//------------------------------//
// Chapter 27: Changes 
// Story: Nightmare Night 
// by Dreadnought 
//------------------------------//

Three princesses sat around the table, waiting for the fourth to arrive.  Occasionally, Princess Cadence stole glances, causing Princess Luna to scowl and Princess Celestia to shift uneasily in her seat.  The room lay silent, save for the clock slowly ticking to six o'clock in the morning.  All wondered how long it would take to address the ursa minor in the room.

Finally, the door opened and Princess Twilight Sparkle entered.  "Sorry I'm la-"  She came to a dead stop upon looking at Princess Celestia.  Princess Luna turned her scowl to Twilight as Cadence silently motioned for Twilight to come to the table.  Taking a moment to compose herself, Twilight trotted forward, taking a seat opposite Celestia.

The four sat in an awkward, tense silence.  Nopony wanted to say anything.  At last Princess Luna said, "Well, it should be obvious why we are all here."  Cadence and Twilight let out nervous laughs, who again received scowls from Luna.

"What happened?" asked Twilight, finally broaching the reason for their gathering.

Luna sighed, "It started last night.  After a particularly stressful day of court, my sister decided to go for a moonlight stroll.  While in the gardens, she was..."  Luna couldn't continue, but Celestia adjusted her torc to show two bite marks.  Everypony, most of all Princess Luna, gasped at the sight.

"Has the -" Twilight hesitated, but pushed through her own discomfort "- vampony been found?"

"No," confirmed Luna.

Again, the room filled with a tense silence.

Dong!Dong!Dong!Dong!Dong!Dong!

Celestia stood, "If you'll excuse me, it is time to raise the sun."  Everypony noticed her newly-acquired fangs.

As soon as Celestia left, Twilight said, "I'll go through all my books.  If there's a way to cure her, I'll find it."

"I have also reached out to Starswirl.  Perhaps he has a means to cure my sister."

"And I'll consult Sunburst," added Cadence.

"How will she rule?" asked Twilight.

"We don't wish to alarm our subjects.  I'll be handling the running of the country until she can be cured.  I will ensure - "

A beam of sunlight penetrated the room.  "Wait!" cried Cadence.  "Aren't vamponies horribly burned by the sun!?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" came a pained scream from down the hall.