When All Lights Go Out II (TFP)

Chapter 13

June widened her eyes with a light gasp as the realization set in quickly. "You...sent her away? Even though she was just a small spark?" Optimus and Ratchet nod affirmatively and June's eyes fill with tears as sympathy for the bot filled her heart. "Wow...your war must have been so bad...it must have been very lucky that the pod ended up on Earth seventeen-years-ago."

"Or fate." Ratchet hummed softly as he looked at the equipment while rubbing his chin. "Hmm...looks like Azura's body isn't drawing as much energon from you as she has done for the last few weeks. Seems like the growth spurt has died down for now." Optimus smiled a little as he was pleased to hear that. "I know you will appreciate her not getting too much bigger."

Optimus nodded. "Yes. But so long as her system is strong and healthy, that is all that matters to me."

"Oh, I can confirm she will be. You have no need to worry about that, Optimus." Ratchet looked between the monitors intently and his smile widened a little. "I can confirm the both of you are healthy and your system isn't using as much energy as it had to keep up with her appetite. This signals that majority of her systems are almost finished, which leaves just the last little bits and pieces to ensure she is healthy and then you'll, unfortunately, feel the pains of the emergence. You won't be able to transform close to the time as your body will be conserving the energy for the birth."

Optimus nodded as he understood. "Good...I do wish this was a bit longer. I never got the chance for a full term carrying...but I am grateful for this short time. Even with the discomfort that comes from it." Ratchet chuckled lightly in agreement.

June listened quietly as she waited for a moment to speak again. When Ratchet before removing lines from Optimus's body, she spoke again. "I know Azura was fourteen when Jack met her. I am curious as to how she looked like a human. I don't even know if her golden hair was real hair now that I think of it."

"That part is something we are not a hundred percent sure on, but I will do my best to explain it, June." Optimus flinched a little as he felt the lines being removed from his body, knowing Ratchet will place other lines on his abdomen directly for the ultrasound. "Within my chassis, above my spark, lies a legendary key that was once used to banish a very powerful, dangerous enemy of Primus, the life giver of our race, many years ago. The Matrix of Leadership, back when the thirteen original Primes worked together to face Unicron the Destroyer. But the Matrix's origin is not what you might think." June raised an eyebrow, but she did not interrupt. "Primus and Unicron are brothers, one giver of life and the other of chaos. At some point, Unicron's chaos was growing stronger, and Primus needed warriors to stand up to him. And at the same time, the darkness and danger were felt on another planet. There, their mightiest warrior, a dragon travelled to Cybertron to assist with the plight against Unicron." June widened her eyes in surprise, as that was a part of the story she definitely did not expect. "The dragon herself did fight alongside the Primes, but it was not until she sacrificed herself and poured her power and essence into the Matrix of Leadership when Primus first created it. With the aid of the Matrix, the Primes were able to defeat and banish Unicron to the far reaches of the universe. After Unicron's defeat, Cybertron was able to flourish. And the Matrix was safeguarded by Primus himself until another autobot was worthy enough to bestow the key. That is how I became a Prime. Primus believed I was worthy of the Matrix, even though I had not expected it." June and Jack were smiling as they listen to him explain the past. "And...Azura has part of the Matrix's power wrapped up in her CNA, which I also believe the dragon's DNA was woven in as well. Her golden hair likely comes from the dragon."

"Right...but...she didn't look like a dragon."

"That is true, but that is because she didn't know she could transform at the time, June." Ratchet relaxed his arms for a moment and looked up at the humans. "We believe that when the pod arrived on this planet, the power of the Matrix within the crystal and within Azura likely sensed the dominant, native creatures of this world and was able to make Azura look like a human baby when she was found. That is why she looked human. But in our age, she is still very much an infant." June nodded slowly as the explanation made sense. "While Azura is Cybertronian, she does possess some of the dragon's system, or organs, if you will. Like many of the creatures of this planet, she possesses a digestive system. Which is why she was able to eat, drink and use the toilet without knowing she was different. It isn't going to change, even after she is reborn, but energon is her primary source of nutrition."