Who: G1!Starscream and IDW!Jetfire
What: A challenger appears! It's a race! Jets compete as jets do.
Where: Allllll over the place.
Summary: Jetfire had challenged Starscream to a flying match. Being an egotistical afthole, Starscream could not refuse.
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Cinnamon and sugary and softly spoken lies, you never know just how you look through other people's eyes... )
Or at least, that's what he told himself. True, his pride couldn't let Starscream get away with calling him the things he did, but he also had an ulterior motive. His current roommate didn't know anything about immortal sparks, but this one might. And with a little luck, he might be able to discern what this Starscream did or did not know about it.
'And speak of the Seeker,' he smirked to himself, catching sight of a familiar red and silver jet soaring towards him.
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Once he had the other mech in his sights, the telltale sound of transformation accompanied his form folding out into robot mode. Circling once, twice, three times before landing gracefully a few yards away.
"Well, well, well. You're not as cowardly as I had first thought. At least you showed up." He forced his face into the classic sharp grin, crossing his arms over the glassy canopy of his cockpit.
"Are you prepared to intake my exhaust fumes?" Cocky. Of course.
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Without further ado, he held out a palm-sized circular device. Pressing a button, it switched on and emitted a detailed 3D map of the Zone they were in.
"You can pick the first half of the course, and I'll pick the last half," he said. "That way it's fair for both of us. And I suppose I don't have to remind you to avoid high traffic areas? No sense hurting innocent bystanders for this. And to make it more interesting," his smile turned a bit predatory, "how about we make a bet? Loser has to do something of the winner's choosing, within reason of course. And we state those terms before the start of the race."
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Starscream grimaced a nasty smile.
"Very well." Snatching the device, he narrowed his optics at the area before extending one finger and tracing through the map, leaving a faintly glowing red line.
His choices were of course, riddled with sharp turns and obstacles, mostly through tight spaces. Obvious he was trying to give himself an advantage as a smaller bot that specialized in aeronautic maneuvers.
"There." The Seeker sneered, handing back the hologram.
"What is your wager?"
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"First one to touch their thrusters on that advertising floatilla wins. Use of weapons is stricly prohibited during this race," he said, circling their final goal. "If I win, I want you to tell me something about Sparks. Now what are your terms for winning?"
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Interesting.
The mention of Sparks instantly worked Starscream's mouth into a scowl. Nosy. Just like the Maximals.
"Fine." He hissed. "If I win, you have to get on the video network and announce that I, Alpha Starscream, is the greatest mech in all the universe, and that you are a pretty, pretty princess." Thoroughly immature at times. Though he looked thoroughly pleased with himself.
Taking a place on the edge of the rooftop, he transformed and prepared himself.
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Before he joined the other in jet mode, he placed the circular device on the floor. It would serve as a countdown mechanism, and would tell them when to start. Pressing another button on it's smooth face, it displayed 120 astroseconds and began to count down to zero.
Taking a position beside Starscream, he transformed as well, backing up a little so their nosecones were aligned. With his external sensors he watched as the device rapidly got closer to zero and go time.
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When the timer reached zero, it was unclear if Starscream started just a klik early... Either way he was off, rocketing through the course with every bit of grace and speed that could be expected of his kind.
Not only did he run the course almost flawlessly, but he did it with style. Overconfident and just a bit too sure of his victory...
He didn't intend to lose.
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Jetfire grunted as he turned a corner too fast, clipping his underside and denting the white plating found there. Error signals scrolled down his HUD but he ignored them. Unless he was at risk of crashing and burning, any other injury was minor.
He didn't intend to lose either. And when they reached his half of the course, then he could really open up and let loose. Starscream better enjoy his lead.
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Still, the smaller flier stuck to tight turns and almost impossible corners.
If Jetfire caught him up...
He had something in store for him. Not null-rays. No. Something else.
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Mechanometer by mechanometer, he began to close in on Starscream's tail, which was no easy feat. No wonder Autobots fliers grudgingly admired Starscream's skill; he certainly earned the title of Air Commander with his flying talent.
But Jetfire was not one to let the Autobots down (even for an inconsequential race), and he doggedly gained more ground. The finish line was only a few megamiles away, and he still had some catching up to do.
'One body length away,' he thought, feeling his thrusters becoming uncomfortably hot ...
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No...
No.
Not far off, he could see their destination. Starscream couldn't risk the humiliation of losing. And he had no qualms about using an old dirty trick. He slowed suddenly, falling back and transforming. Dropping a foot or two and reaching- he was aiming to rake his fingers along the underside of Jetfire's hold. Painful, but not terribly damaging.
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"Starscream!" he barked in anger, wounded in more ways than one. "Do you have to cheat for something so mundane as a simple race?"
The whine of his engines increased as Jetfire pushed himself to his limit, increasing his speed by just a bit while doing barrel rolls to get Starscream away from him.
He'd be lucky not to roll right into the ground, but Jetfire was so annoyed that he was willing to take the risk.
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"Don't be such a whiner! I didn't injure you!" The jet screeched as they raced on.
He folded back out into robot mode when he was near the finish-
Almost there...!
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Just because he didn't state rules to cover every conceivable 'cheat' didn't mean Starscream could do anything he wanted! Jetfire had thought the Seeker would have the decency not to pull any wild stunts, not for the sake of fairness but for the sake of his pride. He should have known better.
More than ever before, he was unwilling to let Starscream win. Retracting his wings closer to his body, Jetfire dodged antennae and flew inbetween spokes at break neck speeds.
The top of the tower seemed to suddenly jump at him, and Jetfire transformed, feeling the G-forces pressing against his plates as he moved against inertia. His feet touched the finish line with loud clangs, and he fell to his hands and knees, tired, sore, and angry.
But where was Starscream? Jetfire looked around for the other, hoping he had won.
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He fell into a crouch, cycling air to cool his overheated systems. What a thrill. He wanted to do it again. For a momet, he forgot about the race, and was close to demanding they take another spin- though his processors caught up with him enough to prevent that.
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