When we put that pitiful town behind us, Luna’s moon had fully risen, a gentle breeze had started blowing through the countryside. My thoughts were fixed on reporting the discovery to the boss. The human was still alive and active, How in tartarus can he still be standing?

Has the magic failed?

Did the leader of the mane six figure it out?

“I swear, if we have to put up being around that damn dirty human again, I’m going to buck him to the moon!” Quartz snorted as if the human’s scent was still plaguing his muzzle.

“Oh come now, why would you insult Luna like that?” Agate waved it off, “The human would more than likely dirty up the moon and plant a flag on it, claiming it in the name of his people!” she chuckled.

Whindy remained silent the whole time, I was too preoccupied with the human that I forgotten about her. Shame on me for that!

We came to our usual rendezvous, an untouched meadow just within the borders of the everfree forest.

“that’s a scary thought, more than one human in our world?”

“Oh do not even mention the very thought!” The twins shuddered before Quartz’s Horn started to glow, charging his teleport spell.

I was about to call for Whindy but when I looked behind me, I saw her standing in the glow, gazing at the moon. Normally, on most nights, the two of us would linger longer than normal to sit with each other and admire the moon before letting the tree canopy completely obscure the sky.

I, without fail, lost my words as her beauty had stolen them. The breeze had caught a few free strands of her multi toned mane, blowing them out across her face. Her mane was a solid pale ivory, with streaks of two different shades of brown splitting down the middle, her tail would match her mane in a pleasant pattern; I could only adore this sight, I could only let out a deep sigh before walking up to sit with her.

“Luna’s moon looks beautiful tonight, doesn’t it?” I asked her, she slightly glanced towards me before looking back up there.

“It be more sharper in detail than normal, yes.” She agreed simply.

“If I may ask, what’s troubling you love?” I looked at her as she looked to the ground before letting out a sigh

“Do we really have ta inform tha boss abou’ the human?” she looked at me finally, those woodland brown eyes spoke of sympathy and sadness. Probably towards the human. She was more pleasant to the thing than any of us were.

“How can ye be so spiteful of tha poor creature if he hadn’ don’ nothin’ wrong to anypony?”

“Whindy, I-”

“The boss’s hoof work will only torture the poor dear, Ye know he would only ask us to keep an eye on’em or if at the worst kill’em ourselves!” she sounded confused, she blinked a few times as she looked back at the moon.

“If tha princess knew what scheamin’ we be makin’ under her moon-”

“no pony will know, not even the Princess herself has no idea who we are or what we are doing.” I placed a hoof under her chin and gently turned her towards me. Once looking at me, I could see the tears forming around her eyes. She was upset over this ordeal for sure.

“you got to remember what our mission is, even if The Royals have no clue what we are doing, but what we are doing is for the good of not only for Equestria, but of the entire world.”

“Yet, we not have a clue ‘bout the humans, maybe they be friendly like us Equestrians.” She removed herself from my hoofs gentle grasp before looking away.

She presented a good point now thinking about it, What if, this whole time, the humans were capable of being friendly towards us if we gave them another chance. I shook my head away from those dangerous thoughts, my parents had indeed fell for that kind of thinking years ago and look where it got them!

I still can’t get that final battle out of my head.

“Whindy, We can’t be-”

“Don’t “Whindy” me Jagged!” She stood, stepping back as she turned to stare me down.

“That Human has done nothin’ wrong to us nor caused any trouble that would have us involved!” Tears rolled freely

“I, I can’ stand tha fact that we be havin’ ta watch the human encase of such, whatever-” she stamped her hoof.

“Whindy, You got to believe me on this, That human comes from a destructive species and Celestia knows how much this one can do if he gets his hooves on the wrong tools.”

Whindy shook her head and started to walk towards the clearing, she didn’t say nor debated with me anymore. Normally, she goes quiet and refuses to say anything more if her point wasn’t getting across. Tonight, I didn’t want to accept her point that we should just leave him alone, no, if there is one, it shouldn’t take long for more to start serfacing or even worse, fighting each other in our world like they have done years ago!

We have to bring the boss uptodate on what has been happening.

I met up with her and started to charge my spell. The twins have already teleported back to camp.

I was about to speak when she only raised a hoof to me, yep, she is upset not only with me but with the whole operation itself. She did sign up for this, she wanted to be apart of this as a chance to serve and protect Equestria by anymeans.

She just didn’t know that it was going to be like this.

unlike the twins, it only took me a minuet to charge and cast my teleport and with in the eye blink. We reappeared some good meters deep in the everfree forest.

The camp was large enough to hold several Large tents to house our current numbers. a few makeshift sheds for our equipment and the Boss’s tent stood in the middle of the whole encampment with a beat up metal pole just sitting outside it’s door.

The Twins had long ventured off into the mess tent as I can hear their laughter while they chatted it up with the rest of our comrades; while I headed straight for the boss’s tent.

Whindy had stomped off towards our quarters in a fit of angry confusion.

I, I’m going to have to comfort her after i’m done here. For now, need to get this over with. Once outside the oldest tent in the whole camp, I knocked on the support post.

“Ivory Killo, I have returned from the scouting mission with urgent news.”

There was a moment of silence before hearing three different, spaced out clicks. The one thing I knew from the very beginning was to never enter before given the word to-

Pulling back the tent flap I entered what was originally called a commander’s tent but became a permanent residence for the boss. it was furnished with strange furniture and other fixtures. All from a time long forgotten or at least what little my memory could recall, I can tell you what some of it looked like when it was in near perfect condition.

Sitting at a table with a map of the region around us, Sat the boss. He was a pale green Earth pony with a solid dark Ivory mane. Ivory Kilo Also carried the marks of his harsh past. He wore a pair of custom hoof gauntlets that reached up to the elbows, as well a half metal mask; All three pieces covered the disfigurements he sustained when he was my age, fighting the humans out of our world.

“Report.” He leaned against the table with elbows propped up with the metal hoofs gently tapping against each other. Even though I have seen and taken orders from this old war pony, the stare from those pale Brown eyes would send a chill from the tip of my horn to the dock of my tail.

“Sir,” we quickly exchanged salutes, “We have encountered the human walking about in ponyville.”

“What?” He stood now with both hooves planted on the table top, “How?”

“Uhm, We are not sure ourselves, we ran into him so suddenly neither Quartz or myself could scan him if either your spell worked, sir.”

I heard something scratch the metal on the inside of his mask, more than likely his teeth,

“Does he remember you or your team?”

“Negative sir, Whindy and I can vouch that he is currently harmless, but, we can also concluded that he may be getting help from not only the locals but the mane six themselves.”

“Damn it!” he stood on all fours, the metal hooves clinked on the wooden platform, “This does not bode well, I was expecting the Six to destroy him for us, but now…” he shook his head as he started to pace around the room.

“He walks freely.”

“Not entirely a free human though, there is still a majority of the populace that watch him with fear and caution, being nervous around the creature of the Everfree.”

The old stallion paused to stare into a mirror in the room. I could see his old guard armor more clearly as well the modifications done to it over the years, the golden bronze now faded with time. the solar core crest was chipped and damaged; the left pauldron remains of the original set. A strange saber hung from his waist, the hilt and guard was ornate in nature, so finely crafted vines and leaves in the guard that it would seem impossible for any swords smith to put that much detail into the guard. The pomle had a reddish diamond encrusted in the middle of the golden maw of a lion. It was also smaller than any sword I’ve seen, however, it’s current owner has been known to brandish this blade with the skill of a master swordspony.

His scowl meant this disappointment will not settle easily for him, nor for the rest of us.

“He is more resilient than I had previously assumed,” he grumbled to himself, “probably because of the Realm he came from.”

“Sir?”

“Did you not sense any magic of his own on him?” he turned to look at me.

“Hmm, come to think of it, I don’t even believe he has his own core.”

“Yet, he isn’t comatosed by what I slapped him with.”

“It is a strange situation sir, but, what should we do about him now?”

Teeth skiffed along the metal of the mask as he shifted his jaw, a sign that he was thinking.

“Should we continue to observe?”

“I believe you can do more than that,” he walked up to then passed me, moving the tent flap to the side.

“You see, I was able to rebuild this camp with whatever you and my other followers had gathered, not to mentioned recruited the numbers we see before us.”

I turned to stand beside him for a moment before he walked forward standing outside of the tent. Standing beside him, we absently observed the camp before us with it’s makeshift housing, rebuilt defenses and the single spotter’s tower that stood in the middle of the camp.

The barrier that me and the other unicorns have made to hold back the Wild forest around us had been sealed with special fence posts with the same spell matrixs etched into each one from top-to-bottom. They would be periodically refreshed with the patrols that would walk by them.

“It took the power of belief, fear and a common purpose to get to where we are now.”

“What, If I may sir, are you implying?”

“The Citizens of Ponyville so far are wary of the Human, all it’ll take is a well made friendship speech to dispel any negative illusions of him. So, Jagged my boy, you and your team, as well whoever else wishes to participate, to venture back in there and try to put the fear of humans back into the minds and hearts of all pony kind.”

“And, if we can not succeed at turning them against the human?”

“Then move in for the kill, force them to see how destructive the human is then make an example of him before everypony that wishes to witness.”

“Of course sir, he nearly took my head off when we first met, so that would be a pleasure to end his existence.”

“Yet we must stay our hoof and keep watch, the magic given to me to use on him should be working in different ways than we predicted.”

“Sir?”

“As the first phase of this new operation- well, gather the troops, I’ll brief them all at once on this, for now, you are dismissed.”

“Thank you sir,” we faced each other to exchange salutes before I started my way to my home tent.

“Go, be with your mate, tomorrow, We’ll begin the main part of our mission to save equestria from these realm monsters.”

“Y-Yes sir.” I could feel eyes at my back till I turned up a different dirt road.

I woke up in a different bed. Wait, i remember this bed. Opening my eyes, yep, I remember this empty room. I pinched the top of my hand, yep, still completely awake.

“Aww, balls!” I slumped back on the bed, realizing one thing.

“Just wake up and pretend this world doesn't exist!” I tried to tell myself but as I rolled onto my side I couldn’t go back to sleep. Nope, brain is running at full alertness, body is getting restless. All signs telling me to get the eff up or I’ll drive myself crazy tossing and turning this bed.

Fine, might as well get up and see why I’ve came back to this nightmare. I stood up with a stretch, then I realized that I was fully clothed with my coat on and everything. Great, woke up into this world Silent Hill two style. I walked up to the door, hoping that it’ll be broken, nope, it turned and opened to the lantern lit hallway.

I shook my head in disappointment, I won't be able to wake up in the real world till I find luna to put me back to sleep. which by the way, where is she, I’m sure she can see my dream bubble or whatever she sees while on the clock.

With a shrug, I started down the hall, wondering what Mister Oily has in store for me this time. I’m sure he had plenty of time to stew, plan and strategize in the depths of my now fucked up subconscious. I found the stairs that led back down, wait, don’t remember the cabin being two story. Guess things do change while awake, well truly awake, unless I’m just forgetful.

“Okay ya big bastard,” I walked up to the door, “What do you got for me toni-” I opened the door to only a solid black mass in the door frame,”-night…” I slowly closed the door.

I stood there completely perplexed on one thing, where did the world go?

The bleeding brass shells, The expansive flatlands, not to mention that miriana canyon; Wh-Where did it all go? After I turned around, I simply looked around at the empty cabin room.

“Okay, what In the perpetual fuck is going on here?!” I asked aloud to obviously no one.

“A strange change I believe my mouthy friend.” well, unless you count for her, I looked around again, trying to see if that Alicorn would meld out of the wall or something. After waiting for a few minutes, nothing.

“Oookay, where are you?” I walked by the stairs to only see that there was nothing there, “Luna was it?”

“Yes and over here cursed one.”

Pardon? what did she call me?

I pinpointed the direction of the voice to my right, but when i looked, nothing but empty wall. Damn it, this nightmare world is just screwing with me no- I felt a light tapping on my shoulder which caused me to-

“Holy moon creator!” my mind mashed out of my mouth while I jumped back, spun on heel and presented my hands in a pathetic representation of suddenly-kung-fu in the time span of a heart beat.

Expecting to see Mister Oily I only saw an equally startled blue Alicorn, she looked at me slightly confused but more surprised by my jumpscared reflexes.

“I, I peg your pardon,” The Regal goddess spoke after clearing her throat, “If it wasn’t over the fact that I startled thee, I would of taken offense to that.”

“What now?”

“Come, I think you should see this.” I watched her turn and ventured into a room that I didn’t see before, then again, I don’t recall a door being there period.

As took one step through the thresh hold I felt as if something swam through my brain with everything going blurry and wavy.

“What the-” I stumbled forward then caught myself on what felt like a desk or table. I didn’t want to move for what must've been a good while, just bracing against this object with eyes shut while my mind sailed the roughest sea It can possibly find.

“Jeff, are you well?” I slowly lifted my wobbling head and opened an eye to look at a blue blur standing beside me. I think that must be Luna, but then again, I can barely keep anything functioning while I tried to maneuver myself around this object.

An uneasy groan came from my throat while I slowly felt my way around this object, which progressively felt like a table or something of the sort. I almost fell over when my hand missed the corner of the desk/table’s surface.

“Do you need-”

“I-I think I got this, just need the world to quit spinning on me,” I waved her off lazily before my foot pumped into something that caused me to stumble forward and land into something.

Instantly knew it was a chair, a wheely chair at that! I spun slowly till I felt the top of what is (finally) a desk. I rest my head as it pounded with my heart beat. Good god, don’t think even my trek through the forest felt this bad.

All the while I could still feel that there was someone else in this room. Why do I feel like this night is only just beginning.

I could see and hear the poor human withe in pain while he rested at the desk. However, I had turned my attention to this strange room I had discovered before he awoke.

Before, it was a darkened single space comprised of just this desk and chair, Now, right as he had entered this space; I watched as strange lights flickered to life along the vibrating walls. The ceiling too was vibrating, at first I was ready to grasp the human and make a hasty retreat out before everything collapses.

However, I only hesitated to watch as this room expanded. The low thunder of shifted stone as I watch the Ceiling rise further up while the walls slide backward. As they did, at every few paces apart, more strange lanterns would appear out of the walls to illuminate.

I felt not horror, but only awe and wonder as everything in this place seemed to pulsate with some sort of magic as more detail started to surface around us. book shelves, chairs, small tables, corner tables; various other furniture floated up from the floors, assembled themselves right before my very eyes.

I have known of being able to use magic to quickly build perfect objects, yet, here, I watched an entire room build, furnish and provide light all on it’s own. I would admit, this dream, or dream world is everything I have yet to of experienced. Even have raised, taken care of and ruled the night for centuries (aside from being banished for a thousand of those years); I have yet to witness any of this sort of dreams.

What magic has this poor creature been subjected to? I could only formulate questions that would outnumber any explanations or answers I possessed.

I continue to watch as this, now massive, room slowly fall silent as the walls, ceiling, as well everything else in between, stopped moving. It would of seemed to of taken hours for all of this to move, build and shifted into place, however, I witness all of this progress unfold before me in a matter of minutes.

impressive.

As the silence filled my ears, they flicked to the sound of a groaning human beside me. Looking towards him,

“Are you able to stand?”

“I-I, uuuugh, I think so,” He lifted his head off the desktop, blinked a few times, then slowly sat back in the chair,

“What the hell?” it was obvious that He was seeing this change for the first time, Couldn’t tell what would be running through his mind at the moment, but the look of dumbfounded surprise explained that he was just as lost as myself to any, if not, all of this.

“Luna,” He glanced to me, “you are seeing this right?” he pointed towards the new hallway in front of us.

“How couldn’t I? I just watch everything before us shift into existence.”

“Right, just making sure I’m not seeing things…” He slowly stood from the chair. He walked around the desk, still not taking his eyes off the new details around us.

“How or where did all of this shit come from?”

“No where I could assume, All of it seemed to of manifested itself into existence while you were-” It then clicked for me.

“-resting your suddenly unsettled head.”

“Aww shucks, I missed out on the good stuff I guess.” I didn’t really recognize the tone he was using, thinking it was some sort of humor as he tried to stand.

“Mr. Jeff-”

“Just, Jeff.”

“Yes, Jeff, I believe what had just transpired was another part of your consciousness creating all of this.”

“Well no shit…” He braced himself against the desk as he blinked to look around the new surroundings.

“No,” I paused, refusing to copy the human, “No, Kidding.”

“Luna, if there was any reason I would need a personal mental Library, then please do explain, other wise I doubt I’m going to need-”

A voice came from everywhere, it sounded like it was not from one direction, but all around us. The Human simply raised his brows with an unamused look while his eyes glanced around.

“How about you get the fuck out of my head!” He shouted, “I would like to have a normal dream for a change, not wake up to this Stephen King bullshit every time I sleep!” As soon he mentioned that strange name, I heard a faint click then a rush of a flying object, wait, multiple objects.

I turned to look to see something flying towards us from the far left hall, “Stand fast human!”

“What-” between the moment he looked at me then towards where I was watching, “-oh shi-”

“DOWN!” with levitation, I yanked on his clothing to shove him back into the chair before I dropped to the floor, I must of over corrected myself as I watched both human and chair topple to the ground all the while I watched as a swarm of books filled this main hall.

I could only make out the human saying something but the sound of flying books, flapping like bats, encircled us. I was about to ignite the pesky animated objects until they closed in, slowing down.

I held off my strike to watch as these strange looking books organized themselves into two short stacks on the desk with one plopped itself neatly on some sort of pad that faced the space where the chair sat.

As the roar of sound subsided, the human started to get back up, as well setting the chair back up. once he sat down he looked at all the books that sat, rather oddly tidy for magically controlled objects. I believe I have seen Twilight do something similar in her library, but nothing as accurate as this.

He looked at the books, their spines facing him, making it easy to identify at a glance. He read them slightly aloud, “These are all the few horror stories I’ve read over the years what?” he then picked up the book that sat waiting nearest to him.

“Dreamcatcher, by Stephen kin-” He slammed the book on the desktop before looking at me with a rather amusing scowl as he gestured angrily at the book.

“See what I fucking mean?! I’ve only read the book once and seen the movie a few times but what, the, ugh!” he leaned on his elbows groaning his annoyance into his hands.

He slumped back, glaring at the pile of mysterious books on the desk.

“Could they hold some meaning in connection to this place?” I asked as I walked over towards one of the halls. I pondered how this whole place functioned. very Impressive for being in a cursed dream state, yet, I do not think that something like this should only appear once between dreams.

“Aside from the nerdy character in this book-” he lifted the book he slammed down, “-having a similar place in his consciousness, nothing really.” he huffed, “Only difference is that I’m being possessed by a Bendy style, bastard demon, not some mind-melting E.T.” He sighed before he fell silent.

“Not sure what any of that means, but I am sure that-” As I tried to venture down one of the halls, I felt a strong force bounce me back with an improper grunt. By my moon, what magic is this?!

“How convenient,” He grumbled watching me touch the barrier with a hoof, it rippled with a faint pale green glow upon my touch. Draggin along I watched as it simply shifted along like water.

“Convenient storage barrier, objects can come in and out but we can’t go in, how odd.” he shook his head before looking back at the book in his hands. He shook his head again before tossing it aside.

However, instead of it landing on the floor, it stopped inches from the floor, floated there for a moment before flying back down the hall it once came from.

We both witnessed that. After a short time of being left in awe.

“Y-you saw that right?” he looked at me pointing down the hall.

“Aye.”

“That was kinda-” he shook his head again, “-No, no, nope, nope, no, naught-huh, nope, Noo-” he started leaning to both sides, pulling out draws as he spoke, “-no just, just, no, not going to put up with this, no!” he started going through the stacks on the desk, whatever books feel over the side (or whatever he discarded) floated back towards their home.
“May I ponder upon what you are searching for?”
“An instruction book ya know, some sort of a how-to book to this bitch!”
We both heard a distinctive grind then a heavy thud over head before something fell from above. I watched it fly out from a hall on one of the floors. If These barries kept me out on hoof, then I would doubt there would be any access by flight.
As a dusty book slammed down on the desk, Jeff jumped back as the rest of the strange books were knocked off from the impact.
waving away the cloud of dust, “Great, as if on cue…” he sat back down before lifting the cover to the book.
Standing at his side, I looked upon the pages that were-
“What the hell? Blank?” he flipped a few pages, seeing the same thing, “what is this?!” then the big book shifted slightly then the pages began to fan themselves till a cleaner blank page stared back at us.

“Well, that goose bumps crap isn’t getting you anywhere, so what are you?”
Then we both started to see ink bleed up into page.

Jeff stared at the page with a slackened jaw out of confusion,”whaat?”

“Ya think?!” Jeff tapped his forehead.

“The difference between what If I may inquire.” I asked the book politely, I am familiar with this kind of magic. Books are the most common to imbue with sentient magic, it is difficult for the average unicorn, but for Sister and I, we have several of these to keep quick track of daily changes.

“Probably going to say something about my sanity…” Jeff predicted drumming fingers on the desk top.

“Huh, that’s new…”

“And I’ve played too much dark souls to know that I can come back here at night to organize and practice or rehearse whatever I’m going to say or do. Kinda wished I had this back home before I bombed hard trying to pick up chicks.”

I only cocked a brow at the human, How can he be thinking about picking up chicks when his mental and physical life hangs in the balance. I seriously doubt he has even seen a farm in his time.

My ears perked up to the sound of something clanging down the center hall.

The book slid to the side of the desk, the pad slid forward as we both looked at where the rattle of metal was coming from.

carefully flying towards us were some strangely shaped objects. the larger one was black, had a metal tube that extended down into what must've been some sort of mechanism that was partially wrapped in a strange cage. It had a grip, the protruded just behind a metallic slit probably designed for the human’s hands. extending out the back end of this device was a curved piece long enough to act as the club end.

“No way,” the metal object rested itself carefully along the desk top while the second object.

A similar metallic mechanism, but much smaller in size, the tube protrudes slightly out of a metal casing while the wooden grip stuck out just below a tiny hammer that protruded out the back.

It too faced the same direction as it laid itself down in front of the human.

“You gotta be kidding me, let me guess, right out of my memory?” he glanced to the book.

“Damn it!” He cringed slightly as the book flipped onto a blank page.

“I see, So I can actually shoot Mister Oily in the stupid face the next time I see him?”

He looked at each side of the desk before he pulled out the two top draws on the left side.

“Oh my gentle jesus…” I stepped over to look and see what looked like strangely shaped metal boxes, the top one had smaller stick looking ones while the second one held more curvy looking boxes.
“What are these?” I lifted a curvy one for me to examine. As it floated before me, I could see there were pointed, brass looking cylinders compacted inside this metal box. Strange, why was Jeff so excited over seeing these?

“Thank you mi’lady.” He plucked the box out of my levitation that caught me by surprise.
“Beggin your pardon Jeff, but I don’t think that-” he picked up the long device, cupped the club end under his arm then, with two fingers, pulled back a skinny metal stick that caused something to shift inside. After a click, he pushed the stick back inside, peeked into an opening as a metal cover had popped open. With the small box in hand, he slid it into the opening in front of the grip till it clicked into place.
With the same hand he tapped the palm against the left side that caused a rather loud clack of metal. As he lifted the device, placing the club end against his shoulder, he leveled this thing and rested a cheek against the club, squinting an eye to peer down the top of this device.

“Fuck yes, never thought I would see you again.” he spoke to I would assume to the device before he lowered it to look at me with an unmistakable look of mischievous happiness.

Whatever angry doubt I had for this place was forever changed being reunited with my rifle. This whole thing was just crazy, too crazy to believe. Was my Mind really acting like a personal base of operations while I slept? No, can’t be, can it?

never would any of this be believable because It’s just too easy to be given the means to ‘fight’ that nightmare outside. Then again, maybe this is because of the Yuckquil I took back at Zecora’s place. Then How do you explain Luna standing with me. Looking at me with pure puzzlement as if I’m child with a loaded weapon.

wait a minute…

“What is this thing you hold in your grip?” She asked pointed to the Colt rifle I so comfortably held against my chest out of memory of it being on it’s one-point.

“This is, or was, my rifle out in the waking world.” I explained, “I lost it to the everfree forest, However, now I can at least use it while here fighting for my own brain.”

“I see, so what does this, rifle, do?” I smiled at her in reply.

“You wanna know?” she nods, I glanced to the book.

I heard a springing pop as I looked up at a silhouette target that popped up from the floor. With out thinking I raised up, pressed the stock against my shoulder, aimed, and fired.

The three-o-eight sounded louder in this place, which caught me off guard, as the round ripped into the target, knocking it flat. I lowered the rifle holding an ear.

“Hoooly shit, forgot how loud this was!”

“I say! Dare not do not do that again!” The princess snapped as she cupped her hooves over her ears. Also failed to take note how horses, or ponies in this case, were super sensitive to noise. Can’t imagine an Alicorn’s hearing to gunfire.

“Sorry Princess, wasn’t thinking.”

“Obviously!” she looked down at the desk, her magic appeared around three of the other drawers, opening each of them, all empty sadly.

“Looking for Ear protection?”

“Yes, whatever that is, if it’ll spare me the torture of this, weapon, then by all means, assist me.” I glanced to the book.

I looked down then pulled the drawer open. Inside sat two earmuffs, one very much larger than the one I picked up to put on. I was about to pick the other one up to give to luna but she beat me to it as her blue magic appeared around it and copied how I put my ear pro on.

once on, I looked to the princess, she looked kinda cute wearing those bright red ear muffs.

“You good?” I spoke loudly.

“Huh?” she asked normally still learning the power of noise cancelling ear protection.

“Are you good?” I asked again more louder pointing to my ear muffs. She nodded in reply before I gave her a thumbs up before turning my attention back to the new targets that popped up. I reached down and grabbed a stack of mags to place on the table. Never in my minimum wage life have I seen this much ammo or magazines, EVER!

I raised up, then opened fire upon the targets, this time they reacted like steel targets; pinging and panging to the impact of bullets. Luna still flinched to the energy being expelled from the rifle as well the occasionally visible muzzle flash.

once the last casing was spat out of the action, I dropped the empty mag with a slight bumped before sliding a fresh mag in. bumped the release clasp, the bolt clacked into battery with a round in the chamber.

Needless to say, I dumped this thirty round mag and one more before setting the rifle down. I picked up the Browning, grabbed a stack of pistol magazines before loading the first one. Locking the slide forward, I braced the pistol with both hands, taking careful aim at a new target, that popped up closer for my convenience, before popping forty cal round into the paper bullseye.

The recoil of both weapons was a memory similar to riding a bike, familiar to the mind but still new to my body’s current state but still fared well in holding up against the rifle and now the pistol. Dropped the first empty mag before sliding another in, with a flick of a thumb the slide snapped back forward before taking aim with one hand, letting loose another barrage of pistol rounds into the paper target. I noticed that when brass spat off to my right, some would bounce off the book like as if it was protected by it’s own shield. Whenever magazines or empty casings fell to the floor, they would simply slide across the floor and back down the hall the guns came from, bouncing and tumbling into somewhere.

Two more mags later, I finally removed the mags from both guns before putting them down for the time being with actions open. When the targets slowly lowered themselves into the floor I looked at Luna as I removed my ear protection.

“So, what do you think?” I smiled at her who only looked at me with her mouth hanging open in pure shock. She slowly looked at me, then at the guns then at where the targets stood before looking back at me. She gently removed the Alicorn sized ear muffs.

“I-I’m lost for words,” she managed after putting the muffs down, “I do not understand it. How can a creature, such as yourself, be without magic but yet, use these, weapons, to strike those targets with bolts of invisible lightning?!”

“It’s a simple science actually.” I shrugged, “you have read bookie, you don’t mind me calling you that do you?” I looked at the big book who’s only response was a single page rattling before flipping onto a blank page.

“Right, but as it said, These guns don’t come back with me when i wake up.”

“That is the truth dear human, but, I fear if these were ever found in the waking world…”

“I’m sure they won’t be, if I dropped them in the everfree forest, then they are lost forever.” The now uneasy princess stared into the target’s direction, her mind probably lost in the shock-n-awe she just witnessed. I stepped over beside her and, hesitantly, placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched but glanced at me as if snapping out of a trance.

“Luna, I assure you, that if I did came upon weapons like these, I will not use them needlessly or with criminal intent.”

“I believe thee, yet, I still fear for others as none are aware of the power that are belaid within these contraptions…”

“I understand, I just hope these guns were the only ones that exist in equestria.” now thinking about it, I don’t even want to ponder upon what would it be like if Twilight was the one seeing this instead of Luna. The poor dear would've lost her shit of the wonders of modern firearms.

Turning a page onto better thoughts, “Hey, let’s get the heck out of here.”

The still silently nervous Alicorn quietly nodded in agreement as she turned to walk out the door that stood open for her. I glanced to Bookie.

“I think that’ll be all for now, I can get the gist of how this place works. The next time I awaken here, I’ll check in to figure out a plan of action.”

I waved at the book before it closed it self. Taking another long look at my new mental base, I took a deep breath before turning to catch up to Luna.