//------------------------------// // Chapter 28: The Fall Formal: Part 2 // Story: The Chronicles of Sunset: Crimson Promise // by VioletNightWriter //------------------------------// Starlight looked at Sunset. She could see all the cuts which covered Sunset's arm. She covered her mouth as she fought to not throw up. She felt a mix of anger and disgust. She couldn't believe what Filthy Rich put Sunset through. She placed the staff next to her, her hand never leaving it. Sunset did her best to ignore all the whispers. She kept looking at Twilight. She wanted Twilight to acknowledge her, to know that she existed. But instead, she got ignored. She looked down, hiding a stray tear. She was glad to see that Twilight was okay, mostly. She glanced up and she spotted Twilight's wrist with the scars of her bite. She held back a gasp. She hadn't realized that she had scarred Twilight physically. She tried to pull her hand free of Filthy Rich's grip. She wanted to talk to Twilight, to apologize. She had to make sure Twilight didn't completely hate her. Starlight saw that Sunset tried to move away from away Filthy Rich. She could see her wince in pain as she fought. She narrowed her eyes at Filthy Rich. She had just about enough of him treating Sunset poorly. She moved forward towards Filthy Rich. "Let Sunset go. She won't leave your sight, I promise," said Starlight, her eyes watching Filthy Rich's expression. Filthy Rich rolled his eyes at Starlight. He didn't like her demand. But reluctantly, he let go of Sunset's arm. He watched as Sunset approached her friends. He kept her in his peripheral vision. Sunset ran up to Pinkie Pie, who greeted her with a hug. She did her best to ignore the pain of her cuts as she gave Pinkie a hug. She smiled at her friends. A few tears started to fall down her cheeks. She was beyond happy to see her friends again. After all that she endured, it was an amazing feeling to see her friends. Twilight backed away as Sunset got closer. She could feel her heart race fast as her breathing sped up. She covered her wrist, hiding the bite mark from Sunset. She didn't want Sunset to see the scar. "Oh, dear! What has Filthy Rich done to you?!" exclaimed Rarity. Sunset looked at Rarity. She didn't want to burden her friends with the details. She didn't want to ruin their happy reunion, not yet. She looked down at her arms and sighed. "That's a bit of a long story. I will tell you guys the details later," replied Sunset. As Applejack looked at Sunset, she saw Sunset's fangs. She immediately took a step back. She looked at her friends and saw that they, too, had seen Sunset's fangs. She hoped that Sunset could keep herself in control. She didn't want to be attacked like Twilight. "Are you h-hungry, Sunset?" asked Applejack, her voice giving away her fear. Sunset's red eyes met Applejack's green ones. She could tell that there was a mix of worry and fear in them. She bit her lip causing her fang to cut it. She tasted her own blood. She felt her stomach growl in response, making her double over. She felt her ability to control herself, slipping away. "Y-yes, I am. My injuries require me to drink large amounts of blood. But Filthy Rich only supplied a few pints to me." replied Sunset, struggling to stand up straight. Twilight looked up as Sunset spoke. She caught Sunset's attention. For a moment, she and Sunset stared at each other. She wasn't sure of what to do. She didn't know what she could, or should, say. She leaned against the table behind her as Sunset began to approach her. Meanwhile, Starlight kept her hand on the staff. She watched the surrounding crowds of student and faculty alike. She wasn't sure of what Filthy Rich was planning. But she hoped that because it was a public place, he wouldn't dare risk exposing them. "Did you bring the staff, Starlight?" asked Filthy Rich. He eyed the book which Starlight laid her hand on. He had a sinking suspicion that the book wasn't just any book. He figured that she had disguised the staff magically. He stepped closer to Starlight, his hand reaching for the book. "Yes, I did," said Starlight, pulling the book away from him. Filthy Rich glared at Starlight for a moment. He quickly replaced the glare with an annoyed expression. He glanced behind Starlight, looking at his daughter. He could see that her eyes flashed red for a split second. He returned his attention to Starlight. "I see that you've helped my daughter develop her vampire side," said Filthy Rich. Starlight glanced at Diamond Tiara. She smiled as she looked down. She was happy to see that Diamond Tiara had a chance to live a mostly normal life. She still carried some guilt for killing her half-sister. She felt a tug on the staff which brought her attention back to Filthy Rich. "Let go of the bo-staff!" hissed Starlight, smacking Filthy Rich's hand. Filthy Rich withdrew his hand. He was surprised by Starlight's actions. He didn't picture her being the kind of woman to resort to such behavior. He looked past Starlight, at his daughter. He wanted to speak to her. He was curious to see what she thought about her heritage. Back at the snack table, Sunset stood in front of Twilight. She rubbed her neck nervously. She didn't like that Twilight was clearly scared of her. She tried to ignore Twilight's obvious fear and stood next to her. "H-hey, Twilight..." said Sunset. As Sunset spoke, Twilight saw her fangs. She held back a gasp. She gripped her wrist even tighter, her nails digging into her skin. She felt her stomach clench as her fear made her nauseous. She wanted to move away, but something stopped her. She looked at Sunset, trying to figure out why she couldn't move away. As she looked at her friend, she saw that she was fighting her hunger. She could tell that Sunset was doing what she could to keep herself from hurting from her. Seeing that, made Twilight lose some of her fear. She managed to let her grip on her wrist, loosen. "S-sunset..., did you mean to hurt me?" asked Twilight. Sunset cringed as she heard Twilight's question. She had figured that the question would come up sooner or later. But she didn't expect it to come up sooner. She had hoped that it would be later. She stared at the ground, knowing that Twilight was looking at her. "I..." she trailed off, stumbling over what to say. Sunset looked up, seeing Filthy Rich eyeing his daughter. She wondered what his intent was with her. She lost focus on the conversation she was having with Twilight. She couldn't ignore the feeling that Filthy Rich had something bad planned. "Sunset, is everything okay? You've been quiet for the past 10 minutes," asked Twilight, her voice showing no signs of fear. Twilight was surprised by how strong and confident her voice sounded. She didn't think that she could do that, especially around Sunset. But her stomach still churned at the thought of stepping closer to Sunset. Sunset blinked as she drew her attention back to Twilight. She didn't realize that she had been standing there, silent for ten minutes. She glanced at Twilight. She dared herself to look directly at her friend. As she did that, she saw genuine concern in Twilight's eyes. "Yeah, Twi. I am okay. I was just thinking about what Filthy Rich has in mind." replied Sunset. Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion. She wondered what Sunset was getting at. She couldn't see Filthy Rich having a secret plan, let alone being able to pull something against Starlight. She got lost in thought as she tried to figure out what Sunset was thinking. She was so lost in thought, that she wasn't seeing what was happening. Sunset ignored most of the faculty member's whispers. She wished that her dress had sleeves so she could cover her arms. She missed her leather jacket. She missed the feel of the worn leather against her bare skin. She also missed it's familiar, almost homey, smell. She leaned against the table, sighing. Celestia spotted Sunset as she and her sister arrived at the Fall Formal. She gasped as she saw the cuts all over Sunset's arms. She walked over to Sunset, leaving her sister to mingle with other faculty members. "Miss Shimmer, nice to see you again. Where have you been?" asked Celestia. Sunset looked at Celestia and let out a nervous chuckle. She hadn't expected Celestia to come to the Fall Formal. She looked at Twilight as she saw her walk away. She was hurt to see that Twilight had walked away. She turned her attention back to Celestia. She wasn't sure if she could say anything about the last two weeks. She was thankful that her dress was long enough to cover her thighs. "I was, uh..." Sunset wasn't able to think of an answer. Celestia raised an eyebrow, waiting for Sunset to answer. She grabbed a glazed donut from the box on the table. She took a bite as she looked at Sunset. Sunset was about to answer when her hunger surged. She groaned as her stomach clenched. She needed blood, human blood. She gripped the snack table tightly, denting the hard plastic. Celestia was worried about her student. She could see that Sunset wasn't feeling too good. She saw Sunset's eyes look at her. She saw that they were blood red. Any thoughts about approaching Sunset left Celestia's head. She backed away slowly so it was not to trigger any attacks. Sunset saw Celestia back away. She saw fear in her teacher's eyes. She knew that kind of fear. The fear of her real nature. She felt a small growl escape her throat. She closed her eyes and gathered all the strength she could. She let go of the table and ignored her growing hunger. She opened her eyes again to see a few students murmuring to themselves. Diamond Tiara backed away as her father approached her. She looked at Starlight. She wanted her support or better yet, for her to stop her father from approaching her. She stopped backing up as she hit a tree behind her. "Relax, I am not here to hurt you. Despite what your mother told you." said Filthy Rich, managing a smile. "Yeah, right!" retorted Diamond Tiara. Filthy Rich staggered back a step or two. He didn't think his daughter harbored much resentment. But her words showed her feelings quite clearly. He looked at her and for a moment, his eyes had a look of genuine hurt. "Well, I guess I do deserve your mistrust," said Filthy Rich. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe her father's attitude. She hated him for making her mother run off. She also hated him for not giving her a choice in whether she could be human. She wanted him to get out of her life. "What do you want...father?" asked Diamond Tiara. Filthy Rich was shocked to hear his daughter say the word 'father'. He had gotten used to her calling him daddy. He cleared his throat, ignoring the hurt that was slowly building. "I just wanted to see what you thought of your heritage," replied Filthy Rich. Diamond Tiara remained silent. She glanced at Sunset, not wanting to think about her father's question. She saw that groups of students were avoiding Sunset. As she continued watching the scene, she caught a brief glance of Sunset's fangs. She saw that a few other students, including her, saw them too. "What has your attention?" asked Filthy Rich, looking behind him. "Oh, nothing really. I was just staring off into space is all," replied Diamond Tiara, drawing Filthy Rich's attention back to her. She looked at Starlight. She and Starlight shared a worried look. She was glad that Starlight saw what was happening with Sunset. She worried that Sunset's hunger might expose them if she didn't get it under control. "So, what do you think of your heritage?" asked Filthy Rich. Diamond Tiara looked at her father. She could see that he wasn't going to give up so easily. She sighed, giving in. She figured answering his question would get rid of him. "I don't know much, only what Starlight has told me," She looked at Sunset, seeing her walking away from the crowds of students, "So, I can't say anything. But I will make sure you know how I feel when I learn the complete truth." replied Diamond Tiara, her sarcasm ringing clear. Filthy Rich's hands balled into fists. He looked at his daughter, staring her right in the eyes. He felt his canines lengthen as anger clouded his thoughts. He sped over to her, pinning her against the tree. He heard a loud thud as he slammed Diamond Tiara against the tree. He ignored the murmurs of a few onlookers. "I don't like sarcastic teenagers, especially when they are my daughter!" shouted Filthy Rich. A few parents looked away from their conversations. They stared at the scene which was playing out in front of them. A few of them shared hushed whispers about the situation. Starlight, who was standing with Sunset's friends, looked at Filthy Rich over his daughter. She stole one glance at Sunset, seeing that she was watching it as well. Not hesitating, Starlight walked over to Filthy Rich. She pulled on his shoulder, allowing Diamond Tiara to slip out from his grip. Filthy Rich flared his nostrils as he turned to face Starlight. He shoved her hand off his shoulder and pushed her back. "No one touches me unless I say they can," said Filthy Rich who was clearly annoyed. Starlight managed to regain her footing. She saw that she had almost fallen onto the drink table. She glared at Filthy Rich. She was losing every bit of patience she had for his behavior. She felt her fangs extend as she lunged for Filthy Rich. Filthy Rich watched as Starlight pounced on top of him. He tried to move but his movements were restricted by Starlight. He looked at the crowd of students, faculty, and parents which had now started to surround them. He saw an opportunity to expose Starlight and Sunset. Smiling at Starlight, he took the opportunity. "Help! She's a vampire!" shouted Filthy Rich, pushing against Starlight's shoulders. Sunset looked up as Filthy Rich said 'vampire'. She saw the huge crowds which were surrounding him and Starlight. She took one step towards the crowd. But her hunger made her legs shake and she fell. She landed on her knees, pulling the cuts open on her thighs. She saw some blood stain the dress. Fluttershy, who was looking down on the ground, looked up. She saw Sunset fall. She pulled her hair back, tapping Applejack on the shoulder. "Um, Applejack?" asked Fluttershy. "What is it, sugarcube?" whispered Applejack. "Sunset is hurt and on the ground," said Fluttershy, her voice lowering with each word. Applejack looked over to where Sunset was. She saw the blood which stained the lower half of Sunset's dress. She turned back to the rest of the girls. "We need to help Sunset. She's bleeding and from the looks of it, pretty badly," said Applejack. The girls all looked at Sunset. Rarity held back a gasp as she saw the blood staining the dress. She couldn't believe that a beautiful fabric choice was being ruined. Pinkie let the cookie in her hand fall out. She was shocked to see her friend injured. She quickly ran over to Sunset. But she was stopped by Applejack before she could make it two feet. "I would be careful, Pinkie. She is hungry and our blood is a temptation," said Applejack. Pinkie looked at Applejack and her smile faded. She was worried about her friend. But Applejack had a point. Their blood was what Sunset craved. She looked around at the crowds of people which surrounded Starlight and Filthy Rich. She noticed that Twilight wasn't one of the onlookers. She spun around, trying to see where Twilight was. At the same time, Celestia and her sister Luna pulled Starlight off of Filthy Rich. But as they saw Starlight's face, they saw her red eyes and fangs. Celestia grabbed her sister and pulled her away, pushing past the crowd. The crowd followed suit as Starlight stood up. "Filthy Rich... you aren't getting the staff, even if I have to die for it," said Starlight. She sped over to the book and grabbed it. She turned around to see that Filthy Rich was behind her. She tried to move the book, but she moved it seconds too late. She felt the spell on the staff disappear. She looked at the crowds of parents. She saw that some of them held onto their kids. She saw their fear, fear of her. "Give. Me. The. Staff!" shouted Filthy Rich, yanking on the staff. Applejack stopped watching the scene between Starlight and Filthy Rich. She looked at Pinkie, seeing that her friend was looking for something. "What are looking for, Pinkie?" asked Applejack. "Twilight," replied Pinkie. Applejack looked around and saw that Twilight had disappeared. She wondered where their friend had run off to. She figured that she couldn't have gotten far. She turned to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, look for Twilight. I have a feeling she may be the only one to keep Sunset in control," said Applejack. Rainbow Dash nodded. She ran off towards the school. She was headed to the bathrooms, figuring that was a likely place for Twilight to be. She turned the corner to the first-floor bathroom. She almost bumped into Twilight as she opened the bathroom door. "Twilight, there you are! I was just coming to get you!" shouted Rainbow Dash. "Really, why?" asked Twilight. Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight's wrist, her hand covering the bite mark. She pulled Twilight along until they were standing in the school entrance. She pointed to Sunset. "That's why. Sunset is badly injured. And Starlight was exposed as well." replied Rainbow Dash. Twilight yanked her wrist free and hid the bite mark. She saw that Applejack and Pinkie Pie were kneeling by Sunset while Rarity and Fluttershy cleaned the blood off her dress. She covered her mouth as she fought to not throw up. She turned her attention to Starlight. She saw that Starlight was fighting to keep the staff in her possession. She also noted that Starlight eyes were red and her fangs were out. Diamond Tiara saw that Starlight was losing her grip on the staff. She grabbed the staff, helping Starlight keep it from her dad. She saw Starlight smile at her. She smiled back. But as her focus on holding the staff shifted, she was thrown off. She fell back on the ground as her father swept her off her feet. Rarity and Applejack both looked up as Diamond Tiara fell. They watched as Starlight struggled to keep Filthy Rich from taking the staff. Their attention was immediately drawn toward Sunset as she screamed in pain. "Sunset, you okay? What's bothering you?" asked Applejack. Sunset glanced up at her friends. She could see they were trying to help her. She did what she could to keep from biting them. She could see Rainbow Dash and Twilight walking towards her. As she went to answer her stomach churned and twisted even tighter. "I...need...blood. Now," said Sunset in a pained voice. Applejack looked at her friends. She could see that they were scared. Scared for their safety and for Sunset's health. She looked around and tried to see if there was any way to get Sunset some blood. But there was nothing. "Sugarcube, there isn't any blood we can give you right now. Do you think you can try to control yourself?" asked Applejack, stepping a few feet back. The rest of the girls did the same. Fluttershy was hiding behind her hair, nervously avoiding any glances at Sunset. She didn't want to see her friend's hunger. "I... can... try," replied Sunset. Just as Sunset said that Starlight managed to free the staff from Filthy Rich's grip. He was thrown against a tree, making the surrounding crowd run away. As he hit the tree, he felt his fangs extend. He could feel his blood boil as his anger grew. He pushed himself off the tree, denting the tree. "Ah! Filthy Rich is a vampire!" screamed a concerned parent. Filthy Rich sped over to where the voice came from. He found the parent cowering by the snack table. He grabbed the man's shirt and pulled him off the ground. He smiled deviously as the man shrunk away, trying to hide his face from Filthy Rich. "You know, I prefer the term 'powerful being'," said Filthy Rich. The man was about to speak when Filthy Rich dug his fangs into the man's neck. He savored the taste of the warm, crimson liquid. He could hear the horrified screams of the kids and parents alike. He looked at Starlight, making eye contact. He could see her disgust at what he was doing. Once the man was drained of his blood, he dropped the lifeless body. Sunset, who was sitting by the snack table, smelled the blood. She gripped Rarity's wrist, her nails digging into Rarity's flesh. She sniffed her friend's arm as her mouth began to water. She wanted blood. She needed it and desperately. She was about to sink her teeth into Rarity's wrist when she heard a familiar voice. "Sunset, stop! Rarity is your friend, don't hurt your friend, not again," said Starlight. Sunset looked up at Starlight. She could see that Starlight was slowly approaching Rarity. As she thought about her friend, she looked at her. She could see her dark blue eyes were wide with fear. She let go of her friend's wrist and looked away. She felt ashamed of what she attempted to do. "I am...so...sorry, Rarity. I...don't know...what's happening...to me," said Sunset, fighting the hunger that made her crave her friend's blood. Rarity pulled her arm away from Sunset and walked away. She didn't have anything to say. She was still feeling her shaking body recovering from her fear. She was surprised at her friend's behavior. But, she couldn't blame her, not when she knew that she was trying to fight her natural instincts. Filthy Rich looked at Rainbow Dash and Twilight. He saw a brief glimpse of the bite mark that Sunset left. He saw that Twilight was still traumatized by the event. He smiled to himself, proud of what he caused. He was happy to see that Twilight saw the monster both he and Sunset were. Starlight looked at Filthy Rich. She wondered what he was going to do next. She watched him, keeping the staff in her grip. She saw Rainbow Dash run up to Sunset. But she noticed that Twilight stood still. She began to worry a little as she saw Filthy Rich eyeing Twilight. She hoped that for Twilight's sake, he wouldn't make a move towards her. Filthy Rich glanced at Starlight out of the corner of his eye. He smiled when she looked at Twilight. He took his opportunity to grab the staff. He had a firm grip on it before Starlight turned to face him. He gripped it tighter as she fought to pull it away. "Give me the staff! I brought you your friend, Sunset. Or is it daughter?" asked Filthy Rich. Starlight heard a few shocked gasps coming from who she assumed to be the parents. She saw that Filthy Rich was trying to gain an advantage by triggering the crowds to fight her. "Daughter! But we are also friends," said Starlight, pulling the staff towards her. Filthy Rich growled. He didn't like the fact that Starlight had fought back. He wanted her to remain quiet. He was jerked forward as she pulled the staff towards her. "Well, I doubt you told her upfront what you are, vampire." retorted Filthy Rich. Starlight shot him an annoyed look. She was growing tired of his attempts to rally the crowd. She was glad that the crowd didn't get involved. She had a feeling that the more people involved, the more deaths there'd be. "Actually, Filthy Rich, she knew since the first time we met. I didn't hide anything from her, unlike you," said Starlight. Filthy Rich saw his daughter cross her arms. He knew that Starlight had made a point. A point he couldn't deny. He pulled the staff towards him, yanking Starlight forward. "Enough, I want the staff! I want to be immune to all weapons!" shouted Filthy Rich. As he did that, the staff glowed. The gemstone which was encased in the top began to heat up. As he looked at Starlight, he gave her a sly smile. The staff started vibrating as it glowed even brighter. He yanked the staff one more time but Starlight held tight to it. "Let go! I want the staff!" said Filthy Rich. Starlight narrowed her eyes at him. She could feel the staff heating up as it began to grant the command which it was given. She wasn't going to let go. Not when it meant Filthy Rich could become invincible. She gripped the staff tighter. She could feel the staff burning her skin slightly. "No! I am not going to let you become immune to all weapons," replied Starlight. She saw that the gem was glowing so bright that she had to look away before it hurt her eyes. She saw that the surrounding crowd was doing the same while they backed away. She worried that the staff could be destroyed if her and Filthy Rich didn't stop fighting. Diamond Tiara ran over to Twilight. She was concerned about Twilight's safety. She saw that Twilight remained frozen on the spot where she stood. She went to place a hand on Twilight’s shoulder when she saw her flinch. "Oh, good. You're alive. I was worried that I was going to have to grab the hair dryer." said Diamond Tiara, trying to ease the tension. Twilight didn't laugh or care for Diamond Tiara's awful joke. She was too terrified of Sunset and her primal hunger. She stared at Sunset, her eyes never leaving Sunset's fangs. She clutched her arm as she recalled the memory of the attack. "Woah, Twilight! Relax, Sunset won't hurt you, again," said Diamond Tiara, noticing that Twilight was gripping her wrist. Twilight looked away, clearing her head. She stared at the ground. She wanted to believe Diamond Tiara's words. But something, a deep gut feeling, said that they weren't true. Just as she was about to speak, a bright flash blinded her. Starlight felt the staff lifting her and Filthy Rich into the sky. She could see that it was trying to grant the command for both of them. She realized that the staff was going to destroy itself doing so. She closed her eyes as the gemstone glowed almost impossibly bright. Suddenly a blast of light and glass shattered the silence of the evening. Everyone in the surrounding crowd ducked as flying glass landed on or near them. Starlight and Filthy Rich were thrown back down to the ground. Starlight hit a tree that was near the drink table. Filthy Rich landed by Twilight and his daughter. He blinked several times as he opened his eyes. He growled as he dusted off his suit. He looked around, trying to find the staff. But all he found was a pile of dust which used to be the wood of the staff. He picked up some of the dust and threw it back down. "What have you done to the staff!?" asked Filthy Rich, his hands balling into fists. Starlight peeled herself off the tree. She looked at Filthy Rich as he approached her. She saw the pile of dust which she figured was the staff. She found a sharp piece of glass by her foot. She grabbed it and held it out towards Filthy Rich. "I didn't do anything. The staff tried to fulfill the command for both of us. We overloaded it, thus destroying it." said Starlight. Sunset looked up as Starlight spoke. She could see that Filthy Rich was beyond reasoning with. She tried to get up. But her stomach clenched in response. She screamed as she tried again to stand. "Sunset, you're too weak to be moving. Your injuries are also opening the more you try to move," said Applejack. Sunset glared at Applejack. She saw her friend jumped and immediately regretted doing that. She tried her best to give an apologetic smile. But she didn't want to reveal her fangs either for fear that Applejack, who was already jumpy, would panic even more. "S-sorry, Applejack. I am just so hungry," replied Sunset. Applejack gave Sunset a weak smile back. She placed her hand on her back. She looked at Fluttershy. "Do you happen to know where any animals are? I know that you aren't happy with Sunset's diet, but she needs them or we become her meals," said Applejack. Sunset looked at Fluttershy, a shocked expression on her face. She didn't realize that Fluttershy found out. She could see the disgust that Fluttershy was trying to hide. "So, you know now, huh?" asked Sunset, keeping her voice low. Fluttershy nodded. She didn't really talk to Sunset. She hid behind her hair as she spoke. "I am sure I could find a squirrel if you want," said Fluttershy, her voice growing quieter with each word. Sunset looked down at the ground as her breathing became erratic. She could feel some of the wounds on her abdomen opening a little. She dug her nails into the ground, trying to fight through the pain. "That. Would. Be. Good." said Sunset in short breaths. Fluttershy walked away, calling for a squirrel. She walked around the deserted part of the schoolyard. She was finally able to find a squirrel who was injured. Fluttershy picked up the squirrel as it squeaked in protest. "Oh, you poor thing. I wish you didn't have to die," said Fluttershy. The squirrel squealed in fear at hearing the word 'die'. It tried to get out of Fluttershy's grip. But to no avail, she had a good grip on it. It eventually went limp as it's breathing slowed. Fluttershy carried the almost dead squirrel to Sunset. "H-here, S-sunset," said Fluttershy, her voice wavering as she fought back her tears. Sunset's mouth watered as she held the squirrel. She looked up at Fluttershy. She could see that the animal lover was heartbroken. She looked down and sighed. "T-thanks, Fluttershy. Can w-we talk l-later?" asked Sunset. Fluttershy nodded and walked away. She let a few quiet sobs escape as she did. Sunset dug her fangs into the squirrel's neck. She saw her friends look away as she drank the blood. She closed her eyes, enjoying the nutty taste of the blood. She finished the squirrel in seconds. She laid the squirrel's dead body on the pavement, wiping the excess blood off her face with her hand. "Okay, I am done, guys. You can look," said Sunset. She felt a bit better. She stood up, thankful that her stomach had stopped clenching. She leaned against the snack table. She heard a few whispers of concern and fear from the few parents that surrounded her. As she scanned the crowd, she spotted Mrs. Velvet. She remembered seeing her the night she told Twilight her secret. She gulped, her throat feeling tight. "Now Twilight's mom knows about Starlight. I hope I don't have to reveal myself. I don't want to lose Twilight, not when I love her." thought Sunset. Trixie was standing at the drink table. She was about to get some punch when she looked at Starlight. She had done her best to ignore the situation. She had known about both Sunset and Starlight. But she was surprised to hear about Filthy Rich. She saw that he was about to hurt Starlight. Dropping her glass, she did something she'd thought she would never do. "Hey, Filthy Rich! The great and powerful Trixie has a trick to show you!" shouted Trixie. Filthy Rich spun around, looking over his shoulder at Trixie. His eyes darted to Sunset, wondering if she had a part in it. Seeing her shocked expression told him that she didn't know. He looked back at Trixie. He watched as she did her usual card trick. "Pick a card, any card," said Trixie. Her hands were sweating. She held onto the cards as Filthy Rich picked one. She smiled nervously and continued her act. "Okay, now put it back," said Trixie. Filthy Rich did as Trixie instructed. He sighed and crossed his arms. He figured like most amateur magicians, she wouldn't find his card. He rolled his eyes as he waited for her to pull his card out. Trixie looked at the gathering crowd. She saw that Sunset was watching her, surprised. She had to admit that she was surprised at what she was doing too. But she didn't want to be on the sidelines, not anymore. Being friendless made her see why Sunset was scared when she found out her secret. "Is this...your card?" asked Trixie, holding out a card. Filthy Rich looked at the card. To his surprise, it was indeed his card. He smiled, impressed that she was actually able to pull off the trick. He tucked his hand behind his back. He summoned his knife, readying the weapon. Twilight saw that Filthy Rich was holding a weapon. But try as she might, she couldn't make it out. She tried to warn Trixie, but nothing came out. She felt her fear well up inside and she leaned on Diamond Tiara as her vision began to blur. "Yes, that is my card. Now, that'll be your last trick, great and not so powerful Trixie," said Filthy Rich, pulling the knife out and holding it up. Trixie gulped, feeling her throat close. She looked at Sunset, hoping that she would help. She backed away while she kept her eyes on Filthy Rich. She saw that Filthy Rich was getting closer. She closed her eyes as she saw the knife inch closer to her. Sunset looked at Twilight. She saw that she was about to faint. She looked back at Trixie. She knew she had to act quick. Without thinking, she ran over to Trixie. She shoved Trixie aside as Filthy Rich kept advancing. Twilight managed to gather herself just as she watched Sunset push Trixie out of Filthy Rich's way. She let a gasp escape her lips as she watched the scene unfold. "Sunset, no!" screamed Twilight in her head. Sunset looked at Filthy Rich. She saw a sly smile spread across his face. She realized that this was his plan all along. She watched as his blade move closer to her abdomen. She tried to see the handle but he kept it hidden. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain above her navel. Trixie was horrified as she watched Filthy Rich stab Sunset. She and the surrounding crowd gasped. She looked away as Sunset glanced at her. She didn't want to look at Sunset. Not when she was responsible for putting Sunset in that position. "Sunset!" shouted Starlight. Starlight ran towards Sunset. She was glad that the crowd allowed her to have a path. She about to launch herself onto Filthy Rich when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked to see that it was Applejack. "Don't. It'll only worsen things for Sunset," said Applejack. Starlight yanked her shoulder free and growled. She didn't want to sit back and watch Sunset get hurt. She looked at her and she could see Sunset fighting to stay on her feet. She was about to make a move when she saw that Applejack was right. Any move she'd make would cause Sunset more pain and injuries. She sighed and stood back. Applejack waved her friends over. She saw that Fluttershy was hesitating. She left Starlight's side and ran over to Fluttershy. She knew Fluttershy wasn't one to handle violence or blood. "You okay, sugarcube?" asked Applejack. "No, I am not," whispered Fluttershy. "I understand, Fluttershy. But Sunset needs us," said Applejack Fluttershy moved her hair out of the way and looked at Sunset. She saw Sunset's red eyes met hers. She could tell that Sunset needed her like an injured animal needed its mother. She sighed and looked at Applejack. "Okay. I will go because Sunset needs our support," said Fluttershy. Applejack smiled. She gave Fluttershy a hug before running back to join Starlight. She waited for Diamond Tiara and Twilight to join them. She saw that Twilight and Fluttershy chose to hang in the background of the group. "How's Twilight holdin' up? She seems pretty nervous," asked Applejack. Diamond Tiara looked at Applejack. She could see the cowgirl's worried expression. She glanced at Twilight and hung her head. "She's holding up. But I think she may have a bit of PTSD." replied Diamond Tiara. Applejack sighed. She was worried that Twilight could have suffered some traumatic stress from the attack. She placed a hand on Diamond Tiara's shoulder. "Well, thanks for comfortin' her. She's going to need it," said Applejack. Filthy Rich dug the knife as deep as it could go into Sunset's abdomen. He heard her gasp in pain. Then, without warning, he pulled the knife out and sent it back to his place. As he backed away, he pointed to Sunset. "Well, CHS, one of your fellow students is a vampire. What do you think of that?" asked Filthy Rich. The students looked at their classmate. They could see her fangs and her red eyes. Some backed away while others decided to look away quickly. The parents grabbed their child's arms and keep them close. "How is that possible?!" shouted a parent. Filthy Rich smiled and turned to face the crowd. He could see Starlight was furious at him. "It was possible due to her!" said Filthy Rich, pointing to Starlight. Starlight looked at the crowd. She could see that some of the parents were angry, frightened and outright shocked. She looked at Applejack and her friends. She saw that they were concerned for her safety. But before anyone could say anything, a voice broke the silence. "Stop, father. You know that they are better people than you'll ever be," said Diamond Tiara. Filthy Rich looked in the direction of where the voice came from. He saw that it was his daughter. He glared at Starlight. He was getting fed up with her and her meddling. "What do you mean, darling?" asked Filthy Rich, sounding as innocent as he could. Diamond Tiara walked up to her father. She felt her fangs extend as her anger grew. She could hear a few whispers from the crowd. She didn't care, not when her father was spreading more lies. "I mean that you tried to corrupt my half-sister years ago. You wanted her to be your...minion. Plus, unlike you, they choose to drink animal blood. They don't want to hurt their friends or family," said Diamond Tiara. Filthy Rich's smug smile disappeared as he heard Diamond Tiara mention his first daughter. He balled his hand into a fist as he fought to keep in control of his anger. He looked away, afraid to face his daughter. "Well, I-I..." stammered Filthy Rich, unable to make an excuse. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. She had enough of her dad's lies. She growled as she launched herself onto him. She gripped his throat as tight as she could. She held on, fighting against him clawing at her. Finally, he passed out. She let go of him and ran over to Sunset. The crowd of parents stared at Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara. They were all shocked to see that he wasn't who he said he was. Most people didn't take their eyes off of Diamond Tiara. They were shocked to see that CHS had not one, but two vampire students. A few parents grabbed their kids and decided to go home. Celestia looked at her sister. She gave her sister a worried expression. She wasn't sure what her sister could do to calm the situation. Principle Luna stepped out from the crowd. She walked towards Sunset and her friends. She could see a few shocked and fearful expressions from the teachers and parents. She ignored them, trying to remain professional. She cleared her throat as she approached Starlight and Sunset. "Is what Diamond Tiara said, true?" asked Luna. Luna did her best to remain calm. But the sight of Sunset and Starlight's fangs unnerved her. She closed her eyes and told herself to focus on the situation. She managed to push past her worries and listen. "Y-yes, it i-is," said Sunset. Luna nodded. She handed Starlight the keys to the nurse's office. She walked away, breathing a sigh of relief. She turned to the crowd. She decided the Fall Formal was over. "Okay, students, parents, and faculty members, the Fall Formal is over. We have had an interesting night. Go home, I will update you on the situation." said Luna. Many parents gave Luna angry glares as they left with their kids. Luna did her best to not let the anger of a few parents get the best of her. She hadn't anticipated what happened tonight. She saw her sister give her a comforting smile. Eventually, there were only a few teachers left, along with Mrs. Velvet. Luna walked up to Mrs. Velvet. She looked at the concerned mother. She didn't blame her for worrying about her child's safety. She placed a comforting hand on Mrs. Velvet's back. "I know you're worried about your daughter. If you want to discuss transferring Twilight, I'll be in my office for a while," said Luna. Mrs. Velvet watched as Luna walked to her office. She stared at Sunset, Starlight and Diamond Tiara. She was shocked that her daughter was hanging out with vampires this whole time. She looked around for her daughter. She wanted to take her home. She saw her daughter sitting by the school entrance. She ran over, dodging the group of friends which surrounded Sunset. "Twilight, dear! Let's go home. I don't want you near those...those bloodsuckers." said Mrs. Velvet. Twilight looked at Sunset, who had overheard what her mother said. She could see that her friend was hurt, but she could see that she also understood. She turned to her mother, her expression stern. "No, mother. I want to stay with my friends. I have to support the people you call bloodsuckers. They have been my friends." replied Twilight. "But, how did you get this?" asked Mrs. Velvet, grabbing a hold of her daughter's wrist and showing her the bite mark. Twilight yanked her arm free. She stared at the crescent shape bite mark. She looked back at Sunset. She knew that Sunset wasn't in complete control of herself. She sighed and threw her arm to her side. "Sunset did it. But I still trust her, despite my fear of it happening again. So, I will be home unless something comes up." said Twilight. Mrs. Velvet looked at her daughter, shocked. She hadn't realized that her daughter was so strong-willed, though it pleased her to see that quality in her daughter. She looked at Sunset. She could see that she was indeed Twilight's friend. She turned to her daughter, an apologetic smile on her face. "You're right. They're not bloodsuckers, they're your friends. But I will still expect you home" Twilight's shoulder's sagged as she awaited her mom's final answer, "by Sunday evening unless Starlight calls me and tells me otherwise." said Mrs. Velvet. Twilight smiled and hugged her mom. She let her mom go as she looked at her. "Thanks, mom. I guess I will see you at home then?" asked Twilight. Mrs. Velvet nodded. She waved goodbye to her daughter as she walked to her car. Once she got to her car, she unlocked the door. She climbed in and threw her purse into the passenger seat. She was shocked to find out that vampires existed and that they seemed to live nearby. She closed her eyes and pushed her thoughts aside. She opened them once she felt that she could drive safely. Twilight watched as her mom's car disappeared into the night. She was lucky that her mother was able to accept her friends, despite their dietary differences. She ran over to where Sunset and the rest of her friends were. "Starlight, is there anything I can do?" asked Twilight. Starlight threw the nurse's office keys to Twilight. She had her hand over the knife wound caused by Filthy Rich. She was doing her best to apply pressure to the wound. "Open the door and grab a stretcher for Sunset!" shouted Starlight. Twilight nodded and ran off. She managed to find the nurse's office and unlocked the door. She grabbed the stretcher from the nurse's closet once she found it. She ran back outside and laid the stretcher on the ground. "Here, I have the stretcher. Let's get Sunset on it," said Twilight. Starlight nodded and instructed everyone to take a hold of Sunset's dress. Twilight held Sunset's shoulders as the rest of the gang lifted her. She was surprised at how heavy Sunset felt, even with all the help of her friends. She struggled to walk as she carried Sunset. After a few steps, they finally laid Sunset on the stretcher. Twilight took a break, her chest was heaving after her exertion. She looked at Sunset. She could see that her dress was blood-soaked. She was amazed at how much blood Sunset had in her. She didn't think vampires had much blood or could bleed that much. She saw that Applejack was comforting Fluttershy while Rarity and Rainbow Dash discussed when they should get the blood off of them. "Sunset, you okay? We'll have you in the nurse's office soon, I promise," said Starlight. Sunset groaned. She could feel her fingers going numb as her blood fought to keep healing her injuries. She could feel her hunger coming back. She was thankful that the squirrel had sated her, even if it was only for a little while. She looked at Starlight and a small smile formed on her face. "Y-yeah. I think I am," replied Sunset. Twilight felt herself smile as she heard Sunset's voice. She hadn't realized that she missed the sound of it. She hadn't realized how much she had missed Sunset. She hoped that no one else would threaten Sunset, at least not until she was healthy again. She rested her hands on the steps which led to the school entrance. "T-Twilight...?" asked Sunset, turning her head to look at Twilight. Twilight looked up, looking surprised. She gulped. She was a bit nervous and wondering what Sunset needed. She bit her lip as she tried to ignore the flurry of butterflies in her stomach. She let go of the steps and walked over to Sunset. "W-what do you need, S-sunset?" asked Twilight. Sunset felt her heart stop as she heard Twilight stutter. She could see her friend's fear. She realized that the fear was only there because she didn't control herself. She took a deep breath, ignoring the pain as she did. "Twilight, I am so sorry! If I could, I would stop myself. Do...you hate me?" asked Sunset, her eyes brimming with tears. Twilight could see a stray tear escape and run down Sunset's cheek. She wasn't sure of what she should say. She knew that Sunset wasn't in complete control. But she couldn't forget the hungry look in Sunset's eyes. She looked away. Sunset grabbed Twilight's wrist. As she did that, she felt the scarred skin underneath her fingers. She realized that she grabbed the wrist she had attacked. She looked at Twilight. She saw her friend look at her, her fear was present. "S-sunset..." said Twilight, her voice sounding frantic. She looked around at her friends. She saw their concern. She tried her best to calm down but she was at her breaking point. She fought against Sunset's grip. She didn't need much as Sunset's grip was weakened due to her health. She gave Sunset an apologetic look. "T-twilight, please...don't. I need you," begged Sunset, a few more tears running down her cheek. Twilight started to cry as well. But she just couldn't handle it anymore. She gave her friends one last tearful glance before she turned and ran off. She kept running until she found a bench. She sat down and started to sob. Back at the school, Sunset looked at her hands. She knew that she made a mistake. She pushed too far when Twilight wasn't ready. She sighed and laid back down. She figured that if Twilight didn't hate her before, she would now. "Great. I probably just lost Twilight. I hope she's okay, wherever she is." thought Sunset as her eyes drifted closed.