Rise of Ruinous

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: RISE OF RUINOUS

Chapter 1 - Virtuna Reality

Time: Five years after the defeat of Discord.

A new building has been built across from Sugar Cube Corner.  Pinkie Pie watches from her upstairs apartment as several large boxes are brought into the building.

P.Pie: What the heck are those?  Do we have some competition in the cake market?

All is answered by two unicorns putting a sign above the door with their magic, a PS3-XBox360-like controller and an old-school arcade machine over a yellow-blue explosion.  The Bearer of Laughter cocks her head as Gummy, her pet toothless alligator, looks at the building glow from the inside with his typical blank expression.  Pinkie Pie blinks, looking on intrigued.

P.Pie: A video arcade!  Looks like a GREAT place for a party!

Pinkie Pie hums as she retreats inside her room.  Outside, a grey pony with a red-yellow-blue-striped mane from her right to her left puts an "OPEN" sign on the door.

*INTRO SEQUENCE*

Pinkie Pie hops through town to Twilight Sparkle's library, knocking on the door.  The lavender unicorn answers it after a while.

T.Sparkle: Oh.  Hey, Pinkie Pie.  What's up?

P.Pie: Thee's a new arcade open today!  I can't WAIT to see what's in there!

T.Sparkle: A-a video arcade?  I dunno, it sounds a bit.....

All Twilight Sparkle had to do was look at her "Daring Do" book collection to change her tune.

T.Sparkle: OK, I'll be there.

P.Pie: GREAT!  I'll get the others!

T.Sparkle: *chuckle* OK, see ya later, Pinkie Pie.

Soon, the whole Mane 6 are assembled in front of the arcade.  Twilight Sparkle walks through the door, followed by the rest of her friends.  As soon as Rarity steps in.....

???: *GASP!* CUSTOMERS!

The six mares now hear clop-clop-clop-CLOP, clop-clop-clop-CLOP, as if somepony was walking down a ramp.  Applejack couldn't help but notice something.....

Applejack: Hey, ain't one of those hooffalls a bit heavier than the others?

T.Sparkle: *blink* Sounds like it.

As the two talk, a loud thump turns the other four to look at the stairs.  Reared up on her hind legs was the small grey pony, about halfway between the Mane 6 and the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  She acknowledged the six of them with a big grin as Applejack spotted what made the louder hooffall - an artificial leg.

??? (cutesy New Yorker accent): Welcome to my arcade!

Fluttershy: Oh, h-h-hi.....

???: My name is Virtuna, I own this place.  Pleased to meet Equestria's heroes.

That got all six of them blushing.

Rarity: Oh, well, *giggle* I wouldn't say THAT, we're just six good friends here, Virtuna.

Virtuna: Are ya KIDDING ME?  Ya beat Discord, ya beat Nightmare Moon, ya took on all challenges, believe me, all ya'll are famous in Manehattan.

R.Dash: YOU are from MANEHATTAN?

Virtuna: Ah..... NEAR Manehattan.

P.Pie: HOW... (tries to impersonate Virtuna): NEAR Manehattan?

Virtuna and Pinkie Pie giggle a bit.

Virtuna: Just across the Hoofson River, right near the tunnel entrance.  I was in an apartment complex before I came here.

R.Dash: *head cock* What-happened-to-your-leg?

Applejack: RAINBOW DASH!

Virtuna: (to Applejack): Aw, calm down, Applejack, I get that question all the time. (to Rainbow Dash): I was born like this.

Rarity: Darling, doesn't that get a bit.....  I mean, isn't it a bother?

Virtuna: I don't see it as a bother.  I'm happy with how I am and I wouldn't change a thing.  'Sides, I got an assistant to help out.

Right on cue, in comes a small Spike-like dragon with green scales and a purple crest, the exact opposite color-wise of Spike.  Twilight Sparkle chuckles a bit at the sight of the little dragon.

Virtuna: This is Verdescale, he's been my right hoof through everything.

Verdescale: *bow* Howdy.

Applejack: Howdy?

Virtuna: *smirk* He's from near Appleoosa.

Mane 6: Oooohhhh.....

Rainbow Dash then gets a bit fidgety.

R.Dash: Uh, Vir-Virtuna, if it's... no problem, c-c-can I.....?

Virtuna shuts her up with a reassuring smile and Verdescale nods, taking her artificial leg off.  Virtuna moves her back right hoof to make a triangle with her left legs, smiling.

T.Sparkle: That's rather clever.

Virtuna: THAT is adjusting to the crush in Manehattan at rush hour.

T.Sparkle: I see.

Verdescale nods, then puts Virtuna's leg back on, the little filly walking around in a circle around the Mane 6.

Virtuna: So, game on, anypony?

The Mane 6 look around, Rainbow Dash's interest piqued first.

R.Dash: Hey!  Ain't that the new Wonderbolts simulator?

Virtuna: It sure is!

T.Sparkle: *laugh* Oh, Rainbow Dash, the uncrowned Wonderbolt.

R.Dash: Maybe now, but not forever!

Virtuna: *laugh* WOW!  You REALLY like 'em, don't'cha, Rainbow?

Mane 6: LOVES 'em!

Everypony laughs, then they play some games in the arcade.  Later that day, the ponies head to their homes to do their tasks as in come the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  Virtuna smiles.

Virtuna: Welcome.

A.Bloom: *blink* Hello?

S.Belle: This is the pony sis told me about.

Virtuna: Rarity?

Sweetie Belle nods.

Virtuna: *smiles* Nice to meet you.

The two ponies shake hooves.

Scootaloo: She's sure nice.

A.Bloom: Yeah.

Virtuna: *puts her front left hoof on A.Bloom's shoulder* Trust me, I get it.  Someponies only loosen up around me when they know me.

A.Bloom: I guess I should've remembered the lesson of Zecora.

Virtuna: Who?

Scootaloo: She's a zebra who lives in the Everfree Forest.  She's real nice, but she's all alone out there.

Virtuna: *nod* I see.  Were you scared of her at first?

A.Bloom: I wasn't, but nearly the whole town was.  Pinkie Pie even made up this weird song.

Virtuna: Eh?

Apple Bloom then does Pinkie Pie's song-and-dance from "Bridle Gossip".  (For all you non-MLP:FIM watchers, it's this.....)

A.Bloom (while doing Pinkie Pie's dance from "Bridle Gossip"):

She's an evil enchantress

She does evil dances

And when you look in her eyes

She'll put you in trances

Then what will she do?

She'll mix up an evil brew

Then she'll gobble you up

In a big, tasty stew

So..... WATCH OUT!

Virtuna: *head cock* Somehow I don't think the "Pinkie Pie" I saw in my arcade is the type that would do that.

A.Bloom: Well, ya'll weren't here the first time we saw Zecora.

Virtuna: *nod* I see.  Ain't'cha those Cutie Mark Crusaders?

Scootaloo: Yeah, we're trying to get our cutie marks.

Virtuna: *sigh* Believe me, I understand.

S.Belle: Oh?

Scootaloo: Really?

A.Bloom: How can ya relate?  Ya'll're older than we are.

Virtuna smiles a bit, moving her tail to reveal her flank..... her BLANK FLANK!  The CMCs are shocked!

Virtuna: *nod* Yeah.  I'd've thought it would've come in by now, but apparently, I haven't learned my special talent yet.

A.Bloom: Aren't we surrounded by it?

Virtuna: I guess it's not special to me enough.  Believe me, the waitin's hard, the days're long and sometimes ya feel like you're not important.  But ya can't let it beat ya.  Just keep lookin', not just with your eyes, but your hearts, OK?

All three CMCs nod, Sweetie Belle even tearing up a bit.  Apple Bloom walked up to and hugged Virtuna.

A.Bloom: Thanks for the advice, Virtuna.

Virtuna: Aw, no problem, girls.

The CMCs hug Virtuna as the camera zooms out to see that Twilight Sparkle saw the whole thing.  The sight of Virtuna having the talk with the CMCs brought a smile to her face.

T.Sparkle: What a pony.....

Twilight Sparkle heads over to Spike.

T.Sparkle: Spike, take a letter.

Spike nods, producing a quill and parchment.

T.Sparkle: *clears her throat*

Dear Princess Celestia,

Sometimes we find a pony who's different, not like Zecora, but in another way.  It doesn't matter if somepony's missing a leg or can't walk without a wheelchair, as long as their heart is in the right place.  No matter what the difference, once you see past it, you can often find a great friend.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle

Spike bundles the letter up and sends it to the princess.  It arrives with a picture of Virtuna and Verdescale.  The sun goddess looks at the photo with an intrigued expression as Princess Luna trots into the room.

P.Luna: What pony is that, sister?  I have not seen the likes of her before.

P.Celestia: It's a new friend Twilight's met, her name is Virtuna.

P.Luna: She seems nice, even if she IS without one of her legs.

P.Celestia: She is, sister.  I think we need to pay her a visit.

TO BE CONTINUED.....