This ending is so sad because, in a way, Vinyl became her Voron, cold and indifferent, able to rip a child away from their family with no remorse.

She didn't listen to Octavia's final wish for her, to stay herself and live.

OOooh, I remember listening to the first parts of this last year. Will be awesome to finally read the ending!

10509946
And yet, I still find this ending more manageable than “A Puppet To Her Fame” because there’s hope, she’ll finish her mission and die, no more misery, no dramatic irony (beyond what you mentioned).

HAZZaH! The end is in sight!

10510005
Do you think whatever God has sway over the souls of the dead would allow a mass foal murderer into afterlife to be reunited with her true love. Even if she’s somehow allowed in, would you love someone who murdered foals on the small chance they could become vampires?

NOOOOO!!! Scribbler! How could you do that to them

(Insert wails of sadness)

That aside, I should have expected that with the tags of the story. At least this time I checked the channel of an update on the series. Though, throughout the entire story, I've only had one question. Did Vinyl ever consider seeking asylum from Celestia to get away from Voron?

In the end, this is an amazing story I'm glad to have been able to read ^.^

Sequel?

Is no one going to mention the fact scribbler made a story about incest vampires? It is in the epilogue but people mention she isn't herself. After killing her family and losing the love of her life how could she be a happy go loving pony again. Scribbler did a amazing job foreshadowed this well in the last few chapters.

10510379
It means they had children it was confirmed in the final chapter live chat on YouTube.

10510073
I have no say over that, but Vinyl certainly sees it that way.
Death has literally become love to her, she’ll reach for it until she’s done no matter what’s on the other side (plus one of my especially garbage OCs is practically god, and they’d absolutely do her a solid).

I was honestly expecting her to turn Octavia into a vampire, since that doesn't necessarily have to happen before they die. IIRC it just needs to be before the end of the night after their death.

Unrelated, but that book was a spellbook. Vinyl should have cast that spell on herself so often that she knows it by heart.

10509946
She does care,

I am sorry, kid. Tiptoe,” she corrected herself. “I’ll remember your name. I always remember the names. It’s the least I can do.”

10510966
My brain is now switching between this being a bad or worse ending;
“She’s not giving them a chance.” “That chance ruined her life, both of her lives, and countless others.” “But it’s not fair.” “CAN YOU READ?” “Two years of murder.” “You tell all those poor foals that someday they or their children will never be able to feel the sun on their face again, see how many become jealous, see how long it takes for another Him to show up.” “There could be others, unrelated to her.” “And she has no way of finding them, she’s doing what she can.”
“All those families...”
“All that pain...”
For everyone.
Vinyl will do this. Vinyl will wipe out every trace that scum left on the world, but she’s traumatized herself and more in the process, so will it be worth the cost in the end?
It’s never worth the cost. But it has to be, because she has nothing else. She is broken, unable to be repaired. The lives she has lived all ended in unfathomable pain, there is no “coming back” from this, no “second chance” for her anymore, and it wasn’t her fault. It’s everyone’s fault. Vinyl for killing them, her father for... being himself, Octavia for placing her trust in a broken mare in the end.
Vinyl is not a hero, but I will fight whoever says she’s not doing the right thing. She’s done running, she’s done taking chances, she’s done standing by doing nothing.
The one last glimmer of hope is that when she’s finally done and may rest in “peace”, Octavia and whatever all powerful judge is waiting on the other side will have it in their hearts to forgive her.

Well this was depressing, but satisfying. I liked the story. There where some typos here and there but the emotion got across, and that is what really matters in this sort of story.

She couldn’t take the risk. Every single one of the foals Voron and Vellum had made was a threat to Equestria. Every single one had the potential to become a vampire, or at the very least to pass on the vampire gene. She couldn’t allow that. Voron’s plans could not be allowed to come to fruition.

Wait, just how old was Vellum? I got the impression that despite her vampirism, she was only a teenager. How is it that she was able or permitted to have foals when she was at such an incredibly young age?

Anyway, this wrapped up on a gloomy note, but the surprise was much-appreciated than if you had gone a cliche route. I appreciate how much effort was put into this story. I find myself agreeing with this 10509946 particular comment. In another time, perhaps Vinyl would not have convinced herself that she had to kill all the unawakened children and family she has. There is plenty of potential for debate on what could have happened to these foals.

A very fitting tragedy.

10510512
My apologizes, I didn't realize you were the author of this story.

10510954
You do realize it was confirmed by scribbler during the live chat of the reading. If you don't believe me go to the reading 21:26 and see for yourself. If you still don't believe it you can go to the writer and ask yourself during the Q and A.

10511827
I like you.

please i'm begging you to do a continuation of this with a secret big sister that is also an unicorn but that found a different method to bypass the curse and that reveals that voron finding vinyl was actually her fault

For such a gory story, those soft emotional scenes made me nearly cry.

That being said, if the kiddos were never bit, doesn't that mean they would never become vampires? Or perhaps, Vinyl could use her and these kids powers for good.

For example, about a week ago I came across a neat comic where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna know about Vampires, and while there is still some bad blood between them, there are good vampires who act as a police force of sorts only feeding off of rogue night creatures and criminals. I can assure you that Voron would have likely been hunted down by Princess Luna herself as the honorary Queen of the Night. I would have loved to see him try to fight a pissed off Alicorn or four. Heh, knowing him, he would think that he could do it with one hoof tied behind his back only to try wheedling and charming himself out when he was beaten.

Besides, what better revenge against such a evil git than to use the very powers he so loved to lord over others against the very things he stood for? Bring Vampires into the metaphorical sunlight and teach the new generation love and respect for life so that monsters like him will never gain such a hoofhold as it were. Instead, she's destroying a generation of kids that only have a small chance of becoming the next Voron, and will live with those actions until her final kill, Octavia might forgive her, but she might be saddened that Vinyl thought that was the only way. Vellum in my estimation was sick and twisted because that was all she had been taught, all she knew.

I love this story, would there be a sequel or will it be only this one? If there will be, I’ll happily wait for it. If not, that’s okay too. This is an amazing story! Thank you.

10511067
https://tenor.com/0ZR6.gif

Voron’s last gift. Or maybe this was the same with all vampires. She was the head of this bloodline now.

I guess that debunket my theory from last chapter (10543612) of Vorons father still milling around somewhere.

Wow, that certainly was an dark ending.
But I have to admit I understand her motivations.
Not sure I can approve them, though.

Anyway, good story!
I enjoyed reading your emotional roller coaster.

10512722
That just wishing for a "Happy Ending" unlike most Grimdarks they don't have one.

10559685
What gives you that idea from what I asked? lt could very well end with vinyl dead if wrote in a way I know at least one friend of scribbler writes some of her horror stories (cough*magpie*cough). So... yeah no happy ending just the illusion of one in a story where nobody survives but the revenge is fulfilled, even if the price is loosing Equestria in the process

10559826 true but if you don't like how the story ended why not come up with your own alternative ending for Vinyl and Octiva?

10559973
Well 3 reasons:
1) I liked how it ended
2) Scribbler let the ending open
3) I'm not a writer as good as her, this is the reason I won't even try to continue any of her stories even if she's ready to pay me the earth weight in gold to do so

Hooray for filly murder? :B

One other thought I had from the previous chapter:

I love vampire stories (assuming we're using anything like traditional vampires, of course) because no matter how we romanticize them, no matter how they dress themselves up, put on airs and act like they're these superior, mysterious creatures of the night, they're just animals. Show them too much blood, and they fall into a frenzy. Show them the sun, and they cower and hide. They live in their cloisters apart from society, hunting and manipulating when all they are are frightened beasts. Absolutely disgusting.

Anyway, this was p. cool, gj 5/7 it was okay :B

Hello! I should note in advance that I listened to the audio reading/voice-acted version of this story, and have not actually read the text version, but... as I do not have a YouTube account, I felt it would be appropriate to leave a comment here.

This was a very intense, and very compelling story! While it may not fit the modern meaning of the term 'horror' as applied to genre, horror certainly describes what I felt throughout it. I admit that the vivid descriptions of gruesome happenings, combined with the sound effects and images, was at times very uncomfortable and difficult for me (I am apparently more squeamish than I thought), but to me the true horror was in Voron himself: he embodied the worst kind of abusive, narcissistic, and controlling parent. Not only was he all those things, but he was powerful, deadly, and could track Vinyl wherever she went (until she cast the curse, for the most part) and at one time force her to obey him. That really shook me. All throughout, there was an oppressive sense of dread.

I appreciate that you did not hold back. The ending was truly tragic, and made no effort to appease anyone with a happy ending, nor did it feel forced or artificial. Of course part of me realised things would likely be doomed from the moment Voron found them, but all throughout I still felt the story gave some hint that perhaps something could be salvaged.

I found something very moving about the ending in that, despite not having the same circumstances as Vinyl, I can very much relate to her struggle to find meaning after losing everything. After years of depression and questioning so often whether to continue, every day feels like that to me. In that way, I think the ending was doubly crushing for me.

The present-time/past format of the story was very interesting to me. At first, I found it jarring, a bit confused as to what was happening (particularly in the first chapter), but over time I not only became accustomed to it, but found it created greater anticipation in me for what happened next. I wanted to know what happened next in the retellings of the past, and then what would happen next in the present.

Thank you very much for writing this and sharing it with everyone. I admit this is probably not a sort of story I would normally read, but once i began listening, I really wanted to know more! I found it when searching for examples of Vinyl Scratch voices to analyse for a friend, being a bit of a voice enthusiast myself, and am glad I did! All of the voice actors (including you) did an excellent job, by the way. I could really feel the emotion in them and felt as though I was there with them. On that note, I feel the dialogue was well-written; it all felt natural to me.
Oh, and the artwork, sound effects, and music were an excellent accompaniment to the story as well! Everyone did very well there, and I can appreciate all the work that editing, mixing, and mastering must have taken.

Take care!

10755558
Thank you SO MUCH for this insightful and kind comment. ^_^

I very much enjoyed this. Fantastic! The end was depressing to me at least. Poor Tav. Hope to read more!

I'm very confused about this story :/

10756859
You are very welcome! Sorry for such a late response. I have not been very well lately, but I meant to respond eventually. The story was personally meaningful to me, and I am very glad you wrote it! So I hope my comment could at least give back in some small way. ^-^

I also wanted to add that I appreciate Vinyl and Octavia's relationship in this story in a very different way than in a 'conventional' setting. Their relationship builds up from a very different set of struggles, and I think that led me to appreciate them more in general (though I was never very familiar with the fandom nor the show very much, so I did not have too many prior conceptions of them). I think i really felt the loss too when Vinyl did...

(Oh, and I am very tired, so I hope everything I said makes sense.)

Not the ending I was hoping for, but very good story.

I just finished listening to the reading of this on your channel and all I have to say is, Wow. just wow. That has probably got to be the best Fanfic I've ever listened to. Not only of it checks off all the boxes for things that I look for in a Grimdark but it exceeds them. Seriously still cannot get over the fact that you wrote this story Scribbler, and I hope you continue to write more amazing stories and more readings for fanfics for even years to come. Seriously words cannot describe how much I enjoyed this fic. Keep up the great work!

10510431

Was that saved anywhere? I came into this kinda late.

nice work

Magpie revamped some halloween songs the other day, one of them referenced this little gem. Two things i remembered almost as soon as i remembered vampiolence. If Voron had just left Octavia alive, he might not have died. And i rlly wish i could've seen Octavia's POV there towards the end

Like, what did he think would happen when he took everything from Vinyl. Everybody knows that if you want to control someone, you need their cooperation to a degree

9212811
It’s called Fangs

I remember hearing the audio version of this story and getting so…intrigued by it, the idea of vinyl being a vampire or…vampony in this instance was also a heavily intriguing idea.

….and don’t even get me started on the made up stories I would make in this universe, seriously they got so wacky that even the fucking Grim reaper got involved but hey, my brain said he was interesting so I guess he was….? (Wtf am I even saying at this point 💀)

What is vampiolence about?

Death is just the only reward left at the end of the mission

10511843
Where exactly is that? I can;t seem to find it on YouTube.

Some folks see it as a total downer ending, but I personally see it as a bittersweet one (still mostly bitter ofc). Octavia is gone and Vinyl has only one motivation for living on, but regardless Voron and Vellum are no longer around and if Vinyl is right about her motive, Voron's influence will be totally diminished.

And I get the worries that she might not see Octavia again at all, but personally? I don't think Pony afterlife will work exactly like it does in most human beliefs. For all we know, Vinyl could be forgiven and reunite with her loved one. That's just my thought though.

Perfect ending.

Still won't stop me from doing a pseudo-alternate ending (inspired by the ending but not directly following the story) where Vinyl somehow resurrects Octavia as a zombie.