Chapter Text
Through the spiked iron gate, Jazz stared up at the palace of a house that was at least five times the size of the temple that he'd grown up in.
It was fitting that the Captain of Praxus' enforcers lived there, considering how much it looked like a prison. A place Jazz had joined religion to save himself from.
Suddenly he felt like he had back then, scared and alone as he stared up at the home of the upper class who'd seen him as nothing more than a scourge of spare parts.
Jazz used the hand not holding his electro-bass to slap his own face.
He'd survived the streets of Polyhex as a sparkling for Primus' sake! There was no reason to be afraid of an enforcer with seven sparklings!
Jazz loved sparklings! And they loved him! Or least Orion's did. It was still crazy to think that the mech he'd known since they were sparklings had sparkling of his own!
Of course as a postulant training to become a member of the Circle of Light, Jazz had long since accepted that he was never going to have bitlets of his own. He'd known that since he was a bitlet himself. Someone people just weren't fated to have a family. And he was one of them.
He was lucky that the Order of the Circle of Light had taken him in when he'd staggered into their temple, the sound of their songs having guided him to their home.
Master Yoketron could not love him like a creator was supposed to. But he had cared for him non the less. As it was the duty of the Circle of Light to help be the hand of Primus where he could not reach.
Jazz could never repay them for their kindness. But devoting the rest of his life to them would have to do.
So he shoved aside the gate along with his nerves and raced across the almost endless path before he could once again run away from himself.
He rung the doorbell. Not a moment later, the door opened.
"Nice to meet ya captain!"
The mech with a dusty green paint job, and flecks of mud on his finish who was definitely not the Captain chuckled.
"Sorry to disappoint but I'm just the butler! Name's Hound."
"Well it's nice to meet ya too!" Jazz said, sticking out his servo.
The butler shook it with a smile, before gesturing inside.
Jazz stepped through the doorway into the biggest room he'd ever seen. Even the temples' chapel wasn't as big as this! Sure the chapel might've been more elaborate with its stained glass symbols of The Thirteen, but there was a simple elegance to the main hall that made it just as impressive.
Jazz was so entranced, he barely caught the butler saying he would be back.
Jazz didn't think he could be anymore amazed until a glint of gold caught his optic.
Placing his things by the entrance, he snuck over to spy through the slit of the sealed doors. Inside he could see the outline of a room that could only be described as pure gold.
Jazz had always had a problem with having to sneak into places he shouldn't. It didn't take long to jammy to lock, a skill the temple monks most certainly hadn't approved off, revealing the most awe inspiring ballroom Jazz had ever seen.
To be fair it was also the only ballroom he'd ever seen. But even with his limited life experiences he knew he wouldn't see anything more extravagant.
Opulence wasn't something Jazz usually needed to get him in the mood for music. His usual inspirations came from the songs of the temple or it's surrounding hills.
But he could almost see how the sound would catch on the golden walls, carved with images of ancient Praxians alive with song.
And before he was even conscious of it, his pedes had already started dancing with the songs still stuck in the locked up room.
BANG
The slamming of the doors slapped Jazz out of his trance.
In the shadow of the entrance a silhouette cast a striking figure, the sharp curve of a chassis and spikes of a chevron. The only light was the piercing blue of a pair of optics noticed that shined like stars in the night sky.
This time Jazz knew he was not mistaken.
This was Prowl, head of the Datsun family and Captain to the enforcers of Praxus.
And his new boss.