More Speedwriting Prompt Fills! :D
Title: Upside Down
Rating: K+
Continuity: G1-ish
Characters: Skyfire, Starscream
Disclaimer: Still don't own.
Prompt: 1. Awkward romance
Notes: Also inspired by this bunny: 16. The Decepticon symbols on the Seekers' wings are inverted. On Earth, when something is inverted, it occasionally means the opposite of what it usually would.
They met in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and grass and rocks and dirt. The nearest human settlement was miles away. The only life forms in the area were the two Cybertronians and a multitude of non-sentient organics.
Skyfire landed first, huge pedes churning up grass and dirt. He stood, silent, watching the sky, after he had set down.
Starscream arrived a few breems after the shuttle. He set down more delicately, smaller pedes settling to the ground lightly
“Starscream,” Skyfire greeted, turning to face the Seeker. “Why did you call me here?”
The flier shifted nervously. “I... I don't know. It's been so long, but...”
Skyfire shook his helm, spark twisting uncomfortably in its chamber. “Starscream, I was willing to give you the benefit of doubt and come here, but please tell me what you wanted to say. I don't want to waste my time.”
The Seeker shifted again. “I... Frag, this is hard. I still... care... Skyfire.”
The shuttle raised an optical ridge. “Why did you shoot me?”
Starscream huffed and sat down, curling his legs underneath him. Skyfire remained standing. “To protect you, you big aft. You wouldn't... You'd never survive as a Decepticon.”
It was Skyfire's turn to shift awkwardly. “You still shot me.”
“Primus! They say I hold grudges!”
A deep laugh filled the clearing. “Starscream...” Skyfire rumbled, sitting next to the Seeker.
Starscream smiled. “Yeah. Um. I’ve been thinking, and... well... I'd like to... continue... what we had before the war. I... When you crashed, I... I kinda lost it. That's why I joined up with the 'Cons. Megatron... he was strong. He reminded me of you, in a sort of twisted way, way back then. Before he went insane...”
Skyfire raised an optical ridge. “Megatron reminded you of me? I think I’m offended.”
“No, no! That was way back when the war was just starting... He was more sane then, more... We started fighting for equality. For rights. It's changed. You... finding you helped me see that.”
“Well... You're welcome?”
Starscream chuckled, then trailed off with a heavy vent. “You know... I never stopped loving you.”
Skyfire reached out and settled his large hand on the Seeker's shoulder. Starscream leaned into the touch, tucking himself neatly under Skyfire's wing.
“I didn't either. Even when you shot me.”
Starscream grinned up at his long-lost, and now found, love. “Well, then. This will be fun.”
“And incredibly awkward. I am, after all, an Autobot. You are a Decepticon.”
Starscream vented yet again, closing his optics and pressing into Skyfire's touch. Then he reched up and traced the purple decals on his wings. “There... It's not as... awkward as you think. You... what does it mean, when something it placed upside down?”
Skyfire glanced at the tricolor Seeker. “That it's upside down?”
The Decepticon snorted. “No, stupid. It's a very old... belief? I don't know what to call it. But when something is placed upside down, it usually means the opposite.”
The Autobot glanced down at the Seeker, then at the decals. The upside down decals.
“You mean...”
Starscream just smirked.
Title: Disconnected
Rating: T
Continuity: G1?
Characters: Prowl
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 2. Disconnected
He hadn't predicted it. It was just so illogical. Why would anyone target a neutral, non-threatening city? Why would they raze it to the ground?
Prowl stood on a ridge, one of the few outside of Praxus. It was coated in fine, delicate crystals that crunched under his pedes. They would regrow. They were a hearty batch, pretty much impossible to kill. There were a few larger crystals scattered over the hillock as well.
Minus the burning backdrop of the destroyed city, it was a beautiful place.
Prowl shook himself, twitching his doorwings, and forced his attention back to the smoldering wreckage. His home, destroyed.
Yet, he felt nothing. His mind was numb - not locked up by his battle computer, but... just... blank. He couldn't believe it. It was too illogical to be possible, yet all too real. Everything felt disconnected, distant and strange.
Praxus was gone.
Title: Boom
Rating: K
Continuity: G1
Characters: Jazz, Mirage
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 3. Scenario - Watching an explosion
Jazz was literally bouncing. His whole frame was vibrating with excitement.
Mirage vented. “Jazz, calm.”
“Heh... why would I do that, 'Raj?”
The spy vented again as he looked at his superior. “Jazz. I know you like explosions, but this is getting a little bit... excessive.”
The saboteur bounced once more, visor reflecting the flaming ruins of the base they had destroyed. “But 'Raj! It was such a good one...”
Mirage just rolled his optics. Sometimes, that was the only possible response to... well, Jazz.
“Hey, do you think we could do it again?”
Oh, Primus.
Title: Confession
Rating: K+ - T
Continuity: Some bastardized version of Movieverse.
Characters: Will Lennox, Optimus Prime, Prowl/Barricade, Lockdown
Disclaimer: Don't own.
Prompt: 4. Confession
Notes: Also inspired by: ?: So when was the first time you ever met Prowl, anyway?
Optimus: Hm? Oh, it was about a vorn or two after I ascended to Prime, when he tried to assassinate me.
?: Oh, okay…wait, WHAT?!
“So...” Lennox said, watching Prowl walk away. He had arrived a few weeks ago, and the human could already tell that the base was running much smoother now that there was an Autobot handling the paperwork. “When was the first time you ever met Prowl?” he asked the Prime, who was standing next to the catwalk the humans often stayed on while in the Autobot sections of the base.
“Hm? Oh, it was about a vorn or two after I ascended to Prime, when he tried to assassinate me.”
“Oh, okay. Wait, what?”
Optimus chuckled. “He was a bounty hunter, long ago. Involved with a very foul mech named Lockdown. He was one of the best... but this isn't my story to tell. I suggest you ask him yourself.”
Lennox jerked back slightly. “Wouldn't he... I dunno, not want to tell me?”
Optimus let loose another chuckle, the heavy sound vibrating on the air. “He doesn't mind. Most of the Autobot Army knows who he was before he joined, as well as some of the Decepicons. He was known by a different name back then, but... he hasn't changed much. He would be happy to explain to you, I’m sure.”
“Right,” Lennox said, eying the hallway the tactician had disappeared down.
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
He had decided that he would just leave Prowl be and forget about what the Prime had told him.
Easier said than done. Lennox found himself wondering about Prowl whenever he saw the mech.
Eventually, he caved.
“Prowl?”
The mech glanced up from his datapad at the human standing in his doorway and nodded. “Colonel Lennox. How can I help?”
“Well... Optimus told me how you met, and...”
Prowl quirked a small smile at the human. “You wish to know the rest of the story?”
“Uh... yeah.”
“Very well. If you will come over here? I have a chair your size on my desk, if you would like.”
“Yes, please,” Lennox said as he walked around the desk to Prowl's side The tactician leaned down and gently picked him up, setting him in a corner of the large desk and gesturing to a small chair. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome. Now, how much do you know?”
“Only that you were a bounty hunter working with someone named Lockdown, and Megatron hired you to, uh, kill Optimus.”
“I see. Well, there is not much more to tell. I was indeed a bounty hunter, vorns ago. One of the best...”
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
Lockdown was standing in the door, green, purple, and black armor scuffed and dirty. “Barricade. We've got a new call incoming. You feel up for it? Initial credit offer's pretty high.”
The black and white Praxian looked up at his fellow bounty hunter. “Hit or capture?”
“Either. Both for the same amount.”
“Hm,” Barricade hummed and looked back to his datapad.
“C'mon, 'Cade! You haven't done anything in a groon!”
The bounty hunter looked up again, red optics glowing dully. “Nothing has interested me. I am bored with all that we have been asked to do.”
Lockdown snorted. “Well, you've got to do something to earn your keep, or else I’m not giving you any more energon.”
Barricade raised an optical ridge. “I can find ways of getting my own energon, Lockdown. I am not dependent on you. But perhaps this new hit will offer some form of entertainment. Let us see what it is.”
Lockdown rolled his optics as the black and white rose from his desk and followed him to the bridge.
The message was short. The sender was unexpected.
“Greetings, Lockdown and Barricade,” Megatron said from behind his desk, his grim visage displayed on one of the small screens in the bridge. “I have heard you are the best, and so I have decided to contact you. I wish for Optimus Prime's helm. Whether it be attached to his frame still or not, I do not care. The price I’m offering is ten thousand credits.”
The screen blinked dark, and the two bounty hunters exchanged glances.
“Interested, 'Cade?”
Barricade cast a small smirk in Lockdown's direction. “A bit.”
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
The Fortress of Iacon was a huge, walled complex that housed the core of the Autobot army. It was guarded all orn long, never was there a moment where a guard post was empty. Shifts overlapped, someone was always watching, waiting. All of them the very best.
Lockdown knew he wouldn't be able to get in. His armor and look were very distinctly not Autobot. But Barricade... Save for his red optics and claws, he could pass as Autobot. And those he could easily hide. The claws he could simply keep retracted, and his optics could be quickly changed with a simple programming patch.
After that had been done, the bounty hunter downloaded a few bytes of information on the movements of the Decepticons, transformed, and drove for the base. At the door, he gave a code stolen from an undercover operative. He told them he had critical information on the Decepticons, and it needed to get to those who could use it.
They let him in.
Once past the wall, he disappeared, moving through shadows, virtually invisible. He darted through the building, running off plans taken from various operatives, as well as his quick hack into the base computers.
Finding Optimus Prime was easy. Getting into his office was even easier. There were guards walking on a circuit through the command deck, but most of the mechs here trusted the Prime to fight if needed, so there were none stationed permanently at his door.
Grinning to himself, Barricade waited for the camera to move, then darted out of his shadow and through the door, closing and locking it behind him.
The Prime looked up from where he had been typing at a datapad. His optical ridges rose, and he settled back in his chair with a loud exvent.
“I suppose you are here to kill me,” he said, voice even and a tiny bit... amused?
Barricade scowled. “Now, that doesn't really matter, does it? Because you're going to be dead.”
The Prime smiled gently. “Of course.”
Barricade blinked. “What? No calling for help? No pulling out weapons? No fighting?”
“You are Barricade, correct?”
The bounty hunter, surprised, nodded, then mentally slapped himself for giving that away, even if his only witness was the Prime.
“Then I do not have much hope. You are well known, Barricade. You do not do things half-way. You have this all planned out. If you wish it, I will be dead before anyone even receives my comm.”
Barricade blinked. “Right.”
“So I will not do anything to delay the inevitable. I accept my end with dignity.”
“Dignity? There's nothing dignified about being assassinated!”
The Prime shrugged. “It depends on how you view it, bounty hunter.”
Barricade vented. “I hate that.”
“Hm?”
“'Bounty hunter.' Never wanted to be that.”
“You don't have to be.”
Barricade snorted, and the Prime gave him a curious look. “Yes, I do. Not like anyone would accept me.”
“Are you so sure of that that you would not give anyone a chance?”
The bounty hunter glared at the Prime. “What? Are you saying you know someone who would?”
“Yes, actually, I do. Myself.”
Barricade took a step back. “You? You would trust me?”
“I would give you a chance to earn my trust. To become someone you want to be, rather than someone you feel you have been forced into becoming. Would you like to try, Barricade?”
“I... can I?”
“Yes, you can.”
Barricade sucked a deep draft of air through his vents. “Give me a moment to think?”
“Go ahead.”
He took a klik, then activated his comm link.
::Lockdown.::
::Barricade. You have him?::
::No. And I’m not going to.::
::Slaggit. Get back to the ship, then. We can try on the battlefield or something, then.::
::You misunderstand, Lockdown. I’m not going to.::
::... What?::
::The Prime has offered me something. I have accepted. This is the last time I’m contacting you. You're on your own, now, Lockdown. Good bye, and good luck.::
::You slagger!:: the bounty hunter shouted, and Barricade closed the comm line.
“I will accept, Prime. If... If it is okay, I would also like to use a different name?”
“Of course,” the Prime said, optics gleaming happily. “What would you like to be called by?”
“Prowl. I would like to be called Prowl.”
“As you wish.”
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
“After that, I was introduced as Prowl. I still looked much the same as I do now, so many knew who I had been before, but they trusted the Prime. I was given very little trust when I first joined, but I earned it eventually. And here I am.”
Lennox blinked, startled that the story had come to an end. “So... Um... Okay.”
Prowl smiled faintly. “Yes. I understand. Thank you for listening, Colonel Lennox.”
“Yeah... No problem. Thanks for telling.”
Prowl gave the human a nod and lowered him back to the floor. After the human had gone, he opened up a comm link.
::Prime?::
::Yes, Prowl?::
::Thank you, again.::
There was a quiet chuckle. ::Colonel Lennox came, then?::
::Yes, sir. And I just wanted-::
::Prowl, you are welcome, as always. And thank you for taking a chance.::
::Thank you for giving me one.::
Again, the deep chuckle rumbled over the link, and both of them closed it with a smile.
Title: Behind Us
Rating: T
Continuity: G1-ish
Characters: Optimus Prime, Prowl
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 5. Setting: a world (any city, nation, planet) at war
The Arc lifted off easily, engines rumbling loudly, mechs bustling back and forth on the bridge, busily making sure the ship ran. Optimus sat in the Captain's chair, watching out the viewscreen as Cybertron first grew, allowing the whole planet to fill the screen, then shrunk as distance grew between them.
Even from the air, from so far away, it was obviously war-torn. The once gleaming silver surface was rent with ugly black scars. Fires flickered where lights had once shone, the red light easily visible. The rest of the planet was dark and shadowed.
Prowl stepped up next to him. They said nothing. It had all been said before, and anything said now would simply be repeating what was already spoken.
Such a waste, such a pity, such a horrible thing. Our planet, so ruined, so full of destruction, that we believe ourselves to have a better chance out in the unknown than our home.
Optimus glanced over at his Second. “We go to find peace.”
Prowl dipped his helm and doorwings in acknowledgment. “And to leave our planet at war behind us.”
The Prime reached out, settling a large hand on the Praxian's shoulder. “Far behind us.”
Title: Missing Magnet
Rating: K
Continuity: G1/unspecified
Characters: Wheeljack, Bumblebee
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 6. Scenario: losing something but not remembering what
He couldn't remember. It was just... gone.
And to make matters worse, he couldn't remember what it was. He just knew it was missing.
“You okay, Wheeljack?” someone asked, jolting him out of his musings.
He cast a quick glance around him. He was in the Rec Room. When did he get there? Ah, no matter. “Yeah, I’m fine, Bumblebee. Just trying to find something.”
“What is it you're looking for? I can help. I’m off duty right now.”
“Uh... Heh. See, thing is, I forgot what I’m looking for.”
The yellow minibot blinked, then started chuckling. “Ah. Are you sure it wasn't an electro-magnet?”
“Uh... Maybe?”
“It's on your helm.”
Blinking rapidly, Wheeljack reached up and ran his hands over his helm, finding the rather bulky thing stuck to the metal just above his right audio indicator. With a few quick flips, he turned it off and pulled it away. Clarity immediately returned to his processors, and he chuckled. “Ah. That's where that went. Thanks, Bumblebee. Must've been messing with my processor a bit.”
“Yeah... Just, um, be careful.”
“'Course. Thanks, 'Bee!”
“No problem, Wheeljack!”
With that, the inventor turned and jogged back to his lab, and Bumblebee, shaking his helm in amusement, moved to get a cube of energon.
Rating: K+
Continuity: G1-ish
Characters: Skyfire, Starscream
Disclaimer: Still don't own.
Prompt: 1. Awkward romance
Notes: Also inspired by this bunny: 16. The Decepticon symbols on the Seekers' wings are inverted. On Earth, when something is inverted, it occasionally means the opposite of what it usually would.
They met in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees and grass and rocks and dirt. The nearest human settlement was miles away. The only life forms in the area were the two Cybertronians and a multitude of non-sentient organics.
Skyfire landed first, huge pedes churning up grass and dirt. He stood, silent, watching the sky, after he had set down.
Starscream arrived a few breems after the shuttle. He set down more delicately, smaller pedes settling to the ground lightly
“Starscream,” Skyfire greeted, turning to face the Seeker. “Why did you call me here?”
The flier shifted nervously. “I... I don't know. It's been so long, but...”
Skyfire shook his helm, spark twisting uncomfortably in its chamber. “Starscream, I was willing to give you the benefit of doubt and come here, but please tell me what you wanted to say. I don't want to waste my time.”
The Seeker shifted again. “I... Frag, this is hard. I still... care... Skyfire.”
The shuttle raised an optical ridge. “Why did you shoot me?”
Starscream huffed and sat down, curling his legs underneath him. Skyfire remained standing. “To protect you, you big aft. You wouldn't... You'd never survive as a Decepticon.”
It was Skyfire's turn to shift awkwardly. “You still shot me.”
“Primus! They say I hold grudges!”
A deep laugh filled the clearing. “Starscream...” Skyfire rumbled, sitting next to the Seeker.
Starscream smiled. “Yeah. Um. I’ve been thinking, and... well... I'd like to... continue... what we had before the war. I... When you crashed, I... I kinda lost it. That's why I joined up with the 'Cons. Megatron... he was strong. He reminded me of you, in a sort of twisted way, way back then. Before he went insane...”
Skyfire raised an optical ridge. “Megatron reminded you of me? I think I’m offended.”
“No, no! That was way back when the war was just starting... He was more sane then, more... We started fighting for equality. For rights. It's changed. You... finding you helped me see that.”
“Well... You're welcome?”
Starscream chuckled, then trailed off with a heavy vent. “You know... I never stopped loving you.”
Skyfire reached out and settled his large hand on the Seeker's shoulder. Starscream leaned into the touch, tucking himself neatly under Skyfire's wing.
“I didn't either. Even when you shot me.”
Starscream grinned up at his long-lost, and now found, love. “Well, then. This will be fun.”
“And incredibly awkward. I am, after all, an Autobot. You are a Decepticon.”
Starscream vented yet again, closing his optics and pressing into Skyfire's touch. Then he reched up and traced the purple decals on his wings. “There... It's not as... awkward as you think. You... what does it mean, when something it placed upside down?”
Skyfire glanced at the tricolor Seeker. “That it's upside down?”
The Decepticon snorted. “No, stupid. It's a very old... belief? I don't know what to call it. But when something is placed upside down, it usually means the opposite.”
The Autobot glanced down at the Seeker, then at the decals. The upside down decals.
“You mean...”
Starscream just smirked.
Title: Disconnected
Rating: T
Continuity: G1?
Characters: Prowl
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 2. Disconnected
He hadn't predicted it. It was just so illogical. Why would anyone target a neutral, non-threatening city? Why would they raze it to the ground?
Prowl stood on a ridge, one of the few outside of Praxus. It was coated in fine, delicate crystals that crunched under his pedes. They would regrow. They were a hearty batch, pretty much impossible to kill. There were a few larger crystals scattered over the hillock as well.
Minus the burning backdrop of the destroyed city, it was a beautiful place.
Prowl shook himself, twitching his doorwings, and forced his attention back to the smoldering wreckage. His home, destroyed.
Yet, he felt nothing. His mind was numb - not locked up by his battle computer, but... just... blank. He couldn't believe it. It was too illogical to be possible, yet all too real. Everything felt disconnected, distant and strange.
Praxus was gone.
Title: Boom
Rating: K
Continuity: G1
Characters: Jazz, Mirage
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 3. Scenario - Watching an explosion
Jazz was literally bouncing. His whole frame was vibrating with excitement.
Mirage vented. “Jazz, calm.”
“Heh... why would I do that, 'Raj?”
The spy vented again as he looked at his superior. “Jazz. I know you like explosions, but this is getting a little bit... excessive.”
The saboteur bounced once more, visor reflecting the flaming ruins of the base they had destroyed. “But 'Raj! It was such a good one...”
Mirage just rolled his optics. Sometimes, that was the only possible response to... well, Jazz.
“Hey, do you think we could do it again?”
Oh, Primus.
Title: Confession
Rating: K+ - T
Continuity: Some bastardized version of Movieverse.
Characters: Will Lennox, Optimus Prime, Prowl/Barricade, Lockdown
Disclaimer: Don't own.
Prompt: 4. Confession
Notes: Also inspired by: ?: So when was the first time you ever met Prowl, anyway?
Optimus: Hm? Oh, it was about a vorn or two after I ascended to Prime, when he tried to assassinate me.
?: Oh, okay…wait, WHAT?!
“So...” Lennox said, watching Prowl walk away. He had arrived a few weeks ago, and the human could already tell that the base was running much smoother now that there was an Autobot handling the paperwork. “When was the first time you ever met Prowl?” he asked the Prime, who was standing next to the catwalk the humans often stayed on while in the Autobot sections of the base.
“Hm? Oh, it was about a vorn or two after I ascended to Prime, when he tried to assassinate me.”
“Oh, okay. Wait, what?”
Optimus chuckled. “He was a bounty hunter, long ago. Involved with a very foul mech named Lockdown. He was one of the best... but this isn't my story to tell. I suggest you ask him yourself.”
Lennox jerked back slightly. “Wouldn't he... I dunno, not want to tell me?”
Optimus let loose another chuckle, the heavy sound vibrating on the air. “He doesn't mind. Most of the Autobot Army knows who he was before he joined, as well as some of the Decepicons. He was known by a different name back then, but... he hasn't changed much. He would be happy to explain to you, I’m sure.”
“Right,” Lennox said, eying the hallway the tactician had disappeared down.
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
He had decided that he would just leave Prowl be and forget about what the Prime had told him.
Easier said than done. Lennox found himself wondering about Prowl whenever he saw the mech.
Eventually, he caved.
“Prowl?”
The mech glanced up from his datapad at the human standing in his doorway and nodded. “Colonel Lennox. How can I help?”
“Well... Optimus told me how you met, and...”
Prowl quirked a small smile at the human. “You wish to know the rest of the story?”
“Uh... yeah.”
“Very well. If you will come over here? I have a chair your size on my desk, if you would like.”
“Yes, please,” Lennox said as he walked around the desk to Prowl's side The tactician leaned down and gently picked him up, setting him in a corner of the large desk and gesturing to a small chair. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome. Now, how much do you know?”
“Only that you were a bounty hunter working with someone named Lockdown, and Megatron hired you to, uh, kill Optimus.”
“I see. Well, there is not much more to tell. I was indeed a bounty hunter, vorns ago. One of the best...”
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
Lockdown was standing in the door, green, purple, and black armor scuffed and dirty. “Barricade. We've got a new call incoming. You feel up for it? Initial credit offer's pretty high.”
The black and white Praxian looked up at his fellow bounty hunter. “Hit or capture?”
“Either. Both for the same amount.”
“Hm,” Barricade hummed and looked back to his datapad.
“C'mon, 'Cade! You haven't done anything in a groon!”
The bounty hunter looked up again, red optics glowing dully. “Nothing has interested me. I am bored with all that we have been asked to do.”
Lockdown snorted. “Well, you've got to do something to earn your keep, or else I’m not giving you any more energon.”
Barricade raised an optical ridge. “I can find ways of getting my own energon, Lockdown. I am not dependent on you. But perhaps this new hit will offer some form of entertainment. Let us see what it is.”
Lockdown rolled his optics as the black and white rose from his desk and followed him to the bridge.
The message was short. The sender was unexpected.
“Greetings, Lockdown and Barricade,” Megatron said from behind his desk, his grim visage displayed on one of the small screens in the bridge. “I have heard you are the best, and so I have decided to contact you. I wish for Optimus Prime's helm. Whether it be attached to his frame still or not, I do not care. The price I’m offering is ten thousand credits.”
The screen blinked dark, and the two bounty hunters exchanged glances.
“Interested, 'Cade?”
Barricade cast a small smirk in Lockdown's direction. “A bit.”
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
The Fortress of Iacon was a huge, walled complex that housed the core of the Autobot army. It was guarded all orn long, never was there a moment where a guard post was empty. Shifts overlapped, someone was always watching, waiting. All of them the very best.
Lockdown knew he wouldn't be able to get in. His armor and look were very distinctly not Autobot. But Barricade... Save for his red optics and claws, he could pass as Autobot. And those he could easily hide. The claws he could simply keep retracted, and his optics could be quickly changed with a simple programming patch.
After that had been done, the bounty hunter downloaded a few bytes of information on the movements of the Decepticons, transformed, and drove for the base. At the door, he gave a code stolen from an undercover operative. He told them he had critical information on the Decepticons, and it needed to get to those who could use it.
They let him in.
Once past the wall, he disappeared, moving through shadows, virtually invisible. He darted through the building, running off plans taken from various operatives, as well as his quick hack into the base computers.
Finding Optimus Prime was easy. Getting into his office was even easier. There were guards walking on a circuit through the command deck, but most of the mechs here trusted the Prime to fight if needed, so there were none stationed permanently at his door.
Grinning to himself, Barricade waited for the camera to move, then darted out of his shadow and through the door, closing and locking it behind him.
The Prime looked up from where he had been typing at a datapad. His optical ridges rose, and he settled back in his chair with a loud exvent.
“I suppose you are here to kill me,” he said, voice even and a tiny bit... amused?
Barricade scowled. “Now, that doesn't really matter, does it? Because you're going to be dead.”
The Prime smiled gently. “Of course.”
Barricade blinked. “What? No calling for help? No pulling out weapons? No fighting?”
“You are Barricade, correct?”
The bounty hunter, surprised, nodded, then mentally slapped himself for giving that away, even if his only witness was the Prime.
“Then I do not have much hope. You are well known, Barricade. You do not do things half-way. You have this all planned out. If you wish it, I will be dead before anyone even receives my comm.”
Barricade blinked. “Right.”
“So I will not do anything to delay the inevitable. I accept my end with dignity.”
“Dignity? There's nothing dignified about being assassinated!”
The Prime shrugged. “It depends on how you view it, bounty hunter.”
Barricade vented. “I hate that.”
“Hm?”
“'Bounty hunter.' Never wanted to be that.”
“You don't have to be.”
Barricade snorted, and the Prime gave him a curious look. “Yes, I do. Not like anyone would accept me.”
“Are you so sure of that that you would not give anyone a chance?”
The bounty hunter glared at the Prime. “What? Are you saying you know someone who would?”
“Yes, actually, I do. Myself.”
Barricade took a step back. “You? You would trust me?”
“I would give you a chance to earn my trust. To become someone you want to be, rather than someone you feel you have been forced into becoming. Would you like to try, Barricade?”
“I... can I?”
“Yes, you can.”
Barricade sucked a deep draft of air through his vents. “Give me a moment to think?”
“Go ahead.”
He took a klik, then activated his comm link.
::Lockdown.::
::Barricade. You have him?::
::No. And I’m not going to.::
::Slaggit. Get back to the ship, then. We can try on the battlefield or something, then.::
::You misunderstand, Lockdown. I’m not going to.::
::... What?::
::The Prime has offered me something. I have accepted. This is the last time I’m contacting you. You're on your own, now, Lockdown. Good bye, and good luck.::
::You slagger!:: the bounty hunter shouted, and Barricade closed the comm line.
“I will accept, Prime. If... If it is okay, I would also like to use a different name?”
“Of course,” the Prime said, optics gleaming happily. “What would you like to be called by?”
“Prowl. I would like to be called Prowl.”
“As you wish.”
.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.
“After that, I was introduced as Prowl. I still looked much the same as I do now, so many knew who I had been before, but they trusted the Prime. I was given very little trust when I first joined, but I earned it eventually. And here I am.”
Lennox blinked, startled that the story had come to an end. “So... Um... Okay.”
Prowl smiled faintly. “Yes. I understand. Thank you for listening, Colonel Lennox.”
“Yeah... No problem. Thanks for telling.”
Prowl gave the human a nod and lowered him back to the floor. After the human had gone, he opened up a comm link.
::Prime?::
::Yes, Prowl?::
::Thank you, again.::
There was a quiet chuckle. ::Colonel Lennox came, then?::
::Yes, sir. And I just wanted-::
::Prowl, you are welcome, as always. And thank you for taking a chance.::
::Thank you for giving me one.::
Again, the deep chuckle rumbled over the link, and both of them closed it with a smile.
Title: Behind Us
Rating: T
Continuity: G1-ish
Characters: Optimus Prime, Prowl
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 5. Setting: a world (any city, nation, planet) at war
The Arc lifted off easily, engines rumbling loudly, mechs bustling back and forth on the bridge, busily making sure the ship ran. Optimus sat in the Captain's chair, watching out the viewscreen as Cybertron first grew, allowing the whole planet to fill the screen, then shrunk as distance grew between them.
Even from the air, from so far away, it was obviously war-torn. The once gleaming silver surface was rent with ugly black scars. Fires flickered where lights had once shone, the red light easily visible. The rest of the planet was dark and shadowed.
Prowl stepped up next to him. They said nothing. It had all been said before, and anything said now would simply be repeating what was already spoken.
Such a waste, such a pity, such a horrible thing. Our planet, so ruined, so full of destruction, that we believe ourselves to have a better chance out in the unknown than our home.
Optimus glanced over at his Second. “We go to find peace.”
Prowl dipped his helm and doorwings in acknowledgment. “And to leave our planet at war behind us.”
The Prime reached out, settling a large hand on the Praxian's shoulder. “Far behind us.”
Title: Missing Magnet
Rating: K
Continuity: G1/unspecified
Characters: Wheeljack, Bumblebee
Disclaimer: Don't own
Prompt: 6. Scenario: losing something but not remembering what
He couldn't remember. It was just... gone.
And to make matters worse, he couldn't remember what it was. He just knew it was missing.
“You okay, Wheeljack?” someone asked, jolting him out of his musings.
He cast a quick glance around him. He was in the Rec Room. When did he get there? Ah, no matter. “Yeah, I’m fine, Bumblebee. Just trying to find something.”
“What is it you're looking for? I can help. I’m off duty right now.”
“Uh... Heh. See, thing is, I forgot what I’m looking for.”
The yellow minibot blinked, then started chuckling. “Ah. Are you sure it wasn't an electro-magnet?”
“Uh... Maybe?”
“It's on your helm.”
Blinking rapidly, Wheeljack reached up and ran his hands over his helm, finding the rather bulky thing stuck to the metal just above his right audio indicator. With a few quick flips, he turned it off and pulled it away. Clarity immediately returned to his processors, and he chuckled. “Ah. That's where that went. Thanks, Bumblebee. Must've been messing with my processor a bit.”
“Yeah... Just, um, be careful.”
“'Course. Thanks, 'Bee!”
“No problem, Wheeljack!”
With that, the inventor turned and jogged back to his lab, and Bumblebee, shaking his helm in amusement, moved to get a cube of energon.