Capture the Flag
“Take your position players!”
Luna finds herself materializing as she spawns in the industrial factory. She takes in a deep breath and coughs at the black smog that she just inhaled. When Chaotic mentioned the visor makes everything in the game a reality, he wasn't kidding, Luna thought, being irritated at the nasty smell.
The day she got Skyrim, along with a bunch of other goodies, is when Chaotic offered to give her an Interactive Pony Visor, a gaming device that lets the user immerse themselves into the game, and lets them interact with the virtual environment like it was real. It's still in the beta stage of development though, what did Twilight say it is? A prototype? Yeah, still experimental. It glitches out every now and then but Chaotic had a hoof in putting in the final touches so she shouldn't bug out while playing Haylo Reach.
At least, that’s what he reassured me it would.
She peers at her weapon of choice that is sticking out of her right shoulder. A three foot long, .50 cal barrel sniper rifle. She just loves taking out enemies from a distance. Very quick, elegant, and she doesn't have to stain her midnight blue armor with blood.
She looks over to her teammates and see they are ready as well. Her sister, Tia, was sporting a very nice twelve barrel minigun. An understatement of the century as the gun is about her own size. Celestia actually has to stand up on her hind legs and grasp the two handles custom made for hooves.
"So dear sister, hows the gun?" Luna asked. She remembers that the entire team has the same visor as her.
"Heavy," Celestia said, with a little strained tone. "but not heavy enough."
"Oh, come on," Luna said mischievously. "I don't remember you working out those hooves in the last few months."
"Oh please, have faith in your sister," Celestia said, obviously tired.
Twilight looks towards her mentor with bodily concern. "Princess, maybe you shouldn't exert yourself. You should take off the visor and use the controller."
Chaotic laughs. "Oh come on Twilight, she could use the workout. Even if it is virtual!"
Twilight shot him a glare as sharp as her bullet. "This is no laughing matter! The visor is still a prototype, and even with your mechanical skills, somepony could get hurt using it! And I'm not hoping the Princess will be the first casualty among us."
Chaotic still chuckling, preps his shotgun. "Yeah yeah, I'll work on it a little more, but at the most, all the damage it could put on a pony would be derpy eyes and a headache. Besides, I've made sure that if the user is sustaining severe major pain to the neural system, the safety feature should boot the player out of the visor and bring control back to the XBUCK controller."
Chaotic points his hoof at everypony around him. "Which I suggest that you all ready up now in the case that it happens. Visor or no visor, we are still in the middle of a clan match against gryphons, who have been laughing at us ponies since the dawn of time. They can have their Featherstation 3 and their so called 'exclusive games', but nopony makes fun of our skills in battle! So I expect y'all be get back into action when the fail-safe function kicks in, alright?"
The group made a bunch of mutters and sighs, which he is satisfied with.
"Okay, does everypony know the battle plan?" Chaotic asked. Everypony nods. "Alright, but Twilight and I agreed beforehoof that we should review it again with everypony. We can't afford to mess up now.” He motioned over to the purple unicorn. “Twilight, if you would please."
Luna and Chaotic were to stay up on the balcony hanging over the remote-controlled fire barrel catapult. He will provide protection for Luna and man the fiery weapon while she takes out any suspicious soldiers looking forward to damaging the frontline flag retrievers: Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Shining Armor.
Cadance and Celestia will provide defense of the flag with their heavy weapons, making sure no gryphons will get past them. Along with the flag.
Rarity and Fluttershy, with their stealth skills and invisibility cloaks, will rush on ahead assassinating any guards of the gryphons' flag, taking out enemy vehicles, and provide a ride back for the flag holder with one of the stolen transportation.
The odds were against them today as the gryphons had brought fourteen players while their own team had only eleven. Blue Lightning and Cloud Crusher called in sick due to their nasty feather flu while Spike had the case of the sniffles.
It is unfortunate that they couldn't log on today. They were excellent drivers, as Luna recalled Blue running plenty of her enemies over with a Mongoose. A Mongoose! You have to admit, turning any super soldier into road kill with a small vehicle was pretty impressive.
Celestia's character looked stiff and rigid at the moment. She must of switched to the controller. Luna amuses herself with the thought, but forces herself to concentrate as she wouldn't need a distraction to bother her while she is hunting for avians.
5
Rarity brings out her pistol. "Well, let's show those ruffians what we're made of."
4
Pinkie Pie equips her custom pink rocket launcher. "Bring me in closer so I can hit them with my PARTY CANNON!"
3
Cadance inspects her very heavy plasma rifle. "Well our spot is going to be boring, right Celestia?" The sun champion silently nods.
2
Applejack activates her plasma sword. "Ah'll teach them birds a thing or two about apple buckin'!"
1
Twilight admires her battle rifle. "Ok everypony, I want a good clean fight. Let's do this."
Go
Chaotic was the first to charge. “Okay everypony! It’s time to take the fight to them! Follow my bucking lead! Whroooooaaar,” he bellowed as he ran right out the garage doors, and into the open.
Luna could only look on as he left everypony in the dust. "Oh my god, he just ran in."
Chaotic peers his head out from the second floor. "What are you guys doing? We have a match to win!"
Everypony shakes their thoughts out and rushes on ahead to their positions. Luna could only think the following as she makes her way to her partner. Why do I get the awful feeling this will end up bad?
It was ten minutes into the game. Two flags have been scored by Twilight's team and the damn gryphons. In the time that they did so, Luna and Chaotic had a few close calls with the enemies' flying Falcons. Thank my mother for his excellent aim, Luna thought. Chaotic was superb with the shotgun alone, but if he wanted to he can lob rains of fire over his enemies, or painted them blue with his plasma launcher. While he did so, she could swear that he is humming a tune to Haydele's hit song, Set Fire to the Rain. It was pretty cute and funny.
Luna's kill death ratio so far is 29:0. Second only to Twilight's 32:1 as the lavender armored mare charged towards the frontlines into the bullet fray, giving her more chances to shoot down more of their players. At the very least, Luna didn't die so far. It’s the thought that counts.
"So, enjoying the game so far?" Chaotic asked.
"Hmm? Yea whatever," Luna responded.
"Oh come on Lulu, what’s the matter?"
Luna grinds her teeth. "It's nothing," she said.
"Oh really? Just so you know, we’re wearing the visors and I can clearly see that your left ear is twitching."
Luna automatically brought her hoof up to hide the ear, blushing bright red as she did. Curse him for knowing my lying habits. How did he know?
"No really, it's nothing. I'm fine," she assured. Except for the fact you're an idiot.
"Really? Cause I swear to Faust that you seem a little annoyed. Was it something I said?" Chaotic asked as he twirls his weapon's rack out of boredom.
She couldn't take it anymore. "Well okay. If you want to know then I'll tell you that somepony forgot to tell me that a certain somepony dropped by in Canterlot a few weeks, and that I never even knew that certain somepony was even here!" Luna yelled at Chaotic, putting the Royal voice on a few chosen words.
Chaotic swirls his helmet visor back forward due to Luna's voice leaving it spiraling around his head. "Oh, right. Sorry about that."
Luna didn't pay any attention to him as she focuses her reticule over a gryphon shaped figure. She slaps on the trigger. The opposing member fell dead as the announcer gives Luna the kill point.
Headshot, she darkly thought.
"Well whatever, just go play with your fire barrel thing," Luna said dejectedly.
Luna felt Chaotic knelt by her. "Mind if I sit here ma'am?"
She didn't respond.
"Look, I'm sorry if I didn't call you alright? It was naive of me not to call you first and I truly feel sorry," he said.
"Sorry doesn't cut it," Luna objected, although she knew she didn't meant it.
"Why though?" he asked.
He spots another Falcon heading towards them for the kill. He calmly switches his shotgun for a plasma launcher he picked up earlier, and shot four bursts. The Falcon turns away from the camping spot as it tries to dodge the four blue balls of death. All of them however lands their mark. Too bad it was the wings too, Luna thought as she looks on the explosion, somewhat satisfied seeing Chaotic's kill.
"Because other than Tia, you're the only pony that ever talks to me," Luna confessed.
She turns towards him to see Chaotic staring at her. She couldn't see his emotions past the helmet, but she could tell that it is the face of shock.
"Really? Just me?" he asked.
She nods in return.
"But, there has to be other ponies out there in your life. You're the damn princess!"
Luna waved off the fact that Chaotic used no-no language. "Yes I am, but my subjects still don't accept me for who I really am. Who I’m really like."
"But, what about those night meetings Tia told me about? Ponies around Equestria come to your night sessions for guidance." Chaotic nudges Luna. "I heard you’re even giving advice on romantic stuff. Eh? How 'bout that?"
Luna groans at this fact. Tia has been teasing her about this for weeks. She kept telling her that she should give up being the mare of the night, and help out Cadance in the love business. She doesn't really mind, but it can get annoying sometimes.
"That isn't the same. They were just asking a princess for advice. Not a friend. Nopony wants to be my friend."
"Luna..."
She turns her head towards him, finding out that he had just lowered the transparency of his helmet’s visor, causing her to look into his light blue eyes. It was as if she was staring right up at a cloudless sky.
"I'm your friend. Your sister is your friend, and so is everypony else. Your subjects? They want nothing but to be closer to you. You are, after all, their co-ruler. Who wouldn't want to get to know you better?"
He changed his position so rather than sitting on all four of his hooves down, he's sitting on his hindquarters. It is a rather silly sitting position, but he says that he is most comfortable this way.
"I mean really, Princess of the Night. A mistress among mares. The mare who brings the night in so everypony can get rest after a hard day's work in the sun. Sure, the day is when ponies are most active, but your night brings many wonders out of Equestria. You should have seen Las Pegasus during the night, it's amazing!" He painted a picture for her in words as he droned on and on about her and the night.
He sure is annoying as Tatarus, but at least he knows how to make ponies feel better about themselves, Luna softly giggled in her mind.
As he went on and on about how great she is, the announcer blared out two specific words that caught her immediate attention.
Flag Taken
A certain bookworm’s voice made itself known in Luna's ear. "If you two lovebirds are done, I would appreciate some backup here."
Oh no. "Wait! You heard all that?!" Luna yelled, demanding to know if they were eavesdropping.
Chaotic was hitting himself in the face. "Bucking. Forgot. This. Was. A. Video game."
"Ha ha ha ha! Note and Luna sitting in a tree! K I S S I N G!" Rainbowdash said as she laughed.
Luna curses that rainbow maned mare for rehearsing such a silly rhyme.
"Ohmygosh, C.N. and Luna are all lovey-dovey now? We should throw a 'Congrats-On-The-New-Relationship' party for them!" Pinkie excitingly shouted.
Luna blushed at the thought. "We are no pony's lovey-dovey Pinkie Pie! We are the mistress of the night alone!"
"Oooh, what? But I had the cake planned and everything already!" cried Pinkie.
"Oh relax my dear, there would always be another time for another party," Rarity assured her over the radio as she drove Twilight towards home base.
"Girls please! Just focus on the mission here! We just need one more flag and we are done with this match." Twilight said as she hung back on Rarity's new Mongoose.
Chaotic sighed as he got up from his spot. "I never seem get a day's break. Ok Luna, back me up as I head for the front lines. If any bird tries to sneak up on me, hit 'em"
Luna gives him a dismissal wave, still staring into her scope. She couldn't believe that the dense idiot had forgotten they were still in game chat. She'll get her payback at him somehow.
She watches through her reticule as a part of Chaotic's form passed her lenses. He sticks the landing, and makes a beeline for the stairway that leads up to a higher vantage point where possible avians could ambush the Mongoose.
There were three possible pathways that lead to the factory that serves as the ponies' flag base. One goes around the gigantic fan in the center that composed of one outpost with many floors. If one makes it to the top, they could go through the center of the fan and across the bridge to where Luna sits.
Another could just move on from the outpost and head into the factory entrance to the left. Or there is the main pathway, which was paved for vehicles. It was large enough for a Wraith in go through without a making a scratch on one of it's tiny wing jets. That's the most likely route Twilight and Rarity will be using.
As Chaotic climbs up the stony steps, she spots a gryphon heading towards him from the opposite side of the pathway. "Chaotic, you got a bird ahead of you, twelve o' clock!"
"Got it!" Chaotic shouted as he drew his shotgun.
He peers downward from his ledge and sees the bird going around it. He leaps down on the foe's back and performs an assassination move that involves him placing a hoof on the back, and tearing the wings off the guy with his enormous strength. The holes, now in place of the wings, started to sprout up a few small fountains of blood.
"Can't fly now can ya bloody bird?" Chaotic muttered as he tosses his new trophies away.
Another gryphon heads up from behind him and pulls out his sharp talons. Luna however got her aim marker over the would-be killer and scores a direct hit on the bird's crown. Chaotic flinches at the bang and looks at Luna's new kill.
He looks at the night mare. "Really Luna? Could’a warned me there!" he shouted, obviously angry.
Luna gives the screen a childish stuck-out tongue. "Sorry, just got your back there."
Pinkie Pie's figure jumped from the fan as she did a three sixty somersault, and landed on Chaotic's back. Unfortunately, Chaotic's supposed enormous strength didn't prepare him for a pink furry cannonball.
"Heya Notey! Watcha doing?" Pinkie asked innocently.
"Ugh. Being a pillow apparently. Mind getting off me?" he said in a gruff, pained voice.
"Okie doki loki! You still owe me a party though!" Pinkie got off him in a bouncing manner.
Luna made a list to not give Pinkie Pie excuses to throw a party, and then not have them. Still, she couldn't help but snicker at his apparent pain.
"I heard that Luna!" Chaotic said, with an undertone.
"Uh, girls? Guys?" Rarity said. "Normally I would keep my composure like the good proper mare I am, but There Is A Huge Ass Tank Behind Us!"
Luna swore a little under her breath as she saw Twilight and Rarity being chased by a Scorpio tank. She takes her aim towards the menacing weapon on wheels. Goes for the cockpit a-a-a-and... *click*. *Click Click Click Click * The one-shot mare is out of bullets.
Buck! Did I really just run out of bullets on that last kill?! "Girls! I'm out of bullets! Can't take the tank out for you." she warned.
"Are you kidding me, Luna? Chaotic, I know you have a plasma launcher on you!" Twilight said, her voice edged with annoyance and worry.
"I do, but it's out of ammo!"
"Well, I have my party cannon," Pinkie Pie quickly suggested as she brought out her rocket launcher. "but it only has one shot."
"Well do something quick before-WAAAHAHAA OH!!" Rarity screamed loudly as a blast exploded to her left.
The barrel of the tank was freshly smoking. They could of taken them out right there, but they instead had the barrel veered off to the left. They were toying with her.
Pinkie Pie then shivered violently as if she was struck with an idea. A very, wild idea.
"Pinkie? You ok?" Chaotic asked, nervous at the horse's shaking.
"Well Notey, I have crazy idea. These visors lets us do anything in the game right? Like anything?" she asked.
"Well uh yeah, within reason of the supposed game's physics," he explained. “Why?”
"Well, I basically want you to toss me towards the tank's cockpit. If you do, I'll jack it, and blow up the wheel seat with my launcher. BOOOM! POW! BLAMOH!" she said as she hoof pumps each of her last words.
Chaotic ponders over the matter. As he did, Twilight's transportation drove right pass them with the tank rolling by.
"No time to think C.N.! Toss me!" she said as she jumped into Chaotic's hooves.
Luna's face meanwhile burns with jealousy.
How come she doesn't get to be in his arms?
She reflected more about this sight until she shook her head to wave away the feelings. There's no way that she could be jealous of the crazy pink mare, right? Curse it all. If only she had one more bullet.
Meanwhile the driver notices the two pairing right next to him. He starts to swivel the long barrel towards the two ponies.
"Chaotic! Pinkie! Hurry!" Luna shouts as she snaps out of her mini dilemma.
"No time to chat, game boy!" Pinkie shouted.
Chaotic didn't pause to answer as he used all his strength to lift the mare with one hoof. He pulled back his arm like his fire barrel catapult, and tosses the energetic pony. The tank at the same time fires the explosive bomb at him. Luna winces at his demise, and didn't want to look his virtual body being blown to bits.
The party mare somehow survives the explosion and stands over the tank with her pod of destruction.
"Hey gryphons!" she shouted.
The tank tries the aim at the pink pony but she held the barrel away from her with one hoof.
"Eat cake, bitch!" she said as she pounds the cockpit with her rocket launcher.
Somehow the blunt end of the weapon pierced a hole into the metal layers of the lid, and the pilot of the tank fumbles with his controller as he tries to comprehend how the pony managed to get on top of him, not to mention the fact that she has a rocket launcher stuck into the cockpit. The mare goes for the kill and uses her last rocket pod. The castle tall explosion of the tank was colored pink, and the sound of the blast was the equivalent of Vinyl Scratch's twelfth soundtrack, ten times over. These visor's speakers are even better then the Ponybeaches! The high quality sound was as if she was witnessing the explosion right in the flesh.
"Sweet Faust that was beautiful," Luna said with her mouth wide open, swearing on her mother’s name.
"That. Was. HYPE!" Rainbow Dash agreed as she shouted.
As Luna stood in awe of the destruction, the announcer gave victory.
Flag Capture
Blue Team Wins
Game Over
Luna could now hear the other team as they squawk insults at the ponies. They were obviously not pleased with the outcome of the match, and their tank. Luna gave herself a hoof pump as they won. Yea! Her first clan match! She basks in their victory over the birds as her purple lobby leader backs out of the custom match.
"Well, I can happily say that it was a one hundred percent victory for Team Awesome," Twilight concluded with calm assurance.
"Oh-my-gosh. Did you see what I did? It was amazing! It was like Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainnuke, but in the color of pink!" Pinkie shouted.
"Oh please, I could make an explosion like that even bigger. I pull them off all the time in my sleep!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Oh please sugarcube, don't tell us what kind of explosions you make in your bed 'kay?" Applejack remarked.
"Hey! What are you saying, Applejack?" Rainbow Dash said with an annoyed edge.
"Oh ya know. Those 'explosions'?" Applejack said slyly.
"Hey! It was one time at that sleepover! It's not MY fault somepony made apple burritos!"
"Well hey, you practically spent the night in the bathroom."
The entire party laughs at this news.
"Oh my god, what am I hearing from these ponies?" Chaotic muttered.
Luna only smiles at the conversation. It is great to hang out with friends, even if they are only talking to each other over the network. She trots up towards the disk tray as she picks up a game that she wanted to try.
"Hey, Chaotic?" she asked. "Wanna play some Trot 4 Dead 2?"