Title: Lets do it again!

Rating: K
Characters: Prowl/Jazz
'Verse: G1
Summary: You know how some people get a kind of mania about certain things, like laying concrete or using machinery? Well Jazz has found his weakness.

A/N: belated birthday gift for MoonWallker.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I don't make any profit, I just do this for fun


First attempt

Jazz cautiously lifted the box out of his subspace and set it in place. So far, so good. Activating the timer he set it to an appropriate time and started to open the lid...

BOOM.


Second attempt

Jazz cautiously lifted the box out of his subspace and set it in place... but a bit of grit meant it was uneven. He reached out to smooth the surface...

BOOM.


Third attempt

Jazz carefully checked that the surface was clear and even, then cautiously lifted the box out of his subspace and set it in place. He switched on the timer but it did not activate. He gave it a light tap with one finger...

BOOM.


Fourth attempt

Jazz checked that the surface was clear and reached into his subspace...

BOOM.


Fifth attempt (after some medical care)

Jazz inspected the area carefully, then cautiously lifted the box out of his subspace. Lowering it gently onto the surface, he turned on the timer and set it, then gradually opened the lid. There was a faint hissing sound but no other reaction.

Backing away in a gliding motion so as not to unbalance it, he moved out of range. Two minutes later there was an audible fizzing which went suddenly silent and then...

BOOM.

"See?" he said smugly to his mate. "I told you I could do it."

Prowl did not look at all impressed and turned away.

"Request denied."

"What?" Jazz yelped, chasing after him. "But you said you would if I could do it."

"That was before you failed in four consecutive attempts. A twenty percent success rate is unacceptable."

"Please, Prowler? I just needed the practice. Look - I'll do it again."

"No."

"Come on, just watch." Jazz begged, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a stop.

"The answer is no."

Out of other ideas, Jazz pouted and saw Prowl's doorwings twitch.

"I said no, Jazz."

Jazz stayed silent, pleading with his expression alone.

"It exploded on you five times!" the tactician exclaimed. "Once inside your subspace!"

Jazz waited, sensing victory was close, and sure enough after another minute Prowl caved.

"Oh fine then." he grumbled. "I'll endorse your proposal. Primus knows you won't let me alone until I do."

Jazz cheered loudly, immediately brighting, and swept Prowl into a tight hug.

"You're the greatest, Prowler!"

"Just hold to the plan - Mirage and Hound are to be with you so they can extract you if necessary."

"Sure thing."

"And try to come back in one piece."

"Mech - trust me. There ain't no way I'm messin' this up. Those Cons ain't gonna have a clue what hit'em!"


"Hoist?"

"Oh hey, Prowl. What can I do for you?"

"Jazz's surprise for the Decepticons. Could you perhaps take a look at it and see if you can do something about the stability? I'd prefer not to have him blowing himself up in the middle of a battle."

"Sure thing. In fact, I've got exactly the thing - a shock-proof box mad for transporting raw energon. That stuff'll be more stable than rock crystals."

"I appreciate it. Thank you."


Prowl picked his way across the uneven ground where the battle had been fought just moments before. It had been short and chaotic and had ended with an abrupt Decepticon retreat, as was not all that uncommon here on Earth.

He found Jazz slumped in a crater, looking dejected, and reached out a hand to help him up.

"Ready to go?"

"Just ain't fair." Jazz grumbled. "Did you see what happened?"

Prowl nodded, clasping his hand and pulling him upwards.

"Come along, the others are waiting."

"All that work! That thing was a work of art! It was going to be the most impressive fireworks display ever, all in one go. I had it in place on their big bad weapon an' everything! As soon as they charged it up it would've gone off, an' if they didn't I had the timer..."

"Never mind, Jazz." Prowl said comfortingly, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"He blew it up!" Jazz whined. "He shot at Starscream an' the Seeker dodged an' he blew up my surprise! It never even lit up, it just exploded."

"It did knock half the Decepticons off their pedes, including Megatron himself, and cause them to retreat."

"It ain't the same." Jazz moped.

"Well you should know as well as anyone that plans rarely survive contact with the enemy."

"I know, but I don't like it." Jazz grumbled.

Prowl squeezed him closer.

"Lets head home. You can set off some more there."

"Can't." Jazz grouched. "We used'em all up. The ones that weren't used up in the testin' an' in this one, the twins already played with."

Prowl leaned closer, murmuring into Jazz's audial.

"That's what they think."


~What is that thing you've got?~ Ramjet asked Dirge as they hovered just out of sight of the Autobots waiting for the more senior non-flyer-models to get organised, noting the other mech was in root mode.

~I don't know.~ his trinemate responded, turning the object over in his hands. ~Skywarp grabbed it from the Autobots before it got destroyed.~

~Then why'd he give it to you?~

~He didn't. Screamer saw him with it and made him drop it. I caught it.~

~Cool.~Thrust grinned, coming closer.

~So what do you think it is?~

~No idea. It's hissing a bit, and there's this timer thing on the front, but it's not doing anything much.~

~Timer?~ Ramjet asked.

~Yeah, see here? Oh, hey it's all zeros now...~

BOOM.


The Autobots had all stopped, staring into the sky as the fireworks display went on... and on... and on...

"Sweet, eh?" Jazz asked glancing back at Prowl.

"Perhaps a little ostentatious, but it is certainly impressive."

Jazz beamed at him.

"I love you too. So. About those ones you said were still back at the Ark...?"

"This isn't enough?" Prowl asked incredulously.

Jazz laughed happily.

"Nope. Not by a long shot."