Freaks Like Us.
Chapter 10: Freaks like us.
The week went by at a slow dragging pace. Everyday Shimmer and Astra tried to get used to a new nocturnal schedule. When they were up at the new correct hours, they were worrying about Astra and her getting blood. It was slow going, but by the time the week was up, they felt they had their new schedule worked out.
“So, I go into the forest to hunt three times a night. Once after I get up, once at midnight, and again when I go to sleep.” Astra stated confidently.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go in there more often for… I dunno, snacks?” Shimmer wanted to confirm.
“Yes, I’m sure. It might make me uncomfortable to stay to such a strict diet of small animals, but, I really don’t like hurting them…”
Shimmer grinned gently. “Well, remember, now that we have our sleeping schedules down, we can work on your new vampire powers. You can learn to control yourself when feeding, and then you can let the animal go before it dies.”
Astra paused in her pacing in front of the bed. “Yeah, but for now I am sticking to that diet.” She said and sat down on the floor. “I… I still feel horrible.”
Shimmer lent her a loving hoof. “Relax my sister, you can’t help what you ate now. Besides, this was my destiny, maybe it could be yours too?”
Astra looked at her with a suspicious look. “Why are you so into this?”
“Into what?”
“The whole Lycan thing!”
Shimmer shrugged. “Well, I kinda liked it, and then I realized no pony died, and it seemed to be ok for me.”
“Eclipse seems to be the only sane pony around, and she won’t be around until tomorrow.” Astra grumbled.
A glare from Shimmers yellow eyes quickly shut her up. “Oh, so now I am insane for liking my destiny, which you seem to despise?” Shimmer snapped, only willing to offer so much support after a week of it.
Astra shrunk. “Sorry, I shouldn’t take my disliking of this out on you, especially if you like it.” She looked down shamefully.
Shimmer sighed and walked up to her, lifting her head up. “Astra, this is a big shock for you, you are traumatized, but I am trying to make this work for you. Unlike Eclipse.”
Astra showed feelings once more at the last two words. “Why have you been so against her all week?” She asked furiously. “Every single day, uh, night, you have been saying that she is a coward for abandoning us. She isn’t a coward though, and she hasn’t left us. She is on leave for now, and tomorrow she will return to us, fully prepared and able to help better than ever.”
Shimmer refused to believe the words. “How can she understand us! She is nothing like us now.” A hoof stomped onto the floor. “Eclipse will never understand us until she becomes like us, and she never will. Not willingly.”
Astra looked at her tiredly. “Can we just leave this subject for now? Everyday this thing is brought up, and everyday we fight, I am getting tired of it.”
Unwillingly Shimmer nodded. “Fine. You wanna hunt then? ‘Cause it’s about midnight.”
Slowly she nodded. “Yeah, lets go, my throat is already parched. It gets so annoying.” The last part was growled darkly.
They trotted down the stairs and out the kitchen doors. The nearby Everfree forest beckoned to the two sisters and they gladly accepted its call. Stealthy Shimmer flew into a nearby tree while Astra stayed grounded and called upon her new powers.
Being the genius Astra was, she had quickly gotten a hoofhold on her base summoning powers. She threaded it through her horn once more and beckoned the fattest, juiciest, rabbit to her. Soon a big brown bunny jumped steadily through the trees until mere inches from her.
With a sure hoof she struck out and pushed its neck to her fangs. Shimmer watched from the tree with a dark fascination. She didn’t understand how her sister could not appreciate her new powers. Who cared if a stupid bunny or two died for her? Apparently her sister did, but Shimmer was beginning to find it annoying. It was like her sister would rather die than kill again, which was ridiculous to the Pegasus!
She gave a large grin as her sister finished, and flew down nearby, knowing better than to get too close while her sister slurped down her meal.
“Astra, you are getting so good with your powers!” Shimmer congratulated her. “I congratulate you.” She laughed.
Astra didn’t join in her sisters joy or pride. She felt twisted and ashamed. And thirsty. Still so thirsty. The bunnies weren’t cutting it, in truth, they never did, but they had done an ok job holding it back, until now. With bloodlust still fogging some of her mind, her voice husky as she spoke.
“I need more, Shims.”
“More what, blood? Because you know what the notes said, lycan blood is bad for you…”
“Obviously not your blood!” The unicorn snapped, glaring at her with darker than usual eyes. “I just need more.”
Shimmer sensed an opportunity, for what, she was unsure of, but she knew she had to jump on this. A sly smile appeared on her face. “Of course, sister. Why don’t we try for a nice big deer?”
Astra nodded mutely and swished her tail, indicating that Shimmer should lead, with her advanced nose. Happily taking lead point the two trotted deeper into the Everfree.
Dark trees surrounded them, but they were not hostile like before. Now in their element, and as hunters of the night, they no longer feared the wild woods. They revealed in them.
Shimmer paused at a trail to sniff the air, and deer drifted past her nose, it was faint, but only by a few hours or so, and she was confident the deer would return to such lush grazing spots. Grinning she lead her sister into the meadow.
There before them was an old Doe, too ancient to give birth, and kicked out of the herd because she could no longer keep up. The deer was on her last legs, and that would be perfect for the softer hearted Astra.
“There.” Shimmer growled, an odd feeling overcoming her. Ponies never hunter, and ever since she got her cutie mark, she felt out of place with her destiny.
Astra however seemed to have no second thoughts as her glowed slightly with power. It was stronger than before, driven by need for blood, and the current cloud that stayed over her mind. The old deer wobbled up onto her legs, as if she no longer wanted to rest. She stumbled across the field to Astra. An unwitting mouse falling into the cats trap.
Shimmer watched the blur of movement with satisfaction. Her sister jumping from the bushes, her bat wings spread open in primal need. The usually retracted fangs were bared, made to pierce even the toughest and oldest flesh, like the deer before them. With slight envy she watched her sister feed until the deer died.
The irritating burnwas gone! For the first time that week, it had left her! A week laugh escaped her at first, but it was soon replaced by sobs as she fell into confusion. It had felt so perfect to feed, but at what cost? First tens of rodents, and now this elderly doe?
“Shimmer,” She croaked, “What am I?”
Shimmer felt like an outside force guuided her words, begging her to say the right thing. “You are a new and old species sister.” She began. “Once lost to time, and now brought back. The ancient vampires of old, and now all of their power resides in you. Yet you should not fear it, you must embrace it, and your destiny. We were born together, grew up together, survived together, and found this together. Now we deal with it together, as nightly twins, but we are not terrors, we are simply an old thing, coming back new.” She offered her hoof to her crying sister, and with a caring whisper she added, “Come on Astra. We have each other, and need nothing more. We can face our destiny, together.”
Astra felt something like a blog clear in her. Knots she had not even noticed untied themselves as her sister spoke more and more words. They were true, genuine, and loving. They cared not what she was, only who she was, and she was Astra the vampire, sister of Shimmer the Lycan, and that was all that mattered. They were sisters, twins, destined to be together.
With the first true grin she had felt all week, she accepted the hoof and stood up on for once strong legs. “You’re right Shimmer, I can deal with whatever the future throws at me, at us!” A tingle on her leg caught her attention.
She looked at her flank and gasped, but Shimmer beat her to speaking what was on their minds. “Your cutie mark, Astra!” She squealed with joy. “I think it appeared because you no longer fought who you truly were!”
“And found what I am meant to be.” She grinned gently.
The evening light did not bother Eclipse, she in fact, welcomed it. She just hoped that the twins didn’t mind her coming over a bit early for a long overdue visit to their place.
What originally had been a week, turned into a whole month, and to Eclipses worry, been postponed to the full moon.
Three weeks ago both girls had appeared mysteriously on her doorstep, begging her to come on that night, and on it only. They explained that they missed her dearly, but Astra was still struggling with her need for blood. Though to Eclipse the newly appeared cutie mark told another story. On the blank white pony, her flank proudly bore a pitch black horn with a single blood-drop appearing from its tip.
Eclipse shrugged off her worries though, she was too anxious to see her little friends. They had been so fragile when she left them, and acting strange when they told her to postpone until that night. She desperately wanted to get to the bottom of it.
Nothing would keep her from them that night, not even the fever that had developed over night. One day she was feeling fine, and the next she was grouchier than a manticore with a thorn in it’s paw, and feeling hotter than a sunbathing lizard. The girls didn’t need to know that though, only that she still cared about them.
She jolted in surprise, not realizing how fast time had passed. Before her stood the door to their home. Three strong knocks later an an excited Astra appeared.
“Eclipse!” She cried out in joy, fangs flashing in the dim light of her home and candles.
“Astra, hello!” She greeted the Unicorn with warmth, ignoring the unsettling feeling she got at Astras teeth. “How have you been?”
Astra grinned lessened slightly, but remained strong. “Better, but I have missed you a lot. Shimmer convinced me this was for the best though.”
“What is for the best?” Eclipse asked, curious.
Astra dug her hoof lightly into the ground. “You will see.” She promised. “Enter though, we have sooo much to tell you!”
The mounting feelings of unease and suspicion grew, but she pushed it back with a stick. “Ok Astra, I am eager to hear your stories.” She gave a teasing smile.
Inside the house it was better lit with candles, though not as nicely when she used to visit. Maybe they need more candles? They had probably been stuck out there all month anyway. Glad I brought them some food. She thought.
Shimmer was waiting patiently at the table, a friendlier demeanor than last time encasing her smile. “Heya, Eclipse.”
“Shimmer.” She nodded happily, taking her own seat. “So, how have my two favorite girls been?”
Shimmer let out a small chuckled. “Pretty good, while Astra stayed home, I went out to view some classes. Astra still doesn’t trust heself around ponies, but she is working on it, which is why we asked you over here on tonight.”
Eclipse frowned. There were holes in her logic, very big holes that her suspicion leaked through. “Why not yesterday though? She argued. “I doubt one day would have made a difference.”
Shimmer sighed like the obvious was in front of her. “To test our friendship. Eclipse… I have had doubts that you can accept us now, but Astra is adamant in her belief that you stilll trust us.”
Her blood ran cold at those words. “What is going on Shimmer?” Eclipse finally demanded. “You know I love you girls.”
Ast5ra pipped up. “I know, but my sister has trust issues, so she decided that she needed to test you…”
Eclipse flinched back in hurt. “Shimmer, that is horrible!” She scolded. “Do you really think that I, a pony who lives in the town of the princess of friendship, would take such a thing lightly?”
Shimmers eyes opened widely. “No, of course not! Just, Astra kills rodents to eat, and I turn into a murdering beast once a month. Can you really accept that?”
Astra let out a whimper. “Shimmer… We don’t murder, we do it because we have too. Besides, you agreed to go into the cellar tonight. You know, after we test her.”
Shimmer frowned. “You’re right. Sorry sis.”
Eclipse was sorely confused. Shimmer appeared friendly to her, but had an underlayer of hostility, but when addressing her sister she became the Pegasus she knew and loved. What had happened to her friend to split her into two ponies, one horrible, and one good?
“What is the test?” She snapped. “I dislike you doubting that I would abandon my friends in their time of need.” She knew it was immature, but she directed the words at Shimmer.
Shimmer took it as a challange, and accepted it gratefully. “Then become like us.” She said.
As she spoke Eclipse absentmindedly put a hoof to her scar from last moons frantic run. It had been bugging her the whole week. “What do you mean?” She asked, ignoring the ache emitting from it.
“I said, become like us.” Shimmer lost her fake smile, a serious frown replacing it. “A lycan or vampire, trully it is your choice, but to understand us, you need to be like us.”
“Shimmer, that is absurbed.” She said, shaking her head and scratching her scar. It was starting to really bug her. “I guess you were never taught this, no offense, but, to understand a creature, you don’t need to be like them. Do you girls have ice in that fridge?” She asked and began to scratch her closed wound even more. “My scar, and no I am not mad about that, is just bugging the crap out of me. Pardon my language.”
Astra gave it a concerned look, but a gasp of wonder came from her instead of an answer.
“What is it, Astra?” She snapped, everything getting to her. The unexplained heat, nerves, and that damn itching scar! Why was it so demanded?
“You’re fur is turning black!” She whimperd.
“Nonsense, don’t be stupid, it’s blue, dark blue.” She growled.
Shimmer wasn’t angry at her, oddly enough, instead she leaned over and looked at the scar she had left. Instinctually she sniffed the air.
Wolf.
“Eclipse… I am actually sorry for this, but I think I choose for you…” She spoke carefully. “Last month, I clawed you, but I guess it can spread though our claws.”
“Our?” She asked, eyes dilating. “Our?!”
Shimmer nodded grimly. “Yes Eclipse. Our claws. Because you are becoming a lycan.”
Eclipse didn’t want to look. Looking at her itching wound would break everything for her, yet she had too. Tearing her gaze from Shimmers weirdly concerned, yet happy face, she gazed down.
Nausea swamped her, but she pushed it away. Where once blue fur was, black fur surrounded the pulsating wound. The scratch was an angry red, while the rest of her body began to feel warmer and warmer…
Then the pain hit, faster and harder than the newest made train. She was physically knocked from her chair. Shimmer was hit with it too, and the pain wasn’t much better for her.
“Run Astra!” She screeched. “I don’t think we will make it to the Cellar.”
Astra gulped, wanting to stay. She better though. A vampire never belonged near a shifting lycan. “I love you sister, sorry that I must leave you.” She whispered and ran.
Gone… Absent. Noise.
Check noise, other wolf. Growl. It larger, deadlier… Original? Smell.
Check. Original, best, alpha. Alpha wolf. Alpha wolf!
Pack? Whimper, lower ears. Tuck tail. Pack!
Follow. Follow alpha wolf, follow alpha wolf! Howl, growl, smell, summon the… No others. Need more pack. Not yet. Need territory. Hunt with Alpha. Establish territory. Hunt with Alpha. Hunt with Alpha.
Run. Scent mark. Growl at stick wolves. KILL stick wolves. Howl. Territory. Hunt with Alpha. Hunt with Alpha.
Hunt the ponies. Hunt the prey.
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Well that was unexpected.
Can't wait for the next chapter.
Ast5ra?
I didn't know there was a 5 in there.
4981352 I usually write these late at night because I lack the skill to sleep >_<
4981524 Insomnia.
4981524 Well then get less sleep. :P
5021236
There is also you know... School. And my Debate class has just finished the 6 day long exam, so I won't be writing tons of speeches about how to improve the town and school.
There is also minecraft.
Hmm, minecraft or writing, minecraft or writing.... MINECRAFT! *plays on it some more* I just love the newest update!
5022882 Minecraft died for me after the 1.7.2 new update, (i was playing since the last alpha update.) It didn't have that charm for me anymore.