Chapter 9: Wings and Guns

Her feet hit the ground in silent patters. Flipping and maneuvering her way across the floor, getting away from the bullets that came her way. Digging her sword into the dust that had settled on the ground she twisted and send a thick fog around her. Soldiers watched from the outside, the only thing separating them from her was a bullet-proof glass. Uneasily they watched as the dust settled and she had disappeared. The droids looked around; their guns perched and ready to shoot. From the outside the audience looked around and murmured, looking for a sign of the purple femme. Too easily she slunk around the edges of the confine, becoming nothing more than another shadow. She stood watching, her muscles twitched with excitement, her veins pushing adrenaline. Like a tiger hunter its prey, she stood and waited patiently. At last her moment came. A droid made its way to where she saw, his gun wildly pointing in each directing; his back towards the shadowy place where she stood. Smirking, she reached out and dragged him into the shadows, engulfing him into the darkness. Soldier from the outside pointed and laughed as they saw the mech being dragged into her corner. Then everything went silent as the droid suddenly stumbled out only to look at his partners one last time, metal groaned suddenly and his body slid into two pieces. His upper body was cut from his left shoulder and down to his right hip. His comrades acted quickly and shot into where their fallen comrade had stumbled out of. The light from the blasts lit up the small corner; no one was there.

The remaining two droids looked at each other and wisely moved away from the reach of the lingering darkness. Each getting behind a pillar they slunk around it, their weapons on a higher heat. The smaller of the two rounded a corner and looked at his comrade; big mistake. Turning back he froze. A gun was being held at his face. She pulled the trigger. Laughing, she rounded behind the pillar and started to climb it, her voice echoing through the whole room.

"How is this fun?" she said smugly.

The droid franticly looked around, his gun trembling. She climbed across the top, her back towards the floor, a smile on her face. She watched the droid for a while before he turned his back on her, letting go of the roof beam she held onto she flipped to land on her feet. Landing crouched down she stood up and cocked her gun. The droid froze, his body began to tremble. He never got the chance to turn around. Pink energon splattered against the glass, as a few mechs jumped from the sudden splash. Looking upwards she stepped back.

"Is that all you got?" she asked arrogantly.

"Level 103: completed. Level 104; un-composed," Soundwave's voiced came from above.

"Well, might wanna get to it. This was nothing." She called up from below.

"Accommodation: accepted."

Smiling, she turned on her heel and started to make her way towards the door. The ruble around her started to disappear as the hologram used for the training exercise sizzled out of life. A piece of window the size of a door slid down into the floor as she stepped out, and was greeted by Thundercracker and Skywarp. Raising an optic ridge she waited for an answer.

"Lord Megatron has asked for you presence in his throne room, immediately." Thundercracker said. Looking at the purple and black seeker beside him she glared.

"OK, I understand why Thundercracker was here, but you?"

Smirking, he looked down at her and slid a claw across the underside of her chin.

"Did you have lucky charms for breakfast? Because you look magically delicious!" He smirked wider. Shadowblur frowned and stepped closer and brought his face closer towards her.

"Did I mention the kick in the face you'll be receiving if you touch me again?" She snarled. Pushing his face away she made her way towards the halls. Thundercracker looked at his younger brother and sighed. Smiling back Skywarp started following her.

"It's official, I want her and she wants me."

Face-palming, Thundercracker huffed and made his way behind his brother. The trio walked, Thundercracker between the frustrated femme and the seeker with the lame pick up lines.

"Will you just stop?" Thundercracker snapped finally reaching his limit for the day. Skywarp opened his mouth to protest before they reached the throne doors, walking forward she gave one last glare at the purple seeker before walking in. Rolling his eyes, Thundercracker walked in after her.

"Party pooper," Skywarp huffed as he too walked in.

The door slid partly open as she slinked in, faintly glowing lights casting more shadows around the room than it already had, and it made the room seem endless. The brightest light perhaps in the whole building was laying overhead her father, his silver and gold lined throne being set upon little tiers of steps. Megatron sat on the throne, a clawed hand resting against the arm rest to his left; the other hand rubbing his chin in deep thought, his ruby eyes were glowing out from the dark. Walking forward she kneeled onto one knee, like a lover would do after proposing marriage. Bowing her head she waited for him to speak, after all he was leader. From the corner of her optics both seekers took the same position on either side of her, forming a triangle.

"Shadowblur, stand," He finally commanded her.

Rising to her feet she looked at him carefully, two pairs of optics stood watching her from each side of her father's throne. She noticed the familiar glare of glass that made up Soundwave's visor on the left, which only left the option of Starscream to the right. They had not been there when she first arrived. Her gaze slowly wavered onto the silver tyrant.

It unnerved her how similar the color of their optics were, the curve of the nose, the malevolence that lingered within each other. Perhaps that was why he was this way with her? Did he see the similarities in each other as she did? Because, it sickened her how they were alike.

"You failed to please me." He said bluntly. Disbelief wrapped around her in a thick fog as she starred at him.

"I what?" she hissed unbelieving. Of course she had heard him, but she just needed the confirmation of his words.

"Did I stutter?" He growled.

"No but-"She started frustrated.

Megatron leaped off his throat and grabbed her neck strangling her. Desperately clawing at his hand she tried to escape to no use. She felt the metal armor around her neck start to bend to the shape of his hand. This only gave him motivation to choke her some more. Her body started to heat up, the air not going through the vents to cool her. He held her at arm lengths away and above him. He laughed as she clawed at his hands, the sound vibrating through the room making it boom. She gasped trying to force air into her vents, her vision swarmed, her body was overheating. Growing desperate she used her last energy and swung her leg at his face; her foot made contact as sparks flew from their metals colliding. His hand released her as she fell to the ground onto her aft; air assaulted her vents as it forced its way into her body. Gasping, her hands went to cup her throat a she looked up at his amused stare. Bending down he scrapped a clawed finger along her neck and left the tip on the underside of her chin. Forcing her to look up he smirked.

"Don't go playing with a lion's tail femme, it'll crush you." He cooed mockingly. A short laugh escape him again as he left her on the ground and turned his back on her. A white wrath coiled within her and snapped, swinging her foot across the floor as tripped him. He caught himself and twisted on her, a deadly look on his face. He charged at her and slammed his fist down at her. Rolling to the right she escaped his fist as it collided with the floor creating a hole. Pushing her hips up, she did a shoulder roll and landed on her feet. Raising his head he looked at her, his eyes darkened.

Skywarp and Thundercracker silently inched towards the throne. Starscream shortly joined them, a mischievous smile on his lips.

"Pit, the femme's got balls." Skywarp whistled. Thundercracker turned and looked at him oddly.

"What the frag does that even mean?" He whispered.

"I don't know but I sounded right to use." Skywarp whispered back as they watched Megatron and his daughter go at it. Starscream turned back to face them and scowled.

"There are several people in this world that I find obnoxious and you are all of them." Glaring Skywarp hissed at his older brother and Trine Mate. Starscream growled and turned around intent on punching him in the face before a startled yelp made them face the middle of the throne.

Shadowblur yelped as Megatron grabbed the edge of her door wing, grabbing the back of her neck she was pushed down into the floor. Her body painfully collided with the floor as he held her down; squirming against him she moved all but a centimeter. Laughing Megatron let her go and walked away and sat down on his throne. Pushing her self off the floor she turned and face him, anger and hatred clear on her face.

"Do not look at me that way! You asked and I only delivered. Thinking you can beat me? Not even Optimus Prime himself could complete that task!" Using the back of her hand she wiped the energon that leaked from her mouth and spat the rest at his feet.

"If I ever said anything to you I should be sorry for, I'm glad." Growling, she turned on her heel and walked out. Before she walked out the doors and another femme walked in. They both stopped and stared at each other before Shadowblur hissed and pushed the other femme out of her way. Slamming the door behind her Shadowblur went on fuming to her room. To involved in her self that she didn't hear her father say a name she would grow to hate.

"Ahh, welcome Nightbird. Starscream you are dismissed and take your trine. Soundwave monitor the surveillance cameras'."

Shadowblur roared a she entered into her room, clenching and un-clenching her fists as a way to dissipate her anger. It only made her anger grow wider. Sitting on the corner of the desk her claws ripped into the surface of the table, it only made her hunger for spilled energon worse. She felt like strangling someone, shoving their head down on a train track as a speeding train raced by. She felt like killing someone. Small trails of energon made its way down her back from where Megatron had pulled on her door wing; unhinging it from her back a little. Her anger came even quicker than a whip at the mere through of him. Reaching behind her she grabbed the vase by its neck and threw it against the wall screaming out her angst. The door to her room slid open making her mood even worse. Turning around she yelled at the intruder.

"Get out!" she screamed. Thundercracker stood there frowning as he looked at the glass shards that lay on the floor. Walking in, he sat on the berth and looked around.

"I said get out!" she repeated pointing at the door.

Looking at her he frowned even deeper.

"Turn around and lean against the table." He commanded.

Her spark stopped beating for a second at his words.

"Look I don't know who you think I am but I will not-" Thundercracker cut her off.

"That's not what I meant. Your door wings damaged I'll fix it." He said a tint of irritation mixing in with his deep voice.
"You can look at it but I'm not bending over anything." She huffed; walking over to the berth she sat on his left and turned to face the wall. Slouching slightly she heard his soft chuckle, so silent that she almost didn't hear it. Or maybe she hadn't, it could have been her imagination.

Thundercracker gingerly grabbed the strut that would hold up her door wing and noticed it was twisted and a part was broken off. It seemed like a difficult task to fix, but he already having seekers as brothers he knew how to fix these kinds of things. Opening his sub-space pocket and fished around in there for a piece to replace the broken one. Finding one he took it out and looked at it. It was a little bigger, being a piece made for seekers in mind he shrugged. It would have to do for now. Carefully unscrewing the broken hinge out he replaced it and closed the energon line that was leaking. Replacing the strut he sighed and let his hands drop from her back. Twisting her neck to look over her shoulder at him she asked a question that had been bugging her for a while.

"I know you're forced to "Protect" me and all, but you aren't my nurse. Why did you fix me?" Twisting her body to face him she looked up at him as he looked down. His wine colored eyes looked down.

"Because femmes like you don't exist, much less mechs."

"Femmes like…me?" she wondered.

"Someone who'll stand up for their selves, even if it means getting killed; most of the army is made up of spineless cowards who flee at the sign of getting off-lined." Snorting he looked away. Her gaze followed his to where the cracked remains of the vase still lay.

"Guess I shouldn't talk either; guess I could consider myself the same way." Thundercracker looked at her again. To say she felt awkward at the moment was an understatement, she never was good at consoling someone. Where would she start anyways?

"Uh…Well I don't think that." She stuttered. Lifting her arm to pat his shoulder she stopped a few inches away from it and clenched her fist bringing her hand down. He noticed her awkwardness and changed the subject.

"I hope you'll clean that up." He motioned the glass mess with his chin. Rolling her eyes she frowned.

"Sorry to tell you but I have a problem with following orders."

"I've noticed." He answered.

A silence wrapped around them filling the room. As they sat side by side, their knees touching. The door slid open and with it the bubble of silence they had built had popped. Starscream walked in a cheekily smile on his lips that slid away to a frown as his eyes landed on Thundercracker.

"Thundercracker, you have no duties here; retreat." He ordered. Getting up, Thundercracker looked down at the femme.

"Don't strain the strut for a few days. It'll be sore but then it'll pass." He said. Walking out of the room, Starscream's gaze followed the blue seeker out. Whipping back at the femme he frowned.

"He has no busy being here." He hissed.

"Neither do you." she glared back.

Ignoring her comment he stood in front of her.

"Get up."

"No, make me."

"My pleasure," He growled grabbing her wrist. Pulling away she stood and put her hands on his chest pushing him away.

"Go." She said motioning towards the door.

"Not until I'm done with you, we seem to have important…matters to solve." He said drumming his fingers together. Freezing, she looked at him suspiciously.

"What matter do we have to solve?" she drawled out carefully.

"We could help each other. And, I think it'll benefit us both."

"With…?"

"Terminating Megatron for once."

A/N: so, so, so, so, so, soooooooooooo sorry! This is late I know :0 but I had a lot on my plate this couple of weeks and didn't have time to fit this story in my schedule to write it and My birthday was this weekend so we ended up driving up to San Francisco and I didn't have a computer, Sorry! Blah, for the make of lost week I'll give you a glimpse at the next chapter:

Chapter 10: Benefits

Laughing she looked at him seriously.

"Terminate him?" She laughed some more at the moronic idea. "You're serious?" she chuckled.

Pacing, Starscream thought for a while before looking at her. Grabbing her shoulders he shook her.

"Stupid femme, do you not understand the upper hand we have between us both? He is correct, Optimus Prime cannot destroy him, and you know why?" When she didn't answer he continued. "He is one, and we are two."

Shrugging out of his grasp she pushed him away.

"Are you stupid? Whole planets, WHOLE ones would join together and try to destroy him. Millions maybe even billions couldn't do it, what makes you think two will work if thousands upon thousands didn't?"

"Because they didn't have you; you know what he is like, know him inside and out." He huffed annoyed. She stared at him and thought silently. Though she hated to admit it, he did have a point.

"Okay, Mighty Starscream, what do you suggest we do?" She asked, sarcasm weaving through her words.

A detrimental smirk slid onto his handsome face. Cupping his claws under her chin his voice promised mischief sealed with a kiss.

"Don't worry about that at the moment. You'll know what to do when the time comes. But, at the moment pretend this conversation never happened. Soundwave might read your mind and I doubt you know how to build a shield against him." He bragged.

"Oh? And you do?"

His claws tightened and the smile broadened.

"Accentually," Letting a claw scrape to her skin and leave a small cut he turned on his heel and walked towards the door but not before stopping and looking over his shoulder.

"Stay away from my trine-mates, you distract them." He continued to walk out.

"And, you? Do I distract you?" She watched as he froze, though he didn't turn she saw a smile on his lips.

"You distract me? You're nothing but a femme; there is nothing about you to distract me with. You're just a good pass time and that's all."

"Then I must be a really good pass time if you need my help and not to mention I find you lingering inside my quarters almost every breem."

"No, just a something I like to toy with. Not many femmes to toy with anymore, but you." His feet clinked against the floor as he left her room. A smirk of her own began to form. Why just take out Megatron? When Starscream was just as big of a nuisance as her father was. If she were queen, the war would end. She didn't want to deal with fighting anymore; it wasn't worth all this spilled energon. And, for what? Destruction? It was time it ended. Looking over to the decepticon banner that hung in the corner her eyes trailed over the cybertronian lettering it sported in silver, it read; 'In Darkness we Prevail'. Snorting, she looked away. It boggled her how this slogan could have gotten so many mech's to turn away from their families and friends? However it did, it the job.