I saw a spider, I didn't scream The way you look at me is kinda' like a little sister So I don't wanna' be one of the boys
'Cause I can belch the alphabet, just double dog dare me
And I chose guitar over ballet
And I'll take these suckers down, 'cause they just get in my way
You high five your goodbyes, and it leaves me covered in blisters
One of your guys…just gimme' a chance to prove to you tonight
That I just wanna' be one of the girls
Pretty in pearls…not one-one of the boys
"Pfft. Yeah right. Like I would be caught dead in a dress", laughed a red head; scoffing at the radio.
"What about th' concert at Scratch's place?" asked the driver next to her.
The girl tipped her sunglasses down and gave her companion a playful stare, even though the eyes behind them couldn't see anything, "Hey, that was just because I HAD to. If it were my choice, I could've stepped on that stage naked and wouldn't have cared."
The driver raised a brow and smirked, "Primus, if 'ya did that, 'da show woulda' been sold out…and 'dey wouldn't a' come fer' 'da guitar playin' either…"
The teenager gasped and gave her friend a playful punch in the shoulder, "JAZZ!"
At that point, the Autobot laughed out loud, and soon enough, his human companion was giggling along with him. But such banter was to be expected from the black and white saboteur, and the blind musician he had befriended over three years ago. After dropping Mrs. Matthews off at work, her daughter, Kayla, started the usual chit-chat about the day's schedule, their assigned duties, and then the excited music talk with new songs she learned and such. The routine had become so natural and commonplace, that the girl's visits had escalated from a few times a week, to daily; so much so that Prowl had added her name to the duty lists right next to her other human friends. As the pair left the city, Jazz felt it safe to switch off his human hologram-his Cajun voice now lofting through the speakers, "So, whatcha' want for ya' birthday comin' up? Anythin' special?"
Kayla chuckled, "My birthday? It's not for another three months; you know that."
"Just wanted ta' get th' jump on it", the saboteur replied, "Pardon me for forgetin' , but how old ya' gonna' be again?"
The musician's tone turned a bit wistful, "21…can't believe it's been over three years now since we met. The time goes by so quick."
"Don't I know it", Jazz said; his voice also reminiscent, "TOO quick for me. Speakin' a' which, 21's a pretty important day 'fer you humans, right?"
Kayla shook her head, "Yeah, if drinking's your thing."
There was a moment of silence, before the Autobot spoke with a bit of hesitance, "…you wouldn't' start doin' that stuff, right?"
The girl waved a hand, "Nah. You know I'm not like that." She then giggled, "Now you sound like my mom."
As the buildings started to give way to more desert, Jazz asked, "How's she been keepin' up anyway?"
It was then that an awkward silence fell in the Porsche; Kayla's smile lessening a bit. When she didn't answer straight away, the Autobot tried again, "…everythin' okay?"
The musician sighed, trying to find the right words, "Well, she's fine…it's just that…well…we haven't really been seeing eye to eye lately."
Jazz couldn't help but chuckle at the pun. But when his friend didn't laugh along, he quickly muttered an apology, before continuing, "Well, uh…if ya' don't mind me askin', what's up?"
The girl was hoping she wouldn't have to bring it up, especially because of who it involved exactly. But the saboteur was like an older brother she never had; she knew a secret was safe with him. Leaning her head against the window, she tried to find the right words, "Well…to make a long story short, I've been thinking about moving out." When the Autobot didn't say anything, she added, "As in, not live with my mom anymore."
"Oh, I see", he piped up, "And yer' ma' ain't likin' that too much?"
Kayla shook her head, "Not really. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but she still thinks I need constant watching. I've been trying to prove otherwise, but she's still not convinced." After a pause, she continued, "…might've gone differently if dad were here, but…"
Her voice went quiet and she trailed off from there, not knowing what to say. But the Porsche knew all too well. It may have been three years since they met, but it was also at least two years since her father had been killed in action. Those first few weeks were nothing short of rough. But ever the strong-willed, both her and her mother had picked themselves up again, and life went on. With the silence dragging on, Jazz cleared his vocals, trying to change the subject a bit, "So…where were ya' thinkin' 'bout movin' to?"
There was another moment's pause as she contemplated her decision, and how well her gargantuan comrades would take it. Folding her arms, she said; her tone serious, "For now, keep this between us, okay?"
If Jazz could wink in car form, he would, but the action was evident in his response, "You know I'm good at keepin' secrets."
Kayla smiled; abit more relaxed knowing she could tell her problems in confidence, "Okay…well…I gave it a lot of thought, and…of course, it's up to you guys, but…I was kinda' wondering if I could…stay with you…at the Ark, I mean."
At that moment, the car went into a hard swerve, causing the red head to yelp in surprise and throw her arms out to hold onto something. But just as quickly as it had happened, the Autobot eased on the brakes and straightened himself out; thankfully, no one was around. The second she caught her breath, the musician adjusted her sunglasses and gasped, "Jazz! Are you okay? Did we hit something? What happened?"
A few tense seconds went by, before the saboteur spoke, "Uh…no, I…ya' just…took me by surprise is all."
Kayla blinked; utterly dumbfounded, "I took you by surprise? That's it?!"
If the 'Bot could wince, he would; muttering a sheepish reply, "Um…sorry?" The girl just sighed and shook her head, so he continued, "Well, it's just…I just wasn't expectin' ya' to be considerin' that is all."
The red head leaned forward in concern, "So…are you…mad?"
Now it was Jazz's turn to be shocked, "Mad? What would ever make ya' think that? That's da' best news I've ever heard!" He let out a laugh, "Ya' just made me th' happiest 'Bot in the universe!"
Kayla smiled; relaxing in her seat again, "Well, I figured since Spike and Sparkplug room with you guys, it wouldn't be that hard. And I've stayed over before, and…you guys would help me out, right?"
"'Course we would", the Autobot replied without missing a beat, "And you'd be right there, ready 'ta help us, and it'd save a lot of trips."
"Exactly", the girl nodded.
As the road started to turn into more dirt and gravel, Jazz made sure to choose his next words carefully, "So…is that what 'yer mom's mad about?"
The musician's grin lessened, her face going serious again, "Sort of…just that, well…she doesn't really know where I wanna' stay."
Comprehension dawned, "Ya' didn't tell her?"
The girl shook her head, "Are you kidding? Mom would flip if she even got a whiff of what I've been thinking." She fiddled with her cane; passing it between her fingers as she thought, "And I KNOW if she found out about Spike being held for ransom, I'd never hear from you guys ever again."
A noticeable shiver ran through Jazz's frame as he thought back, "Over a month now since that happened and it still gives us th' chills." There was a pause, before he added in, a bit quietly, "…ya' DID take that into consideration too, right?"
Kayla gave a solemn nod and sharp intake of air, "Unfortunately, yes. And I know Optimus'll be thinking about that too." She ran a hand through her red locks, "The only thing I can think of in my defense is that I'd never be in the field, for obvious reasons." She motioned to her eyes and added, "I'd be safe in the Ark, right?"
At that moment, Jazz didn't know how to answer. His basic instincts told him otherwise, and yet, he didn't want to believe it…especially not when it meant he could be with his best friend all the time. So instead, he gave a quick, "Right."
The girl then leaned forward and slid her hands together, like one would if they were praying, "PLEASE don't tell my mom any of this."
But the saboteur still seemed a bit unsure, "…ya' sure it's okay to lie to her like that?"
Letting out the breath she was holding, she leaned back in her seat again and folded her arms, "For now, what she doesn't know won't hurt her."
Although the Autobot wanted to address the issue more, it would have to wait, for the duo finally arrived at the mountain where their gargantuan cruiser, the Ark, had crash landed millions of years ago. Stopping once inside the entrance, the Porsche opened his passenger door up wide so Kayla could easily slide out with her guitar. Once she was out, the saboteur transformed and began to walk beside her; her cane, her memory, and years of practice her guide. But it wasn't long into their trek, before Sideswipe came barreling towards the duo like a kid at Christmas; a huge grin on his face.
"Mornin' Jazz, hey Kayla", he greeted.
"Hey Sides", the red head chirped in kind-recognizing the voice instantly, "What's got you all excited?"
"It's Wheeljack's new invention", the Lamborghini explained, "He's gonna' make a presentation in a couple of minutes and wants everyone to come see." He then leaned in and added, "And guess what? He was able to make it without a single explosion."
Jazz let out a whistle, "Wow. 'Dat IS amazin' then."
"Well, what IS it?" the girl scratched her head.
The red Lambo shrugged, "Beats me, but whatever it is, it definitely sounds like it's gonna' be big. Come on, let's go!"
With that, he took off down a hallway just as fast as he had come. Kayla then faced Jazz's direction, giving him a puzzled look and shrugging. Taking that as his cue, the 'Bot knelt down and scooped the musician into his hand; depositing her on his shoulder.
"Well, I guess we better see what all the fuss is 'bout", the saboteur muttered.
The duo made their way down the orange corridors, stopping every so often to talk to their comrades that passed by. In particular, Kayla was interested to speak to the Aerialbots, since it wasn't very often she got to meet them, with the five recruits still being fairly new. But stories about Cybertron and the mysterious Vector Sigma would have to wait for now, for a crowd had begun to gather around the doors to the science lab. Being third in command, Jazz had no problems getting through, and he quickly found a spot where he could clearly see the Autobot inventor.
The red head gave him a nudge; trying to ignore the familiar odors of smoke and burnt metal that came with being in a laboratory, "So, who's all here? Gettin' hard for me to pick out all the voices."
The saboteur quickly did a head count. Wheeljack was busy setting up his presentation, with Ratchet and Perceptor helping him. Nearby was Optimus, alert and attentive as always, along with Skyfire; his science-loving presence being obvious. The audience included the aforementioned Sideswipe and his brother; Ironhide; a few of the Minibots; Prowl, who was busy writing on a data pad, and Bumblebee, with Spike, Sparkplug, and Carly next to him. As Jazz named off everyone, Kayla's eyes went wide.
"Wow…'Jack never drew a crowd this big before", she noted, "Must be really serious."
Just as the black and white 'Bot was about to comment, the room hushed as Wheeljack held up his hands and called for attention, "Alright everyone, settle down. Let's get 'dis show on the road."
"This better be good", Sunstreaker called from the back of the room, "I'm givin' up a sparin' match for this."
The minibot he would've been up against snickered, "You would've lost anyway."
The yellow Lambo clenched his teeth, "Watch it, Brawn…"
Not wanting a full scale brawl to erupt, Skyfire felt it best to step in, "I'm sure one practice fight can wait for whatever Wheeljack has to show us." He then turned to the inventor, "Please, continue."
The Lancia let out a sigh, before addressing the group, "THANK you…ANYWAY, as I was tryin' to say; as you all might've noticed, the Decepticons have started to really amp up their defenses recently, what with the Stunticons AND the Combaticons showin' up."
A few agreeing mumbles rippled through the crowd, before Cosmos piped up, "Yes, it's hard enough to deal with just the Constructicons, and now they have TWO more combiner teams?! What are we to do?"
"That's what the Protectobots are for", Ratchet explained; his hands on his hips as if he were scolding someone. But soon, he rubbed his chin in thought, "Although, it WOULD be great if we could get at least one more squad here to even the score…"
Bumblebee raised his hand, "Have you ever considered upgrading me and the minibots to combine?"
Sideswipe folded his arms, "Nah, that wouldn't work."
Bee gave the red twin a puzzled look, "Why not?"
The Lambo let out a chuckle, "Because together, you guys would just be the same size as the rest of us."
His giggles then gave way to a full blown laugh, his brother joining him. While the Beetle just shook his head, Brawn and Cliffjumper looked like they were ready to rip the Twins' faces off. Quickly, Ratchet stomped one of his feet, now more annoyed than ever, "Alright, that's enough! Now all of you shut your traps before I weld 'em shut!"
Knowing the medic would make do on that threat, the four, as well as everyone else, wisely clammed up. However, seeing a chance to speak, Perceptor stepped in, "Your point IS valid none the less, Ratchet. There are so many of us here, and yet it still seems like we've been stretched thin. And with Decepticon forces getting a firmer grip on Cybertron, we cannot afford to lose any more troops on the home planet." His face wore a look of worry as he muttered, "We just can't call anyone else."
Wheeljack gave a solemn nod, "Exactly. And that's why I've called you all here, because hopefully, this new invention a' mine'll solve that problem once and for all."
It was then that the Lancia turned on his heel and strode over to a table behind him. A moment later, he swiveled back and held his hand up; a VERY small object pinched between his fingers. The gathered Autobots all leaned forward to get a closer look, and Kayla nudged Jazz again. "What's he holding up?"
"Don't know", the saboteur squinted real hard, "Dang thing's too little to see."
After another moment of everyone peering as if they were taking an eye test, Sunstreaker finally spat, "The slaggin' thing's too small, 'Jack! What is it?"
The inventor must've realized his error in judgment, for his head fins glowed a soft pink in embarrassment as he chuckled, "Um…sorry." He then set the device under a magnifying lens and pushed a button, allowing a bigger image of the object to appear on a nearby screen, "That better?"
The picture that showed up revealed a device no bigger than a human's thumb, and shaped in the design of the Autobot symbol, much like their human friends' communicators. When the audience signaled that they could now see properly, Wheeljack began to explain, "Ever since that incident at the laboratory a month ago, I've been tinkerin' with this baby bit by bit. It's still in the testing phase, but I
think I got a good bit of the bugs worked out. Now, as you all know, there's more than just Autobots that've been fightin' the 'Cons; we've made a lot of human allies too." His gaze landed on Spike as he added, "Of course, humans have come through for us plenty a' times, but they're also really frail, and can't exactly hold up in a fight against a Cybertronian ten times taller than them. But this should help."
For the first time since the presentation started, Optimus finally spoke, "Please Wheeljack, don't keep us in waiting. What does this device do?"
Taking in a deep breath of air through his vents, the Lancia finally dropped the axe, "If all goes according to plan…you're lookin' at a pendant that can turn humans into Autobots."
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AN: Originally, this and the next part were all one chapter, but it turned out longer than I thought, so I decided to split it up to make it easier to read. So, by writing this next section, I finally figured out a rough time frame as to when Kayla met the 'Bots in the context of the show. "Guitar Hero" happened not long after 'The Immobilizer', since Carly was mentioned, and the start of "The Blind Girl Shall Lead Them" happened a week later. From then, that story covered her adventures over the next few months, which 'The Search for Alpha Trion' must've happened during that time, since Elita One and the femmes were mentioned at one point. So now, as you've just read, we pick up three years later, in which Season 2 has since ended, since we now got the Aerialbots and all the combiner teams. Just some food for thought. Kayla's now at a crossroads in her life, facing an uncertain future. And pretty soon, things are gonna' get complicated...