Chapters The shadows of the night.
"Don't leave me all alone."
Night Shadow laid half covered by her quilt on her bed, eyes closed. Her breathing was shallow, like she was dead but it didn't stop her older brother, Dark Fangs from creeping over to her, and roaring, showing his blood dripped fangs.
''AHH!'' screamed Night Shadow, falling off her bed in fright.
She glared at Dark Fangs with angry in her blue eyes, which had a brief flash to red as she did. Dark fall over laughing, causing Night Shadow's face to change from a angry one to a more bored one, as she had seen this all before.
''Are you kidding me?'' she asked, calmly.
''Aw, come on, Nini. Give me some entertainment.'' grinned Dark, using Night's nickname.
''Isn't the amount of mares that you bring home enough?'' questioned Nini, with a dull deadpan tone.
''You know that isn't true, but I love seeing my adorable little sisters shocked face and scream.'' said the unicorn hybrid.
Nini groaned and stormed out of the room. She walked down the long and styled hallways until she came to the nursery, which was obvious as it had bold, golden letters saying 'NURSERY ' above the door. She pushed the door open slowly and walked over to the large play mat, which had a play train track running around it. On the mat was her baby sister, Midnight Flower.
Flo was like their older brother, a unicorn hybrid. Her fangs were strong, so never, ever place your hooves into her crib, which was on the other side of the room to the door. The crib itself was only a white chocolate colored wood, but the flowers and beautiful bedding made it amazing.
Nini smiled and walked over to Flo, who was playing with a sock puppet. Flo stopped playing when Nini sat down beside her. She giggled loudly and babbled adorable. Nini smiled and even giggled a bit. Flo's red eyes may looked menacing but the filly was as adorable as hell.
''Sissy wanna pway?'' she asked, adorably.
Nini was struck in the heart at the adorable look, and almost collapsed from cuteness. She smiled, and grabbed a pair of scissors. She began making holes in a cardboard box. She placed the cardboard box, which was now a puppet theater just outside of the play mat's ring. She decorated it, even gaining some help from Flo's magic.
She took a couple of wooden dolls, and began putting on a play for Flo, using the most silliest voices ever to make Flo laugh. Nini began beating her wings, creating a small gust of wind to add to the tension of the play, just for a bit of fun and it happened to work.
''Night, are you in here?'' called the sister's mother.
''Yes, mother?'' said Nini, dropping her puppets.
The bat pony walked in, being the only member to be normal as such. The girls mother, Medley was a skilled flier and held the genes which allowed Nini to be a bat pony and not a unicorn like the rest of the family.
''Isn't it about time you began preparing for school, sweetie.'' asked her mother, with a bit of a smug look.
Nini gasped and flew out of the room at top speed. She had forget that it was her first day at Ponyville Elementary. Medley giggled and picked up her two year old.
Nini bolted into her room, which bashed into Fangs who was still in there (For no apparent reason). She ignored the now ignored colt, and ran to get her stuff sorted. She grabbed all her books, and coloring crayons and throw them into her saddle bags, which she began tightly putting on her back.
Her wings jolted from the pain, but she bared with it. Her dragon-like eyes lit up at the idea of staying in one place, but the sank as she thought of the ponies that she would have to lie to, just so she could have friends.
She bolted out of her room, leaving hoof prints on her older brother. She ran down into the kitchen, where her mother was now kissing her father's cheek. Flo was eating her breakfast in her baby booster, and even smiled and said 'hewwo' to Nini, who made a brief smile.
''Get a room, mother, father.'' commented Nini, sitting down.
She grabbed a slice of bread and began coating it in jam, just as Fangs walked in covered in bruises and panting. She bite down on her bread and jam, while staring at her older sibling.
''What happened?'' asked their father, Jet Black.
''Ask Nini, she should know.'' replied Fangs, touching her head which now had a bruise.
''What happened, Night?'' asked Jet.
''I stood on him, and slammed my bedroom door on his face.'' she said, deadpan. ''But he was in my room, for no apparent reasons that I have heard of, might I add.''
She glared daggers at Fangs, and seriously if looks could kill, he would be dead a thousand times over by now. Fangs winced at the look which he was getting and began laughing nervously.
''Um...'' he muttered. ''I'm finished.''
He bolted out of the door, in attempt to avoid the questioning looks he was getting.
''Ugh, why is my older brother an idiot. This is why I like Flo more.''
She finished her bread and jam, and waved goodbye to her family before also leaving the door, not before hearing lovey-dovey baby talk which could beat Flo's baby talk and it made her groan which annoyance.
''Ugh, maybe the fillies and colts are easily gotten along with.'' she hoped.
She walked down the dusty, mud path from the mansion which had bats flying around the chimney and a rather spooky theme, but what do you expect from a vampire's home, not that anypony knew that.
Town center was more appealing, even though when she got there, her home was nowhere in sight which in one way was good, but in another was pretty bad. She walked past all the stalls, and the random homes which dotted the streets, at least till she made it to the comforting scene of the schoolhouse and it's playground.
Though it wasn't anywhere near the school she went to in cantorlot, which was where she lived before moving, it was pretty calm and tranquil which was what she had dreamed for. She didn't like the busy, high-classed schools for the 'snobs' back in cantorlot, but this was perfection.
''I hope nopony will leave me this time.'' she said to herself gently, with a tranquil smile on her face.
The shadows of the night.
Nini ran over to the school door, and rattled on the door. She already knew that lessons had started as she could hear her new teacher talking on the other side of the red door. The rattling of the door stopped the voice and hoofsteps indicated he/she was getting closer.
''Yes?'' asked Cheerilee, opening the door. ''Oh, hello, little filly. Are you the new student, Night Shadow?''
Nini smiled, though did attempt to hide her fangs. ''Yep.'' when she said that, she realized she was gonna have a hard time keeping her fangs a secret from the other fillies and colts, which crowned the room, their was about 30 or so foals in that room, from what she could see.
''Come on in, then.'' said Cheerilee, with a smile still on her face.
The foals watched as the young bat pony walked into the room, chatter when around about the filly. Mainly on the topic of bat ponies, as they were so rare and were only seen a few times, like with Princess Luna's royal guards. One filly smiled, however and didn't join in the chatter.
This filly was a unicorn, with a ruby red and orange mane which looked like fire, but then again so did her mothers. The filly also had green eyes but a violet coating which was a good thing, as she had a cutie mark of a flame, which went with her name, Jacqueline Lantern.
Jacqueline watched carefully as little Nini walked into the room, she too was curious about the bat pony's appearance but she had a policy that appearance didn't matter, it was the heart and this filly just had to prove that she had personality, which she should be able to do in her self-introduction.
''Alright, little one. Introduce yourself to the class.'' said Cheerilee, kindly from behind her desk.
Nini blushed and nodded, mainly to calm her nerves which were threatening to make her mute, she had been to schools before but she was still nervous.
''Um, uh.....M-my name is...N-night...S-shadow...'' she said, shaking like a post. ''N-nice...to...m-meet you....''
Jackie smiled, this filly truly had heart, she was determined to introduce herself, despite being nervous and so, she clapped first promoting others to begin clapping. Nini blushed, but had a plain smile on her face.
''Now, Night Shadow. Your seat will be at the back, next to Jacqueline.'' said Cheerilee. ''Princess Jacqueline, rise your hoof please.''
''Fine, and don't call me 'princess' it doesn't fit.'' said Jackie, who rose her hoof gently.
Chattered went around the room again, the new student got to sit next to the daughter of the princess of friendship, that just didn't sound right and it was annoying to some, who didn't dare to even say a word to Jackie.
Jackie, however ignoring the chatter was happy that somepony was gonna sit next to her, the seat had been empty for weeks on end, and she didn't like it. Despite being princess, she loved being around ponies.
''Um, it's nice to be sitting next to you...'' said Nini, nervous again about being sat next to a princess.
''Hi, I might as well introduce myself. I'm Jacqueline Flame Lantern, and the daughter of Princess Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer.'' whispered Jackie, with a smile as she tried not to be proud, as it didn't fit her.
''Oh...Um...So, your really a princess?'' asked Nini, quietly, trying not to sound nervous.
''Yeah, I am but I'm more of a apprentice at the moment, like my mother I can't earn my wings unless I got through training but I don't wanna be a alicorn.''
''Girls!'' yelled Cheerilee.
The girls settled down, blushing to themselves as a bunch of fillies began giggling. The lesson continued like it hadn't been distrusted after that.
School is so fun!
That's what came to Nini's mind, as she wrote down note after note. The class was learning about planets, and she had taken a likely to it pretty quicker. She now knew books, upon books of research of it. As much as she didn't like admitting it, as she was a pegasus, she loved reading.
''Alright, class. Recess, then we'll continue where we left off.'' said Cheerilee, after the bell rang.
Most of the foals scattered the room within seconds, leaving Cheerilee, Jackie and Nini, who was pretty scared, behind. The rate that the foals left surprised Nini, but as if her thoughts was read, she was answered.
''I wouldn't get to fussed about it, if I was you. They normally live like that.''
It was Jackie who had spoke and she did it without emotion and without looking up from reading. Wait, reading?!
'She likes reading, too? ' thought Nini, to herself.
She then took notice of Jackie's glowing horn, despite she wasn't holding anything in sight. It baffled her, but she didn't question it.
''If you confused, just ask.'' said Jackie, deadpan.
''Ah, um...''
''Ugh, reading minds is much easier then doing this.'' Jackie groaned.
''Wait, reading minds?''
''Yep, it's a spell, but I suppose bat ponies wouldn't know.'' said Jackie, with a tonal shift in her voice. And she smiled too.
Nini blushed for two different reasons, but didn't think as she didn't want to anymore. Jackie giggled at the unknown vampire's nervousness.
''Your cute when you blush.''
Your adorable, Nini
Nini blinked, she had heard what Jackie said but a voice, which she somehow remembered without fully remembering, rang out in her mind. She didn't know, and she wasn't certain if she wanted to know who that voice belonged to.
''You okay?'' asked Jackie.
''Yea....I am...Jacqueline...''
''Just call me Jackie, my parents do.''
''Then, please call me Nini.'' smiled Nini, glad she now had a friend.
Jackie joined in with a smile, and the two fillies ran out of the room, side by side to join the other foals at recess.
The shadows of the night.
Nini's pov.
I watched the other fillies play for a bit, sat on the ground. I had a book open in front of me, with a clear bookmark on the page I had formerly been reading, but my gaze had been driven to the playing foals. Sometimes, I wish I could be like that. Normal and full of energy, but no I'm a vampire, who has to have blood every couple of days.
I then saw a violet coated hoof appear in front of me, I looked up and saw Jackie stood above me.
''What?'' I asked, in a bit of a deadpan voice.
''What are you doing on the grass, not playing?'' asked Jackie, answering my question with a question.
I held back a growl and murmured something to myself before answering her. ''I wanted to catch up on reading.''
''Says the filly, who's staring off into space.'' said Jackie, disappointed.
I was then gonna snap at her, but I felt a wave of dizziness come over me. Which made me think, when did I last 'feed'. It was 3 days ago, I should have known. But, if I don't get blood soon, I might as well be classed dead. But I can't attack my new friend. I internally growled in frustration.
Jackie blinked, she didn't know. But then again, mainly didn't know when they had been bitten. Maybe I had a chance, but the other foals. Ugh, why does life have to be so ironic?
''Jackie....'' I murmured.
''Yeah, Nini?'' she asked, confused.
''I kinda feel dizzy, so I'm going inside.''
Which was no lie, I did feel pretty dizzy and went I stood up, I had to rest of the schoolhouse's red wall. She gasped, and particular carried me inside, which was luckily was empty. Prefect.
She was rumbling in her bag, when I creep up behind her and grabbed her, causing her to cry out. I began regretting my decision, but I sunk my fangs into her neck, which began leaking blood which I liked off.
She fainted, as I knew she would. I let go, and wipe my blood dripped face. My eyes threatened to leak water, what had I just done to my new friend. I reminded me of a time, though I can't put my hoof on it.
But then something I wasn't expecting happened, Jackie woke up. She stared at me like she had seen a ghost, was she immune to vampire bites, which were made to make the person forget what had happened, but then again she is half alicorn.
''N-Nini...Y-your a vampire?'' she gasped out, mainly from fright.
I backed away, shocked as my hoof covered my mouth. I couldn't speak, tears leaked from my eyes. I bolted out of the door, just as Cheerilee call in the other foals. I don't even know which way I ran, but before long I knew I would be facing something.
Jackie's pov.
I rummaged through my bag, in attempt to find a cold press or something. But then I felt something reach out and grabbed me from behind. I cry out, I didn't even see what it was before a searing pain ripped through my body.
Fangs? Yes, I could see fangs. This pony was a vampire, but then I realized the only ponies in here were me and Nini, but she should be dizzy. My eyes leaked, not from the pain though it was there, it was that Nini was gonna hate herself for doing this to me.
But, why hadn't she attacked me outside. Was she scared of being caught?
Nini, why was I so blind, no wonder you were always attempted to have you move partly closed and still talk at the same time, it was to hide your fangs. But when you were nervous of meeting a princess too.
The pain suddenly became unbearable and I almost collapsed to the ground, luckily awake. Though, from what it seemed, Nini didn't know that. She was too busy wiping the blood off her face, with a couple of tears forming in her eyes.
I slowly forced myself up, realizing that the pain had passed though the bites and small trail of blood were still there. Nini went wide eyed when she saw me staring at her. I was terrified but I forced myself to speak.
''N-Nini....Y-your a v-vampire...'' I asked, trying not to sound terrified.
But that didn't help, as tears swelled up on the dark grey bat pony's face and she began crying, her hoof covering her mouth. She looked terrified and it made me tremble, she was this scared of being found out. What had happened to her in her past?
Something must have happened, though I didn't know it. It had clearly took it's toil on the poor filly, as she was so terrified that she fled the room before I spoke again. I felt conflicted on what to do. Should I go after her, or pretend nothing happened which was impossible considering the rather large bite marks on the violet coat.
I made my mind up in a instant.
