Cutie Mark Crusaders Transformer! YAY!!

by Masters-of-the-Elements

Start Up Your Engines Arc: The Enemy in The Shadow

Cutie Mark Crusader Transformers! YAY
Start Up Your Engines Arc:
The Enemy in the Shadows

“You are an idiot!” screamed a brown pony as he slapped Caramel, knocking him to the ground.

The earth pony rubbed his sore cheek for a moment, and then glared up at the one who stroke him. Though the room was very dark, with nearly no lighting, he could easily make out the pony who just hit him. It was none other then Time Turner, otherwise called Doctor Whooves for his obsession with time travel. And he wasn’t the only pony there. Behind the brown earth pony were some of the well-know but crowd-blenders of Ponyville.

There was Colgate, the dentist of Ponyville, and next to her was Cloudchaser, part of the Ponyville weather team. Next to her was Flitter, another member of the weather team, and some ponies believed to be the sister of Cloudchaser. The final member of the group was none then…Cupcake!

The group was glaring at the earth pony as he got to his feet. Well, Time, Colgate, Cloudchaser and Flitter were all glaring at Caramel, Mrs. Cake actually looked concern as she stare at the poor thing.

“It wasn’t my fault!” Caramel growled angrily. “I can’t help that this pony shell I’m wearing is such a klutz! The longer I’m like this, the clumsier I feel!”

Time Turner sighs heavily and turned away from the pony. “We don’t want to disappoint our queen anymore then we want to. And we don’t want to incur her father’s wraith, either.” The stallion said as he walked to a nearby covered window and pushed over the curtain, looking at the outside world. “We all remember what happen to the last unit that disappointed our grand overload.”

The entire group shudder at the thought of their grand leader, and what they witness him do to a group that once failed him. Time Turner turned away from the window and returned to the group.

“And as such, you all are aware of how failure isn’t an option here,” Time said, addressing the group and then locked eyes with Caramel. “We waited three months to get close to the farmer and less then a week you screw it all up. So tell me, Unit 6772, what do you plan to do to correct this?”

All eyes turned to Caramel, or rather, Unit 6772, waiting for his answer. 6772 looked at Turner straight in the eye, and the shadow of a grin began to form.

“Before leaving that farm, I saw a new pony and learn that he doesn’t have a place to stay. Knowing the Apples and their soft hearted ways, they would no doubt offer him a place to stay,” 6772 said confidently, “Then all we will need now to do is wait until this newcomer is alone.”

“AH, I believe I get it now,” Cloudkicker said in realization. “Since he’s new to town, there wouldn’t a lot of ponies who would know him.”

“Correct,” 6772 replied to the fake weather pony. “And knowing that insane pink pony, she would throw that newcomer a party. We make the switch then, right, Unit 6871?”

6772 looked at Miss Cake, now revealed to be Unit 6871, who looked reluctant, to say the least. All eyes turned to the fake cake and she let out a faint sigh as she nodded. Time nodded his approval of the plan and looked at 6772.

“This is an acceptable plan, but I want you continue to follow this new pony. If we get the choice we will replace him sooner, understood?” Time asked sternly, to which the group nodded. “Good. Now, Units 6991 and 6997, continue following the ones called Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”

Cloudkicker, now known to be Unit 6991, and Flitter, Unit 6997, both saluted and then flew into darkness. Time next looked at 6871 and missed the downcast look the fake cake was sporting.

“Unit 6871, you will continue to look after the pink one, and don’t let any of her insanity distract you from your mission,” the brown stallion said coldly.

Unit 6871 looked hesitant for a few seconds before nodding weakly, and disappearing into the shadows. Tim looked at the final member of the group, and didn’t need to say anything as Colgate saluted and disappeared into the darkness, with 6772 following close behind.

Time Turner smiled to himself and began going around the area, drawing back curtains and allowing light to flood the room and revealing some sort of clock shop. The fake pony had just finished pulling back the last curtain when he heard a knock at the door.

“Right on time,” Time muttered dryly as he walked up to the door and opened it, to reveal a certain lavender alicorn. The fake pony smiled in fake kindness as he ushered in his guest. “I so glad you could join me, princess Sparkle.”

(…)

Steel Hooves formerly know as HM, slump against a tree as he panted heavily. His gyro mentors were all redlining and his energon supply was dangerously low, but for some reason felt contentment in the work he had done. He looked to his right and saw seven full buckets of apples. He smiled as he got a good whiff of the organic produce. During his crush course in pony farming, he had learned that several of his sub-systems now mimic living beings’ senses. That includes a sense of smell, and the signal he was getting from the fruit was causing something to happen in his lower section.

I remember now…organic life-forms process food for energy and nourishment, Steel thought in realization.

The biggest question on the disguise transformer’s mind is if he could actually eat one? He knew that he have an artificial digestion system, but does that actually mean he could eat food meant for organics? Still…the sensation in his lower area was strong, nearly overpowering even! Before he knew what he was doing, he had reached out and took a small apple in his legs, mimicking the motion he seen the Apples do a couple of times before. He set it on the top of his hoof and stared the fruit, treating it like it was some sort of alien object, which was true…in a sense.

The Autobot in the pony body slowly brought the produce to his mouth and use his new sense of smell to get it a good whiff. The sensation was overwhelming, near overriding any logic the robotic life-form had as he brought the fruit closer to his mouth and small bit out of it.

The feeling on his artificial taste bubs was like nothing he had ever experience before. The juice, the favor, the way the chucks mussed around his mouth, it was just so…powerful! He was even more surprised when he swallowed and felt the food go down his throat. No, it wasn’t the act of swallowing that surprised him. It was when the food reached his artificial digestion system, and he felt it become a sort of subtitle energon and giving him some energy back.

So this is what Doctor Sparkle indeed to do, Steel thought, lazily munching on his apple. The food is processed into a form of energon that can help me stay activate. Still, it’s not a total replacement.

The flax pony finished off his apple and lazily tossed the core to the ground. He lean against the tree and began rubbing his artificial stomach. “But by the All-Spark that was good!”

He reached for another one, eager to sink his teeth into the juicy delight.

“Ah wouldn’t do that ‘artner, seein’ how you don’t have the bites to cover it,” Steel looked to his right and saw Applejack with a basket of apples on her back.

The fake pony smiled sheepishly as he got to his feet. He trotted over to the farmer and frown when he noticed the basket on her back.

“Do you need any aid with anything else?” Steel asked curiously.

Applejack shook her head and offered a kind smile to the disguised robot. “Nah, don’t fret over it ‘artner. Ah ain’t any old city pony. I can hold my own. Beside, Granny would tan my hid if you’re in no shape for welcoming dinner,” the farmer said kindly.

Steel blinked as the farmer and he began walking towards the barn with her. For reasons he couldn’t fully understand, he felt heat building under his optic sensors. He tried to shrug off the feeling as he looked at the farmer.

“You don’t need to do anything in my honor,” Steel said humbly, but thought bitterly, I don’t deserve to have anything held in my honor.

The light-hearted chuckling from the farmer caught the Cybertronian off guard, and he looked at her, blinking in confusion.

“Don’t fret about the small stuff or will turn into mah friend Rarity,” applejack joked light-heartedly. “And holding ya a dinner is our way of welcoming you to our humble home.”

Steel, despite everything he was currently feeling, felt a gentle smile bloom on his face. That smile was quickly lost when the farmer next spoke.

“Besides, the fillies seem rather taken with ya,” Applejack chirped in.

Steel looked down at the ground, feeling of regret once more bubbling up in processor. This didn’t go unnoticed by applejack.

“You okay, ‘artner?” she asked in concern.

Steel sigh and slow his pace, to a near stop. “I just get the feel that Babs Seed doesn’t like me that much,” he replied reluctantly, telling only half truths.

Now it was Applejack turn to sigh and she came to a full strop, her eyes downcast heavily. Steel stopped and waited for the mare to speak.

“Babs’ situation is kinda difficult to say,” the farmer replied reluctantly. “Her family is having some troubles and she was sent to stay with us. She thinks it just for the school break, but Ah’m starting to think she’s figuring stuff out.”

Steel was speechless. Sure, he wasn’t expecting what he just learns, but still, it was somewhat disheartening. But what came next truly surprised him. The usual compose pony looked at the robotic life-form with pleading eyes.

“Please, don’t tell Babs?” Applejack pleaded softly.

Stunned beyond words, Steel could only nod, and with that done, the two resumed their walk, walking in a slight tense silence.

(…)

After the rest of the apples have been stored for the day, the family then moved onto dinner, and though Steel was reluctant to have anything held in his honor, he couldn’t deny that he had a good time. The food was amazing and Steel had all he could do just to keep himself in control.

After dinner ended, the Apple and their guest had settled down and Steel was able to get to know the other members of the apple family better. He even found himself chuckling from some of Granny Smith’s old stories. Time flew as the visitor from another world got to know his hosts, and soon every pony in the room shuffled off to bed, as they had an another early morning of work.

Despite needed a good cycle of power down to recharge himself Steel found himself unable to go into recharge mood. His processors were working at triple over time, as he gone over the event of the day. In the end, he found himself unable to power down his systems, and decided to walk off the extra energy the best he could.

Before leaving the grounds, he decided to check on the young sparklings. And it was a good thing he did, because he learns that when they power down they changed back into their robot forms. He made should that the two were covered up so no pony wonders in and see them like this. He even left them a small note, telling that about this new problem.

Once that was out of the way, the disguised robot quietly made his way out of the house, and began wondering around the area. It wasn’t long before he reached the town called Ponyville, and set about wondering around the town, creating an inter map of the area out of habit. As he wonder around town, mapping the place, he could help but feel a sense of calmness wash over him.

He couldn’t put his foot on it, but this calming feeling was nearly overwhelming, just like when he first tasted food. He smiled an easy smile as he wondered into what he believe was the town square, where a statue rests. Steel looked up at the marvel of stone, and ponder softly to himself.

“Can I really live here? Or would I make the same mistake, just like the last time I visited a world of organics?” Steel sigh and looked away from the statue. “Who am I kidding? A worthless pile of bolts like me could never belong anyways.”

He was about to leave when his amplified audio sensors picked up a sound. He immediately snapped into battle pose, his entire body upright with his forelegs out in front of him, and he fell over two seconds later. He quickly got back to his feet, and took up a battle pose more fitting for a pony’s body.

“Is anypony out there?” Steel called out into the dark, remembering to use the phrases he heard the Apples use. He was soon answered when a familiar pony appeared in front of him, and he relaxed his guard slightly. “You’re…Caramel, right?”

The clumsy pony smiled a sinister smile as he said sinisterly, “Sometime I Caramel. Sometimes-” the pony was suddenly engulfed in a wisp of green fire, and when it died down… “-other times, I’m some pony else.”

Steel could only gawk at the pony in front of him…a pony that looked exactly like him!

Author's Note:

Well, one many to go until the start-up Arc is finished. And we will finally get to see the enemy next chapter, though it probably wouldn't come to as much surprise.

Comments

[Zaralann]

Nice!

[Night_Moon60606]

though ur grammar could use work, having a learning disability is not really an excuse...this is what getting an editor is fore, someone to go ever the story and tell u where ur going wrong. oh, and before u go and jump on me for bad grammar (as others have before, believe me) when i write comments, i generally use text talk as its faster and i can get more into these little comment boxes...