DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS AT ALL! I ONLY OWN MY CHARACTERS AND LENDARAS OWNS HIS CHARACTER. I WILL HOWEVER OWN THE PLOT OF THIS STORY AS WELL AS THE DIRECTION IT TAKES.
A/n: I am really sorry but I had to rewrite this since my computer decided to go on the fritz. It dies on me and then it erases everything and it is a hardware problem that is no longer fixable because no one is selling the parts anymore. I am willing however to find a laptop that is the same model as me on eBay for a reasonable price since this one is ready to kick the ghost. It is an old beat up laptop so it is on its last legs. I know a bunch of you is waiting for an update. I will not keep you waiting any longer.
THE LOST CHILDREN OF CYBERTRON
Chapter 41: Unlearn what you have Learned
Starscream hovered over the islands the wind whipping across the wings of his alternative form. As he jet hovered there the twins hovered on either side of him their arms extended to show them morphed into more wing-like form.
"Just relax Uncle Star don't fight it let the wind be your guide and your servos will do the rest," said Rodan as he hovered on Starscream's left. Starscream could only comply as he tried to relax and not get carried by the strong upper winds.
"Like this Uncle Star," said Radon as she transformed and hovered beside him and Starscream watched as her wings angled slightly along with her tail rudders to give her a smooth effortless flight.
"See," she said and Starscream started to slowly try to master his element.
Already it is April and two months since the incident. Starscream, Bumblebee, Barricade, Jazz and Frenzy were in training with the other Deceptibots who had to prepare themselves for when the attack came. When it came they would be ready for it.
Starscream watched as the two twins continued to show him how to fly.
They first made him watch documentaries on birds and how they flew and then he was the manipulate their flight patterns with his alt-form. Try as he might he could not seem to master flying like the birds so well.
"Don't worry it takes time Uncle Star," said Rodan as he adjusted his wings to the wind.
Starscream struggled but still was unable to get the angle of his wings right to catch the strong winds of the Pali cliffs. As he tried to fly he caught sight of Barricade trying to run on the ground over a bunch of leaves that Obun has put out for them. The ground personnel which included Jazz, Bumblebee and Frenzy were trying their hardest to do what the old woman was telling them to do.
As he struggled to stay in the air and not get crunched his hydraulics began to give way as his weariness was starting to get to him.
It was also them that Kekoa's transmission came through.
"Alright guys time to come in!"
"We are on our way," Replied Radon as she turned in her alt mode and swooped down followed by her brother.
Starscream struggled to say airborne as he fell towards the ground. As he neared the ground he was coming in too fast and crashed into the runway again. His face hurt and he felt as if someone ran sandpaper down his front side. Luckily his cockpit did not crack this time. He struggled to get up as he fell back on his rear again.
This time he was helped up by Goliath who held him up.
"Don't worry Uncle Star you will get the hang of it soon enough," he said before releasing Starscream's hand and walking back into the underground base.
As soon as the evening energon was passed around Starscream headed at once to the top of the observation gardens. There was a view screen that he noticed as he walked there his thunderous steps making some quaking sound as he headed in that direction.
As he entered the room he was surprised to see that it displayed the different types of birds. Most of them raptors like his alternate form's sake. Right then and there he noticed the twins Rodan and Radon. Both of them were busy observing the different flight patterns of the birds.
"Hey watch how that Albatross uses the waves to gain altitude again," said Radon pointing to her brother.
"So if we glided down when we run out of energy we just adjust to the waves and the air pushing then pushes us up again?" Rodan asked his sister.
"Yep," said Radon and it was then that they both turned to see Starscream observing them.
"Uncle Star? What are you doing up this early?" asked Rodan
"I could not recharge properly," he admitted.
"Well you can join us then," said Rodan as she patted a spot next to her and Starscream.
Starscream sat down slowly and watched as the twins observed the different flights of the birds still kind of not getting it.
"Is this your secret to flight?" Starscream asked the twins out of the blue.
"Yep," said the twins.
"Then how do you duplicate those of the birds when clearly you are a lot heavier then they are?" he asked the scientist in him wanted to know more.
"Watch these birds," said Radon as she typed in a few keys and a strange little bird with a stubby body and short wings flew from a cliff face.
He watched as the bird adjusted its wings with little effort to glide along the updraft.
Flapping rapidly and then gliding it soared upwards. Then the image changes to that of a larger bird circling over where Starscream assumed that the bird's nest was. The image shifted to that of a pair of chicks and Starscream realized that the bird had probably abandoned its young in favor of saving itself.
His thoughts were bashed however when the larger bird was suddenly struck from above by the smaller bird. The said bird quickly flew upwards again and struck the larger bird with blinding speed. The bird was knocked from its flight and plummeted towards the ground before righting itself and quickly flying away.
That same little bird flew back towards its nest to see to the chicks.
"Wow," Starscream said as the image was played again of the little bird this one in slow motion.
Starscream watched with his scanners and observed every movement the larger bird made to soar above the cliffs. And he watched how the little bird dive bombed the large bird. He managed to pull up at high speeds very close within inches of the ground.
That was something no seeker in existence has ever done before.
Yet he bet his claws that these two had done it.
"So what kind of bird is that?" Starscream asked
"It is called a Peregrine Falcon and that large one was called a Red Tailed Hawk," replied Rodan as he typed in a few keys to show the bird that they watched earlier.
"This is an albatross a bird that is known to travel very long distances with little effort. By watching this bird and a few others is what gave me and Radon the ability to fly the cliffs."
"I get it so you watched the birds and borrowed their techniques to keep you airborne without your thrusters," said Starscream.
"Exactly!" said the twins.
--ELSEWHERE--
Barricade was busy observing a pile of dung already his scanners were at work trying to decipher the differences between the smelly substances.
Right behind him was none other then Zenith as he watched him try to find the differences between the dung.
"All I know is that this animal is here before that one," Barricade complained.
"Use you olfactory sensors that will tell you the difference," Zenith replied
Barricade did so but found that he was ready to purge his tank at the smell.
"This stuff is nasty," he protested
"Well can you tell me the difference between the different piles besides that?" Zenith asked
"I don't know much besides they stink," Barricade said frustrated.
"Try again this time open yourself up and don't hesitate," Zenith instructed
Barricade growled low in his throat as he tried again and was frustrated to say the least. As he tried again for the final time before he could scream at Zenith a very nasty Cybertronian curse he finally smelt it.
It was faint at first but he could smell it several distinct smells that he did not smell before was there. He at first was excited and disgusted at the same time.
"There are faint scents here," he said finally and truthfully
"Good now you are getting the hang of your spirit guide," Zenith said
"My what?"
"Your spirit guide the animal totem that you had obtained with your rebirth into the family." Zenith said
"Well what is yours?" Barricade asked
"I am a wolf just like yourself." Zenith replied
"A wolf?" Barricade said
"You can look up all the information you want Uncle 'Cade but you have to see them for yourself how they behaved before you make your assumptions," Zenith said as he walked Barricade away from the nasty smelling pile of crap.
--IN THE JUNGLE--
Jazz was having a better time with his training then the previous two Decepticons. He being an Autobot saboteur and culture specialist quickly embraced his animalistic side. Being the ferret did have its advantages as he used his speed to slink through the jungle like how Sonic was showing him.
"That's it Uncle Jazz keep up!" Yelled Sonic as he slinked through the thick jungle again followed by Jazz. The slippery vines and dead logs provided Jazz with little footing.
But that did not stop the Autobot from trying to go over them without leaving a mark. He noticed that even though Sonic weight nearly a hundred pounds in his 'bot form he was weightless when he moved.
Jazz being the observer that he is kept up as he raced through the jungle again he tried to keep his steps light against the mud. When they got to the end Sonic walked behind him and noticed that he still left a trail.
"Not bad Uncle Jazz but remember to keep your hydraulics high strung like this," Sonic observed as he showed him.
"That way you are not putting weight on your feet and using your speed and stealth to your greatest advantage." Sonic then ran along the moss and Jazz saw that he barely left a single mark.
"The key to this exercise is to not leave anything that would attract an enemy to you," was the reply.
Jazz sighed as he looked at his own tracks. It is hard to accomplish when you weigh several tons.
"That is a little hard to do but I will try again," Jazz said as he got up to begin his exercise again.
--NEAR THE OCEAN--
"Just remember 'Bee you have to steal that egg when no one is looking," said Stitch as he demonstrated for Bumblebee.
The yellow scout was struck stupid by the act as Stitch easily stolen the egg which was actually a football painted white.
"Now you have to steal it and make a clean get away,"
Bumblebee hesitated before he made a rush for the nest. As he ran towards the nest trying to keep as silent as possible the ground below him burst as Scorponok burst from the ground and attacked with balloons filled with paint.
Stitch laughed his vocal processors off at Bumblebee now covered in pink paint. As he laughed at the Autobot scouts dilemma he then grabbed some water using his hands and shot it at Bumblebee washing off the paint.
"The trick to this exercise is to grab the egg without Scorponok sensing you. When you grab the egg you have to be sure to escape also without Scorponok detecting you. That is the art of invisibility." Was the statement and the scout inhaled air through his intakes before going back to start again. Scorponok returned to his underground hiding place to resume practice.
--ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PANINSULA--
Frenzy waited for his prey to approach from above. Trying to stay well hidden in the underbrush he dampened his entire signature as he waited. Heavy footsteps came through the clearing as a nine foot tall femme approached getting ready to strike Frenzy waited till she was close enough before he struck.
The femme did not know what hit her or so he thought. A hand suddenly struck Frenzy sending him flying into the trees. The small Decepticon struggled to get up as he glared daggers at the femme. Artemis only smiled as she helped him out of the cat claw bushes. It was by luck that they managed to remain unscratched yet Frenzy was scratched due to the sharpness of the spines.
As he emerged from the bushes he was quite angry with himself as he saw the smirking Autobot watching him with humor in her eyes.
"You can do better then that Uncle Frenzy," she challenged as she raced away.
Cursing his bad luck Frenzy looked up his data pad on snakes. Why in the world does he have to study the organic creatures? He was more then confused he was quite angry with himself for it.
Already he had to train with Artemis who was the master scout and master assassin.
Or so they say.
Artemis is a master of hiding and so the serpent style of combat. Obun had assigned her to be Frenzy's trainer in that technique.
"Why do I have to train like this?" he demanded.
"Because your spirit guide is the snake Frenzy and as such you have to be trained on how to use all the powers of the snake," Artemis explained to him.
"But why a snake? Surely not a weasel or a mongoose like Jazz and Bumblebee?" asked Frenzy.
"Nope sorry you are out of luck. The snake is resourceful as well as clever. In old America the natives thought of the snake as wise and hold much wisdom." Replied Artemis.
"Wise, Me? You are out of your mind," Frenzy said
"That is not the end of it Frenzy, in China there is a martial arts technique based on the snake because it moves very fast," she said and demonstrated on a tree.
Frenzy was stunned as he watched the other bot dished it out.
"Oh," he said
"To understand why I move like this I want you to learn how to be like the snake. To be like the snake one has to be aware of their surroundings and yet blend in. one can't sneak up on you if you are aware of the world around you. You are of the earth so it is good that you are learning how to move through it." Artemis lectures to Frenzy.
Frenzy then got up and tried again as Artemis demonstrated. It took him a total of three times before he got it right. With his added flexibility Frenzy managed to finally get Artemis and the Autobot fell over laughing when he wrapped himself around a tree to shoot at her with his paintball gun. Smiling at him the Autobot gave a thumbs up and Frenzy gave a toothy smile and returned the gesture.
As the days went by the routine was practically the same with everyone training in various forms of martial arts with Obun in the beginning, and survival training with the Deceptibots in the afternoon. As it so happened after their forms were sought out Obun decided to exploit it for a reason.
The old woman wanted the five guardians to do what the Deceptibots already knew how to do and that was to protect all life. She will train them and they will learn to forget how to fight like they used to and fight a new way. Balance the old with the new. She was quite pleased with their training as they are determined to learn yet there is but one student who has not yet caught on.
Starscream
The Seeker was having the hardest time of them all as he tried to fly like the others and yet failing. He even failed at several simple exercises that Obun had the others do. The others managed to do it but Starscream was having a very difficult time. He tried to move like the others but failed and when it came to flying he crashed. It was as if after his rebirth he had lost the ability to fly. His thrusters refused to work and he could not lift himself from the ground.
Obun shook her head in distain. As she walked way towards her quarters a coughing session took place and she held her hand to her mouth to let it run its course.
She looked down and saw that her hand was covered in blood. Walking over to the nearby restrooms Obun washed her hands and then walked further down the hallway to her room. When she entered she sighed as she looked down as the sacred statue of Buddha. Her husband was already asleep in their bed as he laid his head down to rest and was snoring softly to himself.
Obun smiled as she let her mind calm her body as she meditated for a good half an hour. She then got up and walked towards the television set and turned it on. The switched the channel to PBS and watched a segment on falcons and fighter planes. When this was over Obun smiled.
She knew what she had to do to Starscream to get him to fly again.
TBC