CHAPTER 73
Drift couldn't tear his optics off the scene that'd just happened.
It couldn't be real.
It's impossible it'd happened. After all these murders committed by Shadow Raker, after Dai Atlas's death, after Armorhide's death…he'd thought he wouldn't be that touched by death any longer. Not that shocked…
Yet, he was. Autoclave's body had been split in two halves. Lower limbs were lying down a bit farther, a few meters at the purple bot's pedes. The other, composed by the head and chassis, remained quite close to Drift.
He looked down. On Autoclave's face, a shocked expression.
The last expression he'll ever display.
For some minutes, no one spoke. No word came out from Drift's mouth. Only Fracture coughed, in order to catch his breath. The orange bot heard him…but he couldn't see him.
Or rather…He didn't wish to face him. He couldn't bear his sight. But he should…he'd to…
He'd killed Autoclave…He'd killed a Ronin…
Drift's fists clenched. He suddenly turned back to the purple bot. The latter leaned over his Minicons who'd taken the opportunity to join him back. Oddly enough, they weren't attacking Jetstorm and Slipstream any longer. They didn't even pay attention to their opponents.
No. They just cared about their Master. In Drift's optics, it's something a bit odd. Fracture with Minicons who actually cared about him…
But was it reciprocal? Drift frowned. No…Definitely not.
Who knows? Maybe next time, it'll not be in your futon he'll put some nails in…but in your tools' bodies…
And I'll happily assist him
Drift couldn't suppress these words out of his mind. Yet…they always came back.
"Why?" He suddenly burst out.
That's if all his emotions he'd always kept for himself and that'd always oppressed him came back to surface. Drift tightened his grip onto his blades. As if it was a lifebelt…
Around them, the sky darkened.
"Why did you kill him?" He screamed. "We spared you!"
Finally, Fracture looked up back at him.
On his neck, Drift could catch sight of some bruises around it, caused by the rope. Fracture didn't display any smile. He didn't display any warmth. His expression was hard, cold.
However, there was no indifference.
Only hatred.
Then Fracture spoke up.
"What are you saying? You're the one who 'spared' me. Not him. He would have finished me off after having played with my corpse"
Drift remained speechless. He'd nothing to reply to that. Fracture's Minicons moved closer, ready to go back to the battle again.
He could still see Autoclave's still warm corpse lying down…the rope still in his servo…
"You're weak, Drift"
"What?"
Behind him, Drift heard some quick steps. Jetstorm and Slipstream.
"I didn't need your blasted pity"
"It wasn't pity!" Drift shouted back.
"Really? And what was it?"
Autoclave had been a Ronin member just like him. But yet, Drift couldn't have let him do whatever he'd wanted with Fracture. That's just barbaric!
Wing…had mentioned some behaviour to adopt…The respect of the other…the respect of the adversary…
"…I did it out of honour" Drift weakly stated.
"Honour? Haha! What a joke! If you believe honour still exists in that cursed universe…"
"It's true!"
Drift's sword went up. Fracture didn't move. Quite the contrary. Fracture remained still, ready for the blow. Drift's arms trembled again.
"It's true!" Drift repeated. "As long as there will be people to protect its existence, honour will always remain"
"And you'll die. It'll cost your life sooner or later"
Fracture paused. He frowned, displaying his contempt.
"Fighting-fair Drift. Oh yes! What a good joke! I would be tempted to believe it as well"
"I saved your life!"
This time, Fracture lunged at him. The purple bot's cold stare turned into a vicious and burning anger. Minicons got startled as well, surprised by their Master's attitude.
"You didn't save my life! Don't you dare say such a thing"
"It's true! Without me you-'"
He dryly cut him in.
"You're just a liar. A vulture acting and pretending to be a good Samaritan. Actually, you're not better than Autoclave or these other Ronin scraplets"
He didn't hold any strong feeling toward Fracture…yet these words hurt him. These words painfully stabbed him through his spark.
Why…?
Being called a vulture…Drift couldn't bear it. He'd spent his entire life to survive…He'd spent his life searching Shanix to get some energon and feed himself…he could have died so many times…
Yet, Drift thought back about the gem, Shanix Shadow Raker had given to him during his first rob with him.
Then the bag given by Lyzak…the one he'd gained because he'd captured some bounties…
Then he thought of the other bags.
Drift let out a roar.
He lunged at Fracture, sword and katana up.
He barely touched Fracture…right afterward, he was sent flying away a few meters away, landing to the ground. It cut Drift's breath. He barely heard Jetstorm and Slipstream calling him, worried.
He managed to sit up, observing Fracture. The latter didn't have his blades any longer. He'd simply used his head.
Didn't he have any weakness?
Fracture didn't laugh at his suffering. Unlike Autoclave…
"Tell me, Drift…Why did you join them?"
A tone he'd never heard from him before…his voice went shaky. What for?
"…I did it to stop you, Fracture"
But Drift's tone wasn't convinced. The purple bot shook his head. In the end, he retorted.
"Tell me…after what you've watched today, tell me one thing. How are Ronins better than I? How are they fairer, more honourable than I?"
For the first time, Drift had no answer. Fracture shut his optics, taking many inhalations. As if he was trying to calm down…
In the end, he gestured at his Minicons. Both of them nodded then transformed into their torpedo alt-mode, attaching themselves to the purple bot's shoulders.
Their fight was over…will Fracture take the opportunity to finish Drift off? Just like Autoclave?
"…Ronins give a second chance to wanted bots…" Drift declared. "They…they don't torture their targets…like you do"
"…Is that what they told you? And you've been naïve enough to believe them?"
But it felt like Fracture had already given up in explanation.
"…View me as the bad guy. I prefer being the bad guy rather than an innocent victim"
His words resonated in Drift's mind.
Fracture stared at him during long minutes. Finally, he turned around to walk to the femme lying down on the ground. He then grabbed her by the collar, dragging her on the ground.
Drift blamed himself…He blamed himself for being so weak…
"Next time you'll stand in my way, Drift…I'll kill you"
"Please…"
Fracture was right…
Throughout experiences…he'd become greedy, venal… to the point he'd joined Ronins to gain some Shanix…without realizing who they'd truly been…
Just like he'd acted with Shadow Raker…He'd sworn not to be trapped again…
He should never have trusted them…
He should have remained alone…
"Please…stop talking"
Fracture's reply was quick.
"You too, Drift. Stop talking…and just act"
A green ground-bridge appeared in front of them. Light almost blinded him.
Without giving him another glance, Fracture stepped in, the femme in his arms, before vanishing in the light.
A Cybertronian…ground-bridge…
No. It was something different.
"…Mister Drift?"
Jetstorm and Slipstream were by his side.
Drift didn't pay attention to Autoclave any longer.
He just focused on the Minicons…they'd been the only ones who hadn't disappointed him yet…the only ones who hadn't lied to him yet…
It hurt…it was so painful…
"…Don't trust anybody" Drift stated, a low tone.
It'll only cause some suffering…as much as for him than for them…
Jetstorm and Slipstream exchanged an aghast look.
"But…can we trust you? Right?" Slipstream questioned him.
Once again, Drift had no answer.
Were they right?
Drift dried his optics off then stood up.
This feeling mixed with betrayal, sadness, failure…that's the worst feeling a person could get.
As soon as the bounty was thrown in a corner of the room, Fracture burst out in rage. He punched strongly the wall, many emotions overwhelming him.
He must take his anger out on something…anything…
An unpleasant memory came back into his mind.
With rage, he deployed both miniatures. They transformed, one after another, before they landed. They stared at their Master, quite worried.
"How?"
He walked up to them, a heavy step. They didn't move back. Fracture kept walking.
They'll be in for a rough time…
"Who do you think you are for begging your ENEMY?"
"Boss…"
"SHUT UP!"
He punched the wall again. It almost caused the room to shake.
"Don't you have any pride?" He yelled at them.
He would never beg his enemies! Never!
And these two…had lowered themselves at that level…
"We only wanted to help you, Boss!" Divebomb explained. His tone was calm unlike Airazor who tried to hide his fear as much as he could.
"Helping me?" Fracture growled. "Really?"
"We couldn't abandon you!" Airazor added.
"What about the bounty?"
"Without you, there'll no be bounty" The Egg-head almost shouted.
Fracture froze.
Airazor looked down. As if he's ashamed…
"…We are a team, Master" Divebomb kept on. "We…shall trust in each other. We are only Minicons but…you shall trust us"
He shall trust them…
But Fracture had never trusted anybody…
Miniatures didn't move. They waited for their Master to speak. Or act.
Fracture clenched his fists. He'd given up on the idea of hitting anyone.
"…Out of my sight"
Minicons nodded and hurriedly left the room, Divebomb's servo over Airazor's shoulder to comfort him.
Fracture stared at the space in front of him.
Despite him, he touched his neckcables. He could still feel the unpleasant sensation of the rope strangling him…
He was still hearing Autoclave's laughs…
Drift begging him to spare Fracture…
He let out a deep sigh and fell down on his seat.
He must calm down…
Trusting…his Minicons…
From far, the Earth went smaller.
A blue planet…it was quite pretty…despite everything.