Still taking requests? How about Ricochet in #183?
tumblr with palettes - deathinheavens
we're not kids anymore.
No title available

No title available

Kiana Khansmith

#extradirty
h

Andulka
Mike Driver

roma★

No title available
taylor price
Show & Tell

shark vs the universe
Monterey Bay Aquarium

PR's Tumblrdome

★

Origami Around
sheepfilms
Misplaced Lens Cap

Product Placement

seen from United States

seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States

seen from Italy

seen from Malaysia
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from Germany

seen from Türkiye

seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from Germany

seen from United States

seen from Romania
seen from Russia

seen from United States

seen from Indonesia
seen from Türkiye

seen from Poland
seen from United States
@silenceofthe-llamas
Still taking requests? How about Ricochet in #183?
tumblr with palettes - deathinheavens
random moth royalty passing through from 2018…thought I posted these but I can’t seem to find them…potential repost?
What is Prowls favorite way to dominate Jazz?
from behind with his lovers face in the pillows. He really likes to rest his weight on Jazz’s back :>
Sooo I’ve been on a very, very long hiatus! I unfortunately don’t have much of an excuse; honestly it came down to poor health, and a huge lack of time, motivation, and ideas. I just really didn’t feel like writing for a very very long time.
And, also, a contributing factor to this: I lost all my work. Everything. I lost the entire plans for all of my stories, all the chapters or sections I’d written in advance, everything… all gone. I don’t want to go into details about why or how, but I literally have nothing and I don’t remember where I was wanting to go with anything because of how long a break I took, even before that mess happened. I hope that it’s understandable that I immediately lost the will to continue and write for a long while after that.
So, my current plans are:
For Stand Still Stay Silent;
Try and recover what I can for New Digs. I really loved writing it, and I might go back and rework some of the currently published chapters to fit in with the new ideas and plans, and also add in things I’d missed and forgotten about & then got too embarrassed to retcon in the past (like the job thing… I’d planned so much for it, and then I forgot to put it in?!?!).
Rewrite the first chapter of Into The Woods. I can’t say how different or similar it will be, but I didn’t actually really like the first chapter all that much, I just really wanted to get to the later chapters I’d written, and I’m scared it shows. Thankfully, some of these I still have the key phrases for on my phone, so I can work off those.
Do the Secret Santa gift I had promised Prallen I’d do. Sorry, my giftee. I promise I will get to it, I have an idea I would really like to do.
For Transformers;
I need to re-read everything, and I’d ideally like to re-write a few things, but honestly? Some I’ve already rebooted and I might just run with it like a wild animal and have some fun.
Little Red has some chapters in the far future that I’ve already done, and I’m half of mind to upload them anyway, out of order. (I also got a huuuuge surge of determination to get this written when I found fanart of it! I love you all so much. My heart is full.)
Early Bird is screaming for my attention and by god do I miss writing it so much!! I’m 100% gonna get to that at some point. I also have a load of half-finished chapters for it on my phone that I just haven’t had the courage to look at yet.
Experimental is my baby and my child and I really want to improve my writing skills before I crack open that particular egg again, but… I also really miss it too… so wild animal time it may well be.
Russian doll, I would like to get back to at some point, but I don’t really have much motivation for it right now. Maybe once I get back into writing for the others, it will come back, but don’t worry! I refuse to completely abandon it. I still have the drawing @theparallelwall drew of Demon Prowl on my phone as my background and I still genuinely have to hold back tears whenever I see it <3
Der Drache I also want to get back to! I still have a load of key phrases on my phone for it, which is super duper useful. So fear not, I will be going back to it.
For Voltron;
I have no plans and no intentions on coming back to it. Apologies. I just really don’t enjoy it as much as I did for the first season, and I am frankly super duper disappointed in the direction it went in (I don’t think I even watched past the third season…) & it’s greatly tainted my enjoyment of the series, which is a shame. I so so enjoyed it at first.
I hope this clears up some worries or whatever, I’m still getting story follow notifications and god my heart just soars whenever I see it!
doodled a wereJazz after rereading Little Red by SilenceoftheLlamas
<3 Thank you so much!!!
Got new meds from the doctor so hopefully they’ll actually do something this time. Had a couple look over everything and all confirmed they have no idea what’s wrong with me, but if this round of medication doesn’t work they’ll have to put me onto stronger, highly addictive meds and they’re super super reluctant to do that because I’m still young and it’ll be a life-long commitment type thing that could seriously fuck me up. Especially if it doesn’t help me.
Fuck this is not fun.
Next chapter of Experimental should be out soon though as I’ve been able to do a lot of writing! Finally got Word on my laptop so I’ve been able to work on stuff while stuck in bed, yaaay.
A single moment of sincerity
The longer they spent in space, the less they found themselves longing for a home they didn't remember. The only problem? Keith is the only one noticing that they're forgetting.
"Allura was persistently steering them away from the Earth, sending them away to planets further and further away until Earth was simply an idea, and the map no longer scrolled across enough to include their quant little galaxy."
They’d been in space for months, now.
Arus was now a distant memory, and Earth even further. How much time had passed on Earth? Hours? Days? Months? Years? They had no way of telling. They’d probably never go home again.
Even though no one admitted it, or even spoke about it, they all wondered how everyone reacted to their disappearance. Did anyone recognize them on the speeder that Keith used to retrieve Shiro? Were they considered fugitives? Were their families being interrogated? Did the world think that they were dead?
Blue had been seen, though. Were they hunting for Blue? Did they know that the two were linked; the Blue lions appearance and their disappearance? Did the public know about Blue? Did their families know about Blue?
There were so many questions, but they weren’t getting answers.
Allura was persistently steering them away from the Earth, sending them away to planets further and further away until Earth was simply an idea, and the map no longer scrolled across enough to include their quant little galaxy.
Little by little, Lance stopped talking about the beach. He stopped talking about his mum’s hugs; the way the sunlight sparkled on the surface of the waves, and how his hair felt after a day in the surf. Lance stopped tasting salt.
Hunks cooking slowly moved further and further away from Earth cuisine. When Pidge had asked for lasagna, it took him a few minutes to remember what lasagna even was. Hunk stopped talking about his family, too; Shiro had never mentioned any to begin with. Pidge gradually stopped mentioning her brother and father. She still insisted that she had to find her family, but every so often she would falter, and a confused look would flash across her face.
It bothered Keith.
They were forgetting.
The further from Earth they got, the more memories they lost. Keith didn’t remember how sand felt, how it scratched across his skin, the way it slipped through his fingers, the way it irritated his feet when it got into his socks. He remembered the blistering sun, the way his skin bubbled and turned red when he spent too long outside, waiting, listening, searching.
He didn’t remember what he was looking for.
He didn’t remember how he got here. All he knew was that Lance had brought him here, and that Red was his. That Red was all he needed, and he absolutely could not lose her.
“It’s pretty creepy, you know.” Lance had suddenly said one day, sat down on a rocky ledge overlooking a crystal lake with Keith.
“What is?” Keith had replied, looking up from where he was polishing his bayard.
“That we have Sendak in the basement.”
They didn’t exactly have a basement. Keith chose to not comment on that.
“Would you rather he be somewhere else?”
“No.” Lance shot back. “It’s just… weird. Knowing he’s that close to us. Do you think he listens to us?”
“He’s unconscious.”
“He may not be!”
Keith put his bayard away and stood up, knees clicking. “I wonder if you can swim in this lake.” He didn’t really want to talk about Sendak. He still wanted to punch the furry bastard in the face.
Lance’s forehead creased as he frowned for a second.
"It looks pretty solid to me, we'd probably skate on it instead."
"Didn't you live next to a beach?" Keith asked. "I didn't think the sea froze."
Lance frowned at him. "I didn't live by a beach."
Keith fixed him with a look. "Yes, you did."
"I think I'd know where I lived!" Lance snapped back. "Go back to your desert, Anakin." He roughly stood up and stalked away, a hand feverishly rubbing at his head.
"Who's Anakin!?" Keith shouted after him. Grumbling to himself, he looked back at the crystal lake.
He was pretty certain Lance had lived by the sea. Had their memories been degraded this badly? How come he remembered where his house was? The little cactus that grew just under his window? The pictures pasted onto the wall?
He didn't remember what the pictures were of.
Eventually Keith pushed himself up too and trailed after Lance. Maybe Hunk would remember?
Keith found Hunk in the kitchen, the bulky man rummaging in the cold store. The dull ache in his stomach told him it was almost dinner time, and Hunk was probably on dinner duty again. A welcome change from the goop the castle supplied.
"Hey, Hunk?" Keith asked. Hunk peered out from the cold store, ice clinging onto his fringe.
"Oh, hey Keith." Hunk cheerfully replied. "I was just looking for these tubers we found the other week on that yellow planet, the one with the furry things? Do you know where they are? I know a great recipe for them."
"I... Have no idea." Keith stuttered in reply. "I was actually gunna ask you something."
"What's what?"
"Do you remember your house at all?"
Hunk frowned at him, his eye twitching in a wince. "I think so? Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." Keith waved him off. "Good luck finding the tubers."
Hunk replied with his thanks before diving back into the cold store. Keith watched him for a moment before turning to leave the kitchen.
Allura politely smiled at him in question.
Keith simply nodded at her and set off to find Pidge and Shiro.
Pidge was sat by her lion, surprise surprise, and was tapping away on her laptop. She waved off Keith and told him to come back later. She was busy, she insisted. His questions could wait until she had finished decoding whatever her little hands had gotten hold of this time.
Shiro was nowhere to be found.
With a grunt, Keith slumped down outside the ship. He distantly heard Coran doing something on the exterior, the tinkling of bolts and the clanging of metal on metal reaching his ears. Lance was nowhere to be found, either.
Keith hated this. He knew something was wrong, people just didn't forget like this. They didn't forget where they used to live, for christs sake, they didn't forget what their home looked like or even where it was. It didn't happen.
Slowly but surely, all they were going to be left with were memories of Voltron. It would be as if Voltron was their life, and there had been nothing else before that.
It was wrong. It was so, so wrong.
"I thought you'd be training." Someone said as they walked towards him. Keith glanced up at them, the blue registering faster than their voice. Lance.
"Allura's recalibrating the programme." Keith replied.
Lance slowly sat down beside Keith. "I think you were right, before. About the beach."
"About you living there?" Keith asked.
"Yeah. I totally forgot. It's been so long."
"Come on," Keith said as he hauled Lance to his feet. "We should check out that lake."
Lance was about to protest when he saw that Keith wasn't looking at him. He saw Coran in the reflection on his eyes and bit back his words - Keith had reason to not trust Coran, and Lance had a feeling he should be trusting Keith's instincts.
"I'll race you!" Lance wriggled his hands out of Keith's grip before sprinting away, Keith only having a moment to register what had happened before he quickly dashed after him.
“L-Lance!” Keith tripped over his feet before he quickly regained his footing, Lance only outpacing him because his legs were so damn long. Who even needed legs that long?! Keith certainly didn’t, they just made bigger targets. The two raced down towards the shore, Lance leading the way and hastily jumping from rock to rock, his hands expertly gripping onto the rock face for balance. Keith’s hands quickly became sore. He didn’t seem to care.
“Come on, slow poke! Fastest paladin my ass!” Lance jumped down onto black sand, the saturated sediment splashing up onto his stark white shoes. Keith jumped down next to him a moment later.
“My lion is the fastest.” Keith corrected. Lance just rolled his eyes and waved him off.
“Details, details.” Lance walked towards the lake and poked the surface with his foot. It rippled. “Huh, what do ya know? It’s liquid.”
Keith knelt down and picked up a fistful of sand, letting it run through his fingers. It felt so, so familiar, but he just couldn’t place it at all. He knewit was home, he knew he should remember this, but… he couldn’t put the two together. Glancing up, he saw Lance was doing the same, his face twisted in confusion before his eyes widened and he looked decidedly panicked.
“This is so weird.” Lance looked up at Keith. “I know this feeling, but I don’t know why.”
“I think Allura is hiding something from us.” Keith replied, letting all the sand in his hand drop to the floor before brushing his hands off. “Nobody just forgets like this. Not unless there’s something wrong.”
“Do you think something happened to us?” Lance asked. “Shiro lost his memory from trauma, could’ve happened to us too.”
“Maybe.” Keith replied, squishing the wet sand between his hands to make small mounds. This was new to him – wet sand in the desert meant he was wasting water, so he didn’t do it. “But surely we’d have some memory of that?”
Lance plopped down onto the sand next to Keith. “Did Shiro?”
Keith shook his head. “I don’t remember.” He crushed the mound he was making with the heel of his palm. “His memories were triggered by similar events, though.” He poked his finger into the black sand as far as it could go, relishing in how cold it felt.
He could feel sand in the creases of his glove.
Keith looked out over the lake, only now realising that it was a spectrum of colour. He absently wondered what it looked like to the natives.
The sky was a rich plum colour, one of the three suns that illuminated the planet now slowly sinking below the horizon. Coran would be done with the repairs soon, and they'd have to get back on board before they continued on their journey.
"Do you think we'll ever go home again?" Keith asked.
"The castle is our home now." Lance replied, looking out over the lake. "We have to accept it."
Keith frowned. That wasn't what Lance would have said a month ago.
When the second sun had begun to set, Lance chattering Keith's ear off about some alien girl he had met and how she was so totally into him, Keith suddenly pushed himself back up off the wet sand. "I'm going back."
"Aw, you jealous?" Lance teased as he followed suit. "Don't worry, I'm sure some girls would like your mullet."
Keith felt a pang go through his chest, but he wasn't entirely sure why. He elected to ignore it.
"I'm not jealous." Keith spat, "I don't care about that kind of thing."
Lance continued to prod him the entire climb back up the cliff, Keith growing more and more annoyed before he had whirled and snapped at him toshut the hell up. Lance looked slightly taken aback, his eyes lingering just a moment too long on Keith's flushed face before he backtracked and promptly changed the topic.
Once inside Lance had excused himself to go find Hunk, which suited Keith just fine. The red paladin tapped his armour on the ground just outside the castle, shaking off any loose sand before he went inside and headed towards his room. He had a shower unit in there he could get the more stubborn bits of sand off in.
He felt like he was being watched. The castle walls seemed to be closer, more stifling than usual. Walls loomed over him, threatening to crush him under their weight.
Keith sped up.
Thankfully, his quarters were a safe haven. The walls opened back up, allowing him to breathe again. The lights filled the room with a familiar hum and crackle as Keith wriggled out of his armour and chucked it towards the bathroom door. He peeled off his clothes and grabbed his towel from the end of his bed.
Breathe, Keith. Just breathe.
The shower squeaked on, water pattering against the stark white tiles. Keith grabbed his sandy armour and dumped it into the cubicle, scrubbing at it with his hands as the water warmed up. Once deemed warm enough, Keith finished cleaning the sand up and hopped in himself, relishing in the warmth spilling out over his hair, down his back and shoulders. He ran his fingers through his dark locks.
…. Did he really have a mullet?
He scrubbed off the day’s dirt and sweat, almost missing the scent of his tropical shampoo that sat in his bathroom at home. He wondered if anyone had stumbled across his house, if they’d used his shampoos and soaps. If anyone had brushed their teeth in his sink, if they’d drunk that can of grape Fanta he’d been saving.
Keith could have bitterly laughed at how he remembered that stupid can of Fanta, but he didn’t remember what the desert felt like.
“Watch yourself, Lance!” Shiro warned.
As per usual, the Galra had managed to find them in the lone corner of a galaxy Keith couldn’t remember the name of. Did Sendak have a tracker on him or something? They always managed to find them, no matter where they hid.
“I’ll be fine!” Lance shot back, his voice cocky with laughter. The blue lion span around in the air, Lance’s laughter ringing out over the comms. Keith would have found it annoying if he wasn’t so preoccupied with the fight at hand.
His lion purred at him, a constant reassurance. I wont let these bastards get you, she whispered in images and emotions. They’ll never get you too.
Keith closed his eyes and breathed in deeply to steel himself, Red taking the controls for a moment as she spat hot plasma at a Galra ship that got too close for comfort. He slowly released his breath, and when he reopened his eyes they flashed gold.
Let’s do this.
He slammed the controls forward, Red hurtling towards the oncoming Galra.
“Remember, we’re a team.” Shiro’s voice rang through his head. “We work together. Don’t get separated, watch each others backs.”
Keith tuned out the chatter that followed. Pidge had said something about cloaking herself to take out an ion cannon, Hunk had replied with something that made Lance laugh.
Don’t let his laugh distract you, Keith.
“I won’t.” Keith groused back, not caring that he had spoken aloud as he tore through a drone.
“Who ya talking to, Keith?” Lance chirped, Keith watching him freeze a few drones from the corner of his vision.
“… Red.” Keith reluctantly replied.
“You do realise you don’t have to speak aloud to them, right?” Lance teased.
“Lance.” Shiro snapped in warning.
“I’m well aware.” Keith shot back before closing his end of the connection. Jackass.
He is distracting you.
“He gets under my skin so easily.”
Then get under his.
Keiths face flushed a bright red to match his lion. “I don’t think it’s that easy.” Keith mumbled in reply, directing Red back towards the others. He didn’t want to get too separated.
Then learn. Learn how to pick him to pieces.
“He’s my team mate!” Keith adjusted his grip on the controls. “I can’t hurt him, it’ll alienate myself even further.”
He has no issue doing it to you.
Keith didn’t reply.
Cat got your tongue?
“Let’s… just finish this.” Keith hissed back. “Then we can talk.”
Red purred in reply as Keith enabled his comms again.
They fell into a pattern. Dodge. Attack. Destroy. Next target. Wash, rince, repeat. The Galra drones were beginning to thin out, the warships beginning to retreat when they realized they were losing more forces than it was worth, especially when they couldn’t keep the ion cannons on for longer than five minutes before the gremlin they called Pidge disabled them. Keith managed to fool himself into thinking it was safe to relax a fraction, and he sighed in relief at the thought of the fight nearly being over. He could go back to his quarters and flop down on his bed, wrapped up in his blanket and finally finish that nap-
“Oh, shit!” Lance shouted out, Keith flinching in his seat and whacking his head around so fast his neck clicked.
“Lance!” Keith shouted out, whacking the controls forwards as he sped towards him.
Keith didn’t see where the shot had come from. All he knew was that Blue had a hole in her side, electricity arching over her body, and that she was being drawn into the atmosphere of the planet below them.
“Keith, wait!” Shiro shouted, but did Keith listen?
No.
He never was any good at listening.
Lance had said it himself. He was the fastest paladin. He’d get there the fastest; he’d be able to get to him before it was too late.
“I can do this, damn it!” He shouted back, pushing Red to her limit as he raced towards Lance.
Blinding pain shot through his side, a phantom ache radiating out across his abdomen.
What the hell?
“Keith!” Pidge shouted out, her lion jumping forward a step before she remembered what Shiro had said. Keith could her hear grit her teeth.
“Hunk, find out where those shots are coming from.” Shiro ordered, Hunk spluttering out a reply that sounded like an affirmative before he went silent. Keith could only imagine what he was doing inside his lion.
“We’re getting caught in the planets gravity!” Lance panicked, his lion twisting and turning as though trying to wriggle free. Keith belatedly noticed that her thrusters weren’t working, shooting sparks out instead of the blue flames they should have been. He tested his to no avail – they were in the same predicament.
“Our thrusters are shot.” Keith calmly informed them. “What’s the likelihood of us surviving the impact?”
“You can’t be serious!” Pidge demanded.
“I am. You’ll probably get shot at if you try to get us.” Keith replied. Lance was strangely quiet.
Pidge made a grumbling noise before she reluctantly replied. “You’ll have a few bruises if you hit a fluid, the lions will take the brunt of the impact. I’m not gunna say the same for if you hit something solid.”
“Oh, that’s so comforting.” Lance choked out.
“You two, try to aim for a body of water. We’ll come and get you when we can. Pidge, will you be able to track them?”
“Maybe? I don’t know. Allura will know where their lions are, though.” Pidge replied.
“I think the shots are coming from the planet,” Hunk said, “are you sure it’s a good idea to not try to get them?”
“What?! You’re letting us fall onto a hostile planet?!” Lance shrieked.
“We’re not letting you guys do anything-“ Shiro tried to soothe him, but to no avail. Lance had already activated Panic Mode.
“Lance, stop!” Keith hissed at him. “Panicking isn’t going to help the situation. Shiro, is there anything you could throw to us to try pull us away?”
“Not that I know of.” He admitted. “Would the momentum of you firing at the planet be enough to knock you out of its gravitational field?”
“I don’t think so,” Keith replied. “We’re in too far.”
Lance was far too quiet, now.
I thought his voice annoyed you? He’s a distracting little boy.
‘It’s distracting not being able to hear him now’, Keith replied. ‘I’m not sure if he got hit by that shot.’
My sister ensures me that he is fine, however she is a pathological lair.
‘So that translates to ‘he’s very much not okay’? That’s just excellent.’
She would be more panicked if he were severely harmed.
‘So Lance is just being a drama queen? That’s comforting.’
“We’ll meet you on the surface.” Shiro said, his voice steeled. Keith swallowed hard, not sure if he liked his tone. “We’ll try and do what we can.”
“So we’re just going to let them fall?” Hunk protested.
“What else can we do?” Pidge shot back. “We get close and then we’ll be in the same position!”
“Allura assures me that we can communicate with them from the castle and gain safe access to get you guys back,” Shiro cleared his throat. “Until then, just… try to get along, okay?”
“I hate you guys so much right now.” Lance sulkily replied.
Keith kept his mouth shut.
It felt horrible, watching the other three retreat back to the castle. Watching flames begin to lick over his lion, blocking out his visuals with dancing reds and oranges. Lance was but a blue smudge in his vision.
He regretted running after him.
Lance pinged him with a private communication. With a heavy hand, Keith reached out to accept it.
“Lance?”
“Where do you think we’ll land?”
Keith tried to turn his lion, but the forces acting on it forced him to stay put.
“Hopefully somewhere soft. Can you see where we’re going?”
“Nope. Can you?”
“Nope.”
A heavy silence fell over them.
Red purred, grabbing his attention.
The ground is close. Please be safe.
Keith adjusted his safety harness to better hold him in place, and made sure there was nothing close to him that could fly around and knock him out. “Red says the ground’s close.”
“Blue just said the same thing.” Lance replied with a nervous laugh. “This is going to hurt, isn’t it?”
“A lot.”
Lance audibly swallowed. “See you on the other side?”
“See you.”
Red snarled and curled into a ball, tucking her head in between her legs.
I wont let you be hurt. Not you too.
Keith didn’t know what she meant, but he closed his eyes none the less and covered the back of his neck with his hands.
I think I owe a bit of an explanation as to why my updating is so... dotty.
I’m sick.
Like, literally, I am ill. I have no idea what’s wrong with me, and neither do the doctors I’ve been seeing. I’ve had blood tests, the most recent one I’m about to get the results for in a few days.
I have anxiety and depression which is just making me even worse. I feel like I’m gunna puke 24/7 so I can’t eat, sleep, or even drink anything. Working is a nightmare, especially considering I work front of house and so I’m interacting with customers and their food and drink. I’m in constant pain. I feel like I’m either being stabbed, about to explode, or both. On a good day, I can manage a couple bites. On a bad day, I’m sipping water from a glass that lasts me the entire day with plenty to spare. I also have a phobia of vomiting, which just makes me even more anxious, which makes me feel even more sick - positive feedback is a bitch.
It feels like I have a mass in my lower abdomen, and I’m not sure what it is. I’ll probably point out here that I’m 100% not pregnant - I’ve done enough tests to put everyone to shame. It feels... blocked.
I update when I can, and I’m honestly so upset that I can’t do it as often as I like because everything is so draining. It’s so fucking frustrating, and I’m sorry.
End of the Year gift for @cosmicdanger, thank you so much for sharing and meeting seemingly all ideas with a super enthusiastic attitude, it’s very contagious! Thank you for everything you did for me this year, it meant a lot to me! I wish you the Best for the coming year, keep up your wonderful work!
Experimental updated
Nobility chapter 13
Guess which nutcase finally got this done! Totally didn’t take like... 2 years? i don’t even know anymore. Sorry.
Jazz's Carrier fussed over him as they waited. His Sire was just as fussy, although he was much better at hiding it. “Hold still!” Rhythm scolded as Jazz flinched away at the cold brush. “If this is messy, you wont be pleased!” “Nobody here knows what it’s meant ta look like anyway.” Jazz pouted. “Ah thought we were doing this Praxian style-“ “I wont have any of it.” Rhythm cut him off. “I was painted, your grandcarrier was painted, your great grandcarrier was painted – you are going to be painted too. With Primus as my witness, you will have this done properly.” Tempo just made a cutting gesture across his throat. Don’t fight it. Resigning to his fate, knowing that it’d probably get them in a bit of trouble, Jazz relaxed marginally and allowed his Carrier to paint him. “When this dries, it should only come up when you’re under a crystals light.” Rhythm said. “That way, if they have a problem with it, they can just change the lightning.” “But isn’t crystal light the traditional way to light things here?” Rhythm smirked. “Not our problem.” Evil, pure evil. Jazz looked up at his Sire to see what his reaction was, only to see him looking out of the window instead. His view of him was cut off when Rhythm stood and started attacking his face with the paintbrush. “There, done. That wasn’t so bad, was it?” She chided as she cleaned the brush and packed away the paints back into her subspace. “When can Ah move?” Jazz asked, feeling a little abused. “In a moment.” Rhythm replied before sitting down next to him. “I’m sorry this day isn’t exactly how you wanted it.” “Ah don’t mind.” Jazz replied, “It’ll be interesting ta see how they do things.” “I did try to make it more familiar for you, for us.” Rhythm gently placed her hand over her creations. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you. The mech on the planning committee… was a bit of an aft.” Jazz snorted with laughter while Tempo allowed an amused sound to escape him, giving Rhythm an affectionate look. “He wasn’t that bad.” He chided. “He has a stick up his aft!” Rhythm protested, “We couldn’t possibly do that, ma’am, think of the noise complaints!” She badly mimicked his voice, pulling a strange expression and sticking her elbows out, pressing her wrists to her hips to mimic wings. “Peh! It’s only a little bit of music, Primus forbid we enjoy ourselves at our creations bonding ceremony!” “It’s Prowls day just as much as it is Jazz’s.” Tempo reminded her, “Although I admit that I’m a little upset we were excluded from the planning.” “Might surprise us.” Jazz replied. Melody was making sure Reggae was okay and that his ability, should it go off, was it it's lowest setting to reduce the amount of danger it could put others in. Once satisfied, she too turned her attention on Jazz. Her older brother noticed how her hands trembled, even as she tried to hide it. By distracting his creators with the matters of attendance, Jazz took her off to the side. "Melody? What's wrong?" He asked, kneeling so to be closer to her height. "I had a terrible dream." Melody uncertainly began. "I know Sire says it's nonsense and Carrier tells me to ignore them but- it, it just felt so real and... I'm scared about you, Jazz." "What did ya see ?" He asked, taking her smaller hands into his own and gently rubbed the back of them. "You. I saw you, but... You didn't look like you. And Prowl, but he wasn't Prowl. Both of you were suffering, and there was screaming and you died-" the last word came out as a choked sob, and Jazz was quick to soothe her. "Shhh, shh it's okay. It's okay, don't cry, Ah'll be fine. Ah got ma trainin'." Jazz replied, making to stand as he heard approaching footsteps. "Is everything alright?" Reggae asked, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot. "Just fine. I was reminiscing with Jazz, is all." Melody said, wiping away the coolant that had gathered in the corner of her optic. "Apparently there will be dancing, would you be my partner?" "Unless anyone else asks you, yes." Reggae replied. "Are ya sure it's acceptable for siblings ta do that here?" Jazz asked. "Ah know ya don't have that kinda relationship but others may not see it that way." "I see no reason why we shouldn't." Melody firmly replied. "Besides, it's not as if we'll be doing anything major. Reggae can't dance." "Hey! I can do the living room routine-" "Only just, after lots of practice. Even the dance instructor gave up on you." Reggae just grumbled, folding his arms across his chest and huffing in embarrassment. "Whatever." "But from what Ah've been told, ya very good with ya trainin'." Jazz said. "Better than Ah was at ya age." "Apparently you were a late bloomer, focusing more on dancing than protecting yourself." Reggae replied. "Sounds 'bout right." "Sir Prowl won't like that." A new voice said. Five surprised faces looked up to see a femme standing in the doorway. "Ah, forgive me. I am Oort, ladyservant to Lord Smokescreen. It's a pleasure." "The pleasure is mine." Jazz replied, making to shake her hand. Oort stepped back, brushing against a table next to the door. The crystal sat on it barely moved. "That will not be necessary. I was sent to retrieve Tempo and Rhythm of Polyhex." Her optics landed on Rhythms. "It is a pleasure to see you again." "Likewise." Rhythm dryly replied. "Does our host wish to see us?" "He does, I shall lead you to him." With a sad parting glance, Jazz's creators left the room. Once the door was shut, Melody sighed. "She gives me the creeps." "Ah've never seen her until now." Jazz replied. "I wonder if she was away?" Reggae was fixated on the table by the door, and then stalked towards it, snatching up a small black box. "This wasn't here before." "Wha' is it?" "I think it's a camera." Reggae said, turning it to catch the light. When he saw what he wanted, he carefully prised it open. Sure enough, there was recording equipment inside. "Why would they want to spy on us?" Melody asked, flinching as Reggae clenched his fist around it, effectively crushing it. The pathetic sparks that followed proved that it was indeed now useless. "A question we'll have ta ask them." Jazz replied. "It could make things tense and awkward." Melody pointed out. "We should just wait and see what their reaction is." “It’s gunna be tense and awkard either way.” Jazz replied, “They have a reason for doing that, an’ Ah wanna know why they’re doing it to my siblings.” “So what do you suggest we do?” Reggae asked. “Ah’ll have ta wait until Ah’m alone with Prowl.” Jazz replied, “Ah’m not allowed to see him yet.” “I’ll go.” Melody happily replied. “There’s nothing stopping me, right?” “No, but-“ “See you at the ceremony!” Melody ran from the room. “Melody!” Jazz shouted, about to step out the door before catching himself on the frame. “Dammit!” “I’ll make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble.” Reggae replied, following her at a much more sedate pace. Jazz shut the door and huffily sat down, his hands itching to pick off the decoration on his frame.
Prowl was nervous. He knew Jazz. He knew him well. Could he say that he loved him? Probably not, but in arranged bondings that didn't matter. It mattered to Prowl, though. He'd work hard for Jazz. He didn't want to hurt him. He sat alone in his quarters, the serving staff seeing to his decorations having already been and gone. All he had to do now was endure an agonising wait before someone came to collect him. Leaving his quarters was forbidden in the off chance he saw Jazz. Polyhexian bonding ceremonies were vastly different to Praxian ones - he had tried to convince the planning committee to merge the two together but he wasn't sure how successful he was. This was Jazz's day as much as it was his; it wasn't fair to make Jazz celebrate their way. The last time he had spoken (read: argued) with them, it was 90% to 10% in favour to Praxian rituals. Prowl had been livid. If this day wasn't at least 60% to 40%, he'd be fuming and marching straight up to the dickwad who allowed it to pass. Hopefully Jazz wouldn't be too upset by this... Prowl tensed when there was a knock at the door. Swallowing his nerves, he stood and called for them to enter. Much to his surprise, it wasn't any of the serving staff. A young Polyhexian femme came in instead, quietly shutting the door behind her. "Sir Prowl," she said with a bow, "I hate to intrude." "At ease." Prowl walked over to her and gestured for her to stand, "You are not intruding." Melody released the breath she had anxiously held. "Cool! Uh- right." Melody frowned and bit her cheek. Foot in mouth already! Prowls facial expression didn't change, as indifferent as always. A good sign? Or a bad sign? She honestly didn't know. "Sir, please be kind to my brother." Prowl didn't know how to react. Who even was sh- Polyhexian... Jazz's little sister? Melody? It had been so long since he had seen her face to face he had almost forgotten what she looked like, and of course only Melody would have the confidence to waltz right into his quarters without invitation. "I will try my best." Prowl replied, kneeling down. "How is he?" "He's nervous." Melody honestly replied. "A femme Carrier gets snippy with has already given us trouble." Prowl frowned. "Do you know their name? I'll have a word with them." "No, I'm sorry. I think she mentioned Lord Smokescreen?" Melody silently cursed herself. Why didn’t she remember the name?! She knew it was weird as hell, but that was probably under Polyhexian standards… To Prowl it may not have been weird..! Was she the weird one now?! She almost didn’t hear his reply due to her mental rambling. "Was she with him?" "N-no." "Then I'll see to it that I will speak with them." Prowl assured her. "I am sorry for the trouble." "Thank you." Melody’s mouth was dry and she toyed with the thought of asking Prowl about her dream, when they heard footsteps approaching Prowls door. "Quick, behind the curtain." Prowl ordered, ushering her in the direction of the window. "I'm not sure how they will react if they see you here." Melody was quick to hide herself, crouching down so she was behind a table that the curtain passed. There was a knock at the door. Prowl called for them to enter. A few seconds later, the two of them had left. Melody waited a few minutes before leaving herself. Reggae was waiting for her around the corner. “Jazz is quite annoyed at you.” Reggae said, linking their arms together and walking down the hallway. “You’re not as bulletproof as you’d have yourself believe.” He scolded. “Oh yeah? Well at least I try get out a little!” Reggae didn’t bother to reply. He simply set his mouth in a line and continued to drag Melody back to where Jazz was. It was an argument they’d had many, many times before. A red, black, and gold femme stood by the altar. Her arms were crossed as she leaned from side to side, shifting her weight from leg to leg while she waited. A small vial of bright pink oil sat on the altar behind her, along with a length of silver and gold cord, a jar of salt, a hunk of mineral, a candle, and the feather of a turbohawk. A large crystal the size of a medium dog sat behind the altar, hidden from the crowd that was due to gather. Only close family and a select few friends would be allowed within this room. In the middle of it was a circle, laid out by a ring of crystals that hummed a familiar tune. During the ceremony, they would give the only light. A single chair was set close to the door. They assumed it was for the Lady of the citystate, although if the rumors were true she wouldn’t be attending due to poor health. A shame, as if the other rumors were true, this would be the only ceremony she’d be attending for her creations. Lord Smokescreen entered with Lady Rhythm and Lord Tempo, the latter two arm in arm. It was almost sickeningly sweet how close they were. Lord Smokescreen stood next to the chair, while the Polyhexian nobles stood to his right. Smokescreen raised an optic ridge at this, but didn’t comment. The femme walked over to the three of them. “Welcome, my name is Windblade.” “’I’m glad you could make it.” Lord Smokescreen said, allowing her to shake his hand. Tempo did the same, Rhythm instead leaning forwards and touching their cheeks together. Windblade took it in stride, mimicking the action. So they were Polyhexian, she thought. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Rhythm said as she pulled away. “What can we expect? This looks quite different to what we are used to.” “These crystals,” She said, pointing at the circle, “Will be used for lighting. Once the other guests have arrived I’ll turn off the lights and light that candle,” She pointed at the candle, “and the crystals will start glowing. The two intendeds will enter, Prowl through the left door and Jazz through the right. They’ll come together in the circle and I’ll take it from there.” She offered her a smile. “Nothing too elaborate.” Rhythm nodded and thanked her, although she still wasn’t satisfied. She had read through the datapad Lord Smokescreen had given her, however it was rather… lacking on what actually went on during the ceremony. All she knew was that the reception afterwards lasted two cycles, although neither Prowl nor Jazz were required to attend. It was simply something for the masses to enjoy and use as an excuse to get overcharged. Slowly, other mechs and femmes filtered in. A white and blue mech with optics the colour of honey slunk towards Tempo and Rhythm, stooping into a bow when in front of them. “My Lord, my Lady.” He greeted them. The taller green mech at his side dipped into a bow too, although clearly somewhat out of sorts. “Mirage, it’s wonderful to see you again.” Rhythm greeted him, the two straightening up. “And this is Hound, I assume?” The green mech stooped his head. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” “Likewise.” Rhythm smiled. Tempo was glad that his bondmate was handling the social interactions – he sucked at it. He simply gave both Mirage and Hound a nod. “Have you been well?” He asked the pair. “Very.” Mirage replied. He opened his mouth to continue but was interrupted by a loud cough. Jazz’s grandcreators stared at Mirage until he backed away. “They were friendly.” Hound said as the two of them left to find their positions, marked out on the floor by simple name cards. “I do hope you mean the Lord and Lady of our citystate.” “I do.” “Good.” Mirage sniffed. “Their elders leave much to be desired. I wanted to arrange a time to see them.” A few more mechs entered, a number looking distinctly Praxian, before Windblade called for quiet and turned off the lights. The candle on the altar was lit, and the crystals forming the circle in the middle of the room began to glow. It was almost ethereal. Windblade took her position in front of the altar and gestured to two doors, beginning when the two opened. “I welcome Prowl and Jazz who have come here today to join hands and celebrate their union to one another in the company of us all.” True to her word, Jazz had entered in through the right, and Prowl the left. Neither looked at the other, Prowl the epitome of indifference and Jazz the embodiment of well-contained nerves. Windblade paused for a moment as she noticed that Jazz was…. Shimmering. Were those designs painted on him? She risked a glance at the Polyhexian nobles and saw that the femme – Rhythm – had a smirk on her face. She glanced at Lord Smokescreen. He looked somewhat irritated. It was best to ignore it and just continue, she decided. When she turned her attention to the monochrome pair in front of her, she twitched when she realized that the two had swapped places – Prowl was meant to be on the left, not the right! Another deviation… Lord Smokescreen would not be pleased with these two. But she did like that they were breaking from the norm. She took Jazz’s left hand and Prowls right and gestured for them to kneel. Releasing their hands, she picked up the vial of oil and dipped her thumb in before smearing it across their foreheads in a streak of pink. “I anoint thee that Primus may smile upon your union. Blessed be.” Prowl stood first, Jazz being a second behind him. She took hold of their hands again. “You have come here together today, is it your wish to be bonded to one another?” Prowl went first. “Yes.” His gaze didn’t waver. Jazz gave a little nod. “Yes.” “Then I bind your hands in token of the bond you would make with each other.” Windblade took the cord from the table and began to intricately wind their hands together, Jazz’s left to Prowls right. She tied it off with a delicate little bow and gently lifted their hands so they were in sight of the other guests. “Let all present bear witness that Prowl and Jazz are jointed together as equals, as bondmates, supporting each other. Let Primus bring blessings upon them and on their union together. Blessed be.” Windblade gestured for Lord Smokescreen and Lord Tempo to come forwards. Lord Smokescreen knew exactly what to do; he firmply grasped one side of the crystal. Lord Tempo quickly grabbed onto the other side, and the two lifted it and brought it over to where their creations were standing. Lord Tempo allowed a small smile at his creation, who smiled back. Smokescreen and Prowl barely spared the other a glance. The crystal was placed down, and the two mechs backed away and returned to their places. Rhythm sought out her mates hand, her face a practiced mask of calm, but the way her fingers grasped his own and the emotions in the bond… it was obvious she was nervous. {It will be okay} {I hope so} The two hands that were tied together twisted to hold onto the other, their free hands coming up to do the same. And then Prowl finally looked at Jazz. He stalled. Beautiful was the first word that came to mind, but it didn’t feel strong enough. They weren’t covered in random splashes of paint like Prowl had initially thought when he’d seen Jazz in the corner of his vision – they were symbols, they were words, they were promises. He didn’t know what they meant, but later, when they were alone, when it was just them… he’d ask. Every single one, he’d ask, and he’d learn them. Jazz noticed that Prowl was staring at him, and nervously adjusted his grip on Prowls hands. Was his paint really that… bad? Worth staring at? It was standard for Polyhexians, it wasn’t even as elaborate as it should have been… But Prowl was staring with wide optics, his jaw relaxing as his bottom lip fell a little- Jazz allowed a small grin. Prowl liked it. He liked it. Windblade gave a small cough. Prowl seemed to jerk out of whatever reprieve he had fallen into, and glanced down at the crystal. Right. Next step. ::You have to jump over this:: He comm’ed Jazz, adjusting his grip to better hold onto Jazz. ::Jump?!:: ::On count of three, three, two…:: They both jumped over together, Jazz pulling his legs up higher than he probably should have to make sure he made the jump without nicking his feet on any of the protruding shardlings. Prowl gracefully sailed over and made sure Jazz landed properly, catching him when he stumbled slightly. The room filled with polite clapping, Windblade tapping the tips of her fingers to her palm as she smiled at the couple. When the noise had died down, she turned the pair around to face the crowd and lifted their joined hands above their heads again. “I call upon Primus to bear witness that here today, Prowl and Jazz have exchanged promises and are forthwith as one. Welcome them, watch over them, guard, guide, and protect them. Here I present you, Prowl and Jazz, bonded here today in the sight of us all. I bid you welcome them. Hail and welcome Prowl and Jazz.” After the room echoed her, Windblade smiled. “Blessed be.”
Holy shit
Things To Do To A Cybertronian
*Unpleasant Things
Hey! This list does contain some potentially triggering material, so feel free to cross out anything you don’t want to use/write. Could be used either as RP material, referance material, or if you’d like to shoot me a character and a number I could whip up a little drabble too!
Shadowplay (the use of mnemosurgery to alter one’s memories, beliefs, or personality)
Empurata (the surgical removal and replacement of the face and hands with a single optic and pincer-claws, used as punishment by the functionalist regime)
Vivincorporation (alterting a cybertronian into an inanimate object while keeping them alive and aware of their situation)
Circuit Boosters / Syk Dose (powerful and dangerous illicit drugs)
Slave Coding (coding that binds it’s victim to one or more masters, who cannot be disobeyed)
Cosmic Rust (a virulent infection that can creep over bots quickly)
Turned into a Sparkeater (an aggressive, feral, seemingly undead cybertronian with strange powers who feeds on the sparks of others)
Cybercrosis (an illness of the spark and body that slowly incapacitates and kills it’s victims)
Domestication (the trapping of a cybertronian in a beastmode form and reducing their intelligence to make them a pet)
Memory Wipe (what it says on the tin, could have multiple causes)
Spark Isolation (the removal of the spark and processor from the body, and isolation therof, as a form of punishment- sensory depravation)
Spark Transfer (the tranfer of a spark from it’s native frame into a different frame, resulting in a new body)
Reformat (the alteration of a Cybertronian’s body into something different, be it a new altmode or a new frametype)
Tainted Energon Mutation (created the Dinobots in IDW, known to result in spectacular or monsterous mutations)
Dead Universe Infection (gradually turns bots into the walking dead, or undead. Apparently also makes them purge black goo)
Dark Energon (the blood of Unicron, can influence bots to his will or drive them insane)
Terrorcons (ZOMBIES but not like your garden variety shamblers we’re talkin’ gross Resident Evil special zombies with probiscuses and stuff)
Note: for extra fun, mix continuities! Perform Empurata on TFA Optimus! Taint IDW Megatron with dark Energon! Give Blades from Rescue Bots Cybercrosis!
I’m so happy this is spreading I expect you all to tag me in any sinning you do with this list so I can see
Oh goody, more painful ideas for me to draw
hot diggity reference post
Russian Roulette
The Russian Doll AU! Part one - Had to split it in half.
Read it on Fanfiction or AO3.
Alternatively, read it under the cut.
Prowl stalked around the room. What was taking them so long? He wanted them. He wanted them, no, he needed them… now! “You are testing my patience!” Prowl shouted, the room shaking. He didn’t even flinch as things fell over and smashed; he could smell a sparkling, and he wanted it. There were rapid pedefalls as the mech who summoned him skidded into the room, clutching a sparkling to their chest. Prowl faltered when he took in its condition. It was… it was dying. That wouldn’t even earn their carrier a speck of gold… What were they thinking? Slowly, Prowl looked up at their Carrier. “He’s sick.” The mech panted. “Very sick. Please, help him…” They thrusted the child towards Prowl, and the demon had to fight to not take a step back. Ew. His nose scrunched up. He didn’t want to take care of it… “P-please! I’ll give you anything, anything you want.” “Anything at all?” Prowl purred in reply. Hmm, this could still work out to his benefit… “Yes! Just, please…” Prowl considered this for a moment before taking the sparkling from their Carrier. “What’s their name?” “Jazz.” “An…. Interesting name. Very well.” Prowl gently placed the sparkling down onto the sofa a few paces away. “Now, as for payment…” Jazz’s Carrier didn’t even have a chance to blink before Prowl was in front of him, claws piercing his chest and gripping his spark. “This will pay for eighteen vorns, I think.” Jazz’s Carrier coughed up energon, the life fluid splattering over Prowls face. The demon casually wiped it off. “I’ll be back in exactly eighteen vorns to take back what’s mine… It was a pleasure meeting you.” Prowl yanked the spark out of their chest and severed the cables, the other mech’s lifeless frame falling to the floor. Their spark pulsed weakly in their hands. Prowl carefully removed the cables and wires, taking care to not damage the dying spark. The moment it was clear from all scraps of metal and other internals, Prowl licked his lips and devoured it. There was a sob from behind him. Oh, yes. The sparkling. A deal was a deal. He’d provide it eighteen vorns. Licking his fingers, Prowl hummed to himself that their Carrier had so many more vorns left in them… Aah, no matter. What was done was done. He wiped the energon from his face and approached Jazz, quietly cooing to him. “It’s alright, it’s alright…” He quietly said, summoning his doll. He slipped it into Jazz’s arms and began humming as he swayed them from side to side, sending them into a deep recharge. Jazz woke up clutching the doll in his hands and wrapped in his blanket on the top of the stairs to the temple. The strange mech was gone. 090909 Prowl watched from the shadows as Jazz was taken inside by a Priestess. Good. He was inside, he was safe. His spark was safe. Quietly, he slunk away into the shadows. A few cycles later, Prowl returned. They had clearly read the note he had placed beside Jazz – his doll had not been taken away from him, and Jazz had been taken care of. Prowl crept closer and listened in to their conversations, but try as he might he simply couldn’t get near enough to make sense of them. However, he had the general gist of it; they were looking for somewhere else for Jazz to go. Prowl gritted his teeth. No! No, no, no! He had chosen this temple for a reason! He didn’t want Jazz to go anywhere else – how dare they! Prowl was half a mind to storm in there and demand they stop the mindless discussion, but he stopped himself. If he revealed himself, if he gave away that he had formed a contract that was keeping Jazz alive, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill Jazz and destroy the doll. And Prowl couldn’t be having that. Contracts weren’t to be taken lightly – they weren’t to be toyed with, they weren’t to be gone against or changed. Contracts were law. Contracts were set in stone. With a guttural growl, Prowl slunk off towards Jazz’s room. Jazz was sleeping soundly, still curled up with the doll. There were other sparklings around him, none of them older than three vorns, but none of them were as small or as weak looking as Jazz was. Was Jazz bullied? Was he allowed to do anything? Prowl wasn’t sure why he cared so much, if he was entirely honest with himself, however something was urging him to keep an eye on Jazz. Who knows? Maybe it would prove more entertaining than the mundane life on Unicron. He quietly stood over Jazz’s cot and looked over him for any injuries. Any dents, any scrapes, anything… There was nothing. He reached down into the cot to test Jazz’s reactions when he heard a noise at the door. A Priestess walked into the nursery to check on the children when she saw a dark shadow looming over Jazz's cot. She gasped and lifted her lantern in time to see the shadow slither out through an open window. She promptly shut and locked it, but she saw no trace of whatever it was on the street outside. Calming herself, she ensured the room was free of anything else and left the children in peace to warn the others. "Perhaps it is the ghost of Jazz's Carrier." The head Priestess said. "They did die rather violently, it's not unheard of for them to come back." "But this was malevolent!" The Priestess insisted. "Would a Carrier hold such feelings?" "There is much we do not know about this case." The Head Priestess replied, "How they died may have made them malicious and evil. Come, let us cleanse the room." They stood and helped the other stand up. "It may calm your nerves." "Thank you, Sol." "Anything for you, Neptune." The two of them walked towards the nursery while Prowl scowled at them. He was no Carrier. He had slipped out of the window when Neptune had walked in, and then snuck back in again through another. Stupid priestesses, leaving windows open all the time... It let mechs like him in, and while he had no intent of causing harm or touching the young, others did. Like that mech he'd torn a new one for outside by the rubbish disposal unit. They could find him in the morning. 090909 It was always Jazz. The shadow creature never went near the other children, nor any of the worshippers at the temple. As such, they didn't think of it as a threat, however it did cause concern for Jazz. Why was it just lurking around him? Was it truly his Carrier? And if so, why hadn't it attacked any of the priests or priestesses when they handled Jazz, or when the sparkling had pointed at Sol and chirped the sparkling cant for Caretaker? But then again, it had been unusually dark behind her that day. At night, Jazz could sometimes be heard laughing or nattering away to himself. It raised questions like 'who was he talking to?' As only one voice could ever be heard. And sometimes, if they were quiet, they'd see the doll he was found with move by itself. The word demon had been thrown around after that. Jazz couldn't stay. But the shadow wouldn't let him be taken. The mecha who arrived to take Jazz away were found deactivated upon the altar every single time, each with their spark casing removed and delicately placed into their hands to look as though they had removed it themselves. Anyone they sent themselves with Jazz was found in a similar fashion, Jazz back inside the nursery and babbling away with his doll in his lap. Soon, the offers stopped coming, and their requests were denied. It was clear. Jazz was to stay. Vorns went by, Jazz slowly but surely growing taller and taller. It became evident very quickly that he was blind as a bat, and so a visor was fashioned for him. Once, when he was but two vorns old, they tried to take the doll away from him. Jazz screamed. He screamed and screamed, clutching at his chest and dragging his hands down his face. Coolant spilled out from behind his visor as he thrashed, and it took three agonising cycles for them to realise it wasn't a temper tantrum and that Jazz was in absolute agony. The doll was swiftly returned. In the three cycles Jazz was without his doll, he was only quiet for a few joors a cycle. Much to their horror, he was bathed in shadows, and at first they believed him to be dead until they heard his ragged breathing. Once a vorn they tried taking it away, but the result only became worse and worse as time passed. Eventually they stopped trying and accepted that Jazz needed the doll to survive. Prowl was very pleased with this. Ziz had begun to poke fun at him, calling him soft and cushy after she had discovered Prowl had spent cycles sitting with the youngling to ease his illness and let him sleep. Prowl needed only a moment to turn and remind her she had reproduced to shut her up. "You've been no fun since you've had your little project." Ziz complained. "I miss it when we used to hunt mortals together." "A contract's a contract." Prowl replied. "Eighteen vorns is nothing to us." "I know, but... Still. It gets kind of lonely when no one can keep up with you." "I'm sure the big guy can." "He's too busy messing around with that Shrink. What's his name? Rang?" "Close enough, I don't particularly care for the details. Let him do what he wants." "He's getting just as cushy as you are!" Ziz thrilled. Prowl poked her stomach. "Pot, meet kettle." "Ow!" "You very much deserved that." "I've just eaten!" "Oh no, a shame. Truly." Prowl deadpanned. He looked down from the rooftop they were both sat on to the alleyway below. The remains of Ziz's last meal were still there, the few scraps of tough metal in a pool of bright pink energon. "It was kind of tasty, too." "Probably a tourist." Prowl sniffed. "I'd better get back; something doesn't feel right." "Sure, sure. See you round, papa Prowl." Prowl snarled at her. "Do not call me that." "Wow, testy much!" Ziz hopped to her feet and took a few leaps backwards. "Like a protective father!" She transformed and flew away before Prowl could reach her. Grunting and throwing a rude hand gesture at her, Prowl began to return to the temple. Jazz was sat in his room, right out towards the edge of the temple (out of sight, out of mind as Prowl had heard Luna put it) with a stylus in one hand and a datapad in the other. Luna was walking swiftly towards his room, and Prowl found himself possessing his doll. It was sat on Jazz's lap, and Prowl wriggled to adjust himself into a comfier position. "Hi!" Jazz whispered, petting the dolls head. "Sorry, Ah can't talk right now-" "Luna's on her way." Prowl finished for him. Jazz fearfully looked at his datapad - oh, he wasn't finished! "Seriously?! Ah'm not finished!" He whispered urgently as he leaned forwards and began furiously scribbling, digits wildly tapping on his calculator. "Math problems?" "Yeah." "I'll help. Show me the pad." Math, Prowl could do. Jazz was on his own when it was literature or writing; anything artistic at all. Music, strangely, they weren't letting Jazz study. Jazz finished the last one just as Luna knocked on the door. "Come in!" Jazz chirped as he put the datapad and stylus down. Luna gently opened the door and stepped in. "Oh? Finished already?" "Yeah. They were quite difficult." "I see," Luna picked up the datapad and briefly looked over it before subspacing it. "Well, this was simply meant as an endurance test..." Jazz tried to not show how much he was soiling himself. Luna closed the door and locked it. "You've shown me you can endure some quite difficult things," she said, quickly swiping the doll. Jazz gasped and bit back the pained cry desperate to escape him. His chest burned. "Let's see how well you can endure this. I'll step back, and you'd endure. Understood." Jazz couldn't reply. Luna patted his helm and ignored Jazz's pained whimper as she took a step back. A minute later, she took another step back. Jazz's helm felt fuzzy. He couldn't feel his legs. Another step. Jazz couldn't see. His helm was empty. All he knew was pain. Another step. Jazz passed out. "Oh? Already?" Luna said, about to step towards Jazz when suddenly a black smoke whipped out of the doll and materialised in front of here. Demon! Her optics widened and the doll was dropped as Prowl grabbed her neck and threw her against the wall, holding her there with a clawed hand. "Now," he purred, "Let's not do that again, hmm?" He gave a hard squeeze for good measure and dropped her to the floor. Stooping to pick up the doll, he gave her a harsh look that had her scampering from the room. Jazz slowly came to on his berth, doll clutched in his arms, and Sol looking down at him. "Oh, Jazz..." She murmured. "What have you got yourself into?" Prowl knew he couldn't stay here any longer. Now they knew a demon was here, they'd begin to connect the dots and hunters would be called in. Frag, he hated hunters. 090909 Hunters were called in before Prowl could think of any way to convince Jazz to leave. Ziz wasn't much help either; she just teased and teased him. She strangely became very tight lipped when questioned on the location of her twins, however. Jazz was led - dragged might have been a better word, actually, towards the altar room. Three hunters were stood there along with the other ten priestesses. None of the priests were present, all scurrying around the city repairing the wards and putting up new ones in the hopes of keeping the citizens safe. Luna scowled at the doll, rubbing at her neck. The dents were long gone but the disgrace still remained. Sol looked as impassive as ever, quietly talking to the three hunters as Mercury finally let go of Jazz. Neptune quickly ran up to him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry," she quietly said to him as she bent down slightly to be level with him, "I'm sure they won't take your doll away." "Wha' if they take me away?" Jazz asked. "They won't." Neptune promised. As Sol coughed, Neptune gave Jazz one last reassuring squeeze on his shoulder and stood in between Pluto and Uranus. "The youngling." Sol gestured to Jazz. "His name is Jazz." Jazz waved at the three hunters. One waved back at him. "So, what're we looking at?" The tallest one asked. He would blend in perfectly with a desert, the oranges and browns melding into an excellent camouflage. "His doll." Sol replied. "It is rather unusual." She beckoned Jazz over. Jazz clutched his doll and looked nervously between all of the adults before backing away slightly. Neptune twitched as though she were about to break line and comfort him, but Pluto stood on her foot. "It's alright kid!" The one who waved at him said. "We won't take it off ya. Come here, lemme see it. You've kept it so clean." Uncertainly, Jazz edged towards them. Prowl glared at Jazz. Was he an idiot?! Suddenly, the dolls head turned away from Jazz and towards the three hunters. Each of them jumped slightly. "Uhm?" The third hunter asked. He was black as night with a bright yellow visor, and a very cultured accent. Jazz stopped moving and looked down at Prowl. "We talked abou' this." Jazz quietly scolded as he turned the dolls head back around. "You weren't going to move!" "I don't wish to go closer." "Ya could have tapped me!" "No!" Prowl scrambled out of Jazz's arms and clambered around him to perch on the opposite shoulder. "Hunters are bad! Bad hunters! Bad!" "Ah'm sorry, he's already decided..." Jazz apologised to the hunters. "What are ya names? Maybe introducing ya selves will help." "No need." Prowl spat. "Tall and gangly is Outback, short sweetie's Quarry, clever clogs is Hum." "I know that voice." Outback growled. "Glad you remembered me, sweet cheeks." Prowl replied, laughing to himself as he wriggled closer to Jazz. "But let's save our reunion for when you won't be showing off to the ladies. They're celibate anyway." Outback looked taken aback before he bore his teeth. Quarry placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "I think we're done here." Hum said before anything else could happen. "Sorry, high priestess, but there's nothing we can do for you except wait until Jazz no longer needs the doll. I take it he does?" "Yes, he does." Sol forlornly looked at the floor. "He suffers greatly if they are apart." "Carrier dead?" "I... Yes." Sol faltered at the tactless question. "Then you've got a long wait ahead of you. Blessed be." The three of them left the temple while Prowl slid back into Jazz's arms. All eleven of them turned to look at Jazz. Jazz tried to ignore them as he made to return to his room. "Wait just a minute-" Sol attempted to stop him, a stern snap in her voice, but Neptune swiftly stopped her. "I'm sure that wasn't on purpose." She quietly said. "Even so, I must speak with him." Sol marched over to him and tightly held his hand. "Walk with me a while." It wasn't a request. Jazz struggled to keep up with her. Prowl chattered at her from Jazz's arms, optics glued to her. Sol ignored him. When they were as far away from the others that they could get, Sol suddenly turned and yanked him towards her. "Why didn't you tell us about this?" Sol demanded, gesturing to the doll. "Ah- Ah didn't want ya ta take it away-" "It's a demon Jazz, you need to tell us these things!" Jazz's breath hitched at demon and he didn't hear what else she said. "It's a demon?" He quietly asked, voice shaking slightly. "... You didn't know." "No." Sol rubbed her hand across her face. "How do you know I'm not his Carrier?" Prowl teased, grinning widely at her. "Because his Carrier wouldn't have made the hunters react like that." Sol snapped at him. "That, and ghosts can't possess things like you appear to." "Ooh, that's what gave me away? Darn, should have kept my mouth shut." Jazz pinched his doorwing. "Ow!" Prowl howled, "Why did you do that?!" "Be nice!" Jazz scolded, "Why can ya never behave?" "I can if I want to." Prowl blew a raspberry at him. "It's in your best interests to behave." Sol sternly replied, "I'm most displeased as to what you did to Luna." "Luna?" Jazz asked. "Don't worry, Jazz. Not your concern." "Rude." Prowl said. In a fit of anger, Sol grabbed Prowl and lobbed him down the hallway. Jazz gasped, clutched his chest, and promptly fell to the floor. "S-Sol why-!?" "I'm sorry Jazz." Sol dropped down beside him and stroked his helm before standing and making her way towards the doll. Prowl picked himself up and dusted himself off. "That was awfully rude." Jazz's visor flickered off, and Prowl internally rejoiced. Excellent. He can scar this one too. "Seeing as you've knocked my charge out..." Prowl left his doll, a dark smoke filling the hallway and enveloping Sol in darkness. "I can do this." One of the many tentacles protruding from his back picked up his doll and tucked it under Jazz's arm, while another sought out Sol and grabbed her arm. She was tugged towards him, and soon two clawed hands were wrapped around her lithe upper arms, and she could feel his breath against her face. Sol couldn't breathe. She was terrified, she couldn't move, she couldn't see, she couldn't feel anything- "I know what you're planning." Prowl growled into her ear. Sol jerked at how... Rough it sounded. In the doll he sounded childlike and friendly, but in his physical true state... He sounded dangerous. Far too dangerous for Sol to face alone. She had made a mistake bring Jazz far away, she had made a mistake thinking he was a lesser demon. No, he was far, far from that. "I know you plan on killing him in hopes that it will make me easier to kill. It won't. It will just make me furious." Prowl squeezed her arms hard enough to crush the metal, and Sol cried out in pain. "And that will not bode well for you or this city." "You're wrong..." Sol swallowed hard, "We were going to kill you first." "I'd like to see you try." Prowl purred into her ear. Sol felt the rush of air and then the impact with the ground, skidding a good few meters. She groaned as she rolled onto her back, nursing her crushed wrist. She had landed on it badly. "Go." Prowl was storming towards her. "Fetch the others." He was grinning at her, a wild spark in his optic, "This will prove most entertaining." Sol shook her head. "No. I refuse to offer them for slaughter." "Then I'll just have to find them myself, won't I?" He grabbed Sol again and began stalking back the way they came, taking any opportunity he had to smack Sol into the wall. "Please, stop-" "Shut up." Prowl snapped. Sol went very still as they reached the chamber the others were still in, nervously waiting for Sol to return. Well, Prowl would give her back. He adjusted his grip on her and threw her at the doors. Unlocked and partially open, she went straight through them and smashed into the altar in the middle of the room. Prowl stalked in after her, purple optics a storm. Neptune gasped. "Please understand," Prowl began, surveying the other priestesses, "I am only protecting my charge." Neptune stood close to the door, hands clamped over her mouth as she watched in horror. 'protecting my charge'? What were they going to do with Jazz?! Where was Jazz?!? "Jazz!" She shouted, beginning to run out of the room. "Don't you dare leave!" Sol spat at her, "Don't you dare turn your tail and run!" "B-but Jazz-!" "Doesn't matter right now. The hunters will not help us, fine. We'll deal with our infestation ourselves." Prowl raised an eyebrow at her. "Infestation? There's but one of me and eleven of you. I hardly think that's fair." "It's more than enough to beat you." Sol picked herself up, ignoring the way her body stung and protested. "Everyone, fifth scripture." Prowl calmly stared at Sol as the other occupants of the room encircled him. Scriptures were ancient techniques. He'd fought against those for as long as he could remember, however in recent centuries they had fallen out of favour as new technology came in... This was going to be an easy fight. Sol led the movement and chant, the other priestesses following her effortlessly. Well practiced, Prowl absently thought as he silently watched blades of light form in a circle around him, one for every priestess, and promptly stab him through the middle. A number of rings formed between them. Scripture five, the light seal. It was so damn easy to break for Prowl, but where would the fun be if he let them know that? "Ancient techniques. Haven't seen this in at least a century." Prowl commented. "We follow the teachings of old." Sol replied. "I should come here more often, I miss this." Prowl patted the light blades. He couldn't move his lower body much - he wasn't supposed to be able to move it at all, let alone feel it, but alas they had underestimated him. Scripture thirty might have managed it, the fire seal. "Unfortunately you won't have a chance to." Luna replied. Neptune worried her bottom lip. "By the way, Neptune," Prowl turned to face her, "Jazz is fine." She released her bottom lip and gaped at him, unsure as of how to respond. "He's still unconscious, though..." Prowl pretended to mull that thought over in his head. "I'd appreciate it if you checked up on him." Neptune glanced between Sol and Prowl. "Ignore the moody bitch." Prowl prompted. "Just go." Sol gaped at Prowl. Neptune nodded and ran from the room. Prowl slowly turned to look back at Sol. "Now, should we get started properly? I have an itch on my knee and I just can't reach it with these..." Prowl demonstrated by lifting his knee up, hitting the light blades. Everyone in the room froze. Prowl tapped them and they promptly shattered. "My turn." Prowl darkly growled before lunging at Sol. 090909 Neptune sprinted away. Prowl had let her go for a reason, and she wasn't about to question it. Finding Jazz wouldn't be hard, she only had to follow the trail of destruction Prowl had made... Had he done it on purpose? To lead her to Jazz? What a weird demon. Sol's understudy turned the corner, running towards Neptune. Neptune immediately stopped her, standing in her way. "Neptune, move, I need to see what's happening!" "No! No, you are not to go near, it's not safe. We have it handled." "Is that why you're running? You coward." "I was told to keep the young safe." Neptune snapped at her. "Don't you dare speak to me like that. You may be Sol's understudy but you are still an understudy. You have much to learn." The femme meekly nodded. "Yes, ma'am." "Good. Now go to your quarters and don't let anyone else leave. You will die if you do." She nodded and ran back the way she came. Neptune knew that she wouldn't listen. She continued on towards Jazz, gasping when she saw him on the floor. The doll was clutched in his hands, and his visor was just beginning to flicker online. "Jazz? Jazz are you okay?" Jazz slowly looked up at her. "N-Neptune?" "Yes, yes, it's me. You're okay, you're safe." "Where's Sol?" Jazz asked, letting her help him stand. He clung tightly to her arm. "She's... In the main hall. Come on, to bed with you..." "We were talkin' when she took ma doll away..." Jazz mumbled into her elbow, "Ah don't know why they keep takin' it away." "They're confused and afraid." Neptune replied. "It will be fine." "Wha's happenin' righ' now?" Jazz asked, flinching when he heard a loud bang. "They're dealing with something." Neptune replied. She wasn't sure what outcome she wanted. If the demon died, Jazz died, but if the others died... She'd be on her own... Or she'd be next. They tapped in the code to Jazz's quarters and went inside. Jazz hopped up onto his bed, and Neptune sat down beside him. She felt sick. "’Tune?" Jazz asked, wriggling closer to her. "It's nothing." She replied, moving so her back was against the headboard and allowing Jazz to crawl up into her lap. "Would you like a story?" "Yes please." "Well, once upon a time..." Neptune launched wholeheartedly into a story, telling Jazz about wizards, and dragons, and legends old. Jazz listened with a bright visor, enraptured by the tale until a piercing scream stopped them both in their tracks. "Wait here." Neptune ordered even as Jazz clung to her. "Please, let go, you have to stay here-" "Don' go." Jazz shivered. "It doesn' feel right." Jazz was right. Neptune felt a cold chill settle around her spark, suffocating her. Had the understudies disobeyed her? There was a rapid knocking at the door. "Neptune! Neptune!" "My understudy." Neptune said, scooping Jazz into her arms and opening the door for her. She stumbled in, energon splattered on her frame, and quickly clung onto Neptune. "I stayed, I listened I stayed in my quarters but... The others, they didn't come back! They said they would, they said they'd be a moment, but they...!" "Hush, shh child." Neptune shut the door. Jazz shook as he looked at the understudy. "Triton?" Jazz shakily asked, "Why are you bleeding?" "It's not mine." She sobbed, finally letting the coolant spill from her optics. "It's not mine." "Were you seen?" Neptune sternly asked. "I was." Triton trembled. "The-the thing just looked at me, looked at me and told me to find you." "And everyone else?" Neptune nervously asked. Triton shook her head with another sob. Neptune pressed her lips together as coolant prickled her optics. "Jazz?" She gently said to him, trying to place him down onto the berth. "Jazz, wait here. I'll be right back, I promise." "Ya won't be will ya." Jazz said with a quivering lip. "I will." Neptune replied, kissing his forehelm. "Your doll will keep you safe until I get back, okay?" "Okay." Jazz eventually replied. Triton pressed a wet kiss to his cheek, her face still wet with coolant, and the two left Jazz in his room. Jazz curled up under his covers, clinging to his doll, and began to count. Meanwhile, Neptune and Triton ran through the hallways to where Prowl was waiting for them. "Was anyone alive when you left?" Neptune asked. "Sol and her understudy where, but the creature was holding them with its tentacles." Triton replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if Sol is deactivated. She'd taken the brunt of his attacks." "Are we going to die?" Triton shakily asked. Neptune knew that Triton still had her family. It was by choice she came here, not by necessity. She didn't get on with them at all, but it didn't mean she didn't want to leave without saying goodbye. "I don't know." Neptune answered honestly. The doors were torn from their hinges and energon spilled out into the hallway, some splattered against the wall opposite. Neptune felt sick. The two slowed down before walking in, Neptune stumbling as she kicked the lifeless corpse of Uranus. "Oh Primus..." She whispered. All of them were dead. Every single one of them, their spark casing torn from their chests, much like they had seen before... She grabbed Triton and pulled her to stand behind her. The demon would not get her too. "Jazz is safe." Neptune said as bravely as she could. Prowl was sat lazily on the altar, watching the energon on his clawed hands glow and shimmer. "Good. Thank you." Prowl stood up and walked towards them. Neptune tensed, ready to shove Triton away from him, when Prowl simply walked past them. "I'm sorry about this." Prowl said as he came to a halt slightly behind them. "I'm sorry to leave you with these memories and this mess." "You said you were protecting your charge." Neptune replied. "What did you mean by that?" "They didn't tell you, did they?" Neptune shook her head. "I thought as much. They were planning on killing Jazz." "They what?!" "I know you care for him and wouldn't hurt him, I won't touch you. Thank you for checking on Jazz for me." "It's my duty." Neptune replied. "Of course." Prowl gave her a knowing smirk. "I'll leave now." "Are you taking Jazz with you?" "I have to." "Will I be able to see him again?" "If he asks for you." "Thank you. You're too kind." "I have been told I'm getting soft." Triton was amazed at how calm and levelheaded Neptune was being. "One more question." Neptune turned so Triton was behind her again, placing herself in between her student and Prowl. "What is your name?" "Prowl." 090909 "Where are your twins?" Prowl asked her. Ziz turned around with a look of amusement before she noticed the bundle in Prowls arms. "Is that..?!" "It is." "Prowl, why did you do this?" "They were going to kill him, and they offered a promising fight." "I don't know why I expected any different." Ziz groaned. "Fine, come on. I'll show you." Ziz dropped down through a hole in the roof. The shanty town Prowl had found her in was rickety, run down, and crawling with demons. Typical. Two centuries ago, it would have been a hunters paradise. "Yo, is he asleep?" Ziz pointed at Jazz. "I put him under a sleeping enchantment." "Good, it won't be good if he remembers this." "I know." The two continued on down winding streets and endless alleyways, finally ending up at a shabby run down building. From the size and shape of it, it used to be a factory. Ziz knocked a tune on the door. "Ah, Ziz, we weren't expecting you... And Prowl? This is a surprise..." The femme who answered replied. Her optics were milky beyond description, her frame an off white. "Hello, friend." Ziz replied. "We have someone else to leave in your care." "The little one Prowl holds?" "Yes. His name's Jazz." Ziz gestured for Prowl to hand him over. Prowl hesitantly did. "He is special." The femme said. "He's my charge." Prowl replied. "Ah... Things didn't go too well at the last place." "They turned rather sour." "So I saw. Your twins are sleeping much like this one, my friend." She turned to Ziz. "Would you still like to see them?" "Not this time. Thank you, I'll be back soon to collect him." "Farewell." The femme went back inside, Jazz in her arms. "Oracle. Your twins are with Oracle." "Yup. We've been friends since we first met." "How come you never introduced us before?" "She is not fond of you." Prowl immediately tensed. Would she do anything to Jazz? "Jazz is safe, don't worry. She doesn't hurt kids." “It still doesn’t feel right.” “What’s a blind Seer going to do anyway? Besides, I’m sure my twins will take to Jazz straight away. They wont let her do anything.” True to her word, the twins did take to Jazz. They had woken up when they heard the knocking, and were sat in their room as Oracle walked in, Jazz in her arms. “Who’s that?” The red one asked, leaping out of bed and running over to her. “They don’t smell like us.” “They smell like you.” The gold one continued, copying his twin. “Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, settle down. This is a new friend.” Oracle knelt down and showed them Jazz’s face, the youngling still wrapped in the blankets and fast asleep. “His name’s Jazz. He’s under a sleeping enchantment, he’ll wake up very soon.” They noticed that he was clutching a doll. “Their doll looks like the mean one.” Sideswipe’s face scrunched up. “Jazz is his charge.” Sunstreaker frowned. “Poor Jazz.” Oracle placed Jazz into Sunstreakers berth, and the two twins settled down next to him, the younger mech in between them. “You are to fetch me when he wakes up!” Oracle instructed. The twins chirped the affirmative before Oracle left. A few moments later, Jazz began to stir. He looked to the side and saw Sunstreaker staring back at him. He looked to the other side to see Sideswipe. He jumped up in shock and scrambled away from them. “W-who are ya?!” He demanded, throat hoarse. “Where’s Neptune?!” “Who’s Neptune?” Sideswipe asked. “I’m Sides, this is my twin Sunny. He doesn’t talk much.” Sunstreaker pinched his twin. “Where am Ah?” Jazz asked, finally looking around himself. “This isn’t ma room.” “It’s our room.” The twins said in unison. “Although I guess it’s also your room too now.” Sideswipe continued. “Did Neptune bring me here?” Jazz asked. “Nah, Carrier did.” Sideswipe replied. “Hey, Sunny, can you tell auntie he’s awake?” Sunstreaker hopped down from the bed and ran out of the room. “Ah wanna go home.” “This is home now.” Sideswipe chirped. “It’s not so bad, we get trained here and we can play, nap, listen to music-“ Jazz perked up at music. “Music?” “Yeah, didn’t you get that before?” “Ah did when Ah was with Carrier, but when he died the priestesses never let me have anythin’ ta do with music.” “Cruel! Music is great, I’ll show you when auntie says it’s okay.” “Who’s auntie?” “The one who looks after us.” This was going to take getting used to. 090909 Prowl never came back to the doll. To begin with, Jazz would sit there and stare at the doll, occasionally poking it to no avail. Once or twice, he had thrown it in frustration, only to wake up to the twins panicking beyond belief and Oracle handing him a steaming mug. Jazz didn’t know what it was, but it was delicious and made him feel better. It was vorns until Ziz and Prowl returned. In that time, Jazz had worked out his subspace and the doll was kept in there. The twins had grown taller and taller, getting rougher and rougher with each other until they could no longer safely train with Jazz. But that didn’t stop them. Oracle could do little but lecture them afterwards as she was patching Jazz up, but the three of them would just exchange a grin and the cycle would repeat. As the twins got older, they also started to show signs of their heritage. When they first met, their optics were blue and they had no other distinguishing features, but as they aged their optics became tinged with purple, their hands sharper, and small spines began protruding from their arms. A series of lumps appeared on their upper backs too. One cycle, auntie couldn’t sit still. Usually she would sit in front of her fire, a smoky crystal in her hands and rune stones scattered at her feet. She would call out what she saw to a recorder, and then send one of the twins out to the drop box so her customers could get their fortune. She never dealt with any of them, and it was entirely anonymous. But this cycle… She saw no one. She did no fortunes. She just paced, over and over, wringing her hands and fingers. Eventually, the twins and Jazz distracted from training, the trio tried to find out what was wrong. “It’s coming to the door, it’s coming now.” She said, sitting down in her chair, head in hands. “Jazz, Jazz, you answer the door. The twins cannot be seen. Please, please go.” A few moments later, there was a loud knocking at the door. Uncertainly, Jazz got up and did as he was told – he answered it. “Hello?” He uncertainly asked before he looked at the pair who were stood in front of him properly. The mech, he looked vaguely familiar, and the femme… her face, she had the twins face. The mech froze when he saw Jazz, almost dropping the femme to the floor. She was barely conscious, that much was evident by how much she was leaning against him for support and by the energon that covered her frame. Jazz didn’t want to look at her injuries. The mech didn’t look that much better, but he was lucid and upright. Jazz did all he could do. He stood aside and let them in. “Auntie!” He called, running into the living area, “Auntie there are hurt mecha at t’door!” Oracle looked up blindly at the two who stumbled into view. Her face set into a grim line. “What mess did you create this time?” She snapped at the mech, the three younglings sharing a look. She had never snapped at anyone before. “I didn’t do anything.” The mech hissed at her, “It was hunters. Mixcoatl is back.” “The Blade?” The Oracle asked, gesturing for the mech to take the femme over to one of the sofas, “Oh, I knew. I knew. I saw.” “Of course you did,” he huffed as he set her down, “What about her?” “She’ll make it.” Oracle turned to the twins. “Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, please collect some water and the medical kit, please. Jazz, please see to Prowl.” Jazz nodded and followed the twins, helping them to carry everything back. Prowl was pacing the room, leaving a trail of energon. “Uh, excuse me?” He quietly said, trying to catch his attention. Prowl immediately stopped and looked at him, faltering only slightly in his movements. “Can ya sit down?” Prowl slowly sat down into a spare seat. Jazz hopped up next to him, a small bowl of water in hand and a medical kit sat on the back of the chair. A ragged cloth was dipped into the water, wrung out, and then gently dabbed around the open wounds on his chest. Prowl didn’t make any outward indication that it hurt, but internally he was swearing up a storm. Jazz had grown up well, and he absently wondered if Jazz remembered him. Well, if he didn’t, he’d understand. Jazz never actually saw him properly, and right now he was disguised. “These are burned.” Jazz said, gently tracing the scorch marks with his fingers. Prowl flinched slightly, but didn’t protest. “Wha’ did ya fight?” “A bad mech.” Prowl replied. “He knows about hunters and demons.” Oracle waved him off. “You don’t have to sugar coat it.” “… A hunter.” “A hunter attacked ya?” Jazz asked, washing off the cloth. “Ah didn’ think they randomly did tha’.” “They’re not supposed to,” Prowl replied, adjusting himself slightly to allow Jazz better access, “But they did.” “Why did you come here?” Sideswipe asked. He handed Oracle the tools as asked. “It was the closest safe house I knew of.” Prowl admitted. “Ziz always goes on about how secure this place is…” “Next time, tell me.” Oracle snapped. “I don’t like having to use my sight more than I have to.” “You could have let me do that.” Prowl pointed out. “Shut up! First you invade my house uninvited, then you get energon on my floor, and now you’re being rude!” Prowl kept his mouth shut. Soon, Jazz and the twins were excused so Oracle and Prowl could chat in private. The three of them were desperate to just sit by the door and listen, but Oracle would know they were there, and Prowl just made the twins nervous. The pair decided that they wanted to go into a training room as far away as possible from Prowl, and so Jazz followed them. “Why does Prowl unsettle ya so much? He’s not tha’ bad.” Jazz said, kicking a loose pebble and watching it bounce across the room. “He’s batshit crazy.” Sideswipe groused, slumping down against the wall. “Given the chance, I think he’d happily kill us.” “Ah didn’ get tha’ feel.” Jazz replied. “An Ah was touchin’ him.” “I am surprised he let you do that.” Sunstreaker admitted, “He’s not usually big on contact.” “He prefers younger sparks… I think.” Sideswipe added. “So maybe we’re safe?” “Ah don’ think he’s gunna hurt us.” “You sound so sure of that.” Sideswipe groused. “How can you be?” “He’s familiar. Ah can’t place it, but… Ah think Ah knew him.” Sunstreaker dropped the rock he was inspecting. The other two quickly turned to look at him. “Sunny?” Sideswipe asked. “Jazz, your doll. Take out your doll.” Jazz gave him a weird look before removing it, and- “Oh.” Jazz breathed. “Wh-wha’ does tha’ mean?” “Jazz, you’re mortal, right?” Sideswipe asked. Jazz nodded, so he continued. “And you start dying if you lose contact with the doll.” “Ah’m not sure Ah like where ya goin’ with this.” “I think you’re literally Prowls charge. I mean, Oracle told us that when you came here, but it never really... clicked…” Sunstreaker slowly sat down next to his twin. “You said your Carrier died?” “He was murdered, wasn’ he.” “I… He might have been…” “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions – maybe your Carrier was dying, knew you would die without him, and summoned Prowl because of that?” Sideswipe quickly added. He knew it would have been out of character for Prowl to accept that offer – a dying spark was a tasteless one – but… anything to stop that slight tremble Jazz had. “So, tha’ means he’s gunna want this back.” Jazz gestured to the doll. “Y-you never know, he might not.” Sunstreaker said, poking it. “It’s all grotty, ew, look at this thing.” He smirked up at Jazz, who couldn’t help but smirk back. “It’s only all ewwie because ya threw up on it!” Jazz teased, pointing an accusing finger at him. “We cleaned it!” Sideswipe cut in proudly. “It stank for ages!” “Still cleaned it!” Unknown to the trio, Prowl was stood just outside the door listening in. It had been rather lonely without Jazz, he’d admit. Not long after he’d dropped him off here he’d been alone again. Any contracts he did get weren’t of the caretaker variety, and he’d just been wondering around from city to city, destroying many of the hunters he came across. Until he came back here to check up on Jazz, that was… He didn’t expect them to have The Blade on them. Last time he checked, it was buried deep in the planet and clutched in the hands of its previous welder, the notorious Sentinel Prime. Graves had been desecrated, and as it was a previous Prime he’d have to be the one to inform Optimus Prime. Ziz was in no condition to, currently recovering upstairs, and Prowl had already met the Prime before. They didn’t hate each other, which was a start. Their relationship was strained at best, however it was clear the Prime had no ill intent towards him. It was somewhat jarring, but Prowl would have to deal with it if he wanted talks of an alliance to work and not fall through… Prowl was going to take Jazz with him. Maybe putting the youngling in with other mortals would do him good, but with what he just heard, prooobably not a good idea. He made to leave when he realized that Jazz was holding the doll. Mulling it over for a little while, he decided that it couldn’t hurt to posses it once more… The nagging thought that he had missed this had to be viciously fought back as Prowl once again found himself on Jazz’s lap, the mechs arms wrapped around him in a hug.
I’M NOT OK
THIS IS NOT OK
I’M CRYING
I need to remember to post things here haha
Aaaanyway
I’ll put links and stuff here in a week or so; I’ve got two assessments due in in less than 16 days that are worth a pretty big chunk of my grade!
And I’m sure this will be of interest; I’ll hopefully be updating these soon!
Little Red
Kobold
Experimental
Oneshots & Drabbles (Russian Doll readers might like this one)
Russian Doll.
However with the whole thing mentioned above, I can’t say that they’ll be published this month. Hopefully during the christmas holidays, though!
Reblog if you write fanfic and would be totally down with your followers coming into you askbox and talking to you about your fic
If you haven’t figured it out by now consider this your written invitation
oh yes!
Heck, anyone can come and ask me about stuff, not just followers.
Always! Anyone, Anytime, and not just for fics if you want. <3
Ask me anything. No anons.

