Battle was fairly sure his head might have actually split open from the pain as he walked back into Ponyville. The Lunar Guard were patrolling, making sure no one else was going to be attacked. The fact that they were still there told Battle that somewhere in Ponyville was Princess Luna. The fact didn't really change his first port of call. He passed one of the drink stands, the pony attending to it apparently nowhere in sight. Taking advantage of this, Battle snatched up a linen napkin and the ice scoop. Filling said scoop with ice, he made a small bundle with the napkin before quickly applying the makeshift icepack to the egg sized lump on the back of his head.
Relief would be the wrong would to describe the sensation that came to Battle at that moment. His head felt cold and his mane felt damp but the pain slowly ebbed away, the numbing effects of the ice doing wonders to take his mind off of it. It was also doing the wonderful effect of making him of think nothing else other than: 'Damn my head is fucking cold.'
As he walked back through the streets he saw only a few civilian ponies still out on the street. The noises from 'Sugar Cube Corner' and 'The Record Label' (a night club Battle had been dragged to by Dash one evening) indicated the location of most ponies after the event. Battle smirked. There were two types of ponies when it came to dealing with stress. Those who drowned it with sugary crap and those who drowned it in hard liquor and loud music.
He wondered where his friends might be. He thought about it for a long moment. Knowing Dash's reckless nature and bombastic attitude she'd probably go for the latter. Applejack was one not to be out done so she'd probably end up trying to drink Dash under the table. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy would be extremely rattled but they were too innocent for drinking to even be a possibility as far as they were concerned. Then there was Rarity the anomaly. She wasn't the type to go partying at such a rowdy place as the Record Label, but her stringent diet would't allow for a lapse in Sugar Cube Corner.
Battle's guess? The unicorn would have found her way home and opened her private liquor cabinet and poured herself significant glasses of wine.
He reached up to his cheek and pulled off the fake Cutie Mark that'd been part of his costume and yawned. He wasn't sure if him being tired was a result of him having been clonked on the head, the ice pack numbing his brain, him being awake for far too long today, or a combination of all three factors. The fact of the matter was, he wanted to curl up under his duvet for the next few hours in blissful unconsciousness.
Walking back through the streets of Ponyville, Battle reflected on the last two hours. Chimeras were common occurrences in the wilderness in the typical combination of lion, goat and serpent. Slight variations in the formation or combination from time to time, such as maybe being part tiger instead of lion, but they mostly followed a similar pattern. But this? This was something he'd never encountered or expected to encounter.
He stepped up to the door of the library and fumbled in his pocket for his keys with one hand. He needed a clear head to properly sort through these matters and possibly arrange for some time off to visit Canterlot. He'd heard of the Day Court Celestia held to deal with the issues with the common people and the nobility alike though he wasn't entirely certain if she did offer private audiences for more sensitive issues. If possible he'd like to avoid have a bunch of snooty nosy nobles listening in to his conversation. He didn't want to start a panic, even though going to see Celestia might well cause some tension in Equestrian Royal Guard.
The door swung inwards suddenly, before Battle could even slide the key into the lock. He blinked confused, before he was greeted by the equally startled expression of Rarity and Rainbow Dash on the other side.
"My goodness darling," she exclaimed. "Where have you been? We've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Yeah we were about to go out and see if we could find you," Dash elaborated.
"I'm fine girls," Battle reassured, stepping past the two of them. He saw the other girls were all sat around the table in the kitchen, each with a steaming mug in their hands, two more abandoned on the counter. "I see you all made yourself at home," he muttered.
"Sorry darling but we knew if you were showing up anywhere it would probably be here," Rarity said, closing the door. "So we let ourselves in."
"And made yourselves a brew while you were at it," Battle muttered, before turning to Rarity.
"How are they?" he asked quietly, jerking his head back at the other three, then wincing at the throb from the lump.
"They're all a lil rattled," Dash said. "Not surprising to be honest. I mean I know Shy's been getting a lot better with this stuff but I don't she really expected the panic."
"Yeah I get what you mean," Battle nodded slowly. "And the other two?"
"What do you expect?" Rarity sighed, "Two thugs tried to attack Princess Luna. The danger was real darling and I think that's starting to sink in. And that's not counting the stress we've all been under worrying about you."
"Sorry about that," Battle mumbled. "How are you two holding up anyway?"
"Can't say I'm not a little shaken darling," Rarity admitted as Dash waved the question off. "But I'm just glad everyone came out more or less unscathed."
Battle looked at her and saw the trembling in her left hand.
"You made a pot of tea right?" he said at last.
"Yes. Hot, strong and sweet. Good for shock," rarity said proudly.
"After tonight tea's not gonna cut it," Battle told her. "Come on, let's get sat down. My head's bloody killing me."
The three of them moved into the kitchen. As Rarity and Dash took their seats at the table, Battle walked over the farthest cupboard. Opening it, he reached inside. There was the clink of glass before he closed it again and moved back to the table.
"So where'd ya disappear off to Battle?" Applejack asked. "We were worried about ya."
"Rarity's just said," Battle replied, setting six small glasses onto the table, followed by an almost full bottle of some amber liquid. Rarity blinked and looked at the bottle in confusion.
"Um, darling... what's this?" she asked tentatively.
"Parting gift from home," he explain, uncorking the bottle and filling each glass with a shot of the contents. "Flippendo* single malt whiskey from Warhorse." He slid a glass to everyone around the table.
"Um... any reason?" Applejack asked.
"Good for shock," he replied bluntly.
"Who told ya that?" Dash chuckled.
"Are you really gonna question free alcohol?" Battle asked, looking at her with an eyebrow raised.
"You make an excellent point," Dash replied, raising her glass. Battle did the same and nodded to her. They bumped glasses and threw back their respective shots. Upon slamming their glasses back down on the table, Dash promptly wretched and snatched up her mug and took three swift gulps of tea. Battle laughed and shook his head.
"It does sting like an angry hornet if you're not expecting it I agree," Battle chuckled. Dash scowled at him as the other girls all gave little giggles themselves. She looked at her empty glass before sliding it back to Battle.
"Hit me," she grunted.
"If you say so," Battle shrugged, pouring himself and Dash a second glass. He looked around the table and saw the other girls still looking at their shots. "Girls things are gonna go south very fast if it's just me and Dash drinkin' this."
"Sorry Battle," Applejack muttered, picking up her glass. "But... are you sure you wanna share this? I mean, ya said this was a gift from your home."
"Aye," Battle nodded. "And if you're wondering why I'm bringing it out now, A: like I said, it's a remedy for shock which is something you need right now. B: It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. C: Honestly, right now there's no one else I'd rather share it with. And D, which is the most important, drinking whiskey on your own is just fucking depressing." He lifted his second shot. "Cheers."
He fired back the whiskey in a quick gulp and was quickly joined by Applejack and Dash, both of whom ended up coughing and spluttering for a second afterwards. Rarity tentatively brought her glass to her lips but was stopped by Dash shaking her head at her.
"This isn't some of your fancy smanchy wine Rares," she said, wiping a tear from her eyes as she stopped coughing. "You don't sip whiskey. You throw it back and swallow it all at once. Ugh, fuck it, let me show ya." She held her glass out to Battle. Or she would've done if she'd held her grasp on it. Instead the glass slipped from her glass in mid air, sending it cartwheeling through the air before Battle caught it. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"Not exactly one to hold your liquor are you Dash?" he smirked Pinkie giggling and rocking in her chair.
"Shut up!" Dash snapped. "I can drink you under the table!"
"To be honest I have had years drinking this angry bastard," Battle admitted, filling his, Dash's and Applejack's glasses once again. "This is not Apple Cider."
"You can say that again partner," Applejack said, taking her glass back. "Ain't felt a kick like that in a long time."
"Pfft, lightweight," Dash muttered, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Rares. You take a shot like-"
The 'clack!' of a glass hitting the table caused everyone to turn to Fluttershy sliding her glass back across to Battle.
"Like that," Fluttershy gasped in between coughs.
Pinkie gave a whistle of appreciation. "Was that your first ever shot Fluttershy? I'm impressed! Oh! I should throw a: 'Fluttershy just took her first shot of whiskey like a boss!' Party!"
"Pinkie," Battle interrupted.
"Yeah Battle?"
"Drink."
"Okey dokey!" Pinkie cried and picked up her glass and knocked it back. of course, Pinkie being Pinkie, she didn't hack, wretch or cough as the liquid fire slipped down her throat. However as she slammed the glass back on the table her arm gave way under her and her face met the wood. She effectively smacked into the table and stuck, out like a light and snoring. Battle stared at her in shock, before looking at the bottle in amazement.
"This is the answer to all life's problems," he whispered to himself.