EPISODE FIVE
Like all places-- every citizen of United Equestria had a permanent record of their histories, jobs, residence, medical health, and even escapades or even crimes committed.
All were kept safely guarded in City Halls, record department agencies, even within the royal palace in New Canterlot, but monitors and kept in check via computer systems, which was why it was very important that the systems and records be firmly maintained so that no errors would occur.
Data Stream had a lot of trouble finding a new job to maintain her income. Word had spread about her actions in the palace and how Princess Cadance had dismissed her, but then again her record wasn’t all that enlightening to begin with.
There wasn’t a single computer company or technician crew that would hire her at all, knowing of her bad attitude and her horrible mistakes that often lead to trouble.
Most other places-- libraries, schools, any other places that used computers wouldn’t let her in either due to her bad record.
The only job she was actually able to secure… was a trash picker for the sanitation engineers, dressed in a sewage green uniform, hauling a huge, smelly wagon around The New Crystal Empire, picking up discarded litter, emptying waste bins, and hauling it all to the dump and then going back for more, three times a day.
“Ugh, this is so demeaning!” she groaned as she picked up the litter with a pointy stick and flicked it into her wagon, which was very full, heavy and smelly, which further enraged her “A pony of MY talents and skills being subjected to this disgusting job because of my permanent record…!”
As she pushed and pulled her wagon along, she could see how successful and well-off many other ponies were.
“I tell you, my record is perfectly spotless.”
“Boss says if I keep this up, I’m entitled to a raise.”
“I just got a promotion. My record is so clean you could eat off it.”
Data Stream was madder than ever, and soon her rage would reach its peak, when she came to empty some waste bins in a field, where she saw Princess Cadance and Shining Armor making a grand dedication to the opening of a new large playground that was completed and ready for children to play.
Cadance cut the ribbon with the ceremonial scissors, and all the children cheered for joy as they ran into the playground to have fun.
Cadance and Shining Armor sighed happily as they watched all the smiling children playing and getting along so well, but the moment was interrupted by the distinct odor coming from Flurry Heart’s diaper.
They wasted no time in changing it. “Aw, all clean now?” cooed Cadance, and she playfully put her lips on her daughter’s tummy and blew softly, making Flurry giggle and coo.
Shining Armor pecked his little girl on her head, and then pecked his wife tenderly on the cheek. “I’d… better take care of this.” he said holding up the soiled diaper.
“Better hurry, I see the pickup wagon’s here.” said Cadance.
They both could see the wagon with the huge trash pile in it, but they couldn’t see the collector anywhere.
“I bet I can shoot it from here.” said Shining Armor, and he scrunched up the stinky diaper into a ball and gave a huge basketball toss towards the trash pile, but the diaper flew over the pile and landed with a squash on the other side.
“Hey!!”
“That voice…!” said Cadance.
Data Stream came from round the other side of the wagon, with the rotten diaper on her head. As if she weren’t angry enough, but seeing the two of them.
“Data Stream?” asked Shining Armor.
She angrily threw the diaper off her head and balked, “Who else?!” then she glared at Cadance “It’s bad enough you take away my job, and now this?”
Flurry Heart cried at the growling sounds of her voice. “Oh, honey…” Shining Armor said as he picked her up and stroked her softly “It’s okay, calm down.” Then he glared at Data, “Don’t scare the baby like that!”
“Humph!” grunted Data “Thank goodness she’s too young to understand what backstabbers her parents are.”
“That’s enough!” sneered Cadance “I fired you for a reason, and you know why. Quite frankly, I think you should ease up with that attitude, your record already is bad enough.”
“Oh, yes… “My record.” jeered Data “I doubt very much anyone would say anything bad about your record, Princess.”
Shining Armor was really starting to get mad, “I think you better leave before you make another mistake.”
“Gladly.” Data sneered, and off she went in a grumpy huff with her trash wagon.
Cadance sighed, “What is with that pony?” she wondered aloud
Her husband agreed, “Well, at the rate she’s going it’ll take a lot to change her record.”
Data actually heard him as she walked further away. “…This gives me an idea.”
Later that day when she got home, and had a nice long bath to get rid of her garbage stench, she sat herself down at the computer and designed a new monster.
It was human-shaped, but had a huge, solid hood with a large computerized eye in the middle. It wore solid blue armor, and in each of its hands it held two big maces.
Data talked to herself as she added the finishing touched, “You all like to make fun of me and my record, do you? You all have better lives and better profiles than me? Well, I think I can change that… with a little help.”
She turned to face her second computer screen and called to it, “Megadox… I summon you! Come to me, Megadox!”
The second screen activated, showing the images of her evil comrade from cyberspace. “Greeting, Fleshing.” He hissed at her, much to her annoyance. “I told you before: My name is “Data Stream… Da-Ta… Stream…!”
“Yes,” said Megadox “I shall try and remember.
Why do you summon me? Have you another virus, perhaps? One that will DESTORY! I thoroughly enjoyed our little bout the last time…
…Until that wretched Surfer character appeared and ruined everything.”
Data narrowed her eyes, “Yes, I enjoyed it much myself… but I am not satisfied. I’m in the mood for some real fun now.”
She motioned at the other screen, “This is my new Glare Virus. Send it to feed on the master record keeping files. Once there, it will alter and corrupt the data and the personal records of all involved-- especially one PATICULAR ponies’ record I want changed the most!”
Megadox chuckled “This sounds dastardly. I like it. Imagine the chaos and confusion it will bring.”
“Exactly…” hissed Data “Do your thing, Megadox-- bring my monster to life.”
“As you wish.” Complied Megadox, and he zapped the other screen with his power wave, bringing the fierce warrior virus to life “Now, off with you to the master record files.”
The virus was sent on its way, along the powerlines, and found its way past all security programs and into the master system of the record files. Once there, it began to hack at the chips and wires with its maces, which badly infected the data being fed.
Data was snickering wickedly, “Oh, this is going so sweet.” she cackled.
Later that day…
*Mykan’s POV*
It had been almost a week since I had first gone into the Digital World and defeated that virus, but the mysteries surrounding it all were just baffling, but as ordered by Lightning, neither myself nor the Cutie Mark Crusaders breathed a word about it to anyone not involved.
…The only exception to this was Dr. Penny Sillon, whom Lightning had ordered I see for a physical after my ordeal as Surfer; in case anything had changed about me or if I contracted any kind of unknown ailment.
Since all the ponies in United Equestria were anthropomorphic, humanoid, Penny had no trouble examining me, as my human physiology wasn’t all that different.
Penny checked over her list, “You’re perfectly normal, healthy as a horse.”
“You mean “healthy as a human.” I teased.
Penny playfully rolled her eyes.
“Well, I don’t feel any different either.” I said “I don’t seem to have any injuries from that fight.”
“About that…” Penny asked “Did you experience any other feelings-- Pain, disorientation, sudden feelings of sickness?”
“Well-- aside from feeling a bit dizzy from traveling across electronic wavelengths so fast-- nothing. Still, it was so weird… I actually went INTO the computer.”
Penny was baffled by all this too, but with all said and done, and jotted down on her notepad, and nothing left to report, “Well, I guess you can go then, but just the same, if you start experiencing any illness or traumas from this order, come and see me again.”
“Sure doc,” I got up and headed for the door, “And remember what Lightning said; no telling about this.”
Penny put a finger to her lips, “Doctor-Patient confidentiality.”
Even though I felt healthy and fine, my mind was still swimming with many unanswered questions that Lightning and the others were looking into as much as they could.
-What was the Surfer Program?
-Where did it come from?
-How could I even get into the Digital World in the first place?
-What happened to the school computers?
But most importantly, that mega-virus monster; where did it come from, who designed it, who brought it to life?
For now I was just hoping that there wouldn’t be any more like that.
*POV Ends*
Meanwhile, Lightning and Starla had invited Professor Brain to their house to examine the computers taken from the school himself.
“This is extraordinary.” he awed “I don’t how, but for some strange reason, this simple, ordinary device has transfigured into a super-computer, with actual access into a Digital sub-world contained within.
I’ve never seen anything like this in all my years!”
“Never?” Krysta joked “This may be a historic occasion.”
The professor was far from amused, “However,” he stated “The Surfer Program; I’m not quite certain what it is, but I would like very much to examine this further, at my laboratory in the palace, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all, Professor.” said Lightning “We have our own little investigation to find too; looking for an apprentice.”
“And there I wish you luck.” said Brain “Eh, would escort me home please, Krysta.”
Krysta nodded, and she and the professor soon vanished through a portal with the two computers.
Lightning sighed and stared awkwardly at the floor.
“What is it?” asked Starla.
“It just seems so fantastic; a whole world inside computers, and now a super hero program that can battle monsters and restore damage…?”
His wife agreed, “Do you think it’s all connected to something?”
“Well, hopefully we’ll soon know.” said Lightning.
Just then, they received a magical letter, in red parchment from Starfleet Officials. The red parchment usually meant bad news.
“What’s this?” Lightning wondered as he opened the letter, and what he read nearly froze his heart. “Starla… look at this!”
His wife took the letter and she gasped hard, “What? It can’t be…?!”
Whatever was in that letter was a result of the Glare Virus, as it continued to smash and corrupt the record files.
More and more unusual things were happening all across the planet.
Some ponies were losing their jobs; others were arrested at unfortunate moments. Even children were be affected by all those as their parents were forced to evict their homes.
Wonderbolts were dismissed from Cloudsdale…
Schools were closing down…
Even Cadance was about to be affected, back the Crystal Palace. She was in the nursery, rocking baby Flurry Heart and humming a lullaby to help her sleep for her nap.
When suddenly, Shining Armor came in a panic “Cadance…! Cadance…!”
The baby woke up and cried.
“Honey! Look what you’ve done.” snapped Cadance, but her husband continued to panick and told her “Child Protection Services is here. They’re here to take Flurry Heart away!”
“WHAT?!!” cried Cadance “But why? What’s going on?”
The CPS officer came in, with a warrant to carry out orders and take the baby away, “According to our latest records, the both are considered unfit parents.”
The couple thought this outrageous, and Cadance insisted “I’m a great mother, I’ve always provided well for my daughter.”
“That’s what I told him.” added Shining Armor.
Alas, their efforts were in vain. Despite even the officer himself finding it strange to believe and knowing the couple’s past was good and true, “I’m sorry, but I have my orders. Please surrender the child.”
“No!” cried Cadance, clutching her baby more than ever “No, I won’t let you take her!”
“I second that!” sneered Shining Armor as he stood in front of his wife to protect her.
The officer was losing his patients, “Listen, I don’t understand how this is happening, and I don’t like it any more than you do, but I have my orders and if you fail to surrender that child, I’m sorry to say, even the two of you will face charges.
If there is something wrong about this, we’ll try and investigate, but for now I suggest you make it easier on yourselves and give me the baby.”
Cadance was positively fraught with distress, but in the end she knew she couldn’t fight against laws, and realizing what trouble she’d be in more if she didn’t give in… she painfully passed her baby to the officer. “Oh!” she sobbed.
Flurry began to fuss and reach for her parents. The officer sighed, “Believe me, I don’t like this. If we find anything wrong with the records, we will return your child… until then, she is under our custody.”
He then left, unable to bear Cadance’s sobbing expression.
Cadance fell to her knees and cried hysterically.
Her husband held her tightly, almost feeling like crying himself, while at the same time he was completely outraged. “We’re NOT bad parents!” he growled “How did this happen?!”
His wife was far too hysterical to say anything.
As more chaos and confusion spread across the world, Megadox laughed wickedly, “All this panic and sorrow, mindless collapsing of sanity. This world of Fleshlings will be MINE to command!”
Data Stream snickered herself, “This is more fun than a video game.” then suddenly she realized “Blast! I could’ve changed my own record and made it cool!
Ah, well, next time, maybe.”
*Mykan’s POV*
I had no classes to teach that day, so I enjoyed my day off and thought I’d get a milkshake from the Cake’s Café, but when I got there a terrible sight met my eyes. The place was closed, and on the door was a notice.
“What?” I snapped as I read the notice: “Closed under violation of health laws.”
I couldn’t believe it! I wouldn’t believe it!
There didn’t seem to be anyone home either, suggesting the Cakes and Pinkie Pie had gone someplace else to stay, what with their home and business locked up.
“It’s closed!” came a voice from behind me, and I saw the Cuitemark Crusaders.
“Hi, Mr. Stevens.” said Sweetie Belle
“What are you girls doing out of school? It’s too early.” I said.
“Weird story,” said Applebloom, “Ms. Cheerilee couldn’t make it into school today on the count of her teacher’s license was said to be expired. So school’s been canceled.”
“What?” I asked in shock. I knew Cheeliee’s teaching license wasn’t expired. She and I both had our licenses renewed together just recently.
“Why didn’t the school contact me?” I asked “I could’ve taken over for Cheerilee.”
“Yeah, about that,” said Scootaloo “We did ask to contact you to the police when they took Ms. Cheerilee away.”
“But they said you’re not an inhabitant of this planet with no identification and no certification.” added DD.
My head was spinning by this point, “Okay, what is going here?”
“Hey!” Lightning called as he dropped in on us, “Glad I ran into you four.”
We noticed he wasn’t wearing his commander’s uniform. When we asked about that, “…I’ve been discharged.” said Lightning.
“What do you mean discharged?” asked Applebloom.
“Look, come to my place, I’ll explain it there.”
We got to Lightning and Starla’s place. Starla still had her uniform and all her medals and ribbons.
The computers were brought back after being carefully examined by professor brain and were set up.
“Will someone please tell me what is going on around here today?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“A lot’s happening.” said Starla. “Ponies are losing their jobs, companies are being closed down, jails are full of innocent people, and officers are losing their commissions.”
Lightning nodded and held up his red letter “According to my latest file, I’m considered too old to be a member on the force, and I’ve abused my authority as Supreme Allied Commander by acting as a bully, making constant orders and slacking in my work and training.”
The girls are I were all horrified to hear this.
“That’s ridiculous!” I spat “You’ve never abused your authority and you’re not too old.”
“I know…!” said Lightning “But it’s on my record, clear as day.”
Krysta nodded, “While I was in new Canterlot, there was a report received from the master record department. There’s something in the records computer messing with all the files.”
I blinked once, “Something in the files? You mean like that weird monster I fought the other day when I went into the computer?”
The Crusaders were all very concerned and confused.
“What’s it all mean? What’s going on?” asked DD.
Krysta then landed on a book on the table she had also brought back with her from the New Canterlot Archives. “When their majesties found out about the computer corruption, Queen Celestia had a feeling what this was and loaned me this book to show you all.”
Using her magic she opened the book and flipped through the pages. “There’s something really big going on in the Digital World. Something evil and powerful! It’s some kind of super rouge program, called Megadox.”
“Megadox???” the girls all asked at once.
“What’s a Megadox?” I asked.
Krysta flipped through the book, “Ah! Here it is.”
Lightning picked it up and read: “Megadox: Acronym for "Mastermind Electronic Gamma-System Animate Dox.”
“Wow! That’s a lot of words.” said Scootaloo.
Lightning read from the book, which dated back to the early days of Equestria of old, decades before Starfleet came with their advanced technologies.
As technological equipment began to develop, Celestia had commission super computers be designed as way to improve life around the planet. So, basic work computers and other tech were made--Movie projectors, lab equipment, and all the basic things.
Still, Celestia wished for more, to make computers even stronger. So she commissioned her chief programmers to research deeper-- into artificial life. Make a computer able to think and understand, when told, and make jobs and life easier.
However, during a test of these new systems, a freak lightning storm had come so suddenly. The power systems were drawing so much electrical energy that it caused a lightning bolt to strike the palace causing massive short circuit and system malfunctions, leading to a freak plasma meltdown.
Many of the technicians were lost in the accident, but the programs had survived, and by the power of the digital surges combined with the electricity, they mutated all together into Megadox; a program unlike any other…
Not Artificial Intelligence, but ACTUAL Intelligence; it had the power to think for itself-- to understand, to answer back, but above all it had the power to learn and grow!
Megadox was already vile and strong, and grew more powerful as it began to absorb information.
Despite it wasn’t really alive, like most living things, Megadox sought to dominate its environment and rule the world of “Fleshlings!”
It began to attack, infected all electronic and computer systems it could spread itself to, leading to massive malfunctions and system meltdowns, many ponies were even killed in the electrical wipeouts.
No anti-virus programs could even get close to eradicating a super program like Megadox, but there was still a ray of hope in sight…!
In his dying moments, one of the programmers managed to salvage the remains of programing leftover from the plasma accident that created Megadox to develop the Surfer Program, something with the very power to beat Megadox on its own field.
Before the program could be launched, however, Megadox, unaware of the creation, decided it needed time to get stronger and ejected itself along the power-lines, turning into electronic wavelengths, firing itself into dimensional space.
The Surfer Program and all its resources were unintentionally caught in the same waves, and were thrown out into space as well.
Lightning shut the book, “That’s all there is for that. Both the Surfer Program and Megadox were thought to be gone forever.”
“Well, obviously they’re both back.” said Applebloom “They must’ve survived on the wavelengths of space and got stronger over the years.”
All of us gawked at her for making such an analysis.
“What? I study and do my homework.”
Despite any of this, it was clear that Megadox had launched another virus that had to be stopped.
Starla activate the computer and got the Surfer Program ready, but she couldn’t seem to activate it. The computer just read “ERROR… ERROR… ERROR”
“I don’t understand.” she said.
“Let me see this.” Said Lightning, and he tried to activate the program, only for the same Error to happen. “Why won’t it activate?”
Then there was a message popup on the screen: “This program can only be accessed by initial authorized user.”
“Initial authorized user?” I asked “Wait…!” and I thought back to when the girls and I first discovered the program, and how I touched the screen and was bathed in a bright light of digital energy. That was how I became Surfer himself.
The others all gawked at me with great concern, “Mykan, you have to do this. You’re the only one that can.” said Lightning.
“No way,” I said “I barely got out of it alive the last time.”
“Mykan,” snapped Krysta “I know you’re not used to this sort of stuff; none of us are, but the world is falling apart.”
Lightning agreed, “You’re already an auxiliary Starfleet fighter.”
“Yeah, but I just fight simple battles and help a little bit.” I protested “This is on a whole new level.”
The Crusaders approached, “We believe in you, Mr. Stevens.” said Sweetie Belle. The other girls agreed, “We’ll all be here for you.” said DD.
Naturally, I couldn’t resist their innocent faces, and the more I thought about it I decided “You’re right… I’m going in!”
Lightning and Starla nodded proudly at me as I stood in front of the computer screen with Surfer on it, which seemed to be resonating in my presence “Well, Surfer,” I said “Here we go again.”
I raised my hand up high, “…Time to Digitize!” I declared and I touched Surfer on the screen, followed by a bright digital flash as I beamed into the computer, donning the Surfer suit once more.
Starla, being skilled at using computers as it was part of her star-gazing, sat at the other computer which showed all the energy readings, “Surfer, are you okay?”
In my changed, computerized voice, I answered back, “I’m fine, but what happens now?” but I suddenly felt funny as I could see the danger zone in the Digital World where the virus was attacking. “I think I can sense where the virus is.”
The second computer screen then began to show a kind of map of circuits and digital byways that Starla was able to control. “I think I can prepare a perfect course for you to take.”
She typed into the computer, and I could actually feel the data going through me. “Right…! I’m on my way.”
Off I went, flying through the digital warp, surfing along the powerlines, and arriving at my destination.
Just like before, the whole place was in ruins-- damaged circuit towers, sparking wires, smashed units-- and there was the virus. It turned and glared at me.
“There you are!” he growled at it, and jumped over to fight.
I punched for the monster’s huge eye, but it blocked me with one of its maces and struck me with another.
“Ooh!” groaned Scootaloo “That had to hurt.”
Still, I wasn’t out of it yet!
The monster lunged at me again, and I rolled behind it, grabbing it from behind in a neck grip.
The angry virus fussed and frolicked about, and then managed to grab me and flip me over onto my back.
“That does it!” I snarled, “Time for Booster Boots.”
My boots lit up and I sped across the digital flooring, punching and kicking the monster hard as I zoomed past.
“DATA SABER” I grabbed my digital sword and sped at the monster again hoping to strike him hard, but the virus used it’s maces like a shield and blocked me from going any further.
I struggled hard, but that’s when my boots gave out, which gave the virus an edge as it began to push me back hard.
Worse than that, its huge eye began to glow brightly and fired a small field of power at me. “Whoa!” I groaned “It’s sapping my energy!”
I wasn’t kidding; a red alarm began to sound as the other screen flashed red while my energy levels were reaching low.
“Mr. Stevens!” cried Appelbloom.
“He can’t win by himself!” added Sweetie Belle.
Everyone watched as the virus knocked my sword away with one mace, and then hit me hard in the back with the other.
“If you guys can hear me out there, I could use a little help!” I called.
Starla began to type into the computer, “I’ll see if I can transfer some power to you.”
“Wait!” cried Krysta “What’s that?”
A popup window had appeared on the Surfer Program screen, reading: “Unlock Data Beasts”
“Data Beasts?” asked DD “What are those?”
Starla clicked on the icon, and there on the screen showed the images of four multicolored, robotic like creatures and the respective program names.
A dinosaur-- a T-rex-- coated in red and silver armor: “Dread”
A Wildcat with a missile launcher on its back: “Assault”
A black Minotaur with blue and white armor: “Totalizer”
And finally, a gold and silver stripped falcon with powerful lasers at the tips of its wings: “Arc”
The Crusaders gazed in awe at the animals.
“Hey, look at their names.” said DD, and she pointed out the first letter in each one, “D-A-T-A: “Data!”
“Strange,” Lightning said as he examined the book on everything about the Surfer Program “There’s nothing in here about those animals. They aren’t part of the original programing.”
Whatever these animals were, Starla tried and tried to activate the programs, but she got the same “Error” message as before. “I can’t initiate them. I’m not their initial user.”
“That’s all we need!” groaned Krysta “Mykan can’t be the original user; he’s already in the computer.”
“Help…!” I shouted “I don’t think I can hold out much longer!”
“Hang on, I’ll try and get you out of there!” Starla called, and as she worked and as Lightning and Krysta watched her work, trying to find an Exit command.
The Crusaders moved in closer to watch the fight on the other screen; all four of them were very worried about me and hated seeing me get trounced by that monster.
My energy levels were already reaching the Critical Point!
“I can’t stand this much longer!” cried Applebloom “We gotta’ get them critters in there.”
“But how?” asked Scootaloo “We aren’t the original users either.”
DD stared at the other computer screen, at the animal programs, and she suddenly remembered something important-- when she and the other crusaders were caught in that bright flash.
“…Or maybe… we ARE.” she suddenly said, capturing Lightning and Starla’s attention.
The other Crusaders felt confused, but watched DD walk right up to Starla’s computer, and the Dread Program began to resonate-- reacting to her presence.
The other girls approached the screen, and the reaming programs seemed to respond as well.
“Girls…?” said Lightning, and before he could say anything else, the girls quickly raised their hands and touched the screen, trigging bright, digital flashes, and they each vanished into the screen.
“Girls!” cried Starla.
“Look!” said Krysta pointing at the screen.
Four bright blips on the screen flew straight at each animal.
The girls each suddenly found themselves sitting in tight cockpits with joystick controls, consoles, screens-- the works-- and they themselves were wearing outfits like race car drivers, complete with helmets and visors which headsets so they could talk to one other.
“Whoa! What’s going on?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“I don’t believe it!” cried DD “We’re actually IN the Digital World! We’re controlling the Data Beasts…
…I’m the Dread Program, Sweetie’s the Assault, Applebloom’s the Totalizer, snd Scootaloo’s the Arc!”
The girls hadn’t been so fascinated in their lives ever since the merging of the planets or even the three crusaders receiving their cutiemarks-- DD’s was only a regular tattoo.
The controls all seemed so easy to them, like controlling a giant video game. “Hey, the data’s coming in on my screen.” cried Scootaloo.
“Mine too…” added Applebloom “It’s showin’ us the way to Surfer.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” said Sweetie, and all together the girls shouted, “LET’S KICK SOME MEGA-BUTT!”
Then they pulled on the joysticks, and sped off through the systems.
“WHOA!!” cried Scootaloo “Rainbow Dash would love this!”
Lightning, Starla and Krysta were speechless. They couldn’t believe what the girls were doing! Then again, this sort of stuff usually happened to them anyway.
“Please be careful, girls.” Lightning said under his breath.
With my dwindling strength, I did manage to back up on my feet, only for the monster to rush me and send me rolling along the ground again.
The creature then approached me intent on finishing me off… when suddenly… the monster was bombarded by powerful blast waves.
“Huh?” I looked round, and saw the Data Beasts touch down. They all roared and screeched like real animals.
“Hey, Surfer,” DD called “Need a little leg up?”
“Girls…?” I asked in shock “What are you doing here?”
“What we Crusaders do best:” replied Applebloom “…Help those in need!”
The girls hammered on their controls and lunged for the monster.
“Firing lasers!” shouted Scootaloo.
“Launching missiles!” added Sweetie!
With the press of switched, their beasts fired a barrage of attacks at the monster, making sparks and explosions.
“Hey, big boy,” called DD “Have a taste of Dread!”
“And a side order of Totalizer!” added Applebloom.
They charged their beasts forth, like the big brutes they were, and rammed right into the creature sending it back several paces.
“Yee-Hoo…! Right in the gut!” cheered Applebloom.
I stood upright, amazed at how well the girls were faring, for their time in a real and actual battle!
Still, the monster was far from beaten, and began to fight back. It ducked as Scootaloo came soaring at it.
“Whoa!” Scootaloo cried as she straightened out before crashing into a tower, “…That’s a miss!”
Sweetie charged forth and fired two more missiles, but the monster skillfully batted them away with each of its maces, and then glared its huge eye at the beast.
“He’s got me! I can’t break loose!” cried Sweetie.
“Sweetie…!” I called “I’m coming!” and I jumped up on the monster engaging in a fuss and struggle. “Let her go!”
The monster elbowed me and knocked me away, but at least it let Sweetie Belle go.
“Let’s rush it!” said DD.
“Just what I was thinkin’.” said Applebloom.
The both charged their beasts forth and really bashed the virus hard, knocking it down, hard, but the virus got up again and gave each beast a huge whack with its maces.
“This brute just won’t stay down!” groaned DD.
The others watching on the screen realized this too. “They can’t last like this.” said Krysta “There’s got to be more these things can do.”
“Well this book won’t help us much there.” said Lightning.
Starla suddenly discovered the very thing when another file seemed to materialize on the data screen, “I think there is…!” she said as she examined the new data, and she called into the screen, “Surfer, listen to me… we’ve got a new program, for all of you, it allows you to combine yourself with the data beasts, as a kind of body armor. It’ll make you even stronger than you were before.”
The girls and I felt most intrigued, “Well, let’s give it a try. Ready, girls…?”
The girls for it!
“Then let’s Link Up!”
With those words, the program was initiated, and the beasts began to combine with me…
-Totalizer’s upper-body sank down its lower half and then split into two half, forming strong boots and leggings on me.
-Arc then soared in front of my mid-section, carefully wrapping its wings round me, all the way to the back, forming a kind of strong belt.
-Assault’s missile launchers detached from its back, and then Assault, itself, split into two equal halves and folded outward, forming two huge gauntlets while the missile launchers attached to my upper-arms.
-Finally: Dread’s lower body detached from its upper-body, the legs folded in and the large flat part attached itself to my backside, while Dread’s upper body came down over my head, and folded downward to give me a strong chest-plate, with the dino’s face in the middle, and I even was fitted with a new battle helmet over my smaller one, giving me a much stronger and fiercer expression.
I now stood fully armored up, and the girls were still tucked away in their respective cockpits. “Wow! This feels incredible!” I said with such glee.
Starla measured the power-levels which were not only back to full capacity, but much stronger as well. “According to this,” Starla said “You are now in “Surfer-Link-Up Mode.”
“Well then, let’s see what this thing can do.” I said “Ready, girls…?”
“READY!!” the girls called.
I began to march forth. The armor was big and bulky, but to me it hardly weighed anything.
The monster growled and lunged straight at me, ready to swing it’s maces, but I simply blocked the attack with my strong gauntlets alone, and I felt hardly anything at all from the impact.
Try as it did, the monster hacked and kicked me all over, but my new armor proved to be too much for it.
“This is wicked cool!” cried Scootaloo.
I agreed, but didn’t verbally respond.
The monster then tried to use its glare attack on me. “Oh, no you don’t!” I sneered, “Fire missles!”
“You got it!” called Sweetie, and he hit her controls, and the two missiles on my arms fired and blasted the monster hard.
“Bullseye!” cheered DD.
“Time to finish this…!” I declared. The dino-mouth on my chest opened wide, and my two gauntlets glowed along with the dino-teeth. “ERADICATION WAVES”
POW!! Out of the dino-mouth and the gauntlets fired bright streams of burning digital energy, striking the monster hard, digitizing it away to nothing.
“Yee-Haw! Adios, big boy!” cheered Applebloom.
The other girls cheered for joy, and outside, Lightning and Starla hugged while Krysta flew in celebratory circles going “They did it! They did it!”
Inside, even while wearing all that armor I could still use the Restore-Program; unleashing the waves of sparkling lights to restore and repair all the damage to normal, which saved the computer and corrected all the corruption.
“Okay team,” I said to the girls “Let’s De-Link and head for home.”
The girls agreed, and all the armor detached from me, changing back into the Data Beasts, and the girls all headed home through and exit warp, followed by me.
Suddenly, as we reached our home-unit, Megadox actually spoke to on the wavelengths from somewhere in the Digital World. “Surfer!” he thundered “I do not know who you and your beastly cohorts are or where you come from, but I will find you, and I will eradicate you all into bits of raw data!”
“Well, then,” I jeered “It sounds like you have an awful big plan.”
The Data Beasts all growled and screeched in agreement with me.
Megadox then sounded ready to blow his top, “You don’t know what you are up against!”
“You don’t know who’re you’re up against, Megadox. If you cause any trouble again, we will be there to stop you. We are the… the…?” I paused as I tried to figure out a name for our team, but it was the girls that all said together “…THE SUPER CYBER DATA SQUAD!!”
“Right…!” I agreed “We will always be here to defend the Digital World from the likes of you.”
Megadox could only growl, “Until the next time we meet, Surfer!”
Then he was gone.
*POV Pause*
With record computers restored, all files were immediately corrected and all the damage was reversed-- Ponies got their jobs and homes back, licences and permits were reinstated. All ponies who were incarcerated by the police were released, being innocent all the time, but they were extremely angry by the inconvenience, and were promised to be compensated.
As for Cadance and Shining Armor-- they were cleared of the false charges that labeled them as bad parents, and the CPS officer gladly came back to the palace and returned Flurry Heart to the couple.
Cadance pecked her child all over her little head, “Oh, Flurry! Honey I never want to lose you again!”
Shining Armor hugged his wife and his daughter lovingly, and the officer could only shed a tear at the family and say “It’s things like this that almost make the job worthwhile.”
*Resume*
The girls and I ported out and were now standing in the living room. Lightning had already gotten his commander uniform back, along with his commission.
The girls were all giddy and leaping about with excitement over victory, but I myself along with the other looked down at them deeply with concern.
“What? What’s wrong?” asked Sweetie “We totally won in there.”
I nodded “Yes, we did, and I couldn’t have done it without you girls… but--” I paused trying to explain this as best I could, but Lightning spoke for me, “Girls, this isn’t a game.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m very proud of what you did; you helped save the world, but just the same it’s very dangerous and you all could’ve been destroyed.”
DD felt her sense return to her at once, “He’s right, and knowing Megadox, he’ll strike again.”
The other three crusaders now realized the full seriousness of things, and there was a long pause of silence. The girls had all gotten themselves into some pretty wild things before, but none ever as serious as this.
Much as DD had always wanted to grow up, join Starfleet, and become a super fighter to protect others, this was all starting to feel so real to her.
“But, we’re still the only ones who can actually fight to save the Digital World.” said Scootaloo.
She was right, that was agreed, but Lightning, Starla, even Krysta, and I feared for the girls’ safety since they were still young.
“Look, girls,” I said to them “In the end we’re not going to stop you from fighting. I’m going to need all the help I can get too.
…But until we figure a way to end all this, I’m going to need to rely on you girls. That means we don’t tell anyone about this, not even to your families, they’ll worry sick about you, and we especially can’t let the public know; Megadox could track us down, and we’d really be in trouble.”
The girls shuddered at such a thought, but in the end…
“I guess we’re all in this together now.” said Sweetie Belle.
“Eeyup.” agreed Applebloom
“Totally.” said Scootaloo.
DD nodded and put her hand in the middle, the other girls each put their hands together, “Oh boy…” I sighed, but I put my hand in anyway.
As for Data Stream, she was very disturbed that her plan to ruin everyone else’s records had failed, but she just sat in her chair looking over drawings for more monsters, and settled “Tomorrow’s another day.”
She turned to look casually at her screen where Megadox was chuckling sinisterly.
(Promo)
In our next episode: As Lightning continues to search for an apprentice, Stammadon reveals himself to the fighters, revealing that is controlling Striker, and unleashes his fury and strength amongst the team himself, and backed up by his minions.
Will Lightning finally find his apprentice, and can he and his friends fend off against Stammadon’s revelation?
Don’t miss the next exciting episode of “Starfleet Magic!”
(Next Episode: “Strength In-sized.”)