Chapter 11

A/N: I don't own TFP or the Seven Realms Series.

Smokescreen didn't really believe what she told him about Cuffs, he even searched the Warrior school roster and found nothing. Which means she got the last laugh when they saw him when they arrived at the Kaonian royal palace—one of four it turns out due to Omega Supreme rambling on about the Kaonian military structure as they rode through the forest. She had to admit the Prismatic Castle was one of the most beautiful places she'd ever seen as they went up the wooden walkways.

"That Barricade?" Moonrose asked as she looked up onto a balcony. She'd only seen the Corporal a few times since he'd arrived at the Academy. They watched as Omega Supreme scolded him and his comrades, but once Barricade told him something the teacher looked shocked and gave a salute and congratulated him. What was scary was that he had a huge grin on his face.

"Yea it is," Smokescreen said. "What's he doing up there?"

At that moment they saw Cade stiffen as if he was coming to attention. "Guess we're about to find out," she said.

At that moment Bumblebee stepped onto the balcony, shocking both of them. A blue-violet glow surrounded his body and…he looked like royalty; a crown adorned his head, however, the clothes looked actually very similar to his old ones. "Welcome to the Capitol of Kaon. I'm pleased to see that y'a'll've come for some of the real world training I'm offering to the schools. The schedules and classes have already been set up, and copies are being passed out by the servants," 'Bee announced his eyes glowed a violet color. And something told Rose that a threat was about to come out of him. "I do expect you to be respectful to my staff. If I hear so much as one story of one being insulted or hit I will ruin you. I do not care what goes on back in your country, but in mine that is not allowed! Wizards, you are not allowed to use your magic on each other or within my palace without teacher supervision. Break these rules, you're done. Captain."

Barricade stepped forwards and glared down at all the students. "I am Barricade Converse. Most of you know me as a fellow student, but here I am the Captain of the Royal Guard. Warrior students, if you take one step out of line your career will be over! All students will follow your schedules and will only go into permitted rooms otherwise you will be kicked out. Dismissed."

The students walked into the grand castle, and Moonrose had to admit, it put her own palace to shame. Smokescreen started clapping, she turned to see Barricade walking over. "Good to see you again Captain Converse," he grinned hugging his friend. "When were you planning on telling us?"

"I just told you," he grinned. "Good to see you again Misty."

"Likewise Captain," she smiled at how elated he seemed.

"When did it happen?" Smokescreen asked.

"A little after we arrived in Crystal City. He just decided to promote me," the Kaonian teen shrugged. "I have to admit I was a little shocked at first."

"You weren't the only one," Omega Supreme said walking up and patting him on the back. "The youngest to become Captain in Academy history. As wall as the first ever non-wizard Captain the Kaonian Royal Guard has ever had."

"Yes, well, while I'm running the guard I'll still be attending classes, just don't be surprised if I run out for no reason," he laughed.

"Well the students will be spending a lot of time under your tyranny," the Dean laughed as he walked away.

"Where are we staying?" Smokescreen asked.

"The barracks; they're separated by gender if you're wondering," he smiled. "And while y'all are freezing your afts off there, Sides, Sunny, and I get warm beds just a few rooms away from the Chief Advisor."

"Why not the Princess or the King?" Ironhide asked.

"The King is more than capable than defending himself, just ask Dead End."

"The assassin?! The one who's in the same league as Lockdown!" Chromia gasped.

"He took him on and won," the young Captain said shaking his head. "And he didn't use any magic. Just used a battle staff, a cloak, a few throwing knives, and skills he no doubt learned before we found him…he wasn't exactly the world's perfect person if you know what I mean."

"And the princess?" Moonrose asked.

"She has a person body guard who was the King's right hand when he ran the streets. She's almost as dangerous as he is, and she's actually his personal assassin," he said. "I'm only telling you this because I trust you, but if you tell anyone you will be executed for treason."

"Noted," they all said.

"The barracks are that way, just ask some of the other guards if you get lost," he said walking off.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"His Majesty has a dinner this evening."

"One he has to attend but doesn't want to," Moonrose said.

"You hit the nail on the head," he laughed giving her a wink. "It's almost like you've done this before."

"Well my father is a Duke," she replied. "So how badly does he not want to go?"

"He said—and I quote—'I would rather come face to face with the Chaos Bringer when he is pissed off beyond all reason than go to that slagging, Primus damned dinner,'" Barricade said. "Which considering the origin of wizardry he is not far off."

"Origin of wizardry?" Smokescreen asked.

The Captain just smiled. "Unfortunately Corporal you have to wait. One of the classes is in fact the origin of magic. Mostly because we can't understand the uses of wizardry in war without understanding the origins; it's a co-ed class for wizards and warriors," he explained walking away. "Now go to bed! You'll be up before dawn tomorrow."

And was Barricade right. He came down to the barracks fully dressed in his black and white armor, he turned on the lights blinding everyone, and he was shouting. "ALRIGHT EVERYONE! RISE AND SHINE! WE'VE GOT TWO HOURS BEFORE THE SUN RISES! THAT SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU TO GET IN YOUR ARMOR!"

"We don't have any armor," one girl said.

"Look in the drawer at the end of your bed," Sideswipe said.

"All the boys awake?" Barricade asked. The red-head just grinned and Sunstreaker strutted in with a sly smirk. "What did you two do…wait…I don't even want to know."

Going to the end of her bed, Moonrose stared at the blue armor adorned with thin red stripes. Below the pieces she saw the black under armor. The men left, leaving all the women to get dressed. Slipping into the custom armor she found her battle staff, and sword. Her question of where they even got the measurements was beyond her; and frankly, she didn't want to know.

First day of the royal guard was hell to put it straight. The twins led them on a morning run through the woods—which she had to add was absolutely terrifying. Several predacons almost ate the Alliance kids—apparently they taste good. And almost half the group slipped into the boiling mud springs—which also had predacons—luckily the armor was resistant to extreme heat and cold. They ran for an hour straight, then went through some of the most grueling battle training she'd ever experienced. It made the ones at the school seem easy. Turns out they mix up the trainees and pair them up with the normal guards—both wizard and non-wizard.

Moonrose had the unfortunate luck of being paired with a wizard guard. Who then proceeded to wipe the floor with her. Moonrose did manage to land a few blows in with her staff, but her ass was still whooped. She ended up going to class with bruises, scrapes, and a few burns.

And her first class, happened to be her least favorite class first; history. Her history teacher was a glitch! He was Tarnian, and he made his opinion on women very clear. He believed that they should be in other classes, no matter how often he got slapped by the Kaonian girls—especially when actual guards usually tended to beat him within an inch of his life—he still made his opinion very clear. And it was hard not to throttle him, especially when he was spouting misinformation. It suited him that his name was Tourant.

"Even though they are fabulously rich, the northern savages wear their wealth like jewelry. They fight nude save for golden collars and bracelets they wear," Tourant looked at her with a sick grin. "Brooks, you're a half-blood mutt. Tell us, do you go into battle naked?"

Moonrose bit her cheek, and she saw Princess Luna—whom had been listening in for the past half-hour—scowling at the teacher, and Shadow was beginning to smirk and twirling a knife beside her. "Actually if you think about it sir, you'd realize that can't be true because the mountains are colder than the valley in the summer, and it's even colder in winter. If anyone was stupid enough to get completely unclothed for anything other than a bath would be uncomfortable in the summer, and would freeze to death in the winter."

"They're accustomed to cold, they don't even feel it," he replied.

"Yes, they're accustomed to it. More so than others. But they wear furs and woven fabrics because even they too have their limits," she said standing tall. "And yes they wear jewelry because they are some of the best metalsmiths on Cybertron."

"Some say they grow fur in winter like animals. Guess that's why they're called the wolf queens," Tourant sneered. "Is that true?"

"No it's not!" Luna snapped stepping forwards. "Count Knockout Pax, Chief Advisor to the King happens to be Clan, my brother was fostered up in the Clans for years, and even I joined him a few times. They happen to be fully clothed and some of the most civilized people I know." She looked him over, a look of disgust marring her beautiful face. "More so than you."

"Please, the lines of Iacon and Kaon come from dark magic. The witch queens bewitch men into letting them rule, and your line is one full of demons! The Fallen, Thanatos Darkell-Prime, Ravenna Darkell, and the Demon King himself. They say he made a deal with Unicron to get his powers," he snapped, shaking in rage at her.

"That's why when I become a missionary we'll be teaching you monsters how to be civil," a dictate student from Gygax sneered.

Luna burst into laughter. "My brother banned you missionaries after one attacked him and Knockout with a broom," she chuckled. "I'd love to see you change his mind!"

"I bet ten gold pieces he'll throw him into the hot springs," Shadow said as she walked around the teacher with a sneer. It was then Moonrose and Smokescreen noticed how inappropriately dressed she was. Her black gown fell to her ankles, but it had wide slits going up to her upper thighs with a deep v-cut chest exposing a bit too much cleavage in her opinion, there were also two knives strapped to her thighs, black gloves went up to her elbows, and she had black, knee-high boots.

"Eh, he'll feed him to Ira and Frost," she replied.

"Why you—!" he snarled raising a hand getting ready to slap them.

"Tourant!" Omega Supreme snapped from where he was watching in the back of the room. The man froze, and slowly looked up towards the enraged Dean. "Touch them, and I will let the King torture you to his heart's content without a word of protest. Now, who all has been to nations with the Clans and wizards?" Moonrose, Smokescreen, and a few others, including Shadow and the Princess stood up. "And is any of what Tourant is saying is true?"

"No."

"Well then, we have our answer. Master Tourant, please do refrain from speaking about myth in these classes. And that goes for all you cadets. Learn from your peers, those who rely on fact: succeed. Those who rely on myth: fail," he continued.

"Is it true though? Did the Demon King really make a deal with the Chaos Bringer?" one kid asked.

"It's not my place to answer that," he said leaving the room.

Over the next few days she continued to see Supreme watch the classes. He'd show up intermittently, and see what he wanted to see before leaving.

Her skills in combat and general training were improving as well. She lasted a whole minute against Barricade, first week she only made it five seconds. She also learned how much Smokescreen's family has been involved in the military. His earliest known ancestor, Beta Magnus created battle strategies used to this day during the Grand Rebellion and actually fought alongside Kaon's first king, Daemon Darkell aka the Demon King. Duststorm Magnus designed the modern double-edged sword. And Bane Magnus came up with a use for mounted horsemen after cavalry had fallen into disuse.

He continued to teach her how to fight with the staff, while managing the leadership role that the Captain trusted him with during his time at the palace. "So why's Supreme been watching me so much?" she asked as they headed to their posts.

"He knows who you are," Smokescreen answered flatly. "He wants to see how you're doing. And before you panic; he needed to know so I could convince him to let you stay where I could keep an eye on you. The only reason I'm not worried here, is because you're literally rooming with thirty other girls, and guards watching every hall."

"Does the King know?"

"No, Barricade is rather reluctant about keeping him in the dark about it, but agreed that it would help prevent another war," he sighed. "But I fear your cousin and Airazor will start getting suspicious soon."