//------------------------------// // Subterfuge // Story: Sunset Slayer // by Pen Stroke //------------------------------// Sunset Slayer By Pen Stroke Pre-read & Edited by Illustrious Q, El Oso, Kevinltk, Grand_Moff_Pony, & Winston Chapter 6 Subterfuge ========== “It really is incredible. It’s an exponential increase in body mass and dexterity. Approximately seven feet tall and roughly twenty-two inch shoulder width, and about an eight foot arm span. I wish I had my tape measure for accurate numbers, but this will have to do for now. Still, that means your arms are disproportionately large, but that likely helps if you choose to shift to running on all four limbs. The natural resting angle of your elbows and wrists seems to be designed for that as well. Tell me, what were you thinking before the transformation occurred near the portal? I could write off a dozen of my working theorems based on a first-paw experience.” After a touching reunion, Twilight had reverted to her common practices of studying anything new she came across with a feverish intensity. She was taking pages upon pages of notes on Spike’s transformation, muttering to herself as she poked, prodded, and measured using a ruler she had found in the room. Spike was just smiling through it and trying not to look at the bruise developing on Twilight’s arm. Sunset and Fluttershy were at the window, keeping an eye on Rainbow and Pinkie while also watching Twilight work. They had been mulling over what to do now that they had pulled Spike back to their side. “I still think we could just overwhelm Rarity and Applejack while we have the advantage and then focus all of our attention on The Master. They may have taken our lockets, but Rainbow and Pinkie still have theirs. We can drain our friends, get them someplace safe, and then take care of this thing.” Fluttershy nodded, though her head was rocking at odd angles at the same time. “That does sound like a good plan, but I just don’t want to hurt them if we don’t have to. How would we even get to them?” “Spike throws the table through the window, then he jumps down with Twilight and you fly me down. Simple as that,” Sunset said with a shrug. “But what if The Master runs away once he realizes we’re coming after him?” Fluttershy asked. She looked out the window, where Rainbow was glaring at the school, while Pinkie Pie was drawing a complicated picture in the dirt with a stick. “What if he takes Rarity and Applejack with him? We shouldn’t cause a big scene until we really have to.” “I suppose that is something we have to consider, but how long before they realize Spike’s broken free of the mind control?” She gestured towards Spike. Twilight was now measuring his claws, getting the distance from the tip of his claw to the base of his palm. “If Rarity, Applejack, or even the elusive Master came to check on him right now, they’d catch him in here and realize something is wrong. How does he even leave his post if he’s supposed to be guarding us?” Fluttershy toyed with her hair for a moment. Her eyes wandered to the window, to Spike, to the couch, and then back to Sunset. Then her hands paused in her hair. She had a look of inspiration in her eyes, but then her cheeks flushed with a blush and she hid her face. Sunset couldn’t help but cock an eyebrow at the odd display. “What is it?” she asked with a small chuckle. “Oh, I was just remembering...” Fluttershy peeked out from between the strands of her hair. “You remember Rarity and her outfits? Well, do you think she’d want to make him an outfit? She probably didn’t think she’d need to, and she’d probably need his measurements. She was also the one that took our stuff while Spike stood guard and Applejack carried you to The Master.” Sunset pondered the thought a moment as she looked over at Spike. Slowly, she began to nod her head and smiled. “Hey, Spike?” “Yeah?” He asked as he kept his back uncomfortably straight, while Twilight was counting his vertebrae. “What would you have to do to get Rarity’s attention?” ~~~ “Oh, Spikey Wikey, I can’t believe I didn’t think of making you a little something. You’ve got such a strapping figure now, it would just be a shame not to put you in something dapper yet masculine.” Rarity was twirling in the air as she led Spike into the classroom she had claimed as her own domain for the evening. “Still, we must be quick. Applejack can be such a sourpuss, and she’s only going to watch your post for so long. Now, we should start with some pants. Maybe some dark-colored blue jeans. Ooo, I remember seeing the perfect roll of denim over in the corner.” Spike just nodded his head as he lumbered into the room, trying to remember everything he was told by Twilight and Sunset. They had guessed right, Rarity had returned to the career development room to continue exploiting its supply of fabric, thread, and sewing tools. He sniffed at the air, taking in all the smells that lingered. He knew a lot of them. Many of the subtle ones belonged to the familiar faces of Crystal Prep. His nose, however, was searching for either Twilight, Sunset, or Fluttershy’s scent. The trail, if he could follow it, might just lead him to where Rarity had left their stuff. The cell phones were the priority, but getting everything else back would be even better. “Here, try these on.” Spike tensed and turned just in time for a pair of jeans to smack him in the face. He brought up his meaty hands, grabbed the pants, and then held them at arm’s length. “Aren’t they a little long for me? And how did you make these already?” Rarity chuckled as she swooped around Spike, a hand trailing across his muscular shoulders. “Magic is a wonderful thing when you can use it freely, Spikey Wikey. And don’t you worry about them fitting just yet. I want to see how they look on you first. I’ve never had to work with your kind of canine legs before, so you’ll have to forgive me for a little experimentation.” Spike nodded, and lowered the pants down closer to his waist. He eyed them for a second, then cautiously tried to lift one leg. Normal people made it look easy enough. Put one leg through, then the other, and then pull them up to your waist. It seemed simple. He extended his left foot out to try and get it all the way through the pant leg, but then felt himself tipping. With a resounding thud, he hit the floor, causing a few of the more fragile things around the room to fall and break. “Are you okay?” Rarity asked as she hovered above Spike. “Yeah, just never put on pants before.” Rarity nodded, bringing her slightly closed hand to her chin. “Yes, I suppose it is something of an acquired skill. Perhaps we should start with shorts, though pants would be just so perfect. Look, some student is carving a bench out of redwood next to where I’m hanging my finished outfits. Try sitting down over there before putting the pants on.” “Okay,” Spike said as he picked himself up off the floor. Rarity flitted back off to some of the sewing machines, which began running at the beckon of her magic as different lengths of fabric floated in the air. Spike couldn’t deny, it was rather impressive to see such an open and complex display of magic. It was like the vampire curse was bringing out their true potential as magic users. The curse was still evil, and their talents were being brought out for The Master’s benefit, but it was something of a nice preview. Reaching the bench, Spike sat down and renewed his struggles against the pants. He took this opportunity to sniff at the air again, and this time, he picked up on something. He caught a whiff of Sunset. His nose twitched, and he pointed his muzzle in a few different directions, eventually zeroing in on Rarity’s clothing rack. “So, you made all these outfits just tonight?” Spike asked. “They look great. Are they all for you?” “Oh, no no no.” Rarity flitted back over to Spike, taking different hangers from the rack and holding them up in the air. “I’m preparing for Master’s glorious, vampire revolution. We’ll be his heralds, his diplomats, and of course, we’re going to need help. I’m planning outfits for all the best candidates. Anyone that’s been heavily exposed to magic is a candidate for early adoption. Oh, you should see what I’ve got planned for Rainbow and Twilight.” Rarity’s hands found two outfits in particular. One was a purple dress with long, black leggings and a classic, vampire cape. The other was something that could define the term “little black dress,” something that would show off a lot of skin and had a small, red bead that would rest in the center of the wearer’s chest. Both dresses were accompanied with a matching pair of shoulder length gloves. “The purple one is obviously for Twilight, and don’t you think Rainbow will look stunning in black? It will contrast so well against her natural colors.” “Sure. They’re great, though, don’t you think…” “What is it, Spike?” Rarity asked. “If you have an honest critique of my work, then I insist you share it with me. It’s better for you to tell me than for me to be reprimanded by Master for my poor design choices.” She let go of the two outfits, leaving them floating in the air by magic as she moved right up to Spike. She put her hands on his chest and smiled as she looked directly into his eyes. “Surely you’d be willing to do that for cute little me, wouldn’t you, Spikey Wikey?” Spike lifted a hand and scratched at the side of his head. He had seen this look on Rarity’s face before. She got it when she was reading her werewolf novels. He remembered hearing something about the Spike from Equestria having a crush on Rarity, but that was perhaps one place where the two of them differed mentally. After all, until a few hours ago, he was just a dog. His knowledge of what defined human beauty and fashion was almost nonexistent. Still, he had picked up a few things from his own memories and his months of proper sentience. “Aren’t they just a bit revealing?” Rarity playfully slapped at his chest as she floated back to the outfits. “Oh, Spike, vampires are eternally youthful and naturally beautiful. The common conventions of clothing perpetuated by humanity don’t apply to us. Besides, surely you don’t find my outfit too revealing, do you?” “No, it’s perfect,” he answered, though his eyes were down at the floor, trying to push his legs through the jeans and avoid Rarity’s gaze at the same time. He eventually stood up, struggled with the zipper a moment, then worked to secure the button. When it was all done, he glanced up at Rarity and gestured towards the pants. “So, how do they look?” “Too baggy, far too baggy” Rarity flicked her wrist, pushing the bench out of the way as some pins came flying from a nearby sewing station. “Need to take some fabric out near the bottom of the legs and around the rear. Hmmm, maybe we should just go with a pair of shorts. At least, I don’t have to worry about a big, fluffy tail. That’s the one part of you that stayed particularly small and cute.” As Rarity became distracted in her work, Spike’s eyes flicked to the outfit rack. He reached out a paw, trying to make it look like he was just steadying himself as Rarity began to tug and pull at the pants and make adjustments with her pins. He glanced down at Rarity once more, then began using his long fingers to flick through the different outfits on the rack. It was a lot of dresses, but intermixed with them were some more uncommon outfits. The one that caught his attention was a pair of black pants with numerous horizontal cuts. It was paired with a white t-shirt, but most importantly, it shared a hanger with Sunset’s jacket and Sunset’s locket device. Now, how would he get it out of the room? “Ah, yes, this will work. Just one final thing I need to check.” Spike suddenly felt himself held in Rarity’s magic, and he was abruptly turned upside down. The pants were removed, and Rarity smiled as she took them in her hands. “Yes, perfect. I’ll make some adjusts, and soon you’ll have jeans that will fit, flatter, and be easy to remove. Now, would you like a shirt to go with your pants? Personally, I think it would be a shame to hide that Adonis-like physique.” Landing back on the floor, Spike glanced around for a moment to think of anything that might work: something challenging, and something that would give him pockets to carry stuff back with. He kept glancing at Sunset’s jacket, the black leather ensemble eventually driving him to one random thought. “Uh, how about something a biker might wear? I mean, I’ve always wanted to drive Rainbow or Sunset’s motorcycle. It looks like fun.” “I do suppose you cut the proper figure, and there is something… alluring about the bad boy biker look.” Rarity did a lazy loop in the air, then smiled and practically dove into one of the sewing stations. “Yes, all we need then is a nice white t-shirt and leather jacket. Hold on, Spike. I know I saw some quality black leather around here someplace.” “Take your time,” Spike called out to her as he quickly reached for Sunset’s jacket. He dug his claws into the pockets for a few seconds, grabbing what he could. He found her cell haphazardly shoved into a pocket with the keys for her motocross bike. They must have shoved everything they took from Sunset into her jacket. That likely meant everything they took from Twilight, and maybe Fluttershy’s things, were all in Twilight’s backpack, but he didn’t see the bag or notice Twilight’s scent in the room. Where was her backpack? “Oh, there’s the leather!” Spike flinched, nearly toppling the clothing rack as he glanced over his shoulder. With magic, Rarity wouldn’t need long to assemble the outfit now that she had found the materials. He had to work fast. He dug the phone and keys out of the jacket and then set them on the floor. Spike then did the same for the other pockets, creating a small pile of things on the floor before covering them in a random clipping of fabric. Finally, he reached and clasped the locket device in his right claw. “Oh, this is perfect,” Rarity sang into the air. Spike hid his right claw behind his back, working to try and tuck the locket device into a back pocket of the pants. He managed to get it stowed away just as Rarity came flying towards him, holding out the shirt and jacket. “You will look so intimidating in this. Maybe we can talk Master into getting you a motorcycle of your own as well? We certainly can’t be carrying you around in a backpack anymore, now can we?” “That sounds pretty cool,” Spike said with a nod and a thumbs up, his first thumbs up ever.  “Wonderful, now put that on while I try to find some sunglasses. Surely, there must be at least one pair in this room that will work in the short term.” Rarity was off again, and Spike breathed a sigh of relief before looking at the jacket and shirt that had been shoved into his hands. The shirt was just a plain, white t-shirt, but the jacket was going to be useful. It had plenty of pockets, more than enough for him to smuggle Sunset’s things back to the teachers lounge. He set the jacket on the back of the redwood bench and sat down to put on the shirt. He felt and heard the crunch of Sunset’s locket device between his rump and the wooden seat. He glanced at Rarity briefly, checking to see if she took notice of the noise, then he quickly stood up and reached his hand into his back pocket. He took out the device, which was now little more than a pile of snapped circuitry and dented metal.  ~~~ Spike lumbered back through the halls of the school, his biker outfit completed to Rarity’s satisfaction: jeans, black leather jacket, white undershirt, and a belt with a large, silver-plated  buckle. She had also found a matching set of sunglasses in someone’s desk, but Spike hung those on the collar of his shirt as he made his way back to his post. Each pocket on his jacket was zipped, so the numerous metal bits clinked with each step. That was, perhaps, the one part of the outfit Spike really liked. The clinking and the zippers would hopefully stop Applejack from noticing all of the tools he had reclaimed from Sunset’s jacket. The teachers lounge was up on the third floor, near several of the administrative parts of the building, so Spike quickly found himself at the school’s central staircase. He bent down on all fours to make the climb up, but then something tickled at his nose. He stopped and sniffed, waving his head around before eventually catching the smell again. It smelled like Twilight.  As he tracked the smell, it didn’t go upstairs to the teachers lounge. No, it went down to the first floor. Spike’s ears flattened as he glanced back and forth between the pair of stairs. In theory, Applejack didn’t know Rarity had finished with him. He could press his luck and try to find Twilight’s backpack, but if they caught wind, then his whole spy game went up in smoke and they were in a lot of trouble. He also couldn’t go back and ask the girls, since returning meant resuming his post. Worse, if he remembered correctly, The Master was on the first floor. He sniffed again. The trail was warm. It would be easy enough for him to follow. If he didn’t lose it on his way down, it could lead him straight to Twilight’s backpack. All the extra supplies in there, including the two uncrushed locket devices, would really help out their situation. He bounced on his feet a little, like a fast swinging pendulum, as his mind flip-flopped between the two options. Finally, he huffed, got down on all fours, and followed the scent down the steps to the first floor. He kept his nose on the trail, detecting every little change in the aromas and odors in the air. He made his way down the stairs and through the hallways, occasionally pausing to check his surroundings, until he came to a pair of double doors that almost every student in Crystal Prep passed through multiple times, even a recluse like Twilight. It was the cafeteria, and it was also the only room he had truly wished to avoid on the first floor. Nudging the door open, Spike poked his head inside and surveyed the room. Normally, the cafeteria was the one part of Crystal Prep that really resembled Canterlot High. There was a cafeteria line and there were supposed to be rows of rectangular tables, each capable of holding a few dozen students. The tables, however, had been shoved to the sides, clearing a rectangular space between four crystalline pillars that supported the ceiling and rooms above. In the cleared floor space, several pieces of furniture from around the school had been arranged. The chair from Principal Cinch’s office and her desk were joined by furnishings pilfered from many other parts of the school. A bookcase, couch, rug, a mini-fridge, and other things came together to form The Master’s den. The Master was seated in Cinch’s chair, which was turned away from the door to face the desk. All Spike could see of the vampiric creature was a spindly, clawed hand that fiddled with something. There was also a cage resting on the desk, in which were a few white mice. He recognized the mice, by sight and by the whiffs of their scent he could pick up in the air. They were classroom pets for the science department and were normally used in a few humane experiments like running mazes. He actually kind of liked them. They weren’t jerks like that squirrel in the park. Looking away from The Master’s desk, Spike quickly scanned the room for Twilight’s bag. He caught sight of it, leaning against a pillar that bordered The Master’s den. He flattened his ears and had to fight a strong urge to whimper. It was entirely too close to The Master. One wrong step, and he’d be beguiled again, and the girls would be right back where they started. Only this time, he would know not to look into Fluttershy’s stare. His resolve crumbling, Spike was debating on aborting and just getting back to the teachers lounge. He lifted a hand to back track, but then heard some panicked squeaking. He focused his eyes back on The Master’s chair and desk. The spindly hand had reached into and pulled one of the lab mice from the cage. It writhed and struggled in the grasp, but was unable to escape as it drew closer to The Master’s head. Spike’s keen ears picked up the particularly loud squeak as the mouse was bitten. He then watched as The Master held the mouse out in his hand. It still struggled to escape, but it was decidedly not becoming a vampire. The Master’s other hand then came into view, and Spike felt a shiver crawl down his spine. The Master was holding Twilight’s locket device. He placed the previously bitten mouse back in the cage with the others, then cracked open the locket. The Master drained some of his own magic, a curling vapor that looked like the putrid smoke of a burning, industrial chemical. He took just a little before snapping the locket shut. He then reached for a fresh mouse, taking it out of the cage. This time, he didn’t bite it. He just held it in his hand as he pressed a button on the side of the locket. The locket cracked open again, but this time, it was in observation mode. It didn’t drain any new magic, just ensured the magic it already had remained contained. Spike could see the small sphere of energy, a cold, dead color of blue, not unlike The Master’s natural skin tone. After adjusting his grip on the locket device, The Master moved it towards the mouse, eventually touching the sphere of magic energy to his unwilling test subject. The magic was instantly absorbed, and the mouse panicked and squirmed, but was unable to stop the energy from flowing into its body. Then, without warning, the mouse went limp, as if it had simply died in The Master’s hand. The Master dropped the mouse back into the cage with the others. At first, the few other mice moved in close, sniffing at their returning fellow. Then, without warning, they ran to the edges of the cage, trying to climb up the walls or dig their way out through the soft wood shavings that covered the cage’s base. They were scared, and Spike soon realized it was for good reason. The mouse that had been infused with The Master’s magic began to move again. It stood up, making strange squeaking noises. Spike couldn’t see any real details from where he was, but the magic-infused mouse turned to look at The Master, then bowed its head. A low chuckle echoed against the halls of the cafeteria, and The Master’s hand gestured to one of the still healthy mice. With only that small gesture, the magic-infused mouse attacked. It lunged at the other, jumping on its back and biting down. The two rolled and tumbled. Spike couldn’t see everything that was happening, but soon the squeals of fear and combat grew quiet. Then the two mice got back to their paws, turned, and both of them bowed to The Master. Another chuckled emanated through the room, and The Master reached down into the cage to pick up one of the two mice. He began turning it over in his hand, examining it like a craftsman admiring his work. Yet, while The Master seemed pleased, Spike was trembling in fear. He couldn’t be sure. Twilight would probably want to hear every little detail, but at that moment, he feared he had seen something truly horrible. The Master had just turned a regular, non-magical mouse into a vampire. He needed to get back, but if the Master was going to use the locket devices, he couldn’t let him have both Twilight and Fluttershy’s. He really needed to get that backpack. The Master was still distracted by the mice and his experiment. Spike glanced around, then grabbed a garbage can from near the door. He pushed the door open, thankful that Crystal Prep kept all of their hinges well oiled and silent. He propped the door open with the garbage can, ensuring he could make a swift escape. He backed away from the door, taking off his jacket in the hallway so that the metal zippers wouldn’t draw The Master’s attention. “Okay, okay, okay,” he thought to himself. He glanced up in the rough direction of where the teachers lounge was, and then managed a smile. “They are going to be so mad I did this.” Spike turned and went through the door, walking as swiftly as he could on his padded paws without making any sound. He kept his claws tensed, ensuring they didn’t click on the floor. He adjusted his gait to ensure his pants didn’t make a rubbing noise. The squeaking of the mice in panic was helping to cover his movements. The Master had placed the one he was examining back into the cage, and was now having the two of them attack all the remaining ones. Spike could only guess that The Master was enjoying the show, like someone watching a dog fight. It was sick and wrong, but he didn’t have time to focus on that. He reached for the backpack, and picked up in his hands, and began making his way back towards the door. He still wasn’t that good on walking on two legs, he could hear himself or the backpack making noise. But so far The Master still hadn’t noticed. He was almost to the door, he just had to… “Spike, why are you away from your post?”  He froze, and quickly turned while keeping the backpack hidden behind his back. The Master had turned in his chair, revealing the form of their enemy, though it was not the same monstrosity Spike remember chasing him and Twilight through the halls. He was a spindly, old man that looked like a stiff breeze might be able to blow him over. He had a particularly long nose, a bald head, and his ears were pointed. His face was round and ancient looking. He had wrinkles and scowl lines like someone in their nineties. He was wearing a nearly all-black, formal suit with red accents in the vest and a dark-red tie. In Spike’s eyes, he looked to be a mortician, one who had no qualms about putting people in the ground, living or dead. The only bright color on his body was his eyes, which were glowing red as they remained transfixed on him. “Well?” The Master asked, his face hardly moving to form the word. “Forgive me, Master,” Spike said, quickly dropping to one knee and bowing to the creature. He took the opportunity to drop the bag on the ground and shove it out the door. “I was summoned by Lady Rarity. She wanted to give me some clothing, and she asked Applejack to watch our captives in the interim.” He breathed, trying to steady the waver in his voice. He didn’t know how good The Master was at picking up on his white lies and half-truths. At least The Master  couldn’t read minds—well, Spike was pretty sure he couldn’t. Spike tried to stop thinking, just to be safe. “She is entirely too focused on her outfits, but her talent for the craft cannot be denied, either.” The Master flicked at a few mouse hairs that had fallen onto the sleeve of his suit jacket. “That, however, does not explain your presence here. Why did you not return directly to your post?” He swallowed, and kept his head bent down to the master. No eye contact. If eye contact had freed him from The Master’s enthrallment, it was probably how he got overwhelmed in the first place. He had to just keep staring at the floor. That and he had some itch of a forgotten memory, about something Applejack had told him. How, as a werewolf, he was not fit to look upon The Master unless given permission. Still, he had to hope he could pass off this lie. “Master, Lady Rarity asked that I come and seek your approval of her work. When I arrived, however, I saw you were busy at your desk and decided it was best to return to my post. But, Master, I must admit my... “ He paused a moment, sniffing a little at the air and catching a whiff. “I must admit my hunger got the better of me. I am a newly born werewolf, having grown from the size of a tiny pup. I left the noisier parts of my attire in the hallway so that I might sneak behind you to satisfy my desires. I beg your forgiveness, Master.” Spike could hardly hear himself speaking with how loud his heartbeat was in his ears. He had ended the lie with a truth, but it had still been one heck of a lie. True, the kitchen was nearby, and he knew it was stocked full of meats. Crystal Prep served some really good food for lunch. He had gotten a few table scraps from Twilight on a rare occasion, and they were delicious. Sure, his kibble was good too, but table scraps were the best. Spike tensed as he heard a gurgle and pop echo against the walls of the room. His stomach had just rumbled, loudly. Perhaps he was hungrier than he had realized. He heard the chair squeak, and he glanced up just enough to see The Master’s feet. He had stood up and was now walking towards Spike. His steps were slow and purposeful, his footfalls echoing like the drums of a death march. Spike had to struggle against an ever rising urge to flee. If he fled, The Master would know something was up. At the same time, Spike knew he may have already been caught in his lie, and The Master was coming to kill or enthrall him. If that was the case, running to the girls was his best choice. But he couldn’t tell based on The Master’s feet alone. He wanted to look at The Master’s face, but knew even doing that would possibly be his undoing. Spike felt a hand on his head and the sharp prick of The Master’s nails on his neck. The Master wasn’t even squeezing, but those razor-sharp claws were still drawing blood. “I pity you creatures who require the slaughtered meat of the dead. It is so barbaric. Your ferocity, however, makes you valuable to me. You are forgiven for the desires of your gut.” The hand left Spike’s head, and he realized he hadn’t been breathing. He struggled not to gasp to replenish the oxygen in his lungs before speaking. “Thank you, Master.” “However, you are not forgiven for your trespassing where you do not belong.” Spike couldn’t have reacted, even if he wanted to. The Master’s foot smashed into his chest and sent him flying through the cafeteria doors to crash into the hallway. The force of the blow flattened him against the wall for a moment before gravity managed to pull him down. He crumbled to the floor, and for a few seconds, was dazed. He started to curl into a ball and tuck his tail, but he felt his knees hit something. He forced open an eye and saw the bag. He grabbed it and held it to his chest, trying to hide it from The Master. He could hear his footsteps again, and for a moment, feared for his life. But then Spike’s ears noticed the steps were getting quieter. He dared a glance, and saw The Master was walking back to his chair, hands folded behind his back. Spike looked away again when The Master retook his seat, ensuring he did not draw the creature’s wrath again. “Take your stolen food, return to your post, and never enter my den again unless you are accompanying a true child of the night. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself remaining forever as a wolf-skin rug on my floor.” The Master turned back to his desk, and went back to his work as if he had just gotten up to close a window. Spike laid where he was, trying to catch his breath without gasping, and holding in his pained whimpers. The kick probably did not break any bones, but he didn’t doubt that he’d be dead if he had been kicked like that while he was still a regular dog. Still, he clutched the backpack tighter as he pulled himself off the floor as he grinned through the pain. His mission had been successful. ~~~ Sunset sat on the couch, her mind trying to wrap its way around their ever worsening situation. Spike was successful. He got Twilight’s bag and most of its contents, but he had brought with him some very unsettling news. The Master was slowly becoming more human in appearance, and he was using their locket device to spread his curse to those without magic, who were previously immune. It was perhaps only a matter of time before Twilight became The Master’s first human test subject. Twilight was feverishly trying to adjust some of her plans with the new information they had received. Fluttershy was perhaps the calmest of them, tending to the group’s wounds now that she had access to the first aid kit again. She gave Twilight some painkillers for her bruised arm and applied a heated compress to where Spike had been kicked. Spike himself had broken the glass on the lounge’s snack machine and was munching on whatever happened to look good.  Sunset fiddled with the things that Spike had managed to get back from her coat. She held her phone in one hand, waiting for Twilight to give the word before she called Rainbow. In the other, she held her two photographs and her wooden case. It felt strange to have it out and in plain view of her friends, but neither Fluttershy nor Twilight had asked about it. That alone was a blessing. She didn’t need to be explaining it to them now, and so it didn’t distract from the task at hand, she tried to slip it away quietly into her pocket. The Master was either making himself look more human or was naturally adapting. If he was able to complete the process and hide amongst the billions of people inhabiting the planet, then he could use the locket device to build an army of vampires before they could ever hope to catch up. The minutes were ticking by, and Twilight hadn’t said a word. She just continued to work feverishly at her dwindling supply of paper. The doodles were gone, and Twilight was now going into full equations and formulae, trying to calculate something. Maybe it was how fast The Master’s vampire army would spread if they didn’t stop him here. She couldn’t deny, it was tempting to try and go back to the portal and get Equestrian reinforcements. But doing that meant giving The Master time, and that was perhaps the last thing they wanted him to have. “I hear someone coming.” Every eye in the room turned to Spike, whose ears were pointed in the direction of the staircase. In a flash, he went out the door, threw the warm compress into a trash can, and returned to his proper post guarding the door. Fluttershy was hurriedly trying to pack and hide Twilight’s bag, and Sunset stuffed her hands and the things they held into her pant pockets. She then began to hear the clipping of boots as they grew louder and closer. Applejack appeared at the door, scowling just as she had while she had been guarding them in Spike’s absence. “Twilight, you’re coming with me. Master wants to see you.” Twilight stiffened, her hands clenched to her many papers like they might save her from what they knew was to come. She remained seated, and for a few seconds, she and Applejack just stared at one another. Applejack’s brow furrowed, and she began walking towards Twilight. “That wasn’t a request. Get up before I sling you over my shoulder like a bag of flour.” “But I’m not ready,” Twilight went back to her papers, feverishly trying to finish her work like she had to turn in a test. “I haven’t figured out—” “None of your plans are going to work anyway, so put them down and come here.” Applejack grabbed the back of Twilight’s chair and pulled it away from the table. Sunset glanced at Fluttershy. No time for well thought out plans now. If Twilight became a vampire, then The Master would have their smartest and most strategically-minded member at his disposal. She waited until Fluttershy was looking back at her, and then Sunset gestured to her chest. Fluttershy had reclaimed her locket device from Twilight’s bag. It was their only one left, but they had to make a move now. They were about to stir up so much trouble. “How did y’all get that bruise on your arm?” Applejack said as she pulled Twilight out of her seat and began guiding her to the door. “I won’t have Master getting mad at me because of something you did to yourself.” Applejack, however, only managed to get a few steps before she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked back, and saw Sunset standing right behind her. “Sorry, Applejack.” Sunset reared back her fist, ponying up as she did before punching Applejack square in the jaw. Applejack stumbled, releasing Twilight who promptly ran behind Sunset for cover. Applejack chuckled, brushing her chin with a fist before standing back up straight and eyeing Sunset.  “Not a bad punch,” Applejack said. “Your magic’s still on the weak side. You’re probably still tired, which is a shame, because I’m fresh as a daisy in springtime.” She brought her hands together, popping her knuckles. “Spike, get in here. Looks like we got to teach our friends a little something about being well-behaved captives.” Spike lumbered through the door, glancing around nervously at the scene before him. He came up behind Applejack, but was looking straight at Sunset. She made a gesture with her eyes, looking first to him, then to Applejack, and then back to him. “Yeah, he’s a big, old dog now,” Applejack said, only seeing Sunset’s flicking gaze. “You wouldn’t want to mess with him.” Sunset cracked a smile. “Neither would you.” Applejack’s face barely had time to shift into a look of confusion before Spike’s claw gripped her shoulder. She was picked up off the floor, kicking and hissing in reaction to the sudden betrayal. Spike then threw her down into the table, its legs shattering from the impact. “Spike, get her arms!” Sunset shouted as she extended her aura, pressing it down on Applejack’s legs while she was still dazed. Spike followed only a moment behind, grabbing Applejack’s wrists and putting the whole weight of his body into keeping her pinned. It was just in time, too. Applejack began to struggle, tugging and pulling to free herself. “You no-good, dirty, backstabbing, worthless, rotten, pieces of shit! Master is too good for you! When he hears about this, Rarity and I will get to drink you dry and leave your husks hanging in a tree. He was going to make you all vampires if you behaved, but now you’re just food.” She bared her fangs and hissed, trying to bring her head close enough to Spike’s claws to bite. Sunset magic wavered, and she gritted her teeth before looking over at Fluttershy. "Hurry, before she gets free!" Fluttershy nodded, quickly moving over by Sunset. “I’m sorry,” she said, quickly moving over and opening her locket device. It started draining Applejack’s magic. The process was slow, and every second it took, Sunset feared Rarity or The Master would come to investigate the commotion. Applejack continued to resist, struggle, and curse at them like a sailor.  Still, eventually her magic began to deplete, and her rage cooled. She bared her fangs and hissed to the last moment, but when the last drop of magic left, she passed out just as Rarity had. Sunset released her magic, panting from the exertion as she wiped some sweat from her brow. Spike remained cautious, not releasing Applejack from his grip, even as she lay still. Fluttershy closed the locket and then held it to her chest as she glanced between Sunset and the others. “What do we do now?” Sunset pulled out her phone, pressing a few buttons and then bringing it to her ear. She only had to wait for it to ring once before the person on the other end picked up. “Rainbow? Yes, it’s Sunset. We’re okay. Yes, I know we made you wait. We’ll explain everything soon.” She pointed to the window while looking at Spike, trying to give him instructions while still talking to Rainbow. “We’re coming outside. We’re going to break a window on the third floor on the front side of the building. Don’t come in the gate until you see us come out. We’ve subdued Applejack, and we’re bringing her with us. “And don’t freak out when you see Spike.”