//------------------------------//
// The Plan 
// Story: Cutie Mark Crusaders: Legend Hunters 
// by Unicorncob 
//------------------------------//

When the group returned to Hollow Shades, they decided to spend time by exploring the town like they said they would. Looking around, they found plenty of shops selling Nightmare Night-inspired things, like costumes and decorations. None of them thought the costumes were as good as Rarity’s, though these ones weren’t bad. The local bakery was selling things like ‘fruit bat cakes’ and ‘monster key slime pies’, which they all thought was pretty cool. Or awesome, in Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo’s case.
After a while they had stopped at a cafe, sitting outside with each having a serving of The Scarecrow’s Remains--a straw sandwich with slices of pumpkin, which surprisingly tasted better than they all expected upon seeing it as the cafe’s special.

As they sat there, they noticed Crow Quill walking around and talking to one of the Horrorfest organisers. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes while he had his back turned to them.
“I don’t like that stallion,” she murmured to the fillies. “Why’s he not want us anywhere near the castle? It’s not like we can even get in.”
“Maybe he don’t want us breakin’ somethin’?” Apple Bloom suggested. “Might have some valuable old stuff he wants to keep safe?”
“Maybe he’s got something hidden in there?” added Scootaloo. “Like some kind of monster! Like Frankenstallion! We should get the key off him!”
“I don’t think that place has a key,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “I didn’t see any locks on the doors. And speaking of monsters, maybe it’s not to keep us out… but to keep something in?”
The three ponies looked at her, considering that option.
“You mean like… the Hollow Shades Vampony?” muttered Scootaloo, shivering a little.

Rainbow Dash loudly slurped from her glass of Changeling Blood (lime juice) to get the fillies’ attention.
“Well we’re not gonna find out by sittin’ here talking under our breaths,” she pointed out. “We gotta head back over there! We’ll wait for the Horrorfest to start up tonight, then sneak back out while everypony’s distracted! Nopony’s gonna notice we’re gone with so much happening.”
“That’s an awesome idea!” cheered Scootaloo without missing a beat. “We can spend all the time till then preparing! Y’know, in case there is a vampony…” she added quietly.
“There’s bound to be a book on them in the library,” suggested Sweetie Belle. “We’ll study up on them there.”
“And we got plenty’a bits to spend on the gear we need!” Apple Bloom chimed in.
“Right!” The Pegasus mare nodded with a smirk. “Sounds like we got a plan! Let’s study up on vamponies and grab whatever we need!”
The four mares put their hooves together on the table and broke with a soft cheer, only getting to the attention of the other ponies of the cafe.

In the back of her mind, Sweetie Belle wasn’t sure about an adult letting fillies go somewhere so potentially dangerous. But on the other hoof, if it were anypony else, they’d never get to the bottom of why Crow Quill wanted them to go there. And she had to admit, the rush was quite exciting too. Besides, the Crusaders had taken on a Cockatrice with an adult’s help, so what could a creature that probably didn’t exist do to them?