Blood Drop has always been strange to the other citizens of midnight, a small town in the kingdom of nightingale. she has odd coloring, preferrs to be alone, oh and is an alicorn. thing were pretty normal, until she got her cutie mark.....
Blood Drop, or just Drop as many ponies know her, has always been different. She is an alicorn, but she's shunned for it. what makes it worse, is that she's a blank flank. But a recent trip to the moongazer library has peeked Drop's intrest. Hidden deep within the shelves is an old book. A book about Vampires.......
The shadows lay thick against the castle walls. The huge stone palace rose up against the night sky, a black silhouette against the blue. The entire structure was made of onyx, one of the kingdom's most prized minerals.The towers pointed to the clouds above, the spires adorned with silver flags.
On one of the balconies a black alicorn with purple swirls up her long legs and a flowing, purple mane made her way across it and out into the night. There was no moonlight or starlight tonight, at least, not yet. The little white specks in the sky sat there, just as dull and motionless as the moon. Very few ponies outside of the kingdom of Nightingale knew that the moon and stars did not have their own light, but insted were given it by the Queen. It was her talent, giving light to the stars and moon so they may illuminate the night skies. It was something she enjoyed very much, for it brought happiness to her subjects, and would soon bring delight to her first born daughter.
She lit up her tall, smooth horn with it's signature, silver glow and focused on the spell at hoof. Her magic glowed brighter and brighter, eminating the silver glow outwards. Sparks flew from her horn as she drew more power from within herself, squeezing her purple eyes shut. With a blinding flash, a beam of pure silvery-white energy shot into the sky, hitting the moon and bouncing between stars until every single on was filled with her light. They shone brighter than they should for a moment, then dulled back down to a soft glow.
"Moonswirl, you should rest," a stallion's voice said from behind her. The black alicorn turned away from the beautiful scenery below her and smiled at him. Behind her stood a tall, dark blue pegasus with soft yellow eyes and a short, silver mane. His hight rivialed her own, but just barely.
"Then who would bring light to Luna's moon?" Moonswirl asked her husband. "Certainly you would not want the night of our daughter's birth to go without the beautiful glow of the stars?"
"Indeed," he said nuzzling her," but she also needs her mother to be strong, now doesn't she? It would be a shame if she wasn't fit enough to name her own daughter in the morning."
Moonswirl sighed. "You are right, Nightgazer," she said with defeat.
"As usual," Nightgazer chuckled. "Now come inside. It cold out, and you've done your duty to our subjects tonight."
She followed him inside with a nudge and a giggle.
============ Meanwhile deeper in the castle==========
Crystal Fracture slunk through the corridors with extra care. She was on a mission tonight, one that she couldn't afford to mess up. She had snuck into the black palace before, but that was when the guards hadn't been doubled. Queen Moonswirl hadn't been lieing when she had said her foal would be safe. Fracture had spent half the night just trying to avoid the stallions as they roamed the halls. Lucky for her, she had spent years doing stuff like this!
No matter though, because she was going to get her revenge on the Queen tonight for taking her stallion. Nightgazer had loved Fracture before Moonswirl had come to town. The Queen had been just a Princess the first time they met, but she stole Night's heart away from Fracture just the same. Now Fracture wanted to make her feel the same heartbreak she felt, by stealing the new Princess. Moonswirl would know how much she hurt her then when the Queen awoke to find her precious foal gone!
The sound of hoof steps echoed off the walls infront of her. The blue pegasus swept her cloak back to reveal her wings before taking flight. Her wings made no sound as she flew above the guards. She came to a halt again when she had passed them by. As Fracture touched down again on the smooth marble floor, a pair of cherry oak doors rose up in front of her. Painted on the doors was a red ruby that reflected the moonlight like it was real. Fracture snorted quietly with amusement. I wonder how much that costed her? It's not like it will matter thought anyway.
She shook away her thoughts and placed a hoof on the door. With a push, they swung open slowly. A watery, colored light fell across her. Light from the moon poured through a stained glass window that showed another ruby. Of course she had a glass window put in. Fracture thought with an eye roll.
Her hooves tapped lightly on the polished floor as she entered the large nursery. She passed a crown in a glass case, a few toys here and there, even an entire two story book case! Fracture ignored all these luxeries as she came to a stop in front of a crib. She pushed back her hood and rose up on her back legs to peer over the edge. Laying snuggly in the soft pillows was a little red filly with a horn and wings. An alicorn. Fracture pondered for a moment how that was possible when Nightgazer was a pegasus, but dismissed it for her to look into later. She didn't really care about that anyway, all that mattered was the filly was there.
Fracture reached down into the crib and wrapped her hooves around the child. She started to lift her out of the crib when the foal let out an ear splitting wail. Fracture nearly dropped the baby with fright. Her crystal blue eyes widened as the filly cried out, her screams echoing through the halls.
"Shhh!" She frantically hushed the child.
Too late. The sound of galloping, shouting guards reached her ears.Fracture pulled her hood back up and thrust her muzzle into a pocket on the underside of her cloak while still clutching the foal to her chest. She pulled out a small bottle filled with a glowing, lime green liquid. Just as the first grey stallion appeared around the corner, Fracture flashed a smile and threw the bottle at the wall with the window.
The glass bottle smashed open and exploded with a deafening Boom!
===========Back in the Royal Bedroom===========
Moonswirl and Nightgazer awoke with a start just as the sound of the explosion rang out. They both jumped out of the bed and bolted out of the room. Moonswirl opened her large wings a started flying down the hallway. Nightgazer slowly fell behind until she was far ahead of him. She weaved around corners and through hall until she burst past the wall of guards. What she saw next shocked her though.
Standing in the middle of a blasted out wall, stood a mare with Moonswirl's child on her back and a wild grin plastered on her hidden face. The mare flicked out her wings before looking at Moonswirl with hatred filled, crystal blue eyes.
"Stop, foal-knapper!" Moonswirl cried, rushing forward. But she wasn't fast enough.
The mare laughted and hurled herself out of the hole with the filly in hoof, taking off into the night. Moonswirl ordered the guards to pursue her. All the pegasi followed the mystyrious mare out into the cool night just as Nightgazer arrived.
Moonswirl collapsed onto the floor, weeping. Nightgazer hugged her tightly, telling her it would be ok. But she didn't listen. Her foal was gone, and the worse part was, she didn't even get to give her a name.........
"Drop," A voice called from down stairs," get down here! It's almost eleven' o 'clock!"
Blood Drop groaned, shifted under her covers groggily and covered her head with a pillow. It was Saturday, couldn't Crystal Fracture let her sleep till noon? She was sixteen anyway; wasn't it natural for teens to sleep late?
"Blood Drop!" Fracture shouted up into her room. Apparently not in Fracture's mind it wasn't.
Drop lifted her head, the pillow drapped over her tall horn. She blinked her green/brown eyes to clear away the sleep that clouded her vision. Her red and black streaked hair was messy and tangled from all the tossing and turning. She dragged herself out of bed and over to the vanity. A scarlet furred, half asleep mare stared back at Drop from where she stood in front of the mirror. With a yawn, she grasped a brush in her bright red magic and began to comb out her mane.
After that matter had been dealt with, Drop slipped down the stairs and into the main part of the cottage. She was greeted by the familiar sight of her guardian, Crystal Fracture. The blue pegasus looked rather annoyed up at Drop, but it was hard for Drop to take her seriously when she was an entire two feet taller than Fracture. She had been looking down on the older mare since she turned ten.
"Why can't you be like all the other fillies your age and get up at a decent hour?" Fracture asked.
"Because I am not like other fillies my age," Drop replied, walking past her with a flick of her tail. "And I am not a filly anymore Fracture, I am almost a mare."
Fracture trotted into the kitchen ahead of Drop and flew up to the cabinates. She grabbed a box of Oats and Wheat Cereal before flying back down and putting it on the table. "But you're not a mare yet," she said looking back at Drop.
"It's too early for this!" Drop exclaimed, sitting down at the painfully short table and pouring herself a bowl of the cereal with her magic. She was so fustrated, her magic gave out with a Pop and a spark, and spilt milk from the cartain she was holding in it all over the table. Drop's magic did that sometimes, but she could never figure out why.
Crystal Fracture just turned away and trotted into the living room, leaving Blood Drop to clean up her breakfast. Drop snorted angrily after her, hoping that she heard it. If she had, Fracture showed no sign of it as she disappeared into the next room. Insted of finishing her cereal and cleaning up the mess, Drop decided she needed to take a walk to get away from her infuriating guardian. Living with Fracture was like living with porkypines!
With ruffled feathers, she slipped on her glittery, wrap around black shoes, put on her saddle bags, and headed out the door. She probably should have left a note, but Drop would be back soon enough. Outside the cottage, the small village of Midnight was already alive with ponies. Everypony had already been awake for hours while Drop slept in, but it's not like any of them minded. No one really noticed or wanted to be around her anyway. Blood Drop had always been extremely introverted and anti-social, and preferred being alone to being around tons of other ponies. She had read more than once about how having friends could improve your mood and all that other stuff, but she just never saw the appeal.
Drop walked quietly through the many ponies, standing taller than all of them. Some whispered to each other and glared at her while others just completely ignored her all together. She got tired of the stares and opened her black tipped wings, taking to the sky. She flew swiftly over to her quiet place; the Moongazer Public Library. With a click of her shoes on the stone building's entryway, Drop pushed open the heavy doors to the library and entered. Light poured in from outside into the old building, adding to the dim tourches that lined the knowledge filled walls.
The stallion sitting at the front desk jerked his head up and the sudden brightness. His slightly greying mane bobbed limply on his head as he pulled his glasses back up with his blue magic and gazed at the filly.
"Hello, Miss Drop," he greeted her. He was one of the very few poines who acutally talked to her.
"Hey, Parchment." Drop returned the greeting with a sigh as she walked up to the brown unicorn. "Got any new mythology books today?"
Parchment shook his head. "Sorry, I am not expecting anymore for another two months." He bent down and pulled up some other books from below his desk.
"What are those?" Drop asked, eyeing the dusty, aged books with intrest. The spines were cracked and the pages looked yellowed. "They look old."
"Just some books that need to be re-shelved," he said, patting them. "I brought them out to send them to get repaired, but the delivery stallion said they were too old to transport safely. Since you're here, would you mind putting them back for me?"
"Not at all, Parchment." Drop enveloped the books carefully in her red magic, picking it up off the table. "Where do they need to go?"
"Way back there," he said, pointing to a dark area in the library. "I would show you where myself, but I have to go and do a little shopping at the market for some more ink and quills." Parchment walked out from behind the oak desk and over to the door. "Feel free to read anything you want while I am gone, just make sure you leave a note telling me if you check anything out!"
Drop nodded her thanks and waved good-bye to him as he left the library. She then proceded to make her way to the dark area Parchment had pointed to. As she walked between the shadowy, cobweb filled shelves, she was sure she had never been back there before. The farther back she walked, the less light there was, and the older the books got. Eventually the glow of her horn was the only thing lighting her way as she carried the books. Drop stopped when she came to a dead end of shelves. She spotted three holes in the densely packed, musty smelling books. She placed the books in their repective places, then turned around with the intent of leaving.
She stopped in mid-step as the glow of her magic reflected off of something gold at the end of the shelf hall. She thought about just ignoring it and leaving like she intended, but her curiousity got the better of her and she turned to investigate the flash. Drop finally found the source of the golden refection. It was a leather book that looked strangly out of place among all the others. Unlike the rest, the book looked almost brand new. Its golden clasps shone like the sun, and inscribed on the front was the title: Legends of the Night, in ruby writing. That was the only writting Drop saw on the weird object; there wasn't even the name of the author.
Blood Drop decided that something as strange as that deserved to be read, epecially if it was about her favorite subject, myths and legends! She quickly scribbled down a note telling Parchment she found a book while she was putting the others away, and that she was taking it home.She left out which book it was though. If it was back there, I doubt anyone has read it recently.
Satisfied with her small letter, Drop left it on his desk and made her way out the door. She shoved the seemingly new book into her black saddle bags and started to head home where she could hopefully read in peace if Fracture wasn't there. She weaved her way excitedly through the mass of ponies. It was around 1 in the afternoon, rush hour for the small town of Midnight. It was the time of day when everypony took their lunch break. Drop's stomach growled as she thought about food. I did skip breakfast this morning thanks to Fracture. Maybe I should stop to get something to eat at the Starlight Cafe?
She dicided to give into her hunger and stop by the small coffee shop for a quick bite to eat. Her sparkly shoes clicked against the cobblestones as she redirected herself and headed deeper into town. Drop rarely ever came down this way, usually preferring to eat at the cottage away from everypony else. The stares and gossip became much worst when she went down main street, but nothing could be compaired to her tormenter, Candy.
"Well, well!" Speak of the nightmare.
Drop came to an imediate halt when she heard the pain-stakingly familiar, high-pitched voice of Candy. She turned to her left to see the white unicorn with magenta eyes standing just outside of the Spa. Her anoyingly perfect pink hair was curled and streaked with the same color magenta as her eyes. The teenaged filly stepped out of the door way to the Spa and trotted over to Drop.
"Blood Drop, long time no see," she said, faking the inocent tone in her voice. "Where have you been holed up lately? In the grave yard?"
"Go away, Candy," Drop said tensely. "I don't want any of your cruel humor today, I just came to get something to eat. After that I am going home."
"Why, the old timer not have any good vampire books for you? Or did you fail yet again to get your cutie mark?" Cand jabbed.
Drop turned her markless flank away from Candy, covering it with a flare of her wings. She didn't like being one of the only teens to not have a cutie mark; It was just as embarssing as being the only alicorn. Her anger boiled just under her fur. Drop had a bad habbit of loosing her temper quickly, whick was another reason ponies avoided her like the plague. She had once broken someponies nose in grade school because they teased her about her name and color, and then immediately got sent home. Sadly that pony hadn't been Candy though.
"Leave me be, you anoying filly!" Drop snapped, lighting up her horn threatingly. "Unless you'd like to get a pretty new cast to go with that hair-do!"
"Oh, bite me Drop," was all Candy said before galloping off. One of these days i will! Drop thought as she watched the unicorn run.
After that, Drop quickly make her way angrily to the coffee shop and perchased a small latte and a cranberry oat muffin before heading home. She approched the vanilla and light brown colored cottage carefully, wondering if Fracture even noticed she was gone yet. If she had, Drop was in for an extreme lecture about not cleaning up her mess and leaving without telling her. But as fate would have it, the blue pegasus was nowhere to be seen.
Without a second thought, she kicked her shoes off and bolted up the stairs in the event Crystal Fracture was there and just hadn't noticed Drop's absence quiet yet. The scarlet filly plopped down on her round bed, set her lunch down on her side table, and pulled out the book she had checked out. With her wings strewn out becide her, she inspected the book. She tried opening it, but it appeared to be locked shut by the golden, bat-shapped clasps. With a quick sip of her drink, Drop got up and searched for something to open it with in her vanity's drawers. She came back with a screw driver, only to discover something written on the back that hadn't been there when she last looked.
Only when first blood has been shed, will the bats take flight and unlock the secrets of the everlasting night
"What the hay is that supposed to mean?" Drop asked herself, taking a bite out of her muffin.
The sound of the door slamming shut below her shook the house. Drop stashed the weird hard-cover under her pillows as hoof-steps came from the staircase. For a second, she questioned why they had stairs when both her and Frature could fly, but then remembered that the house could have been built for Earth ponies and Unicorns originally, not an alicorn and her pain in the tail, pegasus guardian.
As Drop thought, she noticed that the sound of hoof-steps were heavier than they should have been if Fracture was trotting up the wood planks. Pegasi With a forbodding feeling making her shiver, her horn glowed to life with a protection spell at the ready. The shadow of a colt showed against the cream colored wall as Drop readied her surprize attack on the intruder. The first hoof was placed upon the floor boards and-
"Polar!" Drop exclaimed as she let loose her spell on the colt.
The young, light blue stallion dropped to the floor as the red beam of magic passed just over his head, grazing his mane with a sizzle. "What they hay, Drop?!" he said as it bounced off the wall and out the window.
"Great stars, Polar," Drop said helping him up off the floor. "You know not to sneek up on me like that!"
Polar Ice was Drop's second, and only other friend in town. He was a very, light blue Earth pony with a platinunm blond mane and sky blue eyes. His cutie mark was an weather map. He was the only Earth pony Drop knew that was able to predict severe weather days before it happened. In other words, he was like a pony-fied early warning system for the citizens, which was very helpful.
Unlike in most other countries, the weather within the kingdom wasn't controled by the pegasi, it just did what ever it wanted. It's not like the winged ponies were lazy, it was just impossible to manage; so they just let it go and do it's own thing. The seasons also changed by themselves, just to be clear.
Polar smiled sheep-ishly at the teenaged filly. "Sorry about that. I forgot about what happened the last time I came in unannounced."
"You'll forever have that bald patch to remember me by," Drop said, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "Now, why did you come here?"
"I saw Candy giving you a hard time, so I thought I'd come and give you a little company." Polar looked down the stairs. "I didn't see Fracture when I came in though," he said.
Drop shrugged and sat back on her bed. "I don't know where she went, but as long as she's out of my mane for a few hours, I am ok with it." She pulled her book out from underneath her pillow again.
"That's new, when did Parchment get that one in?"
"He didn't," Drop said shaking her head as she put it down on the desk. "I found it in the very back with a bunch of really old books while I was helping him out. It really stood out, and not just because it looks almost completely new."
The colt eyed the book with intrest. "Maybe it is new and Parchment just put it in the wrong place?" He suggested, running a hoof over the locks. "Isn't he always misplacing books anyway? It wouldn't surprize me if he just happened to put this on the shelf with the others."
"That's the weird part, Polar." Drop flashed her green/brown eyes at him as she explained. "The books back there were so tightly packed and covered with dust, it would be impossible to put anything new in there. Even the books I put away had perfect sized, designated slots on the self, and also, everything looked like it hadn't been touched in decades!"
"Strange..." he said. "Well, what ever the case may be about it's weird appearence, it here. Have you read it yet?"
Drop shook her head again, picking it up in her magic again and bringing it up to eye level so Polar could read what it said on the back. "I tried already, but the bat locks keep it shut. I can't open it unless I can decipher what this creepy riddle means."
Her friend studied it closely, flattening his ears in concentration. After a while Polar snatched it out of Drop's magical grasp and sat on his hindquarters with a thump! "I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I am sure if this thing is as old as you claim it to be, then the locks should snap easily with a little brute strength. I am an Earth pony, so that should be no problem for me."
I am part Earth pony, too, genius! Drop thought, scruntching her nose up as he fumbled with the locks. He tried to pry to covers apart by wedging his hooves in between them. With a yelp of pain, his hooves slipped out from between the still closed book covers. The inferal thing dropped to the floor as Polar jerked his legs back. Along the length of his left hoof was a nasty slice from the sharp pages. Blood tricked from the cut and dripped onto it's leather binding.
Drop gasped as the blood spattered on the library book. "Polar, look what you've done to yourself and the book!" she snapped, picking it up off the floor rather discustedly. She really didn't like the sight of blood. "Go get that cut cleaned with the first aid kit in the bathroom while I clean your nasty blood off this!"
Polar nodded and limped down the stairs while Drop set the book on her vanity and grabbed a towel to clean it off with. As she leaned over it, the clasps came open with a small click and scared the fur off of her. She stumbled back into her bed, bumping into it and falling head over hooves onto the floor. With a groan at her own jumpiness, Drop heaved herself off the floor and inched back over to the book. The scarlet staining the cover had disappeared, strangely enough. It was almost as though the book absorbed it. When first blood is spilled! She thought, looking at it in awe. It must only open when blood is spilled on it.....how gross!
The sound of Polar coming back upstairs startled Drop out of her thoughts. The sudden urge to hide the book came over her. It was more than the fear of Fracture finding out why she left the house this time, it was the need to keep whatever information the blood book contained a secret. Drop yanked open one of her drawers and shoved the leather bound book inside, hiding it under her clothes franticly. She slammed the drawer closed and jumped onto her bed as her friend entered the room.
"Blood Drop, you alright up here?" Polar Ice asked.
"Yes, never better!" Drop sprang up and trotted over to him to keep him from going any farther into the room. "W-why do you ask?"
"I heard what sounded like a hundred pound alicorn hitting the floor." He looked at her strangely. "Did you get the book cleaned off?"
Drop nodded quickly and started pushing him down the stairs before he started asking more questions. "It's getting late Polar. Fracture will be showing up any second, and I don't want you to get into any trouble with her," she insisted, trotting down the stairs with him. "I'll see you tomorrow, ok?
"Sure, Drop," he said, opening the door. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head when you fell?"
"Positive!" Drop gave him a push out the door. "Bye, Polar!"
The confused stallion just nodded slowly, and with another odd glance back at Drop, he turned around and left. She quickly shut the door behind him and pressed her back to it with a relieved sigh. As Drop sat back, the need to protect her book faded, leaving a very confused filly leaning against a door. Why had she all of a sudden go from a cool and collected teen, haging out with her friend, to a nut house pony who needed to be alone.
Blood Drop awoke the next morning to the smell of delicious drifting up into her room. She sniffed the air and blinked open her eyes. She glanced at her clock. It was 8 a.m. With out giving it a second thought, Drop got up out of bed and made her way to the main floor. She didn't bother to stop and brush out her mane; she wasn't planning to go anywhere anyway today.
Her hooves thumped against the wooden floor as she walked into the kitchen, still half asleep. The sun shone through the windows brightly, giving the cottage an unusual, cheery feel. Drop glanced around the kitchen for the source of the amazing smell. that certainly can't be Fracture's cooking. Maybe she acutally did something nice for me and picked something up while she was gone yesterday? she thought, searching for anything at all.
Fracture had come home just after Polar had left. As Drop had expected, she gave the red filly a lecture about cleaning up her messes and leaving with out telling where she was going. Drop took all of it as a grain of sand and told the mare that she understood and wouldn't do it again. After that, the rest of the night had gone on normally.
When she found nothing in the kitchen that seemed to be eminating the odor, Drop turned around to leave. Maybe she was just imagining the smell? Just as she started out the walkway, something caught her eye. Something blue was laying on the floor. Slowly Drop turned her head to look at the object.
An ear piercing shriek rang out as Drop discovered the dead body of none other than her guardian on the floor. Crystal Fracture was sitting in a pool of blood in the corner the kitchen. Her light blue eyes where lifeless and staring at the ceiling, her face frozen with a look of complete terror upon it. Scarlet matted her neck fur, most of it fresh and coming from two puncture holes in her neck. Drop was sickened and horrified at the sight of the mangled pegasus, and almost threw up when she descovered that it was the origin of the wonderful smell.
"Isn't it apsolutely delicious looking, Blood Drop?" A mare's voice asked behind her. "Frature was a little bitter, but still good just the same."
Drop's own blood went cold as she gazed upon what looked like a grusome image of herself. The clone appeared to be her, and not her at the same time. It had her mane and fur color and her alicorn given height, wings and horn. But this Drop also had electricity instead of a scarlet aura crackling around her horn. Long, sharp fangs protruded from her upper jaw, her chin and fangs were covered in blood, and cold red eyes stared back at her.
The real Drop took a step back and powered up her horn, cowering away from the copy's appearence. "Stay back, what ever you are!" Drop said, pointing the tip of her horn at her doppleganger.
The other Drop chuckled, her unnatural teeth glinting in the dimmed light. She took a step forward, towering over her now.
"Don't act like you don't recongnize me?"
"No, I don't!" Drop snarled back, her horn sparking.
"well, that's unfortunet then," the clone purred in her weird, doubled-toned voice. "But no matter, you and I will be very aquainted soon enough."
"What are you?"she demanded, preparing to fire a bean of sizzling magic at her clone.
The red mare smiled malicously at her. "You," was all she said before lunging for Blood Drop's throat.
Drop screamed bloody murder and bolted upright in her bed, breathing hard and sweating from the nightmare. It was still night outside. She glanced at her stair way as the sound of hooves came pounding up them. Fracture came to a skidding stop at the top of the steps, wildly searching the room for a threat. After a while, the frantic mare realized the situation, sighed, and walked over to Drop.
"Again, Drop?" She asked, sitting down on the embaressed alicorn's bed. "That's the sixth time this week. With you waking me up by screaming every night, I am surprized the neighbors haven't started sending complaints to the mayor yet."
"I don't know what's causing them, Fracture," Drop whispered, hugging her blankets to her chest. She may not be the best of friends with her legal parental guardian, but Drop still would never want to see Fracture die like she had in that dream.
Every night since Drop had first opened Legends of the Night, she had started having horrible nightmares about vampires. She had been lying to Fracture about not knowing the source of them, but she really didn't know how a book could scare her so much. Drop didn't want her book to be taken away before she had a chance to inspect its contence, most-likely due to the fact that whenever somepony even came near its hidding place, she had the urge to protect it. But one thing she did know for sure about the book if she wanted to keep it; she needed to get it out of the house before Fracture could find it.
"Maybe you should see a doctor?" Fracture suggested while Drop was thinking.
I can't see a doctor if nothing is wrong with me! she thought, franticly looking for a way out of a visit to the hospital.
"I am sure it's just stress," Drop said, forcing herself to calm down. "I am going to take a walk outside and get some fresh air."
Fracture nodded and got up. "Don't stay out there for too long though, you need sleep."
Blood Drop agreed hastily and waited for the pegasus to leave before getting out of bed. She quietly trotted over to her vanity and pulled out the book. It still looked brand new, the only thing different was that it was now openable. Drop walked downstairs and out the door with her book tucked underneath her large wing. She didn't even bother to put on her shoes as she left the cottage.
The light of a full moon shone into the town, illuminating everything with a silver glow. Queen Moonswirl must have put an extra powerful charge in her spell tonight. It was completely deserted, but most ponies would decide to take a stroll and two in the morning anyway.
Drop galloped strait through Midnight until she came to the edge of the devoid village. Just in front of her stood the begining of the Timber Wood forest. It was similar to the Everfree Forest in Equestria, but the Timber Wood was slightly less dangerous. Numberous ponies in the town entered the forest safely on a daily basis. The forest was Drop's second resort when it came to getting away from the judgmental residents of the town. It was so thick with trees and undergrowth, unless you went in with another pony, you weren't likely to see anyone until you were just a few feet away. This factor made it ideal place for her to start reading her book in peace without being dicovered by a wandering hiker.
With a flick of her mane, Drop set off into the forest. She lit up her horn to see in the trees when the canopy became too thick and blocked out the moonlight. Plants grabbed at her ankles and snagged in her tail as she walked past them. Night animals rustled around in the tree tops near Drop, mostly bats and racoons. The forest was just as alive at night as it was in the day.
Up ahead, moonlight shone through the tree tops and into a clearing. Drop sped up her pace until she broke through the foilage. Silver bathed her mane and open wings as she let her horn glow flicker out, taking in a deep, satisfying breath of cool air. It was mid-spring in Nightingale; the air was still chilly at night. Blood Drop released the breath and strode to the middle of the clearing gracefully. She had always preferred the nightime to the day. It was quieter, more calm than that of the hot afternoons. The animals seemed more inclined to move around and show themselves. The best part was, Drop had it all to herself tonight.
The red filly laid down in a cluster of flowers and pulled the book off her back with her magic, setting it down in front of her. With both curiousity and fear, Drop opened it.
Ledgends of the Night
Beware to all those who wish to look upon the secrets of the night.
"I wonder if i should save this for another day?" Drop wondered to herself as she read the warning. "Maybe Polar could help-"
She stopped as her eyes found the first page. Written in perfect caligraphy was a spell:
Curse of the Everlasting Night
Through sorrows tale I've found the might, To call upon the moon's great light My heart shall stop, My breath be no more, Till midnight comes to call my soul My life goes on where others have ended, My enemies shall fall, Their will shall be bended Blood for Blood, Light for Dark, I give up life's final spark In turn I am given the dead's great might, And shall come forth as the Everlasting Night
Drop as said the words to the curse, her horn lit up. It sparked, pulling her attention from the page. She tried to cut off her magic, thinking it was just her alicorn magic acting up again. Drop stood up and foucused on snapping her power, but it flowed forth against her will. The spell! it must be because of the spell! She thought fearfully as the moonlight strengthened with her growing powers.
Pain exploded from her chest as the light intensified, making Drop clutch at it with a hoof. Magic swirled up from her horn, seeming to mix with the moonlight as she crumbled to the ground again, agony ripping through her body. Her eye sight started to get fuzzy and blackness pushed at the edge of her vision. Drop cried out from the pain weakly, still holding her chest.
Her heart beat started to slow down as the pain increased with the magic in the air. Red lightning cracked across the tree tops from her horn. Drop's breath was coming in ragged gasps now and the blackness was pressing against her skull, her heart pounding in her ears faintly. The air became cold as the light became too much for her to bear.
With a final breath, Drop closed her eyes and let the dark take her.
Blood Drop shifted on the grass and squeezed her eyes shut tighter. Her head hurt and she was hot beond reason. The sunlight seemed to be seeping through her eyes lids, making them burn. Every muscle in her body screamed with pain as she lay there, sprawled out in the middle of the clearing. Slowly, Drop opened an eye, only to cringe away from the early morning sun. She shielded her eyes with a hoof, making the brightness a little bit more tolerable. She opened her eyes more and glanced around the forest. I must have fallen asleep when I came out here to read and calm down last night after that nightmare woke me and Fracture up. Drop thought while getting shakily to her hooves.
Her ear twitched as she picked up the sound of a deer in the trees and the branches seemed especially creaky that morning too. Something bumped her fore hoof as she took a step toward the tree line in an attempt to head back home. The Legends of the Night book was laying in the grass, flipped open to the first page and the Curse. Drop straitened up when she remembered about the night before and how she had accidentally cast the spell written in the book. She shivered when she recalled how painful it was and how it felt like her heart had been stopping. I wonder what it did to me?
With shaky, flickering magic, Drop lifted the book off the ground and tucked it back under her wing cautiously. She needed to give it back to Parchment before some else bad happened. Destroying it also came to mind, but that might have been a bit too extreme. Besides, if the spell had any side-effects, Drop might need it later to figure out what had happened and/or how to fix it.
With her mind made up, Drop flicked open her wings and grabbed the book in her magic. Grunting from her aching muscles and uncomfortably hot skin, she rose into the sky and flew above the trees. The sun seemed to be too hot for early spring, and it hurt her eyes still. But despite the heat and her burning body, Drop flew surprisingly fast. Everything below her raced past in a blur, and before she knew it, she was above the town. She banked left and came to a spiraling halt on the edge of town
Her hooves made no noise as she landed on the street. Drop closed her wings and tucked the book under her one of them to hide it once again. She set off at a brisk trot to the library, not noticing the stares of the other ponies today. In fact, Drop felt quite confident for once as she made her way down the street. She was an alicorn for Moon's sake, one of the most powerful ponies in all of Nightingale, which was something to be proud of! It felt great to not worry about what other ponies thought about her breed, or that she was different. My kind rules over them. Queen Moonswirl is an alicorn, and they don't shun her. Princess Starfall is one too. They should be bowing before my very presents in the same area as them! She thought with conviction. Drop was so caught up in her newfound pride, that she didn't notice the weird thumping noises going in the background.
With her head held high, she came to a stop in front of the library's large stone doors. She pushed them open as she imagined Candy kneeling before her, begging for Drop forgiveness for all the horrible things the white filly had done to her over the years. Parchment jumped up as the doors were slammed open by the scarlet filly. No, I am a mare now.
"Oh, Blood Drop!" he exclaimed as she strode in. "Back again so soon?"
"Hello, Parchment!" Drop said, putting the book on the desk.
As soon as she set it down, Parchment snatched it off the desk with his magic. He looked at it with fear, then back up at Drop. "W-where did you find this at?" he demanded shakily.
Drop furrowed her brow. "Back there with a bunch of old books," she said, pointing to the dark area with a hoof. Her confidence had melted away the instant the dusty brown unicorn showed the concern he had over the book.
"Be honest with me now," Parchment said, examining its cover before looking over her. She avoided making eye contact with him for some reason. "Did you cast any strange spells from this book, Drop?"
"Why do you need to know?"
"Because it is very dangerous if you did, especially with the alicorn magic you posses." He stepped out from behind the desk. "Did you cast any spells?"
She shook her head. "No, I didn't," she lied, still avoiding his eyes. She was sure he would see that she was lying to him if she did. Drop noticed the book was once again locked shut when she stole a quick glance. "Look, I couldn't even get it open!" she pointed out.
Parchment set the book down and walked up to her cautiously, eyes narrowed and searching. He inhaled sharply when she saw his eyes wander to her flank. "Give me your hoof, Drop." He held out his hoof.
Drop stuck her fore hoof carefully and he took it. Almost instantly Parchment recoiled at the touch like she had swiped at him. He backed up right into his desk, looking like a cornered animal.
"Liar," He whispered with cold hatred as he finally met her eyes. "Leave at once! You are not welcome here!"
Blood Drop backed up fearfully as he pointed an accusing hoof at her. "Parchment, I-I don't understand what's going on!" she pleaded. The sound of something beating filled her ears as fear rose up in the back of her throat.
"Be gone, demon!" Parchment grabbed one of the torches in his blue magic and held it out in front of him. The noise got louder until Drop's ears were filled with the sound. He's gone insane! she thought, cowering away from the flames.
Drop turned tail and fled from the deranged stallion. She heard him yell something after her, but it was drowned out as the sound of a million thumping noises flooded her senses when she ran out of the library. She tired to block them out, but she just couldn't. She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized what the sound was. I can hear everyone's heart beat! Drop thought with a sickening feeling, staring out into the sea of ponies. What has that spell done to me?
"Hey Drop," Polar's voice reached through the endless noise.
I can't let him see me like this! She thought franticly as the colt approached her. Drop took off in the other direction with lightning speed. She galloped past the buildings in a mad dash for her home. She didn't know what was happening, but she had to get away from everything! Her hooves flew over the cobblestones until she came to a screeching halt in front of her house. Drop yanked open the door, almost pulling it off its hinges with her magic, and bolted inside. There she was once again pressing her back up against the door, the only exception was that this time, Fracture was staring at her.
"Goodness, Blood Drop-" Fracture started.
"I know, I was out later than I was supposed to be," Drop Intercepted her guardian before she could say anymore. "I can't tell you why, but I fell asleep in the forest, and ever since I woke up, things have been very strange today."
Fracture shook her head. "Yes, that is a good point, but that's not the reason I said that." She gestured to Drop's blank flank. "You got your..ummm..cutie mark?"
Drop turned her head to look at the image that had appeared on her fur. Where a once vacant area was, now sat a bright red drop of blood forever imprinted on her flank. Just like my name.... she thought, also wondering if that's what set Parchment off. Maybe it had something to do with the...Curse?
Fracture gingerly touched Drop's shoulder as a form of comfort, but pulled it back with a shiver. "Great stars," she said. "Drop, you're freezing!"
"I feel fine though," Drop said looking over herself. It was true, she didn't feel cold. Come to think of it, she didn't feel warm either. She felt.....room temperature.
"I am getting you a blanket. Go to the kitchen and start making yourself some soup, I think you caught a cold or something." Fracture hurried into the living room to search for a blanket. It was the very first time the pegasus actually sounded concerned for her.
Drop followed the mare's orders just to make her feel better, and to keep her from asking any questions. She pulled a can out of the cabinet and poured the contense in a bowl. While she turned the oven on, Drop's throat started feeling dry. She looked in the fridge and pulled out a glass of juice and downed it in seconds. The drink did nothing to satisfy the burning that had started up. Drop poured herself another glass and again drained the cup with in a few moments. Her thirst just clawed at her throat now and her stomach growled loudly. Before she could pour a third cup, Fracture came into the room and lay a blanket on Drop's back.
Blood Drop went ridged as the sound of Fracture's heart beat echoed in her ears. Her previous nightmare rolled across her memory. The wonderful smell of the blood invaded her senses, making her mouth water. Her hunger gnawed at her belly when she thought of the gruesome scene she had witnessed in the dream. Drop no longer felt revolted at the idea of blood. In fact, It sounded.....good. Then something sharp slid against her teeth and pricked her lower lip, snapping Drop out of her thoughts. She needed to get away from Fracture at that exact moment before she did something she would regret.
"Ummmm, Fracture," Drop said, careful not to show her teeth. "I think I am going to lie down for a while. I'll eat later."
"Oh, ok." Fracture glanced at Drop with concern. "Just call if you start to feel worse or need anything."
Blood Drop nodded and trotted up the stairs and into her room. Throwing off her blanket as quickly as she could, Drop ran to the mirror and looked into it. This can't be happening! Drop stood in front of the mirror with horror. Set where two normal teeth would have been, two long, sharp fangs protruded from her gums. She knew exactly what the curse was now, and what her cutie mark meant.
========================================
The next morning, Drop awoke to agonizing hunger pangs and her throat burning. To make it worse, the mid-day sun streamed in through her windows, making her skin prickle with discomfort.
The night before she had told Fracture not to come into her room because she feared that she might catch what Drop had. Fracture had agreed without question to Drop's relief. She knew with Fracture out of harms way, her mind would be a little more at ease and able to deal with the current things happening. Take the thirst for blood as a good example.
Drop closed her thick curtains with her magic and moaned. Her new fangs had been unsheathed all night, and unable to retract them, she cloudn't leave the cottage safely without someone noticing them and her cutie mark. That also meant she couldn't find something to stop her throat from burning like it was on fire!
She had tried everything in hopes that her worst nightmares hadn't come true because of that stupid book. Not matter how hard she tried, Drop just couldn't find anything that told her it was just a virus. She had stopped trying to cast reversal spells when one of them just suceeded in almost blowing a hole in her wall. After that she had given up and faced the truth, she had the Curse of the Everlasting Night. In normal pony terms, she had been basicly killed and brought back to life by dark magic to become what Drop classified as a vampire. The strength, the speed, the fangs....the thirst, it all added up perfectly much to the red filly's fear. The only thing that was missing was the red eyes.
Drop let her head fall into her feather pillow and groaned. It was all too much for her to take it. She didn't want to hurt anypony. You should want to though, afer all they've done to you. Drop thought with anger, lifting her head. they teased me, shunned me, somepony even threatened to attack me at one point because of the fact they thought I was unnatural and that only ponies from the royal family can be alicorns!
She rose up from her bed and walked over to the full length mirrior she had in the far corner of her room and stared into it at herself. A mare stared back at her, tall and proud. It was not the same Blood Drop she had grown up seeing in the mirror. This one was different, this Drop would be pushed around or told she wasn't supposed to be alive. The old Drop was weak and scared, afraid to show them that she was worthy of being an alicorn. Not anymore though.
"You've been tortured all your life because of something you couldn't control." Drop told her reflection, her anger rising. "Heck, you aren't even Fracture's daughter! Nopony even knows where you came from!" She stamped her hoof on the floor, making the wood splinter beneath it. "They reject me for no reason, and they can! But if they didn't want to respect the old me, then they'll learn to fear the new me. It is their turn to run away, and my turn to shed some blood." But if I want to be strong, I must find blood, and I know exactly where to get it.....
Drop raised her head and sent out a tracking spell. Scarlet exploded from the tip of her horn in a ring, going out in every direction. In a moment, the location of her first victim ran through her thoughts like a map with the image of the pony. The picture faded as a fanged smile crept across Drop's face. Look's like it's time to pay Candy a well deserved visit......
