Xat RP Season 1

Season One of the Xat RP was the beginning of the episodic RP. Born of randomness and on the coattrails of Season Zero, Season One continued the style of virtually no fourth wall but moved forward with a vague storyline that centered around The Factory and his "employees" as they conducted shadow work to gain power over and control Equestria.

Background
Sometime in the past, Gensokyo was invaded by the Rainbow Factory of Equestria, as part of Equestria's "Enforced Love and Tolerance" Doctrine. Gensokyo was "too unhappy," and as such was deemed fit for annexation by the Rainbow Factory's Board of Directors. Their primary target was the Scarlet Devil Mansion, whose wrath and hatred for most things was legendary. His body was absorbed into the mobile floating factory, and as a result he became the Factory itself.

The Rainbow Factory was Equestria's answer to the lack of prismatic colors in the sky. In order to improve the quality of life in Equestria, the Rainbow Factory was established in order to harvest the substance known as Spectra for Rainbow creation. Spectra could be obtained through the processing of live ponies, and as such only high-level criminals were sentenced to Rainbowization. The Board of Directors, however, increased their authority and bent the Love and Tolerance Doctrine to give them a wider scope of operation. Hence, they invaded areas that were deemed a "threat" to Equestrian bliss.

Instead of taking the opportunity to get revenge, the Mansion-turned-Factory instead seemed to relish in his new position, and was more than eager to assist the Board and Equestria "for the greater good." Eventually he earned himself a position on the board, and was even promoted to President. Under the Factory's control, the Rainbow Factory began to even more aggressively attack "threats" to happiness, thus gaining them more Spectria and therefore more rainbows. As a result of this, the Factory found itself with a sharp rise in profits as well as available Spectra. Hiring his world's Arachnos as Chief Engineer, the Rainbow Factory was endowed with mighty firepower and defensive equipment, all fueled by Spectra.

The Factory maintained an image of a servile and gentle company, only eager to serve the nation. Factory kept up this image both in public and around his employees (especially Arachnos). This image earned Factory a position in the Royal Court as one of Princess Celestia's advisors. From here, Factory was able to use his connections to influence politics, and pressed for even harsher enforcement of the Doctrine. He made himself the Grand Judge of the Equestrian Courts, and began to slowly increase the rate of Rainbowization sentences. Mass murderers and rebel extremists were no longer the only ones sentenced to Rainbowization.

Factory was also able to use his authority to keep the Rainbow Factory's dirtier dealings under the table, and slowly corrupted the government behind Celestia's back. Factory's influence spread, using underhanded politics and aggressive buyouts to essentially take over and run Equestria from the shadows. The court system completely fell to his shadow authority until even minor infractions resulted in Rainbowization. All of this was kept from the public eye, and Factory's connections even branched outward to cover the world.

The Pony Gun
One of Factory's more devious projects was the creation of the "Pony Gun." Under orders from above, Arachnos set about converting the infamous Loli Gun into a weapon that could convert others into ponies. Ponification was said to be the best result of an annexation, so that instead of trying to forcibly integrate other species into Equestria's backdoors, they could instead become ponies and "learn" the values of love and tolerance through acceptance and experience. Upon its completion, the Factory and Arachnos immediately set about converting everyone they could from their homeworld (chasing some of the chatgoers away in the process). Not even characters were spared, and they were forcibly transformed into equines and subjugated to Equestrian (in truth Factory) rule.

Kanako was particularly resistant, and refused to surrender, trying to flee instead. Factory, knowing it would be a waste of time and energy to hunt him down, turned to a weakness he could exploit: Princess Mia Coronai. Factory knew that Kanako held a soft spot in his heart for the girl, and planned to use that as leverage. In a move that shocked and appalled even Arachnos, Factory threatened to Rainbowize both Mia and her father, Gustaf, if Kanako didn't surrender along with his characters. Kanako was forced to submit, and was transformed into a pony. Mia was spared, but Factory kept her under lock and key to dissuade any further disobedience.

As a result of this tactic, Arachnos began to question the kind of industry he worked for. Factory managed to lure him back by convincing Arachnos that it was necessary; there would have been no other way to convert Kanako and his own. Still, the shadow of doubt would continue to hang over Arachnos.

More sinister implications would soon follow, as Mia, trapped in the Factory, began to observe unsettling events. However, she dared not speak in Factory's presence out of fear for both her own life and the life of her father. Concerned, Arachnos and Kanako managed to sneak her out into Canterlot one day while Factory was busy meeting with the Princess. Mia told them that seen "him" within the Factory, and talking to the Factory. She would not elaborate on who the "him" was, only describing him as evil.

She would not elaborate any further, and just wanted to get away and live in peace. She was terrified of returning to the Factory, fearing what he would do if he found out what she told them. Kanako and Arachnos decided to let her travel to a place beyond the Factory's eye, and a such Arachnos opened a portal to Ponyville. Mia and Gustaf fled into the portal, never to be seen again. This act of goodwill seemed to put Arachnos' mind at ease, and the shadow of doubt became a shadow of denial...

A Plan in Motion
Several weeks later, Factory began to run low on power. To replenish the draining energy, he ordered an assault on the Generation 3 edition of Ponyville. This was not argued against, as everyone was in unanimous agreement that the ponies of that city were disgusting creatures and had no business in continuing to exist. None would be (re-)Ponified; they would all suffer Rainbowization. All except one pony: the G3 Rainbow Dash. She would instead become the Factory's new source of fuel. After being captured, Rainbow Dash was taken to the Factory's core. A greyed, near-dead pony was removed from the core and she was placed in its stead. Once within, her body was thrown across the core orb, going faster and faster until she exceeded the speed of sound. Stuck in a perpetual "rainboom." the G3 Rainbow Dash was doomed to forever ricochet in the chamber until the day she died, powering the Factory's massive bulk.

Now fully powered, Factory was ready to make his next major move: an assault on Gotham City in the human world. This took many by surprise, as barring some related companies, the Rainbow Factory had little dealings there. Factory reminded everyone about what a crime-ridden and dangerous place Gotham was, saying it would be a service to Ponify everyone. Factory refused to answer any comments or questions regarding Batman.

The assault was carried out with success, but then the Factory ordered his forces to surround Wayne Manor. Batman and Robin attempted to escape, but the Factory's forces were able to apprehend the caped crusader and the boy wonder. Back in Equestria, Gotham's citizens were forced to undergo Ponification while Gotham's infamous lunatics were Ponified and then Rainbowized. Batman and Robin, on the other hand, were sentenced to Level 0 Rainbowization; the most severe form. Agonizingly painful and ultimately useless, Level 0 Rainbowization was reserved for only the worst of the worst, with the useless resulting Black Spectra being a final insult to the convicted. Factory justified the use of it as Batman only able to maintain his head because he was fighting crime. In a land where he is unnecessary, Factory said he feared Wayne would cause chaos and disorder within the country, or worse yet try to restore Gotham.

This action was objected against, but Factory executed the duo as he intended without hesitation.

Yet more time passed. Upon learning of the ghostly "blanks" that lived in Everfree Forest, the Factory immediately went on a crusade against them. His perception of the zombie-like apparitions as a major threat to Equestrian safety was shared by many, and were eager to join the campaign. The ruins of the village were fire-bombed and the Blanks were mercilessly hunted down and annihilated. Only one blank was spared; a non-hostile entity named Mitta. She was instead taken into custody and subjected to research. Mitta did not object, having cursed her own existence.

The True Enemy
The shadowy presence that had been lurking in the Factory finally made itself known as Mitta and her container were abducted. Shortly thereafter, the Board of Directors were murdered and the Royal Council room in Canterlot was attacked. Factory agents went to investigate and found clones of Mitta standing over the corpses of assassinated advisors. These clones were all controlled by one mind: Hellgate. Hellgate had returned to spread chaos and fear, and said as much. He had also wanted to take down the Princesses, but his killing spree was interrupted by the Factory Agents' arrival. Hellgate departed with a warning, saying that Equestria was going to burn.

As a result of this, the Factory was docked at Canterlot permanently for its protection, and emergency authority was handed over to him in order to handle the crisis. Factory swore to seek out and destroy Hellgate, and began a global househunt for the demon.

What nobody else knew was that the Factory was perfectly aware of Hellgate's location, and was only waiting for the right time to make a lunar assault... an assault that would never come to fruition.

Episodes
As this was only retroactively counted as a season, there is no defined episode list.

Openings/Endings

 * None

Production Notes
Season Zero laid the framework for the Xat RP, but it wasn't until the Pony Gun's invention that the disconnected madness began to form a plot. Building on previous events of Season Zero and itself, Season One began to fill the foundation laid out for it. Even back this far, SDM began to have ideas for the truth of the Factory and its goal, as evidenced by the attack on Gotham City and the execution of Batman. Unfortunately, due to the sparse nature of the sessions, an incredibly long gap after Hellgate revealed himself led to that particular phase of the plan coming to a dead stop for no adequately explained reason.

Trivia

 * The early development and progression of the Xat RP strangely resembles the progression of the Hellgate Saga. Here, Season One mirrors the original Hellgate RP: Both were born out of madness and what was essentially a joke taken too far. Then, inexplicably, the chaos begins to reference itself and form something of a continuity, with later events building upon previous. A vague storyline appears, and begins to turn more serious. And of course, Hellgate fills the role of antagonist, here shadowing the events of the season as far back as Mia's revelation (the truth of which is expanded upon in Season Two).