Chapters Intro: A Cry in the Night
Music of the Night
Intro: A Cry in the Night
Written by Bakmah Genesis
"You be careful out there, Octavia. You know I don't like you heading out on the streets after dark." A brown earth pony stallion stood in the doorway of the back entrance to the auditorium. "You should at least get yourself somepony to take you home on of these days."
Octavia, a mare of average height, laughed as she hoisted her cello up over her shoulder. "Fredric, I've been up and down these streets since I was a filly. I will be fine." said Octavia, smoothing out her red dress with her hands.
"Still, with the recent string of brutal murders, I don't want to hear your name among the dead." Fredric shook his head. "Just promise to call me when you get home safe, please? And call me when you don't feel something is right, I'll run over to you as fast as I can."
The grey mare chuckled. "Will do, Fredric. You get home safe, too. I'm sure your wife is getting worried." said Octavia with a wink as she turned around, starting off into the night. Fredric chuckled before closing the auditorium doors.
Octavia gave a small shiver, wishing she brought a coat for the evening. She had hurried out the door for her concert that night that she nearly forgot to tune her cello and completely forgot the need of a coat at night. It was fall, after all. The difference in tempatures between day and night was growing larger as winter approached.
The earth pony casted her gaze to the sky, finding the moon eerily red that night. Despite her self-reassurances that she would be fine, she was starting to grow scared of the shadows around her. Octavia took a deep breath before continuing forward.
For the past month, there had been an increase in brutal murders, bodies turning up torn apart on occasions. Usually, it was filled with bullet holes or decapitated. The worst part of it all, the Royal Guard didn't seem overely worried about it all. Neither did the three princesses.
Octavia herself had seen a few ponies she knew come up in the list of dead. While she wasn't fully aqcuainted with them, their deaths still shocked her. No pony deserved the fates that they were given.
Octavia sighed as she turned down into the alley way she used as a short cut to her apartment. Fredric would have thrown all sorts of fits if he ever found out that she even went near an alley way on her daily commute.
Octavia froze in her tracks as the lights in the alley suddenly were blown out. "Fredric, if you end up being right, I will haunt you." muttered Octavia, carefully continued down the alley way. She bit her lip as she scanned around her.
There was a low growl and the sound of claws on pavement behind her. Octavia whipped around, finding nothing. The mare took a deep breath, walking backwards slowly. She froze as her back came against a broad figure, fur tickling her back.
Octavia turned to find herself with what looked like a six foot wolf, except with hands and standing on two legs. The wolf stared at the mare with glowing red eyes, it's teeth barred in a snarl as a low growl slowly rolled from its throat.
"G-good p-puppie?" Octavia backed up. "Damnit, Fredric, I hate it when you are right." gulped the mare. The wolf growled before pouncing on her. Octavia could only watch in horror as it descended upon her just before her world melted into darkness.
"Lady." Octavia groaned, her eyes screwing shut as she squirmed. "Come now, wakey wakey~". Octavia muttered something, eliciting a sigh from the unknown voice. "Wake the fuck up, lady!"
Octavia's eyes shout open, the mare letting out a choked gasp before coughing up blood. She fell back onto the pavement, trying and failing to get air into her lungs. A dark figure came into her view, silhouetted by the moon.
"Look who decided to wake up." said a clearly female voice. The figure looked over her body, tasking as she took it in. "You don't look so good, Cello Lady."
Octavia lifted her head just enough so she could see herself. Her breathing intensified as she saw the chunks of flesh missing from her body, blood pouring from the multiple claw marks on her body. Her left leg had even been completely torn off. The mysterious mare shook her head.
"Such a shame when ponies go and get attacked by werewolves. Nasty bastards when not tamed." The mare grinned, her fangs flashing brightly in the pale light of the moon. "Oh, but this is still very good for you, miss."
The figure leaned closer to Octavia's face. "You got two choices, as I see it. You can choose to stay here and die from major blood lose after hours of pain and suffering, or I can heal you. Now, there is a catch to this package." The mare's face was now right in front of Octavia's. "Once I heal you, you must do what I tell you to do. I say jump, you jump. I say duck, you duck. I say kill, you kill. I say die, you die, and no doing otherwise." The figure sat up, her fang's flashing as she grinned. "Now, what would it be missy?"
Octavia attempt to speak, but only gurgling sounds came out as blood filled her throat and caused her to cough it out again. "Alright. Reach to me if you want to be healed, stay out and close your eyes if you want to die, got it?" said the mare with a sigh.
Octavia swallowed, her throat amazingly dry as she extended a hand, tears forming in her eyes. The figure grinned. "Look here, we got a volunteer." A pair of bat wings spread out behind the mare as she placed her hands on either side of Octavia's head. "Once I do this, there is no going back. No refunds. Are you ready?" Octavia slowly nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The figure grinned before opening her maw, revealing her fangs as she descended onto her neck. Octavia closed her eyes as she waited for her fate.
Octavia blinked as she found herself no longer in the alley or torn apart. The area around her was plain white. It stretched for miles in all directions. Octavia looked down over herself before quickly placing her hands over her chest and crossing her legs with a blush.
"How does it feel, Cello Lady?" Octavia whipped around to find a yellow Pegasus floating cross legged in mid-air. She wore a leather jacket and black jeans. Octavia could make out a smirk behind her pink mane as she took a bite of an apple. "Well, how does it feel?"
"Wh-what does w-what feel?" Asked Octavia. Chuckled before turning her head, revealing her blood red eyes.
"Being dead, of course."
"Wh-what?! I thought you said you would save me!" Shouted Octavia, completely forgetting her lack of clothing as she threw down her arms in anger. The mare laughed, bat wings spreading out on either side of her.
"Relax, will you? Yes, I said I would save you, but you had to die for me to do just that. So, I kept my promise." The mare chuckled before taking another bite of her apple.
"That doesn't make any sense." Octavia rubbed her temples. "What did you do to me?"
The Pegasus was suddenly in front of her. "Do you believe in the supernatural, Cello Lady?" Octavia backed away.
"My name is Octavia, and no, I do not believe in the supernatural. What does this have to do with anything?"
"Easy! I'm a Vampony and you, Miss I-Never-Get-Any, are one too, now!" Said the mare with a grin. "You asked me to save you, I did."
Octavia looked at her with a blank expression. "A...a Vampony? Those don't even exist!" Octavia fell onto her bum, grabbing her head in her hands in fustration. "None of this makes any sense."
"Well," The mare crouched down and placed her hand on the earth pony's cheek. "I feel realm I look real, I sound real, and I sure as hell taste real." She laughed. "And after your run in with that werewolf, you are in no position to say supernatural doesn't exist, especially since you are a Vampony."
"What now?" Asked Octavia softly, looking up in the mare's eyes. The Pegasus grinned and grabbed her head with both hands.
"Wake up!"
Author's Note
A quick chapter since it's only an intro. The other chapters will be longer, hopefully. Next chapter, we get to see what Octavia decided to get herself mixed into!
Music of the Night
Welcome to Haven
Written by Bakmah Genesis
Octavia shot up, panting. Her hands were quickly feeling their way around her body for scars and missing limbs, finding none. The mare gave out a sigh of relief and let her head fall back on the pillow of the bed she found herself in.
"Told you I kept my promise." Octavia shot back up and turned to see the yellow mare from before sitting on a chair next to the bed. "I do keep my word, Tavi." A pillow found itself across the room towards the mare with impossible speed. Octavia, who had been holding up the sheets to cover her breasts, stared in shock at how fast the pillow travelled as well as how fast the Pegasus dodged it.
"Getting used to your new body and you have barely been in it for a minute. I'm jealous. It took me about an hour." said the mare with a pout as she bit into an apple. "Oh well, get up and dressed. As much as I appreciate a woman's figure, it is not polite to walk around naked." The Pegasus hopped off the chair and threw a pair of blue jeans amd a white T-shirt at Octavia.
"Don't I get a bra?" Asked Octavia as she held up the clothing. "And the rest of the underwear."
The Pegasus laughed. "I don't see the need in underwear. Besides, we are staying indoors so shoes are not needed." She snapped her fingers as she leaned against the door frame. "Now hurry up, I got to show you around this place and bring you to meet my superior."
Octavia stared at her blankly. "You are going to watch me get dressed?"
"Of course. I have to make sure there isn't any damage that was left on your body still there." She licked her lips with a grin. "I also have some other reasons." Octavia stared at her before getting out of the bed and turning away from her. She quickly put on the jeans and went to button them, freezing as she felt the pocket. She reached into it and pulled out a gun magizine.
"Why is this in my pocket?" She asked, turning to the mare. The Pegasus reached into her jacket and pulled out a handgun, tossing it to her. Octavia caught it with a yelp, staring at it.
"That, Cello Lady, is your uniform for this job. Make sure you have it on you at all times." The mare winked before motioning for her to continue dressing. Octavia stared her before looking down at the gun in her hands. She carefully set it on the bed like it would go off at the slightest touch and went back to buttoning her jeans. She quickly slipped her shirt on and turned back to the gun on the bed. She jumped as a brown strap was thrown on the bed, a holster attached to it.
"It would be easier to carry it with that." said the mare as she walked over to her. She picked up the strap again and walked behind Octavia. "Lift up your arms." As she did just that, the Pegasus slipped on of Octavia's arms through one of the holes, getting too close for her comfort. Once both arms were through, she reached around and did the buckle on her chest.
"There." She stepped back with a smile. She walked back to the bed, grabbed the gun and stuck it in the holster, clipping it in place. "Keep that there and these," She held up three more clips for Octavia to see. She reached for a small pouch on the oppisote side of the holster, sliding them in place before closing it. "Here. Got it? Good, now let's go." The Pegasus turned her back to the blushing earth pony and made her way toward the door.
"W-why do I need these?" Asked Octavia. "Also, what is your name?"
"You need those because if you don't have them, you are probably going to get yourself killed." She turned around to face the gray mare. "And my name is Fluttershy."
"My you don't exactly act like a Fluttershy." said Octavia with a raised eyebrow. Fluttershy huffed.
"That was before. I was all shy and easy to walk on. Now, I am a badass, trigger happy Vampony that kills all the naughty monsters for fun and makes sure all the other occupants in our lovely underworld obey the rules." said Fluttershy with a grin.
"So, you are like a policeman, then?" Octavia observed, her natural curiosity overruling her confusion and fear of the place around her.
"You can call me that but I prefer the term 'Scary Chick With A Gun' instead. Makes me more....intimidating." She paused. "Gods, I sound evil. Oh well." Fluttershy shrugged before continuing walking forward. "The first place I think you should visit is our lunch room. I'm not allowed to give you proper blood to drink until you finish training, but a substitute should be good enough."
"Wait, I actually have to drink blood?!" Exclaimed Octavia in horror. Fluttershy splayed her ears in annoyance.
"Hush, will you. You will learn quick enough that our hearing as well as sight and smell are more sensitive, so please be quiet." She shook her head. "And yes, you do. Us Vamponies cannot live off pony food for very long. It also tastes nasty to use. We can eat a small bit, but that's about it. No, we need blood to survive. It's also how we gain energy for other purposes."
"But how do you get all this blood though?" Asked Octavia. "Do you just go ahead and suck it out of ponies?" Fluttershy whirled around and stared at her.
"Rule number one about being a Vampony on this organization, we do not feed off ponies unless we are on the verge of death or they are our enemy." She backed away before turning around. "No, we have volunteers come by and donate blood to us. We get about twenty plus a week. A pint can feed about five of us for one meal."
"How many of us are there then if you need twenty pints a week?" Asked Octavia, spreading her arms out for emphasis. "I only see two Vamponies and it's us."
Fluttershy laughed. "That's because they are either out on the streets with the ponies in our organization or sleeping. Or they are on hunting duty to hunt down wildlife and the occasional misbehaving Vampony and feed it to the two guard werewolves."
"We have werewolves as guards?! I almost got killed by one of those beasts!" Exclaimed Octavia.
"Tavi, I will ask you one last time to keep your voice down around me." said Fluttershy in a low tone, her red eyes sparkling for a moment. Octavia suddenly snapped her mouth shut and obeyed. "Now, not all werewolves are bad. These two are like big puppies until they are intimidated." She stretched. "Now let's get going, I want to get some food in you so we can see my pain in the ass boss."
Octavia watched the cook in the kitchen, bile rising to her throat. "Master, why is it that the cook is pouring blood from a goat in my cup?" The pale yellow Pegasus laughed.
"Like I said, Cello Lady, Newborns aren't allowed pure pony blood. We give you goats blood until your training is done. Don't worry, it tastes better than it looks." said Fluttershy as she went back to cleaning the .45 she pulled out when they got there.
"But why goats blood? Couldn't we get a gryphon or a zebra or something not raised in a pastry that sleeps in its own shit?" Asked Octavia, watching as the cook set the cup down and started stitching the wound in the goats neck back up.
"It tastes very similar, so it would be pointless. And sleeping in shit does not effect blood quality." said Fluttershy with a huff. She set the frame of the gun down and closed her eyes. She sat there for a moment and, in a flurry of motion, had the fully assembled. She cocked it and pointed it at the floor. She pulled the trigger and smiled as she heard the click.
"Now," She set the gun on the table and turned to Octavia. "What was it you actually did before you died, Tavi?" Asked Fluttershy innocently. Octavia peeled her eyes away from the approaching cook.
"Oh, um, I was just a cellist. I worked in a Café in downtown Canterlot for extra bits during the day and a restruant in upper Canterlot during the weekends for extra bits." She blushed. "And I may have went to a night club or two during my free days."
Fluttershy laughed. "Not exactly the safest of places to be. Vamponies stalk those places for victims. We actually have a few agents stationed in night clubs just incase." The mare placed her gun back into her holster and leaned back in her seat. "I actually had to fight a few werewolves in a night club once. The organization is still paying for the damages I made."
"I see you are graceful." muttered Octavia as a cup filled to the brim with goats blood was set in front of her. "Do I really have to drink this?"
"Since I don't want to bring you down here to pump blood in your stomach after you collapse, yes, you do." said Fluttershy, closing her eyes. Octavia gulped before turning her gaze to the cup. She questioned what she was doing before grabbing it and downing its contents. Fluttershy opened an eye and grinned.
Octavia dropped the cup once she was done, a look of shock on her face. She looked down at the drops of blood that fell to the table in amazement. "That...that was actually pretty good." said the mare.
"And that is why you need to trust me, Cello Lady." Fluttershy chuckled as she got out of her seat. "Now, are you ready to head out?" Octavia stared at the cup before shaking her head and looking up at her master.
"Oh, um, yes. I am ready." Octavia stood out of her seat, shifting her holster uncomfortably as she followed Fluttershy out of the lunchroom.
Octavia yawned as she went around yet another corner with Fluttershy, the weight of her holster doing nothing to help her already exhausted muscles. It didn't help that she woke only an hour ago and was already exhausted.
"It's a side affect of becoming a Vampony." said Fluttershy without looking back. "I was slept for two days when I first turned. You slept one. Our training will wait until tomorrow, but it will happen."
"And, pray tell, what will this training include?" Asked Octavia wearily.
"I need to teach you how to use your inner eye instead of your pony ones. You also need to get used to your enchanced abilities." Fluttershy looked back and tapped her gun. "You also need to learn how to use one of these."
"Why do I have the feeling I'm going to be sore for the next week?" Groaned Octavia. Fluttershy smiled softly before continuing forward. The two soon came upon a pair of double doors.
"Here we are, Tavi." Fluttershy looked over the doors. "Answer any and all questions asked truthfully and without question." said the Pegasus, her eyes flashing. Octavia nodded. Fluttershy grinned before pushing open the massive doors with ease. "Lulu, I'm back~"
"Please refrain from calling me that, Fluttershy." said Luna. The indigo alicorn sat behind a mahogany desk in a large domed room painted deep blue. The alicorn turned to see Octavia. "Bit your first virgin?"
"You know she isn't my first. She is just the first not to go and refuse to drink." said Fluttershy with a huff. Luna chuckled as she turned to Octavia.
"So, what is your name, miss?"
"Octavia Philamonica." said Octavia without emotion. Luna blinked before turning to The Pegasus.
"You armed her before she has even entered and put her on a mind control spell?"
"No, I just told her to answer any and all questions truthfully without question." Fluttershy frowned. "Wasn't expecting for her to go emotionless." she muttered. Luna sighed before turning back to Octavia. Her eyes flashed and Octavia let out a quivering breath before glaring at Fluttershy.
"Miss Philamonica." Octavia quickly turned back to Luna. "Do you know anything about what this organization is and or does?" Asked Luna.
"N-no, Ma'am. Master said it was like a police force for the underworld." said Octavia with a gulp. Luna chuckled.
"In a way, we are. The Haven Organization, as the name states, gives a safe haven to children whose families were killed by the supernatural or other supernatural creatures seeking shelter." The alicorn stood from her seat and strolled to one of the many windows. "There are about twenty apartment complexes owned by the Haven Organization that house both our soldiers and those we have taken in. We also have homes underneath the castle which you stand in now."
"Wait, this is all based in Canterlot Castle? Do the other princesses know of its existence?" Asked Octavia. Luna nodded.
"Haven was first formed by me and my sister before my fall. Cadence used to entertain the foals. Twilight, well... ". Luna trailed off, but Fluttershy picked up for her.
"I was first turned when a spell to remove fruit bats from my friends farm went wrong and turned me into a fruit bat equivalent." Fluttershy chuckled. "They tried to reverse it but just turned me into what I am now.
"I started looking for food after awhile, blood. My friend Rarity was first, then Applejack, and then Pinkie Pie, and it all ended with Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy took a deep breath. "The five of us went after Twilight in hunger. She ended up enroling us here. She still isn't happy with me or herself." She laughed bitterly. "On the bright side, she doesn't have to worry about immortality."
"That is the story." said Luna with a nod. "Now, what we do is simple, if we find anyone feeding off ponies or feeding on ponies, then we bring them into custody. Nine times out of ten, it ends with us killing them, so be prepare get blood on your hands. Any questions?"
Octavia rubbed her temples. She sighed and looked up at her. "Where am I going to sleep?"
"With me." said Fluttershy with a grin. "I made you a Vampony, you are mine so you have to live with me. On the bright side, that means I'll work harder to make sure you don't die." The Pegasus winked.
"Oh this will be entertaining." muttered Octavia before sighing. "Alright, let's head over there then. I need sleep, badly." said Octavia with a yawn.
"Hold on, Miss Philamonica." said Luna as she reached into a drawer. She came back out with a badge and tossed it to her. Fluttershy caught it first before skipping out the door with a wink. Octavia sighed before following. "They'll be an interesting team." muttered Luna before going back to her work.
Music of the Night
Living Dead
Written by Bakmah Genesis
Octavia woke with a yawn, sitting up in the bed and stretching out her arms. She smiled groggily, looking around the extra bedroom that was in Fluttershy's apartment. The apartment was actually top class and looked like it costed millions. When asked how she got it, Fluttershy just grinned.
"Good Afternoon, sleepy head." Octavia yelped as Fluttershy suddenly appeared in her vision, hanging from the ceiling fan. The Pegasus laughed before doing a back flip onto the ground. "Jumpy when you wake up?"
"When did you get in my room?" Asked the mare, covering her chest with the covers.
"I thought I would do you a favor when I got up, sheesh." Octavia blinked before looking around the room, finding everything from her old apartment in the room. "You were moving in and I decided to do the moving for you." said Fluttershy.
"Well...um...thanks." Octavia yawned before getting up, searching through the boxes for her clothes. "So, what is it we are doing today?" Asked Octavia, looking over her shoulder.
"Well, I wanted to get training in but for now, we need to get your life in check." Fluttershy sat on the bed. "I keep my old job as an animal caretaker over at the Canterlot Zoo during the day and then kick ass at night. I suggest you keep up your day jobs as well."
"But the orchestra is a mixture of day and night, should I keep that?" Asked Octavia, pulling on a pair of jeans. Fluttershy removed her eyes from the treble clef adorned flanks to look at Octavia.
"To keep up your appearence, yes." Fluttershy got off the bed, grabbing a small stack of papers and Octavia's holster. She handed her the papers first. "These are a list of excuses you can use at your places of work as to why you were gone the past two days. As for why you moved, there are suggestions on the last page." She held out the holster. "Keep this under your jacket. You entered the underworld as a monster. You will be able to see things no one has before. You can see through a werewolves disguise, smell a Vampony, see the signs of a ghoul.
"A quick education on ghouls." Fluttershy put a magazine in the chamber of Octavia's gun. "They are what happen when non-virgins are bit by a Vampony. The result is much like a zombie. There is no cure for these guys so don't hesitate to kill them. Always go for the head or heart." She pushed the holster on her chest. "Either than that, you should be fine!" Octavia took the holster and set it on the box while she finished putting her shirt on.
"You aren't coming with me?" Asked Octavia as she strapped on her holster. Fluttershy shook her head before grabbing her gun once again.
"The button down here is your saftey. Black side out means saftey is on, red out means anything in front of you is fucked. This little lever is to remove your clip and you just need to pull back on the top once to cock it." She handed the gun back. "And I guess you know what the trigger does."
"I do." Octavia put the gun back in her holster. "So, go to workplaces, give excuse, come home?"
"I actually want you to meet me in the downtown food district. I'm down there for patrol this evening. We could get something to eat while I show how the patrol works." said Fluttershy, the slightest hint of a blush on her cheeks.
"I thought we couldn't eat pony food?" Asked Octavia.
"We can't, that's why we order the special." Fluttershy winked. "Meet me there at seven. Oh! And keep an eye out for anyone, underworld wise, feeding on anypony. There is much more to it than that, but that's what I want you focusing on for now." Octavia nodded as she slipped on a black jacket, hiding her gun.
"I'll see you then." Octavia winked before walking out the door. Fluttershy stood there with a blush before waving at empty space.
Fluttershy wasn't kidding when she said she would notice things. She could easily see the extra brown fur patches on ponies that gave them away as werewolves. She even smelled a few Vamponies on her way to the auditorium. It was an odd expirence to smell and know what they look like before seeing them.
Octavia constantly had to touch her gun just to see if it was real. Each time she would think about how absurd everything had become. One day she was walking home from another concerns and the next she was waking up underneath Canterlot Castle as a Vampony with a very lustful master.
As the auditorium came into view, Octavia scanned the crowd curiously to see of anyone she knew wasn't who they were meant to be. Despite the time of day, she could make out groups of Vamponies as well as a good number of werewolves. She didn't recognize any of them and was glad for that. Because she knew if she ever caught any of them doing anything they weren't supposed to, she would have to be judge and jury.
Just as she thought she was in the clear for any of her friends being anything supernatural, Fredric stepped out of the auditorium, lighting a ciggerette. Octavia could see the obvious patches off thick brown fur sticking out of his suit.
Fredric looked up and froze when he saw her walking towards the auditorium. Octavia watched as he put out his ciggerette and quickly hurried inside. She already had some suspicion from him insisting that he follow her home a few nights ago and the fur didn't help. Octavia reached into her jacket and undid the clasp to her gun before doing a jog towards the auditorium doors.
Once inside, Octavia sniffed around, following the scent of Fredric towards the backstage area of the building. As she walked along the halls, she pulled out the gun Fluttershy had given her and made sure it was loaded before hiding it in her coat.
"D-did you kill the werewolf that attacked me, Master?" Asked Octavia. The question had bothered her ever since she woke up that day. Fluttershy took a deep breath as she looked up towards the sun.
"When I found you, he was already long gone. Either he wasn't very hungry or just wanted to kill you or someone, but he didn't need to stay long." She turned around to face Octavia with a grin. "But trust me, he won't last long."
"C-can I kill him?" Asked Octavia, her violet eyes starting to show a bit of red.
Fluttershy placed a hand on her shoulder. "I will let you do whatever you want to him as long as it's within the law."
"Oh, um, Octavia. A pleasant surprise to see you here." said Fredric with a strained smile. Octavia closed the door to the empty rehearsal room. She pulled out the gun from her pocket and pointed it at him.
"Why, Fredric? Tell me why you decided to attempt to kill me." said Octavia coldly. Her eyes started to turn a slight red. Fredric frowned and grabbed a chair. He sat down and stared at her.
"I was wondering how you are still alive and those eyes tell me all. And the gun says it was Haven." Fredric shook his head. "Never expected you to be so difficult to kill, Miss Philamonica."
"But why, Fredric? Why would you try to kill your own friend?!" Hissed Octavia. Fredric growled, his pointed teeth showing.
"Because I enjoy it. I enjoy watching ponies squirm as a tear into them. I love the sound of their screams!" He grinned. "And yours were simply divine, Octavia." A shot rang out in the room, a hole tearing its way through Fredric's chest followed by three more.
Octavia breathed hard as she watched Fredric's body slump in the chair. She took a deep breath before holstering her gun and exiting the room. As she made her way out of the building, she passed ponies as they ran through the halls in chaos after hearing the gun shots.
She exited the auditorium, gazing up at the sky. She still had two more stops to make that night. She just hoped none of her bosses were like Fredric.
Octavia walked out of the café with a sigh. This time she didn't need to shoot anyone but she sure wished that she could have. Despite telling her boss she got deathly I'll for the past few days and it wouldn't happen again, the fat bloke still docked her for the two days she was gone and took a quarter of her pay of her paycheck.
She massaged her temple as she made her way to her next place of work. While she did work in the area given, she did not work in a restruant as she had told Fluttershy. No, it was a bit more embarrassing than that.
As Octavia walked into the upper district of Canterlot she could already hear the music from night clubs as the sky turned dark and the moon took over the sky. She knew she didn't have long before she had to meet Fluttershy so hurried over to her destination under the gaze of the looming Castle.
Octavia came to a decent sized building, music blaring through the open door as a bouncer let ponies into the night club. When he saw Octavia approaching her opened the rope for her without question, giving her a nod as he did. Octavia nodded back as she entered the club.
"Hey! Tavi!" Octavia blinked and turned to the bar to find Fluttershy sitting there talking with the bartender, a mulberry earth pony mare. The Vampony waved her over and went back to her drink.
"Why are you here? I thought you were patroling downtown?" Asked Octavia, sitting down next to her. Fluttershy finished her drink and set it down.
"I decided to talk with one of our agents in the area who is also Haven's personal bartender." Fluttershy gestured to the bartender who nodded back with a grin before going back to mixing drinks.
"Wait, Berry Punch is the agent? How can she tell the difference if she is just a pony?" Asked Octavia. She could see no extra fur or smell the scent of a Vampony on her. Fluttershy was about to answer but Berry came around and did it for her.
"Easy, babe. I look at how ponies react. It's my job as a bartender. Besides, you can smell the blood on a Vamponies breath after a few drinks. As for werewolves, their voice gets deeper and they start flinching at loud noises over the music." said Berry. She pointed down to the end of the bar to a stallion trying to hit on a very annoyed looking mare. "Him, for example, smells like he rolled around in his victims blood after he drank it all."
"I'm surprised. I would never have guessed you of all ponies to work for Haven, Berry." said Octavia, astonished.
Berry laughed. "I can say the same for you, Tavs. Oh, Vinyl is in her office and is pissed about you not being here last night."
"I suppose I can't say I got attacked by a huge dog, can I?" Said Octavia with a sigh. "Oh well, I don't have to worry about him anymore, anyways."
"Oh? You ran into him?" Asked Fluttershy, turning to face her. Octavia nodded as she stared at the counter.
"Yeah, it was my friend Fredric. The ass was addicted to killing and I was just another victim. I left him with three rounds in his chest so I shouldn't have to worry about him anymore." said Octavia.
"You said the chest right?" Octavia nodded. "Tavi, how close to the heart did you shooting?" Asked Fluttershy, a bit of concern in her voice. Octavia was a bout to answer when a white unicorn walked behind the counter of the bar. She slapped Berry's ass before grabbing a bottle of whiskey.
"Hey, babe." said the unicorn with a grin, wiping her electric blue mane out of the way so Berry could see her magenta eyes. Berry groaned.
"Vinyl, what did I tell you about slapping my ass in public?" Berry picked up a glass and started to clean it. "If you want any later I suggest you behave."
Vinyl pouted. "Meany." Vinyl turned to face Octavia. She set the bottle on the counter and crossed her arms. "And where has my waitress been? You wouldn't believe how many horny stallions asked me where their favorite eye candy was."
Octavia sighed. "I had some personal buisness to take care of and didn't have time to call in. I'm sorry, I'll make sure it won't happen again." apologized the Vampony. Vinyl looked her over before nodding.
"Alright. I'll give you an extra day but I want you here tomorrow and ready to work, alright?" She looked over at Fluttershy who sipped on her beer with a bored expression. She then looked back at Octavia then back at Fluttershy. "So what, are you two marefriend's or something?" Fluttershy did a very impressive spit take with beer as her wings shot out. Octavia herself went rigid.
"No!" said the two at the same time. They looked at each other and blushed. "Just friends." said Octavia. Vinyl nodded with a grin.
"Sure. Friends with benefits. Got it." Vinyl laughed as their blush grew deeper.
"Leave them, Vinyl." said Berry with a chuckle. Fluttershy got her blush under control and turned back to Octavia.
"So, about my question regarding Fredric. How close were you?" Asked Fluttershy. Vinyl raised an eyebrow while Berry waited patiently.
Octavia opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by screams out by the door. Fluttershy reached into her coat and pulled out her gun. Octavia did as well, following the motions as well. Vinyl stared at them and was about to ask her marefriend what was going on but stopped when she saw Berry load silver shells into the shotgun that was kept under the counter.
Just before Vinyl could question them, a werewolf bursted through the front door of the night club, the bouncer getting sent across the room into the DJ booth. The werewolf was clearly larger than a normal pony and had three bullet holes randomly placed in his chest. Fluttershy blinked before looking back at Octavia.
"Tavi, you suck at aiming." Octavia snorted.
"Your fault for giving a mare a gun when she hasn't even touched one her entire life." Octavia took aim this time and shot off a series of rounds at Fredric. The werewolf jumped to the side, taking one in the arm before the other two mares began taking shots.
Ponies began running towards the alley exit in the back of the night club as the sound of gunshots rang through the building. Vinyl herself hid behind the counter while the other three moved for a better advantage point, Octavia just following Fluttershy.
"How the hell is he still alive?" Asked Octavia as she ducked under a toppled table, just barely missing a chair thrown at her.
"Like I said, your aiming is shit. Werewolves are harder to kill because of their build. If you want to kill one, shoot more than one round at the heart, not just spray them!" Shouted Fluttershy before popping back up. Octavia could hear her curse as she lowered her gun. Berry and Octavia looked at each other before popping their heads over the tables.
They watched in horror as Fredric shoved his head behind the bar counter. Vinyl screamed, grabbing the nearest bottle of whiskey and breaking it over his head. Fredric growled and snapped at her, just missing.
"Mother fucker... " Berry raised her shotgun to shoot him but Fluttershy quickly stopped her.
"You shoot and you risk setting all that spilled whiskey on fire." said Fluttershy as she holstered her gun. She took off her leather jacket so she just had on a black T-Shirt. "Wait until I get him away from the bar, then shoot." Another scream came from behind the counter, this time pained. Fluttershy cursed, grabbing a knife from her hip and jumping over the tables. She settled on the counter before running over to Fredric and mounting his back, shoving the blade into his shoulder.
Fredric howled in pain as he backed away from the bar, trying to reach around and grab Fluttershy. While her Master fought with Fredric, Octavia ran over the bar. She jumped over the counter and went over to Vinyl, gasping as she caught sight of the bit mark in her leg.
"Berry!" Cried out Octavia, popping her head over the counter. "She has been bit!" Berry cursed before running over to them. She knelt down and examined the bite.
"Shit. We need to get her back to Haven." said Berry as she picked up Vinyl.
"Why? It ps only on her leg." said Octavia. Berry was about to answer when there was a gunshot followed by a loud thump. Fluttershy stood up on the fallen Fredric's back and emptied the rest of her clip into his head. Once empty, she made her way over to them.
"For werewolf bites, you don't need to be virgin. You just need to be bit and then you are on your way to becoming one." said Fluttershy, sitting on the counter. "And there is no way in hell he is getting up now." Octavia took out her own gun and shot the rest of her clip into his body. She holstered it when it was empty.
"Making sure he was dead." She looked down at Vinyl who looked like she was about to pass out. "So what will they do when she gets to Haven?"
"Monitor her as she changes. Once that is done, then they do the same thing as the rest of us. Enroll her and get her used to her new body." said Berry, stroking Vinyl's mane. "Vampony blood is an option but it only works on virgins. I should know for a fact that she isn't. She wasn't before we started dating."
"We better get moving. I don't want to have her change while walking down the streets." said Fluttershy, hopping off the counter and making her way towards the door. Octavia looked over to Berry. The mare only sighed before slinging Vinyl over her shoulder and making her way over to the door.
Octavia looked back at Fredric's corpse. "Hope you liked that, asshole." muttered the earth pony before joining the others.
Music of the Night
A Late Dinner
Written by Bakmah Genesis
The Medical Wing in Haven was one of the worst places Octavia had ever stepped foot in. It wasn't because of how it worked or looked, but because of the smell. The sanitary smell of hospitals were bad enough for a pony, but worse when you are a Vampony with powerful scent intake.
Fluttershy had a look of disgust on her face as she scrunched up her muzzle. The two Vamponies and Berry sat outside one of the hospital rooms, listening as Vinyl's screams echoed through the halls.
"Is turning into a werewolf that painful?" Asked Octavia, her ears flicking in annoyance. Berry nodded with a sigh.
"It is. So is turning into a Vampony." said the mare as she fondled with the stock of her shotgun.
"It is? I didn't feel a thing."
"Thats because you were nearly dead when I turned you. Trust me when I say it hurts." said Fluttershy with a grimace. "But getting ripped apart hurts more, so you have the bigger balls than all of us."
"Glad to know almost getting killed got me some recognition." deadpanned the earth pony. Fluttershy rolled her eyes.
"It's a good thing to be popular when you start out, because if you grow up to the expectation, you have more people willing to fight for you."
"I'm not fond of ponies throwing their lives away to for me." said Octavia, squirming in her seat. Fluttershy sighed.
"Ponies always have thrown away their lives for you. And not just Haven." Fluttershy put her head against the wall. "Everyone dies for someone, we just die in different ways. Some die in battle, some die by doing what they believe they is right. Some do the equivalent of dying to protect someone. It is what we do, even Vamponies if we have loved ones still alive. We may reside in the dark and drink blood, but we still have a heart in the metaphorical and physical senses."
"Do you have someone to die for, Flutters?" Asked Octavia curiously. Fluttershy froze before shaking her head and smiling at her.
"Of course I do. I'm not some lonely low life, Tavi. I have friends and my parents are still alive, same with my sister."
"You have a sister?" Octavia asked, not really having known that much about the mare who had saved her life.
"I do. She is more well known than I am even though I'm older." She shook her head. "Poor girl still wants to be a Wonderbolt even though she has an extreme advantage now that I changed her. She always says she is 'too cool' to cheat and would slow down. She obviously forgot how much she loves to push herself." Fluttershy sighed. "Rainbow Dash can be such an idiot sometimes. You have any family, Tavi? Mom, Dad, Aunt, Uncle, Grandmother, Grandfather, Brother, Sister?"
Octavia shifted. "No, not really. I am an only child and my parents died when I was young. I had a cousin but I lost contact a long time ago.
"I see." Fluttershy stretched. "Well, come on, Tavi. I need to get you acquainted with that gun there so you don't think anything is dead when it isn't." Fluttershy waved for Octavia to follow her as she stood up and started walking down the hall. Octavia waved goodbye to Berry before running after her master.
"Shouldn't we have stayed and comfort Berry? I don't think she is taking her marefriend becoming a werewolf well." said Octavia as she came up next to the Pegasus.
Fluttershy shook her head. "Berry is a strong one, and she knows that she has to stay strong for her marefriend." The Vampony looked back to the mulberry earth pony, the mare rubbing her temples as she waited. "It's something she has to do." She shook her head. "Now come on, let's get you shooting shit."
The two mares stood in one of the stalls of the large shooting range. Octavia sat back and fiddled with the gun in her hands as she watched Fluttershy put up a pony shaped target on the track. Once it was secure, she hit the button on the side and sent it out, putting on her earmuffs as she walked over to Octavia.
"Alright," started the mare as she grabbed her by the shoulder, bring her closer to the shelf in the stall. "The idea is simple, there are three vital spots on all underworld creatures. The head, the heart, and the neck if you are a good sharp shooter. Thing is, neck doesn't work half the time, so stick with head and heart.
"Vamponies are durable to head shots. It will slow them down, but won't kill them. For werewolves, anything goes." Fluttershy pointed out to the target. "Try to shoot it mostly in the area of the heart and head. Shoot till the clip is out."
Octavia looked at the gun in her hands uncertainly before lifting it and pointing it at her target. she gulped before steadying her breathing, focusing her aim at the head of her target before thinking better of it and aiming for it’s chest.
Pulling the trigger rapidly, firing a barrage of shots at the cardboard target. Each shot shook her whole body. Within a few seconds, the sound of metallic clicking reached her ears, telling her that it was empty. She blinked before slowly setting down the gun on the counter.
Fluttershy shook her head before slamming her palm on the button, causing the target to come back. "Your pose was good, so was your breathing... when you started," said the mare as the target came to a stop before them. Examining it, Octavia found that she hit major points only twice, the rest of her shots seemed far over on the chest or a few on the abdomen. "It's like after the first few shots, you gave up aiming."
"It's not my fault that thing is so difficult to use." Octavia crossed her arms with a pout. Fluttershy rolled her eyes.
‘It’s not my fault you act as though the damn thing will bite you in the ass if you pull the trigger.” She took the gun away from the younger mare, replacing the clip. “This time, don’t focus on the gun, but rather you target. Imagine something or someone nasty that you would love doing away with. From there, it is all about pulling the trigger, but not breaking that concentration.
Taking the gun in her hands, Octavia watched a new target traverse down the range. Once it came to a halt, the vampony took a deep breath as she steadied her aim. The target quickly became the figure of Fredric. Taking her aim, Octavia pulled the trigger. With each pull, she hit her mark, four in head and four in the heart cavity.
“Someone took my advice.” commented Fluttershy, bring back the target. “Of course, there won’t be time to pause in an actual fight, but you’ll adapt as you go. Now come on, I think we have a long overdue dinner to get to.
Of all the places that Octavia thought her master would bring her for patrol, a fancy, upper-class restaurant was not one of them.
Fluttershy had brought them to one of the tables next to a window, giving them a view of the streets and the gorgeous interior of the restaurant. The ponies around them seemed to be dressed in high fashion as if they just got back from a gala, Octavia felt odd sitting there in shorts and tank top with her master in her red trench coat.
“Master,” said Octavia, blushing at all the looks they were getting. “Are you sure that a restaurant in upper Canterlot is the right place to look for underworld creatures?”
Fluttershy put down her menu with a sigh, looking around for the waiter. “You’ll soon figure this out that vamponies and werewolves love to hide in places where they are less liking to be found, as ponies no one would expect would want to bite your head off.” The vampony chuckled. “I’m pretending to be on vacation right now, but I actually run a small vet in the outskirts of Ponyville. Put on the nice shy and kind routine.”
“So, kinda like Fredric?” asked Octavia.
“Eeyup. Would you believe that your highclass friend and fello musician actually tears apart helpless ponies at night for fun? Course not. Most ponies think that you’ll find more vamponies and werewolves in the slums than in condos, but it is the opposite.”
“For example, three out of our nine nobles of the Equestrian Board are actually Vamponies. Those three make up the four members of Haven’s Board of Leadership, Princess Luna being the fourth and high ruling member. Now, who would expect that our very country is ran by a vampony? Hell, they started the blood drive just to feed us vamponies who know better.”
“Wait, blood drives only started within the last three decades, even then they were cruel and barely passed saftey laws. How could the princesses create the blood drive if she was banished the last thousands of years?” Fluttershy laughed as she saw the waiter on his way to their table.
“Who said Celestia was a pony?” The vampony turned just as the waiter approached them. After placing their orders, the two lapsed back into silence.
“You mean, we’ve been ruled by a vampony the entire time?” asked Octavia, still trying to grasp what she was being told.
“A werewolf variant, actually.” said Fluttershy, taking a sip from the wine the waiter brought over. “There are two kinds of werewolves. There are your common creeps like Fredric and what Vinyl turned into, and then we have the Alphas.
“Alpha’s are larger than your average werewolf by twice the size. You usually turn into an Alpha after showing your dominance over your pack at the time. Rumor has it, that Celestia turned into an Alpha shortly after the defeat of Sombra. Their powers are stronger and they are not to be messed with unless you got some serious balls.”
“But the point still stands that we are ruled by the underworld. Has it really grown that large?” asked Octavia, glancing around. Almost half of the restaurant was either a werewolf or vampony. She also noticed that the werewolves ate meat heavy meals while she could smell the overwhelming scent of blood coming from the tables which seated vamponies.
“The underworld is massive, and the populations of both vamponies and werewolves are larger than any other race on this planet. So, in reality, you are a member of a secret superpower.” said Fluttershy, calmly drinking her wine. “But in all respects, it’s pretty bad ass.”
Author's Note
Okay, I will admit, the dinner scene was just an excuse for some world building, but I going to try and start budding the obvious ship here, I promise.
Music of the Night
A Trip to the Country
Written by Bakmah Genesis
Of all the things Octavia expected to happen to her, being dragged out of bed and onto a train out into the country was not one of them. Fluttershy sat across from her in a long pink skirt and a green turtleneck. She was able to turn her webbed wings into their more natural state, smoothed feathers hiding her true nature.
Octavia, after having the chance to change in the train’s bathroom, wore her usual medium skirt and suit top, her iconic bow tie resting snug against her neck. She sighed as she tugged at her leggings, feeling tighter than normal due to her more toned calves.
“So what is the purpose of dragging me out to your home town?” asked Octavia, looking up at her master. The pegasus looked at her in the corner of her eye.
“I am your Master, by nature and by say of Princess Luna. Because of this, you can’t leave me, and I can’t leave you. At least not until you show pure independence or dominance over me.” She sat up and looked at her with a small smile. “So now we have another lesson. Multiple homes and multiple lives.”
“Off the top of my head, I have four different lives. Bachelor in Canterlot, Animal Tamer in Ponyville, Business Pony in Manehattan, and Casino Owner in Los Pegasus.” The mare chuckled to herself, shaking her head. “This requires tons of outfits, thousands of bits, and tons of practice. You’ll get a hang of it sooner or later.”
“What is your actual personality, then?” asked Octavia. Fluttershy chuckled as she looked out the window, staring at the rolling countryside as they sped past. She was quiet for awhile before she sighed.
“I always say the closest you get to your true self on the job is your first personalty. It is what you were before you died, really. But...blood, hunger, heightened senses, it changes you that you aren’t that pony anymore, but close to it. I am still kind and caring, but I am more outgoing, more open, more….lustful on occasions. I have changed a lot since that day, but I haven’t really left my old self behind.”
“Do you ever miss those days?”
“Always.” said Fluttershy with a sigh. “I remember when hungry meant and apple or carrot, not the vein of some creature or a blood pack from the Blood Drive. I remember when all I had to be was a shy, caring mare who loved her animals, not three other things plus that.” She shook her head and laughed. “It’s those days I miss, but accept that I will never have them back. No spell can fix that.”
The two of them lapsed into silence, the sound of the train going over the tracks. Octavia was scared to think that, at some point in her immortal life, she will lose track of who she really was. That now she won’t ever be the same. She isn’t sure if she should be grateful that her life was spared, or angry that she was given this curse.
There was a whine as the train started to break pulling into the Ponyville Station. A group of ponies waited for them on the platform, one an Alicorn herself. It didn’t take her long to see the telltale signs of a vampony in each of them. She could only guess that these were the friends that her master had turned shortly after becoming a vampony.
“Luna must’ve told them I was coming.” mumbled Fluttershy as she stood from her seat. she stretched, cracking her back before grabbing her bags.
“Did you not want to see them when you arrived?” asked Octavia doing the same. Fluttershy shook her head as she walked toward the exit.
“Not after our last fight, no.” The two of them exited the train, squinting at the brightness of the sun. Octavia cursed herself for not grabbing her shades as Fluttershy put on her’s. She was having difficulty adjusting to the small things she had to change because of her recent… change.
The two of them stopped in front of the group of ponies, the two parties staring at each other in silence. Aside from the Alicorn, there were two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a pegasus that Octavia figured was her younger sibling. Octavia shifted uncomfortably, feeling the tension between the two parties.
“So,” started the alicorn, drawing her eyes to Octavia. “I see you did it again.” Fluttershy let out a heavy sigh.
“Give me a break. It was either let her turn into a mindless werepony, die slowly of blood loss, or give her a second chance. Sorry for having a heart, here.” The pegasus brought a hand up to her forehead, massaging her temples. “Look, I brought her here because she is legally bound to me. It’s not like I’m waving her around like some accomplishment.”
“Was that what Moondancer was?” asked the alicorn again raising an eyebrow. Fluttershy glared at her, a hint of red showing up in her eyes.
“I thought we agreed to not bring her up again.”
“I thought you agreed to not turn anyone again.” retorted the mare. Fluttershy opened her mouth and then shut it, glancing around them.
“This is neither the place or time for this. I’m going to head home and get my guest settled in. We will talk about this tonight, Twilight. Not in the open. Or do we need to tell your mentor you blew our cover?” The alicorn huffed.
“Fine. I’ll be waiting.” Fluttershy motioned for Octavia to follow her, the two of them heading down the path away from the station, the town of Ponyville behind them.
“What was that about?” asked octavia, looking back at the station. Fluttershy sighed.
“When I turned, I… starved myself. I didn’t know what I was, what I had to do, how to quench my thirst. Soon, the hunger became unbearable. I went after my friends one by one. I didn’t drink enough to kill, instead I drank enough from each to satisfy me when I was done.” She glanced back. “Before we knew it, we had six new vamponies who didn’t know what they were, what to do. They never forgave me for it.”
“And you agreed to never turn anyone again?” Fluttershy chuckled.
“That’s another story for another time.” She lapsed into her cheery mood again. “Now? We head onto my lovely abode and get to introduce you to my roommate. You like chocolate milk, right?”
“I guess?” asked Octavia, confused. Fluttershy laughed.
“Oh, he will love you.” The two of them came upon a small hut upon a hill. Creatures of all sizes ran around the yard. Octavia even saw a bear getting a massage by a couple rabbits. She had to blink to make sure what she was seeing was correct. Her master, a pervert and cold blooded killer took care of animals for a living and got them to do this?
“Oh dear Fluttershy, you have returned.” Octavia swore she was losing her mind when she saw a head pop out of a bird house. “Ooh! And you brought company!” She watched as Discord, the Lord of Chaos, pulled himself out of a bird house a slithered up to her with a silly grin. “I like cereal.”
“Yes, and I like potatos?” said Octavia, unsure of herself. Discord let a sigh.
“Of course you do.” Discord looked off to the side. “Mare’s these days. They don’t understand culture.”
“Who...is he talking to?” asked Octavia, seriously confused.
“You learn not to ask.” said Fluttershy, walking inside.
