So I've finally gotten around to uploading all my old fan fics to this site. Just letting you all know that this was written AGES ago, and my writing style has changed a bit since then, so check out my later fan fics as well to see how I've improved. Oh, and one IMPORTANT THING: This is the G1 version of the show, but it takes place in contemporary times, so even though it's around the second season of the show, it's 2008, not 1984, okay? (Yes, 2008 was when this was written-shows how old it is. XD )
This is also a sequel to my first Transformers story, "Guitar Hero", so you'll have to read that one first to understand this one.
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"Just tighten the turn; spin, and nitro!" came the yell of an ecstatic, yellow mechanoid. The word "winner" flashed across the giant television screen and the robot proceeded to leap off the couch and perform a few disco moves reminiscent of Saturday Night Fever.
Seated next to him, his red twin took advantage of his brother's happy dance and snatched the controller that was flung into the air during the celebration, "Ok Sunny, you win. Now it's my turn."
Instantly, the dancing stopped, and the yellow robot swiveled to face his sibling; anger and annoyance plastered on his face, "Come on Sides, no fair! I wasn't done!"
But the aforementioned twin was already furiously tapping the controller; blue optics locked on the screen. Despite holding more interest in the game, his mouth turned up in a teasing smirk, "Sorry Mr. Happy; finders keepers."
That did it. Without hesitation, the yellow robot grabbed the cord leading from the controller to the game console and yanked it hard. But he hadn't counted on his brother's lightning reflexes, and how quick he was to get a much more firm grip on the controller already in his grasp. Grunts turned to shouts, and from shouts to pulls, and soon enough, the two mechs were engaged in a tug of war match.
Boredom never settled well on the Ark; the gargantuan space cruiser that was currently nestled in a dormant volcano in Oregon's hot desert. With this spacecraft, came its passengers known around the world as the Transformers; a race of giant, sentient robots from the planet Cybertron. They all had the uncanny ability to transform into vehicles and planes; hence the name, but with sentience came good and evil. On the side of peace and justice were the Autobots; on the side of destruction and evil were the Decepticons. For millions of years they battled each other, until fate brought their war to Earth. Now, with the Earth's governments aiding them, the Autobots have sworn to protect our planet and its inhabitants from the ruthless Decepticons.
In all respects, that's the short version; these days, everyone knows the story; it's old news; it doesn't bear repeating. So, back to the present tussle; boredom- it never settled well on the Ark. The two Lamborghini twins known as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker attempted to relieve themselves of said boredom by playing some videogames their human friend, Spike, had introduced them to not long after meeting them. But, like most siblings, they had a problem with the word, "sharing", leading to the quarrel they were currently engaged in. Sides had Sunny in a head lock and pulled him back, sending the two brothers careening into the Autobot-sized couch. The controller had long since been tossed aside and apparently forgotten as the yellow mech flipped around and pinned his red twin down; squishing him into the cushions and giving him, what the humans called, a noogie.
Unfortunately, the couch wasn't the only thing not spared the WCW match. Reclining on the giant armrest, a young girl; 17 roughly, with long, fiery red hair, was trying to read her book in peace. With the piece of literature resting against her bent legs, she lightly ran an index finger across the dot-coded print; attempting to block out the increasing tussle. She was halfway through the page, when another body slam shook the enormous piece of furniture, causing her to lose her place; again. Pale, blue eyes darted around, looking at everything and nothing at the same time, and she stiffened a groan. That was five interruptions, she counted. Now, normally, if it was anyone else, she would've been telling the person off by shake number two, but these were the Autobots; the people who risked life and limb to save Earth on a daily basis. Even heroes needed some R and R. So instead, she took a deep breath to compose herself; found where she left off, and continued to read.
However, her annoyment clearly expressed itself on her face, and thankfully, it didn't go unnoticed. The aforementioned human, known as Spike, was sprawled out on the couch as well, and stole a glance at his friend. He didn't need to think twice about the young woman's facial features, and quickly turned to address the twins, "Hey guys! Can you keep it down? Some of us are trying to concentrate!"
But the boy's shouts went unheard. The brothers were too engrossed in their "battle" to notice. Without missing a beat, the girl cast a wry smile, "Houston, the Eagle has not landed." Spike gave a laugh and she continued, "Nice try, though."
Turning back around, the boy caressed her hand, and she took his, letting him hoist her to her feet. "Sorry, Kayla", he apologized, "Why don't I take you to Jazz's quarters? It should definitely be quieter there."
A flash of uneasiness ran through her, "Well…I don't know. Last I heard, he had some reports to fill out; I don't wanna' bother him. That's why I came in here to read."
But Spike was already pulling her off the couch; making her jump down with him, "Believe me, with you two's friendship status and a quick explanation, he won't mind one bit."
Kayla couldn't help but giggle, "Yeah, I guess you're right." Setting her Braille book aside, the teen pulled out a length of pipe wedged in one of her belt loops. With just a push of a button, a stark white cane shot out of the metal stub, and she let the boy lead her to her best friend's quarters.
Oh yes; one thing that was neglected to be mentioned; the girl one has just read about is a bit different than the rest of the colorful cast of characters living aboard this vessel. This young woman, is blind. But if one knows of the Transformers, then he or she should know by now that in this world, there's more than meets the eye.
Now, how did a race of sentient robots come to enjoy the company of said teen? Now there's an interesting story. It was no less than a week ago that the red head was casually walking down the street when a Decepticon decided to use her as a hostage for a quick escape, but the Autobot saboteur put an end to that. The next day, the 'Bot's meager day off turned into one of excitement when he and the human crossed paths again; both to learn that they had a passion for music as much as the other. But the 'Cons were swift in discovering this as well, and exploiting the Porsche's undeniable fondness for the girl, they kidnapped her in an attempt to gain a new piece of Autobot weaponry. But the evil mechs hadn't counted on Kayla's special talent. Skilled in guitar, the teen was able to play her friends a secret message that uncovered a hidden trap set by the Decepticon leader, Megatron. Even more so, when said weapon went haywire, the girl bravely entered the battlefield; touch and sound her only guide, to retrieve the device. Needless to say, she succeeded, and in doing so, turned the tables on the 'Cons' dastardly plan. As such, the Autobot leader; Optimus Prime himself, gave her the privilege of being allowed to visit the 'Bots anytime she wanted, which made Jazz all the happier.
Speaking of the saboteur, Spike and Kayla arrived at the doors of the mech's private quarters in no time at all. The boy couldn't stay, however; said something about helping his father in med bay. The girl thanked him for being her guide, and with that, she listened to his receding footsteps as he swaggered off down the orange corridor. Although, she made a mental note to get the place memorized A.S.A.P. If she was going to be visiting frequently, she'd have to get around herself; she hated being a bother to anyone, and it was embarrassing enough to have to hold someone's hand to go somewhere. Using her cane, she rasped the large, metal doors; the echo traveling up the walls and through the floor. A moment later, a Southern/Cajun voice was heard within, "C'mon in, man!"
Stepping forward, Kayla made her way inside, and the doors opened and closed behind her with a soft swish. It was during the entrance that she once again pushed the button on her cane, making it retract back into itself so she could stow it away. She didn't need her cane for this room. In the times she was at the Ark, however brief, she was in this particular quarter enough times to know where everything was located. She could hear typing coming from above and to the left of the doorway; no doubt the mech was on his computer, working on reports. Next to that was his supped-up stereo system, and to the far right was his recharge birth. The rest of the metallic walls were cupboards and what not to house personal items.
Jazz swiveled in his desk chair to face the newcomer, but seeing no one at the door, his blue visor then peered downwards to lock on to the beautiful red head. His face instantly broke out in a grin, "Yo! If it ain't ma' best friend in da' whole world!" He proceeded to walk over to her and bent down, "What's happenin'?"
The teen couldn't help but smile at his care free tone. Shrugging, she tilted her head in his general direction, "Well, I was trying to read, but the twins were at it again."
The saboteur chuckled as he gently lifted her up and strode over to his recharge birth, setting her down upon it. But soon, he cast a quizzical glance as he grabbed the desk chair and flipped it backwards so he was sitting with his arms draped across the back rest. Optics focused on her, he asked, "Why didn't ya' jus' come in 'ere in da' first place?"
Kayla settled herself onto the sheet of metal and sighed, "Well, I was told you were working on reports…I didn't wanna' bother you. I mean, there's a time for work and…"
But the Porsche was quick to wave off her apology, "Awww, chill. They were jus' some personal logs I was fillin' out, an' I'm done." With a mix of concern and amusement, he lightly patted her back in reassurance, "But dat' aside, ya' know ya' kin' stop by anytime. Don't ever think you're a bother, 'cause ya' not."
The girl smiled as her face flushed red. It seemed a bit weird; she had only known the guy for a little over a week, but in that short amount of time, the seed of a passionate liking had already blossomed. Maybe it was in part to the situation status; it's not every day one meets a superhero, transforming robot and get a free passport to hang with him and his friends to boot. Or perhaps it was the music…yeah, that had to be it. There weren't too many people that understood and loved music as much as her. It was pretty clear to everyone that the robot and red head seemed to complete each other. Two peas in a pod; Sonny and Cher; Romeo and Juliet; the dynamic duo; two souls that had some kind of space in it, but was now filled, thanks to a match made in Heaven…or on a sheet of music. Either way, if one half was feeling down, the other half knew how to cheer it up.
Speaking of which, one of the halves did seem a bit depressed; the robotic half. It was evident when the black and white mech asked the teen, "If da' twins were botherin' ya', why didn't ya' jus' tell 'em?"
Kayla ran a hand through her hair in thought, "Well…I've only been here three days; I don't think I've earned the yelling privilege yet."
Jazz chuckled, but the red head knew better. It was a side benefit of playing an instrument with no eyes to use; honed listening skills. Something was definitely bothering him, and now he was the one trying to not be a burden. Unmasking the pained undertone to his speech, she inquired, "Okay, what's wrong?"
The saboteur stared at her a moment, but when she smiled and flicked an ear, realization hit. "Man, she's good", he thought. Trying to find the right words (which, for him, was rare), he started with a huff, "Well, I…was lookin' at ya', an'…was jus' thinkin' 'bout what happened a few days ago, an'…how dem' 'Cons could be so evil ta' kidnap a nice lil' lady like you…"
The teen's eyebrow shot up, "Still sore?"
The Porsche nodded; blind, she was, but he long since learned that she didn't need sight to know what he was expressing; the voice gave it away. He continued on a more frustrated note, "I jus' shoulda' handled it different…I shoulda' called ya' earlier…"
A stern look came upon her as she reached out to feel around for his hand. Finding it, she proceeded to rub it, knowing she opened up a side of him he rarely revealed, "Now come on; we've been through this before. It was no one's fault, and that EMP shield of theirs would've prevented the call anyway. Besides, we're all okay, so we can put it behind us."
But Jazz wasn't convinced. Although he enjoyed the stroke of her hand on his, it also saddened him more at the thought of losing someone as precious as her, "I jus' can't stand ta' think what I'd do without ya'…I jus' want ya' ta' be safe…"
The girl pulled away and ran a hand across her face; what made him think she wasn't safe? Her best friends were a group of giant robots who swore to protect her; she was in the safest place on Earth! But how could she tell him that? These little lectures were getting boring. There had to be some way to put him at ease…or at the very least, cheer him up.
It was then that she remembered that when the saboteur first arrived with her that morning, she left most of her things in his quarters; beloved guitar included…on the recharge birth she was currently sitting on. That said, she began to feel around the metal bed, until she hit something leather; bingo. With practiced skill, she had no trouble in unhinging the gold latches on the case, revealing a snow white instrument with black backing, and a musical note etched into the wood. Setting it in her lap, she was instantly hit with the memory of its creation.
Her original guitar was vastly different, in colors at least, and earned the dubious honor of being nicknamed "Old Reliable", due to its importance in crafting her skills as well as her very being. It was also the catalyst for her first true meeting with the robotic musician, and she'd never forget that day in City Park. But everything came crashing down when Megatron smashed the instrument in a rage during her capture. Thankfully, the Autobots remedied that by crafting her the new one perched in her lap at the moment. The Ark's resident scientist, Wheeljack, was also to thank for her new, retractable cane. She had so much to be thankful for, and now it was time to help return the favor. Noting some of the subject matter, she happened upon a song that, in Jazz's terms, "just might be able to swing it." With determination, but mostly a smile, she began to strum a melody that would hopefully lift his spirits.
The Porsche, meanwhile, began to tap his foot in time to the beat, and a tiny smile crept back onto his face. He seemed to vaguely recognize this song, but the grin was mostly due to the fact that he knew she was about to sing…and he loved to hear her sing. With a voice that, again in his terms, "came from the Matrix itself", she proceeded to play the tune.
Such a big man; such a little chick It takes a tough man to slap-her around
I think it all goes back to your tiny-pick up truck in the drive way
With a sticker on the window-rest in peace number three
Tell all your friends how you put her in her place
7 pounds a' make up just to hide her beat up face
Such a pretty face…
Such a bad guy to keep such a good girl down
She wearin' shades but we all see
Behind the tinted glass
And I got 99 biker friends-that wanna' kick your ass
At that point, Jazz was grinning. How she knew to play lyrically-appropriate songs for any situation, he'd never exactly know, but at the moment, he didn't care. He now seemed to remember this song; Bowling for Soup the band was called. It was played on the radio a lot, so much that he decided to interject with his own voice. While Kayla strummed the tune, his singing picked up where she left off.
You tell her that you're sorry; blame it on the beer Well it-takes a tough man to slap-her around
Your dad was mean to you
Your friends think you're-an asshole
And I do too
Over compensatin'-for your small shoes
Taking her away-but you won't say when
Hold her in your arms; tell her this won't happen again
When will this end?
Such a bad guy to keep such a good girl down
She wearin' shades but we all see
Behind the tinted glass
And I got 99 biker friends-that wanna' kick your-
Needless to say, the girl was a bit put off at how her gargantuan friend knew the words, but it was immediately put aside with a bit of laughter as she continued with the next stanza.
I wish Bruce Lee was here right now
With his trusty nun-chucks
Chuck Norris is still alive
So let's-call up Walker Texas Ranger
All the dudes from Danger, Danger
Let's get the A-Team
50 Cent with his bling-bling
And a couple of prison guards
Finally, with the song coming to a close, both human and robot sang the last part together.
It takes a tough man to slap-her around I hope that you can run fast…
Such a bad guy to keep such a good girl down
You're such a tough guy; I can't wait to bring you down
She wearin' shades but we all see
Behind the tinted glass
And I got 99 biker friends-that wanna' kick your ass
Start runnin' now…
We're gonna' kick your ass…
As the last timbers of the chords died away, the pair couldn't help but laugh for a good minute or two. Jazz especially was beaming as he looked with delight at the red haired angel. Now he realized why she chose that particular song, and frankly, that form of explanation was far better than words…and certainly more fun too. With both him and the rest of the Autobots around, she'd be just fine…and somehow, she knew it too.
Content with the completed mission, Kayla smiled and tilted her head, "Feelin' better?"
"A lot", he grinned, "Thanks".
The teen shrugged, "That's what friends do for each other". She then cracked her knuckles and tuned the guitar to a different bar, adding in, "Now let's swing it!"
With another hearty chuckle, the saboteur rested his chin in his hands as the aspiring musician began to strum another melody, which satisfied both human and robot, and thus sent a more enlightening air into both heart and spark.
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AN: And so starts the sequel to "Guitar Hero". Same as before; G1, but in contemporary times. Only this time, instead of one large story, each chapter is its own little story. So this sequel is actually a collection of stories, rather than one; just highlights of Kayla's little misadventures.
This first chapter was more or less just a recap of what happened in "Guitar Hero", for those coming in late. Although, if you haven't read that yet, I suggest you do.
And I wouldn't worry; this is the only time you'll find any swearing at all, but that was only because of the song.