I sincerely didn't feel like going over for any grammar mistakes, so bear with me here. Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.
Ever since earlier that day, Arcee wouldn't stop thinking about the action Megatron had performed on her, by snapping her body back into place after taking a hard hit against a wall. Though it was a quick recovery, Knock Out had to make sure that no wires had been snipped during the process and no internal organs had been punctured. Luckily there was nothing, however she still had to remain in the medbay to rest peacefully. Of course, to the Cons, to be left in peace also meant to be stared at by a couple of guards, or in some cases a guard. Or no guards at all if Starscream was the one staring at her.
And by the looks of it, Starscream was thinking deeply as well. Whatever had been on his mind was ticking him off, for his brows wouldn't stop scrunching together and his wings would level down in an offensive state before settling back to normal. Arcee would've asked, but she didn't think it was her right. It felt like hours in there, not a single word or sound emitting from either of them. Arcee was going to take a short nap until she heard Starscream cough for her attention.
"What?" she asked sharply.
"...What did he do to you that made...it feel so familiar?"
"What do you mean? All Megatron did was pop my spine back in...I'd expect any medic to know that procedure, not a warlord," Arcee went to turn on her side to where her back was facing the Seeker.
"I didn't expect it either. What I want to understand is that why did HE bother to fix YOU? He would never to do that to any other warrior, even when they're injured right infront of him! Why the sudden change of spark now?" Starscream's voice sounded as though he were annoyed. Probably annoyed that whenever countless of their warriors or soldiers were badly damaged, Megatron would always hand them all off to Knock Out, working the medic to the brim when he should've helped as well.
"Maybe it's because I'm a lady and I need my respect," she said this with a mocking tone.
"Well, whatever it was he should know better than to handle a bot so small," the Seeker sneered. "Especially under my care."
"So that's it then. You're ticked because Megatron dealt with a problem that you could've handled. He made you look bad," Arcee looked over her shoulder.
"..I guess. Sure," Starscream leaned back against the wall, his arms held behind his back while slowly tapping one of his high-heeled feet. The silence returned.
The quietness of the Seeker pleased Arcee, but she wasn't exactly use to the sudden void of no sounds. Back at the Autobot base, everyone was on the move. Bulkhead and Miko would be the loudest, playing with the human girl's electric guitar at the highest volume to where their computers shook and Ratchet would be peeved about it. Raf and Bumblebee were seen glued to the TV screen playing with their video games. Then there would be her and Jack, the duo that seemed a bit too cool for everyone else. They usually had deep conversations such as Arcee's golden days of Cybertron, her normal life as a regular Cybertronian and never once thinking about a dreadful war, that she would one day play a big part of it.
She sighed sadly. As much as she missed Jack and her irregular family, she missed her old life.
"I see you've rested long enough," Knock Out's voice shoved her right back into reality. Arcee blinked multiple times before nodding. The medic looked as though he was surprised by her response, like he didn't expect her to. But he forgot it right away as he re-read her vitals on the nearby computer.
"She's clear. You two lovebirds can go." There was a yelp right after a sudden clash. Apparently, Starscream smack the back of Knock Out's helm.
The blue motorcycle was suddenly yanked from where she laid. Starscream had grabbed her by the arm and roughly picked and dragged her right out of the medbay. Arcee fought to free herself from his strong grip, giving a good show to the Vehicons who watched amusingly as they walked down the halls of the ship.
"Let go! Let go!" Arcee snarled, trying to rip his claws from her.
Starscream didn't answer until they returned to where his mini-chambers were located. Once there, he finally released her.
"Why the sudden use of force?" she snapped at him as she rubbed her sore limb.
"Well, excuse me if I wanted to show that I'm in no need of help with handling you!" Starscream marched right into his room. Reluctantly, Arcee followed and continued to rub her arm. She remained standing while the Seeker sat on his bed, obviously annoyed. "...Don't you know how to make yourself at home?"
"If I did, it'd look as if I actually enjoy this flying hole...besides, my home is with the Autobots and not with some downgraded Seeker."
"A downgraded Seeker that's keeping YOU alive."
"For now. I know the routine: you try to treat me well until your plan begins so I may cooperate a little, then as soon as it's over, you'll kill me for I no longer have any other use and melt me down for scrap. It's been said and done, minus the last two parts. You know why? Because I never break completely, I always fight. Your Decepticon cronies never succeed with their experiments, or their traps. I already have you figured out."
"Not entirely. You probably just guessed the whole timeline, but do you even know what our plan is actually?"
"Does it matter?"
"...No, I suppose not. Like I said, I have no clue what the frag that Megatron is up to..but if it cheers you up, we may not dispose you as quickly as you think."
"How so?"
Starscream looked her over, "...You are a femme, aren't you?"
"Oooh, you disgusting PRICK!" Arcee barked, saliva spraying due to her sudden burst of pure rage.
"What?! All I was assuming was that you'd do most of the chores around here that obviously no one else would want to do, especially the drones...!" Starscream was silent for a split second before finally realizing it. "OH...! Well, yes, your body does seem fit to carry our kin.."
Arcee ran up and slapped him so hard his denta rattled, opticals literally spun in their sockets, and his wings began to flutter in many directions.
"Stop! STOP! I was only kidding! Can't I make a joke every now and then without offending SOMEONE?!" Starscream pleaded as Arcee's slaps continued repeatedly. Giving him one more good smack to the faceplates, Arcee calmed herself down and backed off.
The Seeker rubbed his sore identity and glared at the furious femme.
"You just don't know when to shut up, do you?" she asks, backing away into a tight corner.
He didn't answer, feeling there be no point anyway. Instead he replied by grabbing a hold of a datapad filled with recent reports by the soldiers-stolen from Knock Out, because he thought the medic held no position to be looking at these when Starscream should've been-and read in silence. Arcee picked at her fingers to free the dirt that gathered within the crevices. Feeling a bit filthy, she peered at her captor and asked, "..Do you have a buffer?"
Starscream lazily pointed to the object just sitting in a shelf above his head. Moments passed until Arcee reluctantly walked over to get it herself, slowly walking over to the bed as if it were a trap ready to spring. She leaned against it, reaching her arm up to grasp the machine for herself, just close to bumping Starscream's red fin with her pink bracelet. He noticed, looking up to suddenly get a perfect view of her glimmering blue breast plates and quickly went back to reading, clenching the electronic item in his hands.
Arcee finally took a hold of the machine and stalked back over to her corner to begin buffing at all the long scratches and scuff marks along her body.
Every now and then, while she was too focused on herself, Starscream once again peeked. He stared at her curves, her lovely legs and thighs, admiring the hips that cocked from side to side, and-
Autobot. She's An Autobot Starscream, AN AUTOBOT! Starscream scolded himself. A Irritable, Disgusting...Pretty Autobot..
The blue femme was remarkably beautiful, he admitted, and he might as well take it all in while her spark still thrived.
"...So what were you?"
Arcee snapped her head back up from dozing to where Starscream laid back in his bed. She was leaning against her corner, arms protectively crossed against her chest, one leg supported her while the other rested against the wall.
"..Before the war, I mean, back on Cybertron," he asked. Obviously, he was that bored to care who Arcee originally was before becoming the vicious Autobot warrior on the field.
"You really want to know? Because I doubt it's a something you'd love hearing..."
"Try me," Starscream stretched his arms and placed both of his hands behind his head to rest on.
The past was something Arcee despised going back to, because she knew all too well that she'll never see it again. But the thoughts of remembrance, the nostalgic feeling of mentally going back to her home, it was all too much and suddenly realized she wanted nothing more than to express it to the world. She would also never just blurt out her life's story to someone she barely knew, but seeing as how no one else would be able to hear it now, she might as well tell the one being who'd been with her before she went offline.
Arcee took in a deep breath,
"...I was your average rich girl, born in one of Cybertron's wealthiest families. I grew up in high class luxury, taught by the best tutors and served by those who were given high recommendation for their service. My creators were in charge of the Energon depots, trading from the mines in Kaon and with the Seekers who brought the energon from foreign planets. They wanted best for me and spoiled me with everything they could get their rich servos on, but alongside all that they were strict. They threw parties in hopes I'd find the perfect suitor for their perfect little daughter, but sadly their dreams were shattered when I refused every proposal handed to me. Truthfully, I wasn't stuck-up, bratty, obsessed with credits. I was always the one femme who just...just dared to be different. While my friends followed every stereotype known about us rich folk, I was off somewhere else. Rebel at spark, every opportunity I got I would spend it by sneaking off to join my not-so rich friends to places such as Six Lasers, the Oil Houses I was strictly forbidden from...Were my parents disappointed? Of course...Every weekend, I'd get grounded. My punishments? To sit through their boring tea parties until my processor fried to bits. But it was worth it.."
As soon as she finished, she immediately knew Starscream was devastatingly surprised.
"...Really?" his optics blinked as if he'd just noticed her for the first time. "..That's something..."
"To make the story simple, I was basically something Megatron was against," Arcee stared at the floor.
"So where are your creators?"
"Dead. My sire had offlined before the war. My creator...I suppose she is. I can't even remember the last time I saw her..."
"Oh," Starscream scratched his chest. An awkward silence overcame them. "...What else did you do?"
"I don't feel like leveling up your ego," Arcee snapped.
This got his attention and quickly sat up, now anxious to know. "What? Why would it?" he swung his legs off the berth and stared right at her.
"It just would."
"I'll irritate you if you don't."
Arcee gave him one of her infamous glares. But she sighed, shook her head, and reluctantly gave in, "...When I was alone, no friends whatsoever, I would drive to Vos. There, I would secretly watch the Energon Seekers train. I thought it was pretty remarkable that everyone put their faith into such creatures, and I had to see it for myself. I was amazed. Very amazed."
As predicted, she saw pride swell up in Starscream as he puffed out his chest. "Yes, we are very attractive to watch, aren't we?" he leered.
She rolled her optics, trying to tune out the commander's bragging as he went on, and on, and one. It felt like forever until she heard him trying to bring her back from space.
"...Huh?"
"I said, where both your parents rich? Yes, it's an odd question, but I'd like to hear of your origin, and why, in the name of Primus, you were created."
She grumbled, but shook her heard, "Well, my creator was actually the one with all the money. My sire...it's a little complicated for him, and anyway it's a long story."
"I don't mind," Starscream shifted around on his bunk to get more comfortable, leaning his head back against the wall as he prepared to listen. Sincerely, Arcee didn't know what his deal was. Could he be really that interested in her family tree? Or was he trying to pull something out; bearing to listen before he used it against her? Then again, it wasn't like he could. She was sure of it that her family ceased to exist long before coming to Earth.
"...If you're up for it," Arcee decided to sit on the floor. "...My father was rich, but also he wasn't. He had the money, but he couldn't use it for himself. You see, my sire was a gladiator of Kaon, one of the top fighters in the arena. And, like I said, my creator was the richest one of the two. She originated from Iacon, and just occasionally she would watch the Gladiatorial fights and even place bets. But only if my sire participated in those fights. Mostly because she knew he would win, and because he was the only warrior she was interested in."
"Ooh, now I know where you get that rebellious side," Starscream chuckled, arching one of those sharp brows of his.
"...The longer she gambled, the more amount of time she would catch the eye of my father. Since it was against the law for gladiators like himself to speak to the wealthy, it was impossible for them to meet. That is, until he was given the chance to earn his freedom."
"Oh, was it one of those Championship events? When they fought to the death and whatnot?"
"Sadly, yes."
"He won, didn't he?"
"Actually, he lost. Towards the end it was between him and this other mech, I forgot his name. I guess they were close friends because they trained together, but out in the arena, you had no friends. It was all for one, and that was that. So when they fought, they outmatched each other. Everyone in the audience, the bosses, and even the Elite Guard couldn't believe it. When the fight lasted longer than it was suppose to, the bosses had no other choice but to call it off."
"You said he lost. How did he lost if technically they both won in a way?" Starscream sat up. He was definitely intrigued by the story that much, otherwise every word she would've said would be nothing but a distant echo.
"Well, he didn't win the credits. He wasn't exactly given the sort of freedom most of the winners won, but he was given the choice to simply live outside the mines. He still had to work as a miner. Luckily, with all the bets my mother placed on him, she was able to donate it all by buying him his own home, his own fuel, and just about everything he needed to start off."
"That...was nice of her," Starscream commented.
Arcee nods, "You can probably guess where the story heads from there."
"...Just curious, what about his opponent? Was he given the exact prize your sire received?"
"I suppose. But I was later told that he was eventually...murdered within the mines before he could ever get to feel the freedom he'd earned. My sire was devastated, because like I said they were such good friends."
Starscream shrugs, "I guess that proves that only one shall stand as the last surviving gladiator."
"And another shall fall.."
It was a quote that was all to familiar to those who've stayed within the war. Starscream shifted uncomfortably on his bed and played with his claws, scraping whatever dirt was left on them. Arcee felt as though the awkward silence left a chill in the air and she shivered where she sat.
"Did you have any siblings?"
As glad as she was for him to finally have broken it, that was one question she refused to ask. Arcee lowered her head, "I..don't really want to-"
"Oh come now, I know siblings are a pain to talk about. Believe me, I have two brothers. If you have a sibling, don't be embarrassed to state it..no matter how humiliating they are.." Starscream scoffed.
The femme sighs but kept a firm grasp on her arms, "Well...I guess you could say I had a..brother. But he wasn't exactly a real brother. More like my sire's... Primus son. His good friend, the one that he fought against who was eventually murdered, he had a son...my sire took him into our home...we-we use to love him very much."
"I'm sorry, use to?"
Arcee didn't answer as she rolled onto her side and stared at the dark corner. An empty hole in her spark throbbed in pain as dark memories began to haunt her processor.
Starscream changed the subject. "..So...you're sire seems pretty important to you. I notice that when you talk about him, I could just sense how much he meant to you."
"..I loved him very much."
"What was his name?"
"...His name was Chronos."
Sorry it took so long for me to update. Procrastination sucks 8P
