Cutie Mark Crusaders: Legend Hunters

by Unicorncob

The Hollow Shades Vampony

The vampony loomed over the two cowering fillies, who could only stare up at her as they had no other place to go. They had read about the powers vamponies had, of enhanced strength, teleportation and the like.
“D-don’t hurt us…” they whimpered, holding onto each other.

Their cowering ceased when they heard giddy giggling, and they looked up to see the vampony was knelt down to their eye level, her red eyes giving off more… excitement.
“Oooh, look how scared you are!” She squeaked in delight. “I have still got it, no~?”
The fillies looked at each other, nothing short of confused. “H-huh…?”
“You both look so terrified,” the mare said with a grin that suddenly made her fangs look not so scary, “I am so happy I can still scare ponies! And just in time for Nightmare Night too~”

Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, starting to calm down. What was all this about? Vamponies were meant to be scary monsters, but this was more like a playful mare. She could even speak!
Unless… “Don’t listen, Scootaloo! It’s gotta be a trick!” She grabbed the bulb of garlic from out of her costume and waved it in the vampony’s face. “Stay back, don’t make me use this!”
The mare turned her nose up and raised her head up from the garlic. “Ugh, garlic.”
“Yeah, we got garlic!” the Earth Pony smirked, suddenly feeling powerful. “Y’all feelin’ yerself gettin’ weak yet?”
“Oh no,” the mare shook her head and gently pushed the garlic away with a hoof. “I’m just allergic to the stuff, my throat swells up when I swallow it.”
Suddenly Apple Bloom felt the power drain from her. “W-well, we got wooden stakes!”
“Keep them to yourselves then, if you please,” she requested, “I’d rather not make a mess of my bedroom.”

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow in confusion. “You’re not acting like you’re going to hurt us…”
“I don’t like hurting ponies,” the mare explained, turning to walk back toward the couch, “it is rather messy and strenuous. Plus, hurting a pair of foals would just make me feel awful.”
The fillies just watched as the mare laid on her side on the couch again, noticing the book and the glass of red stuff on the little table to her side.
“B-but,” Apple Bloom muttered, pointing to the glass, “ain’t that…?”
“Oh, of course it is,” she giggled, and a red aura surrounded the glass as it floated toward her mouth for her to drink from it. “I have plenty in storage, all collected without harming a soul. I used to have such willing donors too.”

The vampony daintily wiped her mouth with a hoofkerchief before smiling. “Oh, where are my manners? I am Countess Kandyl von Akeldama, but you may call me ‘Countess’ or ‘My lady’, or just ‘Kandyl’ if you must. Welcome to my home~”
The fillies, still wary, introduced themselves in return. Scootaloo gulped as she raised a hoof. “Um, do you know you have a creepy, pale monster thing in your castle…?”
Kandyl tilted her head. “Creepy, pale--...oh! Of course,” she rolled her eyes with a knowing smile, then called to the air, “Night Chill!”

A flash of magic popped up before the fillies, and before them stood a pale-coated pony with their back to them. They crept up to the side and saw it was a Unicorn stallion with a rather neatly trimmed mane, and looked rather similar to the monster they saw in the main hallway, now that they thought about it.
“Yes, milady?” the stallion asked, sounding eerily familiar to that monster as well.
“Have you been frightening our guests again?” asked the vampony teasingly.
The stallion turned to look down at the fillies, and suddenly he didn’t look nearly as terrifying. “It was not my intention. I merely wished to greet our unexpected guests. I am Night Chill, head butler and chief of staff of the castle.” He greeted the fillies with a bow of his head and crossing a leg along his chest.
Despite his deep, chilling voice, the fillies didn’t feel that intimidated by Night Chill. In fact, Apple Bloom was getting images of her brother in her head. They both returned the greeting.

“Wait,” Scootaloo muttered, then looked at Kandyl, “there were three of us… where’s Sweetie Belle?”
“Oh, chances are my friend has found her already,” Kandyl giggled.
The fillies looked at each other, before Apple Bloom asked the obvious. “Who’s yer friend?”
The smile she gave the fillies made them feel uneasy.

“You might know her as The White Tail Witch~”