Crime was small in Equestria, but it happened. Most of the time it was the occasional theft or assault or even use of illegal substance. Not to mention the occasional prostitute who was down on their luck and used sex as a means to survive. Occasionally, there would be a murder, but those were rare. Rape? Even rarer.

But the one thing that almost never happened, or at least was unthinkable to happen, was crimes against children. Even the most cold blooded murderer in Equestrian history, Ripper Scissors, didn’t target children. And yet, here Applejack was. Watching five closed coffins being carried on carts towards the ceremony. They were decorated with flowers and pictures of each of the deceased, all smiling and full of life. It was wrong. It was wrong on all levels that this was happening. And in Ponyville no less.

Applejack was just thankful that Apple Bloom was still in Manehatten. If it had been her in those mines? If her casket was being carried around town with mourners on every street? No, don’t think about it...

When Dinky told them, through all the screaming, crying and hysterics, what had happened, everypony who could help went to the mines. Applejack remembered seeing the bloody spots of where Dinky said Diamond Tiara and Tender Taps had been killed. There was no body, no remains of any kind; unlike the others. Silver Spoon decapitated. Twist impaled. And Rumble... the poor colt has his wings torn off and his throat ripped apart and chewed on. They searched the mines for the remaining two bodies, or even the killer, but there was nothing. Nopony had any doubt they were dead, but it would have been better to bury something instead of an empty casket with just a few toys and pictures.

The news had spread across all of Equestria. A mass murderer was on the loose, in Ponyville, killing anypony regardless of age. Either he was the sickest bastard in the world, or a demon in pony skin. Families with fillies and colts of their own were already leaving town. Rarity’s parents were already planning on moving and taking Sweetie Belle with them; Rarity only staying to support her friends and be there for the town she loved so much. Scootaloo was heartbroken to not have her friends around, but staying with Rainbow Dash was the only thing keeping her happy.

The carts passed AJ now as the families of the deceased followed, sobbing their hearts out and wailing so loud even the dead could hear them. Every parent or sibling was there for the five, except for one. Filthy Rich, to his credit, was keeping himself as poised as possible but it was clear he was ready to fall to the ground and cry any moment. Her heart went out to him as he and his family had been close friends with the Apples for generations. Now he was all alone.

Far as I’m concerned Spoiled Rich doesn’t even deserve to be here, thought Applejack bitterly. If she was, I’d kick her flank. Situation be damned.

When Diamond Tiara’s blood was found, Filthy Rich actually went into the mines to find his daughter and didn’t come out for three days. All the while, Spoiled Rich was out of town, bucking some other rich folk who was also married if the rumors were correct. Even though a letter was sent, she didn’t come home until the day before the funeral itself. There was shouting heard at the Rich House like none had ever been heard before, and there had been plenty. In the end, it ended with Spoiled being kicked out with nothing but the clothes on her back and a promise for a divorce soon to follow. Not that anypony was crying crocodile tears for Spoiled. She left town two hours after she was kicked out, hopefully never to return again.

“... this is insane,” whispered Rainbow Dash, who was right next to her along with Rarity. Pinkie Pie was unable to handle the funeral midway and just left in tears. “We’re the Elements of Harmony. We should be able to stop this...”

“... how do ya stop this?” asked Applejack, wishing for an answer as the progression continued on.

***

Twilight was in a nightmare and it was one she couldn’t wake up from. Five more dead bodies. All children. Ponyville was beyond a state of panic. Many were demanding action or questions, overwhelming Twilight until she had the guard force everyone out of the police station. It hurt worse when the news reported the top headline as “Newest Princess Fails Ponyville’s Safety”.

It hurt because it was true. She hadn’t been able to protect her ponies. The town she loved so much was now either angry, terrified, or both. They wanted answers. They wanted protection. It was only a matter of time before something horrible happened as a result of this. She had doubled her guards, ordering them to search everywhere in and around Ponyville from the Everfree to Ghastly Gorge. The cave was to be constantly guarded in case the murderer returned. Even Princess Celestia and Luna were offering any resources to help Twilight.

But the most frustrating thing was the little filly in front of her. The only one who knew what had happened in the caves.

“Dinky,” began Twilight as she pushed forward a muffin and some milk. “Please, try to say something.”

After Dinky had gone on screaming for two hours, she fell asleep from exhaustion and hadn’t been able to talk after walking up. There was a terrifying look in her eyes, as if speaking would somehow bring about the murderer to appear and kill her. Even her mother, comforting her and never leaving her side, couldn’t bring her to talk.

“Dinky, if you know anything, please tell Princess Twilight,” urged Derpy as she caressed her daughter’s mane. “Please, my little muffin? You have to say something. Even if it’s nothing related, I just want to hear your voice.”

Dinky just continued to stare forward with her eyes staring into oblivion. Sighing, Twilight got out of her seat and motioned to Derpy as they walked across the room that the station held. “I don’t think we’re going to get anything out of her... not unless we get it out of her memory directly.”

“No,” said Derpy, firmly. “My daughter is scared for life, Twilight. I won’t let anything affect her.”

“Derpy, we’re talking about finding and stopping a killer,” growled Twilight. “I will stop this pony from killing any more of my subjects and our friends. For Equestria’s sake, five innocent fillies and colts are dead!”

“You think I don’t know that?! You think I don’t thank Faust every day my daughter isn’t one of them?” growled Derpy. “But my daughter needs help. She needs to get away from here. The killer could even come after her because she survived and escaped.”

“All the more reason to go into her mind and get the memory!” said Twilight, rubbing her forehead. “I will even issue this as a princess order if I have to, Derpy. I cannot be soft on this case like dealing with a butterfly!”

“... not butterflies... they were bats...”

Both mares stopped and quickly turned to Dinky who continued to stare at the wall in front of her, but her mouth was finally moving. “They weren’t butterflies anymore. They changed into bats. Just like her.”

Twilight quickly took back her seat. “Bats? Dinky was this a bat pony who did this?”

“... it was Fluttershy.”

Twilight blinked. Then she blinked again. “Fluttershy? You mean she looked like Fluttershy?”

Dinky shook her head. “No… she was Fluttershy…”

Derpy bit her lip as Twilight did everything she could to not rub her forehead. “Muffin, Fluttershy passed away. We were at the funeral.”

“She came back… came back wrong… a monster… she… looked a bat… with eyes as red as fire… with teeth as sharp as daggers… evil…” muttered Dinky as she began to shake. “I know what she is… I read about them… Aunt Orange even dressed as one last year…”

“What?” asked Twilight.

Dinky took a few deep breaths and only uttered one word.

“Vampire.”

***

“Vampire? Fluttershy did this as a vampire?” asked Applejack in disbelief as she and the other girls meet at Twilight’s treehouse.

“That’s what Dinky said,” said Twilight, shrugging.

The girls and Spike were silent. Until Rainbow Dash said what they were all thinking. “That’s… that’s impossible. Fluttershy is d-dead…” she took a moment to regain herself from saying that. “And vampires don’t exist… do they?”

“No, they don’t. It’s just a bunch of superstition,” replied Twilight, rolling her eyes. “Vampires were just a made up story to scare ponies.”

“But Dinky’s still sticking to that story? Is there… maybe a chance of truth to it?” asked Spike.

“I think what Dinky saw was a bat pony, they’ve been mistaken for ‘vampires’ in the past, but they don’t eat blood or flesh,” pointed out Twilight.

“This one does. I mean, you did say that somepony is acting like a cannibal,” replied Pinkie Pie.

“Yes… well I think this pony is either suffering from some sort of mental illness or mutation. Maybe a magical effect gone wrong?” asked Twilight. “I’ve already reported to the princesses on what I’ve found and I think that we’re looking at a bat pony, female, who may look a bit like Fluttershy, hence why Dinky was thinking such a thing in her state of mind.”

“No bat ponies live here, so they must be an outsider,” pointed out Applejack. “But if this a batpony, then we should be careful around nighttime.”

“Right, I’ve already requested a division of the best Lunar Guards to come and keep our streets safe. Bat ponies live in cave-like cities so we should search places where caves are. I’ve mapped a few logical locations,” said Twilight, showing a map with some circles. A thought then came to her. “By the way, has anypony seen Zecora? I was hoping we could use a potion to help calm Dinky down so she can explain more details.”

“She went to visit her homeland for something,” said Rarity, shrugging her shoulders. “I asked what it was, but she said it was objects and items that would prove useful in the dark days to come.”

Twilight rolled her eyes again. She’ll probably believe it’s a vampire too. Once we capture this murderer it should put everything to rest.

But there was an even better way to get proof.

***

Nopony had been to Fluttershy’s tomb for awhile now. A few of the flowers left by her friends and some members of Ponyville were already dying by the time Twilight arrived. She couldn’t help but marvel at the architecture once again. It was sad, yet beautiful at the same time. I wonder what mine will be like when I die? Wondered Twilight as she thought back to her discussion with Princess Celestia regarding her alicorn abilities, including Immortality.

While there was no such thing as a “true immortal” some beings lived longer lives than others or didn’t age at all. Alicorns were such creatures as they were given the blessing of eternal youth by magic itself. Princess Celestia and Luna were over three thousand years old, even though they only ruled Equestria for half that time. There had been other alicorns, but they were all born once as normal ponies before achieving a new form of magic and being reborn as an alicorn. Cadence did so when she created love magic and Twilight did so when she made friendship magic.

While they could live as long as Princess Celestia and Luna, neither wanted to, and there was a way out of it. According to Celestia, an alicorn could “will” herself to die if she wanted to. It was called “letting go” and while Twilight did not know the process herself, she had been told it was painless and peaceful. Cadance had planned to do it once Shining Armor had died. She would follow him even to the grave. Twilight had planned to do it when Spike had passed away, promising to stay with him until the end.

Why is it that I seem to think more about death these days? asked Twilight as she used her magic to open the front stone door. Nopony had been in here since Fluttershy was laid to rest and Twilight had hoped to keep it that way. Fluttershy deserved to remain untouched with her body forever still in the beautiful state as it had been.

Upon entering the chamber, the torches lit up, but it wasn’t needed as Twilight lit up her horn. Relief and satisfaction filled her heart upon seeing the coffin and its container, still untouched and undamaged. Frowning at the sight of Fluttershy’s corpse once more, Twilight wondered if all her string of bad luck and the recent deaths started with Fluttershy.

It’s like my life’s just gotten harder since you passed away, thought Twilight as she put her hoof against the glass. She wished she could feel that warm touch and see that soft smile that was so pure that it could even challenge the cheerful smile of Princess Celestia. What am I doing here? I have my proof…

She turned around and quickly made for the exit. There was no way Fluttershy was a vampire or alive. She was dead and gone as she had been since.

***

I knew they’d come to check on this body sooner or later, he thought as he opened his eyes, feeling the moon’s presence through the walls. Opening the glass coffin, he slid out and took off the dress his host had worn at the funeral. Once his blood crazy had sired upon drinking the blood of those four brats he realized that one got away.

Dinky Hooves I believe her name was, he thought as he searched through the memories of his host. It had been very easy to force them from her mind and soul, and learned quite the information. Twelve hundred years since that day I was forced to sacrifice by body to live on in spirit. That most likely meant his castle, his minions, and his army of vampires and undead were long gone. The sisters must have done that. They will pay. Once I regain my true strength.

It would take more time. He was already growing strong and stronger the more he drank blood and feasted on the living. Those five foals were enough to finally regain his memories and remember who he truly was. Not to mention two of those bodies were intact enough for the future.

One advantage that I have is that vampires are thought to be myths. That other princess most likely came to check to see if my host's body was dead or missing. Good thing I’ve been laying here every day for this, he thought with a smirk before frowning. However, I’m worried about this new alicorn. Plus her friends are the new Elements of Harmony. While I do have this host as one, I’d rather have them further weakened. Plus, the sisters are no doubt growing suspicious.

What he needed to do was weaken the Elements first, then he could plant a trap for the sisters. Perhaps it’s time to see if I can turn one to my side. He then grinned as he looked upon the glass reflections of Fluttershy. Normally, I do this with a male body… but a female one should be quite interesting indeed.

***

When Princess Celestia read the report that Twilight gave she was relieved that Fluttershy’s body was untouched since the funeral. Yet, it still did not cast away her worst fears of what could be causing the murders in Ponyville. Twilight had said that Dinky believed a vampire was behind the killings, but dismissed them. Oh, Twilight. How wrong you might be.

The door to her chambers opened and Celestia turned to see her sister walking towards her. “Taking a break from Night Court?”

“Yes, I’ve been getting too many requests and demands for ponies to investigate various Bat Ponies,” replied Luna. “Not to mention that Bat Ponies are demanding protection from the other pony races who are accusing them of being murderers while also outright attacking them. The guards have already broken five different fights in different areas of the city.”

Princess Celestia sighed, knowing that the rise of anti-bat pony voices would come sooner or later. The fear of them had been around even after they were officially declared, by her own voice, to be citizens of Equestria. Even before Nightmare Moon, they had been feared due to the actions of those who truly were monsters of darkness.

It had been so long since the last vampire. She and Luna had personally killed him, but for some reason she cannot help but wonder if he had survived.

“I know what you are thinking, sister,” thought Luna as she walked over and stared at her straight in the eyes. “Perhaps we should get involved.”

“I would, but the nobles are criticizing my decision to make Twilight a princess. Many of them believe that she wasn’t worthy due to not having noble blood in her. Even though she has been my apprentice for many years and saved Equestria so many times, they are too blinded by status and class to see anything,” replied Celestia. “I’ve argued with them that she is strong enough to be one. If I help her now, in a town that she has claimed as her own, then it will mean she is not strong enough to stand on her own as a ruler and they could use that to challenge her position.”

“Sister, I understand you need to let her stand on her own, but have we not done that with Sombra? We sent her there for that purpose,” replied Luna, shaking her head. “Innocent ponies have died. Children have died. What will take for you to act?”

“... if it's one of them,” replied Celestia with a tone that she rarely used. A tone of utter hate. “If one of them survived here in Equestria…”

“They are all dead, sister. We slew the last of them ourselves,” replied Luna. “The vampires, werewolves, succubus, and more. They are all dead here in Equestria. Forever resting in the eternal darkness they were formed in. We agreed to let them become myths so the methods of making them and the horrors they brought were forever forgotten. If we go out saying that its all true...”

“What about Nosferatu?” asked Celestia bitterly. A name she cursed since the day she heard of it.

“... we killed him, sister,” replied Luna, rubbing her leg.

“... yet I cannot help but wonder if we did,” whispered Celestia as she thought back to the great battle against the Last Vampire of Equestria. How thousands died from the forces of pure evil and how before they could face the vampire lord. Even though they found his corpse, there was always some kind of feeling with Celestia that never satisfied her, even as they burned his body to ashes.

“Sister, it is not a vampire. Merely, a twisted murderer that Twilight and her friends will stop…” said Luna as she turned away to leave.

“And if it is?” asked Celestia, stopping her sister in place.

“... then Faust help us all.”

Author's Note

Here's the update. Things are siring in the dark. Soon more to come.

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