//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Attack of the Seekers // Story: The Darkest Hour // by TheClownPrinceofCrime //------------------------------// “Discord, get Twilight and her friends! We will greatly need their help!” Celestia ordered. “This will be very interesting. I would love to face against a Decepticon Tirek-wannabe,” said Discord, putting his sunglasses on. He snapped his fingers, making him and Spike disappear. Dirge fired his lightning bolts at the Autobot medic and the three ponies. Red Alert immediately grabbed Rumble before she jumped away from the deadly bolts. The Royal Sisters shielded themselves from his electric assaults with their magic. As the alicorns were using magic, Dirge idly gazed at their displayed power. “This appears to be more powerful than their cuteness. I shall take it all! More power for me, fleshlings!” Dirge exclaimed. Then he proceeded to fire his laser blasts at their magical barriers. “Rumble, we have to hide for cover while they buy us some time. Stay with me!” Red Alert advised. She transformed to ambulance mode and drove off to somewhere safe while strapping Rumble with a seatbelt. “Wait! Celestia and Luna can’t handle that guy on their own! We have to help!” Rumble cried. “They will be fine, little one. They can handle this,” assured Red Alert. “But I want to do something! I want to see more of what I can really do!” “You have no way of defending yourself, especially not while you’re in a mental crisis. You need more time to recover before you should even think about engaging in battle.” “But—!” “That is final!” Red Alert sternly said. “(Sigh) Okay...” he sadly muttered. They arrived at a big cave underneath the city of Canterlot and entered inside. Celestia fired a spell towards Dirge’s face which only served to slightly dull his vision. Thus, he kept blinking at the alicorns before returning fire at them. Celestia teleported herself from the blasts and fired another spell towards his right leg. However, one of Dirge’s clawed tentacles grabbed the magical blast and shaped it into a ball. He picked it up with his hand, smelled it, and ate it up. “Hmmm, yes! Yes! That small dose of the sweet essence tastes so... good. I can feel its power flowing through my circuitry.” Luna teleported behind him and blasted him on the back. It sent him flying across the city, forcing many citizens to flee from the presence of the Decepticon. The Royal Sisters flew over to the city as he crashed against the city’s walls really hard. For a few seconds, Dirge was motionless on the wall with his optics closed. As the princesses moved closer and closer, he raised his hands and unleashed more lightning strikes on them. The bolts electrocuted them which sent them flying all the way back to the castle. “You jealous organics cannot bear to face my wonderful, beautiful glory! Ha! If that’s your attitude right now, I will obtain that powerful emotion myself!” Dirge sneered. He got out of the wall and flew back to the castle. There, Celestia and Luna combined their magic, creating a larger beam. They fired that beam right at him as he got close to their home. However, Dirge generated a magical barrier with his hands all around him. The combined blast deflected off his shield and struck right towards the alicorns instead. Dirge wickedly laughed as he triumphed in their weakness and lowered his shield. “Isn’t this magnificent?! I’ve only been on this primitive planet for a few cycles, and I already am beating you with all this power! Can this glorious day get any better?” Dirge taunted. Suddenly, a magical purple blast knocked him on the head. He turned back to see Twilight Sparkle and her friends standing together with the elements of harmony on them. Discord and Spike landed beside them while they were smirking. “Actually, it is getting better... for us!” Spike said. “Whoever you are, you are not welcome here! Leave them alone this instant!” Rarity demanded. “Yeah, beat it, Decepti-creep!” Rainbow insulted. “Well, what is this? A group of organics with appealing relics? This is just perfect,” said Dirge. “This is your last warning, Decepticon. Leave this planet now, or we will take you down!” Twilight threatened, igniting her horn. “Hahahahaha!! And leave all this delicious power behind?! I don’t think so!” Dirge refused. “Very well. Everypony, ATTACK!!” Twilight commanded. “You dare betray me?! After everything I have done—even creating you with my very own spark, you rebel against me?!” Starscream chided. “Silence, fool! I will take charge over all Decepticons, and there is nothing you can do about it! By the time you’re gone, no one will even remember you,” said Thrust. “LIES!! I am the most renowned Decepticon there is—well, besides Megatron,” Starscream begrudgingly acknowledged. “Nevertheless, no one can replace me in that regard. It is my destiny to overthrow Megatron and take his place as the one true ruler of the Decepticons.” “I have had enough of your meaningless ramblings! I shall destroy you!!” Thrust bellowed, aiming his blasters at him. “Wait, stop! There has to be another way we can end this conflict!” Skywarp pleaded, taking hold of Thrust’s arm. The latter pushed him away and aimed his blaster toward him. “It’s either you’re with me or against me! Now shut your motor mouth and concentrate your attack on Starscream!” Thrust angrily ordered. Skywarp frantically looked at both Seekers as he struggled to decide. Fear and uncertainty clouded his thinking as he continuously stood there undecided. He could not bear to see both of them fighting and being so aggressive towards one another. Unwilling to lay hands on his creator, he transformed to jet mode and flew off screaming. Thrust stood there seething in rage while Starscream was unamused. “Fine! I don’t need him anyway, so I’ll destroy you myself!” He fired a beam right towards his former master; Starscream ducked beneath the laser blast and ran toward him. He tackled him on the ground as he sought to subdue his rebellious subordinate. However, Thrust kicked him off and punched him twice in the face. Then he grabbed his leg and body-slammed him on multiple trees. He threw him in the air before he blasted him with his null rays. “You’re even weaker than I thought,” Thrust taunted. Skywarp flew across the blue sky around the city of Canterlot. As he was flying, he saw Dirge fighting the Mane Six, Spike, Discord, and the alicorns. Troubling thoughts began to overwhelm his central processor once again as he thought back on the Decepticons and their primary scheme. “I don’t understand any of this. Why must Decepticons have so much greed and hatred against everyone? It’s so terrifying to imagine! Why can’t they all get along with them especially... the Autobots?” Skywarp wondered. Suddenly, he spotted two energy life signals beneath the Canterlot Castle on his scanner. Curious, he flew down beneath the castle and saw a large cave ahead of him. He transformed to robot mode and walked toward it. “Hello? Is anyone there? Please don’t hurt me if you’re there!” As he walked inside the cave, he noticed hundreds of crystals and gems everywhere around him. He gazed at their sparkling beauty and reached out to grab one. As he did so, he decided to grind one of them into powder. “I truly wonder if they can give any sort of fuel for Cybertronians. Are they as good as energon?” Once he tasted the powdery form, he spat it out immediately. “Yuck! I don’t think they’re fuel at all; I hope they’re not contagious,” Skywarp said. “Hold it right there!” Red Alert shouted, pointing her blaster at him. “AHHHH! Wait! Wait! I mean you no harm!” Skywarp screamed. “Don’t play games with me, ‘Con! I know you’re up to no good!” “Red Alert, wait! I don’t think he wants to hurt us,” said Rumble. “How do you know for sure?” “He just looks so... scared.” Those words instantly caught Skywarp’s attention and made him very surprised. A creature of this strange world actually took notice of his fear and is actually concerned for him? He kneeled before Rumble and looked at him in the eyes saying, “I... I am scared—always scared. I feel as if everyone is against me and wants to terminate me. I really... don’t know what to do. Do you think you can... help me?” Rumble and Red Alert looked at each other before the latter lowered her weapon. The colt got closer to him and touched his hand with his right hoof. “What is your name?” “Skywarp,” he answered. “I’m Rumble, a friend of the Autobots. You look like someone who needs a friend. In that case, I would love to help you, Skywarp. You can trust me.” Hope began to slowly build in his optics as he smiled from hearing his words of comfort and welcome. “You don’t look like a bad guy or an evil alien. You probably feel... lonely, don’t you?” Skywarp sadly nodded his head. “Yes... I do feel alone. I fear everything and everyone. I am too scared to fight or to retaliate. I have no friends to guide me or to help me. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!” Red Alert scrutinized him while he was monologuing. As she looked at his facial expressions and listened to his tone of voice, she finally softened up and looked compassionately at him. “In that case, Skywarp... I sympathize with you.” Skywarp stared at her amazed. “Wait... you do?” “Yes. I too was a victim of fear and intimidation during the time I lost my closest companion. It’s a traumatic experience I will never forget, but it’s something I cannot allow to drag me down.” “You gotta conquer your fears in order to move forward. From what I can see in you, you are... me,” observed Rumble. Skywarp and Rumble beheld each other for a few moments until they reached out with their hand/hoof and grasped their hand/hoof. “You don’t have to follow the Decepticons and their agenda, Skywarp. Please... join the Autobots and help us save the city.” Skywarp looked at the colt and the Autobot medic for a moment as he contemplated on his choice. “If I join the Autobots, I may get the love and appreciation I truly deserve. I will... be accepted for who I am. I hope the other Autobots won’t hurt me when they see me!” He looked back at them with a soft smile and look of gratitude. Then he faced the cave’s exit with the look of brave determination. “I now know what to do.” Dirge grabbed Applejack and Rarity and threw them towards the castle. Then a bunch of Royal Guards ran up to him with spears and ignited horns. Evilly smirking, he released his clawed tentacles and seized all the guards at once. He drained them of their magic before he tossed them aside like trash. “Keep feeding me with your essence, organics! Feed me all day!” Dirge shouted. Discord snapped his fingers to summon a giant basketball. The ball bounced up and down around the greedy Seeker, but he kept swiftly moving left and right without being smashed. As the ball was about to land on him, he kicked it with all his acquired might. The basketball landed on Discord instead, smashing him to a paste. “Okay, I didn’t see that one coming,” the dragonequus muttered. The basketball disappeared. Spike tried to fry him with his dragon fire, but it had no affect on his body armor. “Stand down, Decepticon intruder!” Luna commanded. “How about YOU stand down?” Dirge wrapped the alicorns, Spike, and the Mane Six with his tentacles and began to electrocute them all. “Hahahahaha, all of your power is forever mine for the taking!” Dirge proudly exulted. The ponies and dragon screamed in agony as they felt their magic and life slowly drain from them. They closed their eyes as they began to accept their death and defeat. Equestria’s biggest and last line of defense was about to be extinguished until... a miracle happened. A laser beam struck Dirge on the back, forcing him to release his victims. As he turned back, he saw Skywarp glaring down at him with Rumble flying next to him. “Leave them alone, Dirge!” the ex-Seeker ordered. “What kind of surprise is this?! Eh, no matter. I guess I’ll take you out first!” Dirge growled. He shot forth his tentacles at them, but Skywarp grabbed hold of the tentacles and stabbed one of them into the other. Thus, Dirge suffered a massive electrocution from his tentacles while he screamed in agony. As he slowly descended on the ground, all the power he stole ejected from him. His entire chest exploded, extinguishing his spark. He fell down as his optics and color scheme went black. The Mane Six, Spike, the princesses, and the guards got their magic and strength back. They rose up before they beheld their hero standing beside Rumble. “Umm... hi?” Skywarp nervously waved. The Canterlot citizens hailed him as their hero and surrounded him with confetti. “You did it, Skywarp! You’re a hero now!” Rumble smiled. “I’m... I’m a hero? That’s... amazing! I feel so good about this, and... I don’t know why,” said Skywarp. “It’s okay, friend. On behalf of the Autobots, I welcome you to the winning team,” Red Alert said, shaking his hand. “Thank you, Autobot—I mean, Red Alert. But there is one more thing I need to do,” said Skywarp, glaring at the sky. Thrust stood over a weakened Starscream while his blaster was aimed at him point-blank. “I knew you couldn’t beat me in a fight. Your cowardice has cost you your strength, and your stupidity has defeated you. Now, you will fall before your true maker!” “NO!!” Starscream yelled. At that moment, razor-sharp fingers impaled Thrust through the chest. He looked down to see the hand holding his spark and crushing it completely. Then he turned to see Skywarp glaring fiercely with the same rage he displayed earlier. “Right back at you,” he growled. He pulled back his arm from his chest. Thrust fell down dead before Skywarp. Starscream was astonished at seeing a cowardly version of himself killing one of his treacherous subordinates. Although he was horrified at the grisly sight, he shrugged it off and proudly rose up on his feet. “Well done, my loyal servant! I see you are the only one who remains steadfast to my authority. You shall be handsomely rewarded.” “I’m sorry, Starscream, but I... don’t answer to you or to any other Decepticon... any more,” confessed Skywarp, looking down on the ground. “What?! Have you lost your senses?! I am your master! You will answer to—!” “SHUT UP!! JUST SHUT UP!! I am sick and tired of beings like you who boss me around and treat me like dirt!! I am sticking with the Autobots from now on, and you can go kiss Megatron’s afterburner like you’ve always done. LEAVE. ME. ALONE!!” Skywarp screamed in full rage. Starscream stood utterly speechless at his outburst while his wings lowered themselves. Without saying a word, he fearfully transformed to jet mode and flew off. Skywarp looked at himself embarrassed and looked back down on the ground. “I... hope I wasn’t... too mean.”