The ties that bind us

The ties that bind us

Chapter 7

Reborn from the ashes.

Neon’s heart beat rapidly as he ran for his life between the trees of the forest he had been staying in, trying to find a place he could hide or strike back from. The hunters were only a few feet behind him and he could hear one of the Unicorn’s horn humming as they charged a spell, what spell it was was obviously unknown to the young Vampony, but he knew it couldn’t be something pleasant.

I’ve got to do something fast or I’m done for! He thought as the trees began thinning out as they ran out into a large clearing in the center of the forest, a large river spanning though it at a width that in his current weakened state Neon couldn’t jump over.

“Yes, now I’ve got you.” Crowed the Unicorn in the group as he shot the spell at Neon, no longer deterred by the trees and the young Vampony dodged it, throwing a kunai made of blood in their direction.

“We’ll see about that!” Soon a slew of kunai and other assorted throwing weapons made of blood surrounded Neon, having used his own blood to form them, as blood from a wound was much easier to manifest then blood drawn from inside his enemies.

“You’re a fool, are you seriously thinking you can defeat us are you are? Especially if you’re going to use your own blood to fight us!” Hissed the Unicorn as he began charging another spell only to lose it as he had the dodge one of the blood forged Shuriken.

“Oh I may go down, but I wouldn’t underestimate a Vampony, especially when we’re cornered.” Hissed Neon the battle having properly started and the clearing soon filled with magic spells and weapons of blood.

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The soft beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room as the nurses and healers ran around the bed that Neon had been placed in after his battle with the Griffons and Prince Blueblood; and even though the young Pegasus had won and drank his fill of his enemies blood, giving into the beast for the first time in years left his body weak and in shock.

“Is he going to be okay?” Cadence asked as she listened the the heart monitor and prayed.

“Yes Princess, He’ll be fine. His body just needs some time to recover fully. After all this time of not fighting to jumping to using all of his powers, it overwhelmed him.” The nurse wiped his forehead with a washcloth and brushed his mane back so it would stay neat. Soon however nature began to call and Neon began to moan in his sleep, the crinkling sound of his diapers alerting Cadence of what had just occurred.

“Can you please leave for a moment, Neon’s making poopy in his diaper.” Cadence smiled as Neon’s face showed that his was still pushing.

“Of course Princess, call us if he or you have need of us.” The head nurse replied leading them out of the room leaving the pink Alicorn alone with her charge. Cadence smiled as she stood up and made her way over to Neon’s bedside, pulling back the covers and his robes to reveal his heavily soiled diaper.

“Oh my you really had to go didn’t you Mommy’s little moonbeam.” Cadence giggled as she played around with Luna’s nickname for her adoptive son as she changed his diaper,and made sure that he was clean. Suddenly he began to moan and wake up.

“Neon?” Cadence asked as she slowly back away giving him space just in case he was still violent.

“Ca....dence?” Neon moaned as he sat up slowly, even though his body felt like iron. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything is okay.” Cadence replied returning to Neon’s side and finishing up his diaper change.

Neon cringed as he felt the wipes cleaning his coat and turned to face Cadence. “I messed my diaper didn’t I?”

“Yes, it’s not a big deal hun, after all you’re not potty trained anymore remember.” Cadence finished up and taped the new diaper around Neon’s waist, pulling him in for a hug. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah, I don’t remember anything from the last few days though.” He replied trying to get to his hoofs but failing as his body had still not fully recovered. “There was a battle, wasn’t there?” Cadence stayed silent as Neon’s amethyst eyes continued to look at the cuts and bruises that covered the pink Alicorn’s body. “Cadence, please I need to know, has anypony been hurt?’

“Yes, a few of our guards died as well as a couple hundred civilians, and obviously as that’s the only way they could have gotten through, the city wall has been destroyed and Canterlot city is in ruins. If it hadn’t been for you, it probably would have been razed to the ground.” Cadence explained crying slightly as she looked out the door that led to the balcony, out at the ravaged, war-torn city.

“Me?” Neon Questioned looking at Cadence confusion deeply set in the young Pegasi’s eyes- Cadence nodded.

“You hadn’t eaten or drank any blood in a few days, having been depressed. I followed you to the little cemetery there in Ponyville, and when we returned the battle had already been underway. You were attacked and the shock of it- plus all the blood in the air sent you into a frenzy. You killed all the Griffon foot soldiers as well as many of our own guards in your blood-lust, but in the end you found out that it was Prince Blueblood who had betrayed us. You then defeated him; bringing the battle to an end.” She explained watching how Neon would react to all of this.

“So, Mother was right... I can’t be trusted to be on the battlefield.” Neon sighed putting his muzzle into his hoofs, crying.

“Neon, don’t blame yourself. You hadn’t drank for quite sometime, all of that blood. I mean no matter how you try to fight it the fact remains, you are a Vampony, to drink vitae is in your nature.” Cadence drew Neon in for a hug once again, but instead of simply embracing him- she picked him up completely and cradled him as best as she could; since the two were almost the same size Cadence having a slightly bigger size being an Alicorn. She then used her magic to summon a baby bottle and soon Neon found himself being fed. “You always fight so hard to ignore your darker instincts, everypony appreciates that, but we also understand that they exist. A situation like that, you could help but react the way you did, and in a way think of it as them making a sacrifice to a better cause, if you hadn’t fed off them you may not have been strong enough to have defeat my brother.

Neon sighed as he suckled the warm milk from the bottle, he felt horrible that he had taken the lives of ponies that had done him no harm, but what Cadence was saying did have some validity to it. He must of been weak when they returned from Ponyville, had Neon not been such he wouldn’t have fallen to frenzy and none of that would have happened. Therefore it was possible he wouldn’t have been able to defeat Blueblood the way he had and Canterlot would be gone by now, a feast for the Griffons bloodthirsty beaks. In a way by sacrificing their blood to Neon, they had done their duty to Equestria by insuring Canterlot didn’t fall and those who could be saved lived to see another day.

“Rest now Neon, you haven’t healed completely yet and you’ll need your strength soon. we have already started plans to rebuild Canterlot stronger than ever and for us to make this a reality we’re going to need your help, so rest now Prince Neon Shadow, for now the fight is over.” Cadence cooed as she rubbed Neon stomach with her hoofs, holding the bottle with her magic. Soon Neon’s eyes started to slip closed as his fatigue and Cadence’s years of foalsitting started taking over him and soon he fell asleep.

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“Your Highness!” One of the Soldiers raced through the camp heading toward Princess Luna, a scroll in his aura as he tried catching up to the two Alicorns. “News from the Capital.” The Unicorn handed over the scroll to Luna who opened it quickly reading it’s contents, her face turning pale as she reached the end of it.

“Luna, what’s happened?” Celestia demanded to know trying to tear the scroll out of her sister’s aura.

“Canterlot’s been attacked, Blueblood has betrayed us.” Luna hissed the scroll dropping to the ground.

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The next morning found Princess Cadence,Shining Armor, Neon, and several of the city council members sitting around the table in the royal meeting room.

“So we’re all in agreement, the first thing that needs to be addressed is the wall and it’s barrier.” Cadence said as each of the other ponies at the table nodded in agreement.

“Yes, all other things must wait, insuring the safety of Canterlot and all it’s citizens comes first.” Fancy Pants smiled looking at Fleur as she too nodded her ascent.

“I’ve already got most of my men working on said wall at the moment, as soon as they are done I will reform the barrier and we can start rebuilding the structures that were destroyed in the fire.” Shining Armor added bowing to Cadence and Neon respectively.

“That’s all well and good Shining Armor,but what’s to stop the Griffons from destroying this new shield that you’re going to put up against them. They know it’s weaknesses now, thanks to Blueblood; using the same tricks over and over is not going to keep them out for long.” Neon sighed his amethyst gaze burning a hole through the Captain of the guard.

“Then what is it that you propose Prince Neon, a barrier shield is the only known form of defensive magic that modern Unicorns know how to cast, unless you can somehow get away with casting spells that have been outlawed for over a millennium, it’s our only option.”

“I love how you all fail to see the resources that are at your disposal, I’m not talking illegal arcane magicks, I’m talking about the Tremere technique of blood shielding.” Neon laughed and Shining Armor glared at him.

“Please explain Neon.” Cadence asked as Neon stood up and began circling the table.

“It’s simply this, Shining Armor will create a traditional barrier around the wall, while I with my Thaumaturgy will weave blood into his magic creating what is known as a blood barrier. It is much more stronger than a simple Unicorn barrier and will stand up to even the most advanced dark magicks.” Neon explained using a small amount of the blood from his flask to animate the process.

“It sounds promising, how much will it take out of you Neon?” Cadence asked concern for the Vampony evident in her voice.

“If the cleanup of the City is not complete then it won’t take anything at all, I will simply use the blood that has been spilt in the street from the battle, the fallen guard will live on in the spirit of protection, and the blood of our enemy shall protect us from their own.” Neon replied smiling at his foalsitter.

“Well then I say we should get started immediately.” Fancy Pants added stand up from the table. “All in favor of the Prince’s proposal?”

“Aye.” Everypony said in unison.

T.B.C