Runaway

Chapter Eight - Training

Steeldust wearily followed Nitro back towards the rec room, doorwings sagging.

The two-wheeler had been training him again.

Perhaps he did pay more attention to how his student was fairing and when he was in need of a break, but Steeldust always felt exhausted after training sessions.

Not too mention sore.

However, Nitro never hit him hard enough to cause much damage. Nothing his self repair couldn't handle.

The one time he sparred against Crusher though?

Steeldust had luckily only gotten hit once, ducking and dodging around the mech quick enough to avoid him. But the one glancing blow from the muscular mech had sent him flying into the wall, knocking the wind out of him. And denting his tank.

Good thing Swindle was on good terms with a medic nearby who was willing to pop the dent back out and give him something for the pain.

The youngling wasn't looking forward to any future matches with the former miner. Even he knew he was lucky that it was only a glancing blow and not the full force of Crusher's fist that had hit him.

"Why are miners so strong?" Steeldust whined internally as he trudged into the rec room.

From observation, both the former miners present in this place were ridiculously strong.

Steeldust didn't know much about mines, but he guessed it probably made sense.

Nitro paused for an astroklik, glancing back at his young trainee. Then, faceplate showing no emotion as typical, headed towards his usual table to join Roadrage.

Steeldust stopped inside the doorway, glancing around.

Not everyone was present as several mecha were out on patrol.

And if Steeldust remembered correctly, Arson was somewhere downstairs working on a new kind of bomb to add to his arsenal.

The several that were present, Steeldust wasn't certain he wanted to sit with.

Wheeler and him still hated each other.

Dagger and Taser were involved in what seemed to be a rather heated argument.

Jetstreak was brooding in the corner by himself with his cube of energon.

Steeldust considered following Nitro, but decided he'd rather not sit with Roadrage.

He wasn't sure what to think of the mech after witnessing what he'd done a few orns ago.

Not that he was sure what to think of anyone else or this place either.

The young speedster stood awkwardly for a few kliks, seemingly unnoticed. Then, he walked over to the dispenser, grabbed a cube, and made his way to any empty table in the opposite corner of where the red and purple seeker was sitting.

Sipping his energon, Steeldust watched and listened to his surrounding mecha.

Taser was now ranting about something to her brother, who looked like he might just be ignoring her.

Roadrage and Nitro were discussing something in low tones that he couldn't hear.

He slid lower in his chair as Crusher and Ransack stomped in, grabbing their own energon cubes and moving to sit at the long counter bordering the side of the room.

"Nothing to report, Roadrage," Ransack called out across the room.

All he got in reply from the broad mech was a grunt and a nod.