Twilight ran through the streets of Ponyville, checking any alleyways, rooftops, or other possible locations where Rainbow could be hiding. But with little success. She searched high and low, unable to find a trace of the pegasus. After several hours of searching, she realized that it was well past five o'clock, and decided to head home. She hoped that either Fluttershy or Applejack had better luck finding her.
Pain. Again, the pain struck her as her wings, ears and teeth took to the agonizing transformation. She collapsed as the final stages took place, and her vision went blurry as her eyes changed colour. Several minutes passed, and she stood back up. No longer Fluttershy, but Flutterbat. She yawned and looked around, having to squint because of the sunlight. She saw that she was alone, or at least that nopony was around to see her, and made for the nearest alley. The thirst had returned, but she knew that by now her victim had already passed the point of no return and was, too, a vampony. She hid under the darkness, thinking of a way to fill her thirst for blood. She then saw a lone stallion walking by the entrance to the alley, and a light went on in her head. She slowly crept out of the alley, and started to follow the stallion silently. She quickly caught up to him, and she could already taste the blood she would be taking.
She waited until they came across another alley, and then tackled him inside it. She dragged her squirming prey to the end of the alley by the neck, keeping him from calling for help, and pinned him to the wall. He struggled to break free, to no avail. She was too strong. He looked into her eyes. Her hateful, glowing red eyes, and saw that there was nothing he could do to convince her not to hurt him. He made a silent prayer to Celestia as the vampire sunk her entire mouthful of teeth into his neck.
"Rainbow?!"
She heard the voice outside, but did not move to answer it. She didn't even acknowledge it's existence. She heard the barn door crack open, light pouring in through the crevice. Some landed on her upside down form, but she did not budge. She heard hoof steps in the barn behind her, but remained silent and still.
"R-rain... bow?" the voice asked again. She could hear whoever it was start sobbing at the sight of her, and chose that moment to drop to the ground.
She rose up on her four legs, and spun around to see Rainbow Dash's former lover standing there, tears rushing down her face as she stared at her in disbelief. She hissed in response to Applejack's presence, and started slowly walking towards her prey. Applejack backed away at an equal pace, scared both for her life but also for whatever remained of Rainbow Dash. She winced as her flank hit the door, which had somehow found it's way closed. She tried fiercely to pry it open, to no avail. It was locked. She was locked in the barn with what used to be her lover. She turned around to see Rainbow only inches behind her. Staring into her eyes with hunger and hate.
"Rainbow, I know yer in there! Please, whatever's takin' over ya, I'm beggin ya t' fight it! Please!" Applejack begged.
But Rainbow didn't hear her. Instead, she knocked Applejack to the side with her wing, causing her to land in a heap to the right of Rainbow. She then made a hunter's crawl towards her prey and stood over Applejack's trembling form. She pinned her legs down so she couldn't escape, and lowered herself onto Applejack, straddling her hips. She lowered her head to Applejack's neck and opened her mouth wide.
NO!!! Rainbow screamed from inside her mind, and the vampiric urge retreated slightly. She backed her head away and looked Applejack in the eyes. She was terrified, her pupils shrunk as small as they could go and she was trembling violently. But she did not squirm or try to break free of Rainbow's hold. Perhaps because she still had faith that her lover would pull through.
I'm so sorry, AJ. I wish it could be any other way, Rainbow thought as she looked into Applejack's eyes with a hint of sorrow. Applejack caught this and she stopped trembling.
Rainbow lowered her head to Applejack's neck again, and began lightly licking the area she would soon sink her teeth into. Applejack squirmed a bit at the tickling, and giggled a bit as she struggled beneath Rainbow's hold. She then stopped as she felt that area of her neck grow numb. She couldn't feel anything there anymore. She couldn't feel it as Rainbow dug her teeth into the numb skin, injecting her with the same venom that paralyzed her.
Applejack's head swam as her vision struggled to focus. She slowly grew limp in Rainbow Dash's arms, staring blankly at the ceiling as she blacked out.
Twilight entered the library, out if breath and on the verge if collapsing from exhaustion, and looked around. She was alone, save for Spike whom she heard snoring away upstairs. She could tell that she was the first to return since nothing was out of place. All the books were in order, the couch looked like it hadn't been used in days--which it hasn't-- and there was no other sign that anypony had been there yet. She sighed and walked over to the couch, flopping onto it as she began to catch her breath.
Where could they be? she wondered. I hope nothing bad happened to them.
She was startled by the door suddenly cracking open, letting a cool gust of air inside. She turned to see Rarity standing in the doorway, tears running down her face and ruining her make up. She looked awful, her mane was disheveled, her mascara running down her cheeks with her tears, and she was sweating profusely.
"Rarity? What happened?" Twilight asked, concerned by her friend's state. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh like you don't know!" Rarity yelled at her. "It's your fault in the first place that this is happening!"
"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about, Rarity," Twilight said, confusion crossing her face.
"Oh, then let me spell it out for you; FLUTTERSHY IS KILLING PEOPLE!!!" Rarity screamed loud enough that it could be heard from even Rainbow Dash's house.
"She's what?" Twilight gasped. "Oh no."
"So you do know what's going on," Rarity accused.
"Uh, sort of... Fluttershy came to see me this morning about a couple of fangs that were in her mouth and she told me she woke up with blood all over her muzzle. Then Applejack came in saying that Rainbow Dash had gone missing and we went to find her. I only just got back from doing so," Twilight explained.
"What about the fangs in Fluttershy's mouth?" Rarity asked.
"I looked in one of my books about mutations and I came across the fact that she's still a vampire pony, and we think that she is connected to Rainbow Dash's disappearance. But she has no memory of what happens when she becomes a vampire," Twilight said, taking a quick breath.
Rarity nodded, wiping her face of the tears. "Do you know how to fix it?" she asked.
"I don't know," Twilight said. "There was nothing in the book about curing it so I don't know what to do."
"Well," Rarity said. "I suppose we should go find her then."