• Published 6th Jul 2012
  • 85,113 Views, 5,603 Comments

My Roommate is a Vampire - Dennis the Menace



Silly Octavia, Vinyl's not a vampire, right?

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No More Tears

They'd tortured her, the fiends. Vinyl sat before me, her body slumped over in the chair opposite of me, sitting in a pool of her own blood, dried and black. Dangling above us was a lone light bulb, flickering and eerie. Our location? Less than a few feet from where I'd been standing when one of them took a hoof to the back of my head, on the center platform highest above all the other catwalks, where all the various panels and switches and boards were located. How long I'd been out? Less than two minutes. Still, the blow was enough to daze me. We were both tied up, bound by silver chains that dug into our flesh.

I struggled. I was trying to transform. If I was in my lycan form, I could have broken out. But...

These chains! They're...preventing me!

I'd made the right choice. Nopony could tell me otherwise. Vinyl was walking that fine line between life and death, and I'd saved her. I'd saved her. That was a fact. Not a half-truth, not something to comfort me. At least now, I could turn their attentions towards me, and stall. A quick glance at Vinyl was all that was needed to send me in a fit of blind rage. I had no words for the silver mare in front of me. I howled at them like a monster.

But we both knew who was the real monster.

"You call that a punch?" His hoof connected with my cheek. "My mother punches harder than you." Silver Streak stood a ways away, watching us from the shadows. "Vinyl?" I shouted.

She didn't move.

"She can't hear you. She's unconscious."

At the very least, she was alive. Though, in her condition, not for long.

"You call us the monsters, yet you do this? Irony at its finest," I spat.

She emerged from the shadows, that confident smirk on her face again. "Monster? You can't even begin to grasp the concept of a monster. You are the monsters, and that is a fact."

"Is that so?"

"Silver Star, the handsome stallion you see before you, had his little brother taken from him by a vampire who succumbed to their lust for his blood. Do I need to go on?"

"My condolences," I said sweetly to Silver Star. I got a nice backhoof in the face for that. "That still doesn't justify this."

"The ends justify the means."

"That's just some trite expression used by those who delude themselves into believing it."

"While few would approve of my methods, you'd be surprised to find that many would agree," Silver Streak said, "that I'm making Equestria a better place, getting rid of your kind."

I suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. "This is all so interesting!"

She narrowed her eyes. "Do tell."

"I still don't know a thing about you. I don't know who you are, and to be frank, I don't care. But it's interesting, no?"

"What is?"

I swallowed, clearing my throat. "It's just funny is all. The two of us, out to ruin each other, intending to cause harm, and it's just odd. We barely know each other."

"Are you suggesting I should get to know a pony before I kill them?"

Throughout this entire exchange, her other silver-coated colleagues never said a word.

"Your parents were killed by a lycan. This is true?" I said. Perhaps we would never know the truth, but right now I wasn't so sure it was a good idea to make her even angrier. "You lived in Canterlot Orphanage until you were...?"

"Sixteen. What is your point?" she snapped impatiently.

"Nothing. I'm just trying to confirm the things I've learned about you is all."

In the grand scheme of it all, Silver Streak wasn't really some delusional mastermind. Scratch that, she was delusional. But she was just a pony, like me and Vinyl. The only difference was she had the power of other ponies beneath her, and money, and a cause.

"Nopony deserves to have their parents taken away like that," I said quietly. "Not even you. I can't even begin to imagine what it feels like." I looked into Silver Streak's cold eyes. "I'm sorry."

"You think that changes anything? You think it will bring them back?" She raised a hoof to strike me, but didn't. "Words are useless. They are so easy to throw out, even if the intentions behind them are not genuine." Silver Streak narrowed her eyes. "You do not know me. Do not act like you do."

This isn't good. She's trying to end this.

"But I know what you plan to do with the silver you bought!" I shouted. "Oh, yes, quite the ingenious plan. Poisoning the water supply with silver. A quick and painless way of doing it, I'd imagine. Next time you should spread your purchases out."

Silver Streak stopped, turning around. "You actually looked at my bank statements? I'm impressed."

"You'd be surprised what you can learn just from looking at the kind of things a pony buys," I shot back. "You can tell if they're callous and materialistic, or frugal and thrifty."

Why in Equestria was I still talking to her? Oh, right, I was stalling.

Keep her talking.

"That's smart. You're quite the clever one."

"Thank you."

Silver Star ended my moment with another swing at my jaw. I took the punch, working my jaw, testing if I could still move it.

Ow.

"This is what concerns me."

"What?" I asked, intrigued.

"You're too smart."

I laughed nervously. "Well, clearly not smart enough, seeing as I walked in here all by my lonesome."

From my vantage point, facing towards the entrance of the water treatment facility, I could see shadows shift behind the massive grime-streaked windows of the warehouse. A trick of the eye?

"No," she spat.

"No? Well, I am sitting here, aren't I?"

"You're too smart to walk in here. Vinyl, yes, she would do something like this," Silver Streak deduced. "But not you."

"Perhaps Vinyl has rubbed off on me."

"I think you'll find that I have a following. There is no way you can defeat all of us."

Aha.

I'd never asked her how many ponies she had armed to the teeth. She was telling me this, why? She was nervous. She knew I had a plan, she just didn't know what.

"Time to move on," Silver Streak smirked. "Words may be useless, but...words also have power."

A table was brought over. On the table, a camcorder, the film in the reel spinning. They were filming this, or rather, filming Vinyl.

"Oh, Vinyl Scratch," Silver Streak sang. "Time to wake up."

When Vinyl didn't comply, she viciously struck her. It took all of my willpower not to froth at the mouth.To my elation, Vinyl moved. She jolted.

"Vinyl!" I cried.

My voice was sufficient enough to make her open her eyes. Instead of being filled with relief, her eyes were filled with fear.

"No," Vinyl uttered. "Oh no no no."

"Vinyl put up quite the fight when we found her," Silver Streak explained. "Took down three of my best fighters."

"What are you doing here?" Vinyl hissed at me.

"Now, Vinyl, show Equestria those pretty little fangs of yours. Tell Canterlot who was really behind those bombings." When Vinyl spat at her she lunged, grabbing her mane and pulling it tight. "Look at the camera and speak."

"Make me," Vinyl growled, looking directly at the projector. She received a blow to the side of the head.

"Why do you insist on making things difficult?" Silver Streak sighed. "You want to do this the hard way? We'll do this the hard way."

"Let's."

"We've tried everything, you see," Silver Streak explained to me. "We've beaten her, made her bleed." My blood was already boiling. "But Vinyl simply won't comply."

I remained silent.

"Oh, Vinyl, I promise I'll leave your friends alone."

Was the cavalry coming? I sneaked a glance at the windows. Nothing.

"You're an even worse liar than Applejack, Silver Streak," Vinyl said.

"You'll go after everyone," I added. "You're going to poison every supernatural in Equestria with all that silver." I swallowed. "Are you happy?"

The question seemed to make her stagger. "What?"

"You've won," I lied. "You've gotten your revenge on all of us. Probably the one that killed your parents. Are you happy?"

Stall. Keep stalling. They're coming.

"What a...preposterous question! Of course I'm happy. I'm ecstatic!" she shrieked.

"Then why do you continue to torment Vinyl?"

"Oh, would you prefer I torment you?" She sighed. "I need a confession. Ponies need proof of the monsters that inhabit Equestria."

"You just need somepony to pin all this on, don't you? For the bombings?"

"Once they find out who was behind it all, I imagine all of Equestria will be singing the same tune."

"So a confession. That's it?" I asked.

"You're wasting my time."

That was the point.

"Well, I'll say it."

"No."

"No?"

"I want Vinyl to," she said childishly. "I want her to know what it feels like to suffer. You, I have no qualms with. You were just another pony I used to get to her." In her magical grip was a box cutter. "Vinyl won't talk, but I'm sure with some persuasion with our new bargaining chip..."

I found the blade pressed to my throat.

"NO!" Vinyl yelled. "Don't hurt her! I'll...I'll say it."

"No, you won't! You say it and she wins, Vinyl!" I jerked my head at Silver, as if to challenge her.

The box cutter trailed downwards from my neck. The tip of the blade pressed against my shoulder, drawing blood.

"Stop it!"

"Be quiet, Vinyl!" I screeched. "You say it and I'll never forgive you!"

The blade slashed downward. I howled.

"OCTAVIA, SHUT UP!"

"CUT ME AGAIN! DO IT!" I screamed. "COME ON!"

The tip dug into my chest and dragged down. I was starting to lose my vision, my sanity. And blood.

This is a billion times worse than a paper cut.

There were two long gashes in my chest, oozing more and more dark fluids. Silver Streak added another one.

I hate paper cuts.

I'd lost my mind. I was rambling in my head.

Paper cuts suck. But you know, tongue cuts suck more.

Vinyl was screaming something. I couldn't hear her.

Earth ponies have to taste all sorts of awful things. Like paper. And then we get tongue cuts.

I slumped over, not moving.

"Octy?" Vinyl's scared voice asked.

I didn't answer. Couldn't.

"Octy, p-please." A sob. "Move! Y-You're not...Stop playing around! Octavia!"

My vision blacked out. But my hearing remained, and I could hear Vinyl slowly regaining her breath as she let out an enraged howl. Another scream of anguish. Her voice was a savage growl, hoarse. With abandon she screamed again. She didn't scream words. There was only distress. Misery.

And pure hate.

"Now do you see what you've caused?" Silver Streak whispered.

Vinyl didn't reply. Instead, she said something else.

"When I found out you were using me, Streak, I was angry," Vinyl said quietly. Her voice was a calm croon.

I could scarcely breathe.

"I was furious. I was ready to do all sorts of things after you ratted out my friends. I wanted to drain every drop of blood out of your body."

My chest...hurt. It felt constricted. My lungs felt like they were being crushed. There was a rotten smell in the air, metallic and bitter. The water was poisoned with silver dust from the ground-up jewelry.

"But now you're hurting Octavia, and that..." Her eyes snapped open. "That's just unforgivable. And this time, there won't be anything left after I finish you."

A choking sob. "And now that she's...gone..."

I was on the verge of death, but not yet. But I couldn't say anything. I wanted to scream that I was still alive. My breathing had become so shallow I didn't even make a sound. I'd stopped moving.

"There's nothing stopping me."

Gunfire rattled from outside. The other Silver Horseshoes were discharging their flintlock pistols.

BOOM!

An explosion of magical energy surged through the warehouse. The glass windows exploded, sending glass shards everywhere. Silver Streak fled as fast as she could.

Fueled by her rage, Vinyl broke free from her chains. Silver Star turned to swing at her. She dodged it and tackled him to the ground, right where I could see the animosity in her eyes as she strangled him. Vinyl's eyes bored in Silver Star's. Even as her hooves wrapped around his neck, slowly crushing his throat tighter and tighter, her red eyes never stopped staring into his. That is, until her eyes met mine. And just when I thought I'd hear a sickening crunch from Silver Star's neck, she let go. She was crying, tearing open my chains.

I collapsed onto my side, breathing sharply. Vinyl was actually crying.

"You're alive."

"Yes," I gasped. "Not for long."

Outside, more gunfire rattled, along with the primal roars of the lycans and vampires as they fought against the Silver Horseshoes.

It was a slow, painful process as Vinyl began dragging the both of us along, down a flight of metal stairs to the main catwalk, back towards the two double doors I'd gone through.

An explosion rocked outside, tearing the doors off their hinges. We both fell back painfully, the fireball singing our coat. I hissed in pain. Vinyl moaned, trying to pick the both of us up.

A creak. The pathway we were standing on was about to collapse.

"Oh horseapples."

Vinyl scrambled and threw me over to safety as it fell, grabbing onto the edge. I lunged, trying to pull her up.

"PULL ME UP PULL ME UP!" she screeched.

By some little burst of adrenaline (probably my body trying to save itself) I dragged her onto the platform. She rolled over onto her back, panting and laughing at the same time. I stood up slowly, crawling out into the street where the action was.

Everypony was there. Hoity Toity, Photo Finish. Even Fleur de Lis was kicking some flank. Princess Luna had also come with a squad of her own Night Guards, wearing a matching set of armor. Both lycans and vampires (and fairy) were working together.

"TEAM LYCAN!"

"TEAM VAMPIRE!"

"AWOOOOOOO!"

"SUCK IT!"

The moment by body fell into the light of the full moon, I felt its effects begin to wash over me, tingling. I transformed, and right before my very eyes, the wounds on my chest were closing. Still, they would probably scar. It looked like somepony played Tic-Tac-Toe on my chest.

"Vinyl!"

"Mom!"

I watched, my eyes softening at the brief family reunion.

"Honey, you need to get to safety, right away," Photo Finish commanded.

"No! Silver Streak is getting away."

"Vinyl, sweetie, you need blood."

"Drink from me," I volunteered.

"Octy!"

"Vinyl. Shut up." When she refused I pulled her into a hug, pushing her head down. "Bite me."

She sank her teeth into my neck. It was like a dull squeeze on my throat.

"Good?"

"Feeling better."

"Oh, honey, I have one of them in a headlock!" Hoity Toity called.

"Ach, yes! Comink, dahling!" Photo Finish let out a fearsome battle cry as she charged.

Vinyl grinned. I helped her limp along as we ran through the street, ducking as bullets whizzed over our head. Rounds sparked at our hooves as they struck the ground.

"Jeez, it's like a war zone!"

"PRINCESS!"

"HELLO, OCTAVIA! IS THIS NOT EXCITING? IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE WE HAVE DONE BATTLE!"

"Princess," I panted. "The water, they've poisoned the water!"

She stomped a hoof. "The barbarians! Do not worry, we will take care of that. We must give chase to Silver Streak."

"We don't even know where she went!" Vinyl said.

"The only way out of here is through the entrance."

As if on cue, a carriage drawn by four of the burliest stallions I'd ever seen pulled up on the cobblestone road, with Fancypants at the reins like a knight in shining armor.

"Fancypants!"

"Get on!" the gentlecolt cried valiantly.

I grinned toothily, taking shotgun. Vinyl hopped inside, her head poking out the window as Fancypants commanded his ponies to gallop.

Down the road we went, taking lefts and rights.

"There!" Vinyl pointed.

Silver Streak was taking the road from downtown Canterlot back into the main city. Fancypants egged his stallions on. We were gaining on them. My muscles tensed as we were neck and neck. Fancypants' stallions rammed Silver Streak's. They rammed us back. The carriage shook.

Time to even the odds.

"What are you doing? Octavia, are you crazy?!"

"Just a bit," I retorted.

My legs coiled and I sprung from my seat, grabbing onto Silver Streak's carriage. My weight was enough to throw it off balance as I grabbed onto the edge. It tipped over. The silver stallions pulling the carriage detached from the speeding vehicle, which crashed into a lamp post. Silver Streak and I were both sent flying. I landed painfully on my back. Silver Streak, like a cat, regained her balance on her hooves.

The stallions were having to deal with Vinyl. That just left me and Silver.

I snarled, bolting and tackling her. At least, I tried to tackle her. She nimbly rolled onto her back as I grabbed onto her, shaking me off. My claws scraped the ground as I scrambled to regain my balance. Silver Streak smirked, readying a pose to take me on.

My only advantage was my lycan form. All that it granted me was strength, speed, and reflexes. But none of that would be enough if I didn't know how to fight.

I knew I should have taken karate lessons.

Silver Streak was much more trained than her cronies. I charged at her wildly, swinging and swiping my claws at her each and every way. She ducked, dived, and dodged. Even with a direct attack she slid beneath my belly on her back, bucking her hooves upward and catching me in the belly.

Despite having been healed up, the gashes in my chest were still sore. That was enough to make me reel.

"Enough. Time to end this."

In her magical grip, I saw she had a different gun than all her other members. It was fashioned completely out of metal, and elegantly engraved. Instead of one shot, she had six in a cylinder. She cocked the hammer and fired at me.

The round went wide, making me scamper and duck. The streets of Canterlot were narrow, and lacking in any alleyways to duck into. No place to hide.

She cocked the hammer and fired again. The bullet smashed into a window. A third sent sparks flying at my feet. A fourth sank into the wall behind my head.

I charged, zigzagging and ducking low as I galloped, straight at her.

The fifth shot grazed my shoulder.

"AUGH!"

Still, even for a graze, it felt like I'd been shot. The feeling was akin to having somepony take a sledgehammer to my leg. Yes, really. Still, I stumbled forward like a drunk mare.

The cold barrel was pressed to my head. Silver Streak cocked the hammer. Last shot. I could see the silver bullet in the chamber. The trigger was pulled.

The world exploded.

Actually, I believe that was my right eardrum. Vinyl had tackled Silver Streak, disrupting her channel of magic. Still, the gun had gone off next to my right ear. There was a high-pitched whine. They were on top of each other, rolling and throwing punches. Vinyl got the upper hoof and was beating the living snot out of Silver Streak, grabbing her by her mane. Each punch forced her skull to connect with the concrete.

"Vinyl, don't!"

She snarled. "No, Octavia, just don't. You know what I hate? When you read about about somepony who goes on a quest for revenge, and they gotta murder everypony in their way," Vinyl ranted, still pinning Silver Streak down. "And then, at the end of the stupid book, they find who they were trying to kill, and then they pull this stupid I'm-better-than-this-so-I-won't-kill-you crap! What's with that?!"

Only Vinyl Scratch would find that moment a perfect time to start ranting about literature.

"Vinyl, you kill her now," I pointed, "And you validate everything that she's been working to prove."

"I don't care. She doesn't even have the film to prove anything. She's getting what she deserves."

"She wins if you kill her. This is what she wants!" I approached Vinyl, saying softly, "Let the princess take care of this. She'll get what she deserves in prison."

"She doesn't deserve prison." Vinyl planted a hoof on her neck, threatening to apply pressure. All it would take was a little weight to break her neck.

"You're not a murderer, Vinyl. You haven't killed anypony yet." Well, she certainly beat the tar out of plenty of ponies. "Don't start now." She looked at me, then back down at Silver Streak. "Look at her, Vinyl. Revenge is never the solution. It just leaves nothing behind."

Vinyl pulled away. "Damn it!"

Silver Streak was laughing raspily. Cackling like a madmare. "You know I'll walk. You better kill me now."

Vinyl growled, coming down upon Silver Streak with a hoof.

"NO!" I screamed.

There was a sickening snap of bone.

"You walk, you walk with a limp!"

Silver Streak screamed, clutching her broken leg. Vinyl approached me, pulling me along.

"You're bleeding," she stated flatly, pressing a hoof to my shoulder.

"Just a flesh wound."

"It passed through."

"Good."

"You might die."

"Maybe."

"We need to go to the hospital."

"Hey." I shoved her. "Shut up."

We both began limping away from the fiery wreckage, leaving the destruction and Silver Streak behind us. Fancypants could deal with her. Luna would have this mess cleaned up by tomorrow with a cover story. If she wanted, I bet she could have made this look like the work of a posse of clowns from a circus.

"C'mon Octy. Let's go home."