CHAPTER 7

Unlike the last time, Shadow Raker only returned at the morning.

Deadlock knew it as soon as he stepped inside the Dojo. His mentor wasn't here to greet him as usual while the Insecticon was quite strict when it came to schedules. In the end, Deadlock warmed up without him, applying exercises from the day before. As soon as he finished, Shadow Raker appeared in front of him. He looked a bit pale and tired though he still greeted him with a friendly smile.

"How is my favourite student, this morning?" He asked him, not apologizing for being late.

Deadlock didn't comment. He simply gave him a nod. Shadow Raker grabbed his blades to check them. He frowned a bit though he remained silent. In a light tone, he casually asked him what he did last night.

"…I read and…I practiced."

"Oh. Sounds to be a lovely plan though a bit boring"

Boring? Deadlock'd taken his Master's advice. That's the reason why he'd trained. Shadow Raker didn't even look up at him. He kept checking his weapons.

"I…I practiced with Minicons" His student added.

Shadow Raker suddenly stopped. He looked up back at him.

"Excuse me? You did what?"

His tone was calm. He still kept his affable façade. Deadlock didn't understand. He specified.

"I needed partners"

"You know you don't need any tool to train up with, Deadlock"

Tools…

Deadlock thought back about the day before. He'd offered them to train together more. He bit his lip. He wondered if he should keep on.

It didn't go beyond that. Shadow Raker took a fighting stance.

"Let's begin. Today, we'll work more on your agility. It's necessary. You're way too rigid in your attacks."

"Master"

Deadlock and Shadow Raker turned around. Slipstream and Jetstorm came over to bring their daily cubes of energon. Shadow Raker interrupted their exercise to take his. As Deadlock grabbed the remaining cube, his optics met Slipstream's. The Minicon greeted him with a polite smile. Jetstorm didn't look at him. He was waiting for his Master to finish his cube.

"…Have a nice day, Master. Mister Deadlock" Slipstream told them.

His optics were shining.

They hadn't forgotten either. A word was a word. As soon as they left with their empty cubes, Deadlock spoke up again.

"They displayed their alt-mode. The one they use during combats"

Maybe their presence motivated him.

"I thought…it didn't seem to be practical" He said.

"If you say so. Can we start?"

He didn't listen to him.

"May they…well. May they train with us too?"

That's like time froze around him.

Shadow Raker's expression changed.

"Excuse me?"

His smile vanished. His optics darkened. For a few moments, Deadlock regretted. His mentor got easily irritated.

However, he must explain why…

"I mean. Maybe they would be more useful to you…if they learned to use something else…other than their disk form."

"Do they put that stupid idea in your mind?"

They…Shadow Raker scowled.

He didn't yell. He didn't scream.

"No" Deadlock repeated. "I just thought…they would be more useful if…"

"They are useful enough to me. They distract my adversaries while I do my business."

"But your business…You never talk about it"

Shadow Raker stepped forward, weapon at ready.

"I told you the very specific reason why I never talk about it. You aren't ready. As for your plan to train Minicons…you can forget it"

Spite could be seen in his optics.

"But…if they are endangered…I mean-"

Deadlock looked away.

Then, Shadow Raker declared.

"Why should I be concerned? Why shall their safety matter?"

It left Deadlock speechless. Deadlock silently stared at Shadow Raker. He didn't even hide his shock.

Shadow Raker…was still their Master.

They were tools yet they were living with him, in the same mansion…

"I…I just wanted…" Deadlock started.

"I don't care about your point of view. You shall remember something. Out of us, I'm the one who owns more experience about life and Cybertronian society."

That's true but-

"You definitely lived in streets, Deadlock. You know nothing. They can't even lift a sword. How should I train them?"

He knew he shouldn't insist but-

"Maybe we-"

"No. I will not waste my time with tools. Now, let's start."

"But if you could—"

"Deadlock. I said: let's start"

His tone went more threatening. However, Deadlock couldn't erase the picture of Deadlock grabbing these disks, making them helpless.

An enemy could easily trap them…

"If we taught them to use something other than a sword, I'm sure we could—"

"THEY ARE MY MINICONS, DEADLOCK! THEY ARE MINE! NOW, THAT'S ENOUGH! ENOUGH!"

Deadlock froze right away. Despite red warnings, despite Shadow Raker's growing anger, his mentor suddenly shouting startled him greatly.

He'd never yelled at him like this, even whenever Deadlock committed mistakes during training. Shadow Raker'd always criticized him dryly yet he'd never shouted.

Till now.

Silence fell down.

"Now look, Deadlock. Do you still think we can train Minicons without wasting our time? They'll be out of line."

Why? As a Master, shouldn't there be a kind of bond between Master and his Minicons?

He didn't know exactly how long they'd been partners. However, he could guess it should have been long enough to allow the existence of any relationship of sort.

"Sheesh. You're too naïve"

Shadow Raker unexpectedly didn't attack. He put his weapons back. Deadlock kept his weapons at servo. He didn't understand.

His mentor stared at him, almost scandalized. Yet he took his breath, as if he was trying to calm down. Nobody spoke up. Deadlock got it. He'd misbehaved. He thought he would do good…in the end, he'd angered his mentor and he'd aggravated matters.

Deadlock knelt down. Shadow Raker remained still. He inhaled and exhaled.

"…I'm sorry, Master"

He paused.

"I only wanted to…be useful. It won't happen again"

No.

After all, Shadow Raker was right.

Minicons were only tools. A relationship between a Master and his Minicons wasn't supposed to exist.

They belonged to him.

"Never forget who you are, Deadlock"

Shadow Raker looked back at him. Deadlock didn't move. He remained still on his knees. He was waiting for Shadow Raker's order to stand up.

"Your training is the only thing that matters." Shadow Raker added. His tone went calm again. "Concern for others is folly. It can be deadly."

"…I know"

After all, he'd always been alone. He'd never relied on anyone but himself.

He'd a roof now…yet, nothing'd changed.

In the end, Shadow Raker gestured him to stand up. Deadlock obeyed, not tearing his optics off the floor.

"I accept your apologies"

Deadlock felt Shadow Raker's servo grab his chin up, forcing him to hold his gaze. He didn't react. He just let him do.

His mentor let out a smirk. His friendly expression appeared again.

"After all, it is not fair to judge someone because of one mistake, right?"

He released him. He then took his weapons again.

"Now. About your agility…"

At the evening, Deadlock didn't stay in the Dojo as usual. Shadow Raker didn't leave tonight. After spending a hour in the Onsen, the orange bot left for his room straight after the supper. He laid down on the berth, staring at the ceiling. In his mind, he revived his talk with Shadow Raker about Jetstorm and Slipstream.

In the end, Shadow Raker was probably right…he shouldn't forget who he was. He was only a student. He ignored everything about Cybertronian culture. He had been a miner. Nobody'd ever taught him anything before…even not his parents.

He let out a sigh. His parents…had died a few millenaries ago. Just like him, they'd been miners. He barely remembered their faces. From what he recalled, they hadn't had much time to take care of him. Their job hadn't allowed them to take care of a child full time. When he had been younger, he'd missed their presence. The only things he'd remembered were late evenings where they'd come back home after an exhausting day. He'd had a pat on his helm and a smile from his mother…and that's all.

He'd held a grudge against them…for one time. As soon as he had been forced to work with other miners while watching more favourited castes…yes. He'd resented his parents. To him, it had been all their fault. They hadn't raised him up. Because of them, he'd been born in the wrong caste. Because of them, he'd been killing himself with work. Some of his colleagues had killed themselves while others had been enjoying the show of their poverty.

As soon as he had lost his job, his roof…He'd realized how immature he'd been.

He wished he could have met his parents one last time…Just one last time to apologize.

Suddenly he heard noises coming from outside. He let out a frown then stood up to check, walking over to the window.

Jetstorm and Slipstream weren't in berth yet. They were cleaning the Dojo. Deadlock sighed. Hopefully Shadow Raker hadn't been too strict toward them. Because of his idea…

He watched. Jetstorm leaned over something. Deadlock went closer and realized what it was.

Jetstorm held his arms out, carrying the thing. The samurai narrowed his optics.

Then it struck him.

A metal-bird.

The bird struggled in his servos, squawking. One of his wings was a bit twisted. Did it hurt itself in its fall? Deadlock stared at Jetstorm. He wondered what the Minicon's reaction would be. Will he warn his Master?

Jetstorm spread out a smile. A smile he'd never witnessed before. Jetstorm always looked cold, distant, aloof…

There was nothing of this.

That's actually another bot in front of him. Another Jetstorm.

The Minicon patted the bird's helm with the tip of his digits. Slipstream came closer to them, whispering things to the wounded bird. The creature slowly calmed down, nuzzling Jetstorm's servo while both Minicons kept talking to it.

Slipstream gave a nod at Jetstorm. He gestured him to follow him. His partner approved, keeping the bird warm against him with care. Both Minicons headed for the garden. At the pede of a statue, Slipstream leaned over to pick up some fallen sticks. Jetstorm let him do, and kept reassuring the bird. He never dropped it.

They were building a nest.

A roof.

Jetstorm gently put the bird in. The bird let him do without any resistance. As if it was tamed.

It wasn't afraid anymore.

Deadlock moved back from the window.

They'd saved it.

The samurai walked back to his berth and laid down again.

He then closed his optics, wondering if bots owning feelings such as sympathy could be reduced to simple tools.