//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Vampony 
// by SkyHighFlyer 
//------------------------------//

	Applebloom woke up the next morning to find Scootaloo sleeping, an open book lying on top of her like a blanket. Applebloom failed not to giggle at the adorable scene, which caused Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to stir. Scootaloo was obviously not a deep sleeper.
When Sweetie got up, she immediately began glaring at Scootaloo, “What did you do to me last night?”
When Scootaloo opened her eyes, they were a shade of crimson, not very much unlike blood. Scootaloo covered her eyes as soon as she opened them, “Close the curtains, the sunlight is blinding me.” Applebloom obliged, and close the curtains while Scootaloo started to explain.
“Well... you seemed kinda uncomfortable last night, so I helped you fall asleep.”
Sweetie looked at Scootaloo with a nervous spark in her eye, but Scootaloo was to busy testing her new senses to notice, that is until Sweetie asked, “Do you know how long it's gonna be before you need to feed?”
Scootaloo, with her improved senses, could almost hear her friend shaking, “Well, I'm not gonna lie to you, vamponies change kinda fast, so... I'm probably going to need to feed today.”
Sweetie was unnaturally calm, especially considering her past reactions, yet in her mind, she was already preparing to act out a plan she made the previous night.
When Scootaloo was asleep again, and Applebloom was trying at the rocks again, she made her move. Using a carefully hidden knife, Sweetie walked over to Scootaloo.
Applebloom looked up in time to see the event, but not fast enough to stop it. Scootaloo's throat had been slit already.
“Sweetie, what have you just done?”
“I just saved a lot of lives, something you don't understand.” Sweetie replied, looking coldly at Applebloom.
What neither of them realized was that Scootaloo was still alive. The wound had already healed, and before they could react, Scootaloo was on top of Sweetie. Their eyes met, and in that moment, she realized something.
Scootaloo was VERY angry.
“Why? I thought you were my friend!”
Sweetie went over her choices, and none of them would work. She couldn't try to kill Scootaloo because her knife was still on the other side of the room, and she knew she couldn't talk her way out of this situation. Finally she settled on just accepting whatever fate brought her way, “I just wanted to do the right thing... I thought I was doing the right thing.”
Scootaloo put more pressure on Sweetie's chest, “No, friends don't slit each others throats. Why, why can't you just accept what I am? I know I'm not a pony, and I know you don't think of me the same anymore because of what I am, but that doesn't mean I'm evil. Vamponies were nearly wiped out by ponies over the past thousand years, so all I know about life was what I learned from ponies. I'm still looking for the hunter who killed my parents, but that's a completely personal goal, so does that make me some kind of monster? I've never hurt a pony that didn't deserve it.” Scootaloo let up some of the pressure before continuing, here face slowly edging towards Sweetie, “Regardless, I can't just let this slide.”
Applebloom watched the whole thing, and now, seeing Sweetie crying like she was, Scootaloo edging closer to her neck with her fangs out, she knew she had to do something, “Wait, don't hurt Sweetie, Ah wanna take her place.”
Scootaloo looked at her for a second, “You sure about this?”
“Ah'm positive.
Scootaloo walked to Applebloom, and when she was close enough, Applebloom could feel her breath on her neck. Then it struck. In a gentle, slow way, the fangs pierced her skin.
Scootaloo didn't take much, but she found the that taste made it hard to stop. Her blood tasted like juice from an apple, an apple that was just blossoming. Not only that, but Scootaloo could taste love, as if every drop carried the love that made an apple bloom upon its tree.
Despite the amazing sensations, she let go after a moment. She was just a filly, so she didn't need much, and she didn't want any harm to come to Applebloom. She assumed from the flavor that different ponies blood would taste differently, as Applebloom's blood definitely tasted like a blooming apple.
When she left her state of intense thought, she saw Sweetie looking at her, her face housing a smile. At first, Scootaloo thought she had come up with another plan, but on closer inspection, her smile was a happy one. It screamed pride and excitement, and so did Applebloom's.
“What?” Scootaloo asked.
“Your cutie mark!” Sweetie answered. Scootaloo looked behind her to find the image of a single drop of blood painted on her flank. At first she thought she was hallucinating, for she had been searching for her mark for ages. But upon further examination, this mark had proven to be real. It made sense, she was a vampony after all.
But she felt a twinge of guilt. She had been searching for her talent for ages, but to be the first of the Cutie Mark Crusaders... it just didn't feel right, “I... I'm sorry. I know you must be jealous.”
Applebloom looked towards her with a smile, “Course not, Ah mean, sure ya got yer mark first, but you'll always be a crusader.”
Sweetie joined in, “Yeah, once a crusader, always a crusader, right.”
“Well, this might have just been the most eventful five minutes of my life, but, if you will excuse me, I need to have a talk with Sweetie Belle about killing her friends and stealing knives and coffee.” said a voice from the doorway. The three fillies froze... Rarity had seen the whole thing.