Adapting. The act of more or less dealing with something you HAVE to deal with, without taking any personal thoughts,what's logical,or convenient, and putting it into perspective. Rather on the otherhoof, trying to make sense of illogical matter. This was such the case now.
"That would be retarded", I pressured onto my friend, "Besides to do something like that would get you in serious trouble."
I was talking to my friend Red. Red was one of those guys that was kinda,ehhh. When I say friend, I mean a more a forced acquaintance in High School. He mostly kept to himself. If you can imagine groups talking in the hallways, he was the one kinda standing to the side,alone. I always kinda felted sorry for the guy,but whenever I approached him he always talked about strange things, typically vamponies. Why vamponies I have no idea, but because that's the one thing that got him to talk, I enticed his tongue by divulging in conversation. But enough was enough.
"Even IF you were able to do something like that, how are,you,sure it would work? Stay away from stuff from that.
The topic of the day wasn't drugs, alcohol, or the typical "If you do this, you are damaging you, your life, your family, your friends, your community and your ancestors who have long been dead, but yet still somehow know and manage to roll in their graves because the dead really stalk the living", type of conversation. It was of course,yet again, over vampires. This conversation however wasn't, over the lore and legends that surround this supernatural. It wasn't over said "history" of vamponies either. The ridicoulousness reached a new topic, the uncanny fascination of becoming a vampire. A great pony once said that common sense isn't so common and I'm certain my friend's is surely not shining through.
Red looked at me, somewhat annoyed. My thought's had clearly shown through, along with my opinions. I turned and began to head to work. Red slowly followed behind me. Quickening up my trot, Red sped ahead of me, cutting me off.
"What?!", I quipped, my frustration painfully showing through. Red's ears immediately lowered. Maybe my irritation shown through too much...
"Please just hear me out", Red pleaded.
Fine. I guess I owe him that.
"Alright. I'm listening", finally letting him speak.
"Here's what I've discovered, found out, whatever you want to call it."
Ooh! A discovery. A new finding. A whatever you want to call it. Awesome! Exciting!
"So", I questioned half excitedly,"What is it?"
"A spell."
"A spell?"
"A spell."
A spell? What could he be talking about?
"A spell that could turn us into vamponies."
Vamponies. Of course he wanted to be a vampony. Vamponies. Vamponies. Hey! Wait a minute....
"Us?", I cocked my head to the side. It was undoubtedly clear I was confused. I have very expressive ears.
"Us?", I said shaking my head. This was crazy talk. Who says that?
He only stood there. He couldn't be joking! I looked for facial expressions, body language, a twitch of the tail, anything to ease my worries and lessen my confusion. Seeing none I sighed.
"You can't be serious right? The only way to become a vampony is to be bit by one.", my voice ever filling with confused worry. I was going to be bit by a vampony?
"But that's ridiculous! Vamponies don't even exist!" I exclaimed reassuringly, hoping to in turn reassure myself,"You're crazy dude. Wake up to the real world."
Ouch.
He just stood there,again. He stood there, completely still and turned his eyes downwards toward the ground.
"I know", he muttered. I wanted to say I was sorry, but by then it was too late. He had already trotted off.Discouraged by my actions I headed my way to work.
"Try a little less synth and a lot more bass", I urged my friend Shockwave. He had this real killer song and it was absolutely fan-tas-tic! It was awesome. The only thing was that often he used too much synth sounds, forgetting to use real instruments. EDM is fun, but classical instruments are often forgotten, and the bass is always, or rather typically heavy, or at least somewhat prevalent.
"What's wrong with the synth?", Shockwave questioned," My synth sounds good doesn't it?"
Ah, young apprentice let me explain. Ohoo! Learn you will, yes. Learn you must.
"Shock, it does sound good. It sounds fantastic, really it does. This entire piece is killer."
Shockwave's ears perked up and his face gleamed. He was just starting his career, and to be honest will do fairly well. But still,alas, had much to learn.
I continued,"But", his shoulders sank down.
"Separation of parts is extremely important. I would take some of the synths's melodies and transfer them to a new part, a new sound. Add more background."
Shockwave thought for a moment and then glanced at his computer screen. His eyes followed each individual track, investigating and interrogating each one. Finally his eyes lit up.
Shockwave glanced over to me," It's all about the bass?"
"It's always about the bass."
"The bass?"
"The bass."
"Alrighty."
The day was almost over, thank Celestia. Throughout the day I had slowly developed a terrible headache. It wasn't because of the constant exposure to heavy bass, or the constant focus on a computer screen.Those are things I experience daily. I don't know how I got it or how long it would last.All I knew was that it hurt, a lot, and that I wanted it to end. Like, effective immediately.
"Honestly I don't see why you don't just go home".
Ah, gotta love Shock. Always looking out for me. Can't fault him for that. Really gotta appreciate such kindness.
"No,no. It's fine. The day's almost over. I finished most of my work anyway. It's time to start closing up shop anyway."
I smiled reassuringly, but it did no good. In reality I had made almost no progress on my current projects and spent most of my time hopping from one to the next to look productive. I shut my computer down and packed my knapsack. I was ready to leave.
Shockwave glanced towards me. I glanced back. He too was ready to go. His computer was shut down, and he had prepared and packed his knapsack as well. The once glowing computer monitors had fallen asleep, their soft glow already faded into the past. Shockwave motioned to the door and i preceded him out.
Turning around to lock the door I fumbled the keys in my hooves. After using what sluggish motor control I had left I managed to drop them to the ground. After letting out a loud sigh I bent down to pick them up. I inserted the keys into the keyhole and quickly locked it.
A sudden surge of warmth spread through my body, rendering me paralyzed. The warmth spread from the top of my head to the bottom of my hooves like boiling water. Then,seemingly, the water rose from my hooves to my head once again, drowning me in its firm grip. It repeated itself from hooves, head, head, hooves.
Before my eyes many tints of red spread and spotted my entire field of vision. I couldn't focus on anything, the world simply spinning as I lost control. My muscles went limp, and I fell to the ground. I managed to urge out a cry for help before the quickly oncoming get darkness flowed over me.
"Storm?"
White. Black. White. Black. Gray. Gray?
I opened my eyes and looked around. Where was I? I was lying on the ground, pumice surrounding me. Pumice?
The sky was filled with a blood red-ish coppery color. A haze filled the sky and created a hazy effect as the sun began to set. High mountains surrounded the west and great plains filled,with grass expanded across the east. From the mountains slowly spewed lava. What in the world?
I rubbed my head and slowly stood up, noticing a nearby puddle. I must look like total crap, I thought to myself. Leaning toward puddle I closely examined myself. My mane, of course, was all out of place and literally everywhere. My wings were sore, which I guess is expected. Other than that I was fine. At least for now, I wasn't sure,how long I would last in this seemingly new and sudden apocalyptic world.
"Where were you when you passed out?"
I easily jumped at least three feet in the air. Who else could possibly be here? I turned around, nearly,tripping on pumice rock. Cursing to myself, I glanced up to greet whoever might share the end of time itself with me.
Red. Bucking Red. You've got to be kidding me. Of all ponies to watch the literal end of the world with , it had to be him. What the buck.
"What do you mean where was I when I passed out?",I asked quite suddenly, taken off guard by his previous question.
"Where were you when you passed out?"
What? Double confusion, times ten.
"Here obviously", I said somewhat dimwittedly, " That's kinda how it works. You pass out and then wake up usually nearby to where you fell. Obviously", I pointed around,"Something has transpired since then."
"Oh this is great!", Red exclaimed, clapping his hooves together,"You don't realize where you are! And after all the discussions we've had I thought it would be apparent. This is brilliant!"
Conversations? All we talked about was vamponies. Explanation? Please?
"I'm taking that you are still confused."
Nope. Not at all. Clear as day. Random apocalypse, crazy talking pony, strange surroundings. I'm great. Perfectly understanding.
"You're dreaming. Well kind of. You'll see, when you wake up."
More clarification, thanks. I glanced towards my friend. How was he here, if this was my dream? He's last on my list to dream about. Literally very last, if I even keep a ranking list. Then it hit me.
"All this is you, isn't it?!", growing angrier I continued," You arranged this! You were talking about a spell, what was it?!"
Red only backed up slightly and readjusted himself. Maybe I hadn't addressed my point clearly enough. Picking up a rock, I continued to interrogate and bombard him with questions.
"What have you done to me?"
"What's happened to al my friends?"
"Why am I in a living hell?"
"Why are you smiling?"
His smile faded away. He kept,silent and stared curiously at me as if I were part of an experiment or something. Like a lab rat, cruelly forced into a seemingly endless maze.
"Tell me!",I exclaimed.
I wanted answers, and quick. Glancing down at the rock I angrily launched it in his direction. It never reached him instead it stopped mid air and hurled my way smacking me hard in the chest. Yelling in pain, I looked at my torso. This was enough! I started off towards Red.
I was only a foot away from my now sworn enemy when suddenly a warm cloud appeared around me. It had to be Red's doing. Since when could he use magic? His eyes burned a bright Red.
The cloud left me unable to move. I struggled against it as it set me to the ground and set me in an uncomfortable crossed leg sitting position. I tried to re-position myself, but found it impossible.
"It seems to me you ah need something to help you,calm down.", Red creepily announced. When could the max creepy level be reached?
My vision was suddenly filled with different colors. Rings. Red, green, brown. I felt suddenly dizzy, but the colors kept rushing on, pulling me deeper.
The colors changed now. Red, copper, brown, red, copper,brown. My mind began to feel numb and sluggish.
"The works of blood magic are quite remarkable Storm. Right now your mind is slowly turning into mush, compelled by me, becoming receptive."
Receptive. Receptive is good. The colors felt amazing. I wanted for them only to remain so I happily complied. Receptive......good.
"Those colors won't last forever though Storm. They can't."
No! The colors have to stay! They feel so.....good.
"They feel good, they are probably the best thing you've ever felt."
Damn straight.
"So I've got a deal for you Storm,"-
Anything. Anything at all, please, just keep the colors. Please.
"You will do anything I ask you to do"-
Deal. Fine got it.
"Without question".
Without question.
"Without thought"
No thinking.
"And you will not blame me for anything."
Never......blame.....Red.
Red had me in the bag. I was all too happy. Then everything went black.
"Storm?"
Huh? What?
"Storm?"
Who is that? Did I pass out or something?
"Storm, please."
I was on my way home, right?
"Storm!"
Huh? Finally opening my eyes, I regained all my other sense. It's not that hearing isn't nice, but sight is kinda nice to have. As well as taste, touch and that other sense I can't think of right now. Wow I must've hit the ground hard or something.
It was Shockwave. Thank Celestia he has been there. Had he stayed inside or left early the ambulance may have never come. My heart may have stopped beating. I could have died.
Then I noticed it. Two bite marks on his neck. Instinctively I brought my hoof to my neck but felt no such marks. I felt suddenly woozy.
"Shock, what happened to your-",
"Hush", he cut me off, " The nurses haven't noticed yet, and you have some explaining to do. "
Explaining? What? What happened to Shock? When can I leave this bed? Shock must've noticed the confusion on my face because he leaned over my bed and motioned me to lean closer.
"You're fine. I heard you mumbling during your "thing". You don't remember doing it do you?"
Doing what? What was going on? I'm tired of this crap. I pass out then boom my friend is saying weird things to me over my hospital bed. Then I felt them. I felt my fangs.
Great. Fan-bucking-tastic. WTB.