Ch. 119

Smokescreen was cocky. There was no way he could beat Starscream. The seeker knew that. Primus, the white mech probably knew that too. But the challenge was offered and Starscream accepted. If anything, it would amuse him to take his mind off everything else.

"You will lose," the seeker preened, purring as he stretched his legs, "I hope you're ready to mark the rest of your life with this moment. It will define everything you do after this."

Smokescreen smiled, jumping around gently to warm up, "Well, I hope so. But you'd have to win first. So, how far am I going to leave you in the dust?"

Starscream smirked and pointed, "Out there, just at the foot of the mountain range. There's a line of boulders that hide an entry way into a canyon. You hit the canyon entrance before I do, you win."

The white mech stood on the points of his peds, looking out as far as he could, "Really, Scream? That's at least a four mile drive."

The seeker tsked, "Giving up already? I am going to allow you a head start, fan-bot."

Smokescreen frowned, "Don't call me that."

"Don't call me 'Scream'."

Smokescreen shrugged, "Fine. I can do it. You just better rev your turbine and be ready to lose."

Starscream chuckled, "And you better back up your claims," the seeker stretched again, "So, are you ready?"

The white mech nodded, putting himself into a running stance, "I am so ready for this."

Starscream smirked, "You have a minute head start... Go."

Smokescreen ran forward and transformed, his engine revving loudly as his tires squealed and dug into the dirt. He was off in a flash of white and dust trail behind him. But Starscream wasn't worried. He watched with an amused sneer as the race car hit speeds that licked at triple digits. The seeker was almost tempted to go back inside and ignore him. He was, after all, a prolific liar. Starscream could even use the ground bridge to beat the mech to the finish line. But then Smokescreen would get whiny and preachy about integrity or something like that. No, the seeker did actually want to beat him to, if anything, shut the mech up. That would be something he could hold over the sniveling Prime fan-bot then.

Starscream twiddled his digits as the thirty second mark ticked by. Smokescreen was still nowhere near worrying the silver mech, even as he slowly closed in on the half way mark. Twenty seconds.

The seeker yawned and began walking lightly. He never said anything about walking. And it gave him a moment's peace to think about other things in private. Like his session between himself and Optimus. The Prime had been so respectful of Starscream's wishes. He really did want to keep his secrets as his own and Optimus hadn't pried. Instead, they-

Scrap, time was up.

Starscream took a quick run ahead before jumping into his transformation. His turbine screamed loudly as he thrust forward and barreled just above the ground. He'd overtake Smokescreen in three... two... one...

The jet made it passed the speeding white race car and into the canyon entrance seconds later. He pulled up hard and reached for the sky, twirling in victory. It was an easy win, certainly nothing to gloat over for more than a few weeks or so.

Smokescreen slowed and transformed as he came up on the entrance of the canyon, panting, "You... you still..."

"I beat you!" Starscream laughed, transforming in the air and landing gracefully on a tall boulder, "What was it you said earlier? That I needed to 'rev my turbine or get ready to lose'?"

The white mech waved him off, leaning against the canyon wall with a tired sigh, "Yeah, I figured I wouldn't win. But hey, at least I got you to smile."

Starscream's optics widened before he scowled, "And was that your true intention all along?"

Smokescreen shrugged, "Maybe. I just thought you needed to lighten up a little bit. Sure, I'm bummed that you're not going to talk to me, but you're not running off to brood either."

The seeker glared, but said little, instead choosing to sit upon his boulder perch, "I may not want to talk to you, but that doesn't stop you from talking to me, so long as you don't annoy me, that is."

The white mech smiled, "Really?"

"Don't make me regret this..."

Smokescreen stood, "No, no, I'll be good, it's just... What do I talk to you about?"

Starscream crossed his arm and just stared, so the white mech nodded, "Ok, fair enough, uh... Oh! So I wanted to ask, if it's cool for you to answer, I wanted to ask what was up with you touching the Star Saber the other day."

The seeker shrugged and slipped off the boulder, "Megatron claimed my power was Prime-related. I was just proving to myself that the claim was unfounded and therefore false."

Smokescreen's optics widened and he gasped, "Whoa... you... you mean..."

Starscream's wings flattened, "No, don't say it-"

"I could be talking to the next future Prime!"

The seeker growled, "I told you not to say it! And no! Optimus and I have already concluded that there's more to this situation. Exactly how much have you been cleared on?"

The white mech couldn't brush away his smile, "Honestly? Not a ton. Jack gives me enough to get by when it comes to humans, but everyone seems too busy to tell me everything."

Starscream hummed, "Well, I suppose I'll talk to you about that then."

Smokescreen blinked, "You? Will talk to me?"

"Yes, did I stutter?" the seeker hissed, gesturing for him to follow as he began to walk into the canyon, "You know I have powers and you know I defected from the Decepticons along with Knockout, Breakdown and Soundwave, but it would be a great sense of dissatisfaction if I didn't tell you my side of things before someone else tries to give you their version."

The white mech followed along, "Will they be different?"

Starscream huffed, "If Knockout tells it? Yes. Yes, it will be very different..."