Area: Master's Keep
Year: 1944

Scootaloo was sitting next to Sweetie Bot, watching her friends all commune, content.

YOU HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, HAVE YOU ENTERED STANDBY MODE?

Scootaloo heard Sweetie Bot ask the question and shook her head. "Nah, I just don't have anything to add to the conversation at this point, aside from bringing up a negative moment for all of us," Scootaloo commented, not trilled with mentioning Blood Rush again... or well... the idea of it at least.

NEGATIVE... MOMENT? SWEETIE BOT WISHES TO INQUIRE ABOUT THAT.

Scootaloo sighed. "I... don't want to talk about it... it's-"

ABOUT THE DARKNESS SWEETIE BOT SENSES IN YOU?

Scootaloo shook her head multiple times at that, "Uh... yeah... how did you know?"

SWEETIE BOT WAS PROGRAMMED TO BE THE BEST SWEETIE BOT COULD BE.

Scootaloo had to take a moment to process that. She still had two portraits left to get through... the one she called 13th street, and the one she calls Overgrown Mansion since they also lack names on their frames. Scootaloo watched as Charlotte and Jonathan approached a portrait.

Area: 13th Street
Year: 1944

Entering the underground area of the City of Haze proved how little this adventure could matter. Until a motherfucking train nearly ran the over, thank god Scootaloo, Jonathan, and Charlotte were strong enough to stop it from moving. "Okay, who's bright idea was it to have a train running at this specific time?!" Jonathan asked aloud to nobody in specific. Everyone present agreed with his reaction.

Going forward, the group found Lightkeepers, also called Biphrons, Lossoths, Lanturn Bearers, you get the gist. Oh, and obviously the group were in a pony zone. The area wasn't very long, mostly just moving up and down various buildings while moving forward. Some combat here and there(namely against demons called Nyxs who wield a massive Syringe filled with Poison, as Scootaloo found out first hand). They group found a cross and Jonathan took the time to pray at it.

"So... Scootaloo, how are you doing right now? I notice you've been lost in thought a lot," Charlotte said as Scootaloo looked towards her.

"I don't know if you know but... during 1999... a battle to seal Dracula away is predicted to happened. Princess Twilight has entrusted me with preparing the Equestrian army for it just as back-up to the Belmont who will assist all of us then. I'm just... planning ahead," Scootaloo explained, earning a respectful nod from Charlotte. "You know, Charlotte, and I mean this in the best way, you're pretty damn good for a kid. Well, maybe I shouldn't say kid... you're pretty damn good for a lady. Best damn magician I've met aside from Twilight."

Charlotte looked like she wanted to be mad but she couldn't be mad, not this time. Scootaloo is pretty tasked, preparing for a battle that's not for 55 years... that's dedication to saving everyone. Dedication that Charlotte can respect.

Scootaloo watched as Jonathan came back, a Cross in his arsenal. The group knew it was time to move forward. Moving on, the group eventually found the save room and a warp room to return to the entrance when they were finished with the boss, which was also really damn close.

Entering the boss room allows Scootaloo and Charlotte, Jonathan was locked out for some reason, to see the Werewolf of 13th Street. Unlike the Werewolves Alucard described, this one had black fur and many areas where fur just... didn't exist. "I'll activate my fire spells, you just focus on dealing damage, got it Scootaloo?" Charlotte said as Scootaloo nodded and rushed towards the Werewolf. Charlotte started charging Raging Fire.

The Werewolf was hit by Raging Fire and picked up a lightpole before throwing it towards Charlotte... but Scootaloo jumped in the way of the attack to defend Charlotte. "Ugh, damn beast. Heh... I'll... I'll be down for the count for a bit... need to get a healing item, you focus on finishing this damn werewolf off, got it, Charlotte Aulin?" Scootaloo said as Charlotte looked at the injury, Charlotte offered to heal Scootaloo but Scootaloo said it would be a waste of precious battle time! Charlotte had to finish this fight... alone.

Charlotte took a deep breath. Just her and the werewolf. Charlotte started charging Raging Fire again and got it off. She saw attack after attack be launched by the werewolf... but she make careful to dodge every one of them. Charlotte wasn't a child anymore. She could do this. She is the final weapon against Dracula. She is Charlotte Aulin, the greatest magician this world will have ever seen! Charlotte's determination allowed her to use the rare and fabled Salamander spell, summoning a giant fire lizard to attack her enemies.

The werewolf died soon after.

Area: Master's Keep
Year: 1944

Scootaloo was laying down... for once, she couldn't heal the injury at this point. She needed to wait for an ingredient to be found in the one portrait left to explore. The Overgrown Mansion. Scootaloo assured Jonathan and Charlotte that she's be fine not helping with the last portrait, she'd been working overtime doing over things anyways. Now Jonathan and Charlotte were sitting in the dining area they fought Stella and Silent Night in.

"Charlotte... do you think we have the strength to get in, find whatever it is we need... then leave? What if we find something that we can't defeat on our own? What if Scootaloo's wings are needed in that area? We're... we're on our damn own in a place we might not be able to explore..." Jonathan said, genuinely worried about everything.

"I... I don't know... I don't, Jonathan... this isn't something you could learn through books... unlike the laws of metaphysical realities or the theory of cure amplication or even fucking wormholes! Sorry that I swore... I'm just... not doing good... Scootaloo's like this because she defended me from being hit with a lightpole... she... defended me..." Charlotte said, not feeling the greatest.

"Hey, it's no problem, I'd definitely be the same way, angry at myself because a friend got hurt defending me. The only thing we can do now, is make it up to her, Scootaloo needs our help so... even if we can't reach the end, we should at least find the medical ingredient for her."

"I... sigh... I guess you're right, let's go."

Area: Overgrown Mansion
Year: 1944

Jonathan and Charlotte stepped onto the floor of the mansion, feeling lots of plant growth. The lack of Scootaloo here really weights heavily on the two.

"... is it bad that I miss Scootaloo being a part of the squad already?" Jonathan asked, feeling the team was a little empty without Scootaloo.

"You aren't the only one..." Charlotte replied, feeling the same way. "Ahem, regardless... we need to help Scootaloo, and we take care of two birds with the same stone. Hopefully."

Jonathan and Charlotte started progressing, finding Une, Corpseweeds, Mandragora, and even Alura Une. All the plant monsters. Treants, Moldy Corpses, Maneating Plants(Also called Stone Rose), and Skeleton Farmers. The mansion was clearly well grown. Charlotte and Jonathan even found a new spell... an Equestrian spell. Charlotte was a little wary but cast it anyways. When she opened her eyes, Jonathan was in his pegasus form again!

"Charlotte... did you learn a transformation spell?" Jonathan asked as he realized just how short he felt compared to Charlotte. He found a mirror nearby and looked through it. He went wide eyed. "CHARLOTTE YOU TURNED ME INTO A PEGASUS!?" Jonathan asked in gripping realization, not a bad one... but a good one. Jonathan started flying as he realized he'd need to open the door in front of them and the way to open it was only accessable to winged creatures like pegasi!

The door opened with Jonathan on then other side, a lever pulled to open it. "Man, despite everything, I'm starting to think pegasi aren't that bad despite everything. Maybe the wing flaring is annoying, and maybe the cutesy face is weird, not even counting how I now realize how soft the fur is, but being a pegasus isn't half bad," Jonathan said, a slight smile on his face.

Charlotte undid the transformation, which Jonathan was fine with instead of glad like he would have been earlier in the adventure, and they moved forward. They eventually found another door, this one had a magic lock that Charlotte could open as a unicorn using raw Equestrian magic. "Firing raw blasts of magic, witches and the church have been trying to learn how to do that for years and Equestrian unicorns can do it innately? I need to study this and learn how to apply it to the laws of magic!" Charlotte said, a happy grin on her face.

Then came a section where Charlotte and Jonathan had to work together as ponies. Jonathan carrying Charlotte who then used her Unicorn magic to open the pathways and activate switches. The two smiled happily, glad to be working together as ponies... then they found the herb... as the door closed behind... them... "Shit," they said at the same time. They watched as a flower bloomed on the roof.

"The hell is that!?" Jonathan said, his eyes widening at the sight of it.

"Some form of hyperanimated flower, wait... I just noticed... we're standing on what was the roof before... that makes that..."

"The... floor..."

Hours ago...

Scootaloo was looking at some small vines in the Mansion of Fools, Jonathan and Charlotte looking at her... in confusion. "Hey, dude, you cool?" Jonathan asked.

"Yeah, hey, if we ever end up seperated, not sure why we would, and you end up in an area while on the ceiling... I'll say this... don't let a flower grow too much. If it starts growing out of control... burn it to the ground."

Present moment...

Jonthan's eyes widened. "Charl... roast that flower to ashes! Please?" Jonathan asked and Charlotte, albeit confused, complied by using Raging Fire on a vine hanging limply from the ceiling floor. The flower didn't like that.

"Oh my god, Jonathan, you are a genius for once!" Charlotte said as Jonathan nodded. When Supergrowth threw down plants, Jonathan dealt with those using Holy Water or the "fire bomb" from the 1691 Castlevania portrait. And soon... Supergrowth was burnt to a crisp.

Area: Scootaloo's Dreamland
Year: 1944

Scootaloo walked in the area, the black sky occusionally opening an eye. The land he stood on seemed dead. Devoid of emotion. Dark. Scootaloo was without her equipment in this dreamland but she knew... that the matter most dark surrounds her. NULL WILL DEFEAT THE INCARNATION EVEN IF IT TAKES A MILLION YEARS. Scootaloo shut out the voice in her head. Even if this "Incarnation" exists, Scootaloo wasn't going to fight it. Never in a million years. At the end of her trot she found a small little puff ball.

A pink little puff ball. Wearing a green little hat. And riding a brown pony.

Area: Master's Keep
Year: 1944

Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes to find Charlotte and Jonathan smiling at her, healed. One goal left to complete... Brauner... YOU'RE DONE FOR!

Author's Note

Bosses defeated: Werewolf, Supergrowth

References: A Sweetie Dreamland(Sword Kirby riding Sweetie Belle

So... yeah. Blood Rush/NULL is returning pretty soon. Also... Brauner's most definitely fucking dead.

Soooo... this story has a puesdo-sequel already? Ye. I won't be working on that until I finish the next Castlemania arc but I already have a prologue/teaser for it where we get introduced to our squad of misfit characters including Alucard, Soma, Charlotte, Jonathan, Shanoa, and Scootaloo, a full six characters and only one who uses sub-weapons. Wanna check it out? Well listen to our Harmony of Despair.