Present time…
Princess Celestia trotted away from the pit, a triumphant grin glued to her face while her baffled student looked onward in shock.
“Y-you… you…” she stuttered, “You actually TALKED to it…”
“Indeed I did Twilight.” Celestia replied nodding, “As a Princess you must learn not to jump to conclusions so quickly, in only a few seconds I managed to so you that it was capable of understanding and speaking our language, it wasn’t just some mindless killing machine that was out to destroy all of Equestria... as you stated in your letter…”
“It tried to destroy Ponyville!” Twilight exclaimed, “It tried to kill the elements… it tried to kill me… it almost killed SPIKE! What more evidence do you need to see that whatever is down there has nothing on its agenda other than the destruction of all life in Equestria?!”
Twilight quickly covered her mouth, not quite believing that she had just spoken so harshly not just to her mentor, but to her ruler and most importantly, her surrogate mother. Celestia however, remained calm, though the sudden outburst from her most faithful student did raise an eyebrow. Celestia shook her head and turned Twilight away from the pit to show her the one thing she was clearly missing in the current situation.
“Twilight…” she said softly, “Take a look around…. Tell me what you see.”
Twilight was initially confused at the request but followed her teacher’s instruction. Looking into the town she only saw what the monster had done. Every home was either toppled or burned, statues lay in ruin, the smell of smoke was heavy in the air and a feeling of despair and devastation hung over all who tried to gather what was left of their lives from the rubble.
“Well?” Celestia asked, braking Twilight’s concentration, “What do you see?”
“I see destruction…” Twilight said with a bitter taste in her mouth, “Devastation, chaos, loss, pain and-“
“You aren’t looking hard enough Twilight.” Celestia said shaking her head, “Look harder.”
“What are you talking about?” Twilight asked looking back into the town, “The ponies of this town lost everything… They’re lucky to even be alive.”
“Exactly.”
“What?” Twilight asked even more confused than before, “What are you-“
“Life.” Celestia replied, “I see life… and from what I’ve seen your ‘monster’ could’ve easily killed everypony with no effort.”
“That’s what I-“
“But it didn’t….” Celestia interrupted, “Though this town is small comparatively to others in our nation, with all of this destruction, it would be impossible for everypony to survive… unless…”
“Unless what?” Twilight asked her curiosity peeked.
“Unless it made a conscious decision NOT to hurt our kill anypony.” She answered.
“Are you trying to say that it wasn’t trying to hurt us?” Twilight asked, to her shock the princess nodded in silent agreement.
“It’s the only way I see possible, Twilight.” Celestia said, “It wasn’t here to hurt or kill anything, in fact, it was making an effort NOT to hurt the civilians. Whatever it was looking for didn’t have to do with everything that happened here. In my eyes… it wasn’t even its fault that all of this happened it the first place.”
“I… I…” Twilight stuttered. Trying to think of something, anything to prove her wrong, but in the end she knew that Princess Celestia was right. The ponies had overreacted when they first saw it, which lead Rainbow to whack it upside the head and have everything spiral downward from there. “I’m sorry…”
“It’s alright Twilight,” Celestia replied comfortingly, “You’re still very young and have so much to learn when it comes to being a princess. Oh, and one more thing Twilight.”
“Yes Princess?”
“His name is Grimlock…” She said with a playful tone, “He king.”
Twilight blinked a few times to process what she had just heard. Surely Princess Celestia hadn’t just used improper grammar. That would be very unbecoming of her status, but then again Twilight didn’t want to believe that she was hearing things, something like that happened once and the only thing that stopped the mayhem was Celestia’s intervention. She continued to think about until she noticed the princess making her way back to the crater holding the ‘Grimlock’ or whatever she said it was.
“Princess Celestia…” Twilight asked, “What are you doing?”
“Letting him out.” She replied casually, much to the horror of her student.
“B-but PRINCESS!” She exclaimed, “He might just repeat the cycle! And the Elements can’t hurt him! He’ll just stand there and wait for them to stop!”
“That gives me further reason to let him out.” Princess Celestia replied to Twilight’s astonishment, “It would weigh heavily on my conscious if we were to keep something as noble as him trapped down there.”
“NOBLE?!” Twilight shrieked, “H-how could you possibly think that something that destroyed an entire village in a matter of minutes as noble?!”
“As I have said before Twilight…” Celestia replied, remaining calm, “His name is Grimlock… as for his nobility. You yourself witnessed him take the full force of the Elements of Harmony without so much as a scratch, correct?”
“Yes, but that could be some dark spell that he or his master cast on him so he would be immune to the elements power.”
“That is what I believed at first too.” Celestia said stopping at the edge of the pit, “But then you told me that you hit him a second time… then I knew…”
“Knew what?” Twilight asked.
“I knew that he wasn’t evil…” She said looking back to Twilight. “I was the bearer of three of the Elements of Harmony for a long time, even longer than all of you and your friend’s lives combined… several times over.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I know a few things about how the elements work.” Celestia answered, “It took me a few decades, but in time I realized along with my sister, that the elements had a mind of their own. They would deal a deserving punishment to any foe, whether it be imprisonment in the Arctic ice, petrified in stone… or banishment to the moon… The elements always did what they saw fit to the aggressor.”
“The elements didn’t do anything to it-err… I mean Grimlock…” Twilight said, “The first time they just engulfed him, the second time… they dug into the ground and sputtered out before he could get hit.”
“The elements don’t ‘sputter out’ Twilight,” Celestia replied shaking her head with a smile. “They knew the moment they hit Grimlock the first time that he wasn’t evil, if anything he’s a bullheaded, short-fused metal giant. I thought I taught you better than to overreact to something so alien to you… wasn’t one of your very first friendship reports about something just like this?”
“Well… yes, but not on this scale.” Twilight replied sheepishly.
“That may be true, but Grimlock was treated unfairly by the ponies, I think he deserves his freedom…” Celestia looked down into the pit, making eye contact with a dimly glowing blue visor. “Wouldn’t you say?”
Twilight had many reservations about setting him free. This ‘Grimlock’ single hoovedly decimated Ponyville without magic or an army; he used his sheer strength and invulnerability to stand against those who opposed him. But among all of that there was still the curiosity that had eventually lead her to becoming the newest member of Equestrian royalty. She wanted to see the ‘Grimlock’ again, despite the dangers it posed and they could always put him back in the pit if he became violent again.
“I guess we could give him another chance…” Twilight said, shocking everypony who heard her, including her friends, “We gave Discord a second chance, look where he is now.”
“That’s the Twilight I remember teaching.” Princess Celestia said with a smile, turning back to the pit as Twilight was suddenly engulfed by her friends.
“Have you lost your mind?!” Rainbow yelled silently, “that hole in the ground is the only thing separating us from sandwiches right now!”
“I think we can trust Princess Celestia on this one girls.” Twilight said with shaky confidence, “She’s never been wrong before… right?”
“I know that ya trust the Princess and all Twi…” Applejack began removing her hat, “but are ya sure that this is the best course ah action here? I mean look ‘round, I ain’t trying ta say I ain’t neighborly and all, but there IS a point where I draw the line.”
“He destroyed Sugar Cube Corner TWILIGHT!” Pinkie exclaimed, not bothering to keep the conversation personal, “If anything he should be thrown away in a dungeon with no candy… FOREVER!”
“All he did was react to hostility,” Twilight replied, trying to explain it the same way Celestia had to her, “We did attack him first after all.”
“YOU think we were hostile?!” Rarity gasped in shock, “Twilight, that THING was the one who threw a perfectly good home at my boutique, and you’re saying that WE were the hostile ones?”
“No! I’m not trying to say that we were hostile!” Twilight said quickly waving her hooves frantically, “I’m trying to say that we overreacted, and as you know, every action has an equal opposite reaction.”
“That still doesn’t excuse the fact that all of Ponyville is gone!” Rainbow yelled angrily, “The only things standing are half of Town Hall, Sweet Apple Acres, Fluttershy’s cottage and my totally awesome pad! And THAT’S because the last three are on the outside of town!”
“Let’s just give him a chance!” Twilight said, desperately trying to rectify the situation, but she was failing miserably, “We gave Discord one didn’t we?”
“But HE didn’t burn Ponyville to the ground!” Rainbow retorted, her anger peeking, “And what he did was reversed after we stopped him! We’ll have to be building for weeks, maybe even months! And you think that letting him go is a good idea?!”
“Why hasn’t anypony asked Fluttershy’s opinion?!” Twilight yelled, instantly regretting her scapegoat.
Within an instant all eyes were on Fluttershy, causing the pegasus to freeze quicker than winter time in the Crystal Mountains.
“Well?” Rainbow asked cocking her eyebrow, “What do you think? Let it go and have it kill all of us… or keep it there and burry it or something, you know where it CAN’T kill any of us.”
“I… um…” Fluttershy replied, desperately trying to hide her self behind her mane, “I… I really…”
Fluttershy desperately tried to think of an answer, but the sound of Celestia’s voice over shadowed her own.
“Grimlock!” She yelled into the pit again, “it is I Princess Celestia! I have a proposition for you.”
Grimlock went from staring blankly at the wall to staring right at Celestia once again, wondering what sort of ‘proposition’ she was about to make. Nodding slowly Grimlock let Celestia know that he was willing to listen, because being stuck at the bottom of this hole didn’t help in in his quest to find Shockwave.
“Excellent…” Celestia said with a smile, “The proposition is that I will set you free… but you must promise me not to attack my little ponies again, or else I’ll be forced to throw you back into this pit.”
Grimlock looked around the pit for a few seconds. He barely had enough room for him to move in the first place, but now the horse that he has seen only as a silhouette against the sun was offering a shot at freedom, at the simple cost of not hurting the little horses (or ponies as she called them). That was simple enough, he wasn’t even trying to kill them in the first place, looking back to the silhouette Grimlock slowly nodded his head.
“Grimlock promise…” he said half lying, because he knew if he saw those six that hit him with that stupid rainbow, twice, he might become a little irritated.
“Very well…” Celestia said with her horn starting to glow. “I eagerly await our first true meeting.”
Grimlock felt something tingly run through him for a few seconds. Looking to his hands he realized that they began to glow a faint golden color. The golden color traveled from his hands to the rest of his body until finally his very being was encompassed by the mysterious glow, before he could say anything Grimlock became blinded by a bright light. When his optics went back on line a second later he found himself out of the pit, Surrounded by the terrified, puny, little horses once again. He growled to himself, knowing that history could possibly repeat itself at any given moment, but the horses didn’t run, they just stayed there some of them even had smug little grins on their faces. Grimlock wondered why until he looked right in front of him, there he saw those six ‘brave’ little horses, all of them with scowls on their face, except for the pathetic yellow one, she was hiding behind the rest. None of those details mattered however, what did matter was how mad it made him.
“Grimlock remember you!” He roared, instantly summoning his sword, the six responded accordingly, with the purple one taking the lead.
“Get ready girls!” Twilight yelled, “We’ll send him straight to Tartars if we have to!”
The crowd quickly fled into the rubble, remembering what happened last time these two forces met. The Elements of Harmony and Grimlock squared off against one another, ready to strike each other down the instant either made a move. However, there was another who had a different plan.
“ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!” Celestia roared teleporting between them. “Twilight, I expected better from you and your friends! He is a guest in our country and will be treated as such! And you Grimlock…” Celestia turned to look at him while she addressed him, “You have a promise to keep… do you not?”
Grimlock looked down to the one who had spoken to him and the first thing that came to his mind was that she was very pretty compared to the other horses. She was also twice their size, sporting a horn and wings just like the purple one, only hers were bigger and in Grimlock’s expert opinion, they looked better on her. He also noticed that the tall horse’s mane was waving in some kind of wind and it sparkled in the sunlight.
“Grimlock.” Celestia said gaining the titan’s attention again. “Grimlock… you do remember that promise… correct?”
Grimlock took one long hard look at the six little horses that foolishly, yet bravely stood against him only hours earlier then back to the one that talked to him. Several tense moments passed but Grimlock finally cast his sword to the side, causing the ground around it to buckle and crack.
“Grimlock keeps promises…” he growled staring back at the six, sending chills down their spine.
“Very good.” Celestia said with a smile, turning back to the six. “Now if you’ll be so kind as to get ready.”
“Get ready?” Twilight asked, “Get ready for what?”
“Well I’d assume you’d want to come along while I bring Grimlock to Canterlot.” Celestia said, surprising everyone except Grimlock.
“P-princess…” Twilight stuttered, “You can’t just-“
“What Canterlot?” Grimlock asked, “And why you want to bring Grimlock there?”
“It is customary for Royalty to visit the capital city of a foreign nation where you’re from…” Celestia said with a cute smile, “Is it not?”
It took a few seconds for Grimlock to process the question, but then he remembered that he did have one of his vocal processer slip-ups while at the bottom of the pit. He knew that he was no king, but every now and then if he were upset enough he would proclaim royalty if someone insulted him or ask him a question. Needless to say being stuck at the bottom of a pit was defiantly a trigger for the mistake, but then a shred of Grimlock’s cunning shined down upon him. He could use his ‘title’ to possibly hasten his quest to find Shockwave and leave this planet.
“Yes!” Grimlock replied, “Grimlock go to Canterlot with pretty white horse.”
Celestia let out a quick giggle at the compliment, it had been a very long time since anyone had called her ‘pretty’, but she soon regained her composure and looked towards her chariot. “Well Grimlock I doubt that you’ll be able to fit in our ‘conventional’ means of transport, but I believe I could think of something.”
Suddenly her horn began to glow letting the golden aura not only surround herself, but Grimlock as well. Before Grimlock could ask or Twilight and her friends could react the two were gone in a flash of blinding light, leaving Twilight and the others with the mess, for now.
Canterlot Castle, despite its grandeur was actually a very dull place. The last time something legitimately interesting happened was when the Changelings tried to take over during the royal wedding and that had been nearly two years ago. Today however, today the castle was about to get a resounding wakeup call, because there was a guest unlike any other about to grace the golden and marble halls.
Guard and maid alike shielded their eyes as a bright flash of light burst into the front court yard. That was a surprise; they knew that the Princess was out on some urgent business so they didn’t expect her to return so soon. They also didn’t expect her to return by teleporting, because she had taken the royal chariot just hours ago. However the last thing they expected was a monster that stood over fifty feet tall that had no face standing next to their beloved leader once the light finally faded.
Reacting quickly, every on duty guard rushed into the courtyard, spears, crossbows and swords all at the ready. Grimlock’s arm began to from his blade, but then he felt a small tap on his foot. He looked down to see Celestia giving him a look that he would normally ignore and just rampage through any pathetic being that tried to stop him, but he had made a promise, and if Grimlock could not keep a promise, then Grimlock would be as pathetic as the fleshlings who had broken so many promises to him. Letting out a deep metallic growl the parts of his sword that were made visible went back into his arm, allowing Celestia to let out a sigh of relief.
“Princess to us quickly!” One of the guards shouted, “We must protect you from… from that… that… THING!”
“Stay your weapons!” Celestia replied, “King Grimlock is our guest here and I shall NOT allow such an insult befall upon him!”
The guards were shocked, they couldn’t believe that the giant, metallic ugly beast that stood next to the Princess was royalty, but they knew one thing, neither she or her sister would lie about a pony, or in this case, a monster. One by one the guards put their weapons away, until finally the last sword was placed into its scabbard. Once she did a quick double check of the guard she looked back up to Grimlock with a smile.
“I hope you can forgive them…” she said shaking her head, “Equestria is so peaceful that it leaves them on edge oddly enough.”
“Grimlock never know peace.” He said looking to the massive white gold doors that stood in his way.
Celestia looked to Grimlock with surprise, sure in her long life she had seen many things, war being one of the few she wished she hadn’t, but to meet a being that claimed to never know peace, it didn’t sit right with her.
“That’s a shame…” she said looking up to him. “How long have you been alive?”
“Over nine million years…” Grimlock said coldly, walking past the shocked royal pony.
She didn’t know that any creature could be so long lived. Sure her race was immortal, but even she was a filly compared to Grimlock, in fact according to the latest discoveries, Grimlock predated ponykind by several million years. To not know peace for that long, even Celestia couldn’t bare fathoming it.
One thing she could fathom, however, was Grimlock’s sheer size; standing over fifty feet tall, but closer to sixty made him slightly taller than the average dragon. It was that fact and that fact alone for the main doors to be so massive. Because there once was a time of trial, when Dragons and ponies didn’t see eye to eye, that was so long ago that only Celestia and her sister remember it. It took decades but a peace was finally forged between the two races and every so often the Dragon lords would send an emissary to wherever the capitol was. Granted it had been nearly six hundred years since the Dragons have stopped coming and she had been considering making the doors only pony friendly. Now she was glad that she hadn’t, because it would’ve been considerably more difficult for Grimlock to get inside.
Grimlock pushed one arm into the towering door, causing it to swing violently before it came to a slamming stop at the wall on the opposite side, then quickly becoming unhinged and falling to the floor. The guards began to ready their weapons yet again, but Celestia quickly glared at them, forcing them to stand down yet again. Taking a deep breath she looked up to Grimlock and forced a smile.
“Follow me…” she said walking past him, giving a worried look to the destroyed door “Even given how big you are it’s still very easy to become lost inside.”
“Grimlock not need guide.” He replied looking down the corridor, “Grimlock can find his way alone.”
“That maybe so,” Celestia said, shaking her head, “but I don’t want you running into anypony that may see you as a threat… and you remember what would happen if you tried to fight them.”
Grimlock growled at her, but he couldn’t risk the opportunity that he was given. More than likely this horse was going to talk to him for a few minutes then send him on his way so he could find Shockwave. That and given the fact he had no idea where he was going.
“Grimlock follow then.” He said, “But that not mean me need to.”
“Of course.” Celestia said suppressing a giggle, “Right this way.”
Celestia stepped off, followed closely by Grimlock, however Celestia looked to the wall the door had slammed into. It looked as if he pushed it just a little bit harder that entire section of the wall would’ve collapsed. ‘Oh I hope this ends well…’ she thought to herself.
“I’m telling you that was an earthquake!” a guard said to one of the many maids the castle employed, “Shook the entire dining room!”
“Please Lancer…” the maid said rolling her eyes while she took another sip of her drink. “You’ve gotten paranoid ever since you were put on guard duty.”
“I’ve had to be!” Lancer said, “It’s not like I can just take a break when I want to, Feather Duster.”
“It’s good for worker spirit.” Feather laughed taking yet another drink, “You should really try some of this new coffee, it’s like heaven.”
“I don’t know about that…” Lancer replied, “I’ve heard that stuff makes you see things.”
“Oh for Celestia’s sake Lancer…” Feather said, covering her face with her hoof, “You can’t believe EVERYTHING the tabloids tell you… why don’t you just-“
At that moment the two ponies felt a subtle tremble on the floor, followed by another, then another, each becoming more and more violent until they themselves were nearly thrown onto the ground. Lancer and Feather looked around terrified, not knowing exactly what was going on until they heard a familiar, calming voice from behind them.
“Good afternoon Feather Duster…” Celestia said, “Good afternoon Corporal Lancer.”
“Good afternoon Prin…” the two said spinning around to see not only their Princess walk by, but also a gigantic metal titan following closely behind. It even looked at them before it walked by.
The two ponies were frozen in a dumbfounded look until they finally stopped feeling the rumbling earth beneath them. The two looked to one another, then to the cup of coffee in Feather’s hoof, then back to one another.
“Not drinking that anymore?” Lancer asked.
“Eeyup…” Feather replied, slowly pouring the cup on the floor.
Luna sat in the throne room, wondering why in Equestria Celestia had woken her up nearly five hours before her ‘shift’. Though she never was the grumpy one of the two when it came to waking up, it still upset her that once again she had to be up for a few extra hours.
“She’d better have a good reason for this…” she yawned, hiding it expertly behind her hoof, “otherwise I WILL eat the last piece of chocolate cake.”
Luna smiled to herself at the thought, but before her thoughts could delve any deeper she felt a rumble rock the throne room. “What the-“ she said before feeling it again, this time it made her levitate in the air for a second. Luna was getting both agitated and worried, agitated because she didn’t get to finish her statement and worried for what exactly was causing the entire throne room to shake. Her question was soon answered when the rumbling finally stopped and the doors of the throne room began to open. Revealing something she didn’t expect.
“Good afternoon Luna.” Celestia said calmly walking into the throne room, “How goes the day so far?”
“As if you would wish to know.” Luna replied rolling her eyes, “Why would you summon me so early to attend to ‘urgent’ business only to return just hours later?”
“I told you that it may have taken the entire day Luna.” Celestia replied, “Fortunately that wasn’t the case because I-“
The door suddenly opened again, slamming itself into the wall and shattering several stain glass windows. Celestia’s eyes turned into dots, she had specifically told Grimlock to wait outside the doors until she had explained the situation, but she should have known that he would be impatient. In her dealings with beings like him that was one of the major traits they shared, as well as a seemingly unlimited amount of rage and fighting skill. She looked to Luna, fearing that her sister would react summarily to how the other ponies had, but Luna’s eyes remained focused on Celestia, much to her surprise.
“You what?” Luna asked, tilting her head, barely acknowledging the giant that stood behind her sister.
“I… I managed to nullify the conflict.” Celestia answered, still shocked, “And I also brought a guest.”
“Wonderful,” Luna said with a smile happily trotting over to the titan. “What’s its name?”
“Grim… Grimlock…” Celestia managed to say, “His name is Grimlock.”
“Greetings, Sir Grimlock,” Luna said with a regal bow, “I am Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria and matron of the night.”
Grimlock looked down to see another pretty horse, but this one was smaller and not white. It was blue, like the ocean he fought in once, he also noticed that her mane sparkled like Celestia’s but it was colored like the night. However amidst his thoughts he remembered that it had greeted him, not wanting to risk his chance at Shockwave Grimlock resounded in kind.
“Hello little horse.” He said, “Me Grimlock, me king.”
“A king you say.” Luna replied with a smile and a raised eyebrow. “Well, good sir I hope you find your stay in Equestria enjoyable.”
Luna the turned away from Grimlock adding a little sway in her hips as she did so, leaving Celestia in shock.
“Why… didn’t you attack him?” She whispered.
“He came in here with you didn’t he?” Luna answered, “And if you weren’t going after him then why should I? He’s clearly no immediate threat.”
“Oh… I guess that makes sense…” Celestia said slightly embarrassed, “I guess I thought that you would overreact… like the others did.”
“Others?” Luna asked, “What others?”
“Grimlock’s first interaction with our race was in Ponyville.” Celestia explained, “That’s what my ‘urgent’ business I woke you up for.”
“Ah, how did that go?” Luna asked, “I’m sure that Twilight and her friends made a good impression.”
“Um…” Celestia said looking to the celling, “His first encounter with ponies could’ve gone better…” she explained in the loosest of terms.
“Well I hope that we can make up for anything negative that happened to him.” Luna replied looking back to Grimlock with a smile, “But that does beg the question Sir Grimlock, why have you traveled such distances?”
Grimlock was surprised to the sudden acknowledgement of his presence. He was more than content on having Celestia and Luna discuss whatever they were discussing, (more than likely him he thought) while de devised a plan to find shockwave and the other Decepticons that fell through the space bridge with him. Now however, he was in the spotlight and he needed to think of something fast.
“Grimlock here on… personal business.” He replied, “Once me take care of it, me leave.”
He hoped his vague description was enough for the two horses. He didn’t want to explain that he wasn’t the only one of his kind in their country. That may cause so much panic that he may not be able to find his pray amidst the chaos, that and it was somewhat of an honor thing. Grimlock wanted to kill Shockwave and the others himself, if the puny fleshlings of this world helped him do it, then Grimlock’s prowess as the Autobots greatest warrior would be tarnished. The two looked at him questionably; as if they were trying to read his face. Funny, he thought, hard to read a face when all you’ve got is a visor and face guard.
“Very well.” Luna said turning back to Celestia, “Now about his lodging…”
“What?” Grimlock asked only to be slightly ignored.
“You’ll be staying in Equestria for some time… aren’t you?” Celestia asked tilting her head.
“Yes, but Grimlock not need place to sleep,” He explained, “Me not even sleep.”
“But you will still require a place to stay.” Luna pointed out, “And I’m afraid that Canterlot won’t be able to offer any lodging given your size.”
“Can’t Grimlock just stay here?” he asked looking around, “This place big enough for Grimlock.”
“That may be true, but this is where royal business is conducted.” Celestia explained, “And it would be rather distracting having you here while I discuss politics with the other nobles.”
“Then where-“
“PRINCESS CELESTIA!” A faintly familiar voice echoed from down the halls of the castle, “Don’t worry we’ll stop him from hurting you!”
“Is that who I believe it to be?” Luna asked looking to Celestia, frightfully her sister nodded. “Why are you so worried? I couldn’t think of a better ambassador for our nation than Twilight and her friends.”
“I may have left something out…” Celestia said watching Grimlock’s visor phase between blue and blood red. “The reason his first experience with us was bad was because of-“
“Don’t move a mus… well don’t move whatever you have!” Rainbow Dash roared bursting into the throne room. “Thought you had us played for the fool huh? Thinking that if you pretended to be nice that you could corner our princesses?”
Before he could respond the others suddenly burst through the doors, all taking combative positions. “You won’t hurt anypony else!” Twilight roared as her horn began to glow. “Now we’ll-“
“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Celestia yelled, showing her very rare angry side. “I THOUGHT I’D ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT GRIMLOCK IS NOT A THREAT TO US!”
“B-but… but…princess…” Twilight said, suddenly cowering, “He tore up the castle… he ripped the main doors clean off… how could that not-“
“Not… another… word…” Celestia growled, regaining her composure, “Grimlock DID do those things, but they were not intentional, I was with him the whole time.”
“I’m sorry Princess…” Twilight said ashamed, “But when we saw the door… and thought-“
“You can’t just keep jumping to conclusions Twilight…” Celestia said slowly shaking her head, “Your earlier encounter with Grimlock is a perfect example of that. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to…”
A light went on in Celestia’s head, a light that rarely went on anymore. It was a devious light that once it was turned on whatever turned it on would be made real, whether the participants liked it or not. Luna was the only one to notice a smile grow on her sister’s face, a smile that she knew well, but she thought it best to keep it to herself. Luna just sat back with her own devious smile, patiently awaiting the fireworks to follow.
“Twilight…” Celestia said, still smiling, “Is Ponyville still in shambles?”
“Yes Princess…” Twilight said, “But-“
“Do you think you could use extra muscle?”
“We need all the pony power we can muster, but.”
“Grimlock.” Celestia continued, “You need a place to stay while you are here, correct?”
“Yes…” Grimlock replied looking down to her wondering what she was planning.
“And you are a very strong and capable warrior also?”
“Grimlock is the strongest.” He replied proudly pounding his chest. “None are stronger than me Grimlock!”
“Then it’s settled…” Celestia said trotting victoriously to her throne, “Grimlock shall return to Ponyville to help rebuild.”
“WHAT!?” Grimlock and the six shouted, only to be silenced by Celestia’s risen hoof.
“And during his stay, the Princess Twilight Sparkle and the other Elements of Harmony will be Grimlock’s guide to everything Equestria has to offer… including friendship.”
“Princess Celestia…” Twilight said half-begging, “You can’t expect us to just accept him after what he did!”
“And me Grimlock not need friends!” He added, clinching his fists.
“I have spoken.” Celestia replied, eyes closed and a small smile still on her lips, “If you want Ponyville to be rebuilt and your ‘personal business’ to be taken care of, this is both the fastest and easiest way for both to be accomplished… I’m sure that both parties agree?”
The six ponies and Grimlock looked to one another for a few tense moments. Memories of their first encounter were still fresh in their minds, but in the end they both knew that Celestia was right. Ponyville could be rebuilt much faster by the being that destroyed it and Grimlock didn’t want to be thrown in that pit again and lose any chance of finding Shockwave.
“Grimlock agrees…” he growled reluctantly, knowing that he would have to split his time between helping the puny fleshlings and tracking is adversary, only one of those sounded pleasurable to him.
“We think so too…” Twilight said soon after, looking away from Celestia. “We should get back Girls… Ponyville needs our help.” She looked to Grimlock with a nasty glare, “That means YOU too…”
Grimlock growled in response, but exited the room with the six just the same, leaving Luna and Celestia to their own devices.
“That was unexpected.” Luna said smirking, “How long do you think their truce will last?”
“As long as it has to.” Celestia replied, “I know Twilight will listen… and if Grimlock wants to see to his ‘personal business’ then he will have to help them long enough for them to bury the hatchet and become friends.”
“You have a LOT of faith in those ponies…” Luna said shaking her head, “Don’t you?”
“They haven’t given me a reason to doubt them yet.” Celestia said looking to the destroyed doorway and floor tiles, “Besides, we need some time to repair the damage done to the castle.”
“Agreed.” Luna said looking to the mess, “I’d hate to see him TRY to break something.”
“You should’ve seen Ponyville…” Celestia replied, “You’d think an entire army of griffons swooped in and burned the place down.”
“Really?” Luna said slightly worried, “Well I hope they can lay down their differences and work together.”
“That’s what I’m counting on Luna.” Celestia said rising from her seat. “Come now, it’s nearly dinner time and I heard that tonight is an alfalfa and tomato medley. You know what that means?”
“Ugh, sister I’m not a filly anymore.” Luna sighed, “The alfalfa monster is far from terrifying…”
“The world if full of monsters Luna,” Celestia said walking through the busted doorway. “But I have a feeling that the monsters will soon be the ones running scared.”