A certain pegasus stirred in her bed as morning came and the sunlight shines through her windows. She slept so wonderfully that even the thought of getting out of her warm comfortable bed is almost a crime in itself. But now that her mind is already beginning to wake up and her little friends would need breakfast soon enough, so sluggish she her legs out off her bed and stood for a few seconds before stretching out her legs and wings much like a cat would do.

Walking down the stairs she noticed the sound of snoring from her living room, and immediately she stopped dead in her tracks as she knew Harry the bear was still hibernating for another three months.

'Oh no, somepony is in my house. What if it somepony dangerous, like a thief or somepony scary,” She panic-struck thought to herself, thinking back and forth to what to do. She calmed herself after a few minutes of standing halfway down the stairs, and she ever so silently walked down the stairs. Looking from the steps in into the living room with bated breath Fluttershy looked carefully after the continuing snoring. She gasped after she saw something on her couch move, and froze for a second before with small steps walking over to the sleeping being in her house. Only to find her old friend Rainbow Dash laying on the couch, Fluttershy let out a breath that she didn't knew she had held and felt an huge weight disappear from her mind.

'She looks so tired, I think I'll let her sleep for now. Maybe she likes something to eat once she wakes up,' Giggling at little to herself for she knows Rainbow Dash is not a morning pony, and thinking about once or twice Fluttershy have seen her waking up before she was ready. It's quite the amusing spectacle but she will never tease her about it… much. Handling the salad that she were making for breakfast for Rainbow and herself she stopped, thinking for little more than second about what just happen. 'How did Rainbow get in here? I better wake her up and ask her… once I'm done making our food.'

She put the tray with food on the table and walked over to her friend and slowly started to wake her up. “Rainbow Dash… are you awake? I made some food if you want some,” The sleeping mare didn't respond to the question, so Fluttershy puts a hoof to Rainbow's shoulder and softly shaking her. That only responded with the partied out mare to trying to slap Fluttershy's hoof away, but only to miss and hit the floor with a slight bump. The prismatic pegasus mumble something to whatever was disturbing her and rolled over on her other side, trying to escape the entity annoying her slumber.

“Rainbow, I made breakfast if you want some,” She asked timidly.

This only got a muffled grunt out of Rainbow Dash as she shove her face further into the couch. “Flutters, we had a long night and I'm tired, just let me sleep for a few and I'll be up.”

“What do you mean with 'we had a long night? Rainbo-.”

“Flutters,” The halfsleeping pegasus groaned. “Please, later.”

Fluttershy backs away a little looking down, “O-okay, I'll be back later,” She quietly said and went back to the table and started eating the food that she made, all the while thinking about who Rainbow meant by 'we'. So after breakfast she went though the little cottage looking for other ponies, thinking they might be hungry as well. But after a short search showing on others than Rainbow and herself she went back to the living room. Seeing her friend fast asleep with a bad case of bedmane that would give Rarity a nightmare and a thin line of drool going down of Rainbow's chin onto the pillow. She cooed at the sight. It's rare moments like this when Fluttershy could see how adorable other ponies are. She heard a chipping from her hooves and looked down. Angel standing there with a camera.

“Oh Thank you Angel,” She said quietly and took the camera, took a picture and gave it back to Angel who hopped away upstairs.

'Well, I better get the day started,' She thought and walked into the kitchen to prepare the food for the animals that are awake. After a half an hour of feeding her little friends she went out in her little garden to do weeding, in Fluttershy's garden is a small variable of herbs and vegetables that she uses often so make tea and small remedies to soothe pain and heal bruises and small cuts. She is no doctor nor shaman but she knows a little about making salves.

She was done close to noon when she sat at her dining table with a cup of tea. Relaxing at the sweet smell from her warm drink and listening to the silence that every now and then being interrupted by the sounds coming from within the old cottage. Sitting there with her eyes closed, sipping to her tea and just being in peace in the early morning light shining through her windows.

That was when she heard of hoofs slowly and clumsily coming closer. She didn't have to look to know who it is, as she turned her head with a small smile on her muzzle she looked at her friend take a seat infront of her. “Flutters, morning,” The colourful pegasus muffled voice came from the table, as she sat with her front hooves out infront of her.

Fluttershy giggled a little from the view. “Hello Rainbow Dash, do you want a cup of tea and something to eat?”

That got a groan out of the speedster. “Coffee would be better, and yes please,” Which Fluttershy nodded and went into the kitchen, sat the kettle on and came out with the food from earlier and placed it on the table. Rainbow however, in her tired state of existence manages to pull her face from the table and grab the bowl of salad and start eating it. All the while Fluttershy walking to and from the kitchen with coffee another cup of tea for herself.

“How do you do it?” Rainbow Dash asked her friend as she sat down.

Looking confused, Fluttershy merely tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. We were out drinking last night and I Know we both got trashed, or I think so… I kinda passed out somewhere early in the morning and woke up here. But how did we get here?” Rainbow rested her head on a hoof with her elbow on the table. Less strength for her to use to keep her head from slamming into the table.

The quiet pegasus blinked. “I'm sorry Rainbow, but I don't know how you got here either. But I were not out drinking last night. You know I don't like drinking like you do.”

Rainbow looked up from her bowl with a flower half eaten hanging from her mouth. “What do you mean you weren't out drinking last night? You found me at the club last night, remember?” She asked her with a slight rise in her voice. “Wait… You didn't drink so much that you forgot the entire night? I hope you didn't, because last night was like, Awesome.”

Fluttershy just shook her head slightly, thinking about how this came to be. An entire night lost and Rainbow Dash claiming she where out partying, most unlikely. “Rainbow… let's say I don't remember, can you tell me what happened?”

Rainbow snorted in amusement and nodded. “Yeah, I can tell you. You were like an entire new Fluttershy, so like, anypony else. Know what I mean?” Fluttershy shook her head. “Well, after you found me at Rich's place the party really started. I would never have expected it from you, Pinkie Pie yeah, but not from you. Some stallions wanted to get to know us a bit better and you challenged them to a drinking contest,” Rainbow stopped for a break to eat. “Anyway, before you know it. Bam, the entire club watch you drink five big stallions under the stable on Old Apple Jack.”

Fluttershy at this moment just stares wide eyed at her colourful friend, not moving a bit. Completely daft struck at her so called achievements the night before, and not only Rainbow saw her drinking, but a lot of ponies did so too. Without her knowing it.

“So after the last one goes down everypony cheers, and you simply walk out for a minute only to come back in looking like a boss. It was, Awesome. Well we ditched the club and moved on, so we first found Old Oak's pub were we got in a, tiny amount of trouble.”

Rainbow took a long sip from her coffee. She put the cup back down with a loud knock on the hardwood table and let out a long deep sigh. Fluttershy almost too reluctant to ask. “What happened then?” Rainbow just looked at her and sighed with her shoulders slumped.

“Well, Let's just say that you might have made a little uprising out back with one of the mare working there and her coltfriend weren't all that happy about it, so you kinda…” She mumble too low for the shocked and horrified pegasus to hear.

“Rain- Rainbow Das-h,” Fluttershy stammered out. “What, happened?”

Rainbow tried to look anywhere else than into Fluttershy's eyes. “You know what, maybe it for a reason that you don't remember, right?” She looked at her friend with a nervous smile. She just got a pleading look and sighed in defeat. She never could say no to her. “… the coltfriend slapped you over the muzzle for getting frisky with his mare,” Fluttershy gasped and put her hooves over her muzzle. “I was beyond angry with him and was 'this' close to kick his butt,” She lifts up her hooves and moved them together until there was no space left between them.

“But I didn't get the chance to because you did it instead,” She said and took a sip of her coffee. “You simply laughed and knocked him across the room like he was a toy, I have never seen that side off you before. It's like you were somepony else, wild and free. Doing only what you wanted,”

Fluttershy was visibly shaking from the story she just heard and a few tears roll down her cheeks, dripping of her chin and the small droplets staining the table. Rainbow immediately sprang up and rushed over to her side. Draping a wing over her shoulders and slowly pulling her in for a hug. The crying pegasus succumbed to the need of comfort and softly whimpered in Rainbow's shoulder. “There, there,” Rainbow said while patting Fluttershy's back. “It isn't all bad, you did stand up for yourself. You should be proud,” She said with a little smile, trying to be comforting. The yellow pony sniffled and looked at her with puffy eyes. “Like… after when we found that bar with karaoke. I never heard you sing before but you got a amazing voice,” Fluttershy sniffled again and new tears crept in her eyes. “Or, or when we drank till the early morning and… that's when I passed out and woke up here. He he, sorry, you must have carried me here.”

“I… don't remember an-y of it,” Fluttershy said through her hiccups and tears streaming down her face. She tried to steady herself and take a few deep breaths, as it worked only a little. “All I remem-ber is that, I was here. Being sca-red. While she made tea in my kitchen…”

Rainbow frowned hearing that, that her best friend was scared in her own home, but. “Flutters, who is she? Who was here last night?”

“Marian… she were the one who saved me in the forest a few nights ago. She spoke to me last night, and I feel she means well but she scared me so much that…” She drove off into a blank stare. “I never seen any creature like her, but something is wrong with her,” She sniffled and wiped the tears away.

“Fluttershy, I swear if she made you do anything against your will I will make sure she will-” Rainbow started, anger clear in her voice and her body tensed ready to fight anypony even trying anything.

“NO,” Fluttershy interrupted her. “Please, she saved me and she might be scary, but I believe she means nopony harm. It is just, I was scared when she was in my house in the middle of the night. I were so afraid that she might eat me,” Rainbow's eyes went from angry to shocked in a heartbeat. “but she comforted me, like I do when my animal friends are scared… she made me at ease, made us tea and talked to me. Then she...” She traced a hoof to her neck, to the place where Marian bit her. Even with no marks, only perfect smooth skin under her fur. She could still feel the bliss from the bite.

“Fluttershy… is 'Marian'-” Rainbow Dash said confused, angry, worried and happy at the same time. “-a pony? What do you mean when you said she saved you and of there is anything wrong with her?”

Fluttershy bit her lip and pulled out of the hug and sat beside her friend. “No, she something I have never seen or heard of before. Not even Twilight have heard of her kind when I spoke to her yesterday,” She noticed Rainbows eyes narrow a little and a frown on her face. “She helped me calm down from my night in the woods. You see…” And she told Rainbow everything that she saw that night, how she felt when she were pinned under the manticore and again when she faced her saver. All in while Rainbow felt more and more sure that they would need everyone of their friends to face this friend-ish foe that Fluttershy have met and survived. And it drank her blood. BLOOD.

“Fluttershy, stay here. I'm going to get Twilight and the others and we'll be back soon,” Rainbow said after the tale in what happened the previous nights. And rushed out of the door, leaving the yellow pegasus in her own house of solitude before she could even other another word. Faster than ever she flew to the point her eyes watered up from the wind and tears falling to the wind. She felt frustrated, angry that a creature that Fluttershy of all pony had never heard about suddenly entering their lifes and causing problems. But even more so that she herself are not able to do anything about it, simply not good enough to help her friend with this so-called 'kindred'.

Flying with breakneck speed Rainbow reached the library in no time, and slamming the door open to the library with a bang. “Twilight, I need your help,” She shouted out, loud enough for even the neighbors to hear her. Hearing a yelp and a bump from the kitchen Rainbow quickly flew over and saw a purple unicorn falling about on the floor.

Rainbow groaned as she hovered in the air. “Twilight, stop playing around on the floor. I need your help back at Fluttershys. Something happened and she is freaking out, and something called 'Marian' is hurting her,” She said before quickly taking off towards the towns bakery, Sugarcube Corner to get Pinkie Pie. The trip was quick if the ever aspiring speedster has anything to say about it, but landed nonetheless before the shops door and walked in. The couple owning the bakery has two foals barely old enough to be moving about on their own, and she didn't want to scare them by flying in as she normally would. The familiar bell ringing softly above her head to notify the bakers that a costumer had entered.

Mrs. Cake stood at the counter just finished handing a mare her order, and looked over at Rainbow giving her a well known smile. “Welcome Rainbow Dash, so what can I do for you today?” She asked while Rainbow walking over to the desk.

“Is Pinkie in? It's really important.”

Mrs. Cake just giving a nod and pointing to the stairs behind the counter leading upstairs, telling her thanks and with a fast pace walking up the stairs and finding Pinkie's room. Without knocking she open the door and saw Pinkie playing with the two baby Cakes, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake which both looked over at the pegasus and smiled while giving a wave. Pinkie's face forever smiling bounced over to Rainbow.

“Heya Dashie, are you here too to play with us? Oh oh oh, play with us please, it would be super duper fun,” Pinkie said while jumping around Rainbow. “we can play games or we can take the twins outside and play at the park-” Pinkie's oncoming stream of words got cut off by a blue hoof jamming her mouth.

“Pinkie, I need you to get yourself to Fluttershys, something is wrong and I'm really worried that something is hurting her. Can you do that? I will go get Rarity and Applejack and we'll all meet over there,” Pinkie's eyes widen for a moment before she got a serious look about her, and giving a quick salute.

Pinkie spat out the hoof. “Okie dokie, I'll get there just as soon I'm done with the twins. Mr. Cake is soon done with baking for the day anyway,” Giving Rainbow a big smile and walking back to play with the twins. The blue pegasus smiling a little at the sight but leaving nonetheless to the gather her friends. Fluttershy needs help facing this, no matter what.

____________________________________________________

Fluttershy had mixed feelings about sudden visitors, it's not because she didn't want her friends to come over for a cup of tea but this is kinda overwhelming for her. She adore her friends and they have helped her in many ways, but after retelling the same story over three times now about what happen when she met Marian both times. It goes without saying but her friends were shocked about when the story came to the end with her savor biting her and she blacked out.

“Fluttershy darling, while I am delighted to hear that this gentle being saved you and brought you home. You can not say that she is good and kind,” Fluttershy tried to object to Rarity but were interrupted by Applejack.

“Rares right ya'know, this critter killed a bucking manticore and drank ya' blood. It can't be trusted.”

Fluttershy open her mouth again to tell her friends that Marian is not as she seems, but again Twilight beat her to it.

“I agree Fluttershy, this 'human' sounds really dangerous not to mention that it is clearly some kind of a intelligent bipedal carnivore,” She said and messaged her chin with a hoof, thinking for a second. “Fluttershy, do you know what this means? This human as you call her, I have never heard about any creature anything like this, this could be an entire new species never know to ponykind before now,” Twilight's smile got wider for each word, thinking about the marvelous studies she could conduct.

“Hey Twilight, stop nerding out. We need to figure out what to do if it comes back, I say we blast it with the elements.”

“If I may-” Fluttershy started.

“As Rainbow Dash said, we need to do something. Who knows what might happen if such a brute is running around?” Rarity added, stomping a hoof in the ground.

“That is hardly fai-” She tried again protest, only for her friends to voice their belief and thoughts on such a creature, and how to deal with it. The further in their talks they dwell on the matter, the more absolute her friends became.

Frustration building up for each negative comment she heard, she wanted to scream at her friends to listen and try to see from others point of view. Her feelings towards towards her new friend, if she could call her that are quite superficial but Fluttershy would not let go of the kindness that Marian showed her. But neither could she speak up to her friends, so set in their ways to protect her that she could only walk upstairs to her room. Tears falling slowly at the lack of tolerance of her friends towards the unknown. Her own lack of courage, because she would likely think the same if it were somepony else. Closing her door, she leaned against it and started to sob and silently cry.

A little later Fluttershy heard a soft knock from the bottom of the door, her ears turned to the little noise and it came again. Her eyes are red and puffy from the tears and she let out a sniffle before slightly opening the door. Her dear companion and pet Angel stood before her with a worried look in his eyes and sweat glistening from his fur as small but deep breaths came from his little lungs as she have been running a marathon. Behind him stood a potted plant, a few times larger than himself.

“Oh Angel,” She said, looking back and forth from the bunny to the plant. “Why have you bought the plant up here from the living room?”

The little bunny looks up at her and chirps a little at her with a deadpanned expression, making Fluttershy flown a little. “Angel, what have I told you about being mean?” She scolding asked. “and how could a being so large be in there?”

Angel sighs and chirps up a little more and points at the plant and then at Fluttershy.

“Oh right,” She said while walking over to the pant. “But why do you want the plant inside my bedroom?”

Angel sighs and chirps a little before walking inside the room, leaving Fluttershy at the top of the stairs with the plant. Looking from where the bunny stood to the potted plant that stood slightly taller than herself, she gave a sigh and brought it inside her room and closed the door after her.

After putting down the pot she turned to Angel but before she could utter a question, the bunny pointed his paw out of the window pointing at the sun rapidly descending. It's rays lighting up the skies red and orange like a forest fire catching the eyes of any who look at the beautiful display in the in sky, and just like that… the sun went down.

Standing still Fluttershy watched Celestia's sun going under the horizon and the moon started to come up, standing still she heard nothing. The little animals that lives with her over the winter are usually more noisy at this hour at day, normally they would be going to their little beds in their little nests. Even Angel is silent and still, not something the brash bunny ever is. The only noise is a crumbling, like earth shifting. Quiet as a mouse running over a carpet floor, but louder than a train in the room.

Frightened the shy pegasus backed from the sound coming from the potted plant, fearing for what is happening. She fell on her haunches in shock as she saw the dirt itself rise up like smoke, her heart beating so hard like it's trying to escape it's fleshy prison. She wants to run, to hide and wait for the scary things in the world to pass her by but her body won't listen to her calls, and like her body her eyes could not look away from the impossible thing that is happening infront of her.

The smoke turns and twists so fast that even her pegasus eyes can't follow the motion of the cloud becoming denser and thicker till the point that instead of smoke infront of her, the creature of her trouble stood infront of her. Standing in her naked glory, her pale skin in deep contrast with her long black hair reaching down to her nether region. Her eyes opens and the two shining green orbs do a quick survey of the room before falling on Fluttershy, her smile widens at the sight of the fearful pegasus.

“Good evening my little Fluttershy, I hope your day has been well,” Marian said and stretched out her arms with a small yawn. Seeing her new friend again fearful of her, she walked over and sat on her knees infront of Fluttershy. Looking into her eyes with a calm look to them, with a little smile to disarm the pegasus of worry.

Fluttershy took a few deep breaths while holding her hoof to her chest, and gave a little smile up at the vampire before her. “G–good evening Marian, I didn't knew were in there. You scared me with doing that,” She said in her usually quiet voice.

Marian placed a hand on her head, slowly brushing her hair while chuckling at her reaction of a simple waking. “I am sorry, I didn't mean too scare you. But I used the dirt as my resting place,” Fluttershy flinched at the last part, looking up at her with at look of dread.

“Y-your rest-resting place?”

“Yes, I do have many unique abilities that mortals can never hope to possess. One of them is to rest in the ground,” She said while brushing the pink mane through her fingers, finding a few small knots and just as quickly untangle them. “We kindred sleeps the day away and lives in the night with the moon as our sun.”

Fluttershy blinked and calmed down again with a slow breaths as she just did before. “Why do you sleep in the daytime, are kindreds nocturnal?”

Marian stopped brushing for a second and continued on, her smile shrank a little. “Kindreds are forced nocturnals as we simple can't stay awake, and the sun will burn us if we ever see it,” She said with the same calming voice as before.

The yellow pony froze, and she simply stopped everything. Her thoughts lock at the single sentence, 'the sun will burn us', that the time for her seem to have slowed to a painfully slow pace. 'How can she not see the sun? It must be so terrible for her. The poor thing,' Her eyes watered up and sobs filled the room again, while the vampire silently sat awkwardly infront of her not sure what to do now.

Marian stroked her cheek while petting her mane in a slow but caring way, trying to cheer up the pegasus.

“It's okay, There nothing to be sad about,” She said quietly with a soothing tone.

Fluttershy sniffled and tried to speak but her sobs came in the way. “But, you, can't, see the, sun, the, day and, everypony, and, and...” Her voice broke and tears streaming down her face.

Marian was stunned, very few people have ever been sad for her being a vampire but no one had ever cried for her before. For her not to see the sun or spend time in the day with everyone else, for not to watch the break off morning again. Only in her mind she have felt this way for so many months after becoming kindred, but only to bury the longing deep within as years passed. She felt a true smile coming on as she pulled Fluttershy close to her in embrace.

“Thank you Fluttershy, for caring about me. I rarely meet people in my journeys that are sad for me,” She said quietly. Fluttershy sniffled and looked up into her eyes, red and puffy again with tears treating too roll down her cheeks. “But truly, I am fine with being awake at night, so far I had others like myself to speak with and the humans were also fond of the night. I have never been alone unless I chose it.”

A little smile formed on Fluttershy's features and she wiped her tears away with a hoof. Leaning into the vampire she noticed that she were colder than herself, much like the room itself. “You are a little cold, are you okay?”

Marian chuckled at the question, and gave the pegasus a tight squish before letting go of the hug. “Why Fluttershy, aren't you the most caring of beings I have ever met in my long life. No I'm not cold at all, I don't feel cold or heat the same way living beings do. Most kindred body reflect the temperature that is around us for we can not create our own body heat, because we are undead creatures. In fact for me to feel the weather as you do it needs to be quite extreme.”

“Oh… that's, nice,” Fluttershy said, uncertain how to respond to her friend joyful comment of her undead body. Before she could ask again a knocking came from the door and Fluttershy froze with a look of terror on her face as she remembered that her friends were all here.

“Fluttershy,” The voice sounded much like Rarity. “Are you alright darling?”

'Oh no no no, this is bad.' Fluttershy thought as she looked at the door, expecting it to open at any time and her friends might harm Marian. 'I need to do something, anything. I need to keep Marian hidden so they don't see her.' But before she could do anything she felt her body being moved to behind the door by the window, and her jaw fell to the floor as she saw herself walk over and open the door.

“Yes, I'm quite okay. Thank you for checking up at me,” Fluttershy heard herself say at the door, smiling a little at her friend.

“We are a bit worried about you, would you please come down to the rest of us?” Rarity's said.

“Of cause, I will be down in a minute or so, I-” Fluttershy saw her mimic glance at her before looking back at Rarity. “-just need to do a thing or two. You know how Angel can get,” And she started to close the door, but stopped before she did so. “Oh yes, would you be a dear and put a kettle over?” With Rarity agreeing that she would do that, she closed the door fully and faced Fluttershy.

Shocked beyond belief she stood infront of herself, a perfect doppelganger of the timid yellow pegasus in the flesh. From the length of the mane to the colour of the eyes and cutie mark. Fluttershy fell to her haunches with her mouth hanging open and tried to speak, but her words wouldn't form as she would them to.

The vampire just looked at her with glint in her eye, amused at the reaction she was getting but understandable. “It seems like your guests are getting impatient with you, you better go and entertain them,” Her smile got wider as she looked into Fluttershy's eyes with her own.

“how?… how are you, me?… I don't understand,” The timid pegasus said with a voice that was more like a whisper. Eyes wide as she watch herself coming closer and holding a yellow hoof out to her.

“Again, I have many abilities, and takes many forms. Like this I can easily blend into your world without the panic and fear,” Fluttershy took a deep breath and looked her her with more curiosity than fear. She took her hoof and with much ease got pulled back on her hoofs, and started to look Marian's body more closely.

“Unbelievable,” She ran over the coat with a hoof and it feels so real, just like her own. Amazed and stunned she couldn't do much else than just look at body, touch and feel every little joint and limb. She felt all the little faults and flaws that she herself had, and often checked by going over her own body.

Like the time she a sick badger bit her left front hoof and left a small scar, and she got clawed on her barrel by a Timberwolf and Harry saved her. All of her she found on a body that she owns but can't control. Then it clicked.

“Marian?” Fluttershy started. “I hope you don't mind me asking… but were you out in town like this?”

Marian have been looking at Fluttershy the entire time with a grin on her muzzle, this is the first time that she have ever allowed her disguise been seen by the one she took it from. Such wonder and fascination coming from the pony touching her, that she even felt herself to make sure that this were her body. Marian's ears perked up at her name.

“Well yes, I went into town that you spoke of last night and mingled for a while,” Marian said. “such lovely people, or ponies so to say. They were very welcoming so to speak-” thinking back at her little encounter with Cloud Chaser and the light blue unicorn at the bar. “-and so, very delicious.”

Fluttershy gulped and her ears spread back against her head. “uhm, Marian… If you don't mind, it would be nice if you didn't do that again. I heard from Rainbow Dash what happened last night… and it really bothers me...” She stopped talking when she looked at her own face staring at her with a surprised look. “That is, if it's okay with you,” She looked at down at her hoofs, looking at on owns face like this is more than a little disturbing.

The two pegasus stood a short moment in silence.

“So you have a problem with me borrowing your form?” Marian asked flat out.

“Well, yes...” She said drawing a small circle in the floorboards.

“But is it so that ponies don't panic from who I really am, isn't that a good thing?” Marian asked innocently.

“It is… But you shouldn't do things like that,” looking up and into her own eyes with a soft scolding look on her face. 'I can't really be angry with her, Marian only tries to not scare anypony.'

“You mean things that you wouldn't normally do?” Fluttershy nodded. “So you don't mind me walking around in your form?”

The sly pegasus looked away, her eyes wondering over her bedroom. “I don't know… It's weird watching myself like this, and I do feel a little uneasy with what ponies might think of me now that you have done… things against ponies,” She said thinking at the story Rainbow told her of the bar trip.

Marian nodded in understanding and placed a hoof on her withers.

“I understand, you don't need think about me doing things like that anymore,” She gave a warm smile at her and slowly walked her over to the door. “I need to find someone to drink from and you got guests that you need to entertain and ease their worries about you,” Fluttershy's eyes open in realization that she had forgot about her friends, and they were downstairs waiting for her.

Marian opened the door and pushed her counterpart out on the stairs, and put a hoof over Fluttershy's mouth as she tried to speak up. “Hush Miss Sly,” She whispered. Leaning close to her, muzzle to muzzle. “and do not forget, have fun. The night only last so long.”

With that Marian retreated in the bedroom and left a baffled Fluttershy in front of the closed door, a little blush donning her cheeks and her breathing a little faster than normal.

“Darling? Are you up there?” Rarity's voice could be heard from the bottom of the stairs. “Are you alright?”

Fluttershy's breath hitched as she again had shortly forgotten about her friends, the last 20 minutes have been a roller coaster of emotions and both her thoughts and feelings have riled up and played with. She looked down at her friend. “Yes Rarity. I'm, okay,” She said, her voice shakes a little. “I coming down now.”

A hushed sound of a window opening could be heard from her bedroom, and Fluttershy peeked in and saw the window was open and Marian were nowhere to be seen. Angel sitting on her bed looking at the window and then at her just sighed at the events and hopped over to the Pegasus that stood in the doorway, and starting to leading her down.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and was immediately hugged by Pinkie, which she made a frighten shriek and stiffened up before noticing the embrace of her friend.

“Hi, are you okay?” Pinkie said with small concern in her voice. Fluttershy thought about telling her that 'she's fine, nothing to worry about.' But as she looked at each of her friends, she saw they all stood with worried looks on them. Knowing they wouldn't hesitate to help her even if she didn't want help. She sighed.

Fluttershy shook her head. “Yes Pinkie I'm fine, but I have a friend that needs my help.”

Pinkie Pie still hugging her narrowed her eyes and squinted like she were trying to watch something on Luna's moon and took a deep breath. “Is that why you have been crying? Is that because of your friend?” Fluttershy's eyes widen and she tried to speak up, but were stopped as Pinkie continued. “Your eyes are still a little puffy and red, but it's hard to see even with the lights and hearth lit. And earlier when we were talking about the vampiric being that saved and drank your blood you got frustrated and went away to vent and collect yourself, you always get like that before you going to cry and try again. But then you talked to the vampire that is your friend and she made you feel better and then she left and now you're here with us.”

A needle could have been heard hitting the floor as the four out the six ponies looked at between Fluttershy and Pinkie, the former of the two were stunned, completely and utterly in bewilderment on how her pink friend could have known that. Pinkie on the other hoof, smiled her widest, warmest and most inviting smile she had.

“How, do you know-” Fluttershy squeaked out, trying to find her voice again. She stopped when Pinkie patted her on the head.

“Your aunty Pinkie knows a great many things, my little Fluttershy,” She said like a old wise-pony before succumbing to her giggling.

The silence of the girls did not last however. “Wait a second! Do that mean that critter were in the house and it got away?” Applejack asked loudly.

Rarity had snapped out of her stupor by the volume of the farmer, and just sighed. “Yes, that would indeed mean that she got away. But why didn't you tell us that she was is in your house Fluttershy?”

All eyes was on shy pegasus and they wanted an explanation for why she would house a creature that have hurt her. Fluttershy on the other hoof felt her anxiety building up fast and she hid herself behind her long mane and looked to the floor just as soon Rarity asked her that final question, and quietly squeaked an answer lower than any with a normal hearing would hear.

“Duh girls,” Pinkie jumped in and saved Fluttershy in having to answer and all the mares turned their attention to the hyper pony. “She is Fluttershy's friend, she just wanna visit her new friend like we do ALL the time,” She said with a smile on her face. The others however, did not.

Wish in turn Rainbow had a frown creeping on her features. “I don't care if that 'thing' is good or bad, she DRANK of Fluttershy's blood and then did who else knows what and she needs to be stopped,” She punctuated by stomping her hoof hard into the hardwood floor, making most of the ponies flinch at her heated temper.

“But Rainbow, you must think-” Twilight started to talk about the new ideas and studies that could be conducted, in which Applejack simply agreed with Rainbow. Again the same augment from earlier started up again, and Fluttershy just slumped down at her haunches at the sight of her best friends discussing whats best for her without listening to her feelings about it… or it would be if not for two bodies pressing in on her from either side.

Pinkie on her right, hugging her and giving her a little smile, and Rarity to her left. Sitting close to her, simply being there for her with a smile very much like Pinkie's and looked at her with her soft eyes.

“Fluttershy dear, if it's not too much to ask. Why are you friends with such a creature?”

Fluttershy looked at her hoofs thinking a for a second about the why Fluttershy liked the vampire. “I think – it's because she have treated me like a friend since the moment she first spoke to me. She haven't lied to me, or what I know of and she went out of her way to make me feel comfortable in my own house while I were frighted of her,” Unknown to the pegasus, the cottage was quiet as everypony listens to her reasons why. “She made me tea and told me to sit myself where I wanted. Even though I was saw she's afraid of the flames when she lit up the stove to boil the water, she still did that for me. While we drank the tea she told me things and answered questions I had. While yes, it was scary when she told me that she wanted some of my blood, it didn't hurt at all it felt more like a…” Her eyes became distant as the remembered the bite and blushed a little.

The five waited patiently, others less so.

“Like a what?” Asked Twilight. All eyes on the purple unicorn as she stood with a notebook in her magic writhing everything down that Fluttershy had said, which made the shy pony on the floor blush more and hid her face with her hooves.

“Twilight,” Pinkie Pie groaned at the mare.

“What?” She looked at the others and then at Fluttershy that tried to hid herself, and then understood what she just did. “Oh, sorry,” She smile sheepishly as she levitated the notebook and feather away.

Again Fluttershy could feel her friends watch her intensely, eagerly waiting for her to answer their questions. “It felt really, nice,” She said quietly, hoping to Celestia that they don't bring up what she meant by that.

“Ah don't know about all of this girls,” Applejack said, conflicted about the whole situation with Fluttershy's new 'friend'. “If this critter really is ya friend and all, shouldn't she then stay and say hello? And where is she?” She asked.

Fluttershy looked up from her hooves and glanced out the window next to the hearth into the dark of the night, the moon could be seen from their spot at the table as it shone on the world underneath it.

“I don't know Applejack,” Fluttershy said. “She left through the window after she pushed me out of the bedroom, telling me to have fun...” She took a deep breath and let it out before steeling herself with a iron stare, her mind made up. “Girls, Marian told me that she is cursed and have been for many years,” This got the attention for her friends, national heroes and elements of harmony. “I want to help her in any why I can.”

The ponies around her nodded profoundly as they now thought of the vampire to be cursed only waiting to be cured.

“How is she cursed Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, the notebook and quill hovering in the air again by purple magic.

The sly mare sighed, as the only mare she knew that would willingly take notes of every little ting that might seem interesting. “She told me that she is a -”

__________________________________________________________

“ - UNDEAD FREAK, HALT!” The cloaked pony yelled with a deep voice at the disguised vampire, Marian turned and saw him with three others cloaked ponies. All of them hidden in the shadows under the trees in the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. To anything else than a skilled night born might not have seen these hunters coming, but this vampire not only heard, but smelled them from far away. “BY 'THE KNIGHTS OF THE LIGHT', WE WILL END YOUR REIGN THIS NIGHT!”

Marian gave them a cunning smile as she heard a fifth one try to move into a flanking position while their leader was taking, she heard the click of the crossbow as the arrow was released at the end of his speech. At that moment, the four hunters saw their target disappear in thin air like she wasn't even there to begin with. “Wha- where did she go?” One of them asked, looking around.

A soft laughter came from their right, inside the vale of darkness that the blacked forest presented them with. The four started to sweat and two of them, new hunters that have joined shook with fear. “Do you think that you could kill me that easily?” Fluttershy's voice came from the darkness surrounding them, her laugh grew in volume as her enjoyment rose at the measle attempt on her life.

Something flew from the shadows in a slight ark towards the closest hunter. He flinched and sidestepped, letting the object hit the ground and roll into the middle of them. It took a second for them to realize what it was, but they all moved back in shock at the sight of the severed head of their brother in arms, eyes wide open as in disbelief for his fate was sealed. His tongue hang out his mouth an with a bolt in his forehead.

“Look at you all,” The soft velvet voice said. “I would have thought that you would catch your comrade, or are you maybe not that close,” A muffled laugh as if she held up a hoof to be polite.

“S-SILENCE CUR!” The leader shouted at the vampire he couldn't see, trying to compose himself from the loss of a brother. “SHOW YOURSELF AND LET US END THIS!”

Within the darkness, a pitch so deep that no light could pierce it a pair of glowing blood red eyes bore as them. Making the four feel the fear that they have tried to overcome, let them see a little piece of what they are up against. Let them realize how outclassed they really are.

“My my, do you really have to yell that much?” a shutter went down the leaders spine. Their target n longer laughing, no longer sounding pleased like a filly on her birthday but more like a mother disappointed at her foals. “But very well, I will entertain your request and end you now. I tire of this name calling and I grow more hungry, so let me show you what a night born can do when irritated.”

At that moment, they all this would be their last night alive.

Author's Note

7 months... I am sorry. I hope it won't be that long till the next chapter... Still, thank you reading my story.