An Extended Holiday

by Commander_Pensword

134 - An Odd Welcome

Extended Holiday
Ch 134: An Odd Welcome
Act 21

---

The fall air was cool, but not quite enough to be considered brisk as the dusty Unicorn made his way into the town. He looked to either side, noting the many smaller buildings and tents that lined the old worn road. Wagon ruts and hoof marks indicated the heavy traffic that flowed through the area. The scent of fresh apples, squash, and various other vegetables wafted through his nose, and he sighed in relief as a hint of a smile pulled up his lips. He nodded in greeting to the many Ponies, though most seemed almost wary as they eyed his horn. He continued, regardless, until he came up on a two-story building that was taller and broader than its fellows. A large sign on the front read Happy Trails. He passed through the heavy wooden doors into a large parlor room lined with tables and a piano in a corner, where a Pony was currently playing out a jaunty tune. Yvetal pressed on to the bar counter, where a surly-looking Earth Pony mare with a royal purple coat and a poofy dress glared across the way at him.

“What’cha want?” she snapped. “You going to make trouble for our guests, ‘cause our beds are too hard?”

“Well that’s a fine greeting for a trader,” Yvetal said as he shook his head. “I’m new to these parts. Just got in a little while ago. Was wondering if I might have a room for a while. Don’t know how long I’ll be staying.” He shrugged. “It depends how long my research takes me.”

“You say you’re trader here for research?” She eyed the stallion skeptically as she looked over his saddlebags. Then she stroked her chin thoughtfully, before finally smacking her hoof down on her counter as she came to her decision. “Five bits a night for you. Take it or leave it. Talk to the mayor tomorrow, if you want to sell anything in the market.”

“Office hours?”

“Don’t know. Don’t need to go see the mayor too often. Check with the staff after eight, I guess. We all close from noon to one for lunch.”

“Good to know.” The Unicorn lit up his horn and levitated the bits out of one of his saddlebags, being careful not to reveal how much he may have had. Then he laid them on the table. “You folks provide meals, or do I need to go buy elsewhere?”

“A bit extra, if you want to eat here. Cheapest rate you’ll find anywhere, to tell the truth.”

“Any cider?”

She gave a sharp, barking sort of laugh. “You think we have enough surplus to make cider? That comes later in the year, if at all.”

The Unicorn shrugged. “Just thought I’d check. Thanks. So, uh, how do things work in this place? Do I get a room key, do you show me to the room, or do I just show myself? A lot of the inns I’ve been to have different policies.”

“You take this key.” She gave him a tarnished key with a metallic tag that had been carefully engraved. “Find the number that corresponds to it. If you want to stay longer, pay each morning. I get up early, so don’t think about trying to skip out,” she growled warningly.

The Unicorn shook his head. “Wouldn’t dream of it. By the way, you don’t mind if I set up some of my equipment in my room, do you?”

“That’ll cost you extra. I don’t need my inn blowing up.”

“As long as Ponies don’t go trying to steal my ingredients, that shouldn’t happen,” he promised a bit more loudly. “How much?”

“Two bits extra, unless, of course, you can convince me to drop it to a bit or less,” she shot back, her lips twitching ever so slightly.

The Unicorn stared flatly back at her as he proffered the two extra bits. “Thank you for the room.” He turned and made his way for the stairs without another word.

---

Much as expected, Gabriel and New Moon did not receive a warm welcome, upon entering the town. Many sent glares their way. Some who were not so brave merely directed their foals away from the pair as quickly as they could. While their job was important, monster hunters generally lived on the borders of any civilization. Some believed their presence attracted the very monsters they hunted, and so their sudden appearance was a sign of ill omen. The fact that one was a Gryphon in a town composed of Earth Ponies didn’t ease things.

Still, nopony was brave enough to tell them to leave. Having a monster hunter appear was bad, but spurning a monster hunter could be worse. Word could spread quickly, and there was already talk of towns that had vanished in the attack of some beast, after sending away the closest hunter. So it was with begrudging acceptance that the population of the town did their best to go about their business and ignore him.

“Excuse me, friend,” Gabriel said in his Bitalian accent as he tried to talk to one of the locals, “could you please direct us to the Pony in charge?”

A familiar face turned to address him. Hammer Strike stood before him, hitched to a cart full of lumber. “Sure.” He gave a small smile as he turned to get his bearings. “Let me see. We’re currently in the western end of town. If you follow this road and head left past the large golden oak, it’ll be a larger building just down the road on your left. It’s an inn and tavern of sorts.” He looked back towards the Gryphon. “I could show you, if you’d like. My shop is on the way.”

Gabriel blinked a few times, then narrowed his gaze. “You look familiar, sir. Have we met before?”

The Earth Pony blinked a few times, before rubbing at his jaw. “I … don’t think so.” He frowned. “Unless we met sometime over seventeen years ago.” His frown deepened. “I’m sorry. If we did, I have no memory of before then.”

“You suffer from amnesia?” the Gryphon shook his head. “A pity. I thank you for your help. May you be safe in the dark.”

“Uh,” he scratched at his head, “no problem...?”

“Perhaps an infusion of lavender and wolfsbane would help with your troubles,” New Moon offered.

“The likelyhood of me finding those is rather low.” He shrugged. “I’ll make a note of it, though. Anything is worth trying.” He smiled once again. “Sorry, but I’ve got to get back to my shop. I’ve got a request for a new table that needs to be completed tonight. Apparently, one of the guests at the Happy Trails had a bit too much to drink,” he muttered. “Perhaps I’ll see you both around?”

“I think so. We may be here for quite a while.” The Gryphon nodded, the two waved the stallion goodbye, and they headed off in the direction he’d pointed to them. “Not good,” he whispered to New Moon.

“It seems things are trickier than we thought,” she agreed.

“Let’s find the others.”

---

Feather Blade sat in the windowless room as he waited for the weather master to enter. Much to the half-breed’s surprise, only fifteen Pegasi controlled the entire area’s weather. That proved worrisome. In the present, with all the chaotic weather coming out of the Everfree, it had taken at least twenty five weather Ponies to handle the load. Without experienced hooves and a lot of hard work, it would be far too easy for a rogue storm to throw everything off balance. On top of this, the lack of any form of opening in the cloud left him feeling cramped and claustrophobic as he squirmed on his cushion.

The door opened as an older pegasus stallion entered the room, he had a pale yellow coat and a grey mane. His eyes settled onto Feather Blade as he let out a soft huff. “Color me surprised. I expected somepony in your horseshoes to have left already.”

“I want the job. I know how to wait, when it’s necessary,” Feather Blade responded in a neutral, matter-of-fact tone. The cheerfulness in the eyes could not be hid, however.

The older stallion rolled his eyes as he pulled out some parchment. “Yeah. So you’re here for the open position on the weather team?”

“Well, it appears you have fifteen openings,” he pointed out modestly. “I observe. It comes with living on the road. So yeah, I figured you could use the help, and I could use the job. A little something for everypony,” he replied cheekily, trying to show a little more Pegasus arrogance.

The weather captain quirked a brow. “Oh yeah? What past experience do you have?”

“I have experience with cloud break-ups over some of my families’ camps. I’ve done some rain seeding in my time, and I’ve managed to create a few small snow flurries in the wilds, when I have the time to practice. I’ve been on a few other weather teams, but you know how it goes. Moment another good Pegasus comes through, I’m the first head on the chopping block.” He shrugged.

“So you’ve been kicked off a team before.” The stallion hummed to himself as he narrowed his gaze pensively. Finally, he sighed as he stared Feather Blade down. “Well, we’ll have to see if you actually stand up to the work here, I suppose. If you pass, you can stay. We’ll be keeping a close eye on your work, though. We can’t afford to have any mistakes round these parts.”

“I guess that’s acceptable,” Feather Blade sighed. “So, when do I take my test?”

“Right now. Get a move on.” The weather captain started toward the door. “I don’t have all day. My shift starts soon. We’re going to make this quick.”

Pensword nodded as he rose to follow the captain out. “I’ll do what you ask of me, then.”

---

What Golden Oak hadn’t told Gabriel, likely expecting him to know, was that the building that would later become the townhouse of Ponyville currently served as the Everfree’s edge. True to the stallion’s word, the building stood a good two or three stories high. A tavern had been attached in the main parlor next to the check-in counter. Of course, the building itself went instantly quiet the moment he and New Moon walked in. The two stayed close together, and glared at the occupants as they crossed the room at a slow pace, letting their various weapons clank with each step.

“A half pint for me, and your largest flagon for my associate,” he ordered. “And if you could be so kind as to point us in the direction of the mayor, we’d be appreciative.”

“What’s the deal with so many outsiders showing up today?” the mare grumbled as she saw the Earth Pony mare drop some coins. “Still….” She began to fill the drinks. “You’re talking to her. Mayor, postmaster, bartender, with just a side of counselor.”

“Greetings, Madam Mayor. I am Gabriel, and this is my associate New Moon. We are hunters sanctioned by the crown and the holy orders. I have come to present my permit for hunting in this area.” The Gryphon pulled out the document and held it to the mare’s face. She made as though to read it, but he could see the lack of comprehension in her eyes. She seemed to only recognize the royal seal. It didn’t take a genius to guess she couldn’t read print.

“Looks in order,” the mayor replied. “I will….” She sighed. “Post Script will make a copy of this and post it on the message board in front of town hall, so the other townsfolk will know you’re all official. Just … don’t go bringing anything back from that cursed forest, all right? We don’t want Nightmare Moon coming back.”

New Moon grimaced under her cloak, but said nothing.

“We’d also like rooms. Two, if possible. One, if necessary,” Gabriel requested.

She looked at the pair. “I’ve got a couple of rooms. One bit for the mare, twenty for you, unless you have an expense account I can charge.” She looked to New Moon. “You raised by Bats? Never heard a mare called New Moon before that didn’t have the tufts or fangs.”

New Moon removed her hood, showing the head and face of a regular Earth Pony. “My parents named me New Moon for my dark coloring,” she answered sharply. “And twentybits? How do you expect us to afford food at that price?”

“You hunt in the woods. A Gryphon hunts, right?”

New Moon spluttered as she moved to press up against the counter, but Gabriel stuck his talons out and stopped her, shaking his head. “We thank you for your generous help, Madam Mayor, but we will pursue other means of lodging. We leave you in peace, in the name of Faust and Sleipnir, and the Four Winds across the globe.” He waved an amulet in front of him, and then the two left.

“Twenty bits!” New Moon seethed as they left the establishment. “How did Celestia allow such robbery?”

“It’s the times,” Gabriel shrugged. “People will do what they want to feel vindicated. Best to leave her thinking she got the upper hoof.”

“She did get the upper hoof. I’d already paid for our drinks, and then you went and gave her a blessing on top of everything else,” New Moon snorted.

“My dear New Moon, in the words of a wise Pony, you can argue with all the fools in the world. It’s better to let them think they got their way,” he produced a small leather sack of bits, “and then trick them afterwards.”

“But you never touched her!” New Moon gaped.

“No. I just never let her see me touch her.” He winked. “Come. We’ll see if we can find lodgings. I think I might know where we can.” And the two made a beeline for the massive golden oak.

---

Yvetal whistled merrily as he levitated his equipment onto the table and set up the proper protective enchantments, as Clover had taught him. Then he added a few extra frost wards to ensure any possible entries would be barred against infiltration. Once he’d made the accommodations more amenable, he trotted back out his door and down to the ground floor. His stomach rumbled, and he searched for any signs of his hostess. When he saw the counter abandoned, he turned to the room and asked, “Anypony know where the innkeeper is?”

“She’s with Golden Oak, setting up a table in the Solar Hall. The Smiths are going to show off some of their new recipes and feed the town…. Which means next week, the Pears are going to try and top them.”

Yvetal furrowed his brow. “The smiths? I know forgeponies can be skilled at cooking as well as they are at shaping, but do you really have a world class chef among them?”

“The apple farmers. Why would Iron Ore bake?” came the response from the peach-colored mare.

“Oh, you mean a family name,” Yvetal said as he laid a hoof over his forehead and nodded. “My apologies. When I hear the word smith, I always think of a forgepony first and foremost. You say they’re going to feed the town. Is their cooking really that popular?” he asked as he finished descending the stairs to enter the parlor proper.

“Well, yes. I guess … a donation to the Smiths might get you a seat to try some of their food, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

Yvetal shrugged. “I’ll live, I suppose. Mind giving me directions to the hall?”

“Just follow the noise. The Smiths are a rowdy bunch.”

Yvetal nodded. “My thanks.” While the suggestion proved rather difficult, given the noise in the parlor, the mage made the best of it and trotted down one of the spare corridors in search of the room in question. Thankfully, the scent of fresh sawdust eventually caught in his nose, and he followed it like a bloodhound, until he reached a cracked set of double doors. The sound of grating wooden legs and the occasional excited yelp paired with a country accent assured him he’d likely found the right place.

The Solar Hall wasn’t any grand affair, but it was carefully constructed. A set of carved circular windows allowed the light to shine down into the otherwise gloomy space. Metal discs hung down on cleverly designed hinges, waiting to circle back up and close over the spaces during the colder nights. Bright ribbons of yellow, red, and green streamed across the walls between solid light wooden pillars that had been carefully carved to give an almost faceted appearance as the sunlight streamed over them. A rather large reddish-brown table with intricate scroll carvings and a shining varnish sat in the very center as a tall tan Earth Pony with a dark brown mane spoke to the familiar purple mare.

“All right, this table should be a lot more stable.” He tapped the legs confidently. “If someone manages to damage any of the other tables, stop by. Or send me a letter, if you get too busy. I’ll be sure to get it done right away,” he finished with a smile.

Yvetal whistled as he approached the table. “Such fine craftsmanship,” he complimented. “And the wood appears to be of a significantly high quality. Though I’m curious. Where did you get ahold of the materials for the varnish?”

The stallion looked surprised for a moment, before turning to face Yvetal. “Oh. There’s a trader that comes by around once a month. He usually has a container of the stuff.”

“Interesting. I may need to see where he gets his ingredients from.” He smiled, and extended a hoof. “The name’s Yvetal. Alchemy and apothecary are my areas of expertise.” He chuckled. “Well, that, and a few spells for self defense.”

After a moment, the stallion returned the gesture. “Golden Oak. I’m … just a carpenter.”

“Considering you’ve garnered the mayor’s attention, I’m guessing you must have been here for quite some time. That, and your skill speaks for itself, of course,” Yvetal chuckled goodnaturedly.

Golden Oak rubbed the back of his head. “I’ve been here since the beginning. The Smith family took me in, and I’ve been here ever since.”

“That’s very kind of them.”

“Like we’d let him go that easily, after all the help he’s given on the farm,” a vibrant young alto voice rolled richly through the air, and Yvetal looked with some surprise at a hearty green mare with two bright blond pigtails. “Why, Golden Oak here’s as good as family.”

“I’m sure he is,” Yvetal agreed. “I’ve seen his type before. Not many Ponies like that left in the kingdom nowadays.” He frowned. “Now that I think about it, there’s a doctor who told me the strangest things about a Pony matching your description. He talked so quickly, it was rather difficult to follow, but he mentioned something about a debt, and interrupting him at inconvenient times. You wouldn’t happen to know of any such Ponies, would you?”

Golden Oak hummed in thought, before shrugging. “Sorry, I don’t think I do.”

“You’ll have to forgive him, if he doesn’t remember,” the green mare said sweetly. “When we found him all those years ago, he hardly remembered a thing, not even a name. I was just a little filly myself.” She chuckled. “It feels like such a long time ago.”

“Memory, you say. Interesting. I’ve met certain Ponies who study such things. It’s a tricky thing, the mind. Not much is known about those branches of magic, since Princess Luna disappeared.” He tapped his chin. “I may have some basic herbal remedies to offer, if you wish to try.” He shrugged. “I make no promises, however.”

“We’ll have to talk about that another time.” Golden Oak shook his head. “I need to get back to the shop. Plenty of work, little time to do it.”

“Of course. Of course.” Yvetal’s stomach rumbled. “And it would seem I need to get ahold of some food for sustenance.” He chuckled. “I hear the Smith family sells certain baked goods. Might there be a place nearby, where I could try some?”

The green mare chuckled. “I’ll show you the way.”

---

Gabriel and New Moon found themselves sitting twenty feet away from the large tree. ‘Golden Oak,’ as was the current alias Hammer Strike seemed to be using, was apparently away for the afternoon, and they had no clear indication when he’d be back. So the two were doing their best to appear nonchalant as they considered their options, which currently consisted of camping out in a free patch of land.

“All that gear, and you forgot a tent?” New Moon growled as Gabriel sat across from her, casually sharpening a knife.

“Contrary to popular opinion, my carrying space isn’t endless. It was either a tent or sleeping bags. I figured you’d be used to sleeping on the ground, princess,” the Gryphon shot back. New Moon responded with the silent treatment. And so, for the next while, all that passed between the two was the sound of stone scraping on metal as they waited.

Eventually, Golden Oak appeared as the sun began to set on the horizon. He trundled along with an empty cart behind him. He pulled off to the side of the tree, before detaching the cart and placing a block between the wheels.

“Ah, hello again mio amico!” Gabriel shouted, waving to the stallion. “Might I have a moment of your time?”

Golden Oak looked up from his cart. “Oh, hello again.” He gave a soft smile. “What did you have on your mind?”

“While the mayor was very helpful, as an inn keeper, she seemed to have a problem with me staying at her inn. The price she gave was … somewhat exorbitant. We were hoping you might know of a place that would give a room to a Gryphon for less than a fortune a night. I’d happily pay you for your trouble.”

Golden Oak rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, she’s … not very comfortable around anypony that isn’t an Earth Pony.” He hummed thoughtfully to himself. “I … I have a spare room. I can give you and your companion what would be normal pricing at the inn.”

“Grazie! Thank you very much, my friend! Here. Consider this three days’ payment up front,” Gabriel said, producing a pouch of bits and tossing it to Oak.

“I’ll have to bring up the couch.” He moved his hoof to the back of his head once more. “I mean, unless you two prefer to … uh, share a bed, that is.”

There was that awkward moment of silence as the implications given dawned on both parties, before they both took an involuntary step back, shaking their heads. “No, no. Definitely not. We are partners in the fashion that we work together, but we are not that kind of partners, my friend,” Gabriel said. “The couch will be fine.”

“Got it. Sorry. Shouldn’t have said anything. I’ll move the couch up as soon as possible,” Golden Oak nodded as he opened the door, inviting them inside.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” New Moon said as they entered. “It’s nice to see somepony has some decency.”

“The spare room is upstairs on the right. It should be far enough away that my work won’t disturb either of you,” Golden Oak directed them as he moved toward the stairs leading to the basement. “I’ll bring the couch up.”

“We’ll do our best to keep out of your way,” New Moon offered. “If everything goes well, we shouldn’t be here more than a week.”

“That’s all right. As long as you two don’t cause any trouble, I don’t see an issue.”

The two nodded, before heading to their room. The second they were inside and the door was closed, Gabriel pulled out sheets of paper, quill, ink bottle, and a lighter. Then he began to write.

---

The realm of dreams Luna found was in a poor condition, worse than she’d found it when she’d first returned, and realized that she would need to do some housekeeping to give her returning self a helping hoof. While doing so, she created a space modeled after three mares that she found enjoyable company, and sent out a small pull for her fellow comrades to appear.

Gabriel appeared first, soon followed by Yvetal, and then Feather Blade appeared, albeit more translucent. “Oh … uh, sorry, but kind of in a bad situation here. Have to live outside of town, and, well, I’m missing a small pot already, and my tent fell down.”

“Are you in a half doze or something?” Yvetal asked.

“Yes. Need to catch whoever is doing this.” He sighed. “I just have poor hopes of getting anything to stick. Still, how’ve your days been settling in? I managed to make it on the weather team.”

“I’ve received confirmation that I will be allowed to hunt and take jobs within the city; however, I’ll have to send New Moon to claim bounties, and they’re subject to a fifty percent taxation by the town,” Gabriel noted.

“Apparently, these fees are crown sanctioned.” Luna’s voice dripped with contempt. “How Celestia let it get this bad, I’ll never know.”

“She is just one Pony, you know,” Yvetal noted. “Just because she’s an Alicorn doesn’t make it any easier to stop corruption from spreading somewhere in a kingdom as large as this.”

“Maybe, but it’s still troubling,” Luna said as she kicked the ground a few times.

“You both received my message, then?” Gabriel asked them. Then he shook his head. “You know what? No. This is ridiculous. We’re in a dream.” His accent altered from Bitalian to Phrench as he shook himself off, his garb changing to Grif’s familiar armor. “Thats better.”

“My accent is the same, just different tones,” Pensword replied. “Funny thing. Skills I learned for the Third Gryphon war. Works for the traveling style of Thestrals that don’t live in the caves or the lands to the north.”

Vital shrugged. “And since I’m not a famous historical figure, I don’t really have to worry about altering how I look, just what I wear. But now that we have all the formalities out of the way, what are we going to do about Hammer Strike? Based on what I saw in the letter, it seems you already found the same thing.” He shook his head. “Never thought he’d be the one facing amnesia.”

“He obviously doesn't remember us,” Grif nodded. “He also seemed different, more expressive. I don’t think this is something as simple as hitting his head too hard.”

“Are you suggesting willful suppression?” Vital asked.

“Not from Hammer Strike. I don’t think he’d ever willfully suppress his memory, no matter what happened. Something else is affecting him.”

“We may be able to find out,” Luna said as she stretched her wings. “However, the spell would be … complicated.”

“When have things ever been easy for us? I mean, well, as easy as point the Elements of Harmony and shoot easy.” Pensword chuckled ruefully. “We always seem to get the harder task.”

“I may be able to take us into his subconscious through his dream state; however, to do so as you are now carries a risk of you three being … overpowered by his mental processes. I would have to transport you physically,” Luna said.

“You can take someone physically into another’s mind? I thought that wasn’t possible with dream magic,” Vital said.

“Not for Thestrals,” Luna clarified. “Unicorns can affect the mind, but they cannot manipulate the dream realm. Thestrals cannot manipulate the mind, but they can enter the dream realm physically. I have the advantages of both; however, mental magic is not my strong suit,” she admitted.

“Not a problem. At least we have a means to get in and see what damage has been done. From there, we can see how we might be able to fix things.”

“Okay then, everyone. Get some REM sleep. We’ll try this tomorrow night. Agreed?” Grif looked around.

“I’ll try,” Pensword answered, before he fizzed out. “Great. Got somethi–.” And then he was gone.

“Where do you want us to meet? I’ll need to get it right,” Vital said.

“Outside the Golden Oak,” Grif instructed. “You can tell Pensword about it tomorrow. Oh, and Vital, before I forget–.” He grabbed the Unicorn and gave him a noogie. “Never got to say congrats.” And then Grif and Luna were gone.

Vital gaped as the dreamscape faded to blackness, before returning to the dreamscape of his old bedroom back on Earth. “Did he just troll me?”

“Yes,” a black Unicorn with red eyes and a blood-red mane replied. “Yes, he did.”

---

Feather Blade sat without anything in the small room. Heavy iron bars had been sturdily anchored into the windowsill. Another wall of bars stood between him and the room’s exit. He sighed as he recalled the events leading to his imprisonment. His shift had ended, he got paid, went to his camp, caught the pranksters, and now he was the one stuck in jail with his personal effects in lockup. The guard seemed to take great pleasure in informing him that his pay would be docked to pay a fine for daring to assault a Pony unprovoked.

“Pony feathers,” he grumbled to himself as he sat on the bench, waiting for his time to be up. He sighed in frustration. Luna and Grif were going to kill him. He looked frustratedly at the sheriff, a sandy gray pony with a messy dark brown mane.

“Excuse me?” there was a knock at the door to the jail as New Moon poked her head in.

After glancing over her, the sheriff adjusted his position. “What can I do fer’ ya, Miss?”

“I’m here to pay the appropriate bail bonds to free a mister,” she looked down at a sheet of parchment, “Feather Blade?”

The sheriff's eyes widened in surprise. “Yer’ here to help this stallion?”

“Yes. my associate and I have decided that we will need an assistant to look after the handling of possibly dangerous reagents and potions in regards to monster control. Mister Feather Blade may be part Thestral, but he is in good enough shape that he should last the month. I believe the practice is supported by our crown-granted rights. How much is his bail?”

“Seventy-five bits,” the sheriff replied with a shell-shocked expression.

She tossed a large sack negligently on his desk. “Paid in full.”

The stallion’s eyes bulged as he opened the pouch and dumped the contents to count. “I’ll just … make sure of it first, before I let this one out.” He frowned as he began slowly counting out the bits.

New moon huffed and rolled her eyes, but said nothing as the stallion continued his efforts. She finally drew her mace and began inspecting it as she waited.

After a few minutes, the sheriff let out a reluctant huff. “Everything appears to be in order,” he commented as he moved towards the cell, then removed the keys from his belt. Once Feather Blade had been freed, the sheriff narrowed his eyes menacingly. “You’d best watch yourself out there. If I hear one more peep from anypony about you, I’ll make sure you find yourself back in this cell faster than a wingbeat. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Sir,” Feather Blade responded in a level, albeit unsubmissive tone. “Can I have the stuff your deputy took when I showed you my campsite?” he asked as he walked slowly to the cell door.

“Anything that wasn’t considered dangerous.”

The halfbreed chuckled. “Then I don’t have much to worry about. Just send the stuff to wherever this mare is sleeping.” He stepped out of the door and a Pegasus shoved a pink paper into his muzzle, then flew off, before either Pony could object. Feather Blade sighed as he looked over the message, then looked to New Moon. “It would seem defending one’s property is an offense punishable by losing employment. You’ll pay in food, right?”

“Of course,” New Moon smiled sweetly as she gave him a shove forward. She leaned in to whisper in his ear as she steadied his footing. “We’ll talk about this later. We have to move,” she said quietly as they left.

Gabriel was sitting by a fire behind the oak when they arrived. He sharpened his knife casually as they approached.

“So, you are the fortunate soul to be press ganged into service for the order of the monster hunter,” he said grandiosely, as though he was a being of nothing but pomp and airs. “The road ahead will be difficult, my friend, but know what when you die, it will be in the glorious name of the gods, protecting others from harm.”

“As long as I get food in my belly,” Feather Blade grumbled. “Just lost my job and all my worldly possessions anyway.”

The Gryphon offered him a bowl of stew and a chunk of stale bread.

“Thank you,” Feather Blade replied. “I won’t have to eat grass today.” He settled down on the ground and slowly ate his meal, using the bread to help wipe up the last remnants of broth from his bowl.

“Those of us who are different, this is the way it goes, no?” Gabriel shrugged. “Come by the fire and warm yourself.”

Feather Blade scooted closer to the fire and sighed. “You have permission from the owner?”

“Yes, I have settled everything. Unfortunately, I do not have room for you inside, but I have all you will need for the night, and you have enough wood to use this fire all night.”

“I ... I thank you, unless I break some town law for camping outdoors inside the limits. Then again, they could just make something up. They usually do.” Feather Blade sighed again. Then his brow furrowed in curiosity. “How did you learn I was in jail, anyway?”

“Let’s say a little birdie told them,” Yvetal said as he approached the trio bearing his saddlebags and what appeared to be a gnarled walking stick. His blond mane whipped in the evening wind as the shadows cast from the fire danced across his face. “If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s people being mistreated when they don’t deserve it.”

“They won’t go out of their way to make us angry.” New Moon shook her head. “They’ll only push us so far.”

“And that conveys to me, since you just pressed me into helping you all hunt monsters.”

“Exactly,” Gabriel nodded. “Now then, if you would, New Moon.” He looked to the mare, and then to the others. To all outside, she seemed to pull out a scroll to begin a long-winded speech. Inside the reality bubble she had just cast, New Moon shifted back into the form of Luna.

Grif pulled a hatchet from his bag and handed it to the Pegasus. “Try not to get arrested again. We’re going to be hunting for the rest of our time here, just to make up the slack, unless a hydra wanders into town.”

“I’ll do my best, but I was arrested for reporting the abuse, after I protected my tent, so I’m not sure if I can stop them.”

“Try, Pensword. It’s very important.” Then he looked back to the Alicorn. “Well, Luna, let’s get this going.”

Luna nodded. “Gather in close,” she instructed as her horn’s glow began to brighten.

Pensword stepped forward, holding his hatchet at the ready. Vital followed suit, bowing his head in preparation for what was to come. Grif approached last as Luna’s horn reached its peak. And then everything went white.

---

The white light fractured into a series of fragments that drifted through a darkened space, refracting a rainbow of colors, before distorting into gaping puddles of black rimmed by red, until the whole space was consumed. The pools converged on the group, and then everything shattered into the calm of night as a cool wind moaned through the branches of the mighty tree above.

“Did it work?” Vital asked as he shook his head to try to overcome the dizziness. “And why do I feel like the world is still spinning?”

“Well, either it worked or that rabbit I had ate something funky,” Grif noted.

“Uh, the sky is different.” Pensword pointed a wing to a heavily shaded blue with purple hues and bright purple stars glittering within. The moon pulsed the same gentle purple. And as the party looked around, they could see the many buildings from the town staring bleakley back at them. Some few flickered with candlelight through their windows, while the rest remained dark. The oak itself seemed to cast a light out from its doorway onto the hoof-trod track.

“Yes,” Luna said as she looked up. “It is, indeed.”

“So this is supposed to be Hammer Strike’s mind?” Vital asked. “I thought you said it was supposed to be just a black space.”

“This isn’t his mind, Vital Spark. This is … somewhere in between. Something appears to have actively pushed us away from his mind,” Luna noted.

“So we’re in a sort of mental limbo?”

“I suppose that's the best term,” Luna noted. “We should try to find a way to enter Hammer Strike’s mind. This place feels … wrong, dangerous.”

Pensword looked around, taking in the strange sights. “Then I guess we should enter the Golden Oak? That is his home in the real world, after all.”

“I’ll take point,” Grif said. “Vital, you get behind me with Pensword flanking you. Luna will take the rear.”

The four grouped up and made their way cautiously around the trunk of the tree. The golden portal revealed nothing beyond it, only the light that cast itself over their faces as they approached and finally entered.

As soon as they all entered, the door behind them closed, and the light faded. The inside of the tree was completely unlike its counterpart in the real world. Instead, the room had taken on a large rectangular shape. On their left was a small set of tables set for building. On their right was a set of bookshelves filled from top to bottom. Below them, a long blue rug stretched onward to the end of the room, where two individuals sat patiently. The one in the center sat behind a large mahogany desk with a small stack of papers, as well as a small green lamp. He looked to be a Gryphon. It was tough to determine his size, but he seemed to be on the smaller side. His crest was made up of swept back tan feathers. What struck grif was the long mane-like feathers sweeping behind his neck. He had absurdly large eyes that seemed to be at either side of his face. His beak was abnormally long and pointed. His talons where unseeable, as his sleeves covered to his wrists, and his claws were covered by thick white gloves. Behind him, a pair of wizened wings hung lazily at his side, clearly having not been through much exercise. His tufted tail swayed like a cat admiring prey.

To his right was a small couch where a Unicorn mare sat. She had a pale peach coat, with an equally pale gray mane that flowed backwards. A tight blue headband held the majority of it in place, while a slight portion hung out over her brow, casting a shadow onto her left eye as she gazed neutrally at the newcomers. A deep blue long coat the same shade as her headband covered most of her body, folding over itself in the front with golden rings to secure it. In her hooves was a large leatherbound book with a large golden V in the center surrounded by a laurel wreath.

The room was cast in a soft blue light, and in the background, the group could hear the faint sounds of a piano.

The Gryphon’s smile shifted. “Welcome to the velvet room.” He opened his eyes to look at the group. “My, what an interesting situation we have all found ourselves in. For normally, the one who holds the strongest contract is the one to appear before me.” He gave a soft chuckle as he moved his hand forward over the table. “This place exists between mind and matter.” He swiped his hand as a set of tarot cards appeared before him, face down on the table. “It separates dreams from reality.”

“Spirit, tell me what your purpose here is,” Luna demanded with a snort.

The Gryphon chuckled. “You’re certainly mistaken, Miss Luna.” He shifted his hand back under his chin. “Some introductions are in order. My name is Igor, the Oathkeeper. It is a delight to make your acquaintance. To my right is Track.” He gestured with his hand as the mare nodded. “Right now, you are all on the outside of The World, just outside of the reach of his current state.”

“The … World?” Vital queried.

Igor’s hand shifted over the center card and turned his hand over. The card underneath turned over, revealing a tarot card bearing the name. “Your friend, and the one to hold the strongest contract out of all of you.”

“Strongest contract?” Pensword asked at the same time as Grif.

“Contract for what?” Grif pressed further.

Igor turned the card back over. “Merely a strong contract, one that he took upon himself many years ago.” Igor moved his hand to the side and swiped over all of the cards, turning four of them in the process. “Much like you all have.” The four cards that turned were Hierophant, Justice, Death, and Moon.

“I’m … still not sure I get it,” Vital said honestly.

“Hammer Strike’s in trouble. We all have a connection to him. An oath, if you will. That’s why he’s appearing to us. He let us in, because we can help him. That right?” Grif asked, not even looking away from the card. A strangely human skull had been imposed over a doorway with the roman numeral for thirteen beneath it.

“You are mostly correct,” Igor chuckled. “All of you have some part in this journey ahead, as your arrival set the airship in motion.”

“Airship in motion?” Pensword asked. “Are we talking literal or metaphorical?”

“With the current state of your friend being in an unsettled balance, his very existence was up for debate.” Igor shifted his attention towards Grif and Luna. “Upon spotting the two of you, it sparked something in his subconscious, a part of himself stuffed so far away that when he was displaced, it merely became inactive.”

“What do we need to do?” Luna asked.

“You merely need to deal with his shadow.” Igor shifted his hand back under his beak as the cards beneath him disappeared. “In his mind, the shadow has placed its roots down once more, but without his other half being there to keep it in check, the shadow is soon to take control, once and for all.” He placed one hand on the desk as he leaned his head against the other.

Pensword frowned. “That isn’t good. Shadows can grow into Nightmares, and Nightmares can become very problematic.” He looked to the strange Gryphon. “So how do we defeat a shadow?”

“You’ll have to figure it out on your own,” Igor chuckled. “We can offer some support as you progress forward.” His smile seemed to widen. “We are most curious to see how this journey will end.” The door behind them opened suddenly, bathing the room in light.

“The doorway behind you will lead you to his shadow’s plane,” Tracker spoke for the first time. “Be warned. With his shadow being the only thing to exist right now, it is only a matter of time until it takes control. You have, most likely, until the end of the month.”

“Joy,” Pensword deadpanned, “a time limit.”

“Okay, is it just me, or are you guys getting a serious sense of deja vous from this?” Vital asked as he tapped his chin ponderingly. “I just can’t quite place my finger on it. Or would that be hoof?”

“Hoof,” Pensword clarified.

“I’ll take point,” Grif said, cutting off all chances of moving the line of questioning forward. There were more important matters at hoof. Then he moved forward through the doorway.

“Let’s not tarry,” Luna added as she followed after.

“Allons-y?” Vital asked, before taking the plunge and jumping through the door.

“Off into the wild blue yonder,” Pensword muttered, before following suit.

As the light faded from their eyes, the group found themselves standing in a forest. Familiar sounds and smells greeted them. The night sky had even shifted color to a royal blue. They were standing on a length of cobblestone road, leading onwards to New Unity, but it wasn’t the castle, nor the walls that greeted them. Banners lined several lamp posts, each bearing Hammer Strike’s sigil. Down the road was a large castle with stained glass windows displaying his mark and face. Towers lined the sides in an odd mesh that almost felt impossible.

“Dreamscape?” Pensword asked Luna as they looked around the area.

“I believe the term is mindscape,” Vital pointed out. “Or … maybe a palace?”

“Palace?” Pensword turned to question the Unicorn’s choice of words.

“Well, what else do you call that thing?” Vital asked as he pointed to the building. “Sure is opulent enough.”

“I guess you could call it that, but I feel fortress would fit as well.”

“We can argue this kinda thing later,” Grif said brusquely. “Let’s move ahead.”

“You taking point again?” Pensword asked.

“I guess I am,” Grif said as he moved forward.

“Any idea where we’re going to find him?” Vital asked.

“The forge?” Pensword deadpanned.

After a few hesitant moments, Grif moved towards the great structure’s large doors and opened them, revealing the grand entrance hall. A broad staircase was present in the center of the room, covered in a gold relief on all the stone surfaces, with intricately carved scenes of past deeds done by Hammer Strike. Blue banners with Hammer Strike’s personal seal in gold thread hung from golden flagpoles along the hall.

Any other details, Pensword forgot. “Guys, we’d better back out fast. We have armed guards heading our way, and they look like giant humans. We’d better retreat, unless you think we can use a hatchet against metal.”

“I’m unsure if retreat or attack would be wise,” Luna said as she eyed the figures.

“Can they be reasoned with?” Vital queried?

Vitals question was answered as a massive longsword swept towards him, just barely deflected by Grif’s katana. “I don’t think they want to talk over tea and crumpets,” Grif answered.

“Fall back and regroup away from these guards,” Pensword snapped.

“And if they follow us?” Vital pressed back as he levitated the staff off his back and dropped the glamour over it to reveal Watcher.

“Vital, keep to the back. Pensword, you guard him. Let me and Luna keep the front here,” Grif ordered as he attempted several strikes on the guards. One was blocked, and two bounced away without causing any damage.

Somebody needs to cool off,” Vital said as he sent a blast of concentrated ice magic down at the knights’ feet.

“Something’s screwy here,” Grif noted as he sent a powerful blast of wind at the head of one, hoping to topple him over.

The knights, in turn, stumbled backwards, breaking the ice at their feet, but did not fall over. Grif dodged another swing as they retreated outside the castle. This one severed a lamp post, causing it to fall. Grif caught the image of one of the guards stumbling as it attempted to side step the falling pole. “Well, at least that's something. Luna, did you notice?”

“It would seem that they can be more adequately damaged with things from this world than by our weapons.” Luna grabbed the lamp post in her magic and swung it at one of the guards.

“So what do you guys want me to do, play the medic?” Vital asked as he stepped back somewhat uncertainly.

“That depends. How strong’s your telekinesis?” Grif asked, dodging another swing.

“I’m competent enough, but I’m not sure how effective it’ll be in here with how these things shrug our attacks off. What’re you thinking, Grif?”

“If I can cut some of these poles down, how hard do you think you can chuck them?”

“If you want to pierce, then you’ve found your Pony.” Vital smirked viciously. “It’s about time I got to put some of that javelin practice to use.”

“Luna, keep them off me.” Grif spread his wings and took to the air.

“I make no promises,” Luna responded as she assaulted the guards with her flag pole. Fortunately for Grif, it seemed that inanimate objects were less resilient as he made his way through the street severing post after post with his katana.

Each post was quickly surrounded by an icy blue aura as it fell, and flew to circle in front of Vital Spark as he created multiple rings moving counter to the outer layer. “Let me know when you’re ready, Grif.”

“As soon as Luna’s out of the way!” Grif called out. The Alicorn of the night launched herself into the air, upon hearing this, doing her best to get out of the range of the guards.

Vital Spark’s smirk widened, exposing his sharper canines as the poles began to spin like drills. “Jackpot,” he said, and the poles flew like a swarm of harpoons, streaking through the air, and leaving behind a trail of light as they sought out their targets. A few broke or bounced off the armor plating, but left heavy dents, which allowed the ones following to find a point of weakness and skewer the armor through the chest.The knight stumbled backwards as the entirety of it became covered in shadow, before dispersing.

“... Okay, so I’m going to assume these are subconscious defenses designed to oust intruders,” Vital guessed. “Do we have any reinforcements coming after us?”

“I think we’re in the clear for the moment,” Grif said, scanning their surroundings. “Let’s get out of the street and get our bearings.” He started down a narrow alley. The others soon followed, dodging into the cover of the shadows to take in the situation.

“Okay, Luna. You’re the expert here. What can you tell us about what’s going on?” Vital asked as they gathered beneath the eaves of a larger hut.

“It seems that if this is Hammer Strike’s mind, the strength of our weapons is determined by how strong he determines them to be,” Luna responded, “which, given this is Hammer Strike we’re talking about….”

“Our weapons would be akin to what one would give to a foal to play with,” Pensword finished worriedly. “So, that means we need to sneak in and find an armory of weapons from his own mind.”

“Either that or use weapons that he’s crafted himself. I’d assume those would have a greater impact, since he made them. Actually … that’s not a bad idea. Guys, how many of you packed your pistols?” Vital asked.

Grif pulled out his colt. “Not made by Hammer Strike, but I think he at least knows what it’s capable of.”

Pensword gave a look to Grif. “Did you bring my pistol? Because you told me to not bring anything. And as you saw, I lost everything in the first two days here.”

Grif looked to Luna, who levitated a holstered flintlock to him. “You’ve got enough for twelve shots. Make it count.”

Pensword nodded his understanding. “And knowing Hammer Strike, we might find more shots placed about the area.”

“Well, assuming we’re following–.”

“Ground team, report in, damn it!” Hammer Strike’s distorted voice echoed out from the entrance hall.

“... Okay, not even going to try to finish that thought,” Vital said as he shook his head. “So that was a security team we likely just killed, which means this other Hammer Strike’s going to be tipped off something’s up before we even start trying to get in there. Great,” he said as he rolled his eyes.

“Nothing is easy, is it?” Pensword asked.

“Well, you know, there is another thing we can try, rather than the front door,” Grif noted.

“Secret passage?” Vital asked.

“That would require you knowing the layout of the castle, Vital. Think a little more obvious.”

“A window?”

“Pensword? Surely, you can see the obvious alternative possibility.”

“Well, one is to actually go through the proper channels to make a meeting with this Hammer Strike, and the other is to stake out, learn routes, and find gaps in the security.”

“Look at me, Pensword. I want you to consider our assets. There are four of us here: a Gryphon, a Thestral, an Alicorn, and a relatively light Unicorn,” Grif said, emphasizing each species.

Pensword facehoofed. “We come in from the air. And as Hammer Strike is on the finding out what happened, we hit from the above.” He couldn’t help but grin afterwards. “Brilliant.”

“I swear. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Not only am I unable to control my body while a dimwit runs charge, but now you lot are slacking!” Hammer Strike yelled out.

“We’d better move, while he’s focused on the ground team,” Pensword whispered.

Luna levitated Vital Spark onto her back and the three took to the air as silently as they could, being sure to take a scenic path, so as not to be spotted easily.

The castle was easily fifteen stories high, with a mismatch of towers jutting out from different locations. The top of the castle was relatively flat, with a few training dummies placed about. At each of the four corners, there was an entrance to the connected towers, and at each entrance, a large guard sat in wait.

“Oh, Great. More guards. And if they go silent, he’ll know. How do we get past them? Through a window?” Pensword groused.

“Yeah. Keep talking, because we want them to notice us,” Grif growled back. He signaled to Luna, making a loop around gesture. Before the guards could notice their presence, Luna’s horn flashed and the four faded from view. “Pensword, put a hoof on Luna’s side, and don’t say anything,” Grif instructed.

Pensword did as he was bid. It felt strange to do this to someone he held in such high esteem, though.

After what Grif decided was a sufficient amount of time, he felt around his pack. Fortunately, during the Third Gryphon War, he’d been put under an invisibility charm more than once, and was accustomed to how they worked. He found what he was looking for relatively easily. It was a spherical device with a wind-up key at the top. Had it been visible, it would have appeared as bright pink with a familiar balloon mark on it. He wound the key three times and silently counted to five-err … three and tossed it towards the far corner. A second later, the sound of a party horn played as the ball exploded, throwing up brightly colored confetti, streamers, and a cloud of pink sparkling smoke. The second the guard was away from the door, Grif tested it to see if it was locked. It was, of course. Fishing out a knife and a lockpick burnt up half a second they didn’t have. The first attempt ended in failure, and Grif cursed silently to himself. However, the second attempt came with a satisfying, barely audible click. He opened the door as silently as he could and Luna pulled Pensword through it with Vital Spark still on her back. Grif followed a moment later, closing the door as silently as possible, before scanning the new area.

Luna dropped the spell. It would be nearly impossible for the four of them to navigate the spiral staircase they found themselves on while invisible.

“Okay, so a few ground rules.” Grif turned on Pensword. “This is a stealth operation. The key to a successful stealth operation is stealth. If you need to speak, speak low, and combine as much information into as few words as possible. Never stay in an open area, if you can at all avoid it. And remember, if we meet up with Hammer Strike, the likelihood is that the four of us could get fired from living, so be careful.”

“Can I get down now?” Vital whispered.

Luna levitated Vital Spark to the ground.

Pensword slowly looked around the area. “Well, this looks like a normal tower,” he whispered.

“We head up first,” Grif said. “Eventually, those idiots are going to notice that something's not right. I want to find something heavy to lean against that door.”

“Won’t that just tell them we came here?” Vital asked as he waved his horn. His hooves glowed briefly. “Cloudwalking spell. Also good for stealth,” he whispered.

“Vital, if they can’t get inside the door, does it really matter if they figure it out?” Grif asked as he headed upwards.

“Kinda moot, if we don’t find said heavy object.”

“How many fortresses have you all infiltrated? Show of hooves?” Grif said, turning to look at the group. After a beat and no hooves raised, he nodded. “Yes, this is an infiltration. Not a raid, not a siege, an infiltration. So, please, maybe just trust me a little bit, okay?”

“Of course,” Pensword whispered.

“Anybody got a suit of armor or something we can prop, then?” Vital asked.

“Look, I’ll head up and check. For now, Vital, why don’t you freeze it shut?” Grif didn’t wait for confirmation. He took to wing and began flying up the stairs.

“I’d have to include a spell to help it endure in this mindscape, but I’ll try,” Vital sighed as he charged up his horn and started applying it like a blowtorch to each of the seams along the door, being careful to prevent it from spreading to the outer portions.

The top of the tower ended in an open room with several windows. Standing near one of the windows, a large figure was kneeling. Unlike the other knights, this unit wore thick leather to cover itself, with its head shrouded by a hood. Its hand rested on a long metal pipe, and the more Grif examined it, the more he was able to determine about it. It was a firearm: specifically a rifle with a bolt action.

Grif didn’t leave this to chance. He moved up behind the sniper and grabbed the back of his hood, pulling him to the ground. He wrenched its head back, then slammed it against the stone, using his momentum aspect to increase the force on impact. He repeated the action six times, until the body stopped twitching. The guard’s shadow began to grow like the previous one, slowly consuming it, before dispersing, leaving the rifle to clatter to the ground. Grif retrieved the weapon and ghosted back down the stairs to report. “Unfortunately, there’s nothing heavy up there, but I got a new toy for Pensword.” He tossed the rifle to the Pegasus. “Just be careful. You fire that thing without a good reason and we’re in trouble.”

“So, down?” Vital asked.

“Down. And of course I won’t fire it, unless I have a good reason,” Pensword groused back. “I’m not trigger happy.” He checked over the weapon’s mechanics. “Besides, I only have one round in the chamber.” He cleared the weapon, pointing it away from everyone else to avoid any potential accidents.

“Well then, now you have two shots,” Luna noted. “One from the flintlock, one from the rifle.”

Grif took the lead again, taking the steps down carefully and stopping every so often to listen for movement. “Do we go to the ground or take the next door?” he asked.

“Do what your ears and gut tell you,” Pensword answered.

“My ears and gut tell me we’re in a large fortress, inside Hammer Strike’s mind, with no actual idea what we’re looking for just yet, and we have no point of reference, so, really, I’m open to suggestions.”

“Check all the rooms, then. Leave no room unsearched.”

“Don’t suppose there’s a lockpicking spell you have handy?” Grif looked to Luna and Vital hopefully. Both looked away, and Luna whistled innocently. Grif heaved a heavy sigh. “Of course not.” The first door they came across was, of course, locked. Grif got out his knife and lockpick. The first attempt seemed to go well for a moment, but then failed near the end. The second nearly broke the lockpick in the attempt. The third, once again, was a near miss, but on the fourth try, the door proceeded to spring open, before Grif even moved the first tumbler. “Well, that was embarrassing.”

“What?” Vital asked curiously.

“I thought the door was locked. Turns out I twisted the handle wrong,” he sighed.

“It happens.” Pensword shrugged

“So, after you?” Vital asked.

“Same idea as before. You two stay behind.” Grif nodded as he entered the next room first, followed by Luna. They began scanning it immediately. A long stone hallway stretched out in front of them. A series of torches blazed a comforting orange in their sconces, lighting the way down an otherwise shadowy corridor. A simple red carpet stretched along the expanse, lined on either side by tapestries, sculptures, and paintings. From what could be seen, there were no guards present at the moment. “Why do I feel like we just finished the prologue of a video game?” Grif sighed as he signaled the others to follow, and they made their way into the passageway.

The hallway turned further down to the left, eventually running past two sets of doors with no indicators as to what the rooms held within. One set was especially large, with gilded framing and intricate carvings in Latin.

“So, not entering that room just yet,” Grif noted as he turned smartly away from the larger set.

“Yeah, looks important, and I feel like we might need to prepare before entering,” Pensword agreed.

“Not that important. It’s a nondescript door,” Luna noted. “The size and style portray it as a larger chamber, however, so we must be ready for what the chamber will hold.”

Grif led the group past the double doors and towards another left turn.

The hallways went further down, ending in a junction heading both left and right. Two doors stood on either side, once again with no additional markings. One of the same types of knights from the roof was standing at the end of the hall at the junction, glancing between all three routes. A sheathed longsword hung from its waist on the right, while a heater shield held onto its left arm. Before they could make out anymore details, the guard unsheathed its sword and turned its head to the left.

“We’ve got intruders!” it yelled out, resulting in two sets of heavy footsteps moving to its position. At that moment, the torches shifted in hue, bathing the hallway in blue.

“Well, isn’t this lovely,” Vital said as he rolled his eyes and lit up his horn.

“Luna, you control most of the stuff associated with the moon, right?” Grif asked.

“Yes. Why?”

“Gravity?”

“Gravity?” Luna echoed, confused.

“Gravity,” Grif affirmed.

“Ooh, gravity!” Luna’s horn sparked. “Let’s hope this works.” The gravity in the hallway before them tripled. There was now a very heavy walk between them and the guards, with said guards currently wearing exceptionally heavy armor.

“Let’s hope that bought us some time,” Grif noted, unclasping his bow.

“Want me to make them fall flat on their faces again?” Vital asked.

“No. I need you to get that heavy picture frame and melt the gold off of it to coat these arrowheads,” Grif said, pulling out several arrows. “And quickly would be optimal here.”

“I’ll try. Clover’s been making me focus on mastering ice. The other elements are still wily,” he warned as he turned his horn on the frame and fired his magic in a concentrated beam, like a laser. Much to everyone’s relief, the metal actually did melt into slag, and Grif was swift to coat his arrows, before applying a brisk wind to cool and harden the new coating. “Don’t forget to account for the weight difference,” Vital warned as he took a few steadying breaths.

“Okay. Now everyone, take one.” Grif passed out three ordinary rocks. “When I tell you, toss them as hard as you can.” He pulled back the bow and took aim at the first knight. When he was sure of his aim, he called out, “Now!” They threw the stones, which landed mysteriously on the ground right in front of them. Grif fired and took an involuntary step back as the momentum-enhanced arrow shot towards its target. The three actually felt a miniature shockwave. Grif staggered a bit from the wave of exhaustion that passed across his body. The arrow, for its part, would normally have pinged off the thick plate mail. However, with its super enhanced momentum, it proceeded to pierce through the guard’s body and into the wall behind it. The good news was that it was as good as dead. The bad news was there was no way in Tartarus Grif could pull off another of those.

The knight staggered backwards as darkness consumed it before vanishing, leaving its chestplate to clatter to the ground. Luna was quick to lasso the chestplate with telekinesis and bring it over. The armor seemed to shift as it came closer, shrinking and adjusting into an armored petryl. She slipped it on carefully and stepped forward. It took only a look to see Grif and Vital Spark could not handle what was to come next. Swinging her mace, the lunar Alicorn stared ahead. Her eyes took on a greener hue briefly and slitted as she entered her own gravity spell, unbothered by it. ‘Come on, Luna. Let me play.’Luna immediately shook her head. Whatever the voice was, she ignored it, focusing on the battle that was yet to come.

The other knights finally rounded the corner. They were slightly larger than the previous guard. The one on the left was wielding a greatsword, while the one on the right wielded a greathammer. One major difference that the group noticed was the visor for the guards held a single glowing red dot on either the left or right side.

“I’ll warn you once, and only once,” Luna said. “I am Luna Artemis Demeter Galaxia, sovereign ruler of the moon and high chieftess of the Thestral kind. I was born of war, and forged of battle. If you meet me, know that you will not pass me. So attack me, if you will. One by one, if you have honor. All together, if you don’t. It matters not. Let us descend.” She swung the mace in front of her one last time, and immediately, it shifted, taking a midnight-blue hue as the head became rounded with numerous small holes resembling craters. She vanished, appearing in the shadow of the one wielding the great hammer. Taking the moment, she swung her mace at its helmet. The moonlight she forged into the ore added an ethereal nature to her mace, and it was only for this reason it did not break on the first strike, nor the second. On the third, the head popped off, and the knight dropped to its knees, stunned.

Luna dropped her head just in time to avoid being decapitated by the greatsword, which cleaved off a solid chunk of her mane. She grabbed ahold of the stunned knight’s greathammer and wrenched it free. Turning, she blocked the greatsword with the hammer head. Now wielding a weapon more in her element, Luna pressed the attack, striking repeatedly with wide powerful swings. She managed to dent the knight’s armor several times, through receiving deep gouges in her sides for the trouble. Luna ignored the pain as she drew back on her many fights with Hammer Strike and her sister. The knight fought with a similar fighting style to Hammer Strike, though without the raw power. Clanging metal rang through the hall, and sparks flew as the two titans engaged. Bleeding, battered, and bruised, Luna finally managed a lucky hit, and the guard’s knee gave out with a sickening crack. Not missing a chance, Luna brought the hammer down on his head, denting the helmet, then swung upwards again. Three times, she repeated the blows, until the helmet crumpled completely with a sickening crack. The knight fell still. However, Luna had forgotten the owner of her hammer, and was caught off guard by a powerful blow. The giant retrieved his weapon, and made his way towards her, raising it, ready to end the fight.

Three rapid gunshots rang out in succession. The first caught him behind the knee, where the plating was weakest, and the bullet tore through. The second and third found their places between the helmet and chestplate, sending him down. Grif watched, holding the Colt Python in his hand, panting slightly.

As the one wielding the greathammer burst into shadow, several items clattered to the ground noisily. Its boots stumbled forward, followed by shoulder plates, and lastly, a small box that clattered to the floor next to them.

Meanwhile, where the other one was, a small glowing orb hovered slightly off the ground, faintly shifting from white to a soft cloudy gray.

Pensword slowly moved from his defensive stance as he looked at the items. “Should I touch the orb? Or would you care to do so, Luna?”

“No.” Luna winced a bit as she moved forward. Grif had managed to get stable. They both made their way to the other pile. Luna took the boots, while Grif took the pauldrons. Both garments shrank and altered as the breastplate had. Grif’s shifted only slightly to fit his form, while Lunas reformed into heavily armored horseshoes that covered her hooves. Another pair materialized on her back hooves to match.

“So, uh … who takes the pulsing artifact of mystery?” Vital asked.

“You’re the wizard,” Grif noted, throwing Pensword the box. “There. Something for everybody.”

“... Okay, then.” Vital Spark pulled the orb to him, then stopped a moment to rub his forehead. “Okay, that was weird. Felt a little lightheaded for a sec there.” He looked over the curious object. It felt like a regular marble, but seemed to be closer to about two or three times in size. “Well, into the bag you go for now, I guess,” he said with a shrug.

Pensword took the box into his hooves, and looked at it. Since there were no locks on it that he could see, he cracked it open to peer inside. His brow furrowed in confusion when all he could see was a gray mist swirling around. It didn’t dissipate or try to flow out of the box, leaving the Pegasus even more confused. He looked to Grif. “I’m going to do something dumb, but this is in Hammer Strike’s head. Dumb luck follows him. Just … be ready, if anything bad happens.” He stuck his hoof into the mist and rifled around the space for a time. Then he pulled his hoof out. Four rifle rounds rolled on his hoof. “Woah. I got ammo.” The mist had disappeared. However, since he didn’t have a magazine for the rifle, he put the ammo back into the box. The instant they entered, the mist returned, obscuring them from his vision. “Interesting.” He reloaded his rifle, then put the box and its remaining ammunition into his pack.

“Now then, everyone, kindly head back the way we came. Now would be excellent, because I don’t want to tempt fate any longer, and we just had a big noisy battle. Hammer Strike’s got to be almost here,” Grif noted.

Pensword flapped his wings and flew in the direction Grif indicated, looking worriedly as he held his rifle at the ready. Grif and Luna leaned on each other as they moved along the hallway. Luna was wounded, Grif was exhausted, and neither warrior was prepared for any more combat.

“I assume we’re going to retreat back to the real world for now to regroup?” Vital asked as they continued along their way.

“We lose much more energy, and our thaumic fields will start breaking down. Then old wounds will start coming back, and that will be ugly,” Grif explained as they limped towards the stairs.

“So we either need to find something to help us get better or locate rest areas?” Pensword asked.

“Maybe, but right now we’re tired, we’re injured, and getting back’s going to be a slog as is. If we move carefully, we might be able to reuse this entrance. I kinda doubt it, but I’m hopeful.”

“So we keep eyes out for other entrances?” Pensword asked.

“Yeah.” Grif nodded as they entered the tower, then led them to the open top. “Luna, can you teleport?”

“Myself? Leagues. The four of us? I can do maybe half a mile in my current condition,” Luna admitted.

“Just get us to the road,” Grif ordered. Luna nodded, and the three moved in close to her. They vanished in a flash of light, re-appearing on the lamp-strewn road a ways out from the castle wall they’d scaled not so long ago. Slowly, Grif and Luna trudged along. Vital Spark and Pensword kept a close watch on the rear as they pressed forward.

After some distance of travel, the group came across a fine line in the ground before them, potentially meaning the end of Hammer Strike’s cognitive world. However, to the right of the path, there stood a blue ethereal door with a familiar V in its center. Grif and luna collapsed not long after they entered the room. Pensword entered from behind, watching their backs in worry of being pursued. He motioned Vital Spark in with a curt nod, then passed through himself and closed the door behind him.

“Welcome to the Velvet room,” Igor commented as he smiled at the group. “My, it appears you’ve all run into some trouble in The World’s cognition.”

“You know, you could have warned us our weapons weren't going to be very useful,” Grif commented dryly.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you all everything,” Igor shook his head. “Plus, you never did ask, now did you?”

“Okay, then why isn’t our energy returning?” Grif asked.

“Because you aren’t connected to any source of magic.” Igor leaned against his hand. “As his cognition of you right now is that you are technically enemies, his own magical reserves are being cut off from you, leaving you without any form of resupply.” He chuckled. “There are, of course, other means to do so as well.”

“What happens, if the shadow sees us before we’re ready?”

“Most likely, they will alert the others to your presence, bringing awareness to Hammer Strike. This will, of course, cause his cognition to actively act against you.”

“You mentioned other means to resupply our magic reserves. Can you tell us what those are, and how we can get them?”

Igor chuckled as his smile widened. “There are several means by which you may do so. While his own magic is so unstable, it might have some tangible form inside that world of his. Another way has to do with materials that can only be obtained in the cognitive world. If I am correct about this, one of you currently holds a part.”

“Are you talking about this?” Vital Spark asked as he pulled out the small orb.

“That, my friends, is a Drop of Dreams.” Igor gestured to the orb. “With that, and some other materials, you might be able to make some restorative items to assist you in your journey.”

“And how would we get ahold of the recipes for these items?” Vital pressed.

“That isn’t necessary,” Track spoke up. “I know every potential recipe that makes use of any materials found in the cognitive world. As long as you can bring the materials to me, I can assist you in the creation of these items.”

“Indeed.” Igor chuckled once again. “But for now, the night is waning, and the day will soon be upon you all. We will meet again. That is for certain.” He raised a hand. “Farewell for now,” he said, before snapping his fingers.

The group found themselves disoriented as the world changed in an instant, and they were standing outside the golden oak. The faint glow of the rising sun glimmered on the horizon.

“Well, that was interesting,” Pensword noted urbanely. “I worry. Will Hammer Strike react to us here? Or does stuff that happen in there happen without anypony knowing, like a dream forgotten in the morning?”

“We can worry about that later. For now, Luna needs some treatment, and I need sleep,” Grif noted as he replaced his disguise quickly, while Luna shifted to a more injured New Moon.

“What do you need me to do to help? Seeing as you are missing the armor we had in that other place, I hope we can keep it for next time.” He handed over his flintlock to the Earth Pony. “For safekeeping. There’s no way the Ponies in town would let me keep it, and we don’t want this falling into the wrong hooves.”

“Come into town later.” Yvetal yawned. “I’ll see if I can’t brew up a few healing draughts for you.”

“For now, let’s all get some sleep.” Gabriel yawned as he and New Moon headed for the golden oak. Tomorrow was another day.

“Send me a note when you’re ready to get treated. If you have trouble coming to town, I’ll come to you,” Yvetal assured them. Then he saluted and trotted slowly back toward the inn.

Blade Feather settled down into the ground by the warm fire and dozed, a tent over his head. Gabriel had placed the mark of the monster hunters around his neck and on the bag he rested a hoof over. Hopefully, no one would mess with him while he slept now. “Faust, Sleipnir, and the Moonlight guide us all in this endeavor,” he muttered. Then he closed his eyes and let the sleep come.

Comments

[Hiirome]

Welp, today's crossover is Persona. XD

Now to see is there's gonna be a Persona Awakening scene, or if this will stay just to the Heavy Cameo. XD
Also, i had to think a bit before attributing the Arcans to each chars...
At the beginning i believed that it was, in a sort of Irony of Fate, Vital who got the Death Arcana (him who is so much related to life, that would have been rather Ironic.)
Then i reread the scene, and no, it's more Griff who seems of the Death Arcana if i'm reading things right.
Luna is no Surprise, the Moon,
And Vital and Pensword, i hesitate a bit, but i'd say Vital Hierophant and Pensword Justice. But dunno. I can be very wrong.

It's fun to guess the Arcanas of the Chars since who's who haven't been revealed yet. XD

[Booster Spice]

So many game mechanics appearing. Rune Factory? which is opart of the Harvest Moon, Final Fantasy style universe?

Thou shalt not count to two, unless it is immediately followed by three. Thou shalt not count to four, and five is right out.

Release, the Bunny.

Would be typical, given JRPG mechanics, that the big double doors were the lords associates resting quarters, where no servant enter if its occupied so as to avoid bothering him,a nd by definition, never inform the lord that the rooms are occupied if they meet him elsewhere unless explicitly and specifically asked, meaning its a safe area for the adventurers?

Well, one option.

Just watch out for the nursery and childs play areas. And the lake in the basement? So many possibilities.

Any helpful castle occupants possible, from sparks of Hammerstrikes Self?

[Fetch]

Tyche Fortuna Chance. When Hammer Strike gets back, you are going to have a LOT of apologizing to do. Until then, maybe you should visit your avatar, Mihoshi.

[ihatehaters1994]

Great chapter, cant wait till the next update.
I know modern ponyville is know for xenophobic tendancies, but Tribalism is rare but thus tiwn seems no different than canterlot at this time. I guess earth ponies are just as bad as the unicorn supremacy.

[Teraunce]

So...My Little Persona‽ I can dig that