Apple Bloom raised her hind legs into the air, before slamming them into the apple tree behind her with all her might. The force knocked the trees precious fruit from its branches, causing it to fall into the waiting baskets below. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle applauded as Apple Bloom puffed out her chest. “An’ that’s all there is to it,” she told Starscream.
The Decepticon scratched his chin, picking up one of the apples she’d just felled, discovering, by some miracle, that it was not bruised in the slightest. “And this is how you ponies collect your fruits?” he asked.
“Well, unicorn farmers usually just use their magic, and pegasi fly up an’ pick ‘em since their legs ain’t as strong as us Earth ponies,’” she explained. “So what’da say? Ya mind helpin’ us get the last o’ these apples in ‘fore the big storm comes an’ washes ‘em away?”
“I suppose I have nothing better to do, though I must ask, why do you not want Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to help you?” he questioned. All three fillies blushed slightly.
“I can’t fly high enough to reach the apples,” Scootaloo said, calling upon all the strength in her wings to hover just above the ground to prove her point.
“And I…well…” Sweetie grabbed one of the apples above with her magic, prying it from the tree, only to have it explode within her gripp and fall onto Scootaloo. She grinned shyly, blushing as she did her best to wipe the apple off the pegasus’ face.
“I see,” Starscream said bluntly. He placed his hands on his hips, looking one of the many apple trees up and down. It was not long before he realized he couldn’t use the method Applebloom had showed him. Instead, he simply raised his foot in the air, before bringing it down as hard as he could. Not only did he knock every apple off the tree he was facing, but also the apples from every tree within a twenty foot radius.
The jaws of his filly companions dropped, before all three furiously knocked their front hooves together.
“Wow! Not even Applejack can knock down that many apples in one buck!” Apple Bloom said gleefully.
“You’re incredible!” Sweetie Belle added.
Starscream chuckled, puffing out his chest, then moved into the center of a group of unharvested apple trees, repeating the process he’d used moments before. With the aid of their metal friend, it was not long before the three fillies had the remaining apple baskets filled to the brim. However, just as she was putting away the last of the baskets, Applebloom felt a droplet of water fall on the tip of her nose.
“Hey y’all! Storm’s comin’!” she shouted. She and the other two crusaders ran through the rain towards the house, barely reaching the front porch before the deluge began. As they shook their coats dry, Scootaloo realized some pony was missing. She looked back to see Starscream standing in the open as rain pounded on his back.
“Apple Bloom, you and yer friends need ta git inside! Y’all livle ta catch a cold in this weather!” Granny Smith scolded as she came onto the porch, towel in hoof.
“Granny Smith, is there any place Mr. Starscream can stay to keep dry?” Scootaloo asked.
Granny Smith stroked her chin with her hoof, emitting a low hm as she looked over the ‘bot. “Ah’d love ta help ‘im out Scootaloo, but ah’m just not sure we’ve got a place big enough for a feller like ‘im,” she said.
“How’s ‘bout the barn? It’s big enough for him. Ah mean, he did help us get all those apples in ‘fore this storm,” Apple Bloom pointed out. “It’d be mighty inhospitable if we just left him out here in the rain.”
“Ah thin’ that’ll do,” Granny answered. The three began to dash off the porch, but Granny stopped them. “Fear goodness sakes Apple Bloom, y’all need ta keep dry!” she scolded, handing them an umbrella.
Protected from the rain, they lead Starscream to the family barn. Applebloom threw open the doors to her family’s barn, her mane dripping as she entered along with the other crusaders. “Granny Smith said ya can stay here”, she told Starscream. The Cybertronian crouched, folding his wings back as he waddled into the building.
“I think this will do,” he said as he piled hay bales into something to lean on. He folded his wings back, resting on the golden stacks. Scootaloo trotted behind him, eyeing him curiously.
He cocked an eyebrow at the filly. “Problem?” he asked.
“What are those anyway?” she questioned, pointing a hoof at jos back.
He sat up, extending his wings again. “These? They’re my wings” he told her.
“Wings? You mean you can fly?” she asked excitedly.
He cringed as unpleasant memories flooded his mind. “I could at one point...before the humans stole my T-cog,” he explained.
“T-cog?” Sweetie Belle questioned.
“It’s the organ that allows all Cybertronians to transform. Those...disgusting flesh creatures-” The tree organics in front of him looked up at the ‘bot, their eyes wide and sad. “-who are nothing like you wonderful ponies-knocked me unconscious then stole it from me!” he shouted.
“Gee, we’re awful sorry about that Mr. Starscream,” Apple Bloom said.
“You don’t need to be sorry. You had nothing to do with it,” he told them.
“Any chance we can get you a new tea-cog?” Scootaloo asked.
“If I knew of any way to return to the skies, I’d already be there by now,” he answered.
“Could we help you get your T-cog back?” Sweetie proposed.
“A wonderful, but naive idea. Even if the Autobots were willing to instal a new T-cog, we’d have to find one first,” he said.
“Well maybe Princess Twilight can help,” Scootaloo suggested.
“She’s only ever seen me once, and I have nothing to give her in return” he questioned. Why would your princess bother to help me?” he asked.
“Because you’re our friend,” Sweetie Belle answered unhesitantly.
Starscream looked down at the fillies in shock. “Friend?” he whispered softly. He shook his head, before blinking a few times. “Well, I suppose it’ do no harm,” he said.
“Great! Let’s go!” Apple Bloom shouted, immediately sprinting out of the barn. The doors slammed shut, only to be opened again. Apple Bloom walked back inside, her head held low, and drenched in rain. “After it stops raining,” she added.
--------------
Starscream held his clawed hands over his eyes, listening as the sound of giggling reverberated throughout the barn. “Three...two...one!” He quickly leapt to his feet, removing his cupped hands, and donning a menacing grin. “Ready or not, here I come!” He scanned the upper levels of the barn, then his eyes went to the rafters. Below him he heard more giggling.
He knelt down, searching the floor of the barn. “Finally” he said as he locked eye on a haybale. He pushed it aside, revealing three small fillies. “Found you,” he shouted pridefully.
Within seconds, the three young ponies were upon him, crawling across his body as they giggled and pushed him onto his back. “That’s yer fastest time yet. Y’all ain’t cheetin’ with yer Cybertronian powers are ya?” Apple Bloom questioned.
“What? Me? Never” he answered with a wicked grin, earning himself a quick glare. “In all seriousness, I didn’t use any ‘Cybertronian powers.’”
“You wanna go again?” Scootaloo asked excitedly.
“Sorry, but I’m feeling sleepy,” Sweetie Belle objected with a yawn.
“Aw, come on! It’s not that late, and besides, it’s still raining,” Scootaloo said.
“Sorry Scoots, but Ah’m with Sweetie on this one,” Apple Bloom added.
“Please, just one more round,” the pegasus pleaded. Despite her pleas, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were already dozing off. Even she was not deaf to Luna’s call, having to constantly blink in an effort to keep her eyes open. Starscream took the three fillies in his hands, laying them down gently on a pile of hay.
“Sleep tight, my friends,” he told them as they drifted off to sleep.
---------------
Applejack walked under the gate of her farm, sighing happily as she felt the familiar soil, or rather, familiar mud, beneath her hooves. Ganny Smith and Big Mac sat on the porch, waiting for the farm to dry out.
“Mornin’ Mac, mornin’ Granny. Either o’ y‘all know where Starscream is?” she asked.
“He was in the barn last time ah checked, ‘long with Applebloom an’ her friends,” Granny Smith answered.
“Eeyup,” Big Mac affirmed.
“Y’all let Starscream in the barn?” Applejack shouted.
“Well, he was a mighty fine help yesterday, an’-” Before Granny could finish her sentence, Applejack was galloping towards the barn. She burst through the doors to find her sister and her friends asleep on a pile of hay, with Starscream nowhere to be found. She grabbed her sister with her hooves, shaking her awake.
“Where’s Starscream?” she questioned harshly.
“What? A-Ah don’t know. We were playin’ hide an’ seek an’ then we fell asleep. Please don’t be mad,” Apple Bloom begged. Her sister released her sighing.
“Ah ain’t mad, just worried,” Applejack told her. “What do ya thin’ he’s doin’?”
“Applejack, Ah really thin’ he wants ta be reformed. He saved Sweetie from a runaway cart the other day, he helped us buck apples, an’ he played tag with us last night,” Applebloom explained.
“Tag?” Applejack said in shock.
“Yeah, tag! An’ he seemed like he was enjoyin’ himself too,” the little sister told her.
“Interestin.’”
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Starscream interjected.
Appljack and Apple Bloom turned to see the ‘bot in question standing in the doorway, holding three plates of haycakes in his left hand. He strode into the barn, an almost pleasant smile on his face. “I thought I might get the children some food; breakfast is very important to your organics, you know,” he explained as he set the plates down.
The other two fillies jumped to their feet, awakened by the smell of food. Applejack released her sister, allowing the three friends to eat. She glared at Starscream, who seemed to ignore her as he simply sat down and watched the Crusaders eat.
“So, ya was jus’ gettin’ them food, nothing else?” Applejack questioned.
“Applejack, do you not trust me?” Starscream asked.
“Ah reserve the right not ta answer that” Applejack responded.
“Well, if you must know, yes, that was all I did,” he told her.
“Y’all sure?” she asked again.
“Certain,” Starscream answered, before turning towards the Crusaders. “So, are we ready to see about my new T-cog?” he asked.
“Well, Ah don’t know. Applejack, is there anythin’ Ah need ta do today?” Apple Bloom asked.
Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again and stroked her chin. “Actually, Ah don’t thin’ there’s anything fer ya ta do, seein’ as how we got all our apples in,” she answered. Apple Bloom cheered, rushing out of the barn with her two friends. Starscream slowly followed, careful not to break anything.
“Starscream,” Applejack beckoned. The Decepticon turned, facing the farmer. “Ah’m watchin’ you,” she told him.
“I know,” Starscream responded before leaving the barn.