Disclaimer: Hasbro owns the canon Transformers, I own the others. Songs are property of Jamie Brown and myself.
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They reached the last outpost of North Ferronix that evening. Beyond that the road stretched for miles and miles before leading into the city of Dyacron. Between the two locations there were but a few random dwellings. Jazz stared at the road a good long while as the others settled down in the alley behind him.
"Jazz, you can stare at that road till Primus awakens, but its not going to get any shorter," Lightshow said at last.
"I'm just trying to determine how much energon we're gonna need between stops. We wouldn't wanna run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere."
"In that case we'd better get all we can tonight. Do you want to go the first round or shall I?"
"I really think you'll get a lot more if you just sang the song," Strings said. "It'd also save you the trouble of walking around."
"That's what I keep saying," said Lightshow. "But Jazz just happens to be as stubborn as a grease stain."
Jazz ignored them and kept staring at the road. Strings looked at Lightshow and winked. Then he unsubspaced a six-string guitar. Lightshow gaped.
"Where did you get that thing?" he asked.
"My troupe," Strings replied. "Because of my condition I wasn't able to do any stunts like Highwire, so I performed with the musicians instead, and learnt the guitar. Now sing me that song and lets see if I cant provide some accompaniment."
It took a few tries, but Strings finally managed to pick up the tune on his guitar and soon strummed out the melody. Jazz turned round to face them.
"I just hope you realize by now that I hate you both," he said, though he didn't really, and they knew it. "Oh alright! Lightshow get that sign of yours and lets go get us some energon."
Driving along the road itself made it seem longer than it looked. Sometimes it felt like they had been driving for days when they'd only been going for a few hours. Lightshow had found a length of sturdy chain and he and Jazz took turns to tow Strings in order to help the mech conserve his energy. They had managed to get a decent supply of energon at the outpost with their little 'performance' on the street that day, and Jazz had rationed it to try and make it last the entire journey.
The drives were quiet for the most part, and even Lightshow found it hard to come up with things to say. The stops were a little better as they usually meant rest and energon. Strings sometimes took out his guitar and played a few wordless melodies that he'd learnt in his troupe. Lightshow seemed particularly interested in trying to learn how to play the instrument, and Strings often tried to teach him, but the six strings wound up being a little confusing for him.
"Don't worry Lightshow," Strings said. "Maybe one day we can get you a bass guitar and you can learn how to play that. Its only got 4 strings."
"Yeah, maybe then we form a band and I become a rich and famous musician."
"You'd have a long wait," Jazz muttered.
"What's eating you?" Lightshow asked, noticing the change in Jazz's voice. "Turbo-fly up your exhaust?"
"I'm beginning to wonder if we made the right choice in leaving Ferronix."
"Of course you did. Ok, so the road's a little longer than we expected, but there's a city at the end of it."
"And then what? We do this all over again till we reach Iacon. And when we reach Iacon, then what? What if they wont even let us enter?"
"Why wouldn't they? We're Autobots after all."
"Yeah, but look at us. You really think they'll let in a couple of skidplates off the streets with no skills whatsoever? They don't have the same class system like they did in Ferronix."
"Jazz, you need to shut up and listen to yourself. You're predicting things before they even happen, and unless Primus came up and whacked you on the head one night, I don't recall you ever being psychic. Now when I snap my fingers, you will stop acting like a frazzled psycho-drone and start acting like Jazz again." Lightshow snapped his fingers in front of Jazz's face, but all it earned him was an annoyed look. "Oh I give up!"
"Y'know I've been to Kalis," said Strings. "And they have a lot of the same restriction as Iacon. Not everybody can get into the city without a good purpose."
"How did you get in?" Lightshow asked.
"With the troupe, as performers. We got into a lot of the bigger cities that way, though we never made it to Iacon or Polyhex – nothing north and east."
"Couldn't we do the same then?"
"Lightshow, come back to reality! We're not performers. We're nothing. There's no way we can get into Iacon. Maybe Strings could with his guitar skills, but you and I have nothing. We couldn't get in even if we stood on our heads and did stand-up comedy," Jazz said.
"Well if this is your reality then I'm better off living in my own private little dreamworld!"
The tension between Jazz and Lightshow lasted for the next few days. The two barely exchanged words and it made Strings feel very uncomfortable. Jazz's good, cheery nature was soured and Lightshow's constant jabbering was silenced. Strings almost downright hated it. The fourth night after their initial argument he approached Jazz while Lightshow was asleep.
"What's really spooking you?" he asked. "You've not been yourself ever since we left Ferronix."
"Nothing's spooking me, I'm alright."
Strings leveled him with that earnest, wide-opticked look.
"Aw c'mon, don't give me that look. There's nothing bothering me, honest!"
Strings was unrelenting. "This has nothing to do with us getting into Iacon. This is more you leaving Ferronix behind."
"Guess you got me. Its just… well… Ferronix was my home. I was created there, and now its like I've just left everything I've ever known behind. Its like… its like I've left Maestro behind."
"Wasn't he the one who told you to leave Ferronix?"
"Oh its nothing he did, its me. All the time we were in Ferronix it was like part of him was still with me, but now that we've left it… I just feel like I've finally put him behind me."
"You're scared. Because now you're truly on your own."
"I know it sounds silly, I mean you've obviously been through a lot worse than I have. You've lost a creator in a worse way than I have. I shouldn't even be talking."
"But we're not talking about me."
"I'm scared I might forget him. And I'm scared I might fail him. We're all alone out here. What if something happens before we can get to Iacon? And I'm more afraid of reaching Iacon and getting turned away."
"You're worried about things happening that have not even happened yet, and may never will. Don't do that, you'll blow your fuses out…. Let me tell you something about my troupe. We had a rule that we would just live life one day at a time. We'd worry about something only if there was something worth worrying about. Otherwise the troupe would have fallen apart a long time ago."
"So you're saying we should do the same?"
"I'm saying just worry about what you have to do today. Leave the rest for when the time comes."
Jazz nodded thoughtfully. "I'll remember that. Thanks Strings. You're not as innocent as you look."
"So a lot of bots have said."
Yet despite Strings' advice, Jazz still remained a little apprehensive about what they were doing. What made it worse was that the other two looked at him like he was a sort of unspoken leader. They were all friends, true enough, but when it came down to making a choice or calling the shots, they left it to him – and he hated it. He often wished one of them would step up and take the initiative once in a while, but they never did. It was because of these doubts and choices that their scheduled stops became earlier and earlier, and the duration of the stops themselves became longer and longer. Jazz was stalling the farther away from Ferronix they got. Finally, a week after the initial argument, when Jazz called for their earliest stop yet, Lightshow, who was highly irritated by now, had had enough.
"Why are we stopping this time?" he asked, transforming.
"The light's almost gone. We don't want to go driving around blindly in the dark in an area we don't know," Jazz replied as he and Strings transformed too.
Lightshow muttered something inaudible and went and sat on the side of the road, his arms crossed and resting on his knees. Jazz sat down about a foot away, pulled out a datapad and started scribbling something in it. Strings watched the two and let out an uncomfortable sigh. He could have cut the tension between them with a laser rod. He glanced at Lightshow. The mech had been simmering quietly this past week and it was only a matter of time before he bubbled over. And in a matter of minutes, he did.
"This is ridiculous!" he looked up and said. "We're just wasting time out here. Time that we could kill on the road because quite frankly the more ground we cover, the closer we are to a city."
"We're not driving in the dark," Jazz said.
"That's what headlights and infra-red are for aren't they?"
"They use up too much energy and we have to try and conserve every bit we have."
"Slag that. This has nothing to do with saving energy. This is about you staying as close to Ferronix as possible."
"Its not like that."
"Its not? Then explain the fact that the farther we go, the slower we seem to get. And I'm tired of crawling. If you want to go back to Ferronix and stay there till the Decepticons arrive and blast a hole through your chassis like they did to Flaire and Highwire, you're more than welcome to, but don't expect me to share in the festivities." He stood up and stepped back on to the road.
"What are you doing?" Jazz asked.
"Leaving," he replied. "There's a reason they call me Lightshow." He transformed, and the transparent panels that made up the mini-hood part of his hover-cycle mode, glowed dimly. "I'll see ya around, depending on whether you guys can catch up with me in the morning." He sped off.
"We should go after him," Strings said.
Jazz hesitated. "I don't know, maybe he just wants to be alone to cool off. We should give him his space."
A crash echoed down the road. Jazz lept from the side of the road and transformed in the space of a second. Then he shot off down the street. Strings shook his head, transformed and followed.
Jazz didn't have to go far. A few meters away he spotted Lightshow just transforming on the opposite side of the road. His light panels were flickering. Then he looked up as Jazz neared.
"Jazz! Watch out for – !"
Jazz crashed into something, bounced off it and careened to the side of the road where Lightshow was scrambling to get out of the way. Jazz transformed and landed across his legs.
" – the signboard," Lightshow finished as he dragged his legs out from under Jazz's torso.
"I think Strings was behind me, we've got to warn him about that," Jazz said.
Strings appeared at that point, deftly swerved around the signboard and came to a stop where they were. "Are you two alright?" he asked as he transformed and came forward to help them.
"Ahh, we're ok," Lightshow said. "But how did you know about that signboard?"
"Infrared sensors. Uses up less power than glaring headlights. How did you miss seeing it Lightshow?"
"Light panels ran out of fuel and blacked out on me. I hit the stupid board before I could switch to infrared. What's your excuse?" Lightshow looked at Jazz.
When Jazz squirmed and didn't answer, Lightshow grinned.
"How DID you miss seeing the sign?" Strings asked.
Jazz muttered something.
Lightshow's grin widened. "What was that?"
"I was worried about you," Jazz muttered softly.
"Ok, I don't know if I heard you correctly, but I could have sworn you said you were worried about me."
"Yes! I was worried about you, ok? Are you happy now?"
"Actually, yeah I am. I'm also happy you came after me. It shows."
"It shows what?"
"That you do love me!"
Jazz tried to look angry, but couldn't stop his lip-components from curving into a smile. "Guess I do. Well, you're alright."
Lightshow smirked. "Now lets see what kind of idiot android sticks a sign halfway out on the street." He crossed the road, went back over to the sign and tried charging up his light panels once more. They spluttered to life with a dull glow. "Spyro's Oil Bar, 100 meters" he read.
"Well then, let's pay Spyro a visit," Jazz said. "Though this time we're walking there. Don't wanna bang into anymore street signs."
"I second that," Lightshow said, and started walking.
Spyro's was not what they expected it to be. It was, in fact, little more than a large shed with a couple of lights, table, stools and a broken counter. The three entered through the door and stopped short. The place was virtually empty except for one mech sitting at one of the tables and playing out a tune on a set of keyboards.
"Nice place," Lightshow muttered. "Must be very popular with the patrons."
"Be quiet," Jazz whispered.
Strings went up to the bot on the keyboards. "Hey there, are you Spyro?" he asked.
The mech looked up. "Uh… no I'm not. Spyro's in the back; do you have a meeting with him?"
"Oh, no. we just… uh… ran into your sign along the road."
"That's putting it mildly," Lightshow said as he sat down on a stool. "This thing's not gonna break under me is it?"
Jazz smacked him on the back of the head.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"Didn't Flaire give you any tact at all?"
"I don't know. What is this thing you call tact?"
"I rest my case," Jazz said.
Lightshow shrugged.
"Friend of yours?" the mech asked, looking from Lightshow to Strings.
"Yeah he is. Its alright, he just likes to talk a lot."
"I can tell…. So, what can I do for you mechs?"
"Well, we'd like some energon and lodging," Lightshow spoke up. "But since we got no credits to pay for those things, we'll just take what you can give us for the night and be out of your circuits by morning."
"And where might you all be going with no credits?" the bot asked. "If I might add, you look rather young to be traveling alone."
"Yet that's what we're doing," said Jazz. "It's a long story, but we're trying to make it to Iacon."
"Mmhmm, right. I'm sure you are."
"Y'know what Jazz, I don't think he believes us," said Lightshow in a mock whisper.
"Give me a reason to," the mech said. "Do your creators know you're out here?"
"Our creators are dead," retorted Lightshow matter-of-factly.
A silence fell over the group that would have stretched into an uncomfortable one had it not been for the rough voice that shouted out from the back.
"Sodding Primus! Electro! Stop messing around with that fragging music of yours and get in here and clean up this mess."
"I'm with some customers Spyro!"
"I don't care if you're with the sodding Overlord. We're closed for the day so tell them to slag off."
"And you wondered why they don't have patrons," Jazz whispered to Lightshow.
"Listen uh… Electro, we don't want to get you in any trouble, so we'll just be on our way," said Strings.
"Oh no, please, don't go," Electro said, quickly rising to his feet. "I don't see mechs like you often, so I'd like you to stay. There's some discarded oil behind the bar counter. It's a bit old, but still rich in energy. You can have that on the house."
"Electro! Get your aft in here or I'll fire you before you can say 'unemployment'. Now move it!"
"I'll be right back," Electro said, and rushed out.
Jazz found the oil where Electro had said it was and the three of them sat around a table sipping on it and waiting for the mech to come back. Lightshow fidgeted now and then and kept looking towards the door Electro had gone through. Jazz looked at him quizzically.
"Boss-mechs like that make me twitch," Lightshow said. "Had one like that in the factory I worked in."
"And I'm guessing you slagged him off more times than I dare to count?"
"Not intentionally," Lightshow replied with a hint of a mischievous grin.
Strings had been glancing at the mech's keyboards. "I think we should ask him to come with us," he said quietly.
Jazz and Lightshow looked at him and blinked.
"Why the Pit would he want to give up his job and join us on the streets?" Lightshow asked.
"Maybe for the same reason you gave up yours," Strings replied. "Didn't you see him? His face practically lit up when we started talking to him. He's not happy here; not surprising, considering the mech he's working for. And he's a musician, he cant be all bad. It wouldn't hurt to ask him though right?"
"I guess not," Jazz said.
Lightshow took one look at Strings' face and threw his hands up in the air. "Alright! Don't look at me like that. He can join us if he wants. Though someone had better loosen up his nuts and bolts first."
"He IS a bit stiff," Jazz agreed.
"He is also not deaf so stop talking about him as if he is," Strings added. "He's coming back."
The door opened and Electro came back out. He looked relieved to still see them there.
"Thanks for staying," he said.
Jazz pushed a fourth can of oil forward. "Let's chat."
The three sized him up as he came towards them. He was a big mech, taller and bulkier than they were, colored a dark blue with patches of black and silver. He didn't look like a mech that one wanted to mess with. He sat down.
"Ok, we'll chat. What about?"
"Well, you for starters." Lightshow eyed the red symbol on his chest. "What's an Autobot like you doing in a dump like this?"
"Trying to make a living," Electro replied. "I was created with about 10 other robots, in bulk, so I don't really know who my creator is, if I had one at all. Still, we were given our own individual personalities. Our main job was working in a scrap yard, sorting out all the junk. One day I found a set of old keyboards someone had thrown out. They intrigued me enough that I fixed them up and started playing some notes. Eventually I taught myself how to play a few random melodies."
"How did you end up here?" Strings asked.
"I lived in a big warehouse at an outpost of Dyacron. I knew I didn't want to work in a scrapyard all my life. I wanted to do something with my new talent. So Spyro took me in. he pays me about 3 to 5 credits a day to clean up spills, fix the furniture, take out the trash and do a few other odd tasks. In return he lets me play my keyboards once in a while to entertain the customers."
"And you sure have a lot of those," Lightshow said.
Jazz kicked him hard enough to shut him up. "Don't mind him. Sometimes his mouth outruns his processors."
Electro smirked. "Well, business has been rather slow. I'm guessing its due to all the unrest in the South."
"You know about that?"
"Yes. Sometimes we get a few bots coming in with news. Other times I go into town to catch up on the latest."
"Are you happy working here?" Strings asked him suddenly.
"I guess the wages ARE rather low, but at least its something. And I get to play now and then," Electro replied.
"That's not what I asked," Strings said. "Honestly, are you HAPPY?"
"Well, sometimes I wonder what it must be like to be your own mech. No one ordering you around all the time. Like you guys. Free to do what you want."
"What if you had the chance to leave all this and strike out on your own?" Jazz asked. "Just you and your music. Would you take it?"
"With both hands," he said.
"Then would you like to join us when we leave?" asked Strings. "Come with us to Iacon?"
Electro looked at each of them trying to spot a sign that they were pulling a fast one on him. When they remained serious, he frowned.
"Why exactly are you going to Iacon?" he asked. "Tell me something about yourselves. We haven't been properly introduced, I don't even know your names. Tell me why I should join you." He looked at Lightshow. "You first."
Lightshow was far from intimidated. He smirked and then began his tale.
They talked well into the night, Jazz and Strings following Lightshow in telling Electro their stories. When they were all finished, another moment of silence followed. Electro's optics moved from one mech's face to the other as he tried to make sense of all they had told him.
"Hey listen," Jazz said at last. "We're not forcing you to come with us, we merely extended the invitation. As you know, its not exactly the most glamorous life. There's lots of uncertainty out there. But the one thing we ARE sure of is that we don't want to be any place unfriendly once a war hits."
"At least he's out of his Ferronix funk," Lightshow whispered to Strings, who just nodded.
"There's just one thing I don't understand," Electro said. "You three say you have musical talent, yet you prefer to beg for stuff. So you'll forgive me for wondering if you're really as talented as you say you are."
"Hey, if I wanted to be insulted I'd have stayed back in Ferronix," Lightshow said.
"I'm not insulting anyone. I'm just asking you to prove it."
Lightshow and Strings looked at Jazz. Jazz himself was more than a little miffed. This bot was questioning the talent he knew they had, and now it was up to him to either back down and let this mech think they were losers, or prove it and shut him up once and for all. He sighed. Maestro had warned him there would be days like this. Then he realized that by denying his talent, his gift, he would be denying everything that Maestro believed in and instilled in him. He couldn't deny it, wouldn't deny it anymore.
"Strings, get out that guitar," he said.
"Rock on!" Lightshow yelled and jumped off his stool.
"Wouldn't we be disturbing your boss?" Strings asked.
"Spyro's gone to sleep. A missile blowing next door wouldn't wake him up. He often leaves me to play my keyboards for a while and then close up."
"Alright then, Strings if you would be so kind."
The blue mech was more than happy to oblige by strumming out the opening riffs of what they now fondly called 'Jazz's Song'.
And then they sang...
... Electro led them to a small room adjoining the main bar.
"Forgive the small space. I don't think it was really built for 4 mechs," he said.
"We'll manage," said Jazz. "Its only for one night after all."
"Yeah, but this is gonna be your last night here," Lightshow said. "Shouldn't you be saying your fond farewells to your room and stuff?"
"Has anyone ever told you that you have a flair for the melodramatic?" Electro asked.
"Hmm I don't know. What does that mean?"
Electro sighed. "Nevermind. Strings, you can have the recharge berth, you'll need it more than the rest of us."
Strings offered a small smile. "Thanks."
The other three made themselves as comfortable as they could on the floor of the now-cramped little room. The noise in the room eased to the quiet hum of the recharge berth, and the sound of systems going into temporary shut-down. Optics flickered and closed as, one by one, each mech entered his respective recharge cycle.
"Y'know we're gonna have to come up with some new songs if you're all serious about this whole forming a band business," Lightshow said, shattering the blissful peace that had settled over the room. "I mean there's only so long we can manage with just one song. And whoever heard of a band performing just one song?"
"Does he EVER shut up?" Electro asked.
"Only on a good day," Jazz replied. "Lightshow, shut up!"
All they heard in response was an evil little snicker and the room fell back into silence once more. Jazz sighed to himself wondering how on Cybertron Lightshow and Electro were going to live together on the streets, hoping the two wouldn't try to kill each other, and mentally making a note to keep them as far away from each other as possible. When he finally fell asleep, Jazz dreamed – a myriad of colors flashed across his sub-conscious mind, and traces of them lingered when he woke up again the next day.
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