Transformers Prime: Ponies in Disguise

by RavageXeno

Chapter 12

Starscream crept silently through the darkened woods, wincing at every single branch that snapped and cringing at every falling leaf. He was following the instructions that the little bug - which he presumed was what they called an insecticon - was giving him. It was now sat on his wing, instead of hiding underneath it, so now he could get a closer look at it.

It didn’t - as he had expected - look anything like the insecticons from back home, more like a really tiny black pony. Much like a changeling, though it didn’t have a horn, but it did have small glossy wings, that were a dull silver.

Starscream hadn’t wanted to re-enter the forest, especially after the stories that the others had been telling of it’s inhabitants. But after he had been bitten repeatedly, he got over his fear and entered the forest. For the feeling to be instantly replaced with a sense of Deja vu.

But hopefully this would turn out better than last time, he had thought as he continued on his way.

“I’m not turning back,” he said after some time in the forest. “Don’t try and make me,” he continued looking up at the blue phoenix that had followed him thus far.

Ignoring his sudden outburst, Laserbeak landed on a nearby tree, where he waited for Starscream to catch him up. A look of disdain on his face.

“Oh don’t look at me like that,” Starscream responded, trying to ignore the glare the phoenix was giving him.

“I didn’t task you with following us. Blame Megatron. Actually blame him for this entire mess!” Starscream almost shouted, forgetting he was supposed to be quiet and getting bitten for the loud remark. He then silently hoped that his head start would keep him from the others.

“If I was leader, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” he whined looking up at Laserbeak with a gleam of contempt in his eyes. Which swiftly vanished as some of Laserbeak’s feathers started to turn into flames.

“ButIamnottheleadersonopointtalkingaboutit,” he said hurriedly, whilst speeding up, resulting in him getting tangled in some vines and nearly falling flat on his face. Laserbeak let out a squawk of laughter, before launching off the branch he was perched on.

Expecting the worse, Starscream closed his eyes against the incoming attack. But Laserbeak simply flew past, cutting the vines with his talons. Before returning to a different tree further along Starscream’s path. Though he had no idea how the phoenix knew where he was going. Though he didn’t give it much thought.

“You don’t mind me leaving them do you?” he asked the phoenix, not really expecting an answer. “But why?”
Starscream continued along the path deep in thought, but managing to avoid the numerous branches that blocked his way. Laserbeak kept with him, flying to a new tree when Starscream had reached the last one. And occasionally flying circles around him.

“You want to go home, badly it seems. So badly you’ll allow us splitting up, just so events will move faster?” Starscream said, but Laserbeak didn’t give him a response. “Aww, you miss your daddy!”

However this did evoke a response. Giving an disgruntled cry Laserbeak lept of the branch. Realising where the phoenix was going, Starscream ducked his head, hoping the phoenix would avoid him. When he had realised he had flown past, he raised his head and at the same time turning. To see where he had gone.

He was met by a thick branch as it hit him in the face, as it sprung back into it’s original position. Looking up he saw Laserbeak. circling him, and laughing as he observed his handiwork.

“Okay, I kinda deserved that,” Starscream said, rubbing his snout before he continued forwards. “But, it means that you’ll have to choose who to follow.” Though Laserbeak didn’t give him any response.

“Well who do you think is the most treacherous, and least likely to hold to the bargain?” he asked voicing the question that the phoenix would most likely be thinking. “But just remember that there is no Megatron here for me to stab in the back,” he added quickly.

They continued on in silence for a while. The bug giving him directions every now and again, and Laserbeak still seemed to know where Starscream was going to go. He might have been creeped out a bit by this, except that he was more worried of being eaten alive by some terrifying creature.

Eventually, Laserbeak flew back down and landed on Starscreams wing, on the opposite side to the bug.

“So have you made up your mind- AHH!” Starscream exclaimed, as Laserbeak ripped out one of the feathers from his wings. “Hey! I needed that! Well I think I did...”

Not staying to offer any form of apology - not that he ever would - he flew off back the way they had come. So much for Decepticon loyalty, Starscream thought to himself as he continued on his way.

After a few minutes, the bug also flew off his other wing, and Starscream hurried to catch up with it, not wishing to lose his guide in the forest. In his attempt to keep up, he wasn’t paying much attention to where he was going, and soon caught his hoof on a vine. Which sent him sprawling through some rather thick trees and into a large clearing. Where he landed upside down sprawled on the grass.

---

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Rarity exclaimed, giving a puzzled look to the ponies that had just gotten back from the ridge. They were all sat in the chariot except for Haunt and Twilight, who were trying to revive the Seekers at the front of the chariot, as they had all been turned to stone.

“What else do you think it means? He’s gone. Vamoushed!” Rainbow said as she flew around the chariot. “But what do you think happened to him?”

“Well it seems that the Queen wanted a new ally,” Nightshade said, attaching the two Seekers that had been freed from stone to the chariot.

“What?” they exclaimed in unison. Though Pinkie was more obsessed with Bob, as she was still intent on guarding him from the Queen, and wouldn’t let anypony near him.

“She wanted a distraction,” Xena Rose said calmly. Unlike the others she was sat outside the chariot with Raven. “That’s why she captured Raven, to put on a show so Starscream could leave.”

“But why would he willingly leave his friends and go to her?” Rainbow asked.

“Starscream’s a traitor, he didn’t have any friends. At a push, only allies to betray and bribe for his own means,” Arcee said. “Maybe his desperation to get home has driven him to extreme measures?”

“Well that doesn’t matter. He’s our friend and we need to go help him!” Pinkie said jumping into the conversation. Bumblebee answered her with a few sad beeps.

“Bee is right, we don’t even know where he’s gone,” Arcee said, before a blue phoenix landed on her head.

“Laserbeak! Thank goodness you’re okay!” Fluttershy exclaimed, almost knocking Arcee over to reach him. Repeating a sincere apology, She returned to her seat with Laserbeak on her wing. “What have you got there?” she asked as she took a grey feather off of him.

“Laserbeak, do you know where Starscream is?” Twilight asked, presuming who the feather belonged to. Laserbeak looked at her and gave her a single nod, before turning his attention to Fluttershy, who was stroking him.

Twilight and Haunt had just gotten back into the chariot, now all the Seekers were revived. And digging at the ground with their metallic hooves and pulling impatiently at their harness. Whilst Pitch stood there glaring at them, though they didn’t respond to him if they did notice the glare.

“Xena Rose, get in. We’re going to find Starscream,” Haunt said as they all took their seats in the chariot, and Laserbeak landed on the control panel.

“You know where he is?” Xena Rose asked, though she didn’t move to get in the chariot.

“Laserbeak will show us, though he’s probably somewhere in the forest,” Haunt replied.

“Well in that case, I’ll see you there. Don’t get too lost, I’m bored of rescuing people today,” Xena Rose said, before she and Raven set off for the forest.

“If they can run off on their own, why can’t I fly after Starscream?” Rainbow asked, jumping out of her seat to hover above the chariot. “Surely that would be quicker?”

“Not really, sshe knowss the foresst better than mosst,” Nightshade said pointing towards the two who were just entering the forest, even though it was nearly a mile away. “Lasserbeak can’t guide two groupss Rainbow.”

After hearing this, Rainbow sat alone on the back seat, her head and wings drooped. Haunt said a few quiet words to Laserbeak and the Seekers before they set off, at a much slower pace, though still fast enough to warrant the ponies to hold on. Laserbeak flew ahead of them with Pitch following closely behind, taking alternative routes to the phoenix when the chariot wouldn’t allow them that route.

Suddenly they halted. On the dark outskirts of a large clearing, which was covered in shadows as the moon was hidden behind a cloud. All the ponies were launched forward, and without Twilight’s magic they would have flew out of the chariot. Haunt, not caught in Twilight’s magical aura, used the momentum to land gracefully on Pitch’s back, before leaping off and gliding down to the ground.

Peering around the Seekers, the ponies could see Haunt talking in hushed whispers to Xena Rose. When they were returned to their seats, they were all in silent agreement to go and see what was going on. Except Fluttershy.

“I think I’ll stay here... And... Make sure the Seekers don’t run off again,” She said, whilst trying to hide behind her mane. Understanding the situation, they all agreed that this would be the best decision.

“Starscream is up there,” Xena Rose said when they had all gathered around the edge of the clearing. She was pointing to a large boulder that easily rose 10 meters high, and created a flat plateau that covered at least half the clearing. Though they couldn’t see Starscream from where they were stood.

“Hey it looks like Tom has a big brother,” Rainbow said quietly, with a big grin on her face.

“We said we were never going to speak of that again!” Rarity said, equally quiet but with a hint of menace. So Rainbow quickly moved away from her, but both of them ignored the confused looks that they were receiving.

“Anyway, how do we even know if Starscream is up there?” Arcee asked, drawing the ponies back to why they were here.

As if on cue, a shadowed figure appeared on the edge of the boulder, and peered down into the clearing and the edge of the forest.

“Come out little ponies, I know you’re out there,” the pony called out in a female voice that obviously wasn’t Starscream’s. At the same time a cloud moved, illuminating the entire clearing with the bright moonlight. And revealing the Queen.

The ponies looked at Haunt for direction, and she nodded at them. Before leading them into the clearing. Though Xena Rose remained in the shadow of the forest, looking up at the moon intently.

“Ah, Haunt. How nice to see you again,” the Queen said, smiling down at the group, and rustling Haunts mane with her magic. Haunt quickly pushed her off with her own blast of magic. “I hope you liked my little messenger I sent you. I know he enjoyed the visit.”

“Enough with the pleasantries!” Rainbow said, leaping in the air to confront the Queen, though Twilight held her tail with magic to stop her going too far. “What have you done with Starscream?”

“Oh, how nice that you are thinking of him. Since you’ve done nothing but insult and forget him,” The Queen said, whilst keeping the pleasant smile. “You say you want to help him. But none of you here have actually helped him.

“Except you,” she continued, pointing a hoof at Rarity. “Though that is what one is to expect from the element of generosity.” She then laughed at their startled expressions, and Haunt’s expression of anger.

“What? Did you think that I wouldn’t know of the esteemed Elements of Harmony?” She continued. “My dear little Haunt, it seems like you’ve collected the whole set!”

“I won’t ask again! Where’s Starscream!” Rainbow shouted, whilst also trying to break out of Twilight’s magical grasp.

“Ooooooh, I’m sooooo scared. What are you going to do send me to the moon?” she asked, pacing along the edge of the boulder. “Turn me into stone?”

“No, that seems to be your trick,” Twilight said, still holding onto Rainbow’s tail.

“Ah, so you’ve seen what I’ve done to your little pets then?” she said, meeting Twilight’s eye. “Good, so you know what I’m capable of. So if you have any sense you’ll stay away and not interfere.

“You’re needed in my plans, but not just yet.” she said as she stopped pacing and glared at what she thought were the ponies that made up the Elements of Harmony.

“You look an odd bunch to be the Elements of Harmony,” she said with a thoughtful expression. “Are you sure these are the Elements of Harmony?” she continued, apparently to herself.

“Yes. I’m sure of it,” Starscream said, walking to the edge of the boulder.

“Starscream, what are you doing? Get away from her,” Rainbow said, looking at Starscream.

“It seems that I’ve had - how do you ponies put it? - a change of heart,” Starscream said, a maniacal grin spreading across his face.

“But you were working with us! Helping us to get home!” Arcee said.

“HA! Did you ever expect a Deceptibot to work peacefully with you vile Autocons?” Starscream said, glaring at her.

“You remember how I ‘helped’ Orion Pax? Or are your puny minds too small to remember your fallen comrades?” Starscream continued, making Arcee bury her face in bumblebee’s shoulder.

“You monster,” Rarity said as she placed a hoof on Arcee’s shoulder. Though both the Queen and Starscream seemed to ignore her.

“Starscream, how about we go and find more, civilised company?” the Queen said as she turned away from the group, followed closely by Starscream. Neither of them looked back as they walked away.

Standing slack-jawed like the others around her, Twilight let go of Rainbow’s tail. Without wasting a moment, Rainbow shot off. Flying quickly over the top of the boulder in attempt to stop them.

Instead she was hit by a gust of wind as a small tornado spun itself out of existence on top of the boulder. Rainbow’s forward momentum was abruptly halted, and then completely reversed as she was flung into the branches of a nearby tree.

Arcee looked up at the commotion, though she showed no sign of crying. Instead there was a small smile on her face.