Boy do I have a lot to write about …

Megatron and Starscream stood, side by side, outside of the Tournament stadium. Before them approached a red and blue former Autobot, not just any. The seeker felt Megatron tense beside him, and he looked up worriedly. Megatron looked down and shook his head, then turned it back towards the approaching being. He stopped before them.
It was the first time Megatron and Optimus Prime had seen one another since the war had been changed to peace. Megatron was surprised to find his old counterpart looking somewhat weary … like he had seen all there was to be seen and not much more could happen that would surprise him. But upon looking into the crimson optics of his once most formidable entity, the azure optics brightened and suddenly he lost the weary look he brought.
“Megatron.” He said, his voice different. It was no longer filled with anger, but now with respect. More so than in the war days.
The silver mech nodded, and replied. “Optimus.”
Starscream looked at both of them, back and forth, before the former Autobot commander seemed to smile, despite his faceguard.
“So, how are things for you, Megatron?” He asked, optics flickering to the seeker beside him for a moment.
Megatron grunted. “Better. Yes …” It took all of his will power not to be rude. “And you?”
“Oh very good. Elita and I have found a place together to settle down for good. Forget the war days.” He looked fully at Starscream now. “And you, Starscream?”
The seeker started, looked at the ground and nodded. “Good. Yes. Things are good.”
“I see.”
Megatron’s patience snapped. “Okay, enough. Why are you here, Optimus? If the war was not your thing anymore?”
Starscream sensed that the situation may become hostile, and placed a soothing hand on Megatron’s arm. The Ex-Decepticon leader looked down at him, and relaxed.
Optimus saw the little exchange, and he linked all of the little bits of information and sights he had seen in the past, and suddenly, it all made sense. And he realised. And chuckled.
“Oooh … I see now.” He said wisely.
“WHAT do you see now?” Megatron growled.
Optimus’s optics were smiling. “I thought you two would end up together. It was so obvious how you felt, Megatron.”
The said mech’s face went bright red. “W-what are you on about?!”
Starscream had a hand over his mouth to stop the giggling, cheeks pink.
Optimus chuckled. “You know what I mean, Megatron.”
The other, for the first time had nothing to say to Optimus. He spluttered, then growled as he looked down at the seeker again, who was now giggling outright. He suddenly got an idea.
“Really Prime? You knew all along did you?” He smirked. As he talked, he slowly put his arm around the seeker’s back, not touching him yet.
The other nodded. “It was rather obvious.”
Megatron smirk grew wider. “Then I guess …”
He grabbed the seeker, surprising the hell out of him, and pulled him into a bear hug, and looked back over at the other.
“So I suppose you wouldn’t mind if I kissed in front of you?” His optics held a truly evil glint.
“Uh …” Optimus looked very wrong footed. “Um, s-save it for later?”
Starscream’s face was burning against Megatron’s chest, optics wide.
“Oooh but I want to kiss him NOW, Prime …” He even started to tilt Starscream’s face up.
“NO! No thanks!” Optimus didn’t want to get the image in his mind. Seeing them going for it anyway, he took the only course of action that came to mind.
He transformed, and drove off with a squeal of his wheels.
When he was gone, and the smoke had cleared, Megatron cracked up laughing, letting Starscream go, who looked indignant.
“Megatron!” He growled, and the said mech smirked at him.
“What?”
Starscream rolled his optics, but he was grinning.

***

For the first time in many billions of years, Megatron was nervous. He stood in the hatch that lead out to the stadium, knowing full well that there was a large crowd waiting to see the fight. He was going to take on Motormaster, whom he knew was as bitter as they come. Still, even if he knew he would win, it was nerve-racking to see how the public would view him now.
He had changed, that was true, but no one but Soundwave and Starscream knew of the changes. Perhaps some information had leaked out somehow? He did not know. But he had dealt with tougher things than this in his long life; what’s one more challenge to the bunch?
He heard the announcer call him out. He took in a deep breath and stepped out into the huge stadium. He looked up into the stands and saw that most of the crowd were former Decepticons, while some former Autobots had showed up to witness the fight. But those weren’t only D-cons cheering for him. Everyone seemed to be giving polite applause and others catcalls. It was as if he had been partially forgiven for his sins, though he knew some wounds ran too deep. But this was a start.
Yes, this was truly a new beginning …

***

“Hey Soundwave!”
The said mech turned slowly at his name being called. He saw the red seeker run up to him, and he regarded Starscream with a nod.
“What is it, Starscream?”
The seeker looked at his azure feet, uneasy. He knew Soundwave was a very private person, but this was something he needed to ask. It just didn’t seem to process with the Soundwave he had known and the Soundwave he had talked to on the rooftop.
“Um … Soundwave? What … what made you tell me all that information about you and Megatron? I … just didn’t see you as the type to spill such things willingly … why did you?”
The stocky tape deck regarded the seeker with a flicker of some unnamed emotion. He turned to face him fully, and spoke:
“Because you needed to know.”
The seeker looked up in shock, and Soundwave continued in a harsher tone.
“Don’t expect me to give out such information again. I only did it because Megatron needed my help. That was all.”
He then turned on his heal and began to walk away, leaving the stunned seeker to watch him. But Starscream HATED being turned away from, and ran up to walk by his side and stop him. Soundwave glared, but did not move. He did shove Starscream’s hand off his shoulder in annoyance.
“S-Soundwave … I just …” Starscream actually looked sincere. “I didn’t want to offend you … I just came to thank you for helping Megatron and I …”
Starscream could have sworn he saw Soundwave blink in shock.
“We could never have gone as far as we have today if it wasn’t for you … silently helping us.” He chuckled. “Like always eh?”
The other was still, processing the words. It was hardly ever that his efforts emotionally ever got appreciated … as a matter of fact; this was the first time ever. He had never seen himself as much of a counsellor, but Starscream was genuine in his gratitude, he saw. For once, Soundwave felt warm inside. It was the same kind of feeling he got with his cassettes; who were almost family to him.
He knew now that unconsciously, Starscream had penetrated his mental shield. He could not explain how or why, but right now he felt a sense of belonging … helping the seeker and his leader become friends now was something that he had never thought he would see, and from what Starscream was saying, it was mostly his doing that made it happen.
All this thinking took some time, and when Soundwave returned to the present, he found Starscream looking awkward and shifting from foot to foot.
Soundwave then did the unthinkable, the unspeakable. Starscream gaped in shock as he removed his mask and visor, exposing a light blue faceplate with dark red optics. His nose was delicately shaped, along with his cheekbones, making him quite handsome. Starscream found himself staring, like anyone would when they suddenly removed a mask. Soundwave looked very shy, but he then smiled at the seeker.
“You’re welcome.”
His voice was different too – no longer in monotone. It shocked both of them and for the same reason. Both were so used to the monotone that this was an unexpected change indeed. Soundwave had grown accustomed to his dull voice over the millions of years he had worn his mask, and to hear it again was quite startling.
Starscream gasped softly in awe. “Wow Soundwave … you should leave that thing off more often!”
The shy tape deck instantly flushed, cheeks turning a peculiar shade of maroon. He stared at his feet, and shook his head.
“Not yet … not now.”
He attached his faceguard and visor again, looking over at Starscream.
“But soon.”
And with a nod and a smile in his visor, Soundwave walked on. The curious red seeker watched him until he was out of sight, the lowering light reflecting off the blue finish of his now friend. He smiled slightly looking up at the pale moons in the sky.
‘What more could happen today?’

…I silently asked myself. I found out that today was one of those that you never forget; be it because of subtle events or not. Either way, I am here now, sitting at my desk and writing all of this down on my computer. I hope that no one would find this Journal, yet one day I hope to publish it … when I am ready, just like Soundwave.
I look out the window. It is sunset again … and it would not be more beautiful. And I have seen a lot of them in my travelling days, so I know beauty when I see it. But the lights reflecting on the metal cities of my home … purples, reds, turquoise and blue … yellow, orange, red and maroon … all are here, present in the sky and buildings. The stars wheel overhead … the indigo background of space is seen as we have a thin atmosphere. And now, there is one more thing I must do.

>>Logging off …

Starscream sat back, computer screen black. He stood and went to the kitchen, getting some heated energon and sipping it lightly, fingers running along the edge of the bench as if feeling its texture. Megatron would be home soon, he knew …
So, he sat on the couch, watching the sun die down and sipping on his cube. One would see him as looking content, another would see him as looking thoughly lazy. He turned on the TV monitor to observe the victory of Megatron, live. Motormaster, he was pleased to see, was not all that badly wounded, but knocked out cold. It showed that Megatron was learning to control himself for the good of others, be it fighting or not.
Time passed, and Megatron returned home. Starscream got up as he entered, smiling at him. And for once, Megatron also looked content. He rubbed Starscream’s head in a gesture of affection, and then went over to bed. He was tired, Starscream knew, but from the look in the other’s optics he knew that he could stand for a tussle with the seeker. Few words were exchanged as one went into his room to lie down.
It was dusk now, and Starscream looked out at the sight. He slowly walked towards the landing hatch/balcony, feeling somewhat light.
As he stepped out, he reflected on all the things that had happened in the last few months. How he had changed … on the inside he was now different than in the war days, but that didn’t mean he would ever show it in front of those he still and probably always would view as enemies. He let out a sigh, and everything seemed to piece itself together in his mind. Megatron had changed inside too, though he would only ever show it to those he deeply trusted. Soundwave had become more open too … and he? He had made himself a new friend in an old and bitter enemy. He had felt the warmth Megatron had to offer now, which seemed absurd but it was true. Megatron and he would never forget the torture they inflicted on each other, or the hurts, or the hate, but now they both realised that there was no point to hating each other anymore. Now it was love, and Starscream knew that they would face trying times in this too. But it was better than the trying times of hate.
So much had changed. So many shifts in his world. And yet he had more than infinity to watch over Cybertron and other worlds. Immortality … he placed a hand over his breast where his spark lay. He was bound by the fact he would live forever more … and he sighed. It was going to be harder than anything he had ever endured … but he knew that you never stopped learning. He would never stop learning things as life went on. He laughed when he remembered the talks in the Decepticon army, speaking of how they would love to never die, to live forever. And he was the one that WOULD live forever … if only they knew what it was like … only those who fear death want to live forever …
And so, he gracefully jumped up onto the handrail of his balcony. He stood on the tips of his feet, and spread his arms out. He had seen a picture of a human man by an artist called Da Vinci, showing that humans were all symmetrical. Well, transformers sure weren’t, but in light of that, Starscream spread his limbs just like in that ancient painting. Because right now he felt perfectly balanced. His mind was blissfully calm; no longer any hurts to plague it. He knew that he would have to talk to Skyfire when he came back. He knew that he still would have to deal with pains. But right now, nothing mattered. All his goals had been fulfilled. He was a brilliant scientist. He was Megatron and Soundwave’s friends. He was Skyfire’s ex-apprentice. He breathed in deep, optics closed off. Slowly, he sung:

Are` na la
Koreto ni
Cato nes canie ni noocha
A masi cea
Ni` por`edimoni
Sato bemishini orimori

Cane` a rima
Ni tor mesa ne`a
Di manior sa ni
Kemena I a`
Sabena korilanes
Emoni da
Sa o-ni
Eternal …

That night, Starscream set himself free.

***

Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You’ve come to journey’s end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones that came before
They are calling
From across the distant shore

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
So you will see
All of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms
You’re only sleeping

What can you see,
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home
And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
Old souls pass ….

Hope fades
Into the world of night
Though shadows falling
Out of memory and time
Don’t say
We have come now to the end
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again
And you’ll be here in my arms
Just sleeping

What can you see,
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea
A pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home
And all will turn
To silver glass
A light on the water
Grey ships pass
Into the west …

The end.

-----------------
Song: Lord of the Rings - Into the west
Starscream's song translation:
By souls,
In heart
You sing the songs in life
A melody pure
From evils many
Solar winds fly by

Be a light
In darkness you shine
In night my star

Be one being,
Take the step
Show all
You are …
Eternal …

I hope you all enjoyed my trilogy.