//------------------------------//
// Waking 
// Story: He's a Vampire 
// by Gormless Wheaton 
//------------------------------//








Once I returned with Frill, Quilt accepted no argument and demanded we stay and rest in her house. The hours had ticked by and the sun was slowly crawling towards the horizon.

I poked my head through the wall and scanned the village. The Catican may have ruined the festival, but the sheep of Ruffleton had managed to bounce back and repair much of the damage they'd caused. Mostly broken windows or smashed stalls. In any case, the medicinal potions I'd delivered had worked wonders, and just a day later, Ruffleton was settling back into its quiet status quo.

I turned and drifted back to my body on Quilt's sofa, where Quilt and Frill were both still sleeping curled up on my chest and side respectively. The whole incident had eased their competition for my attention, seemingly. Cozy had even joined our little sleepover, though she was in Quilt's bed across the room.

Once I was physical again, I sighed and ran my fingers through Frill's matted wool.

"Gonna need to get you a brush, little lady," I thought.

"Mm, me too?" I blinked and looked down to see Quilt looking up at me with a groggy smile. Then, a hoof shot out and bopped her on the nose.

"Whatever it is, me first," Frill declared with a groan as she stretched her legs.

"What's Peter doing?" I tilted my head back and saw Cozy hopping down and walking our way, stretching her legs as she approached. I looked from her to the other two, who were looking at me expectantly. The clock on the wall read five-thirty.

"Breakfast for dinner?" I offered. Quilt beamed, but Frill scoffed and rolled to her hooves, bumping Quilt to the ground as she did.

"Not if you're cooking," she hopped over me and Quilt, who swung at her with a roar. She avoided Quilt's hoof, spun around, and winked at me. "But I think I owe you a big thank you, Mister."









"Nah," I said firmly while running the brush through Frill's fur.

"Just a little won't hurt!" She retorted, looking back at me with a frown. "Come on!"

"Nuh-uh," I reasserted, ignoring Cozy's critical glare as she and Quilt munched on the pancakes Frill had made for everyone. Except for me, as I didn't really eat food. Instead, she was now trying to convince me to suck her blood. She scrunched her muzzle and whined.

"But you were so valiant!" She shot a sneer at Quilt, who was cleaving huge mouthfuls from her stack of pancakes and waved a hoof at her. "And I fed that slob, so I can't just let you starve!" Quilt stamped her hoof and swallowed with some effort.

"She's right! And since Celestia's put you on a diet, this might be your best chance to get a decent meal!" She thrust a hoof in the air triumphantly. "Drain her dry!"

"Don't," Cozy spat dryly. We all shared a look and laughed. Then Quilt's door got kicked in by a trio of armed and armored Diamond Dogs, who came scrambling into the house with spears ready. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw me staring at them in bewilderment.

"Master?" One chirped nervously.

"Thought you gone!" Another added. The last just gulped and nodded profusely. I furrowed my brow, gently set Frill on the ground, and slowly approached the three who wilted under my gaze. Once I stood before them, the sounds of a ruckus just outside became apparent.

"Again!?" Quilt shrieked. I held up a hand, both to quiet her and to begin conjuring a storm outside as the sun was still up a little.

"We don't know that!" I slowly drew the same hand forward and firmly grabbed one of the dogs by the shoulder. "Explain."









The leader of the defeated raiding party choked and sputtered in my grip before finally going still. I tossed his body into the pile of the other treacherous dogs who hadn't surrendered upon seeing me. I turned to Fancy, the leader of the trio who broke into Quilt's house, who held his helmet in his paws meekly. Just passed him, the sheep of Ruffleton were gathered together in a frightened crowd, just as they had been months ago.

"What did Graggle order you to do once you rounded all the sheep up?" He nodded bashfully.

"Said send word to castle, then wait for orders," he adjusted his grip on his helmet. "Said needed sheep you friends with." I hissed and looked up at Ramstead in the distance, standing tall and proud in the moon's light.

"Little bastard," I huffed and whistled through my fingers, drawing the attention of all the dogs waiting a safe distance from the sheep. "If you're still loyal like you claim, form two parties. One head to Threadbare, the other to Buttonburg. Warn them of what Graggle just tried to pull." I grabbed my cape and swept it over me as I turned and made for town hall. In moments, a stampede of paws rolled out and left the town.

Just in the door of the town hall, I found Shawl, Frill, Cozy, and Quilt right where I asked them to wait. I pointed at Shawl and then at the crowd outside.

"Tend to your flock," I ordered. He wilted under my gaze, but nodded and carefully stepped around me.

"Thank you, Peter," he whispered as he left us for the crowd. I scratched the back of my head and hummed.

"Why would Graggle do this?" Frill muttered, shaking her head at the ground. Quilt rubbed her chin and murmured quietly.

"Think he's just been planning this from the beginning?" Cozy offered as she paced around the three of us. I shook my head and cracked my knuckles.

"Dunno, but I'm going to find out once I stop his dogs." Quilt shivered and shot to her hooves.

"Sunbeam and Hasty," she said quietly. Cozy stumbled and whipped around with her jaw hanging open. I scowled and shot out my Evil Eye. Luckily, they were both together, though in chains and without their armor. I recognized the room they were in as the vault. Hasty was doing his best to comfort Sunbeam by rubbing her back, while she was huddled under the table in a tight ball.

Before they had a chance to react, I warped in, scooped them both up, and warped them back to Quilt and the others. Sunbeam scrambled to her hooves with a prolonged scream, but tripped and flopped onto her side.

"Sunbeam!" Cozy squealed.

"Co-" Sunbeam's ears snapped against her skull and she scanned the room with wide eyes. "Wha.." Cozy tackled her in a hug. Hasty watched the two tumble on the ground and slowly looked up at me.

"Hey," he said with a low relieved tone and an uneasy smile. Tears started to form at the corners of his eyes. I knelt and petted his back.

"Hey, buddy." He hiccuped, drew his hoof over his eyes, and smiled earnestly. I reached down and snapped the shackles off his rear legs then did the same for Sunbeam, who was slowly recovering and looking up at me.

"Peter," she muttered over Cozy, who was nuzzling her chin. "You're back?"

"What the hell happened?" I asked. She and Hasty blanched and shared a look. She wriggled out of Cozy's grip and sprang to her hooves.

"Queen Chrysalis is back," she desperately declared. I scowled and rolled my eyes.

"God damn it, we just got done with an invasion of assholes," I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

"Where the heck'd she come from?" Cozy grumbled and rolled to her hooves. Hasty nodded and tapped my shin.

"That new Diamond Dog at the castle, Stutter I think," he reported, causing me to choke and look at him with my jaw open.

"You're fucking kidding." They both shook their heads and I snarled. "Alright, but what about Graggle's little coup? Are they in cahoots?" Sunbeam shuddered and shook her head.

"No, Chrysalis has him under her spell. She's puppetting him around and is planning an invasion of Equestria!"

"Using the Woollachian army," Hasty added. He gave a severe look to Frill, Quilt, and Cozy. "She also mentioned taking all of you hostage to get Peter to work for her." Frill humphed, and Quilt growled. I clenched my jaw and cracked my neck.

"Why'd she lock you two up?" I asked.

"Kind of the same reason. She wanted to leverage us against Princess Celestia," Sunbeam replied.

"Makes sense," I declared with a sigh and a stretch. I looked out the door, saw that Shawl had the townsfolk looking cheerier, and nodded. "Well, no reason to cause another panic."

"What do you mean?" Hasty asked. I winked and sent out my Evil Eye and quickly found a bemused Stutter, lounging on my throne with Graggle at his side.

"Be right back," I pulled my fist back, warped right in front of Stutter, and hurled a haymaker. My fist pulverized the back of the chair, as Stutter tumbled under my swing and exploded with green flames. The flames rolled down his form, revealing Chrysalis who quickly snapped around and tried to blast me in the back. My mist flowed around her beam which punched a hole through to the vault.

"Now that was a surprise," she cooed as I reformed several feet away. I spared a momentary glance at Graggle, whose eyes had a green tinge to them, but was otherwise sitting with a vacant stare. "I suspected you'd be along soon after I captured your precious little lambs, but this response time is otherworldly." She purred a laugh and began circling me to the left. I mirrored her movements as we stepped off the dais.

"Well, credit where it's due," I replied, gesturing to her with a hand. "I was expecting that swing to knock your face off." I nodded at her.

"So, top marks for your reaction speed." She hummed and smiled.

"It seems we can appreciate where we both stand power-wise," she said, casting a leer my way. "Just a shame not every creature can be so perceptive." She slowed her pace and I responded in kind. A plan was forming in my mind involving yanking the chair and crashing into her back once she was in position.

"And what exactly does that mean?" She whirled around and began pacing backward.

"Your exile from Woollachia was a total farce!" She spat. "An apex predator like you should be free to do as he likes! Feed as often as he wants!" I pursed my lips and tilted my head away.

"That's an interesting-"

"PETER," Quilt shrieked. Fucking. "Briefs is back!"

"Perspective," I sent my Evil Eye out to Quilt. She was peeking out one of the windows of the town hall with the others. The locals were scrambling out of the way of a hulking wolf-like monster lumbering its way toward Quilt's house.

"How do you know it's-"

"Ms. Quilt? Yoohoo!" The unmistakable voice of Briefs chimed out from the monster's maw.

"Never mind." The monster punched a claw through the door to Quilt's house and ripped most of the wall down.

"Nope! Not there~"

"Celestia should be kneeling at your feet!" Chrysalis declared, having been carrying on with her spiel while I watched Briefs.

"Y'know, you've got a point there," I replied, snapping my fingers at her. I mentally yelled at Quilt. "Get something silver ready."

"You.. Really?" Chrysalis balked and came to a stop. I nodded earnestly.

"Cozy's got something!" I focused my Eye, and sure enough, Cozy had a silver fork gripped in her teeth. Briefs whipped his head around before looking straight at the window of the town hall. His lips peeled back in a smile.

"Really, really," I folded my arms and looked at the ceiling. "She's nice and all, but nice manners and kind words don't stave off hunger." I gave Chrysalis a weary smile. She blinked and grinned wickedly.

"Exactly," she slowly stalked towards me. "You deserve to feed! Better, you deserve to have lesser beings throw themselves at you for the honor of being fed upon!" She thrust a hoof up in a triumphant pose. I nodded and smiled.

"Yeah.. Yeah!" Briefs was stalking towards the window. Quilt and the others scrambled back and huddled together. Chrysalis leaped closer to me and grinned.

"Join me," she purred. "Help me conquer Equestria, and claim what is-"

"Deal," I declared and held out my hand. She clamped her jaw shut and blinked, studying my hand in bewilderment. She looked me in the eyes and I nodded. "What can I say? It's been a stressful few days, and I'm pissed." She smiled.

"Oh! Believe me, I understand," she slipped her hoof in my hand and shook it. I yanked her closer, earning a surprised yelp, and then warped us straight at Briefs where I swung her as hard as I could and slammed her into his side. "TRAITOR!" She squawked and gurgled as the pair tumbled away. Briefs rolled and settled on his back, while Chrysalis slid off him with a dazed groan.

I stood to my full height and huffed. The window Quilt had been looking through flew open.

"Peter!" Cozy cried and hucked the silver fork my way. I caught it in my magic and pulled it into my grip before approaching Briefs. He looked up and saw me, before smiling again.

"Ah! Hello, Prince Peter," he rolled onto his claws. "How have you-" I warped under him and plunged the fork with all my might into his heart. He let out a gurgling roar as my attack lifted him off his forelegs. He swept his claws out and howled before I let him drop to my side.

Black blood welled up and spilled out of the wound as he writhed and moaned, slowly shrinking back to his sheep form. Chrysalis shook her head and slowly rolled to her hooves.

"You wretched-" She muttered and swayed once she stood up. I conjured a ball of fire and held it up, causing her to wince and take a step back.

"Peter!" I heard Frill cry. I turned and saw Quilt and the others galloping to me.

"Stay back!" I ordered. They stopped just far enough away to see Briefs weakly bat at the air with his hoof. Then he chuckled and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Choke on it," he gurgled and then went limp. I stared at his unmoving body for a moment, while the local sheep slowly formed a crowd once again.

"Was that Mayor Briefs?"

"What happened?"

"Did Prince Harlow save us again?"

"Twice in one day ain't bad!"

I hummed and turned my attention to Chrysalis who was still recovering from the impact.

"You're free to fuck off now," I said. She hissed and lowered her horn, but then she flinched.

"Peter!" I turned to Quilt and saw Briefs' body was beginning to hiss and smoke. Then black flames erupted from the wound I made, consuming the entire corpse.

"Wh-" Before I could process what was happening, just like with Mad Dog and Candy, the flames reared up and shot into my chest. And then Quilt started screaming. I looked over and saw her collapse and holding her stomach. She rolled on the ground and screamed until she ran out of breath before clenching her teeth and eyes shut.

"Quilt!" I shot forward to try to get to her side, where Frill and Cozy were. But then my legs gave out. I hit the ground hard and felt the breath leave my body. After a second I was able to push up on my hands and knees, but my arms were quivering. I looked up and saw Quilt writhing again with a terrified looking her eyes.

Her lips were held shut, but a black ooze was dripping from the corners of her mouth and her nose. We shared a horrified look for just a moment before she heaved and puked up an ungodly amount of black sludge.

I collapsed flat on my back and sprawled out.

My head spun and I gasped for breath. Even when poisoned with garlic, or caught in sunlight, I never felt this weak. It felt like I'd been sapped of every last ounce of strength, and somehow even more was being siphoned out.

"It's your dark magic," the First declared, looming over me and providing the only stationary point as the world spun around me. Slowly, it drew an extended claw to its jaws and shushed me. "Endure it for now, but say nothing of me." I blinked, and it was gone.

The awful weak feeling was gone too, so I snapped to my feet. I spotted Quilt, breathing heavily and lying beside a pool of black, boiling sludge. Frill and the others had scrambled a few feet back and were staring with dread at her.

I rushed to her side and cradled her. Slowly, her eyes rolled and locked with mine. She was sweating and looked about as bad as I felt a minute ago.

"P-" She took a rattling breath and winced. "Peter." She reached for me with a hoof, which I gripped. Just then, the boiling sludge went still. A ripple shuddered through it from the center, where a pair of yellow flames suddenly popped up. Chrysalis cried out and spread her wings. I looked between her and the flames, unnerved by the uncharacteristic look of terror on her face.

The sludge shuddered again and boiled fiercely. My eyes were drawn to the flames which remained undisturbed by the pool's motions. Slowly, the pool rippled and rocked, and waves started undulating from beneath the flames out to the very edge with gradually increasing intensity. It was like the whole pool was trying to stand up.

And then it did.

The pool erupted upwards and folded in on itself, forming a boiling sphere that sloshed and wriggled on the ground, pulsing and gurgling every so often. It started to shrink with each pulse until finally the outline of something began to form.

Something caprine.

I saw a long muzzle gnawing at the inside of the sludge, and the pair of flames slowly trailed down to just above the muzzle before sinking inside. Then the whole bubble silently burst, spattering the ground around with steaming, black leathery skin. At the center of the whole mess was a skinless four-legged thing with incredibly long curled horns, gnashing and chattering its teeth. The flames rested in its eye sockets.

Slowly, as the thing gasped and croaked, the leathery skins crawled up its legs and encased the entire creature. Once it was covered, it stopped moving and just breathed quietly. Its newly formed eyelids blinked a few times and then a thick coat of coarse blue fur rapidly filled out its body. Its eyes opened and revealed a pair of dull yellow goat eyes that shifted around as it rolled its head.

It hummed and sighed behind sealed lips, which slowly peeled back to reveal a pair of long sharp fangs that sprang from its lower jaw. The goat creature took another breath and then shook its whole body. It blinked again and sighed.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" He, for I was confident that harsh, gravelly voice could only be male, cackled, and stamped his hooves. He drew a hoof over his brow. "WOO, that. Was. Close!" He snickered and guffawed, and Quilt shot up in my arms, looking at the goat with wide eyes. I could see Cozy holding a hoof over her mouth with a similar expression. The goat stamped his hooves again with laughter.

"Genuinely! When Adam let the Elements kill him, I thought that was that! Aw, but Briefs came through for me, just like always!" He howled a laugh again. He raised an eyebrow and jabbed a hoof at me. "And you! Oh hoh hoh! You did splendidly!" He fell into a tittering laughing fit as I flinched. I looked around and saw, again to my shock, that Chrysalis was shivering at the sight of the guy.

"Hehehe, oh, what a rush," he pranced in place and giggled before sighing and rolling his head to and fro. Then he stopped, looked straight ahead, and slowly turned to look at me with an expression of abject disdain. Or at least I thought it was me. I realized fast that he was looking at Quilt. They locked eyes for a minute and I felt her quiver. He tilted his head slightly and shot her the same smug grin I'd seen her wear countless times.

"Hey, Quili-lily~."

"Grandpa?"








END OF ACT 5