Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers or any of the characters mentioned in the story. They are trademarks of Hasbro and the other companies responsible for their creation. So pleeez don't sue me.

When We Were Young

Chapter 8 –Distractions and Destruction

A Decepticon by the name of Airstrike was the instructor for the Enemy Anatomy class. He was probably the most disliked of the teachers in the Academy, because of his sarcastic ways of talking down to the students as if they had just been created. Primus, they hated that!

In the front row of desks sat Thundercracker, Starscream, Skywarp and Octane. Behind them sat Thrust, Ramjet, and Dirge. In the third row were Shrapnel, Bombshell, and Kickback, and in the final row were Blitzwing, Runabout and Runamuck. Next to Blitzwing was an empty desk, where Astrotrain should have been.

Thundercracker sighed and looked out the classroom window. He was supposed to be taking notes on the best ways to kill an Autobot when you're fighting hand to hand, but he just couldn't concentrate. His optics flitted over to the skirmish field where the different combat classes would practice battle scenarios, hit targets and, for the leadership class, getting soldiers to follow and take orders. Every few weeks the combat classes would get mixed together into teams and fight in a mock battle.

However, though his optics were on the skirmish fields, Thundercracker's mind was not. His optics and audio receptors were shut off to the outside world, and focused in on one memory of yesterday.

Flashback

Thundercracker stared up at the sky a little longer while the other students, with the exception of Blitzwing and Megatron, walked back into the Aerial House. Eventually the blue seeker turned and began to walk back.

"Hey, Cracker!" Blitzwing's voice was lower than usual. He held up a small pack of disks over his shoulder.

"Astrotrain wasn't sure if he would see ya' before he left, so he wanted me to give ya' these."

Thundercracker took the disks and looked at the labels Astrotrain must have put on them. 'Fiction,' 'Songs,' 'Journal/Thoughts,' 'Housemates/Comrades.'

"Astrotrain's writings." Thundercracker's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, a bunch of sentimental crap that should be taken out and burned!" Blitzwing spat angrily.

Thundercracker felt his anger flare. It was bad enough Astrotrain was going off to war with the possibility of not coming back, but to hear Blitzwing insulting him was more than Thundercracker could bear.

"What the hell is your malfunction? He's your best friend! Your comrade in all of those stupid pranks you pulled! He stood by you all of those times you got in trouble! Now he's gone off to war and he might not come back!"

Blitzwing still had his back turned to Thundercracker. The enraged seeker felt his fury grow even more. All of the anger and sorrow that he'd held bottled up inside through the entirety of the day's events was now spilling out.

"Don't you get it? Don't you understand!" Thundercracker shouted at the top of his air intake valves. He held up the disks. "These may be all we have left of him! And you with all of your stupid conceit and self-importance, you don't even care! In fact you want to destroy him! How dare you---!"

THWACK!

Blitzwing's fist connected with Thundercracker's jaw.

The sudden impact of the Triple-Changer's attack caught Thundercracker off-guard and sent him crashing to the ground. But Blitzwing was not finished yet. He grabbed the dazed Thundercracker by his wings and pulled him into a headlock.

"What do ya' know about me! HUH? You think you're so damned smart, so perfect! You don't know anything!" Blitzwing's grip tightened. "Don't ever judge me!"

"Blitz I…" Thundercracker choked out.

"EVER!"

"Let him go Blitzwing!"

"Primus dammit Megatron! Get the hell away from me!"

"No." Megatron's voice was calm, but angry. " And need I remind you that the seeker you are attempting to crush is the goalkeeper the War Ball Team is going to need in the championship in three weeks time!"

It was then Blitzwing felt like he had been jolted out of recharge. Megatron was right. Blitzwing let go of Thundercracker. Then turned to Megatron.

"Why are you so Primus damned tender hearted all of a sudden?" Blitzwing spat.

"I'm not. I don't care what Decepticons do to each other as long as it doesn't get in the way of victory. And an attempt to strangle our prime goalkeeper counts as such, for the championship."

Blitzwing growled. "Who malfunctioned and made you captain! If you think your gonna take Astrotrain's place---"

"I never said that!"

"You never will! I'll make sure of that!" Blitzwing spat as he stormed back toward the Arial House, brushing past a very shocked Skywarp, Thrust, Ramjet and Dirge.

Megatron looked as if he was about to say something, but decided not to. Instead he turned back to Thundercracker.

"Are you functioning Thundercracker?"

Thundercracker…?

Thundercracker…?

End Flashback

"Thundercracker! Pay attention!"

Startled out of his thoughts, Thundercracker snapped his head forward and found himself face to face with Airstrike.

"May I ask what is outside that you find more interesting than what I am talking about?" Airstrike's voice was low and irritated.

Thundercracker's fuel pump felt like it was racing at a million miles per hour and the snickering of his fellow students, including Skywarp, and snickers Shrapnel, Bombshell and Kickback in particular, were making it worse.

Airstrike backed a couple of steps away from Thundercracker's desk.

"Stand up!" he commanded.

Thundercracker obeyed with out hesitation, he stood straight up with his head bowed slightly.

"I would like to know what has you so distracted."

"Astrotrain, was called off to the frontlines sir."

"You sound disappointed, you should be proud that Astrotrain was called to actively take part in our noble cause."

"Yes sir. It's just that he is one of my friends and I fear he will not come back."

"Ah I see. Well if he obeys orders, and shows no cowardice---"

"Astrotrain is no coward!" A voice from the back of the room raged.

Everyone turned to see Blitzwing standing next to his desk, fists clenched.

"I have not spoken to you Blitzwing! SIT DOWN!" Airstrike boomed.

"I am sick and tired of bein' ordered around by everyone! Everyone thinkin' they're so much smarter than me! Taking everything!" Blitzwing screamed as he walked down the aisle of desks toward Airstrike.

"Blitzwing take your seat now and I will overlook this mutinous behavior!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Blitzwing---!"

"SHUT UP!"

With that Blitzwing lunged towards Airstrike, wrapped his hands around Airstrike's neck and began to strangle the very surprised teacher…

HA! Didn't see that coming, did you? Well, maybe you did.

I am so sorry for the long wait guys. I've been so busy registering for my classes in college, taking Precalculus, and doing my Medical Terminology homework, I've hardly had time to work on my Fanfiction. Plus I have two other stories in the mix.

Anyway, I wanted to have Blitzwing use some stronger language when he was in an outrage, but then I would have to raise the rating on my story and I didn't want to do that. Also, some people have been wondering why Starscream has been acting so out of character. It's because at this stage in his life, he has yet to develop into the character we know him in the show. Don't worry he develops later on in this story.

Just keep reading. And keep those reviews coming! Give me your opinions, I want to make this story the best it can be! Till next time!