Semi-Charmed Life

Chapter 4

To say that Rhythm didn't like company was not only to be redundant, but also to undermine how badly he HATED company. Unfortunately for not only Rhythm but for the entire Autobot crew, there would be a lot of interaction. Prime escorted the now black and white seeker to the command room of the Ark. He felt the stares as he entered the room. They knew he was a Hunter, they knew he was originally from Demircon; but they didn't know that he hated being watched.; and two mechs seemed to watch him as if he were a wild animal about to strike; a red mech and a yellow. He felt himself tensing for battle and gave the two mechs a dark look.

"Autobots, I'd like to introduce you to our guest. His name is Rhythm, he's originally from Demircon and yes, he is a Hunter." The whispers rose with the information and Rhythm felt rather violated and very outnumbered.

"A hunter? Prime are you nuts? He'll turn right around and get a job with the Cons to kill one of us! He's nothing but a money grubbing gun for hire! Let's not even bring up the point that he's obviously a seeker!" The red mech said nodding to the yellow one besides him, exchanging a grin. They had moved closer crossing their arms over their chests; showing that they equaled the tall seeker in height, if not power. Rhythm's eyes flared to life and he slugged the red one without a second notice; and quickly pulled a large black metal sword on the other as he moved to defend.

"Little boys should go back ta their corners, and learn ta watch their mouths. Hunters have honor, n't like some punks from south Iacon who seem to think they can steal credits from an ol' lady for a bottle a' wax."

"You son of a glitch!" The yellow one quickly dodged the sword as the red one got up. Rhythm watched them as they double teamed him. The red one was faster, but the yellow one had more power; but they both had lost control of their emotions. Rhythm relaxed and dodged a poorly aimed punch to the head and kicked down to his side. With barely any effort he shifted his weight to one hand on the floor and used the momentum he had going to flip over and back handed the yellow mech. Caught off guard the stronger mech stumbled back and flared his optics before easily grabbing Rhythm in a under arm pin.

"You're mine now you cross wired freak!"The red one charged his hand switching in and into a pile driver. Rhythm watched and arched his back, using his scissor like wings to cut into the softer metal under his captors arms and then flung his feet up to kick the other in the face, his heal thrusters on full power to send both the red one flying and to send him over the yellow one. With a scream of pain from both he turned the tides and drew his rifle and sword. He didn't notice that how very quickly a ring had formed around him and a large rustic red mech coming up behind him and easily pinning him far better than the amateurs.

"GAH! Damn it!" With both arms twisted and pinned painfully backwards up his back he dropped both sword and rifle.

"All right now," came a thick drawl from behind him. "We'll just take you down to Ratchet's then. He seems to have a way with you to get you to fly right." Rhythm winched and twitched his wings painfully. He nodded.

"Fair 'nough," Rhythm replied with a strained voice. Ironhide nodded and motioned for Prowl to escort them along. Rhythm gave the black and white mech before him a long look before shaking his head and looking into the crowd as he passed. He caught eyes with a small blue and copper femme as he passed a group. She was cute enough, maybe even beautiful by many standards. Rhythm just kept his eyes on hers as he was escorted away to the brig.

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Jazz didn't like that look. Not at all. It was the look on Jynx's face. That look that was directed toward the new seeker. Not at him.

With a sigh, he turned his head back to the cup in front of him, swirling the multi-colored liquid with an ebony finger. He hated the fact that he had begun to have…feelings… toward Jynx, who had been his best friend for longer than he can remember. They did everything together back then but now… every time he saw her his pump would hammer without his consent against his chest and words seemed to tumble out of his vocalizer recklessly. It was like he was some kind of love sick puppy! Jazz groaned softly, covered his face in his hands.

How could he have let this happen? How did it get so out of control? Out of his control…

"Hey there you are!" Jazz mentally groaned again as the femme in question came up behind him, lazily running a hand across his door wings causing the Porsche to bite his lip. Jynx, of course, meant nothing by touching him, she had been doing the same thing for millions of years. If only she knew what he felt…

"I've been looking all over the place for you."

Jazz shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He couldn't just tell her he had been avoiding her… "I uh… guess I missed ya." He stammered after a moment or two of awkward silence.

Jynx just raised an optic ridge. "Uh huh. Right. Moving on shall we?" The femme sighed whimsically, staring off into space. "I just saw that new seeker…What a mech…Good strong frame… broad face…"

Jazz rolled his optics behind his visor. "You've talked to him?"

"No, but he looked at me… right at me." She giggled again, resting her chin in her palm. "He's so… I dunno… he's just got that look. And that face… He's gorgeous!"

Jazz gave a snort and crossed his arms over his chest. "He's not so great. I mean the guy tried ta stomp th' twins in th' ground and he aint that good lookin'."

"And you would know because you stare at mechs all day?" Jynx rolled her optics this time but Jazz could actually see her as she didn't have a visor. "From a femme's view, that is a gorgeous hunk of metal."

"I still don't get it." Jazz muttered.

"You wouldn't."

Another awkward silence fell between them as Jynx stared up at the ceiling and Jazz stared at his cup. The tension between them went on for over five minutes before Jazz finally got to his feet.

"I- I uh… I have to get going."

"But," Jynx got to her own feet and followed the black and white mech. "Where ya going? I thought-"

"Not offense, Jay but… I don't wanna listen t' you fawnin' over the new seeker." Jazz muttered again, moving to the door. The femme stumbled after him with a look of disbelief.

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

"Jealous?" Jazz made a mock cough, "Wha' in th' world would I be jealous of? Y-Yer my best friend…"

Jynx just folded her arms in front of her. "Uh huh. You're lying."

"Am not."

"Are to. You're foot's twitching. It only twitches when you lie."

Slag it. He'd forgotten about that… why did she have to know him that well? "Er… I had too much energon this mornin'?" Jazz grinned innocently, stopping the twitching appendage. "I-…Uh I gotta go. Talk to ya later, Jay!" With that, he turned and walked as quickly as possible without actually running out the door despite how much his instincts screamed for him to.

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"Here's yer bird, Ratch. Good luck getting' 'im ta sing though. Numbskull trhed ta jump the twins." Ironhide drawled, shoving the black seeker roughly into the repair bay.

Ratchet spun around at the sound of Ironhide's southern drawl. The mech was so old fashioned that he never gave poor Rhythm a chance and it was just because he looked like a Decepticon. Although, now that Ratchet thought about it, no one had really given him much of a chance to prove himself. After all, just because Rhythm was a Hunter didn't mean he was an enemy… did it? Ratchet himself wasn't sure but he was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Just let him go Ironhide." Ratchet said tiredly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Rhythm quickly broke his hands free the moment Ironhide released him, spreading his wings out in a stretch.

"Suit yer self, Ratch but if ah were ya ah'd have someone ta keep that 'Con back. Can't trust 'im." Ironhide growled, storming out the door in a angry huff. Ratchet just rolled his optics and turned his back. Stubborn old mech…

Rhythm made a gesture at the closed door and cursed in Cybertronian most of which Ratchet ignored. Given the chance, Ratchet probably would have done the same thing.

"Get your aft up there so I can run your last scan." The medic barked. Rhythm thought at first to tell the older mech to shove it but then… this one had been nice. Instead, he did as ordered and sat up on the berth, after dusting it off again. "Anything you want me to take a look at?"

Rhythm shook his head and watched as the medic moved the scanner back and forth across his chest. A few blips showed up on his screen, wailing for attention. Old wounds by the look of them. Ratchet went back to his computer and plugged in the scanner to transmit the data. The scans were the same as last time. How did he get so much Decepticon technology? His creator was an Autobot… Redline couldn't have deflected…

That was when it hit him.

Rhythm was a Halfling.

Why didn't Ratchet think of that before? That explained everything! He knew without a doubt that Rhythm was Redline's creation but what he still didn't understand why he had Decepticon technology. Of course! That's because half of his body construct was Decepticon and the other was Autobot. It was rare. Not many had the courage to create a Halfling. Mostly because they were so mentally unstable. They usually had a lot of programming defaults. But then… if Rhythm was a Halfling then… who was the other creator? What Decepticon would have done this? Why?

Ratchet slowly turned around to see the flier sitting a few feet away. The left wing was twitching again. A moment or two of uncomfortable silence past between them before Ratchet couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"Who was your creator?" The medic's optic ridge lifted as the flier squirmed uncomfortably. The old mech was getting too close again.

Rhythm's green optics flashed, narrowing into small slits. "Why th' hell should I tell ya?" But the medic was unperturbed.

"Her name's Redline isn't it?"

"How- Ya scanned m' files!" Rhythm growled, jumping off the berth and stalking over to him, towering a good five feet above him and his wings spread high. Given the fact that Sunstreaker had tried to intimidate Ratchet so often that Ratchet hardly flinched. If the flier could dish out more than the Yellow Sunflower of Death, then he'd love to see it.

Ratchet put his hands on his hips and gave an equally level glare. "I didn't need to scan the files, Redline was one of my students."

"Liar."

"Am I? Your records were destroyed in the raid of Demircon. You don't exist! Trust me, we've already looked for your records." Ratchet spat back, still not breaking optic contact with the taller flier.

Rhythm clenched his teeth and fists. "Stay out of m' business, medic. I'm warnin' ya." And with that, the flier stormed off, to where he wasn't sure but he had to take a walk. Things had just gotten complicated.

Very complicated.

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Author's Notes again! Yey!

DesertCat's Replies:

MariaShadow: Thank LJ for getting Devcon in there and she did a dang good job of doing it if ya ask me. :D Thanks for the review! lol Yes, our dear sweet medic is good at threats aint he? I love Ratch, I really do. X)

TrueBornChaos: Yeah aint it though? Hope you liked the interaction with the crew in this chapter!

Tiamat: Yeah… you'd think Rhythm would learn but he's gunna push Ratchet's buttons… a lot. But he does that with everyone. I wouldn't be too surprised if Rhythm gets turned into a microwave…

Lady Jet's Replies:

Jess: Thanks! Yeah, Devcon was my idea. grin I loved him as a character and people always forget him ;-)

Tirya King: Yep Rhythm is a bundle of fun idn't he? ;-) hum...well...if you can decode my message you shall find the answer: 63w y3 8w 5y3 95y34 d43q689j (hint: one letter above on a keyboard sortta ;-))

Draange: Yes, he'd better watch out for pissed off Medics! XD ;-) considering his mother was one too ;-)