“Speak up chicken!” spoke Apple Bloom under a grin. She had gotten just a little bit annoyed by the long waiting on the story that would be told by Scootaloo. She could be the most patient filly in the world when she wanted, but she never truly liked to wait on events to happening.
“If little miss Countryside here will hold her mouth, then I can do my story!” replied Scootaloo who was consuming herself from the inside out upon the word ‘chicken’. Even though the joke had begun a long time ago, she still couldn't stand it at all. Over the passage of time it became her sobriquet in more than one way. It was to be considered a good thing that none of the older ponies she came in contact with used it against her.
Sweetie Belle let go a little sigh over the two blabbering fillies and continued to watch them a little bit more. But when the signs were given they would go hoof to hoof on each other, she knew it was time for her to meddle herself in it. “Quit it you two! Scootaloo, tell your story please. Apple Bloom, hold your mouth will you,” she spoke up while she separated the two fight eager fillies. Each of the fillies got a hoof pushed against their chest and the emerald green eyes of the unicorn kept switching between them.
Both the earth pony and the pegasus gazed a little up to this sudden interruption from the little unicorn before they both nodded to the spoken words. Apple Bloom returned to her chair while the pegasus cleared her throat in the middle of the room. “Rainbow Dash,” she started as Sweetie had returned to her pillow and looked full wonder to her friend.
“And here we go again,” mumbled Apple Bloom under an annoyed roll of her eyes. The earth pony just kicked further back in her chair and waited what would come next. Whatever it possibly could be, it would only raise the questions instead of answering them. Even though the sober red maned filly had clearly seen Rarity, she couldn't believe it.
Scootaloo didn't give Apple Bloom any more attention and just continued on her story. “She has told me many stories when we were camping, just the two of us over at White Tails, she told horrible ghost stories of undead ponies who live on the blood of the living.” She paused a little bit for the dramatic effect. Somehow she still managed to put up a show while they had seen the unbelievable. Though Sweetie Belle was already shivering on her spot and it wouldn't be long before she would walk over and just crawl against Apple Bloom in the chair. The earth pony filly on the other end didn't look very interested at all. She always had been a filly who was quite low to the ground when it came down to believes but still kept her mouth shut in order for Scootaloo to tell her ghost tales.
“They come out at night, hunting for a living pony in order to drink from them. Nopony knows how they select their victim. But you better pray, it is not you,” she spoke further in a much darker tone. “Ponies with fangs in their mouths and wings on their backs...”
“Sounds like changelings to me,” replied Apple Bloom because she couldn't hold herself any longer. While the similarities were striking between the two species, they could only wish that that was the true cause of it all.
Scootaloo looked deep in the eyes of Sweetie before she spoke the truth as she knew it to her. “A creature like that, is called a vampony.”
Upon hearing that single and emphasized word did the irises of Sweetie shrunk down to near nothing. She released a deep and loud gulp of terror soon afterwards. It took her some time before the young unicorn made a remark of her own and it was done after she had snuggled up against Apple Bloom a lot more. “S-Scoot, w-what more do you know?” she asked with care while fearing the answer that would come from her.
The pegasus filly turned her attention even further to the death terrified Sweetie before Apple Bloom wrapped one of her forelegs around the unicorn filly with a gentle giggle. She tried to keep herself tough but deep inside of her she was curious as well. “Are you willing to hear more?” Scootaloo asked with great care while her gaze turned into a serious one.
The little unicorn nodded with a light motion before she snuggled up to the chest of Apple Bloom. She was hoping to find some form of comfort as the words got spoken to them both. The earth pony was actually surprised that Sweetie crawled up that far against her and she blinked a couple times. But then just continued on with trying to comfort the little Sweetie. “You asked for it. Masters of manipulation they are, unable to die, forbidden to live...” Scootaloo continued in a sinister sounding voice to enhance up the mood. Whether it was done intentionally or not, was unknown to the other two Crusaders.
“H-How do you b-become one?” Sweetie interrupted all of the sudden. She didn't care about all the other possible things at that point. She knew what she saw in the living room of her sister’s boutique and that question was the only one she truly wanted to have answered.
The sudden interruption took the pegasus out of her story as her mind delved itself in the words spoken by Rainbow about it. Not a single memory was lost untouched in her mind during the search. As a couple seconds had passed, she found the answer. “You get bitten, and then they drain you from your blood, while feeding you their own. That is how you turn. By consuming their blood as they take yours. That’s what Rainbow Dash told me when I asked her.”
“A-And how do you spot one?” Sweetie asked through as the fear became readable within her eyes as well. Her face was even whiter than it normally was and the other two noted it almost right away. But not that it would stop Scootaloo from doing her words. Apple Bloom on the other end tried to comfort Sweetie as best as she possibly could by stroking up and down her shoulder and hugging her in a warm manner.
“Spotting one is a lot more simple. A vampony can’t walk into the sunlight. That is why they travel only at night or sunless days. Rainbow also said something about the signs of princess Celestia herself, but I can’t remember what was with them,” the pegasus filly replied to the question.
~~~~
It was in that moment that the bucket of the earth pony just flooded over. She couldn't take it any longer as all of the words that were spoken by Scootaloo did fell in the wrong gullet. “Oh come on, ya really think Ah’m supposed to believe all this mythical, ‘vampony’ talk of yours?” she interrupted as she was visible annoyed. Yet she never left her job of comforting the terrified Sweetie Belle. Whether she was trying to ease the pain for the unicorn or herself, was something that laid on the line of genius and madness.
The tiny wings of Scootaloo sprung open themselves at the words and she walked up to the earth pony filly with anger readable on her forehead. Yet before the two would meet up did Sweetie manage to get out of the hold and moved herself out of the way. She knew what was going to happen, and didn't like it. The pegasus didn't make any chance to waste and she pressed her own forehead against that of Apple Bloom. The both of them just stared each other deeply into the eyes and exchanged glazed filled with anger. “Then how do you explain what we just saw, hillbilly?” replied Scootaloo in a cutting tone. But she had already made the big mistake. For she spoke one word that never should have been spoken against the young cowgirl in any situation.
“Excuse me? Wha did ya just called me, chicken?” Apple Bloom replied with an odd calm. Though deep inside her body was she boiling like water in a kettle. A kettle that was about to explode violently.
“Hill...”
“Scootaloo, no!” Sweetie yelled with a crack on the ‘no’ as she tried to calm her two friends down with everything in her might. But all hope was in vain and the worst possible fears were about to be blown into their reality.
“...Billy...”
The expression in the eyes of Apple Bloom changed almost in an instant from her bored and angry gaze into a look of both suppressed pain and her deepest anger. “Ah ain't no hillbilly!”
“Prove it,” taunted Scootaloo with a deep going smirk.
~~~~
Before even the pegasus filly realized it, had the little cowgirl hit her right in the face with a strong right front hoof. The knock was powerful enough to send the orange coated filly back a couple hooves as Apple Bloom got up on all four of her hooves. She was ready to finish the fight with one last hit. But knowing the pegasus through and through, that wouldn't be the case.
Scootaloo shook her head a little bit before she crawled back up again under the soft shake of her head. “Not bad, not bad at all.” She rushed over to the earth pony and the two broke into the most heaviest of fights they ever head.
When the hooves of Apple Bloom met both the body and face of Scootaloo were the events vice versa as well. Both fillies delivered and took the heavy blows from one another as Sweetie jumped all over the place. She spoke words in her cracked voice in an attempt to calm the raging fillies down. From time to time she tried to get in between the fighting fillies, but the chance was never given to her to truly do it.
“Maybe Ah should call you a ‘disabled pegasus’ and they take you to the Weather Corporation!” Apple Bloom said with hatred as her hoof met the under belly of Scootaloo who let go a deep ‘oof’ in response.
“Y-You won’t even d-dare!” Scootaloo managed to reply while she recovered from the blow. She readied one of her own and soon enough, the left for hoof met the right upper foreleg of Apple Bloom.
“Ah wouldn't, ya say? Just what Ah expected from a chicken,” she said with one of her eyes closed. She took the punch like the filly she was. She didn't give a dime about the received pain as the adrenaline was racing through her body. Something that made them feel almost nonexistent. The next blow of Apple Bloom was delivered right on Scootaloo’s lower jaw.
The little pegasus got knocked back against the wall as some tears appeared below her eyes. The pain was almost getting too much for her little body but she wouldn't give in. Apple Bloom slowly made her way over to her friend as she spoke her words in a cold manner. A manner that was even unusual for the filly. “Ah’m sure they ran out of orange for their rainbows, ya might do just fine.”
“No, that, that is not true! Rainbows are not made that way!” replied Scootaloo just before she lowered herself again and streams of tears made their way down her cheeks under a soft sobbing. She was done for it, physically and mentally broken. And then it was the first time that she saw the blood that ran down from her lips, gently dripping itself to the belly.
“Then ya shouldn't have called me a hillbilly!” Apple Bloom continued to speak. She had the pegasus right where she wanted and didn't care anymore about anything. Her words held more than enough power to shatter their years lasting friendship on the spot and without a doubt.
~~~~
“Enough! Apple Bloom! Scootaloo!” Sweetie spoke in a raised voice as she finally had found the courage to speak up against the brawling fillies. During the heat of the fight had her horn was charged up a little bit. It wasn't much but enough to make her green aura to cover it as a while.
“We are not even sure what we just saw in my sister’s home, what my sister even is! And now, you two are fighting, over a stupid word!? Think about me for a change! Scootaloo stole the diary, Apple Bloom started the fight. I am sick of you two! This Crusader is leaving the clubhouse and wants to speak to you two again when you two foals set your differences aside and care about others again!” she yelled over to the two as sprouts of green magic left her horn with every single crack made. She allowed her horn to discharge itself while streams of tears went down her cheeks. The sights of her sister who had become a monster and her friends fighting like they did, all of it had become too much for the filly. Her young mind could only handle so many events and so much stress at once. The limit has been reached and she needed a deep rest from it all. She wanted a deep rest from it all to be more correct.
Without a second thought that went through her mind, had Sweetie just turned herself around and took her gear with her. The filly then opened the door before she just galloped away from the clubhouse. Away from the fighting ponies and away from her friends. The other two fillies were just staring in shock at the events that happened before they turned their attention back to each other. As they looked into the eyes of the other, they only saw regret for their done deeds. Deeds that can’t be redeemed by any form, deeds that would have the power to just shatter a, thought to be, lifelong friendship. They could only hope that one would forgive the other in time, while praying Sweetie wouldn't fall into a deep depression.
Neither of the two spoke a word, but only gave a small nod as their thoughts were on one line. They knew what they did, they know they were sorry for it both. Apple Bloom extended her hoof out to Scootaloo in order to hoist her back up on all four of her hooves. The pegasus was a little doubtful at first, but then took it. In a swift movement, the cowgirl pulled her friend up and hugged her tightly whereas the orange coated filly did the same.
Tears streamed down both of their faces as the adrenaline from the fight started to wear off which made them feel the pain they caused one another. Shocks of pain just raced through both the bodies as the fillies as the hug was not only used for their friendship but also as support pole to stand on. They were bleeding in some spots and would definitely held over some bruises from it all, but that was a worry for later. A lot later.
~~~~
Meanwhile was Sweetie running passed Sweet Apple Acres under a loud sobbing which was caught up by nopony else than Big Macintosh. The stallion had just left the house in order to work on the land and he busy getting the rigging of the plow around his body. He allowed his sap green eyes to follow the tearing filly until she disappeared out of his sight completely. Despite being a gentle giant, he wasn't the best when it came to comforting. “What in the hays name did they got themselves in this time..? Better go check on Apple Bloom later,” he spoke. After that there was a deep sigh through his nostrils. He removed the rigging from his body while his eyes scanned for the other two troublemakers. Yet under some under breath mumbling he made de decision to make his way over to the crusaders clubhouse. He wanted to know what happened and he would know it from all the possible sides. No more waiting, not from his side.
The little unicorn on the other end just kept on galloping. She passed the small river and went over the bridge which would lead her to her parental home. Though a strange little fact had to be that the weather had changed itself drastically in a short period of time. For it almost appeared that it was playing with her emotions. From the cloudless skies and warm sun was then nothing left except the heat of the earth which rose back up into the darkened clouds of rain and thunder.
Eventually she managed to reach her home but then she came to the realization that both of her parents were still working at the hour. Meaning that there wasn't anypony that happened to be home. But as the saying goes, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Sweetie knew the key was under the doormat as the trick was given by their parents. She unlocked the door and went inside. As she had closed the door, the young filly leaned against the door and wiped away her tears for as much as it was possible.
The young unicorn made her way over to her own bedroom and there she dropped her saddlebags on the floor with another sigh. She then jumped on her bed and just buried her head in the pillow. But where she hoped it would calm her down, she only sobbed even louder and screamed in emotional pain. She just screamed everything that was on her mind out against the pillow which muffled the sounds. All done in the vain hope it would relieve some of the mental stress she had.
~~~~
With the passage of time did her parents got home from their work and Sweetie kept herself a little quiet. All because of the fact that she didn't had the desire for her parents to see her the way she was. But the dried up streams of tears ran down her face as her whole pillow was soaked by then. Not something that was easily hidden and she knew that.
She shook her head a little bit to bring herself back to earth. Her body was turned around and she laid belly flat on the blankets. Her eyes were looking over the room with an endless stare. The three of them had been friends for ages and she didn't wanted to have it end in such a manner. Thousands of thoughts ran through her before the eyes blinked and then there was silence. Just complete and utter silence within her mind.
The young unicorn shook her head again before she just left her room and made her way over to the bathroom where she prepared herself to take a long shower. A shower that would make the streams go away and hoping to be able to wash off that what she had seen before she would join dinner and release the burning question on her mind. That one question that possibly could shatter the very relation with her sister. A question that could turn her - if not the world - upside down. But the filly didn't care about that at all. She just wanted to know what her sister was. For she had that right according to herself.
With the waters of the shower were being warmed up to the right temperature, the filly made her way under the beam of streaming water and closed the curtain. From behind it could it be heard. The soft tunes of her voice which echoed in the bathroom in an attempt to calm herself down even further.
In the end was the stream of water brought to an end before the filly reached out for a towel and began to dry herself off. Time didn't had to progress long before the curtains opened themselves again and they revealed what was hidden behind them. A Sweetie Belle that had wrapped her mane around in the towel was to be discovered and she had a striking resemblance to her sister as she left the area. Her tail appeared to be dry already but still hung over the ground and the humming continued itself. But that time just, because she liked it.
The young unicorn left the bathroom and made her way down the stairs with care. Only to continue her path into the kitchen. The same kitchen where she was greeted by both Pearl and Magnum. Pearl was already busy with serving up the dinner which was made in the truly complex cooking range as her father already sat on his spot on the dining table.
~~~~
Pearl always had loved to cook for everypony and was always busy trying to find new recipes and mixtures for food. And Magnum, he was always the pony to test his wife’s new cooking's. A thing he didn't mind too much. The fact was that each of her dishes were delicious. Pearl and Sweetie were often compared to each other because of their interests in the cooking arts by the family. Though there was still the biggest mystery in the family. The one of just how their youngest daughter managed to burn juice that one morning in the boutique of her sister? The answer might as well never be given by any pony.
The filly got her plate before her nose, she took a little sniff as water started to run into her mouth. But the question had to come first in her eyes. “Mom, can I ask you a question?” she spoke up against her mother.
Pearl took place in her chair and smiled as her father started to eat like the gentlecolt he was. “But of course you may, honey,” the mother replied with a smile before she brought the first fork to her mouth.
“Well... I have, been having thoughts lately... A-About Rarity...”
Pearl chewed a couple time before the content was swallowed and she was thus allowed to speak again. “What is it then, Sweetie?” her mother asked with curiosity in her voice. Magnum kept himself silent while he watched the conversation happening between his wife and youngest daughter. The stallion wouldn't be having any benefit of meddling himself into it and much rather kept it between the two of them in order to prevent that Sweetie would be getting fired from two sides.
“I think, I think she is a vampony!” The question was never asked but Sweetie just wanted to get the high word out. And with it said, she could only pray that her mother and father would take it kindly.
“Sweetie Belle! Go wash your mouth for spewing such rumors about your own flesh and blood,” answered Pearl almost right away in a semi angered tone.
“But mom! When I went to get some of my things today, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and myself have seen it! She had wings a-and fangs! It all points out to it. My sister is living on blood!” Sweetie spoke up against her mother. It wasn't something she did all too often. But when she did it, the filly knew she was right about the matter.
Pearl just let out a deep sigh before she made her reply in a much calmer manner. Listening to the words of her daughter had managed to calm her down by a lot. “Eat your dinner, we will discuss this further afterward.” Magnum still didn't found it his spot to meddle between the two and ate his dinner in silence. Though his curiosity was raised nonetheless. It was one of his personality traits as a little philosopher he was from time to time and always curious to everything.
~~~~
Back on Sweet Apple Acres had Big Macintosh taken both of the fighting fillies from the clubhouse and into the living room of their house. The gentle giant found himself treating their pains the best he could while he looked sternly at the both of them. “Now what were ya two all fighting over?” he spoke up while continuing his work on them both.
“Scootaloo called me ‘hillbilly’...” Apple Bloom spoke as she moved the sack of ice a bit more up her foreleg.
“But she keeps calling me ‘chicken’,” Scootaloo countered.
“This nonsense again? When do ya two learn to just not call each other those names and just use the names given to y’all, hm?” the red stallion spoke in a stern voice. “Also, what was up with Sweetie Belle? Ah saw her running and crying like never before.”
The fillies shocked up from his words as they knew they couldn't tell him the full truth. Also because the two didn't even knew the truth as a whole themselves. “She, ran away because of our, fighting...” Scootaloo brought out carefully as the stallion let go a deep sigh in response.
“Ya two should go over to her tomorrow and beg for her forgiveness. And pray she that she does forgive ya two. Ya know, Ah don’t wish to be the one giving you lectures, but when Ah have to, Ah do it.”
“We, we understand, Big Mac,” said Apple Bloom. She dared to look her brother in the eyes. The stern glance of her brother had met the ashamed look of his sister and a silence fell between the three of them.
~~~~
It took him some time, but he had treated their wounds and bruises to the best of his abilities. But then he just left the two fillies alone for a little while as he was looking for two blankets they could use for the night. Having done a some exploration through the house, he returned while carrying two big and warm blankets over his back. His sap green eyes looked out of the window and the night had already made its entrance with the help of the dark clouds. The darkness shrouded the land once more and he turned himself back to the two of them. “How is yar jaw holding up, Scootaloo?” he asked as he placed one of the blankets over the fillies.
“Better than expected,” she replied as she made herself a little comfortable under the blanket. “Thanks Big Mac.”
The stallion gave her a soft smile before turning over to his youngest sister. “And yar foreleg?”
“Need to take it slowly...”
“Yar be lucky ya ain't fully grown yet, could have ended worse. Now, you two go to sleep and allow yar wounds to heal. Ah will be sleeping on the couch over there, if Ah’m needed for anything. Goodnight you two,” he said before allowing himself some rest on the other couch.
“Night Big Mac,” both fillies replied and soon enough, all three were vast asleep from the deeds done that day. Staying up to the early hours never had been a real option for the Apple family as their working hours started long before the sun rose up. That was the main reason of just why the lights were off so early on the farm. In the far distance it was only Scootaloo who heard the clock-tower hitting eight times.
~~~~
Sweetie Belle, Pearl and Magnum had finished their dinner and the unicorn filly made her way over to the couch where she took place on her usual spot. Only to have started to wait. Waiting for her parents to sit down with her in order to continue on the story she wished to tell. After a short amount of time had passed by, the dinner table was clean again and the dishes done. Both her parents took place on either side of the filly, cuddling her softly.
“Now Sweetie, tell us just why you think your sister is a mythical being,” her mother said in a kind tone. Pearl never was the kind of mare who could stay angry for a long time at anything and just wanted the best for her family. Something that was seen by many ponies as her one of her strong -if not the strongest- side.
“Well, when I went to get some of my things from my room in the boutique, we saw things mom, things I don’t want see anymore... I saw her, my sister, in the living room with wings and fangs. A-And then Scootaloo told me, she is a vampony!”
Pearl slowly blinked with her eyes as she dismissed the whole fact that Sweetie was unannounced in the home of Rarity. Instead she went further on the words that were said to be spoken by Scootaloo. “And you take that for granted, you take the word of Scootaloo above your own eyes?” asked her mother through.
“Y-Yes,” replied Sweetie in a scared tone.
“Sweetie honey, could you think that the things you saw were nothing more but a play of lights? Maybe she was just practicing a new spell she had learned. Maybe something to make up for that failed Nightmare Night appearance? You know how much your sister is of planning perfection,” her father spoke up as he gently untied the towel from Sweetie’s head before speaking a chucking tone. “Let’s get this off of you first, might make you think better.”
“A new spell? That, doesn't sound as bad at all,” the filly spoke as her semi wet mane fell against her neck and in front of her eyes. But she didn't wanted to say a single word about the journal that was found by Scootaloo, for it would make them angry at her. Both her parents had a deep respect for personal items and those should never be seen my other eyes.
“See? Now you just go to bed and take some much needed rest. A night of rest does miracles, honey,” replied Magnum. The filly gave a slight nod before she left both of her parents alone for the rest of the evening.
Sweetie moved up the stairs and went down the hallway, into her own bedroom where she fell upon her dried up pillow. With a slow motion did her emerald green colored eyes closed themselves as she started to drift off to sleep. But something inside of her, just kept on bugging her. She knew what she saw, that was no lie. Even in the mere seconds, it was more than enough and the description given by Scootaloo. Adding up the fact she had that scar in her neck made it all complete. Everything was pointing out the way of a vampony. Her big sister being one of those creatures was something that went well above her capabilities. But nothing was confirmed for all she had were words and a memory.
Back downstairs her mother and father both gave off a small giggle to what their daughter had told them. “Can you believe it honey, one of our daughters a vampony? Where does such a filly get the idea from?” said Magnum before he kissed his wife lovingly on the lips.
“I wish I knew dear, but we knew for sure it’s not true, for they don’t exist,” replied Pearl after she had pulled away from the kiss and she cuddled her husband in a loving manner.
~~~~
But back in the boutique, with the moon that was peeking over the hills had the eyes of their oldest daughter opened themselves again. The mare found herself laying on top of the blankets from her poster bed. The unicorn just laid upon them after she had drunk the wine and needed some more sleep. Rarity was more than ready to roam through the night from that moment on. Ready to do her own things. A gentle yawning sound mixed with a hiss took its turn on the bed before the silence took over again. The eerie silence that only the dead could give.