//------------------------------// // Chapter 36 // Story: The Inheritors of Friendship // by NgKQ //------------------------------// One stormy night at Carousel Boutique, two years after the events of Queen Myra’s confrontation. Platinum Royale and her sister Prudence Aura were in the boutique with their aunt Sweetie Belle. Rarity had gone to Manehattan for a fortnight for a business affair, leaving them in the care of Sweetie Belle. It had been two days since Rarity left, yet they showed no sign of worry. “Yes! That’s the final one done for today!” cried Platinum after sewing the last bit on the fabric. “That’s just fine to do the sales tomorrow!” “You sure got your mother’s skills, huh, Platinum?” asked Sweetie Belle. “She sure does,” replied Prudence. “Anyway, is dinner done?” asked Platinum. “Just finished it and we’re here to inform you when you’re placing your final touches.” “Ooh, I’m coming right now!” Soon the three were seated at the table. “Mm, delicious!” praised Platinum. “You made that yourself?” “Yeah. I admit that it’s better than back to the days when I was a Cutie Mark Crusader.” “Heh-heh, surely it was horrible at that time, wasn’t it?” joked Prudence. “Oh come on!” Thirty minutes later… “Ahh,” sighed Platinum. “Really nice.” She let out a burp. Everyone laughed. Just then, there was a bang at the door. “Jeepers! What’s that?” exclaimed Platinum. “I don’t know,” replied Prudence. “Maybe something hit it?” asked Sweetie Belle. “Not sure,” decided Platinum. “We better check it out.” Using her magic, Platinum began to open the door. She had to open it slowly because the howling wind was blowing against it. “Be careful!” warned Prudence. Platinum finally opened the door. To everyone’s surprise, there laid a black bat pony, disheveled in front of the door. “Who are you?” asked Platinum. “Please…!” the bat pony spoke. “Take me into this house… This storm is frightening!” “What should we do?” asked Prudence. “I can’t hesitate further. The storm is raging outside!” yelled Platinum. Sweetie Belle and Prudence carried the bat pony indoors. Just as Platinum shut the door, a huge sound of thunder cracked just outside the door. “Th-that was close!” stammered Prudence. “Thanks for bringing me inside,” the bat pony continued. “I’m scared of lightnings… I don’t want to get struck!” He gave a sudden shiver. “Can we do anything to you?” asked Sweetie Belle. “I’m… c-cold…” he shivered. “He needs help,” declared Prudence. “Then we’d better help him now!” replied Platinum. While Sweetie and Prudence carried the bat pony into the room upstairs, Platinum prepared a warm herbal soup. “There, this should keep you warm,” said Sweetie, but the bat pony was still too cold to speak. Platinum arrived with her soup. “Have a drink and you’ll be better,” offered Platinum. “Surely it’s Zecora’s remedies?” asked Sweetie. “Of course! Hers are always the best!” answered Platinum as she gave the bat pony a sip. No sooner than five minutes and several sips, his shivering stopped. “Thanks, you all,” the bat pony said after he calmed down. “May I know what brings you here, Mr Bat Pony?” asked Prudence. “Bat pony?” he asked. “No! Why does everypony mistake me for a bat pony when I’m a vampire pony?!” “Wait, you’re a vampire pony?” asked Sweetie Belle, surprised and shocked. “I am. My name is Bloodthirst and I mean no harm.” “No harm?” asked Platinum. “Please trust me, don’t fear me. I won’t kill you,” Bloodthirst said with needy eyes. “Um… can you tell us more about you?” inquired Sweetie Belle. “You see,” sighed Bloodthirst as he began his story. “I came from a huge, prestigious vampire family which dates back more than eight hundred years ago.” “Whoa…” gasped Prudence. “That must be awesome!” cried Platinum. “Indeed. We were highly respected and we helped to keep order in Equestria. Under Princess Celestia’s orders, we were only allowed to kill those who committed heavy crimes, like theft, misuse of weapons and sexual abuse.” “That was amazing!” said Sweetie Belle. “To put one different species to good use. I didn’t realize that I came across one surviving member of a clan.” “Yeah, but now, it’s history.” “What happened?” gasped Prudence. “A number of people regarded our practice as brutal and barbaric, so gradually, we were rejected from society. We were forced to live and behave like normal ponies.” “This is terrible…” “So, how about your family?” asked Sweetie. “I wonder how do your parents meet with each other?” “It was a simple love story. One night my father was out hunting ponies because he still lived with the tradition. Besides, that night he was so hungry that he couldn’t find anypony to feed on. He soon came upon my mother’s house and he found her. He had the urge to suck her blood, but he just couldn’t resist her beauty. He was stunned when she opened her eyes and he escaped before he thought that she would call her ponies to capture me.” “Your mother was a rich pony?” asked Sweetie. “That’s right. After that night, instead of capturing my father, she found him and invited him over. She was nice. I remember the first time he came to her house, she served him nice cuisine, which he claimed far better than the everyday blood. A few years later they were married and they began a happy life…” “You vampire ponies can survive long without food?” asked Platinum. “Yes. In fact, we can live up to about a hundred years without feeding. Our only mortality is physical attacks.” “So, where are your parents?” questioned Prudence. “Oh, dear, it was a tragic story.” Bloodthirst dropped his head low. “My uncle was radical. He dislikes my father to be in love and marry with a normal pony. So on the day when I turned nine, he came over and threatened to kill all of us. In the last resort, my parents self-exploded to protect me…” He finished with a moody tone. “This is tragic,” sympathized Sweetie Belle. “So, how were you taken care of?” “My mom’s family adopted me, but still, somehow, my uncle survived that tragedy. He kept coming and threatened to kill this whole family. In desperation, they told me to escape and not to come back until everything’s safe… “But that wasn’t the end of it. My uncle was watching me all the time and all the while, he’s trying to make me a criminal.” “How?” asked Sweetie Belle. “Every time I tried to seek shelter from somepony else, they treated me as a stray pony and shooed me. My uncle saw this as a chance to avenge normal ponies so on the night one family shooed me, I suddenly went mad and killed the entire family.” As Sweetie Belle and her nieces shivered, Bloodthirst continued. “I kept doing this for the next eight years or so. After coming back to my senses and seeing how brutal I killed everypony, I finally realized my wrongdoings so I swore to myself to become good. In desperation I fled, but I don’t know which way to go…” “How horrible…” cried Platinum. “Despicable! Your uncle must be brutal, and his actions are unforgivable!” responded Prudence. “Indeed.” Bloodthirst felt down again. “There’s another problem facing me as well.” “What was that?” asked Platinum. “Take a look.” Bloodthirst pulled away the blanket to reveal… a blank flank. “What? You don’t have a cutie mark yet!?” exclaimed Prudence. “For many years, like many of the foals, I’ve been searching for my special talent. But it seems like apart from just killing, I have no other specialty…” “How saddening…” “Where did you come from, anyway?” asked Platinum. “And how did you ever know about your family’s history?” “We used to live in a big mansion somewhere in Canterlot, but after we’re shunned by society, we were separated to various places. For my family, we settled at Dodge Junction. My parents used to tell me the stories about their lives.” “Dodge Junction… it’s famous for Miss Cherry Jubilee’s cherries!” exclaimed Platinum. Cherry Jubilee had a cherry company there a long time ago, and it gained fame all over Equestria. “I even ate that jam. It was nice,” he recalled. “Anyway, can I stay here? You all look so nice to me.” “Yes, you may,” approved Sweetie. “We can introduce to you some of our friends.” “Thanks… I would appreciate it.” “But wait,” cried Platinum. “What if Mom knows about this when she comes back?” Everypony stood in silence. “Yeah,” said Sweetie. “How am I supposed to tell Rarity when she comes back?” “What? Your mother dislikes strangers?” “Ah, forget about it!” said Platinum. “I’ll see what I can do.” “Anyway, make room for yourself in this house. Welcome to Ponyville, where it’s all about friendship!” said Prudence. “Thanks. I will treasure everything.”