The CB Series: Story 1) Defeat of the Robot Zony Factory

It was 8 pm, and Applejack was brushing her teeth, and Bab’s older sister was getting the two younger cousins in bed. “Goodnight!” She said, leaving the room. “Goodnight, sis!” Babs replied. “Nighty-night!” her cousin Apple Bloom added. After a few minutes of silence, they could hear their older sisters chatting in the distance. “I wish we could stay up like that.” Apple Bloom said. “‘Ya kidding? I said I’s gonna show 'ya something. Remember?” Babs said, getting up and out of bed. “Yeah, but-” “But what? They stay up, we stay up, too.” Her cousin cut in, now opening her apartment window. “I don’t think this is safe. We’re way up high.” Apple Bloom said. “Huh! You country ponies don’t even know! This is a little something called the second floor, A. Bloom!” “A. Bloom?” “Yeah, A. Bloom! You’re new nickname!” “Uh, okay...” Apple Bloom said, thinking about a nickname for Babs.

Meanwhile in the fancy five star diner James Stable, ponies were frantic. Most of everypony was out, but some chefs, along with Captain Banana and the robot zony, were still inside. Some news reporters came running into the scene, but one carrying a camera got shot in the leg with a powerful red laser beam from the robot. “She’s still alive!” One of the other camera ponies said, trying to help her up. “Ooh, the paaaaain!” The shocked pony whined, climbing onto her hooves. “How dare you do that!” Captain Banana yelled. The robot turned his silver mechanical head and seemed to be looking at her. “That’s right! I said, HOW DARE YOU DO THAT!” She screamed, and her horn lit up with her yellow magic.

At once, a huge magical banana appeared in thin air, and with Captain Banana’s horn still glowing, although she had no idea what was happening, it opened up and blazing yellow and orange fire came through as the banana peels expanded open. The fire at once caught and consumed the robot, blowing it up. Captain Banana, not knowing how she did that, stopped the spell. In fact, she had not even wanted to do a spell like that in the first place; it had just happened. Ponies everywhere began clapping and stomping their hooves on the ground. They began cheering. Captain Banana nodded, and then flew off into the night using her mechanical wings for the first time. I really am a superhero now! She thought to herself, Now, if only I knew who made him, and then I’ll take them down.

Apple Bloom followed her cousin through the dark, cold, empty streets of the downtown part of the big city Manehattan. As their hooves clanged against the chilly hard concrete, Apple Bloom had a gut feeling this wasn’t good. “Babs, I don’t feel right about this.” Her cousin said. “Oh A. Bloom! You gotta learn! Come on, we’re almost there.” Babs said, now trotting faster. Apple Bloom gulped as she saw what they were coming upon on. “This old thing? But it’s just an old building.” Apple Bloom said. “It’s not just any old building. It’s the old factory building!” “What’s so scary about an old, run-down factory?” Apple Bloom tried to keep herself cool. “Well, it’s foretold that whoever goes in can’t come back out! They used to make pony rag dolls inside there, and they say that at night the dolls come to life! If they see you, they’ll take you to the factory and turn you into a rag doll!” Babs said in a horrific voice, balancing on her back legs while holding up her front legs behind her head, making herself seem scarier.

Apple Bloom gulped. “I- I ain’t scared!” “Well then, if you’re not scared, and I’m not scared, then why don’t we go in?” Her cousin insisted. “But it’s getting late and we’re not even supposed to be out and when Applejack and-” “Oh please, A. Bloom!” Babs once more cut in, walking nervously herself towards the abandoned factory. Apple Bloom had no choice but to follow her cousin, how she saw it. But what they didn’t know was that the factory was still in use. And not for business, either.

Back in the apartment, Applejack decided to go check on the girls. “I’ll be right back.” She said, walking into the room. She gasped. “Where are they!?” She yelled. At once the two older cousins ran out and began searching the streets of downtown Manehattan.

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Above the city on a cloud, making sure nopony was looking, Captain Banana transformed herself into Starlit Moon, and began her long walk home. She couldn’t arrive at her apartment as a superhero, so that’s why she was doing it up there. But then she remembered- when she wasn’t Captain Banana she had no wings! Falling from the cloud only about ten feet up in the air, she landed back-up with her face against the ground. “Ow...” she mumbled to herself. Picking up her head and opening her eyes, she thought she saw some ponies wandering into the deserted part of town. Villains? Could they be villains? She thought to herself. Standing up, and being a bit wobbly from her fall, she began to walk behind them to see what they were up to.

“Apple Bloom! Babs Seed!” The older sisters called out for their siblings. Applejack looked over, and saw what looked like two ponies in the far distance. “I think ah seem ‘em!” she exclaimed, and trotted over, her cousin following her from behind. It was about 8:30, and it was dark, but Applejack could make out the silhouettes of the two... pegasi? Was she seeing right? She stopped in her tracks. Her cousin walked up beside her and stopped too. One of the motionless, statue-like pegasi turned his head, and a bright red laser shot out from what seemed to be an eye. It hit Applejack’s cousin in the forehead and knocked her onto her side into the overgrown grass; she was in a coma. “What the hay?” Applejack mumbled, barely even understanding what she said herself.

Starlit Moon continued to follow the ponies she saw. They were headed for what looked like an old... factory? Why would they be going there? Starlit was more curious than ever. She followed them through the overgrown dead grass and hard, rocky soil.

“See, A.B.?” Babs said, trying to not let her cousin know she was scared. “A.B.?” Apple Bloom asked. “Ugh, you’re newer nickname! You’re old one was too long!” Babs cleared her throat, “Now, A.B., should we go in?” “You can... you know, if you’re so brave.” Apple Bloom insisted. “But, uh, since we both came to the point earlier that we’re both really brave, why don’t we just go in together? Y’know, to be fair.” Babs thought she sounded very nerdy, but luckily her cousin didn’t notice.  “Fine.” Apple Bloom didn’t want to go inside, but she had to prove her cousin wrong.

Starlit Moon followed the two ponies, and soon enough she was inside the factory too. She would have kept doing her work, wondering why these two were here, if she hadn’t seen what she did. She saw two robots that looked identical to the one she saw earlier at the James Stable. Starlit mentally gasped, and looking around, she saw more. Now following the robots through a dark, rusty, and cold hallway that contained a few dustwebs, they turned, and entered a door. It said one thing on it: Manager. Whoever was controlling these monstrous robots would be in there. Starlit heard, and the voice inside (that was not as robotic as the others) sounded very familiar. But she couldn’t tell who.

Starlit knew they’d be coming out in no time, and she’d have to get away without them seeing. She looked around, and saw that so far no one had noticed her. She transformed herself once more into Captain Banana, and nervously stood at the Manager door. After what seemed like eternity, she finally got bored and left her ‘post’ at the door. Walking back down the hallway, she heard a scream. Turning her head to see what was the matter, she could not believe her bright hazel eyes at what she saw.