Prologue:
Ever believe in vampires or lycans? I didn’t, never even knew what they were until a few months ago. Heard a few other ponies talking about them and a book they recently read, and with my curious self, had to do a little research. Yes, research. So I went to the Canterlot library to find the book they were talking about, and over the next few days I’d read it. I always knew I was different than everypony else, I had two abnormally long teeth on the top row, near the front of my mouth, my eyes glowed an emerald-green that was noticeable in the dark, and my cutie mark was a simple eclipse with a shield over it. I never knew my parents, but I was told about them, they were supposedly these rulers of a distant kingdom, the Boundary Kingdom, out in the desert. From what I have been told they died in some war, against things called “Changelings”. But before they did they had asked Celestia to take care of me. I never heard much else of my past or where I came from, and frankly I knew as much as I wanted to. That is until I started reading that book.
Chapter 1 Finding Out:
Vampires, how silly can anypony be to believe in something so farfetched.
‘You, idiot, look at all the similarities: the fangs, the way you don’t like the sun. You have to be a vampire.’
Somehow, in the back of my mind, that thought stayed, from front to back cover as I read that book.
I can’t be! It would be beyond reason to think that I could be. Sure I avoid the sunlight more than
other ponies, but I don’t hate it, nor do I catch fire in it.
‘You have fangs…’
I could just be a little weird!
‘You’ve never tried garlic maybe it’s time to.’
Why am I arguing with a voice in my head?
‘You know I’m right and you don’t like it.’
I’ve never tried blood either!
‘What about those glasses of red liquid Luna brings you?’
I never thought about that, maybe they know I am a vampire and need blood or something… But then who did they get it from, and how? Maybe I’m overthinking this.
‘You overthink everything.’
Shut up. I do not!
‘Just go try the garlic already.’
Fine, I know this is the only way for me to solve this, but what if it kills me?
‘Do it when one of the Princesses are in the room, if they already know they’ll stop you.’
Alright I’ll wait for them to get back from their mundane conference.
I hate attending those; they used to make me attend them when I was younger.
‘Suck it up’
‘They’re back. Time to go get that garlic.’
Fine.
The walk from my room to the kitchen wasn’t that far.
“Good afternoon Kiper, what are you after this late in the day?”
I recognized the voice; it was of the dark blue princess of the night, Luna. She sounded tired, and who could blame her.
“Oh, nothing, just a snack.” I couldn’t look into her eyes, I was too nervous to risk it.
The cabinet that held the box of garlic was just a little out of reach standing on all fours, so I had to sit up on my two hind legs and get it. I sat the box down on the cabinet with a small thud. I felt her eyes looking at me.
“Why garlic?” She asked, puzzled.
“Why not? I’ve never had it before, so I decided I might as well try it”
“I don’t think you’d like it too much, it’s not very healthy for ponies like you and me.”
‘What does she mean by that?’
I didn’t know, but it sparked a bunch of new questions in my head. It also sent a slight chill up my spine the way she said it.
“What do you mean?”
I was already lifting the box to put a little in my mouth.
“Kiper, just listen to me, please.”
“Not until you tell me why, Luna.”
I heard her give out a sigh before she began, and I lowered the box.
“Luna,”
I looked up at her.
“Am I… a vampire?”
Another sigh.
I don’t like this at all.
“There is a reason you wear that amulet.”
She said it in a low voice, and it just made things even creepier. By this point I already lowered myself back onto all fours and turned to face her, she had her head down.
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Yes, Kiper, you are, but a unique one. You, can’t un-extend your fangs, your eyes don’t turn completely red when you… bloodlust I guess is the word, you don’t have the strength most other vampires do, though you do have a better sense of hearing than all the vampires I’ve ever met. I was hoping to keep you in the dark about this with the thought you’d be happier never knowing. Why did you finally decide to ask?”
‘Told you.’
Be quiet I need to think about something other than bothering with the likes of you.
It took me a moment to realize what I was just told. It took me even longer to bring myself to rationalize with it.
“I heard someponies talking about a book and decided to see what it was all about, but if you don’t mind me asking a few more questions; why don’t I burn in the sunlight?”
“Vampires are only burned in the sunlight in the realm of myth and fiction; in reality you’d just feel slightly uncomfortable. Not being able to see your reflection is a myth as well.”
“Am I supposed to bite other ponies for blood? Whose blood do you give me?”
“You don’t have to bite anything for blood, and it’s better if you never do. The blood that I bring you is from Canterlot Hospital”
“Do I have to drink blood?”
“You don’t have to; it only makes it easier to control your bloodlust.”
“Can I decide on when I get my blood from here on out? And does Celestia know?”
“Yes, you may, and she does. No pony else must know, though, they are not ready to know of our existence.”
“Why not?”
“Listen, Kiper, as much as I want to tell you about what you are, my sister and I have a big week-long gathering I must go to attend tomorrow. But I do know two ponies, Vinyl Scratch and her roommate Octavia, both are big in the musical industry, and I’m sure won’t mind you staying with them while we are gone to answer all your questions. And before you ask, Vinyl is a vampire, and Octavia is a Lycan.”
‘She could just say werewolf, both terms are the same.’
No, a lycan turns into a werewolf, which is half pony half wolf.
‘Being smart now?’
For those of you that don’t know, Vinyl Scratch, or DJ-Pon3, is a, well, pony DJ that practices dubstep and other electronic-nightclub music, and lives in an apartment complex in Equestria’s capital Canterlot, with her roommate Octavia Melody. Octavia, unlike her roommate, is a classical pony, and plays the cello making orchestral background music for public gatherings. Both, despite their different forms of music, are able to coexist with each other.
“Oh wow, I get to actually meet them!”
“You’d eventually meet them at some point. I’ll leave you a note on the table telling you their address.”
‘How does it feel to know you’re a monster?’
Just because I’m a vampire doesn’t mean I’m a monster!
‘Keep telling yourself that.’
I couldn’t believe I would be staying with one of my favorite musicians, for a whole week! Luna had already written ahead to tell Vinyl and Octavia that’d I’d be coming. They didn’t live too far away from the castle, only a five minute stroll through the city. Once I arrived at their apartment, and knocked on the door it wasn’t long before Octavia opened it, about fifteen seconds or so.
“You must be Prince Kiper.”
The gold-grey mare stood there holding the door open.
“Please don’t call me a Prince, or treat me like royalty”
I don’t get why people call me a prince if the kingdom fell two years after I was born.
‘It doesn’t matter you are still raised the same as royalty”
“Please come in and make yourself at home, it’s only a two bedroom apartment, though, but you can take my bed if you want”
“Thank you, though I brought a sleeping-bag”
‘Wish you’d accept the offer. Pretty sure the bed would be a lot more comfortable’
Then I’d brought it for nothing.
‘No you could use it as blanket or covering.’
My decision is final.
‘Of course, when do I ever get a say in our actions.’
“Vinyl! Kiper is here!”
“Kiper, why are you baring your fangs? You aren’t bloodthirsty already are you?”
The white mare, Vinyl Scratch, asked looking at me while I laid out my sleeping-bag in the middle of the living room. Octavia was busy fixing dinner.
“I can’t retract them like other vampires can, why?”
“That doesn’t mean you have to bare them. And what do you mean you can’t retract?”
“I just can’t, I’m different that way, and it’s a habit for me to bare them, sorry.” I replied putting my fangs back into my mouth.
“Its fine, I was just a little curious. Hey, you need any help unpacking?”
“No, but I do have something to give you.”
“Oh you do? May I see?”
“Sure.” I answered, as I finished smoothing out my sleeping-bag, and placing my small pillow inside it.
I walked over to where I had dumped my camping-bag on the couch, to look for the amulet, that Luna had asked me to give to Vinyl in the note. As I got my hooves on the small blue and cyan amulet I knocked out my favorite, silver Gryphon hidden-blade knife. I don’t know why I liked that knife so much, I guess because it had such fancy engravings in it, Luna didn't like it though, and I’d soon find out why.
“Hey what’s that?” Vinyl asked scooping up the knife in her hooves. Almost immediately, she dropped it holding her hoof, and hissed.
“Why in Equestria do you have a SILVER knife!?” She said the word as if it was some evil entity. “Don’t you know silver hurts us!?”
Octavia ran into the room at all the commotion.
“Vinyl, what’s going on?” She asked in her Canterlot ‘high class’ accent. Vinyl just pointed at the knife, Octavia looked up at me questioningly.
“It doesn’t hurt me.” I replied in a low voice with my ears down picking up knife and rolling it my hoof.
I’ve never touched the blade before though.
Octavia looked at Vinyl, who was starting to calm down, then back at me, “Kiper, it’s the pure silver blade that hurts us, I’m sure if you touched it, it’d hurt you too.”
“I’m, sorry Vinyl.”
“It’s okay, Kippy, it was just the shock that got to me, you didn’t know.” She replied, back to her old self again.
And that’s when I touched the side of blade out of curiosity.
“Kippy…”
I ‘yelped’ in pain throwing the knife into my camping-bag.
‘You, idiot, I refuse to speak to you until further notice’
Why am I so thirsty at two in the morning?
‘Maybe you need blood? Remember you’re a vampire.’
Or maybe I just need some water.
Getting up out of my sleeping-bag, I heard something that sounded like panting from behind me.
Even as curious as I am I ignored it, and continued trotting towards the refrigerator.
‘You hear that?’
You are voice in my head asking if I’m hearing the same thing you do.
As I opened the refrigerator door, I could swear I heard something coming towards me, trotting towards me, but it didn’t sound like the average clop on tile as I had made coming over here.
‘You may want to look behind you.’
It’s nothing, probably just one of the others coming to see what I’m doing.
I grabbed a cup from the dish-drainer with my mouth and set it on the counter, as I used my wing to grab the water jug. I poured the water into my cup as carefully as I could, trying to listen for any other noises. I could feel myself slowly entering paranoia as I closed the refrigerator door. That’s when I noticed my reflection in the window and the thing next to me. I could see that my eyes had a crimson red ring around the iris, accompanying their normal glow. This, as freaky as it was, didn’t make my blood run as cold as the yellow-eyed, hairier wolf version of Octavia had.
“Octavia…”
‘So that’s what they look like.’
“Yes Kiper?” She asked in a more, for lack of words, throaty voice.
“You scared me.” Scared was understatement.
“Sorry, you’ll get used to it. Hey Kiper, you don’t look so good.”
‘I think you’re bloodlusting, maybe it’s time for something other than water’
I don’t want to!
‘Whatever, you’ll eventually break down to instincts’
Never!
“Kiper?” She asked earnest worry in her eyes.
I didn’t answer her at the moment, instead I turned, drinking my water in fast gulps, trying to fight back the urge to bite Octavia, and succumb to the monster in my mind. After I got done with the water, placing the glass in the sink, I turned to look at her.
“I’m fine Tavia, but just a random question; does Vinyl keep any ready supply of blood around?” I finally spoke.
“Yeah, there should be a few packs in the refrigerator.” She replied, trotting up next to me to open the fridge to check, her new claws tapping on the floor, but when she turned back to look at me with those nervous, worried puppy eyes, I knew that she’d found none.
“Come on let’s go see if Vinyl has the last one in her room.” She said, closing the door and nudging me to follow with her muzzle, which now had a wet dog nose on it. I reluctantly followed, the voice in my head demanding more and more that I bite her.
‘Come on just a little bite to her neck, as long as don’t hit the jugular she’ll be okay.’
NO!!!
I started to trot faster, getting annoyed at the voice in my head, and reaching the door to Vinyl’s room first. Slowly pushing the door open I saw Vinyl at a small table in front of her bed, writing on some sheet music, listening to her own music through her white and blue headset.
“Vinyl, can I ask you a favor, please?” I asked in a slightly loud, but calm voice, as I scanned her room. It wasn’t the cleanest room out there, and was dimly lit with glow-sticks, giving it this creepy feeling, as if I wasn’t creeped out enough. When I realized she still hadn’t noticed us, standing in her doorway, I decided to use a more, drastic approach and flicked her light switch on. She literally jumped, at the sudden light, but instead of saying “What the heck” like most would; she hissed, and her eyes turned a bright crimson. It was as if she had turned demonic, and for a second it seemed my heart skipped two beats, my blood running cold yet again. I laid my ears down, expecting her to yell, or worse attack me.
“Sorry Kip, I should’ve warned you ahead of time, but I don’t like the light on while I’m working.” She looked up at us with a slight smile. “So what’cha want this late in the night?”
“Kiper needs a bag of blood, Vinyl” Octavia answered, with that Canterlot high-class, accent of hers.
“Oh, yeah about that, I had to have the last bag before you got here, sorry Kippy” I’ve never thought I’d see the day when a pony like Vinyl Scratch would sound so, down. To be honest it was almost scarier than seeing her eyes turn red; almost.
‘There is only one way to get blood now and you know it.’
No no no no no no NO! I refuse to become the monster you want me to.
‘It’s too late Kippy. You already are one, and have been since you were born.’
Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!
I started walking towards the corner of Vinyl’s room.
‘Come now Kiper, why must you continue to fight it?’
Get out of my head!
The others were talking to me, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I just keep moving towards that corner, until I finally reached it. I turned around, facing them, before sitting down, and lifting my fore hooves to cover my face. I had no clue why, I just did.
“Kiper?” I could barely hear Octavia over the voice ranting inside my head. I didn’t acknowledge her right away that is, until she licked me. I looked up at her with confused eyes and she just licked me again, then I started trying to wipe the saliva off my face.
“Here, take some of my blood.” She said staring at me.
“Octy, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Vinyl stood behind Octavia, confused, and worried.
“And what else do you suppose we do about this then?”
‘Come on she offered already!’
“Fine, I’ll do it.” I almost deadpanned, and didn’t mean to say it out loud.
“Are you sure? I can always get more blood bags from the hospital” Vinyl asked concerned.
How did Luna persuade the hospital to just let us take the blood bags?
‘Don’t question her authority.’
“Just remember I have to go to a business’s meeting to play background music” Octavia said, somehow calm about this, as if she’d gone through having her blood taken before. “So could you do it some place less noticeable or at least where I can cover it up easily?”
“How about near the hoof?”
She thought about it for a few seconds, which seemed like hours, before finally nodding her head yes, and raising her right leg for me to bite it.
‘What are you waiting for?’
I don’t think I…
‘Just do it already, I’m sick of waiting.’
After my slight hesitation I finally sunk my fangs into her leg.
I awoke the next morning to the sound of fumbling at the door; I looked up from where I’d just laid down on the floor and went to sleep. Startled I got up only to realize that it was the mail being delivered, and that I still had some of Octavia’s blood on my face.
“Hey you should probably wipe that off your face before anypony sees” It was Vinyl removing the mail from the slot with her magic.
I wish I had a horn sometimes.
‘You can fly why do you need a horn.’
Magic would be nice to have.
“Yeah let me go do that” I said stretching out my wings and forelegs, before heading through the kitchen to the shower.
“Good morning, Kiper, what would you like for breakfast?” Octavia asked cooking in at the stove.
“I’ll fix it myself, thanks for offering though.” I answered warmly.
When I got to the restroom I saw my fangs were stained, and I didn’t like the look of it at all, so I spent about thirty minutes washing my face and teeth, making sure to scrub every little mark that looked like blood off.
I should’ve eaten something more than just a dandelion sandwich, because my stomach growled as Vinyl and I rode a train to Ponyville. Vinyl had been invited there to serve as a disk jockey, for a party at the local Apple Orchard, owned by Applejack, one of the more known ponies in Equestria for her honesty and actions during the days of the Elements of Harmony, Pinkie Pie was known for her laughter.
“You are going to love the ponies there, Kip, they are an absolute riot!” Vinyl said looking at me from across the train car.
“I’m sure, so how did you meet Pinkie Pie?” I asked trying to spark conversation.
“Oh, that, I used to live in Ponyville. I made most of my remixes there.”
“I bet they hated you for having your subwoofers always being on high.”
“Nah, some them actually enjoyed it, Pinkie being one of them, I think Twilight and the Mayor were the only two that had problems with me making my music.”
I heard and felt the train slowing down, as we approached the Ponyville train station.
“It looks like we’re here.” I said looking out the window. The train station was lined with balloons of all colors, but the thing that caught my eye was the pink pony bouncing up and down.
The first thing I heard as we got off the train was a loud, slightly annoying voice calling for Vinyl. “Hey Vinyl! Over here!” I turned to see it was Pinkie, just as Vinyl ran up to her.
“I’ve already got the sound system hooked up, with lights, for tonight’s party.”
I stood there quietly while the two ponies caught up, still thinking about what happened the night before.
“So, Vinyl, who’s your friend?” I was almost immediately snapped back to reality by hearing Pinkie’s voice so close. She was about half a meter away and looking at me with pure curiosity.
Before Vinyl could get the chance to answer, I did it for her. “My name is Kiper, and I was just visiting Vinyl for the week, she is the one that decided I should come.”
The party was amazing, even if it is what Pinkie does as her specialty, I think the part I liked the most was Vinyl playing the sound system, sorry I just love dubstep… a lot. Everything at the party was running smoothly, that is until Vinyl decided she had something to talk to me about, and needed a break. She left Pinkie Pie to keep the music going, while she came up to me.
“Why’d you stop playing?” I asked when she reached me.
“I need a short break, and thought I could talk to you about something.”
“Sure, what is it about?”
“We need to find somewhere more private than here before I tell you.”
“Oh, so where do you want to talk about?” I couldn’t help it, but something told me that we were being watched, as we walked away from the crowd.
“Let’s go into the orchard, far away from the party.”
“You lead, I’ll follow.” And like that we were off into the shadowy groves of the Apple family’s orchard, I don’t know how far we traveled into the almost even rows of trees, or how long it took, but it had to be quite the distance, because by the time we stopped it was almost pitch black, and I could barely make out the sound of the bass from the party.
“This looks like a good enough place to talk in privacy.”
“So what is it you drug me out here to talk about?”
“Has Luna ever told you about the Inner Circle?”
“No, why?” We were talking in low voices now, even though we were far away from the party.
“So, she has tried to keep you in the complete dark about this your entire life?”
“Pretty much. So what is the Inner Circle?” It was getting late, and I couldn’t help, but to yawn.
“It’s a secret group Luna created to help vampires and lycans, so we could all come together and discuss ways to help control and motivate good use of our abilities.”
“So I’m guessing you want me to join because of what happened last night?”
“Why else would I want to ask if you knew?”
I heard a low muffled gasp from nearby. “Vampires are real too?” My ear twitched at the voice, it was familiar, I just couldn’t put my hoof on who it belonged to, but it had a strong country accent.
“What’s wrong?” Vinyl asked immediately alarmed by my sudden alertness, she was using a much lower and quieter tone of voice than what she just was.
“We are being watched, I heard somepony’s voice.” I whispered.
“Where did you hear them at?” Vinyl already had already caught on that I had a high sense of hearing.
“It sounded like it came from behind that bush” I said, slightly motioning my head towards the source of the sound.
“Alright listen closely; we are going to pass by that pony as if we are heading back to the party, but when get right up them we are going to jump them.”
“Let’s do it then” I felt a surge of mystery, fear, and adventure flow through my body.
‘Finally something that isn’t as boring as idle talking.’
“You ready to go back to party, Kiper?” Vinyl asked back to the same tone from before, but slightly louder than it was.
“Yeah, it’s getting a little too creepy out here for me.”
“Let’s go then.” She said slightly tugging on my hoof.
I wonder if she has ever had to fight somepony before, like an actual fight.
Just as we started to pass the bush, Vinyl reached in and pulled out the pony that had been spying on us, and pushed them against a tree.
“Applejack!? Why were you spying on us?” Vinyl asked the orange mare she had pinned beneath her hooves, annoyed.
“I’m awfully sorry, Vinyl, it’s just we’ve been having a few thieves stealin stuff from the barn, and when I saw two ponies going off into the orchard, I got curious. Please forgive me, I won’t tell anypony, I swear.” Applejack replied.
“That’s fine.” Vinyl sighed. “I’m gonna have to tell Princess Luna about this, though.” She said looking at me.
“So you can let me go now?” Applejack looked up at Vinyl.
“As long as you promise not to run off the moment I do.”
“I promise.”
And with that Vinyl let the mare go.
“So, what did you mean be ‘Vampires are real too?’ Do you already know a lycan, and how?” I asked Applejack as she got up and brushed off.
She sighed, “Well, according to a few of Twilight’s books, my friend Rainbow Dash, might be ah lycan. Every now and then I’ll find her in my barn with claws and a lot more fur than normal. She said she got this way after being bit by a black werewolf thingie, while helping our friend Fluttershy.”
“How many others know about this?” Vinyl asked concerned.
“Well, as far as I know, Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy are the only ones that know outside you and me.”
“I’ll get Princess Luna to send you guys a letter of invitation to the next Inner Circle meeting so Rainbow knows more about what she is.”
The rest of the night was mostly uneventful, but the party was still fun to attend.
I stared out the window at the beautiful night sky, as the train began to pull off away from the station, taking us back to Canterlot. It is about a two and a half hours train ride from Ponyville to Canterlot, so I needed something to pass the time with.
“Do you think that Luna would allow Rainbow’s friends to come to the meetings with her?” Vinyl was in the seat next to me, and though the coach we were in was mostly empty, we still talked in low whispers.
“As long as they already know a little bit about it, and are friends, it should be fine.”
I don’t remember when it happened, but at some point I dozed off, because the next thing I knew, Vinyl was trying to wake me up.
“Hey, wake up, we are almost to the Canterlot station.”
I yawned, “Okay.” I saw the town’s walls and towers outside the window, just ahead of the train, so I knew I had to.
As we passed the two entry towers, I noticed that Vinyl was fidgeting with her amulet.
“Hey, Kippy, you never explained what this is meant to do.”
I remembered that Luna said, in her letter, that they help protect from the particles of light that make vampires feel “uncomfortable” in sunlight. The spell she had used on it the amulet's was one that she had created herself and wasn’t sure how well it’d work. I was the first one to actually ever use one, and since I’d never had any problems in the sunlight, she had decided to give as many vampires as possible one.
“Luna had said that it was meant to help us feel less uncomfortable in sunlight.”
I could hear the electric locomotive’s brakes screeching to a halt outside, as I studied my amulet. It had been years since I had actually looked at designs on it. It has a magical crystal in cased in a decorative metal casing. The metal is mostly black and grey in color, the left edge being blue and the right; yellow, while the crystal was bright amber and you could see magic sparks flowing through it. At the top of the amulet were two curved points that if connected made a heart shape. The middle had two strips removed to allow view to the crystal, and had a strange face in the center with a cyan arrow pointing up beneath. At very bottom of the amulet were three points that served no other purpose other than holding the amulet in the stand.
“Come on let's get back to the apartment, that party was exhausting” She said getting up from the seat.
We found Octavia on the couch reading some fancy novel, when we made it back. Vinyl threw herself onto the couch; I’d moved my stuff onto the coffee table earlier, right beside her.
“So, Octy, what’cha reading this time?”
“A small novel on Starswirl the Bearded.” I’ve never heard an accent as strong as Octavia’s.
“Oh, and how was the job today?”
While they carried on with their conversation, I was busy sitting on my haunches, trying to get my amulet to snap into its stand before getting a small bite to eat, but, for some, mind boggling reason, it’d wouldn’t go in right.
“Here maybe I can help Kippy.” I saw my amulet glow with Vinyl’s light blue magic, and let go of it as she simple nudged it into place.
“Thanks Vinyl, I wish I had a horn like you, it’d be so much easier to get things done.”
“It’s not a great as it looks, and it was no big deal, I’m always glad to help a friend.” She gave a slight smile.
I woke up earlier than the others, at about six or seven in the morning, and ended up fixing my own breakfast again, only this time it was more than just a small sandwich. It was my last day I’d spend with the two ponies before I’d have to leave, so I figured I might as well do something interesting while I had the chance. It’d been a while since I’d gone on one of my early morning flights, so I decided I’d get back in the routine of doing them again. I grabbed my amulet from its stand and put on, then began a small search to find a pen and piece of paper so I could leave a note for the others to find. Once I was done with all of that, I opened the glass balcony door and stepped out into the cool air, closing the door behind me.
‘Please tell me you are going somewhere a little more interesting than the Canterlot Gardens.’
Kinda, I’m thinking of landing on the roof of the castle for a bit.
It took less than a second for me to extend my wings and bolt into the air. I stayed in the air for about ten-fifteen minutes, just gliding, admiring the sight below me, before deciding to attempt my landing on the castle’s roof. As I got closer and closer to the roof I realized I’d made an error in how I was going to attempt to pull this off. I was too close to the edge of the roof and I had picked on of the steeper sides. I tried to stop my descent as much as I could, but it wasn’t enough, so I braced myself for the worst, letting my legs go limp. The moment I hit the tiling I tried to push myself away from the edge, only resulting my right side going completely over. At this point I had closed my eyes, letting my body go completely limp.
‘I doubt that’ll help.’
It is supposed to, at least tha....
I hit what I thought was the ground with a thud, landing on my right wing. I felt nauseated as I laid there, my whole side ached, but nothing felt broken. I opened my eyes slowly and began to get up I realizing that I’d landed on Celestia’s balcony, and hadn’t fallen more than two meters. I checked over myself to make sure that everything was okay, which it seemed so, just mild pain, the nausea subsiding.
‘How do we get down?’
We’ll walk down the stairs.
‘To where?’
The gardens.
When I was little I used to always hang out in the gardens, usually at a large oak tree. I eventually made a platform out of small, leafless, branches in the tree so I could lay down in it easier. I had called the tree mine ever since, and it would serve as ‘base’ in many of the games my few friends and I played. But after a while most of friends had to move away, and I visited the gardens less and less. I was hoping I could go back and visit the old tree, and to see if my platform was still there after all those years.
When I arrived at the gardens I noticed that my platform was still there, only overgrown with leaves and new limbs, but I also noticed that sitting on a bench near the tree was a pony I hadn’t seen in a very long time.
“Hey, Astral!” I became friends with Astral Summer at school when me and few other foals were playing hide n’ seek, and he’d decided to join in. Astral was one of the first ponies to become friends with me, and one of the first to see the platform once I’d finished it, and had given me the idea to add a rope ladder to the side so he could climb up.
He looked up from his astronomy book at me and smiled as I climbed up onto the platform.
“Hey Kip. It’s been a long time, so how have you been?” He put his book down and trotted towards the ladder. I lied down on a patch of leaves and watched him come up the ladder.
“I’ve been better.” I answered rubbing my sore wing, as he sat down near me.
“What happened, why does it look like you tried to fight with a thorn bush?” He asked, examining the cuts, and bruises on my side.
“I tried to land on the roof of the castle.” I answered sheepishly.
It was noon, by the time I returned to the apartment’s balcony. I didn’t have any plans for that afternoon; I was hoping that the others would have something to do.
“Listen, Vinyl, I know you really want me to attend the Inner Circle’s meeting tomorrow with you, but if I miss another practice, I might be removed from the orchestra.” I overheard Octavia.
'Well that's one less thing that we have to ask about'
“Octy, its fine, you don’t have to attend every meeting, but I’m glad you’ve been trying to.” I came inside as quietly as I could, trying not to disturb their conversation. They were facing away from me; Vinyl had drawn the curtains closed already so I had to move them out of my way. Octavia was standing in front of the coffee table, while Vinyl sat on the couch with her ear-buds and music player on the table.
“Vinyl, what if they announce something important, and I’m not there to hear it?”
“Then I’ll tell you about it, duh. I wouldn’t just leave you in the dark about it.” Vinyl got up from the couch, to stretch, when she saw me out of the corner of her eye.
“Oh, hi ya, Kippy!”
“Hello, Vinyl.”
“So what kept you gone for so long, had to be more than just flying?”
“I met an old friend at the park, and got a little distracted.” I said as I trotted into the kitchen. “Hey, is it alright if I get a small bite to eat?”
“Sure if you can why you’re feathers and fur are all ruffled.” Vinyl walked up to the counter, and laid her fore-hooves and head down, waiting for me to reply.
“I tried to land on the roof the castle, and ended up falling off.” I grabbed a small juice carton from the refrigerator, along with everything I needed to make a lettuce sandwich.
“Why were you trying to land on the castle roof?”
“I thought it might be fun to try.”
The rest of the day I spent inside with the others, either chatting with them, or doing something else to pass the time. Both ponies had decided that they’d practice their musical careers for most of the day, so I didn’t interrupt them. It wasn’t until late in the night, while I was sitting on my sleeping bag, reading, when it’d finally start to get interesting again.
Vinyl jumped on the couch, startling me. “Hey, Kippy, didn’t think you’d be up still. I took you as one of those ponies that would always go to sleep early. Anyway, what’cha reading?”
“Oh nothing, just a Daring Do Adventure book, got a little bored waiting on you guys.” I said looking up at her.
“Those are some pretty interesting books, probably the only ones I read. Well before I forget, Octy would like to show you her transformation.”
“Oh really?” I marked the page I was on and put the book back into my bag.
“Yep. Come on before she does it without us.” Vinyl hopped off the couch, to Octavia’s door, motioning for me to follow. I got up, stretching, my body still slightly sore, and followed her into Octy’s neat bedroom. The first thing I noticed was how Octavia had classical posters, and items on the wall.
‘Dude, I really dislike you for not accepting her offer to have her bed.’
Yeah I’m kinda starting to as well.
“You ready to see this Kiper?” Octy was sitting in the middle of her bed, which looked like it had taken forever to get made. I simply nodded my head yes. Vinyl slowly closed the door, as the mare in front of me began to change from a pony to a werewolf. For whatever reason, seeing Octavia’s hooves turn to paws, and her form almost completely change, frightened me, though I stayed calm, fascinated by the process.
“So what do you think?” Octavia’s yellow wolf eyes, staring at me.
“Pretty neat, but also a little unsettling.”
“If only you were here the week she got bit. She was in like denial or grief or something, and even started trying to drink it away.”
“Vinyl, please don’t bring that up, I really don’t like thinking about it, and how I could’ve avoided killing that bunny.”
“You killed a bunny!?” I gasped, completely shocked.
“Yes, I was drunk, I couldn’t control myself, can we please drop that.”
“Sorry Octavia.” Vinyl and I said in almost perfect unison.
She came over to us both and licked us. “Its fine, just don’t do it again.”
We spent most of the night playing games, before I eventually became too tired to stay up. The following morning, I overslept, and got shook up by Octavia.
“Hi, Octy.” I yawned.
“Good morning, Kiper.” She was wearing her bow tie already, and had her cello in its case against the wall. “Breakfast, is already fixed in the kitchen, just don’t touch the rolls on the left side of the table, they have garlic in them.”
“Thanks.” I looked around the room as I stretched. “Hey, where is Vinyl?”
“Boo!” Vinyl jumped up from behind the couch, nearly causing me to fall on to my back. “Hehe, might as well have some fun with ya while I can. Hey, are you going to Inner Circle’s meeting tonight?”
“Yeah, I’m sure Luna will let me go with her this time.” I trotted towards the dining table, where the food had been laid out.
I left after breakfast, even though it was past lunch time by the time I got back to the castle. I dropped my bag on the floor when I finally made it into my room, and jumped onto my bed. I hadn’t see the princesses at all since I had gotten back, only the guards. I layed on my back, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
I really hope I can go back and see them again.
‘Dude, they said as long as they aren’t busy we can visit them.’ The dreadful silence that hung in the air was unnerving.
Where are they? I thought they would be back by now.
“They might be busy in the conference room, or throne room. They’ll come in eventually. Might as well unpack to pass the time.’
Yeah, I guess you’re right.
It wasn’t until I was halfway done with putting my stuff back in their place, that a knock came from my door.
“Come in!”
“Hello Kiper, I gather that you had a good time with Vinyl and Octavia?” Luna walked in, and stood near the bed. I got up on my bed so I could be eye level with the princess. She still had her darkish blue saddlebag on.
“Indeed, I did, it was fun staying with them, and I hope I can do it again sometime.”
“I’m sure they told you about the Inner Circle?”
Where is she going with this?
‘Dragging out her invitation to the Inner Circle like she does everything important.’
“They did, I take it I’ll be able to attend tonight’s meeting?”
“Only if you would like to, but before we go, I thought I’d give you these to look through when you feel ready.” She pulled three folders from her saddlebag, and placed them on my dresser.
“What are they?” I asked, leaning over the side of my bed to look at them. I noticing that each folder was labeled with a name: Vinyl, Octavia, and me.
“They are records. They contain all of the information known about a pony and their past. I will need these back at some point later in the week, so please read them whenever you get the chance.” She turned towards the door. “We better get moving, the meeting won’t start without us. You can read the records when we get back.”
I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw that the place that we’d be meeting in was a closed-down donut shop.
“Don’t worry, I placed a spell so that no pony from the outside can hear, or see what goes on inside.” Luna said, noticing I had stopped. I gave out a small sigh of relief and continued through the door. I paused for a moment to get used to the loud commotion, and the dimness of the the room, compared to outside, which was lit up by the streetlights. I scanned the coward, realizing that no one was trying to hide what they were, and that most lycans and vampires sat away from each other. I felt nervous, being the only vampire there to have emerald glowing eyes instead of crimson, though I had a feeling that this was, in someway, genetic. Luna had walked off to talk with other ponies, before the meeting officially began.
“Hey, Kippy!” Vinyl yelled from the middle of the crowd, a werewolf-Rainbow Dash sitting next to her. “Get over here you dark grey feather-brain!”
I smiled, as walked over to the two ponies, knowing that I would have at least one pony I knew to talk to.
“So, did you tell Luna that Octy wouldn’t be able to make it tonight?”
“Yup, told her that when I explained to her about Rainbow.”
“Hey, so what do you guys usually do here?” Rainbow asked.
“Not much really, just gathering to make sure everypony is okay, and to discuss ways to control our abilities, and instincts.”
“So, just talking?”
“Pretty much.”
Rainbow let out a bored groan, and buried her face in her paws. “I was hoping this would be something a little more, I dunno, interesting.”
“Oh come on, Rainbow, how bad can it be?” I looked up to see that Luna had moved to be standing on the center of what used to be a counter now-turned stage. The whole crowd went quiet.
“Tonight, I’d like to introduce our two newest members to the Inner Circle!” Luna said, with a very controlled, political voice I haven’t heard in what seemed like ages. “Kiper Rainarch, and Rainbow Dash, would you two ponies please come up here and introduce yourselves!”
Urgh, I hate speaking in front of a group of ponies like this.
‘Well, get used to it, because I doubt this will be the last time we have to.’
We stood up, and made our way up onto the stage.
“Hello Inner Circle! My name is Rainbow Dash. I’m one of the fastest Pegasi in all of Equestria by many accounts, including my own.”
“Why don’t you tell them about how you became a lycan, Rainbow.” Luna nudged her.
“Oh yeah. Right. I became a lycan while helping my friend Fluttershy in the Everfree, when a black animal attacked me from the bushes. At first I didn’t know what it was, and I saw no reason to go to a doctor because the wound wasn’t really bad. I took a nap after Fluttershy thought it’d be best for me to take a break. When I woke up, I had turned into this.” She gestured to her own appearance. “Ever since its been kinda hard to control my own actions, but thanks to my good friends in Ponyville, I’ve been able to keep it a secret, and not kill anything.”
“Anything else you’d like to add?”
“No ma’am, that’s all I have to say.”
“You may be seated then.”
“Thank you ma’am.” Rainbow, walked calmly backed to where she’d been sitting next to Vinyl.
“Your turn Kiper.”
“Can’t you do it?” I whispered to her. She only shook her head. “Urgh fine. Okay.” I took a deep breath before raising my volume so the group could hear. ”Hi all, my name is Kiper Rainarch, I’ve been a vampire my entire life, but I only recently found out, after reading a book about vampires. I was in denial at first, and really didn’t want to accept it, until Luna explained a little about it. And now I’m fine with it, just not liking the whole blood idea.” I heard stifled comments in the crowd, and looked up at Luna, questioningly.
"May I get down now?"
“Yes you may.”
“Thank you, Luna.” I hopped down from the stage, and trotted towards Vinyl and Rainbow.
I walked over to the folders that sat on my dresser, grabbed the one with my name on it. Hopping on my bed I opened it, and the first thing I saw was the letter, from my parents, to Celestia.
