Note: For those who don't know, a stellar cycle equals a year, not a month, as stupid me used to think.
Wandering child, so lost, so helpless
Yearning for my guidance...
--"Wandering Child", the Phantom of the Opera
The swords clash, and I easily divert the drone's attack. Nightshade is pleased. I can feel it radiating from her like a weak heat, and I am happy. She so very rarely shows appreciation for her students, but then, I always were the best swordfighter in Darkmount.
The other students in my class are watching, trying to see what I do right and they do wrong. Some of the younger students are there as well, having gotten off from class for one reason or the other.
I feel like a circus attraction, the way they stare.
Well. That was easy. The drone's head now lies on the other side of the fencing room. I sigh and stand at guard, ignoring the cheers from my audience, as another drone take its place. It is monotonous, but neccesary.
So I'll toy with this a little. Primus knows I need to occupy myself, and the drones are a great way to work out frustrations. After all, nary a day goes by when the thought of the stolen Golden Disk doesn't pop into my head. It's annoying, especially considering it's been three stellar cycles since our trip to Old Vilnacron.
Megatron, of course, could be to blame. There are times when he will not stop talking about the infernal thing. He has been quiet lately, though, but that could be contributed to that first-cycle kid that's taken to following us. The little brat seems to worship Megatron.
The child has probably heard every so called injustice the Maximals have commited against us by now, and by the way he gawks at Megatron, it seems he wants to hear more. Like most others, ever since Megatron learned how to talk to crowds. I'll never understand that...
The mechs around me break into applause as Slash casually disposes of the second drone. I merely grin flippantly at him, and he responds with a disgusted look. Ahh, the joys of friendship...
He squares off against another drone, which he will also defeat, natch. I sigh and look to the only other mech who did not applause. Dreadnought - I've no idea why he was named that; his alt-mode isn't even a nautical craft - sits next to me, chewing on one lip in concentration, hunched over his schoolwork.
A faint gasp runs through the crowd as Slash comes dangerously close to a sweep of the drone's sword.
Dreadnought looks up for a second, absently eyeing the situation on the floor, then turns back to his datapad. I vaguely envy him; it must be strange and oddly gratifying to focus your being on one, single thing, without considering whatever else may run through your head.
Behind me a pair of femmes giggle, whispering Slash's name amongst themselves. While not as rare as they were during the War, femmes are still scarce and the two are part of only thirteen female transformers in the Academy, most of them infatuated with my friend.
I nudged him once, as we were leaving a class, asking with a leer if he was ever going to give any of them a chance. In true Slash-style, he looked at me as if I were a dead cockroach. I taught him that glare, by the way, but he seems to use it more than I ever do.
Dreadnought sighs and chews on his thumb. A bad habit of his that he keeps promising to break, but never seems to hold to.
I slump a little, rather bored. Slash is a good fighter, but watching him for a good megacycle is not the most stimulating expirience one can have. But then, I have nothing else to do; other than complaining about Maximals, of course, and everyone's getting a bit bored with that by now.
Except for Dreadnought, though I attribute this to the fact that my young friend is quite religious, going to the Temple of Primus regularly, so I guess boredom is something he's used to by now. Heh...
He offered that I go with him once, but I declined. Call me blasphemous, but the idea of worshipping a dead deity - or whatever the Pit he may be - just doesn't hold that great an appeal to me.
Slash disarms the drone and skillfully slits one of its exposed main cables. Once again, applause sounds around us. I tiredly check my chronometer and sigh in relief as Nightshade declares the demonstration period over.