Canterlot - Centuries Later
In a small conference room in Canterlot Castle Princess Twilight Sparkle sat at a table with Princess Celestia and her sister Princess Luna. They were looking over maps of different nations across the world. It had only been a few days since the invasion of the Storm King and the pony known as Tempest Shadow has left Equestria. “And so ever since the festival I feel like it would benefit society as a whole for us to establish better relations with other nations. Some locations barely have easy access to our borders,” Twilight explained.
“And are you certain this super railway project could unite us?” Celestia asked.
“Yes I hear from Rainbow Dash that Gilda and Gabby have to fly long distances to get to see Ponyville and the express train barely goes to Griffonstone.”
“She does have a point,” Luna said. “I hear Shire Lanka has a train that comes once a month or so. I doubt ponies want to wait.”
Celestia looked over the maps again as well as the numerous scrolls that covered the table. She closed her eyes, took a sip of tea, and opened them while smiling at her student. “Very well Twilight. I will see to it that we can get resources and workers to help build.”
“Well Applejack agree to help be a supervisor for one of these new lines, particularly this one,” Twilight said, pointing to an area between the Equestrian border and Mount Aris.
“I see, I hope your friend can help keep the promise of building a line to Queen Novo. Although I have to ask Twilight, I thought you wanted to make a school of friendship. What made you change your mind?”
Twilight smiled sheepishly. “Well I heard rumors Chancellor Nieghsay wouldn’t approve of interspecies schools and also I was gonna have my friends be teachers but I just remembered they have busy lives of their own.”
“I see, I agree it wouldn’t be easy if the teachers were a farmer, a wonderbolt, a party planner, a boutique business runner, and the caretaker for an animal sanctuary,” Celestia said before frowning. “And I see I may have a few words for Neighsay about his xenophobic attitude.”
The two shared a giggle but soon noticed Luna taking a good look at the map. “Luna, is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just there is something about this area that looks so…familiar,” she said as she placed a hood on the map.
“But we never went there.” Celestia said.
“I know but maybe it’s just my imagination,” Luna said.
A Dark unknown place - A few weeks later
In a quiet area some warriors sleep in big cylinders. Some would say it was so quiet, you could hear an ant skittering around in the dark. But the quiet of the darkness was interrupted by a thumping sound which was sometimes accompanied by a chuffing sound. A cylinder opened up with a hiss to reveal the yellow scout.
Bumblebee got down on all fours as he regained his senses. “How…how long were we in stasis?”
The thumping came again. Bumblebee looked up in worry. “That sound. Have those Decepticons found us? Should I wake up Optimus?”
He then looked over to the pod that had his leader inside. “What if…it’s not the cons? The troops won’t let me hear the end of it.”
The thumping came again. It was then Bumblebee decided what to do as he left the room and went down a hallway. “I’ll just take a quick peek outside. Nothing wrong with that.”
He soon found the entrance or rather what was left of it. There was a gaping hole and outside the ark were rocks, in fact it was as if the ship crashed into a mountain and buried itself. “Dear Primus, how long have we been down here?”
After stepping out of the ship he then noticed the light that was pouring in from what might be the cave entrance. Bumblebee took a moment to view the back end of the ship from outside. It looked rusty and dirty. “A long time it seems.”
He soon exited the cave and soon found the source of the noise by peering over a grassy hill. There he can see what looked like strange quadruped creatures laying out wooden ties and rails. There a massive machine rode on the rails making noises. He then heard one of the creatures shouting. “Spikes are ready for you AJ!”
Bumblebee then saw an orange one approaching the tracks and took out a steel hammer. “Stand back everypony. A mare’s gotta help her workers earn their bits.” Applejack said as she swung her hammer and upward and slammed on the spikes driving them into the wooden ties.
“Pony? Mare? Bits?” Bumblebee asked himself. “Maybe I should observe a bit longer.”
Fillydelphia Coast- Around the Same Time
Tempest Shadow made final preparations on her boat as her sidekick Grubber ran up to her carrying a box. “You ran into hostility in the market didn’t you?” she asked the short creature.
“Yeah they only started throwing stuff at me after I made the purchase of these snacks. They stopped when a guard told them too.”
“Well once we’re out of here we don’t have to worry about ponies anymore. But then we have to put up with…others.” Tempest said, frowning as she looked to the water before her. “It’s better we go around and not risk facing ponies on the train. Are you ready?”
“Yeah, let's get out of here.”
They were soon sailing out to sea. Tempest thought they were now in the clear but that soon changed as a large ship came sailing through, on it’s way to port. Tempest steered clear but then she looked up and saw the passengers. They gave her death glares and then, next thing Tempest knew it was raining Garbage as food and trash were being thrown from the ship and onto her sailboat. Grubber then noticed something. “Tempest! Incoming!”
CRASH!
Something crashed through the deck on Tempest’s boat and was now causing her boat to sink. “Why me?” groaned Tempest as she grabbed Grubber and jumped off the boat. Then to her surprise some pegasi came from the ship and helped them on board.
Meanwhile the sinking boat crashed on top of something hard at the bottom of the bay. Inside a pair of glowing red optics illuminated the ocean floor.
The two were later in a cabin with the captain and some of his crew. “I must apologize on behalf of the passengers. If I knew that would happen I would’ve steered clear of you or at least had my staff keep a better watch.”
“Don’t worry about it sir. What matters to me now is getting away from everypony. I know what I did was horrid but…but…” Tempest trailed off as tears started to flood her eyes.
The captain placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m having dinner with the owner of the cruise company. Maybe you and your little friend should join us.”
Tempest showed a weak smile. “Thank you…”
Railroad construction camp- Later that Night
“Five miles of tracks laid. We should make it six tomorrow,” Applejack said to two ponies at a campfire.
“Must be an honor doing this tough task for the princess,” said a work pony. “If we had a fancy track building machine we could get to Mount Aris faster.”
“No thank you, I had a rough experience with a machine trying to take a job away already,” said Applejack, remembering the time she first met the Flim Flam brothers. “Don’t need any more competition.”
Meanwhile a good distance from the camp, Bumblebee watched the interaction. He then heard some sounds behind him and quickly turned aiming his gun. “Woah there buddy. No need to be jumpy.”
There with Bumblebee were his allies, Ironhide and Optimus. “When did you two boot up?”
“You talk to yourself, loudly,” Ironhide answered.
“And the noises also played a factor,” Optimus added before looking ahead at the scene. “What is it we’re looking at?”
“They call themselves ponies and they are just some of the inhabitant species of this planet,” Bumblebee answered.
“And it seems they mastered a means of technological propulsion using pressurized heated water,” Optimus said looking at the locomotive. “Simple but effective.”
“I’ve been listening in on their talks. Like us they want peace and they are trying to unite the world by faster means of meeting and communicating.”
“It seems they are barely beginning their own automation phase and advancements with using metal for technology,” Ironhide said.
“Which means it’s too early for us to intervene with their way of life. We should probably go back to hiding and try to make contact with other ships,” suggested Optimus.
“I don’t know Prime,” Bumblebee said. “If they woke us up, then maybe the Decepticons are probably here too. For all we know they might’ve been in stasis like us and are probably booting up as well.”
Ironhide then looked up to his leader. “This could become complicated should these forms of life discover us.”
“You’re probably right. Let’s go back and plan this carefully, Bumblebee,” suggested Optimus before noticing he’s gone. “Bumblebee?”
“As in go and hide again, we’ll far apart and rust,” Bumblebee said to himself as he carefully sneaked up and looked around the train’s exterior. He was now examining the locomotive. “Hmm… maybe there’s a way to adapt. This land might not have roads but maybe if I alter the design in my mind I could-”
“I’m telling you AJ there’s something out here.”
“Eep!”
A workpony and Applejack were walking alongside the train from the otherside Bumblebee was. “It was probably a bear or maybe a wandering dragon. Smelled our cooking fire and wanted to take a little snack,” Applejack explained.
“Didn’t sound like any animal,” the worker said as the two made their way around the engine. Only to find another locomotive standing on the side track. “What the hay?” Applejack exclaimed. “Where did this come from and why didn’t we hear it coming?”
“I don’t know,” the worker said. “Must be some new design from Baltimare or something.”
Applejack looked all over this new engine. It was yellow and black, had four small wheels, two smoke stacks, and under the yellow plow she noticed strange devices that looked like pile drivers. “Well I already don’t like it.”
Optimus and Ironhide watched in utter disbelief. Optimus sighed and turned to his red soldier. “Any Autobot who awakens must follow this important order. Limit contact with any life and maintain the appearance of a machine with our alter forms.”
Ironhide nodded. “Robots in disguise. Got it.”
Fillydelphia Docks- Around the Same Time
Tempest Shadow walked along the small dock looking over the many boats that docked. While her dinner with the captain and cruise owner was okay, with no harsh comments on her past, It didn’t stop the negative thoughts that clouded her mind. “I don’t understand. No matter where I’ll go there will always be creatures that will judge me.” She sighed as she looked up to the stars. “Maybe I should just disappear.”
“You give up so easily?” A voice sounded.
“Who said that?!” Tempest asked, looking around in alarm. She thought she was alone.
The voice spoke up again. “Those scars on you. Were you a soldier?”
“I was considered a leader. Who are you? Where are you?”
“Before I answer your questions I must ask, what if I could give you an opportunity to change the world for the better? Would you take it?”
“If it means earning forgiveness from all then yes now answer my question.” Tempest said growing impatient.
Nearby a small boat made of iron and wood began changing, much to Tempest’s surprise. “I am something beyond your understanding. I am a friend who has an opportunity for you.”
“Dear Celestia, I must be going insane,” Tempest said as she looked up at the massive steel monster the boat had become.
“No you’re not,” the massive robot said standing in the shallow water. “I am Lockdown and I’m a Cybertronian. We are here to transform your world.”
“Transform?” Tempest uttered.
“Yes and with your help we can make it happen,” Lockdown said as he knelt down and held out his hand. “Join me and I’ll take you to our leader. He has plans that you can help him with.”
“And these plans can make me a hero to everypony?” she asked.
Lockdown was silent before nodding. Tempest hesitated but soon placed her hoof in the creature's hand. “Let’s do it.”