//------------------------------// // At First Sight // Story: Precious Blood // by DisneyFanatic23 //------------------------------// "Well, I think that dinner went rather well, don't you?" Starlight Glimmer asked her niece on the carriage ride home. "I'd say Lord Fancy Pants is greatly interested in you." Fluttershy stroked her bunny as she reflected on the evening. She was glad her aunt had allowed her to bring Angel for comfort, as long as he stayed in the carriage. "He's nice, I suppose," she replied softly, "and he was quite the gentlecolt, but…" Starlight raised an eyebrow. "But?" Fluttershy bit her lip. "Well…we don't really…have all that much in common. I mean we barely talked…" "That's not important in marriage," her aunt huffed, waving her hoof. "You'll be too busy bringing up the children to talk." Fluttershy didn't like what her aunt was implying with this. She did notice Lord Fancy Pants stealing glances at her all evening, and he was kind enough to ask about her, but their conversations never went anywhere. In fact, her aunt had hardly let her get a word in, and she would occasionally make adjustments to her hair and posture and harshly whisper for her to smile. Was that what courtship was all about? Standing there and looking pretty? Did stallions only care about looks, wealth and social status? From what her aunt was telling her, Fluttershy was starting to believe this. While she did sometimes think about having children, she'd always thought the husband she'd have them with would be… She wasn't quite sure. Kind? Caring? She at least wanted some pony she could talk to. Angel was a good listener, and even though she could understand him enough, he could never really talk back. She wanted some pony to confide in, some pony who would comfort her in her troubles. She didn't just want a husband. She wanted…a friend. A long howl interrupted her thoughts. Angel's ears perked up in alarm. Even Starlight jumped at the sound. They all looked out at the dark, foggy forest. "Oh," Starlight uttered with a shiver. "This forest always gives me the shivers." For once, she and Fluttershy agreed on something. Starlight leaned out the window and called to the stallions pulling the carriage. "Pick up the pace! I don't want to get eaten by wolves!" "Yes, doamnă!" exclaimed Double Diamond and a unicorn named Party Favor as they trotted faster. There was another howl in the distance, which made Angel quiver in Fluttershy's lap. "C-Calm down, Angel," she said shakily. "I-It's just a wolf. He's too far away to…" She gasped at another howl and before she knew it, the rabbit was jumping out the carriage window. "Angel!" Fluttershy cried as she swung the door open. "Fluttershy, what are you…?" But Starlight wasn't quick enough to stop Fluttershy from hopping off the carriage to race after her bunny. "Fluttershy! You silly filly!" She addressed the stallions. "Stop the carriage! One of you! Go after her!" By the time Party Favor had unhitched himself, Fluttershy was already deep within the fog, not caring what was lurking within as she was determined to get her bunny back. Somewhere in the fog wandered a lone brown goat. He didn't look unusual at a glance, until one saw his yellow and red eyes. The goat then transformed into Count Discord. "Rats, has it been an hour already?" he grumbled in annoyance. "What, are all the animals hibernating early this year?!" He was hoping taking the form of a goat would lure out some predators, but they didn't seem particularly active tonight, except for the wolves. He couldn't harm them, for they always traveled in packs. He considered infiltrating a farm again to steal a goat or sheep. He rarely did this, as missing livestock often aroused suspicion. Still, he couldn't return home empty-pawed. Then he heard a twig snap and he turned to see a white rabbit hopping out of the fog. He squeaked when he saw Discord and twisted in the other direction. "Oh no, you don't." With a single swipe of his paw, he grabbed the bunny by the ears and lifted him to his eye level. "Well, you're not much of a meal," Discord smirked, "but you'll do for now." The rabbit was putting up a fight, punching the air with his paws and kicking his feet, squeaking insults at the draconequus. Discord shook his head and laughed. "You're a feisty one," he said, lifting the bunny's chin with his talon so he could make eye contact. "Why don't you relax a little?" His voice became smooth and hypnotic as his eyes transformed into spirals. The rabbit watched them intensely. "That's it," Discord whispered as the bunny's eyes changed to match his. "Relax. This won't hurt a bit." He opened his mouth to show his fangs. The fog was so thick that Fluttershy had lost sight of her bunny. "Angel!" she called repeatedly. "Angel, where are you? Come back! Angel!" She felt like she was running in circles, for everything looked the same. Finally, she stopped and cried, thinking she had lost her precious bunny forever. Then she heard a low voice in the distance. Thinking whoever it was might have seen Angel, she followed it. Her blood grew cold as she came across a tall, dark figure holding something over his fanged mouth. She gasped when she realized it was Angel, his body limp and his eyes swirling into infinity. "Angel!" Without thinking, Fluttershy raced toward the creature and shouted, "Let go of my bunny!" Discord turned in surprise. Before he could see what was coming towards him, he was rammed into the side and tackled to the ground. The rabbit fell out of his grasp and snapped out of his trance. Angel ran away instinctively. Discord snarled in anger and pushed himself up. Fluttershy scrambled off him before she could fall off. He turned and glared at her with glowing yellow and red eyes, stealing the mare's breath away. "You shouldn't have done that, domnişoară," he growled dangerously. The fog had cleared a bit and she could see him better in the faint moonlight. Her mouth dropped agape as she took in every detail of his mismatched body. What sort of creature was this?! Discord was furious. Not only had this mare made him lose his meal, but she had attacked him! He, who had wrestled the mightiest of predators, had just been overpowered by a meek, mortal mare! Fluttershy didn't feel so brave anymore, now that the frightening creature was crawling towards her. "That rabbit was going to be my dinner!" Discord barked as she backed away from him. "Now that he's gone, I'll need something else to satisfy my thirst." By now, Fluttershy had backed into a tree. She was sure he was going to pounce on her, but instead, he put his claw to his chin in thought. "Now, let's see," he said as he glanced at his surroundings. "Why, the only tasty morsel around here seems to be," he looked back at her hungrily, "you." He grabbed her forelegs before she could slip away. He pressed her back against the tree and rose to his full height. Fluttershy wanted to scream, but she was trembling so much, she couldn't find her voice. "There are two ways this can go down, domnişoară," Discord said with a wicked smile. "I could drain all the blood from you and leave you for dead, or I can drink some of your blood, which won't kill you, but my venom will still be in your veins." Her breath quickened as he ran his claw along her chin and whispered, "You'll become like me and live forever." Fluttershy now understood what this creature was. She had heard the servants talk about vampires all the time, but she'd always thought they were a myth. Yet here was one, standing before her, contemplating whether to kill her or change her. She didn't know which fate was worse. "What will it be, domnişoară?" His grin widened as he showed his teeth, his large fangs glinting in the moonlight. Fluttershy closed her eyes and whimpered, prepared for whatever the vampire had in store for her. Discord took her silence as an acceptance of death and sighed. "Pity." He opened his mouth and aimed for her throat. Fluttershy's eyes tightened as she felt him draw closer. Then something made him stop. The clouds that had covered the moon had moved on, allowing it to shine down on the mare shivering in his grasp, giving him the chance to look at her properly. Her long hair was the color of pink roses, and fell down neatly over her shoulders. Her coat was yellow like buttercream, giving her face a delicate look. His grip on her loosened as he looked down at her dress, which was a simple green gown, yet it suited her soft complexion well. He couldn't say the same about the extravagant emerald necklace around her neck, as it distracted from the natural beauty of her face, to which his attention slowly returned. Confused as to why he had stopped, Fluttershy opened her eyes to find him staring intently at her, his red pupils dilated. One fang had disappeared entirely, while the other had only shrunk to a less intimidating size. Her teal eyes shone in the darkness like sparkling jades. They beheld such innocence, such brilliance, that the tables were soon turned as Discord was the one put in a trance. In all the years he had lived, of all the mares he had bitten, he had never seen such beauty. He didn't know why, but everything about her had him mesmerized: her gentle face, her smooth mane, her dazzling eyes. He couldn't help but brush his claw against her cheek and take a few strands of hair between his talons. It was like touching the softest of silk. "Beautiful," he whispered. Fluttershy stiffened at his voice, as it was filled with wonderment like his gaze. Her terrified mind was telling her to try and escape while he was distracted, but the eyes staring into her soul and the rapid beating of her heart had her rooted to the spot. A glorious scent filled Discord's nostrils. It wasn't blood, but something richer and sweeter. It was like jasmine, petunias, roses, every flower he could think of, all of it emitting from the pegasus. He was no longer thirsty. All he could think about was the beautiful mare before him, and his desire to hold her to his chest, lift her face up to his, lean forward and… An electric shock from the mare's skin made him jump back in surprise. He released her, causing her to drop to the ground. He stared down at his claw in revelation and then looked back at her. She was gazing at him with equal amazement. That shock had been the final sign. If he hadn't known already, he knew now. The mare he'd been hoping for, the mare he'd been waiting a thousand years for was standing before him now. "It's you," he whispered in disbelief. "W-What?" Fluttershy stammered. Before he could answer, a voice called out of the fog, "Domnişoară!" They both turned in the direction of the voice. Discord looked back at her in panic. What should he do? He couldn't let her go now that'd he'd finally found her, but he couldn't touch her either. He couldn't have her going off and telling ponies about him, but he couldn't erase her memory. He wanted to explain why he was hesitant to kill her, but she was as confused enough as it was. "Domnişoară, are you here?!" Discord had no choice. He leaned toward the mare and whispered: "If you tell anyone about tonight, I will find you." And he would. "W-Wait," Fluttershy said as he turned away, his cape sweeping after him. "Who are…?" She stopped as the vampire took off and changed into a dark blue bat before her eyes. She watched him in bewilderment as he disappeared into the fog. "Domnişoară!" Party Favor shouted as he emerged from the darkness. "Oh, thank goodness! Are you alright, domnişoară?" Fluttershy was breathing heavily, her eyes still focused on where the vampire had vanished. "Domnişoară?" the unicorn repeated. "What happened, are you hurt?" It wasn't until Angel hopped into her lap that she snapped out of her trance. "Fine, I…" she heaved, "I fell." Party Favor sighed in relief. "Oh, good. Not because you fell, but you weren't hurt and… Oh, we better get back to the carriage. Your aunt is going to have a fit." Fluttershy didn't care about her aunt at the moment. She was going through a whirlwind of emotions, but she was mostly overwhelmed with what had just happened. That creature was about to suck her blood, but then had stopped for some reason. Why? He had had her cornered. His fangs had been inches away from her throat. He could've killed her easily. Why had he let her go? Discord was panting heavily as he slammed the large double doors behind him and fell back against them. "Hey, what gives?" Rainbow Dash called as she, the other mares and Spike came rushing down the hall. "Where's the grub?" "I thought you said you were hunting!" Rarity exclaimed. "I'm thirsty!" Pinkie whined. "Did our earlier conversation lead you nowhere?!" Twilight demanded accusingly. "Am I gonna have to give blood again?" Spike asked nervously. "No way!" Applejack declared, throwing her hoof in front of him. "Master, he needs a few more days to heal before he can…" But Discord didn't hear a word they said. He only stared into space as he reflected on the recent events. "Hey, are you listening?!" Rainbow shouted in his face. "Master?" Rarity said, cocking her head in question. "Hello!" Pinkie chimed, jumping up and waving her hoof in front of his eyes. "Master! Anybody home?" "What's the matter with him?" Rainbow whispered to the others. "Maybe he's sick?" "Don't be ridiculous, Pinkie," Twilight snorted. "Vampires don't get sick. Unless they're exposed to garlic for too long." Pinkie gasped in horror. "Did you crash into an evil garlic tree?!" The lavender unicorn put her hoof to her head. "Garlic doesn't grow on trees!" "Master, what happened out there?" Applejack demanded softly. "Master?" "I've seen her," Discord said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Huh?" everyone said in confusion. His lips curled into a smile as he sighed and clutched his chest. "I've seen the face of beauty." "The what of what now?" Rainbow asked. "Hold up!" Rarity exclaimed as she stepped forth. She squinted at the draconequus and gasped. "Oh my gosh! You've met some pony, haven't you?!" Discord nodded as he sank to the ground in bliss. "She was the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on. And she looked so…so gentle and so…so delicate. She was like…like…" He sighed as he closed his eyes. "Like an angel." "What?" Rainbow said, scrunching her nose. "Angel? What are ya talking about?" Rarity rolled her eyes. "Oh, honestly, Rainbow Dash! Isn't it obvious?" She squealed in delight. "He's fallen in love!" "Huh, what?" Discord said, snapping back to reality. "Love? I…I don't know about that, I mean…I only saw her for a minute…" He sighed again. "Though it felt like an eternity." "Well, you're smitten, at least." "Ooh, how cute!" Pinkie squeaked, bringing her face close to her master's. "Tell us all about it!" "Yes, details, please!" Rarity begged eagerly. Discord stood as he began telling his tale. "I was having no luck finding food, until I stumbled upon a rabbit…" "Rabbit?!" Rainbow exclaimed in anger. "You were gonna bring us back a rabbit?!" "Shush!" Rarity hushed her. "Go on, Master!" "Well," Discord continued, "I was about to feed on it, but then out of nowhere, this…beautiful pegasus mare came out of the fog and tackled me…" "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Rainbow interrupted again, holding up a hoof. "You were tackled by a mare? A mortal mare?!" "I know, right?" he sighed dreamily. "She was so…bold! Anyway, I lost the rabbit, so I was about to feed on her instead, but then I got a better look at her and…" He paused as the lovely image of the mare came to mind. "What color was her mane?" Rarity demanded. "Pink," Discord replied automatically. "And it was as soft as silk!" "Her coat?" "Yellow. No, more of a buttery color. Oh, and it was so smooth…" "Her eyes?" "They were like jades. Oh, and how they twinkled in the moonlight…" "What's her name?" Pinkie pleaded, standing on the tips of her hooves. Discord opened his mouth and then froze. He smacked himself in the forehead. "Darn it!" He took a deep breath and reacquired his dreamy expression. "Her name is Aphrodite, Venus… No! Persephone! She smelled like springtime…" "Springtime?" Twilight said as she rubbed her chin in thought. "Master, when you touched her, did anything happen?" "Oh," Discord said, looking slightly embarrassed. "Yes, a…jolt of electricity, uh…" "Then it's true." Rarity gasped. "You mean…?" "He's…?" Applejack uttered. "Yes," Twilight nodded. "Our master has found his mate." "I have," Discord said in astonishment as the words finally sank in. "I've found my mate. I've found my mate." He smiled with a sigh. "I've found my mate…" "Oh, that's wonderful!" Rarity shrieked excitedly. "I can't wait to meet her, Master!" "Yay, we're gonna get a new friend!" Pinkie cheered, hopping up and down. Applejack was the only one who didn't seem the least bit enthusiastic about this. "I'm happy for ya, Master, but…you're gonna be good to her, right? You're not gonna…take advantage…are ya?" "He can't," Twilight reminded her. "Remember our mating laws." "All the same, you'll be careful about this, won't you, Master?" Discord frowned as he and the orange earth pony locked eyes. He understood more than anyone in the hallway why this was concerning her. He bent to her level and whispered assuredly, "Don't worry, Applejack. What happened to you won't happen to her." He could tell she was trying to stop her eyes from leaking blood. She wiped the tears away and nodded. Discord smiled and then straightened up, returning to his dreamy state. "I've found my mate," he whispered repeatedly as he proceeded down the hall. "I've found my mate. I've found my mate." "Hey!" Rainbow called impatiently. "What about dinner?!" Every pony turned to Spike, Applejack and Twilight looking grim. He glanced around at them and sighed as he rolled up his sleeve. "Okay," he grumbled. "But can we do the left arm this time? My right's still numb." "Come on, Sugar Cube," Applejack said in a hoarse voice as she gently guided him down the hallway. "Let's get this over with." "Come on! There's no way a pint of his blood will be enough to feed all five of us!" Rainbow protested. Rarity tapped her chin as she made a decision. "You can have my share." She used her magic to get her white headscarf off the coatrack. "I'll find my own dinner." They all looked at her in surprise. Rainbow scoffed. "You?! Go hunting?!" Rarity narrowed her eyes and placed her hoof on her hip. "And why not?!" Before Rainbow could answer, Twilight intervened. "The Master doesn't want us to hunt! He doesn't want us to be responsible for…" "Do you want Spike to end up like you?!" Rarity knew she had crossed a line when Twilight jumped back in appalment, but it had to be said. The lavender unicorn turned to Spike and Applejack, who was shaking her head towards the dragon. Twilight sighed and nodded in relent. "Hey, if she's hunting," Rainbow said, "I'm hunting too!" "Ooh, ooh!" Pinkie cried, raising her hoof. "Can I come too?!" "Just don't feed on any ponies," Applejack said, her eyes particularly focused on Rarity. The white unicorn stammered under her gaze, "O-Of course not!" "Okay, let's go then!" Rainbow said as she pushed the double doors open. "I'm starving!" "We'll save some for you!" Pinkie yelled over her shoulder. As they stepped out, Rarity could feel Applejack's disapproving glare. "So, what do you think?" Rainbow asked as she shut the doors behind them. "North? South? East? West?" "What about north by southeast?" Pinkie giggled. The pegasus rolled her eyes. "What do you think, Rarity?" She glanced around. "Rarity?" But the unicorn had disappeared. "Eh," Pinkie shrugged. "She probably wants to go it alone." Rainbow scoffed again. "Or she's afraid she'll embarrass herself. Seriously though. Rarity? Hunting?! That I'd love to see!" The streets of Zebiu were quiet that evening, now that every pony had gone to bed and the street performers and merchants had packed up for the night. However, there were always a few stragglers. An earth stallion was coming home late from a delivery, and the silence of the night was most disconcerting. At one point, he thought he heard movement behind him and he turned around only to find nothing. He sighed in relief, but was met with a surprise when he faced ahead again. A white unicorn mare was leaning out of an alleyway, sticking out her back leg, batting her long eyelashes. "Looking for a good time?" she asked in a melodic tone, lifting her skirt some more. The stallion looked with wide eyes from her bare leg to her face. She was removing her headscarf to reveal her elegantly curled purple mane. "Well," he said, following her into the alleyway. "Don't mind if I do!" The mare giggled playfully as she pressed the stallion against the wall. "Wait," he said hesitantly. "How much is this gonna cost?" "Oh, don't worry about that," she said with a seductive smile. "It's nothing you can't afford." The stallion sighed as she slowly moved her hooves up his chest. "You like it when I do this?" "Uh-huh," he nodded in satisfaction. "How about this?" she asked as she caressed his neck. "Oh, yes…" "Even," she narrowed her eyes, "this?" Her hooves tightened around his throat. The stallion struggled as he tried to breathe. "So that's the way you see mares, eh?" the mare growled angrily as her eyes changed from blue to red. "Just because we bat our eyes and say we like you, you think you can do anything you like with us, huh?!" He writhed in her grasp, staring at her face in horror as it began to change. She wasn't so pretty anymore. Her ears were now furrier and pointier, her eyebrows had become thicker and when she opened her mouth in a hiss, her fangs glinted in the moonlight. "You think we're mere toys that can be played with?! And when you break us, you think you can just toss us aside?!" She kneed him in the groin. He would've howled in pain if he wasn't choking to death. "Tell me then, domnule," she snarled. "Do you like it when I do…this?!" She released his throat to make room for her mouth. The stallion screamed as she stabbed her teeth into him. He wriggled in her hold, trying to break free. Eventually, he stopped struggling and went stiff and silent. His eyes were open in horror, but they would never see the light of day again. Rarity tore away and let the scum drop to the ground. She glared down at him as she licked the blood off her lips. "How do you like me now?"