//------------------------------// // The Past Bites 6 // Story: Tales from the Cosmos Eccentric // by RB_ //------------------------------// Vinyl stood atop the clocktower, one hoof wrapped around its spire, the other shielding her eyes from the light of the setting sun. She was starting to remember this place. Not the buildings, no, but from up here the streets looked roughly the same. She could almost pick out the alley where she’d spent those hellish first three nights of her immortal life. Flapping wings, behind her. The sounds of hooves landing on the roof. For a vampire, you’re not very quiet, Vinyl said. “Why bother?” the Queen said. “We both know how this is going to turn out.” We’ll see. “So where’s the hunter?” Gone, Vinyl said. It’s just you and me. “Too bad,” the Queen said. “I guess I’ll just have to deal with her later.” Vinyl snorted. Don’t count on it, she said. That mare’s full of surprises. She turned around. Amber Skies stood on the edge of the rooftop, facing her. The shadow of the tower’s spire fell across her face. Let’s get this over with, Vinyl said. “Yes,” the Queen said. “Let’s.” She moved first. She darted towards Vinyl, her wings bursting from her sides. Her teeth bared, she lunged forwards. Vinyl didn’t move. Instead, she lit her horn. The Queen’s head slammed down into the roof, the rest of her body following, sending shingles flying as she skidded to a stop. “Oh, you’re so dead…” she grunted, pulling herself up from the groove she’d left. But when she looked to where Vinyl had been standing, all she saw was the setting sun. “Where’d you go!?” she demanded. What do you mean? I’m right here. Vinyl looked down at the Queen as she glanced about. She’d leapt to the top of the spire that jutted out from the roof of the tower; she was now clinging to its side. Silently, she adjusted her position. “Where!?” she snarled. “I thought you were a vampire!” What? Is this not how you think vampires are supposed to fight? Vinyl dropped down, landing without a sound behind the Queen. You know, I realize it’s ironic for me to say this, but… She reared up, teeth bared. Sometimes quiet has its upsides. Darting her head forwards, she sank her fangs into the base of the Queen’s right wing. The Queen screamed. She tried to pull free, but that only succeeded in tearing her flesh further. Blood flowed into Vinyl’s mouth. It tasted like tar. She fought the urge to swallow and instead focused on applying as much pressure with her jaws as she could until she heard what she was looking for. Snap. Agh!” the Queen screamed. At last, Vinyl released her grip, the Queen stumbling away from her. Vinyl spat the toxic substance onto the shingles. It’s taste remained, however. The Queen cradled her wing. It hung uselessly from her back. “You’re dead,” she snarled, through gritted teeth. That’s the third time you’ve said that, Vinyl remarked. You’re getting in a rut. The Queen just snarled and lunged at her. Vinyl did nothing as she leapt on top of her and pinned her to the ground, both of them just inches from the edge of the roof. “I’ll rip your throat out!” she yelled. “I’ll bleed you dry! There’ll be nothing left but a smear when I’m done with you!” Go ahead and try. Fury dancing in her eyes, the Queen opened her jaw wide, fangs glinting in the sunlight, and went for her throat. Her teeth closed on nothing. She drew back, only to watch her hooves sink to the rooftop as Vinyl’s body faded into mist. Her eyes bulged. Her jaw worked, but no sound emerged. What’s the matter? The Queen whipped her head around. Vinyl was behind her, the last of her form rematerializing. Cat got your tongue? And she bucked her off the roof. The Queen plummeted down the side of the clocktower. Her ruined wing fluttered uselessly at her side. She flung out a hoof in a last-ditch effort to halt her descent. It caught the edge of one of the clock hands. The jerk must have pulled her shoulder from its socket, but nonetheless she held on. Vinyl watched her over the lip of the roof. Exhaling, she slipped over the edge and dug her hooves into the brickwork. The Queen pulled herself up. The clock’s hands had stopped moving; a result of their earlier confrontation. She was lucky they hadn’t come loose. She was also fortunate to enough to have fallen on the side with the broken face, the hole in the glass within her reach if she could just make her way down the length of the hour hand— Nice catch. The Queen’s head snapped up towards Vinyl, who was standing on the side of the building. “What are you!?” she demanded. A vampire, Vinyl said. Same as you. “That’s impossible!” she yelled. “Vampires can’t turn into mist! That’s a myth!” Is it? Vinyl said. The Bloody Queen could do it. Some successor you are. “T-the Queen?” Amber stammered. “What do you mean!?” In answer, Vinyl leapt down at her. Amber ran down the length of the hand; Vinyl landed gracefully on its tip. Her horn lit. A matching glow wrapped around Amber Skies’ throat. “Hrk—” She threw her through the clockface. The sound echoed across the town. After a moment, Vinyl stepped through the fresh hole in the glass. The Queen stood in the middle of a pile of glass shards. Black blood trickled down her forehead. She lunged forwards, hissing, one hoof pulled back and ready to strike. Vinyl ducked under her swing, and within the same movement, before Amber could even blink, she’d planted both hindhooves into her chest. Amber landed on her back, once more among the collection of broken glass that littered the floor. She gasped for breath. What, did you think the mist myth just appeared out of nowhere? Vinyl said. I’d have thought someone calling themselves ‘The Queen of Blood’ would know better than that. Amber picked herself off the ground, teeth grit. Actually, on second thought, maybe I wouldn’t. A pony who knew better would’ve picked a better name. “I’m not a pony!” Amber shrieked. She leapt forwards again. Vinyl calmly stepped out of the way, letting her fly past. You’re no Queen of Blood, either, she said. Come on, Skies. Enough with the act. “My name is the Queen of Blood!” She caught herself, skidded across the floor on her hooves, and came at Vinyl again. Vinyl jumped this time, sailing over Amber’s attempted blow. She landed on the pegasus’ back. That name ain’t yours to take, Skies. Amber swung her good wing at her. Vinyl merely leapt off. She landed on a ceiling beam—upside down, hanging like a bat. You must be getting tired, Vinyl said. After all, you haven’t had time to eat since you healed up. All your food is below us, right? “Yeah?” Amber said. “And what about you? You were in worse shape than me!” Oh, me? Vinyl said. I feel great. Better than I have in centuries. It’s been a long time since I last felt full. “Last felt—” Amber laughed. “You drank from a pony, didn’t you!” Ding ding ding, Vinyl said. We have a winner. “So much for those lofty ideals of yours!” Amber cried. “When it came down to it, we’re exactly the same!” Almost, but not quite, Vinyl said. My meal was freely given. Amber’s eyes widened. “The hunter—!” Like I said. Full of surprises. Amber’s wing twitched. Vinyl noticed it. It had almost fully healed. She leapt down at Amber. The mare was ready, waiting for it even. She reared up and brandished her forehooves. Vinyl once more tugged on the little bit of magic in her core. Her body evaporated. She’d forgotten how odd it felt, turning to mist. Like a light tugging on every piece of her body, all at once. But she ignored the sensation and focused on pushing her incorporeal form past Amber’s body. She resolidified behind Amber. Spinning around, she latched her teeth into her hindleg. Amber winced, but she didn’t have time to do anything. Twisting her body around, Vinyl yanked her off the ground and hurtled her towards the wall. She impacted back-first and slid down to the floor. Vinyl walked up to her dazed form, laid sprawled out on the ground. She stepped over her and pressed her hoof into her throat. Enough of this, she said. You’re not going to kill me, so let’s have a little chat. Amber said nothing. She didn’t have to. Her glare said plenty. Look. Kid. I get it, she said. You spend every day of your miserable life trying to keep your head above the water. Life is crap. And then one day, a mysterious stranger swoops out of nowhere, bites you in the neck, and suddenly you’re immortal, you’ve got all this power… and what, they tell you to keep your head down and pretend like it never happened? No one could be expected to take that well. “We shouldn’t have to!” Amber said. “We’re apex predators! We deserve better!” …Apex predators? Vinyl began to laugh, a hoarse, raspy thing. “Why are you laughing!?” Because you’re such a newblood, Vinyl said. Vampires aren’t apex predators. We aren’t even predators! She narrowed her eyes. Vampires are rats that stalk towns in the night and pick off the weak. We’re vermin that can’t live without ponies to mooch off of. We can’t even reproduce on our own! We aren’t apex predators, Vinyl said. We’re parasites. You think the Société made us into vermin? We were always this way. Even in the old days. Especially in the old days. At least now we get to pretend that we’re still equine. “But the Queen—” The Bloody Queen? Vinyl said. Oh, you’re a riot! You think she was any better? “The Queen of Blood was an example of what Vampires could have been,” Amber said, but a hint of doubt had crept into her voice. The Queen of Blood was a nobody! Vinyl roared. Just some back-alley brat throwing a twenty-year temper tantrum! You think she was some great crusader? She could have cared less! She was too busy getting a high off of powers she never deserved in the first place! But you’re right about one thing. She is a perfect example of what vampires could have been. Which is why it’s a good thing we were smart enough to become the opposite! “But—” That’s the one good thing the Bloody Queen ever did, Vinyl continued. Without her, without what she did, there never would have been a council. There wouldn’t even have been a Société. We’d still be a bunch of animals! Do you want to know what happened to the Queen? she asked. Do you think she died fighting the good fight? Do you think she went out kicking? No! She died nailed to a post in the middle of a town with nothing. That is how the Queen died. Broken and bleeding because she picked the wrong night, the wrong village, to have some fun. “H-how do you know all this?” Amber Skies stammered. Do you want to know what her last words were? Vinyl asked. What this noble, this wise, this all-powerful vampire’s last words were? Do you? “N-no—” Too bad! Vinyl shouted. Because she didn’t have any! She died whimpering, because they took her voice! They broke her horn, and they broke her legs, and then they shoved coals down her throat until she stopped! Talking! And you know what? Vinyl said, her roar dying down to a whisper. She deserved every second of it. “Y-you’re her!” Amber choked out. “You’re the Bloody Queen!” My name, Vinyl said, the fury of the ages in her eyes, is Virtuosa Mezzoforte Scratch. And I am not the Queen of Blood. “But you were!” Amber said. “Two hundred years ago—it was you!” Vinyl pressed down on her throat and leaned in close. Her wrathful gaze bored into Amber’s own fear-stricken pupils. The Queen, she said, is dead. And I intend to keep it that way. So, what’s your choice? Vinyl said, drawing back. You going to quit playing pretend? Or is your devotion to the Queen so important that you’re willing to find out what it takes to put someone like you down? “Y-you wouldn’t,” Amber said. “The Council doesn’t execute vampires.” Good thing I’m not part of the council, then. Make your choice. Amber bit her lip. She looked up at Vinyl. She looked to both sides. At last, she hung her head. Smart choice. Vinyl stepped off of her. She curled up and began coughing. Get out of here, Vinyl said. Find yourself a new name and a new home. Getting new papers shouldn’t be hard for someone like you. Lay low for a couple of centuries. Make some pony friends. Fall in love. Do whatever it is newbloods do these days. And don’t ever let me hear your name and the Queen of Blood in the same sentence again. Don’t think I won’t be keeping an eye on you, either. Got it? Amber nodded. She was crying, Vinyl noticed. Cheer up, she said. Life among ponies has its perks. You’ll figure that out… eventually. Now get out of here before I change my mind. Amber picked herself up off the ground and stumbled over towards the open window. Her wings flared out. She cast one last look back at Vinyl. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but then seemed to decide against it. Then, she leapt through the hole in the glass and flew away. Vinyl watched the pegasus’ form fade off into the distance. At last, when she was no longer visible, her shoulders slumped. She let out a long breath. I’m getting too old for this, she thought to herself, and turned towards the door. Her horn lit. There was one last thing she had to do before she left. A jagged shard of glass lifted off the ground. “Where’s Skies?” Bon Bon asked as Vinyl stepped through the bent holes in the gate. The sun was just setting, but no one had left yet. The thralls they’d freed—no, they were full-fledged vampires, now—loitered off to the side. The looks they cast her were wary, as well they should have been, considering how she looked at the moment. Many of them were faces unfamiliar to her. Less so to the emaciated ponies following along behind Vinyl, many of whom ran over to join their loved ones. Dealt with, Vinyl said. Bon Bon raised an eyebrow. “Dealt with?” Dealt with, Vinyl repeated. I see you had some fun on your way out. “Well, like you said,” Bon Bon said, glancing towards the ex-thralls. “They needed it.” Mmm. Vinyl glanced to the side. I’m, uh… sorry about… earlier. “If you ever do that again I will personally see you locked up in the deepest pit of Tartarus.” Vinyl winced. Well, that’s…. Better than I was expecting. “So,” Bon Bon said. “What are we going to do about them?” She gestured towards the crowd. I’ll send word to the Council. They’ll handle cleanup, especially when they find out whose fault all of this is. She sighed. Still, a city half-filled with vampires? That’s going to be interesting, no matter what way you slice it. “Let’s hope none of them turn out like Miss Skies,” Bon Bon said. Nah. Vampires like Skies? Vinyl snorted. They’re one in a million.