Transformers Prime: A Brave New World

by The Carolean

Chapter 7

Luna pulled an ancient almanac from the shelves of the Starswirl the Bearded wing. She flipped through the text, scanning the pages as she searched. She reached the back cover, groaning as she closed it and placed it with the other works she’d examined.

Behind her, Twilight also flipped through books, though she was accomplishing this task at twice the rate Luna was. Even Smokescreen was aiding in the search, reaching through a large window to scour the library shelves.

“Have you had any luck in solving our mystery?” she asked.

Twilight finished the book she was nose deep in, neatly stacking it on the perfectly square pile next to her. “Sorry Luna, there’s just...nothing that could or would do what Celestia described,” she answered.

“And what of you, Smokescreen?”

“Nothing. Are you guys sure it wasn’t just ‘Cons trying to scare them away from the relic or something?” the Autobot questioned.

“I have to agree with Celestia and Optimus on that. If the Decepticons wanted to make sure they got to the relic first, why not just attack them? The two of them may be powerful, but the Decepticons would have a huge numbers advantage,” she pointed out.

“What else could it be then?” Smokescreen said.

“Enough speculation! We must return to the search!” Luna snapped. Smokescreen and Twilight jumped, looking at the princess with wide, shocked eyes. “I’m… sorry. I am understandably worried for my sister, and if this...thing hurt her, or…” She stopped mid sentence, burying her face in another book.

Twilight and Smokescreen exchanged a glance before Twilight took to the princess’ side, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. Luna looked back at her younger counterpart, tears welling up behind her sad eyes. “You know, I was the one who first suggested we hire the royal guard, even though we didn’t truly need them, what with our raw magical power,“ Luna told her. “She’s always been the adventurous one, not me.”

“It’s alright Luna, we both understand. Don’t worry, we’ll find whatever this thing is in no time,” Twilight said.

“Not unless we get back to searching,” Smokescreen pointed out, jovially. The two princesses smiled, returning their muzzles to their books.

---------------

Starscream hauled a crate from the Jackhammer to the outside. Behind him, Wheeljack leaned on the aft of his ship, watching smugly as he supervised the turncoat. He glared at his guard, causing him to stumble and drop the box he was carrying, making Wheeljack laugh. Starscream muttered under his breath, grunting as he lifted the crate back up.

He placed the box next to a pile of other crates, then turned to pick up another from the ship. As he did, three fillies appeared in front of him. “What the-where did you come from?” he asked.

“Hey! Back to work ‘Con!” Wheeljack shouted.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash flew onto Wheeljack’s sholter. She whispered in his ear, causing him to furrow his brows, then smile. Applejack stood next to her heels, winking at her pegasus friend. “Nevermind ‘Screamer, take a break while I show these two some stuff in the Jackhammer,” he said, taking them into his ship.

Starscream looked down at the three small ponies before him: Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. “Well, what do you want?” he questioned.

“We were hopin’ we could follow you ‘round, maybe help turn ya good, like the Autobots,” Apple Bloom explained.

“‘You thing you can turn a Decepticon 'Good?'’” Starscream asked.

“Ah don’t see why we couldn’t,” Applejack said.

Starscream could only laugh at the preposterous suggestion. “I am a centuries old Decepticon warrior, veteran of countless battles, and former Second-in-Command to Megatron himself! I have spent millennia conquering, scheming, usurping, destroying, and fighting! What could you possibly do to encourage me to be an Autobot?” he asked them.

“Well, maybe that's your destiny ,” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“What?”

“Yeah; you did say 'former' second-in-command,” Scootaloo said as she wrapped her hoof around her shoulder. “Maybe you weren't supposed to be a Decepticon in the first place.”

“That's absolutely ridiculous! What right have you to tell me what my destiny is?” Starscream asked.

"Well, that's what we got our Cutie Marks in," Scootaloo answered as the three put their flanks together, displaying their marks.

"In that case, perhaps I'll consider your offer," Starscream said, his voice drenched in sarcasm.

“You’d better some fast considering then,” Wheeljack interrupted, stepping out of his ship with Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “That is, unless you want want to keep lifting crates for the rest of the solar cycle,” he added.

Starscream glared at the Autobot, then glanced down at the fillies in front of him, then back at Wheeljack. “Well, I suppose being 'reformed' couldn’t be nearly as awful as this trivial labor,” he finally said.

“Awesome!” Scootaloo exclaimed as the trio lead Starscream away.

“Remind me again why we don’t just tell the others?” Wheeljack questioned as soon as the Decepticon was out of earshot.

“If we tell ‘em now, he might have an excuse that they’ll buy,” Applejack told him.

“And this way, he might even lead us to the rest of the Decepticons,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Well, I just hope this whole scheme goes according to plan, for all our sakes,” the Autobot said.

---------------

In the middle of a tiny clearing,Optimus readied their campfire, digging out a small ditch and surrounding it with a ring of rocks. Nearby, in the golden twilight, Celestia gathered wood ranging from small twigs to fully fledged logs. She neatly stacked the wood near the fire ring, frowning as she realized the sticks she’d gathered wouldn’t be enough. “Optimus,” she said. “I’m heading out of the clearing to get more wood.”

“If you need me, shout, and I will come running,” he told her.

She left the open area, plunging deep into the forest in search of more wood. Suddenly, she was again seized by the feeling she was not alone. A bright golden aura enveloped her horn as her eyes darted from tree to tree. She crouched close to the ground, wings flared, as she prepared to face whatever she was up against.

“Boo.”

The princess spun around sporadically, firing a magic bolt at every shadow. Slowly, she managed to calm herself down, only now noticing the laughter emanating through the woods.

“Who are you? What do you want?” she called.

“Who I am is not important,” replied a mysterious female voice. “and as for what I want,” Something moved across the leaves covering the forest floor. “aside from a cheap laugh, I want to warn you.”

“Warn me of what?” Celestia questioned.

“Of your metal companion,” the voice answered. “He’s not to be trusted.”

“What do you mean “not to be trusted”?” she asked again. The voice ignored her question, merely throwing down assorted wood, before slinking away. Celestia cautiously retrieved the wood, checking it for anything out of the ordinary, before heading back to the campsite.

"What took you so long?" Prime inquired when she returned.

She opened her mouth to tell him, then froze, pondering what to say. "Oh, I just found myself lost in the pretty autumn colors," she lied.

Comments

[Royal Blaze]

I miss the 80s Transformers