Chapter Text
Optimus Prime had been saved, once again. Not by his quick-thinking, nor his powers from the Matrix of Leadership of which he held, but by a human. Cade asked if he would ever see him again because right now, the situation had grown. There remained a price on Optimus’ head, one that he knew little about why, only that it was claimed to be from his creators. His creators however? All his life he’d been told it was the Allspark that created his kind. The transformers of Cybertron always held this cube on a mighty pedestal like nothing else. It was today that he started to question all of it. So, in answer to Cade’s question.
“I do not know. But whenever you look up at the stars, think of one of them… as my soul.”
Heeling had taken time, more so than he’d liked. Because of this, the thrusters within his feet had only just started working again. Thankfully, it was perfect in terms of timing. Lifting from the ground he told his Autobot comrades to defend, it was his final order.
“Defend.”
As he left the atmosphere of the planet, there was one goal on his mind. He let it be known, broadcasting across the galaxy.
“There are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve, but who we are and why we are here are not among them. I am Optimus Prime, and this message is to my creators. Leave planet Earth alone… because I’m coming for you.”
After that, travel was smooth. His feet could take him far, and he had a fair idea of where he must go. He looked upon his map of the galaxy. Cybertron was his destination, and he knew where it remained. Even when half of it had been destroyed by Sentinel’s pillars, the other half was still there. At least, it was supposed to be.
He checked how much fuel he had to sustain for the time.
“Fair,” he said to himself. “There should be a fuelling station on Saturn. Been a while since I spoke with Alpha.”
He continued his travel. He stared out into space’s abyss and kept on his course. It was calm, quiet, and empty.
Then it wasn’t.
The force that Optimus felt when metal collided with his face was more so than any attack he’d taken in a while. Rolling back through space, he waved his arms and legs, trying to regain control. Finally, his thrusters reobtained their strength and he shot up, only enough to miss a close asteroid before landing, feet first, onto another floating rock. He looked up and the one that had caused the deviation from the path floated down and landed in front of him.
“Optimus,” Galvatron spoke with hatred.
The events that led to this moment were complicated. Megatron had been Optimus’ friend, turned enemy, turned corpse. But five Earth years after that death, the humans have accidently built him a new body. That was the story that Brains had told, anyway. Galvatron was what the humans had named his new body, and it seemed he had accepted it.
“Galvatron,” Optimus let out. “My path is my own. I am not in the mood for your overused antics.”
But Galvatron did not stray from his spot. His fists were clenched and his eyes narrowed at the last Prime.
“What are you doing here, Galvatron?” Optimus asked, impatiently.
“What does it look like, Prime?” Galvatron shot back, boisterously. “I am reborn, a new body! I am more than I ever was as Megatron, but if my reign is to begin again, I must first deal with the cockroach that persists.”
“I didn’t know you studied in Earth’s insect-ology,” Optimus snarked.
“Enough! This is how it ends, Prime. You and me. I’m sure they’ll find your body eventually, or perhaps I will deliver it to them… in pieces!”
Optimus heard enough. Like every fight they had, there was always a wonder if this was it, if this was the final battle they would partake in. This time? This time he felt bored of that marvel. Like a stain, Megatron (now Galvatron) always persevered himself. What mattered here was getting rid of him for the time being.
Optimus threw down his sword, but Galvatron slid past before landing a kick as swift as the first. Optimus felt a jolt of pain, but it was nothing he couldn’t shake off soon enough. He swung again and again before finally, Galvatron blocked with the blade on his wrist. Good. Optimus unleashed the blade from his own wrist and jerked it. A stab was made, and then another. He kept shanking as he forced the Decepticon leader back. Finally, he made a shove with his shoulder and Galvatron toppled away.
But the Autobot leader was not met with a weakened enemy. Galvatron’s body started to rebuild itself almost instantly. Right, he’d forgotten that part. Galvatron started to laugh before rapidly, his body fell apart. Splitting itself into hundreds of pieces, it was like a murder of crows or a swarm of jellyfish, the particles shot at the last Prime. It was like he was being torn apart by a minigun. Optimus took each hit before he went flying like before.
He tried to get up but it was pointless. As he struggled, Optimus felt the pieces of his foe wrap around him. He cried out as he felt the new rope tighten. Suddenly, Galvatron’s head reformatted itself before him.
“You fool, Prime. My body is beyond your pitiful weapons.” More particles pulled up the weapons that were dropped. “Your sword. Your shield. No matter what toys you keep on you, all of it means nothing! It’s over, Prime. Finally, I can begin again!”
But Optimus was not finished. Kicking upwards, the jets burned through the metal that bonded him. Galvatron roared as his enemy broke free. Grabbing his sword, Optimus swung again, decapitating his foe from the rest of his parts.
His head hit the rock, but slowly, his boy began to rebuild itself. Optimus prepared for the fight to continue, but attempted to half the process, clamping his foot on the top of some of the parts that flew and burned them once more. Before him, Galvatron’s body was covered in jittering sparks. To his surprise, he noticed that his foe was weakened. Testing a theory, he picked up his shield and activated the gun at the end of it to fire upon other roaming pieces that were yet to reach the torso. Galvatron shouted but not with words and more sparks began to shoot from his body.
Optimus didn’t need to say it out loud, the weakness was clear.
“I am disappointed, Galvatron,” he said, casually, with a hint of snark. “I thought this new body of yours would challenge me more. Perhaps… this really is where it ends. A new reign? Hardly. Without another to follow, you were always lost.”
Galvatron gasped. He stared at the Autobot leader. Optimus understood he was too weak to reply, but why stop there?
“Sentinel. The Fallen. Who else must you fall under the boot of before the Decepticons get their leader back?”
“Peace.”
Optimus blinked. “What?”
“I- offered you peace.”
Shaking his head, Prime took another step forward and readied his weapon.
In the corner of his eye, there was light. He turned to his right side, only to see the coming missile. He was unable to block it in time, and his chest was ripped apart.
He landed back on the ground, smoke drifting from his chest. Get sent strength to his arms, hoping to pull himself back up. Suddenly, the small pod dropped beside him, but it did not explode, only fry. A quick shock fired from the top, and he abruptly felt numb. He looked upon himself and realised his body was turning grey and coating itself in frost.
Below him, he saw a foot but they not that of Galvatron, but a hulking brute. He looked up and when he did, what he saw was familiar. It was like looking into a broken mirror. This new player who entered their game looked just like him in many ways, but in other ways he did not. He could see that the missile had come from this bot’s shoulders which had a high rectangular attachment on their tops. The bot grabbed him and pulled him up. Optimus thought he was going to unleash a weapon, but his hand became lodged in his chest. That’s when it all came together, and Optimus understood what he was after. The Matrix of Leadership floated over his doppelganger’s palm. He took out a device from his own chest and placed the Matrix inside. The case was golden, with a blue light in middle and handles on each side.
Gently, he pushed the Autobot leader back. As Optimus drifted away from the scene and his body continued to fail him, he saw his double pick up Galvatron and drag him away as a vessel of some kind was landing on top of the floating rock where they fought.
There was nothing he could do. Optimus had a last look at the stars before he finally shut down.