Note threw himself at Cheerilee. She sidestepped his rush and whirled to face him. The colt changed direction and jumped forward again, sharp teeth leading his attack.
This time, Cheerilee didn't get out of the way. She threw a hoof forward, catching Note directly in the mouth. Her body twisted, coiling like a spring as she soaked up his momentum. Then she snapped forward and slammed him to the floor.
"Note, why?" asked the teacher quietly. The young pony could not reply, his fangs buried in her hoof. Cheerilee began easing pressure off him in an attempt to free his mouth. Note swung a free hoof at her head.
Cheerilee crushed his shoulder with a stomp and the colt jerked reflexively, his attacking leg falling limp. He gasped in pain after she finished pulling her hoof out of his bite. The mare rolled him onto his front and continued to force him down.
"I am trying to help you." A little anger crept into Cheerilee's voice. "Everypony makes mistakes, and yours were absolutely huge. I'm trying to keep that from happening again."
"This is what I want!" screamed Note. "I don't want to be a boring high school nothing. I don't want to get pushed around. I like this."
Cheerilee bore down on him a little harder, causing a creaking sound from the young pony's back. "That's the wrong answer. You need to control yourself."
Note began to struggle, but it wasn't very effective. The mare fought to keep him down. His attempts began to slack off. After one last try to get free he went limp, his chest heaving up and down. It took Cheerilee a moment to realize he was sobbing. "I...c-can't help it."
The mare relaxed her hold just a little. "You need to try. You have to want it, and you have to believe in yourself. I know. I've been through this."
"I'm such a screwup," muttered the colt. "There's no way this is going to work."
"Don't say that," advised Cheerilee. She took her hooves off Note. "I'll help you any way I can."
The young pony got up, glancing over his shoulder at her. He hesitated, thinking about something... Cheerilee saw the look in his eyes and hoped she was wrong. The mare started to move, but wasn't fast enough. Both Note's hind legs kicked out, driving her backwards and head over heels.
"I can't do this!" shouted Note. He spun, aiming for the window.
A jagged scrap of wood from when Cheerilee ripped the house walls apart was nearby. She grabbed it and slung it at the colt. It stabbed into his back before he reached the window and brought him down, piercing his heart. The schoolteacher closed her eyes.
A vampire’s death was dramatic and gory. It was somewhat similar to an explosion. Blood flew everywhere, coating the walls. It was messy, but convenient for disposing of a body.
Cheerilee looked around. Everything, including her, was drenched with gore. Along with the damaged walls, the house would have practically zero resale value. That was not what was on her mind, however.
The mare sat for a moment, ignoring the blood pooled around her. She’d felt bad about ending lives in the past, but never before had one of them been a student of hers. Granted, Note wasn’t without guilt, but could he have been rehabilitated? Could any of the ponies she’d killed? Cheerilee sighed. It wasn’t her job to make the decision. She knew that she wasn’t judge or jury, just executioner.
Cheerilee got up. Despite her nature, she didn't enjoy being crusted with blood, espeically with whose it was. The schoolteacher made her way to the bathroom, leaving crimson hoofprints behind. She spent several minutes in the shower, cleaning her coat and clearing her mind.
Self-loathing was not a new emotion to Cheerilee. The things she had done and the things she was capable of were terrifying, maybe even evil. The mare closed her eyes and silently fought for control of her emotions. The water continued to pour indifferently on her head.
Cheerilee quietly breathed in and out, the hot steam of the shower somewhat soothing. While the mare wasn't quite sure the exact definitions of good and evil, she knew that Crosscut fell much further towards the wrong end of the spectrum than she. That was encouraging, but it didn't solve the problem. She needed to do something.
If Crosscut wanted to take another life, Cheerilee was currently the only thing standing in his way. Outmatched or not, she couldn't stand by and let that happen. Whether she help it or not, she had failed Note on several levels. The schoolteacher promised herself that she would make sure his death would be followed by the vampire who turned him.
There was still the problem of ability. Cheerilee might have the will, but Crosscut certainly wouldn't just lie down and die. He could be the most dangerous enemy she'd ever faced.
Cheerilee knew she was going to need focus and confidence. If she needed to grieve more for Note later, she could. Now she needed to prepare for the most difficult fight of her life.
Author note:
Don't worry, I'm planning another story where Cheerilee actually does have a young sidekick.