Chapter Eight
Disclaimer: Check previous chapters.
We finally find out what Mikaela has purchased at Prime's request, what the construction crew has built, and a lesson in Cybertronian history.
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The sunlight pouring into her room was bright. Nightshade shifted slightly and was mildly disturbed to feel thick plush fabric beneath her. I keep waking up in random places…she thought as her computing center finally booted up. It was a couch that she was lying on.
Bits and pieces of the night before were reprocessed by her computing center.
Ah.
She was in Mirage's room.
She stretched and gracefully rose from the couch, scribbling up a quick note for Mirage, who was still deep in recharge. He was snoring softly; his body sprawled out over the entire berth. His knuckles sported some massive dents. Wonder what he's been up to...
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Nightshade made her way to one of the storage rooms where Prime had stowed away her requested materials. A lone metallic box stood off by itself in the corner, clearly labeled as "Nightshade's stuff". She picked it up and carried it back to her room, intent on seeing if they had gotten it right…
The box was heavy and she almost dropped it twice, but managed to get back to her room without any serious mishaps. She set it on the floor and pried the lid off.
Shoving aside several layers of cellophane and packing peanuts, she came to what she was looking for. Reaching into the box, she pulled out the contents.
Yards and yards of scarlet satin fabric lay on her lap. There were thick ribbons, and several ropes made of ribbon and large silver bells, and long strands of silver coins woven together. There was also a long sheet of silk, both ends weighted down with silver bells. Another sheet of silk could be found beneath the first. The scarlet would contrast nicely with her dark blue paint job. Nightshade smiled. She was going to be on stage once more.
After digging around in her storage for a bit, she found the last of her silver bracelets. She snapped them onto her wrists, feeling the familiar weight and hearing the familiar tinkling noise. She hadn't worn them in so long, she had almost forgotten. She settled in her starting pose, her hip cocked, one leg out in front of her and her hands in the air above her…yes, it was great to be dancing again.
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The sun began to set. Mirage had smuggled Nightshade into the room, using his holo-emitter to block her from prying eyes. Nightshade was quickly ushered behind the stage, while Jazz and his band finished playing the song they were playing. Jazz bowed to the audience, relishing in the polite applause.
Nightshade nervously smoothed the silk on her body. A long sheet of silk had been tied around her hips like a giant scarf, knotted in front of one thigh. The bells on the end weighed the ends of the silk band down. The second sheet of silk had been draped over one shoulder. She held the ends loosely in her hand. The coin and bell ropes had been tied over the silk on her hips, like a belt. She stood off to the edge, not visible to anyone if the curtains were to open early. The soft drums began playing, and the curtain rose. A spotlight shone in the middle of the stage, and she came from the side, her hips gyrating to the drum beat. Once in the center, she began putting more emphasis onto the bells hanging off of her hips, shaking from side to side and twisting.
Once she settled into her familiar routine, her nervousness began to subside, and she tossed the veil off to the side. She looked out over the crowd. The humans had been seated in the very front. Sam was leaning forward on his elbows, jaw open. He liked sparkly things, and here was Nightshade, covered in sparkly things... Mikaela was watching intently. The other humans were also impressed with her dancing. That was good – impressing alien races was always a good thing when it came to treaties and negotiations.
By looking into the crowd of mechs and femmes, she could tell who hadn't ever seen a dance before. These 'bots, like Bumblebee and Bluestreak, were engrossed in her every movement, their mouths slightly open. The mechs and femmes that had seen dances before were watching appreciatively. There were a few in the crowd that weren't as interested, probably because they had been teachers or competition judges. Her eyes scanned the audience, seeking someone out. Ratchet was definitely interested in the dance. He was leaning forwards, his optics following her every move. She made eye contact with him and sent him a smirk. He raised an optic ridge at her, leaning back into his seat. She looked around some more, pirouetting. Leo was watching her with a bored look.
The drums began to slow, and with that, she spun around facing away from the audience, and threw her hands into the air, the bracelets on her wrists clinking gently. She began to bend backwards slowly, until her fingertips touched the floor behind her. The lights went out and she immediately straightened up to the sound of thundering applause and shrill whistles.
Another Cybertronian song began playing and she kept dancing away. This time her dance was a bit more energetic and playful as she wrapped the long silk scarf around the neck of a mech sitting just off to the left of the stage, running a hand down his chest plates. She gave him a jaunty wink and jumped back onto the stage, her hips shaking to the beat of the drums.
This melody ended, too, and she finished by bowing. Thunderous applause met her audios.
A third song began playing…except this one was a human one. The scratchy guitar started playing, and she began dancing to it. Jazz and his fellow singers entered from the left, and began singing as soon as the guitar bled into silence.
"What have you done now?"
Jazz's soft voice turned the song into something more sensual than the original artist.
Sam perked up. He knew this song!
"I know I'd better stop trying
You know that there's no denying
I won't show mercy on you now
I know, should stop believing
I know, there's no retrieving
It's over now, what have you done?"
Firestar was the lead female vocalist, her low voice carrying over the quiet air.
"What have you done now!"
Jazz took a quick peek over at Nightshade. She had slowed down considerably and was swaying in the center of the stage.
"I , I've been waiting for someone like you
But now you are slipping away ...oh
Why, why does fate make us suffer?
There's a curse between us, between me and you."
Nightshade smiled sadly as she looked over the crowd. Her optics locked with Mirages', and he smiled back at her. As Jazz sang the next verse, his voice faded away to silence in her audio receptors.
"Would you mind if I killed you?
Would you mind if I tried to?
Cause you have turned into my worst enemy
You carry hate that I don't feel
It's over now
What you done?"
Nightshade sighed gently. She and Jazz stood in the center of the stage together. Jazz began swaying his hips like Nightshade had. He ran one hand down her arm, slowly. Nightshade saw Prowl perk up from the corner of her optic. She smiled for the briefest second. Who knew that Prowl was the jealous kind? Firestar shot a sly grin at Jazz. She and Nightshade began dancing together in the middle of the stage, hands sliding over one another. This earned quite a few wolf-whistles from the mechs in the crowd. Two or three of them excused themselves.
"I , I've been waiting for someone like you
But now you are slipping away...oh What have you done now!
Why, why does fate make us suffer?
There's a curse between us, between me and you…"
Jazz and Firestar's voices blended, and as she sang the third line, her voice grew stronger and faded. They sang the chorus once more, her voice fading away into silence as the audience clapped. It was quiet at first: the autobots had never heard their kind sing. The humans hadn't ever seen or thought that robots could sing. It was a bit disconcerting, but as they got over their shock, they started clapping louder and harder, a few of the humans whistling their approval.
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Ratchet sat in the very back, nearest to the door. He sighed almost impatiently. What was so important that he had to leave the med bay early? There was a stage. The Twins were probably going to do some sort of talent show. He snorted. Sideswipe juggling flaming sticks while Sunstreaker balanced on a unicycle. Now that would be entertaining.
The quiet buzz of chattering silenced once the lights dimmed and the curtains opened. The stage was empty, until the drums started playing softly. Suddenly, Nightshade entered the stage, her hips swaying. Now that was something he could watch forever…
She began emphasizing her hips. He had never noticed it before, but she had wide hips…wide hips that would be a great place to put my hands…She began a flurry of twists and turns that had him raising an optical ridge. That kind of flexibility would make sparking very interesting…
Nightshade discarded her veil, revealing her chassis, which had been decorated with tiny rhinestones for the occasion. He felt his arousal start to heat his frame, and he was pretty sure that he wasn't the only one feeling what he was feeling. A few of the other mechs looked uncomfortable, and two or three of them excused themselves for a moment. She sent a smirk his way when he shifted in his seat, and he sent her back the most unaffected, bored look he could muster. She grinned and twirled.
What really got him was her ending. He watched as the femme bent over backwards, her fingertips touching the floor. His optics were about to fall out of his head and his jaw was somewhere on the floor. Interesting indeed.
He excused himself before his body would betray him. He came back just as the next song started. Her dance was flirtatious and playful. Her hips weren't moving as seductively and she was sending cute smiles to all of the unbonded mechs in the crowd. He couldn't help but narrow his optics as she wrapped the end of her long red scarf around the shoulders of a nearby mech, who, in turn, almost dropped his transmission. Then he bit back a snarl as she sent him a sly little wink. She knew exactly what she was doing to him…and he didn't like it. The dance ended quickly and she bowed to the crowd.
The third song started playing. It was a human song. He was surprised when Jazz and three other mechs climbed onto the stage. Jazz took the center beside Nightshade and began singing, his soft voice crooning a seductive little melody. One of the femmes in front of him almost swooned, murmuring something about Primus. Ratchet subtly rolled his optics. Jazz had always been the smooth and suave mech on base, on good terms with everyone (especially the females), and the one that everyone went to when there was a party to throw.
"I , I've been waiting for someone like you
But now you are slipping away...oh What have you done now!
Why, why does fate make us suffer?
There's a curse between us, between me and you…"
On the last chorus that Firestar sang, Nightshade locked optics with him, swaying her hips gently. Jazz joined her, running his clawed hand down her arm. Their hips moved in time with each other, and Ratchet felt anger bubble up inside of him. The bubble burst and gave way to complete and utter lust as Nightshade began gyrating with Firestar, their hands roaming over one another.
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Jazz left the stage to help finish preparing the food. Nightshade continued rotating and swiveling her hips, much to the approval of the mechs. This dance was the most seductive and inviting one yet. She brought her hands up and behind her head, focusing the attention to her hips and abdominal plates as she slowly moved. The lights were dimmed so that she was the only thing visible on stage. Her movements became more exaggerated as the song progressed.
There really wasn't a point to this dance, just to hypnotize her audience and buy Jazz some food cooking time. As she scanned the crowd, she noticed that Ratchet's optics were much dimmer than everyone else's. She smirked at him and began to teasingly roll her hips back, as though inviting him to come on stage and take her. Nightshade arched her back and rolled her hips forward. She continued when she noticed that Ratchet's optics dimmed a bit more at this display. Finally, after a few more minutes, she stopped and bowed, exiting the stage as the curtains drew shut.
Backstage, Nightshade collapsed against the brick wall. Her knees nearly gave out. Mirage was by her side in an instant, offering a cube of energon. She took a few sips and tried to calm her frayed nerves.
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She went back on stage, clutching Jazz's hand in one hand and some other mech's in the other. They bowed together amidst the thunderous applause. Some of the minibots started bringing in the food (plus, all of the alcohol, energon, and high grade) and tables. Brawn and Optimus started loading energon and high grade into one corner. Jazz and Moon Racer began wiring up the sound system. Nightshade decided to leave – she did not want to have to kick Moonracer's aft tonight. Nightshade wandered out from backstage, her hips swaying as she walked.
The humans were currently stuffing themselves silly with all of the food that Jazz had helped to prepare. Currently, the younger humans and the older ones were mingling, but were starting to separate out into two distinct groups. The older humans were in a corner, chatting, while the younger ones were dancing to some of the music. Nightshade watched on in amusement as Mikaela Banes began doing some sort of hip-work for her mate, Samuel. The boy's jaw dropped. Maybe she was trying to get him to mate with her? Judging by the increased pheromone levels that the boy released, it was working.
Nightshade stood beside Mikaela and started mimicking the human girl. Mikaela grinned up at her. They both started shaking what their makers gave them, laughing as all male eyes in the room turned to them. After a few minutes, Mikaela collapsed on the floor, panting. Nightshade took a seat beside her.
"So, Nightshade. How'd you learn to dance like that," Mikaela asked, propping herself up with her hands. She loved dancing and she'd been in ballet since the age of three. Mostly, she danced for fun. There was no way someone like her could be a full time dancer (she couldn't dedicate more than two hours a day to dance, anyway).
"I was built as a dancer. It's my programming," Nightshade responded, a small smile gracing her face plates.
"Nightshade, come get a drink with me, please," Mikaela said sweetly to the femme. Nightshade obliged and stood. They (well, Nightshade walked slowly, Mikaela had to jog slightly) made their way to the drink table. Nightshade grabbed a cube of energon and Mikaela a Dr. Pepper.
"So, why are you so gloomy," Mikaela asked, taking a sip of the carbonated goodness in her hand.
"How do you say….boy trouble, is it?"
"Yes, that's it. Who's bothering you?"
"It's not who's bothering me, but more like avoiding me right now. He's gone and disappeared on me," Nightshade said. They had migrated into a corner with another human female named Maggie.
"Boy trouble," Mikaela said at Maggie's questioning look.
"Oh, don't worry 'bout it. If he doesn't see the gem he's got in front of him, he's blind," Maggie scoffed, picking up her alcoholic beverage. Maggie took a long sip and closed her eyes. This was one of the best drinks she'd ever had… She sent Jazz a thumbs up. He had been the one who made mixed drinks. Jazz gave her a suave, flirtatious grin, and he winked at her, and Maggie giggled.
"He flirts with everyone," Mikaela muttered under her breath, noting the still giggling Maggie and the red flush on her cheeks.
"He's a robot-slut," Maggie said. Nightshade just laughed. What? It was true…
"Anyway, what were you saying, Nightshade?"
"Oh, I don't know…honestly, I don't," Nightshade said, sitting back on her heels while Maggie and Mikaela made themselves comfortable on some nearby high grade barrels.
"Who is it, first of all," Mikaela asked, finishing off her Dr. Pepper.
"Ratchet," Nightshade said simply. She shot the two humans mean looks as they started gagging and coughing on their drinks. Once Mikaela had cleared her airway, she gave Nightshade an incredulous look. Maggie was gaping up at her.
"Ratchet? The crazy one?!"
"He isn't crazy! He's just…grumpy."
"Grumpy? More like psychotic! He threw a wrench at Ironhide when he came online from that last battle!" Mikaela grumbled softly. Ratchet was definitely not someone she wanted to cross…
"He's just showing how much he cares," Nightshade said, a small smile on her face plates.
"What did he do to Jazz, then?"
"He was screaming at him for like, three hours. You could have heard him from outside of the base," Mikaela answered, shuddering a bit at the thunderous tirade that had befallen her delicate human ear drums.
"Poor Jazz…"
"Once he was thoroughly recovered, he put a dent in the side of his head the size of a beach ball," Mikaela added, frowning slightly. Ratchet had learned very quickly after that incident that humans could, however slightly, inflict pain upon him. Mikaela had thrown a piece of equipment, nailing him on the side of his head.
"How old is he, Nightshade?"
"Uhm…I believe he was on-lined at the first turn of Cassius."
"And…in human terms, how old is he?"
Nightshade did some quick mental calculations.
"At least eighty thousand years, by your standards. There has been no record of a Cybertronian dying by natural death. Most have died by our war or by loss of their mate, so I can't really guesstimate a proportion," she said out thoughtfully. "I'm twenty thousand years of age, give or take a century."
"Well, how old is your race?"
"Oh, I'd say at least a billion years. We were created by our creator many, many, many years ago. There aren't any records of the first mechs built. Femmes weren't built until later."
"So it was just guys at first?"
Nightshade paused to look up the reference.
"Yes," Nightshade said, and continued, "anyway. I came of age about ten years ago, while I was still floating in outer space."
"Kind of like me turning eighteen," Mikaela said, taking a few sips of the soda.
"Yes, exactly," Nightshade said, smiling down at the females.
"Elita and Optimus are spark mates, right? How does that work out?"
"Well, we are mechanical beings. We as a race don't fully understand how exactly we know how spark mates work out." Elita and Chromia sat down beside the trio, each one carrying high grade.
"Hello." A chorus of hellos responded to Elita's greeting.
"So what are we talking about?" Chromia asked, settling down beside Nightshade. She popped the top off of the barrel in her hand, and took a sip. Then she winced.
"That's…pretty potent stuff," Chromia said, taking another sip.
"Your compliments to Jazz. He's the one who spiked it," Maggie added, trying to be helpful. She hiccupped and giggled as she finished her drink.
"I'm trying to explain the meaning of bond mates," Nightshade said, "I don't know much, since I haven't bonded."
"Well, you just know," Elita said.
"But…how?" Mikaela still didn't understand…
"Humans believe in soul mates, correct?" At Maggie's uncertain nod, Chromia continued. "Well, our spark is kind of like what you would call a soul. We just know. When I first saw Ironhide, I wanted to drag him into a closet and bond with him right then and there."
"Ew," Maggie said, while Chromia glared at her. "Sorry, but...Well. That explains it. But how does bonding work?"
"You should explain, Chromia. You seem to be an expert in the matter," Elita said, leering at her lieutenant. Chromia glared but smiled nonetheless. At Maggie and Mikaela's questioning looks, Elita elaborated.
"Back when Ironhide was just a lowly soldier, he was stationed in the barracks over us…you could hear those two going at it from three halls over," Elita muttered, glaring at her friend.
"Yeah, until Optimus got the access code to your room. Then you gave me and Ironhide a run for our money," Chromia snapped.
"Okay, that's a little too much information," Mikaela said, covering her ears.
"How about humans? I notice that humans like to mate, yet, few humans actually want to conceive," Chromia said, taking another sip of her drink.
"Uhm…humans mate because…it's great," Maggie said, blushing. She was not having this conversation…
"Oh, I see. Humans can break their bonds, right? We can't do that. The both of us would eventually die. That's why there are so few bonded pairs right now…," Elita said, a sad smile on her face.
"So autobots mate, too?"
"It's called 'interfacing'."
"Heh, interfacing. Niiice," Maggie said, laughing. She finished off the drink in her hand, and gazed longingly at the bar on the other side of the hangar. Jazz was mixing up both human alcoholic drinks and spiking energon with random human alcohols.
"Or overload. It's great."
"Great? It's a way of life," Chromia said, staring off with a strange smile on her face.
"Maybe for you, you nymphomaniac," Elita said, grinning cheekily.
"What about you, Mikaela? Do you enjoy overloading with Sam," Elita asked, a sympathetic note in her voice.
"It's okay. Not great, but we can work on that," Mikaela admitted, blushing a little bit.
Maggie just laughed and set her glass down. Then she propped her feet up and looked up at Nightshade. Then she frowned slightly.
"What about you, Nightshade?"
"Er…I haven't…you know," Nightshade said, feeling heat creep up her cheeks. Gasps came from all around her.
"No way, you're gorgeous, babe," Mikaela said, frowning up at the femme. From the stories she'd heard, she would have guessed that Nightshade and Ratchet had done something by now, especially if she woke up in his bed…
"I think Ratchet would be glad to help you with that," Chromia finally said, a dirty little smile on her face.
"Oh, he would most definitely enjoy that," Elita said, grinning at Chromia. Nightshade buried her face in her hands. She should not have told these two…they were probably going to go and run and tell Ratchet to come and show her what she was missing…
"He did teach the spark-sex educational classes. He pretty much knows everything, from self-overload to more than one partner at a time," Chromia said, elbowing Nightshade. Nightshade's optics widened. She didn't know it was possible to have more than one partner at once! That sounded interesting…
"And he is older…"
"And he's a medic…"
"He's high ranking…"
"He likes to read…"
"You're young! Give him a chance!"
"Aww, I could see you now with his sparkling in your arms, the little one clicking away," Elita said, a dreamy look coming over her face plates. Chromia nodded enthusiastically to the mortified Nightshade.
"Yes, you two should go bond right now. I'd love to see sparklings running around once more…your babies would be so cute! But make sure it takes after you," Chromia said excitedly. Nightshade started muttering quietly, trying to block Chromia out.
"It's just not the overloading bit…our race is dying out. Go make some sparklings."
"That's what we have you and Ironhide for, Chromia," Elita said, grinning at her friend. Maggie and Mikaela snorted, trying to envision the spawn of the trigger happy mech and the equally trigger happy femme.
"No, we don't want to unleash his irrationality onto the next generation," Nightshade finally managed to say.
"Hey!"
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Dun dun dun!