Fandom: Transformers G1
Author: gatekat, ultrarodimus on LJ
Pairing: Axe/Dai Atlas
Rating: NC-17
Codes: Slash, Sticky, Spark, Voyeurism, Historical Setting, Knights of Light
Summary:
Disclaimer: The authors are only playing with their own twisted muses. Transformers belong to Hasbro. Fandom-side, check the inspirations page (gatekat-fics .livejournal 290 .html). We draw from a ton of amazing stories and authors you should read.
Kneeling to the Sword 05: Dart and Crash
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"So whose idea was this, anyway?" Dai Atlas demanded of Wing as they walked with Atl and Axe towards the largest arena in the Citadel.
"I really have no idea," Wing replied cheerfully. "When a bunch of Knights get together, sometimes the oddest things can come out of it. This is one of them." He reached over to pat the closest bit of his Initiate, a dark-plated forearm. "Dart is very good. This is going to be interesting."
"Define 'interesting'," Axe grumbled, ruffling black plating.
"We're going to get the oil beat out of us by a cycle-former," Dai Atlas grumbled back.
"And a small one, at that." Axe shook his helm. "Whoever came up with this idea needs to have their processor examined."
Wing snickered at that, looking over at Axe. "It's going to be a learning experience."
"Doubtful," Dai Atlas snorted. "We know we can be beaten by small mecha, and anyone who's watched us train knows it as well. Twenty-three vorns is not enough, even for us."
"Don't be like that," Atl patted Axe's arm. "It's an exhibition fight. Everyone knows how little time you've been training. It's a chance for Dart to show off, yes, but you don't have to win, or even do well against him to show off your own skills. If you do well, it will reflect well on us as your Daoshi."
"And it'll give you a chance to learn to defend against his style, since there will be and are other mechs who use something similar." Wing hopped up onto Dai Atlas' shoulder, a habit he'd gotten into several vorns before. He claimed it was because it was easier than running to match the larger mech's longer stride, and the first time he had done it he'd had to hop off quickly to avoid the startled Dai Atlas' reflexive swat. Axe had taken one look and immediately started teasing Wing about being a tame organic avian.
It didn't take long for Wing to become known as 'the Citadel's yingwu', which spurred Axe and Dai Atlas to teasingly debate if that was the correct term, since yingwu were brightly colored and never had white feathers. Dai Atlas also argued that Wing was more cybercat than avian.
Wing's only response to the friendly teasing was to point out that some planets had creatures that were as much feline as they were avian. He didn't mind the teasing at all, though he drew the line at being teased with energon wafers.
"I still say that whoever came up with this idea needs their processor examined," Axe grumbled as the door opened to the arena.
Due to Dai Atlas' height, Wing had to duck down across the blue mech's shoulders to avoid getting clipped by the doorframe. One hand glided lightly over the gold crests before Wing hopped off, turning to look up into red optics. "You'll do just fine," the white jet told him, flashing a bright grin.
~My goal for the orn is to not have another penance,~ Dai Atlas informed his mate as they angled towards to the display area while the Knights went to the stands. ~And maybe surprise them at how well a bonded pair can fight as a team. They are very short on bonded mates here.~
~I have noticed as much,~ Axe replied. He eyed the small mostly-white mech waiting for them before glancing over to see who else was present. Only a few other Knights were there, one of them being Vanguard, but as Wing and Atl took their seats he saw others trickling in.
"Most everyone's coming," Dart smiled at them, relaxed and warm and just a bit excited. "Knights, Initiates, Supplicants and most of the dependents. We don't do display matches often. Thank you for agreeing."
Long white and light blue wings shifted. The two large mechs hadn't figured on doing this in front of nearly the entire Citadel, but they had never backed down from a challenge and weren't about to start now.
"It promises to be an interesting experience," Dai Atlas replied neutrally, gazing down at the mech who stood roughly one-quarter his height and a bare fraction of his mass, being much smaller than Wing.
"Yes it does," Dart smiled, flicking a golden gaze at the gathering crowd as more and more mecha filed in from all ranks and sectors of Citadel life. "Hopefully an educational one for everyone as well."
Axe watched the crowd assembling, shifting slightly, before returning his gaze to his mate and the much smaller Knight. He could hear the murmurs of anticipation rippling through the growing crowd. Plating settling closer to his frame, he looked down at Dart. "Do we get some time to warm up beforehand?"
"Go for it," the Knight motioned to them. "I'd say you can plan too, but I'm sure you are anyway," he grinned and stepped back a bit to give himself and them room. He drew his short swords and began a kata that was simple for him, though still well beyond what the larger mechs had been taught.
The two larger mechs exchanged glances, watching for a moment. They were not used to being the weaker performers in an exhibition match, and it felt decidedly strange.
~How should we handle this?~ Axe asked his mate, drawing his own swords.
~We do our best, and we fight right on the edge of what's allowed,~ Dai Atlas' grin was almost feral, a look Axe was accustomed to as a sign his mate intended to break every rule without technically doing anything he could be charged on. ~If we haven't been explicitly told we can't, then we can. And we surrender with as much dignity as we can manage.~
Axe mirrored the grin, thoughts and ideas already beginning to present themselves. They had never really seen Dart fight, having been busy either with their own Supplicant chores or Initiate training. Neither of the pair was quite sure what to expect. ~This should be fun, then.~
~A fair assumption would be the same basic form as Wing and Atl,~ Dai Atlas added as he relaxed into his katas, refamiliarizing himself with his blades as he always did. ~The Knights practice a sub-form of Metallikato. The details may vary a bit between them, but they all share the same art.~
~And we are pretty used to their fighting styles, having to put up with them every orn,~ Axe agreed, settling into his own katas. It had taken him quite a while to get used to the twin swords; he'd probably taught Atl how to swear in several other languages while he'd been getting the hang of the weapons. It was radically different than anything he'd used before despite his propensity for using ancient weapons.
They both noted as Dart finished a lighting fast dance as impressive as anything Wing did to show off and didn't begin another. A glance at the stands showed them very full with close to five hundred mecha. The Knights were easy to pick out with their Great Swords, the Initiates largely identifiable by their short swords and lack of a Great Sword. Supplicants and dependents were distinguishable only by their manner, at least for Dai Atlas and Axe. Many familiar faces were there, all eager for the show but lacking the sneers and eagerness for damage as most military crowds wore.
"Ready?" Dart asked politely, his frame relaxed.
Black plating quivered minutely, though Dai Atlas would probably be the only one to notice.
~It can't be any worse than having Wing wipe the floor with me,~ Dai Atlas huffed and shifted away from his mate, creating a fairly wide triangle as the larger mechs settled into a defensive stance. "Ready."
Dart nodded and took in the pair, judging them not by their rank but by their stance and bearing. He knew this pair were far more than mere Initiates. Without any apparent warning the white cycleformer leapt, landing on a bar sticking out from the arena wall only just far enough for one pede.
~Just be glad you're too big for him to actually throw you around the training room, like I've seen other Knights doing,~ Axe pointed out, turning his attention to Dart and completely ignoring the audience.
Dart's opening move got the slightest of pauses from the black and gold triple changer, blue optics tracking on the much smaller mech as the grounder flew with all the grace of a natural flier.
~Impressive,~ Dai Atlas commented as he tracked the speed and agility of their opponent, taking note of how outclassed they were in that department, but also of the price that Dart paid for it; light armor, low strength and a small frame.
Dart followed his designation with a sudden ricochet sideways that slashed his sword across Axe's thick golden chevron and thinner black right audial antennas, leaving a distinctive line of white across them.
~Very impressive,~ Axe agreed, optics narrowing. He whipped around, his own sword coming up in a swift arc. While Dart was more agile and faster, the two larger mechs were very quick for their size and even Axe had a reach nearly twice Dart's full height. They'd often been underestimated on both counts.
The lithe Knight twisted out of the way, sheathing one sword and grabbing a cable hanging from the ceiling.
~Fast little glitch,~ Dai Atlas narrowed his optics and calculated the physical limits of what Dart's frame could take. With a move fast enough to startle much the audience he lunged forward, his thrusters engaged, and caught Dart across the arm as the Knight was between two cables.
~Same basic form as Wing and Atl, but a very different personal style.~ Axe came in from another angle, twisting to avoid catching a cable on his armor, and managed a glancing swipe across Dart's leg. A huff of surprise escaped him as the cycleformer used the triple changer's blade as a springboard, launching himself out of range again, but not before giving Axe a swipe of white across the hand.
Moving even faster than the triple changers anticipated, Dart came in low to leave a bright line of white around Dai Atlas' leg, and only just managed to avoid the retaliatory stomp.
Narrow blue optics tracked on Dart, sweeping across the array of available bars and cables. There was just no way to tell which way Dart would go.
Axe glanced quickly over to Dai Atlas, processor racing as he tried to work out a way to corner Dart and pin the smaller mech. Spotting an opening, the black mech darted in, managing to leave a black stripe across Dart's hip before Dart could dodge.
It was the last hit either managed for the better part of three breems, a timeframe that left both giants with a lacework of white on their frames and shortening tempers.
Axe felt the command and responded without thinking, or even processing it to language. He simply moved as his mate directed and suddenly Dai Atlas was in front of him, the crack of armor closing on armor until the weaker bracing creaked ominously and a vocalizer let out a squeak.
A ripple of shock ran through the audience, more than a few mechs jumping to their pedes, biting off exclamations. Vanguard's wings were raked high and quivering, white optics flaring as he stared hard at the giant blue triple changer. Wing's golden optics were wide, the jet chewing anxiously on one knuckle, his other hand closing tightly on Atl's arm.
Slowly, an uneasy silence descended, all optics straining to see what was going on.
"Do you yield?" Dai Atlas looked at the mech clutched in his hand. His tone was calm, smooth, utterly in control.
"I yield," Dark got out with a decidedly relieved sound as the hand closed around him loosened, then set him on his pedes. He turned to the audience and waved cheerfully, particularly at Atl, who looked like he was about to have a spark seizure.
Wing was the first to relax, white armor settling, wings folding to his spine. Vanguard looked at Dai Atlas for a long moment, then nodded slightly, his wings lowering back to their usual position.
Muttering under his breath, Hardwing stalked forward to get a better look at the crush damage on Dart's frame. Even from a distance he could see the clear outlines of Dai Atlas' fingers imprinted on the cycleformer's armor.
"You are insane. Certified and classified," the chief medic muttered, though it was unclear exactly who he was talking to. He glanced up at Dai Atlas. "If I didn't know your background, I'd say you were lucky not to do more than cosmetic damage."
"But you know I know exactly how much pressure every nanometer of that frame can take at a glance," the light blue mech smirked. "It's been my function for longer than most of the mecha here have been alive combined."
Wing bounced over, the Sovereign and Atl following him at a more normal pace. White optics scrutinized both of the larger mechs before settling on Dai Atlas. "You came into this match with something to prove to the rest of us."
Dai Atlas inclined his helm with the dignity befitting his former life. "Yes. My temper, my rage, is merely a tool. Useful when controlled, and I can control it."
"And you have proven that now." Vanguard glanced at Dart. "I am well aware of how frustrating Dart's sparring style can be to those who face him for the first time. You did very well."
Axe shifted his weight from one pede to the other, eying the streaks of white criss-crossing his frame. "I've never seen a style quite like that."
"I recognize both Diffusion and Circuit-Su elements, but mostly it's not actually a martial art," Dai Atlas focused on Dart as Hardwing continued to examine him. "Am I correct?"
"Yap," Dart grinned up at him, chipper as always despite his dents. "Normal acrobatics and parkour mixed in with a frame that's suited for it."
"And a helo's spatial processor," Atl added with a grunt.
"And a complete disregard for gravity and the effects of landing," Hardwing muttered before standing and grabbing Dart's shoulder. "Come on," he tugged the cycleformer away.
"Taking off is optional, landing is mandatory," Wing snickered.
"A medic's worst headache on two pedes," Axe commented with a snort. "I'm actually somewhat looking forward to sparring with him again in the future. Once I've gotten more training of my own and have a good idea of how to pin the little daredevil."
"I wish you luck. He's difficult even for myself to pin," Vanguard tipped his wings almost playfully. "I am sure he will indulge in a rematch whenever you ask. I know it will be a popular one," he inclined his helm slightly towards the crowd that was dispersing.
"I wonder how long it's going to take to get used to not seeing betting," Dai Atlas shook his helm slightly and accepted Wing's subtle lead out of the arena, Atl and Axe not far behind.
"Not the kind of betting you're used to, at least," Wing chirped, almost bouncing next to the larger mech. "Doesn't mean there isn't any going on."
"It was odd not hearing the audience cheering for damage or for Dai Atlas to crush Dart, but that's one oddity I will be only too glad to get used to," Axe noted.
"What is being wagered?" Dai Atlas asked somewhat stiffly as his processor went over everything that wasn't credits he'd known to have been bet in other times and places.
"Shift schedules -mostly monitor duty -, assorted chores, things like that," the white mech answered, long used to what that stiffness meant in his Initiate. "Nothing major. If credits are ever wagered, the amounts are very small. And that doesn't happen often."
"Very different from military wagers. They did shifts and chores too, but that was the beginning, not the ending," Dai Atlas settled his plating rather forcefully. "I will not be sorry to no longer find it normal to bet on the lives of others."
"Betting here is more about who'll land the first strike, or on the winner as determined by how much paint they get covered in or, when sparring with blunt blades instead of paint blades, how many strikes landed in a set amount of time," Wing told them. "No one bets on fuelshed here." He smiled brightly up at his Initiate, taking in the amount of white streaking blue armor.
"Or for slaves, berthrights, prisoners, lives," Dai Atlas said, a hint of hopefulness in his tone.
"Nothing like that," Atl managed to choke back his horror at the implications there, and how certain he was that he had no idea how far it really went.
Axe cycled his optics several times. "Very different from what we're used to. But different in a good way."
"Yes, a good way," Dai Atlas nodded as his frame and field settled with relief.
"You're not in the military anymore. You're Knights-in-training, and we do things entirely differently." Wing reached up to pat Dai Atlas' arm as high as he could reach. "Now let's get back to the washracks and get that sparring paint off you."
"Please," Axe cut in. "My plating is starting to itch."
"You're getting soft," Dai Atlas teased him, his wings flicking in amusement at his mate and affection across their bond.
"Can't tell me yours isn't getting just as itchy," Axe retorted, reaching out to lightly poke a long white wing. ~Besides, there's a great deal else we can do in the washracks,~ he added with a purr.
"Of course, but not enough to whine about it," Dai Atlas retorted. ~And there is indeed, including getting clean.~
Axe snorted, shaking his helm. Wing only laughed at the two of them.