There was a noise at the window. It was something like a rock or a tree branch, somewhere between a pitter-patter and scritch-scratch and just barely too loud to be ignored. It was loud enough to wake a sleeping pony, even in the dead of night.
Throwing off her covers, Apple Bloom climbed down from her bed and made her way to the window, blearily rubbing her eyes as she walked. She cast her half-lidded gaze into the moonlit yard in an attempt to locate the source of the noise as she swung open the glass panes, ignoring the creak of old hinges and the way the wind tousled her bedraggled hair. Her eyes quickly swept across the comfortably familiar scene from her window. When nothing was immediately apparent, she pulled her head back inside to close and latch the window, only to stop half-way as she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
Opening it even wider, Apple Bloom leaned out of the window, placing her fore-hooves on the sill for better support. Squinting to focus her still sleep blurred vision, she gazed fixedly at the trunk of a particular tree, only to find noth– no, wait, there it was again! A small flash of white against black quickly disappearing behind the tree just as she saw it.
Growing curious, Apple Bloomed closed the window and grabbed her bow from her bed-side table. Tying her mane up, she headed downstairs, and out the door. She shivered slightly as the chill of the midnight air brushed against her coat after having become used to the comfortable warmth of her bed. Treading lightly on the wet grass, Apple Bloom hurried to the edge of the orchard, eager to find whatever it was she had seen and then return to her bed and sleep again, this time uninterrupted by strange noises.
Looking around, she saw not much of anything. There was plenty of wood, leaves, and apples, just as there always was, but not much more. Despite this, she kept looking anyway, her curiosity having been piqued. Turning around one of the trees she caught sight of it once more, dashing silently through the rows of apple trees. Darting off after it, she found herself heading deeper and deeper into the Acres.
Apple Bloom didn’t quite notice it at first, but everything was silent, unnaturally so. Even the ever present nocturnal sounds of crickets, toads and owls had stopped. The only sound to be heard was her own breathing and the beating of her hooves against the earth. Piling on a little extra speed, she pushed forward, turning around a bend in the trees quickly enough to catch better sight of what she was following. It looked almost like a tall pony, wearing a suit and moving quickly on long legs.
“Hey! Hey, wait up!” she called, only to receive silence in response. Furrowing her brow, she began running ever faster in an attempt to catch up with her query, only for it to remain just out of her reach and always just around the bend. Had she been paying attention to her surroundings instead of focusing single-mindedly on her chase, Apple Bloom would have noticed that she was getting closer and closer to the edge of the Everfree Forest.
As such, when she finally did make it to the border between her farm and the dreaded wood, she halted abruptly, falling on her face. Picking herself up, she faced the shaded copse of trees that marked the edge of the Everfree. There she saw the pony she had been chasing, standing just far away enough to be obscured by shadow, leaving only his white hooves and black suit visible.
“Hello? Mister? Are ya’ll alright? What’chya doin’ ‘round here, don’t ya know it’s dangerous to be near the Everfree forest? And what were you doin’ on mah farm anyway?” she questioned, only for him to stand stoically just beyond her sight. Angry at being ignored and frustrated from the chase, Apple Bloom huffed and opened her mouth scold him for his silence when being questioned, but stopped when she heard something. Tilting her head, her ears flicking towards the forest, she could just barely make out faint whispers carried on the wind.
They lingered on the edge of her hearing, just loud enough to be heard at all but still too quiet to make out what was being said. Turning her head towards the noise, she unconsciously took a step closer to the forest in an attempt to hear it better. It was still just barely audible, and she walked ever closer, eventually stopping half-way between the trees of the apple orchard and those of the Everfree. Slowly the whispers gained a vague semblance of clarity, and she could barely make out a single word, spoken in a voice as light and substantial as the wind,
‘…..coMe…..’
As soon as the single word registered in her mind, Apple Bloom froze dead in her track, eyes flying wide and a cold tremor of fear crawling its way along her spine. She turned her head to face the forest with deliberate slowness, afraid of what she might see.
In the brief, split-second moment it had taken her to turn her head, he had somehow moved from his spot in the shadows of the forest to be right in front of her, close enough that she was almost touching him, all in complete and utter silence. His pure white coat shone palely in the moonlight, even as his jet black suit and blood red tie clashed with it in a stark contrast. The impossible silent grace with which he moved on his overly long limbs was frightening… but that wasn’t the worst of it, not by a long shot. There was one thing in particular about him, one thing just so incredibly wrong about him that it froze her to the spot in abject terror.
He had no face.
Apple Bloom’s cry of confusion and terror was cut short before it could even begin.
*~-/^\-~*
Sweetie Belle was awoken by a scratching at her door. She rolled over in her bed, hoping that it would just go away. Instead the scratching only louder. Grabbing one of her pillows, she pressed it against her ears in an attempt to block out the noise. Much to her annoyance however, it only seemed to get even louder, until it grated on her ear-drums and drove any hope of falling back to sleep away.
Grumbling, she tossed aside her bedding and clambered down onto the cold wooden floor, irritably making her way to the door. She opened it with a huff, expecting to find Opalescence sharpening her claws on the door frame or some such, but was instead met with only the empty darkness of the second story hallway of Carousel Boutique. She peered down either side of the hallway, only to find nothing. Retreating back into her room, she was shutting the door behind her when she heard the noise again, this time coming from the hallway.
With a curious frown she stepped out of her room, walking through the darkness and looking for the noise’s source. After several minutes of searching during which the noise did not repeat itself she was about to go back to bed when she noticed something near the wall. Stooping low to look closely, she saw a thin scratch in the otherwise immaculate varnish of the Boutique’s floor. It started against the molding where the wall met the floor and trailed off into the darkness somewhere near the stairs leading to the first floor, growing larger as it went until it became a large gouge in the wood.
Such a mark was unheard of in the Boutique. Rarity was meticulous, almost to the point of obsession, about keeping everything under her roof as clean and presentable as possible. She would have been driven up the wall had she seen ugly blemish on her beautiful floors. Curiosity piqued, Sweetie Belle decided to follow the mark and perhaps find out what caused it and be of whatever use she could to her beloved older sister and satisfy her own piqued morbid curiosity.
Treading lightly to minimize the clip-clop of her hooves, she followed the offending mark down the hallway and to the stairs, where it continued onto the first floor, never once letting up from its single unbroken line. Noting the strange and unwavering constancy of the mark, Sweetie Belle never the less followed down the stairs. Her head close to the ground like a blood-hound on a scent trail, she followed the winding and curving path of the mark all through-out the Boutique’s first floor. She was so focused on it, that she did not notice that she had walked all the way to the front door until she bumped into it with her head.
Falling back onto her haunches and rubbing the new bump on her head, she ineffectually glared daggers at the offending wooden portal. She crossly opened the door to step outside and quickly closed it with perhaps a little more force than necessary. Bending down to continue following the strange mark, she found that for some reason it had stopped at the doorway.
Irritated that her searching and the bump on her head had been for naught, she huffily turned to return inside when she heard a soft voice. Stopping, she turned around and gazed down the street, looking for whoever might have spoken. Strangely enough though, the streets were completely empty, save for her. Shrugging, she turned again to go back inside when she heard the whisper-quiet voice yet again, this time a little more clearly. Pricking her ears, she could just barely make out some subtle noises issuing from the alleyway between the Boutique and the building next door.
Curious as to why anypony would be wondering an alley so late at night, she made her way to the small space between buildings. The height of the two buildings was enough to block the light of the full moon, casting the entire space into deep shadow. Despite this, Sweetie Belle could easily make out the shape of a tall white stallion in a black suit hunched over something else that was blocked from her vision.
“Hello? Mister? What are you doing here? Are you lost?” she asked him, concerned. The strange stallion stopped moving as soon as she spoke, and for a moment held perfectly and unnaturally still. Then, ever so slowly, he rose to his hooves and turned his faceless head towards Sweetie Belle.
She disappeared into the darkness of the night without a trace.
*~-/^\-~*
Thu-Thump
Scootaloo was awake in an instant. She knew that sound only all too well. Wasting no time, she bolted out of bed, rushing as quickly and quietly as she could to her closet. Pulling it open, she cringed slightly as it creaked on old hinges, and grasped her trusty wooden baseball bat.
Thu-Thump
Gripping the bat tightly in her teeth, she carefully tip-hoofed her way to her bedroom door, opening it as silently as she could so as not to alert whoever was there that she was awake. Moving as stealthily as she could, she made her way to the front of her house and the source of the noise.
Thu-Thump
She gritted her teeth against the cloth wrappings of the wooden bat in an effort to control her anger. It wouldn’t help to do anything rash now. Raising her impromptu weapon high above her head, she quickly turned the corner to her living room to face whatever burglar was foolish enough to think her home was an easy mark just because it was on the outskirts of town.
Thu—
The sound suddenly and abruptly stopped the moment she turned the corner and the room fell into her sight, cutting off as sharp and jarringly as if the world had suddenly been muted. Without lowering her guard, Scootaloo looked around the room for the intruder, only to find no trace of them. In fact, not a single thing was out place. Not even the thick piles of dust were disturbed. Carefully and thoroughly checking that everything was accounted for, she let out a relieved sigh, shivering a little at the sound of her breath in the otherwise perfect silence.
Simply happy that she had not been robbed instead of being irritated that she had been woken up and put on guard by a figment of her imagination, she made her way back to her room, set her bat by the side of her door, and closed it behind her with a soft click. “I guess I’m just imagining things again,” she muttered aloud, turning to walk back to her bed. Only to walk face-first into the legs of a black suit.
She never even had a chance to scream.
Hey everybody!
First things first: I don't believe in putting author's notes in chapters of stories that get as popular as this one unless absolutely necessary, so if I have anything to say I'll say it in the first comment.
Yes, I realize how short this chapter is. Fear not, this is the exception, not the rule. I don't really even consider this an actual chapter, more like an interlude between chapters one and two. Originally I wasn't even going to write this, the whole chapter was just going to happen in the background, but since you all like this story so much I thought I would give you all a little something extra to show my appreciation. I hope you enjoy it!
Also, I think I shall use my new-found (sort of) e-fame selfishly. So I ask of all of you who are interested, join my group about vampires and other supernatural creatures!
(And here is a picture I found that just fits this chapter too perfectly for me not to show you guys.)
i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r492/InfiniteBrony/Slendermane.jpg
(Fun Fact: I actually play the role of Slender Man in a film my friends and I are making)
~Signed, InfiniteBrony
Slender pony, interesting. Have you ever played the game Slender? I guarantee you'll need at least one other person in the room with you to not get freaked out. Can't wait for this story to update!
PS: FIRST
Holy crap that was creepy. Like seriously. Especially since I just read up on Slenderman a couple nights ago. Word of advice, don't read up on horrors of Lovecraft-ian caliber in the early hours of the night before going to bed. Poor CMC...
Slender Mane is invading everything and I LOVE it!
ive been looking for a good vampire group so why not.
I quite literally just started reading this, and already the new chapter comes up.
Apple Bloom! Didn't Applejack tell you to Never follow strange ponies into the forest?
If she didn't she should have!
What does it want with the Crusaders? If it hurts them...
1024478
Yes I have played it. At 1:30 in the morning. With the lights off.
(My girlish screams woke the neighbors)
~Signed, InfiniteBrony
i never got slender man i mean i know about him and all that but when did people start talk about him and such? who invented him?
1024552 LOL, reminds me of doing the same thing with Dead Space 2, not quite as scary when you're listening to Giggle at the Ghosties
1024445
Will the group be sparkly vamp free?
Not Twilight Sparkle! (this Twilight makes everything awesomer)
the sucky twilight!
Oh goddess, why!? The CMCs are too adorable to be killed by Slenderpony! They didn't deserve that! I mean, yeah they can be unholy terrors at times, but that's no reason to-
/sigh.....I'll finish editing this comment later. Some asshat's knocking on my door. Seriously, who in Tartarus knocks on someone's door at this time of night?....
1024578
The following is an excerpt from the group's homepage:
~Signed, InfiniteBrony
1024552
kill them... all three of them...
or is it?
" ... after have become..." I think you meant having.
" ... to catch up with her query." Quarry is the word you're looking for. A query is a question.
" ... when she finally did make to ..." There should be an it in there, I think.
" ... in a manner the a passerby-by could ..." One or the other. It's like non-melting ice-cream and a hot day: you can't have both.
" Curious as to why anypony would be wondering the streets ..." Wandering is the right word.
Otherwise, great chapter and I look forward to more.
1024590
Oops my bad
dang my lack of reading comprehension!
joined and looking forward to Twilight Dark Adventures
1024597
Thanks for the catch.
~Signed, InfiniteBrony
wait... so he got them... are they dead yet, or will Sanguinelight be able to rescue them and make chunky salsa of him?
............if the crusaders are dead or never found or are altered in anyway without being altered back within 2 chapters then i promise you. i will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and i will cut you. i will turkish torture you (look it up and you will see how bad it is) and then after a week of keeping you alive i will force you to fix the story. if you dont then i will go through some of the worst chinese tortures. once the story is fixed to my liking and the whole thing complete and you computer is burning so you cant alter the story, then you have my permission to die
Just run fools, don't open the door!!
I hate you so much right now. SO MUCH!,
1024552
That was YOU?!.
Good old slendy never lets us down!
Slenderman stole the CMC?
Who ya gonna call?
Somepony else.
Poor CMC.. hope they survive.. >.>
all gone foooreeeveeerrrr!!!!
Aaaaaaaaaahhh!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
Yea... definitely can't go killing off the CMC so quickly.
...Child... I love this Slender Man...
To Mr. Slender: COME AT ME BRO! I'M READY TO DIE!!! ARE YOU?
Though I do not believe I would act quite so strongly as 1024642, I feel I must agree with his overall notion. I understand that this story is meant to be dark. Heaven knows the first chapter sure didn't pull any punches. And honestly I respect this story for that a great deal. It's delightfully atmospheric and very well written, if a little on the purple side. It gets to the point where parts of it actually start to get a little bit scary, which is actually quite rare for me. I dunno, it's just good.You seem to have this down pretty pat. Which I'm glad for because up to this point there has not been a single decent vampire story in all of the brony fandom, with the sole exception of that single chapter of the Monster Mash. This ought to continue just for that really :)
But if you harm the crusaders or otherwise put a premature end to their adorable antics I reserve the right to punch you.
If I read ONE MORE fic with "slendermane" in it I'm going to stab somebody. It was scary like 2 years ago but Slenderman has become overused and annoying.
SLENDER MANE!!!!
static.fimfiction.net/images/story_images/4170_r.jpg
The horror, THE HORROR!!!
6.asset.soup.io/asset/2331/4486_dc3c.gif
Run for your lives!
schneide.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/onoz-omg.gif
Great, it's near midnight and now I can't sleep dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Luna_apple.png
Not gonna lie... Don't like what you did to the crusaders... But, it IS a good story, so I guess I can sort of look past it :p
I just hope that they aren't dead... cause that would make me a sad brony
Preeeeeeeeeee-comment!
First thing to catch my eye, the cover image. Well...
*Steel points to a trickle of blood coming out of his nose.*
I think that explains my thoughts on it.
I am glorious, aren't I?
Relateable, and I'll be damned if I said you didn't look good in that cape and coat.
And stockings.
True.
*The trickle turns into a steady stream.*
You're letting your mind wander, aren't you?
How can I not?
Juuuuust don't let it go TOO far.
Aye, ma'am.
As for the concept, studying the occult and supernatural is always entertaining! Though they really are just stories, they're still good stories! Keeps all the foals in line.
Scaring children to keep them in line? Twilight, for shame!
I don't argue with what works! Besides, they're harmless little stories, right? They'll grow up, and find they've been false, then laugh at their young selves for believing it!
Ohohoho, dear, I think you'll find that the supernatural is quite...'natural' in this story.
And the picture of very sexy me is-
Probably.
Somepony find me a vampire!
Please do. Also, can someone get me a napkin?
*Steel is now standing in a thick pool of blood, most of his clothing stained red from the nose bleed.*
On it.
Obliged.
Well, that was creepy as all fuck. Your writing is staying solid, just a couple of minor mechanical errors. Also, I'm pretty sure Applebloom is one word.
eta: Also, I agree with the others that actually killing off the CMC this early in the story (or at all, really) would be a bad move. Unnecessary character deaths don't usually go over very well in pony fics. I'm assuming that's not what you're doing, though.
1024564 He was created as an elaborate prank by the guys over at Something Awful. I'd say they were pretty successful.
I will make my comment very simple:
You will continue this story.
I look forward to your next update.
I only found out about the Slender man a few days ago, when a friend told me to have a play through slender, without telling me anything about the game first. Needless to say, I was freaked out by him (it?), and you hit his essence weil in this chapter - just straight up creepy.
Two gramatical mistakes that don't seem to have been mentioned above.
As such, when she finally did make t to the border
should be
As such, when she finally did make it to be border
Opalessence sharpening on her doorframe
should that be
Opalessence sharpening her claws on the doorframe
the slender man has been my hero for a long time, and you turn the slender man into a pony?
AWESOME!!! WHEN I SAW THAT I SCREAMED YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!!!! THAT IS SO AWESOME!!! you just made slenderman 20% cooler
also, i was wondering, when will the next chapter be up? THIS IS AMAZING!!! YOU ARE AN AWESOME WRITER!!! plus i want to see what happens to twilight, is she a vampire or something?
"Hello, yes? Assassins Unlimited? I'd like to hire a pair of associates to help me in a certain issue."
*Reads it*
.....I'm scared....
An interlude, you say? More to come, you say? I await the next installment with... an increasing sense of anticipation.
SO SHORT, BUT SO AWESOME.
*sitting in rooming the darkness reading*
noise of sliding wood on wood comes from bed
*jumps and nearly screams*
Oddly enough, another fic starring Slendermane as the Big Bad updated earlier today, a TF2 crossover called Waking Nightmares. The chapters are a bit on the long side, most 10k+ words, but well worth the read if you like that sort of thing (and maybe even if you don't)
1024911
I love comments like this. It's just so gratifying to hear what people think I'm doing right. It also lets me know what people are liking about my stories so I have an idea of what to focus on.
I wouldn't say this is the only well written vampony fic on this site. Nocturne is really good. (although it seems to have been cancelled when I wasn't looking........... dammit.)
1025128
This comment was hilarious. I laughed in a legitimate manner. And it seems that Rainbow Dash agrees with your sentiment.
1025143
Always nice to hear from you, glad you thought it was creepy. I don't know, I've been corrected no matter which way I spell her name.
1025268
How do I keep missing these things? Thank you for catching that.
1025291>>1025325
I love Slender Man as well, I couldn't just not use him for what I have in mind. And I'll update this when I can, but I write really slowly. (I've clocked my writing speed at about 400 words an hour)
And to all of you concerned about the safety of the CMC:
I guess my past works have given you reason to worry as I have proven in the past that I'm not afraid to kill off my characters. But! I would only ever do so when absolutely vital to the plot. Nothing as significant as that will ever happen in this fic with out a legitimate reason.
~Signed, InfiniteBrony
oh god! the cmc contracted genre blindness. i hear the only cure is plot development.