//------------------------------//
// Chapter 21 
// Story: Transformers Prime: Ponies in Disguise 
// by RavageXeno 
//------------------------------//

Starscream lay on the ground, waiting with some patience whilst Haunt worked hurriedly with her equipment. Next to him was a box wrapped in blue paper, that had a bright pink bow on it that Laserbeak was perched on. He didn’t believe Pinkie when she told him that she had only brought pink ribbon with her, but he was too excited with what was happening to keep on at her. 

He had to refrain himself from pacing around the courtyard, a task that Arcee had failed to accomplish, but he was still unable to stop his wings from twitching. There wasn’t much to do while they waited; Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow and Fluttershy had long since abandoned  plying Haunt and to some extent Grimmy with questions and were sat on a large blanket against one wall of the courtyard. 

Haunt worked silently, though occasionally she asked HK-47 to pass her a piece of equipment before losing herself again in her work. 

Scar and Nightshade had already said their goodbyes to the group, and were busy helping the citizens of Baltimare. Xena Rose had returned with Luna to Canterlot after she had been assured that the twins had everything in control. And the ponies were returning to Ponyville on the next train this afternoon, and Haunt had remarked with obvious joy at how quiet it was going to become again. 

“Right, I think that’s sorted,” Haunt said, stepping back away from Grimmy and closing his chest. An instant after the words registered in his mind, Starscream leapt to his hooves, almost knocking Laserbeak from his perch. 

Haunt tapped Grimmy on the shoulder and he took what looked like a deep inhalation of breath, as he leant back so he was stood straight upright at his full height. He held in position for a few seconds before lunging forward, and letting out a echoing roar. That was accompanied by a pulse of blue light that rebounded off the far wall and collided with a second pulse and exploded into a  familiar spinning vortex.

Starscream was about to leap forward, when he was tackled to the ground by the ponies and almost crushed by hugs. No matter how he struggled, their grip was unbreakable. But the one redeeming factor was that Arcee and Bumblebee were also going through this torture. After a few minutes he was able to escape, and quickly put some distance between him and them. Laserbeak was lucky, and had avoided the hug attack, and was currently off to the side being petted by Fluttershy.

“We’d better get going, Optimus is probably looking for us,” Arcee said, and they headed towards the portal. They said their final goodbyes, before they headed into the portal. Starscream not looking back once. 





It was quiet aboard the Nemesis. It had been less than a day since the second group had been sent through the portal, and the ship had returned to it’s naturally calm running order. 

A group of Vehicons were doing their assigned allotment of routine maintenance in one of the higher up corridors, which was one of the few to have a window. They rounded a corner to face a swirling vortex and instinctively took a few steps back. They knew if it was going to be dangerous they were going to be the cannon fodder used to figure it out. 

Optimus Prime walked out of the Ground Bridge that was before them, accompanied by Bulkhead who was right behind him. The Vehicons didn’t want to fight them, they would probably be destroyed instantly, so they just started backing up slowly.

“I am here for Arcee and Bumblebee,” Optimus said, walking forward slowly. “Anyone who gets in my way,” he changed his hands into his weapons, “will be pulverised.”

“We got a bad ass over here!” one of the Vehicons called Steve exclaimed, making the room go silent as they all looked at him. 

“I regret nothing!” he shouted as he leapt at the open window and vanished from sight. His companions rushed to the window just in time to see him transform and fly off into the distance. 

They then returned their attention to the two Autobots now aboard the ship, and they realised that Steve had taken the easy way out. And with the rest of them being ground vehicles, they were now stuck here. 

Before anyone could do anything the announcement system blared into life, blasting Megatron’s voice loudly around the ship. 

“Optimus Prime is now aboard our vessel. Anyone who harms Optimus will be personally, taken care of... He is a guest upon our ship and so he shall be treated like one.”