//------------------------------// // Twilight:Fondly Regard Beginings // Story: Equestriastuck // by Hazelshade12 //------------------------------// A mare stands in her bedroom. Its just so happens that today, the 25th of October is this mare’s birthday! It not just her birthday, but also the day that this mare and her five friends are going to play a game known as SHERD. What will this mare’s name be? Your name is Twilight Sparkle. As previously mentioned, today you are going to play a mysterious game file known as SHERD. This strange file was sent to you via P-Mail. You thought you had received this file by accident, that is until you discovered that your other friends had received the exact same file. However, you do not know that you will play it yet, as you have been putting off playing for as long as possible, mainly because no matter how hard you look, you can’t find any information about this game, and you don’t know how to play it, or what will happen when you install it. You’ve decided you were not going to play it until you found enough information about it. Right now, it seems that you will not be playing the game for a very long time. You walk over to your computer. You bought this not to long ago, when Carrot, the leading electronic producer in Equestria first started selling them. Before you can begin another fruitless search to find more info about the game, you are notified from PonyMingle, an instant messaging service that came with every new computer. One of your friends is trying to talk to you, and you decide to respond to see what she wants. laboriousHarvester [LH] began mingling with studiousProtégé [SP] at 10:25 am [10:25] LH: Howdy twilight! [10:25] LH: Are ya there? [10:27] SP: I am now. [10:27] SP: What do you need? [10:27] LH: First of all happy birthday! [10:28] SP: Thank you! [10:28] LH: Sorry i couldnt get you a present [10:28]LH: ‘Been so busy here on the farm i was too busy to get you somethin [10:30] SP: That’s okay. [10:30] SP: Besides, I’m sure EC will make up for it. [10:30] LH: I suppose yer right [10:31] LH Anyway thats not the only reason why im here [10;32] LH: I wanted to talk to you about this SHERD thingy [10:32] LH: I think we should start playin it soon [10:33] SP: I thought we agreed we weren’t going to run that thing. [10:33] SP: At least, not until we find out something about it. [10:34] SP: If we don’t know what it does then we should probably leave it alone. [10:35] LH: I know but I saw a vision of up playin it in the clouds [10:36] LH: I still think its weird how I can see things in the sky but I suppose they are pretty helpful. [10:37] SP: Did you have one of those dreams again? [10:38] LH: Yeah I did [10:38] LH: I dont know why I keep having them [10:39] LH: Ever since Granny Smith had her heart attack I keep seeing this golden city in my dreams and seeing stuff in clouds [10:40] LH: Not just the future but the past too [10:40] LH: Anyway, Ive gotten to trust these visions so I’m going to play it. [10:41] LH: Feel free to join me if you want [10:41] SP: I will. [10:41] LH: Wait really? [10:42] LH: I’ll admit I wasn’t expectin you to agree so quickly [10:42] SP: Well, were the only ponies to receive this file right? [10:43] LH: I think so [10:43] SP: So we must have received this game for a reason. [10:43] SP: Perhaps this is something that can only be learned about through experience. [10:44] LH: You’ve got a point there [10:44] SP: Did you get the others to play yet? [10:45] LH: Besides you, the only person I’ve gotten to join is AD but she’s busy with weather patrol today [10:46] LH: That would work [10:46] LH: Only Ive got some things to take care of around the home first [10:47]LH: You think you can wait a few minutes? [10:47] SP: I can do that. [10:48] LH: Okay thanks Twi! laboriousHarvester [AT] ceased mingling with studiousProtégé [SP] at 10:48 am You log out of PonyMingle and attempt to do more research, before noticing a piece of parchment and a quill beside you. An idea forms in your head. Of course, Princess Celestia will know something about the game. You are metaphorically slapping yourself in the face for not thinking of it sooner. You pick up the quill using your magic and start writing. Dear Princess Celestia: While I have been actively studying the magic of friendship, it is not the subject I’d like to bring up today. A few days ago, my friends and I received a game file known as SHERD. I’ve been researching it ever since I received it, but I have not found any research on it. One of my friends has had a dream convincing her that we should start playing it. I still do not think it’s a good idea, but I also believe that my friend is telling the truth, and that she is right. I wanted to ask you if you knew anything about this game, what it is or how to play it. I await your imminent response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. You Captchalogue your note into your Sylladex. With every Carrot product, a free fetch modus was included with the device. Your modus is the Library modus. One item is stored for each letter of the alphabet, and must be used in a certain window of time before it is returned to your Sylladex and is locked for a certain amount of time. For example, the letter goes into the L card of your deck, and you certainly hope that sending it off to the princess will make it count as “used”. The Sylladex also came with a programmable strife card, but you haven’t found a need for it yet. With the letter secured in your Sylladex, you run downstairs to find your dragon assistant. However, he is not here, and a quick look outside tells you that he is outside. You exit the house. The sidewalks are bare of any passing ponies. Wind whistles around you, playing a single, haunting note, sounding played to cause the audience to be glued to their seats in anticipation. Unlike the past twenty birthdays you have experienced throughout your life, something seems different about it. It seems the atmosphere is perfect for the start of an adventure that will doom your race to extinction and leave you struggling to escape it. However, you do not realize this yet and all you feel is anticipation. You anticipate the moment when you will open up your P-mail and discover what awaits you inside. You can tell that this is the beginning of something very excellent. “The great miraculous bell of translucent ice is suspended in mid-air. It rings to announce endings and beginnings. And it rings because there is fresh promise and wonder in the skies. Its clear tones resound in the placid silence of the winter day, and echo long into the silver-blue serenity of night. The bell can only be seen at the turning of the year, when the days wind down into nothing, and get ready to march out again. When you hear the bell, you feel a tug at your heart. It is your immortal inspiration.” – Famous pony astronomer Gallopleo. You are 99% sure that he said that. You finishing dwelling in your thoughts and remember why you were outside in the first place. You find Spike, tending to the shrubbery adorning your treehouse home. “Spike,” you call to him, removing the letter from your sylladex “I need you to take this letter to the princess. Can you do that for me? The young dragon nods and breathes magical green flame onto the note, whisking it away to a faraway castle in Canterlot. You thank your dragon assistant before going back inside your house. You have a feeling that it’s going to be a long day.