Case # 11
It has been exactly ten days since what I can only describe as the start of Fluttershy's phenomenon. Today marks the eleventh time her temporary metamorphosis has taken place; all observations regarding whether her transformations are based on a nocturnal or lunar cycle remain inconclusive. Although through the long and careful analysis of her ' newfound' nature, I can safely conclude that there are a number of constants maintained in each cycle, first of which being her voracious appetite for apples. Because of this, I have experimented with various kinds of apples, and it appears that she does not discriminate when it comes to feeding. Much of her consumption process is similar to that of the vampire fruit bats that once plagued Applejack's farm not just a week ago. She punctures the apple with her specialized fangs and proceeds to suck out both the juice and meat of the fruit before spitting out with frightening accuracy the seeds. To both sate her appetite and confine her, I have placed a rather ample amount of apples for her to feed on. So far she has acted as expected by keeping in her corner, defensively guarding the apple stashes I have provided. However, I grow worried that a pet-like hand-to-mouth relationship may be forming; I must devise a new method of confinement.
The enchanted quill stops in its tracks as Twilight takes a moment to look up from her observational log. Across the dimly lit cellar, the covered form of the pony turned bat stared back at her with deep red eyes almost glazed with an immediate sense of hostility. Twilight noted how the low lights greatly affected Fluttershy's behavior and her ability to stay in one place. Scattered haphazardly across the floor were apple seeds, some of which were fresh from the apple-eater's mouth. Twilight blinked and sighed, rubbing the lost hours of sleep from her eyes, she returned to writing.
The second constant observed is the substantial difference in Fluttershy's physical appearance. Her pegasus wings and ears grow more and more like the aforementioned vampire fruit bat, although she does retain her equine form, I fear that her metamorphosis grows worse each time. At this fact, I also fear for my friend, who unfortunately remains unaware of her bestial condition. I fear-
The quill stopped its scratching. Closing her eyes again, Twilight contended with the dragging lull of slumber. After a moment, she scribbled out the last two words and quietly closed her log. She ambivalently stared at the leather bound notebook that held the great sum of her notes on her friend's most perplexing predicament. Moving for the first time within the hour, Twilight turned in her seat to face the darker part of her cellar, to the corner that stared back with two apple red pupils.
Uncharacteristically disregarding the stray apple seeds on the floor, Twilight slowly inched toward the monster she kept in her basement. The eyes that unflinchingly stared back at the librarian followed her shadow's movements through the low lighting.
Twilight stopped as she looked to the side to see, much to her surprise, some of the apple baskets virtually untouched. Her eyebrows raised slightly before returning to their tired position; she looked back to her charge's menacing stare.
" You've stopped eating. " Twilight said.
The creature made no effort to respond to Twilight's statement and remained static in demeanor. This was unusual. It wasn't the silence that was unusual, no, if anything, Twilight was used to it. After nights of outright gorging on apples, it was irregular for the fluttering bat to suddenly loses its taste for the fruit. In an attempt to disprove this, Twilight trotted to a basket, took an apple, and pushed it toward her.
Fluttershy unwrapped her wings and crawled out the dark toward the offered apple, eyes fixed on Twilight before momentarily looking down and snatching the fruit with her now dextrous tongue. She had indeed consumed it like she did with so many others, she even spit the seeds out on the floor along with the rest of them. Fluttershy stared back at Twilight with the same ferocity and intimidation as before.
Twilight subtly slumped, " You still are Fluttershy.... " she looked at back her vampiric friend with a resigned look, " ...aren't you? "
The hardened stare Fluttershy gave wavered for a moment as she opened her mouth, revealing her specialized maw.
Screams. Then screams from outside bled into the dank basement catching both Twilight and the monster's attention. Twilight made a turn to leave, only to look back at her subject, " You must stay... " and she ran upstairs to investigate.
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Citizens ran in fright as swarms of bat ponies stalked over the unsuspecting town, flying in perfect formation. The leathery wings flapping in the night nearly blotted out the sky and the light of the moon as they flew overhead until they reached their destination- Golden Oaks Library.
Terror stricken ponies made efforts to hide and run, but much to their dismay, the screeches of the swarm had reached the ears of many who tried. The bat turned ponies then stopped their flight by perching atop the library's branches in sudden silence. A single one, the leader most likely, landed in front of the entrance.
The door opened and out came a tired Twilight taking in the display of the winged monstrosities that greeted her. She looked to the leader whose eyes were more lizard like and looked upon Twilight with a stare that she was all too acquainted with.
" You have new blood. We can smell it. " the leader said in a coarse voice.
Twilight's eyes momentarily looked down in hesitation and looked back to the leader. Realizing the air of the situation, Twilight started.
" Can you take care of her? "
The leader nodded, " She will be among others like her... And she will be welcomed wholeheartedly. "
" I- " Twilight wavered, " There is nothing more I can do for her. Nothing more I could do..."
The leader stared on, " Then you know what it is you must do... "
Before Twilight could reply, a loud hissing was heard from inside the library, followed by the ' Flutter-bat ' bursting through a window and flying into the air with the moon on her back.
" Fluttershy! " Twilight looked at the silhouette cast by the moon, revealing the true glory of Fluttershy's vampiric form that was hidden by the dark of the basement.
The fluttering bat looked down and swooped in front of Twilight to hiss at the bat ponies' leader. Twilight backed up and fell over in terror.
HISSSS
The leader too, leaned back at the audacity of the new blood with nothing but enmity and rage behind her eyes. The bat ponies on tree made to move in but the leader held up a hoof to reign in the conflict.
The leader held a surprised expression, " She says... that she's not going anywhere. "
A shaking Twilight looked back at the leader who held a stare with Fluttershy, " W-what? "
" She said... that she's going to stay here. With her friends. "
Twilight shook her head, " No... no, Fluttershy, you have to understand! " The librarian was holding back tears, " I can't help you! There's no way that you can be happy living your life like this. Why would you want to stay here in Ponyville?"
The Flutter-bat stiffened and turned around to Twilight. Eyes still as red as before, she inched toward her crumbled form.
HISSSS
Very soon, she was already dominating above Twilight, staring at her with eyes now burning with hunger, hunger for both sustenance and dangerously, something else.
The leader looked on, " S-She says... Because you... are mine. "
Twilight looked into Fluttershy's eyes, her face getting uncomfortably close with her fangs all the more showing.
" You... really are still Fluttershy..." Twilight's trembling lessened, " ...aren't you? "
The trembling Twilight was soon held by the bat-monster's uncanny embrace, bony wings wrapping around their forms to shield them from the glowing, prying eyes of her kind. Terrified, Twilight looked upon Fluttershy's grotesque form in the moonlight, both repulsed and drawn to the predatory glare her friend held as the space between them closed.
" Yes "
Author's Note
This is a darker look at how a relationship with a monster/supernatural being may play out. It was just a passing thought I had that gave birth to this.
