Author's Note

gotta admit, did not know this story was gonna get this much traction. cause this story is almost at 200 likes, and when I originally wrote the prologue and first chapter. I thought this story at most would only get like a maximum of 10 to 20 likes.

bloody hell time moves fast.

Alright, NPC time.

"So, how was your guys day?"

They all just stared at me like I was crazy, I mean, I am. They don't need to know that I know and fully embrace my weirdness.

"Okay then, just be boring then, not like I'm the one getting you all out of these cages. Also if I could get your names that would be nice, I'll go ahead and start first. Hello, my name is Carter, what are yours?" I start saying as I take out my pickaxe and slam it into the lock on the dragons cage, opening it in one swing.

Stepping out nervously, the dragon starts to speak while looking terrified of me.

"M-my'a name is Waluigi, and if you'a excuse me, I need to go make'a sure, everyone gets the message that my'a broth- no that'a monster that enslaved all these people is dead,"

Patting him on the shoulder as I pass him, I break out the others out of their cages. The zoologist is the first to speak up of the three remaining people from the cages.

"Thank you for freeing us, Carter was it?" Nodding and making a confirmation sound, she continues. "My name is Astra the Zoologist, the pony is Zach the Guide, and the griffon is Gus the Merchant. Although I don't know why or how these two changed into what they are now while I remain unchanged. Do you perhaps know how we got to this weird place Carter?"

"Yeah, I do and it will probably blow your minds, lets get a little more comfortable first. Follow me, I think some of the kobolds have started little fires to stave off the cold,"

After I broke the locks on the other cages the three NPC's followed me over to one of the little fire pits I mentioned earlier. Sitting down, one of the not-diamond dogs set down some small things of water for each of them, I declined mine politely and said someone else probably needed it more than I did.

"Okay, first things first, I was brought here when I bought some stuff from a merchant at a convention,"

As I told them the story of how I got here and my theory on how they got here. The Kobolds and the now named Gem Hounds as they tell me, have gotten together everything they need to survive and thrive.

Except they don't have a place to stay. I offered them both the mines and the castle as places they could stay, the kobolds decided on taking the mines I made for themselves.

Hell they made the entirety of the mines into a miniature town, and it woulds soon expand given how many eggs I saw them transporting.

The Gem Hounds and the NPC's however would take some of the rooms of the castle, I admittedly helped them in repairing and decorating each of their rooms to their tastes in the process of moving them up. The hounds however made a den in what was once the library and began the process of repairing everything in there themselves with minor support from both me and the Kobolds.

My curiosity got the best of me and I eventually wanted to know how many there were of both Gem Hounds and kobolds, who were their leader's and their names.

When they did tell me, I was very surprised and a little shook. For the Kobolds there was close to over two thousand of the little buggers, that's including their eggs, and their leaders are a council of elders, with the oldest as the prime leader or more typically called the high elder. The high elder is a forest green kobold with ram like lizard horns that had decorative feathers and coins connected to them, he even has a gray beard that would make a dwarf proud, given it acts like a miniature robe for him.

The most funny part about it would be the fact he sound sounds and acts like uncle Iroh, even though his name is high elder knumbskull.

As for the Gem Hounds there is about a single pack of them, when I asked their leader how many Hounds is in his pack he responded by saying a simple forty-two, not including him. Speaking of the leader of the pack, he is the biggest mother fucker of a dog I've ever seen, but that doesn't mean he's intimidating.

Even though he easily surpassed my 4-arms forms height by both head and shoulders which I figured out my height in that form is easily thirteen feet tall.

Back to the leader of the Gem Hounds, he isn't intimidating because he's one of the sweetest people I've ever met, and I don't mean that annoying kind were they're always happy for some reason. Like straight up he looks like Doug from from UP but anthro, and he sounds and talks like Caboose from RVB back in the first three seasons.

His name is actually Gentle Paw and I can see why, another difference I've seen between the Diamond Dogs and Gem Hounds is their dog breed counter-parts. The Diamond Dogs basically consist of small to medium sized dogs, like chihuahuas or shiatsu's, with a few exceptions like wiener dogs and corgis. Meanwhile the Gem Hounds are basically most if not all large dogs, including wolves in some cases.

Also to my surprise the Hounds actually accepted me as an honorary member of the pack, which fills me with joy since I've always had a soft spot for dogs.

Oh I forgot to mention this, but most of them are wearing leather or iron armor that they could scavenge, some even wielded heavy weapons with one paw like it was a normal hammer or mace.

I'm getting distracted let's go ahead and move along shall we?

The whole moving in process only took a week and Zecora visited me a couple times and was surprised by the sudden increase in activity around the castle, but she liked it seeing as how long this castle was abandoned. She wasn't my only visitor either because Luna and a couple her guards came to the castle as well, at first she was surprised to see the multitude of creatures hustling around the castle not only fixing some parts but keeping the ancient building aesthetic with it by putting plenty of non-destructive plant life around.

She even commended me for putting the bridge there when I told her I built it. Which felt good for some reason, I asked her why she thanked me and she said it had to do with the fact of how the old bridge, not the rope one, fell nearly a thousand years ago thanks to a stray shot from her horn.

Needless to say I wanted to cheer her up, but the only way I could think of that moment to do was to ask a question.

"So, do you want to see my room?" I asked while doing that awkward shuffle people sometimes do.

Looking up at me she raised a brow. "Why, per chance do you ask?"

"Well I was wondering if you wanted to see what I've made in the castle,"

After a small chuckle she made a motion for me to go on and I led her into the castle, her two threstal guards on her tail.

While leading her towards my tower room, I pointed out some of the stuff that was being built or outright reconstructed. She even told me what those old areas once were, and admittedly she said she was a little weirded out with seeing a Doberman breed Gem Hound carrying some old furniture to my workshop.

I told her what they were when Luna asked me about it, and I told her that the name of that specific Gem Hound was Quick Bite and that she was one of the more protective Gem Hounds in their pack.

As we were going up the stairs to my room she recognized were we where.

"I-isn't this my old tower?"

"I think so, I did find some weird old stuff that had a night theme while remodeling it,"

After I said that, she wanted to see what I did even more and started lightly nudging me to go faster. By the time we reached the hatch I installed into the entrance of the tower she was just about to start running up the stairs carrying me.

Opening it and holding it open for her, I barely got a word out after both she and her guards brushed past me and further in to my room, or Luna's old room anyway.

"Tis much different than last I've seen of this place,"

"Indeed," the guard on her left concurred with her.

That's when I noticed that both of her guards had red eyes, and a certain fanfic theory came to mind. I didn't say anything about it mind you, but I did keep a mental note of it.

"Do you...not, like it?"

Wait, why do I feel so nervous about her answer? Whatever, now's not the time to think about that anyway.

"No! not at all, just an observation about it," she responded a little loudly, she then quickly gathered herself. "I quite like what you've done, it feels more like a home than it ever did back then, but didn't you say something about finding some 'night themed items' that you mentioned earlier?"

Nodding I lead her over to a double chest at the foot of my bed that I kept any gear type items I found in it. Also I did find a couple of night themed items while remodeling the tower, I may have not mentioned it earlier, but I picked up and put back almost everything of this tower, after all it no longer shakes when the wind is heavy now.

Opening the chest I pull out four items, that being a book, a scythe, a statuette of a mare, and finally a strange box, all of them night themed of course. After walking over to a table, again I forgot to mention this but I put an assortment of refurbished oak furniture in the tower which includes the tables, chairs and pillows around the room.

Placing each item on the table, I sat down a levitated some cushions over for the princess and the guards to sit on. As the took their places, Luna seemed to almost be in tears.

"Are....are you alright Luna?"

"I am alright friend, we- I mean, I am just so happy that you found these," She said as she pulled the items closer to her.

"So, what are they? if you don't mind me asking that is?"

Taking a few moments to gather her thoughts she starts with the book by lifting it up with a hoof.

"This is my grimroire which I thought lost to time, since sister mentioned never finding it, tell me, were did you find this?"

"behind some roof tiles on the outside of the tower, along with those other objects, why?"

"Because these objects were some of the things closest to me, The scythe, which I named Moon Slash, was forged by my own hoof and magic. The grimroire, because it holds the majority of my arcane findings. Then this statuette, it was a gift, from a close friend millennia ago. Then finally, this is my magi-cube, a magical artifact that was gifted to me from Starswirl the Bearded when me and sister graduated from his class. This is why they are so close to mine heart,"

"They sound like they have a lot of history behind them,"

Magicking the objects away she turns to look me in the eye. "Indeed, they do, and I must simply find a way to thank you for returning them to me,"

"There's no need for that, you my friend, and I like to help my friends,"

chuckling again, she raises a hoof and lays it on my shoulder.

"As humble as that was, I simply must implore you to have some form of thanks from myself, how about I treat you with a tour of the royal gardens,"

"Okay, I'll accept, but it'll have to be at a later date, I wish to finish helping out around here and make sure everyone has what they need"

"Thank you, my friend I can't wait to see you then"

After talking some more I eventually had to say my goodbye as she had to attend some duties of her own, she left via the balcony with her guards flying of towards Canterlot, which I have a view of from here.

Heading down into my workshop to make some stuff, one of the NPC's came rushing in, that being the guide.

"Carter, help! Something's coming to the castle and it looks angry!"

Bugger.