[ti]Flashback[/ti]Nothing Louder Than Silence [Closed: SteelStrike ]

[Jazz]

Timeline:
Golden Age

---

   Everyone was expected to work like a well oiled machine. Things had to fall into place just so; neatly packaged and in order. Nothing was to be out of place. This was just the way the system was supposed to work and, for Cress? Most of the time it did. Then Cress was happy. Everyone got paid, things were quiet, and no one had anything to really fear from the disgusting excuse for a mech.

     But when it didn't? Cress was pissed. And the flames of the Pits were unleashed on everyone. This was one of those not-so-nice cycles.

     "What do you MEAN he's GONE?!" The way that Cress's anger boiled over was enough to have all within audial range of him to slink back to their corners. As was the case with the guards before him, who he was personally holding responsible for this recent set of events that had caused his perfect little world to be just not as perfect. "I don't PAY you to sit around and let him do as he wants! You're to keep an OPTIC on him at ALL TIMES and make CERTAIN he's where he's SUPPOSED to be!" 

     There it was. Meister, who was supposed to be leaving when the run rose to make his next performance wasn't in his quarters. He had managed to sneak out once again and- as per usual- no one seemed to know where he was this time. He'd be gone one minute, then mysteriously show up in his berth the next time he was looked in on. He never would admit to going out, but everyone knew that he did. 

     "Clearly I've hired the wrong guards for this job! YOU!" A slender digit pointed towards the Seeker among them. "Track him down and BRING HIM BACK. If you fail, I'll have your WINGS REMOVED!" As if to just clarify the gesture of 'get to it right now', he jerked his servo to the side in one of the nastiest dismissals one could receive. Clearly the Towerlings operated on their own set of rules, and that did not include being kind to those who were below you- even if they were entrusted with your safety. At least that was the the case of Cress, but hey... when he paid, he paid really well, so sometimes to be employed by someone as crude as him was worth it. If one didn't have issues with self-esteem.

     On the other hand? No one liked to see Cress angry, and the promise that he made Steel? It would be best for him to not fail, because he never did go back on his word. Ever. So he would have been better of if he just didn't come back if he didn't manage to locate the grounder.

---

     As for the cause of the chaos in the Tower? Well, he was strolling his way down the streets of Iacon as though nothing were amiss. Though he knew full well what was happening back at 'home' and honestly? He didn't care. He hadn't for a while now. Not since he had figured out what had been going on behind his back. Not that he really cared for his situation to begin with, but the news he had received about everything was just the finish to the line that had been drawn in the sand. Boundaries had been crossed and now Meister was in full on retaliation. 

     This was the day when one of the largest traveling trade markets on Cybertron happened to be in Iacon. Meister had no intentions on missing it this time, unlike he had before when Cress had punished him for something stupid ( as most of his 'punishments' were).

     Meister strolled through, captivated by the colors and the sounds around him. This was home for him, where he felt he belonged. It wasn't a stage, a setting that was only for those rich enough to fund whatever location he was hired to perform at. This was just ordinary Cybertronians having a good time without it being forced down their throats. This was just what Meister needed- to just explore among the 'common mech' as they were called. Once upon a time he had been one of those. Now? Now he had a level of popularity and fame that he couldn't get away from. It was a pity that such a thing couldn't get him anywhere and soon he would be throwing all of that away for whatever fate was laid out for him. For now he just enjoyed the freedom he had given himself since he didn't know when he would have the chance to do it again.

     A particular stand caught his attention and he stopped to look at the wares. The items that were laid out were nothing but useless little trinkets that didn't mean much to anyone except that they were catchy to the eye. Tiny chunks of stone, metal that had been shaped into attractive items. These were wearable things similar to the ones he saw the richer mechs and femmes wearing, especially during state performances. These were just cheap replicas, but somehow they were just that much more personal. He picked up one that his optic couldn't pull away from and he held the tiny blue hard cast energon stone in his servo, turning it over delicately as not to break it. 

[Deleted]

It was times like this- being yelled at like an errant sparkling- that Steelstrike almost, *almost* wished he'd remained an Enforcer. Especially when he'd taken his optics off the bot known as Meister for what had surely only been an astroclick or two. Where was the fairness in that? He'd even been *told* the other bot randomly disappeared, and other guards had been just as unlikely to catch him.

At Cress's continued yelling, the flyer almost took a step back, field flickering with a swift pulse of irritation at the threat, countered almost immediately by a wash of resignation. It's not as if I've anything else to do. And it *was* my turn on watch....

He contented himself with a short nod, though his wings had canted just slightly down at the threat to them. "Understood, Sir." he intoned, his reply delivered in a flat, even tone.

That said, he took several paces back and turned to go- to seek out the errant Meister.

----------

It didn't take long- the flier circling the Tower once, before branching off to land and go through the nearest marketplace- before Steelstrike discovered his current charge, wandering through the area with no real purpose to his step.

The mech drew in air, then released it in one long ex-vent. Stupid time wasted, on a stupid errand. It was a pity he couldn't teach the grounder a real lesson in time management.

He contented himself with stalking purposefully up to the smaller mech, flight engines rumbling quietly and voice maybe just a *little* sharp as he spoke. "Meister. How in Primus did you get- no, don't answer that. Just come with me."

[Jazz]

     Oh, the sharp, snappish kind. Fun.

     "I'm busy at the moment," Meister replied, still staring at the trinket in his servo. Then he turned to look right at Steelstrike. It wasn't to scold him or make some derogatory comment about going back to Cress and say so-and-so to him. Instead, it was much more casual. He was holding that trinket up towards him, the light catching the tiny flecks of energon that were encased within it. It was especially pretty like that. "What do ya think of this one? Cool, huh? Yeah, I think so. I want it. Gimme a nanoklik." He turned to the stall owner and spoke with him briefly before handing over a few credits, then turned back just holding the newly purchased trinket. It was probably nothing major to anyone else, but to Meister? The small molded piece of metal and rock that would do nothing more than lay around on a counter somewhere seemed to be rather important to him. At least that was the impression with the way he had admired it when facing Steelstrike, and now that he could call it his.

     "Gives me somethin' for the windowsill." If he had one. Before Steelstrike had arrived, Meister's quarters had been changed to the other side of the living space where there were no windows in hopes that would keep him from sneaking out. Somehow it hadn't done the trick, as was proven time and time again. Still, Meister smiled after his comment and idly started to move the small trinket between his digits.

     Now it was time to address the other again. "So ya found me. Congrats." Meister looked over his shoulder to the Seeker. "This is the only day this market is in Iacon. I wanna see it. I always hear about all the neat things you can find but I've never been able to actually catch this thing when it passes through the city. Come walk with me. Looks like you could use the time away from Cress's 'indoor voice'."

     Meister hummed softly to himself as he started to walk. His steps were slow enough that the other would be able to keep up- or forcibly take him back if that was his intentions- but either way? He moving along and looking through from one stall to the next. So whatever the guard wanted to do would be up to him since Meister's decision was already made.

[Deleted]

At Meister's initial comment, despite Meister's non- confrontational tone, Steelstrike's wings had canted back just slightly; the flyer's field flared in distaste, before he managed to clamp it back down tight. Wonderful. Now the slagger wants my opinion? Despite himself, however, he eyed the trinket with a certain wary thought. Was Meister trying to buy him off?

The next thought was negated almost immediately by Meister's next claim that he wanted it for his windowsill, and the flyer reset his vocalizer. "If Cress lets you *have* a window after this slag. You were *supposed* to stay in your quarters." he rumbled, vaguely exasperated. "You know, some bots would be happy to live how you do." He'd *seen* the way some bots lived, after all, in his last profession.

He paused, letting out another vent, before his optics flickered. "I go back without you, it's *my* helm Cress'll want as a wall decoration." He was tempted to just take Meister back, and let that be the end of that. But something held him back.

"...I'll come with you." he said finally, grudgingly. "I'm *supposed* to be guarding you, after all. But then you and I are going straight back. Got it?"

 His last question was rhetorical, delivered as it was in a firm tone.

[Jazz]

     Meister would have rolled his optics, but the gesture he made with his servo- the sort of 'wave off' manner he did it in? Close enough to the same. Honestly, this Seeker had no idea about the inside things that were happening. Happy to live the way he did? Well, if he could find someone to take his place then there was no way he would DECLINE the trade off. Primus knew that he would have rather been in the slums again.

     "If someone else wants to live the way I do, tell'em the job is theirs. I've been tryin' ta get outta it for a while now! Seems Cress likes me too much ta lemme go." Meister shrugged and continued on his way, not really paying mind to if the Seeker followed him or not. Even if he had been told no, Meister would have still went along his way through the market. The guard may have been a quick little Seeker with a lot more power behind him, but Meister? He was an agile thing and didn't doubt for an instant he could at least give him a run for his credits.

     For now it had worked to Meister's favor- He was getting to wander the marketplace like he had wanted. Just as planned he went to every single stall, checking out all the wares that were on display. He would have bought up everything if he were one of material processions, but it was just as nice to just see and touch. They would definitely be bought up by someone who would be able to appreciate them a lot more than Meister could.

     The sound of music caught his attention and he smiled, then turned around to the Seeker. "Hey! Come on, it's a live performance! We gotta check it out!" Sure enough, just a few stalls there there was a group of seven who were playing different instruments for the crowd in hopes of collecting some credits in appreciation. Meister would reach out for the Seeker's hand to grab for it so as to pull him along behind him, though should he pull away Meister would have darted off without him and found a spot off to the side. There he would stand, clapping along with the beat. For once who was widely known around Cybertron for his own performances and made a killing by doing so, he never seemed as happy as he did at that moment... just being able to listen to someone else.

[Deleted]

Steelstrike's wings canted again at Meister's flippancy, though this time his field stayed carefully neutral. Still, the flyer followed, having taken his orders to find the smaller mech rather seriously, even if he was still smarting from the mech Cress's tone. The noble could afford to wait, at least a little. All these entitled mecha, expecting everything they wanted *right this minute* made his tanks churn.

So too, did the looks a few mecha were giving him, for the simple fact he had wings and they did not. Doorwings were hardly the same. *Flyers* rarely if ever had 'doors'.

At Meister's first comment, he paused a moment, wings twitching again, before he resumed his pace, steadfastly ignoring every other mecha in their path except for a slight sneer. "Please. All the energon you want, a roof over your head, and a talent that has most of Cybertron at your pedes... I fail to see how that's any way unpleasant." Still, he added after a moment, "Maybe if you tried to make Cress happy more often, this wouldn't be so much an issue. He almost broke my audials."

Before he was even quite finished, Meister was seizing his servo with his own, and at first too baffled to get *why*, the flightframe allowed Meister to pull him forward, winding up just behind and to the left of Meister when the other came to a stop at the musicians.

He let out a long, venting sigh. "Are you listening to me at *all*?"

Just his luck...

[Jazz]

     "Steel, ain't it? Buddy, do me just this one thing, yeah?" Meister motioned to the group that was playing. "Really listen to what they're sayin' in their music. Don't think 'bout it... just... let the sounds and the feelin's that carry with their notes catch your spark." He gave him a little jab in the arm with his elbow. "I mean it."

     Meister turned his attention back to the group. He had stopped clapping at this point so as not to distract from the beats that were coming from the crude instruments they played on. The mech had small movements to him that indicated just how deep he was reading into this- something that most didn't even give a second thought to. For Meister, this was a natural thing given his profession, as he had to put a certain feeling into ever song he played. Lately the music hadn't been the same and he had recently stopped playing entirely, which was part of why Cress had been more up in arms than usual. To Meister? He just couldn't force it and no one but him seemed to understand that.

     When the group was finished and the crowd showered them in applause and credits, Meister did the same. He leaned forward and tossed in a gracious handful for them. Then he turned his attention back to the Seeker, his visor lit up as brightly as it could go.

     "You're lookin' at everythin' from a materialistic view. You know what the difference between what they do, and what I do?" He idly tapped his guard on the chest, just above where his spark was. "The warmth that ya get in your spark hearin'em. They're playin' what they want for who they want. Their music tells their story. That feelin' I wanted you to pick up on? It's happiness. It makes ya come back for more." Meister turned back to look at them as they started up another song. Though he was smiling, there was a sadness to the expression. "I don't get to play like that anymore."

[Deleted]

"Steelstrike." Steelstrike replied, instantly, not bothering to hide how much he didn't like being referred to as just 'Steel'. His wings canted up, and his field pulsed with more annoyance.

Previously, however, he had followed Meister's advice, at least slightly; his wings had been canted down, and his plating had loosened slightly, taking to spark Meister's advice to try and listen to the music as best he could. It was good, he supposed, but it wasn't as good as Meister's own talents. He'd heard the other mech, once before, when he'd been playing for Cress. 

At Meister's words, his attention was dragged back to the present, and he began to respond with his usual irritated response. And then he registered the true import of what Meister was saying, and his optics narrowed in a sort of confused suspicion. "But you're a musician. You're *built* for it. Just as I'm built to fly, and chase after errant mecha who won't stay when they're told." he responded, though there was no real bite to his tone.

If he'd his own way, he'd *happily* give up working for some spoiled glitch of a noble, to fly about and answer to no one- or at least have it be a flyer like himself. 

So... maybe there *was* some point to Meister's words. It didn't matter.

"We do as we're told. Unless you'd rather be left with your wings remov- with no credits and dumped down in some gutter."

[Jazz]

     "Tsk tsk! No one is built to be a musician. It's a skill you develop. I was built for somethin' else entirely!" Meister looked at him and grinned. "And just as a lil' hint? I rarely do as I'm told and it drives everyone up a wall! It's fun to watch Cress bust a fuse."

     Meister was no stranger to the phrase that Steel had been about to use- the thing about the wings. He had heard it before, several times in fact, when Cress addressed Seekers that had been assigned to him in the past. Wings, doors, this and that. Whatever he could threaten to tear off he would, but he was never the one who did it. Always someone else, if it even came to that. If Meister did as he was told? It was because he did it to spare his guards from such a fate. Usually they quit first...

     "And actually, now that I think 'bout it? Livin' in the slums was way better than what I gotta deal with now."

     He returned to staring at the musicians as they played... but caught movement out of the corner of his visor. He was being watched by someone, who then whispered to someone else, and soon enough the entire crowd was glancing in his direction. Meister had been recognized! The music stopped, the voices got louder, and he found himself taking a step back as they moved in close around him.

     "Uh..." he started as he looked at them, holding his servos up in defense as he offered just chuckles to the mecha who were around him, asking for his imprint on whatever they could get a hold of. There were a TON of questions, ranging from why he was there to if he would play for them. "If I have time to play, I'll throw somethin' together..." At this point he looked at the Seeker and smiled. "...But that depends on if my bodyguard here says it's okay." Looks would go to him, then, as if they were waiting on an answer from the Seeker on if he was going to fly away with the musical icon.

     What a way to be put on the spot!

[Deleted]

Steelstrike had *just* begun to resign himself to the fact that he would be following Meister around for the foreseeable future, and was feeling the first confliction of duty- to return this odd grounder back where he belonged, or to allow him a joor or so before he dragged him back to Cress.

The Tower- while seemingly airy to most ground-pounders- was nothing like the wide open expanses of the sky, and he rather disliked having to spend the majority of his time *indoors*. This was as good a chance as any to get out for a while. Who knew? He might even actually ....enjoy... himself.

The thought lasted in his processor for a blissful few astroclicks, before... No. Apparently not. Bots began to recognize Meister, and before the flightframe could gracefully get the smaller grounder in line and make their exit, Meister was pointing him out. Of course he was.

Steelstrike's wings went rigid, and his plating clamped down, field drawing in tight uncomfortably as for a few moments he became the center of attention- a place he most *certainly* did not want to be. Primus, not again....

"No." he said, flatly, shifting slightly in a stance that clearly said 'Back Off!'. "He's got somewhere to be." Somewhere far away from here.

[Jazz]

    There was a grumble from some of them, whines from others, and Meister just looked to them with an expression of 'I'm sorry'. clearly they didn't like the response that had been given and were audibly protesting it, almost to the point of begging. See, now these were the ones that Meister liked to perform for- not the stuck up snobs that Cress paraded him around like some object of desire.

     "Okay, okay! He really means that... I have time for ONE song. Just one." He looked at the Seeker, pleading with him to just go with it and right away moved from his side. If he tried to stop him he'd have to fight his way through the crowd- the one that Meister moved through in an eerie fluid-like manner- and went to where the musicians were sitting in awe. He waved to them and looked around, having a bit of a brief conversation with them before he was handed an instrument. He stood there, plucking a couple of photon strings on the instrument to get a feel for it, then started to play. Oddly, it wasn't something that was new- it was the same song they had been playing just moments before.

     Tapping his pede to go with the beat, he smiled to the group who right away caught on. They started with their own and played right along with him. Right away the crowd seemed to tighten up, wanting to get a view of the free show being put on by Meister. Word spread feverishly through the market and in due time? Everyone was there watching and listening.

     Even as the center of attention, Meister didn't seem to even notice. He played in a way that Steelstrike wouldn't have heard or seen before- he was smiling, laughing and dancing around as his spark pulsed with the beat being put out. His field was radiating with the emotion he had asked for Steel to take in earlier-

     Happiness.

     For the first time since being thrown into this new lifestyle? The musical prodigy was actually enjoying himself.

[Deleted]

Steelstrike was beginning to wonder why he'd even spoken up at all- especially when Meister was evidently just as inclined to ignore him completely. Why in Primus' name hadn't he just scooped Meister up when he had a chance and taken him back to the Tower? He half- lifted a servo to stop Meister, but before he could even lift it fully, the smaller mech was off, moving fluidly through the crowd in a way that Steelstrike couldn't match or catch up with him. Not without pushing his way through the crowd rather roughly.

Which he had honestly considered doing for a nano-click, before opting instead to send Meister a very pointed look of disapproval. He would *definitely* be reporting this part of the mech's little jaunt. The matter settled in his processor, he then settled back. If Meister thought to use the crowd to disappear after this little show, Steelstrike was more than certain that he would be able to catch up and detain him in no time at all.

He quashed the wiggling doubt in the back of his processor that reminded him  that maybe Meister was just as stir-crazy as he himself was. Orders were orders, after all. No matter how one might dislike them.

As more and more mecha came to gawk at Meister, Steelstrike simply activated his thrusters, hovering a little off the ground just to keep a better optic on Meister. He still felt the brush of Meister's field, and noted the genuine feelings and skill of Meister's work.

That decided him, and he chose to push through the crowd, field out wide and warning, as he moved close enough to grab Meister and exit if need be.

And if he happened to be close enough to get a good view of the performance, well- that was a bonus.

[Jazz]

     Meister continued to play, fully enjoying himself in this moment. He didn't care about the crowd that was gathered. He was having fun, playing for himself and those around him. While he was focused on this, he was not foolish enough to not know where his guard was. His visor flickered, picking up on his signal just off to where he was within range to grab him up. Oh no, he wasn't going to be getting a hold of him THAT easily! Not now that he was playing for something other than Cress's posse.

     He ducked off to the side, out of view of his guard for a moment. The music gave away where he was, that he knew, so it wasn't done with the intentions to hide out or escape. He just wanted to make certain he was able to complete the performance. The music got louder again, this time Meister appearing to the side of the Seeker and leaning in to playfully nudge him with his shoulder. Then he was back at the center again, standing off to the side of the other musicians as the beats got faster, signalling the end of their piece.

     After the song was over, Meister took a bow to the crowd, who was cheering and clapping in excitement. The other musicians stood to thank him but he shook his helm and handed off the instrument then moved off to the side and motioned the musicians to the crowd as he himself bowed in thanks to them then joined in the clapping. They almost seemed embarrassed by this and nodded to everyone... and with that? Meister stepped back to be out of sight.

     "Come on," he whispered to the Seeker, nudging him again with a smile as he made his way out of the crowd, a little rushed in his steps and ducking down so as not to catch the optics of anyone. He continued this way until he was free of the gathering and in the clear of the marketplace. There he vented and looked towards his comrade who has surely probably been at his heels. Or, at least caught up. "That... now that was amazin'! Thank you for lettin' me have at least that much. Didn't mean ta go against your orders but..." He shrugged and smiled, then started to walk again. Once more, the way he carried his frame and bowed his helm? It seemed that the sadness had returned to him. "I really just needed that..."

[Deleted]

Steelstrike would never in a million vorns admit that he had enjoyed Meister's performance- at least not, aloud. Still, he let his field pulse with a single quick flash of approval, conveniently timed to when Meister had appeared, and nudged him, before returning to the crowd. It was almost, *almost* enough to make the flightframe relent- but he wasn't going to. Not at this time, at least. But at least his field had settled, and the cant of his wings was a little more relaxed than it had been previously.

"That was... different." he chose to remark instead. "You honestly prefer playing to these ignorant ground pounders than to Cress?" He honestly couldn't see the appeal, himself. Being crowded like that, and with no one who, he was sure, had the extensive experience in art forms that most Towerlings did. Of course, that very entitled-ness was why Steelstrike himself disliked them, so maybe... The thought returned that Meister might have similar feelings to his. He dismissed it again.

He was a guard, not an artist. What would he know how musicians felt? Never mind he enjoyed watching and listening to the artists Cress hosted in the Tower.  

And then Meister was departing the crowd, and Steelstrike was pulled from his thoughts, following quickly on Meister's heels, determined not to lose him. "Yeah, well, you owe me. And I'm still going to tell Cress about this." he replied, voice a little sharp- though more at his own momentary lapse of judgement than any of Meister's fault.

His wings canted back, then, picking up the sadness in Meister's bearing. He reset his vocalizer. Don't get attached already.

"Does it really matter that much who you play for? They all like to hear you. Cress's friends, I mean."

[Jazz]

     "Tell'im," he said with a matter-of-fact tone that indicated he really didn't care if Steel tattled on him to the Towerling or not. "I don't really care. I'd tell him myself if he asked what I was doin'."

     Meister thought about the other thing that was said and he vented softly. Honestly, he couldn't blame Steel. The Seeker was on the outside looking in, probably swayed by the very thing that Cress had so much to offer of. Meister just wanted his freedom from the shackles that he had been placed in- Steel probably wanted the material things that he had mentioned earlier. He really had no clue what was going on behind the scenes. He didn't know what Cress and his 'friends' had done to him.

     "It' doesn't only have to do with who I play for, Steel. It's more than that. Being able to actually enjoy what I'm playin' has a lot more to do with it. I can only play when my spark is happy- at least, play the music you heard just now. Have you heard the difference? Were ya able to sense it?" Meister looked at the Seeker briefly. His question was a little rhetorical, but maybe it was enough to make Steel at least think about what he was saying. "Think of it this way. Imagine when you first learned to use your wings. You had to feel it in your spark for it to work, right? Then once ya got the hang of it, did it make your spark feel light in your chassis? Bein' one with the sky, where no one could bother ya... did ya feel like you were free? That's the feelin' I need to do what I do. And I can't have it locked up in a pretty lil cage."

     The grounder folded his servos behind his helm, staring ahead where they walked. It was getting late and some of the venders were starting to shut down their stalls. Meister knew that their time was limited.

     "You don't.. even know the dealings that are goin' on behind the scenes, do ya? Once the others did they left... before they could be drawn into it. Those who didn't? Well. They became as corrupt as the ones who are runnin' this game."