The Jester Chapter 4 Part II a
Chapter 4: Meine Tochter willst Du…
Part II
Author: Thalanee
Verse: AU Bayverse
Rating: pg-13
Word Count: 7800 words
Disclaimer: Still not mine, sorry, I only write about them for the fun of it.
Other Characters: Blaster, Optimus, Twins, OC Specter
Warnings: none for this chapter
Summary: After finally admiting their feelings for each other, their troubles only just begin.
Author’s Notes: Here’s the promised second part of the fourth chapter… It took abysmally long and I’m still not entirely happy with this, but I hope the wait was worth it anyway. Thank you all for your patience!
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Vorn Year
Orn Month
Deca-Cycle Week
Cycle Day
Joor Hour
Breem Minute
Klick Second
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“…z, Jazz!“ There was a short pause, before the speaker yelled even louder, uncomfortably close to one of the silver audios. “JAZZ!”
Flailing, Jazz jumped up to an impressive height, before whirling around to look at the offending mech. His optics were greeted with a very familiar looking red chassis topped by the very concerned features of his best friend. Looking a little closer he also noticed the traces of exasperated amusement in the other’s optics.
Right now, the musician and the entertainer were supposed to go over the plans for the next cycle’s banquet. For that reason they had retreated to the sound studio the court had equipped for that very reason and of course, to give the artists a place to practice and perfect their performances, tune their instruments and generally just hang out with each other. There as a large and well-lit common area with tables, chairs and sofas for everyone to sit comfortably, even an energon dispenser, a mixing room, a miniaturized theatre for the actors, a practice room for the dancers and acrobats, showers to get clean and even some small living quarters for bots who didn’t have their own place in the city or were just on tour, with Iacon as a temporary stop on their itinerary.
Currently Jazz and Blaster were the only bots present and awake. Steeljaw was passed out on the couch and Eject and Rewind were… well, Blaster didn’t want to think too closely about the mayhem the cassette twins were most likely causing at that very moment. Besides, Jazz behavior was much more concerning.
“You didn’t hear a single thing, did you.” It was clearly a statement, not a question. Blaster gave his friend a pointed look before snorting. “So, mech or femme?”
Jazz gave him a deer in the headlights look. “What?”
“The bot you’re daydreaming about with that silly grin all over your face, is it a mech of a femme?”
“How did ya- I mean, what makes ya think I’m daydreamin’ ‘bout someone?” The entertainer almost literally flailed his arms around. He didn’t think he’d been that obvious really. Besides, neither Prowl nor he had any idea how they were going to go about telling their families about each other (they hadn’t even talked about it yet… but he was pretty sure they didn’t want it to happen through the grapevine. His carrier would smother him!)
The musician tried hard not to laugh at his friend, yet he couldn’t help smirking. “Ya space out at tha oddest of times grinning like a fool, ya give these sighs now and then, and after certain times of tha day when ya’ve probably been visiting your sweetspark ya have that dopey look on your face and walk around as if ya’re high. In short ya’re actin’ like a love- sick mechano-puppy. And those are only tha most obvious signs. Shall I go on about tha ridiculously sappy love songs you’ve started ta write?”
Visor spazzing in different colours, Jazz sputtered wordlessly, before sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. Denial seemed a little pointless now. “Have I really been that obvious?”
“To someone who knows what to look for, yeah, ya have. Any ya still haven’t answered ma question. Mech or femme?”
“Mech...” Jazz said before falling silent again.
Blaster leaned forward expectantly, waiting for more. When nothing was offered he stopped short. “Aw, come on, Jazz-man, tell meh more about him.”
There was the smallest hesitation on Jazz’s part, but he knew Blaster as his best friend would keep quiet without even needing to be asked. “He’s smart, he’s funny with that dry, understated kind of humor that has me in stitches and he can be really playful when he wants ta be,” Jazz added, remembering their adventurous encounter with the head cook. “Sometimes he’s really shy, but that makes him all tha more adorable. We share a love for music,” true also, the silver mech loved to hear the Praxian sing and Prowl in turn couldn’t get enough of Jazz’s tunes, had even helped with some of his new compositions, “we dance and we care for his garden tagether. I could happily spend tha rest of my life wit’him.” While he had known this all along, saying it out loud, made it feel all the more real. The fact that his spark was spinning in its casing at the mere thought of his doorwinger he chose to keep to himself.
“Sounds like ya met ya perfect mate. Congratulations, mech!”
And there was that silly grin again. Honestly, you had to be both dumb and blind not to realize that Jazz was helm over pedes in love. “I have, thank ya, Blaster.”
“Do Ah know him?”
“Not really, no.” Was it his imagination or had Jazz sounded slightly evasive? Why wouldn’t he want to talk about his sweetspark?
“Where did ya meet him then? Out in tha city?” Blaster was determined to find out who exactly had managed to snare the elusive jester. Of course he had his suspicions, but he wanted to be sure he was right.
Jazz really didn’t want to lie to his friend, but he knew, and he knew that Prowl would agree if asked, that they needed to plan carefully before telling their, or more accurately Prowl’s family, about each other. “No, we met in his garden kind of by accident.”
“What’cha mean by accident?”
“I kind’a went where I’m not supposed to go and ended up in that walled garden, that belongs ta him.”
Jazz had never seen Blaster look so puzzled before. He sounded the part too. “How the frag do ya accidentally break into someone’s home?”
“I didn’t break into his home, I accidentally got into the garden.”
“Wait, back up, you mean one of the palace gardens?!” Squirming Jazz nodded, causing Blaster to lean back and stare at his friend in apprehension. “Tha garden ya were going ta look for a couple of deca-cycles ago?” Again, the only answer was an embarrassed nod. “So, I guess that’s why ya still haven’t told me his name, because he’s a noble right?”
“Yes, he is.”
“…Frag.”
“Come on, he’s not like those other nobles, whose egos are so big they hardly fit into tha palace, he’s… different. He doesn’t mind hard work or gettin’ dirty, he doesn’t frown at anyone just because they were born into another caste. He dislikes tha caste system as much as I do, and where he comes from it doesn’t even exist-“ Jazz stopped himself from rambling on in defense of Prowl.
“Ah’m takin’ that for granted, ah know ya well enough ta know ya wouldn’t fall that hard for some arrogant snob, but Iacon is Iacon. Even if he wasn’t born here, he lives here, so Ah’m guessin’ he’s got family in Iacon?” Waiting for Jazz to confirm this with a short gesture he continued. “If they’re typical of Iacon, they’re neva gonna accept someone like ya as their creation’s mate. Ya’ve seen how religiously they stick to tha caste system, an’ in their optics, ya’re not just one caste lower, ya’re from the other end, mech. They’ll prolly do anything ta get ya ta leave him alone. The least they’ll do is just separate tha two o’ya, if ya’re lucky.”
“I know, Blaster.” Jazz growled uneasily.
“They could have ya thrown inta jail or exiled from the realm, mech!” He didn’t mean to decry this for his friend, but Jazz had to know what he was getting into. Friends had to look out for each other.
“Ya think I don’t know it’s not gonna be easy?” Jazz burst out, pacing around in agitation. Just the thought of loosing Prowl to something as random and unimportant as an accident of birth (and that was what the caste system was) made his spark clench in pain. There was no way he was going to let that happen! “But he’s worth the trouble and he wants this as much as I do. I won’t leave him, no matter what anyone says or thinks.”
Raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, Blaster tried to placate him. “Ah wasn’t tryin’ ta convince ya ta break it off wit’him, Ah just want ya ta be sure ‘bout this. Ya’re ma friend.”
“I am sure.” Blaster could see the steely resolve in the other’s visor, in his whole posture. No. Jazz wouldn’t back down from this no matter what happened, that much was obvious to anyone who cared to look.
“In that case, Ah’ll help ya, just say tha word.”
“Thanks, Blaster.” Relieved, Jazz enveloped Blaster in a crushing hug, which the red mech returned without second thought. He would help his friend, because if his suspicions were correct and Jazz was after the mech he thought he was (there weren’t that many nobles from places without the caste systems who lived in Iacon, had their own private garden and more importantly, were constantly being not so surreptitiously gazed at by Jazz whenever he appeared in court), the silver mech would need all the help he could get…
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Blades of grass rustled as the turbofox darted through the underbrush of the forest, knowing exactly which way he had to run to make the most of the little edge he had. His deceptively slender legs and paws propelled him forth at surprising speed. Every now and then his orange and white armour could be glimpsed before he vanished from view again.
Someway behind him the bigger and stronger cyberhounds stayed on the wild-bot’s trail despite all the animals attempts at shaking the pursuit. While the fox was faster, the hounds had been built for stamina and sooner or later they would catch up with the unfortunate animal. Even if he dodged the hounds, the hunters following in the wake of the pack would try and catch him regardless.
Still the fox soldiered bravely on, putting all his effort in trying to reach one particular spot in the forest, a large crevice, carved out of the metallic ground by a small river, too large to jump over and impossible to cross but for the fallen branch of a near crystal tree balancing over it precariously. It was just sufficiently big for the fox to cross over, but not strong enough to carry the weight of a larger mechanoid being. The versatile animal had escaped predators before by using this trick, and it would do so again. Up ahead he smelled the tang of the river’s water and he picked up speed to the baying of the pack alerting their masters to the trail, only to stop short.
One of the hunters stood directly in front of him, between the little animal and its path of escape. Baring its small but sharp teeth at the large bot in preparation of the inevitable fight, the fox flared its armor to appear more threatening.
But the hunter didn’t react. The black and white just looked at the crouching wild-bot, at the branch and then back at the woods, where the sounds of the hunting party drew closer. Then, slowly and deliberately, he stepped aside until the path was free. Warily, the fox looked at the unmoving form. He was now far enough away that the fox could dart up the branch and get away without getting caught, if he acted fast enough. Growling once more for good measure, the small animal moved into the direction of the branch cautiously, never letting its eyes stray from the black and white mech.
Once it was close enough, it picked up speed and was on the branch and soon reached the far side of the chasm, preening in triumph, before vanishing into the bushes, while back on the other side Prowl leisurely kicked the loose branch into the chasm, destroying the bridge and thus eliminating the chance of the fox’s scent being picked up. The trail would literally vanish into thin air.
Wings fluttering in satisfaction Prowl settled down to wait for the rest of the hunting party and allow the twins to catch up with him, before anyone noticed that he had slipped away once again.
If there was one thing Prowl disliked even more than having to listen to Councilor Swiftwind sing his own praises, it was to attend hunting parties. What was the point in gathering in large numbers and driving out into the small crystal wood near Iacon, there to converge on one hapless mechanimal and hunt it for joors, before finally catching the poor thing and even worse, kill it? At least when he was younger, he had often been able to convince Sentinel of setting whatever animal had fallen into the hunters’ clutches free again (it was remarkable how quickly the great Sentinel Prime had caved when confronted with the large watery golden optics and drooping wings of his young charge… it hadn’t taken Prowl long to perfect the kicked puppy-look and wield it with devastating effects), while now he had to resort to sneaking around and freeing the prey himself and mislead the hunters. Of course he could still use The Look, but it was hardly dignified. Also he had promised his brother not to abuse his powers…
He had yet to be caught in the act thanks to his battle computer and ability in tactics.
To the black and white it would have been preferable to just wander around the woods for a while and revel in the peace and quiet the surroundings offered to anyone who was willing to take the time to enjoy it. This was why the prince was always on the lookout for an opportunity to slip away, much to the aggravation of the twins, who stepped out of the woodworks as if Prowl’s thoughts had summoned them.
“You know the Prime will have our heads if he realizes you always sneak around the woods without your bodyguards?” Sideswipe piped up, stepping closer to stand behind the prince and make it look as if they had been with him the whole time. When Prowl threw him a withering look, the silver twin grinned back completely unfazed. He was one of the very few bots who weren’t left quacking in their pedes from the Looks the black and white prince had perfected despite his young age.
“He has not yet found out and he never will, unless you tell him,” Prowl pointed out, cocking an optic ridge in the direction of the silver warrior, who still remained completely unimpressed, at least if the cheeky grin on his face was anything to go by.
Sideswipe raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, as the trio started walking in the direction of the ever increasing noise heralding the arrival of the rest of the party. “Just sayin’. Aren’t you the bot who always tells us that even with the perfect plan something will go wrong sooner or later.”
“Indeed, and it is gratifying to see that you were actually listening.” The dry remark prompted a snort from Sunstreaker, who was walking in front of the bickering duo, always ready to be the first in line in the event of an attack on their charge.
Indignant, Sideswipe puffed up his armor slightly in a show of fake wounded pride. “Give me some credit. And you haven’t answered my question yet.”
Prowl had to work to keep his expression carefully neutral as he watched the hunters’ confusion over the mysterious disappearance of their prey, puzzling over the reason the hounds all milled around a single spot near the chasm instead of following the fox’s trail. “Now why would I tell you all of my trade secrets? Besides, having you worry is keeping you on your toes, Sideswipe.” There was an unmistakable glint in those golden optics, even though his face gave away nothing.
Sideswipe wasn’t fooled in the slightest though. He knew the enigmatic prince too well to be deluded by the apparent lack of reaction. He didn’t know what Prowl had done, but he was willing to bet good credits that the black and white was somehow responsible for the absconded animal. “Trying to keep up with you is plenty enough to keep me on my toes.”
No one impeded the group as they made their way to the centre of it, where the current and the future Prime were deep in conversation. The court’s hunters and the dogs’ handlers were still preoccupied trying to recover the lost track but to no avail, since the dogs couldn’t get over their fascination with that spot and returned to it, whenever they were signaled to follow the trail. Idly Prowl wondered how long it would take anyone to notice the tell-tale scrape marks the crystal branch had left behind when he had kicked it into the chasm. “Not plenty enough, if Ironhide’s curses yesterday were any indication.”
Sideswipe flinched subtly. “You heard that?”
“Sideswipe, everyone in the family wing heard that. Everyone in the palace heard that. Might I suggest that you do not cut your timing as close as that next time? Had you been delayed in any way, your prepared alibi would have been for naught, because you would not have been back in time.” A smug flutter of his doorwings accompanied the piece of advice
“How did you know that?!” The look on Sideswipe’s face was one of comical horror. Sometimes Prowl couldn’t help but wonder if Sideswipe exaggerated his own reactions on purpose for the amusement of others.
“Haven’t you realized yet, that he knows everything?” Sunstreaker drawled, finally entering the conversation.
The other twin pointed at Prowl accusingly, ignoring his brother’s smugness for the moment. “But you were busy all the time, you had private lessons and later you were holed up in your garden. How could you have found out about that?”
Prowl smirked. He was going to reply, when a movement at the corner of his vision attracted his attention. Another mech was approaching the trio and it looked as if he would reach them before they reached the Prime. Not bothering to hide his scowl the prince accelerated his pace, having no wish to be in the new mech’s presence. But it seemed he had used up all of his good fortune for this cycle already, for no sooner had he veered off to avoid the newcomer he had to stop in order not to get run over by the pack of hounds whom their caretakers had finally lured away from the escarpment, which allowed the blue and white mech to catch up with the prince.
“Your highness, what a pleasure it is to be in your presence,” the bowing mech all but purred in a manner that was probably meant to be complimentary, but that had Prowl’s plating crawling in more than mild disgust. He was never more grateful for the presence of the twins than he was right then.
“Specter.” As court protocol dictated, Prowl acknowledged the greeting with a slight nod, as it would not do to embarrass his Prime by forgetting his manners, but he would not give the noble any more than that. If Swiftwind was irritating, Specter was downright dangerous. The tall blue and white mech was far more intelligent than his fellow noble and far too good at getting what he wanted for his own business. What he could not get by manipulating others or outright tricking them, he acquired with his wealth. Privately Prowl suspected that not everything the noblemech’s business methods were not exactly legal, but so far nothing had been proven. There had been accusations of course, but after investigations and the odd process or two, Specter had always come out of it above reproach.
And as if this wasn’t bad enough already, the noblemech seemed to concentrate all of his efforts and resources on one thing: arranging a bonding between his own son, Mirage, and Prowl. Or between himself and Prowl. Sometimes the Praxian wasn’t quite sure which.
To Mirage’s defense, the young mech seemed to be of a different make than his creator, yet that didn’t mean Prowl would ever consider bonding to him. Much to Prowl’s relief Sentinel was just as leery of Specter and his attentions as Prowl himself was and so had dismissed any overtures. That still didn’t deter the bot from trying though.
“Your presence was sorely missed during last orn’s festivities. We were sorely disappointed to hear that you would be unable to come.”
“Matters of the state always take precedence, as I am sure you understand,” Prowl replied in a level voice, his wings flicking sharply just once. In response to the gesture and the discomfort behind it, the twins inched closer to frame the smaller mech between them.
Specter bowed his head in acknowledgement. “Of course, you sense of duty to our state is only to be commended, your highness. Praxus shall count itself lucky to have you as its Lord.”
The prince cocked an optic ridge at the statement. “That remains to be seen.” While it was highly likely that he would ascend to the throne of High Lord, it was not written in cybertronium yet.
“You are referring to the trials? Such a quaint custom, to test the rightful leader before he claims the throne, as if it was their place to deny the rightful claim of the heir.” The mech waved his hand in clear dismissal of an idea he obviously considered preposterous.
However the prince did not take well to the condescension directed toward a place and a people he had come to love during his visits there. “It is a custom that has served my home city well by ensuring that only those worthy of the title in every sense can lay claim to it. It would behoove a mech not to belittle what he does not know.” Prowl’s voice was colder than the ice poles of Cybertron as he rebuked the other.
His charming demeanour wavering at the thinly veiled rebuke, Specter bowed extravagantly once again. “I assure you, your highness, I meant no offence and I apologize sincerely for incurring your wrath.”
:: I’m surprised he actually recognizes tha term:: A very welcome voice suddenly erupted from his comm channels, audible only to Prowl himself. Though he was adept at not letting bots see what he thought, hiding how badly startled Prowl was, took some doing.
:: Jazz? Where are you?:: Only his strict self- control kept him from scanning his surroundings in order to locate the errant jester he just knew was hiding somewhere close. Apparently his talents lent themselves to stealth very well.
:: Look behind him, Sparkles:: Doing as instructed Prowl sought for the familiar play of light on silver armor and found it. In the crystal trees. High up in the branches of one of the tallest and thickest crystals the jester hung upside down from a branch, merrily waving at him once he was sure that Prowl was looking at him.
:: How can you even hear what he is saying?::
:: My audios are sensitive, real sensitive, I can hear ya both as clearly as if I were standin’ next ta ya.::
Unaware that he had lost all of the prince’s attention the noblemech continued to drone on. “Surely there is no doubt that your Highness will master these trials, you are a very capable mech after all. If I can be of assistance to you in any way, you need only ask and my every move is yours to command, though I am confident that such will not be necessary. Still it would please me greatly to have been of service to the future High Lord of Praxus.”
:: Ya know, if ya put your mind ta it, I’m pretty sure ya could make him sit up and beg.:: Prowl couldn’t actually see it, but somehow he knew there was a wicked grin plastered on Jazz’s face.
The doorwinger couldn’t suppress the ghost of a smile the image Jazz had painted just evoked. Unfortunately Specter took it to mean his advances were welcome, and spouting another courtly phrase took Prowl’s servo in order to press a kiss to it.
Instantly the black and white snatched the appendage back, hissing at the noble mech as his armor and wings flared aggressively. “You presume too much, Lord Specter.”
“It seems I must apologize once again, your Highness. I am deeply sorry to have offended you.”
:: Oh, he ain’t sorry yet, but he’s gonna be!:: Jazz snarled over the comm. It was hard to tell from so far away but Jazz’s visor seemed to be black with anger.
“Your apology is accepted. Please, do not let me detain you any longer.” Pointedly turning away to look toward another part of the clearing, Prowl dismissed the other from his company.
Specter took it with a certain equanimity, bowing extravagantly once again. “By your leave, your Highness.” He recited the courtly phrase with a flourish many other bots admired and envied him for. To Prowl it rang false.
A tiny breath of relief escaped him as soon as the other noblemech departed, but the twins didn’t relax their tense stance.
:: Are ya alright or do I need ta break out the pink paint?::
:: I am fine as you very well know. I shall take a few breems to reassure the twins before I can sneak away to meet you.::
:: I’ll keep myself occupied.:: A certain amount of mischief directed at Spectre was conveyed along with the glyphs. Prowl knew better than to try and dissuade the jester when he was that determined, but if Jazz got into trouble they would not be able to meet, so despite his own desire to see what Jazz would do he asked him to wait, not relenting until he had the silver mech’s word.
Now that their protective instincts had been aroused it had been difficult even for the tactically savvy Praxian to ditch his bodyguards, but with a host of experience and his ingenuity to draw from he soon left the two behind. Again.
Whilst the twins were busy scouring the camp for their charge, the black and white was getting farther away from the camp with every klick soon joined by a silver mech.
“I was beginning ta think ya wouldn’t be able ta get rid of tha twins at all.” Jazz was advancing on Prowl, trying to hug the other to him, only for Prowl to dart away staying just out of reach. Jazz looked at Prowl imploringly, one of his hands reaching for him.
“Thank you for your vote of confidence, Jazz,” Prowl deadpanned, silently challenging Jazz to catch him if he could.
Never one to dismiss a challenge the jester grinned and did his best to get his hands on the subject of his desires. Laughing like a couple of younglings they raced around the clearing, only having optics for each other.
Little did they realize that they were being watched.