Chapter Twenty
A long car raced through the streets of Autobot City, taking as direct of a route as possible to the city's Command Tower. Princess Celestia, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy kept pace with it, flying right above it. It took more than one detour around streets blocked by collapsed buildings or the still-burning chassis of guardian drones, but it eventually arrived at the heart of the city.
Optimus Prime, Elita One, Shockwave, and Soundwave stood in front of the Command Tower, conversing. Optimus' head shot around as the car slowed to a halt and walked over. He dropped to one knee and held out a hand. “Good to see you all. Excellent job getting them here, Commander Hernandez.”
Marie blushed slightly, but snapped to attention. “Thank you, sir,” she said.
Optimus' head turned as Celestia, the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and Megan approached him. “Good to see you eight. What's the plan, Princess?”
Celestia reached up with a foreleg and tapped her horn. “I slice a hole in reality that leads to Neo-Equestria.” She waved a wing at the other seven. “We all go in with you and fire a blast from the Elements of Harmony through the Matrix of Leadership at this doppelganger of me and hope to Tartarus it undoes the barrier and stops her dead in her tracks.”
Optimus rubbed his chin. “Simple and to the point. I like it!” His optics focused on Megan. “Missus Richards, you're ready?”
Megan forced herself to lock her eyes with Optimus' optics. “I am, sir.” She raised her rifle, the designs etched in the barrel faintly glowing. Movement to Megan's left caught her eyes. She looked over and watched as Elita waved her hands around in front of Shockwave and Soundwave, playing out one of the fights she had been in earlier that day. “Okay... that's new.”
Rainbow Dash looked to her. “What's new?”
Megan pointed at the three. “Autobots and Decepticons standing close together and not trying to blow each other up. It's weird.”
Rainbow Dash nickered. “Yeah, but it's preferable to the whole bang-bang thing, right?”
Megan slowly nodded. “Yeah, true.”
Optimus glanced over. “It's something new, and different, yes. Rainbow Dash is right, though. If there's to be lasting peace in the galaxy, we must put aside the past as best we can, or else it will consume us in a spiral of revenge from which we won't escape.” He stood back up. “Now, let's roll out!” With that, he leaned forward, transforming into his tractor-trailer alternate mode. An energy grid appeared behind him as his trailer was summoned from subspace.
Twilight Sparkle let out a slow whistle as Optimus transformed. “As long as I live, that will always be incredible.” She gasped and stomped her hooves as Optimus moved forward and opened his cab doors. “So cool!”
Applejack snorted. “Easy, darling. Last I checked he's got a, what do you call it, conjugated endurance or something?”
Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes. “It's called 'conjunx endura', Applejack. It's their term for two Cybertronians in a committed relationship. There's also–”
Rainbow Dash flew over and stuck a hoof in Twilight Sparkle's mouth. “Less talking, more boarding!” she shouted, before flying up and into Optimus' open cab.
The rest, save Celestia, followed suit. Rarity settled into a seat in the back and shifted a bit. “I say, is it just me, or is Mister Prime's cab... bigger on the inside, as compared to the outside?” She kicked her hind legs. “Quite the leg space!”
Megan slid into the driver's seat and closed the door. “Don't ask me,” she said, holding up a hand and waving the ponies off. “Our best scientists still describe Transformer technology as beyond them.” She reached out toward the steering wheel, but stopped. “Sorry, Mister Prime. Force of habit, there.”
Optimus' voice sounded out in the cab, surrounding them, but not overwhelming them. “No need to apologize,Missus Richards. And just call me 'Optimus' if you want.”
Megan smiled. “Thanks, and you can just call me 'Megan'.”
Celestia flew up and about, gently landing on the top of Optimus' trailer. She waited for him to roll away from the Command Tower, angling towards an empty patch of land, before charging her horn. She spread her wings out as her mane and tail billowed in the wind. Her eyes turned bright-white as a pillar of energy shot from her horn. It struck a point a dozen meters in front of Optimus and expanded, tunneling through reality from Earth to Neo-Equestria.
Smoke billowed from Optimus' smokestacks as his engine revved. He waited until the tunnel was wide enough before driving forward through it, rolling from steel streets to a grassy field. As soon as his rear bumper passed through, the hole in reality closed up behind him, disappearing as if it never existed.
An aide in the White House's situation room picked up a ringing phone. “Yes, yes. He's right here.” She looked over, quickly spotting President Abernathy, conversing with General Hollingsworth at the head of the table. “Mister President, Commodore Faireborn is on line one. She's requesting a visual conference.”
Clayton glanced up. He rose from his chair and pointed at the wall-mounted monitor. “Tell her request granted.” He looked around, quickly locating his target. “General Lennox, if you could join General Hollingsworth and I, please?”
The three men quickly converged on the screen. It flickered, changing to Marissa's head and upper torso. The background was a scene of controlled chaos as people moved back and forth. “Mister President, Generals, I'll be succinct. The barrier has begun expanding again. It's a slow rate, about one foot per hour, but it's steady, and I don't think it's stopping this time.”
Lennox grabbed the back of a chair and leaned forward for a moment. He finally stood back up. “All right. Get everyone out of there, Commodore. And I mean everyone. Don't worry about the equipment. That can be replaced. You can't!”
Clayton turned to Hollingsworth. “General, same order. Tell everyone to pull back. Keep the drones out there to monitor it, but everyone else pulls out.” His head whipped around. “Commodore, can you handle things there for the moment?”
Marissa nodded. “Yes, Mister President. I'll get the evacuation started.” She looked to her left. “Zoe!” she shouted, before the screen went blank.
Clayton cleared his throat. “Get me the Enterprise, Repulse, and Yokohama. It's... it's time.”
The situation room grew quiet once more at the President's words. Lennox nodded. “Understood, Mister President. They're on standby.” He walked over to the monitor, phone already in hand.
While Lennox worked, Clayton turned back to the room. He clapped his hands together. “All right. We knew that false Celestia would restart the barrier sooner or later. I was hoping for more 'later', but we work with what we've got. Now last I heard, the real Princess Celestia had arrived at Autobot City, and she and others were planning to cross over to Neo-Equestria to try and put a stop to this at the source. Can I get an update on that, please?”
The rest of the room sprang into action at his words. After a few minutes, one aide held up a phone. “Mister President, we have Ambassador Hot Rod of Cybertron on line one,” he said.
Clayton nodded. “Put him on speaker, Max.”
The room's intercom squelched to life. Hot Rod's voice came over, static laced through it. “This on? Okay. President Abernathy, this is Ambassador Hot Rod. What's up?”
Clayton smothered a smile. “Ambassador, what's the situation with the planned incursion into Neo-Equestria?”
Optimus Prime, Princess Celestia, and the others departed about five minutes ago. Also, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but that slagging barrier's started moving again.”
Clayton's head dipped low for a moment. “We are aware, but thank you, Ambassador.”
There was the slightest of pauses. “You're welcome, and just in case the worst happens? For the official record, if–and it's a big if–Earth has to be evacuated, Cybertron stands ready to aid our brothers and sisters, no matter what.”
A smile graced Clayton's features for a moment. “Thank you, Ambassador. We'll leave you to your duties.” He slashed his fingers close to his throat, and the call was terminated.
Lennox, standing near the main monitor, spoke up. “Mister President, General Hollingsworth, got the captains of the Enterprise, Repulse, and Yokohama standing by.” He tapped the screen. “As the Junkions would say, operators are standing by.”
The screen flickered, splitting into three vertical windows. Lennox nodded to the screen. “Captains Jack Burns of the Enterprise, Makoto Tsushima of the Yokohama, and I believe you know Captain Mark Morgan Junior of the Repulse?”
Clayton nodded to each of them. “Captains, thank you.” He straightened up. “I know what's been asked of you is extraordinary, but this is an extraordinary situation. You've all been briefed on the situation groundside, correct?”
The three men nodded. “The Enterprise stands ready,” Captain Burns said, his square jaw grinding and his eyes burning.
Captain Makoto spoke up. The youngest of the three captains, his hair was short, and his eyes and general demeanor intense. “So does the Yokohama. We shall sacrifice all in defense of the homeworld!”
Finally, Captain Morgan spoke. “Repulse's main cannon status reads as all-green, Mister President.” He let out a small sigh. “Not exactly the best circumstances to see you again, sir.”
Clayton nodded to him. “I know, Captain Morgan. Still, it is good to see you.”
Lennox slid a small datapad out of a pocket on his pant leg. He started tapping at the screen. “All right, gentlemen. I'm transmitting the Code of the Day for authorization to perform General Plan Twenty-Four. Have your comm officers check and recheck.”
There was a pause as each man looked offscreen. After a few moments, they each looked forward once more, their expressions nigh-identical ones of utter seriousness. “Coordinates for the target... Kentucky, the Barrier,” Burns said. He looked to his left. “Tactical, begin prepping a firing solution.” He looked back. “Tsushima, Morgan, link your systems with the Enterprise's. We can transmit sensor data and time it so all three of our main cannons fire and hit simultaneously.”
Clayton held a hand up. “Whoa, Captain. We're not quite ready planetside. We've also just started evacuating the immediate area around the barrier.” He looked to Hollingsworth, then Lennox. “What do you gentlemen think, two hours?”
Lennox slowly nodded. “It looked like Commodore Faireborn was already pulling out when she contacted us. Two hours should be good.”
Hollingsworth rubbed his chin before nodding as well. “We can get the artillery crews and hardware out fairly easily. One problem might be one group of the international forces.” At Clayton's stare, he sighed. “One of the French tank groups are being led by someone who thinks he's the reincarnation of Joan of Arc or something. Guy's more gung-ho than Gung-Ho was!”
Clayton sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course he is.” He held his other hand up. “I'll leave that and the general evacuation to you, General. At least it'll be one less thing for me to worry about at the moment.”
Hollingsworth smiled. “Thank you for your confidence, Mister President.”
Clayton shrugged. “Born from experience and a long working relationship, General.”
Hollingsworth stepped back. The two old colleagues and friends exchanged salutes before Hollingsworth about-faced and marched off, barking orders with every step.
Clayton turned back to the screen. He held his right arm up, flashing his watch. “All right, gentlemen. Shall we synchronize?”
Burns tapped the side of his head. “Ready, Mister President!” he said, eyes flashing and dilating.
Clayton leaned forward slightly. “Optical implant?”
Burns waved a hand in front of his face. “Yes, Mister President. Next-generation tech. I can control certain functions of the Enterprise with the power of my mind.”
Makoto snorted and bowed his head. “Plenty of room in there for that,” he muttered.
Burns' head bobbed back and forth. “What was that, Tsushima? I can't seem to see you. Oh, there you are! My eyes aren't set to see dorks who collect toys!”
Morgan rubbed his forehead. “Do you two have to get into this how?”
A low growl started in Clayton's throat, building in intensity. He glanced to Lennox, waiting for a nod of consent, before turning to the monitor. “ATTEN-HUT!” he shouted.
All three captains jumped to their feet, snapping to attention. Everyone else in the situation room also snapped to attention, or at least their best approximation. Papers and folders went flying all over. Clayton slowly turned around and looked everyone over. “At ease,” he said, holding up a hand. He spun about, eyes narrowing as he faced the monitor once more. “Captain Tsushima, Captain Burns, normally I don't mind a... bit of banter. Lord knows the counter-terrorist team I was once head of had its fair share of... eccentrics in the ranks. Right now, though? Drop it. Understood?”
Both men nodded. “Sir, yes sir!” they barked out.
Clayton smiled. “Excellent. So, as we were doing, shall we synchronize our chronometers?”
Lennox walked up to the monitor and tapped the control panel below it a few times. A large display appeared, showing two hours. Similar displays appeared below the heads of each captain. Lennox tapped a green button, and all four displays began counting down. Lennox turned to Clayton. “Countdown has begun, Mister President. Unless the counter-order is given, all three battleships shall enact General Plan Twenty-four–orbital bombardment of the barrier using their primary energon cannons.”
Clayton sighed and seemed to shrink a bit. “Thank you, General, Captains. I'll leave you to your preparations.” His eyes lost a bit of their fire. “And thus, the die is cast,” he half-whispered.
Lennox walked over to Clayton's side, a look of confusion on his face. “Mister President, you had no choice but to enact General Plan Twenty-Four.” he waved a hand in the air. “I mean you gave them every opportunity to back off!”
Clayton shook his head. “I know, but as a predecessor once said, the buck stops here.” He jabbed a thumb at his chest. “My decision, Lennox. History will record that, for good or ill. I only pray it will turn out to be the right one.”
Optimus Prime barreled down a dirt road, as fast as he could. Celestia was planted to his trailer's roof, hooves glowing with a telekinetic grip. Her head was lowered and horn pointed straight ahead, glowing. Mount Eohippus and Canterlot itself loomed in the distance, growing closer with each second.
Twilight Sparkle glanced to the roof of the cab as Optimus drove through Neo-Equestria. “Say, did anyone else notice the necklace Princess Celestia was wearing? I don't think I've seen her wear anything like that before.”
Megan glanced to her. “Sorry, Twilight. I was a bit busy to notice. Maybe it's some sort of magic armor?”
Twilight Sparkle shook her head. “I don't know, Megan.” She paused. “Megan... can I ask you a question?”
Megan half-smiled. “Good thing Danny's not here. He'd say you just did.” She leaned in close to her friend. “Ask away. I can't promise I have the answers for everything, but I'll answer what I can.”
Twilight Sparkle bit her lip. “Megan, what happened to you? Are you human again? Do you still have magic?”
Megan leaned back, even as she felt five other sets of eyes turn her way. “I went to Crystal Castle with Mei Long the Wise to seek help from the Princess Ponies. There, I met the Moochik, alive and well and looking pretty good for someone who's probably some ageless immortal.”
Pinkie Pie gasped. “The Moochik? He's alive? I can't believe it!”
Applejack looked to her. “You have no idea who the Moochik is, do you?”
Pinkie Pie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Of course I know who he is, silly! He was one of Megan's friends from the Dream Valley days. He was, and apparently still is, a very powerful wizard with vast magical abilities and arcane knowledge.” She leaned in close to Applejack. “What do you know about him?”
Applejack shrugged. “Until you spoke, not a thing. I'll readily admit that.”
Rarity leaned in from the back. “As much as that little diversion is so fascinating, perhaps we should let Megan finish before we're engaged in pitched battle?”
Megan resumed speaking. “Thanks, Rarity. Anyway, he didn't directly help me, but rather helped me get in contact with the Heart of Ponyland, leading me to a battle inside my head, where Granny Bonnie showed up, helped me to kick the Queen out of my head and seal up my alicorn powers inside my body.”
Rainbow Dash gasped. “That sounds so cool! So you've still got magic? Can you use it? Can you still fly?”
Megan shook her head. “Afraid not, Dash. My human body's simply not built to channel all that power, unless it's under some specific circumstances.” She held up her hand and looked it over. “I can't even really feel it, not like when I was an alicorn.” She snorted. “I'm not minding it, to be honest. I could barely control it. Celestia and Luna's powers weren't too intense when they were born from the Heart. They grew with them. I got them full-force, all at once.”
Twilight Sparkle reached over and gently patted Megan on the forearm. She suddenly looked to the windshield, brow furrowing. “Wait, what's that?”
Celestia's voice sounded out, rattling everyone inside Optimus' cab. “Optimus, slow down! Incoming teleportation!”
Optimus' brakes squealed, pitching everyone in the cab forward. He slowed down, leaving deep tire-tracks in the dirt.
A violet sphere formed in front of him, popping out of existence and leaving behind the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony from Neo-Equestria.
Dash, floating above the other five, jabbed a wing at Optimus. “You were right, Twilight! Looks like they're going right for Canterlot!”
Twilight stepped forward, planting a hoof dramatically in front of her. “You're not stopping Queen Celestia from saving more humans from themselves! We're the Elements of Harmony, and your invasion stops now!”
Megan stared at the sextet, eyes narrow. “We need to end this.” She reached up and pulled down her rifle from a rack mounted to the cab. She opened the door and slid out, landing with a mild thud. The Bearers soon followed, all seven walking around the the front of Optimus' cab.
Twilight smirked. “You have no idea what you're in for. We're not gonna hold back on you, just because you look like us!”
Megan looked over her shoulder. “Celestia, Optimus, you two go on ahead. We'll take care of them.”
AJ snorted and stomped the ground. “You think for one minute we're gonna let your pretty princess and that big... thing slip by us? Why–”
Celestia's horn flashed. She and Optimus disappeared in a flash of light, only to reappear about two-dozen meters behind Neo-Equestria's Element Bearers. “Optimus, roll out!” Celestia shouted, grinning.
Smoke billowed from Optimus' smokestacks as he revved his engine and started forward once more.
Dash whirled around. “Hey, wait a minute! That is so not cool!” she shouted, starting towards them.
Twilight's horn glowed as she snagged the pegasus with her magic. “Leave them for now!” She focused on the ponies and human in front of her. “Queen Celestia and Nemesis Prime will be able to deal with their inferior counterparts. We have our own battle to fight, here.”
The two groups started spreading out, each one facing their counterpart. Twilight looked up at Megan. “An extra participant? Not very fair, don't you think?”
Twilight Sparkle dragged a hoof across the dirt, digging a trough in it. She snorted, smoke billowing from her nostrils. “Considering the horse crap Neo-Equestria is pulling? You're lucky I don't teleport in more help!”
Megan gripped her rifle until her the skin exposed around her fingerless gloves turned white. “You've threatened my world, my friends, my family. And you're talking about fairness?” She worked the lever on her rifle, building up the magic stored inside it. A high-pitched hum sounded out, while the barrel started glowing.
The two Twilight's locked eyes. “Time to end this!” they both shouted, before galloping forward, their friends following behind.
And the battle was on.
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I wonder if the CB bearers will try and use their elements against their counterparts and how that will work?
Finally, but on a cliff hanger. NOOOOOOOOOOO!
9489532
I imagine CB side would fail. Sparkle hasn’t been Honest with the others, and is actively deceiving herself. I also think she is not being Generous enough to humans. Her Loyalty to Xenolestia is Blind. She would be trying the Path of Friendship if she was giving Kindness an actual shot of saving humanity.
9489581 If that's the case, then why one Earth do you even bother reading them?
Than makes absolutely NO sense to me.
One final effort remains.
In a way I pity the mirror ponies...
9489725 Ah, okay.
And geeky is cool.
Sorry that I came off as a bit stringer than I should have; I just misunderstood you, I think.
9489728 I don't.
Whatever happens to 'em, they've got coming for being so stupid.
Lets get ready to ruuuuummmbllllle!
Honestly the Neo-Equestrian Elements are severely outclassed, primary because as has already been established their "real" selves are imprisoned in their minds and what's fighting is basically automated pony bodies with magic lasers attached.
Take the Twilights, regular is on the cusp of her ascension, while Neo Twi has her soul enslaved by blood magic. One is full of more power than ever and one is hobbled and suffering.
So facing more powerful versions of themselves, their own souls fighting against them AND Megan? Queen Celestia and Nemesis will be fights, the Neo Equestrian Elements will be crub stomped and more time and effort likely spent keeping them from dying.
Huzzah! My fellow Pony/Transformer lovers! ARM THE 80'S MUSIC! AUTOBOTS ROCK OUT and CELESTIA TEACH A FINAL LESSON!
Me, I'm gonna arm the popcorn machine!
9489802
Wait, the Neo-Equistrians are being controlled? Where in the fanfic does it imply that?
Not everyone will walk away from this that’s for sure.
One foot per hour is really too slow to be of any significant concern. That's more than half a year per mile. Even if the quick strike fails and needs to retreat, the allies could literally spend two decades researching how to stop the magic before it swallows up even a metropolitan area.
So looking forward to at least one of the CB Mane 6 getting a magic shotgun to the face...
Wait, weren't the Neo-Equestria Six still on their way to Autobot City? Did I miss something, or simply forgot between updates?
9489802
I think you are confusing this with old Spectrum. (Probably new Spectrum as well, but the story isn't that far along yet.) As far as we know, only vanilla brain washing and propaganda are in play as far as the N-E Six are concerned.
9489950
See the above reply.
9279731
And it turned out I was mostly right, except that Mirror!Twilight figured that out too, and cut the Mane Six off at the pass.
...with no narrative pointing at a change of plans.
Heh, Twilight geeking out.
Doesn't help that a lot of the time history is a cold viewer.
I, for one, think that preparing for the worst and hoping for the best is the best option right now.
Go Twilight and co, and I mean the good ones!
Those dashes, if I'm not mistaken, are en dashes. You need to sandwich them with spaces if you're going to use them like that. Or you could replace them with em dashes ( — ) and do away with spaces entirely.
But still, way better than hyphens.
9490281
Wait, weren't they there from the start? I'm confused now.
This is what happens when you track so many stories and some take their time to update.
Worth it, though.
9489672
Just don’t forget that this is the music coming the other way.
9489725
Did you mean to say that people supporting the Bureau doesn’t make sense from an in-character perspective?
9489747
And that is a piteous condition to be in.
9489994
I got no plans tomorrow night.
9489725
Worry not, I have a (long-winded) solution for you!
My "formula*" for sounding non-agressive™. Works nearly all the time. Only time it doesn't is in heated debates and against, more or less, jerks.
Most of the time, using all of these at once is, frankly, overkill. Just mix and match until you feel you sound nice enough. However, when doing some criticizing, you'll want to armor yourself like a tank.
As a side note, a blunt comment just saying that one dislikes something is, on the other hand, the perfect recipe for getting dislikes. The only exceptions are when your dislike is a majority point of view, e.g. "Cancer is bad".
A side effect of using this is that is that when you get into an argument, you can most often take the moral high ground. When a relatively good person and a jerk fight it out in the comments section, people tend to support the more ethical one, regardless of who is "right".
P.S An "analysis" of your first comment: you stated "the concept is retarded" bluntly. That's... too direct for most people, to say the least.
As for the second comment, you did well. A bit of self-depreciation or the like at the end, and praise for this story. However, "Just completely illogical" sounds like stating opinion as fact.
P.P.S Hope I was of some help.
* It's less of a formula and more of what I see in my own comments as my sense of fairness and fear of ostracism guide my writing.
9490724
Indeed.
9490724 True.
I like that Transformer technology is still beyond the EDC. It's refreshing from how it's shown in canon where they reverse engineer 4 million+ year old tech in six months.
Oh and hooray for Jack Burns. What a great film that was.
9490747
That rule set you have there is pure gold. It's not oppressive nore rude. Top marks all around
9490995
Thanks!
The image of Twilight is so badass.
Hoo boy, something tells me this will be less a battle of strength that a battle of wits and ideals... let's see if the CB ponies can still lying themselves in the face of true harmony.
9507649
I doubt they'll be able to. All it would take is showing them the Newfoal compound to deliver a mortal blow to their delusion that they actually saved anyone through conversion.