I actually forgot about this for a while, I was writing another story that I'm going to put on here when it's FINISHED so updating will be faster and easier.

As a present for you guys, I threw in Blaster! Barricade's also in here, but I'm not as excited about him.

Also, this is told as present tense, even though it is still a flashback; this just made writing it a lot easier for me. Just pointing that out to avoid confusion.

Warnings: Violence and I mentioned Kickback's bisexuality. This is where the T rating comes in.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers Animated, just Firefly, Prowess, Silver Angel, Playback, Fallout, Cyclone, and Firefly's brother Darkstar, who is mentioned.

Now to give credit to those who helped me out:

SwiftStorm (an OC that belongs to a friend on DeviantArt, CaramelDatsun)

Turbine (belongs to CaramelDatsun also)

Eclipse (belongs to Ice Around the Moon)

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Listen to Me! Pt. 2

Prowess followed Firefly and Silver Angel to a large table in the corner of the dance club. Seated at the booth were three 'bots, one was a red and black tape deck, seated next to him was a black and electric blue femme of similar design, and on the mech's other side was another femme, this one black and white.

Firefly smiled and waved at the three 'bots and yelled over the music, "Hey! Blaster, Playback, Fallout!"

The three looked up and the red and black mech gave them a lopsided grin, "Hey ladies, who's ya friend?" He asked nodding in Prowess' direction.

"This is Prowess Blaster," she said, "You know, our friend we were telling you about."

The mech's grin widened and he asked, "Tha one that never has any fun? How'd ya get 'er in 'ere?"

Prowess gave the mech an irritated look and said, "I came because it's Angel's creation date and she wanted me to celebrate it with her and Firefly."

The mech held up his hands and chuckled, "Ey now, put away tha claws, I was jus' askin' a question."

Prowess rolled her optics and turned her head to look at Firefly, "And you met him where?" She asked, raising her optic ridge behind her visor.

"Weeeell, actually," Firefly began, scratching the back of her helm "I've known Blaster and his sister Playback ever since I was a sparkling, they're some of my older brother's best friends. Fallout I met a while after she and Blaster started dating."

The electric blue and black femme that Prowess assumed was Playback chuckled and said, "yeah, we've known Flames since she was a lil' ankle biter." She nudged her brother and said, "You 'member righ' after she got upgraded inta a younglin' she was all excited about her speed bumps (1)?"

Blaster and laughed and Firefly blushed hotly and exclaimed, "OH like I'm the only one who gets excited about that when they get upgraded!"

"No," Playback began, snickering "but you are the only one who runs around showing them to everyone yelling, "I've got a chassis now! I've got a chassis now!" everyone began laughing at Firefly's expense, even Prowess.

Meanwhile, at a table across the room, six mechs sat at a table watching the group.

"Man Barricade, this is boring! Can't we just go?" A white and silver mech complained

"It's time the half-breed learned her place." Barricade growled and glanced briefly at the white and silver mech, "And I suggest you shut your mouth before I teach you yours."

Cyclone scowled and looked away while Turbine and Swiftstorm shared a smirk, and Eclipse grunted noncommittally. Kickback wasn't even listening; he was leering at some dancing mech.

While black and white watched the small femme, waiting for her to go off alone, he remembered a time, long since passed, when he and the femme were students at Master Heron's dojo.

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Flashback

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Barricade delivered a spinning kick to his opponent's side, causing the mech to cry out in pain and fall to the padded floor. While the mech was down, the black and white quickly flipped him on his belly and pinned his arms behind his back.

"Well done, Barricade," an aged voice said, and Barricade turned to look at his silver and black sensei.

Bowing, he started to answer, but was cut off.

"But," the old mech began, "I saw at least six moments where a vital system was exposed to your opponent and, had he been more skilled, he could have easily exploited those moments and taken you down."

Even though Barricade was seething on the inside from Heron's criticism, he still bowed respectfully and replied, "Yes Master, I shall work on not exposing myself Master."

His sensei nodded and said, "Now, I think it's time you sparred with an opponent of your own caliber." With that, he motioned to a shadow and a previously unnoticed slim figure stepped gracefully out into the light, revealing its identity and causing Barricade to scowl in disgust.

Prowess walked fluidly over to stand next to Master Heron, and nodded at Barricade, who curled his lip in contempt.

"I hardly think she is 'of my own caliber', Slag, she's not even a full Autobot!" Barricade said condescendingly

Master Heron's expression darkened slightly, "It is not who one is born as, but who one chooses to be that makes one who they are, Barricade, and Prowess has more than proven herself both to be a loyal Autobot and a great Cyber ninja." His sensei paused, narrowing his optics at his student, "And it's that kind of closed-minded attitude that you exhibit toward Prowess that will hinder your progress as a Cyber ninja."

Barricade said nothing, although Prowess could tell by the way he glowered at both her and her Master that he was downright livid at basically being told that a Neutral-Autobot femme was better than him.

"Now that we've addressed that problem, Prowess," He turned to the small femme at his side, "I would like you to spar with Barricade and compare your skills to his."

Prowess bowed gracefully and answered, "Yes Master,"

Barricade glared at the femme out of the corner of his optics and bowed as well, but it seemed very stiff and forced.

The two young ninjas straightened and walked onto the sparring mat, taking their positions on either side.

One and a half cycles later:

Prowess stood next to the Barricade, who was once again face-down on the floor, groaning in pain. He rolled over on his back and, with some difficulty, stood back up and got in a battle stance.

"Will you just give up already?" An exasperated Prowess exclaimed, "I've pinned you at least six times."

The black and white shook his helm shakily and said, "I re-refuse to surrender to a s-slaggin' half-breed."

Sighing and shaking her helm, Prowess quickly spun down into a crouch and thrust her leg out, easily knocking the other Cyber ninja off his feet and sending him crashing to the padded floor.

While he was stunned, Prowess turned and walked out of the sparring room, leaving Barricade lying on the floor.

He sat up and watched her leave, pure hate boiling through his circuits.

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Flashback

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Barricade's fist tightened as he remembered the humiliation he had felt at being beaten in a fight by the little Neutral-Autobot femme.

"But," Barricade smirked, "There's no way she can beat me now, I've become stronger and that old coot Heron can't protect her." He cast a glance back at his friends, all mechs that had been kicked out of the Autobot faction for what they believed, with the exception of Kickback, who had never been an Autobot to begin with.

Oh yes, that femme was going to pay for getting him kicked out of Master Heron's Cyber Ninja Academy, Barricade would make sure of that.

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(1) uh, boobs.

Wow, Barricade is really creeping me out in this…

Please, Please, PLEASE people give me some kind of feedback! I don't care if you're saying you liked it, hated it, or have criticism, just something.