🌄 Morning – DelaVega Base
The early morning sky was still pale blue when Leandro was already in motion, training in the backyard. His body moved fluidly, sweat beading down his arms as he struck a heavy bag suspended between two steel beams. He wore a sleeveless black shirt and dark gray training pants.
From the front door, Isaac stepped out, dressed sharply in a black suit with a name tag clipped to his chest—clearly a man from the tech industry, heading off to work.
He paused, watching his younger brother for a moment.
Isaac, half-sleepy:
"Punching things this early? You human or a gym alarm clock?"
Leandro, still hitting the bag, looked over with a sly grin:
"If I'm gonna trade punches with aliens, bro, I better do more than sit at a desk and earn a paycheck."
Isaac, shaking his head as he walked toward his car:
"Well, good luck fighting Megatron with a PowerPoint."
Leandro laughed softly and returned to his workout.
🥪 Elsewhere – The Workshop Kitchen
Cade sat in an old chair, chewing a slice of toast, eyes half-shut. He held a phone to his ear.
Tessa (over the phone)
"You're eating again, aren't you?"
Cade, mouth full:
"Yup. Stress breakfast. You'd be amazed what bread can do for morale."
Outside the garage, Bumblebee was in robot mode, mimicking Leandro's martial arts moves with surprising flair—twisting his arm, bending his knees, finishing with a dramatic kung fu pose.
📻 "Hai-yaaah!" (from an old Jackie Chan movie)
Behind him, Jolt tried to copy the moves—only to trip over a tire and land flat.
Jolt, groaning:
"I need anti-slip feet… or better life choices."
🚶♂️ Training Yard – A Few Minutes Later
Noah appeared, walking up the gravel path in his G.I. hoodie. He waved to Sofia, who was working in the garage, then made his way to the yard where Leandro was training.
Noah
"Yo. Morning, galaxy warrior."
Leandro, wiping sweat with a towel:
"Heh. You're late by 300 push-ups, man."
Noah laughed and handed him a water bottle.
Noah
"By the way… you still got Mirage's body? G.I.'s been asking about it."
Leandro nodded.
"Yeah. It's in the lower hangar. Stable… but empty. His Spark's been gone since Peru."
Noah, quietly:
"I still can't believe he sacrificed himself for me…"
Leandro
"He didn't vanish. He's just… waiting to return."
Then suddenly—
VRROOOMMM!!!
A deep, powerful engine growled across the yard.
Everyone turned.
A large red-and-blue truck rolled slowly into the open field. Morning sunlight glinted off its surface. The truck came to a halt… and began to shift.
The ground quaked slightly.
TRRRK-SHHT-KRAANGGG!
In seconds, the leader emerged, towering and noble, his Cybertronian core glowing faintly with renewed energy.
Optimus Prime.
"Autobots…"
His voice was deep, solemn, resonant.
"...I have returned."
The entire yard erupted in cheers.
Jolt, leaping into the air:
"WOOOOH—BOSS IS BACK, BABY!"
Wheeljack, dropping a wrench:
"By the broken bolts of Primus…!"
Bumblebee, standing tall, optics wide with reverence.
Leandro, stunned for a moment, stepped forward slowly.
Leandro
"...Welcome home, Prime."
Optimus looked down at the young man with glowing optics full of recognition.
Optimus Prime
"You held the line… when hope was fading. For that… I thank you."
Noah, stepping beside Leandro, smiled softly.
Noah
"Looks like the big problems are coming back… but so is our biggest leader."
🥪 Workshop Kitchen – Just Seconds Earlier
Cade was sitting at the kitchen table, phone to his ear. Tessa's voice came through, slightly muffled.
Tessa (on the phone):
"So, what's next for you guys? Another bot explosion? Another—"
But then, a deep engine growl shook the windows.
VRRRRROOOOOOMMMM!!!
Cade glanced up slowly, his brow furrowing. Through the window, he saw something—something massive, tall, colored in red and blue, pulling into the main yard.
His breath caught.
Cade (barely audible):
"…No way."
Outside, the mechanical roar of transformation echoed—
TRRRK-KRAK-SHHHK—CLANGGG!
Then a voice. Deep. Resonant. Filled with weight and history.
Optimus Prime:
"Autobots... I have returned."
Cade froze.
His hand lowered the phone slowly. His fingers loosened. The piece of toast he'd been chewing on… fell to the floor.
PLAK.
He stood, moving on instinct. Feet heavy. Heart pounding.
He stepped through the back door of the workshop—sunlight flaring slightly.
And there he was.
That familiar silhouette, towering, battle-worn, but proud.
Optimus Prime turned slightly—locking eyes with him.
Cade (hoarse, a whisper):
"…That's Prime."
Optimus, nodding once:
"Cade Yeager... It's good to see you again, old friend."
Cade let out a half-laugh, half-breath, shaking his head.
Cade:
"I thought… I thought you were gone for good."
Optimus took a step forward. The ground thudded with the weight.
Optimus:
"Even in the darkest void… hope finds its spark."
Cade looked up, eyes misting slightly. He breathed in deep—steadying the storm in his chest.
Cade:
"We've got a lot to catch up on, Prime. Things have changed."
Optimus scanned the base—his optics landing on Leandro, Noah, Sofia… and the bots long thought lost, now training side by side.
Optimus:
"Then let us talk. Because the war… is far from over."
Optimus Prime stood tall, sunlight gleaming off his red and blue armor. His presence was overwhelming—majestic and calm. The moment had frozen everyone… for about two seconds.
Then—
Jolt was the first to snap.
He jumped straight into the air and shouted with pure joy:
Jolt:
"OPTIMUSSSSS!!! YOU'RE ALIVE!!"
He rocketed forward and practically slammed into Prime's chest like a kid seeing his favorite superhero again.
Clampdown activated all his sirens and lights, spinning around dramatically like an overexcited alarm system.
Clampdown:
"EMERGENCY CELEBRATION MODE! THE BIG BOT IS BACK!"
Even Ironhide, known for being grumpy and serious, threw his arms up and shouted:
Ironhide:
"I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THAT FACEPLATE AGAIN! Welcome home, Prime!"
Wheeljack immediately started recording the moment with one of his built-in lenses and quipped:
Wheeljack:
"Cue the emotional music! Our main actor just walked back into the movie!"
Mudstorm, the ex-Decepticon, crossed his arms and grunted with a rare smirk:
Mudstorm:
"I don't cheer. But yeah… this moment? Totally worth the noise."
Behind the chaos, Leandro smiled, raising his hand slightly to calm the others down.
But Jolt wasn't finished. He slapped Leandro's back hard—almost too hard.
Jolt:
"You did this, kid! You brought him back!"
Leandro, half-laughing from the impact, responded coolly.
Leandro:
"Technically, the Spark brought him back. I just made sure it found its way home."
Noah stepped up beside Leandro, nodding respectfully at Prime. His tone was steady but warm.
Noah:
"Welcome back, sir. You were missed."
Optimus gave a slow, respectful nod.
Optimus Prime:
"And I have missed Earth… and all of you."
The whole yard was alive now—with laughter, cheers, energy. Even the grumpiest bots cracked smiles. For the first time in a long while, it felt like hope was real again.
But as the excitement rolled around him, Optimus turned his gaze upward—toward the sky, silent and thoughtful. He could feel it.
His return wasn't just a reunion.
It was the beginning of something far, far bigger.