Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers or any of its characters.
This is the first of the "More Than A Leader" series, which will be about Optimus Prime and his relationships with the Autobots. It will mostly on the view of the said Autobot and how they perceive Optimus, whether he is a hero, friend, fatherly figure, brother, leader or something else to them.
This one-shot can stand alone, without support or continuance from the other soon-to-come stories. You can read the stories in whatever order you wish.
So first up is Jazz, the ever cool and sassy lieutenant. Hope you enjoy and please review!
Superman
There are not many who can become heroes. Only a scattered handful are suited to be leaders. But even fewer are worthy to be a Prime.
Only a chosen few Autobots can carry that title of leadership, responsibility and wisdom. So Jazz has to say that Optimus Prime was doing a pretty good job. He didn't shirk his duties as the infinite heaps of reports, endorsements and references piled on his desk nor does he abandon his troops when despair sinks in. He befriends the unfriendly, gives hope to the hopeless and wisdom to the unwise.
Prime often reminds him of a character that Wheeljack once mentioned to him when he had watched some television show. The character was suppose to be strong, brave, invincible, resolute, gentle, authoritative, honorable, loyal, intellectual, just, compassionate … all the characteristics of a hero. His very presence changes hope from defeat, cradling victory in his hand and knowledge in the other. Never was there a symbol of freedom and justice like him before. He would save the day, flying off into the sunset at the end of the day, with cheers from crowds of his admirers behind him.
Like Optimus, this hero also has an archenemy, the infamous Lex Luthor, with a similar nature to the cruel and vile Decepticon leader, Megatron. Forever will they fight until the other is dead. Forever will they be of opposing sides of good and evil. Light and dark. Defender and destroyer. Their lives have intertwined so closely, so strongly, one cannot be released from their eternal battle.
However, Optimus isn't alone in this war against Megatron. He has his Lois Lane, his Jimmy Olsen, his Perry White and his Pete Ross by his side, to advise and to support him. In fact, he has many Jimmy Olsens, Perry Whites and Pete Rosses. Such as a certain strict, composed Datsun and a happy-go-lucky Porsche. Or a rough and tough mech, who's rather trigger-happy and a curt, gruff medical officer, along with a cheerful, friendly yellow mini-bot, a talkative, optimistic sharpshooter, a somehow-makes-his-experiments-explodes inventor, a pair of foul-mouthed, mischievous twins and several others who bear similar characteristics to Jimmy Olsen, Perry White and Pete Ross.
But they never see the doubt or remorse that plagues this hero if he fails or when an innocent gets injured from his account. They always assume he stands back up when the going gets tough - which he does – but often with difficulty and overwhelming guilt that he did fail nevertheless. Though the hero never shows it, forgetting his scars, burying his uncertainty, continuing on, the ache of it does remain.
Optimus isn't a superhero, no matter everyone else claiming that he is. He's not invincible. He's not the kind that always can take whatever Megatron throws at him. He doubts and fears. He can get injured and it does take time to recover and heal. He bleeds and scars like the rest of them. He does get reckless and can't always control his temper at times, in which results in him swearing unintentionally. He appreciates a nice, long energon drink with friends after a long, hard day, simply chatting about the past, present and future. His aim isn't always perfect and he gets baffled by the human customs on Earth.
In other words, Optimus Prime is like any normal mech.
It frustrates Jazz that some people can't understand that. Optimus doesn't want to be treated like he's a hero who can do anything and everything with perfection. He wants to be treated like someone who makes mistakes and learns to be better next time. It's no wonder the Porsche hates Cybertronian politics. They admonish Optimus for his "inappropriate actions and decisions" that could possibly "endanger" the survival of Cybertron and its people and are unfitting for a leader like him to act in such an unbecoming manner. Then, they demand miracles from him in the next breath. It took much self-control (not to mention Prowl, Ratchet and Ironhide) to restrain Jazz from leaping at those politicians' throats and throttling them as they watch with fuming indignation whenever Optimus continues to be berated ruthlessly by their impudence and disregard.
Jazz knows that Optimus is exhausted and weary of the war. Centuries of fighting has burdened on the Autobot leader, each news of more casualties weighting heavily on him. He sees him making choices that he shouldn't have to make. He knows that look of pain when Optimus closes the blank optics of the dead. He's tormented as he sends his troops to the battlefield, sacrificing them for the end of the war to come a little closer.
That's why Jazz tries so hard to lighten the constantly dreary life of the Autobots, pulling pranks, helping them along whenever he can and cracking jokes whenever he gets the chance, just to see a sliver of the old Optimus, a smile or unrestrained chuckle from the battle-hardened warrior. Life becomes too boring if there isn't any fun and laughter in it, he thinks. So he tries and he does succeed from time to time. And lately, he's been getting a slight suspicion that Optimus knows this too and is grateful for it.
During one late evening, Jazz was heading over to Optimus' office as he was holding yet another huge stack of reports. He complained about this unreasonable amount of workload for Prime to Prowl, who looks nearly as exhausted as their leader. But what can they do about it? Optimus would never admit it and the higher-ups would refuse like usual.
As Jazz strolls into Prime's office, he was still bristling about the unfairness of it all. Grudgingly, he conceals his exasperation and frustration for Optimus' sake. Just when he was about to open his mouth to crack some joke about the reports, Jazz stops in his tracks. Right before his optics, he sees a sight that he never thought he would see.
Optimus was sitting in his enormous office chair, head sinking lazily into his broad chest, his hand still in the midst of writing a transcript. The soft puffs of air blowing from Prime's vents were slow, calm and even. There was a slight flutter of movement underneath his closed optics as he dreamed. A small smile appears, almost furtively and hesitatingly, and Jazz wonders what does Optimus Prime dream about. Well, whatever the big guy's dreaming about, it's been a long time since Jazz saw such a peaceful expression on his commander's face.
Smiling to himself and feeling more positively jolly, Jazz turned around and left the office, leaving it exactly the way he finds it. He was still in that jubilant mood of his, whistling a cheerful tone, when he returned to Prowl's office, in which Prowl was surprised to see he was still holding the stack of reports. He didn't even answer straight away, even when the Datsun inquired of it.
Instead, he grinned his trademark grin and merely said, " Even Superman needs to sleep."