Vampire the Masquerade: Equestria

by Rysthcrg

Meeting

We were waiting in the room doing nothing so I might aswell learn some useful things for my speech. "Charming, could you tell me about how this place's management works?" She thought for a second.

"There is the manager." She pointed her hoof to Silver Ore who is currently on the ground. "She is basically in charge of everything in this facility. There are three head researchers, all of them are responsible for their own branch of the facility. Then there is the chief of security, he is in charge of, well, security. Also in every research group, there is an executive. Executives report to head researchers, head researchers and chief of security report to the manager." It sounded like a bigger facility than I thought.

"What three branches are you talking about?"

"There is one for bright magic, one for dark magic and one for blood magic." Blood magic?

"Give me the names of these head researchers and tell me how they look like." She thought for a second.

"Head researcher of the Bright Magic Department is Candle Light. She has a white coat and light blonde mane. Head researcher of the Dark Magic Department is Night Shade. His coat is... midnight blue, he has red eyes and a blazing red horn. There are blue flames around his eyes. Using dark magic deformes the user's body." That seemed like a very specific looks but if every dark magic user has same kind of deformation than I might still have trouble identifiying him. "Head researcher of the Blood Magic Department is called Grim. I don't know if this is his real name. I have never seen him in person but from what I heard he is always wearing a mask and no one has seen his coat because he never disrobes." A mysterious personality. I noticed that she zoned out.

"What is it, Charming? What are you thinking?" She looked at me with questioning eyes for a moment.

"I... uh, nothing." She sighed. "I just realized that I have never seen anypony from Blood Magic Department." That was not really reassuring.

"Really? Ever?" She shook her head. "Didn't you held a meeting before?"

"We did but they were never invited."

"Why?" She took a deep breath.

"In our world, dark magic is greatly frowned upon. It is corrupting in it's nature and even if it is used for good purposes it will ultimately result in physical and mental deterioration of the user. Somepony who is corrupted by dark magic will still be able to think logical but they will become obsessed with being more powerful. If this obsession is not redirected into something useful, it will become destructive. In here we are redirecting it to research and learning. Their process of research is not much different from ours. But when you come to blood magic, it is a compeletely different issue. They also get obsessed, but unlike dark magic users, their obsession is not about being more powerful. Blood magic users become scientifically obsessed on their field, just like bright magic users. Their research however, requires..." She grimaced. "Requires fresh blood, bones and flesh. After some time, they lose their emotions. Any living thing becomes a potential... ingredient for them." She gulped. "Sorry, it makes me nauseus to think. Because of these reasons everypony in here despises them."She looked at the mare lying on the floor. "I think Silver Ore was informing them personally about everything and keeping them from attending the meetings."

"Do you think they will come to the meeting?" It was crucial for me that everyone attends this meeting.

"I think so." She shrugged. "I said everyone, that involves them too." Well, it's been ten minutes, I suppose.

"Lets get going then, we wouldn't want them to wait." I picked up each pony on one of my shoulders.

"Umm... Are you going to be fine, carrying both of them?" Charmig asked, her hoof pointing at the ponies I hold. "I can always take one of them." It is interesting she actually cares about my well being. First drink and my little sad story combined? However, I didn't need her help.

"I'll be fine, vampire strength, remember?" I looked at her. "Thanks though." She shrugged. With that we started walking in the hallways again. "You go ahead and warn me if there is somebody who didn't go to the meeting hall yet." She nodded and picked up her pace. She was taking the turns before me and motioning me to continue. There was actually no one in the corridors. We reached to the laboratory without any kind of interruption. She held the door for me and closed it once I passed. I left the two ponies on the ground, far from the entrance.

"Uuh..." Charming attracted my attention. "I haven't thought about that before but Steady Quill can use his magic to get loose, teleport maybe." I look at her waiting for an explanation. "Unicorns can use magic, so we can teleport to the places we have seen before." What? Then why didn't you...

"Then why didn't you teleported to get away from me?" She sighed.

"At first I tried to do it, but I was too afraid to concentrate on the spell." She closed her eyes and her horn started to glow. Then she stopped. "It seems that I can do it now but I won't, because you explained me very well that how the lack of my help might result." She looked at Stedy Quill. "But there is nothing stopping him." I thought for a second.

"You are using your horns to cast spells, right?" She nodded. "So, this might be a little extreme, but if I break his horn-" She hissed and touched her own horn. It means a no, I guess. She grimaced.

"No, for Celestia's sake! Do you know how much it hurts?" She shook her head. "I had an accident before, causing me to crack my horn. It's not just a dead bone like a bull's. It hurts a lot. I heard that you could die because of pain if it breaks."

"Alright, okay. No horn breaking. Do you have any idea?" She thought a little while.

"I can stay here and watch him." That could work but I needed her to show me the way to the meeting hall.

"How will I find the meeting hall then?"

"I could give you directions but there are a lot of turns on the way, even I got lost sometimes. Oh, I know, I will teleport there with you and teleport back here." She looked troubled for a second. "But I'm not sure if I can manage a long distance teleportation twice, with company."

"Then there is one thing left." She looked at me curiously. "We will wake him up and get him to understand the situation." I crouched down and started to slap him. *Slap* "Wake up, Quill." *Slap* "Come on." Charming put her hoof on my hand.

"Let me do it." She bowed her head close to his and I saw a spark striking Quill's forehead. He woke up immediately.

"Mmmmm?" He tried to speak but he was forced to bite a piece of the rope. He tried to move his hooves then looked at us. "Mmmmm! Mmm!" He looked around and saw Silver Ore, along with the dead bodies. He started shaking.

"Listen, Steady Quill." He was focused on the dead bodies. I grabbed his chin and turned his head towards me. "Listen. Those bodies you see are my doing, but don't worry, I will not kill you. However we suspect that you might try to teleport yourself out and call for help, so here is the deal." I stood up. "Charming and I have to attend an important meeting. I expect you and your boss over there to sit here quietly." I put my head on Charming's head. "If you choose to disobey me I will be forced to take Charming's life." She didn't show the smallest reaction which surprises me a little. Quill was trying to say something to her. I crouched down again. "I can take the rope off if you want to talk, but if you cry for help everyone dies." He nodded, I took off the rope.

"Charming, you can teleport too, can't you? Why aren't you running?" I turned my head towards Charming. She closed her eyes. For a second I suspected she would try. Until she started to laugh hysterically. She walked towards him and lowered her head to his face.

"I am the only thing that keeps you alive! Keeping this whole facility alive!" She was having a breakdown. "If I were to run away, this... this thing would massacre everypony!" She pointed her hoof towards the corpses. "Do you know how long did it took for him to do that? Hmm?"

"N-no. I-"

"Five seconds!" Quill looked terrified. "He killed five ponies in five seconds and he was wounded. I shot him with a magic missile in the head and he still got up and fought." She pointed towards my head. "Do you see the wound? No? Because it healed. Now tell me, do you believe that anyone in this facility can stop him?" He looked at me.

"I... I don't know. No." Charming straightened up.

"Good. Now that you understood the situation, you should do whatever he wants or we all die." She turned to me. "I believe we can go now." I had no doubt that Quill would stay put.

"Yes, let's go." We walked out of the room and closed the door behind us. "You put on a good show there." She didn't respond but a little hum. "When I said I was going to kill you, you didn't react, even a little. Why?"

"Death is something you generously offer." She looked at me. "Your threat wasn't something I didn't expect." So my threats are getting old. Well, that is to be expected.

"That wasn't what I meant though. Are not you... afraid?"

"Afraid?" She considered for a few seconds. "I guess I am too numb right now to feel afraid." Well then, let's talk about something else.

"So you were the one who shot me?" She sighed and lowered her head.

"I want to ask you something, if I may." Her tone of voice was... annoyed?

"Yes?"

"I am practically your thrall. I hate you, sincerely." She looked back at me. "Why are you trying to conversate with me like I am a friend?" In this situation I could have lied, but I decided to tell her the truth.

"To keep you from thinking." She looked surprised. "When you are in danger your mind automatically tries to find a way to deal with the threat. By talking to you, I am keeping you occupied so you are not thinking about it. While the first time we were going to Ore's office, you were too nervous about all the guards we encountered. Your thoughts were focused on deceiving them. While we were going back to the lab, I gave you the job to go on ahead and warn me. Those kept you busy the last two times. Now, I am preventing you from thinking by simply keeping you in a conversation." She chuckled wryly.

"You are both powerful and sly." A bitter smile hung on her lips. "An apex predator, that's what you are. Why are you even bothering with convincing ponies about your leadership? You can easily dominate us. I said it before, there is no one here that could stand a chance against you." I sighed.

"It seems that you are not listening to me at all. I don't want to hurt anyone." I heard the voice of some people talking. "Also it would be a waste of... labor force." She pointed at a double door on the side.

"This is the meeting hall. What are you going to do? Just walk in?" I smiled.

"You go ahead and hold the door for me then lead me to the rostrum or whatever you got here. You will be standing beside me." She shrugged and proceeded to open the doors. I walked in and waited for her to take the lead. There was a bigger number of ponies than I expected, atleast two hundred. Everyone's eyes were turned on me. Some of them tried to step away from my way while some of them were just looking at me with surprised eyes. I heard a lot of them asking about what I am. Charming reached the rostrum and stood beside it while I took my place for my speech. The funny thing is, rostrum wasn't made for something with my size, so it was only a little higher than my knees. It's not like I can do anything about that. I knew most of them would not believe me in normal conditions so I had to use my presence. Using awe for a scale this big was something I have never done before so I took a moment to concentrate before releasing my power on them. I was successful, most of them were fully focused on me, so I began my speech.

"Greetings, every...pony. I believe you are wondering the reason for this unexpected meeting. Unfortunately, because of reasons that I cannot reveal, Miss Ore have been dismissed from her duties. I am here to replace her position and carry her duties." A humming spread through the crowd. Everyone was asking question to another. Something caught my attention at that moment. There was a group of ponies in the far corner of the room. Those five ponies were wearing masks and hiding themselves under their hoods. None of them were talking. Everyone else was visibly staying away from them. I realized the humming stopped so I continued my speech. "It is my conjecture that you all must have quite a number of questions in you minds. However, considering your numbers, I will not be able to answer all of you. Therefore, I expect to see the head researchers in my office thirty minutes later. Also, I would like to announce that I am promoting Charming Star as my assistant." There was a short duration of applauding and congratulation. "I will be available at night time. If you have any other bussiness with me during day time you are to consult my assistant. You may now return to you duties. Thank you for attending." With that I stepped down from the rostrum and motioned Charming to lead the way. Together we exited the room, leaving those ponies in suspense. I deactivated my presence once we left the room.

"Now what?" Charming asked.

"Now we go to my office and wait for the others to arrive." We headed towards the managers office once more.

---

Interdimensional Matter Tranmission Laboratory, 3rd Person POV

Steady Quill was lying on the floor, looking at the dead bodies when he heard Silver Ore's moan. "Mmmm. Mm mmm! MMMMM?!" It seemed like she was awake at last and her mouth was muzzled aswell. She started breathing rapidly. She probably saw the bodies. Quill thought. Also she must have been thinking that she was alone here because her back was turned to Quill. He decided to comfort her.

"Relax, I'm here with you. Here," He levitated her and turned her over to himself. "I got you. Let me get that muzzle out of your mouth, but please, promise me not to scream." She had tears in her eyes but she nodded. Quill took the muzzle off with his magic.

"Where are we?" Ore asked. "Are all of these ponies..." She couldn't finish.

"Yeah, dead."

"Oh, Celestia. Who could have done that?"

"That hairless monster did that apperantly." He gave out a sigh. "He also knocked us out so we were unconscious on the way. I have no idea where we are, but looks like we are still in the facility."

"Well, just get us out then!" She said with a demanding voice. "Use your magic. I don't want to die here like them!"

"I can't. Monster said if I use my magic to get out he would kill Charming."

"Charming?" She looked at him, trying to recall the name for a second. "Who is Charming?"

"The monster had a mare with him, remember? Apperantly that is her name. I didn't know her until now either." Silver Ore let out a chuckle. "What?"

"He lied to you, it was a bluff."

"What do you mean?" He was baffled.

"While we were in my room, she was the one knocked me out not that thing." Quill still looked confused.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure! I remember her punching me." Quill looked surprised. "Look, what I mean is that they are on this together." That popped Quill's eyes out of their sockets.

"B-but that's-"

"Yes, now get us out!" Ore's voice was impatient. His horn glowed for a second but then it stopped.

"No, I still can't." Ore let out a groan. "Charming said he killed these ponies in five seconds, after being shot with a magic missile in the head. Nopony can stop that monster. It's better if we just do what he says."

"Did she also said that she shot him?" Quill was flabbergasted.

"H-how did y-"

"Of course she did. She was lying, idiot!" But Quill was still unsure. "Okay, there is a body behind you. Can you turn over?" He did. "Look at his robe, what do you see?"

"Burn marks." He gasped. "They must be from a magic missile!"

"Did you see any kind of horn on that monster?"

"No." He said coldly. "You mean that they did this together?"

"Yes!" Quill's horn glowed with a purple light and loosened their bonds. He walked up to Silver Ore and helped her to get on her hooves.

"Let's go see the chief of security."

Comments

[RazorWing_GB]

Sounds like someone's going to have to make an example.