I was thinking about the time in Transformers: Prime, when Optimus reverted back into Orion.
I have read some fics about it, and some where Optimus befriended some 'cons and there was this conflict about him having to go back and fight those who he had recently come to care about.
But what if there was no conflict?
The thing is that even as Orion, Optimus is Optimus. He wouldn't have the experience but the potential was still there. So what if, little by little he started befriending vehicons, insecticons and others on the Nemesis?
He noticed Megatron's cruelty towards his men and wanted to try and reason with his old friend. He tried many times, interfering before things escalated. Diverting Megatron's attention to himself, to some small victory or a pressing issue.
He would take Megatron's latest victim away, ensure they got proper medical care and give them some of his own ration of energon so they'd be properly supplied.
As happened in other fics, Orion treated the vehicons as individuals an treated the insecticons with proper respect.
He spent time in the med-bay with KnockOut, allowing the other to try different paints and finishes just because the medic liked it.
He would talk with Breakdown while the doctor worked silently. Even though Orion was a scholar, he never made Breackdown feel dumb. Orion was patient and gentle, and if there was anything the 'con didn't understand, be it cybertronian politics or Earth customs, the blue and red merch would explain it to him.
When Orion and Soundwave were working on their own tasks, their shared space was quiet but never awkward. Soundwave was a loner by nature and rarely found company pleasant, unless it was the one provided by his drones. Said drones had taken a liking to Orion and they did so fast. It was as if they were attracted to the mech's soothing presence.
Orion wouldn't force conversation, he simply settled into the quiet around Soundwave and offered his company.
Starscream found in Orion both a patient ear and an anchor more than willing to give him a reality check when needed. While the seeker could rant on and on, Orion would roll his optics sometimes but he'd never snap at the other.
But, if Starscream got too deep into his own head, if he began plotting without thinking, if he was about to take a stupid risk, Orion would step in. No one knew how the grounder did it, but somehow he always managed to get through Starscream before the seeker did something idiotic.
And if any 'con mistreated an insecticon or disrespected a vehicon, Orion would intervene. He'd scold gently, would mediate calmly and listen patiently. Some would turn around, angry but unwilling to fight a former Prime.
Most would listen.
On counted occasions things had gotten physical. That's how they all learned that even though Orion wasn't a soldier, he was still a fighter. And if KnockOut took his sweet time mending the offending both, if the doctor accidentally twisted a certain cable too much; if Breakdown seemed a bit too forceful during training; if Starscream happened to assign the disgraced mech worse missions; if Soundwave seemed more strangely attentive...
Who would tell?
At the same time, Orion learned. He got the hang of things he would have learned as Optimus. Why certain tactics worked in places where others didn't. Why the seekers functioned as a separate army. Why energon was extracted in a certain way.
But wouldn't it be better if the seekers took the time to train alongside the vehicons? Wouldn't it be more efficient if they spared part of their resources in searching for more mining spots before emptying the ones they had? Why did none of them took the time to better examine Earth's terrain? Wouldn't that make it easier to determine the best strategies for battle?
Orion's input became valuable, sought after. And the mech himself turned into an integral part of the Nemesis. That's how, little by little, the cons understood what may have pushed the Autobots into following their Prime, not because he was a Prime, but because he was a true leader.
And so, when Orion recovered his memories and Optimus Prime came back, the 'cons were faced with a choice.
Said choice wasn't as difficult in the end and the war stopped in a ridiculously anticlimactic way. Because how could a war be fought when most of one faction defected to the other?
