//------------------------------//
// Memories 
// Story: Creature of the Night Episode 2- Pure of Heart 
// by CreatureofTheNight 
//------------------------------//

From the vantage point of a ladder, Spike watched Twilight running back and forth frantically putting things together. "Twilight..." he started to say, as Twilight was fast becoming frantic, "I thought you'd be over this by now." 

Twilight kept running around like mad, then, as her assistant's words penetrated her already stressed brain, ground to a halt mid-walk, and gave Spike one of her most condescending looks. "How can I just get over this!? Celestia is the ruler of all Equestria, and she's coming here!" 

Spike calmly said "Twilight, remember the breathing exercises," reminding her of what Cadence taught her just before her last royal appearance.

Twilight took a deep breath up and down, then sighed. "Sorry," - she took a deep breath again - "It's just, this is one of the first real visits since I became Princess she's had that wasn't because of a meeting. What if she's here to surprise me with some big news or something?" Once more she began to pace, addressing her remarks to the walls rather than Spike. "Is this an official visit or a social one? How formal is it meant to be? Does she expect a parade? I don't have enough precedents for this!" She wheeled round, and gazed appealingly at her dragon. "I'm scared, Spike."

"Well, what was in the letter?" Spike suggested, trying to reign in Twilight's insanity.

"Oh she just said that she was coming over for a visit, do not panic..." She caught herself on that one, and did a slightly embaressed giggle, "And make sure that Creature is here when she gets here." 

"That vampire pony?" inquired Spike, a little skeptically, "But why would she want to meet him? Why would anypony, come to that?" Spike had still not gotten used to the idea of a vampire patrolling Ponyville at night. 

"I don't know" Twilight said, once again accelerating full-throttle towards panic mode, but Spike gave her a look so she calmed down - a little, anyway. "Maybe they know each other, Creature did say he was over one thousand years old," she said, calming down. "Maybe I'm getting worried over nothing..." The grinding of hooves on the gravel outside made her break off her sentence. "Or then again, maybe not." "Or then again, maybe not." Dashing to the window with what she hoped passed for grace and self-control, she saw Celestia's chariot pulling up outside.

Twilight turned an exquisite shade of pale-lilac. "Spi-ike!" she howled, "She's early! Where is Creature!?"

Meanwhile, back at his castle, Creature was standing alone in his usual spot, talking to an old friend who had long since passed. "Hi, Pure," Creature said casually to the gravestone. "Oh no, things are going good. I'm just a little nervous, I'm gonna see 'Tia again. I hope she knows by now that I had nothing to do with... what happened," he sighed.

A gentle breeze blew across the hillside, make his hood rustle slightly. Smiling, he said "Well, I guess I should get going." He turned. "I love you," he said, over his shoulder - and then, unfolding his wings softly and silently, he took to the air, gliding down towards Twilight's castle.

Twilight, in the meantime, was looking at Celestia who had arrived in mere moments. Twilight was sweating bullets as she said "Princess Celestia, hi!" What she had hoped would be a confident voice came out as a nervous squeak.

CShe then paled when she saw that Creature was not here and Celestia's chariot arrived. "Where is Creature!?" 

Meanwhile back at the castle Creature was standing by himself where he ususally was, talking to an old friend who has long since passed. "Hi Pure" Creature said casually to the gravestone. "Oh no, things are going good. I'm just a little nervous, I'm gonna see Tia again." He sighed "I hope she knows by now that I had nothing to do with...what happened." 

He paused as the wing blowed causing the sounds of his hood fluttering in the breeze, smiling he said "Well, I guess I should get going" He turned and then turned his head back. "I love you" Then quietly went to Twilight's castle. 

Twilight, in the meantime, was looking at Celestia who had arrived in mere moments. Twilight was sweating bullets as she said "Princess Celestia, hi!" What she had hoped would be a confident voice came out as a nervous squeak.

Celestia merely smiled, humble as ever, and simply said "Twilight, you can relax around me now. You're a princess too, you know." 

"I know it's just..." Twilight said nervously, but Celestia patted Twilight's head with her hoof.  

"Twilight, I'm grateful that you look up to me so much, but understand, we're not just mentor and student any more. We're peers, equals. I have to show you the same amount of respect that you show me." Celestia said with a smile. "I may do all the more... official stuff, but your title is nothing to ignore either." Twilight beamed proudly, and started to calm down when suddenly Celestia's voice took on a more serious tone. "Tell me something, Twilight... this... Creature of the Night you told me of in your last letter to me. What was the color of his coat?"

A sense of confusion filled Twilight as she said, noticing the shift in Celestia's tone to suddenly serious "Dark Green" 

AA flash of rage filled Celestia's face, but buried it under a false smile. She gritted her teeth and slowly took a deep breath, Twilight not noticing the actions because of how quick they were. "Is that so? I think I might know this pony. I might know him very well."

Creature slowly landed then and than walked into the room. He looked at Celestia and quietly said "Hello Princess, I don't know if you remember me, but, it's been too long." He gently closed the door as he said to the Princess, "Twilight said she told you about what I was." He glared slightly at Twilight. "That part of me is supposed to be secret, I don't want to scare anypony with the revelation." Twilight rubbed the back of her head with her right front hoof at that, but then noticed under Creature's mask, a smile forming. "However, it's been over one thousand years since... that dreadful day." The smile turned momentarily to a grimace, but he continued walking forward and finally kneeled before Celestia. "Time that, I hope, destroyed any confusion about the incident."

Celestia looked at him, her rage becoming more and more visible. "Confus..." She gritted more, unable to finish the words. Creature backed away, a clear since of dread filling his body. "Confusion!?" Celestia shouted, the castle shaking with the sound of her enraged voice. "Confusion!?" She repeated over and over again as Creature was nearly to the front window, wings spread, ready to fly away and escape. "I'll show you, there is no confusion..." Twilight, noticing the tone stepped in front of her. 

"W...Wait, I know Creature's true nature is frightening, but..." Twilight began to protest, but noticed Celestia's mane was glowing neon, such was her fury. Twilight realised she had never heard Celestia use the Royal Canterlot Voice before. She didn't like it.

"Twilight, him being a vampire isn't why I'm going to fry him," Celestia explained, walking slowly forward, "I've always known about that, it took the inspiring words of a friend to convince me that not all vampires like him are monsters." Her death glare intensified a thousand fold as she looked at Creature who looked back at her, realizing slowly he couldn't run away from this. "No, I'm going to fry him because of what he did. It was unforgivable. She loved you, Dueling!" 

Creature froze when he heard her shout that name. Twilight muttered "Dueling?" 

"You didn't think Creature of the Night was my real name, did you?" the vampire pony said quietly, a sense of disgust filling his voice, "Dueling Star of the Star Royal Vampire Pony clan" he said finishing his bombshell "Ex-Vampire Pony Prince"

Twilight, though shocked, struggled to regain her composure, as she asked "What's going on then, Dueling...or do you prefer Creature?" Creature nodded to the latter "Right, Creature. What is she talking about?" 

"An incident that I had nothing to do with" Creature, shouted, more at Celestia than Twilight. Though his words were bold, dread was etched across his face. "My mother came in, she was trying to break me, so she's the one that did it. I took care of it, 'Tia, honest"

"Do not call me 'Tia, you bloodthirsty monster!" barked the enraged sun ruler. "You have no right to call me that, you lost every right to call me that when you did what you did!" Her horn glowed in rage as her tone shifted to sinister in nature. "She loved you, Dueling. She would have done anything for you, even become a vampire if you'd asked her, and if you did."

"She'd be miserable and lonely, even if she had me" responded a now visibly upset Creature. "You knew what she was like, she was full of life and adventure and passion. She wouldn't survive the burden of eternal life. The Knowledge that you'll see everypony you know and love eventually grow old and die." There was a bite of the lip as the Sun Princess knew all too well of that burden, except unlike her vampire target, she could not die period. "She would have hated that. I think I would know my special somepony 'Tia!" was the next thing shouted at the off-white alicorn, who glared and glared intensely at that.

"Stop calling me that!" was shouted in response as the room grew in heat. She walked forward slowly but surely as she looked directly at Creature's fighting stance.

From seemingly out of nowhere, a concerned voice shouted "Stop!" The Princess and the Vampire stopped their march towards each other; turned and looked at Twilight who had her hoof up begging for some peace. She merely asked one simple question, one question that had been on her mind since this whole shouting match started. "What are you talking about?" 

"He killed a close friend of mine!" claimed Celestia as Creature glared harshly at the claim. "Purity Heart"