Chapter 30 ~ "Ninja can be more NINJA"

GunDober purred softly as he settled against the purple mech's chest plate, resting his tiger's-head helm against VolFogg's shoulder and wrapping his arms around his team leader. VolFogg held the black-and-white, needing the contact. His optics were powered down, and he was trembling ever so slightly. GunGlue settled against his back, churring softly in time with GunDober's purr, both doing their best to comfort the taller mech.

One of the hawk wings on GunGlue's helm twitched slightly, and he began rubbing his palm over VolFogg's arm, his fingers playing gently with the tire on the purple mech's elbow. VolFogg tightened his hold on GunDober, resting his cheek against black metal. The tiger-helmed mech purred, easing as close as he could.

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It took a few days for VolFogg to reappear. The twins were with him constantly, and he was finally realizing the depths of their feelings for him. And why they had been so jealous of Mosa. They were starting to work through the pain in his spark, doing their best to fill the empty spot inside him.

Scavenger had down his rounds, checking up on VolFogg and making sure he had the occasional quote that could help him through the day. The older mech patted him on the shoulder; "Wanna join me for a drink?" He was about to sit down on the couch, a bottle of high grade and two glasses in his hand.

"Sure." VolFogg padded over, his two shadows, as always, right behind him. They settled to either side of the purple mech, leaning against him. Three pairs of optics, two green and one pink, fixed on the old mech.

Scavenger had filled the glasses with the warm high grade, passing around the glasses, "Should be a decent flavor..." he took a sip, "Was able to get it from that banquet..."

VolFogg took the glass. "Thanks." He sipped at it, taking his time. Getting overcharged was the last thing he needed. GunDober and GunGlue followed his example, going very easy with the high-grade.

Scavenger took a few more sips, "So I was thinking..." he twisted the glass in his hand, "When the three of you are finally up to it, we'll be starting the training that you so nicely asked me to give all of you..." he snickered and sipped on his glass again.

"He is getting better," GunGlue commented. "Though he does still carry a lot of pain in his spark. Still, we should be able to start the training soon..."

Heavy footsteps alerted them to Goldymarg crossing the room on his way back to his quarters. The orange mech looked over at the ninja team. "Quit beating around the bush and take him already! He needs it!" GunDober promptly threw the nearest handy object at the larger mech's head. Goldymarg ducked, continuing on his way.

Scavenger frowned, "Get your ass a can of high grade and keep your trap shut cheese puff..." He sipped on his high grade, looking back at VolFogg. He saw the look on his face, a calm but remorseful look; the older mech sighed, "VolFogg..." he said softly, "I know the pain is still weighing on your shoulders, but you must understand that there will be more out there..."

VolFogg shook himself. "I do know... though will my shadows let any of them near me is the question." He indicated the twins, chuckling softly at their negative whistle. "We are a tight team... and now we are becoming even closer." He rubbed the cat ears on GunDober's helm, running his fingertips along the edge of one of GunGlue's hawk wings. Both leaned into him.

Scavenger smirked, "I can see, gonna be easier with that in battle but a helluva lot harder when one of you finds a good femme..." he chuckled, gulping down the rest of his drink. "As for training, I won't start until I know that he's ready... a pain filled spark is not the best things to deal with when going through my kinda training." Scavenger gave his optics at a side-glance to a certain Autobot

The ninja mech coughed slightly. "I... don't think they're interested in femmes... and dealing with these two is going to be enough of a handful for me." His faint smile widened slightly.

Scavenger smiled, leaning back on the couch, "Dealing with all you runts is a fragging nightmare for me..." he groaned, "Cheese puff over there and the Flame thrower especially..."

"That's Goldy for you," GunDober said between contented purrs, leaning into VolFogg's hand like the cat he was built to resemble. "And EnRyu runs hot, both literally and with his personality. Though HyoRyu balances him out most of the time. Goldy's A.I. was based off one of the humans of GGG, hotheaded and not great at following orders. But once you get through to him, he'll listen."

Scavenger smirked, "Yeah with a good beat down, he thinks his strength is good enough already. I would like to think not..." he sighed, taking the bottle of high grade and drinking out of it. He looked directly at VolFogg, "So Ninja bot..." he said, "What would like to do?"

"I haven't given it much thought," VolFogg admitted, looking at GunDober as the black tiger's-head helm butted against his hand. "These two have given it more thought than I, but even they aren't sure. We are what we are; there must be a use for our talents out there somewhere."

Scavenger took another swig of the bottle, "Trust me, there is..." he smirked, "I was actually referring to your training, future careers are for later kiddy." He tapped on the bottle, "There's a few new things I want to teach you three especially, since your skills can equip to these techniques. I'm pretty sure you can make copies of yourselves to fool the enemy?"

The armor on VolFogg's shoulders rose to reveal his built-in hologram projectors. "Using my Projection Beam in conjunction with my Fog Gas, I can create multiple images of myself, and just about anything else, in the fog. Though they aren't solid, and can be dispersed fairly easily." He finally withdrew his hands from the twins, to sounds of disappointment. GunDober caught his hand before he could pull it away completely, swiping his tongue across VolFogg's fingertips with a purr. VolFogg's response was a true smile.

Scavenger blinked, throwing a bottle-cap through the holo-gram, "All fine and dandy..." he murmured, "But I was thinking of more... solid copies." Scavenger grinned...

VolFogg deactivated his emitters, the armor settling back into place. He tilted his head. "That's possible? And you could teach me how to do it?" Both of the twins mirrored the tilt of his head, looking at Scavenger curiously.

Scavenger took another swig, "Yup, with your sparks you have endless energy now..." he looked at the three ninja bots, "Duplicating a solid image is particularly easy when you have the right skill, but you've got to be willing to actually doing it." Putting the almost empty bottle down on the small table, he stretched his arms. "And that's not all I can teach you... there's also the art of fusing..."

"Fusing?" GunGlue repeated, blinking. "What is that?" VolFogg looked over at Scavenger, wanting to know the answer to that question as well.

Scavenger smirked standing up from the couch and in front of the holo-vid, with out even a twitch of his face, without even changing his position on the ground, Scavenger began to actually... sink into the floor beneath him. He crossed his arms snickering as he disappeared into the floor...

Three jaws dropped as the ninja mechs stared, GunGlue's rotors arching forward in surprise. VolFogg stared at the spot, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. How had the old mech done that? He could hardly believe it... and Scavenger was willing to teach them how to do it...

There was a chuckle echoing around the room. "Surprised?" he said, voice emanating from everywhere. It wasn't until Scavenger reappeared from the ceiling and landed on the floor behind the ninja bots. He dusted himself off. "Remind me to get Sideswipe to clean out the vents of this ship..."

All three jumped, startled. They gawked at him, optics wide. "We didn't even know that was possible!" GunDober exclaimed. "And you can teach us how to do that?"

Scavenger snickered. "That's because you were stuck with the humans all your lives," He straightened his back. "And yes I can, I've taught all of my best students this technique, Prime is one but he doesn't use the technique all that much. May take a bit but you three will get the hang of it."

"That is something we would really like to learn." GunGlue nodded. "It will come in very handy on the hunt, and allow movement in and out of dangerous areas unseen."

"That may be..." he scratched his chin, "There's a limit on what you can fuse with, and water is one of them obviously. Anything organic is impossible for any mech to fuse with, thank Primus that a lot of the places in the Universe are made of metal and other such." The older mech crossed his arms, "There is more techniques involved but that's for later, we also have to teach all of you new sharpshooting techniques, disguising, silence interlacements, etc. The list goes on and on."

VolFogg considered that. "Then... as soon as we are ready... as soon as I am ready... we can begin." The twins nodded, each wrapping an arm around him, leaning against him. He slid his arms around their shoulders, holding them close.

"One more thing..." Scavenger cracked his neck, "I'm not the kinda guy who likes to wake up bright and early, so let me sleep and I MIGHT go easy on all of you..." He darted a "death-warning" glare at the three.

"We aren't really morning mechs, either," GunDober pointed out. "As anyone who's tried dragging us out of bed in the morning has figured out," He smiled wryly; Sideswipe had been kicked at, snapped at, chased out, and had once narrowly avoided being fired on while stirring the ninja team in the morning.

Scavenger chuckled, "All right then..." he looked over the three ninja bots, "Just tell me when you're ready and I'll get the whole team ready Ninja boy."

VolFogg nodded. "We will let you know." He looked at his glass of high-grade, taking another sip, then tilted his head at Scavenger. "Out of curiosity, why do you call me that?"

Scavenger smirked, "Cause in my old age it makes it easier to remember names..." he yawned, "Now if you would excuse me, I'm headed for recharge. You three should do the same..." He yawned once more, stretching his arms and then heading out of the room, "Hey wonder twins, make sure he's bundled up tight tonight all right!"