They heard a knock from somewhere the castle, most conceivably from the front door of the castle.
Spike left the throne room and sprint into the first floor before stopping in front of the large entrance.
“Who is it?” Twilight told him not to open the door since it could be other than the princesses; it could be one of the weather pegasi or a random pony complaining about the color of the sky and demanding answers. Almost always, these ponies will end up stirring more problems. Spike cringed at the thought of being questioned by a reporter, he wasn't ready to answer them.
“It's me, Spike” he immediately recognized the voice.
“Princess!” he quickly opened the door and bowed. Before him stood Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and two royal guards who stood beside him. Celestia smiled at his politeness.
“You may rise up, Spike, there is no need to bow” Spike nodded.
“We received a message from Twilight Sparkle about an attack,” Luna said, “Where is she?”
“She's at the throne room, princesses”
After the mysterious disappearance of the unknown intruder, Ruby decided to enter the house, thinking she is being spied by someone, seeing things, or worse; the creature who attacked Windy.
“Who was at the roof?” this was what greeted her ear when she went inside the kitchen. Windy just 'sat' on the floor, playing with a bright red apple, rolling it with her hooves like a kitty playing with yarn.
Ruby smiled “Just some stray cat,” she said. She didn't want to alarm the mare “How are you adapting to the change of your body?”
“Badly” Windy 'frowned' with sadness as she looks at what used to be her forehooves “Aside from turning from herbivore into a carnivore, how will the whole town react to my appearance? How will I manage my own life? Can I still use my wings to fly?” she let out a 'sigh' and gaze back at her wings “I guess not”
Ruby frowned, she felt bad for the mare, maybe she could do something to cheer her up, maybe feed her? No, she just brought about becoming a carnivore so that will no work, how about giving her a gift? No, she doesn't want to leave her to the unknown danger, how about giving her a hug? No, Windy's form has changed that she even has some kind of claw on her forelegs, she'll injure herself while giving her a sweet snuggle of solace. The guardsmare wasn't good at comforting since she is only tasked to guard someone she was assigned to protect (even if her said client is a monster)
My mom is an expert when it comes to this she thought.
She was once a foal when she remembers. She was walking in the halls of a Canterlot school for gifted unicorns. She has no friends to spend with, no one wants to spend time with a mare magnet for bullies. During a free time like this, she would get herself into trouble with her tormentors while strolling on the campus.
So when she found out her mom arrived during this time, she wasn't surprised. She found her mother looking around the hallways, looking for her daughter.
“Mom, is that you?” she called out in a emotionless dull voice. Her mom heard her. The adult unicorn mare turned to her direction.
“Ruby!” her mom canter up to her “I heard that you got yourself in trouble with some brats, are you okay?” she was very concerned for her well-being like most mothers do when they found out their foal is having a bad day.
“I'm okay,” she replied “Why do you have come here for me? Go home before you embarrass me”
Her mom let out a sigh “Look, I have to give something 'important' to you” her horn glowed and the saddlebag behind her opened. Something levitated out and move to her.
“A lunch box” Ruby's eyes widened, somehow giving 'saturation' to her expression and to her voice.
“Yes, my sweetheart. A teacher came to my house and told me somepony took your lunch, I'm not going to let you starve while going to class” she pulled her into a hug “Don't worry, those brats will someday look up at you” her mother's tenderness, her kind words, and her efforts to comfort her was enough to make her shed a tear, but the adult wiped it before it could even reach her cheeks “Shh, don't cry”
That memory was one of the ones she couldn't ever forget, ever since that day, she learned how to stand up against the bullies, turning the tables on them and earning her cutie mark: A iron sword and an iron shield.
“Are you okay?”
She regain her composure when she heard Windy talking to her with the same concern her mother gave her from the old memory.
“Huh? W-What were you saying?”
“I was asking if you are alright, you got tears sliding down from your eyes” she gasped, realizing she was crying, she quickly wipes the tears.
“Oh, this was...this was..... I'm suffering from a condition in which I randomly cry tears, was it Pseudobulbar affect, eheh, eheheheh...” Ruby panicked, trying to find any words so she could lie for almost showing her 'soft'. Windy lifted an eyebrow.
“Uh-huh” the former Wonderbolt was confused as to why the royal guard seems to be struggling with her own words, she didn't believe any of her words but decided to let it slide.
Ruby felt embarrassed of herself for acting like a foal, but she quickly recovered. She looked at her client, who was no longer sad, she now had a small smile. She couldn't believe she manages to cheer her up by simply embarrassing herself. She almost regretted it.
They then heard a grumble from somehow. Knowing they are the only ones in the house, Ruby stared at Windy, who smiled sheepishly (or tried to).
“...That was my stomach” she confessed. This was a problem for both of them since she has become a carnivore and if ate vegan foods, she would only throw up just like when Writer tried to feed her. She wanted to be sad and cry for losing not only her original form but also for the change of appetite. Her expression changed, which was not left unnoticed by Ruby.
Ruby began to think for any way to search for meat for her client without going out of the house. She knew the fridge doesn't have any meat, she would doubt the pegasus' true race if she indeed finds any meat in there.
“Feed her...”
She jumped and glance around the room. She heard a mysterious voice just out of nowhere, could it be the mysterious intruder she 'saw' on the roof of the house? She glances at Windy and to her surprise, it seemed the latter didn't seem to hear the voice, acting as if no one is talking at all.
“...you are...”
There it was again! Ruby listened intently to the voice, she could feel something odd in it. She could feel an aura of authority in it. It sounded very near as if it was just right in front of her, it was masculine, not feminine, and it wouldn't make sense if Windy is the one actually talki-
“brother's assistant”
Suddenly, she felt numb as if she was disconnected from her body, she felt a pang of guilt and sadness, and the needing pay a 'debt'. Even though she currently doesn't owe anything.
Windy felt confused when the unicorn put her forelegs on the table as if offering it to her. What the royal guard said was very unexpected and horrifying.
“Go on, take a bite,” Ruby said while staring blankly at her.
“What!?” Windy gasped, glancing down at the foreleg offered to her “No, no, no, I refuse, w-why would you think I'll eat you!?”
Ruby lifted an eyebrow in confusion “Why would you not assist the creation of brother? Has this world tainted you already?”
“What are you talking about?” Windy was confused. Who was the brother, Ruby is talking about? Before she could react, Ruby's horn light up in blood red aura, the same aura now surrounding Windy's head, the latter found herself forced to bury her mandibles against a part of the unicorn's foreleg which is not covered by the armor. Blood began to slowly slip out of the newly formed wound. Windy moved her pupils to look up at Ruby.
To her surprise, Ruby didn't give any indication that she was in pain, she just stared blankly at her with a frown that a mother would give if their foal is disobeying them or done something wrong.
“You need to eat” Ruby coldly told Windy “You are hungry. Terribly hungry, I couldn't leave you alone, eat a part of 'this' instead” she put a hoof on her head and began pushing her down, further sinking the mandibles into the flesh of her foreleg. She didn't scream, she just stared with annoyance for Windy being too stubborn.
“Phleashe shtop thish thish, inshtant!” Windy begged, her voice muffled. Was this just a horrible nightmare? If it was truly a nightmare, she just has to wake up, there's no way Ruby would just suddenly casually offer herself as food. The taste of blood, skin, veins, and flesh was that also surprised her. It was delicious, delicious than a blueberry pie, but she wanted more- No, her body wanted more and she couldn't stop it. Soon, her mouth is painted with crimson red blood.
Twilight Sparkle and Writer Rhyme explained everything they knew to the Princesses, starting from an attempted attack on the stallion's life and the attack and force transformation of Windy. Luna cringed when they describe the Wonderbolt's grotesque 'mutilation' while Celestia listened sadly.
Of course, they decided not to talk about what Ire did.
“-end of story” Writer finally ended their explanation, he was just as nervous as Twilight since he was the first to be attacked and it happened in his own house and also because he was present at Windy's house. He and Twilight waited for a response from the princesses.
“It seems the situation is more complicated than I expected” Celestia spoke up.
“...I think so too, sister” Luna agreed “We really need to put more guards, establish a curfew, and-”
“Hold your horses, Luna, we are not sending hundreds of guards yet” Celestia interrupted her.
“Haven't you remember how it can do to other ponies? It can transform us into some kind of monstrosity if it wants to!” Luna argued.
“The presence of too many guards can spark panic,” Celestia said “We are going to tell the public before we left so they could have any idea what is going on and they could understand that there is a threat”
“But what if they riot?”
“Don't worry, Luna. I'm sure they'll understand” She assured Luna, who become silent, finally breaking their short argument. Celestia turned to her former student, Twilight “Stay here, Twilight, you don't need to lift a hoof, just stay here and don't go outside” she then addresses Writer “You and Luna may gather the elements and explain about the attacks since you have more knowledge to the incidents”
Writer frowned but reluctantly agreed “Yes, Princess”
“I'll head to Windy's house,” Celestia said.
“How about us, Princess?” Stormlight stepped into the conversation but not before she bowed along with Derpy and Ire.
“You three may stay here, but if you really want to go home, then it is your choice” Celestia looks back to Twilight “After me and Luna announce the incident to the public, we will return here to your castle”
As Celestia, Luna, and writer are about to leave, Twilight called out to her former teacher “Princess Celestia, be safe!”
Celestia smiled “Be safe too, Twilight”
Meanwhile, three young ponies are walking in town. They aren't locals but are foreigners from far away land. They are having a conversation about visiting one of the princesses of Equestria. Each of them had saddlebags on their back.
“Man, to think teacher would really give us a hard project, this one seems to be the most difficult,” the only male of the three said.
“I agree” one of the mares replied “We've been forced to go farther away from our homes just to accomplish this and get good grades, but it will be worth it”
“Mr. Historical may be a little gone too far, but at least our punishment isn't that bad at all!” chirped the other mare. This mare has her mane tied to a long ponytail long enough to reach down to her back. She looked more excited than her two classmates, having to talk to a princess face to face would already become the best moment of her life “Cause we are about to meet Princess Twilight Sparkling Star!” her friends chuckled.
“Its Princess Twilight Sparkle, Sporty” her mare friend corrected her “You should pay close attention” she was then followed by a hysterical laugh.
“Bwahahaha! Princess Twilight Sparkling Star, who are we meeting, an astronomer!?” guffawed, much to the Sporty and the other mare's amusement. Sadly, they are badly interrupted by a growl.
“Did you guys hear that?” the other mare asked.
“Yeah,” Sporty said
“Actually, it was my stomach, I'm hungry, to be honest” the stallion admitted.
“Don't worry,” Sporty said with a smile “I'm going to find a cafe, hopefully their foods are cheap”
“Sprint, my savior!” the stallion's eyes sparkled with joy, the other chuckled.
“Don't go too far okay, we haven't known much of this town yet” she said.
“Aye, aye, Sole Tenacity!” Sporty gave Sole a mock salute. She turned and leave her friends to find a decent cafe.
“Mm... I wonder how many cafes does this town have” she mused to herself as she looks around. She could only a few ponies going out and about, maybe it's because the sky turning red? That would be ridiculous, why would they even panic about it?
“I haven't heard much about this town back at home,” she said to herself. Then, something caught her attention.
...
Its a cafe! Happy to have already found a place to eat, she trotted to the building. To her dismay, it was closed. A sign hang on the entrance, it says:
'Cafe Hay closed
Reason: possible attack'
Sporty pouted “Just how cautious and paranoid are the locals?” right after she said this, she heard a thundering of hooves behind. She glanced around and gasp, only to find out she was staring at nothing but at the empty street and the houses “I thought somepony is running towards me” she shook her head and chuckled “Maybe I'm just hearing things, my silly brain”
“You are not hearing things,” a voice told her. Sporty glanced around, trying to find the source of the voice.
“Who are you, mysterious voice?” Sporty frowned.
“I am me” if she was dealing with a mysterious stalker or some pony out of their mind, she would have already left. But she doesn't let it follow her, she doesn't want her friends to find out she has a creepy stalker.
“What do you want from me?” Sporty asked.
“I want your help” the voice replied “my brother's assistant had left him inside his house, he is sick. I want you to take care of him” sympathy quickly struck Sporty's heart. Why would someone leave a sick pony alone? That is so cruel. She didn't think of it, somepony needs her help. Her friends can be very patient so she doesn't have any problems with them.
“Can you come out, wherever you are?” she inquired.
“I'm behind the cafe” so the source of the mysterious voice is just hiding behind the cafe, how ridiculous. Why would he hide if he was asking for help? She casually trotted behind the building.
“I'm he-” Sporty froze when she finally spotted the source. Like any other pony, she would expect the stranger as another pony. But to her horror, it was an unknown creature with what seems to be a proboscis entered her vision “H-Huh, ...what?” her eyes widened when the creature began to walk up to her “...S-Stay back” the creature did not is she began to back away as it continues to approach her “I said stay back!”
The creature lunged at her, she let out a yelp and fell on her back, just barely avoiding the proboscis from impaling her forehead “Get off me!” she yelled. She began to kick her hindlegs, feeling the soft texture of its skin. It was cold as there was no body heat, is this creature a zombie? It was swinging its proboscis in an attempt to stab her head, but as she tried to kick it off her, it became out of reach. Sadly, her neck is now at risk as well as her chest.
“Get off me, get off me!” she then began to call her help, desperate to escape the creature which is now sitting on top of her, trying to kill her “Somepony, help me!!”
The creature finally was able to bury its proboscis deep into her neck. Sporty screamed in horror and agony, she thrashed as the creature removed its appendage, causing blood to slowly flow out of the wound. Sporty began to choke, no doubt the proboscis tear through the muscle and have pierced the jugular vein and possibly the carotid artery. She clutched the wound with one hoof, but the bony appendage only impaled through the hard coffin bone and to her neck once again, she has and screamed loudly.
“It hurts!” that was her last words when the infector pulled out its proboscis and punctured her chest, hitting her heart, even when she stopped screaming and bedome limp, it continued to stab her in frustration.