Wednesday, June 21
10:20 P.M.
The Everfree forest, near Count Dracula's castle
The dirt path on which they were walking on started to turn into mud in the rain. Twilight wondered how exactly the rain got into the forest through all of the leaves.
"Why did we have to come to the ruins of Count Dracula's castle in the middle of a rainstorm? It's going to ruin my mane!" Rarity complained. Twilight looked back at her companion with gleaming red eyes, still walking.
"Because, the Shade Flower only blooms in the rain," She explained.
"Okay, I get that part, but why are we at the ruins of Dracula's castle?" Asked Rarity.
"The Shade Flower also only grows in the ruins of Dracula's Castle, anymore questions?" Rarity shook her head.
"I have a question Twilight, where exactly in the castle does the Shade Flower grow?" Questioned Rainbow Dash.
"It grows in the throne room, which according to the map I saw, should be in the middle of the castle, and the castle is just up this pathway," The group stopped at the edge of the forest to find a gloomy castle. A candle was lit in one of the windows. A drawbridge stood above a moat.
"Well for a castle that is in ruins it doesn't look that... ruiny," Rarity pointed out.
"RUINY!" Shouted Pinkie Pie, "Oh isn't that just the funnest thing to say, ruiny, ruiny, ruiny!"
"Alright then, let's go get that flower!" Yelled Rainbow Dash. She started to fly towards the castle. Twilight grabbed Rainbow Dash with her magic.
"No! He will know we're here if we barge right in their"
"And who exactly is 'he'?" Asked Applejack
"Um," Stammered Twilight, "A ghost?"
"A ghost?" Said Applejack, unconvinced.
"Y-yeah a ghost"
"Well the drawbridge is the only way in! Well, for Earth ponies at least," Protested Rainbow Dash. Twilight groaned.
"No! I meant that if we just rush in there, the ghost might hear us"
"Oh sure, the big-bad ghost who is invisible is going to hurt us," Rainbow Dash teased.
"Let's just get inside the castle, take the flower, and get out!"
"Fine," Said Rainbow Dash, annoyed. The group made their way to the drawbridge. The rain beat down on the wood, creating a sound that sounded like someone was walking on the bridge. The chains swayed in the wind.
"Does anypony else have a sense of impending doom?" Applejack asked.
"Nope"
"A little"
"Maybe?"
"Girls, you can open your eyes, we're on the other side of the bridge," Twilight told everypony else.
"My eyes weren't closed, they... just had a little dirt in them," Said Rarity. Twilight released a giggle. The group stood in a little courtyard. The path led forward into a little building the seemed to jut out. Twilight assumed that was the throne room.
"Okay, before we go in there to take the Shade Flower, I'm going to do a quick count to see if all of us are here," Twilight pointed to each pony and mentally counted. 1,2,3,4, Twilight gasped, "Where's Fluttershy?" Twilight frantically looked around the courtyard. There was grass, trees, fountains, animals, but no Fluttershy. Twilight heard a sound that sounded like somepony was talking. She turned around to find Fluttershy talking to some of the animals in the courtyard.
"Oh hello there Mr. Bunny, how are you today?" She asked. The bunny made some weird sounds, "Oh, you don't want to be bothered, okay," She walked back to the rest of the group.
"Fluttershy, next time you want to talk to animals, at least tell us!" Twilight realized she had just shouted unintentionally. Fluttershy sunk to the ground, "Oh, Fluttershy, I didn't mean to yell"
"Are you alright, sugarcube?" Applejack asked Twilight, "Ever since Tuesday of last week your temper has been flaring"
"I'm fine, Applejack, just fine," Twilight denied.
"Are you sure? Maybe we should get the flower for you," She suggested. Twilight immediately shook her head.
"We're getting that flower together," Twilight snapped. Applejack nodded. They turned around and walked towards the throne room.
When they entered they were treated to a brilliant site. On the far end of the room was the throne. The walls were adorned by stain glass windows, showing scenes from Equestrian mythology. One of them showed Princess Celestia banishing Nightmare Moon to the moon. Another one showed the Windigos from the Hearth's Warming Eve story. Yet another one showed Celestia and Luna turning Discord to stone.
"Why, these stain glass windows are just dashing!" Exclaimed Rarity.
"These windows are more peculiar than dashing," Noted Twilight.
"And why do you say that dear?" Rarity asked.
"All of them show scenes from Equestrian mythology"
"And why exactly is that peculiar?"
"Well we are in the supposed castle of a supposed mythological creature that probably doesn't exist," Twilight pointed out.
"Those are bold words coming from your mouth, my dear Twilight," Came the voice of a stallion.
"Who's there?" Said Rainbow Dash.
"Why don't you ask Twilight?" Asked the voice.
"Twilight doesn't know anything about you!" Protested Applejack.
"Oh, and have you asked her about me at all?" Snapped the voice.
"Well, she never mentioned anything about you," Explained Applejack
"Applejack! Don't listen to anything he says!" Commanded Twilight.
"So you do know him," Said Applejack.
"Yes! I mean, no. I mean, maybe!" Stammered Twilight, nervously.
"Oh my dear Twilight, there's no need to lie to the Element of Honesty, is there?" The voice asked.
"Show yourself!" Shouted Rainbow Dash, who was flying around the room to trying to find where the voice was coming from.
"Oh, how rude of me," Said the voice sarcastically. Smoke appeared near the throne. When it cleared, a stallion with a black coat and a gray mane appeared. His Cutie Mark was two drops of blood.
"Great, now that we can see you, you might as well tell us your name," Suggested Rainbow Dash sarcastically. The stallion chuckled.
"Not all questions in life can be answered just like that, Element of Loyalty, but I'll humor you," The Stallion stared at the group, "I go by many names, The Impaler, Blood-Drainer, even Vlad, but those are not my true names, my true name is Count Dracula!" The sound of thunder erupted from the sky as if this was all scripted. Rainbow Dash was laughing.
"Oh that's a good one!" She stopped laughing, "You're expecting us to believe that you're the real Count Dracula from old-pony tales? Oh, this has got to be one of the funniest jokes I have ever heard," The stallion stared at Rainbow Dash, annoyed. He suddenly looked at the rest of the ponies, who were speechless.
"Riddle me this, ponies," He started, "If I'm real, than a certain other thing in this world must be real, and your friend Twilight Sparkle is one of them"
"A guessing game!" Exclaimed Pinkie, "I love guessing games, is sheeeeeeeee, a pony?"
"Yes and no"
"How abooooooouut, a changeling?"
"Good guess! But no"
"A zombie?"
"No"
"Ooooooh you're good!" Dracula face-hoofed.
"I don't think I've met anypony as idiotic as you!" Said Dracula, annoyed.
"No, Twilight's not an idiot, silly!"
"Not to mention naive"
"Noooo, she's not naive either!"
"Alright, look at me!" Dracula commanded. Pinkie Pie looked at him and froze, "What am I?"
"A pony, duh!"
"NO!" Yelled Dracula, "I'll give you a hint, Twilight and I are mythological creatures"
"Hmmm, I don't know," Said Pinkie.
"Forget it!" He turned to Twilight, "I have a question for you my dear Twilight," When Twilight didn't say anything, Dracula continued, "What is a pony?"
"W-why would you ask that kind of question?" Twilight stammered.
"A miserable little pile of friendship!" Yelled Dracula, ignoring Twilight's question, "So, why, Twilight, would you want to find a cure for your 'disease'?"
"Twilight, you're sick? Why didn't you tell us dear?" Asked Rarity.
"No, she's not 'sick'," Said Dracula.
"But, you just said she had a disease"
"Yes, but this disease is different. It is a disease that grants powers beyond anypony's imagination, does that ring a bell at all?" He asked.
"If your suggesting what I think you're suggesting, then Twilight is a vampire," Applejack answered. Twilight stiffened even more.
Dracula smiled, "Yes! Somepony who understands, unlike that pink Element of Laughter"
"Well that's not true!" The smile vanished from Dracula's face.
"Oh please, have you not seen the signs?" He asked, "Red eyes, enlarged teeth, drowsy in the sunlight, mood swings?" Applejack thought for a moment, then released a gasp. She turned to Twilight.
"Is that true sugarcube?" Applejack asked. Twilight nodded. Everpony gasped.
"Well I think that's enough talk. Have at you!"
