It's all fun and games until someone dies of heartbreak...
Title: The Nine Rings of Vos: Rebellion
A Transformers G1 Fanfic
Author: Sanjuno Shori Niko
Summary: Love will find a way, but sometimes it's hard to tell if that's a good thing or not.
Timeline: More of this fic here.
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(In which Bulwark deals poorly with Cardinal.)
“Please, Cardinal, please do this for me.” Bulwark begged, optics desperate and pale with a spark deep, abiding grief that Cardinal knew only too well. His creation’s partner was not handling Interceptor’s death well at all. As if anyone could be said to handle the cold sparked murder of a loved one well. Cardinal’s inner thoughts were a lament of missed chances, if only Bulwark and Interceptor had spoken clearly of their affections to one another while they still had the chance... Bulwark may well have followed Interceptor into Primus’ Light if that had been the case, because Cardinal had no doubts as to the strength of the bond they would have shared, but at least their fractured flock would have been spared paying witness to Bulwark’s slow degradation.
“Do you know what you ask?” Cardinal questioned the other Flightless softly. “Are you truly prepared to sacrifice so much for such petty vengeances, vengeance you know full well will never strike those truly at fault for our suffering?”
“I know. I know what this’ll cost but I can’t - I can’t!” Bulwark’s intakes hiccupped, hysteria held back by the slimmest of margins, frayed control displayed in the helpless shaking of limbs. “I can’t do this without him. I thought I could. I thought that what we had would be enough for me, but it’s not. It’s not nearly enough for me ta do this without him. It was hard enough with him in Praxus, but with him d- I can’t! I can’t even - please. Please, you have ta help me.”
“I see.” Cardinal said, looking at Bulwark more closely. He and Interceptor had created a sparkling together, and while the stated intent had been service to duty, there had been much badly repressed, fervently devoted affection between the two mechs. They had not been bonded true, despite what trashy romance holos claimed bonding required the intent and consent of all parties, but Bulwark had known when Interceptor’s spark extinguished. Cardinal had thought at the time that the younger Flightless had sensed the death via Barricade’s creation bonds, but perhaps that was not entirely the case. Bulwark was devastated, the hole in his life a gaping void with jagged, tearing edges. Sooner or later Bulwark would find a way to follow Interceptor into the Well of Sparks, their sparks seeking each other’s even without a life bond. Cardinal sighed, wondering with bleak helplessness if it would have been better for his creation to not have loved so well and had his love so well returned. The priest looked at the mech who had been his creation’s mate in all the ways that truly mattered. “I will do as you ask of me, yet there is one condition you must meet to gain my compliance.”
“Name it.” Bulwark responded promptly, eagerly uncaring of the consequences.
“When you return from your missions, you are to reside here with me.” Cardinal raised an imperious hand to halt Bulwark’s automatic protests. “No. You risk enough, spying out leads on our lost kin. You will miss much of Barricade’s achievements, spending such lengths of time away from Vos in the strongholds of our enemies. I will do what I may to minimized the impact of that loss, for I well know that I cannot stop you from taking this path, no more than I could hold Interceptor back from fulfilling the task that led to his last mission. Breaking that gladiator trafficking ring ultimately cost my creation his life, just as this choice you have made will cost you your own in time. I know this, I have accepted it. I may be the head of this flock, but I am not Primus, nor the Winglord’s, to limit where you may and may not seek vengeance. Do not, however, think me pleased with your choice. Your death with not end our pain for all that it allows you to escape your own agonies.”
“I... thank you. I - it’s an honour, ta be accepted inta yer flock, Cardinal. I know I’m a mess. But I - Barricade’ll be fine. He’s a grown mech, and he’ll be starting with the Guardian Forces soon. He doesn’t need me ta hang around all the time.” Bulwark’s words were nearly reasonable, were it not for the tone of frantic pleading that overlay it all. Cardinal knew that was doing more than trying to convince himself he was doing the right thing, the younger mech was begging Cardinal to offer his permission for Bulwark to throw himself on the sword of the enemy that had claimed Interceptor’s life.
“Very well.” Cardinal said, resigned and accepting and hoping against weary hope that for once he was wrong. That despite the conscious decision made against it, their mutual longing had not created the ghost of a bond between Interceptor and his best friend. That Bulwark was not dying of grief by degrees, bleeding out silently in a way that no medic could stem. Cardinal could think of nothing more to say. “Very well.”
(Word Count: 837)
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So as the first to comment on my birthday post xianghua got to pick the subject of this fic post, and she picked, and I quote "ANYTHING from the 9 rings verse." So here you are hun, more Rings-verse for you. XP Let's see if I can post something ficcy for the next 25 days remaining, hey? XP
That being said, there are 19 slots out of 26 left for my birthday gifts for you all. Thusly, the first 19 comments on this post get to pick (character, pairing, verse and prompt) what I post next. Have a lovely day, peeps.
BTW, I had a rocking brithday, so big hugs and thankyou's to everyone who wished me well. I slept through my hangover, had a glass of water, and then sat down and wrote 800+ words. This's pretty much one of the best days I had in a year. (Of course, anyone who wants to write/draw/gimmie more birthday love is more than welcome to. I don't even care if it's late. XP)
Here there be dragons! I'm quite pleased with myself, I am. Not only did my Summons on my birthday get me a Guardian of Nature egg, but I bred myself a Silver egg today plus I caught three eggs for dragon breeds I didn't have. Yes, quite pleased indeed. ^_^
♥
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♣
♥
♠
♣
A Transformers G1 Fanfic
Author: Sanjuno Shori Niko
Summary: Love will find a way, but sometimes it's hard to tell if that's a good thing or not.
Timeline: More of this fic here.
=/=
(In which Bulwark deals poorly with Cardinal.)
“Please, Cardinal, please do this for me.” Bulwark begged, optics desperate and pale with a spark deep, abiding grief that Cardinal knew only too well. His creation’s partner was not handling Interceptor’s death well at all. As if anyone could be said to handle the cold sparked murder of a loved one well. Cardinal’s inner thoughts were a lament of missed chances, if only Bulwark and Interceptor had spoken clearly of their affections to one another while they still had the chance... Bulwark may well have followed Interceptor into Primus’ Light if that had been the case, because Cardinal had no doubts as to the strength of the bond they would have shared, but at least their fractured flock would have been spared paying witness to Bulwark’s slow degradation.
“Do you know what you ask?” Cardinal questioned the other Flightless softly. “Are you truly prepared to sacrifice so much for such petty vengeances, vengeance you know full well will never strike those truly at fault for our suffering?”
“I know. I know what this’ll cost but I can’t - I can’t!” Bulwark’s intakes hiccupped, hysteria held back by the slimmest of margins, frayed control displayed in the helpless shaking of limbs. “I can’t do this without him. I thought I could. I thought that what we had would be enough for me, but it’s not. It’s not nearly enough for me ta do this without him. It was hard enough with him in Praxus, but with him d- I can’t! I can’t even - please. Please, you have ta help me.”
“I see.” Cardinal said, looking at Bulwark more closely. He and Interceptor had created a sparkling together, and while the stated intent had been service to duty, there had been much badly repressed, fervently devoted affection between the two mechs. They had not been bonded true, despite what trashy romance holos claimed bonding required the intent and consent of all parties, but Bulwark had known when Interceptor’s spark extinguished. Cardinal had thought at the time that the younger Flightless had sensed the death via Barricade’s creation bonds, but perhaps that was not entirely the case. Bulwark was devastated, the hole in his life a gaping void with jagged, tearing edges. Sooner or later Bulwark would find a way to follow Interceptor into the Well of Sparks, their sparks seeking each other’s even without a life bond. Cardinal sighed, wondering with bleak helplessness if it would have been better for his creation to not have loved so well and had his love so well returned. The priest looked at the mech who had been his creation’s mate in all the ways that truly mattered. “I will do as you ask of me, yet there is one condition you must meet to gain my compliance.”
“Name it.” Bulwark responded promptly, eagerly uncaring of the consequences.
“When you return from your missions, you are to reside here with me.” Cardinal raised an imperious hand to halt Bulwark’s automatic protests. “No. You risk enough, spying out leads on our lost kin. You will miss much of Barricade’s achievements, spending such lengths of time away from Vos in the strongholds of our enemies. I will do what I may to minimized the impact of that loss, for I well know that I cannot stop you from taking this path, no more than I could hold Interceptor back from fulfilling the task that led to his last mission. Breaking that gladiator trafficking ring ultimately cost my creation his life, just as this choice you have made will cost you your own in time. I know this, I have accepted it. I may be the head of this flock, but I am not Primus, nor the Winglord’s, to limit where you may and may not seek vengeance. Do not, however, think me pleased with your choice. Your death with not end our pain for all that it allows you to escape your own agonies.”
“I... thank you. I - it’s an honour, ta be accepted inta yer flock, Cardinal. I know I’m a mess. But I - Barricade’ll be fine. He’s a grown mech, and he’ll be starting with the Guardian Forces soon. He doesn’t need me ta hang around all the time.” Bulwark’s words were nearly reasonable, were it not for the tone of frantic pleading that overlay it all. Cardinal knew that was doing more than trying to convince himself he was doing the right thing, the younger mech was begging Cardinal to offer his permission for Bulwark to throw himself on the sword of the enemy that had claimed Interceptor’s life.
“Very well.” Cardinal said, resigned and accepting and hoping against weary hope that for once he was wrong. That despite the conscious decision made against it, their mutual longing had not created the ghost of a bond between Interceptor and his best friend. That Bulwark was not dying of grief by degrees, bleeding out silently in a way that no medic could stem. Cardinal could think of nothing more to say. “Very well.”
(Word Count: 837)
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So as the first to comment on my birthday post xianghua got to pick the subject of this fic post, and she picked, and I quote "ANYTHING from the 9 rings verse." So here you are hun, more Rings-verse for you. XP Let's see if I can post something ficcy for the next 25 days remaining, hey? XP
That being said, there are 19 slots out of 26 left for my birthday gifts for you all. Thusly, the first 19 comments on this post get to pick (character, pairing, verse and prompt) what I post next. Have a lovely day, peeps.
BTW, I had a rocking brithday, so big hugs and thankyou's to everyone who wished me well. I slept through my hangover, had a glass of water, and then sat down and wrote 800+ words. This's pretty much one of the best days I had in a year. (Of course, anyone who wants to write/draw/gimmie more birthday love is more than welcome to. I don't even care if it's late. XP)
Here there be dragons! I'm quite pleased with myself, I am. Not only did my Summons on my birthday get me a Guardian of Nature egg, but I bred myself a Silver egg today plus I caught three eggs for dragon breeds I didn't have. Yes, quite pleased indeed. ^_^
♥
♠
♣
♥
♠
♣