Transformers: Equestria's Darkest Hour

by JDPrime22

A Plague of Changelings

INTEL: Spending countless cycles in the gladiatorial pits of Kaon taught Megatron that only the strong survive. Megatron secretly assembled an army of Decepticons in order to launch an attack for control of the planet Cybertron. Having used Dark Energon to power his troops, Megatron now looks to defeat the Autobots once and for all.

“How does it feel, oh mighty Megatron?” Starscream snickered above my wounded form. I would so like to slash his neck right off but considering that I couldn’t even move my limbs, it would be useless.

Starscream’s wicked laughter came back even louder as he screamed right in my face. “I AM YOUR MASTER NOW!!!”

“I am no one’s slave!” I screamed and forced my aching arm up. Nothing came out of my cannon. Starscream seemed to take a liking to that and continued to gloat.

“This world will fall before me,” Starscream held his hand in the air triumphantly, “I will finish what you started…and I WILL succeed!”

“STARSCREEEEEEEAAAAMMMM!!!!”

Something else happened; Starscream’s body began to fizzle as his red optics suddenly turned bright blue. I had no idea what was going on….but I knew I would find out soon enough and get out of this never ending limbo.

I could suddenly hear a new voice.

“Undesirable….”

“This creature looks very powerful, my queen.”

“It will prove to be most….helpful to our cause.”

“We shall hope, my children…”

“Hungry….hungry…”

“I know you’re hungry, but you just have to wait a little bit longer, my sweet.”

“Wait! It’s waking up…”

“Excellent…back away, children.”

Megatron’s optics lit back to life.

They scanned the dark area he was in, nothing seemed amiss. Megatron probably thought he was in his same exact position as last time. But this was obviously different. He wasn’t lying down; oddly, he was standing straight up with his arms strapped to something. He couldn’t be at the bottom of the cliff….

“Where….am I?” Megatron muttered looking at his hands in a daze. The massive black fists filled his vision when suddenly the sound of flapping came soon. He brought his fists down when he spotted the beady green eyes staring at him from a far distance. Not only that but he finally caught view of where he truly was.

He was surrounded by dirt and rock. Only darkness met him in this massive room. Except for the fact that there were a few torches lighting up the walls, Megatron looked around and caught view of the several hundred blue eyes scattered across the ceiling.

They were moving.

Not only were they just blue eyes, but they had bodies and wings too. Most of them held on to the dirt ceiling while others simply flew above or hissed in hunger at each other. Several sounds of buzzing came from all directions as Megatron caught long pieces of roots and vines hanging from the ceiling.

Megatron brought his attention off of the ceiling and at the green eyes watching him without blinking. The once leader of the Decepticons tried to move but couldn’t, the vines around his arms were too tight. Why couldn’t he break these?!

Megatron gave up on the vines and glared at the green eyes still staring at him. The gladiator of Kaon pointed a deadly finger at whoever dared to play these games with him.

“Where is Starscream?!” Megatron shouted and struggled against his restraints.

A quiet hiss and a soft chuckle was his only answer.

“You will have your revenge, Megatron, but first allow me to introduce myself.”

Suddenly, the torches allowed Megatron to see what truly was hiding in the shadows. It was female…oddly, Megatron could never truly tell the difference of male of female of different organisms. It would be easy to tell on Cybertron when Megatron would be ripping the throat out of female Autobot, but this was different….and it brought back memories.

Memories of his past time on the planet of….

“No…” Megatron muttered and struggled against his restraints even more, “no, no, NO, NO, NOOOOOOO!!!!” The memories of Equestria…the pony land he hated so much. He was back where he started…and with this strange type of pony.

When the strange creature got closer, Megatron took this time to observe it. It was completely black with a long blue mane that looked as if it was made of some kind of sticky, slimy substance. The tail was the same and its wings looked almost transparent with little holes in them. Not only were there holes in the wings, but the holes covered her legs, mane, and tail as well. On her head was a long, jagged horn that looked as if it would break off considering the amount of holes it contained. Her eyes gave off an eerie light green glow as her fangs dripped what appeared to be saliva.

She stopped but a few feet from Megatron and lifted up a hoof on her chest.

“My name is Queen Chrysalis.”

Megatron frowned and growled, “I am Megatron, the honor is all yours. Now release me and I might let you live!” She didn’t even look threatened from the sudden death threat; she just chuckled and put her hoof down.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Megatron, for if I do my entire species will die. We need your help after all…that is the main reason why I saved you.” The Queen hissed as her smile slowly grew.

Megatron lowered his arms while the vines simply held them. He narrowed his optics and asked, “You need my help? With what?!” Chrysalis smiled with her fangs clearly showing.

“All in good time, Megatron. But first...” Queen Chrysalis suddenly looked up and shouted, “Guards! Release our guest from his binds!”

All of a sudden, several little creatures obscured Megatron’s vision and began nipping at the vines, all the while crawling over his entire body. Megatron yelled in disgust and repeatedly struggled against the vermin touching him.

“Don’t you dare touch me you worthless insects!!!” Megatron screamed and flailed his arms about. It was all over when the vines broke free allowing Megatron to swat away the buzzing annoyances in his path. He stomped his way forward and looked down at the one called ‘Queen Chrysalis’.

The Queen hissed and growled, “I don’t really appreciate you calling my children ‘worthless insects’.” She said as she rubbed the head of the nearest creature.

Megatron’s optics were bright with fury as he yelled, “You dare tell me how to speak, vermin?!”

Chrysalis didn’t even flinch from Megatron’s anger. Only her smile grew, not her fear. “Need I remind you who saved your life after you had been shot? Need I remind you who brought you several miles into the Badlands and rebuilt you when we had no idea how your body works?”

Megatron grunted and rubbed his wrist. “While I am grateful you saved my life, I cannot and will not help you. Now get out of my way!” Megatron made his way past the Queen. But strangely, he found himself stopping. He looked around and saw no exit…only dirt walls.

The laughter of the Queen caught Megatron’s attention. Soon, all the creatures above were laughing in a high pitched squeal. This made Megatron angry; he whipped out his cannon and pointed it menacingly at the Queen. She stopped laughing and only a smirk was visible as several of the strange creatures got in front of her in a defensive position.

“Tell me where the exits are now!” Megatron bellowed as the dirt wall shook a little causing the creatures to fall and catch themselves in mid-air. “Don’t make me have to use this.” Megatron growled as the end of the cannon glowed.

Again, Chrysalis didn’t look threatened; she just sighed and waved away the creatures. They backed off as the Queen approached Megatron with the cannon pointed directly at her. She stopped a good distance and held her hoof in the air.

“Only I know where the exits are, Megatron! And if you kill me, you will never find your way out of here!” She suddenly spread her hoof around the entire room as several of the creatures screeched, “I welcome you….to the Changeling Empire!”

Megatron looked around with his smile gone. He saw several of the creatures that he now knew were called….Changelings. They eyed him with several licking of lips and hisses. Megatron scowled in disgust and looked down at the Queen, her smirk never gone. Sighing, Megatron knew that if he truly was to have his revenge….he had to help her…and after that was done he would kill her.

“Fine,” Megatron grunted, “what is it that you need? And you’d better give me a good reason.”

Chrysalis smiled. “Actually, it’s you.”

Megatron looked right at her with his head tilted. “What do you need me for?” He asked.

The Queen took a few steps and began, “When my scouts first saw you and filled me in on what they truly witnessed, I was stunned. Giant creatures falling from the sky and battling, they said. It was most intriguing. So I had several of my best scouts follow you and your….Decepticons for a while to gather more information. I couldn’t believe what they brought me. YOUR body. They brought me what remained of your tattered, worn-out, old, beaten, body,” Megatron clenched his fist as she continued, “We fixed you and resurrected you so that from your dominating personality, that you may help us in taking over Equestria.”

Megatron held his anger down and explained, “I tried to do what you are planning…and it failed. The one called Discord was too powerful that I had to join forces with the wretched ‘Autobots’,” Megatron spat out as if the words were choking him, “I couldn’t take over this planet because of my promise….a promise that is now shattered. But I do not seek to take over this pitiful planet and suck it dry just yet….I need to find refugee from an old enemy of mine.”

Queen Chrysalis held out her hoof and quickly explained, “Oh but that’s the glory of it, Megatron! We Changelings can give you that refugee if you just listen to us!”

Now Megatron was interested and crossed his arms. “Go on…” He growled.

Chrysalis nodded and said, “You MUST take your rightful place as leader of the Decepticons in order for our plan to be accomplished. It is step one in our plan of invasion. But you must do what we say or else it won’t work.”

Megatron lowered his arms. His optics grew wide. His anger exploded. No one….NO ONE…..tells him what to do.

“No…NOOOO!!!!” Megatron screamed as Chrysalis actually took a step back this time, “I will NEVER do what you say!!!!! I am autonomic perfection that was trained in the gladiatorial pits of Kaon itself! I was taught that only the strong survive and the weak wither away and die like the fools they are!!! So if you think for an astro-second that I, Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, will do what you say, then you’ve obviously never met me!!!!”

Megatron finished by pointing the end of his cannon directly at her. The Changelings acted fast as they defended their Queen with their very own bodies. This was definitely the right choice. Megatron would rather blast his way out of here than listen to this little spec that called herself a Queen.

But that’s just what she wanted him to do. Queen Chrysalis chuckled and looked right at Megatron. Their eyes met…but never broke as Megatron was about to fire.

“I was hoping you’d do that.” Chrysalis hissed as her horn began to glow a bright green. Suddenly, a long stream of green energy erupted from her horn that penetrated to Megatron’s chest. Megatron lowered his cannon and lifted up his hands in pain.

“AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGRRAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!” Megatron screamed as the green beam soared straight into his chest. After the beamed had stopped, Megatron fell to one knee and looked at the ground. The Changelings separated as their Queen approached the withering form of the once-leader of the Decepticons.

Queen Chrysalis lowered her head so that it was mere inches away from Megatron’s. She quietly whispered to where she presumed his ear to be.

“You belong to me now. It gives me great pleasure to conquer the leader of the great Decepticons. Now rise….my newest slave.”

Megatron slowly….lifted up his head. Instead of his red optics glowing in the darkness, his optics were now a bright green. He barely got up as he breathed in and out several times, never taking his optics off the little black creatures before him.

To his great surprise, Megatron heard himself mutter these words he thought he would NEVER say in millions of eons…

“What is your bidding, my Queen?”

“We have arrived.” Queen Chrysalis muttered with her smile never broken. Her hundreds of Changeling servants stood behind her while Megatron was right by her side. They indeed did arrive…but where exactly?

It was still nighttime, actually it hadn’t even turned day yet. Megatron had been shot and rebuilt in the same night! The stars hovered above the sky along with the full moon cascading the Everfree Forest in an eerie, white glow.

Megatron looked down at the rickety bridge to see another deep cliff that looked as if it would never end. He then looked straight forward and saw a dwelling of some sorts that was damaged beyond repair. He turned towards the Queen and asked, “Where are we?”

Queen Chrysalis pointed at the fallen structure and explained, “This honorable housing is where the Elements of Harmony were once kept,” Megatron perked his head closer as she continued, “Years ago, Twilight Sparkle and her five closest friends were sent here when Nightmare Moon returned to power and swore to bring never ending night. They found the five Elements in that structure and Twilight Sparkle, being as clever as she is, found out that SHE and her friends were the Elements of Harmony and defeated Nightmare Moon.”

Megatron nodded and faced the structure again. “Then what are we doing here?”

Chrysalis smiled and answered without even looking at him, “My scouts have discovered that the one called Starscream is here along with many others. They have been doing some kind of…crowning of some sort.”

Megatron clenched his fists and made his way to the dwelling, but Chrysalis’ voice stopped him from taking one more step.

“Megatron, once you get inside, do whatever it takes to regain your leadership of the Decepticons. And be sure to work out our little deal with your fellow soldiers.” Chrysalis smiled with her fangs dripping saliva.

The once-leader of the Decepticons could only nod as he approached the bridge. It would easily break under his massive weight, so he had an idea. He quickly jumped and hovered in mid-air all the way across the bridge and on the other side. Once landing, Megatron heard new voices coming from inside the dwelling, one being specifically Starscream.

Megatron turned his head back and nodded to the Queen and her Changeling army before approaching the small door. He leaned his head on the side and listened to Starscream’s words.

“….My loyal Decepticons, as your new leader I promise to give each of you an UNLIMITED supply of Energon once we rid this world of the infection they call life! I swear that all shall fall before the Decepticon might! That NONE shall stand in our way! That ALL shall kneel before us when we pass them! We will unite as one….and all of them shall fall divided!”

Megatron couldn’t hold in his anger anymore and busted through the door and wall.

“Ugh! Who dares to interrupt my coronation?!” Starscream yelled and turned his head towards the newly made entrance.

Several gasps came as Megatron observed his surroundings. Each Decepticon was lined up and facing the far end of the structure, they all turned their heads to see their old master alive. Starscream was standing on top of a large portion in the room, as if he was pretending it was his throne. The new leader of the Decepticons stood up with his optics wide; on top of his head was a shining gold crown with several jewels lined around it.

Megatron’s smile grew when he saw each Decepticon back away and shutter in fear when he raised a fist in the air. “Coronation, Starscream?! This is bad comedy!”

Starscream gasped and began to stutter over his words. “DAH! M-Megatron?!?!”

While Megatron’s enjoyment began to grow, Starscream anger began as well. He quickly looked at each Decepticon and shouted, “GRRRR!!! Decepticons, I am your TRUE leader now! And I order you to attack Megatron!”

Megatron nodded with his smile growing wider. “Yes, come my Decepticons! There is no greater honor than to fall at the hands of a king!”

No one moved a circuit and simply stared at their once dead master. It was incredibly cowardly of them…but also very smart.

Starscream swatted his hand and screamed, “COWARDS! You’re all nothing but a bunch of cowards! Fine, I will deal with Megatron on my own!” Starscream then turned towards Megatron and tried his hardest to keep his anger down, “Your resurrection was easily predictable! But no matter, you will NEVER take command of the Decepticons while I’m around!”

Megatron simply laughed as he approached Starscream’s throne. The Decepticons backed away as Megatron sarcastically said, “Oh drag, I really wanted to wear that pointy little hat!”
“IT’S A CROWN!” Starscream snarled and fired three shots from his charge rifle at his once leader. Megatron dodged them with pure ease as the Decepticons backed away into the walls. Starscream put away his rifle and pointed at his hated leader. “I don’t need weaponry to finish you off; am I not superbly sleek already?!”

Starscream’s rocket feet roared to life as he flew straight at Megatron. But Starscream’s foolishness and arrogance proved to be his downfall. Megatron grabbed Starscream’s throat in mid-air and slammed his back to the hard concrete. Several little cracks appeared as Starscream clawed at Megatron’s massive strength.

“GACK! M-Megatron, please don’t do it!” Starscream begged as his leader lifted him off the ground with pure ease. Megatron frowned and threw Starscream against the nearest wall. The Decepticons scrambled away as Starscream hit the wall with a loud roar of pain.

“Starscream, your pathetic excuse of a rule is at an end!” Megatron shouted and transformed into his tank mode. With one blast, Starscream flew out of the wall with the blast hitting him in the chest. Megatron transformed back and heard Starscream wail in pain as he hit the bottom of the cliff.

It was all quiet.

Megatron turned around to see each Decepticon staring at him. Soundwave was even more surprised than every other Decepticon there. He was certain Megatron would kill him for abandoning him in the forest…but he didn’t even look mad.

Megatron looked down and crushed what remained of Starscream’s rule: his crown. The gold shattered all over the floor as Megatron looked back up and approached the entrance he had come from. He past his Decepticons and paid no attention to Onslaught’s question.

“Megatron, how did you live?” Onslaught asked as every other Decepticon nodded in agreement. They all wanted to know what happened.

But the leader of the Decepticons would soon answer him in the best kind of way. Looking outside and nodding, Megatron turned his back from the entrance and faced his loyalists yet again.

He answered, “I do not blame any of you for leaving me to die. I would have done the same exact thing. But if you truly want to know how I survived and ended Starscream’s pathetic life, then listen carefully…”

All of a sudden, loud buzzing noises came from outside as the entrance was now filled with several hundred black faces and blue eyes. They entered or crawled inside and all over the walls. Megatron slowly began to chuckle.

The Decepticons got closer together, obviously not knowing what these strange creatures were. They soon overcame the walls and what remained of the ceiling. The rest of them hovered above or surrounded the frightened Decepticons.

“What is all of this?!” Skywarp screamed and kicked away the small creature.

Megatron looked down when his new master had arrived. Her green eyes observed each Decepticon with hunger present. She looked up at her newest slave and nodded. Megatron’s red optics glowed green for a brief second before he turned towards his confused soldiers.

Megatron walked forward with Chrysalis following close behind.

“These are Changelings, my Decepticons. They saved my life and are now our allies!” Megatron shouted and watched as the Changelings got closer to his loyalists. They sniffed their legs and licked their lips.

Soundwave was the first to speak after a Changeling got a little too close to him. “Soundwave superior. Changelings inferior.”

Suddenly, several voices very identical to Soundwave all shouted in unison.

“Changelings superior. Soundwave inferior.”

Soundwave looked around and found himself surrounded by five other Soundwaves. They looked like him, sounded like him, and acted just like him! But how was this true?

“Impossible.” Soundwave muttered. His clones copied his same exact voice in the exact tone.

“Possible.” The five of them said in unison.

Soon enough, the Decepticons were watching as the Changelings began to morph into larger forms of themselves. Vortex laughed when seven of him came by his side. Swindle gave his double-ganger a high five. Brawl smashed his fists together as did eight of his clones. Blast Off looked around and suddenly realized that there were at least twenty clones of himself. Onslaught was the only Decepticon who looked annoyed when the clones of himself came by his side.

Megatron approached his Decepticons…and the Changelings who were turning into more of them by the second. His mind quickly came up with a master plan…that would help him and Queen Chrysalis.

“Embrace the Changeling ways, my brethren!” Megatron shouted as he made his way to the large Decepticon army growing. “We shall unite….we will build a new army….this is the beginning of a NEW ERAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!” Megatron finished by screaming to the heavens as did his newest army of Decepticons. It didn’t stop there.

Several hundred more Changelings kept morphing into their Decepticon of choice. The Element Sanctum was filled and surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of Changelings morphing by the second.

Queen Chrysalis chuckled softly and leaned her head into the ear of her closest guard.

“Step one…is complete,” She whispered, “Now on to step two….”