Times:

Orn- 1 day

Joor- hour

Vorn- year

Klik- minute

Boredom. That pretty much summed up Thundercracker's morning. He had ate his breakfast out on his balcony to enjoy the suns rise, straightened up his quarters, and even attempted to read some data pads. Nothing seemed to excite him or hold his interest for very long. Nothing except for the other seeker. Thundercracker didn't know why he was so obsessed about the stranger, but the mysterious seeker was all he could think about.

The notion of trying to find him nagged at the back of his processor. However, the blue seeker knew Kaon was a big city, and the chances of finding him where slim to none. Trying his best to ignore the thought, Thundercracker aimlessly paced around his room.

'Don't be stupid,' Thundercracker said to himself. 'Why does this purple seeker intrigue you so?' Truth is, he couldn't answer that, but he couldn't stop thinking of him, and having nothing else planned for this orn didn't help. He stood to look out his balcony window, deciding to end the silent debate.

Opening the door, Thundercracker walked to the balcony and took off. He couldn't believe he was returning to the disgusting town, but something in his spark told him to. Aware of the slim chances at finding the other seeker, Thundercracker fed his desire to at least try. What harm could really come of it? He could take care of himself in the city. He enjoyed the wind on his wings as he raced toward the town.

Thundercracker watched the landscape change from desolate to warn down city. He sunk lower in the sky as a searched the main roads of Kaon. He did watch the skies as well, but after a while, Thundercracker had no luck at finding the other. With a heavy sigh, he figured he had to land at some point. Picking a crowded place, the blue seeker made his descent.

The crowd engulfed the blue seeker in a sea of brute strangers. Mech's hustled and bustled here and there, knocking into Thundercracker as they went. The blue seeker got a much more hostile vibe from the crowd as he made his way to the other side of the street, all the while keeping his optics opened for the sight of the purple and black seeker.

After a few joors of unsuccessful searching, the feeling of the grimy grounders made the seeker's plating crawl. The disgusting mechs constant pushing of themselves into him without a care in the world worked on his very last nerve. Wanting some relief of the packed streets, Thundercracker entered the first building he came to, which turned out to be a cheap, run down bar. Thundercracker let out a sigh and headed towards the back of the pub, trying his best to ignore the stares and sideway glances.

Thundercracker picked a secluded seat that had a view of the entrance way. He let out a frustrated sigh, knowing the chances of finding one bot in this mess of a city was slim, but still, he had hoped for better luck. A server fem-bot made her way to the table, read him a list of the specials and the seeker idly chose a meal and a stiff drink of high grade. He was hungry, but didn't have high expectations of the food of this low class bar.

Glancing around the crowded bar, Thundercracker watched a bunch of young bots having a good time. The hollered among themselves, chatting loudly about some brawl they witnessed earlier and where overcharged on their cheap drinks. Across the bar from them, two shady bots whispered back and forth to one another. The seeker got chills when one pointed directly at him and the other smirked and rubbed his hands together. Maybe this wasn't the best of ideas for he stuck out like a sore thumb.

A bunch of intoxicated bots walked between Thundercracker and the two glaring bots, and once they cleared his view, the mechs where missing from their seats. Trying to resist the urge of panicking, Thundercracker search the area; twisting his head one way and then the other in hopes to locate the brutes. What he did find was the seeker from the arena walk through the bar door. Thundercracker was distracted from the previous two mechs, thinking perhaps they just left,but his wings were grabbed and the black servo's dug in. Thundercracker let out a shocked cry and tried to stand up. The second one punched him in the stomach, making the blue seeker double over.

"We don't like your kind in here," The dingy green one clawing at his wings said.

"You need to pay for your right to enter our turf," the other stated and clasped at Thundercracker's neck. "Freshly polished, I see. You clearly have credits to throw around...Or maybe I'll ask for a better payment from such a pretty mech like yourself."

"Frag off!" Thundercracker spat and earned himself a slap in the face.

"Aww, Cranks," The wing holder said. " I don't think he likes you!"

"He don't have to like it," Cranks angrily said as he eyed the seeker's body. "I always had a fetish for wings..."

"Get the frag off me, you disgusting grounder!" Thundercracker retaliated, attempting to break free. However, the green bot reached around and clamped his arms around the seeker's chest. He was simply too strong for Thundercracker to break free.

"Such a dirty mouth you have," Cranks said. "I got better things for you to do-"

Something hit Cranks in the back of the helm. When the bot fell limply to the floor allowing Thundercracker to see the purple seeker standing with a metal chair in his grasp. He snarled at the bot restraining the blue seeker and pointed his mounted gun on his arm at him.

"If you wish to leave with your face still attached, I suggest letting go of him and get the frag out!" The seeker yelled, and Thundercracker felt the arms release their grip and the bot went running. With a sigh of relief, Thundercracker rubbed his sore face.

"I didn't think you enjoyed it here in Kaon," The purple seeker stated as he lowered his arm and looked questioningly at the blue seeker.

"I don't," Thundercracker said, noticing the fem-bot had arrived with his food.

"Why are you here then?" the mysterious seeker asked, eyeing at the food that was set on the table.

Thundercracker shrugged. Why was he here? What possessed him to return to this wretched city? The purple and black seeker turned to leave, and Thundercracker snapped out of his daze.

"Wait," The blue blue seeker shouted. "I came to find you."

The other seeker stopped, let out a little laugh, and turned around. "To find me? Why?"

"I... Ah. I don't know why," Thundercracker admitted. And that was the truth. He didn't know why he traveled back to this hated city for him. He couldn't explain it to himself, let alone this stranger. Something inside him just felt the need to go after the other seeker. Something had clicked inside of him when he saw the purple and black seeker at the arena. Something that just wanted to make Thundercracker claim him. However, now he just felt stupid and probably looked very dumb.

The sound of the metal chair hitting the ground snapped Thundercracker out of his thoughts. He looked up and the other mech had sat down at his table, trying not to stare at the plate of food. The blue seeker smiled, and pushed his plate in front of his guest.

"Go ahead," Thundercracker said, trying not to laugh at the way the other's optics widened in shock before digging into the food. Literally, digging in, for the strange mech didn't even bother with the utensils.

"What's you're name?" Thundercracker asked, trying not to show his disgust for the poor table manners.

"Schywherp,"

"I, ah, didn't get that."

Pausing for a second to swallow his mouthful of fuel and to wipe his mouth with his arm, the purple seeker tried again. "Skywarp." He then went back to greedily shoving the food into his mouth.

"Thundercracker," The blue seeker said to address himself. "Thanks for, you know, saving me..."

Skywarp nodded, and pointed to the other's drink. "Would you mind?" He asked.

Thundercracker shook his head no, and slid the glass of high grade over. "Careful though, it's strong-" He pretty much was cut off by Skywarp tipping the glass to the ceiling and downing the entire contents in one shot. A loud belch followed.

"Full?" Thundercracker asked, and Skywarp shook his head no. "Well, look over the menu and order what you want."

Skywarp gave the other a puzzled look, but eagerly grabbed at the menu, and hailed down a server. When the fem-bot came over, she took down the order- and Skywarp didn't hold back, ordering quite a few dishes and a pitcher of fine energon. The orange server looked to Thundercracker, and he ordered the same thing as before.

"May I ask you a question?" Thundercracker asked politely.

"Go for it," Skywarp answered.

"Why are you here?"

"I live here," the purple seeker responded.

"Why?" Thundercracker leaned back in his chair.

"Bot's gotta live somewhere, right?"

"Why not Vos?" The blue seeker questioned, and Skywarp remained quiet. "I mean, this place is kinda dingy... Unappealing..."

"It's not so bad," Skywarp replied.

"Eh... If you say so, I find it rather disturbing" Thundercracker said. "Nothing like where I live."

"Exactly." Skywarp replied with a scowl on his face. "I know where your kind live. The fancy towers sheltered from what is really going on. Must be the life. Having carriers in high positions... I bet being the offspring of a rich seeker sure had it's perks."

"Wh-what?" Thundercracker was shocked at the sudden anger coming from the other.

"How about mech's like me that just slipped through the cracks?" Skywarp nearly shouted.

"Vos tends to those in need," Thundercracker replied

"If you say so. You think I don't know who you are?" Skywarp spat. "I remember you. From way back. You are that one council member's sparkling-real high class. You know, the kind that turn their noses up at those less fortunate. That's why I was so shocked to see you at the gladiatorial fight."

"What?" Thundercracker said angrily. "Well, what about your carriers-"

"My carriers are dead!" Skywarp spat, but the sharp anger dissipated on his face. "They died shortly after I should have started at the university."

"Skywarp..." Thundercracker called out. "I am sorry."

The waitress came and set down the platters for Skywarp, then gave Thundercracker his one dish and drink. Skywarp dug in with out hesitation. The blue seeker slowly ate the mediocre energon wondering why Skywarp had been so angry.

"That is why I am here, Thundercracker." Skywarp said in between large bites of food. "I couldn't make it in Vos. What little shack we had, there was no way I could pay the bills." He took a big swig of energon. "I tried. But no one was really willing to hire some young kid." Skywarp shrugged. "So, I went where ever I felt like. Vorns later, I finally ended up here."

"You know, there are systems in Vos to help orphaned seekers," Thundercracker said.

"You think I don't know that?" Skywarp said. "I tried, you know, after failing to make it on my own. They sent me to this one family, who had a child my age." The purple and black seeker shook his head and furrowed his brows. "I was put down and treated like scrap. That was the best Vos could offer, so I left."

"You could have reported them," Thundercracker explained.

"I have no regrets about leaving Vos," Skywarp said and pushed the first emptied plate out of the way for a full one.

Thundercracker asked no more questions, just watched Skywarp pig out. It was clear why he was so thin. He most likely couldn't afford to feed himself properly. Chances are good that his dinner mate didn't keep up with his maintenance either. Hopefully, it was just the dents and scraps his frame needed and nothing more serious.

Finally, Skywarp pushed away the last plate. "Uuhhgg. I'm stuffed!" He exclaimed as he rubbed his full belly.

"I would hope so," Thundercracker said as he signaled to the waitress. "I doubt you could fly after eating that much."

"Hah Hah," Skywarp gave him a playful glare. When the waitress dropped off the check, Skywarp blushed and and looked away.

"It's my treat, don't worry." Thundercracker said and looked at the bill, trying not to squawk at the price. He laid out the credits and stood up. Without even thinking, he went to Skywarp and extended his hand. "Come with me?"

"Where?"

"Show me around," Thundercracker asked.

Skywarp cocked his head to the side as if deeply considering what to do. He shrugged his shoulders and stood up and stretched his wings. "Sure...whatever." He led the way out of the bar and onto the crowded streets. Thundercracker tried to stay close, not wanting to be separated from the other. Who knows what kind of mech's lurked about, and Thundercracker had no desire to meet any more of them.

To be Continued...