Ch. 244

"So, going back to past events," Starscream called back behind him, pausing in his ascent up the mountain to smile weakly at Optimus, "I have a very important question for you!"

The Prime lifted himself easily over a boulder, "I may possess the answer you require," he responded, smiling back at the smaller mech as he drew closer, "What is your question?"

"Well, it was something you said," the seeker remarked, waiting for Optimus to pass him before following along, "or may have said. Perhaps I should give context first."

"That may be helpful."

The larger mech slowed his steps so that he was walking beside Starscream, watching him as he went deep into thought.

"Hm," the smaller mech began, "if I am remembering correctly, it was just outside the city of Protihex? The Autobots had come in from the north side sector and had been pushed back out over the following cycles before converging back in?"

Optimus nodded, "Yes, I was present at this battle. You were as well?"

Starscream nodded back, "Mhm, yes, with Skywarp and Thundercracker, before they were sent away... I am trying to remember desperately who had caused circumstances to unfold the way they did, but I know that Skywarp and I were taking to high ground to meet any scouts or- oh!" his wings suddenly perked excitedly, "Yes! It was Blitz-something and Astrotrain! Yes, right, so these two idiots had clambered up ahead of myself and Skywarp, despite warnings to hold back, and the Autobots had left traps as their forces moved out and Decepticon forces regained the location!"

The Prime smiled as he hummed, "Hm, yes, I do remember this."

"So you do! Good, because- wait, let me finish just in case," Starscream's wings began to flutter in his excitement, "So Blitz-whatever and Astrotrain ran ahead and they got caught in a trap set for any unsuspecting idiot-"

"Starscream, your question-"

"Shhh! Wait, wait! They get caught in some disabling trap and then suddenly Skywarp and I heard you and it was- oh, Primus, Skywarp shrieked and fell from his perch and he was laughing so hard, he was crying! I had to call Thundercracker in for help moving him!"

Optimus's helm cocked to the side, "Starscream, what is it you heard me say?"

The seeker smirked widely, clearing his throat, "You said," he began before deepening his voice the best he could, "'Amazing. A booby trap that actually catches boobies.' and then nothing but plasma fire after that-"

"Your question?"

Starscream stopped, the Prime instantly following his lead, and the seeker took hold of his arm as he gazed up in amusement and wonder, "Did you actually say that? You actually said that on the battlefield?"

Optimus patted the smaller mech's servos, "You said you heard it."

"That's not what I asked! It could have been some other mech out there with a Prime-esque chassis and a deep voice."

"I will neither confirm nor deny my connection to this statement."

"Optimus," Starscream wheezed, his optics wide at the challenge he'd been presented with, "Skywarp said it caused him physical damage! He fell like he'd been shot!"

"Then I must adhere to my firm stand on being unable to confirm nor deny what you and Skywarp heard."

The seeker whined loudly, but he wasn't upset. He pointed at the larger mech as he backed away to continue up the mountain.

"This conversation isn't over."

Optimus smiled as he followed, "We are breaking from it for now?"

The Prime could hear the distinct beeping of a COMM unit and Starscream rolled his optics, "You've been graced salvation from someone who requires my amazing voice."

Optimus's smile softened, "You turned on your COMM?"

The seeker returned the smile, "I never turned it back off. Someone managed to convince me that it was important to leave it open to availability."

"I am glad that Arcee was able to do that for you."

Starscream shook his helm, "No, not Arcee. She was just the first to take advantage of it-" he turned away as he answered his COMM, his voice softening, "Hello? ... Predaking, sweetspark. Yes, I'm here. ... I know, I've missed you, too..."

Optimus stopped walking and sat, watching as Starscream paced back and forth while speaking into his COMM.

"I have some time if you want to talk to me. ... Oh yes, tell me all about your day..."

"I'm really happy you did," Starscream nodded, his call coming to a close, "And Smokescreen? Thank you for looking after him. It's appreciated more than you know. ... Hm? Oh, I... I don't know... Soon? But mental health is a funny thing. I want to be back and pretend everything's fine, but we can't do that. ... Oh, certainly not that long! But... soon, I know it will be soon... Thank you- and... um, i-if you just happened to let others... know that my COMM is open? ... Well, m-more specifically-... Thank you... yes, please tell him... Good bye."

The seeker sighed softly after cutting his COMM, rubbing the sides of his helm deeply. He flicked his wings as Optimus approached and sighed more heavily when he felt a large servo on his shoulder.

"I'm fine... just a small processor ache."

Optimus frowned in concern, "We can go back," he offered, "It is not late, but perhaps we should stop-"

He silenced himself when he saw the smaller mech smile and shake his helm, "No, no, that's not the problem," he let his helm go so he could stand up straighter and look up at the sky, "Just... a well of emotions. It's hard to process them all at once. I'm fine. I think getting to the top of this mountain will be the distraction I need, really. I've made it my goal for the day," he patted Optimus's servo, "And after all we've been through so far? Almost slipping down the side this morning, the rain after that? How could we possibly think of stopping now after being so close?"

The Prime nodded, "It would not take us long to reach the top from here. Shorter still if you were to fly the rest of the way on your own," he mused as he looked ahead.

"Optimus, perish the thought," Starscream insisted as he pulled away and began walking again, "We started this journey together and I aim to see that we finish it together. I mean, to a point."

"To a point, Starscream?" Optimus blinked, "Do I hear a challenge somewhere in this statement?"

The seeker smirked, "Oh, well, I can neither confirm nor deny what you may have heard."

The larger mech smiled, "Ah, so we are back to our previous discussion?"

"Perhaps," Starscream shrugged, "and I hope to get you to admit to the statement powerful enough to knock my third on his aft once I beat you to the top."

"A race now, Starsc-"

The smaller mech was already running with everything he had, a wide and dumb smile across his faceplates as he noted where every step had to be made to avoid slipping. Optimus was quick to follow after him and while his size may have made him appear slower, he had the advantage when it came to his larger, sturdier peds and his longer stride. Starscream squealed at the excitement of the challenge he had made to the Prime and focused solely on that. Every pedfall that followed after him, that told him he was being gained upon, it awoke in him not the fear of being chased, as he had recently learned to be afraid of, but a complex feeling of competition with no reprimands for losing... and the muddled feeling that grew within his spark at how happy he was to be able to do this, be capable of something so simple and freeing and with the one mech he knew would always have his-

"Scrap, Optimus, NO!"

The Prime had overtaken him and Starscream swore he saw a victorious smile on the larger mech's faceplates. The seeker couldn't move any faster without risking a fall and he didn't want to transform and fly; that would have been too easy. And yet, he still felt elated, he still felt free and capable and the swell of emotions began to activate something familiar.

The crackle of static from his chest plate was heard before it was seen. Starscream could have almost cackled in his excitement as he stared so dangerously hard at the location he wanted to be oh so close and yet so... and suddenly, he was there, atop the plateau of the mountain, trembling with sparks dancing across his limbs as he panted and his optics struggled to settle in the enveloped glow of his outlier ability. He wanted to collapse, but he could still hear Optimus running towards him from some distance behind.

Starscream stared down at his servos in amazement. Had he done this on purpose? Did he find some control over the one thing he had yet to truly begin understanding?

"I... I did this..." Starscream looked back to see Optimus still running towards him and he cheered loudly, "Optimus! I beat you, I made it to the top, first! Now hurry up here and-"

The seeker felt something reverberate across his wings and he fell silent. Primus, it felt familiar, something- no, some things, descending suddenly and quick as they turned around. Starscream looked up in all directions and felt his spark begin to sink as he tried to place where this familiarity came from. It wasn't from a long time before. It was recent.

Starscream choked down a scream when he felt large servos scoop him off the plateau and cover him against a ledge of rock, Optimus frowning up at the sky in what appeared to be anger.

"Starscream, we need to leave."

"Y-you have your battle mask on. W-why-why do you have-"

Optimus looked to him as gently as he could, "Starscream, I promise I will be right behind you, but you must start going back down the mountain. When you are a safe distance away, you must call the Ark for a ground bridge."

The seeker shook his helm, "I won't do that. Why aren't you telling me-"

A loud buzzing noise caught their attentions as the loud transformation sequence and thud of six landing bots echoed out into the air. A deep, gravelly voice hissed.

"I smell them," he snarled, sniffing and huffing, "I saw them and now I smell them."

Optimus held onto Starscream tighter as the smaller mech whispered quietly, "Insecticons."

"I know," the Prime murmured back, "I noticed them in the upper cloud layer after you activated your ability."

Starscream whimpered, "They must have seen me-"

"Fan out!" another gravelly voice commanded, "Find them! The Prime and the bot with him! For the glory of our leader, we shall bring him the helm of Optimus Prime!"