The Diego Diaries: BASKETBALL! (dd8 356)
=0=At the arena
He was waiting in the Primal box in his duck suit and cork hat. He smiled his best smile as they walked in, some chuckling and a very few others frowning.
Ravel took in his son. "You may be taking the fan route too far, Sonny."
"How can one love Iaconian teams too much?" Ratchet asked as Prowl came into view.
"The Comets are a Crater team, not an Iaconian one," Ravel countered.
"But they're led by an Iaconian," Ratchet said as Prowl slowly walked down the steps to stand next to him by the barrier that separated them from the 70 foot drop to the floor below.
"Tell me again why I don't drop you over the side?" Prowl asked as he coolly took Ratchet's get up in.
"You've already done that about two times, slagger. I would hate to see how far up this bounced if you did but I'd make sure to drag you down with me if you do," Ratchet said.
The arena was filling up and it was easy to find Iacon, Vos and Nova Cronum fans in the crowd. They were the ones dressed like lunatics or painted outlandishly so that everyone would know who they were. Iaconians were famous for their team devotions but they weren't the only sporting town who did the same.
It was festive, horns sounded, the buzz of voices resounded and the delight of the crowd was assured.
=0=Team Kaon
It was quiet but tense in the team's locker room as they waited to be called to the game. Everyone, all 20 of them were relaxing, chatting softly together as they were helped by Sunspot, Bos, Reflector and Co-D. The little boys were with their team though the conflict with the Comets was real for them. It was going to be a few more minutes before they walked out to do battle with half their family.
=0=Team Comets
Prime chatted off line with Magnus as the team relaxed in their locker room. The reservists were with the regulars. Though they were slightly less skilled than most of the regular team, they honed their abilities on the side like everyone else. It was going to be a brutal game tonight with the prospect for fights and bloodshed high.
Just like everyone liked.
=0=Password and the Refs
They stood in a tunnel going over things when the signal for teams to come to their entrances were given. When they appeared in sight, waiting in the wings, Password as director of all sports professional and amateur as well as Martindale who was director for basketball walked onto the arena flood. The place erupted as they paused in the center medallion painted on the floor where jumps occurred.
"GOOD EVENING, MARS, EARTH, CYBERTRON AND THE PRIMAL EMPIRE!" -Password aka PW
"BEDLAM!" -Spectators aka Those Guys™
"WELCOME TO THE SECOND SEASON OF CYBERTRONIAN RULES BASKETBALL!" -PW
"BEDLAM!" -Those Guys aka TG™
"TONIGHT IN THIS VERY ARENA WE HAVE THE DEFENDING LEAGUE CHAMPIONS, THE CRATER COMETS!" -PW
"BEDLAM!" -TG™
"GOING AGAINST THEM WILL BE THE KAON KAVALIERS!" -PW
"ETC!" -TG™
"WE ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE THEM NOW!" -PW turning it over to M aka Martindale of Torus States
There was a pause as a mini-con leaned over too far and nearly fell 70 feet to the floor. He was pulled back into the stands, then Martindale/M began to introduce the teams.
"RIGHT NOW, PLEASE WELCOME TO THE GAME THE KAON! KAAAAA-VUH-LEEERS!" Martindale said as he dragged out their name like every announcer everywhere since the beginning of time everywhere.
Martindale got buried as the team walked onto the floor shining like new pennies to plant their flag in the stand and line up along the side. Four little kids, two dogs and a bug waddled out to find their seat in a small protected space near the bench. The place went nuts.
When that settled a tad, he announced the other team. "PLEASE WELCOME TO THE GAME! … (BEDLAM!) … THE DEFENDING BASKETBALL TEAM OF THE EMPIRE! … (MORE BEDLAM!) … THE CRAAAAAA-TER! … (ROARING AND STAMPING!) … COM-EEETS!"
They walked out led by Prime, headed to their side, planted their flag, then lined up along the sideline. It took a moment to quiet but it did.
"We are going to play our anthems, then the teams will do their salutes. Right now, please stand for the Anthem of the Primes, the Anthem of Cybertron and the Empire and a new surprise, the Anthem of the Colony of Mars just created by Trooper and Alor of Iacon!"
The roof was raised as everyone stood, then it got silent.
:Alie wrote new music: Judy Witwicky said as she stood with a host of humans in the long narrow seating area that fronted the Primal Box. A couple of hundred humans were there from every habitat in the colony. Even Prima Station was represented.
The music began to play as the lights dimmed and a spotlight flashed onto each flag hanging from the arena ceiling overhead. Prime stepped out to the medallion where he stood alone in a spotlight while the Anthem of the Primes played. Singing from 100,000 voices filled the space and when it was over he stepped out for the other two themes to play. When they concluded, Password and Martindale walked to the medallion with Prime and Sunstreaker. They flipped the coin, Kaon would have first shot and the game would begin after the posturing. They walked back to lay down the smack.
Kaon went through their team kata joined by half the fans in the stands. They stomped toward a passive looking Prime and the others, half of which looked bemused. When they walked back to their bench to watch the Comet's turn the house was rocking.
Prime led his team which looked fierce as they hoo-hawed the other side. When they were done they walked back and the game was on. It would be a jump ball between Prime and Sunstreaker for the start. Sunstreaker would have the advantage. The ball would be tossed toward him when the referee threw it into play.
Both big mechs gathered as the players took their places. The ref threw it up, Sunstreaker got it, tossed it to Sideswipe and it was on.
=0=Up there
"Well, will you look at that."
"Its preferable to looking at you in that get up."
"Now Prowl, don't do me that way."
"Loon."
"Old Maid Librarian."
Prowl glanced up from his data pad toward Ratchet who was leaning against the railing smiling at him. He grinned in spite of himself. "I will tell you now, I intend to get slag faced tonight. Hanging out with you brings out the worst tendencies in me."
"Prowl, Prowl, Prowl," Ratchet said. "You wouldn't HAVE tendencies without hanging out with me. You've always been a good girl."
Carefully hiding the blaze of consternation about how true that statement mostly was, Prowl sniffed then looked at his data pad. Prime would play shortly and he had to have his 85,000 plus options per second ready to feed to the mech. What he didn't know was that the advice would go into a file in his processor that Optimus would review later with a snack and a chuckle.
The ball was tossed and the game was on.
=0=Play ball
Sideswipe passed the ball to other players as they ran about trying to get past the brick wall of Crater's defense. Ironhide who was watching them with bemusement as the Kavaliers crashed into the immovable objects of his two great uncles felt slightly better about being the last line of defense for the team …
"HOW THE FRAG DO I HAVE TO BE THE FRAGGING GOALIE ALL THE TIME!?"
"Because I say so, infant."
Ironhide stared at his great grandfather with a flash of die hard devotion, then felt the pout coming on. He tried to quash it since they LOVED his pout so much but he failed. His elders hugged him off his peds, then gave him a cookie from the stash they brought for the locker room at half time. He held it in his hand like a tot glaring at them as they smiled with deep devotion and amusement back at him.
Prime was too busy taking snaps to do more than laugh …
That was when Sideswipe thundered in and ran right up his windpipe.
The arms that grasped Sideswipe could trash compact a Buick as Ironhide reacted instinctively to having a Lamborghini slam into him at top speed. Halting the forward motion of both of them he felt rather than saw his two uncles body slam Sideswipe in his grasp. Both of them flew off the grid to slam into a wall. Lying in a puddle on the ground, they also felt rather than saw the herd of infants in their matching uniform jackets toting their more advanced medical kits as 'senior students in the squad' as they headed to do triage on the fallen.
It was hilarious.
=0=Up there
"Well, Sonny took it in the puss," Scout said as he held his namesake. "My little mech looks like he's seeing the cyber birdies sing."
Trooper nodded. "I think we need sound effects for the occasions. I'll get with Password and Martindale about adding them. I think it would be hilarious. I do so admire those children, They'd have Ironhide in traction if they could."
Everyone there nodded including Ratchet and Prowl.
=0=Down there
"Commander, how many digits do you see?" Pulley asked as he leaned over Ironhide. Sil and Jessine were assisting him.
"How many? I'd need a calculator," Ironhide rumbled. He was slightly rung and his processor had flags. Hence his mistake of a response.
"I think we have a triage victim," Pulley said as the team nodded. "MEDIC! WE NEED A STRETCHER!"
Ironhide glanced around at the battalion of concerned faces staring down at him from the three kids checking him out. He would be hauled off in seconds. Going with him would be Sideswipe. So far, Kaon and Crater were oh for two.
Ratchet who was watching clambered up on the ledge in his duck suit and big orange duck feet. Slapping his yellow beak on he stepped off, landed, then hoop-di-doed to the fallen who were being manhandled onto stretchers. Huge applause and laughter followed him. Iacon was well known in sports circles.
He leaned over both Ironhide and Sideswipe, saw no one home, then followed the stretchers into a tunnel toward the triage station with a number of very intense ultra dedicated kids.
Prime and Sunstreaker watched them go, then called in Smokescreen and Lancer respectively. They joined, the ball was put into play by Kaon from the sideline and the carnage began again.
=0=Triage station nearby
"LET ME GO! I NEED TO BE FREE!"
"Shut up, Ironhide. You have a reboot going on," Ratchet said goodnaturedly as he watched the data flashing on the screen.
Sideswipe had a bent elbow. That is, it was bent at an awkward angle given how hard Ironhide held him as he slipped away himself into the ozone. It would take a bit of work to restore. It was likely that he wasn't going to be in the game until the last quarter, if at all. He was moaning and groaning nearby.
"That looks like slag," Ratchet said as he glanced at the elbow. Consider a mech if his arm had grown backward rather than forward and could bend that direction like it was normal. "He can pat his own aft with that thing."
"What do you think, Commander? Do we do surgery?" Coros asked with the usual intensity do-gooding kids did when they were allowed. He and the third years were actually assisting in simple surgeries that would be similar to that done by Watch medics on the scene before transport. They were damned good at what they did.
"I think that needs a thorough unscrewing," Ratchet said with a grin. "Add sports medicine to the list, infants."
Sil did.
=0=Out there
Prime stole the ball but before he could turn to run a fist to the face stopped him in his tracks. Big Boy aka Steam Roller aka Steam Punk had decided to weigh in on Prime's decision. It would be epic.
=0=TBC 01-31-2022
Happy February 1st tomorrow. I had a cat problem last night or this would be listed then. My new cat hates my two little cats and two little dogs. They don't crack up like they did but its still hiss city when all is said and done. I love my little boos. :D
Thank you, Misty. I think I'm on the mend. With the return of light up here and the mild winter we've had its getting better. Take care yourself. All of you. I love you all so much.
Silverhornd chapter 353 . Jan 27
Love the story like always. Question what ever happened to the winged aliens that they caught. Too bad Primus can't help Optimus get rid of Paladin, but let's hope that Prime can find a way to stop him. Is it about time for the remote battle? In all of this mess how about some good news like Bumblebee and First aid or Jazz and Mirage expecting a sparking or more reunions coming with the refugees like Wheeljack's or Perceptor's family and how about Blaster gets one or two of his cassettes and some of the other autobots get family in. Have all the Supremes have been found by now.
ME: Thanks, honey. I do believe they sent the winged aliens back in a ship when they finally remembered them. Primus is going to be watching Prime but He can't do very much. Free will and all. :D
Ah, more babes and reunions. Springer's are heading this way and Drift's might show up. We know what happened when the three little mechs found their families. It might be interesting to see what adults feel. We're going to be watching for Percy's and revisiting Wheeljack's. Cassettes and others, they need a break. I agree. Jazz and Mirage would be blasted into the ozone if they sparked. I'd laugh if they did. Its funny. Most of the fan fiction I've read about Jazz and someone ends badly when someone is sparked. Odd, that. There are over 20 Supremes. More to come. ;)
Your email is in my idea folder. Thank you, my dear long time reader. Take care out there.
