//------------------------------// // The Search, Chapter 3: Ambush // Story: Transformers: Ancient Legacy // by Goldymarg //------------------------------// - San Palomino Desert, Noon Twilight finally became aware of the glaring sunlight and bumpy ride as she wiped the tiredness out of her eyes. She was surprised she was able to sleep under these conditions, but chalked it up to the last few days of non-stop worry and physical activity, especially in the few hours prior. “Finally awake, sugarcube?” Applejack sat next to her with her forelegs crossed behind her head. “Almost...I'm glad I manged to get some rest, though. I don't think I've studied or worked that hard in, ever. How's the compass working out, Ironhide?” The dashboard in front of her lit up in tandem as he spoke. “We're followin' in the direction of the last way it pointed, so ya might wanna check it again so we don' get lost.” Twilight smiled sheepishly, her brain still in the throes of half-sleepiness. “Oh, right.” She levitated a small compass out of her saddlebag and applied a spell to it, bringing the shards of crystal inside of it to life. The crystals came in three colors, red, blue, and green, but the one she paid attention to was the green shard. “Adjust your heading by 15 degrees west by southwest. We're getting closer.” “On it.” She put the compass back as she surveyed the arid landscape. She was glad that Ironhide's vehicle form had cool air inside; Twilight was able to visibly see the heat in the distance, and could almost feel the dryness of the sand. Trudging past all of these hills and dunes in such an unbearable climate was a nasty thought. As she mused about how bad it was going to get the moment she stepped outside, both of them are startled when Ironhide jumped a particularly large sand dune, the landing impact shaking the two of them around. As Applejack put her hat back on, she complained to him, “Hey, mind easin' up a bit on the stunts? Some of us aren't as thick-headed as y'all.” “Hey what's the matter sweet stuff, you afraid of a little action?” Applejack made a face at the green humvee driving closely to them. “Ah, put a sock in it short-stack...” The voice that came through Ironhide's comm-link sounded a tad bit unnerved. “Hey! Don't call me a short-stack you little -” “Cool it, Brawn. Ah got enough problems with all this sand an' heat muckin' up mah gears, don' need the two a' ya makin' things worse.” “Tch...” The one called Brawn scoffed. “...still don't understand why you insisted on coming out here anyway.” Applejack replied in a natural tone, “Cuz' Twilight here's one a' mah closest and most important friends a' mine. You know a little somthin' bout' that right, bein' loyal an' carin' to yer friends?” “This situation's a little different, sister. For all we know, Soundwave could be lurking around just a few clicks from here. Last thing we want's any civilians getting hurt.” “Ah, take yer silly military mumbo-jumbo someplace else. Jus' fer the record, ah've got an idea a' what we're gettin' into.” Applejack eyed Twilight's saddlebag. “Still, ah'm a might amazed you managed to bang up that there little compass on the spot like that.” She smiled to herself, reminiscing over the trial she had dealt with this morning. “Actually, making the compass was the easy part. I had a little trouble dealing with something much harder, though...” ---- - The Ark, six hours earlier “You want the Great and Powerful Trixie to help YOU?! All that lack of sleep must have driven you out of your little mind, Twilight Sparkle!” There were a number of things Twilight wanted to do right now, all of them involving rest in some way. None of them, however, involved talking to this blowhard of a unicorn for even five minutes. Twilight set down her saddle bag, put a hoof between her eyes, and took a deep breath, doing her best to exhale all of her stress and to focus on this daunting task. If she was going to convince Trixie to do the impossible, she would have to be as careful as a surgeon. “Listen...you're the LAST pony I want to ask help from. But this has all become very complicated, and we don't have anypony else to turn to.” Trixie brushed a hoof through her mane, chuckling to herself. “Well, it's nice of you to acknowledge Trixie's greatness, but the answer is still no.” Her expression changed from amused to spiteful. “If you haven't already figured it out, Trixie's reputation was RUINED after you humiliated me! Everywhere I go, I'm laughed at and mocked!” She walked up to Twilight and jabbed her hoof at her chest. “And it's ALL. YOUR. FAULT. If you or these...'Autobots' want help, ask somepony else!” “Trixie, you brought that on...!” Twilight quickly restrained herself, visibly clenching her mouth shut. She knew that arguing with her would only make things harder. “...ugh. We can't ask somepony else. Just as Princess Luna said, nopony must know of the Cybertronians. We can't afford to create mass hysteria. But most importantly, we need a third unicorn. We...need YOU, Trixie.” Princess Luna watched the blue unicorn's rage smolder with half-lidded eyes. Although she remained outwardly stoic, she was amazed that Trixie could display so much raw anger at Twilight immediately after being frightened by both herself and the Autobots. A dull pain tugged at her heart at this thought; vengeance was more important to her than even being afraid. And Luna understood better than anypony that the need for revenge could overshadow the most treasured parts of yourself. To force you to do horrible things. Even turn you into a monster. (“Her sentiments...they were not so different than my own for a time.”) She stepped forward, coming between the two of them. At this point, it wasn't just about convincing her to help the Autobots. It was also about showing empathy, about personal catharsis. “Trixie, I know not your vendetta with Twilight Sparkle, but I beseech you. This is not about pride or vengeance. It is about necessity. Their enemies, the Decepticons, are undoubtedly a threat to Equestria. As fate would have it, you are the only one in the position to help protect our home. Neither I, nor my sister can depart with the Autobots, for we must be ready to mobilize the Canterlot guard in the event of disaster. And we certainly cannot arouse suspicion...the populous would question why the Princess is traveling with unusual machines. Trixie...” Luna bowed her head and placed her foreleg over her chest. “...I do not ask you as the Princess of the night. I ask you as I am now, an individual...please help Twilight Sparkle and the Autobots.” Trixie's glare didn't diminish, but Twilight guessed she was contemplating the situation as she slowly looked away. She wasn't very confident this was going well though, even with Princess Luna being as forthcoming as she was. What she knew of Trixie wasn't good; even though she was in Ponyville for less than a day, she acted pretentious and self-centered the entire time. The thought that she would care about anypony other than herself was a longshot. Twilight felt her chest go heavy, realizing they could very well be in for a 'worst case scenario'. (“Oh, who am I kidding? This is Trixie we're talking about! I mean, I've never met a pony so arrogant and shallow! The only thing she cares about is getting back at me, why in Equestria would she ever even consider-”) “...very well. Trixie will help you, Twilight Sparkle.” “...huh?!” Twilight looked at her as if Pinkie Pie had just given a formal lecture on ergonomics, completely forgetting how tired she was. Her left ear twitched once and she could feel her heart skip a beat. She had already assumed she wasn't going to be hearing those words, and yet one surprise led to another. Breathing a sigh of relief, the heaviness in her chest lifted with the knowledge that all bases would be covered. “Oh...thank you, Trixie. This means a lot to all of us, it really -” “But don't get the wrong idea! As soon as this all blows over, it's back to business as usual, got it?!” She now realized that the glare in her eyes was still there, like she was trying to burn a hole in her skull. Trixie may have confirmed that she wasn't completely self-centered, but that didn't change her apparent disposition. Deciding this was the best she was going to get out of her, Twilight held back an exhausted yawn to reply, quickly being reminded that she needed rest. “That's fine, Trixie...we can worry about that when Equestria's not in danger of becoming a warzone. Here, you'll need this.” She opened the saddle bag she had with her and pulled out a small compass, levitating it in front of Trixie. She looked at it as if it would contaminate her horn, but took it with her own levitation anyway after a moment's hesitation. “I worked with Perceptor all night trying to understand energon's unique energy wavelength, and this is the best I could come up with. The shards of crystal inside that compass are attuned to seek out active energon wherever it may be in Equestria. All you have to do is apply a gem finder spell to it, and the shards will point you in the right direction.” Trixie looked between Twilight and the compass with a scrunched up cheek. After another wordless pause, her horn lit up with a soft blue aura, indicating she activated a gem finder spell. As she looked into the compass, her mouth creased into a scowl. “And I suppose you have some sort of explanation for this? Are you trying to make a fool of Trixie again?!” She shoved the compass back into Twilight's face, clearly upset that there were multiple shards of crystal all pointing in different directions. At this stage, the only thing keeping Twilight awake was raw frustration. “No, no, no! This is the reason why we need a third unicorn! I've run the numbers over and over again, but it all pointed to the same result - somehow, there's three active energon signals in Equestria, and only one of them is pointing to Soundwave and Cliffjumper. The other two are a complete mystery. Rarity and Rainbow Dash have already started following the red shard's trail up north, and Applejack and I were about to pursue the green shard to the southwest. I'm going to ask Fluttershy to accompany you while you pursue the blue shard to the east.” She slowly levitated the compass back to herself, raising an eyebrow. “(sigh), Very well...although Trixie isn't too fond of working with a stage hand. I suppose there's going to be some Autobots providing a ride?” “Yes. But as for who's going with you, it's not my call to make. Don't worry though, you can trust them.” “And just why should Trixie trust them?” Princess Luna interjected, going back to her usual, commanding tone. “Twilight Sparkle tells us that one of the Autobots protected three little fillies at the risk of his own life. I, for one, wholeheartedly believe we can trust beings willing to make such a sacrifice. Beyond that, you agreed to help us. Trusting Twilight Sparkle means trusting the Autobots as well.” Trixie looked into the compass again, more as a reason to avert her eyes. “Ok, fine...but what about that friend of yours that won't stop bouncing around? Isn't she going with one of these groups too?” Pinkie Pie popped up inches away next to her, eyes manic and bright, nearly causing Trixie to fall over again in surprise. Twilight smirked at the face she was making, suddenly feeling better. “Twilight asked me stay behind so I could get the Autobots, um...an-ti-qua-ted, with Equestria! They've been asleep for a long, long time, so they're probably out of touch with the world. That's where I come in! I'll be showing them what the best tunes are, all the places to have a nice picnic, OH, and we can't forget all the yummy treats Sugar Cube Corner has to offer! You know, all the usual stuff. And the best part is, I get to make tons of wonderful, new friends!” Trixie started edging away from her the moment she started talking, getting about several meters away when she finished. “Do you have to do that?! Don't you know anything about personal space?!” Twilight cleared her throat, “(ahem), ANYWAY...you'll know you've reached the energon source when the shard starts flashing. The faster the flash is, the closer you'll be.” She draped her saddle bag over her back and stepped a few times in place, shaking some stiffness out of her legs. “Now, I've got a few more things to take care of, so I'll be heading out first. Ironhide's dividing up the Autobots accompanying us right now, so your partner will be here shortly. I'll tell Fluttershy to wait for you at the forest entrance.” “One last thing, Twilight Sparkle.” Trixie stopped her right as she passed by, causing her to stifle a groan. She turned her head to look at the same glare that had been plaguing her all morning, not even bothering to respond. “I want you to remember that this doesn't change anything. I'm only helping you right now because Equestria's in danger. As soon as this 'Decepticon' threat is over and done with, we settle things.” She now did something Twilight wasn't expecting at all – she held her hoof out like a friendly rival would. She also could have sworn that the ever-present glare staring her down softened slightly. “Understand?! The next time I see you, you're going down!” Her words were as cold and selfish as ever, but it seemed to Twilight that there may have been some underlying sense of friendly competition. She knew that Trixie cared about fame and recognition more than anything, and was willing to go to any lengths to obtain it. Even blindly wandering into the Everfree Forest. But here, in this moment, the brash unicorn in front of her was displaying something else she had yet to see – respect. Twilight turned around completely, and placed her own hoof against her's. It was only fair that she reciprocated. “Alright Trixie, you're on.” ---- “Sheesh. Now ah get why you were able ta sleep like that. That sounded more annoyin' than trying ta roller skate through a buffalo stampede. You sure she's gonna help us, just like that?” Twilight responded as she looked out the window, her brow creased. “Mostly sure...at the very least, I had Fluttershy go with her. I'm hoping she'll be able to help Trixie loosen up a bit.” Applejack raised an eyebrow, “Either that or she'll jus' walk all over the poor thing.” Twilight's head drooped upon hearing that last comment. She fidgeted in place like she was uncomfortable for a second, and her eyes were fixated on Ironhide's dashboard. “I'm...I'm sure she'll be fine. She can take care of herself if things get...'heated'.” The cowpony next to her had yet to lower her eyebrow, her skepticism getting thicker by the second. “Twilight, ah'm not even sure if sendin' her out at all was the best idea. Ah get what'cha mean 'bout tryin' ta get Trixie's head out the clouds, but Fluttershy's still Fluttershy.” Applejack's attention was drawn out the window as well, her expression becoming neutral. “Well...ah can at least trust her not ta get hurt or anythin' if they're the ones unlucky enough to crash inta this 'Soundwave'. Speakin' a which, what're the Autobots you sent with her like, Ironhide?” “Ah asked Warpath an' Prowl go with em'. Warpath ya already know, but uh...” Brawn's voice from the intercom cut him off with a static-filled retort, “Ok, first of all, I'm surprised Prowl took a command decision from you, old man. Second, are you serious?! There's a reason no one likes going out on assignment with that hardcase! They're probably gonna end up -” “Ah'm tryin' not ta think about that. But the guy got appointed sub-commander fer a reason. Him an' Warpath'll be able to deal with whatever comes their way.” “Yeah, so long as they don't scrap each other first.” Twilight's gaze didn't leave Ironhide's display, her thoughts focused even more intently on how those two were doing. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Rarity and Rainbow Dash could work together under these circumstances, but now she was worried that innocent, little Fluttershy would crack under the stress. Not only was this excursion dangerous, she was working with Trixie of all ponies. And what Ironhide had said about Prowl didn't sit well with her, either. She breathed out forcefully, making a vain attempt calm herself. Worse yet, Twilight herself was the one who made the decision to have her go. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if something happened to her. “You ok there, Twilight? You've been starin' at meh for awhile now.” She unconsciously jerked back wide-eyed and looked out the window again automatically, not considering her ride was still able to see her in this form. “Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be rude.” “Nah, it's no big deal. Looks like ya, erm...got a lot on yer mind still.” His voice sounded awkward, like he was forcing the words out. “So, uh...whaddya do fer a livin'?” “Huh?” “Well...the compass ain't goin' off yet, right? Thought ah might, uh...loosen up the mood a bit till' we get there.” Brawn chimed in, “Ironhide interested in small talk? That's a first!” Twilight could tell he was trying to help her take her mind off Fluttershy and Trixie, considering how unnatural he sounded. “Oh, well, I'm nopony special. I've been a personal understudy of Princess Celestia ever since I was a little filly...aaand more recently I've moved to Ponyville Library to further my studies.” “So, yer a librarian?” She tapped a hoof on her chin, “Well, yes, I suppose you could say that.” “...heh heh.” “Hm? What's so funny?” “Ah, nothin', jus' an inside joke. So, who exactly is this Princess Celestia you've been talkin' about? And what're ya studyin'?” Twilight placed a hoof on the window, smiling softly as she watched the desert fly by. “Princess Celestia is the monarch of Equestria. She's governed our home for countless generations, maintaining peace for all ponies near and far. All of us are extremely lucky and thankful to have her as a ruler.” “With the way ya talk, this place sounds a lot like the way Cybertron was durin' the Golden Age.” A disgruntled sigh sounded through the intercom. Brawn didn't seem like he wanted to hear about old times. “Anyway...bein' a student of yer leader sounds like it's full a' perks.” “It's still a lot of hard work. Though aside from actual lessons in spellcasting, astronomy, herb compounding, and whatnot, learning about the magic of friendship has been absolutely wonderful.” “...what?” A small pause occurred before both Autobots replied in unison. Twilight was half-expecting this sort of reaction, arranging herself into a kneeling position as she smiled at Ironhide's display. “I know it sounds a little...ridiculous. In fact, before I came to Ponyville, I wasn't really interested in making friends at all. I just thought it was a waste of time. But...” Her gaze drifted over to Applejack, who smiled back with a wink. “...in the short time I've lived here, I've made some irreplaceable bonds. Now, I can't possibly imagine my life without the friends I've made. Friendship truly is a wondrous and powerful thing.” “Ugh, gag me already...” Applejack found herself grimacing at Brawn once again after his response. “Well s'cuse us fer showin' a little sensitivity.” His retort dripped of vitriol. “(sigh), that's not the point! Listen, on the battlefield, the only thing you can rely on is brute force and a good shot! Your little 'magic of friendship' trash ain't gonna stop a Con' from blowing a hole through your spark! Then again, I don't expect a techhead who's never fired a neutron rifle in their life to understand...” “Ah said cool it Brawn! Thought ah told ya to ease up on scientists!” “Forget it old man! Twilight and Perceptor are the same, we can't rely on them when the chips are down! The only things you guys are good at is staying safe inside of a lab, while the bots who actually matter get shot at and scrapped!” “Brawn, do ah gotta remind ya that Twilight and Perceptor are th' only reason why we're even able to track energon right now?! When are ya gonna get it through that thick head a' yers that -” “Whatever, so they banged up some lame radar at the last minute. If it wasn't for that, I'd have left them behind. Last thing I want is these...'ponies' getting in my way.” Applejack slammed both her hooves on the window, her rage boiling over. She yelled directly at Brawn, “Why you no good, tinhorn, varmint! Ah outta come out there right now and show you a thing er' two 'bout -” A hoof on her shoulder stopped her mid-sentence. She turned to face Twilight, who merely looked back at her with somewhat saddened eyes, whispering to her, (“It's okay, Applejack. We come from different worlds, not to mention they've been at war for who knows how long. I can understand why he'd act like this.”) She raised a cheek, her anger not subsiding just yet. ("Have you spit yer bit er' somethin'?! Ah can't jus' let this two-bit military man get away with insultin' us!”) (“Just let it go. Talking back isn't going to make things better. The only thing we can hope for is if he figures out our standpoint on his own.”) Applejack broke eye contact with her, her eyes cast downward, darting back and forth. With a great sigh, she crossed her forelegs and sat back down, staring out the windshield with an irritated expression. “Alright, FINE. Ah ain't fergettin this anytime soon though.” Twilight didn't say anything more, afraid that she would agitate the proverbial hornet's nest any further. As her eyes once again drifted to the rolling sand dunes, her attention was drawn to a soft pulse coming from her saddle bag. Pulling out the compass for confirmation, she told her ride, “Ironhide, stop here. We've gotten close.” ---- - The Ark, Aerialbot Deployment Hanger Noon “Hi Omega! Hope you weren't too lonely while I was gone!” The loud whirr of Omega Supreme turning his head filled the immense hanger, his eyes set on the energetic pony bouncing into the room. “IDENTIFICATION: PINKIE PIE. QUERY: PRESENCE.” By now, Pinkie had gotten used to the way he talked. “No reason, I just wanted to spend some time with you! I got to show Beachcomber and Wheeljack around the forest, but they didn't have enough time to visit Ponyville before they had to, um...do you know what a reactor is? Anyway, I guess everybot's still busy fixing this place up. That and Wheeljack seemed mad about something, so I figured I'd leave him alone for now.” She smiled and turned her head slightly to the left, leaning forward while she looked up at him. “Sooo, how're ya doin'?” “CURRENT STATUS: UNCHANGED.” Pinkie waited expectantly in the same pose for a full two minutes before she realized he wasn't going to be saying anything further. She pouted a little and sat down, unsatisfied. “Ohh, that's not what I meant...how come you talk like that anyway? It's kinda hard to figure out what you're saying sometimes if you only say two words. Do you have a sore throat? Are you just shy? Or (GASP), is it because you swallowed a beehive and all the bees came out and stung you from the inside and -” “CONVEYANCE: OPTIMAL. FURTHER DISCUSSION: UNNEEDED.” Pinkie brushed her foreleg across her mouth, looking upward at nothing. “Ummm...I guess it's okay to just say what you need...but, you're like, the only giant robot here that's like a...robot.” Pinkie zipped away faster than Omega's optics could track. In the span of mere seconds, she had already climbed onto his left shoulder, her bright eyes looking into left eye. “I mean, haven't you ever sat down with your friends and just spent time with each other? How about playing frisbee in a park? Or, or eating a whole chocolate cake in one sitting!? Ooo, that sounds REALLY good right now...” Omega turned his head to face her, his booming voice making Pinkie's already squiggled mane even more wild. “EXPLANATION: INCOMPREHENSIBLE. PRIMARY FUNCTION: GUARDIAN. FURTHER ACTIONS: INCONSEQUENTIAL.” Despite being blasted in the face with a wave of sound, her smile didn't disappear until she heard his very last word. Pounding her forelegs in place, she yelled at him, “WHAT?! Whaddya mean in...inconse-whatever?! Spending time with your friends is, like, the most important thing ever! I mean, you...” Pinkie paused for a moment, a certain, nasty thought entering her head. Her voice softening, she continued, “...you think of the other Autobots as your friends, right?” “AUTOBOTS: COMRADES. PROTECTION: PRIORITY ONE.” Her smile returned. “Well if THAT'S true, you should spend time with them! Friends aren't just about boring, old work, they're about partying together, talking together, laughing together, and playing and running and jumping and – well, maybe you shouldn't do those last few things. A-anyway! If you're not sure what having friends is all about, that's what good ol' Pinkie Pie's here for!” She zipped over to his head, hugging him the best she could. Though for her, it was more like hugging a wall. “Cause we're best, best, bestest friends too!” Omega had yet to show any change in his expression. “ACTIONS: INCOMPREHENSIBLE.” Pinkie frowned for a second before making a nervous smile. “Oh...well, that's okay, you'll -” “NEW OBJECTIVE: COMPREHENSION. REQUEST: GUIDANCE.” Her face brightened like the sun coming out after a cloudy overcast. With a joyful heart and renewed vigor, she hugged him again. “Yay! I can't WAIT to show you everything I know!” As she plastered herself to his cheek, her eyes spied his chestplate, suddenly being reminded of his affliction. “Well...we'll get to everything once you get better.” ---- Twilight wiped her brow of an unexpectedly large amount of sweat, being careful not to let any grains from her hoof get in her face or mane. She had been walking for only fifteen minutes, yet the heat of the stagnant air and blistering sands were already taking their toll on her. Applejack wasn't faring much better, as she had taken her hat off to fan herself. Levitating a canteen of water out from her saddle bag, she took a quick sip before focusing on the compass in front of her. “Oh, great...guys, wait up!” Ironhide and Brawn walked several meters ahead of the two of them, stopping upon her request. “Alright, this better be good, Sparkler.” Twilight ignored the smaller Autobot's snide comment. “The shard's pointing almost directly downward...and you know what that means.” Applejack put her hat back on, deciding it would work better to protect her head from the sun. “Ah, horseapples...now how in the hay are we gonna sift through all this sand? We don' even know how deep we're s'posed to dig!” Brawn crossed his arms, scoffing. “You sure that thing isn't on the fritz? Wouldn't be surprised.” “Ya wanna go a few rounds chrome-dome?! Cuz ah'd be happy to buck ya all th' way back ta yer stable, tiny!” Applejack was fed up with Brawn's constant cynicism, planting her hooves into the sand and lowering her head in an offensive manner. The Autobot in question faced the cowpony and held a tightened fist in front of himself, moments away from taking her up on the offer. “That's it! I'm not being called 'tiny' by something an eighth my size!” Being half the height of every Autobot the ponies have encountered seemed to irritate him, and Applejack picked up on it quickly. “Both of you stop, we're supposed to be working together...” Twilight's tone would have shown more concern, but the desert climate overrode any amount of stress for that situation. Even a small breeze was painful and hot, the bits of sand stinging her face. “Ironhide, do either of you have a quick way to get down there?” The red Autobot shook his head, resting his right elbow in his left palm and stroking his chin in thought. “Nah...might'a been different if th' demolition expert actually brought a detpack with em'!” Brawn and Applejack didn't hear either of them. They were too busy engaged in a glaring contest. Ironhide groaned and began walking toward them, “Dag nabbit, will th' two a ya git over yerselves?! Yer makin' this desert hotter than it already is!” *FSSSSHHHH* A plume of sand erupted in front of his path, obscuring his vision and finally getting Brawn and Applejack's attention. As the wind blew the sand away, Ironhide transformed his right hand into a short barreled shotgun. “Issat an Insecticon?! Here?! Does Shockwave got one up on us already?!” Brawn smiled and clenched both his fists, happy he was able to take his anger out on something. “Heh, first time I've seen one! This is gonna be good!” “Wait, stop! You don't understand!” Twilight galloped in front of the grizzled veteran, “That's a delver myrmex indikos, you can't just shoot it!” Applejack added, “Twi, why don' you jus' call it a giant ant?! Yer fancy science speak's jus' gonna confuse us!” The ant was nearly as large as both Autobots. It twitched its massive pincers, staring directly at Ironhide. With a shrill cry, its spindly legs carried itself towards him at an unexpected speed, its intention to skewer his midsection. With Twilight in front of him, he was forced to take the ant head on by its pincers, the impact grinding his legs into the ground and kicking up clouds of sand all around him. The pony at his feet cried out to him while covering her eyes, “Don't hurt it! It's just a wild animal!” Ironhide grunted as his metal joints buckled and groaned. “Ah git it, alright! Jus' let meh do mah thing!” Careful not to let the ant touch her, he flipped it left and onto its side, slamming it into the ground by its head. Twilight spat a few times and shook her head to get the sand out of her eyes and mane. When her vision cleared, she saw that the ant was still twitching its legs, but was otherwise incapacitated. “(sigh)...thanks Ironhide.” She walked over to it with trepidation, wary that it might attack again. “I don't understand, myrmex aren't supposed to be anywhere near this big. That, and...” She looked up at Ironhide. “...it wasn't agitated or threatened, yet it went straight for you as soon as it came out of the ground.” Several localized rumbles throughout the ground let them all know they wouldn't have to time collect themselves. Multiple other plumes of sand erupted around them all, followed by the clicking of pincers and the myrmex's screech filling the air. Within moments, both the ponies and Autobots were surrounded on all sides by countless giant insects. “Everyone huddle together, NOW!” Applejack had no trouble galloping over to Twilight's side, but Brawn was forced to punch a few ants out of his way. The moment the two of them were near, she immediately generated her magic barrier, pushing the myrmex away and giving them breathing room. “Okay, that's kinda useful. Mind if we start bashing them now before these things scrap us?” “They're too strong...! I...I can't keep this up much longer!” The ants had not given up their quarry, as every surrounding offender began slashing and pounding away at the shield. Twilight grunted in pain, her teeth clenched and her eyes forced shut. All of her willpower was focused on keeping the barrier up for what little time they had. Knowing they only had mere moments before an army of ants mobbed them, Ironhide was forced to make a decision. “Brawn, ya think ya kin clear a path fer us? Cuz the only way I see us gittin' outta this mess is goin' down there!” He pointed to the hole the first ant made, causing Applejack to look up at him like he had lost his mind. “Are ya outta yer apple pickin' -” “Your logic circuits crossed, gramps?! That's where these things came from! You know, the things that are trying to shred us into little bitsy pieces?!” She tipped her hat forward and turned her head away, her eyes on Brawn. She was begrudgingly starting to accept there were some similarities between herself and her favorite Autobot. “These bugs jus' gave us a way ta the energon signal. Like it er' not, we gotta go down there. Now take point Brawn, fore' Twi's force field gives out!” He transformed his hand back to normal and stared down his compatriot, letting him know that he was dead serious. “Ugh, I hate it when you're right...everyone in the pool!” He lowered his head and ran straight for the tunnel, jumping down it without a moment's hesitation. Ironhide lowered his hand down, prompting the ponies to let him carry the both of them. “Sorry if ah'm a bit rough.” Applejack smirked once and nudged Twilight's shoulder, her eye peeking open in response. When they were safely in hand, he cupped his other palm over them and followed Brawn down the tunnel, the barrier dispelling moments afterward. Not wanting to let their prey escape, the myrmex gave chase, their screeches echoing down the chasm.