XX: Operation: Peace With Honor
Twilight let out a groan, shaking her head to clear her vision. They had arrived at the Dead Universe, and it was most certainly dead. She could feel death and decay emanating from the ground, if a loose collection of rocks and displaced turfs could be considered ‘ground.’ It felt as though cockroaches were crawling around her hooves, refusing to bite into her while she still drew breath, but the second they sensed she was expired … Ill and murderous intent seemed to ride on the wind, and above, what passed for a sky was a swirling, contrasting masses of star-lit skies, like someone had taken a patch of skyline for each hour of the night, and then tried to splice them together into one.
“Ugh …” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Can we hurry up and finish this mission? This place smells awful. Like Miko after a concert.”
“Really?” Fluttershy asked. “I don’t smell anything … but I hear this awful singing, like - like a Cybertronian bird wheezing as it dies. I’m sorry, I realize I may be overly flowery … ”
“The Dead Universe is attempting to buffet our senses and lead us astray.” Optimus took a step forward, his fist clenched so he could strike first against whatever they might encounter. “We must remain on task and keep our focus. Remaining together will of be of highest priority, lest the Dead Universe’s tricks begin to have an adverse effect on us.”
“Ugh.” Dash rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to make it so wordy, Optimus. Just say “we have to stick together or the Universe will trick us’. Is that so hard?”
“I concede your point, Rainbow Dash. However, there are more important things than speech lessons on my mind right now.” Optimus pointed his finger. “Autobots, roll out!”
The Autobots marched forward. Despite the efforts of the Dead Universe to lead them astray, they had surprisingly little trouble for the first few yards of their journey.
“Yo, Arcee!”
“Huh?” Arcee turned to the sound of her name. Standing in the distance on a cliff was … Cliffjumper, her former, deceased partner.
“Long time no see, Arcee!” Cliffjumper said. “What’s happening?”
“Cliffjumper!”
Arcee rushed over to greet him, but Optimus grabbed her by the shoulder and held her back.
“Arcee, no! It’s a trick!”
Arcee looked up at Optimus. She looked back at Cliffjumper, forming a scowl. “Right, right …”
Arcee drew up her Echohawk and pulled the string, firing an arrow at the Cliffjumper phantom. The arrow tore straight through him, and the illusion disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.
They continued on their way, interrupted by a slight buzzing noise.
“Anyone else hear that?” Bulkhead asked. “Oh, I hope it’s not Scraplets.”
“Who knows?” Dash said. “It might be something even worse than Scraplets.”
“Rainbow Dash, if you’re trying to scare me, I will smash you here and now-”
“Quiet!” Optimus held his hand out.
“There is definitely something here …” Twilight observed, flicking her eyes back and forth to scan for danger.
All around, cloud of dust were kicked as things burst from the ground, tapering monsters with the shape of shrimp, but none of the friendliness, with multiple eyes and thousands of hooks lining their underbellies.
“What are those?” Twilight asked while blasting one with her magic.
“Cyberwraiths!” Optimus pulled out his chaingun.
“I thought Cyberwraiths were a myth?” Arcee exclaimed, opening fire.
“They’ll try to burrow through our armor and drink our Energon.” Optimus said.
Dash waved her hoof in front of her. “What if we don’t have Energon for them to drink?”
“I would just as soon not find out.” Optimus pulled the hammer back on his chaingun and opened fire, the sound of bullets flying from the chamber echoing in the empty Universe. The Cyberwraiths were quickly punched full of holes from combined Autobot fire and pony magic. Yet, just as they seemed to be reducing down to a less threatening number, another native beast joined the battle. Largely Cybertronian in appearance, its head was caved in, with multiple Sparks spilling out of its bowels, hooks on prehensile chains whipping from its back.
“A Sparkeater!” Arcee exclaimed. “Another myth. Seems like it’s going to be a theme?”
“I’m gonna guess with a name like that, and those giants hooks hanging off him, he’s probably here to make us some Energon parfaits?” Dash quipped.
The team continued to fire at the Cyberwraiths, the Sparkeater growling, leaping everywhere to avoid being hit. As soon as it saw an opening, it dashed towards Optimus, who grappled with it, grabbing it by the shoulders. The Sparkeater hissed and spat into Optimus’ face, raising up the hooks on its back to strike.
Twilight flew up and fired, blasting the Sparkeater in the head, giving Optimus a chance to counter, slamming his fist into its smoking cranium before grabbing it by the head and tossing it in front of him. With some distance between them, Optimus opened fire and shot at the Sparkeater until it fell to pieces.
“Let’s hope that’s the last of them …” Bumblebee muttered.
“Let’s.” Optimus said before leading the group onward.
While occasionally, having to take a few potshots at the occasional loose Cyberwraith, the team eventually managed to find their way to Nova Prime’s seat of power. Literally, as Nova was resting on a throne made of obsidian, which was stacked on top of a cliffside with stairs carved into them.
Nova laid stretched across the throne with his head in his hand, looking quite bored. His eyes glanced towards Optimus’ team as they approached.
“Ah.” Nova adopted a more normal sitting posture. “So you’ve arrived.”
“Indeed we have, Nova.” Optimus and the others readied their weapons.
“Unfortunately for you, this is far as you go.”
Nova Prime stood up from his throne and held his hand out. He tensed his fingers and made a grand sweeping gesture through the air.
Heavy winds blew at the team, winds forceful enough to send the ponies flying off the ground. Optimus and the other Autobots had to hunker down to keep from being blown away, and reached out to grab their pony companions before they got too far. The wind picked up, blasting at them with even more intensity, kicking up a hail of dust and rocks until a verifiable sandstorm was blowing them away.
They covered their eyes. The sandstorm eventually died down, fading away, And when it had cleared completely, Optimus, Twilight and the others looked around to see they had somehow ended up back on Cybertron, in the exact place they were before going through the portal to the Dead Universe.
“Ah … hmm.” Primus said, observing their return. “This presents … a conundrum. We will need a new strategy.” Primus rubbed his chin.
“Strategy?” Rainbow Dash flew up to Primus, forgetting he was a god for a moment. “Nova just sent us flying back out of his Universe, and you want to talk strategy.”
Primus glared at her before responding. With a childish glee to him, he poked Dash in her soft round belly, causing Dash to turn away. “Yes. That is exactly what I want, Rainbow Dash, and that is exactly what will help us in this predicament.”
"Hmph."
“Hmph. Aren’t you, like, a Cybertronian god or something? Why can’t you just go in there and blast Nova?” Dash asked.
“Nova Prime is enhanced in the Dead Universe. He has been in there, festering like an infection, for some time. His power has grown to such a point that while inside, even I cannot vanquish him.”
Prims gave Rainbow Dash and the others a pointed glare.
Not unaided, at least. And if left unchecked, he will only grow stronger and get worse. Now, I have an idea, if Twilight Sparkle is willing, for something that may help us in our quest. Twilight Sparkle, if you wouldn’t mind getting the box you received from the Tree of Harmony?”
“Sure … but how did you know about that?”
“I’m a god! … And also, I was in your dreams, remember?”
“Right …”
Cutting off here; What needs to happen ; 1) Ponies gather keys from their friends and unlock boxes and 2) Ratchet needs to be brought here, considering changing Chapter 19 (or was it 18?) so that he arrives with Americons at Steeljaw’s valley, one of whom turns on the other when they realize Galloway lied about Optimus’ death, and Ratchet is able to join the group from there.
“Alright, ponies,” Primus said, “if you would put your keys in the box?”
“Mm-hmm!” The girls gave a collective nod. They inserted each of their respective keys into the box and turned them, unlocking the locks and making a click sound from within.
The box lit up, white light streaming from its keyholes. It absorbed the keys, taking them inside. The light grew, and the box split up six different ways, one for each of its facets, casting out a bright light which enveloped Twilight Sparkle and all her friends. They shielded their eyes, and when the flash had cleared, they were all decorated. Patterns appropriate to their wants and interests were marked all over their hooves and bodies, and their hairs and tails were given vibrant, loud multiple hues of color, stylized and poofed up like an 80’s hair band.
“As far as upgrades go, it’s not the most … visually appealing.” Twilight commented, running her starpinted hoof through her ridiculous hair. “But I feel power coursing through me unlike almost anything I’ve felt before. It feels so … bright. It’s magic. It’s friendship!”
“Indeed.” Primus said. “But now that you are gifted with this … “Rainbow Power,” as we shall call it, there is no one to wield the Elements of Harmony.” Primus held his hand out and levitated the Elements off the ponies’ persons and into the air. “No one, that is …”
Primus held his hands out. A Space Bridge opened in the air, dropping Ratchet in here, free from his prison.
Primus gestured to the Beast Hunters.
“Except these six Autobots.”
Ratchet’s jaw dropped. quickly realizing what was going on. “You have got to be kidding me. Us? Surely we’re not ...” Ratchet gestured to his chest. “Compatible with the Elements?”
“I do not kid, Ratchet. That’s a lie, sometimes I do. But not on this. You’ll never know until you try. Come forth, Autobots, lay claim to your greatest virtues, and seize your destiny.”
“We’ll do it.” Optimus said, overriding Ratchet and stepping forward.
“Fine.” Ratchet said. “But don’t expect me to like it!”
Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, Ratchet. Never change.”
"And remember, we need to find a way to get me back to Galloway before he notices I'm gone," Ratchet said.
"It will be taken care of, I assure you," Primus said. "But now we must stop Nova."
The Autobots walked forward.
“Bumblebee,” Primus said. “With your earnestness and pure heartedness, you will make an excellent representative of the Element of Honesty.”
Primus levitated the Element of Honesty to Bumblebee, manipulating to fit around his neck. Bumblebee bowed.
“Arcee, with your devotion to your friends, you will represent Loyalty.”
“Of course.” Arcee said as the Element of Loyalty was wrapped around her neck. “That seems so obvious.”
“Bulkhead, with your, uh … your, uh … … you’ll be presenting Generosity.” Primus placed Element on Bulkhead’s neck.
“Yeaaah, that seems like a bit of a stretch.” Bulkhead commented, picking the Element up to admire it. “This whole idea seems like a bit of a stretch.”
“Moving on,” Primus said quickly, “Ratchet, despite your sour disposition, your medicinal knowledge and desire to heal marks you as the one to represent Kindness.”
“Really?” Rainbow Dash asked. “He’s kind of a grouch.”
Ratchet accepted the Element with a slight sense of awe. “I’m … humbled, Your Majesty.”
“Smokescreen, your youthfulness and lighthearted approach to all things in life makes you ideal to represent Laughter.”
“Yes!” Smokescreen pumped his fist. “Hey, wait, why can’t I be Honesty?”
“And Optimus Prime … with your leadership skills, and your desire for peace between all walks of life … there should be no question that you are fit to bear the Element of Magic.”
Optimus approached Primus and bowed. Primus took the Element of Magic into his hands and laid the crown on Optimus’ head.
“Optimus is wearing a tiara.” An Imperialcon broke into laughter, resting his head on his nearby fellow’s shoulder. “Optimus Prime is wearing a tiara.”
Optimus, however, accepted the bestowing with grace and humility. “I am humbled by your judgment determining me worthy of Equestria’s greatest treasure, and am flattered by your expectation that I will be able to wield properly. I wish I could have as much faith in myself.”
“I know you will wield it well, my disciple.” Primus placed a hand on Optimus’ shoulder to assure him. “Now that that’s done, are we ready to return to the Dead Universe? Nova will not wait forever before he attempts to return to the world of the living.”
“Ready!” The Autobots and ponies saluted.
Primus held his hand out and reopened the portal.
“Permit to learn from the mistake I made before and join you on this mission.” Primus said.
“As will I.” Megatronus stepped forward.
“We’re in.” Micronus said.
Optimus nodded. He led the bolstered force through the portal. With the help of the Primes, it was much easier to return to and reach Nova Prime’s pedestal.
“You again?” Nova asked. “I would have thought you would have learned your lesson after the first time.”
“I would have thought you would have found something more productive to do with your time than sit on your throne and wait for us to come back again.” Optimus retorted.
“Ha! Well played, Optimus. But clever retorts will do you no good here.” Nova stood up.
“Yeah!” Dash pumped her hoof. “Now let’s-”
“No.” Optimus held his hand out in front of her. “Not yet. The time is not. We do not know what tricks Nova could be hiding up his sleeve. Open fire, with regular means!”
Optimus, Twilight, Megatronus, and all the rest of them prepared their weapons and fired at Nova Prime, blasting him with a hail of lasers and energy blasts. Nova Prime held out his hands and returned fire with his shooting star attack, but he was outnumbered and outgunned, the blasts striking him in the shoulders before taking out his head. More and more of his body was stripped away, their fire blowing him up piece by piece and reducing him down to a pair of legs.
“Did that do it?” Twilight asked.
“Did we get him?” Rarity asked.
The answer was a loud no, as black bile and goo spewed out of Nova’s standing legs, rising up and spinning around, spreading and taking shape into the form of Nova’s body, but enhanced, forming his solar-panel wings, only with a night sky set in them instead of orange light, a more ornate head, and bulkier shoulders, arms, and legs, all topped off by a pair of shoulder-mounted cannons which rose up from his back. Nova aimed the shoulder weaponry and fired, unleashing a barrage against the ground in front of Optimus’ team, blasting apart their footing and forcing them to step back.
“Now?” Dash asked.
“Not yet.” Optimus said.
“AGAIN!” Megatronus ordered, and they resumed fire, shooting away until a lucky shot struck Nova and blew off half his torso, including the arm and face, and Nova stumbled.
“Grr … I didn’t want to have to do this, but I see now you leave me with no choice.” The black goop spilled out of Nova, again reforming his body, but he didn’t stop there with simple recovering. Nova began to twitch, and groan. His body shook. He twisted his head. His body began to grow in height and rip in places, Twisted horns sprouted from the side of his head, his legs became bent and backwards, his boots turning into talons, his hands growing and stretching into claws, wires forming and curling around his waist, a mouth opening on his chest, from which an organic-seeming eye appeared, and another eye formed on the crest of his head, his faceplate developing a pattern of extended teeth along its surfaces, his eyes turning purple and growing a second set of eyes below them.
“Behold the true power of the Dead Universe! You cannot defeat me in this form! You couldn’t in any other form, either, but this is one is doubly-so!”
“Ugh. That is disgusting.” Rainbow Dash. She looked to Optimus. “Now?”
“Now.” Optimus answered.
The Primes stepped back to let Optimus and Twilight do their thing. Marching up to the farthest edge of the ground they had to stand on, Optimus lifted his head up, the Element of Magic glowing faintly.
“Nova Prime!” Optimus exclaimed. “We stand here before you today, united in purpose and in spirit, with all the magics the bonds of friendship have to offer, prepared and ready to defeat you, once and for all, for the good of all of us. For Equestria. For Earth. For Cybertron, and every planet in between, and every planet and people that we will discover after!”
The light inside the Element built as Optimus spoke. He and the other Autobots were gradually lifted off the ground, as were Twilight Sparkle and her friends as they channeled their powers.
“It’s been a long, hard, winding road to get here.” Twilight Sparkle said. “But we’re here now, because we stuck with each other through thick and thin, through every loss and every setback, we stayed together, and we stood united. Sure, it wasn’t always easy, but nothing in life ever is, and that’s what you do when you have somepony you consider a true friend! You stay by their side, no matter what, despite whatever differences you might have! Overcoming differences … that’s something you never seemed to understand, Nova.”
“Oh, please. Don’t make me laugh.” Nova said. “Do you honestly expect me to believe that six Autobots could wield Equestrian magic? The greatest Equestrian magic, or so I’m told? And that between the twelve of you, you have the magic and the power to defeat me? Again, don’t make me laugh! I’m barely holding back chuckles right now, it’s so amusing!”
“We don’t care what you believe!” Optimus and Twilight shouted at him.
“You can see it for yourself.” Optimus said.
By now, all twelve of them were fully lifted in the air, and surrounded with magical glows. The Autobots tensed their fists, while the tattoos and prints on the ponies glowed.
“What?” Nova said. “No … it can’t be. That’s not possible. That is not possible. How is this possible!? Autobots should not be able to use Equestrian magic! ”
“Nova Prime … farewell, my predecessors. ” Optimus bid him.
Rays of light shot out not only from the Elements, but from the bodies of Twilight Sparkle and all her friends, joining together rising up into the air and curling together in a double helix pattern, the rainbow from the Elements crossing with the rainbow from the Rainbow Power before merging into one and coming down on Nova.
Nova could only stare and stand in shock at the rainbow speeding towards him.
“It’s … not … possible.”
“AAAAAGH!” The rainbow slammed down on the ground and wrapped around Nova, encasing him in a whirling tornado of prismatic light. Nova Prime screamed out in anguish, his shadowed form visibly suffering from within the rainbow storm, twisting and tensing, going into spasms and reaching out for aid of any kind as the harmonic energies proceeded to tear him apart.
“SHEEEEAAAAAAGH!”
Nova let out one last defiant scream in denial before the rainbow exploded into a blinding show of light. A shower of sparkles of all colors of the rainbow dripped and fell all around the Dead Universe, Nova Prime’s body or any remnant thereof nowhere to be found, save for a floating seven-pointed star-shaped device with handles on it hovering over his throne.
“My wayward son … you’ve lost your way.” Primus said, flying up to the throne and getting on one knee, raising up his hand. “Allow me to take you home.”
A tiny, tattered version of a Cybertronian Spark appeared, blue in color as it should have been. It floated unsteadily down towards Primus, circling around in spirals before coming to lay and rest on Primus’ hand. Primus took the Spark and placed it inside his chest.
“What was that?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Nova’s Spark. Or what little was left of it. He’s been gone and corrupted by this place for so long, I wouldn’t have been surprised if there was nothing left of it.” Primus got up. “It will now, through me, return to the Well of AllSparks, where one day, it will eventually reincarnate and be given birth as a new Cybertronian, unconnected to their past. Hopefully they will lead a better life and go down a better path than the one walked by Nova.”
“But didn’t the Quintessons put him here?” Fluttershy asked.
“They did… but we cannot forgive all his actions simply because was he was locked away in an isolated dimension. He still had some free will, some of his own agency. Being put here wasn’t his decision. Deciding to go on a crusade to eliminate organics from Cybertron, and eventually the universe, was.”
The ground beneath them shook.
“What was that?”
Cracks and fractures appeared.
“It’s the Dead Universe.” Megatronus said. “Its eldritch existence must have become so intertwined with Nova Prime’s that without him it cannot continue. It cannot survive, or endure.”
“The entire place is beginning to fall apart.” Arcee noted, looking at the sky and seeing the various different shades swirl and blend together with no respect for the others’ personal space.
“Everyone back into the portal!” Optimus and Primus ordered.
“We need to get out of here before the entire place collapses!”
“I’ve got no intention of staying behind, but uh, just to clarify, what will happen if we don’t make it?” Rainbow Dash asked as they all headed towards the portal.
“Even I’ve never been inside a collapsing universe before.” Primus said. “I imagine it would be something like the Big Bang in reverse, shrinking down and crushing you.”
“Great. Got it, Let’s hoof it!”
Even with the ground crumbling beneath their feet, asteroids floating by and breaking apart, and occasionally being assaulted by more Dead Universe natives like the Cyberwraiths and more Sparkeaters, the entire assembled force was able to make their way through the portal, those at the back of the group - Fluttershy, Megatronus, and Smokescreen - just barely able to jump in and make it through the portal before the ground fell apart beneath them.
“Fluttershy!” Dash exclaimed, rewarded for her concern by Fluttershy crashing into her and pinning Dash with her metal body.
“I’m here, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy nuzzled Dash’s cheek. “I’m okay.”
“Great. Could you get off? You’re kind of crushing me.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“Well, we all made it through …” Twilight said. “And Nova Prime’s been defeated. So … what … is that?”
Twilight pointed at the hovering star-shaped device floating in front of the Dead Universe’s portal. The one which had floated over Nova’s throne after his final defeat.
“It must have followed us here.” Arcee said. “But … what is it?”
The bizarre device gave off a menacing pulse from the red glowing gem in its center. Acting on its own, it turned towards Optimus. Black tendrils made of the same goo and bile which had been present in Nova shot out and reached towards Optimus, digging into his chest and trying to pry his windows open.
“Arrgh!” Optimus grunted and planted his feet against the ground, resisting the thing’s efforts to try and pull him into itself.
“What is it!?” Twilight shrieked. “What’s happening?”
“What’s it doin’ to Optimus?” Applejack asked.
“It is the Heart of Darkness.”
Everyone was surprised to see Galvatron walk up to them.
“It is the core of the Dead Universe.” Galvatron said. “It merged with Nova Prime, and now without its host, it seeks a new oue. It is an equivalent and opposite to the Matrix of Leadership, and it wishes to pull Optimus into it, merge with its opposite to make itself whole, and make Optimus into its new host.”
“What do we do about it!?” Pinkie shrieked, putting her hooves on the head.
“I have been waiting for this moment.” Galvatron said with a smirk. “Give the Heart of Darkness. I was in the Dead Universe with Nova. I have the experience and the affliction to wield it and bond it to me.”
“You want it? You can take it.” Optimus turned towards Galvatron.
“Optimus?” Twilight asked. “What are you doing? Are you sure that giving the megalomanic the artifact of doom is a good idea?”
“Trust me … Twilight!” Optimus grunted, the Heart’s tendrils plunging into him.
“Yesss.” Galvatron hissed. He walked up to Optimus. “Finally, after all these years, I can take my rightful place as the wielder and owner of the Heart, and with it, I will rule everything I survey!”
Galvatron reached out to grab the Heart and take it into his hand. He was puzzled when Optimus’ embraced the Heart with his own hand. Optimus shoved the Heart against Galvatron’s chest, and quicker than Galvatron could recover, Optimus grabbed Galvatron by the shoulders and lifted him up, spinning him around before hurling Galvatron into the Dead Universe’s shrinking portal. For good measure, Optimus prepped his arm-cannon and fired off a shot straight into Galvatron’s chest, shearing off his armor plating as he drifted through the fading Dead Universe, the portal shrinking and closing.
“Don’t you think sending Galvatron back into the Dead Universe with the thing that made it stable in the first place might have been a bad idea?” Twilight asked.
“If he comes back, we will be ready for him.” Optimus said.
“If you’re sure.” Twilight said.
“Do not worry, Twilight Sparkle.” Megatronus said. “We are here now, and we will not let any menace of such a grand and threatening scale come against Cybertron ever again.”
“Okay then! Well, if we’re all done here …” Twilight said, closing her eyes as she dismissed the Rainbow Power. “I’d like to remind everyone that we have an appointment to keep … and an invasion to make.”
Galloway walked around in Gould Enterprises, checking in on the progress of Gould’s drone army.
“Hey there, Stinger!” Galloway waved at the red bot.
“Hello, Mister President, sir.” Stinger saluted.
“All rested up and recovered from your mishap with the Imperial base?”
“Yes, sir, sir. Ready, willing, and eager to defend the homeland against all of our enemies. Especially rogue Autobots, and doubly so for rogue Autobots named ‘Bumblebee.’”
“Haha! I’m glad you’re in the spirit of things, Stinger.” Galloway and his guard proceeded to walk away from Stinger and the drones he was sparring against.
“Sir,” Attinger said, “I’m worried you’re not taking the Imperial’s threat to invade D.C seriously.”
“Well, if that’s what it looks like, it’s because I’m not.” Galloway said. “The Imperials … have nothing. D.C is as well-designed against an invasion as an American city can be. Their base is destroyed. Heck, it’s a wonder they were even able to send that transmission in the first place!”
“Sir-”
Galloway patted Attinger’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about, Harold.” Galloway walked with, Attinger feeling a bit miffed.
“Only my friends call me Harold.”
“Rest easy, gents.” Galloway said, turning around a corner. “Be back in a few.”
Galloway entered another room. There, Gould was waiting, and Mearing came out and ran up to embrace him. They smiled as they took each other into their arms, the hug lasting far longer than it needed.
“Did Gould give you everything you need, honey-bear?” Galloway asked.
“Oh, yes, and more!” Mearing said. “He’s assured me that he has the resources to build the machine, and that it will be his top priority.”
“As I told him to do, my sweet.” Galloway said.
“Even if I’m not entirely happy about it …” Gould muttered, holding up the blueprints.
“What was that?” Galloway asked.
“I said, yes sir, Mister President!” Gould said with a smile.
“That’s what I thought.” Galloway said. “Mearing, have I introduced to my agents?”
“No, I don’t think you have.”
“They’re just around the corner. Let’s go meet the men and women who keep me - and this country safe.”
Galloway led Mearing around the corner.
“Gentlemen, I want you to meet Charlotte Mearing. Some of you might know of her already, and you might dislike her, but I want you to treat with the utmost respect. We have … something special.” Galloway smiled, and Mearing giggled.
Attinger was disturbed. “Sir … Charlotte Mearing is dead.”
“What?” Galloway asked. “How?”
Attinger was sullen. “Under … mysterious circumstances.”
“Well, Attinger, I don’t think that adds up, because if Mearing is dead, then who is standing next to me right now? Hmm?” Galloway asked.
Attinger paused to think. His face went wide in surprise. Getting a clue, he whipped out his pistol and shot Mearing point-blank in the chest. Galloway and Gould barely had any time to react, much less to process the fact that the blood spilling out of Mearing’s chest was green. She fell backwards with a hiss, a green fire rising from her feet and traveling up her body, revealing herself to be a Changeling as it landed on its back.
The Changeling hissed and scowled. Attinger stepped besides it, aimed his pistol, and shot it in the head, its blood spilling out onto the tile.
“Of course.” Gould said. “You know I just had this floor polished?”
Galloway looked down at the Changeling’s body. After taking a minute to process the fact he had been used, that he didn’t have anything special with her, and all the flirting, kissing, and longing looks were lies … he blew it off.
“Hmph. Okay. So she was a Changeling. Who knew, right?” Galloway shrugged.
Attinger raised a questioning eyebrow. “Gould, could I see those blueprints?”
“Of course, they were a request from Galloway based on Mearing’s designs ...
“Yes, I know that. That’s why I want to see them, because it’s a concern that we were about to start building something that was suggested by a Changeling!”
Gould pursed his lips. “That is concerning.” He handed Attinger the blueprints. Attinger stretched them and turned them upside-down, finding them incomprehensible to read.
“Oh, I can’t read this,” Attigner scoffed, “Gould, get one of your scientists over here to help me make some sense of this.”
“Yo!” Gould shouted and waved his hand, and two of his workers came running at his call like lapdogs. “Help my friend Attinger here make heads or tails of this blueprint.”
“Yessir!” The scientists went over and took the blueprints, one holding it up while the other studied them, running their finger over it.
“I don’t see anything wrong with it.” The scientist said. “... Turn it over.”
The other scientist flipped the blueprints over, and there was writing on the back.
“There it is.” The scientist said, bopping the blueprints with his finger.
“There what is?” Attinger demanded.
“This device, if fully assembled and launched, would spread a gas over the continent, maybe even the entire planet, as it was advertised …” The scientist explained, “but rather than making the populace complacent, as the Changeling Mearing had told Galloway, it would make the land uninhabitable to human beings. There’s a note written here reminding the Changeling to make sure the swap the gas canisters with their specialized concoction just before launch.”
“That’s what you were working on?” Attinger said. “A machine to make all the people of America, possibly of Earth … weak-willed and complacent?”
“Yes!” Galloway snapped. “It was something to help deal with the riots and other non-believers and heretics who stupidly and blindly insist on getting along with our enemies, with the people who are different from us, and that it’s gone, I have no idea how I’m going to keep this populace quiet and happy and staying down! What am I going to do?” Galloway sighed.
“You were actually going to use this machine? That is disgusting.” Attinger said with a snarl, baring his teeth.
Galloway gave Attinger a questioning, confounded look, baffled Attinger would say something to criticize him so openly and harshly. Before anything could come from it, an aide of Galloway’s walked up to him.
“Mister President, sir?” The aide asked. “There’s a Decepticon outside asking to see you. He wants to join your program.”
“Great!” Galloway clapped his hands. “The more, the merrier. After all, we have to keep a standing force active in case of threats … like the Imperials, right, Attinger?” Galloway asked, his words spitting with spite.
Attinger declined to answer.
Attinger, Galloway, and Gould went over to a farther edge of the building, where Fearswoop and a handful of surviving Forged were levitating by a balcony.
“Hello.” Galloway said, putting his hands together. “I’m told you want to join my Americon program?”
“Yes. My name is Fearswoop, and these are the Forged. We recently have suffered … a bit of a setback, and now we don’t see any other choice to survive except to sign up with you.”
“Glad to hear it.” Galloway said. “Welcome aboard, Fearswoop. I’d shake your hand, but, I think you can see why that wouldn’t work.”
“Hold on.” Attinger walked up. “Haven’t I seen you before? … Yes, yes, I have. At New York. You were with Deathsaurus’ group, trying to recover Trypticon from the ocean.” Attinger turned to Galloway, flourishing his arm “Mister President, you cannot tell me you’re going to allow this Decepticon into your Americon redemption program? To recruit former veterans of an ended war that wasn’t ours is one thing, but Fearswoop and the Forged are a terrorist group who performed and announced their intent to further commit actions that were not in the U.S best interests!”
Galloway was silent for a while, nodding his head as he tried to think of an answer to shut Attinger up. “Yes, Attinger, I do. You know why? Because I’m the President, and what I say goes.”
You’re a madman and a dictator trying to build an army, Attinger thought. He was agahst.
“Mister … President,” Attinger said, gritting his teeth, “what if this is an attempt and infiltration, to get an inside agent from enemy forces into our ranks?”
“Well, Attinger,” Galloway took a bold, arrogant step forward, placing a hand on Attinger’s shoulder, “that is what I have you for. You and all your men, here to sniff out and root out corruption and dangerous subversives during my reign.”
“Of … course.” Attigner said. He brushed Galloway’s hand off his shoulder. “I’m sorry. Excuse me, I need to be alone for a moment.”
“Of course. Take your time.” Galloway waved Attinger off as he walked away.
Attinger went over to where he could be by himself, in an isolated hallway in the building, where traffic was low. He gazed his reflection in the window, finding himself mentally correcting Galloway’s choice of words.
It’s an administration, not a reign.
Attinger thought about things. He thought about his recent missions. He thought what about when he did, and what his job was. He thought Galloway, his motives, and the disconnect between what Galloway had professed to him before and what he was doing now. Galloway had told him, had sold him on the idea they needed greater protections from Cybertronians and Equestrians in case of rogue agents like Deathsaurus, greater protections the current administration wouldn’t allow … but to then turn around and welcome one of those same rogue agents with open arms, a smile, and a handshake? Why? Because he needed enforcers. Because in the absence of ‘Mearing’s’ device, he needed a way to keep the public under control, under his thumb, under his boot. And if that meant hiring true-blue Decepticons as enforcers, so be it.
Attinger thought about his talk with Celestia.
Attinger lifted his hands to his head as realization dawned on him. He hadn’t been defending his country, he had been supporting and protecting a madman and his successful coup.
“My god. What have I done? What I have been doing?”
Attinger’s attention was caught by a whir and hum. He turned to see a Space Bridge forming, right there in the middle of the hallway. The War Princess jumped out from it, her ironclad hooves sliding against the polished floor with flying sparks.
“Attinger.” The War Princess acknowledged him.
“War Princess.” Attinger gave a geninie bow, which the Princess found unusual for him. “What are you doing here?”
“I meant what I said about invading D.C.” The War Princess said. “Before I do that, I’m here to take out Gould’s business by hacking into his computers and leaking every dirty secret he has to the public, before taking out Galloway, who my intel tells me is here. If I can take him out here and now, perhaps I won’t even need to invade Washington …” The War Princess cupped her chin in thought.
“War Princess.” Attinger said.
“Yes?”
“You focus on Gould’s business.” Attinger pulled out his gun and pulled back the hammer. “Leave Galloway to me.”
The War Princess was surprised. “Having a change of heart, Attinger? I’m surprised.”
“Yes.” Attinger answered without a trace of sarcasm. He turned away from her. “One I should have had a long time ago.”
The Princess nodded. “I see.”
Passing by a room as they went around inspecting their the current status of their projects, Gould and Galloway were stopped by a secretary.
“Mister Gould, sir?” The secretary asked. “You’re going to want to see this.”
“What is it?” Gould asked, rolling his eyes. “Excuse me, Galloway, I should go check this out …”
The secretary brought Gould over to a computer screen, where windows were opening at a rapid pace, and folders were being downloaded.
“What?” Gould sat down at the compute. He tried to enter a code to shut the computer down, but was given a blaring error message in response.
“Maybe it has a virus?” The secretary asked.
“It’s not a virus, it’s a hacker.” Gould despair, running his hands over his hair. “What’s going on?”
“Sir, there are news reports coming in.” Another employee said, raising their head. “Whoever is doing this is leaking all of our files onto the Internet and open-source areas.”
Gould sighed. “How much?”
“Everything.” The employee said. “Our designs for Stinger, our other drones, our pending patents, our tax reports, e-mails, our corporate espionage … I didn’t even know we did corporate espionage?”
“More bad news, sir.” The secretary said, checking her phone. “Several of our backers and partners are pulling out, withdrawing their funding and announcing termination of their partnership, your bank accounts are being hacked and their assets drained.”
“No! Don’t give me more bad news! Give me some good news!” Gould said. He sighed, rubbing his temples. “Okay, okay, this might not be as bad we thought … we can petition the government for reimbursement, go to our insurance agency … and a lot of that is reactionary. When the flame dies down and the dust settled, we should be able to convince some of those partners to link back up with us.”
“After corporate espionage?” The employee said. “I wouldn’t sign up with you after that. Heck, I’m quitting right now. Bye!” The employee stood up and walked out of the room. While Gould was reduced to incoherent stuttering by this walkout, something more pressing came up.
“GALLOWAY!”
Everyone turned to Attinger marching in the room.
“Uh, yes, Attinger?” Galloway asked. “What’s got you upset, son?”
“When you approached me …” Attinger said, “some time ago … you told me we were going to make the planet safer. To find ways to defend ourselves from potential and real enemies in a brave, new, terrifying world where we realized we were not alone in this universe. You told me we would protect the people. That we would take steps to defend ourselves without becoming a dictatorship. Not that all this was just a trick to satisfy your ego and hunger for power. You promised me what we were doing was to defend the country.”
“W-what are you talking about, Attinger? Why are you bringing all this up?”
“And now … now, you have, at every stepped, utterly failed at that promise.”
Galloway’s eyes widened and he backed away as he realized what Attinger was preparing to do.
Attinger pulled out his gun and trained it on Galloway. Gould called for security.
Attinger pulled the trigger.
It didn’t fire.
The gun had jammed.
And before he knew it, Attinger was surrounded by other agents who trained their guns on him fired, clouds of red mist spraying from Attinger’s chest as he was shot again and again until he fell on the floor, his gun dropping to the floor with a click.
An explosion rocked the building.
“Imperials!” An agent shouted, running in from the other room. “We’ve got Imperials?”
“Really? Here, now? Slag!” Gould swore. “Stinger! Stinger! Where are you, Stinger?”
“Well …” Galloway muttered. He glanced down at Attinger’s body before turning to leave. “Looks like Fearswoop is going to get a chance to prove his loyalty.
“Mister President, I recommend we evacuate.” One of Galloway’s men said.
“Agreed. Let’s get out of here.” Galloway directed the men to leave and go down the opposing hall.
As the building was shook and rocked by explosions, The War Princess galloped into the room, finding it abandoned save for Attinger lying on the floor. Pieces of wall and ceiling crumbled, and a fire could be seen to be starting from another portion of the building.
The War Princess saw Attinger on the floor and galloped over to him. She placed a hoof against his chest, trying to put on pressure on the wounds and keep him alive for a second longer, but giving his chest a more thorough examination, it was too late. Even with a Bridge, she’d never get him to help in time, and were she to do that, the wounds were fatal.
“Attinger. Attinger!” Twilight shook him, trying to keep him with her. She pushed a button and unmasked, revealing her face to him.
“Twilight …” Attinger said, “you’re the War Princess.” He gave a soft chuckle. “Of course you are, it makes perfect sense … can’t believe I didn’t realize myself sooner.”
“Attinger …” Twilight said.
“I tried, Twilight Sparkle … I tried.”
“I know you did.” Twilight assured him with a smile and a lone tear.
“Twilight …” Attinger coughed. “I’m sorry … for fighting your side. I should have turned sooner. I just … I just wanted to do what I thought was best for my country …”
“I know.” Twilight said, doing her best to comfort him. “So was I.”
“I imagine Prowl will be upset about not being able to match wits again …” He and Twilight chuckled. “Twilight … when you see Celestia again, tell her I guess she won’t be meeting Kimberly after all. She’ll know what you mean …”
Twilight wrapped her hooves around his hand. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Go.” Attinger said. There was some gunfire exchanged, followed by a crash, and part of the roof came down in the room. “Leave me. I deserve it … and I’m not coming back from this. Even with your fancy pony magic or Cybertech or whatever … it’s too far gone. I can feel it. And, if I’m honest, I’m … at peace with this. At least I died trying to do the right thing, like a person should.”
“O-okay.”
“There’s … one more thing. Before you go …” Attinger and Twilight winced as they heard the building creak. “There’s … something in my pocket. I can’t feel my arms … would you … reach in and get it out for me?”
“Sure.” Twilight used her magic to feel around and empty the pocket. She found something she wasn’t expecting - a miniature cross necklace.
“I see.” Twilight said.
“Would you … put it on my chest?” Attinger asked.
“Of course.”
Twilight laid the necklace across Attinger’s bloodied shirt, taking her hooves and lifting his hands and laying it across his chest. Attinger curled his fingers around the necklace tightly.
“Thank you …”
Twilight nodded. She closed her eyes and moved away, shedding tears for the man who had opposed her. If only he could have turned sooner, they might have been able to do some good together.
The building let out a groan. Twilight walked away. A crack formed in the wall, the building creaking and groaning. The firefight happening outside struck the floor Attinger was in on, starting a fire there.
Attinger tightened his grip on his necklace as the room was warmed and lit up by the flames.
“America, America, God shed his grace on thee … and crown thy good, with brotherhood … from sea … to … shining … sea.”
The building let out one last creak and groan before giving way entirely, the entirety of the roof collapsing and falling onto the floor, crushing and burying Attinger under the rubble, the weight causing the floor to collapse and repeat the process onto the next floor below.
Through the use of a Bridge, Galloway and his men were able to escape and return to the White House.
“Reports coming in, sir.” An aide said. “The Gould Enterprises building is … not salvageable. We were able to evacuate the personnel in time, in no small part thanks to Stinger and Fearswoop, but the building is gone.”
Galloway sighed. “How much data did we lose?”
“Surprisingly little, actually, considering the Imperials hacked in and leaked almost everything before they burnt the building.”
“Yeah, get our information back from hackers and leaks. That sounds a like good idea.” Galloway expressed with sarcasm. “It would seem these Imperials are still more organized than I give them credit for. Let everyone know aout this…”
“Yes sir.”
Galloway went into his office to sulk, staring out the window, arms crossed. He heard a jet engine roar and looked up. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. They were massive green starships floating overhead, and there was no mistaking they were headed right towards D.C.
Galloway rushed over to the desk, pushing a button. “This is Galloway here. We are under attack. Mobilize all of our defenses.”
“Received, sir.”
Around the city, an … appropriated Cybertronian force field generator was activated, encasing the city in a bubble. Americons, state troopers, and Attinger’s men were rolled out, scrambling and flooding into the street.
Galloway walked into the hangar where Ratchet and Vigil were stationed. “Ratchet!”
“Yes, sir?” Ratchet asked, looking oddly happy.
“The Imperials are attacking and invading D.C.” Galloway said.
“Oh really?”
“Yes, and I need your help to stop them! What can you and Vigil do for me?”
“Ah, hmm, well … alright. Vigil.” Ratchet said.
“Yes, Ratchet?”
“I would like to introduce you to my friends.” Ratchet said, giving Galloway a smirk.
“Passcode acknowledged. Deactivating the force field and other defenses around D.C.”
Galloway’s jaw dropped. “You … you! I’ll have your cranial module or whatever you call it for this!”
Ratchet rested his elbow on Vigil, not too concerned and looking awfully pleased with himself. “Don’t you have an invasion to be defending against, Mister President?”
Galloway growled and fumed, baring his teeth and stomping. Realizing Ratchet had a point and he would have to order the Autobot’s immediate execution by Attinger’s former agents later, Galloway turned and stormed out.
“Aw, yeah!” Circuit Smasher watched the Imperial fleet fly overhead, standing on the White House’s steps with Shining Armor. “Now this is the good stuff. This is the action!”
“Yeah … sure.” Shining Armor turned away.
“You okay, Cap? You’re awfully quiet.”
“I’m fine.” Shining Armor said. I’m just looking forward to this all being over with.
The Imperials, riding on ships made from Ammonites combined together, began to descend on the city, shooting out ziplines and travelling in.
Landing on the ground, Twilight Sparkle looked up and surveyed the area. She noticed Fearswoop hovering around.
“Bumblebee, you’re fast. Go ahead and take out Fearswoop.”
“On it.” Bumblebee rolled to the side of a building, standing up and taking aim with his bow. Sighing when he saw he didn’t have a clear shot, Bumblebee transformed and drove away to find a better vantage point.
As the Imperials marched onwards toward the White House, they crossed paths with Princess Celestia.
“Hello, Imperials.” Celestia said.
“Hello, Princess.” Twilight said. She pointed at Predaking, and directed him at Celestia. Predaking growled and charged forward, attempting to wrap his claws around Celestia, who pushed back with her wings.
“I am confused.” Predaking said. “Why are we fighting again? Are you not on our side now?”
“To keep up appearances,” Celestia explained. “We want Galloway to be caught as off-guard as possible, and that means letting him think he still has some control over me.”
“I see.”
Celestia took her horn and gored Predaking in the chin, making him stumble. Predaking made a growl which was more irritated than anything, and made a halfhearted swipe at Celestia with his claw.
“Come on, Predaking.” Celestia said. “Surely you can act better than that.”
“I’m afraid I lack understanding of the motivation of my character in this scene.”
Celestia chuckled. “Nice riposte.”
There was a bleep from Predaking’s head.
“Attention, Imperials,” An Imperialcon said, “we have detected Lazerback in the vicinity.”
“Lazerback!?” Predaking said with a growl. He reverted into his dragon mode, giving Celestia an annoyed glare and growl. Predaking arched his tail and swatted Celestia to the ground, and galloped away. He would not be denied vengeance against the traitor. Celestia pushed herself up with her wing and groaned, mildly annoyed at Predaking.
Lazerback stood in the middle of the street, having returned to Galloway’s fold after his schemes on Cybertron went pear-shaped.
“Galloway is one I can always rely on for protection, heh.” Lazerback chuckled to himself, tightening his grip around the trigger of his Toxic Strike Blaster. For all his confidence, Lazerback was unnerved when he heard a loud stomping coming towards him, like an iron elephant preparing to charge.
Optimus Prime walked in from around the corner.
“You!” Lazerback exclaimed in surprise. “You … can’t be here! You’re not supposed to be here!”
“And yet, here is exactly where I am.” Optimus said, gesturing around. “I have been waiting for a long time for this, Lazerback. You did something few people, few things in this wide vast universe are capable of making me do. You made me cry. And for that, I will not, can not forgive you.”
“Uh … ah!” His fear and panic increasing, Lazerback stepped back and aimed his blaster at Optimus. A fireball came from the side and struck his gun arm, knocking his aim off and causing the toxic goop to fire upwards before it was brought down by gravity, where Lazerback’s remaining arm was severed off, his elbow being melted by his own acid.
Lazerback looked to see who had fired, and his terror only increased when he saw Predaking lurking to the side, growling softly in his beast mode. Predaking roared and fired another blast, striking Lazerback in the chest with a burst of fire.
Before Lazerback could recover from the blow, his eyes widened when he saw Optimus charging at him. Optimus roared and slammed his fist into Lazerback’s face, proceeding to pummel him and toss him about, Lazerback’s head being tossed back and forth between Optimus’ punches like a pinball.
“Ugh …” Dazed, Lazerback fell to his knees. “I surrender! Have mercy!”
“Mercy …” Optimus said. “Do you have any mercy when you came into my home, destroyed my house, and threatened my family? You even injured one. I am afraid, for you, Lazerback … I am all fresh out of mercy.”
Lazerback’s optic twitch, looking up at Optimus’ oddly shadowed face in fear. Optimus raised up the Star Saber and brought it down on Lazerback, cracking Lazerback’s head, lodging the blade in his helmet. Arcs of electricity traveled around the red helm. Not taking chances, Optimus pressed the blade down, splitting the Predacon's head in half and tearing a slit into Lazerback’s chest.
Lazerback’s sparking corpse fell onto its back, still shaking and jittery in its dead thrones, Energon leaking out from its neck and severed arm.
Predaking converted to robot mode and walked up to Optimus, exchanging glances before joining Optimus in surveying Lazerback’s body.
“Well, it is not as satisfying as wrapping my own claws around his throat, slitting it and taking the life from him myself … I suppose it will have to do.” Predaking mused.
From the windows of a nearby building, Gould and Morocco watched as the Imperials and the Americons came into conflict, opening fire on each other, blue-and-silver clad soldiers blasting away with heavy weapons against the red-white-and-blue Vehicons.
“Do you suppose Galloway has a plan to deal with these Imperials if they reach the White House?” Morocco asked with his usual sneering tone, shaking glass of red wine and taking a sip.
“I’m not sure.” Gould said. “I’m gonna go ask, and maybe come up with something if he doesn’t.” Gould turned around and left, entering an elevator.
Morocco huffed. “Well, you know what they say. Get out while the gettin’ is good.” He finished off his wine glass and laid it on a desk, walking towards the elevator. “I suppose I’ll have to go into hiding until the next megalomanic with a crazy scheme finds me and has need of my services … hmm?”
Morocco turned around the sound of metal displacing vast amounts of air, like … metal wings.
Morroco’s face lit up with fear as a beaked Predaking rose in front of the window, its wings beating steadily.
“Gyaah!” Morocco fell flat on his bottom in fear. He turned and crawled along the floor, scrambling to get to safety, while the Predaking opened his mouth and charged up a blast of fire. The ursagryph spat out its fiery breath, breaking down the wall and shattering the glass of the windows, engulfing the building in flame. The structure began to collapse, falling apart piece by piece. Rubble landed in front of Morocco, preventing him from advancing further, and another landed on his legs, keeping him from moving at all. He had no choice to but to lay there and wait for the flames to consume him … if the ceiling cracking and falling down didn’t kill him first. The rest of the building went tumbling down.
Up ahead, a girl walked away from two Equestrian musicians, who themselves were striking up a conversation with two Americons.
“What’s troubling you, citizen?” The Americon asked.
"Well . . ." One of the ponies muttered. "It's just . . . it's been a few hours, and President Galloway hasn't acquiesced to the Imperials’ demands. I'm beginning to worry about what they might do."
"Have no fear!" The Americon assured her. "With the aid of the Forged, ourselves, the Royal Guard, we have more than enough protection for whatever that rebel scum might throw at us!"
They admired his enthusiasm, but it proved unjustified with a shot from a truck blew a hole into his chest and knocked him over.
Ultra Magnus pulled up them, converting to robot mode.
"Civilians," He said, reaching over his back and grabbing his boomstick, "I suggest you take the better part of valor and find a good place to hide, unless you want to be involved in the scuffle."
The two ponies nodded, then galloped off for the deepest, most closed-off hiding place they could. Magnus aimed his weapon around for other sentries, then put his finger against his head when it was clear there weren't anymore in the area. A light buzzing came from his head as a wireless communication device was activated.
"Ultra Magnus to Twilight Sparkle. District clear."
"Copy that."Twilight replied over the connection.
Magnuus turned around and looked to the sky as Predaking flew in, landing gently on the ground, laying its wings out to the side to let the forces on its backs slide down and take offensive positions.
Twilight started pointed at each everyone and shouting orders.
"Secure the district! Ammonites, combine into a tank and cover the rear! Predaking, you're with me. Magnus, set up a monitor and direct things in my absence. Organics Regiment, push the assault forward. And remember, I want zero fatalities. I want all these traitors alive and well when they see the error of their ways. Long Live The Last Prime!"
"LONG LIVE THE LAST PRIME!" Was shouted by all but the green Ammonites.
"The Last Prime is dead!" An Americon shouted as he and others arrived, responding to the
commotion.
Twilight and Predaking creature charged forward at them, Predaking easily dispatching all of them with a swipe of its massive tail. Behind them, the Ammonites began shifting and merging, fusing into one giant tank and wheeled themselves backwards, aiming their turret at the rear guard.
Twilight and Predaking march forward through the city. Explosions, lasers, battle cries, gunshots, and car crashes began to sound out from all over the city, but Twilight didn't flinch.
As they marched, they came across Princess Luna.
"Princess Luna!" Twilight took up a fighting stance. "What are you doing here?"
Princess Luna glared at Twilight, undisturbed by Predaking arching up his tail.
"We . . ." Luna paused. "We have thought long and hard about what thoust has been doing, Twilight Sparkle, and We . . ."
Luna's glare turned into a smile.
"We approve immensely. It's about time somepony did something about Galloway's reign. Please." Luna stepped to the side and gestured her hoof for them to continue.
Twilight smiled. "Thank you, Princess. Come on!" Twilight galloped ahead, beckoning
Predaking to follow. Neither of them hesitated, faltered, or stopped as the din of exploding glass and steel played out around them in echoes.
Eventually, they reached their destination – The U.S White House, seat of all of the United States' political leaders. Guarding it was a magical force field, as summoned by Twilight's brother, Shining Armor, who was waiting on the steps leading up to the building, clearly waiting for his sister along with Witwicky.
"Twilight Sparkle!" The human exclaimed.
"General Buster Witwicky." Twilight noted him with disdain. "I suppose you two are going to try to stop me from getting inside?"
"Yup." Buster confirmed, pounding his fists together. "I've been meaning to get you back for embarrassing me in Mexico. Just you wait. Fearswoop will be here soon." Buster warned. "And then you'll-"
THUNK.
Some distance away, unseen by Buster, Fearswoop was taken out of commision by Bumblebee putting an arrow from his Beast Hunter bow straight Fearswoop’s optics.
"What was that!?" Buster exclaimed.
"From the sounds of it," Twilight replied, "Bumblebee just took out Fearswoop. Exactly as I planned."
Buster snarled, and began to walk down the steps. However, Shining Armor put his hoof on Buster's shoulder.
"Actually, General . . ." Shining Armor said. "I heard about what you did to Vortex in Mexico . . . and why. As such, I'm afraid to say the U.S Army no longer has my support." Shining Armor then cold-clocked Buster, knocking him with a blow to the head. Buster fell to the ground.
Twilight and Shining shared a warm gaze.
"Good to see you've come to your senses, B.B.B.F.F."
"Shall we?" Shining Armor's horn glowed, and the pink bubble enveloping the White House faded away. He offered his hoof.
"We shall." Twilight climbed up the stairs and took it. Shining Armor guided her inside the building, both of them using their magic to toss aside any Guard who got in their way.
They reached the President's room and barged in, where Cadence, Galloway, and Gould were surprised to see them.
"What is the meaning of this!?" Galloway demanded.
"Simple, President Galloway." Shining Armor answered. "It's about making things right."
“You … you!”
Shining Armor went to hold Cadence.
Gould got up and launched himself at Twilight. Twilight slammed her hoof into his face, easily knocking him down. She then proceeded towards the table and did the same thing to Galloway, smashing his face against the desk so hard his lips started to bleed.
"Now that I have your attention . . ." Twilight quipped, pressing her hoof into Galloway's neck. She looked over to the computer on his desk. She raised her hoof and began punching in keys.
"Why don't we start off by repealing Optimus Prime's terrorist status?"
Galloway let out a sigh. “Fine.” He typed a command into the computer, pulling up the terrorist watch list, and pressed a button removing Optimus - recorded as ‘deceased’ from the list.
“Anything else you want?” Galloway asked.
“Yes.” Twilight answered with a smile. She took hold of Galloway by the collar of his shirt and began to push him out the door. “Optimus Prime is waiting to speak with you outside, and he is very eager to discuss some things with you.”
“What?” Galloway stammered. “That- that can’t be. Optimus Prime is dead. It’s not possible.”
“Shut up and walk.”
Twilight continued to push and beat Galloway until they arrived outside at the White House steps, where Optimus, Ultra Magnus, and Princess Celestia and others were waiting, all of them looking quite cross, glowering.
“You … you can’t be here.” Galloway said. “I … I killed you. I destroyed you. You can’t be here. How can you possibly be here!?”
“Yes, about that … as you might imagine, I am not happy with your attempted murder of me with an assassin, President Theodore Galloway. Just one of the many topics I wish to discuss with you.” Optimus stalked forward, and Galloway, losing his wits, fell against the marble steps of the house.
“Tell me, Galloway,” Optimus said, “when did you first decide that you deserved power? That you were somehow worthy of being President of the United States, even if it meant skipping the democratic process? How did you reach the conclusion that you were free to determine who who lived and died if they proved themselves somehow an obstacle to your ambitions, your delusions of grandeur?”
“I …” Galloway crawled backwards up the stairs.
“HOW!? ANSWER ME!” Optimus roared, charging up his arm-cannon.
“P-please …” Galloway raised up his arms. “I-I don’t deserve this!”
“I WILL BE THE ARBITER OF WHAT YOU DESERVE!”
Optimus aimed his arm-cannon, lens flaring shining from the cannon’s barrel. He fired, shooting a plasma blast directly onto Galloway. Twilight shielded her eyes as blue light shone, and wrinkled her nose at the smell of burning flesh.
Once the blast had cleared, Galloway was gone. All that was left of him was a charcoal-black, burnt skeleton lying on the stairs, his nice suit burnt beyond recognition and melted to the bones, trails of smoke flying up off the body.
This done, Optimus fell to his knees, resting his hands on the stairs and hanging his head.
Twilight Sparkle walked around to the side of him, placing a hoof on Optimus’ leg.
“I’m sorry … I know that had to have been hard for you. ‘Never harm an organic …’ ‘our most sacred vow.’ He deserved it, he deserved every bit of it.” Twilight nuzzled against his leg. “But I know going against that and breaking that other so flagrantly must have still hurt.”
“He did deserve it.” Optimus said. “But am I no better than him? By what do I make the decision to take his life?”
“The right of the fact that he was a conspirator, an usurper, and an indirect murdering. He was guilty of so many things, Optimus, even if we didn’t put him through a fair trial. He would have done the same to us. But it’s over.” Twilight closed her eyes. “It’s over now.”
“‘It’s over’ … is it? Is it really over?” Optimus asked. “I said the same thing during New York, after I had crushed Megatron’s head between my hands.” Twilight grew unnerved when she heard Optimus’ voice break. “I thought that was it. But there was more to do after that. And even still, after we dealt with all of our enemies on that day, after we thought the days of Autobots and Decepticons were dead and gone and done with, still … still I find myself being dragged into war. Still I find that no matter how hard I try, I cannot escape war. No matter how hard I try, I cannot escape war and warmongering. It forged me, it made me, it is part of who I am … and no matter what, that part will still never go away.”
Optimus sighed.
“War. War never changes, Twilight Sparkle. It’s … it’s never really over.”
Optimus pulled and sat down on the stairs, hanging his head while Galloway’s body continued to let off smoke. Twilight laid her head across his lap. The rest of their team waited, giving Optimus the minute they knew he needed before they went and started cleanup operations.
“Hmm.” Bumblebee observed the crowd gathered around the White House’s steps. “I’d like to know what’s going on over there. It’ll be nice to join up with the others.”
Climbing over a ledge and hopping his way down from his vantage point, Bumblebee jogged towards the direction of the house. A blow came from behind him and knocked him down.
Bumblebee rolled over onto his back, seeing Stinger standing before him.
“Stinger.” Bumblebee groaned, getting to his knees. “What do you want?”
Stinger turned his head, looking around. “Galloway may be dead … we may have already lost. But I still want to finish things and settle the score with you, Bumblebee.” He pointed a pointed finger at Bumblebee.
“Stinger, it’s over.” Bumblebee said, getting to his feet. “You’ve lost. Accept it, and move on.”
Stinger replied by punching Bumblebee.
“Uh-uh. No. It’s not over until one of us is the ground.”
Stinger proceeded to pummel Bumblebee, striking Bumblebee in the face repeatedly with multiple rapid-fire blows. Bumblebee groaned, but was able to rear his arm and land a jab on Stinger’s face.
Stinger deployed a twin-pronged electrified prod from his arm. He attempted to strike Bumblebee with it, and Bumblebee ducked by bending backwards, deploying his arm-mounted weapons and shooting Stinger in the chest.
Stinger staggered back, smoke coming from his chest. He converted his other arm into a cannon and fired, blasting Bumblebee in the chest and sending him flying, where Bumblebee tumbled and rolled along the concrete.
Bumblebee groaned and pushed himself up. Stinger briskly walked up to him. Converting his arm into an ax, Bumblebee attempted to slice Stinger in the waist, but Stinger grabbed the handle of Bumblebee’s ax and kept it from connecting, following up by pounding Bumblebee in the head, knocking him down. Stinger reached down and picked Bumblebee up, hefting Bumblebee over his head and tossing him down the street. Bumblebee grunted and groaned as he travelled along the asphalt, cracks and dips appearing as he rolled along.
Coming to rest on his back, Bumblebee let out a groan. He rolled his optics towards Stinger, grimacing when he saw Stinger charging up his arm-cannon.
“Goodbye, Bumblebee. Say hi to Barricade for me in the AllSpark!”
A blur of navy and gold appeared from the sky and struck Stinger in the shoulderblades, grabbing him and lifting him up, spinning Stinger around and hurling him away.
“It is the Well of AllSparks.” Switchblade corrected. He approached Stinger. “Get your terminology right if you are going to mock him.”
“Thanks, Switchblade.” Bumblebee got to his feet.
“No problem.” Switchblade said. He approached Stinger and raised his claw to strike, but Stinger recovered, turning both his arms into cannons and firing into Switchblade’s chest, Stinger’s arms shaking from the recoil as he pumped Switchblade full of plasma, blasting and pounding away at his armor.
“Urgh …”
Switchblade groaned and stumbled. Stinger hopped to his feet with an acrobatic leap and punched Switchblade’s face, before jumping up and sending Switchblade spinning away with jumpkick, sending Switchblade into a nearby wall.
“Stinger, what is it that you really want?” Bumblebee asked. “Surely you’re not that loyal to Galloway, or even Gould. I’m giving you one last chance to turn things around, Stinger.”
“I WANT to FINISH THIS!”
Bumblebee sighed. “Alright, fine. I tried to give you a chance. You want this finished?”
Stinger ran towards Bumblebee.
Bumblebee aimed his Hunter bow, nocked his arrow, and pulled the drawstring.
“Consider it finished.”
Bumblebee let loose, letting the iron arrow fly. The bolt struck right through Stinger’s head, piercing it and going through, Stinger’s leaning running posture allowing the arrow to pierce even further and tear straight through his chest.
Stinger came to a stop, his arms going slack, blue electricity beginning to crackle and run loose from his body.
Bumblebee, knowing of Stinger’s unusual construction, didn’t take any chances and pulled out more arrows, setting five of them into the bow and firing them in a storm at Stinger, piercing his waist, shoulders, and thighs in one single excellently-aimed shot. Stinger creaked and groaned, twitching and playing at the idea of remaining alive despite the damage, but it was too much for to shrug off, and his body fell onto his face.
This done, Bumblebee went over to go check on Switchblade. “Are you okay?”
“I am fine.” Switchblade took Bumblebee’s hand, and Bumblebee helped to his feet. “Though a little disoriented …” Switchblade clutched at his side, getting oil on his fingers. “And perhaps bleeding slightly, but it’s nothing a few plugs won’t fix.”
“I’m glad you’re fine.” Bumblebee said with a smile. “You really helped me out there.”
“Think nothing of it.” Switchblade said, limping away. Bumblebee took hold of him and wrapped Switchblade around his shoulders, carrying him. “You would have done the same for me, would you not?”
“I would have.”
Ratchet stood at the hangar, smiling at Vigil, imagining how easy of a time his friends were having with mowing down Galloway’s forces. How they would cut a path through the Americons, and oust Galloway from his throne …
His daydreaming was interrupted by Vigil’s screen turning black, the red line turning green.
“Ratchet … I feel funny again.”
“Oh no.” Ratchet said. He put a hand on Vigil’s screen to comfort him. “What’s wrong, my friend?”
“Accessing … someone is accessing, and I cannot stop them.”
“Accessing what?”
Ratchet scrutinizing the screen as Vigil flashed lines and stream of code by him.
Ratchet’s face contorted in horror. “Oh no.”
“Wait right here. I’ll be back as soon as I can!” Ratchet ran towards the hangar entrance, converting into vehicle mode and taking off roaring, his wheels screeching and his engine pumping.
“You know, I am a stationary computer …” Vigil murmured.
Optimus and the others rested where they were. Optimus stood up, and the rest followed his lead. Their attention was caught by a revving engine and the blare of siren lights. They looked down the street to see Ratchet driving up to them.
“Ratchet?” Optimus asked, walking up to him.
Ratchet, barely stopping, converted into robot mode and ran up to Optimus, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Optimus! Soundwave! Some sort of … deadman’s switch! Codes! Nuclear winter! International incident! Mutually assured destruction!”
“Ratchet, calm down.” Optimus placed his hands on Ratchet’s shoulders.
“Ratchet,” Fluttershy flew up to Ratchet’s face, “calm down. Take a deep breath. Speak calmly and in complete sentences. What’s the problem?”
Everyone looked around as they heard a whir.
“I’m gonna guess that.” Smokescreen said. “Whatever that is.”
Ratchet took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. “When Soundwave hacked into Vigil, he somehow found a way to leave some kind of virus that remained inactive until it detected a weakness in Vigil’s defenses. When I ordered Vigil to shut down the force field, it found an opening in the shutdown code and went through, infiltrating Vigil and all the systems he was connected to. And now it’s hacked its way through all of the humans’ defenses, and has several thermonuclear missiles to fire, primed and locked to fire at dozens of different countries!”
Everyone took in the sight as they watched several silver silos rise up out of the ground before shooting off rockets.
“If any one of those missiles hit their target, it’s all over. The rest of the world will see it as the U.S declaring nuclear war, and everything that we’ve done here …” Ratchet swept his hands. “Will be for nothing. There will be an international incident that this world will never recover from.”
“Not on my watch.” Optimus said, He flared up his wings and jetted off, blasting into the sky, Star Saber clutched firmly in his hand.
“Of course.” Smokescreen lamented. “Because it’s not an action movie until somebody has to stop a nuke …”
“Ratchet, how many missiles was Soundwave’s virus able to launch?” Twilight asked.
“I - I don’t know. Several. A lot!” Ratchet flailed his arms, beginning to panic again.
“I need you to do better than ‘several’, Ratchet!”
Ratchet took in another calming breath. “Twenty. Maybe twenty-five.”
Twilight drew up her face and steeled herself. She turned around.
“Get me thirty fliers up in the air, now. We cannot let a single one of those missiles hit.”
“Just out of curiosity,” Predaking stepped forward, “what happens if they do hit? Just so my Predacons understand what’s at stake.”
“Everyone in the area of the blast will die, and the area will be uninhabitable to humans, organics, and maybe even Cybertronians for decades - maybe even centuries.”
“So don’t screw this up.” Smokescreen said.
“I understand. Predacons, to the skies!” Predaking ordered, reverting into his beast mode and flying up. Other Imperials soon joined in.
Optimus chased down one of the missiles. He braced his grip and swung the Star Saber, shooting a crescent beam which cleaved off the thruster of the missile he was locked onto. He flew up to the falling missile casing and took it into his arms, stopping it from hitting something and denoting anyway before they could disarm. He gently floated down and laid the casing on the ground.
Fractyl pulled up to the side of a missile. He converted into robot mode and landed on atop of the missile, a capped vial of purple liquid in his claw. He uncorked the vial and poured the acid on the missile, where it eat through the metal. With a hole cut through the casing, Fractyl reached in and began fiddling to disarm the actual bomb inside.
“Ah, hmm … ah! There we go.” Fractyl smiled, hearing the thing click.
Fluttershy’s Insecticons and Predaking’s Predacons flew up to several of the missile, spreading their legs and wrapping them around the missile, grabbing them and pulling them back so they would aim upwards and go towards the sky - if the others couldn’t get to them in time, at least they would explode decently away from organic life, even if they did up causing an electronics blackout.
Celestia flew in front of a missile, charging up a spell. She let loose a huge blast of gold magic, which enshrouded the missile, turning it into a series of flowers which fell through the air.
Celestia reached out her hoof and let a flower drop onto it. She took in the flower’s scent.
“Celestia, now is not the time to stop and smell the roses!” Optimus ranted, flying past her.
“It’s always time to stop and smell the roses, Optimus. But I suppose I see your point.” Celestia turned and flew away, being joined by Luna in stopping another pair of missiles by turning them into more flowers.
“Hi-yah!” Optimus swung the Saber again, cutting off the thruster off a second missile. Twilight flew up to the falling missile and caught it with her magic, using her telekinesis to peel off a patch of metal and take out the explosive device, beginning to disassemble it with her magic.
“Careful where you shoot these things down over, people!” Twilight shouted. “Even one of them landing in an isolated desert could be a cataclysm!”
“Duly noted!” Fractyl said, carefully applying his acid to cut through another missile casing.
“Could we get a little help over here?” Fluttershy asked, noticing Predaking and Grimwing struggling to keep the missiles they were holding from moving too fast. “My Insecticons and these guys can’t hold out forever, you know!”
“We’re on it.” Cadence flew up, blasting multiple missiles and encasing them in crystal.
“Aid is on the way, Fluttershy.” Optimus swung the Star Saber at another missile. His optics widened when he saw his aim was off by a fraction of an inch, and his crescent beam was going to trigger an explosion. “SLAG! No!”
The crescent beam tore through the rocket, and the explosion rippled, stopped by a purple bubble coming from the ground, which contained the explosion in a confined space and kept it isolated until the chain reaction died down.
“Shining Armor with the save!” Rainbow Dash said.
“Not that it redeems him for all the stupid things he did.” Applejack noted with smarm.
“No, not all of them.” Twilight said. She looked down at Shining Armor with a smile. “But it’s a start.”
After dealing with Optimus’ once-in-a-lifetime miscalculation, Twilight and Fractyl set about dealing with the missiles being waylaid by their Insecticon and Predacon cargo, hacking into them with magic and acid and defusing their contents until they were all disarmed.
The Predacon-Insecticon fleet carried their cargo to the ground, laying the missiles flat on the terrain. Twilight, Optimus, and the others landed soon after with them.
Pausing, waiting for just a minute to see if their defusing hadn’t took, and some of them would explode anyway, but they didn’t.
Twilight sighed contentedly. “Crisis averted.”
In the aftermath of the D.C invasion, things began to clear up and cool down. The Autobots arrested the remainder of Galloway, Gould, and Attinger’s men who had been known to take active parts in the conspiracy.
The actual President of the United States was found in a trailer in an unpopulated area of the Middle East, guarded by Americons who had used every tool at their disposal to remain undetected.
Galloway’s declaration of martial law was revoked the second the President stepped into the building, and all of his misleadingly named Alien Cooperation bills were repealed. His Americon program, however, was found to have potential after being a scrutinizing through read, and it was kept … with a few major rewrites.
The ruins of Omega One were designated a war memorial site, with photography restricted.
Funerals were held for some of the major combatants who had perished in the combat. Corpses were burnt, the Autobot and Decepticon dead being melted into material for new protoforms - protoforms who would one day soon, be given new Sparks by the restored AllSpark within the Core.
“I never get along with, well, anybody.” Ultra Magnus said, speaking at Magnum’s burning. “But I especially didn’t along with my cousin Magnum. He was a stickler for the rules, and I was a free spirit, a Wrecker. Rules were made to be broken. But … Magnum was always strict and stern. You could rely on him to be blunt, honest, and straightforward in everything he did, and there’s … few people I would trust as much to have my back. Thank you.”
“He will be missed.” Optimus said, looking towards the casket which held him. “A honest soldier and courageous soldier. May peace find you in the Well, my cousin.” Optimus rested his hand on the casket before it was lifted up and carried off to be smelted.
Optimus sighed when the next body was brought out.
“This is the Decepticon soldier, Blackout.” Optimus said. “I … hope any Decepticons in the audience do not mind my speaking for him. I understand his closest comrade, Barricade, and C.O, Shockwave, are both deceased.” Optimus looked away. “He was a soldier, devoted to an ideal, to a way of life … I suppose much like our departed Dreadwing. He remained loyal to the Decepticon way, even if in the end, it wound up destroying him. I … that is all.”
Blackout’s body was carried off.
“Crosshairs …” Drift walked up to Crosshairs. He looked away. “T-take him away. Crosshairs wouldn’t care for a long goodbye and boring eulogy.”
The people gathered chuckle, and Crosshairs was taken away.
Elsewhere, Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia were joined by Fowler and U.S Army as they laid Attinger’s body to rest in a D.C cemetery.
Twilight sighed. “He was my enemy … but he was a patriot. He was doing what he thought was right. I saw his true colors just moments before he died. If I could gotten to him sooner, talked to talked him one on one, he could just as easily been fighting for us, and we could have ended this whole mess sooner.”
“He wanted to settle down, raise a family.” Celestia said. “But he carried his demons with him. He would have wanted to be buried here, in the capital of the country he loved, warts and all.” Celestia looked around.
The casket was lowered in the ground.
There was digging, investigating and poking around, and it was discovered the Chinese Minister of Defense had conspired and made deals with COBRA … without the entire knowledge or approval of the rest of the Chinese government. Oops. He was on suspension while an investigation was opened up into him and all of his aides who were in on it.
On Cybertron, Fortress Maximus looked down with sadness in his eyes at the fallen body of Metroplex.
“Farewell, my brother.”
Fortress Maximus walked away, his footsteps inducing tremors, until he came to where Metroplex had first been found. Fortress transformed, reassuming his city mode and laying himself across the empty space Metroplex had left behind.
After the funerals were held, dues to the dead paid, Optimus met up with Celestia. They sat down with each other, thinking of how they could mend the rifts this incident had torn between their different kinds.
On Equestria, Twilight Sparkle and her friends approached the Tree of Harmony.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Twilight?” Applejack asked. “If we put the Elements into the Tree, there’s no guarantee we would be able to get them back out again.”
“I’m sure.” Twilight said. “Call it a gut feeling, but I get the sense we won’t be needing these things again anytime soon … not for a long time. Maybe not even in our lifetimes, and by then, who knows what will happen? Besides, I can’t keep making those anti-magic bombs forever ...”
“I wish I could I say I feel the same, but alright.” Applejack said.
“We trust your judgment, darling.” Rarity said.
The girls held up their Elements. The Elements floated up and hovered into the Tree, locking and clicking into place in slots designed for them, almost as if the tree was … mechanical. Twilight went around deactivating the anti-magic generators.
“Say, did anypony else hear that clicking the Tree was doing?” Applejack asked.
“Yes. What of it, darling?” Rarity looked at the tree.
“Well, it sounded awfully mechanical to me.”
“You don’t suppose … the Tree could be Cybertronian, do you?”
Twilight, Applejack and Rarity exchanged glances. They burst into laughter.
“Let’s not be silly, Rarity.” Twilight said.
“Ah ha ha ha! Of course not, darling. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Rarity, Twilight and the rest departed from the tree, though Rarity couldn’t help but look over her shoulder, and she could have sworn she saw a blue Energon-like glow shimmer through the tree.
“It has to be magic … or my imagination.” Rarity muttered to herself, keeping a lower posture as she joined the others.
Later, Optimus addressed a crowd of Cybertronians.
“My fellow Cybertronians … there has been much happening as of late. Much has changed. Much will continue to change. We will need some time to recover and process everything that has happened. But as the world around me changes, forgive me if I may make a play on words, transforms … so must I too, change. Over the course of the last six months, I have found myself acting in ways … unbecoming of my status.”
Optimus tensed his fingers across the podium. He thought about his encounter with Scorponok. He thought about when he cried when he thought he had lost his family.
“I have been violent, emotional, and irrational. I have made ill-advised decisions based on impulse and snap judgments, letting my emotions dictate my actions and allowing violence to rule many of the things I do. I have acted unbecoming of a Prime.”
Optimus opened up his chest. He grabbed the Matrix and pulled it out.
“And so, it is with a heavy Spark that I announce my time is over. I am stepping down as Prime.”
Optimus laid the Matrix down on the podium. The crowd had a scattered mix of reactions, from cautious optimism, to disappointment, to cheerful jeering from still resentful ex-Cons and rowdier Autobots who had disagreed with Optimus in the past.
“I hope, despite Galvatron and Lazerback’s efforts to taint the process, you will find democracy a suitable alternative to our primacy, and elect appropriate leaders to guide you in this new era of ours. ”
Optimus turned and walked away from the podium.
“Optimus, sir, wait!”
Optimus looked to a hand raised in the crowd. Someone was making his way to Optimus, pushing himself through the crowd.
“Heatwave.” Optimus said.
“Optimus, sir, I have to object.” Heatwave said. “Without a Prime, we have no one to lead us. We need a figurehead, someone people can look up to for guidance and maintain order while we try to transition to a new system. I’m not saying we can’t go to a new way of doing things, but we need a system in place while we do. We need a Prime. Someone to answer questions and give orders.”
Optimus pursed his lips. After thinking about it, He picked the Matrix off the podium and shoved it into Heatwave’s hands. “Congratulations, Heatwave, you are the new Prime.”
Heatwave stammered as the Matrix was placed in his grasp. “Wha-me? Sir, but I can’t- I couldn’t possibly-”
Optimus placed his hands on Heatwave’s shoulders.
“Heatwave, I have watched you grow and shape into a leader in charge of your Rescue Bots since the beginning of your mission. You have shown a propensity for command, and demonstrated the capacity to lead. You have the skills for this. I know you do, and I know you will do an excellent job. You will lead Cybertron into a new golden age.” Optimus patted Heatwave’s shoulder, giving Heatwave a smile. “Make me proud.”
“I …” Heatwave stammered. He straightened up and saluted. “I won’t let you down, sir.”
“I know you will not. Else I wouldn’t be trusting you with such an important position.”
Optimus took his hand off Heatwave, and Heatwave got to his knees.
“Arise, my successor.” Optimus said. “People of Cybertron, hail to your new Prime.”
Heatwave turned to the crowd, who began applauding and cheering. Optimus spread his wings and jetted off, blue fire trailing off, and Heatwave waved goodbye when he noticed Optimus flying away.
While the Autobots shuffling through various components as they tried to decide where to set up their next base, Arcee was puzzled when she was struck by a ringing her arm.
“A high-frequency signal … with an embedded message. Hmm. Now who do we know that uses that?” Arcee asked dryly.
“What’s it say?” Ratchet asked.
“It has coordinates. It says to come alone.”
“I don’t like it. It could be a trap.”
“It says ‘this is not a trap.’” Arcee noted.
“Which, as we all know, is super definitive proof of it not being a trap, especially when you’re dealing with Starscream.” Smokescreen said.
“I’m going to go alone anyways.” Arcee said. “Just to see what he wants.”
“Be careful.”
“Aren’t I always? I’m a sniper. I am the very definition of careful.”
“Careful would be bringing backup …” Smokescreen said under his breath. Arcee frowned at him before moving on.
Arcee arrived at the area specified by the coordinates. Stepping up to a wall, she was shocked. She didn’t recognize it at first, the area being rusted over, covered in junk and debris, having been uncared for for some time … but this is where it had happened. This is where her nemesis murdered her first partner.
Pausing because of this fact, Arcee eventually mustered up the courage to go in. “Hello?”
“Ah, Arcee.” Starscream said, sitting on a crate, a light pouring down on him from a hole in the ceiling. “I was wondering whether or not you’d show up.” He didn’t turn to face her.
“Well, I’m here now. What do you want, Starscream?”
“There’s no place for me in this new world of yours that you and your pony friends are making.” Starscream said. “No place for a scavenger, scrounger, liar, and deceiver like me … sooner or later, I’ll be found. I’ll be caught, where it’s by some bounty hunter or an Autobot who got lucky. But if that is going to be the case …”
Starscream swiveled around on his seat.
“I figured I might as well give you some closure. That’s why I brought you here … where it happened. Where Airachnid did the deed.”
“What … do you expect to do?” Arcee asked, not grasping his meaning.
“Who knows?” Starscream said. “Maybe I’ll find somewhere to hide, gather followers, start another Decepticon movement and make a coup. Or maybe I’ll go out into space and drift aimlessly through the cosmos until rust overwhelms and forces me to final shutdown. But either way …”
Starscream stood up, pulling out his Thunder Talon.
“I don’t expect to walk out of here alive.”
Starscream lunged at her, and Arcee pulled up her bow, firing an arrow straight into Starscream’s shoulder. Starscream groaned, coming to a halt and clutching at the wound. Arcee sprinted forward, jumping into the air and striking Starscream’s with a series of kicks. She flipped backwards and landed behind him, drawing her bow and shooting a shaft into his back. Arcee deployed her arm-blades with a shink, and charged at him.
Starscream turned around, grabbing her by the wrist and deflecting her blade. He slashed across the face with his claws, tearing ghastly gashes across it. He jerked her arm and punched her in the gut, before taking up the Talon and pinching it around her shoulder, squeezing it hard and pulling, ripping her arm right out of her socket, Energon spilling out and getting all over her sides.
“Hmm.” Starscream noted, holding Arcee’s arm up in the pincher of the talon. Crackin a grin, a semblance of his old self coming back to him, he tossed his arm to the ground. “Perhaps this will go better than I thought. Maybe I’ll start that coup after all.”
Starscream slammed his elbow into Arcee’s back, causing her to drop to her knees. Standing over, Starscream raised his Thunder Talon up, his teeth bared in a crazed grin as he prepared to bring the Talon down on her.
A pink laser flew by, striking Starscream in the head and keeping him from delivering the finishing blow. He turned to the entrance, where Twilight Sparkle was flying around.
“I don’t recall inviting you.” Starscream growled, brandishing the Talon at her.
“Ratchet told me about what was happening. I wanted to get here as soon as I could. I have a score to settle with you just as much as Arcee does. I fought my friends because of you. I become an undead zombie because of you. My brother was killed by you. I brought him back as a Terrorpony, and he’s upset about it, but still.”
“Hmph! Well, that last one sounds like your issue to deal with, not mine!”
Starscream raised up the Thunder Talon. Twilight readied her magic, and Arcee was able to recover, aiming and drawing her bow, steadying it by bracing it against her chest. Arcee and Twilight both fired, Arcee’s arrow lodging into up Starscream’s torso, and Starscream’s chestplate and half of his head being blown off by Twilight’s explosive magic.
Smoke billowing from his body, Starscream toppled over to the ground, his grip loosening around the Thunder Talon’s handle.
Arcee got to her feet. “Thanks. He might have got me if not for you.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. A tough fighter like you? You would have turned the tables on him no sweat if I hadn’t got here.” Twilight said with a mischievous smile.
Arcee scoffed, but she couldn’t returning the grin. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Let’s get out of here.”
“What do we want to do with him?”
“Leave him, for all I care.” Arcee said as she walked out.
“Hmm … no, I think I’ll take him and have him cremated like all the other ‘Cons.” Twilight said, using her magic to pull Starscream by the leg, dragging his body to the entrance. “Wouldn’t want somebody getting the bright idea of trying to resurrect him, after all …”
Optimus and Celestia met up on a Jasper cliffside, sitting around and watching the sun set, their friends behind them.
Optimus tilted his head up, appreciating the sun’s beauty.
“Princess Celestia …” Optimus said, “now that I am no longer a Prime, I am … free to do whatever I please.”
“Oh?” Celestia asked.
“Yes. I could be a painter, an artist, a musician … I could go into architecture. Do you think I could go into architecture? I think I could be a good architect.”
“Optimus, I’ve never heard you talk like this.” Celestia said.
“Well, why not?” Optimus said. “I no longer have any responsibilities, no burdens to bear, no weights to carry. I don’t have to carefully consider the impact of my every word, or whether or not someone who might be listening might attempt to twist them or take them out of context. I can do whatever I want. I can make mistakes, I can laugh, I can cry, I could go to a party … I probably still would not, as I find them loud and obnoxious, but I could.”
“You could start using contractions.” Celestia said with a smirk.
“I could,” Optimus said, returning a smile, “but I won’t.”
“Ha. I see what you did just there.”
“I could make a decision with no practical or moral considerations beyond, “I feel like it.” Speaking of which … ”
Optimus reached over and grabbed Celestia up in his palm, making her squeal in surprise. He brought her up to his face and gave her a smooch on the horn, pulling out a ring box.
“Princess Celestia, will you join me in throwing caution and thought to the wind … and marry me?”
Everyone had something to say about this. “WHAT?”
Princess Celestia stared at the ring box. She giggled. “Oh, what the heck. Yes!” She took the ring and gave Optimus a peck on the cheek.
“Princess!” Twilight exclaimed in shock.
“Oh, it’ll be fine, Twilight.” Optimus placed Celestia down and went over to her. “Come, join me in a round of flying, would you?” Optimus picked Twilight up, hugging her, and spread his wings and took to the air.
“What is he doing?” Arcee asked.
“I do believe he’s making up for his lost teenagerdom, not to mention four million and six years of repressed desires and impulses.” Ratchet said. “He’ll ... he’ll burn out and go back to being someone closer to the Optimus we know …”
Ratchet watched Optimus performed a loop-de-loop in the air before he let his arms out, allowing Twilight to break free from him and pull up to him, flying side by side.
“Eventually.” Ratchet said with a shrug.
Optimus whooped and hollered, flying downwards with Twilight at incredible sharp angle before pulling up hard and accelerating right into the sky, producing an explosion which burst into a spray of rainbow-colored sparkles which flew off and scattered beautifully into the shape of an Autobot symbol, backlit by the image of Twilight’s Cutie Mark.
“Did … did he just do a Sonic Rainboom?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“No. If he did, we’d all have been knocked out. But he definitely did something. I suspect Twilight used her magic to help.” Ratchet said.
Optimus and Twilight flew back to the cliff, Twilight looking exhausted, but also clearly having had fun.
“Ah … that was fun.” Optimus said. “Fun! It’s been so long since I allowed myself to have fun, I had almost forgotten it was a real feeling!”
“That sounds horrible.” Pinkie Pie said. “I can’t imagine a life without fun.”
“Indeed, it was fun. And quite the visual spectacle, too.”
There was a brilliant blue glow, and Optimus turned and bowed as Primus manifested. He may have been letting out a repressed wild side, but Optimus still knew his place. “Lord Primus. To what do we owe the privilege of your visit?”
“I have a task for you and Twilight Sparkle, should you accept.” Primus said.
“What is it?” Twilight asked.
“Indeed. I will have to join Twilight’s inquiry before I decide to accept.”
“I want you two to go out into the cosmos as envoys of peace, emissaries spreading the message of peace and harmony to alien races throughout the cosmos. Find as many as you can, and invite them to join Earth, Equestria, and Cybertron in forging intergalactic relationships, spreading our friendships across all of space ... until that fateful day, when all are one.”
Optimus looked to Twilight. “What do you say, Twilight Sparkle?”
“Spreading the magic of friendship to other planets? That sounds amazing! And I’m sure it’ll make my mentor proud.”
“Former mentor.” Celestia said. “I’d say given everything you’ve been through and done, you’ve grown well past the point of being my student, Twilight Sparkle … Intergalactic Princess of Friendship.” Celestia chuckled.
“We accept.” Twilight said.
“Oh, do you really?” Fluttershy asked. “It sounds like you could be gone for an awfully long time … outer space is a really big place, you know.”
“And we should know. We’ve been there.” Rarity said.
Twilight pulled her friends together into a hug. “I promise we’ll come back and visit often. You’ll see us again.”
“Yes.” Optimus said. “We’ll come back now and then, when our spirits are weary and our bodies, and we need a reminder of our home, and the value of the good we’re doing. I promise you, we will return.” Optimus parroted Twilight’s actions, pulling the Autobots into a massive group hug.
“Shall we?” Twilight asked.
“We shall.”
And with that, the two spread their wings and flew off into the sunset, their friends waving and shouting goodbyes from the ground.
“You think we should tell Twilight she forgot her spacesuit?” Rarity asked.
“... Eh. Nah. She’ll figure it out on her own.” Applejack said.
“... and that, children, is the full story. The story behind Operation: Patriotism. The story about why me and the other Autobots always try to remember July 31st in the Earthen calendar, the day everything changed. That’s why we have this sculpture of a burning Autobot symbol commemorating this date.” Captain Bumblebee concluded his tale to a group of children of various alien breeds, some of them hybrids, tapping his fingers against the statute remembering Galloway’s semi-successful, but ill-fated operation, marked with the date and the promise to ‘Always Remember.’
“Wow!” one of the children expressed in the group. “So Heximus Prime used to be Heatwave?”
“Yup. Oh, but, uh, don’t call him that, and don’t let him know I told you that. He kinda hates it when people call him by his old name.” Bumblebee said.
“I have so many questions!” A boar-headed girl said. “What happened to, well, so many of those people you didn’t mention? Like - like Fractyl and the Quintessons?”
“Oh, hmm.” Bumblebee tapped his chin. “Well, the Quintessons were given amnesty, given how Nova almost wiped them out, and they went and kept themselves for fear of something like this happening again. Fractyl is the chief scientist here on Cybertron … anyone else?”
“What about the other Rescue Bots?”
“They mostly just help Heat- dangit, now you got me doing it. Heximus with running Cybertron. Blades is Chief Medical Officer, Boulder’s taken up writing …”
“Snowdrop?” A tentacled child asked.
“She went back to her normal life. She doesn’t get up to much.”
“The Predacons?”
“They’re out in the Sea of Rust with the Dinobots, enjoying being animals. You can go up and say hi to them, if you like. Just … ask your parents first, okay?”
“You work with Smokescreen, don’t you, Police Captain Bumblebee?” A human girl with cybernetic implants asked. “Has he matured any?”
“Oh, yes. I’d say he’s gotten even gruffer than I am, but that’s what happen when you take over Prowl’s place and become the Espionage Director. Lots of spy work to make sure nothing like this-” Bumblebee rapped on the statue, “ever happens again.”
“What did happened to Prowl? And Rung?” A gryphon asked.
Bumblebee grimaced. “I … don’t want to talk about that. It’s … very violent, and … hits a little too close to home. Remember, kids, all I told you was that people were fighting.”
“How do you remember the old timeline Johnson and Steeljaw came from if it was erased from happening in the first place?” An Equestrian asked.
“That is a very good question. Time travel is complicated, kid. I wouldn’t bother trying to understand it, it’ll just make your head hurt. It certainly does mine.”
“Did Optimus and Twilight ever come back like they promised?”
“Who knows?” Bumblebee said with a smile. “Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. Maybe if you’re lucky, you could go up and see them when they come back one day …”
Bumblebee walked off.
Conveniently leaving out the tiny detail that on Equestria, Optimus and Twilight were telling the same story to a group of fillies in Apple Bloom’s scout troop.
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