Hello, all! As you can see. this is my first story on this site. I've had the idea for a while, and if the reviews are all good, I may write another like this one. Enjoy, and feedback is appreciated.

oO—0—Oo

-The three of us, brothers. Two of us were related by energon. I was the outlier. Yet all of us felt close—it was as if we were the same Protoform mold. We all had the same training, and, in a sense, the same fate.

You see, it wasn't our fault we landed here. We were sent on a voyage in the name of territorial expansion by our leader at the time, who—if I can recall correctly—was the notorious Nova Prime. We voyaged for many months until we reached a sector known as the Kuiper belt.

It was there that we lost our way. After discovering numerous planets, all quite worthy of colonizing, we found the ideal target: a strange world we tend to call Terria. The temperature levels of the planet were pristine, though varied. It was filled with substantial amounts of hydrogen, something that was perfect for manufacturing. Combine that with a large radius, and you have a perfect territory for the industrial expansion of an interstellar empire. But on our way to the planet's atmosphere, something unimaginable happened.

An exceptionally sized meteorite with a collision course for the paradise smashed directly into our ship. We barely escaped, though not without injury. The three of us had to cram into the only undamaged escape pod on the ship, and crash landed on a land completely surrounded by water. We had no idea where we were, especially since half our memory was lost from the collision…

Later, the three of us discovered that the land we were on was known as Nihon. It was in this very land in which we learned that the planet wasn't worth taking. We were easily accepted by the rather eccentric natives, finding our "inner selves" through meditation. We learned their language, and became accustomed to the graceful fighting style, the art of the Samurai. We served several years under our human master, Shinichi. After we had graduated, so to speak, we were allowed to walk amongst the flesh population alone. But one of us did not survive to see that day…

It was approximately two Terrian cycles later that I had found out that my master, was deceased. Horrifyingly, his death wasn't of natural causes, which naturally was shocking to me. But what shocked me more was the discovery of the criminal that committed the act ...-

oO—0—Oo

Gunma, Japan. 1456 A.D.

Deadlock was wandering through the market stands, lost in thought. The idea of revenge was still on his mind, even though he found out over a week ago. He wandered on, as though he didn't even exist. No one even looked at him unless they wanted to sell to him; though they quickly looked away, as even they knew he was not to be bothered. Though sheathed, his great, long katanas seemed to be blinding when under the summer heat.

After a few more steps, he stopped at a familiar goods stand.

He bent down as to get to the level of the fleshlings.

"Reiko, are you in there? I need to ask you something"

There would be silence, were it not for the hundreds of people in the distance, buying things and moving on as if he didn't exist.

Finally, a figure came out of the shop. It was a young woman of about 19 or so, dressed in a black and gold silk yukata. She had long black hair that reached just below her shoulders. She seemed surprised.

"What brings you here, drifter?" she said in a cheerful voice. "I thought you were back in Edo."

"I came in search of someone," he started. He assumed she knew who he was talking about.

"Ah, you seek the large tan one, correct?"

"No, the other one. Has he come by here recently?"

"Hmmm, hard to say," she said, being sarcastic. "I honestly can't remember."

Deadlock was quickly annoyed. "How can that be 'hard to say'? You don't see people twenty kanejaku tall walking around every day, you know."

She laughed.

"You were being sarcastic, weren't you?"

She laughed even harder. "Oh, Deadlock, you're so easy to play with," she said, catching her breath. "I'm going to be honest with you, I haven't seen him. Although I do recall one of my customers saying that a large metal man passed through his village-"

"What village? Where?"

"A place not far from the Tone River. I hear that a ronin lives there with several students; he said that the same large metal man was headed there."

"So, you murder my master and violate the sacred pledge made to him by plaguing his style with someone else's. How pathetic," He grumbled just loud enough, though unintentionally, for Reiko to hear.

Though Deadlock was clearly angry (there was no doubt about it) he seemed to be trying his best to stay calm. He was clearly forcing himself to be professional, which was, in reality, giving the exact opposite effect.

Reiko, of course, noticed this. "Is-is something wrong?"

"No." He stood up. "I must go now. Thank you for your assistance."

"…Wait! Don't you want to…I don't know, actually purchase something?"

He simply stared for a second, and then sighed. "Very well. I'll buy 40 momme of gunpowder, and a large piece of unpolished ceramic—the largest you have."

"That's a rather large order; Are you sure you have enough yen for that?"

He sighed. "Unfortunately, no. I'll have to pay you later next week."

"Next week, I have to be in Edo. Are you sure you can't pay tomorrow?" Now she was getting impatient.

Deadlock thought for a little while, staring at the people working at the other stalls; other buying things with ridiculous amounts of yen instead of saving. Fleshlings, he thought, only cared about today, and never thought about the days ahead.

Finally, he answered. "No. I might not even be able to tomorrow. We have our appointment next week or later, but that's it."

Reiko sighed, disappointed. "Fine, give me a minute."

As she went into the back of the tented stand, he thought about the lie he just told. Sure, fleshlings could often be too ignorant to realize the truth, but perhaps he was being too harsh. Yes, he might not be here tomorrow, but if that's the case, he definitely won't be here next week. It would be wrong to tell her why he simply can't pay, but lying in this case would make him even worse than his former comrade. He had a general idea of a backup plan, but the idea of exposing her to his own private conflict didn't seem like a good idea. But still…

Finally, Reiko came from around the back of the store, lugging a large wagon containing a large sack of what Deadlock believed to be his gunpowder. She was also struggling to hoist an equally large sack over her shoulder, which probably was the ceramic. She stopped in front of him, and rather carelessly let go of the wagon, which nearly rolled off into the crowds. She then let go of the other sack, more slowly and carefully this time, further hinting at it being the ceramic.

"Here's everything you wanted," she said, catching her breath. "That's 10,569 yen. Now, are you sure you can't pay tomorrow?"

Deadlock thought for a second.

"Actually, as it turns out, I can pay right now," He stated as he collected his items. "Just not in money."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"It's quite simple: you're coming with me."

Reiko was shocked by that statement. After hearing all his muttering about how disgraceful someone—or something—was, why in all of Nihon would she want to be involved in his conflict? Still, was there any use in arguing with an oversized ronin with two oversized blades?

"May I ask why—"

"Don't argue," He interrupted. "This is my final offer."

And as the wind blew gently by, the two disputed over how exactly he would pay. Such was their… "Relationship". Two forces the same magnitude biting each other at the same time. Deadlock was always considered, at least to Reiko, to be the honorable block head. He had this impenetrable attitude that made anyone who spoke to him eventually become speechless. Such it is when one is so honorable and honest that they can't help but point out your flaws. Getting into an argument with him was useless; even those who are usually considered to be polite will eventually submit, but not before the battle had gone on for a few hours.

This, however, was something that Reiko hated. Being the woman she was, she genuinely hated it when customers wasted time decide how NOT to pay, or how they'd describe the usual "I had a bad day so I will use that as an excuse to get out of paying" scenario. Though she knew Deadlock wasn't that kind of person—or so she wanted to believe—she still didn't like the idea of him dodging out of paying.

This argument had gone on long enough. Reiko put an end to it.

"Fine. If that's how you're going to pay, then fine."

"Sorry for the inconvenience, but it must be so. I'm going to be occupied in a few important investments and I won't have the time to earn the funds to compensate."

"And so you make up for it by wasting your time and arguing with me? Smooth, Deadlock," She chuckled.

"I had said that I didn't want to argue," he stated, annoyed. "Do you wish to accompany me or not?"

Reiko sighed. "Fine. Give me 15 minutes to close up shop and I'll come with you."

"Make it quick. We need to get going."

Reiko simply sauntered back into her shop, clearing just trying to annoy him. Deadlock was left to wait in the crowds of people, the likes of which never really noticed him. It was as though he never existed. Or that people simply didn't care.

The sun was already starting to set. He was wasting time just waiting here, but he hadn't much of a choice. Fleshlings, he thought, always had a thing with letting time pass, as if they simply knew they're going to see another day. It annoyed him to no end. Then again, he thought, if everyone just got to the point and did everything as it should, would there be any purpose in life?

He threw away that thought. Since it seemed he would be here for a while, he searched for a clearing for him to rest. He notices a small plot next to Reiko's shop, one that was just barely his size. He moved past the fleshlings, and sat there, waiting.

He glanced over at Reiko's store, then sighed.

oO—0—Oo

Nightfall. Somewhere near the Tone River.

Several monk-like people were gathered in front of a large dojo. The dojo itself, donned in scarlet and dull jade, had a door big enough for Deadlock to fit in. There were several lamps hanging from it, all of which were recently lit. Two cherry blossom trees were nearby, further dimming the little light the monks had.

There was some discussion going on amongst the people about their "Master". It was quickly shushed by the sounds of loud thumps—thumps made by a being of metal. The monks, shown to be clad in brown cloaks, all arranged themselves in an orderly fashion. The leader amongst them, clad in grey, brought himself to the forefront.

The large, immensely decorated sliding doors opened, before revealing a tall, bulky green and orange body of metal. The creature, whoever it was, had a calm demeanor, one that made him seem mostly harmless. This feeling, however, is instantly taken away by the sight of the huge, cleaver-like serrated blade mounted on his back. Despite its size, however, the creature seamed to move effortlessly, as if it wasn't even there.

The beast of a person stopped in front of the monks, and the one clad in grey spoke.

"My loyal students; a time has come for those amongst you to chosen," he began. "Several of you have shown exceptional skills compared to your comrades, and I wish for you to showcase your skills for our newcomer."

The monks glanced up at the steel being.

The leader continued. "This, my students, is Bludgeon. He is a ronin visiting our dojo for the time being. He is skilled in several martial arts, and is fluent with his blade. Since he wishes to have a purpose during his stay, I have assigned him the task of critiquing you skills in swordsmanship."

The monks bowed to the strange newcomer.

The leader turned to Bludgeon. "Do you wish to say anything to my students?"

"Yes," he stated, in a rather dull, uninterested voice. "I would like you battle to be interesting. Do not cower in fear over a large creature, but instead show me your true skills. I am an observant, not the dictator. Also, you will only use wooden swords."

The leader turned to him again. "In my class, the students train with true swords."

"Yes, but if they were to use real weapons, their fear would best them in combat before the battle had even started. Using wooden swords would allow me to see their true skill without the fear of death being involved."

The elderly monk was astonished by this. He had never considered a fact like this.

"While I consider you suggesting plausible, I am afraid I do not posses such weapons," he admitted.

Bludgeon didn't stir. "I actually had the intuition that such would be so. As such, I have prepared early."

He brought out a large rucksack, filled with smooth, polished wooden poles. He let the bag fall in front of the students, kicking up a little dust in the process. He then signaled for the students to take a rod.

"Now, two amongst you will duel for me. Do not hesitate to show your true skill. You have no friends in this battle, only enemies."

Two of the students stepped forward, and took a fighting stance against each other. After few second of hesitation, the tow charged at each other, engaging combat.

oO—0—Oo

Reiko came of her shop, fastening a lock. She was beyond late, but it was clear that she didn't care. She came out to see a large chariot, with two ebony horses hitched to it. Sitting on the chariot was a rather slim man, wearing a black kimono, wooden sandals, and a rice hat. The man had his arms crossed, and was reclining in his seat, giving Reiko the impression that he was asleep.

This, however, was hardly the case. Without stirring, the man spoke.

"What in all of Edo took you so long?"

She jumped. The voice sounded awfully familiar.

"D-Deadlock?"

The man looked up. "I have been waiting for almost two hours now. What exactly were you doing that caused you to take so long?"

Reiko was frozen, staring in astonishment.

"What? Did my form come out wrong?" A mental bell went off in his head, and he suddenly realized the problem. "Oh, my apologies. I assume I should explain."

"How did you become a man?"

He sighed. "Do you recall that I have an ability to cloak myself in the form of inanimate objects? In my recent wait for you to close you shop I discovered that I could take on the flesh form in addition to my inanimate."

"How? Sorcery?"

"Actually, as much as I wanted to believe that projection, it would seem that this is my natural ability. I didn't feel like I was casting an enchantment," he explained. "Now, do you still wish to come with me, or am I going to be taking these supplies free of charge?"

"O-Okay," she said, snapping out of her trance. "You actually want me to sit next to you?"

"Well, technically, you are sitting on me. But if you wish to call it that…," He said sarcastically. "Now, we should get going."

Reiko wanted to say something, but she didn't bother. It was clear Deadlock didn't understand what exactly shocked her, so continuing this would had been beating a dead horse.

She still shuddered when she sat next to his presence, though.

Deadlock's flesh form started off. The horses, though mere avatars, were fluid and life-like. At first glance, it was hard to believe that this wasn't real. Until, of course, you saw the image suddenly "flicker" or came close and heard a strand sound emanating from within the mass as it moved. Even the apparent man's voice sounded somewhat "artificial". Combine that with the fact that the horses moved with the carriage, rather than pulling it, and all it would take is a truly sharp eye to make out this deception.

Even still, Reiko noticed a strange "warmth" coming from Deadlock's avatar. At first she thought it was simply a man's natural warmth, but she quickly noticed that it was some sort of unnatural, forced radiation.

After an hour of silence and random artificial horse sounds made to fool the occasional passerby, Reiko decided to break the silence.

"Deadlock?"

He didn't move. A simple, un-interested "Yes" was all that came from him.

"What exactly did you mean when you said you didn't feel like you were using sorcery?"

It was silent for a moment.

"It's a rather complicated subject," He began. "Are you certain you want to know?"

Her response was an uneasy one. "I think it would make me more comfortable sitting next to you."

"Perhaps the exact opposite, but I will inform you if you wish.

"Well? Shoot."

"Well, where do I begin? Ah, yes.

"When I was studying in Nanmoku, I came across an elderly man, who was a beggar. I had given him some of my saving, as a form of charity. However, he wasn't grateful for what I gave him. He felt that, oddly, it was my fault that he was in poverty, and that I owed him all of my funds.

"I have never met this man before, so obviously I denied this. But he did not stop. He was yelling at me, blaming me for his own poverty. I suggested that perhaps he was mad, or that there was some strange mistake. But then it happened.

"He yelled some strange incantation at me. He yelled it loud; loud enough that everyone within five jō heard it. There was turmoil. Everyone ran from the area."

"So a curse was put on you." She deducted.

"Yes. Now, naturally, I was fearful. I had never been bewitched before, and from the stories I had heard, many terrible things happen when one is. So I broke down and promised him that if he took the curse away, I would give him all of my funds. He agreed, but he said that he would only do it if I gave him the savings first."

She gasped. "So he took the money from you? And you fell for it?"

He looked on. "Like I said, it was in my own ignorance that such a thing happened."

"Did he take away the curse?"

"No."

There was a little silence between them for a while, the only sounds being the soft breeze and the forced sounds of horseshoes.

Finally, Reiko spoke again. "Deadlock, that was why you didn't have any money today, wasn't it?"

No answer.

"Why didn't you tell me? I'm sure we could have worked it out…"

"Because despite one's hardship, another person should not be made to suffer in its storm. I was robbed, yes, but if I had taken advantage of that to take my supplies for free, where would that leave you? I can't inconvenience others with my own problems."

Reiko contemplated those words, and then looked ahead.

"You know, the man may have never cursed you in the first place."

"Perhaps. But truth be told, I have not felt the same sense." He said, considering those words. "I live in a world of possible enemies, some of which I thought were my comrades, my acquaintances. But they feel like enemies to me, and some feel the same."

Reiko, not particularly satisfied with his answer, decided to move on. "Okay then, here's my next question. Just where in the hell are we going?"

Deadlock let out his usual sigh. "Do you recall when I asked you if you had seen another one of my kind come by?"

"Yes, he's your brother, right?" She said, guessing. "What, are we headed there?"

"He is only a mere acquaintance, but yes, we are going to that very village. I have a few things to settle there."

"What kind of things?" She asked, recalling him talking to himself earlier. "You're not going to fight, are you?"

Deadlock quickly caught on to the source of that question. "Oh, so you were able to remember me muttering random expressions to myself, which was private; but you were not able to remember that I was in a hurry? Now who's being "smooth?"

"Well, answer the damn question!"

As it was obvious Deadlock was not going to answer, Reiko resorted to other means. She gave him a stare that, as her family members would say, is like that of a wicked demon.

It didn't work, naturally.

Deadlock was in his famous "brain-dead" mode. This was, essentially, when he ignored everything that came out of someone's mouth simply because he can. It's ready, no doubt about it, but Deadlock always felt like he was doing a justice to the person by doing it. He didn't want to waste time arguing, and considering he was very observational, he would most likely insult the person by pointing out their flaws.

Oddly, however, he found it cute how she was staring at him like this. Her face was actually turning red, and the fact that she was expression was almost enough to make him laugh, or at least smirk.

But he didn't. His avatar held the position, and didn't flinch once. Maybe she'd quit, he thought, after realizing just how hopeless her argument here was.

oO—0—Oo

The constant and rhythmic pattern of wood hitting wood was heard from miles away. Bludgeon, while enjoying the "show", made sure to analyze their every move, so as to find any mistakes in their form.

He didn't, which wasn't surprising. He had heard stories about this clan; they're students were quiet, put the populace was not. It was apparent that their skills were well-known on the countryside. They must have had plans to be vigilantes, or to pursue the obligation of teaching others as well.

However, he was lying to himself on the enjoyment part. Their skills were impressive, yes, but that's exactly the thing. It's so well done, it was oddly…predictable.

Student slashed downward with his blade. Other student counters by jumping and slashing mid air. Same said student proceeds to…

If metal-people could yawn, Bludgeon would surely be doing so. It was an honor to be here, yes; it was also a gift to him for passing by. What was he supposed to do? He was bored and weary, two things of which he never liked combined.

One student fell to the ground, and, without thinking, got back up and continued battle.

That was it. He needed to end this. Now.

He stood up. "Students. That would be enough for the night."

The monk in grey looked at him, his face till showing signs of enthusiasm, along with notes of pride. "But we have barely gotten through half the students yet! Please, I insist that you stay."

"Please, I'm afraid I cannot endure much longer. My travel has been a long one," He lied. He had traveled for two days straight.

He only begins to get tired after three.

The monk, now slightly disappointed, signaled for the students to stop. "That will be enough. Now, please make our visitor comfortable. I would like him to remember his stay."

The student, like obedient slaves, started pampering him. As there was already a shed that was just large enough for him, they decide to clean it up and add a few additions. They threw in a substantial amount of pillows, and lit incenses that smelt strongly of sandal wood.

Now he was getting annoyed. These people were nice, but they were also too nice. They, in a way, made him miss his old master, but he quickly threw away that thought.

He did, however, stop them from polishing his spiked, steel-like feet. "Please, that isn't necessary," he said, snatching his foot away. "I'm fully capable of taking care of myself."

The monks, being silent, didn't respond verbally, but rather stepped back and continued pampering his loft.

"That included the room," he grunted.

The moved away from bludgeon's makeshift "bed", and then all lined up next to the doorway, all dutifully awaiting the next command.

Now he as truly annoyed. "Enough! Leave me!"

The sudden, shrill yell coming from his metal frame was all it took to send the monks on their way. Bludgeon stood there as they all ran off, finally satisfied. He then turned to his "bed" and sighed to himself as he saw the senseless (and rather useless) effort they put into it. He didn't even need a bed to recline on, let alone all these incenses. It confused him as to how fleshlings could live with all this smoke around them; though it didn't physically bother him, he could only imagine what it did to their inner bodies when they inhaled it.

The thought of the shelter his master once allowed him to loft in came to mind, but once again he threw that thought in the back. He would not allow himself to think of his now-dead master. He felt it would make his plight worse.

He slowly laid on the bed made for him. Of course, his large, agile, steel-like frame pressed the cushioning down as if it was a cloud. Despite this, it was…comfortable.

After some contemplation he allowed himself to slink off into rough slumber, or what his species was known for doing. He could have sworn he saw his brother in that dream, alongside Deadlock. But something wasn't right…

oO—0—Oo

Reiko had fallen asleep. It was in the middle of the night now, and there was a soft rain falling, which gave her chills.

Wait, how long had it been? She had avoided falling asleep, and here she was doing the exact opposite. She jumped up, wondering what might had happened.

She quickly discovered that she was no longer on the chariot; she was lying on the ground. Her head had been reclining on Deadlock's bag of supplies, and there was a fire just a few kanejaku from her position. After her eyes had cleared completely, she noticed Deadlock's true form reclining sitting on a log in front of the flame.

As deadlock didn't seem to notice her, she felt pressured to ask. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Two hours, approximately. It's currently three and a quarter hours till sunrise."

"Two whole hours? Why didn't you wake me up?" She looked around for a second. "Where are we, anyways?"

"Just outside the village you told me about," he said dully, briefly looking to his left. "As I currently do not have the money to pay for a loft, I had to camp you out here."

She sat up completely, moving a few strands of hair from her face. "You know," she nagged. "You could've just had me pay for a loft."

He looked towards her. "You're my guest; I'd be burdening you if I did that."

Reiko grunted as she stood up and dusted herself off. "You're burdening me right now by letting me sleep here," she said to herself. She hated the rain. Even when it was a soft sprinkle, she almost always caught a cold whenever she stayed out in it. And yet here she was, out here, in the middle of a rainy night with a giant metal man-thing who is practically devoid of all emotion.

The worst part? She was wearing one of her nicest yukatas. It wasn't soaked, but the wetness that was there was becoming annoying. Cotton surely doesn't take well to water…

There was another question: how did she even get here? If that strange being was Deadlock's voice, and the carriage his body, how did she get on the ground? She could only imagine that the avatar couldn't move from its host—which would explain why it scarcely moved—but that just led to more questions. She felt the urge to ask, but chose to let it go, remembering what happened earlier.

Finally, after more silence and hesitated questions, Deadlock spoke up.

"You know, you don't have to wait for me to get us started again," he said wearily. "You can sleep until dawn, if you wish."

"I don't think I can sleep anymore, considering how I got here," she retorted.

"Very well. I guess we should get going then, should we?

"I'm sure it beat sitting here," she replied, arms crossed. "Can your carriage form a canopy?"

"I'm not sure if I could execute such a—"

His head quickly turned to the left. He clearly heard something nearby, or at least that was what Reiko thought. Deadlock pulled out one of his blades, making a loud sound as it sliced through the air.

Someone was near, and whoever it was, it must be big.

oO—0—Oo

Sleep. A time when people could truly enjoy themselves, or have the worst time of their life. Sadly, Bludgeon wasn't one of those people. As he laid there, he simply stared at the ceiling. He was incapable of sleep, unlike the fleshlings. Why?

Why were he and his comrades so different from the civilians? They had flesh and blood, yet he had metal-like skin and a strange blue substance called ether. He remembered when he and his comrades first landed here—stripped clean of all of their abilities and weapons, and only half of a memory left to get them by. He had faint memories of who his original master was, but he got a throbbing headache every time he tried. All he got close to seeing was a tall, black and red figure. Same said red and black reminded him of his human master…

He removed that thought again. After the previous events, he hated thinking about his human master. Even though justice had already arrived, he just felt ashamed to have any sentimental feeling for him, especially after his ether-kin died.

He couldn't lie around anymore. He joints were starting to lock, and he could use a walk anyway. "Perhaps the rain could give me ease," he thought.

He got up from his makeshift bed, looking back to notice the permanently flattened pillows, crushed by his weighed. The fleshlings were foolish in the generosity at times.

He slowly, and quietly—as quietly as a giant being could be—stepped to the shed's door. He slid it open, and then slowly stepped out. He walked on without a second thought.

But as he did so, he noticed a glowing in the distance, one that looked like…fire. And, more interestingly, there was something there that could be seen near it, even from this distance.

Intrigued, he set out to follow it.

oO—0—Oo

"Deadlock, what do you hear?" Reiko finally said, standing up uneasily.

Deadlock quickly shushed her, before turning back in the direction of the sound.

Now Reiko was fearful. She had never seen much violence before, so this was new. Were they going to be attacked by marauders?

"Deadlock, say something!"

A swift and cold "Shut up" was all that was heard. This state was unnatural for Deadlock. He was typically known for being a dry, boring person, and now he was suddenly a hardened soldier.

He turned her and knelt down. He whispered as quietly as he could. "Reiko, I have reason to believe we're being watched. I sense someone approaching. I want you to stay here while I check it out and possibly deter it."

That, of course, did nothing to settle her fear. "So you're just going to leave me here?!"

He shushed her again.

"I have to. Would you rather have it—whatever it is—come near you? I must go now. Do as you're told."

Before Reiko could even respond, Deadlock was already stealthily sprinting into the woods ahead.

Now "being alone" was on the list of thing that went wrong that day. Not only was she in the rain, but she was alone in the rain. With nothing more than sack of gunpowder and a chunk of ceramic.

The gunpowder.

She stared at the gunpowder, which gave her an idea. If she was truly in danger, she wanted to be prepared. She had learned how to make makeshift "cannons" when she was younger, her family citing that it would be "necessary" in the future. Now was the perfect time to see if something so folly would be useful.

oO—0—Oo

Deadlock was now moving slowly, showing caution with every step. Whoever this foolish person was, he thought, he was awfully calm about his sneak attack. The person's steps were steady, like he or she was in no hurry to strike. This just increased his worry.

He stopped. This being was now within mere inches of him.

"Enough of this, coward. Show yourself!"

The sound of a twig snapping was heard. Deadlock's grip on his blade increased. In the back of his mind, he was hoping it wasn't a human. It would take far too long to clean his blade after such a scuffle.

From behind a tree, an orange and green metal being emerged, similar in size to him.

"Deadlock? Well, this must be some kind of coincidence." He said kindly.

Deadlock was immediately enraged by his presence. Here he was, the very being he was hunting for all this time, sneaking up on him like a snake. And then, he had the audacity to act as if he didn't notice!

"Shut up, criminal," he yelled, not realizing what he was saying. "Don't pretend as if I don't know."

"Know about what, brother?" He actually looked legitimately confused.

"We are not brothers. You…you know exactly what I'm talking about," he said while drawing his other katana. "You were the one who killed our master."

After a few second of silence and anger suppression, Bludgeon let out a long, almost naïve sounding laugh, which shocked Deadlock. He was just about ready to pounce him and strangle him lifeless.

"Oh, dear brother," he said, catching his breath. "If you only know half of why I had to kill him."

He kept chuckling lightly, and rather nervously—as if slightly ashamed—in Deadlocks ignorance. Deadlock couldn't take it anymore. He wanted answers before he killed, and if he was only going to get half the deal, then so be it.

However, that would be the dishonorable thing to do.

Knowing that Master Shinichi would want better of him, he lowered his weapons, and tried his best to suppress his anger.

"Okay, Bludgeon," He started, trying to stay calm. "Why did you do it? What justification did you have for killing our master?"

Bludgeon got a serious look to his face. "You shouldn't follow your leaders so blindly, Deadlock. When your master gave you a command, did you ever bother to analyze his thinking, or perhaps even your own?"

"Do you have a point, murderer?"

My point is that you followed Shinichi so blindly, without any second thought. It was as if you were a dog. My brother was the same way. Speaking of which, don't you remember what because of him?"

He had completely forgotten what had happened to his other brother. Banzai, Bludgeon's twin, had been dead for years.

"Of what relation does Banzai have to Shinichi's murder?"

"Nothing, except that his death is the very same reason Shinichi died." Bludgeon replied, shaking his head.

"Shinichi had nothing to do with him!" he yelled, raising his weapons. "All you speak is lies!"

"You dare defend a murderer?"

"He is not a murderer!"

Deadlock had sprinted up to bludgeon, and swung his arm, almost like a reflex. Bludgeon was knocked back by the blow, and was left staggering as he slammed his back into a tree.

He brought his hand to his mouth, and discovered wetness near his metal lip. "Alright," he said, wiping the ether from his face. "This is how it's going to be, huh?"

Deadlock took a battle stance, with one blade held upside down. "Perhaps it is."

Bludgeon pulled his blade. It was a massive creation, the sharpness likened to a diamond, freshly cut.

"You like it?" he chuckle sinisterly. "I had it custom forged. I didn't want to have to test it's power on you, but seeing as we see things differently—"

Suddenly, the to-be scuffle was interrupted by the sound of gunpowder igniting. Within seconds, a petite fireball composed of dirt and wood crashed into Bludgeon with astonishing speed and strength. The power was strong enough to bend his blade out of shape and send him through a tree. He groaned in pain after his body hit the ground, and was silenced when his blade's hilt hit his face.

Deadlock, in his confusion, looked to the woods. "Reiko?! I told you specifically to stay behind! And what in all of Yomi did you do?"

"I did stay behind!" she yelled from a distance. "But I thought I could help if I stopped the fight!"

Ruthless. And now he was in even more debt.

Meanwhile, very strange mumbling was coming from Bludgeon's damaged body. It incited curiosity in Deadlock.

He drew his sword and pointed it at him. "What manner of speech are you rambling on about."

He grunted in his pain. "Seeking help from the fleshlings. Such a coward move, Deadlock."

"As if I care for how you feel in this situation," he replied coldly. "And what makes you think I wanted her to attack?"

"I personally don't know," he said, in his pain. "What makes you think I wanted to kill our so-called 'master'?"

Deadlock got closer to him, and knelt down next to his body, his blade still close to his face. "You filthy scumbag; what are you saying?"

"I'm saying," he began, "That I didn't want to kill Shinichi. But I had too. Just as you feel you must kill me in his honor."

"What do you know about my mind? Don't speak for me."

"I know quite a large amount; for one, you're terribly misled." He grunted, unable to remove some of the wood from his frame.

"Don't test my patience, scum." He said, bringing the blade closer. "What's stopping me from killing you right now?"

Bludgeon didn't flinch from the blade. "To begin, you still want answers, do you not?"

"Answers about what?" Said Reiko, having finally caught up.

"I said stay back Reiko!" He yelled, nearly dropping his blade on his former comrade.

"I'm not a damn child, Deadlock!" she shrieked at him. I can take my own risk, and I'm not just going to sit back and let you go out and die."

Bludgeon chuckled.

Deadlock poked him with his blade. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just that you've acting just as our master did. Restricting. Relentless. I'd even say cold."

Deadlock was only a second away from hacking his body to sushi.

"You dare accuse me of those things?"

"Yeah! Deadlock is a great person!"

"Shut up, Reiko!"

Bludgeon's body started to move. "Yes, I do dare. Because it's true. You're acting just like him in every way. And it's because of this that I fear your fleshling friend will likely die soon."

Reiko shuddered at those words

"You keep you disgraceful appendages away from Reiko!"

"Oh, I wasn't talking about me. Given the situation, I'll likely never see that day even if I want too," He finally managed to get up from his fall, making the trunk of a tree fall off of him. He picked up his blade. "I was referring to you."

"Why are you being so cryptic? What are you saying?"

"Allow me to explain. First, I would like to refresh your faulty memory with a fact: it was you who killed my brother."

Both Reiko and Deadlocked were taken aback. This was something that made no sense to either of them.

"I always have a hard time believing liars, Bludgeon," he finally declared. "Explain yourself, or I'll end this now."

"It's quite simple, your master told you to do it. And you followed. That's the simplest way I can paraphrase it."

"That's makes absolutely no sense. I have no memory of such event!"

Reiko went to Deadlock's side. "He's playing mind games with you, Deadlock. I say we end him now!"

Bludgeon raised his finger, wagging it while shaking his head. "Now, let me finish. You have no memory of the event because your mind destroys them over time. Before I confronted Shinichi, I had blamed you for his death. This was so after I learned the truth about his death. But on the day I confronted him…I went back to our bird, the very metal bird we came here in. In it I found that your mind has a flaw in it from the crash. Your mind automatically forgets the last things in your mind; those things from at least two years ago. I couldn't blame you for doing it, because you were a sheep; and I could blame you for forgetting either."

Deadlock looked at the ground, trying to decide whether or not he should believe those words. This man, he thought, was either insane, or had a very analytic mind.

"You must understand," He continued, "That I did it to protect your dignity and mine. He may not have told you, but he had you kill Banzai in a training mission because he had overheard his private affairs. I had found that there was hit issued on Shinichi, and I had set out to find out why."

"Why?" he asked, practically begging for answers. "What could he had done that necessitated killing?"

"Well, for starters, ordering you and deceiving you. But he was also spying for another clan, framing others in exchange for wealth. He was training assassins, Deadlock. Not warriors."

There was silence as deadlock tried to grasp those words. Bludgeon was simply ruined. He didn't want to have to think about these things again. But it was necessary.

Still, there was one person who still didn't understand.

"This guys sounds like a quack! Just kill him already!"

"No, Reiko," He said, his mind tangled over Bludgeon's words. "Come on, this argument is getting us nowhere."

"But—"

"Now, Reiko."

Reiko looked at him, at Bludgeon, and then scoffed. "…Fine."

Deadlock converted back into his vehicle mode, and bright light went over him before he was the chariot again. The avatar appeared, emulating the sadness and confusion more clearly than his normal form did. It signaled for Reiko to get on, which she reluctantly did.

"I'm sorry this happened…old friend." These were Bludgeon's only words before they set off.

oO—0—Oo

Her first fight, and she didn't even get to see anything. It was a complete disaster at most. Yes, she had overcome her fear of violence, but as soon as she embraced it, it was snatched from her. As she sipped her tea from her home, she wondered, "Just what the hell is on these creature's minds?"

It confused her. It was like they had multiple personalities or something. One second, they're calm, the next, they're at each other's throats. And even after that, the stop and give each other a lecture on self control. Maybe she should stop tagging along with Deadlock, she thought to herself.

A slam was heard at her door. She jumped, nearly spilling her steaming-hot tea on herself.

She came close to the door, and pull out a dagger. "Um…who is it?"

"My debt to you has now been paid; I wish that have a good afternoon." Those words were all she heard from the person. It sounded like he was walking away, so she took her chances with the door.

In front of her eyes was a sack filled with…money. It was even more than Deadlock had owed.

"That righteous, selfless bastard," She said to herself, looking at the amount of money in front of her face. She also noticed an extra; there was a scroll in it!

She opened it and read the contents out loud.

Reiko, I would like to apologize for dragging you into a conflict that had nothing to do with you. I just felt that it was the only way I could pay you back for your generosity.

Regarding the discussion about the curse that was put on me; it has come to my attention that we were, in fact, both wrong. The man did in fact put a curse on me.

It was the curse of insecurity and paranoia. A curse that caused me to not have faith in those around me.

As of now, I will be heading to the mounting to find the vessel that brought me here. I may be gone for several weeks, months, or I may never return at all. However, it is paramount that I tell you this: I apologize for being the way I am. I never meant to ever offend you, nor had I ever intended to burden you. But you must understand that it was due to circumstance that I did these things.

And with these words, I depart. I hope that we one day, if I do not return, meet in the afterlife.

May blessing and wisdom be upon you,

Deadlock

Reiko looked up and saw his metal body walking down the hill. Will she ever see this strange man again? She didn't know, but at least she had finally known what went on in that blockhead's mind.

Well, what do you think? As you would guess, the cliffhanger was intentional, as I may continue.

Feedback, as always, is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!