Dream Come True
It was late one evening, and the Ponyville was silent aside from the sound of crickets echoing through the night. There was a creepy chill in the air that kept most ponies in their homes. One such home is where Lyra lived with her long time friend Bonbon. She couldn't afford a place of her own so she lived with Bonbon. Her problem was that she was so lazy, always falling asleep on the job and slacking in her duties. Her special talent was playing a lyre, and there wasn't much call for such classical music in Ponyville. Lyra couldn't just leave though, because all her friends lived in Ponyville, and she couldn't bare living without them.
Lyra was sitting on a couch in the living room to her home, watching TV. She had rings under her eyes from a recent lack of sleep, the stress of job hunting getting to her. She reached for the remote, but her hoof found nothing. She grunted looking for the remote, and seeing it on the opposite side of the couch from her sighed irately. "Bonbon! Can you come help me?"
Bonbon walked in from the kitchen, a yellow apron on, and a plate on her back full of various pastries. "Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." She bounced the plate into Lyra's lap, making the unicorn groan.
"Do I have to? I've been eating your creations all day and I'm scared I'll get diabetes at this rate!"
"Don't be such a drama queen. I don't see you doing anything else today." Bonbon giggled and eagerly awaited Lyra's assessment. "Go on, tell me what you think!"
Lyra lifted a doughnut with her magic and gave it a bite, spilling some jelly on the other confections below. "This is definitely ten times better with raspberry. You see Bonbon, go with the classics and your consumers will be satisfied." She then took bites of everything else, passing down judgment on them. "Alright, you see, you've improved everything to the perfection you wanted. Now would you get that for me?"
Looking where her hoof was pointing, Bonbon scowled and said, "The remote? Seriously? Lyra, why don't you just float it over here with your magic?"
"That's too much effort."
"What do you mean too much effort? Lyra you just lifted seven different pastries into your food hole!"
"That was different! It's food, and it was in my lap!" Bonbon growled and bit the remote, spitting it against Lyra's chest. "OW! What did you do that for?!"
"Because you are the laziest pony in Ponyville! You can't even lift a hoof to grab a remote not even two feet away from you, let alone hold on to a job!"
Scowling back Lyra said, "Well none of them interest me!"
"What would make them interesting for you? If you were working for humans? If you were a human?"
"Don't go there Bonbon! You do not want to go there!"
"Face it Lyra, humans are an endangered species in a dying country on the other side of the world, and you're never going to see one, or be one! If that's the only thing that's going to make you stay awake and make any effort, then maybe you should just leave!" Bonbon panted, gritting her teeth, but her anger rapidly faded when she saw tears flowing down Lyra's cheeks. "Lyra? L-Lyra I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
Lyra slapped the plate of half eaten pastries off her lap, making Bonbon shrink back with a squeak. She got on all four and marched towards the door, throwing it open with her magic. She paused before the opening and said, "You want to know why I don't pursue those interests? Why I don't go get a job that actually interests me? It's because the only way to do that is to leave Ponyville, and why would I want to leave a place where I have such 'wonderful' friends?"
Bonbon cringed from the icy tone she heard in her friend's voice. "Lyra I'm sorry! Please, don't go out this late. Where would you even go?"
"I'm going to Berry Punch's tavern. Hopefully you'll be asleep when I get home. That is 'if' I get home." Bonbon pleaded for her not to go, but Lyra had already slammed the door shut behind her. She stomped down the street, tears pouring from her eyes. She stumbled across a flower and stomped on it screaming. "Stupid Bonbon! Why did you have to go and say something like that? I really am trying, but all I can ever think about is my dream." She sniffled and stared down at the innocent plant she'd destroyed. "Walking upright, having hands… at least being a little human. Then you'd see just what I'm capable of, and without relying on magic. Then everypony would see…" She curled up and began to cry, bawling her eyes out. "Who am I kidding? Nopony will ever see! Nopony would even care! I just wish I could stop dreaming and get on with my life, instead of ruining my friends like some lazy mooch! Somepony, anypony, help me! Waaah!"
A twig snapped loudly and startled her, making her look around cautiously. Was another pony out this late as well? She gulped and looked around for where the noise came from, figuring it had to be by a tree or in some bushes. "Hello? Who else is out here? Hello?" She heard a loud hiss, sending a shiver up her spine. She backed up against a tree, quivering with fear. "Was that a cat? Maybe it was a snake? Oh, Bonbon was right, I shouldn't have left. Maybe I should just go home and apologize."
She felt something dripping on her shoulder, and made a face of disgust trying to wipe the gooey liquid off. A look of terror filled her gaze as realization set in, and she slowly looked up into the tree. She screamed in terror as she was looking at the black marionette of a pony, eyes glowing red as the blood moon, and pearl white fangs dripping with drool in its mouth. She tried to run, only to find out the dark pony had wings like a bat, which it used to glide after and tackle her to the ground. She cried out, "Help me! Somepony help me, for the love of Celestia! Wait, it's night time. For the love of Luna!"
The assaulter stomped his hoof down on her head and hissed again. Then the dark pony stated in a low tone the echoed like a demon's, "Don't worry little pony, it may hurt at first, but you'll be at peace right before you die." She ignored Lyra's begging as her tears flooded the ground, and opened her fanged mouth to bite down on Lyra's neck. The pointed tips punctured into her neck, and Lyra could feel herself go blind in one eye as blood gushed from her, which was quickly lapped up by the bat pony's tongue. She felt all the blood in her body slowly moving up to her neck, gasping for air as she was drained by this creature.
Meanwhile in the skies above, Cloud Chaser and Flitter were flying nearby. With a satisfied sigh, Cloud Chaser said, "Nothing like a late night fly, am I right? The air is cool and silent, and everything is bathed in the moon's lovely glow!"
Flitter nodded and replied, "You said it! Everything is so pretty at night. That pond, those trees, that pony getting assaulted… Pony getting assaulted! Oh my gosh, Cloud Chaser!"
"I see it! She needs help, come on!"
The two pegasi dive bombed towards the dark pony. He stopped sucking, noticing their approach. "My apologies young miss, but I guess you'll just have to fade slowly into the abyss without me. Farewell." The pony laughed maniacally and dashed off into the sky, opposite the direction the oncoming ponies were flying in from.
Flitter landed first and said, "Oh no, Cloud Chaser! It's Lyra!"
Lyra twitched, gurgling as she looked up to her friends, reaching a hoof out to them as if pleading for help. The pegasi looked horrified at their friend, tears welling in their eyes. Cloud Chase turned around and said, "Get her on my back Flitter! We have to get her to the hospital!"
Flitter shivered, trying not to puke at the almost undead gaze of her friend as blood trailed from her neck. She lifted her as best she could onto Cloud Chaser's back, and the two of them rushed her to the hospital.
Everything was a blur as Lyra opened her eyes, listening to the world around her. She blinked and the world came into focus, as well as all her friends around her hospital bed. Cloud Chaser, Flitter, Berry Punch, Colgate, and even Bonbon all had looks of relief on their faces, which quickly became looks of confusion. "Girls? What happened?"
They all looked at each other, and Cloud Chaser ignored what they all had noticed to say, "Me and Flitter saw you getting assaulted and scared off the assailant, bringing you to the hospital. Are you feeling okay?"
Lyra blinked and said, "You mean that wasn't a nightmare? I feel pretty good for a pony who just got almost all the blood in her body sucked out… wait, I can see? I thought I went blind in this eye. How long have I been out, and why are you all staring at me like that?"
"You mean you can't tell?" Flitter gets a hard nudge from Cloud Chaser. "OW! I mean… you've been out for twelve hours."
"Twelve hours? That can't be true! Normal ponies don't heal overnight! And what are you all staring at? I need a mirror!" Lyra saw one on the stand by her bed and grabbed it, everyone gasping again before she stared at herself. Her eyes were yellow and slitted, like cats, and she had a pair of fangs stick out of her mouth now. "What in the world?" She then noticed why they had gasped a second time and dropped the mirror. "I… I have hands!" She looked over her hands, which had replaced her front hooves. They were big to suit her arm size, and the same color as the fur on her body. "What happened?"
Colgate trotted over and opened her mouth, taking a look inside. "I'm no doctor, but with teeth and eyes like yours, mixed with how fast you recovered. Lyra… I think you're a vampire!"
A collective gasp fills the room. Bonbon walked up next and said, "I told you not to go out so late, but you just wouldn't listen! What are we going to do? What can we do?"
"Oh I know," cried Flitter raising a hoof. "Let's test this!" She ran towards the window, and everyone began to panic. She threw open the curtains and sunlight flooded the room, everyone screaming and looking at Lyra. For a moment the room was silent, everyone staring at her for any changes, but she seemed unfazed. "Aw man, weak! What kind of vampire is unfazed by sunlight?"
Flitter cried out as Cloud Chaser smacked her across the back of the head and said, "You idiot! If that was the case then throwing open those curtains would have killed her." Flitter hung her head shamefully as Cloud Chaser made her way back to Lyra. "She does have a point though. If you're a vampire, then why doesn't sunlight hurt you?"
Lyra shrugged and responded, "Maybe I'm some sort of day walker." Her nose twitched, and she took a deep breath before sneezing. A geyser of blood sprayed from her nose coating the wall, as well as Cloud Chaser. "Where did that come from?"
"Sick! I'm covered in your snot blood! Man, is there a towel in here?" Colgate floated one over with her magic, which Cloud Chaser snatched and began to wipe off with.
Bonbon stuck out her tongue and said, "You have a stronger will than me Cloud Chaser."
Lyra was holding her head with a groan and stepped out of bed. "I think I need one too." She began to walk, and froze, holding her hands in front of her face. She then looked down and said, "Holy cow, I'm walking on my hind hooves!" Everyone's jaws dropped as she clapped her hands and said, "It's like I got everything I ever dreamed of having! Hands, a vertical stature-"
"A thirst for blood!" Berry Punch stated sarcastically. "Lyra, we've all heard you ramble on about these things, but now that you have them is it worth it? You're a blood sucking creature of the night!"
"Not true!" Lyra placed her hands on her hips and grinned. "I can still walk in day light, and I'm not thirsty for blood at all! In fact sneezing up that blood felt pretty satisfying for some reason…" She gets a little pale and blood roars from her nose all over her hospital gown and the floor, everyone beginning to scream as a doctor rushed in. "Oh my gosh, I think I'm gonna die of blood loss!"
The doctor shook his head and said, "Not quite. Lyra, you have another visitor." Lyra fell back on her bed, the bleeding finally slowing down and she rubbed her head. The doctor stepped aside, as a zebra entered the room. "Wait a minute, you're that Zecora girl who lives in the woods! What are you doing here?"
"I sensed that a pony was attacked last night, and transformed with the magic of a vampire's bite. A disturbance occurred like never before, and I came to see if I could learn more." She trotted over to Lyra and looked into her eyes, and giving her a once over with her gaze. "It seems you're a rare case miss Lyra Heartstrings, as usually by now you'd have a pair of bat wings. You're eyes are yellow when they should be red, and your blood gushes out like you've been over fed. Not to mention the ability to walk in the day, it's so preposterous I don't know what to say."
Bonbon rushed over and said, "So she is a vampire! Just a… very unusual vampire… How do we change her back?"
"But I don't wanna change back!" Lyra began to sweat as Bonbon shot her an icy glare. "What? I like this."
"You look like a freak Lyra!"
"A freak with hands!" She pointed to Bonbon and then made all kinds of silly gestures with her new hands.
"Those hands are what make you a freak!"
"Hey, I can change back anytime I want… I think." She looked at her hands and they slowly changed back into hooves. "Hey I can! Nifty!"
Bonbon facehooves and says, "How would we change her back if she cooperated?"
Zecora chuckled and said, "The only way to cure a vampire curse is to destroy the one who changed you first. Only then will those bitten and changed, go back to normal from being deranged."
"If being deranged includes my greatest desire becoming reality, then I don't want to be right!" Lyra dropped to all four and walked towards the door. "Who's up for drinks on me? I could use one after last night."
"Lyra, this is serious," Bonbon began. "Who knows what kind of strange side effects this could have on you, as if it hasn't had several already. So you can walk around like a normal pony, but how do you intend to explain your eyes and teeth to everypony on the street?"
"Magic."
"Magic?!" Bonbon heard many stifled giggles behind her and turned around to see all her friends with inflated cheeks, holding in their laughter. "It's not funny girls! Our friend is a vampire now!"
Lyra wrapped front leg around Bonbon, her hoof in hand form, and pulled her in close. "Bonbon, you worry too much. Okay, I'm a vampire, but not the stereotype! Zecora said it herself, I'm different. What bad could come of this? Right, Zecora?" Zecora shook her head. "Not right?"
"I must warn you of what the future will hold, for the spirits have warned me so I am told. More will be turned this upcoming eve, without any intention to get up and leave. Come for you they may, once you lose the light of day. Be warned Lyra for danger you are in, without realization you can't possibly win."
Everyone stared at her worriedly for a moment as a long awkward pause filled the room. Lyra tapped Bonbon's shoulder with a finger a few times and said, "Nice poem. So as I was saying drinks?" Bonbon gritted her teeth and bucked Lyra to the floor. "OW! So no drinks for you Bonbon?"
"We're going home!" Bonbon bites Lyra's tail and drags her out of the room.
Lyra dragged her nails across the floor and cried, "Nooo! I don't wanna go home! Let me go! Bonbon! I will smite you with my vampire magic!"
Bonbon spat out her tail and perked her brow. "Vampire magic? Lyra you already have magic. Vampirism isn't going to make that any more powerful."
"I'll show you! Lightning strike!" Lyra stood up and stretched her arms out at her, wiggling her fingers.
After a short pause Bonbon stated, "We're indoors sweetie, and you can't summon lightning anyways." Lyra snaps her fingers with a small grin. "You're enjoying those hands way too much now."
"Yes I am! Say and do what you want, but I'm staying a vampire, whether you like it or not." She dropped back to all four and strut down the hall, all their friends walking out to watch her go.
Cloud Chaser shook her head and said, "Isn't she a little full of herself now."
Flitter giggled and stated, "You're one to talk. Come on, let's follow her. We need to look out for our friend!" Everyone hurried after Lyra, following her outside where she was already getting a few stares at her fangs and eyes. "Wow, it's like she doesn't even notice their stares."
Berry Punch sighed and said, "When you have as much confidence as her right now, you feel like they're all positive glances. It's like going around in patched up rags and thinking everypony is staring because they think you look like the bees knees."
Colgate hurried to Lyra's side and began to shout to any staring ponies, "Move along, nothing to see here. Just a failed growth spell, that's all."
Raising her brow, Lyra giggled and said, "How do you plan on explaining my eyes then?" Colgate used her magic to generate sunglasses and put them on Lyra. "What the… hey, I look good."
Bonbon stomped up to her and said, "Are you not the least bit worried about what Zecora told you back there? Tonight vampires are going to attack you!"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. There's no use worrying about something all day long until it happens." She lowered her shades and said, "Besides, as long as you girls are with me, I feel like we're as strong as the mane six."
Bonbon tilted her head as everyone murmured amongst each other. "How are we anything like the mane six?" she asked.
Lyra twirled her shades around her finger thinking. "Well, Bonbon, you're overly punctual and care way too much about appearances, but you generously give away your sweets and any cooking to those who need it." Bonbon blushes and stared at the ground. "Cloud Chaser you're Applejack, because you're rough and tough and never afraid to tell other ponies like it is." Cloud Chaser smirked and crossed her legs. "Flitter, you're a happy goofball and always good for a laugh like Pinkie Pie." This makes Flitter giggle and snort. "Colgate, you're the most knowledgeable one of us and can use magic better than me, so you're Twilight Sparkle." Colgate seemed to think that one over for a moment. "And since I'm the most way past cool one of us all, and would do anything for you guys because I'm such a loyal friend, I'm Rainbow Dash! Oh, and Berry Punch, you're kind and stuff… so you can be Fluttershy."
Berry Punch pouted and said, "But I don't wanna be Fluttershy, she's a tree!"
"Well too bad, everypony else was taken!" She slipped back on her shades and sighed. "Look, the point is that if we work together, there's nothing the six of us can't face. Now can we all just relax at Berry's pub, please?"
Everyone smiled and nodded, except Berry Punch who said, "If I wasn't so kind, I'd charge you extra for your drink Lyra!" She huffed and led the group this time, going to her pub and switching the sign to open. "Pinchy! I'm home!"
"Coming big sister!" An adorable pink filly unicorn waddled out balancing a mug of berry juice on her head. "Look sis, I used all your favorite fruits and made you something to drink."
Berry Punch grabbed the mug and gave it a sip. "This is delicious! Thank you little sister, why not whip up five more for my friends." Ruby Pinch danced around happily and ran off. Everyone sat on a stool at the counter as she brought them juice one by one. "Okay Lyra, since we're a team, we need to come up with a plan to face the vampire in case it comes back for you."
Ruby peeked from the back of the counter and said, "What kind of vampire? Does it sparkle in sunlight?"
Lyra looked at Berry Punch with a raised bro. "The hell is your sister smoking? We're talking about vampires, not diamonds!"
After chugging her mug, Cloud Chaser wiped her lips and said, "What do we know about vampires? What are they weak against, how do they tick?"
"Long walks on the beach and ice cream?" Everyone holds their laughter and Cloud Chaser shoots a glare at Flitter. "What? I doubt they run on garlic and silver!"
Colgate slammed her mug on the table and said, "That's it! All legends of vampires have references to their distaste for garlic and silver. Though I doubt the mark of Celestia and water will work as they also occasionally state. I have some silver tools we could use if you guys could find some garlic. Then we can set a trap for the vampire and take it down."
Lyra groaned and said, "Can't we just capture it or something. I'm enjoying this vampire thing. It has no downsides." Her nose twitched and she took a deep breath, sneezing as a spray of red erupted from her nose towards Berry's sister. The odd part was, it clung to the sides of her head and stretched from Pinchy to Lyra's nose like a thick red spider web. Pinchy screamed and tried to pull away, but as the strands of blood stretched, it pulled on her like a rubber band making her slam and cling upside down to Lyra's face. "That was different."
"Is it ironic if I say all the blood is rushing to my head?" Pinchy's eyes swirl a little.
Berry grabs her sister and tries to pull her free. "Get your rubber cement blood snot off my little sis Lyra!"
The unicorn worked with her friend, trying to get her head away and feeling her nose almost going inside out. "I don't know how it got so rubbery! If only it was hard, then we could break it!" The blood snaps as if it were made of glass and Lyra plucked the shards from her nose while Berry wiped off her sister with a wet rag. "Okay, that was weird. How did I do that?"
One of the shards of blood floated into the air with a magic aura, making its way to Colgate as she examined it. "Perhaps you should go to the library and see if you can find any information on these strange side effects. You and Bonbon go look into that. Cloud Chaser and Flitter, you two go get some garlic, and maybe a slingshot or two if you have any. I'll go get anything silver I own. We'll all meet back here at the pub."
Berry Punch huffed and said, "I guess I'll just stay here and keep your seats warm till you all get back. I have to look after Ruby anyways now that she's awake."
Everyone nodded in agreement with the plan and abandoned their mugs as they rushed out the door one by one. Lyra froze in the doorway and looked back at Berry Punch, smiling as she said, "I think I see how you're like Fluttershy now. You have something you take care of and love, and it needs you. It's your little sister."
Berry Punch blinked thinking that over as she looked to her sister, who smiled and rubbed up against her. "Heh, I guess you're right Lyra. Get out of here, you all got work to do."
Lyra nodded and ran after Bonbon, the two of them making their way to the library. The two of them pushed open the doors, walking in to find Twilight Sparkle in the middle of organization. She turned to them and said, "Hello there. Can I help you girls find something?"
The two of them looked at each other and gave a soft nod. Lyra said, "We need all your books on vampires."
Twilight Sparkle blinked, caught off guard by the request. "Alright, the V section is right over there. You'll find everything you're looking for, I'm sure." She went back to organizing, as the two ponies walked over and Lyra used her magic to pull out every one with vampire in the title.
Lyra made sure Twilight wasn't paying any attention to them as she whispered, "Hey Bonbon, watch me open this book and turn pages without magic." She grinned and giggled, grabbing one with a hand and flipping through it with one finger.
Bonbon scowled and said, "You may be enjoying this now Lyra, but who knows what kinds of strange effects this is having on you. You think it's a dream come true, but I think it's a nightmare waiting to happen, especially when that vampire returns for you. Doesn't that scare you even a little?"
Shaking her head Lyra responded, "Not at all Bonbon. I'm a vampire too now, so what could he possibly do to me that I can't do right back?" Bonbon's hoof slammed down on the book she was holding, keeping the page from being turned. Lyra raised her brow at first, but then noticed what was written on the page she stopped it on and began to read aloud. "Vampire spawn, a term used to describe a vampire that was born from another vampires bite. Any vampires turned by a vampire are servants of the biter, forced to do as it decrees without any control of their selves. The only way to break the bond is to kill the vampire that created the spawn…" Lyra's face was covered with sweat as she dropped the book, beginning to shiver and shake. "Are you trying to tell me that when that monster shows back up, unless we k-kill it, I'll have to obey it's every wish?"
There was a long silent pause between the two ponies before Bonbon finally nodded and said, "I don't want you being forced to do anything you'd regret. Perhaps the safest way to handle this is to find a cure?"
"Wait, I saw one back further in the book!" Lyra used her magic this time to flip back rapidly, stopping on a page listed with the cure. "We need blood grass, garlic, and nightshade… the blood of a water dragon… and the ashes of a powerful vampire." She gritted her teeth and threw the book against the wall. "That doesn't help! How are we supposed to accomplish that by tonight?"
"Is everything okay over there?" Twilight asked looking over worriedly.
Bonbon laughed nervously and said, "Everything is fine, sorry." She looked to her friend and sat by her, wrapping her arms around her. "Whatever happens tonight, I won't let that vampire control you. You're my friend Lyra, no matter what."
Lyra tears up and sniffles, wiping away a tear with a finger. "What if he makes me hurt you guys? I don't think I could live with myself if something bad happened to my friends on my account."
"I won't let that happen, Lyra. I'll find a way in one of these books. We will, we have to!" She tried to open one, having a hard time, until Lyra floated it up for her with her magic. "Thanks…" The two of them read for hours, Bonbon relying on Lyra's magic while she used her hands when Twilight wasn't looking. It began to get late when they noticed the time. "Oh no, it's almost dark and we haven't found anything!"
"We'll just have to face this head on then! Hey Twilight! Need us to put away these books for you?"
Twilight shook her head and said, "Don't worry about it girls, I'll organize those for you. Go ahead and get going, I'm sure your friends are waiting for you."
Lyra and Bonbon gave her a soft nod and rushed to the pub, where all their friends were waiting. Cloud Chaser hovered in their faces and said, "It took you long enough! Did you two find anything out?"
Removing her sunglasses Lyra said, "We found out that worst case scenario, I won't have a choice but to do whatever this vampire says! He created me so he can control me! We also found out that the only cure for this requires water dragon blood and the ashes of a powerful vampire, and I don't see us coming across either of those on the hour."
Everyone looked horrified by this bad news, but Flitter interrupted the shocking moment by saying, "But the good news is, friendship is magic!"
"That doesn't help!" Cloud Chaser shouted.
"I know…" Flitter sat on the floor, wings and ears drooping. "At least we got plenty of garlic and silver things, and a pair of slingshots to chuck them at the vampire. That's good news right?"
A surge went through Lyra's body, her eyes widening as she held her head. "This feeling… what's going on? I sense something coming!"
"Uh, guys?" Berry Punch peeked outside to see the sun completely disappear from view, and a figure shrouded in black flying into the sky. The figure dive bombed straight for the pub and she cried, "Hit the deck!"
The front doors to the pub seemed to explode as shards of wood flew everywhere. The figure grabbed Lyra and flapped its back wings sending a gust of wind towards her friends. Lyra screamed as the vampire flew backwards and out of the pub." Colgate used her magic to grab a slingshot and a silver scalpel, rushing out the door and firing it straight into the creature's shoulder. It howled in pain and dropped Lyra, who caught her own fall with her hands on the ground. Ponies that had not gotten off the street yet screamed running in terror, rushing to their homes. Lyra stood on her hind legs and pointed at the vampire as she said, "Who are you, and what do you want with me?"
The figure landed in front of her and let the moonlight shine on him, revealing a pony she'd never met before. It was a stallion, black fur and a loose white mane. His eyes were red, his fangs long, and his cutie mark was a white bat in front of a bell. He ripped the silver from his shoulder and said, "I am dingbat, and I've come to have you join my army Lyra. Your transformation was not anticipated, but very welcome. I'm quite interested in you, able to walk in daylight and all. You may be the secret weapon I'm looking for."
Lyra heard her friends coming and shouted, "Stay back!" Everyone froze, and Lyra began to pant nervously as she asked, "Secret weapon for what?"
Dingbat's hoof became a hand, and he stroked a finger along Lyra's face. "There was a vampire who came before me you know, one I don't wish to serve. And the best way to earn my rightful place as a leader, I must kill my own. She can't control vampire's I turn unless I'm commanded, so I will raise a secret army she can't control to kill her. Then I will be all powerful!" A group of five other ponies appear behind him, all with similar eyes and statures. "You see Lyra, you weren't the only one I bit, but you had quite the unique effect to it. I need you, so I command you to join my cause!" All of Lyra's friend's gasp, and a silence fills the air. Dingbat tapped his foot and said, "Well?"
Lyra looked back at her friends, and soon she was grinning. She looked Dingbat in the eyes and said, "No."
Everyone, even the other vampires, gasped. Dingbat's eye twitched as he said, "What did you just say? You can't say no, I created you! You are my spawn and have to do what I say!"
Lyra laughed until her sides ached and shouted, "I don't have to do anything for you! I have nothing compelling or forcing me to obey you whatsoever!"
Her laughing obviously irritated Dingbat. He smirked and said, "Then I'll just give you a reason then!" He gripped her by the neck and lifted her in the air, slamming her into the ground. "Restrain her friends!"
Everyone shouted, "Lyra!" as the other vampires rushed past him and towards the group. They began to fire and throw the garlic and silver at them, but the vampire ponies bobbed and weaved around them all.
Cloud Chaser grunted and said, "We can't hit them, they're too fast!"
Every one of them was grabbed by a vampire who held them upright, squirming and flailing to no avail. Dingbat lifted Lyra, who coughed up some dirt, so she could see the danger her friends were in. "Do as I say, or I'll turn each and every one of your friends!"
"No, you can't!" Lyra grabbed at his fingers trying to pull free. "Leave them out of this!"
"What's it going to be Lyra? Choose now, or I'll have them bitten one by one. And there's no guarantee they'll survive the experience!"
"Don't listen to him!" Bonbon cried out, "You can't listen to him Lyra! He obviously can't be trusted!"
Dingbat smirked and said, "Looks like we have our first volunteer."
"NO!" He glared at Lyra who hung limply in his grasp. "I'll do whatever you want… just don't hurt her."
Dingbat laughed and snapped his fingers, the vampire holding Bonbon dragging her over. "You care that much about this particular mare huh? Okay then." He set her down in front of Bonbon. "You turn her." Lyra and Bonbon looked horrified, both of them quivering in terror at his order. "I want to see what happens when a pony is bitten by a vampire like you. If she becomes a day walker, maybe I'll let you turn all your friends. Though I may want to keep some for myself…" After a moment he growled and said, "What are you waiting for? Do it! Unless you'd rather me do it!"
Lyra cringed and grabbed her friend's shoulders, breathing heavily as she looked Bonbon in the eyes. Bonbon teared up and said, "I don't… blame you Lyra… Remember, I'm still your friend." Bonbon's warm smile made this all the harder for Lyra than it already was, as she opened her mouth baring her fangs and slowly leaned towards Bonbon's neck. Bonbon clenched her eyes shut, and the sound of flesh being punctured seemed to echo in the air. Bonbon slowly opened her eyes, gasping as she saw Lyra had bitten her own arm.
Dingbat gritted his teeth and said, "Looks like you need more motivation." He pointed to the vampire on the right end of the line, who was holding Flitter. "Turn her!"
"With pleasure, master!" the pony replied.
Lyra saw the look on Flitter's face as the vampire's fangs made their way towards her neck, and the blood seeping from her arm began to bubble. "NOOOOO!" Just before the vampire girls fangs could meet her neck, she felt her head being held back. She slowly looked up to see a trail of web like blood stretching from the back of her head all the way to Lyra's wrist! Lyra had a cold look on her face as she grabbed the web and yanked it back towards herself.
Dingbat stared in shock as he said, "What in the world are you?" He snapped back into reality just in time to fly up and avoid the vampire spawn from flying back into him.
She screamed as she's dragged back again, this time right to Lyra, who pressed a hand to her back. She looked up to Dingbat and said, "Threaten my friends? This is what happens." The mare screamed bloody murder at this point, beginning to twitch violently as her eyes rolled back, and a clawed hand erupted from her chest holding her heart. Lyra squeezed the heart until it exploded in a mass of blood, and the vampire spawn's body went limp and lifeless.
Lyra pulled her arm out of the girl and let her drop dead on the spot. All her blood along Lyra's arm slowly seeped into her open wound, which quickly healed over. Her left hand began to bubble now, and a red blade with a blue edge cleanly emerged in its place, her arm becoming covered in veins from this. Everyone, vampires and Lyra's friends alike, stared in horror and confusion at the calm eyed unicorn. Dingbat shouted in a shaky tone, "What are you idiots waiting for? Kill her! Kill her now!"
The other four vampires let go of her friends, and ran towards Lyra, who charged them right back. She folded her blade arm in front of her and slid on her knees, swinging at the vampires. Two of them leapt over her, while one had wings and flew over it, but one didn't react fast enough and was cut in half at the waistline. Before his upper half could even hit the floor, Lyra twisted around and her arm seemed to stretch out like some sort of flesh chain as she whipped it downward on him. The sword was on the end, and it chopped his torso clean in two, both halves hitting the floor now.
Lyra charged the other two, but skid to a halt as she noticed the flying one dive bombing for her. She brought her sword up vertically, slicing him in half. She was covered in his blood as both halves rushed past her, and that blood quickly seeped into her skin. One of the vampire spawn rushed past her towards her friends and said, "I'll take your friends with me before I let a monster like you kill me!"
A hook stabbed into the back of her neck and out the front, keeping her from moving forward as she began to have trouble breathing. She flew backwards and into the air, hanging from Lyra's stretched arm. Her blade morphed into what looked like a Gatling gun, and she aimed it at the vampire who seemed to be trying to scream as tears poured down her face. "You dare call me a monster when you're willing to kill the innocent, with or without being told? Die you abomination." Bullets of blood fired from her gun hand, tearing through the pony and into the sky behind her. Her body was torn to shreds. When Lyra stopped, the lower half of her body slowly ripped free of the rest and slammed into the ground with a disgusting sound. Then Lyra's hand seemed to consume what was left of her like some sort of mouth.
When it came back to her she shaped it into a hammer, reaching behind her to grab the last pony girls hand as she tried to catch Lyra by surprise. Lyra twisted her hand hard enough to make the bone burst from her skin, and she cried out in pain. She round house kicked the vampire spawn to the floor and as she desperately crawled away she was smashed by Lyra's hammer, a loud crack being heard as her ribcage punctured her heart and lungs and she immediately went still.
Lyra's hand went back to normal and she fell to her knees, holding her head. She looked horrified as a set of arms wrapped around her, but then she felt the warm embrace of her friends as they all held her tightly. "What are you all doing? Didn't you see the horrible things I just did?"
Cloud Chaser rolled her eyes and said, "Are you kidding? You kicked all kinds of flank out there!"
Nodding, Colgate said, "We all thought we were done for until you saved us."
"Not to mention that was totally cool! Like watching an action movie!" Flitter had a gigglefit, snorting.
"You're not like them," Berry Punch stated clearly. "You're in control."
Bonbon smiled and held her friend tighter before saying, "No matter what… remember?"
Tears flooded from Lyra's eyes as she smiled and hung her head. "Yeah… I remember."
A roar echoed through the area that caught the group's attention, all of them looking to see Dingbat gritting his teeth and balling his fists. "You killed all my spawn! Now you'll make up for it with your lives!"
As he flew straight towards them, Lyra leapt to her feet and outstretched her arms to shield her friends. Before Dingbat could reach them, two sets of hooves came straight down on his back, stomping him into the ground with a pained groan. "By order of Princess Luna, you are hereby relieved of duty permanently!"
The other guard shouted, "For your acts of treason against the crown, you are hereby sentenced to immediate execution!" Before Dingbat could protest, two silver swords were thrust into his back, and the life left his body. He slowly disintegrated, and it was then Lyra realized all the other vampire spawn, and even their blood, had disintegrated as well. The guards walked over and said, "Are you Lyra Heartstrings?"
Lyra gulps, looking back at her friends worriedly. "Y-Yes sir, I-I'm Lyra Heartstrings."
"Princess Luna requests an immediate audience with you and your friends."
"Standby for immediate teleportation," the second one said as the entire group was engulfed in a blue glowing sphere and the next thing they knew they were all in a very fancy looking dining room.
Everyone looked around in awe at first, but all of their eyes eventually locked on the individual in the large comfy looking chair at the dining table before them sipping tea. Together they all shrieked, "Nightmare Moon?!"
Nightmare Moon casually set aside her tea and said, "Good evening girls. I suppose I can't expect you to call me Princess Luna when I look the way I do now. I imagine you have several questions floating around in your heads right now? I brought you here to answer them." Her hooves became hands as she grabbed a spoon and mixed sugar into her tea. She took a sip and said, "Answer number one, I'm the vampire that turned Dingbat."
Everyone looked even more shocked than they'd already been which made Nightmare Moon grin flashing her fangs. Colgate said what was on everyone's mind, "Since when is Princess Luna a vampire?"
"Good question. You see I've always been a vampire, since before I was sealed into the moon. I was turned by a vampire dragon, and when I refused to suck the blood of my subjects I couldn't resist the cravings any longer. For my own good, Celestia sealed me away in the moon for a thousand years, fabricating the tale of bloodshed with a much simpler one. I went mad in my banishment, and when I returned I was temporarily cured by the mane six before I could remember my vampirism. The memories slowly came back to me though, and this time I made something of my need to feed." She stood up, and walked up to her guards, rubbing their shoulders. "I needed my own guards of the night, and so after a long process these two guards became my own. They have devoted their lives to me, and as such I can trust them with my secret."
Cloud Chaser crossed her arms and said, "That's pretty wild your majesty. So what's the deal with Dingbat?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Bonbon smiled and said, "He was supposed to be your third royal guard, but he tries to betray you so he could gain freedom and power."
Nightmare Moon clapped her hands and said, "Bravo, you guessed the final piece of the puzzle!" She clenched her eyes shut, and slowly changed back into the Princess Luna everyone knew on the surface. "This form allows me to keep up appearances, and the blessings of my sister allow me to go out during the day with no negative effect aside from a whopping headache. Speaking of appearances, you appear to be having trouble with them."
Lyra blushed and said, "Well, I got hands down. But I can't see my eyes and teeth." Luna floated a mirror over for her, and Lyra blinked as the simplest thought made her eyes and teeth go back to normal. "Well I'll be…"
"Question!" Flitter waved her hoof in the air excitedly. "What's the deal with Lyra's crazy powers?"
Berry Punch nodded and said, "Yeah, it doesn't seem like a natural vampire thing."
Luna looked between them all and sighed. "Lyra is an extremely rare type of vampire called a Sacrier. They are blood manipulators, meaning they can morph their blood into various shapes, weapons, and tools. As such they produce blood at an increased rate, and do not require sucking blood from others. That is to say they can still manipulate the blood of others they come in contact with. To top this off they are day walkers. Once they were an entire race of their own, but have long since faded with time. According to our archives, Lyra is the first one in three thousand years."
A collective gasp filled the room. Lyra blinked and said, "So what happens now your majesty? Do I serve you?"
"You don't have to, if you don't want to." Luna walked over to her with a warm smile, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "You're a free vampire, with or without a master. It would be nice though to have my own personal mane six, and as the only ones I've ever told this top secret information to I'd appreciate you not letting it out. What do you girls say? How would you like to be Princess Luna's mane six?"
Lyra bowed, as did everyone else. "It would be our honor, your majesty. More than that, we are honored to be your friends."
Luna smiled and said, "Thank you all… Now, who wants pie?" Everyone cheered and rushed with her to the dining table, seats set up for each of them. The guards chuckled at their enthusiasm.
Once at the table Lyra said, "Hey Bonbon, now that the threat is gone… we don't need that cure anymore right? Because… I really like these hands."
Bonbon rolled her eyes and said, "Fine, you can keep your hands, but now that you have them you need to stop fantasizing and get a job!"
"I can help with that." The two of them looked to Luna who said, "How about a job on my royal night guard? It would be incredibly helpful to have someone I can rely on in the day, they pay and benefits are great, and I can teleport you to and from Ponyville as the need arises. So what do you say?"
Lyra and Bonbon's jaws hung open as their seats fell back to the ground. Everyone laughs and Flitter says, "I'd say for them, it's a dream come true!"
THE END
