The Diego Diaries: GAME! (dd6 664)
=0=The Game
The niceties were over. It was fist and claw all the way now. Tarn which was a tough town, it was Megatron's after all, was on the offensive and if they had to be offensive in their offense they were good to go. Only two of them were big enough to stand toe-to-toe with Magnus and Prime because they went with speed but most were big and tough enough to go rounds with everyone else.
Three of them bore down on Hardie and clocked him out of the game, sending him careening into the wall. He slammed in, then slid downward to land on the floor where a local aviary sung songs of old in his processor.
Infants deployed and the game was halted as Ratchet skippity-doo-dahed down the steps to assist. The kids were already laying Hardie out in a more comfortable manner when he arrived, leaning over them to stare at Hardie who was actually grinning up at everyone like a drunk. "Hey, Appa, how many digits do you see?" Ratchet asked without holding up a hand.
"Twenty-seven," Hardie said.
"Oh-oh, Commander. He's not good," Sil said as the others nodded in worried agreement.
"No. He is not," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "STRETCHER TIME!"
Three of them jumped, then ran across the court to the tunnel where they emerged with a stretcher. Carrying it over, laying it out, the children began to lift Hardie the way they were taught by their medical mentors, laying him gently on the stretcher. They lined up along each side, hoisted him up, then walked to the door across the court to the vast delight of the crowd.
The bagpipe accompaniment by Alor didn't hurt either.
Into the tunnel they went with Ratchet behind in his highland glory smiling and waving at the crowd like a debutante. Inside the tunnel, then walked to the infirmary where the kids set Hardie gently on a med berth.
Ratchet scanned him, gave a few orders to the medics there, congratulated the kids on another life saved, then walked out to take his place beside a bemused Prowl once more.
"How is he?" Prowl asked as Delphi leaned in with his beer and hot dog.
"He's going to be fine. He rung his bell but he has a lot of kids taking care of him," Ratchet said.
The game below began again and raged onward. Tarn would get one more score, Iacon would get six not counting penalties and the game would wheeze to a halt when the siren went off in merciful time. But until then, there were shots to take both at the hoop and each other.
The game ground to a halt when one of the two huge Tarnians threw a (legal) punch at Magnus. He staggered, then turned to the Tarn player with a look of surprise and fury on his handsome face.
Arcee who was waiting for the ball walked to him, took it, then stepped back as the two collided like freight trains.
A roar of primal and/or primordial delight filled the room as Magnus and the big mech traded powerhouse punches. The impact alone made one's teeth rattle and sphincters tightened as they slugged it out along the sideline, just *this* close to overrunning the Iacon bench.
"I'm glad the kids aren't mascots and good luck charms of this team. They would probably get crunched sooner or later," Ratchet said as he stared with bemusement at the scene below. "Magnus has no idea how handsome he is."
Prowl nodded. "He doesn't. He doesn't care either."
"Nope," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "I'll care for him. I'm his mama after all."
They both laughed, took another beer from Delphi and Turbine, saluted each other, commented on how long it would be before beer was banned from this game as well as football, noted in the stands on the other side a number of individuals slagging it out in the usual manner, then downed the beer. They would be well oiled for the rumpus to come after the game.
Magnus and the big mech finally stepped back, glowered at each other, then turned to the ref. He was tapping his toe in irritation, blew a whistle, then allowed Arcee to put the ball into the game again. She did, everyone ran around, then she got another goal.
It was a thing.
The crowd chanted "TARN! TARN! TARN!"
It was either sympathy chanting or everyone was just as happy to help motivate Tarn if Iacon would lose at basketball along with football, this 1% town who liked to cheat to stack their teams back in the orn. Now they didn't stack them and the Messiah of the People™ played for Iacon but it only mollified them a little.
By the time the siren sounded, the score was 92 (with penalties against Tarn and their Flying Fists of Fury)-5 with Iacon still the only undefeated team in the league.
The crowd went wild.
=0=Moments later
They stood in the corridor outside of the infirmary waiting for Hardie to be released to Delphi. Sun and Jack were with Delphi, the twins, Blue and everyone else as Ratchet was interviewed nearby by Blaster for the punters on Earth and everywhere else.
"Tell us why you dress up like a jackass, Ratchet," Blaster asked. "Everyone who isn't Iaconian wants to know."
Ratchet laughed loudly, then punched Blaster. "Slagger. Its Iaconian sports culture to do this. It unnerves the other teams, provides comedy, is a creative outlet for fans and its fun."
"Tarn is a fighting town like Vos. Polyhex brings noisemakers. Iacon dresses up and paints themselves like idiots," Blaster said and got another fist for it. "Which one do you prefer?"
Ratchet grinned. "All of them. I'm glad that Earth likes our sports. We actually have a few games that are like football and basketball and we also have lobbing which helps with games that require passing. We don't hold to all the rules that humans have but it makes for an interesting game."
"Did you know that every time you've dressed up and clowned around that Iacon has won?" Blaster asked.
"No, but now that you mention it, it sure seems to be true," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I suppose this trend has to follow all the way to the championship which we'll win because I have a mantel that requires a trophy on it."
"We can but hope," Blaster said.
They chatted, laughed, then the broadcast switched to Earth.
Ratchet walked to the group watching him, then smiled at Prowl. "You did hear that, right? Every time I practice team spirit Iacon wins. I guess this means I have to step up my game."
Prowl stared at him for a moment with The Look. "I hate you."
Huge laughter took care of that.
=0=Several moments later on a train heading for Iacon
Ratchet who was sheered of his kit by the twins on orders from everyone leaned against a pole as the train sped onward. Alor and Blackjack were sitting next to him as Ironhide, Prowl and Prime swayed while holding straps. "Iacon. We're going to Iacon, the magical city that will win a championship soon."
"I won't argue," Ironhide said with a grin. "What are ya going to wear next game?"
Ratchet glanced down at him, then smiled. "I can't divulge. Trade secrets and all given I'm the good luck charm for the team. What with being like a spy, I must keep my plans to myself."
"Primus help us," Prowl said, then he grinned in spite of himself. "I dread to think about it. You do realize don't you that you're the Secretary of State and most senior ambassador for the Prime of Cybertron, right?"
Ratchet glanced at Prime who was grinning. "And I'm doing a damned fine job, too. I imagine that when I show up to the next United Nation's chat in my Iron Man suit that I'll get a standing ovation."
"You're already an iron man, old mech. You're losing a few screws," Ironhide said as everyone stood to get off at the next station.
"Keep doing what you're doing, Ratch," Alor said. "If you can add a musical angle," he said patting his hold where the bagpipes were, "let me know and I'll join ya."
"You stole my bagpipes. How will I ever get Ironhide up in the morning now?" Ratchet said as he stepped off the train followed by the others.
"Oh slag. Burn those, Ada," Ironhide said as they walked to the stairs that led upward. They would disappear laughing and joking into the night time of Iacon, the fall back City of the Autobots.
=0=Later
They rode out into the night having retrieved their horses, some of them. It was dark and cold but the night would be exciting. There were celebrations and scores to partake in. Tarn was defeated. Iacon was victorious. The night would be a pageant of emotions from A to B.
Partition and Lancer were riding with Hercy and the boys as Drift and Springer took the lead. They were off for the next three orns and the fun was on horseback with the Fam. They might also need a very good field medic who was halfway through his first year of medical school training to be an elder doctor.
He wasn't going to leave the force. He was now permanent medic at Day/Night Watch substation #46 and a full time policing officer. He would, however, have all the skill needed to answer any elder calls that came in across the colony. His brothers Morius and Inweld would be full time officers as well, stationed at Substation #5 and #82. They all would also be members of the Home Guard and the apple of their genitor's optics.
Who knew?
They followed the highway heading for a long slow ride through the colony as the night waxed onward and the possibility of needing policing intervention grew with every footfall of their horse's hooves.
=0=A steak house in Iacon
They sat back after stuffing their faces. It was amazing how much fuel one used up running around full tilt all over the place in front of 100,000 screaming people. Dessert was on its way.
"What's the word on the School Board, Ironhide? I heard that the humans want to make more use of the space labs at Trypticon," Ratchet asked as he sipped his drink.
"They do. We have a plan to work them in. It won't hurt to let them and the kids are fine. One of the board members at Earth2 asked if it was possible to be on the school board. I told him I'd ask but not to hold their breath. I suppose we can have one as an observer," Ironhide said as he sat back. The waiter was bringing dessert and his was a big slab of Celebration cake. His optics nearly twirled in delight.
Alor grinned at him as their desserts were left along with filled glasses. "My son, the school board secretary. It brings tears to my optics."
"Of pride?" Ironhide asked with a grin, like a little boy wanting an atta boy from his mommy.
Alor laughed. "Yep."
They dined a bit, then Optimus noted a few individuals by the door waiting to come in to eat. "Are those Coppos or Southies?" he asked.
Three big mechs with tiny chevrons on the inside of their arms were waiting to be seated. They looked like everyone else but their gang sign was now harder to spot. Given that the six were soldiers and they were a culture that communicated their status and life through tattoos and etchings, it was automatic to see them no matter how much they were hidden from easy viewing.
It would ALWAYS amaze the humans that they were so open about their factions by wearing boldly their sigils.
The two got a seat, ordered, then sat back.
Prime glanced at the others. Do you want to wait to see if anyone joins them or tell the Watch? It might be simply innocent or something else."
Prowl considered that, then looked at Prime. "I want to dance."
Prime grinned. "I guess that settles it then."
They ate their desserts, drank a few cocktails, then gathered to go. They would exit into the cold night air, go to the station, then head off for the clubs in Tyger Pax.
Three other gangsters would come and dine with the two at the steak house. Nothing would come of it.
This time.
=0=TBC 5-19-19 edited 5-20-19