Transformers Prime: Return to Equestria

by The Carolean

Chapter 3

Three Decepticon warships steadily approached, the hum of their engines rattling the small town. Their shadows spread across Ponyville, sending the ponies below scurrying into their houses. Each of the vessels’ bellies opened in unison, allowing large cannons, crystalline to descend from the ships. A moment later, red energy coiled around the weapons, bathing the town beneath them in crimson.

Below, ponies reached out of their windows to close steel shudders, before dashing into their basements. They huddled with their families around a single candle, breathing heavily and sweating as they waited. Mothers and fathers tightly hugged their children, who tried to look brave, even as their tear ducts betrayed them. Outside, the few brave guardsponies donned protective glasses and huddled under reinforced shelters, covering their ears with their hooves. They were little more than a roof and three walls, all made of steel, but they'd served Ponyville well.

Finally, the cannons finished charging, and delivered their payload. Each of the cannons released a massive beam of pure energy, the three of them lancing towards the seemingly defenseless Ponyville. Just as the beams were about to strike, a golden shield covered the entire town, absorbing the impact of the beams. The shield was in the shape of the symbol of chaos, a solid circle with eight arrows protruding from it, in a radial pattern. The shield cracked and deformed under the force of the energon bolts, giving under their crushing weight. Just as the barrier was about to break, the intensity of its glow doubled. The cracks sealed themselves, and the shield returned to its original shape.

Before long, the beams dissipated, leaving Ponyville unharmed. Suddenly, the shield warped into Discord’s face, his long, reptilian tongue giving the Decepticons a raspberry as his eagle talon formed an L on his forehead. Above, Cyclonus felt his teeth buckle under the power of his jaw as his blood boiled. Then, Discord’s face morphed into a pony skull and crossbones, then an arrow pointing upwards.

“That is new,” Knockout said. Suddenly, dissipated as a series of explosions rocked the ship. The entire ship erupted into chaos; alarms blaired as Vehicons rushed from console to console. Smoke filled the bridge, adding to the confusion.

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Cadence allowed a wicked grin to spread across her face as she lowered her concealment spell, allowing the Nemesis to be seen. As the massive warship materialized in the sky, dozens of armored pegasi leapt into the air from hidden perches, bearing the ponifiedAutobot symbol on their chests.

As the pegasi rose, the three Decepticon ships deployed their Vehicons, who flew downwards to meet them. The squadrons formed up and flew towards the ponies, believing them the softer target, a fatal mistake. None of the Decepticons realized the pegasi were armed with more than spears and swords. Each of them wore a rubber gauntlet, which held a metal rod and a cloud. As soon as the Decepticons came into range, the pegasi punched the clouds in unison, sending dozens of lightning bolts arching towards towards their invaders.

A handful were lucky enough to evade the bolts of electricity, while others escaped with scorched paint or melted armor. Most Vehicons were shot down, the electricity severing wings and igniting energon in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the white hot lightning darted from bot to bot, each individual bolt branching out and striking multiple targets.

The remaining Vehicons returned fire, lashing out with missiles and energon bolts, only to have a light blue shield of magic envelope the pegasi warriors. The ponies wove their way into the Vehicons squads, creating beautiful webs of electricity as they fired their weapons.

Below, Jetfire rocketed towards the Decepticon flagship, Springer following close behind him. The two Autobots turned abruptly, pulling up towards the flagship. Jetfire flew within inches of the vessel, nearly scraping his belly on its side. Then, he turned again, opening his rear door. “This is your stop, Grim,” he said.

Grimlock snarled, taking a running start and leaping out of Jetfire, transforming on his way down. His dinosaur form smashed into the ship, creating two foot-shaped dents in its hull.

Jetfire continued on his course, turning under the Nemsis. As he approached the cannon, a new wave of Vehicons swarmed around them, firing a barrage of missiles on the Autobots. “Jazz, take care of the missiles. I will handle the Vehicons” he ordered.

“You got it, Prime,” Jazz said, drawing his weapon. His arm split in half as a long, sleek barrel shot out of his hand. The barrel was long and sleek, with a slight bulge in the middle, where the energon powering the weapon was visible in a ring around the gun. A sight protruded from the top of his arm, while a rectangular box hung out the bottom, another ring of visible energon looping around it.

Jazz took aim with his weapon, pointing its barrel at the closest missil. He fired with pinpoint accuracy, striking the projectile head on. The missile ripped itself apart as its payload detonated, the pressure wave shaking Jetfire, but leaving him ultimately unharmed. Then Jazz turned his attention to the next missile, bringing his gun about in a blur of speed and detonating it as well.

As Jazz turned his attention to a third missile, Optimus slid his battle mask into place. He leapt out of Jetfire’s hull, the air screaming as he dove towards a Vehicon fighter. The soldier saw Prime at the last second, and swered to evade him, but Optimus caught the edge of his wing. The Decepticon wobbled in the air, allowing Optimus to swing on top of him, grabbing hold of his nose with one hand, while he used the other to draw his ion cannon.

Another Vehicon flew behind Optimus, unleashing a volley of energon bolts in a strafing run. Optimus pulled the Decepticon under him to one side, allowing him to evade every shot. As his attacker passed him, Prime swiveled around, striking the Decepticon with an energon bolt of his own, causing his body to erupt into flame. Another Vehicon flew at Prime, coming at him head on, energon cannons firing in quick succession. Optimus dodged the string of fire, tilting to the side, and firing back at the Decepticon. His first and second shots missed, while his third nicked his wing, but the fourth bolt struck the Vehicon dead center, splitting him in half in an eruption of fire and smoke.

Unknown to Prime, another Vehicon took up position behind him. He flew directly behind Optimus, carefully lining up his sites with the unsuspecting Autobot. Suddenly, a string of energon bolts cut the Decepticon in half. Springer flew past Prime, another Vehicon on his tail. Springer bobbed and weaved as energon bolts sailed past his chassy. Finally, he stopped abruptly, spun around, and opened fire. His energon bolts ripped the Vehicons apart, sending parts of his armor raining down.

In the meantime, Jazz blew the last missile out of the sky, pumping his fist as it erupted into flames. “Alright Jetfire, you’re clear’” he told his ride.

Springer fell in behind Jetfire, while Optimus circled the warship’s cannon. “Team Skyfire: Jazz, Springer, and I will board via the cannon. Jetfire, follow Grimlock; make sure he does not get in over his head, understood?”

“Understood,” Jetfire responded.

“Understood,” Jazz said.

“Understood,” echoed Springer. The young bot transformed, arching towards the crimson cannon. As he changed, his chopper blades merged, forming a long black sword with a green and yellow hilt. He jammed the blade into the giant weapon, using it as a hand hold. His feet impacted shortly after his sword, buckling the metal as he slammed into the ship. Optimus followed his lead, drawing his own sword. He severed the Decepticon’s wing, then leapt onto the warship. He briefly slid, his blade sending sparks raining down on his face as it cut into the ship. Finally, he twisted his blade, stopping himself just below Springer. Then Jazz leapt out of Jetfire, clinging to the cannon above Prime. A piercing shriek filled the air as his hands ground against the metal of the giant weapon, stopping himself next to Optimus.

The three Autobots began making their way towards the warship’s belly, the wind beating on their backs as they climbed. Suddenly, the cannon started to move. Jazz lost his grip, flailing his limbs as he plummeted. Thinking quickly, Optimus let go with his hand, pivoting on his sword as he reached out towards the falling Autobot. He grabbed Jazz just below the hand, the force of the fall nearly ripping Prime’s blade from the cannon.

“Hold on Jazz,” he ordered with a grunt.

“Wasn’t plannin’ on lettin’ go,” Jazz quipped.

The cannon retracted into the warship’s belly, the ship’s armor plates sliding into place below it. Optimus dropped Jazz, his feet making a dull thud as he landed on the ship's hull. Optimus and Springer followed suit, dropping down on either side of him.

“Alright Prime, what’s the plan?” Jazz asked.

“We split up, and find Celestia,” he ordered.

“Optimus Prime, I don’t mean to question your orders, but wouldn’t it be better if we stay together?” Springer questioned nervously. “There are only three of us, after all, and we don’t know what Celestia looks like.”

“You have a right to question my orders, Springer,” Optimus told the bot. “We stand a higher chance of finding Celestia this way, and if one of us is captured the others can rescue them,” he explained.

“Yes sir, I understand now,” Springer said, almost apologetically, with a quick salute.

The Autobots wordlessly changed forms, Springer taking the form of a jeep rather than a helicopter. Then they sped off, each taking a different corridor.

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Twilight watched as the three Decepticon warships limped away. Ponies all around her cheered and embraced each other, while the officers tried in vain to maintain order.

“You ready to go Twilight?” Smokescreen asked.

“Sure, just give me a second,” she told him. The young alicorn took a deep breath, taking in the sight before her.

“Where are we going anyway?” Wheeljack questioned, earning a disapproving glance from Smokescreen.

Twilight sighed, turning back towards her Autobot entourage, Wheeljack, Bulkhead, and Smokescreen. “To be honest, I don’t really know,” she confessed. “But I have a good idea where to start.”

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Optimus changed forms as he neared a corner, sneaking along the wall as he made his way forward. He peaked passed the corner, discovering two Vehicons guarding a single room. He glared at the two, quietly drawing his sword.

In a burst of speed, he charged the two troopers, slamming his foot into the furthest most soldier, cracking his visor. He swiveled around quickly, slashing through the chest of the second soldier in one smooth motion. Sparks flew as Prime’s blade split the bot in two, his energon painting the hull. Then, using his free hand, he drew his ion cannon. He fired a single shot at point blank range, blowing the first soldier into a smoldering heap of metal.

He sighed, looking down the hall to ensure no one saw him, before opening the door. The sight inside made him clench his fist in anger. Celestia was suspended in fluid inside a glass cylinder, an air tube connecting her muzzle to the top of the canister. Her mane was pink, her cutie mark had disappeared, and she seemed smaller than before, but the combinations of horns and wings identified her. Wounds in various stages of healing dotted her body, some clearly from examination, such as the Y incision on her chest, while others were defiantly torture, such as the cut along the length of her wing. Optimus placed his hand onto the side of the alicorn’s prison.

“Celestia,” he told the unconscious princess. “I’m getting you out of here.”

Optimus smashed his fist into the tank, the fluid within flooding the lab. Alarms blared as Optimus pulled Celestia from the encasement, carefully removing her breathing tube. Her breath was slow, but present. Optimus breathed a sigh of relief, stroking her mane as he looked down at her beaten form.

He lifted his finger to the side of his head, activating his com-link. “Ratchet,” he called. “do you read?” No response. “Ratchet?”

Suddenly, Optimus felt the cold barrel of a gun on the back of his head. “I’m afraid you will find that ineffective here.” Prime didn’t need to turn around to know who had the gun to his head. “All communications in and out of this warship are currently jammed. Now, stand up, and turn around slowly.” Optimus did as he was told, looking Shockwave in the eye. He glared at the Decepticon, the rage burning in his spark threatening to melt his chest plate.

“O...Optimus…”

Optimus began to look behind him, but Shockwave’s gun stopped him. “March.”

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Optimus stood on a ledge over a smelting pit, every Cybertron’s greatest fear, and Megatron’s favorite form of execution. Behind him, Shockwave had him at gunpoint. A pair of Vehicons held Celestia by her forehooves, forcing the princess into a kneeling position. Knockout stood directly behind her, his electrostaff dangerously close to her back.

Celestia herself was extremely groggy, barely aware of what was happening around her.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t execute him publicly?” Knockout questioned.

“No,” Shockwave answered. “We cannot afford to give him a chance to escape.”

Knockout shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said.

Shockwave turned his attention back towards Optimus. “Jump,” he ordered.

Optimus hesitated, gazing down at the pool of molten metal. “D...don…” Celestia tried in earnest to get the word out, but her vocal chords were too dystrophied.

In response, Knockout stabbed his staff into Celestia’s back, causing her to howl in pain. “Hush dear, I want you to save those screams for our session later,” he said. Optimus growled, glancing back over top of the pool. Finally, he leapt off the platform.

Without warning, a pair of energon bolts struck the pair of Vehicons holding Celestia. The bolts struck them dead instantly, releasing the princess. Before the Decepticons, Optimus swung up from under the ledge, using his arm to propel himself into Knockout. He delivered a shuddering blow to the Decepticon, nearly knocking him into the smelting pit with a single kick.

Shockwave raised his cannon towards Prime, charging his weapon as he took aim. In a blur of speed, Optimus picked up Knockout’s electrostaff, throwing it into the barrel of Shockwave’s cannon. A small explosion sent pieces of the weapon flying, throwing Shockwave backwards.

Springer flew safely over the smelting pool, Jazz clinging to his belly. Optimus ignored him, his eyes locked on Knockout. He strode towards the dazed Decepticon, both his fist clenched in righteous anger. He placed his foot on Knockout’s chest, bulking the metal under his foot. He drew his ion cannon, pointing it directly at his captive’s head. He slowly pulled the trigger of his weapon. Knockout wheezed and squirmed under his grasp, struggling in vain to break free.

“Optimus, you alright there?” Jazz asked.

Optimus sighed, then retracted his weapon. “Yes.”

Comments

[trulyoftheyard]

did Optimus just kill Knockout.

[The Carolean]

7369090 No, but he was about to.

[trulyoftheyard]

7369188 okay good I dont want knockout to die I like him hes funny.