"M-Megatron!?" Starscream stammered, crawling backwards. "How is this possible?"
Megatron rolled his optics. "Starscream, this is Limbo. The place between life and death. The bridge between two worlds, if you will."
Starscream pursed his lips. "That doesn't explain how you're here . . . talking to me."
"Think, Starscream!" Megatron scolded. "The Dark Energon! Dark Energon, which reanimates the dead and corrupts the living!"
Things started to clear up for Starscream. "Ah, so with the Dark Energon I put in myself, and the Dark Energon that you put in yourself . . . using the power of symbiosis, you have found a way to contact me . . . from beyond the grave." Starscream looked at Megatron fearfully.
"Yes." Megatron smiled. "I'm glad to see you understand."
"Surely . . ." Starscream added. "Surely you wouldn't have contacted me without a reason, master."
"I would not." Megatron said. "I have a plan, Starscream. To bring myself back to life. " Megatron marched forward. "Now, for this plan to work, I will need your help. You, who have tried and tried again to backstab me, kill me, and take my rightful place as leader of the Decepticons. So the question is, Starscream . . . can I trust you?"
Starscream grinned nervously. "Uh . . . can you?"
"I don't think I can." Megatron said. "In fact, it would be far more practical for me to simply use the Dark Energon connection to take your body . . . but I won't."
"Er, why not?"
"Because my plan is to use Twilight Sparkle's body." Megatron explained. "Because she has something I want." Megatron held his hand out. A ball of purple fire formed in it. "The Essence of Unicron."
"Ah, yes!" Starscream exclaimed, pretending like he knew. "I mean, after all, who doesn't want an Essence of Unicron for their very own?"
"Hmmm." Megatron eyed him, aware he had no idea what the Essence was. "But for me to get the Essence, I must make my return through Twilight Sparkle's body, and I need your help – an avatar to manipulate the physical world, beyond my capabilities as a ghost – to make sure everything goes according to plan. So I ask you again, Starscream; can I trust you?"
Starscream blinked. He looked upwards, thinking how sweet it would be to get revenge on Twilight for torturing him under the mines all this time.
"As long as Twilight Sparkle's suffering is guaranteed, Lord Megatron, you can rest assured you have my utmost cooperation." Starscream got to his knees and kneeled graciously. "Now, what must we do?"
"There is a Decepticon upstart who fancies himself as qualified to take leadership from Shockwave in the land of the living." Megatron explained. "His name is Deathsaurus. He's going to come for you, today. He thinks if he rescues you, he can use you to boost his standing."
"And?" Starscream asked.
"And you are going to wait for him." Megatron instructed. He grit his teeth as the cemetery suddenly began to crumble and faded away into the dust of Oblivion, leaving behind nothing but an empty white void. Starscream, not wanting to be left alone, reached for Megatron as he faded as well. "I will return to you then."
Meanwhile in the Autobot base, Jack was going through some exercises with Twilight to reinforce her new enlightened stance on humans. She wanted to say she didn't hate them anymore, but old prejudices don't just die in the face of logic.
"Repeat after me." Jack instructed, one hand over his chest with the other raised in the air. "Humans are not my enemy.""
"Humans are not my enemy."
""Humans can be my friends.""
"Humans can be my friends."
""Not all humans deserve my hate.""
"Not all humans deserve my hate."
""Only the really, really nasty ones.""
"Only the really, really nasty ones."
"Okay." Jack said, spreading his arms. "Now hug." Twilight leaned forward and gave him a hug, as instructed.
Unfortunately, it was that moment that Miko walked in on them. "Now kiss!"
"What!? No, Miko, we're in the middle of -"
Jack was interrupted as Twilight, not realizing Miko was messin' with them, gave Jack a big wet one.
Twilight let Jack go and pulled away. "Um, all right, Miko. I did it, but I don't see how that helps me with letting go of my grudges against humankind."
"It doesn't." Jack growled between trying to spit and cough out Twilight's pony saliva.
"Oh. Hmm." Twilight glared disapprovingly at Miko. Miko smiled and shrugged.
"Let's . . ." Jack wiped off his mouth with his arm. "Let's can the exercises for now, Twilight. Go back to reading books."
"Yes! The books! What next?" Twilight eagerly began sifting through the books Jack gave her. She picked one, rolled on the floor, then used her magic to force Jack into snuggling with her while they read the book together.
"How cute." Miko quipped dismissively. "Is Jackie-Wackie all snuggly-wuggly with Sparkly-Warkly?"
"Yes, yes he is." Twilight snarled at her. "And there is nothing wrong with being cute."
"Miko, the idea is to get her to stop hating humans. Your teasing is going to do the opposite of that."
"Whatev." Miko looked around. "Hey, has anyone seen Optimus?"
On Equestria, just outside Canterlot, Celestia trotted to the edge of a cliff. She took in a deep breath, admiring the grassy plains below her perch. The rays of the sun – the sun she rose every morning – bathed the grass in light. She had a greater appreciation for her sun now that she knew of other planets. Not to mean any disrespect to those planets whose celestial bodies rotated themselves! But on Equestria, the orbit, the weather, the cycle of season was all regulated by the magic of the ponies. Only the Everfree Forest had plants and weather that controlled themselves, and the knowledge that Earth and Cybertron had ecosystems more similar to the Everfree than the rest of Equestria . . . well, she would never admit it, but that freaked her out just a bit.
Celestia spread her wings and took off, diving straight for the grass before pulling up at the last minute. She loved the calm atmosphere of nature all around her. Her mind was heavy with toils.
The Pink Moon Celebration was coming up. Once a day during the equinox, the moon was to be turned pink. Ponies would wear pink clothes, drink pink lemonade, plant pink cherry blossom trees . . .
The Pink Moon Celebration . . . Celestia had dreaded it for a millenia, as yet another reminder she lost Luna to the corruption that made her Nightmare Moon. But now with Luna back, she had reason to look forward to it again.
Celestia smiled, taking in the crisp mountain air. Living as long as she had, she developed something of a sense as to what kind of day it was going to be.
And today was not going to be a good day. So she was going to in her relaxation while she could.
She swooped back and forth the air, diving left and right, zooming all over the place. Then she stopped, noticing a little blip of red below her.
Was that . . . Optimus?
Swooping down, Celestia was surprised to find it was in fact Optimus. There was paper in his hands, which were stained with paint, and arts and crafts supplied were splayed around his legs.
"Optimus! What are you doing here, so early in the morning?"
Optimus seemed alarmed she noticed him. "I was told here was a good place to be alone . . . to contemplate."
Celestia craned her neck, curious as to the nature of Optimus' paper. "What do you have there, Optimus?"
Optimus rather shyly clutched the paper. "A mere . . . sketchbook."
"A sketchbook? I didn't take you for an artist, Optimus."
"I only recently got into the habit." Optimus answered quickly.
"What have made so far?" Celestia flew up and tried to peek at it, but Optimus moved it. She followed it, but Optimus moved it again . . . and again.
"Optimus." Celestia said sternly. "If you didn't want me to see it, you shouldn't have brought it to Equestria. Now let me see!" Celestia used her magic to yank the book away from him.
Celestia gasped. On the page was an absolutely gorgeous rendition of her flying and spreading her wings against the backdrop of the sun, done up in the style of a Japanese oil painting. Even though she just took the book from him, Celestia was in disbelief. "Op-Optimus! Did you do this?"
Optimus looked at his paint-stained fingers and the paintbrushes next to him. "The . . . evidence certainly seems to indicate that."
"Why are you hiding it?" Celestia asked. "I'm sure Twilight Sparkle and Jack and all the others would love to see your drawings!"
"I . . ." Optimus stuttered. "This is . . . for lack of a better term, my private time. If word got out, collectors and socialites would clamoring for it, to boast of their possession of a painting by "Optimus Prime." . . ."
Celestia frowned. Optimus had a point. "I'm sure you can trust Ratchet and Twilight to keep your secret."
"You are most likely correct . . ." Optimus muttered.
Celestia scuffed her hoof, the way horses do when nervous. "Well . . . since I already know, can I see the next piece you work on?"
Optimus seemed uncertain, then ever so slightly lifted his lips up. "I would like that, Your Majesty."
There was a ping from Optimus. Optimus opened a panel on his arm.
"What?"
Optimus sighed. "Galloway is at Omega One."
Celestia chewed her lip. "Yes, him . . . he's certainly shaping to be a . . . special human, isn't he?"
"Indeed." Optimus agreed. He got up. "It would be best if I returned to see what he wants."
"Do you want to take your book back?" Celestia offered. "Or would you rather I keep it for you?"
"If there was anyone I would trust with you, you would be one, along with Jack, Ratchet, Twilight Sparkle . . . and you. I will return it for when my conversation with Galloway is over."
Celestia giggled. "Oh, Optimus, you're making me blush! Well, goodbye for now. Hope you and Galloway work things out." Celestia flew up and away.
"As do I." Optimus muttered.
At the Outpost, Optimus emerged through the Bridge, seeing Galloway lurched over a railing from the upper path. Team Prime, Jack, and the other ponies were glaring at him like they were ready to start throwing knives at him.
"Hello, Director." Optimus greeted, seeing that his team's patience for Galloway had run out and hoping to avoid an incident. "How may I be of assistance?"
"Your team, Optimus," Galloway spat, "is resistant to the idea of lending the United States a hand in dealing with international affairs."
"That does not seem unreasonable, given our concern is intergalactic affairs."
"Perhaps, but what's the sense in harboring you on our soil . . . if you're not going to contribute?" Galloway asked.
"What . . . is the task that my team is "resistant" to?" Optimus asked.
"Anti-terrorist measures." Galloway answered. "We have reliable sources informing us that various enemies of ours have or will have access to certain technology. Technology we don't want them to have. Sending your team after some of these groups would send a powerful message, and probably scare the others into backing off."
"Hmph." Optimus pouted, then walked towards Galloway. "While I appreciate the desire to use scare tactics and show of force, something which I cannot stress enough, Galloway, is that . . ."
Optimus leaned in, meeting Galloway at eye-level. "We are not your war machines."
"Hmph," Galloway responded in kind. "All right. Have your medic open a Bridge for me out of here, and I'll be out of your hair."
"Gladly." Ratchet growled, punching coordinates and pulling the lever. A Bridge opened on the railing, and Galloway walked towards it, stopping just short of it.
"But before I go, consider this . . . we have some rumors that these groups are meeting with Decepticons and are getting access to Cybertronian tech. You know, just something to think about, Optimus." Galloway added sharply before leaving. The Bridge disappeared.
Optimus paused. "Ratchet?"
"Yes?"
"Did you set the Bridge coordinates to a human settlement?" Optimus asked worriedly.
Ratchet gave a smile that would done the Cheshire Cat proud. "No."
Optimus sighed, tapping a finger to his head crest. "This kind of behavior does nothing to improve our standing in his eyes."
Ratchet scoffed. "So? There are plenty of other human diplomats to kiss up to."
"That is besides the point," Optimus scolded. "We must earn the respect of all humans if we are to continue living here."
"Given how unpleasant Galloway is, I'd say there's no reason for us not to move back to Cybertron!"
"Whoa, whoa!" Jack shouted, running to the Autobots' feet. "Moving back to Cybertron just because one human is a little unpleasant to deal with is a bit of an overreaction, don't you think?"
"Yeah!" Miko added. "If you go back to Cybertron, how are I'm gonna go off-roading with Bulkhead? "
"I . . ." Ratchet put his hand on his head. "You're right, Jack. I just lost my temper and spoke without thinking."
"I am returning to Equestria," Optimus said.
"So soon? Already?" Ratchet questioned.
"I told the Princess I would return when Galloway was taken care of," Optimus said causally, resetting the Bridge controls.
Celestia was trotting around at the same place Optimus had left her, only now she was in the company of an equine mannequin. On the mannequin was a light pink dress with yellow trim and a long frill train, with the addition of a bejeweled clasp on the neck and golden horseshoes.
Optimus stepped out of an opened Bridge. Optimus was surprised by the mannequin.
"Ah! Optimus! So glad you're back." Celestia said quickly, levitating his book back to his hands. "There's something I want to discuss with you."
Optimus pocketed his book and refocused his gaze on the mannequin. "Something which explains the presence of this polymerized statue, I hope?"
"Yes." Celestia gestured to it. "This is the dress I intend for Twilight to wear on her upcoming coronation!"
"Ah, her coronation! . . . what coronation?"
"The coronation to make her a Princess." Celestia said proudly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She has done so much for Equestria, and for me personally, that she deserves recognition and reward."
Optimus tapped his fingers. "And your method of doing this is to . . . make her a Princess?"
"Yes!" Celestia cheered. "She's passed so many tests, it's time she graduated."
"What will her becoming a Princess entail, exactly?"
"Well, let's see . . ." Celestia was clearly over-excited about this. "She'll grow a pair of wings . . . take her place by mine, Luna's, and Cadence's side on the courts of Equestria. She'll have a voice in the formation of new Equestrian laws and, oh yes, her magical power will increase noticeably! Not to, ahem, mine or Luna's level, of course, since she's still young, but if there any spells she's been having trouble mastering, this will give her the boost she needs!"
"It . . . it sounds like a wondrous reward for a wondrous pony." Optimus said.
"Oh yes!" Celestia reared up, clapping her hooves together. "It'll be just like the day you became a Prime, Optimus!"
Celestia's eyes widened, as she felt the cheery atmosphere for such a positive development drain away instantly. Optimus glared at her with all the contempt and scorn expected of a Decepticon.
"You mean you intend to make her into a leader where there is no other choice, in a situation where only she is even remotely willing to take up the momentous burden of leadership in a dying world?" Optimus snarled, disgusted.
Celestia went slack-jawed. " . . . Okay, perhaps that wasn't the best -"
"I have nothing more to say to you." Optimus reopened the Bridge behind him, turned, and left.
"Oh dear . . ." Celestia muttered. It was obvious she may have just started something that could have been avoided.
Optimus returned to the base, sullen and gloomy. He didn't even notice that Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry were now in the base, shooting the breeze with the other ponies
"Back so soon?" Ratchet questioned.
"The Princess has shared with me some distressing news." Optimus answered. That got the attention of everyone in the room.
"What? What is it?"
"Princess Celestia has informed me that she intends to crown Twilight Sparkle a Princess." Optimus explained. He walked on, ignoring the animated buzz of chatter that emerged from his statement.
"Twilight a princess?" Applejack yelled. "Well, throw me in the oven and call me caramel apple!"
"I can hardly believe it either!" Sunset added, her eye twitching.
"Can you really believe it, Twilight?" Rarity said, rubbing up against Twilight. "You're going to be a real, true princess!"
"Oh, I don't know . . ." Twilight muttered. "Being a princess is an awful lot of responsibility and work . . . I'd have to go to meetings, make appointments, make appearances in front of crowds . . ."
"Don't you do that as Celestia's student and a de facto ambassador to Earth anyways?" Arcee pointed out.
Twilight paused. "I do!" She promptly forgot her worries and let the excitement get to her. She hugged Applejack. "I'M GOING TO BE A PRINCESS! AIEEEEE!"
"We're happy for you, Twilight." Fluttershy said. "We really are."
"Yeah! . . . Wait." Twilight took a look around her rooms, looking at her friends. "Shouldn't you be Princesses too? I mean, we've all been the representative of the Elements of Harmony for the same amount of time, right?"
"True, but yer the only who's been Celestia's student since before then." Applejack smiled. "Since y'all were a filly, right?"
Ratchet looked away from the excited crowd, noticing Optimus' disappearance. Deciding that he wouldn't be noticed from all the lively discussion of what would happen when Twilight became a Princess, Ratchet attempted to slip away, only to be interrupted by a message.
"Hmm." Ratchet went to the Bridge controls and pulled the lever, letting Celestia in.
All eyes turned to the Princess. "Princess Celestia!" Everyone exclaimed. They excitedly ran towards her and crowded her, dogging her with all kinds of questions.
"I know Optimus wouldn't lie, but is it true?" Rarity asked. "Are you really going to make Twilight a Princess?"
"What did I do to deserve this honor?" Twilight asked.
"Is this gonna change anything about our friendship?" Applejack asked worriedly, thinking more practically.
"Yes, it's true." Celestia answered. "Twilight is going to be a Princess. I will be happy to answer more questions after I talk to Optimus Prime. It's important that I see him right away."
"I don't think that's a good idea at the moment." Ratchet said. "But, I'll take you to him anyway."
Ratchet instructed the crowd – except for Twilight – to stay while he took Celestia to Optimus' office.
"Optimus? Visitor for you."
Celestia, closely followed by Twilight, trotted towards the enormous Autobot-size desk in the room. Optimus was penning down electronic paperwork, putting on stamps and reviewing faxes.
"O-Optimus?" Celestia said with a lump in her throat.
"Your Majesty." Optimus said briskly. "What is the purpose of your visit?"
"I-I was hoping to talk things out with you." Twilight became worried. Celestia was nervous, tiptoeing around in the conversation. "You stormed off rather quickly after I said I was going to make Twilight Sparkle a princess."
Optimus narrowed his optics at her. "And?"
"And, well . . . I think you were too quick to judge." Celestia flew up onto Optimus' desk.
"I am a leader. Slowness of judgment can have consequences for many. And I do not recall inviting you to my desk."
Twilight Sparkle teleported herself onto the desk, next to Celestia. "Optimus, please, hear her out."
Optimus looked completely disinterested in the prospect, but he resigned that he wasn't going to get out of it. He gestured for Celestia to speak.
"What is wrong with Twilight Sparkle becoming a Princess, Optimus? She deserves a promotion for her years of good, loyal service to me and dedicated studying. Perhaps too much." Celestia jokingly added with an aside smirk to Twilight. "Why would her being a Princess be so bad?"
Optimus glared. "Because it places the burden of leadership on her shoulders. Because she is a young and mirthful mare that does not need the stress of deciding for others upon her shoulders. Because she does not deserve to be punished that way!"
Celestia gasped, then got angry. "Punished? I'll have you know, Optimus Prime, that becoming a Princess is an enormous honor in Equestria!"
Optimus stood up. "An honor that drains the life and Spark out of the recipient is not an honor at all!"
""Drain the life and spark . . ." Optimus, are you even talking about the same thing?"
"YES!" Optimus screamed, slamming his hands on the desk. Smoke bursts out of the pipe on his back. "You are deliberately and voluntarily choosing to place this heavy burden on a young filly's shoulders!"
"There you go again, with the "heavy" and "burden"!" Celestia screamed back, taking to the air.
"Yes! That is exactly what it is! You are dumping YOUR responsibility onto your charge!"
"I am doing no such thing!" Celestia screamed back, her horn starting to charge with magic. "Well, at least I didn't spend FOUR MILLION YEARS dragging my hooves on war just to have somepony else waltz in and solve my problem for me!"
"Twilight Sparkle does not deserve to be a Prime!"
"Whoa whoa! Hold the phone here." Twilight Sparkle grabbed Celestia's tail with her magic and dragged her back down to earth. "Optimus, say that last part again?"
"You . . . Twilight Sparkle . . . do not deserve the punishment that is being a Prime!" Optimus rasped.
"What? I never said I was -"
"Princess, quiet, please." Twilight interrupted her. "I think we've found the root of the problem!"
Celestia smiled kindly. "And that, Twilight Sparkle, that mediator reasoning, is but a part of why you will be a Princess."
Optimus' anger started to fade and be replaced a crushing sorrow. "The day I became a Prime . . . was the worst day of my life. I lost so many things that day. So many rights and privileges that people take for granted were stripped from me. I was no longer allowed to laugh, or cry, or openly show anger. I was barely allowed to be a person and not a pedestal for others to look on." Optimus collapsed into the desk, placing his arms over his head. He looked up at Twilight. "You don't deserve to have that ordeal happen to you."
"Shh, shh . . . there, there." Twilight patted Optimus' hand. "Princess? Did you say anything that might've caused this?"
"No – well, I did say that it would be "just like the day you became a Prime, Optimus" but I don't see how that would -"
"You said that?" Twilight exclaimed, dashing over to the Princess' position. "Oh, Princess, that is quite possibly the worst thing you could have said! You know what was happening on the day he became a Prime? The previous Prime was dead and the world was ending while civil war was happening!"
"Oh." Celestia said. "So when I said it would be like the day he became a Prime . . ."
"He heard that you were going to kill yourself, Luna, Cadence, plunge Equestria into civil war and make it inhabitable." Twilight explained. "Uh, you're not, are you?"
"No!"
"Okay! Okay, see?" Twilight patted Celestia's hoof. "There. See, Optimus? Becoming a Princess is totally different from becoming a Prime. Celestia just made a bad choice of words, that's all!"
Celestia smiled nervously. She offered her hoof to Optimus. "What do you say, Optimus? Can we let bygones be bygones?"
Optimus glared at her. "While I appreciate that Twilight Sparkle realized that it was merely "a bad of choice of words" . . . I must consider what The Princess just said a minute ago. Something about letting "somepony waltz in and fix my problems for me"?"
"Ooooh . . ." Celestia and Twilight groaned. The subject of any criticism about Optimus' leadership during the war – directly or implied – was a bit of a button for Optimus.
"You can leave my office now, Your Majesty." Optimus said, resuming his paperwork.
"Yes, I . . . I see." Celestia turned. "Come along, Twilight. We need to discuss your coronation party." Celestia spared Optimus one last sad glance before leaving the room.
"It's not fair!" Sunset Shimmer complained, having returned to her house in the alternate universe with Flash. She was stomping around while Flash lay on the couch. "I deserve to be a Princess just as much as she does! Why does she get to have a crown and not me?"
"Well . . ." Flash raised his hand. "You did just turn up now after eighteen years."
"Yeah! But is that not enough? I mean, she was crying when she saw me!" Sunset complained.
"Well, yeah." Flash said. "But Twilight's been with her all through those years. You disappeared and didn't say anything. You didn't even send her a postcard or something. Year after year, she wondered where you went while Twilight was there by her side. And you weren't even going to show yourself! The only reason you showed up was because your plan to send a She-Demon to send dragons after Twilight Sparkle for "replacing" you backfired spectacularly!"
Sunset sighed. "I guess you're right. Maybe . . . I don't deserve to be a Princess. Wait, what am I saying? OF COURSE I deserve to be a Princess! I deserve it more than ANYPONY! Hmph! I guess I'll just tell Celestia that when Equestria is mine!"
"Or you could just come clean and tell her that Twilight getting a crown while you don't is making you jealous . . . I'm sure she'd understand." Flash muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing!"
Optimus was a in a better mood, as he was at least out in the main lobby at his usual post. But now Twilight was sulking over a railing while everyone chatted below. She let out a sigh. Celestia noticed and wrapped a wing around her.
"What's wrong, my faithful student?"
"It's nothing, Princess." Twilight fibbed. "It's just . . . being a Princess is a really big honor and . . . well, I just feel like I don't deserve it."
Celestia tilted her head. "What makes you think that, Twilight Sparkle? Several things you've done have convinced me of your worthiness. Your service to me, to the Autobots, and the time you saved the Crystal Empire by putting its safety above your own interests . . ."
Twilight looked down, then hopped onto the Princess and whispered into her ear.
"Oh." Celestia realized. "I see why that might make you reconsider." She cleared her throat. "Optimus?"
Optimus turned, giving her a cold glance. "Yes?"
"Twilight Sparkle has something she would like to tell you." Celestia nudged Twilight forward like a parent giving encouragement. "Go on." Celestia used her head to push Twilight.
All eyes turned to Twilight. Twilight took in a deep breath.
"Okay, so . . . does everypony remember how Starscream tricked me into joining a terrorist cell and his actions indirectly leading into me becoming a Terrorcon Terrorpony? And the part where he killed Shining Armor and I had to bring him back as a Terrorpony as well?"
"Where are you going with this, Twilight Sparkle?" Optimus asked.
"When I told Deathsaurus and the others that Starscream wasn't under the mines in Canterlot . . ." Twilight tapped her hooves together. "He – Starscream – was. I, um, I've been keeping him there and performing unethical experiments on him."
Optimus put his finger to his temple. "For how long?"
"Oh, awhile now . . ."
"And you did not think to inform us of this before because why?" Ratchet snapped.
"I was getting revenge on him!" Twilight replied. "I mean, he was responsible for turning a few ponies into a zombie and killed my brother! I was . . . entitled to a little revenge. But I'm going to be a Princess now, and that means that the Princess trusts me. That my actions will carry more weight. So I'll come clean right now and take the consequences. I did it. I didn't tell anypony, and I did highly questionable things to him while he was in my custody."
"So those special lectures you held at my School for Gifted Unicorns . . ." Celestia said. "Where you showed pieces of Cybertronian anatomy for the students. Those were . . . "
"Salvaged from Starscream, yes."
Optimus was mildly frustrated, but he was taking it rather well compared to how Twilight thought he would react. "I . . . understand your actions, Twilight Sparkle, even if I do not approve of them."
Twilight smiled uneasily. Was she off the hook?
"However . . ." Optimus said sharply. "Between somepony's "poor choice of words" and your confession, I would ask that anyone here who has something that wish to confess do so now, as I cannot guarantee I will still be willing to extend the hand of forgiveness if they do so later."
Everyone looked around the room, taking stock of who they would bet had something. To most of their surprise, the only ones who raised their hooves were Rarity and Pinkie.
Optimus gritted his teeth. "Rarity?"
"All right, um, well . . . does everypony remember the time I went back in time with Twilight and created an aborted timeline to prevent Bulkhead from getting "serious wounds"?"
"Yes?"
"Well, I may have left out a few small details." Rarity said pleasantly. "Like . . . the part where Bulkhead actually was dead, rather than wounded, and the part where I tried to use Dark Energon to revive him. And the part where sweet Rafael tried to stop me from using the Energon and I bucked him so hard he had to go to the hospital." Trying to keep up a pleasant mask, Rarity smiled forcefully.
Optimus frowned. Everyone knew he had a strict policy against any use of Dark Energon Twilight got an exception due to special circumstances, but Rarity was made aware of this from the get-go. "Pinkimenia?"
"Okay, um, well . . . remember a few weeks ago when Ratchet was asking who put sugar in his gas tank and I said I didn't know? Miko and I were playing a prank on him."
"Ah-HA!" Ratchet yelled, pointing his finger. "I knew it was you!"
Optimus grunted unpleasantly.
"But . . . I don't think that's really the kind of thing Optimus is interested in knowing."
Optimus turned to the computer. "I will assemble a team to retrieve Starscream from the mines." Optimus activated the Bridge while Rarity went to Bulkhead, Miko, and Raf.
"So . . . are you upset with me?" Rarity asked fearfully.
"Upset with you?" Bulkhead asked. "Are you kidding? Yeah, it's kinda terrible that you hurt Raf, but you went back in time to save him and me!"
"Yeah!" Miko cheered, looping her arm around Rarity's neck. "Pretty awesome, if you ask me!"
"And – and Raf?" Rarity squeaked.
Raf held his finger up. "So that's you've been so insistent on hanging out with me! It's because you feel guilty about what you did in the aborted timeline!"
"Well, yes."
"I forgive you, Rarity." Raf hugged her at the leg. "You were probably grieving over Bulkhead, weren't you? But it all worked out in the end, right?"
"C'mon, guys!" Bulkhead said, scooping Miko, Raf, and Rarity up into a big hug. "Don't leave me out!" They all laughed.
Starscream groaned on the slab he was strapped to. He could hear voices, quiet and muttering. Deathsaurus had come for him, with some Vehicon back-up.
"He looks awful." A Vehicon commented.
"Yes, he does." Deathsaurus agreed with a smirk. The more battered Starscream was, the better Deathsaurus would look to the Decepticons for rescuing him.
And battered Starscream was. The left side of his jaw was torn until there was nothing but steel bracing left. Holes and patches were all over his frame from where Twilight had stolen parts – some of them for educating other ponies, others just to inflict pain – and there dents, more holes, and dings from where various tools had been used on him.
"Wha . . .?" Starscream muttered as conspicuousness returned to him. He saw a Decepticon in front of him. Deathsaurus. Like Megatron said.
"Hey there, buddy!" Deathsaurus assured him while the Vehicons worked on undoing Starscream's restraints. "Don't you worry. We'll have you out of here and repaired in no time!"
"Come on, Screamer." A Vehicon encouraged as two of them helped Starscream to his feet. "Let's get you home, eh?"
"Th-thank you . . ." Starscream muttered to the Vehicons carrying him out of the cave. Deathsaurus' troupe marched out of the entrance, catching the attention of a pony who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Ooh, scrap."
"Hey!" Deathsaurus called to him. "Listen to me, bud. You didn't see anything, all right?"
Starscream! Megatron's voice echoed from inside Starscream's own head. Now is your chance to escape! Fire your rocket at that pony.
But . . . wouldn't it be more practical to ally with Deathsaurus? Uses his resources?
Megatron grumbled. Something that escaped you for a long time, Starscream, is that you cannot operate an individual agenda within a group that has a different agenda. Deathsaurus has no interest in my return, and he'd just as soon do away with you if he found out what you were doing. Now fire that rocket and use the distraction to escape.
"Mmm . . . mmm." Starscream muttered, raising his shaking arm.
"What's wrong?" Starscream's Vehicon helper asked.
"Mm . . . eenng." Starscream successfully fired the rocket from his arm, launching straight at the unfortunate witness. Deathsaurus jumped in the way of it, suffering a hole in his chest from the explosion. The pony took the chance to bail.
"Wow.," A Vehicon muttered. "I didn't think you cared for these ponies, sir."
"I don't," Deathsaurus hissed. "But if word got to Celestia that there was a pony injured while I was present and I did nothing to stop it, she'd sweet-talk Optimus into sending an extermination squadron after me."
"Speak the name of demons, and they will come . . ." A Vehicon muttered as Optimus, backed by heavily-armed Autobots of various shapes and sizes, marched onto the scene.
"What are you doing here, Optimus?" Deathsaurus growled.
"I could ask the same of you," Optimus responded. His backup cocked their guns, eager for an excuse to load the ammo into Deathsaurus' head. "We are here to retrieve Starscream from the mines."
Deathsaurus chuckled airily. "Ah-ha, well, you see, Optimus, WE have already . . . taken care of . . . that. Where is Starscream?"
The two Vehicons who were holding Starscream just now saw that he was no longer in their arms. "I- I don't know! He was just here a minute ago!"
"That rocket!" Deathsaurus cursed, realizing Starscream had escaped during the commotion.
"I would like to confirm," Optimus said. "You arrived here before us with the intent of liberating Starscream, had him in your care, and he has now escaped?"
"Sounds about right."
Optimus hung his head. He was already frustrated by the girls' confessions, so he took it out on Deathsaurus, belting him over the head. His crew had one job, one single, immoral job. How’d they mess it up so badly?
Elsewhere, Starscream was already making his escape from Canterlot. He had found a pony in possession of Energon – some Doctor Cabelleron, or something – and even though he was at his weakest, he could still fire his remaining rocket and make off with the Energon. Seemed like he was planning to sell it to ponies. What a waste! But with the Energon, Starscream was able to give himself a boost, convert to vehicular mode, and fly his way out of there.
"Aaah . . . it feels so good to be free of the bonds of gravity." Starscream said, his arrogant rasp returning to his voice.
Don't rest yet, Starscream. Megatron warned. There is still work to do. I want you to rendezvous with Soundwave.
Soundwave? Starscream questioned. Shouldn't we be focusing on the army?
The army . . . Megatron laughed. THE ARMY! The "army" has shifted allegiance to Shockwave! What will you do, Starscream? Promise my return? I assure you, getting them on our side will be easier when I have once again taken physical form!
But -
That's your problem, Starscream. You run when you should fight. You pick a fight when it would be better to hide. You hide when you should pick a fight. Your priority is your own safety, so you hide behind pawns. If you did things yourself . . . if you took what you wanted instead of begging for it . . . perhaps you wouldn't have ended up where you did. Perhaps you might have even taken leadership from me if you had the brass bearings to do anything for yourself instead of manipulating others to do it for you!
Starscream held still, taking a moment for Megatron's words to sink.
By Primus, you're right!
Starscream swerved, reverted to robot mode, and landed on a mountain spire. He raised one hand while covering his chest with the other.
"With Primus as my witness, I will do what I want done for myself! I will no longer flee at every setback, or beg for my life when I am cornered! I will adjust plans! I will fight to make it out alive! I am Starscream, a proud Decepticon warrior!"
His dramatic vows were undercut when he lost his footing on the spire and fell off with his arms flailing for something to grab.
Okay, okay, Starscream. Now's your chance to start turning things around. Think. What can you do to salvage the situation? . . .
In Canterlot, a huge crowd had gathered. Ponies from far-off lands and various aliens were invited to bear witness to the ascension of Princess Twilight Sparkle The First. Even characters like Shockwave, Galloway, and Metalhawk were invited. Even the Predacons visited after some cajoling. Overlapping chatter and conversations mixed and blurred together, making it hard to tell what anybody was saying at all.
Twilight watched the crowd from behind a building's corner, dressed in the pink garb from Celestia's mannequin. She turned around, where her friends, Celestia, Shining Armor, and Luna were with her.
"I can't go out there!" Twilight exclaimed. "There's so many ponies and people!? What if I mess it up? What if I do something wrong?"
"Hey." Shining Armor comforted her. "You're my little sister, remember?"
"And that automatically translate into me being perfect!?"
"Twiley, if anypony can pull it off, it's you!"
"Yes!" Rarity agreed. "And besides, you wouldn't want to be denied the honor of being crowned Princess just because you got stage-fright, would you?"
"I guess not . . ." Twilight admitted. "But still . . . what if-"
Celestia put her hoof to Twilight's mouth. "No more "what if's," for now. You can ask all the questions you want after the coronation."
"One more question." Twilight insisted, looking at the crowd. "Where's Optimus?"
Celestia peeked out. "I do not know. Does everypony understand their part?"
Everypony nodded. "Hm-hmm!"
"Good! With me." Celestia instructed, trotting off. Shining, Cadence, and Luna followed her.
Twilight continued looking out. A yellow pegasus with glasses was talking with Metalhawk, Canterlot nobles were talking with humans, and Predaking and Grimlock were in a friendly arm-wrestling match while a yellow tiger-striped Laserback twin let the more daring or excitable organics pet his beast mode. Team Prime was there . . . but there was no Optimus.
Twilight sighed.
"I'm sure he'll be here." Fluttershy said.
"Yes!" Rarity added. "He's just lagging behind, that's all." Though it was clear she trying to make herself believe it.
"I'm going to go mingle in the crowd," Twilight said, pulling a hood over her head. "You know, enjoy my last moments of being a unicorn." That was supposed to be a joke, but it came out much too somber.
"We'll wait until Celestia calls us." Rarity said. "Go on."
Twilight slipped into the crowd, dodging and moving through bodies while keeping her head low. Maybe she could see some of the ponies she knew from Canterlot.
Twilight looked around saw Optimus appear at the outermost edge of the crowd. He made it after all! Optimus saw her and gave her an inconspicuous wave, smiling to reassure her he never even thought about missing it out on this. Twilight waved back at him, only to feel something small and squishy bump into her leg.
"Oh, um, excuse me."
"Oh! Hello, little filly." Twilight said, looking down. She was a tiny little thing, with a pale blue coat and a mane like winter snow . "What's your name?"
"S-Snowdrop." The filly said, looking at Twilight with these huge, adorable, blue orb-like eyes that just made Twilight want to squeak.
"You have the most beautiful eyes, Snowdrop."
"Oh. Really? That's funny, since I'm blind . . ."
“Oh. You are? Goodness, now I feel bad…” Twilight rubbed at her neck shyly.
"Yes. I-I bump into other ponies a lot, so I have to excuse myself constantly . . ."
"I'm Twilight Sparkle," Twilight said.
Snowdrop's face expressed shock. "T-Twilight Sparkle? Aren't you the pony who's becoming a Princess today?"
"Well, yeah!"
"What are you talking to me for?" Snowdrop kicked her hoof. "I'm nopony special . . ."
"Don't say that!" Twilight cupped her chin. "Everypony is special, Snowdrop. It's just more obvious for some than others."
"Really? You mean it?"
"Of course!" Twilight scooted Snowdrop aside. "Now go play. Go ride a Predacon. Ask for Grimwing, he's nice. And write me a letter! The humans have this invention, called a blind cane, and it’ll help you avoid that whole ‘bumping into ponies’ thing."
"Oh, um, okay!" Snowdrop trotted off.
Twilight smiled.
"That was a nice thing you did there."
Twilight turned to see a pony in a hood and cloak. "For that filly, I mean," the stranger said.
Twilight turned to see a pony in a hood and cloak. "For that filly, I mean," the stranger said.
"For that filly, I mean," the stranger said.
"Yeah, I guess." Twilight admitted. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?"
"Susan."
"Susan? That's really more of a human name." Twilight got a closer look under Susan's hood. Yellow coat, red and yellow hair. "Hey . . ."
Susan looked towards the castle. "Looks Celestia is about to speak. I'll be off." Susan dashed into the crowd.
"Wait!" Twilight wanted to ask if maybe Susan was Sunset's Equestrian counterpart. She looked right for it. But she heard the trumpets playing and realized she didn't have time to chase her down.
"Dear citizens of Equestria," Celestia spoke from atop a podium, Cadence and Luna by her side, "and esteemed guests! Today we here to witness a momentous occasion. Today, we shall my student, Twilight Sparkle, take the title of Princess alongside the side of my family. Now, I know many of you are wondering, even questioning, why I invited so many aliens to partake in an Equestrian affair. But this is Equestrian history in the making, and if I did not send invitations out to our aliens friends for a chance to see . . . well, it would just be rude."
"For many years," Celestia continued, "Twilight lived with me for her tutelage, and as a result, I've come to think of her as family. She has served me faithfully in many matters. Without her leadership to guide the representatives of the Elements of Harmony, my sister, Luna, would not have been returned to me. Several threats against Equestria, including Discord, the Changelings, and the . . . pre-Shockwave Regimen Decepticons . . . would not have been stopped if not for her planning and leadership."
"Now . . . " Celestia said. "Clear a path, everypony . . . without further ado, I present the next Princess of Equestria, Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia raised her hoof. As instructed, the crowd began to part to give room for the new Princess to walk alone. Twilight's friends started down the path, the Elements of Harmony around their necks.
Twilight threw her cloak down, then teleported in front of her friends to walk alongside them. They stopped just short of the podium Celestia stood on, where Shining Armor had the Element of Magic.
"Twiley . . . I'm so proud of you." Shining said as he placed the Element on Twilight's head. "Look how far you've from that shy little filly I used to know." Shining wiped a tear from his eye.
"Are you crying?" Twilight teased.
"I'm not crying! It's – liquid pride!"
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"Now, if you'll come inside . . ." Celestia instructed. "We'll begin the ritual." Celestia raised her voice. "She walks in my student, but she will walk out my equal. Come."
Shining Armor, Cadence, Luna, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all followed Celestia inside the building.
The room was purple, dark, and plush Rarity almost swooned. In the center was a purple platform with Twilight's Cutie Mark emblazoned upon it.
"Liquid pride?" Cadence teased Shining.
"Step onto the platform, Twilight." Celestia instructed. Twilight reached her hoof, but hesitated. This was it. This was her moment. Her time. Every assignment she turned it, every grade she ever made, her entire life, was all leading up to this.
"Why do you hesitate?"
"Sorry, sorry, it just . . . it just hit me big of a change this really is." Twilight said. She got onto the platform and stood tall. "Now what?"
"On these pages are the words for an incantation." Luna said, producing five pages and levitating them in front of Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy. "Simply have thine friends speaketh the words, and the ritual will commence on its ownsome."
The representatives of Harmony spoke the words on the pages. It was in some ancient, extinct language that hadn't been spoken in centuries, but Twilight knew what the words translated to, even if her friends didn't.
When the ritual was done, the Elements shot beams of light in their respective color which all hit Twilight's crown. The star-shape jewel began to glow and pulsate with magic, and Twilight was lifted into the air while a rainbow-colored veil of magic began to form around her. The veil curled and twisted, eventually making a cocoon that obscured Twilight from their sight.
Bar the Princesses, everypony let out a gasp as the veil exploded into a pillar of purple light that shot through the roof, punching in a hole.
"Oh my goodness!" Twilight cried from within the pillar. "This – this is amazing! I can see so many things! Arcane magic is shifting, flowing through time and space!"
"Yeah, that happens." Cadence quipped.
"It's amazing! It's wonderful – it's – HRRRK!" Twilight's silhouette suddenly lurched over in the pillar.
"Twilight?" Celestia asked. "Twilight, what's wrong?"
The pillar's color changed. It went from the purple that appeared from Equestrian magic . . . to the purple that appeared from Dark Energon. Flames burst out around the pillar's circumference, and fire rose to take the demonic shape of Unicron, the Cybertronian Dark God who had once possessed Twilight's body.
"RRRRAAAGH!" The fire roared, lunging towards Celestia with hands outstretched to grab her. The wail of a million dead souls came from the pillar.
Outside, Predaking was distressed. "Grimlock, should we not do something!?"
Grimlock gazed at the pillar. "Naaah. Not unless they run out screaming. Until then, they've got it covered."
The Unicron-shaped fire continued to reach for Celestia, moving slowly because it was tied to a spell made of Harmony, its antithesis.
Celestia stared the apparition down. "I am not afraid of you."
The manifestation roared, clenching its claws. It wailed and roared and cried as it began to fade. To cease its existence. It faded slowly before disappearing completely. The pillar returned to its normal color and then disappeared, dropping a smoking Twilight Sparkle to the platform. Twilight now had wings pointing out from her back.
Without waiting for the Princess' say-so, Twilight's friends rushed towards her.
"Twilight! Are y'all okay? Say sumthun'! Please!"
"Uuugh . . ." Twilight groaned, wobbling onto her hooves. She rubbed her head. "That was . . . different." Twilight rubbed her chest. "The Dark Energon . . . it's gone!"
"It is?" Shining cheered. "Twiley, that's great!"
"It is!" Twilight realized while her friends cheered and whooped. "IT IS!"
"How serendipitous!" Cadence said.
"I'm happy we discovered this, however accidental it may be." Celestia said.
Twilight used her magic to drag her friends into a group hug. "I-I'm not an undead anymore! I – I won't regenerate flesh! I won't outlive all my friends as an undying zombie! I won't trip the alarm at the Autobot base by accident!"
"That's . . . a little less profound."
Twilight's eyes widened, and she burst out from the group hug and ran up to the Princess. "Princess! Princess, we have a cure!"
"A . . . cure?" Celestia was confused.
"Yes!" Twilight exclaimed. "Think about Trixie! And Shining Armor! And even any unfortunate unicorn with the same problem!"
"I don't follow."
"Princess, I'm not the only unicorn who had Dark Energon in their bloodstream." Twilight explained. "If the Princess ritual can cure it, we need to volunteer it as a cure! Shining Armor, get on the platform!"
"No." Celestia boomed.
"What? Princess, don't you see-"
"I see fine, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia said. "But we cannot make everypony a Princess – or Prince. The honor of becoming royalty is yours alone."
"We don't have to make them Princesses!" Twilight cried. "We just have to do the ritual! Heck, we could even clip their wings off, if it's that much of a problem!"
"No," Celestia said. "The ritual is only for those worthy of being Princess. I will not have ponies come to the conclusion that a Dark Energon injection is a shortcut to becoming an Alicorn. Can you imagine, ponies filling the streets, injecting themselves with that vile blood, in some shortsighted gambit to acquire more power and status?"
Twilight cupped her chin. "I suppose I can see that happening. But still! We could at least cure my brother! He desperately wants a cure, and we know he’s trustworthy, don’t we?"
Celestia drew a great big breath. “Luna, help me out here.”
“Your brother may be Captain of the Guard, Twilight Sparkle, but there is an extensive screening process for this ritual, and determining someone’s worthiness to receive it is a process that can take years. We can’t have that undone by a simple happenstance and have Alicorns flooding the streets,” Luna said.
Twilight glared at the Princesses. “So what you’re saying is, it’s more important to uphold traditions and barriers to entry for your stupid ritual, which I’ll add, you never even told me about before now, then it is to try and utilize a cure for a virile infection brought about by microbial alien parasites.”
“Twilight Sparkle-” Celestia raised her voice.
“No,” Twilight held her hoof out, shocking her friends and Celestia. “I don’t to hear whatever slag excuse you have. That’s unacceptable.”
Twilight stormed out the door.
“Twilight!” Celestia called after her.
“Don’t bother!” Twilight shouted back. “The only thing I want to hear from you is ‘yes, Twilight, you’re right, I’m sorry, I’m being stupid, we can use this cure for your brother!’” Twilight emphasized her point by casting a bubble of silence spell around her head.
The crowd outside was completely baffled.
"Optimus!" Twilight demanded, running up to his feet. "Take me away," she said like she just got off from a bad date.
"Where to?"
"I don't care," Twilight shot a glare at Celestia. "Just away from here."
Optimus picked up Twilight and threw her over his shoulder like a baby or cat. He activated the Bridge, gave Celestia a pitying glance, then turned away to enter the Bridge. Twilight's tears rolled down his back the whole time.
Optimus carried Twilight into the back, stroking her back. He walked to a medi-table and sat down it, laying Twilight across his lap.
"It-it's not fair." Twilight blubbered. "We have a cure now . . . a cure!"
"Dude!" Miko yelled as she, Jack, and Ratchet exited the Bridge. "What happened? First we were all celebrating and fun, and then it just imploded!"
"Bec -" Twilight stuttered. She snorted. "Becoming a Princess cured me of my Dark Energon."
"What!?" Miko yelped.
"Twilight, that's great!" Jack clapped.
"I thought so too . . ." Twilight muttered. "Until Celestia told me we couldn't use the process to cure other infected ponies! It's not like Shining deserves to be an undead for the rest of his life!" Twilight buried her face into Optimus' knee and continued crying.
"Explain to me how this works again?" Miko questioned.
"We don't know, but it does," Twilight answered. "It's like making a process that can cure illness in humans, but they have to become members of Congress for it to work."
"And then they'll just want the illness back," Ratchet quipped.
Twilight snuffled, then rolled onto her back to face Optimus. "O-Optimus? I'm... well, I'm really upset right now, and..." Twilight wiped a tear from her eye. "One thing that cheers me up is reading a good book. Would you mind getting one of the ones Jack gave me a few days ago?"
"A book is your answer to everything, Twilight Sparkle," Optimus said, causing Twilight to turn away. "But... it is a good an answer. I will fetch one for you. Perhaps I will grab one from my personal collection as well, some poems as well, and we can read them together. Have you read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, or The Charge of the Light Brigade? They're two of my favorites."
"Can't say I have," Twilight chuckled.
"Those... are interesting choices for favorites," Miko commented.
In the alternate universe, Smokescreen was making patrol with Flash Sentry in his driver's seat.
"What's eating' ya, chief?" Smokescreen asked while he rounded a corner.
"I'm just . . . worried about Sunset," Flash explained. "She says she's fine, but I know better. She's . . . jealous of Twilight. She thinks Celestia "replaced" her with Twilight."
"Ha!" Smokescreen laughed. "That sounds like Optimus trying to replace me! Can't be done."
"Exactly!" Flash exclaimed. "I wish Sunset realized that applies to everyone, herself included."
"I'm sure Celestia or Optimus can help – wait, I got something." Smokescreen halted. They were at the ruins again.
And the UAV drone jet that was Soundwave's vehicular mode was flying back to the ruins.
"You're not gonna take him again, are you, Smokescreen?"
"Oh, heck no! I learned my lesson. I'm gonna call Team Prime for backup. He's been at them twice in as many days. There's something in there Soundwave wants. Sorry, Flash." Smokescreen evicted Sentry from his seat. "Gonna have to ask you to sit this one out." Flash saluted.
The Bridge opened, and all the members of Team Prime bar Ratchet, but including the A.P.D, stepped out, weapons armed.
"Smokescreen, what have you found?" Optimus asked.
"It's Soundwave again." Smokescreen pointed to the entrance. "He's looking for something in there."
Optimus gave a hand signal, gesturing for the Team to approach the building. Slowly, and undercover from the fallen columns. They made their way up to the entrance, but Optimus instructed them not to go further.
"Hey, what are we waiting for, huh?" Smokescreen barked. They could peer in, and Soundwave was right there. He was standing atop some kind of huge, black rock like the ruins were made from. "We should get in and blast him!"
"Strategy, Smokescreen." Optimus chided. "Soundwave will tell us nothing if we capture him. We should wait to see what he is after before making any moves." Smokescreen grumbled.
Soundwave deployed his tendrils, which promptly made their drilling motion. Taking a second to steady himself, he plunged the drills into the rock, eventually unearthing a weapon. It was a simply thing, easily held by the smallest Autobot. A two-pronged claw was mounted on its top. Soundwave regarded it for a moment before tossing it aside and continuing to dig.
"Now?" Smokescreen begged.
"Now. Autobots, attack!" The Autobots charged into the building, firing away at Soundwave. Soundwave was surprised to see him, but he recovered quickly.
"Soundwave, we have you surrounded, outnumbered, and outgunned." Optimus said. "Surrender and we can end this . . ." Optimus cocked his cannon. "Peacefully."
"I think not." A raspy voice punctuated. A missile exploded behind the confused Team, sending them flying into different directions and knocking them on the floor. Optimus was the first to stand and see Starscream fly in and revert, landing next to Soundwave.
Starscream put a hand on Soundwave's shoulder. "Now, I know we never really got along. You were loyal to Megatron, I . . . wasn't. But none of that matters now. In this crazy, postwar world, we Decepticons have to stick together. And . . ." Starscream whispered something to him. "Now, how much time you need to excavate another boon from this rock?"
Soundwave held four of his claws up. Starscream laughed. "Four minutes? I can do that." Starscream walked to the edge of the rock and launched another missile, interrupting the Team's attempt to regroup.
"Autobots, focus your fire on Starscream!" Optimus instructed. Starscream jumped from the cliff and landed on the wall, sticking to it like a lizard. Screamer fired more of his rockets, keeping the Team pinned down under suppression fire and unable to aim with all the smoke around him.
"Is it just me," Arcee complained, "or is Starscream suddenly a lot more competent?"
"I had an epiphany." Starscream growled.
"And that magically translates into improved fighting skills!?"
"Apparently!"
The smoke cleared, allowing the Team to aim at Starscream, but he simply jumped from one wall to the other, making their bullets hit the wall. Starscream fired another volley, again creating too much smoke to fight through. The Team grumbled and made threats against Starscream.
"What was that, Autobots?" Starscream taunted. "I can't hear you amidst all that smoke! Haha!"
The smoke cleared again. The Autobots took aim at Starscream. Starscream aimed back, but when he tried to fire his rocket, only a useless "click" sound was made.
"Ha!" Smokescreen laughed. "Looks like you're out of rockets!"
"They'll grow back." Starscream said. "For now, I'll guess I'll just rely on these!" Starscream primed his crown-shaped arm blasters, firing a barrage at the Team to literally keep them off their feet.
"The old Starscream would have tucked tail when he saw when he ran out of rockets." Arcee noted.
"Well, you're dealing with the New Starscream!" Starscream boasted. He jumped off the wall, converted and divebombed at Twilight, then reverted midair, snatching her up like a bird of prey. He landed on the wall, holding Twilight in one hand. He pointed the finger of his other hand at her.
"Now . . ." Starscream growled. His Decepticon badge began to glow violet, a glow which spread across his body in the form of lines and purple fire. He aimed his burning claw right at Twilight's heart.
Starscream smirked. Nothing happened.
"What?" Starscream questioned. "Why is there no symbiosis!? You should be achieving symbiosis!"
Twilight neglected to answer, instead blowing a raspberry. Starscream growled.
"Well, Starscream, you might have noticed the dress which I haven't had time to change out of, or the wings, but I'm a Princess Pony now." Twilight bragged. "And that means my magic is stronger than before! Like, I'm not a goddess, or anything . . ." Her horn lit up. "But the holes I can blow into Decepticreeps like you are now bigger in diameter!" Twilight let off a spell, blasting Starscream in the chest. Starscream dropped her, but she had no problem spreading her wings and slowing her descent.
It wasn't just smack talk. The hole in Starscream's chest was fairly substantial and beyond her capabilities as a normal unicorn. The Dark Energon regenerated Starscream's damage.
Soundwave had unearthed another weapon. This was almost as tall Starscream was, with a maroon color and a large handle. A large pincer was mounted on its top with a buzzsaw inside. Soundwave tossed the weapon to Starscream.
"Aah!" Starscream exclaimed, swinging the weapon around. "This will put you in your place, pony!" Starscream looked up the weapon and pushed a button. Tendrils similar to Soundwave's unfurled from the weapon, immediately coiling around Starscream's body. "What? Is this supposed to happen -" Starscream was interrupted as a full-body cocoon was formed. Soundwave had a similar experience with his weapon.
"Let's blast him!" Bulkhead offered, charging his weapon.
"No!" Optimus grabbed Bulkhead's hand. "We do not know what effects blasting them could have while this process is happening!"
"So?"
"So we might trigger an explosion," Arcee retorted.
"Ooh."
The tendril cocoons unwrapped, slowly returning to the weapons. But Starscream and Soundwave had both been altered. Starscream's chest was now much sleeker and thicker, his legs and forearms were lavender, and his silver claws were now black while axe-like curves formed in his wings and the red crest on his head was shortened. Soundwave's black visor was yellow, his arms were split into three segments instead of two, with the forearm being black. His legs were black, and various parts, including his feet and kneecaps, were yellow while the parts of him that were still blue were a much darker blue.
"Whoa." Smokescreen gasped.
Arcee wasn't gawking like Smokescreen, instead charging straight at Starscream. Starscream put his new toy to good use and caught Arcee within its pincers.
Starscream chuckled evilly. "It's a good thing this come with an instruction manual!"
"Make all the jokes you want, Starscream, but when I get out of here -"
"Jokes? No, there's – there's really a manual printed on the side in Cybertronian." Starscream adjusted the weapon for Arcee to see. "See?"
"Oh. So it does."
Starscream pushed a button on the weapon, which administered an electric shock to Arcee. Starscream let her drop to the floor, now clad with pulsating red rings of energy.
"When I get my servos on you . . ." Arcee swore, only to find she couldn't move. "Hrrn! Hrrk! I – I can't move!"
"Yes." Starscream drawled. "A delight, isn't it? The Thunder Talon, as it's called, cripples the victim and adds their speed to the user's own. Don't worry, I'm sure it'll wear off . . . or maybe it won't!" Starscream sprinted across the room, putting his boosted speed to get use. Nimbly dodging Autobot counterattack, he went straight for Rainbow Dash, catching her in the Talon.
""Hey! AAGH!" Rainbow fell to the ground, twitching as sparks shot from around her wings into Starscream’s new weapon. The cunning Decepticon, with Rainbow Dash's speed now his, had no trouble running up the side of the rock and picking up Soundwave bridal style.
"So sorry I can't stay." Starscream taunted. "But I really must . . . dash."
"Oh, sure." Dash grumbled. "Rub it in."
"I will!" Starscream said with relish, grinning. Using Dash's super-speed, he bolted out from the ruins. The Autobots attempted to shoot him, firing in vain at a gray blur.
"So, uh . . ." Dash stammered. "This will wear off, right?"
Starscream carried Soundwave some good distance outside city limits before the Thunder Talon's effects wore off. Without the distraction of running at impossibly velocity, Starscream realized just how heavy Soundwave was and accidentally dropped him.
"So sorry about that." Starscream said, offering Soundwave a hand.
Soundwave was surprised that Starscream would offer a hand. It was unlike him.
"Now . . ." Starscream said, turning away from Soundwave after helping him up. "We need to discuss what to do regarding our dear master . . . Twilight is no longer a viable choice."
She is the only choice! Megatron bellowed in Starscream's head. I want the Essence of Unicron!
But master, Starscream responded, you saw what happened in the ruins!
Yes! It does not mean we abandon our plan! It merely means we make some . . . adjustments to it.
Team Prime walked along a city street to discuss their strategy. Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry ran up to them.
"Hey, guys!" Sunset greeted. "How did it go?"
"Not so great." Arcee rubbed her shoulder. "Starscream showed up and they both got away with new armor and weapons."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Sunset said apologetically. Her smile was very forced, and she kept looking at Twilight.
"Is something wrong, Sunset Shimmer?" Optimus asked.
"Wrong? No, nothing's wrong. Why would you ask?" Sunset laughed airily. "Anyways, I was hoping I could talk to Twilight."
Optimus looked to Twilight.
"It's fine. Go discuss strategy without me and just tell me what you come up with." Optimus nodded, and the rest of the team walked on while Sunset approached Twilight.
"Uh, Flash?" Sunset held her hand out when he followed. "Why don't you go help the Autobots? I want some . . . girl talk with Twilight."
Flash pouted, but complied.
"So, what did you want to talk about, Sunset?" Twilight guided Sunset the back the way she came.
"Well, actually . . ." Sunset said. Behind her back, green fire enveloped her hand. Twilight was perturbed by her maniac smirk.
"Sunset? Is everything okay?"
"Yes." Sunset growled, about to blast Twilight.
"HEY!"
Sunset grimaced, dispelling her spell. She and Twilight looked to see Susan and Snowdrop standing on the opposite sidewalk, Susan with a holster on her thigh.
"Susan! Snowdrop?" Twilight exclaimed, happy but confused to see them. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, um . . . I met Susan at your coronation earlier. Susan told she was going to a new world, and I asked to come along. I . . . " Snowdrop scuffed her hoof. "Wanted to go on an adventure."
Twilight smiled. "I can respect that, Snowdrop, but there are Decepticons loose. Susan, you should take Snowdrop back this instant!"
"Yeah, yeah, sure." Susan muttered. Her horn lit up. "Right after I air my grievances with Sunset Shimmer." Susan started to pull out the contents of her holster. "Snowdrop, go play elsewhere, sweetie."
"Sunset?" Twilight asked. "Wait . . . Sunset, Susan, Sunset, Susan. I got it! Susan is your Equestrian counterpart, right Sunset?"
"WRONG!" Susan yelled as she revealed a shotgun. "Sunset is MY Equestrian counterpart! One day, she showed up and asked me to partake in an experiment! She told me to go through a mirror and live like a unicorn for a little while! But when I was ready to stop and go home, the MIRROR wouldn't let me through!"
"Sunset?" Twilight asked. Sunset shrugged, feigning innocence. Sunset ducked into a bush before as Susan pulled the trigger of her gun.
"As I used to be a human," Susan growled, "I have a greater appreciation for a good ol' slug-thrower than your average unicorn."
"Whoa, whoa!" Twilight said, using her magic to overpower Susan's hold on the gun. The gun alternated between pointing up and pointing at Sunset as their magics wrestled. "I understand you're upset, but is shooting Sunset going to resolve anything?"
"It'll make me feel better." Susan growled.
"Trust me, Susan, it won't!"
"Can I say something?" Sunset raised her hand.
Twilight glared. "Unless its an apology, or explanation, then no."
"Grrr!" Susan growled. Fed up, she dropped her hold on the gun and started blasting lasers with her horn which Twilight blocked.
"Susan, please!" Twilight pleaded. "Stop shooting and talk to me!"
"No!" Susan shouted. "I want to make her pay!"
"For what?"
Susan glared. "For tricking me! For making me live my days as a unicorn in a world I didn't know! For stealing eighteen years of my life! For . . . for making me live with her parents." Susan started to cry.
"Why?" Twilight asked, walking up to Susan. "What was wrong with her parents?"
"NOTHING!" Susan screamed. "They were wonderful! They were almost perfect! And they tried! They tried so hard to love me, to pretend I was their daughter and act like … but they knew. They knew I wasn’t their daughter, and they tried to hide it, but it’d show, and every now and then I get a reminder… I wasn’t where I belonged. When I didn’t eat hay, when I tried to grab things with my hooves instead of using magic… it was miserable."
Twilight hugged back. She could barely imagine what Susan was going through. She thought of if she and Twyla switched places when she was still young and lived with Twyla's parents for most of her life.
Twilight looked over her shoulder at Sunset. "You." Twilight pointed her hoof. "Get over here." Not bothering her for consent, Twilight used her magic to pull Sunset over. "Explain to Susan why she couldn't go back home."
Sunset tapped her fingers. "Honestly, I . . . I forgot."
"You forgot!?" Susan screamed. "You "forgot" about uprooting and exchanging lifestyles with an alternate version of yourself you only just met!? Do you know what I went through because of you? I became a different species in an alien world! Everything was different! And all the while, my real parents were hanging out with a fake!" Susan made to pick up the shotgun again, but Twilight stopped her.
"Susan, please." Twilight said. "I know you're upset. I would be upset, too. I AM upset." She glared at Sunset. "But is killing her going to help? Are your parents going to want to see you again after learning you killed a woman?"
Susan exhaled. "Probably not." She dropped the shotgun.
"Good, good." Twilight looked to Sunset. "I expect you'll explain this all to Celestia, won't you?"
Sunset looked shamefully at the ground. Twilight nodded.
"Now, Susan," Twilight walked Susan aside, "there are Decepticons running around. I need to go help the Autobots detain them, or at least drive them out from this side of the mirror. But after that, and not a minute later, I'll your parents – your real parents – and Sunset's parents, and you can sit and talk, okay?"
Susan smiled. "Okay . . . thank you."
"You're welcome."
"You know, Twilight . . . not everypony would have been calm enough to talk me down like you did." Susan said. "That's why Celestia made you a Princess."
Twilight blushed while unnoticed, Sunset fumed.
Twilight dismissed it with a laugh. "Well, we need to get Snowdrop . . ." Twilight looked around. "Snowdrop? Snowdrop!"
"I'm here!" Snowdrop waved, galloping towards Twilight's voice. There was folded paper in her mouth. "After Susan asked me to leave, I met this nice colt who asked me to bring you this!"
Twilight took the letter, using her magic to neatly open it. She scanned over it and gasped. "Oh my goodness!"
"What?" Susan and Sunset said in unison.
"It's from a secret admirer!" Twilight explained. "He wants to meet me at the park! He says he's shy, so he couldn't try to approach me while I was with my friends! He wants to meet at the park tonight!" Twilight looked to Susan. "But, um, you will take Snowdrop back for now, right?"
"Of course." Susan put a hoof on Snowdrop's back and started driving her. "Come on, Snowdrop. We can have our adventure after Twilight's safety-proofs the world, okay?" Sunset was simplifying the situation for Snowdrop's benefit.
"Oh, wow! She can do that?" Snowdrop exclaimed in amazement. Susan and Twilight chuckled.
Twilight gave Sunset a glare, then trotted down the sidewalk.
"Hey!" Sunset yelled. "Where are you going? Aren't you supposed to be helping with Decepticons?"
"Oh yeah! Um, well . . . the team will be fine without me for a bit. I'm eager to meet my admirer!" Twilight said. "Why don't you go help?"
Truthfully, Twilight knew she was shirking her duties, but even though she just kept Susan from committing murder, she felt horrible.
Why? Because learning about what happened with Susan, that Sunset "forgot" about her . . . it made Twilight happy. It shouldn't have made her happy, since it a terrible situation, but she couldn't help but feel a release knowing that Sunset had done something wrong. Because listening to Celestia talk about her, it sounded like Sunset couldn't do wrong. She did this right and that. She sounded like Twilight when Twilight was younger without any of Twilight's flaws.
Twilight knew she shouldn't have been so happy from Susan's predicament, so she was going to use her admirer as a distraction to forget about it. She wouldn't be any good to the team if she had that hanging over her head, would she?
Twilight made her way to the park the letter had specified. It was already dark. The streetlamps were lit, but the park was dim.
Twilight looked around for him. There was nothing to be found except a green gift box with red wrapping.
"Oh!" Twilight cooed. "He must have gotten cold feet and left this gift! How sweet!" Twilight ran up to the box and opened it. She pulled a green orb like a Christmas orb from the box. "Huh. Weird gift, but maybe there's something I don't know."
The orb started to shake. Then it exploded, leaving nothing but shards and expelling a large cloud of green smoke as that made Twilight bleary-eyed and coughing.
"Mmph!" Twilight groaned, trying to cough the gas back out. She thought of how she should get out of the cloud, but her legs were feeling wobbly from its effects. Twilight stumbled her way from the cloud, but her vision remained blurry. She could dimly make out Starscream approaching her.
"Starscream?"
"By the way . . ." Starscream knelt down and put his finger on her chin. "You don't have a secret admirer. Snowdrop is such a helpful little filly, isn't she?" Starscream flicked his finger, giving Twilight's chin a small cut.
"You . . ." Twilight squinted. She started a spell, but the gas worked on her and she fainted.
"I don't know how you got the Dark Energon out of your systems . . ." Starscream murmured, picking Twilight up and wrapping his claw around her. Starscream took his claw and stabbed it into his arm, dragging his nails along until they were covered in his purple blood.
"But I know how it's getting back in!" With his blood-soaked claw, Starscream stabbed Twilight in the chest, mixing the Dark Energon and her blood once again. Starscream gave a satisfied smirk as Twilight's body stirred in his grasp, her eyes opening and glowing purple before closing again.
Starscream chuckled, raising his now-glowing claw. He would get Megatron's spirit to hop from his mind to her's, giving Megatron control over her body.
Starscream's ritual was interrupted by an enraged scream, followed by explosions in the distance and two green lasers flashing and cutting two trees down. Whatever was cutting that path of destruction, it was headed straight his way.
Starscream? Megatron's voice said.
Yes, my liege?
Remember earlier when I was scolding you for running away all the time? Ignore that now. Retreat. You are not currently equipped to deal with whatever is capable of that.
But master! Twilight Sparkle -
-Is of no use if whatever that is destroys you before the transfer is complete! Retreat!
Starscream growled at Twilight. "This isn't over." He dropped her to the ground before converting and flying off.
Megatron would have been quite surprised to learn the source of the destruction was a human girl, as Sunset made her way to the park, hands letting off green tendrils of magic.
"You!" Sunset pointed at Twilight, not knowing or caring why she was unconscious. "Oh, you're knocked out? Just as well. It wouldn't do to have you come crawling back to Celestia with what I'm going to tell you." Sunset banged her fists together. "I've been preparing to come back for years – YEARS – and now, thanks to Susan, my operation could be compromised! If Susan tells Celestia what happened . . . and don't even get me STARTED on how the Princess replaced me with you! I mean, me! I'm IRREPLACEABLE! So . . . " Sunset raised her hands. "Let's see how you handle being a human, "o faithful student." Last time I tried this, your "Essence" buddy kept me from it, but I don't care anymore. Nothing he can say will change my mind this time."
Sunset raised her hands, blasting Twilight with twin green beams. When she was done, Twilight was lying on the ground, a perfect duplicate of Twyla with purple liquid on her chest.
Sunset smirked. Satisfied, she left Twilight there, unaware of the ramifications of what she'd done . . .
The next day, Sunset breezily walked in on the Autobots' meeting.
"Beep beep beep beep beep?" Bumblebee asked her.
"Oh, nowhere important." Sunset said, waving her hand and smiling. "So, what's up?"
"We have determined the best course of action is to lay a trap at the ruins." Optimus said. He looked at Sunset.
"What?"
"Where is Twilight Sparkle?"
"Beats me." Sunset shrugged. "Said she was going to meet a secret admirer at the park last night."
"And she's been there all night?" Bulkhead asked. "That doesn't sound right . . ."
"Autobots, we are going to the park," Optimus instructed, rightly getting suspicious of foul play.
Sunset Shimmer was secretly giddy. She wondered how Optimus and the others would react to seeing Twilight as a human, all the while never knowing she was responsible for it.
But when they got there, her glee was exchanged for horror. Twilight didn't look like she had moved since Sunset left her. Her chest was just barely going up and down, and her skin was an unnatural sickly greyish purple color.
"No!" Optimus shouted, rushing towards her body and picking it up. "How is this possible!?"
"W-what?" Sunset stammered. "What's going on?"
"Twilight Sparkle has been turned into a human and infected with Dark Energon . . . again."
"Didn't tha' coronation ritual cure her Dark Energon!?" Applejack shouted.
"Yes, making this even more of a mystery."
"I still don't understand what's happened," Sunset said.
"Human bodies cannot process Dark Energon," Optimus explained. "While Twilight Sparkle's magic-infused Equestrian body had no problems coping, as a human, she has little chance of surviving., Optimus curled his finger around her neck. "She is still alive, despite all odds."
It hit Sunset Shimmer hard how determined Twilight's will must be. To go through the entire night like in the condition she was in and still be alive in the morning?
"I will take her to the hospital right away." Optimus said, converting and throwing Twilight into his front seat. The Autobots picked up their ponies and Sunset and followed Optimus.
Mercifully, the hospital had advanced enough equipment that they could Twilight's heart going, at until the Autobots could retrieve Ratchet. The doctors insisted to the girls that there wasn't much they could do. When Susan and Snowdrop got wind of it, they both insisted on being allowed to stay with her in her room. The other girls went outside the building to process.
"Oh, how could this happen?" Applejack lamented, trotting nervously in place. Sunset shirked away, consumed by guilt.
Inside the building, Snowdrop groaned, pushing her nose up against the side of Twilight's bed. "I hope you feel better soon, Princess Twilight. You said one of the nicest things anypony ever told me."
"Yeah . . ." Susan muttered, her hoof on the bedrail. "You promised you'd get mine and Sunset's parents together to talk, remember? Get well soon."
Neither of them knew was going on in Twilight's barely-conscious head. They didn't know that she was . . . seeing things.
They certainly didn't know that, while her body was on the edge of total shutdown, her spirit was wandering an unusual cemetery.
In her head, or wherever this was, Twilight was still a winged unicorn. The gravel of the cemetery collapsed beneath her hooves as she trotted through.
"Hello?" Twilight called through the fog. The headstones were starting to freak her out, and the echo was not helping. "Is anypony there?"
She heard jolly, yet mean-spirited laughter.
"Twilight Sparkle!" A voice Twilight couldn't believe she was hearing said. The fog cleared away, and Twilight could see Megatron standing a few front from her. "So good of you to join me here!"
"Megatron?" Twilight shook her head. "No . . . no, that's impossible. You're dead!"
Megatron pointed at her. "And you are near-dead, Twilight Sparkle. This is Limbo, the land where the dead and dying can converge. Meet. Chat."
"Get out of my head, you monster." Twilight growled.
"Oh . . . "Monster"? Really now, Twilight, Fluttershy can make more cutting remarks."
"What do you want?"
"I want to make an offer." Megatron said, walking towards her. "You give me your body, and I will keep you alive."
"WHY in the wide-wide world of Equestria do you think I'd be willing to do THAT?"
"Oh, I don't know . . ." Megatron murmured. "Perhaps it has something do with your . . . friends?" Megatron snapped his fingers. The gravel around rose up in a pile before shifting into a solid facsimile of Fluttershy. "They would be so distraught if you were to . . . pass away."
"There's so much I wanted to say to her!" The Fluttershy sculpture cried.
Twilight was upset, but she stomped her hoof and held her ground. "I'd rather die than let a heartless murderer like you come back to life. And how are you controlling the gravel around us?"
Megatron shrugged. "No one said you couldn't control the gravel."
"Oh really?" Twilight smiled. "In that case . . ." Twilight stomped her hoof into the ground, channeling her intent through her hoof. Just like it did for Megatron, the gravel rose up and took a shape. It was like Optimus Prime, but with a sword, a headcrest, and other more knight-like elements. The Prime sculpture roared and charged at Megatron with its sword raised.
"Really? This is what we're doing?" Megatron snapped his fingers again. The gravel in front of him rose into a huge blob monster, which made a fist that it slammed down hard on "Optimus." Its task done, the blob monster fell into its component grains.
"If we're through grandstanding . . ." Megatron rolled his eyes, walking through the shower of loose gravel. "I would still like to discuss this with you."
"I have nothing to discuss." Twilight said.
Megatron shifted his eyes. This was not going the way he wanted to.
"The Dark Energon in our bloodstreams binds our destinies together, Twilight Sparkle!"
"Well, until last night, I got RID of the Dark Energon, so there." Twilight turned away from him.
"What about being turned into a human? A filthy, weak, disgusting human!?"
"You know, Megatron, forty hours ago, I would have agreed with you. But I have seen the light! Humans are not entirely despicable creatures! Their children literature is excellent!"
"Oh, whoo-hoo." Megatron sarcastically twirled his finger in the air. He decided to try a different tact. "Your friends might me fine with your death," Megatron said, "but you are a pillar of the community! Your friends would not be the only ones upset! Think about your filly friends, the Crusader girls!"
"The Cutie Mark Crusaders? Well, yeah, I . . . I guess they would be upset." Twilight was saddened. She glared at Megatron, noticing him smirking. "I'm still not giving you my body!"
Megatron snapped his fingers again. The gravel rose up in front of Twilight, this shifting into a visage of Applejack looking distraught while Apple Bloom nuzzled her.
"Sis?" Apple Bloom's sculpture spoke. "What's wrong?"
"Nuthin'." "Applejack" fibbed, a grain falling down her cheek to emulate a tear. "It's just Twilight . . . "
"Why? What happened wit' Twilight?"
"Nuthin'. She's just . . . gone away for awhile, and she . . . won't be back for a long, long time."
It broke Twilight's heart to see that. That was exactly the way a conversation between Applejack and her sister would go if she died. Twilight sniffed and wiped away her tears. "No." She held roulette. "I'm still not going to do anything for you, Megatron." Twilight walked away.
"What about your assistant?" Megatron asked. "Who can forget, uh . . . uh, what's his name . . ." Megatron snapped his fingers, trying to recall it.
"Spike." Twilight said, still crying over what she saw. "His name is Spike."
"Who can forget Spike?" Megatron cried, seamlessly picking up where he left off.
Twilight was shaken. "I . . . maybe. No. Forget it, Megatron. There is nothing – NOTHING you can say that will make me -"
"Sunset Shimmer turned you into a human."
"WHAT?"
"Oh yes, it's true." Megatron said, walking around in idle circles. "Turned you into a human last night."
Twilight's eye twitched. That was the last straw. She managed to push through her sadness and realize it was better for her friends to grieve than it was for her to bring Megatron back to life. But now she was sad and angry. Sunset had turned her into a human? Sunset Shimmer was responsible for her nearly dying!?
"See," Megatron went on, "you're supposed to turn into a human as you go through the mirror. But Sunset Shimmer found a way to override that. To take control, so she decides who, if, and when anybody is turned into a human."
"So that means . . ." Twilight's jaw dropped. "That means she turned the Autobots into humans the first day we were here!"
"And back again!" Megatron added.
Twilight grinded her teeth. It was easy to keep her judgement cool when simply saddened by her friends' grief, but now she was sad, angry, and her jealousy of how Celestia talked about Sunset was coming to the fore.
"Think about it, Twilight." Megatron said. "Are you going to put your friends and your community through that grief because Sunset "Perfect" Shimmer decided to pull a prank on you? Are you going to let that firebrand take your place by Celestia's side?"
"No!"
"What about the promise you made to Susan as well!?" Megatron encouraged, trying to get Twilight riled up and as a result, impair her judgment. "Funny how it all fits together: Sunset avoids having to talk with Susan's parents, doesn't lose any reputation with Celestia, and she can keep on the way she was!"
Twilight growled.
"So . . . now will you let me possess your body, Twilight Sparkle?" Megatron asked.
"YES!" Her voice echoed across the graveyard. Twilight suddenly became aware of the impact of what she just said.
Megatron chuckled. He waved his finger. "See, that's what I like you about, Twilight . . . just like Optimus. You can always be relied on . . ." Megatron got to his knees, offering Twilight his claw.
"To make the right choice."
His words struck Twilight where it truly hurt. Twilight hesitated, thinking about what she was about to do. Bring back the bloodiest criminal, most vile villain to ever come out of Cybertron, just for a chance to tattletale to Celestia that her other student wasn't perfect? Who was?
"I'm waiting, Twilight."
Twilight looked away, closing her eyes. Tears rolled her down her muzzle.
"I'm sorry, Optimus. I . . . I have a promise to keep."
Twilight put her hoof in Megatron's palm. Megatron closed his fingers around it. Their eyes both glowed with the shared power of Dark Energon. Twilight felt an intensity in her chest.
In the hospital bed, Twilight's eyes shot open, revealing Megatron's hellish-red visage. He smiled. He rose up from the bed and took stock of his surroundings.
"Hmm." Megatron raised Twilight's arm, an IV drip in her arm. Megatron traced the cord back to the pole where it was. Megatron looked up and down the thing.
"That could be useful." Megatron took another look around, noticing Snowdrop and Susan. Susan was curled up like a cat against a wall, taking a nap. Snowdrop was on her haunches by the bed.
Megatron didn't understand why Snowdrop wasn't reacting to him, but he ignored it. He got off the bed, ripping the IV from Twilight's arm. He grabbed the pole and wheeled it out of the room with him.
"What's that noise?" Snowdrop asked, hearing the wheels squeak. "What's going on? Twilight, are you feeling better?" Snowdrop hopped on the bed and poked around for hints of Twilight's body.
"Hey!" A doctor said, coming across Twilight's body in the hall. "You're up!"
"Don't talk to me." "Twilight" told him.
"Um . . . miss Sparkle, it's great you're feeling better, but I still need to check you out properly . . ."
"Twilight" rounded on him, striking him in the head and knocking him down and out.
"I have business to attend to." Megatron continued down the hall, dragging the IV pole with him.
Outside, Applejack and Fluttershy were trotting around, following each other in circles. Rarity, Dash, and Pinkie were sitting by a bench that Sunset sat on.
"Oh, Ah hope she's okay . . ." Applejack murmured.
"I'm sure Ratchet can fix her." Fluttershy assured.
"But will he get here in time?"
"Applejack, don't think like that!"
"Look! She's even out right now!" Pinkie pointed. "Twilight" was walking out from the hospital, dragging an IV pole with her. Applejack and Fluttershy rushed to greet their friend.
"Twilight!" Fluttershy exclaimed, smiling. "We're so glad you're out! We were so worried!"
"Um, yes." Twilight said, moving forward. "Excellent, really."
"Y'all shore yer feelin' okay? Ah can get some cider to cheer ya up!"
"No, that's . . . that's fine." Twilight assured her.
"Are you sure you're feeling okay? And what's with the IV pole? Did tha doctors say y'all could take it wit' ya?"
"Err . . .yes."
"Any other conditions?" Applejack asked like a good friend.
"Waaait a minute . . ." Fluttershy said. She locked eyes with Twilight. Twilight stared back blankly.
Sunset Shimmer was shocked when a blade formed from behind Fluttershy's hoof, which she attempted to slash down on "Twilight." Megatron, his prediction about the IV pole spot-on, lifted the pole and used it to block Fluttershy's blade.
"Nice try, Megatron!" Fluttershy growled.
"Megatron?" Applejack exclaimed. "Fluttershy, don't ya think -"
"No." Megatron answered, pushing back on Fluttershy's hoofblade. "She's correct. Through Dark Energon, I, Lord Megatron have returned! What I do not understand is . . . what gave me way?"
"Your eyes are the red of your old Decepticon body." Fluttershy said. "At first, I thought it was just the Dark Energon mixing with the human body, but then I looked deep into your eyes and I recognized the sheer hate that was your old trademark.
"Hmph." Megatron huffed. Applejack bucked his body in the back, but Megatron steadied himself and smacked the pole into Applejack's chin before twirling around and ramming into Fluttershy's chest.
"Would someone explain to me what's happening?" Sunset exclaimed.
"Megatron is an old enemy of the Autobots." Rarity explained. "We thought he was dead for good, but somehow he's returned as a ghost or something and possessed Twilight's body! Now excuse me. There's a can of "Wreck and Rule" I need to open on Buckethead over there." Lots of Wrecker slang from Bulkhead crept into Rarity's words. Rarity charged at Megatron, horn glowing with the intent to spear. Megatron improvised, kicking off a nearby trash can lid and throwing it at her head.
"Uggh . . ." Rarity groaned, rubbing her head. "Something's . . . something's wrong."
"Ya mean aside from tha' fact that Megatron is in Twi's body!?" Applejack screamed as she continued to try to subdue the Decepticon Lord.
"Yes, actually!" Rarity responded, her head shaking from the lid's impact. "He's . . . he's fighting defensively! Usually he's all offense! He's stalling!"
"For what?" Fluttershy questioned, trying to slash Megatron again.
The answer was made clear as jet engines roared overhead. The girls looked up to see Soundwave and Starscream's vehicular modes flying onto the scene. The two-pronged claw launched from the weapon Soundwave had recovered from the ruins and grabbed Twilight's body, picking her up while a Bridge appeared in midair, Soundwave carrying his master's temporary body like a towline.
Megatron gave the girls a mocking salute. "Au revoir!" Soundwave and Starscream flew into the Bridge, Twilight's body towed behind Soundwave. The Bridge disappeared.
"Scrap!" Applejack swore. "We gotta tell Optimus!"
At the roof of the ruins, the Decepticons regrouped, reverting to robot mode and placing Twilight's body on the ground.
"I saw what you did in Limbo, master." Starscream said. "Truly inspirational manipulation of Twilight Sparkle's feelings!"
"Don't stroke your back, just yet, Starscream." Megatron warned. "We are still in need of an army and a method to restore my own body."
"An army?" Starscream said. "But the Decepticons have all defected to Shockwave's side, now. And I doubt all of them will return to you. I hear some of them are quite happy playing peacetime with the humans . . ."
"How dare they!" Megatron roared, a purple fire igniting around Twilight's hands. "No matter. They will see the error of their ways when I return."
"M-Megatron! Your hand!"
"What?" Megatron raised his hand, observing the fire. "Ah! Of course. It's obvious. Sunset Shimmer was able to use magic as a human after training, but I can now use Twilight's magic. Her recent…. ascension has made her magic so powerful that she doesn’t need the training… and thanks to the link between she and I through our, heh heh, shared history with the Dark Energon, I can access her magic directly, no lessons required!
"Wait, Sunset can use magic?"
"There is much I saw as a ghost, Starscream."
Megatron focused his will, and there was a purple flash. He had successfully turned Twilight's body back into its proper Princess pony form. "Ah! Excellent. I dislike organics, but you must admit Equestrians have more talents than humans." He tapped Twilight's horn to emphasize his point.
Starscream giggled. "I-I'm sorry, I just can't take you seriously like that."
Megatron, annoyed, blasted Starscream with Twilight's horn. "Now, there's the issue of my army . . ."
Soundwave stomped his foot on the ruins' roof.
"Ah yes! How I could forget?"
Starscream looked between Soundwave and Megatron. "Er, pardon? I don't follow . . ."
"Starscream, as I mentioned, there is much I saw as a ghost. Why bother when an army . . ." Twilight's lips smiled. "When we can have a weapon?" Twilight's horn glowed a deep, shining light.
"Are you sure want to do this?" Flash asked Sunset at their house.
"Yes," Sunset answered, fists burning jade fire. "I turned Twilight into a human. I made it possible for this to happen. And I'm going to fix my mistake."
Sunset Shimmer arrived at the ruins, her hands still glowing. Her shoulders were tense, and she was ready to give Megatron a good what-for.
"Megatron!" Sunset screamed. "I know you're here somewhere!" She threw out a laser blast from her hand. "Show yourself!"
Megatron obliged Sunset's request, terrifyingly jumping off the roof and shaking the ground when he landed. Starscream and Soundwave were right behind him.
Sunset rethought her efforts to fix her mess. She didn't know how, but Megatron had his body back. It was his old one, but altered. Instead of silver with purple accents, it was a brownish black with turquoise blue on his forelimbs and claws. Fins jutted out from his forearms, and his chest was remolded to look like a demonic manta ray, complete with green eyes and teeth. Twilight's body was suspended within the "mouth" of the ray, held up like animal taxidermy.
"You asked for me?" Megatron quipped, snapping his fingers. Soundwave walked forward, presenting a unique weapon like a knight before his lord. It was thick and bulky and appeared like a barracuda's body had been caramelized, with eyes pointed forward. A short dagger appeared jutted from the bottom while a large sword appeared from the top. Megatron took it in his hand and twirled. "Presumably to correct your oversight that allowed me to take form? I must thank you, Sunset Shimmer. Were it not for you, I would never been able to take over Twilight and use her magic to craft this . . . wonderful new body. I am in your debt."
"Well, you can repay me by going back to whatever pit you crawled out of!" Sunset shot a laser blast at him. Megatron swung his blade, bouncing the laser of it.
"Far be it me to deny you your doom." Megatron raised a finger and blasted a laser out from it. Sunset rolled to the side to avoid and shot another blast at Megatron, which Megatron shrugged off.
Megatron walked towards and swung the blade through the air, sending out a wave of pulsing, dark energy that threw Sunset backwards.
"You're lucky that was a light swing. This – the Sharktooth Warp Sword – generates a field of antimatter around her. Any harder, and the pulse would've torn you apart at the atoms." Megatron explained. He hefted the sword over his shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the power of Twilight's Princess magic combined with the necromantic abilities of Dark Energon to bring back some old friends of mine."
Soundwave came out of the ruins, having gone in while Megatron was fighting. In his arms was a pile of weapons like the Thunder Talon and Warp Sword. One was a morning star like a crocodile, the other was a huge polearm with a serrated ax on one side and a blaster on the other.
Megatron cracked his knuckles, then raised his hands in the air. They glowed purple and green like King Sombra's dark magic, then spat bolts of black lightning that began to twist and contort into the shape of three Decepticons. Soundwave tossed the weapons into the shadows, and the tendrils came out from them the same way the Talon did for Starscream, causing the same transformations to happen as the bodies formed.
"Eh, heh?" A suave voice asked. The shadows began to clear. One was a red sportscar Decepticon with a vest like a crocodile around his shoulders and slick, finned head . One was a bulky, tall Decepticon that made Sunset think of an inverted Bulkhead, having a muscular build instead of Bulkhead's gut-focused one, with a crowned head, red face, and dark green and light green colors. The last was a navy-blue Seeker-style Decepticon with a golden face, legs like a chicken, and wings that split apart and raised up like peacock's tail.
"Decepticons!" Megatron addressed them. "You may be confused. You were dead. But thanks to a . . . recent addition," he gestured to Twilight in his chest, "I have been able to revive you. Your bodies have now bonded with powerful weapons from ancient times. Knock Out, Breakdown, and Dreadwing . . . I have resurrected you because I am on the cusp of my greatest triumph, and I would like you to bear witness."
"We're flattered, Megaton," Knockdown said, bowing.
Breakdown blinked. "Sure is nice to have both optics again."
Dreadwing saluted. "I am honored to serve under you once again, my lord."
"Excellent." Megatron rasped. "Your first task . . ." Megatron pointed at Sunset, "is to terminate her."
Sunset crawled away, not sure what to do when the three heavy Decepticons bearing down on her. Breakdown unveiled his shoulder-mounted rocket launcher while Knock Out swung his mace around.
Sunset whimpered. So this was how it ended for her, ganged up on by Decepticons and smashed to pieces by a mace that looked like a damn crocodile.
Then a Bridge opened in mid-air.
"AUTOBOTS, BRING THE RAIN!"
Optimus Prime, the Autobots, the ponies, and even Princess Celestia fell from the Bridge. The Autobots were liberally in their interpretation of Prime's orders, literally raining their laserfire on the Decepticon party. Bulkhead body slammed on his old rival Breakdown, Smokescreen, still bitter, went straight for Soundwave, and Optimus took the time to reacquaint Megatron's face with his foot.
"I do not know how you brought back your old comrades, Megatron . . ." Optimus said, landing on his feet and priming his switchblade while Gatlings formed over her shoulders. "But I will see you all go back to The Pit if I have to drag you there myself."
"Release Twilight Sparkle, Megatron." Celestia growled, her horn shimmering.
Megatron levied his sword at them. "Make me."
Celestia fired a blast while Optimus went in for the punch. Megatron ducked the punch, sliced Optimus across the rib, and slammed his fist into Celestia's body, throwing her backwards. Bulkhead and Breakdown engaged in a fistfight, while Rainbow Dash and Dreadwing saw each other and hesitated.
"Hey," Dash greeted, looking away.
"Hello, Rainbow Dash," Dreadwing looked away.
"I've . . . missed you," Dash added.
Dreadwing stroked his chin, unsure what to say. "That's nice of you."
"DREADWING!" Megatron screamed. "What are you DOING!? DESTROY HER!"
Dreadwing nodded. "I am sorry, Rainbow Dash. I have my orders."
"Yeah, okay, fine . . ." Rainbow Dash reared herself and launched herself at Dreadwing, using the mass of her body propelled at speeds that rivaled sound to tear right through his chest before he could even raise his weapon.
"Oooh . . ." Dash landed, putting her hooves on her head. Applejack wrapped her leg around Dash's shoulder.
"Ah appreciate we all have our unique ways of fighting 'Cons, R.D, but maybe y'all should find a way that's less likely to end with y'all needing an aspirin?"
"You're probably right," Dash admitted before fainting.
Optimus avoided Megatron's swings, at the same time reluctant to take a swing of his own. The energy around the Warp Sword could twist and bend dimensions, and cause incredibly painful deaths in its victims.
"Hold still, Prime, so I can send you to the junkyard in the sky!"
"How 'bout you hold still, I send you there, and you mail me a postcard?"
Megatron chuckled. "Hahaha . . . ah, I did so miss hearing your wit, Optimus."
"Really? Keep watching, then, because I'm about give a performance . . ." Optimus jumped into the air and wrapped his legs around Megatron's neck. "For your ears only!" Optimus attempted to twist to break Megatron's neck, but Megatron reached over his shoulder, clutched Optimus' foot, and threw him down on the concrete.
"Alas, it's time for the curtain call!" Megatron made to execute Optimus. Celestia came to the rescue, forcing Megatron backwards with a powerful energy beam.
"RRAAH!" Megatron broke free of the beam and swung his sword around in a circle. A huge pulse of dark, purple energy radiated out from the swing, which Megatron followed by using his stolen magic to blast out another, magical pulse from his hands.
"The Sharktooth Sword's power is too dangerous! We need a new tact! Autobots, fall back!" The Autobots converted to vehicle mode, picking up their partners (and Sunset) and retreating.
Megatron laughed at their fleeing. He raise his arms and shot two beams of magic into the air, which spread and split into a forcefield which covered the area around the ruins.
Celestia looked over her shoulder at the emerging forcefield, then flew up besides Optimus. "Optimus, you recognized that weapon?"
"Yes." Optimus was glum. "I pray I misidentified it, as if it IS the Sharktooth Sword, then we have an explanation as to why Soundwave was so interested in the ruins . . ."
Inside the now-shielded ruins, Megatron turned around and directed the Decepticons to enter the ruins.
Knock Out scoffed. "Bah! What do we want from a bunch of smelly old ruins? The moisture will ruin my finish!"
"Silence!" Starscream struck Knock Out. "Do not doubt the master!"
"Thank you, Starscream. Come." Megatron led them inside, to the black rock that Soundwave had proliferated the weapons from. Megatron put his hands together, charging up an immense spell. He let loose the collected energy, which utterly decimated the rock, revealing more weapons like the Talon and Sharktooth, each covered in rock and dust. But that was a second concern to what Megatron had unearthed.
A huge door that could fit several Cybertronians comfortably, lined top to bottom with lights and blinky things. Following from the door was a silver-coated room with a control panel.
The Decepticons, in awe of the discovery, watched as Megatron entered the room and slammed his palms into the control, pumping Twilight's magic into the machinery.
"Arise, Fortress Maximus!"
The entire ruin quaked. Knock Out was startled when the columns in the front entrance withdraw into the ceiling like retractable claws. The entire floor lifted up.
Outside, the ground was shattered by the upheaval of the ruins. The ruins began to extend out of the ground like a drawbridge, revealing more building underneath it. In at least six different directions, the ground lifted up, revealing electronic linings under the tufts of dirt. At least one road had a huge section torn from it.
The ruins continued this process, adding to itself and reshaping into a humanoid shape – transforming, until at last all the parts and pieces were in place for the thing to assume its true form. An enormous, colossal Autobot whose head reached the sky. His fist alone were to big enough to hold a building. He was black, with red and green panels alternating throughout.
The Autobots, sensing the tremors, turned around and stopped.
"Primus save us all." Optimus expressed, worrying Celestia. Things were dire if Optimus was making religious exclamations.
"Princess, do you see the titan where the ruins once stood?"
"He's . . . somewhat hard to miss, Optimus."
"His name is Fortress Maximus. If Megatron takes control of this colossus, none of our worlds are safe."
"Ahh, Fortress Maximus!" Megatron sounded extra-pleased with himself as he rubbed his hands over the walls. "Once, upon a distant world, I wielded this very sword . . ." Megatron raised the sword. "As I hunted for Fortress Maximus to use his intense power. The Autobots were able to knock it from my hands, and Fortress escaped the planet with the sword by activating a Space Bridge inside his systems. He has eluded my grasp since. That's how Soundwave arrived here, isn't it, Soundwave? You traced the Transwarp energy through subspace and used your bridge to bring yourself here!"
Soundwave nodded and bowed humbly while the other Decepticons applauded his success.
"Now . . ." Megatron said. "To take control, we need an operator . . ." Megatron led the Deceptcions further into the interiors of Fort Max, where they found a control room, complete with a chair that had leather straps on it – presumably for keeping the operator hoisted while the titan moved.
Megatron sat in the chair, allowing Starscream the honor of buckling the plates. The room whirred to life, lights igniting all around the room while a UI interface appeared, showing the world around them.
There was a small robot in the room. It was blocky, grey, and silver. Its optics lit, and it approached Megatron.
"Greetings. My name is Cerebros. I am part of the interface for controlling Fortress Maximus. As Fortress Maximus contains powerful weapons, it is my duty to prevent misuse by those who would use his power for their own purposes."
Megatron tapped his finger on the armrest, impatient.
"As part of this process, I will be taking scans of your brainwave patterns to asses your intent and determine whether you qualify for Operator status." Cerebros continued. There was a beeping noise and his eyes flashed.
"Malicious intent detected." Cerbros. "You do not qualify for Operator status. If you attempt to force control, security will evict you."
"Hmm . . ." Megatron pursed his lips.
"What do you suggest, master?" Starscream asked, aiming his rocket at Cerebros.
Megatron held his hand for him to stop. "No. It will be safer to get a operator whose Spark purity qualifies than it would be to force control."
Megatron got out of the chair. The Decepticons then took turns, but they were all denied. Breakdown fared better, with Cerebros complimenting his ‘worker sympathies’ but still didn't qualify. When Dreadwing tried it . . .
"Honorable intent detected," Cerebros said.
"HAHA!" Megatron and the other Decepticons cheered.
"You still do not qualify for Operator status."
"WHAT?" Megatron's hands pulsed with angry magic. "Why . . NOT?"
"Honorable intent, though noble, does counteract the detections of the willingness to do harm."
Dreadwing grumbled. Megatron screamed in frustration.
"Master, perhaps we could . . . somehow coerce someone with less … conflicting morals to control Fortress Maximus for us?" Starscream suggested.
"Perhaps. But who do we know that we could force to work for us who has the peaceable intent to qualify?"
Megatron and Starscream snapped their fingers, sharing a brainstorm.
"Fluttershy!"
"What was that?" Snowdrop muttered, still reeling from the tremors of Fort Max's transformation.
Susan patted Snowdrop reassuringly. "Nothing." She said, even though she was terrified by the image of the titan in the distance. Rachel's sister, Suzy, appeared.
"Hey!" Suzy Belle ran up to them. "I've never seen you before."
"Who are you?" Susan asked.
"Suzy. Who are you?"
"Snowdrop and Susan. Excuse us." Susan guided Snowdrop, trying to get to the mirror, but she stopped at the sound of wheels. "Oh, what now?" Susan saw the Autobots, now joined by Sunset's friends, drive up and revert. "Hey guys! What's up?"
"We are going through the mirror." Optimus explained. "We need to Bridge to Cybertron and get reinforcements and munitions if we are to fight Fortress Maximus."
"Well," Susan said, "good luck with that. I've been trying to bring Snowdrop through the mirror awhile, but I keep getting interrupted," she gave the Autobots an accusing eye.
Optimus nodded. "Our apologies." His apologies didn't do anything to blunt the terror as Starscream, Dreadwing and Soundwave appeared overhead and landed on the scene.
"Showing up without your magic-fueled boss?" Dash asked. "Doesn't seem too wise."
"We don't need him for this." Starscream fired his rocket. A firefight ensued. It was pretty rinse and repeat, as both sides kept tumbling out of the way of the others' blasts.
"This isn't getting us anywhere." Starscream muttered, ducking below a laser from Celestia. Starscream rubbed his fingers together, noticing Snowdrop, Suzy, and Susan. "Hmm." Starscream made for them.
Susan was alarmed. She got her magic ready, but Starscream merely punted her aside and grabbed both Snowdrop and Suzy in his hands.
"Autobots!" Starscream yelled, backing away with his hostages. "Surrender Fluttershy, or both these girls . . . well, I wouldn't want to think about it!"
"You son of a -" Arcee raged, only Optimus' grabbing her keeping from her rushing Starscream. Dreadwing and Soundwave flanked Starscream, aiming their weapons while Starscream walked further away.
"I'll do it!" Fluttershy flew towards them. "Just don't hurt them!"
Optimus yanked her tail. "I would commend you for your willingness to sacrifice yourself, Fluttershy, but I would not trust Starscream to keep his word."
"Hmph." Starscream eyed Snowdrop. "Pity Optimus won't trust me with your well-being . . . it would be a shame to lose you. You have such beautiful eyes . . ." Starscream pursed his lips. "You know, the humans having a saying that the eyes are the window to the soul . . . hmm."
Dreadwing raised his eyebrow. "What are you thinking, Starscream?"
"I have an idea." Starscream said. "Follow my lead." Starscream converted and took off. Dreadwing and Soundwave followed suit.
"No!" Optimus yelled, firing after them.
"Why did they do that!?" Fluttershy shrieked. "I thought they wanted me!"
"SUZY!" Rachel screamed.
Megatron was busy . . . painting? Painting something on the floor of Fortress Maximus when the fliers returned.
"Aah!" Megatron tossed his paintbrush aside and tapped his fingers. "Have you returned with Fluttershy?"
"Even better, my liege," Starscream said, holding Snowdrop and Suzy terrified in his claws. "Children!"
Megatron squinted. "Starscream, this had better be a joke."
"Not at all, my liege!" Starscream held Snowdrop up. "The humans have a saying of eyes being the window to the soul, AND a saying about children are innocent by nature. So these two should prove suitable Operators!"
"You brought me different ponies based UPON A HYPOTHESIS!?" Megatron screamed.
"Lord Megatron," Dreadwing said, putting himself between Megatron and Starscream, "do not fault Starscream. I was there on the mission with him, and I allowed him to do this action because I believed it might prove worthwhile."
Megatron grunted. He rubbed his temples. "Fine. Just . . . put them on the chair."
"Wait," Knock Out said. "are we sure that the system's scanners can handle an organic brain?"
"The Ancients that built Fortress Maximus have integrated a system to run brain scans. I'm sure they found a way to bypass little biological technicalities like that," Starscream said.
They tried Suzy first. The buckles were hilariously oversized for her but amazingly, the system scanned her as easily it did the rest of them. The system dubbed her "basically good, but lacking," whatever that meant. Megatron was displeased. Then they tried Snowdrop, putting the shivering little filly in the chair.
Whirring sounds were heard as systems came online and various locks were undone.
"No compromising morals or lack of integrity detected. You qualify for Operator status."
"YES!" The Decepticons threw their fists in the air.
"I-I do?" Snowdrop stuttered. "What does that mean?"
"It means you can now control this juggernaut." Megatron explained.
"Please input Operator designation." Cerebros said. Snowdrop whimpered.
Megatron leaned on the chair. "State your name, child."
"My-my name? It's, um, Snowdrop."
"Accepted. Operator designee: UM-SNOWDROP. You are now in command of Fortress Maximus and all therein."
Megatron triumphantly clenched his fist. "Now, Snowdrop, instruct Fortress Maximus to locate and target his weapons on the Autobots." If Snowdrop complied, Megatron could be rid of Optimus Prime, the Autobots, Celestia, and the Ponies in one instant from Maximus' artillery.
"Oh, gee, I don't know . . . that doesn't sound nice." Snowdrop muttered.
"Do it, child." Megatron growled.
"I don't want to . . ." Snowdrop shrunk.
Megatron growled and was about to strike her, but he suddenly let out a pained and yell and clutched his head.
"Master?" Starscream mewled.
Megatron roared in a feminine voice, blasting all of the Decepticons into the wall with his magic. His eyes, made green from his new body, mysteriously turned into a friendly violet.
"Snowdrop!" Twilight's voice came out of Megatron's mouth.
"T-Twilight?" Snowdrop asked.
"Yes, it's me. Now listen, I don't have much time before Megatron resumes control, so I can't explain it all, but this is important; do not do anything Megatron tells you to. He's a bully, and you need to stand up to bullies." Twilight softened her description of Megatron into ways a little filly like Snowdrop could understand, trying to use the best choice of words to get the effect she wanted. "You're the only one that can control Fortress Maximus, so Megatron can't hurt you, okay?"
"O-okay . . ."
"ARRGH!" Megatron screamed, taking control back. "You agreed to this, Twilight Sparkle! YOU AGREED TO THIS!"
"After YOU manipulated my emotions, showed me a crying filly, and goaded me into a fit against Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight's voice argued back, the eyes on Megatron shifting back between green and purple as control shifted.
"Arrgh!" Megatron's eyes were green now, and they stayed that. "I think I've put her down now . . . Snowdrop! Activate Fortress Maximus' weaponry!"
Snowdrop huffed. "No."
" . . . What?"
"I said "no!"" Snowdrop huffed again.
Megatron breathed heavily, wiggling his fingers through the air.
"Lord Megatron!" A recovered Knock Out said, carrying Suzy to him. "I caught this human trying to escape while Twilight had us knocked out. What should we do with her?"
Megatron examined Suzy, tapping his chin. "Keep her alive. I have an idea for her . . ."
The Autobots were frazzled, Optimus particularly so. Megatron had hostages now, and they couldn't get into Fort Max to save them.
"What are we gonna do!?" Rachel cried. "Suzy's in there!"
"Rest assured, Rachel, if there is a way to get your sister back in one piece, we will do it." Optimus said. His resolve was put to the test when static emitted from all of the Autobots' heads.
"Open frequency-broadcast for the Autobots. Repeat, open frequency-broadcast for the Autobots. Bring me the Element of Magic, and I will return Suzy." Megatron's voice said. There was more static, followed by silence.
"Well?" Rachel screeched, distressed. "Give him the Element! You said if there was a way, you'd do it Optimus!"
Optimus looked to his comrades. "I am afraid it is not that simple, Rachel."
"I will get the Elements regardless." Celestia said. "They will perhaps prove useful." She left through the mirror.
"Optimus, we can't make this deal!" Ratchet said. "Megatron already has Twilight Sparkle's magic, the Warp Sword, and Fortress Maximus! He doesn't need anymore power! And CERTAINLY not any given to him by us."
"Agreed, old friend." Optimus gazed up at Fortress Maximus. "But it may be our only chance to get inside the forcefield."
"I have the Elements!" Celestia announced, returning. She started dispatching them amongst their respective representatives, only to stop when she got to the Element of Magic. She sighed, missing her student.
Applejack put a hoof on Celestia's shoulder. "We'll save her, Princess. We will." Celestia nodded.
Ratchet looked around. "Where's Rachel?"
Everyone else looked around too. "She was just here a minute ago!"
"She's gone!"
"The Element of Magic is missing!" Celestia realized. "It was on my person just a minute ago!"
" . . . She didn't." Ratchet said.
"She did!" Pinkie responded.
Ratchet buried his head into his hands. "Oh, Dear Primus, we are all doomed."
Rachel marched up to the shielded Fort Max, determined to get her sister back in one piece, whatever Optimus had to say be damned.
"Megatron!" Rachel roared, impressively taking him like he wasn't a magically-enhanced warlord. "I've come with the Element of Magic to get my sister back!"
"What?" Megatron said over an intercom. "You did?" Rachel could hear laughing. Laughing! What was funny about this? Where they did derive perverse humor from the situation? "Very well."
A Bridge opened in front of Rachel, which she stepped through. She wasn't quite expecting what she saw on the other side.
She was in the operating room where Megatron was painting – and the painting was now finished, a perfect imitation of Twilight's Cutie Mark, painted into the floor. At the dead center of the star stood Megatron, with Twilight's body just in front of his feet, connected to him by wires. The Decepticon stood the star's points, and there was a double-ended jumper cable clamped to Twilight's horn while the other end was in Megatron's hand.
"Knock Out, give the human her sister." Megatron said, jerking his head. Knock Out walked forward and dropped Suzy to the ground.
"Oh, Suzy!" Rachel's eyes got watery. "I was so worried about you!" She put Suzy down, patted her back, and beckoned to go through the Bridge. "Now, a deal's a deal, so I presume you'll be wanting this?" She held the Element up.
"Oh, that." Megatron muttered. "You can keep it."
" . . . What?"
"I didn't really want the Element." Megatron said. "I was hoping that Optimus and his friends would engage in a discussion about whether or not to surrender the Element. A distraction while I completed this ritual and found a way to convince Snowdrop to obey me."
"R-ritual?" Rachel asked. "What ritual?"
"The ritual you see before you!" Megatron said. "I could have emerged through anyone with sufficient Dark Energon in their systems. Starscream, a Vehicon . . . but there a specific reason I chose Twilight Sparkle. For the Essence of Unicron in her body. Imagine my disappointment when I successfully get her body, only to find the Essence gone! So this ritual . . . this ritual will not only integrate her even further into me, but also summon the Essence of Unicron back into me!"
"Or so the theory goes," Knock Out quipped.
Megatron's chest converted, opening wide to show his red Spark pulsing with Dark Energon clusters around. Twilight's horn shimmered, and her body lit on fire with the aura of Dark Energon.
Rachel ran forward, trying to do something, anything, but she was too late. Megatron stabbed the jumper cable to his Spark, connecting it and Twilight's horn. The apparition of Unicron that appeared during Twilight's coronation ritual manifested, and it entered Megatron through his mouth as a waterspout of fire. There was a huge purple flash, and Rachel was thrown flying.
"Uuugh . . ." Rachel muttered, rubbing her head. She gasped at the results of Megatron's experiment.
He was taller now, both bulkier and skinnier. His legs were now equine lavender legs from the knees down that terminated in furry, cloven hooves. He had a long tail and large wing pegasi wings, along with a unicorn's horn on top of his head, all modeled after Twilight's own.. His helmet had gotten narrower, too, and protrusions extended past his head like eyebrow decorations. His claws were thinner and longer, and his chest was shaped differently, more like a six-pointed star, with a six-pointed star pattern around the center of his chest. There was a round window in the center of the star, showing Twilight's unconscious body, her legs curled around his Spark like an unborn fetus.
"Hahahah!" Megatron laughed, purple fire around his fist. Patterns like runes formed on his palms. "I can feel it! Twilight's magic, Unicron's power . . . all merged into me! And as for you . . ." Megatron pointed a finger at Rachel, lifting her up with his magic. "Be gone."
Rachel felt herself shift, like she was going through water. The next thing she knew, she was outside Fort Max's shield and falling through the air. Rainbow Dash sped past her and picked her up.
"WHAT were you THINKING!?" Dash screamed at her, flying her back to the Autobots on the ground.
"I . . . I just wanted my sister safe." Rachel turned away. Rainbow Dash snarl.
"We will discuss this later," Optimus said. He looked up to Fort Max. "We still need access."
"Wait!" Rachel said. "Before you go in there, you should know . . . Megatron just did a ritual of some kind. It – it merged him and Twilight together even more and summoned this fiery demon that he swallowed!"
Optimus gritted his teeth.
"I will not stand to have Twilight Sparkle reduce to a battery for Megatron's evil!" Celestia roared. She took to the skies and blasted the forcefield with all she had, her rage boosting the destructive capacity of her magic to the point where she successfully created a hole when she couldn't before.
"Yes! I am going to take the fight to Megatron," Celestia said. "If any of you wish to join me, speak up now, but I will not begrudge if you wish to discuss strategy."
"I'll go with you!" Sunset raised her hand.
"You? I'm sorry, Sunset Shimmer, but I cannot take you in good conscience to fight Megatron with me."
"Oh, I think you'll be surprised at what I can do," Sunset said.
Celestia sighed, levitating Sunset onto her back. "I'm signing your death warrant, you know."
"Well?" Arcee said as Celestia entered through the hole. "Come on! Let's go smack that scrapheap back into the grave where he belongs!"
"No," Optimus said.
"Are we going to discuss "strategy" again?" Arcee groaned. "We already tried to leave for reinforcements, and we got interrupted by a kidnapping! We can't use the Elements of Harmony -"
"Perhaps we can." Ratchet said sharply.
"Rachel," Optimus said, "can you describe the ritual Megatron used?"
"Yes?"
"Come." Optimus gestured for them to follow as he and Ratchet turned. "We have an idea . . ."
"Lord Megatron." Knock Out said, observing Fort Max's windows. "Visitor for you."
"Hmm?" Megatron walked to the window, seeing Celestia charge at the building.
"MEGATRON!" Celestia screamed. "I challenge you!"
Megatron nodded. "Ah, yes, I see. Continue attempting to get Snowdrop to obey our commands!" He ran towards the door, only to snap his fingers and disappear in a white flash.
He reappeared at the top of Fortress Maximus's right shoulder. "You want me, Celestia? Come get me!"
Celestia veered in his direction, slinging golden bolts of magic at him. Megatron responded by doing the same, just with purple bolts instead.
Celestia looped around, dropping Sunset Shimmer off on a corner. "Stay here."
"But-"
"Stay!" Celestia ordered her. Sunset crossed her arms. She refocused her attention on Megatron and hurled herself straight at him, covering herself in her magic to make her a practical comet. She hit Megatron dead-on in the chest, forcing him backwards, but Megatron recovered and slammed his fist down on her, knocking her to the ground, where he punted her.
"Flattering, that you would come yourself to rescue your student." Megatron said. He put his hands together and separated them, drawing out a string of electricity between them. "Unfortunately, it will be for naught." Megatron lashed Celestia with the string, electrocuting her.
Elsewhere, the Autobots, Ponies, and Sunset's friends were gathered at a laboratory that Rachel and Flurrie convinced the scientists to let them borrow due to being an emergency.
"Must have some pull to get us a lab . . ." Arcee muttered, resting against a wall.
"Are y'all shore this will work, Ratchet?" Applejack asked, putting her Element into a receptacle. In the middle of the room was a circular machine, with an arch over it. In the arch was a laser, which Ratchet had modified to (in theory) take the Elements as acceptable power sources. In the ring was a cluster of Energon.
"Of course it will!" Ratchet said, rubbing an Energon shard before tossing in with the cluster. "It has to. It's our holy hope..." he added quietly.
He pulled the lever. Miraculously, the machine accepted the Elements, blasting a rainbow-colored laser onto the Energon cluster. Light shone throughout the room until the blue Energon was converted into the same rainbow color.
"HAHA! YES!" Ratchet pumped his fist, turning the laser off. "The experiment is a success! I shall call it "Harmony Energon!"
The ponies crossed their hooves.
"What, you don't like it?"
"Not really, no."
"Well, fine! What do you propose?" Ratchet asked. "Harmonized Energon?"
"Just "Rainbow Energon" works fine, Doc." Applejack said.
"Its name is unimportant," Optimus said, breaking two crystals off the cluster. "What matters is that it works."
The idea behind the newly-christened "Rainbow Energon" was sound. Dark Energon was the lifeblood of Unicron, while regular Energon was the blood of Primus, the creator-god of the Cybertronian race. The effects of normal Energon did not include the kind of bonding and binding that Dark Energon could induce. And because of that, a ritual between Cybertronian and Pony like the one Megatron did was impossible with Energon, and it was against Optimus' code to use Dark Energon.
So, to try to replicate Megatron's ritual without the Dark Energon, they conducted this experiment to create a new Energon that would allow for similar effects by using the Elements to strengthen the divine purity latent in the original Energon.
"Susan," Optimus asked, "it pains me to ask this of you, but will you -"
"Do the ritual Rachel described with you?" Susan cut him off. "Absolutely."
"Excellent." Optimus turned to instruct the Ponies to start painting Susan's Cutie Mark into the ground, but they had already started on it.
Celestia's and Megatron's battle was intensive. Celestia flew around, dodging his spells, while he shielded or just powered through her's. Megatron had Unicron's leftover essence, Twilight's magic, and the Sharktooth, which he wouldn't use for fear of hitting Fortress Maximus' head, making him useless. Celestia, however, had her magic and plenty more years of experience using it than Megatron did with Twilight. The battle resulted in a stalemate as neither of them were able to get the upper hand until Megatron threw caution to the wind and used the Sharktooth to slice Celestia down the side, creating a gaping wound.
"CELESTIA!" Sunset screamed as Celestia fell to the ground and this time, didn't get back up.
"How sweet." Megatron mocked, raising his blade to execute the Princess. "Princess Celestia, you are a thorn in my side. The only reason we haven't developed the same enmity as Optimus is because we haven't known each other as long! As of today, it ends."
"NO!" Sunset yelled, instinctively blasting Megatron with her magic. It made him stagger, but not much else.
"Sunset?" Celestia asked. "You can do unicorn magic?"
Sunset laughed airily, realizing just what she'd done. "Eh-heh, yes, actually!"
"Go ahead, Sunset Shimmer!" Megatron taunted, hoisting the Sharktooth onto his back. "Tell her what else you can do."
"Sunset? What is he talking about?"
"Nothing!" Sunset insisted. "He's talking about nothing!" Sunset blasted Megatron again. Megatron was ready this time, hitting both of Sunset's blasts with lasers from his own palm, engaging in that thing the cartoons where two beams push each other like tug of war. Megatron's beams overpowered Sunset's, and Megatron followed up by giving a spell that electrocuted her so badly her entire body was charred.
"Ugggh . . ." Sunset groaned, weakly limping forward and collapsing on the Princess. "Princess . . . I'm so sorry."
"Don't be." Celestia said, lifting her wing and wrapping it around Sunset. "It's not your fault."
Sunset chuckled. "Well, um, that, um, might not actually be true . . . "
"What?"
"Yes!" Megatron said. "She didn't tell you? Of course she didn't."
"Sunset, what is he talking about?" Celestia squinted at her.
"Go on, Sunset!" Megatron encouraged. "Tell her!"
"Uhhh," Sunset tried to deflect, "don't you want to kill us first?"
"Oh, I can inflict physical wounds anytime I want. But emotional wounds . . . those hurt the most. And I'm sure she'll be more inclined to believe it from your own mouth. Go on." Megatron rubbed his chin.
"Sunset?" Celestia asked.
"Okay, I, um . . . well, I-I was so envious that you let Twilight become a Princess but not me that I . . . I used my magic to Twilight into a human. And maaaybe, if I hadn't done that, Megatron might not have been able to get Twilight's body."
"What!?" Celestia was distraught. "Sunset Shimmer, you've been away for eighteen years! Eighteen years I worried about you, eighteen years I didn't know if you were coming back, of even if you were DEAD! Twilight Sparkle was by my side during all that time! What makes you think you deserve to become a Princess as much as her?"
"I . . . " Sunset stammered, tears welling up.
"Sunset Shimmer . . ."
"Oh, please don't say it, Princess."
"I am very disappointed in you." Celestia turned away from her. Sunset, too weak to stand, just buried her face in Celestia's side and cried.
"Well, not all of the blame is Sunset's." Megatron said. "After, Twilight Sparkle permitted me to take her body."
Celestia was horrified. "N-no. She – she wouldn't do that. She'd never."
"Ordinarily, yes." Megatron admitted. "But with the Dark Energon in her – which I'll admit, I had Starscream put in – and the fact that she was a human . . . well, she was on death's door! And she had made a promise – to Susan, that she would get her's and Sunset's parents together and they would have a nice, long talk. Of course, turning Twilight into a human who was dying of Dark Energon poisoning would mean Sunset wouldn't have to do that, and she wouldn't have to admit to either set of parents what she had done!"
Celestia glared at Sunset.
"All a huge coincidence, I assure you, Princess," Megatron said, actually absolving Sunset of (some of) the blame. "But poor Twilight Sparkle in her hospital bed didn't know that!" He laughed mockingly.
"Now," Megatron raised his sword. "I believe you have some family counseling to do . . . IN THE ALLSPARK! Any last words!?"
"I have two; EAT HOOF!"
Sunset, Celestia and Megatron looked up, all of them surprised by the appearance of a flying Optimus Prime at the top of the forcefield.
"HRRAAAAH!"
Optimus crashed through the forcefield, somehow overpowering it, and propelled himself straight into Megatron, giving Optimus' foot and Megatron's face one last reunion.
Optimus backflipped off Megatron, landing on his . . . hooves. Susan was visible in his chest, by a similar window to the one showing Twilight on Megatron. He had undergone a similar transformation to Megatron, having furry hooved legs and wrists, wings with a fading yellow pattern, and a horn on his head all modeled off Susan's body.
Megatron growled. "I don't know how you managed to duplicate my ritual, Optimus Prime, but rest assured it will do nothing to avail your destruction!" Megatron throw the Sharktooth at him, enchanting the weapon to fight on its own.
Optimus' fists pulsed with Susan's magic, and a sword made of fire formed in his hands, which he used to cut the Sharktooth Sword in half.
Megatron bit his lip. Prime wasn't foolin' around.
The fire wrapped around Optimus' arm, forming into an arm-cannon shaped like a ornate Oriental dragon statue, which blew out an impressive cone of flame that threw Megatron back. Before Megatron could recover, Optimus coated his other arm in the dragon-shape, then used them like boxing gloves to pummel Megatron down.
"Arrgh!" Megatron managed to sneak in an uppercut, sending Optimus into the air. Optimus calmly spread his wings and flitted back down. "Grrr!" Megatron charged, engaging Optimus in a grapple and literally locking horns.
"Optimus, give up! This conflict is pointless. How many times will you put me in the ground?"
Optimus pushed back, and Megatron could feel a searing heat from Optimus' horn.
"As many as it takes."
Optimus lifted his head, goring Megatron with his horn, then cast a very impressive explosion-like spell that put Megatron his back with scorch marks all around him. Optimus stood on Megatron, pinning him, and raised a flaming sword.
"Wait!" Megatron held his hands out. "If you kill me, you have no guarantee Twilight Sparkle will survive!"
"That is a sacrifice Twilight Sparkle would be willing to make."
"Ah," Megatron smirked, "but are you, Optimus?"
Optimus faltered, caught off-guard. Unfortunately, that was what Megatron was going for, and he took the moment to slam his legs into Optimus' midsection, giving Megatron clearance to get up. Megatron summoned his own arm-cannons, these ones shaped like leeches, and opened fire. Optimus created a forcefield around himself and stalked towards Megatron.
In Fortress Maximus' control room, Starscream was unhappy with the progress of Megatron's fight.
"Decepticons!" Starscream rallied. "Our master is need of aid! We must help him!"
They marched to the door, Dreadwing taking lead. Before they could exit, a mace slammed Dreadwing in the face and knocked him to the ground.
"Where do you think you're going?" Bulkhead asked, appearing in the doorway.
The Decepticons backed away before Starscream got them back on-track. "He's just one Autobot! We can overwhelm him!"
Starscream's assessment was untrue, as Arcee jumped out from behind Bulkhead and gave Knock Out a jump-kick. The other Autobots and Ponies slowly fitted into the room. Rarity came in with a cloud of needles stuck together by magic, which she used like a wrecking ball on Breakdown.
Soundwave looked around, having a rare moment of indecision. He could easily Bridge out and go to help Megatron, but if he didn't stay and help turn the tide of the battle, the Autobots might beat his comrades and then he and Megatron would be facing an eleven-on-one as opposed to the slightly more fair ten-on-five that was going on here. The point was made moot when Bumblebee and Applejack pulled a Fastball Special, with Applejack's hooves – toned from working on her farm – slamming into Soundwave's face and shattering his visor.
"YEEHAAW!" Applejack yelled. Bumblebee caught her while Soundwave staggered back. "Oh, consarn it, Bee! Ah think Ah got glass in my hoof!"
In Equestria, Cadence and Luna were sitting down enjoying tea, oblivious to the impending catastrophe of Megatron's return.
"I hope Twilight Sparkle is okay . . ." Cadence said. "She left her coronation party in a huff."
"We are sure that Twilight Sparkle and our sister will reconcile, with time." Luna said. There a thump on the door, and the two Princesses were surprised to see Smokescreen staring at them through the window.
"Hey, Cadence." Smokescreen held a shard of Rainbow Energon. "Wanna be a hero?"
Optimus and Megatron's fight wasn't really progressing, but it was even worse than Celestia's and Megatron's fight, because at least then Megatron had the option of using the Sharktooth, even if he was reluctant to harm Fort Max. They had both summoned a variety of things, including scythes, axes, javelins, hammers, shields, and Optimus had the idea one time for making a sword that had more swords attached to it. A better moment was when Megatron took to the skies and shot lasers from his fingertips, and Optimus threw it back at him by conjuring reflecting discus and tossing them, reflecting the lasers back onto Megatron.
"Grrah!" Megatron charged at Optimus and wrapped his hands around Optimus' throat. "BURN, PRIME!"
"DIE, YOU PIECE OF SLAG METAL!" Optimus grabbed him by the torso, lifted him up, and slammed him into the ground, professional wrestling-style. "I will make you a tombstone out of your own parts!"
Megatron kicked Optimus' stomach and backflipped onto his feet. He prepared a spell, but he heard a whooshing sound. "What . . . is that?"
Both he and Optimus turned to see Smokescreen, ALSO having gone through the ritual, this time with Cadence, fly through the hole Optimus had made earlier. "WHOO-HOOO!"
"Who in the pits of Kaon is that!?"
"His name is Smokescreen. He's . . ." Optimus bashfully rubbed the back of his neck. "New."
Megatron humphed, only to feel Smokescreen kick him in the back. Megatron turned around and grabbed Smokescreen's hoof, then slammed him into the ground. Optimus bull rushed Megatron before he could hurt Smokescreen further.
"Aw, yeah!" Smokescreen got to his hooves and swung his fists around. "All right, Megatron, prepare for the beating of your . . . life? Hey, where did you go?" He saw Optimus and Megatron rolling around, tumbling around in a heap.
"Hang on, Optimus!" Smokescreen said, stumbling. "I'll come help you with Megatron!" Smokescreen squinted, disoriented. "As soon as I figure which one is the real one!" Smokescreen blinked. "YAAH!" He blasted Megatron with pink spider-web style blast, throwing Megatron off Optimus.
"Grrr . . ." Megatron wiped some Energon off his chin. "I will tear you in half, Autobot, and then bludgeon Optimus to death with your corpse halves!"
"My name . . ." Smokescreen growled, conjuring a lance of pink energy. "Is SMOKESCREEN!
AND THIS TIME, STAY DEAD!"
He took to the air, aiming the lance square at Megatron, and rocketed towards him, stabbing the lance straight into his Spark, the lance being just thin enough to avoid hurting Twilight. Megatron gasped like something was caught in his throat. He grabbed Smokescreen by the neck.
Megatron's optic twitched. He applied pressure to Smokescreen's neck, fully meaning to take the Autobot down with him. "Damn . . . you . . . Smokescreeeeeen . . ." Megatron wheezed. His grip on Smokescreen slipped, and he dropped to his knees.
Smokescreen stepped backwards while Megatron spread his arms out like a scarecrow. The fires of Unicron spewed forth from Megatron's arms and mouth, and then his body began to fade into black smoke of dark energy, eventually fading away completely until there was nothing left but Twilight Sparkle and a cloud of smoke. And even the smoke went away after awhile.
Optimus ran to Twilight's body, scooping her body into his hands.
"Twilight Sparkle?" Optimus asked. Smokescreen was surprised to hear Optimus sound so . . . sad.
Twilight Sparkle awoke, weakly lifting her head at Optimus, squinting like she didn't recognize him. "Five more minutes, papa . . ." she lolled her head back and fell asleep in his hands, snoring softly.
Optimus breathed a sigh of relief. He got up, hugging Twilight tightly. He looked to Smokescreen.
"So, how did I do?" Smokescreen asked, swiveling on his feet like he was a model on the runway. "Great? Amazing? Wonderful? Go on, tell me, I can take it."
"Smokescreen, what you did was foolhardy and poorly thought out, acting to serve only one goal while failing to take into account the potential consequences for those around you."
Smokescreen stopped posing and stared blankly.
"It is incredibly fortunate that killing Megatron did not kill Twilight Sparkle as well," Optimus said. "For that reason, I will not punish or demote you. However . . ."
Optimus leaned in, speaking with one of his deeper, scarier voices.
"Do not do it again. Understood?"
Smokescreen nodded. "Loud and clear, sir."
A Bridge opened ahead of them, which Soundwave and Starscream jumped out of.
"Master!" Starscream exclaimed, reaching his hand out for Megatron. "Noo! Curse you, Optimus Prime! I WILL AVENGE YOU, MASTER!"
Optimus put Twilight in Smokescreen's hands, then marched towards the two flies with his fists crackling green electricity.
Starscream and Soundwave exchanged glances.
"Of course, sometimes discretion is the better part of valor."
Soundwave grabbed Starscream and opened a Bridge right under their feet, causing them to drop them. Optimus ran towards them and tried to slam his fist through the Bridge before it closed, but he was just a second too late, causing his fist to hit empty steel.
In the operating room, Knock Out's, Breakdown's, and Dreadwing's bodies began to fade into the same black smoke that Megatrn's body had dispersed into.
"Well." Knock Out huffed. "It was fun while it lasted."
Rainbow Dash flitted to Dreadwing, hoping for one last conversation. "Hey again."
"Hey." Dreadwing reciprocated, to Dash's surprise.
Dash rubbed her fetlocks nervously.
"I'm sorry." Dreadwing said, again surprising Dash. "I did not like the idea of a life of fame. A life of . . . meaningless glamor. And I was . . . perhaps too eager to take part in my own customs and my own cultural ways . . . when I should have spent more time learning yours." Dreadwing admitted. He offered his disintegrating hand to Dash. "Can you forgive me for my rash judgment, Rainbow Dash?"
Dash smiled kindly, putting her hoof on Dreadwing's palm. "Sure."
"Thank you . . ." Dreadwing closed his eyes as he faded, content to rest in peace with Dash's blessing.
At the lab, Ratchet, ever the improviser, had made medical tables for Twilight, Sunset, and Celestia, with the doctors from the hospital invited over to do what they could. Sunset would recover naturally, and Twilight eventually came to, while the doctors were able to give Celestia a a good enough stitching to keep her in one piece until she could get to a surgeon in Canterlot. Mercifully, when Megatron left Twilight's body, the Dark Energon went with him. No one was too angry with Twilight after she explained what Megatron did in Limbo and the way he framed like Sunset had set it up.
All in all, while everything worked out, Celestia's instinct had been right; today had not been a good day.
In one room, Ratchet had prepared a chamber for separating the "Ponymasters" as Smokescreen had so immaturely dubbed them back into their components.
"Are you sure this will work?" Applejack asked, worried for the ponies.
"Relax," Ratchet said. "It'll be fine. I've tested as much as possible, and there will no side-effects."
Steam hissed out of the room, and a dazed Susan stumbled out like she was drunk. "I am the very model of a modern major general!"
Applejack put her hoof on her stomach the way a human woman would put their hand on their hip.
"Well, no permanent side-effects."
In another room, Twilight and Sunset, lying on the medical beds, looked to each other. They had both confessed to everything they did that contributed to the situation. While it wasn't all their fault, they still bore a fair share of the blame.
"So, uh . . ." Sunset said.
"Mmm-hmm." Twilight added, Celestia observing them both from her own table.
Sunset started. "I'm sorry I turned you into a human."
"I'm sorry I let Megatron manipulate me into letting him come back to life."
"I'm sorry I was envious of you being a Princess."
"I'm sorry I believed Megatron when he said that you turned me into a human knowing the Dark Energon would kill me."
"I'm . . . sorry I thought the Princess was using you to replace me."
Twilight held her hooves out, and the two of them embraced each in a hug while Celestia smiled, nodding approvingly.
Sunset Shimmer noticed Optimus standing cross-armed in the doorway. She separated from Twilight and kicked the ground.
"So, uh . . ." Sunset said. "I guess you're pretty disappointed in both of us, huh?"
"Say it." Twilight Sparkle asked. "Say whatever you have to say to us. Tell us about how we . . . demonstrated terrible judgment, made poor decisions, "I thought you were more mature than that" . . . whatever."
Optimus merely shifted his optics between them.
"Optimus?" Sunset asked.
"Optimus?" Twilight parroted. "Optimus, say something."
Optimus shook his head, then left the room, remaining absolutely silent.
And that stung worse than anything he could have possibly said.
Team Prime and Twilight's friends returned to Omega One after Twilight had time to recover. Optimus was . . . inconsolable. He went to the control room and wouldn't respond to anything anyone said to him. Twilight remained in the alternate universe, giving Sunset and Susan that long-awaited "family meeting."
In the living area, Smokescreen was eventually able to bore everyone about how he oh-so-heroically got Cadence and saved the day from Megatron.
"Hmm . . ." Ratchet murmured.
"What's up, doc-bot?" Smokescreen asked.
"I'm worried about Optimus . . . he hasn't said anything since we returned from the other universe."
"Autobots," Optimus' voice said over the intercom, "to the control room."
The Autobots and ponies obeyed, going to the control room. Galloway was on the railing again. More worrying was that Optimus had ammo belts wrapped around in his chest in a "X" shape, with various guns and holsters mounted on him with a shotgun in his hand.
"What is he doing here?" Ratchet complained, glaring at Galloway. "And why are you dressed like you're ready to go blowing up a town?"
Optimus nodded towards Galloway. "I have discussed with Galloway his request and we have come to an agreement. We will go and locate the terrorist groups and liberate them of illegally acquired Cybertronian technology. Strictly of Cybertronian technology. Anything else is outside of our purview."
Everyone was shocked that Optimus was now agreeing to Galloway's request, given how unpleasant Galloway regularly was.
"Optimus, you can't really expect us to -"
Optimus cocked his shotgun, cutting Ratchet off. "I want you all to meet back here tomorrow at 0800 hours, armed to the teeth and then some."
Optimus pulled the Bridge lever, throwing the shotgun over his shoulder. He turned back to them.
"Autobots, we are going to China."