FIC: Shinobi Nightingale part 10 (Prompt 16)
Title: Shinobi Nightingale - Chapter 10 of ??
Day: Sixteen
Prompt: We’ve worn the cloak of secret lives; we’ve seen the truth, magic that we send.Verse: G1 AU
Rating: pg13
Words: 1880
Other Characters: Yoketron, unnamed mech, (can you guess?), miscellaneous mechs
Warnings: character death
Summary: Jazz wanted more than anything to be a part of Elite Guard to be accepted as one of their ranks despite his past. Catching the elusive ninja assassin was going to be his key to that future, only one thing stands in his way and he does not intend to get caught.
a/n: This I hope fills the prompt as well as adds a little more to the fic itself. Can anyone guess who the unnamed mech is? All will become clear in time. ^_^
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20 Vorns before Ultra Magnus’s death.
The black and gold mechlet walked with wide optics through the streets of Iacon. The tall mech beside him occasionally glanced down with a fond smile on his face at the young mech’s curious questions and naiveté.
Dressed in his missionary robes, Yoketron would stop every so often, greet some of the citizens, offer guidance where necessary, and bless newly bonded couples for fortune in attempting to produce a sparkling. He ventured to the various markets, bought different grades of energon, amongst some of his more unusual concoctions. Turning round, the elder mech’s spark faltered, when the mechlet was no where to be seen. Sighing softly, he made no attempt to contact the youngling and carried on about his way. Opening his comm. to another, he smiled as a rich voice filled his audio.
//It’s good to hear your voice once again, my old friend…//
****
This was Prowl’s first trip to the city. It was more beautiful than he’d ever imagined. Where he’d been sparked had been a run down, desolate place, in which he had been abandoned not long after being put into his first frame. He’d fended for himself and so didn’t get afraid when he was separated from Yoketron by the growing throngs of people wishing to speak to him.
He saw it as more of an adventure. Wandering through the wide streets, darting between mechs and femmes with all the confidence of youth, he didn’t care how far away he’d ventured until he halted at the gates to the grand palace.
Smirking slightly, little Prowl waited for a transport and with all the agility and grace of a cyber cat he hooked himself onto the back and let go once he was in the palace grounds. His mouth fell open at the glorious splendour of the grounds. Crystal trees imported from Praxus glistened and sparkled in the light. The different colours and shimmers had Prowl transfixed. A gentle breeze picked up and the crystals sang with soft melodies as they waved delicately in the light wind.
The small mechlet was so absorbed in the beauty of the gardens as his smoky coloured hands ghosted over the crystals, that he didn’t notice the guardsmech sneak up on him. With a sharp yelp of protest he was grabbed roughly and carted off into the building.
Panic overtaking his senses, Prowl kicked and punched with all the ferocity he could muster. Yoketron had begun his ninja training only two stellar cycles ago, but Prowl had proven proficient in the art. The guardsmech, taken by surprise, dropped the mechlet with a growl as Prowl landed a sharp punch to his helm. Not wasting the chance, Prowl ran for the gates, fear driving him to move faster as the guardsmech gave chase.
He comm’d Yoketron, but only managed a few terrified clicks before he was grabbed once more and the connection was cut. This time the guardsmech wasn’t so patient and knocked the mechlet to the ground, stunned. Picking the small, limp frame up with one hand, the guardsmech unceremoniously dumped the mechlet into one of the cells.
Terrified and lost, Prowl huddled into the corner of the dark cell with its bright glowing stasis field and whimpered for his master and guardian. That was until he felt a gentle brush against his arm. Starting suddenly, not realising he’d slipped into recharge; he glared at the mech smiling down at him. "Who, who are you?"
The mech shrugged and offered him the remainder of his energon cube. Tentatively Prowl accepted the offer and gulped the fluid greedily, much to the amusement of the older mech.
"Why am I here?"
"You’re a prisoner, youngling."
"But… I haven’t done anything."
The mech laughed bitterly. "You were trespassing on their grounds. That was enough for the guard, young one."
Prowl frowned. "How do you know?"
The mech pointed to a small viewing port too high for Prowl to reach. "I saw you, you’re a feisty one."
Faceplates flushing, Prowl ducked his helm. Yoketron had instilled in him from the day he had found him, that nobody know of his training, it was a secret that the world wasn’t ready to hear and that Prowl would one day do great things with his power. When he’d asked what power, Yoketron had simply smiled at him. ‘All in due time, young Prowl’. He always used to say. ‘It’s all a kind of magic’ a magic Prowl was apparently too young to learn.
He shrugged at his fellow prisoner and the mech just laughed and patted his berth. "Come on young one, you can’t recharge on the floor. I’ve had my recharge you can use my berth."
Prowl looked up in surprise, the floor was cold and uncomfortable and with only a slight hesitation, he climbed onto the berth. Curling up on the far side of the padding, the mech sat at the other end gave him a small nod of approval and turned his attention back to field shimmering in front of them. "What if the guards come?"
The mech turned back at the nervous, quiet question and shook his helm just once. "I won’t let them take you, little bit."
Satisfied, Prowl sank into an uneasy recharge, though it wasn’t to be a long one. A loud crash woke him sharply out of his recharge cycle and he stared in horror as his temporary guardian was viciously beaten to the floor by a couple of guardsmech. His pale optics met the dimming optics of the older mech and the mech whispered at him to run.
Run he did. His intakes heaving, Prowl froze at the stairs leading to the grounds. The thud, thud, thud of the guardsmechs’ attacks and the grunts of pain from the only mech who’d shown him kindness, jolted painfully through his audio. Pressing his mouth into a thin line, he grabbed the small blade Yoketron had given him on his second upgrade and he bolted back into the cell. Being small and fast, he ran rings around the two bulky guards. He sliced the cabling at the back of the first mech’s legs in two places, forcing him to his knees. The second mech lunged for him only to collide with his fellow guard as the black and gold mechlet, used the first guard to launch from.
He scrabbled around the guardsmech’s helm, stabbing and slicing where he could. He moved too quickly and the guards were too taken by surprise to realise what was happening. The mech grabbed him painfully but before he was ripped from the guard’s frame, he stuck his small blade into a soft part of the mech’s throat. The sharp edge, sliced through his main energon line and the mech let out a static burst as Prowl was flung to the floor.
Ignoring the dying mech, Prowl crawled to his fellow prisoner. The mech smiled at him faintly and patted his leg. "Best run, little bit… they’ll believe I did this…"
"I have to help you!"
"No time, the other one has gone for help…. Go on… while you can…"
"But-"
"GO!"
Startled at the harsh command Prowl got to his feet shakily. Optics trained on the greyed out chassis of the guardsmech and Prowl felt a rush of something. He couldn’t explain it… but it made him feel more alive than he’d ever felt before.
His comm. pinged and Yoketron’s familiar voice filled him with relief. He ran as fast as he could, too young yet to have an alt mode and sprinted across the grounds. Squeezing through the archaic gates he traced the signal just as Yoketron had taught him. He weaved through the crowds, racing to the monastery. He stopped, panting in front of the meditating form of Yoketron, forgetting all of his etiquette. He keened softly and launched himself at the elderly mech, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck.
Yoketron chuckled softly. "It’s alright, young one. You’re home now. You did well."
Frowning, Prowl drew away, tilting his helm at his master. "Well? I don’t understand…"
"You passed your first test. You’re well on your way to join the ranks of the ninja."
Prowl stared and stared unable to believe his audio. "But that mech who helped me…?"
Yoketron tilted his helm in the direction of the door and Prowl whirled around. Entering the door, bowing as Yoketron always did, his fellow prisoner smiled down on him fondly. Prowl was utterly gob smacked and confused.
"He has great potential, Yoketron." The mech stated softly.
Prowl looked between them and Yoketron simply hummed his agreement.
"Thank you for helping once again. I know how it must seem to your guardsmech."
"Hmm, yes some are wary but I tell them it is for training of the young that will one day join them amongst the ranks of the Elite."
Prowl scowled at that and glared at his master. "Tell me what’s happening!"
Yoketron frowned at the youngling’s temper and anger, burning in those deep blue optics. "This is my friend; you were tested to see if you had the right sort of spark to continue your training as a ninja."
"But how did you know where I was or what would happen, and those guards I attacked!?"
"Do not concern yourself, Prowl." Yoketron smiled in reassurance. "It’s a kind of magic."
Prowl growled and threw his blade to the floor, embedding it in the panelling. "I don’t care about magic anymore, I want the truth. I want to be a ninja but I will never ever be one of those Elite. I’ll run away if you try to make me!"
With that the young mechlet, fled the hall. The visitor watched with concern and cast Yoketron a worried gaze. "Yoketron, the youngling took a life today, he would have taken two. You must watch him, he has a hatred in him that’s fuelled by fear, you must not let it control him."
"I have seen that spark in him. It is true his temper could take him down either path, be it light or dark."
"I feel he will always walk a narrow line between the two, master."
Yoketron nodded sombrely. "Unlike my last. How is he settling by the way?"
The other mech smiled and chuckled. "He’s trying too hard. I’m keeping an optic on him." He sighed softly. "The Elite guard has changed; they’re becoming lazy, prejudiced." Scoffing humourlessly, he lowered his helm. "Elite. Though Jazz is rising above it, I’m glad to say. He still has very narrow views and only walks the straight path. He will need to learn to be more flexible…"
Yoketron rested a hand on the mech’s shoulder drawing his attention. "Give him time, Jazz has his own mind, you cannot force him to be one way or the other. There must be balance in all things, you know this, old friend."
The mech let out a soft sigh and gave Yoketron a small smile, his optics drifting in the direction the mechlet had fled. "I hope you’re right, they have the odds stacked against them."