Life is a Game

by Cirrus Dash

Manehatten

A while passed since Button had met Zeke and Pipsqueak, and they had become the best of friends. They hung out every day after school now, helping each other with school work and playing video games after.

The months had passed quickly, with him ending up one of the top of the class. Things were going good for him. He actually ended up getting his Cutie Mark a bit after school started. It was simply a d-pad, like from a controller. But whenever he looked at it, he couldn't help but think something was missing. Oh well. He had to hurry, or he was going to be late to the bus, as they were going on a field trip for a while, a couple months at least. They were going to Manehatten.

~

He was taking a nap when an achievement sounded off. He opened his eye a bit and saw that it said, 'Big City!' And that was enough to tell him that the bus they were on had just passed over the state line. He sat up a bit and hummed to himself as he stretched before looking out the window of the bus, seeing a beautiful sunset, one of which he was sure he was gonna be seeing a lot of.

He looked around before subtly reaching into his inventory and pulling out his Gameboy before playing some classic Mario. He couldn't help but feel like there was something that was going to happen, something big. It was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind, that sent goosebumps up and down his body. He shrugged it off as just nerves.

~~

When they finally stopped, it was at their hotel. He got up off of the his bench and smiled, looking around and sighing softly after inhaling the city air. He wasn't yet used to the slightly smoggy city air, so he had to hold in a cough as he moved forwards. He shook his head and quickly moved inside, listening to Miss Cheerilee as she explained what the point of the trip was for.

"Okay, students! This trip is for us to know how the citizens live in Manehatten. Observe them, ask questions, and please, my little ponies, be polite to them. You are representing Ponyville after all"

With a chorus of okays from the class, they were dismissed to go explore and buy merchandise. For Button, he followed his newest Quest.

New Quest!

Explore Manehatten!

Objectives

Greet 10 People! (0/10)

Get 5 Jobs! (0/5)

Find and Deliver the 'Important Package' at the Time Specified

He blinked at the long list of objectives but shrugged and went on his way, talking with people that weren't part of the class, getting some jobs along the way, such as getting rid of some rats, delivering some packages, helping with a garden, and helping an old woman across the street. He was stopped on his way to the hotel, the hooded man giving him a hefty sum of money up close, telling him to deliver a very important package to Central Park by ten pm, and it will be doubled. If he gets there early, wait for the receiver to show up. He blinked as he was handed the large, heavy bag.

He was about to tell him that he didn't have time for this, but the man was long gone when he looked up. He sighed and looked around, before pulling his bike out of his inventory. He checked the Game's time, and saw he had close to an hour to get there. He set the marker on his minimal and set off.

~~

Forty-five minutes later, and Button had arrived, with a ton of time to spare. He sighed softly and rubbed his eyes a bit as he sat on the bench. He pulled out his bench and texted Miss Cheerilee that he would be out late due to a job he had gotten last minute, only for her to text back that curfew here was at midnight, and to text him if he were going to be staying somewhere, or if he was going to be out after.

Fourteen minutes later, Button had noticed the bag on his lap was getting very, very warm. He could see a slight light coming from under the flap of the bag. He noticed the slight buzzing in the back of his head, his Danger Sense going off - he had earned it earlier that day when some rats ambushed him - but he ignored it in favor of his curiosity. He reached into the bag and pulled out a large, metal sphere that was glowing slightly. And then, just as the clock struck ten, the sphere in his hands detonated with a massive explosion, unbearable heat, and a flash of light that was capable of making a blind man see.

~~

Button's vision for the longest time was black, tinged with the red that showed that he had taken a massive amount of danger. Before his senses came back, he had gone through his stats. He was shocked and a bit scared to see that everything was a mess of gibberish. Nothing had made the Game mess up. Not even him getting a major concussion. He slowly opened his eyes, gritting his teeth as he stood, brushing off the dust and rubble that covered his clothes. Looking around, he could see a mass of concrete and eviscerated trees. He groaned softly in pain as he forced his body to move. His HUD flickered in and out of focus as he moved. He could see fire and piles of dust everywhere around him. But he didn't pay them no mind, focusing on finding his way out of these ruins.

He faintly heard Zeke call for him, and he made his way to him, however he was stopped by the feeling of something hitting him and flowing into him. It felt... strange. But not unwelcome. He mumbled incoherently as he walked, feeling that same feeling flow into him. And he could see flashes of bright lights across his vision as he got closer to the sound of Zeke's voice, now hearing the voices of his classmates as well. He grunted once more, this time in pain, as the same feeling flows into him, but it's too much. Too much too quickly. And he collapses like a puppet cut from its strings.

~~

When he awoke, he heard the (technical term for heart monitor) beeping. His eyes shot open and he gasped as his senses were overwhelmed with different feelings. The Game was on the fritz, flickering in and out of existence, as things filled his mind, images of him doing different things with some sort of energy wreathing around his hands.

The beeping of the monster suddenly stopped, as he and the occupants of the room - Zeke, Pipsqueak, and Miss Cheerilee - witnessed the electricity arc from it, and latch onto him, flowing into his coat without him getting injured. And he felt a searing pain on his flank as the Game finally fixed itself, his Karma Meter completely empty and back to neutral, along with bulbs of yellow light beside it, with electricity of the same color going through each bulb. He blinked and shivered slightly as he looked at his hands, which glowed with the light of the electricity that arced across his skin.

The four occupants of the room look at each other and share an unspoken rule; no one speaks of this until it's absolutely needed.

~~

Months later, the class from Ponyville were on the bus ride back to their small little town. Button Mash sat in the back, eyes closed as he slept. Or tried to. He still wasn't used to the feeling of energy coursing through his veins, nor the fact that his cutie mark changed. It was strange, but he just tried to brush it off, in hopes of letting this die down. Unbeknownst to him, he and Ponyville were in for a big surprise. Because the Summer Sun Celebration was coming up. And it was the one thousandth.

Author's Note:

Hey all! I know that it's been a while, and that it's a short chapter, and many were looking forwards to all of the adventures in Manehatten and how I would show Button getting used to being a Conduit (said 'fuck it' and made him basically Cole, with some other powers hidden here and there), and I'll probably add more if I rewrite it. But I have an idea, so don't worry! Button's powers will have a chance to shine!

Comments

[Mitril]

He should know about Nightmare Moon
If he will fight her and other villains and etc, he should make some costume but for example somethink like Deadpool costume
i.pinimg.com/originals/c3/51/35/c351353a8582356bb6a4a3824cc62bdd.jpg
Something that doesn't look like from a comics, flashy with unnecessary elements, somethink hiding identity and practical
It would be easy to change with inventory/equipment power

Also why he should do that?
Being known as a hero, vigilante or a guy that has powers will be annoing for many reasons and not worth it
If you aren't in some high position of power or have a base only accessible(teleport underground or in it's own dimention) for him it's not worth being known

[Moonlit_Stardust]

Poor, poor nightmare moon, you don't know the power that has awoken. Don't do anything stupid or you might just get zapped!

[CAHOOTS]

could you please continue and if at all possible. let him tell the princesses the whole truth. i actually like this. the conduit powers were not even needed. i just feel so captivated by the story.

[High Volt]

I know a power that when you think about biology makes sense evil route exlusive power mind control the brain uses electricity to think and button now has electricity based powers

[Treforce]

Idea for a power: Gamer copy cat.
By mimiking the movement of a game characters attack, he can temporarely manifest a part of that characters attack as his own.

[Outis]

Hmm. Pretty good so far!
Although I was NOT expecting the InFamous cross.
Kinda interesting that you went with making him basically Cole.
Wonder if he'll ever have the "(One Time) Partial Power Assimilation" thing from the second game.
I know that how Cole got it wouldn't really translate well. But with both the Gamer and... well... LITERAL MAGIC!... maybe!

[DenzelRamos]

Has he been turned inFAMOUS ?

[Chrome Masquerade]

"Okay, students! This trip is for us to know how the citizens live in Manehatten. Observe them, ask questions, and please, my little ponies, be polite to them. You are representing Ponyville after all"

Ha! She said it!

[Chrome Masquerade]

Fourteen minutes later, Button had noticed the bag on his lap was getting very, very warm. He could see a slight light coming from under the flap of the bag. He noticed the slight buzzing in the back of his head, his Danger Sense going off - he had earned it earlier that day when some rats ambushed him - but he ignored it in favor of his curiosity. He reached into the bag and pulled out a large, metal sphere that was glowing slightly. And then, just as the clock struck ten, the sphere in his hands detonated with a massive explosion, unbearable heat, and a flash of light that was capable of making a blind man see.

To quote Hun from the '03 TMNT series,
"Aw, crud."

Notice: one among the following would also apply:
"*Nuclear launch detected*"
"I'm going to die."
"I just know this is gonna be blamed on me"
"*Hhellfire was cast*"
"Oh, I've wasted my life."

Among several others.

Again, no one asked you.