The Diego Diaries: Football! NOW! 1 (562) edited
NOTE: My writing program has decided to become autocorrect here and I try and find all the goofy changes. WHINE! I will look for another program though I LOVE this one, opensource writing. Hugs for the long suffering reading I know you do with this. -Me :D
Here we go... WHO! WHO! WHO LET THE TARGS OUT!
-0-In the tunnel
Optimus Prime stood with Alor as the crowds began to come inside in earnest. They were ecstatic with excitement, some of them pausing to greet the pair who would begin the game in the formal manner. The stadium was filling up with tens of thousands of individuals. On the ground circulating amongst the multitudes dozens and dozens of Day/ Night Watch along with soldiers who agreed to help keep the peace in the stadiums stood around to manage mayhem when and if it came. Rather than being a crap duty, being on the ground and in the crowds was as good as sitting in the stands. They could absorb the fullness of the game directly. Sometimes, they ended up in the game itself whether they intended to or not. But for most, that would be a great story for the grandsparklings some day.
Springer and Drift had organized security, securing enough of the most experienced officers of his Watch department and selected mechs from the army, all of them bachelors. They would be boots on the ground to ensure that the fiasco from the last game didn't happen again. He could still recall the amazing sight of the big bots chasing down tiny cars that fled all over the field creating an extra half time show (stopper).
He himself felt like a jackass.
Not. Happening. Again.
Hopefully.
He grinned as he walked across the pitch, 240,000+ pairs of optics in the stadium focused on him. That didn't count the 220,000+ pairs in the Public School Stadium next door, nor the nearly 1,000,000+ pairs of optics in the set aside site out of Terra where the holographic game would be broadcast. Of course, there were the two plus million who would be at viewing parties, home or other places watching his shapely green aft walk across the (fake) greener grass to the side where Kaon would be sitting, standing, bleeding and bitching soon.
Of course, nearly 7 billion humans, several thousand Paragon and Cyclonus Decepticons and a few hundred pirates would be watching too on the leaked programming transmission. They would see his shapely aft too. Some of them would covet it. Others would want to frag it to the Pit. All of them would watch it. That is how he rolled.
He just hoped not to trip and fall on his face.
Like that.
Drift on the other servo would be busy taking homemade paint guns out of the personal arsenals of sub adult fraggers who had a vested interest in Praxus winning. Their aghast genitors would slap them on their helms, apologize profusely and when the big rangy mech was far enough away slip the younglings the ones they made themselves.
The whiners.
Prowl on the other servo when he would find out later about paint guns would be fragged off himself.
That he hadn't thought of it too.
Whatever it took to win.
Even stupid illogical stuff.
Such was the desperation of a loser.
Ask a Met fan. They can tell you.
The whiner(s) (tm).
Drift passed a number of yodeling micro mini-cons who wore their Stanix colors but were rooting for Kaon. One of them slapped Drift on the aft. He turned and looked down at the happy little runts who were already half in the bag. "HI, GOOD LOOKING! KAON IS GOING TO PLANT PRAXUS IN THE GROUND! COUNT ON IT!"
Drift snorted, then grinned. "I am. My in-laws play for them."
"Who's your slagging in-laws, sport?" one asked.
"The twins."
They stared up at him, then burst into smiles. "THE SLAGGING TWINS!? THOSE TWINS ARE SLAGGERS! THEY WILL KICK PRAXUS IN THE AFT! MARK MY WORDS!"
Drift laughed out loud, then continued onward passing families and individuals who were giddy with delight.
The players were still in their locker rooms. They would be coming out after the Prime was saluted in by the populace, accompaniment by Alor of Iacon.
The Alor of Iacon.
Match that, Paragon, Cyclonus and you, slagging pirates.
Springer walked to the sidelines and paused in the tunnel archway where the teams would come, standing beside Prime and Alor. "You two look fetching. I expect that you will shine on the teevee."
"We will. How can we not?" Alor asked with a grin.
Prime laughed, then nodded. "Took the words out of my mouth."
Springer laughed. "Are you prepared for Praxus to lose if they do?"
"No," Alor and Prime said together.
Springer grinned. "Good to hear. I can imagine that Prowl will need sedation at the least if Praxus doesn't pull it out of the fires."
Prime grinned. "I imagine that Ratchet will be up to the task. Do you suppose that there will be an extra half time show during the game?" he asked.
Springer snorted. "We're looking for all the groups of drunk mini-cons just in case."
Prime watched as a mech came forward. "Commander, we are going to take the keyboard out now."
Alor nodded. "I'm good to go."
He nodded back then turned walking to help two other mechs carry a big keyboard out toward the center of the field. As they did the crowd rose up cheering with all their might which was considerable. When it was settled Alor glanced at Optimus. "Show time," he said with a smile. Turning, Alor of Iacon walked out into the bright sunlight of a late spring day to play into the stadium the last Prime of Cybertron for his people.
He walked to the keyboard and sat. Setting the tones and powering up, Alor glanced around the vast stadium. Aware that he was on the screens of literally billions, he turned without a shred of concern and began. The Anthem of the Primes began to fill the air and when it did the crowd settled, the stadium becoming still and silent.
Optimus Prime listened to the music feeling the Matrix stirring at the majestic swell of the anthem. He waited a moment, then stepped into the light himself. As he walked to the stairs to climb to his row, the stadium rose and so did their cheers.
The sportscasters, scientists, affiliated civilians, soldiers and all their families cheered too as they watched all around them the masses approve of their Prime. They stomped and cheered, waving their team banners as they raised the roof Cybertronian style. They watched as Prime walked with infinite dignity along the row where he would sit, a front row seat on the mid line. He was beautiful and calm, composed and wonderful. It radiated from him and they felt it, all of the individuals there.
He reached his seat, then stood as the masses sang for him and their people. Their voices rose up, then it ended. For a moment, they stood quietly. Then Alor arose and walked toward the sideline. Everyone in the stadium and other places around the colony including living rooms in thousands of apartments in cities all over the area lifted their voices in tribute, then it died down. Sitting expectant and genuinely happy, the masses waited for the game to begin.
Soundwave, Paragon and Cyclonus stood when everyone did. Watching Alor play, they had their own personal moments of memory and homesickness. They watched the masses both alien and Cybertronian giving a salute to the only real, only legal leader of their people anywhere in the universe. It underscored not only their tenuous situation but the gulf between what they offered and what Prime provided. The people loved Optimus Prime. They would never love any of them or Megatron. All they offered was war and despair. He offered everything that a mech or femme not only wanted but dreamed of for literally eons of time in terrible places. They would make no inroads here.
Prime sat quietly, his officers and others all around him. He looked like the lord of a world. He looked like a figure that could and would defeat Megatron and whatever that bot sent his way. They sat watching their surroundings as casually as possible even though they were seeing only what Prime wanted them to see, the flexing of muscles that were backed by real power.
They were well aware of it too.
-0-Inside the stadium
The referees stood in their locker room going over the rules and their roles once more. When the knock on the door reached them, they turned walking out for the field.
-0-Nearby
A rap on the door drew their attention. The door opened as an official peered inside. "Time to go. Good luck," he said, then ducked out. The mechs inside stood looking at each other.
"For Kaon," Bracket, the goalie said. They all nodded. Without another word, they lined up to go. Bracket took the team banner and stepped to the front of the line. Sunstreaker moved behind Sideswipe to bring up the rear. Walking with him on a leash, his sash looking smart even as he looked tough, Dawg would follow as team mascot. Out the door they went. It closed quietly behind them.
-0-Down the hallway
Blurr stood with his teammates, their black and purple belts identifying all of them with Praxus. When the captain took their banner, they walked out silently following him to the field. The door closed quietly.
-0-At the edge of the field
They stood side-by-side in the corridor waiting to go onto the field. Neither side acknowledged the other. This was the moment of truth. This was the moment when a team that had never won a single game in the history of the sport and a town that had won games but lost out in life for the totality of the history of their people got a shot at immortality. This was the orn when both sides would have a chance to undo a lot of terrible disappointments and hurts. Everyone knew that. Everyone was focused.
The official on the line looked to Praxus and nodded. "You can go in now. Good luck."
The coaches nodded, then turned at their team. "Let's go." He turned and they followed. The stadium nearly burst into flames with joy and anticipation. During the waiting, the tribal nature of Cybertronian football was on display. Songs of their teams were sung, dancing in the stands, the waving of banners of other teams besides Kaon and Praxus could be seen. When the Praxians came in, the stadium was ready. It was stupendous.
They walked with great dignity and power to the center line. As their captain planted their banner pole, the team did its war dance, crying out their chant which was echoed all over the colony. The stadium rocked. When they were finally finished, the official on the sideline nodded to Kaon. "Your turn, gentlemen. Good luck."
The coaches looked at their team, then turned to walk out. They came out in a line, their armor glinting, their quality clearly on display. The stadium stood roaring out their approval. At the end, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker walked in line with Dawg waddling out with his tongue lolling. He sparkled, his tattoos evident along with his overall awesomeness.
Prowl laughed, then glanced at Ratchet who was shouting his encouragement to the team like a banshee. Prime stood grinning along with Ironhide and everyone else. Their visitors stood watching with fascination. It was all good.
They reached the midfield line, then did their own war dance shouting to the heavens their love for Kaon and their determination to do their best for her honor. When they were done, the stadium roared. At that point the two teams turned to walk to the sidelines. When they got there they planted their banners, then moved to sit or stand along the sidelines to watch.
The referees stood in the middle of the field waiting for the cue to go. The captains walked out to the field and gathered with the refs. A toss was made. Praxus got the kick off. Then all returned to the sidelines. A group huddle was held, then the teams walked out to take their places on the field. The ref would toss the ball toward Praxus since they won the toss. Kaon would have to either take the ball or stop Praxus in their tracks.
-0-On the sidelines
"Who do you want to win, Starscream?" Thundercracker asked as he watched the big Seeker parting out cookies to the four hatchlings they were juggling between himself, Thundercracker and Sky Warp.
"Vos," Starscream said as he helped Swift stand back up.
Thundercracker laughed in spite of himself.
-0-Nearby in the stands
"Who do you think will win, Wheeljack?" Perceptor asked.
"I did the math. Polyhex will win."
Perceptor looked at him a moment. "Pardon?"
"It's a joke, Percy," Wheeljack said patting Perceptor's servo.
"Oh," Percy said with a slightly vented sight.
-0-In a bar in California
"Here we go. I bet a grand on Praxus." -man A
"You're going with the air craft carriers and not the K cars?" -man B
"They have ten thousand pounds each on the other team. Those fucking twins are fast and cheat but I don't think it will work this time." -man A
"I want Kaon to win. I hope they put Blurr in the hospital." -man C
"They did last time. They can do it again." -man B
"Fuck that. I have a grand on Praxus." -man A
"That's because you're a loser." -man B and C
-0-In a nice house with a nice family
"This is going to be amazing, Leonard."
"It is Annie. I can't wait."
Leonard carried food to the living room placing it on the coffee table along with soft drinks. Soon the family would be coming, Pastor Bob and crew. They would watch this game together. It would be awesome. They would root for Kaon. All of them that is but Pastor Bob.
The slagger.
-0-TBC December 23, 2013