Starscream threw her in a cell and left her there with a hurt shoulder and an even more hurt pride.
Three days. Three days he didn't come back, and Mikaela was drifting farther and father into a state of depression, psychological attempts at consolation having proved fruitless.
She was trapped. She felt as if the walls were closing in on, getting closer and closer until she could no longer see, could no longer tell up from down or down from up. A reminder of all her original fears, self-loathing and pity being the foremost of the group.
She felt like such a fool right now, sitting in the damp, smelly cell, not nearly as glamorous as the room Fisher had been kind enough to throw her in after she had been captured. This one was small and cramped with barely enough room to stand and a busted pipe in the ceiling – the second one she had seen so far – with water dripping out its spout, splashing onto her armor and emitting a putrid smell.
But above everything else, she was afraid.
Starscream came a few minutes later, a cube of energon in hand, opening the cell and standing there to gawk like a little child.
"Such a shame. You were always Megatron's favorite, and now look what has become of you."
"I thought you were his favorite, you know, despite the fact that he used to bust on you all the time?"
Starscream flinched and hurled the cube of energon at Mikaela. She caught it with nimble fingers, stared at it, and then flung it to the side so it clattered into a corner.
"Drink."
"No."
"Make this difficult, and I'll call Megatron in here to motivate you," Starscream's talons screeched against the bars of the cell as he stepped closer. "And believe me; I'll enjoy watching him force that energon down your sorry little throat."
Mikaela too the cube, holding it in her fingers and staring at the blue liquid inside, wondering how hard she could throw the cube. Watch it hit Starscream's face, she thought. She would laugh at that, for sure.
"I will later."
Starscream didn't comment on that. He just leaned against the wall and stared with big, red glowing eyes that reminded her of too-bright Christmas lights.
"What?" Mikaela snapped.
"It doesn't concern you."
"You're staring."
Starscream made a "who, me?" gesture and chuckled, his chest rising and falling with every beat. Then, with a wave of one long finger, said, "I'm just comparing the similarities."
"Between me and Roadrunner? It's taking you that long?"
"Not in body," Starscream said impatiently. Tapping his helm, he said, "no, you idiot, in here."
"We don't think alike. We aren't alike. You don't know anything."
"Personality wise, there are some parallels. I'm not as ignorant as Megatron, femme. I have the apparatuses to make throughout observations. I don't just sit back on my aft all day and make false accusations," Starscream's sneer was vicious. "Unlike some. No matter, I can see it in your optics. See her in your optics."
"And that pisses you off, doesn't it?" Mikaela said with a morbid laugh. Already, old memories were beginning to gather in her processors, shady at first, but then clear as day.
Rage. Hate. Anger. All Roadrunners, and all hers.
Starscream's loathing almost overpowered her senses. Her optics blinked, and then he came into full view again, his pompous and arrogance smirk on full display.
Starscream didn't respond, and Mikaela assumed that he knew she knew the answer.
"Oh…" her lip plates curled upward in a nasty smile. "Jealous."
Starscream's talons screeched against the bars, and then Mikaela found herself being lifted up, talons digging into her wounded shoulder, and being dragged down the hallway.
Her shoulder throbbed painfully, and she clenched her dental plates. Starscream either didn't know or pretended not to care.
A few minutes later, they were outside, emerging from the came and pushing their way through the trees, out into a clearing. Starscream threw her down onto the dew covered grass, and she rolled over, wincing and staring up at him.
His look said, If you try to escape, you die.
Mikaela decided not to try. She needed to be alive for Optimus to save her, wherever he was.
"I thought that you might need some fresh air."
"I don't need air," Mikaela said through clenched dental plates. "You of all people should know that, you jackass."
Starscream waggled a finger. "Now, now, Mikaela, name calling will only make you a target. Learn to control your attitude, and just maybe you'll earn yourself a title as second-in-command."
"Is that how you did it? Held your tongue while Megatron beat you down?"
"I meant my second-in-command."
"Oh," Mikaela felt her optics narrow. "So you're still trying to carry out the same shit as before? Mutiny?"
"A new beginning for the Decepticon campaign is more like it," Starscream's optics lit up excitedly as he pondered over the topic in his head, and Mikaela found her finger digging into the slippery grass.
"I'm not in."
"You might not have a choice."
Mikaela pursed her lip plates and said, quickly, "Not to burst your bubble, but I don't think Megatron is going to be disappearing anytime soon."
"Oh, but he will," Starscream was practically giddy with happiness, talons clenched threateningly together, wings bristling with every word. "Of course, you wouldn't understand the inconveniences of my contemporary situation, would you?"
"Try me."
"I will," in one flourished motion, Starscream fell back on his aft, legs flailing upward, talons shifting back to dig into the grass. His helm tilted to the side and his nasty smirk returned, his optics full of a sickening curiosity that had Mikaela curling her arms around her torso in an attempt to hide whatever she could.
He was in the same position as Megatron now. He was the bigger figure, the dominant one in this situation, yet he was sitting in front of her, ready for some type of chat? Mikaela just didn't get it.
"Megatron is such a pompous fool, believing that he is the one true god - the rightful ruler. His arrogance will lead to his downfall," Starscream leaned forward, and in a hushed tone said, "but believe me when I say he has no idea who he's dealing with."
"He's dealing with the mayor of Jackassville, that's for sure," Mikaela muttered.
Starscream slapped her, the back of his talons catching the side of her cheek, the pain stunning at first, as rich as chocolate and then transforming into a dull sting.
Mikaela, glaring dagger at the Seeker in front of her, reached up to massage her cheek, and Starscream, still sitting, still staring, continued to speak as if nothing had happened.
"I'm the genius in this sad bunch of catastrophes."
"You haven't done anything that will win you any awards," Mikaela said. Her face still hurt, and speaking felt as if she were talking with a wad of cotton in her mouth.
"Oh, but I disagree, and I'm sure my contradiction will surprise you, none the less."
Again, Starscream leaned forward, and that was when Mikaela got a good look into his optics, saw the insanity and the rejection and the pain and torment, memories flooding back to her of Starscream, smaller than now but with an ego just as big, being pummeled again and again by the creature her body had once lusted for.
She felt sick. Sick down to her spark.
"It was a dreadful sight to watch," Starscream began, tone laced with so much sarcasm that Mikaela wanted to reach out and slap him herself. "The mighty Megatron, brought to his knees at the news his beloved Roadrunner has been offlined."
"I'm sure he was upset," Mikaela murmured.
"Oh, he was. When your energy signal came back online, he was so overjoyed that, with much vigor, he sent his faithful second in command to confirm his suspicions."
"Lucky you," she replied bitterly, waiting for a slap that never came. It then occurred to her that Starscream – being the egotistical maniac he was – could go on and on and on talking about how much he hated Megatron, but never in a million years would have the courage to actually shove the knife in his back.
It showed just how much prudence Megatron picked his second-in-commands. But then again, Mikaela thought as she glanced at the ground, would Megatron really want a second who had enough guts to shoot him right in the face?
You needed them strong, but you also needed them weak. Just a little…..
"I could never find you. Not then, of course."
"And you must have gotten beating for that, huh?" Mikaela felt one optic ridge rise and she deprived much pleasure from seeing Starscream squirm.
"Yes."
"And then he found me."
"No," Starscream's words were full of venom, and his talons dug into the ground. He lifted them up, suddenly, pulling a chunk of grass and dirt up with him. "I found you. I led Megatron straight to you, and what do I get in return?"
Mikaela did not answer.
"Good femme," Starscream sneered. "At least you know when not to speak, unlike your frame's previous owner."
"I'm sorry if your life sucks, but mine isn't any better."
Starscream didn't say a word, but stood up, joints creaking, sauntering over to her.
"Hah. At least you know when not to speak," Mikaela winked. "C'mon. You don't want to hear it? The heartbreaking start to the triumphant finish?"
No reply.
"C'mon, if you're making this a game, then I'm in. But remember, I play to win."
"Your human life means nothing to me, femme. And nothing will convince me otherwise," he hoisted her up, fingers digging into her underarms, and began to carry her back to the base, ignoring the fact that Mikaela wasn't quite a fledgling and could walk by herself. Oh, well, the joys of being a Decepticon prisoner.
Mikaela's sneer was nauseating. "I didn't think it would."