Music of the Night

by Bakmah Genesis

A Trip to the Country

Of all the things Octavia expected to happen to her, being dragged out of bed and onto a train out into the country was not one of them. Fluttershy sat across from her in a long pink skirt and a green turtleneck. She was able to turn her webbed wings into their more natural state, smoothed feathers hiding her true nature.

Octavia, after having the chance to change in the train’s bathroom, wore her usual medium skirt and suit top, her iconic bow tie resting snug against her neck. She sighed as she tugged at her leggings, feeling tighter than normal due to her more toned calves.

“So what is the purpose of dragging me out to your home town?” asked Octavia, looking up at her master. The pegasus looked at her in the corner of her eye.

“I am your Master, by nature and by say of Princess Luna. Because of this, you can’t leave me, and I can’t leave you. At least not until you show pure independence or dominance over me.” She sat up and looked at her with a small smile. “So now we have another lesson. Multiple homes and multiple lives.”

“Off the top of my head, I have four different lives. Bachelor in Canterlot, Animal Tamer in Ponyville, Business Pony in Manehattan, and Casino Owner in Los Pegasus.” The mare chuckled to herself, shaking her head. “This requires tons of outfits, thousands of bits, and tons of practice. You’ll get a hang of it sooner or later.”

“What is your actual personality, then?” asked Octavia. Fluttershy chuckled as she looked out the window, staring at the rolling countryside as they sped past. She was quiet for awhile before she sighed.

“I always say the closest you get to your true self on the job is your first personalty. It is what you were before you died, really. But...blood, hunger, heightened senses, it changes you that you aren’t that pony anymore, but close to it. I am still kind and caring, but I am more outgoing, more open, more….lustful on occasions. I have changed a lot since that day, but I haven’t really left my old self behind.”

“Do you ever miss those days?”

“Always.” said Fluttershy with a sigh. “I remember when hungry meant and apple or carrot, not the vein of some creature or a blood pack from the Blood Drive. I remember when all I had to be was a shy, caring mare who loved her animals, not three other things plus that.” She shook her head and laughed. “It’s those days I miss, but accept that I will never have them back. No spell can fix that.”

The two of them lapsed into silence, the sound of the train going over the tracks. Octavia was scared to think that, at some point in her immortal life, she will lose track of who she really was. That now she won’t ever be the same. She isn’t sure if she should be grateful that her life was spared, or angry that she was given this curse.

There was a whine as the train started to break pulling into the Ponyville Station. A group of ponies waited for them on the platform, one an Alicorn herself. It didn’t take her long to see the telltale signs of a vampony in each of them. She could only guess that these were the friends that her master had turned shortly after becoming a vampony.

“Luna must’ve told them I was coming.” mumbled Fluttershy as she stood from her seat. she stretched, cracking her back before grabbing her bags.

“Did you not want to see them when you arrived?” asked Octavia doing the same. Fluttershy shook her head as she walked toward the exit.

“Not after our last fight, no.” The two of them exited the train, squinting at the brightness of the sun. Octavia cursed herself for not grabbing her shades as Fluttershy put on her’s. She was having difficulty adjusting to the small things she had to change because of her recent… change.

The two of them stopped in front of the group of ponies, the two parties staring at each other in silence. Aside from the Alicorn, there were two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a pegasus that Octavia figured was her younger sibling. Octavia shifted uncomfortably, feeling the tension between the two parties.

“So,” started the alicorn, drawing her eyes to Octavia. “I see you did it again.” Fluttershy let out a heavy sigh.

“Give me a break. It was either let her turn into a mindless werepony, die slowly of blood loss, or give her a second chance. Sorry for having a heart, here.” The pegasus brought a hand up to her forehead, massaging her temples. “Look, I brought her here because she is legally bound to me. It’s not like I’m waving her around like some accomplishment.”

“Was that what Moondancer was?” asked the alicorn again raising an eyebrow. Fluttershy glared at her, a hint of red showing up in her eyes.

“I thought we agreed to not bring her up again.”

“I thought you agreed to not turn anyone again.” retorted the mare. Fluttershy opened her mouth and then shut it, glancing around them.

“This is neither the place or time for this. I’m going to head home and get my guest settled in. We will talk about this tonight, Twilight. Not in the open. Or do we need to tell your mentor you blew our cover?” The alicorn huffed.

“Fine. I’ll be waiting.” Fluttershy motioned for Octavia to follow her, the two of them heading down the path away from the station, the town of Ponyville behind them.

“What was that about?” asked octavia, looking back at the station. Fluttershy sighed.

“When I turned, I… starved myself. I didn’t know what I was, what I had to do, how to quench my thirst. Soon, the hunger became unbearable. I went after my friends one by one. I didn’t drink enough to kill, instead I drank enough from each to satisfy me when I was done.” She glanced back. “Before we knew it, we had six new vamponies who didn’t know what they were, what to do. They never forgave me for it.”

“And you agreed to never turn anyone again?” Fluttershy chuckled.

“That’s another story for another time.” She lapsed into her cheery mood again. “Now? We head onto my lovely abode and get to introduce you to my roommate. You like chocolate milk, right?”

“I guess?” asked Octavia, confused. Fluttershy laughed.

“Oh, he will love you.” The two of them came upon a small hut upon a hill. Creatures of all sizes ran around the yard. Octavia even saw a bear getting a massage by a couple rabbits. She had to blink to make sure what she was seeing was correct. Her master, a pervert and cold blooded killer took care of animals for a living and got them to do this?

“Oh dear Fluttershy, you have returned.” Octavia swore she was losing her mind when she saw a head pop out of a bird house. “Ooh! And you brought company!” She watched as Discord, the Lord of Chaos, pulled himself out of a bird house a slithered up to her with a silly grin. “I like cereal.”

“Yes, and I like potatos?” said Octavia, unsure of herself. Discord let a sigh.

“Of course you do.” Discord looked off to the side. “Mare’s these days. They don’t understand culture.”

“Who...is he talking to?” asked Octavia, seriously confused.

“You learn not to ask.” said Fluttershy, walking inside.