In the base known as Metroplex, an Autobot himself, Ultra Magnus, second-in-command to Optimus Prime, and Prowl, the Autobot security chief, were doing the routine check-up of things.
"Prowl, check the perimeter." Ultra Magnus said.
"Nothing unusual, chief." Prowl responded. "Wait...Decepticon activity."
"Okay." Magnus said calmly. Decepticons were very common in those parts...and in every part. "Can we get a visual?"
"I can try." Prowl answered hopefully. Sure enough, the SkySpy InvisoView came through with a visual of Megatron and his cronies, along with Queen Chrysalis.
"By the Matrix." Ultra Magnus said in disbelief. "Weren't they frozen by the Army?"
"I think so." Prowl said back. "Should I send out a sign to Equestria? She's with 'em."
"Oh, right." Magnus retorted. "Her. Yep, go ahead."
At the push of a button, Prowl sent off a widespread signal that resonated across the galaxy all the way to the planet Equinox, which was transmitted across the newly-installed Equestrian radio signals.
"Attention Mane Six." the signal said. "This is not a drill. Autobot command requests your presence to defend Earth against the return of Megatron and Queen Chrysalis." At that moment, all six ponies dropped what they were doing and rushed to the space bridge in Ponyville's town square, although Twilight Sparkle had to request permission from the Princess to leave. She was royalty now, after all.
The space bridge activated, and the sextet of Equestrians were hurled across the galaxy at once straight to the very same room were Magnus and Prowl were. "What seems to be the issue?" Twilght inquired. "And who are you guys?"
"Sorry, Ms. Sparkle." Ultra Magnus said, introducing himself. "But I'm afraid we haven't really met. My name is Ultra Magnus, and I'm the city commander of Metroplex here on Earth. Prime is stationed up on Cybertron, so myself, as well as other Autobots, like Prowl, Grimlock, Wheeljack, and Silverbolt manage things on Earth. So, because of the threat we're dealing with, I've chosen to give you each Pretender upgrades...temporarily. Prowl, care to explain?"
"Gladly, sir." Prowl said as he left the controls of his post to join the group. "You see, the upgrade includes reformatting you six into genuine Autobots, as well as being fitted with human shells that hide the very nature of your robotic-ness. Step this way. Wheeljack will hook you up."
They proceeded to a lit room where a lone Autobot, the aforementioned Wheeljack, was preparing the transferring machine. "Oh, hey guys." Wheeljack said uncharacteristically nonchalantly. "Ready for the treatment? Oh Primus, I got you some good shells." He pulled a curtain, and in 6 glass cylindrical containers were 6 human-like shells standing still with stoic expressions. Each one more or less translated each pony's traits into a human form, complete with their skin pigment. "Like 'em? I got the idea from this show this toy company's doin' right now. I thought they would fit real good."
"Let's get started, then." said Ultra Magnus with a smirk.
Each one stepped into an individual booth not unlike the ones the shells were in. Twilight, who was now an alicorn, became a triple changer who resembled Springer quite a bit. Fluttershy transformed into a helicopter with the body type of Tomahawk from the Tyran cluster, Rarity turned into a Corvette and interestingly had the body type of Tracks, Rainbow Dash turned into a jet and took on the body-type of Depth Charge c. his time in Axiom Nexus, Pinkie took on the sleek, fast sports car alt-mode and body type of the Autobot known as Blurr, and Applejack...well, for Applejack, there was a slight caveat. All of the other body types were able to be used by either gender, except for Applejack's, which belonged to the Autobot oldster, Kup. This required Wheeljack to multitask, giving Applejack her (now his) treatment, and changing the Pretender shell. Now, instead of a country girl, the pretender shell looked like Judd Nelson in modern-day country clothes. Other than that, he turned into a Ford F-150 with a nice lookin' truck bed, perfect for hauling apples. In addition, instead of cutie marks, each of them now had the standard-issue Autobot sigil on their chests.
Each one was more or less satisfied with how the end result turned out, even after Wheeljack explained to Applejack the whole gender issue.
"Everyone ready?" Ultra Magnus asked once the briefing was complete. "If so, Ponybots, transform and roll out!!"
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"I honestly don't see why we have to do this." Starscream grumbled. "Why would we need to rescue Megatron when I could be a perfectly good leader!"
Starscream, as well as Soundwave, Shockwave, as well as Frenzy and Rumble, two of Soundwave's Mini-Cassette minions who refused to be called "minions" because they could think for themselves and didn't consider themselves to be slaves. They were all floating near the earth's atmosphere alongside the potentially dead Megatron and Queen Chrysalis, who had been cryogenically frozen by the military.
"Look, Starscream." Rumble said. "I don't know how many times I'm gonna have to say this, but Megatron would never pick you as leader if he died or somethin', but I know who he probably would pick."
"Starscream, Rumble: desist." Soundwave ordered in his typical synthesized monotone. "Focus."
"Indeed." Shockwave agreed. "We must focus on what we came for: breaking out Megatron and his ally that looks like a burnt slice of Swiss cheese."
"Affirmative." Soundwave said. "Begin procedure."
After breaking the two from their nitrogen prisons and lots of throwing up, Megatron spoke up.
"All of you....thank you." he said. "But now that I am free, we must continue our plan. Isn't that right, my queen?"
"Yes." the Queen responded in a half quiet, half loud voice. "I never got to see New York...and watch it burn."
"Indeed." Megatron said. "But we need to rethink things first."
"Fine." Chrysalis said. "Let's get to it, then."
Author's Note
Behold, the first chapter to my new story! Ya!