Panic.

A feeling Dante did not remember had resurfaced in the late morning. Having taken care of Hunter's tantrum in the night, he had returned with the stallion to his room slumped over his shoulder before turning in later himself.

Dante didn't notice it at first, only after waking up and then taking a look at Hunter's wound to see that it hadn't healed yet. Thinking it was just his eyes playing tricks on him, Dante closed his eyes and opened them only to see the wound was still there. The wound shouldn't have been there considering the regenerative abilities both devil hunters shared, something was blocking it and Hunter was at this point most likely dying.

Dante had rushed out of the room and into the halls towards Celestia's bed chambers faster than he had run before for anything. Guards were either jumped over or dodged as Dante didn't have time for them as he knew Celestia had something that could help, the only problem was her willingly giving it to Dante.

Coming up to the double doors to Celestia's bed chambers, Dante ignored the stallions guarding the doors and slammed himself against the large metal doors, opening them with a loud 'thud' that echoed through the halls as the doors were knocked against the inner walls of Celestia's chambers, the entire display startling both Celestia and the guards.

"Celestia, we need to talk, now!" Dante told the solar princess before he felt a prick against his backside.

"And knowing you Dante, you won't leave it alone until we've come to a conclusion," Celestia sighed and quickly turned her gaze to her guards who had their spears pointed at Dante. "He's not here to cause harm despite his unusual ways."

"With respect your highness," One of the guards said. "He barged into your chambers out of nowhere, I would rather not take the chance of him hurting you."

"Hey, if I wanted to kill sunbutt here, I wouldn't be talking to her right now," Dante said annoyed. "I need to talk to her, and you grunts aren't even of a high enough paygrade for that."

"Why you-! I should drag you to a cell for disrespecting the princess!" The other guard said, poking Dante with his spear.

"Enough! I will not have this escalate into something so feeble!" Celestia exclaimed. "I don't approve of the way any of you are talking to one another. Guards go back to your posts, I will take care of Dante."

Reluctantly the guards pointed their spears back upwards and slowly trotted out the door, but not before one of them giving Dante a stink eye. This was not the start of a good day for anyone from the looks of things.

Dante had rushed to Celestia's bed chambers to talk to the princess about an item that was considered a 'magical artifact' according to its discovery a couple of centuries ago. It was more of a statue than an actual magical device, even after years of poking and prodding of the statue to get a slight hint of its magical capabilities. Dante was here to get Celestia to give it to him so that he could use its power to help him heal Hunter.

"Celestia, I know you and I have a little bit of a rocky past, but Hunter and I need a certain statue you have somewhere here in the castle," Dante told Celestia as his patience was wearing rather thin as well as a slight hint of panic was present in his tone.

"I beg your pardon Dante, you burst into my private chambers to ask about a statue?" Celestia asked in annoyed confusion. "I fail to see how a simple statue would help both of you, Dante."

"Still untrusting, even after all those years?"

"While you did indeed save our kingdom, if not our entire world, you are still a wildcard and is thus unpredictable in what you'll do."

"Heh, give me a bit of credit, at least I make things interesting for all parties involved!" Dante exclaimed and threw his hands up in the air.

"That may be so, but there's more than just demons in play this time, your brother, not to mention a powerful pony."

"You know that doesn't stop me Celestia, I'm all for excitement but for now I need to know where you're keeping the divinity statue, human-looking body holding an hourglass with a lion mask?"

"Oh, that statue. I'm sorry, but I'm not letting that statue go, not before I know it won't hurt my little ponies." Celestia answered simply and walked over one of the windows in the chamber and looked out towards the land.

The air was tense as not a single word was muttered, both Dante and Celestia had a stance on the statue and its possible powers. Ponies would get hurt if the demons weren't taken care of but the statue would do the same, wouldn't it? Last time Celestia interacted with the statue it had demonic energy all over it along with another energy. Giving it more thought, Celestia remembered that sending her guards after Dante those centuries ago was also a risk towards the defenses of the towns and the overall safety of her little ponies, so many risks had been taken over the course of the Demons' attack.

"I can see you're busy thinking on it so I'll go break some walls if I have to, Hunter is dying right now Celestia!" Dante exclaimed. "I don't know what Vergil did to him, but I can feel his power weakening every minute. I need that statue Celestia."

"Dante," Celestia began and turned back to face the human. "I'll let you have the statue on the condition that you can promise me that both you and Hunter can take care of these demons and that this statue doesn't hurt my little ponies."

"That's all? The statue won't hurt your ponies as they aren't pure demons, thought you'd know that by now," Dante said without turning around. "And don't worry Hunter and I will get the job done after his wound has healed."

"I'll have Twilight and her friends deliver the statue to your room, go and tend to Hunter in the meantime. Don't make me regret giving you the statue Dante."

"'Deliver'? Sorry but I don't trust deliveries after many failed pizza orders." Dante opened the door and left the solar princess to herself while proceeding to find Twilight and her friends.

As Dante left, Celestia muttered to herself as she knew there would be casualties in the possible war that was coming forth.

"Hope you're right Dante, I won't take risks that'll hurt my little ponies if I can help it."

A warm feeling was covering Hunter's face as he was laying on something soft yet familiar, like as if he was home. His mind slowly worked on waking his limbs up and he wondered about something, were his adventures in Equestria as well as his father going missing just a dream? It couldn't have been, but Vergil couldn't be alive despite how real the events felt. Vergil died on Mallet island a few years back. None of it made sense to the stallion who let out a sharp gasp as he felt his body move so gently.

Hunter opened his eyes in an instant and put his forehooves to his chest as a wave of pain washed over him. Feeling woven fabric instead of his fur, Hunter looked down his body and saw that he was wearing a shredded tuxedo as well as his barrel being covered in bandages with a deep crimson mark about half a foot long around the middle. Clutching his hooves to his pained area, Hunter breathed deeply and stayed like such for a few minutes. One thing Hunter could tell from this was that he was still in Equestria and Vergil was alive who had almost killed him if it wasn't for his father.

"He saved me yet again," Hunter said out loud before hissing in pain, "Should've known it wasn't a dream, it never is when I want it to be, that or a nightmare."

Taking a look around, Hunter saw that he was laying on one of the couches in his father's room in the castle. Taking a deep breath of air, Hunter rolled off of the couch and onto his legs where he then grunted in pain. Hunter had been stabbed and cut over the years and his wounds would usually heal over the course of a few hours, but thinking about it, he realized that those wounds were from all kinds of weapons, even his uncle's sword, Yamato, but what puzzled him was that Vergil's sword wasn't that strong before, what happened?

"Oh, I am really hating whoever decided to just leave me here with nothing to dull this pain!" Hunter groaned as the pain felt more intense than when he was laying on the couch.

"I'm sorry to hear that my friend."

A voice caught Hunter's attention, causing him to look at the desk and saw 'Penguin' stirring a spoon in a teacup. How Hunter didn't notice him when he gathered his surroundings
was probably due to the pain he was feeling from his wound since that was the first thing he felt after he awoke.

"I see you've done as I asked and got severely hurt because of it," Penguin said in his usually calm tone. "I've taken the liberty to look after you while Sapphire is getting your coat from her Canterlot home."

"Heh, that's unusual of you Penguin," Hunter said and coughed up blood. "Oh great, like I needed a metallic taste in my mouth mixed with the pain."

"Well, let me help you with that Hunter, sorry in advance though."

Hunter felt his body get engulfed in blue magic and then gently lifted. The pain was relentless and showed no sign of stopping the painful signals running through the devil hunter's nerves. It felt like his body was like a pinball machine that lit up, only the light was his body feeling the excruciating pain. The grunts and moans as well as the facial expression coming from the devil hunter were the only indications that he was feeling extreme pain.

Hunter felt the soft cushions of the couch comfort his back as his body was shaking slightly from his nerves screaming out in pain.

"I told you I was sorry," Penguin said as he let Hunter free from the magical grasp. "I'll be blunt with you, you've been poisoned and it's not a simple poison either. It runs through your bloodstream, causing your nerves to cause a ruckus, and therefore you're in pain."

"I-I think I understood the pain part and I also know what a poison is you prick!" Hunter shot at the unicorn.

"Well, in any case, let me continue. Not only does it cause you pain due to it being in your bloodstream, but it's also a relatively new poison, one which doctors have seen very rare cases of in the entirety of Equestria, sadly the victims never survived without losing a lot of their magical abilities, if they survived."

"And how does knowing any of that help me?"

"Simple, it's known that the poison only targets your magical abilities as well as the functions, but since you're of a more 'unique' pony, I'm sure you have an idea of what it's currently targeting first," Penguin explained and trotted over to Hunter with the teacup engulfed in his magic. "Now, this little drink I have prepared in this teacup will put you in a coma-like state for a few hours, preventing you from escalating the poison's effect by moving your limbs, delaying your possible demise while your father can get to the divinity statue for your wellbeing."

"You gotta be kidding me Penguin," Hunter said as his breathing was shakey, showing a hint of fear.

"I'm afraid not Hunter."

Penguin levitated the cup close to Hunter's head, indicating that whatever this drink was, was going to help. Feeling fear for the first time since forever, Hunter coughed up more blood and felt his body scream again. Giving off another set of grunts and more shakey breathing, Hunter slowly opened his mouth and closed his eyes as he waited for Penguin to just pour the contents of the cup into his mouth.

"Just lay still and swallow the contents of the cup Hunter," Penguin said and slowly brought the cup to Hunter's lips where the devil hunter swallowed. "And should you pass on while in this state, it will at least be less painful than if you were awake."

Feeling the mouthful of ghastly tasting liquid, Hunter could feel his body slowly easing down as if there was some sort of painkiller in the liquid as well. Hunter looked at the unicorn by his side with a gentle and calm expression as he felt the drink taking effect fast.

"Hey... Penguin?" Hunter called out. "T-thank you for being there for me, despite the fact I might be an ass sometimes."

Earning a small chuckle from the unicorn, Hunter felt his eyes close and hear the faint sound of Penguin's voice echoing as he grew unconscious.

"You'll get through this Hunter, just like you always did with your father," Penguin said as he headed for the door. "I wouldn't want you to pass yet if at all, you and I both have some history we need to see the end of."

Walking through the streets of Canterlot, Sapphire was on her way back to the castle after having gone to her house and grabbed Hunter's red coat. Nothing had gotten in her way, just a few mares and stallions giving Sapphire a look of distaste. It wasn't anything that bothered her in the slightest anymore as it happened every time some noble recognized Sapphire was.

Rolling her eyes, Sapphire casually trotted towards Canterlot castle with Hunter's red coat on her back, making sure it wouldn't fall off and get dirty. Sapphire had noticed that the coat had needed a wash from the day before, as all kinds of smudges were visible on it and Sapphire knew that some of the darker red smudges weren't tomato sauce or ketchup that might've been spilled on it.

Shuddering a little at the thought of the dark red smudges, Sapphire let out a sigh, knowing that Hunter just needed some rest and that he would be fine after waking up considering she had heard Hunter's stories wherein he was stabbed multiple times. Something about this time though felt different to Sapphire, throughout the two to three months she's known Hunter, he's never had to go to the hospital or use medicine of any form.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

A voice interrupted Sapphire's train of thought, snapping her back to reality and noticing two mares trying to get her attention. A brown and white mare respectively, both unicorns, one was holding a camera in her magic while the other a pencil and a note block. A pair of reporters had just 'graced Sapphire with their presence' so to speak. Sapphire could do without them at a time like this.

"Oh, sorry can I help you?" Sapphire asked, getting to a standstill as she gave the reporters a puzzling look.

"Why yes! You're Sapphire Gleam, aren't you?" The reporter with the note block asked. "Daughter of Velvet Swirl and Silver Moon? We'd like to ask you a few questions."

"I'm sorry, I really don't have time for this," Sapphire said and began walking again, only to be rudely stopped as a hoof from the brown mare was shot in front of Sapphire.

"Is it true you went to the Grand Galloping Gala last night, accompanied by a stallion using the alias 'Cash Grab'?"

"I said I don't have time."

"Is he known for stepping in to help others in life or death situations?"

"Please, I got places to be."

"Is he related to the stallion 'Hunter' from Ponyville, considering he isn't afraid to talk against the princesses either?"

Question after question, reporters never got the hint and they would pester you until you gave them what they came for to earn that big scoop. The frustration grew in Sapphire as she just wanted to leave and look at Hunter's condition, hopefully, she'd come back to see him awake and have healed his wound some if not entirely. Quickly glancing between the reporters, Sapphire sighed and pushed the reporters to the side and began storming towards the castle.

"How rude of you Ma'am, we still need answers to our questions!" The same reporter called out while making sure she didn't fall over from the push of Sapphire's magic.

"You need to learn to respect when a pony says they don't have time to answer your questions!" Sapphire called over her shoulder and ignored the verbal insults thrown her way.

Moving through the streets of Canterlot, Sapphire eventually calmed down, having had to deal with reporters is one of the worst things she'd ever experienced and could easily aggravate her. In Canterlot a single news article could ruin your life if not force you to change just to be in a better position, it's what caused her to move to Ponyville, staying down in that town outside of Canterlot unless she had no choice.

One thing Sapphire noticed about Canterlot both in the castle and the city was that there were more guards around than she's ever seen, it had to be Celestia making sure to keep her ponies safe in case of a demon assault, which seemed more possible thanks to the events at the gala. A simple gathering job turned into an entirely different deal, it only made Sapphire try and think about it. Did Penguin know that Dante would be found, Or was he as much in the dark as Hunter and Sapphire were to begin with? Thinking about it only made Sapphire's head hurt as there were too many possibilities to this, and without proof of it who was to say what the truth was?

Reaching the castle gates, Sapphire was stopped by a pair of unicorn guards instantly causing her to be filled with nervousness. One of the guards used their magic to wrap Sapphire in magic, probably scanning her to see if she was a pony and nothing else judging by the tingles she felt along her fur. This scan took a few minutes and considering the guards didn't get alarmed and let her pass only filled her with a bit of relief. With the events at the gates over with, Sapphire headed through the castle towards the west wing, praying that Hunter was just resting his eyes and that Penguin had taken good care of him in her absence.

Nearing Dante's room, the sound of multiple female voices coming from within confused Sapphire, who was in Dante's room and why? Opening the door and entering, Sapphire saw Dante and Twilight and her friends all staring at Dante who had his hand pressed against a small statue that was placed on the coffee table. What had Sapphire missed and what was with the statue Dante was currently touching?

"There it is!" Dante exclaimed and lifted his hand up to his head to examine a small green star he was holding with his index finger and thumb. "Little green star of goodness! Good thing I still had some red orbs leftover."

"This is fascinating, to know that we had found such a statue that can produce such a tiny item which can heal somepony's wounds, it would be of great use at hospitals for the patients!" Twilight squealed as she was taking notes on a note block of course.

"It doesn't exactly work with everyone, you gotta offer some red orbs or if you prefer the real term, demon blood in order to get one of these things."

A gasp from Rarity followed by her falling backward onto a couch that just seemed to be there whenever needed.

"Oh how dreadful, carrying around such nasty liquid just to be able to gain such useful items!" Rarity exclaimed. "I'm so disgusted by the thought of having to use blood for something!"

"Is she always this dramatic?" Dante asked as he looked at Applejack who nodded at the human. "I knew I should've started packing earplugs for jobs, you just never know when there are things you don't wanna listen to."

"I'm guessing something good has been found?" Sapphire asked, making her presence known to everyone.

"'Good'? Hunter's finally able to get patched up," Dante said knelt down onto the floor next to the resting stallion. "I'm just hoping his powers haven't weakened once this star washes him clean of the poison."

"Hey, you got some sort of star that can help him survive right?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean, he might be a jerk at times but I can respect someone who charges headfirst into danger."

"Not to mention, he also stood up when a mare he didn't know was in danger," Fluttershy added in. "I do hope he will get better from this, we never got to thank him for saving us."

Dante put the green star against Hunter's chest near his heart, it was the best way to ensure none of the poison would reach the stallion's heart before it was too late. The star gave a slight dim as it slowly dissolved into nothingness, leaving Hunter's chest with the same green tint the star just had. The star was taking effect and had begun its work on fixing its patient up as best as it could.

"Well, you girls are welcome to stay," Dante said as he walked behind the desk and sat down in the chair before kicking his feet up on said desk. "Just don't wake me unless it's an emergency."

Seeing Dante pick up a random magazine from the desk to put on his face as he leaned back, Sapphire couldn't help but giggle at the display.

"Seems like the phrase 'Like father like son' isn't entirely wrong about the two of you Dante."

"Don't you ever mention her name again in such a way or I will rip your heart out and devour it in front of you!"

This sentence would always send shivers down Hunter's spine, even though the context of this event was years old.

Hunter had been put into a coma-like state for what felt like an eternity to the stallion as he listened and watched memories pass by. The memories ranged from some of the good ones to some of the bad ones to some that even left him feeling regret over his actions. Especially when threatening a school bully to the point where she pissed her pants in front of everyone who was looking.

Sighing deeply, Hunter hung his head low as he never wanted to remember that day or the week before, so many people were left devastated and in someway it was all because of Hunter. He knew that deep down, it would always be pointed back at him no matter how many times he was told that it wasn't his fault. Sometimes he wished he was in her place instead.

"Despite this being your domain Luna, you're still not able to avoid an avid hunter's senses," Hunter called out as he lifted his head to see the blue alicorn right before him. "If you're here to scold me for my actions during the gala save it."

Surprised by the fact that Hunter called her out before she even made a single sound, Luna stared at the stallion who was staring back at her. This was the first time someone knew Luna wasn't part of a dream.

"Neigh, we actually came to just talk," Luna said. "We... were wrong about thee."

"Not the first time I've heard that Luna."

"Let us finish Hunter. Thou showed great courage for standing up to the noble mare, even though thou were unsure of the outcome. We applaud you."

"Yeah, yeah, just lock me up if you... I'm sorry, what?" Hunter grew confused by this. Princess Luna, a mare who he figured would be nothing but a pain in his side was congratulating him? "I have a feeling there is a 'but' on this though."

"Indeed. Did thou take your loss into consideration? What would've happened had thy father not showed up to save both thou and lady Sapphire?"

Sighing at the words of the alicorn before him, Hunter avoided Luna's gaze before speaking.

"Who knows Luna? Uncle is as cold as they can get, the only thing keeping him above the rest is his honor in battle, despite his questionable goal at times."

"By taking ponies captive?!" Luna almost bellowed at Hunter. "He clearly has no knowledge honor if he's taking ponies hostage, no matter his goals!"

"No," Hunter flatly said and looked back at the alicorn mare. "He only put on that act as a bluff because none of you know him as I or dad does, thus keeping you all away as he patiently waited for me to come to him."

"He would've killed the mare had thou not shown!"

Hunter, who was now glaring daggers at Luna had to restrain himself from using actions as words. Luna didn't know who Vergil was so who was she to cast judgment on a man who had been helping Hunter and Dante when their goals aligned? Most of their encounters ended up in a battle between both Dante and Vergil, but the few times he was actually helping them from what Hunter could recall from his memories. That was it!

"Well, if you don't want to believe me, Luna," Hunter started as a 'picture frame' popped up next to him, one that held Hunter's memories of his uncle Vergil. "Why don't I show you instead?"

Author's Note

Hello everyone!

It's been about two months, hasn't it? I'm sorry about that, that's entirely my fault and I have no excuse for it. I hope you enjoyed the chapter still and that you might wanna stick around.

Feel free to report any grammar, spelling errors, etc. and I'll get to them as soon as possible.