"..."
"..."
"..."
"...left."
With a quick flick-shot, I blasted the last enemy, clutching the round and securing the victory for our team.
"Yeah! Take that! Oh, what? Not good enough for us? Too bad! Ha ha!" I yelled, throwing my arms into the air in celebration.
"Heh... You really seem to enjoy this game," Princess Luna observed as she grabbed another piece of candy corn with her magic.
"Eh, it's pretty fun. I think practically any game is better when you play with friends," I told her, setting my controller down.
"That's true. We love how games can have so much more than just an entertainment value to them," Luna told me.
"Oh, for sure. It just seems easier to connect with some people when you both have something to focus on that you both care about," I thought aloud.
"Hm... the social aspect of it is quite intriguing. At the same time, they also can have the effect of really bringing out the true nature of some people," Luna mused, going in for even more candy. She offered me some, to which I simply shook my head.
"Oh yeah. It's not uncommon to hear other people raging about being spawn-camped," I chuckled.
"Ha! An event that we are all too familiar with. Say, would you like to play a few rounds of Castle Buster?"
"Oh, I knew that was coming. Yeah, I love that game," I answered, reaching for my water on the coffee table.
"Excellent. We were worried that you might have said that last time we met in an effort to win us over," Luna admitted.
"And why would I ever do that? That's just... disingenuous."
"...we have come across plenty of ponies and people who would take that course if given the option. Most ponies we have met here in Canterlot are only concerned with their social status," Luna sighed. I glanced over at her.
"Yeah... I know what you're talking about. You can't walk two feet in this city without some noble giving you a weird look," I said, air-quoting the word "noble."
"It truly has been a problem that has plagued this city for a very long time. There have been numerous attempts to solve the issue, but no resolution has ever really been found. Some ponies are just happy to have a superiority complex." Luna walked over to the game console and took out Honor Bound, replacing it with Castle Buster.
"Yeah... I don't know. I don't really let it bother me. They're nothing to me, so why let what they think impact me, right?" I shrugged.
"That is a fine way to look at it," Luna told me.
"Alright... What level are you?" I asked her.
"Sixty four, and I'm almost to sixty five," she informed me.
"Oh... you haven't even unlocked Dark Magic spells yet? That's cute," I poked at her.
"What? You're a higher level!?" she demanded.
"Oh yeah, eighty two."
"Hm... well, it doesn't matter. I am the superior castle buster anyway," she declared, placing a hoof on her chest.
"Not with this loadout, you aren't," I told her as I browsed her current setup of powers.
"What do you mean? This loadout is crafted for optimal castle bustage!" she insisted.
"Pfft, no. Look, you're running Earthquake with a ground unit backup. That lowers their morale and physical defense."
"...oh... that's where that stat change was coming from..." she mumbled.
"We can go over your picks and smooth some stuff out, if you want," I offered.
"Hm... sure, why not? Show me the proper technique to bust castles!" she commanded. I sighed with a laugh as I continued looking through her loadout.
This... was going to take a while...