"Is she going to be okay?" Applejack asked, hanging her head. The others gathered around seemed to be unable to speak as they looked to Luna and Lone Blaze.

Taking a deep breath, Lone nodded. "She is. Twilight took very little blood from your friend...I wonder why."

"Isn't it obvious?" Pinkie said, her smile returned as rapidly as she had lost it. "Friendship!"

Lone Blaze stared at Pinkie Pie, confused. "Friendship? That means nothing before the force of a Royal...moreso one who has feasted on Alicorn blood. With Princess Twilight as her thrall..."

"She's not gone."

All the eyes in the room went to the door, where Rainbow Dash was leaning against the frame. She was looking weak, but there was a very real fire in her eyes. "Twilight would never betray us. I know it...she's still in there."

"Rainbow Dash is right. Sanguine can't take away who Twilight Sparkle is." Luna said. "She was there for all of us, and I think it's about time we returned the favor."

A cheer went up among Luna and the other four, with Lone Blaze smiling a bit.

"Maybe we can pull this off. Maybe we can-" she stopped, looking to the window. From the center of town, a red beam had shot into the sky, and was descending, forming a dome over Ponyville. "Now what...?"

She didn't have to wait long for her answer, as a voice filled the town. A very familiar voice...

Ponies of Ponyville. Hear my words. Heed them. Your rightful ruler has returned to claim her throne. Submit to her power, serve her, and embrace your new lives.

"Embrace our new lives..." the response rose up from around the town.

The six ponies in the room all looked to the window, confused. "What is that?" Rarity asked, as they went to the window, seeing dozens of ponies walking out of their homes.

"Of course...she's using Twilight to project her will over the town." Lone realized. "They'll all be enslaved, and with a town to feed on, she'll be unstoppable..." she turned back to the others. "We have to do something before it's too late."

"Don't worry." Luna replied firmly. "These ponies have proven to be up to the greatest of challenges."

"That's right." Rainbow said, pushing herself up with a wide grin. "We'll stop that vampire and save Twilight, no matter what it takes."

The glow from the dome pulsed, and Twilight's voice could be heard again.

Your wills are no longer your own. Come, come to me and submit yourself to the Queen.

"Whatever we're going to do, we better do it fast." Applejack said, nodding. "Come on!"

All of the ponies headed to the door, and Luna stopped. "Rainbow, you're still weak. It could be dangerous for you; we are going to be fighting powerful vampire, after all."

Rainbow stopped short, shaking her head firmly. "No way. Twilight's my friend, and I want to help her, too. Besides, I want to kick the flank of the pony who's trying to turn her against us!"

"Sorry, Rainbow, but the Princess is right on this one." Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. We'll bring her back, though." she nodded encouragingly.

Rainbow folded her hooves. "Fine. But if this all doesn't stop in half an hour, I'm coming after you." she flopped back into bed.

"Deal." Applejack said, laughing a bit. With that out of the way, the five left, headed for the center of town. All around them, ponies were headed the same way, their eyes glowing red.

Pinkie shuddered. "Girls, this is way creepy...and I don't think I like the voice in my head."

"...what?" Luna said, turning to Pinkie. "You're hearing a voice in your head? Please tell us it's not-"

Pinkie gasped, her eyes widened and starting to glow red. She turned and walked slowly away, towards the town center.

"Of course...we're getting closer to the source of the magic..." Lone Blaze realized. "It will be harder to resist. You have to focus your minds!"

"I'm tryin', but..." Applejack said, her face scrunched up. "But it's too hard to fight...argh..." she straightened up suddenly, joining Pinkie. Rarity followed soon after, and Lone Blaze looked back at Luna, fearful.

Luna shook her head quickly. "I can feel Twilight's magic, but even as an Alicorn, she's still not as strong as I. Come on!" she and Lone Blaze followed behind the others, trying all they could to rouse them. Nothing worked, and soon they had arrived at the castle, where Twilight was standing next to Sanguine, her horn glowing red. Fluttershy was rounding up the entranced ponies, sorting them into groups.

"Ah, excellent. Bring them here, my dear." Sanguine said, nodding at Applejack and the others. They mutely followed Fluttershy to the front of the crowd. "Now, then...Twilight..." she guided Rarity to the front. "I believe this one has something to say."

"Yes...Twilight. I offer myself to you." Rarity said, bending her neck.

"No!" Lone Blaze cried out. Twilight bent over...and looked back up again as a spectrum of color burst the sky; the red shattered and the clouds parted.

"Twilight!" Rainbow said, landing in front of the Alicorn and hugging her. "Don't worry...I'm here."

"R-Rainbow Dash?" The glow faded briefly from Twilight's eyes. "I-I'm sorry...what I did...ah!" she cried out, holding her head.

"Twilight is a vampire...which means she belongs to me. Kill her, Twilight Sparkle. Do as your Queen commands!" Saguine said, pointing at Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy was flying up as well, fangs bared.

All at once, everyone covered their eyes as a blazing light filled the square. The sun was overhead, and a figure was descending from on high.

"No!" Sanguine dived for Twilight and Rainbow, only to be blasted back by a golden aura.

Princess Celestia landed before the gathered ponies, her horn shining as she glared at Sanguine. "Vampire...creature of darkness. You dare walk among my subjects?" she lowered her horn. "My sister showed you mercy, I understand. You should have taken it."

Sanguine laughed, shaking her head. "You fool. I have a Princess of my...own?" she looked up at Twilight, who was hunched over Rainbow, her body shaking. "How?"

"What you always missed, Sanguine." Lone Blaze said, as she approached. "Why we accepted the bargain, why the Council was formed. You never understood it, and that's why you lost today." She turned to Celestia. "I know you were not a part of the pact made, but I ask you to honor it. Sanguine is for the Council to punish, and the harshest sentence shall be passed upon her."

Celestia turned to Lone Blaze, lowering her head. "I will honor the agreement made by any Princess of Equestria. Besides that..." her eyes fell on Twilight and Fluttershy "I think we have our own matters to attend to."

Fluttershy sat up, holding her head. It felt like she had been sleeping for days. "Angel, I'm sorry, I'll...huh?" she asked, looking around. She wasn't at home...she was in Canterlot! She jumped out of bed, only to be caught by Luna.

"Oh...Princess. Thank you. I don't know..." she shook her head, trying to remember. Luna smiled.

"You were under a deep spell, but it has been reversed. Come, you've awoken just in time." Luna motioned for her to follow, and the two mares walked down the halls towards the throne room. Near the door, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Spike were waiting for her; they all smiled broadly when they caught sight of her, coming in for a hug.

"Fluttershy, you don't know how great it is to see you." Applejack said, ruffling her hair. Pinkie Pie squeezed her harder.

"G-girls, thanks...I still don't understand what happened, but..." she glanced around, worried. "Where is Twilight?"

That one question darkened the mood in the room, and Luna stepped forward. "She's just inside..." she opened the throne room door, revealing Celestia on her throne. Twilight was standing there, along with a strange pink mare. "Has everything been arranged?"

Celestia nodded solemnly. "Yes, it has. Dear sister, all of this could have been avoided if you had just told me what had happened." she sighed, bowing her head. "I thought that I had earned your trust."

"It's my fault." Luna said, going over to Celestia. "I wanted to prove myself, and I was afraid if you found out...they are still my subjects, Celestia. Even they desire freedom."

"Freedom." Celestia said, rising. "...is a high demand to make for those who feed on the blood of others. But..." she smiled slightly. "It is not outside of possibility. Twilight, while I was able to reverse the spell that transformed Fluttershy..."

"I know." Twilight replied, with a heavy tone in her voice. "I am...I'm no longer alive. With Sanguine dead, her spell over me is broken..."

"And a seat on the Council has been opened." Lone Blaze said. "Princess?" she asked, looking at Celestia.

Celestia nodded. "As a Representative of the Council of Shadows, Lone Blaze has requested that Twilight Sparkle join the Vampire nation and serve on their council." she turned to Luna. "The treaty that created the council, however, was signed by you, and not myself. It is for you to decide."

"W-wait. You mean, Twilight would leave us?" Rainbow asked, in shock. "She might be a vampire, but she's still..."

Luna cleared her throat, looking down at the two vampires before her. "It is Our Will that Princess Twilight Sparkle, formerly Princess of Ponyville, serve on the Council of Shadows..." she turned to the other ponies "and join Us as a Princess of the Night. It is long overdue that our two kingdoms be joined...if Twilight Sparkle wills it."

Twilight smiled for the first time since Ponyville, hugging Luna. "It would be my honor, Princess."

"Thank goodness." Applejack said, as the others came in to join the hug. "I thought we were about to lose ya for good again."

"I'm probably going to be busy for awhile." Twilight said, as the hug broke. "I have a lot to learn about being a vampire still...about controlling my new instincts."

"Something I will be happy to teach, Princess." Lone Blaze said. "And I believe you'll find that most of the other vampires are not like Sanguine Glow. We've learned to live in peace, these past centuries. For now..." she smiled. "Spend time with your friends. I'll remain in Ponyville until you're ready to leave. Just to make sure you don't slip up."

"Thank you. And thank you." Twilight said to Luna. "Come on, girls."

"...so do you like, still like candy?" Pinkie Pie's voice could be heard as the group left, and Luna turned to Celestia.

"How can I expect you to forgive me, Sister? My...pride very nearly cost us dearly."

Celestia's eyes were on the door by which Twilight and the others left, and she let out a heavy sigh, looking to Luna. "You did what you believed was best. I am not immune to mistakes myself...but we both made one good choice." she smiled, looking back up. "We put our faith in Twilight Sparkle. Whatever lies ahead, I'm sure she can handle it. I believe you'll find her to be an intriguing student."

Luna's eyes widened, and Celestia nodded.

"She must learn to be a vampire, but also, you have accepted her as a Princess of the Night. You must teach her things that I can not know. Besides, I have another pony who's waited for me long enough."

Luna smiled, taking her seat next to Celestia. "You always did have good taste in students."

Author's Note

And so ends the Halloween Special that veered a completely weird direction. I hope you enjoyed it~ I may revisit this sometime, expand on the ending.