CHAPTER 74
Sitting down against a tree, at the summit of the Mount Fuji, he'd been sightseeing for a long time. He contemplated as the sky was slowly turning dark, the sun disappearing behind mountains in order to leave room for the universe' stars.
They hadn't left Earth for a month now…But to Drift, it hadn't been long enough. It was too soon to decide what he'd been planning to do. They had some energon reserves. They had a ship that gave them a shelter whenever it was needed.
Not very far, some soil and dust covered Autoclave's corpse. Drift glanced back at his old colleague. Despite his attitude, despite the torture he'd inflicted on Fracture, despite his threats toward him as well as Jetstorm and Slipstream…Drift had thought it wouldn't have been honourable to leave him here without any funeral. He'd buried him in the manner of ancient Cybertronian rituals but he'd done it with the ways he'd got. Cybertronians used blue flowers. However, he hadn't found anything around. Instead, he'd collected some flowers planted near the blue lake.
You know you can return. At the Crystal Cities.
Don't trust anybody.
All these people he'd trusted once…Shadow Raker, the Circle of Light, Wing, Ronins…
Every time, he'd been hurt, or betrayed…or someone that he'd truly come to appreciate, or like…had been hurt or betrayed…in the deadliest manner.
Dai Atlas…his old leader had trusted him…
What would he say if he was standing here today?
He closed his optics, enjoying some fresh air…Air that didn't smell like fire, bombings, or smoke…
Everything felt pure here.
Maybe it wasn't a bad decision…of course, they wouldn't remain on Earth forever. They needed some energon to survive. But maybe it wasn't a bad idea, remaining a loner…he wouldn't associate himself to anyone else…he would mind his own business…he wouldn't be near war…or factions…
Becoming a Shadow, becoming a light, becoming a bounty hunter…nothing had been good.
Here strangely…That's the first time he'd felt in peace…since he'd left the Circle of Light. An unknown planet without any life here…but a beautiful planet. Days were quite simple. Drift spent his days in training while Minicons recharged or explored their surroundings, under the condition that they weren't leaving too far.
They could meet anything on such an unknown planet.
"Mister Drift!"
He turned back. Jetstorm was coming back, holding something in his arms. Something that was moving.
Drift's optics widened. Something black and red…with a beak…
"What do you think it is?"
"Don't touch that!" The orange bot growled. "You can never know what it is! Put it back to where you found it!"
The creature chirped and squeaked. Drift remained unemotional. It looked similar to a Cybertronian bird…but pretty much tinier.
Jetstorm gave him some scratch under its beak. The thing seemed enjoying it and displayed its neck, asking for more. Drift pulled his sword back and stepped for the Minicons.
"Jetstorm!"
"Forgive me, Mister Drift…I just thought-"
Jetstorm let out a sigh. He ended up lowering down to gently put the bird into the grass. The beast hopped in the grass, then looked down, as if it was cleaning itself.
"It's so soft" Jetstorm said. "Our birds don't have any fur"
"They might be dangerous"
"I thought Outrigger would like to see them…If he ever came on Earth one day…"
Outrigger…
Did Wing and Axe let him go outside, now? Did they give him more important missions after what'd happened?
He let out a sigh. No. After what'd happened to Dai Atlas, it remained dangerous for anyone.
"I don't think so…"
"What about it, Mister Drift?"
Slipstream stepped in as well. Something shiny was in his palms. Drift's optics narrowed, observing.
It looked like an Insecticon…but much smaller, like a miniature-sized. It moved in Slipstream's servos. An Insecticon that twinkled, sparkled in the darkness.
"Is it beautiful, right?"
Yes…
"…As I said to Jetstorm…it can be dangerous"
However, he couldn't help but think that Wing would be thrilled, discovering these strange creatures…He wondered if he'd already visited Earth…
He shall admit. It was pretty.
"Oh"
He felt something. Like drops…
Rain…and unlike on Cybertron, it wasn't Acid Rain…The first time they'd witnessed such a phenomenon, they'd rushed in the ship, praying that their shelter would resist to acid…
But nothing had happened…Instead, Drift had risked his servo, reaching it out to feel these drops…
It had been a pleasant feeling…much different from the one he'd got on Cybertron.
It'd given him some…peacefulness.
"I wonder how inhabitants look like here" Jetstorm smiled.
"Maybe there is no inhabitant living here" Slipstream replied.
"Well it would be amusing to discover all these planets we've missed!"
"Outrigger would be jealous"
Drift gave them a stern look.
"We aren't there to have some fun"
Even if deep down, he thought it wasn't such a bad idea…exploring new planets…until the end of the war…
And they'd everything…a ship, energon…
From far, they heard a big noise. The ground went shaky, Jetstorm and Slipstream fell down due to the shock. Immediately, Drift took his weapons out.
"Go back in the ship!"
Jetstorm and Slipstream nodded then rushed inside. Drift walked closer to the mountain's edge to observe.
Far away, a cloud of smoke reached the sky.
Lights coming out from a ship…
A Cybertronian ship.
Drift's spark beat faster…
He understood what it meant…they'd found them again.
"Nice to see you again, Deadlock"
Hearing back his old name, for one instant, Drift had thought it was Shadow Raker. The latter had found him, he would kill him to take Jetstorm and Slipstream back…but as Forager, Lyzak, Stilts and Foxtrot appeared in his sight…he couldn't know if that was a better scenario.
Drift kept his blades at servo. Yet Ronins hadn't pulled their weapons out. Forager granted him a friendly smile. As if he was sincerely happy, meeting him again.
A feeling Drift didn't share.
"You got us worried, you know. We thought you were dead" Forager declared. "Thanks Primus, you are alive"
"I—"
Drift tried to say something.
Behind Forager's shoulder, Foxtrot repressed a growl. His predatory look in his optics was still present, his servo touching the cannon.
The orange bot understood. He'd to answer carefully. He glanced back at his ship. Jetstorm and Slipstream were still inside.
"We didn't have any news from you for a month now" Forager kept on. "You left for a bounty, Autoclave and you"
He had his arms crossed, a laidback expression on his face.
"Explain yourself. What happened? Where is the bounty? Where is Autoclave? Unless you decided to take some vacation on Earth. If that's so, you should have asked my authorization."
Drift looked down. He wanted to confront Forager. But he couldn't.
He'd nothing left to do…beside telling the truth. Especially since the racoon was going impatient now.
"…Autoclave is dead"
Everyone let out a surprised gasp. Only Forager remained calm. His expression didn't change. Was he already aware of it?
"How?" Stilts cried out.
"…We met Fracture"
"Primus!"
He couldn't react. Foxtrot had already kicked the dust out from the ground, almost crushing the tiny bird Jetstorm and Slipstream had taken in. The bird flied off, chirping. He let out an enraged roar, anger taking over him. Immediately, Lyzak tried to calm him down but he shoved her aside with his arm, the femme almost falling down.
"I'll kill him!" Foxtrot screamed. "I swear I'll tear his spark out for that!"
He turned back to Drift. The samurai didn't move.
"You let him die, right? You let one of your comrades die? Because of that trash?"
"Enough, Foxtrot" Forager warned him.
He focused back on the orange bot.
"It doesn't explain us about the bounty's whereabouts. And why didn't you come back to the base?"
Forager's expression advised him not to lie.
Drift remained silent for one time.
"…Fracture took the bounty. I couldn't do anything"
He paused again.
"…Being a bounty hunter…it isn't for me" He completed.
"So you just decided to abandon us? You left us during one month?" Forager questioned.
The racoon walked closer.
"My poor, poor Deadlock…You should have warned us. You should have told us you'd got a mental breakdown. You should have told us you wanted some days off. I hope you spent some good vacations on Earth. Hopefully it gave you some good memories…"
"Forager, I—"
"Well, well, Deadlock. What else do you need? A promotion? A privileged rank among Ronins, you the Icy Samurai?"
Then, Drift's vision suddenly disappeared. He only saw stars around him, shocked by the punch that hit him right in the dentas, causing him to fall backwards. Drift landed on the ground, some energon running out from his mouth.
For one minute, he went deaf. He thought he would faint.
He could have…Foxtrot hadn't been the one who'd struck him. It had been Forager, his fist up. A smirk filled with rage and hatred.
His mask cracked up…
"Mister Drift!"
He heard Jetstorm and Slipstream from far. They were running over to him. Drift growled, holding his face tightly. It hurt…he wasn't even able to tell them to back off.
"I hope you'll learn the lesson" Forager dryly retorted. "You deserved some punishment for the damage you've caused to us, Deadlock"
"…Forager…" Lyzak said.
She and Stilts seemed to be the only ones being disturbed by the scene.
"Shut up!"
"Don't talk to my wife like that!" Foxtrot shouted, intervening by baring his dentas.
The racoon's arm went down. Forager sighed then he lowered to the orange bot. By his side, Jetstorm and Slipstream tried to help him up. Without any success.
"Give me a good reason. Why did you leave Ronins? We took you in. We trusted you"
Despite pain, Drift managed to answer back.
"You are as cruel as Fracture toward the other bots…you hurt them, in your own way!"
"Really? And why do you think that?" The racoon grunted.
"You aren't honourable! Autoclave and Fracture fought…Autoclave tortured him…He mistreated him…"
"What? Are you in love with Fracture?"
Both Foxtrot and Forager let out a deep laugh. Drift shivered out of disgust.
"…Fracture won the battle"
"He wouldn't won if you've helped Autoclave!" Foxtrot retorted.
"I'll not come back with you!"
Forager suddenly grabbed Drift by his chin, his face close to his. His expression was threatening.
"You shouldn't have accepted so. No one can leave Ronins. Ever"
No one can leave Ronins. Ever
Yes…It would have been too good.
Forager released him.
"You'll come back with us. There is a bounty for a price of 100, 000 Shanix. We must have it. If you want to redeem yourself, you'll help us to capture it"
"No…"
"Believe me, Deadlock. You have no choice"
Forager gave a nod at Foxtrot. The fox let out a big grin.
Then his pede kicked Slipstream's stomach. The Minicon whimpered, collapsing. On the ground, he struggled in pain.
"No!" Drift shouted. "Don't hurt him!"
Foxtrot kept his pede up. Ready to crush Slipstream.
"Obey or I crush him, you scum!"
"No!"
Drift barely stood up. Forager witnessed, indifferent to the scene.
"So? You'll be reasonable now?"
"…Don't hurt him…"
"It's all up to you, Drift"
Drift stared back at Slipstream. He looked down. He couldn't hesitate. Not when Slipstream's life was at stake…
"…Very well"
"Good. See? It's not that complicated"
Foxtrot walked away. Forager gestured him to follow. The talk was over, apparently.
"Hurry up, Deadlock. Don't make me wait"
Drift checked Slipstream's injuries. Not as serious…but they were still painful.
"I'm coming…"
"Mister Drift…"
"Hush. Don't speak"
He was trapped…one more time…
When will it ever stop? When will he be safe? When will he be able to protect Jetstorm and Slipstream in the most efficient way?
He dried his optics off one more time, trying to repress some tears.
"…Deadlock"
He looked up. Lyzak.
She reached out at him. No hint of mockery in her optics.
Only…sadness.
"Come. You shall come."
He had to…
He had no other choice.