My Little Masquerade: Corruptionby Strawberry JellyChaptersPrologue - Choose or DieChapter 1 - Grave Encounter (Rework)Chapter 2 - Of Missions and MortisPrologue - Choose or DieMy Little Masquerade: Corruption By Strawberry Jelly Prologue - Choose or Die The world finally started to return to the unicorn, a process that went along slower than ever. 'Let's see... I was walking home from the school and...' She cringed as a jolt of pain echoed from the back of her head, reminding her that the last thing she had seen was some strange pony with... 'fangs.' Her eyes shot open when she remembered that last part, finding herself blinded by a glaring light from above that took only a few seconds for her to adjust. In front of her stood a white stallion whose voice came that had began as blur, but finally started to focus into a tone that bordered on regal. While his face was expressionless, the words that left his mouth sounded harsh and reprimanding. "-Ank you all for attending this meeting tonight, and at such a late hour. It came to my attention that despite my prior orders, one of our kindred from the Tremere had decided that siring the mare was the sounder choice." 'Sire? What-' Twilight thought to herself before the memory came rushing back to her. That's right, she was walking home and some stallion approached her. 'What did he say? Something about blood...' She focused her bleary thoughts, trying to remember exactly what had happened before she was brought here. 'Fangs, that's right! He was wanting to do something that... This is impossible! This is madness, why am I here?!' "Tell me, Hoity Toity, did you send this kindred to sire her, as he claims?" The white stallion shot a glance over at the gray stallion that sat in the front row of the auditorium. "Surely you of all kindred know of the punishment for illegal siring, let alone disobeying a prince's direct orders." "Of course I had not ordered it, Blueblood," Hoity Toity replied with a wry frown on his lips, "I insist that I was unaware of the accused's actions. Once more, I must inform you that his actions were independent of the clan's functions and I am truly surprised that he would even attempt such a thing." "As I suspected. It is a shame though, as I have often considered the accused as an upstanding member of our society up until the actions of tonight..." Blueblood made his way across the stage and walking past Twilight. Looking over, Twilight noticed the white stallion looking down at the red coated earth pony that was about to- 'Oh Gods, what did I get myself into?!' She let out a horrified scream that was muffled by the gag in her mouth. Next to her was the stallion that assaulted her, but his face and sides were literally torn open. He looked as if he was attacked by a pack of timber wolves, but the other ponies in the room seemed to remain indifferent. "I'm sorry to say that the punishment for such a transgression is death by fire. Know that I am no more than a judicator that must enforce these laws," Blueblood said perfectly calm, without a single hint of guilt or doubt showing itself in his face. He signaled with his hoof, to which another stallion walked up with a torch and stabbed it into one of the open wounds, igniting the bound stallion in flame. "No, please no!" Twilight went wide-eyed at the sight, collapsing backwards in her ropes as the stallion screamed and writhed in agony. The other ponies in the room all turned their head at the sight, save for the white unicorn that wore his ever-apathetic expression. 'Is this some kind of demon cult?! I don't want to die, I'm too young to-' Her vision blurred as tears threatened to burst forth. "... And so you see the punishment for taking such a dangerous action," Blueblood finally spoke again as he turned from the pile of ash and bones. "We had yet to interpret what this mare has to do with the Seer's prophesy, and as such, we could not let her become aware of our existence as of yet. Despite the Malkavian's vision, the accused had decided to take action into his own hooves... However, this returns us to the fate of the kine; as you know, ponies are not allowed to know of our existence, so I must-" He was cut off by Hoity Toity climbing onto the stage and whispering in such a soft tone that only Twilight and Blueblood could hear. "Blueblood, you should know better than to go against her prophesies. Zecora is one of the few Malkavians that can actually translate her visions into something other than cryptic gibberish." "Yes... I do suppose, but the rules that govern still remain." "Then she needs to be sired! You know that the Anarchs will use this proceeding as a weapon against you as is, let alone if you burnt two equines." The gray stallion continued with a wry expression on his lips. "Do what you feel is best, but I must advise you to take this into consideration." With that last remark, Hoity Toity found himself back at his own seat in the front row. "It has just been brought to my attention that the kine amongst us is undoubtedly the mare that Zecora has spoken of. That being said, there is still the matter of her being a pony that must be attended to..." He paused and waved his hoof out to the small crowd that was scattered throughout the room. "Normally I would do what must be done to protect the Masquerade, but it seems the stakes are higher for her. I wish to confer with the Primogen, as well as the ambassadors from the independent clans on this matter." "Remember, these proceedings are necessary to enforce the laws that govern us all... Those that decide to stay and have their opinion heard, then please stay; as for the rest of you, I do hope that the your night will be a pleasant one." He commented as almost all of the crowd stood up and left through the doors in the back of the room. Blueblood turned towards Twilight with a wry frown, "Forgive me, but you need to SLEEP." 'What have I gotten myself into?' Twilight lamented in the last moments of her consciousness before having the world fade out around her. Chapter 1 - Grave Encounter (Rework)My Little Masquerade: Corruption By Strawberry Jelly Chapter 1: Grave Encounter “Wow, looks like you've been busy reading, cupcake,” A voice pulled Twilight's gaze from the pages of her book. Standing in the entrance way was a white unicorn with a wide grin, purple tinted sunglasses, and a pose that just emphasized her obvious ego. “What else was I supposed to do? Wait for you to sacrifice me like you did with that poor stallion?!” Twilight almost screamed at the mare, feeling the frustration of solitude and the fear of her fate start to overpower her. She had been locked in a small studio apartment for weeks now, having found her only company in a strange stone-skinned creature with a personality mirroring its appearance. “No, to save your life, actually,” She laughed a little before stepping forward. “... And by extension, have you save mine.” “What? You were in that audience, weren't you? I doubt you need saving!” Twilight hissed and lashed out verbally at the mare with a few less than polite words. “Ouch, not really what I was expecting, but I guess I have to settle,” Rather than angry, she seemed a little disappointed in how Twilight reacted. “What do you want?” Twilight shook her head and backed up against the wall behind her. Despite the mare's – debatably - friendly demeanor, she felt her heart pound in uneasiness. Despite her fear, she tried to focus her magic on anything and everything, only to have it fizzle the moment it threatened to surface. “I doubt you'll find your magic all too useful, kid. The entire room's warded to repel Quintessence,” She explained, but it only proved to compound Twilight's initial fear. “Now, while I had to argue with the Prince and the Primogen to gain the right to sire you... I still think it'd be better if you had the option. Tell me, do you want to die? And before you answer, I must warn you that the alternative isn't going to be a walk in the park." “I.. Of course I want to live! What kind of question is that?” Twilight half-shouted in a panic, still in shock from having her magic stripped from her. “Then that's all I really need to hear,” She grinned and stomped her hoof onto the ground. “Now, you may feel a little case of not being able to move.” With those words, Twilight felt her body stiffen to the point that she literally felt like she was made of wood. She couldn't even attempt to argue as she watched the mare open her mouth to reveal four sharp fangs protruding outwards. 'WAIT! I changed my mind!' She screamed in her head for only a moment before an unbelievable rush of ecstasy was heralded by the prick at her neck. Every doubt, every fear, and every idea that she had developed over her stay in her prison was washed away with the steady stream of blood that had escaped her body unnoticed. Her bliss had proved to be fleeting when put against the larger scheme of things, though; namely as Twilight felt her body start to waver, her vision darken, and the air grow an uneasy cold. With Twilight's very world beginning to falter with those fangs leaving her neck, she felt only the sweet sensation of warmth slowly trickle its way into her mouth from the fetlock of her assailant. Despite having the last few years of her life flash before her eyes, she could still make out the mare's final words: “Welcome to a world of darkness, kid.” ~*~*~ Twilight smiled contently as she opened her eyes, feeling better rested than she ever had in her life. In fact, it almost felt like today wasn't like any other day for her; she knew that everything was going to be perfect. She was going to wake up, brush her teeth and mane, go to the Canterlot Grant Library, start her shift, and have dozens of children come in to learn. It was going to be just like her old teacher said it would be, and not the harsh reality of 'kids hate to learn nowadays'. “If only I could sleep in, though,” Twilight sighed and sat up on her unusually comfortable bed. “Good morning,” A voice called from the doorway and added her own afterthought, “Did you sleep well, cupcake?” Twilight's eyes widened in horror as she grabbed anything – no, everything – that she could with her magic and threw it full force at the mare... Only to find herself left staring in shock at how the room's contents stayed perfectly in place. “W-What's going on?!” “Can't find your magic, I take it?” She grinned and waved her hoof, igniting several candles throughout the relatively empty room. “Trust me, magic's not going to answer your call anytime soon.” “What? But I- How can you use magic if the room's warded?” Twilight quickly stood up in a panicked flail, tossing her blankets aside with wide and horrified eyes. The mare in front of her was the same mare from last night, and despite using her magic, her horn stayed inactive. “Same way I gave you rigor mortis last night, kid,” She commented. “I'll get more into that in a moment, but how are you feeling now?” “How am I feel-” Twilight glared at the mare. “I was imprisoned by a cult for weeks, assaulted by a bitey mad lady, and then had my magic taken away! How do you think I feel?!” “Better then you realize,” She said flatly, to which Twilight only blinked a few times at before realizing just how right she was. Apart from the psychological trauma of being stripped of what made her a unicorn, she had physically felt good – no, better than good; she felt absolutely amazing. “But I... Why can't I use magic, then?” “Because you are pulling from the wrong place. I know how it feels; you're trying to use your Quintessence, aren't you?” Twilight opened her mouth to argue, but the ivory mare was more than spot on. “Yeah, that's what I thought. Try focusing on your vitae, – which is to say, your blood – instead. It may feel different, but you'll find it serves its purpose all the same.” Twilight decided it best not to question the only thing she had to go on and tried her best to focus on her blood. Well, best as one could focus on something so strange anyway. "... But it's actually... working." She said in shock as one of the candles slowly levitated from the table beside her bed. "See? It's almost like I know what I'm talking about. You really need to start trusting your sire, Cupcake." She said with a soft laugh. "Now, put the candle down. You haven't even fed yet, and I can't afford having you slip into torpor for squandering what little vitae you have." "Sire? Fed? Torpor? What are you talking about?" Twilight did as she was told and sat the candle back on the table, but she felt curiosity start to overcome her better judgement after learning that blood magic of all things was apparently real. "How did I do that with my blood?! Everyone knows that a unicorn's magic comes from Quintessence, so how is this actually working?" "Wow, you really are as curious as that hunk of stone said," She laughed and waved a hoof. "First thing's first though; we need to get you a drink." "A drink? I do feel a little thirsty I guess..." Twilight nodded, feeling an uneasy burning in her throat that she only started to notice after the shock started to die down. The silence had only lead to more questions that hit twilight in the head like a tonne of bricks the moment she took comfort in the large chair in the next room. "I never did get your name." "What? You- Do you really not know?" Her eyes widened enough to where Twilight could actually see the top of her eyes over the frams of her glasses. "... Vinyl Scratch? ... DJ PON-3?" She suggested, only getting a blank expression from Twilight. "One of Canterlot's most popular Djs and musicians?" "... Not really ringing any bells," Twilight stared blankly at Vinyl. "Oh, for the love of..." Vinyl visibly facehoofed at Twilight's ignorance. "Nevermind then, I'm sure you had questions, right?" She mentioned upon sitting down and levitating a wineglass over to the unicorn. "Yes, I do believe so. Firstly, what's going on? Let's start with the questions I had earlier." Twilight said. "Ah yes. Let us start with the whole sire business, I guess. Basically a sire is someone who embraces a pony into their clan. Kind of like a parent-child thing," Vinyl explained and took a drink from her glass. "Normally, sires choose their childer with more care, but you're a special case, and me? Well, I don't really care." "Clan? Like, a part of the cult?" Twilight glared at Vinyl with a look that could peel paint off of the walls. "What do you mean?" "It's more complicated then that, kid. Vampires hardly enjoy having ponies know about their existence, so the Prince had to decide what to do with you. For lack of a better term, you were right fucked if that Tremere Blood Witch hadn't talked him down," Vinyl laughed a little. "We'll get more into that later, though. For now, I'm sure you have other questions." "Vampire? Oh please, what kind of foal do you take me for?" Twilight growled and took a drink from her glass, feeling a strange rush of euphoria from the crimson liquid that sat inside it. Her eyes widened in shock before she chugged the rest of the glass without inhibition. "Why else would that blood taste so good to you?" Vinyl retorted with a raised brow and a sly smirk. "Now, before you go all panic-mode on me, it came from a blood bag. Also, I would suggest you check your pulse if you really have that much trouble believing me." Twilight looked down at the crimson liquid that sat at the bottom of the glass before uneasily dropping it from her hooves in shock. It took her a moment to register what Vinyl had suggested, to which she slowly lifted a shaking hoof to her throat in hopes that she was wrong. "No... I can't really be- This is completely mental!" "Apparently not that mental, if it's actually happening," Vinyl idly replied and shook her head. "Really though, I swear that you'll be fine. Hell, I've been like this for centuries and you don't see me complaining... Well, usually." "But I'm... Wait, I don't think I've really been breathing either, unless I'm about to talk..." Twilight's panic showed through her faltering voice. Leaping from her seat, she started to pace as had become habit for her when she was stressed, but she couldn't help but notice how clearheaded she seemed to be without the traditional hyperventilation that came with her anxiety attacks. "I can't eat garlic or go swimming or even go into a church..." She murmured with her ears pinned back against her head. "... Really?" Vinyl deadpanned at Twilight's reaction. "That's really not how this whole vampire thing works, Cupcake. Holy symbols don't really do anything, garlic will probably just smell worse when you use Auspex, and running water? Do you seriously think that I don't bathe? Also, don't worry about stakes either; they only really do anything if they catch you in the heart, but even then, it just paralyzes you instead." "I... I feel like there's a lot that I still don't understand about this," Twilight sighed and took her seat beside her sire once again. "But, I'll listen..." She commented and looked around the room for pen and paper, to which she ended up having to fetch with her teeth instead of magic. "Notetaking? Are you really doing this?" Vinyl sighed and shook her head. "Dead or alive, learning is learning, isn't it?" Twilight remarked with an eager flare in her gaze. "Now tell me EVERYTHING!" "Well, at least she's willing to learn," Vinyl muttered to herself with a roll of her eyes before focusing back on her childe. "Alright, I'm sure that you have figured out that I'm a vamire as well; what with having been sired by me. Normally you would be welcomed by several others of our clan, but it's a dark, dark time for the Cappadocian. Kid, you see, these are the final nights, and as one of two Cappadocians, you are going to have it especially hard in this unlife." Twilight looked up from her notepad that she held in her hooves, dropping the pen from her mouth as she spoke. "I'm going to assume that Cappadocian is the name of our clan, but why is it a dark time? Why am I one of the last ones?" She quietly cursed herself for dropping the pen; it was hard enough to write without magic, let alone if she had to talk while doing it. To top it all off, her notes had proven almost illegible in addition to her already growing frustration. "Because we have enemies. Twilight, and as such, the most important thing I can tell you is that if you're ever asked what clan you are from, say the Giovanni. The Giovanni are one of our enemies, but I'll have to explain that later as well. Basically, we are of the same blood, so most kindred – Kindred, which is our word for vampires – Anyway, most kindred won't be able to tell the difference. That being said, only a Giovanni that is greener than you would probably fall for that lie." Vinyl explained, pausing for a moment to let Twilight catch up on her notes. "Now, there are several things that put all kindred right above ponies on the food chain, but each clan has a set of unique powers – which we call disciplines - that make them stand out. As a Cappadocian, you'll find your strongest power in Mortis. We had to develop it due to us losing our Quintessence in our unlife." "But if it strips me of magic, then what was that whole blood thing that I did earlier?" Twilight sat the pen down gently on the notepad this time, taking care to leave it somewhere easily accessible. "I'm sure you noticed how different it felt. Sure, you'll get used to it, but it really is just more of a facade versus real magic. Over time you'll adjust and learn how to copy your spells with the vitae, but you'll have to learn to rely on your disciplines for anything else." Vinyl's smile faded a little as she took another drink from her glass. "So, my next question would be: What did I do to deserve this? I'm just a librarian, but what did that other pony want with me? Why was I locked up for weeks because of this? What's so special about me?" She spoke quickly, halfway panicked from confusion, anger, and blatant curiosity. "Also, how do we... I mean, ponies, not even know about any of this? Surely you can't stay hidden this long," Twilight's lips formed a wry frown as she contemplated the impossibilities of what was being told to her. "Also, Mortis? With 'Mort' being the root word, wouldn't it have something to do with death?" "All good questions, kid. Makes me feel like you will learn quickly; which is good, because that's just what we'll need you to do. The reason that the kine do not know of us is because of something we call the 'Masquerade'. Which, apart from being a fruity label, is a set of rules that basically equates to: Keep vampire secrets secret." Vinyl explained. "As for what you did to deserve this, it's kind of hard to explain... It involved politics, and it's really something for another night, but I'd hate to admit that the Tremere Regent saved you from frying. Also, about the Mortis, though... You're going to have fun learning about that." Vinyl's grin turned wicked at that last sentence, sending a chill down Twilight's spine. ~*~*~ "Let me out!" Twilight screamed at the top of her lungs, knowing that it was futile as she sat at the bottom of six feet of dirt, trapped in a tiny coffin that she could barely move in. "Please, oh goddess, let me out!" Her eyes watered as she kicked aimlessly at the wood box she had been trapped in. Knowing that she wouldn't suffocate did little to ease the ever-growing claustrophobia that started to overwhelm her after only the first hour of being trapped throughout the night.he night. Chapter 2 - Of Missions and MortisMy Little Masquerade: Corruption By Strawberry Jelly Chapter 2 - Of Missions and Mortis “How long are you going to pout?” Vinyl rolled her eyes from behind her sunglasses. It had already been three hours since Twilight had been dug up from the earth, but, to Vinyl's amazement, she was still angry at being buried for three days straight. “I told you that it is important to your training. Learning Morits tends to be a little... unsettling. That's why I had to desensitize you to the concept of death.” “Desensitize me?! Is that what you call that?” Twilight hissed and took a long sip from her glass, savoring the sweet sensation that blood had brought over her. It was a shame that she couldn't savor the first time she drank it; mostly because it never really seemed as delicious since. “It's tradition for clan Cappadocian.” Vinyl reinforced her point with a stern gaze. “Besides, you'll understand once your training starts.” “Yeah, about that... Can I at least get a nice bath before then? I'm still coated in dirt,” Twilight grimaced at the clumps of mud that were caught in her mane and fur. While she was sealed in a coffin for three days, she had accidentally busted the lid after several hundred hits against the pine, flooding the box with dirt that made the rest of her stay even more miserable. “I'll admit that I'd rather you look presentable for when the prince inevitably comes around,” Vinyl nodded. “Which brings up another point... The Giovanni normally don't sire outside their family. In fact, it puts you in a rather awkward predicament; if by some miracle a Giovanni doesn't recognize you as a Cappadocian, make sure to tell them that you are from the Clover family. They are the only family in the Giovanni that sire unicorns... And also tend to side with the Camarilla.” “Why tell me this now?” Twilight blinked curiously, cursing herself for not having her pen and paper to write it down. “Because Canterlot and the surrounding area is home to the Apple Family; which apart from being the second biggest family in the Giovanni, they tend to dislike the Cappadocian the most.” Vinyl clarified, taking a long drink from her glass before continuing. “You won't always be in Elysium or the Haven, so it just might save your life. Remember, you are not a random kine sired by the Giovanni either... You are a Clover.” “Wait, if they only sire from family, does that mean-” Twilight was cut off by Vinyl nodding and finishing for her. “Incestuous relationships, necromancy, occultism, and the goddess knows what else... That is what the Giovanni are. Not to mention... Diablerists.” Vinyl grimaced at that last word and visibly shuddered in rage. “That's enough though; go get cleaned up and we'll start, kid.” Twilight felt a smile creep up on her lips at the mention of learning magic. Despite her recent death, she still felt that need to learn inside of her. She made her way to the bathroom with her silly grin fading upon a realization, “Do I cast a reflection? What if I never get to see myself again?!” Her fears were put to rest as she took a look in the mirror and had watched herself stare back, but that relief lasted only a moment before she let out a horrified scream. “W-What happened to me?!” The reflection she was staring at was a purple unicorn for sure, but her body had gained an unnatural pallor and her eyes had deep bags underneath them. She figured that she would look a little more pale as a vampire, but this extent was almost nightmarish. She looked like a walking, talking corpse, and if she didn't know any better, could still be found six feet underground. “Find a mirror, I take it?” Vinyl could be heard cackling from the other side of the door. “Don't worry about it; you'll get used to it, Cupcake.” “Don't worry about it?! I look like I've been dead for days!” Twilight hissed through the door. She expected to look a little different, sure, but this was to the point that she looked like a monster. “Technically you have been.” Vinyl quipped. “No, you just need to feed a little more and it should help. Although, I'll admit that you'll never quite look... Alive... You see, every clan seems to have a bizarre affliction or defect, and us Cappadocians are no exception, kid. We look... Well, we look like what you see; a walking corpse.” “But you don't-” Twilight stopped in thought, realizing that she had never really seen her sire's eyes, and her body was a pale white anyway. Behind the sunglasses, Vinyl was a completely mysterious pony. “Oh.” “Tellin' ya, you'll adjust,” She stated confidently and stomped her hoof down. “Now, hurry up so we can start!” ~*~*~ For three long weeks Vinyl Scratch had spent drilling knowledge of both the arcane and the occult into Twilight's mind. Despite the overwhelming principles of Kindred society, laws, her powers, and even the information on the thirteen clans, Twilight had absorbed the concepts and ideas like a sponge. Her penchant for magic had also gifted her with quickly learning how to feign her unicorn powers, as well as how to use her disciplines without snare; save for one in specific... “No, no, No!” Vinyl shouted and swatted a ruler harshly against Twilight's back, eliciting a pained yelp from the mare. Not that it particularly hurt, but she still instinctively shrank away from the sharp assault from her sire. “I know that you know how to use Mortis, but you just lack the willpower to do so!” “But it's a pony...” Twilight whimpered at the half-rotten corpse that sat sprawled out in front of her. She could feel herself wanting to wretch from the smell alone, but something inside of her had kept her from it. “No, it's a corpse!” Vinyl hissed. “Kid, you need to realize that she's been dead for weeks! It's not like we even killed her either; we dug her out of a pine box in the ground!” “It still doesn't feel right...” Twilight cowered away from Vinyl's angered glare. Ever since the mare had stopped wearing her sunglasses, Twilight wanted nothing more than to escape those disapproving eyes. “You're not hurting anyone by practicing on an already dead body,” Vinyl pressed a forehoof against her forehead in exasperation, wanting nothing more than to scream. “If it makes you feel better, just imagine it as an inanimate object that never lived.” “O-Okay,” Twilight nodded and focused again on the body, feeling a sinking feeling in her chest that weighed her down like a tonne of bricks. She could only see the pained look that was plastered on the mare's face, having halfway been eaten by the various creatures in the ground. All she needed to do was focus and turn the flesh into ash, but her entire body fought against the very idea of defiling somebody more than she already had. After a good four minutes, she finally focused her vitae onto the body in spite of the utter disgust at the very idea. “It's not that hard!” She hissed and stomped her hoof onto the ground, sending Twilight's focus over the edge and transforming the body into nothing more than a pile of ash and bone. "See?!" Twilight folded her ears back against her head and looked apologetically at her sire, feeling her eyes water uneasily. “I just... I feel horrible... I'm so sorry, but this just feels so wrong!” “Not as sorry as you may end up. Twilight, there will come a time where Mortis will save your life, and if you can't use it... Then you will be as good as dead.” Vinyl reprimanded Twilight calmly, but the sense of urgency showed through her voice all the same. “My job is to prepare you for what fate may throw your way, and I'm trying my hardest. You are a Cappadocian that I have taught the three main branches of Mortis to, and you are born to the 8th generation on top of that. Most childer around your age will be of the 10th or 11th generation, so you have the upper hoof. Your vitae is more potent, your blood more willing to bend to your whim, and the capacity for your disciplines are naturally higher.” “But it still feels so... Wrong...” Twilight sighed quietly. “Twilight...” Vinyl frowned and placed a hoof of her childe's chin, making her gaze into her own eyes. “I would not have sired you if I didn't think you had a fate beyond that of what the Prince wanted for you. It's good to keep your morals, but you need to know that they needn't be set in stone, or they will just become a burden. You have mastered Auspex without fault, and even your Fortitude discipline is better than expected, but you need to truly let yourself use Mortis like I know you can.” “I want to... I really do, but it just...” Twilight closed her eyes and let out a weak sigh. “I know, I really do... I promise it'll be alright,” She said before pulling her childe into a warm embrace, wrapping a hoof around the other unicorn's withers. “But there is still a sense of urgency. The time will come when you need to use it, and you can't be afraid when that moment arrives. I-” She was cut off by the sound of a loud pounding at the door, to which Vinyl cursed hatefully at and walked towards the source of the noise. She slipped her sunglasses back on before opening the door and letting a revolted grimace form on her lips. “Hoity Toity.” She stated with relative disgust. “Vinyl Scratch.” The Tremere responded. “The Prince has informed me to deliver this to the Neonate. Encased is a mission that needs to be dealt with, and Blueblood sees it as the perfect opportunity to test her skills and loyalty to the Camarilla. I'm sure you will be more than happy to oblige, Nigrimancer.” His voice, although having the facade of high society, clearly had a tone of spite beneath it that even Twilight had picked up on. “Thank you, Blood Witch. I shall see to it that it is taken care of,” Vinyl countered with an equally spiteful tone, hidden under the ever-so-thin masquerade of politeness. “See that you do.” Hoity Toity replied with a disgusted expression on his face that lasted even after the door was closed in it. “What was that all about?” Twilight inquired after watching that display put on by the two vampires. Vinyl Scratch only placed the letter in front of her childe, keeping the hateful scowl on her face that could curdle milk. “That damned Blood Witch suspects what we really are. Normally I would disregard what that pompous Ventrue Prince asks, as the Giovanni are nominally an Independent clan, but I fear that may only make us look more suspicious to Hoity Toity. Attention is hardly what we want right now.” “So, about the letter...?” Twilight suggested, levitating the envelope in front of her face and eying it over. It was plain, white paper that was sealed only by a drop of wax with a garnished image of a scepter in the center of it. “Open it... It has details for some pointless mission that the Prince wants done,” Vinyl rolled her eyes and relaxed back into her seat. Already being put in a bad mood from having her training interrupted, seeing Hoity Toity had only made her blood go from a mild simmer to a full on boil. Twilight nodded and opened the envelope, reading over its contents aloud: “Dear Neonate, It has come to my attention that the Primogen for clan Malkavian has, in fact, gone missing. Normally I would not place the trust in finding an AWOL Malkavian to a Neonate, but the other Primogen seem to agree that you need some degree of responsibility in order to prove your clan's willingness to work with the Camarilla. Know that this is not a fool's errand, Neonate, as I expect you to find the whereabouts of the Malkavian known as Zecora. Enclosed are the several locations that Zecora has been seen over the past few nights before her disappearance. As I do not expect you to have any trouble with this mission, I will request that Vinyl Scratch remain at the Haven and only offer guidance when necessary. Under no conditions do I want her to actively assist you in your search for our wayward Primogen. Best Regards, Prince Blueblood” Twilight reread through the letter a few more times silently before looking over the map of Equestria that had been enclosed, which sported several red circles on it. Vinyl on the other hoof had let out a long, angered sigh before speaking. “That no good, backstabbing, rat sucking Usurper!” She hissed out in pure rage. “He wants you to fumble this mission, but I'm not going to let that happen!” “Who, Hoity Toity?” Twilight inquired, only having a sharp glance from her sire in response. “I want you to find the Primogen, Twilight. I want you to show that Warlock his place!” Vinyl continued her rampage by jumping to her feet. “The best place to start would probably be her haven, I'd imagine...” “Her haven? Like, her house?” Twilight blinked curiously and looked over the map again. “Where's it at? They also have some really strange places circled...” “That's because Zecora is a Malkavian, Twilight... Malkavians are... Interesting to say the least. They are all completely insane, but there's something to their madness. To put it in layman's terms, they can see the future,” Vinyl stated as if such a thing was perfectly normal, but still left Twilight wide eyed and confused. “But they... That sounds even more insane! I may have just been introduced into Kindred society merely weeks ago, but you can't expect me to believe that they can see the 'future'!” Twilight rolled her eyes at the very notion, eliciting a sharp whack from the ruler that her sire had somehow gotten in mere seconds. “Ow!” “Don't be so arrogant! You don't have to believe me, but you should never state anything outside your experience as impossible... There are things out there in the dark that even the most ancient of Kindred know nothing about.” Vinyl glared at her childe for a moment before looking at the map. “Speaking of which, are you prepared to walk into the Everfree Forest, kid? That's where the haven of the Primogen is said to be.” She mentioned and tapped her hoof against the red circle that was dead in the middle of said forest. “On the way though, I would suggest stopping at the Redbuck Hotel; it's where she tends to stay during her visits to Canterlot.” Twilight nodded, rubbing her cheek at the stinging that her sire had caused. “I-I can do that.” She stated, trying not to let her voice show her nervousness. “But... It's just that this is my first time out of the Haven...” “Don't worry, Cupcake... You'll do fine; I promise you will. You've grown stronger then even you realize, I imagine. Just use your guts, and more importantly, your head.” Vinyl reassured Twilight with a soft smile. “That, and if anyone tries anything against you, show them what you've learned. Well, as long as no Kine see you anyway; you still need to abide by the Masquerade.” Twilight nodded in understanding before looking over her map once more. This was it; the moment of truth for her... The moment that she had spent that past few weeks training for. Despite her nervousness, it reminded her of the tests she used to take in school; which as anyone would tell you, she never failed a test. “I'm ready.” Twilight stated and folded the map, placing it into her saddlebags and levitating the bags onto her back. “I'm ready to find the Primogen and ace this test.” Vinyl shook her head and rolled her eyes upon watching her childe leave the haven. “She really is in over her head.” ~*~*~ Twilight found herself staring at the map for a good hour before realizing something unbelievably pertinent... “Aaaaaaaand.... I'm lost.” She silently lamented to herself in the middle of the empty street, unaware of what awaited her in the nights to come.
Prologue - Choose or DieMy Little Masquerade: Corruption By Strawberry Jelly Prologue - Choose or Die The world finally started to return to the unicorn, a process that went along slower than ever. 'Let's see... I was walking home from the school and...' She cringed as a jolt of pain echoed from the back of her head, reminding her that the last thing she had seen was some strange pony with... 'fangs.' Her eyes shot open when she remembered that last part, finding herself blinded by a glaring light from above that took only a few seconds for her to adjust. In front of her stood a white stallion whose voice came that had began as blur, but finally started to focus into a tone that bordered on regal. While his face was expressionless, the words that left his mouth sounded harsh and reprimanding. "-Ank you all for attending this meeting tonight, and at such a late hour. It came to my attention that despite my prior orders, one of our kindred from the Tremere had decided that siring the mare was the sounder choice." 'Sire? What-' Twilight thought to herself before the memory came rushing back to her. That's right, she was walking home and some stallion approached her. 'What did he say? Something about blood...' She focused her bleary thoughts, trying to remember exactly what had happened before she was brought here. 'Fangs, that's right! He was wanting to do something that... This is impossible! This is madness, why am I here?!' "Tell me, Hoity Toity, did you send this kindred to sire her, as he claims?" The white stallion shot a glance over at the gray stallion that sat in the front row of the auditorium. "Surely you of all kindred know of the punishment for illegal siring, let alone disobeying a prince's direct orders." "Of course I had not ordered it, Blueblood," Hoity Toity replied with a wry frown on his lips, "I insist that I was unaware of the accused's actions. Once more, I must inform you that his actions were independent of the clan's functions and I am truly surprised that he would even attempt such a thing." "As I suspected. It is a shame though, as I have often considered the accused as an upstanding member of our society up until the actions of tonight..." Blueblood made his way across the stage and walking past Twilight. Looking over, Twilight noticed the white stallion looking down at the red coated earth pony that was about to- 'Oh Gods, what did I get myself into?!' She let out a horrified scream that was muffled by the gag in her mouth. Next to her was the stallion that assaulted her, but his face and sides were literally torn open. He looked as if he was attacked by a pack of timber wolves, but the other ponies in the room seemed to remain indifferent. "I'm sorry to say that the punishment for such a transgression is death by fire. Know that I am no more than a judicator that must enforce these laws," Blueblood said perfectly calm, without a single hint of guilt or doubt showing itself in his face. He signaled with his hoof, to which another stallion walked up with a torch and stabbed it into one of the open wounds, igniting the bound stallion in flame. "No, please no!" Twilight went wide-eyed at the sight, collapsing backwards in her ropes as the stallion screamed and writhed in agony. The other ponies in the room all turned their head at the sight, save for the white unicorn that wore his ever-apathetic expression. 'Is this some kind of demon cult?! I don't want to die, I'm too young to-' Her vision blurred as tears threatened to burst forth. "... And so you see the punishment for taking such a dangerous action," Blueblood finally spoke again as he turned from the pile of ash and bones. "We had yet to interpret what this mare has to do with the Seer's prophesy, and as such, we could not let her become aware of our existence as of yet. Despite the Malkavian's vision, the accused had decided to take action into his own hooves... However, this returns us to the fate of the kine; as you know, ponies are not allowed to know of our existence, so I must-" He was cut off by Hoity Toity climbing onto the stage and whispering in such a soft tone that only Twilight and Blueblood could hear. "Blueblood, you should know better than to go against her prophesies. Zecora is one of the few Malkavians that can actually translate her visions into something other than cryptic gibberish." "Yes... I do suppose, but the rules that govern still remain." "Then she needs to be sired! You know that the Anarchs will use this proceeding as a weapon against you as is, let alone if you burnt two equines." The gray stallion continued with a wry expression on his lips. "Do what you feel is best, but I must advise you to take this into consideration." With that last remark, Hoity Toity found himself back at his own seat in the front row. "It has just been brought to my attention that the kine amongst us is undoubtedly the mare that Zecora has spoken of. That being said, there is still the matter of her being a pony that must be attended to..." He paused and waved his hoof out to the small crowd that was scattered throughout the room. "Normally I would do what must be done to protect the Masquerade, but it seems the stakes are higher for her. I wish to confer with the Primogen, as well as the ambassadors from the independent clans on this matter." "Remember, these proceedings are necessary to enforce the laws that govern us all... Those that decide to stay and have their opinion heard, then please stay; as for the rest of you, I do hope that the your night will be a pleasant one." He commented as almost all of the crowd stood up and left through the doors in the back of the room. Blueblood turned towards Twilight with a wry frown, "Forgive me, but you need to SLEEP." 'What have I gotten myself into?' Twilight lamented in the last moments of her consciousness before having the world fade out around her.
Chapter 1 - Grave Encounter (Rework)My Little Masquerade: Corruption By Strawberry Jelly Chapter 1: Grave Encounter “Wow, looks like you've been busy reading, cupcake,” A voice pulled Twilight's gaze from the pages of her book. Standing in the entrance way was a white unicorn with a wide grin, purple tinted sunglasses, and a pose that just emphasized her obvious ego. “What else was I supposed to do? Wait for you to sacrifice me like you did with that poor stallion?!” Twilight almost screamed at the mare, feeling the frustration of solitude and the fear of her fate start to overpower her. She had been locked in a small studio apartment for weeks now, having found her only company in a strange stone-skinned creature with a personality mirroring its appearance. “No, to save your life, actually,” She laughed a little before stepping forward. “... And by extension, have you save mine.” “What? You were in that audience, weren't you? I doubt you need saving!” Twilight hissed and lashed out verbally at the mare with a few less than polite words. “Ouch, not really what I was expecting, but I guess I have to settle,” Rather than angry, she seemed a little disappointed in how Twilight reacted. “What do you want?” Twilight shook her head and backed up against the wall behind her. Despite the mare's – debatably - friendly demeanor, she felt her heart pound in uneasiness. Despite her fear, she tried to focus her magic on anything and everything, only to have it fizzle the moment it threatened to surface. “I doubt you'll find your magic all too useful, kid. The entire room's warded to repel Quintessence,” She explained, but it only proved to compound Twilight's initial fear. “Now, while I had to argue with the Prince and the Primogen to gain the right to sire you... I still think it'd be better if you had the option. Tell me, do you want to die? And before you answer, I must warn you that the alternative isn't going to be a walk in the park." “I.. Of course I want to live! What kind of question is that?” Twilight half-shouted in a panic, still in shock from having her magic stripped from her. “Then that's all I really need to hear,” She grinned and stomped her hoof onto the ground. “Now, you may feel a little case of not being able to move.” With those words, Twilight felt her body stiffen to the point that she literally felt like she was made of wood. She couldn't even attempt to argue as she watched the mare open her mouth to reveal four sharp fangs protruding outwards. 'WAIT! I changed my mind!' She screamed in her head for only a moment before an unbelievable rush of ecstasy was heralded by the prick at her neck. Every doubt, every fear, and every idea that she had developed over her stay in her prison was washed away with the steady stream of blood that had escaped her body unnoticed. Her bliss had proved to be fleeting when put against the larger scheme of things, though; namely as Twilight felt her body start to waver, her vision darken, and the air grow an uneasy cold. With Twilight's very world beginning to falter with those fangs leaving her neck, she felt only the sweet sensation of warmth slowly trickle its way into her mouth from the fetlock of her assailant. Despite having the last few years of her life flash before her eyes, she could still make out the mare's final words: “Welcome to a world of darkness, kid.” ~*~*~ Twilight smiled contently as she opened her eyes, feeling better rested than she ever had in her life. In fact, it almost felt like today wasn't like any other day for her; she knew that everything was going to be perfect. She was going to wake up, brush her teeth and mane, go to the Canterlot Grant Library, start her shift, and have dozens of children come in to learn. It was going to be just like her old teacher said it would be, and not the harsh reality of 'kids hate to learn nowadays'. “If only I could sleep in, though,” Twilight sighed and sat up on her unusually comfortable bed. “Good morning,” A voice called from the doorway and added her own afterthought, “Did you sleep well, cupcake?” Twilight's eyes widened in horror as she grabbed anything – no, everything – that she could with her magic and threw it full force at the mare... Only to find herself left staring in shock at how the room's contents stayed perfectly in place. “W-What's going on?!” “Can't find your magic, I take it?” She grinned and waved her hoof, igniting several candles throughout the relatively empty room. “Trust me, magic's not going to answer your call anytime soon.” “What? But I- How can you use magic if the room's warded?” Twilight quickly stood up in a panicked flail, tossing her blankets aside with wide and horrified eyes. The mare in front of her was the same mare from last night, and despite using her magic, her horn stayed inactive. “Same way I gave you rigor mortis last night, kid,” She commented. “I'll get more into that in a moment, but how are you feeling now?” “How am I feel-” Twilight glared at the mare. “I was imprisoned by a cult for weeks, assaulted by a bitey mad lady, and then had my magic taken away! How do you think I feel?!” “Better then you realize,” She said flatly, to which Twilight only blinked a few times at before realizing just how right she was. Apart from the psychological trauma of being stripped of what made her a unicorn, she had physically felt good – no, better than good; she felt absolutely amazing. “But I... Why can't I use magic, then?” “Because you are pulling from the wrong place. I know how it feels; you're trying to use your Quintessence, aren't you?” Twilight opened her mouth to argue, but the ivory mare was more than spot on. “Yeah, that's what I thought. Try focusing on your vitae, – which is to say, your blood – instead. It may feel different, but you'll find it serves its purpose all the same.” Twilight decided it best not to question the only thing she had to go on and tried her best to focus on her blood. Well, best as one could focus on something so strange anyway. "... But it's actually... working." She said in shock as one of the candles slowly levitated from the table beside her bed. "See? It's almost like I know what I'm talking about. You really need to start trusting your sire, Cupcake." She said with a soft laugh. "Now, put the candle down. You haven't even fed yet, and I can't afford having you slip into torpor for squandering what little vitae you have." "Sire? Fed? Torpor? What are you talking about?" Twilight did as she was told and sat the candle back on the table, but she felt curiosity start to overcome her better judgement after learning that blood magic of all things was apparently real. "How did I do that with my blood?! Everyone knows that a unicorn's magic comes from Quintessence, so how is this actually working?" "Wow, you really are as curious as that hunk of stone said," She laughed and waved a hoof. "First thing's first though; we need to get you a drink." "A drink? I do feel a little thirsty I guess..." Twilight nodded, feeling an uneasy burning in her throat that she only started to notice after the shock started to die down. The silence had only lead to more questions that hit twilight in the head like a tonne of bricks the moment she took comfort in the large chair in the next room. "I never did get your name." "What? You- Do you really not know?" Her eyes widened enough to where Twilight could actually see the top of her eyes over the frams of her glasses. "... Vinyl Scratch? ... DJ PON-3?" She suggested, only getting a blank expression from Twilight. "One of Canterlot's most popular Djs and musicians?" "... Not really ringing any bells," Twilight stared blankly at Vinyl. "Oh, for the love of..." Vinyl visibly facehoofed at Twilight's ignorance. "Nevermind then, I'm sure you had questions, right?" She mentioned upon sitting down and levitating a wineglass over to the unicorn. "Yes, I do believe so. Firstly, what's going on? Let's start with the questions I had earlier." Twilight said. "Ah yes. Let us start with the whole sire business, I guess. Basically a sire is someone who embraces a pony into their clan. Kind of like a parent-child thing," Vinyl explained and took a drink from her glass. "Normally, sires choose their childer with more care, but you're a special case, and me? Well, I don't really care." "Clan? Like, a part of the cult?" Twilight glared at Vinyl with a look that could peel paint off of the walls. "What do you mean?" "It's more complicated then that, kid. Vampires hardly enjoy having ponies know about their existence, so the Prince had to decide what to do with you. For lack of a better term, you were right fucked if that Tremere Blood Witch hadn't talked him down," Vinyl laughed a little. "We'll get more into that later, though. For now, I'm sure you have other questions." "Vampire? Oh please, what kind of foal do you take me for?" Twilight growled and took a drink from her glass, feeling a strange rush of euphoria from the crimson liquid that sat inside it. Her eyes widened in shock before she chugged the rest of the glass without inhibition. "Why else would that blood taste so good to you?" Vinyl retorted with a raised brow and a sly smirk. "Now, before you go all panic-mode on me, it came from a blood bag. Also, I would suggest you check your pulse if you really have that much trouble believing me." Twilight looked down at the crimson liquid that sat at the bottom of the glass before uneasily dropping it from her hooves in shock. It took her a moment to register what Vinyl had suggested, to which she slowly lifted a shaking hoof to her throat in hopes that she was wrong. "No... I can't really be- This is completely mental!" "Apparently not that mental, if it's actually happening," Vinyl idly replied and shook her head. "Really though, I swear that you'll be fine. Hell, I've been like this for centuries and you don't see me complaining... Well, usually." "But I'm... Wait, I don't think I've really been breathing either, unless I'm about to talk..." Twilight's panic showed through her faltering voice. Leaping from her seat, she started to pace as had become habit for her when she was stressed, but she couldn't help but notice how clearheaded she seemed to be without the traditional hyperventilation that came with her anxiety attacks. "I can't eat garlic or go swimming or even go into a church..." She murmured with her ears pinned back against her head. "... Really?" Vinyl deadpanned at Twilight's reaction. "That's really not how this whole vampire thing works, Cupcake. Holy symbols don't really do anything, garlic will probably just smell worse when you use Auspex, and running water? Do you seriously think that I don't bathe? Also, don't worry about stakes either; they only really do anything if they catch you in the heart, but even then, it just paralyzes you instead." "I... I feel like there's a lot that I still don't understand about this," Twilight sighed and took her seat beside her sire once again. "But, I'll listen..." She commented and looked around the room for pen and paper, to which she ended up having to fetch with her teeth instead of magic. "Notetaking? Are you really doing this?" Vinyl sighed and shook her head. "Dead or alive, learning is learning, isn't it?" Twilight remarked with an eager flare in her gaze. "Now tell me EVERYTHING!" "Well, at least she's willing to learn," Vinyl muttered to herself with a roll of her eyes before focusing back on her childe. "Alright, I'm sure that you have figured out that I'm a vamire as well; what with having been sired by me. Normally you would be welcomed by several others of our clan, but it's a dark, dark time for the Cappadocian. Kid, you see, these are the final nights, and as one of two Cappadocians, you are going to have it especially hard in this unlife." Twilight looked up from her notepad that she held in her hooves, dropping the pen from her mouth as she spoke. "I'm going to assume that Cappadocian is the name of our clan, but why is it a dark time? Why am I one of the last ones?" She quietly cursed herself for dropping the pen; it was hard enough to write without magic, let alone if she had to talk while doing it. To top it all off, her notes had proven almost illegible in addition to her already growing frustration. "Because we have enemies. Twilight, and as such, the most important thing I can tell you is that if you're ever asked what clan you are from, say the Giovanni. The Giovanni are one of our enemies, but I'll have to explain that later as well. Basically, we are of the same blood, so most kindred – Kindred, which is our word for vampires – Anyway, most kindred won't be able to tell the difference. That being said, only a Giovanni that is greener than you would probably fall for that lie." Vinyl explained, pausing for a moment to let Twilight catch up on her notes. "Now, there are several things that put all kindred right above ponies on the food chain, but each clan has a set of unique powers – which we call disciplines - that make them stand out. As a Cappadocian, you'll find your strongest power in Mortis. We had to develop it due to us losing our Quintessence in our unlife." "But if it strips me of magic, then what was that whole blood thing that I did earlier?" Twilight sat the pen down gently on the notepad this time, taking care to leave it somewhere easily accessible. "I'm sure you noticed how different it felt. Sure, you'll get used to it, but it really is just more of a facade versus real magic. Over time you'll adjust and learn how to copy your spells with the vitae, but you'll have to learn to rely on your disciplines for anything else." Vinyl's smile faded a little as she took another drink from her glass. "So, my next question would be: What did I do to deserve this? I'm just a librarian, but what did that other pony want with me? Why was I locked up for weeks because of this? What's so special about me?" She spoke quickly, halfway panicked from confusion, anger, and blatant curiosity. "Also, how do we... I mean, ponies, not even know about any of this? Surely you can't stay hidden this long," Twilight's lips formed a wry frown as she contemplated the impossibilities of what was being told to her. "Also, Mortis? With 'Mort' being the root word, wouldn't it have something to do with death?" "All good questions, kid. Makes me feel like you will learn quickly; which is good, because that's just what we'll need you to do. The reason that the kine do not know of us is because of something we call the 'Masquerade'. Which, apart from being a fruity label, is a set of rules that basically equates to: Keep vampire secrets secret." Vinyl explained. "As for what you did to deserve this, it's kind of hard to explain... It involved politics, and it's really something for another night, but I'd hate to admit that the Tremere Regent saved you from frying. Also, about the Mortis, though... You're going to have fun learning about that." Vinyl's grin turned wicked at that last sentence, sending a chill down Twilight's spine. ~*~*~ "Let me out!" Twilight screamed at the top of her lungs, knowing that it was futile as she sat at the bottom of six feet of dirt, trapped in a tiny coffin that she could barely move in. "Please, oh goddess, let me out!" Her eyes watered as she kicked aimlessly at the wood box she had been trapped in. Knowing that she wouldn't suffocate did little to ease the ever-growing claustrophobia that started to overwhelm her after only the first hour of being trapped throughout the night.he night.
Chapter 2 - Of Missions and MortisMy Little Masquerade: Corruption By Strawberry Jelly Chapter 2 - Of Missions and Mortis “How long are you going to pout?” Vinyl rolled her eyes from behind her sunglasses. It had already been three hours since Twilight had been dug up from the earth, but, to Vinyl's amazement, she was still angry at being buried for three days straight. “I told you that it is important to your training. Learning Morits tends to be a little... unsettling. That's why I had to desensitize you to the concept of death.” “Desensitize me?! Is that what you call that?” Twilight hissed and took a long sip from her glass, savoring the sweet sensation that blood had brought over her. It was a shame that she couldn't savor the first time she drank it; mostly because it never really seemed as delicious since. “It's tradition for clan Cappadocian.” Vinyl reinforced her point with a stern gaze. “Besides, you'll understand once your training starts.” “Yeah, about that... Can I at least get a nice bath before then? I'm still coated in dirt,” Twilight grimaced at the clumps of mud that were caught in her mane and fur. While she was sealed in a coffin for three days, she had accidentally busted the lid after several hundred hits against the pine, flooding the box with dirt that made the rest of her stay even more miserable. “I'll admit that I'd rather you look presentable for when the prince inevitably comes around,” Vinyl nodded. “Which brings up another point... The Giovanni normally don't sire outside their family. In fact, it puts you in a rather awkward predicament; if by some miracle a Giovanni doesn't recognize you as a Cappadocian, make sure to tell them that you are from the Clover family. They are the only family in the Giovanni that sire unicorns... And also tend to side with the Camarilla.” “Why tell me this now?” Twilight blinked curiously, cursing herself for not having her pen and paper to write it down. “Because Canterlot and the surrounding area is home to the Apple Family; which apart from being the second biggest family in the Giovanni, they tend to dislike the Cappadocian the most.” Vinyl clarified, taking a long drink from her glass before continuing. “You won't always be in Elysium or the Haven, so it just might save your life. Remember, you are not a random kine sired by the Giovanni either... You are a Clover.” “Wait, if they only sire from family, does that mean-” Twilight was cut off by Vinyl nodding and finishing for her. “Incestuous relationships, necromancy, occultism, and the goddess knows what else... That is what the Giovanni are. Not to mention... Diablerists.” Vinyl grimaced at that last word and visibly shuddered in rage. “That's enough though; go get cleaned up and we'll start, kid.” Twilight felt a smile creep up on her lips at the mention of learning magic. Despite her recent death, she still felt that need to learn inside of her. She made her way to the bathroom with her silly grin fading upon a realization, “Do I cast a reflection? What if I never get to see myself again?!” Her fears were put to rest as she took a look in the mirror and had watched herself stare back, but that relief lasted only a moment before she let out a horrified scream. “W-What happened to me?!” The reflection she was staring at was a purple unicorn for sure, but her body had gained an unnatural pallor and her eyes had deep bags underneath them. She figured that she would look a little more pale as a vampire, but this extent was almost nightmarish. She looked like a walking, talking corpse, and if she didn't know any better, could still be found six feet underground. “Find a mirror, I take it?” Vinyl could be heard cackling from the other side of the door. “Don't worry about it; you'll get used to it, Cupcake.” “Don't worry about it?! I look like I've been dead for days!” Twilight hissed through the door. She expected to look a little different, sure, but this was to the point that she looked like a monster. “Technically you have been.” Vinyl quipped. “No, you just need to feed a little more and it should help. Although, I'll admit that you'll never quite look... Alive... You see, every clan seems to have a bizarre affliction or defect, and us Cappadocians are no exception, kid. We look... Well, we look like what you see; a walking corpse.” “But you don't-” Twilight stopped in thought, realizing that she had never really seen her sire's eyes, and her body was a pale white anyway. Behind the sunglasses, Vinyl was a completely mysterious pony. “Oh.” “Tellin' ya, you'll adjust,” She stated confidently and stomped her hoof down. “Now, hurry up so we can start!” ~*~*~ For three long weeks Vinyl Scratch had spent drilling knowledge of both the arcane and the occult into Twilight's mind. Despite the overwhelming principles of Kindred society, laws, her powers, and even the information on the thirteen clans, Twilight had absorbed the concepts and ideas like a sponge. Her penchant for magic had also gifted her with quickly learning how to feign her unicorn powers, as well as how to use her disciplines without snare; save for one in specific... “No, no, No!” Vinyl shouted and swatted a ruler harshly against Twilight's back, eliciting a pained yelp from the mare. Not that it particularly hurt, but she still instinctively shrank away from the sharp assault from her sire. “I know that you know how to use Mortis, but you just lack the willpower to do so!” “But it's a pony...” Twilight whimpered at the half-rotten corpse that sat sprawled out in front of her. She could feel herself wanting to wretch from the smell alone, but something inside of her had kept her from it. “No, it's a corpse!” Vinyl hissed. “Kid, you need to realize that she's been dead for weeks! It's not like we even killed her either; we dug her out of a pine box in the ground!” “It still doesn't feel right...” Twilight cowered away from Vinyl's angered glare. Ever since the mare had stopped wearing her sunglasses, Twilight wanted nothing more than to escape those disapproving eyes. “You're not hurting anyone by practicing on an already dead body,” Vinyl pressed a forehoof against her forehead in exasperation, wanting nothing more than to scream. “If it makes you feel better, just imagine it as an inanimate object that never lived.” “O-Okay,” Twilight nodded and focused again on the body, feeling a sinking feeling in her chest that weighed her down like a tonne of bricks. She could only see the pained look that was plastered on the mare's face, having halfway been eaten by the various creatures in the ground. All she needed to do was focus and turn the flesh into ash, but her entire body fought against the very idea of defiling somebody more than she already had. After a good four minutes, she finally focused her vitae onto the body in spite of the utter disgust at the very idea. “It's not that hard!” She hissed and stomped her hoof onto the ground, sending Twilight's focus over the edge and transforming the body into nothing more than a pile of ash and bone. "See?!" Twilight folded her ears back against her head and looked apologetically at her sire, feeling her eyes water uneasily. “I just... I feel horrible... I'm so sorry, but this just feels so wrong!” “Not as sorry as you may end up. Twilight, there will come a time where Mortis will save your life, and if you can't use it... Then you will be as good as dead.” Vinyl reprimanded Twilight calmly, but the sense of urgency showed through her voice all the same. “My job is to prepare you for what fate may throw your way, and I'm trying my hardest. You are a Cappadocian that I have taught the three main branches of Mortis to, and you are born to the 8th generation on top of that. Most childer around your age will be of the 10th or 11th generation, so you have the upper hoof. Your vitae is more potent, your blood more willing to bend to your whim, and the capacity for your disciplines are naturally higher.” “But it still feels so... Wrong...” Twilight sighed quietly. “Twilight...” Vinyl frowned and placed a hoof of her childe's chin, making her gaze into her own eyes. “I would not have sired you if I didn't think you had a fate beyond that of what the Prince wanted for you. It's good to keep your morals, but you need to know that they needn't be set in stone, or they will just become a burden. You have mastered Auspex without fault, and even your Fortitude discipline is better than expected, but you need to truly let yourself use Mortis like I know you can.” “I want to... I really do, but it just...” Twilight closed her eyes and let out a weak sigh. “I know, I really do... I promise it'll be alright,” She said before pulling her childe into a warm embrace, wrapping a hoof around the other unicorn's withers. “But there is still a sense of urgency. The time will come when you need to use it, and you can't be afraid when that moment arrives. I-” She was cut off by the sound of a loud pounding at the door, to which Vinyl cursed hatefully at and walked towards the source of the noise. She slipped her sunglasses back on before opening the door and letting a revolted grimace form on her lips. “Hoity Toity.” She stated with relative disgust. “Vinyl Scratch.” The Tremere responded. “The Prince has informed me to deliver this to the Neonate. Encased is a mission that needs to be dealt with, and Blueblood sees it as the perfect opportunity to test her skills and loyalty to the Camarilla. I'm sure you will be more than happy to oblige, Nigrimancer.” His voice, although having the facade of high society, clearly had a tone of spite beneath it that even Twilight had picked up on. “Thank you, Blood Witch. I shall see to it that it is taken care of,” Vinyl countered with an equally spiteful tone, hidden under the ever-so-thin masquerade of politeness. “See that you do.” Hoity Toity replied with a disgusted expression on his face that lasted even after the door was closed in it. “What was that all about?” Twilight inquired after watching that display put on by the two vampires. Vinyl Scratch only placed the letter in front of her childe, keeping the hateful scowl on her face that could curdle milk. “That damned Blood Witch suspects what we really are. Normally I would disregard what that pompous Ventrue Prince asks, as the Giovanni are nominally an Independent clan, but I fear that may only make us look more suspicious to Hoity Toity. Attention is hardly what we want right now.” “So, about the letter...?” Twilight suggested, levitating the envelope in front of her face and eying it over. It was plain, white paper that was sealed only by a drop of wax with a garnished image of a scepter in the center of it. “Open it... It has details for some pointless mission that the Prince wants done,” Vinyl rolled her eyes and relaxed back into her seat. Already being put in a bad mood from having her training interrupted, seeing Hoity Toity had only made her blood go from a mild simmer to a full on boil. Twilight nodded and opened the envelope, reading over its contents aloud: “Dear Neonate, It has come to my attention that the Primogen for clan Malkavian has, in fact, gone missing. Normally I would not place the trust in finding an AWOL Malkavian to a Neonate, but the other Primogen seem to agree that you need some degree of responsibility in order to prove your clan's willingness to work with the Camarilla. Know that this is not a fool's errand, Neonate, as I expect you to find the whereabouts of the Malkavian known as Zecora. Enclosed are the several locations that Zecora has been seen over the past few nights before her disappearance. As I do not expect you to have any trouble with this mission, I will request that Vinyl Scratch remain at the Haven and only offer guidance when necessary. Under no conditions do I want her to actively assist you in your search for our wayward Primogen. Best Regards, Prince Blueblood” Twilight reread through the letter a few more times silently before looking over the map of Equestria that had been enclosed, which sported several red circles on it. Vinyl on the other hoof had let out a long, angered sigh before speaking. “That no good, backstabbing, rat sucking Usurper!” She hissed out in pure rage. “He wants you to fumble this mission, but I'm not going to let that happen!” “Who, Hoity Toity?” Twilight inquired, only having a sharp glance from her sire in response. “I want you to find the Primogen, Twilight. I want you to show that Warlock his place!” Vinyl continued her rampage by jumping to her feet. “The best place to start would probably be her haven, I'd imagine...” “Her haven? Like, her house?” Twilight blinked curiously and looked over the map again. “Where's it at? They also have some really strange places circled...” “That's because Zecora is a Malkavian, Twilight... Malkavians are... Interesting to say the least. They are all completely insane, but there's something to their madness. To put it in layman's terms, they can see the future,” Vinyl stated as if such a thing was perfectly normal, but still left Twilight wide eyed and confused. “But they... That sounds even more insane! I may have just been introduced into Kindred society merely weeks ago, but you can't expect me to believe that they can see the 'future'!” Twilight rolled her eyes at the very notion, eliciting a sharp whack from the ruler that her sire had somehow gotten in mere seconds. “Ow!” “Don't be so arrogant! You don't have to believe me, but you should never state anything outside your experience as impossible... There are things out there in the dark that even the most ancient of Kindred know nothing about.” Vinyl glared at her childe for a moment before looking at the map. “Speaking of which, are you prepared to walk into the Everfree Forest, kid? That's where the haven of the Primogen is said to be.” She mentioned and tapped her hoof against the red circle that was dead in the middle of said forest. “On the way though, I would suggest stopping at the Redbuck Hotel; it's where she tends to stay during her visits to Canterlot.” Twilight nodded, rubbing her cheek at the stinging that her sire had caused. “I-I can do that.” She stated, trying not to let her voice show her nervousness. “But... It's just that this is my first time out of the Haven...” “Don't worry, Cupcake... You'll do fine; I promise you will. You've grown stronger then even you realize, I imagine. Just use your guts, and more importantly, your head.” Vinyl reassured Twilight with a soft smile. “That, and if anyone tries anything against you, show them what you've learned. Well, as long as no Kine see you anyway; you still need to abide by the Masquerade.” Twilight nodded in understanding before looking over her map once more. This was it; the moment of truth for her... The moment that she had spent that past few weeks training for. Despite her nervousness, it reminded her of the tests she used to take in school; which as anyone would tell you, she never failed a test. “I'm ready.” Twilight stated and folded the map, placing it into her saddlebags and levitating the bags onto her back. “I'm ready to find the Primogen and ace this test.” Vinyl shook her head and rolled her eyes upon watching her childe leave the haven. “She really is in over her head.” ~*~*~ Twilight found herself staring at the map for a good hour before realizing something unbelievably pertinent... “Aaaaaaaand.... I'm lost.” She silently lamented to herself in the middle of the empty street, unaware of what awaited her in the nights to come.
