Chapter 17: Before You Go…
A/N: Seekers can hide their wings y'know? It's 6.30 in the morning, and my eyes have fallen into my ginormous eye bags, how convenient! (Croaks)
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Previously in the 'Cave of Love'…
"So…when are we gonna meet again? 'Usual time, angel?"
"Jazz, I'm not going to be able to make it for the next two weeks-"
"Me too! What a surprise!"
Both Autobot and Decepticon squinted suspiciously at each other, the saboteur playfully taking a lighter expression of the strange coincidence. A pair of blue arms slowly folded into a neat pretzel knot, and Jazz whistled an innocent tune to Starscream's fixated glare.
"Jazz."
"Yes angel pumpkin?"
'Angel pumpkin?!' she pouted further. "...Since we made a promise to each other to not talk about the civil war, all I have to say to you is, I'm not going to be available because I'm taking my holiday leave."
"…My, holiday, leave." she hissed in emphasis.
Jazz's audio-touching grin coupled with his cheeky demeanour undermined the black look radiating from the femme con. As the Porsche was accustomed to her mannerisms, Jazz explained his reasons for not being available in his own unique verbalisms.
"Well, I'm gonna miss you, flyin' off on holiday and all…." Jazz folded his arms behind his back and rubbed the tip of his foot on the ground innocently. "I'm just not going to Cybertron because I'm not supposed to be spying on the Decepticon aerial commander. You know, her not going with no Decepticonny reasons an' all..."
"That's so, sad, Jazz…" the indignant femme con harrumphed and whipped her head to the ceiling, "-because, I'm just not going to Cybertron for a holiday, noooo…I'm not going to take a good rest after nine million years. I'm going to do evil, eeevil 'Decepticonny' things, like not visiting friends, or not having fun, or not settling my well-overdue accounts on Cybertron-" Jazz continued to giggle underneath his breath, while Starscream trivialized nonsensically.
"Slag, I might just not get so angry at my nosey Autobot boyfriend that I'll not go off to some Cybertronian bar and swing my sexy tailgate for alllll the cute Decepticon guys to see, who are much, much handsomer than any cheap Autobot garbage-!"
"So that means you think Deceptidudes are ugly and Autobot's are (ahem), da' bomb?" Jazz took a hearty slap on his shoulder before the crazed Decepticon female leapt on his white back and rode the imbalanced Autobot like a bull. Laughing with the joke, the saboteur had to regain more than his footing with a pair of unruly legs in his arms, kicking up a wild frenzy with each pendular swing.
"Oh bot, I got Deceptiglomped!"
"You Autoboob jerk! You stupid simpleton!" Starscream rained her fists on his head like a drum, and Jazz had to release her legs to catch her equally unrestrained arms. In a dull clamp her feet were latched onto his waist and his hands in hers, the jovial Autobot pranced around the cave with the unfortunate passenger on his back.
"What are you doing-what's wrong with you?! ACK-!" Jazz swung the confused seeker from his back and leaned her over, cradling her head gently in his hands.
"Ah, my little darling, it is love at first sight, is it not, no? Affair d'amour? Affair d'coeur? Je ne sais quoi ... je vis en espoir, my sweet peanut of brittle," he stroked her head in a comical fashion, rubbing his nose affectionately against hers. Opening her mouth to scream in protest Jazz insisted and squashed his face onto hers, making a sharp sucking sound with his puckered lips on her delicate pair. If the badly parodied foreign language did not frighten her, the alien noise coming from their faces did the trick and the Decepticon second-in-command had to pry their faces apart with flustering hands. Popping off her lips, Jazz laughed harder when her chiding reverted back to the Cybertronian language, and she only clamed herself down when he laughter dies down to a weak chuckle.
"Hey angel, you seem different today. What's up?"
Starscream looked up at Jazz, and simply smiled back.
"Hmm…I'm just excited about the holiday."
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"Oh con, we've never had a holiday like this in ages! EYAAAAAOOOOOUUUHHHH!!!!!!!" the purple seeker scooted his wings and spun on the ground playing air guitar, straining his vocal chords to some popular human music. Despite his over ecstatic enthusiasm, Thundercracker had to admit he shared the same sentiment the overturned seeker was feeling right now. It had been too long since the trio had taken leave together. Starscream's erratic schedule as the second-in-command of the Decepticon army taxed her freedom outside work, his unexplained hesitation and Skywarp insisting that if he were to take leave, he must include his wing mates, or he would not go at all. And they agree wholly, for no one in their right mind would leave the purple seeker to his own devices.
Truth being told, if Starscream had not posed the question of taking joint leave with her wing mates, they would have been forced to accompany her. Even if the majority of Cybertron was Decepticon territory, it does not omit the fact that there are Autobots lurking in the vicinity who would attempt to assassinate one of the Decepticon's most valued commanders. Thundercracker didn't care, as long as she was away from Megatron. That way, she can devote her time solely to him (and Skywarp), and maybe, just maybe, he could convince her to change her mind over her whole 'femme fatale' scheme.
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'I can't believe I'm going back to see him again. It's been too long.' Starscream paced along the halls, letting her feet and mind wonder at the same time. 'Then again, I'm not surprised. My creator is a brilliant genius, no doubt. That's why I am his creation. As the humans say, 'the apple does not fall far from the tree', because, humans need metaphors to explain their pathetic existence. He's a Decepticon loyalist desperate to serve our leader but can't find the means to until now, and Megatron needs something my creator can make. Who would know the secret location of the hermits abode? Who has direct connections with the Decepticon leader? You've really planned this out, haven't you, oh mighty Megatron? A mission in guise of a holiday, a prodigal daughter returning to her creator to make amends, the perfect drama…It almost seems too perfect.'
She stopped in front of a familiar pair of doors, dully shucking open to invite her into Megatron's quarters. For a Transformer with little possessions, Megatron had the biggest room, defeating its purpose of being generously spacious. Standing in the center of the hollow room was the leader of the Decepticons, looking stoic as he observed the items poured onto his recharge bed. Starscream's curiosity grew in interest as she scanned the items laid out; as much as he revealed when they both connected, the tyrant having possessions was as strange as him showing gentile emotions. Glancing at his pitiful number of valuables, Starscream found it laughable.
"What took you so long?"
'Impatient-'
"The Autobot asks too many questions. But they do know of my trip back to Cybertron."
"Of course they do." Megatron's replied rather plaintively. "Come here."
Standing patiently behind her leader, Starscream found a wave of purple cloth float at her, with a stray corner teasingly brushing past her hand. Placing his hands on her shoulders, Megatron clipped the mantle into place when the cloak settled on her back, leaving her magnificent wings undisturbed. Unlike other delicate forms of life, Transformers had little need for clothing to protect or hide the embarrassments a vulnerable body faces, and to wear an article of clothing was for more secondary purposes. Donning her frame was Megatron's regal cape, flashing the colours of Decepticon royalty, recognised by any Transformer who had optics to see. Grabbing the smooth cloth, Starscream slowly contoured her body with it, and looked at Megatron for a reason.
"No rogue Decepticon would trouble you when they see this," he stated flatly.
"But…it-…I don't need-…" Starscream rarely found herself at loss for words, and looked down at her fists wrapped in the purple cloak. The only time she saw Megatron wearing it was when he became known as the leader of the Decepticons, and every Transformer that laid optics on him rendered themselves into a stupefied awe.
'You're making it harder for me to betray you…'
A wide smirk touched Megatron's face. "Don't get too comfortable with it, Starscream. I want it back in pristine condition when you come back-" He stopped when he felt a pair of hands encircle his waist, with the cloak still in her hands, she returned the kind gesture with an affectionate embrace.
'…and I hate the way you show it. You are a clever rascal, but...'
"I will not fail." Her words echoed through somber room, and a black hand held her head to rest it on his shoulders, their figures encompassing each other.
"Good."
And she smiled sadly to herself.