Chapter Text
Cybertron.
Homeworld of the Transformers. For eons, it had existed in a constant state of war and devastation, divided between two opposing factions: the Autobots, led by the courageous Optimus Prime, and the Decepticons, ruled by the fearsome Megatron. Their endless battles eventually reduced their shared world to a barren wasteland.
The war carried on to a primitive world called Earth. There, the key to restoring Cybertron was found. After much strife and sacrifice, the Autobots succeeded in reviving their home. Once Cybertron could sustain life again, it was time to restore its ability to create new life. To that end, Optimus Prime departed on a quest to return the All-Spark to Cybertron.
However, Unicron—the Chaos Bringer and sworn enemy of the creator Primus—took control of Megatron's destroyed body and sought to destroy the planet. Autobots and Decepticons united, managing to hold him back until Optimus returned with the All-Spark. Together, they trapped Unicron's essence within the container that once housed the All-Spark.
After being freed, a revived Megatron disbanded the Decepticons and left for self-imposed exile, having come to understand the true meaning of oppression.
For a time, it seemed as if all was well.
However, that peace would not last.
Optimus Prime stood before the gathered Cybertronians at the Well of the All-Sparks.
"To both protect the All-Spark and secure Unicron's defeat," Optimus said to his soldiers, "I needed to empty the vessel's contents."
"Into where?" Bumblebee asked.
Optimus lowered his gaze to his chest, where a powerful and ancient artifact rested. "The Matrix of Leadership," he revealed. "As such, my own spark can no longer be separated from the multitude of others within me."
Ratchet stared at him in disbelief. "Are you telling us… are you now one with the All-Spark?"
Smokescreen let out a short laugh. "That's what you say when someone kicks the—" He stopped mid-sentence as realization struck. The truth settled heavily over the group, and none of them liked where this was going.
"To not return the All-Spark to the Well," Optimus continued, "would be to prevent future generations of new life from ever existing on Cybertron. My quest must be completed."
"Optimus…" Ratchet said quietly. "I didn't return to save a life, only to lose the one I care most about."
"Ratchet's restored planets," Bulkhead insisted. "He'll find a way to save you."
"We can turn to Vector Sigma," Arcee added. "Just like we did before."
Optimus felt his spark warm at their determination and loyalty. They were willing to defy fate itself for him. But he knew the truth of the old saying: no sacrifice, no victory. And this was one victory he alone had to achieve.
"Because the Matrix must now be relinquished with the All-Spark, it cannot be restored or passed down to another," Optimus explained, his tone resigned to his fate. "This may mark the end of the age of Primes. But leadership can be earned with or without the Matrix—and in my view, each of you has acted as a Prime."
He looked over his soldiers and friends. Knockout, the lone Decepticon defector among them, shifted awkwardly.
"Well," Knockout said, "I never really had the best role models."
Optimus turned toward the horizon, his thoughts lingering on his former friend and greatest enemy.
"As even Megatron has demonstrated this day," Optimus said, "every sentient being possesses the capacity for change."
Wings unfolded from his back as he turned once more to the Autobots.
"I ask only this of you," he said. "Keep fighting the noblest of fights."
For a moment, no one spoke. Then Bumblebee stepped forward.
"You can count on us to keep the peace."
Optimus smiled. "I know, old friend. I know." He thought silently to himself.
Without another word, he launched himself into the sky for the final time. Determination filled his expression as moments later, he descended into the Well, plunging toward the core of Cybertron—toward Primus itself. His chest plates opened, revealing the Matrix of Leadership.
"Above all, do not lament my absence."
As the last Prime approached the core, he closed his eyes and accepted his fate without fear or hesitation.
"For in my spark, I know this is not the end. But merely a new beginning. Another transformation."
And then he was gone.
Cold.
That was the first feeling Optimus Prime had along his back as his consciousness returned. The next thing he felt, in addition to the cold, was something hard. He let out a groan as he began to sit up, feeling an aching in his back as he rubbed his head. He froze when he felt a soft fabric in his hands, and the sensation felt like it was in his hands. He pulled his hand back and froze.
It was not the familiar metal limb he was familiar with, but flesh and blood, covered in black fingerless gloves. He turned his human hand over and over again, looking at the limb with fascination.
"What happened?" He asked himself. He blinked as he realized something was wrong with his voice. It wasn't the deep, commanding voice he used for eons. It sounded younger, less robotic. He then looked up and realized he was in an alley and the sky was the familiar blue color of Earth, but something was wrong, if there wasn't enough wrong already.
"Why is everything so big?" He voiced aloud. He then decided to stand to his full height and walk towards the nearest exit. He then covered his eyes as the sun blinded him. After he took a moment to adjust to the light, he looked around, and his eyes widened.
The city, or town, as it may be more accurate, looked different from anything he'd seen during his three years on Earth. Granted, he's never seen all of Earth, but this didn't only look and feel different from the places he's visited on Earth. The town had a sort of ancient feel, almost like it belonged in some fantasy realm.
"By the All Spark." He whispered to himself, awe and confusion in his voice. "Where am I?"
He then happened to glance through a window and, in shock, saw his appearance.
"What am I?!" He shouted in surprise.
He was a human?! Judging by the look on his face, he is probably a few years older than Jack, who he recalled was 16 when they last met. He had dark blue hair styled like those characters from those Japanese cartoons Miko introduced the Autobots to, piercing light blue eyes, creamy skin, and he was also fairly tall and muscular, in a more lean build in line with his older body before he became Optimus 2.0, as Miko called him.
He wore a black undershirt, a red jacket that stopped halfway down his chest, sleeves that reached his elbows, and black fingerless gloves. He wore dark blue jeans that reached his feet and black combat boots.
He stared at himself for a long time, surprised at his appearance. Slowly, he raised a hand and ran his fingers across his skin. His smooth, human skin.
It was at that moment that Optimus realized people were staring at him. He then decided to make himself scarce, almost attempting to transform, when he quickly remembered that it was physically impossible. He ducked back into a deserted alley and tried to come up with what could have happened to him.
Did some spacebridge portal open up before he could enter the core and transport him to some random place on Earth? But if that was the case, how did he transform into a human? Plus, he had some doubts that this place he found himself in was even on Earth. Call it a wild guess, call it instinct honed by eons of war, but Optimus was sure he found himself in a place far from Cybertron and Earth.
As he thought that, panic began to fill within him. If he were here, alive, what happened to Cybertron? Did he manage to fuse the All Spark with Primus and create new life? Or had he failed his quest, and was his world now incapable of producing life again? The unknown terrified him, but he shook his head. He couldn't afford to panic right now, not when he was in unknown territory, in an unknown body.
As he began to formulate a plan, he heard two people ahead of him talking, and they sounded pretty down.
"Aw, man. I ended up riding the train twice."
"You gotta get over that motion sickness."
"Now I'm so hungry I could eat my hand."
"It's too bad we don't have money for food."
As Optimus rounded a corner to get a look at the two talking, he was greeted by a young man with pink spiky hair, a muscular chest, wearing a large red coat and a big backpack, sandals, and shorts. He also wore an interesting white scarf around his neck.
The second one was a small blue cat that could walk on two legs. That caused Optimus to raise an eyebrow, as he didn't know felines could do such a feat. He then looked around, trying to spot the second person the young man was talking to. He then looked around, trying to spot the second person the young man was talking to.
"Hey, Happy. This Salamander we're looking for has gotta be Igneel, right?"
"Aye," To Optimus's great shock, the blue cat, apparently named Happy, spoke. "That has to be the case, because the only fire dragon I've heard of is Igneel."
"Yeah, you got a point."
As the two kept walking, Optimus was frozen in shock by all that he had just seen and heard. Fire dragon? Salamander? Talking cats?! What in the name of Alpha Trion's beard was going on here?!
Shaking his shock away, Optimus cleared his throat and introduced himself. "Excuse me."
That caused both the young man and the talking cat to stop as they turned toward him. They both gave him a quick appraisal, becoming on guard at this stranger.
"Who the heck are you, buddy?" The pink-haired young man growled. "You looking to pick a fight with me?" He raised his fist menacingly, and Optimus swore he caught a flash of ember before he spoke up, raising his hands to show he was no threat.
"I mean you and your companion no harm, young man," Optimus assured, approaching slowly with his hands raised. "I merely overheard your conversation and wanted to see if I could help."
Hearing that the newcomer wasn't looking for a fight, the pink-haired man's expression fell somewhat, though he was also a bit relieved. He always loved a good battle, but not when he was hungry or when he was searching for his father. Plus, this stranger did offer to help, even though it sounded strange.
"You'd help me? Why, though?" Natsu asked in confusion. "We just met, and I don't even know your name."
"Do I need a reason to help someone who is in such evident distress?" Optimus asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And as for my name, you can call me Optimus Prime." While he did want to help this young man simply out of the goodness of his heart, he also hoped that helping him would distract him from the hopelessness of his situation.
He held out his hand to the young man.
The pinkette just stared at the outstretched arm, then up at the stranger's face. It didn't look like he was lying about wanting to help, but there was something off about this guy. For starters, it was his scent. He didn't smell like anybody he had met before. While he had the smell of a human, there were also other scents, smells like iron, metal, and something else, something he had never smelled before. Plus, there were his eyes. People his age didn't have eyes like those. It was like he was looking in Gramps' eyes rather than someone his own age. Still, this guy offered to help, and despite how suspicious he seemed, the pinkette could tell he was one of the good ones.
He then clasped his hand with Optimus, giving it a firm squeeze, and found himself grinning at the strength of this Optimus Prime.
"Nice to meet you! My name's Natsu, Natsu Dragneel!" Natsu said with a toothy smile.
"Well met, Natsu Dragneel. And you must be Happy, correct?" Optimus asked, directing his gaze to the talking blue cat (he was gonna file that information away for later).
"Aye, sir!" Happy said with a smile.
And with that, the trio began walking around the town, chatting with each other and getting to know each other. Well, the reasons they were here, anyway.
"So, why are you here in this town, Natsu?" Optimus asked. "It doesn't seem like you're a resident or a simple tourist."
"I'm looking for a fire dragon named Igneel who might be going by the name Salamander," Natsu revealed, as if it were obvious. "Have you by any chance seen him in this town?"
Optimus looked quite dumbfounded at the young man before him, especially since he said it with such a straight face. While he'd never seen dragons before, Optimus had met and fought Predaking, who could take on the form of a dragon, according to Miko. If the dragons here were anything like him, then surely it would be easy to spot a dragon in a town like this, unless the dragons were different from what he knew.
Before he could say such words, the two boys and the cat heard a commotion coming from further down the street, girls chanting the name 'Salamander'. Natsu and Happy lit up in excitement as they raced into the square to get a good look at the 'Salamander' while Optimus frowned in contemplation. This didn't seem right.
When he pushed himself through the crowd, he saw not a dragon but a man with dark blue hair dressed in fine blue robes.
"Who the heck are you?" Natsu asked, confused and disappointed by the man before him. The man seemed shocked that he wasn't immediately recognized before acting all high and mighty, giving off an air of a dashing prince.
"Who am I?! I am Salamander. Surely you've heard of me?" The man known as Salamander said with 100 percent confidence he would hear a yes.
Natsu quickly ignored him and walked away. Unfortunately for the pinkette, he was then attacked from behind by several overzealous girls who took offense to Natsu ignoring the man.
"Now, now, that's enough, my lovelies, let him go. I'm sure the poor boy didn't mean anything malicious by it." In an instant, the girls changed their tune from fury over Natsu's obliviousness to dazed maidens at the man's words.
The actions of the females made Optimus frown in suspicion. While he may often be confused by human behavior, he knew for sure that was not how regular human girls acted. Plus, there was the look of heart symbols in their eyes. Something wasn't right here.
The man known as Salamander took note of Optimus standing to the side, then wrote what appeared to be an autograph before handing it to Optimus. "Here's my autograph for you, kid. Now you can brag to everyone that you've met me."
"No, thank you," Optimus said in what he was sure was a polite and respectful manner; however, the mass of girls suddenly attacked him, and he landed on the ground next to Natsu and Happy, bruised. While he could've taken all those girls with ease, he didn't want to hurt any of them, as they clearly didn't seem to be in complete control of themselves.
"Guess it wasn't him after all." Happy said in resignation.
"Definitely not him." Natsu groaned
"I concur." Optimus groaned. Why do human females hit so hard?
The 'Salamander' then decided it was time to wrap things up. "I'm afraid I must be going, ladies. I have business to attend to."
The girls seemed distraught by his words. "You're leaving already?!"
"Time to pull out the red carpet." He then snapped his fingers, and a glowing red sigil appeared out of nowhere, followed by purple flames that burst to life from the ground, carrying him into the air in a cyclone. Optimus looked in shock. No human he knew was capable of such power?! "I'm having a soiree on my yacht tonight, and you're all invited!" He then blasted off into the sky, leaving the fangirls and a duo of very confused boys and one cat behind.
"Who was that guy?" Natsu asked aloud.
"And how did he do that?" Optimus asked.
"I don't know, but he was a real creep. And I'm pretty sure he used some charm magic and fire magic to help him there." The trio sees a young woman with blonde hair, dressed in a white-and-blue outfit, holding a whip and a pair of keys at her side. She smiled at them in gratitude. She smiled at them in appreciation. "Thanks for your help."
"Uhhh." Natsu was dumbfounded, as he wasn't sure of what she just said, while Optimus honed in on one word.
"Did you say Magic?"
The four then found themselves in a restaurant that the girl, Lucy, took them to as a way of thanks. Natsu was eagerly chowing down on the free food, and Optimus was right behind him. While he didn't eat with much vigor, he found himself immensely enjoying his first real meal, as evidenced by how much his eyes sparkled as he tasted the food. Oh, this tasted so much better than Energon!
Lucy, who sat next to him, sweatdropped at Natsu's way of eating.
"So, Natsu and Happy. And your name's Optimus Prime—weird name." Lucy recalled their names.
"Hmm. You're so nice." Natsu managed to say in between stuffing food in his mouth.
"Thanks, you can slow down now. We're not going anywhere, and the food's flying everywhere." She said as some food got into her hair.
Optimus then paused in his eating and turned to Lucy.
"If I may ask, Lucy, what are you paying for our meal?" Optimus asked. "Not that I'm complaining, but you mentioned it was to thank us for helping you. Could you tell us how we did that?"
"Well, that's because you and Natsu snapped me out of that charm spell that the Salamander guy had me under," Lucy said.
"Charm spell?" Optimus asked. Judging from his tone, Lucy thought he didn't know what that was, and given his confusion earlier, maybe he didn't even know what most magic was.
"Evidently, that Salamander guy was using magic." Lucy began explaining. "A charm spell to hypnotize the ladies in town into thinking they were in love with him. Charms change people's feelings and have been banned for years, so it should be impossible for him to've gotten one. He must have done some real nasty stuff to get his hands on one. What a creep."
As she was explaining, Optimus's face darkened as he heard more of this magic. People being forced to feel and do things against their will—this kind of magic disgusted Optimus. He always believed that freedom was everyone's right, and he was willing to fight and die for that belief, and in some cases, he did. Hearing how this 'Salamander' put others under his will caused him to clench his fist in anger. He regretted not doing something sooner to stop that man; his ignorance of the world and its power had led him to hesitate.
"Anyway, I fell victim to his spell and was only able to snap out of it thanks to you guys, so I really can't thank you both enough." Hearing her genuine thanks caused Optimus's expression to soften as he smiled. He might not have saved all those girls from that Salamander's charm magic, but at least he saved one person.
"We're happy to help, Lucy," Optimus said with a smile.
"Yeah, no problem," Natsu said without a care as he continued eating.
"I may not look it, but I'm a wizard too."
"Is that so?" Natsu said.
Optimus raised an eyebrow in confusion. He didn't know much about magic in terms of humans, but weren't female wizards called witches?
"Yeah, but I haven't joined a guild yet or anything," Lucy admitted.
"A guild?" Optimus asked. What did a guild have to do with being a wizard?
"Oh yeah, I should probably explain." Lucy began, thinking these two are ignorant of such things, well, she'd be right for one of them. "See, guilds are places where wizards come together to share information, find work, and things like that. Unfortunately, you aren't considered a full-fledged wizard until you join a guild."
Lucy then began to shake with excitement as she continued explaining.
"There are tons of them all over the world. I heard it's super hard to get into the more popular ones, and the guild I wanna join is the most popular one there is. They're the greatest, and they're always featured in Sorcerer Weekly. Oh, I think if I can convince them to let me join, I'd just about die!" She sighed dreamily at the prospect of joining her dream guild while Natsu and Happy watched on with confusion, and Optimus sweatdropped at her behavior. She then calmed down.
"Oh, I'm sorry. All this talk about wizards must sound like gibberish to you. But I'm definitely going to join that guild someday, and when I do, I'm going to have so many exciting jobs and make tons of money." She sounded hopeful and excited for the future—something Optimus found pure and good, which made him smile.
"Oh, yeah," Natsu said, not really impressed.
"You talk a lot." Happy commented on.
"Oh man, I almost forgot. You guys came here looking for someone, didn't you?" Lucy asked.
"We're looking for Igneel!" Happy answered.
"We heard rumors that a Salamander was gonna come through this town, so we came here to see him. Turns out it was somebody else." Natsu said, his tone deflated.
"Yeah, that guy didn't look like a Salamander at all." Happy said.
"No kidding. I bet that poser can't even breathe fire like a real dragon." Natsu agreed.
Lucy sweatdropped in confusion, and Optimus didn't blame her since he, too, found the tale quite hard to believe when Natsu first told him.
"Uhh, I don't get it. Does your friend Igneel look like a dragon?" Lucy asked, not quite understanding what Natsu was saying.
"No, you got it all wrong. He doesn't look like a dragon—he is one." Natsu revealed
Lucy just tilted her head, dumbfounded at the pinkette's words as she imagined the fire-breathing creature. It didn't help when Happy chimed in. "Igneel is a real-life fire dragon!"
Lucy was silent for a long moment, her brain playing catch-up. When it finally did.
"WHY WOULD A FIRE DRAGON SHOW UP IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN?!"
Natsu and Happy tried to convince her, but they were too stumped on how and why a dragon would show up in the middle of a town like this. So much so that a shocked background hung behind them. Optimus looked at it, confused. "Why are creatures hanging that piece of fabric behind Natsu and Happy?"
"IT'S TOTALLY RIDICULOUS!" Lucy shouted at the idiocy of these two. She then let out a sigh as she turned to Optimus. "What about you, Optimus? What brings you to this little town?"
Optimus sweated nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said.
"Oh, come on," Lucy argued. "It can't be more ridiculous than these two hoping to find a dragon in the middle of a town."
"I assure you, it's far more strange than that."
Lucy gave him a challenging look as she folded her arms across her chest. "Try me!"
Seeing as she wasn't about to give up, Optimus let out a sigh. Well, she asked for it.
"I'm not really a human," Optimus admitted. "Or, I wasn't originally. I was once an autonomous robotic organism from the planet Cybertron. I somehow woke up in this town as a human after flying into the core of my planet to ensure it could produce new life."
He watched as Lucy's face quickly became more and more blank as his explanation went on. Natsu and Happy also stopped eating to stare at him wide-eyed. Lucy then abruptly stood up and slapped a few bills on the table to pay for the meal—hopefully enough for this Optimus fellow to get himself checked into a mental hospital.
"Anyway, enjoy the rest of your lunch, and maybe I'll see you three around," Lucy said cheerfully. "Hopefully, after you've gotten your head checked for any concussions."
"Thank you, ma'am, please come again—ACK!" She was cut off as she gasped in shock at what happened behind her. Lucy turned and gawked when she saw Natsu and Happy making a scene by bowing dramatically before her, while Optimus watched with a raised eyebrow.
"Thank you for the food!" Natsu yelled.
"Thank you!" Happy repeated.
Lucy, however, was not feeling the gratitude.
"Cut it out! You're embarrassing me!" Lucy shouted before calming down. "Look, it's cool. You guys helped me out earlier, so let's just call it even."
Natsu and Happy looked at each other.
"I feel bad, though, because we weren't even trying to help her." Happy said, the admission causing Lucy's expression to drop.
"I know. We gotta do something." Natsu then got an idea. "Oh, I know! This is for you!" He handed her the signed autograph of the Salamander—the one Optimus was now missing from his person. However, Optimus wasn't too worried about losing it.
"How did he get his hands on that?" Optimus asked no one in particular
"No, thank you!" Lucy said in anger. She then noticed Optimus walking toward her, and a sense of impending embarrassment filled her. "Please don't bow before me to thank me," Lucy begged.
"Don't worry, I won't be bowing at all," Optimus assured her. "But I would like to say thank you, Lucy, for the excellent first meal I was able to have."
He gave her a warm smile, one that she returned, even if she was curious about his wording. First meal?
"He may be crazy, but he's got a good heart—way better than that creep anyway." Lucy thought to herself. You're welcome, Optimus. I'll see you guys around, maybe when I'm super famous after I join my dream guild."
And with that, she left the trio of boys to finish their lunch.
Moments later
The duo of boys and one cat stepped out of the restaurant, with a feeling of contentment and satisfaction from deep within them. Especially Optimus, as he had never before felt the feeling of being full from a meal.
"That… that was delicious." He had a wide and pleasant smile on his face, one he hadn't worn in a long time.
"You said it, pal. Now I really gotta find Lacy and pay her back somehow." Natsu said.
Optimus sweatdropped at how Natsu got the name mixed up.
"What are you going to do, Optimus?" Happy asked.
Optimus took a moment to think about it. While Lucy's explanation of wizards and guilds helped clear up a lot of questions for the Prime, he still had a lot of unanswered questions that needed answers. Thankfully, he knew just the place to visit.
"I'm going to head to the library to gather some information. Would you two like to join me?" He asked his new companions.
As soon as he said library, both Natsu and Happy faltered. Was this guy a bookworm like Levy?
"Yeah, no thanks." Natsu quickly said. "I think we're just gonna hang around the station, waiting for the train to take us back to our guild."
Optimus blinked at his words. "Oh? You're a member of a guild?"
Natsu smirked in pride as he pulled down his massive jacket over his right shoulder to reveal a guild mark. It was red, with what appeared to be a fairy with a flaming tail.
"Yep! I'm a proud member of the Fairy Tail Guild! The best guild in the whole wide world!" Natsu yelled with pride in his voice.
Optimus smiled at his youthful enthusiasm. He then frowned, though. "If you're a member of a guild, that must also mean you're a wizard, correct?" He asked.
"You betcha!"
"Then why didn't you say anything to Lucy?" Optimus asked. "I'm sure you could've helped her if you told her you were a wizard and a guild member."
Natsu tilted his head in confusion. "Who's Lucy?"
Optimus sweatdropped. "The girl who just paid for our lunch." He reminded him.
"Oh, right! Luigi!" Natsu said.
"That's not correct." Optimus let out a sigh at his antics, but he smiled. This behavior reminded him much of the younger Autobots, before the war became much, much worse.
"Well, anyway, it seems we part ways for now. I wish you luck in your search for Igneel, Natsu Dragneel." Optimus said.
Natsu blinked in disbelief—not at the words, but at how he said them, with complete sincerity, like he truly wished Natsu well in finding a dragon. Most people outside of the guild didn't believe him at all when he explained the circumstances behind his search for Igneel. They mocked him, calling him crazy or a liar for trying to find a dragon. Even those in the guild only really believed him because of the magic he used, or because he had grown up with them his whole life. But this guy—this Optimus Prime—believed him without even seeing his magic, and after knowing him for less than an hour.
"You believe me?" Natsu said in disbelief. "About Igneel being a dragon? Just like that? Don't you think I'm lying or that I'm crazy?"
Optimus chuckled at the young man's question.
"My boy, I have known one who considers himself to be the master of deception my whole life. Plus, I've met those who have more than one screw loose in their brain modules." He thought of that one Decepticon Springload. "I've become quite perspicacious thanks to those experiences, and I can tell—both by the look in your eyes and the hidden passion in your voice—that you are telling the truth about Igneel. I can also see how important finding him is to you, and I hope with all my heart that you do."
Natsu just looked at him in shocked silence. He believed him. This total stranger not only believed him about Igneel but also sincerely wished him luck in finding him. That had never happened before, and it was enough to comfort him that a warm, grateful smile spread across his face.
"Thanks, man. I'll see you around." Natsu said, waving goodbye. Optimus returned the wave as he turned and made his exit from the scene. Natsu watched him leave until he was out of sight—and even then, he continued to stare at the spot where Optimus had been for a long moment, until Happy shook him out of it.
"Hey, Natsu, are you there?"
Natsu blinked as his thoughts returned to him at Happy's question."Yeah, yeah, I'm good, little buddy." His voice sounded distant as he continued to stare at the spot where Optimus had last been seen. "Hey, Happy."
"Aye, sir?"
"What do you think about that guy joining the guild?"
Happy seemed a little surprised before he brought a paw to his chin in thought. "I think he'd be a great addition to the guild, but he doesn't seem like a wizard, given how confused he was about magic and stuff."
"Yeah, maybe. But who says only wizards get to join guilds?" Natsu asked.
"Aye, you have a point. But how do we know we'll ever see him again?" Happy pointed out.
Natsu had nothing to say to that. Then he turned and began to walk toward the station. "Come on, let's go. We spent enough time in this town."
"Aye, sir." Happy said.
As Natsu walked, he couldn't help but think about the two people he had encountered—Lucy and Optimus Prime. He may not have found Igneel as he hoped, but he did meet two people he was sure were extraordinary. He hoped against hope that he would meet them again soon… and invite them to join Fairy Tail.
Optimus found the library with no problem, thanks to the signs in the roads that gave him the directions he needed to take to get there. He arrived and quickly took it in. It was no Iacon Hall of Records, but it would do to help him learn basic information about this strange new world he'd found himself in.
He quickly familiarized himself with the library's setup and grabbed all the books he needed. He mainly chose to study history and geography, though he did grab some books on the basics of magic and how it worked in this world.
He spent hours in that building, poring through book after book after book. Being a former archivist taught him how to read fast, and boy, did it come in handy. By the time the library was closing, he had already finished his stack of books with some time to spare.
When he stepped outside, night had fallen, and the stars were out. He took a moment to look up at the sky, and he noticed how different these constellations were from those of Earth and Cybertron, which only confirmed what he knew to be true.
"I truly am in a different world." He had suspected it, given all he had heard and seen of this world, but he had some small measure of hope that he might be on some hidden continent on Earth—perhaps at a place known as the Bermuda Triangle. But no, he was in an entirely different world. Maybe an entirely different universe altogether.
He had read the theories about alternative realities in the Hall of Records, like the Shattered Glass and the Dead Universe. It seemed the multiversal theory was indeed proven true if this really was an alternative world. So many questions flashed through his mind, but only one managed to reach the forefront.
What was he supposed to do now?
He could try to find wizards who could perform a ritual to transport him across worlds, but he doubted such a thing existed. Plus, who would believe he was from another world?
He had no Autobots to call upon for help. No Decepticons to fight. No mission or quest to complete. He was a soldier without a purpose. The thought terrified him more than he cared to admit. He stopped walking, tucking his head down with a frown.
What should he do? Where should he go?
Then he thought back to his conversations with Lucy, Natsu, and Happy—how passionately they talked about guilds. That made Optimus perk up in thought. Could he maybe join a guild? The idea wasn't too ridiculous. Lucy did say it was a place where wizards could trade information and go on jobs together, and right now, what Optimus needed was a way to provide for himself.
"But to join a guild, I need to be a wizard. And I'm not a wizard… or am I?" He looked down at his arms, his face one of deep contemplation. From the books he had read, magic was the physical embodiment of the spirit. When the physical spirit of an organism connects with the spiritual flow of nature, magic arises. Though magic goes beyond reason, it is still born of it, requiring enormous concentration and mental ability to wield. One's magical power was tied to one's life force, and only ten percent of the population could use magic—something about maintaining balance between the mystical and the mundane.
"What are the odds I'm in those ten percent?"
While he himself had never used magic in the way seen here, he had witnessed the mystic powers of his homeworld at work—and had even carried within him the most sacred and mystic relic of Cybertron: the Matrix of Leadership. Despite being transformed into a human, he could still feel the Matrix within him. Its power felt stronger than ever.
"Then… is it possible that I can use magic?"
There was only one way to find out.
Taking a deep breath, he focused his will on his hands, trying to force something—anything—to happen. It was subtle, but he felt something stirring inside him. He concentrated on that sensation, trying to summon the power deep within—
BOOM!
The loud noise and the shaking ground snapped Optimus out of his concentration. He turned toward the source and saw, to his amazement, that a massive tsunami had somehow formed and was racing toward the shore. Worried people could be in danger; an intense look formed in his eyes.
"People could be in trouble. I'd better head over there." He took a deep breath and bellowed—
"TRANSFORM!"
His elbows folded tightly against his body as he brought his feet together and bent his knees, eyes squeezed shut in intense concentration.
Nothing happened.
To the people on the street, it looked like some kid was trying to take a dump in the middle of the road at night.
Optimus froze, then flushed red with embarrassment as realization struck.
"Right. Human body. Can't transform into a truck."
He took off running instead.
This was going to take some getting used to.
He arrived to find a massive yacht crashed onto the shoreline. He looked around, trying to see if he could find someone in trouble, when his eyes landed on two familiar figures.
"Lucy?! Happy?!" He called out to them.
His shout drew the attention of the two he had met earlier that day, both of them surprised to see him here. Lucy was dressed in a dark red dress.
"Optimus?!" Both shouted, surprised to see him.
"What happened?! Are you two alright?!" Optimus quickly looked over them for injuries.
"We're fine. What are you doing here?" Lucy asked.
"I saw the tsunami suddenly form and came to see if I could help anyone. How in the world did such a natural disaster happen so randomly?" Optimus asked aloud, looking around for the source.
Lucy suddenly looked very guilty. "Uhh..."
"It was her fish lady's fault!" Happy said as he pointed at Lucy, who looked angered at the betrayal by the talking cat.
"You stupid cat! I'm gonna murder you!" Lucy shouted.
Optimus merely raised his eyebrows in confusion at Happy's words. "Fish lady?" At this point, he shouldn't even be surprised.
Lucy's eyes then widened as she remembered something important. "Oh, no. Natsu!"
"Natsu?" Optimus repeated the name. Was he here too? "What happened to him?"
"He was on the boat with those slavers?" Lucy revealed.
Optimus's eyes narrowed at the word slavers. He then turned back to the boat to see a group of people recovering, including that disgusting man from earlier, the Salamander. Optimus then caught sight of Natsu standing on the top of the crashed ship.
Optimus caught sight of the look in his eyes. It was intense, one that he's never seen on the young man's face since they met. It was also the look of someone who was deeply offended as he stared down at the Salamander.
"So you claim to be a member of the Fairy Tail Guild?" Natsu asked, rising anger in his tone. Optimus understood the anger in his voice. He was upset that someone claimed to be a member of his guild, and, given the pride he took in his guild, he took such offenses deeply personal.
"What's it to you? Get 'em men!" The Salamander ordered his henchmen.
"Sir!" Two men charged at Natsu the moment he threw off his cloak.
"Watch out!" Lucy shouted
"Don't worry about him. I probably should've mentioned it before, but he's a Wizard too." Happy casually revealed. Lucy looked shocked at that revelation, which made Optimus remember that she didn't know, unlike him.
He then saw Natsu slap those guys away like they were nothing, all with an enraged look on his face.
"My name is Natsu, a Fairy Tail Wizard! And I've never seen you before!" The young man declared.
Both the Salamander and Lucy gasped in disbelief.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Lucy shouted in disbelief. "So, Natsu's a Fairy Tail Wizard?!"
"Indeed," Optimus said.
"Wait, how do you know?!" Lucy asked as she turned to him.
"He told me after you left us at the restaurant." Optimus casually revealed.
Lucy's jaw dropped. She could've easily gotten into her dream guild without having to get tricked by that scumbag if she had just waited for a little bit.
"That mark on his arm, this guy's the real deal, Bora!"
"Don't call me that, you fool!" The Salamander, whose real name was apparently Bora, turned to his henchman in shock.
"So he was using an alias." Optimus thought to himself
"I know him. That's Bora the Prominance. Rumor has it he was kicked out of the Titans Gnomes Wizard Guild a couple of years ago for bad behavior." Happy explained.
Natsu began walking toward Bora; his posture and confidence meant he was ready for a fight. "I don't care who you are or what you're doing here, buddy. I don't care if you're a good guy, a bad guy, or whatever. I'm not gonna let you dirty the Fairy Tail name!" He declared.
Bora smirked in arrogance.
"And what are you gonna do about it? Stop me? Prominance Typhoon!" Bora shouted his spell as a cyclone of purple flames shot straight at Natsu, consuming the young man, to the shock of Lucy and Optimus.
"Natsu!" Lucy cried in horror. Optimus was about to charge in, but Happy surprised him by sprouting wings and stopping both him and Lucy. Optimus could've continued, but the shock of seeing a cat with wings caused him to stay still for a moment.
"Man, that was gross!" A familiar voice came from the flames. Optimus and Lucy looked back up at the source of the voice to see Natsu's silhouette just standing there nonchalantly.
"Are you sure you're really a fire wizard? Cause these are some of the nastiest flames I ever tasted." The fire cleared enough that everyone could see Natsu was eating the flames! Everyone, from Bora and his goons, Lucy, and even Optimus, all looked in shock at what they saw.
Natsu soon finished consuming the remaining flames and swallowed them whole. He then smirked at Bora. "Thanks for the grub, mister."
"What's going on?! Who is this kid?!"
"I find myself asking the same question," Optimus said to himself. While he knew Natsu was a Wizard, he didn't think he was a wizard who could consume flames.
"Fire magic doesn't work on Natsu." Happy pointed out with a tired expression.
"I've never seen anything like that," Lucy said
"Neither have I. And that's saying something." Optimus, who had lived for over 9 million years, admitted. Guess things could still surprise you, even at his age.
Natsu began to walk forward, steam coming off him. "Now I've got a fire in my belly that's raging to get out. Here it goes." He then slammed his fists together, and a magic circle with the face of a dragon appeared. His face then puffed up, but despite not opening his mouth, he yelled his spell.
"Fire Dragon... ROAR!"
A massive stream of fire shot out from Natsu's mouth, just like a real dragon, and engulfed Bora and his men. The explosion was enormous and could be seen from miles away. Shielding his face and eyes from the force, Optimus looked and was surprised to see nearly all of the men taken down except for Bora, who used his fire magic to remain in the air.
"Hey, Bora." One of the goons spoke up. "I swear I've seen this guy before—the pink hair and the scaly-looking scarf. There's no doubt about it. He's gotta be the real one."
Lucy just looked even more shocked. "Salamander?!" This total moron was the famous Salamander?!
"So he's the real Salamander? So Bora took his name for his own." Optimus thought.
Natsu's fists then lit up in flames. "Hope you punks are paying attention! This is what a Fairy Tail wizard can do! Here I come!" Natsu shouted as he then charged at Bora, who used his own fire to counterattack as Natsu leaped into the air and engaged him in the sky.
As the two were fighting, Happy began to explain Natsu's magic, Dragon Slayer Magic, an ancient and powerful art used to fight Dragons, but since their disappearance, there aren't many people who use the magic these days.
Optimus was greatly impressed by Natsu's power, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw many of Bora's henchmen start to get to their feet. Guess Natsu's attack didn't put them out of commission as he thought. Seeing as they were beginning to approach them, Optimus stood protectively in front of Lucy and Happy.
"Stay behind me, you two." The two turned their attention away from the fight with Bora to see that almost two dozen slavers were getting to their feet and approaching them. They saw that the only thing standing in the way of a pretty girl was just some kid.
"Walk away, kid. If you know what's good for you." One of the goons said, but Optimus refused to move.
"And if you know what's good for all of you, you would leave this place and turn yourselves in to the authorities. Now." Optimus warned, his tone cold as he narrowed his eyes.
Hearing that from the kid made them look at each other, then nod. They may have underestimated the real Salamander, but there was no way this kid was on the same level as him. They all picked up some debris from the shipwreck, wooden planks, pipes, whatever they could get their hands on. They may not have magic like their boss, but they've been in this business a long time. They knew how to fight dirty, and they weren't afraid to do so against a kid like this.
Optimus narrowed his eyes and brought his fists up. He may prefer to use swords or any melee weapon as opposed to his fists when fighting, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to throw a good punch. His friend Ironhide taught him how.
He rushed in, ducking under the first guy who swung a large piece of board before delivering an uppercut, followed by a roundhouse kick that knocked the man to the ground. He then leaned to the side to dodge a punch from another before punching him in the neck, then the face, before a side kick sent them to their back.
He then dodged several swipes by one of the goons holding a sharp piece of broken wood. He managed to get a lucky cut on Optimus, the Prime growling at being hit, before a larger one came up behind and trapped him in a full nelson. Optimus struggled to break free with brute strength, but when one was about to hit him, he jumped up and kicked the approaching goon. The force from the kick caused the brute holding him to tumble, and Optimus backrolled out his grip and onto his knees.
He came up just in time to block a strike from a thug carrying a pipe by grabbing the pipe. He then pulled on the pipe, causing the thug to stumble before Optimus countered with the pipe by throwing it up, so that it ended up hitting the guy in the face. Optimus then wrestled the pipe from his weak grip before jabbing him in the stomach with it, causing him to kneel over, then swung it across his face to knock him down. He then took both ends of the pipe in his hands before using his raw strength to bend it.
Such an act caused many of the slavers to pause and balk at him, but they soon found their nerve as they still outnumbered him. They charged, and Optimus moved to meet them, dodging and weaving his way around attack after attack.
As this went on, Optimus's movements grew sluggish and slower as he grew more and more tired, his breathing growing heavier. His new human body didn't have the stamina of his Cybertronian body, plus he was outnumbered almost 20 to 1, with no weapons to call on. He was at a severe disadvantage.
His tiredness cost him as he wasn't able to dodge or block a strike to his head from behind. The slaver hit him so hard that the wooden plank he used as a weapon broke apart as it made contact. Optimus stumbled forward, his head ringing as he tried to focus. Unfortunately, the slavers didn't give him the chance, as they all started to attack him while he was disoriented.
Optimus was bombarded by wave after wave of punches, kicks, and pipes before he was knocked to the ground, and all the slavers started to gang up on him, hitting him from all sides to keep him down.
Optimus managed to see through the mass of bodies that were beating on him to see Lucy and Happy. They both watched with fear and worry in their eyes. Seeing their terror, knowing what could happen to them and others if he fell here and now, caused a spark to be ignited in Optimus, one he felt just before he came running to the docks. Only this time, he didn't let any outside distractions stop him from grasping hold of it.
On his left arm, a magic circle appeared, but unlike others he'd seen in this world, it was light blue, with the Autobot symbol in its center. The light flashed, and all of a sudden, a blast of blue Energy erupted from Optimus, sending all the slavers surrounding him flying. Lucy and Happy had to cover their eyes from the shockwave of the explosion, and when they looked back, their eyes widened.
Optimus rose to his feet, but now, instead of his left hand, there was a glowing yellow axe with a light blue outline. Optimus stared at the Energon Axe, amazed that he was able to summon it. He quickly shook his amazement off as he remembered what was happening. Getting into a stance, he spun around and swung his axe hand out, an astral projectile shooting out from the axe and hitting one of the slavers, knocking him out.
The slavers, Lucy, and Happy all looked in shock, the latter two because they didn't think Optimus was a Wizard, since he never said anything. Seeing that he'd stunned his foes, Optimus let a smirk grow on his face. "Well, are we just gonna stand here all night? Or are we gonna fight?"
That snapped the slavers out of their thoughts, and they charged the human Prime. Optimus ran to meet them, throwing out more projectiles from the axe, knocking the slavers down before engaging them in close combat. He swung the axe like a master, cutting apart their makeshift weapons of pipes and boards before taking them out with a hard punch or kick.
Whatever fatigue he was feeling had temporarily left him as he fought with the grace and fluidity he had as a Cybertronian. At one point, a large, muscular slaver tried to strike him with a long metal pole. Optimus met the attacks with his Energon Axe, cutting the pole down bit by bit until there was barely anything left for the slaver to hold onto. When he realized this, he looked at the narrowed eyes of Optimus and let out a nervous chuckle.
"Oopsies. Wanna let bygones be bygones? Hehe?" His answer came in the form of Optimus delivering a vicious upper cut to his chin that, if his tongue were held out, he would've bitten it off. The force of the punch shattered his teeth and sent him flying a good few feet into the air before he crashed to the ground, seeing stars. Optimus then looked over his shoulder to see the other slavers let out a nervous gulp as they caught his gaze before he moved to engage the rest of them.
Lucy and Happy couldn't help but look in awe as they watched one teen take down a group of twenty men with ease when he was struggling just moments ago. However, Happy was watching this with a nervous expression.
"He's using requip magic?! Just like Erza!" Happy thought. Now that he thought about it, there were similarities between the two. The serious demeanor, the robotic, formal way of speaking, and the authority and charisma they carried were very similar.
The realization made the flying cat shiver. The idea of someone similar to the most terrifying person in Fairy Tail was horrifying.
Optimus swung his axe, cutting down the last of the slavers. He then looked around to see the aftermath of his fight. The bandits either had multiple bruises, broken bones, or numerous cuts on their bodies, but they were all alive, which was a slight relief to Optimus. He may now be a human, which makes him the same as them, but that didn't mean he was about to go back on his 'no killing humans' rule.
"HEY, YOU!"
Optimus turned his attention away from the bandits and up to the sky, where Bora and Natsu had paused their fighting. It seems they must've done it the moment Optimus unleashed his magic. Bora had an irritated look on his bruised face while Natsu's was one of awe and apprehension.
"I don't know who the heck you are, but there's no way I'm just gonna stand still after some nobody took out my men!" Bora formed a magic circle, "Promoniance Typhoon!" He shot out a blast of purple fire at the Last Prime.
"Look out!" Lucy shouted. Despite seeing him take down twenty guys, there was no way he could eat fire like Natsu could.
Optimus stood his ground as he narrowed his eyes at the incoming flames, not attempting to dodge them. Instead, he brought up his axe arm and spun the weapon around at high speeds to create a barrier.
The purple fire impacted the barrier. Optimus could feel the heat radiating from the flames, but it didn't hold a candle to the heat he had to endure from the weapon the Decepticons tried to use to melt ice in the Arctic back on Earth. He stood firm and indomitable, refusing to give an inch to this scum of a human being.
Eventually, Bora's magic ran out, and his attack stopped. As soon as the flames died, so did Optimus' axe stop spinning, his hand returning to normal. Despite some soot covering his body, he looked completely fine, much to the irritation of Bora and the amazement of Natsu, Lucy, and Happy.
As if to mock Bora even further, Optimus casually brushed off some soot from his shoulders, as if such an attack was nothing, which it was. He then leveled Bora with an unimpressed look. "Is that all?"
That seemed to enrage Bora as he was about to say something, but the foe he was impersonating cut him off before he could open his mouth.
"Don't forget that I'm here, pal!" Natsu's shout forced Bora's attention back onto him. "I'm about to cook you like a smoked fish!"
"You're gonna do what?!" Bora shouted in terror.
Natsu slammed his fists together as another magic circle with the face of a dragon appeared.
"Fire Dragon... IRON FIST!" He then shot into the air, charging at Bora, his fist engulfed in flames. He swung with all his might, sending the villain crashing through blocks, ricocheting off buildings before ending at the town bell tower, causing it to ring out when he hit it.
"Don't be silly, Natsu. Everyone knows you smoke food with smoke, not fire." Happy said with a smile.
"I don't think that's what he meant when he said that," Optimus said.
Lucy just looked on, amazed at what she saw.
"Oh, wow! That was amazing. But he overdid it!" Lucy yelled. Optimus raised an eyebrow at her words before he saw that Natsu did indeed overdo it. Whole blocks and buildings were demolished in the battle, and wood was set ablaze.
"Aye!" Happy said,
"Oh shut it, cat!"
Optimus then heard the sound of multiple boots stomping on the ground and turned to see a large group of humans dressed in fancy armor making their way towards them.
"The army?!" Lucy shouted in worry.
Hearing that it was the army caused Optimus's eyebrows to widen in worry. He didn't have any identification on him, since he wasn't from this world. What would happen to him if he were arrested?!
Before he could think or do anything else, Natsu came rushing in and grabbed both him and Lucy by the arms and took off through the town, running away from the approaching soldiers as fast as he could while carrying them through the air. "Aw, crap! We gotta get outta here!"
"Where the heck are you taking us?!" Lucy screamed as she was dragged along.
"And how are you able to carry us like this?!" Optimus questioned how Natsu could be this strong.
"Come on! You said you wanted to join the Fairy Tail guild, didn't you?!" Natsu reminded her.
That caused Lucy to gasp in surprise that he remembered, and Optimus, too, looked shocked. So the guild Lucy was talking about joining was Fairy Tail all along? Talk about fate.
Natsu then flashed both Lucy and Optimus a bright smile. "So let's go!"
Lucy's look of awe turned into a smile as his goal of being part of her dream guild was coming true. "All right!"
As for Optimus, his eyes widened. He had thought about becoming part of a guild, but hadn't made any decisions since he wasn't sure what to do with himself since arriving in this world. But seeing as he had no alternative at the moment, he decided to go along with the chaos.
"I pray to Primus that these humans aren't all like Natsu."