> The Vampire Protection Program
>  by InkHeartBrony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Oh this'll be fun
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stood on the edge of the fire escape. Underneath my hooves overgrown moss and vines crept along the stone building, the darkness of night kept me hidden from view, but Luna's stars and moon gave me enough light to see in the eerie silence and the slight wind that whistled in my ears.

Below late night taxi's flew in the streets as very few ponies walked and often stumbled with a drink in their hoof and a drunken grin on their face. 

I was three stories up the apartment building, wearing my dark cloak which concealed my saddlebag full of the right tools I needed for this Manehattan trip.

I turned my head to look around the pole, and into the dimly lit room of the apartment. The window was open just a crack, and I pushed it slightly to open it just wide enough for me to sneak in.

I quietly stepped through, and found myself in their bedroom, with the bed empty and white sheets thrown aside. Dirty clothes were strewn across the room with the occasional lime lying around on the floor. 

The owner of this room seemed to have a certain taste for limes, meaning I was in the right apartment.

I glanced at the door, still closed with no sign of a pony coming through it.

I looked at the drawers, made for clothing but might be hiding what I need.

I started to open the drawers frantically, searching and making the room even messier than before.

"Come on, come on!" I whispered to myself, frustrated. "It has to be here somewhere!"

"Is this what you're looking for?" A new voice said.

I looked at the door, and saw it open, with a mare standing in the doorway, leaning against the wall with a smirk on her face. Her coat was bright lime green and her mane was bright blond and poofy held up in a bun with a large black bow. On her head was her horn, and her dark blue eyes looked at me with amusement.

In her hoof dangled exactly what I came here for, one rusted gold key dangling from a keychain. 

I still didn't know why she had taken it in the first place, why she needed it or how she even knew it was there. I had used the key once and found an important spell book, but kept it closed to save for more important times. Times like these, and now when I truly needed that book, when I truly needed the key, it was stolen from me by this mare. 

Yeah, really convenient timing.

"Didn't know vampire's had such a taste for limes." I said, kicking forward a lime in front of my hoof.

"Didn't know nerds climbed into ponies homes and stole their things." she raised an eyebrow.

"Well that's because it's not your's. You stole it from me and I'm here to take it back, Sour Tart."

"Are you sure about that?" she tilted her head. She chuckled, and closed her eyes, opening them to reveal crimson red eyes. Her pupil reduced to a thin black slit like a snake's.

"Well I don't want you finding that little thing, hmm?" she grinned, baring her fangs and hissing.

I cracked my neck and opened my wings, flying straight at her and crashing into the next room, she found herself lying against her bookshelf with books falling on her head, while I took the the key right from her hoof with a simple flick of my magic.

I hit her in the jaw with my hoof and she groaned. I turned around, not seeing as a book fell into her hoof and she clutched it. She stood up, and hit the book against the back of my head.

"Go read a book!" she yelled, and hit me as hard as she could. I didn't even flinch or move. I turned around, and picked up a nice big dictionary from the floor. 

I looked at her with disappointment, and raised an eyebrow with a look that said nice try.

"Yeah..." I said, looking into her not-so-fierce, glowing red eyes. "That won't really work."

I raised the book above my head and my torn cloak fell to reveal my face. My messy mane dark as night with a purple and bright pink stripe through it, with my lavender coat a bit tangled and messy (and a bit muddy too) from clumsily falling in a bush earlier, and professionally rolling into the mud with a sigh.

My dark purple eyes stared into hers with an amused look. The same amused look she wore only a minute ago, that I stole from her just like this key.

I slammed the book down and her body was crushed into nothing more than a cloud of dust. Well, the dictionary doesn't get all the credit, I might have zapped her with magic as well.

Strange that she didn't use her own magic to prevent her death, but I ignored it. Another monstrosity dead, and I got what I needed.

"Maybe you should learn to read first." I said to her, smirking.

I put my hood back over my face and concealed myself underneath it.

I left the apartment and flew off into the midnight sky and made my way back to The Golden Oak library in Ponyville, with the key jingling in my bag.

No vampire messes with Twilight Sparkle.





I searched in the spell section. Pushing aside books and hardly glancing at the covers. I wasn't looking for a book, I was looking for a key hole, well, with a book behind the keyhole.

I had discovered it once, somewhere in this section of the library, where exactly it was, well- "Aha!" I said aloud.

Beside me I held up the gold key in my pink magic aura. I moved some more books away to give me more space, carefully I inserted the key into the keyhole, and turned, listening to the sweet sound of that simple click.

I let go of the key, and used my magic to tug on the drawer and open it. 

I put my hooves up on the lower shelves for me to see the book inside, and tugged it out of the dusty old drawer.

I wiped it with my hoof and blew on it to make the dust fly off. I smiled at flipped through the pages until I found the spell needed. 

I turned around and walked away from the drawer, shutting it and once again concealing it behind books.

On the floor were the books I had basically thrown around the room looking for the drawer.

I carefully read the pages, with each word and each letter beautifully written in ink with the author's graceful hoofwriting.

Hoofwriting that would make Rainbow Dash gag and fly away, say it's just too fancy for her.

I heard my front door creak open, and I greeted my five friends. I looked behind me to see Spike entering the room from downstairs with a look of concern on his face.

"Did you find the book?" he asked, standing next to me. I yawned and nodded.

"You must be tired from staying up all night looking for it."

I blinked, confused for a moment. "Oh yeah, I looked through these shelves a lot last night."

I totally didn't leave the house last night.

My friends, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, and most importantly- Fluttershy, made some sort of circle around me and all looked at me with concern.

Glad I had found the book on time and read through it enough.

I cleared my throat, "So there's good news and bad news. The good news is that I've found a spell that can get the vampire fruit bats to stop wanting the suck the juice from the apples."

I held up the book in front of me, and checked the writing once again. The pink glow of my magic lighting up my face with it's close proximity. I put the book down, and walked over to Fluttershy to reveal the bad news.

"But in order for the spell to work, I need the bat's full and complete attention." I turned my head, and looked at Fluttershy to make she she listened carefully to my words and understood.

She gasped, and turned away from me, putting up her hoof and covering her face with her mane shyly.

"Oh, no." she said. Yep, she knew what had to be done.

"Fluttershy, I need you to do your stare on the bats." I said, trying to be straightforward.

"Oh gosh," she looked down, "I don't know."

Suddenly, from behind Rainbow flew in front of me. That wild rainbow hair being the only thing I could see now.

"What's the problem?" Rainbow asked, I tried to look over her to see Fluttershy, who looked rather intimidated by her friend. "You've used the stare plenty of times before." Rainbow put her hoof down, and leaned her head forward, making Fluttershy lean her head back in reply.

"Yes," Fluttershy said, walking past Rainbow, "but it's not something I take lightly." she closed her eyes, and continued speaking, "I've made a vow not to use it except in dire circumstances."

Applejack walked up and stood next to her just as she finished talking. Glaring at Fluttershy, she said, "This circumstance is plenty dire to me." She leaned her head forward, and Rainbow did too, both of them getting in front of Fluttershy.

"Me, too!" Rainbow added, hunkering down on the floor and looking away as if she had experienced something traumatic. "Think of the cider!"

She got up a bit to sit down and raise her hoof over her head dramatically, "won't somepony think of the cider!"

She put her head to the ground as tears welled in her eyes, her last words were a bit shaky.

Fluttershy raised her head, "I'm sorry, I just don't like the idea of taking away the thing that really makes the vampire fruit bats-" she took in a deep breath, "-vampire fruit bats." and put her head close to Applejack's who leaned back, looking at Fluttershy stubbornly and annoyed.

"It just feels wrong!" Fluttershy claimed, looking up.

I looked over at Rainbow, who was still curled up on the ground, Pinkie and Rarity now stood there, and every pony looked at me when I began talking.

"But if we don't do this, there won't be any apples left for anypony here in Ponyville." I looked at Fluttershy, "Doesn't that feel wrong too?"

I watched Fluttershy, waiting for her to answer, and she looked around at all of us, scared and afraid of what she was about to say next and what we would think.

But she needed time, and couldn't answer us until later.

And that is where this adventure truly began.

When she said, 'Okay, I'll do it'.
> Pot Head
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Almost a week had passed since that incident. The incident that I couldn't get off my mind.

Fluttershy had become something I never imagined, she became a bat pony. Not something you wanted to mess with.

Some ponies got bat ponies and vampire ponies mixed up. Bat ponies were just regular ponies really, with scary yellow eyes and bat wings, totally normal. But they definitely didn't have a craving for blood- oh, no. If they did drink blood, why would Princess Luna have them as guards?

Vampire ponies have significant differences, they will, with no hesitance, drain you of your blood, and stare at you with those glowing red eyes.

But what disturbed me was this, Fluttershy hadn't become a true bat pony, and she hadn't become a true vampire. She seemed to be a mixture of both.

That's just what I couldn't figure out. Why I couldn't get it off my mind. It was a spell mishap, that's what I assumed. Just a spell gone horribly wrong sort of thing. 

But something felt off, but I couldn't figure out what. Being one of the many hunters, I had a job, and right now my job was to figure out what was going on here. What that spell had truly done to her, why, and really dig deep into the science of it all.

It wouldn't be a problem anymore since the spell was removed from her, of course. But curiosity was basically scraping my neck with it's teeth. I couldn't escape that curiosity, and I couldn't really bash it on the head with garlic to make it shut up.

I just needed to ignore it, I told myself. I needed to shove my face back in this book, and ignore my thoughts.

Wait, what am I reading, anyway? I just grabbed a book at random and tried to distract myself, but it didn't seem to be working.

I flipped it over and read the cover.

Fifty Shades of Neigh

Bleh, I can't read this!

I mean, I've already read it four times! (and don't ask why)

I threw the dumb book on the floor of my room. I looked up at my clock, listening for a moment at the ticking.

The constant, constant, ticking until it drove me mad. 

"Uuugh!" I groaned, and rolled over a little too far. I crashed face first on the ground with a thump, taking the bed sheets with me.

I stood up and rubbed my head, removing myself from the crumpled blue, star patterned sheets and throwing them back onto my bed with frustration.

That's when I heard it. The frantic, scared, loud banging on my front door.

I teleported downstairs and approached my door, opening it, and finding nothing.

Nothing but the darkness outside and a slight chill.

"Raah!" somepony yelled and slammed their body into mine, pinning me to the ground.

I was about ready to sock this pony in the face, until I saw who it was.

Somepony familiar, with a grin on her face, fangs that hung from their mouth and wings wide open in a terrifying matter.

"Rainbow Dash!" I said, pushing her off of me.

Rainbow fell onto the ground, holding her chest and kicking her hind legs up in the air as she laughed so hard tears came to her eyes.

"Oh! Oh! You should see the look on your face!" she laughed wildly, uncontrollably, to the point where she made me crack a smile.

Rainbow popped the plastic fangs from her mouth and threw them on the ground. She wiped a tear from her eye and looked at my sour but amused expression.

"Rainbow." I said, "it's the middle of the night! What are you doing?"

That's when another body crashed into me, but this time from up above.

I groaned, feeling the large fluffy pink mane brush against my leg.

Pinkie Pie giggled and said, "Roar!" in a not at all terrifying way.

Rainbow put a hoof to her mouth and tried to contain her laughter. Pinkie giggled and hopped off of me.

I stood up, looking at Pinkie who growled at me, with a plastic wolf nose on her muzzle and a gray wolf tail over her regular tail, which indeed, looked strange.

"Roar! Twilight, I'm big and scary, and will nom nom you!" she said, not very big or scarily.

Rainbow chuckled, "Pinkie you came in too late! You were supposed to come in right after I tackled Twi!"

I groaned again, putting my hoof to my forehead. But my eyes shot wide open, when I heard a howl somewhere in the midst of town.

"Woah." Rainbow said, looking in the direction of the sound. "Timberwolves?" she asked.

I gulped, and played along with that. "Y-yeah." I said, "Get inside."

"Aaaw!" Pinkie pouted, "I wanna play with the puppy!"

I rolled my eyes, and pushed her through my open door. Rainbow followed close behind and shut the door behind us.

"That sounded pretty close." she said.

"Yeah. It wouldn't be good if they were in Ponyville for some reason..." I looked down.

I knew for a fact that that howl did not belong to a timber wolf. It sounded much too close, and timber wolves rarely left the forest.

"Well then we'll go out and defeat the beast!" Rainbow said proudly, putting one hoof on her chest and raising her head high.

"Um, no." I said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Let's just stay here, and have a calm-"

"We can have a sleepover! With games, and candy, and dress up, and stories, and marshmallows, and a fire!"

"That sounds more like camping." Rainbow rubbed her chin.

"Yeeeaaaaahhh? But we can still make a nice warm fire!"

"Pinkie." I said.

"Yeeeeesss?"

"I live in a tree."

"Oh. Right." she said sadly, as if that was a surprise. But that cheerfulness immediately returned, "but you do have marshmallows, right?" she beamed.

I sighed. "Yes."





Soon we sat in my room, with the guest bed across from mine. Pinkie and Rainbow sat atop it, happily munching away on marshmallows, rock candy, and an assortment of chocolates.

A took one bone crunching bite on my carrot.

"How are you still awake?" I asked, staring at them.

Pinkie looked at me, her blue eyes wide to the point where it was creepy. "I never sleep." she said coldly. Then burst into a storm of giggles.

"Y-yeah." Rainbow pointed, her baggy eyes barely open. "That's-" she yawned, "-pretty funny."

Her eyes roll back in her head and she fell backwards and immediately began to snore.

"Haha!" Pinkie laughed, "I'm nowhere near tired!" then she fell down in the same way Rainbow had. Their two sleeping bodies sprawled out, taking up as much room as possible.

"Alright." I whispered, "It's bed time. Meaning, for me, it's hunting time."

Although I had my two friends here, I still had my duties. Rent was going to creep up on me soon enough. That was worse than any night creature. 

Aaah! The horror, the horror!

My magical pink aura was wrapped around my black saddlebag underneath my bed, and I placed it comfortingly on my back.

I trotted down the steps of my home and made my way to the door, then I froze.

Somepony had left the door open.

I mentally yelled Rainbow Dash!

Behind me I heard a sudden clatter of something metal falling to the ground. It had come from my kitchen.

I turned around, and slowly walked to my kitchen, hearing growling, huffing (and probably puffing).

I peaked through the entrance, and my eyes widened.

It appears I have a third guest. 

A wolf, larger than any pony has ever seen, appeared to be trying to cook. Their furry light gray face was sniffing the inside of a pot left on the stove. Their long fluffy tail flicked side to side. Near their paws was a colander that had clattered to the floor. 

And on their feet were long sharp black claws.

Slowly I took out my silver blade from my bag. Slowly I crept towards the monster. Slowly it looked at me, and quickly it attempted to attack.

It flung it's head at me, doing an intimidating growl. But it wasn't that intimidating with a metal pot stuck to it's face.

It whipped it's head around trying to shake it off with no luck, it backed itself up with it's tail between it's legs.

I snorted in laughter, I was going to stab it but this was just too funny.

It backed right back into the stove and accidentally turned it on.

A small flame popped up and well, the wolf had it's tail right there. The wolf cried and whined as flames crept up it's tail and burned it's fur.

It leapt forward, trying to escape it. Sadly it leapt at me.

I yelled as the wolfs large body crashed into me and stood above me. Growling frustratedly as it put it's paws over me and started clawing at the air.

I held my knife in my magic, and stabbed it right in the heart. Blood dripped down and the beast fell limply on the ground. I pulled the pot from it's head, and the wolf dissipated into nothing more than dust. The dust floated off and disappeared.

I sighed, putting my knife back into it's pocket in my saddlebag.

I trotted back up to my room, and somehow the two were still fast asleep. I sighed in relief, and turned off the lights.

I crept back down the stairs, and opened the door to the dark, vampire infested world.
> The Monsters Regret
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Creeping along the side of the building, surrounded by the cold, empty feeling, and the darkness of night I was. I peaked around the corner of the house, and saw nothing. I sucked in a breath and continued forward, moving with silence in hopes of finding a monster.

Normally, ponies goals were to run from a monster, mine was to run to them. Which, could get problematic as you could imagine.

Well, right now it seemed I wasn't finding much out here. Acting as a hunter wasn't getting me anywhere, it was time to be a victim.

I stepped out into the open, and stood in the middle of the road. I looked around, and after a few seconds I saw bright red eyes glowing in the darkness. All around me were pair after pair of red eyes, but all were too fearful to approach me.

Every pair of eyes recognized me, I was one of the four alicorns, if they attacked, they knew they would be destroyed. A vampire could not encounter an alicorn and live. 

They knew it was a trap, it was all too obvious and I was foolish to think they would really try and attack me.

I did find myself staring at one pair of eyes, and began to slowly walk forward towards it. I heard the crunching of their hooves stepping back, as I got closer, they shrunk back.

Those piercing red eyes did not leave mine, until they moved forward.

I was suddenly pinned to the ground by the figure above me, I pushed them aside with my magic and held them up in the air so they couldn't move.

I was stunned to see who it was, but I didn't let that show.

The white unicorn mare in front of me looked afraid. Terror shown in her glowing red eyes even as blood already stained her coat and her spiky neon blue mane.

"Please." Vinyl pleaded as I pulled my bloody knife from my bag.

"You're Twilight Sparkle! You wouldn't kill me."

"But you can kill others, you already have. That's why vampires like you must be wiped out." I looked right in her eyes, "No matter who you are."

"You're one of Celestia's hunters."

"Her prized hunter." I smiled, holding up the blade. Vinyl gulped.

"Why do you kill us? It's not like we have a choice." Vinyl said.

"Oh but you do have a choice! And you all choose the same thing, killing the innocent." I hissed.

"I take what I need to survive, but I don't kill." she said, her eyes beginning to get tearful.

And for a moment when I looked at her- I saw Fluttershy.

Afraid, innocent, trapped with a monster she couldn't control. Fluttershy would've never done what she did at Sweet Apple Acres.

She did it because it wasn't her.

I faltered, I lowered my blade a little and looked at Vinyl with confusion.

"I have a life." she said, "I have a job, I have friends, I have a girlfriend. Would you really do that to her?"

Her lips quivered, "would you really want Octy to live with that pain?"

She stared right at me, her voice was shaky, "I wish I didn't have to hurt anypony. But we don't have a choice, I want you to know I was like you once, I wasn't born like this and I never asked to be this."

I looked down, I looked away from her, again, I could almost see Fluttershy, I could imagine her saying those same words. My magic faded and Vinyl fell to the ground.

"Thank you." she choked out, "I promise to never hurt anypony you care for."

I blinked, and turned around to speak, but she was gone. 

All I heard was the horrible silence.
> No Worries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm so sorry that I cannot continue. I apologize greatly for the trouble."

"No." Princess Celestia said, she did not look at me, but faced the stained glass window. "It is alright, Twilight. I understand. I know what it's like to see somepony you love succumb to darkness. I should have given you the choice to continue this job after you became an alicorn, it was wrong of me to let you continue."

She turned to me and smiled, "You will soon have greater duties as a princess. You will no longer work alongside with the hunters but be a great example to them. I'm glad that Fluttershy is no longer trapped with that beast, and that it does not return."

"It won't Princess, I made sure of that."

She sighed in relief. "You have done well as a hunter, but now you can sleep your nights peacefully and without worry." she put a hoof on my shoulder, and nodded.

I looked at her and smiled gratefully. I walked down the hall and two guards opened the large double doors to the outside.





Looking back on it, I realize that the work of a hunter is stressful. I barely slept and had to lie to Spike and call it "Late night studying".

Now I would get to relax and sleep like a rock, no worries, no thought, no nothing.

But my sense for adventure itched at me. I felt like I needed to go out and do something, but I pushed it aside, sighing and falling onto my soft welcoming bed.

That is when I heard the knock.

My eyes opened suddenly, and I grit my teeth.

Seriously, if it was Rainbow or Pinkie again... I stood up and slowly made my way downstairs, my mane messy and tangled and my eyes half open as I clumsily went down to the library.

The knocking became faster and more frantic, but that didn't make me move any faster. I assumed it was Rainbow back with a whoopee cushion or something.

I yawned and opened my door with a "Hello?"

Fluttershy stood before me, her bright teal eyes looked scared and traumatized. Her mane and tail were scruffy and full of twigs and leaves. Her ears were down and one of them looked scratched.

My eyes widened, "Fluttershy?" I asked, and Fluttershy entered and walked right by me. I shut the door and stared at her as she began pulling books from the shelves, pushing them aside, looking for something.

"Where's that book?" she asked.

"Uhh..." I tilted my head, "what book?"

"The one that changed me back." she said, pushing more books away, "the one that should've changed me back!" she said, her voice suddenly getting loud.

She stopped, and looked at me with bright red glowing eyes.

I ran over to her and pushed her hoof away from the books, she looked at me and sighed, looking down as her eyes went back to teal.

"I-I'm sorry." she said, sitting down. "Twilight. I don't know what to do, this morning I woke up in Applejack's farm surrounded by-" she gulped, and I was so afraid of what she was going to say, "shriveled, rotten apples." she finished, and I sighed in relief.

Thank Celestia.

"Fluttershy, we'll figure it out, alright?" I said, "maybe it'll take a little longer for that to wear off." I put my hoof on her shoulder, and she looked at me with doubt.

"B-but that's not the first time it's happened!" she said shakily.

"Look, I know you're scared but-"

"What if I hurt somepony?" she gasped, and covered her eyes with a squeak.

"Fluttershy, you're not an actual vampire. You won't hurt anypony, the worst you can do is destroy Applejack's farm."

"But that would be hurting Applejack! Oh, she'll be so mad!"

"Look, I'll watch you tonight. Make sure you don't go anywhere and figure out what's going on. Does that make you feel better?"

She nodded.

"Alright, I'll find the book again. Go find Spike, he'll clean you up and get you orange juice or something."

"Apple juice?" she pleaded.

For a moment I swear I thought her eyes flickered red. But I pushed it aside and assumed it to be just my imagination.

"Sure." I said, and she got strangely excited to find Spike, running into the next room.

I began searching my bookshelves, looking for that book, "aha!" I said, finding the key still in it's lock.

I really should stop leaving it out like that. I turned the key and opened the cabinet with ease. I took it out with my magic and shut the cabinet.

I flipped through the pages until I found the page. I read the lines carefully, and found myself questioning the wording.

To rid one of their hearts desire. 

Can be cast on one singular or a group of creatures. The spell may have lasting effects on the creature it was transported into.

"Transported into?" I asked aloud.

One's strongest desire cannot be taken away, but stored into another living being. The spell may have effects if it was transported into a different species of creature, and slowly they will turn into it.

Some have reported becoming something entirely different and often dangerous. Side effects- reported by users- include: Sleep deprivation, sleepwalking, reddening of the eyes, teeth growth, fur growth, growth of canine features, vampiric habits, heightened smell, speed, strength, and some cases immortality.

Any death, blood loss, or the desire to howl at the moon is not the spell creators fault and he is honestly probably dead at this point.

I sat down, and stared at the book making sure I had read that right.

Behind me from another room I heard a clatter. A clatter of metal hitting my kitchen floor.

"Deja vu." I groaned, and walked into the kitchen.

Fluttershy sat on the floor guiltily, looking up at me with her large teal eyes like a puppy. Atop her head was a colander. Around her were various things spilled on the floor. Containers, food, and most importantly which she held onto tightly in her hooves was a large plastic apple juice container.

I facehoofed. "Fluttershy, what happened?"

"Umm..." she looked down, "I knocked something over?" she pushed up the silvery colander away from her eyes.

Then, from a random spot on the apple juice bottle, some apple juice spilled out and onto the floor.

"Is there a hole in it?" I asked, lifting it with my magic to look closer. I inspected it, and found two small holes on the side. 

I lowered it and stared at Fluttershy. "Fluttershy?" I asked, stepping closer, "are you feeling okay?"

"Umm, well, I saw the juice, a-and I reached for it, then something just happened... and now I'm here."

I fished a roll of duct tape form one of the drawers, and taped it over the hole. Dismissing the situation and pouring her a glass of apple juice.

She grabbed it from the counter and immediately started to drink from it like she hadn't drunk in days.

With my magic I placed everything back in it's rightful place.

"So," I said looking at Fluttershy, "I found the book, but..." I bit my lip, "I didn't find anything that sounded strange and I couldn't find a reverse spell. I'll watch you tonight, and we'll get our data from there." I beamed. "I'll just get my quill, ink and  some paper to take notes on, sound fun?"

Fluttershy looked down, pausing for a moment, "O-oh okay." 

Then she proceeded to happily sip her drink as if she didn't hear me at all.





"Okay Fluttershy." I said, pacing back and forth in her room as she stood in front of me with a small white mouse on her shoulder. "It's time for you to go to sleep. I'll watch you and make sure you don't leave the house. You might wanna send your mouse out."

Fluttershy looked at him sadly, "um, Whiskers, could you excuse us please?"

The mouse nodded and left the room. I shut the door behind him softly as to not wake the other animals.

Fluttershy got into her bed, making herself comfortable. 

"Now, it may take you a little while to fall aslee-" I started.

Fluttershy began snoring, and I chuckled.

I looked up at the ticking clock next to her window. 9:24. I looked out at the window where the crescent moon shone and the stars sparkled in the sky.

I took my bag out from underneath my chair, and opened the black saddlebag full of all my knives, binoculars, and my cloak. Hopefully I wouldn't have to use.

With nothing better to do, I looked at Fluttershy. She was cute when she slept, I don't mean that in a creepy way, I, uh, am just saying... well, okay, Flutterhsy in general is cute. Anypony would agree with that.

I watched for hours, I waited for something to happen- but nothing did.

Not even when it hit twelve, which is when vampires usually come out. Nothing happened.

I read and reread my book over and over again and found nothing helpful.

I started to get tired, (and bored) at around 12:30 a.m, no, 1 a.m? I couldn't tell, but at some point I dozed off.

Waking up to the sun shining through the window, and Fluttershy was no different then how she was when I fell asleep. 

I yawned, and looked at Fluttershy who was just waking up, she groaned, and looked at me, her eyes widening and she yelped, falling back and immediately covering herself with her blanket.

"Oh! Twilight! You-you startled me! I forgot you were here!"

"That's fine, sorry if I scared you." I said. "I want to tell you that nothing happened though. The most interesting thing that happened while you were asleep is that you snore. Luckily you're better than Spike." I chuckled. "He snores like a bear, you snore more like..." I put my hoof to my chin, "a mouse."

Fluttershy chuckled, and got out of her bed. "I'll take that as a compliment. Anyway, what do you want for breakfast? I'm glad we're both morning mares."

"I'm more of a morning mare when I'm ready for research, but I'll-" I yawned, "wake up eventually."

"I'll get something to eat." she smiled and left the room.

Well, that was uneventful. Maybe she just dreamed the whole thing.

But that wouldn't explain why she came to your house covered in twigs and leaves.

Maybe it just took some time to wear off, I'm sure she's fine now.

She has to be. Nothing happened. Nothing happened.

Something feels off.

I followed her down the stairs, and watched as she began to cook.

Just then we both heard a crash, turning our heads to her window, now open, a rainbow of colors fell and crashed in front of me. 

Rainbow Dash rubbed her head, her wings sprawled as she lay on her back with her hind legs up against the wall. Immediately she stood up, her eyes wide.

"Spike!" she yelled.

"What, what about Spike?" I asked in a scared tone.

Rainbow looked at me, and I had never seen her look so scared in her life.

"He's missing."




> Oh, great
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What? How do you know!?" I asked.

"Y-yesterday, in the afternoon," she gulped, "I went over to ask if I could borrow a Daring Do book, but you weren't there, Spike told me you were at Fluttershy's. So I went back this morning, and... Spike was gone. I looked everywhere I couldn't find him. I went around town, he was just... gone!"

"No, no, he can't be gone." I said, not only talking to her but myself as well. "He's probably just out somewhere-"

"Spike does not wake up this early, Twilight! The only reason I'm up already is because I had weather duty today!"

"He can't be gone, I'll just go back to the library and he'll come back soon enough."

"I'm sorry Fluttershy, I can't stay." I turned to her, and she looked frightened. She nodded silently, and I left with Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow dragged me back to my home. "This better not be another prank!" I growled.

"I wouldn't joke about this." she said, "see for yourself."

She opened the door with her hoof, and I gasped.

My home was torn apart. Furniture knocked over, things thrown about. I stepped in, gulping.

Slowly I walked through my house, walking up to where Spike and I slept.

I walked up the staircase, and Rainbow followed behind flying beside me.

I made it to the staircase, and saw that Spike's bed had been overturned. I stepped closer, and into something wet.

Something that felt sticky, warm, and fresh. I slowly looked down, and saw my hoof stained with blood.

Small drops of blood set on the wooden floor leading to Spike's bed. Carefully I flipped it over. Inspecting it closer, I saw signs of struggle, more blood, claw and teeth marks. 

I put my hoof to my mouth, and felt tears running down my face.

"No..." I said, "no."

Rainbow said nothing, she only stared. But then she cleared her throat and quietly asked, "do you went me to send out ponies to find him? I can gather up the girls."

I nodded. "Please, yes, please. But," I said making sure she heard every word I said, "when you send out the ponies... only in the day time."

She nodded without questioning my odd request, and flew out of my house to leave me alone.

I sat, taking it all in. If he was gone he was kidnapped, if he was kidnapped he might still be alive, right? If he was kidnapped, the kidnapper had to have had a reason, right? 

Maybe they had something against Spike, or me. Maybe me being a princess made the kidnapper jealous, that has become a bit of a problem. It would be expected.

But he couldn't be... gone, gone. I couldn't believe that, I didn't want to believe that.

Spike was a son to me, heck, I had pretty much raised him since he hatched. We truly had a mother-son connection.

And everypony knows what happens when you take a child from their mother.

I opened my saddlebag, and took out a nice sharp blade. I stared at the shiny silver dagger and saw an image of a very angry alicorn ready to kick some flank.





My black saddlebag was full and packed, I paced back and forth in front of the girls all lined up.

"I assume Rainbow already told you, but if not, Spike is missing." I said seriously, ready to just hurry up and find him already.

"We have no idea where he is, but guards and groups of ponies are out looking for him. I've sent a letter to Cadence and Shining to inform them, none of the crystal ponies must know. We don't want them to worry, none of us should be worried."

I looked at them, Rainbow and Applejack had their heads raised, for the first time in her life Pinkie said nothing and didn't move, Fluttershy looked worried, and Rarity wore something... strange.

I stopped and stared at Rarity. "What are you wearing?" I asked, my jaw dropping to the floor.

Rarity wore something, simply put, scandalous. A black dress with a v-neck and a collar. It had a lacy trim, and didn't cover her flank well. It was covered in bright blue gems that sparkled in the sun. She wore bright red lipstick and she wore dark tights that made her legs look more gray than white.

"What, you think Spike won't notice his favorite mare covered in his favorite food? Trust me darling, he'll come running when he sees me."

"Well," Applejack said, "it ain't the worst idea, but it does make me a bit uncomfortable when y'all are lookin' like that."

Fluttershy hid her red face with her wings, and Rainbow's mouth seemed to be watering a bit.

Applejack nudged Rainbow, and then basically hit her to get her eyes off Rarity.

"Focus, Rainbow." Applejack said.

Pinkie giggled and hopped forward, "Oh, Spike will love that Rares!" Pinkie laughed, then turned her attention to me.

"What's in the new mystery bag Twilight?"

I looked at my black saddlebag, there were multiple bulges in it with how full of equipment it was.

"Things I might need, you know... for adventures." I grinned nervously. 

"Oooh!" Pinkie exclaimed, "What's this?" she asked cheerfully.

"Hey, don't-!" I said, reaching forward and tried to take the leather pocket sheath from her.

She separated the blade from the leather and in her hoof held a sharp dagger.

Pinkie's bright blue eyes went from happy and curious, to concerned and horrified. Her pupils shrank and her ears fell back.

"Haha..." she grinned nervously, slowly putting the knife back and into my bag and stepping back. Her eyes darting back and forth.

"Awesome!" Rainbow said, clearly unfazed, "what else you got in there?" she flew forward and opened my bag, I already felt another pair of hooves rustling inside it, this time, Rarity's.

Rarity pulled out a length of rope, and looked at me, her eyebrows furrowing. "D-darling, might I ask what sort of adventures you've been going on?" she held up the rope, "I mean, it's not my place to judge but if you have a certain stallion you-"

"No!" I yelled in frustration, using my magic to push them all back and put my things back in my bag.

"Just, stop asking questions! We have more important things to do right now! like, finding Spike?"

"I think the first place to look is the forest!" Rainbow said.

Fluttershy stared at her, "umm..." she asked scared, "why?"

"Well, everypony else is searching in Ponyville." she rolled her eyes, "and we're the only ones brave enough to go into the Everfree Forest! Well, except for Fluttershy."

Fluttershy squeaked and hid behind her mane. 

"But you're comin' along too!" Rainbow laughed, putting her hoof around Fluttershy.

"Alright, well, the forest it is. If what y'all described is true, then I think some kinda monster might've taken Spike."

But not a monster from the forest. I thought.

We soon found ourselves wandering through the forest. All of us calling out Spike's name with no reply but the growls of beasts in the darkness.

"Girls, I think we should head back..." Fluttershy whispered.

"Not until we find something." I said.

"But we haven't found anything. We're not going to!" said Rainbow, kicking the dirt.

"This was your idea, Rainbow." Applejack said. "And not a very good one."

"Just a minute ago you said it was all a great idea!"

"That was half an hour ago, dear." Rarity said, who walked beside Rainbow.

Rainbow looked away from her with a slight blush. "Could you not talk to me... you're kinda, distracting."

"I apologize for being gorgeous, Rainbow. Honestly I don't mind the attention, stare all you want."

Rainbow groaned and looked forward.

"Seriously I don't see what the big deal is," Applejack snickered, "we don't normally wear clothes."

"Well, you know, when you're wearing something like that-" Rainbow said, pointing a hoof at Rarity, "-it's a lot more," she coughed, "Intriguing, than what we ponies normally see."

"Intriguing," I said, "didn't know you knew a long word like that." I chuckled.

"Oh no!" Pinkie said dramatically, "Rainbow really is an egghead!" Pinkie burst out laughing.

"Hey!" Rainbow said angrily. But as she took another step forward her hoof landed on something that sounded like metal.

"What the-?" Rainbow stepped back, and started pushing leaves and dirt away to reveal a metal trapdoor in the ground.

"What is this?" she asked.

We stopped and looked at it. "Looks like a door to an apple cellar." Applejacks said, tilting her head.

"Hmm." Fluttershy said, looking up and to the right. She gasped, "girls, my cottage is right there! How have I never seen this?"

"Looks like it's been here for decades." I said. I tried to open it with my magic, but it appeared locked.

"I can't open it." I said.

"Well, we'll bust it open!" Applejack said proudly, turning herself around and kicking her back hoof hard against the metal. She found herself groaning and holding her leg, with the door still shut.

"Is there a key of some sort?" Rarity asked, searching around.

"I don't see a keyhole." I said. "It might have a protection spell cast on it."

"Can you break it?" Rarity looked at me. 

I shook my head, "breaking protection spells cast by another pony is extremely difficult, even for me." I placed my hoof on the door, and no glow or electric spark appeared, meaning there was no spell on it. But that didn't make sense of why we couldn't open it.

"There's actually no spell here." I said, shaking my head.

"Maybe it just takes some strength." Applejack said proudly, moving forward again and grabbing the handle with her hoof.

She pulled it as hard as she could, and I assisted by using my magic to do the same.

No luck. It seemed opening this door was just as likely as winning the lottery.

"Maybe we can find something on it in my books." I said, "but I didn't bring any with, we'll have to go back and try later."

Everypony nodded and started walking away with Rainbow flying above. I saw Fluttershy stare at it, lingering behind.

"Fluttershy, are you coming?" I asked.

She turned her head, "O-oh! Yes, I-I'm sorry. It just- maybe I have seen it before."





The guards reported back and said they followed the tracks of hooves out of my house, but the tracks suddenly disappeared, meaning the kidnapper was most likely a pegasus. The hoof tracks looked feminine, much smaller in size than their own, and they were beginning an investigation.

On our side, searching through every book in the library, we found nothing. I set out to go back to the door late at night, but not without somepony who knew something of mysterious magic.

I walked through the darkness of the forest, walking alongside me was Zecora. I continued to explain to her what we had found, the light of my horn guiding or way through. Every once in a while I would have to push away foliage.

I stopped, seeing Fluttershy's cottage nearby. I had left a marking somewhere around, ha!

I walked up to the large stick sticking up from the ground. I showed Zecora the door.

"So, do you know how to open it? I sense something strange around it, but no amount of strength or magic worked."

"Hmm," Zecora put a hoof to her chin, examining it, "the strange door I see at last, haven't you opened a similar one in the past?"

"Huh?" I asked. 

A similar door in the past, one that seemed impossible to open, until...

"You mean, the doorway of fear in Sombra's castle?" I gasped.

Zecora nodded.

"Wait, how did you know about that?"

She chuckled, "Spike has told me the tale again and again, what an adventure it must have been." she smiled.

I snorted, "anyway, does that mean this door will lead to my worst nightmare?"

"It very well may, but I can't see the future, so I can't truly say."

"Well, at least I'm ready this time." I said, readying my magic. I focused hard and saw the dark black and white swirl around the doorknob. I heard a click, and the door opened ever so slightly.

I beamed, "ha! I assume you'll stay back." I said to Zecora.

She nodded.

I took a deep breath in, opening the door with my magic slowly for it to suddenly slam open. Showing me a black void and a barely visible staircase.

The sudden slam made me jump, I instinctively covered my face with my wings. When no threat came, I let out that breath I had been holding.

"Okay..." I said, my ears going back, "Definitely looks like something terrifying will happen soon... but, no worries!"

I took out a silver blade from my bag and held it up with my magic.

"I'm prepared." I said, trying to sound brave.

"Good luck my friend," she said, "I hope this comes to a good end."

I bit my lip, "please, please don't say end. End is not a good word right now, couldn't you think of a better rhyming word, uh, like, mend? Or tend? Or-"

"Twilight Sparkle, this is no time to stall! Spike is waiting for you to call!"

"Alright, okay..." I said, gulping.

I stepped down onto the first step, and instantly felt a chill down my spine. I froze for a moment, then continued forward.

No matter how brightly I lit my horn, I couldn't see any farther than four steps in front of me. Eventually I had walked so far down that I couldn't see the exit anymore, only the empty and eerie darkness.

But at some point it seemed I was nearing the bottom, I started to hear some strange sound I couldn't place, and as my slow, scared walking, turned into trotting, then running, I heard the sound clearer and clearer.

Ripping, tearing, and chewing.

I found myself suddenly not walking down steps, but on a cold, hard, stone floor.

I raised my head to light up the scene before me. 

To see the face of a dear friend with red vampiric glowing eyes, and a young dragon with his body torn apart.

I could not hold back my screaming any longer.
> Rescue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her hoof slammed over my mouth, I didn't do anything to stop her pushing me to the ground. I could only cry.

"Please!" she said afraid, "I-I don't know what happened! I-I was thinking of you last night, then I was thinking of Spike and how lonely he must be... I thought maybe it would be a nice idea to check on him after you dozed off, but something came over me! I felt like I needed to see him because he was all alone! Then I found myself here and- and-"

She removed her hoof from my mouth and covered her tearful eyes. "I don't know what's going on!" she sobbed.

I looked over her shoulder, and saw Spike, his small body faced away, but I saw his chest slowly rising and falling. He was alive. Even if he was covered in bites and blood, he was alive, and in need of a hospital.

"Tell me what happened later, but right now, he needs a doctor! Whatever you did, I don't care at the moment!" I stood up, and scooped up Spike, and ran off with him and Fluttershy followed.

It seemed Zecora had already left for her home, and soon we found ourselves in Fluttershy's cottage. We lay him on her couch.

"Just, do something!" I yelled. "Fix him!" I put my face much too close to her's, and saw her eyes and not yet gone back to their teal.

Instead she stared back at me with empty cold red eyes. Only now did I see the blood staining her coat and her tangled mane.

She looked at Spike, and did nothing.

"You're the doctor!" I yelled at her.

"I'm also the pony who gave him the injuries in the first place!" she yelled back.

I stepped back at her sudden anger. There were rare moments that Fluttershy yelled or got angry at all.

"I'm the one with blood on my hooves! I'm the one who kidnapped him! And I'm the one who almost killed him! Maybe I don't even want to fix him!"

She sat down, staring at her own blood stained hooves. "I'm a monster." she whispered, tears pouring down her face.

She looked at me, stared right into my eyes. Her pupils so small afraid, afraid of herself.

"You are not a monster." I said, sitting beside her. "You are Fluttershy. Whatever hurt Spike, wasn't you. It was something that took control of you."

"How do you know for sure? I hurt him Twilight. You saw me, I- I really am a vampire. A real vampire." she put her hoof to her forehead, "oh, that's a lot to take in."

"Fluttershy, I think it's time I tell you something." I sighed. "When I made it into the School of Gifted Unicorns, Princess Celestia told me that I had much potential. She said I was so powerful, that later on as I got older, she offered me a job."

Fluttershy looked at me curiously, but that red glow did not fade from her eyes even as she calmly listened. 

"As I was about to graduate, she told me of creatures that lurked in the darkness. She told me stories of vampires and werewolves, how real they were, and when we discovered them. She told me it was around the time of Nightmare Moons defeat, that she discovered these... Monsters, and created a group called The Night Hunters. The Night Hunters job was to hunt down vampires and werewolves, to kill them and rid our world of their kind. I became a Night Hunter, and I hid it from you girls all the years that I've lived here. But I quit. Do you know why I quit hunting vampires, Fluttershy?"

"Why?"

"Because of you. Because when I saw you like that, looking so much like something I slaughter when night falls, I couldn't continue. When I looked at vampire, I saw your face... and I let her go. But seeing you now, I realize that... I'm glad I quite. I couldn't stand having to hunt vampires while one of my best friends is one. You've helped my perspective change, you've helped me see that, maybe not all vampires are bad."

Fluttershy stared, and smiled slightly. In that smile I could see bloody fangs poking out, and I turned my attention to Spike. "Can you help him?" I asked.

She nodded. "Gladly."





"I still don't get it." Spike said, pressing the icepack to the two scratches on his throat, "I was kidnapped by the diamond dogs?"

"Yep." I said, not looking at him as I put an assortment of gems into a bowl. "Guess they wanted revenge or something. Luckily we got you to Fluttershy and she helped a lot. Be sure to thank her!"

He turned around, and looked at Fluttershy who stood far away against the wall, looking off at nothing. 

"Thanks Fluttershy." Spike smiled.

Fluttershy said a quiet, "You're welcome."

Coming up to me and putting his claws on the counter. He gasped, "Are those sapphires?!" He asked excitedly. 

I nodded, and he snatched the bowl from me, walking off into another room and happily munching on his jewels.

I stood next to Fluttershy. "Don't worry, he'll be fine. He doesn't remember a thing. I won't ever let something like this happen again."

"Okay, but I don't like being around him with all those open wounds." 

I looked at her, tilting my head. 

She blinked and her pupils shrank as her eyes glowed crimson red. "he just smells really good." she licked her lips, and I put my hoof over her mouth. She looked at me innocently. Her eyes returning to teal. 

"I'll get control over it... eventually."

"Lucky for you I'm a vampire expert. You won't be hurting anypony else," I smiled at her, "and nopony will hurt you."
> Vampires AND ghosts?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I flipped through the pages of Spirits, Vampires, and Werewolves, Volume 6, reading every word carefully and paying attention to any mention of vampires. If I was to help Fluttershy I needed to know everything.

I thought it was strange though, I had never seen this book once looking through the Canterlot library, and it was never given to us in training. We all read the five volumes, everything that was needed to know about spirits, vampires, and werewolves. 

I never knew there was a volume 6, and reading through it, I noticed it was... a bit different from the others.

It was the book that contained the spell which made Fluttershy a creature of the night. It was chock full of spells, just like the other volumes, but these spells had different intentions. Many used dark magic, to summon spirits, to become a beast yourself, or how to steal and throw away the memories of other ponies. So they would never remember something they saw.

The other volumes and spells on how to kill monsters, how to brew certain potions to heal yourself and others. They were much nicer than this one.

Maybe it's why volume 6 was never offered. Volume 6 was full of spells that were incomplete, chaotic, and evil.

But it also had information that I didn't know.

"Oooooh!"

I yelped, hearing a strange ghostly voice behind me. I dropped my book and turned around, and gasped.

Who stood there was no pony, but was once one, in fact, they weren't really standing. They were floating. It looked as though there was some sort of glowing fog coming out from there body and dissipating away. Their original colors were dulled down and barely visible, but I could tell the spirit was originally lime green with a blond poofy mane up in a bun held together by a black bow.

The ghostly pegasus stared at me with a gloomy expression on her face, her front hooves crossed and her glowing red eyes were that of annoyance.

"Sour Tart?" I asked, "why are you here? Come to kill me or something?"

"I didn't ask for this! I don't want to be your roommate!"

"Sour, you can just leave. I don't have time to deal with you right now. Besides, I quit the hunting business."

"Actually, no! I can't leave! Haven't you read enough of that book to know ghosts cannot leave their home?"

"I thought your home was your apartment in Manehattan."

"No! Their original home! I grew up in this library! I was the librarian before you! Why do you think this library already had a place to sleep, and a kitchen, before you even came to live here? It was always meant to be a home as well. So now I'm stuck here, cursed to haunt you, because some pony decided to kill me!"

"I only killed you because you stole the key to get this, and you know, it was my job to kill vampires." I held up the book, then tapped my hoof to my chin. "Hmm, I was actually wondering why you traveled to Ponyville just to steal a key to a drawer... wait you lived here? That's how you knew about it?"

"Yep. funny, huh? I hate you, you hate me, now we're roommates! just wonderful, at least I get to bother you twenty-four seven."

I groaned. "So what, you're trapped here and I have to deal with you?"

"Well, not until you get a castle, princess."

"I doubt I will. Seriously, I'm not even the princess of anything. Anyway, I'm busy. Go away."

I picked up my book with my magic, going to put it away. She floated in front of the staircase to block me, but I simply walked right through her without a second glance. I shut the book away, and grabbed my black saddlebag.

"Where are you going?" Sour asked curiously. 

"A friends house." I glared at her suspiciously.

"Well, not anymore!" she giggled, and flew straight into my bag. My possessed bag got up and floated away a few feet in the air.

"Hey!" I yelled, trying to grab ahold of it with my magic. I tugged on it, but it pulled back, soon I was playing tug of war with a possessed saddlebag.

"Come, on!" I yelled angrily, giving it one final hard tug. But right as I did, Sour flew out of it and grinned smugly as the bag flew towards me, all the contents flying out, which I caught and gathered back up.

I stomped towards my door in annoyance.

"I'll miss you!" the sarcastic spirit called out I opened the door, stepped out, and shut it closed.





"Okay Fluttershy, I need you to tell me exactly what you remember."

We sat on her couch in her home. Her animals ran around, every once in a while chirping or chattering.

"Well..." she looked up, her hooves were held close to her, her eyes looked scared and a string of hair fell over her face. "I-I-" she gulped, blinking, and reopening her eyes to shine bright red. Her face changed from worry and confusion to sudden remembrance.

When she began to tell me everything, I could almost see it through her eyes.





I woke up with a start, I saw you, Twilight, peacefully sleeping on a chair with a notebook in your lap. I was unable to fall back asleep, it was very late, 2 a.m to be exact. I felt like I needed fresh air, I wanted to be outside, so I did. Quietly leaving my cottage and standing out on my bridge and looking at the pond.

I began to think of you. I said to myself that I must get back to the cottage, it would definitely worry you if you woke and I wasn't present. 

But then I thought of Spike, I thought of how lonely he must be, something in my mind told me to give him a visit. It would be nice to make sure he was doing alright without you. It made more sense at the time, of course.

I found my way to The Golden Oak Library. But along the way, with each step forward, I felt a change. I felt hungry, I felt like the darkness of night was no longer something to be afraid if, and something instead to embrace. I was surprised at how well I could see at night, and how that strange hungry feeling was making my thoughts foggy and unclear.

I went into your home, and when I entered I could no longer control my body. My mind was telling me to take Spike somewhere 'safe'. Where nopony could find him. My limbs moved without my wanting to, I stumbled around and crashed into things.

My hunger was getting stronger, my vision was getting blurry, I stumbled forward and the crashes woke Spike. He saw me and asked why my eyes were red and bloodshot, he asked why me wings looked strange and he asked why I was here. I tried to speak but it only came out as groans, groans of hunger and thirst. 

I stared at Spike as if he was a meal, not a living being. I went forward with my fangs, cutting across his arm. He tried to get back, his claws digging into his bed, he tried to get away but he couldn't.

I hurt him until he was unconscious, and when he was, I dragged him back to my cottage. I had completely forgotten you were there, and something in the forest glint and caught my eye.

I started bringing him closer to the shiny metal spotted. I pushed aside dirt and twigs and saw a door. When I pulled on it, it opened with ease. I saw a staircase, I saw a storage room.

I pulled him down, and lay him on the floor... I remember there were other things in the room, but my mind was too fogged to know what... I only knew I had caught a meal, and I would have to store that meal. They were just instincts, animalistic instincts.

He was there all day, and all day I- your friend- didn't know where he was, that's true. I had, at the time, no recollection of any of it.

I came back later that night, I wasn't going to kill him, not yet at least. I did rip skin, I did drink blood, but he, luckily, survived.

That's when you found me, still in my vampiric form, hearing your scream, a friend's scream, I woke up somewhat. I didn't remember everything, but I remembered some.

After that, you know what happened next.

But, I did talk with Spike, he told me he had had a strange dream that I had kidnapped him... and I went along with it, laughing and saying that it was such a silly dream.

The only thing he does remember is waking up in a dark room with no way out, it made it easy for us to convince him he was kidnapped by the diamond dogs.





"But, how did you open the door?" I asked.

"It just opened, I didn't do anything." Fluttershy- no, Flutterbat, looked at me with her red piercing eyes. In no way being a threat, but she remembered the events much better than Fluttershy.

"Hmm, I read in my book that all creatures of darkness possess some sort of dark magic... it's why you could open it, but the rest of us couldn't... but why was the door locked with dark magic, and you mentioned there were things in the room? You're sure you don't remember what those were?"

She shook her head. "No, but, if it was dark magic, shouldn't it have led to something different like a worst fear? Like what you told us about from the Crystal Empire?"

"Well," I started, "not always, a regular magic lock spell can be broken, dark magic in non-dark ponies is incredibly difficult and strong. The only way to break a dark spell is with a dark spell. Whoever cast the spell, did not want that place to be opened. Whatever you saw in there- is something some pony wanted hidden."

Fluttershy looked down in thought, then looked back up at me with her bright teal eyes, waiting for me to say more. 

"But, I guess that mystery should be pushed aside for a bit. I came here to hear your side of the story, and also to inform you of the abilities of vampires. It will help you adjust and be more aware." I smiled, and cleared my throat. "Being a vampire, with the help of dark magic, will give you better strength, speed, hearing, and smell. You could probably smell blood from miles away, and once you learn more, you will be able to identify what blood it is, whether it's blood from a pony, or a rabbit, or a squirrel. Which, could very well help you find injured animals. I can help you gain better control of this, so that you won't lose control every time one of your animals is bleeding."

She looked rather frightened for a moment, but listened intently.

"So, in the future, it could help you with your care taking of animals. But being a blood sucker, you do have to drink blood or you will completely black out. Not enough blood, equals not enough sanity. You will hurt, even kill, any pony or animal in your path. You will resort to animalistic behavior and not speak or understand me, pretty much how you were on Applejack's farm with the bat incident, but much more dangerous."

Now it just seemed like the more I spoke, the more scared and small she got. At this point she was curled up in the chair with her tail covering her face. She was shaking violently and whimpering.

"Uhh... too much?" I asked, gulping and looking at her with concern. I laughed nervously, and took a sip of my tea. I stood up, my teacup floating in my magical aura. "I'll just, uh, get a tea refill."

I trotted into her kitchen, and sighed. I quietly spoke aloud to myself, "and now i've made her more scared than ever. Great going Twilight." 

I picked up the teapot and poured hot water into my cup. I dropped in the teabag and stirred it a bit before returning to the other room.

"Okay, Fluttershy I-" I froze, and stared at Fluttershy.

She sat still in her chair, rope wrapped around her, behind her, tying the knot was dear Angel Bunny.

"I don't wanna hurt any pony!" she cried.

"Fluttershy! You won't! I'll make sure you don't! Angel, untie her."

Fluttershy looked at me, her lips shaking. "Twilight! I'm a monster, I have to keep myself away from everyone!"

"No you don't. You don't even have to drink blood from ponies. I was planning on going to the Ponyville hospital and striking a deal. I can bring you blood bags, and you won't have to hurt any pony."

"But that's still stealing! That's supposed to go to ponies in need!"

"And right now, that pony in need, is you."

I stepped forward, and raised my chin. "You are not Fluttershy anymore. You are Flutterbat. So stop being afraid of the world, and be brave instead."
> Problems
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

I groaned, and slammed my hoof on the bedside table. Seriously, when did I get an alarm clock?

"Rise and shine, nerd! Get up!"

I turned my head, and faced a very annoying ghost.

"Go away Sour Tart." I complained, and pulled the blanket over my head... only for it to be pulled away.

I threw my head in the air and groaned so loud that the neighbors could hear it... and probably question it.

"Twilight?" Spike groaned. "Who are you talking to?" he rolled over in his bed and looked at me. Once again I was playing tug of war with a possessed object. Sour flew out of it, and landed beside Spike, who raised an eyebrow, and didn't see her.

"I'm um, talking to myself. Get up, we have some shopping to do, I ran out of ink... and broke my quill."

"Again?"

"Again."

Every time Spike spoke, Sour, who only I could see, mocked him. She mouthed every word he said.

"I don't know Twilight... I'm kinda tired..."

"Nope! You're not! We are going, getting out of the house-" I growled at Sour, "where we can be away for a bit."





In my magic I held many books, quills, and bottles of ink. In his claws, Spike held an ice-cream cone.

"So, Spike, could you carry this all home? I have to run an extra errand."

"Without me?"

"Yep!" I said, dropping everything atop him, making him drop his ice-cream. 

"Woah!" he said, struggling to hold everything up.

"Hey, uh, Twilight?" he asked, looking at me worriedly as he carried everything back to the library. But I was already away's away.

I looked up at the sky, already seeing the dark colors of night blending with day. Creating beautiful pink and purples, yellows and oranges, as the sun set.

I trotted to the Ponyville hospital, opening the large doors to the large white lobby. I went up to the front desk, and cleared my throat as I looked at the nurse.

She appeared to be writing something down, paying no attention to me even when I said, "Good afternoon!" with a cheerful tone.

I waited a second, but she didn't say anything.

"Hello, Ms... Scope. I am PrincessTwilight Sparkle. I have come to ask a few questions about the blood donations here."

She did not look up, but pointed to the right. I looked to where she was pointing, and spotted a doctor with a stethoscope around his neck.

I smiled, walking up to him, "hello doctor. Do you, by chance, work in the blood donations area?"

"Oh, yes I do, Princess. Would you like to donate some blood?"

"Well, something like that, I was wondering if we could talk a bit in private. I have some questions, and a special request."

He nodded, "of course, Princess Twilight."

He brought me into a back area, an empty hospital room. "What is it that you need?"

I bit my lip. "Well, it's a bit hard to explain... but I need a blood bag, or two." his eager smile quickly turned to a frown.

"It's just... it's for a friend, and I- I need to borrow-"

"This blood goes to patients in need. If your friend is in need of blood she can come here and wait in line like every pony else."

"But, you don't understand, she has a bit of a special case and I just-"

"I don't want to hear further. I'm sorry, but if she needs the blood she will have to come here and we'll inject it into her just fine."

"No! She doesn't need to be injected... exactly. She needs an actual bag of blood... as strange as the request may seem. I-I have bits! I have some bits, if you would like to make a deal."

He stared at me blankly as I pulled out my rather large bag of bits. (Being an alicorn Princess pays well.)

"No deal. If you want to bring her that blood, you must wait in line for a little while."

I sighed. "I'll wait in line." 

He directed me outside of the room and into another area, where a very large line of ponies sat. It went so far and around a corner, I couldn't see where the line went to.

I sat down at the end. Sighing as I leaned against the wall, in preparation for a long wait.





The line moved slow. I was probably there for hours to the point where I forgot what I was waiting for. Every once in a while I looked out the window or checked the clock, but it had been a while since I checked either, and just as I was turning around to check again, I heard a loud ding.

I felt my ears go back and pupils shrink as the clock struck midnight.

12 o' clock.

No, no, no!

I had completely forgot why I was here, and if it was midnight it was the hour that vampires awoke. It was the hour that Fluttershy would change, and be out of control.

I ran. I ran down the hall, out of the hospital, and to the cottage. Right on the outskirts of Ponyville.

But I didn't make it there. I found myself lost in the darkness, lost in the so familiar little village. I could see the movements, movements of the creatures I once fought.

I could see their yellow and red going eyes. I could hear the hissing and the growling. I ran.

I ran into the darkness and found myself behind a house. I slowly inched my way forward, seeing another alley.

I gulped, and ran for it. I tripped and fell onto the ground as I entered the new alleyway. I groaned, and stood up, rubbing my head, and opening my eyes.

That's when it was revealed that I had found Fluttershy. Not in her cottage, but here. With her wings spread, changed into bat wings. Her red eyes glowing in the darkness. Her fangs glinting, right as they pierced the skin of a young stallion she had pinned against the wall.

"Fluttershy!" I yelled. The stallion screamed in pain and horror. I didn't have my weapons, I didn't have anything, but still I tried to pry my friend off of him.

Oh, if only I was there to watch you.

She did not budge, but seemed to be getting annoyed. She removed her mouth from the ponies throat and hissed at me. Spitting blood in my face and making me back away.

"You're next." she hissed in a much deeper and threatening voice than I remembered. But if she was talking- that meant she wasn't completely gone.

"Fluttershy!" I yelled again.

"Cappy!" A new voice yelled. 

Fluttershy stopped, and we all looked in the direction of the new voice, who stood on the other side of the alley.

A stallion stood, his body covered by a black cloak, on the front left, there was a very familiar symbol.

The symbol of the Night Hunters.

He rushed forward, tackling Fluttershy and pushing her to the ground. She hissed and fought back, but repelled and tried to run when he pulled a silver blade from underneath his cloak.

He pushed it against her throat, she kicked up her hoof and pushed away his hood, revealing his face.

He had an angry expression on his pale face. His teeth grit and his bright orange eyes sparkled. He had a spiky dark brown mane that hung over his face.

"You don't hurt my friend!" he growled in a Trottish accent, raising the blade over her.

"Wait!" I yelled, putting up a hoof.

He froze, and looked at me. "Princess...?" he asked in amazement. "What are you doing out here? It's dangerous! Glad I'm here to protect you, both of you."

The other stallion put his hoof to his bleeding neck, breathing heavily and watching his friend.

"No, wait, you don't understand! I came looking for my friend! Her! Please, don't hurt her! I can keep her under control!"

"Sorry Princess. I 'ave orders, and that's to kill them night beasts to protect ponies like you."

"You can't kill her." I said, my eyes getting teary. "I command you to lay down your weapon."

He stared at me, and slowly, put down his knife. He gulped, and suddenly he was the one pinned to the ground.

"Please! Don't!" he cried, the vampire mare grinned.

"Fluttershy." I said, suddenly grabbing her attention. "Listen to me. Don't hurt him. You don't want to hurt him."

"You don't know what I do and do not want!"

"Please. Look in my eyes, and tell me you want to kill a pony."

She did, she looked me right in the eye, and I could see the fear. The realization, the confusion.

"T-Twilight?" she stood up, and stumbled over to me. Her eyes still glowing bright red, and she hugged me. My eyes got even tearier.

"Well," said the Night Hunter, "if I can't kill 'er, and you two are huggin' it out now, I'll be on my way. C'mon Bottle Cap, I have a potion I need you to take, it'll heal your wounds."

"Twilight..." Fluttershy whispered, watching the two stallions go, "I think we have more to worry about then just my inner demon."

"Yep." I sighed, "we have Night Hunters, and not all of them will listen to me."
> Some things just don't go away
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No no no!" I groaned, dropping all the books I had been reading through on the ground. I groaned in frustration.

Fluttershy looked at me with concern. "It's not that bad, is it?" she lowered the book she was holding, and frowned.

"It is bad! I have to find out the cure! There has to be one, if there is a spell to create vampires, there has to be a cure!"

"Maybe it's like Starswirl's spell that you completed. You finished it, right? Maybe you have to finish this one." she smiled hopefully.

"Oh, right! I'll just, uh..." I picked up my quill, and flipped to the right page of Spirits, Vampires, and Werewolves, Volume 6. I held up my quill, and stared at the page.

I stared, and stared, and nothing came to mind but a blank.

"I don't think this will work." I said, sitting down.

"I don't think it's too bad..." Fluttershy set down her book.

I stared at her, "why? I'm trying to help you, I don't want you to be like this, I mean, you're... sick."

She looked taken a back for a moment, than continued speaking. "I can just learn to control myself better, you can watch me and help. Right? It doesn't seem all that bad, I can get used to it."

"Yeah except for one thing, you need blood, and neither of us want you to hurt somepony to get it. Hmm..."

I rubbed my hoof against my chin in thought. "Well, there is one solution... but you won't like it."

"What?" she stood up, and walked over to me. 

I stepped back, my ears going back against my skull as I spoke quieter than usual. "You... bite me. Simply biting me won't make me transform, just, a little bite. No harm?" I chuckled nervously. "It's just, I don't want you to lose control. But I'll take the risk for you."

She blinked, and looked away, leaving eye contact. "O-oh... if that's the best option we have... I-I mean, I don't like it but..." she sighed, "fine, if that's the best solution for now."

She put a hoof on my shoulder. "It'll work out. We'll find a better way."

I sighed, and flipped the pages in the book and shutting it closed. I squinted to see the small fine print on the bottom corner of the cover.

Written by, Gear Works, Silver Script, and Black Ink

What if I found the author?

I rubbed my head, "when was the last time you, uh-"

"Four days ago, when you found me in the town."

"So, you've probably been working up an appetite?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Umm, well, I only really get hungry at night. But I can still feel a little hunger in the day."

"I read that one week without blood is when it gets worst." I said, sighing. I tilted my head, and moved my mane out of the way. "Drink up." I said, shutting my eyes fearfully.

I opened one eye and stared at her expectantly. She barely lifted her hoof, than put it back down. "S-Spike?"

"He's spending the day with Rarity." I grinned, remembering how excited he was to assist Rarity with a special new fashion line she was working on.

"Well, I'm not really hungry right now..."

"Ugh, Fluttershy, I'm trying to prevent you from hurting any pony! Just bite me and get it over with!"

She shrunk away. This girl is sensitive, and I was being a bit harsh. But at this point, it was really time to just rip that bandaid off.

"Fluttershy." I growled. 

She looked at me, and covered her face with her hair. 

"Fluttershy, I didn't want to do this." I said, picking up a book with my magic and opening it. I put the page close to my hoof.

"Fluttershy, I'll do it!"

"No! Please!"

"Than bite me!"

"I can't!" she cried.

I brought the paper down on my hoof, and quickly sliced it across. 

Ow! Ow, that stings!

The tiniest bit of blood seeped out, and a single drop fell on the floor.

Fluttershy stared, saying nothing. I could see her teal eyes flicker and change at the drool in her mouth as she stared at the single drop of blood.

That's all it took, one drop of blood and you would attract vampires from miles away.

In a sense, they were a lot more like sharks than you thought.

Immediately I felt her lips against my hoof, sucking the blood from inside.

It was strange really, it felt almost like she was kissing my hoof. Which freaked me out a bit since, one, I'm now a princess, and two, she's one of my best friends.

She moved upward, her face close to mine as she leaned in towards my neck. She breathed down my neck with her warm breath, and I felt her fangs brush against my fur, and skin.

I shut my eyes and gulped as her razor sharp teeth pierced my skin, sinking in and tasting blood.

The strange thing was, was that it didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would.

Constantly hunting vampires, yes, of course I had been bitten once or twice. But Fluttershy, in a way, was still Fluttershy, and she was being very gentle.

The other vampires I had come across bit me as hard and painfully as they could to make me scream. But as Fluttershy's fangs sunk deeper and her front hooves held me tightly I could only let out a breath I had been holding in.

She moved away, looking at me with a drunken expression, her half closed eyes not really looking into mine. Her mouth slightly open exposing her blood stained fangs.

She stared at me, and gasped, her eyes widening.

The last thing she said was "Oh my!" Before her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell to the ground.

I furrowed my brows, and picked her up in my magic. I teleported us both into the bathroom and cleaned the blood off of both of us.

As I was almost finished cleaning her face she began to regain conciseness. She opened up her crimson eyes and looked at me.

"Twilight... you look-" she giggled, "tasty..." she suddenly sat up and I fell on my back, dropping the towel I had been holding.

"Oh, oh dear!" she said, putting her hooves to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry! I said you look pretty!" her teal eyes glinted.

I got up and brushed off my leg, I looked at her raising an eyebrow. "No, I heard that, and you're not the first."

"Huh?"

"You're not the first to tell me I'm tasty, or pretty." 

After realizing what I just said, I shut my mouth as my cheeks turned a tinge of red.

"What?"

"Nothing!" I said, running out of the bathroom, and back into the library.





Fluttershy found me in the library once again. I stared around the room, trying to find that stupid spirit who had been laughing at my embarrassment for the last five minutes.

"Are you still looking for information about vampires?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah." I said, not really hearing what she had asked.

I stared, annoyed, at Sour Tart as she floated through the air laughing. "Oh, oh!" she laughed, wiping a tear from her eye. "You should've seen your face! You said that and it got me thinking, I wonder how many stallions you-" she suddenly burst out laughing, tears coming from her eyes as she circled around me. In a way she was so much like Rainbow Dash.

Absolutely obnoxious.

I could feel my face heating up with both anger and embarrassment. That's not what I meant! I wanted to say, but I knew Fluttershy had probably already pushed what I had said aside, and I couldn't be seen talking to nothing.

"Hey, uh-" I said to Fluttershy without looking at her, "I think you should go... I have things to do."

"Things, hmm?" the spirit raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, alright, Twilight. Are you going to come by the cottage later?"

"Ah, no, I think I should actually sleep tonight, sorry. I'm sure you'll be fine."

She smiled, and left, shutting the door behind her.

"What is your problem?" I hissed.

"Just, haven' a little fun with my roommate."

"No, why do you hate me? I mean, okay, yeah I killed you... but you lived all the way in Manehattan and came here to steal a key to a drawer from me. Are you ever going to tell me why?"

She stared at me for a few seconds, then turned away from me, folding her hooves and having this expression that looked very similar to a stuck up rich pony's.

"You don't deserve to know." she stated.

"Actually I do, you live here now, we're going to have to learn to tell each other things... maybe get to know each other?" I looked down, then back up at her excitedly as ideas began to run through my head. 

"I could get more research on spirits! If you tell me all you might have experienced and the abilities and the way the spirit mind works I could get more data on the form of energy you produce, what it's like to live the dead life!"

"You wanna know what it's like to live the dead life?"

"Yes!"

"It sucks."

She flew through the wall and disappeared. I sighed in disappointment, but then immediately got back on my hooves. "It's alright Twilight, not like she can leave." I said to myself cheerfully.

"I'm back!" a familiar voice called out.

I turned around and saw Spike coming in through the doorway, behind him came Rarity, who smiled at me.

"Rarity! How was the jewel hunting?" I asked, trotting up to them.

"Do we still have this leftover sandwiches?" Spike asked, ignoring us and walking past me.

I groaned, and Rarity laughed.

"Oh no no, darling, we weren't jewel hunting. No, Spike was helping me with my new line of Mystical Beasts. He has given me quite the inspiration, and there were a few dragon inspired outfits he helped me make. I think you'll find them simply stunning!"

"Oh, did you bring them here?" I asked, looking behind her and seeing nothing.

"Well, they're not quite finished, but they'll be done in two days I promise! Then, I want you and the girls to meet up at the boutique and I can show off those gorgeous dresses!"

She clapped her hooves excitedly.

"Sounds wonderful, Rarity. I guess we'll meet you there." I turned my head around to the kitchen, and yelled, "Spike! Write that down on my calendar!"

"I'm eating!" he yelled back. "Ow! Ow! It's in my eye!"

"Talk about eye candy." I groaned. "He can be such a disappointment sometimes."
> Dresses
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hmm, he has a sort of flourish to his writing... and although this one is a good writer, he lacks easy to read handwriting. Near his works, there are stains of some black substance assumed to be oil from factory industries... that one must be Gear Works.

I looked over the book, reading the three different handwriting styles from the three different authors. I had to figure out which author had written which entries, I had to match the names with the hoof writing and style of writing... but it was near impossible. 

The only way to find them would be if I found their personal records, maybe if I went to the police station I could dig up some information about the writers, if the books were banned, the authors could've been imprisoned for the use and teaching of dark magic.

That, or they were executed depending on what time period the book was written in.

But maybe there was the slightest chance I could find the correct author, and get a reverse spell.

I had confidence that I could, and I would.

"Yo Twilight!" I heard a voice from above say.

"Go away!" I yelled angrily at what I assumed was the ghost coming back to literally haunt me.

I heard the sound of hooves next to me and snapped my head in that direction.

It was Rainbow Dash. 

"Woah, Twi, what's the deal? You're late for the meet up. Rarity wanted to show us her dresses." she looked away, "Not that I'm interested or anything."

I gasped, "I forgot!?" I yelled, "Spike!"

No response. Why didn't he remind me?

"Spike!" I yelled again.

Rainbow laughed. "He's already there! C'mon!"





"Sorry! Sorry I'm late!" I ran up to the rest of the girls who stood in front of Rarity. Rarity stood on a small stage, and Spike stood next to her, a wide grin on his face as he hopped up and down, obviously excited.

"Oh, not to worry darling. Come, sit!"

I walked up with Rainbow, and sat next to Fluttershy, who looked at me and smiled. Rainbow leaned forward and waved at her, she waved back.

Applejack sat next to Rainbow, and chuckled. "Rainbow, you look a little too happy about dresses."

"I am not happy, AJ. I'm only here to, uh, help out Rares."

Applejack rolled her eyes, and everypony looked forward as Rarity cleared her throat.

"Now it might not be the most fabulous presentation, but here they are! Mystical Beasts!

Spike rolled out a cart of multiple dresses and even suits.

The dresses were covered in glittering scales, and jewels. Some had fur attached and came with fake animal ears.

There were six of them. There were six of us.

"Now, I think you'll all look fabulous in them! Choose one, go on, go on!"

Pinkie laughed, clapping her hooves as she bounced forward and picked up her outfit, which in a flash she suddenly was wearing.

She hopped around in her manticore outfit, golden fur fell down the length of her body and a trail which was tipped with red. Around her neck was a very furry red scarf that looked like a manticores mane.

She went up to Rainbow and growled at her, "C'mon Dashie! Get one, get one!" she laughed excitedly.

Rainbow got up and walked up to the dresses, she carefully chose her's and put it on. Might I say, she looked pretty good in a suit. A simple black suit, with a white shirt underneath with a red tie. Covering her tail was a fluffy brown one and covering her ears were brown and furry. She laughed as she flopped her ears around and wagged her tail.

"Sweet! I'm a werewolf!" she laughed, flying over to Applejack and roaring.

Applejack snorted and simply said, "werewolves can't fly."

Actually-

"In honor of Spike, I will be dressed as a dragon!" Rarity announced, showing off the glittering teal fabric that resembled scales on her dress. Over her mane, she wore a headdress covered in feathers and jewels, with spikes sticking up from it.

Spike gaped at her, and I wanted to laugh.

Fluttershy shyly went up to the rack, but couldn't seem to decide.

"I'll choose for you!" Pinkie giggled, choosing an outfit and putting it on Fluttershy. "Ooh, now that's scary!"

Fluttershy had her eyes shut tight, and asked, "What? What am I?"

Pinkie laughed, "You're a vampire!"

Fluttershy screamed and fell over. She covered her face with her hooves, and repeatedly said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"Fluttershy." I said, making her stop. "You're dressed as a vampire."

She looked down at herself in surprise. She laughed nervously, "O-oh, haha, funny... I-I love it Rarity."

She wore a red dress, one with glitter on the tail end. It was lined with black, and on the label, it said Vampire Outfit.

"Now the teeth!" Pinkie laughed, picking up the plastic pair of fangs, which she then put into Fluttershy's mouth.

"Ugm, shpinkie, I bunno-" She spit out the plastic fangs in frustration of not being able to speak.

She stood up and looked down at her dress. "Oh, oh my." she said, "I-it's lovely Rarity."

"Thank you, dear! Now, if I could just- oh!" she put her hoof onto some of the jewels, and I noticed one was a bit broken, she placed her hoof on it, and it cut her.

The smallest drip of blood ran down her hoof.

Great...

I looked at Fluttershy, her eyes wide as she sniffed the air.

"The smallest drop of blood can attract vampires from miles away." I remembered Celestia once saying.

Rainbow eyed us strangely as I grabbed Fluttershy and pulled her into the nearest room, the sowing room.

Instinctively I pushed the vampire mare against the wall and stared into her eyes with coldness.

"No," I hissed, "don't." I shut the door behind me with my magic, and Fluttershy struggled against my grasp. She was too weak in this form.

"Do not give into the thirst, do not think about Rarity, or her cut, or her bleeding hoof-"

I could see the saliva dripping from her mouth. 

"Okay, not helping..." I said to myself.

She sniffed the air once again, and her eyes flickered from teal to red.

I sighed, "okay, think, think of home. Think of your animals."

Her eyes continued to glow a bright red, she glanced at something past my shoulder and turned around, to see nothing.

But I did hear a creak of a floor board.

I slowly, neared the door, and looked out.

The girls, were talking, Rarity looked concerned, and was putting a bandage over her hoof. Rainbow was proudly showing off her outfit to Applejack, who laughed.

I turned back to Fluttershy, she was breathing fast and heavy, but her breathing began to slow. "O-okay, I think I'm okay now."

I nodded, and walked out of the room. "I think we should head back," Fluttershy stepped next to me, "It's getting late." I said.

"Oh, darling!" Rarity said, floating over an outfit, "at least try it on before you go! And- sorry for giving you such a fright Fluttershy. It makes sense that you get queazy at even the slightest of injuries."

"Okay, yeah," Rainbow said, raising an eyebrow, "but aren't you, like, a doctor?" she tilted her head.

"Oh, um-" Fluttershy looked down.

"She doesn't like seeing her friends hurt." I said quickly, "makes her worry, anyway, I think we should be leaving."

"Both of you?" Pinkie asked sadly, "Aah, Twi I wanna see your in your fun costume!"

"Speaking of, I should probably give this back..." Fluttershy said, putting her hoof on her dazzling blood red dress.

"Oh no, keep it darling! You look stunning in it! I guess you don't have to be a vampire to wear such a beautiful gown."

"Th-thank you, Rarity."

"Twilight! You must try something on."

"Of course, Rarity!" I smiled, looking at the remaining outfits. Before I could even decide, a speedy pink mare flashed around me, and I was already wearing the outfit. I went to the nearest mirror on the wall, and looked at myself.

My jaw dropped to the floor, I read the tag.

Ersa Minor

The dark night blue dress had a trail behind it, Barely see through, it was covered in white stars of jewels. Upon my head I wore a tiara with a bright golden star in the middle, definitely not like my real crown, but similar.

"Wow, it's beautiful Rarity."

"Thank you, I took much inspiration from the ah, incident, that happened a while back."

"Right, Trixie, after the last run in with her, I hope she doesn't come back." I sighed, and took off the dress.

"Thank you Rarity, the dress is wonderful, maybe I can wear it at the next gala. C'mon Fluttershy."

We walked together towards the door, I looked back smiling, and saw something strange. Rainbow's eyes glinted, she had not a smile her face but a look that said she was up to something, a look that said watch out. But also a look of wonder and curiosity.

I ignored it, and shut the door behind us.