Yays! I've finally finished this chapter all thanks to the assistance of my beta reader: Mrs. Optimus Prime! Thanks, mate, for helping me correct anything that might be off. *cuddles*
This chapter is extremely special, as I had to do a bit of research in regards to ceremonies. Though history didn't help much, it took a lot of effort before I found one that inspired me to write the Passing ceremony. Please enjoy! 8D
It had all happened so fast, Hot Rod recalled. The moment Optimus had screamed in pain and had lost consciousness, Ratchet immediately had him and Sideswipe pick up his heavy body and took him back to the med bay for a complete diagnosis. Ratchet had spent the last hour or two scanning Optimus for any explanation as to why he had suddenly acted like that during his test. However, much to Hot Rod's surprise, there was none. He didn't understand as to why Optimus had acted that way, but there had to be a reason!
As Hot Rod paced about briskly in the waiting room outside the private area where Ratchet was looking Optimus all over, he was aware that he was being watched by Ironhide, Sideswipe and Bumblebee. Arcee was away on patrol at the moment with Skyfire, Springer and Jetstorm. She would not be back until later on tonight.
Hot Rod sighed with frustration. Just waiting to find out what had happened to Optimus made him feel sick to his stomach (if he had a stomach), and his insides felt like as if they were being weighed down by something he might have swallowed.
"Hot Rod," Sideswipe groaned, "sit down."
The young mech stopped pacing and turned to face his silver guardian with soft cyan optics. "I can't sit down, Sides," he answered, shaking his head. "At least not until I know for certain what is wrong with Optimus. That scream must have woken up the entire planet if it hurt him so much. To think that he had been recovering so well Ratchet said he was on the mend. So what went wrong?"
"Ratchet has never made any mistakes in his career as a medic, Hot Rod," Bumblebee spoke up. "He made sure that every aspect of Optimus' injuries were well looked after so that he could get back on his pedes again and command us like he's always done. Until we know for certain what happened, we have to sit here and wait."
Hot Rod grumbled something inaudible. He didn't want to sit and wait. His impatience was already thin enough, and last time he had sat down while he waited for the results of Optimus' condition, he had nearly exploded from his rising temper. He knew that Bumblebee was right, but it was just difficult on waiting.
Glancing towards the door, he let out a huge puff of air from his intakes and he sat down on the opposite side of his guardians. He wasn't exactly in the best kind of mood to be sitting with them right now. He just had a lot on his processor at the moment, and getting distracted by his friends wasn't what he really wanted right now. His processor was pulsing furiously with thoughts that made him think indifferently, and even his spark didn't seem to want to settle down as it raced alongside his confused mind.
Then, the door opened, causing him and the others to look up and spot Ratchet standing in the middle of the doorway with his head bowed and his shoulders sagged. Was something wrong with Optimus? Much to Hot Rod's surprise, Ratchet motioned him to come forward, despite Ironhide rising to his pedes to come.
"No, Ironhide," Ratchet said firmly, "stay with the others. This is a matter that must be discussed in private."
Ironhide seemed to chew his bottom lip in response before he nodded his understanding. If this was what Ratchet wanted, then he would obey without question.
Confused, Hot Rod quietly followed after Ratchet into the private room. The door was closed so that no one would overhear what was to be discussed between them. Hot Rod found himself looking down upon Optimus as he once again lay upon the medical berth with some wires attached to his body. But this time was a little different. Optimus was wide awake and was sitting up with hardly any signs of being in pain like he previously had been.
When he saw Hot Rod, Optimus motioned to him to come forward. He obeyed as Ratchet set up a seat for him, and he sat down while the lime green mech stood beside Optimus with his arms folded across his chest. For a moment, neither Optimus nor Ratchet said a word to Hot Rod as they discussed something between them in Cybertronian. Their words were more like clicks and electronic to Hot Rod's audio receptors rather than the distinctive noises he was used to hearing. It seemed that the young mech still had a lot to learn about his people.
It wasn't long before Optimus turned his head back to Hot Rod and his cyan optics were filled with a great deal of sadness that shook the youngling's spark to its core. "Rodimus," Optimus spoke up softly, "we have something important to tell you."
Hot Rod raised an optic ridge and said playfully, "Please don't tell me you're going to have a sparkling? Because if you are, save that for another discussion. I don't want to hear how you two did it."
Mirth flashed across Optimus' optics, but he didn't laugh. Neither did Ratchet.
"That isn't exactly what we were going to tell you, youngling," Ratchet huffed impatiently, shaking his head. "This is something that is extremely important, one that can only be heard between us and no one else. It is for your audio receptors only."
"Why only for me and not the others?" Hot Rod questioned. "I mean, doesn't it also involve them too?"
The older mechs looked at each other and Ratchet said something to Optimus in Cybertronian. Optimus responded back, clicking his vocal processor while shaking his head. Ratchet's optics widened at Optimus' words, and he started speaking hysterically. Optimus raised a hand to quiet him, his gaze remaining fixed on Hot Rod's confused optics.
"It does involve them," Optimus answered, "but this involves you more than it does with them. This concerns the future of the Autobots, and I am afraid we must take every chance that we can possibility get our hands on." He looked to Ratchet, his optics serious. "Ratchet, tell him."
Hot Rod remained silent as Ratchet unfolded his arms from across his chest and took a few steps forward. He looked like he was caught up in his thoughts about something and couldn't quite seem to speak until he took a deep breath before he spoke, "I am afraid we were unable to find the cause of Optimus' pain. I've checked every part of him to find what was happening inside his spinal column, but I was not able to find any explanation. We tried testing him out again, and the same thing happened once more. It's like as if he's in pain that has no cause."
"So... what are you saying?" Hot Rod asked.
Ratchet closed his optics for a moment, and Optimus rested a hand upon his shoulder, giving him an encouraging squeeze. The Autobot commander clicked something to him and Ratchet gave a warm smile to him before he continued in a solemn tone. "I am afraid that Optimus is no longer able to fight on the battlefield, Hot Rod. Due to the extreme amount of pain he has been getting, he will... not be able to lead us onto the battlefield."
It took a moment for Hot Rod to realizeed what he meant. Horror appeared all over his facial features and he nearly lost his balance from his chair. He sensed Ratchet come forward to aid him, but he put up a hand and used the wall to support himself. The shock was almost too much for him to handle, and he wasn't even sure if it was true enough. How could this have happened? Wasn't Ratchet's skills good enough anymore to not even be able to fix Optimus' injuries? He wanted to curse and scream at Ratchet for not doing a good job. He even wanted to yell at Optimus for getting himself into this situation in the first place.
"Rodimus," Optimus voice whispered in a fatherly tone, "I need you to look me straight in the optics."
Hot Rod complied, but his strength was faltering. He didn't want to look at Optimus. He didn't even want to talk to him. Everything was falling apart by the minute, and it just made him want to punch the wall beside him. His hands balled into fists, fury flashing across his vision as he struggled to control his rising temper.
Optimus looked to Ratchet. "Ratchet, leave us please. The rest of this discussion must be between us."
Ratchet nodded and he headed straight for the door, closing it behind him with a silent hiss. There was no one left but Hot Rod and the Autobot commander.
Silence hung in the air like a bone chilling blanket. The two continued to stare at each other, but Hot Rod was forced to look away. He stood up and turned his back on him, tears leaking from the corner of his optics. He couldn't believe that this was happening to him right now, and so soon as well.
A deep sigh came from behind him, forcing him to glance over his shoulder. Optimus had his head bowed, his gaze focused on his lap. Hot Rod turned back to face his fatherly figure, one that he had come to trust so much to know what to do. Now, here he was, weak and broken before the very one who would end up taking his place very soon.
"Rodimus, come closer," Optimus whispered.
The young mech hesitated for a moment, but he obeyed without question. He took a few shaky steps forward until he was standing on his left. He still couldn't bring himself to look into his optics. Not while he was feeling so frightened and uncertain. He felt a great weight rest upon his shoulder and he looked up to find Optimus' unblinking optics staring into his own.
"The Matrix told me long before I met you that my time as Prime would soon come to an end," Optimus explained. "It showed me being at the mercy of Harbinger, but nothing more." He tilted his head down slightly, his optics shimmering with wisdom and love. "This will be one of the hardest lessons I have to teach you, Rodimus. I know that deep down you are afraid to accept the burden of carrying the Matrix of Leadership and the title of Prime upon your young shoulders. It will be a lonely path, but you will have me and all the other officers guiding you through this. I might not be able to fight like I used to, but I will do my best to help you when you require me."
"Father..." Hot Rod tried to say, but he stopped himself as he felt his insides trembling violently. He didn't know what to do or what to say. His insides felt like they were burning with an unknown pain, a pain that was difficult for him to understand. There were even shards of glass piercing through his spark and making it hurt a lot more than getting punched in the face by a Decepticon. "Father... I'm scared..."
In response, Optimus wrapped his arms around Hot Rod's body and pulled him into a hug. It surprised him completely, as it had been a while since he had last time hugged him. For a moment, Hot Rod wanted to pull away and run outside the room to get as far away from Optimus as possible. But some unknown force kept his peds planted firmly in place.
"I know you are afraid, Rodimus," Optimus spoke softly into his audio receptor. "It is new to you and you do not know how to deal with this situation. When I first became Prime, I didn't want to carry the burden, but I had no choice, as my people needed me. Sentinel Prime was believed to have been killed in action and everyone had lost hope due the never-ending war with the Decepticons. I did what I had to do. I had to give them hope, a reason to keep on fighting the enemy. They didn't accept me at first, but I convinced them that I could stand up to my brother. Our hope was restored and we began to push back the enemy."
"But I'm smaller than you, Father," Hot Rod protested. "How can I stand up against Megatron when he will only end up physically beating me?"
A deep chuckle escaped from Optimus' vocal processor as he released Hot Rod and wiped a fresh tear from his optic. "Have you forgotten what Kup has taught you, youngling? Physical strength doesn't matter on the battlefield. You have to use your processor to outsmart your enemy. Yes, you will be mocked for being smaller than Megatron, but you may surprise them."
"How?" Hot Rod asked, pouting.
Optimus pointed in the middle of his chest plate, kindness and understanding in his optics. "Listen to your spark, Hot Rod," he answered sagely. "It will guide you in the direst of situations. Your instincts will protect you and you will find a way. But remember this, Rodimus: your spark can also be your weakness. Megatron will do anything to exploit that in order to get to you and those that you love. It's alright to be afraid, but your fear will make you stronger."
Hot Rod closed his optics, his processor taking it all in. "I will remember, Father," he said quietly. "I promise with all my spark that I will not let you down."
He then turned to leave, but Optimus stopped him dead in his tracks once again.
"Rodimus, there is one more thing I want you to remember."
Hot Rod turned back to face Optimus, an optic ridge arching slightly. He came back to his side as Optimus looked him straight in the optics and motioned him to come forward. "This is a prophecy that the Matrix told me before you came into our lives. I have been carrying it with me for a long time." He then whispered into his audio receptors, "When darkness falls and all hope is lost, the chosen one shall rise to light our darkest hour."
For the next few days, Hot Rod felt different after his chat with Optimus. He couldn't exactly explain how and why, but he somehow felt he had matured a bit more since his arrival in the Autobot base. His spark felt stronger, his insides no longer burned with discomfort over the idea of becoming a Prime. Despite the doubt that lingered in the back of his processor, he didn't feel as frightened as he did before.
He felt really alive.
His guardians and Arcee tried to question if he was alright after he had left the private room, Ironhide and Ratchet wisely kept them at bay to give him some privacy to himself. Hot Rod wanted to tell his friends what had happened, but a part of him felt the need to not tell them what had been privately discussed between him and Optimus. He told them that Ratchet would explain everything and then he left to be alone for a while.
Even though he knew he shouldn't leave the base right now, as everyone was still on edge after the Battle of Alaska, Hot Rod just needed some breathing space for a little while. He told Ratchet that he was going for a drive for a while and to hold off everything. Ratchet answered it was fine and that Prowl will monitor things until he returned. He reassured him that he had nothing to worry about, as most of the officers were aware of what had happened with Optimus' sudden attack.
It made Hot Rod feel better to know that at least Prowl had things completely under control.
He spent the last few days driving all around the Autobot territory. He never strayed far from the base, knowing that Ratchet would have a spark attack if he left again. He kept in constant radio contact, letting Teletran-One knew that he was alright. However, it didn't stop him from heading to the one place where he could be alone with his thoughts.
Once he arrived at the all too familiar meadow where the lonely oak tree rested, he transformed and walked quietly over to it. His gaze never left the very mark he had made to show Tracy's resting place. He stopped before the tree and gently rested a hand upon its thick trunk. He closed his optics for a moment and spoke as though Tracy was there to listen to him.
"Tracy, if you're really there," he began, "I thought I should let you know that... I think I may have found my place in this world."
He looked up at the sky, the branches of the tree blocking him from seeing the warm sun.
"However, I'm not sure what I must do," he went on. "But Optimus told me that my spark and my instincts will guide me, and that I'll never be alone in this world. I don't doubt him at all, Tracy, it's just that I'm afraid that I'll make mistakes and that I'll never be as good as he was. I have to live in his shadow as not just his adopted son, but because he will be leaving behind a perfect legacy."
He took a deep breath as a gentle wind blew around him, taking off a few branches and leaves with it. The leaves were caught in the wind, but the branches instantly fell onto the ground in front of his peds.
"Do you think it's true on what he said? About the thing with my destiny lying with the Autobots and not with the outside world I love so much? I've accepted that I belong with the Autobots, but... I... I don't know what to do. I'm scared that I will be forced to carry this burden alone and that I have to fight and lead these people into battle!"
He traced a digit over the mark he had left behind long ago.
"Tracy, if there is any chance that you can hear me, please... lend me the strength that I need when my time comes to lead. Grant me whatever support you can give to me through you."
Another wind blew, but it was gentle and barely noticeable. The wind lifted the leaves of the tree, revealing the sky and the sun once more. Hot Rod glanced around as he somehow felt a warm sensation spread across his body. It continued to spread until it touched his spark. He closed his optics for a moment, listening to the wind's caressing touch on his metallic skin. He then opened his optics again as the sensation faded away into nothing.
"Thank you, Tracy," he sighed.
He turned to face in the general direction of the Autobot base. The corners of his lips pulled up into a tiny smile, and the pieces on his cheeks moved to go along to emote. His optic shutters blinked once as the sun began to set in the distance.
A warm welcome from the Autobots wasn't exactly what Hot Rod expected when he returned home. As he walked through the corridors, many of them merely patted him on the shoulder, while others greeted him kindly and saying that he was something very special, that they were looking forward to working alongside him in the distant future. He didn't understand what had caused the sudden change in heart, but he had a feeling that one of the officers may have said something to rethink their thoughts about him. Heck, even Mirage seemed docile enough to approach him and say to his face that he was an excellent fighter and that he looked forward to working alongside him someday.
Confused, Hot Rod sought out for Prowl, hoping to find out what was going on. He found the black and white mech in his office and reading a data pad that looked like it was of some importance. Hot Rod knocked on the door's side, causing Prowl to look up in surprise.
"Oh, Rodimus, you're back so soon?" he questioned. "I thought you wouldn't be back for another day or two." He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat."
"I would have been back by tomorrow, Prowl, but something told me to come back," Hot Rod smiled as he came forward and took his seat in front of Prowl. "I just needed some time away from the base to think about what Optimus had said to me in regards to..."
"Your time of becoming Prime," Prowl finished, nodded his understanding as he placed the data pad down on his desk and leaned back in his chair. "Yes, I have been through the Passing ceremony with Optimus before. It is a very important tradition to our kind because it symbolizes hope for our future. As long as we have a living Prime, our hope will always burn for all eternity."
Hot Rod bowed his head, uncertainty bubbling in the pit of his waste tanks. Was he really ready for this? He didn't know, but he knew that deep down that he could never escape his destiny. If he was chosen to combat against the enemy, then he would for the sake of his new family and the world that he loved so much.
"Is something on your processor, Rodimus?" Prowl asked.
He lifted his head and looked Prowl dead in the optics. He felt spark pulse deep inside his chest cavity, pushing him to go forward. "Prowl, I have made my decision," he said seriously. "I am ready to become the next Prime."
At first Prowl didn't say anything in response to Hot Rod's words. He seemed to be considering something deep inside that logical processor inside his cranium. Eventually, he opened his mouth and said, "You could not have picked a good time, Rodimus. Our Autobots are getting worried about Optimus because they have not heard about the results of his condition. I had to keep them from questioning further by letting them know that Optimus is still recovering from his fight with Harbinger."
He bowed his head, a puff of air escaping from his intakes and his shoulders sagged.
"At least with your decision made, we will hold the Passing ceremony in a few hours. But first, I must gather the Autobots to let them know about Optimus. I think they have been kept in the dark long enough."
Hot Rod felt sick to his tanks as he found himself isolated and alone in his quarters. According to Prowl, the soon-to-be Prime was to be kept well away from everyone for the next few hours as they were getting everything organized. He was also to clean and polish his armour to look appealing to the guests. Prowl had announced on the speakers that a special ceremony would be taking place and many Autobots were required to attend. Now Hot Rod had spent the last couple of hours sitting on his berth or pacing around the room with a hint of frustration written all over his facial features.
He didn't know why it was required that he stay here until everything was sorted out. He supposed that tradition was important to the Cybertronians, but was it really that necessary? He placed his face into his hands, suddenly discovering that he was dropping beads of oil from the sides of his helm. Were Cybertronians really capable of sweating like humans? It didn't bother him in the slightest, but that fact that he was nervous really wasn't helping at all.
There was a knock at his door.
"Uh, come in," he called as he stood up to his full height, his ruby red and amber coloured armour gleaming in the light of his room. Did he look good enough for the tradition? Oh Primus, he hoped that he looked fine to whoever was coming in to see him.
The door hissed open and Prowl stepped through with a stoic expression on his facial features. "Are you ready, Rodimus?" he asked.
Hot Rod gulped. "I don't know if I'll ever be ready for what is to come, Prowl," he replied. "But I will do what I must in order to keep everyone's hopes alive."
"Then follow me," Prowl said and took a few steps backwards to let Hot Rod out.
Hot Rod took a few deep gasping breaths in an attempt to hide his nervousness when he came forward. As he and Prowl walked down the corridors towards their destination, he felt his insides burn white hot again, causing his limbs to feel heavier than they normally did. He was beginning to feel a terrible weight being pushed down upon his body. The great weight even made him slow slightly, causing him to lag behind a lot further than Prowl actually liked.
"Youngling, please don't dawdle," Prowl insisted patiently.
"Sorry," Hot Rod muttered as he kept on walking alongside the vice commander.
The rest of the walk was spent in silence as Hot Rod continued to follow Prowl to wherever it was they were going. It soon became apparent to him that they were heading to somewhere familiar, but he said nothing to question Prowl as to what was going on. They eventually arrived at the one room that Hot Rod thought he would never see again.
The Recreation Room.
Only this time, it no longer had the usual tables and chairs spread out randomly. The tables and chairs had been cleared out to provide room for rows upon rows of chairs where many mechs and femmes were seated upon. The middle divided most of the chairs to make room for a walkway.
Standing tall and proud at the end of the walkway was Optimus Prime. He was dressed neatly with polished flamed armour that shone like glass, and a silky red cloak with blue flames that twisted and turned up towards the shoulders. It was of strange alien weaving design and it draped over his shoulders, covering most of his back.
Hot Rod was so busy admiring Optimus' unusual looks when he felt something being placed upon his shoulders. He turned to find Ironhide standing behind him with a smile as he placed a cloak over the young mech's shoulders. The cloak was a lot similar to that of Optimus' only it was blood red with amber coloured flames that reached to the middle of the cloak. He pinched the cloak in between his digits, amazed at how soft it felt. The more closely he looked at it, the more he could see the carefully weaved design in the odd material.
"Don't think about that right now, youngling," Ironhide chuckled as he walked around Hot Rod and tied in the clips that kept the cloak together. Once he was done, he pushed back some of the material until it sat behind Hot Rod's shoulders, revealing most of his front, but keeping his back hidden. Hot Rod was forced to lay his door wings down against his back so that the cloak didn't get caught in between the joints.
"Very handsome, if I do say so myself," Ironhide smirked. "No doubt many of the femmes would be quaking in their knees when they see you."
Hot Rod turned his head away to hide his incoming blush.
"Ironhide, leave the kid alone," Prowl spoke up. "We've got more important things to take care of."
Ironhide flashed a cheeky smile at Hot Rod he and Prowl headed over to join the many officers that were standing on the sides of the walkway. They were facing each other with heads held high with pride and their armour gleaming in the light of room. In their left hands, they carried strange looking poles that were decorated with Cybertronian symbols and were armed with a sharp, silver spike on each tip.
"May Rodimus please come forward," Optimus' deep baritone voice echoed through the Recreation Room.
Hot Rod closed his optics for a split second before he opened them again and began to head towards his destiny. As he moved down the walkway, he felt every aspect of his old life beginning to be buried deep into the ashes of yesterday as he moved into the burning fire of the future. He could feel his insides trembling violently and his spark pulsing with newfound energy. It was as if his old life was fading before his very optics and being replaced by the new one that awaited him.
All the mechs and femmes on the seats he passed immediately stood to attention and the officers turned to face the front, their spears clanking the metal floor alongside their peds.
The further Hot Rod went, the more confident he began to feel as Optimus looked on with pride at the sight of his adopted son. The encouragement that flashed from the soon-to-be former Autobot commander gave Hot Rod the strength to keep on going until he stood before Optimus Prime.
"Please be seated," Prowl ordered from afar.
The Autobots complied and took their seats while the officers marched to stand on either side of Optimus.
"Autobots and Neutrals alike," Optimus spoke up, his tone loud enough for everyone to hear, "we are all gathered here today to witness the Passing ceremony. It is a tradition that has long been forgotten since my rise to Prime."
He bowed his head until he was looking into Hot Rod's optics, and they seemed to shine with experience and long passed wisdom.
"Rodimus– formally known as Hot Rod – came to us as a young, inexperienced youngling who had suffered the loss of a loved one to sickness. It was one that took away her life at such a young age and left Rodimus to fend for himself. Had it not been for that fate, we would have met him and brought him here to us. It was through a simple examination from Ratchet that we were able to learn that Rodimus is to be the next Prime in line after me."
Whispers came from behind Hot Rod, but he ignored them as he kept his optics focused on Optimus.
"This young mech has proven himself that he is willing to lay down his life for the cause, by saving my life from the jaws of death. It is through his willpower that he was able to defeat Harbinger and bring an end to a horror that has haunted many for thousands of millennia.
"Even though I healed from the injuries Harbinger inflicted upon me, an unknown cause has prevented me from fighting at my absolute best. And, according to tradition, if a Prime can no longer lead his people or is offline, then the Matrix of Leadership must be passed to their successor."
Gasps were heard from several femmes.
"By my authority as former Prime and the permission of the officers of the Autobot army, I will hand over the house of the ancient wisdom that was bestowed upon me by the former Dynasty of Primes."
Optimus closed his optics and his chest cavity split in half, revealing a storage unit in front of his spark chamber. The unit opened with a hissing noise, and a strange relic of unknown origin floated mystically out of it and into its owner's waiting hands. The metallic object that was no more than two human feet long, and its ends twisted in different directions. It had a soft pale glow in the middle, a glow that radiated with strange warmth.
"This, Rodimus," said Optimus with intensity in his tone, "is the Matrix of Leadership. It is a powerful talisman that is filled with the ancient wisdom of all of those that came before you and I. You could consider it the doorway to Cybertronian heaven – better known as the Well of All Sparks."
Hot Rod's optics illuminated with the light of the sacred talisman that was right in front of him. For some reason, he could not bring himself to look away from it. He could hear... strange voices inside his processor, voices that were speaking all at once and in an unknown language.
"Open your chest panels, Rodimus," Optimus whispered.
Shaking his head and clearing his suddenly blurred vision, Hot Rod stood up straight as he concentrated to the best of his abilities to allow the panels on his chest to open slowly. He opened his hands as the Matrix floated forward. He guided it towards his storage unit until he felt it immediately fly forward and latch onto the back of it.
Hot Rod quickly closed his chest cavity and he winced as he heard a variety of voices being through back and forth inside his processor. He placed a hand upon his forehead to dull the sounds he could hear, but the voices only grew stronger until a hand rested upon his helm, and he felt the whispers fading into the back of his processor.
"Hot Rod?" Arcee's voice called from behind him.
He turned to face the onlookers, and he spoke in a calm, noble voice, "I am no longer Hot Rod... I am Rodimus Prime."