Vampirism

by Someguy458

Chapter 3: Accept-Ants and Punishm-Ants

"...and that's when Luna came out and knocked us unconscious," Rarity finished recapping the events of that night. The others in the sitting room they'd moved to were smitten by the story.

"Woah," Spike commented, "dude's got some serious guts, running away like that. I know what it's like to feel different from your own species, but this..."

They all regarded the sleeping Changeling, who had been relocated to a nearby chaise lounge. "I'm so sorry, Rarity," Twilight apologized. "If only I'd been the one to greet you at the door, I might've been able to deduce what was going on, and I could've prevented this whole thing!"

Rarity waved her good hoof. "It's in the past now, darling. What's important now is that we're all on the same page."

Celestia reflected over what she'd just heard. "I'd say there's still the important issue of your infection, too," she pointed out.

With that comment, Rarity was suddenly reminded of the dull, throbbing pain in her injured hoof. She looked down at it, seeing that the skin around the bite was beginning to harden and turn black. "Ah yes, that... See, I was hoping that Twilight might be able to figure out a cure by taking a blood sample or something, then –"

Twilight cut her off, "I tried while you were knocked out." She levitated a vial of green blood into view, shaking her head. "It's completely resistant to my magic. And if Thorax says there isn't a cure..."

Rarity's heart sank. "Then that means..."

Twilight nodded. "I'm sorry, Rarity; we can't fix this."

That was the straw that broke the pony's back. Rarity began to tear up, whimpering. "I'm... I'm gonna... G-gonna turn..."

Celestia and Luna nodded solemnly, taking Twilight's word.

Rarity fearfully stared at her slowly transforming hoof, dreading to think of what would happen next. Would she lose who she was? Would she become shunned by society? What would her parents think of her? What about Sweetie Belle?

Finally, she couldn't hold it any longer; the tears started streaming down her face as she began to mourn the inevitable loss of the pony she'd worked so hard to become.

Twilight and Spike rushed over immediately, wrapping Rarity in a tight hug. "Rarity, it'll be okay," Twilight reassured her.

Rarity sobbed, "Th-that's what I told Th-Th-Thorax before he was at-t-t-tacked..."

Twilight and Spike gave each other a nervous glance, then leaned further into the hug. "If it makes you feel any better," Spike began, "This won't change my feelings towards you."

Rarity sniffled. "Thank you, Spikey-Wikey..."

Celestia allowed them a good while to get all their feelings out, before she spoke again. "Now, there's still the matter of Thorax himself. Intentional or not, he's permanently affected an Element of Harmony, and there needs to be repercussions. Seeing as you're the one who got hurt, Rarity, it only seems reasonable that you should decide his fate."

Rarity looked up from the group hug, thinking it thoroughly. "I'll wait until he wakes up, and then I'll decide."

Celestia nodded.

---

When Thorax awoke, he was surprised to find that he was atop a fancy chaise lounge, in an eloquent sitting room.

He was even more surprised to find Rarity silently sitting in a fancy chair and staring at the fireplace.

"Rarity?" He asked, rubbing his eyes. "Where am I? Where'd the Princesses go?"

"They're waiting outside," Rarity replied, barely any emotion in her voice.

Thorax reeled at this. "Are you okay?"

She vacantly shook her head. "There's no cure."

Even though Thorax had known this already, his heart still burst at her tone. "I'm so, so sorry, Rarity. Believe me, if I could go back in time, I'd make sure this didn't happen."

She looked at him for the first time since he'd woken up, and he flinched at the tear stains he could see under her bloodshot eyes. "It's okay, I don't blame you; you were only acting in self defense."

Thorax got up from his seat, and approached Rarity. "But still! I attacked you, and now you're turning into a Changeling, a-and..." He began to tear up, too, but he kept going, "And I'll do anything I can to make it right. Whether you lock me in a dungeon or banish me to the furthest reaches of Equestria, or lock me in a dungeon in the furthest reaches of Equestria, I won't argue."

Rarity looked up at him, an idea jumping into her head. "Will you help me through this?"

He did a double-take, then smiled. "Of course."

She reached her hooves out, silently asking for a hug. Thorax gladly accepted.

Comments

[Goldspoon]

Yah know, changelings can change. She could just change into her pony self and live one without a change.

[Someguy458]

10570112
Next chapter will actually address a bunch of these concerns

[WhatShouldIDo]

10570112
Yeah but they have to eat love

[Goldspoon]

10571353
Her friends love her, her family loves her, your point?

[WhatShouldIDo]

10571736
We don’t know how it exactly works. It could be harmful or something, idk.

[Someguy458]

10572219
I'm going with the popular headcanon of "feeding off idle emotions isn't harmful, but forcing emotions out to feed upon is."

So basically, yes, the love Rarity's friends and family share with her will be enough to sustain her (if she can get past the initial wave of shock and fear, that is...).

[Greenhorn]

Twilight and Spike gave each other a nervous glance, then leaned further into the hug. "If it makes you feel any better," Spike began, "This won't change my feelings towards you."

Rarity sniffled. "Thank you, Spikey-Wikey..."

By the way, you think you can change into a dragon once in a while?

[Yoshifan30]

"Woah," Spike commented, "dude's got some serious guts, running away like that. I know what it's like to feel different from your own species, but this..."

And probably that's why thorax Spike and Gabby have in common with each other given the reputation of their species did not give out a good vibe

[Yoshifan30]

Okay that's kind of sad but also heartwarming at the same time so anyway Rarity explained about why Thorax was here and basically it was an accident on his part and it looks like the princess is okay with the situation but she wants to give still a punishment but she will give it to Rarity to make the choice for him and she was going to ask about the Cure but Twilight gave her the bad news that there is no known cure of her transformation Rarity was devastated knowing to the fact she will never be a pony again Twilight and Spike wants to reassure her that everything will be okay that they will get through this but she has to explain to her family and then thorax woke up asking Rarity what's going on but she told her the news that she can ever be cure and thorax felt even more guilty what he did to her but Rarity wasn't too upset and it looks like they're going to help each other out

[Feynna]

Rarity looked up at him, an idea jumping into her head. "Will you help me through this?"

He did a double-take, then smiled. "Of course."

Aww... how heart-warming.

[horses are fuckin weird]

Seeing as you're the one who got hurt, Rarity, it only seems reasonable that you should decide his fate.

that sounds rather... ominous.