Ponies gathered around the edge of the Everfree, some merely spectators but most with an agenda on their minds. Applejack and Big Mac stood near the path that led to Sweet Apple Acres. “A shame Apple Bloom couldn't be here,” Applejack drawled out.
Big Mac nodded. “Yup.”
Applejack glanced to her right and Fluttershy floating there mere inches off the ground. “Thanks for makin' it out here,” Applejack drawled out. She looked to the picnic basket at Fluttershy's hooves. “Thanks for packing lunch, too but Granny Smith's got a heap o' cooking already done fer lunch.
Fluttershy's cheeks colored slightly. “Oh.” She kicked a bit at the basket. “Sh-should I bring it back to my cottage? I don't want to offend Granny Smith.” Her head drooped a bit more and a slight whimper came from her as she landed.
Applejack swallowed. She raised a foreleg and patted Fluttershy on the back and shook her head. “It's all right, sugarcube. I'm sure Granny willll appreciate yer work.” She leaned down and sniffed the basket. “Smells right fine!” she said, swallowing as her mouth watered. She glanced to Big McIntosh. “Just the sort o' thing you'd love to smell every day, right?” She nudged him with a foreleg, grinning.
Big Mac rolled his eyes. “Sis...” He turned his head focusing on a pair standing a few meters to his left. One was Princess Cadance, looking up at the hole in the sky with eager eyes. The other was a unicorn stallion wearing the dress uniform of the Royal Guard.
The stallion caught Big Mac's stare and looked to him, locking eyes. “Is there a problem?” he asked, turning to fully face Big Mac.
The large red stallion rolled his eyes and shook his head. “None with you specifically. With your uniform, however?” He snorted. “Royal Guard, eh?” He walked around the stallion, who had instinctively snapped to attention. “Little wimps and nobleponies who play at being soldier, but wouldn't know what to do with a griffin flank dive with a map and instructions!”
Applejack stared at her brother, mouth agape. “McIntosh Apple!” she exclaimed, speeding to his side. She jabbed at his torso with a foreleg. “What in tarnation got into you!” She turned to Cadance and the stallion and bowed her head. “Beggin' your pardon, sir, but my brother-”
“He's completely right,” he said, his white coat blushing red. He looked to Big Mac and extended a foreleg. “Captain Shining Armor, Mister Apple, personally appointed by General Steel to clean up the Guard and restore it to its former glory.”
Big Mac looked at the foreleg for a moment before raising his own foreleg and pressing it to Shining Armor's hoof. “McIntosh Apple, formerly Sergeant Apple of the Royal Tank Corps' First Tank Regiment.” His eyes gleamed slightly. “Otherwise known as the Steel Hooves.”
Shining Armor's eyes glanced up and down Big Mac's entire body. He let out a slow whinny. “Steel Hooves? What the hay are you doing in Ponyville? You should be leading a tank company or something!”
There was a pause. Big Mac's head drooped and he closed his eyes. “Remember the Flood o' 1497? It was bad here in Ponyville, but the worst was near Sweet Apple Acres and...” His voice hitched slightly, his chest and barrel heaving.
His head rose and his eyes suddenly opened. He looked to his right, seeing Applejack with a foreleg around his neck and a smile on her muzzle that almost reached his eyes. He then looked ahead, seeing Cadance resting a hoof on his left shoulder. He swallowed back tears. “S-sorry. It's just sometimes thinking about Ma and Pa and what happened there.” He let out a sigh.
A small smile crossed Cadance's muzzle. “Your feelings for your parents are true, strong and faithful. Never apologize for them.” She glanced to Shining Armor, who returned it.
The two mares withdrew their forelegs from Big Mac, who looked to Shining Armor. He drew himself up to attention and snorted, his nostrils flaring and eyes narrowing. “Captain Shining Armor?”
Shining Armor drew himself to attention, eyes staring off into into the distance. “Sergeant?”
Big Mac stared straight into Shining Armor's eyes, then extended a foreleg. “Bring the royal Guard back to what it was, sir. Bring it back to when they defended Canterlot from Grogar's armies single-hoofed, when they was the only ones standing between Equestria and the Griffin Empire, so long ago.” His eyes softened. “Please?”
Shining Armor slowly nodded, extending his own foreleg and touching it to Big Mac's. “Consider it done.”
Applejack let out a breath. She looked to Cadance and bowed her legs slightly. “Beggin' your pardon, our majesty-”
“Cadance.”
Applejack's head darted back. “Pardon me?”
A sigh came from the pink-coated alicorn and she rolled her eyes. “Please, no 'your majesty', or 'your highness' or any other titles. I don't want some huge distance going between other ponies and I. Whenever somepony bows to Aunt Celestia it makes her uncomfortable, no matter who it is. I'm not as old as she is, or Aunt Luna, but I've already got ponies prostrating themselves peculiarly because of these.” She unfurled her wings and motioned to her horn. “It's just annoying, and demeaning to them,” she said, lowering her foreleg and kicking at the grass.
Applejack nodded. “my apologies, Cadance.” She cleared her throat. “So, beggin' your pardon, but what brings you out here?” She glanced to the hole in the sky. “Waiting on Princess Celestia?”
Cadance nodded. She followed Applejack's gaze and looked to the hole. “Aunt Celestia has news concerning something in Canterlot. Plus, Shiny here wants to see his sister.” She looked to a suddenly blushing Shining Armor. “You barely write to Twilight anymore, for Key'Tuck's sake!”
Shining Armor swallowed and scratched the back of his head. “Well, I've been a bit busy with the Royal Guard and she's had her studies and all sorts of adventures!” He looked to Applejack. “I've read and heard what you've been up to.” he shook his head, whinnying. “And I thought six months up north was dangerous!”
Applejack's right eyebrow twitched. She slowly pointed to Shining Armor. “Wait... you're Twilight's brother?!” She looked to Big Mac. “Did you know about this?”
Big Mac shook his head. “Nope. 'Course, I'm not as close as you two are.”
Shining Armor's head whipped back and forth. “Wait, Twiley never told you about me? You're the Element of Honesty, right? One of her closest friends, and she never told you she had a brother?” He reared back slightly, looking aside at the ground. “I-but-I just... never?”
Cadance's eyes glanced back and forth from Shining Armor to Applejack and Big Mac. She wrapped a foreleg around her coltfriend's neck and pulled him in close for a hug. “I'm sure she was planning to getting around to it... eventually. I hope.” She looked to Applejack, her eyes shining slightly.
Applejack's head whipped around. “Hey, Fluttershy!” she half-shouted,her over. She waited the full ten seconds for Fluttershy to arrive and kneel to Cadance before looking to Shining Armor and Cadance. “Fluttershy, did you know Twilight had a brother?”
Fluttershy's wings unfurled slightly. “Her brother?” She looked Shining Armor over before folding one wing over her head. “I-I'm sorry,” she stuttered out. “Sh-she di-didn't tell me a-about you.” She held out a foreleg, the rest of her body shrinking away slightly. “A-a pleasure, Mister.”
Shining Armor held out his own foreleg, touching hooves with Fluttershy. “Please call me Shining, Miss Fluttershy.” He looked to the hole, his expression darkening. “Twiley,” he said, letting out a sigh.
A bright light from the hole caught everyone's attention. A golden ball of light floated out of the hole, descending to the grass below. It flared, expanding into Celestia, Twilight, Megan, Mike, their children and another human. Shining Armor's body instinctively snapped to attention at the alicorn's arrival, but his eyes locked onto Twilight as she stood there.
Chip's entire body shivered. He adjusted his glasses and tugged at his shirt collar. “Okay, that was-”
“Don't say it,” Megan said, tilting her head forward and looking down her nose at him. “We both know what you were going to say, so don't say it,” she said, waving him off. She looked to Mike and placed a hand on his upper arm. “You all right?”
Mike glanced down at himself, drawing his arms out from his sides. “I think so.” He looked to Celestia and bowed slightly at the waist. “Thank you very much, your majesty. That was... smoother than I thought it'd be.” He shot a glance to Twilight, standing by Celestia's side. “No offense, Twilight.”
Twilight shook her head. “Well, of course Princess Celestia's teleport would be smoother than mine.” She looked up at Celestia. “I've still got a lot to learn, after all.”
Celestia extended a wing and gently stroked Twilight along her mane and back. “And you've already learned quite a bit, Twilight, as your weekly letters show me.” She raised her wing and motioned to a pack of ponies standing a few meters away. “And it looks like there's some ponies waiting for you, Twilight. And some for you as well, Mike.”
Twilight's eyes widened and she reared back as she saw Shining Armor and Cadance. “Big brother! Cadance!” she shouted, galloping off to them.
Mike wrapped his arm around Megan and gave her a quick kiss. “So you'll be off for a tea party or whatever with Celestia?”
Megan opened her mouth, but snapped it shut as she saw Chip stepping up to Celestia and speaking to her. The alicorn chuckled slightly and nodded her head. “I don't know,” she muttered. She looked back to Mike, leaned in and kissed him. “You'll be all right with Applejack and Big Mac at their farm?”
Mike smirked slightly and hefted his toolbox. “I think I can manage. I love you.” He turned to Danielle and Michelle. “You two all right?”
Danielle's eyes shifted back and forth before she spotted a familiar pegasus on a scooter and two unicorns in a wagon. “There they are!” She haled up an arm and waved it around. “Hey, Scoots!”
Scootaloo's tiny wings were a blur as she raced forward, towing Sweetie Belle and Dinky in her wagon. She skidded to a halt, but not in front of Danielle. “Megan!” she said, panting slightly. “You gotta come with us to Carousel Boutique!”
Sweetie Belle stood up in the wagon, waving her forelegs around. “Sis' gone insane!” she said, wobbling about on her hind legs. “She and Spike went out to get the gems for that big mean dragon, but after she came back she locked herself in Carousel Boutique and she's been throwing around ponyquins and wanting you there!” She looked up at Megan with wide, bright eyes. “Please, Megan! She's gone nuts!”
Dinky waved at Danielle and Michelle. “Hi,” she said. “How are you?”
Michelle waved back. “Fine, thanks!” She held up her hairbrush, waving it about.
Megan glanced to Mike, then to Celestia. “I-I have to go see how Rarity is and what's going on with her. But-”
Celestia shook her head. “Don't worry, Megan. Chip and I have much to talk about, but that's for a little later. There's somepony I'd like you to meet, first.” She stepped from the group, spreading out her wings. The carpal joint and lesser coverts brightened, bathing Celestia in a golden halo of light. Almost everypony took to one knee as she stood there. “Cadance!” she called out to the pink alicorn standing near Applejack, Big Mac, Fluttershy, Shining Armor and Twilight. “Please step forth!” She folded her wings back and looked over her shoulder to Megan. “This won't take a moment.”
Cadance's head shot up. She rolled her eyes at Celestia, leaned back, kissed Shining Armor and trotted off. “Honestly, Aunt Celestia!” she exclaimed. “You make Aunt Luna look modest sometimes!” She walked past Celestia, up to Megan. “Are you Megan!” she asked. “I've heard so much about you!”
Megan walked around Cadance, looking her over and noting the wings, the horn and the elaborate cutie mark. She stopped in front of Cadance before extending her arms and wrapping them around Cadance's neck. “Hi,” she said. She looked up as Celestia approached. “Okay, you and Luna are her aunts? How the hell does that work?”
Cadance leaned into the hug, bringing her muzzle close to Megan's ear. “The Heart of Ponyland gave birth to me a hundred years after the Nightmare War,” she explained. “We're still not sure what happened, but Aunt Celestia was so lonely after what happened...” Her voice trailed off, cracking near the end.
Megan let go as Celestia approached. She looked off to the side at Scootaloo and the others. “Cell phones don't work here far from the hole,” she said, pulling her own cell out and holding it up. “How will we get in contact with you?”
Celestia turned her head, looking at the path that led to Ponyville. “Chip, would you mind visiting the Ponyville Public Library while Megan sorts out the problems at Carousel Boutique? I can order us some food from Sugarcube Corner while we wait.”
Chip's eyebrows shot up. “A library?” His mouth stretched into a large grin. “Awesome!” he held up his briefcase. “I could scan pages into my laptop for study!” He stopped and the grin fell away. “Although your written language would have to be translated.” He rubbed his chin. “Although you speak English.”
Celestia's mouth turned up slightly. “We use English in many of our books.” She spread a wing and began trotting to the path, Chip following close behind. “Megan, please meet us at the library as soon as possible. Cadance, please make sure Shining Armor and Twilight are there, too.” Her expression darkened. “There's much to discuss.”
Mike walked over to Megan's side. “I'll do my work as fast as possible at Sweet Apple Acres and hurry back.” He leaned in and kissed his wife once more. “Want me bring back any leftovers from lunch?” he said, winking.
Megan snorted. “I think I'll be fine. We had a big breakfast after all.” She waved him off, smirking. “Now go play tool man with Big Mac and matchmaker with Applejack.”
Mike nodded before turning and walking off. He soon found himself beside Cadance as she walked to Twilight. “So... Cadance.” He bowed his head to her. “Nice to meet you, your majesty.”
Cadance looked to him. “No need for formalities.” She dipped her head. “So you're Megan's husband, Mike Richards?” At his nod she stopped and extended a foreleg. “I felt the deep love between you and Megan. You honor her.”
Mike looked back at Megan, standing near Scootaloo, the foals and their daughters. “She honors me.” He looked back to Cadance and rolled his eyes. “Sorry. Never was good with romance.”
Cadance giggled. “You're not that bad.” She turned and resumed trotting to the group of ponies ahead, Mike by her side.
Megan watched Mike for a moment before looking to Scootaloo. “All right, Scootaloo, lead the way. Just don't go too fast, all right?” She looked to her right, at Danielle and Michelle. “Ready?”
At their confirmation, Scootaloo's wings buzzed. Her scooter, the wagon and the two fillies she towed shot off, Megan, Danielle and Michelle following them to Ponyville.
Heh. I love how Shining reacts when he finds out Twi never mentioned him.
1144717 Now that I think about it, they really are alike. Twi never told her friends about her brother and Shining never told her about Cadance. Well, like Twi said, two peas in a pot.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_pea.png
1144777
The things that never seem to come up in conversation...
1144927 I know right? I mean can you tell me the situation in which it wouldn't seem kinda arkward to say "hey girls, I have a brother and he's the captain of the royal guard"?
Don't see why they don't just go Dovahkiin on that dragon, it clearly needs an ass whooping.
Hah, like sister like brother. Nice chapter, by the way. ~With regards, the Current Student of the Second True Magic.
452631 You don't know who that's a picture of? That's G Man! The Guy from Gary's Mod. He's supposed to be creepy.
When I start the chapter I'm happy. When I reach the end I'm sad, because there isn't any more of it.
That's a sign you're doing well. Keep it up.
1144935
I'm pretty sure that she would have said something if any of them had ever thought to ask if she had any brothers or sisters.
However, considering that most of the conversation that would revolve around sibling relations would be of the younger variety (as in the CMC), I don't really see Shining Armor coming up all that often.
While older brother topics could be broached with Big Macintosh, you really have to admit that there's precious little the two have in common that wouldn't utterly derail anything centered on Applejack's brother, and with no other elder siblings of the Mane six introduced there's unlikely to be a general conversation involving older siblings.
And just dropping that you're related to the captain of the royal guard is a little hard to do without sounding like you're bragging.
937924>>938081>>938112>>938172 Thanks for the... lots of reviews. And okay, a bit too much in the way of intros. I just figured Celestia didn't have time to make name tags for everyone. She's still got the government to run and try to stay awake through Busy Body's presentations. As for Megan in the Vault... she didn't hear it, and she should know her place in Equestrian history.
939044 Maybe... just a bit? Think to the enemies of G1.
942834 Just a bit of a problem, but not much more than that.
943169 Well, as pointed out, Megan's about to learn anyway. No need to keep it a secret any longer.
956967 Well... thanks, but it never really became dead IIRC. Just I got five other fics going on. ;)
972500 Hope you liked the explanation there. ;)
994861 Thank you! Is good 'stache.
1124969 Cheese good? Cheese bad? Cheese how?
1144717 Yeah. Just never struck me as... right that she never talked about him.
1144777 Yeah. And cool little Twi-pea. Where's that from, if I may ask?
1144927 It's gonna be a bit awkward for her...
1144969 lol, I hope it's 'better' than the usual HiE fics.
1144971... What dragon?
1145116 thanks!
1145215 nope, sorry. If it's a video game, that'd explain why I don't know who it is. I don't play video games much at all.
1145674 Aww, thanks.
1145967 Well... personal experience for me is that at my work, with a lot of my friends, we just... talk, about friends outside of work and our family. I've heard quite a bit about their loved ones. It just never sat right with me that none of them ever learned or heard of Shining Armor.
1146080
Well, like I said some things just never seem to come up in conversation. Twilight was introduced as a pony who gets really focused on her studies, often to the exclusion of all else, and can easily ignore anything outside of this.
I find it entirely believable that she could be so focused on the relationships with her new friends and their families that she completely neglects to mention her own unless directly asked. It seems like a very 'Twilight' thing to do.
1146080 I wonder how this is going to end. You mentioned in your TCB crossover that it happens a year after this ends. And Ponies have new tanks in the future. I wonder. . . ~With regards, the Current Student of the Second True Magic.
1146080
You're welcome.
yES AN UP date!!!! what happened to make it takeso long? usually its an update a month but this one took like 3 or 4.
Awesome an update! Introducing a few characters in and it will be interesting for Twilight next chapter. She's gotta tell her friends about her brother and find out about him and Cadance. Also nice backstory on Mac. Keep up the great storytelling.
1145967 And if we look at Twi in Boast Busters, we can see why see didn't do that
1146080 It was the whole "friends with the original AJ" thingy right? If so, then yes, I liked that explanation. It shows how much they care about their family.
1146080
...Oops, was thinking of another story again.
good chapter? Also Equestria has tanks and guns weapons and technology like that? I thought they didnt have that level of tech
“Macintosh Apple, formerly Sergeant Apple of tha Royal Tank Corps' First Tank Regiment.” His eyes gleamed slightly. “Otherwise known as tha Steel Hooves.”
I sense a reference to Fallout: Equestria.
I figured that Twilight isn't the type to talk about herself in general. If she's not the type to talk about herself, family probably doesn't come up much either.
I feel what's more surprising is that a pony like Applejack, who puts so much focus on her family, never bothered to ask if Twilight had any siblings. She's met Big Mac, so in theory, AJ would have asked if she has to deal with something like a big brother.
The best explanation I ever got was that Twilight thinks of her brother like she thinks of breathing. It's a constant, obvious thing to her, so she doesn't bother to bring it up.
Just wanted to say that I really love this!! I hope that you continue with it and look forward to reading more!! If I may ask though, how did you come up with Kentucky? Don't get me wrong I like it because that is where I am from, I was just curious.
I know precisely what's wrong with Rarity. She naturally wants to be the one to design Megan's dress for the Grand Galloping Gala. Not only is she a friend of Twilight's and she would be glad to help her out but, of course, designing the ball gown worn by The Mag'ne at her official court debut would probably set her reputation in diamond. The problem is that she has precisely zero experience designing formal wear and accessories for a human!
Maybe Celestia has found the early signs of Discord breaking loose or maybe something else is happening. That reference to 'The Corruption' in Moochik's last prophecy still worries me.
In production terms, the reason why Twilight never mentioned Shining is because, before 'Canterlot Wedding' went into production, the character probably didn't exist. I don't think that any in-universe explanation has been given, especially not one that explains her not mentioning him despite being so very close to him. Good luck with coming up with an explanation here; my personal favorite is that the family are all workaholics by nature and are very, very easy to side-track so that they forget to mention stuff.
So, what for the future (and I hope that you continue this story)? if Discord isn't going to be released, a lot of S2 (which is basically the Mane 6 all going through PTSD because of Discord's sadistic 'games') isn't going to happen, although 'The Cutie Mark Chronicles' but with Megan's reminisces about how Celestia and Luna got their Cutie Marks might be interesting. Then there is the Changelings, who might still be a threat. Given that some of the Decepticons, notably the Spy Cassettes and the Insecticons, can shrink down very small, we can expect Megatron and his band of morons to come sniffing around eventually. What's the likelihood of one of the Earth diplomatic team being an undercover Cobra Crimson Guardsman?
Another thought: On Spacebattles, someone described the Flutters as being the elves to ordinary Pegasi's humans. Does that make the Changelings (perhaps Discorded Flutters) the orcs to the Flutters' elves?
Looking forward to more of this fascinating story.
Awww... no updates.
Did the author go back to school?
1146140 Yeah. With her, I can kinda see it. For the next chapter I included something along those lines.
1146152 Well, yeah. They're advancing all the time.
1146363 Just been a bit... busy is all. I got a new schedule at work around that time.
1146953 yeah, a bit of scene juggling and the like. Thanks!
1148342 Admittedly so. Although I have... issues with that particular episode.
1148360 Ah, okay. That's cool.
1150609 They've seen far weirder on this Earth.
1162306 Tanks have been mentioned, and Dash speaks about bullets in the 'Find a Pet' song. Admittedly, their tech level is all in the air.
1168235 Not really. Never read Fallout: Equestria.
1169439 Unless it's written in a book or on a checklist. ;)
1174232 Hmm, yeah. Or any member of the Apple family for that matter.
1187542 Thanks. As for Kentucky... just kinda picked it at random.
1223909 Oh, wow... Thank you for all the replies. Let's see if I can do this right... with a Rainbow Bridge, time is synched once more. And thanks, I figure those two would be in utter awe of what's going on. Almost like a fantasy.
1223963 Or... not too bad?
1224323 A peaceful first contact. :)
1224994 Six elements she once wielded as a whole... And yeah. Mike is sort of the odd one out at first.
1225290 no real nightmare. I simply wanted to avoid the whole 'Trixie plots revenge' horse apples I've seen in other fics. It's getting rather stale, to be honest.
1228388 Good idea, possibly. ;)
1229407 With lessons learned and comical injuries sustained.
1230028 Rarity will realize that. As for Sweetie Belle, she simply has a new friend. Hurricane, Puddinghead and Platinum are still on ice, so to speak.
1241072 lol, Transformers G1 has a lot stranger things than talking sapient ponies. Of this I can assure you. ;) As for the Prophecy... wait and see.
1241247 New chapter is with the proofreader, so hopefully this week. As for Rarity, yeah. She's got a mild form of Cutie Mark Failure Syndrome going on at the moment. No Decepticons. They're engaged in civil war. And COBRA was... pretty much annihilated in the mid-90's. At least in this 'verse.
1380206 Sorry, sorry! Just been a bit busy is all, finishing up another fic and a change in my work schedule. Current chapter is with the proofreader.
1422674 About, yeah. I like that, actually.
Okay, next chapter is with the proofreader. Thank you all for your patience.
1146080 I didn't see the question about //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_pea.png at first, so here you go.//dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Colgate_beam.png
1501073
So not Diamond Dogs. ...I'm not sure how I feel about that... //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Spitfire_sad.png
I lost track of G.I.Joe in the 90s, but I distinctly remember Cobra Commander was recovering from being turned reptile in the Movie. Given his appearance as "Old Snake" (Not to be confused for the one from MGS4) during G1 Transformers Season 3/4 (they kind of got lumped together), I wouldn't be surprised if he got Cobra back up and running between 2006 and 2011.
Big Mac was in the military. I can see it. Good to see the royal guard isn't the sum total of the Equestrian armed forces.
Tanks though. Hmmmm. Well they have trains and airships, so tanks aren't actually that much of a stretch. And now I'm picturing Big Mac pulling a tank out of a ditch or bog or something it got stuck in. While under fire.
Rarity is having trouble designing for bipeds isn't she.
I hope Discord didn't get out...
I'm going to drop this. Too many anti-climaxes.
They have tanks?!
I'd hate to see what the ponies would do with nuclear weapons, boosted by magic.
3745424
There are varying headcanons on that one. Mostly coming from Tank the tortoise.
SteelHooves reminds me about the SteelRangers. When Big MacIntosh dies taking a bullet for Princess Celestia, his sister Minister AppleJack of the Ministry of WarTimeTechnology swears to better protect the MilitaryPersonel, so starts the Project SteelRanger, which creates the PowerArmor of the SteelRangers. AppleSnack, a subordinate of Big MacIntosh become the first SteelRanger, SteelHooves.
Huh, Macky's done quite well for himself in this verse.
She's not the only one!
Well, at least you explained, but still... Dayum.
This gave me chuckles too. Just casually ignore Sweetie Belle. No probs.
Cadance and Shining being here did initially seem really out of left field... but I can accept it. Now, let's get on with it.
P.S. Best Princess has been written well.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW!!!!!! Sorry, FOE fanboy here...I mean, I know its coicendence and you never knew but, DANG!!!!! Two of my favorite things just met each other.
3745424
One hell of an apoclyapse!
The interaction between Shining and Big Mac was suprising and yet...a little intriguing. Surprising in that there are freaking tanks in Equestria (Although, as one commentor said, there are airships so tanks shouldn't be too shocking. Makes me want to see what they look like. MMMM magical fired cannon blasts. Then again, maybe they also work like catapaults) while the idea Big Mac is a former soldier. Intriguing in that, Big Mac has a low view of the Royal Guard. I like it, really, because it adds something to Big Mac that doesn't show up much in other stories. Also, I love hisview on the royal guard, being an outsider. It's kind of like how two different army fields would look at one another, an it make me wonder if the British army has a similar view of the guards for the queen, or soldiers of the secret service?
Also, Applejack? Sometimes even close riends wont talk too much about members of their family if there was never a chance for the conversation to show up. Sadly, there hasn't been and a lot of the convos I cn think of for it come up as awkward.
Also, I love Cadey in this, cute sweet and kind, just the way she needs to be.
Back with the human's meeting with the ponies, I can't help but feel this is more 'realistic' than most. Mainly because. as I said, it seems that to a lot of writers "Dark and realistic" means you have to be...stupid. Not here. Celestia has no reason to think "EVIL!!!" (Although Xenocelstia...) and would naturally extend a hoof of riendship here as well. The humans, ater meeting with Decepticons, (and who knows what Hank, Bobby, Eric, Shelia, Presto, and Diana have talked about) already can tell what is evil and what looks like they would be hostile. Especially since, at this point, first contact would be done several times by now. I am sorry to burst a lot of people's pessimistic bubbles, but I see any alien meeting we have (Inlcuding Equestria) To be more like this-
Than
(Sorry, this is supposed to be a clip of the army shooting gnort, but I think a trailer gets my point across)
What we have here is a reasonable and intellegent action, brought out by reasonable people. We even see the people talk about negotiations with Autobots. See movies? This is what intellegent people do!
5579730
Well, they are mentioned at least twice. In the season 1 song 'Rules of Rarity', she sings about Rainbow's dress not making her look like a tank, though that could be a water tank, something big and bulky. However Rainbow herself names her tortoise Tank, which would make no sense in context unless they had genuine tanks.
8288979
They might have gotten the idea tanks from one the books Megan brought over.