For years now, he had been alone.

No, not years, he mentally corrected himself. Millennia.

Yes, he mused. Millennia was closer to accurate. His ultimate solitude went back as far as the worst night of his life: the night he'd lost his favor with his master.

More importantly, the night he'd lost them.

Who were they? The red-eyed mech merely chuckled bitterly at the memories. They, he knew, were his entire life. And they had taken the color from his world.

His vision felt like it had faded away. Shades of gray and silver filled his lifeless existence, occasionally permeated by streaks of red. Red for rage, red for blood, red red red for his master's burning optics as he faced endless punishment for losing them.

The color red was not a happy omen.

He vented. Multicolor optics burned their gaze into his chassis as he stepped his way down the street. Maybe they were wondering why he, a Seeker, wasn't flying as one usually might? Or they were whispering about the frightening Decepticon who was disturbing their normal day? Or maybe they silently thought to themselves that he looked to be a little out of it, with his occasional murmurs and unexpected chuckles?

He allowed himself a smirk. It was likely a combination of all three. The latter may not have helped his public reputation any, but it did allow him the peace and quiet he felt he deserved.

It came to his sudden attention that his pedes had, in fact, lead him unconsciously to the Academy, and that the "crowd" was not, indeed, a crowd, but three teen Seekers, likely a trine, who were not watching only him. When he realized what they were staring at, his long-calmed raged rose up in him, and he turned around angrily.

Because at the foot of the staircase, helm buried in her servos as she shook with sobs, was a small femme.

"Show some respect!" Starscream barked angrily, gesticulating wildly. One whispered to a second, probably telling her brother about how no one had heard the voice of the dangerous Decepticon SIC in years. But for the first time in the years since Cybertron had been restored and rebuilt, he felt neither the amusement nor the patience toward the public has he had in the past. All he felt was disgust.

"Well?" He snarled. The three teens stared at him uncomfortably. "What are you waiting for? Don't just stand there!"

The tallest, a mech, gestured to his sisters, and, for a brief moment, one of the femme's yellow optics caught his, before the trine left, triplet wings drooping.

Starscream then turned his attention to the young femme on the steps. From a quick first glance, she was probably the equivalent of an older human teen, about midway to adulthood. She was also a light magenta color as well as a Grounder.

He walked over to her balled up form and tentatively reached out with a servo, indecisive on whether or not he should try and comfort her at all.

But before he could even think, she raised her helm to look up at him, faceplates tear-stained, and he noted with interest that the young femme had brilliant red optics.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, voice breathy and cracking from crying.

"I saw you crying." Starscream answered with a gentleness he hadn't known he possessed. "May I inquire about what happened?"

The pink femme heaved a wobbly sigh. "They kicked me out of the Academy."

Starscream raised an eyebrow. Schools on Cybertron didn't commonly discharge their students unless behavior or grades were lower than expected.

"Why?" He asked, curiosity overcoming his concern.

The femme buried her helm into her knees, arms crossed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Well then," Starscream inquired, "shouldn't we get you back home to your parents?"

That was a mistake too. In response, he received a murmured, "Don't have any."

Starscream heaved an exasperated vent. "Is there anywhere you could go?"

The femme tried to shrug casually, but he could tell it hurt to say, "They discharged me from the orphanage when I was accepted into the Academy."

Starscream stroked his chin thoughtfully. He had the beginnings of an idea, but he wasn't totally sure he wanted to try it out. For all he knew, it'd end in failure again.

Finally, after a deep moment of thought, the Seeker hesitantly offered, "You could... stay at my dwelling, if you wanted to."

She stared at him with innocent red optics. "Wouldn't that be a bit much trouble, sir?"

"Well... maybe." Starscream admitted. "But I do live alone in a space that has more than enough space for an extra person."

The femme thought for a moment, clearly weighing between two different options. Starscream vented, but he understood.

"I know, for all you know I could be a rapist or a kidnapper or a child trafficker." Starscream spoke what she was obviously thinking. "I understand if you don't want to risk that."

"I'd rather not be raped or kidnapped or trafficked today." The teen agreed. "Wouldn't that be a fantastic end to this already fabulous day?"

Starscream hid his snort at her sarcasm. "I'm going to take a guess and say that your parents were Decepticons, am I right?"

The femme flinched but nodded. Starscream continued, "I'm also going to take a guess and say that you've heard of Starscream, the Decepticon's Second In Command? Tales, maybe, of his notorious deeds?" When she nodded again, clearly wondering where he was going with this, he finished, "Well, I am he."

Her scarlet optics widened in surprise, and she spoke, softly, "Starscream may have been a lying, backstabbing coward, but he never did such a thing to his victims. I'll go home with you. But only until I can find somewhere else."

"Then we have a deal." Starscream reached out his servo to pull her to her pedes. At full height, she only came up to his spark. "Can you transform?"

The femme nodded. "Then follow me."

Without further ado, the odd pair transformed into jet and car, speeding up the streets to the edge of the city where his home lay.

"Behold," Starscream announced dramatically, transforming. "The Solar Flare!"

The femme raised an eyebrow. "That's a crashed Decepticon warship."

Starscream vented exasperatedly. "It's fully functional! It works just fine!"

The femme shrugged. "If you say so."

Starscream vented again. "I never did ask for your name, did I?"

"Nope." The pink femme popped the p. "It's Seismic."

Wait.

He could see the color pink.

He'd essentially been seeing in black, white, gray, and red for the past millennia.

"Seismic." Starscream tested the name under his breath. "Well, Seismic, welcome aboard."

Maybe his vision had room for growth after all.

I hope you liked this first chapter, it took me years to get up the courage to publish this fragging story, and I'm finally starting it! Yay me!

On another note, the cover is probably temporary, but I can't draw for scrap, so if somebody wants to draw a new cover, DM me and let me know. I'd really appreciate it!

Next chapter will be published sometimes relatively soon. I don't know how soon because I'm about to start marching band camp and school, so it could be a little while. Anyway, let me know what you think of CHOT!

Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow!

SalixEnder03