#and shout out to the parental Optimus prime tag on ao3

[munnnmin]

Cybertronian au where everybot goes through a change in their lives; a complete advancement from their base forms. Although all of which must be triggered.

Primes though, are remade from the planet itself. Be it gems, trinkets, metal, teeth, rocks, or parts taken from other bots. Given or otherwise. Each prime must go on a pilgrimage and find their missing pieces.

To make up for the extra time in this vulnerable state, primes are immune to the cause of their change. So those that tripped into primacy will never take fall damage. One triggered by the lost of a loved one can never die of sparkbreak. So on and so forth.

Orion became Optimus on live television when he was blasted to pieces by the hand of a corrupt prime.

They all thought him dead then. The resistance didn't know that orion never shifted before. Not when orion embodied all his cunning and heart for all to see. Fitting into their group as one of their greatest strategists.

An axe formed from that tyrant in bare raw hands, and was used to hack away the chains that held ori- optimus prime. Blaster fire rained down from the sky but Optimus simply walked away.

They find him blind and half feral and half made of ancient predator pieces after hunting him down across nearly half the planet.

Optimus followed them willingly. (Glad to no longer be perpetually lost™). The moment he stepped into their camp, chaos sounded in more ways than one.

The trinkets and scraps from Optimus' room flew out and settled themselves into Optimus' form. They were given to him an eon ago. Each from his charges and friends, for this war was long enough for the young to join it. It hurts Optimus' spark to think of it even when their gifts fit flush over his protoform. Protecting the smallest and vulnerable places between his hinges.

Optimus reaches to the doohickey bee gave him a lifetime ago, on his chest right above his spark.

The younglings now warriors, they all were, beyond proud for their contribution.

Rachet was less so. Dragging Optimus into the medbay. Raving about "metal mites" and "tetanus", and "for primus sake I've seen where they found those things and you let those things touch your protoform?!!"

Continue to follow Optimus, Megatron and gang as they go around freeing their planet