Adventures in the Dark of Nightby KilojoulesChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 4Chapter 1The sun burned brighter than ever today, making the day seem longer and more difficult to withstand. Jubilee sat quietly at his desk with his Schoolmates, though he wouldn't consider any of them mates. Especially Terracotta Baker. "Hey, Jubilee, see anymore ghosts?" he teased, referring to the unfortunate sleepover that his mother forced him to attend. "Shut up, Terracotta, that was a dumb prank you pulled almost a year ago." he responded, turning his head the other way. He put his left hoof up against his head, blocking his view of Terracotta further. It was only a few more minutes before the bell rang to end the dreadfully long school day, so he just ignored the immature Terracotta and his mocks. The bell eventually chimed it's cheery jingle, and the teacher reminded the class to bring their homework back on Monday, followed by a wave of her hoof in a good-bye. Jubilee's filly classmates passed him, giving him nervous glances and small giggles, most likely about rumors spread by Terracotta and his Gaggle of followers. While the other foals turned left at the end, Jubilee made a sharp right, heading off towards the Old Schoolhouse, and abandoned building that's rather broken down, not to mention slightly burned from the fire fifty years ago. The colt snuck underneath a partially broken board and got inside, the slight shafts of sunlight that illuminated the one-room schoolhouse gave everything a sort of fairy tale elegance. The room was mostly intact, besides the holed ceiling and cluttered mess of old desks. Towards the center, a small pile of blankets, and a pillow lay in a neat, nest-like circle. Jubilee walked slowly towards his secret sleeping place, patting it down with his hooves before he dropped into a tiny, cream coloured mess. His mane was chocolate in colour, and laid over his eyes as he got comfy. His mind began to drift a little, to life, to family, to the friends he slightly wished he had. He stopped on that last thought. He wasn't hated by all, he just felt that the other foals were to boring for him. They talked about stupid things, like who was the toughest, who had the coolest cutie mark, what the latest fashions were. His irritation with them grew and he felt as if he were about to hit something. Then, as if another bell had gone off, something moved in the darkness. A slight shift of broken boards, right behind him. The chill that ran down his spine was of the highest caliber, making him quickly jump around. "Who's there?!" Jubilee surveyed the area, only seeing a quick shadow. Jubilee was in truth afraid of ghosts, so he darted for his exit, his satchel getting caught on a nail, tearing off. Jubilee must have lost track of time, the sun was nearing the horizon, he needed to get home for dinner. Jubilee made it home rather quick, it was just a block away from the school. As he opened the door his mother looked at him and smiled. "Welcome home, deary, were you out playing with that nice Terracotta boy?" she had the same cream colored coat, but her mane was a dark pink. She was sitting by the table sipping tea or soft cider, her hindleg on top of the other. "Hi Momma, no, and Terracotta is not a 'nice boy', I was playing at the park." Jubilee sweeped his hoof across his face rather quickly, brushing the tangled mess of his mane from his eyes. He went over to the table and sat down, pouring himself a cup of the warm drink. "Jubes, hon, where's your satchel?" he reached behind him and realized that he didn't have it. "Oh, shoot, I must have left it at the park!" Jubilee exclaimed, jumping up. "Wait 'till after dinner, and then hurry over there." the oven dinged as he ended her sentance, and the smell of roast wafted through Jubilee's nostrils, and he quickly licked his lips. "Okay, if you say so..." Jubilee sat back down, eagerly but patiently waiting for a big slice of roast to be placed on his plate. His hunger was filled as his mother slapped a large gooey blob of what was supposed to be roast. "This is roast?" Jubilee asked rather rudely, his mother snorted rather unladylike and said with a huff, "Well if it looks so disgusting then don't eat it, gentlecolt!" she was obviously offended, so Jubilee took it upon himself to just steer clear. "I'm going to go get my satchel...." His mother was still in a ditz about his rude comment, and didn't even notice him inching his way to the door. He open and closed as fast as he could, stepping out into the cold nights air. The moon shone brightly in the sky, defying the darkness that usually crept out at this time. Jubilee nodded towards it in silent thanks, and headed the direction of the school--and the Old Schoolhouse. He galloped his way there, wanting to get there and gone as fast as he could, he was still spooked by the shadow he saw earlier. He reached the Old Schoolhouse and snuck under, using the moonbeams like the sunlight to guide his way around the fallen and broken furniture. He made his way towards his secret sleeping place, the sudden darkness that seemed to ignore the brightness of the moon crept into the schoolhouse, and as Jubilee scrambled about his comfy place, he felt a cold breath upon the nape of his neck. This sent a chill down his spine, and before he knew it he had turned around and was face to face with a stunning Pegasus, black mane and unnaturally red eyes. "Gh-augh!' he meant to scream 'ghost', but was caught off guard by the Pegasi's powerful foreleg covering his mouth. "Shh, kid, you'll get me found out..." a calm, sweet voice said. Jubilee heard a hint of mischief to his voice, and his smile was that of a young kid. This stallion looked as if he had just reached maturity, but he had the eyes of an old man; Wise and peaceful, but somehow defiant. The stallion introduced himself as Draculin, and reached behind him and picked up with his teeth a satchel...Jubilee's satchel! He moved his foreleg away from Jubilee's mouth, stretching his wings out and yawning. "You woke me up earlier, kid, and you left this as you ran away..." Jubilee looked at him oddly, paying attention to the odd garment around his neck. It looked like some sort of scarf, but an old-aged Victorian era one. He'd seen one in a few paintings of Sommerston's Old Days. "Why're you sleeping in the old schoolhouse?" Jubilee found himself asking. Draculin looked at him and laughed. "Because I live here..." he glanced around his 'home', then added, "lived here since it burnt." Jubilee looked at him oddly. Since it burnt? "Mister, that was fifty years ago. There ain't no way you could've lived here that long." Draculin laughed and opened his wings, stretching them out to full length. He took up into the air, but hovered maybe a foot off the floor. He came in real close to the small cream colt, opening his mouth wide. "Fifty years ain't nothing to a Vampony." Chapter 2A Vampony? Seriously? This can't be real. I'm dreaming. Yeah, I'm still sleeping in the old schoolhouse, dozing quietly in this nightmare. The Vampony who had introduced himself as Draculin laughed, landing back on the ground. "Relax, kiddo, I ain't gunna suck your blood." Jubilee looked at him again, thinking quietly as he stared into the Pegasi's red eyes. He knew, somewhere deep, his heart maybe, that the Pegasi Vampony would not harm him. "I thought Vamponies weren't real, just stories made up by adult ponies to scare us..." Jubilee used his hooves to life up Draculin's lips, looking at his fangs with quiet admiration. "It must be exciting being a Vampony...." he added, letting go of Draculin's face. "Eh, it's not all it's cracked up to be." Draculin scratched at his long, long black mane. "You know how us Vamponies started, don't you?" Jubilee shook his head and sat down on his comfy spot as if waiting for the story. For some reason this dangerous Pony who could kill Jubilee in a heartbeat and not feel anything about it wasn't scary at all, in fact, he was actually sort of admirable. "Lemme lay it out to you, kiddo." The Vamponies were a cult of Nightmare Moon followers who sacrificed the ability to walk in Nightmare Moon's sibling Celestia's warm sunlight, and in return gave them immortality. After Nightmare Moon was imprisoned in the moon, the Vamponies disappeared, most dying after trying to go back out in the sun. The rest either went into eternal sleep or lived off of the thing keeping them alive and immortal: the blood of innocent ponies. "So, you worship Nightmare Moon?" Jubilee asked, looking a bit worried again. "Heavens no, child, Nightmare Moon is no more!" Draculin smiled and patted Jubilee on his head, his mane falling back over his eyes. Jubilee responded by laughing and tossing his head back, his mane returning to its original spot. "I believe I may be the last Vampony, and if I am, I will make sure I'll stay the only one." "Why can't there be more of you?" Jubilee asked curiously. He didn't understand what Draculin meant. "Because this is a curse." Draculin's features became stone, a level of seriousness Jubilee did not expect from the seemingly carefree Vampony. Draculin' quickly changed pace, moving away from the topic. "So, Mister....uhh..." Draculin eyed him curiously, obviously asking his name. "Jubilee Walker." Jubilee gave an uncharacteristic bow, his mane covering his eyes yet again. He returned to his original stance, tossing his back to fix his mane. "So, Jubilee, do you want to come?" Draculin smiled mischievously, holding out a hoof to Jubilee. The young colt looked at him with slight hesitation, but smiled back, taking his hand. "Okay, where are we going?" Draculin tossed the colt up as if he were weightless, making him land perfectly on his back. "First, you're going home." Draculin sing-songed, picking up Jubilee's slightly ripped satchel. Jubilee looked at him awkwardly, taking the satchel from him. "Why do I have to go back, can't we just leave now?" Jubilee whined through the satchel strap in his mouth. "Because you need to think about this, if you leave with me you can't come back." Jubilee's mind raced. Why wouldn't be able to come back? "Not even to see my Momm-my Mother?" Draculin took into the air, exiting the schoolhouse through a hole in the ceiling. "Not even to see her." Draculin replied. Within minutes Draculin was back on the ground in front of Jubilee's simple little house. Draculin looked at him and nodded, commenting "Think hard on your decision." Jubilee turned around as the Pegasus turned, but his voice caused him to turn his head back. The pagsus was in the air flying away as the words reached his ears: "And sleep well, kid." Jubilee blushed and smiled, going into the house. The kitchen light was on but his mother must have been asleep, so he shut it off and navigated his way to his room. He flipped on light and stared at his plain room, and smiled. He hit the light off and went to his bed, staring up at his ceiling, illuminated by the moon. What was he to do? He had the choice to escape this boring town and live his own life with someone special. Jubilee stopped there. His head hurt to much to decide tonight. He would decide tomorrow, at school. He shooed away anymore thoughts and let sleep take him. He told himself goodnight and shut out the lights inside himself, falling fast asleep with the covers up to his chin. See you tomorrow night, Draculin. Chapter 3The brisk air of morning filled Jubilee's nostrils as his mother pushed open the window next to his bed, the sun would've hurt his eyes if his chocolate mane wasn't covering them again. "Wake up, sleepy head, you've got school!" his mother chirped in his ear. He sat up, rubbing the crust left on his eyelids by the Sandpony, yawning. "I've got tea downstairs when you're decent~" she sang as she exited down the staircase. Jubilee rolled out of bed, almost literally as he adjusted to reality again. After learning how to walk again, he entered his bathroom, his hygiene utensils already laid out for him by his too-kind mother. He went about brushing, using both of his hooves to steady the brush as he ran it across his teeth. Last night's activities reverberated in his skull, and excitement grew as he knew he had a choice to make, despite how grim it was. He spat out the minty tooth-and-saliva-paste, washing out his mouth with water. He sighed a breath of minty fresh, just to feel the seemingly cold air against his shiny teeth. He hurried downstairs, hungry from not eating last night. "Hey momma, what's for breakfast?" he asked as he set his flank down on the shorter of the two chairs. "Oatmeal, your favorite." his mother responded, setting down a piping hot bowl of oat-y stuff. "Looks delicious!" Jubilee said as he ate it without utensils. "Look at my little pony, so big." she said as Jubilee finished his bowl. a mess load of oats and cream covering his face and the table. "And messy!" she added as she wiped the oats from his face with a handkerchief. "I saw you ripped your satchel somehow, so I patched it up all nice and new, it's laying over by the door." she added as he stood up. "Okay, Momma, thank you!" Jubilee trotted over to his bag, tossing it onto his back and tightening the strap until it was snug. "I'm off to school, love you!" he stepped out the door quickly as she said goodbye again, sipping her tea. Jubilee walked to school, the other fillys and colts walking faster than him. He smiled, though, as he passed the Old Schoolhouse. It felt nice having a secret the others didn't know about. He entered the school, moving towards his classroom, 1-B. As he got through the door and sat down the band of bullies surrounded his desk, Terracotta trying to use the same remark from yesterday. "Hey, Jubiloser, see any more-" Jubilee interrupted him, shooting him a clever smirk. "I don't know, wet the bed recently?" Jubilee replied all-too casual, knowing it was true. The other fillies and colts laughed, even Terracotta's pawns, who he quickly scolded. The teacher, Mrs. Applebury, entered the classroom and quickly had the foals calm down and open their notebooks. "This morning, little ones, we'll be learning about advanced math!" through the mare's cheery voice the students' moans of dismay sounded together in unity. One rather incompetent Pegasus filly raised her hoof and complained, "But Mrs. Applebury, I don't even understand the basics..." Every other foal but Jubilee laughed because, in truth, he found her incompetence kind of cute. He would admit he didn't do very well on basics, but he could handle advanced. At least, he was pretty sure he could. The day drug on with silence from the scowling and obviously embarrassed Terracota, along with the very difficult advanced math. Jubilee decided to doze off, he was tired of the math and tired of school. He dreamed of many things; Whether it be his mother's delicious tea, or the sunrise and sunset. Then his mind drifted to Draculin, how he had a decision to make. His mind raced over the positives, the negatives. He'd get to leave this town, but he'd also leave his mother. He'd escape the bullies and their taunts, but he wouldn't get to see the incompetent Archer Wing, the filly he secretly admired. He would've stayed in his daze a bit longer, but a familiar voice washed over his conscious. "Well, what's your decision?" "Nnngg.....I'll come with you, Draculin...." "Who?" "What..?" "Mr. Write, wake up this instant and come with me to the office!" That's when he realized who was talking. His eyes darted up at Mrs. Applebury, who was standing just above him, on her hindlegs with her forelegs crossed. "Mr. Write, wake up, let's go!" Jubilee sat up, rubbing his eyes. She gave him an eye, so he got out of his seat and followed her out as the class chuckled. "I am very disappointed in you, Jubilee.." she admitted as the door closed behind them. "Sorry, Mrs. Applebury...the math was just too hard." Jubilee partially lied, but she believed him. She sighed and patted his back, pulling a cloth from her satchel. She wiped the bit of drool that was on hid lip, nodding. "Yes, you and Ms. Wing weren't the only ones who were having trouble with the new curriculum." she looked off in the distance. "You go sit in the office and take it easy, okay?" she looked around cautiously. "I'm going to act like I'm really angry at you, so don't take it hard....and don't tell the other students." she giggled, quickly turning serious as they walked into the office. "If I ever catch you sleeping in my class again I will have you expelled!" she exclaimed in an extremely convincing tone, slamming the door on her way out. The secretary, a Unicorn with a talent for organization, sat at the desk shaking his head. "She's rather tough, isn't she?" He smiled sweetly at Jubilee standing up to usher him to the back. "Just take it easy in there, kid." He opened the door to the medical room, a very small room with two beds. Jubilee shook his head, not wanting to sleep again. "Can I just sit with you and help...?" he asked quietly, looking up to the pale red unicorn. "Sure, kid, why not." he replied, the two walking back to the secretary's large desk. "Wait here a moment." he said as he walked towards the back again. A few seconds later he came back with a smaller version of his rolling chair, being pushed magically. "Here, you can sit in this." he said as he pushed the chair to a small spot of his desk. "Just, uh...." the unicorn tried to think of an easy task, but could only come up with one. "Here, go make 53 copies of this..." he handed a rolled up piece of paper which Jubilee took in his mouth, walking to the back. The copier room was a simple one, papers everywhere with one clear desk for the secretary and a few other office workers to eat at. He put the paper in the slot, hitting the buttons to print out 53. As he sat and waited for all 53 to finish printing out the final bell rang. "Oh crud, I must have slept longer than I thought...." he walked out in a hurry, telling the secretary that they're in the back. He rushed back into the classroom, getting his bag. He walked back outside, shaking his head so that his mane would cover his eyes and protect them from the bright sun as they adjusted to the light. He walked to where he usually did, towards the old schoolhouse, and didn't notice the group of three that followed him. "You stupid little coltcuddler!" Terracotta shouted from behind him as his lackey rammed Jubilee to the ground. Jubilee got up quickly, running for the schoolhouse. Terracotta proceeded to send his minions after him, and they were faster. They got past Jubilee and spun around, using their forelegs to bring Jubilee to a stop, seizing him and holding him infront of Terracotta, hooves and forelegs locked to his side. "How dare you make a fool of me!" Terracotta said, spitting on Jubilee. The one on Jubilee's left chuckled as the other, more slower, lackey laughed with his deep, almost "simple" sounding voice. "Haha, teach'm a lesson, boss!" Terracotta obliged and lifted his hoof back, readying for a quick punch to the gut. "Never cross me again!" he shouted as his hoof propelled forward, connecting with Jubilee's stomach. It winded him, making him fall to the ground, gasping for air. "T-T-T-T...Terracotta!" Jubilee choked out of his throat, holding his stomach. "Steady 'im, boys." Terracotta said with his rough voice. Terracotta's faithful lackeys picked Jubilee back up, making him still and trapped. Terracotta made another swift punch, this time hitting Jubilee in the face. A small dribble of blood went down the colts bottom lip as Terracotta punched again, leaving a bruised eye socket. "Now, here's the last one, but certainly not the least!" Terracotta cocked his fist back again, aiming once more for Jubilee's face. Terracotta built up power in his punch, getting ready to release it like a gun does a bullet. Then, the old schoolhouse behind them shook, rumbled, rattled, and every other form of movement that could be thought of. A figure busted through the roof, a Pegasus, and stopped in front of the sun, outstretching his wings. he became a silhouette as smoke or steam or something poured off his body, and a the small glint of four sharp teeth were the only light that emitted from the black silhouette. "Draculin!" Jubilee gasped, knowing that the sun could kill him. The pony figure quickly shot forward, landing with such force that it shook the two goons from Jubilee, who collapsed on the ground. "Leave now." thundered an unfamiliar voice that came from Draculin, which seemed to reverberate the air around them. Terracotta was stricken in place with fear as the other two ran away, leaving behind a thin trail of liquid. "Did you not hear me?" Draculin thundered, bringing his face closer to Terracotta's, baring his teeth with simulated hunger. "Leave, now!" Terracotta ran away, leaving a puddle of urine in the grass. As Terracotta left their view, Draculin dropped the scary act, quickly tiring out from direct exposure to the sun. "Let's get back in the schoolhouse....." Draculin murmured, picking Jubilee up by the scruff with his teeth. Draculin flew back up and into the schoolhouse, landing in Jubilee's nest of pillows and blankets. "Draculin, are you okay?" Jubilee muttered, laying quietly next to Draculin, who was also laying down. "Fine, just tired." Draculin looked over to Jubilee who flipped over, a small trail of fresh blood down his lip. "Poor thing." Draculin leaned close and lapped up the blood, licking his lips. Jubilee shuttered, but stood up, wiping the grass from his mane. "I'll head home, get some sleep." he said, walking towards his exit. "Wait, Jubilee, what did you pick?" Draculin asked, yawning. "I'm coming with you." Jubilee said as he stepped outside, walking home. Chapter 5Jubilee was wide-eyed at the immensity of Las Pegasus. Ponies of all different kinds passed them by hastily as they landed on the ground, not paying attention to the two very different ponies. Draculin chuckled as Jubilee darted his head back and forth, trying to see all he could as if he were going to leave at any moment. "Don't strain your neck, Kiddo, we're going to be here for a while." Draculin said as they walked off through a crowd of anxious ponies. * * * * Meanwhile at Jubilee's house..... "Oh Jubes, dear, are you sure you aren't at least....peckish?" Dawn Writer, Jubilee's mother, said as she walked into the room. The window was wide open. with the curtains flowing like something out of some fairy tale. She quickly looked in his bathroom, and in seeing he was not in the tub or on the latrine, she panicked and check her dresser for something. She moved onto his desk, seeing a paper with his hoofwriting, even though it was more-or-less mouthwriting. Dear Mother, I love you with all my heart, but this town isn't for me. I am leaving with a new friend of mine, he's a Vampony. He protected me today from bullies, and offered for me to come with him. I won't lie to you, he said it might be dangerous, and that I would never be allowed to see you again. I will miss you, and school sort of, and that silly filly Archer Wing. I just can't stay. This is my only way out. Please, understand. I love you forever and always. Love forever, Jubilee. Her heart and mind raced over the fact that her colt, her only colt, had ran away with some stranger. Her brain ran through the most rational processes a mother would do when her child is missing: Panic, cry, scream, call the cops. In that order. She mixed step two and four, doing both at the same time at the authorities, and after they dismissed her as a crazy because of the "Vampony" comment. She ran to the kitchen and flicked through a large yellow book containing ads and phone numbers, AKA a phone book. Professional Vampony exterminator, call now. she read, hoping they would believe her. She dialed the phone and repeated step two and four, this time getting a better answer. "You think your son was abducted by a Vampony?" a gruff, irritated voice came through the phone. Dawn's croaky, sobbing voice replied the best it could. "Y-yes, h-h-h-he stole away my Jubes right from his bedroom window!" She began crying again before the stallion told her to get a grip. "It won't be cheap, but I'm on my way." then he hung up. She sat on the couch sobbing into an arm pillow, letting it soak up her tears. About 15 minutes passed before she heard a knock on the door, and as she opened it up, a tough-looking stallion with a sheathed sword and a crossbow on the back, leather vest covering his back, though it was open in the front. He had some sort of modified utility belt around his waist, sharp wooden stakes in each pocket, which spread across the entire strip of leather. His mane was ruddy brown, like mud, but his fur was black, making him look like a tire which ran through a fresh puddle of mud. His mouth was in an unflinching scowl or frown, while one of his eyes were covered by a Pirate's Patch, the other one with a long scar down the middle. "Tell me everything." he said in the same dusty voice. * * * Jubilee bounced up and down happily as him and Draculin neared a fair, probably open for some seasonally celebrated holiday. "You're taking me to the fair???" Jubilee clapped his hooves like the foal he was. "Yep, I'm guessing you've never been?" Draculin could tell Jubilee shook his head, since he felt how the foal could shake his hoof and it ended up shaking his entire body. "Settle down, kiddo, the night is young." Draculin teased, stepping into a line of patient fair-goers, all waiting for the Ferris Wheel. They waited for a good fifteen minutes, until Jubilee got restless and impatient. In his eagerness he misplaced a hoof, falling onto Draculin's soft and large mane. "Geez, let's just go get some cotton candy while this line sorts itself out..." Draculin said, blowing a small current of air to get the hair from his eyes. He tossed his head back carefully, forcing the young colt to slide down his neck. "Okay." he said as they exited from the line, the love-struck couple behind them shifting upwards mechanically. They approached the least populated candy counter. Running the counter they were at was a young, most likely just-joined-the-work-force mare with a blue and pink mane. She sent her current customers on their way after they received a large popcorn, which they eagerly took. Jubilee clapped his hooves once more, which seemed to be his favorite gesture tonight. "The smallest cotton candy you have, please." Jubilee asked in his small voice. The mare at the counter smiled and started to turn around before Draculin held up a hoof, silently asking her to wait a moment. "Why the smallest, kiddo?" Draculin asked, looking back at Jubilee. "Momma usually only let me get smalls of candy..." he said, blushing at how he was still listening to his mother. "Well, 'Momma' isn't here, now is she?" he said with a sly smile, making the candy mare laugh. He turned back to her, once again silently talking to her. "Okay, lemme go get it." she said, winking at Draculin. She came back and handed the cotton candy to Draculin, who gripped the paper stick/cone firmly with his teeth. He twisted his head back, giving it to Jubilee. "Gah eh?" he asked, with the paper part still in his mouth. "Yeah, I have it." Jubilee said with an eager smile. Draculin nodded and turned back to the mare, dropping the correct amount of bits on the counter. "Your brother is absolutely adorable, he's so lucky to have such a caring big brother!" she said, giggling. "Heh, thanks, uhh...." he squinted his eyes at the small white name tag on the girls red and white thick pinstripe shirt. After a few seconds of focusing he made out the small letters. "Candy...huh, well lookit that!" he said with a smile. She laughed again, sending them off with a thank you and a small soda on-the-house. "She was a nice mare." Jubilee said, taking a bite of the sugary ball of whipped air. Draculin nodded, heading back towards the ferris wheel line which had gotten smaller as the more sensible mares and stallions headed home. "Draculin, look!" Jubilee pointed a hoof at the large sign which displayed two pictures and a line of words. One picture was of Soarin', the other of Spitfire, leader of the amazing Wonderbolts. 'The Wonderbolts Night Show, get your tickets now!' the sign read, making Jubilee bounce up and down in anticipation. Draculin winced a bit as the constant shifting of weight on his back felt a bit irregular. "Well, you wanna go see them?" he asked, smiling again at Jubilee. Jubilee gasped, his eyes lighting up the small area around them in excitement. "Oooohh, can we, can we???" the little foal clapped again, hugging Draculin from behind. Draculin laughed and walked up to the ticket taker, asking for two. "Sorry, we're sold out." he said, shrugging. Jubilee's face was overtaken by dismay, getting so excited to see the Wonderbolts then being told he couldn't. "Listen buddy, this means the world to the kid, could you please let us through?" Draculin asked once more, biting his lip, he made sure to keep his fangs hidden, though. The stallion, who got rather irritated at the continued bother, replied with an aggravated response. "Listen, buddy, I don't care if the little twerp wanted to see them, we're sold out." Draculin didn't appreciate the rudeness, and it certainly hurt Jubilee's feelings, being called twerp. Jubilee's eyes welled up with tears, which weren't ready to be let go yet. Draculin got an intense look across his face and brought his face inches from the ticket takers, making him jump a little. The Vampony stared deeply into the stallions eyes, which soon glazed over into some sort of daze. "You will let us through to see the Wonderbolts." Draculin said, focusing intensely on the stallion. "I will let you through to see the Wonderbolts." he repeated back to Draculin, mouth wide open in his trance. "And you won't tell security we went through here." he commanded the dazed stallion, who repeated it back in reverse. Jubilee had a look of confusion across his face, not understanding what had just transpired. The stallion who was entranced by Draculin open up the gate barring their way, letting the two pass. "Draculin, h-how did you do that?" Jubilee asked, rubbing the un-shed tears from his eyes. "Simple Vampony mind tricks." Draculin said, shaking his head. "The nerve of some ponies!" Draculin said in a hushed, irritated voice. "Being so mean to a poor little foal..." he ranted. "I should've just drained him dry, the little...little....twerp." he mocked, making Jubilee wince a bit at the thought of Draculin drinking from somepony. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, a group of them focusing on the stage. Soon after, the curtains opened up to a group of ponies in flashy suits. "The Wonderbolts!" gasped Jubilee, climbing up on top of Draculin's head to see better. After a short speech from Spitfire, the leader of the flying stuntponies, they shot at almost break-neck speeds over the crowd, Jubilee almost spilling his soda. "Woah!" Jubilee exclaimed as they maneuvered through the air in a uniform motion, causing the crowd to 'ooh' and 'ahh' at their seemingly difficult motions. Jubilee was ecstatic the ponies' stunts, slupring down his soda and devouring his cotton candy, which only left little bits of it on his mouth, which eventually dyed the area around the little colts mouth pink and blue. The festivities ended after the Wonderbolts finished, most ponies heading home. As the duo walked out with the crowd, Draculin looked back at Jubilee who was fast asleep on his back, most likely from a sugar crash. Draculin giggled and went into the air as gently as he could, heading towards the nearest condemned building. He stopped at an all-night store and bought a bushel of blankets to keep the little one warm, after which he departed once more towards the buildings. Draculin silently and softly landed on the top of a building, going in through the unlocked door down one level, stopping in a room with fully boarded up windows. He set Jubilee down carefully atop a blanket, before laying another one atop the colt. Draculin look at him for a long moment before reciting something his mother had sung to him. He wasn't much of a singer, so he was content with quietly saying the words. "Go to sleep little one It’s time to say goodnight Lay your head upon the pillow I will tuck you in so tight Say your prayers and they’ll be answered Dream of dreams so bright Lay your head upon the pillow It’s time to say goodnight Oh lay your head upon the pillow It’s time to say goodnight." Draculin shed a small tear, something he hand't done in a long, long time. Unnerved by this happening, he stood up and left, making sure Jubilee was sleeping comfortably. Chapter 6Draculin sighed as he walked out of the room, shaking his head at the odd feelings he had begun to have about Jubileee. This is wrong, so wrong, so, so, so, so wrong! he thought to himself. He could feel the hunger from not eating in a while start to nip at him, eating its way through his head. Eat him! it groaned inside of his mind. He felt his 'cool' slipping, so he decided to go out for a late night bite. He had made sure that Jubilee was fast asleep and comfortable, he could not afford Jubilee waking up before he got back. Draculin smiled once he got back up to the roof and further away from Jubilee. Though still smiling, Draculin sighed as he looked up to the moon, thinking of way back when. Almost eighteen-hundred years have passed and I've survived. he told himself as he ascended to the air, his body going off to find food while his mind stayed behind in its peaceful stupor. * * * It was his nineteenth birthday, he was a rebellious young stallion who had always favored the Princess Luna over her older counterpart, Celestia. Once Luna had undergone a transformation into the evil Nightmare Moon, she began to recruit followers. She had used her dark powers to creep into the dreams and minds of young Ponies in order to find the most likely candidates for her recruitment. Those privileged mares and stallions that showed no fear in the presence of Nightmare Moon's dream avatar, which was basically just herself, were told to travel to an ancient and long-forgotten grove, untouched by pony-kind for over a hundred years. "Those who faithfully follow us, come to the ancient grove and become One with the Night!" she had instructed them. Draculin, who actually went by the name Spirit, was among the many to join Nightmare Moon at the grove. That night, under a full moon, she had created a new race of ponies--The Vamponies! Years later, Nightmare Moon was defeated by her sister and imprisoned in the moon. The once faithful minions of Nightmare Moon had abandoned their Mistress, fearing for their own lives. Draculin had waited at the grove for the thousand years, ever faithful and watchful, he waited for her return. And when She had been freed from her Lunar prison, he thought that once again the Vamponies would assemble to serve their Eternal Mistress, but somehow, some way, six troublesome Mares had brought together the Elements of Harmony to stop and revert her back to her 'good' form, the young filly Princess Luna. Draculin was distraught and in a fit of rage realized there was no hope left for his kind. He was a dying breed of pony, no where to go, he tried to end his life. He was stopped by Princess Luna, who had told him not to lose hope. She told him that she indeed had forgiven her sister and the ponies of Equestria, but that he should not end his life. He was told he was the last, and to take his own life would be the equivalent of genocide. "We indeed have stopped our hopeless endeavor to bring eternal night--this was a foolish idea on our part." she admitted. "Go, my faithful follower, go and live the life that I so selfishly took from you." she put her large hoof on his head, patting him. "Go and live a life in our beautiful night." This was many, many years after she had become the Princess once more, long after the Guardians of Harmony trapped Discord once more in his prison of stone. Those were now foal's tales, stories to be told before bedtime. And, as faithful as he was, he nodded to the humbling Princess, and left to find his way through the eternal night that was his life, determined to follow his Princess' wishes until his end. * * * He snapped out of his trance, looking down at the mangled body of Candy, the mare who had given Jubilee a free soda. In horror, he looked at the blood dripping from the two holes in her neck, the holes that he had made. He could feel his fangs elongate in hunger, still not satisfied with the mares blood. He shook the hunger from his head and went into the air, feeling sick to his stomach. He looked off to the horizon at the slowly lightening sky, sighing. He knew he had to get back. He flew over the city, back towards the group of buildings that were left in neglect by the ponies of Las Pegasus. He watched the pier that just last night was filled with ponies from all backdrops of life, now empty and seemingly barren. But, he knew better, small flecks of movements still filled the fairgrounds, which didn't need to be open for people to walk around in them. Draculin, ever so gently, landed his hooves on the roof of the building young Jubilee was sound asleep in. Despite trying his hardest the heavy rooftop door creaked as he opened it, making him cringe in case it had woken up Jubilee. He tip-hooved into the room with the sleeping colt and the boarded up windows, eyeing Jubilee, curled up in his nest of blankets. It made him chuckle a little, how delicate and cute he looked. With extreme focus, Draculin curled up as close to Jubilee as he cooked before burying his head in the nook of his foreleg. He felt Jubilee rouse in his sleep, rolling over to face the Vampony. Draculin's breath stopped, hoping to Luna that he didn't disturb his young companion. A few more moments passed before he was sure that Jubilee was just turning in his slumber. Draculin yawned into his armpit before letting sleep overtake him. * * * Jubilee's eyes fluttered open, stretching out and yawning. He felt his small hoof bump something large, making Jubilee jump. He turned and saw Draculin sleeping soundly, which made him giggle quietly. Despite his at-first scary appearance, when he slept, Draculin looked like a small child. Like Jubilee, but, bigger. It was confusing to Jubilee. Jubilee walked over to the windows, seeing if he could tell what time it was by the suns position, but, alas, Draculin had picked somewhere where the sunlight could not reach him. Jubilee took a few steps outside the door, looking down the hall. He could see the fire exit that lead both up and down, so he headed that way. The state of decay the building was in astounded Jubilee, he back in Sommerston a building was only abandoned if it had been damaged beyond repair. Then, if it was, it was immediately destroyed. The only exception was the Old Schoolhouse. He walked through the arch where a door was supposed to be and up the stairs. It didn't take him long to reach the top, he was only a floor below the roof. He pushed the door open with a bit of difficulty, and as he managed to make it out into the dimming sunlight the wind whipped against his fur. He tumbled to his side at the first gust of wind, being unused to being this high. He stood back up, not daring to go towards the edges. He looked up to the sky at the sun, which was nearing the horizon. That means he'd been sleeping for a long, long time, and that Draculin was due to wake up soon. He quickly made his way back to the empty concrete room, and when he stepped through the arch, Draculin was stretching his wings out. His mane was a little disheveled, and as he turned to greet Jubilee, a smile washed over his face. "Went up to get some air?" he ask, stretching out the rest of his body. "Yeah, it sure is windy, though.." he said. "Well, nine stories up, it get's pretty windy...." Draculin chuckled a little, walking over to Jubilee and patting him on the back with his wing. "What should we do tonight, Jubilee?" Draculin began to walk out of the room, cocking his neck as-to tell Jubilee to follow. "I don't know, I've never been to Las Pegasus before..." the young colt scratched his head a bit embarrassed. "That's okay, we'll uh...." Draculin chewed on his lower lip thinking of the attractions in Las Pegasus. "I know, we'll go look at the Equestrian Theatre, they always have something interesting playing!" Draculin exclaimed, a look of self-satisfaction replacing his smile. Which, pretty much looked the same as his smile. Jubilee laughed, nodding his head in approval. "Sounds fun." Chapter 4Jubilee walked in, his satchel still snug on his back, and his eye black and throbbing. He quickly walked past his mother, hiding his lip and eye from view. "Honey, what do you want for dinner?" she said as he quickly went up the stairs, shouting down "I'm not hungry, Mom!" He quickly retreated into his bathroom, wetting a wash cloth and putting it over his eyes. He winced a bit as the cold cloth touched the bruised skin, though it also soothed the colts pained skin. He left his busted lip alone, going to his bed to stare out the window. The sun was probably three-fourths done with its trek across the sky. He sighed and went to his desk, sitting down with a pencil in mouth. He wrote out a letter to his mother for when he was gone. Dear Mother, I love you with all my heart, but this town isn't for me. I am leaving with a new friend of mine, he's a Vampony. He protected me today from bullies, and offered for me to come with him. I won't lie to you, he said it might be dangerous, and that I would never be allowed to see you again. I will miss you, and school sort of, and that silly filly Archer Wing. I just can't stay. This is my only way out. Please, understand. I love you forever and always. Love forever, Jubilee. Jubilee had tears in his eyes, which he quickly let be soaked up by his mane. He looked over to the window, deciding to get a bit of rest. He cozy-d up to his extra pillow, cuddling it rather foal-like. Though it felt as if he had closed his eyes for just a few moments, a rasping came from his window. He looked over to see the now-recovered Draculin hovering outside his window, his wings flapping silently with the breeze. Jubilee rubbed his eyes, wincing as he remembered the black eye. It had gone down with the cold washcloth, which was now on his floor. Draculin rasped again, gesturing for him to open the window. Jubilee opened the window so that Draculin could step in. He looked around Jubilee's room, nodding. "Nice room." he turned back to Jubilee, smiling his trademark. "Ready to go?" Draculin sat down on Jubilee's bed, next to Jubilee. "Yep, don't really need anything, so let's just go." Jubilee said excitedly, hopping from his bed to the floor. "Okay, if you're sure." Draculin stood back up, picking Jubilee up back the scruff again. He tossed him onto his back, opening his wings as Jubilee smiled eagerly. After a few steps Draculin was out the window, flying across Summerston with incredible speed. They passed over forests and small camps within the time frame of only a few minutes, showing that the Vampony could move unbelievably fast. Draculin began to decline as they got closer to a large city metropolis, who's name he shouted back to Jubilee, "Welcome to Las Pegasus."
Chapter 1The sun burned brighter than ever today, making the day seem longer and more difficult to withstand. Jubilee sat quietly at his desk with his Schoolmates, though he wouldn't consider any of them mates. Especially Terracotta Baker. "Hey, Jubilee, see anymore ghosts?" he teased, referring to the unfortunate sleepover that his mother forced him to attend. "Shut up, Terracotta, that was a dumb prank you pulled almost a year ago." he responded, turning his head the other way. He put his left hoof up against his head, blocking his view of Terracotta further. It was only a few more minutes before the bell rang to end the dreadfully long school day, so he just ignored the immature Terracotta and his mocks. The bell eventually chimed it's cheery jingle, and the teacher reminded the class to bring their homework back on Monday, followed by a wave of her hoof in a good-bye. Jubilee's filly classmates passed him, giving him nervous glances and small giggles, most likely about rumors spread by Terracotta and his Gaggle of followers. While the other foals turned left at the end, Jubilee made a sharp right, heading off towards the Old Schoolhouse, and abandoned building that's rather broken down, not to mention slightly burned from the fire fifty years ago. The colt snuck underneath a partially broken board and got inside, the slight shafts of sunlight that illuminated the one-room schoolhouse gave everything a sort of fairy tale elegance. The room was mostly intact, besides the holed ceiling and cluttered mess of old desks. Towards the center, a small pile of blankets, and a pillow lay in a neat, nest-like circle. Jubilee walked slowly towards his secret sleeping place, patting it down with his hooves before he dropped into a tiny, cream coloured mess. His mane was chocolate in colour, and laid over his eyes as he got comfy. His mind began to drift a little, to life, to family, to the friends he slightly wished he had. He stopped on that last thought. He wasn't hated by all, he just felt that the other foals were to boring for him. They talked about stupid things, like who was the toughest, who had the coolest cutie mark, what the latest fashions were. His irritation with them grew and he felt as if he were about to hit something. Then, as if another bell had gone off, something moved in the darkness. A slight shift of broken boards, right behind him. The chill that ran down his spine was of the highest caliber, making him quickly jump around. "Who's there?!" Jubilee surveyed the area, only seeing a quick shadow. Jubilee was in truth afraid of ghosts, so he darted for his exit, his satchel getting caught on a nail, tearing off. Jubilee must have lost track of time, the sun was nearing the horizon, he needed to get home for dinner. Jubilee made it home rather quick, it was just a block away from the school. As he opened the door his mother looked at him and smiled. "Welcome home, deary, were you out playing with that nice Terracotta boy?" she had the same cream colored coat, but her mane was a dark pink. She was sitting by the table sipping tea or soft cider, her hindleg on top of the other. "Hi Momma, no, and Terracotta is not a 'nice boy', I was playing at the park." Jubilee sweeped his hoof across his face rather quickly, brushing the tangled mess of his mane from his eyes. He went over to the table and sat down, pouring himself a cup of the warm drink. "Jubes, hon, where's your satchel?" he reached behind him and realized that he didn't have it. "Oh, shoot, I must have left it at the park!" Jubilee exclaimed, jumping up. "Wait 'till after dinner, and then hurry over there." the oven dinged as he ended her sentance, and the smell of roast wafted through Jubilee's nostrils, and he quickly licked his lips. "Okay, if you say so..." Jubilee sat back down, eagerly but patiently waiting for a big slice of roast to be placed on his plate. His hunger was filled as his mother slapped a large gooey blob of what was supposed to be roast. "This is roast?" Jubilee asked rather rudely, his mother snorted rather unladylike and said with a huff, "Well if it looks so disgusting then don't eat it, gentlecolt!" she was obviously offended, so Jubilee took it upon himself to just steer clear. "I'm going to go get my satchel...." His mother was still in a ditz about his rude comment, and didn't even notice him inching his way to the door. He open and closed as fast as he could, stepping out into the cold nights air. The moon shone brightly in the sky, defying the darkness that usually crept out at this time. Jubilee nodded towards it in silent thanks, and headed the direction of the school--and the Old Schoolhouse. He galloped his way there, wanting to get there and gone as fast as he could, he was still spooked by the shadow he saw earlier. He reached the Old Schoolhouse and snuck under, using the moonbeams like the sunlight to guide his way around the fallen and broken furniture. He made his way towards his secret sleeping place, the sudden darkness that seemed to ignore the brightness of the moon crept into the schoolhouse, and as Jubilee scrambled about his comfy place, he felt a cold breath upon the nape of his neck. This sent a chill down his spine, and before he knew it he had turned around and was face to face with a stunning Pegasus, black mane and unnaturally red eyes. "Gh-augh!' he meant to scream 'ghost', but was caught off guard by the Pegasi's powerful foreleg covering his mouth. "Shh, kid, you'll get me found out..." a calm, sweet voice said. Jubilee heard a hint of mischief to his voice, and his smile was that of a young kid. This stallion looked as if he had just reached maturity, but he had the eyes of an old man; Wise and peaceful, but somehow defiant. The stallion introduced himself as Draculin, and reached behind him and picked up with his teeth a satchel...Jubilee's satchel! He moved his foreleg away from Jubilee's mouth, stretching his wings out and yawning. "You woke me up earlier, kid, and you left this as you ran away..." Jubilee looked at him oddly, paying attention to the odd garment around his neck. It looked like some sort of scarf, but an old-aged Victorian era one. He'd seen one in a few paintings of Sommerston's Old Days. "Why're you sleeping in the old schoolhouse?" Jubilee found himself asking. Draculin looked at him and laughed. "Because I live here..." he glanced around his 'home', then added, "lived here since it burnt." Jubilee looked at him oddly. Since it burnt? "Mister, that was fifty years ago. There ain't no way you could've lived here that long." Draculin laughed and opened his wings, stretching them out to full length. He took up into the air, but hovered maybe a foot off the floor. He came in real close to the small cream colt, opening his mouth wide. "Fifty years ain't nothing to a Vampony."
Chapter 2A Vampony? Seriously? This can't be real. I'm dreaming. Yeah, I'm still sleeping in the old schoolhouse, dozing quietly in this nightmare. The Vampony who had introduced himself as Draculin laughed, landing back on the ground. "Relax, kiddo, I ain't gunna suck your blood." Jubilee looked at him again, thinking quietly as he stared into the Pegasi's red eyes. He knew, somewhere deep, his heart maybe, that the Pegasi Vampony would not harm him. "I thought Vamponies weren't real, just stories made up by adult ponies to scare us..." Jubilee used his hooves to life up Draculin's lips, looking at his fangs with quiet admiration. "It must be exciting being a Vampony...." he added, letting go of Draculin's face. "Eh, it's not all it's cracked up to be." Draculin scratched at his long, long black mane. "You know how us Vamponies started, don't you?" Jubilee shook his head and sat down on his comfy spot as if waiting for the story. For some reason this dangerous Pony who could kill Jubilee in a heartbeat and not feel anything about it wasn't scary at all, in fact, he was actually sort of admirable. "Lemme lay it out to you, kiddo." The Vamponies were a cult of Nightmare Moon followers who sacrificed the ability to walk in Nightmare Moon's sibling Celestia's warm sunlight, and in return gave them immortality. After Nightmare Moon was imprisoned in the moon, the Vamponies disappeared, most dying after trying to go back out in the sun. The rest either went into eternal sleep or lived off of the thing keeping them alive and immortal: the blood of innocent ponies. "So, you worship Nightmare Moon?" Jubilee asked, looking a bit worried again. "Heavens no, child, Nightmare Moon is no more!" Draculin smiled and patted Jubilee on his head, his mane falling back over his eyes. Jubilee responded by laughing and tossing his head back, his mane returning to its original spot. "I believe I may be the last Vampony, and if I am, I will make sure I'll stay the only one." "Why can't there be more of you?" Jubilee asked curiously. He didn't understand what Draculin meant. "Because this is a curse." Draculin's features became stone, a level of seriousness Jubilee did not expect from the seemingly carefree Vampony. Draculin' quickly changed pace, moving away from the topic. "So, Mister....uhh..." Draculin eyed him curiously, obviously asking his name. "Jubilee Walker." Jubilee gave an uncharacteristic bow, his mane covering his eyes yet again. He returned to his original stance, tossing his back to fix his mane. "So, Jubilee, do you want to come?" Draculin smiled mischievously, holding out a hoof to Jubilee. The young colt looked at him with slight hesitation, but smiled back, taking his hand. "Okay, where are we going?" Draculin tossed the colt up as if he were weightless, making him land perfectly on his back. "First, you're going home." Draculin sing-songed, picking up Jubilee's slightly ripped satchel. Jubilee looked at him awkwardly, taking the satchel from him. "Why do I have to go back, can't we just leave now?" Jubilee whined through the satchel strap in his mouth. "Because you need to think about this, if you leave with me you can't come back." Jubilee's mind raced. Why wouldn't be able to come back? "Not even to see my Momm-my Mother?" Draculin took into the air, exiting the schoolhouse through a hole in the ceiling. "Not even to see her." Draculin replied. Within minutes Draculin was back on the ground in front of Jubilee's simple little house. Draculin looked at him and nodded, commenting "Think hard on your decision." Jubilee turned around as the Pegasus turned, but his voice caused him to turn his head back. The pagsus was in the air flying away as the words reached his ears: "And sleep well, kid." Jubilee blushed and smiled, going into the house. The kitchen light was on but his mother must have been asleep, so he shut it off and navigated his way to his room. He flipped on light and stared at his plain room, and smiled. He hit the light off and went to his bed, staring up at his ceiling, illuminated by the moon. What was he to do? He had the choice to escape this boring town and live his own life with someone special. Jubilee stopped there. His head hurt to much to decide tonight. He would decide tomorrow, at school. He shooed away anymore thoughts and let sleep take him. He told himself goodnight and shut out the lights inside himself, falling fast asleep with the covers up to his chin. See you tomorrow night, Draculin.
Chapter 3The brisk air of morning filled Jubilee's nostrils as his mother pushed open the window next to his bed, the sun would've hurt his eyes if his chocolate mane wasn't covering them again. "Wake up, sleepy head, you've got school!" his mother chirped in his ear. He sat up, rubbing the crust left on his eyelids by the Sandpony, yawning. "I've got tea downstairs when you're decent~" she sang as she exited down the staircase. Jubilee rolled out of bed, almost literally as he adjusted to reality again. After learning how to walk again, he entered his bathroom, his hygiene utensils already laid out for him by his too-kind mother. He went about brushing, using both of his hooves to steady the brush as he ran it across his teeth. Last night's activities reverberated in his skull, and excitement grew as he knew he had a choice to make, despite how grim it was. He spat out the minty tooth-and-saliva-paste, washing out his mouth with water. He sighed a breath of minty fresh, just to feel the seemingly cold air against his shiny teeth. He hurried downstairs, hungry from not eating last night. "Hey momma, what's for breakfast?" he asked as he set his flank down on the shorter of the two chairs. "Oatmeal, your favorite." his mother responded, setting down a piping hot bowl of oat-y stuff. "Looks delicious!" Jubilee said as he ate it without utensils. "Look at my little pony, so big." she said as Jubilee finished his bowl. a mess load of oats and cream covering his face and the table. "And messy!" she added as she wiped the oats from his face with a handkerchief. "I saw you ripped your satchel somehow, so I patched it up all nice and new, it's laying over by the door." she added as he stood up. "Okay, Momma, thank you!" Jubilee trotted over to his bag, tossing it onto his back and tightening the strap until it was snug. "I'm off to school, love you!" he stepped out the door quickly as she said goodbye again, sipping her tea. Jubilee walked to school, the other fillys and colts walking faster than him. He smiled, though, as he passed the Old Schoolhouse. It felt nice having a secret the others didn't know about. He entered the school, moving towards his classroom, 1-B. As he got through the door and sat down the band of bullies surrounded his desk, Terracotta trying to use the same remark from yesterday. "Hey, Jubiloser, see any more-" Jubilee interrupted him, shooting him a clever smirk. "I don't know, wet the bed recently?" Jubilee replied all-too casual, knowing it was true. The other fillies and colts laughed, even Terracotta's pawns, who he quickly scolded. The teacher, Mrs. Applebury, entered the classroom and quickly had the foals calm down and open their notebooks. "This morning, little ones, we'll be learning about advanced math!" through the mare's cheery voice the students' moans of dismay sounded together in unity. One rather incompetent Pegasus filly raised her hoof and complained, "But Mrs. Applebury, I don't even understand the basics..." Every other foal but Jubilee laughed because, in truth, he found her incompetence kind of cute. He would admit he didn't do very well on basics, but he could handle advanced. At least, he was pretty sure he could. The day drug on with silence from the scowling and obviously embarrassed Terracota, along with the very difficult advanced math. Jubilee decided to doze off, he was tired of the math and tired of school. He dreamed of many things; Whether it be his mother's delicious tea, or the sunrise and sunset. Then his mind drifted to Draculin, how he had a decision to make. His mind raced over the positives, the negatives. He'd get to leave this town, but he'd also leave his mother. He'd escape the bullies and their taunts, but he wouldn't get to see the incompetent Archer Wing, the filly he secretly admired. He would've stayed in his daze a bit longer, but a familiar voice washed over his conscious. "Well, what's your decision?" "Nnngg.....I'll come with you, Draculin...." "Who?" "What..?" "Mr. Write, wake up this instant and come with me to the office!" That's when he realized who was talking. His eyes darted up at Mrs. Applebury, who was standing just above him, on her hindlegs with her forelegs crossed. "Mr. Write, wake up, let's go!" Jubilee sat up, rubbing his eyes. She gave him an eye, so he got out of his seat and followed her out as the class chuckled. "I am very disappointed in you, Jubilee.." she admitted as the door closed behind them. "Sorry, Mrs. Applebury...the math was just too hard." Jubilee partially lied, but she believed him. She sighed and patted his back, pulling a cloth from her satchel. She wiped the bit of drool that was on hid lip, nodding. "Yes, you and Ms. Wing weren't the only ones who were having trouble with the new curriculum." she looked off in the distance. "You go sit in the office and take it easy, okay?" she looked around cautiously. "I'm going to act like I'm really angry at you, so don't take it hard....and don't tell the other students." she giggled, quickly turning serious as they walked into the office. "If I ever catch you sleeping in my class again I will have you expelled!" she exclaimed in an extremely convincing tone, slamming the door on her way out. The secretary, a Unicorn with a talent for organization, sat at the desk shaking his head. "She's rather tough, isn't she?" He smiled sweetly at Jubilee standing up to usher him to the back. "Just take it easy in there, kid." He opened the door to the medical room, a very small room with two beds. Jubilee shook his head, not wanting to sleep again. "Can I just sit with you and help...?" he asked quietly, looking up to the pale red unicorn. "Sure, kid, why not." he replied, the two walking back to the secretary's large desk. "Wait here a moment." he said as he walked towards the back again. A few seconds later he came back with a smaller version of his rolling chair, being pushed magically. "Here, you can sit in this." he said as he pushed the chair to a small spot of his desk. "Just, uh...." the unicorn tried to think of an easy task, but could only come up with one. "Here, go make 53 copies of this..." he handed a rolled up piece of paper which Jubilee took in his mouth, walking to the back. The copier room was a simple one, papers everywhere with one clear desk for the secretary and a few other office workers to eat at. He put the paper in the slot, hitting the buttons to print out 53. As he sat and waited for all 53 to finish printing out the final bell rang. "Oh crud, I must have slept longer than I thought...." he walked out in a hurry, telling the secretary that they're in the back. He rushed back into the classroom, getting his bag. He walked back outside, shaking his head so that his mane would cover his eyes and protect them from the bright sun as they adjusted to the light. He walked to where he usually did, towards the old schoolhouse, and didn't notice the group of three that followed him. "You stupid little coltcuddler!" Terracotta shouted from behind him as his lackey rammed Jubilee to the ground. Jubilee got up quickly, running for the schoolhouse. Terracotta proceeded to send his minions after him, and they were faster. They got past Jubilee and spun around, using their forelegs to bring Jubilee to a stop, seizing him and holding him infront of Terracotta, hooves and forelegs locked to his side. "How dare you make a fool of me!" Terracotta said, spitting on Jubilee. The one on Jubilee's left chuckled as the other, more slower, lackey laughed with his deep, almost "simple" sounding voice. "Haha, teach'm a lesson, boss!" Terracotta obliged and lifted his hoof back, readying for a quick punch to the gut. "Never cross me again!" he shouted as his hoof propelled forward, connecting with Jubilee's stomach. It winded him, making him fall to the ground, gasping for air. "T-T-T-T...Terracotta!" Jubilee choked out of his throat, holding his stomach. "Steady 'im, boys." Terracotta said with his rough voice. Terracotta's faithful lackeys picked Jubilee back up, making him still and trapped. Terracotta made another swift punch, this time hitting Jubilee in the face. A small dribble of blood went down the colts bottom lip as Terracotta punched again, leaving a bruised eye socket. "Now, here's the last one, but certainly not the least!" Terracotta cocked his fist back again, aiming once more for Jubilee's face. Terracotta built up power in his punch, getting ready to release it like a gun does a bullet. Then, the old schoolhouse behind them shook, rumbled, rattled, and every other form of movement that could be thought of. A figure busted through the roof, a Pegasus, and stopped in front of the sun, outstretching his wings. he became a silhouette as smoke or steam or something poured off his body, and a the small glint of four sharp teeth were the only light that emitted from the black silhouette. "Draculin!" Jubilee gasped, knowing that the sun could kill him. The pony figure quickly shot forward, landing with such force that it shook the two goons from Jubilee, who collapsed on the ground. "Leave now." thundered an unfamiliar voice that came from Draculin, which seemed to reverberate the air around them. Terracotta was stricken in place with fear as the other two ran away, leaving behind a thin trail of liquid. "Did you not hear me?" Draculin thundered, bringing his face closer to Terracotta's, baring his teeth with simulated hunger. "Leave, now!" Terracotta ran away, leaving a puddle of urine in the grass. As Terracotta left their view, Draculin dropped the scary act, quickly tiring out from direct exposure to the sun. "Let's get back in the schoolhouse....." Draculin murmured, picking Jubilee up by the scruff with his teeth. Draculin flew back up and into the schoolhouse, landing in Jubilee's nest of pillows and blankets. "Draculin, are you okay?" Jubilee muttered, laying quietly next to Draculin, who was also laying down. "Fine, just tired." Draculin looked over to Jubilee who flipped over, a small trail of fresh blood down his lip. "Poor thing." Draculin leaned close and lapped up the blood, licking his lips. Jubilee shuttered, but stood up, wiping the grass from his mane. "I'll head home, get some sleep." he said, walking towards his exit. "Wait, Jubilee, what did you pick?" Draculin asked, yawning. "I'm coming with you." Jubilee said as he stepped outside, walking home.
Chapter 5Jubilee was wide-eyed at the immensity of Las Pegasus. Ponies of all different kinds passed them by hastily as they landed on the ground, not paying attention to the two very different ponies. Draculin chuckled as Jubilee darted his head back and forth, trying to see all he could as if he were going to leave at any moment. "Don't strain your neck, Kiddo, we're going to be here for a while." Draculin said as they walked off through a crowd of anxious ponies. * * * * Meanwhile at Jubilee's house..... "Oh Jubes, dear, are you sure you aren't at least....peckish?" Dawn Writer, Jubilee's mother, said as she walked into the room. The window was wide open. with the curtains flowing like something out of some fairy tale. She quickly looked in his bathroom, and in seeing he was not in the tub or on the latrine, she panicked and check her dresser for something. She moved onto his desk, seeing a paper with his hoofwriting, even though it was more-or-less mouthwriting. Dear Mother, I love you with all my heart, but this town isn't for me. I am leaving with a new friend of mine, he's a Vampony. He protected me today from bullies, and offered for me to come with him. I won't lie to you, he said it might be dangerous, and that I would never be allowed to see you again. I will miss you, and school sort of, and that silly filly Archer Wing. I just can't stay. This is my only way out. Please, understand. I love you forever and always. Love forever, Jubilee. Her heart and mind raced over the fact that her colt, her only colt, had ran away with some stranger. Her brain ran through the most rational processes a mother would do when her child is missing: Panic, cry, scream, call the cops. In that order. She mixed step two and four, doing both at the same time at the authorities, and after they dismissed her as a crazy because of the "Vampony" comment. She ran to the kitchen and flicked through a large yellow book containing ads and phone numbers, AKA a phone book. Professional Vampony exterminator, call now. she read, hoping they would believe her. She dialed the phone and repeated step two and four, this time getting a better answer. "You think your son was abducted by a Vampony?" a gruff, irritated voice came through the phone. Dawn's croaky, sobbing voice replied the best it could. "Y-yes, h-h-h-he stole away my Jubes right from his bedroom window!" She began crying again before the stallion told her to get a grip. "It won't be cheap, but I'm on my way." then he hung up. She sat on the couch sobbing into an arm pillow, letting it soak up her tears. About 15 minutes passed before she heard a knock on the door, and as she opened it up, a tough-looking stallion with a sheathed sword and a crossbow on the back, leather vest covering his back, though it was open in the front. He had some sort of modified utility belt around his waist, sharp wooden stakes in each pocket, which spread across the entire strip of leather. His mane was ruddy brown, like mud, but his fur was black, making him look like a tire which ran through a fresh puddle of mud. His mouth was in an unflinching scowl or frown, while one of his eyes were covered by a Pirate's Patch, the other one with a long scar down the middle. "Tell me everything." he said in the same dusty voice. * * * Jubilee bounced up and down happily as him and Draculin neared a fair, probably open for some seasonally celebrated holiday. "You're taking me to the fair???" Jubilee clapped his hooves like the foal he was. "Yep, I'm guessing you've never been?" Draculin could tell Jubilee shook his head, since he felt how the foal could shake his hoof and it ended up shaking his entire body. "Settle down, kiddo, the night is young." Draculin teased, stepping into a line of patient fair-goers, all waiting for the Ferris Wheel. They waited for a good fifteen minutes, until Jubilee got restless and impatient. In his eagerness he misplaced a hoof, falling onto Draculin's soft and large mane. "Geez, let's just go get some cotton candy while this line sorts itself out..." Draculin said, blowing a small current of air to get the hair from his eyes. He tossed his head back carefully, forcing the young colt to slide down his neck. "Okay." he said as they exited from the line, the love-struck couple behind them shifting upwards mechanically. They approached the least populated candy counter. Running the counter they were at was a young, most likely just-joined-the-work-force mare with a blue and pink mane. She sent her current customers on their way after they received a large popcorn, which they eagerly took. Jubilee clapped his hooves once more, which seemed to be his favorite gesture tonight. "The smallest cotton candy you have, please." Jubilee asked in his small voice. The mare at the counter smiled and started to turn around before Draculin held up a hoof, silently asking her to wait a moment. "Why the smallest, kiddo?" Draculin asked, looking back at Jubilee. "Momma usually only let me get smalls of candy..." he said, blushing at how he was still listening to his mother. "Well, 'Momma' isn't here, now is she?" he said with a sly smile, making the candy mare laugh. He turned back to her, once again silently talking to her. "Okay, lemme go get it." she said, winking at Draculin. She came back and handed the cotton candy to Draculin, who gripped the paper stick/cone firmly with his teeth. He twisted his head back, giving it to Jubilee. "Gah eh?" he asked, with the paper part still in his mouth. "Yeah, I have it." Jubilee said with an eager smile. Draculin nodded and turned back to the mare, dropping the correct amount of bits on the counter. "Your brother is absolutely adorable, he's so lucky to have such a caring big brother!" she said, giggling. "Heh, thanks, uhh...." he squinted his eyes at the small white name tag on the girls red and white thick pinstripe shirt. After a few seconds of focusing he made out the small letters. "Candy...huh, well lookit that!" he said with a smile. She laughed again, sending them off with a thank you and a small soda on-the-house. "She was a nice mare." Jubilee said, taking a bite of the sugary ball of whipped air. Draculin nodded, heading back towards the ferris wheel line which had gotten smaller as the more sensible mares and stallions headed home. "Draculin, look!" Jubilee pointed a hoof at the large sign which displayed two pictures and a line of words. One picture was of Soarin', the other of Spitfire, leader of the amazing Wonderbolts. 'The Wonderbolts Night Show, get your tickets now!' the sign read, making Jubilee bounce up and down in anticipation. Draculin winced a bit as the constant shifting of weight on his back felt a bit irregular. "Well, you wanna go see them?" he asked, smiling again at Jubilee. Jubilee gasped, his eyes lighting up the small area around them in excitement. "Oooohh, can we, can we???" the little foal clapped again, hugging Draculin from behind. Draculin laughed and walked up to the ticket taker, asking for two. "Sorry, we're sold out." he said, shrugging. Jubilee's face was overtaken by dismay, getting so excited to see the Wonderbolts then being told he couldn't. "Listen buddy, this means the world to the kid, could you please let us through?" Draculin asked once more, biting his lip, he made sure to keep his fangs hidden, though. The stallion, who got rather irritated at the continued bother, replied with an aggravated response. "Listen, buddy, I don't care if the little twerp wanted to see them, we're sold out." Draculin didn't appreciate the rudeness, and it certainly hurt Jubilee's feelings, being called twerp. Jubilee's eyes welled up with tears, which weren't ready to be let go yet. Draculin got an intense look across his face and brought his face inches from the ticket takers, making him jump a little. The Vampony stared deeply into the stallions eyes, which soon glazed over into some sort of daze. "You will let us through to see the Wonderbolts." Draculin said, focusing intensely on the stallion. "I will let you through to see the Wonderbolts." he repeated back to Draculin, mouth wide open in his trance. "And you won't tell security we went through here." he commanded the dazed stallion, who repeated it back in reverse. Jubilee had a look of confusion across his face, not understanding what had just transpired. The stallion who was entranced by Draculin open up the gate barring their way, letting the two pass. "Draculin, h-how did you do that?" Jubilee asked, rubbing the un-shed tears from his eyes. "Simple Vampony mind tricks." Draculin said, shaking his head. "The nerve of some ponies!" Draculin said in a hushed, irritated voice. "Being so mean to a poor little foal..." he ranted. "I should've just drained him dry, the little...little....twerp." he mocked, making Jubilee wince a bit at the thought of Draculin drinking from somepony. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, a group of them focusing on the stage. Soon after, the curtains opened up to a group of ponies in flashy suits. "The Wonderbolts!" gasped Jubilee, climbing up on top of Draculin's head to see better. After a short speech from Spitfire, the leader of the flying stuntponies, they shot at almost break-neck speeds over the crowd, Jubilee almost spilling his soda. "Woah!" Jubilee exclaimed as they maneuvered through the air in a uniform motion, causing the crowd to 'ooh' and 'ahh' at their seemingly difficult motions. Jubilee was ecstatic the ponies' stunts, slupring down his soda and devouring his cotton candy, which only left little bits of it on his mouth, which eventually dyed the area around the little colts mouth pink and blue. The festivities ended after the Wonderbolts finished, most ponies heading home. As the duo walked out with the crowd, Draculin looked back at Jubilee who was fast asleep on his back, most likely from a sugar crash. Draculin giggled and went into the air as gently as he could, heading towards the nearest condemned building. He stopped at an all-night store and bought a bushel of blankets to keep the little one warm, after which he departed once more towards the buildings. Draculin silently and softly landed on the top of a building, going in through the unlocked door down one level, stopping in a room with fully boarded up windows. He set Jubilee down carefully atop a blanket, before laying another one atop the colt. Draculin look at him for a long moment before reciting something his mother had sung to him. He wasn't much of a singer, so he was content with quietly saying the words. "Go to sleep little one It’s time to say goodnight Lay your head upon the pillow I will tuck you in so tight Say your prayers and they’ll be answered Dream of dreams so bright Lay your head upon the pillow It’s time to say goodnight Oh lay your head upon the pillow It’s time to say goodnight." Draculin shed a small tear, something he hand't done in a long, long time. Unnerved by this happening, he stood up and left, making sure Jubilee was sleeping comfortably.
Chapter 6Draculin sighed as he walked out of the room, shaking his head at the odd feelings he had begun to have about Jubileee. This is wrong, so wrong, so, so, so, so wrong! he thought to himself. He could feel the hunger from not eating in a while start to nip at him, eating its way through his head. Eat him! it groaned inside of his mind. He felt his 'cool' slipping, so he decided to go out for a late night bite. He had made sure that Jubilee was fast asleep and comfortable, he could not afford Jubilee waking up before he got back. Draculin smiled once he got back up to the roof and further away from Jubilee. Though still smiling, Draculin sighed as he looked up to the moon, thinking of way back when. Almost eighteen-hundred years have passed and I've survived. he told himself as he ascended to the air, his body going off to find food while his mind stayed behind in its peaceful stupor. * * * It was his nineteenth birthday, he was a rebellious young stallion who had always favored the Princess Luna over her older counterpart, Celestia. Once Luna had undergone a transformation into the evil Nightmare Moon, she began to recruit followers. She had used her dark powers to creep into the dreams and minds of young Ponies in order to find the most likely candidates for her recruitment. Those privileged mares and stallions that showed no fear in the presence of Nightmare Moon's dream avatar, which was basically just herself, were told to travel to an ancient and long-forgotten grove, untouched by pony-kind for over a hundred years. "Those who faithfully follow us, come to the ancient grove and become One with the Night!" she had instructed them. Draculin, who actually went by the name Spirit, was among the many to join Nightmare Moon at the grove. That night, under a full moon, she had created a new race of ponies--The Vamponies! Years later, Nightmare Moon was defeated by her sister and imprisoned in the moon. The once faithful minions of Nightmare Moon had abandoned their Mistress, fearing for their own lives. Draculin had waited at the grove for the thousand years, ever faithful and watchful, he waited for her return. And when She had been freed from her Lunar prison, he thought that once again the Vamponies would assemble to serve their Eternal Mistress, but somehow, some way, six troublesome Mares had brought together the Elements of Harmony to stop and revert her back to her 'good' form, the young filly Princess Luna. Draculin was distraught and in a fit of rage realized there was no hope left for his kind. He was a dying breed of pony, no where to go, he tried to end his life. He was stopped by Princess Luna, who had told him not to lose hope. She told him that she indeed had forgiven her sister and the ponies of Equestria, but that he should not end his life. He was told he was the last, and to take his own life would be the equivalent of genocide. "We indeed have stopped our hopeless endeavor to bring eternal night--this was a foolish idea on our part." she admitted. "Go, my faithful follower, go and live the life that I so selfishly took from you." she put her large hoof on his head, patting him. "Go and live a life in our beautiful night." This was many, many years after she had become the Princess once more, long after the Guardians of Harmony trapped Discord once more in his prison of stone. Those were now foal's tales, stories to be told before bedtime. And, as faithful as he was, he nodded to the humbling Princess, and left to find his way through the eternal night that was his life, determined to follow his Princess' wishes until his end. * * * He snapped out of his trance, looking down at the mangled body of Candy, the mare who had given Jubilee a free soda. In horror, he looked at the blood dripping from the two holes in her neck, the holes that he had made. He could feel his fangs elongate in hunger, still not satisfied with the mares blood. He shook the hunger from his head and went into the air, feeling sick to his stomach. He looked off to the horizon at the slowly lightening sky, sighing. He knew he had to get back. He flew over the city, back towards the group of buildings that were left in neglect by the ponies of Las Pegasus. He watched the pier that just last night was filled with ponies from all backdrops of life, now empty and seemingly barren. But, he knew better, small flecks of movements still filled the fairgrounds, which didn't need to be open for people to walk around in them. Draculin, ever so gently, landed his hooves on the roof of the building young Jubilee was sound asleep in. Despite trying his hardest the heavy rooftop door creaked as he opened it, making him cringe in case it had woken up Jubilee. He tip-hooved into the room with the sleeping colt and the boarded up windows, eyeing Jubilee, curled up in his nest of blankets. It made him chuckle a little, how delicate and cute he looked. With extreme focus, Draculin curled up as close to Jubilee as he cooked before burying his head in the nook of his foreleg. He felt Jubilee rouse in his sleep, rolling over to face the Vampony. Draculin's breath stopped, hoping to Luna that he didn't disturb his young companion. A few more moments passed before he was sure that Jubilee was just turning in his slumber. Draculin yawned into his armpit before letting sleep overtake him. * * * Jubilee's eyes fluttered open, stretching out and yawning. He felt his small hoof bump something large, making Jubilee jump. He turned and saw Draculin sleeping soundly, which made him giggle quietly. Despite his at-first scary appearance, when he slept, Draculin looked like a small child. Like Jubilee, but, bigger. It was confusing to Jubilee. Jubilee walked over to the windows, seeing if he could tell what time it was by the suns position, but, alas, Draculin had picked somewhere where the sunlight could not reach him. Jubilee took a few steps outside the door, looking down the hall. He could see the fire exit that lead both up and down, so he headed that way. The state of decay the building was in astounded Jubilee, he back in Sommerston a building was only abandoned if it had been damaged beyond repair. Then, if it was, it was immediately destroyed. The only exception was the Old Schoolhouse. He walked through the arch where a door was supposed to be and up the stairs. It didn't take him long to reach the top, he was only a floor below the roof. He pushed the door open with a bit of difficulty, and as he managed to make it out into the dimming sunlight the wind whipped against his fur. He tumbled to his side at the first gust of wind, being unused to being this high. He stood back up, not daring to go towards the edges. He looked up to the sky at the sun, which was nearing the horizon. That means he'd been sleeping for a long, long time, and that Draculin was due to wake up soon. He quickly made his way back to the empty concrete room, and when he stepped through the arch, Draculin was stretching his wings out. His mane was a little disheveled, and as he turned to greet Jubilee, a smile washed over his face. "Went up to get some air?" he ask, stretching out the rest of his body. "Yeah, it sure is windy, though.." he said. "Well, nine stories up, it get's pretty windy...." Draculin chuckled a little, walking over to Jubilee and patting him on the back with his wing. "What should we do tonight, Jubilee?" Draculin began to walk out of the room, cocking his neck as-to tell Jubilee to follow. "I don't know, I've never been to Las Pegasus before..." the young colt scratched his head a bit embarrassed. "That's okay, we'll uh...." Draculin chewed on his lower lip thinking of the attractions in Las Pegasus. "I know, we'll go look at the Equestrian Theatre, they always have something interesting playing!" Draculin exclaimed, a look of self-satisfaction replacing his smile. Which, pretty much looked the same as his smile. Jubilee laughed, nodding his head in approval. "Sounds fun."
Chapter 4Jubilee walked in, his satchel still snug on his back, and his eye black and throbbing. He quickly walked past his mother, hiding his lip and eye from view. "Honey, what do you want for dinner?" she said as he quickly went up the stairs, shouting down "I'm not hungry, Mom!" He quickly retreated into his bathroom, wetting a wash cloth and putting it over his eyes. He winced a bit as the cold cloth touched the bruised skin, though it also soothed the colts pained skin. He left his busted lip alone, going to his bed to stare out the window. The sun was probably three-fourths done with its trek across the sky. He sighed and went to his desk, sitting down with a pencil in mouth. He wrote out a letter to his mother for when he was gone. Dear Mother, I love you with all my heart, but this town isn't for me. I am leaving with a new friend of mine, he's a Vampony. He protected me today from bullies, and offered for me to come with him. I won't lie to you, he said it might be dangerous, and that I would never be allowed to see you again. I will miss you, and school sort of, and that silly filly Archer Wing. I just can't stay. This is my only way out. Please, understand. I love you forever and always. Love forever, Jubilee. Jubilee had tears in his eyes, which he quickly let be soaked up by his mane. He looked over to the window, deciding to get a bit of rest. He cozy-d up to his extra pillow, cuddling it rather foal-like. Though it felt as if he had closed his eyes for just a few moments, a rasping came from his window. He looked over to see the now-recovered Draculin hovering outside his window, his wings flapping silently with the breeze. Jubilee rubbed his eyes, wincing as he remembered the black eye. It had gone down with the cold washcloth, which was now on his floor. Draculin rasped again, gesturing for him to open the window. Jubilee opened the window so that Draculin could step in. He looked around Jubilee's room, nodding. "Nice room." he turned back to Jubilee, smiling his trademark. "Ready to go?" Draculin sat down on Jubilee's bed, next to Jubilee. "Yep, don't really need anything, so let's just go." Jubilee said excitedly, hopping from his bed to the floor. "Okay, if you're sure." Draculin stood back up, picking Jubilee up back the scruff again. He tossed him onto his back, opening his wings as Jubilee smiled eagerly. After a few steps Draculin was out the window, flying across Summerston with incredible speed. They passed over forests and small camps within the time frame of only a few minutes, showing that the Vampony could move unbelievably fast. Draculin began to decline as they got closer to a large city metropolis, who's name he shouted back to Jubilee, "Welcome to Las Pegasus."
