CHAPTER6

"Well, well! I don't know what's going on, today!"

Deadlock let out a small smile. One week had spent since the day he'd received his new blades. One week had spent and he was training harder to fulfil the promise he'd made to himself. The one he'd made in order not to give up. The one he'd made to keep on. Deadlock charged, attacked, struck, blocked, rotated his sword…Shadow Raker set up fights at the end of the training. Deadlock was able to apply what his mentor'd just taught him earlier.

Usually, Deadlock lasted around two minutes. Today, he went beyond ten minutes though as soon as Deadlock aimed for Shadow Raker's knee, his mentor charged with a surprise-attack: a punch straight in the face. Deadlock was knocked down, flying off a few meters away before crashing on the floor, his sword falling by his side.

Shadow Raker slowly moved closer.

"Not bad at all, Deadlock" He declared, putting his blades back. "You took into account my warnings."

"You ordered me to train" Deadlock articulated, hardly catching his breath. "That's…what I did…"

Shadow Raker nodded. He allowed Deadlock to stand up.

"But…this attack…that punch…"

"Do you really believe your enemies would be merciful toward you, Deadlock? Don't forget to use your members in case you are disarmed. After all, it's a fight. Gloves are off."

Indeed, he'd a point. Still…During their training, Shadow Raker had never used his fists. Only his feet sometimes. Deadlock wondered if it was a good thing.

They sat down for the salute. That's the end. Shadow Raker turned around to face Deadlock.

"You'll be on your own tonight again. I'll be leaving for the same reason as before."

Shadow Raker had warned him not to ask questions. Deadlock didn't. The Insecticon prepared himself.

"If you wish to distract yourself, whatever you wish…there is a library at the basement."

His mentor had showed him up the library the first time he'd visited the mansion. However, Deadlock hadn't paid much attention to it. The reason was simple: he didn't know how to read. After all, he had been a miner. No one had ever taught him to read. Deadlock just remembered one of his colleagues who knew the young Orion Pax before this latter became Optimus Prime. As a friendship gift, the librarian gave him some books. His miner partner sometimes stayed up very late, devouring every book he had. Deadlock had never been that interested in. Of course, miners weren't intellectual people. They just needed to have some strength.

"…Okay. Thanks."

Yet Deadlock didn't reveal it to Shadow Raker. Of course, he could ask him to teach him…but his mentor had other matters to do.

Then Deadlock didn't know how he would react. His mentor would criticize him, would misjudge him for something he didn't know.

Shadow Raker gave him a slight nod then turned into his arachnid mode. He hurriedly left the Dojo. Once he was gone, Deadlock let out a sigh.

He was alone. Again.

In the end, Deadlock took his mentor's advice. He went down to the basement, heading for the library. Once he was inside, he was surrounded by many books by each side. The room was so vast…At first, Deadlock'd remained passive to this. Then he took a closer look…and he must admit. He was impressed. Shadow Raker had probably worked hard to build such a big library.

He walked closer, scanning shelves. Unfortunately, he was unable to read titles. He stopped then grabbed a random, red-covered book. He went to the first page before he closed it down right afterward. Cybertronian prints were way too small to his taste. He wouldn't learn by using such a book. He put it down at its right place. After all, Shadow Raker was quite strict about cleanliness. He wouldn't like mess.

He grabbed another book. This time, prints were bigger. That's way more readable than the previous one. He chose to leave the basement to sit down on a bench in the garden, the book on his knees. After all, his miner partner'd claimed that he'd learned to read alone…he could try to do the same.

After one moment, he covered his face with his servos. That's…way more difficult than he expected. Cybertronian symbols span around in his helm. He barely understood the first sentence. Yet, that's a short sentence. It should be easy…he let out a sigh. He already had a helmache.

He heard a noise. He looked up. Slipstream and Jetstorm, trying to start the mower up. Shadow Raker had ordered them up to garden. For one second, Deadlock wondered if they could help him to translate the first part. However, he decided not to do anything. Furthermore, Minicons were busied enough. As soon as they managed to make the mower work, Slipstream and Jetstorm caught sight of him. Slipstream granted him a smile. Jetstorm, a bit more distant, simply bowed.

"How had been your training, Mister Deadlock?"

Deadlock raised one eyebrow. 'Mister' Deadlock? He wasn't used to this nickname. He simply shrugged. Why not? Slipstream noticed the book.

"Our Master owns very interesting books"

"Yes…This one…is quite intriguing"

He paused. He then pretended to be deeply wrapped up in the story. However, he didn't even know what it was about. Slipstream assisted Jetstorm with the mower, way too bigger for both of them. Deadlock closed the book up. It didn't matter anymore.

"Do you often read?" He questioned them.

Both Minicons focused back on him, a bit surprised. Deadlock immediately regretted his question. They exchanged a look.

"No. We don't know how to read, Mister Deadlock."

Deadlock frowned.

"Did you never touch any book? Had Shadow Raker never taught you?"

"Tools don't learn to read, Sir" Jetstorm said, a dark look.

This word again…tool. More Deadlock heard it, more it irritated him. He stared at the Minicons…that's all they were doing?

"Do you never rest?"

"Why should we?" Slipstream asked him, before turning the mower off to put it elsewhere.

He could understand Shadow Raker's behaviour. He didn't want them to forget their state as Minicon. Yet…that wasn't a life. Then, he rarely witnessed them interacting with their Master. Maybe the Insecticon treated them quite differently in private.

Deadlock didn't move. He waited for Minicons to finish their tasks in the garden. Once it was done, he spoke up again.

"I need to train" He said.

"Excuse me?"

They turned around, ready to serve him. Deadlock stood up.

"I can't do it alone. I need partners" He explained.

"Partners?" Jetstorm repeated, a bit confused.

Slipstream nodded.

"No problem. However, you will have to wait for the Master's return."

Shadow Raker wouldn't be in the mood. Then, that wasn't what he had in mind anyway.

"Hmm…I thought I could train with you."

"With us?"

"Yes. Shadow Raker told me to go to you if it was necessary. So…we could train together."

They obviously didn't expect this. Jetstorm moved back. Slipstream bit his lip, definitely ill at ease.

"We don't train."

"You have basics, right?"

They shook their head. It left Deadlock speechless.

"You never touched a weapon"

"We are Minicons." Jetstorm justified. "We are weapons"

"If you have any problem…how can you defend yourselves?"

They exchanged another look. They turned back to him. The next, Slipstream jumped to turn into his alt-mode. Or rather, his tool-mode. An orange disk lined with black. Jetstorm transformed as well. The disk was the same though that's a black disk lined with orange. Both disks span around, throwing themselves into many different directions. Slipstream bounced off a tree then Deadlock realized that he aimed for him, full speed. It caught him off guard though before Slipstream could even touch him, Deadlock grabbed him with his arms, holding him a few inches away from his face. Then he turned around to stop Jetstorm who attacked him from behind.

He remained unmoving for a few minutes, one disk in each servo. Then he gently put them down. Minicons transformed back. Jetstorm looked down as if he didn't dare hold Deadlock's gaze. Slipstream displayed an awkward expression.

"Shadow Raker…uses us to knock our foes down"

"But that's not a good thing" Deadlock said.

Their abilities amazed him.

"I mean. You noticed it. If your foe grabs you, you're powerless"

"That's the goal" Slipstream said.

"The goal?"

"Our goal is to distract our foe." Jetstorm added. "While Shadow Raker is-"

He didn't finish his sentence. While Shadow Raker did what?

Was it related to his future job?

What did it mean? Were Slipstream and Jetstorm only cannon fodders?

That's dangerous…even though they were viewed as tools.

"You can get yourselves killed" Deadlock said.

"Our Master's safety is above everything else" Slipstream simply replied.

Were they ready to die…for their Master?

They were genuine. That sounded like a normal thing to them.

He wondered if he should talk with Shadow Raker about this. He stared at both Minicons, a bit disturbed. He couldn't even guess if they acted out of affection or duty toward their Master.

In the end, he told them to follow him.

"Do you need anything else, Mister Deadlock?"

"…You'll assist me anyway"

He came here two months ago. However, he grew to know them. Minicons took their tasks seriously. Nevertheless, even if everyone thought it was normal, Deadlock felt a bit of pity toward them. They were treated as cannon fodders and…it pained him.

If Shadow Raker didn't train them…

"What can we do for you?"

"…I will show you technics I've learned from Shadow Raker"

"What for?"

After all, Minicons were supposed to be tools. They had to be useful…

If Shadow Raker didn't train them up, if he didn't teach them to fight, they wouldn't stand long on a battlefield.

"…Do only what you're told"

He was far from being a professional fighter. But it would may be enough for Minicons.
-

They trained up together till late in the evening. Deadlock had difficulties to explain technics by using his own words. The first hour was a bit rocky since none of them could hold swords. Even Deadlock's swords were too heavy for them. He'd wondered if Shadow Raker owned swords suited for Minicons' size. Nevertheless, he'd searched the Dojo. He'd found nothing.

At last, they'd given up on blades. Instead, Deadlock'd showed them attacks he'd learned during his years while living in streets. Ones he'd used to disarm his enemies, to steal their energon away. To Minicons, their members were formidable weapons.

"No, Jetstorm. This"

Jetstorm didn't have a good balance. Deadlock walked past behind him to correct his posture. Jetstorm let him do, saying nothing. Out of the two, he was the most taciturn. Yet he didn't treat him differently from Slipstream. Minicons tried these attacks on each other.

"Here. Gently, Slipstream"

Unlike Jetstorm, Slipstream had a good abutment. Unfortunately, he was way too fast. Deadlock had to call him off many times in order to prevent him from kicking Jetstorm out of the Dojo. He didn't control his strength, after all.

"That will be all" Deadlock put an end to the training.

Minicons stopped. They bowed to Deadlock. Slipstream then displayed a smile.

"Hopefully we've been useful to you, Mister Deadlock"

"Training had been…fructuous"

Yes. Deadlock'd wondered if he'd forgotten everything he'd learned before serving Shadow Raker. He was glad to realize that he hadn't lost his habits. He'd been able to teach them to Minicons.

"It should be useful for the next time" Deadlock said.

"We aren't used to it." Slipstream replied. "We always witnessed training. We've never lived it."

"It must be something new for you so…"

Jetstorm looked away. He paid attention to the mansion's doors. He obviously was ready to greet the Insecticon. Slipstream bowed one more time.

"Thanks for the lesson anyway, Mister Deadlock. We can't wait to apply them"

He didn't know what's going on his mind at this right instant.

However, these words came out from Deadlock's mouth before he could even act on them.

"If you wish, next time Shadow Raker would be missing, after your tasks…I could show you other technics."

"Really?"

"Only if you wish"

He must admit: it felt good. He was sure that Jetstorm and Slipstream felt the same. They may not be aware of it but they had a good potential and learned quickly…Beyond their disk-form, they could learn to use their robot-form. Yet, Deadlock wanted to talk to Shadow Raker first. His mentor wouldn't like to know that his student hid things from him, especially when it was about his Minicons' training. The orange bot wasn't an extraordinary teacher. Then, they weren't his Minicons. They were Shadow Raker's. He had to talk to him.

He could just tell Shadow Raker that he'd needed some partners to train with. If his mentor wanted him to improve…he had no reason to refuse, right?