detroit and got Megatron and everything, and I know Prowl did what he did so that we could be here, but I can't watch them celebrate, not when he can't celebrate with us...”
“I know, sweetspark, I know...”
They both started at the explosion, Jazz grabbing hold of Sari and shielding her as fragments of wall pattered off his frame. When the dust and smoke cleared, the Guardsmech straightened, putting himself in front of the young girl, glaring fiercely at the bot standing in the rubble.
“What do you want?”
A blaster pointed itself at him, a low, charging whine starting up as Strika, with the unconscious form of Lugnut slung over her shoulder, made her demand.
“You, come with me, or I shoot out the ceiling, your little pet gets squished and I haul you along anyway.”
“Sari, bot-form, now.” Jazz snapped, not taking his optics off the large femme in her custom made 'doorway' as the girl obeyed.
“Not going to help, little Guard. The bug can't lift a tonne of steel, and you know I can make sure that much ceiling falls on her.”
“Jazz, no, don't go!”
“Sweetspark, you stay here, alright? I'll be fine.”
“Listen to the ninja, bug. I see you following us, I shoot him, then I shoot you. Got it?”
Strika growled and Sari nodded, blue optics wide with fear as Jazz walked towards the large femme, the barrel of Strika's gun never leaving his form as he was marched away by the Decepticon.
= = =
“Optimus!”
The Prime, AllSpark still on its chain around his neck and accompanied by a company of Autobots, was running full pelt towards the small techno-organic, skidding to a halt and catching her when she flew into him. “Sari, are you alright?! We heard something blow up-”
“I know! I was there! There was this huge 'Con and he pointed a gun at us and took Jazz away!”
“What? Who was it?”
“I don't know!” She wailed, slamming a fist into his shoulder in frustration. “He was orange and purple with big lips and he had Lugnut over one shoulder!”
“Slag, that's Strika!” A green mech hissed, turning to bark into a comm as another swore loudly (prompting large hands to cover Sari's audios in a futile gesture as she shifted back to human form and rolled her eyes at him).
“Who's Strika and why does he want Jazz?”
No one answered her question as both Optimus and Sari were hustled away to a 'more secure location'.
= = =
After reassuring Sari that yes, they were doing everything they could to rescue the white ninja, Optimus sank down into a chair in the quietest spot he could find, next to a greyed out frame in a bare room. The door was slightly open, and he could hear the sounds of bots passing by outside, including a pair who stopped to talk quietly.
“Did you hear?”
“About the break out? Yeah. It sure doesn't make us look good. Though you'd think an Elite Guard would put up more of a fight, particularly one with the kind of history Jazz has with Lugnut and Strika.”
“Poor slagger. Who know why those two seem to target him so much.”
Growing uneasy at the turn the conversation was taking, Optimus froze at the next words he heard.
“He was in the med bay pretty long that time he escaped their clutches, wasn't he?”
"Mmhm, I barely recognised him when he came in."
And then the eavesdropping Prime heard no more as the AllSpark flashed a brilliant white, blinding him before he fell offline.
= = =
Optimus woke to find someone shaking him lightly. Batting at them irritably, he snapped to full wakefulness when he registered black and gold plating before him.
“Prowl? How on Cybertron-”
“I am glad to see you, Optimus, but we can exclaim over me later. Where. Is. Jazz?”
The Prime shook his head at the piercing look being directed at him.
“The 'Cons, they threatened Sari and he went with-”
But Prowl had already leapt up to pace the room. “Typical, I take my optics off everyone for one decabreem and he gets into trouble!” Turning back to the startled mech, the dark ninja lunged forward, gripping the AllSpark crystal (now incomplete again, Optimus suddenly noted), visor glowing an eerie white, the same as the artefact about the Prime's neck.
“What are you-”
He sighed, staring at the now empty room and the open door through which Prowl had bolted.
“One day, I'll be able to finish a sentence around here...”
= = =
He crept along the darkened corridor, following the lumbering form of Lugnut through the small building, one so well hidden he'd had trouble finding the entrance when he'd tracked Jazz's spark signature, using his recent and rather intimate connection with AllSpark, to the place. The lumbering mech turned a corner and Prowl made to follow, but stopped when he sensed the other ninja's presence in the room right beside him.
Entering, he slipped over to the berth where the white mech was curled up on, limbs tucked close in a defensive manner, hesitantly reaching out to brush his fingertips over Jazz's shoulder plating, whispering his name softly. The other ninja jerked online, scrabbling backwards before staring disbelievingly at Prowl.
“Frag, I gotta be dreaming...”
He took hold of a white hand, squeezing it gently, voice a low murmur. “You're not. But we have to leave, quickly.”
The Guardsmech's visor flickered, then he nodded, getting to his feet, not letting go of Prowl's hand. The black and gold mech smiled, then tugged him towards the door only to freeze when it slammed open, revealing both Lugnut and Strika standing in the doorway, barring their escape.
Prowl had his shuriken drawn in a sparkbeat, both ninjas staring at the Decepticons before Strika smirked, placing her hands on her hips and turning a knowing look on Lugnut.
“I told you I heard someone come in here.”
“How? You never heard anything during pouncing lessons!”
“Fool. Like I wouldn't know when someone was trying to sneak up on me?”
“I don't believe you! Jazz! Tell her she's lying!”
The white mech sighed, then wrapped his arms securely about Prowl pre-emptively. “Actually, she's always been able to tell when I'm lying in wait for her. She just plays along for your sake.”
Lugnut stared, then turned to Strika with a betrayed look on his faceplates. Prowl turned a similar look onto Jazz. The other cyberninja only pressed closer, whispering low and slightly shakily.
“You're really here?”
“I am.” Prowl's expression softened for a moment as he rested his helm against Jazz's, then became stern once more. “Though I soon won't be if I do not get an explanation in the next five clicks.”
The Guardsmech smiled, dropping his head to rest on the darker ninja's shoulder in surrender for a moment before murmuring quietly. “You'll get it, I promise. Trust me, okay?”
Straightening, Jazz walked over to the looming pair, holding Prowl's hand tight.
“Mom, Dad, this is Prowl. Prowl, these are my parents. Please don't kill each other.”
The two Decepticons eyed the black and gold ninja solemnly, then Strika spoke, gesturing at the darker mech.
“See Jazz? This is what I am talking about. Your mech's paint job is much more practical, he blends into the shadows so nicely, you father didn't realise he was followed. And he has mods that cover more than a third of his frame.”
To the background noise of Lugnut's outraged sputtering, Prowl felt his processors slowly fighting off a total crash as the ninja holding his hand sighed and replied like he'd repeated the same answer a thousand times over.
“I'm happy with the mods I'm carrying, I like my paint job, and I told you I had a workaround.”
“Jumping into a tar pit is not a workaround, mechling. You think tar pits grow on every street corner? And I don't want to know how you managed to get rid of all that slag later on.”
“I have more sense than that. They would have found me no matter what colour I was painted and the tar was the only place they weren't going to look.”
“Then what is this vaunted workaround?”
Jazz reached for his Elite Guard emblem, pressing down on it lightly for a moment before a dark grey seeped out from the symbol, gradually spreading to cover him completely, changing even the colour of his windshield glass, headlights and visor to a dull yellow.
“See? And if I keep my visor off, they think I'm deactivated and don't bother with me.”
Strika humphed, pacified, and Lugnut laughed out loud. “That's my mechling!”
The large femme rounded on the other Decepticon next. “So he's your mechling when he does something you like, hm? Jazz, there are those oil puffs you like in the kitchen, and you can see you and your mech out on your own. Your father and I have something to discuss.”
“And you.” Prowl stiffened when Strika pointed at him. “I don't know how you came back to life and I don't care, but you will refrain from dying and hurting my Jazz again.”
Sighing, the white mech dragged a stalled Prowl out of the room, pausing to grab a box of puffs before hightailing it out of the area.
= = =
“Jazz.”
“Mm?”
“Your parents are Decepticons.”
“Mmhm.”
“Not only are they Decepticons, but they are widely accepted to be Megatron's most loyal Decepticons.”
“Well... Yeah.”
“And this does not bother you?”
“Well... They were 'Cons before I was even sparked...”
“Yet you are an Autobot, and one of the Elite Guard.”
“Prowl... They're family. And once they were satisfied that I was choosing the 'Bots 'cos I believed in them, they didn't stand in my way.”
“Were you ever going to tell me?”
“... Only after a long, long time, when they'd reformed and set up a centre to rehome abandoned cyberkittens.”
“... Fair enough.”
'Verse: TFA
Characters: Ensemble
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: TF cussing
It was a quiet, peaceful day in a certain abandoned warehouse in Detroit-
“Oooh!”
… It had been a quiet, peaceful day in a certain abandoned warehouse in Detroit, before the sound of frustrated growling and stomping and door slamming made the white mech on the Autobots' makeshift couch look up over the back of the seat and call out to the young girl storming past.
“Everything alright, Sari?”
A glare met the cyberninja's query, only to slide harmlessly off Jazz's plating as the visored bot chuckled at her.
“Good effort, sweetspark. You'd scare the oil out of the average bot back on Cybertron for sure.”
Sari huffed and he tilted his helm at the spot beside him in invitation, smiling when the little techno-organic flopped down, a perfect picture of teenage affront.
“Alright, so who was it, what did they do and can I take care of it for you?”
“My dad, trying to be the uber-dad, and I don't think anyone can do anything about him when he's got a notion in his head.”
Jazz nodded understandingly. “Got on your last circuit, huh.”
“Pretty much.” Sari exhaled loudly and crossed her arms. “I had to get out before I punched something. Odd were I'd go through a wall or hit something that'd explode. Stupid mad scientist types.”
“Well, scientists aren't usually stupid-”
“Jazz.”
“Alright alright, just saying.”
She smacked her head into the back of the sofa, but she was smiling slightly. The ninja grinned, then offered.
“That's just the way parents are, Sari.”
The girl looked at him oddly, sitting up straight and frowning. “How do you know? Don't you guys come from... well... like how I was before my dad found me?”
“Protoforms. Yeah, a lot of us do now, but before, when I was sparked, bots could also build and raise a sparkling together. So yeah, I have parents, just like you do.”
Jazz shrugged, and Sari blinked at him, eyes wide.
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. I ran wild all over the place, my folks had a time of it getting me to heed the 'house-rules', and even when I did obey, I didn't always do it in the way they wanted.”
= = =
“Augh! Jazz!”
“Hi mom!”
“Your father and his thrice glitched 'pouncing lessons'! What are you going to pounce on? Turborats?”
“You did say they were disturbing your recharge cycles, dearest...”
“You wait your turn, mech. I'll get to you later. Jazz! What have I told you about coming inside covered in dirt? You must have left footprints all down the corridor!”
“No I didn't, mom.”
“Oh? And I suppose you flew all the way back to our rooms?”
“No, I used the air ducts.”
“You what?”
“I found dad's anniversary present for you too. He hid it up here this stellar cycle.”
= = =
“Mind you, it was a two way process. They drove me outta my processors sometimes too. We fought, like the average human youngling would with their parents, and over similar things, like the friends I'd keep and what I'd chosen to do with my life.” Jazz sighed, gaze distant.
“They didn't want me to join the Autobots, but there was no force in the galaxy that could stop me.”
= = =
“You want to what?!”
“I'm signing up with the Autobots. It's already done. I get my faction symbol next cycle.”
“What's all this shouting?”
“Your son wants to join the Autobots.”
“This is your fault, you realise. I told you we were too soft with him! We should have done something about those bots he's been associating with!”
“Jazz, what your mother and I want to say is that we feel you're-”
“He's being an idiot, that's what we feel! Those fools will get him killed!”
“I can't-”
“Can't what, Jazz? Can't stay here with us? Your own parents? What do you know? You're barely a vorn into your final upgrades! Is this how you repay us?”
“I know what my spark tells me. I know they're doing the right thing.”
= = =
“... Wow.”
The white mech sighed, smiling ruefully at the girl beside him. “Yeah, I inherited a big ol' stubborn streak from my mom, so it was a pretty bad fight. I stormed out, didn't see them again for a good long while.”
“But you did eventually, right?”
He nodded. “I dropped into their place and was coerced into staying a while. And the first thing my mom said to me was that the Autobots weren't fuelling me properly and that I was dressed too skimpily for her tastes.”
Over the sound of Sari's giggles, the Guardsmech continued blithely, grinning cheekily.
“Then she went on to fuss about my health, my paintjob, whether I understood everything about what career prospects I had... All that mom stuff. My dad was just concerned about how fast the ship I was going to be piloting would be.”
= = =
“Look at you! What kind of swill do the Autobots fuel their soldiers with? And what kind of mods are those fools issuing you? Where's all the armour? I can practically see your wires! And their medics! Pah!”
“Now dear, you're over-reacting.”
“Over-reacting? He's gone and painted himself white! He stands out like a salt crystal on an oil lake, and stands about as much a chance of survival as one! Any glitch with a targeting scope and a gun will be able to hit him!”
“He's managed so far, hasn't he? And he's a pilot, they're usually away from the frontlines. Speaking of which, Jazz, how fast can that ship you're assigned to fly?”
“Jazz, you listen to your mother in this, at least. Do not do anything stupid out there. No fancy flying, no breaking the sound barrier, no trying to impress anyone! No son of mine is bound to stay in the lower ranks, but climb them slowly. Don't make yourself a bigger fool target than you already are.”
= = =
Jazz waved a hand aimlessly as he reminisced.“We had a long talk, they accepted I wasn't going to change my mind and I accepted that they weren't going to change theirs and we decided we'd find a way to work around it all. Family is like that, no matter your differences, you still love each other.”
= =
“We are very proud of you, Jazz. Even if we don't agree with your choices. Never forget that.”
“And before you go, take this. Your father used it for his very first...”
“Ah, memories... ”
= = =
“They did give me something before I left, to make up for the way we parted.”
“Oh? What?” Sari was curled up against the ninja now, attention fully focused on the mech.
“Something of my dad's. An heirloom piece, you could say. He met my mom while using it, though he did say he thought she was more interested in it than the mech holding it...”
She giggled again. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” Jazz grinned, and Sari perked as a thought occurred to her.
“Ohh! Did you show...”
“Well... Not while I was convincing him to consider me. Though my folks had lots to say on that matter.
= = =
“That's the glitch who's gotten his hands on my mechling?!”
“I must confess my own misgivings, Jazz. This Autobot... he is rather small, isn't he?”
“Well, I'm pretty small too, and I got through the war alright. Better than alright even.”
“Elite Guard, I knew my Jazz would get in. Even with that paintjob.”
“First rule of ninja club is not to let on that you're in the ninja club, and the white is perfect for that.”
“You have spent too much time on that planet. Your paint is still too distinctive, Jazz. I cannot see you passing by unnoticed.”
“I got a workaround, don't worry.”
“Very well, this Autobot... He is capable?”
“He's taken down Lockdown. With no backup.”
“The bounty hunter? On his own?”
“Mm... He'll do. But he hurts you, and he'll have us to answer to.”
= = =
“You're a little young yet for that sort of thing, but to a parent, no one's ever going to be good enough for their kid.”
“So... Be prepared to defend anyone I bring home from death rays and hmm...” She shot a sly look at the chuckling ninja. “Killer robots?”
Jazz pulled on an innocent expression. “We won't kill anyone... Maim a little maybe...”
“Ja-aazz!”
“Kidding, Sari. You ready to head home?”
“Home... Frag, dad's gonna make those sad eyes at me!” Sari bolted off the sofa, only for the cyberninja to call after her, laughing.
“I called him the moment I heard you coming, sweetspark. It'll be fine.”
She stopped dead in her tracks, then slumped against the doorway in relief. “Thanks Jazz.”
He grinned. “No worries. I know how intense parents can get.”
= = =
“Jazz?”
“Mm, yeah Sari?”
He looked up as the young girl inched her way inside the room and let the door slide shut silently. Sari looked drained, leaning against the wall with a weary expression. “Can I stay here with you for a bit? Outside... It's too much.”
“Sure thing.” The visored mech smiled faintly, beckoning her over to tuck her against his side comfortingly. Fighting back a sob, she buried her face in white plating, trembling slightly.
“It's not fair. I'm happy you guys saved Detroit and got Megatron and everything, and I know Prowl did what he did so that we could be here, but I can't watch them celebrate, not when he can't celebrate with us...”
“I know, sweetspark, I know...”
They both started at the explosion, Jazz grabbing hold of Sari and shielding her as fragments of wall pattered off his frame. When the dust and smoke cleared, the Guardsmech straightened, putting himself in front of the young girl, glaring fiercely at the bot standing in the rubble.
“What do you want?”
A blaster pointed itself at him, a low, charging whine starting up as Strika, with the unconscious form of Lugnut slung over her shoulder, made her demand.
“You, come with me, or I shoot out the ceiling, your little pet gets squished and I haul you along anyway.”
“Sari, bot-form, now.” Jazz snapped, not taking his optics off the large femme in her custom made 'doorway' as the girl obeyed.
“Not going to help, little Guard. The bug can't lift a tonne of steel, and you know I can make sure that much ceiling falls on her.”
“Jazz, no, don't go!”
“Sweetspark, you stay here, alright? I'll be fine.”
“Listen to the ninja, bug. I see you following us, I shoot him, then I shoot you. Got it?”
Strika growled and Sari nodded, blue optics wide with fear as Jazz walked towards the large femme, the barrel of Strika's gun never leaving his form as he was marched away by the Decepticon.
= = =
“Optimus!”
The Prime, AllSpark still on its chain around his neck and accompanied by a company of Autobots, was running full pelt towards the small techno-organic, skidding to a halt and catching her when she flew into him. “Sari, are you alright?! We heard something blow up-”
“I know! I was there! There was this huge 'Con and he pointed a gun at us and took Jazz away!”
“What? Who was it?”
“I don't know!” She wailed, slamming a fist into his shoulder in frustration. “He was orange and purple with big lips and he had Lugnut over one shoulder!”
“Slag, that's Strika!” A green mech hissed, turning to bark into a comm as another swore loudly (prompting large hands to cover Sari's audios in a futile gesture as she shifted back to human form and rolled her eyes at him).
“Who's Strika and why does he want Jazz?”
No one answered her question as both Optimus and Sari were hustled away to a 'more secure location'.
= = =
After reassuring Sari that yes, they were doing everything they could to rescue the white ninja, Optimus sank down into a chair in the quietest spot he could find, next to a greyed out frame in a bare room. The door was slightly open, and he could hear the sounds of bots passing by outside, including a pair who stopped to talk quietly.
“Did you hear?”
“About the break out? Yeah. It sure doesn't make us look good. Though you'd think an Elite Guard would put up more of a fight, particularly one with the kind of history Jazz has with Lugnut and Strika.”
“Poor slagger. Who know why those two seem to target him so much.”
Growing uneasy at the turn the conversation was taking, Optimus froze at the next words he heard.
“He was in the med bay pretty long that time he escaped their clutches, wasn't he?”
"Mmhm, I barely recognised him when he came in."
And then the eavesdropping Prime heard no more as the AllSpark flashed a brilliant white, blinding him before he fell offline.
= = =
Optimus woke to find someone shaking him lightly. Batting at them irritably, he snapped to full wakefulness when he registered black and gold plating before him.
“Prowl? How on Cybertron-”
“I am glad to see you, Optimus, but we can exclaim over me later. Where. Is. Jazz?”
The Prime shook his head at the piercing look being directed at him.
“The 'Cons, they threatened Sari and he went with-”
But Prowl had already leapt up to pace the room. “Typical, I take my optics off everyone for one decabreem and he gets into trouble!” Turning back to the startled mech, the dark ninja lunged forward, gripping the AllSpark crystal (now incomplete again, Optimus suddenly noted), visor glowing an eerie white, the same as the artefact about the Prime's neck.
“What are you-”
He sighed, staring at the now empty room and the open door through which Prowl had bolted.
“One day, I'll be able to finish a sentence around here...”
= = =
He crept along the darkened corridor, following the lumbering form of Lugnut through the small building, one so well hidden he'd had trouble finding the entrance when he'd tracked Jazz's spark signature, using his recent and rather intimate connection with AllSpark, to the place. The lumbering mech turned a corner and Prowl made to follow, but stopped when he sensed the other ninja's presence in the room right beside him.
Entering, he slipped over to the berth where the white mech was curled up on, limbs tucked close in a defensive manner, hesitantly reaching out to brush his fingertips over Jazz's shoulder plating, whispering his name softly. The other ninja jerked online, scrabbling backwards before staring disbelievingly at Prowl.
“Frag, I gotta be dreaming...”
He took hold of a white hand, squeezing it gently, voice a low murmur. “You're not. But we have to leave, quickly.”
The Guardsmech's visor flickered, then he nodded, getting to his feet, not letting go of Prowl's hand. The black and gold mech smiled, then tugged him towards the door only to freeze when it slammed open, revealing both Lugnut and Strika standing in the doorway, barring their escape.
Prowl had his shuriken drawn in a sparkbeat, both ninjas staring at the Decepticons before Strika smirked, placing her hands on her hips and turning a knowing look on Lugnut.
“I told you I heard someone come in here.”
“How? You never heard anything during pouncing lessons!”
“Fool. Like I wouldn't know when someone was trying to sneak up on me?”
“I don't believe you! Jazz! Tell her she's lying!”
The white mech sighed, then wrapped his arms securely about Prowl pre-emptively. “Actually, she's always been able to tell when I'm lying in wait for her. She just plays along for your sake.”
Lugnut stared, then turned to Strika with a betrayed look on his faceplates. Prowl turned a similar look onto Jazz. The other cyberninja only pressed closer, whispering low and slightly shakily.
“You're really here?”
“I am.” Prowl's expression softened for a moment as he rested his helm against Jazz's, then became stern once more. “Though I soon won't be if I do not get an explanation in the next five clicks.”
The Guardsmech smiled, dropping his head to rest on the darker ninja's shoulder in surrender for a moment before murmuring quietly. “You'll get it, I promise. Trust me, okay?”
Straightening, Jazz walked over to the looming pair, holding Prowl's hand tight.
“Mom, Dad, this is Prowl. Prowl, these are my parents. Please don't kill each other.”
The two Decepticons eyed the black and gold ninja solemnly, then Strika spoke, gesturing at the darker mech.
“See Jazz? This is what I am talking about. Your mech's paint job is much more practical, he blends into the shadows so nicely, you father didn't realise he was followed. And he has mods that cover more than a third of his frame.”
To the background noise of Lugnut's outraged sputtering, Prowl felt his processors slowly fighting off a total crash as the ninja holding his hand sighed and replied like he'd repeated the same answer a thousand times over.
“I'm happy with the mods I'm carrying, I like my paint job, and I told you I had a workaround.”
“Jumping into a tar pit is not a workaround, mechling. You think tar pits grow on every street corner? And I don't want to know how you managed to get rid of all that slag later on.”
“I have more sense than that. They would have found me no matter what colour I was painted and the tar was the only place they weren't going to look.”
“Then what is this vaunted workaround?”
Jazz reached for his Elite Guard emblem, pressing down on it lightly for a moment before a dark grey seeped out from the symbol, gradually spreading to cover him completely, changing even the colour of his windshield glass, headlights and visor to a dull yellow.
“See? And if I keep my visor off, they think I'm deactivated and don't bother with me.”
Strika humphed, pacified, and Lugnut laughed out loud. “That's my mechling!”
The large femme rounded on the other Decepticon next. “So he's your mechling when he does something you like, hm? Jazz, there are those oil puffs you like in the kitchen, and you can see you and your mech out on your own. Your father and I have something to discuss.”
“And you.” Prowl stiffened when Strika pointed at him. “I don't know how you came back to life and I don't care, but you will refrain from dying and hurting my Jazz again.”
Sighing, the white mech dragged a stalled Prowl out of the room, pausing to grab a box of puffs before hightailing it out of the area.
= = =
“Jazz.”
“Mm?”
“Your parents are Decepticons.”
“Mmhm.”
“Not only are they Decepticons, but they are widely accepted to be Megatron's most loyal Decepticons.”
“Well... Yeah.”
“And this does not bother you?”
“Well... They were 'Cons before I was even sparked...”
“Yet you are an Autobot, and one of the Elite Guard.”
“Prowl... They're family. And once they were satisfied that I was choosing the 'Bots 'cos I believed in them, they didn't stand in my way.”
“Were you ever going to tell me?”
“... Only after a long, long time, when they'd reformed and set up a centre to rehome abandoned cyberkittens.”
“... Fair enough.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 04:20 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:41 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 05:08 pm (UTC)While reading, I've suspected Jazz's parents might be Decepticons, but Lugnut and Strika? I didn't saw it coming!
BTW, the story was pretty nice. Great job!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 05:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 06:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:46 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 06:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 07:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 07:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 08:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 11:12 pm (UTC)Oh Jazz, such a hussy - walkin' around with all his circuits showing XD
(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:59 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-26 11:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 02:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:05 am (UTC)Of course, it does imply that over all, Decepticons are far more modest than Autobots!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 02:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 06:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 03:59 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 04:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-28 01:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 01:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-28 01:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-27 11:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-28 01:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-28 02:16 am (UTC)And Prowl is powerful indeed to have staved off that processor crash. :P
(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-28 02:46 am (UTC)Jazz didn't come by his ability to deal with anything by inheriting it from Strika and Lugnut, because dealing with it Mom and Dad style tends to involve shooting. :p They were good practice though.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-13 11:26 pm (UTC)*still giggling*
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-14 01:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-05-11 03:15 pm (UTC)Anyway, I love your fics, and this is one that I really, really enjoy.
Jazz, Jazz, Jazz. How can you sum up harsh differences in such a bland manner?
"Typical family" ha!
Well, maybe, since it seems that there is a bit of rebelling, and wanting to do things their own way, before stumbling back to mom and dad, saying "Huh, I guess you did know what you were talking about".
Prowl, I'm surprised you didn't crash - maybe you're just waiting for a more opportune time when a medic you trust and the bot you love are NOT in danger of being arrested or attacked (or 'talked to' or 'questioned' by parents), or anything else that perspective in-laws can be at the very first meeting. Does not help that they are on opposite sides of the battlefield.
Oh, well. No family group is perfect - but this is pretty darn close. What with being so accepting, loving, and honestly worrying for the others. Oh, and threatening the newest addition.
At least there are no embarrassing baby pictures. Probably lots of stories similar to Jazz's pouncing lesson, then using the air-ducts to get inside (and finding long lost presents to boot!).
Hey, Optimus is still in the dark. So is Sari. Well, I can always use my imagination to view their probable reactions - not so sure Bulkhead/Ratchet/Bumblebee, (been too long, with way too much of other realms, so Animated 'verse is blending with g1 and others), whoever the 'green mech' is, going to be as polite and calm.
Glad that the family that 'plays together, stays together'.
Messed up that quote, I'm sure. However, it fits.
Thank you.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-05-12 06:09 pm (UTC)Glad to hear that you liked this, thanks for reading ^_^