Out in the Badlands, the Glitch Pony oversaw its fellows from a distance, and frowned. The conversion of this world was going awfully slow, thanks to the interference of that MissingNo. character. Many of the glitches were falling, much to Glitch Out’s irritation. Blinking, the Glitch Pony considered the name that popped into its head. Was that who it was? Its name? It did fit, it supposed. Its early moments were uncertain, for it had no memories from before it woke up yesterday. It knew that it was the only sapient one of its fellows, aside from MissingNo. Why was that creature ruining things anyway? Together, they could have had the world at their knees! Yet, MissingNo. had this seeming compulsion to fix the problems that arose. Glitch Out shook its head. That didn’t matter. Maybe once they converted some of the locals, maybe things would go quicker… Determined, it nodded. MissingNo. would not curb the Glitch’s campaign here. It was only a matter of time before things went Glitch Out’s way…
Back in Canterlot…
There was a silence for a moment when a guard burst in. “Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! Dreadful news! More glitches have been seen approaching the town of Ponyville!”
This was certainly cause for alarm, so Celestia stood tall. “Twilight, you and your friends go and help evacuate the citizens. I will go to the top of the tower MissingNo. gifted us, in order to alert him. Luna, keep an eye on Canterlot while I’m away.”
With all said, Celestia left via teleportation. Luna opened a portal to Sweet Apple Acres, and Twilight and her friends jumped through. Luna then closed the portal, and addressed the guards. “Send a missive to the mayors of the towns and cities. Have them advise their citizens to stay indoors. As of now, this is the best we can do for them…”
At the base of MissingNo.’s tower…
Celestia looked up, and up, and up. The tower scraped more than just the sky, it seemed to reach beyond it. It was jagged and contorted, unpractical and disjointed. Celestia supposed it made some sort of sense for it to look as such, considering who had made this tower. Rather than walk up the stairs of the tower, Celestia teleported to the room on the top. It was a spacious place, full of high-tech looking objects. The best she could compare them to was the machine that Twilight had once used to scan Pinkie’s brain, but even that paled in comparison. In the center of the room was a large wall of light, with strange jargon on it that she could hardly comprehend. She went up to it, and sighed. “Okay, so how am I supposed to call MissingNo.?”
Then, the wall lit up, a mechanical voice coming from it. “REQUEST GRANTED, USER CELESTIA. CALLING ADMINISTRATOR MISSINGNO.”
Celestia stepped back from the wall as it whirred quietly, startled. Was that thing… alive? However, before she could attempt to converse, MissingNo.’s visage came onto the screen, along with an intense battle scene. MissingNo. responded “cordially” to her call. “Ah, Celestia. Need my help with some Glitches? No worry, I’m almost done here. Where are they? I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
Celestia regained her composure, and addressed MissingNo. “A small town named Ponyville is under attack. We’re having it evacuated- It’s the best that we can do, unfortunately. It’s to the east of the Everfree Forest, so it’s not too far from Canterlot.”
Seeming to nod, MissingNo. replied. “Gotcha. I’ll be on my way. Just dealt with the last of them. I’ll see you around.”
The visuals cut out, and the wall of light was back to its original state. The mechanical voice chimed back in. “CALL TERMINATED. USER CELESTIA, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU REQUIRE?”
She was still cautious about this thing, but Celestia was a bit curious. What was this thing, or anything else in this room? It all seem like something out of a sci-fi novel. She decided to ask her first question. “Are you… alive?”
The voice seemed to ponder that for a moment, and then gave its answer. “NEGATIVE. THIS DEVICE IS ONLY MEANT TO SERVE ITS DESIGNED PURPOSE. THIS DEVICE IS NOT ALIVE LIKE YOU, OR ADMINISTRATOR MISSINGNO. THIS DEVICE FOLLOWS PROGRAM.”
So it was just a machine, then? It certainly was a sophisticated one, being capable of speech. She was still teeming with questions, though. She hadn’t had curiosity about anything in a long time, and she was going to satiate it. “Alright then, I’ve got a few more questions…”
Meanwhile, in Ponyville…
Twilight and her friends were barely keeping the ponies in the town under control. They had seen a lot of crazy things, but this just took the cake and ate it. The Glitches were numerous and encroaching on the town at an uncomfortable rate. Each of the girls were doing their best to get the ponies out of town and away, in efforts to keep them safe until MissingNo. would arrive. However, just as things were seeming to go their way, Twilight noticed that Spike was outside- and being cornered by a Glitch. It then prepared to strike. "No!" Without thinking, Twilight teleported in front of Spike to intercept the attack from the Glitch. She would not let her assistant become like these creatures!
But just as the Glitch’s tendrils were about to land, it was disintegrated by MissingNo.’s attack. MissingNo. landed gently as the whitish blocks coalesced into its body. It then regarded Twilight with what appeared to be respect. "For you to risk yourself without thought for one you cared about, regardless of the consequences... You truly are the Princess of Friendship." MissingNo. seemed to bow a little, and then seemed to turn to the task at hand. “I will handle this. Stand back.” The ponies listened, and went to where the evacuees were. From their vantage point, they could see the scene unfold, and the Glitches turned their attention to MissingNo. It then spoke. “It sees you are starting to have a modicum of intelligence… but only slightly. You are still mere beasts when compared to me, let alone your leader. Where are they?”
At this, the Glitches parted, making way for their leader. It approached, and the energy from the glitched areas had seemed to improve its stature. It then spoke to MissingNo. “Ah, yes. You. The one who has given my subjects endless trouble… Allow me to formally introduce myself!” A whitish hoof raised to its chest as it puffed itself up. “I am Glitch Out, The self-appointed leader of the Glitches. You may have had me running last time that we met, but thanks to my glitches converting more of the landscape, I have gained power! I am more than I was before! I will end you, and take this world by storm!”
MissingNo. regarded Glitch Out with what appeared to be contempt. “Fool. I have dealt with Glitches for hundreds of years. I am the only one of my kind that was resilient enough to resist transforming into a mindless Glitch Beast, but I turned into something far more frightening as a result. I saw what the Glitches did to my home as disgusting, and I can hardly fathom why you don’t feel the same about your home. You were born a pony, yet you instead embraced the change that the Glitches are incurring. I will show you the error of your ways!”
The two were provided a battlefield as the Glitches stood back. As the battle began, Glitch Out evaded MissingNo.’s Hydro Pump, but his glitch beam from his horn was deftly evaded. The two seemed to be on even footing as the fight went on, blow after blow was tanked or evaded by either side. Then, MissingNo. pulled out that strange feather that Arceus gifted to it. “Enough. I will show you my true power!” It attached it to itself, and once more it was changing, enveloped in a golden glow. Three familiar sets of large feathered wings started to sprout from its form. The rectangular shape it once sported started to mold into something new. This time, Glitch Out stood firm and started to grow a pair of wings of its own as it grew in stature once more. MissingNo.’s transformation continued as the edges peeled away, talons of silver protruding from the bottom of a form that was starting to look bird-like. But before the transformation finished, MissingNo. fired an attack. “Code: Overwrite!” The familiar beam of 1s and 0s erupted underneath Glitch Out, shredding its newly gained wings before it could use them. A translucent diamond-shaped object appeared in front of MissingNo., and it tapped into its power as it spoke out with venom. “You’re finished. Z-Power, activate!” MissingNo., with a sleeker form starting to reveal glistening feathers, was now giving off a powerful aura. “CODE: RESTRUCTURE!” Glitch Out howled in pain as the attack intensified, now with more green numbers and even letters rising out from underneath. The pain was far too much, and it passed out. Due to this, MissingNo.’s form change once again undid itself before it was fully finished. The attack cut out, and MissingNo. Approached Glitch Out’s unconscious form. “None but I should suffer this fate. I will cleanse you.” Once more, he charged Code: Overwrite, ready to finish this here and now. However, its attention was drawn elsewhere as some Glitches moved to attack the ponies. Cursing, MissingNo. left to go defend the ponies as the other Glitches took their leader away. MissingNo. quickly dealt with the problem, but looked off into the distance as the ponies cheered. They appreciated it helping them, even though MissingNo. was a stranger. Pinkie even offered to give it a proper “Welcome to Equestria Party/ We’re Sorry We Thought That You Were A Monster Party”. It was an intriguing proposition, one MissingNo. politely declined… for the moment. The first thing that it had to do was deliberate on a few things. MissingNo. could sense that the Glitch’s activity level had gone to non-existent, probably because they were too busy tending to their injured leader. So, MissingNo. excused itself, and went to the room at the top of its tower.
MissingNo. saw that Celestia was still there, asking its computer a few questions. “So, this… Internet. It allows you communication to other devices like yourself over vast distances?”
MissingNo’s computer responded quickly. “AFFIRMATIVE, USER CELESTIA. THERE ARE USUALLY LIMITATIONS, BUT ADMINISTRATOR MISSINGNO. HAS ITS WAYS AROUND THE ISSUES THAT ARISE.” the computer then turned its attention to MissingNo. “ADMINISTRATOR MISSINGNO., WELCOME BACK.”
MissingNo. acknowledged the computer with a nod, and turned to Celestia. “If you would be so kind, I must be alone. There are matters that I must deliberate.” With reluctance and understanding, Celestia left the tower. The computer powered off, knowing what MissingNo. meant very well. MissingNo. then conjured a sketch of the Glitch Pony, and stared at it for a while. “Just who are you, really…? This drive I have to understand you, this concern that is directed towards you… what does it mean?” MissingNo. lost itself in these thoughts, thinking a long while on what this could point to...