Transformers: Harmony
Chapter 3
By: Megatron_91
The sun shone brightly in the afternoon sky as it looked down upon Sweet Apple Acres, the home of Ponyville’s resident branch of the massive Apple family and Equestria’s number one supplier of apples and apple-related products. Sweet Apple Acres had been around for generations, ever since Princess Celestia herself met with, blessed, and encouraged the travelling Apple family to begin tilling the land outside the fledgling town of Ponyville. But now, in these more modern times, the proud, successful farm had been passed down into the hooves of a new generation directly descended from those blessed workers.
In recent years, as the farm’s apple harvest grew bigger and bigger, the modern Apple family members began to realize that keeping the work a family business was a near impossible task and began reluctantly looking for help outside the family. But now, with this year’s harvest looking to be the biggest in a decade, the young, tired owner, Applejack, was going to need all the help she could get.
………
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Applejack looked out across the southern fields of Sweet Apple Acres. The green, tree-dotted hills rolled on for as far as her emerald-colored eyes could see. She and her friends had been working hard to clear the trees of their profitable bounty, but they had barely been through a quarter of the field; and it was already midday, and Rainbow Dash, her supposed “best friend,” wasn’t helping much by lazily flying through the air and kicking the trees with a force Applejack’s little sister Applebloom could match. Applebloom was currently on the other side of the field helping their older brother, Big Macintosh. The little filly was still slightly depressed after her cousin from Manehatten had left the farm earlier that week.
“Come on, Rainbow!!” Applejack yelled up to her cyan-colored, pegasus friend, who was hovering at the top of a nearby apple tree. “You’re gonna have to kick the dang thing harder than that!” she shouted, blowing a stray hair of her blonde mane out of her cross face.
She turned around and used her powerful hind legs to ram the tree behind her with every ounce of strength her body had to offer. The tree shook violently, as if it had suddenly been caught in a hurricane, before it dropped its precious load of ruby red-fruit into the wooden baskets the orange earth pony had placed at its base. Applejack smiled to herself as she walked over to the next ripe and ready tree.
“Easy for you to say,” Rainbow called back, idly backstroking through the air with her wings. “You’ve been doing this your whole life!” she shouted, pointing an accusatory hoof at her orange-coated friend as Applejack repeated the process of kicking a nearby tree to obtain its harvest.
“That don’t mean a dang thing and you know it!” Applejack retorted, the anger in her voice rising. “You’re just bein’ lazy! Applebloom could buck these trees better than you!”
“Will the two of you please stop your pointless bickering?” Rarity, a white-coated unicorn, asked, using her natural-born magic to lift the apples out of a nearby tree and place them in a number of barrels sitting next to her. “It’s already bad enough having to work in this dreadful heat,” she complained, wiping some sweat from her brow and throwing it away in disgust. “We don’t need to hear you arguing constantly as well!”
The orange earth pony snapped, rearing to face the purple-haired unicorn. Applejack had always had a problem with Rarity’s negativity towards “dirty work” as she called it and the heat; combined with the stress on her mind, it was making it very hard for her to swallow her friend’s bad attitude. “Well maybe if you tell Miss Lazy Bones up there to do her share of the work, I wouldn’t have to yell!” she exclaimed.
“Applejack, please calm down,” a quiet, timid voice sounded from behind the angry blonde-haired earth pony.
Turning around, Applejack could see both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looking at her with concerned faces. Both of them seemed as tired as she was; in fact, Pinkie’s normally bouncy pink mane was almost completely matted with sweat, and Fluttershy’s wings sagged at her sides, drooping from all the flying the poor pegasus had done that day to help her friend.
“I’m sorry for snappin’, y’all,” Applejack sighed, letting out a long, cool breath. “It’s just that this year’s harvest is the biggest it’s been in a long time, and I’m just stessin’ over getting all these apples out of the trees and out to market.”
Applejack looked at the ground, ashamed. She didn’t mean or want to act like this towards her friends. But, with her mind so preoccupied with the tasks of keeping the farm alive after the recent drought and getting all the apples out to market so she could pay the farmland’s extensive bills, she was just having trouble keeping a positive outlook right now, and she was starting to take it out on the ponies around her.
Fluttershy calmly sighed, shaking the sweat out of her long pink mane as she approached the distraught earth pony, wrapping her hoof around her friend’s shoulder. “Everything will work out in the end, Applejack. I’m sure of it.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” Applejack exhaled, looking around at her assembled friends, taking note of their worried expressions.
Suddenly, as if in response to Fluttershy’s assurance, a massive, dark shadow began to pass by overhead. The blanket of darkness completely engulfed the five ponies, causing them to look up in alarm. Circling overhead, like a vast flock of predatory birds, had to be about a thousand ruby-red apples. Each one lazily rolled through the air, being supported on a barely visible waft of violet, magical energy.
Twilight Sparkle hummed as she came up over a nearby grassy hill, galloping towards them as the horn atop her head burst with magical energy, keeping the thousands of fruits afloat in the sky. “How are things going on this end?” she asked, watching as her friend gawked at the sight of the apples dancing in the air.
“Oh! Sorry,” the violet unicorn exclaimed, blushing slightly. “Applejack, is there a place you’d like these?” she asked as the orange coated mare wordlessly pointed towards a couple of old wooden carts nearby.
Moving quickly, Twilight gently set the apples down, making sure not to bruise the fragile fruit, and evenly dividing them amongst the carts. Quietly, the embarrassed, lavender mare turned back towards her dumbfounded friends.
“Gee, Twi,” Applejack whispered, approaching the violet-haired unicorn. “You’ve sure gotten stronger since last year’s harvest, I can remember back when you were only able to lift one tree’s worth of apples.”
“Yeah…well,” Twilight stammered, blushing as she rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof. “It-It’s really nothing special…just a levitation spell Princess Celestia taught me back when I was a filly,” she explained, making reference to her time spent as the personal protégé of Equestria’s ruling body, Princess Celestia.
“Just a levitation spell!?” Rarity exclaimed, running forward to look Twilight in the eye. “Dearie, this is far more than just a simple levitation spell! A simple levitation spell is me lifting a yard of fabric I wish to look at,” she explained, mentioning her job as a fashion designer. “This is something incredibly gifted, Twilight!”
“Why, I bet with you here, we might be able to get this whole field done by sundown!” The orange farm pony exclaimed, the hope and cheer in her voice clearly evident. “Come on, y’all!” Applejack yelled to the rest of her friends as she rushed forward, dragging Twilight along with her. “Let’s get a move on before we lose daylight!”
...……
Meanwhile, deep within the heart of Ponyville, the Autobots Bumblebee and Bluestreak silently patrolled the streets of the quiet little town, keeping a keen optic open for any sign of Decepticon activity. The little village of Ponyville sat in a small valley hidden behind a range of tall mountains located to the south of Appaloosa. The placement of the town allowed for it to be protected from dangerous forms of weather, but also made it more difficult for the town to get rain and other essential weather when it was needed. This lack of weather was the driving force that required the local weather patrol to constantly plan out, and prepare the weather for Ponyville by physically bringing it to the town when it was needed.
Much like its dry western cousin, Ponyville’s roots could also be traced back to the planting, harvesting, and selling of apples; however, while apple-harvesting was still the main source of business in Appaloosa, Ponyville had stepped out of the shadow of its apple-bucking history and added many other financial outlets, such as; a successful one-pony fashion enterprise; and a small, but famous bakery, that ponies from as far as Manehattan would eat or order from. All in all, the little town had come a long way from its humble beginnings, and while most still looked down on it as a “hic” town, it was still recognized as being a successful one when compared to its desert-based cousin.
Disguised in their wagon alternate forms, not one local bothered to give the pair of Autobots a questioning look or try and stop them for small talk as they went about their appointed task. Moving swiftly through the crowds, their holo-matter avatars gently pushing people aside, the duo convened at the town center to discuss their next course of action.
“So, you really think Megatron’s coming back?” Bluestreak asked, his red “mane” and silver coat rippling in the wind as he turned to face his companion while a concerned expression played across his face.
“Optimus seems to believe it, and personally, if he believes it, then so do I,” Bumblebee replied, scanning the crowd for anything that might even remotely resemble a Decepticon ally.
Having spent more time studying Equestria than any of his fellow Autobots, there were things Bumblebee knew about the planet that many of his comrades did not, save for Optimus. For example, Bumblebee knew that hidden amongst the population of the planet were Equestrians who had actively joined the Decepticon army, hoping to gain money and power. One native Bumblebee knew in particular, as he had spied on him for weeks at a time before he reported him to Optimus, was an earth pony by the name of McCullen. His company had personally crafted each of the Decepticon’s more advance alternate forms in exchange for money and small amounts of Cybertronian technology. It baffled Bumblebee’s processor to think any native, especially one as intelligent as McCullen, would willingly join with Megatron’s army.
“You’re such a fanboy,” Bluestreak chuckled, punching Bumblebee on the shoulder and pulling the scout out of his memories as he to continued scanning the crowds. “Always hanging on Optimus’ every word.”
“I am not a fanboy!” Bumblebee exclaimed in annoyance, turning to face his friend as he bumped his bright yellow cart against Bluestreak’s own. The quick motion left a nasty scrape along the side of his companion’s cart, cutting through the thick black line that ran across the silver paneling.
“Hey! Hey! Watch the paint,” he hissed, observing the damage done to his true body. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Bluestreak sent a flash of energy down the side of his iron body, easily repairing the cosmetic damage the Autobot scout opposite of him had caused.
“Next time watch what you call me,” Bumblebee sarcastically remarked, playfully glancing at his still annoyed friend. “I’m not a fanboy.”
“Yeah, yeah, learn to take a joke,” the silver unicorn mumbled as he scanned the crowd for a third time. “Arrgghh,” he growled. “Standing around in the center of this town is getting us nowhere; how about we split up and look at places a little farther outside of town?” he suggested.
“Good idea,” Bumblebee stated after taking a moment to mull the thought over in his mind. “How about you head for the outskirts of the Everfree Forrest,” he started, nodding his head in the direction of the massive, shady woods, “and I’ll go check out Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Sounds like a plan to me, Bee,” Bluestreak said while using his onboard computers to judge how far off the Everfree forest was from his current position.
“Then let’s roll out!” Bee exclaimed as he began to gallop off in the direction of the massive apple farm.
“Yeah, he’s totally a fanboy,” Bluestreak chuckled as he watched Bumblebee disappear into the distance. Giving the town square one more quick look, he sprinted away, heading off in the direction of his new target.
…………
Twilight wiped the sweat from her brow as she once more ignited her horn, lifting the loads of the three nearby apple trees high into the air before gently setting them back down into some nearby carts. Letting out an exhausted moan, Twilight plopped down, outstretching her legs and burying her face into the cool, crisp grass beneath her. It had been a long time since Twilight had used this much magic in one go. She was exhausted.
“Everything alright, Twi?” Applejack asked, walking over to check on her fatigued friend. She laughed a little as she saw how Twilight was sprawled out into the grass.
“Yeah, I’m just a little tired,” the purple-haired mare yawned, breathing in the heavenly smell of the grass surrounding her.
“Well, how about you take a break, sugarcube,” Applejack suggested, looking out across the field of cleaned-out trees framed against the setting sun. “You did a mighty fine job today, and I don’t know how I’m gonna repay you for all the help.” She smiled.
Twilight smiled back at her friend as she lifted her head from the grass. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Now Twilight, you know I can’t do that,” the orange earth pony exclaimed, displaying a slightly cross look on her face. “We Apples always pay back our dues,” she grunted, stomping a hoof against the ground to make her point.
Twilight nodded, accepting her friend’s response, before trying to lift herself off the ground. Unfortunately, as soon as Twilight managed to get back on all four legs a wave of nausea and exhaustion overwhelmed her, almost causing her to fall back over, but luckily Applejack was there to catch the collapsing unicorn.
“You sure you’re gonna be okay, Twilight?” Applejack asked, the concern in her voice ringing as she used her body to support Twilight’s weakened form.
Twilight wheezed slightly. “Yes…I’ll be fine; I just used way too much magic way too quickly. I’m starting to feel a little sick,” she explained, closing her eyes as another wave of nausea passed over her.
“Well, shoot,” Applejack exclaimed. “If you had told me that I wouldn’t have asked you to do all this!”
“It’s fine Applejack,” Twilight smiled as she continued leaning on her friend for support. “Like I said, I was happy to help.”
Applejack started to breathe deeply, adjusting her body slightly so she was under Twilight’s two front legs. With one mighty heave, the orange earth pony tossed her unicorn friend a few inches into the air, allowing her to slip underneath and let the exhausted Twilight ride on her back.
“Now where did all those varmints get off to?” she wondered, scanning the horizon for their missing friends.
Twilight exhaled, grabbing the blonde earth pony’s attention. “I think they’re over there, Applejack,” she said, pointing a hoof in the direction of a nearby grove of trees.
As Applejack squinted in the direction Twilight was pointing, sure enough, she could just barely make out the silhouettes of two pegasi, a unicorn, and another earth pony.
“Good eye, Twilight!” Applejack exclaimed, adjusting the unicorn’s position on her back before heading off towards their friends.
Traversing the large open fields that made up her farmland, Applejack made haste to reach her friend’s location before sundown. Fortunately, being an earth pony, she was not slowed down by the weight of Twilight on her back, but, as she approached her friends, she noticed something was wrong. Each one of them was standing motionless in place; their heads transfixed looking up into the sky. The whole scene looked rather eerie to Applejack.
“What’s going on here, gals?” Applejack asked, placing her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder, hoping to break her from the trance-like state she seemed trapped in.
“We’re trying to figure out what that thing is,” Pinkie explained, using her pink hoof to point up at a vague location in the sky.
Following the direction of Pinkie’s hoof, Applejack scanned the air until she caught a glimpse of something miles above them flying in circles through the sky. At first glance, it almost looked like a bird. But as she continued to focus on it, she soon realized it was far too angular to be any kind of animal, and it appeared to be made of iron.
“What in tarnation?” the confused earth pony asked as she noticed two large propellers keeping the strange machine aloft in the air as it searched for its target.
“It kind of looks like that weird contraption you used to hang out with me and Gilda, Pinkie,” Rainbow remarked as she blew back a piece of her rainbow-colored mane that had fallen into her eye.
“Oh yeah…I guess it does,” Pinkie remarked, tilting her head to the side, hoping it would give her a better view of the strange machine.
“Well, whatever it is, I ain’t got time to worry about it!” Applejack exclaimed, drawing the group’s attention back down from the sky and towards her. “Now if y’all haven’t noticed, I’ve got an exhausted Twilight on my back, and I need yer help getting’ her back to the house so she can lie down,” she explained, referring to the now sleeping unicorn on her back.
“Alright, alright,” Pinkie sighed as she and the rest of the group began to follow Applejack back towards her house, leaving the strange machine flying through the air.
……….
Soaring high above Sweet Apple Acres, the mysterious flying vehicle watched in silence as the six ponies, miles below it, slowly walked away, heading for the house atop the hill.
“Yes, run little ponies,” Incinerator chuckled, watching as the pink one tripped and rolled back down the hill. “Were I not so preoccupied with my hunt, I would ensure you’re quick deaths,” he spat, spinning about so he could continue his search for the elusive Autobot scout.