Three's a Crowd
The long-peded seeker strode down the corridor, a spring in his step and his signature crooked smile on his faceplate.
Recently graduated from his Armada training, this orn would be the orn he was placed in a trine.
The cerulean and orange seeker however, already knew exactly who his future trinemates were going to be.
As was the usual custom, the higher uppers didn't just pick random designations from the group of rookies and put a bunch of trios together after all.
But Tailwind was more than a little excited all the same.
As all Vosians graduating from training should be.
He himself would be right wing, the trine leader's righthand mech and confident. Not to mention the right wing was also who the trine leader would go to for strategizing when functioning as an individual attack and battle team without the rest of the "flock".
The left wing would be a mecha he'd known for most of their training orns, a quick-witted young femme by the name of Jadeflower. Who was as skilled in aerial maneuvers as her glossa could be sharp.
Tailwind grinned to himself, a mischievous glint in his optic.
Jadeflower was just too much fun to annoy to offlinement. But she was loyal to a fault, and would have their backs.
And the trine leader?
It was none other than Tailwind's very own, goody-goody best-friend-since-their-youngling-orns, Ironshadow.
Yep, this was definitely the start of a fantastic trine.
If Jadeflower had thought about it more, she might have picked other trinemates.
Seriously. Anyone else.
Anyone except for the two buffoons she'd be stuck with for the rest of her career.
The femme let out a huff as she crossed her servos, tapping her pede on the ground beneath her.
Of course, Tailwind was late.
But when had he consistently been on time?
Nearby, Ironshadow paced back and forth across several feet, servos folded regally behind his back while his large black and red wings twitched.
Jadeflower rolled her optics, a light smirk appearing on her faceplate.
On the other hand, Ironshadow was always as punctual as could be, beating even her to arrival this orn.
But the mech was a little odd at times. He didn't seem to see optic to optic with the rest of their fellow Vosians that they were superior to those incapable of flight.
There were other things that made him odd, but that was the main one. He was a good mech however.
Out of the two of the idiots, the green and white wondered absentmindedly who's afterburners she'd end up saving more frequently.
Probably Tailwind. That is, unless Ironshadow beat her to it and ended up in the mess the other young mech had gotten himself into too.
"Where do you suppose he's gotten himself to?" murmured Ironshadow, tone so low that Jadeflower was uncertain if he was talking to her or himself.
She answered anyways.
"Don't get your wings in a ruffle. Tailwind will get here. Eventually."
The black and red coloured mech gave her a side glance as his mouth ticked upwards in a slight smile. "I know."
Jadeflower rose an optic ridge. "Then why are you trying to wear a path in the platform? Do you have somewhere else to be?"
The tall mech flicked his wings once and looked away. "No."
The femme narrowed her optics. "Really? You seem to be evading that question. Like you did last decacycle that one offcycle after training when Tailwind asked you the same thing."
"I do not know what you are referring to," Ironshadow replied quickly.
Too quickly.
Another glance at the mech made Jadeflower smirk. Ironshadow, the ever calm and unfazed except for when Tailwind did something stupid that needed rescuing from, was fidgeting.
And oh, did Jadeflower know what kind of fidgeting that was. Nervous fidgeting.
Although, she was used to seeing it from recruits being stared down by the tougher drill sergeants. Or mechs she glared at when they did something idiotic or tried to make unwanted romantic advances. Or just her glaring at mecha in general.
Never, from Ironshadow, for any reason that she could think of.
He was far from being an emotionless statue of a mech, but any sort of emotion relating to nervousness was highly uncommon for him. Or at least that he showed.
Relaxing her stance, Jadeflower stepped over to the taller mech and stood on the tips of her pedes to be closer to his audio.
"Ironshadow, is this about... A femme?" she purred in a whisper.
To her amusement, Ironshadow first jumped, then froze, only turning his helm to look down at her.
One look at the shorter femme's sly grin and his helm snapped back to look out across the platform they were standing on.
"Well?" Jadeflower prodded. "Who is she?"
Just then, the sound of an approaching seeker met their audios.
Tailwind soon appeared and transforming when above the small platform, landed in a crouch. Straightening and flashing them a quick grin, he sauntered over and placed his hands on his hips.
"You two talking about me?"
Jadeflower let out a huff. "No, not everything is about you."
The blue and orange arched an optic ridge. "When have I ever said, or thought, it was?"
"You imply it some orns..."
"Do not!"
"Where were you?" Ironshadow inquired lowly, before the argument could continue. "I thought we agreed to meet here half a breem ago."
"We did. And I was at the barracks. In my room," replied Tailwind cheerily. "Figured your meeting time was way before we have to be at the ceremony thing. And I'd rather wait for that extra time in my comfortable room than standing around here doing nothing."
"Ugh," Jadeflower rolled her optics again, stepping away from Ironshadow, who visibly relaxed as she did. "Why and how did you pass the final?"
His best friend's frame movement didn't go unmissed and Tailwind glanced between the other two.
"Because I am better than you give me credit for? Also, were you picking on Ironshadow while I wasn't here?"
Ironshadow rolled his optics and crossed his servos. He shook his helm and gave his friend a look over the femme's helm.
Jadeflower scoffed again. "You are still an idiot, even if you did pass your training. And no, I was not."
"Look, Sweetness, I know this one better than anyone. What did you do?" Tailwind countered lightly; optics raised.
Ironshadow placed a hand over his faceplate and sighed.
The femme looked up at Tailwind and gave a short laugh. "You think Ironshadow, top of the class and a big, strong mech, would have trouble defending himself against little me?"
The blue and orange mech just gave her a look. "We both know for one, you're tougher than you look, although yeah, he could totally beat you in a fight. However, I think you and I both know, that in the game of words, you win almost every time and he sucks at it.
"So, what were you talking about before I showed up?"
"Fine, fine," Jadeflower relented, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Just uncovering a little secret of his. Or I was until you interrupted."
"Neither of us are very fond of your secrets. Or secret uncovering," Ironshadow muttered. "We should leave."
"We got time," replied Tailwind, waving a hand in dismissal. "Jadeflower..."
"You know how this one keeps skipping off to who knows where lately?" Jadeflower asked with a knowing smirk.
"And making excuses as to why he can't do this or that? Yeah. What of it?" the blue and orange mech asked bluntly, raising an optic ridge again.
"I have figured it out, although I have to admit, I suspected what it could be."
"Just spit it out, femme."
"Fine," Jadeflower rolled her optics again. "He's got a love interest."
Ironshadow sighed behind her while Tailwind just blinked a couple times.
"And...?" the latter inquired.
"What do you mean and?" the femme sputtered. "Do not tell me you knew!" she added, reaching up and jabbing Tailwind in the chestplate with a digit.
"I guessed it too, okay?" protested Tailwind, trying to swat the digit away. "You're just mad cause I guessed it first and he's got somebody and you don't!"
"You are intolerable!"
"You are too! Look at poor Ironshadow! He looks like he wants to melt into the platform!"
"Maybe it is because you are an embarrassment!"
"I'd rather be an embarrassment than whatever mess you are!"
"If you two are done!?"
The pair jerked their helms to face their friend and future trine leader at the raised voice. The mech stood tall, wings back in annoyance and a stern expression on his faceplate.
"You two are behaving like younglings. This is precisely why I did not tell you sooner, which I do apologize for. However, you two are both too nosy for your own good. How about we let me deal with my love life by myself and I will talk when I am good and ready and not until then?"
With that, the tall seeker leaped upwards, transformed, and jetted away.
Tailwind and Jadeflower blinked a couple times before exchanging a look.
"Well, that's why he's going to be trine leader. He can shut us up quick," the remaining young mech said.
"I suppose," replied Jadeflower reluctantly. "I am sort of surprised he took so long to speak up."
Tailwind checked his chronometer. "I'm not really in this case. But we have to go if we are going to make it in time. That probably forced his hand. Plus, I think he was done with us bothering him."
Jadeflower gave him a long, incredulous look. "You think?"
"I do," Tailwind nodded sagely. "Plus, I think something else. Actually, two something else's."
"What? Or do I actually want to know?"
The mech gave her a mischievous smirk. "One, I think I know who she is. And two, you are going to be late!"
"What?!"
Tailwind flashed her another grin and then turned. He took a running leap off of the platform, let himself free fall for several astrokliks, and then transformed, barely missing the edge as he flew upwards in a spiral.
Jadeflower followed the retreating mech, like a normal mecha would. "Show off," she grumbled.
Again, she wondered why she accepted the position of left wing in this trine.
But then...
Perhaps these two idiots weren't really that bad.
It's not like she would have personally picked anyone else really.
Just a one-shot from when this trio of oc's was young. If you read my other stories, you might recognize their older selves. :)
Thanks for reading!