Orion stepped out of the hospital, searching for Elita. It didn't take long for him to spot her speaking with a few Autobots, her posture revealing clear exhaustion.
The moment she noticed his presence, her tired, neutral demeanor instantly changed to a more animated one, as if she had become a completely different person.
"Orion, are you alright?" Elita approached him, her eyes scanning him from head to toe, making sure he was unharmed.
"I'm fine. I'm more concerned about you." Orion placed his hands gently on her shoulders, causing her to stiffen slightly at his touch.
Elita smiled, pleased by his show of care. "I'm fine."
"Thank Primus. I'm relieved that you and the Autobots managed to keep things under control here."
Elita let out a dramatic sigh, as if she didn't even want to bring up the subject. "Don't remind me, what a stressful day." She glanced at the marks of conflict that still marred the ground and the support vehicles scattered nearby. "Everything that happened today… it's just the beginning."
Her words weren't mere speculation, they were a fact in her mind, and Orion could only agree silently.
"D is going to deliver the final ultimatum to the High Council tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Elita tensed at the thought, not even wanting to imagine what the dawn might bring. "That's going to be dangerous. Today, so many Decepticons tried to pull reckless stunts just to take out Megatron's opponents here."
Now it was Orion's turn to exhale heavily, closing his eyes as he tried to steel himself for how much harder things would soon become.
"I'll stand by D. I know that facing the High Council will cause a major uproar, but I have no choice, I have to do everything I can to put an end to this madness before more lives are lost."
His words carried both his determination and his frustration. Elita gently placed her hands on his face, her blue optics glowing softly as they locked with his.
"Orion, don't shoulder the weight of the world. Don't blame yourself for what happened today, it was beyond your control."
"I feel like I could've done something. I feel it in my spark."
"You're only one bot, Orion. Not even Megatron could have stopped today's tragedy, not with all the resources at his disposal."
For a moment, Orion allowed himself to take comfort in the delicate touch of Elita's hands upon his face before looking into her eyes with renewed resolve.
"I'm not my brother. He has everything he needs to reshape our world in line with what he believes in his spark."
"Orion, I want you to know that today, I understand better what you're fighting for. I saw so many bots consumed with rage, trying to take justice into their own hands without considering the consequences." Elita gripped his hands firmly, never breaking eye contact. "Wishing for peace the way you do is a noble path, but it's not an easy one. It's always easier to fall into hatred than to choose dialogue."
Her words brought a measure of comfort to Orion. Hearing them in her beautiful voice made his spark burn brighter with determination.
"But despite everything, what Cybertron needs most is hope. No one here is a fool, today proved that change must come, and urgently." Elita paused for a moment, searching for the best words that lived within her spark. "Orion, you are the most hopeful and, yes, the most naïve bot I've ever known and I love that about you. Your honesty, your faith in others, it makes me want to be better. I'm sure that's what helped shape Megatron into who he is."
She felt a touch of embarrassment at her confession, but she stood firm, wanting to give all her support to the bot who had captured her heart.
"Maybe now our world is in flames, crying out for immediate change. But one day, these flames will turn to ashes, and from those ashes, we can rebuild with the expectation of hope. And maybe you will be the one to guide us into that future."
Orion couldn't help but feel surprised by her show of faith in him. "Me? I don't have the qualities of a leader."
"A true leader is not measured by physical strength, but by the strength of their spark." Elita smiled, a smile that left Orion momentarily distracted. "And I can say with certainty: your spark is the brightest of them all."