Author's Notes: The fun with the stolen ponies continue. Too good to pass up and thank you to all who reviewed. Please set story alert to get new updates. Transform and ride off…err roll out.

You know you are Addicted to Humans when:

1. Your spare leg carry panel contains bottled water, three types of snack bars, a bag of chips, and two of Annabelle's toys. Unless you are Ironhide and it's all toys on the right side, healthy food and water on the left."

Rule 5: Decepticon Code of Conduct: "Decepticons shall not waste their time on toys or play things. We are conquerors of the universe and inferior objects are beneath our time and energy.

TF Transformers

"Leader! We have a problem." Starscream's screechy voice creating two instant effects. Announcing his presence within the command center and irritation spiking within Megatron. Recovering from a trouncing at Prime's hands, his medical repair still lacked full functioning. The arm cannon reattached but offline, most of the internal components slagged by Prime's sword. Red optics narrowed as the wording registered. 'Only time that slagger flyer calls me 'leader' is when he wants me to do something. And 'we' means he is turning on another mech like a starving cyber rat.'

Smoothly, the weaponized warrior straightened up from the console, a single claw tapping the off screen button. No need for Starscream to know his plans yet. Two could play that game. "And what problem would that be Trine leader?"

"The Troops under your command have disobeyed orders. They have broken Rule 5 of the Code of Conduct," Starscream announced, bracing his feet pads apart, hands on his hip plates like a statue in the old great hall. Wings were outstretched without being up in excitement or down in fear. Both common to the mech in a single battle but neither mood displayed currently.

"Your Code of Conduct, written here on earth?" Megatron prompted, seating himself gracefully in the command chair. 'That pile of long-winded trash you created instead of dispatching our enemies,' he was tempted to add but didn't. 'An argument would result in me blasting him and I have neither the time or energy. Better for him to not know how damaged I am.'

"Yes Leader. What are you going to do about it?" He fidgeted as Megatron's arm cannon rose then shifted with arms being crossed. Wings dipped a little lower, caught instantly but recognizable.

"Your proof?"

"This!" Starscream flung open his clawed hand, throwing half a dozen small shapes onto the map sensory table between them.

"And?" Megatron prompted, seeing tiny figures of earth animals.

"They are human toys! Ponies! Repainted to match us. This one even has my color stripes! Mine! The cassettes and Barricade have them hidden in their quarters."

"Sneaking around again,' Megatron processed. 'Wasting time and energy instead of fighting.' He leaned forward, scanners confirming various energy residue. Each figure displayed the purple Decepticon insignia and several had obvious weapons additions. Red optics, metallic hoof ends and armor pieces. 'What is wrong with this? Troops fought, sometimes each other. If this keeps them busy that means less pranks and less problems.' Focusing up, he prodded. "And the problem?"

"They create disorder Leader," he hissed as if it was evident.

"And your lab is the perfect Cybertronian version of functional advance science?" Megatron's red optics narrowed further as the seeker's wings twitched hard. An indication his lab hiding another of his great plans to take over the Decepticons.

"They insult our intelligence."

"Our intelligence? Possibly we are the ones in need of more information. Yes, that would be a proper use of your scientific energies," Megatron gloated, an idea forming; enabling more time for recovery and get the seeker out of the base for Soundwave to investigate the lab.

"My energies are leading our troops to glorious battle. Twice the cassettes have fought over these things, trading energon for items not worth the effort," Starscream argued, his wings shifting backward.

"And yet here you are spending effort and energy arguing why I should look into the matter personally," the ancient war leader stated, uncrossing his arms, letting the darkened end of his arm cannon point at Starscream. "I have a mission for you and your trine. Do not fail me on this."

Autobot Base

"They did what?" Optimus spit out, rubbing the side of his silver helm spinner as though checking his audios. Than ancient Prime leaned back against the wall, part bracing for the unexpected as processes ran and part recovering from his battle with Megatron several days before. Fresh welds covered his leg plates and the cracked shield across his chest awaiting replacement in med bay shortly.

"They blasted into the toy processing plant and stole four crates of blank plastic figurines." Prowl reported crisply, one armored hand holding a copy of the official police report. He waited, ready for order or commands as this was out of his normal element of logic.

"Figures of?" Prime prompted.

"Ponies."

"Ponies? Similar to Annabelle's prancing ponies story Ironhide is always reading to her?" Optimus repeated numbly.

"Ponies as in physical shapes of those characters. Too small to be made into drones," Prowl noted, having processed ahead. "No military or financial value. The material is limited in durability and pre-formed shapes unsuitable for weaponry. Made and sold in the hundreds of thousands to human children. No humans were injured in the attack. And there have been no other reported thefts or attacks. I cannot find a single reason why they committed the crime."

"Nor I," Optimus admitted, rubbing the back of his helm with an armored hand.

"I did retrieve samples they dropped while escaping. Wheeljack and Ratchet are examining them. Five are on your desk to contemplate in between reports and if you will excuse me, I have the daily logs to finish," Prowl noted. And transfer a handful of the figures stored in his leg hatch to Jazz. If any bot could figure out the unusual, it was their chief spy and saboteur.

To be continued…