//------------------------------// // Chapter 7, Trials // Story: Darkness Rising // by SkyHighFlyer //------------------------------// “Alright, so Fluttershy, I've sent a letter to find somepony to help train you for the time being.” Twilight said as she and Fluttershy sat together on the couch, discussing the future. “Why can't you just teach me?” Fluttershy asked. Twilight responded by pointing to her horn, and then to Fluttershy's wings, “We're not the same race, and I really couldn't teach you much anyway. Just don't worry about it, I've asked somepony I know to come down and visit. She's a pegasus, so she can teach you what you need to know.” “Do we have to do this?” Fluttershy asked dejected, evidently defeated in her argument. Twilight looked Fluttershy in the eyes and said in a calming voice, “I know this is a bad time to get into meeting other vampires, but she's really nice. Please just try. Fluttershy simply gave up and said, “Fine.” “Thanks,” Twilight said, “I know it isn't nice for you, but I just want to help you. We might not be benevolent creatures, but we look after our own. We kinda have to, we aren't very pleasantly received by most.” “Well,” Twilight said after a moment of silence, “Is their anything you still need to know. Anything about what you read, or maybe...” “I would to ask how this... civilization of ours is organized?” Fluttershy asked, cutting into Twilight's question with her own. Twilight fidgeted a little, “Um, well... there really isn't any organization at all... we don't really how enough of us to bother with that, it would cause more trouble that it would solve.” Fluttershy followed her question with a moment of thought, before asking one of the question the book she had read didn't answer, “In the book, why are pegasi more powerful magic users than earth ponies, I mean neither can even use magic, so why does it even mention this?” “Well... everypony uses magic, but only unicorns use it actively.” Twilight said after having a chance to form a explanation, “Pegasi use their magic passively, mostly cloud walking and...” She was cut off from her speech by a loud knocking at the door eliciting a squeak from Fluttershy as Twilight sprung for the door. Twilight opened the door and pulled the pony waiting on the other side into a hug. “Twily, you've grown!” The mare exclaimed. Twilight laughed, “Well it's been awhile, hasn't it?” “Fair enough.” The mare said, joining in on the laughter, “So where's this pony that you need my help with?” “She's right in here.” Said Twilight, motioning her friend to follow. Twilight turned around and said the only thing that would come to mind upon seeing what had transpired in her short absence, “Really Fluttershy?” In the short few minutes she had spent facing the other direction, Fluttershy had somehow found time to silently construct a fortress out of the materials directly available, namely consisting of the cushions and pillows of the couch they were just sitting on. Stacked together and stood up, with pillows covering the larger holes and gaps in the fort, it gave the area the appearance of what many foals would build when they played together. Having built book forts in her youth, Twilight could see that Fluttershy was taking after her a lot. Unfortunately, her antics, while adorable, would be best saved for another time. “Fluttershy, come out of there, please.” She said, earning no response. “Fluttershy, this is not a good way to make friends.” She said in a slightly agitated tone, showing her annoyance. This time Fluttershy responded by poking her head out slightly, catching sight of her visitor. Fluttershy had no idea what she had been expecting, in fact, she never even thought about what another vampire might have been like. She had been expecting her to have a dark coat and mane, with an air of malevolent superiority around her. What she found instead was almost the complete opposite. She had a brightly colored silver-white coat, a stark contrast to the bright blue mane, styled similarly to Fluttershy's own but slightly shorter. Her cutie mark, a simple depiction of wind, was slightly covered by her very long wings, suggesting that she had at least some imperial ancestry. The only thing that one could see that would reveal her nature would be the blood red eyes and long fangs. She wore a warm, welcoming smile, radiating friendliness and peaceful intent. Slowly Fluttershy came out from her makeshift defensive position, quickly letting her fears wash away as she prepared herself to meet another vampire, besides Twilight. “Fluttershy, this is Silver Wing, my old foalsitter.” Twilight said, leaving Fluttershy somewhat confused. “I thought Cadence was your foalsitter?” Fluttershy said, letting her confusion bleed through into her words, making it into more of a question than a statement of her inability to understand. “Well, I was overruled by a certain purple filly. After all, who can do better than the best foalsitter ever?” Silver said, earning little more than Twilight's embarrassment to add to her own amusement. Twilight, for her part, made no comment, leaving time for the other two to calm down from their amusing conversation. When they where all quiet again, Silver spoke up, “Before we go off and forget, I brought something for you.” She flipped open her saddlebag and pulled out a bottle of bright red liquid, causing Fluttershy to flinch upon seeing it. “I-is that blood?” She asked, leaving no guess as to her immediate discomfort. Her current situation was terrifying enough as it was, and the thought of drinking blood was negatively affecting her opinion. Silver Wing calmly replied, “Diluted blood. Trust me, you don't need pure blood yet and you won't for at least a little while longer.” Fluttershy took the bottle, and reluctantly drank the contents. After a brief moment, she began to feel more energized, more awake, and more powerful. The small second of sickness that accompanied it was likely the only thing that kept her from loosing herself in the high that resulted from her first time ever consuming blood. Upon seeing Fluttershy's reaction, Silver Wing simply laughed, “It's always like that the first time, you'll get used to it.” She turned around and motioned for Fluttershy to follow. ----- Many ponies found it odd that Fluttershy would be brave enough to live next to the Everfree forest, especially being the weak and timid one. While true that she feared the forest, it was actually going into the forest that terrified her the most. Twilight was taking the lead, using her magic to clear the path as Fluttershy and Silver Wing followed behind on their way to what Twilight had described as an out of the way place to set up a sort of training ground. A place that they could teach Fluttershy to master her new abilities away from the prying eyes of others. So, what kind of job do you have?” Fluttershy asked. This was how things had been progressing for now, Fluttershy and Silver trying to get to know each other better. Through idle chatter they had picked up both information about each other and shared their funniest stories about Twilight. “I work in the castle up in Canterlot, mostly doing the paperwork and delivering records, the things most ponies can't be bothered to do. What about you?” “Um, I take care of animals.” Fluttershy replied meekly, yet also calmly. “So, Silver, did you ever get back at Shining for the coffee incident?” Twilight asked, interrupting their friendly talk. Up until now she had mostly kept quiet and focused on clearing the branches in front of them. Silver laughed, “Not yet, though not for lack of trying.” She said, Twilight joining in on the laughter well. “Coffee incident?” Fluttershy asked, clearly confused and slightly intrigued. “Shining Armor decided that it would an excellent idea to give Twilight here some coffee. Unfortunately, Cadence was sick that day so I had to come in instead. Hyperactive purple furball doesn't even begin to describe what she was like.” Unfortunately, their conversation was cut short by their arrival in a small clearing, which Twilight pointed out as the training grounds they would be using before going off to the side to read a book she had brought with her. Meanwhile Fluttershy and Silver Wing were getting ready to begin their training. “So, what's the biggest benefit to changing your appearance?” Silver asked, both of them sitting in the middle of the clearing under the small patch of moonlight that manage to get through the trees. “Um... nopony notices I'm a vampire.” Fluttershy replied. Silver smiled, “Right, not only that, but with practice you can change yourself to be a completely different pony. Very good for when you need to avoid being seen or interacting with ponies under circumstances that might risk your identity. Sometimes it can be as easy of blending in with the crowd. It's pretty easy to do, very little energy is used to erect the disguise, and almost none is expended to maintain it. For many of us, its only a matter of how creative we can be. Once you've changed your appearance it can maintain itself and takes no energy at all to drop. Since it takes more time and effort to create more elaborate disguises, and more energy to create and maintain more details, many of us simply hide our eyes and fangs, and any other little details that might give us away.” Fluttershy took a second to piece it all together, and when she was ready she nodded. “Great, the first thing you do...” ----- “Well, how did she do?” Twilight asked, putting her book away as she began getting ready to depart. Silver replied with a smile, “Took to it very fast. A bit scared of herself, but with some work she could do amazing.” Twilight replied with a tone of relief in her voice, “What now?” “Well, how about we come back to this next week, hopefully after most of the physical changes have taken place.” After a quick hug, Silver Wing flew off, leaving Twilight and Fluttershy alone again. “Well, what did you think of her?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy smiled and said, “Reminds me a lot of Cadence.” Twilight laughed, “I feel that way a lot of the time too.” Fluttershy soon joined in as they started their journey home before morning.