CHAPTER 4

"Here…we are coming soon."

In his alt-mode, Deadlock was following Shadow Raker. The arachnid's place was located outside Kaon. For this, they needed three hours of driving. As he'd chosen to follow him, becoming his student, training, Deadlock had asked Shadow Raker many questions during the short trip. What was Shadow Raker expecting from him? What would be these things he could learn? Even in his Insecticon-form, Deadlock guessed Shadow Raker's amused smile.

"Indeed. Are you dropping the mask to give room for curiosity?"

Yet Shadow Raker's replies remained vague. He was repeating the same thing over and over: Deadlock would know at the right time. Nevertheless, the orange bot had kept his laser-gun. Just in case…he felt reassured to have it.

"Are there other students?" he questioned him again.

"More or less"

If there were other people, he would meet them sooner or later anyway. Deadlock was a bit confused as soon as the forest encircled them. He expected Shadow Raker to live in another district, in another city…

He didn't expect him to live in such an isolated place. Shadow Raker asked him if he was surprised. Deadlock tried to deny though the arachnid'd already guessed.

"The first thing you need to know about your training…is that you need to let go of your physical body's limits. You need to let your spark speak with your surroundings. Unfortunately, you were living in a City, with bombings, conflict, pollution…It will only slow you down."

Deadlock remained silent. Shadow Raker decelerated.

"You'll get used to. That's a new life for you, after all."

Yes…A new life…A place he could call his home…

Deadlock hadn't realized that Shadow Raker'd just wrestled him away from the street. He wouldn't live in Kaon anymore, living under the threat of Decepticon authorities every day…

No. Here it was confined. Nobody would search this area.

Abandoning himself to his thoughts, Deadlock hadn't noticed that Shadow Raker'd stopped.

"Here we are"

Deadlock looked up. The sight left him speechless.

In front of them, hidden behind trees, a dark oddly-shaped, grey and black house. The building was multi-floor as well. Shadow Raker transformed. Deadlock mimicked him though he hesitated to follow.

"What's wrong? Are you intending to go back, right now?"

"No. Just…I haven't seen such a thing since…"

He'd been used to big buildings as well as other complexes in Kaon. Each and every house as well as other residences had been razed to house new Decepticon citizens who'd run away from other Cities to escape Autobots.

And yet such a house still existed.

His answer seemingly satisfied his mentor.

"As I said, I started from scratch. It looks impressive, isn't it? Just wait to check inside."

"And here is the Dojo"

A training room with a sight on a small garden. Deadlock looked up and let out a slight smile at the sight of blue flowers standing around. As soon as he went closer to touch one of them, he noticed tiny sparkles coming out from them. He moved back. He realized what it was.

He wasn't wrong. Above, he could notice holographic statues, displaying a grey bot with a strong physical corpulence. He counted. There were five of them around the garden. He turned back to Shadow Raker. A dark look appeared on his face.

That's a graveyard.

Planting blue flowers around fallen bots' graves was something that happened. That's part of ancient Cybetronian rituals though there were other specific rituals that existed.

"I'm sorry" Deadlock softly said.

Shadow Raker let out a sigh.

"Not as I am"

He looked away. Deadlock decided not to ask more questions. After all, they barely knew each other. The orange bot hadn't talked about his past either. Not yet. They could wait. Shadow Raker focused back on the Dojo. Swords were leaning against the wall, impeccably cleaned and polished swords. Deadlock wondered if he was a bit maniac though he didn't comment on it.

"Well. Your room is this one" Shadow Raker pointed a door inside. "It's not difficult. It's right in front of mine."

He opened the door. A small room, with a bed and a carpet to meditate.

"Here we are. You shall know something: I'm quite strict about schedules. Today I'll let you rest though we'll start together very early tomorrow."

"I see"

He turned back to him.

"…Thanks"

Shadow Raker didn't react. He simply shrugged.

"The supper is in 45 minutes. If you wish, there is an Onsen to clean up your body. I'll meet with you soon"

Deadlock wished he could ask him another thing yet Shadow Raker was already gone. He looked around.

Shadow Raker mentioned other people living here.

Yet he'd met nobody.

He took up his mentor's advice and went to the Onsen. As soon as he put his optics on this bath, with such a clear and limpid water, Deadlock swore he was just dreaming. It couldn't be reality. He would wake up soon, in the middle of a street for a new day, seeking for energon. Shadow Raker's character wouldn't exist.

He looked around. He was obviously alone though he kept his weapon at ready. After all, an ambush could happen. Deep down he'll always live with such an anxiety.

As soon as he put his pede into the water, his fear, his worry…all of this faded away. The water was warm. He didn't think about it. He laid down inside, letting out a sigh of pleasure.

Primus. Since when hadn't he had a bath? Warm water and all?

He stretched. That's such a nice feeling. He could stay in forever…or rather 10,000 years since he had other things in mind to do. But here, he was alone. He could just enjoy.

He stuck his head in the water. Then he went back to the surface.

His sight startled him.

In front of him, a Minicon. A dark orange Minicon, along with shades of black. The Minicon slightly moved back, a bit surprised and awkward. For one moment, Deadlock thought he was an intruder. Then he caught sight of the garden hose at servo.

He obviously went to treat the water.

"…Forgive me" The Minicon said.

His voice…The Minicon sounded young. Deadlock sat up. He looked around again. There was no one else.

"Are you…living here?" Deadlock questioned him, clearing his throat to mask his awkwardness.

The Minicon nodded. He turned around to leave. Deadlock stopped him.

"Wait. There is nothing wrong"

"…My Master didn't want us to disrupt you" The Minicon replied.

"It's okay"

He really believed that he'd committed a mistake. Yet Deadlock didn't get it. He silently invited him to stay.

"My name is Deadlock. What's yours?"

"…Slipstream?"

Slipstream? The Minicon looked down, really ashamed.

"…I didn't have the chance to meet Shadow Raker's other students" Deadlock declared.

"Well…"

Slipstream paused.

"I'm not his student. I'm only his Minicon"

"Really?"

Yet this armour…Deadlock hadn't had the chance to meet Minicons. On Cybertron, they were poorly viewed because they were Micronus' descendants. Size was important to Cybertronians. He'd heard that some of Minicons allied themselves with other 'normal' sized bots, for a better protection. These bots were named Deployers.

"So, Shadow Raker is your Deployer"

"…Yes"

"Are there other Minicons living here?"

Slipstream nervously kept looking around him.

"Can you look at me whenever I'm talking to you?" Deadlock insisted, more serious.

It startled him again.

"Forgive me, Sir. That's just-"

He shook his head. He just dropped the subject.

"We are two Minicons but…Shadow Raker will explain everything during the supper. Enjoy your bath"

"Wait!"

The Minicon didn't leave him such a time. He just ran away from the Onsen before he vanished. Deadlock let out a frown. Minicons' behaviour was a bit odd. After all, it was a different culture. Yet Slipstream looked friendly yet nervous. Maybe because Deadlock was taller?

He laid down in the water again. He will listen to him. He'll enjoy it.

"Jetstorm. Slipstream."

At the very second where Deadlock sat down at table, Shadow Raker joined him back and called his Minicons. Slipstream appeared first, followed by another Minicon who looked like him a bit. However, his armour was a bit different from Slipstream's. Then, his main colour was black with shades of red around. The reverse of his partner. Yet, they'd the same shape of face and same optics' colours.

Red.

Shadow Raker granted them a smile. He silently invited them to come closer.

"As I promised, here is Deadlock. Another member of Shadows. As of today, he'll live with us."

Slipstream's optics met Deadlock's. The Minicon bowed.

"Nice to meet you. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask us."

So, he pretended he'd never met him. Deadlock decided to play along with it and gave him a nod. The other Minicon bowed as well, though a bit awkwardly.

"Jetstorm and Slipstream will accompany us during your training" Shadow Raker warned him. "For the need of your future job"

"I see"

"If I'm not around, if you need anything, you can tell them."

Shadow Raker waved them off. Both Minicons bowed again then they left the kitchen. They went back with plates full of small cubes of energon. They put one in front of Deadlock and another in front of Shadow Raker. Shadow Raker started eating. Deadlock noticed that there were only two plates. Neither Shadow Raker nor Minicons paid attention to it.

"Bon appetite" Slipstream said.

Then they left again. A few minutes later, the door closed up. Deadlock turned back to Shadow Raker.

"So" The Insecticon asked him. "Did you enjoy your bath?"

"Aren't they eating with us?"

Shadow Raker shook his head.

"Why eating with tools?"

Deadlock let out a frown at this remark. Tools? Shadow Raker grabbed another cube to drink it. He handed it over to the orange bot.

"I see you don't know much about Cybertron's news. Did you really believe that miners are the most disadvantaged ones? Big mistake"

Yes. His caste was mistreated by privileged bots. However, he didn't expect Minicons to have a worse situation than his.

To the point they were downright treated like tools…

"I know" Shadow Raker said. "There are movements fighting for Minicons' rights. However, we must remain realistic. Smallest ones don't have much a chance to survive. I found them in the street. They were malnourished and sick. I took them in. From there, they live here. Yet they mustn't forget their place in the society, you know. Else…"

"…Still…"

Shadow Raker decided not to keep up. The subject was now about Deadlock's training tomorrow. Deadlock tried not to think about Minicons and listened to his mentor while enjoying his first real meal for a while.