Chapter Text
After a moment, the screen flickers on, the universe beginning to play out, and Optimus's vocalizer hitched when he realized that they weren't beginning on Earth like he expected, but rather...some place else.
Somewhere familiar.
"Is that..." Ironhide muttered, optics widening in disbelief.
"Cybertron!" Bumblebee exclaimed, wiggling in his seat.
"Looks like a far more advanced version of our Cybertron, anyways." Prowl pointed out, arms crossed over his chassis as he examined every detail. Some might call their home dull, but it was still home. This however, seemed to take things to the extreme.
"That's Cybertron? But...it looked so different last I visited." Spike gasped, the human boy almost falling off Bumblebee's lap when trying to get a closer look, an almost awed look on his face.
"Perhaps due to the alternate universe it's different?" Skyfire piped up, having allowed himself to comfortably lean against the wall beside the seekers, who didn't seem too bothered by the other flier. "Maybe some historical moments are different, past or present. I don't suppose we'll ever know when it comes to alternate universes."
"We all know Cybertron changed after the war," Optimus murmured, and the room quieted down, an almost somber note in the air. "Whatever the case for this Cybertron, let us hope it stays peaceful for as long as possible."
"Was that a jab, Prime?" Megatron snapped, glaring at the Autobot leader.
Optimus shook his helm. "It's just a statement, Megatron, that you never know how badly a war can change a planet until you've seen what it used to be." He felt Elita put a comforting servo on his arm, and he leaned into her touch, his spark warming despite the ache in it.
[Introduction, a red-and-blue boy named Orion Pax sneaks into the Archives, and looks through the recordings.]
"Is that-" Thundercracker choked out, though he wasn't the only one shocked. Every Cybertronian in the room surprised to see a very familiar looking mech on the screen.
"Optimus Prime? Does he have to be in both the universes we've seen?" Megatron snarled, though surprisingly kept himself seated despite his digits digging into his seat's arms they looked ready to break. Why did the Prime always have to be there? Was this the universe mocking him? Though...if they were on Cybertron, surely his counterpart will be there as well, ready to defeat the Prime and his stupid Autobots once and for all. The thought calmed him somewhat, though his glare never wavered.
Optimus himself was surprised. He now knew that alternate versions of himself existed, but this one seemed so...young. Was this before the war?
"The bigger question is, why is he sneaking into somewhere he obviously shouldn't be in?" Ratchet muttered, already looking ready to scold Optimus.
"He could be stealing Intel from the Decepticons, maybe that's why there's so many lasers." Jazz pointed out, whistling as the blue and red mech on screen easily dodged every set laser. "Good footwork by the way, OP."
"Doesn't he look different from the previous Optimus Prime? Like...I'm not the only one who noticed this, right?" Hook piped up, glancing around the theater room, but was met with blank stares. "Wha-come on! Don't tell me none of you see the difference!"
"What in Primus's name are you rambling about?" Ratchet grumbled, eyeing the screen for a moment, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"It looks like Prime breaking into a building." Frenzy (or Rumble) snickered, before quietly chanting "Crime! Crime! Crime!" with the rest of the cassetticons.
"I suppose his frame is...shinier?" Mirage muttered, rubbing a servo against his chin.
"Definitely shiny." Starscream agreed, wings flicking briefly before settling against his back.
"His frame is literally different! Come on, you have to notice it!" Hook exclaimed, waving his servos around wildly. "Skywarp, you thought the last Optimus Prime was hot, right?"
"Yeah, I would've tried it in the berth with him at least once."
"You'd what-"
"Skywarp, I swear to Primus-"
"Exactly!" Elita's confused words and Megatron's angry shout were quickly covered by Hook as the Constructicon pointed at the screen. "So you should see the differences between that Prime and this Prime!"
Skywarp squinted at the on screen Optimus, then shrugged. "Eh, I mean...they still look similar."
"Soundwave? You notice these things, right?" Hook mumbled, near pleaded, with the Decepticon TIC.
Soundwave tilted his helm briefly to the side, but didn't say a word. He had notice a difference, but he didn't care enough to point it out.
Hook groaned, burying his helm in his servos. "I give up." He muttered, allowing Wheeljack to give him a few sympathetic pats on the back, because he deserved them.
Orion Pax: OK, let's see what we got here. Seen it. Seen it. Huh. What's this about?
Alpha Trion: (voiceover; via transmission and narration) At the dawn-dawn-dawn-dawn-dawn-dawn-dawn...
"Well...that doesn't look good." Prowl muttered, eyeing the small drone that they had seen with suspicion.
"Prime: would not make a good spy." Soundwave droned out, though seemed unsurprised by this fact.
Jazz winced, giving Optimus a sympathetic grin. "Oh, yeah, definitely would've gotten you caught if there were bots around."
Optimus chuckled, shaking his helm slightly. He knew he wasn't exactly the subtle type, being larger than most other Cybertronians, excluding Skyfire and any of the gestalts bigger versions.
"Do you think it's truly Intel you're trying to get, or perhaps just trying to cause some mischief?" Elita whispered at his side, her optics sparkling with mirth. Primus, he missed that look on her, when they had once been carefree, young bots, before...everything.
"Elita please, do you truly believe I would be capable of such mischief?" Optimus teased back quietly, though they both knew the answer.
"Stop whispering, you look like a pair of idiotic sparklings." Megatron growled, though he seemed far calmer than he did earlier.
In true sparkling fashion, Elita stuck her glossa out at the warlord, causing him to bristle with anger, and it took everything in Optimus not to laugh, knowing the Decepticon leader would fly into a rage otherwise.
"Got yourself a unique pair there, don't you, Optimus?" Alpha Trion's amused voice dragged his attention to the older mech, who had also been watching them with a glint in his optics.
"I...suppose I do." Optimus murmured, smiling behind his battle mask.
Orion Pax: Ah. Here we go.
Alpha Trion: (voiceover; via transmission and narration) At the dawn of time, there was our gracious and powerful creator, Primus. To protect our universe, he sacrificed his life force, transforming himself into our planet, Cybertron. From within Cybertron's core, Primus birthed the first Transformers known as the Primes, the most powerful Transformers, appointed to lead and protect future generations. To assist them, Primus created an entity of great power, the Matrix of Leadership.
Orion Pax: The Matrix, there it is. Okay. Good. Come on. Keep going.
"Woah-uh-wait, pause please!" Spike called out, making a time-out gesture with his arms, before whipping his head around to stare at Optimus. "There were...more of you? More Primes before...well, you?"
Optimus blinked, surprised by the question. Once more, he had forgotten that their cultures were different, and of course a young boy like Spike wouldn't know everything about Primes and who came before them, even most other Cybertronians only knew briefly on what exactly being a Prime entailed. "Yes, there have been many before me and my time."
"I thought that was just your name." Spike confessed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "But...if the name 'Prime' gets passed on, were you just Optimus before?"
Elita glanced at Optimus, her gaze knowing as she slipped her servo into his, squeezing it gently. The question brought back memories for him, memories that were from a distant time and place, when he had been a humble working mech like anyone else on Cybertron. The only ones who had known his name then had been Elita, Alpha Trion, and...Dion.
"I suppose it's...complicated." He finally murmured, glancing back to the screen, noticing how Megatron stared daggers into his helm, but thankfully didn't try to taunt him again.
Spike frowned, glancing at Bumblebee, though the yellow minibot only shrugged, then glanced back at the Prime. "Sorry, another question, but...what's the Matrix of Leadership? Or...well, is it similar to what they just described?"
"You don't know the Matrix of Leadership?" Hot Rod gasped, practically bouncing on his seat, optics practically sparkling. "It's only the coolest thing ever!"
"Humans don't have such things on their planet, at least...not that any of us know of." Prowl muttered, looking thoughtful.
"That question is rather more complicated, but...the Matrix is an artifact, carried by the leader of the Cybertronians, a Prime, or in this case the leader of the Autobots." Optimus explained as gently as he could. When had he gained such knowledge? Now that he thought about it, he hadn't been told much when he was first created, sent off to battle against Megatron and his tyranny. Did over the centuries he just...gained knowledge from it?
"And one day, I will rip it out of the Prime's chest, and declare myself the ruler of all." Megatron sneered, his red optics mocking as he stared at Optimus.
"As if you would ever be worthy of such a title." Elita retorted, though her touch remained gentle on Optimus's frame.
Throughout the entire conversation, Alpha Trion remained silent, his expression carefully calm. The voice from the screen sounded eerily familiar, but also not, and he didn't want to make any guesses just yet.
Alpha Trion: (voiceover; via transmission and narration) With the Matrix in the Primes' possession, Cybertron's natural power source, Energon, flowed in abundance, sustaining life across the planet.
PA System: Attention! Unauthorized movement detected in archival vault, Sector J-3.
KDQ:12: KDQ-12 to KDK-1. Breaching archives in ten seconds.
"Oh no..." Prowl muttered, knowing he had been right to be concerned over the little drone.
"Maybe you could hide somewhere and hope they don't find you?" Red Alert suggested, though even he seemed to realize that the option was probably futile.
"If it were me, I'd have already teleported out of there." Skywarp crowed, nudging the other seekers beside him. "After all, I do have the best ability here."
"Excuse you?" Starscream hissed, wings bristling with indignation. "The only thing you can do is teleport, and it's short distances at best!"
"I can also make myself disappear and create mirages of myself?" Mirage pointed out, arms crossed over his chassis. "My ability is possibly the best one to get out of a situation like this."
"Soundwave: superior. Everyone else: inferior."
"You don't even have an ability!"
Soundwave tilted his helm before letting out a series of loud, blasting waves of music, causing every Cybertronian to clutch at their helms.
"Yeah! Now this is a party!" Frenzy (or Rumble) cheered, and he and his twin began jumping up and down to the music.
"Turn that wretched noise off!" Starscream screeched, almost falling out of his seat.
"I don't know...seems pretty catchy." Jazz hummed, bobbing his helm along to the music.
"Soundwave, turn it off!" Even Optimus, one of the more patient bots in the room, was shouting at the spy master, doing his best to drown out the noise.
"Soundwave!" Megatron growled, and finally the TIC quieted down, settling into his seat, and the other Cybertronians slowly removed their servos from their helms, others sighing in relief now that the noise was gone.
"Soundwave: superior." Was all the blue mech said, sounding incredibly smug for someone so monotone.
Bumblebee removed his own servos from his helm, glancing down worriedly at Spike. "Are you okay?"
The young boy shrugged, seeming fine. "Yeah, I've been to plenty concerts in the past, you kind of get used to loud music over time."
Alpha Trion: (voiceover; via transmission and narration) For generations, there was peace and prosperity, until the Matrix of Leadership was lost, causing Energon to no longer flow.
[The transmission shuts off.]
Orion Pax: (groans irritably) Why does every legend about the Matrix end right there? (sighs) One of these has to say what happened.
"Wait...what?" Megatron yelled, once more looking ready to punch something, though he wasn't the only one shocked.
"The Matrix...missing?" Ratchet muttered, exchanging a confused glance with Wheeljack. Everyone knew that the Matrix was with Optimus, but if he didn't have it, then who did?
"Lost...like, it disappeared? Or could it have been destroyed..." Arcee trailed off, glancing around nervously, and Hot Rod rested a comforting servo on her shoulder, giving his friend a grin.
"Hey, come on, there's no way! Someone probably misplaced it and it's a big misunderstanding! And if anyone could find it, it'll definitely be Optimus Prime!" He chirped.
"Did someone steal it from the Prime? No, but...something's not adding up." Thundercracker hummed, wings fluttering curiously.
Optimus frowned, feeling for the Matrix's emotions, but all he got was a carefully blank slate. There would be no answers gained from it, it seemed. But, if his counterpart didn't have the Matrix, did this mean that perhaps...this wasn't Optimus Prime at all?
Megatron growled, red optics flashing with anger as he tried to put the pieces together. Somehow in this pathetic excuse for a universe, not only was the Matrix missing, but it also seemed as if their main supply of Energon had been depleted as well. Someone must've taken it, but who? His alternate self? No, if he was in this universe, he would've declared to all of Cybertron of what he had done and made himself the new ruler. Could there be another blasted...ugh...Scourge somewhere out there, looking to undermine him by taking the Matrix? None of this made sense! He glared at Soundwave, who gave him a subtle nod. They both will need to examine this new universe carefully. After all the Prime said they could learn from the mistakes and achievements of their alternate selves, and Megatron would make sure that he will be the true bearer of the Matrix, one way or another.
PA System: Halt, criminal! Prepare to be detained!
Orion Pax: Oh, hey there.
PA System: Hald, criminal Prepare to...
[Orion punches the PA System, shutting it down. Alarms blaze everywhere.]
Orion Pax: Uh-oh.
[Orion tries to escape the archives, but the guards arrived to stop him.]
KDQ-12: Freeze!
Dreadwing: Get down!
Orion Pax: Well, hello, guys. I'm so glad you're here. Which way is the exist? (chuckles) I must've taken a wrong turn.
"Yeah! Punch that drone!" Rumble cheered, followed soon after by the other cassetticons calling for more violence, even after what they had previously watched in the last theater.
"Of course you'd get yourself in trouble in tha' first five minutes." Ironhide huffed, though there was a small smile on his faceplate showing that he wasn't truly upset.
"Of course he did, he's Optimus." Elita chuckled, causing Optimus's faceplate to warm up. Surely he didn't get himself into trouble that often...did he?
Optimus glanced at Megatron. "Do I get myself into trouble that often?" He questioned.
Megatron blinked, as if baffled on why the Autobot leader was talking to him, then sneered. "You're like an annoying bug that ruins every plan I make."
"Aw, that was probably the nicest thing you've said about him." Elita teased, laughing when the warlord growled angrily. At least Elita seemed far more relaxed around the Decepticon leader than she had been before.
"Ya gotta admit, this has got to be some world record in the fastest times Optimus has gotten into trouble." Jazz whistled, grinning up at the screen. "With minor practice, you might actually make a decent liar to get yourself outta sticky situations."
"Who are those other bots though? Decepticons?" Prowl muttered, eyeing the two new Cybertronians suspiciously. They didn't look familiar nor did they seem friendly. Were they perhaps from a third faction? He couldn't see their optics either, making it even harder to identify them.
"Are we about to see THE Optimus Prime get arrested?" Skywarp snickered, already looking entertained by this new universe.
"He better not." Ratchet growled.
Dreadwing: It's that defective mining bot, Oreon Pix!
Orion Pax: Orion Pax.
Dreadwing: Who cares? We told you to never come back here!
Orion Pax: Why are we all yelling?
There it was. Optimus's optics widened, and he could feel Elita's own surprise as well as the confusion in the fields of the Cybertronians around him.
"Isn't your name Optimus Prime?" Hot Rod piped up from behind Optimus, looking around the room as if to confirm he wasn't the only one who heard it.
He could see the other bots begin to look at him, scrutinizing him, and for the first time ever, Optimus felt nervous. It had been a long time since he had been called Orion, mainly because he had no need for the name he had before. And yet...why now did he feel almost ashamed of it? As if remembering the past, of who he used to be, was something shameful. The Matrix pulsed warmly inside him, but he drew little comfort from it.
"Well? Something you'd like to tell us, Prime?" Megatron sneered, bringing the Autobot leader out of his thoughts. Surprisingly enough, however, there was no hint of recognition in the Decepticon leader's red optics, no spark of knowing who Optimus had been before the war. Did Megatron truly not remember what he did, or was he playing ignorant to get Optimus to tell the truth? He never truly knew what was going on in the warlord's processor.
Elita glanced around, then pressed a servo against Optimus's shoulder. "I think you should tell them." She whispered, her optics warm. "But if you don't feel comfortable with it, then I'll fully support you on that decision."
Optimus slowly felt his frame relax as he covered her servo with his own. "It's not just my story to tell. Are you comfortable with me telling them?" He murmured, pressing their helms together, causing his partner to giggle.
Elita pressed back into his touch, a soft smile on her faceplate. "I've accepted a long time ago that I'll never be that young femme bot working with her friends at the docks ever again, but I still cherish her. I don't mind others knowing."
Optimus nodded before standing up, meeting the dozens of optics staring back at him, grateful once more for the battle mask that hid his faceplate. He met the gaze of Alpha Trion, who gave him an encouraging nod, before looking back to the other Cybertronians.
"I wasn't always the Optimus you knew. Like many of you, I came from humble beginnings. I was a dock worker with my friends, Elita and Dion, or as she was known before, Ariel. I suppose I was a rather naive bot, before the war, impressed easily by those who had power." Optimus couldn't help but feel the slight sting of bitterness at his own words, though he didn't let any slip into his tone.How easily impressed Orion had been indeed, meeting Megatron for the first time. He had thought of him as strong and unique, not realizing the danger hiding behind those red optics. "Then one day, Megatron came to the dock I worked at, looking for a place to store his 'wares'. I had been impressed by him, letting him inside, and that was when he attacked. He nearly killed Ariel and Orion, and as for Dion..." Optimus trailed off, only now realizing how quiet the theater room was. He honestly had no clue what had happened to his other friend, whether he got repaired into another bot or simply...unable to make it.
Optimus could see it now, the gears churning in the warlord's processor as he tried to recount the certain memory the Autobot leader was speaking of, slowly but surely connecting the dots.
"My memory grows fuzzy here, but Alpha Trion was the one who fixed me, making me into the bot I am now, and Ariel into Elita." Optimus continued, gesturing to the older mech, who gave him a small smile. "It was then I was given the Matrix of Leadership, and as Optimus Prime, I was made to fight against Megatron and his Decepticons, and the rest was history."
Silence reigned across the room after his explanation. He could see Prowl and Jazz muttering to each other, the latter looking serious for once. Wheeljack, Ratchet, and Hook were huddled together, with Grimlock shuffling closer and laying his helm on Ratchet's lap as they discussed. Most of his Autobots still seemed confused yet slowly accepting the explanation of who he used to be, while the Decepticons...well, still seemed slightly confused. Soundwave's visor never strayed away from him, the TIC probably looking into every file he had for the name 'Orion Pax', while he could barely see Shockwave's yellow optic examining him closely, as if trying to dissect every detail from him.
"You..." Megatron's voice snapped Optimus's attention back to the warlord. There was recognition in his gaze, as well as a burning fury. Without warning, the Decepticon leader lifted his cannon, and fired. Optimus barely contained a flinch, the memories of the past far too fresh, as the blast...dissipated before it even reached him. He could hear Elita's startled cry, a long with the angry shouts from his fellow Autobots, but they sounded faint compared to the pounding of his spark, telling him to fight back, to run, anything to get away from that cannon.
On the outside, however, Optimus stared back at the furious Decepticon leader calmly, holding his servos out gently. "What seems to be the problem this time, Megatron?" He sighed.
"I should've known the little, annoying dock worker would've been you. You have the same color scheme and everything!" Megatron snarled, leaping from his seat and beginning to pace. "It's always you, isn't it? Always the thorn in my side, ruining my plans, it's always been you!"
"And it always will be me, until peace is established between the two of us." Optimus murmured, gently grabbing Megatron's shoulder and pushing the warlord back into his seat, ignoring the angry insults spewed his way. "Why must you be so angry all the time? Don't you long for a time of peace?"
"The only peace I'll have, oh mighty Prime, is when I rip the Matrix out of your chest, and trust me, I'll keep you alive long enough to see me rise to power." Megatron hissed, red optics glowing brighter as he glared at the Prime.
Optimus sighed again, sitting back in his seat, and Elita immediately tugged on his arm, coaxing him to lean against her, and Optimus buried his helm into her shoulder, uncaring of who saw. The new universe hasn't even begun, and he was already feeling more tired than he's ever been before.
"So uhh...that was awkward." Hot Rod coughed.