//------------------------------// // Chapter 02: What's biting around Here? // Story: Everything's Gone Batty // by JusSonic //------------------------------// Chapter 02: What’s biting around Here? The scene opens to where near the center of the Rainbow Kingdom, where many crowds gather around near the palace of the new princess; Twilight Sparkle and her Council of Friendship. There were angry protestors, shout debaters, and let’s not get into any details of there becoming a riot. “Every pony, please…please…calm down. Just…calm down!” Mayor Mare spoke as acting mayor of her citizens of the town to calm themselves. “Now what we have here, is um….a small unnatural event.” She spoke in trying to not see this as a bad picture, but… “You call seeing a Vampire Pony small?” Snips issued off to say that there was no way this was small. “Yeah/Yeah/Come on now!” Many crowds were arguing in agreement here, a Vampire Pony isn’t small at all to see. “Everyone, listen to me.” Twilight approached the mike to speak to many citizens to try to calm them down a bit. “My friends and I have dealt with witnessing an unnatural creature in our area before long ago. We promise to figure out what is happening.” She spoke in stating that they have handled this situation from before, and they can try to help settle it again. “But if you knew, why is there one here now?” Snails asked off another matter over seeing what good were such words if what has happened here is not solved. Many crowds were arguing more in agreeing to these terms, what would the princess of friendship do about it. And pretty much, the Mane Six that were acting councilmen had to help their friend in need. “Now listen up, ye’ll! I admit, we never expected there be a Vampire Pony in our hood! De only kinds were them Vampire Fruit Bats, but turns out, there might’ve been others.” Applejack spoke off in stating a claim here to help bring some ease to the cause, too bad it wasn’t enough. “What others/Are there more monsters on the loose/What if they eat us/What if they suck our bloods?” Many crowds were asking many questions and were not getting answers anytime soon from being impatient. “Now calm down ponies, we tussle with a bad pony that was a vampire, and it only suck on the juicy stuff on apples.” Rainbow Dash spoke off to mention this tale, minus that bad vampire pony was their friend Fluttershy that gone Flutterbat. “But still, it’s a problem if left unsolved if whoever is doing it keeps sucking the apples dry to leave none left, and that even means….NO CIDER!” She issued off in mentioning the horrors of what happen if they don’t stop this Vampire Pony that wreck their festival, it’ll ruin and they’ll be left with no apples. “Rainbow!” The Mane Five scolded their friend for trying to make the situation worse than better. “Yes, so…as much as we might think we’re in danger, it’s only a pony that wants apples, they can’t be dangerous.” Rarity stated that it’s just a creature that wants apples, not flesh living ponies. “You jump to conclusion, when the tale has yet been told.” Spoke a voice that rhymed that made everyone turn to see who enter the area was… “Zecora?” The gang responded in seeing their zebra shaman enter the area. “When did you get here?” Nyx asked off in not recall seeing Zecora until just now. “I was in the neighborhood, as it would seem. Then when there was a sound, the sound of that which is neither pony…nor bat.” Zecora explained the case while making her rhymes here. “Here comes the rhyming games. Ugh.” Phobos rolled his eyes yet yelped when Spike jab his gut to be polite. “From where I come from, there is a tale of these hybrid creatures, both good and bad.” Zecora spoke forth in stating a matter involving these Vampire Pony creatures. “There was said to have been one who was the oldest, but was said to have turn down a path of evil. Turning many of light, to dark, by biting them & they became like him. But then came another, not so bad, and took the role of new legends pass." She explained the case that from one old Vampire Pony became like an evil spreading himself to turn many into others like the creature itself. The crowds became fearful of hearing this, so far, it was scaring them to hear of such scary tales. “Um, who is it that had done such things?” Fluttershy asked off in sounding very nervous here. “The first you mean is who I shall explain. A creature who was once Mystical but soon fell into the Dark Mystic pit, that which suits his hungry needs became what he is.” As Zecora explained this, many of the Mane Six had a strange feeling she was talking about Myotis, the Dark Mystic who is also a Vampire Pony. “Well okay, and what about curing those ponies?” Pinkie Pie spoke off in hearing the case while also asking off something else on the mind. “That is the thing, only three ways they choose to bite. They can be small or medium, and even large when they seek to truly feed on those they desire.” Zecora spoke off to explain such things before going into more details. “One is simple, to suck small dose of blood and keep the mortal from changing. But two is more, suck half one’s blood away, and it leaves them turning into Vampire Pony that day. But third & final fate, when Vampire Pony suck with maximum strength, leaves the body dry as prune, letting them die with horror pasted on their faces.” As she explained, the message was through, a tiny bite is nothing harmful, but a medium bite can change one to be a Vampire Pony while a largest suction leads to death; all of which is not a pretty sight. Now that caused many crowds to scream and panic, if that is what they have, then what can they do to defend themselves. “Calm down! All of you!” Ben shouted out to get the citizens to not be panicking over the issue. “Listen, that sounds bad, I know. But leave it to us, we’ll find out who caused trouble and fix it, so we can continue our apple festival.” He spoke to assure the crowd that whatever had done this deed would be stopped so that their festival would not be stopped. Many that heard this began to wonder if they can trust Ben and those with him to be on the case. But then again, the Mane Six have helped out, especially involving the defeat of Tirek when he almost won, so maybe they shouldn’t doubt over one simple loose Vampire Pony. “Mayor, try to help fix up some of the festival to keep it going while we solve this case.” Twilight requested this to Mayor Mare of what to do while they are out. “Of course Princess Twilight.” Mayor Mare nods in understanding this and will do what she can to help. “Right, Granny, Tough & Big Mac are already getting more apples, so hopefully, we can fix & help feed them hungry ponies.” AJ nods off to say that her family will be getting more apples for the festival. With that much said, the gang begins to move along with plans to find, capture, and figure out what to do about a loose Vampire Pony. “So what do we do to find that Vampire Pony, mommy?” Nyx asked off to her mother in what the plan was. “We’ll start with the only one we know in our neck of the woods.” Twilight spoke off in knowing that they have one Vampire Pony to talk to over this situation leading up to such a species. “AH-HA! You mean Terrorcreep! So he’s the one that did this sneaky stunt!” Rainbow Dash spoke off in stating that they know who the culprit was now. “Well, he does have a rather…suspicious behavior pattern.” Rarity stated in thinking that Terrorcreep ‘was’ one Mystic that was hard to predict his actions. “Wait a second guys, let’s first find him then see if he’s the guy.” Ben spoke in speaking on Terrorcreep’s behalf, sure the guy is….a little hard to make as an ally; what with sucking Ben’s blood when he beat the guy at a challenge, but still… “Ben’s right, you know.” A voice was head that belong to Golden Heart, and soon behind the gang, they see him, Omega, Pinkamena and Jack Zen coming up to the gang. “Omega?” Apple Bloom spoke off to see the bot. “Pinkamena?” Sweetie Belle replied in seeing the other pink pony. “Jack Zen?” Scootaloo spoke in seeing the third addition to Goldie’s group. “What are you doing here?” The CMC asked together in union of what Golden Heart’s group is here for. “We heard about the commotion, so we came to investigate the matter.” Omega replied off in stating their situation of business. “Right, this Vampire Pony action is a serious issue.” Pinkamena stated to say about such a manner that calls their attention, post haste. “We heard you’re visiting Terrorcreep, I want to go along, to keep those I care about safe from harm.” Jack Zen stated in what he must do, especially if that Vampire Pony would try to go and bite his leader Golden Heart. “Yeah, I told Jack Zen about Terrorcreep and…the other stuff about him, and he’s worried I might be targeted by a Vampire Pony.” Goldie pointed off that when he told about such a guy and seeing he’s going with Twilight’s group to see him, Jack Zen became concern. “It could happen.” Both Jack Zen & Pinkamena spoke in stating they don’t want Golden Heart to be hurt or worse. “Well at least with this many of us, we can cover more ground.” Spike shrug off his shoulders to say the bright side. “Okay, let’s get going!” Rainbow Dash pumps up her hoof to say that they gotta get this train rolling. “I’ll lead us ta where Terrorcreep lives with de rest of de Vampire Fruit Bats.” AJ stated that she’ll lead, she knows where to go, and where who lives in such neck of the woods. As the gang were moving along now, there was one member that was a little slow…Fluttershy. Apparently, she was still feeling a little under the weather, but that wasn’t gonna stop her. “You okay Fluttershy?” Twilight asked off in seeing her friend was still looking a bit unwell at the time. “Oh, yes….just, shaken up by the news.” Fluttershy spoke off to say in trying to not be a bother. “Its fine, I’ll be right behind you all.” She tried to perk up to say this with an honest face as she could. “Well if you get behind, I can help push your caboose!” Pinkie Pie pops near behind her friend to say this of a random aid to the cause. “Um, thanks….I guess.” Fluttershy slowly responded puzzled to hearing such a statement, but figure it was Pinkie being herself. Course hearing the conversation did reach Goldie’s group as they now know about Fluttershy not being so healthy. “Something the matter mistress.” Omega whispered to Pinkamena in seeing the pink pony lookalike was focusing her face at the yellow Pegasus. “Hmm, oh nothing. Just overthought something really random about Fluttershy.” Pinkamena responded off quietly to say about a silly thought that came to her. “Such as?” Goldie raised an eyebrow in being curious of what it was that even his sister finds it silly to think. “About her missing out when a Vampire Pony attacked and when it left, she was seen & didn’t awake from the commotion.” Pinkamena pointed out some good facts that Fluttershy and the Vampire Pony were never seen around an area where others saw the two in different places; it’s weird. “Hmmm, I heard that she was once…accidentally turn into a Vampire Pony. Could she….” Jack Zen spoke in pondering this for thought, what if maybe Fluttershy has… “Nope! Twilight cured her, she isn’t a Vampire Pony anymore.” Pinkamena interrupts to say Fluttershy is cured and is not a Vampire Pony. “At least, I hope so.” She spoke softly to herself in some worried concern about such a thing. The group continues their paste to go where to meet Terrorcreep, all while wondering if he is indeed involved or if there is another force at work. ----------------------------- The scene soon opens towards the Vampire Fruit Bat’s territory, a sanitary that Applejack and her friends built to let them bats have a part of the orchard to have them suck the apples juice, then collect seeds to have them grow into bigger and juicier apple trees. But right now, the gang was outside the fence and the sign with a picture label that meant ‘Fruit Vampire Bat’ area. They are here to find Terrorcreep who has made this spot a home for himself and communicates to the bats. “Well we’re here. This area we made ta keep them bats off our apples.” Applejack spoke off in stating a fact of what they got here. “Yes, but how can we get Terrorcreep to come meet us? Instead of, well…going in there for him to scare us?” Rarity asked off a question in pondering how to find Terrorcreep without him finding them to scare and surprise the group. “Last time, we had a guide, this time, he could be anywhere.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in knowing that the last time they did this, they were lucky before. “Then it’s a good thing you have us along. Cause I made something for just such an occasion.” Pinkamena smiled off to say in having the answer to the dilemma here. The others were puzzled except those in Goldie’s group as they all awaited to see what the pink pony has got on her mind. Then the pink pony brings up a strange gold whistle with a red bat logo on it, as if showing it off dramatically. “TADA! The Vampire Whistle!” Pinkamena proudly declared in showing what she has that would be interesting. “A whistle?” Spike raised an eyebrow in seeing that, how can a whistle help them out? “Neat-o! What’s it do, what’s it do?” Pinkie Pie smiled off eagerly in seeing the whistle that earn her attention. “It’s something we asked Spell Nexus to design from what I gave him, this bad boy acts like a dog whistle for only Vampire Ponies to hear. So, cover your ears!” Pinkamena smiled off to say in knowing that this whistle can help them get a Vampire Pony to come to them when they hear the sound. “Why?” Phobos asked off confused, if it’s a whistle, then won’t they still hear it? Pinkamena didn’t explain, she instead took a deep breath and then made a whistle noise that went off. There was an invisible sound wave being sent off from the whistle over towards the sanctuary the bats are in. “Ohhhh; that must be a pretty bad sound to the poor bats!” Fluttershy yelped a bit in feeling like her sensitive ears cringe from the sound; that must be very noisy to any poor creature. “Really, I don’t hear a thing.” Phobos raised a puzzled face in not hearing anything at all. “Us neither.” The CMC stated in not hearing anything to their knowledge. Soon the pink pony ceases her blowing the whistle to take a breather moment here. “Now we just wait for Terrorcreep to show up.” Pinkamena stated off in what they do from here. Then without warning, someone fell off from above a tree spot and impacted the ground. This caught many of the others attention in what happened; as it was the very Vampire Pony they were seeking to meet. “Yikes! Guess he showed up sooner than we thought!” Nyx spoke off to say in seeing their answer came quicker than expected. “Ugh, what was that to make my ears bleed like so?” Terrorcreep groans to complain from what he just heard that was very irritating to him. “Nice to see your doing alright, Terrorcreep.” Ben spoke off in seeing a familiar face of a Mystic once again. Once the Mystic Vampire Pony stood up to dust himself, he could see the ones he knows and figured out that whoever made the noise that surprised him was a calling to get his attention. “So, that noise was one of you, hugh? And here I was thinking of killing whatever creature that was making such a racket that annoyed me, out of its misery.” Terrorcreep stated off to say from standing up from his quick recovery while he made a remark of what he had done to whatever made that irrupting noise. “Try to and you’ll answer to me!” Goldie made a stern angry face at the guy if he was thinking to harm his sister just cause she blew a whistle to get his attention. “And me!” Jack Zen stated in standing near Golden Heart in going to protect him. “I am also equipment with the latest in Vampire defense gear.” Omega stated from showing what his arsenal can do if Terrorcreep even STEPS out of line. “Settle you guys, we’re not here for a fight.” Ben spoke to stop Goldie’s group from fighting the guy they came to talk to. “Ben’s right, now Terrorcreep, we wanna ask you something.” Twilight replied in agreement before she turn her attention to the Mystic. “Were you near us during the Apple Festival?” She asked if this guy was anywhere near them when they had their Apple Festival moments ago? “Oh, you were having that, sounds fun to be there.” Terrorcreep made a sly smile in almost giving a hint of being there to know what was going on. “See! He admits his guilt!” Rainbow Dash pointed out in witnessing that action was a dead giveaway; this guy’s their culprit. “Woah, slow down, I said ’to’ be there. I never actually went, had some other things to do.” Terrorcreep spoke off easily in stating that he only mentioned he wanted to go to the festival, to enjoy the apples, but he had ‘other’ agendas. “So then…you were not the one that came and scared many of us?” Rarity slowly raised an eyebrow in seeing Terrorcreep was NOT the one that came and scared their town’s folk. “Oh trust me, if it was me, I done a better job.” Terrorcreep made a sly tangy grin that almost spooked the group out. “So why the question?” Then he went back to being less scary to chat in what was with the question anyhow. “Because, some Vampire Pony came an’ ruin our batch o’ collected apples an’ flew off!” Applejack sternly snap off to bring up that some pony that’s a vampire, ruined the Apples’ apples at the festival and then flew away in the blank dark of the night. “Oh, and so you thought, being the only Vampire Pony nearby, I was the culprit?” Terrorcreep rolled his eyes to slyly state in sarcasm that since he lives in “Well we….um…actually, yeah, that’s about right.” Pinkie Pie was about to respond until it slowly hit her; that was precisely what they were going for without much evidence. “We’re sorry, we only came to check, we didn’t know if it was you or not.” Fluttershy spoke to say sorry to the guy, they never caught much of a glimpse at what Vampire Pony ruined the apple festival, they only recognized some features. “Hey, what if it was your dad?” Nyx asked off a thought that made much of the others flinch in seeing Myotis’ appearance during the day they defeated Fanged Dahlia and ended her curse on the Element Users of Harmony. “You’re kidding me, right?” Terrorcreep raised an eyebrow in responding to the question as a rhetorical statement. “If it was my old man, he suck all mortal ponies’ blood while killing off anyone that gets in his way.” He spoke off to remark the fact that his father done something far worse then what he has been told of the ponies’ situation. “Gee, how origina.?” Phobos rolled his eyes in hearing such a horrifying tale of this guy’s dad that makes the son seems less a threat. “But then if it wasn’t you, or your father…then who?” Twilight asked in feeling lost and confused, if neither Terrorcreep nor Myotis were involved in the matter, then who else was it? “Good question?” Terrorcreep responded in feeling a bit curious himself of hearing this news for a first time. “Come to think of it, while napping to wait for the sun to set, I did sense a Vampire Gene, but it was too ’newly’ fresh for me to determine if it was a full Fruit Bat or a Pony.” He stated that somewhat during the sunset, he felt something close to a Vampire that was new to the area, but since he was napping, he couldn’t tell if it was just another Fruit Bat…or a Pony. “Hold on, are you saying that…” Scootaloo spoke off in hearing what they think they heard here. “That there’s a NEW Vampire Pony around here?” Sweetie Belle stated in knowing what the answer could be. “Great Horny Toads, dat means it could target more o’ our apples!” Apple Bloom gasped in fearing what this could even mean for all of her family’s apple raising farm. “Not on mah watch!” Applejack sternly objects to this about some bat sucking all her apples dry. “Ah’ll tussle up dat varmint before it messes up our harvest & de festival!” She declared in gonna do everything she can to stop whoever is causing such trouble. “Wow, I always wonder how to be like a Vampire Hunter.” Pinkamena spoke off to say in feeling like she was gonna be a part of a vampire hunting team. “Woah-woah, woah!” Terrorcreep held up his hooves to stop this bunch from trying anything. “Listen, if you’re going to find a Vampire Pony…you need a guy that can help you find it.” He stated that to find a Vampire Pony…takes a Vampire Pony, namely him. “Are you volunteering?” Golden Heart raised an eyebrow in seeing what the guy was doing. “I’m just curious, okay?” Terrorcreep stated off his own reason for doing this. “Do you know how boring it is without having another of your species around to talk or hang with? I maybe a Mystic Pony, but even within the ranks, you all know about my reputation.” He stated that it’s been a long while since he even has meant with anyone that was a part of the vampire species. “We do.” The Mane Six responded off with a blank expression of knowing what Terrorcreep is like. “I have a question. Should there be not one more Vampire Pony you forgot to count in?” Omega spoke off in speaking a reminder to the case in point. “That’s true, wasn’t there a time when Ben needed the blood of a Vampire Pony, there were you, your father, and one more?” Jack Zen spoke in recalling that there are said to be three Vampire Ponies that would be the top of the list. “Trust me, he’s a busy guy ruling his own realm to not bother coming to cause trouble.” Terrorcreep waved off his left hoof in stating about the third vampire in question. “But, it may get out that with a new Vampire Pony being detected here, may mean he’ll come. And believe me, he won’t stop until he has a fellow Vampire safe from mortal harm, even if he has to fight anyone that gets in his way.” He stated in being serious that if measurements should be taken, there is one force that will protect a fellow Vampire Pony….even if it means fighting mortals. “He sounds like what Celestia & Luna would do, fight to protect their citizens.” Twilight spoke off in hearing this, it sounds like the other vampire that rules a realm wants to protect his own kind. “Then we must do the same, find the other Vampire Pony before anyone else does and prevent any trouble to arise.” She stated that they need to find where the loose new Vampire Pony is before trouble can stir in. “Alright, let’s do this!” Ben nods off to say that it’s time they started this task. Soon the gang was making their way to begin their exploration to find out more clues to the mystery of the loose Vampire Pony. Hopefully they can find it before any new forms of trouble can start string up. The scene goes dark from here where this event is over with. ------------------------------ The scene slowly opens up to a strange place, what some would call; a supernatural world. It was like waking one’s self into a world that was like a horror film stage show, only it was real. This place and its culture lived in a middle-ages style, but with some advances in cultural development. But there was a dark castle that watched over this entire country, something seen in a Count Dracula type of theme, but more modernly developed as it sat on a high hill to be like a symbol tower to all creatures. And from the dark castle’s window, was a hooded pony that was acting like a lord over this realm many could call; the Neither World or the Underworld, it doesn’t matter, for this was home…to those that live here. “Hmmmm?” The mysterious pony in shadows hummed to himself when he felt something….ominous. “Johnson?” He spoke off to call forth someone into the room here. Soon entering a room was what looked like an old stallion in his 50s that was clearly a vampire pony with bat-wings. His fur coat was darken midnight color, short managed mane & flow tail that were tan light & dark light gray color mix, and very light red/orange eyes. He seems perfectly fit, has a gray mustache over his mouth, wears a monocle on his left side of his eye, wears blacken hoof shoe-wear and has on a darken tan gray/brown suit shirt. On his flank is something that resembles a dark shield with silver lining outside, and inside is a silver spider, stating of what his Cutie Mark is and what his career talent is…..which may as well just say he’s a servant to a vampire lord. “You rang, sir?” The Vampire Pony named Johnson spoke in a humble butler tone in hearing the call of his master & employer. “I sense something….’new’….near the mortal realm.” The mysterious vampire lord spoke with his sights set out over the windows and out into the dark skies where the moon-light lit. “It feels….like a newborn Vampire Pony, exploring new boundaries.” He spoke forth in knowing what he sense, a new Vampire Pony has come into the world and is exploring. “But sir, all Vampire Ponies are here & accounted for?” Johnson spoke in setting a tray he carried down near his master to pour a drink of red champagne. “With of course, the exception of two of our species…roaming the mortal realm of Equestria.” He spoke off in stating that there are those that are roaming the Equestria mortal areas that are indeed Vampire Ponies, but different all the same. “Yes….I know of them.” As the mighty Vampire spoke, he took a pour wine glass, slowly moved it to ponder his thoughts. “But this one…I sensed it before.” As he spoke, his eyes were reflected off the red wine, and then a false image of…Fluttershy came into being. “It was the first sign of someone becoming one of us, by an unexpected spell casting, but was changed back to being a mortal before the change became permanent.” He spoke off in humbly saying how one who was close to becoming a creature of the night, was saved before it took over. “Are you suggesting the one who almost became one of us has now been reactivate?” Johnson asked a bit bizarre to raise an eyebrow, surely that case seems farfetched? “My sense is strongest out of all Vampire Ponies to detect those differ from mortals.” The mysterious vampire lord stated that out of many, he can sense Vampire Ponies when one is active or when a new one is born, such is his skill as Lord of all Vampires. “I must go forth and bring this new child into our realm and keep it safe.” As he spoke this, he finished his drink before turning to leave. “Should I prepare some things for your travels, sir?” Johnson asked in seeing his employer was going off on business to the mortal world. “No need, but do make things ready when I return.” The vampire lord responded to say as his shadowy backside stop before near a balcony door. “I will bring forth another of our kind to where they can feel safe.” He spoke of speaking that he shall have another of their kind to be here, with them. “And what if you run into a snag, if I may be so bold?” Johnson asked off to question if his lord meets trouble when bringing a new vampire pony into their realm. “If there are any that wish to stop me from helping my kind from being hunted & mistreated…then only death awaits them.” The vampire lord spoke these bold words with deep harsh tone, stating what he’ll do should any try to stop his act of protecting & saving his own kind. “As you wish it, Lord NeoVamde.” Johnson bows with one hoof to his chest in addressing his master. The revealed vampire lord opened the balcony as the mighty winds blew while his appearance remain in shadow. “Almost a 1000 years have pass, time has changed and I’ve received word of what’s happened in the mortal world of Equestria.” NeoVamde spoke in stating of the changes he has heard that has gone in since last he was in the mortal realm. “Learning of Luna’s return & no longer being Nightmare Moon, the Three Tribe Rulers’ ghosts that return to make another war, but only to soon find peace in being free of their hatred, and even now….the events that involve powerful villains arising to cause trouble.” He has heard so much commotion that of course it reach his ears, especially the last part. “Times may have changed since such a beginning of my earlier memories, but the true change of what has yet to come, is yet here? And until then…I shall continue to do my work as I always have.” He spoke in announcing that without ‘one’ crucial change to the account, he must do what is needed as he has tried to build. Then without warning, the darken figure of NeoVamde scattered into tiny bats flying off into the night sky. As they were flying off in a large flock of a dark cloud even with the lit moonlight. This lord of vampires shall gain what he seeks, and if anything that comes between him and the harm of a new vampire pony…no mortal shall be safe from his wrath. With that, the scene darkens with another mystery soon starting to rise up to the occasion.