The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box Interlude 8 (235/72) EDITED FOR BOO BOOS :D
-0-At the game
Prime walked to his viewing spot at the midfield line and stood a moment taking the tribute of the crowd. Then he turned and picked up T-Bar sitting as he did. The crowd began to settle after he did, the camera panning all over the place as the game crept closer. Images of Starscream and his family, Gearshift and Copper holding their sparkling, Copperton and Turquoise bearing the colors of Iacon United, soldiers of all the divisions including a rowdy group of Wreckers sitting around Kup, Springer and Drift were seen. Femmes were also lingered upon, handsome young mechs like Hot Rod, Jolt, Bumblebee and First Aid as well. Ultra Magnus sitting alone would be remarked upon by gossip blogs who were used to seeing him sitting with an only slightly smaller femme. The three mechs sitting with him, all colleagues from the office would be speculated upon as new love interests.
Such was the prurient world of gossip.
Wheeljack with his sparkling finials was the focus of a camera's pause as he sat chatting excitedly with Perceptor. Then it moved on lingering on children, the elderly and the more exuberant fans of both teams. The sky was mostly blue overhead as the spring dust storms bypassed them. The incredible genius of Sciences was beginning to control the rising heat wave-generated wind funnels that sometimes linked up enough to cause sandstorms that engulfed the planet. The sun was warm, an amazing 75 degrees and the solar receptors of even babies were working overtime to gather that bounty in.
Blurr and Blaster watched the cameras, then Revet signaled that they were going live. Blaster's smiling face appeared on the screen. "Good afternoon, Earth and Mars. Welcome to the first pre-game of the playoffs for the championship of Mars. Since Jazz is on assignment, I asked Praxus Science's team captain, Blurr to sit in. At stake is the first championship title of Cybertronian football held since the Fall. At stake is the honor of city-states, the pride of their people and a bunch of longstanding feuds among teams goin' back to the beginning of time. Literally."
Blurr laughed. "That's very true, Blaster. Every team in the league has long standing issues with every other team. When the league was created, the idea of restoring real rivalries was part of the planning. Iacon United has a long term feud with every team in the league but Altihex is a real thorn in their side. On Cybertron, Iacon United was always the team to beat. Here, its more so. Iacon was a wealthy city-state and able to attract the best athletes for the teams they fielded. That has become more equal here given the volunteer nature of the teams so the level of play is more equitable. This should be a barn burner, Blaster. Iacon has to win this one to advance. If they don't, they fall to the wild card slot and are at the mercy of the other teams. Failure of some to win means they're out. My team has been a powerhouse this season and remains the only undefeated team in the league. I can say without hesitation that we plan to do our best to win the title for Praxus."
"That's true. Considering you recruited the fastest, baddest players you could, you're the tough team to beat and favored to take the first championship title ever challenged here on Mars." Blaster nodded. "The line is open to Earth. Hi, boys and girls. Welcome to the playoffs."
A number of voices were heard, then their images appeared in a row under that of Blaster and Jazz. One of them managed to ask a question over the scrum. "Blurr, from the player perspective, what should we look for in this game today? We studied the players and we know that Barr is fit and ready to go. What about Altihex? Anything to look for?"
"Barr is the goalie for Iacon for those who don't know. He was decked in the last game by a full on charge from Polyhex's front line. He's fit and able according to Ratchet. But then Ratchet is an Iacon fanatic so he got good care I assure you." Everyone chuckled. "Look for the Altihex line to run over Iacon at every turn. They will try to overpower Iacon. Iacon has an amazing offense and their specialty always was fast running plays with a full press on goal. Altihex always practices sledgehammer tactics."
The pregame show continued with banter between Blurr and Blaster with the sportscasters on Earth. When the game began it would be up to both to provide the play-by-play and color commentary. The Earth broadcasters might make their own comments but it wouldn't go out on the master feed. All of the broadcast would be subtitled by IntraComm for Earth and her many different national languages.
Ratchet sat on his seat holding Orion. When the game began, Blackjack and Tie Down were going to take him as well as Praxus. Hero sat on Ironhide's arm looking at the sensory overload before her with astonishment. All was amazing.
Prowl stood next to Ratchet, then sat. :You ready to lose today, loser?:
:Did you know that bitterness gave you lines on your faceplates, whiner?:
Prowl snorted and turned looking at Ratchet with amusement. "You really are a pain in the aft. Abusing your medical background to make me feel badly."
"Is it working?" Ratchet asked with a big grin.
"Nope," Prowl replied purloining the sparkling in Ratchet's arms. Standing again, he kissed Orion.
"OWL! OWL GOOD!" Orion said leaning forward to kiss Uncle Prowl.
Prowl looked at Ratchet, a smug look on his face. "See. Out of the mouths of babes."
"Out of the mouths of treacherous slaggers you mean," Ratchet replied with a grin.
"If you say so. Whiner," Prowl said smugly as he turned back to the spectacle and listened to Orion babble.
Ratchet merely grinned.
The whiner.
-0-Around the arena
Barricade and Scorponok sat with Stiletto as the pageant played out before them. They never missed a game and short of sitting by themselves, always managed to find each other in the stadium. Sitting several rows below them, Sideways sat with a young mech, his arm around the youngling's shoulders. They were talking together, the youngling rather entranced with the slick conman as he pointed out a number of things about the scene before them.
"Sideways did alright," Scorponok said benignly.
"Sideways is a slagger. I wonder if that youngling's genitors know he's a slagger from the Pit," Barricade asked to no one in particular. He did make a note to figure out who the youngling was so he could alert their genitors.
Anonymously of course.
It wasn't that he cared that much about the good looking youngling. He didn't. He just hated Sideways that much. Besides, given the history of slaggerdom that embodied Sideways to a tee it was a civic duty to tell them. He sat back and looked elsewhere.
Starscream was sitting in a group of Seekers, an infant standing on his lap looking out. It bore the same color scheme as Starscream. It was obviously his son. That slagger had reproduced obviously and was enjoying the good life. He himself would have to look around to check out the local talent. Barricade had seen a lot of good looking bots, some of them barely out of sub-adult status. He wouldn't touch one of those. That would be a jail sentence to the Pit. No. He would look among the population for someone more his taste.
There had to be former pleasure bots among the refugees making their way here. They were his usual intimate companions. They were discardable. He began to scan the crowd with more than the usual interest.
Herling and Nova sat with Laret and Neo. They were having the time of their lives, buoyed with excitement about the orn. The group who sat around them were teachers, aides and specialists from the schools. The group always watched the games together. They were tight-knit, dedicated and happy. This was the first real Cybertronian city where most of them could scratch the itch to become educators. Nowhere else was that really possible. Today was a good day to be alive. They waited along with everyone else for the game to begin. They would not have to wait long.
-0-Nearby
They lined up, their armor sparkling, their colorful belts cinched tightly. Their captains held their banners, the emblems of their teams and city-states. Their coaches stood at the front of the line and when the broadcast runner signaled for them to proceed they did with their helms held high and their pride evident.
Up the long corridor from their locker rooms they went, their game faces firmly in place. Out the side door to the arena entrance they walked and as they did they were spotted. The arena went nuclear. Stomping, shouting, waving, banners and flags fluttering, the spectators made their pleasure known.
Ron and Judy Witwicky watched along with the other humans as the two teams paused at the arena entrance. For a moment they stood, then Iacon began to enter having won the toss to do so. Orange banners and flags rose up waving madly as the arena welcomed the team. They walked out following their coaches and captain, their banner fluttering in the light breeze. They walked to the center line and stood on their side planting their banner. Then they went through their war cry and dance, their voices supplemented by the joined cry of Iacon fans.
That included Ratchet, Tie Down, Alor and Ravel as well as Orion and Praxus.
The infants were loyal. Clueless but loyal to Ada, Other Ada, Other Ada and Other Atar.
After a moment, Altihex began to enter. The same pattern was followed and the same incredible reaction in the stands greeted them. Including Orion and Praxus.
They didn't know any better. But they were loyal. To something.
Probably the pretty colors.
The teams and officials stood facing the Prime who stood holding T-Bar. Then all bowed to him. He nodded back, the cameras catching the entire thing. With that, they turned to walk to their benches as the stadium broke into team songs and the wave. It circled the stadium a couple of times before the officials walked out. The team captains also joined them and the place became as quiet as a graveyard.
"We have the toss for offense," an official said his words transmitted to the entire stadium. He tossed the official coin, a two side with Optimus's face on one and the Emblem of the Primes on the other. It landed with Prime up. Altihex would receive. The teams broke to incredible applause and the lines began to form
-0-On the download
"What happened, Blurr? Is the dancing and singing typical? Did they salute the Prime and is that typical?" a Bulgarian sportscaster managed before the signal that the up link would be terminated until the halftime was received by everyone broadcasting on Earth.
"That's right. Its all typical. We give our team war cry and dance for our cities and everyone salutes the Prime when they come out. It would be a real insult not to give honor to the Prime. Optimus nods back accepting their tribute. Its an honor thing. Honor to the city-state teams. Honor to the Prime who leads us. The best Prime we ever had I would add."
Blaster nodded. "Me too."
"Me three and I was a Decepticon," Revet said behind them as he sat running the board for the broadcast. Everyone laughed.
"You came to your senses, Revet," Blurr said with a grin.
"I did," Revet agreed holding up his arm and the Autobrand on it.
Then the game began and the down link was suspended.
-0-On the ground
They stared at each other over the midline as they waited for the official to throw the ball to their center. He did and they slammed together, Iacon diving nearly as one toward the center. The Altihex center caught the ball and pirouetted, passing it to the forward closest to the boundary. That forward turned and ran past the pile up blasting toward the goal down field.
Iacon's goalie and defensive backs set themselves to plant the galloping wing as the two lines untangled themselves. They all turned and ran like the wind after that fortuitous wing mech. He stunted, pivoting as a defensive back lunged for him. Catching an arm, they both teetered before the wing mech straightened, then took a shot on goal.
It would be remarked for a long time how Barr levitated upward, his arms reaching. The sunlight glistened off his shiny surface. His bond, genitors, brothers and sisters, their families, a bunch of guys from work, the guy who did his detailing, an apprentice at The Energon Basket who was part of his physics study group on Wednesday nights, a few of the neighbors including two old mechs who were Iacon fanatics and Ratchet would always have the same thing to say about this very moment.
"Frag."
The ball slipped through his digits and scored.
The stadium went nuts.
Prowl sat smugly, his optics and entire sensor array peeking at Ratchet.
Ratchet stood silently, his internal defenses at 1857% so that Prowl couldn't scan him to determine how intensely fragged he felt at this moment.
Tie Down had his arm around Ravel to console him as they stood unhappily watching Altihex do gyrations and smug dances of FRAGGING SUPERIORITY over their LUCKY FRAGGING LUCKY SHOT, FRAG THEM!
Ironhide and Blackjack smirked with glee as slightly as they could as the first coffin nail of their most feared opponent for football domination of Mars took one up the aft. Praxus Science was looking good. But you really couldn't tell because both of them were afraid of Ratchet and Alor so they didn't look as happy as they felt.
Oh no. They weren't THAT stupid.
Venture and Miler were going there however, dancing and screaming like loons in the area next to Prime and Prowl. The little mechs OBVIOUSLY NOT KNOWING ANY BETTER! joined them in their celebrations.
It was uncool.
The stadium filled with teams trounced by Iacon over the millennia on Cybertron got behind the underdogs, Altihex and the shouting was awesome.
The slaggers.
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe watching Blue do the happy dance merely smirked. Iacon going down only helped them. If Altihex could lose too, all the better. They stood rooting for both teams to fail as the officials began to gather them both back for Iacon's turn to score one.
Hopefully.
-0-TBC
2013 (3)