#aaand 'hailing from nowhere' one of those drabbles that has been living rent free in the back of my head since i first wrote it 6 years ago

[hardygalwrites]

Originally posted to FFN on the 1st of May, 2017

Simply archiving a writing challenge I did back in 2016 up to 2017 and featuring my favourite writing pieces from each week of the challenge here on Tumblr :]

← Week 37 (SS) – Week 39 (SS) →

Cartoon: Transformers Prime / Robots in Disguise 2015

Characters: Smokescreen, Knock Out, and Bumblebee, with appearances from numerous other characters (even ones not featured in the cartoons)

Synopsis: An Autobot Elite Guard rookie, a Decepticon medic turned Autobot, and an Autobot scout turned warrior turned street cop - three very different bots with a wide range of stories to tell. And we are going to spend the next year exploring said stories through daily-written drabbles, be they angsty, humorous, gut-punching, or just plain odd! Who doesn’t love a challenge? (2016 to 2017)

—

Witness

The trainees pushed and shoved each other in an effort to see what was happening, exclaiming in shock and disbelief.

"What's going on?" Smokescreen managed to push himself to the front of the group, and he looked up. "Woah."

A bright star streaked through the sky. Even in their confusion, the group was strangely hushed as they all watched it rise higher and higher. Soon, the star was a barely visible speck in the dark sky. The ground gently shook beneath their pedes, drawing more confused exclamations from the trainees.

Smokescreen, strangely enough, found himself at a loss for words...

I Believe I'm in Need of Medical Attention

He was holding an energon stained knife. Pretty much all of the energon was his. He glared at the bot held against the wall, prepared to change that.

The door crashed open. He didn't really pay any attention. He just wanted to pay back every minute of agony he had-

"Smokescreen!" Ultra Magnus said firmly.

Smokescreen blinked. He stepped back, dropping the knife, and Moniker fell to the ground. Ultra Magnus and a team of bots stood out of the corner of his optic.

"...Hey, chief." Forcefully steady, Smokescreen checked his clock; three hours, forty-one minutes. "You're a... bit off schedule."

Level Up

"Yeah, the Elite Guard. That's... Wow."

Smokescreen's doorwings lowered. "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I am!" Bluestreak exclaimed. "I mean, the Elite Guard! That's really impressive! But... you've already been part of the squad this long. I guess I was hoping that Prowler'd be the one to toughen you up. It certainly makes family reunions easier."

Smokescreen laughed, but it wasn't entirely sincere. "Yeah, I was kinda hopin' that too. But c'mon, Blue, this is the Elite Guard! The best of the best! With them, I'll finally get the training I need to actually do something in this war!"

Hailing from Nowhere

An otherworldly shriek sounded from the end of the hall. Smokescreen paused, doorwings dipping instinctively.

The arena master laughed. "Scared, Praxian?"

Smokescreen scoffed, doorwings stiffening. "In your dreams, pal." He resumed his weapons check. "And I'm not Praxian."

"Indeed. Then where is it you hail from, youngling?"

"Slag if I know. There wasn't much to hail from by the time I came 'round."

"Interesting. A no one hailing from nowhere."

"If that's how you wanna view it, old timer, fine." Smokescreen finished his weapons check and activated his cannons. "But this no one's gonna kick your aft when he gets outta here."