Applejack, sitting comfortably on the bean bag chair, watched as her little sister and two friends entered the room. She shouted cheerfully. "Hey, Applebloom! Hello Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle!"
The brightness of her demeanor was in redeeming contrast to Rarity's attitude earlier. "We heard you were playing Doom." said Sweetie Belle.
"Sure am." replied Applejack. She lifted the controller in front of her.
The room was dark, save for the light coming in from the TV. On it, Doomguy held the shotgun carefully in front of him, anticipating when he would have to use it next. "Ya'll can come sit down and watch, if you'd like." said Applejack. The Cutie Mark Crusaders hastily agreed.
Dark music rose in crescendo as Doomguy slowly made his way around a maze of brick corridors. All at once, everypony in the room jumped as a pink monster appeared from behind and began biting. Applejack squeed with excitement and adrenaline, while the three little fillies cowered on the floor.
Scootaloo took a moment to evaluate her reaction, and pretend to have not been startled. "Was that it?" she said, raising her head, "That wasn't scary at all."
"You were shaking just as much as we were!" whispered Sweetie Belle.
"Was not." Scootaloo whispered back.
"Were too." said Applebloom.
Another growl emitted from the TV, causing the fillies to huddle together. "We t-t-told you you were j-just as scared as us." said Applebloom.
"Am n-not." shuttered Scootaloo
"Ya'll better stop watching if you're going to have nightmares," said Applejack, "the last thing you need your cutie-marks to be are pictures of 'scaredy-cats'!"
The three little ones gasped in shock at the thought of that being their cutie-marks, causing them to run out of the room at once, without saying a word. Applejack just chuckled to herself, then got bitten from behind by a monster. "Oh, hayseeds." she muttered.
Rainbow Dash stopped to ask the Cutie Mark Crusaders where they were running off to so fast, but they flew past without notice. "What's with them?" she asked Rarity, who had just taken a break from Doom and realized she had work to do.
"It must have something to do with that scary game they had earlier. I'll bet they played it at another pony's house" said Rarity. She tufted her mane, and thought, saying "Can you believe those little rapscallions were going to try playing it in my boutique? Such an atrocious, ugly looking experience!"
Rarity's blue pegasus friend responded by almost dashing into her. "Scary game?" said Rainbow, "What scary game?"
"Why do you need to be in my face to ask that?" Rarity retorted, "Please, it's just a silly little thing titled Doom II. Why would you even be-"
"Interested!?" Rainbow replied, finishing the sentence for her. Her eyes became even wider. "DOOM II?!" Rainbow said.
At this point, Rarity looked back in worry at her friend. She uttered out a simple "Yes, that's it."
Dash looked like she was about to fly into the air in euphoria. "Doom II's just supposed to be the MOST AWESOME GAME EVER!" she shouted so loud she startled everypony around her. "Don't you know that Soarin from the Wonderbolts recommended Doom II as a great way of training to be a great flyer!?"
"Flyer?" said Rarity in skepticism. "How does that game teach anything about flying? Running, yes, and shooting ugly demons in the face, yes, but I never flew..."
The words trailed off quickly. Rainbow's face turned to shock. Rarity quickly tried to hide the secret she had been holding. "I mean, I'm sure that's what I'd say if I actually played the game, but of course, I would never divulge in anything like that."
She hoped Rainbow Dash would believe her, but the pegasus' scorn was painted all over her expression. Rarity decided she needed to get away from the situation. "I have work to do." she said, running as fast as she could towards the boutique. She had more levels to attend to, after all.
It turned out, John Romero was angry. "How did that purple-maned goon already get past the gantlet?!" he spewed angrily.
The Cyberdemon and SpiderMastermind leaned back sheepishly. Cybie said "I don't know, Mr. Romero, but-"
"Don't know?" Romero's eyes turned red. "How can you let that- PONY- gain control of our computer towers, and you, haven't i n t e r v e n e d?" His teeth were clenched tight with the most menacing scowl.
The SpiderMastermind bowed down. She spoke "We are sorry, master. Please, let us get rid of this threat."
"You better!" said Romero. His eyes narrowed. "That monstrosity is not about to ruin my day."
Back in Ponyville, Spike was speaking with Discord. "I still don't get why you have to be helping out at Rarity's boutique." Spike said.
Discord grinned. "I told you, fifty times, I'm here because Miss Rarity requested it. I'm reformed now, you know."
Spike did not give sympathy. He reluctantly picked up a basket of laundry and left the room, thinking Rarity certainly would not be up to inviting someone like Discord to her home. In reality, she had.
Rarity knew from corresponding letters between Princess Celestia and Twilight, that Discord had been recently getting into video games. Apparently, he even beat Princess Luna and the Wonderbolts in a Death-match tournament on "Canterlot Cavalry III: It is ON!!!!"
This was Rarity's oppurtunity to play Doom with somepony (or whatever Discord was), and not have to worry about being told on. For whatever reason, she felt Discord would be trustworthy in this situation, the most ironic choice she could come up with. But it felt right.
Discord was not at all surprised when Rarity told him. "Of course, I knew there had to be an ulterior motive!" Discord said. Rarity assumed he would be displeased by the revelation, but he was the opposite.
"What a nice day." said Discord, "First, I get to see you send that twerpy dragon on a thankless errand, and now, I have a new video game competitor."
It took a second for Rarity to process the words. "Competitor? Oh, no, no, Discord, I invited you over to help me play videogames."
"Help?" asked Discord. "Are you saying you want me to be part of a team." Discord shook his head. "Nope, sister, that's not going to happen." He transported from his place on the sofa over to Rarity's side, putting an arm around her. "I'm no one's team mate, I'm the champion of Canterlot. I beat Princess Luna, you know."
"So I heard."
Discord stuck his chin in the air. "I'm flattered that you'd want to be on my team," he said, "but only one person gets that honor, and that's me."
"I'm not asking you to join a team," replies Rarity, "I just...I just..."
"Just what?" By now, Discord was becoming impatient.
Rarity sighed. "I just want somepony next to me so I don't get too scared."
Complete silence. Discord's mouth dropped in confusion. "You what?" he asked.
"I'm currently playing Doom II," said Rarity, "but I'm finding more and more as I get into it, the more I've started becoming unsettled. I nearly jumped out of my mane just when the entrance bell rang this morning!"
For the first time in the conversation, Discord looked empathetic. He noted his expression and quickly changed back to his pushy demeanor. "Well, I would love to help you, Miss Rarity," Discord said in the most condescending voice he could muster, although he was failing at the moment, "but you will have to find somepony else to help you."
As Rarity looked down in disappointment, Discord reluctantly recanted. "All right," he said, "you'll get to join Team Chaos for one night."
Rarity's eyes lit up like a Hanukkah candle. "Thank you!"
Discord sighed. Spike walked back into the room, his hands full of lawnmower parts. "I...bought...the stuff you wanted." he said, fainting.