Warning! Prowl gets into a few details about what happened between him and Shadowstar.

CHAP 11

"Maybe we should try a different location?" Sari said after awhile. So far neither her or XR had found a single trace of the fembot vampire and nobody they asked seemed to know anything either. "We've just about scoured every building and dark alley in this part of the city."

"Except the strip clubs," he said.

"No strip clubs." she said firmly.

The robot wasn't about to give up on the idea. "She could be in there."

"Really?" the girl said raising an eyebrow. She folded her arms and gave him a look. "Tell me. Do strip clubs house robots?"

"I don't know," XR said. "I haven't been in one!"

"And you're not going to be in one either," she informed him. "Not while I'm stuck being your partner anyway." She looked around then pointed in another direction. "Let's go this way. I think I saw somebody who might be able to help us." then she walked off without waiting for him.

"Oh sure," he grumbled, putting his hands on his hips as he watched her walk away. "First no clubs and now you're leading? I don't think so, sister." he wheeled after her, still rambling to himself. "I'm the Experimental Ranger here. You're nothing but a kid with an attitude problem. I bet your Dad didn't even spank you when you were littl-" a shadow passed over him. "WAH!" he freaked and wheeled right into her legs.

"Hey! Do you mind!" she shouted turning back to him. "Haven't you heard of personal space?" she noticed the look on his face. "What's the matter with you?"

"I saw something," he said, his optics pointed at the sky.

That got her interested. "What? Shadowstar?"

"I don't know," he said. "It might have been her or-"

"Or what?"

You didn't see anything. He shook his head. "Nevermind. It probably was just a bat. Let's just keep moving."

"So what else can you tell me about this Shadowstar besides what you gave us back on Star Command?" Buzz asked as he and Prowl patrolled another part of the city.

Prowl wondered why he was asking this now. "What else do you want to know?" he asked him. "What I told you should be enough information."

"Negative," Buzz said, turning to him. He pointed a finger in the air. "There is no such thing as too much information. You of all people should know that."

Prowl looked away. "Some of it is kind of personal." he stated, hoping that would make the man drop the subject.

Buzz raised an eyebrow. "Personal?" he stared at him. "How personal? Did you have some kind of relationship with her or something?"

Prowl didn't look at him. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Why?" Buzz asked. "What happened?" The cyber ninja looked back at him. His expression said more than words. "Oh. I get it."

"No, you don't get it," Prowl replied, sounding upset. "and you won't get it either." he clenched his fists and looked the man square in the eye. "What happened between me and her is not important. Finding her before she causes trouble in your own world is. I suggest you not ask me that again."

"I'm sorry," Buzz said, still looking taken aback.

"I don't blame you," Prowl said, sighing. "It's only natural to want more details on someone you are trying to bring to justice, but what you are asking of me I can't get into." and he wouldn't get into either because the memory still hurt. "The only other thing you need to know is that she likes to inflict punishments on people."

"Huh?"

The cyber ninja shook his head. "Nevermind. Let's just keep looking."

Sari didn't have to be a detective to notice that XR was acting funny. He kept looking over his shoulder as they searched the city and kept messing up his questions when they asked aliens and robots alike if they had seen a fembot vampire. When he started pulling out his guns at every little sound, no matter how small, she decided to just get this all out in the open.

"Okay," she said, after XR slammed into her legs when he heard a cat jump out of a trash can. "What's going on?"

"What- what do you mean?" he asked her.

"You've been acting strange since you say that 'shadow' "- when she said "shadow" she raised her hands and did the quote unquote thing with her fingers. -"I would like to know why."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he told her. "I'm not acting weird at all. I'm just being cautious."

"Oh yeah?" she leaned over and tapped him on the shoulder from behind. He jumped and spun around, pulling out every gun in his arsenal. "See? You're acting like you just found out somebody put out a hit on you."

"No, I'm not," he insisted putting his guns away and folding his arms. "It's called being careful. Maybe you should try it sometime."

"I am plenty careful," she responded, folding her arms. "And if I did run into trouble I can take care of myself. Not that I want to. I know what being careful is. But you! You're acting like we're going to be mugged any second!"

"I am not!"

"You are so!" she insisted. "Why else would you keep bringing out your pea shooters?"

"I'll have you know those are Star Command issue assault rifles," he informed her. "I do not carry pea shooters."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Still would you mind not pulling them out every five seconds? It's getting on my nerves and what would happen if a real threat suddenly appeared?" she asked. "I wouldn't believe you if you said you saw something like an energy vampire-" as she spoke a figure loomed up behind her. A very familiar figure. "and then you'd start acting weird and making faces and pointing and insisting that you saw one." she stared at him. "Kind of like you are now." something clicked and she spun around. Nothing was behind her. "Oh very funny," she said, turning back and folding her arms. "That's real mature and professional. I'd hate to see how you'd act if a real energy vampire was behind me."

"But but but-" he tried to say.

"I don't want to hear it." She walked past him, whacking his dome with her hand. "Come on, let's keep searching."

"But I-" he said, making weird gestures with his hand. "He-"

"Enough already," she ordered, grabbing his arm and yanking on it. "We don't have time for this."

Nos-4-A2 hovered above the two as they walked away from him with his arms folded and an annoyed expression on his triangular face. Craters! Why did the Little One have to give me away?

He had been following the two for what seemed like hours, carefully monitoring the energy signature coming from the girl. It seemed to spike when she got upset and go down when she was calm. He still wasn't exactly sure what this female was but he was becoming more and more convinced that she wasn't a mere human.

That got him wondering about other things. If she wasn't human, and the energy signature told him she wasn't any other kind of organic being either, at least not wholly, then that meant she was a machine. This led to the question. I wonder what her energy tastes like? and he really wanted to find this out.

But with them walking around in the more populated areas of the city he couldn't get close enough to bite her. That one time they were in the alley had been a good opportunity but then XR had to ruin it by waving his hands around and making faces like his processor had a glitch.

But I'll get another chance, he told himself, flapping his wings to catch up with them. There's always more than one.

"Do you think putting XR and that girl together was a good idea?" Booster asked Mira as the two space rangers searched their part of the city.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" the Tangean asked, turning to him. When he nodded she said. "No, I do not. XR and that girl have not gotten along at all the entire time she and her robot friend have been there. I think the Prowl robot was right. Leaving them alone together wasn't wise."

"Then why did Buzz insist on it?"

"You heard him," she said, waving her hands around. "He think they'll learn to get along with each other. I don't see that in either of their futures." she gave Booster a look. "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"

"Well," he said looking away and poking his index fingers together. "I just wanted to know your opinion. To be honest I was hoping Buzz would pair Sari up with me."

"Why do-" it dawned on her. "Oh, I get it!' she said, grinning. "You like her, don't you?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "She's real spunky and boy is that kick of hers powerful." he got a real dopey look on his face. "I wish she'd kick me sometime."

Mira stared at him with a weirded out look on her face. "Wait, wait, wait," she said, waving her hands and shaking her head. "Did you just say you want that girl to kick you?"

He jumped, realizing what he'd said. "No," he insisted, folding his arms and turning away. "Why would I say such a thing?"

"I don't know," she said. "But I can assure you that her kicks aren't a sign of affection."

"She only kicks XR like that because he's mean to her," Booster told her, sounding defensive. "I'm not mean to her so maybe she won't kick me. Maybe she'll play footsie instead."

She blinked. "Footsie?"

"Yeah," he said. "You know. The thing two people do with their feet."

"I know what footsie is," Mira told him. "I don't need an explanation. But I don't think footsie is a good idea. Your feet aren't exactly the right size for it."

"Maybe she won't mind."

"Right." she folded her arms. "Look, Booster, I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to break your heart or anything but I don't think trying to have a relationship with that girl is a good idea. For one thing she's from another dimension and thus communication, much less dating, is out of the question and for another she already has a boyfriend."

"How do you know what?"

"Oh come one," she said. "It's obvious she's dating that robot she came with. Did you see how she acted when he went offline? You can't tell me they're just friends."

Booster glared at her. "You're just saying that because you're jealous."

"Jealous?" she asked, looking surprised. "What would I be jealous of?"

"I don't know," he said. "But you're jealous of something."

Mira rolled her eyes. "Okay forget I said anything," she said, turning away from him. "We're supposed to be looking for an energy vampire, not discussing dating inter dimensional travelers, so let's keep looking."

"Fine," he said, still looking angry as he followed her. "But I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Okay fine. Sorry."

"You better be."

"Excuse me," Sari said, getting the attention of a walking soda machine. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure thing, doll," the soda machine said, turning to her.

"This might seem like a strange question but did you by any chance see an energy vampire flying around?"

"Energy vampire? Why are you asking about that?"

"Well we're trying to find it," Sari explained. "We want to take it into custody before it drains machines like you."

"No offense, doll, but even if you found this vampire what could you do to it?" the soda machine questioned. "You're just a girl and from what I can see you don't exactly have any weapons on you."

Well not on me but in me. "Oh, you'd be surprised at what I can do," she told it. "I'm not as helpless as you might be thinking. If an energy vampire tried to take me out they would get more than they bargained for."

"Why are you looking for it anyway?" it asked.

Oh boy here we go again. Yet another machine she would have to explain the whole thing to. Well not this time. "Do you want the vampire to go on a rampage and drain your energy?" she asked it.

"No," the soda machine replied.

"Then don't ask such silly questions," she said. "Now have you seen it or not?"

"Nope."

She sighed. "Then I'm sorry for wasting your time," she turned away. "Thanks anyway."

The soda machine didn't seem too upset. "No problem, doll."

Sari rolled her eyes. Oh brother.

"Nope, she wasn't here either," Sari said walking up to XR. "I'm beginning to think she-" she saw what XR was doing and her face filled with utter horror. "What in the world are you doing?"

XR, who had been been poking his head in every dumpster and box and had just then been about to lift the skirt of a very fat woman, turned to her. "Huh?"

"Get your head out of there!" she yelled, stomping over to him, grabbing his arm, and pulling him away from the fat lady. "What is wrong with you? Since when are you into fat women?"

"For your information I like a little junk in the trunk," he informed her.

"You're gross," she stated, hammering on the his dome and causing his head to bounce around inside. "I don't care what you like. We're looking for a vampire not heart covered undies!"

"So you saw them too, huh?"

"Argh!" she kicked off his head. It flew through the air until it hit a wall then clattered to the ground. Sari glared at him. "That is your fault! You and your perverted peepers!"

"Hey! They're not perverted," he corrected as his body searched for his head. "They are curious. I'M OVER HERE!" he yelled at his body.

"I don't care what they are," she said. "You were poking them where they didn't belong. What is wrong with you? First you're all paranoid and now you're back to your disgusting old ways."

"I had a perfectly good reason for the way I was acting," he told her. His body finally found its head and lifted it off the ground. "But you wouldn't understand that."

"Understand what?" she asked. "That you wanted to look at some fat ladies bloomers?"

"I wasn't trying to look at her bloomers!" he shouted, totally offended. "I dropped my one blaster and it-"

"Just so happened to slide under whale butt's skirt?" Sari finished for him. "Excuse me if I don't belief that."

"Well it's the truth," he told her.

"Why did you even have a gun out anyway?" she demanded.

"I thought I saw something."

"What? Did you think you saw this Nos-4-a2 vampire looming over us, casting a ominous shadow over the both of us," she laughed. "Don't start that again. The only vampire we need to be worrying about is Shadowstar so I suggest you quit worrying about this Nuts-2-U guy and get with it."

"It's Nos-4-A2," XR informed her. "Not Nuts-2-U. If you can't pronounce it right don't bother pronouncing it at all."

"Why should you care how I pronounce that vampire's name?" she asked. "From what I gathered you don't like the guy because he tried to kill you. I would think you wouldn't care if I made fun of his name or mispronounced it."

"That's not the point," he told her.

"Then what is the point?"

"Do you hear me making fun of your vampire's name?"

"First off: She's not my vampire and what does that have to do with anything?" Sari asked. "Shadowstar is evil! I don't care if you insult her. You can call her Shi-"

"Hey, watch your language, young lady!"

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said, folding her arms. "I'm just saying why should it matter if I call your vampire something else? It's not like he's going to hear me or anything." as she said this a shadow loomed up behind her. "I mean you guys don't know where he is anyway so it shouldn't be a big deal."

XR's optics got even bigger and his mouth fell open in horror.

Sari noticed. "What's that look for?" she asked.

"Bebebebee!" he stammered, raising a shaking finger and pointing. "Nanananaa..."

"What?" she asked, "Just spit it out!"

"Turn around!"

"Huh?" she spun around and this time she saw what XR had seen earlier. A robot that was not Shadowstar but looked like a vampire anyway because of the cape and wings, loomed over her and he looked a bit upset. "Hello, my dear," it said in a British accent. "And yes, the Little One is right. It is a big deal. I happen to like my name spoken properly."

Sari stared screaming.

"So what exactly did happen between you and the female energy vampire back in your own dimension that has her bent on killing you anyway?" Buzz asked, bringing up the topic Prowl had asked him to drop awhile ago. He wasn't exactly trying to pry, his curiosity just got the better of him.

Prowl looked at him, not saying a word. Looks like I'm not going to be able to avoid it after all. Finally he asked. "Are you going to keep bothering me about it until I tell you?"

"Pretty much," Buzz admitted.

Prowl sighed. Great. Just great.

"Look I know you said you didn't want to talk about it before but I realized something. Maybe if you describe how she acts and what kind of things she gets her kicks out of we'll be able to figure out where she might be hiding."

"S&M."

"What?"

Prowl didn't look away. "She's into S&M."

Buzz blinked. It was clear he wasn't expecting to be told that. "I see," he said, thoughtfully. "So she likes inflicting pain and humiliation on people. That should make things easier."

"Why do you say that?" the cyber ninja questioned.

"Trust me," the space ranger said, grinning. "I know these things."

That got Prowl wondering how he could. But he didn't ask the man because the answer might not make him comfortable. Instead he followed Lightyear down the sidewalk. But before they got too far an ear piercing scream split the air.

"What was that?" Buzz asked, his eyes wide.

"It sounded like Sari," Prowl said, turning around. "She sounds like she's in trouble." he looked back at Lightyear. "Come on!"

They took off, heading back the way they came.

A/N

I hate myself for some of the stuff in this chapter. It had seemed like a real good idea at the time too. :(