The Brat Prince of Vos

Chapter 7

Continuity: Pre- and Post-TF:A, a little bit of AU here and there
Warnings: None for this chapter
Pairings: None for this chapter, eventual Megatron x Starscream.

The next morning came quickly.

Megatron nodded to himself, satisfied. He'd considered this plan from every possible angle, and by now he was sure that it was flawless. The Decepticon leader pressed the button on the main room's table, rewarding himself with a cube of energon. He downed it in one gulp - no point savouring it if it wasn't high-grade.

There was a knock at the door, and Cyclonus appeared once more.

"Have you made your decision? There's only an hour left until your meeting with the King," he said solemnly.

"I have. I'm ready," Megatron nodded calmly.

Cyclonus opened a subspace pocket, rummaging around it for a moment before producing a small box. He held it out to Megatron. "Here," he said, smiling softly. "A gift from Prince Starscream. I have no idea what it is."

The Decepticon leader frowned down at the box, opening it suspiciously. Cyclonus peered over, curious as to what Starscream would possibly give Megatron. The silver gladiator chuckled as he looked inside - a small datapad. He could guess what was on it. He turned it on, and as expected, the pad was loaded with a collection of bedtime stories, and a small note.

"Don't bond with me if you don't like me, please."

Megatron's smile disappeared at that. How could he possibly know enough about Starscream after only a day to say? How could he say whether Starscream would grow up to be a good Decepticon or not? He shook his head. His mind was made up now anyway.

He subspaced the datapad in a compartment in his arm, and followed Cyclonus out the door.

"Your Majesty, I accept your offer," Megatron announced, bowing deeply. By the throne, Prince Clearsky gave Starscream an encouraging pat on the wing. The thirteenth child smiled up gently at his older brother, while Shiningstar and Morningstar shook their heads in disapproval.

"Excellent," King Rainmaker boomed jovially, clasping his hands together with joy.

"However," Megatron continued carefully, "it is with much regret that I have to leave the city to take care of…urgent matters elsewhere. My lieutenant Strika has contacted me with a matter of grave importance. Rest assured, as soon as it is dealt with I will return to complete our agreement."

The King's expression faltered a little, but he nodded anyway, accepting. "I understand, of course - you have an army to attend to."

The session was soon dismissed, and the King and his children trailed out…except for Starscream. The youngest Prince walked up to Cyclonus, whispering something in the Minister's audios. Cyclonus nodded, taking the youngling's claw and walking with him towards Megatron.

"Starscream wishes to know when you will be back," Cyclonus stated simply, the thirteenth child hiding behind him a little.

"Oh? You can't ask me yourself?" Megatron asked, peering down at the youngling. The Prince gazed up at him sulkily, pouting. "Come now, don't be upset, child," Megatron said smoothly, kneeling down to Starscream's height. "I don't know how long it will take, little Prince. I apologize."

Starscream looked down at the floor sadly, uttering a small, immature chirp of unhappiness. Ignoring Cyclonus' lessons, Megatron raised a finger to touch Starscream's chin, tilting the youngling's face upwards.

"Your present was very nice, Starscream," he said quietly, voice soothing. "I have one for you too. Open it later." He produced a small, black box from his subspace pocket, and placed it in the youngling's claws.

"Thank you," Starscream mumbled, prodding the box curiously.

Then Megatron stood with a nod to the Minister. Cyclonus ushered Starscream away, and the Royal Guard escorted Megatron out the palace to the walls of Vos.

"My Lord!" Shockwave cried out in relief as Megatron boarded the ship. "I've been terribly worried for your safety! You have been gone far longer than the anticipated timeframe you gave me! Are you harmed?"

Megatron batted Shockwave away. "I'm just fine, Shockwave," he grumbled. "There were…unexpected complications. The King's terms of acceptance were not quite what I was expecting."

"Oh?" Shockwave asked curiously.

The Decepticon leader scratched his helm, the full reality of the situation suddenly hitting him. "I am…intended. To a youngling."

Shockwave's systems locked up in horror, and with a clang, the scientist keeled over.

"Well?" Cyclonus asked, sitting on the end of Starscream's recharge bed. As the youngest, Starscream was always put to recharge first, and the other twelve beds in the large chamber were currently empty.

"Well what?" Starscream asked, looking up from his datapad to stare at Cyclonus.

"What did Megatron give you?" Cyclonus pressed, smiling gently at his young charge.

The young prince pulled the black box out from under his berth. "I haven't opened it yet. He said to open it later."

Cyclonus patted Starscream's helm. "I think it's later, now. Go on, open it, little one."

Obediently, Starscream opened the black box. Inside lay a small device. The youngling frowned, holding it up, turning it this way and that. "What is it?" he asked the purple Minister.

The older flier plucked it from his small claws, examining it. "Ah," Cyclonus said after a while, "I know. It's a long-range communication device - it looks like it's been fitted with a private line."

"What am I s'posed to do with it?" huffed the small Seeker in confusion.

"Hmm, sometimes it has a pre-recorded message on it. Here," Cyclonus answered, attaching the device to Starscream's audios. "Listen. I'll turn it on."

The youngling listened carefully, and sure enough, a message started to play;

"Starscream - if you are listening to this, I assume Cyclonus figured out how to use this device. Train well and work hard while I am gone. I am sure it must be difficult being last in line to the throne, but Cyclonus believes you have talent. If you are ever lonely and Cyclonus is too busy to tend to you, you may use this device to contact me. I will do my best to read you a bedtime story - but I make no promises on the quality of my stories."

The youngling grinned. Cyclonus arched an optic ridge. "Well?" the older flier asked again.

"I guess it's so I can call him in emergencies," Starscream replied vaguely, settling down into his berth. The Minister smiled softly once more, shaking his head and tucking the youngling in.

"Good night, your Majesty," Cyclonus said gently.

"Night, Cyclonus," the Fuchsia Seeker replied happily, closing his optics and quickly falling into recharge - still wearing the device.