A heart of gold (TFP Optimus Prime X Reader)

Chapter Thirteen: Orion Pax. Part One

"In hindsight, we accomplished what was required. With Unicron's awakening, extreme measures needed to be taken. Enemies became allies, allies became confidants. And, with the Matrix of Leadership, the planet Earth was saved. Though at an immeasurable personal cost... When Optimus surrendered the Matrix he'd lost more than the collective wisdom of the Primes... he lost himself," Ratchet explained.

"That doesn't follow. Optimus knew Megatron," Arcee said.

"They were like BFF's," Bulk said.

'Best enough friends to go with Megatron,' Bee said.

"If Optimus did not know his own name, perhaps it's because the title of Prime hasn't yet been granted to him," we were all confused as to what Ratchet was talking about, "with the power of the Matrix no longer within him, it would stand to reason that Optimus has reverted to his pre-Prime state: the historical archivist, Orion Pax."

"You mean, in his mind," June said.

"Are you telling me Prime thinks he's some sort of librarian? AND a Decepticon?" Fowler asked.

"Being a Decepticon is a choice, Agent Fowler. One I have a hard time believing Optimus would make at any point in his life," Ratchet said.

"So, if he's riding with the 'Con's..."

"...it's because Megatron is working some kind of voodoo," Arcee said finishing Bulk's sentence.

"Orion Pax may not be an Autobot up here," Ratchet pointed to his head, "but I must believe, he will never stop being one in here," he put a hand over his spark, "we must locate him to know for certain."

"Hold up. I have a chip lodged in my behind that lets Uncle Sam know when I stop for donuts. Are you telling me you can't just track Prime?" Agent Fowler asked.

"Optimus' signal has not reappeared since he embarked for Earth's core," Ratchet said showing us on the screen, "but we must get to work finding him if we have any hope of initiating his contingency plan."

"Contingency plan?" Arcee asked.

"What 'contingency'?" Bulk asked.

"Is that even a word?" Miko asked.

"So, the key card," I say holding it up, "what does it do?"

"It grants access to Vector Sigma, the repository of the Wisdom of the Primes," Ratchet explained.

"Is that some sort of supercomputer?" Raf asked.

"So, we can just download Optimus' memories back into him?" I asked.

"Vector Sigma is more than a 'supercomputer', (Y/N)," Ratchet told me, "it's an ancient source of mystical power. On Cybertron."

"(Y/N), I may not be your mother but you are not going to another planet," June said.

June has been a mother to me since we met. I don't mind because I don't remember my mother and she's the only person I feel like is a mother figure to me.

"I'm in!" Miko popped in.

"You're not either, Miko. Not while one of you can," June said to the bots.

"June's right," Fowler said, "why send a girl to do a bot's job?"

"Because only a Prime can access Vector Sigma. Or one chosen by a Prime. Optimus gave the key card to (Y/N). It is now imprinted with her unique biosignature," Rather explained.

"So, you mean (Y/N) is some kind of honorary Prime?" Miko asked.

"Let's just say (Y/N) is the only one who can return Optimus to the Autobot we knew," Rather said.