Note: So basically, this is the chapter wherein I dump scenarios in my head that caused me to start this whole thing in the first place.
And here is the progression of things. First Part is how Solus laments her and Optimus' loss to Megatron. This is where the Bayverse body comes in. But do not worry. He is not a psychopath. He's the same as Primeverse Optimus.
Second Part is where Solus and Optimus are forced by some strange force into the Animated Verse. Solus barges into a meeting of all the Primes and Ultra Magnus in Cybertron. Optimus flies into Junkion after falling from the atmosphere and meets Animated Arcee, Moonracer, Ironhide, Warpath, and Sgt. Kup. (Junkion is a Moon sized planet in this fanfic.)
Last and not the least. Ultra Magnus appears in a world where Optimus Prime used to be his girlfriend. This part is intended to be a crackfic. Nuff said
This below will be the Omake part 2 content
Third Part is where Solus and Optimus are once more teleported into another world. But this time, it's the world of Life in Glasshouses. The one where a female Starscream exists. They find themselves in the Heretic's groundbridge and fight through a lot of people as they get to the Bridge. Where Megatron, Starscream, Airachnid, Skyquake, Knockout and Knockdown, and Bumblebee are. Cue the scene where Starscream confronts Knockout about the Prime.
Fourth Part is where Optimus and Solus land on the IDW continuity-verse. Optimus appears on Cybertron while Solus is on Caminus. Religious zealousness and Windblade shocked at TFP Optimus ensues. Sentinel Prime from Bayverse appears shortly after.
—-
Part one
Solus watched as Ratchet brought the second leg into the medbay and placed it right beside the torn apart arms and foot on the table beside the large slab of metal Optimus was on. He was a wreck. Seven gaping stab wounds at the torso, a lost optic, 3 3/4s of his limbs literally torn from his body, and finally a broken spirit. She grit her teeth in fury as she looked towards him. To see him like this tore a hole in her spark. It was her fault that he was like this. If only she didn't lose herself in anger and slip up as she fought a dark energon powered Megatron. If only he died the moment she slammed her hammer on his helm.
If only she thought things through.
"Do not worry brother. I will make things right." Solus said. She reached for the Forge attached to her back and began walking towards the fallen Prime. She knew the cost of what she was about to do. She did not care. Optimus saved her. Restoring him was the least she could do.
"H-hold on! What do you think you're doing?!" Ratchet exclaimed as he returned from the main room. He left for a while to get the tools he needed for the reattachment of limbs and returned to see Solus lifting her hammer on top of Optimus.
"I am doing what I must, Ratchet." Solus replied coolly. Her hammer is still high up in the air.
"I know that, however. I know that Optimus has told you that using the Forge in its current state is dangerous. I cannot allow you to use that on him. Not when it's unstable." Ratchet said. Much to the chagrin of Solus.
"The power remaining in the Forge may not be sufficient to heal Optimus, but I will do whatever it takes to give it what it needs to do what I want. That I can be sure of." Solus said.
"But with what fuel? Energon doesn't work on it. And even if the Purified Synth-En does restore some of its power. We do not have enough resources to make it. Where can we get something so pure, so highly dense in energy output to even… to even provide something that equals a gallon of Synth-En…?" Ratchet asked. His questions started as loud bursts and then decreased as he realised what the femme was about to do.
"You can't-"
"Do not stop me. Try and you will understand what Megatronus went through when we had our lovers' spat." Solus warned.
"But you will sacrifice a portion of your spark! Allowing the Forge to access the power of Primus within you like that is detrimental! Surely, you understand what a split-spark will do to a femme like you." Ratchet countered.
A ghost of a smile graced her lips. It was at this point did the medic understand that he had crossed a line he did not see.
"I do understand, Ratchet. Long ago, I was once whole. Suddenly, a fraction of my spark was torn away when the one I loved killed me with the very weapon I entrusted him. Another fraction left when I saw the husk of my father. 10 fractions came along when I reached out to my sparkbond and felt nothing. My father, my brothers. All gone from me. But here is another portion of my spark. Threatening to tear away from my chamber as I watch Optimus suffering in silent agony. His wounds so severe. So undeserving was he to have them."
Solus then steeled herself. A glare akin to the fires of the sun burning through her optics.
"I cannot live another thousand years with a fractioned spark, yes. But if my spark will tear apart as I watch Optimus' optics fade into nothingness, I might as well give it to him!"
The Forge was lowered. And then there was light.
Ratchet opened his eyes to see a kneeling Solus Prime. She was struggling to stay on her feet as she leaned on the Forge like a crutch. It did not need a scan to tell that her spark had gone haywire from what she had done. So occupied was he with the femme that his audio receptors almost did not register that strange clicking and whirring going on where Optimus lay. He helped Solus up and looked towards the medtable. And what he saw shook him.
"By the Allspark…" Ratchet exclaimed as Solus smiled.
In front of them was a restored Prime. To be more specific, a bigger, stronger, and cooler Prime. Who sat up from the table and looked towards Ratchet. A strange glint of confusion on his optics.
"Ratchet… Solus… How did I arrive here?" Optimus asked. He must've lost the memories of the aftermath of the fight due to his processors getting stabbed.
It was at this moment did the two mentioned bot and femme run towards him and hugged him as fiercely as a teddy bear. None too happy with the prospect of letting go anytime soon.
—-
Part two
Ka-click
"Do not even move a single inch. I will not hesitate to shoot you."
Optimus did just that. He disengaged his fiery energon blades and raised his flame painted arms. Cautiously meeting the glare of the commanding Autobot officer who was standing on a hill of junk. He looked down to where the pink and white femme beside him was and said.
"I believe that this is your ally, Arcee?" Optimus conjectured.
"But Sarge! He saved me from those 'Cons in Sector 3. If he didn't do something then, I would've been a goner." the once teacher turned courier/spy argued.
The green mech who held the rank of Minor simply scoffed at this rookie's ignorance. She's an idiot to be too trusting with this stranger. There's no way that this 32 foot behemoth of a mech coloured with a gaudy combination of red, blue, and yellow flames of all things is an Autobot. Blue optics don't mean scrap after Longarm's/or Shockwave's betrayal to Kup.
"That don't mean anything, Arcee! Now, get over here and let the grown ups do the talking. Moonracer, take her with you." Kup ordered.
"Yes, Sarge." the emerald femme said as she waved at Arcee to go to her on the hill beside Kup's. The same one overlooking the whole scene. She still had a sniper rifle pointed at Optimus' head during the prior action. Meaning, her guard isn't going to slip just because the stranger let her comrade out of harm's way.
"Warpath, Ironhide. Detain the mech." Kup ordered. Not noticing the way Optimus'' optics widened at the mention of the grizzly tankformer and the weapons' specialist. Or rather, the Elite Guardsman and the security officer turned soldier. The latter of the two was closest to Optimus with energon cuffs at hand. But when the Prime moved his hands away from the cuffs, Ironhide got all fidgety and raised his energon blaster at the Prime's head.
"Easy, Ironhide. I do not intend to harm you. Nor would I allow you to chain me as your prisoner. I am as much an Autobot as you all are. And equally confused as to what planet I have landed, how I arrived here, with a message I do not quite understand yet." Optimus explained.
"Hey, don't ya go chummy around me, pal. I ain't yo' friend." Ironhide said with a stern expression. Even if the drastic difference in height and stature unnerved him a little, the rural born Autobot did not let any fear go out of him.
"Just listen to the boss or else we'll have to pound you to the ground if you do anything funny." Warpath said as he forcefully grabbed Optimus' servos and cuffed them with his own pair. Optimus willingly obliged the significantly shorter bot. If this was going to let the Autobots of this world trust him more, then so be it.
"Right. State your name and affiliation." Ironhide commanded as he shoved a datapad in front of the leader of the Autobots. He had done identity checks before as a guard. This is standard procedure to him. But his experience didn't prepare him for this.
"My name is Optimus Prime." he replied.
"...what? Are you lying straight at our faces or are you playing a game with us? Because you are definitely not Optimus!" Kup exclaimed. He transformed and drove down the hill and towards the three Autobots to get a closer look at the stranger. Just in time for the Prime's reply to Ironhide's question.
"Optimus? Ain't he the washout from the Academy?" Ironhide asked Warpath.
"He is. And he's nothing but a short and skinny mech who had no right to be a Prime. You are clearly not him." Warpath said as he punched Optimus' arm. Hard.
"You shut up and let me do the talking, Warpath. Now, what makes you think that you're Optimus huh? You brainwashed or something? Did Megatron get to your head and programmed you to be someone you're not for giggles?" Kup questioned. His interrogation face would have been so intimidating had it not been for the fact that he is more than a couple feet shorter than the Prime.
"I do not lie. I am who I say I am." Optimus tried to explain but was cut by a shout from the distance.
"Sarge! Cons. Hundreds coming from the south. They know we're here."
Optimus' optics widened a little while the others were gaping at the news. They were a small team with the mission of protecting Arcee while she enacted her own separate mission from Ultra Magnus. (Kup was the only one briefed for security's sake). They were strong, yes. All but the teacher turned courier were combat veterans from the Great War. However, these Decepticons are no joke. They're twice as large and thrice as strong as the Autobots. Even more so after the loss of the Allspark to Megatron quite a while ago. Meaning, they are doomed.
Unless someone rises to the occasion.
"Sergeant. You cannot survive the onslaught with me as your prisoner. Grant me the chance of earning your trust by fighting alongside you and your men. After all, they are here for the very thing you seek." Optimus explained. His purpose on this planet finally realised.
"And what is that?" Kup glared. His optics wandered from Optimus towards Arcee who was looking at the Prime like he just shared her biggest secret.
"He knows… Sarge, he knows about the Requiem Blaster!" Arcee shouted from the hill.
"The what?" Moonracer, Ironhide, and Warpath asked. Kup only grit his teeth as he thought of what to do.
"I don't know how you know that. You must either be a Decepticon spy or a secret agent by Magnus on the same mission as us. But I'm willing to bet my spark on you being the latter if you are willing to fight the blasted 'Cons." Kup relented. He then uncuffed Optimus Prime and started barking orders to Ironhide and Warpath.
The Prime then looked up and saw that the SR-71 that was flying overhead began descending like a hawk until it transformed into a suit Optimus can wear. It did not take long for both the jet and Prime to merge into one. Much to the awe of the other bots.
"Sergeant. I only ask that you and your men find high ground for you to fire at your targets in a safe distance. I will distract them while you do." Without waiting for a reply, Optimus powered up his jet rockets and flew towards the Decepticons.
Meanwhile…
While the once called last Prime was duking it out with Kup and his team, another Optimus in Cybertron was nervously waiting for the event to start.
Before all that, he and the once Team Earth (now called the 13th Prime Squadron) was called from his post in one of Cybertron's moons. The reason being that a meeting consisting of all the available Primes in the sector is to be held in Iacon with Ultra Magnus as the host.
He was situated in the far right of a crescent table facing a rectangular table being occupied by four beings. Ultra Magnus at the center right, the librarian of Iacon Alpha Trion at the center left, a strange mech a little bit larger than Ultra Magnus was seated at the far right, and finally a most dazzling (and physically HUGE) femme was seated at the far left.
And did… did she just wink at him?
"Welcome to all of you. Thank you for your time. You are here today to be briefed on a secret only the four of us in front of you know." Ultra Magnus started. Which caused the Academy washout to sit up straight in attention. His fellow Primes did something similar as well.
"Before that, may you introduce yourselves to us? Some of us here are not completely aware of your identities. Starting from the left to the right." Ultra Magnus ordered.
"Override Prime. Head of the Cybertron Police Force." Said the femme who rose from her seat in salute. The 4 bots on the table in front of her nodded in acknowledgement before she sat down.
"Rodimus Prime. Leader of Team Athenia and the Head of the Space Bridge Defense Force." Said the orange mech as he also rose in salute. His youth being the most outstanding quality of all the traits he had in display.
"Sentinel Prime. Second in Command and Chief of the Eli-" Started the blue mech but was stopped from speaking once the doors opened.
"Sorry I'm late. I had to close up shop with a bunch of drunks stopping me from locking the place up."
"Old Mech Maccaddam?" The Primes shouted. It caused the old bar owner to wince a bit since he just heard the shouts of like 25 bots.
"Ah! I didn't know I was that famous amongst the Primes. Quite the renown, I've built up. By the way, I haven't forgotten that long overdue tab you had Optimus pay, Sentinel. You have to pay for that yourself." Maccadam said. Much to the chagrin of Sentinel and the amusement of the others. Optimus meanwhile smiled at the bartender in greeting. The reply he got was a smile as well.
"Continue, Sentinel." Ultra Magnus commanded. Even if he was confused why Maccadam was requested to be here. He was more confused when the old bar owner was greeting the others on the table like they had known each other for years. Does this Maccadam know something he doesn't?
"Ahem. Yes sir. As I said beforehand, I am Sentinel Prime. Second in Command of all of Cybertron's Armed Forces and the head of the Elite Guard." He said after he shook his embarrassment and sat down with whatever remaining dignity he had left.
After that, the more minor characters introduced themselves. The more notable of them were either heads of some major department or commanders of certain armies. The lesser were simply the leaders of certain commando Squadrons (with some of them having significant offices on the government chain) that were assigned specialised missions the main branches of the Army could not do. Optimus was the main expert on Organics since he was bossbot of the team that protected earth for sometime. That was why was designated the leader of the 13th Squadron stationed in the Organics research division on one of the moons.
After the introduction of the 7th Squadron head - Optimus' commander - the Academy washout found himself the last of the Primes to announce themselves. That's what you get for sitting at the far right, he thought. Anyways. Optimus rose up from his seat and saluted. Just like his fellow Primes before him and said.
"Optimus Prime. Leader of the 13th Prime Squadron." He then sat down and commended himself for the simple introduction.
"Optimus, was it?"
But he couldn't help but widen his optics at the purple femme sitting in the middle of Maccadam and Alpha Trion. Who had not spoken a single word to anyone of the Primes except him.
"Yy-es? E-excuse me for my stutter. Is there a problem?" Optimus asked. Trying his best to ignore the murmurs he heard that definitely belonged to the other Primes.
"You said that you were simply commander of a squadron. While your peers simultaneously hold lofty positions of high renown in Cybertron. Why do you not hold any other post?" the femme asked. Effectively raising the tension in the room. Who was this femme to even bother asking the academy washout why he's so low on the totem pole, thought the Primes. Does she not know?
"I do not do well in politics, ma'am. I am content with living with my crew on one of the moons." He answered humbly. And it was true. He didn't have any ambitions becoming as important as Override, Rodimus, or Sentinel. He just wanted to be in the position that would help him protect the ones he cared about the most without being hindered by anything.
"Same old Optimus." Maccadam commented. No one heard him except for the ones on the table with him.
"Indeed." Alpha Trion agreed.
Ultra Magnus looked towards the Mech to his right and turned towards the Primes in front of him.
"Now that the introductions are done. We will now turn to the purpose of the meeting. Vector Prime. If you will." Magnus then sat down and allowed the time lord to take the spot like. Not caring for the confusion etched on the faces of his subordinates at the mention of Vector. He knew of another Vector Prime who had died during the Great War. Safe to say that this Vector was another being entirely from the long dead one.
"Greetings, my fellow Primes. I am Vector Prime. I am here to warn you all of the oncoming war that will ravage this universe and the next." Vector was about to continue when the shouts of the Primes roared through the room. Pandemonium all around.
"I expected them to react negatively to the news. But not by this much." Vector said to his seatmates. Worry and concern in his voice. He never understood why the people he tried to warn always reacted so violently.
"Hahahahahaha! Oh, Brother. Never change." Solus laughed. The Primes shouting could not help but pause as the melodic voice echoed through the room. But once she stopped, the loudness returned.
"You could've just sugarcoated the message to make it more digestible, you know." Maccadam suggested.
"Yes, you could have." Alpha Trion said in agreement. Vector frowned as his siblings ridiculed him. But the frown turned into a nostalgic look as he reminded himself that he was once more in the presence of the ones he once called family. Even if Optimus did not remember.
Ultra Magnus summoned the Magnus Hammer and slammed it down onto the ground. Blue lightning collided with the floor as he did so. That action finally shut up the Primes.
"I will forgive this slight due to the fact that the news had repulsed me as well. However, Vector Prime is right. He has told me that a great enemy has arisen in the form of Megatron." Magnus paused to let the news sink in before continuing. Vector Prime's optics suddenly lit up the wall facing the Primes. Showing a holoprojection of Megatron holding the Allspark. Much to everyone's clear dismay. The scene on the projection shifted as Magnus continued speaking.
"After claiming the Allspark at the end of the battle on the moon of the planet called Earth. He has created a machine that has the power that can harness the Allspark to resurrect every single Decepticon that had been killed during the Great War. Worst of all, he had found a way to increase his power as well as his Decepticons' power by finding the ancient material known as Dark Energon. Should we allow him to continue his nefarious schemes of taking Cybertron once more, all of us will die."
"Dark Energon is not only dangerous. But it is the blood of my Father's enemy, Unicron." Solus added. "If Megatron has merged his spark with such a vile substance, he will have the unfortunate position of being Unicron's Disciple. He will not stop in just conquering our home. He will destroy it."
"And that is why we are here. Save for Ultra Magnus, the five of us in this room are called by Primus to stand up against this apocalyptic event. To call upon all of Cybertron and its people to help us fight against this most terrible enemy." Alpha Trion said as he rose up from his seat and began walking towards the crescent table.
"No offence, Alpha Trion. But you're just a librarian. What power do you have that would make Primus - even if that part was true - 'call upon you' for help. And five? You said that Ultra Magnus wasn't part of your count. So, who's the fifth?" Sentinel asked in the most offensive way possible. Alpha Trion merely smiled before looking towards the rest of the Primes before speaking.
"Long ago, before the Great War. Before any semblance of Cybertronian civilization. There was Primus and Unicron. Who battled throughout the cosmos for millions of billions of years. They were evenly matched. For Unicron and Primus were simply two sides of the same face. But Primus had a significant advantage that leaned the scales of the fight towards his favour: the creation of the Thirteen Original Primes."
"That's a sparkling's bedtime story." Sentinel commented offhandedly.
"Oh, but it is very much real." Solus said as she walked towards Sentinel in a threatening manner. "I am one of the Thirteen, after all." She was glaring down at Sentinel at this point. Who could not help but shiver in fear as the glare of a thousand suns glowered at him.
"Peace, sister. Before the title of Prime was devolved into a military rank under the rank of Magnus, it was the title given to the Supreme beings who ruled over Cybertron for more than two million years." Vector Prime continued as he placed a calming servo on Solus' shoulder. "There are five of the Thirteen among you as we speak. All the others have either been lost or perished."
"I was once called Alchemist Prime. But I retired and started up a bar." Maccadam said as he transformed into his original form. The same one he used to fight Unicron in. Much to the surprise of the Primes.
Not that they weren't shocked to begin with. They all knew that it was a story told to sparklings. About how thirteen mystical beings with the powers given to them by Primus managed to defeat the boogeyman of the Cybertronians - Unicron - and create the world they know today. They knew the names of each of them by heart, except for the elusive Thirteenth Prime, of course.
"I was once called Alpha Prime. But I changed my name to serve as a librarian who protects the Relics of the Primes. The Magnus Hammer you see with Ultra Magnus was made by her. Solus Prime. Who, according to a true story, had the power to create bots so large they were the size of an entire city." the head archivist said as he pointed towards the purple femme.
"Has anyone heard of Metroplex or Caminus? Those are my creations." Solus said. She was glad that their identities weren't being denied or refuted by anyone. Even if the Primes were too busy gawking at them with their jaws dropped.
"Now that we've revealed our identities to the others," Solus started as she turned to look at where Optimus was seated. "Why don't you share the truth about you, Optimus?"
Silence ensued. The washout leader of the 13th merely blinked slowly as he tried to process the question.
"...What?" He finally said.
—-
Last Part
"Commander. Do you have a moment?" Arcee sternly asked.
The only reply she got was a calculating side glance as the large, blue mech with pillars for shoulders turned away from the main console. A reply that made her energon boil. She was never the type to like mechs so stubbornly adhering to the Military code of conduct. Especially commanding officers like Magnus. But this was different. She, as the humans say, had a bone to pick with him.
"Lieutenant Arcee. What is the problem?" Ultra Magnus finally asked. Arcee's processors started churning out ways she could approach this situation and decided the blunt way was the best option to go with.
"Why the frag are you ignoring her?"
Ultra Magnus narrowed his optics at the language however didn't say anything about it. He thanked Primus that there was no one in the base at the moment. As for the question. How could he answer that without revealing the truth? How could he explain that as a being who had been transported into a universe not his own, he had no idea how to address the fact that he had been in a relationship with a female Optimus Prime in this universe? Hence, the silent treatment.
Arcee meanwhile, took the silence to ponder how she got herself into this situation. It all started when a ship of Cybertronian make had crash landed near the Michigan side of the Great Lakes. Optima and Arcee were there to investigate. They found a large ship near the shore. Arcee should've known that the look on Optima's face wasn't just a look of surprise as the ship's main door disengaged to show a wounded Ultra Magnus. She should've known that the two of them had a past.
That way, she would've just shot Magnus on the head to avoid all the trouble of dealing with a lovesick Prime as a leader.
"I do not understand what you mean." Ultra Magnus lied. He knew from certain cues and body language - as well as certain moments with the female Prime that he definitely did not want at the forefront of his processors right now - that the femme (Optima, she was called) used to be in a relationship with him and is still in love with him. Even if Optima denies it outright.
"Bullslag, you do know." Arcee said.
"Lieutenant, now is not the time to converse about something as trivial as-"
"Trivial? You call every Primus-forsaken moment I've seen her stare at you with sad optics, every wistful sigh and longing glance as she passes you by, every single time she defends your pole-up-your-rear attitude towards us trivial?" Arcee asked as she stomped her way towards the dimension traveller.
"I am sick of having to take care of her just because you keep ignoring her." Arcee said as she shoved a servo towards Ultra Magnus' chest.
"..." Ultra Magnus could only frown. He was speechless at this point. Even with the excuse of selective amnesia, he could not keep on with being anything less than formal with Optima without raising suspicions. And as much as he did not want his relationship with the female Prime to be anything more than leader-subordinate. He has no choice but to, as the humans say, break the ice between the two of them.
"What do you want me to do?" Ultra Magnus asked. Finally relenting to Arcee. Who smiled viciously. Oh, she was so going to punish Magnus for having her go through dealing with Optima.
Later…
Optimus managed to get the spacebridge in the base to lock onto the specific dimension Ultra Magnus had landed in. He grimaced at the memory of the other Ultra Magnus who died inside his ship. That alternate Magnus' body was being carried by a floating coffin made by Solus - who accompanied him to this dimension. The plan was to find the Team Prime of this Universe, return the body of the dead Magnus, and ask for information concerning the location of their Ultra Magnus.
And they did not need to walk far. For 20 minutes after they entered this dimension. A groundbridge portal appeared. Out came a femme the height of Bulkhead but with the slimness of Bumblebee, the Arcee of this world, and the Ultra Magnus of the original dimension. Who widened his optics at the sight of his Original leader.
"Sir! You're here." Ultra Magnus exclaimed. Much to the confusion of both Optima and Arcee.
"Sir?" Arcee asked as she looked at the 30 foot mech from head to toe. Her optic's widened at the sight. Because for some odd reason, the mech has the same countenance as Optima.
"Magnus, who is this?" Optima asks her current 'boyfriend'. Who cringed at the realisation that he had no idea how to explain this entire thing to her.
"I… am Optimus Prime… although that would be true if I ask you who you were…" Optimus replied to his female self.
And all hell ensues.