CHAPTER 33
"Here we are…"
The blindfold was taken off. He felt Wing's presence nearby. Drift looked around.
They were at the Crystal Cities' gates. The orange bot blinked. Truth to be told, Drift didn't expect that it would truly happen. Wing wouldn't truly give him a tour of the city. Drift had asked him out in the heat of the moment and Wing had accepted. At first, Drift had thought that Wing had been only polite and that he didn't actually have time for this with his duties, his training, tasks given by Dai Atlas…
Yet he'd fulfilled his promise.
Since they had been at the Circle of Light, Drift, Jetstorm and Slipstream hadn't had time to enjoy it. Every day was all about training and chores…
While they had been living near this City. It had become a heritage even before the War.
"So" Wing walked closer to Drift. "What will we do first?"
Visiting it with Wing…
He let out a sigh. He shouldn't come to listen to Axe.
"Wherever you want" He said. "We'll follow you"
His mentor smiled.
"So…allow me to show you my favourite places. Then…I'll let you discover it by yourself…"
Behind Cities, the sun was already rising up.
That would be a beautiful day…
"An utopia?"
They were taking up stairs leading them to an unknown place, located underground. Drift had been afraid first. Since he'd left Shadow Raker, he had been afraid of being left out in the dark again.
Becoming a Shadow again. That's the reason why he slept with lights on from now. The samurai could fall asleep in front of the television screen, informing about the last news about war.
Yet he was ready with Wing. He was ready to follow him till the end…no matter obstacles, places, dangers waiting for him.
He didn't understand what it meant.
Wing was his mentor…just like Shadow Raker had been. Drift had sworn himself that he wouldn't trust anyone easily anymore…even those who meant "good" to him and Minicons. Those who taught him the art of swords and katanas…
Yet…everything sounds so natural with Wing…
"Look around" Wing told him.
He stretched his arm out. Drift understood.
Everything was blue…just like above.
But it wasn't crystal…that's another, less rare metal…though the effect looked similar.
Underground, in front of them…salesmen. Scientists. Teachers. Swords masters…bots talking, exchanging. They pursued their activities among everyone. Bots were walking past but not without greeting their neighbours…even if it lasted for a few seconds…
Drift didn't understand.
It wasn't an atmosphere he knew…
"Hey! Blasterstar? How are you?"
"Do you need a servo to build this?"
"How is your daughter doing?"
Natural and friendly exchanges…
No matter whether they were bots they'd already known or bots they'd never met before…
Drift remained speechless.
He'd always known that "on your own", selfish mentality on Cybertron…bots were stealing energon from others for survival, in order to stand until the end of the war…
Here, people were sharing their energon with people they didn't know…bots who weren't even from their castes…whether they were scientists or miners…
Miners such like him…
"Crystal Cities are beautiful" Wing stated, admiring the view. "But they are beautiful for metals, for buildings, for whatever scientists did. Here…it can never be built by more solid metals…"
He walked ahead.
"This atmosphere, this paradise, this utopia…nobody is looked upon for their caste, their past, for their faction…That's the Real Crystal City."
The Real Crystal City…
It wasn't built by the eponymous metal…
But it was made by something else…something that will never be bought…
Peace…equality…
That's the thing…that the Circle of Light wished to protect?
As soon as they walked past a shop window, Wing stopped him.
"Look. That's where I got my first training swords."
Drift nodded. Inside, a grey and red bot stared at them. A dozens of katanas were behind him, well aligned on many shelves.
"Maybe we could check on it?" His mentor offered.
Nearby, Jetstorm and Slipstream gazed at the various weapons with big optics full of curiosity. They must be impressed by how big katanas were, as they were as large as their own size.
Maybe they compared themselves to these tools since they viewed themselves as tools?
Drift accepted. He followed Wing inside. The owner smiled at them.
"What can I do for you?"
"We are only there to watch" Drift dryly retorted.
Nevertheless, he had to admit; katanas and swords were quite pretty. They seemed light, shiny…Drift focused on orange weapons.
Whatever the price, they would make everyone dreamy.
Suddenly, he heard excited screams. He immediately turned around. He saw Slipstream holding a red weapon with a spike at the end of it. A naginata. However, as soon as he tried to lift it up, he collapsed. Jetstorm couldn't suppress a laugh.
"Stop fooling around!" Drift strictly scolded them.
Minicons immediately obeyed. They stared on the ground. Drift noticed that Jetstorm had protected his face with an arm…like an instinct.
Like he'd protected himself from Shadow Raker…
Did he expect Drift to hit him whenever he shouted?
It pained him. He felt a servo over his shoulder. He turned around. Wing gave him a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry"
He then spoke to them.
"Are these kinds of weapons interesting to you?"
"Huh…We just wanted to try it out" Slipstream justified. "Our apologies if…we committed a mistake."
"You didn't commit any mistake"
The owner walked closer.
"Maybe would it be better if I forged a naginata at their size?"
Jetstorm and Slipstream focused on Drift, waiting for his reply. The orange bot remained speechless. What should he answer?
"…I'm not their Deployer" The orange bot warned.
"You are responsible of them" Wing corrected him.
He looked back at Jetstorm and Slipstream. They definitely looked excited.
Slipstream really wanted that naginata.
He had never witnessed such an expression since the time where he'd secretly trained them…
Drift let out a sigh, hesitating.
"I'm not sure I'll be able to pay you"
"That's not a problem, Drift" Wing reassured him before pulling out a small bag. A bag full of Shanix.
He was completely astonished. Before, he would have let him do…but now…he made a step ahead, out of instinct.
"No!"
"It's okay for me, Drift. They must learn it someday, after all…they can start with it."
But…
He let Wing give these Shanix to the owner.
Why?
What for? They barely knew each other.
Jetstorm and Slipstream let out a cry of joy. Drift glared at them and they immediately stopped again.
Drift bit his lip.
In the end, he bowed to Wing.
"What are you doing?"
That's what he did with Shadow Raker…whenever this latter gave him a "treat"…
"You don't have to do this"
"Yes"
"Not with me"
He opened his optics again.
He realized that Jetstorm and Slipstream had imitated him.
He thought about honour again…
This Code, this ideal…everything Wing had taught him…
Where was his Code?
But he must do something in return…he shouldn't have a debt to him…
"Drift? Where are you going?"
Drift didn't listen to him.
He left Jetstorm and Slipstream with Wing and rushed over to the salesman he'd caught sight of.
"You weren't forced to do this" Wing said.
"Honour dictated me to" Drift replied. "I had a debt. I wanted to pay it."
"It doesn't mean anything"
They'd taken a seat on a bench. They were drinking a cube of energon, way cooler and colder than usual. There was a great warmth here.
He'd thought about a high-grade cube first. However, he hadn't been sure that Wing would like it. Furthermore, it wouldn't be good for Jetstorm and Slipstream. At least, it would cool them off.
Drift savoured his.
It had been expensive…he hadn't had any Shanix on him…
Only the gem…the one Shadow Raker had given to him as a reward for his great help.
This Athena gem…
A stone he'd kept on him but it had ended up becoming a weight on his shoulderplates…
It was time to get rid of it. Of course, he could have used it on another chance…
But watching Jetstorm, Slipstream as well as Wing smile…he thought it was worthy.
"You talked about a Code" Drift stated. "It's time I get mine"
So hot…They had energon cubes…and they enjoyed the moment together.
It had been such a long time…
"…Why did you join the Circle of Light?" Drift asked him.
Wing shrugged, a sad expression on his face.
"I wanted to protect the ancient culture of Cybertron…then I wanted to help…and I think you already know the third reason."
"Which one?"
"I followed the person I love. Gasket gave me everything"
So…he had been right.
Gasket and he…
He bit his lip, taking another sip of his cube.
"…I think the lesson of today…had been the best one you ever taught me."
Survival wasn't the most important thing.
These…moments were important as well.
All four of them stayed here. Even after they'd finished their cubes, they remained until stores' closure.