Lockdown
I started fixing Prowl's door and all the while we had some…interesting conversations.
"So, you and Shadow, huh? How'd it happen?" Prowl asked.
"I was a fighter, as you already know. I was pitted against Frenzy and it got a little too crazy, and I almost died. Then Shadow, Melissa Ulrich at the time, came to my rescue. I didn't trust her all the way at first, but I owed her stuff for saving my life. She was sweet to me, and I paid her back for it. She started using me as a racer, and, as these things happen, we fell hard for each other. Then I started catching the cancer and I didn't tell her about it at first, but soon I grew too weak to do much of anything. That's when I told her. I died; she brought me back by spark merging with me in the tribal way of doing it".
"How is it done?".
"Simple. One mate opens their spark chamber and takes a ceremonial dagger to the spark. That mate then cuts their spark in half as well as their partner's. Then, they exchange half the sparks and well, they're bonded forever. See, Tribal relationships last forever because of that. It was meant originally to give mates peace of mind in case they ever got separated or something happened. Tribal spark mates are connected to each other spark, processor, body, and soul, which means we share each other's pain and strength".
I could tell I struck a nerve somewhere in him, 'cause he was kinda shocked at it.
"I know it sounds barbaric, but when you see the truth and significance behind it, it's the most beautiful thing that can happen to anyone. And I'll never regret my choice to be with Shadow. I can't imagine being with anyone else".
"Have there ever been…arranged matings among tribes?" Prowl asked.
"Well, surely there has been, but those things, I can't bear to witness them. Believe it or not, it makes me squirm a little. You wanna see barbarism, go to an arranged one in which one mate likes someone other than the one they're gettin' with. Let me tell you, it sucks. Those things are the painful kind".
"Why?".
"You got all this other emotion tucked up inside and it kinda hurts enough already. If the dagger should strike an unwilling spark, it turns the emotional pain into physical pain and by the end of it, you're nothing but an emotionless shell. It's a terrible thing. Now I got a few questions for you".
"Shoot 'em up".
"You and Aimee, how'd that happen?".
"Well, after you and Shadow left, I guess Aimee got less and less interested in racing and wanted something else. Peter and Alexis rescued us and Aimee got me to trust again. I was skeptical about this planet. The nature it lacked now kinda disturbed me. But Aimee showed me the ranch and I found plenty of what I needed here. We grew to have the same interests and we kinda fell for each other. I mean, she fell for me first, and I just kinda liked her and thought about her all the time. It got so bad that all I could think about was that wild Volkswagen you call Herbie. Why do you call her that, anyway?".
"It was a nickname I came up for her. You ever seen Herbie: Fully Loaded?".
"No, not really".
"Then you wouldn't get it. Herbie was turned into a racer in that movie and he was a Volkswagen, so yeah it kinda stuck".
"So it started out as an inside joke?".
"You bet. Now, one last question before I go here. Why did you turn me down? For real this time Prowl, I want reasons, and good ones".
"I needed the upgrades to get Starscream, you know that, Lockdown. I knew what you were trying to do. You tried to take advantage of me and the fact that I let upgrades get in over my head. I thought that was it".
"I wasn't taking advantage of you. I wanted you to understand something. You're good, Prowl, with and without the mods. Although I'll admit, I liked your taste".
'Okay, you sounded gay when you said that".
I couldn't laugh at that. "Sorry, didn't mean to. By the way" I got up to leave, "You better take care of Aims. Once Blazer's gone, I'm takin' up my role as her guardian".
"You see her as your daughter?".
"Nah, more like a younger sister. I was an only sparkling as far as I know. Didn't know my family all that well. Oh well, I'll see you later, Prowl. I got a life to live".
A/N: How was that? This idea just kinda came to me a few hours ago. No, I'm not a huge fan of Lockdown/Prowl pairings, but I do have one I think on my faves. So if I gave off a slash vibe, do forgive me.