//------------------------------// // Event - [Ego Unleashed] // Story: MLP: Actualization Online // by Slendy //------------------------------// [Quest Board] "Clear a group of enemies. Collect items. Dispel a dungeon. Choices are clearly endless...." I muttered to myself, knowing I was alone for the rest of the day since Rain wanted to go out with her friends IRL, so I won't mind, besides, she did tell me to level up a bit so we could have a better grasp at the game's system "I think I'll take...." "Hey, you!" Ah, the presence of someone worthy of attempting to insult me, I accept. Turning at the voice, my hazel gaze was soon met with magenta, before my eyes glanced to the spectrum sweet hair, and the baby-blue coat of.... "Oh [BEEP]." I wasn't pleased, it was Rainbow Dash, question was, why is she talking to me? "I was trying to make a tough choice on which quest to go on, then you show up......so, how can I help you?" "You're that pony Pinkie was telling me about, edgy hair-" Have you looked in a mirror. "-Nerdy glasses, hard to miss the pony who took down a knight of 'Legend' by himself! You don't look that tough?" "Aye, I'd be inclined to agree, since I had Pinkie, 'AND' my friend Purplrain's help, it wasn't easy, not by a long shot." I bluntly replied to her comment, ignoring the insult to my glasses, and my blackish-red hair. Now I was beginning to grow tired of this conversation, and my brain cells were beginning to commit suicide with each breath. "Can I go now?" "Hey, I ain't finished with you!?" She yelled, as players watched me completely blow off the egotistical pegasus like the wind, as I pushed my glasses back up my muzzle. "I said get back here!?" "Don't care~!" I sung, leaving with my desired quest to gather some simple herbs, since it would offer me both a magic boost potion, and minor EXP potion, which are both rare, and valuable this early of a release. "Wonder how Rain's doing...?" [IRL Messages - User: Purplrain] I have to admit, its still strange being out of MLP: AO, I mean, sure, its be a week now, and with boring high school being boring, I've had alot to do, but just feeling my fingers again was strange, I guess playing as a different species entirely did that to you. Wonder how White Hat would feel? Since he's always online when I show up, so he must have had more time to himself, how did he react to switching between a human and pony? Just then, I was jumped out of my daydream by my phone vibrating in my pocket, so I sighed, ignoring whatever my friends were talking about for the moment to see who it was....it was a text.....from White Hat? Wow, I guess he already wanted to text with me, well, I don't mind, guess I shouldn't be rude. White Hat: Hey....sorry to bother you, but did PP tell anyone about the boss fight when I logged off? Purplrain: Well no, not when I was there Purplrain: Wait, I think when I was about to leave I heard her talking with RD, why? Did something happen? White Hat: Nothing major, just think the game's 'choice' system is in play, I may have an event dictated to myself, but I don't know, left before I could figure it out Purplrain: Are you sure it ain't anything that could be bad? 😟 White Hat: If it was, I think I can handle it, still, thanks anyways, seeya when I seeya, Rain 👌 "Hey, who's this you're texting?" My ears perked up at my best friend, Nora speaking beside me. "A guy....?" "H-Hey, my messages, my privacy!" I barked, hiding my phone, my face heating up slightly from the tease. "Just someone I know from a game Ive been playing." "He'll be fine, after all, he's probably more experienced in this stuff then me." [Ponyville West Hills] "I think Rain would have more experience with this stuff than me...." I groaned, seeing that same blasted Skittle reject in sight, and she didn't seem pleased. "Skittles, what do you want?" "I want a challenge." She instantly declared, much to my baffled expression "You want to expand on that?" I questioned, seeing her smug grin appear, whist she pointed towards Ponyville "You and me will race through town, first one to get to the east hills wins. Of course, if I win, you fork over a hoof-full of bits 'AND' admit i'm better than you." She demanded as if she was attempting to rob me, that, and I couldn't really care if she was better, she 'IS' an element of harmony, a rather egotistical one at that "I get the feeling my opinion in this conversation has no merit." I butted in "Deal?" She insisted "Great, now you're just flat-out ignoring my voice entirely like an athlete with parents that have overly-high expectations of him." I wasn't quitting, neither was she "Deal?" She was growing more agitated by the second, and that is as far as we will will agree to "Listen, discount Creepypasta, why don't you take your redundant Rainbow Factory ass back to Cloudsdale, and leave me in peace to pick flowers, not insultingly, I mean 'LITERAL' flowers for this quest!" I pointed out the obvious "Would you just accept the deal!?" She snapped, making me sigh in defeat my own words "Fine-fine, but...if I win...." Then I grinned myself, grabbing her hoof, and dragging her down from the air to look me dead in the eyes. "You not only apologize for insulting my glasses, but I get bits from 'you'. Deal, Skittles?" She now looked flustered, as I threw her hoof back, before she huffed, but continued to hold her ground with a glare, whist I did the same, finding this opportunity to kick her in the dirt would most entertaining indeed. I hate to upset some fans, but her ego makes me want to jump off a cliff with an anvil in my hands. "F-Fine, but if I also win, quit calling me that name....whatever it means, nerd-" Once again, she complimented my knowledge, but thankfully left my glasses. "-With glasses!" I'll bury her alive in cement. "Also, since we can use that same magic Twi rambled about, no using it, only running or flying through the town, whist sticking to the roads, and paths." "Aye, now can we get this over with, I have a quest to do for someone." I groaned, making her snort in anger, but she ultimately kept her trap shut, whist I dug my hooves into the dirt, flaring my wings to my sides, awaiting her signal to begin, that was going to be that case, if not for two things, the first [Event - Ego Unleashed] Rainbow Dash has challenged you to a test of speed, and reflexes, beat her, and set her straight! [ ] Beat Rainbow Dash Optional: [ ] Bend the rules in your favor And the Music, and if I didn't know any better, I believe that fate is rooting for me. Hehehe....i'm gonna burn this [BEEP] into the ground. "Ready.....GO!" At the mere sound of her mouthing the 'G' I thrusted my wings back, lurching forwards with my hooves, as I flew across the hill, my gravity defying body gliding towards the cobblestone path with ease as I took off, but my lead was very short, as I saw the annoying Skittles fly past me with a stupid grin, flying down the street to her left, whist I dashed past players, and ponies alike If she was laughing, then she best hold her breath. I quickly ducked to my left, running up a tipped wagon, before I grabbed the rope above me, swinging my body up, before I flew atop the thatch roofs of Ponyville, leaping across the gaps between the paths, whist using my wings to clear the streets with ease, with some onlookers either following us, or watching as I leapt over them. When I crossed another gap, I saw Skittles halt, as she flew up to me with a furious expression that even made me crack a smug smile at her own game turned against her. "You're cheating!" She exclaimed, whist I continued over the small gaps with ease "Your words...said nothing, ahh! About using the roofs, Skittles!" I breathed between jumps, before I rolled past her, causing her to crash into the thatch, whist I slid down onto the cobblestone road again, following the road to the east, with Skittles closing in fast, then, her speed tripled, throwing light objects flying from their resting place, as her mini sonic boom threw me into another overhanging rope, catching my chest as I grunted against the rope burn. "You cheating...." "Hey, I didn't say you couldn't!" She sneered, before dashing off, no pun intended, into the streets, as she, that's when I noted my bouncing, as I felt my weight move up, and down due to my balance. If I had a lightbulb, it would have lit up above my head now, as I looked down at some of the followers of our race with a sly grin "Hey guys, mind giving me a boost?" "YeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEeeeeeeet~!" I bellowed past Skittles, knocking her right wing into her muzzle, knocking her out of the sky, as I fell past like a bullet fired from a Barrett M82, before I fanned my wings out to skid across large, sharp drop on a thatch roof, sliding down onto a wooden board, snapping it free before I surfed wobbly down a slope heading east, the wind sharply catching my speed as I wobbly balanced myself on the wooden board In the ears, past the wind that splashed against my face, I could hear players catching onto the event, as some cheered for both me, and Skittles, seeing how events were random, and were a fun source of entertainment in any game. Then I saw it, the blue blur heading straight for me. Taking that as my cue to exit the streets, I leapt from the board, and onto another set of homes, sliding down one end to avoid Skittles, as she grew closer. Perfect. "Where'd he go!?" She snapped angrily, flying far slower than normal, big mistake on her end, as I leapt out of the houses, before I landed my back hooves on her head, before I propelled myself into a nearby alleyway, far from view. "Ha, eat it, cheater!" At the very outskirts of the Green Zone, many ponies awaited Skittles to arrive, as they cheered for their victor, the pegasus landing proudly on the grass, right beside where I had been viewing her for the last few seconds with a drink in my hoof, happily drinking the contents with a sweet, sweet grin. "Sup, Skittles, had a nice stroll through town?" I happily asked, as she jumped back, turning to face me with utter bewilderment, as she looked between me, and Ponyville, pointing as she did "How did-you couldn't-wha!?" Speechless, much like some of the onlookers, so I set my drink down, before clapping my hooves together "Its simple, you see, Pinkie happened to have mentioned yesterday that she has places randomly picked out for trampolines, the reason she brought it up was due to the fact that we could have used one during the boss fight for....reasons, she never told us, anywho, I just happened to use your head as a viewing post, before I leapt towards the location of said trampoline." I explained, and I swore her jaw fell of its hinges "How!? Pinkie's random!? That whole excuse was random!?" Skittles exclaimed, but I simply tapped my head with a smile "Well, this 'Nerd with glasses', happens to be good at logic, as if happens, she merely located trampolines in locations where such leverage would be required, such as the tall, steep roofs I hid behind to confuse you. I won't go into specifics, but she placed one in that alley based on the distance of each tall-roofed house, and placed it equally as close to them." My logic broke her, literally, I think her A.I fried "HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE!?!" Everyone in the area screamed in shock, whist I simply picked my drink up, finishing its contents with glee, before I stood up, storing the empty glass in my inventory, before I came before a defeated Skittles, who was looking crossed with sadness, anger, and alot of shame with the crowd staring at us, don't worry, I didn't feel guilty in the slightest, she did this to herself "So, how many bits do you want?" She mumbled, ah, making me choose, what a grand idea! What amount do I wish to acquire? I could get a new upgrade to my equipment? Maybe another drink? *Pat-Pat-Pat* At my sudden patting of her mane, she looked up in confusion, before I moved to walk past her, happily refocusing my quest again, then I stopped, not turning to face her, I doubt she needed pity now. "Don't make fun of my glasses again, Skittles." I answered her silence simply, before I walked away, leaving her, and the crowd to watch to surprise at my actions, whist I hummed to myself at my new objective. "Now then....collect-" "Hold on!" Oh for [BEEP] sake.... I turned my head to look at the perplexed expression of Skittles, as she looked lost at my gaze of bemusement, as I held my tab open for a moment. "Why didn't you take your side of the deal? A deal 'is' a deal!" She enforced, making me rub my muzzle, before I smiled simply at how obvious my reason was "You were envious of my talents, which were told by Pinkie, the most unreliable source for a full story, so to take advantage of that blinded information would leave a bad taste in my mouth." I replied evenly, moving to leave her with her own thoughts. This world....it was so real, her emotions were driven, her actions given meaning, it was so human, was this what the A.I of this world were capable of? "Just....try not to jump too early next time." "White...." I stopped at my name, hearing her shuffle her body slightly. "You're pretty cool, even for a nerd." "Duly noted, Skittles, seeya around." I waved, leaving her to fly off into the sky again. Meanwhile, a small bar appeared before me [Event Complete] Rainbow Dash has challenged you to a test of speed, and reflexes, beat her, and set her straight! [ ] Beat Rainbow Dash Optional: [ ] Bend the rules in your favor I guess some emotions are more reasonable when seen up close [Rewards] EXP 200 [Achievement Unlocked] Loyalty - You Talked with Rainbow Dash and completed a quest for her [Level Up!] [5 - 6] When I looked to my notifications again, I saw that Rain had replied to my messages again, so I opened the tab, and looked to the page with a more level head. Purplrain: Hey, all done, but now my friends think you're-nevermind, I'll be on at 6 tonight, you wanna do some quests then? 🙂 White Hat: Sure, just finished that event, turns out I may have gotten an new ally for future endeavors 👍 Purplrain: Awesome! Seeya later tonight! White Hat: Aye, seeya then Purplrain: Wait, can I ask you something? I paused, my hoof hovering over my menu before I could press the red 'X'. White Hat: Shoot Purplrain: Do you think I'm a little annoying? "Why would....?" I was now concerned, wasn't really like her to be asking this sort of thing, hell, I find myself surprised everyday to see her tolerating me! White Hat: No, don't really know why that's a question, but no, I don't 🙂 . . . . . . . . Purplrain: Seeya later tonight, byyyyye! 😁 When I finally closed the tab with a question lingering in my head, that thought was quickly shot by the sudden pain in my right hoof, as I stumbled slightly in my step, lifting my hoof to inspect what I struck, which was odd, the pain inhibitor wouldn't have registered pain as a sharp jab? My hoof hoof however, had a small cut across the flat surface, seeing the red line glow from damage, my health was fine though, but it still hurt, even looking at it made me wince. "What the hell? If I felt that....is my inhibitor lower?" I muttered, quickly swiping my tab open and going to 'Settings', when I scrolled to 'Physiological Data', I checked the details of my brain patterns, stress levels....there! 'Pain Inhibitor' When I looked at it, the details were blocked by the sudden appearance of a blue warning sign, as a text box appeared under the slowly flashing light. 'Sorry, this data is being evaluated by Administration, this inconvenience will be resolved within a few hours, please try again later'. Why would the Admins be 'evaluating' my data now? Wouldn't I have been given a message about it? Something tells me this isn't just a bug, but, I hope I'm wrong, since Skittles fried my logic today with her 'ahem', challenge. To Be Continued.... Update Party: (You) White Hat - lvl 6 [Offensive class] Current Level: 6 Magic: Sky/Air Magic Items: Empty Cola Glass [New Passive Added] -Part of the Creed- Your ability to maneuver and parkour over obstacles increases your speed when doing so, making you far more agile (Assassin's Creed is in your digital blood now!)