The Darkest Hour

by TheClownPrinceofCrime

Chapter 12: The Call of Primus

Red Alert and Spike stood side by side as they were surrounded by Decepticon warriors outside the city of Canterlot. Blackout transformed from helicopter mode and thunderously landed before them, creating a shockwave which knocked out dozens of the Royal Guards. Afterwards, the Stunticons drove up and transformed into their robot forms.

The Autobot medic froze as she beheld her worse enemies standing before her, particularly Drag Strip. The latter evilly smiled as she activated her buzzsaw. "Well, well, look what this wasteland of a planet kept in..."

"I hoped I would never see your vile face again, Drag Strip," growled Red Alert.

"What's going on?! Why are the Decepticons coming back?!" Spike exclaimed.

"Why? Our leader Megatron has freed us and has led us to this place to destroy you all! Your Autobot friend won't be able to save you," Blackout replied.

"Now that we have you all vastly outnumbered, you will soon grovel at the feet of the Decepticons!" Strika added.

Then Red Alert noticed Dead End standing by with his arms crossed and head down. The moment he looked up and noticed her looking at him, he swiftly turned his face without saying a word.

Suddenly, Motormaster pushed his way through the Decepticon crowd and glared at the surrounded medic. "UGH, IT IS YOU AGAIN! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TEACH YOU A LESSON, AUTOBOT SCUM?!"

Before Red Alert could make a move, the Stunticon leader grabbed her head and body-slammed her on the ground repeatedly. Then he tossed her toward one of his own lackeys as she began to lose focus.

Drag Strip kicked her on the back and made a brief cut on her left leg. The medic looked down to see some energon droplets leaking out.

“Time to finish this,” Drag Strip grinned. However, Spike flew over and breathed fire on her face.

“Leave her alone!” he yelled.

“Ugh!! Insolent pest!” she screamed in agony.

Taking advantage of the situation, Red Alert punched her scorched face and then shocked her with her electric whip. The Stunticon fell on the dirt, sizzling in smoke.

“Good job, Spike!”

“Thanks!”

Enraged, Motormaster unsheathed his sword and raised it high. But before he could strike and kill her, Dead End grabbed his hand tightly. "Enough! Stop it!"

The other Decepticons gasped at what he was doing; even Motormaster himself was slightly amazed by his lackey's bold interference. He instinctively dropped his sword and took a moment to regain his composure. "How dare you!"

Dead End got in front of Red Alert and Spike as he spoke, "This has gone too far! Why do we Decepticons always keep fighting? This is not the way we ought to act toward those who may be less powerful than we are. I suggest we stop this madness right now before it's too late. If we truly want peace, brothers, we should perhaps try some alternative ways to achieve that goal."

"Are you questioning the ways of our faction? Our way of life?!" a random Decepticon asked.

"I am saying we don't have to be this way. We should be different."

"I always knew you were the weaker link of our group, Dead End, but I never thought you were this soft and weak," Motormaster sneered. "Have those filthy Autobots been getting into your underdeveloped circuits?"

Incensed by the remarks, Dead End stomped his feet on the ground. "I have had enough of your insults and taunts, Motormaster. You never treated me with any respect or dignity for whom I am and what I am. It's about time I stand up for myself and speak up!"

Motormaster and the others laughed out loud right after he finished speaking. Red Alert and Spike, however, were surprised by his speech especially as it came from a Decepticon. Red Alert was even more amazed by the way he talked to his boss as she remembered him as being always quiet and depressed. As she heard him speak passionately, she tenderly smiled at him. "It appears there is yet hope for him as well," she thought.

"You really are that sensitive, aren't ya? Ha ha, what are you gonna do? Cry about it?" Wildrider mocked.

"I will not back down that easily," said Dead End. Then the Stunticon leader approached him and smacked him to the ground.

"Get up, and fight me like a Decepticon... NOW!!" Motormaster shouted.

Dead End weakly rose up and looked left and right; he looked at the stunned Red Alert as well as the confused dragon. Looking up, his boss smirked at him while grabbing back his sword. His processor was struggling to concentrate as his emotions and courage likewise battled for supremacy.

"I'm waiting..." Motormaster impatiently muttered.

At that moment, Dead End transformed to car mode and drove away. His former brethren laughed at him as he left.

"I knew he wouldn't have the ball bearings to fight me. Such a coward! Now, where were we? Oh yes..." Motormaster said, glaring at Red Alert.

She activated her blaster and aimed at him, but Breakdown knocked her out from behind. Then he took out his stasis cuffs and apprehended her. "Ha! Got your afterburner, Autobot!"

"Finally, I am gonna have so much fun with this pretty fembot," Wildrider said, lustfully smirking.

"Not now, Wildrider. We must take care of this little pest first!" Motormaster said, glaring at Spike.

"Get away from me! Twilight and our friends will stop you just as they did to Megatron!" Spike defied.

"Uh, who is Twilight?" Breakdown asked, puzzled.

"That was the bothersome organic who defeated Megatron in the first place. I say we return the favor!" Strika angrily exclaimed.

Just when they were about to blast him to atoms, Spike again blew his fire at them. The green fire temporairly blinded them especially Motormaster as the flames scorched half of his face. He ragefully screamed in pain as he attempted to put out the flames on his face.

"YOU WILL REGRET THAT, FLESHLING!!"

Afterwards, Spike took off to the skies. The other Decepticons then fired their laser blasts at him as he escaped. However, something caught his eye.

He saw Rumble flying in a ball of smoke all the way to the Everfree Forest in a state of unconsciousness. Fear seized his heart as he saw his best friend apparently harmed. "No... no, no, no! Rumble!" He took off after him into the forest.

---

Rumble slowly woke up and saw himself once again surrounded by a blanket of pure darkness. Groaning, he stood on his hooves and gazed at the sight of nothingness around him. “Huh? This again? What’s going on this time?”

He began to walk through the darkness; as he walked, he recalled all the events that happened to him moments before he was blasted by Megatron. He especially remembered the exact events that transpired in chronological order during that same night.

“Why is all this happening to me? First, I’ve been hearing voices in my head, Megatron is back, the nightmare I had last year is somehow becoming a reality, and those Decepticons are destroying Equestria! WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME?!” he screamed.

Tears started to fall as he stumbled to the floor and bitterly wept. “What am I gonna do? I feel like Equestria is doomed because of me. This... this is all my fault! Starlight is dead; the princesses are probably dead by now because of me. There’s nothing I can do to save Equestria now...”

He cried for what it seemed like a long time. His world started to crumble around him as he felt everything was against him. Hope seemed lost, and there was nothing he could do to save his home.

“My cutie mark meant nothing after all. I’m such a failure!”

“I think not...” a deep, powerful voice spoke.

The voice was so abrupt that it startled the weeping colt. “W-w-who is there?”

Suddenly, a bright blue light broke the darkness apart and pushed it to the background. The light formed into a circle in front of Rumble and descended to his level. The colt trembled and crept backwards from its bright presence.

“Fear not, Rumble. You are in no danger.”

“Who are you? What are you?”

“I am Primus, the Lord of Light and the Maker of all Cybertronians. I have been watching you for a long, long time.”

Rumble stood there amazed as he listened. “Primus? I never heard of you before; I never even imagined Cybertronians even having a creator! That’s... that’s so cool! But... how are you speaking to me though?”

“I possess many abilities you know not of, but I have revealed myself to you for this one purpose: you... are the chosen one.”

“Me? The chosen one? But I’m just a colt! How can—?”

“You may be a colt, but I have foreseen the mighty victories you have achieved and saw in you a greatness above those who have preceded you—organic and Cybertronian. That is why I revealed that vision to you a stellar cycle ago which has now come to pass.”

Rumble gasped in shock as he finally understood the mystery. “Wait... that was you?! You gave me that dream?! And those voices—they came from you?! It... it all makes sense now!”

“I have been trying to warn you of the danger that was to come, but it is now come to pass. However, all hope is not lost,” said Primus.

“Really?”

“You must gird yourself with courage and humility to stand up against evil, Rumble. Just as you have triumphed over Soundwave, so shall you do to Megatron.”

“But how am I gonna fight them? There’s too many of them, and Megatron is now more powerful than ever! *Sniff* I feel so useless by not having any special ability besides flying. I don’t think my cutie mark means anything. What am I gonna do?!”

“Do not despair. Think not on your inabilities, for when you are weak, you will become stronger. For fate rarely calls upon you at a moment of your choosing,” Primus advised.

Rumble stopped crying as he reflected on his words of wisdom. “You shall gain your special ability once you fully understand a true hero’s sacrifice. For now, you must rely on the guidance of your friends to help you. Only then will you prevail against Megatron.”

As he meditated on his words, Rumble sadly smiled and nodded. “T-Thank you, Primus. I will remember that...”

“Now, go... and fear not. I will be with you,” encouraged Primus. Then he emitted his bright rays of light at the colt. Having done that, the darkness dispelled.

“Rumble! Rumble, wake up! Please wake up!” Spike cried.

Rumble woke up and saw all his wounds healed. He also saw himself on the ground surrounded by trees. Then Spike suddenly hugged him. “You’re alive! I thought I lost you!”

“I’m glad you’re okay too. We have to find a way to stop Megatron and fast!”

“But how? There’s no way to stop him now that he has the elements!” Spike said.

As Rumble was thinking, he got an idea. “We’re gonna have to find Skywarp since he knows how the Decepticons think and act. Follow me!”

Both younglings flew off as they commenced their search for their comrade.

Comments

[ChazMLPFIM]

Nice. I like it that Primus is the one that give Rumble that dream. Too cool.