'Trellis, you almost stepped on my frigging tail.'
'Sorry Mitch.'
The jaguar was brushing the dirt off her boots with a heavy nylon brush when Trellis almost squashed her when his mis stepped. She glowered at the mecha then continued doing what she could to make her boots presentable. Her military training drove her to distraction on days like this. Everything was soaked with dew and the muck stuck to everything like super glue. She watched Trellis return to the secondary fire and settle beside his companions.
Sari was beside Prowl as soon as she'd awoken. She had stayed beside Prowl as soon as he'd been well to rise - the first time in what felt like forever. Jazz had lit a larger fire and was making the ninja breakfast. It was obviously a culture clash as he was making distasteful faces at what he was being forced to drink. Jazz was bearing a happy grin, enjoying the break from whatever forsaken work he had left at home. Every so often he gave Prowl, who was hunched under a large blanket that had come with Jazz and Trellis' emergency supplies, pointers on new problems he was experiencing. Whether the problems' source was the drink he was nursing or the trail rations, Mitch didn't know. Food was food when on the road and if she had to tilt back the ninja's head and pour down the food herself she would. The thought of him sputtering while Jazz held his feet and Mitch shoved dry energon - which was bread-like and distasteful to look at - down his throat made her smile as wickedly as ever.
One of the newer issues Prowl was experiacing included a reflex similar to breathing. While he didn't need to breathe, it was uncomfortable if he didn't. Every so often he coughed as if unable to handle the direction the air from his intakes was coming from. Puffs of breath rose up in the morning cold from all three mecha, reminding Mitch of exhaust coming off mufflers on a cold ranch morning. She snorted at the comparison. Prowl flinched every time Jazz was near him. From the smell wafting off them the jaguar guessed there were sexual overtones to the reaction. It smelled a little like fresh ginger, musk and cinnamon but with a distinct, sharp mechanical taste to it. His curiosity were subtle motions carefully hidden but Mitch's sharp senses picked them up. There were other actions she recognized. Something was bothering him. Prowl's new systems were different. Worked in ways he wasn't used to. New sensations bombarded his sensors while old ones were enhanced. Mitch had been amused by his reactions, even laughing at some of his more embarrassing discoveries such as drooling. It reminded her of when she became Teppy's avatar. Suddenly she could smell everything and no matter how hard she tried to block it, her new senses wouldn't let her. She could hear whispers, feel the wind on her muzzle when it played with her whiskers and smite things with a thought. She could even TASTE what she smelled, a fact that was both practical and utterly disgusting. Prowl, it appeared, could feel magnetic currents as if they were sharper. Between gulps of Jazz's mystery concoction, he described the changes to Sari as best he could.
'Everything I lived with before was behind a foggy window and now I can see everything that was behind it.'
'But you're okay?' Sari said, her eyes welling up with tears. Tears of joy she was quick to add.
'I'll be fine.' He reached out so Sari could hold his index finger. 'We'll both be fine. I have upgrades I need to work the glitches out of.' He pulled the blanket around himself and Sari so they could both use the alien fabric to keep warm.
The adults read between the lines. Mitch's suspitions were confirmed - among the 'upgrades' Prowl had endured were a new biology and yes, Prowl found Jazz to be attractive. The hidden stares, the sighs... it all made sense now. With the biology came new urges. Jazz had laughed the day before, when the transformations were complete. Learning to eat strange foods was an irritation but the reproductive needs hit with a vengence. Mitch had watched Jazz comfort the dark mecha as the new systems kicked in. He was pain free but the new chaos cloded his body, driving him to impulses he struggled to understand. Eerrel had watched Jazz suffer the same temptations and frustrations, which was another reason Jazz was begged to stay. Jazz had been kind enough to teach Prowl what he could, though there were particular needs that only Prowl could teach himself to endure. The dark mecha's meditations had been steady all morning and only after persistent encouragement by Jazz and Eerrel had Prowl left his post. He seemed to need an extra amount of solitude, perhaps to talk himself into things he feared he couldn't accept.
Mitch was pleased things went as planned. She could hear the inklings of trouble in the back of her mind but she paid no attention to them. She knew Teppy was up to something but she hoped. No..she PRAYED it was all a bad misunderstanding. Prowl was going home soon, something she was more than glad to get done with. Trellis, too, was happy that his leader - and brother- could get back where everyone could watch him. She watched Jazz and Trellis share a conversation via their personal com frequency and Trellis restrained a shocked laugh.
'Ask him!' he said loudly. He swatted his brother who hid a glance at Prowl. If Jazz could have blushed, he would have done so deeply. Apparently he's got a crush on a certain Ninja, Mitch mused and finished with her boots.
Then Teppy appeared. Mitch swore he did it just to piss her off.
'Now what?' She snapped at the God. The others looked up at her. Eerrel scowled. From Mitch's tone the bird lady knew Teppy had appeared though no one could see him.
'You have problems beyond infection of Prowl.'
'Jesus... TEPPY!'
'Wrong side of the Atlantic.'
The Aztec God eyed his worker with golden eyes, amusement flickering briefly across his face. Then he turned. He frowned ever so slightly and with a wave of his hand caused an image of Cybertron to appear. He was serious as he spoke, his tone calm and firm. The planet revolved slowly as if created with the best holographic CGI graphics.
'Megatron has discovered Sari and Prowl's infection. He plans on using it to his advantage.'
'Mega-who?...Oh.' Mitch paused, remembering the Decepticon leader. 'How the hell did he find out about Prowl and Sari? I'm surprised anyone knows about them.' she pinned her whiskers against her muzzle. 'And Prowl and Sari are healed.'
'Trees have ears.'
'Teppy - less mumbo jumbo. Please. It's too early for it.'
The God growled. It was only half a sigh.
'Sari is still infected. Remember that, Mitch. Prowl's healing will help her combat it though. ' A Pause as he studued the jaguar's features. 'Starscream caught an avatar and they spoke. Torture. Probably from listening to his clones bicker among themselves.' Mitch nodded, absorbing the news. Just like in battle she needed the facts in order to plot her moves.
Teppy continued. 'He and Megatron have joined forces and plan to take the infection for themselves.'
Eerrel knew right away that Mitch had received bad news. The look on the jaguar's face dropped sharply and a snarl wrinkled her spotted face.
'Mitch? What did he say?'
'We're fucked, Eerrel. Seriously, seriously FUBAR fucked.'
'From your expression I'd say it's beyond our normal stated of buggered up.'
Mitch repressed a smile and threw a feral glare at the mecha behind her.
'Prowl - Megatron knows about you and Sari. Stripped the info off one of Teppy's pals. Says probably from hearing from Starscream's clones bitching all the time.'
Jazz's head shot up, not liking the news any better than Mitch. Prowl gasped ever so slightly and Sari clutched her key tighter than ever. Trellis, digging through what he found from food gathering, eyed his camp mates with a scowl locked in tension.
Mitch eyed the camp fire's reflection on Teppy's obsidian leg. If there was going to be war, a God of chaos and night was their best bet at beating the situation. Would any of Teppy's comrads help? She couldn't help but feel like there was more to the situation, though. Teppy was often secretive and often told half explanations. He didn't outright LIE. He just didn't tell the whole story to everyone. Like now.
'Teppy. You're hiding something. Again.'
'You know me well, Mitch. I've told you everything you need to know.'
'Like bloody hell I do. Spill it or you're going to get more attitude.' She knew she risked a serious smiting from the God, but she figured there was too much she needed to know. Now.
The God actually sighed this time, as if handling an especially stubborn child.
He reached over to touch Mitch's forehead and like the pictures she saw in Teppy's pool, several images hit her at once. His fingers were like soft suade on her fur and the images came as a flood. She relaxed, trying to filter out the bulk of the God's explanation.
Prowl and Sari's mecha friends. The Matrix. The key. The All Spark. Then the merging of the All Spark energy with the Matrix to create the new universe. An explosion and many deaths. Megatron finding the All Spark and battling with Starscream at his side. Another explosion and wars ending. Megatron fighting his last battles against an equally capable version of him and finally falling to Jazz. The Decepticons falling before a new God while their bodies changed to be come as Prowl, Jazz and Trellis were. Then the Autobots falling to their knees in honor their new God. Humans and Jazz's people teaching the new mecha and Prowl - finally an image of Prowl- being leader of Jazz's homeworld. He was tall, proud, silent. A parent. A creator. Thankful, too. Before Prowl's image faded he stared right at the jaguar, as if the new leader knew she was observing.
As the last of the images died, Mitch blinked back tears.
'Christ Teppy. That's what you're planning.'
'They will not suffer.'
'You're ..' she paused, knowing that the others didn't know what had just happened. You're screwing with free will Teppy, she said mentally. She felt the tips of her hair rising as anger welled up inside her.
Teppy smiled. Again the look one would give a stubborn child.
'Sometimes the few must die for the good of the greater cause. They will learn. The merger of energies will contain infections in this side of the Multiverse. I fear chaos will rein until the impending energy spread is complete.'
'Energy spread?'
'You must to combine the All Spark with the Matrix. It should be impressive. If I remember correctly you enjoy big explosions.'
Mitch had to look at the God twice before she fully understood what he was saying.
'You're nuts, Teppy.'
'No. That is Blitzwing's job. '
Did he actually make a joke? Mitch thought.
Teppy continued. 'You better hurry and pack. You'll need to cross dimensions before sundown.'
Mitch managed to find her tongue.
'Blitzwho?'
'You'll understand.' he said. Just as he started to fade, he growled so fiercely that Mitch drew back. 'Do not damage the All Spark. We cannot lose it.' Then he was gone.
Mitch shook her head and turned to Eerrel.
'This is so beyond fucked that I can't describe how much worse it can get.'
Eerrel cocked her head, the effect making her look like a giant parrot.
'That good, huh?'
'Yeah. Teppy wants us to cross dimensions by sun down and I know where he wants us to go. Prowl and Sari are going home tonight.'
