The Littlest Vampony Hunters
The full moon creeped above the treetops, cooling the sky with its pale blue luminosity as the deep red sun dipped below the horizon. Stars subtly twinkled into existence one by one as the deep orange sky faded into a dark, abysmal purple. The wind howled, whistling through bare tree branches as it reached into the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse, chilling with its cold licks.
Three small fillies sat huddled around a dimly lit lantern, each wide-eyed and with fur standing on their spines as they read. The orange pegasus bit her lip as she turned the page of a vividly colored comic book, quivering in anticipation.
"And then... it got them!" Scootaloo quickly shut the book and shoved it across the floor, forcing herself to contain her shivers. "Heh. Cool story..."
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle each hugged onto one another, shuddering at the thought, the little white unicorn shaking her head. "That's not funny, Scootaloo! Where'd you get that awful book anyway?"
Apple Bloom nodded sternly as Scootaloo shrugged. "I found it in Rainbow Dash's things, and she said..." The filly gulped and thought, glancing to the floor. "Uh-oh..."
"Uh-oh?" Apple Bloom winced and covered her mouth. "Whaddya mean, uh-oh?" she asked, her voice quiet and muffled.
Scootaloo looked into her friends' eyes with a straight face. "It's just that, when I grabbed it, Rainbow Dash got serious, and she said that I should read this, because someday it could save my life..."
"Rainbow Dash said that? Are you tellin' me that vamponies are real?!" Apple Bloom glanced back to the comic book and bit onto the tips of her hooves. "How to Spot a vampony... Before It's Too Late! Guys... this is serious."
Sweetie Belle smirked and forced herself not to shiver. "No way guys. This is just a fake made-up thing to scare us, like the Boogey Mare, or cavities."
"The Boogey Mare isn't fake, smart one," Scootaloo stuck her tongue out and closed her eyes.
"Is too. Rarity told me so," Sweetie explained.
"I don't know about the Boogey Mare, that seems a little... anyway, I was thinkin' the whole time we were readin' that book, and there's one pony that fits all the telltale signs of bein' a vampony." Apple Bloom took a deep breath and flipped the book back open, skimming over the list of indicators.
Sweetie Belle's eyes popped open, and she looked to Scootaloo with a mutual cringe. "Fluttershy."
"Exactly," Apple Bloom said, dropping the book in front of them.
Scootaloo flipped it around and bit her lip. "How did I not notice this sooner? Lives near a dark, gloomy place. Avoids going out into the daylight, even if they're a Daywalker. Skittish during the day, since they're weakened while the sun's out. Dominion over lesser creatures... Oh boy..."
"What's dominion mean?" asked Apple Bloom.
"I think it means, like, domination," Scootaloo answered.
Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, then agreed. "Yeah. Control over."
"I knew that. So what are we gonna do? Fluttershy's a serious threat to everypony we know if she's a real life vampony..." The little earth pony flattened her ears an moaned. "Can y'all believe it? All this time, I thought Fluttershy was really nice, but it was just an act to throw us off her sick, sadistic trail."
Sweetie Belle stood up and waved the filly down. "Whoa now. I think we're being a bit hasty here. I mean, sure she seems a bit suspicious, but I think we should check it out and make sure before we do anything crazy."
"Hmm. I think you're right. Let's go check out her house and see what she's up to. Maybe we'll catch her doing somethin'... evil." Apple Bloom lowered her ears and glanced around while Scootaloo nodded.
"It's settled then, let's go tell Applejack that we're heading over to Fluttershy's to... to play." Sweetie Belle trotted towards the ramp, and Scootaloo followed as Apple Bloom grabbed the lantern with her teeth on her way out.
***
Fluttershy dragged a large sack of seeds to her chicken coop, filling several metal buckets that were attached to the side. The pudgy little birds fluttered in excitement, crowding around the buckets and feeding the their heart's content. The pegasus giggled and backed away, yawning and stretching her wings as she glanced to the bright, full moon.
"I miss the summer already. There's just not enough time in these short autumn days to get everything done, is there?" she asked, leaning down and rubbing her nose against a cute little hedgehog's forehead.
She sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow as the critter scurried off. With a deep, calming breath, she turned to head inside, a sudden snapping sound stealing her attention. She flinched and lowered her ears, glancing towards her front gate. Nothing to be seen, she quickly stepped to her front door, slipping inside and latching it shut. She peeked through her curtains and watched her front gate for several seconds, then chuckled to herself before laying down along her sofa.
A small white bunny hopped onto her stomach, thumping his foot. "Angel Bunny, what is it?"
With a disdainful frown, he continued thumping, lowering his brow.
"Oh dear. Are you hungry?" she asked, tilting her head.
He smacked himself in the face and hopped off of her stomach, bouncing into the kitchen and pointing at the back door, which was slightly ajar. "Oops. Did I forget to shut this again? Silly me. Thank you, Angel. You're the best pet a pony could ask for."
The little white rabbit gritted his teeth as Fluttershy locked the back door and returned to her resting place. Before Angel could continue his endeavor, a burlap sack engulfed his body. "Shhh. Don't need you interfering," Scootaloo whispered, tying the bag shut and setting it outside through the doggy-door.
"What was that?" Fluttershy asked, rolling over on the couch.
Scootaloo carefully scooted back beneath the table into the shadows while Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom stood perfectly still behind the window curtains. Fluttershy fluttered into the kitchen and glanced around. "Angel, dear, where'd you go?"
The pegasus landed in front of the table, and Scootaloo bit down on the tips of her hooves, curled tightly into a little orange and fuchsia ball, her tail wrapped around her body. The older mare tilted her head and trotted back into her living room, and Scootaloo let out a deep breath.
"Psst," Apple Bloom hissed. "You keep an eye on her, I'll go check her bedroom for anything creepy and vampiric. Sweetie, you go check the basement," the little mare whispered, and each of her friends nodded in agreement before departing their separate ways.
Scootaloo tiptoed to the kitchen entrance and peeked around the corner, watching as Fluttershy rested on the couch with a book in her front hooves. The filly squinted as she attempted to read the title from across the room, stretching her neck out as she leaned forward. K...Killing?
"Oh my..." Fluttershy sat the book down on her side table and rested her head on the arm of the couch. "That's a bit... much. I think I'll stick to doing things the old fashioned way. Angel Bunny? Where are you?"
Scootaloo took several quiet steps back into the darkness, holding her breath as Fluttershy looked around. "Please don't be mad at me..." she sighed and rolled over on the couch, stretching out and yawning.
The little orange pegasus bit her lip and scratched her head, glancing to the back door where the bunny rested in his sack.
Apple Bloom carefully navigated the dark room, eyeing shelf-tops and the partially opened closet. She grimaced as she gazed into the pitch black abyss, an array of potential horrors appearing before her eyes as her imagination ran wild. Stepping closer, she reached out and pushed the door open, allowing dim light to spill inside. She bit her lip, her eyes locked on a pony's skull mounted atop a wooden pike. Covering her mouth, she stifled a scream and hurried towards the stairway, her heart racing.
As she reached the bedroom door, she glanced back into the pitch-black closet with a wide, twitchy eye. No way... I'm just seein' things... right? The nervous filly gulped hard and stepped back towards the closet, her nerves steeled and her heart beating a mile a minute. She reached out to the door yet again, her gaze averted and sweat dripping down her brow.
Creeeeeek
She stifled a scream as a shrill screech sounded from another room, and she turned tail and rushed out of the bedroom, slowing as she reached the stairway.
Sweetie Belle tiptoed down the stairs into the deep, dark basement. She shivered at the temperature shift, shaking her haunches and fluffing her coat. A shrill creek rang out as she placed her weight on the bottom wooden step, and she froze, the fur on the back of her neck standing straight up. The bright full moon spilled its pale rays of light into the musty basement, where the little filly gazed into the darkness. She trotted forward, a strange smell slowing her progress. Covering her muzzle, she reached forward and touched the handle of a glimmering blade stuck in a tree stump.
"What?" she asked aloud, tilting her head as she leaned in. She shoved her front hooves into her mouth as she shrieked, her eyes locked on the blood stains on the stump and near the blade's sharpened edge. Scurrying backwards, she pressed herself against the wall and turned to the stairway, hurrying up as quietly and as quickly as she could, terror creeping up her spine.
As the unicorn made it back upstairs, she carefully and silently peeked around corners, stepping back into the kitchen where her other two friends waited beneath the table. "Guys..." she whispered. "It's worse than I thought. We have got to get out of here ASAP."
The other two rapidly nodded and squeezed themselves through the doggy door as Sweetie followed.
"What did you see?" Scootaloo asked while Apple Bloom released the bunny and cantered down the road to her friends' sides.
"When I was upstairs, I saw... okay I know this sounds crazy, but I swear I really saw it." Apple Bloom cringed and looked down. "It was a skull... like, a big pony skull."
"A skull?!" Sweetie squeaked and covered her mouth. "When I was in the basement, I saw a big knife, or... maybe it was a cleaver. It was stuck in a stump and had blood on it... Do you think she used it to... to kill a pony?"
Scootaloo bit her lip and widened an eye. "Oh no... it's all real, isn't it... When you guys were investigating, I saw her reading a book titled, Killing. I thought it had to be some kind of, like, I don't know. I guess she's freshening up on her modern day killing skills."
"It's hard to believe this is really happening. Who should we tell?" Sweetie Belle tilted her head and frowned, tears welling up in her eyes. "Guys... I-I don't want Fluttershy to get hurt..."
After entering the clubhouse, Scootaloo reached down to help her friend in. "I know it's sad. The book warned us that it would be hard if a friend turned out to be a vampony, but we know what we need to do. Who knows how many ponies Fluttershy has attacked. I bet she's like a thousand years old. We should tell Rainbow Dash first thing in the morning, then we can plan how to put an end to Fluttershy's reign of terror."
"You mean... we have to put a wooden stake through her heart?" Sweetie Belle asked, her eyes wide and full of worry.
Apple Bloom lifted a spare two-by-four plank from the corner and tilted her head. "We could use this to make three stakes, to increase our chances of survival."
"Good idea. Do either of you know where we can get some silver?" Scootaloo grinned. "Remember? Silver's like poison to them. We need some of that for sure."
"And garlic!" Apple Bloom added. "Let's make garlic leis so that she won't be willing to bite us!"
"Yes, definitely." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom bumped hooves, while Sweetie Belle sat silent with a twisted frown.
"I just thought of something..." the little unicorn said, gulping. "We can't tell Rainbow Dash, or any of our sisters, because Fluttershy is good friends with them. What if they tip her off or something? Then Fluttershy will know we're coming, and then... and then I don't know what'll happen!"
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom lost their smiles and fell to all fours, then the pegasus paced the clubhouse and placed a hoof to her chin. "Crud... You're right, we can't tell anypony that Fluttershy has regular contact with, otherwise our mission will be jeopardized."
"So it's three fillies versus a thousand-year-old monster with the strength of a hundred stallions?" Sweetie Belle inquired. "We need help."
Scootaloo looked down and sighed, while Apple Bloom scratched her head and spoke up. "I think I know where we can get all the silver we need, and maybe even help. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara have a lot of silver things. Remember those salad forks at her birthday party? I bet we could poke Fluttershy with one and really slow 'er down."
"I think you're right. Let's talk to them over by the playground tomorrow while they're hogging the swings." Sweetie Belle smiled and trotted up to the corner of the clubhouse, pulling a blanket and pillow from a saddlebag.
"Good luck getting those jerks to listen to us..." Scootaloo crossed her hooves and gathered her own sleeping supplies, making herself comfortable in the center of the clubhouse.
Apple Bloom joined the two, curling up in her own blanket. "Let's get some sleep. We can worry about them tomorrow..."
***
Diamond Tiara tilted her muzzle to the air, licking her lips as the cool autumn breeze brushed over her cheeks. She closed her eyes, the sensation of weightlessness overtaking her body while she sat suspended in the air, then began to fall, arched backwards. "Push harder, Silver Spoon!"
"Okay." The light-gray filly smiled widely as she reared up and pressed her back hooves against Diamond's seat.
Diamond Tiara smiled with the breeze rushing over her cheeks, her eyes to the sky.
"Can it be my turn now?" Silver Spoon asked, still pushing.
"Uhm... not quite yet. I haven't had a full turn," Diamond declared with a devilish smirk.
Silver Spoon's mouth twisted into a frown. "I haven't had a turn at all yet..."
Diamond rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine... Just let me coast to a stop, then I'll push you for a little while."
As the spoiled pink filly swayed through the air on her swing, three familiar faces trotted onto the playground. Diamond Tiara planted her back hooves into the ground and hopped onto all fours, Silver Spoon standing at her side.
"What do you you three want?" Diamond glared and bit her puffed her cheeks out.
Scootaloo led the pack, steeling herself and taking a deep breath. "We need... we need... Heh."
Apple Bloom stepped forward and chimed in. "We need your silver forks, and we need them tonight. And do you guys have any garlic cloves?"
Diamond Tiara tilted her head and smirked. "I don't think so. Get out of here!" She then turned tail and trotted back towards the swingset. Silver Spoon watched the three fillies with a smug smile and condescending eyes before following her best friend.
"Wait a minute! This is serious!" Sweetie Belle jumped to the front and galloped to the swings. "Listen up! If we don't get those things, then we could all be in serious trouble. This is hard enough on us without you two being so difficult!"
Diamond Tiara narrowed her gaze as she looked over the little white unicorn. Sweetie's glistening pale green eyes widened beneath the bright blue morning sky, and she bit her lip. "Ugh! You don't have to be a little crybaby about it. I'll let you borrow my forks, but you'd better not lose them or my dad will kill me."
"Whoa... really?" Apple Bloom tilted her head and smiled.
Scootaloo scratched her head and shrugged. "Thanks, Diamond. We'll be sure to get them back to you when we're done."
"What do you need them for anyway?" Silver Spoon asked. "It's kind of weird that you three would be interested in propriety of any sort."
Diamond Tiara rapidly nodded and put on a wide grin and giggled. "You're so right. Those three wouldn't even begin to know how us upperclass ponies set a table. What are they going to do? Poke apples with them on their wooden floors?"
The two wealthy fillies began chuckling together, while the other three wore red hot cheeks and huffed. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and kicked at the ground. "So when will you give them to us? We only need three."
"I'm not letting them leave my sight. Where are you going to take them anyway? I really doubt that you won't just lose them." Diamond scoffed and shook her head.
"Yeah," Silver Spoon piped up. "Tell us what you want with them."
Apple Bloom glanced around the playground with lowered ears, then gestured towards herself with a hoof. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon skeptically glanced to each other before mutually shrugging and stepping over to the filly. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood at Apple Bloom's side as the five fillies came together in a huddle.
"Listen up," Apple Bloom whispered. "I know this is hard to believe, and might even sound crazy, but it's true. Fluttershy is a vampony. She's a bloodthirsty violent creature of the night, and we have a lot of proof. We snuck into her house last night and snooped through her things. I saw a pony skull in her closet, Sweetie Belle saw a bloody cleaver in her basement, and Scootaloo saw her reading a book called, Killing."
"Wait... you saw a pony skull in her closet? Seriously?" Diamond Tiara gulped and shook her head in disbelief.
Silver Spoon chuckled and adjusted her glasses. "No way. A bloody cleaver? That's crazy. What do you three think you know about vamponies anyway?"
Apple Bloom sighed and shrugged. "I knew you wouldn't believe us. Heck, I can't even really believe it. But it's true. So you can either help us, or just stay outta the way so you don't get yourselves hurt."
"Yeah right. You guys are just on another one of your dumb little cutie mark quests. You're never going to get one acting so gullible.There are no such things as vamponies..." Diamond Tiara snapped her teeth and began to walk away while Silver Spoon watched her with a widened eye.
"That's what I said before I saw it for myself," said Sweetie Belle as she began to walk away herself. "I don't know why I thought you two would understand..."
Diamond Tiara cringed and promptly turned around with a raised hoof. "I understand just fine: you three are scaredy cats that believe in ghost stories."
"You're the scaredy cats. We're trying to stop a monster that we know is real. Do you think I want to hurt Fluttershy?! I don't! I never want to hurt anypony! Ugh... I hate you two!" Sweetie Belle's tears began to run down her cheeks as she cantered away.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon glanced to each other with straight faces, the richer of two fillies stepping forward. "I... Wow..."
"We aren't lying, Diamond. We're actually going through a hard time dealing with this. It hurts enough without you rubbing it in." Scootaloo gritted her teeth as she watched Apple Bloom chase after her friend.
Diamond Tiara looked down shook her head. "Look... I'll go with you guys and let you use my forks, but I don't think vamponies are real. I just want to make sure I get all my forks back."
Scootaloo broke a smile and nodded. "Thanks," she said before turning and chasing after her friends.
Diamond Tiara looked back to Silver Spoon, who stood silent. "What do you think?"
Silver Spoon shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, if what they said is true about the cleaver and the skull, and even the book, then what does that mean?"
"They're making it up," Diamond muttered. "They have to be. Right?"
Silver Spoon winced and shrugged again. "What if they aren't?"
Diamond Tiara scoffed and looked away. "Let's go to Fluttershy's house and see what she's up to. vamponies are just a storybook monster, and they can't be out in the day time anyway. I've definitely seen Fluttershy in the daylight."
Silver Spoon tilted her head and nodded. "That's true, but haven't you read the Twilit Saga? Those vamponies can be out in the daylight, and their coats glitter like... like they're covered in glitter."
"Oh my... you're right. But Fluttershy doesn't glitter! We definitely would have noticed. Not to mention that those are just books too," Diamond explained.
"Right, but who's to say that these books don't hold some level of truth. To be honest, I've kind of secretly been hoping that a cute vampony would fall in love with me, and take me to its family and-"
"Stop it... I know already, Silver. Just... don't right now. Look, if you want, then let's go check out Fluttershy's house and see what she's up to. I'm sure she's not a vampony, and that those three were just imagining things, or making it all up." Diamond Tiara huffed and started down the road, Silver Spoon trotting at her hooves.
"Okay. Can you imagine if she really was a vampony? You know, I never really thought that they could be real before, and everything I did think about was just fantasy. Something kind of, like, crossed my mind just now, though." Silver Spoon gulped and looked into Diamond's eyes as they stopped trotting.
"What is it?" Diamond asked, detecting the worry in her friend's eyes.
"Well, you know how obsessed I was with those books... After the series was over, I started reading more romantic vampony books, and a lot of them have something in common, and it's kind of... it's creeping me out." Silver Spoon shuddered and bit her lip.
"What is? Tell me!" Diamond placed her hooves on the little gray filly's shoulders.
"Okay..." Silver Spoon took a deep breath and watched the ground beneath her hooves. "In a lot of vampony books, they talk about vegan-vamponies, which are ones that live off of drinking animal blood instead of pony blood. There's other stuff too."
Diamond Tiara sighed began to chuckle. "Don't tell me you really think that this stuff is real."
"I don't know. I was just thinking, you know? What if..." Silver leaned in a smirk and a slow nod. "You can never be sure. I mean, we hear about things happening that we never thought were possible all the time."
The pink filly tilted her nose up and gulped, hiding her apprehension behind a confident grin. "Let's just go to Fluttershy's house and see what she's up to, then we put these crazy ideas to bed already."
"Or maybe we'll be suspicious too! Can you imagine? A real life vampony, here, right in Ponyville. Oh wow..." Silver placed two hooves over her chest and swooned at the thought. "Let's hurry!"
Diamond Tiara smacked herself in the face as her eager little friend hurried along. She kept pace as they entered the pegasus-in-question's front gate, slowing down and trotting around to the back where they heard strange noises. The two quietly stepped closer, ducking behind bushes as they watched Fluttershy tending to her pets in the daylight.
"Psst," Silver Spoon whispered. "Look at how she's staying in the shade..."
Diamond rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Yeah right. It's mostly shade back there because of all the trees. Watch this."
Silver Spoon stood back with a pit in her stomach while Diamond trotted out of their cover and headed towards Fluttershy. "Hey!" Diamond shouted. "Do you have any pets for sale?"
The pegasus squeaked and ducked her head while Silver Spoon bit down on the tips of her hooves, still hiding in the bushes. Fluttershy flapped her wings and cleared her throat. "Oh hello there. I... I'm sure we do, but they aren't for sale. You can take a pet home today for free."
Diamond Tiara raised an eyebrow and glanced back to Silver Spoon with bemusement. "So, Fluttershy... Are you a vampony?"
The yellow pegasus tilted her head and scratched her mane. "I... a what?"
Diamond laughed and shook her head. "Oh nothing. I was joking, never mind... so, I can just take an animal home for free then?"
As Fluttershy pointed to her vast stock of critters, Silver Spoon tiptoed from the bush and headed around the other side of the house to spy. From a distance she carefully watched Fluttershy's every move, analyzing her actions. She looked closely at her mouth to detect fangs, but was too far to see. Silver began to cringe as Fluttershy leaned down and bit the neck of a small kitten, lifting it and carrying it behind a chicken coop. Diamond followed the mare out of Silver's sight, who quickly jumped up and chased after them.
As Silver Spoon rounded the corner, she spotted Diamond Tiara cuddling the tiny baby kitten, as several more from its little sat sleeping beneath their mother cat in a small hay nest. Silver's eyes lit up at the sight of her dear friend's soft side. "You two are precious. Are you going to adopt that?"
"Oh no. I'm afraid she can't adopt this kitten yet. They still have to grow for a few more weeks first," Fluttershy explained. She then jumped and turned around as an angry badger approached the nest, and Silver Spoon jumped behind the pegasus.
"Hey!" Fluttershy shouted. "You go away. There's plenty of food for you in the forest. No go on!"
"Krahhhhh!" hissed the badger, who swiped his sharp claws towards the kittens.
"NO!" Fluttershy stomped her hoof and stared down at the badger, who became entranced in her eyes. He scurried backwards and turned away, retreating back into the dark forest.
"And don't come back until you learn some manners!" Fluttershy huffed and turned back to the frightened mother cat. "It's alright Mrs. Fluffy Cheeks. I'll make sure you and your kittens are safe."
Silver Spoon looked to Diamond Tiara, who gulped and shrugged. "Fluttershy, how'd you do that?" Silver asked.
"I'm not sure... I just felt that I needed to protect these precious baby kittens. I couldn't let them get hurt, could I? No I couldn't. Nope," she said as she began nuzzling the little balls of fluff.
Diamond Tiara swallowed a large lump in her throat and looked closely at Fluttershy's mouth as she smiled, scanning over her teeth for fangs. "It's like you controlled his mind just by looking into his eyes."
"I wouldn't say that..." Fluttershy blushed and lowered her eyes. "It's just a look I have when... I can't really control it. I just have to keep these animals in check sometimes. That badger can't help the way he is, so I have to remind him that it's not okay to hurt little kittens. He needs to find food on his own in the forest. So I reminded him by being strict, even though I don't like it..."
"Are you a vampony?" Silver asked, narrowing her eyes.
Fluttershy smiled nervously and scratched her head. "I'm... uhm. No?"
Sweating, Silver Spoon backed away and bit her lip with a smile. "Diamond, are you ready to go home? We have to wait on these kittens anyway."
The pink filly nodded and stepped away. "Thanks, Fluttershy..."
As the two fillies slowly walked away, they began to go faster, cantering until they reached a full gallop, sprinting away and fearing Fluttershy was right behind them. They rushed through town and reached Diamond Tiara's mansion, where they pushed through the large wooden door and slammed it shut behind themselves, each gasping for breath.
"Please, Diamond! How many times must I ask you not to slam the door?" Filthy Rich trotted into the front room and tapped his hoof.
"I'm sorry, daddy... I didn't mean to." Diamond looked up with her wide, shining blue eyes.
The older stallion sighed and shook his head. "It's fine, darling. Go upstairs and play. Please keep it down."
Silver Spoon nodded and followed her friend to her bedroom. The two stood silent, staring at each other. Diamond Tiara blinked several times, then lowered her ears. "Did you see that?"
"Yeah. The way she stuck to the shade, and how she mind-controlled that scary animal." Silver Spoon shuddered and fixed her glasses.
"This is crazy, Silver. I can't believe I'm saying this, but after what we just saw, there is no way that she isn't a vampony," Diamond stated, firmly nodded and narrowing her eyes.
"Do you think she's going to eat those kittens?" Silver Spoon asked, cringing at the thought.
Diamond's deep blue eyes widened and she rapidly shook her head. "No! Don't even say that. I think she's gonna eat that badger. Didn't you hear her say that she'll make sure those kittens are safe? That was her way of saying that she's going to kill the badger that wanted to hurt them."
"You're right!" Silver Spoon began to smile. "This is, like, so cool. So what are we going to do? Want to go with Scootaloo and them and poke her with our forks? Silver should hurt her, then we can get answers."
"Wait a minute. We might be getting ahead of ourselves here. Aren't vamponies dangerous?"
"Not this kind. I mean, she's probably strong, like, really strong, so there's that to worry about. Something tells me that Fluttershy hasn't fed in a while, so I don't think she'll be at full power unless she suspects that we might attack. Your adoption trick was perfect, even I was convinced." Silver Spoon smiled widely as she clapped her hooves.
"Right..." Diamond Tiara blushed and closed her eyes. "Trick...I might take those kittens and that cat after we deal with Fluttershy. Wait... what are we talking about doing here?"
Silver Spoon let her ears droop as she looked down at the floor. "Well... if she's a threat to us and our friends, then we have to put a wooden stake through her heart, or maybe cut off her head. I guess it depends on the book. One thing I know for sure is that almost everything says that silver poisons evil creatures of the night... I guess I was destined to lead this crusade."
"Please, Silver! Take this seriously. You can't just rush in there, because you might get hurt. Let's let the CMC lead the way and we'll trail in behind them. No need to put the best ponies at the front line." Diamond trotted up to her friend and placed her hooves over her shoulders.
Silver Spoon hugged Diamond and smiled. "You're right. I don't want you getting hurt either. So what's the plan? Just follow those three in and see what happens? I mean, I don't like them very much, but I don't want them getting hurt either."
"Better them than us." Diamond scoffed and smiled. "Okay fine. I don't like them either, but they don't deserve to get hurt."
Silver Spoon hugged Diamond a bit tighter, then backed away and nodded towards the door. "Let's get our supplies and go find them. The five of us can come up with a plan to deal with this thing."
"Alright. So you're the expert here, I guess. What should we gather?" Diamond Tiara trotted to her dresser and began rifling through.
Silver Spoon placed a hoof to her chin and began to ponder. "Well the silver forks are a must. I'm not so sure about the garlic thing, but it couldn't hurt."
"Ew. I hate the smell of garlic." Diamond groaned and pulled out a long black nightgown from her dresser drawer. "We can wear these gowns and be harder to see in the dark. We'll sneak into her house in the dead of night and gank her."
"Good idea, but I think vamponies have good night vision. Couldn't hurt, though. Plus, you look super haw... cute in that." Silver Spoon licked her lips and reached out to grab the spare gown.
"I know I do. Aren't we just the best?" Diamond asked, twirling around as she slipped into her silken gown.
Silver Spoon nodded in agreement before pulling her own over her shoulders. The two then bumped hooves and trotted downstairs into the kitchen. Filthy Rich lowered his newspaper and perked his ears as the sound of clinking silverware stole his attention.
"Darling? What are you two doing?"
"Nothing daddy." Diamond merrily pranced through her living-room with a bag full of silverware and a clove of garlic in her teeth.
The older stallion simply shrugged and shook his head. "Where do you think you're going, little missy?"
"I thought I already told you... I'm staying the night with Silver Spoon," she explained as she spat the garlic into her saddlebag. "Yuk..."
Filthy tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Well have fun you two, and don't stay out after dark."
"We won't. I love you daddy." Diamond skipped towards the front door with Silver Spoon at her hooves, grinning.
"I love you too, sweetheart." The stallion shook his head and reopened his newspaper, rubbing his temple with one hoof.
The two fillies then quickly scampered off towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Clubhouse, black nightgowns clinging to their bodies as they ran. Reaching the edge of town, they hastily hopped through the orchard down the familiar old trail. The sound of distant talking caught their attention as they neared the old tree fort, and they pressed past the bushes.
"Hey!" Diamond Tiara called out from below, waving up towards the window.
Scootaloo poked her head out and squinted. "Why are you guys wearing lawn bags?"
"These aren't lawn bags, you twerp. They're silk gowns. I'm not surprised that you couldn't tell though, considering these are probably worth more than anything you've ever owned." Diamond turned around and bumped hooves with Silver Spoon, who smiled widely behind her.
"Whatever. Did you guys bring the forks?" Scootaloo asked as Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom trotted outside.
Diamond nodded and trotted up the ramp, following the other two fillies inside. She dropped her saddlebag on the center of the floor and crossed her front hooves. "Listen up! We know that you guys are telling the truth about Fluttershy, and I'm going to lead us on a crusade to slay the monster."
"Whoa whoa whoa... Hold yer horses. Who put you in charge? I think I should lead us in, and I already have a plan of my own." Apple Bloom puffed her chest out and stood in front of Diamond Tiara with a cocky grin.
"Yeah right. You wanna get us all killed? We'll follow my plan, or you three can just go on your own with no forks!" Diamond stomped her hoof and narrowed her gaze.
Apple Bloom bit her lip and pressed her muzzle against Diamond's, fiercely standing her ground. Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and stood up off the floor. "Alright, Apple Bloom. She's right. We need those forks, so we don't really have grounds to argue."
The little earth pony gritted her teeth and turned away.
"That's right. It's obvious who's in charge here, so all that's left is for you three to accept that fact. After that's done, we can maybe start to get things ready for tonight." Diamond Tiara began pacing back and forth. "In my bag, I brought six forks and a clove of garlic. I hope you three at least managed to bring your own garlic cloves..."
"We did, but, uhm... why did you bring six forks when there's only five of us," asked Scootaloo with a crooked frown.
"I want us each to take one in our mouths, and I want Sweetie Belle to take on with her horn as well, so she can launch it from a distance." Diamond grinned and opened her bag, spilling the silverware in front of her peers.
Sweetie Belle blushed and lowered her ears. "I... I'm not very good at using my magic yet..."
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You've got to be joking..."
Silver Spoon looked away and bit her tongue before clearing her throat and speaking up. "So, are we all on the same page with vamponies then?"
The three blank flanks looked at one another and shrugged, coyly smiling together as they returned their gaze to Silver Spoon. Diamond Tiara took a step back and nodded.
"Well okay then. It seems like I'm the only one here who's ever bothered reading about these creatures." She tilted her nose up and began pacing the clubhouse as she spoke, her chest proudly puffed as she basked in her miniature moment of glory. "There are many types of vamponies that have been talked about, the most common of which is the classic Night-Dweller. I won't get into those, because Fluttershy is clearly not that type, no, definitely not. I'm afraid that we're dealing with the most cunning type..."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders each looked to Silver Spoon with wide, eager eyes. "And that is?" they asked in unison.
"The romantic predator," Silver Spoon stated.
Diamond Tiara smacked herself in the face and groaned. "No way, Silver."
"What? I really think she's that type. Don't let the whole shyness thing fool you, that's just part of her seductive technique. Coyness is quite alluring according to my books." Silver Spoon confidently nodded and fixed her slipping glasses.
Scootaloo covered her mouth and began to chuckle. "So what's so scary about some namby pamby romance vampony? Huh? Let's just tell her she's not pretty and stake her."
Silver Spoon glared and ground her teeth. "No! We're not just going to rush in there and put a stake in her. We need to evaluate the situation responsibly. If Fluttershy isn't going to hurt anypony, then there's no need to hurt her. Maybe I'll introduce myself instead... I mean, you know, she might be a nice vampony."
"What makes you the expert anyway? From what we say, all vamponies are evil killin' machines. I say we charge in and stick 'er with these forks, then get the truth!" Apple Bloom punched her hooves together and grinned.
"There's more than one type of vampony, numbskull." Silver Spoon stuck her tongue out and crossed her forelegs.
"Who you callin' a numbskull?!" Apple Bloom pressed her muzzle against Silver Spoon's, who gritted her teeth and pressed back.
"Shut up! Both of you!" Diamond Tiara shoved herself between then, smiling and rubbing a hoof across Silver Spoon's cheek in the process. "Okay, now listen up. We don't know how dangerous Fluttershy might be, so we're going to treat her like she's extremely dangerous. If you want to pull this without becoming fang bait, then I suggest you follow my lead. This will never work if you aren't one-hundred percent subordinate."
"I hate to admit it... but she's right." Scootaloo huffed and eyed the floor. "Let's just let her lead, otherwise we'll never get anything done. This is important, guys."
Apple Bloom frowned and looked to Sweetie Belle, who nodded as they each took a deep breath. "Okay, Diamond. What do you want us to do?"
Diamond Tiara took center-stage and rubbed her hooves together. "Finally, a little respect..."
***
A large black crow sent its shrill CRAWWW echoing across the sky as the sun set behind the horizon. Five fillies marched down the road towards the edge of town, the Everfree Forest looming in the distance. Each little mare was adorned in equipment as she went; black cloaks trailing in the breeze, shining silver forks in their teeth, and wooden stakes jutting out from their saddlebags.
The tall tree cottage stood silhouetted in front of the blood red sky. As Diamond Tiara pushed the gate open, it creaked like a wretched rat whose tail was caught beneath a crushing hoof. Dozens of birds took to the sky, squawking as they violently flapped into the distance.
"Okay... you guys ready?" Diamond lowered her ears and bit down on her silver-pronged utensil. "Lesh, do thish..."
The five then giggled amongst themselves as they skipped to the mare's front door. The lights were out when they peeked into the window, and Fluttershy was stretching her legs and yawning. The pegasus fluffed her wings and curled up on the couch, lighting a lantern and grabbing her book. She chuckled and skimmed over the title, Killing: A Beginner's Guide to Comedy
Scootaloo nodded towards the back, and Diamond Tiara pressed her hoof against the pegasus' face and nodded towards the back herself. "I'm in charge here," she forcefully whispered.
Scootaloo's cheeks grew red as she contained her rage, then followed the other four around the house. Diamond Tiara pulled a small laundry hamper from her saddlebag and opened it up. Sweetie Belle and Silver Spoon nodded to one another and carefully entered the home one by one, forks in mouth. At the sound of the flapping doggy door, Angel Bunny hopped into the kitchen to investigate.
Sweetie Belle silently whispered, "Hello, my pretty," then snatched the bunny up and tossed him into Diamond's hamper, who pulled the draw strings shut and carried him away.
Silver Spoon gently bumped hooves with Sweetie, then the two took their positions beneath the kitchen table while the other fillies followed them inside. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stood against each side of the doorway, nodded back at Diamond Tiara.
"Alright guys," she whispered. "As soon as she goes to sleep, we strike."
The five mutually nodded and turned to watch the pegasus. Fluttershy stretched her hooves again and yawned before turning the page of her book. A moment later, she giggled at the contents. She marked her spot and closed the book, setting it down and trying to contain her laughed. She snorted and began laughing louder, slapping her leg and blushing.
"She's reading that book about killing again. I guess she likes what she's reading..." Scootaloo noted with a narrowed gaze.
Fluttershy wiped her brow and stood off the couch, blowing out her lantern. She headed back towards her den, where a new family of pets was staying. "Scree!" a small bat fluttered its wings and screeched.
"Oh hush you. I'll make sure you and your babies are okay tonight. How about we sleep together?" the pegasus said, smiling and stretching her back.
The five fillies made it across the room in time to watch Fluttershy climbing up onto a perch and latching her hooves onto the back of it, hanging upside down next to the hanging bats. Five little jaws dropped simultaneously as every last trace of doubt was wiped from their minds. Their hearts began to race and Diamond Tiara took a step back, gesturing to the others to huddle.
The five came together in a circle and wrapped hooves around each other's necks. "Alright... she's going to sleep in her bat-filled vampony cave. This'll be our best shot to get her when she least expects it."
"Hello?" Fluttershy called out. "Is someone there?"
Each filly's heart sank into her stomach, and they quickly dispersed. Scootaloo crawled beneath the couch, while Silver Spoon and Apple Bloom scurried beneath a night stand together. Diamond Tiara and Sweetie Belle each jumped towards the kitchen, then went their separate ways, one upstairs and one downstairs. Sweetie Belle slipped into a broom closet across from Fluttershy's bedroom, while Diamond inched herself through the basement door, then slowly stepped down the stairs into the darkness.
Fluttershy tilted her head, cringing and flinching at the sudden squeaks and creaks around her. "Uhm... Angel Bunny? Where are you? It's bedtime, my love."
"Should we get her now?" Apple Bloom whispered to Silver Spoon, Fluttershy's hooves right in front of them.
Silver Spoon shrugged and bit down on her fork.
CREEEEEAK
Fluttershy jumped and ducked behind her mane. "Oh my... Uhm... please tell me that's you, Angel..."
The pegasus began chewing on the tips of her hooves, her body shivering. Suddenly, Diamond Tiara charged across the living room, her fork tightly clasped between her teeth. The terrified pegasus shrieked out and covered her face as the black-cloaked filly charged her.
Diamond poked her yellow foreleg with the fork, then dropped it, her wide blue eyes watering over as she backed away. Fluttershy winced and began rubbing her leg. "Ouch... Why would you do that?" she asked, her eyes watering.
Diamond Tiara bit her tongue and began to shiver. "I... Please don't bite me!"
Fluttershy caught her breath and tilted her head. "Bite you?"
"Bite me instead!" Silver Spoon jumped out from beneath the table, exposing her neck with a wide smile.
"I'm not going to bite you... Why are you two in my house?" Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and looked down at the fork, rubbing her sore leg once again. "What's going on? I-I don't like this. I'm going to have to talk with your parents..."
"Don't let her fool you! This is part of her act!" Apple Bloom pulled out her wooden stake and gritted her teeth. "Lay down and accept what's coming to you, vampony!"
The other two crusaders galloped to Apple Bloom's side, steeling themselves and preparing for battle. Fluttershy snickered and shook her head. "Don't be silly, little ones. There's no such thing as vamponies. They're just old storybook monsters to scare you."
"But... no..." Silver Spoon widened her eyes and frowned. "I think vamponies are real. Right? I want to be your servant, Fluttershy. I'll let you drink from me. I'll be your vampiric apprentice. Please! I offer to you these sacrifices." Silver pointed to the three blank flanks and nodded. "Their flanks are bare, and their essence is pure. Accept them, and make me and Diamond Tiara your new underlings."
"No! We can't do that, Silver Spoon. What about..."
"You can't sacrifice us! We offer you two as sacrifices!"
"STOP!" Fluttershy shouted, then quickly retreated behind her long, pink mane. "Please, girls. I'm not a vampony, and I'm not going to accept any sacrifices. That's just... silly."
"But we saw a pony skull in your closet." Apple Bloom nodded and pointed upstairs.
"Yeah, and I saw a bloody cleaver in your basement." Sweetie Belle hopped up and down in excitement.
Scootaloo lifted the book and blushed, reading its full title. "Yeah, those two things are the proof we need. How can you explain that?"
"Not to mention you were sleeping upside down with bats. That's pretty vampiric," Silver Spoon added.
"Uhm... I don't know about a skull in my closet, but the other two things aren't anything you five should worry about. Let's go see what you think you're talking about." Fluttershy trotted upstairs and the fillies each followed.
Fluttershy opened her closed and glared down at Apple Bloom, who blushed and backed away as a crumpled sheet sat atop a broom in a shape vaguely resembling a skull. "Oh..."
"Why do you have a bloody cleaver?! That makes no sense!" Sweetie squeaked out.
"I don't want to talk about it... but, sometimes I have to prepare meals for my hungry carnivorous friends. It's not fun, but it's necessary. Look, just let it go. Trust me..."
"Yuk..." Diamond Tiara covered her mouth at the thought.
"How about you five head on home now. I'm going to have a word with your parents too, because sneaking into other ponies' houses isn't acceptable. I'm sorry, but I have to tell. I have no idea what got into your pretty little heads, but I most certainly am not a vampony, or anything scary like that. I'm just Fluttershy, and I like my privacy." The pegasus spread her wings and rounded the five fillies up, leading them to the front door. "Now go on."
"Okay... sorry, Fluttershy," the five said in unison, bowing their heads and drooping their ears.
Scootaloo sighed and lifted her head. "Angel Bunny is in a sack out back. I'll let him go on my way home..."
Fluttershy's eye twitched, but she simply nodded scratched her head. "Silver Spoon, you let Angel loose please, the rest of you hurry on home."
"Okay," the four sighed and carried on.
Diamond Tiara looked back at Silver Spoon, who smiled widely and shooed her away. As the other four were out of sight, Fluttershy led Silver Spoon around back, her wide smile gleaming in the bright moonlight.
