A/N : An interesting concept that came to me in a dream. I have no idea where this will go, so updates may be quick and they may be slow...

He cycled air depressingly as he watched the other younglings take to the skies. He'd been left out again. The odd number out… Left behind to hope for the next batch of younglings in the care center.

It happened, he supposed. Not every Seeker found their Trines right away like some fairy tale. There had to be a connection. Some sort of draw to each other that they could build on. It was rare though, and it stung him each time it happened.

Now he had to wait for more younglings to come into the Center over the next few months. This would be his fourth time through this. The elders who over saw the Center always gave him sympathetic looks, sometimes even worried ones.

He couldn't fly much, not without a Trine. He was allowed up only if circumstances called for it, like, the activity of flying around to try and cement the attraction between wing mates, or if it was decided he needed to go up due to just needing too.

The sky was constantly calling him. How he longed to go up there and just… fly. He'd proven how smart he was in the Sparkling Centers, but now he wanted to prove his aerial prowess… and he couldn't. Because he'd been left out. Again.

He supposed it was making him a bit bitter. He didn't care as much as he should have, that he still hadn't found a Trine. He didn't really care anymore if he ever found one either. He just hoped he wasn't barred from flying.

"Starscream, time for energon break," one of the elders called, watching from slightly further back. He was truly worried about the young Seeker before him. Never before had a Seeker failed to form Trine bonds after so long. The youngling was discouraged from it, as well.

This youngling was an odd one, for certain. The Sparkling Centers claimed he was the smartest they'd seen since the Shuttle Mode designated Skyfire. That he was quick and nimble was no strange feature, as all Seekers were, but he was slightly smaller than all of the others, and his speed was much more noticeable in the air when he was allowed up.

But the variety of color the youngling's frame took was odd. Seekers, traditionally, only took two colors upon birth. This youngling seemingly had taken three; a striking red, semi dark blue and silvery white. It only added to the bullying of other young Seekers however, instead of the awe the coloring presented.

Only further estranging him from the groups.

Starscream turned and followed him in, blank faced and quiet. He seemed to further withdraw with every time he was left out. Understandable, but worrying all at the same time.

Without a sound, the red youngling finished his energon. He'd not been so quiet when he'd first come here… far from. He would ask question upon question about everything around him. He could talk circles around anyone, including the cantankerous old Comet, coming out the victor in whatever verbal war he'd declared. He had brought many laughs to his generation younglings, as well as the entire staff. And he loved the attention.

Now, he kept to himself, quiet and subdued the entire time.

The elder wondered why this youngling was having such a hard time. Even older Seekers, who lost various wing mates here and there were having a better time finding replacements than he.

He felt Perish's gaze upon him, and he flicked a wing. His own Trine was worried as well, he knew. So strange it was… "The youngling keeps having difficulties, doesn't he?" Perish called through their private comms. "The poor thing. I thought he'd be out of here and flying through the skies on the first go. With such an eye catching color scheme…"

"I did too!" their third, Streamline, commented. He was on the other side of the Center currently, but he was still paying attention. "He seemed to connect with those two… Thundercracker and Skywarp. Remember them?"

"Yes…" he replied, smiling ever so slightly. Those three had seemed to hit it off fairly well in the beginning. They were a fairly troublesome bunch… with Starscream's quick wit and Skywarp's uncanny ability to appear practically anywhere, and Thundercracker's reasoning…

It had almost seemed fairly obvious they would end up a Trine… They'd been together all through their time in the Sparkling Centers, and hardly ever left one by himself. But it apparently wasn't meant to be… "Who did they pick as their third?"

"That brat of a Seeker… what was his name?" Perish replied, trailing off when he realized he didn't actually know the name. "I just remember the rust and teal color scheme…"

"How could you forget the "Great's" name?" Streamline laughed, sounding as serious as could be. "He only boistered his name every thirty minutes… Annoying little slag I can tell ya that."

"Quickfall," he said as it came to him. The youngling had been a pain in the aft. Quite a bully too. One day he, Skywarp and Thundercracker were always together, apparently having formed the nessarsary Trine bonds, suddenly bullying Starscream without any restraint. The tri-colored one had seemed not only confused by the sudden detachment, but also a bit hurt.

"Oh yes… Quickfall," Perish said, disgust trailing his words. "Tell me, Current, cause you had the most interaction with that bunch. Did you think Quickfall was going to end up in that Trine? I certainly didn't…"

Current didn't even have to voice his opinion. Starscream should have been the third in that Trine, no questions asked. But the bonds apparently spoke differently. Those three were together now, flying in the Air Force of Kaon, where they'd been stationed after leaving this Center.

Poor kid though… Starscream was still by himself, and not taking it very well. Who knew? Maybe this would be the batch he needed to find his Trine?