Princess Celestia felt something rocking her, rudely stirring her from her slumber. “Five more minutes,” she desperately pleaded.
“Sister, it is time,” Luna told her.
Her eyes fluttered open, revealing her sister standing over her. “Well, I can say I’ve woken up to less pleasant faces before,” the older sister said as she righted herself.
The older sister cracked her joints, stretching her wings and neck skyward.
“Are the others ready?” she asked.
“Yes, all we need are Optimus and you,” Luna old her sister alicorn.
Celestia’s horn burned with golden magic as she raised the sun. “Then let’s not keep them waiting,” she said.
---------------
Applejack and Rainbow Dash laid back in Starscream’s seats, snoring away. Suddenly, they were rudely awakened when the ex-Decepticon changed forms, throwing the two from their seats. He caught them in his hands, perching on the mountainside.
“Consarn it!” Applejack hollered. Rainbow Dash remained silent, somehow still fast asleep.
“Shhh. Keep your voices down,” Starscream commanded. Suddenly, a loud bellowing noise reverberated in both equine’s ears, so much so they managed to wake Rainbow Dash.
Starscream leaned back as close to the mountain as he could, going so far as to press his companions into the rock less than gently. Once the warship passed without an armada of Vehicons coming to murder the three, Starscream knew they were safe. He lowered his hand, decompressing his two friends.
“Alright Starscream, now that we’re here, what ar we gonna do?” Applejack questioned.
“We wait,” he told her.
---------------
Arcee and Bulkhead stood beside each other, the larger of the two with the Jackhammer’s cannons mounted on his back. The rest of the Autobots stood nearby with the changelings.
After the doctor finished distributing his creations, Celestia, Luna, and Optimus emerged from the forest. Shortly after they arrived, Starlight Glimmer and Twilight showed up, along with Twilight.
The two Twilights trotted up to their fellow alicorns, both of them beaming with pride. “My my Twilight, this is quite impressive,” Luna told them.
“Oh my, isn’t it? You can’t even tell the difference, can you?” one Twilight asked in Rarity’s voice.
“Yes, with the exception of your voice,” Celestia pointed out, bringing out a blush in Rarity’s face. She backed up, her wings flaring awkwardly.
“Woah, how’d you make those wings?” Smokescreen questioned.
“Oh, it’s really quite simple. I just got the mail mare to let me copy her wing and create a magical construct. Then, once I made it, I let Rarity’s magic sustain them. Since her magic is sustaining them, they move like real wings,” the youngest alicorn explained.
"And who might this be?" Luna asked, motioning to Starlight, who blushed as the princess pointed at her.
"This is Starlight Glimmer, my new student," Twilight answered.
"A new student?" Celestia asked excitedly. "How wonderful! Tell me, where did you find her?"
The real Twilight and Starlight exchanged an awkward glance. "Well...thecutiemapleadmetoatownfullofponiesshetrickedintogivinguptheircutiemarksbutshestillhadhercutiemarksowekickedheroutaftershestoleourcutiemarkssoshewentbackintimetogetrevengebutthenIfoundoutwhyshewassoangryatcutiemarksandwemadeupandshebecamemystudent," Twilight explained, causing Celestia's eyes to go wide.
"Oh dear," she said.
Once Twilight had finished, Optimus stepped forward. “Everyone, listen closely,” he said, instantly snapping both ponies and Autobots to attention. “Twilight and her friend will escort Bulkhead and Arcee through the tunnels under Canterlot. Meanwhile, Celestia and Luna will deliver us to Megatron, and the changelings will take positions around the Decepticons and outflank them. I will stall him while Bulkhead take a position and fire on the Nemesis’ engines. Once the Nemesis is disabled, we will begin our assault.”
The Autobots all give him a nod, putting on brave faces, despite each of them secretly being terrified; they weren't the only ones feeling fear. Even the hardened Bombshell trembled. Optimus turned back toward the sisters, finding a somber expression plaguing both their faces. He gave them a reassuring smile, partially quelling their fears, before turning his gaze to Canterlot.
“Autobots, transform and roll out,” he commanded, changing into his truck form. Each of the ponies accompanying the Autobots loaded up; Celestia and Luna hopped onto his bed, Twilight settled on Arcee’s seat, Starlight laid on Bulkhead’s roof, latching her fore-hooves onto the top part of his windows, and Rarity squeezed into Bumblebee’s cab. Then, the Autobots drove towards Canterlot.
---------------
The Autobots marched into the city of Canterlot, surrounded by a magical force field, generated by their three alicorn captors. Luna and Celestia each maintained illusions of the absent Autobots. As they marched through the city, they noticed it was mostly empty, with the exception of the Decepticons. Vehicons vultures lined the streets, watching the group closely. The Nemesis hovered above them, with Megatron perched on its bow.
The Decepticon leapt from his craft, changing forms midair, before soaring downward and landing in front of the fellowship.
“Hello again, Optimus,”
---------------
Twilight lead Bulkhead and Arcee through the dark caves, her magic lighting their way. Starlight nervously followed at the group’s end, making sure the weapons attached to Bulkhead’s back did not fall off.
“Are we close yet Twilight?” Bulkhead asked.
“We are approximately seven meters, twenty four centimeters, and six point five millimeters away,” she answered.
The confused Autobot turned his head towards Arcee, looking at her desperately. “Yes, we’re close,” she told him. “I think.”
After about a dozen paces, Twilight spoke again. “Alright, we...are...here!” she said.
With that, Starlight trotted to the front of the group, taking her place next to Twilight. As their horns ignited, their magic enveloped the two Autobots. A few moments later, and they were teleported above ground, behind a medium sized building.
Bulkhead opened his mouth to speak, but Arcee hastily put her hand over his mouth.
“-so then I say: ‘What are you gonna do about it, ya filthy wheeler?’” one of the Vehicons standing guard on the roof above them.
---------------
“Thank you for your cooperation, princesses. I assure you no harm will come to your people now. You may lower your shield now, it is no longer necessary,” Megatron told them, before turning his attention to Prime. “Tell me, Optimus, how does it feel-” he paused, giving himself an opportunity to punch Prime in the abdomen. “-to be betrayed by those you fought so hard to protect?”
Optimus said nothing, merely bending over and clutching his stomach. Megatron could only laugh, backhanding his brother as he chuckled. “What was that? I couldn’t hear you,” he said. He kept hitting Optimus, striking his head again and again, soon drawing energon from his mouth. The blue liquid collided with the street, staining it blue. The others could only look on helplessly as Optimus endured his brother’s abuse.
---------------
Kickback struggled to hold Bombshell back. The general thrashed against the scoutsmaster, venom dripping from her fangs. "Not yet Bombshell, wait," Kickback told her.
---------------
“Yeah, he thought they were so tough when he knocked me out. He said 'that’ll teach you to badmouth us wheelers!' But a week later, Lord Megatron threw us off the Nemesis after some Autobot,” the Vehicon told his companion.
Arcee crouched behind the two, praying to Primus they would move. “Bet he was sorry to be a wheeler then,” the second trooper added. The Autobot groaned internally.
Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the building. The blast left the Autobots and their companions unharmed. With the guards gone, the two bots sprang into action. Bulkhead stood atop the building, allowing Arcee to latch onto his back. She carefully took aim, losing two energon bolts at the Nemesis’ engines.
---------------
Megatron’s hand rose into the air, ready to strike Prime once again. Suddenly, something froze his hand in place. He abruptly turned his head, both enraged that someone dared to grab him, and pleased that he would get a proper fight.
He quickly discovered Celestia was restraining him. Without hesitation, he backhanded her, sending the princess flying backwards. She collided with a building, creating an alicorn shaped hole as she smashed through it’s front. Before Megatron could revel in his small victory, he felt a fist slam into his jaw. He fell backwards, cracking the street as he landed.
The warlord quickly righted himself, only to duck again as Optimus’ blade passed over his head, sending out a wave of sparks as it scraped his helmet. He shuffled backward in an effort to put some distance between himself and the enraged Autobot, but Prime would not allow it, lunging forward as he took another swing. Only through the covering fire of his Vehicons was Megatron allowed to escape his brother’s wrath.
“Decepticons, attack!” he ordered, before changing forms and returning to the Nemesis.
Despite seeming to be out of passion, Prime’s attack served a tactical purpose. While he was attacking Megatron, the Vehicons watching him were too distracted to notice others scurrying to cover. As Optimus ran to Celestia, battle mask on his face, a hail of energon bolts crisscrossed over his head, with a few bolts of magic intermixed. As the bolts flew forward, the changelings attacked the Decepticon's rear, using their magic shields to impact the Cybertronians in a single charge. He found the princess laying in the rubble of the building, dazed and dusty, but seemingly unharmed. In the interest of not getting shot, he grabbed her roughly, quickly pulling her into an alleyway.
“Are you alright?” he inquired as he propped her up against one side of the alley.
“I’ve been in worse positions,” she told him, only now recovering from her daze.
The two stayed there, pinned next to the building, the gunfire to thick for them to move. The wait was agonizing; the two were helpless, at the mercy of their friends to free them.
“Celestia,” Prime said suddenly. “this may seem like an inopportune time, but I have something important to ask you.”
She looked up at him, confused, but understanding. “What is it?” she asked cautiously.
“If you refuse my request, I will understand, but…” Optimus paused, turning his head towards the princess and looking her in the eyes. “If I defeat Megatron, but cannot bring myself to kill him, I need you...to finish him.”
Celestia couldn’t help but stare at Optimus. His request left her absolutely dumbfounded. “...I’ll do it,” she finally told him.
Optimus looked away from her, ashamed. “I’m sorry.”
Celestia smiled, placing her hoof atop one of his hands. “Don’t be,” she told him. He looked back at her, his eyes softening as he smiled under his face-mask.