//------------------------------//
// Chapter 27: The Fall Formal: Part 1 
// Story: The Chronicles of Sunset: Crimson Promise 
// by VioletNightWriter 
//------------------------------//

*One week later*

To Twilight, the week flew by. She and the girls did their best to focus on their schoolwork. But Twilight was struggling to keep her focus on school. She had opted to miss a few days of school. But thankfully, her friends and family talked her out of it.

The school bell rang and ended the last period before lunch. Twilight grabbed her bag and joined Pinkie Pie in walking to lunch. They saw their friends waiting for them at the usual spot.

"Hey, Twi. Hey, Pinkie," said Rainbow Dash, waving her friends over.

Pinkie grabbed Twilight's arm and pulled her towards the girls. She stopped once they were next to their friends. Twilight braced herself for the sudden stop.

"Hello, everybody," said Twilight.

"Enough chatter! Let's eat!" shouted Pinkie Pie.

A few students stared at her after she finished yelling. If Pinkie saw, she didn't notice or rather didn't mind. The girls followed her to the current end of the lunch line.

Once they had all gotten their lunches, they sat at the usual table. Twilight kept replaying Sunset sitting next to her. She almost felt a tear form. But she stopped it before it could fall. She wasn't going to allow herself to give into her worries and sadness. Not when Sunset may be coming home, hopefully, safe and sound.

"So...Twi, you having your stitches and bandages removed today?" asked Applejack.

Twilight looked at her and nodded.

"Yes. I am looking forward to not having bandages on my arm and thigh. But at the same time, I dreading seeing the bite mark caused by..." Twilight trailed off.

Applejack looked at her food and sighed. She knew what Twilight was going to say. She looked at the rest of the gang. She saw that they, too, knew what Twilight meant.

"Well, we can be there for support, sugarcube. I mean, if you want us to that is," replied Applejack, her hand squeezing Twilight's shoulder comfortingly.

Twilight smiled at Applejack. She saw the girls smile back. She placed a hand over Applejack's hand.

"I would really appreciate it if at least one of you could come with me, for emotional support," said Twilight.

Fluttershy pulled her hair aside. She managed what courage she could find to speak.

"I-I could go if you want me to," said Fluttershy, her usually soft voice barely audible over the lunchroom chatter.

"I would like that, a lot," replied Twilight.

Fluttershy looked down in shyness. She continued to eat her food. She was happy to help out a fellow classmate and friend.

"Anyone worried about what could happen at the Fall Formal?" asked Rarity.

All the girls' attention turned to her as she asked the question. They all knew that the fall formal was tonight. And they were dreading the confrontation between Starlight and Filthy Rich. They all stared at their food for a while, no one really saying a word.

"I am," said Twilight.

"But I am more worried about how Sunset is. I mean, who knows what Filthy Rich did to her," added Twilight.

Pinkie's usual smile faded. She had tried to remain perky for most of the week. But today, even her fears and worry became too much for her. She let a small frown form.

She saw her friends had similar frowns too. She immediately wiped the frown off her face. She stood up and gave each of her friends a hug. She finally sat back down once she finished hugging Twilight.

"Thanks, Pinkie. That really helped," said Twilight, a smile beaming on her face.

Meanwhile, Rarity had brought out her sketchbook. She was checking her designs for their dresses. She wanted to make sure she hadn't missed a single detail of their dresses when she made them. She saw that she had forgotten to add a faux star on Twilight’s right shoulder sleeve. She made a mental note to stitch it on her dress after school.

"Girls, meet me at my boutique after school, to get your dresses. Twilight let your mom know that you have to swing by, okay darling? " said Rarity, looking up from her sketchbook.

Twilight nodded.

"Thanks, Rarity, for making our dresses. You didn't have to, though," said Applejack.

"Don't be silly, darling. I wouldn't let my friends buy cheap, non-individual, bland, dresses for the Fall Formal. Besides, I insist that you have dresses that express your personality." replied Rarity, putting away her sketchbook.

The girls smiled at Rarity. They all were thankful for her kind generosity. They were about to continue talking when the bell rang. Getting up, they all grabbed their stuff and threw away their leftover lunch.

School went relatively well for the rest of the day for Twilight. She hadn't seen much of Trixie though. She figured maybe Trixie was home with an illness of some sort. She spent the rest of her school time preparing herself for seeing the doctor later that day.

Finally, the last bell of the day rang. Twilight packed up her notebook and stuff after she finished taking the last few notes. She saw her mom was already there at the school entrance, waiting for her. She waved a quick goodbye to all her friends as she ran out the doors.

Fluttershy ran up to Twilight.

"Twilight! Can I talk to you for a second?" asked Fluttershy.

"Sure, Fluttershy," replied Twilight.

Fluttershy looked at Twilight. She was a bit upset at the news she had to deliver.

"I can't come with you to your appointment. Something has happened at the shelter. Sorry." said Fluttershy.

Twilight smiled at her friend. She was glad that Fluttershy gave her a heads-up as to why she wouldn't be coming with her.

"It's okay. Thanks for letting me know. I hope that everything is alright at the shelter." said Twilight.

She waved goodbye to Fluttershy before continuing to walk towards her mom's car. She got into her mom's car and threw her backpack into the back seat.

"Hey honey, how was your day?" asked Mrs. Velvet.

"It was good, mom. Oh, by the way, after we visit the doctor's office, can you swing by Rarity's dress shop?" asked Twilight.

Mrs. Velvet raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Why, may I ask?" asked Mrs. Velvet.

"Rarity has made me a dress for the Fall Formal tonight. I told her I would pick it up after the doctor's visit," replied Twilight.

Mrs. Velvet kept her eyes on the road as she drove out of the school parking lot. She was surprised that her daughter would participate in any social events. She was used to her daughter opting out of any social event with many people.

"Do you know the name of your friend's shop?" asked Mrs. Velvet.

Twilight nodded and gave her mom the address.

"Okay, we'll swing by, after the doctor appointment," said Mrs. Velvet.

Twilight felt her heart race out of anticipation for seeing her dress. Rarity had said that it was going to look beautiful on her. She looked out her window, watching the buildings blur past her.

"So, how's your friend, uh, Sunset? Right?" asked Mrs. Velvet.

Twilight winced as her mom mentioned Sunset by name. She hadn't heard or spoke Sunset's name for a while. She couldn't bear the pain of the memories that came with hearing it. She continued to look out at the road, silent.

"Honey is something wrong? Did I say something?" asked Mrs. Velvet, after a few moments of silence.

Twilight turned from the window and faced her mom. She could see her mom's worry in her eyes.

"You didn't. I was just thinking about her. Things are okay. School has just kept us busy, that's all." lied Twilight.

Mrs. Velvet glanced at her daughter. She saw that her daughter seemed more distraught than something as simple as a busy schedule could cause. She returned attention to the road, avoiding a pothole in the road.

"Okay, dear," said Mrs. Velvet.

After that, any conversations were ended. The radio was all that filled the awkward silence between Twilight and her mother. The big city skyscrapers disappeared into a lower suburb and medium-sized buildings. The doctor's office was a five-story building which had shiny glass panels over the exterior.

Twilight found it amazing that it looked so new when the building had been there for more than 6 years. She watched her mom pull into the parking garage which sat next to the office building.

"Okay, we're here. You can leave your backpack in the car. You shouldn't need it for anything." said Mrs. Velvet, turning off the car and exiting the car.

Twilight followed her mother after she closed the car door behind her. She was surprised as to why they didn't just go to a hospital like they did the last two times. She walked into the building, feeling a cold blast from the AC.

Dr. Cloud Star immediately walked out and greeted them. Twilight could smell the alcohol they used to sterilize instruments, on him. She had to walk behind him and keep her nose down because the smell was so strong.

When they got to Dr. Cloud Star's office, Twilight felt her heart race. She could see that he had the anesthesia ready to go. She sat on the exam table and tried to ignore her shaking hands.

"Hello, Twilight. How are you doing?" asked Dr. Cloud Star.

"I am g-good," replied Twilight.

Sensing Twilight's nervousness, Dr. Cloud Star placed a gloved hand on her leg.

"Relax, it's okay to be scared. This a simple procedure. It'll be over in a few minutes, I promise." said Dr. Cloud Star.

Twilight tried to calm her nerves. But his gloved hand on her injured leg made her stomach clench. She gripped the edge of the exam table tightly.

"Okay, you ready for the anesthesia, Twilight?" asked Dr. Cloud Star.

Twilight nodded.

Seeing her nod, Dr. Cloud Star stuck a needle into her thigh near the stitches. She felt her leg go numb as she felt a faint, weird, sensation as Dr. Cloud Star's hand rested on her leg. Soon she could barely feel his hand at all.

Dr. Cloud Star grabbed his surgical scissors. He carefully snipped each stitch near the knot. He then pulled the stitch through Twilight's skin and out of her skin. He continued doing that pattern until all the stitches were removed.

Twilight had kept her eyes closed as he continued to remove the stitches. She did her best to not flinch every time she felt a slight tug on her skin. She kept her breathing as steady as she could. Finally, she felt the last stitch being removed from her skin and she opened her eyes.

"There you go, we're all done, Miss Sparkle," said Dr. Cloud Star.

Twilight sighed with relief. She looked at her leg. She saw that the cut line was barely there. She could only see a faint, thin line where her wound once was.

"Now, let's see how your wrist is," said Dr. Cloud Star.

Twilight nodded. She held out her wrist for Dr. Cloud Star to see. She braced herself for what she would see. She could still see Sunset, hungry and biting down on her wrist. She shook the thought out of her head. She didn't want to be scarred from that night anymore then she might be.

Dr. Cloud Star slowly unraveled the bandages. Twilight saw her arm slowly be revealed all the way. As he got closer to the bite mark, Twilight could make out faint teeth marks on her wrist. She looked away briefly before her curiosity got the better of her. She watched as the full bite mark was revealed.

Dr. Cloud Star looked at her scar. He could see no signs of any internal or external infections. He touched the mark, which Twilight try to pull away from. He could see that the skin had healed nicely. He smiled at the fact that the wound had healed properly.

"Well, Twilight, I think you are good to go. Your injuries have healed wonderfully," said Dr. Cloud Star.

Mrs. Velvet smiled at her daughter before looking at Dr. Cloud Star.

"Thank you, Dr. Cloud Star," said Mrs. Velvet.

Mrs. Velvet shook the doctor's hand before he left the room. She turned to her daughter and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You ready to go to your friend's shop and get that dress she made?" asked Mrs. Velvet.

Twilight was looking at the bite mark on her wrist. She could feel Sunset's fangs dig into her arm as she went to get her blood. She also could feel Sunset's hand grip her arm, steadying her and pinning her arm to the ground. She remembered the feeling of her trying to yank her arm away and causing Sunset's fangs to move across her wrist.

Shaking her head, she forced the thoughts to leave her head. She needed to keep her mind in a more positive place, for her friends. She smiled weakly at her mom.

"Yeah, I am ready. I want to see Rarity's dress that she made for me," replied Twilight.

Mrs. Velvet smiled back at her daughter. She grabbed her coat and opened the door for her daughter. She and her daughter walked out of the office, saying a quick goodbye to the receptionist on their way out. She unlocked the car and got in.

Twilight got into the car as her mom did as well. She pulled her seatbelt across her chest. As she did so, she caught a glimpse of the bite mark. She immediately looked away, thinking about her dress.

The drive to the Carousel Boutique was shorter than the drive to the office. Twilight watched as her mom parked the car in a nearby parking lot. She spotted Applejack's truck and Fluttershy's van. She figured that they had left with Rarity after school ended. She got out of the car, telling her mom that she would be back in 20 minutes or so.

She opened the door with the hand that didn't have the scar of Sunset's bite mark. She felt a whoosh of cold air before the door completely closed behind her. She could see Rainbow Dash with her skateboard on her lap.

"Hey, Twi! You ready to see your dress? " asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight covered her wrist with her other hand. She didn't want the girls to see her scar. She wasn't sure that she could handle them asking her anything about it. She sat next to Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah. I wonder what it'll look like," replied Twilight.

Rainbow Dash smiled.

"Well, she called in Fluttershy and Pinkie to see how their dresses fit. I have been waiting an hour for my dress fitting," said Rainbow Dash.

Twilight sighed. She hoped her mom wouldn't be too upset at the new development. She grabbed her phone and sent her mom a quick text.

'Mom, it may be a while before I actually get my dress.

Twilight received a text back.

'Ok. I will turn the car off and come in.

Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash. She hoped that her mother wasn't going to say anything embarrassing. She could hear the bell ring as her mom walked into the boutique.

"Hi, Mrs. Velvet," said Rainbow Dash, turning her attention to Twilight's mother.

Mrs. Velvet sat next to her daughter and table which held a few fashion magazines. She picked one and smiled at her daughter.

"Don't worry I won't say anything embarrassing if that's what you think," whispered Mrs. Velvet, holding the magazine.

Twilight sighed. She hoped her mom would be true to her word.

*An hour later*

Fluttershy and Pinkie came out carrying their dresses. Twilight waved at them before they exited the building. Next, she saw Applejack walk by with her dress as well. She again waved to her friend, glad that her mother seemed absorbed in the magazine she was reading.

Rarity finally came out from behind a sealed off section of the store. She smiled at Twilight and Rainbow Dash. She also spotted Twilight's mom.

"Hi, girls. Are you ready to try on your dresses and to see how they fit?" asked Rarity.

Both Rainbow Dash and Twilight nodded.

"Mrs..." Rarity went to ask Twilight"s mom if she wanted to come with them to see her daughter's dress. But she realized she hadn't gotten her name.

"Mrs. Velvet," said Mrs. Velvet, giving Rarity her name.

"Well, Mrs. Velvet, would you like to come back and see how your daughter's dress fits?" asked Rarity.

Mrs. Velvet nodded.

"I would love to if my daughter doesn't mind me doing so," replied Mrs. Velvet.

Twilight nodded and smiled at her mom.

"I wouldn't mind at all," replied Twilight.

With that, Twilight and her mom followed Rarity and Rainbow Dash into the sealed off area. Twilight was handed her dress as soon as Rainbow Dash got hers. She went to one of the two dressing rooms that we were available. She closed the curtain before she got changed.

As she pulled off her shirt, she saw her scar. She hoped that when she tried on the dress, her friends wouldn't notice it. She focused on putting on the amazing dress Rarity made. She loved the plum fabric with the maroon and white stars on it. she also loved the slight touch of glitter to make it sparkle in the light.

Once Twilight was able to completely get the dress on, she turned to the full body mirror. She saw that the fabric complimented her skin complexion nicely. It also seemed to hug her figure which she found flattering. She spun around, seeing what the skirt looked like fanned out. She was amazed at how the light bounced off the glitter particles.

"Okay, girls, come on out. Let's see how gorgeous you are in those dresses," said Rarity.

On cue, Twilight and Rainbow Dash left their dressing rooms and walked out towards the center of the room. They waved at each other.

"Nice dress, Twi. That's a lot...of glitter," said Rainbow Dash, she didn't particularly like glittery things.

"Thanks, Rainbow Dash. Your outfit is...very sporty," replied Twilight, giving Rainbow Dash a comment as well.

Rarity circled them as she examined her work. She saw no visible flaws in the designs. Once she was completely satisfied, she asked Rainbow Dash and Twilight for their opinions.

"I love it! You got my style down, Rarity," said Twilight.

"Yeah. And I totally make this dress about 20 percent cooler by wearing it," added Rainbow Dash.

Rarity smiled at her friends. She squealed with joy at her friends' approval of her outfits. She turned to Mrs. Velvet.

"So, what do you of the outfits?" asked Rarity.

Mrs. Velvet looked at her daughter's outfit first. She had to admit that she was impressed by Rarity attention to detail. She loved how the dress showed off her daughter's unique personality.

Once she finished examining her daughter's outfit, she moved to Rainbow Dash's. She admired the sleek yet sporty feel of the outfit. She was impressed at how streamlined the outfit felt.

"Well, I had taken a few design classes a few years ago. I must say, you have a talent for it," said Mrs. Velvet, a pleased smile on her face.

Rarity shook Mrs. Velvet's hand before she looked at the girls.

"Well, I am glad that you like your dresses. I can't wait to see you at the Fall Formal. Bye now." said Rarity.

The girls waved goodbye to their friend as she left. They both went back to their dressing rooms and changed back into their normal outfits. Once they were back in their normal clothes, they walked back out.

"Bye, Twi," said Rainbow Dash, grabbing her dress and skateboard.

"Bye. See you later," replied Twilight, slinging her dress over her arm.

Rainbow Dash walked out from the sealed off area. The sound of the doorbell ringing told Twilight that she had left the store. She smiled at her mom.

"So, you ready to go home and relax before the dance?" asked Mrs. Velvet.

Twilight nodded and followed her mom out of the sealed off area.

"Yeah...I am," replied Twilight.

Meanwhile, at Starlight's house, Diamond Tiara sat in a guest room which Starlight had given her. She was thinking about the article on her half-sister. She remembered reading something about a psychopath. She wondered why Starlight would do something like that.

She headed downstairs. She saw Starlight sitting in the living room with their dresses. She was excited to see the dress Rarity made her.

"Hey, Starlight. I see you got the dresses," said Diamond Tiara.

Starlight looked at Diamond Tiara. She could sense that something was up. She didn't what it was. But she was going to find out one way or another. She didn't like it when people had something that they wanted to ask her but instead kept it themselves.

"Yeah, I did. I think you are going to look beautiful in yours," replied Starlight.

Diamond Tiara went to the kitchen and grabbed a jar of blood from the fridge. She felt her stomach growl as she saw the red liquid. She poured herself a full glass of the blood. As she placed the jar back in the fridge, her fangs extended as her mouth salivated. She put the glass to her lips and drank the blood.

Unlike Starlight, Diamond Tiara didn't need to have three blood bags every day. As long as she had 2 glasses every day, her hunger was manageable. She was happy to not have to drink as much blood as Sunset or Starlight. She couldn't imagine how hard it was for them to have that kind of lifestyle.

She finished the glass and set it down. She ran her tongue against her fangs. She could feel their sharpness scraping against her tongue. She didn't want to think of what they were capable of. She took the glass and washed the blood out of it. She placed it on the dish rack which sat on the counter.

"May I ask you a question, Starlight?" asked Diamond Tiara, sitting on the couch, next to Starlight.

Starlight looked at Diamond Tiara. She could tell that Diamond Tiara knew something. She didn't know what it was. But whatever it was, it was bothering her that much she could see. She sat back and crossed her legs.

"Sure. What's your question, Diamond Tiara?" asked Starlight.

Diamond Tiara looked down. She was unsure of how to ask Starlight her question. She didn't want to come off as rude. She swallowed, her throat feeling tight and dry.

"Is it true?" asked Diamond Tiara.

"Is what true?" said Starlight, her voice wavering slightly out of fear.

"Is it true that you were the psychopathic villager who attacked my half sister and killed her?" asked Diamond Tiara, her eyes meeting Starlight's gaze directly.

Starlight stopped breathing for a few minutes. She couldn't believe that Diamond Tiara had actually found the article on her. She managed to take a few shaky breaths after a few more minutes. She looked away, ashamed of the way she handled the situation and her past actions.

"Yes, it is true. I am the psychopath that is mentioned in the article," replied Starlight.

Diamond Tiara moved a little farther from Starlight. She wasn't sure if what to feel. She was caught between shock and...anger. She was surprised that she felt she angry over the death of someone she had never met. She looked at Starlight and noticed that she seemed to be sobbing. Seeing that, erased the shock and anger.

"Starlight? Did you want to hurt her?" asked Diamond Tiara, tilting her head down to look at Starlight.

Starlight looked up. Her persian eyes met Diamond Tiara's eyes. She didn't see any anger, which was a relief. She took a deep breath and answered Diamond Tiara's question.

"No, I didn't. I wanted her to live a long life. But your father had corrupted her to the point where she was no longer in control of her actions." replied Starlight.

Diamond Tiara sighed. She was happy to hear that Starlight hadn't meant to kill her half-sister. But as she thought about her half-sister, she began to ponder things that hadn't crossed her mind previously.

"W-what was my sister like? Was she kind?" asked Diamond Tiara, unable to contain her curiosity.

Starlight smiled. She was glad that Diamond Tiara seemed curious to find out more about her sibling. She took Diamond Tiara's hand and squeezed it gently.

"She was kind. She was loved by all who had met her. Well, that is before she was corrupted." said Starlight.

Diamond Tiara smiled as she tried to picture her sister. She could see a faint image of someone who could be her sister. She looked at Starlight, a stray tear running down her cheek. She wiped it away and took a shaky breath.

"Was she beautiful?" asked Diamond Tiara.

Starlight let go of Diamond Tiara's hand. She got up and walked away without saying anything. She ran down to one of the padlocked rooms, unlocking it. She went in and grabbed a picture of a young, 16-year-old girl. She walked back out with the picture in her hand.

"Here's a picture," said Starlight, handing the yellowed picture to Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara could see that the picture was black and white despite its yellowed edges. She saw that girl's eyes were a light gray, indicating that she had a light eye color. She saw that the girl wore a similar crown on her head. But something caught her eye. She saw that the girl was smiling. As she noticed that, she spotted two vampire fangs sticking out.

"You see the fangs, huh?" asked Starlight.

"Yeah. How was she able to do that? And she is beautiful." said Diamond Tiara.

"If I remember, a friend took her picture. I think that she trusted that friend and therefore, she is seen with her fangs. And she is beautiful, like you." replied Starlight.

Diamond Tiara blushed as she heard Starlight's comment. She did notice the family resemblance somewhat. She handed the picture back to Starlight.

"No, I think you should keep it. It's your sister, not mine," said Starlight, handing the picture back to Diamond Tiara.

"Okay, thanks," said Diamond Tiara.

"Now, let's get ready for our night out, shall we?" asked Starlight.

Diamond Tiara nodded and placed the picture on the kitchen counter. She grabbed her dress and joined Starlight in the master bedroom.

Back at the farmhouse basement, Filthy Rich walked in. He spotted Sunset laying on the floor. Her wounds hadn't healed completely. In fact, they hadn't healed at all since the last he saw her. He looked back at the cart. He saw the four bags of blood, untouched and unmoved.

He looked back at Sunset. He kicked her abdomen. He saw that some of her wounds open a little as the force of the kick hit them. He smiled as he saw that she was stirring awake.

"Good. I have something to talk to you about," said Filthy Rich.

Sunset looked up and saw Filthy Rich. She felt the pain in her abdomen which had startled her out of her sleep. She could feel the trickle of warm blood as it ran down her skin. She attempted to move but her stomach stung as she did.

"W-what do you want, Filthy Rich?" asked Sunset, unable to keep from stuttering.

Filthy Rich stepped closer to Sunset. He grabbed her arm and pulled her up. He pointed to the cart while he gripped her forearm.

"I told you to finish those blood bags. But here they sit, untouched. Care to explain that?" asked Filthy Rich.

Sunset saw the blood bags. She was proud that she had resisted her urge to drink the blood. She wanted to fight Filthy Rich as much as possible. Plus, she wanted to show Starlight the evidence of what he did to her. She winced as she felt his grip tighten around her arm.

"And what if I don't want to?" retorted Sunset.

Filthy Rich let go of Sunset. He heard her fall and scream out in pain as her body hit the floor. He walked over to the cart, his hand hovering over the bloodied weapons. He grabbed a knife that had her dried blood on it. He walked back over to her.

"You see this knife?" asked Filthy Rich.

Sunset nodded. She eyed the blade in his hand. She watched as he got closer to her. She could smell her dried blood on the blade as he bent down.

"This knife is going to cut your arm," He held the knife tip against her shoulder, "So, are you going to drink the blood bags?" asked Filthy Rich.

Sunset looked at the knife. She knew that if she said no, he might torture her more. But she wanted to fight him, even if it meant she'd be injured further. She looked at him, her eyes meeting his.

"Hmm, no. I don't think that I will," replied Sunset, a smirk spreading across her face.

Filthy Rich could hear the sarcastic tine Sunset had. He growled as his eyes changed from light blue to red. His fangs extended as he pushed the knife's tip into her arm. He kept pushing until half the knife blade was buried in her arm.

Sunset screamed as she felt the blade slice her skin and muscle. She could feel the blood trickling down her arm from the wound. She tried to pull her arm away. But a firm grip on her forearm stopped her.

Filthy Rich, angered by Sunset's resistance, pushed the knife in deeper. He tightened his grip on the knife handle. Without a second of hesitation, he dragged the knife down the length of her arm. He pulled it out as he got to her wrist.

"How about now? I mean, you could still be injured further should you choose to refuse again," said Filthy Rich, examining her arms.

Sunset stared at the jagged cut which ran down her arm. She could see that it was bleeding, but thankfully, not too badly. She looked at Filthy Rich. She saw a glimmer of insanity in his eyes. She knew that no matter what she chose, he would hurt her.

"My answer is still no. I won't do what you want," replied Sunset.

Filthy Rich growled and dug the knife back into her arm. This time he placed it on the underside of her arm. He repeated what he did moments ago. He then repeated it again. He did this one more time, leaving four jagged cut marks all over the length of Sunset's arm.

Sunset let out a scream so loud her throat felt sore afterward. She saw the blood on the floor. She had to keep from throwing up as her hunger surged. She wanted to drink the blood bags, desperately. But she didn't want to give Filthy Rich the satisfaction of succeeding.

"Now, I will move to your other arm. I will continue to make cuts until your arms can no longer be cut. So, will you give in or continue to suffer?" asked Filthy Rich.

He emphasized his words by digging the blade into her other arm. He pushed the blade just as deep as he did the last few times. He looked at Sunset, waiting for her to say that she agreed to do what he asked. But, as usual, she said nothing. He pulled the knife down her arm. He repeated that process over and over again until her arm was covered in blood.

Sunset could feel her body getting weaker with each passing minute. Yet, she still didn't give in. She wasn't about to do so, not after all this. Managing what strength she had, she stood up and launched herself onto Filthy Rich.

Filthy Rich felt Sunset land on top of his back. He grabbed her bleeding arms and threw her off. He saw that she had ruined his expensive silk shirt. He growled through his now clenched teeth. He gripped the knife tightly as he walked over to Sunset's motionless body.

"Well, I guess I just have to continue cutting you until you give in," said Filthy Rich.

As soon as he made the first of a series of small but deep cuts, Sunset jerked her eyes open. She could feel the pain increasing with each cut. She watched as the uncut parts of her arm were cut. She screamed a little as each new cut was made. Eventually, her whole left arm was riddled in cuts. She could barely tell them apart from her blood covered skin.

Filthy Rich was beginning to become frustrated by Sunset's stubborn nature. He moved on to her right. He repeated what he did to her left arm. He had to hold her arm still as he continued to cut. He didn't want her to mess up what he was doing to her. He finished with her right arm as well.

Sunset watched through her foggy vision as Filthy Rich walked away. She turned her head to see that her arms were severely cut up. She knew that she couldn't take much more. She was about to say something when she felt an agonizing pain in her left leg. She looked down to see that Filthy Rich had dug the knife into her leg. She screamed as he dragged the knife down her leg.

Filthy Rich pulled the knife out before it got down to her knee. He was getting tired and annoyed. He walked away from Sunset and headed towards the cart. He threw the knife back onto the cart. He sighed and leaned against the cart. He looked down and took a deep breath. Once he regained his cool, he walked back over to Sunset.

"You ready to give in?" asked Filthy Rich, his annoyance at her very clear.

Sunset looked up and nodded. She didn't have the strength to speak. She waited for him to give one of the blood bags. She felt a heavy thump in her lap. She saw that he had given her one of the blood bags.

"I am going to bring you your Fall Formal dress. I do hope you like it. I had it specially made for you." said Filthy Rich.

He disappeared from the basement. He walked out to his car and pulled out a dress in a plastic dress cover. He brought it down to the basement. He hung it on the one hook that was in the basement wall.

Sunset saw the dress. She had to admit that Filthy Rich knew a good deal about fashion. She that the fabric was a royal red. But as she examined the dress, she saw that the colors changed. She watched as the red and honey yellow combined around the waist area. She could see that the dress from there on, was a mix of the two colors. She smiled, admiring the beauty of the dress.

"You will wear this to the Fall Formal. And to show that I bear no resentment, you can keep it. Now, after you've finished the blood bags, shower. I don't want people to see a bloodied child." said Filthy Rich.

Sunset opened the blood bag and drank some of its contents. She nodded in consent to what Filthy Rich told her to do. As soon as she did that, she watched him leave the basement. She heard the door lock once more. She also heard the faint chanting of him placing the spell on the door again. She focused on drinking the blood and seeing Twilight again.

*Two hours later

Back at Starlight's house, all the girls were getting ready for the Fall Formal. Twilight was sitting in her dress as Fluttershy did her make up. She had to close her eyes as Fluttershy applied a light purple colored eyeshadow. When she opened them again, she saw Rarity in her dress. She was amazed at how beautiful Rarity looked in her dress.

"Wow, Rarity! You look amazing as usual," said Applejack.

She was already ready for the dance. She had a beautiful country-style dress on. She loved how Rarity incorporated her apples on the dress. She especially loved the waist belt. It was similar to her everyday one, but instead of one apple, there were three. She didn't much care for the glitter on them.

"Thank you, Applejack. I am rather proud of the design. Though the fabric choice was Fluttershy's." said Rarity.

All eyes turned to Fluttershy. She hid behind her hair as she saw her friends staring at her. She didn't like to draw attention to herself.

"Oh, it was nothing. I was just helping out a friend, that's all," said Fluttershy, her soft voice breaking the silence.

"Don't be ridiculous, Fluttershy. You did more than help me. Without your fabric choice, I would've been stuck on the design." said Rarity.

That comment made Fluttershy blush. She looked back at her bunny, Angel. She saw that he was almost done brushing her hair. She tried her best to not think about Sunset hurting him or even killing him.

"No! Sunset would never do that. Not to Angel, not knowing that I love him." thought Fluttershy, pushing the thought away.

Fluttershy finished up Twilight's make up after she applied a small amount of blush. She looked at Twilight, hoping that her friend liked the finished result. She herself, was proud of the result.

"Do you like it, Twilight?" asked Fluttershy.

Twilight nodded. She could see that Fluttershy made sure to choose flattering tones for her. She loved how her eyeshadow made her purple eyes stand out a bit more than usual.

Fluttershy was happy that Twilight liked what she did. She got up and went to the bathroom. She was going to do her own makeup next. She was glad that Angel joined her. She was going to ask his opinion when she finished.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie was sitting in the kitchen, eating a cupcake. She was sitting next to Diamond Tiara. She was about to hand Diamond Tiara a cupcake when she remembered that she was a half vampire.

Diamond Tiara looked at Pinkie Pie and took the cupcake. She took a bite and smiled at Pinkie.

"Mm, this is really good, Pinkie," said Diamond Tiara.

Pinkie looked surprised. She was glad that Diamond Tiara enjoyed the cupcake. But she was a bit confused by how she could eat the cupcake.

Diamond Tiara saw Pinkie's confusion. She finished her cupcake and threw away the wrapper. She walked over to the side of the counter where Pinkie Pie was.

"I can eat normal foods, just as long as blood is in some part of my diet. Starlight explained it all to me when I first came here," said Diamond Tiara.

Pinkie smiled at Diamond Tiara, her confusion now gone. She was about to say something when Starlight came into the kitchen.

"Hey, Starlight," said Pinkie, waving happily at Starlight.

"Hey, Pinkie Pie. Where are the rest of the girls? The limousine is going to be here any minute now." replied Starlight.

Just then, the rest of the girls all came down. They all had their makeup done and some accessories on. They sat down in the kitchen.

"We're ready, Starlight," said Twilight.

Starlight sighed with relief. She was already stressed about what was going to happen at the Fall Formal. She was worried that Filthy Rich might pull something on them and risk Sunset's safety.

"No, Starlight. You can't think like that. You'd be endangering the girls as well as Sunset." thought Starlight.

Suddenly a car horn honked. Everyone walked out the front door. They saw that the limousine had arrived. Making sure that they had gotten everything, the girls got into the limo. Starlight grabbed the book, which was the staff still in its disguise. She joined the girls in the limo as it drove them to the Fall Formal.

Back at the farmhouse, Sunset was finishing up the last of the blood bags. She could feel her hunger disappear. She threw the blood bag onto the cart as she finished it. She got up and walked into the bathroom.

She saw her reflection in the mirror. She almost threw up at the sight of the wounds on her arm. She could see that they weren't too deep. But they were deep enough to cause some concern. She looked away, not wanting to see her appearance anymore.

She stepped into the shower. She noticed that they were shampoo and conditioner as well a bottle of body wash. She knew that they weren't there earlier. She grabbed the shampoo and turned the water on. She undressed, even taking off her bra and underwear.

She turned on the shower and screamed slightly as the water hit her skin. She bit her lip and did her best to fight through the pain. She watched the bloodied water ran down her body She was able to get a good look at her wounds. She saw that some of them were healed more than others. She was glad to see that the animal blood was doing its job, albeit very slowly. She put some shampoo in her hand and as she got ready to wash her dirty hair.

She had to repeat the shampoo and rinse process because her hair had been coated with dried blood. She ignored the stinging sensation as the shampoo touched some of the cuts on her arms. She was finally able to get her hair cleaned after a few minutes. She moved onto the conditioner.

She didn't want to do her body just yet. She wasn't sure of how much she could endure at the moment. But as she finished conditioning her hair, she sighed. She grabbed the body wash and washcloth which was by the tub. She poured some of the body wash on the washcloth.

She carefully lifted the soapy cloth to her left arm. She could feel the stinging sensation as the soap seeped into her cuts. She wanted to scream but she didn't allow herself to do so. She fought against the pain as she washed her arm and slowly started to work her to her back. She managed to ignore the pain after a little while. She eventually got to her legs.

She finished showering after a few minutes. She turned the water. Her body felt relieved to not be irritated by the soap. She stepped out and grabbed a towel. She wrapped it around herself, covering her chest and private areas. She looked in the cabinets, hoping for a blow dryer for her hair.

To her surprise, she found one. She pulled it out and saw that she needed a working outlet. She was able to find a hidden one by the cart. She plugged it in and turned it on. She aimed the blow dryer on her hair. She enjoyed the warm air. It reminded her of when she was beginning to adjust to her vampire nature, with Starlight helping her.

She missed Starlight and her friends. She also missed Twilight. She wanted to know if Twilight was okay. She had feared that Twilight would die because she lost control. She turned the blow dryer off and checked her reflection in the mirror.

She could see that the edges of her cuts had begun to repair themselves. She took a deep breath and turned her back to the mirror. She saw that her back wasn't too bad. She saw that most of the blisters had repaired themselves or just disappeared. She turned to face the mirror again.

She watched as her fangs extended. She watched as the cyan color drained from her eyes as they turned red. She knew that she had to avoid any eye contact with anyone at the Fall Formal. She grabbed her stomach as her hunger returned. She glanced back at herself. She hoped that she could control herself, for her and Starlight's sake.

She walked out of the bathroom, doing her best to ignore her hunger. She grabbed the dress which Filthy Rich had given her. She pulled the dress out of the plastic cover. She ran her hand over the fabric. She loved how silky the fabric was. She held up to her body, seeing how it could look on her.

She took off the towel and tossed it to the side. She slipped the dress over her head. She saw that a small leather belt was included in the ensemble. She put it on her waist. She tightened it to the point where it hugged her waist. She stood back and admired the way dress looked. She didn't want to admit that Filthy Rich had a good eye for fashion. But she had to admit that he knew what colors were a good look for her.

Sunset heard Filthy Rich come into the basement. She immediately got out of the bathroom. She could still tell that her hair was still a bit damp. She watched as he looked at the empty blood bags.

"Good. You drank the blood I gave you. Glad to see you came to your senses." said Filthy Rich.

Sunset growled at Filthy Rich's comment. He looked up at her. He saw that her. eyes were red. He walked over to her and pulled her upper lip back. He saw that her fangs out. He smiled with glee.

Sunset pulled him away from her mouth. She wasn't in the mood to be picked on. She backed away, keeping a good distance between her and him.

"Can we leave now?" asked Sunset.

Filthy Rich looked at her. He gave her wounds a once over before looking down. He wasn't too happy with her appearance. But he figured that due to Twilight's blood being out of her system, she couldn't heal as quickly.

"Yes, we can leave. Just remember to keep those fangs of yours hidden. I wouldn't anyone to see that you're a vampire." said Filthy Rich.

Sunset glared at Filthy Rich. She walked past him and pushed him aside.

"Fine. I was planning on doing just that," said Sunset.

Filthy Rich held back a growl. He wasn't going to let some sassy teenager push him around. He walked past Sunset, shoving her down the stairs. He smirked as she fought to keep her balance. He opened the door and waited outside.

Sunset walked back up the stairs. She stopped as she got to the door. She was unsure if he spelled the doorway. She placed one foot over the doorway. To her grateful surprise, there was no spell. She walked the rest of the way out of the door. She followed Filthy Rich to his car.

She saw that he had gotten his blue sedan back. She watched as he opened the passenger door for her. She narrowed her eyes at him as she sat in the seat. She flinched as he slammed the door shut.

Filthy Rich got in on the driver's side. He looked at Sunset, making sure that she wasn't planning anything. Once he felt safe, he started the car. He sped off to the Fall Formal.

At the Fall Formal, Starlight and the girls had finally arrived. They all walked out of the limo, one by one. Starlight gripped the disguised staff tightly. She didn't want to let it out of her sight.

She joined the girls in getting some fruit punch. She saw that there were large amounts of faculty members as well parents. She hoped that Filthy Rich wouldn't try to expose her or Sunset. She didn't want to have to move, mostly for Sunset.

She saw that there were two long tables with white tablecloths over them. She was standing next to one of them, the one that had mostly assorted drinks. She saw Diamond Tiara at the other one. She walked over to her.

Diamond Tiara was staring at the scenery. She loved how the white, blue and yellow streamers were flung into the trees. She also loved the idea of stringing lanterns into between the trees. She was so caught up in admiring the scenery, she hadn’t heard Starlight walk up.

"Hey, Diamond Tiara. How are you holding up?" asked Starlight.

Diamond Tiara jumped as she heard Starlight's voice. She looked at Starlight.

"I am holding up pretty good. Though, it is a bit hard to ignore the pulses of these people," replied Diamond Tiara.

Starlight was about to speak when something caught her eye. She spotted the very familiar blue sedan. She gripped the staff a bit tighter. She watched as the sedan stopped in front of the wondercolt statue.

Filthy Rich parked his sedan by the statue. He looked at Sunset. He hoped that her appearance wouldn't garner too much attention. He stepped out of his car. He walked over to Sunset's side and opened her door.

Filthy Rich smiled as he held out his hand for her. Sunset looked at him and hesitated in giving him her hand. She eventually decided to trust him. She gave him her hand and she was pulled gently out of his car.

Once she was standing in her own, she pulled her hand free of his. She walked past the statue. She could hear the students and faculty alike gasp. She did her best to keep her injuries hidden. She looked for one moment. Her eyes met Twilight's purple eyes.

She saw a flash of sheer panic and fear in them. She was about to approach her when a firm hand grabbed her forearm. She saw that kiFilthy Rich was dragging her towards Starlight and Diamond Tiara.

The girls all rushed towards Starlight and Diamond Tiara. Twilight was the only who stood behind everyone. She didn't want to see Sunset. Not like this, not when she looked so...hurt. She kept looking down, avoiding Sunset's gaze.

Diamond Tiara hid behind Starlight as she saw her dad approach them. She looked at Sunset and noticed the deep cuts which covered her arms. She was shocked to see that her own father was capable of such abuse.

"Hello, Starlight," said Filthy Rich.

"Hello, Filthy Rich," replied Starlight.

To Be Continued…..