• Published 30th Nov 2013
  • 780 Views, 42 Comments

Operation: Patriotism - Darkryt Orbinautz



Post First Contact, Twilight must deal with a conspiracy prejudiced against her and alien lifeforms while on the wrong side of the law. But how far is she willing to go to stand up for what she believes in?

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VIII: Operation: Patriotism

Twilight and Celestia examined the massive vine towering in front of them. It was a eerie black, and covered in thorns. Twilight frowned as she looked at it closer. “Have you seen anything like this before, Princess?”

Celestia shook her head. “I’m afraid not.” Their studies were interrupted by the arrival of Rarity, who was suspending herself upside-down in the air with her magic and firing sparks at the ground.

"Rarity, what are you doing?" Twilight asked.

"It isn't me, darling!" Rarity said. "My magic has gone on the fritz for some reason!"

Celestia narrowly ducked as Rarity flew near them, still shooting sparks. Rarity flew in a circle before her magic put her on the ground and vibrated her like a jackhammer. The vibration slowly subsided, and Rarity fell to her side like a domino.

"I think I'm done. I hope." Rarity pressed her hoof on horn, hoping that would suppress her magic from acting up again.

Another vine, this one of moderate size, shot out of the ground and nearly grazed Celestia's side. Celestia used the same spell from earlier to incinerate it as well. "Twilight Sparkle, follow my lead." Twilight followed Celestia's motions as the Princess rose up in the air to the top of the massive vine. "Together!" Celestia fired another beam at the plant, while Twilight used her "cutting torch" spell on it. The Princesses rotated their heads, winding their spells around the plant until it joined its fellows in being nothing but ash.

"Let us hope that will be the last of these plants for the time being." Celestia said gravely. "I hold no illusion that we have seen the last of them. I will go to Canterlot and seek my sister's and Cadence's help." Celestia took off to the air, flying in the direction of the mountain city where he seat of power lay.

"You can count on us!" Twilight saluted to the Princess. Celestia watched from the sky with pride as Twilight directed Rarity to gather their other friends.

Princess Celestia flew into the Canterlot castle, gracefully landing in Luna's bedroom where her sister was pacing. "Sister!" Celestia said. "I need your help."

"How unfortunate." Luna coldly replied. "We art preparing to journey into dreams."

"Sister, Ponyville may be in danger," Celestia said.

"Send thine student, as thou hast done so many in the times in the past," Luna said. "We intend to visit the dreams of Optimus Prime."

"Ah. So Cybertronians do dream of mechanized motorsheep." Celestia muttered

"What?"

"Nothing. Sister, what reason would you have for visiting Optimus Prime's dreams?"

"We wish to know him," Luna said. "Prime … hast spent most of his time with thou and Twilight Sparkle. We would appreciate knowing him more intimately."

"Sister, I know as Princess of the Night, is your duty to ensure good dreams for the ponies of Equestria." Celestia said. "Optimus is not a pony, nor of Equestria."

"True. But knowing the insight of a leader could help in intergalactic relations."

Celestia exhaled sadly. "Yes, I suppose, but the situation in Ponyville -"

"Is not too severe, as if it was, thou wouldst be there attempting to address it rather than asking for our aid." Luna trotted up to the door, flexing her wings. "Do not worry, sister. We will return once we have visited Optimus' dream to render our aid. Assuming Twilight Sparkle is still in need of it."

Celestia watched sadly as Luna left, leaving her and Twilight to do the fighting themselves. She then received a magically-teleported scroll, sent from Twilight. Celestia opened the scroll and read the brief message inside.

15 minutes and still no sign of the vines. We suspect they may be contained.

-Your Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle.

Celestia smiled. That was good news, at least. Seeing the moon sparkle, and knowing Twilight had everything under control, Celestia felt comfortable retiring for the day.


The next morning, Celestia found herself almost wishing that the vines were still being problematic so she had an excuse to put off Galloway in the morning. The entitled human called her multiple times. She relented and visited him on Earth at Jasper's City Hall.

"This had best be good, Director." Celestia warned, squinting. "I haven't even had my slagging coffee yet." She wasn't usually for Autobot swear words, but she was usually still sleeping at this time.

"I believe I can fix that." Galloway left the building. Celestia watched him suspiciously, but he came back with two lattes in styrofoam cups.

"Ah." Celestia levitated one cup from him and sipped it. "Not as good as the fresh-ground stuff at Canterlot, but this coffee elevates your standing in my eyes, Director Galloway."

"Flattering." Galloway said, producing papers, causing Celestia to groan. It was too early for paperwork. "What I have are various bills – collectively called the Alien Peaceful Cooperation Act that I would like you and Optimus Prime to give their seals of approval before I take it to Congress and the Senate."

Celestia sipped her coffee, then used her magic to take the bills and shuffle through them. Her surprise at the contents of the bills jolted her awake.

"License plates for Autobots?" Celestia asked. "Gun permits? Identification cards? Registration? Director, what is all this?"

"Standard laws for Americans, gun holders, and immigrants." Galloway said. "Everyone else is too excited about how the whole "aliens are real" to worry about the legislature. Except for me. I have been toiling away to come up with new rules and regulations regarding the treatment of extraterrestrial foreign nationals, such as you and Optimus Prime."

Celestia eyed the bills. "These do not seem entirely fair, given all of the hard work Optimus' Autobots and my ponies have put into fighting the Decepticons off Earth." Celestia leveled a hard glare at him. "Free of charge, no less."

Galloway chuckled. "Free of charge… what about all the money we had to put in repairs for cities and landmarks damaged during the Transformers' scuffles? New York is still suffering from the Decepticon Massacre!"

"The Autobots have sent as much New York as help as they could. They've had to put the bulk of their resources into rebuilding their home," Celestia replied.

Galloway pursed his lips. Celestia read the bills again and gasped in offense.

"'If any Cybertronian is discovered to have been on Earth and disobeyed these laws, it is within the realm of enforcement for American authority to extradite them, with or without due process if there is sufficient probable cause to assume a threat ...' Galloway, the way this bill is written sounds like you can just jail Cybertronians and Equestrians from the other planets if they don't obey you!" Celestia tossed the bills. "I will not allow you to abuse and overextend your authority like this!"

"Fine." Galloway held his hands up. "But if you don't want to cooperate on our legislature, then I guess the higher-ups at the White House won't mind approving a intergalactic war."

Celestia guffawed. "War? I have been brushing up on your American laws and processes, Director. You do not have the authority to declare a war."

“Oh, no, no, I suppose I don’t,” Galloway replied, “Perhaps not, but I have recently made a very tiny friend in a very low place, and he offered me some very persuasive methods that I’m sure will convince the rest of Congress to make this declaration at my recommendation.”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting?” Celestia asked. “To make a total and utter declaration of war over a small legislative dispute seems folly and hardly use the value of the resources you would need to wage war on the Autobots, at least the amount you’d need to stand any chance of winning. Unless...” Celestia raised the papers into the air. “Unless you actually want a war. Unless this is just a smokescreen, a red flag to wave at us like we’re stupid bulls and try to goad us into attacking you over simply unfair they obviously are, giving you all the reason you’d need to convince your Congress...”

Galloway looked shaken, but he recovered and cleared this throat. "Let me tell you something, Celestia." Galloway pointed at her muzzle. "The very existence, the very discovery of your ponies and Cybertronians throws years – DECADES of scientific research OUT THE WINDOW!" His voice echoed off the walls of the building. "And that makes people uncomfortable. People are afraid of you – and the Autobots. You break dozens of the laws of physics and nature. You could easily wipe us out with a flick of your fancy horns and arm-cannons!"

Galloway wagged his finger at her again. "People will do a lot of things when they're afraid, Princess." The term was her title, but Galloway made it sound condescending. "Including approving a request to go to war and rid themselves of the very thing they're afraid of. Think about it." Galloway gathered up his various bills and walked out, leaving behind a worried Celestia.

That pompous fool could prove to be incredibly dangerous, if only because he has a small amount of power and just enough stupidity and self-assured ego to swing it like a hammer in a china shop.


Princess Celestia returned to Canterlot to review the bills. She read them over and over again like they were some incomprehensible work of art. Except calling them "art" was far too generous. Celestia's ears flicked at the sound of the door opening. Luna had returned.

"Sister?" Luna asked. "What art thou doing?"

"Examining these bills Galloway has presented me." Celestia answered.

"Ah. The idiot human."

"Yes. Did your dreamwalk with Optimus Prime go well?"

Luna frowned. "Not as well as we hoped. We saw him having a nightmare."

Celestia blinked. That didn't sound right. Optimus was too calm and composed to have petty worries like nightmares. "He did? What was it?"

"He, his Autobots, his humans pets, and Twilight and her friends were riding in space on a starship. They were laughing. Then a hole appeared in the ship and sucked everyone but Optimus out into the stars. Everyone grabbed onto each other and formed a chain, with Optimus anchoring them to the ship. Then an image of Megatron's head appeared and slowly swallowed each on on the chain, with Twilight Sparkle the last one on his hand."

Celestia did a dry spit-take, producing a "pfft" noise. That nightmare sounded much too intense for Optimus to have! "Then?"

"Then, before I could do anything for him, he noticed me and realized he was dreaming." Luna said. "We told him why we wanted to better friends. He told us that we might be better aided in that by respecting his privacy and not invading his dreams."

“Sounds like something he would say.” Celestia observed. She looked over her shoulder and saw a mortified Twilight standing in the doorway.

"I … came to report on the vines and see if there was anything else I could help with before I heard Luna talking." Twilight said. "That's … that's a terrible dream to have."

Luna looked down. "We … were not on the ship with the rest of Optimus' friends." Celestia and Twilight looked away.

Twilight patted Luna's shoulder. "It's okay. You just need to spend more time with him. Is there anything I can help you with, Princess Celestia?" Celestia motioned for Twilight to come towards the stack of papers on the desk.

"What are these?" Twilight asked, bewildered by their contents.

"Bills from Galloway. He wants mine and Optimus' approval on them before he presents them to his superiors."

"Princess, you can't approve these!" Twilight said. "They're ridiculous! The way they're written, we can't even breath on Earth without getting government approval!"

Celestia nodded. "I'm aware, Twilight Sparkle, but ..."

"But nothing!" Twilight, in an unusual display of brashness, grabbed Celestia's leg and dragged her out the room. "We're going to tell Optimus about this!" Celestia could have thrown Twilight off with a flick of her leg, but she didn't, allowing Twilight to take her through the Space Bridge to the Autobot base.

"Twilight Sparkle, Your Majesty," Optimus bowed, fairly cool about two unicorn princesses manifesting in the middle of his floor. "May I be of assistance?"

"Yes!" Twilight snapped, levitating the bills into Optimus' hands. "These are bills from Galloway that he wants you and Princess Celestia to approve."

Optimus thumbed through them. "No." He answered after only reading three of them.

"Optimus, please." Celestia begged. "Galloway has threatened war between our species if we don't approve these bills."

"I was not aware he had the authority for that decision," Optimus said, a bit contemptuously. "In matter of fact, I am quite certain he does not."

"And if he did find some cockamammie way to convince the government to declare war," Ratchet interrupted, "does he really think the humans would stand a chance against combined Equestrian-Cybertronian forces? I mean, look at us! Together, we have magic and science working together in tandem to create feats of power that defy the known laws of the universe!"

"Optimus," Celestia said quietly. "Isn't our priority to keep peace between our species and prevent your war from reigniting?"
"Regardless, I will not approve these bills." Optimus tossed the papers onto the floor. "I will not make my people slaves to the whim of a small-minded, would-be dictator trying to exploit a situation to make a political power grab," Optimus walked to the door, stopping to glare at Celestia, "and neither should you, Your Majesty."

Celestia shifted uncomfortably, and couldn't form a response. Twilight watched her sadly pick up the papers, then followed Optimus out of the room.

"Optimus?" Twilight said, coming up to him in the hallway. Optimus stopped walking to let her catch up.

"Yes, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Um … Princess Luna told me about the dream you had. When she went into your dreams? The dream you had … sounded awful. It got me thinking ..."

Optimus stared, obviously wanting to know where Twilight was going with this.

"And, um, I just want you to know …"

Twilight, haunted by the description of Megatron's head devouring her friends, was overwhelmed by her emotions and flew onto Optimus, hugging his neck tightly while she cried softly.

"I'll never leave you. I promise. You're as much as my friend as Applejack or Fluttershy or Rarity ... "

"I ..." Optimus paused. He scooped Twilight into his arms and held her. "Thank you, Twilight Sparkles. That means the world to me."

They held still, remaining where they were, doing nothing but hugging each other for a good long while.

"Twilight Sparkle ... would you mind accompanying me to Cybertron? I gave my word to Rung that I would allow a psychiatric appointment with you and your friends."

Twilight rolled her eyes. She was familiar with Rung and did not hold the highest opinion of psychiatrist. "Fine."


Returning to Cybertron with the other girls, Optimus took them to a quaint tower in a city square. Optimus led the girls into a room, where Rung was waiting.

"Ah!" Rung clapped. "Optimus Prime, and you brought the girls! Splendid. Who wants to go first?"

"I'll do it." Twilight volunteered, walking inside.

"Thank you, Optimus," Rung said, bowing.

"Mm. Rung? You will press gently on each of them. If you ask for more than they are comfortable answering, I will terminate the sessions immediately."

Rung cowered behind his clipboard, frightened by Optimus' tone. He nodded. Optimus nodded back and left them.

"It's good to see you again, Miss Twilight." Rung said politely.

"I just want to get this over with." Twilight said, flying into the chair and huffing.

"You could be a little more positive ..." Rung muttered, whipping out a stylus and tablet. "Now, Twilight Sparkle, do you understand why I've asked for you?"

"No. Optimus only told me you persuaded him."

"Right." Rung adjusted his glasses. "I've been reading on Equestrian history, and you know what I've noticed? Throughout one-thousands, you've only come close to war a few times. Never had a real one, like our war. But your friends … you participated in our war."

"So?"

"So you need post-war therapies and treatment. You've killed Vehicons by the dozens, and if I'm not mistaken, you even terminated some big-name Decepticons like Airachnid and Hardshell."

"That's true."

"That's not something usual in Equestria, though." Rung said, shaking his stylus. "Murder is … unheard of on your world. Discord, the Changelings … none of them were murdered by before your foray into space. I can only imagine how that must feel, knowing you've taken life for the first time."

Twilight bolted up. "I didn't take life! The Vehicons aren't alive!" Twilight was assailed by a flashback, to when she met Heavy Load.

You would think that, wouldn't you, Autobot?

Then, Twilight wasn't sure what he meant, but she realized it now. He was insulting her for being an Autobot – and for carrying the Autobot notion of dismissing Vehicons as second-class citizens. As not "real people" even though they were alive and opinionated like a real person would be. How could she be so callous?

"Twilight Sparkle? Are you alright?"

"Fine." Twilight lied. "What else?"

"Well ..." Rung clicked his tongue, or whatever Autobots had. "I've had Shining Armor say to me that since you’ve been to Earth, you’ve… changed. That you’ve been different, a little jittery, perhaps even a little paranoid, perhaps even traumatized. Care to talk about that?”

“Nope,” Twilight answered quite clearly.

"Mm. Shining Armor also complained about you nearly attacking him because of your training with the Autobots. Twilight, are you sure you're not spending too much time with the Autobots? Absorbing too much of their culture and their ways?"

"You're an Autobot." Twilight countered. "Am I spending too much time with you?"

Rung frowned. "Sharp wit, Twilight, but you didn't answer the question."

"No, I don't think I'm spending "too much time" with them. But … maybe not enough time with Shining Armor." Twilight closed her eyes, sad the idea that she was neglecting her older brother. "But I am an Autobot. Optimus even gave me a medal. Shining Armor needs to learn to live with that."

"I see." Rung penned something down. "Before you go … last time I met, you had developed something against the humans? How's that working out?"

"Much better than it was." Twilight said happily. Taking her cue, she left the room in a hurry, passing Rarity.

"Rarity."

"Rung." Rarity nodded, sitting by the chair, as it was easier for her to reach there.

"You ..." Rung said. "Are a particularly interesting case. You're a Wrecker?"

"What do you mean by that, darling?" Rarity asked suspiciously. It sounded to her like Rung was going to make her a science project.

"According to the data I've gathered, before coming to Earth, you were a very dainty pony. You hated getting dirty. Very polite and well-mannered. In short, not Wrecker material. What happened?"

"Nothing happened." Rarity said. "There was a test of my mettle. I was victorious. Bulkhead and Wheeljack made Miko and I honorary Wreckers as a result."

"Rarity, don't lie to me." Rung wagged his stylus. "I've been, as they say, doing this gig for a long time, and I see right through that mask you wear. Don't act like nothing happened. One doesn't just go from "proper lady" to "underhanded Wrecker overnight. What really happened?"

Rarity took in a deep breath. "Hardshell. Hardshell happened."

Later, Rarity walked out.

"That took awhile," Twilight observed. Rarity seemed surrounded by her personal storm cloud.

"Rarity, did Rung say something that upset you?" Optimus asked. Rarity nodded, hopping into Optimus' lap. Optimus looked towards the door, somewhat displeased. Fluttershy was next.

Fluttershy faintly trotted inside. "Hello, Rung."

"Hello, Fluttershy." Rung said. "We have a lot to talk about. I'm given to understand you have complete control over a small nest of Insecticons?"

"Oh yes! I know they're big and scary, but they're just like any creature. Sweethearts once you get to know them."

"And this has never been a … concern for you or those around you?"

Fluttershy blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, surely a lone pony with control over powerful beasts like that might be a security concern. These are creatures powerful enough to give Optimus a hard time. Some people might see that as problem. What's to stop from you attempting and succeeding at a coup on Celestia with your Insecticons?"

Fluttershy gasped. "Oh, I would never! Princess Celestia is a kind and just ruler who is no need of overthrowing. I have complete faith in her."

Rung made a note. "I've heard you're an unique Insecticon/Pony cyborg hybrid. Do your parents know?"

"My parents?"

"Yes. Are they aware their daughter is a cyborg-hybrid freak of nature?"

“Excuse me?” Fluttershy snapped. “Who are you calling a freak, good sir? That’s not being a very good therapist, and I would know! So unprofessional!”

“You… would?” Rung asked.

“I do some counseling of my own in my spare time. Animals are amazing treatment options, you know?” Fluttershy said. “Of course, you wouldn’t think that I could think of something like that, would you, since I’m just a dumb cyborg freak, aren’t I?

"I- I didn't mean - I’m sorry, I only meant that you’re not… natural, As in, not occurring in nature, and..."

The door opened, Optimus stepping in. "Theses sessions are over." He scooped Fluttershy up, turning to stare sternly at Rung. "I ordered you to press gently." Optimus walked out of the room.

"But – but I haven't even gotten to the other three yet!" Rung protested.

"And you will not," Optimus said. "You have upset the ones you've interviewed already. You are lucky I don’t revoke your license this second, but I have other things on my mind." He turned and closed the door quietly. "I apologize." Optimus said to the ponies, walking out with them. "I had thought Rung more sensitive than that."

Behind the door, Rung tapped his fingers, unsure where he went wrong and how to fix it.


In a military base, Agent Fowler stepped through the door. He saw his superior Bryce and an old man he hadn't meet before. Keeping his manners, Fowler adjusted his tie. "You wanted to see me, General Bryce?"

"Bill! Yes, yes." Bryce wrapped arms around Fowler. "Come over and meet the man who did in one day what we've been trying to do for months, Harold Attinger."

"Attinger?" Fowler said, scanning over the men. "Word at the Pentagon is that you're some sort of specter."

Attinger chuckled. "What else did you hear at the Pentagon, Special Agent?"

"I also heard you leave without a trace."

"True." Attinger got up. "But that's not why General Bryce called you here, is it?"

"No." Bryce turned to Fowler with a big grin. "Attinger here managed to round up some of the biggest names in Cobra."

"Cobra? As in terrorist Cobra?"

"That's correct! Took out the Baroness, Destro, and Mindbender – the biggest names on the Cobra chain of command."

"That's great!" Fowler exclaimed. "Where are they? I want to question them."

"They're in the morgue." Attinger answered.

"The morgue?" Fowler asked. "Now what are they doing – oh. You mean the morgue, don't you?"

"Correct."

"You killed them!?" Fowler shouted. "We could have interrogated them! Got more information on what Cobra was up to, where to find their bases!"

"Trust me, Agent Fowler. No, we couldn't have. I know Cobra. They would never talk." Attinger said. "I located them. I found them. And I made the same choice that Optimus Prime made when he terminated Megatron. I ended them, to make the world a safer place. Without their leadership, Cobra will fall apart, descend into petty squabbles over who gets to play leader, allowing U.S resources to be put in more important things than a glorified clean-up operation."

Fowler crossed his arms. "Well, you better hope no one in Cobra stages a jailbreak, because we still have Adam DeCobray in custody."

"Cobra Commander?" Attinger said.

"That's right. And speaking of Cobra," Fowler produced a file, "I've been meaning to call Bryce to talk about this file. It's full of Cobra intel that outclasses everything we've got so far. I got it … from Dylan Gould."

"Gould?" Attinger said.

"Yeah. You know him?"

"Gould is a … business associate of mine." Attinger said. "I let him get away with a lot because he brings me good information from the streets. Why do you have his file?"

"He tried to sell it off to me. Passed it off as some kinda "anti-Autobot contingency plan." I told him to take a hike."

"Well, Agent Fowler, if you could put that on my desk by tomorrow morning so I can give it back to Dylan … I'm sure he'll appreciate getting his stuff back from an unauthorized search and seizure." Attinger smirked.

Fowler dug his teeth into his lip. "Fine. Still don't appreciate that you killed Cobra's officers ..."

"Agent Fowler … how long have you been after Cobra?"

"Eight, maybe nine months. Why?"

"I have served with the CIA for twenty years, Fowler. I have been hunting Cobra's officers for twelve. So yes, I killed Cobra. Excuse me."

Attinger left the room. Walking far away from the door to keep Fowler and Bryce from overhearing, Attinger called someone his phone.

"Hey. It's Harold," he informed his agent. "Apparently Agent Fowler has kept Adam DeCobray, alias Cobra Commander, in custody. Find out where he's being held. And kill him."

Attinger calmly closed his phone and carried on.


The Autobot-pony team were called by Galloway, meeting him, alone, in a government building.

"Optimus!" Galloway said, holding his hands out like he wanted a hug. "I almost thought you wouldn't come, ya big ol' lug!"

"You are not wrong in that conclusion." Optimus was not pleased. "I believe you wished to discuss some legislature with me?"

"That's right." Galloway held up the papers. Twilight took them and levitated them towards Optimus, but he refused to touch them. Ratchet took them instead and glanced over them.

"I will not approve these bills." Optimus said, straight-up and upfront.

"As well you shouldn't. These bills are ridiculous!" Ratchet shook the papers in his hand. "They're designed to bog us down with so many licenses and regulations so as to practically put us under the humans' thumbs!"

Galloway attempted to deflect this with a laugh. "Well, humans feel better protected when we can regulate what threatens us ..."

"Threaten?" Ratchet said. "When have we ever threatened you? We defended you from the Decepticons for six years!"

Galloway shook his finger. "Now you listen here, you overgrown bucket of bolts. You either sign the papers, or I will get the entire U.S Senate to agree to war with you to keep you under control!"

"I am aware you threatened Princess Celestia with war as well." Optimus said. "I'd like to defer to my Scout on this."

"Galloway," Bumblebee stepped up, "think about this. Really think about this. Are you prepared to go to war with us?" Bumblebee flexed his hands. "Optimus Prime fought off Megatron and his entire army from taking your planet for six years with just us five Autobots. With Cybertron's communications restored, imagine what he could do fighting against your planet instead of for it with battalions of Autobots."

Galloway looked confused. "Okay. Perhaps, but we still need to find a way to retain you."

"Retain US?" Ratchet bellowed. "The Decepticons the ones you need to retain! They're the threat, not us! We fought for you! Do you really think you need someway to control us?"

"Yes?"

"Oh my," Ratchet said gravely. He walked over to Galloway and gently brushed his finger over Galloway's head. "It appears, Galloway, you've been afflicted by a terrible common malady." Ratchet walked around him. "It's called ‘being an idiot.’ But there is hope. With a prolonged education, and after learning to accept your limitations, you may one day yet learn to open your mouth without causing irreparable harm to the brain cells of all of those within hearing distance.

Galloway adjusted his glasses. "Mm-hmm. I'll bet you're the funny one, Doc-Bot?"

"I have been known for my biting sense of humor." Ratchet crouched down, almost touching noses with the arrogant, entitled human. "And for your information, only my friends can call me Doc-Bot. I do not count you amongst them."

"I will not sign your bills, Director," Optimus said, going for the door. "And I will not be shy of informing your superiors of how you felt you had the authority and directive to use war as a method of coercing Celestia and I to agree to your unreasonable demands. Autobots … "

Galloway huffed. Like Attinger, he pulled out his phone and made a call. "Hello, Gould. I need a favor ..."


Within minutes of Twilight leaving with the rest of the Autobots, they were unexpectedly approached by a man rushing up to them in a suit.

"Twilight Sparkle? Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight looked at her friends for approval of this strange man.

"It's fine! I'm a government agent," the man flashed them his badge. "I just received a call. Doctor Morocco wants a visit from you in prison."

"A prison visit? I don't know..." Twilight looked at Optimus for permission.

"Prison visits are highly regulated," Ratchet said. "Morocco must have something important to say to you if he wants to spend his only visit for the month with you."

"Like what?"

"Who knows? Maybe he wants to discuss previous inventions of his, or ideas he can't do in jail."

"Optimus?" Twilight asked.

"I believe Ratchet is right," Optimus said. "Doctor Morocco would not choose you without a reason. You should go, as long as you are comfortable with doing so."

Twilight nodded.


The agent escorted Twilight to the prison where Doctor Morocco was being held for his sentence. Twilight had never been in a human prison before, and she didn't want to repeat the experience. She heard of them being designed to cultivate oppressive atmosphere, and they were designed well in that regard.

"In here." The officer said, opening a door. Twilight trotted inside. She was startled by the sight of him. When they last met, Morocco had held contempt for Twilight, seeing her as inferior species to homo sapiens, while Twilight resented him for hiding information that would have allowed her to return to Equestria from her first time in space.

But when they had met, Morocco was a strapping, well-dressed young man. Sitting in an orange jumpsuit, he was now an old nonagenarian, with grey hair, a wrinkled face, and unshaven facial hair. Twilight didn't think humans aged that fast.

"Doctor Morocco?"

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle!" Morocco said, interrupted by a hack. "So glad you could make it. I thought you wouldn't come."

Twilight took the empty chair. "Why did you want to see me, Morocco?"

"Oh, can't a fellow scientist invite some old friends once in awhile?"

"We're not friends, Morocco. What's the real reason?"

"So very hostile!" Morocco said. "But very well. The reason I called you here is because I want to know … can you help me?"

"I don't know. Maybe. What is it?"

"Well, you can see I am not at my best." Morocco provided evidence for his statement by entering a coughing fit. "And the reason for that is that I've been cut off from my rejuvenation chamber. A mechanical fountain of youth, it kept me eternally young. I would appreciate if you could find it and bring it to me. It's in my zeppelin … wherever that is."

"I'm not sure." Twilight nervously scuffed her hoof. It would be immoral of her to sneak an aging-device past prison security, and she was certain they wouldn't allow it in. But on the other hand, anypony with good eyes could see Morocco wasn't faring well. Still, perhaps she could any information he had out of him so she could salvage any technology and blueprints he might secreted away.

"Do you know where your zeppelin is?"

"The last time I had it, it was -" Morocco was interrupted by a cough. "It was -" he coughed again.

"Take your time." Twilight assured him. His coughs got worse and worse, eventually becoming forceful enough to throw his upper body into the table. He hacked up, dropping from the table and to the floor. Twilight realized whatever was happening might be fatal and screamed. "HELP! I NEED HELP IN HERE!"

The security officer burst through the door, seeing Morocco's seizing frame on the floor. He rushed over and knelt. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing! We were just talking! He had been coughing a lot and now he's like this!"

The officer pressed his hands into Morocco's chest, giving him a pump. "Come on, buddy, stay with me ..."

"Can't you do CRP?" Twilight asked.

"CPR?"

"I don't know! It always works in your human television shows."

"What? Do you believe everything you read, too?"

"Yes! Books wouldn't lie to me … would they?" Twilight was distracted from that thought by Morocco coughing again. "Come on, Morocco! Stay with us!" Twilight truthfully held no sympathy for him, but in an intense moment like this, she felt awful. A man was dying in front of her eyes, and she couldn't do anything about it.

"My apologies-" Morocco hacked again, "Miss Sparkle, but it appears my time is up."

"No. No!" Twilight pounced him, pressing her hooves into his chest the way the officer did, hoping that would work. It amounted to nothing, though, as Morocco closed his eyes not soon after.

The officer put his hands on Morocco's neck. "Dead."

"Did I- when I pressed my hooves into him"

"No, Miss Twilight, you didn't kill him. If anything, you forced the air out quicker and helped put an end to his suffering."

"Okay..." Twilight went for the door, then stopped. "Are you sure it wasn't-"

"Yes!" The officer, irritated, pointing her at the door. "You did not kill this man. I'll inform his next of kin ..."

"I don't think he has any. He loved himself too much to love anybody else… it's sad, really." Twilight gazed over Morocco's lifeless body one more time, then left.


Twilight returned to her friends, walking down the street in the city they were at.

"Hey, Twilight!" Applejack greeted. "How'd it go with tha Doc?"

Twilight stared at the ground. "He … tried to tell me where I might find his old tech, and then he … he died. Right before my eyes. And I couldn't do anything stop it, not even with my magic ..."

"Oh." Applejack hugged Twilight. "It's okay, girl. It's alright."

"How!? I couldn't – I couldn't stop him from dying, Applejack. Not even with my princess magic. I mean, what kind of a Princess am I!?"

"The good kind." Applejack said. "It wasn't yer fault, Twi. None of us had any idea he was that close to bitin' tha dust. Isn't that right, girls?" There were affirmative nods from all around.

"T-thanks, girls. That means a lot to me." Twilight magically pulled them towards for group hug.

A can flew in from down the street, beaning Optimus Prime in the head, ruining their tender moment.

"Get outta here, youse!" A man walked onto the street, aiming another can at Prime's head. "We don't need youse alien types clogging up our streets!"

"Excuse you, young man!" Rarity said, charging up to him and pressing their foreheads together. "We 'alien types' saved your world from a terrorist army, a Decepticon army, and TWO gods of chaos! Show some appreciation!"

The man, losing his confidence when confronted by the "alien" up close, fled with his proverbial tail between his legs.

"I wonder what that was all about ..." Rarity muttered.

"Probably sumthun' tah do wit' that." Applejack pointed. Down the road, there was a mass of people, with Dylan Gould standing on the steps to a building to raise himself above the crowd.

"Tell me, people of Earth!" Gould shouted. "How long will you tolerate this alines encroaching on Earth land? My land? Your land? OUR land!? How much longer … will you put with sharing bedspace with the extraterrestrial? How long -"

"Is this speech gonna last!?" Rainbow Dash shouted from the back of the crowd, heckling him.

The crowd turned to gaze at their extraterrestrial neighbors. Optimus instinctively raised his hands to show he meant no harm.

"Easy," Ratchet said, motioning for the crowd to split and make a path. "We're not here to hurt anyone. We just want to know why Gould is making speeches in the streets against us."

"Gould?" Optimus asked. "Would it be improper to inquire as to why you speechifying against my kind and the Equestrians?"

"Maybe, but I'll answer anyway." Gould replied. "I am making a speech, because I want you off our soil." Gould began to walk down the steps. "What right have you earned to live on our land?"

"What right?" Ratchet laughed. "How about the right where we fought a war for you, in secret, without asking anything in return except a place to call home?"

"Ah, yes, the war." Gould said. "If I remember right, your war lasted for four million years, going from planet to planet, until finally … one day, you came to Earth. And then the Ponies came from Equestria, and then ended your four-million year war in just under three." He pointed at Optimus. "That must make you feel so bad about yourself, Optimus, to know that bright, sparkly pacifist ponies are better at waging war than you. Tell me, how does it fail to know you fail as a leader?"

Optimus narrowed his optics. "Do not taunt me, Gould. I have earned my position. As Prime, I am the highest authority on the side of the Autobots, in military, government, and religion, and I have proven myself capable in all of those fields."

"Government and religion?" Gould scoffed. "What about the separation of church and state?"

"I have heard of this human law. It has no equivalent on Cybertron."

"Did you hear that? There's no separation of church and state on Cybertron!" Gould shouted to his crowd, who all booed at Cybertron's lack of this law.

"And tell me, what about that spaceship Decepticon I heard you left lying at the bottom of New York's sea?"

"Trypticon?" Arcee asked. "Yes, he's on the seafloor. Why?"

"So this Decepticon – this big, scary Decepticon who turns into a SPACESHIP, and you just left him at the bottom of the sea!?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Arcee crossed her arms. "We were dissecting him and removing him piece-by-piece because we were under the impression humans didn't have a crane powerful enough to lift him, and it would be too expensive in for you to build a new one out in the middle of the ocean that you would only use for one job! But, you know, if you want to waste your metals, your materials, and your money on this super-huge crane you're only going to use once, that's your business."

Ratchet stomped. "We have EARNED the right to be on your world! We have fought, we have bled – one of our number even DIED protecting you from the Decepticons! Once, we had only come to this world out of necessity. Now, we consider it our home. Are we so different from you? If you prick us, do we not bleed? May I have a volunteer?"

Ratchet flipped out his switchblade, causing everyone in the audience to pull back. Rainbow Dash volunteered, flying up into his hand. Ratchet clutched her, then slowly, carefully dug the tip of his blade into her leg, giving her a tiny cut.

"Look!" Ratchet said, holding Dash's leg up for them to see. "Blood, the same red color as yours!" Ratchet put Rainbow Dash down and addressed the crowd. "Do you think you're the only ones with problems? You have to adjust to living with aliens! Imagine how WE feel! WE have to adjust to living on an ENTIRE PLANET, that is, to us, COMPLETELY ALIEN!"

The audience stood in shocked silence. Then, one by one, they began to leave. Some of them saw the reasoning in Ratchet's points, but it was easy to see that it his demonstration of Rainbow Dash's blood being the same color as theirs that really got them. A small few stayed behind, determined to protest the aliens, ignoring that the Autobots had secretly saved Earth from destruction – sometimes not even from Decepticons.

Gould, unerringly indignant, humphed. Walking to Optimus' foot, he pointed. "Now you watch yourself, Optimus, because I have people."

"I … also have … people." Optimus warned him.

Gould spun around to Rarity. "And you! The religious pony!"

Rarity stepped backwards. "I-I don't see what's wrong with that. I've met plenty of nice people at church."

"But it's not your church! Shouldn't be you attending whatever pony gods you believe in?" Gould said. "Being a polygamist religious floozy is very unbecoming you know."

Rarity's eyes twitched. "What do you just call me?"

"You heard me. Poly-religious floozy."

"Oh! You -! You- It – is -on!" Rarity launched him, grabbing him with her hooves and savagely beating him over the head with her bare leg.

"Rarity!" Twilight shouted, grabbing Rarity and pulling her away. The movement knocked Gould onto the ground. "That was unnecessary!"

"But completely justified!"

"You attacked me!" Gould crawled away, stumbling to his feet.

"Subsequent to your deliberate provocation," Optimus said.

Gould dusted himself, adjusting his overcoat. "I hope no one caught that on video, where a pony attacked me unprovoked and then the great, heroic Optimus Prime did nothing to stop it ..." Gould whistled innocently as he walked down the street away from them.

"Unprovoked, my fat ..." Ratchet muttered.

"Rarity ..." Twilight said. "As dirty as it makes me feel to say, Gould may have a point." Twilight shuddered like she just swallowed something nasty. "Guuh, I hope I never say that again. You may not really need to go to church anymore." Rarity scoffed. Twilight patted her back. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but why were you going to church in the first place?"

"Well, I… I suppose it's because I felt guilty about my incident with Bulkhead and Rafael and I wanted someone's forgiveness for it and I couldn't tell Optimus ..."

"But Optimus knows now," Twilight said.

Rarity looked away. "I suppose that makes sense… " Rarity sighed. "Oh, but I can’t bring myself to swear it off completely. I’ve made friends there, and… it’s comforting, you know, to imagine someone’s out there looking for you…”

"As long as it makes you happy," Twilight assured her, smiling.

"Princess Twilight!" was shouted from down the road. Twilight and her friends watched a Royal Guard march down the street, aiming for them.

"Pri-Princess Twilight ..." The Guard panted, out of breath. "The -the black vines … the ones you and Celestia took care of … they're back!"

"What!?"

"They've returned, and they've grown. They're overrunning Ponyville as we speak!"

"Then why did you keep us here by talking?" Dash growled, slapping the Guard's helmet. "Let's get moving!"


Twilight Sparkle and her group returned to Ponyville with the Bridge as fast as they could. The vines were truly taking over, as multiple houses had the vines coiled around them, breaking windows and blocking off doors. A few citizens ran by, screaming in fear and for help. The girls spotted Princess Celestia in the town square, blasting at the vines to no effect.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight yelled, rushing up to her mentor.

Celestia stopped fighting to address her student. "Twilight Sparkle. I'm glad you and your friends are here. As can you see-" the sound of glass shattering caused Celestia to pause, "they have overrun the town. I keep burning them with my magic, but for every one I destroy, it's as though two take its place!"

"We'll help!" Twilight and Rarity moved into position to help Celestia in firing on the vines, but they were so many of them. One of them raised up, and Rarity's body was lifted into the air in sync with it. The vine coiled around, and a shower of blue and yellow sparks burst from Rarity's horn, electrifying her face and covering it with soot.

"I'm sorry, darlings." Rarity said when the vine let her down. "I'm afraid you'll have to count me out ..."

"I've never seen a plant that can do that before!" Twilight exclaimed.

Celestia took aim at the offending vine, but instead of a blisteringly hot laser, a sunflower appeared from the tip of her horn instead, to her confusion. The flower then bent down on its and squirted water into her face. Celestia used her hoof to tear the flower off. She stomped on it, then gasped at the sky.

"What?" Twilight looked up and gasped too. Equestria's sun and moon were right next to each other!

"I have never seen magic like this." Celestia said. "Wait. There is one, but … Discord is no more. How is this possible?"

"However it is, y'all better figure it out fast!" Applejack pointed as a vine like a tree root curled around and through a shop, smashing its way through the plaster and bedrock. "Ah'm not shore how much more o' this Ponyville can take!"

Celestia snorted. "I will attempt to discover how Discord's magic relates to the vines. You will fight them from Ponyville, won't you?" Everypony saluted. Celestia nodded, galloping off.

"Come on, girls." Twilight ducked for a closer look at a vine. "Let's see what we can do to fix this!"

"Say ..." Applejack picked up a vine. "Maybe we can trace back their stem and find out where they came from?" The vine writhed from Applejack's grasp and lashed at her. Rainbow Dash swooped down on the vine, trampling under her hooves.

Realizing they had best hurry, the girls walked alongside to the side of the vines, eventually tracing them to outside Ponyville.

"Based on their direction, I'd say these came from the Everfree Forest." Twilight said. As if responding to her conclusion, a gathering of vines with sideways, zigzagged mouths raised up. The mouthed plants began expelling green gas on the group, making them cough.

"Uugh! What is this stuff?" Dash complained.

"It smells bad, too!" Applejack added.

"Yaaah!" Twilight yelled, sweeping over the vines with a beam from her horn. Even though the Forest could be dangerous, they galloped into the Everfree Forest without fear, fighting attacks from all kinds of different variety of vines with kicks, bucks, bites, and their magic. Some of the vines ended in huge clubs. Others had more gas expulsion mouths, while at least one of them spat sticky goo aimed for their hooves. After galloping some distance, they found a wide clearing devoid of any trees, but filled with black vine intertwining with black thorny, creating a briar patch.

"I've never been here before." Fluttershy muttered, amazed at it all. In the clearing was a large pit that looked like it was made of crystal. It would have been beautiful, were it not for the vines.

"Look!"

Sliding down a slope that led into the inside of the pit, the girls were all in awe of what they had found. A very large tree also made of crystal. It was a pale, pearly blue. On its trunk were Princess Celestia's and Luna's Cutie Marks, while their own Cutie Marks were spread across its thick branches. It too was covered with black vines.

"What is it?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I don't know ..." Twilight cautiously pressed her hoof into its side.

"Girls!" Celestia found them inside the pit and flew in to join them. "I was worried when I returned to Ponyville and did not find you." Celestia looked at the tree, smiling fondly as though thinking of golden times. "Ah, I see you have found the Tree of Harmony."

"Tree of Harmony?"

"Yes." Celestia walked towards the tree. "My sister and I discovered this tree a thousand years ago. It was from it that we discovered the Elements of Harmony."

"You mean the Elements of Harmony came from some random tree?" Dash said. "That is ... so lame!"

"Lame though it may be, Rainbow Dash, this tree is a strange and wonderful one." Celestia said. "Now, after exploring some options, I have discovered something that might let us discover how to stop this invasion. I met your friend, Zecora, and she offered me this memory potion." Celestia held out a bottle full of purple liquid. "She informed that the potion is supposed to be white, and she couldn't figure how to make it change." Celestia put the potion on the ground. "I'm open to suggestions, anypony."

"Hmm." Twilight examined the bottle. She used several different spells, including a color-change spell which failed to change its purple liquid to white. "Hmm... that was every spell that comes to mind."

Pinkie bounced towards them. "What about a spell that didn't come to mind, Twilight? A spell you never ever really think to use? Or maybe a spell you don't WANT to use!"

"A spell I don't want to use … ? Pinkie Pie, you're brilliant!" Twilight's eyes glowed green, a dark purple mist forming on her horn – Sombra's magic. She used the spell on the bottle, and the purple solution finally turned white.

"Well done, Twilight Sparkle." Celestia levitated the bottle up and uncorked it. "We will drink it together so we have company in the memory." Celestia and Twilight each took a drink. They coughed and gagged, clutching at their throats. The girls crowded them, pelting them with questions of concerns, just before they both fell to their sides and fainted, their eyes glowing white…


"Mmm, huh?" Twilight groaned, getting to her hooves. "Princess Celestia?" Twilight was relieved to see the Princess with her.

"Hello, Twilight." Celestia looked around. The world around them was full of bumpy hills with pink and blue checkerboard patterns, the sky was a miserable shade of pink, and the clouds were made of cotton candy.

"This must be when Discord took over Ponyville." Twilight concluded.

"Yes." Celestia agreed. "But not when you and your friends fought him. Look." Twilight looked over the hills to see Discord, dancing and prancing around with a rucksack full of stony-blue rocks which he was scattering on the ground. Discord then popped a handful into his mouth, munching like it was popcorn.

Then Princess Celestia and Luna appeared, walking towards him with purpose. Celestia had the crown and necklaces for Elements of Magic, Kindness, and Laughter on her, while Luna had Honesty, Loyalty, and Generosity stacked on her neck. It didn't look too comfortable.

"Ah!" Discord said. "Princesses Celestia and Luna. How fare thee on this fine day?"

"Silence thy tongue, Discord!" Luna roared. "We hath come to end thou and thy reign of terror upon the good folk of Equestria!"

"Oh." Discord exhaled. "We art just having a bit of fun. Thou dost know the meaning of the word, don't they?"

"Yea." Celestia said. "And thou hast done nothing of the sort. We shall not tolerate thine antics any longer!"

Twilight giggled. "Princess? You spoke like Luna does?"

"I know it's archaic now, Twilight, but there whence was a time when everypony speaketh that way." Celestia, realizing her slip, bit her lip. Twilight giggled again. "Twilight, please stop giggling."

"Sorry."

"We hath seen the suffering thou's callous actions have wrought on our citizens." Past Celestia said.

"Mm-hmm." Discord nodded. "Dost thou want some of these seeds? They're delicious!"

"NAY!"

"Thou art done!" Luna growled. The Elements began glowing intensely with power. The Princesses were raised into the air by their magic, and their eyes were turned white. The rainbow beam that Twilight was very familiar with formed, and the beam arched over and headed for Discord.

"Oh, how cute!" Discord said, pulling a pose in the middle of popping another mouthful of seeds. "Thou think thy trinkets can hurt me!" The rainbow surrounded him, twisting around him like a tornado, turning him to stone from toe to head.

Celestia flew up to Discord's statue. "Tis over, Discord." She pushed his statue, knocking it over to the ground. "Tis over."


The memory faded, and Twilight and Celestia groaned as they awoke.

"Uggh … that was unpleasant." Twilight muttered.

"Agreed." Celestia said. "But I know how to defeat these vines."

"Ya do!?" Applejack cheered. "That's great!"

"Yes." Celestia looked at the tree. "In the memory, we saw Discord throwing seeds into the ground. There is no doubt in my mind that these vines have sprouted from those very seeds, designed to plunder Equestria of magic as preemptive revenge."

"That's it!" Pinkie said. "We'll call them Plunderseeds!"

Celestia ignored Pinkie. "We must return the Elements into the Tree. With the Elements, it will have the power to destroy the … Plunderseeds."

Celestia was immediately met with protests and complaints from everypony.

"What? No!" Pinkie said.

"Surely there's another way!" Rarity begged.

"We use the Elements to defend Equestria. How will we defend Equestria wit'out 'em?" Applejack wondered.

"I like my Element!" said Rainbow.

"I understand your reluctance, my little ponies." Celestia said. "But it's the only way."

"It's really impressive you figured all that out from just that one memory, Princess." Twilight said respectfully. "But I can't give away my Element in good conscience."

"Twilight Sparkle, do you have other options?"

Twilight thought about it. "I don't. But I know someone who might!" Twilight galloped up the entry slope back towards Ponyville. The Princess looked to her friends some explanation. They followed her back to Ponyville, where she was waiting expectantly outside of her home (also overrun with vines) with Spike.

"Twi?" Applejack said. "Y'all had an idea?"

"I did!" Twilight said. "I figure since we're out of ideas, we can use someone else for ideas! Someone who's never let us down before ..."

"Please." Spike said, stroking his ego. "I know I'm good, but I'm not that good." Twilight rolled her eyes.

A Bridge opened up next to them, and Team Prime stepped out, all of them with protective steel masks hanging off their heads and huge yellow and red tanks on their backs, with some sort of nozzle attachment under their arms.

"Hello, Princess Celestia." Optimus waved. "Twilight Sparkle sent me a letter informing you have a situation." Optimus observed the Plunderseeds on Twilight's house. "She mentioned your only solution to the problem is to give up the Elements of Harmony to a tree."

Optimus pulled the mask down over his face. He pushed a button on the nozzle, and a huge jet of flame burst forth from the nozzle.

"I believe we may have an alternative solution." Optimus nodded to his Autobots. "Autobots, incinerate!" The rest of Team Prime pulled their masks down and set about applying the flamethrowers to the Plunderseeds, being careful to not shoot any flames onto buildings. Thankfully, simply burning the seeds that were on the ground was enough to send shrivels and withers up the entire plant, pulling the seeds on the buildings down. Within minutes, dead Plunderseeds were piling up.

"Whoo!" Applejack and the others cheered. They gave each other hugs. "We won't have tah give back tha' Elements after all!"

"Uh, I wouldn't be so sure about that ..." Fluttershy mumbled. More Plunderseeds were slithering from the Everfree Forest.

"Autobots!" Optimus commanded, routing them towards the fresh Plunderseeds. The Autobots used their flamethrowers to great effect, but more kept crawling towards them.

"Optimus, this isn't working." Arcee said. "There's too many of them!" Twilight stomped her hoof in frustration.

"Hey ..." Fluttershy said. "Do any of you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

There was a foreboding creak that reeked of terrible things going down.

"There it is!"

"Yeah, I hear it. What is it?"

There was another creak.

"It sounds like it's coming from …" Twilight turned her head. "The library!" Despite Team Prime burning off the Plunderseeds, the vile plants had already wrapped around Twilight's library again. And this time, they were squeezing. The air was filled with the sound of branches snapping and windows cracking. There was a groan as one Plunderseed maliciously tore off a branch from the treehouse. The vines wrapped tighter and tighter, creating more and more of those awful creaks. More branches snapped off, hitting the ground with a thud.

"Optimus? Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked, her voice breaking. She sounded just like a little child asking their parent something they knew was impossible. "Can you … save my home?"

"I am sorry, Twilight Sparkle." Optimus said. "The Plunderseeds are too numerous for our equipment to have significant effect."

"Any thing we try is likely to destroy your home anyways." Celestia sadly noted.

Twilight sniffed, a tear forming in her eye. "I … understand."

There was more creaking and groaning from the treehouse, followed by a little clinking on a window. Inside, there was an owl desperately trying to break free from the house.

"An owl?" Bumblebee asked. "What's an owl doing in your house?"

"Oh no! Bumblebee, that's not an owl, that's my pet!"

"Hang on!" Bumblebee sprang into action, despite Optimus' warning. "We might not be able to save the house, but we can save your pet!" Bumblebee hopped onto the treehouse like a monkey, punching through the window and grabbing the owl. "I got'cha, buddy!" he raised his owl-holding hand in triumph, only to shake as the library let out a rumble. Bumblebee made a point to hop off as quick as he could.

Not a moment too soon, as it was just then that the library finally gave into the Plunderseeds. The entire top half of the building snapped and collapsed into the bottom half, crushing the library in on itself. Any remaining branches fell of, all windows shattered, and a cloud of dust appeared from the bottom half as it was crushed utterly.

Twilight's tears flowed more freely. Applejack moved to comfort her. "Ah'm sorry, Twilight ..."

"It-it's not fair." Twilight whined, her voice muffled under the weight of her tears. She almost felt she was about to drown in said tears, and honestly, the way she felt right now, that would be a welcome relief. "We beat Discord. We killed him. We made sure he couldn't hurt anypony ever again, and now he takes away my house from beyond the grave!?" Twilight buried her head into Applejack's chest. "It's not fair … all my things … all my books. All my research notes on science and friendship … my blueprints. My furniture – my furniture that I picked out for me- my inks and quills … all gone. Just … completely gone!" She could imagine - she could just imagine about how everything was lost. The bookshelves being crushed by the library walls, her beloved books flying out from the shelves and being shredded apart by splinters. Trinkets and toys for her and Spike being smashed into fine, useless powders, not to mention any emotional keepsakes.

All gone.

It was all just completely gone.

"H-hey..." Bulkhead said. "It's not all bad. The library only got crushed, not exploded. I'm sure a few of your things survived. We can just dig them out of the rubble, right?"

Twilight continued sobbing into Applejack's chest. She looked up at Applejack's face, then towards Bumblebee. She stepped away from Applejack and sighed.

"I'm sorry, girls. We have to give the Elements to the Tree. There's- there's no other way. We have to …" Twilight looked at the remnants of her home, where she had her first party with Pinkie Pie. "Before another pony loses their home."

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all seemed ready to argue about this decision, but with a wary glance downward, they knew Twilight was right. There wasn't a choice.

Celestia did a quick hop back to Canterlot to retrieve the Elements of Harmony. She gave them to each to the pony who represented them, and the group made their way back to the forest where the Tree of Harmony was. The Autobots occasionally had to fight off more Plunderseeds with their flamethrowers, but they moved onto the next area before they could pile up.

Returning to the crater, Twilight galloped ahead of the others towards the tree. She held the Element of Magic in her hoof, sadly staring at her reflection. She teared up, sniffing a little, then pressed her Element into the hole shaped like her Cutie Mark. She stared at it and the Tree bitterly like they were the reason her home was destroyed. Then she ran into Celestia's chest, sobbing loudly.

Rainbow Dash sighed, flying to the Tree and depositing her Element in it. Rarity attempted to maintain an air of stoicism as she levitated her Element. Applejack shook her head when she gave up hers. Fluttershy groaned, and finally, Pinkie frowned.

When the last Element was clicked into place, the Tree of Harmony let out a hum, glowing a blue color. The light pulsed intensely before letting out a ring of light that made every Plunderseed it touched wither and die, shriveling up completely until they turned brown, like normal branches. This time, they didn't replenish their numbers. The Tree was glowing heartily and healthily. Its glow collected into a swirl at its center, like a portal, which spat out a medium size six-sided faceted diamond with six keyholes on its side.

Rainbow Dash picked the object up. "Oh joy." She said with the flattest voice possible. "A box. It'll be a cinch to protect Equestria now."

Applejack ran a hoof across Twilight's neck. "It'll be okay, Twilight… we'll fix it. Just' like we always do. Right, girls?"

"Right!"

"You know what, Applejack?" Twilight wiped her face with her leg, becoming much cheerier. "You're absolutely right. We may not have the Elements of Harmony anymore, but that doesn't mean we can't still protect Equestria. We're still Autobots, and that's just as good." She noticed a dead Plunderseed. Secretly, Twilight snapped a dead branch off it and hid on her person.

Celestia snorted, puffing air from her nostrils. "Why must you be Autobots? Why can't you just be ponies, like before you went into space?"

That remark cut Twilight hard, especially after Shining Armor's recent objection to his little Twiley being an Autobot.

"I'm sorry to say, Twilight Sparkle, but I … I would be more comfortable leaving all world-saving activities to your brother from now on." Celestia said.

"What!? Princess-"

"Shining Armor couldn't save a cat up a tree!"

Everyone glared at Bulkhead.

"What? We're all thinking it. I just had the chrome bearings to say it." Bulkhead shrugged.

"Princess Celestia, just because we don't have the Elements anymore -"

"Means you will not be able to effectively deal with threats to our safety as you have in the past." Celestia said sternly. "Nightmare Moon, Discord, Megatron … you defeated them all with the help of the Elements."

"Yes, but we've learned things since then! Fighting, weaponry, tactics, from being on Earth and from the Autobots!" Twilight complained.

"Yes. I've been meaning to discuss that with Optimus." Celestia glanced warily at him. She flew in the air to look at him eye-level. "Twilight Sparkle and her friends, though successful at saving Equestria several times, are not meant for war. They're mares, not war machines. It's clear they've been affected their experiences with you. Affects I would like treatment and therapy to undo, especially after what Shining Armor has told me. Because of that … for this reason, Optimus Prime, I have decided I must take Twilight Sparkle and her friends away from you."

The girls gasped. "What?"

"Princess, no! You can't do this!"

Celestia raised her hoof for silence. "I have made up my mind."

Optimus blinked stoically. He walked slowly towards her. "You are a leader, Princess Celestia. It is your right to decide what is best for your subjects and to act on it. In that regard, I respect your decision. However, during our time together, I have come to consider Twilight Sparkle and her friends part of my own family, just as much as Ratchet, or Bulkhead or Rafael."

Shocking everyone, Optimus pulled up his switchblades and battlemask.

"And I will not stand idly by and allow you to take my family from me."

Celestia was taken aback, but hardened her glare and charged up her horn. "Do you really wish to fight me, Optimus?"

"No. But I will do what I must to protect my family."

"Stop!" Twilight shouted, trotting to Optimus' feet. "Please stop, both of you. You shouldn't be fighting. Your friends, and – and you're both very close to my and my friends. If you fight, we'll have to choose between you and – and how can you ask us to do that?"

Optimus froze, then retracted his armaments. "I apologize, Twilight Sparkle. My desire to protect those close to me overrode my better judgment. Princess Celestia, perhaps we may yet reach a peaceful compromise?"

Celestia took in a deep breath. “Perhaps. I apologize as well, Optimus. I don’t know what’s gotten into me…” Celestia brushed a hoof against her mane. “Shining Armor seemed most distressed. Perhaps I’m letting his worries affect my own judgment too much.”

“Perhaps,” Optimus said bitterly.

“Could we still reach a compromise, Optimus? The more I think of it, the more it pains me to think that my studious student is out there, firing weapons, pulling triggers… killing… and risking her life, so far away, in places I could never reach in time in the event she should need my help.”

“I don’t need you or Shining Armor to baby me! I’m fine! I’ll be fine, I’ve been fine, I’m still here, am I not?” Twilight snapped.

“Twilight…” Celestia said.

“It seems to the crux of the problem lies with Shining Armor,” Optimus observed.

“Yeah, and if that’s the case … if that’s how he really feels, then I… might as well just move in with the Autobots on Earth, then!” Twilight said.
Everypony gasped.

“Twilight, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Bulkhead asked. “Moving into a new house on another planet is an awfully big decision to make… especially when you don’t have to.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Twilight said, “I mean, at least until my own house gets repaired. That is, assuming Celestia does get around to ordering repairs on it, or does Shining Armor want me to move in with him and Cadence so he can keep pretending I’m some immature foal who doesn’t know what’s best for herself?”

Celestia stomped. “Twilight Sparkle, that is out of line. Your brother may have some odd notions, but he is still the Captain of the Guard and deserves your respect.”

“Oh, yes, the Captain of the Guard!” Twilight said. “The Captain who gets captured by infiltrators, of the Guard that doesn’t do anything! Hey, remember when the Guard protected Equestria and its citizens from Nightmare Moon? From Discord? From The Deceptions? From Sombra or Thunderwing? I sure don’t! OH WAIT! That’s because they didn’t! It was all us! If it wasn’t me or my friends, it was the Autobots!”

Celestia grimaced. “If that’s how you really feel, Twilight Sparkle, perhaps you should leave and join the Autobots’ residence.”

“Maybe I should. Maybe I will,” Twilight insisted. She flew up near Optimus, and deposited herself into his grasp, where Optimus wrapped his arms around.

“Princess Celestia,” Optimus began, “If you wish to have an actual discussion regarding my proximity and closeness to Twilight, and both the positive and negative potentials effects my Autobots and I are having on her, I would be happy to oblige you, Your Majesty… provided you can gather your facts and lay out a more convincing argument than Shining Armor’s inability to recognize his younger sister as a capable warrior equal to, if not superior to him in her own right.”

“Autobots, let us go home. We have some reorganizing to do if we are to make Twilight a semi-permanent member of our residence,” Optimus said, turning away from Celestia with Twilight wrapped over his shoulder like a baby, a Space Bridge appearing on his command.

“Seriously, Princess, you should work on fixing that Guard,” Rainbow Dash said to Celestia. “You might as well just fire them. I’d say the six of us or the Autobots worth a thousand of them… but that would imply they’re actually worth anything.”

“Shining seems a little out of control,” Rarity observed. “You should replace him as Captain, or at least suspend him, until you get your house in order,”

With that, Rarity and Rainbow turned their noses at the Princess and joined the others in walking through the Space Bridge.

Celestia was nonplussed. “Huh.”


Miko cheerily whistled, walking with Sunset Shimmer into the halls of the base. "So, Sunset, think you can teach me how to do unicorn magic?" Miko asked with big, pleading eyes.

"Oh gee, I -I don't know, Miko." Sunset said. "It's not the kind of thing you just learn overnight ..."

"Uh-huh. Oh, wait right here!" Miko said, spotting Bulkhead lugging a bucket of paint. "Hey, Bulk! We still up for off-roading today?"

"Right!" Bulkhead said. "Um, maybe not right now, Miko. We're in the middle of something ..."

"What's this?" Sunset asked, noticing and walking up to a bucket of pink paint.

"Paint." Bulkhead shrugged. "Just paint."

"Okay, but why is there paint in the base?" Sunset asked.

"Because I'm moving into it." Twilight answered, appearing next to Sunset.

"What?" Miko squawked. "Bulkhead, when I wanted to move in the base, you shot me down like that! What gives?"

"Er, Twilight's a responsible adult who can make responsible adult decisions." Bulkhead answered hastily.

"What's wrong with the library?" Sunset Shimmer asked.

"It was destroyed." Twilight answered. "Crushed by Plunderseeds."

"Whoa, whoa, rewind button!" Miko chimed. "Plunderseeds? What the heck are Plunderseeds?"

"I don't want to talk about it ..." Twilight answered surly, walking off in another direction. Leaving the others behind to set up her new room, Twilight waded through the base until she found a particular corridor she hadn't seen before. Becoming curious, Twilight walked down. She turned into the first open door she saw, and what she saw inside made her scream.

The room was empty, void of any decoration or equipment except for one thing. In the center of the room, inside a huge glass box like they use at the museums for dinosaur reconstructions, suspended on a metal rack was a broken, bloodied body with its detached arm hung separate, but adjacent to the head. But it wasn't just random corpses; it was the corpse of Megatron, what remained of him after the slaughter at New York. Twilight remembered Barricade saying something about Optimus not giving them Megatron's body.

Twilight breathed heavily, then scrambled to get out the room. She bumped into Optimus' foot.

"I heard a scream." Optimus said with his hands crossed behind his back. "Is everything alright?"

"I – it you- Megatron! In the base!" Twilight sputtered, pointing at the grotesque display case.

Optimus nodded. "Indeed." He walked towards the case, staring at with no visible expression. He put his hand on the glass and sighed, as if remembering better times.

"You are aware of mine and Megatron's history ..."

"Y-yes." Twilight answered. "Jack told me … how were you friends before Megatron turned into a crazy murder-happy maniac?"

Optimus nodded. "I believed we had the same goal with only differing means. It has taken me some time to realize he was always a killer at his core. Even after he destroyed our planet, I thought I might seek redemption for him. I see now that was hopelessly naive of me. For that reason, I keep his body here, as a reminder to myself that not everyone deserves redemption."

"And ..." Twilight walked under him. "Also because you don't trust the Decepticons, right?"

Optimus heaved a sigh. "Though I would like to deny it, Twilight Sparkle, you are correct. While Shockwave himself may not wish to revive Megatron, I believe his body would be stolen from other rogues during transit."

"Mm." Twilight turned to the corpse. "Optimus? This is still kind of creepy."

"I know." Optimus walked out of the room. "Perhaps we can find something cheerier to admire."
Optimus and Twilight ambled about the base, enjoying one another's company. After a while, they stumbled upon a portrait, of sorts that had pictures of everyone on it – Jack, Optimus, Ratchet, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Arcee … everyone was there in a single picture showing them, taped together to fake being a whole photo. "Our Family" was written

"Ratchet?" Optimus asked, putting his hand on it. "What is this?"

"What is what?" Ratchet replied, looking up from his workstation. "Oh. That. It was a, um, gift from a friend of mine." He seemed a bit embarrassed by it.

"Mm-hmm. Fluttershy?" Optimus guessed.

"Is it that obvious?"

"A little bit." Twilight answered.

"Do you not like it?" Fluttershy asked, flying into the room. She was meaning to see Twilight, but she heard Optimus talking.

"I like it." Optimus admitted, grabbing the portrait and lifting it. He flashed Fluttershy a smile. "But I think we can do better."

Optimus called everyone in Team Prime, including the humans and ponies, and even Agent Fowler and Jack's mother, June, who despite being confused by it, fulfilled Optimus' request she bring a large, high-definition camera.

"So what are we doing?" June asked as she set the camera up on a stand.

"Taking a family portrait." Optimus answered happily, causing Jack's mother to wonder if she was hallucinating. Optimus was never this happy.

"I gotta admit," Fowler said, "when I was a young boy, I never thought I'd see an inter-alien family."

Twilight smiled. She looked at Optimus, then back to them. "Miss Darby, can you set the camera on a timer?"

"I can, but why?"

"Because we want you two on this side of the camera." Twilight beckoned for them to come over.

"What?"

No, I couldn't ..."

"Come on!" Jack encouraged. "You are my mother, after all. And I guess Agent Fowler could be like an uncle."

"Yeah!" Miko agreed. "But not a cool uncle. Like a lame uncle."

"Besides." Fluttershy said, cutting them off before Miko insulted Fowler further. "We're family," she gestured to herself and the girls. "And we haven't even known them as long as you!"

"Can't argue with that." June set the camera. She and Fowler walked off and made sure everyone was smiling when the flash went off. Optimus tasked Fowler with getting it printed and framed. Fowler left with enthusiasm.

He soon returned with a fresh, primed portrait in his hands, but now he was sour and gloomy.

"Is something wrong, Agent Fowler?" Optimus asked, taking the portrait from him. It had come out beautifully, with no extra focus on any particular member and with everyone clearly visible. Optimus proudly hung it up where Fluttershy's early mock-up had been.

"Yeah." Fowler put his hands in his pockets. "People are going around saying Twilight killed Doctor Morocco in prison."

"What!?"

"That's not true!"

"I know that, Twilight." Fowler said. "But some people are finding it just a bit suspicious."

Miko climbed up to the living area, clicking the remote to turn on the T.V. "Eh, let 'em think that. We know the truth and that's all that matters, right?"

"I suppose." Twilight looked down. She didn't feel good knowings humans were accusing her of murder.

"Whuh-oh." Miko muttered, catching the attention of others.

On the television was a title card saying "HORSES UNCUT" that shrunk to the corner, showing the reporters at their table.

"In shocking news today," the newslady reported, "An alien has been found assaulting a well-known and reputable businessman." The screen then showed video of Rarity's attack on Gould after he called her a floozy.

"One can only wonder what was going Mr. Gould's mind as he was nearly beaten to an inch of his life by our so-called "allies."

"I barely hit him!" Rarity shrieked. "Not for lack of trying, but still!"

Ratchet wasn't any happier than Rarity was. "Gould's only 'repute' is being a walking pile of grease and slime."

Miko changed the channel, switching over to reveal another news channel, this time with a human male and Rung of all people in seats.

"Is that Rung?" Ratchet shouted, recognizing him.

"So to reiterate," the human interviewer said, "in your opinion, Optimus Prime is too attached to Celestia's errand-runners?" Rainbow Dash and Twilight resented that name.

Rung nodded. "Yes. He shows too much compassion for them as both as leader who should remain distant, and as leader who shouldn't give favor to one species. You can read all about it in my article online. I attempted to interview the ponies and Optimus would not allow me to finish my interviews."

"You heard it here, folks!" The human pointed at the camera. "Optimus Prime … plays favorites with the ponies! The question we have to ask, America, is can we trust such a biased Autobot in such a powerful position?"

"Not that either." Miko said, quickly changing the channel again, only to get another report, this time slamming Twilight for her "murder" of Doctor Morocco.

"The prison guard who was stationed at the time insists that Twilight Sparkle did not kill the man, but for some reason I don't entirely believe him. What do you think -" Miko gave up and turned the T.V off.

"What do you wanna do about this, boss-bot?" Dash asked.

"The same thing I always encourage doing. Talk."


"So how do you know Optimus is too attached to his little ponies?" a Leaper and a Vehicon contemptuously asked of Rung, eager for any dirt the Decepticons could use on Optimus.

"It's quite simple," Rung answered. "He puts sparing their feelings over psychiatric help. A proper caretaker has enough balance of closeness and distance to allow for tough choices." Rung was puzzled when the Decepticons started walking backwards. "Where are you going? This could be an educating experience for you!"

"If I may," Rung felt a strong yet gentle hand on his shoulder, "a psychiatrist should make their patients feel comfortable, something which you failed to do."

Rung looked up to see Optimus Prime behind him. Optimus was a kind leader, but he could be terrifying when he wanted to. Optimus appeared content, but as a trained psychologist Rung could see that Optimus was very, very close to becoming genuinely upset. Rung remembered that battles that Optimus had participated in after becoming ‘upset’ in the past had a notable absence of survivors. "I'm given to understand you are of the opinion I am too attached to Twilight's regiment?"

Rung wormed his way out from Optimus' grip, grimacing. "Er, yes. I think you were soft on them when you wouldn't let me interview them."

"As I mentioned, psychiatric physicians are trained to make their patients feel comfortable, something you were visibly failing at doing. However, I do not wish to discuss that at this in moment."

"What… do you want to discuss?"

"Your article." Optimus growled. "Which you published online, demonstrating your reasoning for why I am "too attached." While I would not deprive of the right to your opinion, I would have greatly appreciated if you would have brought your concerns to me first before going public." Optimus crossed his arms.

Rung stammered. "I, uh, did what I thought was best."

"Rung, I can accept that you think I have a closer-than-healthy attachment to Equestrians. What I cannot tolerate is that you would rather publish your observations to the media for gossip than talk to me and address the issue. But by going to the media instead of coming to me, Rung ..."

Optimus leaned forward, causing Rung to fear for his life.

"You have betrayed my trust."

Optimus straightened up and walked away, too upset to even look at Rung even further.

"Hmm." Rung turned around, only to see Prowl standing in front of him. "Oh! Hello, Prowl … how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." Prowl answered. Prowl put a finger to Rung's chin. "You watch yourself, Rung. That's strike one. You backstab Optimus like that again … well, let's just say I have my sights on you."

Rung nodded, nervously biting onto his tablet.


"So yeah," Gould said, being fawned over by young women. "That's the story of how I narrowly escaped an undeserved vicious beating by a unicorn." He was also laying on a beanbag, just outside the building.

"Narrowly escaped? Undeserved vicious beating?" Rarity asked him as she and Twilight approached. "You insulted my religion and then my friends talked me down before I could seriously injure you."

A few of the woman, offended, huffed at Gould and left, while others remained by his side glaring at the unicorns.

"Well, well." Gould said, getting up. "The criminal always returns to the scene of the crime, right ladies?"

"Giving in to the impulse to beat you up is hardly a crime." Twilight quipped. "You are incredibly unpleasant person."

"Hmph, given your noted prejudice against humans, I'm not so sure you're the best judge of that, Miss Murderer."

"I did not kill Doctor Morocco!" Twilight insisted. "Just ask the guard who was stationed there!"

"I don't have anything against humans." Rarity said. "So allow me to offer my two cents that yes, you are an uncouth brute." Rarity huffed.

"Yes." Gould ignored her, focusing on Twilight. "The guard. The guard who I'm sure you paid off, isn't that right, ladies?" Gould's cheerleaders giggled.

"I didn't pay anybody off!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Sure you didn't." Gould muttered. "Ladies, would you excuse us?" The girls, still glaring at Twilight and Rarity, obeyed Gould's request and gave them some space.

"I'll let you in on a secret." Gould said. "Morocco was actually of my old contacts. He called to let me know his ticker was about to give up the ghost. So I arranged for you to visit him, so it would look like you killed him."

"What!?" Twilight exclaimed. "But … why? Why would you do such an awful thing!?"

"Just business, sweetheart. I won't get into specifics right now, but you looking bad makes my company's side-projects look good."

"You … you … won't get away with this!" Twilight growled.

"Of course I won't. Ask yourself, Twilight Sparkle, who are the people going to believe? Me, a respected businessman who's been doing profit for twenty years, or a recent alien who is known for hating on humanity?"

Twilight snorted, infuriated. She threw Gould into the air with magic and slammed him on the concrete, pinning his chest with her hooves.

"You enjoy your comfy throne right now, Gould, because I am going to take away everything you own. And I'll do it by forcing to reveal to the public every underhanded dirty business you've ever done. I'll probably kill you anyway because you're such a scumbag, but only after you're left with no assets to your name and people everywhere know the truth about you." Twilight got off him, glaring at him.

Gould smirked. "Sure you will, dolly. You know many people have threatened that to me and failed?"

Twilight snorted. Activating her magic, she grabbed Gould's knees and elbows and twisted, dislocating each joint. She left him there, with a stinging pain in all his limbs and being unable to get up without help. "Come on, Rarity. Let's go home and leave Gould on the sidewalk for awhile."

Trotting away, Twilight saw Gould's girls coming to help him. Unable to abide that, Twilight quickly erected a forcefield, cutting off Gould from any potential help for at least the next few hours before the shield would wear off. It was a cruel punishment to leave him there like that, with dislocated limbs and no way for help to reach him, but Twilight didn’t give a damn. Perfectly justified, as far as she was concerned.


Shockwave sat in his throne, resting his head on his arm. He was still depressed about the Predacons, and top of that, his network for maintaining the Changeling Batteries was losing communications with the towers the Batteries were attached to. He needed a way to swing Decepticon public opinion back in his favor and fast before more Decepticons followed the Forged example and split off.

Hearing the door to his room hiss and split open, Shockwave thought it may have been too late. Galvatron marched inside, closely followed by Blackout and Barricade.

"Blackout, Barricade." Shockwave asked, stepping down from his throne. "Why are you in my chambers and who is your guest?"

Blackout bowed, gesturing to him. "This is Lord Galvatron. Barricade and I have been having discussions with him."

That caused Shockwave to be wary. "What kind of discussions?"

"The discussion that he would be a better Decepticon leader than you!" Barricade pointed at him. "He's got plans to get rid of the Changeling Batteries and keep the Equestrians off OUR planet!"

"Does he have an alternative plan to the Batteries?" Shockwave asked.

"I do not need an alternative plan," Galvatron answered. "I only need to free Cybertron from their filthy influence."

"Blackout, Barricade, please think logically. Without the Batteries, Cybertron will resume dying and no longer be able to produce Energon naturally. It will be unable to synthesize the material for future generations of protoforms. It will no longer be able to sustain us, or our kind."

"Eh, you have to take the good with the bad," Barricade said. "It may hurt us short term, but we'll come out on top soon enough! Who really wants to play peace with the Autobots?"

"I have been working tirelessly to develop a way to overthrow the Autobots without tipping my hand," Shockwave said. "My first plan was not successful."

"Ah, your first plan. That was the Predacons, wasn't it?" Galvatron chuckled. "The Predacons that flew away to go do what they wanted, Autobots and Decepticons be damned?"

Shockwave started, reviewing what he knew. "You are the one disconnecting the Batteries."

"While we're making realizations, I would like to volunteer I gave you the love potion that made you almost marry Twilight Sparkle." Blackout admitted. "I was … led to believe that would somehow cost you your position."

Shockwave took a long look at the three of them, it steadily dawning on him there was no way for this to be resolved without someone getting shot.

"Galvatron… it would be illogical of you to overthrow me without termination on your first attempt." Shockwave said, essentially warning Galvatron to kill him on his first try, or Galvatron would come to regret it.

Galvatron smirked.

There was a moment of tense silence. No one said anything. No one did anything. Then, Galvatron and Shockwave raised their cannons and fired. Shockwave's blast did nothing more than stagger Galvatron, while Galvatron's shot was so forceful it hurled Shockwave into the wall and out the building, crumbling the wall

"Yeah!" Barricade pumped his fist.

Shockwave, though rapidly falling through the air and all too likely to shatter into parts when he hit the ground, still had enough frame of mind to lock onto a target, aim, and fire. His plasma burst hit Barricade dead-on, bisecting the traitor and throwing his parts onto his back.

The Combaticons appeared in the air, blazing a path through the sky and catching Shockwave on tow hooks. "ALL HAIL SHOCKWAVE!" They announced before flying away from the Tower as fast as they could.

"Oogh..." Barricade groaned.

"Barricade!" Blackout yelled, kneeling next to Barricade's torso. The shot had cut him clean in two, with his abdomen and legs on another part of the floor. "Are you alright, Barricade? Speak!"

Barricade groaned again, weakly looking at Blackout. "Not like this, man..." Barricade put a hand on Blackout's chest. "I wasn't supposed to go out like this… I was supposed to have a big, ultimate duel to the death with Bumblebee, not slagged by my own boss."

"It'll be okay, soldier," Blackout said. "You're gonna be fine. We'll get the medics and-"

"Don't bother," Barricade said. "I'm done for. I'm sorry, Blackout… make sure Bumblebee knows he owes me a match in the AllSpark." Barricade's muscles relaxed, his optics slowly dimming before snuffing out completely.

"Barricade? Barricade!? BARRICADE!" Blackout screamed, clutching his friend's body in denial. "No, no." Blackout held Barricade's body close to his chest, like a big metal teddy bear. "You deserved a better death than this one."

Galvatron neutrally surveyed the scene of Blackout cuddling Barricade's body. "When are you doing grieving, we have work to do." He had no sympathy for Blackout's pain. "I am going to make an announcement. Come find me when you are done."

Galvatron walked out of the room and went to the communications office. He had the Vehicons there set up a camera showing himself from the chest up, displaying a broadcast that would play all over Cybertron.

"People of Cybertron, I am Galvatron. Following Shockwave's incompetence in dealing with the Autobots and need for organic-powered machine, I have disposed of him and taken his place as both leader of the Decepticons and ruler of Cybertron. My first order is a simple one. Deactivate all the Changeling Batteries and deport all organics back to their home planets. I know, to some of you, this is a sudden and unwelcome change, as you have made friends with these organics. But is not our species' greatest strength our ability to change? Effectively immediately, all Equestrians and Earthlings are banned from Cybertron, so that we may restore our home by ourselves, without the pity from lesser species. Thank you for your cooperation."

Galvatron terminated the broadcast.


"Yeah!" A legion of Decepticons and even some Autobots cheered, marching towards the nearest Changeling Battery they could find, eager to tear it down. They were greatly surprised when they saw a legion of Autobots, Deceptcions, humans and Equestrians standing in front of the Battery as if guarding it.

"Move out of the way!" An Aerialbot from the approaching side shouted. "We're taking this disgusting thing down!"

"No." A Leaper surprisingly stepped forward from the Battery. "This Battery is keeping Cybertron alive. It may not be great, but it's all we've got!"

"Yeah." Another Aerialbot on the Battery side. "Optimus will fix Cybertron someday, but until then, we do with these."

"Plus, we don't appreciate being told to just pack and leave!" A unicorn snapped at them. "We've made friends with Cybertronians. Plus, do you realize the opportunities you're depriving yourself of? Think of the things we could do together! Science, sports, just to start with!"

"It's not your world." A Vehicon said. "You don't belong on it and what happens on it isn't your concern!"

"It is my concern, because I've made friends here!" The unicorn insisted, firing a beam of magic into the Vehicon's face. That triggered a fight between the two ideologically-opposed groups. They charged at each others, unicorns casting spells while Cybertronians fought in a blurry, mangled mix of Autobot and Decepticon frames, their previous allegiance meaning nothing, as Aerialbots and Roadbuster units fought with Vehicons against visiting rights for organics while Leapers and Vehicons fought side-by-side with other Aerialbots and unicorns in support of them.

All across Cybertron, similar riots ensued between groups made up of any combination of Autobot, Decepticon, earthling and Equestrian, all of them arguing for or against Changeling Batteries and the presence of organics on Cybertron at all.


"Examples from a recent survey show popular opinion on the aliens is at an all-time low at forty-seven percent …"

"A barbaric sight to see where businessman Dylan Gould was found on the street, with broken limbs and a FORCE FIELD around him to prevent help from reaching him-"

"Reports are pouring of protesters asking for the presence of "alien lifeforms" to be removed from Terra Firma-"

"Some sources say Twilight Sparkle paid the guard off-"

Miko yet again turned the television off, disgusted by the news constantly slamming down on her robot and pony-buddies.

"Darn it." Twilight cursed, sitting next to Jack and Miko on the couch. "I was too angry with Gould to think that through."

"Hey, he deserved it." Miko assured her.

"He deserved worse." Ratchet muttered. The computer screen abruptly shifted, showing an Aerialbot in front of the other side.

"Optimus Prime, sir," the Aerialbot said with a salute. "Riots are breaking out all over Cybertron."

"Can you elaborate, soldier?" Optimus asked.

"I'm not sure, but I believe it's to do with the recent order to shut off the Batteries and expunge all organics."

"What?" Ratchet said.

"Who gave this order?"

"Galvatron, if I'm not mistaken." There was a rattle on the screen from gunfire. "Oh, call you back. Sounds like the riots are getting closer to the base and I need to hunker down." The screen faded into static.

"Surely there's been a mistake." Optimus muttered. "Galvatron served under Nova Prime. He wouldn't do something like this without Nova's input and Nova would not authorize such a command."

"Hailing." Ratchet said, his fingers skittering around the controls in motions that seemed erratic, but were carefully controlled. Galvatron appeared onscreen.

"Optimus Prime." Galvatron drawled. "To what do I this misfortune?"

"Galvatron, I have been informed you have ordered the destruction of all Changeling Batteries and removal of organics on Cybertron?"

"Yes. What of it, Prime?"

"Does Nova Prime know of this?"

Galvatron smirked. "No." He terminated the link.

Optimus tensed. "Ratchet, contact Nova Prime. Perhaps he can put an end to his subordinate's madness."

Ratchet typed into the computer again, but the blank screen didn't change. "No answer." Ratchet punched in the buttons again. "He's not responding, Optimus."

Optimus sagged, walking to the middle of the room with his head and shoulders hung low and down. He sat on the floor with his legs splayed out. "All this time… all the effort I had put into promotion inter-alien relations… all my hopes of a united federation of planets …" Optimus muttered.

"Great." Ratchet exhaled. "Just great. We put our lives on the lines for humans and Equestrian alike, spend all our efforts into restoring a Cybertron united, and what is the thanks we get? A smear campaign, a high-ranking princess framed for the murder of a frail old man, and a Cybertron that's all but erupt into civil war all over again!"

"Don't be like that, Ratchet," Fluttershy said, patting Ratchet's heel. "It'll be okay."

"HOW, Fluttershy?" Ratchet snapped. "Maybe we should just do what the humans want and leave. Just cut out Earth from the equation completely, no more humans. Just Equestria and Cybertron, palling it up!"

Miko's lips quivered. "You wouldn't… do that to us, Ratch?"

"Uh..." Ratchet stammered. "We would take you, Jack and Raf with us of course!"

Optimus raised his hand. "After procuring your parents' permission."

Ratchet scoffed. "Yes, of course. Not without parentel permission."

"I'm not so sure going to Equestria would be a good idea..." Twilight said. "I don't have a house anymore. Princess Celestia and I didn't exactly leave on good terms last time with saw each other… and I'm pretty sure Shining Armor has some sort of objection to Autobots now. Cybertron's got those riots and an organic 'expulsion"' happening. Earth is pretty much my last safe haven now." She looked at Optimus with those big pony eyes of hers.

Optimus dragged his hands across his face and sighed. "Twilight Sparkle, I respect that you are uncomfortable after your last meeting with her, but if we do not visit Her Majesty again, how are we to make amends?"

"We don't need to make amends!" Dash shouted. "She does!"

Twilight sighed. She turned around to walk away, only to see Jack standing next to her.

"Hey." Jack put a hand on her cheek. "You okay?"

Twilight shook her head. "No… the public is turning against us, Cybertron's devolving into a mess, and I don't have a home on Equestria to go back to. I can't stay here on Earth while I'm being framed for murder… but I can't go back to Equestria, either ..." Twilight started to cry.

"Hey, hey." Jack petted her mane. "It'll be alright. Optimus will fix it, just like he always does. Isn't that right, Optimus!?"

Optimus looked up, like he wanted to gaze at a starry sky outside rather than address these various problems. "I do not wish to admit this, Jack, but… I am not sure. I have already put in four million years of work in attempting to reach peace and harmony across the solar system. I am not certain how much more work I can stand to add to that pile." Optimus drew up his legs, resting his arms on his knees.

Jack felt a cold shiver of hopelessness travel up and down his spine. If even Optimus was depressed, then things had gotten pretty bad.

"Any minute now, protesters are going to be lining up at our door, demanding our immediate evacuation." Ratchet said. "After all we've done for them … we should just let the Decepticons slag them all." He joined Optimus in sitting on the floor.

"Now, Ratchet ..." Optimus gently chided. "You know we could not have allowed that. We are still Autobots."

"I know, I know ..." Ratchet said. "It's just … sometimes this job feels thankless. We spend all our resources on making things better for everyone, and then the humans hate us for it. We've given blood, made sacrifices and lost soldiers in pursuit of preventing the Decepticons from conquering the known universe. Yet, we still get treated like all Cybertronians are the bad guys ..."

Everyone shared a collective sigh.

Jack held out a book. "Twilight? I don't think we finished this one."

Twilight looked at it, then visibly brightened up, smiling. "Ooh! One of the books you gave to me!" She took it with her magic and nuzzled her cheek into its cover. "I'm still working on my issues with humans, Jack, but I'll always treasure these books you gave me."

Jack blushed. "Oh, really? Thanks, Twilight. I'm sure Optimus is glad to hear you say that."

"Well, sure, but what about you?" Twilight asked. "Are you not glad?"

"NO! No, it's not that, it's ..."

"He's modest." Miko quipped.

"Yeah, that."

Twilight chuckled. "Well, if you're sure that's all ..." Twilight, in a teasing whim, gave Jack a smooch on the cheek.

"Oh, hey now ..."

"Whoo!" Miko mockingly cheered. "Twilight and Jack getting' it on!"

"Whoa, Miko! Stop right there!"

"Relax, Jack." Twilight said. "I was just having fun. We could use that around here, couldn't we?"

"I suppose." Ratchet muttered, before a boom shook the whole building, knocking dust down from the rafters.

"What was that?"

"Probably the protesters, ready to boot us off their planet." Ratchet grumbled, resentfully getting up and going back to his post at the controls. He punched a button and …

"Oh no."

"What? Ratchet, what is it?"

"It's not protestors, Twilight." Ratchet answered, his face becoming grave and serious. "It's Predacons." There was a sound like fireworks going off, whistling through the air before there was another quake on the base that knocked more debris loose and threw tools off their tables.

Optimus went on the rebound, not about to let his recent experience with depression stop him from holding onto this title as one of the greatest military leaders of his time. "Autobots, battle positions!"

As she rushed with her fellow Autobots out to defend the base, Twilight couldn't help but wonder: why did Predaking decide to attack them? He seemed content to just live in the wild ...

Twilight was surprised when she arrived outside to see the base surrounded by a horde of Predacons, but not one of them was Predaking. But there was Laserback, standing proudly in his robot mode, smirking deviously.

"Do you like them?" Laserback asked, gesturing to the Predacons. "My own Predacons, bred in the Crystal Empire of the world inside that mirror." They were several of them. Each one had a shiny, sparkling coat as though they were a Crystal Pony from the Empire. Twilight recognized several different body-types among them, including one that was a gryphon, like Grimwing, as well a bipedal two-headed dragon and a hydra, not to mention a shark-like creature identical in shape to the one Straxus used.

"Predacons-"

"Autobots-"

"ATTACK!"

The Predacons surrounding the area all opened their mouths, breathing out a crisscrossing network of fireballs that forced the Autobots to kneel to the ground, preventing Optimus Prime from getting close to Laserback. He tried to run while ducking, but the Predacons' flames prevented him from being able to stand without getting hit. Optimus converted to vehicle mode and drove at Laserback with his maximum speed. He reverted to robot mode, jump in the air and reverted to vehicular mode, slamming the weight and mass of his truck form onto Lazerback, knocking the Predacon back. Lazerback grabbed at the truck, while Optimus reverted and backflipped to the ground.

Laserback charged at Optimus, engaging him in a grapple.

"Laserback, why are you attacking us?" Optimus pleaded.

"Well, Optimus, the reason for that is between me… myself, and I." Lazerback retorted, angering Optimus. Optimus tore his hands away from the grapple, grabbing the edge of Lazerback's bulky chest and pulling the Predacon downwards where Optimus could slam his spare fist into Lazerback's head. Optimus roared and threw Lazerback to the ground. Optimus aimed his blaster at Lazerback's head, execution-style.

"Surrender."

"Bite me."

Lazerback wriggled his tail, lashing around Optimus' leg. Lazerback stood up, Optimus hanging from his tail. Lazerback swung Optimus around and hurled him into the walls of the base.

Lazerback reverted to beast mode and took in air to breath fire, spewing a fireball at Twilight and Applejack. Optimus leaped into the path of the blast, taking it straight in the chest for his family. Optimus followed up by rushing at Lazerback and grabbing the antlers of his beast-head.

Twilight surveyed around the area, trying to determine which Predacon was the second-dangerous after Lazerback. Deciding it to be the dark-colored Grimwing knockoff, Twilight aimed a spell at him, forcibly converting the gryphon into its robot mode. After the last time she fought Lazerback, Twilight had been working on a spell that forced Cybertronians to convert. The Predacon shook his head, then reverted to beast mode, only for Twilight to blast him again.

The Predacon shook his head again. "Ooh, that is disorienting. What is that?" he saw Twilight's sparkling horn and growled. He reverted again, but this time Bulkhead launched himself at him, getting onto the beast's neck. The Predacon shook his neck wildly, trying to throw Bulkhead off, but Bulkhead remained firmly attached, pounding his maces into the beast's head with the savage fury of a jungle primate.

Lazerback roared, bucking Optimus off his horns and catching his body between said horns. Lazerback hurled him off again, converted to robot mode, and pulled out a gun. Lazerback pulled the trigger, spitting out a high-velocity blob of green liquid which Optimus rolled sideways to avoid. The blob hit the ground, boiling the ground.

"Acid!" Optimus shouted. "Autobots, do not allow yourselves to be struck by Lazerback's gun!"

"Hmph." Lazerback scoffed. "How very compassionate of you." Lazerback slammed his talon on Optimus' leg, preventing Optimus from pushing himself up. “Tell me, do you always have to inform your men of the obvious, or is just a weakness of your command capabilities?”

"Neither compassion nor communication is a weakness," Optimus growled, shooting Lazerback in the chest. It barely made Lazerback flinch.

"Is that all you have?" Lazerback taunted with a laugh.

"No." Optimus answered smugly. "Have you not noticed that I am perhaps … under-staffed?"

"Hmm?" Lazerback raised his eyebrow, shortly before a rocket slammed into him, the explosion throwing him off Optimus. Lazerback waved his arms to clear the smoke and saw Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Bumblebee, and Arcee standing at the top of the Autobot base, all armed with ridiculously large weapons.

"I was not so foolish as to send in all my troops at once." Optimus explained. "I divided them – a melee team and a ranged team." Optimus raised his hand and made a chopping motion, directing the ranged team to fire all they had. A flurry of rockets were rained down like thrown confetti, throwing explosions in between the Predacons, cutting off their vision. The Predacons were thrown off, unable to hunt their targets, but the rocket weren't powerful to do anything to the Predacons except temporarily blind them and give them small dents and dings.

"What are you standing around for!?" Lazerback screamed at his troops. "Don't just sit there, fly up and take out those snipers!"

The Predacons got their act together, lifting their long necks to look above the clouds of smoke, the silhouettes of the artillery team reflected in their orange-yellow optics. One of them spat a fireball at the cliff edge where the team was. Bumblebee and Arcee ducked for cover, causing the irritated Predacon to growl. Another Predacon got smart about it and spread its wings, barreling towards the team with its talons bared. It smashed into Bumblebee, tearing a gash into his chest and knocking him down. His Energon spilled and covered the Predacon's claws.

"Bumblebee!" Pinkie and Arcee screeched.

Seeing this, Optimus clenched his fist. "Ranged team, cover me!" Optimus turned around, hopping into vehicle mode and driving back into the base.

"Where are you going, Prime!?" Lazerback yelled. "Fleeing the fight!? THIS is the great Optimus Prime at work?"

Optimus Prime ignored his taunts, swerving into the base. Lazerback attempted to pursue him inside, but the ranged team coordinated their efforts and launched a payload right in front of him, a barrier of smoke and fire forming in front of him. "Grah! Come back here!" Lazerback reverted to beast mode, exhaling a huge fireball threw the smoke. Instead of hitting near Optimus Prime and scorching the area around him like Lazerback intended, his blast instead hit a floating wall of pink sparkling magic.

"Hello, Lazerback." Twilight said, dismissing the barrier as she flew out of the smoke. "I'll be your opponent until Optimus gets back."

Lazerback converted again, shooting his acid blaster at Twilight. Twilight swan-dived to avoid it, but the glob of acid managed to brush over the tip of her tail, burning its end off. "Ow!" Twilight glared at Lazerback.

"Aww, did I play too rough for the pretty pony princess?"

Twilight, insulted by Lazerback's jab, fired a beam of magic onto his gun. The spell overloaded the gun and made it implode, spraying the acid inside everywhere nearby, including the ground, nearly onto Twilight if she hadn't teleported away in time, and onto Lazerback's chest, shoulders, arms.

"AAAARGH!" Lazerback howled. "You will pay for that, pony!"

"I'm not afraid of you!" Twilight responded. She demonstrated this by seizing the moment, shooting a reddish-pink laser from her horn into Lazerback's now-vulnerable melted chest, pushing him back.

Inside the base, Ratchet surveyed the monitors, examining what damage the Predacons had done to the building's infrastructure before the rest of the Team redirected their attentions. A few corridors in the upper floor were damaged, but nothing severe … yet.

"C'mon, Ratchet!" Miko wailed. "What can Jack, Raf and I do to help, huh?" Miko punched through the air. "Unleash some super-fly moves on those Predacons? Maybe man some auto-firing turrets?"

"For the last time Miko, no." Ratchet insisted. "It's important that you stay in here where you're safe ..." he glanced at the screen showing damaged sectors. "Relatively, anyway."

"Oh come on!" Miko groaned. "Pinkie Pie got to go up on the roof to fire rockets!"

"Pinkie Pie is a magical talking pony." Ratchet said. "Do you see what part of that description is missing from yourself?"

"Uh, being a pony?"

"Magic!" Ratchet shrieked. "You lack magic like a pony does or weapons like we have!"

"Ratchet, we've helped out plenty of times before." Jack reminded.

"Yes, and you have been a great help when dealing with other humans, acting as tiny spies inside Decepticon compounds and using your surroundings to help deal with Decepticons." Ratchet admitted. "But we are not dealing with humans, we are dealing with Predacons!"

"Well, we'll just use our surroundings!" Miko chirped.

Ratchet gave an inappropriate laugh. "What surroundings!? Go outside and there's nothing but miles of sand and rock!" He went back to his monitors. "No, no … you could only help if you had a tool, such as the Apex Armor or the like ..."

"Apex Armor, you say?" Miko asked. The Apex Armor was an ancient relic, like the Forge of Solus Prime. A suit of armor that rendered the wearer impervious to attack. And the Autobots had it in the base. "Hmm..."

Ratchet was quite startled and alarmed when Optimus Prime came back into the base. "Optimus, what are you doing back inside? How fares the fight?"

"That is why I am in here." Optimus answered, as a battered Bulkhead carrying Bumblebee lumbered in behind him. Bumblebee now had slash marks across his face to accessorize the ones on his chest, while Bulkhead was dinged up, with holes all over his chassis clearly made by a bird beak. One of Bulkhead's arms was detached at the elbow, only remaining attached by a tiny casing.

"I am going to retrieve the Forge of Solus Prime in the hopes it can win the battle." Optimus answered, running out of the room. After watching Bulkhead set Bumblebee down for Ratchet's inspection, Miko ran after Optimus. She followed him to the storage room, where the Forge was kept.

"So how's that Forge-thingy gonna help you with the Predacons?" Miko asked, pointing her finger.

"Simple." Optimus answered. He reached into the stand, picking the massive hammer up. Feeling the touch of a true Prime, the Forge activated. The gears inside began to turn and swivel, rolling around at hundreds of revolutions per second. Electricity crackled up and down the haft and head of the hammer, pulsing with the divine power of ancient gods of Cybertron.

"Whoa. Sweet!" Miko whistled. She watched attentively as Optimus rushed back outside. Once she was sure he was gone, Miko turned her attention onto the storage room. On one object in particular – a silver and blue discus. The Apex Armor.

Outside, the rockets and dragonfire together had since made the air and sky thick with heavy ash and noxious smog. Twilight Sparkle and Lazerback were having a stalemate of a fairly even duel. Even with his Predacon hide damaged by acid, Twilight's magic could only do so much damage to him, while Lazerback couldn't lunge forward fast enough to catch Twilight in his claws.

"What's the matter, Lazerback?" Twilight taunted, flying circles around him. "Can't catch a girl?"

Lazerback growled. He reached behind his back and pulled off his tail, re-purposing it as a weapon like a whip or a flail that ended in an ax. He lashed it at Twilight, successfully hitting her wing with the axe-blade, shredding a hole through her flesh.

"Aaahh!" Twilight screamed, a searing pain traveled through her ripped wing. She fumbled in the air, attempting a crash landing on the ground to take a moment to get over the pain. "Oooww ..." She groaned, touching her hoof against her sore wing.

"Oh, did I hurt the little pony?" Lazerback mocked. He smashed his flail onto the ground near her, startling her and causing her to crawl backwards. "What's that saying you ponies have? "Friendship is magic," wasn't it? Tell me, where is your "magic" now?" He raised his flail again.

"RIGHT HERE, BIRD-BRAIN!"

Lazerback looked up and was surprised to see Optimus jumping off the top of the base with the Forge raised. He fell through the air, slamming the Forge on the ground. A monumental surge of golden energy emitted from the Forge's head in a circle. The energy passed over Twilight Sparkle harmlessly, but it pushed all the Predacons in its wake back some distance.

Lazerback scowled, upset but not intimated by Optimus' new advantage. "Bird-brain? That's awfully crass and vulgar coming from the oh-so-noble Optimus Prime."

"I like to consider myself fluent in many languages." Optimus said, raising the hammer up. "And that includes trash talk, you voodoo god reject!" Optimus struck Lazerback with the Forge, which was unpleasant for the acid-weakened Predacon. Lazerback dodged another swing of the hammer and lashed his tail around Optimus' midsection. Using that as leverage, Lazerback lifted Optimus into the air over his head and threw him to the ground. The motion made Optimus drop the Forge.

"You may be strong, Optimus ..." Lazerback said, picking up the Forge by its handle. For him, the Forge was nothing more than a large hammer, but that was all he needed. Raising the Forge above his head, Lazerback approached Optimus. "But I am stronger." Lazerback brought the Forge down, but a silvery blur intercepted, grabbing the Forge and stopping it dead in its tracks.

"What?"

Optimus was surprised as Lazerback was. Miko's face was inside the astronaut-like suit of the Apex Armor. "Miko?"

"Ratchet said we couldn't help unless we had something to level the playing field a bit, so I decided to suit up!" Miko grabbed the Forge with both of the Apex Armor's hands and pried it out from Lazerback's grip. She planted the Forge into the dirt for Optimus and proceeded to beat on Lazerback, punching him in the face.

"Ha! You like that?"

Lazerback roared, slashing across the Armor's chest to no effect. Miko laughed at Lazerback's confusion as to why his attack did nothing.

"Nothing but sand and rocks, eh?" Miko mused. She scooped up a handful of sand in and threw it into Lazerback's face.

"Gah!" Lazerback clutched at his eyes, wiping the sand from them. "You little-" Miko didn't bother to hear his insult for her, as she picked up a rock and rammed it into his optic. "AAAH!" Lazerback grabbed at his optic, pulling the rock out. "YOU WILL ALL DIE FOR THIS DISRESPECT!"

"Doubt it!" A dry voice said. Optimus was surprised when he saw Miko in the Apex Armor, but that was nothing compared to what he saw now; Jack had emerged from the base, piloting Destro's hot-fixed warmech

"I know I'm usually a little more responsible than this, Optimus, but Ratchet agreed using this was a good idea." Jack aimed the warmech's fists at Lazerback and fired its rockets. The rockets went straight through Lazerback's acid-weakened body, going inside his internal systems before detonating, creating a huge hole in Lazerback's torso. Before he could even shake off the shock from that, Twilight Sparkle shot a beam into him, melting the parts the acid had got to even more.

"Grrr ..." Lazerback snarled, disliking how his prospects looked at this moment. Optimus ready with the Forge, and that boy and girl in their nice suits, a powerful unicorn, along with the team on the roof regrouped to fire as soon as Optimus gave the word. All in all, not in his favor. After a long and grueling battle where neither side really progressed, it seemed the tide had turned in the Autobots' favor.

Lazerback smirked. He pointed at some Predacons. "You! You, you and you! Show the Autobots what you can do ..." Lazerback started backing away, while a two-headed Predacon, a hydra, pterodactyl-like one, the shark-like one, and one that was more like a frog-ogre than a dragon gathered together in a group. They started converted and reverting, inching closer to each other as if pulled by magnets, forming something that wasn't quite a robot more or beast mode.

Optimus' optics dilated in terror.

The forming lump of Predacons began to rise up as it took a proper humanoid-shape. It was then Miko and Jack followed Optimus' realization that they now dealing with a Gestalt combiner, a horrific process the imbued the ability for five Cybertronians to merge into one creature that could charitably be called a "being" possessed of the strength of one-hundred Cybertronians. Dealing with a Gestalt made out of armored Decepticons, but one with the demonstrably durable hides of Predacons? They had to use rockets, magic, acid, and a godly hammer just to start hurting Lazerback, who was only one Predacon.

"Do you like him?" Lazerback asked. "I wanted to call him "Abominus," but he insisted on "Goradora." A rose by any other name would be just as powerful, wouldn't you say?"

Goradora himself was a thing of horror, with hydra heads and dinosaur beaks forming its hands and feet made from the Predacons' feet and claws, like a child drawing up a monster and chucking more parts from other monsters for "coolness" without any consideration of anatomy.

Jack was more reluctant, but Miko and Optimus fearlessly charged at Goradora with their weapons raised. Goradora aimed his head-hands at them, blasting out streams of fire. Optimus to to stop to shield himself, but Miko continued onward, not harmed by the flames in her Armor … at least not directly.

"Whoo!" Miko said. "Is it getting in hot in here or is just me?" shoving that thought aside, Miko hopped into the air through the flames and onto Goradora's pterodactyl-hand. Goradora let out a low growl and snapped Miko in the beak, using it as claw, and tossed her into the base. The Armor itself was invulnerable, but her frail human body was beginning to suffer from the heat and being tossed around so much.

Optimus was next, having escaped the firebreath from Goradora's other hand. He ran at the Gestalt with the Forged held high, but Goradora saw him coming. Goradora bent over to aim better and poured more fire on Optimus Prime, this time with all his extra heads. Optimus was sturdy, but even he couldn't withstand that much fire. He converted to vehicle, the Forge attaching to his trailer-hitch.

Optimus stopped when Miko went charging past him again. He reverted and grabbed the Apex's shoulders. "Miko, stop!"

"I can take him!" Miko insisted through a face that was red with heat and wet with sweat. "I can … still take him. 'Sides, the Armor's invincible, right?"

"The Armor is invincible, but you are not." Optimus sternly reminded her. "Your body is overheating and overexerted. We must stop before you collapse from exhaustion!"

"I'm fine! I can take him ..." Miko insisted one more time before falling to her knees. Optimus grabbed the Armor and pressed into its chest. The Armor deactivated, resuming its discus form and exposing the barely-conscious Miko. Optimus took both into his hands.

Jack took his turn at fighting Goradora, aiming all the rockets inside the warmech at the Gestalt. The massive barrage barely phased the beast, but it bring Jack to its full attention. Snarling, Goradora kicked the warmech, knocking it down. It pressed its foot into the warmech, slowly crushing it.

"JACK!" Optimus converted to vehicle mode, sped towards him, reverted, and swung the Forge at Goradora, sending out another pulse of gold. The attack didn't do much more than slightly disrupt Goradora, but that was all Optimus needed to run by and pluck Jack from the warmech before before Goradora stomped it into useless scrap.

Optimus quickly retreated back into the base with the Forge, Twilight, Jack, Miko, and the Armor while a satisfied Lazerback looked on.

"You, you, and you ..." Lazerback directed, picking out Predacons from his army. "Attack the base there."

Inside the base, Optimus transformed and dropped off Miko and Jack onto the couch for them to rest, while everyone else realized they had reach a threshold of pointless fighting and retreated with him.

"Optimus ..." Ratchet asked, detecting there was a Gestalt outside. "What do we do now?"

Optimus held the Forge and Apex discus in his hands, staring at his reflection inside the discus, and what he said next devastated the morale of everyone in the room.

"I do not know, old friend."

The base shook again, like an earthquake was happening. Something heavy could be heard collapsing on the upper floor. The monitors on the screen changed its display, letting Ratchet knew one floor on the upper building had just collapsed.

"What?" Ratchet said. "No, that's impossible!"

"What?"

There was another quake. Loose gravel fell from the ceiling while support beams audibly creaked. "The Predacons are attacking coordinated weak spots in the base here, here, and here." Ratchet tapped his finger against the monitor. "These areas a structural weakness. If the Predacons destroy them all, the base could come crashing down. But … they're highly guarded secrets! They couldn't have found out about this by themselves. Someone must have told them."

"We have been betrayed." Optimus said.

"Optimus, if you're gonna come up with a plan, you need to do it fast!" Bulkhead shouted.

Optimus closed his optics, looking down in sorrow. "We must initiate our evacuation plan."

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"We will set random coordinates through the GroundBridge and transport everyone there into different locations." Ratchet explained. "That way, if our enemies find one of us … they only find one of us and they can't give away the others' location."

"Why not use the Space Bridge?" Jack asked. "You know, go to Cybertron. Get some reinforcements?"

"Cybertron is in the middle of riots," Ratchet said. "And Equestria has … its own problems." he glanced knowingly at Twilight, who closed her eyes in grief.

Ratchet entered coordinates and pulled the Bridge lever.

"Beep beep," Bumblebee volunteered to go first. "Beep beep,"

"Pardon me," Rarity said, "but if Rafael is going with you, then I'm coming to."

"Beep be-beep," Bumblebee said. "Beep Beep, beep?"

Ratchet scoffed. "Fine, but no more than three to a party, understand?"

Everyone nodded. Bumblebee walked through the Bridge with Rarity and Raf closely behind. Ratchet reset the coordinates for another location.

"I'll take this one." Arcee said. Jack hopped besides her, but was startled with Rainbow Dash landed next to her.

"Hey." Dash said. "Arcee is my partner too. Where she goes, I go." Jack nodded, walking with Dash and Arcee out.

Ratchet changed the coordinates again, resetting the Bridge.

"I guess that makes this one mine," Bulkhead surmised. He saw Miko, still exhuasted, lying down on the couch and hesitated. "Oh, Miko."

Fluttershy gently slid Miko onto her back. "I'll carry her for you."

"Thanks, Fluttershy. I owe you one." He and Fluttershy entered the Bridge. Ratchet reset it again, looking to Applejack and Pinkie.

"I take it you two would like me to accompany you?"

"Pinkie Pie and Ah will be fine on our own." Applejack assured him, trotting through the Bridge with Pinkie.

Ratchet moved to reset the Bridge again, but Optimus beat him to it, placing his hand on the lever and typing in new coordinates.

"You go, old friend." Optimus said. Ratchet opened his mouth to speak, but could only nod his head. He went to the Bridge, stopping just short of it and looking back.

"I'll find you." Ratchet said. "I'll find all of you. I promise." He walked through the Bridge. There was another quake through the base the Predacons continued their assault. Optimus changed the coordinates, opening the Bridge for Twilight.

Though they were in a desperate moment, their darkest hour, even, Twilight gave Optimus a faint smile. "I guess that just leaves us, huh?"

Optimus shied away from her, as though afraid of her gaze.

"Optimus?" Twilight asked.

"I will not be joining you." Optimus said, heaving the Forge over his shoulder.

"What!? Why?"

"I will remain here and destroy the Bridge's logs." Optimus explained. "I cannot allow them to be used to track you."

"The Predacons are just going to destroy the base anyway!"

"Yes, but if they merely destroy the base, there is a chance they could still salvage the logs from the hard drive unless is destroyed independently. There is no time for arguments. Please, Princess Twilight Sparkle, go through the Bridge and allow me to protect your friends in this way. "

Twilight wanted to argue, to protect, to call him an insensitive idiot, but there was another quake. She realized he was right. There wasn't time to argue. She trotted towards the Bridge, but like Ratchet, she stopped to lay eyes on Optimus one last time.

"I … Optimus." Twilight lost her voice. Tears formed in her eyes. She blinked and blubbered at him before wiping her tears off. "I promised I wouldn't leave you ..."

Primes were not supposed to do many things. They were not supposed to show anger. They were not supposed to laugh. They were not supposed to cry. Twilight had seen Optimus break this rules a few times. Sometimes, an atrocity committed by a Decepticon or other villain would simply be too much for Optimus to ignore. And she had occasionally seen him laugh when something gave his funny bone a good hit. But in all the time she knew him, she had never, ever seen him cry.

Until now. Oil leaking from his optics seemed like a mechanical defect at first, but the way they rolled down Optimus' cheeks confirmed them as tears.

"I know." Optimus said and there was all he needed to. He turned away from her for only a moment before turning back to her.

"Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yes, Optimus?"

"Take care of our family."

"I will."

Twilight and Optimus locked eyes, seeing the pain stinging in in the other. Optimus turned away from her again, sniffing and sobbing. Twilight had no idea she had gotten this close to Optimus. He didn't cry when Jack left and he had known Jack longer. But then again, Twilight was the last one leaving. Maybe it just didn't hit Optimus as hard that his family would be separated like this when they were more of them present. But now that they were all gone …

"G-go." Optimus pleaded. "L-leave … p-please, just go."

Twilight nodded. Still crying, she galloped through the Bridge. As soon her shadow had gone, Optimus pulled up the lever, shutting off the Bridge.

Optimus sighed. He weakly raised his hand as if to grab a shadow of Twilight, or Jack, or Ratchet before he composed himself. The base shook again. Rafters fell from the ceiling and crashed onto the arch of the Bridge terminal, turning into a smashed pile of parts, as if the base itself was empathizing with Optimus that he wouldn't see his family again.

Optimus turned to the controls and raised the Forge and brought it crashing down on the controls, fraying the wires and frying all the data inside.

He lifted the Forge over his shoulder and walked out of the room. Now that he destroyed the controls and got rid of the data, he could probably drive out of the base and possibly escape from the Predacons. But he didn't. Truthfully, he had something of an ulterior motive for staying behind. The Predacons were a dangerous threat and enemy. Optimus was dedicated to stopping them.

He would go to the room that held the Energon flow for powering the Bridge system in the base. Taking the Forge, he would smash the power supply and create an explosion so large and powerful it would eradicate the Predacons, ending their threat.

Besides, they put in a situation where he actually cried, and his pride couldn't let them get away with that.

Walking calmly into the far back of the base, Optimus went inside the room where Energon was being directed and controlled towards the Bridge. Optimus swung the Forge into the system. The room was immediately filled with white light and blue smoke as if a bomb had gone off. The light traveled upwards through the base, tearing up each and every floor of the base. Megatron's body, the books Jack gave Twilight, the repainted room intended for Twilight... it was all made to ash by the explosion.

The base exploded completely, turning into an enormous pillar of smoke that could be seen from miles in any directions, hot slugs of shrapnel flying like fireworks around the pillar. Cinders and sparks sprayed in every direction from the black rubble of the base.

Autobot Outpost Omega-One was utterly terminated.

And it was all for nothing. The Predacons were knocked to their sides, slightly charred, but nothing a polisher and a buffer couldn't pound out. They would live.

Lazerback grinned wildly, getting back to his feet. Inside the rubble of the base, Optimus Prime's arm could be seen sticking out like he was reaching out for help. Lazerback walked closer to the wreckage to admire his handiwork. He noticed a frame had miraculously survived the explosion - a picture showing the Autobots, humans and Equestrians together with "Our Family" written on it in pink.

Lazerback stomped his foot into the picture, shattering the glass casing. Lazerback activated his comm.

"Lazerback to Galloway. The Autobot base is destroyed. Optimus Prime is dead. "Operation: Patriotism" is a rousing success."

The Bridge spat Twilight Sparkle out in some random forest. She fumbled on her hooves, stumbling back and forth.

She looked down at the grass. The empty, empty grass. She gazed at the Bridge, that mocking, empty portal the only thing between her and her friend.

Deciding she couldn't simply leave Optimus to his fate, Twilight galloped towards the portal. But the Bridge dissipated just as she got near it. Twilight's momentum carried her forward, her hooves skidding through the dirt.

Twilight sat on her haunches before slowly lying down on her stomach. The base was gone. Her house was gone. Optimus was gone. Her relationship with Princess Celestia was one of its lowest points in all the years she had known her. She had been framed for the murder of an old man. Galloway was likely having a loaded conversation with Princess Celestia about his ridiculous bills. And she was on an alien planet that wasn't her home, lost somewhere she didn't recognize, separated from her friends from anywhere between a few feet and a few hundred-thousand miles.

Author's Note:

This chapter is a great example of how ill-plotted this story was. If I had been smart, if I'd been thinking, we'd go through the events of this chapter basically spread out over the first four or so chapters of the story, not cramming into a single chapter after wading through seven chapters of seemingly unconnected nonsense.