CHAPTER 39

"Axe hasn't come home yet…"

Outrigger let out a sigh. These last times, Axe came back late whenever Dai Atlas sent him away for a mission. It was happening for one month now. At this moment, Outrigger was at his flat. He'd invited Minicons over in order to spend time with them and making them feel less alone whenever Drift was at his training. Nearby, Jetstorm and Slipstream were on the couch. All three of them watched the screen while drinking their cubes of energon. Of course, it was a nice time. However, it had been Outrigger's ritual with Axe and Wing. All three of them would always spend time together, outside of training and work.

Now, Axe came back home so lately…and Drift's training always lasted…

Outrigger felt a bit apart. He didn't think about offering Dai Atlas to spend some time with him. Less so Star Saber.

He let out a small smile the moment he caught sight of Jetstorm's and Slipstream' expression as soon as a giant ship appeared on the screen. Outrigger was a bit amused.

"Do you think we could get such a ship here?" Slipstream asked out of curiosity.

Of course, each had their own chores. And according to Wing, they'd been conditioned to serve their old Master who'd beat them.

That's good to watch them behave differently…Enjoying time rather than cleaning floors…especially with how young they were. There wasn't much of a difference of age between Outrigger and Minicons. In one way, it comforted him to be with other bots of his age. It was a big change from the other older members.

"I would like to" Outrigger said, admiring the view. "Can you imagine everything we could do with a ship? Any place we could visit?"

"Crystal Cities?" Jetstorm offered, thrilled.

Outrigger shrugged.

"There are other places to see. I heard Aquatron was beautiful. And the Moon of Athena as well. They are very attractive places!"

"Weren't they ravaged by war?" Slipstream asked, surprised.

War…

Of course, Outrigger thought of it. That's the very reason why Dai Atlas or the other members didn't let him go outside. Yet, it didn't touch him personally…After all, he'd never watched the real disaster caused to Cybertron with his own optics. Which places had existed before disappearing into flames?

He couldn't know. His day was always planned, after all. He got up, he trained, he worked -most of time, administrative tasks- then he came to rest in front of his screen, along with Beak. Watching bots visiting space with their big ships didn't ease his mood either.

"It's boring here" Outrigger sighed.

Jetstorm and Slipstream didn't complain about their conditions of life. They even looked satisfied of them.

"Things will get better?" Slipstream replied.

"Not really. Everyone is in a bubble. Whenever I watch bots kissing on the screen, I always wonder when my time will come. Probably never if I stay locked up in."

Both Minicons exchanged a glance. Outrigger guessed they were trying to find a way to help his mood up.

"I'm like in a golden prison" Outrigger joked, taking a high-pitched voice. "Please. Someone helps me out of here"

"Oh, Outrigger. We are not that unhappy"

"Trust me. If you stayed in for such a long time, you would understand my pain."

Actually, they didn't since Drift brought them in whenever he left the base. Though Drift's optics were always blindfolded.

The giant ship on the screen vanished into a star dust. Minicons' dreamy look came back.

Yes…it made them dream.

Suddenly, an idea came into his mind.

He turned back to them, an excited smile.

"You two actually piloted a ship, right? To come here?"

Both Minicons nodded, not understand what he meant.

"Do you remember where you landed?"

"Huh…barely."

They looked…worried.

They shouldn't be.

"What about a tour? We could use your ship to explore the Crystal cities."

"But Mister Drift-"

Jetstorm cut him in.

"It isn't our ship"

"Do you know how to pilot it?"

"Of course!" Outrigger smiled. "Wing taught me. I know basis. And then, you would help me!"

"But…we are not allowed to."

Outrigger chuckled then came closer to them.

"Of course we are not allowed to. But they'll not even notice it. It's only for one hour or two. Just to keep our minds busy."

"But…Mister Drift…he'll forbid us to-"

"What if he doesn't know?"

Slisptream sighed.

"We wouldn't like to hide things from him. Especially because he is the one who freed us away from our old Master"

"He said it would be dangerous" Jetstorm stated.

The young bot rolled his optics.

"Yes. They always repeat the same thing. 'It's too dangerous' 'There are evil Decepticons outside'…"

Outrigger noticed that Jetstorm and Slipstream looked down.

He suddenly realized what he'd just said. He immediately kept on.

"But…Wing likes both of you…even if you were Decepticons once."

He paused. Then he added with a smile.

"And me as well"

"It's nice"

"We like you too"

That's reciprocal.

He wouldn't have such a fun time with the other members.

"Come on! Just one hour and we'll come back! We would pretend to be sick then we'd just sneak out."

"But…is there no risk?"

"I know the way. You'll just show me the ship. Then we'll take off. Just to escape our reality for one bit."

They were young. They should use their time to enjoy themselves instead of working and cleaning…

Jetstorm and Slipstream still looked hesitant.

"So…wanna join me?"

Both Minicons didn't immediately reply.

That's if they secretly asked for the other's point of view. Was it a good idea? Was it a risk?

What would be life without any risk?

In the end, Slipstream answered, a small smile.

"…Okay. Let's go."

"Great!"

Outrigger grabbed three extra cubes of energon. He handed them over to the Minicons. Together, they toasted.

"Let's escape!"

"Not so loud!" Outrigger chuckled.

Finally, something interesting!

"Get up!"

Drift growled in pain.

Wing stared back at him, a few meters away.

He almost did it…

Drift grabbed his sword.

He attacked again.

He landed on the floor, hard.

"Get up!"

He stood up. He must go on.

Sometimes, we are blinded.

He mustn't give up.

His blade was up. Wing ejected him out of the tatami. Way farther than the previous times.

Not a big deal.

Then we come back in the right path to accomplish things we'd never expected ourselves to do.

Indeed, he'd never thought that he would return to the martial arts. He'd never thought that he would try as fiercely to become a Circle of Light member.

Wing blocked his blow then counterattacked with a kick.

He'd never thought that he would try so hard to reach the white bot…

Maybe Wing saw something in you the same way Metrotitan saw something in me.

Dai Atlas wasn't a fool.

Maybe it was the case…

"Get up!"

What did Wing see in him?

An orange, previously Decepticon, misguided bot? Trying to find his way?

A comrade in help?

A new…mate?

Drift lowered his blade.

Wing blocked it.

Whatever Wing saw in him, he believed in him.

And that was enough.

"Dr-"

He didn't finish his sentence. As soon as Wing was about to kick his face to eject him away, Drift used all his strength and blocked the white bot's pede at the last moment, using the only blade of his training sword.

Drift stared at him.

Surprise was obvious in his mentor's optics.

His own action got him surprised as well.

That's the first time he succeeded.

It brought him much joy.

Wing took his pede off.

He raised his blades up.

Finally…A fight. He'd waited it for so long…he'd thought that he would never have it. It had always been about Drift attacking and Wing sending him away into the stars before screaming to get up.

Get up.

Get up.

Not this time.

Their blades collided, tearing space off into a circular arc.

Then they met again.

Wing moved ahead, Drift stepped back.

Yet his defence went way more fluid and easier than he'd expected. That's as if…whatever he'd learned from Shadow Raker was slowly coming back…as if he'd never forgot about his teachings…

Drift should be ashamed…but he glanced back at his mentor's expression and realized that he'd no reason to be.

Swords met again. Blow at his side, vertical assault…

One after another, Drift blocked.

And as soon as he saw an opening, he riposted.

Wing blocked.

Drift suddenly felt a heavy pain in his chassis.

Wing had ejected him again. Drift fell backwards, dropping his weapons that fell down on the floor, a few meters away.

It hurt.

It hurt much more than the previous times.

This time, he didn't get up.

"Drift…"

He just fainted, everything fading into black.

"It was good, Drift"

They were alone, as usual. Drift drank his cube of energon. That's cool…but pain didn't fade away.

"I didn't manage to—"

"It doesn't matter. Don't you see? What you've just done…? Your progress?"

Wing smiled at him.

"I must admit. You gave me some hard time."

"I don't believe you" Drift sighed. "I'm not at your level. It's useless to praise me."

"It isn't a lie"

Drift felt the white bot's servo on his shoulder, like a way to get him reassured.

His spark beat faster and stronger again.

"You see. Shadow Raker didn't teach you only bad things."

"But I thought…I had to forget them."

"You must forget that warped vision of martial arts. Not your instinct. Look. It was useful to you today."

It had been useful to me…

This tone again.

Hope.

I believe in you. I think you are able to become a good person. One of us…or something else. Whoever you choose to be.

At first, he hadn't believed it.

Now…

"I know you'll succeed, Drift. I know it since the first time I've met you"

This genuine smile.

This proud smile.

Drift felt his servos going shaky. Then his entire body shivered.

Now, he believed it.

In the end, he didn't resist anymore.

He let go of his cube. The object fell on the floor and shattered into many pieces.

"Drift?"

He didn't care.

He grabbed Wing by shoulderplates.

I believe in you.

No one had ever believed in him.

He pressed his lips onto Wing's.

It only lasted a few seconds. Almost one minute, for the time of a warm touch between Wing's lips and his.

That's soft…that's natural…

It'd happened…as if they had been bound to meet one day…

But…

Drift pulled away.

Wing's expression was unreadable.

He realized what he'd just done and stood up.

"Drift!"

"Forget…forget about it…"

"But wait!"

"Excuse me!"

Everything he felt was shame, regret and anger…anger against himself?

What had he believed? What's wrong with him?

Drift hurriedly left the training room without any other word.