Equestria's Dark Shadow

by InTheStands

Unexpected Company

Chapter 9: Unexpected Company

If Barnabas, bat or otherwise, could describe the cottage's interior in one word, it would be warm. Warm not only in regards to temperature, but the general air of comfort and contentment that it seemed to bring. This, combined with the pegasus' readiness in welcoming him in, and the various animal shelters outside, indicated to him that needy creatures were a frequent occurence at this dwelling.

As he continued to mentally struggle for the pegasus' name, the equine in question spoke up again, her voice slightly above a whisper. "Now...usually I don't like going up to the attic. But I know lots of bats like to stay up there. Just follow me." She began to walk towards the stairs before realizing the flying mammal remained sitting on the floor, looking at her with his head tilted. She walked back up to him. "You're not tired? Then...maybe you're hungry. Could you please wait here? I'm sorry, but it's been so long since I last fed a bat." With that, the pegasus turned and stepped into a doorway, which Barnabas assumed was the kitchen. Turning back to where she was, however, gave him a startle.

There, standing where she was not a second ago, was a small white rabbit. And it didn't look happy to see him.

Before Barnabas could squeak out a response, the rabbit began making several gestures and movements. The bat reasoned that it was some sort of sign language, and the message was clear: Harm the pegasus, and suffer the consequences.

The bat chittered, accusing the rabbit of not knowing what he was dealing with. The rabbit's response was to silently laugh. Narrowing his eyes, the bat outstretched his wings and let an enormous cloud of smoke rise up from around him. The rabbit's amusement quickly turned to shock, then horror, as a new, taller being replaced the small bat.

The lapine stared up, his mouth open, before jumping into the air and letting out a shrill squeak before bounding into the same doorway the yellow mare stepped into a moment earlier. Barnabas simply stood as he heard the declaration of, "Angel? What are - wait! What's gotten you so scared?" The vampire then heard the sound of wood slamming; The rabbit had shut itself into a cabinet, he had assumed.

He then listened as the pony spoke again. "Oh, Angel. You're not scared of the bat, are you? We've had bats before, and they never bothered you." Barnabas braced himself as he saw the shadow moving from the doorway, followed by the appearance of the pegasus, her head turning away from the kitchen and into the living room as she spoke. "I'm so sorry. Angel usually isn't like that around - AAAAAAAHHH!!!"

The vampire raised his hands in defense. "Please! Don't be alarmed! I've seemed to have had a travel accident and only ask if you could be so kind as to-"

Thud.

"...Faint." Barnabas finished his sentence, but he feared the unconscious pegasus now laying before him heard none of it. Exhaling, he spied a flower pot on a table. Gently tipping it over his hand, he let the water seep out before setting the pot down, kneeling over the yellow pegasus, and splashing the liquid on her face.

Gasping, the mare sat up sharply, looked up at the intruder, and screamed again. "What do you want?! I thought Princess Luna took you to Canterlot!"

"She did," Barnabas answered, stepping back. "But I left and found my way here."

"For what?!" She trembled. "I don't have anything! Except my...blood...oh no!" She began to cry. "Please! Don't hurt me! Who'll look after the animals?!"

"Harming you was the last thing-"

"What about my friends?!"

"Your friends will wake another-"

"I know you have to do it, but PLEASE-"

"Look into my eyes!"

The pony stopped, her mouth agape and her eyes tear-stained, as she stared at the waving hand in front of her. The vampire continued. "Now...I only wish one thing of you. In the name of all that is rational...please...calm...down."

Letting out a sniffle, she shut her eyes, shook her head, and gasped. "I...I'm sorry." She rubbed her eyes with a hoof. "I should've let you talk."

Barnabas stood back up. "It is forgiven...of course, if you pardon my rather unusual way of entrance."

She gave a look of confusion before it dawned on her. "The bat! It was you!"

"Indeed."

The pegasus stood back up, hiding part of her face in her pink mane. "Barnabas? Is that your name?" He nodded. "Mine's Fluttershy."

"Well...Fluttershy," Barnabas practiced the name, putting emphasis on the 'T's. "Before I explain myself, I believe there's still the matter of a rabbit in your cupboard."

"Angel!" Fluttershy gasped, then sped back into the kitchen, leaving the vampire to wait for her return.

That and the possible retribution at the hands of a small forest animal.

§§§

After a few minutes of Fluttershy keeping Angel from lashing out at their guest (with Barnabas watching in wonder as the pegasus overpowered the rabbit simply by staring at him), she sat down on the couch, inviting him to sit next to him. Barnabas obliged, despite the obvious fact that the piece of furniture, while sturdy, wasn't built to accomodate somone of his figure.

The next minute was comprised of the pony and vampire simply looking at each other. Finally, Fluttershy whispered out. "If...you're not here to...drink my blood...what are you here for?"

Barnabas cleared his throat, fixing his ascot. "As I was starting to say before you had fainted, I had left Canterlot as a bat, on my way to Ponyville. Unfortunately, a swarm of bats had knocked me off course, and to your home, here."

"What's in Ponyville? Um...if I could ask."

"I seek the service of a dressmaker - and one of your friends, I believe. Rarity?"

"Rarity?" Fluttershy seemed to brighten up, standing up from the couch. "I know where she is! I could take you there!"

"In plain sight of other ponies?"

"...Oh. Um..." The pegasus thought for a moment. "Do you think you could turn back into a bat?"

The vampire stood up. "I'll need to rest for a short moment. But it is possible."

"Okay. Wait here, I'll go find a cage big enough for you to spread your wings." She moved to a stairway in the room.

"One more thing before you go," She heard him say. She turned to face him. Stepping closer, he stated, "I understand you and your friends wanting to help me...but it seems out of all of them, you would be the one most hesitant to do so. If I recall, upon our first meeting, I threw you into a tree."

Fluttershy let her mane hide her face as she recalled this incident. But she then moved it away as she responded. "To be honest...you didn't have any idea what we were going to do to you. I've met lots of animals that got angry when they were scared." She paused. "And I forgave you for it last night."

Barnabas was taken aback. "So quickly?"

Fluttershy only nodded as she gave the tiniest smile before moving back to the stairs, ascending the steps this time. Barnabas, meanwhile, sat back down and pondered. He knew now of their wanting to help him.

But what should he think about their (or, at the very least, Fluttershy's) ability to so easily pardon him?

§§§

Ponyville at night was a familiar sight to Barnabas. However, it looked quite different in the perspective of a bat hanging upside-down in a cage carried by a yellow pegasus.

Fluttershy carried the morphed vampire through the village, making sure to stay close to the street lamps. Fortunately for the both of them, the mare knew a practical bee line for their destination, and arrived much sooner than Barnabas had anticipated.

Even with the ground where the sky should be, the vampire gazed at the strange building. The closest object he could compare it to was a large, towering merry-go-round converted into living space. Near the top of the building were the trademark horses of a carousel. And judging from the two large, circular windows, there was activity in the structure.

Fluttershy put down the cage, checked to see if anypony was looking, and opened the small door, letting the bat out. In a blast of smoke, the supernatural being was on two feet once more.

The pegasus approached the door, putting a hoof to her chin in worry. She brought the hoof to the door, only to lightly tap on it. No answer. She tapped it again. No answer.

"Might I ask what you're doing?"

Fluttershy looked up at the vampire. "I don't want to disturb her is all."

Looking at her with incredulity, Barnabas replied, "I believe the idea is to make certain they hear the knocking. Here - allow me." The mare stepped aside as the vampire knelt slightly so as to be at level with the door, and gave three sharp knocks on the wood.

"Just a moment!" Came a feminine voice from within. A second later, light seeped out as the door opened slightly, a white hoof gripping it. "Fluttershy?" The same voice asked. "What's the matter, darling? Is one of your animals loose again?"

"It's...not so much something left. More somepony came back," Fluttershy answered. Putting her hoof on the door, she opened it wider to reveal to Barnabas a familiar white unicorn mare with a curled, purple mane. Her blue eyes widened and her irises shrank as she noticed Barnabas standing right next to the pegasus. She stammered in horror before putting a hoof to her mouth. Fluttershy continued. "He came to my house and said he was looking for-"

Fluttershy squeaked as Rarity shot out from the house and flew straight into Barnabas, pinning him onto the ground. The vampire was startled as he felt the burning hate emanating from the unicorn. "You absolute RUFFIAN," Rarity growled out. "If you've harmed a hair on Fluttershy's head..."

"He didn't!" The pegasus protested. "Check me over if you have to. He didn't bite me or anything!"

Rarity looked at Fluttershy. Realizing she was telling the truth, Rarity's glare softened. "So then why is he here?"

Barnabas grunted at the pressure of a full-grown pony on his chest, getting her attention. "I seek your tailoring services. I am in need of clothing to shield me from the sunlight."

Barnabas wasn't quite sure what happened next, other than the following: Rarity gasped in realization, jumped off of him, helped him up, and began apologizing profusely.

"You must forgive me!" She pleaded after her laundry list of almost every possible way to say 'I'm sorry'. "I just...expected the worst is all."

The vampire simply nodded. "To be honest...madame, being pinned to the ground isn't quite as insufferable as being buried underneath it."

Rarity sighed in relief. "Oh, but where are my manners? Come in, if you wish."

Barnabas turned to Fluttershy, who said, "Go on. I have to get home and...see if Angel's going to have any nightmares tonight." Fluttershy picked up the cage she used to transport the vampire, and walked away, again sticking to the lamp posts.

As the vampire turned, knelt slightly, and entered the doorway, Rarity led him through the foyer and into a rather large room. All around him were bits and pieces of fabric, a sewing machine, three round mirrors, and several horse-shaped mannequins.

Rarity cleared her throat, making sure Barnabas was watching her. "Normally, I don't take orders at this late hour, but for you...welcome to the Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique!"

He continued to look around the spacious room. "It certainly is unique, I will admit. Most horses I've seen don't quite have as much of a selection of attire as you seem to have laid out." He furrowed his brow in realization. "Now that I think of it...not many ponies I've seen HERE so far have clothes at all."

Rarity brushed this off immediately. "Most of my commissions come from Canterlot and those seeking that extra flair for any parties they may be going to. But enough about they're here for..." The white unicorn's horn glowed a light blue as a red pair of glasses floated from a desk and onto the bridge of her nose. "Why don't we talk about what you've come here for, darling?"

"Ah, yes..." Barnabas thought for a second. "As I said before, there were several articles of clothing that helped protect me from the...unfortunate effects the sun has on those of my kind. Obviously, those clothes were not with me when I was spirited away in this...Equestria. But Princess Luna referred me to you by name."

"Princess Luna?" Rarity beamed slightly at this recongition, but then thought of something. "But...they know you're here, don't they?"

"...Princess Luna does," Was his answer.

Rarity was skeptical, but nonetheless trotted to her sewing machine, making sure it was in working condition. "Very well. Now, obviously, I can't create anything without knowing what it is I'm creating. Could you be a dear and fetch that sketch pad? I need at most a basic drawing of what to make."

Barnabas quickly found the pad in question. Picking up a pencil and taking a seat, he tried his best to remember the outfit, letting his memory guide the pencil on the paper. "It shouldn't be too hard. The coat I'm wearing now? Imagine that, but all black instead of this dark green."

Rarity turned around to look at him, more specifically, his coat. "Black, you say? Hmm...I should have enough for a coat like that, but...no, no."

"No what?" He looked up at her, his sketch almost complete.

"Well..." The mare sighed. "As much as I want to help you, I can see I'll be using quite a bit of fabric. And I simply must have a way to recuperate those costs."

"Ah...monetary recuperation, I assume?"

"Please don't be angry with me, it's just-"

"What sense is it to be angry at someone who simply demands payment for their work?" He stood back up. "You've done a great kindness in being willing to help me alone. I will find a way to repay you. Remember that. But also remember that this..." He held out the finished sketch for her to see. "Is the only thing that helped me retain a sense of normalcy after being...turned."

Rarity, listening to his promise, nodded in understanding. "Alright then. Mr..."

"Collins. Barnabas Collins."

"Collins. I'm afraid I'll need your coat for tonight - just to make the necessary measurements."

The vampire swiftly removed his coat, folded it, and handed it to the unicorn, who encased it with her magic. Looking over the coat, something else popped into Rarity's mind, causing her to gasp. "Oh! They already took your coffin to Canterlot! Where are you going to rest until I'm done?"

His response was to look up at the ceiling. "Simply direct me to where your fixtures are the most sturdy. I'll take care of the rest."

Rarity again looked at him in disbelief until caving in and directing him to the quietest route to the attic.

Comments

[Scarletmenace]

Yay! A update