Creature of the Night Episode 2- Pure of Heart

Chapters

Memories
Best Friend of Two Worlds
Showdown
First Impressions
Tea Time
Loving Shadows

Memories

From the vantage point of a ladder, Spike watched Twilight running back and forth frantically putting things together. "Twilight..." he started to say, as Twilight was fast becoming frantic, "I thought you'd be over this by now."

Twilight kept running around like mad, then, as her assistant's words penetrated her already stressed brain, ground to a halt mid-walk, and gave Spike one of her most condescending looks. "How can I just get over this!? Celestia is the ruler of all Equestria, and she's coming here!"

Spike calmly said "Twilight, remember the breathing exercises," reminding her of what Cadence taught her just before her last royal appearance.

Twilight took a deep breath up and down, then sighed. "Sorry," - she took a deep breath again - "It's just, this is one of the first real visits since I became Princess she's had that wasn't because of a meeting. What if she's here to surprise me with some big news or something?" Once more she began to pace, addressing her remarks to the walls rather than Spike. "Is this an official visit or a social one? How formal is it meant to be? Does she expect a parade? I don't have enough precedents for this!" She wheeled round, and gazed appealingly at her dragon. "I'm scared, Spike."

"Well, what was in the letter?" Spike suggested, trying to reign in Twilight's insanity.

"Oh she just said that she was coming over for a visit, do not panic..." She caught herself on that one, and did a slightly embaressed giggle, "And make sure that Creature is here when she gets here."

"That vampire pony?" inquired Spike, a little skeptically, "But why would she want to meet him? Why would anypony, come to that?" Spike had still not gotten used to the idea of a vampire patrolling Ponyville at night.

"I don't know" Twilight said, once again accelerating full-throttle towards panic mode, but Spike gave her a look so she calmed down - a little, anyway. "Maybe they know each other, Creature did say he was over one thousand years old," she said, calming down. "Maybe I'm getting worried over nothing..." The grinding of hooves on the gravel outside made her break off her sentence. "Or then again, maybe not." "Or then again, maybe not." Dashing to the window with what she hoped passed for grace and self-control, she saw Celestia's chariot pulling up outside.

Twilight turned an exquisite shade of pale-lilac. "Spi-ike!" she howled, "She's early! Where is Creature!?"

Meanwhile, back at his castle, Creature was standing alone in his usual spot, talking to an old friend who had long since passed. "Hi, Pure," Creature said casually to the gravestone. "Oh no, things are going good. I'm just a little nervous, I'm gonna see 'Tia again. I hope she knows by now that I had nothing to do with... what happened," he sighed.

A gentle breeze blew across the hillside, make his hood rustle slightly. Smiling, he said "Well, I guess I should get going." He turned. "I love you," he said, over his shoulder - and then, unfolding his wings softly and silently, he took to the air, gliding down towards Twilight's castle.

Twilight, in the meantime, was looking at Celestia who had arrived in mere moments. Twilight was sweating bullets as she said "Princess Celestia, hi!" What she had hoped would be a confident voice came out as a nervous squeak.

CShe then paled when she saw that Creature was not here and Celestia's chariot arrived. "Where is Creature!?"

Meanwhile back at the castle Creature was standing by himself where he ususally was, talking to an old friend who has long since passed. "Hi Pure" Creature said casually to the gravestone. "Oh no, things are going good. I'm just a little nervous, I'm gonna see Tia again." He sighed "I hope she knows by now that I had nothing to do with...what happened."

He paused as the wing blowed causing the sounds of his hood fluttering in the breeze, smiling he said "Well, I guess I should get going" He turned and then turned his head back. "I love you" Then quietly went to Twilight's castle.

Celestia merely smiled, humble as ever, and simply said "Twilight, you can relax around me now. You're a princess too, you know."

"I know it's just..." Twilight said nervously, but Celestia patted Twilight's head with her hoof.

"Twilight, I'm grateful that you look up to me so much, but understand, we're not just mentor and student any more. We're peers, equals. I have to show you the same amount of respect that you show me." Celestia said with a smile. "I may do all the more... official stuff, but your title is nothing to ignore either." Twilight beamed proudly, and started to calm down when suddenly Celestia's voice took on a more serious tone. "Tell me something, Twilight... this... Creature of the Night you told me of in your last letter to me. What was the color of his coat?"

A sense of confusion filled Twilight as she said, noticing the shift in Celestia's tone to suddenly serious "Dark Green"

AA flash of rage filled Celestia's face, but buried it under a false smile. She gritted her teeth and slowly took a deep breath, Twilight not noticing the actions because of how quick they were. "Is that so? I think I might know this pony. I might know him very well."

Creature slowly landed then and than walked into the room. He looked at Celestia and quietly said "Hello Princess, I don't know if you remember me, but, it's been too long." He gently closed the door as he said to the Princess, "Twilight said she told you about what I was." He glared slightly at Twilight. "That part of me is supposed to be secret, I don't want to scare anypony with the revelation." Twilight rubbed the back of her head with her right front hoof at that, but then noticed under Creature's mask, a smile forming. "However, it's been over one thousand years since... that dreadful day." The smile turned momentarily to a grimace, but he continued walking forward and finally kneeled before Celestia. "Time that, I hope, destroyed any confusion about the incident."

Celestia looked at him, her rage becoming more and more visible. "Confus..." She gritted more, unable to finish the words. Creature backed away, a clear since of dread filling his body. "Confusion!?" Celestia shouted, the castle shaking with the sound of her enraged voice. "Confusion!?" She repeated over and over again as Creature was nearly to the front window, wings spread, ready to fly away and escape. "I'll show you, there is no confusion..." Twilight, noticing the tone stepped in front of her.

"W...Wait, I know Creature's true nature is frightening, but..." Twilight began to protest, but noticed Celestia's mane was glowing neon, such was her fury. Twilight realised she had never heard Celestia use the Royal Canterlot Voice before. She didn't like it.

"Twilight, him being a vampire isn't why I'm going to fry him," Celestia explained, walking slowly forward, "I've always known about that, it took the inspiring words of a friend to convince me that not all vampires like him are monsters." Her death glare intensified a thousand fold as she looked at Creature who looked back at her, realizing slowly he couldn't run away from this. "No, I'm going to fry him because of what he did. It was unforgivable. She loved you, Dueling!"

Creature froze when he heard her shout that name. Twilight muttered "Dueling?"

"You didn't think Creature of the Night was my real name, did you?" the vampire pony said quietly, a sense of disgust filling his voice, "Dueling Star of the Star Royal Vampire Pony clan" he said finishing his bombshell "Ex-Vampire Pony Prince"

Twilight, though shocked, struggled to regain her composure, as she asked "What's going on then, Dueling...or do you prefer Creature?" Creature nodded to the latter "Right, Creature. What is she talking about?"

"An incident that I had nothing to do with" Creature, shouted, more at Celestia than Twilight. Though his words were bold, dread was etched across his face. "My mother came in, she was trying to break me, so she's the one that did it. I took care of it, 'Tia, honest"

"Do not call me 'Tia, you bloodthirsty monster!" barked the enraged sun ruler. "You have no right to call me that, you lost every right to call me that when you did what you did!" Her horn glowed in rage as her tone shifted to sinister in nature. "She loved you, Dueling. She would have done anything for you, even become a vampire if you'd asked her, and if you did."

"She'd be miserable and lonely, even if she had me" responded a now visibly upset Creature. "You knew what she was like, she was full of life and adventure and passion. She wouldn't survive the burden of eternal life. The Knowledge that you'll see everypony you know and love eventually grow old and die." There was a bite of the lip as the Sun Princess knew all too well of that burden, except unlike her vampire target, she could not die period. "She would have hated that. I think I would know my special somepony 'Tia!" was the next thing shouted at the off-white alicorn, who glared and glared intensely at that.

"Stop calling me that!" was shouted in response as the room grew in heat. She walked forward slowly but surely as she looked directly at Creature's fighting stance.

From seemingly out of nowhere, a concerned voice shouted "Stop!" The Princess and the Vampire stopped their march towards each other; turned and looked at Twilight who had her hoof up begging for some peace. She merely asked one simple question, one question that had been on her mind since this whole shouting match started. "What are you talking about?"

"He killed a close friend of mine!" claimed Celestia as Creature glared harshly at the claim. "Purity Heart"

Best Friend of Two Worlds

A stunned silence fell in the room as Celestia's accusation began to weigh in. Dueling, Creature, or whatever somepony wanted to call him, killed his best friend. He killed Purity Heart. Eye contact was not broken by the off-white alicorn and the dark green vampire pony, as the latter held onto his claim: "Pure was not killed by me, Tia! I loved her, more than any pony in Equestria. I would never hurt her. My mother came for me for revenge, she was trying to kill me and Pure..."

"Shut up!" thundered Celestia - the castle walls vibrated from the sound of her voice, her hair glowed as bright as the sun. Twilight saw the look in her eyes: a look that she'd never seen before on her teacher: hatred. She continued "I should have known you would have done this. I let myself honestly think that you were different, you weren't like the other vampire ponies we were arresting and slaying back than. I was wrong... and finally... you will receive justice."

Seeing her horn glow, Creature said "Yeah, bit of a problem with that." She paused as the vampire pony leaped out of the window and spread out his wings, dodging the beams Celestia was firing at him, hurtling towards the horizon and landing in the Everfree forest. Celestia hissed as she turned away

"Princess Celestia! Wait!" Twilight called out, stretching out her hoof as she saw the older alicorn slowly shift her figure into one of compassion, and not of rage. "There's so much I don't understand. I know Creature is scary, but he saved me and my friends from a Hydra. He... doesn't seem like a killer..." there was a feeling of heat in the room as she continued on "And... then... there is this Purity Heart or... Pure, who in Equestria was she? I... I need to..."

She felt Celestia's right forehoof being placed on her head as Celestia sat down. "I apologize, Twilight," She began, "Sometimes I forget that even though you are my equal now, and not my student, there are things in this world that you don't know." She withdrew her forehoof and said "Perhaps if I fill you in, I can help you." With a heavy sigh Celestia began...

She felt Celestia's right forhoof being placed on her head as Celestia sat down. "I apologize Twilight," She begain speaking "Sometimes I forget that even though you are my equal now, and not my student, there are things in this world that you don't know." She withdrew her forehoof and said "Perhaps if I fill you in, I can help you." With a heavy sigh Celestia began

"Before there was a such thing as Equestia, there were just two little fillies who enjoyed each other's company, and no... this wasn't me and Luna. It was myself, and Purity Heart. A kind soul with a troubled life, an inspiration to all, honestly. She and I used to play together a lot. She was a unicorn with a desire to become one thing... a Princess. She wanted to be just like me, a leader, a princess, a heroine..." A low growl emenated from Celestia's lips "Then... that thing came in. I was so foolish, when Purity introduced us, I honestly thought that... that he was different from the rumors I've heard of the monsters that were being seen at night, giving poor Luna nightmares. He asked me on that day... if he could marry her. I said yes, not knowing of the horror I would see. My best friend... killed... by the very colt she swore wouldn't do it. That's why I'm going to stop him, Twilight. He needs to be destroyed. His outlandish claim was the same as it has been for centuries and I will not fall for his lie. He will be stopped, and nopony else has to die"

"Princess," Twilight said slowly, but Celestia left the room.

Something wasn't settling in right with Twilght though, it couldn't be that simple, could it? That it was just the case of a monster hiding in plain sight that the Princess was trying to protect Equestria from? It was so weird, Celestia always seemed... a hundred percent right about everything. She eyed the Everfree and quietly got up, leaving without a word, heading to the one place where she knew Creature would be.

"Creature?" Twilight shouted as she looked around "I'm alone! You are here aren't you?"

"Yeah" Creature said causing the purple alicorn to look up and see Creature by the tombstones of the old castle. "You here to kill me too?"

Walking towards him quietly Twilight sat down next to him and said "No... I need some answers... a name you mentioned... your special some pony?"

"Pure," Creature said, softly, his voice oddly poignant. Twilight notice his tone shift instantly, in almost a blissful state he began talking to himself quietly. "Pure was...she was..." He took a pleasant sigh and continued with a rhetorical question. "Have you ever met somepony or many ponies who you can just simply say are the ones who made your world?"

Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike, flashed slowly in Twilight's head and she joined in Creature's smile, with a simple "Yeah."

""That was Pure to me," He continued, "That mare... completed me. I never told you about my mother... and there are several good reasons for that. My mother... wasn't a very nice pony," said the vampire pony with a tone that said that he was putting it lightly. "Her world view was... everypony who wasn't like us... wasn't... you know... a vampire, are no more than prey to what we are. She absolutely forbade any member of the clan to interact with anyone else who was a mortal. I broke that rule... with Pure." He looked out quietly. "I told you before I have drank a few ponies before right?"

There was a tentative nod from Twilight as Creature continued "One of my pony victims was... an abusive father, my father was there and he taught me to hunt ponies who would not be missed all that much. That was... Pure's father... she said that... after that day... things looked up for her. She met Celestia, was there for Luna's birth, and... all around, her life improved. I was her hero, and I didn't even know it."

"A lot of bad things happened" Creature said quietly "I got in a bad way, and Pure... she then became... my heroine. She helped me become a better pony, she taught me a way to keep my strength up and survive without having to hurt others. She made my life... I... loved her... dearly."

For only the second time since she'd met him she saw Creature begin to tear up. Fat, heavy tears began to roll down his cheeks. He wept bitterly, and silently. Twilight asked quietly "Creature... what happened to Purity?"

A rage filled growling, horrifying, sound came from Creature, something monsterous and full of rage as he said "My mother happened...she went crazy...slaughtered almost every pony in the clan. Then she came after me...she wanted to hurt me, but she didn't know how. Until Pure...bless her" His eyes watered again as he slowly wiped them with his left forhoof. "She tried to fight for me...she was killed right infront of me"

A rage-filled growling, horrifying, sound came from Creature, something monstrous and full of rage and quite unlike any noise Twilight had ever heard a mortal pony make. "My mother happened... she went crazy... slaughtered almost everypony in the clan. Then she came after me... she wanted to hurt me, but she didn't know how. Until Pure... bless her;" His eyes watered again, but he wiped the tears away with his left forhoof. "She tried to fight for me... she was killed right in front of me"

Twilight looked at Creature and said quietly "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay..." Creature said take a deep breath to calm down. He looked a little embarrassed, but relieved too. "Time does heal all wounds eventually, it doesn't hurt as much. I still miss her. You know... that day... it was going so well until my mother came. Pure got accepted to be one of the new princess's advisers, a jeweler gave me that ring I've placed on her grave, I was this close to popping the question and then... in a instant... the best day of my life... turned to the worst." His words came out in bits, like sobs. He looked utterly pitiful, his wings drooping, his face forlorn.

Embarrassed, Twilight turned to go, but before she could, Creature addressed her once more. "By the way... Twilight... you remind me of her. She would have really liked you."

Twilight returned to the castle, pacing back and forth as she began thinking about this. Creature and Celestia both sounded so sure about what happened to Purity Heart. Pacing back once more she looked at a sleeping Spike and remembered that there was a way to find out exactly what happened.

Starswirl's Time Travel Spell!

"But wait...' Twilight wondered aloud. She remembered all too well the past two times that she or somepony else had used that spell. "A lot of bad can come out of that spell." She went back to pacing, putting magic means to the back of her mind... at least for now.

Meanwhile, Creature was desolately wandering around the courtyard when he saw a bright light flashing in front of him. He turned and looked up in shock to see...

"Luna?"

Showdown

Creature's eyes locked onto Luna's as she descended. "Hello Luna," the vampire pony said, guardedly. "I take it you're here to kill me too?"

"That is why I'm here." Luna landed on the forest floor standing across from him. "For the record though, this isn't personal, I was just a little filly when I met Purity. I don't even remember what she looks like," she admitted.

"I'll never forget what she looked like," he replied softly. The two of them began to circle each other, each hoof stepping on the whole ground, waiting for somepony to make the first move. "You don't have to do this, Luna. Celestia doesn't know the whole story, even though I told her over and over again. You of all ponies should know that sometimes misses the big picture."

"She does have a habit of doing that," Luna conceded. "However, Dueling, I was there, those wounds on her neck, how close you were holding her, how much you were apologizing. I do not think you did it on purpose, but I can not say I do not think you did not kill her." Her eyes opened "I want you to tell me the truth, Dueling. Did you feed on her out of a need for blood?"

"I've told the truth for the longest time," Creature said point blank. "I would have never done that to Pure. It was my crazy..." He growled, deciding that crazy wasn't good enough; "No, my heartless bitch of a mother. All my life she's wanted to kill me." Creature paused and looked at Luna, his face open. "But she knew she couldn't, so she decided to hurt me in the worst way. Luna, that is the honest truth."

The two night guardians stood across from each other as Luna let out a heavy sigh, "When will your lies end, Dueling? Just confess, I won't be mad, an accident can be forgiven over time. Tia might take longer, but if she knew it was an accident..."

Rage boiled over as Creature barked "It was not an accident!"

With narrowed eyes, Luna's voice matched one of pity "Very well. If that is your final answer..." Suddenly her horn glowed and she fired the first shot. Creature was forced to leap to one side to avoid the sizzling beam of energy. He felt its heat as it slashed past him and into a tree, splitting the wood wide open. "Then you must die for your actions."

Luna's horn was firing a constant stream of a magical blast that was splitting more trees in half, following Creature's dive into the forest, away from the grave stones he wanted to protect so much. He looked up and saw Luna sailing in the sky blasting down, ripping apart the forest.

Tree's were falling left and right, as Creature started to jump on them, from branch to branch, fighting his way through clouds of charred leaves, until he got directly below Luna, spread his own wings and shot straight up, slamming his right forehoof into her stomach. Caught off guard, Luna found herself spinning off course, gasping for air. Recovering quickly, she countered with a powerful mystical force field that sent Creature flying in a tail spin. Creature spread his wings out defiantly and then looked at Luna blasting at him. He dove down, feeling the flashes of energy getting closer and closer. Deciding it was now or never, Creature climbed quickly and charged at her, flying around her blast till he got face to face and bucked both hooves at her. However, Luna teleported and appeared above him, then stomped on Creature's back causing him to slam into the forest floor so hard he formed a crater on impact.

Slowly Luna floated down, while Creature defiantly picked himself up. Creature's eyes locked onto Luna's, glaring at her. She glared back, keeping her eyes fixed on him. As she lowered her head for a final, crippling attack, she noticed that his eyes seemed more swirly than Luna remembered. Slowly, exhaustion began to conquer her body. Her hooves and wings felt heavy, and her horn ached dully. Creature could see Luna realizing her mistake. Just as she was about to look away, the vampire's voice began to echo around her skull: "Now...sleep!" Without another word Luna collapsed, falling into a deep rest as her opponent walked away, cracking his back, to walk off his injuries. He sat down close to Luna and panted, planning on taking the Princess home for some well deserved rest. Leaning his head against a tree, he allowed himself a long, slow, triumphant sigh of relief.

The next thing he felt was the all-too-familiar sensation of a pair of hooves bucking him in the face. It seemed that Luna had been faking. Propelled by the force of the Night-Princess' buck, he was sent hurtling through several trees, sustaining even more cuts and bruises on the way. He whirred his wings as fast as he could, fighting to regain control. He was almost sure that he could do so before he hit the ground. But alas, he never reached the ground. His brief return to the skies came to a premature and, since he had his eyes closed, unexpected, end as the unfortunate vampire smashed into the side of Twilight's castle. He knew it was Twilight's castle, because for the next few seconds all he could see were various shades of purple and blue. Then he slid painfully down the side of the crystal edifice and lay in a crumpled heap at its base, his limbs pointing in various unnatural directions.

A side-effect of the collision was that such was the force with which Creature struck the castle - hard enough to kill an ordinary pony - that the whole structure shook violently, the crystal reverberating with a loud, shimmering "SSSHHHHHAAAAANNGGGG!" Understandably, Twilight woke with a start. Leaping out of bed onto the uncertain floor, she rushed over to her window to see Luna stalking towards the stunned Creature. She galloped out of the room and down the stairs as the defiant self-proclaimed night guardian got slowly to his hooves. He looked at his adversary, whose horn had begun to emit a dark blue glow, and snarled. The Guardian of Dreams said simply "I'm sorry." Then she fired her blast at Creature.

Luna's look of grim determination turned to one of horror as a bolt of pink plasma crashed into her own, deflecting it upwards and flashing so brightly that she was temporarily blinded. Once she'd recovered, she found Twilight blocking the way between her and Creature.

In the meantime, Creature's mind was suffering delusions from the blow, as he didn't see Twilight standing there defending him. He saw instead the mare that made his life worth living, Purity Heart staring down a taller mare. Below him was not grass but, in his mind, thick, luxurious carpet He looked on in awe as Twilight and Pure's voices merged: "Leave him alone!"

Creature shook the cobwebs from his head; there was a glow in his eyes. The moonlight reflected the glow. Twilight was about to plead her case, but now Creature knew it wouldn't work. Summoning all his strength, he said, his voice rasping, fierce, and monstrous "Not again. I will not have somepony die in front of me again."

Luna looked at him confused, and was about to say that she would never hurt Twilight, when suddenly Creature hurled his unwilling body towards her, connected a vicious blow right across against her snout and sending her flying. He hissed as he went to fight, but then he turned and saw Twilight, who again in his mind looked like Pure, shaking in fear of him. He shook his head over and over again, until finally he just collapsed.

A little while later, Twilight looked for a few moments at the recovering Creature before returning to her library to pace. "It doesn't make sense, Spike." She said, still pacing up and down. "Creature's story and Celestia's claims both sound believable. Creature clearly hates whoever his mother was. Celestia on the other hoof, I've never seen her so dead certain about something." She rubbed her temple. "Urg... I wish I could just..." Once again she eyed Starswirl's time travel spell, just lying there on the table. She knew she shouldn't have kept a copy after making such a big show of destroying it, but still...

"Twilight, maybe you should," suggested Spike, helpfully.

"Go back in time?" Twilight asked, acting super-confused, as though time-travel had been the last thing she was considering. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, after what happened the last time..."

"It worked out alright in the end, didn't it?" He sighed. "This is the only way I can think of to get concrete answers."

Twilight looked at Spike and reluctantly agreed that he was right. She walked to the map and her horn glowed fiercely. "Here we go...if my friends ask where I am tell them the truth. If Creature tries to leave, don't let him."

Spike nodded and whispered "Good luck, Twilight."

And with that, she was gone.

Author's Note

Chapters 1-3 were once again edited by Minister of Scones. You're awesome buddy, keep up the good work.

First Impressions

An eerie calm echoed above a forest with a small clearing near a river. All was silent as the nightly moon shined down upon the water, its brilliance flashing in the current. The air was still, and in this moment was in true blissful harmony. Then, as quick as lightning, a vortex appeared, spiraling out of control as it spat out an unfortunate pony who was sent careening into the ground with a loud thud. A scroll landed beside her as she groaned. She staggered and said quietly “Urg, why does that keep happening?” She stretched her legs and said to herself “Okay Twilight” The moon revealing that this was Twilight after going through the portal. “Remember what you learned about time travel, Twilight,” the purple alicorn reminded herself. “Do not interact with your past family, do not interact with your friends ancestors, and most importantly do not EVER change a past event, the result is a catastrophic snowball effect that could destroy the present. You’re just here to find out the truth nothing more” She wrapped up Starswirl’s scroll with her magic and stored it away in a pocket dimension to summon it back when it was time to leave. “Now…to find…” She paused as she thought aloud “Well I guess in this timeline it’d be Dueling Star the Vampire Pony Prince.” She then froze as heard a rustling in the brushes and started to hurry further into the forest. As she kept moving, Twilight felt like something was watching her. She looked around to see what it was but also saw that there was a cottage in the distance and kept running towards it.

She got closer and closer, her smile increasing as she got near, she’s going to get some shelter and then hide from whatever out this. Something was out there, something was hunting her, and she did not come all this way to just become a meal. She kept going closer and closer to the cottage and then as she got near the front porch she felt this forhoof slam on the back of her neck and somepony laying on top of her. Fear started to seep in as Twilight started to buck and twist struggling to get out of this grip. She felt the stranger grabbing onto her horn when she tried to do magic. She felt something breathing next to her ear as she shivered more and more. “Let me go!” she struggled more and more “Let me go! I’m warning you!”

Suddenly, relief and fear both hit her and she heard a familiar whisper “I will do no such thing you miserable little spy. You will not lay a hoof on Purity Heart, do I make myself perfectly clear!?” Twilight flinched at the sudden shouting in her ear by the one and only Creature of the Night, though she had to guess that this was Dueling Star. “Now who the hell are you?”

She looked up and said quietly “Twilight Sparkle…” She paused before she could say what she was thinking. All she wanted to do was say hi to Dueling, and see the pony he used to be. However, she can’t change the past, she can’t risk it. “My name is Twilight Sparkle”

Suddenly she felt Dueling’s breath on her neck “There’s something else. You’re hiding something from me. Who sent you to this place?” Twilight could feel his anger coming “Who sent you!? What did SHE promise you? Power!? Immortality!? Riches!? Answer me before I do something to MAKE you talk”

Twilight started to get frantic, flaying around saying “I wasn’t sent by anyone! I just came here to find somepony and there was this thing hunting me so I ran for shelter!”

“I know, I’ve been watching you ever since you came from that portal” Dueling said as he started to apply pressure on her neck “You’re here for me aren’t you? SHE sent you didn’t she!?”

Well he wasn’t wrong, she was here for him, but only to watch the events that would unfold and would lead to the truth. This was all wrong, this can’t be happening to her. Twilight began to beg for Dueling to believe her, saying “I don’t know who you are talking about!”

“Liar!” shouted the vampire prince as he opened his jaws Twilight seeing his fangs glisten in the moonlight out of the corner of her eye. This was it, this is how she was going to die! Drained of her life by one of her own friends! The irony was not lost, nor was it appreciated.

Suddenly, like a guardian angel, she heard a very annoyed female pony shout “Dueling Star, get off of her!”

Dueling looked at the pony as he said “But Pure, she…”

Twilight got her head up to see a pink pony walking forward, she had a pure white mane with a red swirl in her hair, the same pattern fitted her tail as well. She noticed that her eyes were a calming peaceful blue. This was her…this was the famous Purity Heart.

This was the pony whose death caused a sun goddess and an ex-vampire prince to battle each other. This was the mare that meant so much to Creature, that he was going to marry her.

Dueling looked at his mare-friend and said “Pure, she’s an alicorn and she came from a magical portal. This portal is like nothing I’ve ever seen before! She also came here! She could be dangerous!”

“Dueling” Pure said in a stern tone “Get off her”

Slowly and reluctantly Dueling did just that as Twilight got a good look at what Creature was in the past, and turned a little flushed. Creature back in her timeline was scraggy, looked like a gutter rat, and hid most of his body behind that cloak and face mask. Dueling however was a lot different. He was swave, handsome even, his hair was slicked back, his eyes glowed like bloody rubies, his cloak was replaced with a sophisticated suit, and his face, unblocked by his mask, looked rather lovely. Dueling walked to Pure with his head down and Pure rolled her eyes and said “I am so sorry about Dueling miss?”

“Twilight Sparkle” Twilight said sheepishly, whelp this day just got worst. Twilight said quietly “I…really shouldn’t be here”

Pure sighed and said “Now look what you did Dueling!”

“Me!? Dueling responded shocked “I was just trying to…”

“You scared the poor girl!” Pure said staying stern. “Don’t let tall dark and gruesome get to you Miss. Sparkle. Why don’t you come into the cottage? I’ll make you some food”

“But…” Dueling started to protest, but a stern look from Pure got him to be quiet as Dueling said quietly “Yes please, we would like you in our home”

Twilight put a smile, but she knew deep down that she already messed everything up. She’s interacted with Dueling and Purity Heart now, she’s already failed. Who knows what kind of madness this will cause when she goes back to the future?

Meanwhile in the present, Creature stirred in his bed as Spike watched over him. Suddenly he saw the door being bucked open and Spike turned to face, but sighed with relief when it was just Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rainbow. “You’ve heard?”

“Yes we have? Where’s Twilight? We need to know where to hide Creature for the time being?” Applejack explained.
“This is mess” Rarity said quietly.
Spike nodded in agreement and said “For now we have to hide him here because umm…well…Twilight isn’t here right now”

“What do you mean by that?” Rainbow brashly demanded “How can she not be here!?”

“She’s umm…kind of in the past?” Spike said wincing as he said so. He opened his eyes and saw the shocked gasped looks on his friends’ faces. “Yeah, she went back in time to get the 100% actual truth. We umm…we’re kind of watching Creature here until she gets back”

There was nothing but shocked gasped looks again as Spike sighed “Okay, while you all process this, I’m gonna make some punch for everyone” Getting out of the situation as fast as he could.

Author's Note

Been a while huh? Internet's down at my place so I've been working on some projects at the library.

Tea Time

How can having tea with two ponies be so terrifying!? Maybe the fact that these very two ponies hold the fate of the time space continuum in their hooves. Maybe it was the fact that these same ponies have no idea about this little factoid. Regardless, she was visibly sweating bullets as Pure was glaring a hole into Dueling. "Dueling, please get the tea I can hear it going off" a clearly aggravated Pure ordered, as Dueling slowly got up and went into the other room. "So, an alicorn huh?" Pure said as she took a calm quiet drink.

Twilight was shaking as her magic was slipping meagerly responding with a minor "Uh-huh. I umm earned my wings a little while ago. They take some getting used to" She said casually, trying to maintain her composure. If anything, this was a great opportunity. Creature and Celestia go on and on about Purity Heart, both clearly having a strong friendship, and in Creature/Dueling's case pure love, for this mare. This ordinary unicorn sitting before her, oddly using her hooves to drink tea. Who is this pony, really? "So umm, you and Dueling seem close...are you umm coltfriend and marefriend or something?"

A bright nearly neon blush filled Pure's face as she was looking at Twilight with a desperate look for her to shut up. "No, No he's my roommate" She said clearing her throat in clear denial "I mean it's not like Dueling isn't great! He is! If a bit overprotective of his friends"

"You don't know the half of it" Twilight mumbled as Pure looked at her strangely.

"What was that?" Pure asked hearing that. Twilight stating that it was nothing as Pure went on "I mean he is great and I well...he...I..." Pure started to ramble getting more and more flabbergasted, it was clear that Pure was hiding something from Twilight, and more than just her obvious attraction to the Vampire Pony Ex-Prince.

Twilight felt terrible, she knew it was going to work out in the end for them, at least for a little while, but she knew saying that would completely shoot space and time in the flank and destroy the world as she knew it! Then again, time and space are kind of already taking it in the flank. She thought it'd be best to say something and went on saying "Don't let the fact that he's a vampire pony change your feelings"

That sentence caused Pure to pause and look right at Twilight, panic filled her voice as she claimed "Vampire pony, I have no idea what you are talking about. He...uh...he umm...he's just a thestral that's all"

"Purity..." responded the time traveling princess while also giving skeptical glances "He's a vampire."

The matter of fact of how she said it struck something with the desperate unicorn trying to hide Dueling's secret. Her eyes narrowed and her horn lit up causing Twilight to become alarmed "How do you know this?"

Twilight thinking fast said "I had a hunch, but you just told me now" with a quick fade away the normally gentle unicorn looked down and away ashamed of herself and her actions. "It's okay, I kind of knew all along"

"I figured." was the response she got as Pure looked at her hooves "Please don't go telling every pony. Dueling is my best friend..." She then muttered quietly "He's one of my only friends"

Princess of Friendship mode kicked in as Twilight asked "One of your only friends?"

"Well yeah..." a now quiet pink pony responded as she looked at her hooves, "Dueling was the first pony to treat me like I was important. Every other pony I've met...I think they see me as a burden. I mean there's the Princesses, but I just kind of work for them. I'm their "healer" so them thinking I was some kind of friend is silly. I mean, they're royalty...I'm just...nothing..."

"Healer?" Inquired the curious Twilight

"A healer is a pony whose soul job is to help make sure the ponies are healthy" Pure explained "It's part of my cutie mark. I know how to magically heal ponies. I discovered it when I was young when I saw a poor squirrel with a broken leg. It would have died if I didn't do something, but I didn't know anything about medicine so I thought maybe I could try with magic. I held the leg steady and then suddenly I heard his bones reforming. I saw my cutie mark, and the rest is history. I'm thinking of writing a book someday that tells other unicorns how to use my healing magic." She sighed "So far the only ones I've taught this technique to are Princess Celestia and her baby sister."

"Maybe you can teach me sometime" Twilight said with a bright little clever smile. However, she noticed the skeptical glance and asked "What?"

Pure mumbled "Aren't you an Alicorn?" She paused again "Actually come to think of it...how are you an Alicorn? Doesn't that make you a Princess technically, what in the wide world of Equestria are you?!" Her tone getting more erradic and frightened as Twilight was hoping and praying for something, anything to prevent her from saying the truth to Pure. If she tells her the truth, she will completely ruin the space time continuum, and things in the future will change for the worst. If she doesn't though, who knows what Dueling would do to her to protect Pure? She shivered as another thought filled her head. Who knows what Pure would do to defend herself?

The bright pink unicorn had her eyes focused on Twilight who was looking for something ANYTHING to help save this situation. However, all hope was lost, there was no other way out of this. Eventually, Twilight let out a heavy sigh and said "I'm from the future"

Meanwhile, in the present time, Creature was being restrained by Applejack. The guy gave her such a stink eye as Applejack rolled her eyes "Quit fussin' " She pointed out. "We can't have you, runnin' off to try to explain things to the Princesses again"

"That's not why I'm upset and you know it..." was the response he gave badly hiding his anger. "Twilight is going through TIME right now?! Do you know how dangerous that is? It was the one thing I ACTUALLY agreed with my mother one when I was a foal. Time travel is something no one should attempt, because the ramifications are to great! I have to go back and stop her!"

"We're talking about that in the throne room" a loud sigh came as Applejack looked at him. "We're not exactly thrilled about it either. Especially after what happened the last time. However, the only unicorn that could help is currently away, and we can't exactly leave you alone. You got a good silver tongue on yah"

Creature struggled and said "Compliments aside, I need to help Twilight!" He kept struggling "What did you make these ropes out of?!"

"Nilon" Applejack said with a smirk. "You ain't going anywhere for a while" She got away from him and said "Look, get some rest and try to do what the rest of us are doing and trust Twilight. She didn't become a princess for no reason after all" Creature paused as Applejack left the room.

He took a deep breath and said "That is true AJ" Creature said quietly. "Now I get why she's doing this. She wants to get evidence straight from the source..." His eyes shifted and started to glow. "Right now the situation has changed..." He sighed "Sorry Applejack" and with one big SNAP he escaped his bindings and then dove out the window. "Celestia, you are going to finally understand the truth. Especially when your student's life is at risk"

Loving Shadows

Those words echoed through the small cottage, Twilight's factual claim that she's from the future. Pure could only have her jaw dropped as Twilight slowly waved her hoof in front of Pure's face. "Oh Sweet Celestia, I think I broke her" Twilight said quietly. She let out an embaressed sigh and said "Well, honestly, I'm glad it's kind of just...out there."

"So that explains it" Dueling said entering the room. "How you knew about my kind. You know me in the future don't you?" Twilight tenitively nodded. "What did my mother do?" That caused Twilight to grow very quiet. "That has to be why you're here right? There's some sort of Vampire Invasion, or Kingdom in Darkness, or something nightmarish like that with my mother being the culprit" The as a matter of fact way he was saying that unnerved Twilight a bit. In her timeline, Dueling's mother was dead. She's starting to realize why...

"Well, out with it, I don't know how long before Pure recovers from the shock" Dueling said poking his friend.

Twilight then asked "Well, before we do. How are you so accepting of this?" Dueling just smiled and showed his fangs "Oh yeah, vampire." relented the purple alicorn. "I'm not here for that. There's...an event that's going to happen. I think I might have gone back a little to far. I'm here to watch it, to get answers." She put her hoofs up. "Because I really, really, really, don't want to destroy the space time continuum, please don't ask me what it is!"

A bit of laughter came from the much more handsome Dueling of the past, Twilight couldn't get over that, clean him up and any pony in her right mind would go for this colt. Dueling said "I'm pretty sure space and time are kind of shattered at this point"

Finally there was a gasp that came from the stunned Pure, she looked at Dueling and simply said "You are magnet for weirdness you know that?"

"But you keep me around anyways" responded the cheeky vampire pony.

The pink unicorn groaned "Yes, yes I do" She rubbed her temple with her right hoof "Though that doesn't make it easier"

"So..." Pure began to start but Dueling filled her in on what he already asked "Okay, so why are you here then?"

There was a defeated sigh as she said "Look, I'm not going to lie to you. There is a big, and by big I mean blood fued type of big, between Princess Celestia and Dueling who goes by the name of Creature in my timeline" Before Dueling could even ask "I can not tell you why, because I have a feeling there's a reason for the name change."

"Am I around?" Pure said quietly, but Dueling noticed the tone in her voice. "I... I have to know..."

Deciding to somewhat lie, "Well you're in Creature's / Dueling's heart." Twilight said quietly "In my timeline he stated that the reason he never turned you was because you'd be miserable and he..." Dueling was motioning his hooves to get Twilight to stop talking. "He would never try to make you miserable"

Pure turned her head "Dueling, don't think I didn't see that. What were you cutting her off at?" She said with a little glare. "Something you need to tell me?"

Dueling looked at Twilight than at Pure. This was going way faster than he had planned. He was waiting for a full moon, a large picnic blanket, candles, and just finally confessing everything. Dueling said "I...need to talk to you privately." He looked at Twilight "Unless THIS is what she needs to see..."

Twilight smiled knowing where this is going and kept quiet watching Dueling and Pure go into the kitchen. She could barely hear them, but only saw their shadows glowing in the light. When she gets back, she needs to study on how to read lips. She'd love to see every word that was being said. The shadow of Dueling kept talking and talking, she could see the shadow of Pure turning her head almost like she was embarrassed. She couldn't tell if it was a joyous or shamed embarrassed, but given the conversation earlier it was probably the former.

Eventually Twilight saw the shadows embrace in a hug, look deep in each other's eyes and kiss. Twilight could only just beam for multiple reasons, and then a sense of dread filled her to the core. She just saw the happiest moment in Dueling's life which means soon...

Dueling and Pure came back, noticeably closer with each other. Dueling looked at Twilight and asked "This happen?"

Twilight smiled "Even if it didn't, I wouldn't want it to change." She looked at Pure with a smile as Dueling kissed her cheek. "But it did" Pure noticed a quiet look of concern on her face.

"Dueling, we do need to address the elephant in the room" Dueling paled as Pure responded knowing Twilight's concern, somewhat. "I'm not like you, I'm not eternal. I'm...well I'm mortal." She looked away "Plus there are a lot of things you told me that vampires can't do, like have fillies or colts. Stuff couples normally do would be...well for fun." She said kind of coyly, but subtle enough that it got both Twilight and Dueling to blush. "But lets not kid ourselves. The fact I'm not there in the future means...I died..."

Dueling sighed wishing they didn't have to address this topic and said quietly "I know, Pure I know" He pulled up and sat down on a chair next to Pure. "It was one of the reasons why I didn't want to tell you how I felt. I didn't want to get to close to you" However, Dueling slowly smiled as Twilight looked on noticing the same blissful look that Creature has whenever he remembers Pure on his face. "But, I've come to realize. That won't happen for a long, long time, and I'll enjoy every second I'll spend with you. I know we can easily fix this situation right now but...Twilight's right."

"Sadly, she is" Pure said with a defeated smile "I would hate being immortal. Seeing all my friends die, over and over and over again. Always having to make new ones, but knowing you'd just outlive them. The only thing I'd have would be you" She admitted.

"Eternal, not immortal, there is a difference" Dueling pointed out. "Still, I get your point"

Dueling looked at Twilight who had the look of concern on her face. "Listen, Twilight. You can probably go back now..."

"I umm...can't" Twilight said quietly "The uh, thing that I'm supposed to watch hasn't happened yet." She grew quiet. "I can't say what it is, but I'm very happy for the two of you"

Pure giggled in excitement "I'm so happy too. I'm also taking your advice Twilight. I'm taking you and Dueling to meet Princess Celestia!" The sense of dread on both of their faces just filled the room.

Back in the present, Creature paused as he had to land, seeing a shadow. He followed the shadow across the land as fast as he could. The thing was moving faster and faster until he stopped, staring face to face with a shattered fountain. He held his head, remembering how hard Luna blasted him into Twilight's castle. "Great...now I'm having memory jogs"

He paused as he looked at the fountain, shattered by the hands of time and from the looks of it blunt force. Wrapped by nature's cooling embrace as the moon shinned down upon it. Creature sighed "I used to take Pure out here when she let me live here. It was romantic, but I was to worried to just tell her how I felt" He laughed "I remembered that when I finally did have the guts to tell her. We went to this fountain and we..." His eyes closed "A magical night for the two of us...it was right after the day I met Princess Celestia for the first time."

He paused as he looked behind him and said "So, you went looking for me did you?"

"As a matter of fact I did" Said...of course...Luna as she descended.

"Still convinced what happened was an accident, and not a cold blooded murder that I witnessed" Creature said bitterly. "You know that's what is the worst part about this." He said his anger boiling over. "Even in death my mother still finds a way to spite me!" He held his head, stress and head trauma hitting him at the same time. "Every time I think about that mare, I want to go back in time to snap her neck over and over and over again, then find new ways to end her" Creature said bitterly.

Luna cringed at that level of hate. As much as she and Celestia didn't get along back in the Nightmare Moon incident, she never wished her dead, banished maybe, but dead? Luna shook her head and looked at Creature "My sister is...not taking your escape well..."

"Well she'll hate this even more" Creature said defiant "Twilight has gone back into the past because Celestia and I can't talk like reasonable grown adults"

Luna's eyes widened as she put her hoof under her chin "That is...most troubling..."