Sail Of The Vampire
By Dramapony
“You can do this, Fluttershy; just tell them, and everything will be okay.”
When it came to Fluttershy’s reputation in Ponyville, she was almost never spoken of. While almost everypony in town knew that she existed as the Element of Kindness, and a very good friend to a princess, she was almost a rare topic to bring up in a conversation that she was not present for.
However, whenever she was mentioned, nothing but good things could be said. Ask anypony what they knew about Fluttershy, and they would anonymously shower her with compliments. Ponies have always addressed her as very kind, sweet, loving, golden hearted, beautiful, caring, polite, even adorable from time to time. True, she might not have had the most active social life, but once somepony got to know her—really know her—it was almost scientifically impossible to hate her.
Or so she thought.
Fluttershy decided to put these rumors of positivity to the test. Standing in the center of her living room, she scanned the range of her little cottage, carefully inspecting for even the smallest particle of dust or ball of dirt. To her, this was a night when a clean house was an absolute must.
She proceeded to check the holes and beds of the small animal homes that inhabited. Especially for her beloved rabbit, Angel Bunny. I don’t want him to see his poor mother like this. After confirming that all her furry and feathery friends were all snuggled into their warm beds, she glanced out her window.
The warmth of Celestia’s golden sun slowly descended into the horizon, pulling back the rays of comfort that once occupied the house. Noticing this departure, she pulled the blinds closed and replaced the light with all the candles she could find. Fluttershy then looked at her blue jay cuckoo clock and reacted to the time with widening eyes: a quarter to seven.
“Oh my goodness, is that really the time already?” Fluttershy asked herself out loud. “I don’t know if I can do this.” With the vulnerable whimper in her voice, her throat began to close like she forgot how to breath. Tiny beads of sweat rolled down her temples. The beating of her accelerating heart pounded to a deafening volume in her ears. Her shaking form made it almost impossible to stand.
In an attempt to fight back against her fear consumed mind, the mare violently shook her head and forced herself to take a heavy breath. “No. They have to know tonight. It will only be easier if I told them now, rather than having them find out on their own.”
Fluttershy massaged the temples of her head and felt the sensation of knives digging into her brain. Once she started to breath normally again, she looked back up to her clock and found that she still had ten minutes to spare. “Maybe I can find something to do to calm my nerves.”
What else could she do? With all her animals asleep, Fluttershy had only the quiet of night as her company and entertainment. Perhaps she had a feeling that she would become too familiar with the darkest hours of the day.
Mindlessly, she began to pace from her door, to the back wall. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, like a ping-pong ball. She became a slave to anxiety with no chance of freedom. It felt like the only way to escape was to think of nothing. To put her own brain on lockdown. Any qualms, second guesses and thoughts of turning back she had to purge from her mind. They have to know. You have to tell them. If you put it off, it will only get worse. Don’t let fear take you now, Fluttershy. You. Can. Do this. NO! You WILL do this.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
The yellow pegasus leapt and shot her head to her door. Then her clock. With seven chimes, a small wooden blue jay popped out from his door and repeatedly chanted, “Cuckoo. Cuckoo. Cuckoo.” Outside, through the veil over the windows, Luna’s moon had taken her proper place, engulfing Equestria in her beautiful, frightening, night. Had that much time really gone by? How was that even possible?
She made a hasty attempt to turn her back away and run upstairs to the comfort of her bedroom; but alas, the calls of a friend was the greatest weapon to halt the defenseless mare in her tracks.
“Fluttershy! It’s us,” a voice called to her.
Trying to hush the flight response of her inner-voice, Fluttershy replied in her naturally soft tone, “Coming, Twilight.”
This was it. It was time to take her gamble, roll the dice and hope Filly Luck appears. The frightening scenarios of fear and failure haunted her imagination. Almost like if this did not go well, it will be the end of now, and the beginning of a very deep slumber.
Two streams of tears began to well up and overflow in her eyes. Mustering up the little confidence she had left, Fluttershy ended the delay, gulped and forcefully took one step at a time to the door.
To her, the time moved slower than snails in her mind. Never before had five seconds equaled five hours. The silence resembled an atmosphere colder than ice.
When Fluttershy’s trembling hoof grasped the bronze knob, she quickly wiped her tears dry, masked her panicked face with a welcoming smile and opened the front entrance. Before her stood her five closest friends: Princess Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. All casually grinning and already making their way into the cottage.
“Well howdy, Fluttershy!” Applejack cheered. At that moment, Fluttershy’s nose started to take a very strong whiff. She could feel her own taste buds swim and her eyes widen. Such a sweet aroma of apples her friend had. Perhaps too sweet.
“H-Hi, girls,” the host replied nervously. “Please, come inside and make yourselves at home.” Once they made their way inside, Fluttershy shut the door and turned to her company.
Rainbow Dash was the next one to speak. “How are things going, Fluttershy? We haven’t seen ya in days.”
“She’s right, you know,” Rarity commented while flipping her velvet purple mane. “You didn’t come to the spa yesterday. Is everything alright, sweetness?”
In response, Fluttershy darted her eyes to and fro as her skeleton once again shivered. “Oh, well, uh, I’ll tell you once you’re all comfortable. Can I get you girls anything to drink or eat?”
“Oh, no thank you,” Twilight politely declined. “I just got back from having dinner with Celestia, so I’m pretty full.”
She turned to Applejack. “I’m all quenched, but thanks a ton, Shy.”
Then Rarity. “I’m okay, darling.”
Rainbow next. “I’m cool.”
Lastly, Pinkie Pie. “I’m far too excited to see you again for food and drinks! We just want to know what you wanted to tell us. In your letter it sounded like it was a really big secret that you just had to tell us. And of course, I love it when friends have some big news. So I just wanna hear what you have to say so we can throw you a ‘FLUTTERSHY JUST SHARED SOME BIG NEWS AND ISN’T ACTING STRANGE ANYMORE PARTY!’ And boy, are you acting strange. Haven’t you noticed? I sure as candy canes can alw—”
The hyperactive pink earth pony was cut short with a bright magenta aura sealing her mouth. A high pitched squeal could still be heard from behind her muffled lips. Twilight’s horn glowed the same hue as she wore an annoyed expression.
“Pinkie, settle down,” the violet alicorn said. “Fluttershy is very nervous about something and needs to tell us; your shenanigans can be saved for later.” Once Pinkie nodded, having understood the inappropriate way she was acting, Twilight released her magic.
Oh no. How was Twilight able to tell? Is it really that noticeable? Fluttershy started to back away to the nearest door frame she could find. Her pupils dilated to the size of beads. Her voice picked up speed like an oncoming locomotive. “Oh, I’m okay, Twilight. I just have to tell you all something. That’s it.”
Applejack trotted over and placed both hooves on her shoulders. “You sure you’re alright, sugarcube? You’re more jumpy and skittish than Winona on vet day.”
Fluttershy took another deep breath. “Oh, yes, Applejack. I’m fine, really.” At least, I hope so.
“Okay, then, Fluttershy,” Rarity said. “Are you ready to tell us these big news?”
Fluttershy gulped, saliva sinking down her throat like a marble through molasses. Was she ready? Of course not. But when else was she going to be able to tell them? For confessions, it is always best to let them go, other than allowing them to make you a prisoner of your own conscious.
“Okay, girls, please feel free to sit down,” she asked politely of them. The mares all sat comfortably with Rainbow and Pinkie in a love seat and Twilight, Rarity and Applejack on the couch. Fluttershy was the only one standing.
She cleared her throat. “Um, girls? You know that we are all best friends, right?”
“Uh-huh,” they all responded in unison with a nod.
“And that we will always be there for each other, no matter what?”
“You bet!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
“And that no matter what may happen to us, we can help each other get through it?”
“Of course, darling,” Rarity replied.
“And that you will all always love me—”
“Oh, for the love of Celestia, Fluttershy! Spit it out!” Rainbow Dash barked with her usual impatience. Fluttershy recoiled and squealed. Rainbow frowned, having realized her mistake. “Fluttershy, I’m sorry, but—”
“Oh, no, it’s okay, Rainbow,” Fluttershy interrupted. “I guess I’m just a little nervous.”
“You shouldn’t have to feel that way,” Twilight said. “Shy, we’re your best friends. You can tell us whatever is going on. We’ve been through enough by now to know that whatever problems either of us have, it can always be fixed, somehow, someway.”
“W-Well, th-that’s the thing, T-Twilight,” Shy stuttered. “The problem that I have to tell you might be something that I’m not sure can be fixed, somehow, someway.”
Applejack frowned. “What’s going on, Fluttershy?”
Finally, with a deep breath, Fluttershy let it out. “Well, do you all remember last week, when we had that incident with the Vampire Fruit Bats?”
The mares nodded.
“A-And how that turned me into a vampire, but Twilight appeared to turn me back to normal?”
The mares nodded.
“W-well…” Fluttershy, once again, started to choke. Now was the moment that they’ve all been waiting for. Counting her blessings, and holding onto her best wishes for dear life, Fluttershy spoke with a quivering lip, “I-I think I might still b-b-be a vampire.”
Nopony responded, only cocked their heads in confusion.
“What was that, Fluttershy?” Rarity asked. “We couldn’t quite hear you on the last part.”
“I-I think I’m still a-a-a—.”
“A-A-A what, Fluttershy?” Rainbow said, trying to urge her.
“A VAMPIRE!” Fluttershy bursted. Her eyes widening to the size of cocker spaniels, she clapped her mouth shut with her two fore hooves. Her heart sank like a rock in quicksand. Pools of tears started to sting her eyes as she waited for her friends, whom she thought of as sisters, to start backing away and calling her a monster.
She could feel it all coming. The vile name calling. Being treated like vermin. Everypony being too afraid to even go near her. Why, Fluttershy? Out of all ponies, why did this all have to happen to you?
Only this didn’t happen. Only more confused looks donned their faces. A pin could've been heard being dropped from upstairs! The only one who successfully found the words to speak was Twilight. “Are you sure, Fluttershy? What makes you think that? I’m pretty sure I gave you the proper spell.”
Fluttershy only pointed her nose to the ground and pawed the floorboard, her breathing becoming more unsteady than a tightrope walker. “Well, do you remember when we were all here and filling out that journal entry? And Pinkie came in with those costume fangs? Well, while we were laughing, I felt my tongue lick something strange on my teeth. So I went into the bathroom, looked in the mirror and… and… and I saw that I still had these little fangs.” She squirmed with a squeak of disgust and horror at the memory. “I don’t think I slept at all that night.”
Twilight rose from her seat. “But, Fluttershy, it might have also taken a while for the spell to actually turn you back to physical normal. Not all of my magic is immediate in their affects. What else makes you think that you’re not exactly yourself?”
Fluttershy closed her eyes and took another deep breath. “The other day, I was walking Winona back to Applejack’s after her exercise. When Applejack wanted to show me how the sanctuary was doing, the smell of apples took over my senses. I wanted nothing more at that moment than to just sink my teeth into one of her biggest… juiciest… most tender and delicious apples!”
She didn’t even realize the moistening of her lips, nor the animalistic tone that warped her voice. Fluttershy began to drool like a dog about to be fed its dinner. Once she realized where she was in reality, she did her best to snap back.
“Fluttershy, my apples always have a strong scent when they’re ripe,” Applejack noted. “You were probably just getting the best of it from where you were.”
“No, Applejack, you don’t understand,” Fluttershy objected, her voice suddenly raising. “I felt like I wanted to eat the whole orchard. I wanted them all for myself and nopony else to share them with. I am not a greedy mare, girls. I swear, I could also feel a fang pop out on that day.” Her voice grew sore. The intoxicating smell of fruit from Applejack only grew stronger. Her breathing turned to huffs.
“Now, Fluttershy,” Rarity interjected, “there’s no reason to start feeling worried or upset. You may still be a little bit shocked. I’m sure you’ll be okay, just give the whole situation some time to pass like it never even—”
“I can still prove it, if you won’t believe me.” Fluttershy’s tone dropped almost an octave under her natural voice.
“Sweetie, I wasn’t saying that. I was just—”
“No. It’s obvious that I need to prove myself, or I’m not going to move on.” Fluttershy turned back to Applejack. “Did you bring what I asked for, Applejack?”
The farm mare removed her stetson hat. “Uh, yeah, I have it right here.” She reached her hoof inside and pulled out a large apple. The red shining of the skin acted as a mirror when held against the nearest light source. The bulbous fruit looked like it could have been enough to feed a whole family of fruit bats alone, and still have some left overs.
From all the way across the room, Fluttershy could smell, hear and even taste the overload of swooshing apple juice. A waterfall of drool began pouring over her lips. Her pupils widened until they took up her whole eyes. Her tongue acted as a mop to lick the lips clean, with little success.
“That’s the biggest one you could find?” she asked with a whisper, trying to control her excitement.
“The biggest one I could find today,” Applejack answered. “You were not kidding when you said the trees would grow stronger and faster. But you didn’t mention that they would make bigger apples.” She tossed the apple and Fluttershy caught it between her hooves.
She gingerly polished and observed the snack with a very, very hungry eye. Fluttershy now looked like a foal in a candy store, spotting a colorful oversized lollipop. She saw her own face, dripping with saliva, along the skin of the apple. So good. Juicy. And sweet.
As her friends watched on with uncomfortable faces, Fluttershy could feel a sharp pain on the edge of her mouth. But she didn’t care. The oral pinching curved and sharpened her teeth. But she didn’t care. She saw the reflection in the apple develop full out bat like fangs, that could have ripped skin clean off a bone. But she… didn’t… care.
She only smiled, slowly opened her mouth—much to the stunned trance of her friends—and hissed like a hungry cat.
“COME TO MAMMA!” Fluttershy shouted. She dove mouth first at the apple and bit down hard. Her fangs pierced deep into the core, sending streams of juice gushing from the punctured wounds and down her chin and neck. She slurped loudly as the fruit lost all its color and shriveled like a raisin.
Within just five seconds, the apple plopped like a broken water balloon to the floor. Fluttershy shot out all the apple’s seeds onto the center of the rug like little bullets. The once beautiful forbidden fruit laid lifeless on the chamber floor like it was a helpless murder victim. All beauty and life sucked dry in just a flash.
Fluttershy wiped her chin clean, and looked up to the faces of all five of her friends. They still fixated on the apple with heavy disbelief, nopony saying a word, or even blinking. They then looked up at their friend with a mix of horror and shock.
“No. No, that’s not possible,” Twilight said while shaking her head. “Fluttershy, it may have been possible that the traces of being a bat might still be in you, but this does not necessarily mean that you're still a vampire.”
Rainbow Dash abruptly rose. “Twilight, she just sucked all the cider out of that one little apple! She grew fangs just by looking at it. I’m actually starting to get really worried here.”
“Oh, she can’t become a mean scary vampire bat again!” Pinkie Pie cried. “What if she comes after ponies next!” Fluttershy started backing off at that statement.
“Pinkie! Fluttershy is not going to eat anypony because she is not a vampire!” Twilight argued. “I saw it myself. The spell turned her back to normal. It can’t be possible for her to still be a vampire.”
“I-I actually think it is, Twilight,” Fluttershy said. “But I really don’t want to prove anymore to you, please.”
Twilight lifted a brow. “You have more to prove? What else?”
Fluttershy hid one eye behind the veil of her bright pink mane. “I’m afraid to. I don’t want to hurt anypony. But at night, I can still turn into a bat.”
Silence again. The friends broke off eye contact and looked at one another in confusion. If she could turn into a bat, then why was she still Fluttershy?
“Are you sure you can prove it, Fluttershy?” Twilight inquired. “Meaning, you can do it right now if you really can?”
“Um, yes. But I don’t want to hurt any of you.”
Twilight stepped forward with a stern tone. “Fluttershy, I can see that you are worried about something. I want to help you out, but you have to prove it. Maybe it’s an actual problem, maybe it’s just hysteria. But I won’t know for sure, unless I see it for real. Now, if you start to get out of control, I will use my magic to stop you. How does that sound?”
Fluttershy closed her eyes, and once again began to shake in fear. Making herself accept this was like forcing herself to eat meat. She could only hope that Twilight would provide the security that she promised. “O-Okay. But as long as you promise to stop me, if I become crazy.”
Twilight crossed her heart and landed with a hoof over one of her eyes. “I Pinkie Promise, Fluttershy.”
“We’ll be sure to handle you, Fluttershy,” Applejack added with uncertainty. “If we could handle Flutterbat a week ago, we could handle you now.”
Fluttershy returned the comment with a reluctant smile. “I hope so.”
She now knew that it wasn’t going to be enough to show them sneak peeks of her problem. She had to show them the whole package. Fluttershy took to the center of the room. She stood on the rug and hung her head low, ready to do her worst.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” asked Rarity.
“Stand back! Please!” Fluttershy commanded in return. Right on cue, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie rose and quickly shuffled to the very back wall of the room. Though all five friends were clustered into a tiny corner, Fluttershy could still smell Applejack’s apple fragrance from a mile away. Did the apple really leave that much of a trace?
Fluttershy’s heart began pounding like a war drum. Every hair on her neck rose. Her blood turned to lava. This was it. With her eyes tightly shut, Fluttershy said, “Rarity, remove the curtains… please?”
Rarity produced a silvery blue aura from her horn. Gently and slowly, she lifted the dangling in front of the windows. Gradually, the light of the moon poured into the living room and bathed over Fluttershy’s body. Not a hoof stirred. Not an eye blinked. Not a lip spoke. They only watched.
Like a hurricane, a great wind from outside threw itself against the glass window, repeatedly ramming the barrier like it was a locked gate. Before anypony could notice, the lock of the windows flew off its place, letting the tempest blow throughout the house. Each candle in the living room sacrificed the last of each little flame they had, the gasps of smoke rising in their places. No more warmth. Out with the light.
Poor Fluttershy.
As the wind made her mane wildly dance, she could already feel the toll taking effect. Her skin tingled and burned. Her fur lost all tidiness. Her ears cracked and reshaped to bat ears. She tried to scream in agony but could only produce an audible screech and hiss. Her trio of butterflies that served as her cutie mark turned to three pink bats. Finally, her once elegant wings morphed into a pair of leather, no feather nor sign of plume left on her.
On a final screech from the creature once Fluttershy, the wind stopped blowing. She crouched down and breathed like she just ran a marathon. Opening her eyes, the bright blue that once surrounded her pupils was replaced by two disks of fiery red. The now full vampire fangs completed her vicious ensemble. Flutterbat has arrived.
In the back of the room, Fluttershy’s friends remained dead silent with terror, their skins turning whiter than whipped cream. Skeletons shaking, gusts of fog escaped their lips as the air grew colder than a winter’s night. Twilight slowly stepped forward, like somepony approaching a violent dog. Softly clearing her throat, she tried to speak.
“F-F-Fluttershy,” she quietly cooed. Fluttershy cocked her head up, and shuffled herself around to meet Twilight. Viewing the horrendous looking bat-pony hybrid only sent thoughts of panic through the young alicorn’s mind. But she wasn’t ready to abandon her friend.
“I-It’s us,” Twilight continued. “N-Now, it’s going to be okay. I just want to help, so can you please remain c-c-c-calm? For your friend, Twilight?”
Unfortunately, the mind of a vampire is easily corrupted once it succumbs to the night. The smell from Applejack became stronger than the scent of a toxic gas. Fluttershy drooled like a hungry wolf about to eat its prey. Never before has the smell of an apple smelled sweeter. Tastier. More tempting. More addicting. Or more likely to drive a pony to insanity.
Fluttershy huffed and hissed at the enticing aroma as it hypnotized her senses and thinking. Her predator like breathing crescendoed. She violently jerked at the exciting thought of having the most delicious apple in history.
Finally, she went into attack mode. Fluttershy lifted her head to the ceiling and loudly howled her battle snarl. The still stunned ponies only stood frozen and felt their eyes shrink at her cry.
All the animals that made the little cottage their home shot from their holes in terror. They scurried about in a panicked confusion. Some ran to the walls. Some cowered behind the furniture. Others were just as much of statues as the ponies in the room. Their little minds could only pray that this was just a joke, and their favorite caretaker was not really a monster.
Crouching and hissing again, Fluttershy pushed her hind legs off the ground and pounced towards her target, flapping her wings to gain her speed.
Screaming in unison, the five mares dispersed from the corner and ran for cover. Fluttershy crashed against the wall, but quickly took to the air. Searching the arena that was once her home, she spotted the scent that was Applejack, running for under the stairs.
Oh, no you don’t, Fluttershy thought. You’re mine! But before she could act, a strong force grabbed her in a bear hug and slammed her against the ceiling. Rainbow Dash locked her hooves around Fluttershy, as she squirmed in a strong attempt to escape.
“Fluttershy, snap out of it!” Dash yelled. “This isn’t you! You don’t attack your friends!” The bat retaliated with another loud snarl, prying her wings to spread. She sent Rainbow Dash screaming and flying in a backwards spiral against a bookcase. The rainbow maned mare fell to the floor with a hard thud.
Fluttershy whipped her head around to see Pinkie Pie leaping into the air with a sack. She growled at the batmare with an unusual hint of determination. “Fluttershy! You’re being a rough meanie pants! It’s time to put your bad behavior in the bag!”
But alas. The monster simply rolled her eyes, grabbed Pinkie by the head and flipped her into the bag herself. The party pony fell to the ground with a yelp on impact.
While this was happening, Rarity covered herself under a table, and looked up at her friend like she was in a dream. No. A nightmare! “How could this have happened?” She turned to Twilight at her side, who did nothing but still stare in heavy disbelief. “Twilight, since when does a spell of yours not work?” Twilight just shook her head and continued to stare, like she was still trapped inside a trance. She promised to act but didn't. How come? Was the shock of failure sucking her so deep into motionlessness?
Fluttershy finally found her target once again: Applejack. Licking her fangs, she floated down to the base of the staircase where she was hiding, and met the trembling orange mare face to face.
“F-Fluttershy, please, we’re friends,” Applejack pleaded. But to no avail. The vampire simply cocked her head and focused on her prey’s flank. The three small apples that made her cutie mark seemed all too appealing to the eyes. In reality, it was simply a mark. But to Fluttershy, it was a meal that could have easily failed the test of resistance.
Applejack caught this and tried to cover her opponent’s objective. “Fluttershy, these aren’t even real apples! Are you insane?!” Fluttershy didn’t listen. The strong smell told her otherwise.
Supper time! Fluttershy’s brain declared, only to be met with a match. Applejack hurriedly pushed Fluttershy to the ground and took her run. She didn’t care about where she was running to, as long as it was a new hiding place.
“Please don’t be real! Please don’t be real! Please don’t be real!” Applejack told herself over and over. Only she was to learn that this was far too real.
On Applejack’s rump, the shredding pain of Fluttershy’s fangs ripped through her skin and into the muscles. The earth pony screamed so loud that she could have awoken the dead. With the burning pain of blood trickling down her flank, she flailed her bucking legs in an attempt to escape. Finally, after an endless struggle, she succeeded in kicking Fluttershy’s chest, shooting her back and ending the biting.
“Stop!” Twilight finally shouted, jumping forward. The magenta magic of her horn shot out across the room and caught Fluttershy in mid-air. She struggled against the bindings of the aura but eventually realized that she was frozen in place; fighting it would have been considered pointless. “Fluttershy! This is impossible! How could my spell not have worked?! Look at what you’ve done!”
Twilight levitated the frozen Fluttershy a full 180 degrees, giving her the grand view of the war-zone that she created. Rainbow Dash, surrounded by shattered wood and fallen books, rose from the floor with buckling knee caps. Pinkie Pie poked her head out from the sac with a hurt expression. Rarity steadily made her way out from under the table.
All around the cottage, the little animals gazed at Fluttershy with mortified faces. The image of the pony who loved them all dearly, turned into a frightening creature, would never be erased from their minds.
On top of the staircase. Fluttershy could see her beloved Angel Bunny, shaking like a leaf with tears in his eyes. He made soft squeaking noises as if to cry out, “Momma? Momma? Momma!?”
However, these images only filled her with shock and disbelief. It wasn’t until Twilight turned her back around to face Applejack, who was trying to stop the bleeding on her flank, that it hit the mare like a brick. Looking at the weakened state of her shell-shocked friend, Fluttershy looked like she killed a pony. Seeing the two bloodied holes that covered the farmer's cutie mark send the biggest shock that she has ever felt in her life. Licking her fangs, she tasted the very blood of a loved one.
She couldn’t hold it in. A flood of tears began to sting Fluttershy’s eyes as she whimpered through the aura. She realized that she has failed at the one thing she tried to prevent all evening: not harm her friends. Twilight released the suddenly quiet and calm vampire, but still held her horn in her direction, ready to catch again.
Fluttershy only stood. She breathed softly until her breaths turned to huffs. She cried softly until her cries turned to sobs. The mind of Fluttershy returned to the deformed body as tears cascaded down her cheeks. All she could taste was salt.
While Twilight stood frozen at what has just happened, Applejack made an attempt to get up from her spot, limping towards her crying friend. Fluttershy saw her approaching, and hastily started stepping away while sobbing even harder, like a child about to be scolded.
Applejack, however, succeeded in grabbing her by the hooves. She looked into the fire red eyes. “Fluttershy, we are so sorry that we didn’t believe you earlier. It’s going to be okay, I promise.” They were quickly joined by a recovered Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Rarity.
Dash was never a pony who allowed her sensitive side to show. But her only exception was the aide of her friends, that would break such a barrier between being made of stone and feeling. The cyan blue pegasus grabbed the now wailing Fluttershy and held her tightly in a hug. The hot tears matted against Rainbow’s shoulder as the moans and screams muffled against her breast. And she kept her friend’s head nestled as if she was diverting her eyes from a horrid sight.
“Shh… shh… Please don’t cry anymore, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash cooed. “We understand that you didn’t mean to. I’m here now. Just like flight camp.” Rainbow’s eyes began to feel moist as she felt a trickle fall down her own cheeks. Who could tell that she would be trying to get her best friend since childhood through a time like this?
Fluttershy turned her head out to face Rarity. In reaction, she held up a wing and hid herself from the unicorn. However, the fashionista lowered the leather shield, via magic, and gently planted kisses on Fluttershy’s forehead. “Fluttershy… you really are still in there.”
She leaned in close to her face and met eye to eye with quivering lips. “Now you listen to me, you are NOT a monster. You are Fluttershy! You are a pony, and my friend! You understand that!?” Fluttershy sadly nodded as the tears kept coming like rivers.
Pinkie Pie said nothing. It was always common for the element of laughter to be the one to crack a joke or do something silly to brighten the mood of a dark moment. But not now. What could she have done to make things better? Instead, she only stroked Fluttershy’s mane while trying to hold back her own tears.
“F-Fluttershy,” she began, “I thought the vampire in you was a big meanie who wanted to eat ponies. But now I can see that you’re just as sweet as you always were. Once you get better, I am going to throw you one of the best darn Pinkie Pie parties you will ever know! But please, I really don’t want you to be all sad.”
Amidst the scene, Twilight only looked on, her face twisting with tears to a seething anger and frustration. After puffing through her nose, she pivoted around and darted out the door. Applejack caught this, and carefully rose, once again painfully limping to catch her friend. “Twilight? Twilight, where are you go—?”
Twilight slammed the door behind her, echoing a loud bang throughout the cottage.
Outside, Applejack, trying to ignore her injury, caught up with the distressed Twilight, who began to violently kick the dirt from the ground below her hooves. She released her bottled up tension through a scream that could have been heard all the way from Canterlot.
Applejack determined that Twilight went too far after watching her kick down a small nearby tree that hosted a few birdhouses. The families of birds retreated from their homes in both shock and terror.
Still limping, Applejack reached and placed a hoof on the raging Twilight. “Twilight, what has gotten into you.”
There was a very long pause. The earth pony could feel the boiling of her friend’s blood, simply by her own physical contact. After Twilight huffed and puffed repeatedly through her nose, she finally asked angrily, “Why didn’t the spell work? What did I do wrong? Why does this always have to happen to her!?”
She pulled her shoulder away from Applejack with an annoyed grunt, and trotted over to an open space to sit down. Twilight hung her head low, shame taking over.
Applejack walked herself over to the alicorn, almost forgetting that she was injured at this point. “What do you mean ‘Always happen to her?’”
Twilight looked up to her companion through teary eyes. “Applejack, none of this would have happened if we just listened to her from the beginning. If we just listened to her, I never would have used my spell. If I never used my spell, I never would have asked Fluttershy to do her stare. If I never made her do her stare, she would still be normal. I am just so sick and tired of having so many bad things happen to Fluttershy because of me.”
Applejack tilted her head with an arched brow. “Twilight, if there is anypony to blame for this it’s me. I’m the one who convinced the rest of you to not listen to her and that lead to the whole—”
“You don’t understand, Applejack,” Twilight interrupted. “It’s not just about this. Everytime some sort of wild situation comes up that involves Fluttershy, she ends up being the one on the receiving end of the stick. What has that caused her? Pain, humiliation, panic, and fear. Only now it’s with a new twist: I mutated her!
“Applejack, you get the luxury of not having powerful magic. You’re not the one who casted the spell. I always try to use my magic for the best, but it can easily come out with the worst results. I don’t know how much longer I can take it if these things keep happening to Fluttershy! I don’t even know if she forgives me for this now. I won’t be surprised if she doesn’t.”
Twilight hid her face away with her wings as tears fell down her cheeks, her head craning like a twenty pound weight was attached. The air outside went cold as a gravestone. Blame for the misfortune of a loved one is a title that one can easily hold upon themselves. Whether it be survivor’s guilt or thinking on an incident that might have been prevented, it is almost natural for someone to hold themselves accountable, as a way to show pity for the victims. For Twilight, her friends have always been the center of her life since arriving in Ponyville not very long ago. But even she felt that she couldn’t live up to being the perfect friend that she envisioned herself to be. Especially not during a time like this.
Applejack dragged her hooves forward and parked herself next to the weeping alicorn, again trying to ignore the burning in her flank. She brushed her hoof through Twilight’s purple and violet mane. In a surprisingly motherly tone, she said, “Twilight, I actually think Fluttershy forgives you already.”
Twilight perked her head up. “What do you mean, Applejack.”
“This is Fluttershy we are talking about, sugarcube. Think, whenever something chaotic, frightening or even traumatizing happened to all of us as a group, did Fluttershy not forgive us? Whenever she was forced to face her own fears by us, no matter how scared to death she was, against her own wishes, did Fluttershy not forgive us? Whenever we had those moments when we were either visibly annoyed, frustrated or even impatient because she was too hesitant or scared to help us with a task, did Fluttershy not forgive us?”
Twilight opened her eyes wider and began to nod, catching the drift of Applejack’s pattern. “I guess if she still treated us like best friends after what she has been through in the past, I guess she is pretty forgiving.”
“Well that’s not all.” Applejack took off her stetson and pulled out a small folded piece of paper. After steadily unfolding it she cleared her throat and began to read,
To my closest friends, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity,
I hope the bats at Sweet Apple Acres are doing well with their sanctuary. It’s been about a week since we had the fiasco with the spell and since we last wrote in the journal. However, I’m afraid that I have some news that I feel the need to share with you all.
I feel like I am in dire need for all the love and support you can offer; I have been hiding a secret about a recent discovery, that I’m having a hard time understanding. So, if you all feel okay with this, I would like all five of you to please meet me at my cottage this Friday at around seven o’clock. I need to tell you all what is going on and receive possible help.
Twilight, please come prepared to use your magic if things get too out of hoof. Applejack, I want you to find the biggest apple on your orchard and bring it here, too. I just hope I don’t frighten any of you or do something to make you all abandon me. But please understand that what I’m going through is NONE of your faults.
-With much love, Fluttershy.
For the longest time the mares said nothing. Twilight looked at Applejack like she just had a flash of genius. Jack simply placed the letter back in her hat and spoke, “Ya see, if she included you as one of her five best friends, then don’t you think she’s forgiven you already?”
“I-I guess she has,” Twilight replied with bafflement. “I can’t believe I never realized the details of the letter. I never noticed anything really wrong with Fluttershy, and I didn’t expect her to be hiding anything. I guess I was just afraid of what she would have thought of me.”
Applejack shook her head. “But, Twilight, if she wanted to make sure that you specifically came here, then don’t you think she still has faith in you as a friend? That she still thinks you can find a way to help her?”
“But what if I don’t? What if she’ll be this way forever?”
It was at this point when Applejack fully turned herself around to face Twilight with a serious expression, but still with a soft voice. “Twi, you became a princess by getting us out of a situation that seemed very unsolvable. If you can do that, then I’m one hundred percent sure you can still save Fluttershy. I don’t see a monster in that cottage. I see a scared little pony, who needs all five of her best friends to be there for her. What kind of a friend will you be if you don’t fulfill her wishes by at least trying?”
Twilight took a deep breath and thought for what seemed like fifteen minutes. She then looked at her friend with a smile. “Okay, I’ll stay with her and do my best. I’m sorry I ran out like that, Applejack.”
Applejack returned the apology with a pat. “Don’t sweat it, Twilight. But the important thing now is to go in there and show Fluttershy that she is still our friend, even though she did bite me.” She placed a hoof back on her flank and immediately cringed at the piercing burn. She felt the two holes still oozing with a mixture of puss and blood. Surrounding, was a large island of dried up substance, sticking to the fur like paint. She rose with a burning limp in her hind quarters, suddenly remembering the pain she was in.
Twilight rose and wrapped one of Applejack’s front forehooves around her shoulder. “I’ll help you back in and patch that up, if you’d like.”
“I would really love that now.”
The two mares headed back up the hill for the little cottage and opened the door.
Inside, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Rarity all remained around the vampire that was Fluttershy, who stirred while sleeping in Dash’s forearms. Twilight looked on at what appeared to be both a sad and beautiful sight. She saw a force of unbreakable love engulf and protect a fallen angel. Their sympathy, compassion and understanding were keeping her safe from the further evils of the world. More tears came to the eye.
“I’m so sorry, Fluttershy,” Twilight whispered like she was about to cry again. The trio turned to the two ponies who just announced their return.
Twilight approached the group with eyes closed and head low. “I-I’m sorry about bursting out earlier, girls. I was very frustrated about my spell not working. But I’m still here for Fluttershy, no matter what will happen. I triple dog Pinkie Promise.” She sealed her vow with the motions, landing her hoof over her eye.
The rest of the ponies silently accepted her apology with nods. Rainbow looked down at Fluttershy with a soft expression. “I think she definitely needs us now more than ever,” she whispered. “Vampire or not, she is still my best friend.”
Twilight asked, “How about we stay the night with her? I think it would mean a lot to Fluttershy if she sees that we still care about her in the morning.” Rainbow nodded, agreeing.
“I think that would be most splendid,” Rarity said with a little smile.
“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie whispered loudly.
“Fine by me, Twilight,” Applejack confirmed. “For Fluttershy.”
“Great,” Twilight commented. “I’ll be right back. I just need to find something to fix Applejack up.” With that, she went scouting into the kitchen and began opening and closing several doors in the process. The sounds silently echoed throughout the once again still home of the butter yellow pegasus.
Applejack came to the circle closing over Fluttershy and rested herself down, trying to relax the burning from her flank. She yawned. “I hope you can still see that we forgive you, Fluttershy.”
Celestia’s sunlight filtered into the cottage through the opened window. The warmth of radiance spread and gave new life to all it touched. In the center of the room, all six ponies laid in their reveries. The horrid transformation of Flutterbat was nowhere to be found. Only a restored Fluttershy rested in the very center.
A ray of sunlight washed over Fluttershy’s face and peaked through the tiny slits of her eyelids. The bright sensation acted as a wakeup call as they fluttered and eventually pried the eyes open to blurriness. Giving a rub with her hoof, her vision cleared.
While still in a dreamy state, Fluttershy observed her surroundings and felt the rise of a furry pillow against her ear. Odd. she thought. She didn’t remember owning such a pillow.
She lifted the weight of her head and found that the pillow was actually Rainbow Dash’s chest. The sleeping cyan pegasus kept a hoof wrapped around Fluttershy, as if to shelter her from any foe that may come her way.
Carefully removing the hoof, the animal caretaker rose from her resting spot and saw the mares that encircled her. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash all had their heads sinking into throw pillows that once occupied Fluttershy’s cushions. To her, they all looked like they were resting on very uncomfortable beds against the wooden floor. But they must have decided this for a reason. She found that reason.
Fluttershy caught a sight on Applejack’s flank that made her both gasp and cringe in horror. Over her cutie mark, a patch of white gauze and medical tape blanketed a damp red spot. Fluttershy brought a hoof to her teeth and felt a sticky substance gloss her incisors.
The blood that was not her own made it very easy for Fluttershy to put the pieces together from the previous night. Shaking in shock, she bowed her head to the farmer and softly kissed her forehead. Her eyes watered. “I’m so sorry, Applejack.”
Her tears quietly trickled down to the end point of her muzzle and dripped against Applejack’s cheek. In turn, the drop was just enough to wake her up. Forcing her eyes open, she looked up to the crying Fluttershy and immediately lifted her head up. “Fluttershy.”
Applejack began shaking Rarity and Twilight at her sides. “Girls. Girls! She’s awake!” The loud call arose the four remaining ponies to the scene. AJ brought herself to Fluttershy’s sobbing eyes. She embraced Shy like a teddy bear and began stroking her mane. “Shh… it’s going to be okay, Fluttershy. You didn’t mean for this to happen.”
Fluttershy, however, pushed herself out of the hug and looked around in bewilderment. “You’re all still here? Why?”
“Give us a good reason why we shouldn’t,” Rainbow answered.
“I-I attacked you all last night. I lost control. I harmed Applejack.”
“It was not you that harmed me,” Applejack said. “It was Flutterbat. After you bit me, the real Fluttershy who we all know and love came back.”
“That Flutterbat was a real big meanie pants!” Pinkie Pie declared. “But now you’re sweet old Fluttershy again. And we’re going to help you stay sweeter than a triple decked gingerbread house on Hearts Warming Day!” Though still with a mixture of self-doubt and pity, Fluttershy giggled at Pinkie Pie’s joke. Even though it was a silly comparison, it was a great comfort to know that she would remain a true true friend.
“You have a very strong inner-beauty, Fluttershy,” Rarity commented. “Last night, I was terrified of you, mostly for your appearance, no offence. But no matter how frightening you may act or appear, you are still the lovely pegasus that I enjoy the company of. I saw that pegasus overcome the monster within you.”
Such beautiful words coming from a very close friend. The unicorn nuzzled her head against Fluttershy’s shoulder. The gesture of love and affection was strong enough to bring another tear to the eye. A tear of joy and relief.
Twilight fully stood and looked down. “I think I owe you an apology, Fluttershy.” She made perfect contact with the pegasus. “Last night, I became angry and frustrated with myself, because my spell didn’t work. I lost faith. I thought that you wouldn’t forgive me for what I’ve caused you.”
“Twilight, of course I forgive you,” Fluttershy replied. “I don’t understand what was going through your head. You did everything you knew and could to help me that night in the orchard. It wasn't your fault that this happened to me.”
“I didn’t realize that before,” Twilight continued. “But I had the guidance of a very good friend.” She winked at Applejack. “Now, I’m going to do everything I can to fully restore you, Fluttershy. Last night, I sent an urgent letter to both Celestia and Luna, describing everything that happened on the orchard and last night; I’ll need all the professional help I can get. I’m going to put all of my other projects and research aside, until I find a cure for you. If I can write my own magic that can give you back your cutie mark, then I’m sure I can come up with something that can take the vampire out of you for good.”
“Until then, we’re going to be there for you,” Applejack said. “We’ll help you control it, hide it and even restrict your apple diet to ensure that it won’t happen again.”
“And you will still do this for me, even though I became so violent?” Fluttershy asked. She was beginning to wonder if she was just having a fantasy to comfort herself. But in actuality, the truest of friends would never abandon one in need. It was all starting to hit her like an oncoming train, filling her heart with warmth.
“I wouldn’t be a very good Element of Loyalty if I stopped caring about you,” Rainbow replied.
“I will help you out along the way and not even call it generosity,” said Rarity.
“We can all laugh this away; it is the best medicine after all,” Pinkie commented.
Applejack nodded. “I can honestly say that you won’t be seeing me leaving any time soon.”
Twilight smiled. “I am an alicorn princess, Fluttershy. If I can accomplish many difficult things in the past, then I can help you find a way.”
Now overwhelmed with compassion and tears, Fluttershy leapt up and grabbed Twilight in the tightest of hugs. The others quickly gathered around and joined, locking forelegs and creating a large cluster of embracing ponies. They have proved that the love of their friendship is stronger than any curse. Their bond was unbreakable. They have passed a test showing that they truly are meant to be together until the very end.
Celestia’s light continued to shine over them. Fluttershy peaked out at the rising sun and saw a new beginning for her. Her heart melted like a winter into spring. This was the start of a journey to the road of recovery. This was the sail of the vampire, leaving the port of darkness, and setting out onto the sea of love and brightness with her friends.
The End.
Author's Note
Hi, everyone. I hope you enjoyed my third MLP fanfic. This was inspired by my favorite episode of the season so far, "Bats!", and the Flutterbat speculations of the Brony community. Forgive me if this isn't my best, but this was simply an attempt to get my creative juices flowing again. Don't forget to leave a comment below telling me if you liked, or disliked, the story and telling me why; I'm always open to opinions for improvement. Thanks for reading!
