Chapter Text
Normally there was nothing but excitement upon getting a new assignment. Ibex... Altihex... Even Tarn ended in fun adventures for the cultural investigator. Somehow, however, upon receiving the news of his newest assignment Jazz couldn't help a subtle feeling of dread washing over him.
That feeling never fully left him even as he arrived at his destination city, but with the sight before him as he stepped out of the transport his dread turned into amazement. He'd heard about how beautiful the city was supposed to be, but hearing about it and seeing it were two vastly different things. Even with all the city-states he had visited before, none of them were as perfectly uniform as everything in Praxus seemed to be. Add to that the crystals used for lighting and the whole city seemed to have an ethereal glow to it.
There was quite a bit of data work to be done for Jazz to be allowed officially into the city and by the time he'd arrived at his hotel it was nearly dawn. 'So much for getting right to business the first day' was his last conscious thought before he slipped off into recharge.
Days two and three went much the same; data work, explaining constantly why he was there, who allowed him there, how long he would be, on and on. Day four, the first day he could feasibly get any work done, was spent mostly in the little bit of tourist side Praxus had, learning nothing new that wasn't public knowledge to those even outside of the city.
It wasn't until day five that the visored mech had any luck, managing to stop a local long enough to get a decent conversation in. Just as he thought his luck was turning around the conversation was cut short by an Enforcer... Yet again more questions of why he was here, who sanctioned his visit, and of course asking to see the data work that detailed his claims.
"I have everything here in..." Jazz started, fishing around for the datapad. "I got it somewhere around here..." The mech he had been talking to made a quick retreat as he searched for the datapad for the Enforcer, who seemed to be getting more agitated the longer Jazz took.
"If you don't have the proper data work, then you don't belong here. It is my duty to remove you from the city," the Enforcer informed him, roughly grabbing Jazz and pulling the cultural investigator along with him.
"No, no, please, I think I forgot to get it back from the last place I stopped. This is just a misunderstandin'."
~~
Prowl had just ended his shift when they entered. A fellow Enforcer dragging along an outsider, the latter trying to plead with the former that he did have the appropriate data work and that he had a job he had to do. Intrigued, Prowl decided to follow after them as the outsider was led further into the station.
He arrived at the Detention Chamber just as the outsider was being pushed into a cell. Prowl could just barely make out his words over the din. "You'll remain in there until someone can be bothered to remove you."
"That won't be necessary," Prowl commented as he entered the room, stalling the other from slamming the cell door.
"You intend to vouch for him?"
A flick of his sensor panels, yes, led to the on-duty Enforcer once more grabbing at Jazz. This time to remove him from the cell before shutting it. None too gently the Enforcer then shoved him in Prowl's direction with a warning. "You'd better be grateful to your Escort."
Jazz watched, wordless, as the other Enforcer left before finally turning to his savior. "Thanks. Dunno why ya did it, but thanks," he stated, offering a grateful smile in the other Enforcer's direction. "Um… I'm Jazz, by the way."
"Prowl," the officer responded in kind. "Come along, we can talk once we're outside." And with that, the Enforcer started to leave trusting that Jazz would follow.
It wasn't until they had left the station and were walking down a roadside pathway that Prowl spoke again. "What are you doing in Praxus without the appropriate data work anyway?"
Jazz followed close behind, not adding any commentary until he was prompted to speak. "I had it all saved on a data pad." Looking down sheepishly, he admitted, "I think I lost it though."
"Hardly clever," Prowl commented but added nothing more on the subject. "That, however, doesn't answer why you're here at all."
"Right, that," Jazz began, idly wondering just where the Enforcer was taking him. "I'm a cultural investigator. I was supposed to spend some time here to finally unravel a bit of the mystery that is Praxus."
"Really now?"
That genuinely caught the native's interest. Outsiders knew very little about the city and nothing of the culture of Praxus. Of course, they never bothered to ask either.
At the same time, they also had reached their first destination. A quaint little local cafe. Prowl opened the door as he explained. "This location mixes some of the finest local Energon, and is my favorite stop in this neighborhood. It also happens to be perfectly situated between my work and home so I can stop in almost every day. If you care to sample Praxian Energon then this would be the place to try."
"Sounds perfect!" the Polyhexian agreed, still following behind as they were seated by the host. "I would be greatly honored if you'd pick for me."
"Alright," Prowl accepted. "I suppose I'll have you try my favorite. It's of a more classic variety but always a good choice."
With Jazz's approval he sent in their order before turning back to said mech. "Before we get much farther along you should understand your current situation. I am currently your Escort. Do you have any idea what that means?"
Jazz looked uneasy for a moment, mulling the thought over in his processor. Before he actually got a chance to respond though their Energon had arrived and, curious as ever, he'd forgone answering in favor of trying this new taste… Only to regret ever putting any in his mouth. "Oww, ick!" he complained, barely managing to swallow what he already had in his mouth. "Is it supposed to hurt?"
Prowl regarded him curiously. "Hurt?" he repeated. "There is a slight bite, but that's what gives the Energon it's flavor."
"Maybe I got a bad cube?" Jazz questioned, taking another tiny sip only to be met by that same painful burning. "Yup, that definitely hurts."
"May I?" Prowl questioned, offering out a servo to take the offending cube. "You could have mine if you'd like. I know this cube has been done correctly."
"Sorry for being a bother." He apologized, handing over his own cube, waiting for the other to slide his own cube closer so he didn't seem rude by just grabbing at it.
Prowl held his cube out even as he took Jazz's in his other servo. He waited until Jazz had taken it before bringing the new cube up to his mouth to try a small amount.
Jazz tried the other's cube, barely keeping himself from reacting horribly as the acidic taste hit him… Nope, this one was just as terrible, but he wouldn't want to be any ruder to his escort than he had already been so instead he downed the cube in pained silence.
"You must come from somewhere distant," Prowl commented after trying what had previously been Jazz's cube and finding it was fine. "It seems like you've never had this sort of Energon before."
"Polyhex," the visored mech explained. "Ours tend to be rather metallic in taste, but I've tasted all sorts… Just none so acidic until now."
"Interesting." Prowl followed his comment with a sip of Energon that ended his cube. Then he changed subjects, back to an old one. "Returning to the matter of me acting as your Escort, you never did answer my question. Do you have any understanding of what that means?"
"Most likely not," Jazz admitted. "I've only had a few days here to learn anything."
"Right then." The Praxian paused before sliding into his explanation.
"As your Escort it becomes my responsibility to watch over and keep you out of trouble. As such, among a few other stipulations, you are not to go anywhere without me. If you are found out in public alone then you will be removed from the city and barred from returning, which I'm rather certain would hamper your research. There are other rules but that is the most important. Do you understand?"
Jazz caught himself nodding as the other explained. It was one of the first things he had learned that didn't seem scripted or purposefully unfinished so he wanted to try to remember as best he could until he could start typing things down. "Of course," he agreed quickly. "Does that mean I'm expected to stay with you during the night, or will you come get me from the hotel when you want to escort me?" It seemed a bit weird, the idea of just suddenly ending up in this mech's home but he'd been through stranger things than that.
"You are legally no longer considered a tourist and so your previous hotel room will be given to another. If you have any belongings still within we can stop there for you to collect them. Anything left will become property of the building first and then the city-state if the hotel has no use for it."
Prowl stood then, but remained beside their table. "If you're done, we can head in that direction should you need to gather the remainder of your belongings?"
"I didn't bring much. I have everything with me." 'Except my data work' he added almost silently. "So the day is up to you I suppose."
"What is it you need to do your job?" Prowl asked. "We have a few joor before I need to return home to rest for work."
"Explore the culture, mostly. I doubt I can get much in today, but if you wouldn't mind me asking a few questions that would be helpful as well."
"I'm willing to answer anything I have an accurate answer to share." As he spoke, Prowl led them outside. "Was there anywhere you wanted to visit today or is a sit-in discussion at my home acceptable?"
"That would be welcome, I've had quite a day already." Jazz followed after the Praxian, trying to ignore the small flutter of apprehension in his spark. But after everything Prowl had gone through to help him out, the small bit of paranoia he felt was squashed by guilt for even considering that the Enforcer had ill intent.
They made the rest of the trip in silence.
Prowl's residence was a nice, little two berthroom place in a more residential neighborhood just a short distance outside the sector of city where he worked. When they arrived, the Enforcer sent the code for the door to open and led them inside. The interior was neat with sparse to no decorations but still enough to feel lived in. The same idea carried through the other rooms, even though the second berthroom had been converted into an office.
"I realize this may be a bit awkward," Prowl commented as he shut the door and it auto locked. "Seeing as I only have one berthroom properly prepared, but the arrangement is possible. I work late night through early morning and typically recharge in the evening in order to wake up before my shift. As long as you are agreeable to recharging while I'm preparing for, and subsequently at, work then we should have no problems. Unless of course you have an alternative suggestion?"
After a quick assessment of the room they had entered Jazz gave a shrug. "I could just take the couch," he offered. "I've slept on worse."
"There is no need for that, and with the times I work you're more likely to be awoken than not if you attempt to recharge out here."
Jazz nodded his reply. "Night shift I take it?"
"Near enough," Prowl answered as he took a seat on said couch. He offered a gesture indicating Jazz should sit as well as he moved on. "You said you had questions about the culture of Praxus. Were you only interested as a tourist or did you want the full experience?"
Jazz sat on the couch, noting how exceptionally plush it was, most likely to accommodate the doorwings. "I want to get as much information as I can during my stay here," he confessed. "I'm up for almost anything."
"So you want to see the city as a Praxian?" Prowl clarified. "That can certainly be arranged."
Something in the way the Enforcer said 'that can be arranged' brought Jazz's paranoia back up and even as he replied with a happy sounding, "sure!" He couldn't shake the unease settling into his spark.
"I'll see to getting the proper data work completed tomorrow then." Prowl offered a faint smile. "You won't even need to worry about losing it this time. Copies will be sent to all law enforcement stations in the city so they can look you up if anything occurs."
"Sounds great!" he replied. "Am I getting a copy too, ya know, just in case?"
"It will take extra time, and the process certainly is not instantaneous, but once everything is complete I can provide you with a copy of your own, yes." Prowl didn't see how Jazz having a copy would matter, but it was an option easily provided and so he could promise it with no effort. "Now, what sort of questions did you have about the city?"
That shifted Jazz back towards his work mode and he launched into the first of many questions. They would only get through some of the city's history that night but there was always time for more the next orn.