So, heh heh . This was supposed to be a one shot. But I forgot (again) to hit that tiny little 'complete' button at the bottom of the page. And then one of my favorite reviewers had to mention he was looking forward to the next chapter and I figured I couldn't disappoint the masses.
So, its not as good as the first but I still like it enough to post.
Ah 'ated tah dark.
Funny ain't it?
Ya'd think tha' ah mech like meh, ah mech with mah past, tha' Ah would love tah shadows.
But Ah 'ated 'em.
It was too easy tah let 'em consume ya.
Tah pull ya down an' turn ya intah ah monster.
Tah devour ya.
Just as it was doin' tah teh lonely black an' white figure as 'ee stumbled down tah hallway, one dingy white servo pressed against teh wall as though 'ee would collapse.
Knowin' Prowl, tha's probably what it was.
Teh fact tha' 'ee didn't even sense meh standin' in teh shadows proved just 'ow bad tah mech was.
It 'ad been ah brutal fight tha' weh 'ad sorely loss.
Almost 50% casualties.
Those tha' were left were lucky tah beh alive.
Teh medbay 'ad spilled out intah teh hallway, Ratchet quarantining teh entire wing so tha' 'ee 'ad enough room tah move between patients.
An' they all blamed Prowl fo' tah' terrible loss.
Like tah mech wasn't 'ated enough as is.
Weh desperately needed 'im though.
Bu' in tah aftermath o' tah last battle, when those 'ate filled glares had worsened tah teh point tha' one o' tah frontliners attacked Prowl after accusin' 'im o' sendin' 'is unit tah be slaughtered, 'ee 'ad yet tah say ah word or even emerge from 'is office.
Mechs said all tah time 'ow could weh ev'a beh friends. Weh were as opposite as day an' night.
But that's not what Ah saw.
It scared meh 'ow similar weh are.
Our undyin' loyalty tah teh Autobot cause.
Our willin'ness tah to anything tah ensure teh Decepticons nev'a won.
Our willin'ness tah turn a blind optic tah what most would consider wrong.
Teh statistics tha' Prowl spoke of 'ad started tah change. Instead o' bein' teh most likely scenario, it started tah become tah best case scenario.
Oh 'ee would nev'a lie tah de Prime.
Nev'a.
Bu' 'ee knew tha' Prime would nev'a go through with teh attack if 'ee knew that there was ah 62% chance we'd lose over 'alf our forces.
Missions tha' had been categorised as suicidal were dropped tah 'igh risk.
Weh nev'a pressured ah mech intah doin' anything.
Weh just nev'a mentioned tha' teh survival rates were in tah single digits.
Ah threat tha' needed tah beh eliminated fast was done in tah cover o' shadows where nobody would 'ear 'em scream as ah knife was buried in their spark.
An' Prowl would clean up tah mess aft'a Ah did 'is dirty work. 'Idin' it from tah Prime and tah other officers in ah mass o' paperwork an' logic tha' nobody in their right mind would go though.
Nobody understood teh lengths weh would go tah ensure tha' weh won this war.
Ratchet 'ad long stopped questionin' where Prowl continued tah get 'im supplies even aft'a nearly every supply rout was cut off.
Weh were both dangerous mechs an' so many forgot tha' behind mah carefree manner an' Prowl's neutral, emotionless mask.
But weh both knew our jobs.
Prowl depended on meh tah get him information tah plan tah next attack, an' Ah depended on 'im tah bail meh out if something goes wrong.
Ah never asked 'im why 'ee sacrificed 'alf ah unit tha' had been trapped behind enemy lines tah divert Ironhide an' 'is unit tah where 'Raj an' Ah 'ad been pinned down.
Ah knew why.
'Ee knew Ah would do tah same fo' 'im.
Sure Ah 'ad lots o' friends. Mechs tha' Ah 'ad ah good time with on ah daily basis an' mechs tha' Ah could laugh an' relax with after an exhausting orn.
But Ah didn't trust 'em.
Not ah single one.
Even Blaster.
Mah best friend, Ah would terminate in ah sparkbeat if ah though 'ee 'ad turned on us.
Ah had been 'urt too many times in tah past tah trust anyone bu' tah shadows tha' danced at mah vision an' beckoned meh back intah teh darkness.
For ah while, Ah felt teh same about tha stiff, stick-up-'is-aft Praxian.
Ah long time ago, when Ah was still an Autobot prisoner, Ah 'ad escaped tah brig 'cause Ah was board. Ah wanted tah see 'ow many mechs Ah could slaughter befor' teh realised Ah was gone.
Ah started tappin' quietly on doors, countin' tah spark signatures Ah detected behind teh locked doors as Ag walked down tah hall, avoiding cameras an' teh odd nigh guard.
Ah got up tah 537 befor' Ah came face tah face with Prowl an 'ee body slammed meh intah teh wall.
But' then something changed.
It was after Praxus.
After leaving mah 'ome o' Polyhex, Ah scratched out an illegal life in Praxus, flourishin' in tah massive city-state tha' was nearly three times teh size o' mag old stompin' grounds.
Prowl ruled teh city as ah ruthless Enforcer.
Ah ruled teh city as ah ruthless killer.
Ah would do anything for teh right amount o' credits an' Prowl knew it.
It was no wonder 'ee nearly blew ah fuse when 'ee found out tha' Ah 'ad defected tah teh Autobots.
But then Praxus…
Oh Primus, Praxus…
Ah swore Prowl would finally break under teh pressure Prime an' teh others 'ad unintentionally placed on 'im. Combined with seeing 'is home crushed befor' 'is optics…
Ah waited fo' 'im tah snap. Tah beh there tah pick up teh pieces an' it was at tha' moment tha' Ah knew Ah couldn't kill 'im.
'Ee kept meh alive when mah stupid ideas blew up in mah face, watched mah back when something needed tah beh done an' Ah stopped teh shadows tha' 'ad consumed meh from takin' 'im as well.
Ah don't even remember when Ah started tah trust 'im tah guard mah back.
Weh needed 'im.
Weh needed 'im badly.
Teh others nearly killed 'im with their cruel words behind 'is back and their bitin' comments.
After Ratchet blew up at 'im, Ah was sure tha' tha' would be teh last straw.
But 'ee held on.
Nev'a bendin o' swayin under teh pressure but Ah knew wha' would 'appen at one point.
An' Ah swore tah mahself tha' Ah would be there fo' 'im.
'Ee was mah friend.
That's why Ah slunk on ahead on 'im, hidin' in tah shadows like Ah 'ad done all nah life tag walk intah teh empty recroom an' wait fo' 'im.
Ah 'ad been savin' ah bottle o' high-grade fo' ah while, waiting fo' teh moment.
It was ah sad night when someone drank alone. An' Ah knew 'ee needed one.
'Ee walked in ah few klicks later, no doubt drawn by tah Praxian song Ah 'ad playing quietly as Ah waited.
'Is dim optics scanning tah room bu' not really lookin' fo' anything as 'is doorwings 'ung limp on 'is back.
'Ee was ah mess.
"Ya look lonely Prowl." Ah said quietly, brightening mah dimed visor just enough tah catch 'is attention. 'Ee didn't respond bu' 'is doorwings dropped more if possible. Ah disguised mah worry over 'is state in ah sigh, casually taking ah sip out of teh bottle befor' settin' it back on teh table, absently gesturing' toward teh chair opposite of meh. 'Is optics followed meh befor' 'ee slowly moved toward teh chair, sliding into it as Ah let mah peds slide tah teh ground an' pushed the bottle toward 'im. 'Ee took ah swallow as well befor' passin' it back an' Ah took another swig an' passed it back.
"Ow's about ya tell me ya monsters and Ah'll tell ya mine?" Ah offered.
Fo' ah moment Prowl didn't respond as 'ee caught tah bottle, but continued tah stare at it, cradling teh base in both servos.
'Ee was under so much stress.
An' Ah 'ated seein' 'im like tha'.
Ah knew tha' Ah 'ad caused part o' it an' Ah hated mahself.
Prowl was mah friend.
'Ee was teh only mech Ah trusted one hundred an' ten percent with mah past an' tah not run terrified from teh room at teh monster Ah 'ad become.
Bu' then again, weh all 'ave monsters tah deal with.
Prowl 'ad helped meh deal with mine, it was time Ah 'elped 'im deal with 'is.
"Deal." 'Ee said quietly, an' Ah couldn't help bu' smile.
Holy cow I am NEVER writing so much in Jazz' accent again in my life. My spell check hates me and I've never been so crossed eyed in my life...
ugg...
R and R please! love you all.