A Long Way to Fall

by Cinders of War

Chapter 60: The Extremely Unexpected Guest

"Poor Velvet..." Twilight Sparkle sighed heavily after hearing about what had happened to Satin Breeze, the ex-Assassin's older sister. "To have lost the only family she cared about. That must've been hard. Did she know yet?"

Morning Blade shook her head. "Not yet, no. But she will soon. It's... It's a little strange, I must say. To this day, I don't know if I actually believe Velvet. Is she alright? Velvet."

"She's getting better, yes," Twilight said, nodding her head. "She was starting to fly yesterday."

"Oh, that's nice, wait... fly?" That seemed to make Morning Blade sit up, more alert.

"Oh, yes. Velvet isn't some normal pony. She's a batpony." Twilight went on to explain their differences.

"That's... how interesting..." Morning looked back down at her notes. Funny how that girl seems to be around bats."

"What do you mean, Morning?"

"Oh, you'll see. Truthfully though, I do not know what happened to Satin either. Frigid had only mentioned Wolfgang had gotten her. Other than that, I suppose only a Templar would really know what happened. And they're all dead."

"Yeah... Well, I'm glad Velvet and Satin are reunited once again, even if they're from different worlds."

"Frigid, he's alive there, huh?" Morning Blade looked out the window, unable to spot the Wondercolt statue outside. "Perhaps I could go visit him one day? I just have to know. I miss Frigid. I wonder if he's anything the same, minus the lone wolf attitude."

"Oh, he's no lone wolf, Morning. He's a good pony. I'd like to introduce you sometime. Well, reintroduce. Maybe to yourself too."

"That would be fun." Morning smiled. "That would be fun indeed. Alas, it's time we head back into the story. It's not going to be all that fun in there right now."

"I guess we'll have to brace ourselves then." Taking a deep breath, Twilight nodded firmly. "I'm ready."

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The Trottingham night was clear and bright, an almost full moon glimmering among its lesser brethren in the sky, its beams illuminating a simple apartment in which a young girl sat dejectedly in the small living room, staring at a TV that was turned to nothing in particular.

Velvet Breeze had just finished the last of her homework, finally able to sit back and relax until her sister got home. She was getting hungry, but she normally waited until Satin got home before doing something about her hunger, unless stated otherwise. Satin would usually call back to tell Velvet if she was coming back late or not.

Velvet took her phone out to see if her big sister had called or anything.

“Nope. Still nothing…” she sighed as she continued to watch a treasure hunter pull a diamond statue from a pedestal. “Satin, where aaaaaaare yooooooou?”

Velvet decided to give her sister ten more minutes before she would go make her own dinner. Being alone most of the day, Velvet had to learn how to make her own meals, though her specialty was a great fruit salad.

Velvet continued to lazily watch as Daring Do began running out of the temple, a giant boulder chasing after her from behind, threatening to crush her under its weight and rocky surface.

After the treasure hunter had managed to squeeze out of the cave entrance, Velvet decided to have a look at the time. Satin still had another four minutes before Velvet would go get dinner ready. It wasn’t like Satin to continue on at her job without letting Velvet know. Something must have come up. Maybe Dewdrop got drunk again and Satin had to get her out.

Velvet didn’t know why she didn’t think about it sooner, but she took out her phone again and called her sister. The ringing continued on for a good twenty seconds before the line switched to voice mail. The blue-skinned girl sighed and put her phone away.

“What’s going on, big sis?” Velvet muttered as she checked the time. It had been twelve minutes already.

The middle schooler headed to a window and gazed out at the night sky. The sky was already completely dark and there was still no sign of her older sister.

Then there was a bat. Then a second. Then a third, fourth, fifth, and so on, the winged creatures hovering around just outside her window in a group.

Unlike most people her age, Velvet had never been afraid of bats. There had been plenty of them back in Hollow Shades and they had all been friendly enough once you understood them.

“Hey there,” Velvet said gently. “What are you all doing here?”

The bats chittered and screeched at the glass. They pressed up against the window in a solid mass before clearing away to reveal a beautiful, moon-like face framed with wavy red hair.

Velvet was startled at first when the woman appeared, but walked to the window and opened it. “Umm… hello.”

“Good evening, my dear,” the woman said gracefully. “May I come in?”

Velvet blinked a few times but stepped aside and gestured. “Sure. If you like to.”

“Thank you, little vun.”

The woman spoke with a heavy Trotsylvanian accent. Gracefully, she climbed through the window, lifting the skirts of her black gothic dress to allow entry. Velvet caught sight of a pair of black, leathery wings that joined her arms to her back.

“Are those real?” she couldn’t help but ask, pointing at the wings.

The woman shrugged and beckoned to the girl with a pointed nail. “Vhy, yes, they are. Please. Come sit. I have… some rather shocking news that I think you vould take better not standing up.”

Velvet did as she was told, sitting on the couch beside the pale woman. “Shocking?”

“Yes. You von’t like it, and neither do I.”

“Is it that you’re a vampire?” Velvet asked. “Because that’s pretty obvious from here.”

The vampire in question raised an eyebrow. “You’re taking that awfully calmly. You’re not afraid I vant to drink your blood?”

“I had to deal with a lot of weird stuff as a kid,” the middle schooler shrugged. “I’ve come to just accept things as the way they are. Are… are you here to drink my blood?”

The vampire eyed her analytically.

“No,” she said decisively. “Too young and soft.”

“Okay, well… what was it you were going to tell me? Or was that it?”

“First, let me introduce myself. My name is Rovena Eventide, of the Trotsylvanian clan of vampires. Subservient to Countess Vinter Solstice,” as Rovena spoke, Velvet could see all too clearly the pointed white fangs that adorned her mouth. “And tonight, I vill be your friend for as long as you need me.”

“Umm… thanks.” That didn’t bother Velvet one bit. In fact, she didn’t have a lot of friends. She wouldn’t mind having one more.

Rovena shifted uncomfortably. “I do not think you vill be thanking me vhen I am done…” She took a moment to compose herself before producing her handbag. “I vas flying home from meeting vun of the members of the Chicoltgo clan vhen I got a call from vun of my oldest friends.”

Velvet nodded. “Is she a vampire like you?”

Rovena waved her hand dismissively. “No, but she has a long history vith the likes of me. She saved my life a vhile back. But the thing is, she also knew your older sister. And it’s because of that reason vhy I’m here tonight.”

Then Velvet finally put the pieces together. Her sister hadn’t arrived home yet, and the vampire, Rovena, had said that she had shocking news. “What happened to my sister?”

Velvet’s guest closed her ruby eyes as if trying to find a way to put it delicately. “Your sister vas involved vith a league of assassins. They vould go out and fight their enemies in secret to keep the vorld safe, as they have been doing for centuries.”

“A-Assassins?” Velvet repeated. “Keeping… the world… safe?”

“It is a lot to take in, I know,” Rovena said dully. “But as you vould guess, such a job entails some degree of risk. Tonight, I’m afraid, your sister’s luck… ran out.”

Rovena unclasped her elegant black handbag and drew out two things. A tattered red scarf and a polished silver hairclip in the shape of an inverted letter ‘V’.

Velvet’s vision started getting blurry as she took the items from the vampire’s hands. They belonged to her sister. She unfolded the scarf in her hands and held it close.

“My friend tried her best to save her, but even she vasn’t fast enough,” Rovena continued quietly. “She vanted to be here to deliver the news personally, but she vent to bury your sister in Hollow Shades, in your family’s mausoleum. I happened to be in the area, so… here I am.”

Velvet curled herself down to her knees and hid her head within her arms, grabbing tighter to the scarf and hairpin. Soft whimpers could be heard from within.

Gently, Rovena reached around Velvet and encased her in a warm, comforting hug. She smelled faintly of strawberries and cream, but the girl was grateful for her presence all the same.

“I am, sorry, you know. It is never easy, losing a sister. Ve have that in common, little vun.”

Velvet lifted herself and wrapped her arms around the woman’s abdomen and cried into her black dress, soaking a good portion of it. Rovena patted Velvet tenderly as the girl sobbed long into the night.

Eventually she ran out of tears and sat numbly against the vampire’s damp clothing. Rovena took in a deep breath through her nose.

“Look,” she said. “Your sister’s friend, the vun called Dewdrop, vill be along soon. I can’t be seen vith you. Vampires aren’t looked upon kindly by most people.

“But let me give you a present,” Rovena held out one elegant hand and eased off one of the many silver rings that she was wearing. “Take this, as a token of our friendship. Ve may not ever meet again, but I vould like you to have something to remind you that, vherever you are, you have at least vun friend. I svear to you that my friend, and I vill get the vuns responsible for this, you have my vord.”

Velvet accepted the ring silently and put it into her pocket.

“I vould ask that you keep that ring as our little secret, Velvet,” Rovena bowed to the girl and walked over the still-open window. “Vherever you go in life, little vun, know that you are not alone. Your sister loved you, even to the very end.”

The bats converged onto Rovena’s form and when they cleared, the vampire was gone.

Author's Note:

If y'all didn't know, we have a group for our Bloodlines Continuity now. Do check it out and join if you wish! If you have any ideas what we can do there, do let us know too! Cheers!

Comments

[Marcthelightspark2004]

Velvet continued to lazily watch as Daring Do began running out of the temple, a giant boulder chasing after her from behind, threatening to crush her under its weight and rocky surface.

I see the Raiders reference.

[Marcthelightspark2004]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, is there a Dracula in Bloodlines?

[Jaxxon Markus Citadel]

Hmmm.

Bizarrely, she smelled absolutely wonderful, like strawberries and cream,

-Chapter 54

She smelled faintly of strawberries and cream,

-This chapter

Hmmm.....

[MoonlightRift]

I can't tell if it's Mirror or not. Seems like it, yet it might not be, I don't know.

Anyways, intense sobbing.