It was a clear day. Not a cloud in the sky, the sun shining all over Equestria and the lands beyond. But that did not mean everything was okay. For, in the depths of a town that had been abandoned and forgotten after a war raging with humans many, many years had destroyed it, there were 2 ponies. They went by the names Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. The 2 had been sent by their princesses to go and check out the scene after some activity had been tracked. “It’s not ponies, so we have to see what it is.” their sun princess Celestia had decreed. She chose Twilight because she was her student, and Fluttershy was the least likely to fly/trot off due to curiosity. The 2 went immediately, ready to rely on Twilight’s magic if needed. But, enough of my narrative babbling, let’s just see what the 2 are up to as of now.
“Are you s-s-sure that’s it?” Fluttershy asked, shivering suddenly.
“Well, be it that it’s one of the building’s still standing, and it looks exactly like the princesses told us it would look like, yes I am sure.” Twilight retorted.
“But, I-its so s-scary!” Fluttershy squeaked.
Twilight rolled her eyes. She loved her friends, Fluttershy being no exception, but this was a little ridiculous.
“It’s an abandoned arcade Fluttershy. If anything, it’ll probably be a game that never shut down. After all, not all the buildings lost power. Humans were smart like.” Twilight reassured her. “But, we can’t just stand here. We have to go in. And I’m going in, so you are too.” And, with that, Twilight trotted off into the arcade. Fluttershy followed quickly, her fear still getting the best of her.
Inside the arcade, the pair found that Twilight’s prediction had been correct. The arcade had never lost power, so all the games were still on. But the arcade was a giant dust bunny, the dust so bad that Twilight had to use her magic to clear it.
“Ack! That is way too much dust. It’s much easier now that it’s gone.” Twilight said, feeling proud her magic was helpful. Looking around, she saw many games that looked as they were: old. All apart from 2 that had graphics that were much better. One was called “Hero’s Duty”, and one called “Sugar Rush”. They didn’t seem too odd, but the sound of voices caught her attention. Fluttershy’s frightful shriek warned Twilight that Fluttershy had heard it as well.
“T-t-twilight? D-did you h-hear that?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight’s response was shushing Fluttershy and listening intently. Yes, she was sure now. She had heard voices. But where were they coming from? Listening, she followed the voices until she almost ran headfirst into one of the games. Looking down, she saw it was called “Tapper’s”. But, she noticed something else too. There were 7 very different characters sitting in a circle, looking as if they were having a conversation. Listening, she realized, they WERE. Fluttershy opened her mouth to say something, but the raising of Twilight’s hoof shushed her. Twilight listened, seeing what exactly it was that these characters were talking about.
--
“So, we just have to hang around?” Trixie asked.
“That’s what we’ve been doing this whole time.” her husband, Turbo, replied.
“Why is everyone gone?” Vannelope asked her father, King Candy.
“Well, all I know ith that the humanth were in a war, and whatever they were up agintht, it beat them.” King Candy told his child.
“Why is the power still on then? If the humans are gone, then no one has paid the power bill, right?” Ralph asked, his brow raised in confusion.
“I really don’t know. Have you any idea Honey?” Felix asked his wife.
Tamara (sorry if that’s not her name ..u) simply shrugged. “All I know is how to defeat cybugs. Whatever powers us, that’s nothing I know.”
It has been a few decades since anyone has played the games in the arcade, so why have this conversation now? They weren’t sure. It confused all of them. Maybe because they tried not to bring up any negative stuff around Vannelope. But, a few decades is much too long to hide from such things. It really is. Vannelope had grown tiresome of no players. They all had, except Trixie. Since she hadn’t been ‘played’ in a little over 30 years beforehand, she was quite used to not being played.
Pondering their situation, Trixie looked up in an absent-mind sort of state. But she quickly broke out of her absent-mindedness. For when she looked up she saw what seemed to be… a purple unicorn? Realizing this, her mouth fell agape. The others quickly noticed her expression.
“What’th wrong Trixie?” King Candy asked, his concern for his friend perking.
“Look up.” she said.
The group all looked up, and their expressions were the same. And, surprisingly enough, so was the unicorn’s.
“WHAT IS THAT?” Ralph asked.
The only reply was the unicorn saying, “FLUTTERSHY! COME CHECK THIS OUT!”
--
Twilight jumped in excitement. “Come ON Fluttershy!” she said, and Fluttershy walked over. Looking down, she made eye contact with the game characters.
“A-are they what was m-making the signal?” she asked. Twilight nodded.
“They HAVE to be.” Twilight told her companion. She thought for a second. She remembered that the princesses said if they found anything, to return it to them if possible. ‘But, how can I bring video game characters to the princesses?’ Twilight thought to herself. An idea struck. One so simple, so easy, why didn’t she think of it before?
“Fluttershy, back up.” Twilight demanded.
“Why? What are you doing?”
“Just DO IT.”
Fluttershy reluctantly backed up, and, with a small glow in her horn, Twilight focused on the group of 7. A glow surrounded the characters, much to their surprise, and Twilight delved into her magic. With her magic focused on the characters, she could see the magical tendrils that she needed. Focusing, she prodded at certain tendrils, the same ones for each character, and kept prodding until there was a flash, and they were no longer in the game. Opening her eyes, Twilight sat down and took a deep breath. In doing this, she failed to notice the 7 new ponies around her. Fluttershy, on the other hand, didn’t.
“AHHHHHHHH!” Fluttershy screamed, hiding behind a Donkey Kong game. “TWILIGHT!! WHAT DID YOU DO?!” the timid pegasus demanded, using the Royal Canterlot Voice. Twilight turned, and facehoofed She had meant to make them physical beings, not ponies in the process. And, with this realization, 5 ponies started to scream their lungs off.
