Deus Ex: Cosplay Revolution

[ALTERNATIVE CHAPTER 2]

Call me insane, but I'm fairly certain I wasn't in Kansas anymore.

First and foremost, the fact that the entire area around me looked like it'd taken Godzilla's nuclear shit and thrown that into a supersized Dyson Airblade. Gnarled black trees, no grass on the ground, and a silvery sky. A cold breeze blew, barely affecting me through the thick turtleneck and trench coat.

Second, the metal brace on my arm marking itself as a "PipBoy 3000". I was familiar with the Fallout Series, yes, but... a PipBoy? A PipBoy on my arm? Last I checked I was cosplaying as JC Denton and not The Lone Wanderer. Big difference, really. It was different from the actual PipBoy, in-game, because the radar was on the actual thing, along with the rest of the HUD, but I think it still had the same functionality.

Third, the map said "Equestria" and not America. I'd scrolled around it for a few minutes, seeing such odd names as Ponyville, Fillydelphia, Canterlot, and Manehattan. My phone didn't have any service here, so I couldn't check it.

Fourth, the Stealth Pistol I'd modeled for the cosplay had a lot more weight behind it. Experimentally, I'd hit the magazine eject, and the magazine actually fell out. I'd put it back, holstering it after turning the safety on, but... that was disconcerting. Very disconcerting.

With a sigh, I set a waypoint for this Ponyville place. Before I started walking, I got a message on my phone, despite it not being able to pick up.

I pulled the vibrating piece of plastic out, seeing the notification on the lock screen. It was an unknown number, that much it said.

Unlocking the phone sent me straight to the message screen, where I saw the weird message in its entirety.

WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA.

ALTERNATIVELY, HELL.

FIND FRIENDS, FIND ARMOR, AND FIND A GUN

YOU'RE GONNA BE STUCK HERE FOR A WHILE

HAVE FUN, NECKBEARD.

-CYBERPUNKED