A/N: I'm so very sorry for the long delay, I've been having some general issues in real life BUT enjoy this mega-chapter! The next two chapters will also likely be mega-ones too so they'll be slow too I'm afraid, but I hope you enjoy! Thank you for being patient!
Using the rocky outcroppings to his advantage Drift could quickly reach his troubled friends.
Crouching behind them he watched the fruitless venture before him with deep concern etched into his faceplates.
Cyclonus had Grimlock in his claws, furious wing beats kept the two of them above ground, but even still Grimlock wasn't fighting back too much.
He was dented and had twisted panels of armour all over him, his paint scraped off in huge dirty scratches. His head lolled about optics out of focus, dizzy and confused, a large dent on his head no doubt contributing to his lack of motion.
Strongarm looked beat too.
Every time she got closer, Cyclonus would swing Grimlock around violently smashing him into her - or at least attempting to - no matter what she did, keeping her at a wary distance.
He could feel fear quietly, numbly poking at the back of his processor.
It was not his own.
They'd been with him so long Drift could feel the worry emanating from his students.
He did not blame them, it was all concerning.
At least Cyclonus seemed distracted with keeping a hold of his prey and pummeling Strongarm.
It made it so much easier when Drift jumped him.
Onto his back, between his wings, one remaining sword held high before it was swung down into the Decepticons shoulder, anchoring Drift to him.
Grimlock was dropped to the floor with a loud thump.
A pained hiss escaped Cyclonus but it was strained like he was holding it back.
The long neck of the dragon swung back, horned head trying to hit Drift and jaws trying to snap.
Cyclonus stumbled to the ground for a second, before taking off again as this all happened.
Drift pressed himself tightly to the Decepticons back, trying to avoid the dragons sharp exterior.
But that wasn't all, his sensors beeped, reading his increasing altitude out to him, a drop from this distance would not leave him unharmed and Cyclonus only continued to climb.
The clouds were suddenly a worrying distance below him as Cyclonus quickly burst above them.
Drift didn't plan for this and just held on as tightly as possible, at this height, it was all he had.
Angrily Cyclonus jerked from side to side, the sharp turns shaking Drift but not removing him, the Autobots firm grasp on his weapon only dug further into Cyclonus as the sword twisted about inside him as his unwelcome passenger was thrown about.
The seeping energon and increasing damage made Cyclonus cease.
Turning around Cyclonus twisted his long neck to stare at the Autobot on his back.
Drift stared back.
Neither did anything.
Was it an intimidation tactic?
Was he hoping his glare alone would force him to let go?
Drift could not read his expression, and likewise, Cyclonus could, hopefully, not read his.
The two glided slowly above the clouds staring each other down.
The altitude increased again and Drift was the first to break the staring match to acknowledge what was now happening.
Cyclonus was rising in the air again only turning upside down as he went.
Gravity increased its pull on Drift and with a worried thought he realised his legs were not anchored on.
Gripping his sword tighter Drift wrapped his other arm around the base of Cyclonus's neck as when the dragon went upside down, Drift was left hanging.
Undeterred Cyclonus flew upside down, wobbling around he shook the dangling Autobots with a sadistically gentle motion enjoying the flightless Autobots troubles.
Completing the 'loop' Cyclonus swung back down again, a nose dive.
Drift could barely keep his grasp on the Decepticons' neck as Cyclonus pressed his wings to his body, dropping from the sky at high speeds, only increasing at an alarming rate.
The wind whistled loudly past them both as Drifts grip struggled and wavered, the sword was once more pulled and digging through Cyclonus's internal parts but the Decepticon was willing to risk the damage.
Drift tried to hold on as best as he could, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold on forever, not like this, not at this speed.
But Cyclonus was going to stop, he wasn't going to hit the ground, he was going to halt at the last moment.
That's how this went, that's how it always went.
He just had to last for a little longer.
He wasn't going to be dislodged by such an obvious trick, not like this.
The ground was getting dangerously close, dangerously fast and Cyclonus only continued to speed up.
And spin.
He didn't stop himself, he didn't halt, he span.
That did it.
Not expecting the manoeuvre Drift was gone, sent flying from the dragons back and tumbling to the Earth.
Cyclonus put more air in front of himself and lazily spread his wings out, slowing down into his air-cushion and landing heavily.
Drift was easy to locate, rocks were broken from where he slammed into them and grooves were dug as he scraped through the ground.
There was panic and fear from his students, only contributing to the foggy confusion of his processor.
.: Get backup:. He hissed at them, swinging his arms to the side he ejected both Mini's watching them sail away in a wide arc.
The resulting spike of panic was purely his own as he watched Cyclonus seeming to begin to turn away from him, tracking his students with his optics.
"Your fight's with me" Drift spat scrambling to his feet in the worst most disjointed movement he's ever made as pain notifications and pangs of agony blared in his processor, not wanting to move at all after that fall.
"It's with me! One-on-one, as you can see"
Cyclonus turned to him, slowly, disinterested.
"Disrespectful… Only now?" His disembodied voice still portrayed adequate contempt.
A disinterested grimace tinged across his face as he reached to his shoulder, claws pinching the end of Drifts sword.
There was a quiet wet sound as the weapon, coated in Energon, slid out.
Then the clatter of it hitting the floor sounded like a thunderclap, the motion so deafening Cyclonus transformed silently.
Energon smothered one side of his body, a glossa flicked angrily.
Drift's optics squinted as he glared at his opponent.
"Snake" He hissed and Cyclonus vented a sharp blast of air and charged
Drift swung his arms up, hoping to deflect the hit and grapple his opponent but the air solidified before him preventing any physical contact and flinging him back.
On the floor, Drift had no escape as the wind buffeted him, like one of the human's 'cushions', except filled with rocks.
He really was using some kind of… air… kinesis…
And he was using it much more vigorously this time around.
It felt like he was being attacked by a beast yet Cyclonus stood still.
The density of the wind felt like being thumped by two triple-changers at a time, he could almost grab it, but at the end of the day it was still air, swinging his arms to try and strike back did nothing as his punches were swallowed by the thickness.
Invisible enemies were no match for him, they were a match higher than him and quickly threw Drift to the ground again, before some delightfully twisted sense of humour pushed him back onto his pede's again.
The air was no threat, no enemy of Drifts.
Once more on his feet, ready to be knocked down once again Drift made his move.
He had to.
He scrambled forwards, a charge devolved into a wobbled attempt at a run.
A run that failed and in desperation Drift dropped and transformed.
It was the only way he could stay stable and avoid most of the buffeting winds.
It was all he had and he slid under the main force of his enemy's attack, the rocks made his pained path waver but he was intent, he'd ram this Decepticon and wrestle him down even if he couldn't transform to do it.
The ping of happiness he could feel as he approached the pede's of his foe was short-lived as they moved.
Drift came to a sudden halt as Cyclonus stomped on his hood eliciting a pained yell from him.
He must've felt like he was going faster than he actually was.
Cyclonus seemed in the least bit phased as he held Drift down with his foot.
Drift always made a point never to truly reveal to an enemy how much damage they had caused but it was impossible to avoid the short sharp shriek as several probably tons of Decepticon decided to shift the entirety of its weight onto your already abused frame.
Cyclonus stood on his hood before quietly placing his other foot onto Drift's car boot.
Drift struggled fruitlessly beneath him, desperate to get the weight off him but found himself locked in place, unable to transform.
A smile tugged at the corner of Cyclonus's face. It was a little sad he couldn't get a true fight out of this supposed 'warrior' but the joy of watching his enemies writhe in pain was far more delightful right now.
"MASTER!" Called from the rocks.
"We can't leave you to die!" Twin red and black shapes launched themselves from a nearby rock formation of which there were plenty and latched themselves onto the Decepticons horns.
There might've been a quiet grunt that escaped from Cyclonus as he bent over, arms immediately swinging up to swipe for the nuisances.
Slipstream swung the butt of his weapon and smacked him in the optic, the claws faltered and one hand instead clasped his face and the other's course went awry missing both Minis.
Desperate not to give a dangerous specimen even the slightest chance to retaliate, both Autobots jumped to the Decepticons back but still held onto the horns, pressing their pedes into his spinal strut they pulled as hard as they could, wrenching his helm backwards.
It worked, leaning back Cyclonus shifted backwards, losing his footing Drift slipped out from underneath him and Cyclonus fell to the ground.
It hurt a bit more than the Decepticon expected but two trapped Mini's were not the most comfortable landing pad.
Not until there were dead anyway.
Knowing Drift would be up to protect these brats at the slightest opportunity Cyclonus took the Mini's.
Rolling onto his front the two dazed students held on to Cyclonus out of panic, and to their horror, he took off.
Jetstorm and Slipstream yelled as the Decepticon ran, not even standing upright he powered forwards like some animal on all-fours leaving them to cling on for dear life.
The ground around them sped past like a demented ride as their arguably also demented ride dragged them along. With each sharp turn, Jetstorm and Slipstream were jerked to the side, barely holding on.
Jetstorm had bundled up armfuls of the wing-material that draped over Cyclonus's back, clinging onto that while Slipstream had his hands around the actual wing joints making a valiant effort to reach out and grab at Cyclonus's horns again.
Streams of Dark Energon whizzed past them as Cyclonus ascended the mountain before leaping.
Jetstorm and Slipstream found themselves near flying as the Decepticon leapt from a high point upon the volcano and practically cleared it in a single huge jump.
"Slipstream" Jetstorm lurched forwards grabbing onto the Decepticons shoulder strut, anchoring himself better, "You have'ta jump off!"
"I can't leave you here!" The wind whizzed past them loudly as the jump seemed to almost be in slow-motion.
"You gotta! We need back up now! A-and you need to get Drift! He won't let us go if you don't! You might have a chance to get to the others with Masters help!" Jetstorm thought back to why they had disobeyed a direct order.
They had indeed left to do as Drift had told them but they had no time to reach the others as Thunderhoof stood between them.
He wouldn't have been much on his own but the vicious purple wound on his chest said otherwise and the duo decided it was best not to touch him.
But he was big and easy to outmanoeuvre.
Or so they'd hoped.
They slipped past the big 'con easily but Thunderhoof proved his right to the name as he slammed his hoof down unleashing a thunderous sound, the shockwave knocking the two over, then flinging them into the air again as soon as they landed.
Sometimes he let them stand before using his attack to knock them down again.
It was after a long while dealing with this that they heard Drift yell out in pain, the students shared a fearful look, changing direction they had ran back to their master, an action Thunderhoof allowed as if he was keeping them penned in.
They'd arrived to see a bent and damaged Drift, weaponless and at the Decepticons mercy.
They may not have thought their plan through but regardless they were not going to let this continue, and that was how they'd ended up here.
Slipstream nodded to Jetstorm, the large arc of the jump was almost over and the ground was close, Slipstream let go of Cyclonus and practically vanished in an instant as he left.
He only just touched the ground in a painful roll, misestimating the speed at which they were going, did the thought hit him.
While leaving for valid reasons; he'd left Jetstorm alone, alone with the 'con who nearly shattered him.
Jetstorm had planned for this.
Mostly.
'Never show your enemies your weakness' Drift had told him, it was always wise to not give them an opening.
Naturally, he'd taken it the wrong way and decided trying to stand up against the one who'd almost broken him, by himself, was the wise course of action.
It was not.
This only really dawned on Jetstorm as the Decepticon slammed back down to the Earth, shaking him around violently and kicking up dirt and dust.
At least the landing seemed to stun Cyclonus as much as it did him, as he did not cushion his fall like he had other times.
Around him he was vaguely aware of fighting, everyone seemed distracted, their attentions consumed, but his systems could not focus after the impact.
Neither could his body as it sagged and dropped off Cyclonus.
It hurt and threw his gyroscope off slightly but he managed to stand, He stood slightly to the side of the frozen Decepticon.
On all fours there was no movement or expression on his face, his back was arched slightly and the thin tail he bore hung limply.
With improving stabilization Jetstorm grinned, luck seemed to favour him this time.
He moved and put himself in front of the stationary Decepticon, pulling out his weapon he hoped the 'con could see it was him.
"Now it's time for you to come with us! Your friends will surely be joining you shortl-UGH" Jetstorms time to have a small gloat was just short.
As if to emphasize the temporary damage done by the landing a crack and a pop followed Cyclonus's arm as he raised his hand, sharply jutting it out and trapping the tiny Autobot within his claws.
Jetstorm panicked and grunted, icy cold claws snared him tightly, bringing to mind how a Glitch Mouse must feel when in a Technohawk's talons.
It was hard to tell if the groan came from Cyclonus or his no doubt aching body as he slowly stood upright, a slight hunch to his form as he held out his prey before him.
It was a quiet, daunting few moments as their optics locked. Jetstorm felt to be looking into an abyss.
Except it was an angry one that was staring straight back and through his, straight to his spark.
Show no weaknesses…
"Stare all you want Con!" Jetstorm felt confidence and pride swell up within him "I may be a student, but you'll never truly win against me! Do you know what a student does? They LEARN! No matter how many times you think you've beaten me I will learn and learn and never surrender! You will not defeat me!"
Cyclonus regarded him with a squint.
Then an open mouth.
A very open mouth.
Jetstorm watched as invisible seams across his face seemed to split and excessively sharp dental units practically sprang from nowhere.
His jaw connector had dislocated and his maw big enough to munch him without an issue.
"MASTER DRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTT!" All confidence and pride left Jetstorm in a terrified teary wail.
"Jetstorm!" Cyclonus perked up a little as he heard the cry, only slightly closing his mouth to look behind him to see Drift charging towards him as fast as his beaten body could manage.
A cruel grin returned to his face as Cyclonus swung round, a swift motion with his hand generated buffeting 'wall' of air and Drift was easily floored.
Stretching his arm out slightly Cyclonus presented his 'prize'
"Looking for this?" he crooned through the air as his whimpering prisoner struggled limply within his grasp.
Struggling to stand Drift had to use his stained sword as leverage to keep himself stabilised as he stood.
He glared angrily as the Decepticon proudly presented his stressed student, grinning with a spiteful smile containing way too many sharp dental units.
"Drop him!" Drift barked, he prayed to Primus that words would work because he was still not capable of full motion "Drop him now! And drop your gimmicks! Fight me for real! Or are you going to hide behind this snivelling cowardly tactic!?"
Cyclonus pulled back slightly his free hand going to his chest in a mock 'offended' pose.
"They decided to join in the fight of their own free accord, Isn't it so 'dishonorable' to have promised a one-on-one only to make it three-on-one? Or maybe you just can't control your own students?" His lip-plates didn't even twitch the entire time he spoke, only a sharp breeze to carry his words.
"Come get your student, Drift" He grinned menacingly.
Drift grunted angrily, sword up he tried again and the wind returned.
He dug his pedes in as deep as he could and strained the support struts and muscular fibre-lines within his legs but it was useless to struggle and stress.
The wind could keep it up longer than he could and Drift was floored once again.
Determined not to give up, Drift had to try something new.
He swung the sword and leapt for him, the more his student was brandished like some kind of trophy the angrier he got.
Having nothing on the ground worked against him as did this whole situation.
Now the wind easily tossed him back further than before.
Even transformed the wind swept under his tires and he skidded and slipped sending him backwards.
He was wobbling around by this point, his internal gyroscope felt as if it'd detached itself and taken a break.
Walking stiffer than usual, Drift kept his servos clasped to the hilt of his sword, optics locked on his enemy.
And he shuffled.
It was slow and almost laborious but he quietly and slowly inched his way forwards.
The small rigid movements seemed to be of amusement to his enemy as he watched him creep slowly forwards with a smug smirk.
While apparently entertaining his slow advance wasn't enough.
Cyclonus took a step forwards putting his body between Drift and Jetstorm and shoved Drift with his free hand knocking the unstable Autobot over.
"Ah, I expected better" prompting more winds he pushed Drift along the floor leaving him to struggle against the strong breeze, self-repair systems no doubt having returned him to a slightly more fighting-fit state by now so he should manage better this time.
Or at least be more entertaining.
"What are you-" The wind faltered a little as something shifted behind Cyclonus prompting the Decepticon to divert his attention.
As he did Slipstream jumped from behind, wielding his Naginata he thrust out the weapons bladed end to its desired destination.
The gash Drift had inflicted upon Cyclonus's side last time they fought was largely dealt with but the thinner, more sensitive plating broke easily under his blade and the weight of Slipstream as he clung onto the hilt using the leverage to cause as much damage as possible.
His plan was to vault off the Decepticons side and grab Jetstorm but that didn't go to plan; as he flailed and pulled the weapon from the wound as a fresh splatter of Dark Energon burst out from the reopened injury, dropping him roughly to the floor.
What happened next didn't help either.
"RAGH!" From a mixture of minor surprise and a lot of pain Cyclonus actually spoke, the rough exclamation of pain coming from his own vocal unit, but the sound was smothered by a loud pop as the air pressure dropped dramatically and the temperature joined it.
Sensors going wild at the rapid change and slow-stabilisation of what just happened Slipstream jumped for Jetstorm who had instead been dropped.
Clattering into his fellow student, Slipstream almost tripped over him several times as he dragged him behind a small rock.
"Are you okay?!" He grabbed his shoulders shaking him worriedly.
"Uh… uh huh, Jus… not scary at all right" Jetstorm sniffled clinging to one of Slipstreams outstretched arms just a bit too tightly.
Drift looked up from the floor, instinctual coding had prompted him to cover his face with his arms but with the strange occurrence re-stabilising itself, he looked out from between his arms.
Cyclonus had a hand around his side, clasping his newly open wound and the other around his face, through claws Drift could see how the edges of his lip plates were turned down in a disapproving, yet aggressive, expression.
They were empty hands.
Jetstorm was free.
And he was distracted, unfocused.
Now was the time.
Drift, charged.
The angry yell that escaped him, entirely involuntary but fuelled by fury.
Sword held high, the blade was aimed to hit the larger Decepticon directly in the helm right between the optics.
No doubt being drawn by the yell the Decepticon seemed to move in slow motion, enough for Drift to watch its expression change to one with the faintest hint of panic.
A defending arm did not rise quick enough, while the blade did not reach Cyclonus's helm it became wedged in his forearm making the titanic creep stagger back a step.
It was enough.
A twist and a yank on the sword and he had the 'con bent over where a punch to the face toppled him backwards.
Making sure to return the favour, Drift kneeled upon his downed foes abdominal plates looking him straight in the optics, the sword seemed to vanish from his mind as his free hand swung out to punch again.
A turn of the head and it missed, a pocket of air bounced his fist away the second time.
The sword swung but this time got deflected.
Drift didn't want to let him off at all, he didn't want to see him in a stasis pod unless he was too dented for Primus himself to recognise.
Maybe listening to his own lessons and not letting emotion cloud judgments would've been handy to him here.
Though he didn't really expect such a move.
Swinging in for another punch Cyclonus lurched forwards and several needle-like dental units emerged to pierce and puncture his wrist joints as his enemy bit him.
More from surprise than anything else Drift yelped again, his hand covered in sparks and small rivulets of Energon as the snarling Decepticon refused to let go of his arm and a shocked attempt to pull away only tearing away at his arm more.
There was no time for any other words that weren't another pained yell as a thick blade drove itself into his shoulder strut, he tried to grab at the piercing blade in his shoulder but it was wedged into the shoulder of his free arm.
Drift felt a painful tearing sensation as he went to grab it ceasing activity, he realised he needed to free his other hand if he wanted any chance of freedom.
His hand snapped over Cyclonus's face, covering the short muzzle of the Decepticon a thumb struggling against his lip plates as he tried to grab hold of his jaw-joint.
Cyclonus responded by clamping down harder and squeezing Drifts wrist mechanism harder until it sparked dangerously and something within popped, sending more Energon over them and another pained cry.
"DRIFT!" His optics may have begun failing him on a dramatic scale through the pain notifications clouding his processor but nothing could prevent Drift from recognising the worried voices of his students.
There was a sharp scraping noise and a pop and then fire searing into his shoulder strut.
He may have yelled from a mixture of relief and pain but his other arm was still clamped in the Decepticons jaw.
It was uncouth, undignified and desperate but Drift removed his free hand from the 'Cons face in favour of just repeatedly hitting him, begging that the repeated sub-par blows to his faceplates would help in any way possible.
But he felt fibres, gears and joints twinge and burn and his free arm stopped working.
Noise became fuzzy and indistinct but he was roughly jostled and moved, then shoved and before he knew it Drift was on the floor in a crumpled heap.
Knowing his students were doing something he focused all power on at least trying to get a clear visual but his body fought against him, every sensible thought in his processor begged to leave and seek a medic but he continued to squint and strain, trying to get a visual.
It was blurry and dipped in and out of focus but he could make out colours, and with colours came their blotchy, blobby shapes.
He could make out Cyclonus, back on his feet, spinning on the spot swiping at something else.
His tail, was glowing a different shade of purple to the rest of the lights on him, a shade closer to that of the Dark Energon around them but above the sharp glowing tip were smudges of red and black as his students clung to the tail preventing it from moving while also leaning back to avoid whatever was swung at them.
They must've noticed him being partially awake.
Or was he trying to stand up?
Drift wasn't sure, all he knew was that he was trying to do SOMETHING.
Quickly both of the red and black smudges arched out and grabbed the lighter fibres that made up Cyclonus's wings and yanked hard, the momentary distraction from trying to grab them was what they needed and immediately the two hopped off from Cyclonus and darted over to his side.
"Master Drift!" Slipstreams voice was laced with static, or at least sounded it.
Neither waited for a reply and instead placed themselves in front of him, obscuring his view of the large dark Decepticon still opposing them.
He wanted to tell them to go, but his voice would no doubt be distorted and damaged and he couldn't lose his students respect sounding like that.
A voice did, however, cut through to all of them.
"CYCLONUS!" A familiar voice barked and through bleary optics Drift saw the dark form of Galvatron standing above them.
As if they became insignificant Cyclonus immediately left to bound up to Galvatron's side.
"I think we're due for some bad weather, eh Cyclonus? We have the fuel for it!" Galvatron had a hand outstretched as if trying to seal the hole on Cyclonus's shoulder with his palm before his face crumpled angrily "You can give them the forecast while I… take care of something"
His optics snapped down to the trio Cyclonus had been fighting revenge etched across every part of him except Cyclonus shook his head.
"Fine." Galvatron removed his hand from the wound of his camaraderies shoulder in time to have his outstretched hand shot at by a small blast of energy "I've still got a pipsqueak to handle"
Cyclonus nodded, watching as Galvatron jumped away again before lazily turning his head back to his prey. Slowly raising a hand he touched a few fingers to his forehelm before giving a sarcastic wave, and with that, he transformed and flew away.