Transformers: Prime: Smokescreen's Destiny

Chapter 25: A Traitor's Gambit

Smokescreen was in his room aboard the Nemesis. At the same time, his adopted father, Megatron, was busy planning to go to the Energon Mines with the Vehicons and Soundwave to mine for some Energon crystals. Smokescreen remembered when he first joined the Elite Guard on Cybertron. When Smokescreen first joined the boot camp, he had a hard time because most bots treated him like a reckless sparkling, doubted him, and said he was nothing but trouble. But there was one Autobot who believed in Smokescreen. His name was Tinker, and he was a mentor and friend of Smokescreen.

Tinker was different from the other Autobots, and he treated Smokescreen better for he was the only bot who was nice to him and the only bot not to treat him like a rookie, and he told Smokescreen that he was perfect. Tinker liked Smokescreen because he was similar to him when he was his age, when Tinker was younger he was creative and loved making weapons, mostly bombs, but that never worked, he got teased by others for his failed inventions, but Alpha Trion told Tinker that his inventions would work someday and that if he didn't fail he would never succeed. Within a few months, he worked harder on his inventions, and then they finally worked. Tinker felt so good to prove his peers wrong.

Tinker was the Autobot who liked to tinker with things and invent weapons, mostly bombs, and he worked for the Elite Guard and was ordered to make weapons and fix the damaged ones. Smokescreen saw his mentor, Tinker, as a good friend, and he felt happy that he was the only Autobot who understood him. Tinker would praise Smokescreen for working so hard at his training, and he even called him a young hero who is destined for greatness. As Smokescreen reminisced about his time in the Elite Guard, he couldn't help but feel grateful for Tinker's support and encouragement. Tinker was also one of the combat teachers at the boot camp, and he was an excellent fighter and quite the jokester. Tinker liked to joke with the students but was always told to take teaching seriously. He liked joking with his comrades and his students, but his favorite student was Smokescreen.

Tinker's belief in him had fueled Smokescreen's determination to prove himself. The memories of those early days at boot camp flashed through his mind, the challenges he faced, and the camaraderie he shared with Tinker. While aboard the Nemesis, Smokescreen was surrounded by the cold metallic walls of his room. He couldn't shake the feeling of both pride and nostalgia that filled his spark when thinking about Tinker. The mentorship and friendship they shared had left a lasting impact on Smokescreen, shaping him into the Autobot he had become.

Megatron's plan to head to the Energon Mines brought Smokescreen back to the present. As he prepared for the mission ahead, he couldn't help but wonder if Tinker would be proud of him. The memories of Tinker's encouragement echoed in his processor, providing the motivation he needed to face the challenges that lay ahead. The relationship between Smokescreen and Megatron added a layer of complexity to the narrative. Despite being adopted by the Decepticon leader, Smokescreen's loyalty remained torn between the influence of Megatron and the values instilled by his mentor, Tinker as well as the friendship he had with Optimus Prime before Smokescreen changed from an Autobot to a Decepticon to join Megatron as his adopted son so that Smokescreen would find a way to reform Megatron and find out about his parents and learn who he is. The contrasting worlds of the Decepticons and the Autobots shaped Smokescreen's identity, making him a unique and multidimensional character within the ongoing conflict.

As Smokescreen geared up for the mission with Megatron, Vehicons, and Soundwave, he couldn't help but carry the lessons and encouragement from Tinker with him. The memories of his time in the Elite Guard served as a beacon of strength, guiding him through the challenges that awaited in the Energon Mines. However, Smokescreen's thoughts shifted to the tragic events that unfolded before the Decepticons assaulted the Iacon Hall of Records and his subsequent escape from Decepticon captivity, leading him to Earth where he initially crossed paths with Optimus Prime and his Autobot team. The painful recollection emerged when Alpha Trion delivered the devastating news about the demise of Smokescreen's mentor and friend, Tinker.