Epilogue
The late morning sun was warm and pleasant on Twilight's back, though it still made her eyes sting more than a little as she stood in the open, beside a dusty road. A list floated in front of her, and she meticulously checked off the last item on it. "Buried at a crossroads, check," she said, then rolled the paper up and tucked it under her wing.
"Satisfied now?" asked Celestia as Twilight turned towards her. Her smile was amused, though there was a tinge of sorrow to it.
Twilight nodded firmly. "I've done absolutely everything from every myth and story I know about how to keep a vampire from rising. Well, except the bit about feeding his ashes to his friends and family, I think I might skip that one even if I knew he had any. Whoever came up with that needs to get some therapy; that's just not right."
Celestia chuckled, and Twilight smiled as well, but it was a thin, pale smile. She didn't really feel like smiling. And anyway, smiling too broadly would show her fangs. She should probably get in the habit of keeping them hidden. The last of her smile vanished at that thought. She had died before Bela, so there could be no cure—she was a vampire, and a vampire she would stay. She looked over at Celestia. "So... what do we do now?"
Celestia looked to the west, where Equestria lay far beyond the horizon, and sighed softly. "Go home and get on with our lives. What else can we do?"
Twilight echoed her sigh. "I suppose so. I guess it could be worse. I just..." She looked over at Celestia again. "I'll miss being able to hug you. I know that I'm not your student anymore, and that we're just... friends, I guess. It'll be difficult, but it's not as though we're lovers or something." Twilight found herself blushing at that thought, and part of her wondered how blushing even worked, now that she was undead.
Celestia's cheeks were flushed with pink too, and she replied, "No, we're not lovers. And yet..." She sighed and looked away from Twilight. "Sometimes you don't know what you're missing until it's gone. I... I would miss your hugs a great deal. I think we are, or could be, something more than 'just' friends."
Twilight felt her blush growing stronger. Her ears went back in annoyance, though, as Celestia finished speaking. "This is already hard enough, not being able to touch you without pain. I don't think you should dangle 'more than just friends' in front of me just as it's become impossible," she said, aware that she was perhaps being harsher than necessary, but her emotions were too frayed for her to come up with calculated, diplomatic replies.
Celestia unfolded and refolded her wings, looking uncharacteristically uncertain and nervous. She shifted a few times, opening her mouth, then shutting it again. Twilight scowled irritably. She knew that Celestia was no doubt frayed and frazzled too, and Twilight wasn't sure they should even be talking about this right now. They should probably fly home, rest, recover, figure out how Twilight would manage her everyday responsibilities now, and get everything settled before discussing their feelings for each other. Yet she found words hovering on the tip of her tongue all the same, and finally, when Celestia continued to be silent, she spoke. She might as well get the pain over with right now. "Look, Celestia... I suppose it's easy enough for me to admit that I like you. I always have. Sometime since I became an alicorn, my schoolfilly crush on you has turned into the admiration of an equal. Up until just now, I would have jumped at the chance to be with you. I guess I should have before this, because that chance is over, so please, please, don't pretend it isn't. I could barely stand to touch you before I finished turning, I'm sure it's even worse now. We can't hug, we can't kiss, we can't be lovers. So whatever it is you're going to say, just say it, and then we can move forward and get on with our lives."
Celestia looked at her, and Twilight was startled to see tears gathering in her violet eyes. "I shouldn't do this," said Celestia almost under her breath. "Sun damn me, I know I shouldn't, but I'm going to." Then the light seemed to drain out of her. The subtle pearlescence of her coat, that had persisted even beneath the dust and grime that covered her, faded. The colors of her mane drained away, and it dropped to hang limp like ordinary hair, colored a light, somewhat bedraggled pink. Even her cutie mark seemed duller, less like the real sun and more a simple image, and she shrank—still taller than Twilight, but far shorter than she had been mere moments ago.
Even as Twilight gaped at her, Celestia flung herself at Twilight, wrapping her hooves around her and pressing her muzzle to Twilight's in a fervent kiss. Twilight stiffened, expecting pain, but none came. Confusion ran in circles in the back of her mind, but the rest of her didn't care, she put her hooves around Celestia and kissed back with matching passion.
When they finally broke apart, they were both flushed, and Celestia was panting a bit, but Twilight was still not breathing at all. Though she drew a breath to ask, "How? What?" somewhat incoherently.
"I put down the sun's power. For this moment, at least, I am no longer Celestia Sol Invictus, I am merely Celestia. I can't do it for long; the sun is capricious, and I do not want her to go out of her course. But for you, Twilight, I could do nothing else."
"Thank you," said Twilight, everything that had happened boiling up in her suddenly, her eyes tearing, her hooves tight around Celestia, her body trembling as she pressed close. Celestia spread her wings and folded them around Twilight, enveloping her in soft, white feathers. "Thank you so much," repeated Twilight. "You are wonderful, amazing, beautiful... everything that's good. I love you."
"I love you too," said Celestia gently, wonderingly,. "I had almost thought I'd forgotten how, but I do."
They stood there, together, for a moment that was both long and could never be long enough. At length Twilight pulled back with a deep sigh. "I can hear your heartbeat..."
"That bothers you?" said Celestia gently.
"A little. I nearly killed you. I worry, a bit, about needing to drink blood. I'm not hungry now, but I'm sure I will be soon. What will I do then?"
"I am harder to kill than that, my dear Twilight. I haven't lived over a thousand years by being fragile." Celestia's smile was amused, but tender. "Don't fear for me. As for what to do, you have many friends who will no doubt be willing to donate on occasion, and some arrangement can probably be worked out with a blood bank if needed. You'll manage. You're Twilight Sparkle. You were my best student, and you are still perhaps the finest mind in Equestria. I have complete confidence in you, now as always."
"Thank you," said Twilight again, softly.
"Now I'm afraid I must take up the sun again before she wanders." Celestia stepped back from Twilight. A golden glow gathered around her, and when it faded she was her usual self again, towering over Twilight, her mane and tail flowing in an unseen breeze, her coat gleaming beneath its cover of dirt. "I'll speak with Luna, when we get home, about some kind of arrangement, so I can have time off to be with you."
Twilight smiled. "Home. I like the sound of that."
"So do I. Let's go home, Twilight."
She spread her wings, and Twilight spread hers too. Together, they flew into a clear, blue sky; towards Equestria, home, and whatever might come.
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Dark yet enjoyable, Twilight killing Bela was the biggest highlight. Well done, SPark.
5166186 Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
That was amazing!
5166317 Heee. Thanks!
Not too bad. Seemed fast paced, but it's a one shot, so it kinda has to be. Although, you did use feet several times, when did ponies grow feet?
5166355
Uhm........... ponies have feet. They have hooves on their feet, instead of toes like we have, but they are still feet.
... I was hoping the ponies of Stalliongrad were going to invade Equestria via airborne, and the main six would have to become the 'Fighting Wolverines'...
Fight could have been more climactic, and Twiledtia was meh, but otherwise great story!
Trust Twilight to decide there is no harm in being thorough about disposing of Bela's remains! Brilliant.
5166633
I had fun writing that bit. I had fun with all the old vampire lore references, really.
Now we need a bonus chapter of twilight breaking the ice to her friends in her awkward way after planning it in great detail.
5166687 It's a fun read! Although it's practically pornographic (at least by the standards of the era) in some places. It is, of course, written very differently from a modern story, but I enjoyed it. There are tons and tons of great old vampire stories out there, I have several different collections of them now.
5166692 Ha ha ha! Well, I have no plans to write it, but I can just picture how adorkable Twi would be doing that.
Cute, simple and by god why couldnt you have her Count Von Count him? I love that part of tge myths...
5166863 Er... sorry, the thing that comes to mind when I hear "Count Von Count" is the Sesame St. character. I have this feeling that's not what you had in mind, though...
5166882 Oh no it was. The spilled grain or rice counting. Its like right behind harvest your pumbkins or theyll turn.vampiric that makes me wonder how wierd ancient eastern europe was.
I hope Simare Belmont makes an appearance here at some point.
Tons of fun!
5167118 Ah, I see what you mean! It's not really as dramatic as a battle, though, to side-track somebody with grains.
5167160 Well, this one is complete, so I won't be adding anything else to it, sorry!
5167161 Thank you!
It is always kind of warm and fuzzy when one of my favorite authors likes my stuff. (And I really need to finish reading the Luna Cypher one of these days... My unread chapters have gotten out of control lately.)
5167239 I know...but it would make a great prank for Rainbow to mess with her with.
5167346 Ha ha ha! OMG. It'd probably be Twilight's own fault too, Rainbow wouldn't know something like that, but I can just see Twilight lecturing her pedantically about it, and then Rainbow figuring out that it would make a great prank.
5167368 She and Pinkie would coat Ponyville in rice. Twilight would be catatonic once they were done. Only problem would be Fluttershy. Dont mpst animals react pretty badly to Vampires? I know Dracula had his wolf pack or the gypsys were werewolves but Did ole Van Helsing use animals at one pijnt against him?
5167396 I can't recall animals being used against him. I seem to recall dogs hating him, but he also had control over rats as well as wolves.
5167405 Terriers they sicked Terriers on tge rats at his hideout! Still just found this a fun little VampLight story.
5167414 Well, I'm glad you liked it so much!
I've been itching to do another vampire fic for ages.
This was a good story! But the twilestia felt VERY forced. It just happened. Wham. Nothing in the story building it up.
Oh well.
All in all; SEQL PLS
The Twilight/Celestia shipping wasn't just forced and unnecessary, it was also out of the blue, without background. The rest of the story was good, though.
5168796
5168388 Apparently my hints towards it were too subtle.
Twilestia seemed kind of forced, but otherwise I really liked it.
5166360
I mean, anatomically, sure, the ankle & foot is a huge part of a pony's leg, but colloquially, we'd consider foot = hoof, even if the bone structure says toes = hoof.
So it's kinda like, both sides are right. I personally think saying a pony is 'light on her feet' or something similar is out of place, but I can accept an argument can be made for either side!
5170323 Well, I personally tend to feel that "ponyisms" are a bit overused in the fandom. The show uses both "everyone" and "everypony", for example, and I feel that this is perfectly appropriate. Always using the exact same word for the same thing makes for boring writing. English is delightfully full of synonyms that let one add variety, and dumping them all out in favor of never-ending pony puns and ponyfications of all words just feels like a waste. So I use both "hooves" and "feet", just as I also do things like using both "shoulders" and "withers", and of course both "everyone" and "everypony." It just seems like better, less repetitive writing.
5170444
Horseshoes and horseapples! Or something. I have no idea where I am going with this comment. I mean, I agree, 'hoof' can grow old, but I feel there must be a better way than just substituting feet
5170871 He he he. "Horseshoes" would probably work in at least a few contexts! Anyway, I am not a fanatic about this, people can do what they want, but I am personally going to keep using "feet" etc. in my writing.
You don't really find Dracula related vampire stories anymore. I am glad you stuck to the old vampires rather than using the more modern ones. Thumbs Up!
5170973
I think this is where I post the gif of Futurama's Fry going WE ARE ENEMIES NOW
(But not really enemies, tis just amicable disagreement!)
5171742 Thanks!
It has all the makings of a good story so cute I love this
5181321 Thanks!
1: Brilliant little story, loved it.
2: Any chance of seeing a sequel about Twilight researching a cure for vampirism?
Also who doesn't want to see the sheer awkwardness of Pinkie's inevitable Vampire Party?
5182631 Ha ha ha! I have no specific plans for a sequel, but if I ever do get an idea for a decent plot, I would love to come back to this setting. (And a Pinkie Party would almost have to be included.)
Ha ha! I love this! The mind control was done beautifully as well. Juicy vampony fic.
5232070 Thank you!
You win!
5270951
Thank you! I had this odd suspicion that I might, though, given nobody else entered.
5270966
You realise, of course, that Dracula's castle was in Transylvania, Hungary, and not Transylvania, Romania.
5270988 Uhm.... what?
I'll agree that the romance felt a bit tacked on, but romance rarely makes a story worse. I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed seeing Celestia actually do something.
Have you ever considered submitting this story to Equestria Daily? You can find out how to do so here. You should submit this to the Protect Celestia group.
5270951 Is SPark seriously the only one who entered?
5405712 I don't do Equestria Daily anymore. If somebody else wants to submit it, I don't mind, but I really can't be bothered. If you'd like to add it to Protect Celestia, feel free.
There's no requirement that authors have to submit things to groups.
(And yes, I was the only entry in the Halloween contest. It's sad, I was looking forward to reading some other badass Twi stories.)