//------------------------------// // The Past Bites 1 // Story: Tales from the Cosmos Eccentric // by RB_ //------------------------------// The bell over the candy shop’s door tinkled. “Hello,” Bon Bon said automatically. “Welcome to Bon Bon’s Bon Bons, I’m Bon Bon. What can I help you with?” Do you say that every time? “Taglines are good for business,” Bon Bon said. “Hello, Vinyl.” Hello yourself, Vinyl said, walking up to the counter. I haven’t seen you since the wedding. How’s married life treating you? Bon Bon giggled. That good, huh? Vinyl smirked. I never pegged you for a romantic. “Oh, stop,” she said. “So. Apology chocolates?” How’d you know? Bon Bon slid aside the panel at the back of the display case. “Octavia was in here about a week ago. She wanted to know if we knew where you’d gone.” Vinyl winced. Yeah… “So,” Bon Bon said. “One box of Raspberry Delights?” Green Tea Truffles, Vinyl corrected. They’re her favourites. Bon Bon shook her head. “No, Green Tea Truffles are what she lets other ponies buy for her. Raspberry Delights are what she buys herself when no one’s looking.” Never argue with the candymaker, I guess. Sure, one box of those. Bon Bon reached into the display case with a pair of tongs. “So,” she said. “Where have you been for the last week?” Taking care of some business. “What kind of business?” Our kind. “Then I’m guessing this isn’t just a social visit,” Bon Bon said. She began arranging the treats in their box, experienced hooves packing the confections in with purple tissue paper. You guessed right, Vinyl said. I need to head out again. I was hoping you’d come with me. “You need our help?” No. Yours. I… Vinyl grimaced. I need a hunter. Bon Bon dropped the box of chocolates, wrapped up in ribbon, onto the counter. She nodded. “Meet me in the back.” “There,” Bon Bon said, stepping into the living room. “Shop’s closed up. What’s going on, Vinyl?” Vinyl had taken up residence on their couch. Her purple-tinted glasses sat on the coffee table, and her eyes were closed. She looked terrible. With her glasses off, Bon Bon could see just how sunken her eyes were. She looked as though she hadn’t slept in days—and considering her particular condition, that was even more concerning. First things first, Vinyl said. This is strictly vampire business. If anypony with fangs asks, you didn’t hear about this from me, I was never here, and I certainly didn’t bring you into this. Got it? “Understood.” Cool. Vinyl took a deep breath in through her nostrils, then let it all out in one breath. She opened her eyes. The vampire sect of the Underground values two things, she said. Peace… and secrecy. It wasn’t always like that. As I’m sure you know. Bon Bon nodded. We’re good at the secrecy part; blending in and stalking prey from the shadows is kind of our thing. Peace… not so much. Our current state of affairs is maintained by one thing, and one thing only, and that thing is our blood supply. That blood is controlled by La Société. It comes from the medical blood supply, and it’s distributed to vampires across Equestria via caravan. “Okay,” Bon Bon said. “Why are you telling me this?” Because someone’s been attacking the caravans, Vinyl said. It started a few weeks ago. At first, it was just one or two attacks, but now every caravan’s being hit. Without fresh blood, vampires are going to start turning to… ‘alternative’ sources. There have already been reports of attacks. If this keeps up— “It’s back to the old ways,” Bon Bon finished. And there’s more, Vinyl said. Have you ever heard of the Queen of Blood? “The old vampire legend?” Bon Bon said, raising an eyebrow. “What has that got to do with all of this?” In response, Vinyl pulled out a photograph and tossed it onto the table. It spun towards Bon Bon, stopping just in front of her. This was on one of the wagons that was attacked. Bon Bon looked at the photograph. It was a picture of the side of said wagon. And, written in red, shining angrily under the camera’s flash, were five words: ‘The Bloody Queen Lives Again.’