Creature of the Night: Episode One-The Night Guardian

by CreatureofTheNight

Monster No More

The seven ponies were heading back to Zecora's hut, since, unlike Creature, Twilight and her friends couldn't just magically heal their injuries. The moon shone down on them casting an eerie glow over the Everfree Forest. Creature was silent. This was the longest he'd been with other ponies in centuries, he honestly had no idea what to say or even do. Luckily for him, Twilight opened up by saying "Thank you again for saving our lives with the Hydra. I really don't know what we'd have done if you hadn't turned up."

"No problem," Creature responded awkwardly, "Thank you for... well I don't know if you were saving my life, I've never been eaten before, but I'm sure it would have hurt like all Tartarus," he joked. The others kind of laughed at that, but the big elephant in the room was there, lacing the conversation with a strong sense of unease. They had all still tried to kill him, and Creature was still a vampire pony.

Pinkie Pie, trying for some levity, asked "So, Creature, do you like parties?"

"I haven't been to one since..." Creature said quietly, but then actually had to stop and pause, thinking back; it had been centuries ago. It was a birthday party if he remembered correctly. "Since I was a little colt, and there was this sweet little deep-blue filly who was having a big celebration. My friend Pure was there, so I snuck in to say hello to her, but she made me stay the whole night."

"Pure?" Rarity asked as she paused "As in Purity Heart?"

That name caused Creature to grow silent simply nodding in response. "She was my best friend in all of, not just Equestria, but the world." He sighed a content sigh. "It's the one name I refuse to allow myself to forget no matter how many centuries pass. Pure, was my everything..."

Rainbow noticed his reaction going into more of a depressing state, so she decided to change the subject. "So," She asked, genuinely curious, "Have you ever... drunk any blood from a pony before?"

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity scolded, aghast at her friend's lack of tact, "I don't think that's a question he'll want to answer."

"It's okay," Creature said quietly. He sighed "I have..." That plunged the forest into a ghastly quiet, but whether Creature noticed or not, he went on. "At the time, I thought of that sort of thing as normal, that the weak die and the strong survive. That I was just the ultimate predator and ponies were my prey." He growled as he hissed quietly "It was stupid of me... especially since there is a simple way for me to survive and grow in power without anypony having to die or lose their blood to me as a meal." Creature shook his head. "Sorry, I don't want to get all mopey."

Twilight asked "So, why do you go around at night basically spying on other ponies?"

"A promise," Creature said in somber silence. "A promise I made to Pure. She inspired me to help other ponies and use my gifts to protect others, and I'll do it."

Fluttershy asked "Then why don't you come out during the day?"

"One, vampires are weaker in sunlight, and more mortal. Two, I really don't think I'd be welcomed." The others almost winced, remembering that their immediate reaction to Creature being a vampire was to beat him up and nearly stake the poor stallion. "It's fine though, I'm okay with being a silent protector. Better to be a hero of the shadows than labeled a monster in the light."

Twilight asked "And Zecora?"

"I met her a few months back... she had... pretty much the same reaction you did," Creature laughed ",But we got along after a long chase and me dodging acid."

Twilight said to him, "Creature," She said "I'm sorry that we attacked you." It was a relief to get the burden of guilt of her shoulders. "Zecora was right, and I should have just taken her word for it. You're not evil, and you definitely are not a monster."

Before Creature could say anything, Rainbow interjected "Yeah, a monster would have let that Hydra eat us."

"Thanks, but-" Creature started to say.

"No arguing," interrupted Twilight, a little smirk playing across her lips. "You're a wonderful pony, Creature. Zecora sees it, we see it, why can't you?"

Creature was silent as he looked back at the tombstones fading in the distance. All around, trees reached up like mummified claws, covetously grasping at the sky. As was perfectly normal for this part of the forest, each tree seemed to be adorned with a hideous, twisted face that seemed to cry "Mine! Mine! Mine!" There was silence for a good long while, nothing but hoofsteps echoing in the dark.

In Creature's head the only thing he heard was a sweet voice that sounded like harps playing softly next to him, "Dueling," the voice said, "You won't move on from what happened to you if you hide away in the dark. You are not a monster, Dueling. You're a wonderful pony who I love very much, I wish you could see what I see. Behind those horrific red eyes, those large ivory fangs, that chipped ear, and those leathery bat wins, is a pony whose soul is full of light. At one point, you were a monster, but you aren't one, not now... not ever."

Creature's spirits lifted up, but he stopped in his tracks with a gasp. Before him stood a pink unicorn with a long horn, a white mane with red swirls in them, and a heart shaped cutie mark with a golden circle that surrounded it. The unicorn was smiling at him, as she nodded then vanished into thin air in wispy fashion. Twilight asked, because Creature had suddenly halted, "Creature?"

"I'm afraid," Creature said quietly. Twilight saw that those words caused a noticeable look of panic on his face. Creature said "No, not of that." He looked in the direction of the now unseen tombstones and sighed "I'm afraid that... if I let her go... I'll forget about her."

The others looked confused but Twilight walked forward and patted Creature on the back. "Pure?" she asked, softly. Creature paused and looked, at her surprised by her intelligence and perception. She smiled at him, as Creature nodded. "You won't," she said, earnestly.

"But how can you be sure?" Creature said quietly "I'm eternal, and there aren't exactly a lot of things that can kill me, I'll live for a very long long time and..." Suddenly Creature felt Twilight's hoof move to an embrace.

There was silence for a bit as no one, not even Twilight and Creature, were thinking of anything other than Twilight holding Creature. The night wind blew cold, across their faces, chilling them to the bone, but also embracing them, begging them to stay. Creature's eyes started to water, and Twilight felt Creature embrace her back. Tears filled the air, echoing among the trees as Creature's shoulders moved and shuddered, while his breath hitched. Twilight waited for a long while as Creature slowly moved away from her and wiped his eyes and nose.

"I don't know how close this Pure was to you, nor will I ever know who she is," Twilight admitted. "But you will never forget her, nopony cries that hard over something they'll just get over." With those words Twilight offered a hoof and said "We all know what you really are, Creature: not a monster but a friend."

Creature looked at Twilight and the others as he whispered "Pure, keep guiding this one... she... is gonna be a wise pony some day." Creature leaned back and said to the others "Thank you..." He tried to regain his composure as the others smiled at him.

Creature walked out of the forest, albeit after they made a stop to Zecora who walked with them the rest of the way, the zebra giving her vampire friend an "I told you so" in rhyme. Creature looked in surprise at the other ponies who had surrounded the forest, not thinking that they were gone very long. Apparently, the other people of the town were ready to charge into the Everfree, find whatever was hurting the Element Bearers], and than beat it like a drum. Creature smiled as everypony described him as a kind-hearted pony; the word vampire was never spoken. True to what Zecora told him, they accepted him rather quickly.

Creature still lived in the forest though, it was his home after all, but every now and again he wasn't afraid to walk outside it, to see his newfound friends - how fast they warmed to him.

Meanwhile, however, Twilight was doing something she hadn't done in a long, long time, writing a letter to Princess Celestia.

"Dear Princess Celestia:

It's been a long time since I've written one of these to you, but I think you should know about this. A few days ago, my friends and I discovered something extraordinary. A pony by the name of Creature of the Night who is, and brace yourself for this, a vampire pony. I know that sounds a little far fetched but I swear it's the honest to you truth. Don't worry, he's not some kind of monster, I swear. He's a perfectly nice pony, that even saved my and my friends' lives. I'm writing to you because, I want to know... are there more like him out there?

Your faithful student/peer:

Princess Twilight Sparkle"

---

Celestia took a careful purse-lipped sip of her tea. With the population expanding ever-more rapidly, chances to relax were few and far between, these days. Idly, she extended a forehoof to the silver platter in front of her, on which was arranged a selection of extremely expensive-looking cakes and pastries - all gifts from her loving subjects. She let her hoof play over the various treats, then selected a fondant fancy, which she popped into her mouth. Exquisite!

Celestia leaned back on the plush chaise-loungue - also a gift, of course - and stared dreamily over at Luna, who was fast asleep on a similar item of furniture. Life was good.

At that point, life decided to take a turn for the worse.

A ball of green flame materialized just above Celestia's head, and, with a faint pop and a whiff of sulfur, turned into a scroll of parchment, which she only just caught in a hastily-generated magical aura before it fell right on her face.

Tutting to herself, the princess sat upright and unfurled the parchment, taking another sip of her now-cold camomile tea. She got halfway through the letter, and then spat the tea out all over the paper, her eyes wide with shock.

Narrowing her eyes, she stood up. "Luna, wake up," she said quietly. It is a ringing endorsement of the strange phsycic link that the sisters shared that Luna sprang instantly from her chair, alert as ever.

"You called, sister?"

"Luna, I"m going to Ponyville for a few days, you're in charge."

It was Luna's turn to be shocked. "What's wrong?"

"Something I never thought I'd hear about again is happening" Celestia said quietly. "It's best you don't worry about it." She then sighed. "But I'll tell you anyway." She took a deep breath, looked her little sister in the eyes and said calmly "the vampire ponies are back."

Comments

[re- Yamsmos]

>OC story
>authors username shares OC's name
>OC's "name" isn't even a name
>Vampire Pony

Well, at least you threw it all out there at once. Wouldn't wanna miss reading all this now, would we?

[DAMN HAMSTER]

Your "OC" comes across as a real Gary Stu. Writing characters OOC isn't doing you any favors either. Perhaps an editor or beta reader?

[starship55]

DARN...I thought he was Deathflame, Zecoras friend. Ive seen a few pictures of Deathflame with Zecora together. I would like to see a story about Deathflame, to give him some background. I think he would be an intriguing character.