-Present-

You've fallen an awful long way, Starscream. You've fallen too far for a being who can fly.

How could you have let this happen? You once held a future of so much promise. You were the King of the Skies…The authority on Astrophysics…How did this happen?

You threw everything away like a fool.

You threw it all away…for HIM.

And where did it get you? For just when you thought you had all you ever wanted…

You found, for the first time, you had made a miscalculation. A catastrophic miscalculation. You lost everything and gained nothing.

You've been selfish, though that's no surprise, you've always been selfish.

You may have never had a good spark, Starscream…but you never would have become this without the push.

There is very little time left…

Perhaps it is about time you recognized yourself for the failure that you are…where did it start…? Of course…that day…

-The Past-

-Iacon Science Academy-

It was wholly agreed upon that Starscream was brilliant. He was so brilliant that several of the professors would be well out of work, were it Starscream's desire to teach.

It was also wholly agreed upon that he was not well liked. He was haughty. He was rude. Everything he did was usually for entirely self serving purposes. It wasn't only the professors who were tired of his brazen disrespect, but the students. It was bad enough that an adolescent seeker, half the age of 80 percent of the students, scored higher on the examinations than anyone else, but he mocked them openly for it too? It was not to be borne.

This didn't seem to bother the young Prince too terribly. He found their company tiresome, and shouldn't need their approval regardless. He acknowledged their poor opinion of his character with little chagrin, and delighted in that despite their general dislike of him, they couldn't help but retain respect for his scientific prowess.

Besides, who cared for the approval of a gaggle of mindless dunder-helms, when he had the approval of the only bot he cared to associate with?

Skyfire was Starscream's opposite in a way that was almost comical. Starscream was slight, he was gargantuan. Starscream was loud, he was soft-spoken. Starscream was mean, he was gentle.

He was, however, nearly equally clever. Starscream liked him immensely, and refused to accept the companionship of any other mech.

Skyfire consequently adored him.

The two sat in Starscream's personal laboratory, intently watching a bubbling test tube held over the burner. "It isn't reacting…why is it still not reacting?" the tiny seeker growled in irritation.

Skyfire fumbled over the hastily computed formula on a datapad, "Maybe we are still missing a chemical component or otherwise a molecular coding?"

Starscream tapped his slender claws on his helm, "Maybe one really just can't concoct synthetic energon…"

"Don't think like that, Star. We just need to re-work the formula a few more times, but we can do it!"

He switched off the burner, "I don't feel like crunching anymore numbers today. We'll try it again later."

Skyfire moved to store the chemicals for later use, all the while watching Starscream in concern, "But chemistry always makes you feel better." He walked behind him and gently rubbed the gap between his wings, "Is Professor Moonracer being an afthead again?"

Starscream raised a sculpted brow ridge, "When isn't he? But it's not that. Sky…do you wanna go do something?"

The large shuttle paused in confusion, "Like what? Go flying? You hate it when I go with you, I can't keep up with you."

"No, I meant do you want to go do something. I want to go to Kaon."

At that Skyfire leapt back in surprise, "Kaon? But why? It's unsafe, and uneducated and…"

"I'm bored! I want to see something different for once! I thought you had more courage Skyfire; don't tell me you're afraid." Starscream smirked tauntingly.

It wasn't so much his dislike of being called cowardly, rather his fear of disappointing Starscream that lead him to stammer a negation and express his desire to go.

Sneaking out of Iacon had been surprisingly easy. It may have been perhaps because everybot knew they would do better to give someone like Starscream a wide berth.

When the two fliers stepped off the transport into Kaon, Starscream was revolted; But also intrigued. There is always a sort of macabre fascination with circumstances so decisively below one's own. Smog was thick, and grime blanketed positively everything. Skyfire was shaking with nerves behind him, "Starscream, let's go back. Everybot is staring at us."

And indeed they were. Lascivious mechs were dragging hungry leers up and down Starscream, mainly focusing on his legs and wings. Starscream sneered in warning, and tugged Skyfire along behind him, "Don't be such a sparkling. Let's go see what these rust buckets do for entertainment around here."

It was certainly a far cry from what they did for entertainment. Brothels lined the crowded walkways in droves, in which starved looking mechs and femmes sat on display without their plating. Some looked even younger than Starscream, which made him cringe in disgust. Skyfire, ever modest, covered his optics with his servos.

As they passed by one, a patron mistook Starscream for being for sale, and grabbed at his wings, "Aren't you pretty~. Looking for a good time?"

Starscream hissed and swiped at the mech with his claws, "Get away from me at once! How dare you lay your filthy servos on me?"

The mech growled in annoyance, and reeled back a fist to strike. Skyfire quickly intervened, lifting Starscream into his arms and dashing down the walkway. Once out of range, he lowered his friend to the ground, "Can't we go back now? I told you this city was dangerous."

Starscream huffed, and was about to relent, when a flyer caught his optic. Turning, he examined it. It was for a gladiatorial match, in an arena not too far from where they stood, starting in only a few breems! "We can leave as soon as I see this fight."

Skyfire blanched, "A fight? Isn't that rather…undignified? Star?"

"Stop being so cowardly, Skyfire! Go back if you're really so afraid, but I'm going to the match." With that he jettisoned off the direction indicated by the poster.

The shuttle floundered in horror. What if Starscream was accosted again? What if he was kidnapped? He was so little, he wouldn't stand a chance. "W-wait! Starscream! Wait for me!" He hurried after him as quick as he could.

The arena was packed. Surly mechs cheered in blood lust as they waited for the contenders to step out. Starscream tried to make himself as invisible as possible. He waited with baited breath for the fighters to emerge. What sort of builds would they have? What sort of weapons? His thrusters clicked against the floor in anticipation.

The first opponent entered the arena. He was massive, 'Even bigger than Skyfire' Starscream thought. He was ugly, he walked with big, lumbering strides, and he was snarling and grunting like a great dumb beast. 'Where is the finesse in this if it's just two enormous idiots clobbering each other?' he whined to himself in disappointment.

In this next moment, his universe would change. This next moment would lay the cornerstone for his future of despair. This next moment would be the beginning of his steadily escalating demise.

Megatron was a mech of great aspirations. His power would live in infamy for all time in recorded Cybertron history. Primus saw fit to allow time to run its course, and allow Megatron to make his strides. For that, Megatron needed Starscream.

And so, some would say Primus sent down a piercing, poison bolt of passion to strike the unsuspecting seeker through the spark.

The pain that hit Starscream at the sight of the imposing Gladiator was terrible. It was as terrible and overwhelming as the faceplates of this mech that exuded strength.

He was besotted.

And in an instant all was ruin.