Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers
Please R&R
(Sorry I haven't updated this in ages. My ideas for this are still a bit rusty so updates will probably be few and far between. Sorry, but enjoy anyway!)
Barricade watched the practice from the observation deck. He stonily stared down from behind the one-way glass, not flinching as a youngling was sent sprawling from a kick by the tutor.
"So you do worry" Came a soft femme voice from behind him "That's good to know"
"Get lost Shivershot" Barricade replied, his two upper optics swivelling to look over his shoulder as the lower two kept watching the increasingly violent training session that some off duty mechs were watching and cheering on from the sidelines, perched on the training pitch edges like vultures.
"Blackout's match is fourth" she supplied as he tracked her across the room, the dull lighting of the observation deck playing across her blue and silver plating.
"Is there a reason you are looking for me?" he finally rumbled after a tense silence between them.
"Orders" she said "You have to take out a few bots. I left the list on your desk in your office."
"I have an office?" Barricade asked looking bewildered
Shivershot scowled at him "Corridor E, floor 4"
"Huh… that must be why I keep getting memo's to hand in my work" Barricade mused to himself mentally noting down Shivershot's directions. "This is the third match by the way"
"I know." The femme said with a sigh "I saw some of the other younglings, one isn't going to make it through the recharge cycle, the other is just badly winded."
The shock trooper hummed to himself as the third youngling was dragged off the training pitch. Some drones going over to buff out the energon stains that the youngling's wounds had leaked over the pristine silver floor.
"You are in a good mood today" The femme beside him commented breaking him out of his thoughts
"I'm never in a good mood" he retorted with a glare "Now get lost femme, I want to watch this in peace. I'll get my mission done soon enough"
Shivershot scowled and stomped out of the observatory deck's doors, which unfortunately for her, she couldn't bang as it hissed shut behind her.
Barricade finally sighed, releasing a heavy rumble of air through his vents. Shivershot had become increasingly short tempered lately and had even had Shockwave cowering in the corner once when she blew up at him because he didn't like the way she had written her report. To say the emotionless glitch had left her alone since, but if you looked very, very closely every time Shivershot handed in her report to him he would shudder slightly.
He turned his attention back on the ring just as Blackout was tossed onto the pitch with the tutor of hand to hand combat. The youngling looked terrified, helm turning every which way as if trying to escape from a pack of cyber-wolves. Barricade scowled and in a move that would probably have him executed he opened a comm. line to the younger bot.
"Stand up straight, they can practically smell your fear" He snapped through the comm. watching as Blackout gave a surprised squeak
"Barricade?" Blackout asked his little helm scanning the crowd more closely now for the shock trooper. "Where are you?"
"Observation deck above the training pitch" Barricade replied "I said I'd be here remember?"
"You said maybe, if you weren't away on a mission" Blackout retorted as he began to dodge the swipes of his tutor.
Barricade sighed as he watched from behind the one-way glass. The squirt was doing better than his youngling friends, managing to escape four out of five swipes at his tall form, his rotor blades spread for balance as sharp gouging claws swept overhead.
"Private fascination Barricade?" asked a deep rumbling voice that immediately made the Shock trooper shiver.
"No, an interest in the methods of teaching" he replied turning to watch as Megatron himself crept into the room, oddly silent for his impressive size and menacing presence. "My Lord"
"You are concerned about this youngling" it was a statement, not a question, Barricade noted as the once Lord Protector watched the match below.
Blackout scrambled as his pedes were swept out from under him, hitting the floor on his front only to roll away with a cry as a heavy pede slammed down where his back would have been not a second before.
"I will admit I have an attachment sir" Barricade finally conceded wearily, his talons balled into half fists in his nervousness.
The Silver behemoth looked down at him as if he were some insignificant fly "Attachments are what get you killed Barricade"
"Attachments are what stop me from going mad" he snapped back without thinking, realising it as soon as Megatron's devil red optics narrowed at him.
He dutifully took the blow aimed at him helm, sending him sprawling onto the floor "You walk a dangerous line, talking back like that Barricade" came the chiding snarl from the taller Decepticon.
"I apologise" He replied meekly as he heard Blackout's match end below, the youngling having been beaten with a blow to his sensitive rotator blades, one snapping off halfway up, three cracked and one hanging by a few thin wires as he was helped off the pitch, the youngling clearly trying to hold back his tears of pain.
"Look after the youngling as you wish Barricade" Megatron finally said "You are to mentor him after he has had basic training. After that I will pit him against one of our warriors"
The Shock Trooper remained looking down at the ground unsure of his Lord's motives. "If he succeeds I will see that your interest in this one's development is sound. If he fails…" the once noble mech leaned down so that he was gazing directly into Barricade's slightly fearful optics "He will be executed."
The apprentice of the Fallen turned away and stalked back out of the room but looked back and with a parting shot sneered "Better teach him well Shock Trooper, his every Spark depends on it"