It's been one week since Miko and Evelyn's kidnapping and Evelyn's learned firsthand that living in a small town isn't always the best.

Because news travels fast.

Needless to say, when she and Miko went back to school, everyone had more or less known about the kidnapping. They didn't know all the details like the military being involved, Agent Fowler made sure of that and even came up with a cover story, but that didn't stop the other students from fabricating or guessing. Soon, hundreds of rumors were made.

Some say they ran away, some say they were kidnapped by some cult and brainwashed, some say they were simply just kidnapped for ransom which wasn't that far off while some thought Miko and Evelyn weren't even kidnapped.

"They probably just came up with that as a lame excuse so they could skip school." Jennifer said. "Bet they just want the attention and they're jealous."

Evelyn who was listening nearby had had enough. She punched the locker beside Jennifer, leaving a small dent in it. Jennifer screamed as the fist landed a hair's breath away from her head.

Instantly, the chatter around them lessened.

"You really think this is some kind of act? Some goddamn drama to get attention?" Evelyn hissed. She knew that it could've been worse, but in all honesty, she was still a bit shaken from nearly getting killed. And here this b!tch was, going around telling people lies as though she was there herself and knew the ordeal they went through.

"You listen here, I have no idea what's your problem with me. But know this; what Miko and I went through was anything but easy. We almost f@$king died and you think we went through all that crap for attention of all things?!" she snapped.

Jennifer opened her mouth but no words came out as she trembled. Nearby, Jack and Raf were trying to console an equally fuming Miko.

"Mark my words, I'm not you. Unlike you I'm a decent human being. If you've got a problem with that, maybe you should start by attempting to be a decent being yourself instead of this pathetic excuse of a living creature." Evelyn spat before taking her fist away and walking off without even sparing a glance back at the trembling spoiled teen.

After that scene, of course, it came to no surprise when Evelyn was called to the principal's office.

"What Jennifer did was out of line, I won't deny that. But you weren't any better." Principal Winston said. Evelyn just stood in front of his desk and hung her head in shame.

"Sorry, but she deserved it." Evelyn muttered.

The principal's face softened a bit. "I can't say I understand how you feel. I wasn't there. But I do know that it was a traumatizing ordeal. Do you want me to contact the counselor?" he asked.

"No thanks. Please, no." Evelyn said. As if a counselor could ever understand what she went through. She didn't need to end up in an asylum thank you very much.

"Jennifer has been suspended for three days for speaking out of line. But you can't go unpunished either. You also damaged school property." Principal Winston said. "I knew you were strong but still, frankly, I'm impressed with your strength."

Evelyn perked up a bit at the praise. "Thanks."

"But, please refrain yourself from using said strength on school property next time." Principal Winston said. "As punishment, you will go home now and are suspended for the next day as well."

"Yes, Principal Winston." Evelyn said. Deep down she was also slightly relieved that the punishment wasn't as bad as she was expecting. She also realized she could use this as an opportunity to go to the Autobot base and ask some questions.

"Then you are dismissed." Principal Winston said. "Have a nice day; I hope you reflect on your actions, Ms. Evelyn."

"Thanks, I will. Goodbye, sir." Evelyn said before leaving.

She took her phone out and texted Miko, Jack and Raf in the group chat to let them know about her suspension before tapping on the Autobot comm dispatch.

"Hey, Smokes, you there?" she asked as she sat in front of the school gates.

"Here, what's up?" he asked.

"I need a lift." Evelyn said.

"Already? But I thought your school doesn't finish in another three hours." He said.

"Long story short I did something brash and as punishment, am temporarily suspended. Can you come pick me up or are you busy?" Evelyn asked.

"I'll be there in a minute." Smokescreen said.

Surprisingly, Smokescreen was there in a few minutes.

"Thanks." Evelyn said as she got in.

"Don't sweat it, so what'd you do that warranted this?" Smokescreen asked.

Evelyn sighed and told him about what Jennifer said and how she'd reacted.

"Maybe I was a bit too harsh, I shouldn't have lashed out like that." Evelyn said.

"It's not your fault, you just went through something rough, and it's only natural for you to lash out like that. Can't count how many times I've done the same thing." Smokescreen said.

"What do you mean?" Evelyn asked.

"I.......snapped at the other bots a few times when I messed up...or just, ya know, beat myself up a bit." Smokescreen admitted. "Sometimes I even wonder if I'm even good enough to be a member of Team Prime."

There, he said it. He finally admitted the one question that plagues him every day.

"Smokes, you and I both know you're more than worthy to be a member of team Prime." Evelyn said.

"You think so?" Smokescreen asked.

"I know so, I gave you these *taps keychains on mirror* for a reason." Evelyn said.

"Thanks." Smokescreen said. "I needed that."

"Thank you for trusting me." She said and gave him that beautiful smile that once again made Smokescreen's hood heat up.

'I really need to get this checked out.' He thought.

Soon they arrived at the Autobot base.

Ratchet and Optimus turned around and noticed them. "You two are back early." Ratchet said.

"Long story short, I got suspended." Evelyn said.

"What is the reason for that?" Optimus said.

Evelyn told him what she did and Optimus nodded.

"Anger never fixes anything, it can however destroy anything." Optimus said. "Do you want to talk about it, Eve?" he asked gently.

Evelyn shook her head. "I just loss my temper, that's all." She said.

"Please be careful, anger is one step away from danger." Optimus said. "Anger is everyone's biggest enemy, that's why we must learn to control it."

"Thanks, Optimus. I'll try to." Evelyn said.

Optimus nodded before leaving for a drive. Smokescreen decided to watch some TV while Ratchet went off to the med bay.

"Hey, Smokes. I need to ask the doc for something. I'll be in the med bay." Evelyn told him.

"Okay." Smokescreen said before turning his attention back to the TV.

Evelyn went to the med bay and saw Ratchet working on a tool.

She would've gone to ask Optimus but....she didn't want to risk it. She was worried that Optimus might get offended, angered or not answer her question all together.

Sure, she could've asked Miko but she wanted to know it as best as she could.

What better bot to ask than Ratchet.

According to the others, among all of them, Ratchet was the closest and oldest friend of Optimus, the medic knew him the longest and according to Jack, even before Optimus was a Prime too.

Perfect.

"Um, Ratchet? Can I ask you something?" Evelyn asked.

"What?" he asked gruffly.

It was now or never. "Do Optimus and Megatron have a history?" she asked.

Ratchet paused and turned around to look at her. "What was that?" he asked.

Evelyn knew there was no turning back. "Miko told me that Optimus knew Megatron, before he became a Prime. What does that mean? Does that mean Optimus wasn't always a Prime?"

Ratchet was silent for a while. Evelyn was worried the medic might not answer or get angry. "Actually, you're right. Optimus wasn't always a Prime....and he wasn't always Optimus either."

"Huh?" Evelyn asked confused.

"Back on Cybertron, one isn't born into greatness, one must earn it." Ratchet explained.

"I don't mean to push but.....were Optimus and Megatron friends at some point?" Evelyn asked.

Ratchet put down the tool he was working on and offered Evelyn his servo. Evelyn stepped onto it. Ratchet sat down on one of the boxes and brought Evelyn up closer.

"You're right, Eve. They were friends once, close friends, they were even as close as brothers." He said.

"What happened?" Evelyn asked.

Ratchet took a deep breath and closed his optics. "I guess it's time you've learned as well." He said.

Evelyn leaned forward. "I'm all ears." She said.

"Eons ago, back on Cybertron, long before the war began, Optimus wasn't always a Prime and he wasn't always Optimus either." Ratchet began. "He was once a clerk in the Iacon Hall of Records named Orion Pax."

"He was a librarian with another name?!" Evelyn couldn't help but blurt out. She was gobsmacked. Of all the past jobs she ever suspected Optimus to have, a librarian wasn't one of them. 'I thought he was in the police force or something.' She thought.

"Yes, he was. And as Orion learned more about Cybertron's past, he became increasingly concern with the corruption in high places and inequality among the masses." Ratchet continued.

"Wait, sorry to interrupt again but, back then, Cybertron's system was that each citizen was given a job and an alt-mode and if they're lucky, a name and that's it right?" Evelyn asked remembering how Optimus had explained it the first time she met Team Prime.

"Yes, Cybertronians were borned, given a job and that's it. They simply kept doing that job until they offlined. Those in the lower class didn't even receive a name." Ratchet said.

"That's unfair. It's downright oppressive. And your government stood for it?!" Evelyn asked in shock. She always imagined their world as an amazing advanced place, not this kind of unfairness. 'It's like our world in the past.' Evelyn realized.

"Sadly, they did. Back to the story, Orion soon became inspired by the ideals of a gladiator who called himself Megatronus." Ratchet said. "You can probably guess who that is."

"Megatron, but why was he called Megatronus?" Evelyn asked.

"Megatronus was one of the Thirteen Original Primes, and the one Megatron admired himself. You see, Eve, Megatron actually didn't have a name, he was borned into the lower class. He took up that name as a sign of defiance." Ratchet said.

"And he thought the current system was unfair so he turned revolutionary and started a cult of sorts, right?" Evelyn asked.

Ratchet nodded, impressed with her deduction. "Yes, more or less correct. I guess he became a gladiator as a distraction from his miserable life. But he was a darn good gladiator at that. If anything, he was the best of the best.

"Megatronus vowed to challenged Cybertron's leadership and demand all Cybertronians be treated as equals."

"That....actually sounds pretty nice." Evelyn said in surprise. "So he wasn't always a bad guy either."

"That's one way of putting it. This gladiator turned revolutionary like you said and rapidly gathered masses of followers. Soundwave was one of them.

"Orion began corresponding with Megatronus who began something like a mentor to him. They even became friends overtime and formed a deep bond. Orion and Megatronus were like brothers in that bond.

"As Megatronus left the gladiator struggles for the political ones, he saw fit to shorten his name." Ratchet said.

"Megatron." Evelyn said. "Is this the part where $hit hits the fan as the Americans say?"

Ratchet nodded grimly. "As Megatron stood before the council to propose his vision for a just society, it was here he began to show his true colors.

"He proclaimed the old ways needed to be thrown over with force and arrogantly demanded to be named the next Prime." Ratchet shook his helm in disgust as he thought back to that day.

"That's absurd, if he's suitable to be a Prime then I'm an empress." Evelyn said sarcastically.

"Right you are, of course Orion could not stand by the sidelines as he heard this and stepped in.

"You see, Orion did not believe in violence as a means of achieving justice. It was then and there that the sparks and minds of the council were moved by Orion's words. Here, they finally saw for the first time since Cybertron's Golden Age, someone worthy of being a Prime.

"But that honor can only be achieved by earning the legendary Matrix of Leadership." He said.

"So he was named the next Prime instead of Megatron, I take it Lord Buckethead must've been outraged." Evelyn said as she imagined how outraged the Decepticon warlord must've been.

"Outraged indeed, with his ambitions thwarted, Megatron spitefully severed all ties with Orion and the council and came to wage war on Cybertron to all who opposed him with his growing army of followers which he named, Decepticons.

"He vowed to claim the matrix for himself, wherever it might lie. In time, warfare consumed Cybertron and poisoned our home to it's very core.

"Orion journeyed there himself in hopes of reversing the ill effects and it was there he found himself in front of the spark of our very life giver, Primus himself." He said.

Evelyn had to stop herself from falling off Ratchet's servo as she sat on the edge of her seat, literally.

"The ailing Primus sensed the worthiness within Orion and bestowed the Matrix of Leadership upon him.

"It was thus that a surprised and humble Orion Pax came to be, Optimus Prime, the last of the Primes." He whispered the last part.

"Whoa...." was the only thing Evelyn could say. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was parted in awe and shock.

She recapped the story and a pit formed in her stomach as her heart twisted in sympathy for Optimus.

One moment he was just a nobody, a simple clerk then the next, he was a noble leader chosen by Primus himself. What's more, not only did he have the weight of his people on his shoulders but he also had to fight against someone whom he once called a friend....no, a brother.

Evelyn gut twisted in knots at the thought of that. To have someone you considered a brother suddenly turn on you....she couldn't fathom how hurtful that must've been.

She imagined herself and her brother, Edward in Optimus and Megatron's shoes. Then she found that she couldn't.

Sure, she didn't always get along with her brother. They disagreed, the fought, they bickered, they get angry and frustrated at each other, they drive one another crazy but....in the end, that's what they were-brother and sister.

Edward still loved her and vice versa. He cared for her, gave her a shoulder to cry on, helped her and protected her.

She did too. Evelyn could never find it in herself to hate her brother even though he sometimes makes her want to really kick his arse. Everytime after they argue, they eventually make up and forgive each other.

"That's....terrible." Evelyn said.

"It is." Ratchet agreed.

"How did he move on?" Evelyn asked.

Ratchet thought about it for a while. "That's what war will do to you. But in all honesty I suspect that till this day, Optimus is still hurt over Megatron's betrayal and deep down, he's hoping for him to change." He said.

"Do you think that's possible?" Evelyn asked.

"I don't know Eve....I don't know." Ratchet said.

"Do you think things would be better if Optimus, I mean, Orion hadn't spoken up?" Evelyn asked.

"......no. I suspect if Megatron did in fact, become a Prime. He'd be no different than he is now." Ratchet said.

"I think Optimus is even more of a hero now. He really does deserve to be a Prime." Evelyn said sincerely. Her respect and awe for the Autobot leader has grown.

"He does, Eve. He truly does." Ratchet agreed and for the first time, he smiled at her- a smile that held genuine warmth.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey readers, you can check out the video below for a more detailed explanation if you want.

https://youtu.be/h31VAK3ioZ0