Author's notes from DesertCat: Some people might remember this story from like… what three four years ago? It was my first real attempt at a fic and me and my good buddy LadyJet wrote it together. Geeze, can you believe how fast time flies? So, because it's been a while and we've changed as well as the character's changed, we both decided we'd rewrite it together. So I repeat, this is a co-written, co owned fic. I didn't do this alone. Copy and Past this link to get to her page! http/ here's LJ with her remarks

Author's note from LadyJet2: General disclaimer stuff, we don't own any thing, sept for we both own Rhythm. DC owns the other characters she mentioned. All else belongs to HASBRO. Man do we WISH we owned the Bots lemme tell ya. ;)

Semi-Charmed Life

Prologue

"The Cube" was busier than usual that night and the place was hopping. There was hardly any standing room and the dance floor was packed. The bar chairs were all taken and drinks passed around freely. That was one of the good things about being in a Neutral city, many of the occupants were usually in high spirits. None of them cared about the war and went about their daily lives in peace. At least the cities that were smaller and didn't attract any Decepticon attention.

In the back of the bar a seeker sat, his wings drawn down and a drink in his hand. Bar Patrons had become very familiar with the Neutral seeker, although none dared to go close to him. Rumors had passed from on looker to on looker. Some said he was an ex-Decepticon that was banished because he killed a commanding officer. Some said he was a Halfling, searching for a better life. Some even said he was a ghost who wandered around the bar, although that's only what the really drunk ones said. Truth be told, no one knew who he was.

Beside the seeker sat two other mechs, both extremely overcharged with a data pad in their hands. The seeker couldn't help but look over at the pad in their hands, listening to their conversation. After all, with that much energon in their systems, they were talking so loud that anyone walking by could hear.

"Did ya hear bout this, Patchjob? Looks like that Starscream got himself a big ol' Bounty on his head. Heh, I'd hate at be that mech when a hunter gets 'im." The red mech slurred his words, handing the pad to the other blue mech in front of him.

The blue mech set down his cup after a good long swig and took the pad, moving it back and forth to try and read it with blurry eyes. "Yer gunna haveta read it for me, Hazard. Can't see it too well in this dark ol' bar."

"Here says Starscream's worth fifty quartez of credits! That's enough at keep a mech happy fer the res' of his life!"

"Heh, I wonder if that buzzard 'ill here bout that on his head. Slag, I'd be hidin' inside fer the res' of my life. Bet he'll have so many Hunters on him he'll be caught in no time."

"Naw, Screamer aint on Cybertron. Says here, he's on some place called… Earth? Never heard of it."

The seeker got up after that, having the information he needed. He had been looking for a job and fifty quartez was good pay. Starscream's head was a good trophy too. All he had to do was find Earth, slag the seeker and turn him in. Easy.

The seeker threw down his credits for the drinks and made his exit. When the dark figure disappeared the bartender quickly picked up the credits, counting them and putting them away.

"There he goes again, that seeker ghost." The Bartender looked at the old dingy mech who was sitting a few chairs away.

"What are you talking about now, Tombstone?"

Tombstone pointed lazily toward the door. "Didn'tcha see im? The ghost? Bet he's off ta find 'imself a shadow. Or maybe he's off ta burry 'imself again. No one knows anything anymore. Do they?"