//------------------------------//
// One 
// Story: What's in a name? 
// by LordAkuma 
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	" Celestia`s sweaty plot! I don`t know why they let those fucking bugs drive cabs!" Disc Jockey said in his on-air`s voice as he saunter up to the table. Quite a few of the restaurant`s patrons looked up and recognized him. Their expressions spanned the range from mild dislike to outright loathing. Disc pretended that he didn`t notice their disapproving eyes, but he did. He always noticed. And he loved it.

The attractive grey mare who was waiting for him at the table gave him a half smile. "What happen to your car?" Disc sat down and ran his hoof through his salt and pepper mane. "Blew a thrice-damned tire. And the shit brained excuse for a driver hadn`t checked the spare tire recently. It turns out that the tire is missing!" He looked away in disgust. "I`m gonna call the service in the morning and have him fired."

"Come on, Disc. It was probably a honest mistake."

"Yeah, a honest mistake that forced me to take a cab. Almost anyother day I would never use a bug hack-"

Octavia started to speak, but before she could, Disc said,"And don`t tell me the politically correct term is *Changeling". We been going out a couple times and everything been going so well. Please don`t spoil them. Now what was I saying? Oh, yeah. I can`t stand fucking bugs. The cab reeked of cesspool in summer!"

"Now Disc, you know they cast spells on them so they don`t smell"

"Well if that's the case, this cockroach miss their watchful eyes, because it reeked to high heaven." He looked the restaurant. "Where in the nine hells is the waiter? After what I been through, I need a drink."

Octavia smiled sweetly. "He stopped checking on me after the first hour went by."

"Heh. I`m sorry about that, Octavia. The producers wanted me to record promos for my radio and television show tonight, but no one bothered to inform me ahead of time."

"Oh, I see. You happen to record your promos in the only studio in Equestria without a phone."

"I didn`t think it would take that long, but something kept happening with the sound. Look, I`m really and truly sorry, okay?" He gave her Smile number 3, the one he gave at the end of every show. It was his go to smile, and it never failed him.

Octavia relaxed a bit and returned the smile. "Forget it. I suppose it's one of those things one must get used to when dating a celebrity. "

Disc did not puff out his chest at Octavia`s use of the word celebrity because it wasn't really a compliment so much as a statement of fact. Disc Jockey was a celebrity in the truest sense of the word. Both his television and radio shows - both called Pay Attention, Equestria! - were listen to and watch by millions of ponies and other species every single day. He was, as he often said on his shows, the Voice of Order, practically a living god to more conservative faction of Equestrian society, with the uncanny ability to both the common pony and the more affluent at the same time.

Disc heralded every conservative cause, no matter how obscure or asinine, and openly attacked bleeding heart liberals every chance he got. And among his cherished targets were Equestria`s rising preternational element, or as he liked to call them on the air,"The Freaks."

"So kind of establishment have you chosen for dining pleasure this evening?" Disc asked. "I`ve never been here before. `After Hours.` " He gave Octavia his Confident Smile Number Two. "Kind of a sexy name, don`t you think?"

She blushed uncomfortably at the statement. "It`s not really that type of place, Disc."

As if to illustrate her point, a small bat came flapping up to the table and transformed into a tall young stallion who might have been handsome if it wasn't for his pale brown fur and the his prominent cheekbones.

"Good evening, Sir, Madame. My name is Quick Service and will be your server tonight. Can I interest you anything from the bar."

"How about a wooden stake?" Disc snapped.

Octavia shot him an enraged look. "Disc, please!" She turned and grinned at the waiter. "I`ll have an apple brandy."

The waiter turned to Disc, "And you, sir." The vampire`s face was completely impassive, but there were two tiny red flares blazing behind his eyes. Like most supernatural creatures, he undoubtedly loathed Disc.

Nothing for me, thanks. But you could do me a big favor."

"Yes?" Quick`s tone contained more than hint of ice.

"Could you cut out the magic tricks for the rest of the night? I`m afraid my friend`s worried you might nest in her mane."

"Disc!"

The bloodsucker- Disc refused to even think the more politically correct phrase "vampony or living-altered" - narrowed eyes that were nearly completely red now. But all he did was nod and say, "Certainly, sir," before turning and heading off in the direction of the bar- in pony form.

"Really, Disc, there was no call for that."

"Look, Octavia, you know how I feel about THEM. Why did you pick this place? Are you trying to teach me some sort of lesson in tolerance? If so, it`s not going to work. You`re not the first mare who`s tried and, if you keep it up, you`re not going to be the last."

Octavia`s face harden. "I chose this restaurant solely because the restaurant critic at the paper said the food here is absolutely wonderful. And I`m quite aware of your stand on `special privileges` for supernatural beings. But I hoped you were a big enough stallion to put aside your political viewpoints for one evening and simply enjoy a fabulous meal."

"That depends on how fabulous." He took a look at his menu. Many establishments that catered to both pony and supernatural we're done up in heavy kitsch in order to put ponies at ease, with Saturday matinee horror show decor and  obnoxiously named offerings like Batburgers and Everfree fries. But the architecture of After Hours was far more subdued, as was its menu. If it hadn`t been for Quick`s demonstration, Disc might never have guessed the restaurant`s true nature.

As he perused the menu`s selection, he found himself thinking about how he gotten together with Octavia Melody. She was a cello player for the local orchestra, who happen to belong to group of artists, writers, and reporters who usually delighted in bashing Disc at every chance they got. One day on his radio show, Disc challenge the population to do an actual objective story on him- and  Octavia responded. She told him she had decided to take up the challenge in the name of integrity. She impressed him right away, for her beauty of course, but for more so for the tangible waves of dislike and resentment that came off her. Even so, the story she wrote was for the most part fair and balance and he admired her for that.

Most stallions wouldn't have gone after a mare who actively disliked them, but Disc Jockey wasn't most stallions. He thrived on conflict, romantically as well as professionally. And he enjoyed the challenge of using the same wit and charm that made him the icon of the right in places both high and low to win over somepony who initially couldn't stand him.

It had taken a lot of flowers, boxes of Crystal Empire chocolates, and cutesy-clever messages left on Octavia`s answering machine before she finally agreed to go out with him. This was their sixth date so far. Not bad. Normally he would have driven her off by date four. But he suspected she got off on conflict nearly as much as he did. There was something about her.

"Are you ready to order, sir?" Quick said.

Disc hadn`t heard him approach, and he wondered if the bloodsucker had coalesced out of mist just to piss him off. Octavia ordered the porterhouse haysteak, rare, and Disc selected the Celestia salad with low calorie ranch dressing.

"Is that all you`re going to have?" Octavia asked.

"I`ve been trying to lose a little weight."

Quick took their menus, looking at Disc just a little too long and showing  just a hint of fang before he departed.

"So you had a bad day," Octavia prompted.

"Gee, did I ever. It began this morning when I was nearly mugged by a werepony- excuse me, by one of the furry enhanced- as I was leaving my apartment. He said he was going bald and wanted me to give him 10 bits for the hair loss medication. "

"So what did you do?"

"I gave him a quarter bit and told him to get a toupee."

Despite herself, Octavia giggled.

"And when I got to the station to do my radio show, I discovered it was being picketed by- are you ready for this? - Members of First church of Hades, Reformed."

Octavia frowned, "Reformed how?"

"They believe pony sacrifice is optional."

Octavia shrugged. "Well, this country was founded on love and tolerance."

"Don`t get me started. And then, as I was sitting in the cab on the way over here, trying  not to choke on bug stench, we got stuck in a traffic jam when somepony tried to conjure up on of the Elder Gods downtown." He sighed. "Things were sure a lot simpler before all these freaks decided to come out of the woodwork. They should`ve stayed in the shadows where they belong. "

"Don`t give me that," Octavia said. "Deep down inside you love them. Without the supernatural you wouldn't have half as much to rant about."

He couldn't help but give Octavia a small smile.

"Maybe."

"And then you wouldn't be able to get ponies stirred up the way you do. And if you couldn't do that..."

"There wouldn't be any point in doing my shows," Disc finished.

Octavia grinned. "Exactly. You love the turmoil you create. You eat it up."

"What can I say. When you`re right, you`re right."

After the meal was over  Disc admitted that the food had indeed been fabulous.

"How would you know?" Octavia said. "You only ate half your salad, if that much."

"You`re a fine one to talk. You barely touched your haysteak."

Octavia shrugged. "Guess I wasn't hungry as I thought."

Quick brought the check and Disc slid the credit card over. The waiter returned shortly with the receipt and as Disc was signing it, Octavia told him to leave a good tip. Disc called over his shoulder at the vampony. "Go get yourself a tan!" Octavia swatted him on the arm and grinning, he filled in a gratuity on the form.

As they stepped out into the street, Disc said "I'm afraid you'll have to drive, Octavia."

She nodded. "I'm parked over this way." She led him down the sidewalk leaning on him, her flank warm against his.

"You know, Octavia, I was thinking that maybe we could go back to my place for some a nightcap." A wicked glint danced in his eyes. "And maybe we could talk about your upcoming concert. I would love to hear what you have . . ." Disc's thought was cut off as Octavia suddenly grabbed him and dragged him into an alley. He found himself pinned against a brick wall held fast by hooves as unyielding as steel beams.

"I don't think so." Octavia smiled, displaying large jagged fangs. Red fire blazing in her eyes.

"Fuck," Disc breathed. "I knew there was something odd about you, but I was never able to put my hoof on it."

"You've caused my kind and our brethren a great deal of trouble over the years, Disc," Octavia half crooned, half growled. "You've turned public opinion against us and hindered our efforts to gain equal rights with ponies. Worse, you've incited religious fanatics to hunt us with icons and homemade weapons. Do you know how many of us died because of you?"

"I don't know and I don't care."

Octavia's hoof lashed out in a blur and struck him across the face. "You present yourself as a defender of freedom, but in truth you're nothing more than a parasite. A far worse monster than any of us could ever be, for you pander to a pony's ignorance and intolerance, rouse their angers and prejudices, and then feed off the ugliness that you created."

"When you issued your challenge , it was- pardon the expression- a blessing. The Old Ones of my kind recognized the opportunity and sent me to take care of you once and for all." She gave him a sly smile. "They even had me play hard to get, knowing that you would find that more attractive than a mare who threw herself at you."

Disc calmly asked, "Do you intend to kill me?"

"Oh, no, Disc. That would make a martyr, and we wouldn't want that. No, I'm going to change you into one of us." She grinned "You'll be bound to the Old Ones, just as all of us are. You will continue with your show- at night, of course- and slowly soften you message of hatred until it becomes one of understanding and acceptance."

Disc smiled. "I think I'd be cancelled long before I got to that point."

Octavia shrugged "Perhaps. But any rate you'll be nullified."

"Someone else will take my place."

"We'll just take care of him too." Octavia opened her mouth wide and her fangs lengthen even further. "Say goodbye to the world of the living, Disc."

Disc reached out and placed his hoof on her chin. "Before you do this, Octavia, there's something I want you to know."

"What?"

Disc grinned as he dropped his skin and showed Octavia his true form. Her eyes widened in terror and she tried to scream, but the darkness that was Disc flowed into her mouth and filled her throat, silencing her. She tried to bolt, but black bands wrapped around her, immobilizing her. 

"Its amazing how close you are to the truth, Octavia." The words echoed deep within Disc's darkness. "I am a monster. One of the ancient monsters from Equestria's forgotten history. I feed off on the hatred I create, albeit far more literally than you imagined."

She couldn't speak, but he could see the question racing in her eyes.

"What am I? There are no names for me. I was ancient when Celestia's and Discord's ancestors crawled out of the filth. You can think of me as the Void." He grinned with billions of teeth, opened his maw wide and he took Octavia's unlife.

Disc Jockey, once more appeared as the stallion who appeared on TV, walked out of the alley. He left behind a small pile of ash, that was beginning to blow away in the light gust. As he walked down the sidewalk, he hummed to himself and thought about what to rail against next. The dangers of interspecies dating, hmm. 

Disc chuckled and continued along the street drinking the darkness that surrounded him.