Consulting Night Hunter
July 9th, 2014
When I had returned to the Friendship Castle the night I personally encountered The Figure, I immediately started writing a letter to Night Hunter in regards on wanting to set up an appointment with him, but I kept the reason ambiguous. I haven't told anypony yet, but I wanted to let Night Hunter know about the events that unfolded that night first. He's pretty much my boss and advisor for the Everfree branch and knows every single creature in Equestria both old and new, so I thought he might provide me some insight. For Twilight, well, I just feel... very uncertain when I contemplate to let her in on this situation. I do feel bad afterwards.
I parked the Defender adjacent to C.A.M.A headquarters, turning the engine off first before following it up with the electronic components that silenced the Queen soundtrack. As the engine clicked, I remained seated in the vehicle and thought what I was going to say to Night Hunter, how I would word it.
"Just give him the whole gist." I thought.
I then exited the vehicle and proceeded down into the underground command center and up to the dead-end wall to give the password.
"Caleb Lee Barlow. G.D: Three-eight-two-thousand three."
As expected, the wall's gears activated and slid open, allowing me to the other side and into the main lobby of the HQ where Velvet Rose sat at the reception desk.
"Well, look who's back." Velvet Rose greeted.
"Heyyy. I take it Night Hunter is in his office?" I asked.
"He is. Just go on right in." Velvet replied.
"Alright. Say, did you hear that a lot of the branches are being dissolved since the beginning of this year?" I asked Velvet.
"Yeah, like, the ones in Baltimare and Whinnyapolis were just gone overnight a few months ago. Actually, I heard the White Tail Woods branch is about to be dissolved, too." Velvet said.
"White Tail? That I did not know at all. A lot of the mytho creatures sure are becoming more scarce over the years. Even the Timberwolves haven't shown themselves in a long time in the Everfree." I said.
"I suppose that's plausible when you kick their butts every time you get into a scrap with them." Velvet brought up.
"Oh, so you've heard the stories?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow.
"Night Hunter tells everypony. He acts like a proud dad, or something." Velvet said.
"Proud? Really?" I said.
"At least that's what I think." Velvet said, bringing a smile to my face.
"Oh, okay. Well, I better get to it with the appointment before he thinks I'm not coming." I said.
"You go do that." Velvet said.
I now moved down the hallway and up to the Everfree Branch door. I gave a few taps on the door before entering the room where Night Hunter patiently waited for me in his chair.
"Hello again, Caleb." Night Hunter greeted.
"Hello, Night Hunter." I replied, shutting the door.
"Now, I got your letter on a request for an appointment, but you didn't specify what it was for. Were you wanting to keep something under the radar, kid?" Night Hunter said.
"I guess you could say that," I said, taking a seat. "I'm in a bit of trouble, Night Hunter. It pertains to my job as a C.A.M.A agent." I said.
"Job or not, I'm here for you. What's the problem?" Night Hunter asked.
"Do you remember that house I told you about? The one you said you were going to have demolished." I said.
"I remember you going on about how there were markings inside and that it was from your world, but I don't believe I ever mentioned anything about it being demolished." Night Hunter said, confused by the last statement.
"But you did. You said you'd contact somepony in Canterlot to have it destroyed." I said.
"Did I? When did we speak about this?" Night Hunter asked.
"Back in February. It was when you requested that I come for a conference when I missed all those days." I reminded.
"Now that I remember. If I did say that, I honestly don't remember mentioning it," Night Hunter said, levitating a piece of blank paper and a pencil. "Perhaps its best if I write it down so that I remember."
"Good idea. But that house's current state is not what I came here for." I said.
"Alright. What is it you wanted to tell me?" Night Hunter asked.
"Well, something was already living in the house. The best I can describe it is that it's a supernatural creature; a ghost or a powerful spirit, perhaps." I said.
Night Hunter furrowed his brow in surprise and shifted his attention under his desk. He then pulled out various documents and forms that are used in identifying creatures. Sharpening his pencil, he looked back up at me.
"C.A.M.A definitely doesn't have any creatures on present records that classify your claim," Night Hunter said. "Did you happen to get a visual on it by any chance? Is it invisible or does it have a physical body?"
"I'm pretty sure its both. Sometimes it will show itself. It's around my height, probably 8 foot, pitch black, humanoid, and has these nasty looking claws. I can only get glimpses of it when it decides to show itself." I replied.
"Really? Wow. So, what else has it done?" Night Hunter asked.
"All kinds of scary stuff. It terrorized Twilight, Spike, and I inside the castle, talks to me through telepathy, and its gotten worse recently." I said.
"Like what?" Night Hunter asked.
"A lot of messed up stuff. It's pretty bad." I said.
"Can you tell me? I need to get as much information as I can." Night Hunter said
"Yeah, yeah, I can tell you..... Its, like, projecting a lot of hallucinations and bad dreams on to me. It all started when I touched this artifact that was given to me on the fourth." I said.
"Who gave you the artifact?" Night Hunter asked.
"I... I'm not entirely sure. I think it was ghost, a ghost of an older man who used to live in said house before something bad happened there. He also said something about The Figure being let into the world by a group of people back on Earth, so it not originally from Earth." I said.
"Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second. There's ghosts getting into the mix now?" Night Hunter asked, perplexed and astounded.
"That's what it seems. Even I'm still trying to comprehend everything that's happening," I said, rubbing my forehead. "But like I said, I shouldn't have touched that artifact. Night Hunter, I've had nightmares of humans being flayed alive and other atrocities. Oh, and saw a bakery sign with my own eyes that read, 'Kill them all'. And I know this is all real because nopony else can see it and I can. There's probably so much more to this being than what I already know."
Night Hunter remained silent and nodded with a blank expression as he took all this information in while trying to write it down.
"You believe me, right?" I asked.
"Of course. I have never seen you in this much stress before. I know subtle fear when I see it." Night Hunter said.
"Okay," I sighed, ruffling my hair. "But, this thing, it has got a grasp on me, Night Hunter. Do you know any possible way to stop it?" I asked, my heart beating faster.
"I'm not gonna lie, Caleb, I have no idea on how I can give you an answer to your problem with this creature. It's obviously very powerful and intelligent if it can project telepathy and manipulate your mind to create hallucinations. Even the princesses possess these certain powers." Night Hunter said.
"So I'm screwed?" I hotly assumed.
"No," Night Hunter sternly retorted, hopping off his chair and walking up to me. "Caleb, you are like a brother to me, much like Blazer before he passed. We have been through quite a bit over the past two years, both on and off duty, and I will not sit by and let this creature take control over you. I will help you get rid of it, but I can't do it myself." Night Hunter said, patting my right shoulder.
"You will?"
"I will."
"Thank you, Night Hunter," I nodded in relief. "Thank you very much. What is your plan then? Would we need the princesses help?" I asked.
"We will. Here's what I'm going to do: I will composite all of this information that you just gave me, but I just need a day or two in order to get the princesses and the E.U.P involved with this issue. Believe me, everything will go according to my plan, you just have to trust me on this, okay?" Night Hunter said.
"I trust you one-hundred percent, Night Hunter. What should I tell Twilight?" I said.
"She doesn't know about The Figure?" Night Hunter asked.
"Not since the night when we thought it was gone for good." I replied.
"When you get back to the Friendship Castle, you let her in on the situation right away; the creature. If she's not there, you do whatever it takes to find her, alright?" Night Hunter said.
"Yes, sir. I will be sure to do that." I replied.
"Very good. And Caleb, do your best to resist the creatures influence. I can't imagine it being a easy task, but do your best. Don't let it get the best of you." Night Hunter said.
"I'll try to do my best, Night Hunter. I always do." I said.
Exiting the office, I ran up the stairs and jumped into the Defender, speeding off from the C.A.M.A HQ and out of the city, only to return to Ponyville with bad news. Very, very bad news.