Chapter Six: Unexpected Welcomes
Optimus Prime wasn't happy.
For some reason, he had been called down to the office. On a Saturday. With no real explanation other then "It's a surprise". It was enough to make any sane mech want to pound some other poor mech's head in.
Optimus was no exception. He reached the front doors- made of a clear glass-like material- and yanked them open. The doors slammed into the outside walls with a resounding 'bang'. Since no one else was there on Saturday, there was no one around to jump. Very unsatisfying.
Optimus stormed into the office, but stopped halfway to his destination point. It wouldn't do any good to storm into the room in a rage. It wouldn't be very Prime-like, either. So Optimus forced himself to calm down. Once he was sure he was calm as he could be, he continued to his destination.
Soon enough, Optimus came to a metal door. It was light orange, with the Autobot symbol in the middle of the top half. The meeting room. Why Optimus was called there, he didn't know. But he wouldn't deny that he was curious. So the Prime turned the doorknob, easily pushing the door open.
The sight that greeted him wasn't what he had expected. Well, not that he was really expecting anything, but still. Ultra Magnus was sitting at one end of the meeting table, and there was a mech he had never seen before on the other side.
The unknown mech was rather large- almost circle shaped. He was a medium green, with black hands, feet and shoulders. He had a small smile on his silver-gray face, and it actually didn't look fake. Sort of like the green giant didn't mind being there on a Saturday.
"Optimus, thank you for coming on such short notice." Ultra Magnus broke the silence.
Optimus merely nodded.
"I've called you here for an important matter. Since you're Prime, there will no doubt be assassination attempts in the future." Ultra Magnus looked grave. Optimus shifted uneasily. "So, to prevent anything from happening to you, I have hired a bodyguard. Optimus Prime, meet Bulkhead."
Optimus and Bulkhead locked gazes. "Hi, Optimus Prime, sir." Bulkhead's smile grew.
Optimus waved a hand in embarrassment. "Please, drop the 'Prime' and 'sir'. Just Optimus."
Bulkhead nodded, seemingly honored.
"I can see you're going to get along great!" Ultra Magnus beamed.
Bulkhead and Optimus stepped outside the office building. It was midday, and Cybertron's bright red sun hung high in the sky. The light from said sun reflected off of nearby buildings, and the mechs standing among them.
"So... now what?" Bulkhead wrung his hands together.
Optimus frowned slightly. "Well... what do you want to do?"
Bulkhead gaped. "You're asking me? But... I'm just your bodyguard!"
Optimus shook his head. "No, you're my friend."
Bulkhead was startled. He'd only had a few friends, and one best friend. Wheeljack. But Bulkhead wouldn't think about him right now. His main focus was Optimus- to keep him safe.
"Then I think we should do what you were going to do before you were called in to meet me. I'll stay in the background, don't worry," Bulkhead added the last part hastily.
"There's no need to stay in the background, Bulkhead." Optimus shook his head. "I was going to go to The Supernova, to hang out with my friends. You're welcome to join us."
Bulkhead gave a small smile. It was a mixture of gratitude and slight embarrassment. "Thanks."
Even in midday, The Supernova pulsed with light. You could see that a major party was in full swing just from the outside. Greens, reds, blues and yellows flashed out of the windows. The building itself seemed to bounce up and down from the sound waves.
Optimus and Bulkhead payed it little mind, and stepped in the now-open door. The bouncer gave them a respectful nod. Well, he gave Optimus one. Bulkhead just happened to be standing next to the Prime. Optimus gave a nod back, and the Prime and his bodyguard continued inside.
It didn't take long for them to find Optimus' friends. Or, rather, it didn't take Optimus' friends long to find them.
"Optimus! New guy! Over here!" an enthusiastic mech with a visor waved his arms.
Optimus and Bulkhead headed over. "Mechs, this is my bodyguard and friend, Bulkhead." Optimus introduced.
The same mech who had spoken beamed. "Yo! 'M Jazz! DJ ta this fine place!"
The red mech next to Jazz rolled his optics. "I'm Knock Out. Nice to meet ya."
"My name is Prowl. It's a pleasure to meet you," a black and gold mech with a visor said politely. It was fairly obvious he didn't want to be there, but was suffering for his friends.
"C'mon, sit down! Ah won' bite." Jazz's visor flashed in a wink.
Bulkhead offered a weak smile, sitting in a conveniently large chair. Optimus followed suit, sitting in the chair next to Bulkhead's.
Three out of the five mechs immediately became engrossed in a conversation. From what Bulkhead could hear, Optimus, Jazz and Knock Out were talking about femmes. Prowl looked like he wanted to self-terminate.
"What's the matter?" Bulkhead asked the other mech.
Prowl heaved a sigh. "Conversing about femmes holds no interest for me. I'd much rather meditate."
Bulkhead was nonplussed. "Meditate? Don't, like, only cyber ninjas do that?"
Prowl offered a bittersweet smile. "I got through about half of my cyber ninja training... before my master, Master Yoketron, was offlined."
"Oh. I'm sorry," Bulkhead said regretfully.
Prowl simply waved a servo. "So, you're Prime's bodyguard?"
"Yeah. I mean, I hope I never have to protect him from anything. It's just... a precaution."
Prowl nodded. "I can understand the need for it. After all, many mechs want the power that comes with being a Prime."
"Yeah."
The two drifted into slightly uncomfortable silence for a while. Prowl seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, judging by the far away look in his visor. Bulkhead was simply relaxing, but keeping an optic out for danger as well.
Jazz suddenly perked up as the song changed. It was fast paced, perfect to dance your spark out to. Obviously, the music loving mech was embracing this.
"Come on, Prowl! Let's dance!" Jazz tugged on Prowl's hand.
Prowl shot Jazz a frosty look. "I don't dance."
"Puh-leeeeze?" Jazz begged.
Prowl gave an audible sigh, before allowing a beaming Jazz to drag him to his feet and onto the dance floor. Knock Out had wandered off as well, predictably to try and score a femme.
"Your friends seem... nice," Bulkhead filled the silence.
Optimus laughed. "Wait until you meet the others!"
Bulkhead was, surprisingly not dreading meeting some more insane mechs. No, he was actually... looking forward to it. To having friends.
Note: Animated Prowl premiered this chapter.Note that Bulkhead's past has been altered to fit the story.
