open The Town That Friendship Forgot

[Astral Vision 286]

3 hours ago, Dynamo Pad said:

@GeneralDirection @Astral Vision @ExplosionMare @Samurai Equine

As he heard Silver's response, Dynamo smiled as he gave the Kirin a thankful look. "Thank you for understanding, Silver. I'll make sure to explain everything later. Also, Pastel is second in command at the arcade. So, if you need someone else who can guide you around the arcade, then Pastel is the one." He whispered back, before the group started making their way into the arcade. He looked back at Astral and Pencil, while making sure they were following him. "It looks to be a little crowded in here. So, let's try and stick together. Better to be close than to get lost. Should we sign up for anything first? I wasn't sure what events were to be held." He called out, while hoping the others could hear him over the possible roar of the crowd. 

@Dynamo Pad @Pastel Heart @ExplosionMare @GeneralDirection

Astral somewhat struggled to keep up with the group as the arcade had become overly crowded, though this was only proving how successful the tournament could be. As he navigated through many ponies and arcade machines, Astral soon heard Dynamo ask about the tournament divisions, and once Astral got close enough to be heard, he thoroughly explained what events would be taking place.

"Well Dynamo, there are a fair range of tournaments taking place today. For those who didn't get their fill of racing the day before, we have a kart racing simulator. For the musically gifted, such as our own Pastel, we have 'Must Dance' and Karaoke machines. We also have some classic fighting games such as 'Street Biter' and 'Immortal Combat', though be warned, these games may not be for the faint of heart. So in other words, you all have plenty of options to choose from. Though you are right, its best to be quick in signing up; after all, plenty of ponies here are itching to get in on the action!"

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

@Dynamo Pad

“Oh, yeah! Let’s sign up first!” Pencil said with a breathy laugh. Signing up for the tournament was probably a good idea since the arcade was getting uncomfortably crowded. Pencil stepped passed multiple ponies, making sure to stick with Dynamo and Astral. It took quite a while to reach the booths, but eventually  the trio was able to stand in line. Thankfully, they had gotten there early enough to where the line wasn’t stretched out the door.

@Astral Vision

Pencil listened as Astral listed off all the available games they could sign up for. A majority of them she hadn’t heard of or had time to play so it wouldn’t be smart to sign up for those. She considered the fighting games but quickly remembered she couldn’t last five seconds against Pastel. Pencil struggled for a moment, unable to figure out how she wanted to participate in the tournament. After thinking for a while, she figured that even if she went real kart racing yesterday, she would probably do the best in the racing arcade game.

“I think I’m going to sign up for the kart game. What about you guys?” Pencil asked the two stallions.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@ExplosionMare

Upon hearing Pencil would sign up for the tournament, Thundy and Chelsea made a beeline for the sign up sheet. "Certainly don't wanna miss this opportunity." Thundy stated as he signed his name on the paper, followed by Chelsea. "So...what games do you like Pencil?" Chelsea asked. 

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision

Pastel arrived to the arcade happily swishing her tail about. The familiar sight of the arcade energized her spirits as she smiled, taking in the atmosphere. Manehattan vibes.

She waved to Dyny. Seems he was gonna go sign up for the big competition. 

"Good luck, Dyny~! I'll totally be cheering you on!"

@GeneralDirection

"Ooh, well of course! Your friendly neighborhood magical girl is now your friendly neighborhood tour guide, I guess!"

She giggled and scampered on, waving her tail for Silver to follow.

"This place has really improved! We've got all the classics, and some new stuff too! Personally I recommend OUTRUN or the Manehattan inspired Crazy Taxi if you want an arcade racer! But wait, you wanna mediate that anger, right? Maybe a fighter would suit you! Maybe Mortal Kombat, or Street Fighter II or... The for some reason, way less popular Timeslaughter!"

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

@C. Thunder Dash

Pencil saw that Thundy and Chelsea were lined up behind her, eager to sign up for the tournament as well. She was happy they wanted to join, especially Chelsea, since they had gotten to know each other a little through the ocean adventure. As the line edged forward, Chelsea asked Pencil what her favorite types of games were. Pencil gladly responded,

“I’ve always enjoyed platforms and competitive games. I’ve heard of artsy games, too, but those are on consoles and we don’t really have those back home,”

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@ExplosionMare @Pastel Heart @GeneralDirection

"Heh, platformers are a classic." Thundy said gathering some electricity and making a ball of energy appear. He then morphed the energy ball into the super bell from Super Mario 3D World. It hovered in his talons. He squeezed it to absorb its power. A white veil surrounded Thundy before he was revealed in a cute cuddly cat costume just like the one in the game. 

[Samurai Equine 51,442]

@Astral Vision, @Dynamo Pad, @Pastel Heart, @ExplosionMare, @C. Thunder Dash, @GeneralDirection

There were plenty of different arcade cabinets and games with two or more player options. And of course, each one that could be played competitively was going to get its fair share of filmed coverage.

However, there seems to be one that the crowd is the most riled up for! One that no one is playing yet because they expect either Astral or Dynamo to set the stage like hosts of a TV show or something. In fact, there seems to be a huge line forming around it.

"Two Castles", a VR-based game. It's got its own station with multiple monitors, controllers, and VR head sets for each player. Obviously, this should give Dynamo and most of his friends pause, or at least the ones that have been to the arcade before. Why? Because this game was never there before. It's a new arrival! And the crowd is impatient. They want either the owner of the arcade or the host of this event to present it. There's even a news reporter trying to keep the crowd busy while she reports on the arrival of this new game, one that looks perfect for tournament play.

What they don't notice, what no one really feels, is that there is a hint of magic surrounding this VR game. The magic is dormant right now, so any signs of this magic are faint at best. Still, the VR game waits. On its many gigantic monitors, it shows off demo footage. There's tons of playable characters, different kinds of action and game play, and a message to entice gamers to play. "Two kings at war. One grand treasure between them. Can you claim it for yourself? TWO CASTLES. Dive in to a timeless fantasy."

Edited August 26, 2020 by Samurai Equine

[Dynamo Pad 11,311]

14 hours ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

@Dynamo Pad @GeneralDirection

”Alright then, Thundy and I will be practicing.” Chelsea said as Thundy had found a spot to place the DDR SuperNova Machine. 

12 hours ago, Astral Vision said:

@Dynamo Pad @Pastel Heart @ExplosionMare @GeneralDirection

Astral somewhat struggled to keep up with the group as the arcade had become overly crowded, though this was only proving how successful the tournament could be. As he navigated through many ponies and arcade machines, Astral soon heard Dynamo ask about the tournament divisions, and once Astral got close enough to be heard, he thoroughly explained what events would be taking place.

"Well Dynamo, there are a fair range of tournaments taking place today. For those who didn't get their fill of racing the day before, we have a kart racing simulator. For the musically gifted, such as our own Pastel, we have 'Must Dance' and Karaoke machines. We also have some classic fighting games such as 'Street Biter' and 'Immortal Combat', though be warned, these games may not be for the faint of heart. So in other words, you all have plenty of options to choose from. Though you are right, its best to be quick in signing up; after all, plenty of ponies here are itching to get in on the action!"

 

Nodding at Chelsea's remark, Dynamo began leading Astral and Pencil throughout the crowded arcade. Passing by the many participants and machinery, Dynamo's ears perked as he heard Astral's voice from behind. "I know there is Mario Kart and Need for Speed, but a kart simulator is the next best thing. I might need to keep the karaoke machine after this is all over. I think Pastel having a way to practice her singing will be perfect for her in the long run. I've heard of and played a bit of Street Biter and Immortal Combat. So, I can definitely agree that those games aren't exactly filly friendly. We'll definitely have to make sure everyone is of the right age in order to play."

11 hours ago, ExplosionMare said:

@Dynamo Pad

“Oh, yeah! Let’s sign up first!” Pencil said with a breathy laugh. Signing up for the tournament was probably a good idea since the arcade was getting uncomfortably crowded. Pencil stepped passed multiple ponies, making sure to stick with Dynamo and Astral. It took quite a while to reach the booths, but eventually  the trio was able to stand in line. Thankfully, they had gotten there early enough to where the line wasn’t stretched out the door.

@Astral Vision

Pencil listened as Astral listed off all the available games they could sign up for. A majority of them she hadn’t heard of or had time to play so it wouldn’t be smart to sign up for those. She considered the fighting games but quickly remembered she couldn’t last five seconds against Pastel. Pencil struggled for a moment, unable to figure out how she wanted to participate in the tournament. After thinking for a while, she figured that even if she went real kart racing yesterday, she would probably do the best in the racing arcade game.

“I think I’m going to sign up for the kart game. What about you guys?” Pencil asked the two stallions.

Turning towards Pencil, Dynamo nodded as they began forming towards the lines that were available. Thankfully, they had gotten there early enough to where the line wasn't exactly that long. "I guess signing up will be a main priority first. That way, we can have our discussion afterwards without having the worry about being late for a tournament." He chuckled, panting slightly from having to push past the giant crowd. Dynamo placed a hoof to his chin as he thought deeply on the the purple mare's question. "Hmm...I might sign up for the kart game or maybe a fighting game. I know there might be a Ponymon competition. There is an arcade machine that allows you to create a battle ready team. One where you can have the specific mons you want. Including items, nature, stat distributions and more. I've been playing that series a lot recently and I'm hoping to see how I can do. Since Pencil might try the kart game, then what are you signing up for, Astral?"

10 hours ago, Pastel Heart said:

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision

Pastel arrived to the arcade happily swishing her tail about. The familiar sight of the arcade energized her spirits as she smiled, taking in the atmosphere. Manehattan vibes.

She waved to Dyny. Seems he was gonna go sign up for the big competition. 

"Good luck, Dyny~! I'll totally be cheering you on!"

26 minutes ago, Samurai Equine said:

@Astral Vision, @Dynamo Pad, @Pastel Heart, @ExplosionMare, @C. Thunder Dash, @GeneralDirection

There were plenty of different arcade cabinets and games with two or more player options. And of course, each one that could be played competitively was going to get its fair share of filmed coverage.

However, there seems to be one that the crowd is the most riled up for! One that no one is playing yet because they expect either Astral or Dynamo to set the stage like hosts of a TV show or something. In fact, there seems to be a huge line forming around it.

"Two Castles", a VR-based game. It's got its own station with multiple monitors, controllers, and VR head sets for each player. Obviously, this should give Dynamo and most of his friends pause, or at least the ones that have been to the arcade before. Why? Because this game was never there before. It's a new arrival! And the crowd is impatient. They want either the owner of the arcade or the host of this event to present it. There's even a news reporter trying to keep the crowd busy while she reports on the arrival of this new game, one that looks perfect for tournament play.

What they don't notice, what no one really feels, is that there is a hint of magic surrounding this VR game. The magic is dormant right now, so any signs of this magic are faint at best. Still, the VR game waits. On its many gigantic monitors, it shows off demo footage. There's tons of playable characters, different kinds of action and game play, and a message to entice gamers to play. "Two kings at war. One grand treasure between them. Can you claim it for yourself? TWO CASTLES. Dive in to a timeless fantasy."

 

@Astral Vision @Pastel Heart @ExplosionMare @GeneralDirection @Samurai Equine @C. Thunder Dash

Dynamo's ears perked as he thought he heard the voice of Pastel. He looked around the crowd, but it proved difficult with the massive amount of participants. He barely managed to see a pink hoof waving, before smiling as he waved back. "Thank you, Pastel-chan! I'll make sure to be cheering for you too!" He called out to her, while hoping she had heard him. While the line began to progressively become shorter and shorter, Dynamo was becoming nervous, but psyched as signups were nearly upon the trio. As he was making his way to sign up, however, something had caught the corner of his eye. 

He looked over to a crowd gathering around what appeared to be a game station, which had two helmets placed side by side of each other. There was even a reporter, who was trying to keep an impatient crowd calm. Blinking in confusion, Dynamo slowly made his way out of line to check out the scene. Upon arriving, the gaming unicorn took notice of the name of the game. "Two Castles, huh?" He tilted his head in slight confusion. "That's strange. I...I don't recall ever seeing this game before in the arcade. I wonder if this is brand new." He wondered, taking a look at the demo footage. It seemed there was a ton of playable characters, different actions and game play. Even the message that seemed to entice others to play had caught his curiosity. However, the first part of the message was a bit worrying for the blue unicorn. 'Why does these two kings seem to reflect the two mayors of this town? Is this some kind of warning?' He thought, while hoping Astral and Pencil would be able to make heads or tails. He didn't know who was the host of this set up event, but he knew he was the owner of the arcade. It was only right that he should try to stop the impatient crowd. "Um...excuse me." He called out with a wave of his hoof. "I'm sorry to keep anyone waiting, but I'm the owner of this arcade. Is there anything I can be of assistance?"

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Dynamo Pad

Thundy, still in the cat costume noticed Dynamo had gone somewhere. He looked around and saw the huge crowd. "Whoa...what's all that about?" He asked himself. Chelsea looked over to the crowd as well. "There seems to be a new game...and it looks to be some sort of VR experience." Thundy said as he went over to the crowd. He stood next to Dynamo, still in the cat costume from Super Mario 3d World. 

[Samurai Equine 51,442]

@Astral Vision, @Dynamo Pad, @Pastel Heart, @ExplosionMare, @C. Thunder Dash, @GeneralDirection

As soon as Dynamo made himself known as the owner of the arcade, the line behind Two Castles cheers like wild!
"Ah, finally! The moment has arrived, fillies and gentlecolts!" The reporter quickly goes over to Dynamo's side. "Hello Friendshine, I'm Elusive Facts, and I'm here with the owner of the arcade, Mr. Dynamo Pad. The gaming tournament has just begun, but he is mere moments away from cutting the ribbon and opening up this new game that all of Friendshire is talking about, the amazing full-dive virtual reality game known as Two Castles. Hopefully, Dynamo and his compatriots will play the first round to show us how it's done. Now Mr. Pad, are you excited as the crowd is about this new game? Do you think it will be the next big thing to sweet across Equestria?" Elusive Facts holds up her microphone to Dynamo.

[Dynamo Pad 11,311]

2 minutes ago, Samurai Equine said:

@Astral Vision, @Dynamo Pad, @Pastel Heart, @ExplosionMare, @C. Thunder Dash, @GeneralDirection

As soon as Dynamo made himself known as the owner of the arcade, the line behind Two Castles cheers like wild!
"Ah, finally! The moment has arrived, fillies and gentlecolts!" The reporter quickly goes over to Dynamo's side. "Hello Friendshine, I'm Elusive Facts, and I'm here with the owner of the arcade, Mr. Dynamo Pad. The gaming tournament has just begun, but he is mere moments away from cutting the ribbon and opening up this new game that all of Friendshire is talking about, the amazing full-dive virtual reality game known as Two Castles. Hopefully, Dynamo and his compatriots will play the first round to show us how it's done. Now Mr. Pad, are you excited as the crowd is about this new game? Do you think it will be the next big thing to sweet across Equestria?" Elusive Facts holds up her microphone to Dynamo.

@Samurai Equine

Dynamo's ears quickly fell as he heard the sudden roar cheers of the crowd around him. Hearing the reporter announced herself as Elusive Facts, he had soon been told of what little information she had given to him. Seeing the camera in front of him and Elusive, Dynamo could only give a light smile with a shaky wave to the camera. Hearing the game was both virtual and a full dive system had caught both his attention and interest. Clearing his throat with a cough, Dynamo could only nod at Elusive's questions. "Yes, Miss Facts. I'm just as excited and intrigued as the crowd is about this Two Castles. I must admit that I don't recall ever hearing about this game before, but I won't deny that is has an interesting premise towards it. Sadly, I'm not entirely sure on the idea of a full dive gaming system. Video games are fairly new, while other kinds of consoles are appearing throughout the months and years. One thing I will say, however, is that it doesn't sound impossible to be played. So, I believe that, given enough time, full dive virtual reality may become a household name." He would say, responding to the microphone that was presented to him.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Dynamo Pad

Thundy gently patted Dynamo on the back to get his attention. "Psst, hey Dynamo, would it be a good idea to mention virtual reality and my world? Virtual reality has come such a long way in my world." Thundy said still in the cat costume. 

Chelsea just watched at a distance hoping they would still have time to play Xepher on DDR. 

[Samurai Equine 51,442]

@Dynamo Pad, @Astral Vision

"PLAY. THE. GAME! PLAY. THE. GAME! PLAY. THE. GAME!" The crowd loudly chants. "You heard it here first, folks. Mr. Dynamo Pad has given his shining endorsement of this game, but I don't think the crowd can wait anymore. We're about to see him cut the ribbon and play the first round of Two Castles to show us all how it's done. After that, the tournament will begin properly, and all of Friendshire is welcome to try and reach a new high score for themselves. The game allows up to 4 participants to play at the same time. Let's see what Mr. Pad and his friends can do." Elusive Facts plays it up for the cameras and the crowd before giving Dynamo a giant pair of prop scissors and showing him to the red ribbon at the front of line, the same ribbon stopping potential players from stepping up. And since he is nearby, Elusive encourages Astral to join him. Though, who they will pick to be Players 3 and 4 in this first round is anyone's guess.

[Astral Vision 286]

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Pastel Heart @ExplosionMare @GeneralDirection @C. Thunder Dash

Astral pondered on Dynamo's question, there really was no reason to NOT take part in the tournament, but something caught the attention of the group before the blue unicorn could answer. A well dressed pony by the name of Elusive Facts had riled up the crowd to shear levels of excitement, and it seemed there was a new game unheard of even by the Gamer Pony Dynamo; Two Castles, a VR experience.

Astral was fully aware of the workings behind Virtual Reality, as the technology was near parallel to his own magic expertise; however, rather than be excited like the rest of the ponies, Astral seemed worried and suspicious.

"I know what you mean Dynamo; Two Kings fighting in a town with Two Mayors at war, it almost seems TOO coincidental. Not only that, but Virtual Reality can be dangerous; after all, anything can happen in the digital world, even your greatest fears can be brought to life." Astral didn't mean to be a downer on the festivities, but in a town where evil and curses seemed to pop up around every corner, he had good reason to be suspicious.

The pony Elusive Facts soon called Dynamo onto the stage, urging the unicorn to give the new game his best wishes; Astral smiled as he saw Dynamo paint a good image for gaming as a whole, examples like his were sure to inspire the gaming industry for many years to come. As soon as he gave his opinion and cut the ribbon, Astral saw Elusive come to meet with him personally, trying to convince the blue stallion to take part in the event.

"Alright then, I'll take part in this game as well, it should be lots of fun! However, if we hope to keep this event running, some of us will need to stay in the real world."

Astral then turned to face the group with a questioning expression on his face, he could only guess how many of them wanted to experience the VR game, but they couldn't afford to place all their eggs in one basket.

"My friends, we have two spots remaining for the VR game, so who wishes to join us?"

Edited August 26, 2020 by Astral Vision
Grammar

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision

"I guess I'll join. I would ask Chelsea but..." Thundy stopped as Chelsea came next to him. "But what? It's okay. I'll pass this time. I'll probably just be practicing on DDR while you play." Chelsea said. 

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

@C. Thunder Dash

“Ooohhh!” Pencil squealed in fascination. She was both impressed and very excited that Thundy was able to turn himself into a Super Mario cat. He looked so cute with his big, fluffy, ears and the shiny yellow bell dangling on his chest. Pencil had to resist trying to ring the bell. Instead, she cheered at Thundy’s adorable display.

“Eeee, it looks so cute! I love your cat suit, it really looks like it does it the game! Wait! Hold on, I have an idea...can you turn me into a cat? I’m fine if you only do it for a few seconds,” she said gleefully. Upon making her suggestion, she dipped her head to the side and gave a tiny smile. She hoped her face would be cute enough for Thundy to grant her wishes.

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision @Samurai Equine

Pencil’s attention quickly shifted to the pony in the fancy outfit as they gave an enthusiastic speech to the crowd. Pencil wasn’t sure what he was talking about at first—she figured it was just to announce the tournament. It wasn’t until she saw what was behind them that she began to understand. It was one of the coolest video games Pencil had ever seen. The title of the game was called Two Castles, and from what Pencil could gather, it was a competitive battle game.

Pencil didn’t know anything about battle games, but she liked the competition part! Just as she thought about how fun the game would be, the announcer was asking for more volunteers. Dynamo and Astral were already up on the stage while Thundy was making his way towards it. Before anypony else said anything, Pencil yelled,

“I’ll be the next player!” She hoped she was loud enough for the announcer to hear.

 

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@ExplosionMare

Thundy gathered some electricity and made another ball of energy appear. He then transformed the ball of energy into another super bell, and touched the super bell against Pencil. It absorbed itself inside her, giving her a cat costume that resembled Thundy's except it was the color of Pencil's fur. "There you go. Let me know when you wanna go back to normal. And sweet. I have a feeling Pastel will sign up and will want to be with Dynamo but who knows. Chelsea wanted to practice up on DanceDanceRevolution so she decided to bow out this time." Thundy said.  

[ExplosionMare 18,062]

@C. Thunder Dash

Pencil clapped her paws together as she was magically transformed into a purple cat. She felt a little odd now that she had a few new body parts, but overall she was pretty pleased with the results.

“Thanks, Thundy, this looks great! Meow!”  she said thankfully, letting out an involuntary cat noise. She snickered at herself, causing her bell to jingle back and forth. Pencil was truly amused by her new form. She was so enthralled she didn’t look up until Thundy mentioned the arcade tournament.

“I hope Pastel can join, even if that means I’ll have little to no shot at winning, heh! It’s too bad Chelsea doesn’t wanna join, but I don’t see this game as being her type of game anyways. Glad you’re one of the players, though!” Pencil replied with a friendly wink.

“Oh, yeah, by the way, I guess you can turn me back into a pony if I’m actually able to play that game up there. No way am I gonna try playing with these!” she added, wiggling her new fingers around for effect.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@ExplosionMare

"Hey you never know Pencil. It really all depends on the controls. I know you hung out with Chelsea yesterday, but...maybe after this, would you maybe like to hang out some. I heard you were an artist, so maybe talent exchange?" Thundy asked as he gathered some electricity and shapeshifted into his feral form. he was still in his cat costume but now back on all fours. 

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Pastel Heart

Silver followed Pastel around as she showed him the various games that the arcade had. He didn’t really have an idea about half the game she mentioned, since he had never heard of them before. He just did his best to keep up and listen to her explanations as best as he could. Things were fine until they reached the fighting games, then Silver’s face fell slightly.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Pastel. I’m not much of a fighter, and I think that would probably just make things worse for me. I appreciate the thought, though.” He smiled and ruffled her mane a bit.

“I think you mentioned something about Crazy Taxi earlier. I think I saw that back in Las Pegasus, I’ll giver that a go for now, and keep an eye on you guys in your competitions from time to time. I’m sure you’re doing something with Dynamo, right? What did you sign up for?” He asked.   

[Dynamo Pad 11,311]

21 hours ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

@Dynamo Pad

Thundy gently patted Dynamo on the back to get his attention. "Psst, hey Dynamo, would it be a good idea to mention virtual reality and my world? Virtual reality has come such a long way in my world." Thundy said still in the cat costume. 

Chelsea just watched at a distance hoping they would still have time to play Xepher on DDR. 

Dynamo felt the sudden tap on his shoulder. His eyes glancing slightly over to Thundy, before placing a hoof close to his mouth to cover up their conversation. "I don't think that's a good idea. I'd leave well enough alone. It seems that virtual reality is new to Equestria. I don't know how long or how far you've had virtual reality in your world, but I'm guessing by what you've said, then it's pretty advanced. So, I wouldn't recommend mentioning it to them, unless it's very important. Plus." He whispered, looking out towards the crowd with a half smile. "It seems like everyone is more focused on what this game is all about."

15 hours ago, Samurai Equine said:

@Dynamo Pad, @Astral Vision

"PLAY. THE. GAME! PLAY. THE. GAME! PLAY. THE. GAME!" The crowd loudly chants. "You heard it here first, folks. Mr. Dynamo Pad has given his shining endorsement of this game, but I don't think the crowd can wait anymore. We're about to see him cut the ribbon and play the first round of Two Castles to show us all how it's done. After that, the tournament will begin properly, and all of Friendshire is welcome to try and reach a new high score for themselves. The game allows up to 4 participants to play at the same time. Let's see what Mr. Pad and his friends can do." Elusive Facts plays it up for the cameras and the crowd before giving Dynamo a giant pair of prop scissors and showing him to the red ribbon at the front of line, the same ribbon stopping potential players from stepping up. And since he is nearby, Elusive encourages Astral to join him. Though, who they will pick to be Players 3 and 4 in this first round is anyone's guess.

The gaming unicorn could only blink as the roar of the crowd chanted to play the game. With a sigh and a sheepish chuckle, he knew what he had to do. "Okay, okay! Everyone relax and keep calm. If you all want to see this game being played, then who am I to deny such a request!" He exclaimed, being given the pair of giant prop scissors from Elusive, before he placed the scissors near the ribbon. "Without further ado, I declare that anyone who's anyone is free to play this game. May the Two Castle's game be finally open for business!" Without hesitation, he placed the ribbon in between the scissors and snipped the ribbon in two. 

9 hours ago, Astral Vision said:

@Dynamo Pad @Samurai Equine @Pastel Heart @ExplosionMare @GeneralDirection @C. Thunder Dash

Astral pondered on Dynamo's question, there really was no reason to NOT take part in the tournament, but something caught the attention of the group before the blue unicorn could answer. A well dressed pony by the name of Elusive Facts had riled up the crowd to shear levels of excitement, and it seemed there was a new game unheard of even by the Gamer Pony Dynamo; Two Castles, a VR experience.

Astral was fully aware of the workings behind Virtual Reality, as the technology was near parallel to his own magic expertise; however, rather than be excited like the rest of the ponies, Astral seemed worried and suspicious.

"I know what you mean Dynamo; Two Kings fighting in a town with Two Mayors at war, it almost seems TOO coincidental. Not only that, but Virtual Reality can be dangerous; after all, anything can happen in the digital world, even your greatest fears can be brought to life." Astral didn't mean to be a downer on the festivities, but in a town where evil and curses seemed to pop up around every corner, he had good reason to be suspicious.

The pony Elusive Facts soon called Dynamo onto the stage, urging the unicorn to give the new game his best wishes; Astral smiled as he saw Dynamo paint a good image for gaming as a whole, examples like his were sure to inspire the gaming industry for many years to come. As soon as he gave his opinion and cut the ribbon, Astral saw Elusive come to meet with him personally, trying to convince the blue stallion to take part in the event.

"Alright then, I'll take part in this game as well, it should be lots of fun! However, if we hope to keep this event running, some of us will need to stay in the real world."

Astral then turned to face the group with a questioning expression on his face, he could only guess how many of them wanted to experience the VR game, but they couldn't afford to place all their eggs in one basket.

"My friends, we have two spots remaining for the VR game, so who wishes to join us?"

Dynamo looked over to Astral, who had joined him in where he stood. It seemed that he too was having suspicions on the meaning behind the story of this game. Dynamo was glad, as he wasn't sure what to think of what was going on. Was this all coincidence, or was there much more going on? "Thanks for backing me up, Astral. I'm beginning to wonder if anyone else has this sort of suspicion, but everyone must be too focused on the game." He knew the event was all about having fun, but the gamer pony understood the blue unicorn's thought process. He had to assume that the two of them should tread carefully. "I didn't know that much can happen in Virtual Reality. This is the first time I've ever heard of this being brought to Equestria. So, I might be a little new and uncertain on certain things. Perhaps it might be better if Thundy can further fill us in on any details." Hearing his name being called on stage by Elusive Facts, Dynamo knew that he would be one of the few to test out the game first hoof. However, it looked as if the three extra VR helmets were not in use. So, it would be a group effort, as well as an up for grabs opportunity. Hearing Astral would join was a relief to the gaming pony. Having a friend was much better than working together with a stranger he didn't know. 

"I can't ask for a better friend and gaming partner to take on this challenge. However, you do make a valid argument." He responded, looking out towards the crowd and his friends. "It's as Astral has stated. We have two participants, but we need two more! If you wish to take up this challenge, then now's the time to step up and test your luck!"

8 hours ago, C. Thunder Dash said:

@Dynamo Pad @Astral Vision

"I guess I'll join. I would ask Chelsea but..." Thundy stopped as Chelsea came next to him. "But what? It's okay. I'll pass this time. I'll probably just be practicing on DDR while you play." Chelsea said. 

3 hours ago, ExplosionMare said:

Pencil’s attention quickly shifted to the pony in the fancy outfit as they gave an enthusiastic speech to the crowd. Pencil wasn’t sure what he was talking about at first—she figured it was just to announce the tournament. It wasn’t until she saw what was behind them that she began to understand. It was one of the coolest video games Pencil had ever seen. The title of the game was called Two Castles, and from what Pencil could gather, it was a competitive battle game.

Pencil didn’t know anything about battle games, but she liked the competition part! Just as she thought about how fun the game would be, the announcer was asking for more volunteers. Dynamo and Astral were already up on the stage while Thundy was making his way towards it. Before anypony else said anything, Pencil yelled,

“I’ll be the next player!” She hoped she was loud enough for the announcer to hear.

 

 

Hearing Thundy and Pencil give their call on participation had caused Dynamo to smile. "I think we've found our two other contestants. May I please have a Mr. Thundy and a Miss Pencil Pouch to come up on stage to join us!?" He called out and hoped that the two of them would hear his voice. He even waved to the two, while spotting them from among the cheering crowd. He leaned over closely to Astral, while making sure to whisper into his ear. "At least we'll have our friends when it comes to working together. Plus, Thundy had mentioned that he knows about Virtual Reality from where he came from. Maybe he can give us some more insight on what we might be dealing with."

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@ExplosionMare @Dynamo Pad

"Alright Pencil, that's our cue." Thundy said purring in his cat costume. He waited for Pencil so the two could go on the stage to play the game together. Meanwhile Chelsea was practicing some songs on the DDR game. 

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@GeneralDirection

"Oh.. I'm not signed up, nyaha. I wouldn't wanna compete against Dyny, this is his ballgame! He's the hardcore gamer, I'm just a filthy casual! Besides... Dyny probably doesnt want me hanging on him all the time. He'll have more fun up there with Astral than a filly like me."

She smiled sadly. Seems she had a complex of some sort. She shrugged off the feelings she buried by shaking her head and scampering over to the Crazy Taxi kart.

"So uhh, in this you're a Manehattan taxi pony! The goal is to pick up passengers and get them to their destination... As fast as possible and by any means necessary. Don't be afraid of a little carnage~"

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Pastel Heart

Silver looked towards Pastel as she explained what was going on. She seemed somewhat upset by not being able to compete with Dynamo and the others. He remained silent as she led him over to game machine and explained how the game worked. Silver sat down at the machine and was about to start playing when he looked over at the filly thoughtfully.

“You know, Pastel, I get that you wanna let Dynamo do his thing, this is his special talent after all. But that doesn’t mean that you should count yourself out of the fun. If you want to participate, you should be able to, whether you’re a hardcore player or not. Are you needing a partner? Because if you are, I’m willing to do it, I don’t have one myself. I’m not that good at these things anyway, so you don’t have to worry about that. What do you say, Pastel? There something over there you wanna sign up for?” He asked, getting up from the game chair.

[Pastel Heart 6,466]

@GeneralDirection

Pastel looked at him in surprise. While she did feel left out, she wanted to cheer on Dynamo too... She felt small, too small compared to everypony else. She wondered what was wrong with her head; she never thought about things like that before. Why does it bother her now? Maybe it was what Thundy said, or... Nya, screw it!

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right! We don't need a sign up sheet, let's go crash the party after your game minutes are up! I'll be like a powerful Fire Emblem princess and you can be my retainer~!"

As if coming to terms with something in her heart and a renewed smile, she was back to normal and ready to show Dynamo just how bad of a gamer she could be, with her newest friend by her side.