The Band's Called...

Disclaimer and notes: Not bad for a fic I wrote from beginning to now all in the same day. Let's see if I can keep the streak going. Also, same.

Visages was so dark compared to Swerve's. The lighting was cool and dim, and the black walls made everyone glow slightly blue by comparison. The bright Rodimus Star cymbals almost glared out in the light, and Tailgate dropping one only made it worse. Mirage was a sport about it, though, and helped them set up the best he could. Rewind had footage and he still didn't now how Mirage managed to put the high-hat on wrong-ways on both sides. Cyclonus and Rewind took themselves a spot just next to the stage, close but not directly in front.

Skids spark fluttered. A real stage in a real bar. A real gig. A real tiny one, true, but it was theirs. He wasn't used to looking at anyone but Tailgate when he played.

Mirage waved them all close to speak to them, quietly. "I'm going to advertise you on the sign outside the door. What do you call yourselves?"

"We uh..." Trailcutter's systems hummed. "We uh-"

Tailgate hushed him and took his hand. "Careful, Trailcutter, or you'll stress-bubble."

"We never actually decided on-" Skids stopped. His voice was getting unconsciously louder as he spoke, and optics were falling on him. He hushed himself. "Decided on a name. Swerve came up with a couple names, as a gag, but we never really put any thought into it."

Mirage's distaste for the fact showed on his face, but it wasn't particularly strong or disdainful. He just seemed disappointed. "I'll just put that we're featuring live music tonight. Do you have a set list?"

Chromedome tapped at the back of his neck. "What's a set list?"

Trailcutter's field generator clicked with the effort of suppressing a bubble. "Oh no that's what I forgot."

Tailgate whimpered. "Swerve usually just goes up to the projector and tells us what to play."

"We probably could've prepared a little more..."

Mirage put off Skids' worries with a wave. "I'll admit I put you all on the spot. I'll come back in a few minutes. Just keep in mind, we like to keep a certain atmosphere at Visages. Nothing too loud or up-tempo, or discordant, or short. Make a list and I'll put them up as the featured entertainment."

Mirage parted, and the band huddled. Within seconds, Cyclonus and Rewind tucked into the circle with them.

"Guys, what do we know how to play together?" Tailgate gasped. His visor started to pool and gloss with radiant energy, pooling at his cheeks in soulful tears. "Th-this feels so sudden! I-I went into powerdown convinced I was going to wake up out of a dream and none of this had happened-!"

"Ssh." Cyclonus held his shoulder. "We are here now. That is what matters. Focus."

"I-I know a little Dire Straits from practicing in my room?" Skids offered. "Anyone other than me like the Dire Straits?"

"I've been listening to Soul Coughing," said Trailcutter. "Which one's the Dire Straits?"

"They're the ones with the blocky music video Swerve showed us. Which one's Soul Coughing?"

"I-it's the one from the music videos made of the black and white cartoons that Swerve showed us!"

Tailgate admitted, "I don't listen to music unless I'm with you guys, or Cyclonus is teaching me a song."

Chromedome wrung his hands. "How are we bad at this before we've even started?"

Skids paused the huddle. Ten was sending him a picture. He projected it out for the band; Swerve and Ten had the projector going at the bar. Musical Movie Night was going, with Repo! Playing onscreen. Swerve's chubby face just peeked out from the corner and waved to the high-mounted camera. Ten must have been thinking of them.

They shared a collective deep breath.

"We're overcomplicating things. We can do this." Skids put his hand in the middle. "Chromedome, you have the samples on your board from the auditions yesterday, right?"

Chromedome put his long, thin fingers down on Skids' hand. Skids reflexively shivered. "They won't do us much good, unless I play them at .75 speed."

"Let's give that a shot. Just keep everything slow and follow Tailgate's drumming. I guess we'll stay off the snare and bass pedal tonight."

"Darn..." muttered Tailgate. "I like the snare." He still put his little hand on Skids'.

"This should work out perfectly for you, Trailcutter. Your instrument's made for this."

"I guess..." Trailcutter was big enough to cover all off their hands with room to spare, and he squeezed them all together. "We can do this."

Rewind hurriedly tapped Skids' leg. "Mirage is coming back! Make your list!"

"Oh frag-"

In the end, they took their places with no announcements and were never introduced. The first few tables around the stage stayed empty. Cyclonus actually went to the perimeter and checked for a force field. Nothing.

They played quietly. Tailgate barely tapped at the high-hat and Trailcutter's hands lingered lazily on his strings. It fit so well with the atmosphere at Visages, the quiet and the thoughtful air that meant a lot of tables with single guests, reading or sipping their drinks. It was so sleepy. Skids was getting tired and they'd barely started. He cast Cyclonus and Rewind a look. Cyclonus was powered down. Rewind gave him a noncommittal hand wiggle. That fun, huh?

Ten sent another picture. He checked the bar. No one was looking but Rewind.

With a jerk of his head, he got Trailcutter's attention. Chromedome and Tailgate leaned over to look as he projected the picture out. Disney Sing-A-Long night had the whole crowd presumably drunkenly chanting along with "Gaston" while Swerve collected empty cups. Chromedome and Tailgate both made little noises of approval while Trailcutter grinned. Swerve had a smile on his face, and if he was okay, then they would be okay.

Oh, but it was a long night. It was a long while to be paid no attention to, and after a scan or two of the bar, Mirage waved them down from the stage. They gathered around the mech.

"I thought the change of pace might stir up some excitement, but..." Mirage shrugged. "It seems like I had high expectations. If you'd like, I can send you all back early. I'll wire your payment into your accounts."

"Thanks for the opportunity, Mirage." Skids shook the offered hand. "It was a learning experience."

"For both of us?"

"Definitely."

They packed up and brought the instruments back to the band room to store, moving collectively and not breaking off when the final lock was set.

"Well... we have the whole rest of the night." Tailgate looked to Cyclonus. "Whatcha wanna do?"

Cyclonus didn't answer. Chromedome shrugged. "Maybe we could catch a movie at Swerve's?"

"I think it's been closed for..." Skids checked his internal clock. "About an hour."

Trailcutter wondered. "Maybe he's in his room and we could all watch a movie there?"

A trip to his door found it unlocked, but empty. It was odd; Skids could swear he could hear music playing. He checked with the rest. "I'm not going crazy, right? You hear, like, Swerve music?"

"Yeah, it's all..." Tailgate bounced in lieu of finding a word. "And-" He struck a fanciful pose. "-and dancy."

"It's not coming from the room," said Cyclonus.

"Telling me that would have been helpful before I opened his door." Skids closed it behind him. "Is it coming from someone else's?"

"It's not quiet. It's far." He pointed down the hallway. "The bar."

"Swerve's bar? But- wait." Skids HUD flooded with messages from Ten. From the look of everyone's hands going to their temples, they were getting the same thing. It wasn't a picture, and as was the case with Ten, there were no words. It was just an insistent ping that felt like "Come. Quickly." and over and over again. "Wow. Wait you don't think-"

"NO! No, i-if something bad happened to Swerve again-" Tailgate assured them. "They would've called First Aid first! That's why he's First Aid!"

"Then... I guess we're headed to Swerve's."

The walk felt long. Their feet dragged as they took in the unfamiliar music. Well, familiar in a way. They were pretty sure they'd heard this music somewhere before, in another movie night. It wasn't quite the same though. Maybe live? It kept being interrupted with little asides to the audience and loud, unexplainable bangs.

"Oh wait I do know this one!" Rewind piped up. "This is from the Goofy Movie! Remember, we had that at movie night and Rodimus air guitared through the whole song."

"It doesn't even have guitar through most of it," Chromedome chuckled.

The music was pounding through the doors of Swerve's. It was locked. Skid sent a quick ping to Ten, who unlocked it at lightning speed and pulled them all in bodily.

He remembered the next few seconds in slow motion. Rewind's hand snapped to his head and adjusted the mic on his camera. Trailcutter's jaw dropped. Skids optics scanned the bar looking for the source of music.

He landed on Swerve, dancing his way across the counter mess and belting his spark out into a shot glass. He roared the final note loud enough to fill the room on his own, its perfect tone shooting straight to Skids spark and reverbing it nearly into his throat.

Tailgate hollered. "GO SWERVE! WOOO!"

Cyclonus and Chromedome both applauded, and Skids stuttered out. "Swerve! That was amazing! Since when could you-"

That spark-chilling arrow shot into his chest again as Swerve finally spotted them, panicked, and transformed to speed past them back to his room.