My eyes flutter open to the sound of the wind.
I am in an expansive field, obviously the one I fell asleep in. Looking back, I can remember coming here after leaving the clearing, laying down and falling asleep. My eyes scan the field, Shy was nowhere to be found.
"Forget it... she is not here... well... she might be... who knows?" Somepony says, voice projectng to me from across the clearing. I glance at whoever spoke and I feel my blood freeze. I open my mouth but nothing came out. I try to lift a hoof but it was stuck there.
Standing there... at the center of the clearing...
Was my father... he had a light blue coat and a black mane with a gold and red stripe. His expression looks rather conflicted. He stepped forward before speaking.
"Now... I know what you think of me... those thoughts are not from your own volition. There is a thing I have to tell you before jumpjng in. You will remember nothing of this conversation." He frowns at his last words. "Her thought manipulation does not work in dreams... so you are seeing me as... nice... but eventually I will go back to mt original thought." I nod slowly, glad that it is this way for a bit.
"Anyway... there are two things you need to know... to help you survive. The first... is... onto the subject of your blood. You may not be aware of this but... your blood is a mix of normal pegasus, vampony and alicorn. Usually having three types of blood running through helps you only if it is balanced to optimize the effects of the different races. Although, if the balance is way off... it weakens you. What I am trying to say is... if you become a full blooded vampony... you will stand a chance against my wife. Fair warning though... if you become one... she will come... quickly too." My mouth opens to say something again but no.sound came out.
"The second is slightly more grave... you will not like this... at all. My wife placed something on your subconscious mind that controls dreams... now... it connected that section to another... the one that has the power to activate pain cells and react to it. Normally, dreams don't affect the normal... awake body but if you can dive deep into the mind and link them, your dreams will begin affecting your physical body..." I blanched slightly at that revelation.
But... they're dreams... there is no way to link the dream life to the.waking world. It's impossible... totally and completely impossible.
My father flinched back and he put a hoof to his head.
"Shit... she's found out of my efforts... and is trying to control me... Golden... I..." He fell silent and a certain glint came to his eyes. His hoof came down and he stared at me emotionlessly, a silver glow emanating from him. He started trotting toward me and I tried backing away. Sadly, that same force that held me there was still there and all I could do was watch as he pulled out a dagger.
It came back... that same fear of mine that always surfaces whenever I was with him or my mother. That same primal fear that told you to get out of wherever it was that you were stuck in. I couldn't... being unable to move and my brainwashed father holding his knife to my chest. His outward expression was cold and unforgiving but I could see something under that. Some unwillingness to do what he will do to me. His gaze softened as he slid the knife into my chest.
I gasped and my eyes widened, feeling the pain that accompanied the knife entering me. All of the sudden I could move again and I collapsed to the ground, slowly seeing the world around me fade to black.
My father put his knife back and looked at me,
"Sorry... she was so close to total control... I was so close to making it fatal... so very close..." He trots away, leaving my severely injured form on the ground.
A mental nudge, Golden...
Then silence...
My eyes snap open to a very concerned Shy standing over me. I try to sit up but her hoof was on my chest. My chest tingled slightly as she removed her hoof. I try and get my pulse in control, sitting up yet again.
I was laying in the exact same field. What really threw me off was what exactly happened. I blinked several times and shook my head to try to clear my thoughts.
"I..." I say before staring at my chest. It was clear and free of any marks. "It... was only... a dream?" I was slightly unsure if it was real or if it was a dream or not.
"I... it was... you were... thrashing around quite a bit... I had to stop that before you caused any bodily harm to yourself... I don't like seeing.you like this... what happened?"
"My father... who didnt like me either... tried to kill me..." I say softly, staring at her. "He tackled me... and... stabbed me..." Shy's expression softens and she hugs me tightly, wordlessly, conveying more than what words could describe. I slowly felt the surface emotions and tingling fade away.
Deep down, something didn't seem right about the dream. He tried to kill me but something else stirred inside my memory.
Become full blooded and you stand a chance...
Dreams are slowly becoming reality...
I pull away from the hug, something on my mind. Again, she picked up on that right away.
"Is... there something up?" She asks, frowning slightly. I nod and describe to her what I remember what has been said to me. She tilts her head in confusion at first but then an understanding look comes across her face.
"To repeat... your dreams are slowly merging with your reality... and you need a vampony to solve the strength issue?" I nod. Shy lays down into a more comfortable position. "Well... I can help with the second option... but I cant even touch the first one..."
I smile faintly. "You're a vampony?" She grins, showing the fangs I was all to familiar with. "Good... because I..."
"I already know what you're trying to ask... I understand... just in case she comes back I wouldn't want her to end up killing you" She says. "When do... you want to...?"
"Now... if at all possible... please?" I didn't tell her... but I knew I was running out of time... food.could've only sustained me for a while longer. I had the fangs, the blood drawing abillity and the jaw strength for it but my body wouldn't accept it. I.wondered how I survived my foalhood that way.
Shy nods and tilts my.head. "Alright... just be still... it won't take long..." She says before gently biting my neck. I winced slightly as the bite happened but the pain quickly faded away, replaced with something soothing. When she started injecting the mutation into my bloodstream I let my mind wander.
It wandered to the topic of my changing... and if it would work on me or not. In all honesty, I wasn't sure but I didn't want to voice my concerns now. Before it could wander anywhere else, it was interrupted by a release of pressure from my neck. She was finished and I could honestly say that I expected it being worse.
"Well?" She prompted, "How do you feel?" Right when she asked that, I became slightly dizzy and an ice cold feeling runs through my veins.
"Well... its... interesting... to say the least" I say, smiling despite the interesting feelings running through me.
"Don't worry... the after effects will pass..." She says, relaxing and flashing mr a quick smile
"Okay.... anything I need to know beforehand?" I ask. "I don't qiite know a lot about beng a vampony... even if I was partially one all along."
"Um... feed off of only rabbits and changelings... that makes your life easier" Shy says. "Generally... stallions use up more energy than mares which means you need blood more often than me." i wasn't sure if I wanted to question her regarding the feeding advice she gave me.
It seems... rather limited... ah hell... I'll go with it. I think, unsure if I was going to keep my word or not. Shy didn't pick up on my thoughts so I nod, not mentioning that it seemed kind of limited.
"I didn't know stallions needed more energy..." I say with a light smile.
"They do... maybe because of their larger... body size"
"Heh... that doesn't explain how I land so quietly." I spread my wings and leap into the air, flying up to one of the clouds then diving to the ground. When my forehooves nearly touch the ground, I flap my wings several times, slowing myself down so they touch the ground softly. When finished, I fold them up and flash her a smile. "Like so".
"Nice going!" She says enthusiastically. I bow slightly and her smile widens.
"Why, thank you Shy" I glance around, stomach growling. She hears this and giggles.
"Somepony must be hungry... did that flying wear you out? C'mon, let's go get muffins." She begins trotting and I follow closely behind her. Along the way, my mind recalls the events of my dream. I didn't want it to but it had the tendency to do that sometimes.
Seven minutes pass and I break out of my mental stupor by running into her as she stops in front of Sugarcube Corner.
"Hey... watch where you are going..." She says, glancing at me. I nod and she trots in. I sigh softly and lay down next to the entrance, questions running through my mind about what my father said to me.
"She is going to come... and I won't be able to fight her to defend myself..." I sigh heavier and dig through my saddlebag to find my notebook. I pull it out and trace the spine of it, filling me with comfort. A slight smile escapes me and I hold it to my chest, being comforted that a world is just a pen away. I consider writing something before abandoning it completely, deciding to get up and trot into the Corner.
There, I see Shy, conversing with one of the ponies inside, basket of muffins in a hoof. I just hang by the wall, ear flicking yet again much to my annoyance. I growl lightly and try to hold it so it won't do it again. Shy picks up on this and turns to me, eyes shifting to a darker green.
"Something up?" She asks. My mind tries to formulate a response but something else stopped it. A feeling, an all too familiar one too. I reflexively take a step forward.
Something's wrong... My gaze flicks to Shy and she looks at me worriedly. I don't know what it is... but something is off... why am I feeling this way?
"Golden?" She calls with more concern lacing her voice.
"Something isn't right... why do I... feel like this? It... fear... I feel fear... why?" My ear flicks yet again. "And then... there is the flicking..."
"Hm..." She mutters, staring at me. "That's odd... do you... feel anything out of the ordinary? Try focusing your mind".
Shutting my eyes and concentrating on the particular emotions I'm feeling made my ear flick again, this time in a different direction.
Near the Everfree... something in my mind told me and I take a few steps toward the door, eyes still closed. Shy looks at me quizzically, wondering what is going on as I continue to willingly trot towards the door.
It feels like a guiding hand on my forelegs, taking me where I need to go. I glance back at Shy and nod, nudging open the door and trotting out. She takes it as a cue to follow and my eyes slowly open to the sights and sounds of Ponyville. Suddenly, it seemed much more vibrant than I ever felt it before. I could hear many different things from different sources, the fluttering of the wings of birds and the conversations of the various ponies around me. I couldn't help but grin at the auditory overload.
"Like it?" Shy asks, grinning as well and playfully nudging me. "One of the perks of being a full vampony... heightened senses and stuff." I nod happily, continuing to head towards the outskirts of Ponyville. I could tell I was getting closer, the senses I felt were getting stronger.
"P-please... leave me a-alone..." A voice whimpers, my enhanced hearing picking that up clearly. "I-I haven't done a-anything..."
"Did you murder her?" Another voice growls. I stumble slightly, recognizing that voice. I glance ahead at said pony. The pony appears to be a stallion, both wings nor horn is present on his body. He has a black coat and an orange mane that seems rather roughed up. His black eyes harden when the other pony didn't respond. "Well?" He challenges, taking a step toward the other pony.
"N-no...! I didn't... leave me alone...!" The other pony cries, backing up as the black pony advanced. I immediately feel the sense of fear increase as the second pony begins backing away. It was mixing with another one though, anger.
My gaze hardens at that sight and I break into a light gallop, Shy easily keeping pace. I slow and tap the black pony on the shoulder. He whirls around, anger crossing his face.
"You!" He growls angrily at me. "I thought I wouldn't see you again."
I calmly take a step forward and meet his gaze with one of my own. "Why... are you hurting this innocent?" I could feel the anger rising inside him and I tried keeping down my own anger in response.
"Because he-" The black pony states and I quickly cut him off.
"Because you assume that he did because he didn't respond in a calm matter. Why you ask? If you get all angry with him... he feels pressured and pressure makes it hard for a normal response... so back off..." My gaze hardens further.
"No..." The black pony growls.
"Well then..." I could tell my anger was getting the best of me and I fear that it'd come to tbe both of us fighting. It never did happen. Shy steps in between us just before the conflict increases to blows.
"Calm down... both of you. Explain what happened" Her gaze turns to the black pony. "Just because I don't wanna get into a fight."
The black pony immediately seemed to calm down, noticing Shy's position between himself and I.
"Fine, not because you're standing between us. It all happened a while ago, I was trotting down a path to Ponyville when I heard a scream." His ears flatten against his head as he continues. "I recognised that scream as my best friend. When I got there, she was already... gone." He tears up.slightly, "Ever since then, I was trying to find whoever killed her. That explains my anger toward other ponies.".
I frowns as sadness replaces the anger, a deep, profound emotion. I speak up in a somewhat soft voice. "I-I wish I could help you with that problem. I wish the best of luck to you." I turn around and try trotting away but Shy's hoof descends lightly on my back.
"Wait Golden, there is something I can do." She says. "It's risky though."
I sigh and turn back. "Really Shy? How do you propose on doing that?" I was slightly irritated at the fact that she wanted to help but another part of me wanted to help the pony. Shy didn't answer to that. "Fine, what do you want me to do?"
"Where is the body?" She asks, turning her gaze to the pony. "Who are you anyway?"
"My name is Shadow, and I don't really know where the body is anymore, it disappeared not long after I left." Shadow says, glancing down. "Finding it is out of-"
I feel something stir inside me and glance at Shadow. "Not so, it may be gone but that doesn't mean it isn't still there." I say, a smile crossing my face.
"It's gone, how can it be there?" Shadow asks, highly suspicious.
"You'll see, just be quiet, the both of you." I tell both Shadow and Shy, closing my eyes and concentrating on what lies in my mind. A slight silver aura builds up around me and I connect to Shadow's mind against his will. I take a quick scan of his memories and get the mental image of the.pony that died.
Slowly, the aura began flowing faster out and I neared the point as to where the pony might have passed at. A mental image flashed through my mind. It was a.clearing and it didn't feel too far off. Without warning, I teleport Shy, Shadow and I to that clearing.
My eyes flutter open and I glance at the clearing. "Wait, teleportation? How? Unless it's another power added onto the strange pony sensing," I mutter. "Go ahead Shy."
Shy stares at the empty space in front of her. "Here?"
"No, the moon. Of course here," I say sarcastically. "Do your stuff."
Shy nods and she closes her eyes, a light green aura streaming from her hooves. It circled around something invisible and slowly caused the pony to reform. The aura circled faster as the body finished reforming. Slowly, it sank into the ponies head, stimulating the mind much like electric shocks stimulate the heart.
She concentrates further as she wills the ponies mind to reactivate all other vital organs. Once the pony takes a light gasp of air, Shy withdraws from the ponies mind.
"It is done," she says, glancing at Shadow. "You just gotta wait."
I didn't catch her words even if they weren't directed at me. I was too busy watching the pony in front of my hooves.
The pony is a unicorn mare, a smaller size than Shy. Her coat was a medium grey color and she has a silver mane and tail, neatly groomed. Her chest rose and fell evenly, softly. Something stirred inside me deep down, an unexplained feeling. That feeling was interrupted by dizziness and I put my hoof to my head.
"W-what...?" I manage before collapsing, falling into a deep, unexplained unconsciousness.
Shy's gaze turns to me and her eyes widen. "Crap! What happened to him?" Shy says, somewhat confused. She trots over to me and pokes my chest. Finding no response, she lays down, wrapping a wing over me protectively, watching over the unicorn and I as a cloud drifts over the sun.