The Gamer Alicorn & Human

by ThePinkedWonder

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Human, Princess Luna, Original Character, Spike, Comedy
Length: 4927

Princess Celestia wanted a pony who could handle Princess "Gamer" Luna's competitiveness in video games. Princess Twilight sent her a human.

Soon after Princess Luna tried her first-ever video game out of boredom, playing them became her #1 favorite hobby by far. She especially loved playing them with other ponies. It was just too bad that her competitiveness and hot-bloodedness made ponies start "conveniently" claiming they felt ill when it was their turn to play with her.

However, Princess Celestia could tell the real reason, but couldn't bear telling her little sister out of fear of giving her Nightmare Moon flashbacks. Near her wits' end, Celestia asked Princess Twilight if she knew any ponies with both a fondness for video games and a personality capable of handling "Gamer Luna."

At Spike and Starlight Glimmer's suggestion, Twilight decided to ask Eric Reed, a human but also an experienced gamer, to be Luna's new gaming buddy. Unfortunately, Twilight forgot to warn Eric that Luna could become intense when she played games, which accidentally left him blind to what he was in for.

Things (probably) went as well as you might expect.

This story is also one of a still-growing series of stories that all take place after A Giant Adventure to Equestria. It isn't necessary to read any of them to understand this story, but "A Giant Adventure to Equestria" does show how and why the human OC Eric Reed is in Equestria and can't leave.

If you enjoy this story and would be interested in checking out any of my other stories with Eric, you can find the list of all current ones here.

EDIT: Featured on Equestria Daily!

Published 2024-07-23 13:30:02 UTC
Last updated 2024-07-23 13:30:02 UTC

THIS GAME CHEATED ME!!

“Ha ha! Take that, foolish ghost! The likes of you will not keep me from a new high score!”

Pac-Mare. Spinball. Hay Climbers. The list went on, but Pac-Mare had quickly snatched its place as Princess Luna’s favorite video game. The walls of her “game room” in Canterlot Castle were lined with game machine after game machine, resembling a mini-arcade room. In time, she would designate a larger room as her game room; Luna had no plans to stop collecting more games anytime soon.

Sure, having her place by her sister’s side, helping ponies suffering from nightmares, and being beloved by her subjects was great. However, until recently, Luna’s lack of hobbies meant her options for recreational amusement in Canterlot Castle were sparse.

But now, Luna had found not merely a new hobby, but something to excite her. Something to look forward to indulging in when she wasn’t sleeping during the day. Her only regret is that she didn’t discover the magic of video games sooner!

“New high score, here I come! Feel the might of the Princess of the Night!”

Yes, things were better than ever for the Princess of the Night. Although she did wonder where Light Wave was.

“NO!! I SLIPPED PAST THAT GHOST!! THIS GAME CHEATED ME!!”

Alas, outbursts like that one happened at least a few times during Luna’s game sessions. Or rather, they only occurred a “few” times on good days.

Just outside the closed door to Luna’s game room, Princess Celestia facehoofed. What was an older sister to do? Saying things could get loud for anypony near, let alone in, her game room would be an understatement. “There she goes again.”

A white, glasses-wearing unicorn mare with her brown mane balled into a bun, gushing professionalism and levitating a checklist in her magic, strode up to Celestia. “Princess Celestia, Light Wave’s brother has just informed me she cannot be Luna’s ‘gaming buddy’ today. He claimed she is at home suffering from a bad stomach ache.”

“Another pony canceled playing with Luna, I see. Light Wave is the sixth one this month!” Celestia blew a deep, resigned sigh. “I didn’t want to believe it, Raven–”

“UGH!! HOW COULD I HAVE LOST ANOTHER LIFE ALREADY?!”

“–But that is the real reason ponies keep canceling. I am done trying to deny it.”

“So you finally warmed up to the idea.” Raven straightened her glasses. She, like all glasses-wearing ponies everywhere, would kill to go just one day without their glasses inevitably shifting over their eyes. “It was sadly too clear for me after Firebright canceled because of a hangover last week. He feels nauseous from the sight of cider, so I cannot fathom him drinking enough to incur a hangover.”

“Yes. That should have been the wake-up call I needed.” Celestia gazed at the game room’s door. “More importantly, we are going to run out of ponies willing to play with Luna at this rate. There must be one capable of handling her…enthusiasm, but who?”

“If I may, could a young pony be more suitable?” Raven looked over her checklist. ”According to my ‘ponies to be Luna’s gaming buddies’ list, we have only asked middle-aged ponies so far.”

“Hmm. Yes, asking a younger pony would be a good call, but I am not sure if I know any who can–”

“WHAT?! I MOVED OUT OF THE WAY! THIS GAME IS CHEATING AGAIN!!”

“–Handle that side of Luna any better than the previous ponies did.“

“Perhaps Princess Twilight knows one? She is a young pony.”

Celestia rubbed her cheek. “Yes, she or one of her friends might. I will prepare her a letter at once–”

“HA HA! FEEL MY WRATH!”

“–And hope for the best.”

Spike, sitting on a purple couch in the Castle of Friendship's library, dug his nose into his newest Power Ponies comic. Lying beside him on her stomach, Princess Twilight Sparkle turned a page of “The Life of Starswirl the Bearded”, a book she could re-read until the heat death of the universe.

“With how you love reading, I’m surprised you never got into my Power Ponies comics.”

“Yeah, I never thought about that,” Starlight Glimmer said while searching bookshelves for books on campfire spices. It was long overdue to add a new spice to her – in her words – famous collection. ”You read everything, so why haven't you gotten into those comics?”

“I tried, but I guess they are the one group of books that don’t int–”

Spike burped out green fire and a wrapped scroll, bearing a design of Twilight’s Cutie Mark. Luckily, the magical properties of this particular flame left his comic unburned. “Twilight, Princess Celestia sent you a letter.”

“She did?” Twilight levitated to her and unwrapped Celestia’s scroll with her magic. “I hope nothing’s wrong.”

Dearest Twilight,

First, I know how you think, so I will begin by assuring you that nothing is wrong. However, I do need to ask you a question.

You see, Luna has recently gained a great fondness for video games and loves playing with others. Unfortunately, her spirited competitiveness and passion can be quite intimidating, which has made ponies apprehensive of playing with her, but she isn’t aware of it. The hypocrisy on my part is not lost on me considering I scolded you for not being honest about my acting, but I just cannot risk Luna suffering flashbacks of ponies being terrified of her as Nightmare Moon. Surely you remember how difficult it was for her to forgive herself. I would never forgive myself if I did anything to undo the wonderful progress she had made.

So, I wanted to ask if you or your friends know any ponies, preferably around your age, that love video games and could handle playing with Luna. If you do, please ask one if they can play some games with Luna at their earliest convenience, and I will cover any of their travel expenses. Regardless of if you are aware of any ponies to ask, let me know so I can decide my next move.

Your friend and faithful former teacher, Princess Celestia.

P.S. With how you were my faithful student for years, I will never know why I didn’t end a letter to you the way I just did sooner. Perhaps I could attend one of your friendship classes and officially be your faithful student for once.

“Hehe.”

“Everything must be fine if you giggled, but what did she say?” Spike asked.

“She asked if I know any ponies near my age that love video games. Apparently, Luna started playing them not long ago and wants someone to play them with her.”

Spike said, “If she won’t mind a human playmate, send her Eric. He loves those games and isn’t too much younger than you.”

“I second it,” Starlight echoed. “He’d be great for Luna.”

“I’m sure he would enjoy it, especially with Sunset still having two more weeks until her Ponyville Arcade ban expires. But Celestia also said that Luna is really competitive to the point that it made others…afraid to play with her.”

“I still say give her Eric with a bow on his head,” Spike said. “He always laughed whenever Sunset got worked up playing games, not feel nervous or scared of her.”

“Hee hee, yeah, and I thought my temper was bad. I’m glad and kinda disappointed I wasn’t there to see Sunset punch Ponyville Arcade’s Pac-Mare machine for ‘cheating’ her.”

“Good points. Do either of you know if ‘Buggie’ is still taking a nap?”

“I saw him asleep when I passed his room a few minutes ago,” Starlight answered. “With how hard that sleepyhead can be to wake up, you better take that book you’re reading for insurance.”

“Why? My ‘The Life of Starswirl the Bearded’ book might help put him back to sleep, not wake him up.”

“I don’t mean give it to him to read. I meant to hit him with it!”

“Hehe. Well, I appreciate the suggestion, but I should be fine unhoofed.” Twilight laid her Starswirl the Bearded book beside her, opposite Spike. “Now, if I were trying to get him out of his bed, then I would consider bringing another book with me.”

“Wait, why wouldn’t you take the book you were already reading?” Starlight pointed to Twilight's book. “It’s right there.”

“And risk damaging one of my favorite books that he gave me for my birthday?! I wouldn’t dream of such a thing!” Twilight hopped off her couch and trotted out through a door of her library, letting out cheerful hums on her way out.

“Five or ten more minutes?” Spike asked.

“What?”

“Will Napping Beauty tell Twi five or ten more minutes when she tries to wake him up?”

“I say he’ll go with ten more minutes this time. I’ll go one step further and say Twilight will have to use her tail.” Starlight’s lips curled into a smirk. “Ooh, what you said earlier gave me an idea! Let’s…”

As she trotted down her castle’s hallways, Twilight entertained how this was a great opportunity for Eric, or “Buggie” as she and Starlight often call him as a nickname they gave him. Sunset Shimmer was the only pony he knew with both a competitive personality and a love for video games, but her one-month ban temporarily left the young man without a good Ponyville Arcade gaming buddy. Twilight had attempted to play some with Eric in Sunset’s place, but her skill(?) level just made him hurt his stomach laughing.

After about a half-minute of trotting, Twilight reached Eric’s bedroom door, which was welcomingly open, and stepped inside. Equestria’s first/only known human lay under a blue blanket in his bed. A baseball glove and a pair of baseball bats, one bat glowing in magenta magic, sat in a corner – the glowing bat was for self-protection purposes. A necklace with a green geode attached and a white hat (bearing designs of Twilight’s, Starlight’s, Rarity’s, Pinkie’s, Fluttershy’s, Applejack’s, and Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Marks) rested on a dresser under a specially decorated mirror. A design of Sunset’s Cutie Mark wasn’t on Eric’s hat, though due to his geode being a gift from her, it functioned as a de facto substitute.

‘I didn’t know he put Trixie’s picture on his mirror too. She would be both happy and want to tease him about hanging her picture to “surround” him with the rest of our friends’ pictures. It may be a matter of time before he asks Rarity to make him a new hat with Trixie's Cutie Mark on it to go with ours.’

Twilight broke her gaze off the human’s mirror and walked across the room to his bed near a wall. She poked his arm with a hoof while she asked, “Hey, Buggie? Can I ask you something?”

He sleepily groaned and yanked his blanket over his head. She shook him and called out a few more times, but he rolled to face the other way. No dice.

“Oh great, he’s not even telling me five or ten more minutes. Since I didn’t bring a book, my tail will have to suffice. Sorry about this.”

Twilight lined up her body alongside Eric’s bed. After ensuring that her tail was in range, she whipped it onto Eric’s back multiple times, forcing grunts from him with each flick. “Come on, Sleepyhead! Wake up!”

“Ugh…ten more minutes, Twi–”

“No, not ‘ten more minutes!’ Besides, I only want to ask you something. You can go back to sleep after I do.”

The deep sleeper groaned while rubbing his mildly tender back under his blanket. Slowly, he pushed his blanket off his head and rolled over to face Twilight, revealing his half-open brown eyes and frazzled light-brown hair in grave need of combing. “Fine. But did you have to hit with your tail? That thing hurts!”

“First, yes, because you refused to respond when I tried shaking you awake. And second, Celestia is looking for someone to play video games with Luna. Since you enjoy them, could you play with her?”

“Ohh,” he said as a smile brightened on his face. “Video games, you say?”

“Hehe, I take it that you are interested?”

“You know it! Just name a day when I’m off from the spa and you don’t need me at the school.”

“Wonderful! I’ll tell Celestia you can come to Canterlot at noon tomorrow if that’s okay, and she said she’ll cover travel expenses. She will really appreciate you playing with Luna!”

“Noon tomorrow works for me.” He asked in a more teasing voice, “So, am I free to nap again, Princess of Tail-whips?”

“Sure. Take as long a nap as you want, and I’ll keep my tail to myself.” Twilight rubbed the top of Eric’s head in sisterly affection. He reached over to playfully flick one of Twilight’s ears, inciting a giggle from her, then lay down again as she left his room with a bounce in her trots.

“Didn’t know ‘ol Moonbutt was a gamer. Heh heh, hope Sunset won’t get jealous that I might have a new gaming rival.”

The next day…

Celestia paced back and forth in her throne room, her head tilted toward the floor. “Eric is running late. I hope he didn’t overhear Luna’s yelling and got spooked or something worse hap–”

A Royal Guard peeked his head through the throne room’s tall light-blue double doors. “Princess Celestia, Eric Reed has arrived.”

Celestia shot her head toward her guard, a grin grabbing her lips. “He’s here?! Thank Ce–I mean, goodness!”

“Yes, and he said he’s sorry for running so late. Would you like me to take him to Princess Luna?”

“No, I will guide him to her myself. If she has another…outburst while he’s on the way to her game room, he might feel less nervous about it if I’m the one with him.”

Celestia left her throne room and trotted down Canterlot Castle’s hallways – a bit faster than she had intended. “I can’t believe I almost used myself as an expression. How did I become one in the first place?”

She neared her castle’s front doors where Eric was waiting. ‘Wearing his favorite white shirt and blue shorts again I see. Sunset must be happy that he always wears the geode she gave him, but why is he wearing a bow on his hat?’

Once she was face-to-face with the human (more or less due to Celestia being more than a head taller), Celestia welcomely smiled and said, “Eric, I’m glad to see you’re here. I was starting to get worried.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I…kinda got lost. I would still be walking in circles if I hadn’t finally swallowed my pride and asked a mare for directions.”

“Oh dear, I’m sorry that happened. Now that I think of it, I believe this is your first time in Canterlot by yourself. Did you not bring a map? And…while it does look cute, what made you decide to wear a bow on your hat?”

“A what?!” Eric felt the top of his hat and yanked off a blue bow. He scowled at it and seethed through gritted teeth, "So this is what Starlight the Jokecorn and Spike Joker Dragon were up to! No wonder ponies were staring at me more than usual–” Celestia’s presence and amused snicker calmed Eric into bashfully chuckling. He stuffed “his” bow into his pocket and said, “Uh, Twilight did nag me to take a map, but I always hated using them and thought I wouldn’t need one for Canterlot.” He fiddled with his hat's brim. “Guess being in Equestria hasn’t cured my old habit of getting lost or my stupid pet peeve for maps.”

“It’s okay. Luna and I used to get lost all of the time too when we were around your age.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.”

She nodded. “Yes. Our sense of direction was so horrendous, an old alicorn joke says that if you want to find immortality, ask an alicorn where death is. But jokes aside, allow me to take you to Luna’s game room.”

Celestia guided Eric through her castle’s winding hallways, with Eric walking beside yet marginally behind the Sun Princess.

‘I thought Luna hung those lavender or whatever flowers on the walls during the evening. I am feeling calmer seeing them, so maybe she and Celestia decided to leave them up to help ponies feel calmer all the time?’

“I take it you are admiring Luna’s flowers?”

“You could tell without looking at me? You’re good.”

“Why would I need to look back at you when I can read your mind?”

“W-what?!” Eric choked on some saliva from utter astonishment at Celestia’s claim. “You can read minds?!”

“Gotcha!” Celestia fired a troll-ish cackle. “I’m a princess, not a mind-reader! I guessed you were admiring Luna’s flowers because other ponies claimed to have done it after they became quiet. I’m sorry for teasing you, though; I just needed a good laugh.”

“Heh heh, okay, that was a good one! You had me going for a second! Speaking of Luna–I mean, Princess Luna, how long has she been playing video games?”

“You can address Luna or even me without titles when not in public if you want. My best assistant, most of my guards, and even Twilight still do it out of preference or habit, but they know they don’t have to. But I digress. As for when Luna started playing video games, she tried some out three months ago. She has loved them ever since.”

“Sounds a bit like how I got into them as a kid. Oh, can I ask you for a little favor, Celestia?”

“Of course you may! You are doing me a big favor by coming, so I should, well, return the favor.”

“Could you not tell Twilight that I got lost? I know she’s looking out for me and I love her to death for it, but Momlight’s nagging is bad enough as it is.”

“Hehe, your secret is safe with me. Be that as it may, as not ‘Momlestia’ but ‘Friendlestia’, I would advise you to try to overcome your map pet peeve.” Celestia swung her head to Eric, a sly smirk rising on her lips. “Or would you rather risk ‘Momlight’ ever having to look for you, then hear her nagging out of worry once she finds you?” she finished with a playful wink.

“N-no! Not that! Believe me, I’m gonna suck it up and take maps from now on!”

“A wise choice.” Celestia turned her head to face straight ahead again. “You will thank yourself later. Anyway, the room to our right that we are about to reach is Luna’s game room.”

“I thought I was hearing beeping. It sounds like she’s playing Pac–”

“AGAIN?! HOW DID THAT GHOST REACH ME THAT TIME?!”

Eric eeked a light gasp, his feet freezing on the spot. “Whoa, was that–?!”

Celestia quickly knocked on Luna’s game room door. “Uh, Luna? Eric’s here!”

“Let him in!”

Celestia opened the door with her magic. After a moment of sour grumbling, Luna stepped toward the doorway, wearing a friendly smile. “Greetings, Eric. I was wondering what was delaying you. Nothing happened I hope?”

“H-hi, Prin–uh, Luna, and sorry. I got lost on the way.”

“It is okay. Please, come in. You may choose which game you wish to play first.” Luna pointed to a long table holding a bowl of juice and a lineup of various sandwiches and cookies on platters. “I have prepared snacks in case you grow hungry or thirsty, so feel free to help yourself.”

“Thanks. I am thirsty from all that walking I did, but I want to pick out which game to play first.” Eric stepped into the game room and wandered about, checking the waiting game machines. As he did, Luna closed her door.

"Okay." Celestia wiped her forehead, blowing a sigh of relief. “So far, so good. Still, in case this goes south, I better make sure his ‘thank you’ cake is baked in case it must double as an apology cake.”

Two hours later…

Princess Twilight and Spike sat in seats of the Friendship Express, which was minutes away from reaching Canterlot’s train station. Twilight peered her head through a window beside her seat, her mane flapping against the wind, wishing the approaching station would hurry up and reach her.

“I still can’t believe Iforgot to warn him that Luna is extremely competitive in her games. What was I thinking?”

“And I still say what is the big deal?” Spike asked with his arms crossed. “Even if Luna is intense when she plays games, Eric knows how to handle a pony like that. Remember Sunset?”

Twilight pulled her head back into the train. “But he is far less used to Luna than he is to Sunset, so seeing her like that without warning might make him nervous or outright scare him! You know how I struggle when something I didn't anticipate happens, and he’s like me in this regard!”

Spike shook his head in exasperation. “Wow. Just wow.”

“‘Wow’ what?”

“‘Wow’ you. It’s no wonder he sometimes calls you ‘Momlight’.”

Twilight rolled her eyes while groaning. “Seriously, Spike, I’m not acting like a–”

“Yes you are, and an overprotective one at that!” Spike uncrossed his arms and pointed a claw up, aiming for the heavens. “His real mom would probably laugh at you if she saw this!”

Twilight’s ears woefully sagged. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. “Maybe you’re right, but the first time I talked to her with the spell that lets Buggie talk to his human family, she asked Starlight and me to watch over him. Now that she’s…passed, it’s more important than ever that I keep fulfilling what became her final wish.” The mare hung her head as she solemnly closed her eyes. “I owe it to her for stealing her only son from his birth world in the first place. All due to a spell I wanted to learn.”

“Come on, Twilight, don’t talk like you’re a ponynapper. You forgot how that spell went wrong wasn’t your or Starlight’s fault? You tried your best to get him back there and even his mom never blamed or hated you.” Spike laid a supporting claw on one of Twilight's forelegs and smiled. “But I get it. You wouldn’t be the Princess of Friendship if you didn’t have a big heart.” He pulled his claw away. “Just be ready to feel silly once you see you’re worrying over nothing for the trillionth time.”

A spark of her usual cheerfulness opened Twilight’s eyes and raised her head from its despondent slump. “Hehe, that would be preferable.”

“Besides, even if you were right, it would be too late to warn him anyway.”

“You never know. He could have gotten lost.”

“Lost? For this long?”

“Well, I couldn’t get him to take a map!” Twilight sat deeper in her seat and poutingly crossed her forelegs. “He even called me the Princess of Nagging. Can you believe that?”

“You don’t want me to answer that. Wait a second–if all you wanted to do was warn him, why didn’t you just have me send a note to Celestia with your warning?”

“U-uh, well–”

“If you are thinking it would be better if he heard it directly from you, then go all-out on being Momlight: ask him to change his name to ‘Prince Eric Sparkle’ and officially adopt that guy.”

Momlight uncrossed her forelegs and sheepishly pawed her seat. “If I do, you will have your first nephew.”

“Twilight, Spike? Eric didn’t say anything about you two coming.” Celestia said from her throne. “Is there anything wrong?”

“Yeah. Twilight is being Twilight again.”

“Don’t listen to him. I came because I forgot to warn Eric about Luna’s…passion for video games. I am completely confident he’ll be fine–”

“Hayloney,” Spike quipped between fake coughs.

Twilight fired a hard glare down at Spike. A moment of silence-inducing glaring later, Twilight turned her head back to Celestia. “As I was saying, I wanted to give him a heads-up if it wasn’t too late. May I do it?”

‘I see why he called you “Momlight”.’ Celestia snapped out of her thoughts and said out loud, “Sure, Mo–I mean, Twilight, if it would make you feel more at ease. He should be in Luna’s game room as we speak.”

“WHAT?! How did that ghost move that fast?! This level’s too low for sudden speed-ups!”

Celestia’s and Twilight’s mouths fell agape. The sight inside Luna’s game room trapped their eyes onto it.

Eric, not Luna, scowled in front of Luna’s Pac-Mare machine, flicking its control stick in one direction after another. “OH, COME ON!! I didn’t touch that ghost! Sunset was right about Pac-Mare sometimes cheating you! Grr, wait till I eat another Power Ball!”

As he ranted, Luna motionlessly watched from behind with widened eyes, mumbling inaudibly. Her normally tirelessly flowing mane lay inert over her head and neck.

Spike chuckled at what was transpiring before him. “Maybe you should have been more worried about warning Luna, Twi.”

“NO! I was so close to nailing a new high score!” Eric sucked in a calming breath, then turned toward Luna – and in effect, also to Twilight, Spike, and Celestia. “Well, your turn–wait. Twi, Spike? What are you two doing here?”

“I, uh, tried so hard to get you to bring a map that I…forgot to tell you something. Just…give me a minute to remember what it was.”

“Then spill it once you do.” Eric strode to the still-motionless Luna. “My new gaming buddy and I are busy. Right, Lulu?”

Eric patted Luna’s/Lulu’s back, making her grunt and stumble forward. Her pupils remained enlarged.

“‘Lulu’?!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Yeah, she said I can call her ‘Lulu’ as her gamer name of sorts.” Eric’s eyes caught a view of Luna’s limp mane. “Whoa, I didn’t know my Pac-Mare skills floored her that much. Guess it’s what she gets for not bracing herself for my skills like I warned her.”

“I…I…”

“Um, Luna?” Celestia softly asked. “Are you okay?”

“I…I…LOVE HIM!” Luna’s flaccid mane flared to life as a grin hugged her lips.

“WHAT?!” Celestia shouted. No amount of regal poise could have held her voice in check.

“I-in a platonic way of course.” Jubilation snatched control of Luna's legs, coaxing them to merrily skip in circular prances. “However, Eric plays with so much unapologetic passion, heart, and spirit, and he even, um, ‘trash talks’! He is the type of gaming buddy I had longed for!” Luna pranced toward Eric and clamped her forelegs around his back. Her grip tightened further, forcing out a strained grunt from the shorter human.

“Ow, I’m over the moon for it too, but can you let me go? Human spines are best unbroken.”

“Oh, apologies.” She unwrapped her forelegs from his back; the latter briefly massaged it. “I got a little carried away. But I finally have someone with the same level of passion for games as me! Now I can no longer fear being too intimidating to a gaming buddy!”

“Ha! When it comes to games, not even Nightmare Moon could intimidate me!” Eric, wearing a smile packed with confidence, waved a hand toward himself. “Bring it, Princess of the Night!”

“Heh, consider it bought!” Luna floated Celestia out of her game room. “You can leave, Celestia, and hold a luncheon or what have you. My new gaming buddy and I want to be alone! Right?”

Luna patted Eric on his back – and knocked him to the floor! One full-force pat from Equestria’s 2nd-largest alicorn + one back of an unguarded normal 19-year-old human = one yelp and a nasty faceplant.

“Oops, I’m so sorry!” Luna pleaded, her forehooves covering her mouth in remorse. “I did not mean to pat you that hard!”

Eric hopped to his feet. “Heh heh, for trying to break my spine twice, I’m really going to blow your scores out of the water now, Lulu! But before I do…”

Eric walked over to Twilight and pushed her out of the room’s door. “Since you can’t remember what you wanted to tell me, you can go have fun by reading your billionth book or something.” He pushed Spike out. “And you can read some Power Ponies comics or keep the Princess of Stressing from freaking out for the trillionth time. I got some royal flank to kick.”

“We shall see who will kick whom! As you requested, prepare to face the full gaming abilities of I, the Princess of the Night!”

Luna closed her door. A moment later, it reopened; a “Do not disturb!” note was stuck onto it before it closed again.

Inside, blissful laughter, spirited boasting, and occasional outbursts from losing or some sort of setback ensued.

Celestia beamed in pure relief and contentment. Very few things warmed her heart more than seeing her little sister so happy. “This is better than I could have ever hoped. Luna looked like a filly on cloud nine prancing. I’m glad you asked Eric to come.”

Spike poked Twilight in her ribs. “Nice work, Princess of Friendship. Another friendship is born thanks to us!”

“…”

“Twilight?” Spike asked. “Are you okay?”

“...”

Spike and Celestia stared at each other. Each answered with an “I don't know” shrug of their arms/forelegs.

.”...’LULU’?!”

Author's Note

Methinks Twilight wasn't ready for what she saw and heard in that game room