Chapters ✴✴✴Five Hundredth year of The Reign of Celestia, Trottingham✴✴✴
The hour was late and the moon was full and shining down on Equestria. On the face of the moon was the image of the Mare in the Moon looking down as though observing the actions of the little ponies below. And on this clear pleasant night, a beige earthpony stallion was trotting down the hall of the Trottingham hospital. And his mood was anything but light. His mouth was set in a grim line and his red eyes that peeked out from under a dark brown mane were filled with apprehension and sadness. He trotted down the halls in grim silence until he reached his destination. He pushed open the hospital room door and entered quietly.
Laying on a bed was a white unicorn mare with a two tone blue mane and like the stallion she was also awake, but not for the same reason he was. She shared the room with several other mares, but some were too exhausted and were fast asleep and a few were under powerful sleeping spells for their sakes. The wide awake mare was coughing wetly and didn't notice the stallion until he was next to her. She smiled weakly and let out a slight chuckle that quickly devolved into coughs. The stallion stood there and waited for her coughs to subside, though the look of pained sadness increased in his eyes.
When she finished, she gave a rattling sigh and smiled once more. "Give to me straight doc, how long do I have?" Her tone was partially joking, but he could tell that she was genuinely interested and concerned with how long she had.
"By my estimation, a few days at best." He answered her truthfully. "At worst, you won't last the night."
The mare rolled onto her back and sighed again, this time sounding worse than before. The pair lapsed into silence as the doctor stared at the floor and the mare stared at the ceiling. The only sounds that were heard was the rattling breathing of the mare and the soft snores of the other patients in the room.
"I'm sorry for this." The doctor finally apologized and the mare turned her head to look at him. "I've tried my best to help you, but it seems like my best isn't good enough."
"Aw, don't beat yourself up about this doc." The mare said in a hoarse voice. "If anything's to blame, its this stupid epidemic." She paused for a beat before continuing in a more mournful tone. "Still feels unfair. Mom's always had a weak constitution, so this'll probably kill her. My Dad'll mourn like all dads do, but he'll pull himself together. Especially if there's other ponies depending on him. But what about my sister?"
She looked down at the blanket and fiddled with the hem in her hooves. "She just barely turned six this year, so its possible she won't remember me. And I was so looking forward to being a big sister." She clenched the blankets and tears began to form, but she refused to let them spill. "I was going to teach her all sorts of things and look out for her like big sisters do. And now I'm not going to be there for her and that just stinks!"
The doctor paused a beat before speaking. "There is one way I can help." The mare brought her attention to him. "I-its not exactly a...conventional procedure and there are trade offs. If you choose this, you won't be able to return to your family. In fact, from their point of view you'll be dead. That's essentially what's going to happen you're going to die and be reborn as...something else."
"Will I be able to see my sister?" She asked.
"You can watch her from afar, but actually contacting her isn't advisable." The doctor said.
"Then it is enough." She said softly. "If I can at least protect her from the shadows, then that is enough for me. So what do I have to do for this procedure?"
"Simply relax and let me do everything." The doctor leaned in towards her and opened his mouth.
Out of nowhere, a set of long curved fangs appeared and before she could say anything about them, he'd bitten down on her neck. She let out a slight gasp of surprise and gradually went slack in his grasp as her eyes rolled back in her skull then closed. The doctor held onto her neck for a couple more minutes, then he released her. Where he'd bitten her was a pair of puncture marks to match his fangs, but those were swiftly vanishing as if they'd never been there. Now everything was completely still. She just lay there without a sound or movement. Her chest didn't move and there was absolutely no rattling breath coming from her.
The doctor pulled out a wet cloth and carefully wipped off the small drip of blood that had trailed out of his mouth when he detached from the mare. When that was done, her turned back to the mare and pulled the blanket up to cover her face.
"Sleep well, Miss Melody." He said, though she wouldn't hear what he would say. "For when next you wake, you shall be reborn as a child of the night."
He then turned and left the room. There were other ponies to speak with and so little time. Beneath the blanket, Melody Note's magenta eyes were already turning to a deep red. And in her mouth, her teeth were slowly forming fangs.
My name is Octavia Philharmonic. At first glance, nothing would stand out to you. I'm a light grey earthpony with a long, darker grey mane and a violet treble clef as my cutiemark. Nothing would pop out to you until you reach my eyes which are a bright red to rival blood itself. Sometimes they can actually glow. Some ponies ask me why my eyes are so red and I tell them that they're unique. It's a truth.
A few ponies have also asked me where I got the name 'Philharmonic'. And I tell them that my parents liked the name, so they gave it to me. That's a lie. The real reason why my name is Philharmonic is because it's my family's name. The Philharmonic family, a once prominent, musically inclined family that lived in Trottingham five hundred years ago. Then five hundred years back, they died out. And how could a family that died five hundred years ago be my family you may wonder. Well that's because I'm immortal. You may at first deny it and to a certain extent, you're right. It's very hard to do, but under certain circumstances its possible for me to die. Otherwise I could live for a very long time. You would probably now ask, how is this possible? It's just how my kind work I would answer with a shrug. You see, I'm not an ordinary pony.
I'm a vampire pony.
As you can guess I don't often make this information public as it usually leads to panic, mobs, torches, pitchforks, priests with holy relics, the whole package. Since ponies generally fear us, we usually hide our existence from the Equestrian populace. As you've guessed, I wasn't always a vampire. I used to be a normal earthpony mare, living in my hometown of Trottingham. How did my life end up like this? How did I end up turning? To tell that story, I'll have to start with my sister, Melody Note.
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In my family, I was different. I was the only earthpony in a family of unicorns. My mom was a unicorn, my dad was a unicorn...and my sister was a unicorn. Growing up, I hardly knew my sister. The year I turned six, an epidemic swept through town and a lot of ponies contracted the disease. Amongst them was my sister Melody Note. She was also amongst the ponies who died of that disease. My mother was a loving mare with a weak constitution so when she heard of my sister's death, she took to her sickbed and died soon afterwards. Then it was just me and father. Father grieved both my mother and sister, but soon enough he pulled himself together. He still had me to look after.
As for me, it wasn't easy growing up an earthpony in a family of unicorns. There were things that my dad could do that I couldn't, but luckily there were other earthponies in Trottingham who could help me with that. The real challenge was playing an instrument. Specifically, the cello, one of the instruments that was considered a unicorn instrument. I had to work harder than most musicians would to master the cello. Most musicians would ask me why I picked such a hard instrument and I would always tell them because of my sister. My sister died when I was just six, so what little I know of her are vague snatches of memory and what my dad told me while I was growing up.
Father told me she was a beautiful mare and always full of life. Even when she was sick. She was also very talented. More so than the rest of the family. My dad was a composer and skilled violinist and my mother had the voice of an angel (according to my dad). My sister could play any musical instrument she laid her hooves on, but she was most well known for her cello playing. But, although my interest in the cello started out as a way to feel closer to my sister, I soon realized I liked the cello as my instrument and not just my one thread to my sister. And it was when I reached this realization that my cutemark appeared.
But, while I had many admirers and some suiters, I had few friends that I suspected only hung out with me because of my father's wealth. And thus the only pony I actually felt close to was my father. So with few friends and companions whom I could share close relationships with, I focused much of my time with my music. I had my father and beautiful music and yet everything felt empty and a little pointless. And then one day, my world was rocked and everything changed.
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The Trottingham music hall rumbled with the stomps of several ponies and the air rang with their polite cheers. On the stage, a grey earthpony mare took a bow and when the curtains dropped, she went backstage. As she was tending to her prized cello, the door burst open and a black unicorn stallion with a white mane trotted in with a grin.
"Octavia, that was a wonderful concert!" He declared. "Your best one yet!"
"Bar Line, thank you." Octavia Philharmonic thanked him. "It seems as though the audience enjoyed it as well."
"Of course they did! What did you expect?" Bar Line asked. "You're a brilliant cellist. I especially liked that last piece you played. What is it called anyways? I've never heard it before."
Octavia paused her gentle polishing of her cello and her gaze became distant. "It's called Underneath the Moon. And it's one of the last pieces that my father composed."
Bar Line winced. "Sorry. I forgot that today is that day."
"It's not your fault." Octavia said softly. "It's just that today is the first anniversary of my father's death, so I figured I should play one of his compositions in honor of his memory."
"It's still a very beautiful composition." Bar Line said. "So, do you want to come to my place for a drink?"
"Maybe next time." Octavia said. "Right now I just want to be alone."
"Right...again, I'm sorry for dredging up bad memories." Bar Line apologized again.
"And again, I forgive you." Octavia said with a smile. "I just want some time to myself."
"Okay. You take care of yourself." Bar Line said. "Make sure to get home safe. Remember, they haven't caught that serial killer and I don't want to lose another marefriend to that guy."
"So I'm your marefriend now?" Octavia asked with a cocked eyebrow and Bar Line's muzzle reddened.
"O-only if you want to." He stuttered out.
"Hmmm. Maybe one day." Octavia said. Bar Line looked ready to skip into the sky, wings or no wings. Octavia had to stifle a giggle.
"W-well, I'll see you later." Bar Line said and he left. Octavia smiled and began packing her things to get ready to leave. Bar Line was a good enough stallion. Very kind and a gifted musician. There were even a few mares who'd made up a small fan club just for him. Octavia had never really been that obsessed with him, but she did like him a little and she wondered if their relationship would go anywhere.
When she was finished packing up her things, she left the hall and began the journey to her home. This time however, she took the long way home so that she could be left to her thoughts and memories of her father. It was hard to believe that a year ago on this very day, her father had died of natural causes. He'd been very old at that time so it wasn't much of a surprise, but to Octavia it was still a little unbelievable. Violet eyes cast their gaze upwards towards the moon. Tonight it was full and cast its silvery light down on the darkened streets below and Octavia could clearly see the Mare in the Moon. Tonight she felt that the moon was especially beautiful today.
As she watched, clouds blew in to cover the silvery white disk and Octavia felt a shiver crawl up her spine as her gaze dropped down from the sky. Somepony was watching her. This wasn't a new feeling for her. For as long as she could remember, she'd always felt like somepony was watching her. But it always felt like a gentle protective gaze that made her feel safe and when she was a filly, she believed it was her guardian angel. This time the gaze felt hostile and hateful and Octavia cast her gaze about the area to see if she could spot somepony.
The streets were quiet and she couldn't see anypony. Octavia continued on with a bit more caution in her step, but she could still feel the malicious gaze boring into the back of her neck like a fire. The once peaceful air tensed until it could be cut with a knife. It felt like somepony was crouched in the darkness, waiting to strike. Like a snake in a bush. Then Octavia suddenly felt herself being swept off her hooves and the world momentarily blurred due to sudden swift motion. When everything finally settled into place, Octavia found herself on the ground with her back to an allyway wall and standing in front of her was a cloaked figured.
The earthpony tried to stand, but found herself pinned firmly to the ground. Though the pony wasn't on top of her, the glow under their hood suggested that Octavia was being pinned down by magic. Before she could even ask anything, a knife wrapped in a magical aura floated out from under the cloak and stabbed into her hindleg. Octavia screamed or at least tried to. But when she started to scream, she found that her mouth couldn't open because the magic holding her muzzle shut. All that came out was muffled screams of pain as her attacker stabbed her several more times.
"You think you're good enough for him?" A feminine voice hissed at her maliciously. "You're just some earthpony floozie who doesn't even deserve to lick the dirt off my hooves." As she spoke, she twisted the knife in Octavia's side. The earthpony whimpered but by this point her pain was numbing as everything grew cold and darkness edged in on her vision. But her mind remained completely aware and it had made a sickening realization.
Images of past newspapers flashed through her mind. Young mares had been found in alleyways, stabbed multiple times all over their bodies before they'd been stabbed through the heart. So far there'd been six victims and they were all either earthponies or pegasi. And if her current situation was any indication, then she was about to become the seventh victim. And all her life she'd been told that seven was a lucky number. It's amazing what the mind can come up with when faced with the end. Octavia didn't even notice that her murderer had released her magical grasp on her. Her eyes were entirely focused on the blade that had been raised high above her heart.
"Die you filty, earthpony hussy." She said and Octavia caught a glimpse of an insane and bloodthirsty grin stretched across a blue muzzle. Then the knife dropped. Octavia couldn't find the strength to move or even close her eyes and wait for the inevitable. Time felt like it had slowed to a crawl as she watched the bloody blade inch closer and closer and even prick the skin over her heart...only for it to vanish.
For moment, Octavia couldn't comprehend the sudden disappearance of the blade and the other mare seemed equally confused and was looking to the side as a metallic clang faintly rang in Octavia's right ear. The mare snarled animalisticly as she turned to the entrance to alley.
"Who dares attack an avenging angel?!" She demanded.
"Lady, you're not any sort of angel." A second feminine voice came from somewhere out of the earthpony mare's line of sight. And for some odd reason, it sounded familiar. But her memory and mind were to muddled for her to place it. The newcomer continued. "You're just some filly who's several cards short a full deck."
"You dare INSULT ME!!?" The first mare screeched.
"Yeah I do. Because..." The mare paused for half a beat and when she spoke again, her voice had become so dark and threatening that it sent chills up Octavia's spine. "...you've just made the biggest mistake of your life."
Octavia didn't even blink when suddenly the new cloaked mare appeared in front of the first, standing on her hindlegs with her forelegs up in a jumping motion. The two mares then vanished from her sight when the first was tackled by her savior but she could still faintly hear them fighting. Cold numbness continued to slowly engulf her body and Octavia looked up. From where she was laying, she could see the moon. The clouds had moved away from the moon's face, letting it shine down on the severely bleeding earthpony. It may been some sort of hallucination due to her lack of blood, but at that moment the moon was no longer silvery white. Instead it was a deep blood red.
Then, before she knew it, the sounds of struggle ceased and the Victor stood over her. Octavia quickly surmised that it was her savior who had won when the pony gently pulled her up and looked over her injuries. When she finished, she sighed sorrowfully and her shoulders drooped like a hundred pounds had suddenly been dropped onto her back.
"I'm so sorry." Her rescuer apologized. "Your injuries are too severe and you've already lost too much blood. If I'd have been here sooner, I would be able to save you."
"I-its okay." Octavia said weakly. "At least...you're here to hold my hoof...at the end."
The stranger pulled her close and hesitated a moment. "I can't save you by any conventional means, but there is is an unconventional way for me to save your life." The mare said. "But the cost is the life that you've made here. You won't be able to see the ponies you care about except from a distance. You will basically be starting a completely new life. Is that something you want?"
"I don't have much of a life here." Octavia said. "My entire family is dead, so its just me and I don't really have friends that are there for me. They just like my money."
"What about that stallion, Bar Line?" Octavia didn't even think to ask how she knew about Bar Line.
"I was interested in him and I could tell he liked me too." Octavia huffed. "But we didn't get the chance to dig deeper into our relationship so there aren't many romantic feelings. But at least with that mare taken care of, he'll be able to keep his marefriends."
The mare glanced back towards where Octavia assumed the serial killer was and the earthpony had a feeling that she was grinning. "Yeah, I guess that is one positive to this whole mess. So if you're certain, then very well."
The mare leaned towards Octavia until the earthpony could see the snow white muzzle beneath her hood. She felt a breath brush her ear and the mare whispered into her ear.
"By the way, you're wrong. You do have some family."
Before Octavia could even ask what that meant, she felt a sensation on her neck like a pair of teeth puncturing her neck and any lingering pains and aches melted away as she felt herself go slack and the darkness that once edged her vision, began to overpower it. And the last thing Octavia Philharmonic saw before her vision faded to black was the blood moon.
✴✴✴ Excerpt from Trottingham Times ✴✴✴
=====SERIAL KILLER CAUGHT!=====
At early dawn this morning, another victim of the infamous serial killer was found. But surprisingly enough, so was the serial killer. Not far from the body of the seventh victim was a unicorn mare by the name of Icey Spark. And from the looks of it, she'd been in a fight. When she was found, three of her ribs were cracked, her left hind leg was crushed, her right foreleg broken and there were numerous other blows that had been dealt to her. When questioned what happened, Icey Spark told them that before she could deal the final blow, she'd been intercepted by a strange unicorn mare who'd fought like a demon and ultimately knocked her unconscious. She didn't wake up until that morning when she was found.
At her trail, Icey Spark said that her reasons for committing her heinous crimes was for the sake of a unicorn stallion whom she'd known from afar and that her victims were merely roaches she had to snuff out. According to her testimony, Icey is a very racist unicorn and only viewed other unicorns as worthy rivils. But unfortunately, the stallion she admired had no such qualms and often found mares from other tribes attractive. The Inspector in charge of the case admitted that he found it odd that the only connection he could find between the victims was this stallion, however these connections were shaky at best as only the first victim was actually dating him. The others had only actually expressed some form of interest in him.
As she was being interviewed, it became increasingly obvious that Miss Spark was not in the right mind and her sentence is the Trottingham Asylum. Her seventh victim, Octavia Philharmonic, was a young and gifted earthpony cellist who had performed at the Trottingham Music Hall that night before leaving for home. Of course when he was informed of this, the stallion in question was both horrified and grieved has decided to pay from his own pocket for a funeral for Miss Philharmonic and a memorial service for the other six.
Miss Octavia Philharmonic was born on xx\xx\xx and died xx\x\xx She was preceded by her mother, Silver Belle, her father, Brio Tempo and her sister, Melody Note. May she rest in peace.
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As the funeral proceedings went on, two cloaked forms watched from a far off hill. Any normal pony would have trouble seeing anything from this particular distance, but these were not normal ponies and they could spot every detail from where they were.
"Wow, I'm impressed at the turn out." One of the figures, a mare commented casually. "In fact, I'm actually seeing the families of the last six victims."
"Not very surprising." The taller figure, a stallion, said. "After all, she is the last victim of that mare and since she has no family to attend, they've decided to fill that role for her."
The mare seemed to frown and she was quiet for a bit. "Yeah...family."
The stallion and mare sat in silence for a moment. "You're bothered by this entire thing aren't you?" The stallion asked, though his tone made it more a statement than a question.
"Of course I'm bothered by this entire thing!!!" She exploded at him. "If I'd been there or had just been faster, I could've avoided this whole thing and they wouldn't be burying her right NOW!!! Heck, if I'd have been able to figure it out sooner, I probably could've stopped that mare before she did much!!" With her explosive reaction over, the mare turned away, slumped to the ground and fell silent.
Gently, the stallion laid a hoof on her back. "None of this is your fault you know." He said. "True, we are strong. But we aren't all powerful. Things happen. That's life. It has its ups and downs which are all very important parts of learning and growing. And remember, she isn't gone completely."
The mare flinched slightly at that and turned a head. "Do you that she'll....?" She couldn't even finish the sentence.
"I can't lie and say there won't be any rough patches." The stallion admitted and the mare wilted a little more. "But everything will turn out alright. You'll see."
"It's been years since she last saw me." The mare said quietly. "Years since we last spoke. What if she hates me?"
"She won't hate you." The stallion reassured. "For now however, we've got to go get some rest. Tonight is a big night you know."
"Right. Of course." The mare agreed and stood up. The pair then left the hill and trotted back to a house elsewhere in Trottingham for some much needed rest.
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Octavia stirred slightly and cracked open her eyes. "Mmm, what?" Was the first thing she said when she found herself surrounded by pitch black. "Where am I? And what happened?" She asked groggily as she tried to shift through her recent memory. It was all a blur, but was quickly settling into more solid shapes.
'Hey there, you're up.'
Octavia jumped in surprise at the sudden voice. "Who's there?" She demanded as she tried to scan the darkness for the new voice, but it seemed oddly solid.
'Listen, I know things are a little disorienting right now, but let it all settle in and come back to you.' The female voice told her calmly, if a little casually.
A moment after that, Octavia's most recent memories surfaced. She remembered going home that night then a crazy unicorn mare, a knife stabbing her over and over, her blood pouring out and then a rescuer and a blood red moon. It all hit her like a sack of bricks and she was able to place the voice of the pony that was currently speaking with her.
"You're the pony who helped me out that night." Octavia said. "You saved me."
'Um, yeah. I guess.' The mystery mare said and it could've been Octavia's imagination, but it sounded like there was a note of sadness in her voice.
The earthpony mare went to sit up, only for her to hit her head on something hard. A little confused, she felt around her pitch black space and found herself in a long narrow space exactly her size, lined with satin and with a cushion beneath her head. It didn't take long for Octavia to put two and two together and figure out exactly what she was in.
'So um, this isn't going to very fun and unfortunately we're supposed to be a little quiet so you're going to have to have to let it all out there.'
Octavia didn't reply as she'd then proceeded to panic about the fact that she was currently in a coffin. She screamed and panicked and hit her hoof on the lid, only to find it solidly standing its ground and instead of a hollow knocking, there was a solid thud. This of course served to raise her panic levels several notches.
"I'm in a coffin and I'm BURIED!?" She screamed. "Hello up there!?! Get me out before I suffocate down here!!!"
'Calm down. You aren't going to suffocate. You don't even need to breathe.' The mare told her. 'Heck, given how you've been carrying on and how long it's been since you were first buried, I'd say you ran out of air several minutes ago.'
Octavia paused her banging and found that the mare was right. She wasn't drawing in breath and when she tried, she found there wasn't any air to draw in. This led her to a conclusion that dropped a chunk of ice into her stomach.
"Am I dead?" She asked.
'No. You're just...changed.' Came the reply.
"Changed into what?" Octavia asked and there was silence for a short time.
'I'll tell you later. First, we need to get you out and to our place. Are you done panicking?'
"I...think." Octavia answered shakily.
'Okay, there will be questions that you want to ask and you may feel the urge to panic. Do you think you can hold it all in until we get to where we're going?'
"I think I can try." Octavia said with all the conviction she could muster, which wasn't a lot.
'Good enough for me. Just sit tight and take calming breathes while we get you out.'
"There's no air down here for me to breathe." Octavia pointed out.
'True, but you could go through the motions like there is air.'
"Alright I guess." Octavia said.
It was odd breathing without actually taking in air, but Octavia found it a little soothing given her situation. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she soon heard the sound of hooves scraping against wood and the top half of her coffin opened to reveal a cloaked mare who held out a white hoof. Octavia took the offered hoof and let herself be pulled up and out of the box. Once she was settled on her hooves, she turned to take in her surroundings.
She was definitely in a graveyard with the moon high in the sky and casting its light on the stone markers surrounding her like a forest of dead. She recognized the family plot and she recognized her grandparents and great grandparents graves not far from where she was standing. And not far from there was her mother's grave next to her father's more recent grave. And when she turned back around she could she her sister's grave right beside her own.
A hole had been dug right near the headstone and was already being filled in by a cloaked stallion but she could clearly read the inscription on it in the dark. There was her name, Octavia Philharmonic, carved in beautifully with her birth and death date right beneath it. It was her grave. She didn't say anything or move for a long while. All that existed was her and that piece of stone with her name on it. She was shaken from her stupor when something was dropped onto her back. When she turned to look she saw that a cloak had been thrown across her back and the mare was silently fastening it around her neck.
"I'm so sorry about this." She apologized. "I didn't mean for this to happen and if I could do it all over, then you wouldn't have to go through this."
Octavia didn't say anything. She just let the mare pull the hood over her head and be lead away by the two strangers. She glanced back at her grave, hole now completely filled in like nothing had happened, and kept her eyes on the headstone until it disappeared from her sight.
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By the time Octavia returned her attention to her surroundings, they'd left the graveyard a while back and they were now in a part of town Octavia hadn't been in. They passed by a few who were out on the streets at night, but none of them paid them any attention. Almost like they didn't even see the three cloaked figures. Octavia want to ask, but chose to hold her questions until later. Eventually they arrived at a fairly large, middle class house. The stallion then led the two mares up the stairs and let them in.
The door let them into a large entryway with places to hang coats and hats. The stallion pulled off his cloak to reveal a cream colored earthpony the size of a draft horse with a bright red mane and tail and an apple wrapped in leaves and vines for a cutiemark. As Octavia pulled her hood down, the stallion called out.
"We're back!" He thundered in a deep voice and a beige stallion with a brown mane trotted in. And for some reason, Octavia felt like she'd met this stallion before.
"Welcome back you two." He greeted. "Were there any problems?"
"Nah. Things went smooth as silk." The mare answered. For some odd reason, she'd kept her cloak on and her hood up. "By the time Apple Vine here was done, you couldn't tell that anything had been dug up."
The stallion, now known as Apple Vine only nodded thanks. But before anyone could say anything, there was a sudden shout that made many of the assembled ponies wince at the volume.
"WHERE IS SHE?!!?" There was a rush of wind and a bright yellow pegasus mare with a sky blue mane rushed around the corner and locked her red eyes on Octavia. Then at a speed so fast that that Octavia didn't have a chance to react, the pegasus tackled her and ended up knocking her to the floor.
"A new Coven Sister!" She squealed happily as she began to play with Octavia's face. "And now I'm not the youngest in the house! Yay!! We're going to have so much fun!"
"Um...what??" Octavia mumbled around pinched cheeks as she didn't understand anything that this mare had said. There was the sound of trotting hooves and a unicorn mare rounded the corner that the pegasus had come around, panting.
"Golden Skies, don't do that." The chocolate brown mare huffed out before pushing her pink mane out of her face. "She's a newborn, its too soon for this."
"Sorry, I was just too excited to wait." The pegasus said. "I just had to meet our new Coven Sister as soon as I could." She then turned back to Octavia and helped her back to her hooves. "Hi! You must be Octavia. We've heard a lot about you. I'm Golden Skies and this here is Strawberry Bonbon."
At that moment the unicorn mare that she'd named grabbed her tail and began dragging her back. "I am so very sorry, House Elder." She apologized to the beige stallion with a bow of her head.
"I don't blame you for this, Miss Bonbon." The stallion said. "But perhaps we could speak of this another time."
"Of course sir." Strawberry Bonbon then yanked Golden Skies off her hooves and they both vanished from the room in the blink of an eye.
Octavia stood there confused then turned to the unnamed stallion. "Uh...so what was she talking about?" Was the first question that came from her incredibly taxed mind.
The stallion placed a hoof on his face and sighed as he dragged it down to his muzzle. "Oh this isn't going to be easy." He muttered under his breath. He then addressed the other ponies in the entryway. "Perhaps we could discuss this over a calming cup of tea in the parlor."
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The group settled in seats in the parlor that they'd been led into. Apple Vine had gotten out a teapot with tea and some cups and the unnamed stallion had poured cups enough for them all. Octavia however couldn't get comfortable in the chair she sat in and the other mare had yet to remove her cloak or even sit down. Instead she stood beside Octavia's chair.
"How much cream?" The beige stallion asked.
"About a third cream." Octavia answered, thoroughly weirded out by the familiarity of this, despite this entire situation. The way she was, she felt like she could short out at any moment.
"And sugar?"
"Just two lumps."
When he was done preparing her cup, the stallion passed it to her and settled down to his own. When she was three sips into her drink, the stallion spoke.
"Let's start with introductions." He said. "My name is Steady Remedy. It's a pleasure to meet you Octavia."
"Nice to meet you too Steady Remedy." Octavia said. "I apologize for not properly greeting you, but tonight has been a bit...much."
Steady looked at her sadly. "Indeed it has young one. And I ask that you forgive me for only adding to this already stressful night." He apologized and set his cup down so he could lean forward. "Octavia Philharmonic, you are no longer a pony. You've been changed into a race that is only known in myths and rumours."
Like a curtain had been dropped, Steady Remedy and Apple Vine suddenly changed. They remained earthponies with bright red eyes, but now their pupils had narrowed noticeable, but not in a reptilian way and a pair of sharp fangs protruded from they're mouths, roughly a couple inches long. Octavia dropped her tea and backpedaled into her chair.
"V-vampires!" She cried out. She then turned to the cloaked pony in the room. "Y-you're a vampire?" She asked more like a statement than any sort of question. The mare then pulled her hood down to reveal that she was a white unicorn with a long electric and darker blue mane and red eyes and fangs like the other two. But it wasn't the eyes or fangs that drew Octavia's attention. It was the fact that she could swear she'd seen this mare somewhere before. But the memories were a little fuzzy due to time so she just stared, trying to remember.
The mare then reached over and set a hoof on Octavia's head. "It's been such a long time, Li'l Tavi."
'Li'l Tavi? Nopony's called me that since........?!?'
Octavia's brain then short circuited and crashed catastrophically. When she didn't move or say anything, Melody Note Philharmonic waved a hoof in front of her face.
✴✴✴✴✴✴
After Octavia's mind restarted, she'd gulped down several cups of tea before calming down enough to speak. "You're Melody Note?" She asked. The white unicorn nodded. While Octavia had been shut down, Melody had taken the time to take her cloak off and hang it up at the entryway. When Octavia returned to awareness and got a clear look at the entirety of her, her mental processes threatened to collapse once more. Only when Apple Vine passed her a cup of tea did she calm down a little.
"How are you here?!" Octavia demanded. "You're supposed to be dead!!"
"It's all thanks to the good doctor here." Melody nudged Steady Remedy. "With my permission, he gave me The Bite."
"And...you gave me the bite." Octavia said, connecting the puzzle pieces. It wasn't very hard. Now that she was feeling around, she could feel her own fangs. "I'm a vampire." She said solemnly. In her mind, she depressingly added, 'I'm a monster.'
"Hey! Don't think like that!" Melody Note said firmly and Octavia looked confused and a little alarmed.
"W-what?"
"Ah, first thing you should know is that vampires have some telepathic abilities." Steady Remedy interjected. "Right now you're kind of projecting your thoughts to us."
Octavia gave that a moment to let that sink in, then she screamed. "Whatever happened to privacy!?!" She screamed as she grabbed onto her head.
Melody chuckled. "Don't worry, your mind isn't an open book to everyone." She reassured. "Only your topmost thoughts and only with other vampires within your direct vicinity. Since you're only a Newborn, those topmost thoughts are being projected, but once you've trained a little those thoughts won't be projected as easily. In fact, you'll be able to direct them to specific vampires. How did you think I was talking to you while you were in your coffin? I sure as heck was shouting through six feet of dirt."
Now that Octavia was thinking back, she hadn't heard Melody with her ears. She was hearing her in her head. At that time, Steady Remedy tapped his hoof on the table a couple times to call attention.
"Alright now, that's enough for tonight." He announced. "After just being reborn, Miss. Octavia must be exhausted." When he said that, Octavia found it to be true. She suddenly felt very exhausted. "Tomorrows a very big day and she'll need all the rest she can get. Apple Vine, please lead her up to the spare room. Melody, I'd like to speak with you a moment."
"Yes sir." Melody said with a slight inclination of her head. As Steady Remedy lead Melody Note to a different room, Apple Vine helped Octavia to her hooves and let her lean on him while he took her to where she would be sleeping.
"Apple Vine? Why is tomorrow a big day?" Octavia asked tiredly as they climbed a flight of stairs.
"Tomorrow is Moving Day." Apple Vine answered. "A house of vampires only stays in a town or city for as long as we can before we have to move on to another location. This is because vampires don't age and if we stayed too long, ponies would start getting suspicious. We were considering moving to Canterlot, but since you're a Newborn, we're going to have to return the Coven's safehouse."
"I'm sorry." Octavia mumbled out her apology.
"It's okay. To be honest, I'd been thinking of returning to the safehouse to see some of my friends who're in different houses. So don't go blaming yourself."
"I don't understand why I feel so tired." Octavia said as she leaned on him more and more heavily. "I'm a vampire right? So shouldn't I be tired during the day and active at night?"
"When a pony first turns into a vampire, it takes a lot outta ya." Apple Vine explained. "Not to mention, you're internal clock still hasn't adjusted to the more nocternal hours. Give it time. It'll pass. For now, just rest."
When he said that, Apple Vine opened a door that opened up to the spare room and guided her to the bed. Octavia instantly collapsed onto the mattress and Apple Vine tucked the blankets around her.
"Apple Vine, I'm scared." Octavia whispered before the stallion could leave the room. A single sentence that meant so many things. Apple Vine turned his head to look her in the eye.
"Don't worry young one." Apple Vine said as he laid his huge powerful hoof on her head. "It's always quite the adjustment, but everything will settle into place. I promise you."
The way he said that with such conviction, I made Octavia feel like it was the truth and she quickly feel asleep. Apple Vine then turned and quietly closed the door behind him. At the bottom of the stairs, he paused and turned his head to his right.
"She just went to sleep. You can come out now." He said a little bluntly. After moment's pause, Melody Note slid out of the small alcove beneath the stairs and up to Apple Vine. She was glancing away from the tall earthpony and her mane partially shielded her face.
"How is she?" Melody asked, the statement carrying more weight and implication than one would think.
"You and I both know that the next few months or even years are going to be an adjustment for her." Apple Vine said. Melody's ears dropped and she sat down and rubbed her left foreleg. Her mane also fell forward and almost covered her face.
"I never intended for this to happen." She said quietly. "I thought that she'd grow up, find somepony to love and lead a normal life. But I just couldn't let her die there like that and I just...I just had to save her somehow. And now I've dragged her into this life."
Apple Vine laid a hoof on her shoulder. "You didn't drag her into this life." He said. "You followed our Coven's code and didn't turn her without her permission. She'll adjust just like you and I did and then everything will fall into place. Just give it time. You'll see."
Melody Note sniffed and wiped her nose. "Okay. Do you think that she'll accept me?"
"You're her sister. Of course she'll accept you." Apple Vine said. "Now let's go get ready. We still have things to pack."
Melody Note stood and pushed her mane out of her face. She was starting to feel a bit better. "Yeah okay. Thank you for that Apple."
"Any time Melody." Apple Vine answered.
When Octavia woke up, the room was brighter but still shadowed. Across from the bed was a thin sliver of sunlight pouring in through a crack in the curtains. Octavia hesitated a moment before she threw off her blankets and trotted over to peek through. At first she jumped back when the sunlight blinded her for a minute. But after blinking the stars out of her eyes she tried again, only this time she squinted to reduce the light. The sunlight still felt very bright, but now she was able to make out what was going on outside.
Two vehicles were being prepped and loaded. One was a simple wagon that held a large number of crates and trunks. The other looked more like a very large carriage with curtains in the windows. Outside loading the wagon and carriage were the ponies that Octavia met yesterday. Apple Vine was just finishing with the wagon and had secured the back and cargo while Steady Remedy was helping Strawberry Bonbon tie a couple trunks to the back of the carriage. Once those tasks were done, Apple Vine and Steady Remedy went to hitch themselves to the vehicles. Steady to the carriage and Apple to the wagon.
"Good morning, or should I say afternoon." Octavia jumped with a yelp and swiveled to face a grinning Melody Note. The unicorn mare was now dressed in an elegantly casual dress and her mane was done up in a messy but oddly neat bun that let some of the hair down in an altogether lovely look. Octavia had completely forgotten about her and quite frankly it still felt a little unreal.
"Anyways, we've taken the liberty to gather your things from the house." Melody continued. "And I picked out a dress for you to wear. We're going to be leaving soon, so get changed and come down." As she spoke, she levitated Octavia's favorite brown dress into the room and onto her bed.
Octavia didn't say anything. She just stood there and stared straight at Melody Note and it didn't take long for the atmosphere to turn awkward.
"So uh, I'll just leave you to it." Melody said as she left the room. She then trotted down the stairs and strode straight ahead to the nearest wall where she threw her head into it with enough force to create a small crater in the hardwood and stone beneath. That however didn't even register to the unicorn and she just sighed morosely.
"Melody? Are you okay?" Golden Skies asked when she turned the corner and spotted the other mare.
"Yeah Goldie." Melody Note said, her words muffled by the wall crater her head was in. "I'm...just fine." She then pulled her head out and began walking away. "I'm going to go check in with Steady. I'll fix that later."
"Uh...okay." Golden Skies said to no one in particular as Melody Note was already gone.
✴✴✴✴✴✴
When Octavia stepped out, she was wearing the dress and her mane was also done in a bun, only her's was more neat with only a couple of strands in front of her ears. She trotted down the stairs and spotted an odd crater in the wall in front of the bottom of the stairs. She quirked an eyebrow questioningly, but didn't say anything.
"Hey there new sister!" Golden Skies greeted with a flap of her wings and a grin. She also wore a dress, sky blue with a more simple style and her mane had been braided then wrapped around her head. "Did you sleep well?" She asked as she led Octavia down a hall.
"Very well, as one would expect." Octavia answered.
Golden Skies giggled. "I guess so. I remember my first time. I almost slept till evening!"
Octavia was silent for a time. "How did you do it?" She asked and Golden gave her questioning look so Octavia clarified. "How did you adjust to all this?"
"Well it's not the easiest thing to get through, but it helps to put a positive spin on it." Golden Skies said. "Being a vampire isn't as bad as the legends would have you believe. It's actually pretty cool you know. And you have your sister! Isn't that awesome?"
Octavia hesitated. "I can honestly say I don't know." She said.
By this point, they'd reached the back entrance and Golden Skies pulled open the door to start out but Octavia stayed rooted in place. Noticing this, Golden Skies paused and turned to her.
"Hey, why the sudden stop?" She asked and Octavia pointed outside.
"That's sunlight and we're vampires." She said. "Don't we like, burn to ash in the sun?" The moment the question left her mouth, she realized it was silly to ask since Steady Remedy and Apple Vine were outside at that moment and were distinctly not ash. Golden Skies on the other hoof giggled.
"Silly, that's not how it works." She said as she grabbed onto Octavia. "Here, let me show you." With that, she effortlessly pulled her out the door. Once the sunshine hit her, a funny feeling went through the new vampire like she lost much of her strength but she didn't feel tired. And most importantly, she wasn't burning.
"See? We don't burn in sunlight, but it does weaken us and our magic plus prolonged exposure tends to make us feel a little sick." Golden Skies spoke as she led Octavia up to the carriage.
"Yep. The reason why ponies think we burn up is because somepony saw that sunlight made us uncomfortable or something like that and assumptions were made." Melody Note continued as she came up from behind. "Eventually over time, it became known that 'vampires burn in the sun'. In my personal opinion, it helps hide our existence. After all, who would believe that a vampire can walk around during the day."
As she spoke, Melody climbed into the carriage then held out a hoof to Octavia. Octavia gave the hoof a very long stare before hesitantly grabbing it and letting herself be pulled into the carriage. When she entered the shade within, the feeling left her. Inside the carriage was very plush. There were soft rugs, some blankets and lots of large and small pillows were scattered.
"How long will the trip take?" Octavia asked.
"Well, considering how late we're starting out, I'd say we'll won't arrive until later this evening." Strawberry Bonbon said as she climbed in. "Maybe even around midnight if we're unlucky."
Golden Skies was the last to climb in, so she pulled the door shut and locked it. As she did so, Octavia did the math. It wasn't very hard to put two and two together.
"Wait! But that would mean Apple Vine and Steady Remedy will be out in the sun all day." She exclaimed as she poked her head out the window. Steady Remedy smiled.
"It is kind of you to concern yourself with our health, but Apple and I have done this many times." Steady Remedy said. "I would be very surprised if we couldn't handle ourselves by now."
"And I imagine it helps that much of path is shaded." Apple Vine added. "Do not fret Miss Octavia. We will be fine. Now we should be going now." The last part was directed at Steady Remedy, who nodded and took the lead as the left the yard and out onto the now bustling streets. Before she could be seen, Melody pulled Octavia in and drew the curtains closed. For a time they rode in silence until Octavia broke it with a question.
"So what exactly is this safehouse?" She asked.
"It's our Coven's Safehouse." Golden Skies said. "You see, vampires usually gather into these large groups we call Coven's and every Coven has a safehouse where vampires can stay for various reasons. Like if they're Newborns or if they've decided to take a break from the pony society."
"Otherwise a single vampire or a whole group will live amongst the Day Kind." Strawberry Bonbon picked up from there. "We can live in a single town for a decade or so, the max is three decades, then we either move on to a different town or city or we return to the Safehouse. It all depends on the vampire or group. Most of the time, usually when a group is sizable or diverse enough, we'll defer to what we call, the House Elder."
"Which is basically the oldest vamp in the house." Melody said. "And in our case, that's the good doctor, Steady Remedy here. Only three hundred years old and he looks like he's in his late twenties, early thirties."
"And I'm still going strong!" Steady Remedy called back in a playful voice before continuing in an over exaggerated old pony's voice. "And don't you forget it you whippersnappers!"
Everyone laughed while Octavia looked a little confused. "Wait, how did he...?"
"Extra sensitive hearing." Melody explained. "All vamps have it. Alongside sharp sight and smell. You can now hear more, see more and smell more than the average pony can. Neat huh?"
"I guess so." Octavia said trying to take Golden Skies advice and put a positive spin on things. "Now I can hear things when I play that others wouldn't be able to hear. What else can a vampire do?"
"Well, we're incredibly durable. Like its really really hard for a vamp to get hurt." Melody said. "And even if we do get hurt, we can heal quickly and without scars. We can even regrow lost limbs! We're also very strong and fast."
"Speaking of which." Strawberry Bonbon, who was peeking out the window, said. "You may want to brace yourself because we're about to-" before she could finish, the carriage suddenly lurched forward and there was a distinct feeling of speeding up as Octavia surged forward with the motion. "-speed up." The mare finished a little irritated since she could hear Steady snickering. "I swear, sometimes that stallion acts like a foal." She muttered to herself as she straightened out her cherry red dress.
Once she steadied herself, Octavia moved to the nearest window and pulled open the curtain to see the scenery rush past them at almost blinding speeds. "Whoa." She whispered.
"Yeah. It's pretty cool, isn't it?" Melody agreed. "Whenever we get out of the Day Kind's sight, we speed up quite a bit. Helps us travel faster."
"If it helps us travel faster, then why are we only going to make to the Safehouse at a late hour?" Octavia asked.
"Because this isn't our maximum speed." Golden Skies said. "The weight of a wagon and carriage tends to weigh a pony down you know."
"Add to that the fact that sunlight weakens and slows us, plus the fact that we need to consider the durability of said wagon and carriage and the end result is a longer journey than it would be if we were traveling on our own." Strawberry Bonbon continued. "At this exact moment, we're traveling at half the speed a vampire can accomplish."
Octavia blinked and turned to look outside once more as her mind put the pieces together. Once it was done with that, her jaw dropped and her thought processes short circuited at the same time. Nearby, Melody Note began to laugh.
"That was my reaction too." She chortled.
✴✴✴✴✴✴
As predicted, it wasn't until early evening that they arrived at the Safehouse. After their conversation leading up to the subsequent breakdown of Octavia Philharmonic, much of that time was spent resting in preparation of the upcoming night. As Octavia was waking up from her nap, she felt the carriage slowing to a stop. Around her the other mares were also waking up and stretching. The door opened, letting in the darkening evening light.
"We're here." Steady Remedy announced then held his hoof out to help the mares out. When he got to Octavia, he smiled and said with flourish, "Miss Octavia, welcome to the Safehouse."
Octavia looked up at the building in question and gasped. The Safehouse wasn't so much a safehouse as it was a safe mansion. It was huge multifloored building covered in equal parts white and black marble with red accents. Currently they were standing in a large yard designed to receive carriages and wagons and was closed off by a tall fence. And surrounding it all was a forest thick enough that Octavia had no idea how the carriage and wagon made it through.
"Powerful enchantments." Melody piped up, making Octavia jump. "You were wondering how the carriage made it through, there are special paths that only a Night Kind can find and these are protected by additional enchantments. In fact, this entire place is hidden by both enchantments and geography."
"How useful." Octavia said, remembering the telepathy. It was amazing how much a pony's life could change in just a few short days. But before she could contemplate these thoughts very far, the doors burst open and out came a pair of ponies. The first was a spring green pegasus mare with a long, slightly curled pink mane. Her companion was a dark mint green unicorn stallion with a chocolate brown mane.
"Welcome back!" The mare greeted as she came up.
"Good to be back." Apple Vine said as he came over.
"Its great to see you all, but we weren't expecting you here so soon." The stallion said, his face creased with worry. "What brings you back so soon? I hope nothing horrible."
Then his eyes landed on Octavia and suddenly, everything went quiet as the two newcomers looked her over. "Ah, a Newborn." The stallion said with a nod. "That explains it."
"Mint. Peach. I'd like to introduce to you, my sister Octavia." Melody Note spoke as she pulled the grey earthpony forward. "Octavia, this is Chocolate Mint," the stallion nodded acknowledgement. "And Peach Blossom. They're vampires who live here at the Safehouse more often than the others."
"Lovely to meet you." Octavia said with a small curtsey. Peach Blossom tittered gently.
"There's no need for formalities here." She said kindly. "Here amongst the Coven, many of us think of each other as family. Come on in. Everyone else is just getting up, so we can introduce you to the Coven."
"Thank you." Octavia thanked and they followed the pair in while Steady Remedy and Apple Vine moved the wagon and carriage elsewhere.
Inside was just as huge as outside and true to Peach Blossom's words, the occupants were indeed just rousing themselves. She could see vampires stumbling out of rooms yawning, a few standing in line for the bathroom and when they reached the dining room, a few were preparing the table for a meal.
"Shining Pearl!" Golden Skies cried out as she tackled a white unicorn with a blue and purple mane and hitting the floor with enough force to create a crater shaped like her.
"Golden Skies!" Shining Pearl greeted in response. None of the vampires in the room paid the crater any mind. The only one who seemed bothered by it was Octavia. Shining Pearl continued speaking. "You're back so soon. Thought you'd be gone much longer. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah. Nothing really really bad happened." Golden Skies answered as she pulled her friend out of the crater. "We just had to bring a new friend!"
It was then that everyone noticed Octavia and the earthpony suddenly found herself the center of attention once more. She shuffled her hooves lightly and waved. Then Melody slung her foreleg across her back and pulled her close.
"Guys, I'd like you to meet my baby sister, Octavia." She introduced the quiet earthpony. Shining Pearl's horn lit up and the pony shaped crater began to straighten out. As she worked to repair the damage, a silver pegasus with a dark blue and white mane stepped forward with a smile.
"Welcome Miss Octavia." She said pleasantly. "My name is Moon Feather. You've already met Shining Pearl." The mare in question waved then returned to her work. "And I don't need to introduce you to Golden Skies, Melody Note or Peach Blossom of course."
As they'd gone along, Strawberry Bonbon and Chocolate Mint went off to talk and they had yet to meet back up with Steady Remedy and Apple Vine. So when they'd reached the dining room, it was just Golden Skies, Peach Blossom, Melody Note and Octavia. Aside from those familiar ponies, plus Moon Feather and Shining Pearl there were four other vampires in the room that were approaching them. Moon Feather of course began introducing them all to her. The first was a bright red unicorn stallion with a white and black mane.
"This here is Red Script." Moon Feather introduced. "The most brilliant author ever. You may have even read a few of his works."
Red Script's blush rivalled his coat color. "S-stop that." He stuttered embarrassedly. "I'm not that great."
"Yes you are. And don't you dare deny it." A bright green earthpony with a white mane chided lightly before introducing herself. "Hey, I'm Pear Flower. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." Octavia said courteously. Pear Flower nodded then gestured to a black pegasus mare with a dark purple mane draped partway across her face.
"There is Night Wind and finally-" she spoke before she was suddenly interrupted by a pink earthpony mare with a mix of blues as her mane color. The mare in question had suddenly lept in front Octavia while declaring, "SEA BLOSSOM!!" Effectively cutting off Pear Flower.
Octavia of course reacted in a very reasonable way. That is to say, she let out a shriek at her sudden appearance and fell backwards onto her back. Pear Flower grabbed Sea Blossom's tail and dragged her back with a frown.
"Sea Blossom, don't do that!" She scolded her. "It's not good to scare ponies you've just met. Especially Newborns."
"Sorry Pear." Sea Blossom said, her cheerful enthusiasm not dropping at all at the scolding. "But I just had to say 'hi'! Plus I bet that Golden Skies met her in much the same way."
"It's true." Golden Skies confessed unapologetically. "I was just too excited about having a new Coven Sister to wait." Moon Feather and Pear Flower facehoofed.
"I'm amazed that the two of you haven't traumatized her." Moon Feather muttered. As this had been going on, Melody Note had helped Octavia to her hooves and dusted off her dress. Moon Feather then turned to Melody. "Melody, why don't you help her get settled in a room? Breakfast is almost done, so when you're done, come and eat."
"Sure thing Moony." Melody said with a cheerful smile and Moon Feather frowned.
"I really wish you wouldn't call me that." She growled. Melody just laughed playfully.
"Well, what am I supposed to call you?"
"Moon Feather." The mare replied seriously.
"Hmmmm, too long. I like Moony better." Before the silver pegasus could tackle\throttle her, Melody Note grabbed Octavia and got out of harms way as quickly as possible. Which was pretty dang quick.
✴✴✴✴✴✴
Melody Note threw open the door with a flourish and a "Ta-da!" as she presented the fair sized room to Octavia. It was a large and fairly plain room furnished with a wardrobe, a desk, a bedside table and a large conopy bed with thick curtains. There was also a large window that overlooked what seemed to be a large yard area with a garden, small orchard of ten or so trees and other such things. The windows in the room also had thick curtains that were currently open and let the moonlight in. When Octavia stepped into the moonlight pouring in, she felt strengthened and energized.
"So this is my new life." She said with depressed finality as she sat on her haunches. Melody Note quietly closed the door, sat down beside her and placed a hoof on the younger mare's back.
"I'm so sorry." She apologized. "When I was sick in the hospital and the doctor came to me, do you know what I said? I told him that I didn't want to die because I wanted to be your big sister. I wanted to be there for you and look out for you like any big sis would and it didn't seem fair to me. When he made the offer, he told me roughly what I told you and I said it was enough for me if I had to protect you from the shadows."
At this point, Melody pulled Octavia into a hug and Octavia could feel wetness seeping into her dress where the unicorn mare had buried her muzzle. "I've been watching you since, but when you needed it most I wasn't there!" Melody cried. "If I'd have been there sooner, you wouldn't be going through this and you'd be safe at home right now, living a normal pony life! So, I'm sorry for doing this to you! I'm so so so so sorry!" She cried for a few minutes longer before a sensation halted her tears for a moment. It was the feeling of hooves on her back as Octavia returned the hug and rubbed a hoof up and down her withers.
"I forgive you." Octavia whispered and Melody's heart stopped. "I forgive you because there's nothing to blame. You aren't at fault here. You tried your best to save me and you did. Sort of. I'll just have to...adapt to my new situation. You'll be there to help me right?"
Melody sniffed and pulled Octavia closer as she began to cry some more. "Yeah. I'll be there with you the whole way this time." She said in a shaky voice with a trembling smile. "I promise."
Octavia was still very much confused about her relationship with this mare and Melody Note knew it. But at this moment that didn't matter. What did matter was that Melody needed a shoulder to cry on. So for the moment they just sat there hugging each other as Melody cried tears of joy onto her sister.
First Breakfast and Adaptions
When Melody finished crying, the two received complaints from their stomachs reminding them that they had yet to eat. Melody had then told Octavia that it would be alright to go to breakfast casual, so they stripped themselves of their dresses and undid their manes. But while Octavia let her mane drape down her neck, Melody Note put her's in a loose half braid that brushed the floor. Now that they were ready, the pair left the room and began trotting back to the dining room.
By this point in the evening, the mansion had become more alive and bustling and when they passed by a front facing window, Octavia could some vampires loading other wagons and carriages. They'd met a few vampires in the halls and they were a little curious about her, but they were very kind a courteous towards her. When they got closer to the dining room, Octavia halted when a scent assaulted her nose. It was an odd scent in that it made her feel conflicted. On one hoof, some part of her craved the scent but on the other hoof, she was also disgusted by the smell.
"Sweet Celestia! What is that smell?!" She asked. Melody paused at her exclamation and sniffed the air a few times. A look of realization crossed her face and she began wracking her brain for some way to put this tactfully.
"Uh, that would be the smell of you're biggest adaption." She started uneasily. "You see, now that you're a vampire, there's going to be a...slight diet change."
Octavia looked at her sister then a little detail about the vampire myths she'd heard as a filly hit her with the force of a hammer to her gut. "Oh Celestia...I'm going to need to drink blood?!?" She exclaimed.
"Kinda. It is a very very important part of your new diet." Melody interjected before her sister could start hyperventilating. "But it isn't the only thing you can eat."
"Really?" Octavia asked a little hopefully. Melody nodded slowly, knowing full well that what she had to say next wasn't going to help much.
"Uh, yeah. We also require meat in our diet." She said carefully. Octavia looked ready to faint so Melody continued. "Fruits and vegetables are still an option, but vampires process their nutrients from blood and meat. It just not optional to cut it out of our diet. What you're feeling at the moment is your body's instinctive knowledge of what I needs and the last vestiges of your pony brain chemistry. It'll pass soon enough."
Octavia couldn't respond to any of that. Instead she flopped down onto her haunches and stared forward. She looked about ready to curl up into the fetal position, so Melody Note quickly changed the subject.
"H-how about we go walk in the garden before going in for breakfast?" She suggested. Octavia nodded numbly and let the unicorn pull her to her hooves and lead her away. Breakfast would just have to wait a bit.
✴✴✴✴✴✴
The garden was very lovely place and Octavia's nose was filled with the sweet scents of flowers. It was enough to relax her so she could look around the garden. Some of them were plants she could identify. Others were plants she hadn't seen before. Like a blush with silver berries that glowed or a flower with petals that seemed to be made of dark blue smoke that flowed and trailed off.
"This is a beautiful garden." Octavia commented, partially to take her mind off certain things. "I recognize some of these plants. If we're nocturnal, then how is it that these plants are so well tended to?"
"Like I told you, sunlight isn't deadly to us." Melody explained. "Some vampires actually come out here during the day to tend to some of the plants. But not all of these plants are day plants. The plants that you don't recognize are of a more nocternal breed. Like these berries. These are called Silver Moon Berries." Melody gestured at the aforementioned berries before moving on to the smoke flower. "These are known as Nightmist. And over there is a patch of Blood Blossom."
Octavia flinched at the last one and Melody's eyes widened as she fully registered what had come out of her mouth. "Um, sorry about that." She apologized sheepishly. "But in all honesty, this isn't really something that you can avoid."
Octavia glanced away briefly. "So, from now on I have to eat...." She stopped to suppress her gag reflex as well as she could. Melody placed a hoof on Octavia's withers.
"Believe me, I felt like gagging my first time too." She said sympathetically. "I think it helped that I ate some veggies with it. Don't worry though. If you give it time, you'll come around to it. You kinda have to."
Octavia was silent for a time. She still felt slightly faint at the thought of blood and meat. But at the same time, her stomach craved it and was rumbling at the thought it. She also wasn't so keen on the idea of starving to death so soon after what she'd been through. In the end, after a minute or two of internal deliberation, she decided it would be best to get the over with quickly.
"A-a-alright." She replied. "If I need to, t-then I need to."
"If it helps any, I'll be right there beside you." Melody told her gently and Octavia smiled at her in gratitude and let herself be led to the dining room.
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As the approached, the smell grew stronger and Octavia almost balked. Instead she swallowed her uneasiness and continued her journey. And as she walked, she noticed that her disgust was slowly slipping away until it was more bearable. Inside the dining room, the table had been piled with food items. Most of them were meat of course and Octavia hesitated at the sight of it until Melody lay a steadying hoof on her back. Octavia then took a breath and trotted over to the large table. Half the seats were already taken and they were looking for a place to sit when Golden Skies called out.
"Melody! Here! Sit here!" She called as she waved her hoof and slightly flew out of her seat. It was altogether hard to ignore so Melody trotted over and sat to the left of the energetic pegasus with Octavia next to her. Sitting to the right of Golden Skies was Shining Pearl.
"Nice to see you joining us." Shining Pearl greeted with a nod before taking a bite of sausage. Octavia gulped at the sight, but Melody Note replied casually.
"It's nice to see you too." She said. "And you're still at the Safehouse. It's been what, half a decade since you've been out in the world. How long are you planning on staying?"
"Actually, there's this seaside pony village on Crete that I plan on settling in for a time." Shining Pearl said. "I'm going to be leaving for the port tonight so you caught me in time."
"Crete eh?" Melody asked. "Isn't that an island in the Minotaurian Empire?"
"Pretty much. I figured it might be interesting to experience a different culture than Equestria."
"Sounds like fun. Take care while you're over there." Melody said.
"Thank you. And don't worry, I'll be fine." Shining Pearl reassured before raising her glass to her lips.
"Oh! Oh! Can I come with?" Golden Skies asked. "Please please please! I could be a great help!"
"Hmmm." Shining Pearl hummed as she put her glass down. "Sure, why not. There's no harm in you accompanying me. After breakfast, you'll have to hurry up and pack. I want to make to the port before midnight."
Golden Skies almost squealed in excitement. "Okay!" She then scooped all of her remaining food into her mouth at speeds that would have most ponies thinking it had just vanished. Then she was out of her seat and off like a shot.
"Remember to pack only what you need the most!" Shining Pearl called after her. "We aren't going to be bring a wagon or carriage, so pack light!" With those instructions shouted out, Shining Pearl returned to her meal and Melody smiled at the enthusiasm of Golden Skies.
She then turned to Octavia, who'd been glancing around the table at the various meat dishes with slight trepidation. Sheathed in the light of Melody Note's horn, Octavia's plate was lifted up and filled with several pieces of meat. Melody didn't pile a lot on, but she did make to fill the plate with plenty of sausages, some eggs, slices of apple and strips of bacon. With the plate filled, Melody set it back in front of Octavia.
The grey mare stared at the plate for minute before taking a bite of an apple slice. It felt odd biting into the familiar fruit. Like her teeth were different. More pointy than she last checked. The apple was still sweet and juicy, but it felt slightly unnatural for her mouth to chew it. But the feel and flavor still helped calm her nerves enough to pick up a long flat strip of meat. She carefully broke of a piece of the crispy strip of meat and stared at it for a time as if she was willing it to be be something else.
Then she mentally threw her hooves up it a 'may as well get this over with' gesture, then proceeded to shove the entire chunk into her mouth and bite down. Like the apple, it was a little juicy and it was a little crunchy and chewy in texture. But unlike the apple, it was salty and savory and Octavia couldn't help but savor it until she swallowed. When she reached for the rest of the bacon strip, Melody smiled and left her to her meal as she glanced around the table. Her eyes settled at the head of the table where a slightly bigger and more decorated chair was. And to her disappointment, it was also empty. Shining Pearl had already finished her meal and left the table, so Melody turned her next readily available source of information, Pear Flower who was sitting just across from her.
"Hey Pear." She called to get the mare's attention. "Where's our Coven leader?"
Pear Flower gulped down her mouthful of food before answering. "Oh him? He had to attend to some very important business, but he should be back soon. Either later tonight or tomorrow evening."
"Dangit. I hoping to speak with him and introduce Tavi here to him." She bemoaned and Pear chuckled a little.
"You'll get your chance later." Pear Flower said placatingly. "Anyways, what's Trottingham like? A group of us are going out as a house and we decided that Trottingham should be our first stop. I even talked Red Script into coming along."
"Really?" Melody asked in surprise then turned to the stallion in question. "You haven't left the Safehouse in decades. How'd she convince you to come along?"
Red Script shrugged a little bashful. "She made a very convincing argument." He said before turning his gaze down to his plate as he fiddled with his silverware. The look on his face clearly said his mind was elsewhere. "And I guess that I've decided to stop living in the past."
When he said that, Octavia looked up from her plate and cocked her curiously. Everyone else however just nodded in understanding. Melody Note smiled.
"Well, you can't ask for a better place than Trottingham!" She said. "In fact it's even better now that Icey Spark is in a high security sanatorium for the rest of her life." There was a snarl in her throat as she growled out that mare's name and Octavia flinched as images of a bloodstained knife and a bloodthirsty grin stretched across a blue muzzle came to her mind. The vampires at the table didn't know the significance of this 'Icey Spark' but given Melody and Octavia's reactions, it wasn't hard to get a rough picture.
"Um...good to hear." Red Script said. Melody Note snorted angrily and began to dig into her own food. If she didn't require breathing, one might've thought that she would choke on her food.
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By midnight, most of the vampires had left the Safehouse. The only ones to remain that Octavia had already met were Peach Blossom, Chocolate Mint, Moon Feather, Apple Vine, Night Wind and of course, Melody Note. There were other vampires in the house of course, but Octavia had yet to be introduced to to. After breakfast and waving Steady Remedy and Strawberry Bonbon off before they set off for Canterlot, Octavia had gone off to explore the mansion. Eventually, her exploration brought her to the kitchen where Peach Blossom was washing dishes.
"Here, let me help." Octavia offered as she walked up and Peach Blossom smiled.
"Oh, thank you very much." She thanked and the two set into a rhythm. Five minutes in, Octavia asked a question that had been bugging her.
"So...um...if you don't mind me asking, but what did Red Script mean when he said that he decided to stop living in the past?" She asked and a sad look dropped over her face.
"Oh, that. Well, the last time that Red was out of the Safehouse...things ended badly." She said a little grimly.
"How badly?"
"Well, to put it simply, he fell in love." Peach Blossom smiled gently. "I never met her, but from what I heard she was a very lively and kind mare. She had a witty tongue and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Such total opposites, yet they fell so deeply in love that she knew what he was. And she didn't care. Heck, she even said that it made him amazing and unique. She was going to accept The Bite and he was trying to think of ways to propose to her." Suddenly, Peach Blossom's smile melted and her expression darkened. "Then everything went horribly horribly wrong."
Octavia leaned back a little. Peach Blossom had seemed like such a nice pony and to see such and expression on her face scared her. The Newborn vampire decided that it was in her best interest to not ask. A minute later, Peach's expression softened once more, this time with a look of sadness.
"Sorry. It just makes me so angry when I think about it." She apologized. "By the time it was over, she was dead and Red Script was on the doorstep sobbing his eyes out. He hasn't left the Safehouse since. At least until tonight. I imagine that, for him, leaving the Safehouse is like facing his personal demons."
"I'm sorry for bringing up such a personal subject." Octavia apologized but Peach waved her off.
"No, don't apologize. You were bound to learn about it anyways." She said pleasantly. "It's just that I take this matter a little extra personal to me since their story is very much like mine." She smiled lovingly as though she were remembering wonderful things. "Back when I was a pony, I was very weak and sickly. During that time, Chocolate Mint was my rock and I could careless if he was pony or vampire. We were actually married and had a couple children before he gave me The Bite. After our second child, the strain on my body was so bad that I was about to die. That's when I let him give me The Bite."
At this point they'd finished washing and had set aside their washcloths. Peach Blossom just continued. "After I 'died' Chocolate moved our family here to the Safehouse. One advantage of receiving The Bite is that my body was stronger and healthier than before. I was able to raise our children better than I could before and when they were old enough, they left to live in pony society." Peach Blossom's smile was bittersweet. Like she was remembering her happiest and saddest moments. Octavia glanced at the floor.
"And have you ever regretted it?" She asked. "Have you ever regretted being bitten?"
Peach Blossom smiled sweetly and answered in one word. "Never."
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Melody finally found her sister out in the garden staring at the moon.
"It really is gorgeous isn't it?" Melody commented as she trotted over to settle beside Octavia. At first the younger mare started at the sudden words but she'd relaxed when she saw who is was and the two stared up at moon.
"Melody, is it truly necessary for us to hide our existence from ponykind?" Octavia asked. "Can't we live together as friends?"
"Maybe someday, but for now, yes it is necessary to hide." Melody answered. "Remember that first thought you had when you found out you were a vampire? Lots and lots of ponies and other Day Kind fear us like that. And fear makes ponies do all sorts of horrible things. Just ask Red Script. It wasn't another vamp, or any of the other Night Kind that killed his love."
Octavia looked at the unicorn mare with a surprised expression that morphed into a look of horror when the implications of what Melody had said began to sink in.
"Peachy told me about your conversation." Melody explained. "Some ponies have made it their goal in life to hunt down and kill beings like us. These ponies tend to be the most paranoid and unreasonable of the bunch. And as far as they were concerned, if she was going to accept The Bite, then she was already a vampire. Red Script barely got out of there as it was."
Octavia felt even more sick than she felt when she found out that she was going to have to eat meat and drink blood. "Oh Celestia...." She murmured. "So its not possible for us to live like normal ponies. Does the Princess even know about us?"
"Actually, she does." Melody said and Octavia's face was once more a mask of surprise with a little bit of bewilderment.
"S-she does?" Octavia stammered.
"Yeah. And she does her best to protect and care for us to. A few laws that you know of are laws that she passed to protect us and one or two of the enchantments that protect this place were cast by Celestia herself. Mostly because our Coven leader is her liaison between her and the Night Kind. In fact that's why he accepted The Bite in the first place."
Octavia was flabbergasted. "Why would Princess Celestia herself care so much about us?"
"Well, I guess it's partly because she's just that kind." Melody answered. "But its also partly because it's what Luna would do."
Now Octavia was a little confused. "Who's Luna? And why would she care so much about us?"
"Luna is Celestia's little sister." Melody said bluntly. At Octavia's blank expression of shock, Melody continued. "See, five hundred years back, our land was ruled by two sisters. Celestia, the godess of the sun and day and Luna, the godess of the moon and night. And as Princess of the Night, Luna protected all those beneath her moon. And that included the Night Kind like us. She quickly formed a close relationship with us and we looked to her the way same way the Day Kind look to Celestia."
"So why haven't I heard of her before?" Octavia asked. "What happened?"
"A Nightmare happened. Not like a bad dream nightmare. I mean a literal Nightmare. Nightmares are foul demons of hatred a destruction. Some say they are litiral pools of hatred that were formed gradually. Others believe that their dark magic users that have been transformed to such a state due to excessive use of their magic. But however you slice it, Nightmares are foul beasts that crave only destruction and death. Thankfully, their really REALLY rare and on their own, they can do much. Their formless, so they require a host and their host's magic to do anything.
"And not just any host. They can only latch onto a host that's filled with negative emotions like anger, hatred or jealously. That's how a particular Nightmare found Luna. She was feeling the first seeds of jealousy and anger because of how ponies viewed her and how they treated the Night Kind when it came and whispered in her ear. Gradually, through the whisperings of her new 'friend', Luna's anger and jealousy grew and grew. Celestia was unaware of the Nightmare that had attached itself to her sister, but she was aware that something was wrong and tried to help. But it wasn't enough.
"Then one day, Luna's anger and jealousy came to a head and that's when the Nightmare suggested that if she were to refuse to lower the moon, the ponies would not only appreciate her night, but they would also love her Night Kind. It was on that day that the Nightmare and our Godess of the Night became Nightmare Moon."
Octavia gasped. As a filly, she knew of Nightmare Moon and how she'd refused to lower the moon. She would ask why of course, but the most common answer was that she was jealous of her sister and wanted to rule on her own. But she'd been defeated and sealed away on the moon. When she grew older, she figured that it was a myth and that the Mare in the Moon was just a picture on the moon. Now, she had different thoughts on the story.
"So why did Celestia seal her instead of getting rid of the Nightmare? Surely by then, she'd figured out what was going on."
"By that time, the Nightmare was firmly latched onto her and as long as she felt the rage a jealousy that she felt, nothing short of the Elements of Harmony themselves could get it off." Melody continued. "But the Elements of Harmony were much too weak since the bond between their Bearers was broken."
"Elements of Harmony?" The grey mare asked.
"The Elements are these light artifacts that require two or more ponies with a special bond between each other to bear them. And without that bond, the Elements weren't powerful enough to destroy the Nightmare. But they were strong enough to place a special seal on Luna. Not only was she banished to the moon, but the seal was able to separate the Nightmare from Luna enough so that she can't hear it whisper in her ear. Basically, she's been giving a chance to clear her head and think things over. Hopefully when the spell ends, the Nightmare will get off of her or at least will be weak enough to be destroyed."
Melody leaned back to lay on her back with her forelegs cradling her head. Octavia looked down at the mare that was supposed to be her sister then looked back up at the moon.
"So this sealing spell isn't permanent. She'll come back one day."
"Yep." Melody said casually, making sure to pop the P. "And I hope I'm there to see it. I wasn't there when the whole 'Nightmare' thing went down, but I've met some who were. Many blame themselves for not being able to help our godess. But from my point of view, nopony's to blame. Not Celestia, or Luna, or the Night or Day Kind. The real one to blame I think is that Tartarus damned Nightmare. When Luna does come back, I hope it gets incinerated so we can welcome Luna home."
Octavia rose an eyebrow. "That's a very...colorful way of putting it." She deadpanned and Melody chuckled.
"Yeah. And then we let the ashes rot in Tartarus." She said between snorts of laughter and Octavia lightly kicked her leg.
"You're shameless." She said, though there was an almost unnoticeable smile crossing her lips. And of course, Melody noticed. It just made her laugh harder.
"Nope, I'm just honest. And proud of it, dang it!" At this declaration, complete with raised hoof, Octavia let out a few snorts of her own. "And I got you to laugh!" Melody crowed triumphantly and it just made Octavia collapse into giggles.
The two sisters laughed for a while and had even started a tickle fight that had them squealing out great peals of laughter. By this point they'd completely forgotten why they were laughing in the first place. Finally the two collapsed on the grass in exhaustion but still smiling.
"There now." Melody huffed. "Doesn't that feel much better? You've been such a sad sack all day, you really needed that."
Octavia took a breath in through her nose and let it out her mouth. Melody was right. She didn't realize it until then, but with everything that had been going on, she'd been so tense and a little depressed. And now she felt lighter and more renewed than she could ever remember being. She turned to her side so she could face Melody.
"Did you say all those things just so I would laugh?" She asked. Melody gave it some thought.
"At first, not really. I was just speaking my mind." She said honestly. "Then I saw that you were enjoying it, so I ran with it. I remember that when you were a kid, you so serious when you were sad or upset. Up until I made you laugh of course."
Octavia slapped her on her foreleg and Melody just smiled cheekily. "You truly are shameless."
This time, Melody shrugged. "I probably am, but if that's true, I'm still proud."
"And now your incorrigible." Octavia said as she sat up, punctuating the sentence with a snort but a small smile still played on her lips. Melody shot her another cheeky grin, but didn't say anything more. Instead she looked up at the sky and saw that the moon was further along.
"It's getting a little late. Peachy'll be setting out dinner by now." As she spoke, Melody pushed herself up. At this, Octavia glanced up at the sky as well.
"Already?" She asked. Melody shrugged playfully.
"What can I say? Time flies when you're having fun. Now I don't know about you, but I'm a bit hungry and I can't wait to sink my teeth into a steak."
Octavia flinched lightly at the sound and thought of meat, but she still followed Melody's example and trotted after her to the mansion.
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At the dinner table, Octavia was introduced to a thick slab of seasoned and cooked meat that Melody called 'steak'. The meat was chewy and much juicier than the earlier bacon. By this point, Octavia was much less tentative about but she she still slightly shuddered internally about the whole thing. Even though there'd been a few new arrivals since midnight, there were still much less vampires than this evening. As she finished polishing off her steak, Melody pushed a cup in front of Octavia.
"Here, you need to have at least one glass a night." She prompted gently.
The liquid inside was thick and a bright red like a cherry. It didn't take a genius to figure out what it was. She gulped and reached for the cup. For her, time seemed to slow to a crawl until her hoof grasped the vessel. She stared in as she took in its scent. It was a sweet, salty smell with a small metallic smell. Octavia squeezed her eyes shut then tipped the cup back to gulp it all in one go. As expected, the blood was unexpectedly sweet with a slight salty/metallic aftertaste. She still felt like gagging, but it was bearable.
"Atta' girl!" Melody congratulated her with a pat on her back. "I know you don't like it, but it'll get better I promise. Here, have another steak. Extra rare."
Octavia didn't really know why the inside had a pink coloring, but she figured that was a question she could as when her stomach didn't turn at the thought of eating. Instead, she decided to ask another question that was she was curious about.
"So, if we're so feared and disliked amongst ponies, why do we live among them?"
Melody chuckled. "We don't hate ponykind." She said. "I mean, yeah there are some ponies to be avoided, but that doesn't automatically condemn a whole species. We live amongst the Day Kind because really, there isn't much of a point in avoiding that reality. Not to mention you, me and a few others I could name were once a pony remember?"
"Ah, yes." Octavia said as she took another bite of her steak.
"Also, we aren't completely helpless." Melody continued. "Vampires have special magiks that hide our true nature. You actually saw a bit of it last night. Remember how nopony paid us any mind when we were walking through town?"
"I remember."
"Well that was one of our magiks. It's a sort of aura that we can project onto others. Basically, so long as we don't either drop it or call attention to ourselves, its like we don't exist. Even if they look directly at us, they aren't going to notice unless we want them to."
"That's amazing." Octavia said in surprise. "But if this ability is so great, then why do we have to go to any lengths to blend into society?"
"Because its not omnipotent." Melody said. "See this power, this filter of sorts, is only at its strongest at night. During the day it weakens drastically so it can only hide our fangs and pupils. So we can at least look like normal ponies during the day."
"Oh." Was all Octavia had to say and the conversation lapsed into silence for the rest of the meal. When she was full and finished, Octavia excused herself and went to her room. By this point, the faint rosy fingers of dawn were creeping over the horizon and Octavia was tired. It'd been a very long day for her.
She pulled her curtains closed, plunging the room into darkness. If she'd been a pony, she would've had a hard time finding anything in the darkness. But she was no longer a pony. She was vampire. Which meant that she had excellent night vision and it was no problem to her to locate the bed and crawl under the blankets. As she lay down, she felt around her mouth and found that in addition to fangs, her once smooth flat teeth were sharp and pointed.
"So this is my new life?" She whispered to the darkness surrounding her. There was no answer, but she still continued. "This is what I am now." Still no answer and Octavia was silent for a time. For a moment, it seemed like she would cry, then she steeled herself, a look of stubborn determination in her eyes.
"No. I refuse to let this crush me." She growled to herself. "If this is to be my new life, I should make the most of it. I will move forward."
And it was with this in mind that Octavia finally relaxed into slumber.
Author's Note
Finally posted a new chapter! I hope you all liked it. I will be working on posting a new chapter as soon as I can. Thank you for liking this story and for following my stories. I'd also like to give a shout out of thanks to Columbiaguy for his support and advice. Go check out his stuff too!
Meeting New Friends and Learning New Things
Octavia woke from a dreamless sleep with a start. Blinking her eyes open, she discovered the cause of her sudden awakening was Melody shaking her.
"He's here! He's here! He's finally here!" She exclaimed.
"Mmmm. Who's here?" Octavia asked sleepily as she rubbed her eyes and Melody stopped shaking her.
"The guy I wanted to introduce you to last night. Our Coven Leader and founder. He finally returned!" Melody explained.
"Hmm. Oh really?" Octavia hummed a little sleepily as she was still shaking off its affects. She was startled awake entirely when Melody shoved her off the bed.
"Yes really." She said. "Now go get ready for the night. I'll introduce you after." And with that, she left.
Pulling herself off the floor, Octavia took the time to stretch before making her way to the bathroom. After making use of the facilities, she felt that she was a little grimy and hopped into the shower. With her mane and coat thoroughly cleaned, she then turned to her teeth. This was the first time she actually got a look at her new dental design, aside from what her tongue had been telling her, so she paused to examine herself in the mirror. The first thing she noticed was her prominent fangs that stuck out even when she closed her mouth. Behind the fangs where two other sets of fangs that were of diminishing sized compared to the first set and were easily hid in her mouth when she closed it. All the other teeth were simply much pointier than before. After studying these teeth for a time, Octavia scooped up a toothbrush and some toothpaste and began scrubbing.
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Octavia was halfway down the hall leading to the dining room, the smell of meat still making her cry internally, when Melody rushed up to her side. And she brought with her a unicorn stallion she hadn't met before. His coat was snow white and his hooves were a light grey. His mane was golden and his cutiemark was a compass rose. Melody slung her foreleg across Octavia's back and pulled her towards the stallion.
"Octavia, I'd like you to meet our leader and founder, Faithful Guidance." The mare introduced. The stallion gave her a polite bow.
"A pleasure to meet you." Octavia said, though slightly distractedly because that name sounded so familiar. Fortunately, Faithful didn't seem to be offended by her distracted tone. Instead, he seemed rather amused. Faithful Guidance then offered his arm.
"Would you mind too terribly if I escorted you the rest of the way?" He asked.
"No I wouldn't mind." Octavia said and she took the offered hoof. Soon they were walking hoof in hoof to the dining room. Melody however, ran ahead.
"I'm sure you've already heard this, but I'd like to formally welcome you to the New Moon Coven Safehouse." Faithful said.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Octavia thanked. "Since I arrived, I've felt very welcome amongst everyone. They're all very kind."
Faithful Guidance smiled. "I'm glad you think so. As a leader of New Moon, I always encourage spirit of care and acceptance. Of course, don't have to feel obligated to remain with the coven. When your Acclimation Period is complete, you're free to stay or leave to join another coven, go out on your own or even form your own coven if you wish."
Octavia raised a brow at the unfamiliar term. By this point, they were in the entrance to the dining room. But before the earthpony could ask what he meant, she was almost bowled over by a small, fast moving force. After regaining her balance, she looked over to see what had almost knocked her down and was caught completely off guard when she saw it was a unicorn colt, shuffling guiltily in front of her. His coat was a midnight blue and his mane was white. His right eye was the normal red of all the other vampires, but his left was silver, almost white, and pupilless. Poking out of his mouth was a set of fangs. And on his flank was a cutiemark depicting an eye with the moon as its iris.
"Um, I'm really sorry for running into you like that miss." He apologized. Octavia didn't answer. Instead, Faithful Guidance did.
"It was an accident and no one was hurt, nor was there any damage done." He told the young colt. "But I must warn you again about running in the halls Moon Eye."
"Yes sir. I promise, it won't happen again." Moon Eye promised.
"That's what you told me last time." Faithful countered with a playful, but slightly stern, tone. "And the time before that. And the time before that. And the time before that. You tell me every time there's an accident when you've been running in the halls."
"I know sir." Moon said. "And every time I do my best not to run. I really do." Faithful chuckled a little.
"I know you do." He said kindly. "But given the nature of your eye, you should probably resist a bit more. It's not safe for you to keep running into people and things because of your blindspot."
"I know sir." Moon Eye said with a light touch to his face below his silver eye. "I'll try a little harder next time. Promise."
"Alright son. I believe you. Now go eat your breakfast." He encouraged him with a light nudge.
"Yes sir!" Moon Eye exclaimed then ran off to eat. With the little scamp gone, Faithful turned to Octavia. The mare however, hadn't been paying attention to the exchange. She'd remained rooted in place, her gaze panning over the dining room. Now that her mind wasn't focused on the food and her heart wasn't as heavy with worry as it had been, she could see the children amongst the adults. Some were gathered with friends or older ponies like parents and siblings. There were colts that were fooling around with their food or teasing the fillies and there were fillies who were getting back at some of the boys or just eating. There were even mares who were feeding little foals with bottles.
"I...uh...hunh?!" Octavia spluttered. "Are even children bitten?" Faithful Guidance grinned and laughed a little.
"Ah ha ha, no no. That would go against our Coven's principles." He answered.
"Then....where....?" Was all Octavia got out. Faithful kindly guided the shell shocked mare to a seat before taking his at the head of the table.
"They were born vampires." He said calmly.
"Born?" She was coming out of her initial shock but her head was now flooded with questions. "Don't vampires multiple by biting ponies?"
"A common belief." Faithful said evenly as he served her. "We can turn ponies, but it is not the way we reproduce. Vampires can have children together like any other species. Just ask Chocolate Mint and Strawberry Bonbon. Mint is Strawberry's older brother. I believe that myth started because we are A. known for our ability to turn ponies with a bite and B. child vampires aren't seen very often. And in a world where we are feared and hated to the point where ponies try to kill us, do you believe that any parent would want to send their child out into that world?"
Octavia looked around at the fillies and colts as she considered the question. "If I was a parent, I don't believe I would do that to my child. At least not until they were safe or prepared."
"Exactly." Faithful said as he set the plate in front of her. "That's another one of the purposes of a safehouse. To provide a safe environment for parents to raise and teach their children. When they're old enough, then they leave to go out on their own, join a different Coven, form their own coven or even stay with this Coven."
As she ate her food, her mind mulled on what she'd been told. It barely even registered that she was eating meat. As she thought it over, she remembered the question that she'd wanted to ask, but hadn't got the chance.
"Wait, earlier you said something about an Acclimation Period earlier. What does that mean?" She asked. Faithful took a moment to swallow his food and dab his mouth with his napkin before answering.
"Ah yes, the Acclimation Period." Faithful Guidance said. "I knew that you would ask. In basic, the Acclimation Period is a period of time where Newborns, and I mean ponies who've received The Bite like yourself, remain hidden from Day Kind society. That's another purpose for safehouses like this. This is because when a pony receives The Bite, they basically die amongst the Day Kind. And if a pony that's meant to be dead is seen walking around, ponies get suspicious and suspicions lead to discovery and very bad things amongst us."
Octavia thought back to yesterday and what she'd learned about Red Script and his lover. She also felt like she'd need some time to adjust to all this anyways.
"I understand." She finally said in a quiet tone.
Faithful smiled kindly. "Newborns like you usually use this period to adjust to their new lives and learn how to control their abilities. I've got some free time today, so I can help get you started on mastering your psychic abilities."
"Thank you sir." Octavia said gratefully and Faithful Guidance chuckled gently.
"Please, no need for formalities." He said. "Here in New Moon, we are like one, big family. You can call me Faithful."
At that moment, it clicked and Octavia remembered why this stallion's name was familiar. "Wait a second, when you say your name is Faithful Guidance, you can't mean THE Faithful Guidance?" Octavia asked with growing shock. "As in the son of Princess Platinum herself and founder of the Royal Gaurd?"
The stallion laughed again. A good natured and lightly amused laugh. "I suppose I couldn't keep my identity secret for long, now could I?"
Octavia's mental processes threatened to short out at this information. Faithful Guidance had been known as the very first Royal Guard since he'd been the one to found the Royal Guard. His strategies had been something of legend and his combat skills, unparalleled. They'd said he'd disappeared on a top secret, high risk mission and was presumed dead. And now here she was, sitting down beside a legend eating breakfast. It was a little too much for her to stand and her mind simply gave out.
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"How are you still alive?!" Was the first question to come out of Octavia's mouth when her mind rebooted.
"Back in my day, after the banishment of Luna, there were many duties that Celestia had to shoulder." He started his tale. "Amongst these duties was the care of the Night Kind. This would've been, by no means, an easy task. So I volunteered to become her advisor and liaison between her and the Night Kind. And what better way to advise on the Night Kind than to become one myself. The only ones to know about this were Celestia herself and my closest Captains, advisors and Lieutenants who all swore that they'd take this to their graves." For a moment, a sad look crossed his face. "And true to their word, they did."
Octavia blinked at his mournful tone. "I'm sorry for your loss." She apologized. Faithful smiled kindly and apologetically to her.
"It was years ago, so don't worry too much about it." He said. "I'm sorry for making you worry about me."
"Um...okay." Octavia honestly had no idea how to respond to that and she once again thought about how drastically her life had changed in such a short time.
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After breakfast, Faithful and Octavia went to a secluded part of the garden to start practicing. Surrounded by nightmist flowers, the two settled to begin.
"Now, first we're going to meditate." Faithful said. "Get yourself into a comfortable position and breath deeply through your nose."
Octavia did as she was told. Faithful nodded approval.
"Good. Now we're going to relax and clear our minds by focusing on our breathing." Faithful continued. "This'll help you access your psychic abilities and by extension, control them."
Octavia quickly lost track track of time as she focused of her breaths and the calming scent of the nightmist. Gradually, she became faintly aware of other minds. She could feel them and here their thoughts, but they were muffled so she couldn't hear what they were saying. She was only aware that they did have have thoughts. By contrast, she could feel her thoughts blaring out loudly. Without thinking, Octavia started focusing on blocking her thoughts as well. Slowly but surely, she felt her thoughts begin to shield themselves.
"Very good." Faithful Guidance said and Octavia opened her eyes. "Now at first it can be a bit of a strain, but if you practice daily, then very soon it won't be."
Octavia blinked as Faithful Guidance stood up and started to leave. "Wait, that's it?" She asked in confusion.
"Yes. There really isn't much to our psychic abilities." Faithful said. "I could teach you how to send certain thoughts only to specific vampires who are within your range, but that's a lesson for a later time. After you've mastered controlling your thoughts. We aren't a very psychic species. Perhaps you could spend your time to meet some new people and making friends?"
On that note, Faithful Guidance left Octavia sitting amongst sweet smelling Nightmist.
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For a minute, Octavia stayed in the garden before going inside. At current, she was just sort of wandering around the halls with no idea of what to do. Her cello had been brought and was currently in her room, but at this moment she didn't feel like playing. She was still very confused about a lot of things. Suddenly something dropped in front of her with a thump, making her rear back and stumble to the ground in surprise. When the dust that had been kicked up on impact settled, Octavia saw a familiar midnight blue colt with a white mane and pupiless silver eye in her direction.
"Nuts!" The colt, Moon Eye if she recalled correctly, 'cursed'. "Almost there. One more try!"
Before she could say anything, Moon Eye swiveled around and at that moment, took notice of her. His eyes widened. "Oh my gosh!" He exclaimed then held his hoof out to her. "I am so sorry for that!"
Octavia took the offered hoof and was shocked to find herself, a full grown mare, being pulled to her hooves by a child. But with how things had been going for her lately, she didn't dwell on it for too long.
"Ah, its okay." She answered the colt. "I'm unharmed so there's no reason for me to be angry."
"Still, I'm sorry I didn't see you." Moon Eye said then he paused to take a good look at her. "Hey, didn't I bump into you earlier? When you were with Faithful?"
Octavia nodded. "Yes, I recall you as well." She answered. "It was quite the shock for me to see children vampires." The colt's eyes brightened in understanding.
"So then you must be a Newborn." He said then reached his hoof out again but this time in greeting. "Well, we've never been formally introduced. My name's Moon Eye, but everyone else just calls me Moon."
"My name's Octavia Philharmonic. It's a pleasure to meet you." Octavia said as she tapped her hoof with Moon's in greeting. Moon Eye's expression then became thoughtful.
"Octavia...Philharmonic..." He muttered then trailed off. "You wouldn't happen to be the Octavia that Melody Note Philharmonic always talks about, would you?"
"Melody talks about me?" Octavia asked in reply and Moon grinned.
"All the time." Moon said. "Because she was in the middle of her own Acclimation Period she had to come back to the Safehouse periodically and every time she was here, she'd go on and on about you."
"Really?" Octavia asked in surprise. Moon Eye nodded.
"Uh huh. It's a pleasure to meet you at last." He said.
"A pleasure to meet you too." The earthpony replied.
"So what are you doing around here?" Moon asked.
"At the moment, nothing." Octavia said. "Faithful taught me a bit on how to control my psychic abilities, but there wasn't much to learn so I've just been wandering around trying to find something to do."
"What about playing music?" Moon suggested. "Melody says that you're an accomplished musician." Octavia didn't answer. Instead she looked away which was enough for the colt to figure it out. "Oh, sorry. Well if you've got nothing to do, we could hang out and I could show you a few things about being a vampire."
Octavia nodded slightly quickly. "Sure, why not." She answered and the colt started leading her away. As she followed the young colt, a thought occurred to her.
"By the way, how is it that you dropped from the ceiling?" She asked. "What were you doing up there?"
"I was practicing my ceiling walking." Moon answered. "See, vampires can walk on walls. Even the colts and fillies. But the adults can actually walk on the ceiling. I was practicing and I had a pretty good grasp on the ceiling that time when I lost my grip and fell. And because you were in my blindspot, I didn't see you and I could've crashed into you. Again, sorry."
"Oh its nothing to worry about." Octavia quickly said. "I wasn't paying attention. If I had, I would've seen you."
"Mom says I have to be careful since I can't always see out this eye and I haven't mastered it yet so the fault is more mine than yours." Moon said and Octavia looked confusedly at him.
"Wait, what did you mean when you said you can't always see out that eye?" She asked. 'I thought you were blind in that eye.' She added to herself, completely forgetting to shield her thoughts from him in her shock. Fortunately he didn't look offended.
"To an extent, yes I am blind in this eye." He explained and Octavia flushed in embarrassment when she realized he'd head her thought. The colt pressed on in his explanation. "But that's not what this eye's supposed to see. You see my eye here has the gift of prophecy."
"Truely?" Octavia asked as she looked at the silver white iris.
"Yep. That's what my cutiemark means. My gift to see into the future." He said proudly. "However I haven't perfected it yet. I rarely get visions and whenever I do, they come and go like that. The rest of the time I can't see out this eye. But mom says that eventually I'll master it. All it takes is hard work, patience and training."
'Sounds like when I was training to play my cello.' Octavia thought sadly and Moon Eye looked at her with an unreadable expression which then brightened.
"Hey, I have an idea what we can do together." He said, drawing Octavia's attention from her thoughts. "I can teach you how to walk on the walls. C'mon, its so cool and fun too."
Octavia relented and let herself be lead by the colt.
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Octavia had to admit that the young colt was right. The mare's inner filly was squealing as she found herself walking on the wall as though it were flat ground. She even tried for the ceiling once she got wall walking down. She lasted longer than the young colt, but she still fell to the ground like he did. Octavia figured that if she was a pony, so many impacts from such heights would leave her sore all over to the point where she'd have a hard time moving. But as it was, all she had was a lightly sore rump and back. But before such thoughts could poison her mood, she shoved them away.
"You know you're getting good at this." Moon Eye said as they hung onto the ceiling once more. The colt's grip was slipping, but Octavia's held on.
"Thanks. I'm no stranger to hard work and practice when it comes to mastering something." Octavia said just as Moon lost his grip and tumbled down with a thud. Octavia quickly loosened her grip and dropped down beside him to help him up. "And I think it helps that I trained my hooves to pluck the strings of my instrument."
Moon Eye smiled. "Melody says that you're the best cellist she'd ever heard." He said. "Think I could hear you play?"
Octavia frowned and looked forward. "I'm not sure if I can play again." She said. "I'm still not sure how I feel about Melody. I was just a filly when she died and playing the cello was my way of connecting with her. But now that I'm with her, I'm just not sure how to feel about her or even my cello."
The two sat in silence for a time before Moon broke the quiet. "You know, soon I'm going to be a big brother." He said. "I don't know if it'll be a brother or a sister, but mom says that I should make sure to look after them. I'm a little nervous but I'm also excited to have a sibling to look after and teach."
He then turned to look up at Octavia. "And I'm sure that Melody felt the same way when you were little. I can tell when she tells us about you. She always sounds so happy about your accomplishments but also sad. I didn't understand why until mom was expecting. What if I wasn't there for my brother or sister for the happy times and sad times? I'd be sad too if that happened to me. But now you can see each other again and get to connect with each other like you couldn't do before."
Octavia sat there and let those word sink in. When they registered completely, she stood up. "Excuse me, I've got somewhere to be." She said then rushed off, leaving Moon Eye with a grin spreading across his face.
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Melody looked up in surprise when her sister entered the common room with her cello case slung over shoulder. As the earthpony mare opened the case and started checking to make sure it was in tune, Melody approached her to asked a question.
"Tavi, what are you doing?" She asked. Octavia pulled out her bow and pulled the cello into position then smiled at Melody.
"I'm playing a duet with my sister." She replied then began playing. Melody was silent for a few minutes before she grinned. With a flash of her horn, she summoned her own cello and began playing her own cello.
At first it took some time for the two melodies to sync up, but when they did the resulting harmony was gorgeous and it brought smiles to all the assembled vampires and those that were gathering when they heard the sound. Among them were Faithful Guidance and Moon Eye. Right at the moment when the twining melodies reached their peak, something clicked into place for Octavia and she felt like everything was going to be okay and that she could take on anything that the world could throw at her.
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Saddlebright was by no means a huge or famous town. It was located not far from the borders of Equestria but not so close that it could be considered a border town. Despite being near a large thick forest that was often rumored to be haunted, Saddlebright was a very peaceful, lovely town. Just perfect for the black and white stallion who was trying to forget the past.
Author's Note
I have done it! I have finally finished this chapter! Now the story can really kick in! I hope you all had a happy holiday this year and since News Years is coming up, Happy New Years! Hopefully I got this chapter right and if you didn't like it, I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter.
