Lost & Found

Another Surprise?

Chapter 60: Another Surprise?
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"Focus on the enemy's movement and keep your guard up!"

Once again, I was unceremoniously thrown to the ground as I struggled to regain my footing on the flat surface beneath me.

"Get up, Liza!" With heavy pants, I raised my head from his feet to my grandfather's narrowing optics that were boring into my very soul. His strong optics held encouragement, sternness, and love, but he refused to show most of it.

He pushed me instead.

He wanted me to have a taste of a real battle. A taste of the ruthless never-ending war.

The tension.

The pressure.

The sorrow and grief.

It was all there.

"Do you want your opponent to get the best of you? On your pedes! Now!"

I forced myself onto my aching feet, ignoring the cry of sore muscles when I reached for a long sharp blade at my side. My stiff digits tightened around the grip, before I charged at the big Prime without hesitation, dodging the constrained punch and delivering a resentful fist into his gut.

He stumbled back in surprise and quickly gained his posture again, before gripping onto my arm and flinging me across the dark void.

Ow.

The throbbing pain on my side increased as I rolled onto my stomach and slowly reached for the blade that laid innocently on the ground a few feet away.

"Get up!"

Once again I was back on my aching feet, using the powerful voice as my only motivation.

Hey, I'm Ironhide and pain doesn't matter to me anymore.

My grandfather took a ready stance that basically said 'Come at me'.

Of course. Don't mind if I do.

I'll take up the invitation. I charged at him once again without missing a beat and ducked under a swinging fist that almost connected with my head. I clenched onto his bulky arm and twisted. Not to truly hurt him, but just enough to force him onto his knees with a pained grimace.

This is training after all.

I took this chance to fold his arm behind his back and lock him in a chokehold with the blade pressed firmly against the wires of his neck.

The Prime seemed to struggle with minimum strength before he released a satisfied sigh and said, "You can release me, Liza. The training session is now over."

I quickly let go and removed myself from his back, somehow standing on trembling legs as I caught my breath.

He stood to his full height and rubbed the slightly dented metal of his arm, causing guilt to spread across me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Do not worry, young one." Grandpa Trion reassured. "I am fine. It's all part of learning. Are you alright? Did I injure you?"

"No, I'm okay."

His optics swept across my body, searching for any possible injures before he nodded and folded his arms behind his back in a dignified manner.

The other Primes who happened to be on the sidelines and observing our session calmly joined his side.

"Your performance today was excellent, Liza. I can see a major improvement in your skills. It seems to me that you are almost worthy of fighting off danger on your own," He praised.  "But you must remember when you fight, you mustn't allow your anger to take control of your actions. Stay focused on your enemies and never underestimate the enemy by their size or appearance."

I nodded in understanding.

"Do you think I'll be able to have my own weapons soon?" I asked eagerly, tracing my digits along the thick blade.

"Just wait. The time will come soon, Young One. First, you must focus on your combat training."

Makes sense.

"However," Prima stepped forward and gently took the blade from my hand. "We do believe you are responsible for your own vehicle mode."

"My own vehicle mode? Are you sure?"

"Of course."

The blade that was once in Prima's hand vanished into nothing and a bright ball of energy took its place before it shot right at me at lightning speed and sunk into the metal of my Cybertronian form.

"Wha-" A sudden wave of an unknown feeling washed over me, leaving me frozen in my spot in utter confusion. "What...just happened to me?"

"I have given you your new vehicle mode."

Suddenly, a small image of a sports car on display flashed right in front of my optics.

Scan complete

What?

"Now, try transforming," Prima said.

"How do I do that?"

Asking me to transform is like asking a month old baby to walk. Not even a page of detailed instructions is gonna help me.

"Unfortunately, I do not own a vehicle mode of my own, but I do believe you can find help from the others when you wake up. Unless you would like to try on your own while you're here."

"Uh...I think I'll wait."

Don't wanna hurt myself on trying to do something that seems like another world of difficult.

Yeah like asking a lizard to flip over a car.

"Very well. You don't have much longer, so I think it is time we tell you that we have another surprise for you."

"Ok, now you're just spoiling me."

Worse than my dad.

A deep chuckle sounded from the ancient Prime. "Indeed we are."

"What's the surprise this time?" I asked as my curiosity grew. "A blaster? A second car? Is it another part of my form?"

"Well...he is apart of you."

"...He? It's a he?"

What? Am I getting a pet dinosaur or something?

Prima smiled. "You shall see once you awake. Farewell Liza."

"Wait, can I get more details?"
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