//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Old Wounds // Story: It's Only a Game... Isn't It? // by Ganondorf8 //------------------------------// It's Only a Game... Isn't It? By Ganondorf8 June 28, 2016 Chapter 5: Old Wounds. " Oh, keep your beard on old thing. I merely wanted a sneak preview of my latest victim. Anyway, you're a fine one to lecture about spying. After all, someone keeps conveniently leaving spyglasses lying about, don't they!?" ~Lord Fear~ Conversation with Treguard before Team 5 of Series 7 began their quest. The moment this elf revealed his name to be Pickle, I quickly covered my mouth with my hands, and tried really hard not to laugh. At first, I did my best to stifle my laugh, but it was too much for me, and I found myself bursting out in sheer delight. Who in their right mind would be named Pickle? I wasn't all that familiar with the concept of elves--I should have taken up on Lemony Gem's offer that she offered and joined the fantasy club at school--but they had fancy names such as "Redswift" and "Moonchaser". "Pickle" wasn't really a name one would associate with an elf but what you'd eat as a side dish or something. " Why are you laughing?" Pickle asked. " N-no reason." I answered as I attempted to regain control of my composure. " Are you making fun of my name?" " I-I'm sorry but I just can't help but f-find it funny that you're called Pickle." I answered. I then laughed so hard that I accidentally dropped the Eye Shield onto the ground. I thought it was going to shatter because of being a prop, but it landed with a loud thud that could be heard throughout the forest. It was another indication that this game wasn't one and was instead the real thing. " Okay, I've had my moment of laughter." I bent down, picked up the shield, dusted it off, checked to make sure it wasn't broken, and slung it back onto my arm before turning to face the elf. " You humans just never cease to amaze me." " How come?" " When I interacted with you lot back at Knightmare Castle, I thought you were all a little dense what with no understanding how the fantasy world worked. It took me some time before I started thinking otherwise, and I grew to care about what happened when a quest was ended. Seeing you reminds me that humans are still inferior to elves and couldn't find their way out of a paper bag without doing something idiotic like picking fights they can't win." Pickle answered. I could tell that he wasn't impressed with how I laughed at his name, yet I did deserve the harsh treatment he gave me in return. In his own way, he had reminded me of when I used to insult people's names when I was a bully. It didn't matter what kind of legacy or meaning existed behind such names. In my eyes, it was perfect fodder for demoralizing them so that they wouldn't stand against me. As the years went by, I got more and more hurtful with my comments until I had wedged discord between the students of Canterlot High. I've since experienced things from their perspective when they chose to insult my name. I never fought back when they did. Deep down, I knew it was something I deserved. Being reminded of my past compelled me to immediately apologize but that's when something hit me. Did this elf say that he interacted with humans? That meant he knew something about Treguard or at least, the nature of this game. I wasn't sure if was in the mood to answer my questions after I laughed at him, but if there was anyone who could give me answers, it was this elf. " Um... I want to apologize." I began, bowing slightly. " You? Apologize? My, aren't you a strange human? I never would have guessed that you had the capability to say so." " Well, you reminded me of who I used to be, and it was wrong of me to insult your name. I don't know the circumstances behind why you were given the name of a vegetable, and makes me ignorant of your character. Again, I apologize for laughing at you." I said. " I can tell that you're sincere, so I accept your apology." " Thank you." " It doesn't change the fact that you are quite rude for a human." Pickle said. I started to giggle in response, but I quickly stopped myself by pinching my shoulder. He took notice of what I did and I could hear the sound of his foot stomping on the ground. " Honestly! Just like a human to pretend they're sorry when in fact they didn't even mean it! I should've known better than to trust you." " I'm not laughing at you but rather at what you said." " That you're a rude human?" " Yes, except that I'm not human. I mean, I've lived as a human for the last three years, but in truth I'm a pony from a magical world." I answered. I was expecting Pickle to laugh at me in response to how I laughed at him, but he surprised me when he walked over and peered under the helmet. His face looked human but the pointy ears and wild hair were an indication that he was an elf. His expression was initially confused but quickly changed to skepticism. " I know it's difficult to believe that I'm from a world of talking ponies, but I'm being completely honest. What would I get from lying to you about what I am?" Pickle continued looking at me with disbelief, but then quickly pulled his head away. Before I could explain myself further, he started banging his fist on the helmet. " What are you doing!?" " So, you're a pony?" " Unicorn, if you want me to be specific." " Elven glades! I never thought I'd live to see the day where I'd meet a unicorn face-to-face." Pickle said. Surely, he was pretending to be thrilled. I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not due to not seeing his face, but then he cozied up next to me before looking underneath the helmet again. " I know you're being honest with me, human. You possess a magic that only a unicorn can possess. No human would ever possess that kind of power unless it was gifted unto them by your kind." Now I was feeling confused like he had been. He not only believed me but also knew about my magic. " Are you surprised? We elves are highly attuned when it comes to magic. We have the ability to sense it unlike wizards who usually get their facts mixed up and wrongly mis-identify one kind of magic for another." " I am surprised." " Thought you would be. Now, unless my eyes are deceiving me, you're wearing the classic Helmet of Justice! I didn't think a unicorn would ever go on a quest through the dungeon--or anyone else after the string of victories Lord Fear and the Opposition have been getting--but here you are trapesing about Dunkley Wood completely blinded. Since you know my name, may I inquire as to yours?" Pickle asked. " I'm Sunset Shimmer." " That's an unusual name for a human, but then I've heard names that were just as strange. So, what brings you to Dunkley Wood? I doubt you came here for some sightseeing otherwise you'd be somewhere else. This forest is no longer safe for anyone these days. Even the ancient elf paths are fraught with danger ever since the elves abandoned this place long ago, and the Opposition started posting Goblins and other horrors." Pickle said. " I'm on a quest for the Cup." " The Cup? Rooten-fen! No team has ever won the Cup before!" " Tell me about it!" " If you're trying to get the Cup, you must have a death wish. All quests for the cup ended miserably from what I remember during my time as 'official record keeper', but I don't know about any future quests after I decided to go back to the forest to live in peace." Pickle said. " You used to live in Knightmare Castle?" " I wouldn't say that I lived there by my own volition, but rather I had no other choice in the matter. Treguard, the Dungeon Master and custodian of Dunshelm, entered the forest many years ago, and discovered my people through sheer accident. He was intrigued at how we were different from humans, but the old codger thought we were inferior. When he saw my skills when it came to writing information down, he offered me the chance to live at his castle. I accepted not realizing how naïve I was. Believe me, Sunset Shimmer! My time at the castle was really difficult. I endured mistreatment, earned little pay, and put up with Lord Fear's usual brand of insults." Pickle answered. From what he told me about his experiences, Pickle didn't have a very good relationship with Treguard, and I was beginning to understand why. The host of the game looked warm and friendly upon first glance, but deep down he showed little to no tolerance towards anyone who tried questioning his sense of judgment. The kids thought it was just part of an act prepared by the show's writers to provide witty banter, but it was a harsh reality where one man had become obsessed with wanting complete dominance. No wonder Pickle felt miserable over having to look back on what he did before he returned home to the forest. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want to live under the same roof as someone like Treguard. Before I was able to ask him another question, a booming voice echoed through the clearing. At first, I thought it was Lord Fear, and I quickly wondered how he managed to track down my location without actually doing anything. In reality, the voice belonged to Treguard, and he was clearly unhappy to see the elf again. " Pickle!!" Treguard shouted, his voice boomed throughout the ante-chamber causing everyone--except Pinkie Pie--to cover their ears. " There you are you absent-minded half-wit of an elf! I've been trying to find where you went after you left! Majida told me that you left behind a note saying that you returned home to the forest because of a lack of pay, but that's no excuse for abandoning the cause against the Opposition!" Twilight and Pinkie looked on in disbelief over what he said about Pickle, yet Rainbow Dash once again looked on with her geeked-out expression. She thought it was part of the game, but it looked to be a terrible tiff between two characters who clearly had a falling out that never healed. " Oh... Hello, Master." Pickle said, his voice showing no concern over the insult that was thrown his way. " Is that all you have to say to me?" Treguard asked slamming both fists into the arm rests of his throne. " I gave you the chance to become so much more than a simple forest elf, and you tossed that aside all because you feel that you weren't paid properly?" " You forgot about the poor food and dampness of the castle." Majida answered. " Yes, as you mentioned in his message." " I am guessing that there was some animosity between you two?" " Not that I could see." " Ha! That was the problem you had, Master. No, not 'master', but Treguard. You were so obsessed with beating Lord Fear that you neglected everyone else around you. No wonder so many teams ended up meeting terrible ends to their quests. Their adventure meant nothing to you as you wanted the quest objects to gloat in his face. Whenever I tried to get you to calm down and look at things differently, you scorned me for speaking up." Pickle said. " I'll admit that I did take the quest objects too seriously." " Rooten-fen! That has to be the understatement of the year. I'm surprised that the current team you've got hasn't decided to just forfeit the quest especially after knowing what kind of person you really are." Pickle said. " No need to get them involved." " And the watchers?" " Nothing to do with them either!" " You know what? Fair enough. I'm going to be helping Sunset Shimmer not because you want me to, Treguard, but because she is special unlike all the other dungeoneers who've come before her. Once I'm done giving her as much help as I can give, I'm going back to the forest, and I doubt you'll ever find me there again. Oh, and I do suggest not trying to come and bring me back to Knightmare Castle. The other elves won't be as merciful as I am." Pickle said. I couldn't see it with my own eyes, but Treguard looked like he was about to lose his temper. Majida was beside herself with how to handle the situation, and my friends certainly weren't about to say something without getting it from him. It seemed Pickle had a lot of pent-up rage that he had been wanting to give Treguard for quite some time. Anger was something no one should keep inside themselves. It can twist their thoughts and turn them into heartless monsters. That was something I knew better than most. Rainbow Dash continued geeking out over the banter between Treguard and Pickle, yet she wasn't as excited about it as she had been moments ago. Had she finally started to realize that things weren't as cheery as she made them out to be? Or, was there a deep-seeded resentment that had been cast throughout the game as a result from Lord Fear having dominated for what sounded like years? Pinkie Pie had since chosen to refrain from saying anything out of fear of making the situation worse--she had been known to unintentionally do that despite having good intentions to start with--yet Twilight saw things in a more logical light. She had been watching Treguard out of the corner of her eye, and while she was appalled at his behaviour, she knew why he had the issue in the first place. I also knew what Treguard's problem was. It all stemmed from when he lost his family and home after it was invaded. An experience like that can easily change a person. It can make them mature into adulthood much sooner than expected, yet the price for doing so was a lost innocence and not wanting to be close to anyone again. Treguard must have become bitter after being forced to leave everything behind, and takes out any frustration he gets against those who can't fight back on their own. To Twilight, she was expecting him to pick up his sword, tell Majida that he was going after Pickle, leave her in charge of the castle, and drag him back. He surprised her by remaining firmly glued to his throne and sighing to himself before Majida addressed her concern. " Are you alright?" Majida asked. " Despite trying my patience with his elvish antics, I can't deny that Pickle knew his way around keeping records of everything. If it wasn't for such a skill, the quests would have been impossible to manage. Was I wrong to have made him miserable? Perhaps, but it's too late now for me to change things. Pickle left of his own accord, and that's something I've just got to accept whether I like it or not." Treguard answered. " No wonder you weren't wanting to talk about the elf." " I didn't want to burden anyone with it." " Well, girls? What do you make of that?" Twilight asked, keeping her voice down. " That. Was. Awesome! But, it was also kinda disappointing." Rainbow Dash answered. " If Sunset were here right now, she'd have given you quite the stern talking to about your lack of subtlety, Rainbow Dash. You may think what we just witnessed was part of the overall game's atmosphere, but have you forgotten that this isn't a game?" Twilight asked. " Oh yeah! Something about it being real." " I hope you're kidding!" " Just joshing with you." " No wonder Sunset is so annoyed with you right now." " Huh? What does she have to do with this?" " It's nothing. Let's just focus on getting Sunset through this quest." Twilight answered. In her heart, she knew that she had held back. If she had been more confident in her ability to understand friendship, she would've told Rainbow how she felt about her immaturity was affecting me. Instead, Twilight dropped the subject out of fear that she could cost herself a friend she had known for only a short period of time. She grabbed her notepad and prepared to write something down, but couldn't due to Rainbow suddenly looking at her. " Um, do you mind not staring at me like that, Rainbow Dash? You're making me feel uncomfortable." " What did you mean about that crack between me and Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked. She squinted her eyes and lurched forward slightly that made Twilight cower back. If I had been there, I'd have told Rainbow to back off, but she did have a legitimate reason for wanting to make Twilight uneasy. " If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that she's upset with me over dragging her into this quest." If I had a dollar for each time Rainbow said something like that, I'd be rich by now, but it also showed her poor judgment. " I know I shouldn't have walked through that door, but I can't refuse something like that. I just have this need for adventure and the door was calling out to me." " There's nothing wrong with adventure, Rainbow, but you should have asked our opinions first." " Guess I overreacted, huh?" " Immensely." " Maybe I should be talking to Sunset about this, huh?" " That would be the sensible thing to do, but I'm not sure if she's willing to talk to you about this situation. You did force her into becoming the dungeoneer, and we all knew that she just wasn't interested in it. Despite having more magical knowledge than the rest of us combined, Sunset is very insecure when it comes to her old life. She still regrets leaving Equestria under the unfortunate circumstances that surround her choice." Twilight answered. " She mentioned that when she read her journal to us." " You were so caught up in wanting to play this game, you neglected Sunset's feelings." " Guess I've gotta set things right." " Not sure how you plan on doing it in our current predicament, but I hope that neither of you make the problem even worse than it already is." Twilight said. If only she knew then what we know now, she wouldn't have said those words. My patience with Rainbow Dash had reached a boiling point, and it would take just one more poke for me to completely lose control of my temper. From where I was standing, I was quite surprised that Pickle had told off Treguard in the manner that he did. I could tell that he still had some lingering issues over how he was treated by his former master. After ending the conversation, I heard him stomping about, kicking dirt haphazardly all while speaking in a strange language. I was glad he didn't take out his aggression on me just because I had witnessed his meltdown. However, there were some additional questions that I needed him to answer, but would he give me the benefit of answering my concerns? Or, would asking only further the rage that dwelled deep within? I had no other choice. I needed his help whether he wanted to do it or not. " You said that you're going to help me?" I asked. " What was that?" Pickle asked, his voice an indication of how annoyed he truly was. " Huh? Oh, yes! I did say that I would help you because of you being a unicorn. If it wasn't for that, I'd have just left you to fend for yourself in this accursed forest, but what kind of elf would I be to abandon a mythical creature?" I thought about telling him that I wasn't the only unicorn in Equestria, and that there were hundreds, but would he believe that? It was best not to confuse him just in case. " I'll be honest in saying that I won't be accompanying you for very long, Sunset Shimmer, but at least until you're back in the dungeon." " Aren't I in the dungeon?" " The phase shift did many strange things." Pickle answered. I had no idea what he was talking about. When he figured out that I didn't understand him, Pickle sighed and started to explain himself more clearly. " Every season, the dungeon undergoes a change in that old things disappear and new things get added in. During such a transition, it's called the phase shift, and no one knows what will happen. During those long months of inactivity, the watchers go about their business until the pathway opens again, and then you lot come to challenge the dungeon because you think you can beat it." If he had been explaining that to Twilight, she'd have dozens upon dozens of questions out of curiosity. What I had were a few questions that weren't quite as exciting. " Only a small handful of you humans--even you--step up to the plate while the rest just watch by cramming into the castle as the watchers." Pickle said. " Watchers?" " Those who watch the greater game." " From the comforts of our own homes?" " Elven boots! You certainly haven't had much experience in the adventuring world have you? Well, never mind. Here, let me take you by the arm and I'll guide you into the next chamber to see if there's an elf path back into the dungeon. Don't worry if we run into any Goblins or whatever else lurks in this forest. I'll make sure nothing happens to either of us. Along the way, you can tell me all about your quest so far." Pickle answered. " Guys? What should I do?" " I'd take him up on his offer." Twilight answered. " Pinkie? Do you have anything to add?" She didn't answer and I suspected she was busy eating some of the castle food. I thought about asking for Rainbow's opinion, but I changed my mind. After all, she didn't ask my opinion when I was forced to become the dungeoneer, so I didn't want to know what she had to say in kind. Agreeing with Pickle, he grabbed my arm and started pulling me forward. I couldn't see where he was taking me, so I had to hope that this was the right decision. My answer came quickly when he mentioned a portal was just up ahead. That was enough to convince my legs to start walking without his need for pulling me. Good thing we were leaving the clearing as something was coming up from behind us--the heavy footsteps were a dead giveaway. Pickle said that Goblins had somehow caught my scent, but he wasn't surprised given that humans weren't good at being clean. I didn't know how to take his insult, so I humoured him in case I were to offend him again. Along the way, I told him what I had experienced so far in my quest. His response said it all. He broke out into laughter upon learning that I had only been through one tunnel and two rooms before arriving in the clearing. He expected me to say that I had been through at least most of Level 1 and was on the verge of heading down to Level 2, but I told him that I needed the aid of Motley to get out. Upon hearing that name, Pickle told me Motley was helpful although his random bouts of nonsense grew irksome. He also said that it was normal that someone like him would know the password to Level 1. Motley always found ways of getting such information, but had to pay the price later because of being too good at eavesdropping. I also mentioned Lord Fear had planned something with Honesty Bartram, yet Pickle said that he didn't know anything about the latter. He did say that all merchants loved gold and would do anything to get their hands on it--even give up something they're not supposed to--and if I were to find any gold, I should take it without question. For someone who was once a record keeper under Treguard, the elf certainly was knowledgeable about how the dungeon operated. It felt like he had a lot to say and wasn't allowed to share it until he chose to return home and claim his freedom. When we entered the portal, Pickle decided to describe the location instead of one of my friends. While I did appreciate him going to the trouble of doing so, I would have preferred Twilight, Pinkie, or Rainbow Dash--yes, even Rainbow Dash--to have given me an explanation. " You're in luck, Sunset Shimmer." Pickle said. " Why's that?" I asked. " There's a portal ahead that will take you back into the dungeon, but I don't know where you'll be going from there. We're out of the most dangerous part of Dunkley Wood, so you can relax and take pleasure in the clue objects on that tree stump." Pickle answered. " The what?" " Clue objects. You know, what you dungeoneers encounter on every level?" " Not following you." " You choose two out of three or four objects that you think will help you out based on information you've gathered?" " That makes no sense." " Did you even bother to read the adventurer's code?" " I was forced to read that before I even started." " Elven boots! And here I thought all you dungeoneers know about a Clue Room. Guess I've got to explain it to you!" Pickle said. He grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the tree stump before sitting down on the other side of it. " In a Clue Room, various objects have been placed for your convenience, but don't ask who puts them there. Treguard always said some mysterious force leaves behind items that are guaranteed to aid a quest or hinder it. Once you've thought about it carefully, you can take two objects with you until you choose to use them to get you out of some tough scrapes." " I'll just take two and see what happens." " What!? Rooten-fen! Didn't you listen to a word I said? You have to think carefully! I'm going to be standing over there and keep watch just in case I'm wrong and Goblins do come this way most likely for you." Pickle said. He then walked away yet I heard him grumble something in that strange language he used earlier. I didn't know why he was being so uptight about how I was approaching the situation. I thought he was just taking it too seriously and needed to relax a little. " So, I'm in a clue room?" " Looks that way." Twilight answered. " There are several objects on this tree stump." " Can you describe them to us?" " One looks like a bar of gold, and we know that I need to take it in order to pay that merchant and get the key. There's also a scroll, some grapes that I can put into my knapsack, a glove, and a joy buzzer." I answered. " What in the world is a joy buzzer doing there?" " I don't know, but that's what I can see on the table. I'll take the grapes before anyone says that I need food to sustain my Life Force, but then that just leaves us with the other objects on the table." I answered, picking the grapes up before putting them into my knapsack. Just like it had been with the bread before, these grapes weren't exactly healthy. They looked like they had been here in this clearing for several months, but I wasn't about to question it, and focused on the objects. " Should I read the scroll? The last one provided some information regarding a password." " Good idea." " Let me take a look at it then." I said. I picked up the scroll, unfurled it, and combed over it a few times before reading it out loud. " It says 'One man's joy is another's anguish, yet only the serious will suffer'. I've got no idea what that even means." I then put the scroll back down on the stump but not before furling it back up again. " An unusual clue, wouldn't you say, team?" Treguard asked. " What does it mean?" Majida asked. " That's what they need to figure out, but I advise you don't take too long in choosing what to take. Despite his apprehension, Pickle can easily get impatient just like anyone else in the greater game." Treguard answered. " Okay, so we definitely need the gold." Rainbow Dash said. " Yes. We found that out from Lord Fear when Sunset spied on him earlier, and Pickle hinted that all merchants love gold. But, what about the glove and buzzer? One of them will help us in the coming trials, and the other will only bring about a horrible fate." Twilight said. " The glove is something a warrior would wear." " And you know this how?" " I've watched the show, remember?" " Yes, but your track record has been dodgy, Rainbow." " Maybe, but I know that gloves like that represent warriors. They also represent challenges, overcoming obstacles, and basically anything that can kick butt. Sounds like something serious, doesn't it?" Rainbow Dash asked. " The scroll said the serious will suffer." " Even though it sounds lame, the joy buzzer would be useful." " But to what extent?" " Beats me." " Pinkie Pie? Want to say something?" " I'd thought you never ask." Pinkie Pie answered before scarfing down a slice of cake. No one knew where she had gotten it from, but she quickly addressed that concern and said she quickly dashed off to the kitchen, baked a cake, came back, and started eating it all within the span of a minute. " I'm loving the fact that Sunset found a joy buzzer! It's not everyday you come across one of those--it's an old pranking trick." " We know what it does, but we want to know what you think." Rainbow Dash said. " Oh, Sunset should definitely take it." " Any reason why?" " Duh! It's a joy buzzer and the scroll said that one man's joy is another's anguish. The one using it is filled with joy because of how funny it is, and the other guy is in anguish over getting jolted by several watts. I also think the buzzer belongs to the jester. He's a funny man, right? Anyone who knows comedy like I do knows that props of all kinds are needed to make someone laugh or give them slight discomfort. It may look simple but a joy buzzer can be really effective especially when you surprise someone." Pinkie Pie answered. " Um..." " What? Too subtle?" " I never would have guessed the joy buzzer would work like that, Pinkie Pie. Then again, I'm no expert when it comes to comedy. I never indulged in any of it when I was growing up, and certainly no one played any practical jokes at Crystal Prep. Principal Cinch would have anyone suspended for two weeks for even a tiny innocent joke." Twilight answered. " No wonder they were never happy." " I suppose you could say that." " Wait!" Pinkie Pie said, performing a double take upon realizing what Twilight said. " You've never played any jokes!? Wow! I didn't think there was anyone out there who lacked any skills at having fun. Remind me to teach you some things when we get back. I'll have you become a jokester within the span of a week or my name isn't Pinkamena Diane Pie." She then lurched forward and spoke into Twilight's ear. " That really is my name!" I overheard some things my friends were talking about, but much of it I couldn't hear. That was because they chose to talk amongst themselves instead of allowing me the chance to express my opinions on what was on the tree stump with them. While it was rather inconvenient, I chose not to complain because I knew they were trying to figure out what I should take from the objects present. I had to admit that this whole using common and uncommon items was a unique approach. In Equestria, ponies used magic and magical artefacts to solve problems, humans used technology, science, art, and much more to solve problems. Yet here, anything that constituted as an item could be used. As my friends continued talking, I took the liberty of picking up the bar of gold. At first, I thought it was just a cheap prop, a piece of plastic that had been painted gold to give off the impression. That theory quickly got thrown out when I discovered it was actually quite heavy. The texture on the gold looked truly authentic and it sparkled under the moonlight glowing from above, but I had to be certain that it was the real thing. First, I flicked the gold bar with my finger, and winced in pain when I felt the bone connect with the metal. Second, I knocked the gold against the tree stump to see if it would leave some kind of indentation. Finally, I placed it under my helmet before biting it with my teeth. I didn't break any of them so that meant it was real. Since only food was allowed in the knapsack--as far as I knew--I had to carry this gold around until I ran into that Bartram character. " Sunset? Did you just bite that gold bar?" Twilight asked. " Yeah." I answered. " What would you possess you to do that?" " I wanted to see if it was real. It's real and my intact teeth are proof of that." " Next time, you should've just asked Pickle his opinion. Anyway, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and I have talked it over, and we've decided that you need to take the joy buzzer. I know you're upset over not being included, but Treguard said that we're your eyes and ears. It makes sense for us to discuss certain things amongst ourselves." Twilight said. Her reasoning was sound but I didn't appreciate being left out. It gave off the impression that my friends didn't value my opinions. Hopefully, there would be future decisions where I could provide a contribution instead of waiting for them to come up with something. I already had the gold bar, so I picked up the joy buzzer and held it firmly in my other hand. It looked exactly as one would expect a joy buzzer to look like. It was a small rounded object that could be slipped onto one's finger like a ring--perfect for concealing. The buzzer part was a tiny button that the victim pressed without knowing the truth. With both objects in hand, I walked forward before Pickle stopped me from walking into a tree. " You know you can't just wander about with that helmet on, right?" Pickle asked. " I've had some small success." " Did you pick your objects?" Pickle asked. I showed him the bar of gold and the joy buzzer. " I knew you'd pick the gold, Sunset Shimmer, but what in elven glades do you want with someone's practical joke? Well, it is your quest after all, so you go with what you think will get you through. Anyway, I'll take you to the next chamber and hopefully, it will be the one that has an elf path back into the dungeon." He grabbed my arm carefully to make certain I didn't drop my objects--for obvious reasons--and started pulling me towards the portal before coming to a sudden stop. " Then again, it has been a while since I last used the elf path you need. It might take you back to the dungeon or it could take you to Wolfenglen, a town that's situated near the edge of Dunkley Wood, or even the Crazed Heifer." " The what!?" " It's a tavern located in this forest where all manner of humans go. They usually go there for a drink or two--and ending up needing someone to drag them back out--but it can be useful for someone like you, Sunset Shimmer. Whichever of the three it ends up being, it will be the last room I'll be accompanying you." Pickle said. We resumed walking and went through the portal, coming out on the other side mere moments later. I could tell we were still in the forest given the sounds coming from the trees, but there was an additional sound that sounded like people laughing. They were either having a good time or someone had told a funny joke. I wanted to ask where we were, but Pickle decided to tell me instead of my friends.