Chapter two: Transformation pt.2
Back at the School of Friendship the first guests were arriving. “Grimlock must be getting better, the place is still standing.” Garble said. He had started wearing a green tie.
“I just miss our little drake.” Maar was crying. “It seems like it was only yesterday I was teaching him to burp his ABC’s.” The purple dragon with rabbit like ears smiled at the memory.
“Well Airazor knows better than to pick up that habit.” Gilda muttered; she now wore a silver tiara.
“Now, now my chickadee let’s not bring any negative energy to our visit with our little princess.” Zephyr Breeze only wore a gold sash to show his status as prince consort and was now clean shaven.
Nearby Braeburn was carrying an apple pie. “I’m sure Cliffjumper will enjoy this taste of home.” Braeburn said.
The fully-grown Strong Heart now worn the traditional headdress of chief. “I really want to meet these friends he wrote about. I was worried you’d be the only non-buffalo he would even talk to.”
The front doors opened. “The Ruler of Equestria, Princess of Friendship, and founder of this school Twilight Sparkle.” Gallus announced as Twilight and her family came in. No one saw the robotic bird fly above them as the doors closed.
“Thank you, Gallus. Take this chance to visit your friends.” Twilight said as the griffon bowed and walked off.
“My old friend it fills me with cheer, to see you and your family here.” It was Zecora and she looked like she was the same as when she lived near Ponyville.
“Zecora, it’s good to see you too. Has Sunstreaker’s parents come with you?”
Zecora got an annoyed look on her face. “They are not here, I fear. The Zebra King upholds our accord. But only I the guards on the airship did let board.”
“Well she’ll be glad to see her grandmother. Now where is Nova Spark?”
Starlight and Luster walked up to Twilight. “Princess not to alarm you but we haven’t seen Nova or the others all day.” Starlight said. “Luster says she might know something, but she wants to talk to us in private.”
“One of the classrooms will do.” Twilight opened a door and stepped in.
After the three were in Luster Dawn closed the door and sighed. “I don’t know about the others, but I think Nova Spark might be avoiding me. He must have figured it out. Mom, Princess, I have fallen in love with Nova Spark. I know! It’s inappropriate and I’m disgusted with myself!” Luster Dawn began to cry.
“Luster, how long have you felt this way?” Starlight asked.
“I always was fond of him, like a little brother, but since just before he came to Ponyville those feelings grew into something more.”
“My most gifted student…” Twilight said. “…I would be very concerned if Nova Spark was still a colt. But he is eighteen, a grown pony. The Alicorn Event changed a lot of things that we are still adjusting to. Someday there will be creatures having feelings for each other that have a difference in age of hundreds or thousands of years. Celestia and Luna have to date much younger stallions. We are still learning but I think that since the two of you are adults there is nothing for you to be ashamed of. The important thing for you to do now is talk to him.”
“But he left because I creeped him out!”
“You don’t know that Sweetheart.” Starlight pulled her daughter into a hug.
Twilight looked Luster in eye. “Luster Dawn. You should know Nova Spark always cared for you. I don’t know how he feels now or if he knows but if he has feelings you too then I would be very happy to one day welcome you into the family.”
“That would make us in-laws.” Starlight said with a smile.
“Don’t you think you two are jumping ahead little?” Luster blushed at the thought.
“We’re just having some fun Luster. But we better increase the number of search parties.”
Twilight looked out of the window. "I just hope that Nova and his friends playing hooky is all that’s going on.”
“Our target is currently located in this small settlement.” Starscream pointed to an aerial photo Ponyville. He then scrolled the screen to fields south of the town. “We’ll ground bridge in here. Soundwave will stay and operate the bridge. The rest of us will attack with five vehicons as back up.”
“At least one for each us just as the regs say.” Barricade said.
“Yes. Blackout take us to ground bridge range. Today this planet is ours!”
The five students follow Optimus to a lake in the far edge of Everfree. “Majaja never said anything about a lake in the forest.” Sunstreaker said.
Optimus walked to the edge of the lake. “Teletraan One, extend boarding tube.”
“Confirmed.” A voice from nowhere said as a lot of bubbles broke the surface of the water.
“That was my ship’s computer. The only thing to keep me company for the past five years but also in that time I have been traveling, learning about Equus and its people.”
Airazor flew in front of Optimus’ face. “That’s how long you’ve been on this planet? I still can believe I’m talking to an ALIEN!”
“I do appreciate your excitement. But to answer your question I’ve been here for three and a half million years but I only came out of stasis five years ago.”
“Stasis?” Cliffjumper asked.
“A very long sleep.” It was then that a metal tube came out of the water and came to shore. It had a door with a symbol on it that looked like red face that opened on its own. “This way.”
Nova Spark followed close with the others not far behind. “I know creatures that are over a thousand years old, but you got them beat by a lot.”
They came into a large dark room. “Lights.” The whole room was lit up and there were large machines all over, many of them looked damaged. “Welcome to the Ark, excuse the mess. When I came out of trans-warp it was into a meteor storm forcing a crash landing, it has been hard to fix things by myself.”
Cliffjumper gave a friendly punch to Grimlock’s side. “Hear that Grim, be extra careful not to break anything.”
Airazor began flying around the room. “The level of science needed to make all this. It’s so amazing! I don’t know which one ask about first!”
“Airazor my friend you sound like a filly in candy store.” Sunstreaker said.
Optimus gave a small chuckle. “Come with me, this next room will be perfect for training.”
“Training?” the five all said at once.
Optimus led them to a mostly empty room with a control panel to the side. “Now for you to learn why we are all here.” Optimus pressed a few buttons and a hologram of a golden cube appeared. “This is the Allspark. One of Cybertron’s most sacred and important relics. It is the very source of life on Cybertron, the Spark that makes us more than mere machines and gives us an endless supply of Energon, the lifeblood of our people. However, like all great power there were those who coveted it. Thus, one of my kind, one who I’d once thought a friend tried to take the Allspark in hopes to turn it into a weapon; beginning the war. Megatron’s goal is nothing short of conquest of the whole universe and the enslavement of all organic life. To gain the Allspark Megatron recruited loyal followers that would use our people’s ability to transform to disguise themselves as a world’s own technology, to be deceptive constructs, so they took the name Decepticons.” Optimus changed the image to an icon of purple mask with what looked like a crown. “My fellow Autobots and I fought the Deceptions for countless eons, because it is our deepest belief that freedom is the right of all sentient beings. Other races in the universe began to call any life from Cybertron Transformers, no matter what side they were on. We kept the Allspark safe but when Megatron found a new devastating weapon the tide of war turned in his favor. I had no choice but to put the Allspark in an inert state and launched it into space. Lost among the stars. The Autobots lost the war and no new life has been born on Cyberton ever since.”
The young creatures were stunned silent at this tale until Nova Spark spoke. “Optimus, we are so sorry. You must have lost friends in that war.”
“Many good friends.” A tear fell down Optimus’ face.
“But I’m confused, what does this have to do us or this darkness?”
“Because the Decepticons are that darkness, they will certainly come because the Allspark is here on Equus. And I need your help to protect this world from the Decepticons.”
“How do you know?” Airazor asked.
“While I was in stasis Teletraan One was reactivated when it detected a massive burst of life energy eighteen years ago.”
Nova Spark then made a realization. “Eighteen…The Alicorn Event. It made creatures ageless and made all of ponies into Alicorns! And that was it just waking up?”
“Now you begin to understand. When it was clear that the war was lost and Cybertron grew dark, I left hoping to follow the Allspark’s path. Knowing it can restore our world.”
“Why are you talking like we’re from Cybertron?”
“During the War for Cybertron I received a vision from Primus, the creator that made the Allspark which is a fragment of his own. He asked me to stand before the Allspark to become a symbol that organic and mechanical life can co-exist in peace. Before I was all machine but now, I am fusion of technology and biological tissue. A Technorganic being just like the five of you.”
“What?!” The group shouted.
“Remember the lights that came out of you all?” Optimus asked.
“No.” Grimlock said. Then everyone was staring at him. “Come on! A lot stuff has been happening today! It’s hard to keep track!”
Optimus coughed and continued. “Those were your Sparks, energy that makes a transformer what they are. When you entered the Ark Teletraan One scanned each of you.” The hologram became a cross section of the five. “You have two things no other lifeform from this planet has, first is a spark chamber that holds your spark, second is a transformation cog or T-cog for short. It is the biomech that allows a cybertronian to transform. Eighteen years ago, when the Allspark awakened it must have made five embryos into tenchnorganics like me. The five of you, and I can prove it by teaching you to transform. This is the first step in your training and a vital one.”
“There…there is no way that’s true!” Nova Spark’s horn flared with magic when he said this.
“It’s okay Nova Spark, I’ll so show you.” Optimus went to the center of the room. “The first step is to feel the balance within yourself. You are not just one form and the balance between the two is just off slightly toward your current form. Feel your spark and use it to just slightly shift the balance the other way. If you do too much in either direction it won’t work.” The next thing everyone knew there was light covering Optimus. When it faded the flesh and fur were replace with metal. Optimus now had blue legs while his hands were still black. The rest of him was red. Then with an oscillating sound part of his legs folded over his feet making it look like he was wearing boots while at the same time extending. His face folded over his chest revealing another head that was blue with sold eyes in a lighter shade. He also had a face plate that split opened exposing his mouth. “This is the form I have had for most of my life. I know it might take some getting used to but I’m sure with practice you’ll be able to do it with barely a thought and greater speeds.”
Airazor stepped forward. “Okay you proposed a hypothesis, that I am a transformer. The next step is to perform an experiment to prove or disprove the hypothesis.” She closed her eyes and envisioned things as Optimus said. The flash of light turned her body blue with pink highlighting her edges while her head was still white with a yellow beak but now metallic. She then stood upright with her knees reversing direction, her tail receded inside her. Next Airazor’s upper arms slid an outer layer over her forearms stopping at her wrists. Finally, her face slid over her chest showing another face under her usual with a beak like top, gray face and pink eyes. “Hypothesis confirmed!” Airazor leapt up spreading her wings. “I don’t even need to flap to fly! This is just the best feeling! It’s like I’ve been born all over again!” Airazor said with joy.
Cliffjumper snorted. “I don’t know if I like this but if I’m going to try, I’ll give it all I got!” Cliff turned red with silver horns. The bulk of his sides folded over his limbs as he stood on two feet. Wheels were on his calves and his new arms ended in two large silver fists. Then his head split down the middle sliding onto his shoulders showing a new head covered in red except for his silver face, horns and blue eyes. “So, this is what it’s like to have hands. Yeah, I like it!” Cliffjumper said as he began punching the air.
“If Cliffjumper can do it then so can I!” Grimlock said. The yellow parts of Grimlock turned green while the red turned yellow. Grimlock’s tail was pulled inside him while his head slid down his right arm. Out of his mouth a black hand came out while Grim’s chest spilt open while a new head folded out onto his shoulders closing after it was in place. Grimlock’s second head was black with two points on top and a large square jaw with fangs. He had a blue visor for eyes. “I feel so much stronger! I have superpowers!”
Sunstreaker sighed. “I’d hate to do anything that might change my good looks but with all this evidence I may as well join in.” Sun went from mostly white with gold stripes to mostly gold with white stripes. Like Airazor and Cliffjumper her knees reversed and boot toes to popped out of her back hooves while her tail receded. Her front hooves opened for slender golden hands to come out. Sunstreaker’s face slid down like Airazor leaving only her now solid mane behind which now was on a gold face with two solid green eyes. She looked at her reflection in the metal wall. “Zebra or bot I’m still beautiful! Just a different kind of beautiful!”
Nova Spark looked over the new forms of his friends. “I guess it’s *gulp* my turn. It shouldn’t be that hard, finding balance is my thing.” He took a deep breath. Nova turned white while the white part of his cutie mark turned blue. He could feel his face begin to slide down his he started to stand upright. “No!” He yelled surprising everyone as he turned back to normal. “No! Don’t you guys see what this all means?”
“Uh, I get to live my dream and save the universe?” Grimlock said.
“No! Well maybe. The point is our whole lives we thought we were one thing but we’re really something else! I thought I was a pony but I’m really a robot in disguise! My mom was dead center at the Alicorn Event! She had to have known about the Allspark so that means she knew what I was the whole time and never told me! She lied to me! Her son! If I’m really am her son! I don’t know who or what I am anymore! I need answers and she is going to give them to me!” With that Nova Spark teleported away.
“Nova wait please!” Airazor cried.
“Let him go Airazor.” Optimus said. “This is all a big shock for him, and he needs time to come to terms with the truth. This was my mistake, I was so eager to show you all the truth, so worried about coming threats, that I didn’t take your feelings into account.”
Cliffjumper spoke next “I mean I think we all can understand how he’s feeling. This all so strange.” He said looking at his new hands. “I guess we’re just are enjoying the rush of these new abilities, so we DON’T think about what it all means for us.” Then the wheels on his calves lowered to the floor. “What are those for?” The next thing he knew he was speeding forward into Grimlock whose hand went back into the dragon mouth which began firing out blue blots of energy. One clipped Airazor’s wing causing her to crash into Sunstreaker whose mane fired a blue energy beam that Optimus just managed to duck. The whole thing caused the new transformers to changed back into old selves.
Optimus looked at the pileup and sighed. “We still have a lot of work ahead of us.”
“Any word from the missing students?” Flash Sentry asked Gallus and the teachers.
“No, and I’m getting a bad déjà vu feeling of our first Friends and Family Day.” Gallus gestured to himself and his former classmates.
“There’s no way anything like that would happen again right?” Silverstream asked.
Twilight, Starlight, Luster, and Midday walked up. “I’m really getting worried now. The day is half over and nocreature has seen them.” Twilight said.
Just then Nova Spark appeared. “Nova!” Midday Beam ran up to her brother and hugged him.
Nova gave a small smile but then turned his attention to his parents. “You worried us there for a bit son. Where are your friends? Are they okay?” Flash asked.
“They’re fine your majesty. Princess Twilight Sparkle, Prince Flash Sentry, may we have a private audience? There is a lot we need to talk about.” Nova said in a sullen tone.
Twilight was confused. “Of course, Nova. Starlight may we borrow your office since it is so close?”
“Well it was yours so of course.” Starlight Glimmer said.
As the older members of her family walked away Midday looked worried. “This isn’t right.”
“What do you mean?” Luster Dawn asked. “He was just following the proper protocol of royalty. I’ve seen lots of creatures do that with your parents.
“But that’s just it! Mom said that me and Nova NEVER have to bother with that stuff with her and Daddy! Something’s wrong.”
After the door to the office was closed Nova went right into what he wanted to ask. “When were you going tell me that I’m different from everypony?”
Twilight sighed. “So, you found out. That explains why you were gone today.”
“How much do you know?” Flash asked.
Nova stomped his hooves shaking the books on the shelves. “I know enough! I know that me and my friends are part alien robots because of an item called the Allspark! That you know about it because it caused the Alicorn Event and everypony knows it started in the palace. You were there! All this time you’ve watching me, studying me like a lab rat!”
Twilight tried to hold an air of calm. “Robots…no, that’s not important right now. Nova it is true that we were curious, and at first we didn’t tell you because I was asked to help who made this Allspark and we didn’t want you to feel that you didn’t belong.”
“But as time went on, we just began to feel that telling you about all this didn’t matter.” Flash said.
“Didn’t matter? Didn’t matter?!” Nova’s yell could be heard down the hallway.
Twilight had tears welling up in her eyes. “No, it didn’t matter because the truth and whatever was done by that artifact would never change how we feel about you. You are our son, a kind and noble young pony, and we love you. No special destiny could ever be more important than that.”
Nova reared up his horn glowing. “Special? You have no idea what all this Cybertronian stuff is doing to me! The burden placed on our shoulders! And you can never understand how it feels to be pulled between two worlds!” Nova gave a final stomp while teleporting away.
Twilight began teleporting to various locations trying to find her son. “Nova! Nova I’m sorry!”
A few minutes earlier to the south of Ponyville a swirling green portal opened and the Decpitcons exited. Blackout kicked the ground at his feet until no grass was touching him. “The sooner we find the Allspark and get off this infested rock the better.”
Starscream got a wicked smile as the ground bridge closed behind him. “Agreed.” He then turned to the vehicons. “You five will circle the perimeter of the settlement and make sure nothing escapes until further orders are given. The rest of us will attack and draw the target out. Now Transform!”
The vehicons turned into something akin to motorcycles but instead of a seat there were gun turrets. Barricade and Knockout transformed into cars and revved their engines. “First one to the settlement gets to blast the target of his choice.” Knockout said as his headlights flashed.
“Nothing against it in the regs so I’m game for a race!” Barricade responded.
Demolisher transformed into a tank with four short barrel guns and missile launchers on top. “Less talking more shooting!”
Blackout jumped and transformed into a helicopter with twin Gatling guns on the side. “A good number of these meat bags can fly. I’m going to enjoy knocking them out of my airspace!”
Lastly Starscream transformed a jet and hovered for a moment. “Finally, the time has come! Decepitcons attack!” The group went full speed to the town, guns popped out the sides of the two cars. The group began shooting the buildings, the townsfolk either running, flying away, or using shield spells the protect themselves from the metal things.
Several stalls in the town square were either shot by Knockout or bulldozed by Barricade. “Flimsy!” Barricade said.
“Yeah, you guys wouldn’t last a cycle on a cybertron turnpike!” Knockout taunted.
Blackout looked at the top of Sugar Cube Corner. “What a kind of function could something so stupid looking have? How about a little off top?” The copter began blasting the top of the building before it collapsed. The Cake twins barely got everyone inside into the party cave in time.
Demolisher was rolling up to the Carousel Boutique. “Now that looks like something fun to blow up! Hahahahaha!” Demolisher fired all his weapons at the store. Sandbar teleported Yona, a black cat, and himself out before the whole thing went up in a large explosion. “Yes! More, more!”
Starscream fired his laser cannons at town hall, filling it with holes. He transformed be into robot mode landed on top of it. “Listen to me! If you creatures wish to survive then you will bring your leader, this Twilight Sparkle to me!”
At that moment Nova Spark sat by the lake the Ark rested in. He stared into his own reflection. “Is this face really me? Or is it the other one I haven’t seen yet?” As he continued to stare, he saw the reflection of Optimus in his gorilla form.
“What form you are in doesn’t make you who are. Your thoughts and feelings, that is you. The rest, is a container for those things.” Optimus said. “I apologize. I didn’t give you the time you needed to process all this.”
Nova sighed. “I haven’t yelled at my parents like that since I was a colt, I don’t even remember what for. I feel so torn, what am I Optimus? A pony or a robot?” Nova asked looking straight at Optimus.
“Both and neither. I don’t claim to know why Primus choose to make you the way you are, but I believe it is for a reason. This world has a harmony to it I have not seen in millions of years and it is part you. You have the gentle spirit of a pony and the power of a transformer. They make you stronger than either could be alone.”
Suddenly Nova Spark heard Airazor’s voice in his head. “Optimus! We need you back inside!”
Nova Spark jumped in surprise. “What the hoof?”
“While you were gone, I showed the others how to use the commlink. I’ll show you how to later.” Optimus said. “Nova Spark and I are coming Airazor.”
As the pair came in a loud klaxon rang. “I didn’t touch anything!” Grimlock said.
Optimus transformed and went to a console with a live feed of what was happening in Ponyville. “Scanners picked something up.” Optimus had a stern look at the image of Starscream. “The Decepticons, they’re already here.”
“This is bad.” Sunstreaker said. “Look at the size of them! We haven’t got used to our new bodies and Nova Spark hasn’t even transformed yet so we don’t know what he can do in his robot form! We don’t stand a chance if we fight them!”
“Well can’t stand around here doing nothing, our families are there!” Clifferjumper stomped his hoof to drive the point home.
“Wait!” Nova said. “My mom is there and so is the rest of the Council of Friendship! They faced all kinds of villains, and that was before Mom’s friends became alicorns too! They’ll use the magic of friendship to put those Decepticons in their place!”
“Nova Spark you don’t understand!” Optimus began moving to another room while the others followed. “Remember the weapon I told you about, the one Megatron used to win the war?” They all nodded. The room had a large metal archway at one end opposite of the door. Optimus began interfacing with a set of controls. “Its power is threefold. I was protected from one by my organic side as all of you are but the second was on races that relied on the energies you call magic. If your mother tries to use it against the Decepticons it will end in disaster!” The archway made a green vortex. “This is a ground bridge, I used it to explore Equus. I set the coordinates to the town; I wish you all were much further along in your training, but this is the only way we can protect lives. I know it is dangerous but know that if things get bad, I’ll come and help.”
“Well guess it’s time for me to become a hero.” Grimlock gulped.
“We’ll do our best Optimus.” Airazor said as she and the others went through the bridge.
After they were gone Optimus thought aloud. “Primus help us all if I need to intervene, if the Decepticons learn I’m on this planet they will report it to Megatron and you five are nowhere near ready face him.”
Shortly after Starscream made his demands Twilight returned to the school after teleporting all over Equestria trying to find Nova. “I looked in all the places I could think of.” She said dejectedly.
“Don’t worry Twi he’ll turn up.” Twilight looked to Rainbow Dash and the rest of her friends.
“What are you all doing here?”
Pinkie Pie gave Twilight a hug. “We wanted to surprise you silly.”
“Flash told us what happened.” Fluttershy said.
Rarity wrapped her wing around Twilight. “Don’t worry Darling. He’s probably just scared and confused right now. I’m sure he still loves you both.”
Twilight looked at Applejack. “I was wrong, there never was going to be a right time to tell him.”
“No, you weren’t.” Applejack said. “Keeping a secret and telling a lie aren’t always the same thing. He wouldn’t understand as a colt and if you told him before now, he would probably do the same thing. Like a rooster catching a pig in the hen house.”
“Princess Twilight!” It was Daisy, Lily, and Rose.
“The town is under attack by large monsters!”
“Their leader says they’ll stop if you come.”
“The Horror! The Horror!”
Twilight turned to her husband. “Flash get Gallus and the other guards! Protect the townsponies!”
“Right!” Flash said.
“Girls come with me. I’d rather be facing a new threat to Equestria than think about how my son is mad at me anyway.”
As Twilight and the others scrabbled to help no one noticed Midday Beam sneak out a window. “Mom’s going to beat the bad guys like in the stories! Nova’s going to wish he didn’t miss this!”
Starscream saw six alicorns in the distance flying toward him. He focused his optics on the purple one taking point. “She’s here. Decepticons cease fire and rally to my position. Vehicons maintain the perimeter.” Starscream leapt down to the ground as the others joined him. Demolisher and Knockout transformed and stood to his left, Blackout and Barricade to his right. As the Council of Friendship landed Starscream introduced himself. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, I am Starscream of the planet Cybertron, commander of the Decepticon warship Darksyde. We are willing to end our attack on your people if you meet the following conditions. There is a cybertronian relic on this planet, tell us the location of the Allspark and surrender this world and its inhabitants to the rule of the Decepticon Empire and no other lifeforms need be harmed.”
“Cybertronian…” Twilight whispered.
“What is it Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.
“Nova Spark called the Artifact the Allspark. These are the aliens that are connected to it and him!”
“These tin-plated varmints?” Applejack gave the robots the stink eye.
Twilight stepped forward. “I know of this Allspark, it gave me a message and told me you need help. We have something that you might not know you need, and we offer it freely. We offer you friendship.”
This made Blackout laugh. “Friendship? With inferior organic lifeforms?”
“What did you say?” Rainbow Dash said flying to Blackout’s eye level.
Starscream pointed his arm mounted gun at the rainbow pony. “You don’t realize what you are up against. Our weapons and technology far outstrip yours. Our empire has lasted for millions of stellar cycles, spans entire galaxies! We have conquered thousands of worlds and hundreds of species! And with the Allspark no one will stand in the way of our destiny of ruling the universe! So, let’s cut through the signal noise. Your only hope for survival is to give it to us!”
Twilight took a deep breath. She looked to her friends who gave her confident looks. “I have faced many who think that they are more powerful than us. They thought that because we value friendship that we are weak, but again and again they fail!” The Mane Six glowed. “I have seen the power of this Allspark of yours and I will never let anyone use to hurt others! Do you want to know why our enemies fail? It’s because they never understand the what we hold dear is the greatest magic of all! That friendship is magic!”
Midday Beam watched from an alley as a magic rainbow came up from the six mares and fell on the alien invaders. “Go Mom!”
But as the rainbow faded the Decepticons looked unscathed. “I’m sorry was that supposed to do something?” Starscream said with a wicked smile.
“It was pretty tough.” Demolisher chuckled while scratching his chest plate.
“I don’t understand it never failed before!” Twilight was shocked.
“Yeah usually one magic friendship rainbow laser and we win.” Pinkie Pie said slightly deflating.
“Let me explain.” Starscream began. “Megatron, our lord and master, gifted his followers with dark energon.” Starscream’s and the others’ eyes and Decepticon emblems glowed a ghostly purple. “Among its benefits are enhancing our strength, reducing our power consumption, and completely nullifying any of the energy you call magic used against us! Your greatest weapon is useless as long as dark energon flows through our veins!” Starscream then pointed his gun at Twilight. You had your chance to cooperate, now I’ll show this world its useless to fight us by destroying the leader of the most powerful nation and they will blame you when we find the Allspark by tearing this planet apart!”
“Twilight!” Flash Sentry flew between the beam and his wife using a shield spell Shining Armor taught him taking the shot point blank. The shield broke into pieces pushing the group away and flinging Flash a nearby building with his wings making a cracking sound before he groaned in pain.
“Daddy!” Midday flew to her father’s side.
Twilight rushed to her family. “I think his wings are broken!” A shadow fell over them. Twilight looked up to see Starscream standing over her, the other Decepticons laughing. “Starscream please, do what you want with me but don’t hurt my family!”
Twilight could see a light rising from Starscream’s weapon before he said. “Begging, it’s what you organics do best.”
“Leave them alone Starscream!” Everyone turned to see Nova Spark and his friends.
“Nova Spark don’t!” Twilight pleaded.
“The lifeforms on this planet are hopelessly stubborn!” Starscream growled. “Don’t you get it?! We are larger, stronger, and more powerful than you are! Compared to us you are lowly animals!”
Memories echoed thought Nova’s mind. “Feel the balance within yourself.”
“You will find your way.”
“I can always count on you.”
“Maximize your potential.”
“Stronger than either could be alone.”
“Transform your destiny!” Nova Spark once again turned white with the same shift in his cutie mark. As he went upright his knee shifted and a boot toe emerged. His front hooves opened, and blue hands came out. Like before his face slid down onto his chest leaving a white face with solid blue eyes framed by what looked like a box like blue helmet. What no one would notice until later was a symbol appeared as part of his cutie mark.
“He’s technorganic…” Starscream was in shock as most of the Decepticons. Only Knockout did something by beginning a scan.
“And he’s not the only one!” Airazor said as she and the others transformed.
“Sweet Celestia.” Twilight whispered.
Knockout then got a worried look on his face. “Starscream they have Autobot signatures.”
“That not all. We have inherited their cause.” Nova Spark said holding his hand in front of him, his horn launched out of his chest becoming a spiral sword that he caught. It had a rounded section above the grip.
“How did you do that?” Cliffjumper asked.
“These forms are just as much a part of us as the ones we’ve had all of our lives. Don’t think of them as new or different and your instincts will let you do things you didn’t know you could.” Nova turned to Starscream. “You called us animals but both the technological and the organic maximize our potential. We’re not animals we’re Maximals!”
“Maximals? I like the sound of that!” Grimlock said.
“Enough of this!” Starscream yelled. “Scrap them! But this Nova Spark is mine!” The Decepticons attacked.
“Try to get them to follow you to where they already attacked! We got to limit the risk of anyone else getting hurt!” Nova Spark ordered. Nova Spark spread his wings and took flight with Starscream while the rest took off in different directions.
Cliffjumper tried to charge Barricade only for his fist to hit a purple rectangular force field. “And that is why they call me Barricade.” The larger bot said holding up his hand to project the field.
The wheels on Cliffjumper’s legs lowered and began speeding around in circles. One of the spikes on his shoulders became charged with energy. “Like I say, mess with Cliffjumper…” He got behind Barricade and hit him behind his knees, causing him to collapse. “…and you get the horns!”
“Let’s see you fight what you can’t see!” Blackout let a pulse out of his chest that hit Cliffjumper making his eyes go black.
“My eyes!”
“I got you Cliff!” Airazor dove in picking up her teammate.
“You won’t get away you half-flesh filth!” Blackout transformed and followed them firing.
“Any ideas?” Cliff asked.
Airazor turned around with curved blade popping out the sides of her wings striking the just beneath Blackout's rotor. “Happy landings con.”
“Nooooo!” Blackout crashed into the remains of a building.
Cliffjumper’s eyes lit back up. “Good, that jerks party trick wares off.
In another part of town Sunstreaker was under heavy fire. “There is no way a puny thing like you can match the fire power of the mighty Demolisher!” The Decepticon had his arms fold to point his shoulder guns at the Maximal.
Sunstreaker pointed her arm and from the top a grappling claw shot out and latched on to a wooden beam. She leapt up and swung around the larger bot and kicked him the back making him stumble, twist, and fall on his back. “Firepower? Maybe.” Sun fired a beam from her head crest into Demolisher’s face knocking him out. “Brainpower? More than a match.”
Knockout speeded by with Grimlock hanging on his hood. “Ready for a pit stop?” He hit the brakes sending Grim into a collapsed wall. Knockout transformed and a buzz saw blade replace his hand. “You don’t look so good.” Knockout said firing a gun in his other hand. Grimlock crossed his arms blocking the shots. “You wouldn’t know this but I’m a doctor. How about we do a little exploratory surgery and see what’s wrong?” Knockout’s blade spun at high speed.
“Actually, I’d like a second opinion!” Grimlock’s hand went in his dragon head and he fired an energy bolt into Knockout’s chest blackening it.
Knockout looked furious. “Do you know long it will take to buff that out?” Grimlock’s only response was firing more bolts shooting an arm off and forcing him to the ground. Looking around Knockout grabbed his arm. “Vehicons activate evacuation sequence.”
In the skies high above Nova’s sword clash with Starscream’s claws. “You underestimated us. We may be smaller than you, but we are just as strong!”
“You have no idea with whom you are dealing with!” Starscream shouted. “I waited too long and worked too hard for my triumphant return to Cybertron to let technorganic freaks like you get in my way!” Starscream slashed Nova giving him a small cut on his waist which began to leak a blue liquid as he fell to ground. Through the pain Nova Spark pushed his sword and it bent around the rounded section. He squeezed his finger on part of the grip that was really a trigger. A blue bolt fired and hit Starscream in the chest causing him to fall too. As he fell, he saw the Vehicons rolling in, firing their weapons at the Maximals to drive them off while the used magnetic arms to drag the Decepticons to an open ground bridge. “What? I didn’t order a retreat!” The two then hit the ground.
“Nova Spark! Are you okay?” Sunstreaker asked.
Nova got up. “I’m fine. I’m more solid now and this isn’t a deep cut. Guess this is energon.” The group then looked at Starscream who was standing up too. “Surrender Starscream, you’re out numbered!”
Starscream saw the fifth vehicon coming up from behind them. “Never!” He flew up and fired at the drone blowing it up and knocking the Maximals on their faces.
“You’d do that to one of your friends?” Nova asked looking up.
“One lifeless vehicon is more than worth it to beat you! We have dozens more!” Starscream felt pain and covered the hole in his chest Nova made. “Don’t you think you’ve won! Our war is just beginning! You hear me! You’ll all pay!” Starscream then flew into the ground bridge portal and it vanished.
The Maximals picked themselves up and put their weapons away up and walked back to the center of Ponyville were a lot of creature were gathering to see if the threat had passed. “Nova Spark!” Princess Twilight called. “I am so proud of you! You proved yourself a fine leader today. I knew all you needed was some confidence.”
“I guess I just needed to find my own balance.” Nova said looking at his changed cutie mark.
“Wow! Should we throw you a new markmitzva?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“Has anyone found Airazor?” Gilda asked.
“Right here mom.” Airazor raised her hand.
Her parents were unsurprisingly shocked at her new look. “Princess is that you?” Zephyr Breeze asked.
“It’s okay. We can all change back and forth whenever we want.” Cliffjumper explained.
“That voice…” Braeburn said.
“Cliffjumper?” Strongheart finished.
“Grimlock is that you?” Grable asked.
“A, B, C.” Grimlock burped though no one was sure how he did it as a robot.
“That’s our little Grim.” Maar said.
“Sunstreaker, is this a dream? Your body now has a metal gleam?” Zecora gasped.
“No, Majaja, you’re not dreaming. Don’t I look beautiful?” Sunstreaker struck a pose.
“How’s dad?” Nova Spark asked Twilight.
“Their taking him to the hospital now. Thankfully it wasn’t one of the places attacked.” Twilight pointed to Flash Sentry being loaded onto an ambulance wagon.
“Dad!” Nova moved toward his father when Midday Beam stood between them.
“Go away!” Midday began using her magic to throw small bits of broken buildings at her brother’s metal body making clanging noises.
“Middy?” Nova was confused.
“Don’t call me that! You’re not my brother! You’re just like the thing that hurt Daddy! I never want to see you again!” Midday was shaking and had tears of anger.
“Maximals do you hear me?” It was Optimus over the comms. “That explosion caused some real damage to you. I’m ground bridging you back for repairs.”
When the portal appeared Airazor explained. “It’s just going to take us somewhere we can recover from our battle damage. We’ll be back.”
“Mom?” Nova Spark looked at Twilight with concern.
“Go, I’ll talk with your sister.” Twilight waved goodbye to him. “You can explain everything later.” And so, they went back to base.
“Welcome back team.” Optimus greeted. “You performed exceptionally for your first mission. With no fatalities of the local population this what I hope to be just the first of your victories.”
“It doesn’t feel like a victory.” Nova said. “My sister…Optimus she’s afraid of me!”
“Give her time Nova. Like you she and others will need to adjust to the truth of what you are.” Optimus lead them to a room with five large boxes attached to one wall. “This is the medical bay. These repair chambers can fix your damaged bodies if it isn’t too severe.” The five Maximals each went into one chamber. “Rest and recover for now. The Decepticons will be doing the same. It is now a race to find the Allspark and end this war once and for all.” With that Optimus closed the chambers and the repairs began.
“Knockout! Why did you retreat without my order?” Starscream demanded.
“With all due respect commander. We were having our tailpipes handed to us by bots less than half our size! Barricade couldn’t stand, let alone fight! Blackout has crash trauma! It was hard getting them into the repair chambers because…oh yes, one them shot my arm off!” Knockout said trying to reattach his limb. “And Demolisher is still trying to reboot his systems!” Demolisher was on a metal slab still out cold while the other two were in chambers like the ones Maximals were in.
“Well as commanding officer I should have priority treatment.”
Knockout stopped and looked at Starscream’s chest wound. “Mostly superficial, minimal energon loss, but if that little white bot’s shot went just a little deeper, he could have snuffed your spark.” This made Starscream growl. “R-chambers are full. I could fix it if had both hands, so I need to get back to my own repairs.”
Soundwave entered the room. “Megatron requests a briefing Starscream. Presence mandatory.”
“I take it on the bridge.” The commander groaned as he left.
“Hey Soundwave, help me reattach my arm.” Knockout said.
Starscream stood before the main screen as the image of grey robot with a grey helmet like head and red eyes came on. “My Emperor.” He said as he kneeled.
“Starscream, your exile was almost over. All you had to do was secure the Allspark and you may have had the chance to reclaim your former position. Why has this not happened?!”
“We’ve run into a slight complication master. We’ve found an Autobot resistance cell on this planet, they interfered.”
Megatron’s eye glowed purple and Starscream fell in pain like his veins were on fire. Small bolts of purple lightning danced on his body. “I will not except failure! Not from anyone, not for any reason!”
“But master! They weren’t ordinary Autobots! They were Technorganic!” Starscream yelled in pain.
The pain stopped and Megatron’s eyes returned to normal. “Technorganic? Was Prime with them?”
“No, my Emperor. One of the native lifeforms said she seen the Allspark’s power. I think they used to make these technorganic Maximals.”
Megatron snarled in disgust. “If you ever wish to return home Starscream then you will find the Allspark and destroy these abominations!”