//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8 
// Story: Weakness of the Flesh 
// by totallynotabrony 
//------------------------------//

	The private compartment aboard the train was quiet.  Golden looked around appreciatively.  “Where did you get the money for this?”
Cheerilee shrugged.  “Not paying for food for twenty years.”
The two of them were on their way to Ponyville.  Golden should be able to control herself as long as Cheerilee was around, and the schoolteacher saw no reason that the younger mare should ever leave her sight while in town.
“We have a lot of time,” said the pegasus.  “Can I ask you some questions?”
“I know you must have quite a few,” said Cheerilee.  “There really isn’t a whole lot of information about vampirism.  Princess Luna keeps a journal about all she’s learned about it.  It’s three pages long.”
“I was hoping for something a little more personal.”  Golden looked as if she wasn’t sure she should be asking.
Cheerilee wasn’t sure she wanted to answer, but nodded her consent.  The younger mare asked, “How did it happen for you?”
The schoolteacher had been expecting the question ever since she met Golden.  She had rehearsed her answer.  “Have you ever heard of Prince Blueblood?”
Golden nodded.  “Didn’t he die during the Changeling attack?”
“He was killed, yes, but the circumstances were masked by the invasion.  Blueblood was a vampire.  One of the ponies he turned came after him for revenge, thinking that killing him would cause his victims to turn back.”
“Is that how it works?” asked Golden.
Cheerilee paused.  “It’s hard to say.  It worked…sort of.  I didn’t turn back.”
The white mare’s eyes were wide.  “How did you get bitten?”
“I was a snack before Blueblood’s killer went to face him,” Cheerilee growled.  “A few minutes later, when Blueblood was dead, I was still a vampire but every other pony wasn’t.”
Golden thought for a moment.  “I didn’t turn back, either.”
Cheerilee knew.  She had killed both vampires in the chain above the young pegasus.  A thought came to her.  The time that had passed between Golden being bitten and her maker being killed had been less than a day.  Perhaps vampirism had to take some time to set in before a pony could be turned back.  That theory certainly explained a lot.
“After that, I went to work for Princess Luna,” said Cheerilee, skipping the time she’d spent feeling incredibly conflicted about being both a vampire and a schoolteacher.  It was a rough point in her memories, and she didn’t think Golden wanted to know about it.  The younger mare had enough of that on her own.
“I don’t know if I want to do what you do,” said Golden.
Well, Cheerilee supposed that covert missions weren’t for everypony.  “We won’t force you.”
Golden smiled her thanks.  The two of them sat in silence for several minutes as the train rolled on.  Cheerilee picked up a small bag she had brought with her and opened it, rifling through the contents.  A bit of silky black material poked out the top.  Golden asked, “What’s that?”
“It’s a dress.  It makes up part of the disguise I brought.”  Cheerilee pulled out an ID card with her picture and the name Lilac on it.
“It’s not much of a disguise,” commented the white mare.
Cheerilee brushed her mane into a different position and carefully inserted magenta-colored contact lenses.  She tilted her head as she looked at Golden.  In a tone of voice that sounded younger and more carefree than her usual, she asked, “So…what do you think?”
It was not a huge visual change, but Cheerilee had had time to get the nuances right.  Humoring her, Golden asked, “So why do you call yourself Lilac?”
“One of those crazy things,” said the lavender mare, rolling her eyes.  “My sister is named Daisy.  She is the one who has lilacs for a cutie mark.”
“You’ve really practiced this,” observed Golden.  “That’s a story silly enough it’s probably true.”
Cheerilee nodded, switching back to her usual demeanor.  “If you want somepony else to believe something, you have to make it believable.  That means creating a whole story to go along with each name.”
“Why do you need all this?” asked Golden.
“It wouldn’t be good to be recognized, particularly since I used to live in Ponyville.”  Cheerilee began to put on the dress and some tasteful jewelry in preparation for the train’s arrival.  She fixed her mane properly, and by the time they arrived at the station her outfit was complete.
“I feel underdressed,” remarked the other mare.
“We can fix that,” Cheerilee told her, in character of Lilac.  “I know a good boutique.”


▼▼


The door that led to Princess Luna’s office was not locked, and the maid opened it.  She didn’t expect to find a yellow earth pony sleeping facedown on the Princess’ desk.
Awakened by the door opening, the royal pony sat up, shedding her disguise.  “Sorry about that, Detergent.  I forgot to change back when I got back to the castle today.”
“No problem, Princess.  I can come back later, if you like.”  The cleaner bowed.
“Please.”  Luna nodded to the departing worker, who had to step aside as Princess Celestia came into the room.
“Cavorting around Equestria again?” asked the older sister.  “I’m surprised you have time.”
“Considering the lives of ponies are at stake, I’m willing to work it into my schedule.”  Luna paused, shuffling some papers that had become wrinkled from her face lying on them.  “Thank you for allowing me to contact the Elements of Harmony.”
“If the problem is as serious as you describe, I think you’ll need all the help you can get,” observed Celestia.
Luna smiled.  “I think I could have found a way to handle it without resorting to that, but it’s nice to have a backup plan.”
Her sister arched an eyebrow.  “Since when have the Elements of Harmony been a backup plan?  Surely you weren’t thinking about taking care of it yourself.”
The midnight blue pony shrugged.  “I’m not saying it would be fun, but when was the last time you had the chance to really unleash some magic?”
Celestia frowned.  “That’s irresponsible, Luna.  Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”
“I understand.”  The younger Princess got up.  “Very well, I promise not to be involved in direct action.”
“Where are you going?” asked Celestia as her sister headed for the door.
“Ponyville,” answered Luna.  “I have a feeling that the situation there is about to change.  I wish I knew if it was for the worse or better.”


▼▼


“I’m sorry dear, what did you say your name was?” asked Rarity.
“Lilac.”
“You look a lot like somepony I used to know.”  The unicorn returned to her work, quickly fashioning a tasteful outfit for her other customer.
The lavender mare in the black dress shrugged.  “I get mistaken like that a lot.  My sister thinks maybe I try to imitate too many celebrities.”
Rarity made a noncommittal noise, concentrating on the blue fabric in front of her.  It nicely matched the white pegasus’ eyes.  The mare had requested something fashionable that wouldn’t hinder her movement.
“I think a simple gold necklace would look good with this,” said the customer.
“Just what I was thinking,” agreed Rarity.  “You have an eye for this, Ms. Ore.”
“Please, call me Auric.”  The pegasus smiled and indicated the golden ring on her hip.  “A special talent related to valuable metals smelting naturally lends itself to a hobby of jewelry accessorizing.”
“Makes sense.”  Rarity finished the last few stitches.  “I think that’s everything.  You look great.”
The bill was paid and the two customers departed.  Rarity figured they were probably heading for the club.  Hopefully Auric Ore wasn’t as young as she looked.  She guessed the mare was perhaps seventeen or eighteen.  The other one, Lilac, could have been anywhere from twenty-one to twenty-five.  It was hard to tell with the way she’d styled her mane, and perhaps that was on purpose.
Rarity sighed, hoping the two of them had a good time.  She would be on duty with the Elements of Harmony that night.


▼▼


Tea lit a cigarette as he stepped off the train.  Equestria had been quick to pass nuisance laws shortly after smoking was introduced to govern where a pony could puff.  The stallion hadn’t been allowed to smoke since boarding.
He’d been to Ponyville once or twice before.  There was not much in town for visitors except DJ-PON3’s club.  Not having a plan to find Cheerilee, Tea walked down Main Street and hoped.
Maybe the hotel would have some record.  Tea thought perhaps he could double his chances of finding something by also searching for Cheerilee’s cousin Golden.  He didn’t know if the other mare would be with her, but there wasn’t much else to go on.
Tea glanced up at the moon.  In another day or two it would be three-quarters full.  The clear country air seemed to make it even brighter.  At least if he was going to spend all night looking for Cheerilee, it would be nice to have some light to see by.
The stallion sighed.  Cheerilee was definitely at risk.  She fit the same profile as the ponies who had disappeared.  He thought coming to Ponyville after her might be overreacting, but only a little.
Tea debated lighting another cigarette to pass the time, but held off.  No telling when he might be able to get more.