Complex Robotics

When Thunder Meets Lightning

Chapter Thirteen: When Thunder Meets Lightning

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Sideswipe didn't let go of my hand until we were in the Autobot hangar, no matter how hard I tried to protest. His familiar sleek, silver Corvette had pulled up in front of us, the door swinging open. And before I knew it, I was strapped down in the passenger's seat of a maniacal Corvette while the smooth engine revved deeply, creating music to only a mechanic's ears. I was still worn out from the rigorous shopping trip with Jenna, after all.

"Sideswipe, you-" My protest was cut short as the bastard gunned the engine and pealed out of the hangar, heading towards the large robot-sized door that plastered "courtyard" in large red, blocky, letters. 

Instead of talking, I gripped the smooth, leather handles of the seats for dear life, eyes wide open as that door opened and we were let out into the courtyard. Sideswipe turned left, and we drove for a few minutes past the checkpoint before he finally slowed down, out in a barren field just beyond the dessert. I could hear my heart beating wildly in my chest. The door finally opened, and I all but flew out as the silver vehicle began the transforming sequences I was all too familiar with. Once I finally managed to stand on two feet without the world swaying briskly, I turned to glare at the said silver robot.

He gave me an innocent smile, "What?"

"Tell me Sideswipe, what the hell were you thinking when you suddenly decided speeding with a human inside you was a good idea?" I growled, rubbing my sore forehead.

He kneeled down, feigning concern, "My sincerest apologies, madam."

"Sure, whatever," I grumbled, crossing my arms, "So, who are you going to race, anyway?"

"Meh."

Startled from the sudden new voice, I jumped slightly before turning around the see the new robot who seemingly decided to come up out of nowhere. He was silver, like Sideswipe, except smaller, way smaller. It was obviously a male, from the sound of his voice, but he didn't have wheels for feet like Sideswipe did. Nor did he have sharp, silvery claws instead of hands. 

There was also a dark shield of some sort, covering his whole face. Well, except for the wicked smirk on his mouth. Although he was relaxed, leaning against the wall of the base, he seemed intimidating...even more, dare I say, then Sunstreaker.

His visor glowed an eccentric blue, "Tha name's Jazz."

Sideswipe smirked, "That's who I'm racing."

I just stood there, blinking between the two silver robots with matching smirks. "Uh...my name's Charlie."

"Yeah, Ah know who you are," Jazz said, pushing himself off the wall and walking over to us, "Boss bot debriefed us on ya."

I raised an eyebrow, "Okay. What's with the accent?"

It didn't seem possible, but Jazz's visor seemed to grow brighter with amusement as he shrugged, "Ah dunno, first humans Ah've picked up communicatin' spoke like this, and Ah like'd it, so Ah went with it."

His accent wasn't odd, but it was just something I've never really expected from a robot, given that all the robots I knew spoke so formally...well, except for Sideswipe. 

" Well, nice to meet you, Jazz." I then turned back to Sideswipe, my eyes narrowing, "I still fail to see why this race involves me."

Sideswipe's smirk only widened as he stuck a finger out in Jazz's direction, "This slagger's saying that he can beat me in a race. So, we challenged each other. To see if I can still beat him, and you can tag along as a witness so Jazz can't go around denying it."