"No. No joke."
"I can't be!"
Prime's steady optics had the smaller mech step back, shaking his head.
"Will could be wrong…" he tried. "I'm no Prime…"
Optimus approached him, looming a little more than he wanted, and Hot Rod shot him a fearful look. The Autobot leader reached out and touched the symbols engraved on Hot Rod's cheek.
"You never wondered what it meant." It was a statement.
Hot Rod shrugged uncomfortably. "It's gibberish. It's some kind of fancy stuff."
No one had ever asked. Some of the younger mechs had had symbols on their bodies that were neither designation nor rank. They had been given to them by the Allspark and most found them cool, to use a human term. Hot Rod had been one of them. He hadn't had a care in the world, had been young and brash, a hot head, a racer, until he had finally found a place in an exploration team.
"It's the Dynasty of Primes."
The silver mech froze, unwillingly touching the unknown glyph. No one had ever tried to translate them and no one had drawn a connection between his mark and Prime's. They were different. Completely different.
"You never noticed it before either!" he accused.
"It was never this clear. We never had a way to actually translate those runes that weren't in our language. This one… was hidden. From every prying optic. It is, as you so correctly said, gibberish. But I can see it now. It's a puzzle and the pieces are finally together."
Hot Rod stepped away, frowning. "Lennox could be wrong," he repeated. "He doesn't know the language of the Allspark either."
"But he carries the matrix."
Hot Rod shook his head again. Matrix or no matrix, he didn't believe that the human could know what this meant.
"Like me, your heritage was kept hidden. Now it's clear to those who can read it. You're a Prime."
"And now what? If this is true, what do you want to do now?" the racer demanded. "I suddenly get new respect? What am I supposed to do? You're Optimus Prime! We don't need another leader!"
Optimus shook his head. "I was never meant to lead alone. The Primes always co-led with the Lord Protectors. What I want is your support, Hot Rod. Your partnership. I want a co-leader, not a replacement. Too much is changing and too much is no longer as we were always used to."
"Like two Primes?"
"Yes."
"The others won't go for it."
Optimus smiled briefly. "They will."
"Prime, I'm not like you! I'm a racer! I'm irresponsible! I'm hot headed and not fit to lead my own team!"
"Is that your opinion or was it Kup's?"
Hot Rod rocked back a little, then looked away.
"You're more than capable to be what the Allspark gave you. You're a Prime. You were created from the same energy I was, as were those before us. I wasn't all that different from you. I wasn't activated to be a leader, Hot Rod. I had to grow into it."
The answer was a little shrug.
"Hot Rod?"
He finally looked up. Optimus wished he could be so selfless to ignore his need for a partner, for someone to share what leadership meant. He couldn't be. He was selfish and he was needy. He needed Hot Rod and he needed the support of another Prime.
"This won't work," the younger mech tried one last time.
"You're a Prime," Optimus simply stated.
"I could be the mystical Allspark and no one would take me seriously!"
It got him a chuckle. "You have my respect," Prime finally stated. "You have the respect of the others. This is no different than Cybertron, my friend. Two leaders, sharing responsibility and burden, triumph and loss alike. We are what is left of Cybertron's ancient past, Hot Rod."
It got him a startled look. "The Allspark is gone," Hot Rod said weakly. "The Dynasty hasn't existed for… eternity."
"I'm not trying to rebuild what once was. I want to take a step into a future that concerns us all, this whole planet."
"With me," Hot Rod stated wryly.
"Yes," was the simple answer.
Hot Rod fidgeted, optics flickering. "You don't need me for that, Prime. You've got a second-in-command already. You've got competent leaders."
Optimus regarded him steadily. "You're not taking anyone's place," he translated Hot Rod's words. "You're not going to stand in my shadow. You won't be second. You are at my side. The Ark is close to being finished. Yuma, Nevada, Arctic… the bases are growing. I can't be everywhere, neither can Jazz."
"I've never taken command of anything in my life, Prime!"
"There's a first for everything. And you won't be alone."
Hot Rod leaned heavily against the wall behind him.
"I won't pressure you. In the end it's your choice, Hot Rod."
"You just gave me the news, huh?" was the wry reply. "Hot Rod, you're a Prime. Great! If I say no, whatever happens is my fault! I can start shoveling around heaps of guilt! If I say yes, my life's as good as over! I'm not ready for this!"
"No one ever is. Some of us are chosen after they were prepared. Some of us grow into their fate. Some can't be asked because circumstances are against it." Optimus closed the distance again. "Please think about it, Hot Rod."
"There is nothing to think about because there's only one solution," was the weak but still defiant answer.
"No one forces you into anything."
"Just you."
"No. Never. I ask you to join me in your heritage as a Prime. No one else knows so far. You, me and Will. Should you choose to remain in hiding, we will respect it."
The younger mech quivered a little. "I'll just disappoint you, right?" he whispered.
Optimus smiled softly. "No. I'd only ask of you to reconsider then, to give it more time."
Hot Rod shook his head. "No. Nothing to reconsider. I'm now part of the illustrious few who never wanted what they got handed to them. Sam and Will must be ecstatic that the club has grown by one more member."
"Same as you."
The younger mech sighed, but there was more acceptance than defeat in his stance. "This will cause waves, Prime. Lots of 'em."
"You weren't around when I was given the designation of Prime. I didn't want it, but I grew into the role. Of course, it was easier for me. No war, Megatron was Lord Protector with me…"
"And I got everything piled on me. Yeah, ecstatic. So you want this? Really? Pin 'Prime' on me? Hot Rod Prime?"
Optimus chuckled. "Like I said, I can't force you. I can only ask for your help, your cooperation and your partnership. Primes weren't meant to be alone as leaders. We rely on a partner. Megatron counter-weighed me and I him. I think you would make a very fitting partner, …Rodimus."
A tremor raced through the silver mech. "What about Tony?" he tried one last argument.
"You want to stay with him?"
"In a way. He needs someone to look after him. He's a bit… accident prone."
Optimus chuckled. "I think we can come up with a way for this to work, too."
Hot Rod looked into the ancient optics of a mech so much more older than him, so much more wise and powerful to lead and decide the fate of their kind. Still, part of him resonated with the knowledge revealed to him. Part of his spark was pulsing softly, aware of its destiny.
So he was a Prime.
Rodimus Prime.
Pits! Kup would have a pump arrest if he ever knew! And Ultra Magnus would probably get his processor checked if he heard of a young punk he had read the riot act more often than not in pre-war times who was now a Prime.
"Okay," he finally said softly.
Optimus regarded him steadily, then a tiny smile graced his features. It was as if a burden had been lifted off of him, as if he had found what he had needed for a very long time.
Hot Rod smiled back.
The older Prime held out one hand and the younger one took it.
"Welcome, Rodimus Prime."
Rodimus Prime. He had to get used to that. Really used to it.
xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Up on the roof of his sprawling luxury home Tony Stark stood next to Lennox, coffee in hand, watching the two mechs.
"Prime, hm?" he mused. "Damn, I knew the guy would be going places." He gave his companion a grin.
Will chuckled. "From Tony Stark's baby-sitter to Prime. Quite a jump."
"Hey, my training."
He grew somber again as he sipped at his coffee.
"Don't think you got rid of him now, Tony," Lennox teased, knowing fully well what was going through the other man's head. "I don't think he'll just leave."
"He's a Prime, part of the command structure now." Stark shrugged.
"And you're an important ally and contractor, Stark. Relations and all. You know." Will smiled more.
Tony's eyes glinted a little. "Yeah, there's that."
Both men fell silent, both in their own thoughts. Of course Hot Rod couldn't stay down in Tony's garage any longer, sitting and waiting and guarding. He was a Prime. He had job demands. But Stark wouldn't be without protection, had never been helpless, and the new Prime would make sure it stayed that way.
Will watched as the silver Autobot transformed and the Audi R8 alt form rolled toward the garage entrance that led underground.
Tony nodded at him. "My cue. Thanks for dropping by." And with that he was inside and heading for the workshop.
Will looked at Prime, who had approached his position. "So?" he asked neutrally.
"He has accepted," Optimus said serenely.
"Things they are a-changing."
It got him a slightly amused look. "Indeed." Prime held out a hand and the hybrid easily stepped on it to be lowered to the ground. "Rodimus will join us when he has… wrapped up matters here."
Will nodded. He got into the truck after Prime had transformed and leaned back.
Yes. Things were changing. Faster than ever before.
xoxoxoxoxo xoxoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Once again, end for this fic. Hope you enjoyed the ride. :)