Chapter 6: Megatron: Legacy
PREDATOR’S MOON
A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic/Transformers: Beast Wars
Crossover
By Atomic Chinchilla
Chapter 6
Megatron: Legacy
A few hours earlier…
Megatron’s eyes slowly opened as his optics flickered to life. He hissed through gritted teeth as he struggled to sit up and take stock of his surroundings. He lay on his back at the bottom of a deep crater in the side of a mountain or large hill, and could see the tips of a dense pine forest below. Far ahead in the distance lay that familiar plateau, and the equine city atop it. Rain clouds had gathered over the mountain, no doubt another magic trick of that pony princess, or something.
His joints creaking, Megatron slumped back down to the ground and checked himself over. His body was wrecked and charred all over, his wings were shattered, and his dragon-head left arm lay limply at his side. He clenched his fist and growled. Not even on his worst day had the Maximals ever managed to damage him like this before. These pony creatures, especially that princess, had something else to them, some sort of magical power. Tarantulas would probably have dismissed it as a form of alien technology, no doubt.
He exhaled low and deep, closing his eyes. There was nothing else to do now but wait for his Transmetal regeneration to kick in and heal his broken body. One by one, his active systems shut down, and Megatron slowly drifted into stasis.
He began to dream. He wandered through a dark, misty place lined with statues on each side of a stone path. All were notable figures that Megatron knew, either from history or in person. Great Decepticons from the past like the imposing Soundwave, the treacherous Starscream, the calculating Shockwave, and many more. Advancing past them, Megatron found himself among his own cadre of Predacon rebels. The deceased Terrorsaur and Scorponok, Blackarachnia before she betrayed him for the Maximals, and his current team of cronies.
The statues of his cohorts and ancestors faded into the mist behind him, and Megatron came upon a raised platform with a new trio of statues. On the right was that blasted Optimus Primal, the Maximal. To his left, surprisingly, was a statue of Celestia the equine princess. And in the center stood an effigy of the famous Autobot leader Optimus Prime.
Megatron stepped up onto the platform, wondering what the significance of these figures could be. It was obvious that he hated Optimus Primal, and Prime represented all of the weak-willed freedom and sickening “peace” the Autobots imposed upon the Decepticons and their descendants for centuries. He turned to the statue of Celestia with a raised brow. This one must be a new addition to his subconscious. This little pony had defeated him. Scarred him. Humiliated him. That was a very easy way to earn a place on the Predacon’s hit list.
“Rest easy while you can, my dear Princess Celestia,” Megatron said with a wry grin as he lifted his hand and stroked the statue’s cheek, “For soon--very soon--I will return for you. Yessss.... You will not see me coming.” He swung his dragon arm and smashed the head of the statue into rubble, scattering its fragments into the darkness. “And when I am finished with you I shall lay your broken body atop your castle’s highest tower, so that you may see the infernal devastation I will rain upon your city and your beloved subjects! Your last sight will be your whole world laid to waste as you choke out your final breath!”
“Do you ever stop blathering, or is this just a thing I’ll have to get used to?” said a low, harsh voice.
“And you will- What?!” shouted Megatron as he spun around to face the newcomer.
The statue of Optimus Prime exploded into ashes in a purple blast of energy. Megatron stepped back in surprise as he coughed and waved away the billowing smoke. Stomping out from behind the rubble appeared a white Transformer with piercing red eyes. His right arm bore a huge, black cannon, smoke pluming out of its barrel. The emblem of the cruel Decepticons flashed proudly on his chest.
Megatron’s eyes widened and his face paled with awe as he immediately recognized this intruder in his mind: the commander of all Decepticons, his ancestor, his namesake, the first Megatron.
“How is this possible?!” the Predacon exclaimed, stepping back in surprise.
“Perhaps your swollen head was hit so hard that it knocked something loose,” the Decepticon replied, looking over his descendant with visible sneer of disapproval, “In any case, my core consciousness is now awake within yours.”
“But that can’t be!” Megatron barked, “When I merged your spark with mine, it should have melded all our powers together, including your mind!”
“Oh yes, I’ve been meaning to ask you about that,” his ancestor said as he clenched his fists, “Where do you get the ball bearings to rip out my spark in the first place, jeopardizing all of history in the process?!”
“How do you know about--“
“A shared spark works both ways,” the Decepticon sneered, taking angry steps towards his successor, “I know all about you, ‘Megatron.’ You did well to follow my hidden instructions and travel to Earth in the distant past so you could change the outcome of history. And you almost succeeded! A commendable effort, even if you failed.” He suddenly grabbed the Predacon by the collar and growled with clenched teeth. “But what madness possessed you to think stealing my spark from my unconscious body would be a good idea?! If anything happens to my spark while it’s merged with yours, the temporal backlash could remove both of us from existence!”
“What sort of blundering fool do you take me for?” the Predacon retorted, swatting his ancestor’s hands aside, “I have no intention of losing everything I’ve worked stellar cycles to gain, nooo. Rest assured, Once I have crushed the Maximals and slain Optimus Prime, I will return you to your rightful place so history can run its proper course.”
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t find cause to celebrate,” the Decepticon snapped as he crossed his arms, “You still have to find a way off this ridiculous planet and get back to Earth.”
“If there’s a way to arrive, there must be a way to leave. Once my repairs finish, I’ll--“
“Hold on,” the ancestor interrupted, looking up into the dark gloom overhead, “…Do you hear that?”
The Megatrons paused, looking around as a strange sound entered the dream. It was a faint voice, a muted whisper in the fog, calling out to them. It was not a spoken voice, but a subtle, pervading ripple in the air, more felt than heard. It did not sound like a living thing.
“Strange,” the Predacon leader said at length, “It isn’t a sound in the dream. This is a signal. Somehow I can pick up its frequency even while in stasis lock.”
“Interesting,” his Decepticon ancestor remarked, stroking his chin, “Your memories recall this planet’s radiation interfering with your communications. How can you hear this signal, then?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” Megatron stepped down off the platform and ventured further into the darkness. He turned back to face his namesake with a smirk. “This has certainly been an intriguing dream, Megatron!” he called, “But it’s time for me to wake up now. I have a signal to track.”
“Wait!” the Decepticon shouted, chasing after his descendant, “You can’t just leave me here! This is my mind, too!”
“Mmm, perhaps, but for now I think it’s best if you stay put where I can keep an eye on you, yesss.” The dragon turned away and began walking forward into the mist.
The other Megatron stood helplessly amidst the ruined statues, a prisoner in the mind of his own inheritor, a toy to be used and forgotten. He wouldn’t stand for this. There had to be a way. They both wanted the same things; they both had the same lust for power and conquest. How could he make this arrogant upstart see--An idea came to him. “And here I thought you said you weren’t a blundering fool,” he snarked.
“Excuse me?” growled the Predacon, turning around, “What do you mean by that?”
The Decepticon leaped off the dais and strode to his successor, clasping the Predacon’s shoulder with a dark smile. “Go ahead and wake up. Run off to your little revenge. Let that princess massacre your skid plate again! Or, you could let me join you. You wanted our minds and powers to be as one? Well now they can be! When you wake up, awaken my core consciousness with yours.”
“But that would merge our thoughts and neural functions together!”
“Isn’t that what you wanted in the first place? Think of it, Megatron! Our pride, our ambitions, our strategy and cunning, all working in tandem! Together we can be a force to truly be feared! What pathetic, little, magic horse, let alone Optimus Primal, could stand against the combined wrath of both Megatrons together?!”
His descendant looked down in thought, mulling over his words. A smile crept across the Predacon’s face as his eyes rose to meet the Decepticon’s. “You know, I like the way you think, Megatron, yesss.”
“I had a feeling you would, Megatron.”
The two clasped their hands together and a malevolent laugh broke out between them. The dream began to break apart around the pair, the statues, fog, and darkness all dispersing into binary code and fading as the Predacon’s core systems reactivated. With a bellowing cackle the two Megatrons faded into blinding light.
Megatron’s eyes flashed open and he swiftly rose to his feet. His crimson body was fully restored, all traces of damage inflicted by Celestia erased by his regeneration. He grinned maliciously as he stretched and flexed his stiff joints. His mind now felt clearer than it had ever been, bolstered by millennia of knowledge and memories from his predecessor. He clenched his fist and raised his jagged wings, taking to the air. He floated in the sky over the forest, taking note of the sun overhead.
A few mega-cycles had passed since he went into stasis, so who knows where his Predacon soldiers could be now. He then remembered that strange voice in his dream and pinged his sensors to scan for it. That blasted interference from the crystals was just as prevalent here, making it hard to read anything at all, and yet when he tuned his sensors just right, Megatron found he could make out faint traces of a transmission. He turned to face the northeast, the direction of the signal’s origin, and spied a small range of forested mountains.
“I hear you calling to me, whatever you are,” Megatron sneered, “And I’ll find you soon enough. But are you ready for me?”
The Predacon commander transformed to dragon form and tore across the sky towards the mountains, twofold dreams of wrath and vengeance burning brightly in his mind.
****
Present...
The fire crews had all but extinguished the last remnants of Inferno’s assault on Ponyville. There were only sparse embers left, so the rain clouds had ceased their drizzle and begun to clear, letting rays of warm sunlight peek down again. The great tree that once stood as the town library and home of a certain unicorn was now a broken stump, a crumbling husk stained black with soot. Pegasi and unicorn firefighters were darting in and out of the ruined library, clearing debris and carrying out any salvageable books or furniture. Rainbow Dash lay on a soft patch of grass beside the ambulance wagon stationed nearby. She tapped her hoof impatiently as an earth pony nurse with a pink mane applied salve to her burns and bandaged them.
“The burns aren’t very severe, thankfully,” the nurse said soothingly, tightening the last bandages, “but you’ll need to stay on the ground until your primary feathers grow back. So no flying, now.”
“You gotta be kidding me!” Rainbow griped, stamping her hoof in frustration.
Twilight Sparkle sat in the back of the open ambulance, wrapped in a blanket and breathing deeply into a little mask connected to an oxygen tank. Spike stood at her side and comfortingly patted the unicorn’s back. She turned to her winged friend and managed to cough out a weak chuckle. “Better than being stuck in a hospital bed for a few days, isn’t it?”
“…I guess.” the pegasus grumbled, shuffling her hooves as she remembered the unbearable boredom of being bedridden.
Twilight smiled and sighed into the mask, letting the clean air filter out all the smoke she had previously inhaled. Her gaze turned to her destroyed home and her eyes fell despondently as she started organizing a mental list of her next steps.
“I’ll have to see what can be recovered from the wreck. I’ll definitely have to find someplace to stay until I can find a more permanent new home. Maybe the tree could be restored with magic. I’ll have to ask Princess Celestia if it can be done after she’s better. Oh! I should also send Princess Luna a letter to let them know we found a Predacon here. And then--“
“Twilight! Rainbow Dash!” a voice suddenly called out, prompting the ponies to spin around to face it. The two friends smiled when they saw Applejack racing up the street towards them. She looked as if she had been in a scuffle of her own, covered in scrapes and bruises. The orange mare slid to a halt in front of her companions, panting lightly as she looked them up and down.
“What the Sam Hill happened, Twi?!” asked Applejack as she worriedly examined the fire wreckage and her wounded friends, “Did y’all meet a Predacon, too? Did he do all this?!”
“Wait, you ran into a Predacon?” Rainbow Dash replied with a raised eyebrow, “Was it another fire-happy ant guy?”
“Huh? Nah, the little weasel was like a snakey-scorpion varmint. It trashed the barn and poisoned Big Macintosh! Sent that critter packin’ with his tail ‘tween his legs!”
“What?!” the others shouted in unison. Twilight leaned forward, about to throw off her oxygen mask before another coughing fit stopped her. Spike held her up to keep her from falling out of the wagon. “Is…” the unicorn wheezed, “Is Big Mac…all right?!”
Applejack put a comforting hoof on Twilight’s shoulder and smiled. “He’ll be fine, Ah promise. It’ll take a lot more ta keep my brother down. Ah left him in Granny Smith’s capable hooves ‘til the ambulance arrived, and then Ah bolted over here when Ah saw the smoke risin’.” The earth pony turned to Rainbow Dash, looking sadly on her friend’s injuries. “Looks like you two got it worse than he did. You gonna be okay, Rainbow?”
“Sure I will!” the cyan mare snorted, striking a dramatic pose. This proved to be a bad idea, as her muscles immediately seized up and she collapsed in an embarrassed heap.
“But what happened? It looks like y’all just been through a war zone!”
“They’ve been through a lot, AJ,” Spike chirped in, hopping between Applejack and the other ponies, “Just let ‘em rest. I’ll fill you in on the details, okay?”
The orange pony looked to her friends, who nodded with reassuring smiles. Spike led Applejack a short distance away from the others, recounting the events of the last few hours while the final wisps of smoke from extinguished fires faded into the afternoon sky.
****
The situation in Canterlot finally seemed to be stabilizing itself. Princess Luna paced the upper wall surrounding the courtyard still full of refugees from the Predacon attack. The fires had been extinguished, the injured were all receiving proper care, and the soldier ponies were hard at work with able-bodied civilians all over the city gauging and preparing for reconstruction.
Luna was frankly amazed at how well organized everyone was working and how swiftly she had been able to put things in motion. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so confident, so assured in herself and her abilities as monarch. Once she put aside her doubts like Celestia said, she was surprised how easily this was coming to her. The ponies were in need of direction and support and she was the one to give it to them.
“Maybe Tia was right about me, after all,” she mused to herself with a stifled giggle.
Things seemed well enough in hoof, so the night princess decided to duck out for a moment. Spreading her wings, the alicorn took to the air and arced up and around the palace in a trail of stardust, coming to a rest at the tower balcony. She softly tiptoed inside to prevent waking her sister. The curtains were still drawn shut, keeping the room dim. Luna walked towards the bed and looked up with surprise to find Celestia awake and sitting up. The eyes of the day princess were half-closed, looking rather sleepy, and she smiled serenely to greet her sibling.
“Good afternoon, Luna,” Celestia said placidly.
“Tia!” Luna cried joyously, running to her elder sister’s side and pulling her into a hug, “How are you feeling? Are you well now?”
“I certainly feel better than I did this morning,” the white alicorn laughed, patting her sister’s back, “My wings are very stiff and my knees are weak, but otherwise I seem to be well on the mend thanks to you.”
“Oh, I’m so glad!” Luna exclaimed, hugging tighter, “We have all been worried about you, Tia. Especially Twilight Sparkle, the poor child. I am afraid I may have made it seem like you were much more unwell than you actually were.” She paused a moment, pulling back slightly to look Celestia in the face. “Though you did give me quite a fright.”
Celestia shook her head with a soft chuckle. “I already wasn’t in good spirits this morning. The Predacon attack simply brought out the worst in me. But that’s all over and done with now, Luna.” She gently pulled free of the embrace and lay propped up against the pillows, her gaze moving to the balcony and the sunlight shining in. “I know I was delirious for a while, but I think I can remember what I said before.” Her eyes looked back to Luna’s as a coy, little grin moved across her lips. “Have you enjoyed being the only princess for the last several hours? Sounds pretty busy outside.”
“I…was only doing what you encouraged me to do, Tia,” Luna replied, blushing as she rubbed her neck, “I have tried to keep everypony calm and reassured as you normally would.”
“You sell yourself short, sister,” Celestia said, looking back to her azure sibling, “You’re doing just fine.”
“I…I suppose I am,” Luna answered, blushing harder as she turned her face away, “I cannot believe how out of practice I am at all this. But being away for a millennium will do that to a…What’s that?”
The night princess pointed to a round table on the other side of the room near the fireplace, a small scroll lying unassumingly atop it.
“Ah, that would be a letter from Twilight,” stated Celestia, “Luna could you please open it? I would, but I don’t think I’m well enough to get up yet.”
“Of course, Tia.” The night princess rose to her hooves and walked to the table. Her horn shimmered as the scroll magically levitated to her, its seal breaking off to let the parchment roll open. She began to read, her eyes growing in confusion. “It’s addressed to me?”
“To you?” Celestia remarked, the very slightest trace of irritation in her voice. Luna didn’t seem to notice as she kept reading.
“Yes, surprisingly. I suppose she didn’t know if you would be in the condition to read it.”
“…Well, what does it say?”
“It says she has discovered a…” Luna dropped the scroll, her eyes paling. “…Oh no.”
“What?” Celestia asked, raising a brow as she sat up, “What did she find?”
“A piece…of the Moonstone.” The azure princess turned to face her sister, her face full of dread. “Twilight Sparkle found it and has it in her possession.”
“That’s impossible!” Celestia shouted, “It was destroyed! The Elements of--Ohhhh…” The white alicorn swooned, holding a hoof to her forehead as sweat fell in cascades.
Luna rushed to her side and laid her back down on the pillows, “Please, Tia, don’t strain yourself!”
“I-I must…Have to…”
“I will go, sister!” the night princess declared, gently but firmly holding her struggling sibling down, “The letter asks me to come to Ponyville and aid her in destroying it permanently! Please, you’re in no shape to travel that far yet! I can do this, just stay and rest!”
After a moment, Celestia let out an exasperated sigh and slumped back against the cushions. “Fine,” she moaned, “If you insist.”
“Thank you, Tia,” replied Luna, smiling and brushing her sister’s matted mane off her face, “I promise I will not fail.”
She magically reached for a wet cloth from the washbasin once again and laid it on Celestia’s forehead. Luna then knelt down and nuzzled her sister’s cheek as she hugged her again. The white princess’ coat was cold and damp with sweat. Rising back up, she spread her wings and burst her horn into blue light. A spiraling ribbon of stardust swirled around her from her head to her hooves, covering her in its radiance.
“I won’t let you down, Tia! I will return as soon as I can!”
Celestia simply closed her eyes and gave a half-interested nod in response. The princess of the night vanished into a flash of sapphire light and was gone. Celestia lay still, alone in the dark of the room. When the last sparks of Luna’s spell fizzled out, the princess of the day opened her eyes, their former pink brilliance seeming to dim. She sat up and threw off the covers, tossing aside the washcloth apathetically. A dry smile spread across her face as she released a chuckle.
“No hurry. Take all the time you need.”
****
Having finished listening to Spike’s retelling of the Inferno debacle, Applejack trotted back over to the others and sat next to Rainbow Dash. The baby dragon hopped back up onto the seat of the open ambulance at Twilight’s side. The unicorn was breathing easier now, resting calmly as she leaned against the wagon’s wall.
“Ah’m glad y’all are okay,” Applejack said, her eyes falling on Rainbow’s bandaged rump, “…Ya know, considerin’.”
Rainbow Dash grumblingly laid her head on her forelegs and blew her mane out of her eyes.
“What about you?” Twilight asked as she leaned forward, “What happened at Sweet Apple Acres?”
“Nothin’ so crazy as what y’all went through. A feisty, li’l Predacon shrimp showed up and started makin’ a mess of the place, so Big Macintosh and Ah gave him a thrashin’. The ant-lookin’ one that you two tussled with then dropped in and they slunk off into the woods. Doubt we’ll see ‘em again anytime soon.”
“We can only hope,” Twilight sighed in reply, “So what do--Huh?”
They all turned in unison as a sphere of gleaming blue light burst into existence in front of the charred tree, where the door used to be. The light took shape and molded itself into equine form, fading softly into the figure of Princess Luna. The azure alicorn’s eyes were closed and she shook her mane before assuming a royal stance. She slowly opened her eyes as she began to speak.
“Twilight Sparkle! It is I, Princess Luna! I have received your message and traveled here as soon as my duties would allow. I give my solemn pledge that I shall aid thee in--Holy horsefeathers, what happened to the tree?!” Her eye twitched a bit as she stared at the scorched scene before her.
“Princess!” Applejack called out, waving to the night monarch to catch her attention.
“Twilight Sparkle!” Luna exclaimed as she saw the others, rushing over to them, “What in Equestria happened to you?! Was it the piece of the Moonstone?”
“No, no,” Twilight replied, “We had a bit of a run-in with a disgruntled Predacon. The Moonstone must still be buried somewhere in the tree.”
“Good heavens! You must tell me everything!”
“Again?” Spike groaned with a pout, “I just finished the last recap!”
“But first…” Luna closed her eyes and lowered her horn, a sphere of crystal blue light gleaming from the tip. The sapphire glow fell across the ponies and dragon, caressing them gently in its light. A tingly sensation flooded over them as one by one their injuries began to magically fade away. Twilight’s lungs no longer burned and she breathed deep and clear. Rainbow Dash beamed with glee as her lost feathers grew back and the aching pain on her flank disappeared. Applejack and Spike’s scuffs and bruises blinked away, leaving them in pristine condition. “There. Much better,” Luna said with an approving nod. The others all shouted their thanks in unison.
“You are most welcome, my friends,” Luna replied, smiling warmly, “It’s the least I could do for you all. Now, I hate to intrude but I still would like to know what is going on.”
Twilight hopped down off the ambulance, gleefully tossing the oxygen mask aside. She walked over to the alicorn’s side and the two of them strolled back over to the doorway of the ruined library while the lavender mare filled in the blanks for Luna. Rainbow Dash, unable to contain her relief at no longer being earthbound, swooped and cartwheeled through the air in a multi-hued streak as Applejack cheered her on.
“…From what you have told me,” Luna pondered while looking down thoughtfully, “I think that Predacon was one of the seven who assaulted Canterlot, though I did not get a very good look at them.”
“You think the shrimpy one that Applejack fought could be, too?”
“It would not surprise me. I wonder if there truly are only seven in Equestria, then.”
“We can hope!”
Luna looked upon the sad sight of the unicorn’s destroyed home. She glanced at Twilight, whose gaze fell somberly. “Is there…nothing that can be done about the library?”
”I don’t know,” Twilight sighed, “I know a few spells to heal wounded plants, but nothing this big. I guess I’ll have to find another place to live for a while. And a new job.”
Luna gently draped a wing across the smaller mare’s shoulders, smiling comfortingly. “I do not think there will be a need for that, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Twilight asked as she raised her eyes to meet Luna’s, hope twinkling inside them.
“Let us try these healing spells you know. Perhaps together…”
“You really think?!” Twilight beamed, fervently running calculations in her head, “Yeah, I think it could work! You’re a princess, after all! If we both pool our respective magic then it would be double the output with half the strain!”
“Shall we, then?”
Twilight giggled with delight as she raised her horn triumphantly. Luna followed suit, and their horns bloomed with magical radiance. Their spells intertwined together as ribbons of lavender stardust wove in and around the scattered debris. The entirety of the tree was enveloped in their light, its broken walls and fallen branches lifting from the ground to return to their old places. Twilight clenched her teeth and groaned under the spell’s weight, but she could feel Luna shouldering the burden right alongside her. Holes and scars knitted themselves whole, charcoal once more became vibrant and verdant, and in a final burst of luminance the great tree was made whole again.
Twilight dropped to her rump as her knees wobbled. “We…We did it!” she cheered, looking upon her work and wiping sweat from her forehead, “Oh, thank you so much, Luna!”
Luna smiled with a graceful nod and patted the unicorn’s back with her wing. Spike and the other ponies ran over to them, cheering and congratulating them on reviving the library. The night princess strolled to the door and magically swung it open, beckoning the others inside. Applejack offered to carry Twilight in, but she assured her friends she would be fine after catching her breath.
The unicorn shakily rose to her hooves and the group shuffled into the library. It smelled new and fresh like a bed of flowers. The sun filtered down through the windows, illuminating the lobby in golden light. Every part of the tree itself, the walls and floors and stairs, had been perfectly restored. But the library itself was now bare and empty of all books and furnishings.
“I guess the spell couldn’t fix everything inside the tree, huh?” Rainbow Dash wondered aloud, noticing the bare shelf where her favorite Daring Do books once sat.
“Do not fret,” Luna said reassuringly, “furniture and the like can be easily replaced. I’ll see to it personally once things are settled in Canterlot.”
“Mighty decent of ya, Princess!” said Applejack with respectful tip of her hat.
“But what about all the books?” Spike interjected, motioning to all the bare shelves around them.
“Those can be replaced just as well,” Luna replied, “…Though it may be hard to list every lost book.”
“Oh, I’ve got that covered!” Twilight laughed, patting Luna’s shoulder, “I’ve memorized the title, author, and ISBN of every book I had in stock. I can recite the entire inventory from memory.”
The others stared in stunned disbelief.
“No way,” Rainbow Dash finally said, “You’re pulling our legs, right?”
“Try me,” Twilight answered, grinning from ear to ear.
“Uh…I’m kinda scared to.”
“She can do it,” Spike snickered, “I’ve seen her. It’s crazy.”
“Not that I wouldn’t like to see this skill,” Luna remarked, clearing her throat, “But we have more pressing concerns, remember?”
Twilight’s smile dropped, looking to the door ahead apprehensively. She gulped down her dread and nodded. She mustered her confidence and strode to the door, the others following close behind. With every step she could feel that familiar knot grow in her stomach, that horrible shiver down her spine increase. She didn’t want to see it again; she didn’t want to go near it. Twilight pushed the door open with her hoof, half expecting some horrible thing to jump out from the other side. But all that met the unicorn and her friends was the empty bedroom. The light was much dimmer in here, as if the sun’s reach was being strangled by a hateful net. Lying on the floor where a table once stood was the fragment of the Nightmare’s Moonstone.
Its surface was unblemished, as if the fire had done absolutely nothing to it at all. The runic symbols on its facets glimmered mockingly in what little reflected light could reach them. The ponies and the dragon stepped inside, forming a circle around the stone.
“So that’s it, huh?” Applejack snorted at the thing, “Ah see what you mean about it givin’ ya the willies.”
Luna glared at the stone, a restrained growl slipping through her teeth. A globe of sapphire magic descended from her horn, floating to the floor where it swallowed the fragment inside it. Just like when Twilight had contained it earlier, the magic sphere dampened the stone’s effects on them, letting them all breathe easier.
“This worries me,” Luna said, turning to Twilight, “If one piece of the Moonstone still remains even after being destroyed by the Elements of Harmony, it’s almost certain that others survived as well. A fragment this small has such an effect on us by itself. If any other pieces of the Moonstone are found... larger pieces…”
“What do you reckon we should do, Princess?” asked Applejack.
“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash agreed, “If there are any more, we can’t just leave ‘em lying around where anypony could find ‘em!”
“I agree,” the princess replied, her eyes still trained on the floating chunk of stone, “…And I may have a way to find them.”
“You do?” The others asked together, crowding around the alicorn.
Luna nodded. “But if the explosion in Everfree Forest could send one fragment all the way to the middle of Ponyville, others could be anywhere in Equestria within the same radius. We would need to search a very wide area.”
“We can do it!” Twilight declared, “We’ll find Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. If all of us go together and split up, I’m sure we can find the other parts of the Moonstone.”
“Smart thinkin’, Sugarcube!” Applejack chimed in.
“Yeah, we got this easy peasy!” Rainbow Dash affirmed.
“Excellent idea!” Luna replied, her eyes brightening, “Where are your other friends?”
“I…have no idea.” Twilight blinked, scratching her head. In all the day’s commotion she hadn’t seen the other three mares since that morning. “I guess we’ll try their homes and--”
“Not to worry,” the night princess chuckled, “I will summon them here with a spell. It will be more efficient than finding them one by one.”
Twilight laughed as she blushed in embarrassment. “Oh…Well, that works!”
****
Pinkie Pie gleefully rolled around in the grass behind the Hooves’ household, playing with an overjoyed Dinky Doo. Brighteyes Hooves came out of the house carrying a tray with glasses of lemonade. She trotted over and served one to Amethyst Star, who sat nearby the other two girls and watched them fool around.
“O-Okay, t-t-t-time out!” Pinkie cried, giggling uncontrollably as Dinky held her in a merciless tickle lock, “You w-w-win! I give up!” The pink mare raised a helpless hoof in Brighteyes’ direction as the walleyed mare trotted up to them. “Ms. Hooves, help! She’s too powerful, I need reinforcements!”
“Sorry, Miss Pie!” Brighteyes laughed, setting the tray down on the grass, “I know better than to cross my Muffin. You’re on your own this time!”
Pinkie squirmed and wriggled, worming her front legs free. “Counterattack!” she exclaimed, twisting around to grab the purple filly. Dinky squealed with laughter as Pinkie Pie turned the tide of the tickle war. Having gained a tactical advantage, the pink pony pressed her assault, blowing raspberries on the unicorn’s tummy.
“Do you surrender?!” Pinkie roared with a phony evil cackle.
“N-Never!” Dinky gasped between giggle fits.
“Have it your way!” Pinke Pie unleashed another raspberry attack and the unicorn filly began to cry from laughing so hard, kicking feebly at Pinkie’s belly while Brighteyes and Amethyst cheered the two on from the sidelines.
“Okay, okay! I surrender!”
“Good,” Pinkie wheezed, collapsing onto her back as she panted loudly, “I’m exhausted!”
“One of these days I’m gonna beat you!” the filly declared, panting herself.
Pinkie chuckled and gave her a noogie. “You have a long way to go before the student surpasses the master, my young apprentice. But first, we drink!” She scooped up the lemonade glasses in her hooves and handed one to Dinky. Brighteyes raised her glass in a toast and the four mares clinked their cups together with a cheer.
“Thank you so much, Pinkie Pie,” said Brighteyes once their laughter simmered down, “You saved all of us. I don’t know what would have happened if--” The gray pegasus wiped a tear from her golden eyes as her daughters embraced her supportively.
“’Twas all in a day’s work, citizen!” Pinkie giggled heroically, snorting bubbles into her lemonade, “Besides, you did pretty awesome on your own with that boot to the head!”
“Yeah!” Dinky cheered, spilling her lemonade as she waved her hooves triumphantly, “You and Mama kicked that flank-head into next week!”
“Well, we actually kicked him into the next chapter, but yeah!” the pink party pony projected, giving Dinky a hoofbump.
Brighteyes blinked in confusion, but shrugged it off as Pinkie Pie just being Pinkie Pie.
The air suddenly began to stir, the grass and flowers swirling in the windless space. The manes and tails of the ponies were drawn into the vortex, flapping as though a great wind had arisen. Pinkie Pie grinned.
“Welp, it’s time for me to go!” she proclaimed, rising to her hooves as silver bands of magical energy wove around her body.
“What?!” Brighteyes shouted, holding her daughters close. “Pinkie, what are you--“
“Don’t worry, everypony!” Pinkie replied with a reassuring wink, “I’m just being teleported!”
“But why?” Dinky Doo whined, “We were having fun!”
“I know, sweetie, but a hero’s work is never done!” The white light enclosed around and fully enveloped the pink pony. She jumped up to her hind legs and held her foreleg up in the air enthusiastically. “Now I must go. My people need me.”
And with that, she vanished in a burst of light, leaving nothing but the smell of burned cotton candy in the air and utter bewilderment in the Hooves family.
****
Fluttershy sat in a sunny glade amidst a bed of vibrant flowers. Waspinator lay in hornet mode with his bulbous head resting on the pony’s lap while she gently patted it. Angel Bunny was sulking a little ways off to the side, glowering at the Predacon.
“So there Wazzpinator is, minding own business,” the Predacon buzzed dejectedly, “Wazzpinator do what Dragon-bot say, fly to special coordinates in mountains. Having good day, even! Not get shot once until--KA-POW!”
Fluttershy blinked. “…You got shot?”
“Wazzpinator got shot!” he sobbed, covering his eyes with his spindly legs. “Wazzpinator always get shot! Every day, it feel like!” He puckered his mouthparts, spitting out a mocking impression of his boss. “Dragon-bot say ‘Go there, Wazzpinator! Do this, Wazzpinator! Lift that Wazzpinator! Get shot by Cat-bot today, Wazzpinator! Tomorrow you get shot by Fish-bot, Wazzpinator! And don’t forget Friday is half-price special so Wazzpinator get shot by everyone!”
Angel snickered.
“Okay, okay, calm down now,” Fluttershy cooed, softly hushing the manic insect as she stroked his back. Waspinator purred and thumped his back leg. “You’re obviously not happy with your job,” she continued, “It sounds like such a stressful work environment. And dangerous! Getting shot all the time, I’m amazed you haven’t been seriously hurt!”
“Wazzpinator is pretty durable, now that Wazzpinator think about it.”
“And this Mr. Megatron sounds like such a horrible person. Why would you work for someone like that?”
“Wazzpinator not know anymore,” the wasp sighed, “Seemed like good idea in beginning. Megatron say Predacons become new rulers of planet, make Maximals our slaves!”
“You were a slave?” Fluttershy gasped.
“Well…no,” Waspinator replied, lowering his head sheepishly, “Wazzpinator never had trouble on Cybertron. But Megatron very persuasive. Convinced Wazzpinator to join group and steal Golden Disk.”
“If the Predacons tricked you into helping them and you don’t like working with them, why don’t you quit?”
The Predacon would blink if his compound eyes had eyelids. “...Say what?”
Fluttershy lifted Waspinator’s head up to meet her gentle eyes. “If they’re not your friends and you’re tired of, um, ‘getting blown to scrap’ every day…why don’t you just quit?”
Waspinator felt like his core processor had just exploded and was now dribbling out his ears in a slick trail of neural goo. “It not…really that simple…is it?”
“It’s never too late for a new beginning,” Fluttershy assured him, beaming, “You’re the captain of your own ship. If you don’t like where you’re sailing, then change course.”
“Flutter-bot is right! But…” the hornet replied, his mandibles quivering, “…Wazzpinator never been captain before. Wazzpinator not sure Wazzpinator know how to change course.”
The yellow pegasus threw her hooves around the Predacon and embraced him. “That’s what friends are for, silly. I’ll be there to help you every step of the way.”
Waspinator trembled, tears beginning to bubble up in his multiple eyes. “Flutter-bot promise?” he squeaked.
“I promise.”
No sooner had Fluttershy spoken than the windless cyclone began to rise around them. The Predacon jumped back with a start as the white bands of magic closed around Fluttershy. Angel looked up from the flowers he had been munching on and gasped in alarm at seeing his owner suddenly scooped up inside a magic spell.
“Wh-What is--?!” the pegasus cried, watching helplessly as the globe enshrouded her, “Th-This spell looks like when Twilight tele--”
“Flutter-bot!!” Waspinator wailed, springing up into robot mode.
“Mr. Wazzpinator, don’t!” Fluttershy shouted, waving her hooves to dissuade him, “I don’t want you to get hurt!”
“B-But Flutterbot--” Waspinator looked on helplessly as Angel ran to his side, the rabbit’s eyes bright with worry.
“I’ll be okay!” She called, trying her best to smile and look bold as she faded into the light. She hoped she wasn’t lying. “I’ll find you again, Mr. Wazzpinator! I promise! You two behave yourselves and look out for each--”
Fluttershy was gone.
Waspinator slumped to his knees, trying not to cry. Angel shuffled his feet and patted the Predacon’s leg, looking up at him with an apologetic smile. The hornet sighed and scooped up the rabbit in his arms, both of them wondering what they should do now. And as if there weren’t enough cruel twists of fate in his life already, Waspinator’s comm-link then started to ring. His spark sank as soon as he identified the source of the incoming transmission.
It was Megatron.
****
“…and she comes from another planet where everything is a robot like her and she used to be an awesome bad guy but now she’s an awesome good guy because she fell in love with a hunk named Silverbolt and then she died but she got better and turned blue and she got sucked into this silver stone thingy which brought her to Equestria and now she needs to find a way home so she can help her friends protect the very fabric of time and space so the other Cutie Mark Crusaders and I are helping her and if it works we might get Maximal-helping cutie marks so--”
“Good heavens, Sweetie Belle, take a breath before you pass out!” Rarity interrupted as her sister prattled on.
“Now you understand what I’ve been through all day,” Blackarachnia snarked while massaging her temple.
Sweetie Belle sat at one end of the kitchen table, chattering happily while the elder sibling went about preparing tea. Blackarachnia, too large for the chairs, sat on the floor next to Sweetie Belle with her back resting against the wall. Rarity trotted over to the table, levitating a tray with three empty cups and a steaming pot of tea. She set it down on the table, prompting Sweetie Belle to finally take a rest.
“So my sister and her friends actually captured you?” the mare asked with a playful smirk, pouring a cupful of tea and levitating the cup over to the Maximal. “That must have been quite embarrassing.”
“Threw a net on my head and everything,” Blackarachnia replied as she took the cup between her index finger and thumb. She gave it a quick sniff and took a little sip to test it. “Though, in my defense I was still recovering from a Transwarp jump at the time.”
“Transwarp?” Sweetie Belle chimed in, looking up from her own teacup.
“The portal that brought me here, or at least what I think brought me here. My planet has the technology to travel across the universe by opening tunnels through space and time. But that Alien stone was different.”
“Ooh!” Sweetie hooted, her eyes bright with curiosity.
“Robot aliens, metal planets, tunnels through space,” Rarity repeated, rubbing her forehead, “This is an awful lot to wrap my head around!”
“How do you think I feel?” The Maximal chuckled, “I was dropped on my head onto a planet Primus-knows-where in the universe full of magical pastel ponies.”
“Touché,” Rarity laughed, “Well, I’m very glad you were dropped on your head, Ms. Arachnia. If you hadn’t come along and given that Dinobot brute a proper trouncing, he would have killed me for sure.”
“It’s just Blackarachnia. One word,” she replied dryly as she finished her tea, “And I’d say you didn’t do too shabby yourself.”
“My sister’s awesome!” the filly exclaimed, inserting herself into the conversation, “You should have seen the way she was beating him up! Bam! Pow! Mannequins flying everywhere!”
Rarity giggled and blushed. “I suppose I was pretty spectacular, wasn’t I?” She then got up from her seat and stepped over to Blackarachnia. “But in all seriousness, I want to express my gratitude, Blackarachnia.” She smiled warmly and extended her hoof. “You’ve been a friend to Sweetie Belle when you didn’t have to be, and you saved my life. Thank you most sincerely.”
Blackarachnia blinked in surprise, staring at the hoof. “Hey, don’t get sappy on me,” she said quickly, diverting her gaze, “A Predacon needed his aft kicked so I delivered. It’s what I do.”
“Even so, I’d like to offer my hoof in friendship,” the unicorn replied, her smile and hoof remaining firm, “If there’s ever anything I can do to repay you, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Blackarachnia sighed, realizing she wasn’t getting out of this. She extended her hand and shook Rarity’s hoof with a wry smile. “You might regret that, sister.”
“This is gonna be so much fun!” Sweetie Belle declared, clapping her hooves excitedly, “The three of us can…” She faltered, her eyes growing wide. “W-What’s that?”
Rarity looked down to discover several ribbons of white magic rising up around her. The air started to whirl about, tossing the plates and cups across the room.
“Good heavens!” Rarity shrieked, trying to jump away. Her hooves remained planted to the floor, unable to leave the sphere of light forming up around her.
Blackarachnia jumped onto her knees, shouting “What the?! The slag is going on?!”
“I-It’s a teleportation spell of some kind!” Rarity cried, squirming against the magic, “Somepony’s summoning me! I-I can’t break loose!”
Sweetie leaped atop the table and ran towards her sister to help, but Blackarachnia thrust her arm out to block the filly.
“Rarity!”
“Hold on! You wanna get sucked in too?!” The Maximal pressed Sweetie Belle back and turned to face the other unicorn. She knew this was going to be a bad idea, but she did it anyway. “Hold still, I got ya!” she shouted, reaching forward and grabbing one of Rarity’s legs. She dug her heels into the floor and pulled with all her might. The pony’s hooves scraped across the floor slightly, but not nearly enough to clear the closing sphere before the last of the ribbons knitted together around Blackarachnia’s arms. Her eyes widened.
“Oh scrap.”
Sweetie Belle ducked down as a blinding flash filled the room. Then everything suddenly became still. The filly looked up, rubbing the spots out of her eyes. Neither Rarity nor Blackarachnia were anywhere to be found.
****
Princess Luna lowered her horn as her magic faded. “There,” she said with an approving nod, “Your friends will be transported here in moments.”
The other ponies in the library voiced their approval, eager to see the rest of the team after the morning’s stress. Spike was the only one to raise a concerned eyebrow.
“Uh…” he began, lifting a claw to get their attention, “You’re teleporting them here? Like, right here? From wherever they were and whatever they were doing?”
“That’s right,” the princess replied, “I do not understand what you--”
“Won’t it be a bit of a shock when they spontaneously zap over here?”
“He kinda has a point there,” Rainbow Dash agreed.
“I am aware, Spike, but this will be the fastest and most efficient way to bring the other three here and apprise them of the situation.”
Spike frowned. “But what if one of them is in the bathroom?”
The alicorn’s face flushed bright red and her eyes grew wide. “…Oh dear.”
“I-I’m sure it’ll be fine!” Twilight hurriedly interjected. She couldn’t begin to imagine how horrifying it would be to Rarity let alone Fluttershy if either of them was suddenly teleported into a group of ponies in an…indecent condition.
And right on cue, the library lobby was filled with a burst of silver light, dazzling the unprepared ponies. They opened their eyes once the spell faded to find Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy in the center of the room, and none of them currently engaged in any lavatory activities, thank Celestia. Rarity and Fluttershy both looked around in bewilderment, but Pinkie Pie bounced over to the others cheerfully.
“Hiya, girls! Hiya, Princess! Hiya, Spike!”
“Wh-What’s going on?!” Fluttershy meeped, “I-I was with Angel and Mr. Wazzpinator. Why did you…”
“Goodness!” Rarity exclaimed once she found her bearings, “Girls, what in Equestria is so important that you had to drag me over here so forcefully? And I left Sweetie Belle all alone with Blackarachnia!”
“Not quite,” Blackarachnia moaned, sitting up from behind Rarity and rubbing her head, “Whatever the frag that teleporter was, it doesn’t agree with my systems. So, sorry in advance if I--huuurrgh! the Maximal rolled over and heaved a small puddle of bright green Cybertronian bile onto the floor. Fluttershy squeaked in alarm and scrambled back to avoid the fluids.
“Predacon!!” Luna, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Spike shouted as soon as they saw the arachnid robot.
“Predacon?” Fluttershy asked.
“Where?” groaned Blackarachnia as she sat up again, “And stop yelling! I got enough of that from the Tramp Stamp Brigade.”
“Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Rarity corrected.
“Whatever.”
“Rarity, get away from there!” Twilight called, jumping into a defensive stance with her horn aimed at Blackarachnia, “It’s a Predacon!”
“Ex-Predacon,” the spider scowled, her claws twitching.
“Oh, it’s alright, darling!” Rarity cried, jumping between the two, “Blackarachnia is a friend!”
Twilight turned slightly to Princess Luna, keeping a wary eye on the Maximal. “Is that one of the Predacons from Canterlot?”
“No,” Luna replied, examining the newcomer, “There definitely wasn’t a lady among the seven.”
“Seven Predacons?” Blackarachnia repeated, her optics widening, “Oh you’ve gotta be kidding me!” She slapped her forehead. “I’m all alone on this planet against Prune-face’s whole team! I wonder if this crushing sense of cosmic unfairness is what Waspinator goes through every day.”
“You, um,” Fluttershy said nervously, shuffling her hooves and hiding under her mane, “You know Mr. Wazzpinator?”
“Yeah,” the Maximal replied, rising to her feet and stretching her back, “he’s one of the seven Predacons that decided to spoil everyone’s day, from the sound of it.” She eyed the yellow pegasus up and down. “How do you know Waspinator? He kick your dog?”
Fluttershy stepped forward timidly, yet held her head up. “M-Mr. Wazzpinator wouldn’t do that! He doesn’t like being a Predacon anymore, so he isn’t one! He’s a good person!”
“He’s a Predacon, kid. Predacons don’t do ‘good people’.”
“Mr. Wazzpinator is not a--!”
“Predacon!” screamed a voice from outside, prompting everyone to turn their heads toward the door. It was soon followed by another, then another and another. Ponies were shouting out “Predacon!” while the sounds of panicking hoof beats rumbled through the floor.
“Oh for the love of…” Rainbow Dash grumbled, rolling her eyes.
“Ain’t we been through enough Predacon shenanigans today?” Applejack snorted, straightening her hat for a fight.
“Another one?!” Twilight cried in exasperation, “Come on, girls! Let’s go!”
The battle-ready ponies charged, set to grab Fluttershy on the way to the door when another sudden voice took them by surprise.
“Hello? Can anybody read me? Is the signal getting through?”
The ponies skidded to a halt, spinning around towards Princess Luna. She was looking at the Moonstone Fragment still suspended in her magic bubble. Its surface seemed to be vibrating, jittering subtly and giving off a soft hum.
The voice called out again, a solemn, hardy voice, but faint and distorted by interference. “Hello! Is anyone there? Can you read me?”
Blackarachnia’s jaw fell open, her eyes widening. “It couldn’t be…”
“The Nightmare?” Rarity asked, gulping nervously.
“Nah, this guy’s voice isn’t all growly and echo-y,” answered Pinkie Pie.
“Er, hello?” Luna said to the fragment, feeling embarrassed about speaking to a chunk of rock, magical or not, “Yes, we can hear you!”
“Oh, thank Primus,” the voice sighed, “I wasn’t sure if this trick would work.”
The ponies and Maximal all gathered around Luna, eagerly listening in on the stranger, inquisitive whispers floating between them. The night princess awkwardly tried to move away from the group but found herself surrounded.
“Ssh!” she hushed, “Be quiet, please! Can’t you see I’m on the, er, stone?” She turned back to the Moonstone piece and cleared her throat to sound more regal. “How can you speak to us through this Moonstone? Who are you, sir?”
“That first one’s a long story, Ma’am,” the voice replied, “and there are more urgent things to discuss first. My name is Optimus Primal, and I may need your help to bring some friends of mine home.”
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So Megatron has joined minds with his G1 countertpart, and a misterious force wants to meet him.
This can't be good.
And poor Waspinator needs a hug.
LOL, the princess didt'n think about that.
And in the end...DAT CLIFFHANGER.
Keep this one,
And by the way...
seoenquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/firstpost.jpg
Always wanted to do that.
First of all, new chapter!
All in all a good chapter, not great, but that's ok, cause I can tell this is a transition chapter. We just had a whole lot of action hit the ponies all at once, and this is now a breather chapter before exposition and more action happen.
I like how you're portraying Luna here, she's strong and confident in her power, but still a little nervious/confused on the personal front. It's a good job showing her mature from the fish-out-of-water who didn't know what 'fun' was.
Ah Pinkie Pie, the fourth wall is your plaything.
Fluttershy helping Waspinator, what can I say; If the animal tending business goes south, she could do very well as a therapy counsollor.
And wow, everyone knows waspinator's poor lot in life, but that one little scene makes me feel a bit bad about all the times I've laughed at him getting scrapped. 
Rarity and Blackarachnia are an interesting dynamic, why do I imagine if they ever got into an arguement, it'd be one of the biggest snark-fest in all of Equestria.
"Predicon!"
"I'm not a Predicon, I'm a Maximal!"
"What's a Maximal?"
"*sigh*"
IT's a great chapter. I really love it.
I'm a little confused at the Communication situation. It's more like why or how is Primal talking through the moon stone.
I'm not sure how the Maximals on Earth are suppose to do anything to impact the maximals in equestria. It's confusion but also interesting t the same time. (personally I think it would be much more entertaining if you had Depthcharge, Blackarrachnia, and Waspenator try to explain to the ponies what Predicons and Maximals are exactly and I don't mean how their mechanically constructed what's different about them is political wise) those 3 are by far not the best at esplaining things but none of them know much about tact and decorum.
I think though it's established that the concept of a robot isn't exactly established in Equiestria since their are non so calling something a robot would mean nothing to a pony. THe Maximals and Predicons are creatures a very strange creature type but a creature none the less.
You know I always hopped that in the original comic that Terrasar and Scorpinoc survived falling into the lava since they got Transmetal. I pictured that a combination of that and Transmettal and lava to create a unique reaction. Like a Terrasuar Scorpinoc fusion. I can picture a flying scorpions that shoots missiles.
You know with Megatron now Merging with the original it would be interesting if occasionally Megatron would under go a transformation that would involve him taking characteristics of the original Megatron (I have no clue why Megatron got a dragon form from the original since he turns into a gun) But anyway the original Megatron is extremely strong and tough armor (In the original comic he fought off the 5 dinobots like they were nothing)
I would be interesting if Megatron's form started to take on characteristics of the original. Or if on times the Original Megatron's personality will become dominate and Megatron would undergo a transformation where he turns into the original and how Megatron is vastly more powerful and dangerous.
(The origional Megatron's fusion cannon is capable of destorying a small city in 1 shot. but he never seems to use it at that setting)
Can't wait for the next chapter.
Really glad to see a update.
So Blackarachnia meet's the gang. What will everyone think when Fluttershy and Rarity tell them what happen to them?
2584842 Congratulations.
Glad you enjoyed it!
2585099 Thanks! That's right, this is a breather to get everyone in position for what lies ahead. Next chapter will have important revelations and set up where the story goes from here.
Thank you! That's exactly what I was going for with Luna.
"Pinkie Pie, you are so random!" <-- Truer words were never spoken.
Now I'm picturing Fluttershy wearing glasses with her mane in a bun like Twilight in Lesson Zero. This needs to be made real. XD Also, BWA HA HA, MY DECONSTRUCTION OF YOU ENJOYING WASPINATOR'S PAIN IS COMPLE--I mean, glad I helped you see it in a new light.
2585265 Thank you! Don't worry, I shall explain in the next chapter.
(And tell me about it, his Fusion Cannon's effectiveness was VERY inconsistent from episode to episode XD)
The earthbound Maximals are still on Earth because bringing all of them to Equestria severely outnumbers all the Predacons and I wanted to keep things fair. But I will do my best to keep them a part of the plot from here on in. And that is a very funny idea. I'll have to do something with that.
It's difficult to think how ponies would react to things never brought up in-show, so I'm going by the idea that robots could exist in pony sci-fi stories and the like. So they know what the concept of a robot is, but there are no robots in Equestria.
That is a very random and very awesome idea.
(I assume it's because dragons are just awesome. XD) I wouldn't say he'll go through transformations, but he will bring up some more G1-ish tics once in a while.
2585869 Really glad this didn't take as long as the last one!
And we'll just have to see...
2586930
I have to agree with most of that but I still say that it would have been more awesome if they make Megatron from Beast Wars aquire more of a G1 type change like Primal did.
Also you will likely need to show some noticeable changes now that the Megatron's merged since it does show that it would increase their power and capabilities as their merged that would reflect that their would be some changes to Megatron. Maybe some of the original Megatrons capabilities will start to show themselves now. Like his durability and possibly even an ability to make energon weapons like the energon mace.
If anything their would be some noticeable changes even personality wise. (I can actually picture the original Megatron complaining to the newer one about why he has to say Yes all the time. I think it would get of Megatron's nerves)
You know it would be interesting if the Predicons discovered they could do something with the moon stone as well that even the Nightmare wouldn't expect. Since they know different things and that Nightmare wouldn't expect or plan for what the Predicons would do
(also it maybe ok if they understand the concept of robot but personally it was more interesting to have the Ponies think of the maximals and predicons as an unknown form of creatures and extremely harty ones at that.
Not to mention their would be some difficulty figuring out the robotic approximation of a creature for both sides and vice versa.
I can totally picture Twilight trying to study them and jot down stuff about them. I can imagine what Twilight or anyone else would react to having them receive grevious damage only to have them get back up again and then start to pick up their torn off parts. That would be an extreamly hearty creature in my opinion.
I guess I really got into it when you depicted how Twilight viewed Inferno's transformation and the Princess's view of them as well. I can picture Blackarrachnia, Depthcharge and Waspinator agree that it would be to difficult to explain exactly what they are and how complicated a nonorganic entiry they are so they will just settle on that their an anchient race of creatures that's extreamly hearty and leave it at that and don't explain why they can survive decapitation (which happens surprisingly often for a children's show)
I have a feeling thats things arent going to go well for waspinator for a while still.
2587007 These are some very interesting points you bring up. I'd go into more detail about them, but some of them are going to be brought up in the next chapters, so I don't wanna spoil anything.
2587160 Certainly doesn't look like it...
2587610
oh ok if you have any points that won't create spoilers it's ok with me but if it will don't. Now I really can't wait for the next chapter.
2587610
Oh also their is 1 more thing I would like to bring up. I would have pictured Megatron in the Beast Wars new alt mode with getting Megatron's spark to likely resemble Megatron's new body in the G2 comic.
Megatron's new body is extremely more powerful not to mention he even survived crashing from space into the planet's surface and then he still fought his way through the Autobot base and took on Grimlock to reach a damaged Prime so Megatron can tell him personally that the Autobots and Decepticons needed to call a temporary truce to deal with the 2nd generation.
(The G2 Megatron's alt mode is a tank but with an extreamly powerful rail gun and two beam weapons in each palm not including a few other misc weapons I noted on him (mostly due to the fact that as far as armaments went in this comic series it was a bit hard to tell what was an extra weapon and his actual armament.)
i88.photobucket.com/albums/k195/Command12000/TF%20G2%20GI%20Joe%203/gijoe140_cover.jpg
i88.photobucket.com/albums/k195/Command12000/TF%20G2%20GI%20Joe%202/gijoe139_page21.jpg
this was a refreshingly different way to tell the story. it doesn't have a lot of fighting, but it does have intriguing plot developments that are bound to change how the story runs.
so first, there's megatron. That is, the dragon megatron. Come to think of it, would megatron recognize a dragon as a famous earth creature? Anyhow, so he regenerated in stasis, going through his mental mindscape of things that he honors/needs/despises. First, there's the halls of famous G1 formers. Plenty of hardy cameos such as Starscream, soundwave, shockwave, as well as some of the past casualties. Terrorsaur, scorponok. Actually though, it interesting that this mindscape does not have the 1st dinobot, since the new one's also there, but different. Foreshadowing regarding his spark? Then there were the 3 big goods that he so despised. Optimus Prime, the original defeater of Cons. Optimus primal, defender of the past. The mighty monkey/jet/tank, thing. and princess celstia, protector of equestria, and powerful goddess of the sun. All stand against his predacon rebellion, and all will one day fall to megatron if he would will it.
However, there was one other person here: The original megatron. (on a side note, I've compared the way welker does his megatrons both in G1 and the newest series Transformers Prime, and I gotta say, while the original megatron's voice seemed more robotic, the new one seems way more menacing.) Still there somehow, and still respected, and not at all happy megatron tried to risk HIS spark for victory. However, there was something else around him, and while the dragon wanted to keep megatron locked away, the G1 king came up with another idea: merger. trying to get all their strengths together. And as the megatron from beast wars is at once cruel and egotistical, but also cunning and strategic, he agreed, allowing the knowledge of his first man strengthen him, allowing him to seek out whatever was there. As if Megs wasn't strong enough already.
On the other hand, while this is a union of both megs's strengths, it could also be of their weeknesses as well. The first megatron wasn't nearly as strong a tactician, and both can let ego overwhelm some of their decisions. Let's just hope David Kaye's megatron can keep the knowledge of the 1st megatron in check.
Meanwhile, back in the present, RD, Twilight and spike were working their way back to health, when AJ finally made it back to town, allowing some way to get people caught up. Also, love the ironically correct quote, "It looks like y’all just been through a war zone!”
In Canterlot, Luna was finally getting a grip on the panic, when Twilight's letter reached her, and she had to set out to examine this, troubling turn of events. And, UH Oh. It appears that whatever power the moonstone is contained in, it has a 2 pronged plan on hand: It appears it's trying to play both megatron and celestia into its hand to destroy the light in the universe. After all, it's all in both the subtle and not so subtle hits. The subtle being celestia's slight jealosy over the letter, and the not so subtle part about her eyes being different. Also, Luna's funny. Cool, but funny. "I give my solemn pledge that I shall aid thee in--Holy horsefeathers, what happened to the tree?!” Her eye twitched a bit as she stared at the scorched scene before her.
So she healed them, and brought the tree back. actually, is this foreshadowing towards Luna's true power? Supporting others?
Also, it appears we have our main thrust for the next couple episodes for the elements at least: gotta find the moonstone fragments. Find em, keep em, destroy them all later.
And so the other half of the harmony squad was summoned to the tree, each reacting in their own way. Pinkie said a happy goodbye to Dinky & family. I have to admit though, the writing with her feels a bit more...I don't know, playful, less serious? I guess different is the right word.
Maybe Pinkie's warping the story around her to be lighter? Fluttershy was surprisingly wisked away from her work with Waspinator, which was actually kinda sad. 
She really seemed invested in helping him. It gives us some nice indications on how perhaps predecons weren't as bad off as Megatron made them to be. After all, waspinator has no reason to lie to fluttershy. Also the way it sets up what happens in the finale nicely with the idea of "Waspinator sick of being evil, sick of being predecon, and waspinator especially sick of getting blown to scrap all the time! So, waspinator quits!" And rarity ended up accidentally taking blackarachnia with her to the princess, upsetting her stomach, and of course shocking the rest of the team on account of the giant robot present there. Then again, as this was a show on the smurfette principle, being the only lady left in the show meant that the spider got a free pass.
Actually, look at the splits in the people. It's the Fall Winter Friends focus 3 and the Putting Your Hoof Down solo trio as well. Neat split.
Also, love the joke with Luna. "Can’t you see I’m on the, er, stone?”
And on an unrelated note, I think I can see 2 immediate events starting up next chapter.
1. Optimus Primal coming in contact with his crew.
2. Depth Charge has finally arrived in town, meaning that he's gonna find out it's just those 2 on mission, trying to find a way back. And of course, giving a status update to their fearless leader. It figures that the 2 who CAN work alone really well end up being the ones having to work together.
3. Depth Charge is gonna scare fluttershy and get a song from pinkie pie, trying to turn that frown upside down.
Keep going!
2587903 I'm familiar with G2 Megs. I think it would have been pretty awesome if BW Megatron's final form had different modes like Optimal Optimus did. Maybe he could change into a dragon and a tank and a jet as opposed to Optimus' gorilla, car, and plane.
2588666 Glad you enjoyed it!
You hit basically everything I'm going for. And I agree with you there on Frank Welker's different approaches to Megatron. Next chapter should be around hopefully not too long from now. 
2588666
Sorry but I just have to make one comment what frown Depth Charge doesn't even have a mouth. I wonder how Pinkie would respone to that.
2614525 From the animation, I just assumed that depth charge had a perpetual frown on his face.
Great chapter as always. I just have a problem with saying that G1 Megatron is the namesake of Beastwars Megatron. BW Megatron named himself after the antichrist figure in the passage he was quoting from the Covenant of Primus in the final episode. Which may or may not have been BW Megatron therefore he named himself after himself.
2614721
Sorry but when I was looking at it. IT didn't look like a mouth more like a protrusion like some of the older Transformers had. that protrusion part never opened of changed exactly so it's really isn't a mouth
Assuming the cries of "Predacon" are Lyra leading what'shisface into Ponyville.
I think Wazzpinator would get on well with the Diamond Dogs.
This. Is. AWESOME
. Seriously, Beast Wars is one of my all time favorite tv shows from my childhood, and I have to say, you captured all of the characters' voices perfectly. The only flaw I can really think of is that people unfamiliar with Beast Wars will be confused at times, but other than that, I think we've got a winner. Keep it up 
This chapter was AWESOME!!!!!
(Looks at three-month gap since update)
...
(Plays "Taps" for the deadfic's mourning)
3004119
Pah. As the author's roommate, I can tell you this fic ain't dead. I'm aware it's been six weeks since you posted that, but let me assure you it isn't.
My friend has been busy with other projects (which should be coming to a close in a few days, actually) and hasn't had time to devote to this fic. He'll be back with a new chapter or two after that (I'll make sure of that).
3004119
I am SO sorry for not seeing this comment and replying sooner. No, this story isn't dead. I've been buried in other projects that needed my immediate attention more than this fic. But I have no plans on quitting.
3317422 Thank you very much!
That's exactly the kind of feel I'm trying to capture. I'm glad you're enjoying it!
3325538 Thanks for all the comments. It brightens my day that you're enjoying my fic.
As for your notes on Dinobot and the Moonstone, those will definitely come into play later. 
Hey there, really like your story but really waiting for an update.
By the way, you mentioned you would send in another maximal in an earlier comment. It wouldn't by chance be Silverbolt or Rattrap will it?
Secondly, will you have the ponies know about Depth Charge's history with Rampage and Dinobot's history before his death?
Thirdly, hope you do a sequel with Beast Machines
3448725 Thanks very much! Glad you're enjoying it! I can only apologize for such a delay. This story has been very fun and I plan to finish it, but there's a lot more that needs to be my top priorities right now.
Yes, there will be another Maximal joining, but that's not for a ways off yet. And I can't say who it is because of spoilers. 
But yes, the history between Depth Charge and Rampage will be explored, along with Dinobot's past. But as for a sequel, I don't have any plans for one.
Then i'll keep coming back here to see if you have updated your story. How long will it be before Rampage comes to town?
Two questions:
1. When does this story take place?
2. What is your progress?
3554146
1) Between seasons 2 and 3. I mention that Shining Armor and Cadance are away on their honeymoon.
2) Progress has been very slow on all my creative fronts, and this story isn't very high on my list right now, I'm sorry to say. I'm happy to see that people are still interested in it and I'll do my best to see it through to the end.
got it. by the way, how did you make those images on that deviart website was it? what will chapter seven's picture look like?
3616661 Well, the simple answer is I drew them.
I drew all the cover images on DeviantArt. I don't know if I'll keep doing covers for every chapter, but if I do I'll pick a moment from the chapter that lends itself best to a cover. No idea what that'll be for Chapter 7 yet.
I eagerly anticipate your next chapter. cant wait to see the ponies learn about Dinobot and Depth Charge/Rampage. One person said that Depth Charge will come into town and Fluttershy will get scared but Pinkie will try to make him laugh. Is that true?
3645682 That is certainly what could happen.
You say COULD but that doesn't exactly mean you will. I'm gonna take a shot and say the seventh chapter will be up sometime next year hopefully before spring break. by the way, if Silverbolt is the one to reappear, i can imagine rainbow dash loking like
or 
3652164 Well, I'm not gonna say anything about what will happen because spoilers.
And if all goes well the next chapter should be up sometime next month.
Nice, that stokes me
update?
3853343 Sorry, I haven't been checking my messages here very often.
The next chapter is coming along. It's in the first stages now..
Awesome!!!
how is your progress?
update?
Nice job amigo, now, can you update it please?
4331731 Everything's been very slow, unfortunately. I've moved and I'm trying to balance time between art commissions and job hunting, and in general my creativity has been a bit lax lately. I'm trying to get out of this slump. Got a big project this week and I hope that will help.
Well do what you need to do. I can't wait til you start because then it will be amazing!
Merry Christmas!
5422325 Happy New Year!