The Seeker looked up to see a young sparkling flying towards him. Jetfire outstretched his arms as the young one flew into his embrace. He chuckled as he patted the sparkling's head. "Hello, Starscream..." His red optics met matching ones as Starscream grinned and wiggled out of Jetfire's arms, flying in a circle around the older Cybertronian.
Starscream giggled and attached himself to Jetfire's shoulder. "I made a friend today!"
A smile appeared on the Seeker's face as he turned to face his apprentice. "That's wonderful, my boy! What's his name?"
Young red optics glowed happily. "His name is Megatron!" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "He's really quiet and doesn't say much. I think he's nice but a lot of the others avoid him. I think Shockwave and Soundwave are his only friends. Well, and now me!" He beamed, pulling himself up to sit on the shoulder he clung to.
Megatron... That name unsettled Jetfire, but he tried not to let it show. He was glad that Starscream had made a friend. Although it didn't seem like a big deal, it was for the sparkling. He had a prankster nature and he tended to tell little white lies that made others dislike him. So it was nice to hear that Starscream now had a friend other than the silent Soundwave.
"I'm happy for you, Starscream."
Jetfire frowned, watching Starscream talk to his new 'friend' outside of their classroom. The Seeker had been called in to replace one of the science mentors when the previous one vanished after Megatron had gotten into trouble about a week ago. And Jetfire was not pleased to see how his apprentice was being treated by the other sparkling.
Starscream had been simply talking to Megatron before class had began and the latter had struck the former. Jetfire had wanted to interfere, but he didn't want Starscream to be called weak for needing a grown bot to save him. However, Megatron had not needed to hit his 'friend'.
"Jetfire!"
He was pulled from his loathing by Starscream's voice. He glanced down at his charge and felt rage well up within him when he saw that Starscream's chest plate and left arm were damaged. He knelt before the young Seeker and placed a hand on his undamaged arm. "Starscream, why did you let him do that to you?" He asked softly, raising his eyes to glance at where Megatron had stood earlier. The cruel sparkling had left with Soundwave and Shockwave, who had only stood by and watched as Starscream was hurt. He brought his optics back to the little one before him.
Young optics blinked in well-placed confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Why did you let Megatron hurt you?"
"What are you talking about? He didn't hurt me."
Jetfire's optics narrowed. "Don't lie to me, Starscream." His tone was firm.
Starscream glanced down at his injuries, as if he had just noticed them. "Oh those. I fell earlier. Megatron didn't do this." He looked back up at his mentor.
"Star, I watched him hit you. I /saw/ him do it. Tell me why you let him." Starscream fidgeted, clearly bothered that Jetfire had seen and even more so that he had been caught in a lie. If Jetfire hadn't seen what really happened, he might have believed his apprentice. "How long has this been going on?"
The sparkling shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his wings twitching. "...About two weeks..." He mumbled, looking down at his shuffling feet.
Jetfire pulled Starscream into a gentle embrace. "I'm not angry with you, Starscream. I'm angry with the one who hurt you. You shouldn't let him do that."
"I know... But I'm scared he won't want to be my friend anymore if I don't let him..."
The older Seeker could only sigh as he held his charge protectively. "Please, just be careful around him..."
But Starscream had never learned. That was the main reason Jetfire had stayed with the Decepticons for so long, the true reason he even chose that side. To look out for his apprentice. But now? Now, the aged Seeker, crippled and rusting, stood before the now-grown Starscream he had long ago trained and cared for.
"Starscream..." He shook his head in clear disappointment for his former charge's path in life. He had always known Starscream could be a hero if he truly wanted to be. But he had fallen under Megatron's power at such a young age and he never managed to escape it.
A chuckle escaped the younger Seeker. "Jetfire. I thought you were dead."
The Cybertronian civil war bewteen the Autobot and Decepticon factions had destroyed their home planet, driving their race far from home. Many still wandered the universe, while some of the most deadly had found a new planet to conquer; Earth. Jetfire had landed here many years ago after he had changed sides to the Autobots when he finally accepted that there was no hope of saving his former apprentice.
"So did many. And yourself? Still grovelling at Megatron's feet?" He spat the last sentence with obvious disdain. His little Starscream had gone the wrong path, all because of Megatron. The younger had such promise as both a Seeker and a scientist. Starscream was brilliant. But he didn't seem smart enough to leave Megatron.
Starscream growled at the comment, raising his arm, now equipped with a null ray, to his former teacher. "You'd be wise to watch what you say to the future ruler of the Decepticons."
Jetfire chuckled, shaking his head. "Still ambitious... At least some things never change... I wish you hadn't."
"Well, I did. And for the better, if you ask me." The weapon did not lower.
A sigh left the old Cybertronian. "...'For the better'? You call this better? You allow Megatron to beat you into submission, hoping to one day lead this faction. You had so much potential, my boy... And you have fallen far from a destiny with promise. I do not think it's any better."
Red optics narrowed and Starscream hissed. "A destiny with promise?" The angered young Seeker growled. "In what? The war destroyed any future I could have had in science!"
"And you helped bring it to this! You should have stayed out of it! War is not for you! You are a scientist, not a warrior!"
The null ray charged a bit as it moved closer to Jetfire. "Silence, old one. Perhaps it's time for you to have a nice, long, /permanent/ rest..." The Decepticon commander snarled.
Jetfire sighed once again and shook his head, his gaze falling to the ground. "Do it. It would be better than watching you fall any farther than you have. I'm so disappointed in you..."
Starscream roared in anger at Jetfire's words, firing at his mentor's leg.
The elder cried out and staggered, clutching his leg. "..." He shook his head again and leapt back, transforming into his vehicle mode and flying off, leaving Starscream behind. Jetfire was no coward, but his Spark was not yet meant to be extinguished. His fate was to help the Autobots defeat the Fallen, the Prime who betrayed his brothers. And there was a Prime in need of assistance. Better to die serving a purpose than without one.
Jetfire could only hope that Starscream would free himself from Megatron's hold before it was too late. A single prayer echoed in the Seeker's mind as he flew away from his apprentice. 'Please, guide him... Save him. Save Starscream...'
'Primus...Please save my son.'