Attack on Midnight Castle!
I desperately braced myself on the castle wall, trying to gain back the stamina I was constantly depleting, trying to best the woman who has slandered and mocked me several times both within the world of Terraonager and out.
“Boo.”
“Gaaah!”
“Wow, you even scream like a total hayseed.”
“Thanks for letting me know, Babs! And stop calling me that!” I grabbed one of the cog-discs from my toolbelt and proceeded to activate it, hoping to distract Babs while I was waiting for my Electrevolver to finish charging up.
“Oh, please I call everyone that.” She gave me a smug smile before yelling “SISWRN!”
A blazing circle of green fire encircled me before swirling into a focused column of flame headed straight at me, burning me alive before any of my weapons were halfway powered up.
Zap_apple has been defeated by Bads33ds
“DANG IT!!!”
“I believe that was what, like the 10th time I beat you.”
“Try 28.” I gritted my teeth in frustration.
“Wow, this is a LOT more satisfying than taking your bed.”
“Oh, shut up!” I clenched my fists as Babs continued to mock me through her headset. She may be my “favorite cousin”, but she can be a total pain sometimes.
Ok, pain is probably an understatement.
“Who are you talking to?”
“Gaaaaah” I turned around to see Button Mash, a fairly dark-skinned boy with fiery orange hair and Red-and-yellow eyes, wearing a black t-shirt with a green collar, green shorts, and a red-and-orange beanie with a green propeller that always seemed to be spinning despite being indoors, looking over my shoulder and holding his laptop in his hands.
"Sorry, Button, I jus’ got a little distracted by somethin’” I tapped a couple of keys and took off my headset.
Zap_apple is AFK
“So ya got the coding done for MC Hammerpants?”
MC Hammerpants was the robot we have been working on since Mina Sapphire encouraged my sister to let me join the robotics team last month.
And before you ask, I was not responsible for that name. MC Hammerpants was literally the first thing that popped into his head. I wanted to name it Applesauce.
“Yep. Unfortunately my mom doesn’t get off her classes until 7, so I have to stay here for a couple hours.”
“I thought Pokemom was one of those stay-at-home moms.”
“Her name is Love Tap, I have no clue where Pokemom came from.”
“Sorry.”
“Eh, I actually get that a lot. Anyway, mom said she had been wanting to go back to med school for a while, I think she wants to be one of those doctors who deliver babies or something.”
“Oh, well, uh what did you want to do?”
“I dunno.” Button laid himself down on the couch, laying his closed laptop on his stomach. “Got any other video games here.”
“Oh, Granny Smith doesn’t like keeping a lot of video games around, I play “Midnight Castle” a lot but other…”
“Wait, did you say you play ‘Midnight Castle’?” I turned around and saw his eyes practically light up.
“Uh, yeah, that’s kinda what I was doing earlier. My cousin runs a “seige” around this time of year, and she constantly wipes the floor with me every year, why you ask?”
“Are you kidding, you realize who you are talking to?” he came up close to me and looked at me as if he was meeting Countess Colouratoura.
Trust me, she and my sister knew each other, I would know.
*ping* Bads33ds: Ah, crap is that who I think it is
“*sigh* sorry that was my cousin.”
“I take it you don’t like your cousin?”
“It’s complicated.” I put my headset back on as button mash looked curiously at my laptop, his eyes opening wide with glee as the went to the chat section of my screen.
“Wait a sec, IS YOUR COUSIN BADS33DS!!!!”
“Uhhh…” I turned around back to Button. “Is that supposed to be important?”
“That depends. What is this siege?”
“Uh, i think the map is called “Castle of Sombrero”. Why ya ask?”
“First of all it’s “Sombra” not “Somberero”, and second of all, I’ve been in there, like, a billion times!” He opened up his laptop, and excitedly tapped a few keys, looking now as if he had just discovered an orchard of rainbow-colored apples. “I’m practically an expert on that area!” He turned his laptop towards me showing me various maps with lines and circles drawn almost as if he was planning an actual military occupation. “I’ve literally drawn up every attack I have made on that castle, I can…”
“Hey Abby! Ya gonna talk with your little boyfriend or are you gonna put up an actual fight.”
I turned around to see Babs already working to literally sucking the life out of my avatar.
“SIZWRN”
“Ah crap.”
Zap_apple has been defeated by Bads33ds
I muted my mic. “*sigh*, you said you're some sort of expert on this castle?.”
“You just really want to spite your cousin, don't you?”
“SHE STEALS MY BED!!!!”
Thestache has just joined Zap_apple’s party
Button Mash’s avatar was a bronze-scaled dragon, slightly taller than my own, with a set of black-and-green armor covering his torso and thigh areas, orange spines on the top of his head, glowing red eyes, carrying a flaming sword by his side.
“As awkward as it is to say it, you’re kinda...hot as a dragon.”
“Apple Bloooooom!!!!”
“I knoooow.” To be honest he kinda was, especially compared to my own avatar, wearing a fairly standard outfit (by 18th-century-victorian-steampunk-standards) of a black-with-gold-trim suit and boots, black top hat, gold utility belt for my weapons, and aviator goggles.
“Electrevolver is totally OP.”
“Yeah.” I rolled my eyes “When you’re not waiting five hours until it recharges. If only I had known that when I traded in my crossbow.” I looked over to check the power level
Electrevolver at 77%
“Still have twenty minutes until it can work.” My character pulled out a device from her utility belt. “Here goes nothin’.” I activated the device.
Detantator activated
Detanator activated
Detanator activated
*KAZZZZZZIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTCCCCCCHHHH*
The back wall of the castle had been blown open, along with a few surrounding items.
Hellbent--angel angel has been defeated by Zap_apple
“Who was that guy?”
“I dunno, maybe one of Babs’ biker friends or somethin’.”
Meanwhile…...
Hellbent--angel has been defeated by Zap_apple
“Angel it’s time for…... ANGEL BUNNY!!!, what are you doing on my computer?”
We slowly walked in, making sure the guy we just defeated wasn’t gonna revive himself after five seconds. Once we were sure he wasn’t going to bother us, we entered into the castle, Button drawing his sword and me readying a cogdisc.
“Sooo, Button?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“Jus’ wonderin’, you ever play somethin’ like this with Sweetie Belle.”
He looked at me reluctantly before rolling his eyes and grumbling a “Yyyeeeeeaaah, but you’re a lot better than her, especially since she…”
Long pause as we continued to move through the castle.
“I take it she….”
“I DON’T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT!!”
“Ok, ok, ok!” all of a sudden what seemed to be a purple mist formed before us before abruptly changing into a form and shape of a large horse.
Large as in like, 30 feet tall.
“IS THAT NORMAL!?!?”
“Yep. No use using my sword now.”
“I see why Babs sets up a siege here. Now what do you want me to do?”
“Follow me.”
So we darted across the hallways and corridors of the castle while we tried to keep the monster from ganging up on us by throwing fireballs, cogdiscs and other items I had probably left in the bottom of my inventory (when did I get so many potions) until Button led us to a cave underneath the castle.
“All right, what are we here for?”
The monster quickly followed us, though it barely fit, knocking a crystalline stalactite off and almost hitting me before shattering on the floor and covering the surrounding areas in a mess of black, spiky crystals.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
I threw one of my cogdiscs at another stalactite landing on the monster’s horn and covering it in another set of black crystals.
“Say Button, you have anything that can knock them down?”
“Well, I can throw fireballs, but they aren’t at full power right this second, why?”
Cogdiscs 2/50
“Oh.”
“Yeah, I kinda had my friend Gabby take half of them earlier today, and I kinda lost track of how many I had when I was fighting Babs.” I went over to check my other items.
Detonator ready, 7/15 rotarybombs left.
“I think I have an idea.”
“Does it involve aimlessly mining while I fight everything behind you?”
“No?” If I were to take a guess, I’d probably say Sweetie Belle liked to do that.
“Than I will listen to your idea.”
“If I can find an easy way to get past this thing, I can combine my roatarybomb with your fireballs to knock most of these crystals down and keep it grounded, what do you think?”
“Better than nothin’ I guess.”
“Wait, what do YOU usually do with this thing?”
Button rolled his eyes before grumbling. “Ya don’t wanna know.”
“Ooo-kay then.” I grabbed a couple of my rotarybombs and threw them at the ceiling of the cave before sliding underneath the creatures feet and moving back towards the front area of the cave with Button and hit the button on my utility belt.
Detonator activated
Detonator activated
“Come on, do your little fireball thing and let’s get outta of here.”
*KAZZZZ……*
Button promptly spit a fireball at the crystalline stalactites, before we both ran as fast as the game would let us, hoping to not get caught in the blast zone
*IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTCCCCCCCCHHHHHH*
*BOOOOOOOOOOM*
Once we realized we were safe we promptly found a place where we could catch our breath and be relieved that the ordeal was over.
“We’re probably never gonna try to do that again, aren’t we?”
“Yep.”
So after what seemed like forever, we finally made our way through the castle, fighting the occasional, albeit less powerful Umbrim (as I had found out they are called in the game) than the one we had covered in black crystals, as well as other lesser creatures, and I think there was even a gigantic rat.
We had been doing this for 15 minutes or so (my electrevolver was still inactive, though), until we came across another player, one who's avatar (who I’m scared to describe) I did not recognize.
“Oh, hey, Babs told me a lot about you.”
But her voice was a different story.
“Oh, really, Sunflower.”
Yes, that was her real name, don’t ask.
“You know each other?”
I turned back around to my partner.
“Yeah, she’s my cousin, I mean, my other cousin.”
Button looked at me confused.
“I have a lot of cousins.”
“Yeah, but of all of them Babs is your faaavvvvvvvvvoooooooorrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.”
“SHUT UP!!!” Button quickly swung his sword, shooting out a column of flame at my cousin, and causing her health to diminish a fair amount.
“You never really stuck me as a gamer, Sunflower.”
“Neither do you, ha…….”
“DON’T YOU FREAKING DARE! I’ve already been called that enough times today!!.” I grabbed a weapon from my belt, which quickly turned into a large golden staff, with spinning blades at the end. Normally I don’t use it cause I prefer my long-ranged weapons, but since I didn’t have very many at that point, and as my other weapons were STILL not ready to use, I had no choice.
“Button, watch my back!” I charged at Sunflower with my staff while she drew her sword, only to be immediately be whacked upside the head with my staff, knocking her back and in front of Button, who immediately attacked her with his sword, diminishing half her health without either of us taking a hit. Sunflower tried charging at me with her sword and finally registered a hit, (although barley) before I immediately whacked her several more times with my staff, nearly draining all her health before Button threw his sword, killing her avatar.
Sunnie/seed has been defeated by Zap_apple
“You’re not very good at this game, are you?”
“Babs makes me play it, please don’t tell her about any of this.”
“Sure,” I chuckled to myself “as long as you agree to call me Apple Bloom, Brave Crusader of the Lost Mark for an entire year.”
“Ahhhhhhhhhg, fiiiiine.”
I rolled my eyes as we and button made our way to the front of the castle.
“Wait,”
“What?”
“Why didn’t you use your rotarybomb on Babs before?”
“Usually she sees me before I get a chance and Sizwrn’s me to death.”
“Probably explains why we are going the long way.”
I threw my hands in the air. “What the heck does Sizwrn even mean?”
“No clue.”
Soon we were standing on a ledge on the front area of the castle watching Babs attack a couple more players and defeating them very quickly.
“Now, here’s what we do, let’s make sure to.”
“Yeah yeah yeah, before she notices, ya told me that.” I dropped my three remaining rotarybombs on Babs and activated the instant they were anywhere near her.
Detonator activated
Detonator activated
Detonator activated
*KAZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHH*
The explosion threw Babs several feet up in the air and onto the ledge where me and Button were standing.
“Ugh, you again?”
“Yes it’s me.”
“Siz…”
Electrevolver ready
“Oh shut up.” Before Babs had a chance to finish her incantation, I grabbed my electrevolver and blasted it at her repeatedly. Feeling more and more satisfied as I continued to drain her health.
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh”
“ABBY APPLESMITH!!!!!!!!!”
“Apple Bloom don’t you think….aaah who am I kidding, I do that all the time.” Button’s eyes glowed orange as he blasted out a column of fire and yelled “BARRY MARSHELL!!!!!!!!!” draining her health until it was just a small sliver of a red bar.
“I just want you to know, we’re the only people who ever beat you!”
“Yeah, only cause I wasn’t ready.”
“Ya ready now?”
“Yeah, wait-”
I took my weapon and gave one final blow to her head, registering as a Melee attack, but still killing her.
Bads33ds has been defeated by Zap_apple and Thestache.
“Yeeeeeeeeees!!!” I was about as overjoyed as ever after seeing that message, nearly feeling as if I could explode “This must be how Pinkie feels.” I quickly gave Button a high five, which seemed to put Button in a little bit of a shock.
“What, never been high-fived before?”
He rubbed his hand “Nope, not really, and ya kinda caught me off guard.”
Soon we saw what looked like a tan station wagon drive near the house, with what looked to be a perky brunette woman in a doctor’s coat in the driver’s seat.
“Oh, that’s my mom, must have come home from her classes early!”
“Oh Button!”
“COMING MA!” he took of his headset and stuffed it inside his backpack along with his laptop and started for the door before turning to me. He stared at me a while before rubbing the back of his head as if we had just finished a date.
“Somethin’ ya wanna say.”
“Well, I-I had a lot of fun tonight. You’re a lot better than Sweetie Belle ever was, and, a lot more tolerant. And, well, to be honest…”
“Yes?”
“I don’t hang out with a lot of people, I don’t have many friends, and Sweetie Belle didn’t work out for me, but do you wanna, maybe….”
“Yes?”
“Hang out sometime, ya know outside of school.”
“I-I think that could be fun.”
“Thanks.” He immediately went over to hug me.
“Whoa, Button, easy there.”
“Sorry.”
“Button..”
“Oh, gotta go, see ya later.” Button headed out the door and entered his mother’s station wagon, talking something about having a crush on me or something as they drove off.
“Wait a sec, where DID Pokemom come from?”
Author's Note
I'm sorry if you didn't like my portrayal of Babs, but in my mind it was more "family rivalry" than "walking bullying PSA"
I promise my next story will have a little more substance, but I really wanted to introduce Applemash is some capacity.
also, yes Apple Bloom's real name is Abigail Applesmith at least in my continuity,
also I have always preferred Apple Bloom being an engineer/builder as opposed to a potion maker, hence why her character is a steampunk-type.
also, thanks to Nightwalker for his editing work.
,
likes and comments will be greatly appreciated, see ya soon, MJP out 
