Title: The Prime
Genre: Action/Drama, Friendship/Romance
Rating: T for mild transformer swearing, some violence, and crude language
Short Summary:
When a young mech destined to be the next Prime is exiled by his evil uncle, he must learn what it means to become a great leader.

Chapter Sixteen

"We told you to watch him when we are in Tranquility! You were in charge of him! And what do you do?! You ignored what you were suppose to do and he was nearly botnapped!" Ironhide roared angrily.

The twins cringed but shook their heads. "It wasn't our fault! We only looked away for one megaclick and then he was gone! That's why we called you when we couldn't find him!" Sideswipe protested.

Bumblebee swallowed hard before shuffling his feet. "He is telling the truth, Ironhide. I wandered off. I was just trying to look for rust bars. They're for Optimus!" He said quickly when Ironhide whirled around him to glare at him next. "He was looking down so I thought rust bars could cheer him up!"

There was a pause before everyone sighed and even Optimus smiled faintly. He felt grateful to Bumblebee's concern for him. He had been down lately because it coming to the day when his father had died and he lost everything. "Thank you, Bee. You still shouldn't have endangered yourself like that though. It scared all of us when we saw..." his optics flashed and he looked away almost faraway.

It didn't go un-noticed.

Everyone glanced at one another, curious of his reaction before it was Jazz stepped forward. "Optimus, why exactly have you been so depressing lately?" He asked carefully.

"Actually around this time every vorn. You are always so quiet." Sunstreaker said frowning.

Optimus kept his optics adverted from everyone before finally glancing at the serious look on Prowl's face, who met his gaze. They stared at one another before looking back at the others. They weren't sure what to say about it.
"It's...it's nothing. Don't worry about it." Optimus finally said after a moment.

That wasn't the answer that the others wanted to hear and their frowns showed it.

"Come on, Optimus! Tell us! We all told you our stories, but now that I think about it, we don't know anything about you. You have never told us anything." Sideswipe said pushing for the answer.

Optimus sighed as he turned away. He needed to find something else to talk about. He did not want anyone to know what he had done. But...now that he thought about it, he had been secrets from his 'family' and they had shared their stories with him.

So taking a deep vent, he looked up at the stars. He had an idea of how to start. "Someone once told me something I thought wise. Look at the stars." He said quietly.

"Okay, now you're just changing the subject." Gruffed Ironhide irritably.

"No, I am not. Now look." Optimus said huffing back at him. And when they all did, he nodded. "Someone once told me that each star was once a great leader or the Primes of Old, watching over us in our daily lives. Protecting us without us knowing that they were. That someone died because of a choice I made." He stated and everyone tensed, surprised by what he said.

Everyone gaped at him.

"You saying the stars are some dead mechs that watching us? Mech, that sounds kind of dumb...Ow!" Sideswipe had been saying only to yelp when Prowl reached and slapped his head. "Prowl!"

"Show some respect for the Primes of Old, Sideswipe. Because one of those stars is most likely Starscream's father too." Prowl said dryly. "Just like Optimus' father is."

Again everyone gaped at him in surprise before looking at Optimus, who was walking away with a faraway look on his face.

"That someone that told him that and died was his father, wasn't it?" Jazz asked solemnly.

Prowl sighed but nodded. "Yes." He simply said.

"Oops. I didn't...mean anything by..." Sideswipe was saying.

Prowl nodded as he looked over at him, though pausing to note that Starscream had vanished too. He had a distinctive feeling he knew where he was going. "I know you didn't mean it like that, Sides. But you have to be careful of what you say. Optimus does not like to talk about it. But in a way, his father died because of him. He died trying to protect both of us. That is why we are even out here, living with you. He is trying to forget it even happened." He told the silver twin.

Everyone sighed, looking away. Ironhide shook his head as he glanced after Optimus. "Should I go talk to him?" He asked.

"No, he probably just wants to be alone for a bit. Give him some space to think. When he wants to talk about it, he will." Jazz said as he stretched. "Well it has been a long day, so let's power down soon."

Everyone nodded and followed his example.

All the while, Optimus had stepped outside the sanctuary to look around. It was one thing that they did on an occasion, just to make sure no one was coming to disrupt his family's peaceful home.

But as he looked around, he looked up at the stars and sighed. "Father, if you're up there, I am sorry this happened. I did not mean it to happen." He said quietly. He then sank down and sat against the sanctuary's protective wall. "Because of me, you are dead. Everything was my fault."

There was only silence through the endless night. Even though, as Optimus spoke, he did not realize one star was twinkling brightly. Or nor did he realize that a pair of red optics were watching him.

Blue optics flashed open as soon as the feeling hit him. He had no idea where it came from, nor what it was. All he knew was he had been meditating, trying to figure things out and what he could do about the problems that Cybertron was facing.

And then an overwhelming of peace and reassurance hit him.

Alpha Trion had no idea what it was but he felt as if something was happening now or was going to happen. He had not felt this for a long time. Not since...since Sentinel Prime had been crowned Leader of the Autobot forces and all of Iacon.

But...what was it? Where did this feeling come from? He didn't know. But he did need to find out.

Looking around his pitiful hole he was forced to call home, the old Prime eyed a dusty object he had not looked at for many vorns.

Slowly, Alpha Trion went over, rubbing vorns of dust from the old very big data pad with golden and silver plating. Ancient Cybertronian markings were carved in the edges, something that not many would see very often.

Taking a deep breath, the old Cybertronian flipped on the data pad and a holographic netting of ancient Cybertronian began crisscrossing all around the room and Alpha Trion. He looked around at all of the passages before plucking a holographic orb to activate it.

When it opened up, revealing images and Cybertronian symbols, his optics flashed brightly.

In the images, it showed a misty scene of the roads of Iacon, dark and gloomy. But through the mist, a light began to shine, growing brighter and brighter that it even made Alpha Trion's ancient optics squint. As the light grew nearly blinding, a shadow formed through the brilliant mist. It was a tall and powerful looking being. A fiery energon blade in hand.

The shaded Cybertronian charged through the mist towards snarling Decepticons in the images with many growing shadows behind him. It was an army full of mechs and femmes.

"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!" A powerful deep voice rumbled from the tall Cybertronian as he charged directly at Megatron within the holographic images. And as he approached, he brought up his mighty energon blade to clash with Megatron's dark serrated blade.

As soon as the blades clashed like an explosion of cannon fire, a blinding light did explode and blinded Alpha Trion again. He had to raise his arm to protect his optics.

When he lowered it again and looked at the last of the vision he was seeing, Alpha Trion's vents caught with surprise.

There was an object glowing brightly before him and above the large Cybertronian. It was like a reversed pyramid with sharp pointed ends. The metal frame twisted majestically around a brilliant blue orb like a cage. It was something that only few knew. Something sacred to all of Cybertron. And it was lowering itself into the red and blue mech's mighty hands.

Then with another flash of light, the holographic images shut down automatically and left Alpha Trion in his darkened home again.

But this time, the old mech was grinning as he felt hope and happiness flood through his systems. He knew what the vision meant. He knew what was given to him. He knew it was almost time for what he had always known about to begin. He also knew that a certain mech in the vision would need some guidance. He had felt the push.

"It is time!" Alpha Trion said happily before he snatched up the sacred data pad and shoved it into his inner compartments. He was leaving. It was time to begin his search for the new Prime to end all of the tyranny that Megatron had brought to Cybertron.

He knew that the future Prime had seen nearly 29 vorns ago was alive and nearly ready to take up his destined path of becoming the most powerful and great Prime in history. The one that even he thought had perished so long ago.