The Royal Gamer

by Test4Echo

Chapter 8: A War in a Galaxy Not So Far Away...

"Impressive..." Luna whispered as the main menu for Republic in Turmoil opened.

The same triangular warships were on this screen. Ensuing at a frantic pace, the menu was like a movie: the clashing fleets of triangular warships and more bulbous warships of the opposing side launching bolts of light at each other.

Luna watched for a few minutes, listening to the music in background, which was a fanfare from a more classical time; dark, yet commanding. Engrossed by the scene and music, Luna finally clicked on the singleplayer button, and the following option of "Galactic Conquest".

After she clicked the option, another menu popped up with a two-dimensional map of a galaxy, with a sidebar of names with differing planet-maps. She had the option of choosing between two factions, the Lunar Empire or the Solar Alliance.

Mousing over the two factions, Luna was presented with a quick overview of the two factions' strategies and strongest units.

"The Lunar Empire was the regime founded by Emperor Moon after betraying the Solar Republic and killing all off the Alicorn Order. The Empire's policy of shock and awe has created massive war machines meant to inspire loyalty through fear: focus strategy on overwhelming numbers, with emphasis on firepower and maneuverability. Strongest units:"

Below the paragraph, it displayed the images of three units: the triangular warship, called a Sun Destroyer, the quadruped walkers, called All Terrain-Attack Titans, and a pony outfitted in stark white body-armor.

After seeing what the apparent antagonist side had to offer, Luna read the paragraph on the Solar Alliance, which was founded to restore the Solar Republic. The paragraph told her that the Solar Alliance focused more on durable units and smart strategies, and displayed their three best units, the bulbous warships, the x-shaped fighter-craft, and a multi-barreled artillery piece.

Contemplating which side to choose, Luna eventually decided to play as the Empire, her love for show and power urging her to use the Sun Destroyers.

The screen faded to black, before reappearing with an overview of the galaxy, the Lunar Empire's holdings surrounded by Rebellion-owned worlds. Luna settled in for a long fight, keeping the difficulty at easy to start, however, as the hours passed, and as she slowly began building up her main armada and army, she upped the difficulty to the hardest setting.

"Here we go..." Luna thought, sending her fleet to attack one of the few remaining enemy planets.

After the space map loaded, Luna's invading fleet of Sun Destroyers and the smaller, tube-like Strike-class warships waited for her orders.

"Yes, commander," the virtual captain of the forward Sun Destroyer said politely.

Luna ordered the massive ship to deploy near an asteroid field that was near the enemy fleet. Continuing orders, she positioned her fleet to flank the enemy as they would attack.

The attack came as expected, the Rebel warships opening fire on the Imperial vessels, which returned the laser-fire. Slowly Luna closed the semi-circle of ships, focusing firepower on the weakened ships. After a drawn-out fight, and numerous losses, the Rebel fleet was destroyed, and the victors decimated the defending space station.

When the victory screen faded back to the galactic view, Luna prepared for a ground invasion of the enemy planet.

On the surface, her initial squads of Stormponies were quickly reinforced by a few of the lumbering AT-ATs. Amassing her assembled forces, Luna ordered a long haul to another capture-able spot to bring down more reinforcements.

The AT-ATs provided heavy fire, destroying a few of the wedge-shaped vessels that dared to fly at them.

"Not today..." Luna mumbled as her Stormpony squads were annihilated by a few of the long-range artillery tubes. Luckily, a special ability of the AT-ATs was that they could spawn squads of Stormponies, which she took advantage of after she cleared the area of enemies, suffering acceptable losses.

Capturing the reinforcement point, she called down additional walkers, and began a march on the enemy fortress. The battle quickly ensued, Luna getting frantic notifications from her troops of their plight of being bombarded by more artillery.

Luna ignored the pleas. Focused on victory, she accepted the losses, and inflicted as much damage as possible, waiting for an orbital strike from her fleet above. Before her units were defeated she brought down more troops for a second wave, flooding in after her long-awaited orbital strike cracked the defenses.

Moments later, the final buildings and units were destroyed, and Luna gained another victory. Sighing in satisfaction, Luna took off her headset.

She turned her head as a soft knock on the door sounded and Nightshine peaked her head through. "Good morning your majesty, time to--" Nightshine stopped her sentence short, staring back at a surprised Luna.

"You did not just spend the entire day and night on that, did you?" she asked, slightly hopeful.

Trying to ignore the question, Luna rose from her chair and made her way to the fridge, scowling as she saw there was no food--her stomach's growling a reminder that she hadn't eaten for a good sixteen hours.

"Your majesty," Nightshine inquired again, less hopeful this time. "Did you or did you not just spend an entire day on your games?"

"Yea, We--I did. I wanted to play with Resonance." Luna replied, eyeing the tray of breakfast that Nightshine was levitating.

Setting down the tray on her princess's bed, Nightshine sighed. "Princess Celestia has requested that you appear with her today in the royal court. It will begin in thirty minutes." she stated with a tone of resignation.

Nightshine departed, and Luna grabbed the tray, devouring the hay-bagel with honey. Taking one sip of the apple juice that was with the breakfast, Luna gagged. The juice tasted horrible. Whoever prepared this meal did not have a good taste in apples that was for sure.

Luna gulped the rest of the foul liquid down, stomaching it as to not insult the chef, although he would probably find a pink slip with his next paycheck. After a moment of getting the taste out of her mouth, Luna turned back to her computer screen, and froze in place.

Waiting onscreen was a battle notification of an incredibly large fleet attacking one of Luna's planets that she thought was safe. Mentally slapping herself, she realized that she forgot to pause the game while she talked with Nightshine.

Climbing nervously back into her chair, Luna initiated the battle, her orbital defense station summoning as many reinforcements as it could. The battle soon commenced.

The Rebel fleet was comprised almost entirely of the bulbous warships, which spawned wave after wave of fighters, slowly picking apart her sparse defenses. After only a few minutes, the Imperial garrison was lain waste to, the enemy acquiring victory.

Quietly fuming, Luna sent her main attack fleet to try and deal with the enemy. Trying the same strategy as before, she was surprised as the Rebels took advantage of the tactic, and swiftly routed her fleet. With her main force destroyed, the Rebels soon started to invade and conquer her other systems.

Watching in stunned silence, Luna wondered what went wrong. The Solar Alliance only had a few low-production planets; how could they have produced so much, so quickly?

Luna screamed in frustration, quitting in a furious rage, ready to throw the game-box at the wall when Nightshine entered, a surprised and blank look on her face.

Staring at her astonished servant for a full minute, Luna finally caught herself and tried to fix her mane, which stayed quite disheveled. "We are ready to go to the Day Court now." Luna stated, her left eye twitching a little.

Nightshine only nodded, and opened the door for her princess.

***

"Are you all right, your majesty?" Nightshine inquired, looking at Luna with concern.

Luna hesitated for a second. She barely heard the question above the ringing in her ears. "Y-yea. I am fine." she replied woozily.

"You don't look fine," her servant commented, opening the door to the courtroom.

"...No Upper Crust, there is no threat of a space-pirate invasion. I will not spend valuable bits just to build up a useless defense!" Celestia was telling a highly confused and maybe bit unstable aristocrat.

Before she could continue with her explanation as why rubber band cannons would not work, she noticed Luna and Nightshine enter the ornate courtroom.

She silently thanked the stars and motioned for the aristocrat to leave. Even though she was exhausted from taking the responsibility again for the moon, Celestia noticed that her sister didn't look quite right. Whispering, she asked, "Are you all right? You don't look well."

Dazedly shaking her head, Luna answered, "I am fine sister. Why did you summon me?"

"You haven't been in the courts for months, we planned this, remember?" Celestia nudged her sister's memory. Luna didn't seem to be fully aware of her surroundings, shaking her head as if to clear it.

Luna responded, "Oh, right." Motioning for the next bureaucrat and ignoring all the whispers about her appearance, Luna squinted at the official given the floor.

"Thank you, your majesties," the official said. "I know you won't be disappointed."

Luna shook her head again. Her head continued to buzz. As she continued to try and clear it, she stopped and tried to listen as he went ahead with his speech.

When he was done his spiel, the official waited expectantly for their response or questions. Luna began to inquire about the proposal, but suddenly fell from her throne next to Celestia to the floor.

On the edge of consciousness, Luna faintly heard Celestia cry her name in alarm before blacking out.

Author's Note:

So, shortest chapter so far. Eh, I'm changing things up a bit for the last few chapters, so this was a bit of a transition. Anyhoo, it's kinda funny: this is the shortest chapter I've written so far, and the next is the longest.

Ah well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. See ya'll in two weeks.

Rush and Pony on!
T4E

Comments

[zsewqthewolf]

And kids this is way you should have the new Iron Will new energy drunk call Red Bull this will give you the will of Iron Will to stay up at night and thoge out the day so buy you cans and 6 pack today!!! ( do thos fast warnings thigs they always do )

Look at this colt right here he stay up all night working but he want to get laid becasue he have a date in the day light and look at him now!

The colt: thx to Red Bull i get all the mares and the money i want!

So what are you waiting for!!!! GET IT NOW NOW I SAY NOW!

[DarthMalentai]

Was this blackout based on little sleep? Or was it just the boredom of the court.

[The Dimension Traveler]

3263306

I think it was a little bit of both.

[Changeling-Drone]

I wanna punch prime for 2 reasons cheating
and USING THE NAME PRIME!!!

[Test4Echo]

3263875>>3263306 Neither actually. Keep guessing what though.

[DarthMalentai]

3265611
She ate a bad tomato?

[The Dimension Traveler]

3265611

1.) It wasn't lack of sleep

2.) It wasn't boredom

3.) I doubt Luna's magic is having some kind of allergic reaction to technology.

4.) It's possible she's sick, but unlikely...

5.) I think Luna needs glasses and the build up eye strain from almost 24/7 gaming has finally gotten to her.

6.) Her diet of energy drinks and whatnot certainly haven't helped either.

[December_Night]

I think her black out has something to do with that nasty apple juice

[Khelben Arunsun]

3266130

I agree, eye strain can become very serious if not treated properly. Not just headaches and fainting spells either (I was actually hospitalized for a few days for it when I was younger.).

I personally swore off pop after my second kidney stone as a kid (except an occasional, as in once a month, Ski), and I felt ten times better afterwards.

[Gamer_Luna]

This Story Is Awesome Keep Up the good work

[Test4Echo]

3348222 Glad you're continuing to enjoy it.