Area: Dracula's... castle?
Year: 1944

Upon exiting the portal, Scootaloo, Jonathan Morris, and Charlotte Aulin all looked at each other and noticed... "... Didn't we have a shit ton more colors before? And, why the hell are we outside Castlevania when we were just inside?!" Scootaloo was having a bad day right now.

"Because this isn't the castle. It's a recreation of the version of it from 1691 with... most of it intact, I can sense." Charlotte said as she pointed out the portrait to leave, "Chances are, whoever painted this made a decently far in enemy the core monster and hid some super relic past it."

And soon the ground found a new and unwelcome sight... the... knife sub-weapon? Hold up, didn't they get that earlier? "Uh... the Knife? What?" Everyone was confused... then Jonathan used it, taking a heart out of Scootaloo's hearts. "... shit. Uh... guess sub-weapons will have to be saved for bosses so I'll have enough hearts for us to hammer on them," Scootaloo commented.

Entering the illusionary castle allows the group to see a long, and that's no joke, corridor with some elevated platforms and lots of stairs. LOTS of stair. "Are you serious? Not only am I practically unable to use my sub-weapons, but enemies, despite how weak they should be hit like a fucking truck," Jonathan commented as Scootaloo noticed that she could see how healthy all three of them were through 16 different slabs per character, with Jonathan's area missing one slab.

"Ah great, no matter what we're hit by, we'll lose some amount of 16ths of our health, but it seems bosses might follow a similiar rule. Just an observation but it feels like we're in a video game." Scootaloo looked at Jonathan and Charlotte giving her confused looks, at least Scootaloo assumed so since it was hard to tell, so she decided to elaborate. "Basically a video game is something created for entertainment purposes back in Equestria both me and Alucard played one based on my 1798 Castlevania adventure that was fun as hell despite watching even the most advid gamer back then, a colt called Button Mash, get both lost and terrified."

The trio went back to exploring and found and area where going down would be a much preferable option... then the group found the wall chicken. "Even in 1691 we have the non-sensical wall food. Jonathan, eat up, I'm not a meat eater," Scootaloo said as Jonathan ate the wall chicken. Scootaloo used the bat form to take both Jonathan and Charlotte above the wall to reach the end faster.

"You didn't have to carry us, you know."

"I want to be done with this place, the faster the better."

"At least give us a warning next time."

"Okay, next time we'll take the long way in that case."

Jonathan grabbed the Axe sub-weapon and the group entered the next room, finding ones and zeros floating about before forming into Phantom Bat. All it took was several axes. The group realized that a magic crystal fell and they grabbed it and realized the the area looked more in-line with what they are used to.

"I think I get it, beating the bosses of each section causes that section to lose its 'video game-ness.'" Charlotte said as Jonathan threw a Retro Knife(As Scootaloo's calling it) without using any hearts.

"Yo, I'll admit, this is cool as fuck!" Jonathan commented before the group realized... they have to actually go forward. Shit.

The next area gave a warp point right at the start and then they moved forward finding that they were back to the video game side of the portrait and now had to be careful with sub-weapon consumption. The Knights gave no real issue despite dealing more damage, two slabs instead of one, but its realitively simple movements left much to be desired. Then the Medusa heads appeared. They weren't an issue unlike the modern version.

It didn't take long to find Medusa... except it was just her head but using the "fire bomb"(Really just Retro Holy Water) proves to destroy it easily. That won't be a recurring theme, I'm sure.

Grabbing the magic crystal to remove the "retro-ness" of the area allows Scootaloo and friends time to rest.

"You know, this place almost seems to hand subweapons out, the knife early on, axe early on, the 'fire bomb' and the 'boomerang' in this section, and let's not forget that accessory, Double Shot I think, that allows me to have two of any subweapon active at a time," Jonathan commented and, he was right. Kinda hard not to be right in this place what with how damn broken the "fire bomb" is despite how early it was acquired and how no enemies have weaknesses, besides the "fire bomb" because it's just broken like that, or resistances... the group doesn't have any issues defeating the enemies encountered.

Moving to the third area, which proved to be an outer wall sort of area, with what were clearly Fleamen and even Skeletons are here. Good to see them here even if they shoot bones through their... mouth? "This portrait's weird, we seriously need to finish this and move the fuck on." Scootaloo said while the group grabbed something called a Rosary which acted as a screen clear in some adventure games, killing all enemies in the general area(or screen) before promptly disappearing.

The group rushed forward, finding where the next boss was, the Mummy man. Who... could you guess? Dies by "fire bomb." Two in a row that just get destroyed by it. Magic crystal, modernize, you get the gist.

Exiting gives another warp room and one more area where...they pretty nearly fall to death. They arrive in a cave-like area where they have to avoid falling onto literal spike by defeating the bats and Fish Men(Which are different from Mermen somehow) before they can knock any of the trio into the spikes. Jonathan and Charlotte also have to crouch on some moving platforms to make sure they get under the areas of low hanging ceilings. Reaching the end of the area, they arrive in some empty castle ruins, some Eagles dropping Fleamen being the only threat until the end where it shows the Creature and a Fleaman on his back. Shame the trio has the "fire bomb," getting the last magic crystal and fully modernizing this portrait.

"Okay, am I the only one that feels like this was a huge waste of time?"

"Nnnnope." Scootaloo said as the trio used a warp to go the entrance/exit.

Area: Master's Keep
Year: 1944

Arriving here with the stupid key that they received after beating the last portrait, Scootaloo and friends progressed smoothly. Nothing, except the Final Guards, stood even a remote chance against the trio. A save room, a warp room... the entrance to the stairway of the throne room. "Great, a barrier so we can't get up, probably for good reason.." Scootaloo said as they went and saved.

Upon leaving and going into the boss room, the group saw both Silent Night and Stella together. "Finally, I tire of waiting, you three better be ready to die!"

"You have made our hard work for naught, it is time you pay for such intrusions."

"Wait wait, you both are being tricked, please just stop and listen!"

"Such feeble lies, you shall learn your place boy." Silent Night monotously laughs after saying that, Stella joins in not long after.

"Charlotte, start charging Sanctuary, me and Jonathan will keep Stella and Silent Night busy while you do that," Scootaloo said as Charlotte nodded and started charging Sanctuary. Silent Night started used powerful dark magic and surrounded Stella's sword in it as Jonathan pulled their attention away from Charlotte with a taunt. Silent Night then launched several balls of pure dark magic at Jonathan while Stella attempted to slash Scootaloo who combatted with parries but then Stella took advantage of the situation and broke Charlotte's focus on casting the spell.

"Shit!" Charlotte started charging Sanctuary again, having to start over, and Jonathan made certain to pull their attention away from Charlotte from as long as possible.

Silent Night then used Morbus to attack Jonathan and did that hurt him badly. Stella was about to strike Charlotte but Scootaloo parried Stella's attempt at ruining Sanctuary with a, "Not this time!" added for good measure.

Shame Scootaloo failed to see that Jonathan accidently reflected a projectile right to Charlotte, hurting her in the process. "Oops, sorry Charl," Jonathan stated. Scootaloo wasn't exactly pleased with the fact that this fight was taking longer than required.

Stella readied her sword as Silent Night made a dotted line in the air. Stella cut it open and made a gash in the fabric of reality where an Acerbatus shot(Albus's signature attack) tried to attack and Scootaloo held a single hoof up... and stopped it. Sure, it cursed her but curse for Scootaloo is basically worthless since is makes her unable to draw her weapon but she can still use magic. Scootaloo proceeded to swat the Acerbatus shot away with her eyes now showing a blood red anger.

Stella swiped with her blade but Scootaloo gripped it with an iron hoof and took the blade from Stella. "What... the hell... are you?" Stella asked... fear in her eyes.

(Music for Scootaloo's anger)

"You've pissed me off for the last time bitches. You want a battle... I'LL GIVE YOU A BATTLE!" Scootaloo said scaring Jonathan and Charlotte in the process, Charlotte started charging Sanctuary so she can save Stella and Silent Night before Scootaloo's wraith kills them. Scootaloo used a dark element infused Dash Attack before Jonathan attempted to use his whip to hold Scootaloo back but Scootaloo swatted the Rose Stem Whip out of Jonathan's hand. Scootaloo then grabbed the axes... wait a moment... when did Scootaloo have the axe subweapon?!

Scootaloo threw the axes in a completely unpredictable manner, his... no... wait... what even is this? It ain't Scootaloo, that's for certain. Charlotte manages to cast Sanctuary on Scootaloo, Stella, and Silent Night. (End the music here if you want.)

Scootaloo falls on her face, passed out. Silent Night rubs her head, "Ugh... what the hay happened, I feel like I got slammed by ten boulders..." She said, finally with a hint of emotion.

"Ugh... what... what happened... wait... OH NO! I-Is Loretta alright?! I'm so so so sorry to you three, I didn't know what I was even doing!" Stella said in great hurry. Jonathan said sorry as he picked up the Rose Stem Whip... or so it seemed. It didn't take long for Loretta, Wind, and Rainbow Dash to enter the room.

"Hey! What happened to Scoots!?"

"She got angry and... it just seems as though... something changed. She used a commanding voice me and Jonathan hadn't heard before, attempted to kill Stella and Silent Night, and swatted Jonathan's Rose Stem Whip away. My best guess is that anger had been building up and when I was forced to lose focus on casting Sanctuary... she lost it. Creating this strange evil alter ego that I don't even have an idea of what to call..."

"Blood Rush. Call it Blood Rush." Silent Night suggested as she sat on her haunches. "I suggest it because it's somewhat similiar to what happens if a Bat Pony gets a taste of blood, they go crazy and stop being reasonable. I would know, my dad knew several Bat Ponies who did so. As for you, Morris, that whip you bare, I sense Equestrian magic within it, may I see it?" Silent Night asked as Jonathan, confused as he was, handed her the whip. Silent Night lit her horn and suddenly the whip changed appearence. "Figured, Death Mercury. A long forgotten whip in this world and a long since useless relic in mine. It supposedly has equal if not greater strength compared to the Vampire Killer. But it does come at a disavantage... it does not have properties even similar to the Vampire Killer or Excaliber, since it now functions on mostly Equestrian magic. Meaning, you, Jonathan Morris, are the sole bearer of an Equestrian weapon made to defeat creatures of the night. It may not protect from being influenced by vampires, it does not shoot fire balls or even have a fire whip state, but it has more strength than either of those whips and is even capable of channeling the magic of friendship into many attacks."

Jonathan tested the whip out and watched as his friendship with Charlotte allowed Death Mercury to attack like a frozen whip, "Cool, like, actually god this is cold."

Author's Note

Bosses defeated: Retro Phantom Bat, Retro Medusa, Retro Mummy Man, Retro The Creature and Fleaman, Stella and Silent Night, Blood Rush.

Death Mercury: Like Fatal Wind, Death Mercury was a weapon created by magic scholars in the olden days but was lost after Soleil Belmont used it and was promptly defeated by Christopher Belmont, ending up in Equestria, a year or two after Nightmare Moon was sealed away. The whip would go on to be used for several years to defeat many big threats before the whip was placed in a box in the Everfree forest, where Equestria's capital city was at the time, before the whip became a forgotten relic.

Yes, I brought Death Mercury in. Yes, I referenced Castlevania one as the replacement for Forest of Doom, yes Blood Rush is going to return at some point in the future.

I'm an asshole :3