//------------------------------// // The Reveal // Story: Dinner at Ravenloft // by Meep the Changeling //------------------------------// Vinyl Scratch - 10th of Solar Dusk ‘03 EoH - Night My dad, simultaneously the most awesome dad ever, and the worst dad ever. Plotting an entire scheme, forcing me through my literal worst nightmare, manipulating me through my friends. All so he could marry me to Octy in a way her parents couldn't find out about! Just, Luna’s bucking tail, I need to quote literature to describe tonight. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. That’s how good and bad it was. I used something they taught in high school, for the first time ever, thanks to tonight. After prying Octy off dad so I could kiss the bride, I excused us and started to lead my wife up to my old room. Wife. Buck yeah! Suck it Mr. and Ms. Melody! I wanted to do the whole, carry bride over threshold thing, but well this wasn’t our home. Also even with my strength and endurance, I wasn’t going to carry Octy on two hooves through like 800 yards of hallway and up 13 staircases. Instead we just slowly walked together, side by side, officially an item at last. I may not share dad’s decoration sense, but he did make the place look awesome. Long white marble veneer hallways lined with black, red, and gold tapestries. Paintings hung at just the right intervals so the art didn't distract from other decor, silver candelabras and sconces, the occasional shield or weapon mounted on a wooden thingy. The plus rug running down the length of the halls with it’s intricate embroidery. All that was just crap compared to Octavia’s smile. What I needed was some way to just paint our bedroom back home with that smile. Sure, that’s kinda creepy, but I would never see a more beautiful room. I pointed off to a hallway to our left, “That one. It’s going to be a bit of a climb. We need to go up four stories.” “Why is your room even up that high?” Octavia asked stepping over to offer me a quick hug. “Because dad.” I chuckled. “Highest room, tallest tower.” She snorted. “You know, I think I’m starting to like his sense of humor.” “That’s good! ‘Cuz you could be stuck with him as a father-in-law forever. You know, if you want.” I teased. Octavia froze and gave me that look which meant something like ‘Was that even Equish?’, “I’m sorry, what you mean, dear?” There were times I wondered if I just couldn’t communicate, or if Octy just didn’t get context sometimes. This was one of them. “I mean, we could go up to my room, have epic wedding sex, and then I could turn you, and we could literally live happily ever after.” I gave her a grin and extended my fangs to emphasise my point. “Why not turn me first?” Octavia asked looking at my fangs in a judging kinda way before based on her eyes softening deciding I was cute with them. “Because well, you’d be totally dead for like, a day. I’m not into that kinda thing, and it’s our honeymoon so you know, obligations.” I mentioned. Then I winced, “That sounded bad, I mean you come back, but-” Octavia held up a hoof. “I understand. I… I suppose that wouldn’t bother me. It would just be like a really long nap, right?” I shrugged. “No idea. Born like this, remember? A few friends said it was like waking up with a clear head after sleeping off a hangover. But well, that’s not something I personally know.” “I’ll trust their word on it.” Octavia smiled and started walking up the stairs. I quickly followed along behind. Waiting for an answer from her. It would suck if she never let me turn her. I dont think I would ever find somepony I loved as much ever again. Suddenly she stopped mid stride, making me almost slam into her plot. “Celestia! We really would be together forever wouldn’t we?” I nodded, “Well, yeah. Barring accidents or something like the Bell Mint incident.” Octavia raised a curious eyebrow. “Just a wannabe Slayer. Thought she could take us all on with a whip. What I meant was somepony could try to kill us. So, basically yeah, barring a really bizarre accident or someone actually hunting us, we would literally live forever.” I offered her a reassuring smile. “You didn’t kill her did you?” Octavia asked concerned. I shook my head quickly. “No. One of our servants beaned her over the head with a frying pan. She brought a freaking whip, to fight supernatural monsters! She’s lucky one of the lamia’s didn't just eat her on principle.” “Forever is a long time…” Octavia mused thoughtfully. “Yeah, but I’ll be with you for it. And um, no pressure, but if you say no I’ll be without you for it. That would be my personal Tartarus.” Man that sounded way too manipulative… I need to take some pressure off. “You can always change your mind later. Once turned you age or deage to your prime before waking.” Octavia shuddered, “Celestia’s sun! I just thought of living to be an old mare with you staying- How the hay did I not notice you don't look a day over twenty? Nevermind, just imagine me waving a hoof to tell you to turn down your damn music.” She shook her head, turned around and pulled me close. “I think… I think I’ll let you do it. Just give me the next few hours to think about it.” My ears drooped and s frown creased my cheeks. Octavia laughed and resumed climbing the stairs. “We can still do that while I think about it!” “Sweet!” I went ahead and jumped up the stairs a few body lengths to lead the way. Which gave me an idea. “Hey, hon… So since you know I’m a vampire now, that opens a few things up we can do.” “Like what?” Octavia asked with a light blush. I gave her a teasing smile then hopped up onto the wall, clinging to it with my supernatural grip. “I can climb walls and ceilings, and I’m strong enough to carry you anywhere. I don't actually get tired, I’ve been faking that. Don’t really need to sleep either but I can if I want to and I normally do because it means I can cuddle you for hours. I’m sure you can get the idea.” Her face lit up like a hearthwarming fire, burning away her refined lady’s mask for a moment to show that spunky mare beneath it. Then she cleared her throat and resumed climbing the stairs looking as dignified as she could. Man I loved her for that split classy, fun, nature of hers! “Yes, I do get it.” She said, her tail flicking eagerly. We chatted the entire rest of the way to my room, but I couldn’t remember any of it. I was too excited. As we finally reached my room I threw the doors open with my magic. The round big open circular room was just how I left it. Big round bed in the middle, black silk cushions everywhere, all my old posters, everything. It was all clean too, somepony had recently dusted in here. Dad really did plan everything out. There was one thing out of place, a large brown leather tome lay atop my bed. “Okay hon, why don’t you get comfy while I see what this book is then open the curtains. My room has an epic view of the whole fief. It should make a pretty awesome backdrop.” “Sure.” Octavia gave me a kiss before swiftly climbing into bed. I trotted over to the book and picked it up. A small note stuck to the cover caught my eye. Vi, While wedding gifts are customary, your father assumed a gift of a wedding fulfilled that obligation. I disagree. I penned this volume so you can easily cast any spell directly from this book, and the last page holds a spell which will cancel any of the others out should something go wrong or you desire to undo one. Enjoy! Just don’t let anypony else outside those you trust find it. My work is still illegal in Equestria as far as I am aware. - Mother I frowned in confusion and glanced at the book’s title. ‘Sensual Biomancy: Shaping the Body for Romantic Encounters’. Ew! Sure, that was awesome, but my mom invented this stuff! “What is it?” Octy asked with a smile. I gave her a nervous grin. “Er… Look my mom’s always wanted me to have a really great love life so-” Octavia facehooved. “Erotic spellbook?” “Yeah.” I admitted. “That’s not quite appropriate… But it is rude to waste a gift. Why don’t we at least look through it together?” she offered. I gently set the book down so I could grip the curtains with my magic. “Okay… Maybe I can forget who wrote it.” I simply yanked the curtains open, tying them would take up time which I wanted to spend doing somepony. As the curtains fell open revealing the double glass doors which led to the balcony the moon was perfectly framed by the window. “Hey cool! Romantically aligned moon!” “Really? That’s ni-” Octavia yelped mid sentence. Assuming one of the way to massive spiders had gotten into the castle I wheeled around to squash it to find Octavia flat against the wall in panic! “What?” “Why is the moon full! It’s not full until tomorrow!” Octavia whimpered, her eyes shrinking to pinpricks. I gave her a confused look, “Its part of the curse, it’s always full here.” A heartbeat passed, “Why is that such a-” Hold on a bucking second! Octavia was never around on any given full moon. She always got back sometime in the middle of the next day and immediately showered. She never mentioned anything about those ‘concerts’, and I never herd anypony else mention one. I fell to the ground laughing. “Oh my Luna! You’re a werewolf! We lived together for, like, more than a decade and never bucking noticed each-” Octavia fell over, holding her stomach, whimpering in pain. “-wait it’s not supposed to hurt… Buck!” I shouted, bolting to the door. You’re a bucking idiot Vi! She said she had never been to Hollow Shades before. You married a mare with the untreated strain of lycanthropy, she’s going mindless killer on your plot right now. “Anypony! Wolfsbane and a silver chain! Now!” I screamed down the stairs. Half the staff were also vampires. Most of them probably heard that. I sprinted back to Octavia. Her tail was beginning to fuse into a single strand, ears slowly reshaping, but no major changes yet. Thank Faust the change is so slow! I winced and bit my lip. “Hon, I’m really sorry… But I’m going to knock you out. Dad can fix this, it’s what the whole place is for… but I gotta knock you out so you don't hurt somepony.” I drew back my hoof and let it fly. The crack of hoof on head filled my room. I felt it strike her, both in my hoof and my heart. When she was all better we were going to have a talk. Then I was probably going to beat the ever loving shit out of somepony. Buck whoever bit my wife. Octavia Melody - 11th of Solar Dusk ‘03 EoH - Before Dawn Skull, throbbing… pain behind ears… Everything hurt. What happened? I’d changed again. I could feel that bone scraping feeling it always left me with for a few hours. I’d changed and that meant I attacked something. Something must have fought back. It felt like it won. Oh dear sisters no! I’d been in Vinyl’s room when I changed! I had to know if she was alright! I felt my eyes peel open. Even that hurt. Didn’t matter, needed to know I hadn’t hurt her. Stupid Octavia! Cursed nights, cliche loving father, of course the nights would always have a full moon! I tried to sit up, and instantly felt something dig into my chest. Twisting my head I noticed I was chained to a table. In what looked like a castle’s counterpart to Zecora’s hut. “There we go. I knew it wouldn’t take you long to wake up. You’re a fighter.” I recognized Vinyl’s father's voice. “Dear! She’s awake! Told you it would happen the second you went for a pee!” I twisted as best I could to see. The Count stood with his back to me, working with a mortar and pestle. The sound of him grinding something in it was painfully sharp. Things never sounded this loud… “Why am I chained to a table?” I asked, eeping as my voice came out all gravelly. “Because you are still in your wolf form, and I didn’t know if I could bring your mind back before you returned to normal.” The Count commented. “I’m not unchaining you yet by the way. I don't know how long you will be lucid for. I haven’t treated your strain before.” I caught sight of my left hoof, or rather paw. I hadn’t ever seen it before. It looked like a dogs, only with much larger claws. “Treat?” “I really want to make a bone joke… But I won’t be that mean.” The Count chuckled. His grinding paused for a moment, I saw him dump a yellow powder into a bowl, then he began to crush some dried herbs. “This is what Hollow Shades is for Octavia. Manehatten is Equestria’s trade port, Trottingham is her academic heart, Ponyville one of her many breadbaskets, and Hollow Shades is where her monsters go to become people again. While I never thought I would be working with you, I am very happy that I can heal you.” Vinyl rushed back into the room, arriving in a blur I shouldn’t have been able to make out, but I managed to see her clearly in three places as she ran to my side. “Oh thank Celestia! I was so afraid I hit you too hard! Are you in there?” I nodded slowly. “You hit me?” Vi nodded, looking way to sorry about it. “Good… I… I’ve never been awake like this.” I looked away from her. “I always pick meat out of my teeth…” “I’m still sorry.” Vi said pulling herself onto the table to kiss my nose. “By the way, you’re adorable right now. Gold eyes really suit you.” “I’m a monster…” I wined, blushing at the fact that came out as a canine whimper. Vi bit her lip to stifle back a giggle. “Yeah sure, so am I. Also my dad, my mom, my fillyhood friends, the first mare I liked… We’re people too.” “Well, not now you’re not.” her dad commented. “But you will be soon. So, Ms. Melody, I need to know where were you bitten? The place it happened, not on your body. I found the scars so I know that already.” That was actually something I didn’t know myself. “Where was I bitten? I don’t know.” “Third base!” the count exclaimed, “No but seriously I don’t know where, that’s why I asked you.” “No I mean where did it bite me. A leg?” I asked. “It’s not important.” he said in a tone which made me assume it was important. “Let’s just say it’s a location which makes me think whoever turned you needs to be hunted down and slain. It’s not a place someone would bite if they were feral, and you were not told to come here, so you were turned intentionally. Meaning I have to hunt down and likely slay your attacker. It’s my honor bound job.” Oh. That would be rather lovely! “Headmaster Orange Rose of the Paddock Academy in Trottingham.” “What?” Vi and her dad asked together. “He did it. My parents paid him to. It’s how he reforms problem students.” It felt so good to tell the truth to somepony at last. “If the school doesn't beat the behavior into you, he bites you, and uses a hex to change you whenever he wants… till you obey. Then he gives the hex to your parents when you go home.” “Did I say likely slay?” the count said darkly. “I meant will rip to tiny pieces with my bare hooves.” “Not if I do it first!” Vi growled her eyes literally glowing red, “We split her parents!” “Vi, sweetie, we’re not allowed to hurt them. But I’m pretty sure Celestia is, and she won’t like this at all.” the count dumped the things he had been grinding into a small pot and began to stir it together. “Now calm down, we’re curing your wife. Do you know anything about how this hex works? It could interfere with my work.” “Not a unicorn…” I muttered, it was getting hard to focus on things. I felt really hungry. “I… I think I’m blacking out.” “Ponyfeathers! Vi, give her the green vial.” The count called. “Okay, here hon, drink this.” I felt something press against my lips, and swallowed. “In case you leave us Ms. Melody, I need you to know something.” her father said, sprinkling something which looked suspiciously like saltine cracker bits into the pot. “I can’t remove your curse entirely, that’s not possible. We even tried using the Elements back in the day. What I normally do is modify the curse to allow a werewolf to keep control. But as you are my daughter’s wife, and I think she would ask me to kill her if you ever passed away, we need you able to become a vampire. This is normally not possible.” “Sounds like… a catch.” I mumbled. “Yes. If I turn you myself after weakening your were-curse as much as possible, you will be one of us. But the wolf’s blood will always be in you. Rather than a bat’s form, it would be likely you would keep this body as your hunting mode. Though by my educated guess, you would share Vinyl’s abilities in every other respect. A sort of one to nine ratio of wolf to vampire.” “Huh?” I asked. Vi gently hugged me as best as she could with me strapped to the table. “It means that instead of doing this-” She closed her eyes, and a pair of large leather bat wings burst from her back, her ears twisted, becoming batlike, her mane and tail became shaggy, and her fangs slid so they poked out even with her mouth closed, “You would be a wolf.” Hehe! Adorable batty Vi! I tried to move a paw to bat at the batty-bat, but the chain was too tight. Oh tartarus I was getting really loopy… “Also, there may be other unexpected twists in your abilities. We can also just reduce your curse in the normal way, but once adjusted, for safety's sake we can’t do it again.” her father said firmly. “Why?” I asked. “You would combust if we tried it a second time.” He said in a way to honest tone. I looked over at Vi. I wanted to be with her now. I couldn’t see that ever changing. “One vampire please.” I mumbled before blackness took me.