//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Cyberquestria // by Reddened Chaos //------------------------------// Canterlot Training Field Red smiled, taking a stance with the Blade of Alpha Trion. "So, care to go first Optimus?" he asked as he had kept his stance waiting. "Not at all," Optimus said as he raised his sword and shield in a combat stance, and charged, Red smiled, as he blocked the sword and tried kicking Optimus back. The Autobot leader anticipated this, and jumped back to avoid it, slicing downward as he did so. Red dodged, as part of his main was cut off. "Not too bad. You're certainly worthy of being the commander of the team you managed." He said, as he moved back to his stance, before glancing back "Hey, Lone, toss me a shield please!" He said before looking to Prime. "If you don't mind, I'd like to...even the playing field" he said having the sword in his right hand, left hand being open for a shield. Lone used his magic to fling a shield to Red, saying, "Heads up." Red caught it on his left arm, and had it strapped on, to fight, as he brought it forward. "Thanks for waiting Optimus. Now, let's go." He said as he charged forward to fight again. The fight was quick, as the two blocked sword strikes with their shields, and just jumped back when the other tried to kick them. All in all, it was a boring sparring match for the by-standers. Or, at least it was after the first five minutes. "Hey! WHAT'S THAT!?" Rainbow called out, ten minutes into the fight, pointing to the sky, as the two stopped, Red noticing it first and pointing it out, as Optimus turned and blinked in surprise "No...Impossible." "What is it," Lone asked Optimus. "That is the ship of the one who hunted me down on Earth. It must be one of Lockdowns cohorts after me, as I killed him back on Earth." As he spoke, the ship began to make it's way to Ponyville. "We need to go. Now," Lone said. "Definitely." Red said as he and Optimus had stopped their fight and dashed off to stop the ship. Those with wings took flight and grabbed those that couldn't fly, Lone activating his custom spell, and Optimus his thrusters, and the group flew off to Ponyville. Thirty minutes later They arrived at Ponyville, as the ship got closer, it was giant, and looked mostly round, with poles at about 4 different spots, though the ship itself looked about as big as a city in itself. "That's the ship of the one who hunted you," Chrysalis said, a little in awe at the size, but a little terrified at the same time. "Yes, that's the ship the bounty hunter Lockdown used on Earth to hunt me. What I would like to know is how he found this planet," Optimus said. He then remembered something Cade Yeager told him. The seed had a tracking function. Red watched "We need to try and get it away from the city...or find out what's going on..." He explained. "Perhaps we should evacuate the town too." He said. "It won't work," Optimus said. "The ship can launch fighters. Whoever is leading them will simply use them to corral and take the citizens of this town prisoner, if not kill them, just to get to me. Even if I run today, he'll just use the civilians to lure me back." "Then what can we do? Other than try to stand and fight where they are all in danger?" Red asked Him. "You won't be able to do anything, Red," Optimus said, drawing his sword and shield, "but I can." Red sighed, looking to Zecora, and the others. "Maybe you are the only one capable, but there's gotta be something WE can do...I can't just stand idly by and do nothing." He said. "Well," Lone said, "you have a sword from his planet; me, the Princesses, Queen Chrysalis, and Miss Rarity have magic; Pinkie has her. . . randomness and Applejack has her strength; Rainbow and Fluttershy have flight, and Zecora. . . yeah you got me there. I just don't know her well enough." "She's good with a spear as I recall." He explained, as he looked out. "That may be true but, I don't know what we can do to assist Prime in this fight...I mean He's the one most capable yes, but I'm the only one with a sword to fight as well..." he said, as he looked out to watch. "He was talking about manufactured weapons when he said only certain metals and explosives could harm them. I don't think he said anything about natural weapons, and I'm certain Pinkie has a few explosives laying around," Lone said with a smile, lighting his horn. "Maybe...though I'm not sure how well those would work...But let's go, and see if we can back him up at all!!" Red called as he went to run in to fight alongside the Autobot commander with the others. "Red!? What are you all doing? This is MY fight." he said in surprise when Red came up beside him, his sword bared to fight. "Maybe so, but it's OUR Planet, and you can be shocking sure that we'll fight to defend it, even if we're outmatched by the invading force here." Red called back. "I suppose, but be careful," Optimus said. "I would hate to see one of you come to harm because I allowed you to fight." Red nodded "Don't worry, we protect our own..." he said. "And quite frankly, I'd be more than honored to battle alongside the one who led my ancestors." Red admitted honestly. "I did not lead them, Optimus said. "But regardless, I imagine they would fight along side us if they were still alive," Optimus said as they charged into battle. Red smiled, as they fight, heading along, and the entire force begins to fight now, to take the ship and get it to leave them alone. the fight seems to go on for 30 minutes, close to an hour even, before something else happened, that Optimus never would have expected. "OPTIMUS!!" a voice Optimus recognized but didn't expect to hear said from behind him and the others as he drove his sword through one of the dog like creatures he had encountered on Earth before he left. He pulled his sword out and turned around, and shock filled him as he saw the one he cut in half on Earth. "Lockdown," Optimus nearly growled. "How are you here," he said, pointing his sword at the bounty hunter. Optimus noticed differences, though. The body looked brand new, none of the fade that came from who knows how many years of combat. Even the scar on his face was gone. Lockdown and another similar to him, but different all the same, were coming down fro the ship on a hover platform. "Simple, really," he said before eyeing the others. "I see you found new pets." "We aren't pets," Rainbow said, but Applejack held her back from charging him. "As for how I'm here, Optimus, I'm the best hunter our creators have had, and, as a precaution should I die in combat, created a second body for me, and linked the two, so that the memories of the first, the one you killed, would go to me, the second body. I came here to this pitiful planet so I could finish my mission. Don't worry, though. You won't be alone on the trip." He turned to the other robot and said, "Axor, bring him out." Another robot, walked out, with a devilish smirk on his face. His look was patterned to look quite similar to Lockdown himself, though he himself actually DID have the scar on his face unlike the new version of Lockdown that Optimus was looking at he was also a bit thicker built than Lockdown was, as he walked out, and he also had the same amount of fade, and some scars on him, no doubt from years of traveling with the nefarious bounty hunter. With him, was a chain, along with a silver transformer that Optimus knew very well...bulky, and devilish looking, with a large, glowing yellow hole in his torso, with red eyes, was none other than Galvatron. "Surprised," the one called Axor said. "We went to Earth to capture him first, then followed the seed's tacking feature here. I thought you'd be smarter that that, Optimus Prime. It would seem the legends were exaggerated." Red walked next to Optimus. "That the one you were talking about? The enemy who was named Megatron?" He asked, as he watched the trio of bots. "Yes, that's the one who was once Megatron." Galvatron looked up, and narrowed his eyes. "Ah, Optimus. It would seem we meet again," he said in a raspy voice. Red watched with keen eyes, as they looked out, watching as more of the dogs began to appear by Lockdown's group. "Surrender, Optimus," Lockdown said, "and I'll spare the pitiful fleshlings of this planet. We both know how much you care for organics. You can leave the seed here. I have no use for it. Who knows, they might kill themselves trying to use it." After three seconds of internal deliberation, Optimus, throwing down his shield and sword, and said, "I surrender." "I thought so," Lockdown said, grinning. "Kill them," he said calmly. Optimus' eyes widened as much as they could, and he reached for his weapons, but Axor blasted them away with his gun, and used it to tie the Autobot's wrists together. Before he could do anything, he heard a scream form behind him, and saw a pack of the dogs surrounding Zecora and Rainbow, one of the latter's wings having blood spilling off it. Red gasped in horror. "NO! ZECORA! RAINBOW!!!" He called, growling, before something unexpected happened. His right arm transformed, physically opening up and morphing it's shape, to a stange looking augmented weapon, no longer having a hand there in fact, now it was a Blaster. It also held extra portions, that covered the end of the cannon, and a few pipes from the side, as it matched his own coloration of green. Not having time to gawk at the fact that he now had a GUN FOR AN ARM, he pointed it at the dog pack that were surrounding Zecora and the bleeding Rainbow Dash, and began to fire at them, as pockets of molten metal fired out from the cannon and blasted the dogs, killing them, and saving his marefriends. "What the hay...just happened!?" He said, before he quickly turned his blaster on Lockdown and Axor, and fired, both severing the restraints on Galvatron himself, AND striking Axor in the head sending him sprawling to the ground. Once Galvatron was freed, he jumped off the platform and attacked his ancient, technically speaking, enemy. "Die, Prime," he said as he delivered an uppercut that missed. Unfortunately, when it missed, it severed Prime's restraints, as he pushed him back, and got his weapons as well. He looked to Galvatron. "We have a shared enemy Galvatron. Please, help us deal with him first." Optimus pleaded. "Never, Prime," Galvatron said, transforming his own arm into a weapon and pointing it at Optimus. "I could care less about them. What I want is to kill you, like what should have happened back on Cybertron." "Maybe, but you care about being able to fight me. If Lockdown captures me You'll never get the chance. You help us destroy them both, and stop Lockdown for good, and then you and I can take our battle to the stars where we can fight until one of us falls." Optimus said, appealing to Galvatron's ego. "And how do I know you won't attack me as soon as I turn my back on you, like I would. We both know you want me dead.." "Because my focus is more on protecting these new friends, and stopping Lockdown before he puts any more innocents into danger from chasing me." He said right back. "We both know I care nothing for innocents!" Galvatron spat as Lockdown snuck up behind him. "No, but you care about yourself." Lone said. "Which I'm sure Lockdown will make you his personal bitch of a pet if you don't help Optimus take him down." He said, pointing out Lockdown. As he pointed, his own arm turned into a weapon as well, only his arm became a weapon with two barrels, and each looked like it had three smaller barrels, and it matched his color scheme. He instinctively knew how to use it somehow, and fired off a shot that went by Lockdown's head. Red began to fire on Lockdown as well, pushing him back, as Galvatron growled at the insult from Lone, being reminded of goading into helping Optimus stop Sentinel Prime by a Human girl back when he was Megatron. At least with Sentinel, he was someone he was working with for a common goal. Lockdown did not share that, and Galvatron turned and fired his own shot at Lockdown, who had retreated back to the platform and was quickly ascending on it. Axor followed close behind as the ship began to fly back up to orbit. Optimus looked at Galvatron. "So...my old friend.....will you help us for now?" "I will not help you, Prime," Galvatron said as his arm turned back to normal, "but the people of this planet, as, whether they know it or not, they are our people." Red seemed the least bit surprised by this. "Seems legit...considering the story passed down from my family...considering I'm distantly related to Alpha Trion myself." He admitted as Galvatron looked at him in surprise, as Red's arm began to change back to normal, as he looked at it, still in awe. "Then what WILL you do Galvatron? Helping them to better fight against our common enemy, would mean you essentially are assisting me in this mission." Optimus explained, though he also was quite surprised at the fact that the two ponies arms had turned into Cybertronian weapons. "Learn what I can of this world. Someone kept their history a secret, and I will punish them for that," Galvatron said as he walked off. "Galvatron, sir...wait!" Fluttershy said, as she approached the other leader. "Please...at current we wouldn't stand a chance against that guy Lockdown...if You and Optimus worked together, You two could not only train us to better fight against him, but I'm sure you two could do anything together like that." She said, her eyes pleading him to stay and work with prime. "I know a few stories of my history as I'm distantly related to Alpha Trion, one of the Knights who stayed behind here." Red said as he walked forward. "If you stay with Prime to help us, I'd be glad to tell you..." he explained. "Impossible," Galvatron said. "Alpha Trion disappeared exploring a world he stayed behind on, and there is no proof he had a family." "Then explain this" Red said, motioning to Alpha Trion's Sword, which he had inherited from his family. "Prime confirmed it's the real deal, and Alpha Trion's story is as I'm sure Luna, and Lone here would state, is actually available as a readable book here." He explained, as Luna nodded, confirming it. Lone, however, had his hand on his chin thinking. His eyes then widened. "At the end of the book, it said he disappeared." He looked around. "In the north. More specifically-," "The Frozen North." He said finishing the line. "Perhaps.....the Frozen North...close to the Crystal Empire where Cadence rules, is where we may find the answers..." He elaborated, as Galvatron was certainly interested, both in the story, and just what had gone on at the planet. "And what's that?" Optimus asked, as he was curious as well, having only heard it during introductions. "My empire is an entire city, basically made out of Crystals, quite a beautiful one as I would say, that is actually a place filled with love and happiness." Cadence explained, referring to how the Empire was certainly a beautiful one. In his raspy voice, Galvatron said, "I find that unlikely. Most likely, it's an artifact that projects a shield, and it requires multiple users to telepathically activate it, and with you all, it can only transmit when ever your processors are on a calm, almost euphoric state." "Well...that's a fairly accurate way to explain it...as the Crystal Heart does protect us from attack...AND can only truly work when all the ponies living there are happy..." Cadence admitted, agreeing with Galvatron's observation. "No, it's magic," Applejack said, her Apple family stubbornness showing. "And here we go," Lone whispered as he turned his weaponized arm into a normal one and back a way quickly, as did all the others but Optimus and Galvatron. And threw up an invisible barrier over Applejack as well. Galvatron spoke. "I don't expect your somewhat primitive processor to understand our own Science, despite the fact that TWO of your own kind have demonstrated an ability similar to our own." He said gesturing to himself and Optimus. "So I'm just gonna say you call it what you want. Plus as I recall, alot of times, science that is not understood is commonly referred to as Magic anyway." He said sneering at the farmer mare. "And I say you're stupid." At this, even Optimus backed away, and those that already had took cover, though Applejack didn't notice. Lone was the closest, next to Optimus, that is. "This...could get very ugly..." Red commented as they were all backing away. "Got any popcorn Pinkie?" he asked showing an eager look just to see them fight. "Sure, Red," Pinkie said as she brought a popcorn machine out of now where and they and the others began to get bagfuls. "You dare speak to me like that?" Galavtron asked angrily. "Apparently so, otherwise, Ah wouldn't have call ya stupid." "It would seem your vocal processors are on the fritz as well. It makes you sound like what the disgusting humans call a redneck." "Should we stop them," Luna asked. "No, I think they need to air this out," Chrysalis said. "And if they kill each other," Twilight said. "I doubt Lone would let that happen," Celestia said. "He did face down a manticore and hydra at the same time without a scratch, which is why he's the Captain of the special operations division. "Ya, and I took on two Chimera, and two Manticore at the same time." Red said, proving his own well earned veteran status of the special ops division, before he had retired, as he beegan to munch on the popcorn. "Besides, I bet he's already put an invisible barrier around Jackie anyway..." Red mused. "Yes, but you came out bleeding heavily, and, in Lone's favor of points if this turns into a contest, it was a fully grown Manticore and a Hydra with fifty heads," Luna said. "Hmph. Still took them down on my own." He muttered as Rainbow and Zecora both came close and hugged their coltfriend. "It's alright Red. You're always awesome in my book. Especially now since you saved both of us, AND discovered that we can apparently change our arms into guns...I wonder what I'll get..." "Are you insulting ma intelligence," Applejack asked, her eyes narrowed. "Yes, I am," Galvatron said. Lone rolled his eyes, deciding to break this up. He walked up to the middle ground of the two and held them apart. "Would the both if you shut it!? Two different worlds, it can be argued about later. Personally, I don't care about this argument, but right now, we're stuck with one another, and will show respect. "Got it? The two begrudgingly agreed to accept the terms. Rainbow Dash meanwhile, is testing out her own abilities, as she ends up transforming her hand into a smaller blocky type gun, that clearly had rapid fire capabilities. "Oooohhh~ this is SO cool!" She said, as she changed it back hugging Red happy that her coltfriend discovered such an awesome ability. "What exactly does that do," Luna asked. "No idea, but it looks cool," Rainbow said. "That, Rainbow Dash, is a Subsonic Repeater. It's one of the fastest firing weapons in our arsenal." Optimus explained. "The one your...uhh...coltfriend shown is a Path Blaster, and Lone was showing the Neutron Assault Rifle. Both his weapon and yours are not that accurate due to what type of weapon they are, but, Yours is faster whilst his is slightly more accurate." He said. "I wonder if I've got more than one weapon then..." Red mused, as he looked to Optimus and Galvatron. "Do you think we actually have more than one weapon...Built into us?" "Most likely," Optimus said, "that's how the more ancient weapons in the war were used, though the quickly became outdated." "Huh...because they became your actual arms rather than just being held in your hands huh? Well...could either of you possibly tell us how to activate the other ones?" he asked curiously. "No," Optimus replied. "You'll need to find those out on your own." Red nodded "Fair enough...thought I could ask either way sir..." He said smiling. "I suppose we should prepare to probably depart for the Crystal Empire then?" He asked looking to both leaders and the other ponies. "No, that would be best put off for tomorrow, so that you all can learn more about your new abilities." Luna nodded "Agreed..." She said still in shock of such a thing. "Perhaps You and Galvatron could stay inside the ruins of the old castle my sister and I used to rule from in the everfree Forest." Celestia suggested to Optimus. "As long as I'm far way from Prime as possible," Galvatron snarled. "There are rooms on both ends of the ruins....all we ask is that you two...at least TRY to work together for our shared foe..." She asked, as the two princesses of Equestria moved to lead the two leaders on to the ruins. Red looked at his arms, and moved to try and transform his right one into something other than his new Path Blaster. "I think that is all we can do," Optimus said as he and his former enemy made their way to the forest. Red looked at AJ. "Why don't you try to change your hand like we did." he said. "No way," Applejack said. "Y'all can, but Ah won't allow mahself to be part robaht." "Oh, then I guess I'm just gonna be more awesome than you are eh AJ?" Rainbow said, taunting the farm mare to get her to do it, knowing that AJ's pride, and her Ego, wouldn't allow her to be behind Rainbow for very long due to both being rivals. "Please, RD. We both know that Ah have more 'awesome' in my pinkie finger then you have in your whole body." Rainbow smirked "Oh really? cause as far as I can tell, you're LESS awesome than me, since I just got 20% MORE awesome because we can change our arms into weapons since we're part robot!" "Ya ain't gonna tempt me, Dash." "C'mon AJ, we both know you're boiling under the surface because I'm now more awesome than you..." She said snickering. Twilight meanwhile, is attempting to transform her own arm, and manages to do so, turning it into a path blaster that looked slightly different from Red's. "Hmm...interesting..why does mine look different?" She asked. "Perhaps Mine's a more upgraded form than yours is Twilight?" Red said, noticing this, as he changed his into his own model, which clearly shown that his seemed a bit more advanced, as though it had more upgrades added to it where as Twilight's looked like a bare bones version. "Ya. Ain't. Gonna. Tempt me," Applejack said slowly to the cyan pegasus. Fortunately, before things could get worse, the CMC ran into the town, screaming about metal men. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The trio was screaming. "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Scootaloo screamed the most as she lept up to him, and he caught her holding her. "What's wrong Scoots?" he asked. "Two, metal men are walking through the forest with the Princesses..they look dangerous..." She told him. "Heh...don't worry, it's alright Scootaloo....infact, the Red and blue one's our friend. the silver one I'm not too sure about just yet...but I think he'll help us somehow...besides, your mom and I did have something cool we wanted to show ya.." he said smiling. It was then Scootaloo noticed Red's weapon arm. "Cool right?" he said changing it back to normal. "And Dashie can do it too!" He said motioning to the rainbow headed mare who's still trying to goad AJ into doing it. "Turns out those stories passed down by my family are true!" "Cool," Scootaloo said in a whisper, though her friends were still a little scared. Red nuzzled Scootaloo, before kneeling down and stroking Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle's heads with his right arm. "It's alright both of you, don't worry. We're still ourselves." He said smiling, as he set Scoots down. "Hmm...I think we should probably go to the castle's training grounds to be able to both try out changing our arms, and being able to get more weapons to work...and to see what they can do huh?" He asked smiling. "I suppose," Lone said. "You got any better ideas for testing our capabilities?" He asked Lone, as he crossed his arms, approaching Zecora "Would you like to stick with us for a while? Or head home?" He asked referring to either his house, or the hut she stayed at normally. Zecora nodded as soon as the first suggestion left his mouth. Red smiled kissing her, as they went to head off to Canterlot then.