The team and I arrived back at base from a mission not to long ago, and Smokescreen is having a meltdown. He let his guard down for a few seconds and lost one of the relics to the Decepticons.
"Smokescreen was sucker punched. Could've happened to any of us." Bulk said, placing a servo on his shoulder plating.
"But it didn't." He replied, slapping it away. "I was the one who dropped his guard. I was the one who blew it. Some great warrior I'm turnin' out to be.." I frowned when Arcce spoke up.
"You still don't get it do you?" She said. "A couple of victories aren't gonna make you a legend. And not every mission results in success. Not for me, not for Bee.." Our leader turns to us. "..not even for Optimus."
"Arcce.." I say.
"We've gained relics, and we've lost some. We've also lost friends. We've even lost a world. But this is one time we get a do-over. We have a chance to bring back Cybertron, and everyone in this room needs to be in sync. This isn't about you, or your destiny." Smokescreen looks down and I put a servo on his arm, making him look up at me. I smile.
"Arcce, you've made your point." Optimus' voice rang out and bounced off the base walls.
"Optimus, he needs to hear this." She continues. I shake my head silently, but she ignores me.
"Arcce, please let him be." I say.
"You might actually become a great warrior one day. And I sincerely hope that you do. But, greatness begins and ends with putting the team first. Not your personal score card."
"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you guys." Smokescreen replies angerly.
"Then stop trying to be a hero, and start being an Autobot."
Arcce, now finished, narrowed her optics at Smokescreen and frowned. He looked at me, then to the ground. Like he was guilty of something. He shook his helm, gritted his denta, transformed, and sped off. I felt my spark dim as the soothing sound of his engine faded out. I turned to my friend with slight anger, sadness, disappointment, and confusion.
"Why would you do that?" I asked.
"He had to hear it, Y/D. I hope it taught him a lesson." She replied.
"Arcce, he's out there alone with 'Cons crawling around. If he is in trouble we won't know where to look, because I can guarantee he cloaked his signal and shut off his comms." Ratchet opened his arm shielding to reveal a screen with everyone's life signals.
"I only see ours.." He confirmed. I looked back to the femme in front of me.
"Optimus, I'm going to find him. I'll keep my comm on." I transformed and drove out before he could protest.
~•~
[•Narrator POV•]
~•~
Smokescreen sat down on a cliff ledge, thinking over what Arcce said. He felt guilty and ashamed. The sound of a familiar engine filled his audio receptors, followed by transformation.
"Smokey.." Y/D says quietly. His spark lept at her voice. It sounded so innocent and kind..so gentle and always caring.
"Hey, Y/D..need something?" He replies.
"I wanted to make sure you were ok." She sits down next to him. "Your signal is cloaked, so I had a little bit of trouble finding you." Smokescreen chuckled lightly, feeling small tears form.
"Maybe Arcce is right." He says, his face gaining a sad, guilty expression.
"Don't listen to her, Smokey. She was just blowing off some steam."
