Equestria Datanet (battle network crossover) {SFW}

The Year is 22XX,  
Humanity has decided, no more foolishness, we’re fixing the whole mess now.  
what followed was an entire new way of thinking, a new age of high tech, a new age of prosperity.
 
And of course also a new age of problems.  
the new high tech environment and global interdependence ended war in real life, but introduced hack attacks and viruses as new wars and monsters of the second age of information.
 
new ways of interfacing, controlling and protecting technology followed in the wake shortly after.  
the P.O.N.I.E.S  
Personal  
Online  
Network  
Identification  
and Expediency  
System  
were introduced, handing every person an interface in the form of a personal assistant, bodyguard, gladiator or sometimes even just a pet.  
These charming Equinoid sprites are constant companions to their operators and live in the mirror image of the new world, when not on their home devices.  
this mirror Image, known as the Equestria Network offers not just exchange of data, but also serves as entertainment, dispute settlement, workplace or generally just a hangout spot, despite the fact that viruses seem to crop up there like weeds and are similarly harmless to get rid of for a pony.
 
you have received your own PET, the Personal Equine Terminal, and are almost ready to join this new world.  
You only need to personalize your Pony and enter your user data
 
Username:  
Likes/dislikes: (optional)  
Occupation: (if applicable)
 
Pony datasheet:  
ID:  
gender:  
Personality archetype:  
standard Virus buster: (melee or ranged)  
description:

(Been wanting to do this but unsure of what I wanted to do here)

@Prince Artemis  
(Operator a mechanic and a pony dracony centered around machinery?)

@Cerebrate19  
(Possibly…. Also every time someone says “operator” I can’t help but think of this)

@Prince Artemis  
(Well you are the tech support to the pony acting as a cop.)

(to set a quick example:)
 
Username: Steve Bosch  
Likes/dislikes: likes being successful and winning battles, especially against other operators or full fledged sprite enemies as those are much smarter than viruses, absolutely abhors those that would genuinely harm people by hacking/damaging important machinery.  
Occupation: IT-technician, virus buster
 
Pony datasheet: Pony with operator  
ID: Thunderhead  
gender: male  
Personality archetype: loyal, mildly sarcastic, cowboy cop  
standard Virus buster: ranged, feather shuriken, elementized for electric  
description: Modeled after the “shadowbolt” Esports team with a few tweaks his eyes are not covered by goggles and his headpiece looks more like a climbing helmet.  
type: Pegasus can accelerate to jump data lanes, translating to great mobility in cyberspace  
Upgrade: floater: immunity against attacks that require the target to be on the ground.
 
 
Pony datasheet: rogue military Trojan “Changeling”  
ID: Cerus  
gender: male(usually)  
Personality archetype: deceptive, smug, sadistic  
standard Virus buster: variable system, usually goes for melee  
description: the black carapace armor and glowing blue eyes are a rare sight, he usually maintains a corrupted appearance of his last disguise  
Information: “the changelings going rogue was one of the biggest spooks in the modern world, myriads of these hostile programs have simply gone off the grid and now spook around cyberspace feeding their hunger for energy either from installations, programs or ponies. it is unclear wether they have central authority at all or are just the equivalent for looters and criminals.

(I’m guessing Cannon ponies are frowned upon here?)

@Pizzamovies  
(not at all, though the main cast serve a few roles more suited to NPCs here.)

(a bump to get out of ianpony’s swamp)

Username: Kayle  
Likes/Dislikes: Coding, creating viruses and outsmarting the ‘net police’. Dislikes losing and being caught. Has a disregard to any innocents who may get in the way  
Occupation:Black Hat hacker
 
Pony Datasheet:Pony with an operator  
ID: Digital Shadow  
Gender: Male  
Personality Archtype: Cold cruel sadistic  
Modified Virus buster: outputs a far faster rate of fire/can switch to a ‘shotgun’ mode allowing for more power but a slower charge rate  
Description:Created from the scraps of the rejected military program “PROJECT UMBRUM” resulting in armor resembling a twisted version of the standard ‘guard’ armor.  
Type:Unicorn-Umbrum/Pegasus-Threstarl(Has exhibited both forms on different occasions.)  
Information:Due to his origin as a military program and creator’s attitude, he also holds a disregard to those who stand in his way regardless if they are operator or rouge.

@Tearval  
(welcome aboard, want me to get you started?)

@Cerebrate19  
(please)

@Tearval  
the mainframes of the Crystal empire were beautiful spires, filled with traffic of public announcements and desaster aid. it was hard to believe the hardware used to rumble away for military development. nowadays its use was to watch over climate stabilization technology as its’ main hub. there was much chaos to be had if these servers malfunctioned, and for that reason powerful firewalls had been erected.
 
a well versed cracker however would know, that many programs developed here, not least of which the discontinued Umbrum series, actually were on the whitelist, an error that had slipped by the attention of the security developers, mainly because they figured the data on umbrum had been wiped.
 
one would still have to get past the main program for the climate, flurry heart, as well as the runtime broker and the main antivirus of the site. but they were all without operator support.

@Cerebrate19  
Digital Shadow scoffed as he easily bypassed most of the security heading straight for the central hub. Finding it laughable he shook his head before grinning at the sight of his target. “This is pathetically easy.” He scoffed keeping a keen eye out for any patrols. Summoning the program his parter/creator had designed he gained a malicious smirk. “Crash the weather system and get paid.”

@Tearval  
what happened next could be described as an air fist knocking him away from the hub.
 
Shining armor: “you didn’t REALLY think we only had that firewall, did you?”

@Cerebrate19  
Digital Shadow: “No but do you honestly think such a weak attack could damage me?”
 
He scoffed brushing ‘dust’ off his armor before looking at the Pony blocking his path.

@Tearval  
“oh that wasn’t for damaging.”
 
a shield froms around their impromptu arena, as well as a secondary one around the antivirus captain.
 
“this is.”
 
the next moment a beam lances out from his buster aimed for the umbrum’s head.

@Cerebrate19  
The umbrum rolled his eyes as a an orb fell out of his buster encasing him and the impromptu arena in smoke.
 
“Clever but did you honestly think I wouldn’t know your tactics?”
 
He called out from the smoke laughing before the shield was assaulted with blaster fire fare quicker than any standard and most custom designs

@Tearval  
“for knowing them you don’t do well in beating them.”
 
shining armor was designed around the best offense being a good defense, the shield surrounding him was practically immune to standard busters.
 
in these cases operators make up the difference, programs uploaded by them could give their pony non-standard weapons.

@Cerebrate19  
Digital laughed more as the smoke started to clear revealing him to be standing right before Shining Armor
 
“Yes but I when you think about it why would I use an attack that would be ineffective?”
 
Digital Smiled under his mask buster now overcharging in it’s shotgun mode before blasting the shield at point blank range

@Tearval  
this causes it to flicker, but a hacker and government backing were still two very different weight classes.
 
“because you’re not as smart as you think you are, obviously.”
 
a sword froms from his hoof.
 
“now hold still i want to make this quick.”

@Cerebrate19  
Back in the real world, Kayle smiled sending him a new program
 
“Digital, time to get an upgrade.”
 
Seeing the sword come from Shining, he grinned before standing still, a purple glow forming on his own hoof
 
“Agreed.”

@Tearval  
either not noticing the glow, or careless over his shield, the captain charges, intent on cleaving the umbrum in half.

@Cerebrate19  
Digital swung his leg to meet him a dark purple sword crackling with energy emerging
 
“Die fool”

@Tearval  
they clash for a moment, but the normal cyberblade breaks, and the next moment so does shining’s shield as the corruptive nature of the blade burns through and infects the captain.
 
with the antivirus retreating into inertness the barriers around Digital dissipate.