Hidden Princes, a Transformers G1 fanfic
Title: Hidden Princes (part 1)
Universe: G1
Rating: PG
Characters: Jazz, Swoop, Prowl
Warnings: mentions of non-graphic violence, a (probably) obvious plot twist and some Dinobot cuteness.
Notes: written for prowlxjazz's April 2011 Challenge. the themes were royalty and wedding.
It hadn’t been the worst battle they had been in, by any stretch of the imagination, but it hadn’t been good. It was, in fact, the kind of battle that left them all wondering which side had been the victor that day. Even the humans had been more battered than usual at the end of everything.
No one had died, but it had been a very close thing.
Ratchet’s medbay was full of patients too injured to return to their own quarters and Jazz walked among them, making sure no mech was alone or forgotten in the aftermath. Most of them were in recharge now, but he had been able to give a few comforting words to Beachcomber and Groove-both among the worst injuries-before stopping at Prowl’s side. The tactician had provided a distraction for Menasor to protect a group of school children and their teachers, and he had come into the medbay with more damaged plating that Jazz could ever remember seeing on anyone who was still online.
How Prowl had managed to survive was anyone’s guess, but he had and Ratchet and First Aid’s had worked their usual magic on him. All Prowl required now was rest and a fresh coat of paint.
“What you Jazz am doing?”
Jazz was startled by the gravelly voice behind him. He hadn’t realized Swoop was online when he stopped at Prowl’s berth. He turned and gave the young mech a smile. “Just checking up on everyone. I know Ratch and Aid repaired everyone, but I feel better when I look them over myself. How’s the wing, Swoop?”
The Dinobot grimaced at the mention of the wing that Menasor had torn off during the battle. “It hurt. Him Ratchet put back on, but need time to heal right.”
“You want me to get you something for the pain? I know where Ratchet keeps the good stuff.”
Swoop grinned at Jazz’s tone, but shook his head. “Me rather hurt than have fuzzy feeling in head.”
“I feel that way about them myself.” Jazz grabbed the stool that he’d tucked away by Prowl’s berth earlier in the evening and set it down next to Swoop’s. Then he sat down on it, careful of his own-much more minor-mending injuries. “I’ll just sit here and keep you company for a while then. Better than laying here on your own and feeling miserable, right?”
Swoop nodded. “What us can do? Us not want wake them other Autobots.”
“Something quiet,” the saboteur replied. “But maybe just loud enough for Beachcomber and Groove, too. They aren’t feeling so great either.”
“Like,” Swoop’s optics lit up mischievously, “Story? Will you Jazz tell story?”
“You do like a good story, don’t you, Swoop?” Jazz chuckled softly. “Sure, I’ll tell a story. What do you want to hear?”
“Me want happy story. Him Kup tell war stories all time, but sometimes me Swoop want here something nicer.”
“A happy story, huh?” The black and white mech made a show of thinking hard. “I think I know just the thing.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Long ago on the planet Cybertron, there was a great city. It was called Altihex and was ruled over by a fair and just mech named Dancer and his bondmate Starsong. Dancer and Starsong had two sparklings during their reign, called Symphony and Whistler. The people of Altihex loved their princes as dearly as their king and queen and knew they would continue to be ruled fairly when the king and queen were gone.
But one day, to the people’s great sorrow, mechs came from another city to conquer Altihex and add it to the empire of Polyhex. The king and queen were deactivated and the princes disappeared.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“Jazz! Me Swoop want happy story!” The Dinobot gave him a frown.
“Ya gotta give me time, mech! Sometimes the happiest stories start off sad.” Jazz gave him a smile. “Like those fairy tales Carly reads to Daniel. They don’t always start off happy, do they?”
Swoop shook his head. “No, me guess not.”
“All right then. Can I get back to the story now?”
“Yes. Me Swoop let you Jazz tell story.”
“Okay.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
And so, Altihex fell to the warriors of Polyhex and the city fell into a dark time. The people mourned the loss of their king and queen and hoped and prayed that their princes were still online and would come back and free them.
The princes, however, knew nothing of war or fighting, and so they had run from their city hoping only to survive to see the next day. They didn’t know where they were going, as they did not have the benefit of a map or a guide, but they would be satisfied with anyplace that wasn’t Polyhex or any of its subjugated cities.
They ran until Whistler’s systems gave out from lack of fuel. Symphony dragged his brother along for little longer, but eventually he collapsed too. As he slipped offline, he prayed that someone kind would come along and help them.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“Does someone nice find them princes?” Swoop picked at the edge of the thermal wrap Ratchet had draped over him hours before.
“Well, you’d know if you let me tell the story.” Jazz couldn’t help but grin at the young mech’s enthusiasm.
“Sorry. Me Swoop get excited sometimes.”
“It’s all right. You need some energon or anything before we settle back in?”
The Dinobot shook his head. “No. Me Swoop am fine.”
“Okay.” Jazz shifted a little on his stool and began telling the story again.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
The princes were found by a kindly mech as they lay dying in the wilderness outside their city. He gave them fuel from his own supplies and called for a transport so they could be taken somewhere to recover. He went with them, as they were very young and he didn’t want anything else unfortunate to befall them.
When the princes woke in the medical facility, they were relieved to be online and surprised that they had been helped and watched over by a stranger from another city. The kindly mech introduced himself as Hound and asked them to explain what had happened to them.
When the princes finished their story, Hound was upset. News of the attack had not reached his home in Gygax and he had been on his way to meet with a friend in Altihex when he had found the princes. He was worried for his friend and angry that the good king and queen had been killed by the mechs from Polyhex. He wanted very much to help the people of Altihex become free again.
But Hound was also a smart mech and he knew that could not be done by two young princes and a simple wilderness guide. And so he made arrangements for them to go to the ruling city of Iacon and meet with another friend, who could help them tell their story to the planet’s Prime.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“Is this real story? It not make believe story like ones her Carly read to him Daniel?”
Jazz gave Swoop a surprised look. “Of course it’s a real story. You don’t think I’d put Hound in a make believe story without asking him, do you?”
“There was kings and queens and princes on Cybertron?” Swoop gave him a skeptical look.
“There were, I swear on my spark. Kings and queens and princes and princesses, with the Prime to rule over them all. But that was a long time ago, back when Ironhide was still pretty young and I was about your age.” Jazz gave a wistful sort of sigh. “Things changed a lot after that.”
“Oh. Me am glad you Jazz tell real story. Me Swoop like that kind best.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Iacon was a much larger city than the princes had ever seen. It had everything: shops, schools, military training grounds, places dedicated to art and science and music. If the princes hadn’t loved their own city so very much, they might have been tempted to stay forever. But they were determined to free their people from the empire of Polyhex and avenge the deaths of the king and queen.
Hound’s friend was a noblemech named Mirage. Mirage had many contacts among the senators in the city and they had helped him arrange a speaking time before the entire senate for the princes. They would be able to tell their story to the senate, and possibly the Prime himself, and find a way to take Altihex back.
While they waited for their appointed speaking time, Mirage helped the princes get cleaned up and taught them a little bit about addressing the senate, which was different from speaking before their creators’ court. Whistler was very nervous about the idea, but Symphony was confident and sure that they could speak well and get the help they needed.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Jazz paused in his story as First Aid approached Swoop’s berth. The Protectobot gave them both a lightly reprimanding look. “Jazz, Swoop is supposed to be resting, not listening to stories.”
“Aww, Aid, you know I wouldn’t keep him awake for a story that I could tell later.” Jazz gave the medic a winning grin. “Swoop was awake when I came over to check on Prowl and we thought a story might help him feel better.”
“We?” First Aid’s sounded skeptical.
“Not be mad,” Swoop said. “Him Jazz ask if him can help make me feel better and me Swoop ask for story. Him only want help.”
The medic sighed. “I’m not mad, Swoop. But Ratchet will be if you wake any of the others, so keep it down.”
“No worries, my mech.” Jazz smiled again. “We’ll be quiet as cybercats. You want to say for story hour?”
“I’m afraid I can’t.” First Aid shook his head. “I was on my way to recharge after I looked in on Groove. The others refuse to settle down until I’ve checked him again.”
Jazz nodded understandingly. “Brothers always do worry, even when they’re trying to act tough.”
“That they do.” First Aid sighed again. “Both of you, get some rest soon. Story time is not worth overstraining yourselves.”
“We will. Just as soon as the princes get home.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
When the time came for the princes to speak before the senate, they were brave and stood tall. They told their story as completely as they could and they plead for any help the ruling body would give them. The council listened and nodded and there were many angry voices when they heard what had been done.
But in the end, the Prime himself came before the princes and told them that the army of Iacon would not help them.
And to make matters worse, he said the princes were banned from Iacon. They had to leave immediately or they would be turned over to the Polihexian bounty hunters who were searching for them.
In fear, the princes ran back to their friends, not knowing what else they could do.
The four of them made a plan that would, they hoped, keep the princes safe. The bounty hunters would be looking for two noblemechs from Altihex, not a servant in the Crystal Towers or a wilderness guide in Gygax. The princes would split up, one going with Mirage and one going with Hound, and have their outer plating altered to be less recognizable. Someday, when they were older and stronger, a new plan would be made to take their city back from the empire of Polyhex.
And though the princes didn’t want to, they said goodbye to each other that night cycle and didn’t see each other again for many vorns.
~tbc~
Universe: G1
Rating: PG
Characters: Jazz, Swoop, Prowl
Warnings: mentions of non-graphic violence, a (probably) obvious plot twist and some Dinobot cuteness.
Notes: written for prowlxjazz's April 2011 Challenge. the themes were royalty and wedding.
It hadn’t been the worst battle they had been in, by any stretch of the imagination, but it hadn’t been good. It was, in fact, the kind of battle that left them all wondering which side had been the victor that day. Even the humans had been more battered than usual at the end of everything.
No one had died, but it had been a very close thing.
Ratchet’s medbay was full of patients too injured to return to their own quarters and Jazz walked among them, making sure no mech was alone or forgotten in the aftermath. Most of them were in recharge now, but he had been able to give a few comforting words to Beachcomber and Groove-both among the worst injuries-before stopping at Prowl’s side. The tactician had provided a distraction for Menasor to protect a group of school children and their teachers, and he had come into the medbay with more damaged plating that Jazz could ever remember seeing on anyone who was still online.
How Prowl had managed to survive was anyone’s guess, but he had and Ratchet and First Aid’s had worked their usual magic on him. All Prowl required now was rest and a fresh coat of paint.
“What you Jazz am doing?”
Jazz was startled by the gravelly voice behind him. He hadn’t realized Swoop was online when he stopped at Prowl’s berth. He turned and gave the young mech a smile. “Just checking up on everyone. I know Ratch and Aid repaired everyone, but I feel better when I look them over myself. How’s the wing, Swoop?”
The Dinobot grimaced at the mention of the wing that Menasor had torn off during the battle. “It hurt. Him Ratchet put back on, but need time to heal right.”
“You want me to get you something for the pain? I know where Ratchet keeps the good stuff.”
Swoop grinned at Jazz’s tone, but shook his head. “Me rather hurt than have fuzzy feeling in head.”
“I feel that way about them myself.” Jazz grabbed the stool that he’d tucked away by Prowl’s berth earlier in the evening and set it down next to Swoop’s. Then he sat down on it, careful of his own-much more minor-mending injuries. “I’ll just sit here and keep you company for a while then. Better than laying here on your own and feeling miserable, right?”
Swoop nodded. “What us can do? Us not want wake them other Autobots.”
“Something quiet,” the saboteur replied. “But maybe just loud enough for Beachcomber and Groove, too. They aren’t feeling so great either.”
“Like,” Swoop’s optics lit up mischievously, “Story? Will you Jazz tell story?”
“You do like a good story, don’t you, Swoop?” Jazz chuckled softly. “Sure, I’ll tell a story. What do you want to hear?”
“Me want happy story. Him Kup tell war stories all time, but sometimes me Swoop want here something nicer.”
“A happy story, huh?” The black and white mech made a show of thinking hard. “I think I know just the thing.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Long ago on the planet Cybertron, there was a great city. It was called Altihex and was ruled over by a fair and just mech named Dancer and his bondmate Starsong. Dancer and Starsong had two sparklings during their reign, called Symphony and Whistler. The people of Altihex loved their princes as dearly as their king and queen and knew they would continue to be ruled fairly when the king and queen were gone.
But one day, to the people’s great sorrow, mechs came from another city to conquer Altihex and add it to the empire of Polyhex. The king and queen were deactivated and the princes disappeared.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“Jazz! Me Swoop want happy story!” The Dinobot gave him a frown.
“Ya gotta give me time, mech! Sometimes the happiest stories start off sad.” Jazz gave him a smile. “Like those fairy tales Carly reads to Daniel. They don’t always start off happy, do they?”
Swoop shook his head. “No, me guess not.”
“All right then. Can I get back to the story now?”
“Yes. Me Swoop let you Jazz tell story.”
“Okay.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
And so, Altihex fell to the warriors of Polyhex and the city fell into a dark time. The people mourned the loss of their king and queen and hoped and prayed that their princes were still online and would come back and free them.
The princes, however, knew nothing of war or fighting, and so they had run from their city hoping only to survive to see the next day. They didn’t know where they were going, as they did not have the benefit of a map or a guide, but they would be satisfied with anyplace that wasn’t Polyhex or any of its subjugated cities.
They ran until Whistler’s systems gave out from lack of fuel. Symphony dragged his brother along for little longer, but eventually he collapsed too. As he slipped offline, he prayed that someone kind would come along and help them.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“Does someone nice find them princes?” Swoop picked at the edge of the thermal wrap Ratchet had draped over him hours before.
“Well, you’d know if you let me tell the story.” Jazz couldn’t help but grin at the young mech’s enthusiasm.
“Sorry. Me Swoop get excited sometimes.”
“It’s all right. You need some energon or anything before we settle back in?”
The Dinobot shook his head. “No. Me Swoop am fine.”
“Okay.” Jazz shifted a little on his stool and began telling the story again.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
The princes were found by a kindly mech as they lay dying in the wilderness outside their city. He gave them fuel from his own supplies and called for a transport so they could be taken somewhere to recover. He went with them, as they were very young and he didn’t want anything else unfortunate to befall them.
When the princes woke in the medical facility, they were relieved to be online and surprised that they had been helped and watched over by a stranger from another city. The kindly mech introduced himself as Hound and asked them to explain what had happened to them.
When the princes finished their story, Hound was upset. News of the attack had not reached his home in Gygax and he had been on his way to meet with a friend in Altihex when he had found the princes. He was worried for his friend and angry that the good king and queen had been killed by the mechs from Polyhex. He wanted very much to help the people of Altihex become free again.
But Hound was also a smart mech and he knew that could not be done by two young princes and a simple wilderness guide. And so he made arrangements for them to go to the ruling city of Iacon and meet with another friend, who could help them tell their story to the planet’s Prime.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“Is this real story? It not make believe story like ones her Carly read to him Daniel?”
Jazz gave Swoop a surprised look. “Of course it’s a real story. You don’t think I’d put Hound in a make believe story without asking him, do you?”
“There was kings and queens and princes on Cybertron?” Swoop gave him a skeptical look.
“There were, I swear on my spark. Kings and queens and princes and princesses, with the Prime to rule over them all. But that was a long time ago, back when Ironhide was still pretty young and I was about your age.” Jazz gave a wistful sort of sigh. “Things changed a lot after that.”
“Oh. Me am glad you Jazz tell real story. Me Swoop like that kind best.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Iacon was a much larger city than the princes had ever seen. It had everything: shops, schools, military training grounds, places dedicated to art and science and music. If the princes hadn’t loved their own city so very much, they might have been tempted to stay forever. But they were determined to free their people from the empire of Polyhex and avenge the deaths of the king and queen.
Hound’s friend was a noblemech named Mirage. Mirage had many contacts among the senators in the city and they had helped him arrange a speaking time before the entire senate for the princes. They would be able to tell their story to the senate, and possibly the Prime himself, and find a way to take Altihex back.
While they waited for their appointed speaking time, Mirage helped the princes get cleaned up and taught them a little bit about addressing the senate, which was different from speaking before their creators’ court. Whistler was very nervous about the idea, but Symphony was confident and sure that they could speak well and get the help they needed.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Jazz paused in his story as First Aid approached Swoop’s berth. The Protectobot gave them both a lightly reprimanding look. “Jazz, Swoop is supposed to be resting, not listening to stories.”
“Aww, Aid, you know I wouldn’t keep him awake for a story that I could tell later.” Jazz gave the medic a winning grin. “Swoop was awake when I came over to check on Prowl and we thought a story might help him feel better.”
“We?” First Aid’s sounded skeptical.
“Not be mad,” Swoop said. “Him Jazz ask if him can help make me feel better and me Swoop ask for story. Him only want help.”
The medic sighed. “I’m not mad, Swoop. But Ratchet will be if you wake any of the others, so keep it down.”
“No worries, my mech.” Jazz smiled again. “We’ll be quiet as cybercats. You want to say for story hour?”
“I’m afraid I can’t.” First Aid shook his head. “I was on my way to recharge after I looked in on Groove. The others refuse to settle down until I’ve checked him again.”
Jazz nodded understandingly. “Brothers always do worry, even when they’re trying to act tough.”
“That they do.” First Aid sighed again. “Both of you, get some rest soon. Story time is not worth overstraining yourselves.”
“We will. Just as soon as the princes get home.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
When the time came for the princes to speak before the senate, they were brave and stood tall. They told their story as completely as they could and they plead for any help the ruling body would give them. The council listened and nodded and there were many angry voices when they heard what had been done.
But in the end, the Prime himself came before the princes and told them that the army of Iacon would not help them.
And to make matters worse, he said the princes were banned from Iacon. They had to leave immediately or they would be turned over to the Polihexian bounty hunters who were searching for them.
In fear, the princes ran back to their friends, not knowing what else they could do.
The four of them made a plan that would, they hoped, keep the princes safe. The bounty hunters would be looking for two noblemechs from Altihex, not a servant in the Crystal Towers or a wilderness guide in Gygax. The princes would split up, one going with Mirage and one going with Hound, and have their outer plating altered to be less recognizable. Someday, when they were older and stronger, a new plan would be made to take their city back from the empire of Polyhex.
And though the princes didn’t want to, they said goodbye to each other that night cycle and didn’t see each other again for many vorns.
~tbc~