Iâve been reading through your Spellbound AU and thought of something funny, so naturally I wrote a short story for it.
My take on how Jazz came to work for Orion.
âââââââââââââââââââââââ
Jazz slunk across ruined stonework overtaken by forest growth. Form shifting as subtly as the shadows he crossed.
Which would it be?
Tall and slim? Nah, that one already served itâs purpose. The twins saw something lank and dark looming in the trees, and now the young knights were distracted looking over their shoulders.
A hulking brute? No, thatâd inspire an all out confrontation. Jazz already had all of them keyed up to act on instinct.
The twins were easy. Young and expecting a straight fight. Pax, his target, was harder to ruffle. He had the reputation of a courageous selfless hero and damned if the mech wasnât dedicated to the ruse.
Pax wasnât spooked, but he did take his underlings concerns seriously. He marched forward as a pillar of confidence and safety, but Jazz caught the way his gaze scanned the ruins. His white shadow seemed indifferent, but he was just an audience member anyways, not a real fighter.
Primed to play the part. Pax just needed his queue.
Jazz got into place on his stage. He shifted into something small and weak (in appearance alone). Bent a leg at an unhealthy looking angle, and slumped like he was exhausted and chased here.
Jazz sat with his back against the wall, the partially collapsed stone room was small enough that a mech of Orionâs stature would have difficulty moving quickly. It had the nice bonus of blocking anyone else from coming through the main entry point as well.
Through a crack in the wall, Jazz watched as the leader in blue and red got closer, his âloyal knightsâ lagging behind. The white one lagged as well, distracted by scolding the twins for being distracted.
Jazz focused on his target. Pulled at a thread from within Pax and strung it within his own chest.
Jazz set his new voice and with all the terror and innocence he could conjure screamed.
HĚ´ÍÍÍĚÍĚĚÍĚŽEĚ¸Ě ĚĚÍÍĚĚĄL̡̽ĚĚÍÍĚťÍĚŽPĚ´ÍĚĚĚĚÍĚĚÍ ĚśĚÍÍĚÍĚŠĚÍ PĚ´ÍÍĚĚÍĚŤÍĚÍĚźL̸ĚÍĚĚÍÍÍĚŁÍĚŤĚÍEĚśÍÍĚĚĚ ÍĚÍĚŞĚłĚĚĽAĚľĚÍĚĚłĚąÍ Ě¸ĚÍÍĚÍÍÍĚ̤̚OĚľĚÍĚĚÍĚĚĽĚĄÍÍĚŞĚH̡ĚĚĚĚÍ Ě̝̪ĚĚŻĚĄĚš ̡ĚĚĚĚ ĚĚĚĚĚÍĚĚĚŹÍW̸Ě̺̯̌ÍĚźÍH̡ÍĚÍĚÍĚÍÍAĚśÍÍĚÍĚÍĚÍ ĚTĚ´ÍĚĚ˝ÍĚĚĚťÍĚ Ě´ĚĚĚĚŹÍĚĚT̸ĚÍĚĚ̲̺ÍĚŻHĚľĚĚĚŁĚąÍ ÍÍÍEĚśĚĚĚĚĚĚÍ ĚľĚżÍĚĚĚ Ě Ě§ÍḬ̰̰́ÍFĚľĚĚÍÍĚḬ́ÍUĚľÍĚĚĚĚ ĚżÍ̧ÍĚĚłCĚľĚÍĚÍĚȨ̌ÍK̡Į́?ĚśÍĚÍÍĚąÍĚĚşĚÍ
He slapped a hand over his mouth.
Outside, everyone went deathly quiet. Jazz didnât dare move.
âUm.â Spoke their fearless leader.
Who apparently had thing for asthmatic dragons.
âAre you alright in there?â
Movement started to approach his hidey hole. Jazz could still salvage this. He could.
The white shadow came through first. Damn it. New plan: save own life.
Jazz plucked a new voice from him and made himself look as unthreatening as possible.
â - ?! !â
Nothing. He loves the concept of nothing. Not even a celebrity crush? A favorite singer? The sound of his own voice?
Some of the functionalists were like that. Thatâs probably half the reason they âallowedâ him to take on their commissions. All the money in their coffers wasnât worth this however.
The white mech frowned, scanning over Jazz with a cold blue look. He turned back to the entrance, âSir, there is a âhypotheticallyâ injured person inside the building. Most likely they orchestrated our current circumstances in an attempt to assassinate you.â
Jazz lunged from the wall, dagger slipping between armor gaps to pierce the spoil-sports spark, ready to dash past in the resulting chaos when his lifeless body guttered before them.
And just like his voice, Jazz got nothing instead.
He gaped at the way his blade cut into hollow air beneath the plates. Numbly, he pulled out his dagger and stabbed again, like itâd do something different this time. The mech was unamused.
âSir, the assassin is trying to assassinate me.â
Jazz pulled a working voice, âI̡ÍÍĚÍÍ ÍâĚľĚĚmĚľĚÍ̟̲ ̡ĚĚÍÍÍnĚśĚ̢̏Ío̡ÍĚĚĚŚtĚśÍÍĚĚĚź ̾̿ĚĚŽĚ¨Ě a̡ĚĚŤĚšnĚśĚĚĚŤĚ Ě¸ÍĚšÍaĚľĚ̯̝̚sĚśÍÍsĚľÍ̳̲ÍaĚˇĚ ÍĚĚťÍsĚ´ĚĚ˝ĚĚŤĚsĚľĚĚłi̸̽ĚĘ̌n̡ÍĚĚ̤!̸ĚĚŞâ. And discontinued his failing assassin attempt to cringe.
A massive hand closed around Jazzâs wrist, stopping him cold.
âDo not.â Orion lessened his grip but did not release him, âHarm my friends.â
Jazz had to crane his head back considerably to make eye contact. Orion was built like a brick house and Jazz had enough experience fighting mechs like him to know his kill window was gone.
Groveling it is!
âI̡ĚĮ̧̲́ Ě´ÍĚżĚĚĚŠĚaĚľĚĚšÍmĚľĚ̞̽ĚĚ ĚĚłÍ ĚˇĚĚżÍĚÍÍs̸ÍĚĄoĚľĚĚŚĚ ĚśĚĚÍĚÍĚŤÍÍsĚśĚĚťÍÍÍo̸ÍÍÍĚĽĚťr̡ĚĚ Ě˘rĚľÍĚÍĚy̸ÍÍḚ̌Í.ĚľÍĚÍĚŻÍ ĚľĚĚĚĚłĚIĚśÍ ĚŚÍĚŚâ̸ÍĚĚŻÍĚmĚľĚĚ ĚĚ˘Í ÍĚ Ě´ĚÍĚÍĚŽĚŠÍj̡ĚĚĚťu̡ÍÍĚŻsĚ´ĚÍÍĚÍĚąÍtĚśĚÍÍÍÍĚŹ ̡Ě̼̰Ěa̸Ě̞̟̍̌ ĚśÍĚÍÍÍÍdĚ´ĚÍĚĚÍÍ Ḛ̌e̸̽ÍÍÍĚĚ̤̲s̸ÍĚpĚľĚÍ̢eĚ´ÍÍ̞̿ÍÍ̢rĚśÍḚ̌̊̏aĚľĚĚĮ̧̰́tĚśĚ̝̯ĚĚŚe̡ĚĚąĚĽĚŞÍ Ě´ĚĚžĚ ĚąĚźĚŁtĚ´ĚĚĚhĚľÍĚĚĚŞÍiĚśĚÍeĚ´Ě̝̺f̸ĚĚÍĚ ĚŻĚ¤!̡ĚĚ˝ĚĚŠĚŠ ̡Ě̞̎̊I̡ĚÍĚ Ě´ÍÍÍn̸ĚḚ̌e̸ÍÍĚŻĚąĚÍvĚ´ĚĚĚÍÍÍeĚ´ÍÍĚÍĚşĚÍÍrĚśÍ Ě˘Ěź Ě´ĚÍĚĚĚÍm̸ÍÍÍeĚśĚĚÍ ĚąĚŠÍaĚľĚĚĚÍÍĚĚşn̜̞ÍĚẸ̢̌t̡ĚĚ ĚľĚÍÍÍĚŚtĚľĚĚĚ̳̝ÍÍoĚ´ÍÍÍ ĚľÍÍÍÍĚŹĚŚĚÍh̡ÍÍĚĚ̲aĚľĚĚžÍÍr̞̾ĚĚĚĚ ĚĚŠm̸ĚĚ ĚˇÍÍĚÍ̢ÍaĚľÍĚĚĚ Ě§ ĚľĚÍÍ̢̎kĚľÍÍĚÍĚźÍÍĚłn̸ÍĚĚÍÍiĚśĚÍĚĚÍg̸̽ÍĘ̌ĚĚh̡Ě̞̽ĚÍĚŤÍĚťtĚľĚẸ̲̌̚ ̸ÍĚĚĄoĚśÍĚŽÍĚşr̡ĚÍĚĚĚŹ ĚľĚÍĚĚĚĄĚ ĚŠhĚśĚĚĮ́Í̟̼iĚśÍĚĚs̡ĚÍĚťÍĚ ĚľĚżĚĚ̢̞ĚÍfĚśĚĚĚŁĚrĚśĚÍĚĚĚiĚśĚĚĚĚÍ̹̹e̡ĚĚ ĚŁnĚ´ĚĚ̢Ěd̡ÍĚÍÍ̧̪s̡ĚÍĚš!̡ĚĚŞÍÍĚŹ ĚľÍĘ̥̌P̸̿Í̧̢̟lĚśĚĚÍĚÍ̧̥̳eĚśĚÍa̸ĚĚĚĚŚĚÍ Ě¤sĚ´ĚĚĚĚŽĚÍĚeĚ´ÍĚÍÍÍÍ Ě¸ÍĚÍ Ȩ̳̌h̸ÍĚÍĚĄÍ Ě§Ě°a̡ĚĚĚĚĽÍĚĚąv̸̽ĚÍĚźÍĚeĚľĚĚ ÍÍĚ¨ĚŹĚ¤Í ĚˇĚĚÍĚÍĚŻĚĚĽm̸ĚÍ ÍÍ ĚšÍÍeĚ´ÍÍÍrĚ´ĚĚ̢ĚĚcĚ´ĚĚĚÍÍÍÍ̤y̡ÍÍĮ́Í!ĚśÍÍĚšâ
Orion cringed behind the mask.
âI- Iâm sorry I donât think I quite understood that.â He paused, âWouldâŚyou like a cough drop?â
Orion seemed to take stock of what he had on him, patting his sides with his free hand. He turned to the white mech.
âProwl, would you happen toâŚum nevermind.â He turned to the twins, âSunstreaker?Sideswipe? Do either of you have a cough drop?â
The twins searched their pockets for a magically appearing cough drop. Jazz searched for his sanity.
Jazz plucked a voice from the twins and couldnât care less which it came from.
âListen!â Oh thank fuck the twins were normal.
Jazz smiled while slowly uncurling Orions fingers from his wrist. Prowl narrowed his gaze at the new voice.
âYou got me! Iâm a thief! And I panicked! And I am so, so, so-.â
âA mimic.â
Smile frozen in place, Jazz turned his head so slowly there was an audible grounding noise.
Prowl remained impassive.
âUm.â And OrionâŚlet him? Pull his wrist free. âAre you going to continue trying to kill me?â
Jazz snapped back to Orion, his target. The words arenât what gave him pause, but how he said them. Like he just asked Jazz âAre you sure you want to go with puce green?â As if the mech was more concerned that Jazz was going to make a poor decision than for his own wellbeing.
âNo.â Jazz said definitively. Because Primus knows he lost the upper hand now and wasnât aiming to try again so soon.
âAre you genuinely in need of money? Food and shelter?â Orion continued, optics softening.
Jazz didnât recognize the play. He bit his lip beneath the cowl.
Jazz decided to capitalize on whatever got him the most sympathy. He nodded seriously. âYes. Of course. Itâs not easy when the functionalists decide youâre a monster.â A bit of a lie and a bit of the truth. His favorite combination.
âDo you like your current employers?â Orion asked and Prowl started to narrow his optics.
âNoâŚI donât.â Jazz answered without enough dishonesty to feel comfortable.
Orion kneeled so he was on optic level with him. âWould you like to join my order?â
And when Jazz just stared at him he continued. âYouâd be free to leave if you ever found it not to your liking. And your skills would be very useful in keeping people safe. And of course weâd ensure safe lodgings, fair pay and-.â
âSir.â Prowl ground out with the most emotion Jazz had ever seen from the guy. âHe tried. To assassinate you.â
âWell, he wasnât very invested.â He shrugged.
Orion looked at Prowl. The twins looked at each other. Jazz looked at an opportunity.
âDeal.â Jazz took Orions hand, shaking it before his better thinking caught up to him.
Orionâs optics crinkled in delight. âWonderful! Welcome to the Autobot Order!â
Prowls face betrayed nothing, but Jazz hadnât spent his entire life studying people to miss the way something ever so subtly cracked under Prowls stoney facade.
Jazz didnât need their Order to survive. But he had become desperately curious to know what in Pimusâ sweet name was going with those two. And more importantly, after outing him twice in a row, Jazz was going to BREAK Prowl.
âTĚ´ĚÍĚšh̸ÍĚÍ ÍĚe̸ÍÍÍĚ̳̥ Ě´ÍÍĚnĚśÍḬ́Ía̸Ę̌̌m̸ÍĚŽÍeĚ´ÍĚÍĚŤĚĽsĚ´ĚÍĚĚŽ ĚśḚ̌J̡ĚÍÍa̸̽ĚĚĚÍz̡ĚÍÍḬ́zĚľÍĮ́.Ě´ĚÍ ĚˇĚĚĚžÍĚĄĚąNĚľĚÍĚłÍiĚ´ĚĚÍcĚśĚ ĚĚŞe̸ĚḬ́ ̡ĚÍĚ°ĚťÍ t̡ÍÍÍ̤oĚ´ÍĚżÍĚÍĚ Ě´ĚĚĚŽĚšÍmĚ´ĚĚźÍĚe̸ÍĚÍĚĚŤĚe̸ĚĚ ĚĚšt̡ĚĚĚĚŤ ĚľĚĚÍyĚľĚÍĚĚŠaĚ´ÍĚÍ̲̪.ĚśĚĚĚťâ
âââââââââââââââââââââââ
The silent sentence was âDid you hear that horrib- Huh?! OH COME ON!â
I just really liked the idea that because Jazz talks in Shockwaves voice around Orion, the first time it happened everyone nearly shit themselves.
-SSTP
"Who apparently had thing for asthmatic dragons."
LMAO
"The twins searched their pockets for a magically appearing cough drop. Jazz searched for his sanity." AHAHAJCZTYLVXFUJKCDYKFSS HELP
Jazz, looking at OP: There is something really wrong with you. Five weirdness points out of five.
Jazz, looking at Prowl: ........I need a new scale


















