CHAPTER 25
"Wow…it was…wow…"
Windblade didn't have any other word. She currently felt a bit dumb. She was usually quick to respond but now, she was unable to tell how she felt. As soon as the music was over, she and Fracture had returned to their table and had ordered other cubes. The purple bot gave her a small smile. At least, he seemingly understood what she meant.
"Don't worry" He said. "These things don't need to be explained"
"I…I just ignored that—"
"You don't dance much, from what I see"
Windblade shook her head.
However, it'd been…a pleasant sensation.
Especially since Fracture was a semi-professional dancer, unlike her…though clones who were on the dancefloor also did it well.
The flier sent by Primus drank her cube, a thoughtful expression on her face. Even though it'd been a good experience, she needed to calm her mind down. For one moment, she thought back about what Fracture said about dancing lessons.
"…I would like to dance as good as you" She said.
"You would like to initiate Chase?" The purple bot questioned.
She didn't deny it.
It would be…fantastical. However, she needed to take some lessons for this.
She focused back on him.
"…Have you ever danced with Drift?"
Fracture took a time before he answered.
"No…Well…We had an occasion to do once but…I was too drunk apparently. Nothing happened"
"Really?"
Her gaze lingered on the cube he was holding. High-grade. As soon as she witnessed as he took another sip, she said to herself that she would keep a watch on him if he ever drank too much.
"Dancing wasn't his thing anyway" she said. "He definitely preferred learning to use his katana and his sword"
"Oh, yes…though it would have been nice if he'd tried"
Fracture displayed a nostalgic expression on his face.
"…He was definitely strict and hung-up." He joked.
She didn't take it in the wrong way.
"He was inflexible toward his students" She agreed.
"Always so serious"
"He never understood humour. No wonder why Sideswipe always got him annoyed"
"Well, Sideswipe can be irritating sometimes"
And without any warning, they burst out into laughing, not understanding why.
She didn't know if that's because of the cube or…something else.
It's quite nice…
"So" Fracture spoke up again. "Is Chase the same?"
She shook her head.
"He isn't as serious as Drift but…let's say he is just professional. He is quite similar to Strongarm when it comes to apply the Code. And he rarely smiles. I wonder why but he stated that his smile would get me terrified"
"Oh. One more mystery"
Windblade chuckled.
And she was impatient to resolve it.
Music ended again.
Windblade realized that they moved some tables to leave room for karaoke. She stood up. Fracture's gaze followed her.
"Are you going to sing?"
"Yes…"
She faced him.
If he'd initiated her to dancing…
"Will you sing with me?"
Time froze.
Fracture suddenly paled, mouth opened.
"No way!"
"Oh, come on!"
"No, no. I'm not going to sing. Sing on your own. You're very good at this"
"Why?"
The purple bot didn't answer and just drank his cube.
"Fracture!"
"…I'm not going to sing. That's all"
"You don't know?" She questioned him, an amused tone.
"It's not that!"
Silence fell down again.
In the end, he looked away before he confessed.
"Do you want some rain tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure Acid Rains will return"
"I sing like a dying toad, okay?"
She shrugged. If that's only the problem…
"I dance like a turkey myself. And so what? I tried"
"It's not the same thing! Dancing isn't singing! I'll not look like a fool in front of clones"
"So…You Sir is shy"
"Not at all! Our respective voices will not match!"
He had his arms crossed, a childish pout on his face.
Okay…
"I wouldn't have guessed that you were scared"
He looked up back at her.
No one said that the most feared bounty hunter of the galaxy was scared of something…
Unfortunately…
"…Sorry, it's not going to work. Even if you call me a coward" He answered with a bitter smile.
"Oh, but I'll not dare…"
Windblade stood up and headed for the stage, a determined expression on her face.
She could settle scores, right?
She grabbed the micro. The purple bot was still at their table.
As if she's going to leave him alone…
"…Friends?" She asked to the public, speaking out loud enough.
All clones turned back to her, looking interested by what she was about to say.
Fracture raised one eyebrow.
She gave him a charming smile.
Then she pointed at him.
"May you convince my friend to go to sing in duet with me?"
From far, she could watch as Fracture's optics widened, an 'you haven't dared' expression obvious on his face.
He stood up and immediately rushed over to the door.
A door who was blocked by two security guards, a devilish smirk on their faces.
"Move!"
But it wasn't enough.
The other clones moved, heading for him. Fracture took a defensive stance.
"You'll not take me alive! You'll not force me!"
"Oh, come on! Go to join your girlfriend!" They chuckled.
Windblade winced. Never.
Fracture stepped back again and suddenly, he was lifted up in the air by a dozen of clones, carrying him over to the stage. He shouted and whined, threatening them to kill them all, holding onto a corner of a wall, a curtain, a table, a counter…
Nothing.
Windblade laughed. He'll not escape from his fate.
"NO! Windblade, you'll pay for that!"
"Of course!"
And suddenly he landed at her pede. Fracture looked back at her.
"No"
"Yes"
"No!"
"Yes!"
She forcefully put the micro in his servo before she whispered something at the DJ.
A song they both knew…
"What did you tell him?"
Music started over again.
Fracture froze, taking a time to listen. Windblade gave him a little pat on the shoulderplate.
"You know this one"
"Not at all"
"You liar. I heard you singing it under the shower, the other day"
He got startled again.
"Are you spying me when I'm under shower, now?"
Windblade didn't answer.
She started singing the first verse.
Fracture frowned, glaring at the public. While singing, Windblade repeatedly glanced back at him.
He wasn't leaving the stage. He could have.
It's his turn.
Fracture sighed, focusing back on the micro.
In the end, he put it to his lip.
And he started singing as well.
Windblade listened, closing her optics. It…it wasn't too bad. Well he wasn't used to it and he still made some false notes…
But…it was quite correct.
More the song kept on, more he relaxed. And when the first chorus came up, he let go in the song. Windblade's voice covered his a bit, yet each of them could be heard distinctly.
She went for the next verse.
Then it'd been Fracture's turn.
No false note this time.
Then they went back at the chorus, with much more emotion and strength in. In the song, they came closer to each other. She noticed that Fracture wasn't paying attention to the public. He only focused on her. Was he that scared?
Then the song ended.
They caught their breath. None of them had stopped.
And a thunderous applause came up.
"Really…And am I the one who surprises you?" Fracture let out a sigh.
They'd left the bar. They'd sat down on stairs leading them to rooms. He didn't want to see anyone else. Windblade wondered if she hadn't gone too far by forcing him to come.
"They liked you" She said.
"If you say so"
He'd his arms crossed. Tiredness was obvious in his optics.
In the end, he smiled.
"He would have made fun of me"
"Not only him. Other Autobots as well" she said.
Fracture rolled his optics.
Windblade yawned as well.
"Truth to be told, you are good"
"If you say so…But I'll not do it again"
"Not in front of everyone…but you like singing right?"
He didn't answer.
She took the silence as a yes.
"If you give me dancing lessons, I'll give you singing lessons" She offered.
It looked equal.
Fracture pouted.
"No thanks. I prefer Shanix. 40 Shanix for the lesson"
"Greedy, venal and capricious. And shy. And a crook as well."
It's not the first time she called him a crook, after all.
"Not true! But if I give lessons, I want to be paid for it"
"Really? I have no money on me"
"I'll not give you credit"
Windblade chuckled again.
"Okay…the first lesson will be for free" Fracture offered.
"Wow! So nice of you"
Silence fell down again.
Windblade gave a small smile.
"Drift didn't sing but…it didn't mean that he didn't know how to have fun sometimes"
"Definitely. I loved teasing him"
"Once" She told. "He disguised himself as a ghost to make humans run away from a town, haunted by a Decepticon"
This time, Fracture laughed hard to the tears.
"Drift as a ghost? Seriously?"
"Oh, but there are other stories about him" Windblade smiled.
"Yes. Once, he'd been hit on by a femme named Weaponflower. He was so honourable. He couldn't say no to her. I was forced to rescue him from that mess. He owed me, by the way!"
Windblade nodded.
"…You have so many stories about him?"
"Many. And you?"
"Many"
With an understanding nod, they understood what it meant.
It was going to be a long night.
This one…
The ship heading for Crystal Cities…as it was planned. Boarding was for soon.
Night looked up back at Kaon. The City was bathed in the sunrise.
Even if it'd been a City ravaged by war…it remained a calm City in appearance, as most of inhabitants were still recharging.
She'd quietly left the bar, only leaving a note at Nightingale to tell her where she was. And to thank her as well.
She didn't want to make Nightingale worry and asking Kat for some explanations.
She let out a sigh.
She wondered if that's so useful…if it was worthy…
She thought back of Htab…the picture…
That femme that might be her mother…
Her adoptive mother's reaction…
No. He would outright refuse.
She had a clue…she could use it.
Night headed for the bot from the day before. The captain greeted her with a small wave.
"Let's not wasting time"
"No"
"Are you alone?"
Night nodded.
Yes…that's better if she was alone…
She didn't want to get Kat endangered more…as if the casino from yesterday didn't have been enough…
Then the bot's expression changed.
"…I don't think so"
He focused on a point behind Night.
She turned around.
And she froze as soon as she recognized the person who was standing up in front of her.
"Kat!"
In her Cyclops mode. The captain let out a disgusted growl before he came back inside the ship.
"But…What are you doing here?" She cried out.
"What? Don't you want me to come?" Her friend growled.
She carried two bags. One was on her back.
"But…you can't come!"
"And why? You think I'll leave you on your own? Wasn't yesterday enough? You are so reckless and impulsive sometimes!"
Night ignored which reaction she shall have. She stared at Kat, dumfounded. Her friend kept speaking, a grumpy tone.
"I'm involved in that mess, now. And if you don't want me in, I don't care."
She paused.
"I brought my books to study along. It's only a matter time before my mother finds your note. My sister will suffer from consequences and I don't want to imagine which reaction Fracture will get when he—"
Night didn't let her finish her sentence.
She just step for her and hugged her tightly.