A/N: Well, hi. I don't know if anyone's heard this joke before, and if you have, well, then you might know where I'm coming from. If you've never heard the joke this story references, I'm sorry. Hehe.
There Is A Differrence
Just Ask Sentinel
The afternoon drivers of Detroit made their way, not really paying attention to the small gathering of three, large robotic beings conversing on the edge of a four-way intersection. With so many incidents regarding their Cybertronian visitors happening so frequently lately, their presence was hardly surprising.
"Since we are going to be occupying Earth for a little while, I thought it'd be wise to ensure that everyone understands the human laws and symbols of the thoroughfare. Just to prevent any unnecessary accidents."
Ultra Magnus looked over to a mildly cringing Sentinel Prime, still a little sore after a nice fall from the edge of an unfinished road. He made no comment, nursing a dent and a stinging pride. No one could say he didn't deserve it, though.
Jazz was a little more excited for the exercise than his comrade. "Oh man, you mean like those traffic lights? Those things were so cool," he quietly revved his engine in anticipation.
The commander allowed a small smile. "Yes, we'll get to those, don't worry. But we're going to start out with the very basics." He made a gesture to an octagonal, bright red sign with the single word 'STOP' plastered in white on its face. "This is a stop sign," he stated matter-of-factly.
"Duh…" Sentinel muttered under his breath, squeaking slightly when Ultra Magnus' glare found him again. Jazz couldn't resist a chuckle.
"Sentinel, unless you want your aft handed to you by Mr. Hammer, I would weld it," the ninjabot couldn't help advising his friend. The Prime frowned in response, fighting the urge to stick his glossa out at Jazz.
Meanwhile, Ultra Magnus was fighting the urge to roll his optics and reprimand the both of them. Instead he cleared his throat. "Ahem, the stop sign," he gestured again to the sign. Both of the Elite Guard 'bots knew when to shut up, and looked in its direction.
"All you have to do is come to a complete stop when you get to the sign. You should aim to halt at about that line," the commander pointed at the white line drawn on the street beneath the sign. "Wait for all other vehicles to pass, until you get the right away, and then you may go."
Both of the Autobots looked back and forth from the sign to their commander once more before nodding. Seemed simple enough.
"Any volunteers to go first?"
Jazz's hand went up in a monochrome blur, "I will, sir. If it means we get to the traffic lights sooner, I'll volunteer right now, right now!" A grin was pasted on his gray face. Ultra Magnus was remembering why it was nearly impossible to not like the exuberant ninjabot, and his own subtle smile returned.
"Very well, just stop at the sign correctly and make it across the intersection without incident," the commander nodded.
Without a moment's hesitation, Jazz transformed and managed to merge into the oncoming traffic. It was very light, as Ultra Magnus had specifically chosen a location sparse of human vehicles. Just in case of any mishap during their 'lessons'.
The stop sign held no challenge for Jazz. He drove up to it, stopped completely until it was clear, and made it seamlessly to the other side of the street. Only a few cars passed by him, pretty much clearing the road. The Autobots were the only ones near the intersection as Jazz reverted back to robot form and walked back to them.
"That was easier than Sunday morning," he chimed, the grin beaming. "If you mess that up Sentinel, I just don't know." He jibed at the blue mech, elbowing him in the pectoral plates.
Sentinel shrugged him off, "It must be so easy, especially if you had no trouble with it." His confidence was reaching that dangerous, arrogant level, and it made Magnus' pleased expression at Jazz's simple success disappear.
'By the Allspark, he's going to mess this up, isn't he?' He shook his head, remaining silent.
"Oh, come on. No need to be puttin' others down just 'cuz you ain't as good as 'em," Jazz mock pouted, scooting out of Sentinel's range of reach, and with good reason.
The Prime scowled before transforming. He drove out onto the road, all traffic gone. He approached the sign, slowed, and crossed the intersection with seemingly just as much success as Jazz. He returned to robot form, and proceeded back to the other two, a familiar swaggering smirk on his face.
"Sentinel," Ultra Magnus gave the blue mech a harsh stare. The arrogance turned to indignantion quickly.
"What? I did it, just like he did!" Sentinel stated firmly, and then shrank a little as he realized he had just raised his voice against his commander.
Magnus sighed, "No, you did not do it just like Jazz."
"What do you mean? Of course I did, sir." He added the sir, checking himself the second time around.
"No, because he did it correctly. You did not."
"Well, what did I do wrong?"
The commander pointed at the sign, "You did not come to a complete stop. That was the whole point of the exercise!" He felt his own temper rising, but years of practice kept it in check.
Sentinel sneered in the sign's direction. It was all that stupid sign's fault that he was in this position now! Blame the sign, it always made everything easier. "Okay, I didn't come to a complete stop. But I slowed down, and nobody was coming."
Ultra Magnus shook his head disapprovingly, "Sentinel, you were supposed to stop. Slowing down won't cut it when there are vehicles around."
Sentinel began using his hands to aid his conversation, a habit of his that Ultra Magnus noticed when he was angry. "But there wasn't anyone coming. So, big deal. There's no difference between stopping and slowing down, especially when no one's there!"
Jazz's grin hadn't disappeared while watching the two of them exchange. He had to hold in a chuckle, 'Oh, Sentinel is so going to get it!'
Ultra Magnus' expression proved the ninjabot's musing perfectly. "Sentinel," he said the name firmly, causing its owner to immediately weld it and return to a ready position. "Would you please come here?" he asked simply, indicating the area in front of him.
The Prime in question couldn't help but cringe at the thought of what the beckoning could possibly mean. He silently walked to the spot, facing his commander. "Sir?"
"Turn around."
Sentinel did as he was told, turning around to face Jazz, wanting to punch the grin on the white mech's face.
The one thing the Prime probably wouldn't have expected was the whack that was suddenly administered to the back of his neck. Before he could utter an 'ouch' there was another strike, quickly followed by another, and another. A series of hits fell in swift succession, none of them particularly harsh, but enough to cause a decent pain in the affected area.
"Sir!?" he managed to shout amidst the blows.
Ultra Magnus stopped and forced the Prime to turn around and face him. The deflated expression sported by the young mech almost made the stress of it all worth it.
"Now, I'm going to turn you back around and continue to strike you. And you get one request that I will heed before I do so. Would you rather ask me to slow down, or stop?"
"I'd ask for you… to stop," the defeated mutter of a reply.
A satisfied grin returned to the commander's face, "I'd like to see you try to tell me there's no difference between stopping and slowing again."
More than a lesson about a stop sign was taught on that intersection, and none of the Autobots present would ever forget it.
Particularly Jazz. He had recorded the entire scene onto hard drive, and was sure Optimus would get a hoot out of it when he showed it to him later.