Hasbro owns Transformers and the name Xanthium, Lego owns Bionicle and the names Jala and Ketongu, and Galem owns Tali, Ava, Amber, Iris, Diego, Alyan, Adhira, Valera, and Kasar.

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Chapter 37: Training session

Iris lead the way through the dense forest near a park. well, more like her feet were taking her there, her mind had taken a detour trip to memory lane as she remembered the first time Tali had brought her here. It had been some time after they had become friends. Tali had made a habit out of disappearing for a long amount of time and it drove Iris insane with worry til she finally demanded where she kept running off to. Apologizing, Tali brought her to the park and lead her down the hidden path past the swings to a beautiful, circular clearing that looked like it came out of a fairy tale book, especially with the small spring and resulting stream. Iris had been amazed at the complete peace of the place.

"I come here often to read the Bible and talk to God." Tali had said. "other times, I simply come to train in private so I can be myself without fearing of being judged. Either way, you can come here too whenever you want to just get away from it all."

Tali had been correct. it was the perfect place to come and be at peace. Iris smiled as she stepped into the clearing again. She sighed happily. 'Here's hoping the match doesn't ruin this place too much. it can take a beating but I don't want to risk destroying it. Tali wouldn't be happy.'

As Iris came to a halt, she turned to smirk at Z, her victory already assured in her mind. "You ready, Z? I don't go down easily."

"Neither do I". Z responded with a cartoonish grin.

"Oh, this is going to be fun." Iris chuckled eagerly as she got into a ready position. "Bring it on."

Z didn't even bother getting into a pose as he taunted: "Ladies first".

Iris smirked a bit but it melted away, turning serious as she charged Z. Once she got close enough, she dropped to the ground and swiped her leg out in an attempt to take his legs out from under him. Z had predicted this move and used a flat side of his tail-sword to block the kick. Knowing he would do that, Iris immediately launched herself off his tail blade and performed a backwards somersault before landing safely in a crouch. Eyeing him carefully for a minute for any access points, she charged him again, drawing her dagger in preparation for another tail attack.

As Z's tail-blade clashed with Iris's dagger, he pushed hard against it, enough to distract her as he made a grab for one of her shins to yank her off of her feet. This childish move failed as Iris quickly dodged his grasp and jumped to deliver a round house kick to his head, watching his eyes to determine his next move. Z dodged Iris's kick before moving both optics in different directions to confuse her as he grabbed her leg and tossed her back a distance.

Iris landed on her hands and performed a somersault, twisting herself in the air to land on her feet. "Not bad" She chuckled, smirking at him. This match was becoming more interesting by the minute.

Z rolled his optics. "Please, that's just me going easy". He smirked then before then challenging: "How about we play a game while we continue this? I share a secret, then you then me and so forth"? Before then stancing like a broken machine, and even farting a cloud of black smoke for dramatic effect.

Iris tensed at his offer. As innocent as it sounded, it could go wrong in so many ways as there are many secrets that Iris would rather die before talking about them. But it still would've been rude to refuse as she was really enjoying the exercise, and she could always beat him up to last century if he dared ask a personal question. With that self reassurance in mind, Iris nodded her acceptance and resumed her ready stance, this time more guarded and hostile in warning to watch his words carefully.

Z chuckled a little at her warning stance, making it clear to Iris that he wasn't phased in the slightest. "I wasn't diagnosed with being a sociopath until the Decepticon experiments were completed". Z admitted, dashing towards her. "Your turn".

Giving a soft growl as she had no ready comebacks, she quickly thought of one as she dodged his attack and threw her own punch at him. "I used to play pranks on my siblings as a youngling. Your turn." Already, she was hating this game but she had to stay on top of everything.

Z ducked away from the punch and swung a flat end of his sword tail as he said: "Amber told me you gave me a "look" in the battle of Maya. Your turn, care to elaborate on that"? He added with a smirk.

Blocking his tail with her dagger, Iris let out an aggravated growl. "Amber. I should've known." That girl could sometimes be the most open out of the team. Can she keep an important secret? She would take it to her grave if need be. But that didn't mean she would let the cat out of the bag if she felt it would help her friends. Grinding her teeth together for a bit in frustration as she had thought this subject had been forgotten, Iris huffed. "Ugh, fine! Yes, I gave you a "look" during that battle. I was concerned about you, okay?! At the speed you were flying through those trees, I thought you...might have gotten hurt." Glancing down to the side, she swung her sword slowly in front of her, waiting for his response.

Z didn't react however. For what seemed to be an hour, Z was silent. Which wasn't saying much considering how often Z actually talked. It almost worried Iris for a moment. Just as she was about to ask if he was okay, the ex-Decepticon laughed hysterically.

Disturbed by the sight, Iris looked away, confused and upset. 'What the blazes is this mechs problem?' she thought angrily. 'I give him an honest question and he laughs in my face at it! Talk about rude! I mean, seriously, what answer was he expecting from that?! And will this guy shut up already?! He's weirding me out to the point I want to punch him back to 5 B.C.! It wasn't even funny!'

"Oh, so she WAS right". Z finally said after what had felt like hours of annoyance.

"Right about what?" She ground out, her voice tight still with aggravation.

"About something you clearly don't want to admit, something that even I think is impossible". Z answered. "You like me. I knew that. But when I figured out you LIKED me liked me, oh how surprising that was".

Iris stopped swinging her sword. "You're right. It is impossible. I should just get rid of such feelings. After all, no one can love me, not after everything I've done." She rubbed her neck gently as it was starting to ache from keeping her head turned to the side for so long.

Z frowned almost as if amused. "Don't flatter yourself Iris, of course someone could love you. I've researched all of you". A smirk spread across Z's faceplates as he then teased: "Plus I've seen you and Alyan stare each other over". Z quickly decided to cease that particular teasing as he noticed her frown murderously as he then told her: "Even after what you did to Tali, you could still be loved. Me however, I've done far worse than each of you. So if you want to love someone, please, for your own safety, don't love me". Z looked away in shame as he then included: "I'm not even sure God would love me. How could He after all I've done? At least you INJURED a friend. I killed eight in cold blood".

That made Iris finally look at him. "Of course, the Lord loves you. He loved you enough to die for you on the cross. He even said, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do". He never held anything against the people who killed Him and I know He holds nothing against you."

Suddenly the two heard a voice speak from the bushes: "He DOES love you Z. He loves everyone, regardless of how badly they sin".

Z and Iris quickly turned their heads towards the source of the voice, and spotted a Ta-Toa with a blue and red color scheme, white hands, and a Rannu helmet.

Iris's optics widened in shock as she recognized him. "Shalom."

Z blinked for a moment when he heard Iris say this Toa's name, then turned to him with an expression of shock. "So it's you? I've heard the stories, but-" As Z was at a loss of what to say, he was unable to finish his statement, still taking him in.

Shalom gazed kindly at the Cybertronian. "Z trust me, I've been where you're at now. I murdered thousands of innocent Matoran and Toa because I thought I was doing what was right. But then I found God and in doing so I discovered the error in my ways. And when the news got out at that academy, neither Billy or Sarah could stand the sight of me. I wanted to die every time I saw that, but then an angel came to me and told me that Jesus hand-chose me to proclaim his love to people like you". Shalom smiled widely as he told Z this, still immensely happy about it. "And something else that angel told me, was the fact that I admitted my sins to God before the attack, and said I was sorry, was something that made him proud. For the Bible says there will be more praise in heaven for the people who have repented their sins, than for those who are perfect".

Z widened his optics in that moment, surprised that God, the creator of the universe, would say something like that. 'How could someone that powerful and amazingly good, love someone as twisted as me'? Z thought. a single tear fell from Z's optic, as the comprehension of the fact that God actually loved him washed over him like an ocean. The fact of his immense love was so beautiful and perfect, and despite all Z had done, God still loved him the same.

Noticing the tear among his spectacular realization, Shalom approached Z calmly. "You ARE sorry for what you did, but it's not enough, is it? Maybe that's because The Lord is still waiting for you to repent. Because for all, he is always there. Or maybe you want something else too? What is it"? As Shalom asked this question, he placed a calming hand on Z's shoulder.

Iris smiled as she quietly watched the two with tears in her optics. Things like this always got to her because it made her so happy to hear and see another sibling enter the family of God.

Z looked away quickly, in an attempt to conceal his tears as he responded: "I want to stop feeling pain for everything".

Though Z's humorous personality wasn't entirely an act, that didn't change the fact that he still felt much shame and sadness for murdering Ops's friends so many years ago. The mere mention of what he had done still gave him nightmares. Then there was the fact that he knew them. Just like Ops, he had grown up with them, and hence still had many memories of the times he had spent with them. Each of them being happy memories, aside from the one where he had murdered them. Because of the atrocity he had committed against friends whom he had loved like family, each memory granted him more sparkbreak. Even the idea that he would never get to see them again, or apologize to them for what he had done, was heartbreaking.

God made this pain, as well as the reason of it, evident to Shalom as he gazed upon Z's sorrowful faceplates. Shalom sent a prayer of thanks to the Holy Spirit for giving him this confirming revelation, as well as sending him to talk to Z before continuing: "Jesus can't promise that your problems will go away tonight, but if you go down this path with an open spark, you will accomplish much more in this battle than the previous two. Not just physically, but in here". Shalom pointed to his heartlight as he finished this sentence. "Will you repent, and ask for forgiveness of your sin"?

Z remained silent for a moment as he allowed the memories to flood back to him. As much as he missed them, and as ashamed of himself as he was for allow himself to be experimented on, it was time for him to let go of his self hatred and submit to love. Even if the other Autobots would never forgive or love him again, at least he would have Someone in Heaven who always would unconditionally. Z lowered his head immediately then, praying to The Lord in Heaven for forgiveness, as well as requesting that h tell his friends he was deeply sorry, before then smiling back to Shalom and responding: "Yes, I repent".

Shalom smiled brightly as he heard Z say this. "Then today, you have been reborn".

Covering her mouth, Iris wept silently for joy.

With another soft smile, Shalom then said: "But I do believe I have other people to visit. People I haven't seen in quite a while. Farewell and Lord-bless you both". He finished as he began to walk away, a peaceful smile on his mask.

Z couldn't help smiling himself as Shalom began to depart. Not because he was leaving, Z actually liked the guy. His smile was because of the fact that he knew now that God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, actually loved someone like him enough to send Jesus to die on the cross and to take the punishment for his mistakes. Z definitely didn't deserve it after everything he had done, but the fact that Jesus did it anyways in an act of love, especially for a wretch like him, was amazing and all the more proved his great love for everyone.

"Wait"! Z then yelled as a thought occurred to him. "How did you know I was in need"?

Shalom smiled kindly back at Z as he responded: "The Lord tells me where to go, and I go"., before then walking calmly into the forest, with complete faith in God's protection over him, as well as the protection he would have over his brothers and sisters in Christ as he prayed for God to guide and watch over them as they continue their lives in peace.

Iris smiled as she watched Shalom leave. She knew that everything he had told Z was true and she was glad he had been led to speak to him about it now. Not only had it been an opportunity for Z to come to Christ but it also served as a reminder to her about the law of love. Glancing down at her dagger, she no longer found it in her heart to resume training after this. It didn't feel right, so she slid it back into it's sheath.

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Biomarvel740: I actually thought of the song Oceans as I put in the part of the fact of God's love washing over Z. Also, the wretch part, was from the song In Christ Alone.

Galem: I always loved that song.

Biomarvel740: Awesome! :) Also, what Shalom said about Z being sorry is from The Encounter 2: Lost Paradise, and Shalom telling him that that his problems may not go away is from the first Encounter movie.

Galem: Awww, how cool! :)

Biomarvel740: (Smiles, looks to the readers) But what did you all think of the chapter?

Galem: please leave a review to let us know or pm either of us if you have any questions.

Biomarvel740: We thank you all for reading today or tonight depending on which time zone you're currently in-

Galem: and please...

Biomarvel740 and Galem: Have a God-blessed day! XD :D

P.S. I've started working a new job that has me working in the morning and returning to the apartment by 2:30 or 4, which will give me more time to work on these stories. Also, remember that it is not I alone who writes these stories. The Lord inspired these stories, so they're his and not mine. May the glory go to him and not to me. Amen.