A/N: Huh... I was all set to work on a oneshot Ultimos-11 wanted me to write (I'm so sorry! Forgive me man!) and I ended up finishing this chapter instead. WTF? Well, at least the people who voted in my poll will be happy to know that this story was updated. I don't like this chapter (I've been saying that a lot lately) but hey, I think next chapter something really good is going to happen. ;)

Also, I want to say thanks to everyone who's been reviewing, alerting, and faving this story. It makes me smile to see that people like BICHBR, but then I get sad that not many people are looking at Come Closer, a story I've put much more effort into and whose plot I adore! Okay, sorry, done ranting. But seriously, thanks guys for the feedback.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

But It Could Have Been Right

Chapter 6

Cybertron, one million Earth years ago…

It was raining on the war-torn planet and soldiers from both sides were rushing under some sort shelter to protect themselves from the corrosive substance.

Two Seekers sat beneath an overpass, watching the acid rain fall all around them. Sunstorm shivered at the sight. The rain terrified him ever since Shockwave gave him a lecture with explicit details and pictures on what damage acid rain could to a mech's systems. To Acid Storm it was another story. He wasn't afraid of the rain since it couldn't harm him thanks to his special armor. Not to mention his trine were called Rainmakers for a reason.

"Are you okay?" Acid Storm asked, noticing how tense his companion was.

The younger Seeker shook his helm. "I don't like the rain."

"Well maybe I can help you take your mind off it," the Rainmaker murmured as he scooted closer and began to pet Sunstorm's wings as he had done with his trine mates whenever they felt stressed.

Sunstorm felt his wings tremble as Acid Storm's servos caressed them. The affection behind every stroke was foreign to the clone; he was so used to the impersonal clinical touches allowed during the examinations on his fusion reactor. He didn't tell Acid Storm to stop however. Sunstorm offlined his optics as he felt himself relax. He would've gone into recharge when suddenly Acid Storm pulled his servos away.

The clone tensed up. Had he lost control over his fusion reactor and harmed Acid Storm? Refusing to look at the older Seeker, hesistantly he asked, "D-did I hurt you?"

"No," came a soft reply. "But you should look down."

Sunstorm looked down and instantly felt ashamed. The ground he sat on was melting from the heat and radiation his body emitted. He thought he had finally gained self-control over himself! Why did this happen now?

"It's okay," Acid Storm tried to console him, "You'll get better."

His words didn't comfort the younger Seeker. Sunstorm hated disappointing Acid Storm.

XXX

Earth, present time…

Once again Sunstorm found himself pinned on his back with Starscream on top of him. Not exactly the most dignified position to be in Sunstorm knew, and it didn't help that his spark was still pulsating faster than usual.

He really should have that checked out.

"Are you even trying to improve?" the Air Commander asked irritably, climbing off the clone.

It took all Sunstorm had to keep his temper in check. He really was trying, slaggit! But no matter how much he trained, he still ended up getting pinned.

"I am trying, Sir," Sunstorm replied, keeping his voice neutral.

Starscream rolled his optics and scoffed, "Somehow I doubt that."

He grasped Sunstorm's arm and pulled him back onto his pedes. Starscream was getting frustrated with his "protégé." How could this weakling be a clone of the Air Commander and Second-In-Command of the Decepticon Army? Obviously Shockwave still has to make major modifications to his cloning method if Sunstorm is the best he could create, he thought irritably. "We're going back to the Nemesis."

Surprised, Sunstorm pointed out, "But the session isn't o-"

"I don't care," snapped Starscream. "I'm not in the mood to waste anymore of my time with you."

Wincing at Starscream's harsh words, Sunstorm hung his helm in shame. He knew the Air Commander was behaving like, for lack of a better word, a glitch, but Sunstorm honestly couldn't blame him. He's been at the Nemesis for a while now, but he hasn't made much progress. He wanted to improve, to show Starscream that he wasn't a waste of time. But at this rate, it seemed like it was never going to happen.

Starscream did not speak to Sunstorm during the flight back to the Nemesis, nor did he speak once they were inside; instead of telling Sunstorm he was dismissed, the Air Commander simply walked away from his clone.

XXX

A few hours had passed since the training session ended and Sunstorm was wandering around the Nemesis, trying to memorize the layout of the ship.

"I'm done!" a frustrated voice rang out through the halls.

"Really now?" another voice replied, mildly amused by the first.

Sunstorm crept closer to the origin of voices and stopped at the door to the Command Room. He knew he shouldn't eavesdrop, but his curiosity was too strong.

"He can't be trained! Even a sparkling would've made more progress by now!" the first voice, Starscream, complained. "My Lord, his presence is only wasting our resources, just send him back to Shockwave!"

There was a pause before Megatron answered, "Shockwave has assured me that Sunstorm's power is too valuable to simply let to go to waste."

"But my Lord-!"

"And haven't you sworn to me that as my Air Commander you would insure that every Seeker under your command would be a capable warrior?"

Starscream gritted his denta at Megatron's mention of that long forgotten boast. "I did."

"Then you will continue to train Sunstorm," Megatron stated.

"Yes, Lord Megatron."

Sunstorm quickly ran as soon as he heard Starscream stomp toward the door. He didn't slow down until he reached the now empty rec room. Sunstorm entered his "room" and sat on the couch before hiding his face in his servos. He should be grateful that Megatron decided to let him stay, but he wasn't. Sunstorm wanted to go home, he missed the familiar tower, the Rainmakers, the presence of the drones... Primus, he even missed Shockwave! Homesickness aside, he had to agree with Starscream. He was just a disappointment.

Nothing more than a waste of time.

A/N: So I've decided to put flashbacks to Cybertron in the beginning of the chapters as a way to compare Sunstorm's relationship with Acid Storm to his (nonexistent) relationship with Starscream. Again, some suggestions on the flashbacks or the present (especially towards Skywarp and Thundercracker) would be great if possible.

If you liked, then please review.