Millennial Redemption

by Hopefullygoodgrammar

5.

The dreadful silence that followed her words made Rip feel sick to her stomach. She had never liked calling herself a Freak, but- as Herr Docktor had told her time and time again- she was.

She wasn’t a true human, nor a true vampire; she was stuck between the two species.

A half-breed.

A Freak.

She expected them to give her disgusted looks, but, surprisingly, their faces filled with another emotion, one that she hated with a burning intensity: pity.

She felt her cheeks burn as hot, acidic shame bubbled up inside her gut, making her queasy and causing her to hide behind her hair again.

She heard the sound of hoofsteps and felt Fluttershy reach out and place a gentle hoof on her arm.

“Rip...why would you say that?” asked the shy pegasus.

The former-Huntress heaved a shaking chuckle that bordered on the threshold of tears before answering, “Do you have vampires in your world?”

Fluttershy blushed, “Well… I did turn into a vampony one time, but I got better.”

Rip blinked slowly and opened her mouth to ask the timid mare if she was serious, but Twilight cut her off before she could utter a word.

“Wait… are you saying that you’re a vampire?”

Rip nodded, “Yes, I’m a vampire.”

“As in, turns into a bat, can’t go out in the sun and drinks blood? That kind of vampire?” asked Twilight, a gleam of excitement welling up in her eyes: Rip shied away slightly; she had seen that look before.

Naked on a slab….Herr Docktor grinning as he raised a gleaming needle over her open eye…. the way he tried to make his voice seem soothing, when to her it sounded like the words of a serpent…. his lectures on how different she was…. the time when he hit her for resisting a round of medication that had made her guts cramp and burn…. the pain of his callous words…. telling her that she wasn’t even close to a true vampire…. just a freak….

“Rip?”

The soft, shaky voice pierced through the vile memories like a knife through tissue paper. Rip let out a small gasp as her blurred vision focused and she saw that she was trembling like a drunk on shaky ground.

The former-Huntress shivered and hugged herself tightly, momentarily forgetting the ponies watching her with concerned eyes.

She would have stayed like that, too, if not for Fluttershy, who came up and laid a hoof on her leg.

Rip started and looked up.

“Are you alright?” she asked again.

Rip nodded, “Ja, I’m… I’m fine, I vas just… lost in the past.”

Fluttershy nodded, then asked, “Are you serious about being a vampire?”

Rip nodded, “I vouldn’t lie about that.”, she then opened her mouth and extended her fangs to their fullest length. Fluttershy whimpered and backed up several feet, Rip retracted her fangs and bowed her head again, trying to make the world smaller and more manageable.

She felt bad for scaring her caretaker, but she knew that it was necessary to convince her just how utterly monstrous she was.

“I told you I vas a freak.” she said softly.

A moment later Fluttershy replied, “No, you’re not. I’m sorry if I offended you, I really am.”

The regret in her tone baffled Rip and she looked up, refusing to meet her eyes, “Vhy are you the one apologizing? I’m the one who scared you in the first place.”

“Because you’re obviously sensitive about your… condition and I offended you, so I’m sorry.”

Condition… if I was a real vampire I might be offended by that remark. thought Rip wryly.

The vampiress shook her head and said, “Nein, I frightened you and for that I am sorry.”

Fluttershy smiled, “It’s alright. Can you forgive me?”

Rip nodded and then started to settle in, hoping that the two ponies would forget about her and allow her some time to think.

Of course, such a thought was ridiculous and, not a minute later, Twilight said, “So tell me, what is it like being a vampire?”

Rip huffed, “I’m a Freak, not a true vampire.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Twilight.

Rip bit her lip, then said, “Vell… I have a few advantages over normal vampires, like being able to go out in the sun and not needing to feed as much, but I am also a thousand times weaker than a true vampire; I couldn’t ever hold my own in a one on one fight.” she finished, sounding embarrassed.

“You got into fights?” asked Fluttershy, sounding concerned.

Rip nodded, “Of course I got into fights, did you think that vampires all lived in harmony? True vampires hate creatures like me, they think that we are lesser beings.”

Fluttershy and Twilight looked taken aback by this comment and the harshness that came into her tone.

“D-did you fight a lot?” asked Fluttershy, sounding like she knew what the answer was going to be.

Rip deflated and looked at the ground, “Ja, I vas….a soldier.”

“A soldier!?” echoed the two mares incredulously.

Rip nodded again, feeling that familiar shame well up within her. She silently prayed for some relief, a distraction from what she was feeling, something that would give her the time that she needed to figure things out.

There was a knock at the door and Rip silently thanked God.

Twilight went to answer the door and Rip heard her start chatting amiably with someone. A few moments later Twilight trotted back to the living room with a package held in a purple aura.

“Uhm, Fluttershy? Derpy’s here and she seems pretty worn out, it it okay if I go get her some water?” asked the purple unicorn.

“Of course.” said Fluttershy with a smile, “The glasses are in the second cabinet above the sink.”

Twilight nodded, thanked her and disappeared into the kitchen. Leaving Rip to wonder how big Fluttershy’s house was and who this “Derpy” character was.

A second later her second question was answered when a gray-furred pegasus with a light yellow mane poked her head around the corner and smiled hugely at Fluttershy.

“Hey, Fluttershy!” she exclaimed happily.

“H-hello, Derpy.” said Fluttershy, scraping her hoof on the ground and adverting her gaze.

The gray pegasus-Derpy- cantered into the living room and wrapped Fluttershy in a tight hug which the yellow pegasus returned after an awkward moment. Rip found herself holding her breath, knowing that she couldn’t stomach another fearful reaction.

Of course, Derpy realized that she and Fluttershy weren’t the only ones in the room, and she turned to greet Rip, revealing that she was wall-eyed.

Be that as it may she still has the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. mused Rip, waiting for that big happy smile to vanish.

But it didn’t, and Derpy bounded up to her and said, “Hello! Are you that alien that Fluttershy found?”

Rip considered her options. On one hand she wanted to be left alone and knew that she had it in her to be cruel to this wall-eyes mare, but she also knew that she’d feel terrible for being mean to a creature that was trying to be nice to her.

That, and Derpy was, without a doubt, the cutest thing that Rip had ever seen.

So Rip nodded in response to the question and said, “Ja.”

Derpy’s golden eyes lit up and she smiled happily at Rip, “Hi, there! My name’s Derpy Hooves, what’s yours?”

“Rip Van Winkle.” said the vampiress, giving Derpy a small smile.

“It’s nice to meet you, Rip Van Winkle.” said the gray pegasus, offering a hoof, which Rip gently shook.

Derpy took her hand in both hooves and manipulated her fingers, saying “These are cool.” in an awed voice. The curiosity and interest in her eyes made Rip want to giggle, but she held it in stubbornly.

Twilight returned from the kitchen with a glass of water, which she gave to Derpy, who drank it in one gulp before giving the glass back.

Twilight and Derpy began to make small talk, and Rip turned her attention elsewhere, noticing that something was missing.

“Where’s Fluttershy?”

Derpy and Twilight stopped their talking and looked around, looks of concern coming over their faces.

Twilight moved towards the front door, but it was thrown open before she could reach it. Fluttershy rushed into the room, her face filled with terror, which both ponies and vampire noticed.

“What’s wrong?” asked Twilight.

“Elizabeak is sick.” moaned Fluttershy, “I need to go to Zecora’s to pick up some medicine for her.”

Twilight nodded, then moved to the door.

“What are you doing?” asked Derpy.

“I’m going to go with Fluttershy.” she said, smiling at the shy pegasus, who smiled back.

“Can I stay here with Rip?” asked Derpy.

“Uhm...well...ask her?” said Fluttershy weakly.

Derpy turned to look at the former-Huntress expectantly. Rip bit her lip again.

I want to be alone. said one part of her.

But it isn’t healthy, Rip. argued another part, You’ll just get worse if you keep up with this solitude.

But I deserve to be alone. she retorted.

No, you don’t...you really don’t. Maybe talking to Derpy will help you. suggested the other part.

Rip looked at Derpy, who was smiling innocently at her, and felt a curious warmth flow through her.

I...I guess I do need someone to talk to… or just someone to be around.

Her decision made, Rip smiled at Derpy, “I’d love to have your company, Derpy.”

The happy squeal and hug that immediately followed her made the Freak feel warm and fuzzy in the inside.

Comments

[DRaily]

By the way, what about Rip's musket? While she most likely could rip most enemies apart with her bare hands it would not be her.

[Hopefullygoodgrammar]

4754992 There will be little violence in this story, this is far more, slice-of-life-y, not an action piece.

[DRaily]

4756504
Noted

[Hopefullygoodgrammar]

4756638 But Seeing Monsters might be more your style if you want gore and adventure.

[DRaily]

4756641 Don't misunderstand me, I did not mean I am disheartened in any way, I rather enjoy slice of life stories as well.

[Hopefullygoodgrammar]

4756653 Thank you, I just really want to get word of my 'Verse out,

[SomeRandomMinion]

OF COURSE it would be Derpy who got Rip to open up... :)

[Hopefullygoodgrammar]

4758019 EEeeyup

[Dirty Bit]

D'awwww, Rip would consider Derpy best pony.

[Hopefullygoodgrammar]

4806638 Yes, yes she would, but I think the Captain would be all for Applejack and Schrodinger would like Discord

Thanks for the fave and the comments, I hope to have the next chapter out in a few more days.

[Vinyl Nexus Scratch]

When I see things saying that Herr Doc insults all his "vampires" all I can think is that he's actually angry at himself. He can't ever get it right. He fails it over and over and over and over. About 1002 times I think. I'd be pissed off too if I was him XD