Rarity looked at her two worriied friends with confusion. "Darlings, you know you don't need to worry about me. But trivialities aside, what is
wrong."
Rainbow Dash spoke in a really hushed tone. "Him," she said, pointing a hoof accusatively. "He is wrong."
Twilight nodded, causing Rarity to speak up. "He is a tad suspicious, yes. But he really is just a lonely pony. I listened as he told his life tale,
and it seemed that we may just be misguessing him. He's been alone for so many years. Why not give him a chance?"
Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight who was seriously considering letting Rarity handle it. She shook her head, decision made. "A truth spell."
Rarity shook her head. "What was that, darling?"
A faint smile crossed Twilight's face. "A truth spell. I can hear his story, and then know if he is lying."
The voice from behind them spooked them all. "Wouldn't that be a bit prying?" Vlad inquired. "Truth spells are used on those untrustworthy, such as
liars or cheats. I'm not in any trouble, so what have I done wrong?"
Twilight eyed him suspiciously. "I'm on an assignment from the Princess herself. Secret, I'm afraid. But I can tell you that, using the old term,
'The innocent..."
Vlad finished the thought for her. "Have nothing to fear. I've heard it before. Yet I have been at the wrong end of a spear before, and I have had my
mind lanced before. So I apologize, but I feel that the spell is a little too prying? After all, some ponies use lies and myth to hide from themselves. So
using a truth spell strips away their only defense against themselves."
The three mares raised their eyebrows unanimously. "And you have something you need to hide from, Vlad? Did you lie to me?" Rarity finally asked.
Vlad looked crestfallen. While he was looking down, Twilight lighted her horn. "Once." He said quietly. Rarity watched Twilight, who nodded. "I
wasn't locked out of my town. I had to leave. But my reasons are my own." He looked up, with a frown on his face. "Everything else was true."
Twilight nodded again, and them motioned with her hoof. "Go ahead and tell the rest. It may help protect you in the long run."
Vlad sighed, and laid down. "Go ahead and find a seat. It's a long story."
-+-+-+-+-+-
"Well, Vladamir," Twilight began. "I have one question. What was it that you studied in your temple?"
Vlad's expression grew serious. "Must I answer? It is a secret sworn to secrecy."
Twilight's suspicion grew. "Yes. You must, only because this 'Temple in the North' is actually a key piece of the puzzle. Unless I know exactly what you studied, then You will remain a suspect."
Vlad let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine!" He cried. "I studied," He was interrupted by a shriek from outside. Vlad bolted for the door, before any of the mares had even recognized the sound. The three soon took off after him, Twilight and Rainbow in suspicion, Rarity in worry.
What they found before them was a horrifying sight. The sign had fallen off of a local gardening shop and slammed into a poor mares back, slamming her to the ground. She had obviously broken bones, and was bleeding pretty hard. The reason she hadn't crawled away was because the sign had pinned her to the ground. Vlad cursed quietly under his breath. "Everypony stand back! I'm a doctor!" He called out, and all the ponies created a nice path for him.
He kneeled beside the mare, who was barely concious. "Ma'am, I'm here to help. What is your name?"
"Rose Tailor." She croaked out.
Vlad smiled reassuringly. "Nice to meet you, Rose. I am Vladamir. Now, I need you to take deep, slow breaths." She silently complied, and Vlad laid a hoof on her chest, feeling her heart begin to slow down. Let's hope I do this without anypony noticing, Best stop the bleeding first, then get to dealing with sign. He thought, before reaching out to the blood that pooled around him.
He felt its cool temperature, and began pulling the upper layers back inside her, hoping it wasn't too visible. As he felt the pool line recede, he stopped, and started clotting the blood on the surface. He leaned back, trying to hide the unholy glow around his eyes from everypony. Rose, however noticed. "Whats wrong with your eyes?" she asked.
"Nothing, dear. You have lost a lot of blood, so hallucinations might appear." He reassured her, blinking his powers away the moment the scab had formed. "See?" He said with a smile. He stood up and tried to push the sign over, but found even he was too weak. He looked out to the crowd, and called "Might Somepony help me move this?"
An orange earth pony wearing a stenson stepped forward. "Ah think ah can help." she said with a strong southern accent. She stepped up, and turned around at the sign. "On three? One, two... three!" She kicked the sign as hard as she could, dislodging it, and causing it to begin falling backwards. Vlad rapidly pulled Rose out from beneath it.
Vlad nodded his head towards the orange pony. "Thank you." He said, before turning around to stare in the face of a white mare. "Ah, you must be the local doctor! Good, good. She has a few broken ribs, and her left hindleg is shattered. But other than that, I was able to stop the bleeding and slow her heart rate." She gave him a perplexed look, so he sighed. "I'm a first responder."
The light clicked on behind her eyes, and she smiled. "Thank you. We'll take it from here." she responded curtly.
Vlad sighed as Rose was taken off of his back, and a strange brown pony walked up. "Is Rose alright?" He asked nervously. Vlad eyed him a little bit, and laughed.
"She is in capable hands. I did what I could, but a few months of recovery will do her wonders." he replied.
"Oh, good." The pony said, clopping his forehooves together, before turning to walk away. Vlad curiously looked down at the ponie's cutie mark, which was an hourglass.
"Strange..." Vlad muttered as he turned around. When he realized he was looking straight into the eyes of Twilight.
"So... Gonna tell me what you studied?" She asked inquisitively, lighting her horn.
Vlad sighed, before turning to walk back towards the boutique. Almost caught twice in one day. This town is going to be my deathtrap, isn't it? Vlad asked himself, before sighing and opening the door.