Outside the Ark, the hills outside Ponyville a few days later...
Cheerliee gaped at the sight in front of her. The Autobot ship known as the Ark had crash landed outside Ponyville and collided into a hillside burying itself in it. To herself, the schoolteacher privately wondered how all sorts of strangeness seemed to happen here in Ponyville with this being the latest bout of weirdness to hit the small town since the multiple Pinkie Pies a few weeks ago. Cheerilee's ears were still ringing from that. As she gazed at the crashed ship. Cheerilee took a deep breath.
"Well, I suppose I'd better suck it up and go on in." She murmured as she took a few careful steps forwards.
Now, you might be wondering why Ponyville's favorite schoolteacher has left the comforts of her classroom and graded papers and come all the way out here. Well, you see Cheerilee was one of the first to hear the news about the fillies being taken in, straight from their own mouths even.
At first, she didn't believe it but had no choice to accept the truth when earlier that day she'd seen the three fillies hang gliding alongside the Minibot known as Powerglide, she believed his name was. Understandably, the schoolteacher was very concerned. Cheerilee was just entering the Ark when suddenly she felt a weapon pointed at her head.
"Halt, state your business or I will be forced to fire!" A male voice said, and Cheerilee looked upwards to see a white and red robot with two door panels on his arms that read "Fire Chief".
This was the Autobot security officer known as Red Alert. Let me tell you a bit about him. He was very paranoid and cautious which wasn't bad for somebot in his position but let me tell you Red Alert took it to great extremes with the only bot more paranoid then him being the Stunticon known as Breakdown. Yeah, it was that bad as Cheerilee was finding out right now.
"I... I just wanted to see your boss... Optimus I think his name was." Cheerilee stammered, remembering a conversation she'd overheard not too long ago.
"Yeah right, you're a Decepticon spy! Guests always turn out to be spies! They do!" Red Alert snapped and looked to his left and to his right as if to make sure they weren't being watched by Laserbeak or any of Soundwave's deployers. It had happened before.
Just as Cheerilee was about to argue back, another voice this time Prowl's joined in as he walked up.
"Alright, what's going on here...?" Prowl grumbled before he groaned on seeing Red Alert. He muttered "Oh, I should have known..." as he facepalmed and shook his head.
"Let her pass Red." Prowl sighed.
"But-"
"I highly doubt a cute little pony would be a spy, unless of course the cons have mastered the art of hiding in organic shells." Prowl stated, his voice practically dripping with sarcasm.
"And how do you know they haven't?" Red Alert asked nervously. Prowl sighed again.
"I'll keep a eye on her, will that make you happy?" He asked, and Red Alert nodded before walking off. Prowl looked at Cheerilee apologetically.
"Sorry about him, he's always been like this ever since a unfortunate incident in Nebulon with Starscream. Look on the bright side though, you don't have to put up with him every single day of the week." Prowl muttered to himself.
Optimus Prime's Office:
Prowl led Cheerliee to the office of Optimus Prime where he sat at his desk as Hot Rod and Pyro leaned up against the wall nearby as they went over some final details on their reports on Decepticon activity. At the sight of the Autobot Supreme Commander Cheerliee gaped at the sheer sight of him. He was big, with two truck windows on his red chest and truck wheels on his dark blue legs. A faceplate covered Prime's mouth as always.
"I... I... Oh, hello." Cheerilee said meekly, this sentence being the only one she could form as she was far too intimidated by Optimus.
The Autobot looked downwards at her, and for some reason Cheerliee felt strangely calm, almost protected even. She knew in no way would this robot hurt her, at least on purpose.
"Ah, you're from Ponyville aren't you?" Optimus asked in his deep yet warm voice and Cheerilee nodded. "Why have you come?"
It was at this time Pyro spoke up, in a clean and crisp Trottingham accent reminding Cheerliee of that strange scarf wearing stallion who worked as the town's timekeeper.
"Wait wait, I know who you are." Pyro said cheerfully. "You're that schoolteacher for those three fillies aren't you?"
"Y-yes, I am. I... Well, I have some concerns." Cheerilee said, ready to get to the main point of the matter.
Prowl and Optimus shared a distinct look between them, figuring out what this was about in a instant.
"This is about Grimlock and the Dinobots isn't it?" Optimus mused as he extended out a hand with Cheerilee climbing into it and being lifted up on to Optimus's desk.
"Yes, of course it is." Cheerilee began. "You've seen them. While I don't doubt that Grimlock and his group cares for them, they're... how can I put this...?" Cheerilee wondered as she searched for the proper word before it came to her.
"...Enthusiastic to put it politely. I'm just worried they may accidently hurt the Crusaders." Cheerilee finished only to be met with laughter from Hot Rod.
"They'll be fine. While Grimlock and his bunch may be big, stupid and some what destructi-Ow!" Hot Rod exclaimed as Pyro hit him on the arm and muttered "Tact mate, use it. There's a reason it exists."
Optimus sighed to himself. His crew could give him such a headache at times though he'd never admit it aloud.
"Relax, despite how Hot Rod... Ah, puts it Grimlock and the Dinobots do have the best interests of the Fillies at spark. I truly believe this, and I do not think they will falter." Optimus reassured.
Then, as if to contradict his statement there were several loud explosions and some angry shouting from Wheeljack's science lab that was just down the hall. Next thing anyone knew Slug came running by with Wheeljack chasing him. Oddly enough, Slug was covered with what looked like burnt hay. It was only later that everyone found out that Slug had been trying to cook food for the Crusaders but of course as you could guess failed utterly.
"Hey, you blew up my lab! I'm the only one who's supposed to do that!" Wheeljack shouted in anger while holding the Immobilizer in his hands. Prowl glanced at Pyro, who shook his head nervously.
"I'm not getting between those two, no sir!" Pyro exclaimed. Dealing with cons was one thing, but getting anywhere near Wheeljack and his inventions was another matter entirely. Prowl sighed.
"I'll go and get Trailbreaker. He should be able to clean this up..." He muttered.
Needless to say, none of this exactly reassured Cheerilee.
One hour later, CMC Clubhouse: Sweet Apple Acres
At the Clubhouse hidden away amongst the apple trees in the orchard that the Apple Family had owned for years and tended for ever since Ponyville was founded all those years ago the CMC, now joined by Babs who'd already been in Ponyville and spending time with her cousin for the past few days were already going over the plans for the next crusade.
"So, anypony want to offer suggestions?" Sweetie Belle asked to her three friends. "Seriously, I'm open here."
Outside the window, Grimlock watched with a bored expression. He wasn't quite sure why yet, but for some reason he felt the distinct need to keep a eye on the foursome.
"Well, 'dere is dis one idea I've been thinking about..." Babs mused as she place her hoof to her chin in thought. "And I think 'dis is a great one. Really swell actually."
Scootaloo looked at her in interest.
"Really, what is it?" She asked, her wings twitching in anticipation. "I just hope it's awesome."
Babs smiled, as if to say not to worry and that it was.
"Well, if you don't mind me asking..." Babs began, looking incredibly excited. Really, Apple Bloom was half-expecting her cousin to start hopping in place if she didn't mind some of her dignity flying out the window.
"No really cuz, ask away. Ah'm more curious then a bunch of cats right now." Apple Bloom replied in her distinct southern drawl.
'Dis involves your awesome new father figure." Babs replied.
It was then Grimlock spoke up for the very first time.
"Me not just awesome, me king!" He exclaimed proudly. "No one more bada-Sorry, me misspoke and almost cursed in front of you." Grimlock quickly corrected himself, and if robot Tyrannosaurs could blush all four CMC members imagined he would be doing just that.
"No, don't worry. Ah've heard worse from 'mah Granny when she's been drinking some of her... Well, Ah don't rightly know what she is drinking but she calls it her "Happy Juice".
Apple Bloom was correct, it was a well known fact that the eldest Apple could be quite swear happy when "drunker then a skunk", as Applejack put it.
"Me say no one more awesome then Dinobot leader!" Grimlock said proudly, censoring himself this time. There was a arkward silence for a few minutes after that until Sweetie Belle broke it.
"So, what were you saying Babs?" She asked, and Babs smirked.
A few moments later, all of Ponyville was gaping and looking out their windows, or if they were on the street they were ducking for cover (Or in the case of three certain flower ponies fainting away) as Grimlock in Dino form charged right by with the CMC and Babs on his back whooping and hollering in glee and great excitement.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DINO RIDERS, YAY!"