Pairing: TFA Yoketron/Ultra Magnus
Rating: General
Details/Themes: Past mentions, memories
Requested by Ano
Walking those hallowed halls of the dojo felt odd, foreign even. It used to be a grand palace of learning and overcoming the greatest fears and doubts a bot could hold, turning that negative energy into a new technique or form to use to defend others. The dojo once had a vibrant paintjob and an amazing teacher...now it was nothing more than a worn-down building standing in the way. That wasn't what Ultra Magnus wanted to remember it as when he looked upon its faded interior.
He missed Master Yoketron. Now that he thought of it, he never did complete the processor-over-matter training after he was elected Magnus of Cybertron. Most bots didn't know he trained in melee combat as well as weapons training with Yoketron and was one of his star pupils.
He remembered a few times training where his abnormal size caused a few problems. Once, Yoketron was trying to teach him to balance on top of the dojo. It went as well as it sounded and there was a hole in the roof for several stellar cycles afterwards. But did Yoketron give up on him?
Most of his respect for the master lied from his ability to never give up on a pupil of his no matter what. With guidance, Ultra learned how to counter his afflictions in size and reroute that in battle to much greater bouts of strength. Of course, age eventually caught up with him so he wasn't as pronounced as before.
Then he remembered moments outside of the dojo. Master Yoketron wasn't much older than him so their interests were more amusing and playful but complimented each other well. Sitting under the two moons of Cybertron and talking to one another from dusk until dawn. His superiors hated that, told him to leave the ninja corps behind and focus on the strict career they had chosen for him.
Little did anyone know it was Yoketron who convinced him to take up the mantle as Magnus when it was, at the time, rumored of his promotion. Yoketron felt he would hold Ultra back with their growing relationship and he was already declared a master of weaponry and melee by his coronation.
It hurt somewhat to see Yoketron give up the happiness he had as Ultra's mentor and partner but rules were rules, and Magnuses and relationships never mixed right. Had Ultra known the path of Magnus would be as lonely as it was, always being treated as a king when he only saw himself as just a bot to trust, who's to say he would have abandoned his duties to be with Yoketron?
Ultra Magnus went through his old barracks while training at the dojo. Rule was the first few steps of training was done solely in the dojo so it became a temporary homestead until Master Yoketron felt one was ready to balance the outside world with the ways of the ninja. If he were to be honest with himself, he felt that Yoketron doing that to him once he was ready may have just led to their relationship crumbling. Had he stayed completely in Yoketron's care, things would have worked different and Yoketron may have been more prominent in decision-making in his later career.
What was in the past was done. Nothing could change it as much as he dreamed for eons that he could. A servo flicked off metallic residue that had gathered over the years from his desk and the wall-mounted blade he had practiced with during his training. He left it with the room after he left for the final time. The fact that Yoketron kept his room the same up to his death touched him.
The Ultra got curious. Bringing the weapon down from its place on the wall, he unsheathed it. To his surprise, the blade was still fine though a little faded from sitting unused. Magnus rotated it, loving the swishing noises it made cutting through the air before bringing it parallel to his faceplates. With a smile, he admired its finesse.
Yoketron had given him the weapon as he favored tactical over firepower hence why he loved Stormbringer, his war hammer, just as much. He knew it was more than just a sword; it was a gift of trust. Bringing the weapon out of his room, he eyed the barren floor. Yoketron had hidden training dummies under the floor that he loved to catch his students by surprise with. He wondered if they were still there. The button to activate the simulation was always hidden on the underside of the table overlooking the wide space. Feeling around for it, his grin widened when he heard a familiar click.
The floor shifted and several fake bots sprang up into view, all with simple coding to attack, non-sentient. As quick as they came, Ultra felt the oil pumping and he attacked with his sword in servo. He may have not been as agile as his younger self but he could take way more punishment. He sliced through each dummy that got in his way, even ones that popped out near his blind spots. He took out one's arm, another's leg, and used a sharp angle to decapitate one trying to sneak up on him.
In the midst of the exercise, he switched from his blade to his hammer and used it to obliterate each dummy with brutal swings. Twirling the war hammer, he was never happier watching the parts fly across the room. Three circled him but he opted to do one of his favorite moves involving his strength. In one huge leap and a sinister smile, he swirled his hammer high before lifting it above his helm as he fell to the ground below and swung down.
The hammer hit the ground with such force, waves of energy and even the metal of the floor itself rippled high and shattered everything in its proximity, sending the bots to the walls and causing the building to shake. When the aftermath of his assault died down, he was the only figure standing. Yoketron would have been proud if he was alive...if not also probably shocked at his maneuver and a little upset that the dojo may have sustained damage among the boom of the weapon. He wouldn't miss the scolding when he broke Yoketron's door to the protoform chamber by accident.
Sitting among the wreckage of the dummies which he swore he would clean up before leaving in honor of the place that helped make him who he was, Ultra Magnus got into a meditative pose. His energy was high from the training, reminding him of what he once had. Yoketron's spirit still resided in the dojo; he could feel it.
Maybe one day, he would join Yoketron in the Well and give him the proper thanks he deserved. Until then, he could only live among the presence of the dojo and it's lost memories that no one knew. Perhaps when the war was finally over would he find the time to restore this place to its former glory, maybe even teach the new generation the old style of Yoketron in his memory.
AN: Welcome back and I hope y'all enjoyed your holidays with family, friends, etc. Took a break this month to rejuvenate motivation because I think doing as much as I did in a small timeframe wore me out. I'll try to pace myself a bit less that way it may be easier to manage and for those of you with requests, don't worry. I'll get those posted as soon as possible!