Vampirism

by Someguy458

Chapter 4: What Makes A Pony

The next morning...

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie stared in horror at the slowly spreading infection on Rarity's leg. Fluttershy looked anywhere else.

"So, lemme get this straight," Applejack finally spoke up, "Ya found a Changelin' in an alleyway, an' the only thing ya thought ta do is stand there an' gawk at it?"

Rarity blinked. "W-wait, that's the part you're concerned about?"

"Of course Ah am!" AJ snapped, "This wouldn'ta happened if ya hadn't frozen like a deer in front'va train!"

Rarity cringed at her friend's outburst. "He just looked so scared; I didn't know what to do!"

Rainbow butted in, "Call for backup? Use your magic? Do literally ANYTHING else?"

Rarity was about to respond, but Pinkie Pie moved in close, staring the dressmaker straight in the eye. "Are you telling me that there's been somepony new in town for a while now, and I haven't greeted them yet!?"

Rarity stammered out a half-coherent response. That seemed to be enough for Pinkie, though, as she immediately dashed off to retrieve her Welcoming Wagon.

The fashionista finally reassembled her brain into a working order and shouted out, "Is nopony concerned about the fact that I'm turning into a Changeling, and there's nothing we can do to stop it!?"

Everypony flinched at her words, before Applejack stepped up. "O' course we're concerned, Rarity. Yer goin' through some strange process that ya don't really understand, an' Ah understand that it scares ya."

Rainbow chimed in, "But just because you're physically changing doesn't mean you won't still be you! You're generous, overdramatic, hyper-romantic, and above all else, you love turning ugly situations into beautiful ones!"

Fluttershy nodded. "We love you for who you are, not what you are."

Rarity put her good hoof to her heart, touched by the sentiment. "Oh, girls, you have no idea how much that means to me!" She grabbed all three of them and gave them a big group hug.

It was at that moment that Pinkie Pie returned, Welcoming Wagon in tow. She looked at the group and whined, "Aw ponyfeathers, did I just miss a group hug!?"

They all chuckled, then parted to let Pinkie join in.

---

Rarity led Thorax to the front door of the Carousel Boutique, where the rest of the Elements of Harmony were waiting (and Spike, too). "Are you really sure this is a good idea?" Thorax asked warily. "Considering last time, I'm not so sure anymore."

Rarity chuckled. "Don't worry; this time, I've already told them about you."

Despite it having meant to calm Thorax's nerves, it only heightened them. "Did you tell them everything? Even the part where I, y'know, bit you?"

She patted his shoulder with her hoof, which was becoming darker by the hour. "They know it was an accident."

He calmed down for a moment.

That moment ended when they entered the building, and Rainbow Dash and Applejack approached. He withered under their scrutinizing glares as they scanned him.

Rarity saw how uncomfortable he was, and knocked the two lightly over the heads. "Girls, please be considerate! I assure you that Thorax here is quite nice, but you're making him feel like... Well, like a criminal!"

Applejack rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry, jus' makin' sure."

Rainbow Dash concurred, "Yeah, we're just looking out for the others. Wouldn't want him to turn out to be a spy or something... No offense."

Thorax, now somewhat more relaxed (but still downtrodden), put a hoof to his chin in thought. "Y'know, you kinda remind me of my brother."

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

The Changeling elaborated, "He's kinda harsh and blunt, but I know he ultimately cares about me."

Rainbow looked surprised, but ultimately nodded.

Fluttershy, in a surprising show of bravery, approached them. "Uhm, m-m-mister Thorax?"

"Yes?" Thorax replied hopefully.

The timid mare took a deep breath. "I just need to know: will Rarity's transformation be painful?"

He flinched, obviously not prepared for that question. "W-well, I, uh – y-you see, it – Erm..."

Everypony stared at him worriedly.

Finally, he sighed. "I'm told that the wings growing in is the most painful part."

Rarity tensed up. "H-how painful, exactly?"

He cringed. "About as painful as box cutters piercing out from inside your back..."

Rarity looked at her back, where those wings would soon be developing, and shuddered at the thought. Fluttershy looked absolutely mortified.

"Th-thankfully, the rest of the process is more 'freaky' than 'painful'," Thorax clarified.

AJ watched him as he spoke, and once he finished, she nodded. "Thank ya fer bein' honest, Thorax."

Thorax blinked. "Why wouldn't I be honest?"

AJ opened her mouth to respond, but every argument she thought of sounded problematic now that she was actually thinking about it. So instead, she opted to simply say, "Yeah, yer right."

A momentary lull in the conversation followed. Taking this opportunity, Pinkie Pie rushed forward and cheered, "Welcome to Ponyville, Thorax!"

The bug in question jumped momentarily, but calmed down when Pinkie Pie presented him with a slice of cake. "Oh, thank you so much!"

"No problem-o!" Pinkie smiled broadly. "Anything for a new friend!"

Thorax took a small bite of the cake. Then he proceeded to devour the whole slice with his second bite. He moaned with pleasure as he used his long, forked tongue to lick stray frosting off his face. "This is the best cake I've ever tasted!" He cried out, starting to tear up from the pure ecstasy.

Pinkie blushed. "Aw, thanks, Thorax! I put extra love into it!"

Thorax responded by grabbing Pinkie Pie in a huge, friendly hug. Rainbow Dash gagged slightly at the display; AJ was too shocked to react; and everypony else was moved to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

However, a shrill scream rang out through the air, cutting their moment short. Everypony turned to see Sweetie Belle, who'd just come home from school, staring wide-eyed at the scene before her. In the next moment, the little filly had disappeared back from whence she came.

Rarity jumped up and called out "Sweetie Belle, wait!" as she ran after her sister.

Thorax blinked. "Who was that?"

Twilight explained, "That was Sweetie Belle, Rarity's sister."

Thorax gasped. "She has a sister?! Now I just feel worse...!" He let himself fall onto his rump, staring dejectedly at his hooves.

Fluttershy saw how down he was becoming, and rushed forward to hug him, only to stop before she actually made contact. "It's okay, Thorax; Rarity will explain everything. Sweetie's a good kid; I know she'll act maturely once she knows what's up."

Thorax wasn't convinced.

---

Rarity quickly found her sister cowering behind the trash can outside. "Sweetie Belle, darling, it's okay! Thorax is a friend."

Sweetie said nothing; instead, she stared at Rarity's blackening hoof.

Rarity caught her gaze and reassured, "Don't worry about me; it's just a..." She hesitated, torn on whether or not she should lie.

Finally, she stated, "Look, Sweetie, I'll be straight with you: I'm turning into a Changeling."

Sweetie Belle gasped, but Rarity continued, "But let me make one thing perfectly clear: it wasn't Thorax's fault. He's been shunned and outcast, he was fearful for his safety, he... He acted out of self-defense, he–"

Rarity was interrupted when Sweetie Belle lunged forward and grabbed her big sister in a hug. "Wh-what's gonna happen?" she asked, her squeaky voice trembling.

"I..." Rarity hesitated. "I don't exactly know. From what Thorax has said, I'll still be me, except... Except as a Changeling now."

Sweetie looked up, tears forming in her eyes. "Are you scared?"

Rarity was taken aback by the question. It took her a moment, but she stammered out, "Y-yes, Sweetie, I'm scared... I'm scared of how I'll cope, scared of how I'll be seen by society... But mostly, I'm scared for you."

Sweetie Belle gasped, then smiled warmly. "Rarity, don't worry about me; I'll be fine. No matter what, you'll always be my big sis."

Now Rarity was tearing up, too. "That's a relief to know. But just promise me one thing."

"Yeah?"

Rarity looked her sister straight in the eye. "No matter what happens to me because of this, please don't hold it against Thorax."

Sweetie was dumbfounded. Usually, Rarity would be upset with anypony who so much as stretched out one of her dresses. But now, she was asking Sweetie not to be upset with the Changeling who'd corrupted her biology and her life forever?

Then movement caught Sweetie's attention. She looked over and was surprised to find Thorax meekly peeking around the corner. In the moment their eyes met, Sweetie Belle saw Thorax's insecurities, fears, and sorrow reflected in his eyes, and she instantly understood. "O-okay, sis," she finally replied, nuzzling deeper into the hug.

---

After that all wound down, Rarity proceeded to give Thorax a tour of Carousel Boutique. She brought him through the show floor, the kitchen area, the laundry area (that one he seemed to take a particular inclination towards), and the upstairs bathroom.

Rarity finished the house tour by showing Thorax where he'd be sleeping: in a sleeping bag (borrowed from Applejack) in Rarity's workroom/bedroom. He took to it like a cat to a warm lap, thanking Rarity vehemently.

Once Thorax had gotten settled in, Rarity made her way to the bathroom. As she began taking off her make-up in preparation for bed, she noticed that her horn had elongated and curved slightly.

To be perfectly honest, the idea of becoming a shape-shifter was starting to grow on Rarity. It'd certainly help her with making sure her outfits looked good on their clients. It still had the societal drawbacks, but if worse came to worse, she could just transform into her pony form while in public.

Rarity studied her now-curved horn, allowing herself a hesitant smile, before heading off to bed.

Comments

[Greenhorn]

"Of course Ah am!" AJ snapped, "This wouldn'ta happened if ya hadn't frozen like a deer in front'va train!"

Way to go Applejack. Can we count on you to say this to the Princesses after the Storm King Invasion?

[Yoshifan30]

Okay things are going smoothly so far so Rarity introduced thorax to her friends and sure there was some mixed feelings but other than that it was good and I did like how Pinkie Pie was still opening up to newcomer but then suddenly Sweetie Belle showed up and saw what's happening and she freaked out Rarity explain this whole situation to her and nothing would change it was a sweet moment between them but when they got home thorax is living with Rarity at the meantime but it looks like the transformation is starting right now especially her horn this is going to be a long day for her