Twilight and the Annoying Dog
One day at Canterlot High, Twilight was quietly waiting in the music room along with her dog Spike. School was pretty much done for the day and she was just waiting for her friends to come and have their band practice. Twilight's friends ask her if she wanted to join, but she said that she didn't. She is perfectly contented watching them practice and listen to their music.
But as she was waiting, Twilight was slowly becomes bored. She had about 30 minutes before her friends to arrive and her dog is napping besides her. It was clear to her that she need to do something to pass the time. Luckily for her, Twilight had downloaded a popular game online recently and was having a blast playing through it at home. Once Twilight brought out her portable-laptop and boot it up, she quickly logged on and began playing Undertale.
Once the game was set up and was on the main screen, Twilight remembered that she was still in the waterfall area of the game. She had a recent run-in with a dangerous character called Undyne who was out to get the character that Twilight was playing as. If it wasn't for a random monster child that she met earlier in the level, Twilight was worried that she had to have a boss fight that she wasn't prepared. Once the save file has been loaded up, Twilight was ready to explore the rest of the area.
Twilight was already pretty far into the game by now and was well verse with the mechanics of the game. Whenever a monster shows up and attacks her, she can dodge most of their attacks very can eventually convince it to retreat. After stocking up on healing items and met a few characters along the way, Twilight eventually came to a fork in the road. When she went up, she came to a room with a piano and marking engraved into the wall above it. When she went down the other path, she found a sad statue that is being rained on from up above. It was at that moment that Twilight was getting excited.
Twilight isn't a fan of spoilers and don't usually look up stuff for the things that she is watching or playing. However, she knows that she is in a puzzle area and she would get a really amazing item if she solves it.
Twilight walked past the room with the sad statue into and went into another room with an umbrella stand. She then took one of the umbrellas and went back to give it to the statue. Once the statue is being protected by the rain, it began playing a wonderful melody.
This is when the tricky part comes in. Twilight has to memorise the song and then she has to go back and play it on the piano. Memorising the song wasn't too difficult. In fact, it was pleasant to listen to. The challenge was taking the music notes and trying to play them on the piano. It took Twilight a bit of time to figure out which key makes which sound and even longer time to play the notes correctly. When she wasn't solving the puzzle, she was tempted to look up the solution online. However, she knows that would be cheating and want to solve the puzzle on her own.
And eventually, Twilight managed to play the song correctly and a secret passage open up. Twilight could barely contain her excitement as she rushes into the secret room to get her reward. When she went in, she found a mystical red orb right there for her to take. She could only imagine on what it does and what she could do with it. When she went up to the artefact and the option came up for her to take, Twilight eagerly press: "Take It". However, the text bar then says to her: "You're carrying too many dogs".
"What!?" mumbled Twilight. She mumbled so loudly that it took Spike away from his nap.
She tried to take the item again, but she just keep getting the message that she was carrying to many dogs. Confused, Twilight open up her inventory and see what's wrong. When she does, she saw a strange item called: "Annoying Dog". Twilight was baffled because she didn't remember picking it up before. When she went over it and read it's info, it just says: "A little white dog. It's fast asleep". Not wanting a dog in her inventory, she then decides to drop it. But when does; the dog suddenly becomes awake, went up and ABSORBED THE ORB and then run off screen with it..
Twilight was shocked. She worked so hard to get that treasure only to have it stolen right in front of her. She was so infuriated, she let out a loud yell.
"WHAT! That Annoying Took My Item!"
She was so loud, it startled Spike. "Hey! Who Are You Calling An Annoying Dog!?" Spike yelled.
"No, not you Spike" Twilight replied. "I mean THIS annoying dog that's in my game."
But then, as Twilight was trying to calm herself down, she suddenly heard somebody's voice. "Twilight!? Are you here?" says the voice that sounds like Sunset. When Twilight look towards the door, she saw her friends come into the music room.
Surprised, Twilight says to them: "Guys! You Here!"
"Hey Twilight" Sunset replied. But then she ask her: "What were you doing?"
Twilight became frighten a little bit. She hadn't told her friends that she was into games before and wasn't sure if she should tell them now. She know that they won't stop being her friends, but it's one of those things that's she's embarrassed to admit to. "Oh, nothing much" she replied as she awkwardly try to hide her computer.
But then, Pinkie suddenly appeared behind Twilight and gotten a look at her computer. "Really!? It look like you were playing a video game" she remark cheerfully.
"Pinkie!" Twilight yelled, both in surprise and upset for getting into her private stuff. She tried to get her laptop away, but Pinkie was too quick and wondered off with it.
As Twilight was getting frustrated, Sunset told her: "Don't worry Twilight. So what that you like games. Everyone have their hobbies."
As Twilight was feeling a little bit better, Rainbow then added: "Yeah! In fact, I'm not that half bad of a gamer myself."
However, Applejack interjects and says back to her: "Oh yeah!? If you are such a good player, how come I was beatin' you last time?"
"You Didn't Beat Me Applejack!" Rainbow yelled back. "The game glitched out as we were playing it."
"Yeah... it was called Rainbow Rage quitin'" AJ retorted.
While Rainbow and AJ was off in the corner glaring at each other, Twilight found a little comfort that her friends accept her gaming habits. She even a little bit surprised that her friends play some. However she still feel a little bit embarrassed and says to them: "Um... thanks guys. But can I have my laptop..."
But then, as Twilight got close to Pinkie and was about to take her laptop back, Pinkie yelled out in surprise: "OMG! You Have Undertale!"
"You Know Undertale!" Twilight responded.
The rest of the Rainbooms became confused. Sunset ask them: "What's Undertale?"
When all of her friends were focus on her and Pinkie, Twilight explains to them: "Undertale is a popular new indie game online right now and it's hitting the internet by storm. You play as a child who fallen down into an underground world inhabited by monsters. As you make your way out, you either fight the monsters or befriend them."
But then, hearing something that she couldn't comprehend, Rainbow ask out loud: "Hang On! You don't have to fight the monsters?"
"No" Twilight replied. "In fact, you can go through the whole game without killing a single enemy."
Twilight friends soon became intrigued, especially Rainbow since she couldn't believe that such a game could exist. Fluttershy commented: "Well that doesn't sound too bad."
"Yeah... it's pretty interesting" Twilight replied. "Not only does the gameplay constantly giving you new things to do, but the world is just so interesting and compelling that you want to explore every bit of it." And then, as Twilight thought that she was rambling, she became soft spoken and says: "But listen to me ramble. I'm sure you not that interested in this kind of thing."
However, Sunset rip away any negative thoughts that Twilight is having and she says to her: "Hey now Twilight, don't sell yourself short. This Undertale game actually sounds pretty interesting. In fact, if it isn't too much trouble, I might be tempted to play it."
"Really!" says Twilight, sounding amazed. Soon, most of her friends began voicing their interest.
"Yeah. I want to see how you can go through a game without killing a single enemy is possible" says Rainbow Dash.
Still very timid with the idea, Fluttershy says to Twilight "Well... if it as nice as you said it is, I might give it a try"
Pinkie then yell out: "Video Games Are Fun!"
But then, as Twilight became happy to see friends being interested in her favourite game, she spotted Rarity and Applejack who aren't so interested. Rarity regretfully informs Twilight: "I'm sorry dearie. I'm sure that it's a wonderful, but that sort of thing isn't my cup of tea."
AJ then added: "Yeah... I'm in the same bout. I would like to play the game with all of you yall, but I got work to do, at school and at the form."
Twilight was slightly depressed, but not by much. "That's ok" she said. "I'm not forcing you to play it." She then turn to the rest of her friends and told them: "Well if you all are still into this, I can help you all set up and you all can play Undertale!"
Soon, the rest of the Rainbooms was getting excited and wonder what the game is gunna be like. They wonder how much fun it's gunna be like. But before they would do any of that, they all remember that they still have band practice. Once they have all of their instalments ready, they began making sure that their music skills won't become rusty.
Sunset fall into the Underground
It was late into the evening that Sunset had gotten onto her computer. Twilight helped everyone to get them all their own copy of Undertale into their computers. Honestly, Sunset wasn't sure what she had gotten herself into. She mainly took trivial quizzes before and other games that test her knowledge. She had never played a video game before and don't know how they are like. In fact, now that she was thinking about it, she's not sure if video games also exist within Equestria. Sunset assume that they are because she had to think about it. Anyway, she told Twilight that she might play it and she didn't want to let her down.
Once everything was set up, Sunset she said out loud to herself: "Alright then. Let see what this is all about." The first thing that Sunset sees was the opening cut scenes.
"Long ago, two races ruled over earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS" said the opening text that appear on screen. Above the text was a pixelated image of a goat looking person and a human child, where ancient clothing and carrying a spear. "One day, war broke out between the two races." The image then shows the two sides standing off against the other and was looking ready to have a fight. "After a long battle, the humans were victories. They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell."
As the screen then shows an image of the humans being victorious over the monsters, Sunset was initially taken back by this. She commented: "Wow. They trap an entire race underground. Thanks Celestia that Equestrian legends isn't like that". However, she had a moment of doubt and try to think if Equestrian Legends really were like this.
Back at the game, the text then says: "Many years later... Mt. Ebott, 201X." The game then shows a tall mountain and a young child wonder into a cave. "Legend say that those who climb the mountain will never return." When the child went inside the mountain, he saw a large, imposing hole in the ground that look frightening to fall down. And coincidently, the child tripped on a vain and plummet into the hole. When the game shows the child fall down to the bottom and is now trap within a subterranean world, Sunset became worried for the boy and said out loud: "Ooh. I hope he was ok."
Once the cutscene finish and the title finally came up, Sunset became really intrigues within the game. She wanted to know how the human-monster got started and what happen to the boy that fall down. Once she push Z to start and finally learn how the buttons work, Sunset was then taken to a screen that asking her: "Name the fallen human".
"Ok... What am I gunna call myself" said Sunset as she thought out loud to herself.
But then, as Sunset was thinking up possible names she could use, she realize that she wasn't so sure about the fallen child's gender. I mean, it's fairly possible that the child could be a boy. But when Sunset think back on the image of the child laying flat on the ground, she sort of thinks that they look slightly female. Sunset didn't want to give her character a boys name, only to find out later that they are actually a girl.
As she was debating to looking up the info online and make sure that she get the name right, Sunset suddenly have a call on her phone. When she check the caller I.D, she discover that it was Twilight who was call.
"Hi Twilight. What's up?" greeted Sunset as she answer the phone.
"Hey Sunset" Twilight replied. "Just making sure that you are playing the game that I help get for you."
"Yes Twilight. I'm playing your game" Sunset responded. "I'm playing it right now."
"Really! Where have you gone up to?"
"I just started. I was in the middle on naming my character." But then, as they were on the subject, Sunset ask Twilight: "Hey! Do you know the gender for the character?"
"The gender!?" Twilight responded. She then explains to Sunset: "You don't have to worry about that. I think the creator once said that the character's gender and personality is up to interpretation and the players have to decide on that."
"Oh! Ok then" Sunset replied who was felling silly about herself. She took a moment to worry about the characters gender and now she was told that it was pointless.
But then, as Sunset was quietly chuckling to herself, Twilight suddenly sound concerning and told her: "Well whatever you do, do not put the name down as Frisk!"
Confused, Sunset ask Twilight: "Why?"
Twilight explains: "If you put that name down, you will be on hard mode of the game and you can only play up to the first level."
"Why would they do that?"
"I don't know. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but supposedly it got something to do with a big reveal at the end of the game. I think it's the character's true name or something?"
"True name? What type of person would name their child "Frisk"?" asked Sunset Shimmer.
"I don't know" replied Twilight Sparkle. "I guess some people just like weird names I guess?"
After getting over that confusion moment, Sunset says to Twilight: "Well thanks Twilight for the advise. I'll make sure that I don't call myself "Frisk"."
"Do you need my help with anything else?" Twilight ask.
"Nah, that's ok" Sunset replied. "I would like to see how far I can go without asking for it. If I need to know anything, I'll give you a call."
"Um... ok" Twilight replied, sounding slightly disappointed. But she then turn around and cheerfully says to her: "Well I hope you have fun Sunset. Catch you and everyone else tomorrow?"
"Yeah. See you tomorrow."
"Ok, bye" says Twilight before she hang up.
Once her cell phone call was out of the way, Sunset was then left with on what she gunna name her character. She figured on naming it after herself because she couldn't come up with a original name. After typing her name in, the screen flashed white for a second before she saw her character standing on a bed of flowers. Sunset had finally dived into the game's world.
"Ok... I guess this is me" said Sunset as she muttered to herself. She took a moment to get use to the controls. Sunset could tell that the game was meant to have that old retro look and feel to it. But by how well she was moving and how easy she can get through her menu screen, she knows that this won't be a hard game to learn. Once Sunset was finally comfortable with the controls, she then scroll to the side of the room as it's the only path that was open to her.
Once she found a large doorway and want through to the next room, Sunset found a strange looking flower with a face on it sitting in the centre. Once she got close to it, cheerful music began playing and the flower suddenly speaks.
"Howdy! I'm Flowey. Flowey the Flower!"
Sunset was taken back by this. "Ok... it's a talking flower?" The only place that she would expect to see a talking flower was on a baby's show, not in a game with monsters. Nevertheless, Sunset press a button to continue.
"Hmmm... You're new to the UNDERGROUND, aren't cha!" Flowey stated. "Golly, you must be so confused. Somebody ought to teach you how everything works around here! I guess little old me would have to do."
Sunset didn't know what to think of this. On one hand, she feels very crept out by this talking flower and have an inching feeling that something was wrong. However, she feels that she might be paranoid and over reacting.
"Ready! Here we go!" Flowey yelled before the screen then drastically changes. The next thing that she knows, Sunset's character suddenly changes into a heart and was trapped in a large box. Below the box was text that says: "LV 1 HP 20/20" and saw a tiny, little health bar. And above the box was Flowey who was looking black and white.
"See that heart? That is your SOUL, the very culmination of your being!" Flowey stated.
Left surprised, Sunset began toggaling with a few button. It was there that she discover that she can move the heart anywhere within the move. "Oh! I can move!" she commented. Once she was done fiddling with it, Flowey continue to speak.
"Your soul starts out weak, but it can grow strong by gaining LV. What's LV stand for? Why, LOVE, of course!"
"Love? I thought I was playing a game about monsters. Not a girly game like this." Sunset remarks.
"You want some LOVE, don't you?" Flowey asks.
"I do... but I got plenty of love from my friends, thank you very much" Sunset replied, pretending that she actually speaks to it.
After she had a moment to chuckle, Flowey says to her: "Don't worry, I'll share some with you!" Flowey then winks and tiny white spinning dots appear on screen. "Down here, LOVE is shared through... Little white... "friendliness pellets." Flowey stated. But before Sunset could comment on them, Flowey says to her: "Are you ready? Move around! Get as many as you can!" The "friendliness pellets" then started moving and was going towards Sunset's heart.
Sunset still has a creepy suspicion towards Flowey. She could tell that he's acting unusually nice towards her and she didn't not like the looks of those pellets. In fact, she thought they should be call "friendliness petals" because they were coming from a flower. And besides, even though there wasn't any spoken dialogue, Sunset was imagine him saying "bullets" instead of "pullets".
However, when Sunset decided that she want to avoid the pellets, it was already too late. The pellets had hit Sunset's heart and her HP had fallen down to 1. "WHAT!" Sunset yelled as she realize what has happened. When she look up towards Flowey, she saw that he has an evil, sadistic grin to his face.
"You idiot" he yelled. "In this world, it's kill or BE killed. Why would ANYONE pass up and opportunity like this!?" Even though Sunset never trusted Flowey for a minute, she couldn't help but still feel betrayed by him. And then, a whole circle of friendliness pellets appeared around Sunset box. Flowey then yells: "Die." and all of the pellets began closing in on Sunset.
Sunset didn't know what she should do. She has only one life point left and if she hits any of them, she's dead. She want her heart to get away, but all of the pellets has her completely surrounded and she has nowhere else to go. Sunset was left to think on how she can get herself out of this.
But then, as the pellets was about to touch Sunset, they suddenly disappeared and her health became completely restored. Sunset was left surprised and didn't know what has happen. When she look up towards Flowey again, she saw that he was equally confused. And then, a fire ball suddenly appeared and shot out towards Flowey, knocking him away. As Sunset was left asking: "What is going on!?", a female goat person suddenly appear where the fire ball came from.
"What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth..." the goat person stated. Sunset didn't know what to think. She thought that she was about to die in her first 5 minutes of the game, but this person suddenly saves. She feels might appreciated and thinks that this person looks a lot friendlier then Flowey. This stranger then looks towards Sunset and says to her: "Ah, do not be afraid, my child. I am TORIEL, caretaker of the RUINS." Sunset didn't know why, but she was feeling a Celestia fib from her.
"I pass through this place every day to see if anyone else has fallen down. You are the first human to come here in a long time." Toriel then states: "Come! I will guide you through these catacombs." And then, Sunset screen went back to where it was before. Sunset's character went back to being a person again and Toriel then says to her: "This way." Intrigued, Sunset follow her.
When Sunset follow Toriel to the next room, the place suddenly has some more colour and details to it. Everything looks like ancient ruins but still has that retro, video-gamie look to them. When she follow Toriel to some stairs, Sunset saw a tiny yellow sparkle nearby. When she went over to examine it, text appear and says:
"(The shadows of the ruins looms above, filling you with determination.)(HP fully restored.)" Sunset was then given the option to save her game.
Once Sunset had saved her game, she was finally given a moment to think about the game. So far, she really likes it. She was sure that this won't make her want to play other video games, but she was really interested by it and want to play some more. Within the first few moments, everything was really suspenseful and now she couldn't get enough. Sunset couldn't wait what else Undertale has in store for her.
