//------------------------------// // Way of the Blade // Story: Cybertron Girls // by SonicSpeedster97 //------------------------------// “Okay, the first step for a road trip; planning exactly where we’re going.” Twilight instructed. “So where to?” Deadlock looked over the map of the planet, definitely intrigued as he looked it over. “How about here?” Sunset seemed surprised by his choice. “Japan? Why?” “I don’t know. It’s just… something in my spark says that’s the place to go.” Deadlock shrugged. “Well, far be it for me to argue with a bot’s spark.” Wheeljack shrugged as he lowered the GroundBridge. “Looks like you’re goin’ to Japan.” “Not alone.” Prowl insisted. “Two rookies, an unarmed defector, and half a dozen liabilities aren’t exactly something Megatron would be afraid of.” “Agreed.” Optimus nodded, turning to his officers. “Smokescreen, Bumblebee, accompany the team as a contingency unit.” “You got it, big bot.” Smokescreen nodded, before wrapping his arm around Lifeline’s waist and pulling her to his chest. “Wish me luck, babe.” Lifeline gave a coy giggle but kissed him before he transformed and revved over to the others, seriously annoying Bumblebee. Bluestreak just rolled his optics as he glanced over at Prowl. “I don’t know what our brother sees in her.” “What do you think? An interesting study-case.” Prowl shrugged. “You’re only sayin’ that because you don’t have femmes like her on your arms.” Smokescreen revved as the girls boarded him, Bumblebee, and Deadlock, who was now sporting a new holo-avatar in the form of a young man with dark hair, clothes, and red eyes, at least for the interim. “Whatever, Smokey. Let’s just roll out.” Bumblebee ordered as the GroundBridge opened, prompting the team to roar through the vortex. When they left the GroundBridge, they found themselves out in the streets of a Japanese city. “We don’t know much about this part of Earth; where exactly are we?” Bumblebee asked. “If I’m not mistaken, we’re in Matsumoto.” Twilight glanced around out through the window. “Wheeljack has good taste in destinations.” “Isn’t there a Samurai castle in this area?” asked Sunset. “‘Samurai’?” Deadlock seemed confused by the word. “Honorable warriors from the ancient days of this country.” Twilight explained. “And yeah, there’s a castle just up this way.” And sure enough, upon driving out of the main city, the team found themselves out at the gates of the great black Matsumoto Castle. Once there, the girls and holo-avatars left the vehicles and walked through the gates. After paying their admittance in Japanese cash – which Twilight happened to have on hand for just such a purpose for some reason – they wandered around through the collection in the castle’s halls, admiring the halls filled with ancient Japanese relics; art, armor, and weapons. “Magnificent.” Deadlock remarked. Rainbow smirked as she looked between him and the rest of the team. “Looks like we found our new guy his new lease on life.” “That right, partner?” Applejack smirked. Deadlock smiled right back at her and nodded. “Absolutely. I’ll study the samurai’s ways until I truly earn the Autobots’ trust.” “Well, if that’s the case, you’re gonna need some blades.” Bumblebee brought up, looking at the beautiful swords around the hall. “I’ll make some in the armory. Assuming Red Alert and Prowl are willing to let me in-” He stopped midsentence and seemed to focus on something. “What is it?” asked Rarity. “I feel something. Almost like something’s calling out to my spark.” Deadlock remarked, looking over at Bumblebee and Smokescreen. “Do you guys feel it too?” “Not really.” Bumblebee shrugged. “I can feel it. Cmon, let’s check it out.” To keep up appearances, Deadlock led the team out through the main door before they all saddled up and drove out of Matsumoto. It was a long drive – almost three hours straight along the long and winding roads through Japan’s countryside until at last, they arrived on the slopes of Japan’s most recognizable landmark; Mt. Fuji, which was fairly abandoned. “I don’t get it.” Rainbow shrugged as the bots transformed. “What are we looking for here?” “I’m not sure yet myself.” Deadlock shrugged. “But I’ve been feeling something in my spark coming from this country for ages.” “Well, we might as well start digging. See what we can- Gah!” Smokescreen was suddenly knocked off his feet and onto his chest by that sudden blast to his back, scaring the others. “Smokescreen!” Bumblebee reacted with fear and moved to his side, immediately seeing what had shot him; a massive green and orange Type 90 tank which suddenly transformed into a large robot with a gold skull-shaped chestplate and a skeletal face in a red helmet. “Bludgeon.” Deadlock recognized. “I suppose Megatron sent you to kill me?” “Correct, Deadlock.” Bludgeon snarled, his skeletal mouth perfectly pronouncing every syllable as he drew a large silver katana-like blade from the tank barrel on his back and a tantō from his missile launcher. “And now, it is time you were scrapped.” “I beg to differ,” Bumblebee smirked, flipping out his stinger and battle mask, firing to keep Bludgeon at bay. “Fluttershy, tend to Smokescreen. Applejack, with me; we’ll keep Bludgeon busy. Deadlock, get digging. Everyone else take cover.” Everyone quickly did as they were told, with Applejack and Fluttershy shifting to bot-mode and moving to their assignments as the other girls dove for cover under some rocks as Deadlock dug. Bumblebee and Applejack were able to hold Bludgeon back for a good long while, but not long enough as the Decepticon warrior managed two strong blows on each, knocking them both away. Fluttershy had managed to patch Smokescreen enough to move him out of harm’s way, only to see her friends go down and fear the worst. “Now for you, traitor.” Deadlock seemed to simply smirk as he stood from his kneeling position and slowly turned to face the skeletal warrior. “You really want me, Bludgeon? Come and get me.” He turned and showed the team what he had dug up; a massive ōdachi-style sword. Sunset was amazed, even moreso when she saw he had also found two smaller katana-like swords which he sheathed in the places he had once carried his blaster-pistols. “So you wish for a duel? Very well.” Bludgeon scowled, sheathing his knife and raising his sword to his opponent. Everyone moved back as the two circled each other for a few moments, before Bludgeon swiftly charged, clashing blades with the new warrior. Deadlock strained to hold him back but was slowly forced into the side of the mountain. “You are strong Deadlock, but the only one to ever equal me in a duel is Lord Megatron, and you are nowhere near his level.” Deadlock scowled as he felt the stone against his back until he managed to let Bludgeon’s sword slip off his own and bash the skeletal warrior into the wall face-first. “Deadlock is no more, Bludgeon.” As if to prove it, he glanced off in the direction of the road where he saw a car just like him but with a white paintjob and red decals. Quickly, he scanned the vehicle and his black paint faded, replaced with gleaming white and red. “That was a mere title Megatron gave to me.” His sword seemed to gleam with bright blue light as he opened his optics, now glowing blue as his blade. “From now on, as I once was known, I am Drift.” “Awesome,” Rainbow remarked quietly as she looked at the new bot, who swiftly charged Bludgeon. The skeletal warrior was surprised by Drift’s eagerness to attack and quickly raised his blade in defense, only for the blade to break with a single slash, the end flying far away. If he had a real faceplate, it was clear it would be showing worry as Drift swung again, only to hit air as Bludgeon slipped out of the way and aimed one of his shoulder-mounted rocket packs at the ground, creating a large cloud of smoke which allowed him to vanish. “Until next time…” That cryptic threat was the last thing anyone heard from Bludgeon after he disappeared into thin air. Drift sighed as his ōdachi powered down and he sheathed it onto his back. “That was awesome! How the heck did you do that?” asked Rainbow. “Wait a sec, that sword… that’s a spark-blade.” Bumblebee recognized. “It draws power directly from your spark to energize it.” Smokescreen smirked as he trudged over, still weak from the blast earlier even with all of Fluttershy’s aid. “Oughtta be careful with that thing; I hear they can cause a bot’s spark to completely burn out.” “Guess that means I’ll only have to use it as a last resort.” Drift smirked as he stood. “Good thing I have these too.” He swiftly drew both his katana and swung them around, as if getting a feel for their weight before he sheathed them. “Cool. But I kinda feel like you’re missing something.” Twilight remarked. Drift smirked as he crossed his arms. “You mean this?” With that, a red structure flipped up onto his face from under his chin, covering everything under his optics – revealed to be a samurai-style battle-mask. “I added this in when I changed my paint.” “Now we’re talking.” Twilight smiled. “Yeah, you look awesome!” Rainbow agreed, before looking at the broken rocks from the duel. “But aren’t you worried Bludgeon might be back to finish things?” “If he does, I’ll be able to find out if his face is his real skull.” Drift assured, disconcerting the others as he collapsed his mask. “But to do that, I’ll need some intense training.” “Maybe it’s a mask too, and he actually looks like…” Pinkie smiled, making ridiculous faces and accompanying noises, which couldn’t help but make the others crack up. “Looks like we’re getting another piece of the map early.” Applejack smirked, and sure enough; with all the laughter, Pinkie Ponied-Up and her Geode glowed brighter, as her Armor unit hovered from her pocket before it locked onto her geode and started pulsing. The Armor gave a loud ring before a cloud of pink crystalline dust started forming from her geode surrounding her entire body. “Uh-oh.” Applejack realized as the mass grew to bot-size. “Why ‘uh-oh’?” asked Bumblebee. “That’s probably sugar, and since Pinkie’s power lets her explode sugar when she touches it, we’re looking at a really big boom.” Twilight explained. “Oh scrap, she’s right. Take cover!” Smokescreen yelled as everyone dove for cover as the sugar exploded in a massive cloud of pink smoke, with the smoke suddenly condensing into large metal plates which flew back to the hovering Pinkie, forming a bot-sized suit of armor; her feet were bright pink with blue soles, her shins and lower thighs were sheer white, her upper thighs and hips were three separate shades of pink, her torso turned bright white with blue trim and a bright pink balloon-shaped button on her collarbone. Her arms and face turned the same pink as her skin as a white helmet construct with gold trim like Fluttershy’s formed on her head as her puffy pink hair shot out as curled steel cables, her optics opening to reveal her brighter blue in the centers. “Ooh! Shiny!” She was right; her bodywork was very shiny. (Cut it) “Looks like we’ve almost won this race,” Bumblebee smirked, turning on his com-unit. “Wheeljack, send the GroundBridge and get ready for another download.” Bumblebee was right about one thing; with Drift on-hand and three Spark-Shifters, the Autobots had nearly achieved victory. Elsewhere, the Nemesis hung in the air as Bludgeon made his way to the bridge. “I see a substantial lack of Energon on your blade, Bludgeon,” Starscream noted. “Why have you not brought our master Deadlock’s head?” “Because, Commander Starscream, Drift has managed to match me in combat.” Bludgeon explained in shame. “But make no mistake; the next time we meet, I will destroy him.” “I have no doubt. But I’m afraid that ‘next time’ will not come for a while.” Megatron scowled. “I’ve consulted a professional to handle this traitor. And the Autobots’ human pets.” Bludgeon and Starscream were both confused by what he meant by that until they heard a lighter click behind them. They glanced behind them and saw a familiar-looking black and green Decepticon with a tattered tarp poncho – barely hiding a black skull-like insignia on his chest – and a metal-brimmed hat. And a massive hook for a right hand with a large revolver on his left hip. “Lockdown? We’re resorting to bounty hunters, Lord Megatron?” Starscream seemed disappointed by this decision as Lockdown approached, a puff of smoke leaving his mouth from a metallic cigar as the wheel-spurs in his shins spun with every step. “You want folk dead and caught, dontcha? Well then, I’m just about the best ‘bot in the universe to bring ‘em to ya.” Lockdown scowled, glancing up at Megatron. “Course, my services ain’t free.” “Skywarp.” Megatron’s order was swiftly followed as the Seeker stepped forward with a large cube of Energon in his hands. “Five tons of Energon, as we agreed.” “We agreed on ten tons.” Lockdown corrected. “I know all about you Mercenaries; if I pay you in full upfront, you’ll just disappear.” Megatron scowled. “Megatron lemme tell ya somethin’ bout me; I ain’t good with names or faces, but when I take a contract, I either see it through or I die tryin’.” Lockdown scowled, lifting his hat to glare at the warlord under the brim. “And I ain’t dead yet.” Megatron simply scowled down at the bounty hunter but gestured for Thundercracker to bring another cube forward, the same size as the one Skywarp was holding. “Satisfied?” Lockdown smirked as he let out a puff of smoke and tapped the cubes with his hook. “Very much so,” he assured, glancing at the two Seekers. “Go put that on my ship.” Skywarp and Thundercracker nodded as they left for the hangar, allowing him to redirect his gaze up to Megatron. “Give me two solar cycles and you’ll have either a trophy on your mantle or a loaded brig.” With that, he raised his hook and tipped his hat. “Pleasure doin’ business with ya.” With that, he walked off the bridge to the GroundBridge, knowing that the Autobots had no idea what was coming.