Transformers: Honor and Loyalty

Chapter 9: Race Towards Danger

Deadlock had let Etsuko drive, and soon realizes she isn't driving toward her school.

"Etsuko, where are we going?" He asks, seeing a large gathering of cars and humans. One that Etsuko was driving him towards.

Etsuko smiles a little sheepishly, hearing the slight discomfort in his voice. "I'm sorry, Deadlock-san. This is what I meant when I mentioned my methods of relieving stress. This is a street race, technically illegal, but we haven't been caught yet."

Deadlock uses the mirrors to look around, slowing a little, taking in the loud music, flashing lights, and excited crowd.

It had been a long time since he'd raced...

Soon, Etsuko parks in what seems to be a meeting spot and gets out of the vehicle, calling to someone in the crowd, some of whom are staring at Deadlock in surprise and something like envy.

Deadlock adjusts his rearview mirror to see who Etsuko is talking to and is a little surprised to see it's the same person he had asked about a few days prior on their way to her school. Deadlock hears Etsuko call him Yasu as they shake hands.

"I'm surprised you would bring something so nice to an event like this." Yasu notes, nodding at Deadlock.

Etsuko simply smiles confidently. "It may look nice, but I guarantee it'll perform well."

Their attention is then drawn away from their conversation as someone in the crowd shouts something.

The two now glance at each other with a competitive fire in their eyes.

"Well, the prize money is pretty big this time, so may the best car win." Yasu muses smugly as Etsuko laughs him off.

"Please, you know that I don't race for the money. I've got plenty of that. You know I donate any winnings to charity." Inwardly, Deadlock smiled at this response. Very honorable. "Besides, watching all the boys cry when I beat them is reward enough."

I like this girl. Deadlock chuckles to himself. She has an honorable spirit, with the energy and playfulness of youth.

"We'll see who takes home the prize money, Etsuko." Yasu says, waving as he walks off, presumably to his own vehicle.

Etsuko waves back before getting back in the driver seat and buckling in. "I'm sorry if I upset you, Deadlock-san." She says apologetically. "I should have been honest with you."

Deadlock would shake his head if he were in robot mode. "I appreciate the apology, but it does not upset me. I happen to have raced before; you know."

Etsuko tilts her head, surprised and curious. "Oh?"

"Indeed, before the war, and even before I began studying Metallikato with Master Yoketron, I occasionally raced on Cybertron."

"There are races on Cybertron?"

"Not since the war, I'm afraid, but yes there were races once. In fact, some bots from a colony world called Velocitron would come to participate. Not all of them were legal, either."

"Fascinating." If Etsuko wasn't idling at the start line, she'd ask about the colony worlds, but she figures there's time for that after the race.

A young woman on a small platform above the racers holds a flag down toward the racers, waiting for a signal.

"The race starts when she waves that flag." Etsuko says.

"I see." He didn't need to tell her he could deduce that on his own.