Chapter 87 – The Master
(SPOV)
Sideswipe followed the senior officers back toward central, tossing jokes back and forth with Jacobs. Fascinating human, Jacobs, he was quiet in his own way, soft spoken, but he still gave warnings out before he blew up on you.
The femmes were dancing together, going through Mikaela's sequence in slow motion. Mikaela was walking around them, gently correcting the occasional stance.
"Share!" Ratchet called out with a grin, onlining his holoform.
"We've got it scanned in!" Arcee called back with a grin.
"Kae's letting us cheat!" Flare added with a laugh, piping the stances and corrections directly across the primary.
Optimus onlined his holoform again to stand beside the girls with a small grin as they closed the stance.
"Again," Mikaela smiled gently as holoforms onlined around her, and a few soldiers tore shoes off to join them.
"If we're learning stuff, you want to teach me how to ride?" Lennox asked with a grin. Mikaela looked at him for a long second before smiling.
"Let's see how you do in the stances, first," she chuckled. "Chrome, you've got it down, do you want to stand in front of the soldiers so they can copy you?"
Chromia giggled and moved in front of the soldiers.
They began to move, slowly, Kae's voice dropped to a hypnotic level, soothing, calming.
"Remember," she stated, "use every muscle as you move, resist your own movements and you build your strength." she walked around everyone, gentle hands correcting stances and hands. Bee, the twins, and the soldiers were still moving in slightly jerky movements. Kae gently took Bee's hands in her own and guided his motions.
"Smooth, gentle, graceful," she murmured gently, "the mighty oak stands firm in the earth, but his inability to bend to the wind is his greatest weakness. Be the grass, Bee, bend with the wind. Make it your ally."
Sideswipe watched in shock as Bumblebee's movements became smooth, graceful, his stances slowly integrating the knowledge streaming from Little Sister Kae. She smiled her approval and moved to Mudflap, taking his hands and lightly changing his stances.
"A roaring fire quickly uses his fuel," she murmured, "He is flashy, loud and rapidly targeted. But an ember lays in wait, growing hot and strong, a single puff of air unleashes his fury. Then nothing may stand in his way."
Mudflap stared at her as his motions became smooth, his energies directed inward in a pattern Sideswipe had quietly despaired of him learning.
"What's all this slow motion stuff do anyway?" Skids asked curiously. Mikaela smiled and stepped backward into an open area as everyone stopped to watch.
"Watch again," she murmured, beginning her sequence again, moving slowly, gracefully with her eyes closed. "Nature's gentle touch, that nurtures our hearts and bodies moves slowly. Graceful and gracious." Kae's movements were slow, gentle. Sideswipe watched interestedly, she looked like she was dancing as she spoke the name of each stance. She closed and straightened.
"Fluidity of water, solidity of earth, gentle caress of the air and warmth of the sun." she murmured gently. It was a shock to all, then, when her motions sped to almost blur as she fought an invisible enemy.
"Your stances are perfect!" Sideswipe called out in shock.
"Drill perfection, ma-bo, teach your muscles, ai-cha, and they remember, lo-ha, where they must be!" she trilled between strictly controlled blows. The very names of the stances began to blur together as she danced her way through at high speed. A few moments and she stood stock still with her stance closed. Anyone could see the battle readiness in that stance now. Preparation to snap into action once more.
"Nature's fury, the water flows, tirelessly eroding the strongest stones, the solid earth shakes, erupts, toppling even the most balanced, the winds roar, the fires burn. As fast as a mind is," she stated sternly, "when you must think of where your muscles should be it slows you down. When your muscles know their duty, when your body has learned it's capabilities the fight becomes entirely in the mind."
"Where the mind goes, the body will follow," Sideswipe stated softly, remembering the words of his master.
"Precisely," Mikaela smiled at him gently. She got back into the beginning stance. "Again," she stated patiently.
Optimus grinned and copied her stance, the soldiers and youngsters enthusiastically following suit, dancing slowly through the stances as Kae gently corrected the increasingly few mistakes.
"Alright, now one at a time, apply it," Mikaela stated calmly.
"Is this how you keep going?" Lennox puffed. "Slow motion and I'm out of breath!"
Mikaela chuckled and walked over to him.
"Re-train your lungs," she commanded calmly, "breathe with me."
She took his hands and delicately guided him through the stances, Will's eyes widened as he caught his breath in motion. Mikaela closed his stance and backed up.
"C'mere Flare," Mikaela smiled, the Femme grinned and pranced toward Kae. "Now, go through the sequence."
Flare smiled and slowly began to dance, Sideswipe's eyes widened as Kae danced around her in an entirely different sequence, allowing her blows to be deflected.
Sideswipe filed that image away for later.
"Faster," Kae grinned, Flare sped up somewhat, dancing through the sequence again and again as Kae matched her, quietly chanting "Faster... faster..." until Flare caught her newest sister hard in the chest, knocking her flat onto her back.
"Good!" Kae grinned as Flareup stared in shock.
"You taught me to beat you?" Flareup gasped.
"Perhaps," Mikaela laughed softly, flexing to her feet, "try it."
Flare hesitantly walked forward as Kae sank into a defensive position. They sparred for a few moments, and Sideswipe couldn't help but admire the Femme, she tried hard to get her newest sister into submission. It was a shock entirely when Kae completely switched styles and brought the Femme down gently. She looked Flare in the eye with a gentle smile.
"Remember to never become completely invested in any one style," she said gently, "for every strike there is a defence, and for every defence there is a counterstrike, but there is no defence against surprise."
Sideswipe couldn't help but nod approvingly at that, it was absolutely true.
Flare grinned and dragged her sister down, kissing her soundly. And that was also an image that was definitely never going to be deleted. Ever. Flare flipped Kae and had her on her back in moments.
"Gotcha!" Flare grinned down at her sister.
"You did," Mikaela laughed brightly, "Although normally you'd have to buy me dinner first," she promptly twined herself around Flareup as the femme giggled, Sideswipe couldn't help but feel a bit jealous about that, he definitely wanted to be in Kae's place now.
They rose quickly.
"Alright," Mikaela stated in a calm tone, "Flare, you know the routine now, go practice with Sides," she crooked a finger at Bumblebee as Flareup trotted over to Sideswipe with a grin.
He would definitely have to thank Kae for that later.
(FPOV)
"Alright, now one at a time, apply it," Kae stated calmly. Flare shot a concealed glance at Sideswipe's holoform. He was watching Kae intently. Flareup thanked her lucky star again that Kae was already engaged to their Prime, or no doubt she would be her strongest competition.
"Is this how you keep going?" Lennox puffed nearby, he was red in the face. "Slow motion and I'm out of breath!"
A good man admits his weakness, Flare thought approvingly.
Mikaela chuckled and walked over to him.
"Re-train your lungs," she commanded calmly, "breathe with me."
She took his hands and delicately guided him through the stances. The Major's eyes widened as he caught his breath. Flare made a mental note of the pace of her breathing, and when she did it, it was a muscular reflex in them, after all. She thought a moment and breathed with them, noting the inputs, a slight increase of power. Fascinating in it's own way, really. Mikaela closed his stance and backed up.
"C'mere Flare," Mikaela smiled, Flare grinned and promptly pranced toward their youngest sister. "Now, go through the sequence."
Flare smiled and slowly began to dance her way through the sequence, it was an entirely different shock when Kae danced around her in an entirely different sequence, allowing her blows to be deflected. Flare scanned Kae's blows as she aimed them, gleefully remembering each stance that deflected it.
Kae turned with her, and Flare noted that Sides was watching them avidly.
"Faster," Kae grinned, Flare sped up somewhat, dancing through the sequence again and again as Kae matched her, quietly chanting "Faster... faster..." until a brand new shock shot through her processors. Flare caught her newest sister hard in the chest, knocking her flat onto her back.
"Good!" Kae grinned as Flareup stared in shock.
"You taught me to beat you?" Flareup gasped.
"Perhaps," Mikaela laughed softly, flexing to her feet, "try it."
Flare hesitantly walked forward as Kae sank into a defensive position, she wasn't certain she wanted to be able to beat her sister Kae. The mate of a Prime should be the strongest of the Femmes, after all. They sparred for a few moments, Flare slowly speeding up until it was obvious that Kae was still damn good in a fight, Kae was grinning at her, and thus spurred on, she tried hard to get her newest sister into submission.
It was less of a shock entirely then, when Kae switched styles and brought her down to the mats gently. She looked Flare in the eye with a gentle smile.
"Remember to never become completely invested in any one style," she said gently, "for every strike there is a defence, and for every defence there is a counterstrike, but there is no defence against surprise."
Flareup thought about that for a rapid second, storing it away in her permanent forward memories. No defence against surprise... Flare grinned and dragged her sister down, kissing her soundly. Surprise.
Hopefully she wouldn't be upset.
Flare flipped Kae and had her on her back in moments.
"Gotcha!" Flare grinned down at her sister.
"You did," Mikaela laughed brightly, "Although normally you'd have to buy me dinner first," she promptly twined herself around Flareup as the two of them giggled. Her sister wasn't upset, beautiful sweet creature. Flare flicked her optics to observe Sideswipe's holoform, noting the mild look of jealously on the holoform's face. Excellent, but she didn't want to spur his jealousy too much...
Flare got up and pulled her smiling sister to her feet.
"Alright," Mikaela stated in a calm tone, not even looking at Sideswipe, "Flare, you know the routine now, go practice with Sides," she turned and crooked a finger at Bumblebee as Flareup trotted over to Sideswipe with a grin. The jealousy on his face had morphed into him trying to conceal a smirk.
Perfect.
Her sister's tactics to offhandedly shove the two of them together were absolutely perfect. She would definitely have to thank Kae for that later.
::. Now that's impressive.:: Chromia sent to Flareup on their private sisters channel.
::. I know right?.:: Flareup sent with a silent grin ::. All her.::
::. We'll have to remember to spoil her for it.:: Arcee sent with amusement.
::. Absolutely.:: Flare smirked, shooting a sultry, suggestive look at Sideswipe as she bowed to him.
(OPOV)
Ten minutes to midnight, Optimus walked toward his femme with a small smile. Ratchet, Ironhide and Sideswipe flanked him as the Femmes flanked his Kae.
They bowed respectfully to each other.
"GO!" Bumblebee shouted out with a broad grin. The assembled bots and soldiers cheered as the two groups collided, Optimus wasn't paying attention to that, though.
His holoform's eyes, his optics were only for his Kae as she sparred with him, deflecting his every blow even as he redirected hers.
An even match, an equal.
Gods but she was perfect, matching him blow for blow as he opened himself up. He began struggling to keep up even as her face began to redden slightly, the finest sheen of sweat showing on her face. Her eyes sparkled, and her pheromones were intoxicating as he challenged her, their styles switching constantly.
Come tempest ice or pitfire, he would have her screaming his name tonight.
All movement ceased around them as they danced, time stopped. Optimus pushed himself just a little bit faster and finally caught his Kae in a partial submission. One that she could have broken out of at any time.
Sound returned.
"FIVE... FOUR... THREE... TWO... ONE... HAPPY NEW YEAR!" was shouted around them. Kae reached up and dragged his face to hers, kissing him soundly even as she squirmed slightly in his arms.
Optimus felt a few processors pop as he noted where she had wound up.
She had placed herself even more deeply into his submission.
That process kicked another rapidly into gear, his arms snapped in to crush her there, he nipped at her lower lip and followed her, deepening the kiss until the catcalls finally registered. He backed away from her slightly and noted the wicked twinkle in her eyes.
"Get a room!" Bumblebee shouted, laughing gleefully.
Optimus snorted and promptly picked his Kae up as she laughed, tossing her over his shoulder.
"Yes Sir," he rumbled to his scout with a smirk. He turned and promptly carried his laughing Kae toward the doors.
"I didn't see that!" Ironhide bellowed gleefully.
"Did you want me to take video?" Mikaela asked in a sultry, teasing tone well below human earshot. Her eyes caught and held his optics absolutely, saying in a single glance precisely what would be on that video.
Optimus promptly lost control of his holoform as his processors instantly shut down.
(IPOV)
Optimus' holoform winked out from beneath Kae as his processors shut down before they could short. She landed lightly on her feet as Ironhide and Ratchet rapidly transformed to catch their Prime.
"Earth to Optimus!" Ratchet shouted, howling with laughter and lightly tapping Optimus' helm with a finger.
"Get 'em synced boy, or you're never gonna survive her as a bot!" Ironhide gleefully rumbled in counterpart.
"What the hell just happened!?" Will bellowed, obviously torn between shock and mirth.
"Kae blew his mind!" Chromia shrieked gleefully, running over and catching Mikaela in a bear hug along with Flare and Arcee.
"That's my girl!" Arcee added brightly, laughing and hugging her sister.
Optimus visibly shook himself as he struggled to sync his processors again.
"I learned from the best," Mikaela murmured in that same wicked tone, twining herself deeply into the grasp of her sisters.
Optimus' spark hummed back to it's normal tone as he onlined the holoform again, striding over to collect the Femme that had already blown his mind once this evening. Chromia grinned and gave Kae a little shove as the Prime's holoform wound an arm around her waist. Kae smiled and tucked her head into his shoulder.
"I am going to get you for that," Optimus rumbled in a mildly threatening tone, a shade away from the tone that would have had a lesser bot cowering.
"Promise?" Mikaela asked in a sweet, gentle tone. No fear. The perfect femme for him. Optimus groaned as the holoform began losing it's form and scooped her up in his hands, obviously giving up on the holoform altogether and carrying his femme back to their quarters.
"So cute," Chromia murmured to him.
Ironhide grinned at the thought and promptly picked the gorgeous Femme up, cradling her in an arm as he began walking to his quarters.
"As always," Ironhide rumbled gently, looking at Chromia. He didn't have to finish the sentence. She knew he would never force her.
She smiled up at him.
He could definitely get used to that.
(MPOV)
I relaxed in Optimus' hands as he carried me to our quarters, debating whether or not I should throw another shot at him.
"Have mercy," Optimus rumbled with a snort, glancing down at me, "Ratchet and Ironhide are not close enough to keep me from falling on you."
I began laughing helplessly, and obediently waited until my Optimus was a few steps from his berth before I scrambled up his arm and wound myself into his chest before he could stop me.
"Then I'll simply have to wait until you're close enough that the fall doesn't hurt you," I murmured, letting the vibrations of my voice tease the crystalline metals of his spark chamber. Optimus groaned and covered his chest plates with a hand, leaning heavily on his berth.
I began lightly running my hands over the living metals of his frame, and teasing the binder cables that snaked, prehensile and eager toward me.
"Don't you dare shred my clothes," I added with a snort, climbing back out of his chest after he rolled heavily onto his berth. "Stay put," I commanded with a smirk, and slowly untied my belt.
"Kae," Optimus rumbled, onlining his holoform. "May I?" he asked softly, taking my hands and gently bringing them to my sides. I smiled as his hands gently unwound the belt from my waist. He folded it delicately and laid it on the shelf he'd placed on the corner of his berth for me.
His hands were gentle, soothing as the silk slid from my shoulders, his lips feathering kisses across my skin the second the silk left it bare. I watched in bemused amazement as he folded it properly, laying it beside the belt. I reached for the ties to my pants and he caught my hands.
"Aah aah," he chided me softly, shooting me a gentle smile. "I have been envisaging this from the moment you stepped into the central."
I laughed softly and let out a sigh the next second as his hands slid down my legs, gently guiding my feet from the pants. I stood obediently still as he delicately set the pants onto the shelf beside my tunic. He knelt and gently began on my wraps, pressing a gentle kiss to my calf the second the silk left it bare.
(OPOV)
Optimus ghosted his holoform's fingers over his Kae's skin as he undressed her. He took his time, memorizing every inch of the beautiful creature who had chosen him. He rose and stood before her, gently removing the delicate clips that held her hair in place. Freed, it fell to her waist in heavy waves, he extended a few binder cables and ran them through that glorious mane, it felt alive.
She stood, and Optimus felt an entirely new surge of passion for the tiny Femme as she looked at him,not the holoform, him.
"It is an impossible choice," he whispered, offlining his holoform in favour of delicately stroking the satin of her skin with the cables. "For the universe I would not change you, for my own selfish desires I would change you to keep you forever."
Kae smiled at him, that beautiful, warm, loving smile that was meant for him. The smile that meant all was right with the world. The smile that defined the soul he would gladly die a thousand times over to protect. Mikaela reached up and gently stroked his cables, sending a delicious thrill through his processors. His mark shone on her chest as she delicately climbed up his arm and through his chest plates.
"I will leave this body for a stronger form, for my own selfish desires I will gladly change to keep you forever," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his spark chamber.
Optimus groaned and ensnared his exquisite Kae, a hand resting protectively over his chest plates as his chamber opened beneath her gentle hands.
Her spark joined his, merging completely, he offlined his optics and shut down his motor-reflexes, joining his Kae in the space that size did not matter.