Act I, Scene VII
THE ANGEL IN RED
By
Inkquill
Act I, Scene VII
The soil was damp and rank beneath Butterscotch’s hooves as he ran through the thick underbrush; the mist that had condensed around the dangled roots of the great gnarled trees billowing upwards around his legs as he galloped frantically for his life.
He could feel the hot tears stream down his face as he heard the wolves gaining on him, practically close enough that he could feel their breath and savage jaws snapping at his hind legs.
Suddenly, he felt his hoof catch on one of the roots that was jutting from the ground, sending him tumbling forward face first into the dirt, eventually rolling over a ledge where the roots hung like a canopy.
Not minding the sharp pain he felt ache through his body, he hid himself beneath them, in hopes to avoid his pursuers. His whole body shook with fear as he heard their paws pad against the dirt above them; their teeth and wet lips snapping together as they snarled and barked at one another, trying to find where their prey had gone.
He shivered and placed a hoof over his muzzle to muddle his terrified breath and prevent himself from screaming. He had to stay quiet. Not a single sound, let they find them and make short work of his body.
“Oh Solaris please.” He prayed to himself, clamping his eyes shut as tight as he could.
He stayed there for minutes. Hours? He couldn’t tell. It just felt like at any moment he’d feel them lung at him, sinking their fangs into his flesh and tare him apart. But… I never came.
Finally, he worked up the courage to open his eyes. Slowly, he looked out from his little hiding spot, trying to find any trace of the wolves. The snarling hand clattering of teeth had died away now. Replaced but an unsettling silence, permeating through the dark fog that saturated the forest.
Stepping out, he returned to his hooves and looked around, trying to find a way out or something that could lead him somewhere safe.
Everything was just so unnaturally still. Not a cricket or owl, nor the sound of wind rustling the trees greeted his ears. It was just silence. A silence that sent shivers down his spine as his breath began to lock up in his throat while he bit his upper lip anxiously.
Then, like a song long since forgotten, came a sound that rang in his ears like bells; his body instantly tensing as he heard it.
“Butterscotch~”
The voice was smooth and velvety, with a hypnotic gentleness to it that left the stallion spellbound. The same voice he had heard once before… in a dream.
“Butterscotch~”
There it was again, calling to him, beckoning him, pleading for him to come, to which he soon found his hooves moving on their own accord. The feeling was like that of weightlessness. Like laying on a cloud without a care in the whole world to trouble you with...
It was then he reached the summit of a hill that led down into a large clearing. In the distance, he could see craggy mountains rising above the eldritch treeline.
“Butterscotch~”
There it came again. Peering across the gibbous moon-lit plain of wisping fog before him, he spied a steep ledge on the far end. But what surmounted it was what really caught his attention. Standing atop the high cliff of rock, he could see the shadowy figure of somepony. He could not see a face, but the outline was equine, no doubt about that. Just, it seemed peculiar, as if it did not possess a truly physical form,but instead it’s body was composed of ebony mist that shimmered in the pale moonlight.
“Butterscotch… come~”
The voice was peace. It was joy. It was safety…
Suddenly, his ears stood attentive, swiveling back behind himself. Looking back, to his horror, he was confronted by the pack of wolves that had chanced him earlier; he could see the fire in their eyes, the saliva glistening on their long fangs as they eyed him hungrily.
He ran for it.
“Butterscotch… come~” The voice called to him, to which he ran at full force, his hooves digging deep into the soil and kicking it up as he made a mad dash for life; the wolves still gaining on him. His lungs were on fire, his muscles screamed, but he had to get away. He had to reach the voice~!
“Come to me~” It called. “Come to me~”
Finally, he reached the cliff side, nearly smashing his face into it as he approached it at full gallop. Looking back he could see the wolves still coming; he tried to flap his wings, but as he leapt him he felt gravity pull him back down, accompanied by a hideous pain that throbbed in his wings. Looking back, his eyes widened as he saw long trails of blood staining his feathers, but from what injury he could not tell.
With no other option available to him, Butterscotch began to clamor up the stone wall; his hooves and underbelly scraping against the sharp rock.
Looking upwards he could see the shadowy figure standing above him kneel down, reaching for him with it's ghostly hoof. Glancing back one last time he could see that the wolves were nearly upon him, ready to pounce and tear him apart. He looked back up and with all his strength, vaulted himself upwards, reaching for the hoof and successfully taking hold of it just as the beasts reached the cliff side, their jaws inches from sinking into his ankles.
He felt himself pulled up, the strength of the figure astonishing as he was pulled to the ledge, clamping his eyes in fear as the darkness overwhelmed his vision…
He kept them closed as he curled up into himself, his hooves pulled up in front of his face. However, as he tried to hide himself from the outside world, he felt a sudden sense of calm wash over him. He felt his body being cradled in the arms of somepony, while a hoof ran through his mane tenderly with an almost maternal affection.
Then came that voice… humming a soothing melody that made his body ease and relax, eventually allowing the frightened stallion to open his eyes, and as he did, he was met with a strange yet beautiful sight.
“E-Eris?”
There, holding him in her forelegs, pressing his figure into her’s was the Lady Eris in all her radiant glory, her ruby eyes gazing down at him with a gentle smile.
She giggled slightly as she hushed him, pressing her hoof against his lips as the moonlight illuminated her face.
“Hush my dearest… It’s alright. Don’t be frightened.” She said in the same voice Butterscotch had heard. “You're safe now… with me.”
“Shh, shh, it’s alright my dear. No need for words… you’re safe now. I’m here, and I’m not going to let anypony hurt you… ever.”
“This… this is a dream.” Butterscotch said, “T-this, this isn’t real. This isn’t happening, y-you're j-just a dream. ”
“Me my dear? A dream?” Eris retorted, his soft voice sounding a little hurt. “No my dearest… only if you let it be a dream.”
“Stay here with me Butterscotch.“ She continued. “Stay with me... Forever.”
Something struck a cord in Butterscotch ears as that last word rolled off Eris’s tongue. It was not the rich velvety voice that he head heard before. It was cold, visceral and sharp, like the fine edge of a razor that had just been given a wet stone.
His eyes once again met her’s, however, this time he noticed something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. Where once loving tenderness resided, now burned something akin to hot embers of a fire; the ruby red of her pupils glowing with frightening ferocity.
However, the worst was yet to come. As he stared up at the now almost foreign face; the lovingness of the mare now replaced with something else. Something unnatural and terrifying that wore the mare’s features like a twisted mask, he could see her changing, her body growing and elongating into obscenely proportions. Her hooves becoming claws that dug into his skin while wicked horns protruded out of thing’s long ghostly mane. He stared up in horror as the creature loomed over him, making him feel utterly helpless at it held him tight in it’s grip.
He wanted to scream, but found his voice stolen from him as his eyes caught the glint of white fangs jutting from the beast’s maw, which then opened wide; the moonlight giving them an otherworldly shine.
“Who are you~!?” He screamed. The thing paused for a moment, but only chuckled in return, just before lunging forwards, sinking it’s fangs deep into his throat!
“Butterscotch!?”
Butterscotch gasped as he sat up dramatically, his hoof instantly rushing to his throat as he regained his bearings. His whole body was heaving; his coat glistening with sweat.
He felt a hoof on his shoulder as he caught his breath. Turning his head, he jumped a little as he saw the crimson eyes of Eris staring back at him.
“Butterscotch are you alright? She inquired with honest concern.
“Eris~!?” He exclaimed, still quite shaken. “W-what are you doing here? What time is it?”
She looked at him for a second before giving a slight nod. “Close to midnight.” She said, “I heard you from down the hall… you were having a nightmare.”
It was a dream. Oh thank Solaris it was just a dream.
“Oh… I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
“Oh nonsense Butterscotch. No need to apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong.” She said giving him a reassuring smile as she pulled up a chair to sit by his bed side. “But… actually, I’ve been wanting to talk to you…”
He cocked his head confused. “Wha-what do you want to talk about?”
“I… I must apologize to you.”
“Apologize? What for?”
“For acting so… well for lack of a better word ‘strange’ around you.”
Butterscotch was taken back by this, unsure of how to react or respond. Sure she had been behaving a little… ‘curious’ since they had met, but… “Eris… there’s no need to apologize. It’s alright. Honestly you’ve been nothing than kind to us… letting us stay in your home, feeding us and giving us warm beds, I don’t think I could have asked for more.”
She smiled and blushed slightly. “Oh, well pleasure is all mine. It’s been a delight having you and your friends here? This has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
However he smiled dissipated shortly after, as she looked down at her hooves. “You’ll… you’ll be leaving tomorrow right?”
He nodded, “Yes… well the Exhibition will be over and… we’ll have to get back home to Canterlot. Dusk has very important duties he needs to undertake, and as his assistant… well, I go where he goes.”
“I’ll be sad to see you leave.” Eris replied, looking back up at him. “The villa will honest just feel a little less full with you all gone…”
There was a pause as they just sat in silence, each just in silent contemplation. Taking a deep breath, Butterscotch reached out his hoof and placed it on her’s, the two of them locking eyes once again.
“Oh! I brought something for you.” Eris exclaimed, reaching back around herself and pulling out a tea cup and flask. “I nearly forgot.”
“What is it?”
Uncorking the flask, she poured it’s frothing contents into the tea cup; violet swirls of mist rising upwards.
“I heard you’ve been having routine nightmares so… I brought you something to help you sleep.” She said, offering him the cup. “This potion will help you relax and make sure that you’ll not have any more bad dreams for the night.”
He looked at it for a moment before accepting her offer, taking the cup in his hooves he rose it to hips lips and drank it down in it’s entirety. It tasted like pomegranates.
“Mmm, thank you Eris.” He thanked her, his body beginning to relax back into his bed.
“My pleasure.” She replied, tucking him back in. “Now you just relax and let the potion do it’s work. It’s an old family recipe of mine. Always helps me sleep when I’m feeling troubled.”
Butterscotch let out a tired yawn as he laid his head on his pillow, the softness of his sheets and covers holding him in a warm embrace. He looked up at her with a sleepy smile. “Good night Eris.” He said through another yawn before drifting.
She chuckled a little at just how fast her potion was working on him and she stood up, trotting towards the door. “Sleep well… my sweet prince.”
The next morning came swiftly and without any setbacks, with the merry band of esteemed companions having loaded up their carriage with the luggage that had brought with them on their journey to Geneighva. They had already had breakfast and said their goodbyes to their gracious hostess, who stood in the doorway of the villa as they themselves entered the wagon for their long journey home.
“Au revoir.” Butterscotch called out as the other’s sat down in their seats. Barbara sat next to Butterscotch in the back while Dusk sat at the front facing them.
Eris didn’t call back to them. She just waved and nodded as their carriage driver, a rather hefty stallion hauled himself to his seat.
“Shall we be off then?” He said.
“Yes driver, I think we’re all set.” Dusk called back to him.
“Aye, good good, we’ll be off then my lady.” The driver said, tipping his hat to Eris before cracking his reigns, putting the carriage into motion.
Butterscotch watched through his window as the carriage sped away from the villa; the figure of Eris growing more and more distant until finally his view was obscured by the trees.
Eris meanwhile watched them go as well, her crimson eyes following the carriage until it was out of sight.
“Until next time.” She said under her breath before looking down at her hoof.
There, resting the palm of her hoof was a small band of silver; the ring glinting dimly in the light of the overcast sun. She looked at it with a wincing expression of pain as the metal rested on her bare skin; the ring burying her as causing small shreds of skin to rise and fly in away in the wind.
“Will that be all my Lady?” Archibald called from inside the villa.
Tucking the ring back into her pocket, she turned and approached her loyal servant. She smiled at him and ran her hoof across his cheek. “That will be all my dear Archibald.” She said softly. “Rest now…”
He nodded solemnly to her in response, just before his skin began to wither and dry out. His cloths fading and crumbling around him, his eyes rolling back into his head as the hair and flesh of his body seemed to fade into dust until only the bone was left, which then crumbled to the floor and blew away in the wind.
She watched as the bones and dust vanished into the air, closing the door behind her before she turned once again to the long hallway of the villa. She could see the walls already beginning to crumble and fade as paint peeled off and fell to the floor. She began to walk…
“I've seen so many sunsets in my life,
I should know everything there is worth knowing.
But since I saw his face I don't know where I am,
There's no map that can show me where I'm going…”
All around her the villa began to crumble. The floors reduced to dirt where thick grass and weeds grew; the ceiling collapsing in as the walls began to be swarmed with ivy; the beauty and majesty melting away revealing nothing but a hollow ruin...
“The longer I live the more I wonder,
If I know anything at all.
If I've ever been in love, I can't recall…”
“The longer I live, the less I'm certain,
That I have all the answers right.
I'd give all my yesterdays for one more night.”
“It's hard to make each moment count,
When you're alone,
Maybe that's all I need to know.”
“The longer I live without him near me,
The longer my empty years will be,
The world will not turn until he turns to me…”
“...My world will not turn until he turns to me~!”
~To Be Continued~
Thank you for reading. 
Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments bellow. I appreciate constructive criticism.
And Happy Halloween! 
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Wow.
7675345 Wow good or wow bad?
This was a great chapter, I wander what Iris did to Butterscotch in that dream, I am curious to know why she let the manner fall into ruin and her servant turn to dust. I know she is just looking out to her interests, but I would have though that she would need a seat of power to where she would want to bring back her lover.
7675508 Well... actually.
That wasn't her 'seat of power', it was all a ruse. Her real home is back in Tramplevania. But we'll get there eventually. 
7675361
Eh, kinda in-bewteen. I thought it was a good chapter, but I'm kinda confused about this plan Eris seems to have. I mean, we can tell she wants Butterscotch, but at the same time there seems to be some darker intention (like from that dream sequence).
7675678 Hehehehehe yeah.
But then again... can't just go and tell you guys everything all at once? 
Where would the fun and mystery be in that? 
7675684
Good point. Just keep working on the story, while I await your update. Oh, and Happy Halloween to you too! ^.^
7675696 Happy Halloween!
Cue the music Elfman!
7675720
Nice! Thanks!
Damn. I can't decide if I feel sorry for Eris or Butterscotch.
7676140 Oh?
why's that?
7676211
make sense? It sounds better in my head.
Eris loves Butters, as in she loves her old love, so she loves him. She really misses her old love, and he means so much to her, so seeing Butterscotch have no clue, hurts her, and she'd do anything to be with her love again. Butters, however, is suffering from nightmares, and doesn't know what Eris really is, and is completely innocent. So I feel sorry for them.
-shrug-
7677145 No I understand. It makes sense. And I agree, that was what I was trying to get across. So honestly I'm a bit excited that my writing could invoke those emotions.
But they'll see each other again... sooner then they both think.
7677568
hyyyyype
Finally! More chapters! I can't wait for the next one!
Woah, was not expecting not only the servant pony to turn to dust (I never he wasn't alive but I thought he was a vampire or an illusion at best, but not dust) but the whole town turning to dust:o Woah, nice twist:D
And the song to accompany that scene is perfect, once again, great chapter Quill:)
7695860 Well... actually it was just the villa but yeah XD
And just like that we're plunged into another nightmare... there is no rest for the buttery
Usually when you're describing a "sharp" pain, that means its very specific. Maybe a reference to the body part may "Sharpen" the effect of the description ;)
lest* instead of let - and him* intstead of them- I'm guessing you were going for that word
Lul, I keeping forgetting how far the r63 goes. Solaris heh
It*
Probably that "sharp" pain I mentioned earlier :/
Wouldn't it be "her" ghostly hoof? If i'm guessing who it is correctly.
... or wolves... maybe anything would be a more applicable word ;) WORD GRIPE!
You put this paragraph in there twice.
... sexy
"YOU JUST BIT ME!"
"FOR BITING ME! YES YOU WILL!"
Her* smile
Need a space between these paragraphs
with the tone of the chapter so far... DATE RAPE!
"Oh, you just happened to flavor it with my favorite fruit eh?"
"Oh, I bet it's your pleasure."
Fore-shadow X 10,000
cuz vampire thoughts are rrrrred.
More convient than a poke-ball!
It's like the exact opposite of this scene. Start at 0:55 seconds
...and then u left the final song. Nice
Interesting chapter overall. Things are starting to feel like they're finally moving forward. Or the foreshadowing is less foreshadowing and more direct creeping now X3
I rate it
pomegranite / out of nightmare
7695992
D'oh, oops my bad
7698600 lol XD no prob ^^