Do you ever question your life?
Do you ever wonder why?
Do you ever see in your dreams,
All the castles in the sky?

Starscream opened his optics.
He was flat on his back, he realised. He must’ve fallen over sometime during his CPU blast … or whatever it was …
Slowly, he sat up. He felt better than he had in a long time, and he knew now what he must do. That sent a shiver throughout his form, and every good feeling vanished. He had to betray what he was now a apart of … but it was his only way to set things right …
Suddenly, he saw someone land. In an instant he saw it was Skyfire, and he felt a pang at what he must now do …
“Starscream!” The white jet shouted. “What th-“
He caught sight of the toxic energon cube on the ground, and immediately registered what Starscream had made it for.
“Starscream!” He said disbelievingly, “You didn’t!”
The accused seeker didn’t say anything, but he merely looked at the sky.
“So calm …” He muttered, more to himself than anything. “Its too bad …”
He stared at his sky blue hands, wishing he didn’t need to do what he had to do.
“Er …” Skyfire said, unnerved by his old friend’s behaviour.
Starscream sighed, and then looked at him, “I’m sorry Skyfire … I … I have to do this …”
“Do what?” The white jet questioned, still deeply confused.
Starscream sighed, “How can I be an Autobot? … How can I be a Decepticon again now?” He then whispered, “How can I be anything, anymore?”
Skyfire watched in silence.
“Skyfire …” The red jet said, “I can’t be an Autobot like I know you want me to, and I know what I must do now … I …
I must destroy Megatron.”
“You … what is wrong with you?!” Skyfire exclaimed.
“Nothing!” Starscream whipped around. “For once I know what I want in life!” His voice softened. “But I can’t change who I am, or what I have become …”
He looked up at his old friend. “You wouldn’t know the changes Skyfire, since you didn’t live thought them as I did, but I do know them … and I know that my destiny is to lead the Decepticons to victory.”
“You cant leave …” Skyfire whispered.
Starscream saw the hurt in his friend’s optics, and said, “I’m sorry things had to be this way, Skyfire, but this is how it has to be. You know that … It is my destiny to lead the Decepticons, and to beat Megatron once and for all … and I know that it will hurt a lot of people, but I cant live like the scientist you once knew. I can’t be an Autobot, and I can’t change the past.”
Skyfire couldn’t look at Starscream, but the seeker made him, and he gave his old a friend a sad smile.
“I wish you could come with me … but, I know your answer to that. So … this is goodbye …”
“Starscream …” Skyfire knelt down to his level. He could barely keep the sadness from his voice. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.” Starscream answered. He then stepped away from his old friend, and smiled. “It just has to be this way.”
“I wont fight you …” Skyfire whispered.
“You will have to …” Starscream answered. “I’m sorry …”
He silently transformed, and left the island. Skyfire watched him go, many emotions running though him. Even though he was an Autobot, he couldn’t help but silently say,
Go for it, my friend …

Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping
Hello, I'm still here, all that's left
Of yesterday...

***

A transmission crackled suddenly to life at the Decepticon base. Megatron span around, staring at the image on the screen. He couldn’t believe he would have the guts to call …
“STARSCREAM!” Megatron roared at the image, but to his surprise, the former second in command didn’t even flinch.
“Megatron!” He announced. “I challenge you to a duel! Hand to hand combat, no weapons!”
It took all of the self-control Megatron had to keep from laughing.
“You?!” He said, not bothering to hide the intense humour in his voice. “You are challenging me?! All right then Starscream! I accept your challenge!”
“Meet me at the Himalayas cavern. You know the one of which I speak of.”
And with that, the screen went blank as the transmission was cut.
An impressive location, Megatron thought. Typical of him to pick such a place …

***

As Starscream flew, he thought about all he had done, and what he had just done. It would be hard to deal with the Autobots now that he had stayed there, if only for a short time. Still, this was his destiny, he knew.
To live, or die at the hands of Megatron …

How can you accept social suppression
This weak state of mind in our time
I demand release from hypocrisy
I'd rather die than be held down, forced down

Locked in chains of this sovereignty
Let me be 'cause I long to be
Free! Free!

***

“Are you serious Skyfire?!” Brawn exclaimed.
“Yes …” Skyfire said sorrowfully. “He is going to challenge Megatron … at the Himalayas cavern I’ll bet anything.”
“Why there?” Optimus asked. He was sad at the choice the seeker had made, but it didn’t really surprise him somewhat … Starscream was bitter, after all.
“Because it is the place fire meets darkness, and the spotlight of the sun shines down though but a small gap, highlighting a bean in the middle of the cavern over the molten lava. It is the place from legend where two warriors will battle, and the one truly worthy would claim their rightful place in life. It was applied to the ancient people of Tibet, but now … now two transformers will fight, and only one is destined to live …”

Songs - Castles in the Sky by Ian Van, Hello by Evanescence and Freedom or Fire by Fear Factory