Michael's POV:
A few weeks had gone by since the AllSpark's return to Cybertron.
Within that time, the first wave of refugees had returned to Cybertron, with Jazz and Ironhide being among those who had survived. Orion had been overjoyed to see Jazz again, who was confused as to how the archivist was there when Optimus was also there to greet the returning refugees, but explanations were given as everyone reacclimated to life back home once more after so long.
The planet's reconstruction has also gone back into working order since Unicron's defeat, with a few smaller places having been finished thanks to everyone's combined efforts, with Bulkhead and Breakdown continuing to spearhead the reconstruction effort. with Arcee, Wheeljack, Cliffjumper, Barricade, and Tailgate helping where they could at the other construction sites.
Arcee, Cliffjumper, Barricade, and Tailgate often went out on patrols to search for bots that had remained on the planet since it had gone dark in the hopes of finding survivors, or ones in stasis.
A new government is also in the process of being formed, and still is, with Optimus becoming the leader of the new High Council. After some persuasion from Optimus, Megatron agreed to become part of it, with Soundwave and Elita-One also joining.
Ultra Magnus, who had finally been repaired and is now undergoing physical therapy, had also been asked to join by Optimus. The Autobot Commander had accepted, though it would be some time before he would be able to walk again, but Ratchet, Knockout, Thundercracker, and Skywarp all worked tirelessly to ensure he would be able to, with Breakdown helping when he could.
Shockwave seems to have disappeared in the last few weeks since his appearance at the Preadcon's refuge, and efforts had been made to track him down, but whether he was still making clones or not wherever he is hiding isn't yet known.
Speaking of the Predacons, they are still living at the refuge, but are keeping a much more watchful eye over the site, and are figuring out if there are any more Predacon burial grounds on Cybertron.
Things between the Cybertronians and the Predacons have also been going well. There have been talks between Optimus and Predaking about a peace settlement, but with Megatron being part of the council, combined with the loss of the Predacon remains and the role the 'Bots would have played if I had not saved them, left a still-fresh wound, and such a settlement would not happen overnight, but it was still progress.
After all, Optimus was very persuasive and very patient.
Mike is doing well. He still suffers from his memories and trauma of his past at times, but with us by his side, he seems to be getting past it, though there have been times when he thinks about the Decepticons and Bumblebee, as well as his family, but he's assured me that he's trying to move on, despite it being hard.
I too have thought about my family recently, as well as Mike's, now that everything was over, and hoped that they were all safe and happy, wherever they were.
Starscream is currently overlooking the reconstruction of Vos, with Jetfire, Cyclonus, Skyquake, and Dreadwing helping in the construction wherever they could in the city.
Orion is still carrying out his task of making records of the returning refugees, often hanging out with Jazz and the others when he could in his spare time, and was pleased to soon be working in the Hall of Records in Iacon again once the capital's reconstruction was finished.
Smokescreen received the graduation from the Elite Guard that had been wanting since the war, with Optimus being the one to promote him, to which Smokescreen had been giddy over his idol promoting him. A party is planned to be held for both Bumblebee and Smokescreen for their promotions once everything has settled down.
We all often find time when we can to visit our friends on Earth, as we are, after all, just a Spacebridge away.
Within the weeks of these events, many of us began to put the past behind us, letting the old grudges and rivalries die away in favor of a new start for every one of us, and while it wasn't easy in the first few days, due to the memories of the war never going away, and always remaining with us forever, it slowly began to fall upon us all that the war was truly over now, and that we were finally in the age of peace.
I stood by the Well of AllSparks, looking out to the rising sun as another new day dawned on the restored planet, enjoying the peace.
The sound of pedesteps behind me caught my attention as a familiar black and yellow mech came up beside me, smiling.
"I can't believe we're finally at peace, Mike."
I smiled. "Neither can I, but we can finally focus on the future now that we're finally home."
Bumblebee grinned. "Are you ready for what the future has in store for us?"
I grinned back at him. "Of course, 'Bee. The future doesn't scare me at all."
We fell silent, grasping servos as we looked our at the rising sun, a bright future ahead for us, but I felt Bumblebee speak through our bond.
"/Michael. Thank you./"
I smiled.
Within my Spark, within my heart, I knew that this wasn't the end for us.
It was just the true beginning.
Simply put: It's our transformation.
Normal Perspective:
Silence was all that was known as the rubble of destroyed planets and space dust particles floated around what had once been a vast and thriving universe.
Barely anything remained of it now. All that was left was the remains of planets that had been destroyed, the vast void devoid of the stars that had made up the universe and galaxies within. The remains of Earth were scattered all around, mingling with the remains of the planets surrounding it within the solar systems that had once stood there.
Even the sun had been extinguished.
Cybertron, despite being lightyears away, wasn't able to escape the inevitable fate that doomed the world from the very beginning, as burnt and twisted metal littered the area in which the dead planet had once stood.
The AllSpark, despite being sent off-world to one of the most dangerous places within Cybertron's galaxy in an indestructible container, couldn't escape the reach of its opposite, and had been consumed alongside the rest of the universe.
The world was no more.
Within the remains of the rubble of that was identifiable as being part of Earth, sat the twisted corpse of a purple and black mech, large chunks of his frame missing, his body rusted in places, and his Spark chamber exposed, the Matrix having received minimal damage.
The bot's undamaged optic flickered orange ever so briefly. Then it flickered again. While the bot's Spark had been extinguished, his essence had not completely vanished, as a supernatural force tethered him to the world of the living. The Matrix, which was glowing a faint red-orange, suddenly began glowing brightly, and the bots optic flashed red-orange as a familiar voice spoke up within him.
"Optimus..."
Optimus's optics slowly opened, finding himself within a strange realm that was not a world in its own right, but the familiar presence inside it with him gave Optimus reassurance. Not that he ever needed it.
"You awake at last, my Disciple."
The Prime looked up to see a familiar entity standing before him, one that was larger than any Cybertronian. The large entity looked nearly identical to Unicron, but in place of brown rock and stone, silver and orange-tinted metals made up the being's body. Also unlike his twin, this entity had sharp metal servos in place of weapons. His horns and spikes on his body were shorter, and were more scattered about. In the center of his chest, a glowing red-orange chamber sat. His optics were also a bright red-orange color.
"My Master... Primus?"
"Indeed."
"It appears that we have accomplished what we had been hoping."
"I too have accomplished what I had been long desiring for eons, but my hunger for destruction is not satiated, and so, I wish to expand to beyond the borders of this void and continue to another."
Optimus nodded.
"Fortunately, due to that parasite's weakened will, his darkness has made him the perfect vessel for my will. I have been seeing through his optics since the very moment he escaped our world. That was, until he expelled me through the use of the means of the mystical Keyblade."
Optimus raised an optic ridge. "Keyblade?"
"Indeed. It is a mystical weapon that is capable of many things. The Keyblade's main power is the ability to seal or open the barriers between worlds, as well as to "lock" a world's Keyhole, which is the doorway to other worlds, but it can also unlock a being's heart."
Optimus thought back to the weapon Mike had wielded in his time with them, and the lie he had told to keep its true origins hidden. "That organic had such a weapon all this time, and had purposely kept it hidden from us." His expression darkened. "How... unwise of the insect to do such a thing..."
"Indeed. It unlocked its own heart to free itself from my influence. It is fortunate that it had a vessel stored nearby for me to inhabit for myself, and I have been lurking about the world it had escaped to ever since." Primus paused, then growled. "However, while I still have a connection to that world, we do not have a means of accessing it."
Optimus smirked at this notion. "Then it is most fortunate that said parasite left a little treasure behind just for us on his way out as you awoke. However, it appears to have been damaged in the moment you finally awoke, and would only have a use for one last trip."
A dark grin crossed Primus's faceplate. "How fortunate indeed." He then paused, and his expression changed. "My physical form will not be able to cross between worlds due to its damaged state, and for that, my Anti-Spark would require a new, but significantly smaller, vessel."
Optimus nodded. "So, we are to serve together as one, just as we have since the beginning."
"Thus will begin a new age... the Age of Destruction!"
Primus's optics glowed brighter, and the room became bathed in a red-orange light. In the real world, Optimus's working optic shot wide open as his body became shrouded in a red-orange light. He screamed in pain, the sound remaining bound to him, as his frame and plating shifted and changed as the rebuilding and reformatting took place, extensions and mods growing as the Prime's new form took shape upon him. He let out a loud scream as a red-orange flash enveloped him before dying down, revealing his new form.
He let out a contented sigh as the pain faded. He looked down and around at himself, a dark grin spreading across his faceplate as he took in his new form. He reached into his subspace and pulled out the item he had spoken of. It was chipped and broken in places, and the screen was cracked. It was a wonder how it had survived, but Optimus didn't care.
Activating it, the sound of a Groundbridge filled his audials, and he looked ahead to see a red and black Groundbridge greeting him, though it looked somewhat unstable.
Optimus smirked, and looked around at what used to be his home.
It wasn't home, or at least, it wasn't anymore.
Deploying his jetpack, Optimus flew forwards and into the bridge.
On the other side, Optimus exited the portal as it closed behind him. He looked around at the world he was now in, spotting a familiar metal planet in the distance, the only difference being its lighting was a cyan blue instead of the familiar dark blue. No matter.
Optimus smirked. "You better watch yourself, Michael. We're coming for you." His optics flashing red-orange for a brief moment, he took off once more for the planet before him.
Michael was right.
It truly was a new beginning.
The beginning... of the end.
~~~
A/N: Well everyone, we have reached the final chapter. And with this, 'Transformers Prime: A New Beginning' has reached its conclusion. This day was inevitable, but the moment has been prepared for. However, while this book has reached its end, Michael's adventures with the Autobots have not. There will be many more adventures to come for them. Believe me. But it has definitely been quite a ride writing this story and making it a reality. I want to thank each and every one of you for taking a look at my story, and especially to those who read it from the very beginning to its very end. I never thought I'd finish this story, let alone reach its ending, but you guys gave me the motivation I needed to reach it. Thank you all so much!
Stay tuned for the next adventure with Michael in the sequel story 'Transformers Prime: A Shattered Fate'.