//------------------------------// // 23: Online War // Story: Seesaw // by MintLynx //------------------------------// Sunrise, 7:18 am in Canterlot. The sounds of gunfire shouted orders would die down as the S4's and androids finally completed their work. The bodies of the police forces who died would be gathered up for cremation, to be stored in vases and given to family members. The dead thugs would be gathered up, taken away in trucks to be cremated as well, their ashes would be disposed of into the sewers. Graveyards were mostly a thing of the past, as room for them was dwindling with the growth of the urban land. Ponies started waking up and heading out for their usual routine, many visibly uneased. The chaotic attack from the previous night, followed by the mysterious message receive throughout had ponies talking heavily on messengerbird. Cyberguard would be on the watch, to try and control and monitor the spread of the information. Their efforts would prove ineffective, especially with things that were going on in Everfree. The chaos of the previous night in Everfree had calmed down, the message transmitted from Anomaly having completed its broadcast and the screen boards now all just glitching out. Autocarriages would be going their normal rout, only with city lights and screen boards being deactivated. The battle online would continue to carry on, Hactivists against Cyberterrorists, in all-out combat online. Anomaly would be alongside the Hacktivists in their ongoing fight, maintaining her control over the CCS and striking any who would try to breach into it. Seesaw would be present as well, helping to maintain security. The thugs on the assault would have by now been also forced to hide or die when the S4s and androids came to the attack. "She still has control over the CCS." Cypher would say, tiredly sipping down the last of a cup of coffee. "She's at least been keeping it safe and secure." Data would say, yawning. "Better than having the crazies running it that's for sure. Otherwise, we'd be in real trouble, in fact things would probably be bucked harder than a stripper taking it from a dragon." Cypher would snicker, replying "There is the fact we are not dealing with that at least. Hope Owl and Vision are alright, things are apparently quieting down in Canterlot." "What do you think Anomaly's gonna do with her control over the CCS once things are over, once they manage to smash the so-called 'Freedom Fighters'?" Data would ask. "Well she won't completely relinquish control over it, it's clear she intends to use it as a weapon. And neither we nor the CCS admins might be able to stop her whenever she wants to use it." "She's gonna become a full-on online vigilante." Data would say. "it's.....really bucking scary to feel almost helpless. So many of these hackers able to smash our Cyberguard so easily." "We're not helpless, the Freedom Fighters might be able to get smashed themselves. Anomaly though.....stopping her might be more difficult. We can't trust anypony with the kind of power she has, she has no laws or anything to gauge her methods. No vigilante is completely trustworthy in properly carrying out justice." Cypher would say. ".....What if most of the law itself is bucked beyond belief. Taken over by ponies intent on enslaving ponykind to a bucked up mind control system. What if Anomaly is our only hope? What if her revelation to the masses is the only way to stop that system from forming." Data would reply, yawning before following with "It's not like we can take them on just ourselves." "Go get some sleep, you're gonna need it. I'll keep watch over the situation, maybe help the hactivists some in their fighting." Data would get up, stretching her legs before walking to and flopping onto the bed. "It's an all-out cyber war going on there, seems digital age history is being made." "It's already being made...over and over again. This year will be in Cyber Age History." _________________________________________________________ Tazen would enter a private call with the DJ, discussing with her the message that Anomaly had sent throughout Canterlot and Everfree both. "Anomaly's planning some big things...and I am not sure I like them." Tazen would say. "I don't like it at all!" The DJ would reply affirmatively. "She's gonna use that virus to be able to take control over the CCS! And take that power all to herself evidently. We're gonna need to give that brain-computer mare a talking to." "We are, we might need to do so in person. If we let our objections be known she might try to flee from us." Tazen replied, getting up from her computer and heading out. A bus would be seen rolling away and out of the cyberculture gorge. The DJ would come trotting out as well, following Tazen. Knocking on the door they would get no answer, but would find it unlocked. "Buck! Where is she?" the DJ shouted as she looked to see nopony within the room. It was then they would be pulled into a call. "I am sorry, but I cannot let my plans be halted." Anomaly's voice would come through to the both of them. "This needs to be done, and there is a lot I must do." "Anomaly this is far too much control for a single mare to have over the whole CCS!" Tazen would say quickly. "Don't turn to this, let's all work to fight this!" "We are, you're helping with the front lines, and I will not be alone. I'm going to take on the tactical side, we're going to destroy the PRS. We're going to destroy the online capabilities of Harmonize, and we are going to finish off the Freedom Fighters. From then, me and Seesaw are going to remain in cyberspace ready to strike down anypony who threatens the peace and liberty of ponies." "And you think you're in the right to decide who gets the hammer? You alone and whoever this 'seesaw' is???" the DJ would say, agitated and shocked. "We fight against forces like that! And if you go through with this we are not going to be on your bucking side!" "You will be for now at least, unless you think you can take on DK on your own. I assure you, you won't be able to. She was able to match me after all. I'm sorry to upset you, but decisive action is needed in these times, as are risks." Closing the call Anomaly would lean her head to the window of the bus, communicating with Seesaw. "It's time, release the program onto the PRS. Lock away any attempts to control the minds of ponies. The AI would enter the PRS, beginning to distribute and upload the program into the minds of ponies. It would move quickly, trying to distribute the program to as many ponies as possible. Anomaly would watch as this occurred, looking over the PRS system. Suddenly the AI would seem to stop, worrying Anomaly as she looked to find DK in the system. She would hold back openly gasping in the bus, but visibly wide-eyed. "Your little friend may have crashed me, t'was but a soft crash! Remember that override I mentioned? You ain't keeping yourself queen of the hill without a fight!" was the message that Anomaly would get in text. "I got control over this dog now!" Anomaly would fight against DK's override on GAI-7, putting up a smoke screen to try and cover her from any incoming attacks. Little did she know that DK was exploiting and maintaining this distraction for a plan of her own. _________________________________________________________________ Owl would groan and squirm as the tunes played on his Wrist computer, sitting up from the cheap bed within the cheap room he and Vision rented. Vision would be asleep on a chair, slowly but surely woken up by the ringtone as well. He would look to see an unknown number. Answering it he would end up not hearing Anomaly, but rather instead he would hear Night Haze's voice. "Owl, there's a lot I have to talk to you about. It's about Anomaly, and what she seems to be up to." Owl would grit his teeth, still embittered but calm enough to ask "She wants to try to fight the system and the Terrorists, what is new?" "She also wants to have access to control over the CCS, possibly over more than just Canterlot and Everfree...she could become a shadow tyrant with that kind of power." Haze would reply. "She worked with us for a time, but now has left us after presumably spying on our conversation in regards to her actions. We have to stop her, if possible convince her." Stretching Owl would say "She's not like those buckers in the Harmony council, or EQUE-TECH, what is there to fear from her being able to take over and buck stuff up for cyber terrorists and corrupt government alike?" "It's the kind of power that even a well-intentioned pony may be corrupted by. You think she won't turn to extremes when she can control over half the workings of every city in Equestria? She's practically trying to become the goddess of Cyperspace....and if even the princesses can't make this world better what makes you think a single mare with such power will either?" Haze would reply to him. "Help us Owl, at Digital Hoof, we are many ponies and we are all trying to fight these systems of control and terror alike!" What his ex said would make him think, and thus he would be presented with a new crossroad. Between continuing to help Anomaly, or turning from her to join his ex at Digital hoof. Two biases would creep into his mind, on the one hoof his heart wanted a chance to be with Haze again, and maybe even his daughter. On the other, he was naturally distrustful of Digital Hoof, and wasn't completely on board with joining rogue hacktivists. Then there was the third possibility, joining with just Data and Cypher and trying to get as many of the guards on their side as possible. Fight back against Myriad, even the princesses, make things back to normal. There was one thing he would need to do, either way, both Myriad's Harmonize and the Freedom Fighters needed to be destroyed. "Owl, there is no chance to bring things back the way they were. Times are changing, but with us you can help change things for the better. With Bug Byte too....she's here.....safe...and missing her daddy. Please Owl, join us, don't let Anomaly's misguided ambitions sway you..." Haze would say, having heard the questions playing in his head thanks to the call. Owl would tense up, the offer tempting to him, his heart crying out to join her side. At the same time his distrust of Digital Hoof and trust in Anomaly remained. For now, he was undecided, and would not pick a path on the crossroad presented before him. "I'll make my decision...in time. I'll work with Anomaly for now, but only to deal with the Terrorists and Myriad. I'll decide when I feel I need to.." "Please Owl, make the choice to stick with us. You can still fight for justice from the shadows, fight alongside many others. I hope you make the right decision Owl..." Before the call was dropped. Suddenly a hard knock would come to the door of their room, and Vision would be jolted fully awake. The lock of the door would jiggle some before it opened up, a mare replacing her pick gun with a stun gun, as did the mare who came in alongside her. They were both dressed in suits, and would both aim their weapons at the two of them. "Surrender now." "How the buck did you-?" "We can track your wrist computers." The other would say. Creeping toward the lamp on the nightstand would be Owl's bionic hoof, grasping it as he was ordered once more to halt. In a flash he would chuck the lamp straight at them, absorbing their stunning bolts of electricity and marking the plastic. Taking advantage of the opportunity he would fly up to one of the mares, clocking her with his bionic limb. He would grab the other's hoof as she attempted to shoot him, pulling it to aim at her partner as she fired, stunning the dazed mare. He would then punch the mare in the gut with his organic hoof, before giving her another punch to the jaw and throwing her into the wall outside with his bionic limb. Vision and Owl both would come flying down the hallway, soon met with a stallion armed with a stun gun. Quickly aiming his magnum, Vision would shoot the stun gun right into its front. Plastic and sparks flew as the stallion was electrocuted and burned, dropping over as the bats flew past them. Entering the lobby the two would be met with five agents aiming guns at them, these ones lethal. "Surrender now and we'll take you in peacefully." "How about you tell Myriad to go buck herself!" Owl would say, flying up along the ceiling and evading gunfire whole Vision rolled into cover behind a counter and firing at the agents. The reception mare would be hiding underneath the desk, made to think that the ponies in suits were police personnel searching for an assailant. She would cower in her spot at the sight of Vision, who would look to her and say. "I ain't gonna hurt you, I'm with the law, the uncorrupted law!" Vision would say, rolling along next to the desk before firing from another angle. Owl would be going hoof to hoof with the agents, blocking bullets with his bionic foreleg and sending punches galore. The distraction would allow Vision to gun down three of the agents, before Owl slammed the heads of the last two together. Flying out of the inn they would quickly head for the nearest InterCity station, planning to meet up with Data and Cypher in Everfree. It was where both Myriad and the Cyberterrorists most likely were. ________________________________________________________________ Anomaly would struggle in her fight to prevent DK from taking control of and rerouting GAI-7, her opponent being more experienced with her own brain augmentation tech despite its inferiority to Anomaly's. Suddenly she would notice DK stop, before putting some advanced Data Bombs into Seesaw's system. It was then DK would put a new upload of the virus into the PRS, going directly into the minds of countless ponies. "While you were distracted trying to save the AI, I was distracting you and preparing the newest version of the virus! And I have a plan for if you decide to try and 'save' these ponies~" DK would say, activating a telepathic call on Anomaly. Enraged she would try her best to clear up the Data bombs in Seesaw, while forming duplicates of herself and sending sniper rocket programs right for DK, enough to damage and partially bypass the hacker's defenses. All the while DK's virus would continue to spread, uploading the minds of countless ponies. Spreading her ability thin Anomaly would attempt to stop this, trying to stop the advance of the virus through the PRS. "Let's kick things up a notch or two! I may not be able to control the virus as well as Seesaw can, but we can let it loose to do whatever the buck it shall! But in other places!" DK would message, making good on that promise and forwarding viruses toward Manehattan, the Crystal Empire Megacity, and Cloudsdale. Anomaly would panic, attempting to stop the forwarding and spread of all of the viruses. All the while DK would be trying to take control of the virus in Everfree back. Anomaly would find herself stretched thin, trying to prevent cyber attacks in multiple cities while attempting to save the AI. To add to it, DK herself was sending various offensive programs ranging from shotguns, Viruses, Pitchforks, and even assassin programs on Anomaly. In reply, she would create duplicates, along with a smoke screen to protect herself. The war online would expand as Digital Hoof hacktivists along with many independent white hats would attempt to fight back against the virus creeping into their stretches of cyberspace. Getting some successful spyware in, Anomaly would discover that DK was using a mainframe of sorts to boost her processing power allowing her to carry out her attack without lag. More parts of Equestria's megacities and some parts of the Crystal megacity would start getting taken by the virus, ponies around turning still as statues with traffic and screen boards starting to go haywire. Anomaly and Digital Hoof's efforts to fight back would persist, though Digital Hoof outnumbered the Freedom Fighter hackers they had the virus to contend with as well. Cypher decided to join in to help Anomaly, attempting to sneak in on DK and put in Assassin programs to strike the hacker down. Anomaly was given a brief break as DK was forced to deal with the hidden programs attacking her. Bug Byte would look from her screen to see her mother enter the room quickly, getting on her computer to join in on the fight. Thus Monster Buster and Tazen would be online, trying to fight against the ongoing and increasing force of chaos that was online. The DJ herself would join in on the fight, using the bass cannon hack to smash as many terrorist hackers as possible. The AI would be decimated by the data bombs, programs getting damaged and glitched. Briefly, she would hold off her efforts to stop the virus, attempting to save the AI that could control them. With Anomaly backing off her assistance Digital Hoof would have an increased struggle to fight the viruses all around Equestria. Their best success came in defending Everfree, while the police and androids attempted to non lethally quell the attacks from the now hostile bodies of ponies who were attacking them. Panic would ensue online, ponies running for their lives in the streets as what seemed like zombies were attacking them. Brief halts in the online chaos would come in places as Digital hoof gained some ground, but the virus would start to hit back as well with its own attack programs. Anomaly would successfully manage to eliminate the data bombs, and the AI program would boot itself back up. Unfortunately, the override did more than disable it for a time, as it now turned hostile on Anomaly. Some of her duplicates would be taken out, and the smoke screen program was her only major effective defense. Despite the odds, she would face off against GAI-7 and DK both, defending her control over her virus in Everfree while fighting the invading Virus on the PRS. Her mind would start to reach its limits, beginning to lag and slow down with the demanding tasks before her. Her smoke screen would get taken down, and her defenses would start to get battered by both the AI and DK. Too lagged up and stretched thin in her actions to fight, Anomaly would go to one last-ditch effort. She would put forth more spyware programming, using it as a backdoor in her attempts to track down where DK herself was. Anomaly's attacks from then on were to distract from her spyware and tracking efforts, all while her defenses began to break down more and more and her systems were hit directly by piercing sniper rockets. She would go on the verge of crashing, but would get what she was looking for as she pulled back the spyware, and sent a message to Owl and Metal's wrist computers... _____________________________________________________ Owl would step out of the train, Vision alongside him. They would swiftly fly out of the station, as he got a message. The bat would look up to the sky as a DF-80 boosted in on its jet engines right above the station, landing down near them. Opening the sliding door was Metal Heart, who would ask them "You got the Message from Anomaly?" Looking at his Wrist computer, Owl would read out the message. "Here is a waypoint, the Terrorist's mainframe is here. DK may be here as well, if she is, eliminate her. Eliminate her and anypony in your way, she is bringing the terror to many cities if not all of Equestria. You may be the only ponies who can stop her..." activating the Waypoint, Owl would look to Metal and say "Let's go then." The electronics would suddenly go haywire on the DF-80, and the engines would gun forcing Metal and her comrades to hop out of it quickly. The vehicle would veer itself into a nearby building, exploding in purple and blue flames and showering debris. "Bucking hay, looks aerial transportation isn't an option!" Metal shouted, looking around at the chaos that was going on. "Come on, let's get to that waypoint!" Dodging and kicking away ponies turned puppets, dodging autocarriages veering off the streets and crashing, Metal's team along with Owl and Vision would rush forward toward the waypoint. It was a long distance away but they would all rust their way toward the waypoint. Data would be awakened by Cypher, who ordered through a shout. "On the computer! Now!" groaning the mare would hop off the bed and onto her chair to access the computer. "Ooooh buck this is bad, where's Anomaly??" Data shouted worryingly. "She crashed, DK and this AI took her down..." Cypher said, somber but apprehensive. "BUCK!" Thus Data would tap and click away, frantically trying to fight against the Virus alongside the Hacktivists. Loud clicking and typing sounds would fill the room they were in, along with countless other rooms in Everfree and beyond. The war online was heating up, and it carried on as the day passed by. Bug byte would look over cameras, tearing up and scared at what she was seeing. Angrily the filly would put her mind together, building her defenses up before moving to manually crack into the virus spreading through the PRS. The DJ would meanwhile start to regroup Digital Hoof, messaging them all. "I know things look pretty bucked and all, with Anomaly crashed and our enemy seeming stronger than ever. But we cannot give up! Equestria is counting on us, and since it's government is failing miserably at protecting them we need to be their guardians here. We need to fight these cyberterrorists, and save the ponies who are being terrorized, now here's the plan! Get some hackers to move stealthily, deploy smoke screens to hide and crack in, use Assassin programs! Along with that organize some hackers to go for the virus directly, distract it while the stealth guys move in! Mobilize everypony, we got an InterNet to save!" Data would try to track where Owl was, finding him running along down a street. She would give him a call, to which he would answer and say "We're heading for a waypoint! To hunt down the leader of these buckers! But our wingless friends are without transport, think you could hack a carriage for us??" He would say, before sending Data the waypoint. "I'm on it!" Data said, before closing call and saying to Cypher "They found your sis! And they're coming after her!" she would then follow where Owl and company were moving, before hacking into a single Sport Utility Autocarriage and taking control of it. The vehicle would roll up to them and open up, allowing Metal and her team to hop in while Owl and Vision hunt on from above. The vehicle would gun its engine, accelerating down the chaotic road. "Let's hope my hours playing racing games pays off here!" Data would say, swerving the vehicle around to avoid incoming Autocarriages and ponies on the road. Minutes would feel like hours to Owl and Vision as they hung onto a vehicle going well past a hundred miles per hour along a chaotic road. The visions of chaos that flew by in a blur branded themselves in Owl's psyche, making him close his eyes and grit his teeth. Tears would flow as the sounds passed by around him, everything that was happening hitting his mind hard. He would shake the fear and despair away, replacing it with a resolve to carry on. A resolve to fight this threat and end it once and for all. ___________________________________________________ As her lights flickered and computer went haywire, Myriad would be looking out the window of her office at the chaos that was ensuing before them. "Fortunately I have a plan B, you bucking underground trash collapse our society I have a plan. If you think everypony will want to join you after you successfully collapse it, think again. We will offer them safety and security in these times, we will protect them and fight against the underground. You may have torn our veil to hide the citizens and consumers from you abominations to society, but we will make sure they see us fighting you and protecting them. We'll make ponies run to us for protection from you, we'll keep our grip on their psyches...." ________________________________________________________ DK would continue sewing chaos, broadcasting herself in her room on many screen boards as she said. "Behold ponies! Behoooold! The end of life as you know it, the end of the system that enslaved your minds for so long. The end of all the lies and illusions that the system brings to you! Today is the day that it all comes crashing down, prepare yourselves ponies!" In time, even Battania would be hit, though less in the element of traffic it would be hit more with the turning of bats all around into puppets through their brain augmentations. Messengerbird would be full of panicked posts and messages from all around Equestria. In Everfree Owl and company would roll into a familiar district, they would pass by the mall where it all started, and memories would flow back to Owl's mind. Soon enough they would roll into yet another familiar section of Everfree. Ponyville, mostly preserved from its old self and surrounded by a fence, filled with homes turned museums. It was as of now left mostly withoout power, with a few flickering lights here and there. Entering the gate Owl would be followed by his allies as he went in, looking around and following the waypoint set before him. Suddenly, he would hear a sound come as the air moved behind him. One of Metal's team would clench their throat as it was sliced, while the others aimed their weapons. Suddenly a blur would come by and slice at another, before long two flying blurs would come along, whipping at the team. Owl's eyes would look op to a roof, bearing his teeth as he saw a familiar face. A familiar earth pony mare with blades sticking out from slits on her hoof's artificial skin. She would sensually lick away at the blood on her blades as she asked him "Did you miss me?" Flying up next to her would be the two maids, who would both giggle and dart away as shots were fired at them. Miss Succubus would get to her hooves and spring away as Metal Heart fired at her, shrugging off the whips while aiming her revolver to get some shots off at them. The maids darted around, tossing grenades at the team which shot out smoke alongside different colored gases. The team would be forced to disperse, and like eagles the Maids would swoop down for the attack. Powerful bionic kicks would knock out many a member of the S4's, while Miss S sliced throats through the smoke. Metal's shots would grow more wild, as her PTSD began to flash images of the war to her mind. Images of losing comrades and friends, images soon to be joined by images added as she lost comrades yet again. Hearing her weapon click she would quickly reload it. Owl would meanwhile angrily pursue Miss Succubus, using his bionic limb to block incoming slashes while he traded blows with the cyborg. The maids would dive in to whip at his flanks and stun him to give their friend an edge, and he would receive many a nasty gash. The fighting between them would take place largely in the rooftops, while on the ground Metal heart finally gained a shot off in the bionic wing of one of the Maids. Seeing the mare fall and topple off a roof the cyborg would angrily pursue, grabbing the maid and viciously smashing her face into the wooden wall of the old house. Turning around she would angrily stomp on the maid's head. "You-Think-You-Can-BUCKING-KILL-MY-FELLOW-SOLDIERS-LIKE-THAT!?" she shouted, each word accompanying a stomp. It wasn't long before she felt the head give way, and red begin to pool and splatter. The other Maid would look in horror and scream, before the other looked in horror and dived down to kick at her. Thus came a vicious bout of hoof to hoof combat between cyborgs, blows being traded and various moves being used. The other maid would be unable to match the ferocity and military training Metal had. Her neck was grabbed as the military cyborg repeatedly head-butted her over and over till she heard a neck snap. Tossing the second body she would look as the smoke cleared to see many of her fellow Solar S4s bleeding on the ground. Once again leading a team, and losing a team, just like in the war. Her teeth would bare, and if she had tear ducts any more tears would have flowed. "No....No nooo! Bucking...!" she would look up to the fighting pair, before saying "I can't fail, I can't bucking fail! I can't let these buckers win, I won't let my grandkids grow up to a world with these bucked up ponies!" aiming her gun she would pull the trigger halfway, before finding her mind in a familiar place. Judging by her last encounter she knew what was happening. "No! Not again! Buck off!!!! Noooo!" She would say in her mind, as her body dropped. Owl would fall to the ground for a moment, panting and bleeding in many places. If he had any arteries cut he would have been dead by now, but was just able to avoid such lethal blows. He looked back up as Miss Succubus lounged and smirked. "Don't you all realize, you have already lost this battle, and have already lost the war~"