Chapter 53 - No-Mans-Land part II
(RPOV)
Ratchet watched with glee as Optimus and Kae's father settled down in a far corner, having a spark to spark over his assistant. They were about finished when the instruments were done up properly.
"C'mon Kae, start us off," one of Wolf's men grinned. Ratchet looked at Kae with a grin.
"Do one for Optimus!" he called out. Several of the men cheered that thought. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh alright, In the Palm of your Hand," Kae said with a smile.
The man with the guitar grinned and changed his tone somewhat.
Optimus and her father walked toward them again. Smiling.
"If I could have the world and all it owns, a thousand kingdoms a thousand thrones, if all the earth were mine to hold with wealth my only gold. I'd spend my gold on selfish things without the love that your life brings, just a little bit more is all I'd need, 'till life was torn from me." Kae sang sweetly, she looked at Optimus, then his holoform as she sang.
"I'd rather be in the palm of your hand, though rich or poor I may be. Fate can see right through the circumstance, sees the forest in spite of the trees, your grace provides for me."
One of the men played the violin for a moment as Kae swayed gently. Another verse, and the instruments took over as Kae smiled shyly, singing a soft reprise. Optimus walked toward her and wound her into his holoform's arms, leaning down to kiss her temple gently.
"Although I'd rather have you on my shoulder," he murmured in her ear. She looked up at him and giggled softly.
Absolutely adorable.
"Alright Kae, enough of this soft hand's stuff!" Wolf shouted out with a broad grin, pulling out a second violin.
"Oh come on Wolf!" Kae shouted.
"You know you want to," he grinned. Mikaela rolled her eyes and picked up the violin, plucking the strings lightly as Wolf walked up to the microphone.
"If you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band, that lead guitar is hot but not for a Louisiana man. So rosin up that bow for faded love and let's all dance, if you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band." Wolf belted out alongside his men, an electric guitar started up playing. "I remember down in Houston, we were puttin' on a show when a cowboy in the back stood up and yelled 'cotton eyed joe!' He said 'we love what you're doing, boys don't get us wrong, there's just something missing in your song...'"
"If you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band, that lead guitar is hot but not for a Louisiana man. So rosin up that bow for faded love and let's all dance, if you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band." Men and soldiers sang out cheerfully. Optimus watched his Kae as she patiently sat, listening to the soft tones of the violin as she tuned it carefully. Ratchet glanced over at Ironhide to see the bot's holoform grinning madly, belting out the chorus alongside the soldiers.
It had been a long time since he'd seen that spectacle.
Mikaela grinned and watched her hand as she played a simple fiddling riff on the violin, the second man grinned and joined her, they played together with smiles along with the instruments and singing men.
"Alright, that's a warmup you brat!" Wolf shouted as the music echoed out. "You're gonna play for us!"
Mikaela shot the man a grinning pout and canted her head to the side to the first violin.
Powerful music started, the man with the violin grinning as he played quickly.
"The devil went down to Georgia he was looking for a soul to steal, he was in a bind 'cos he was way behind: he was willin' to make a deal." Old Wolf started out, singing in a rapid, grinning baritone to the cheers of the soldiers. Ratchet couldn't help but smirk slightly, the thought of making a deal with the un-maker for the sake of a bit of gold was ludicrous. Primus sake, if he really wanted the taste of gold in his energon, he'd trade for it! Or like as not, a patient would trade him the gold for his services as a medic. Far more efficient.
The man with the fiddle began playing again, playing quickly, Ratchet grinned and nodded his head to the music. Even if the lyrics were silly, the skill the musicians showed bringing sound from something outside of themselves was fascinating.
Ratchet laughed as Bee's holoform bounced up and down, watching as Kae rosined her bow patiently, kneeling with a placid look on her face.
::. Watch watch watch!.:: Bee transmitted excitedly.
"The devil opened up his case and he said: 'I'll start this show.' and fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow. And he pulled the bow across his strings and it made an evil hiss. Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this:" Wolf sang again, he turned and pointed to his band as they played a rather sinister, heavy set. The fiddle sounded like ghosts screaming. It was weird.
Mikaela stood up with a smirk on her lips, holding her fiddle loosely in her hand as Wolf began singing again, gesturing with her bow in counterpoint to his words.
"When the devil finished, Johnny said: 'Well you're pretty good old son, but sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done."
The fiddle flew to her shoulder as she belted out, "Fire on the mountain, run boys, run!" Ratchet grinned, looking at Optimus as the bot watched his spark-mate in awe, her bow flew across the strings. "The devil's in the house of the rising sun. Chicken in the bread pan picking out dough, Granny does your dog bite no child no."
Mikaela's face was set in a vicious grin as she played. Her hand and bow flew on the strings. Bumblebee was grinning madly as the rest of the soldiers and bots watched in shock. Her hand slowed, playing a long, smirking note.
"The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat. And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said: 'Devil just come on back if you ever want to try again." Wolf grinned as Mikaela's voice rose powerfully.
"Cos I told you once you son of a bitch I'm the best that's ever bin!" she shouted out, whipping her bow in the air with a vicious grin.
"And he played fire on the mountain run boys run. The devil's in the house of the rising sun. Chicken in the bread pan picking out dough, Granny will your dog bite no child no."
Kae played her fiddle again, dancing around gleefully as her hands flew. Her hair whipped around her face from time to time. Ratchet glanced at Optimus to find the bot's holoform staring at her in awe. Not simply for the skill she showed in bending the string's vibrations to pleasing tones, but for the sheer, unadulterated joy that she showed, that she shared when she was doing so. Ratchet sat his holoform down beside Chris Moreshower as the man grinned, cradling his third beer with a third helping of pizza, and a second helping of pie close at hand. Ironhide was sitting back with a broad grin on his other side.
"Never deleting this memory," Ironhide rumbled through that grin, grabbing another swig of the 'moonshine' Cal had pressed into his hand at Ratchet's enthusiastic grin.
Now that was some serious high grade, and by all scans, was going to burn beautifully.
"Amen to that brother," Chris grinned, holding up his beer toward Ironhide. The bot frowned momentarily. "Oh right, social convention," Chris grinned whacking a palm to his forehead, "distant handshake of sorts, you tap your glass against the offered bottle or glass to signify agreement or celebration."
"Gotcha!" Ironhide laughed, lightly tapping Chris' bottle as a banjo started up. Chris grinned.
"Midnight rider!" he shouted. Wolf waved a grinning arm for Chris to join him at the microphone.
"I got to run to keep in hiding, and I'm bound to go on riding, I've got one more silver dollar." Chris started out with a grin.
"I ain't gonna let them catch me lord I ain't gonna let them catch the midnight rider!" Wolf replied with a grin as Mikaela picked up a bit of background before playing her fiddle. The usual fiddle man was grinning and sitting relaxed, drinking a beer and taking his leisure until the three finally concluded their song with a final:
"I ain't gonna let them catch me lord I ain't gonna let them catch the midnight rider!" the three of them sang cheerfully, Mikaela backing up the two men with the evident ease of long practice. The music faded back and Chris grinned at the group.
"Buy me a rose?" he asked Wolf before settling down between Ratchet and Ironhide again.
"Here's for you lovebirds," Wolf grinned at Mikaela as she set her violin down in it's case and went to stand at the side, the band began playing the slow, sweet song.
::. Go dance with her.:: Ironhide commanded Optimus with a broad grin over the primary. Optimus shot a look at Ironhide. The bot rolled his eyes and whacked Ratchet's arm, standing and spinning Chromia onto the open space, immediately turning it into a dance floor as Ratchet gripped Arcee firmly, leading her around. She felt so right in his arms.
::. DO it you glitch!.:: Ratchet added with a matching grin. Arcee pressed herself a bit more tightly against him.
(OPOV)
Optimus rolled his eyes at the two of them and looked back at Mikaela, smiling as he crooked a finger at her. She walked toward him curiously and broke into the smile that few ever saw on her face as Optimus wrapped her in his arms and led her around the open space alongside his senior officers.
"Buy me a rose, call me from work, open a door for me what would it hurt, show me you love me by the look in your eyes, these are the little things I need the most in my life."
Mikaela laid her head gently against his chest as he quietly sang along with the song.
It felt absolutely perfect, his beautiful, independent Kae who still let him lead, pressed tightly against his chest. His pillar of strength, a Femme to love and adore.
"Buy me a rose, call me from work, open a door for me what would it hurt, show me you love me by the look in your eyes, these are the little things I need the most in my life."
Optimus listened to the lyrics and held his Kae a bit more tightly, understanding finally what she had meant. His spark and processors were in sync with each other, and the songs made sense. The songs put forth gentle pieces of advice, and he took them. He was never going to stop showing his Kae his adoration of her. He concentrated for a moment and created a rose from the carbon for her, lightly pressing the thornless stem into her hand as she looked up at him with the sweetest combination of shock and joy.
::. Atta bot!.:: Ironhide rumbled gleefully over the primary.
::. I seriously need to remember that.:: Bumblebee added in an awed tone.
"So I bought you a rose, on the way home from work, to open the door to a heart that I hurt. And I hope you notice this look in my eyes, cause I'm going to make things right for the rest of your life."
"And I'm going to hold you tonight. Do all those little things for the rest of your life." He whispered along with the song as it finished.
The music slowed and Mikaela smiled up at him.
Optimus felt his spark flare in response to all of the love in those incredible eyes.
He belonged to her. There was no other way. One of the younger men stood up.
"I vote!" he called out with a vicious grin. "I vote we make these exquisitely beautiful women dance!"
Flareup punched the air with a crow as Arcee and Chromia gave the menfolk a light shove off the floor, firmly evicting Optimus and wrapping themselves around Kae.
"Give us a fat beat boyo!" Flareup shouted with a broad grin.
"This is my town!" the younger men shouted, the drummer grinned viciously as he picked up a strong beat alongside the electric guitar.
"It's my town! It's my town! It's my town!"
Epps was shouting with a broad grin, punching the air alongside several soldiers.
(RPOV)
Ratchet grinned as the femmes danced closely, his spark flaring as Arcee shot a sultry glance at him.
"When the sun goes down the stars come out like the ghosts of yesterday, so drink 'em down, 'cause some things never change. Baby sing get loud, we ain't gonna fuck around, when the sun goes down let me hear you say: this is my town."
Ratchet glanced over to see his assistant dancing tightly pressed against Chromia as Optimus and Ironhide both watched them with broad grins. Point for them. Absolutely.
"It's my town! It's my town! It's my town!" Soldiers and bikers chanted at top volume. Lennox grinned and dragged Chris Moreshower to his feet as even he shouted the chant out.
Chromia and Kae teamed up and drew their bots' holoforms onto the floor. Ratchet laughed aloud to see Kae and Optimus practically dancing a tango with each other. Optimus had her arm pinned across her stomach, holding her rose as her eyes sparkled.
Arcee smirked as she wound herself around him. Ratchet grinned viciously and spun her onto the floor, determined to do at least as well as Ironhide as the weapon's master's holoform stood firmly, grinning and guiding his femme through intricate, erotic steps as she wrapped herself around him. They froze for a second and flashed their forms into scaled models of their own bodies, continuing to dance as they would on Cybertron as the soldiers cheered them on.
"When the sun goes down the stars come out like the ghosts of yesterday, so drink 'em down, 'cause some things never change. Baby sing get loud, we ain't gonna fuck around, when the sun goes down let me hear you say: this is my town."
"It's my town! It's my town! It's my town!"
"This is my town," the band sang again, the music cut out for a minute.
"Jimmy!" Wolf called out, "Do that song!"
"This song?" the man at the piano asked curiously, playing a few chords.
"That song," Wolf nodded. The piano became deeper as a microphone was set in front of Jimmy.
"From underneath the trees, we watch the sky, confusing stars, for satellites, I never dreamed, you'd be mine, but here we are, we're here tonight.
"Singing A- men I, I'm alive, I'm alive, singing amen I, I'm alive..."
"If everyone cared, nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied, if everyone shared and swallowed their pride, then we'd see the day, when nobody died..."
Ratchet grinned to hear the lyrics, absolutely true. Brilliant. He scanned the lyrics for a moment and couldn't help himself, onlining a secondary holoform of lightning bugs to float around the room. Arcee beamed at him.
"And in the air, the fireflies, our only light, in paradise, we'll show the world they were wrong, and teach them all, to sing along. Singing amen I'm alive, I'm alive, singing Amen I, I'm alive!"
::. If everyone Cared, Nickelback.:: Bumblebee supplied with a grin. Bouncing in to dance with his big sister, she wrapped an arm around his waist with a grin as they danced and swayed like the siblings they truly were, singing along with the chorus gleefully.
"And as we lie, beneath the stars, we realize, how small we are, if they could love, like you and me," Jimmy pointed at Optimus with a grin. "Imagine what, the world could be. If everyone cared nobody cried..." Jimmy sang out powerfully.
Optimus' eyes were glowing as the verse was sung. He stood as the song finished.
"We got a singer!" Wolf shouted with a grin as Optimus ducked down to whisper in Kae's ear. Ratchet watched them casually and felt a small flare of pain as Optimus whispered.
"Help me?"
Mikaela looked up at him and cupped his cheek, quickly cuing the band as Optimus stood at the microphone.
"All the things I've felt and never shared," Optimus sang in his rich, beautiful baritone. "All the times that she was lonely with me there, the tears I wouldn't let fall from my eyes. And how I let her go without a fight." Ratchet grasped his spark, knowing who Optimus was singing of as he looked out the open door toward the cloud concealed stars.
"The reasons I'm alone I know by spark, but I don't want to spend forever in the dark, I swear next time I'll hang on for dear life. If love ever gives me another try." Mikaela sang his backup softly, and the look in her eyes knew why he was singing it. Ratchet watched in fascination as she glanced at Arcee, her eyes seemed to speak before she shot a piercing look, seemingly directly into Ratchet's spark before she looked back at Optimus.
"There's no changing things that we regret, the best that we can hope for is one more chance..." Optimus looked at his Kae, gently touching his mark where it sat visible on her chest. In the midst of the sounds of regret in the song, Kae sang beside her guardian, her voice raised in companionship.
Optimus sang strongly, and Ratchet couldn't stop himself from walking up to his holoform and dragging him into a powerful hug. Ironhide hung back for a moment, choosing his timing to enter the group hug as Mikaela wrapped a gentle hug around Optimus' waist.
"Alright, that means it's time to talk," Will called out quietly.
"Her name was Elita 1," Optimus rumbled. "She was killed in battle."
Ratchet straightened, and Mikaela wrapped a gentle arm around his waist, catching Arcee's eyes. The Femme who had waited for him, had gently touched his spark jumped to her feet and caught his waist lightly as Mikaela smiled at her, wrapping her other arm around her Optimus' waist. He traded glances with Optimus.
"His name was Nova," Ratchet stated quietly. "He and our daughter Alia were murdered by Decepticons, a hundred of your years later."
"You said you've been a widower for..." Will murmured in the silence.
"Seven thousand years. Ratchet and I both would have followed our Spark-bonded mates to the well." Optimus rumbled softly.
"We were refused," Ratchet finished strongly. He stood straight and looked down at Arcee.
"I will follow you," she murmured.
"I will wait for you," Mikaela murmured up to Optimus. She looked at Wolf.
The older man stood proudly.
"Her name was Elizabeth." he rasped out. Cal rose as well.
"Her name was Eun Mi." he stated proudly, handing shots out to each man who rose to speak the name of their lost one.
"To our lost beloveds," Wolf husked, raising his glass.
Ratchet raised his glass and downed the burning alcohol with the group and felt it wash away a lingering bit of pain. Arcee reached up to cover his chest as Mikaela copied her with Optimus, and Chromia did with Ironhide.
"Kaela, sing us some hope," Wolf commanded brusquely.
Mikaela nodded and walked to the man behind the keyboard, leaning down to murmur in his ear. He nodded and began playing softly as Mikaela sang.
"When the waves roll on, over the waters and the ocean cries, we look to our sons and daughters, to explain our lives, as if a child could tell us why. That as sure as the sun rise, as sure as the sea, as sure as the wind in the trees-"
"We rise again!" Flare, Kae, Chrome and Arcee chorused together.
"In the faces of of children," Chromia sang
"We rise again!"
"In the voices of our song," Arcee replied
"We rise again!"
"In the waves out on the ocean." Flare added.
"And then, we rise again!"
"When the light goes dark, with the forces of creation, across the stormy sky," Arcee sang sweetly as Kae smiled at her. "We look to, reincarnation to explain our lives. As if a child could tell us why."
"That as sure as the sun rise, as sure as the sea, as sure as the wind in the trees." the four femmes sang together, Bumblebee backing them up in a light tenor, "we rise again, in the faces of our children," Ratchet straightened and added his voice along with the rest of the bots. "We rise again, in the voices of our song, we rise again, in the waves out on the ocean and then we rise again." he began stomping to the beat. The soldiers and Wolf's men joining in quickly.
"We rise again in the faces of our children, we rise again in the voices of our song, we rise again, in the waves out on the ocean, and then we rise again."
The music finished and they continued singing. Ratchet could feel his spark flaring with strength again, and understood where Kae's strength had come from as she sang powerfully, blending her voice among so many others. She turned and grasped Optimus' hand as Arcee threaded her holoform's fingers into his. Ironhide had already wrapped Chromia's in his' arms.
His spark flared again as Arcee smiled up at him.
(OPOV)
Optimus felt his Kae's warm hand slide into his holoform's larger one as she continued singing beside him. Joined with each bot, he could feel their hope, their strength increase as they sang with the humans.
Ratchet's recognition of the source of his spark-mate's strength triggered a responding flare of his own spark. He stared at her father.
As though sensing the look, Cal caught Optimus' eye. And even as he sang with the group, the look in his eyes confirmed that knowledge. A father's eyes that were as expressive as his daughter's. A single look that said no matter where she was in the world, she had always had this to return to; an entreaty, a prayer that when he was gone, that Optimus would stand by her side; and a lesson in leadership, from a man whose world had scorned him, but his head was still held proudly. It was the strength that grew when it was shared.
Optimus pulled his Kae closer, wrapping his arms around her gently as she leaned trustingly against his chest. Cal grinned at him and nodded, raising his voice even more strongly with the soldiers'.
Never, if he lost Kae, if he lost everything, he would never delete this memory.
"Alright!" Wolf declared as everyone's voices finally quieted. "Let's get this party on a happier note!"
Cal grinned and grabbed one of the guitars.
"I dedicate this song to Paddy!" Cal shouted out, "an Irishman to the bone, may his spirit rest in the spirits and forever make them sweet!" he began strumming the guitar with a grin, and proceeded to belt out an Irish ballad. Optimus listened to it, quietly translating the irish slang and proceeding to roar with laughter as Kae joined her father, belting out the ballad in a perfect accent.
Tim Finnegan proved an hilarious character. Optimus couldn't help himself and began dancing Kae around as she called out the song with a broad grin, following his lead.
Men and Auto-bots sang and danced late into the night. Optimus sat down and pulled his Kae close, she was slowly becoming pale, and within moments of Optimus wrapping her in his arms she drifted off to sleep, cuddled into him with a smile on her face. Cal looked at him with a gentle smile. Optimus sat and listened to the music and banter for a while longer, holding his Kae until the music and the night began to wind down.
He gently lifted her with his holoform's arms and carried her to himself, climbing carefully into his sleeper and laying her in the hammock he'd fallen into the habit of maintaining for her. She shifted slightly and took a deep breath, slipping deeper into her sleep as Optimus sighed. She felt so right near his spark.
Bumblebee's holoform was weaving slightly as Optimus blinked his holoform back into the midst of the small crowd. He rumbled a low laugh and gently caught his over-tired scout's holoform.
"Get to your recharge cycle young bot," he rumbled gently, "if your big sister is already sound asleep you probably should be as well."
Bee grinned up at him and wrapped his' arms around his Prime's holoform.
"Night Sir," he said quietly before the holoform winked out.
Optimus turned and smiled at his close-knit unit as one by one, the younger ones winked out until only his medical officer, weapons master, and the Femmes remained.
"You take good care of your squad," Cal murmured, standing beside Ratchet.
"We don't follow the bot just because he looks good," Chromia murmured with a grin. Optimus shot a wry glance at her. She laughed softly and stood on her toes, pecking a gentle kiss to Ironhide's jaw as Arcee did the same for Ratchet. The Femmes winked out and dropped into their recharge cycles.
Wolf's men and the soldiers bunked down on the heavy pads and sleeping bags. Chris Moreshower had dropped off and was snoring quietly in an armchair. Cal laughed quietly and pressed a button on the side of the chair, it leaned back slightly as the General's feet swung up. He jerked awake and Cal laid a hand on his shoulder before throwing a blanket over the older man.
"I can sleep on the floor with the men!" Chris protested drowsily.
"Seniority gets the lazyboy!" Jacobs called out with a quiet laugh, "Perks of being a General, besides, if you're grumpy in the morning there's a ton of downhill for the shit to run."
Chris snorted and toed his boots off, relaxing in the chair and out cold the next minute.
The lights dimmed.
"I'll take the watch," Sideswipe's holoform stated quietly, onlining his holoform for a moment. "I'm good for another two days, EM field is nothing."
Optimus looked at him for a long moment before nodding.
"If you grow tired, wake me," he rumbled quietly. Sideswipe grinned and offlined his holoform again.
Cal nodded and stretched out on the pad at Wolf's head.
Optimus nodded to the man and offlined his holoform, checking on his Kae as she slept before dropping into his own recharge cycle.
In theory, cooking that efficiently, and playing the fiddle is too much talent for one person. I do it though, my kitchen is my haven, my little spot for fixing Jet in the garage a close second. *Shrug* Both rely heavily on the ability to imagine, and the logic centres of the brain. My mathematics suck, until it comes to the fractions required in a recipe. Then I'm awesome. Fiddling? I adore it, even if sheet music is beyond me, I play by ear ;). I might note that that's my primary explanation for Kae hearing and understanding the bot's moods by the hum of their sparks, once the music becomes a part of your soul, you simply cannot not apply it to practically everything else in your life.
But then too, if you're still going to insist that Mikaela is a Mary-Sue: are you really going to begrudge Optimus? Really? XD
In other news, yes, we're somewhat off plot at the moment, the plot returns in a couple of chapters, don't blame me, blame the plot bunnies that demanded these chapters be included. My brain is weird. Leave it at that. That's all for today folks, we'll see you tomorrow! :D
Oh, additional authors note as of march 2. the song list for this chapter are as follows:
In The Palm of your Hand – Allison Krauss and Union Station
If you're gonna Play in Texas (you gotta have a fiddle in the band) – Alabama
The Devil Went Down to Georgia – Charlie Daniels
Midnight Rider – Allison Krauss and Union Station
Buy me a Rose – Kenny Rogers
My Town – Hollywood Undead
If Everyone Cared – Nickelback
Another Try – Josh Turner Feat. Trisha Yearwood
We Rise again – The Rankin Family (Actually there was a version of this song that I heard years ago, featuring the Rankins, Anne Murray, the Men of the Deeps and Rita McNiel among others, it was incredible and that's the version that I had playing in my head when I wrote that, it's just so... powerful, if you can find it, tell me? Please?)
Finnegan's Wake – Dubliners (although it's a rather widespread song, the Dubliners do it VERY well)