"The stars shall aid in her escape," it said.
It never said anything about a space bridge.
Megatron and his elite warriors had expected to teleport from the Oregon desert to Earth's moon. Instead they found themselves in pony bodies, stripped of most of their power, and forced to learn how to live like other organic life forms.
But Megatron has a plan. He will bide his time, learning about this new world and its new potential while his underlings try to find a way back to their home universe. If he can figure out a way to overthrow Celestia and conquer this land of ponies before then, so much the better.
This, of course, requires that his subordinates not act like idiots... and while he can count on Soundwave and Ravage, the same can't be said of Rumble, Frenzy, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Thundercracker or Skywarp.
And especially not Starscream.
A series of slice-of-life stories (with a little adventure) in which some of Ponyville's background ponies are more than... well... you know.
Cover artwork commissioned from Jason Meador. (From left to right: Megatron, Soundwave, Laserbeak, Starscream, Ravage.)
THIS IS AMAZING.
I mean I should probably actually read it first and I fully intend to, but I saw “Transformers” and “Kris Overstreet” so I’m making some assumptions right off the bat.
10118811 Certain Decepticons may remind you of changelings...
There are so many things wrong with this sentence.
It's time for cybernetic body horror moving in the other direction!
Well it seems that Megatron has taken Nightmare's measure, and he's not impressed.
Ow this looks to be awesome
Snrk, okay, it's proof of how good a writer you are that this fix maintained my full suspension of disbelief.
So far I like it. Of course I'll be waiting for if and when they have any interactions with a certain bugbutt, but that's just what I always look forward to.
Like the characterisations a lot.
For the record, Starscream is my favorite Transformer, so I absolutely love that he's made it over here. I also like the when we first meet him he's being analytical about the world's physics, his anatomy, and so on - he was a scientist, after all, before the war on Cybertron began (do we know what he was a scientist of, though?) Fear not, by the way, one of the reasons why he's my favorite Transformer is the fact that he seems to be the universe's chew toy. So I won't at any point be complaining about the many, many, many bits of physical abuse he's no doubt about to go through.
Although speaking of which, another one of my favorite qualities of G1 Starscream, probably unintentional on the part of the writers but there anyway, was that it often seemed like as the available resources went down, Starscream's competence and dangerousness went up. This would be best exemplified by the time that Megatron had finally had enough of Starscream and exiled him to a desert island. Within twenty-four hours or so Starscream had uncovered five abandoned US military vehicles, repaired them and converted them into exoforms for Transformers, gone to the Space Bridge and snuck around Cybertron to get five personality cores, snuck back, and put the personality cores into the vehicles to create the Combaticons, while also still being clever enough to both make sure that the Combaticons could get energy only from him so that they wouldn't turn on him and made sure that their combined form of Bruticus had a non-obvious but exploitable weakness in case they ever turned on him anyway.
The point being that this sort of situation is actually one that Starscream excels at.
Anyway, that's enough rambling about Starscream, for now. Except for one final thing relevant to the fact that Nightmare Moon seems to have the hots for Megatron (something I desperately hope carries over to Luna...)
Starscream: "She's not so hot!"
Megatron: "She's hot enough to replace you!"
Starscream: "Replace...me?! NEVER!" [punches Megatron hard enough that he calls for backup]
Yeah, nothing interesting ever happens there.
Gotta say I'm loving the family dynamic of Frenzy, Rumble, and Soundwave. Laserbeak and Buzzsaw seem to be more aloof to it, but that's fine, they have their own interactions.
I do like Laserbeak's personality, though I have to say that in the last chapter when he proclaimed "I, Laserbeak!" all I could think of was "Kono DIO da!", and now he's being voiced by Patrick Seitz. Which really doesn't match the rest of his personality at all, but that's what makes it great.
Starscream being seemingly immune to lightning and also suggesting a race also is fantastic - because all I'm thinking about is his Death Battle with Rainbow Dash - ermegerd it just occurred to me that the Running of the Leaves is going to happen STARSCREAM MUST RACE RAINBOW DASH OR SOMETHING. Or alterantively be just behind RD and AJ as they race and get caught in the blowback of all their rough-housing.
It seems odd to me that Megatron would reject the idea of "magic" seeing as the Transformers universe is chock full of it, but then again he probably just doesn't like even entertaining the notion of something being beyond his ken, and "magic" always has an air of mystery about it even when it's Sufficiently Analyzed Magic like in Equestria.
Ahh, though, I see based on those three questions that this Megatron draws a fair bit of inspiration from the comics. I admit I'm not as familiar with them as I am the cartoon shows, but I definitely have enjoyed all the ones that I have read. Helps explain why Megatron is coming across as much more competent than the G1 version, who, when we get down to it, wasn't really that much more successful or intelligent than, say, Cobra Commander or Skeletor. The more subtle military commander is from the comics and later serieses.
It only now occurred to me that there's going to be two Rumbles in town and that might get awkward. Also Starscream continues to be great, it's not surprising to me that he wouldn't get along with Diamond Tiara. For some reason I'm now imagining the two having an epic rivalry. Over what, I dunno, but I see it.
Also the bit with Soundwave, the Flower Trio, and Pinkie was...surprisingly heartwarming, actually. Oddly there are electronics in Equestria, but only when convenient. I wonder if Soundwave is going to meet Vinyl Scratch and get along with her? Heck, maybe help design her sound system. I'd say be he sound system but that's not how this story is going to roll.
Oh, hey, we're dealing with the two Rumbles thing right away. Also I love the introduction.
Aaaaand Starscream just spent their entire stipend, didn't he?
Anyway, great stuff and looking forward for more, especially if the chapters semi-regularly end in a "Dear Lord Megatron" bit the way this one did.
I know next to nothing about Transformers, but I am absolutely LOVING this!
10119036 Starscream's intelligence and competence are very plot-sensitive, but as a general rule he's very good at spotting the flaws in other people's plans, but utterly useless at checking his own.
10119069 Laserbeak- as he appears here- has chosen to be a toady's toady. He has no delusions that he can ever achieve rank in the Decepticons, being small, very weak, and (for more than half of his operational time) non-vocal. His voice in my mind is similar to the Skeksis Chamberlain. (Buzzsaw, of course, is Kelsey Grammar.)
My favorite Megatron out of the many is the Transformers Prime version, which is what you get if you drain all the cowardice out of G1 Megatron and add a twisty little bit of actual principle. The IDW 2011-2017 Megatron has some good points as well, being more of an idealist and less of a tyrant-for-its-own-sake. The Three Questions grew out of backstory created for the first TF movie and its novel tie-ins which had Megatron overthrowing a corrupt Cybertronean government rather than the Quintessons. So I fudge things and blend a bit to get all the fun references.
And they really are three very good questions to ask of anyone in power.
And minor spoiler: I do plan for Starscream to be a part of the Running of the Leaves.
10119150 Starscream only schmoozes you if he thinks you have something he wants that he can't just take. His interaction with Diamond Tiara is an example of how he's not as slick as he thinks he is. (And admit it: between the two, wouldn't you root for Diamond Tiara?)
There are indeed electronics in Equestria. We will get there in time. But getting Soundwave his (damn, I forgot to mention them in page- better fix that now) proper red visor-shades took priority.
And Starscream only spent the entire credit line. Which happened to coincide with his personal pay for six months. Fortunately he has two months of grace before the payments kick in, but it's another way to demonstrate that there's more to Diamond Tiara than just a dumb school bully.
I either want to fuck Starscream as he is shown in the picture, or punch him in the face.
10119415
To be honest, the latter response is pretty much the default
10119415
Why do those choices have to be mutually exclusive? You could do both at the same time.
10119326
Honestly, Laserbeak puts me in mind of a TTS Cato Sicarius, as played by some random skaven. It's a terrifying image, but somehow fits the character.
10119335
Aside from his rampant ego, I think Starscream's biggest problem is that he's very easily confused or distracted. As 10118811 said, given the opportunity to focus and work the problem he's great, but he can't handle unexpected nonsense.
The worst thing for Megs, being unable to just blast anyone away.
Snrk, Screamer got owned.
Soundwave can see Clearly now, the rain is gone. Now that he's got that visor he can see all those obstacles in his way too.
Fluttershy's got a new kitty friend, doesn't she.
I like this.
10119335
Two months is plenty of time for Diamond to sell him extended warranties on all that new equipment. Or, when Nightmare Night comes up, a Starscream the Bearded costume.
This is a very good story. It was well thought out so far and is engaging to see what the decepticons will learn and do next
You know, G1 or not, I can only hear Animated Megatron’s silky smooth baritone.
10121380
Always admired his more, uh, pragmatic leadership methods. Mostly by fusion-cannoning Starscream on sight at the first signs of treachery.
"We do not inherit this world from our fathers: We borrow it from MEGATRON."
Also, Starscream bucked up amazingly, and Megatron didn't murder him for it... PROGRESS!
Amazing. Every word in that sentence, was wrong.
I never watched any G1 Transfomers, so I can't really picture any of their voices. And picturing the characters not illustrated is equally as hard.
I hadn't considered Nightmare Moon using the Everfree as a high-intensity job interview. Brilliant concept.
I do hope he encounters Vinyl Scratch.
Wow. He must really like Starscream. Or anticipates a lot of business from the guardhouse in the future.
Well, someone had to say it.
So... what exactly does a clipboard smell like that distinguishes it from similar objects?
Shame! Shame upon this mare's parents!
I was wondering when Rumble would meet Rumble.
Diamond raking Starscream over the coals was delightful, as were Megatron's ruminations. Oh, you can certainly try to conquer ponies, but they don't stay conquered very well.
Delightful stuff thus far. Looking forward to seeing where you go with it in the future.
Well this is certainly an interesting setup.
Nice to see Starscream doing some scientific investigation and exposition. He is often written as just a treacherous incompetent.
Poor Ravage. At least Fluttershy is around to talk to.
For most writers I would declare it a pipe-dream. For the author of The Maretian? You have managed a 200+ chapter story before. I have great confidence in your ability to do so again.
The best part of this story is the depth it adds to all of its characters. Bot and Pony alike.
That said I do hope we see some divergences later down the line. It would be a shame if the Decepticons had no impact on the world they have found themselves in.
Okay, I'm loving this so far.
Gaia I'm enjoying Soundwave so much. He reacted to Pinkie better than I thought. Gaia help everyone if it was Shockwave that encoutnered her. The logic bomb that would come from that encounter would be in the 5-7 terraton range, easily.
Also, a thought occurs to me: if the insecticons ended up in Equestria, would they be changeling queens, because aside from the whole insect theme, they're able to make swarms of duplicates?
A well executed idea, I can't wait to see what will happen next while the Decepticons are planning their moves by time.
10119036
10119311
If Starscream had slightly more patience and humility, he could rule the whole goddamn universe.
Instead, he constantly screams about how he deserves power.
Megatron seeing Twilight as a potential ally is really, really interesting.
Princess
Uh... does Megatron have red or yellow eyes?
brother[?]
Uh... getting a blank on this one...
10135022 Fixed.
Oh...Megatron...playing the spider.
And that, right there, is what makes Megatron so dangerous. He is absolutely capable of focusing on the long term, and he has enough self-confidence that he can not only commit to doing his job correctly out of self-respect, but he'll forgive temporary embarrassment because he understands that it is indeed temporary and inconsequential.
Megatron's ego is like a strong shield, protection and weapon both. It does not control him, he controls it.
10141654 Except when he has one of his Little Moments.
Megatron's single biggest weakness is his rage, and it can get out of his control. But when he's calm, he is definitely the most dangerous being in the TF universe, save possibly Unicron.
Well, it's certainly an interesting version of Megatron you're developing.
For people new to Transformers here's a plug: Transformers The Basics a YouTube series by Chris McFeely. He's one of the founders of the Transformers Wiki. He created the series after concluding that the wiki could be overwhelming to new fans and wanted a way to introduce Transformers concepts in simple easy to digest 10ish minute episodes. Rumor has it that it was this series that impressed IDW into contracting him for the creation of their Transformers Historia book.
Given the running gag of Megatron's history with the ladies in this story might I recommend his videos on Female Transformers and Transformers Romance to start.
Aww, don't feel bad about it Ravage. If it's any consolation, it was Flutters who managed to eventually tame a paracausal reality warper who may or may not technically occupy only one plane of existence at any given moment. That, and she has a way with animals, which is a category you're current format falls under.
10141658
It's like Tai Lung yeah? A style that revolves around focusing murderous rage down into a cutting edge, like a acetylene torch. Infinite focus and drive, but only so long as he can control it. The moment he loses his grip it explodes in a thousand different directions and he turns into a confused berserker.
10141716 Megatron, remember, was a gladiator. In almost every incarnation he revels in one on one combat. Even in a berserker rage he's no less dangerous as a fighter. If you think making him angry will make him screw up in a fight, you'd better have your will written out and your last goodbyes pre-recorded.
But as a plotter? A tactician? A strategist? And, above all, a general? THAT is when he makes mistakes when angry- usually because he doubles down on a bad decision after someone questions it, because NOBODY SECOND-GUESSES MEGATRON!
Megatron, mastermind leader, has finally begun to show his strengths. GREAT chapter! I can't wait to see what comes next, keep goin and stay golden^^
10141737
Indeed. Strategy, caution, restraint, these are all things that he's had to learn and train, against his nature. Subtlety is not something Megatron was ever inherently gifted in, it's not what he's for. Cybertronians have a certain kinship with ponies in that regard, they have a singular purpose that they are born to, and taking on new roles cuts against the grain.
In a mad kind of way, Megatron was Cybertron's Starlight, except he was very nearly right.
Ravage has maybe met his match. Now what is going to happen when he meets angel the bunny from hell