Knightfall

by Plotospex

Setting Out

Ponyville Hospital had never seen anything quite like this before, and so the nurses, the Elements of Harmony, and a small dragon waited fretfully as the injured Twilight Sparkle began to stir. Except, of course, for Pinkie Pie, who'd taken then first sign of a movement as a signal meaning it was time to leap upon Twilight and give her a hug. When Twilight had been found at late at night with her horn severed, a small gash in her side, and partially drained of blood, the more superstitious inhabitants of Ponyville immediately explained it as a vampire pony attack. The resulting air of paranoia had even the less superstitious ponies feeling uneasy.

As Twilight regained consciousness, she felt a painful throbbing on her forehead. She remembered that something can taken her horn off, and squirmed restlessly at the thought. Opening her eyes, she saw only a pink mass before her. As her vision came into focus, she understood what she saw to be Pinkie Pie's smiling face.

"Twilight! You're awake! We were all so worried and Rainbow Dash found you when we saw that it was really late and you weren't at home yet and then you were near the Everfree Forest and you were hurt and your horn was broken and she took you here and then we all showed up and then everypony started talking about vampire ponies so I was really scared so I sang my song really loud so I couldn't hear them and then -"

Twilight forced a smile. "Thanks, Pinkie." She pushed Pinkie Pie lightly, and the pink pony took the hint and climbed off of Twilight's hospital bed. "What happened?"

"Well, sugarcube", said Applejack, "We were hoping ya could tell us that."

Twilight had to think about it. "Well", she said, struggling to remember, "herbology is my weak point when it comes to magic, so I went to the Everfree Forest to gather some herbs. I figured that if I could bring some back to the library to study, I'd get better. Anyway, I was tired after the walk to the forest, since I was studying a little late last night." Spike shot an accusatory glance at her for staying up as late as she had the past few weeks. She glared back at him, obviously in no mood to have that argument again – her studies came before sleep, naturally. "So, I decided to lie down on the ground a little bit, but I guess I fell asleep. Then something broke off my horn" - Twilight shuddered at the thought, but it should grow back in a few months - "and I woke up. I think it had hands, but it wasn't a dragon or a Diamond Dog. It used some sort of club. Then I started screaming, and it forced my mouth closed. The hand was completely black and smelled terrible - Celestia, I think it was leather! And then it cut me with something, so I tried to scream more. And then I think it starting sucking on the cut, and then I guess I passed out."

"See!", yelled Rainbow Dash at Applejack. "It was a cut, not some kind of bite! I told you vampire ponies don't really exist!"

"Well, maybe it ain't a vampire pony, but you heard what Twilight said! Leather, and bloodsucking! How else can ya explain that without it being some kinda monster?"

"Darling!" hissed Rarity at Rainbow Dash, before shooting an evil look at Applejack. "Now isn't the time to argue. Look at Twilight!"

Twilight looked over at the three ponies, all of whom fell silent. Fluttershy, who hadn't yet spoken, whispered something to Pinkie Pie, who in turn asked a nurse how long Twilight would have to stay at the hospital. Apparently, she was already free to go. The cut had mostly healed, but she'd need to keep what was left of her horn bandaged until it could grow back. Twilight thought her quick recovery fortunate; she wouldn't miss any studying time. She could just stay up later to make up for the time she'd been passed out, too.

"So", asked Applejack, "are we just going ta sit here? Even if it ain't no vampire pony, y'all know that thing could still be out there! Who knows who it'll go after next? An' maybe this time, it won't go as easy!"

"But Applejack", Fluttershy responded, "We still don't know what it is. Or how dangerous it is! Or... or we know it's dangerous, but it could be even more dangerous than we think!"

"Now, that's even more reason ta go after it. 'f it's dangerous, and it shows up at somepony's house, what are they gonna do?"

"Umm... I don't know."

Rainbow Dash butted in between the two ponies, a forehoof on each of their backs. "I agree with Applejack! Let's show this... whatever it is, some Dash!"

"Girls", warned Twilight, "I'm not sure that's such a good -"

"Ooh!", squealed Pinkie Pie. "I love adventures with you guys! But we haven't even had a party for Twilight getting better yet! So we have to do that first! But then we can go on an adventure, just like before!"

"So then it's settled", said Rainbow Dash authoritatively. "Let's go look for whatever did this to Twilight!"

"Dash!" screamed Twilight. "That's not a good idea! At all!"

"Well, Twilight, ah'm going."

"Ooh! Me too!", added Pinkie Pie.

"And if the others are going, what sort of friend would I be if I let them go without me?", Rarity asked.

Twilight sighed. "Fine, girls. If you're all going, then I will too. But you know I won't be much help without my magic. On top of that, we barely know what this thing looks like!"

In the corner of the hospital room, Fluttershy squeaked.

-

At the lean-to shelter he'd built in the Everfree, Gunther cooked his catch of the day. He'd seen a wild boar in the forest, but let it go. It wasn't as if he'd be able to eat the whole thing or carry it around, and he didn't want all the extra meat to go to waste. So, instead, he'd kept lurking in the forest and ended up catching himself a rabbit. It made an excellent breakfast, and Gunther was ready to set out once again. With a set of four sharp wooden javelins on his belt, he left the forest and set off across the fields. Now that he had a full stomach, his situation didn't seem as outlandish. He'd come across a settlement eventually, he had to.

-

After a particularly restful sleep, The Great and Powerful Trixie visited a local Manehattenite cafe and ordered herself a small plate of grass and strawberries. She was in an excellent mood, and seeing Twilight's horn severed a second time in her dream that night only cheered her up further. After her meal, she tipped the barista a few coins (needing to tip was one disadvantage of her fame; they'd surely remember if she didn't) and returned home.

For the second time, The Great and Powerful Trixie conjured up a window through which she could scry the progress of the newly arrived creature. Looking at its face, Trixie noted that it seemed to have no muzzle, all its facial features placed at the same depth. The nose was atypically small, and the face had very little hair excluding a mustache and set of thick brows. Trixie realized that the mustache meant it was male, so she knew at least little bit about the creature. That is, unless both its species' genders grew mustaches - Trixie giggled as she imagined herself with facial hair.

She watched in a sort of perverse amusement as the creature devoured the corpse of a rabbit, figuring it a carnivore. After the ferocity with which it had attacked Twilight, that came as no major surprise to her. She'd love to watch how Twilight was dealing with life sans a horn, but her scrying spell was sadly tied to the rite with which she'd brought her guest into this world.

The ritual was she used to bring the being into Equestria was an hour-long thing that had the power to bring things in from different realities - Trixie, of course, had to lie about what she was using it for. The foolish zebra who had instructed Trixie in how to perform the rite had believed that Trixie was trying to get her hooves on a plant that had long since gone extinct in Equestria. Adding her own modifications to the spell, Trixie made sure she brought in something that would be both powerful, and wouldn't react kindly to seeing Twilight Sparkle. Trixie's smile only widened as she once again replayed what had happened to Twilight once again in her mind’s eye. Now, however, Trixie had another thought as she realized the creature was walking roughly in the direction of Ponyville. There, Trixie thought, it would likely end up captured.

She would not let that happen. Having grown even more ambitious after seeing what the creature had done, the thought of having such a ruthless minion overjoyed her. She would try to get on its good side, or, failing that, she would go ahead and vanquish it with her magic, and be lauded as a heroine for being able to fight against that which Twilight Sparkle could not. Either way, Trixie would come out ahead. Complimenting herself on her genius, Trixie quickly packed her things and set out towards what could very well become her loyal servant.

-

In a clubhouse away from the hospital, three fillies put on their capes. They'd just finished packing supplies into their backpacks: food for a few days, and some wooden stakes. Each filly then ceremoniously donned a necklace with garlic attached to it.

"Are you all ready?", asked Scootaloo expectantly.

"Yeah!", the other two yelled.

"Cutie Mark Crusader Vampire Hunters!"

Comments

[Airlick]

Going to bite that because I enjoy Teutonic Knights order history, though I generally do not approve of 'humans in Equestria' fics. Tracking, and waiting for more.

[Bloodpool]

Interesting idea... It's different to most of the other HiE fics I've read. Good job, I want to see where this story is going.

[Fareseed]

323243
3 out of 4 unicorns almost lost there horn's by plasma weaponry from aliens. But that is awful. But that is the life for an X-COM soldier.

[Tundara]

323185

I'm guessing just a mistake with labeling? It's interesting to read a story about a HiE where the human isn't either A: From Space! or B: being grilled by Twilight on Earth. And I think Trixie is in for a rude surprise when she confronts Gunther.

[Medlimakar]

t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQLseFHdWkoXMo6DGRVjxpduD41kb8ZAZP9PFN5JaUPcxTpksjA Twilight's will grow back so all is forgiven

[Ex-Nihilos]

I love the crusades and Teutonic history!

Will be glad to see if this continues.

[Chill Mists(Chilly)]

I would love to see the smirk on Trixie's face be wiped off when Gunther sees her and thinks, "Two unicorn horns? It's my lucky day!"

[shira]

A new twist on HiE. A Teutonic knight of all things! I'm on-board for this then!

[Plotospex]

I marked it as hiatus because the last chapter was written back in July. I'm surprised at how well-received this is, though - I'll be sure to get back to it.

[paladinwolf]

I am glad to hear that you will be continuing this, it has great potential :)

Well written!

[NejinOniwa]

More historic crossover? Interesting indeed! My own piece is 17th century, though, but I've been wanting to dig deeper into the throughs of time as well...

[Dynrakmos]

MOER PLZ

[MrRainyDays]

It would be funny as hell if he was crouching over something at the time, and when trixie sneaks up be hide him and yells her name that he turns around smashing the side of her face in with a mace for what she caused to happen to twilight >:o

[asdfasdf]

In a clubhouse away from the hospital, three fillies put on their capes. They'd just finished packing supplies into their backpacks: food for a few days, and some wooden stakes. Each filly then ceremoniously donned a necklace with garlic attached to it.

"Are you all ready?", asked Scootaloo expectantly.

"Yeah!", the other two yelled.

"Cutie Mark Crusader Vampire Hunters!"

This can only end so well

[MaschinenPistole-40]

This needs to be continued!