Chapter Two
"I don't see why I had to go," Heart Throb complained as they fought through the snow flurries. "These wings were made for beauty, not work."
Bouncy and Medley rolled their eyes. Wind Whistler sighed loudly but said nothing. It would be easier to dam a river than to silence Heart Throb.
Still, Bouncy couldn't resist a snipe. "You're just mad that none of the stallions came along. You wanted to be alone with Skyyyyydancer!"
Heart Throb's scowl only encouraged the yellow pegasus.
"Heart Throb and Skydancer sittin' in a tree, KAY-EYE-ESS-ESS--"
"You're being exceedingly childish, Bouncy," Wind Whistler said with a frown. "If you were not focusing all your resources on taunting your fellow pegasus, you might take note of the unaccountable phenomenon unfolding beneath us!"
"Huh?"
"She means look down," Medley said.
"Well, she should just say--Hey, what IS going on down there?" Bouncy blinked in surprise. "Four metal . . . giants?"
"I believe the humans call them robots. They are mechanical devices, sometimes resembling humans, capable of performing a variety of complex--"
"Robots, schmobots," Bouncy scoffed. "Everyone knows that science stuff doesn't work in Ponyland."
"Whatever they are, let's get a better look," Medley said, catching a downdraft.
"I can't believe this! This proves that you are not fit to lead the Decepticons!" The silver and red robot glared up at the larger grey mechanism.
"You try my patience, Starscream," the grey one growled. "We are more likely lost due to your incompetence, SUB-Commander."
"You set the coordinates, mighty Megatron," Starscream sneered. "Primus only knows where we are now. If I were leader--"
From the side, boxy blue Soundwave shook his head. Some days you had to wonder if going to work was worth it, he reflected. Beside him, Ravage began to growl. Soundwave glanced at the robotic panther in surprise, following the cat's gaze. "Megatron. Lifeforms approach."
Megatron whirled. A few yards away, four . . . horses? . . . stared at the Decepticons.
"What are those things?" Starscream asked. "Pastel horses with wings? What ungodly fusion is this?"
Soundwave shrugged.
"Hi!" chirped the yellow horse, bouncing towards the Decepticon commander. "I don't know who you are, but welcome to Ponyland!"
"Did she say what I think she said?" Starscream said under his breath.
"I am Megatron! COWER, PITIFUL FLESH CREATURE!" The grey robot aimed his arm-mounted fusion cannon straight at the tiny creature. Starscream edged to one side, just in case his leader accidentally fired a bit off target and caught him in the blast as well. It had been known to happen.
"Cower? Oh, Skydancer will like you. You're funny," the pony grinned.
"You DARE mock me?" Megatron's eyes narrowed to a single glowing strip. He steadied his arm with the creature dead in his sights and mentally activated his powerful fusion cannon.
The cannon made a weak fizzling sound and a little smoke poured from its muzzle.
"AHAHAHAHA! That was good! You really had me going there for a minute!" The yellow horse doubled over laughing as three creatures similar to her drew near.
"Yes, good trick, mighty Megatron," Starscream said innocently, only to be backhanded into the snow.
"Weapons nonfunctional," Soundwave said in consternation as he tried to fire his own shoulder cannon.
"My null rays don't work either," Starscream complained after subtly aiming one of them at Megatron's foot.
"Are you injured? Malfunctioning, perhaps?" a blue horse now stepped forward. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as Wind Whistler, and my companions are Bouncy, Heart Throb, and Medley."
"Work! Work, damn you!" Megatron muttered, hammering on his fusion cannon. "Never fails, as soon as the warranty expires--"
"Alternate mode," Soundwave said patiently. Megatron turned into a gun, after all.
"Ah, of course." Pause. "Well, that's just prime. I can't."
"Me neither," Starscream said after concentrating for a second.
"Transformation disabled," Soundwave agreed.
Everyone looked at Ravage. "Rowr!" the black panther said, leaping into the air. His limbs and head twisted, turned, folded in on each other, until he landed in Soundwave's hand in his alternate mode.
"Well, great. Just great. We're stuck here and the only one who can transform turns into--" Starscream picked up a small black rectangle from Soundwave's palm. "--a cassette tape."
"If you proceed back to our home, Dream Castle, we may be able to assist you with your unfortunate problem," Wind Whistler said politely, trying to get their attention.
"Assistance? From you?" Megatron sneered. He hoisted his cannon again. "We will--"
"--be glad to take you up on your kind offer," Starscream smiled.
Soundwave looked at him in surprise. It was no secret that Starscream despised organic lifeforms. Not as much as Megatron, of course; Megatron hated "fleshlings" with an irrational passion bordering on obsession. Journeying with carbon-based creatures might drive him mad.
Starscream's smile broadened as Megatron sputtered in fury.
Ah. Of course. Soundwave sighed to himself. It was going to be a long day.
"Wind Whistler, are you sure this is a good idea?" Medley whispered, glancing at the four robots following them. They all towered over the ponies except Ravage, who was the size of a normal jaguar. "They seem so . . . violent."
"And rude!" Heart Throb said, turning up her nose. "Why, not one of them took a second look at me!"
"They do have some aggressive personality traits, but they may be at the heart of these strange meteorological conditions," the blue pony argued.
"Huh?"
"The snow, Bouncy. The snow."
"Well, if she would just say so--"
The unconventional group continued to wade through the increasing amount of snow, with Dream Castle in their sights. Suddenly the world became a white blurr as the winds began to pick up.
"A blizzard!" Medley squealed in the torrent of wind and flakes.
"No kidding," Starscream sarcastically remarked as he reached up with an arm to protect his optic circuitry.
The ponies could only close their eyes and duck lower to the drifted backs as the world faded from existence.
