//------------------------------//
// Underworld 
// Story: My Roommate is a Vampire 
// by Dennis the Menace 
//------------------------------//

Though I would have been the better mare, I would have been an utter imbecile to walk away. She was the entire mastermind behind all of this. Through my carelessness, I'd just given Silver Streak a crucial piece of information, no matter how inconsequential  it was. We were short one Vinyl Scratch. What did that say about the Inner Circle as a whole? We were weak. Disjointed. 

Across the street was a quaint diner, open 24/7. I wouldn't look too out of place, even though it was nearly empty, save for the two ponies working the register and cooking. 

"Evening," she said cheerfully. "What can I do you for?" 

"Plenty of coffee." 

Now, all I had to do was wait. 

Wait...for that demon to walk through the door. 

Waiting...waiting...any day now...





At some point, I can't recall, I must have fallen asleep. Perhaps I had been staring so intensely across the street that I'd exhausted myself. Maybe coffee had the opposite effect on me. That brief jolt of energy from the drink made me lethargic. 

When I lifted my head groggily a few hours later, it was day. One of the employees was poking me. 

Impossible!

I'd watched that door! 

I stormed over and shoved the doors open. The bartender jumped. 

"Mare, silver coat, silver mane, silver eyes, silver cross Cutie Mark. When did she leave?" I demanded. 

"Oh, you were that pony a few hours ago. She took the exit. Now listen, are you gonna buy something or not? Hey!" 





The next few days were a blur in my mind. I was just shuffling along from place to place. My parents hadn't bothered to call or write in at least a week, not that it bothered me in the slightest. 

As far as anypony was concerned, the culprits of the bombings at Equestria Daily and Club Canterlot were one and the same. There was a palpable tension in the air. Normally the weeks leading up to the two biggest events in Equestria, Hearth's Warming Eve and the Grand Galloping Gala, would be filled with anticipation and excitement. Now, everypony was on edge. The streets, covered in snow, usually packed with wealthy ponies strutting the latest winter fashion line and bratty foals throwing snowballs, were largely empty. Desolate. Sometimes I think I'd forgotten how to be a normal pony. I couldn't possibly begin to imagine what everypony else in Equestria was feeling. Our actions, whether we liked it or not, had an impact on society. 

They had been spying on me for days, weeks, months even. My every action, observed, recorded, analyzed. I was becoming agitated, to say the least. Silver Streak had been able to find me whenever she wanted. I was being watched, and I couldn't do a thing about it. Paranoia was beginning to set in. I couldn't even take a simple stroll down the street anymore without looking over my shoulder. I kept seeing things and nearly bit Harpo's head off the other day when he gave me a pleasant, "Hello." 

If my entourage noticed my behavior, they didn't say anything. For the most part, I'd been able to work with them through our rehearsals. You may ask yourselves why I find them incredibly dreary and boring, and I can only tell you to imagine a passion in your life. Something you genuinely enjoy doing, like painting or writing. Now imagine if somepony told you that you could keep doing what you loved, but you had to do it their way, paint or write what they wanted. We weren't making music. The music at the Grand Galloping Gala wasn't meant to be lively, or passionate. It was meant to be background noise. In a way, our music was almost as repetitive, if not more so, than Vinyl Scratch's electronic music. 

My spare time was spent analyzing Silver Streak's bank statements, and for the most part, I didn't learn a single thing about her. Anything before the past six months were insignificant. She, like all ponies, had to eat, drink, and sleep. She was mortal, just like us, and she too purchased the same things as we did. But I managed to narrow down ten payments of a substantial sum, five hundred bits, made to a jewelry store on Main Street. Silver Streak didn't wear jewelry, as far as I could tell, nor did she seem like the vain type to do so. 

Before I could even investigate, I received a call on Friday night from Princess Luna. 





"I thought you'd appreciate me telling you that tomorrow night is a full moon." 

I frowned. "Did you call me here just to tell me this?" 

"No. But I have a present for you." 

I flipped through the booklet. "A calendar? You shouldn't have," I said flatly. 

"Oh, but the best part is is that it's personalized!" 

Indeed, it was personalized, with pictures of the princess in sexy poses. 

"And it even has a system to tell you when full moons are, see?" She pointed out a small picture of a grumpy wolf Octavia. 

"Why is an entire week me being grumpy?" 

"That would be 'Octavia on her period' week." 

...

"Nonetheless, I believe we may have found something." 

I cocked my head. "Princess, I do not doubt your abilities, but I don't think you have very much time to go running around Canterlot." 

"May I remind you that you are not the only member of the Inner Circle, Octavia?" 

I flushed. 

Luna paced. "Though it doesn't seem like it Octavia, all the other members of the Inner Circle are doing their part to fix this mess," she said. "All over Equestria, though mostly in Canterlot, our members are currently scouting for any sightings of Silver Horseshoe members and where they are congregating." She gave me a small smile. "We all look out for each other. Do not think you are alone. Photo Finish and Hoity Toity are just as frantic about Vinyl's disappearance as you are." 

"We haven't had a meeting. How did they find out?" 

"The Silver Horseshoes may think of itself as secretive, but we can too," Luna smirked. "Have you subscribed to our newsletter?"  

It was...reassuring, knowing that somepony had my back.  

"So does this mean we have a lead?" I asked eagerly. 

"Yes. a potential lead on Vinyl Scratch's whereabouts." My heart leapt. "One of our scouts has just noted an incident taking place two hours ago where three ponies were injured and the paramedics had to come." 

"Well, that explains why you called me here on such short notice." 

"Yes, well, what is more interesting is that these ponies all have silver manes and coats." 

"Potential members?" 

"Oh, there is no doubt in my mind they are. But what is more interesting is where they were: a local motel. They received multiple blunt trauma injuries and one of them reportedly has a bite mark on his upper leg." 

"Sounds like a scuffle with a squirrel," I remarked dryly. 

"Two of them will have to breathe through a tube for six months. One, a fractured horn, another several broken ribs, and the last has had their jaw dislocated." 

"I thought you said multiple blunt trauma injuries." 

"You didn't let me finish. Oh, and did I mention one has a hemorrhaged diaphragm?" 

"Now it sounds like they've been mauled by a manticore." 

"Worse, Vinyl Scratch." Luna set several photos of the victims on her table. 

I paled, surprised at the severity of their wounds. "Is she always this brutal?" I shrieked. 

"She is dangerous, and now she is off on some personal vendetta." 

I didn't know what Vinyl wanted, if it was the same thing that I was after. I chased the lesser of mysteries. Other ponies' crimes. 

"I think I know why now as well. After meeting Silver Streak, she said something that implied that...they may have been in a relationship together. Something about Vinyl leaving her." 

"That is correct." 

I raised my head. 

"They were in a relationship together, two years back." 

"Are you trying to tell me that Silver Streak has it out for us because Vinyl dumped her?" 

"That is only half of the story," Luna explained. "Vinyl did cut off her relationship with Silver Streak only after she found out she was being used." 

"As in she was using Vinyl to get her money?" 

"No. She was using Vinyl to get to us." Luna let her words sink in. "And she was extremely close to causing irreversible damage on the Inner Circle. Only Vinyl found out and..." 

"It didn't end well?" 

"Surprisingly, it did. Vinyl managed not to kill her." 

"I suppose that counts." 

"Silver Streak fled for obvious reasons after Vinyl confronted her. Now that would have been the end of that for Vinyl," Luna sighed. "But she managed to get away with some information about some of our members." I remained silent. "Enough story time, I suppose, and onto business. Seeing as you're emotionally invested in her, I almost considered not sending you to investigate." When Luna saw the indignant look on my face she added testily, "Almost. But I have decided to let you go. You will go there and see what you can find. You will not confront nor pursue any Silver Horseshoe members and you will report to me your findings. Clear?" 

"Crystal," I muttered. 





The motel was a run down sort of place. Seeing as the struggle took place not two hours ago, there were still a few ponies clamoring on the opposite sidewalk. Rumors were already beginning to spread. 

I ducked underneath the yellow tape. The Night Guards gave me a nod, permitting me to enter. 

"Room 3." 

A struggle had definitely taken place here. The broken shards of a vase were littered across the floor. An electric cord had been ripped from the wall, and I suspect it was used to attempt to strangle somepony. There were several drops of blood on the dirty carpet, and pillow feathers were everywhere. Perhaps a pillow fight had taken place here, and it had gotten out of hoof. 

Oh yes. Vinyl had definitely been here, the ponies in the hospital the sign of her passage. What did that tell me? Nothing. Could I track her down? Not around all these ponies. And I doubt that I'd be able to pick her scent out. I sniffed around. There were more than four scents here. Vinyl's was the strongest. The others were fairly new. Three in the hospital, no Vinyl to be found. That could only mean there had been other Silver Horseshoes. However, the strongest smell that overwhelmed my nostrils was vinegar. They'd used it to mask their scent. Following the trail of vinegar would take me to the dumpster outside. 

I pulled open the nightstand drawer. Inside, a pair of headphones. Definitely hers. Amongst the broken shards of the vase I managed to pick out a lone purple one. No doubt it belonged to her glasses. 

The trail had gone cold. But I still had one more lead. 





"Hello! How can I help you today? Are you here to buy some jewelry?" 

"I'm here on the authority of Princess Luna, and I demand to see your ledger." 

The jeweler blanched. "O-Of course!" He thrust a clipboard at me. 

I can't believe that actually worked.

I scanned my eyes down the pages, noting the signatures and purchases made within last month. I squinted, my hoof hovering over a box dated for last week. 

Princess Luna? An alias. 

"Do you check who writes their name down on these orders?" I narrowed my eyes.

"O-Of course I do!" 

"It says here that Princess Luna ordered a pearl necklace for...five thousand bits?" I frowned. "Last time I checked, a pearl necklace doesn't cost nearly as much, not to mention that the address this was sent to isn't Canterlot Castle." 

"M-My mistake?" 

I lunged, catching the poor pony by his tie before he could run away. "Now you listen carefully. I am in no mood for games. I want to know who ordered what, when, and where it was sent to." 

"I-I don't remember." 

"Remember harder," I snapped, yanking on his tie. 

"Uhm, uh, it was a silver pony! That's it! Came in asking about silver jewelry, nearly cleaned me out! I didn't ask questions because it was the best deal so I didn't ask why he needed so much. Told me to have it sent to the water treatment facility." 

Water treatment facility? That must be where they are!

I let go of his tie, smoothing it out for him and giving him a condescending pat on the head. "Thank you. I will be sure to recommend you to my colleagues." 

He laughed nervously. 

As fast as I could I dialed (how are we supposed to even used these things?) Princess Luna. I didn't even have to wait for the phone to ring when she picked up. 

"Princess? I know where they might be." 

"What? How did you find out?" 

"It doesn't matter how I found out. I need you to send everypony available to the Canterlot water treatment facility." 

"Octavia, I order you, do not approach!" 

"I can't wait, Princess. Vinyl might be there, and I think she's in trouble." 

"OCTAVIA!" 

I ended the call. 

"Taxi!" 





Anypony could tell you what Canterlot looked like. A shining white castle on the edge of a mountain with a waterfall pouring out the bottom. See the waterfall? That was where the water treatment facility was. Or at least, the main part of it. To get there, you would need to travel to the industrial side of Canterlot, where there were no ivory towers to be found. Only old, run down buildings and such. The water treatment facility was a large warehouse building spanning at least an entire block. Even from here I could hear the waterfall. 

Nopony around. No movement from the windows, though I doubt you could see in or out of them, considering how grimy they were. 

The two double doors that served as the entrance were open when I tried to open them. They were most definitely meant to be locked. Inside was a maze of catwalks, ladders, platforms, all the same color, a dull, gunmetal gray. The sound of the rushing waters grew louder. One slip and I'd be taking a one way trip down the waterfall. The fall would surely kill me. It was poorly lit and a tad on the creepy side. 

They knew I was here. I knew they were watching me. Why all the suspense? This was a trap. I knew that. 

There was a plan somewhere in this. Decoy, yes. I would make a great decoy. They'd distract themselves with the poor, pathetic gray Earth pony. I'd find Vinyl. A rescue would be launched.  Great plan, Octavia. 

Luna would obviously send backup. Help was coming. The only reason help was coming was because I'd made things urgent. Because I didn't listen to her. Now, I was forcing her hoof to make a decision. If I was smart and actually listened to Luna, she'd spend at least another day before launching an attack. So why wait? Waiting could cost Vinyl her life. And I wasn't going to risk that, even at the risk of my own life.  

The things I do for love.

Before I could give myself a pat on the back, something slammed into the back of my head, knocking me out cold. 

Yes. A great plan. Genius Octavia activated.