Festival Challenge - Day 17 (posting early due to holiday)
Name: Peace of Mind
Day and Prompt: 17, disaster
Rating: G
Festival: Mardi Gras
On the roof of an abandoned structure a lone mech sat, observing the colorful events below him. Contemplating once again this new world they’d come to know. Some had adapted fairly easily while others...well, let’s just say some are still a little “out of their element”. Pit even after several years of inhabitance, he was starting to wonder if he’d ever truly accept this world as ‘home’. But he had to admit that for all their differences, there were quite a few similarities between their two species that made things not so..alien. Some similarities were cleverly hidden though, and it took a keen eye to spot them in the unexpected things such as the festival he’d been carefully observing for the past few days. Ah yes, here he was in the heart of a state that had, not too long ago, been to the pit and back and yet they still held on just as the Autobots had after Cybertron had met its demise. And now here he sat. In New Orleans, Louisiana where they continue to celebrate. In this moment there was no disaster, only hope. Would Cybertronians ever experience this peace of mind?
“Prowler?”
Prowl tensed and snapped out of his musing at the sound of his name being called. Whipping his head around to locate the voices owner he spotted a familiar faceplate and allowed himself to shift back into the semi-relaxed state he’d been in. Not giving a second thought to the festive and gaudy decorations the mech sported.
“Greetings Jazz.” he said, his normally monotonous tone hinted with a slight softness reserved only for those closest to him. But also something else lay within that tone.
Jazz stood back for a while trying to find more to the cause of the odd tone via his friend’s EM field. Yeah, he was kind of hard to read sometimes due to his closed-off personality but after vorns of knowing and working with the mech it was now, at least for jazz, second nature to know when something was up. This time though, there was something deep on his processor and Jazz was determined to settle it.”Somethin’ pickin' at ya mech?” he asked as he smoothly took a seat beside his friend on the old roof(a garage, jazz recalled spike telling him).
Prowl shifted slightly, looking down at his clasped hands in his lap. Struggling to figure out how to word his thoughts without running a blue streak.
”Jazz?”
“Yeah Prowler?”
“Do you…do you ever think about it?” he asked looking up at the visored mechs face, finding a look of confusion which then faded to understanding .Everyone on the Ark had been present when it happened. But that didn’t go to say that everyone was ready for what they had witnessed. It was truly the first time all Autobots had seen the destruction that this planet could wreak if it chose to. And there was no way to stop it.
{ Flashback }
“-hundreds of families stranded and many homes and businesses lost. Katrina is what officials are declaring the worst tropical storm of the century. ” reported the news women. Mechs around the base had all huddled in the rec room to watch the devastating news. All sat in stunned silence at the sight of the pure chaos on the screen, not truly knowing what to do next. Finally after several clicks of shocked silence Optimus was the first to speak. “Autobots,” he said in a deep baritone voice, instantly grabbing the attention of all. ”it is our duty as the humans’ allies to assist in times of need. A plan shall be formed shortly and you will all be given your orders. For the time being you shall report back to your scheduled duties. Dismissed.”
After a synchronized chorus of ‘yes sir’s” all mechs returned to their previous activities, albeit with a new weight of dread and horror over their helms.
The next few days found the Autobots stationed in the affected areas. From Mobile, Alabama to Morgan City Louisiana Autobots pushed to help the search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of something that could only be described as a nightmare. Prowl had pushed all the Autobots’ connections to get them out here and helping and now here they were. He and his own team, currently in New Orleans, searched the high water and carnage for any signs of life. An eerie silence ’One so remnant of the fall of Praxus’ prowl thought grimly, filled the air along with the hopelessness and loss the residents were no doubt feeling.
The day had ended with a slightly positive note with the eventual discovery of a small group of stragglers. But alas that small number did not make up for the distress and emptiness so clearly written on the humans faces. Being in the heart of this disaster had triggered a hollowness inside of Prowl that he hadn’t felt in vorns. And though he knew there was not much that could’ve been done to prevent it, he vowed that he would do everything in his power to help these people gain back what had been lost.
{end flashback}
It had been very similar to the fall of all the city states of Cybertron. It appeared that no matter where and who you were, destruction was inevitable. But to just pick up and forget was the challenge. Jazz was now positive that that was along the lines of prowls thoughts but how did he properly respond? “Well, yeah prowler, I think we all think about it, but…well-“ Jazz trailed off fighting for the words that refused to leave his processor. “It is fine jazz. I know you understand so you can spare the ‘Prime level speech’.” Prowl piped in, slightly smirking at jazzs’ reaction of immediately snapping his mouth shut in a display of just giving up. Though some may consider him to be a grade A stick-up-the-aft, Prowl did in fact recognize the attempt of words for what it was: an explanation for something he’d already considered and to some degree, a comforting. That line of thought had prowls smirk turning into an actual small smile.
Jazz, upon seeing said smile, relaxed now that the two had a mutual understanding of the issue. Even without the exchange of words(or a “Prime level speech” as prowl had so eloquently put it) “Well alright. Now that that’s out the way, what’s really buggin’ ya prowl?” Jazz asked. At the use of his normal designation and not some silly nickname, Prowl knew jazz was serious this time so he decided to ask the true question on his processor.
“Do you think we will bounce back from our fall as well? He asked sounding a bit lost, unsure. That was a side of prowl that Jazz or anyone rarely(if ever) saw, which made his concern for his friend deepen. He did not show how deep his concern was openly. But also, he would not falter and shy away like others. He would be there for prowl to lean on no matter what. That’s what friends were for after all.
“I won’t lie to ya, I’m not so hundred percent m’self about the whole restoring Cybertron plan. But between that wonderful yet obsessive processor of yours, and the leadership of Optimus, things’ll work out jus’ fine. Jazz said truthfully. He gently put a comforting hand on prowls shoulder plating, giving a firm yet comforting squeeze. Prowl looked at the squeezing appendage and then into the widely smiling face of his best friend. At that moment Prowl came to his final thought on the subject. Yes he longed to go back to his home planet just as much as the others, but as long as he had comrades(both organic and mechanical), and friends like jazz who believed in him, he need not worry too much about where and what ‘home’ was.
Receiving a reassuring nod from the praxian, Jazz retracted his hand, smiling a bit more tamely. The two fell into a comfortable, thoughtful silence for a few klicks . Each digesting the conversation that had transpired.
“Thank you jazz”
“Anytime prowler” jazz replied already knowing the reason behind the gratitude. They then fell back into the comfortable silence. Their EM fields now slightly mingling, both full of content in the others presence as they both watched the festival of Mardi Gras below and the people of New Orleans celebrating life. In this moment everything suddenly felt...right. ‘Perhaps jazz was right about things working out okay’ prowl thought. He secretly stole a quick glance at Jazz who was no doubt plotting on how to drag him from his safe spot on the roof, but honestly Prowl wouldn’t have it any other way when it came to the visored mech. Prowl absently smiled, his mind going blank as he looked distantly into the stars and beyond. But one thought found its way to the front of his processor in connection to what he was now feeling-
Peace of mind.