Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro/Takara. Just borrowing.
Rose: Elegant
featuring Bumblebee, Powerglide, and Astoria
with an appearance by Jazz and Bluestreak
Bumblebee shut the door of Powerglide's cargo compartment. "That's the last of 'em. You ready to go?"
"Yeah," said the red Autobot plane, a sad note in his harmonizer. "I don't know why I agreed to do this in the first place."
"Because she's your friend," said Bumblebee, patting his fellow minibot's fuselage. "Now get outta here, or you'll be late and she'll be mad--and you don't wanna make a bride mad on her wedding day." He grinned. "Especially this one!"
"Do you, Astoria Frances Carlton-Ritz, take Jonas Charles Lovell to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"
From behind her veil, Astoria looked up into the face of her groom and smiled. "I do."
The priest turned to the dark-haired man holding Astoria's hand. "And do you, Jonas, take Astoria to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?"
Astoria's eyes fluttered shut, and for a split-second, she let herself dream of a future that could never have been, with an impossible groom at her side, his huge metal hands gently holding hers.
Do you, Powerglide...
...His optics, blue as a summer sky...the sunlight glinting off his shiny hull...the dizzying feeling in the pit of her stomach as he pushed over into a powerdive...
"I do," said Jonas, and Astoria's eyes opened to see not a dream, but an even better reality.
"You should be in view of the target area," called Bumblebee over Powerglide's radio. "Get ready to deploy payload."
Powerglide scanned the ground; a large white tent, hung with a banner that read Congratulations Astoria and Jonas, had been set up at one end of a rolling green expanse of lawn. Just beyond the tent, a huge crowd of humans faced a small white summerhouse.
"I see it," he replied. "Getting into position." He executed a long, slow turn and lined himself up to fly directly over the crowd. "Opening cargo doors."
"Looking good, 'Glide. Ready?"
He sighed through his filters. "As ready as I'll ever be. Payload at 3...2...1..."
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." The priest smiled at the couple. "You may kiss the bride."
With a proud smile, Jonas lifted Astoria's veil and gave his bride a gentle kiss.
At that moment, someone in the crowd said, "Ooh, look!"
Astoria and her new husband broke their kiss just in time to see a flurry of pure white rose petals descending from the sky. A small red plane swooped overhead, waggling its wings in salute.
Astoria caught a handful of the petals and inhaled their sweet scent. "Thank you, Powerglide," she whispered.
In the months that followed, Powerglide often read of Astoria and her husband; the couple was spotted enjoying their honeymoon in Tahiti, in the South of France, on the Cote d'Azur, in Thailand. Finally, after the New Year, one of the celebrity gossip shows reported that the Lovells were at home at their estate in New York. Rumors were flying thick and fast: Was their first child already on the way?
Powerglide sighed and shut off the television monitor. Astoria looked so happy--so why did he feel like slag?
"Hey, 'Glide. You okay?"
The red minibot looked up to see Bumblebee standing over him. The VW's optic ridges were drawn together in a worried frown.
"Yeah, I guess so." He shrugged. "I just miss her, that's all. I know I've got no right to, but I miss her."
Bumblebee shook his head. "Hey, no one said you couldn't miss her. I'm sure she misses you, too. You just have to find a different way to think about each other, that's all. Just because she's married doesn't mean you can't still be her friend."
Powerglide looked away. "Aw, it just wouldn't work, 'Bee. She's better off without me coming around and messing things up for her."
A sly smile curled one corner of Bumblebee's mouth. "Well, then I guess that means you don't want this?" He produced a long golden box from behind his back.
Powerglide's optics went wide. "What the--?"
"Here, you big lugnut," Bumblebee laughed. "Happy Valentine's Day. I'll see you around." He left the common room, still chuckling to himself.
Gently, Powerglide lifted the lid of the box. There beneath a layer of green tissue paper were two dozen pure white roses. Atop the roses was a sheet of elegant stationery, with the monogram 'A F L' at the top in gold letters.
The note contained only three words: Check your email.
His circuits burning with curiosity, Powerglide packed up the roses and headed to his quarters. Once there, he logged onto his terminal and sure enough, there was an unread email for him.
Dear Powerglide,
I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to write until now, but if you've been reading the papers you know how totally crazy my life has been! We had a blast on our honeymoon, but it's soooo great just to be home. And don't believe everything the gossip shows tell you, okay? I'm not ready for the whole 'mom' thing yet. P I just wanted to say thanks for the roses--it was just perfect, like I imagined it would be. You did an awesome job; everyone was soooo impressed! Even those old coots from Daddy's company said it was neat. You're always going to be special to me. Don't ever forget that. You saved my life that day--if you hadn't, Jonas wouldn't have had anyone to marry and wouldn't THAT be a total bummer! Seriously, I don't think I can ever tell you how much you mean to me. I still think you're the greatest! And we can still go flying sometime, right? I told Jonas all about you--he's a pilot, didya know that?? I bet you two would have lots to talk about. XOXOXO Tori
Jazz lowered his weapon from the firing range target. "Hey, Blue," he said to the gunner beside him. "Do you hear something?"
Bluestreak pointed to the sky. "Warthog, comin' in hot!"
As both Autobots hit the deck, Powerglide flashed by, whooping with joyful abandon.
--End--