The Little Curiosities

by Comma Typer

Games People Play

A good bed, a dozen fashionable clothes in the open wardrobe, a couple posters of some foreign boy band (who turned into pegasi), and a collection of albums from crooners and pop stars alike.

What takes the cake are the weird boxes under the widescreen television. Wires imply their electronic nature, though a few wires snake their way to some many-buttoned devices. Discs lay on the side for things that look like movies but the visitor could not help but get an uncanny feeling. If they are anything like those magical DVDs, they would not be like that, would they?

“Um, what’s that?” Sweetie Belle finally asks.

Her Earther alter ego, more than half a decade older than her grade school-aged Equestrian self, turns to the filly’s objects of curiosity. ”Oh, those things? That’s my Playstable Four and Xbronc 1. I was supposed to get a NineTandem Swish for the holidays, but ponification set production back big time.”

The filly shakes her head. The funny-name boxes only confuse her. “Uh, so, exactly what are they?”

“You don’t know?” She levitates a disc box to her. “These are video games!”

The younger Sweetie takes the box into her magic field. The title proclaims itself to be the fifth of its series. The blurb on the back rambles on about its award-winning stealth, action, and storytelling rolled into one serviceable game, featuring some human soldier as the hero.

But the screenshots of the game freeze her eyes. “Are you sure this is a video game? I’ve never seen a video game that looks so much like a movie.”

Surprise falls over the elder sort-of-sister’s face. “Okay, there’s cutscenes… forgot; you don’t know what that is. Anyway, believe me when I tell you this is a game.”

The curiosity from a while ago tilts the child’s head. “A game.”

“Yes.”

“That likes look a movie.”

“Yes.”

“Which you can play. Because it’s a game.“

Half a groan comes out before the filly could notice. “Yes.”

That is enough to satisfy Sweetie’s destructive curiosity, the source of which can be traced to her Cutie Mark Crusaders membership. However, it is not destroyed; it is merely channeled towards the bulky many-buttoned devices with wires attached. An epiphany occurs: “So those are controllers?”

“Yeah, they are. Seriously, though, you don’t have something like this?”

“Um, we have video games, but they’re not things you can take home unless you’re super lucky or super rich. Button Mash has one of those arcade machines at home, and only because his Dad used to work at an Applewood arcade.”

A mischievous grin lights up the teenager’s face. “Oh, you’re in for a wild ride! We’ve moved on from arcade machines decades ago!”

If the pint-sized Sweetie were tired, drool would have poured out of her mouth like a waterfall. Nonetheless, her shrunken eyes drip fascination. “You moved on from arcades?”

“Yeah.” A pair of controllers levitate to their faces, courtesy of the teen. “We’ve got like eight hours until Apple Bloom and Scoots come home from visiting Equestria, right? Might as well give you a crash course on how games work around here.”

With a flash from her horn, she turns on the Playstable Four. The sound of a bell heralds its activation.

“Sweetie Belle, welcome to the future.”

---

Sweetie Belle does not welcome the future. The teen lied.

Sweetie Belle is welcomed by the future.

This future greets the country-born foal with all its high-definition 4K glory. This is freedom from the shackles of a lone joystick and a cathode tube projecting simplistic challenges to get a high score. (Is this what her crush talked about a week ago? Of Button gabbing over the latest releases from the other side? At least the NineTandem Swish sounded very familiar to her.) Back then, she imagined the same arcade games but just bigger and better. Maybe Button Mash was exaggerating when he styled himself as a visionary, a witness to masterpieces from another universe.

But he was right. The masterpieces were real and the exaggerations were as true as the existence of the sun.

The sound effects and the title screen music kick in first: no beeps or boops or baps, but notes and melodies from an orchestra or a Vinyl Scratch concert if she were feeling melodramatic. The graphics: so realistic, so high-quality, so not-2D—these are interactive paintings. The controller too: a hassle to get used to, but the thought of having at least twelve buttons to think about, of the many functions they could bring and the complex gameplay they could create: from sneaking around in a military compound to outright shooting in an open grass battlefield, from racing cars in a police chase to platforming across a cityscape with nothing but the heroine’s hands and feet, from adventuring as a bard/mage hybrid in a land where dragons rule the world to building some space empire with enough statistics to make Twilight Sparkle wish she would die right there and then—

What have I been missing? This is perfection! This is human technology at its finest! Button Mash was right when he said they’re the best things ever!

This has got to be the top. It’s never going to get better than this.

“Sweetie Belle!”

Lights turn on to attack the four eyes of two Sweeties before the ponies gasp at their unwelcome guest: Rarity. Judging by the lack of that distinctive three-diamond hair clip, the filly gulps: it is her Rarity.

“Pff-kch-tsh!”—the beatbox of posh shock. “Sweetie Belle!” Her gaze is upon the younger of the two. “What is the matter with you? You’ve stayed up for far too long! Do you not know it’s an hour past your bedtime? Now you won’t have the seven to nine hours of sleep necessary to prepare you for the first day of school!”

“School’s tomorrow?!”

“Honestly, those high-tech human video games—“ the words come out in exaggerated luxury, like an amateur actress with a great voice trying too hard “—you will drag yourself to the gutter with those things if you do not control yourself!” It is now the older Sweetie’s turn to get the Rarity gaze. “And you of all ponies should know better than to enable her. You know she’s younger than you and not as immature as—“

“Hey!” both Sweeties shout.

The older sister backspaces her words. “Yes, I believe you are a big and mature pony Sweetie Belle—the both of you. However, whether you are big or small, discipline is good for you. Thus, for your own good, this gaming session has ended.”

Thus, after a few seconds of whining, Sweetie Belle is coaxed into leaving the room and the family home on Earth. It is not without a few thank you!’s for how cool human video games were. Rarity could not help but stop when her ears register the two Sweeties calling each other sisters. It is a novelty, finding someone almost exactly like you, and Earth is full of them.

The door closes upon a sighing teenage Sweetie. Alone again: her sister remains busy at her own boutique, learning the ropes of post-human fashion (complete with part-time lessons from Rarity herself plus the occasional outside help from one of her fashion-world contacts).

The gaming console is turned off and discs are put away, only for her ears to turn toward the door. A jingle, a jangle, a glow of blue. The door opens again, revealing good company: her sister.

Almost her sister.

“Sweetie Belle?” asks the Rarity from Ponyville. “I’m… yes, I am sorry for the mess I have made. Before you ask, I’ve apologized to my sister about my behavior. Taking her out might have been necessary, but there could have been better ways of handling it.”

“That’s okay.” This Sweetie’s lower teenage voice strikes the nostalgic valley for Rarity: nothing like the little sister she grew up with, who she sometimes called Squeaky Belle. “I’m sorry for keeping her up so late too.”

“That is fine. These are extraordinary times, hm? Learning about each other so fast… I am surprised cultural and technological exchange has not taken off sooner.” Her brows rise and the lashes slightly point somewhere else. “Speaking of technological exchange….”

The mare’s look falls upon the discs and their consoles.

“To tell you the full truth, I have been keeping very occasional tabs on video games—our world’s video games, that is, until recently. From what I could gather, we are so many years behind in that particular industry. Even then, I have indulged in her gaming hobbies once in a while, mostly when we are in a big city. While far away from being my go-to- choice, I must admit it is an adequate way to relax after a long, stressful day.”

Sweetie nods. Her Rarity has her fair share of long and stressful days at the boutique too, complete with sudden deadline changes and picky or undecided customers. “Yeah, I understand. She sometimes plays with me too. But it’s not just that. They’re also great for bonding with friends.”

A couple video game boxes levitate in her green glow. “I’ve got a couple multiplayer games. Road Brawler V, Above and Beyond: Present-Day War, Plumber Cart Racing—though, I’d suggest leaving out the war game for now, heh-heh—“ leaving out the fact that she was introduced to above-her-age games a long time ago.

The green field of Sweetie shifts to Rarity’s blue. “At least this is another way to bond with Rainbow Dash and maybe Applejack. You know how competitive they can be, don’t you?” Deep thought clenches her jaw. “One more thing.”

“Yes?”

Rarity notes the number of controllers connected to each of the consoles: three. Good enough for sisterly rivalry with enough room for CMC gaming.

The number is insufficient. “Can these games support six players? Maybe even seven?”

Sweetie’s white hoof tugs at her curls in her own version of deep thought. “That requires a LAN party, and I was born just in time to see that fall away. Still, there could be a chance….”

---

It is a few months later in Ponyville, on one cool Friday night. Keen observers would note that there is a bleary flash of colorful light streaming from one of the boutique’s windows.

“This laser sight gives me ten percent more accuracy than pure iron sights, but I’ve played enough sessions of O&O with my brother to know there’s got to be a catch in this set-up somewhere. Any hidden crutches you were able to find so far, Rarity? Or perhaps I should add more attachments… but then that leaves me with less space for the special abilities.”

“I do apologize for sounding a little exasperated, Twilight, but we are down by ten confirmed kills! Rainbow Dash, can you at least try to hold Pinkie Pie off and stop her from firing whatever a bazooka is?!”

“I know I’m awesome, but I can’t carry the whole team for much longer! I’ve still got get the hang of these super-realistic moving pictures on the screen—hey, AJ, what gives?!”

“Uh, that ain’t me. I think these machine gun thingies don’t hit well this far off. Pinkie Pie?”

“I have the bazooka, remember?… uh, Fluttershy, what’s that new weapon over there? Like, what’s a sniper?”

“Um… uh, Spike?”

“I’ve a flamethrower, not a sniper. Admit it, Fluttershy: You’re scary good at cold-blooded killing.”

Comments

[Ninjadeadbeard]

“Pff-kch-tsh!”—the beatbox of posh shock.

This is the greatest thing I've ever read. No arguments will be brooked.

nostalgic valley

Uncanny valley, I think.

[Venerable Ro]

Oh dear, ponies and video games. I suspect lan parties will be big in Equestria, what with the social aspect and all. Gaming cafes perhaps?

[BestinDworld]

sniper shy hmm was that a ref to a fic where ponies play video games

[BiggerNate91]

The console names are great, although I would have went with "Rainbox."

[justheretoreadstories]

hold Pinkie Pie off and stop her from firing whatever a bazooka is?!”

Given her use of party cannons, this should not be surprising.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Sweetie Belle does not welcome the future. The teen lied.
Sweetie Belle is welcomed by the future.

Sweetie Belle is the—
Wait, sorry, wrong universe.

And of course Fluttershy excels at sniping. I'd expect nothing less, ditto Pinkie with the high explosives.

[Velvet-Fresh]

Are they playing Team Fortress 2? Would have thought Twilight be Sniper.. but damn Shy