My Little Pony: Transformers Prime

by LibbytheKautz

Chapter 6: The Everfree Forest

Spike sat in a steaming bubble bath with earplugs, several comic books, and a bowl of gems at his side. He didn't know what was taking Twilight so long, but he didn't really care, either. If she wasn't back soon maybe he would look into it, but for now, he relaxed. He flipped his page and settled deeper into the bubbles, soaking in the heat.

BAM!!!

Spike jumped into the air and landed back in the tub, splashing bubbly water all over the crystalline floor. "Ah!" he exclaimed, dropping his book. He popped his earplugs out and shoved a gem in his mouth as he scrambled about. "Where did I put the mop?" he wondered aloud.

He ran downstairs to find Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash searching through books. "Oh, hey, what are you guys doing here? Have you seen Twilight? Or the mop?"

The mane five looked at him wordlessly. Spike spotted the mop in a corner and went to get it. "Well, I found the mop! ...Twilight?" he questioned again as he reached to pick it up.

"She's been sent to another dimension by... Discord." Applejack stated nervously.

"What!?!" Spike yelled.

"He didn't seem to remember us, darling, or any lessons he's learned." Rarity added.

Spike opened his mouth, then closed it again. Of all the things going through his mind right now, it was, Well that it explains what was taking her so long.

"We're going to turn into the Power Ponies, and Pinkie Pie seems to know a way to turn us into them, if we can find the Maniac comic book," Fluttershy said softly, "Do you happen to know where it is, Spike?"

"And we don't exactly have much time, 'cause we're basically defenceless right now." Rainbow Dash included.

Spike stood there, dumbfounded. The ponies stepped closer towards him, eagerly awaiting a response. But he could hardly think. The words "Discord", "dimension", "Twilight", "Power Ponies", and many others swam through his head. He found it hard to believe that a couple seconds ago he had been relaxed in a bubble bath. His mind tried to grasp it all, but instead the floor rushed up to meet him.

-----

"Oh, dear," Fluttershy gasped, "do you think we shouldn't have said it like that?"

"Yeah, it's a lot to take in when you say it all at once," Pinkie affirmed.

Applejack walked up to Spike and poked his back. "Spike? Are you okay?" Spike remained unresponsive.

Rarity cleared her throat. "Let me take care of this, Applejack." She trotted over to Spike, picked him and crooned, "Spikey-Wikey? I'm afraid we're in a bit pickle and we could really use your help. Could you wake up and help us find the comic book? For Twilight?"

Spike moaned and his eyes fluttered open to her sweet words. "Rarity?"

Rarity hugged him close. "Sorry about how blunt we were about Twilight. But now we need to find a way to protect ourselves without her."

"And you want to become the Power Ponies." Spike finished. The mane five nodded. "Well, I think I left the book at Celestia and Luna's old castle... I hope nothing happened to it."

"Oh, Ah'm sure it'll be just fine," Applejack dismissed with a wave of her hoof, "no one goes there besides us, anyway," she started to head towards the door and the others moved to follow her.

"Wait wait wait!" Pinkie said, flinging her hoofs in the air and standing on her hind legs, "Rarity, we need you to stay behind and sew the Power Ponies outfits!"

"Ooo!" Rarity sprung into the air and landed daintily back on her hooves. "I thought you'd never ask. I made the patterns for the outfits as soon as we came back but I haven't actually had the chance to sew the assembles yet. I'll be right to it!" she said with a swish of her mane as she continued out the door.

The others watched as Rarity trotted outside. "Well, I guess we'd better start heading to the castle!" Rainbow Dash said, swooping into the air, "Let's go!"

-----

On their way out they passed Smokescreen walking by. Pinkie bounced up to him and gave him a grin. "Hey Smokey, wanna come with us to Celestia and Luna's old castle? It'll be real fun and you'll get to do some sightseeing!"

"Uhh..." Smokescreen took a step back in surprise.

"That is, if you don't mind a big scary forest," Fluttershy added.

Smokescreen smiled. "Why not?" he finished with a little laugh, "I'm sure I've seen scarier, and I would like some adventure, plus some more explanations."

"Okey-dokey lokey!" she said, hopping off. The ponies and Smokescreen followed close behind. They soon reached the end of town and stood at the edge of the forest. Although it was a fairly warm day with no wind, cold radiated from deep within and wind whispered through the leaves.

"This is the Everfree Forest," Pinkie said with a gesture of her hoof. "It seemed a whole lot scarier at the beginning of the show but now they don't seem as set at making it a scary place, except when the out-of-control-weeds that Discord planted a thousand years ago came into play. Who knows why? Anyway, just watch out for timber wolves and... really not much else." Pinkie started into the forest. "Come, let's go!"

Smokescreen looked up ahead at Pinkie in confusion. "What does she mean by 'show'"? he asked Applejack as they followed her.

She shrugged. "That's Pinkie Pie for you. Ya'll get used to it."

"Uh huh..." Smokescreen nodded. They walked in silence for a bit. "So, who is this 'Discord' exactly?"

"Discord's the spirit of chaos," Rainbow Dash explained slowly flying along,"he was turned to stone a couple times, once by the Royal Sisters and once by us, using the Elements of Harmony."

"And the Elements of Harmony are..."

"The elements of a good friendship. I represent the Element of Loyalty, Fluttershy kindness, Applejack honesty, Pinkie Pie laughter, Rarity generosity, and Twilight friendship."

"How do they work?"

"Well, before we gave the physical elements up, we would put them on and Twilight would ignite them and then there would be rainbows and lasers and such."

"Why did you have to give them up?"

"For the Tree of Harmony."

Smokescreen nodded slowly, wondering what a tree of harmony was. "So you used the Elements of Harmony to defeat Discord, if I heard right?"

"Yes," Fluttershy went on, "but after that we reformed him and... and... I was sure he was our friend... I just know that he wouldn't choose to abandon us... I just know it's not his fault, it must have been something else," she said trying to convince herself.

"PSST!"

Smokescreen looked up. Pinkie Pie was waving at him and motioning for him to come walk with her. He picked up him pace then stepped in line with her.

"The script says that you're like me, and I wanna know how much. Do you know about the fourth wall?"

Smokescreen looked at her quizzically. "The what wall?"

"Well, do you like to plan parties?"

"Not... normally."

"Does your mane deflate when you're sad?"

"...I don't have a mane."

"Do you just love to bring laughter to others?"

Smokescreen paused. "I... yeah, I guess I do, I mean, I'm the funny one in the group..."

"Perfect! Everything might work out after all!" Pinkie blurted.

Smokescreen smiled at the little pony's randomness. What did she mean when she said that he was like her? And how would that make everything work out?

-----

They walked past trees after trees after trees, all looking vaguely the same, as in they were all a bit freaky. Otherwise, there were hundreds of shades of bark and leaves, resulting in thousands of tree types. Smokescreen's head was almost always in the leaves, and he had to take small steps so to stay in step with the ponies. It started off just as nuisance, but by now it was driving him crazy.

He batted away another branch of leaves and gasped at the sight he saw. The castle he looked upon would have looked magnificent in its time, but now, it was a series crumbling, vine covered stone towers.

"What is it, Smokey?" Pinkie pushed excitedly, "is it the castle? What am I saying, of course it's the castle!"

Pinkie Pie started running and Smokescreen followed her. They finally entered a clearing and he saw the entirety of the castle. Pinkie dashed inside. Smokescreen followed her through the gaping entrance. He got in just in time to see a streak of pink turn down a hallway and pursued her through castle. He heard a huge gasp and picked up his speed. He found her sitting in front an empty pedestal. She looked at him, slightly in shock.

"It's gone."