Chapter 19: Change of Plans
My name is Barnabas Collins. What once was a night reserved for a performance for the village has instead turned to a reunion with my loyal servant, Willie Loomis. But with him, one set of twins I have never seen before. I have reason to suspect that the three have, somehow, come for me. Now, as I continue my performance, I anticipate my suspicions to be either confirmed, or denied.
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After a moment of negotiation, it was decided that the play would continue, starting at the beginning of the final scene. As the actors and actresses performed onstage, three humans waited backstage.
Rick, Bill, and Willie sported bumps, bruises, and messed-up hair (Willie more so than usual). They sat in silence, listening to the 'fight' onstage.
At last, Rick exhaled. "So Barnabas was in no danger. None whatsoever." He turned to his brother. "We should've trusted you more, Bill. But you understand, not every world has such loving, happy people."
"You...really don't need to tell me that," Bill shook out the memories of past visits to other universes. "So who are we waiting for again?"
"Barnabas," Willie stated the obvious.
"And the ponies that were helping him cope while he was here," Rick added. "I think they were getting out of their costumes."
The three jumped as a male scream pierced the air; 'Night Mist' had been vanquished. They heard the squeaking of hinges as a trap door on stage opened, sending Barnabas off as dust and smoke filled the stage. Then, after the sound of footsteps on wood, Barnabas joined the trio onstage. Silently, he took a chair and sat opposite them. He turned to Willie. "It is quite the relief to see you once more. How is the family, Willie?"
"Worried, Barnabas," The groundskeeper shook his head. "But they're okay."
"And Josette?"
"She's...why we're here, actually."
Barnabas turned to Bill, letting him continue. "She...somehow knew where we came from. How we got to Collinsport. And she could see where you were. And with Willie the living vampire detector here-"
"Screw you."
"-We tried looking for you before anyone hurt you. Or worse." Bill leaned forward. "DID they come after you?"
Barnabas sighed. "In the beginning. But all concerns were laid to rest quickly. As were fears of my turning on them for...nourishment."
"Hello?"
The four men looked to the side. There stood at least six ponies and one small dragon. From the direction of their eyes, it was clear they were more focused on Willie and the twins than they were on Barnabas.
The vampire among them stood up. "Twilight. Allow me to introduce my trusted servant. Willie Loomis. And I was about to learn the names of the two gentlemen Willie seems to have brought with him."
The two men stood. "Richard Lilian. This is Bill, my brother. We were...sent for Barnabas."
The seven figures looked at them in surprise at this revelation. Then, immediately, one of their party, a pink pony, shot up with a cheer.
"What - Pinkie!" Twilight sputtered as the pony began bouncing around. "What are you doing?! This is serious!"
"Don't you get it, silly?" Pinkie landed right in front of Twilight. "If they were sent for Barnabas, then they know a way back! Barnabas has a way back home!"
The realization hit them like a hail of bricks before they gave their own celebratory exclamations.
"Hey, wait," the pegasus with the rainbow mane interrupted as she stepped forward. She pointed to the twins. "How do we really know you're here to take him home?"
"Willie is as loyal as a servant can be," Barnabas answered her. "He would not have allowed them to come if it meant any harm would come to me. Do not worry."
"You've...made quite a bit of friends here," Bill observed. "You sure you're alright with us taking him back?"
"They've treated me as well as any guest," Barnabas said. "But as you can tell by those rather small chairs you were sitting in, this world is no place for humans." He turned to Twilight. "But first we must retrieve my cane from your Princesses. I'm not about to waste such money after replacing it before."
The other three humans watched the scene in front of them before chirping could be heard emanating from Rick and Bill, catching everyone's attention. Carefully, they looked into their sleeves without revealing what was inside. "Uh..." Bill vocalized. "Could me and Rick step out for a moment? We need to take this."
"Uh...sure?" Twilight grew curious as to what they were looking at their arms for, but shrugged it off as she turned back to Barnabas. The twins stepped into the open, the crowd having left for home, as Twilight and Barnabas discussed retrieving the latter's cane.
Outside, the two typed away on the device on either of their wrists, their faces expressing their worry and frustration at what they seemed to be seeing. Bill whispered to Rick, who replied with whispers of his own. Rick gestured back to the stage, and the twins quickly reunited with the others.
"Alright," Bill clapped his hands. "Whatever needs to be done has to be done now. As soon as we get our vampire back home, we need to go deal with something elsewhere."
"Your bosses want you in another universe?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Yes, in another universe," Bill nodded. "Now if you...wait, what? How did you know about-"
"It's not really a secret," Rainbow Dash shook her head. "We know Barnabas isn't from here. So that means you're not from here either."
"But just what the hay are you two, anyway?" Applejack asked.
They were silent before Rick answered. "We...travel universes. Why and for who is a need-to-know situation. But how?" He and Bill pulled up their sleeves, revealing the small screens strapped to both of their wrists. "All right here." Rick brought his device up as he typed into it. "Like Bill said, when we get Barnabas back, we need to go look for someone somewhere else. Someone a lot more..." He fell silent as he read his screen, tilting his head in confusion. "...This can't be right," he concluded. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide before he typed some more, shaking his head. "No..."
"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.
"No..." Rick said louder. He looked to them. "There's...no easy way to say this, but...the second person we need to find? The dangerous one? We were sent the frequency of the universe he's in. Coordinates." He swallowed before walking up to the ponies. "They...match the ones we were given to travel here."
The group of horses, along with the little dragon, reacted with shock, fear, and surprise.
"You mean...they're here?" Twilight reasoned. Rick and Bill nodded solemnly.
Bill stepped up to stand beside his brother. "Look, we're in for a hell of a fight once we go after this guy, so if you can say your goodbyes, we can take Barnabas back before-"
"No."
They all looked to the vampire, a look of determination on his pale face. "You may return to Collinwood. Inform my family of my safety. Perhaps I shall even write a letter for them, if need be." He moved in front of the twins. "But after what these ponies have done for me...I am not leaving until they are safe from whomever it is you seek."
"Barnabas," Rick pleaded. "It's not safe for you. If they find out you're a vampire, and if they know how to kill one..."
"Do you honestly think I'm worried?" The vampire's face grew grim. "I've preyed on the strongest men. Men who would believe their abilites lift them above law and order. Men who told me they knew exactly how to strike me down." He stepped back, gesturing with his hands as if awaiting an embrace. "As you can see...they were wrong."
"This just got dark," Spike whispered to Twilight.
"I will tell you again," Barnabas spoke louder. "Until they are safe, I am not leaving. I owe them that much."
Rick and Bill looked to Barnabas, then to Willie, and then, finally, to the ponies and dragon. They breathed deep, exhaled, and hung their heads. Rick looked up. "Fine. Besides, if everything about vampires is true for you, then I can see the benefits of having a vampire for an ally."
"What about us?"
The twins turned back to the ponies and to Spike. Bill rubbed the back of his head. "You know, we never got your names."
Twilight stepped forward. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. This dragon is Spike, my assistant." She gestured to her friends, listing off their names as she moved her hoof.
"Alright," Bill nodded. "So what can you all do?"
"As a matter of fact," Rainbow Dash began to boast, "We're the bearers of the Elements of Harmony."
"Okay," Bill put his hands on his sides. "And that is...?"
"Magic artifacts," Twilight said. "The most powerful in Equestria. As we each exhibit a trait they represent, they work only for us. And perhaps even let us help you stop whoever you're looking for."
"Sounds good," Willie chimed in, stepping beside the twins and his master. "Where are they?"
"Back in Canterlot. With our Princesses," Rarity answered. "And, as Barnabas said, that just so happens to be where he needs to go."
"So that's where we go," Rick looked to Bill. "Maybe we can get the Princesses on our side if he didn't already."
"Hey! I just realized - you never said who you're looking for!" Pinkie declared. "Does he have a name?"
"Yes..." Rick incredulously answered the pink pony. "But he also has connections. Connections that might tell him we're looking for him if we drop names. How many depends on how long he's been here - some information we get can be a bit dated. If we can get an audience with the Princesses, and maybe a closed-door meeting, we can tell you all you need to know."
"We can see about getting a train to Canterlot tomorrow," Twilight decided. "In the meantime - I should have room in my library, if you're looking for somewhere to stay."
"Sleeping in an actual building?" Bill asked aloud. "Rick, I don't care if you're my brother. Pass this up, and I end you."
"Alright, alright," Rick raised a hand in mock defense. "Thank you, Twilight. We'd be more than happy to stay with you."
Bill began turning around. "We just need to get our..."
Rick looked to whatever it was that made Bill stop speaking. Sitting right in front of them - almost directly on top of them - was a mint green unicorn, staring up at them with wide, yellow eyes.
Bill's eyes darted this way and that, as if looking for a response. "...Hi?"
"Can I get an autograph?" The unicorn mare asked almost bluntly, as a notepad flew up in the twins' faces. "Please?"