"...A video game?"
Applejack's surprise was evident across her face as she looked over to Sour, who was already on her knees and making adjustments to her television. Currently, the two girls were together in the latter's living room, and Sour herself was just making the finishing touches, sliding the disc she'd been carrying into her console before standing up and looking to Applejack with a smile.
"Yep. Wanted someone else to play with for once, so I figured I'd invite you over."
The young farmer raised an eyebrow.
"Ah do like a game every now an' then, but...are ya sure nobody else from Crystal Prep could come over fer this?"
Sour rolled her eyes.
"Nah! They were all busy. Besides..."
She gave a knowing smirk to her guest.
"...I hear you're pretty good at this sort of thing."
Applejack let out a brief chuckle.
"Yeah, well, I guess so."
But she then took on a more irritated look.
"But I'd have won that last game if Rainbow hadn't cheated at the last minute and switched the darn thing off!"
Sour frowned to that.
"Huh, that sucks."
Applejack nodded in agreement.
"Eyup."
Silence passed between the two girls, though thankfully not for long. For Applejack, after scratching the back of her head, soon got to the point.
"So...shall we?"
Sour smiled, nodding and gesturing to the sofa nearby. It was only moments afterwards when the two girls were sat down next to one another, with Sour handing a second controller to Applejack. The latter nodded in appreciation, and they then looked to the TV screen. As if on cue, it lit up, with the menu screen swiftly appearing as the voice-over announced the game's title.
"Street Kombat 2: Revengeance! Yellow Version!"
Applejack raised an eyebrow, looking to her host, who promptly waved her off.
"Just go with it," she said dismissively.
Applejack sighed, then watched as the screen changed to what appeared to be a character selection mode, with a variety of faces staring back at her in a grid patters. Instantly, recognition took hold in her.
"Oh, ah get it! It's one o' them fightin' games, right?"
Sour nodded.
"Yep. So, who you wanna go with?"
Applejack stared long and hard at the characters before her, looking over a bunch of tough-looking men, several robots, maybe a ninja of some sort, and even a few vicious-looking animals. Then, her eyes fell onto a young woman, who appeared to have the same shade of blonde as her own hair, prompting her to smile.
"Well, let's try that one."
Sour saw her selection as it was chosen, prompting her to break out into a knowing smirk, which Applejack soon noticed.
"What?" she asked.
But Sour shook her head.
"Oh...nothing."
Though still wary, Applejack said nothing, instead watching as Sour made her own selection, one of the aforementioned robots. Once both characters had been chosen, the farmer started to give a little smirk herself.
"Don't feel too bad if ya lose this one, Sour."
The Crystal Prep girl turned to her, smiling sweetly.
"Don't worry. I've already got things ready if I do."
She gestured to something behind her, leading to Applejack seeing what it was. Immediately, she noticed that it was a punching bag hanging from the ceiling, which already looked as if it had seen better days. Looking from Sour, to the bag, then back again, Applejack let out a nervous laugh, before then getting back to the game. After pressing a few buttons on her controller, Sour started up the game in earnest, with Applejack seeming eager to go.
"Alrighty then! Let's get this game...er..."
Sour turned to her, trying to look as innocent as possible.
"Is there a problem, Applejack?"
Applejack looked to her as if she was crazy.
"I...wha...what the heck is that?!"
She gestured to the screen, specifically, to her own character. The blonde girl, who appeared to be just a few years shy of Principal Cadence's age, was wearing what could, charitably, be called "light armour". More bluntly, it was little more than a metal bikini, showing off far more than Applejack was comfortable with.
"Why is she dressed like that?!"
Sour shrugged her shoulders.
"Hey, that's just how girls in games look sometimes. Although, if I were you..."
She leaned in closer.
"...I'd be more worried about my character."
Sure enough, Applejack's eyes widened when she, at last, started to truly pay attention to the character Sour had chosen. The robot, which was really a glorified tank with arms and a skull-like head, was at least twice the height of Applejack's girl, armed with missile launchers, lasers and buzz-saw-hands. After taking that sight in for a few moments, Applejack turned to her host with some incredulity.
"Ah get the feelin' some characters were meant ta be stronger than others here."
Sour rolled her eyes, speaking with obvious sarcasm.
"No! Really?"
Applejack frowned at those words, but soon let out a sigh, taking a moment to adjust her hat slightly before speaking up again.
"Alright...let's do this."
Sour smiled.
"Now you're talking my language!"
The Crystal Prep girl pushed another button, and before long, the announcer called out once more.
"Combatants! Are you ready?"
Applejack's character pulled out a sword and held it to the sky.
"The Battle Maiden is ready!"
The eyes of the opposing robot started to glow red, and out came a booming voice.
"The Slaughter-Kill-Murder-Bot is also ready!"
Applejack's eyes widened.
"Wait...what is that thing called?!"
But Sour just kept on smiling.
"Better get ready with that controller, Apples."
Though she clearly wanted to talk back, Applejack nevertheless did as instructed, taking her controller and getting ready, listening out for the continuing voice of the announcer.
"Ready...set...BATTLE!!!"
Applejack gained determination in her expression.
"Hoo now! Let's take this bucket o' bolts down an'..."
But, sadly, she was soon interrupted, as Sour pushed a single button on her controller, prompting her robot character to launch a single missile at Applejack's fighter. The digital blonde let out a scream, and Applejack herself watched with dismay as the character's life-bar shrunk to a zero instantly. In moments, all that was left of the "Battle Maiden" was a smoking hole in the ground.
"Perfect slaughter!" the announcer bellowed.
Placing her controller to the side, Sour looked to Applejack with a triumphant smirk.
"Well...looks like I won't be needing the punching bag after all."
Applejack, shaking herself out of her shocked state, looked to Sour, then to the screen, then back and forth several times, until finally, she frowned at her host.
"...Best two outta three?"
