Vampony: Bound Togetherby Chrome MasqueradeChaptersChapter 1: It BeginsChapter 2: Night ClassesChapter 3: Practice Makes PerfectChapter 4: Mission 1Chapter 1: It BeginsVampony: Bound Together Chapter 1: It Begins The Mane 6 were facing down Nightmare Moon, their Harmonic energies intertwining to obliterate the dark demon. Nightmare Moon started charging a spell. “Even if you defeat me, you won't be able to BEAT me! See you in the afterlife, Ponies!” she said, spitting the last word as if it were foulest venom. Firing off the spell just as the Elements of Harmony were fully charged, a beam of energy thrusting toward her. Nightmare Moon screamed in pain as she was torn to pieces, some of her energy being thrown in all directions. Moments later, Princess Celestia came through a nearby window. “Princess Celstia!” the heroic ponies exclaimed, bowing to their goddess, feeling hope and oddly a bit of fear, but that was shrugged off. “Yes, yes. You have done well, my little Ponies. You have defeated Nightmare Moon and freed my sister.” “Sister?!” they all queried. Celestia went over and comforted her sister briefly before receiving a hug. “You know what this calls for?” said Pinkie Pie, “A Pa-AUGH!!” she said, interrupted by a scream. Her own, along with those of her friends. Thinking quickly, Celestia scanned them with a spell, eyes widening. “Oh no! I was afraid that something like this might happen!” Quickly she teleported them out of there (and her sister) with all haste. Twilight was the first to awaken. “Where... am I?” she asked. Cliche, yes, but a valid question. “You're in the Hospital. Fillydelphia branch.(1)” said a voice. “It's fortunate that you had Celestia to bring you here.” “Huh?” Twilight queried. “Yeah. You're a Moonkissed, now. Do you feel different?” Twilight quickly gave herself the once-over. She was feeling stronger. More powerful. Feeling her coat, she could feel hard muscle underneath that wasn't there -or at the very least was greater than- before. Her front teeth were now pointed, her vision much clearer, her hearing sharper. There was probably more, but she turned back to her conversation partner. “I'm Twilight Sparkle. So.... Who are you?” she asked. “Evenin', miss Twilight. Name's Jack. Some call me Union Jack.(2) And the sun goddess already filled me in.” he replied. “But that's not really important right now. What happens to be important would be you and your friends adjusting to things.” he added. “Look, they're waking up now.” Twilight wheeled around so quickly that her hooves produced sparks. Sure enough, her friends were getting up as well. “Where am I?” They said simultaneously. Deja Vu? More like Deja Ecoute. Twilight noticed that they all looked slightly different. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked a little dishevelled and had membranous wings instead of feathery ones; their Cutie Marks had changed to a trio of cute-looking bats and a chromatic cloud (that changed colour slightly if one adjusted their angle) with a blood red lightning bolt. Rarity looked a little darker, with a Cutie Mark of winged diamonds. Applejack looked visibly stronger and had red eyes instead of the green they were. Her apple Cutie Mark had eyes and fangs on it. Pinkie Pie looked much the same, but her typically messy mane and tail were slightly straighter than the usual. Her Cutie Mark had shifted entirely. It was now a trio of noisemakers (two blue, one yellow) with bats on the end and confetti above. Looking back at her own flank, Twilight saw that her Mark had become a nine-pointed star instead of six. Also that she got the feeling that she should have wings as well, for some reason. Like they were there, but.... NOT there. And they all had fangs. Don't forget the fangs. “Ah, it's about time the lot of you got up.” Jack said. “Now we can get some things explained.” “Like what?” Applejack asked, getting to her hooves. “Firstly, like I told your lavender friend here, I'm Jack. I was sent here to explain what happened to you all and to get you adjusting to your new lives.” “New lives?” Fluttershy queried, in a slightly deeper voice than usual, no hint of a quaver in it. “Yeah. Apparently Nightmare Moon was a sore loser and blasted you all with one final spell. Likely, it was meant to kill you. But due to the Elements of Harmony (which are now irrevocably connected with and TO you, thanks to that spell) took the brunt of it. You can see that those are now bound to your bodies; you can't take them off.” The sextet looked at themselves, noticing that, indeed, the Elements were fused with them, embedded in their chests. Save for Twilight, whose element was where her third eye would be. “This, you might imagine, complicates things.” Jack continued. “You've all become very close knit, but are all of very different clans. Hybrids of said clans. This could prove to be a double-edged sword, but enough of that depressing stuff. By the way, you all look wobbly. Haven't had a Drink yet, I take it?” “A drink of what, Darling?” Rarity asked. “Ah, so we're poppin' a cherry here! Okay, check it out. As a Moonkissed, you're gonna absorb less nutrition from your food, but unlike most vamps can still eat recreationally. So what you need is blood. At least an 8 oz glass of it a month. More if you can help it. That'll kick-start your system, allowing you to function better in just about every way.” The lot of them winced at this, but let Jack continue. “We anticipated this and set out six blood packs for you all from the stashes of some willing greater vamps, ones related to your respective Families; the real good stuff. Be sure to tear into them at once, or you'll be likely fighting over it. Just sink those little fangs in and feed. Get ready, though, because *heh* It's never as sweet as the first time.” Each of them picked up a blood bag in their hooves, hesitantly. “And.... bite.” he signalled. As they all bit into the bags and felt the blood rocket through their systems, they all felt different things. Applejack felt heat flood her system. She saw a vision of taking hundreds of blows without feeling a thing and hitting back harder than she ever could have before. She felt stronger. More powerful. Smarter. Fiercer. Rainbow Dash felt a different kind of heat. This one almost sensual, coaxing her further along as she drained the bag. She smelled the telltale scent of mares in heat and stallions servicing them, saw a vision of her looking over four dozen thralls, all perfect of body. Rarity felt a chill run through her, and later a more.... refined cold. She felt simultaneously powerful and... classy. More so. She tasted wine made with the finest grapes, set to ferment for 100 years. But she also felt darkness lingering at the corners of her mind. She saw herself in her element, mingling with the noble elite, occasionally using a bit of her magic to aid in her flirtations with some of the males. Fluttershy was much more tentative and as the first drops of blood hit her tongue she felt much as Applejack did, but different. She felt the call of nature around her, enhancing her senses, strengthening her, empowering her. For the first time in her life she felt sure of herself. Like she could take on the world and win! “Oh, buck yes.” she moaned before drinking more deeply. She felt the essence of every creature around her, not only her fellow Ponies, but also the insects, the various animals that were nearby, especially the birds and bats perched on the various spots around the building. they were in. She also felt something else at the back of her mind. Something much more primal was taking in some of the blood's energy as well. Not enough to awaken it, but enough that it was beginning to. Pinkie Pie felt a bitter cold that permeated her every nerve, mostly felt within her mind. Though she wasn't the most stable of her friends, this time she felt even less so. She saw hundreds of pictures, of tricks she could do with her new power or lore behind things that she otherwise shouldn't have known about. The knowledge itself was intoxicating, almost. Lastly, Twilight felt something much like Rarity had, but this had something of a more... magical nature to it. Instead of wine she tasted apple cider, left to ferment for a long time, made with the finest zap apples and served with the choicest cheeses that a cow could take pride in producing. She saw herself mingling with the upper class, a courteous magocracy(3) of sorts in place. All of those around her were powerful, but she knew that she was an order of magnitude above them. As they all opened their eyes, Jack said, “Yeah. Yeah, you're all feeling it. All of that power lifting you to new heights. Now i can tell you about the REALLY fun stuff.” The six stayed silent, listening eagerly. “Now, like I said, all of you are hybrids of different clans. Ol' Nighty must really have had it out for ya.” He pointed to each of them in turn. “Applejack. You're a combo of Brujah and Tzimisce. You've got the strength of the former and the cunning of the latter. Skittles, you're a hybrid of Lasombra and Toreador. You have the dark power of the one and the inclination to pleasure and adrenaline of the latter. You'll probably feel the impulse to gather thralls, too.” Applejack nudged her friend, “Sounds familiar already.” she said, smugly. “Hey.” Rainbow replied in (mostly) mock insult. Jack continued. “Rares, you're Ventrue primarily and Raynos secondarily. A noble trickster. Flutters, you're Gangrel and Brujah. You're gonna feel like you're closer to nature and more in tune with the beast within than any of the others. But do NOT let that control you. Pinks, you're Malkavian and Raynos. Much like Skittles here, but more crazy and knowledgeable than sensual.” “That's Pinkie for you.” five friends agreed in unison. “Hey!” Pinkie responded with (fully) mock insult. Jack grinned before moving on. “Twiggles, your types are Ventrue and Tremere. You'll be able to learn some new magic, you'll be glad to know, but will also feel more like one of the nobles, like Rares over here. Can also tell that you're to be the leader of your brood.(4)" Twilight smiled and nodded, eager to learn. “Now for the REALLY fun stuff. All vamps -including you girls- have a few things in common. Things that'll set them right up on the top of the food chain.” “Like?” Fluttershy prompted. “Oh, like sharper senses, a body that can take a beating, some cool powers and -if you play you cards right- nigh-on eternal life. It's no sure bet, but a chance at immortality isn't too bad, wouldn't you say? And that's just for starters. As Moonkissed you get some fringe benefits too.” “So, you're saying... we'll be immortal?” Pinkie asked eagerly. Jack clarified. “Well, you can still be destroyed, but forget the books and movies. Garlic? Worthless. Some of us even enjoy it. A cross? Pfft! Shove it right up their plots! A stake? Only if it catches you in the heart, then it's just paralyzing. Unless of course your head is removed afterwards. Running water? No problem. I bathe or go swimming. Occasionally. Now, a gunshot to the head? That could be trouble. Fire? Silver? That's REAL trouble. Sunlight? Well, if most vamps catch the sunrise it's all over, but again, being Moonkissed, your power is just halved. Get it?” “Got it.” the bevy of friends said in unison. “Good. You'll discover your powers as you go along, but for now -speaking of sunlight-, it's nearly sunup. You'll survive it, but I wouldn't. See ya later, gals. Peace.” Jack said, fading into the shadows. Applejack sighed. “Okay, girls. What now?” Twilight replied, “Presumably we.... SHOULD be safe to go home. I hope.” "For now, i feel (*yawn*) awfully tired, darlings." Rarity said. "Yeah. I-I'm feelin' it too." Applejack agreed. One by one, each of them began to feel drowsy, eventually falling asleep in a loose pile. Outside the room, Celestia said to her sister, "They took that quite well." Luna nodded. "Indeed We shalt see how they dost react whence they awaken. For now, We are feeling a touch drained as well." she said. "Let us adjourn for now, Sister." she added,walking away. "Have a good sleep, my little vamponies. Tonight your training begins." Celestia said, before waling away as well. Author's Note 1: For those of you who read the comics, you might remember the line "Peculiar is a slow day for us". 2: Yes, for those who have played the game, this guy is based on Smiling Jack. 3: borrowed from Neverwinter Nights; "You were raised in a land where mighty wizards order affairs. Where powerful spellcasters are common, cautious courtesy is the norm and everyone has an eye for magic goods." 4: Yes, a brood is a group of vampires. This applies to a group who rally around a central leader. Chapter 2: Night ClassesAuthor's Note This is especially for those who want an idea of what new abilities and quirks the mane 6 will have hereafter. Chapter 2: Night Classes Chapter 2: Night Classes The next night, princesses Celestia and Luna came back to Ponyville, Mane 6 in tow. As she had originally planned, Pinkie Pie threw a huge party for Luna's return. Surprisingly, everypony in town took the whole vampire thing rather well. Some even volunteered to be donors. (more than one found Rainbow to be rather alluring and volunteered to be thralls, but Rainbow decided that she'd think about it a while first, and told them to as well.) Later on, the Mane 6, with the princesses, were out in a nearby field. Luna began to explain a few things. “The spell that thou were struck with when We were still possessed by that hateful black spirit was supposed to destroy thee utterly, but instead -by the power of the Elements, no doubt- morphed into a spell that admittedly, we hast utilized in the past. T'was a spell to create superior soldiers and bodyguards; ones who wouldst be able to age alongside Us. Sadly, most of them didst not last very long. As superior soldiers and guards, they automatically deferred to Us. We went by Elena to them, at the time. They defended Us with their very lives. T'was hard to let go of them, but in that era things were, shall We say-” “Careful.” Celestia warned. “Tumultuous.” Luna finished, her sister nodding. Twilight raised a hoof. “How.... “superior” were these enhanced Ponies, exactly?” Luna smiled. “That is what We -and Our sister- shall teach thee of this night.” The coterie of vamponies was ready and willing to learn as much as they could. “Firstly;” Luna began, “as Union Jack might have told thee, thou can'st forget about the stories. Thou wilt not make somepony else as thee unless thou were to share blood with them deliberately. What he might have forgotten -or at least wrongly presumed- thy metallic foe shalt be orichalcum or platinum (more likely the latter than the former). Not silver.” “Why orichalcum?” Rainbow asked. “Remember, as vamponies thou art childe of Dracul. Not only of the bat, but of the dragon. 'Tis why all of thee have wings.” “Does that make Rarity and me alicorns?” Twilight asked. “No. Thou dost still lack the crucial Earth Pony portion of that power. Thou hast not ascended yet, we fear. Take comfort in being part dragon, for now. This comes with extra durability and strength. And more besides.” “Awesome!” the chromatic mare squealed softly, causing the night princess to chuckle. “Well, thou art easily impressed, We see.” Luna chided. “This is not even getting to the good part!” she added. “It DOES get better, I take it?” Fluttershy asked. “Indeed. All kindred have access to certain purviews, as Jack hath stated. We shalt telleth thee of the powers that each of thee hast been gifted with. Also, it should be noted that in the past other kindred hath taken on aliases that art used in outer circles. Indeed, at the time We had an alias in Vampony society: Selêne. Anyway, these names were used when on the hunt, for example. These art oft related to their particular personalities. For example...” the lunar princess closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then pointed to Applejack. “Forthright Applejack, thou hast been gifted with the powers of the clans Brujah primarily and Tzimisce secondarily. The Brujah art capable of great feats of strength, speed and charisma. They hath the power of the very earth running through them. These purviews are known as Potence, Celerity and Presence. Also, thou hast from the Tzimisce clan the powers of Auspex and Vicissitude. Thou shalt be able to sense things others could not and also to craft the very flesh of living organisms, least of all thyself. While some might find the latter power somewhat.... grotesque, it can have many applications. Now, the Brujah of old followed the Olympian Ideal (also known as Entelechy). This means that they believ'd in perfection of body and mind, and so trained both relentlessly. They also believ'd strongly in family mentality. If thou did'st mess with one of the family of a Brujah, thou would'st face the wrath of all of them.” “Yep.” Applejack said. “Definitely fits us Apples.” “For thee, We believe the alias... Valeria. Would fit nicely. It means Strength.” “Powerful and... familiar, for some reason. Seems to fit. Ah like it.” Applejack said. Next Luna turned to Rainbow Dash. “Loyal maiden Dash, thou hast the bloodlines of the Toreador primarily and the Lasombra secondarily, yes? Thy powers will be very similar to Applejack's, save for the added benefit of Domination and control over the very shadows, known as Obtenebration. However, as Twilight is the queen among thee -and given thy loyal nature-, thou shalt likely not be able to do the former if 'twould conflict with Twilight's morals.” “If it came to it, I'd definitely go with Twilight's decision. I can tell that this is not the kind of power to be playing pranks with.” Rainbow stated, earning a proud smile from the lavender mare. Luna continued. “The Toreador believe primarily in honour and being in vogue. They art often seen wearing something from the catwalks or generally attempting to look their best.” Rarity nudged Rainbow Dash. “Maybe now I'll be able to convince you to go to the spa sometime.” she said, grinning. She only received a half-hearted glare from the cyan mare. "As such, We believe that thy alias should be Alexandria, which means Defender. 'Tis also likened to the name of a particularly beautiful precious stone, so it fits there as well.” Dash nodded her approval. “I like it.” "Kindest Fluttershy, thou hast been gifted with the blood of the Gangrel and the Brujah. Much as Applejack this means that thou shalt be stronger, faster and carry thyself differently. Also, thou shalt be able to take on the affinity of animals, if thou hast tasted of their blood, also to incite, soothe or even control them and more. That's Animalism. Then there's the signature power of the Gangrel; Protean. Thou shalt be able to take on a beastly War Form, sharpen thy senses further, take on the shape of an animal fully, and much more. Also there is the power of Fortitude, which will give thee unearthly toughness and resistance.Thou can'st even share some of that with others, should ye so choose. As such, We believe that thine alias shall be.... Venatrix, which means Huntress. Thou may'st not have fit that before, but thou dost now, you'll find.” “Interesting.” Fluttershy said, noncommittally. “Now, dame Rarity,” Luna continued, Rarity giving a smile at the title. “Thy bloodlines are those of the Raynos and the Ventrue, correct? This means that thou shalt have access to the Domination, Fortitude, and Presence powers of the Ventrue and the Fortitude power of the Raynos, as well as Chinerstry; Illusion magic. Actually, 'tis closer to Delusion magic. With it thou can'st create illusions that seem so real that to use it properly, thou must often fool thyself for an instant. Thou wiltl be able to mix with the elite and the common folk as ye see fit. Thou couldst disappear from one place and appear in any other nearby, whether socially or physically, becoming something of a... holoserica umbra; a velvet shadow. As such, I believe that thy alias should be... Fascina, which means Glamour.” “I'm not sure if that's such a great name...” Rarity began. “'Tis fitting, catchy, self explanatory and easy to remember. Request denied.” “I suppose you're right on that.” Rarity begrudgingly agreed. “Now, Maid Pinkamena-” “You can just call me Pinkie, you know. It's sooo much easier.” “Pinkie, then.” Luna amended, “Thou hast the blooddlines Malkavian and Raynos. Thou shalt have much the same powers as dame Rarity on the one side of the bit, but on the other, thou also hast the powers Auspex, (which We explained earlier), Dementation and Obfuscation. Dementation inflicts aspects of the user's own insanity on others and 'tis the trademark ability of the Malkavians, who art all, to some extent, fundamentally insane. Obfuscation will allow thee to hide thy face, thyself or even thine entire group. This makest thee arguably more dangerous than any of the others. Furthermore, they fill two roles in vampony society. Seers and Jokers. They do have a tradition of pranking.” Rainbow Dash smiled a little wickedly at that. Though she would refrain from using her powers for pranks, she still wasn't against the idea. “But they still hold a sense of honour, dignity and charisma to them, and your natural energy will complement that. As such, thy new alias shall be... Valentina, which means Vigorous.” “Oooh! Catchy!” Pinkie opined “And now, Lady Twilight.” Luna said, addressing the purple mare. “Thou dost carry the bloodlines of the Ventrue and the Tremere. The Ventrue hath been covered previously, but the Tremere.... ah, now THEY wert something. They wert powerful blood mages, who use'd vitae like no other clan. There art as many applications for such magic as there art for the magic we normally dost utilize. However, thou dost still live, so thine unicorn magic may still be utilized. Now, Twilight, remember that thou art the matriarch of this group. Both of thy bloodlines shalt guide thee with other classes, high or low. Simply remember: be polite. Be classy. Be awesome. Have faith in thy instincts. Thou shalt serve as the guiding light for thy coterie. As such, thy alias shall be Luminita; Little Light.” “Appropriate.” Twilight said shortly. “Now that thou hast some idea of thy powers, thou shouldst practice with them. Flying as well. Thou shalt find that flying with membranous wings is quite different from ones with feathers. For now, We must return to Canterlot. Duty calls, as thou knowest. We had forgotten how pushy many of the courtiers can be." She lowere her eyelids and raised her eyebrows for the next bit, "'Tis enough to almost maketh Us wish We had stayed in the moon.” Everypony shared a chuckle at the dry humour and the princesses took off. Twilight turned to the rest of the group. “Alright, everypony. Tonight marks the beginning of our new lives. As such, I hate to say this, but... Rainbow Dash, you have the most experience with flying (no offense, Fluttershy). Would you care to show us the ropes?” Rainbow spread her wings, flexing her obtenebration power to make herself look more awesome - or at least she thought so. "Show off." Applejack grumbled. “Alright! Let's do this!” Rainbow sad, beginning to give instructions. Chapter 3: Practice Makes PerfectSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 4: Mission 1Looking at the assembled coterie, Luna nodded. "Tonight, thou hast a mission to complete. It seems that a group of fanatics calling themselves "The Cut of the Shadowed Blades" hast captured several foals with the intent of their sacrifice to some dark force. Foremost, thou art to saveth the foals. 'Tis thy top priority." At this, the lined ponies nodded in agreement. "Secondly, We dost not accept such deplorable activity. We can'st not allow this to continue. Needless to say, these are not innocent ponies by ANY stretch of one's imagination." Luna's serious expression deepened. "Feel free to draineth them dry if thou wishest to." The group grinned as one, showing their fangs briefly. "Also, thy equipment." Luna said, conjuring forth an assortment of items. Among them were weapons like hoofblades and wingblades, as well as armour. There was also an assortment of potions in a case to keep them safe. Fluttershy took this willingly. She was still eager to get in on the action, so she placed that in her Pocket. Twilight tilted her head slightly at that. "Fluttershy? Since when could you do that?" Fluttershy blinked. Then blinked twice. "Can't everypony?" Twilight sighed. "Show of hooves." Pinkie and Rarity also raised their hooves. So did Luna, not that it was necesssary. "Figures." Applejack muttered. Luna continued. "Before thou goest, for a finishing touch, needs must thy clan have a name." Twilight thought for a moment. "Amicita.(1)" Luna nodded. "Fitting." She then hoofed out a set of compass-like objects. "Those compass devices will point thee to thy objective. Ye'll know thy target when thou dost see it. When thou dost, teacheth them to fear the darkness. Oh. And while thou art on mission, stick to thy aliases. Merry part." The newly named clan of Moonkissed bowed to the princes. "Until we merry meet again." they said as one, taking to the air shortly thereafter. The newly dubbed Amicitas clan flew for several hours. Va;eria (Applejack), Alexandri (Rainbow Dash), Venatrix (Fluttershy), Fascina (Rarity) Valentina (Pinkie Pie) and Luminita (Twilight) followed their compasses to their target. Due to the draconic blood within them, they tired not a bit, and made pretty good time, too! Naturally, Alexandria could go much MUCH faster, but was reluctant to leave her clan behind. Eventually, they managed to get to Manehattan. "Question!" Alexandria put out. "Yes, Alexandria?" Luminita responded. "Are we THERE yet?!" was the impatient query. Luminita looked at her compass, which pointed straight down. "Actually... yes!" Right below them was a cathedral of sorts. On the outside, it looked reasonably decent. It was a beautiful reddish colour that made the church distinct.... Until you got closer and found that the outside was painted with fresh blood. They could sense that there were several coats of it, of various ages. Valeria commented under her breath, "They couldn't be less subtle if they put out an ad in the newspaper." The rest of the clan nodded their agreement. They entered the cathedral, only to find a perfectly normal, empty area. "Something's off, here." Venatrix stated the obvious, starting to search carefully. "Venatrix?" Luminita queried, "What are you loo-" She didn't get any farther, as Venatrix pulled a hanger on the coat rack sideways, causing a secret passage to open, leading downward. "Nnnnnneeeever mind." Luminita said. Due to her new nature, Venatrix was able to notice the smallest of details, and follow a scent like a figyrative and literal bloodhound. Venatrix led the coterie of vamponies downward, keeping a watchful eye out for traps that might be around. The stairs going down led to a long corridor. Venatrix held out a hoof, stopping the progression. From her Pocket, shhe brought out a spraycan. giving the corridor a generous spritz, several lasers were placed at various angles. After a good look, she said, "Follow my lead." and started doing some impressive acrobatics. She did a flip, landing on her hind hooves, flipped over another, slid under a set of four, backflipped with a full twist and landed on all fours. She then spritzed the hallway again for her clanmates' benefit. Fascina was next, following the movements exactly. At the shocked faces she saw, she said, "Well, i'm not just a pretty face, you know." Luminita was next, only stumbling slightly as she made her movements. Alexandria was next. She just flew over the low ones, dodging the angled ones. she landed with an aerial backflip, landing hard. The ones on the other side of the laser grid felt a tap on their withers. Turning around, they saw Valentina, already on the that side. Nopony questioned how. Valeria went last, making embellished movements as she went. Nothing fancy (such wasn't her style), just enough to reach the other side without incident. With everypony accounted for, they proceeded. The hallway led to another ceremonial chamber, but this was FAR more like what they were looking for. The chamber was large, with at least 20 sets of pews. It was also stained red on the walls, coated with blood similarly to the outside. In the dark robed gryphon bishop's claws was a nervous foal. She was so afraid that she had forgotten how to cry. And rightly so! As the dark priest was about to make the sacrifice, the Amicita clan leapt forth, Luminita shouting, "STOP!" As the whole procession turned to look at them, Luminita said, angrily, "Put her down." The bishop did so, surprisingly, the fol running back to the others. "What have we here?" the bishop queries rhetorically, "Vamponies? How did you even enter this holy place?" As one, the vamponies snorted. Valeria replied, "This place is ANYTHING but holy. Also, someone reads too many vampire stories." "How DARE you mock our sacred place of worship!" "How dare YOU sacrifice the lives of the innocent to powers dark and yet feel the right to call yourself a priest of any caliber?!" Luminita growled. The dark preacher asked, "Who are you, anyway?" "We are Amicita. We are retribution for the lives that you've taken, the souls that you've damned." "SLAY THEM!" the bishop said without further ado. The cultists began to rise from the pews. "Everypony:Fpormation Delta 3!" The vampiric ponies gathered in a loose half-circle. Then they charged forward. The clash was about to commence! Weapons were bared and liberally used. Valeria used her brute strength to slam her targets to the hard floor. Alexandria darted back and forth, slashing oncoming cultists, occasionally stopping to feed from every third or fourth target. Venatrix used her Protean ability to effectively beast out and tore her targets to shreds. Fascina created a dazzlng light show with her magic and weilded loose pews as improvised giant clubs. Luminita used her blood magic to fire bullets of blood at their foes. Valentina bounced from tatget to target, causing them to attack each other in their attempts totakke her down. At length, the leader shouted, "ENOUGH! I have had it with you cut-rate vampires!" Turning to the obligatory statue behind him, he began incanting in a forgotten language. As he chanted, a portal opened, only to admit..... "No way!" Alexandria commented in awe. "Well, well. Fancy meeting the six of you again." "Nightmare Moon?!" they exclaimed in unison. "Just a piece. A small piece. But it's all i'll need. This cult is a wjp;e gaggle of my followers. Here, I am at the height of my power. This fight will NOT be like the last.: Luminita said, "You're right. We're stronger than we were then. Don't expect us to go down with any amount of ease." Round 2 was about to begin. Author's Note And suddenly, a wild cliffhanger appeared! Sorry about that, but this is all i've got for now.
Chapter 1: It BeginsVampony: Bound Together Chapter 1: It Begins The Mane 6 were facing down Nightmare Moon, their Harmonic energies intertwining to obliterate the dark demon. Nightmare Moon started charging a spell. “Even if you defeat me, you won't be able to BEAT me! See you in the afterlife, Ponies!” she said, spitting the last word as if it were foulest venom. Firing off the spell just as the Elements of Harmony were fully charged, a beam of energy thrusting toward her. Nightmare Moon screamed in pain as she was torn to pieces, some of her energy being thrown in all directions. Moments later, Princess Celestia came through a nearby window. “Princess Celstia!” the heroic ponies exclaimed, bowing to their goddess, feeling hope and oddly a bit of fear, but that was shrugged off. “Yes, yes. You have done well, my little Ponies. You have defeated Nightmare Moon and freed my sister.” “Sister?!” they all queried. Celestia went over and comforted her sister briefly before receiving a hug. “You know what this calls for?” said Pinkie Pie, “A Pa-AUGH!!” she said, interrupted by a scream. Her own, along with those of her friends. Thinking quickly, Celestia scanned them with a spell, eyes widening. “Oh no! I was afraid that something like this might happen!” Quickly she teleported them out of there (and her sister) with all haste. Twilight was the first to awaken. “Where... am I?” she asked. Cliche, yes, but a valid question. “You're in the Hospital. Fillydelphia branch.(1)” said a voice. “It's fortunate that you had Celestia to bring you here.” “Huh?” Twilight queried. “Yeah. You're a Moonkissed, now. Do you feel different?” Twilight quickly gave herself the once-over. She was feeling stronger. More powerful. Feeling her coat, she could feel hard muscle underneath that wasn't there -or at the very least was greater than- before. Her front teeth were now pointed, her vision much clearer, her hearing sharper. There was probably more, but she turned back to her conversation partner. “I'm Twilight Sparkle. So.... Who are you?” she asked. “Evenin', miss Twilight. Name's Jack. Some call me Union Jack.(2) And the sun goddess already filled me in.” he replied. “But that's not really important right now. What happens to be important would be you and your friends adjusting to things.” he added. “Look, they're waking up now.” Twilight wheeled around so quickly that her hooves produced sparks. Sure enough, her friends were getting up as well. “Where am I?” They said simultaneously. Deja Vu? More like Deja Ecoute. Twilight noticed that they all looked slightly different. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked a little dishevelled and had membranous wings instead of feathery ones; their Cutie Marks had changed to a trio of cute-looking bats and a chromatic cloud (that changed colour slightly if one adjusted their angle) with a blood red lightning bolt. Rarity looked a little darker, with a Cutie Mark of winged diamonds. Applejack looked visibly stronger and had red eyes instead of the green they were. Her apple Cutie Mark had eyes and fangs on it. Pinkie Pie looked much the same, but her typically messy mane and tail were slightly straighter than the usual. Her Cutie Mark had shifted entirely. It was now a trio of noisemakers (two blue, one yellow) with bats on the end and confetti above. Looking back at her own flank, Twilight saw that her Mark had become a nine-pointed star instead of six. Also that she got the feeling that she should have wings as well, for some reason. Like they were there, but.... NOT there. And they all had fangs. Don't forget the fangs. “Ah, it's about time the lot of you got up.” Jack said. “Now we can get some things explained.” “Like what?” Applejack asked, getting to her hooves. “Firstly, like I told your lavender friend here, I'm Jack. I was sent here to explain what happened to you all and to get you adjusting to your new lives.” “New lives?” Fluttershy queried, in a slightly deeper voice than usual, no hint of a quaver in it. “Yeah. Apparently Nightmare Moon was a sore loser and blasted you all with one final spell. Likely, it was meant to kill you. But due to the Elements of Harmony (which are now irrevocably connected with and TO you, thanks to that spell) took the brunt of it. You can see that those are now bound to your bodies; you can't take them off.” The sextet looked at themselves, noticing that, indeed, the Elements were fused with them, embedded in their chests. Save for Twilight, whose element was where her third eye would be. “This, you might imagine, complicates things.” Jack continued. “You've all become very close knit, but are all of very different clans. Hybrids of said clans. This could prove to be a double-edged sword, but enough of that depressing stuff. By the way, you all look wobbly. Haven't had a Drink yet, I take it?” “A drink of what, Darling?” Rarity asked. “Ah, so we're poppin' a cherry here! Okay, check it out. As a Moonkissed, you're gonna absorb less nutrition from your food, but unlike most vamps can still eat recreationally. So what you need is blood. At least an 8 oz glass of it a month. More if you can help it. That'll kick-start your system, allowing you to function better in just about every way.” The lot of them winced at this, but let Jack continue. “We anticipated this and set out six blood packs for you all from the stashes of some willing greater vamps, ones related to your respective Families; the real good stuff. Be sure to tear into them at once, or you'll be likely fighting over it. Just sink those little fangs in and feed. Get ready, though, because *heh* It's never as sweet as the first time.” Each of them picked up a blood bag in their hooves, hesitantly. “And.... bite.” he signalled. As they all bit into the bags and felt the blood rocket through their systems, they all felt different things. Applejack felt heat flood her system. She saw a vision of taking hundreds of blows without feeling a thing and hitting back harder than she ever could have before. She felt stronger. More powerful. Smarter. Fiercer. Rainbow Dash felt a different kind of heat. This one almost sensual, coaxing her further along as she drained the bag. She smelled the telltale scent of mares in heat and stallions servicing them, saw a vision of her looking over four dozen thralls, all perfect of body. Rarity felt a chill run through her, and later a more.... refined cold. She felt simultaneously powerful and... classy. More so. She tasted wine made with the finest grapes, set to ferment for 100 years. But she also felt darkness lingering at the corners of her mind. She saw herself in her element, mingling with the noble elite, occasionally using a bit of her magic to aid in her flirtations with some of the males. Fluttershy was much more tentative and as the first drops of blood hit her tongue she felt much as Applejack did, but different. She felt the call of nature around her, enhancing her senses, strengthening her, empowering her. For the first time in her life she felt sure of herself. Like she could take on the world and win! “Oh, buck yes.” she moaned before drinking more deeply. She felt the essence of every creature around her, not only her fellow Ponies, but also the insects, the various animals that were nearby, especially the birds and bats perched on the various spots around the building. they were in. She also felt something else at the back of her mind. Something much more primal was taking in some of the blood's energy as well. Not enough to awaken it, but enough that it was beginning to. Pinkie Pie felt a bitter cold that permeated her every nerve, mostly felt within her mind. Though she wasn't the most stable of her friends, this time she felt even less so. She saw hundreds of pictures, of tricks she could do with her new power or lore behind things that she otherwise shouldn't have known about. The knowledge itself was intoxicating, almost. Lastly, Twilight felt something much like Rarity had, but this had something of a more... magical nature to it. Instead of wine she tasted apple cider, left to ferment for a long time, made with the finest zap apples and served with the choicest cheeses that a cow could take pride in producing. She saw herself mingling with the upper class, a courteous magocracy(3) of sorts in place. All of those around her were powerful, but she knew that she was an order of magnitude above them. As they all opened their eyes, Jack said, “Yeah. Yeah, you're all feeling it. All of that power lifting you to new heights. Now i can tell you about the REALLY fun stuff.” The six stayed silent, listening eagerly. “Now, like I said, all of you are hybrids of different clans. Ol' Nighty must really have had it out for ya.” He pointed to each of them in turn. “Applejack. You're a combo of Brujah and Tzimisce. You've got the strength of the former and the cunning of the latter. Skittles, you're a hybrid of Lasombra and Toreador. You have the dark power of the one and the inclination to pleasure and adrenaline of the latter. You'll probably feel the impulse to gather thralls, too.” Applejack nudged her friend, “Sounds familiar already.” she said, smugly. “Hey.” Rainbow replied in (mostly) mock insult. Jack continued. “Rares, you're Ventrue primarily and Raynos secondarily. A noble trickster. Flutters, you're Gangrel and Brujah. You're gonna feel like you're closer to nature and more in tune with the beast within than any of the others. But do NOT let that control you. Pinks, you're Malkavian and Raynos. Much like Skittles here, but more crazy and knowledgeable than sensual.” “That's Pinkie for you.” five friends agreed in unison. “Hey!” Pinkie responded with (fully) mock insult. Jack grinned before moving on. “Twiggles, your types are Ventrue and Tremere. You'll be able to learn some new magic, you'll be glad to know, but will also feel more like one of the nobles, like Rares over here. Can also tell that you're to be the leader of your brood.(4)" Twilight smiled and nodded, eager to learn. “Now for the REALLY fun stuff. All vamps -including you girls- have a few things in common. Things that'll set them right up on the top of the food chain.” “Like?” Fluttershy prompted. “Oh, like sharper senses, a body that can take a beating, some cool powers and -if you play you cards right- nigh-on eternal life. It's no sure bet, but a chance at immortality isn't too bad, wouldn't you say? And that's just for starters. As Moonkissed you get some fringe benefits too.” “So, you're saying... we'll be immortal?” Pinkie asked eagerly. Jack clarified. “Well, you can still be destroyed, but forget the books and movies. Garlic? Worthless. Some of us even enjoy it. A cross? Pfft! Shove it right up their plots! A stake? Only if it catches you in the heart, then it's just paralyzing. Unless of course your head is removed afterwards. Running water? No problem. I bathe or go swimming. Occasionally. Now, a gunshot to the head? That could be trouble. Fire? Silver? That's REAL trouble. Sunlight? Well, if most vamps catch the sunrise it's all over, but again, being Moonkissed, your power is just halved. Get it?” “Got it.” the bevy of friends said in unison. “Good. You'll discover your powers as you go along, but for now -speaking of sunlight-, it's nearly sunup. You'll survive it, but I wouldn't. See ya later, gals. Peace.” Jack said, fading into the shadows. Applejack sighed. “Okay, girls. What now?” Twilight replied, “Presumably we.... SHOULD be safe to go home. I hope.” "For now, i feel (*yawn*) awfully tired, darlings." Rarity said. "Yeah. I-I'm feelin' it too." Applejack agreed. One by one, each of them began to feel drowsy, eventually falling asleep in a loose pile. Outside the room, Celestia said to her sister, "They took that quite well." Luna nodded. "Indeed We shalt see how they dost react whence they awaken. For now, We are feeling a touch drained as well." she said. "Let us adjourn for now, Sister." she added,walking away. "Have a good sleep, my little vamponies. Tonight your training begins." Celestia said, before waling away as well. Author's Note 1: For those of you who read the comics, you might remember the line "Peculiar is a slow day for us". 2: Yes, for those who have played the game, this guy is based on Smiling Jack. 3: borrowed from Neverwinter Nights; "You were raised in a land where mighty wizards order affairs. Where powerful spellcasters are common, cautious courtesy is the norm and everyone has an eye for magic goods." 4: Yes, a brood is a group of vampires. This applies to a group who rally around a central leader.
Chapter 2: Night ClassesAuthor's Note This is especially for those who want an idea of what new abilities and quirks the mane 6 will have hereafter. Chapter 2: Night Classes Chapter 2: Night Classes The next night, princesses Celestia and Luna came back to Ponyville, Mane 6 in tow. As she had originally planned, Pinkie Pie threw a huge party for Luna's return. Surprisingly, everypony in town took the whole vampire thing rather well. Some even volunteered to be donors. (more than one found Rainbow to be rather alluring and volunteered to be thralls, but Rainbow decided that she'd think about it a while first, and told them to as well.) Later on, the Mane 6, with the princesses, were out in a nearby field. Luna began to explain a few things. “The spell that thou were struck with when We were still possessed by that hateful black spirit was supposed to destroy thee utterly, but instead -by the power of the Elements, no doubt- morphed into a spell that admittedly, we hast utilized in the past. T'was a spell to create superior soldiers and bodyguards; ones who wouldst be able to age alongside Us. Sadly, most of them didst not last very long. As superior soldiers and guards, they automatically deferred to Us. We went by Elena to them, at the time. They defended Us with their very lives. T'was hard to let go of them, but in that era things were, shall We say-” “Careful.” Celestia warned. “Tumultuous.” Luna finished, her sister nodding. Twilight raised a hoof. “How.... “superior” were these enhanced Ponies, exactly?” Luna smiled. “That is what We -and Our sister- shall teach thee of this night.” The coterie of vamponies was ready and willing to learn as much as they could. “Firstly;” Luna began, “as Union Jack might have told thee, thou can'st forget about the stories. Thou wilt not make somepony else as thee unless thou were to share blood with them deliberately. What he might have forgotten -or at least wrongly presumed- thy metallic foe shalt be orichalcum or platinum (more likely the latter than the former). Not silver.” “Why orichalcum?” Rainbow asked. “Remember, as vamponies thou art childe of Dracul. Not only of the bat, but of the dragon. 'Tis why all of thee have wings.” “Does that make Rarity and me alicorns?” Twilight asked. “No. Thou dost still lack the crucial Earth Pony portion of that power. Thou hast not ascended yet, we fear. Take comfort in being part dragon, for now. This comes with extra durability and strength. And more besides.” “Awesome!” the chromatic mare squealed softly, causing the night princess to chuckle. “Well, thou art easily impressed, We see.” Luna chided. “This is not even getting to the good part!” she added. “It DOES get better, I take it?” Fluttershy asked. “Indeed. All kindred have access to certain purviews, as Jack hath stated. We shalt telleth thee of the powers that each of thee hast been gifted with. Also, it should be noted that in the past other kindred hath taken on aliases that art used in outer circles. Indeed, at the time We had an alias in Vampony society: Selêne. Anyway, these names were used when on the hunt, for example. These art oft related to their particular personalities. For example...” the lunar princess closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then pointed to Applejack. “Forthright Applejack, thou hast been gifted with the powers of the clans Brujah primarily and Tzimisce secondarily. The Brujah art capable of great feats of strength, speed and charisma. They hath the power of the very earth running through them. These purviews are known as Potence, Celerity and Presence. Also, thou hast from the Tzimisce clan the powers of Auspex and Vicissitude. Thou shalt be able to sense things others could not and also to craft the very flesh of living organisms, least of all thyself. While some might find the latter power somewhat.... grotesque, it can have many applications. Now, the Brujah of old followed the Olympian Ideal (also known as Entelechy). This means that they believ'd in perfection of body and mind, and so trained both relentlessly. They also believ'd strongly in family mentality. If thou did'st mess with one of the family of a Brujah, thou would'st face the wrath of all of them.” “Yep.” Applejack said. “Definitely fits us Apples.” “For thee, We believe the alias... Valeria. Would fit nicely. It means Strength.” “Powerful and... familiar, for some reason. Seems to fit. Ah like it.” Applejack said. Next Luna turned to Rainbow Dash. “Loyal maiden Dash, thou hast the bloodlines of the Toreador primarily and the Lasombra secondarily, yes? Thy powers will be very similar to Applejack's, save for the added benefit of Domination and control over the very shadows, known as Obtenebration. However, as Twilight is the queen among thee -and given thy loyal nature-, thou shalt likely not be able to do the former if 'twould conflict with Twilight's morals.” “If it came to it, I'd definitely go with Twilight's decision. I can tell that this is not the kind of power to be playing pranks with.” Rainbow stated, earning a proud smile from the lavender mare. Luna continued. “The Toreador believe primarily in honour and being in vogue. They art often seen wearing something from the catwalks or generally attempting to look their best.” Rarity nudged Rainbow Dash. “Maybe now I'll be able to convince you to go to the spa sometime.” she said, grinning. She only received a half-hearted glare from the cyan mare. "As such, We believe that thy alias should be Alexandria, which means Defender. 'Tis also likened to the name of a particularly beautiful precious stone, so it fits there as well.” Dash nodded her approval. “I like it.” "Kindest Fluttershy, thou hast been gifted with the blood of the Gangrel and the Brujah. Much as Applejack this means that thou shalt be stronger, faster and carry thyself differently. Also, thou shalt be able to take on the affinity of animals, if thou hast tasted of their blood, also to incite, soothe or even control them and more. That's Animalism. Then there's the signature power of the Gangrel; Protean. Thou shalt be able to take on a beastly War Form, sharpen thy senses further, take on the shape of an animal fully, and much more. Also there is the power of Fortitude, which will give thee unearthly toughness and resistance.Thou can'st even share some of that with others, should ye so choose. As such, We believe that thine alias shall be.... Venatrix, which means Huntress. Thou may'st not have fit that before, but thou dost now, you'll find.” “Interesting.” Fluttershy said, noncommittally. “Now, dame Rarity,” Luna continued, Rarity giving a smile at the title. “Thy bloodlines are those of the Raynos and the Ventrue, correct? This means that thou shalt have access to the Domination, Fortitude, and Presence powers of the Ventrue and the Fortitude power of the Raynos, as well as Chinerstry; Illusion magic. Actually, 'tis closer to Delusion magic. With it thou can'st create illusions that seem so real that to use it properly, thou must often fool thyself for an instant. Thou wiltl be able to mix with the elite and the common folk as ye see fit. Thou couldst disappear from one place and appear in any other nearby, whether socially or physically, becoming something of a... holoserica umbra; a velvet shadow. As such, I believe that thy alias should be... Fascina, which means Glamour.” “I'm not sure if that's such a great name...” Rarity began. “'Tis fitting, catchy, self explanatory and easy to remember. Request denied.” “I suppose you're right on that.” Rarity begrudgingly agreed. “Now, Maid Pinkamena-” “You can just call me Pinkie, you know. It's sooo much easier.” “Pinkie, then.” Luna amended, “Thou hast the blooddlines Malkavian and Raynos. Thou shalt have much the same powers as dame Rarity on the one side of the bit, but on the other, thou also hast the powers Auspex, (which We explained earlier), Dementation and Obfuscation. Dementation inflicts aspects of the user's own insanity on others and 'tis the trademark ability of the Malkavians, who art all, to some extent, fundamentally insane. Obfuscation will allow thee to hide thy face, thyself or even thine entire group. This makest thee arguably more dangerous than any of the others. Furthermore, they fill two roles in vampony society. Seers and Jokers. They do have a tradition of pranking.” Rainbow Dash smiled a little wickedly at that. Though she would refrain from using her powers for pranks, she still wasn't against the idea. “But they still hold a sense of honour, dignity and charisma to them, and your natural energy will complement that. As such, thy new alias shall be... Valentina, which means Vigorous.” “Oooh! Catchy!” Pinkie opined “And now, Lady Twilight.” Luna said, addressing the purple mare. “Thou dost carry the bloodlines of the Ventrue and the Tremere. The Ventrue hath been covered previously, but the Tremere.... ah, now THEY wert something. They wert powerful blood mages, who use'd vitae like no other clan. There art as many applications for such magic as there art for the magic we normally dost utilize. However, thou dost still live, so thine unicorn magic may still be utilized. Now, Twilight, remember that thou art the matriarch of this group. Both of thy bloodlines shalt guide thee with other classes, high or low. Simply remember: be polite. Be classy. Be awesome. Have faith in thy instincts. Thou shalt serve as the guiding light for thy coterie. As such, thy alias shall be Luminita; Little Light.” “Appropriate.” Twilight said shortly. “Now that thou hast some idea of thy powers, thou shouldst practice with them. Flying as well. Thou shalt find that flying with membranous wings is quite different from ones with feathers. For now, We must return to Canterlot. Duty calls, as thou knowest. We had forgotten how pushy many of the courtiers can be." She lowere her eyelids and raised her eyebrows for the next bit, "'Tis enough to almost maketh Us wish We had stayed in the moon.” Everypony shared a chuckle at the dry humour and the princesses took off. Twilight turned to the rest of the group. “Alright, everypony. Tonight marks the beginning of our new lives. As such, I hate to say this, but... Rainbow Dash, you have the most experience with flying (no offense, Fluttershy). Would you care to show us the ropes?” Rainbow spread her wings, flexing her obtenebration power to make herself look more awesome - or at least she thought so. "Show off." Applejack grumbled. “Alright! Let's do this!” Rainbow sad, beginning to give instructions.
Chapter 3: Practice Makes PerfectSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 4: Mission 1Looking at the assembled coterie, Luna nodded. "Tonight, thou hast a mission to complete. It seems that a group of fanatics calling themselves "The Cut of the Shadowed Blades" hast captured several foals with the intent of their sacrifice to some dark force. Foremost, thou art to saveth the foals. 'Tis thy top priority." At this, the lined ponies nodded in agreement. "Secondly, We dost not accept such deplorable activity. We can'st not allow this to continue. Needless to say, these are not innocent ponies by ANY stretch of one's imagination." Luna's serious expression deepened. "Feel free to draineth them dry if thou wishest to." The group grinned as one, showing their fangs briefly. "Also, thy equipment." Luna said, conjuring forth an assortment of items. Among them were weapons like hoofblades and wingblades, as well as armour. There was also an assortment of potions in a case to keep them safe. Fluttershy took this willingly. She was still eager to get in on the action, so she placed that in her Pocket. Twilight tilted her head slightly at that. "Fluttershy? Since when could you do that?" Fluttershy blinked. Then blinked twice. "Can't everypony?" Twilight sighed. "Show of hooves." Pinkie and Rarity also raised their hooves. So did Luna, not that it was necesssary. "Figures." Applejack muttered. Luna continued. "Before thou goest, for a finishing touch, needs must thy clan have a name." Twilight thought for a moment. "Amicita.(1)" Luna nodded. "Fitting." She then hoofed out a set of compass-like objects. "Those compass devices will point thee to thy objective. Ye'll know thy target when thou dost see it. When thou dost, teacheth them to fear the darkness. Oh. And while thou art on mission, stick to thy aliases. Merry part." The newly named clan of Moonkissed bowed to the princes. "Until we merry meet again." they said as one, taking to the air shortly thereafter. The newly dubbed Amicitas clan flew for several hours. Va;eria (Applejack), Alexandri (Rainbow Dash), Venatrix (Fluttershy), Fascina (Rarity) Valentina (Pinkie Pie) and Luminita (Twilight) followed their compasses to their target. Due to the draconic blood within them, they tired not a bit, and made pretty good time, too! Naturally, Alexandria could go much MUCH faster, but was reluctant to leave her clan behind. Eventually, they managed to get to Manehattan. "Question!" Alexandria put out. "Yes, Alexandria?" Luminita responded. "Are we THERE yet?!" was the impatient query. Luminita looked at her compass, which pointed straight down. "Actually... yes!" Right below them was a cathedral of sorts. On the outside, it looked reasonably decent. It was a beautiful reddish colour that made the church distinct.... Until you got closer and found that the outside was painted with fresh blood. They could sense that there were several coats of it, of various ages. Valeria commented under her breath, "They couldn't be less subtle if they put out an ad in the newspaper." The rest of the clan nodded their agreement. They entered the cathedral, only to find a perfectly normal, empty area. "Something's off, here." Venatrix stated the obvious, starting to search carefully. "Venatrix?" Luminita queried, "What are you loo-" She didn't get any farther, as Venatrix pulled a hanger on the coat rack sideways, causing a secret passage to open, leading downward. "Nnnnnneeeever mind." Luminita said. Due to her new nature, Venatrix was able to notice the smallest of details, and follow a scent like a figyrative and literal bloodhound. Venatrix led the coterie of vamponies downward, keeping a watchful eye out for traps that might be around. The stairs going down led to a long corridor. Venatrix held out a hoof, stopping the progression. From her Pocket, shhe brought out a spraycan. giving the corridor a generous spritz, several lasers were placed at various angles. After a good look, she said, "Follow my lead." and started doing some impressive acrobatics. She did a flip, landing on her hind hooves, flipped over another, slid under a set of four, backflipped with a full twist and landed on all fours. She then spritzed the hallway again for her clanmates' benefit. Fascina was next, following the movements exactly. At the shocked faces she saw, she said, "Well, i'm not just a pretty face, you know." Luminita was next, only stumbling slightly as she made her movements. Alexandria was next. She just flew over the low ones, dodging the angled ones. she landed with an aerial backflip, landing hard. The ones on the other side of the laser grid felt a tap on their withers. Turning around, they saw Valentina, already on the that side. Nopony questioned how. Valeria went last, making embellished movements as she went. Nothing fancy (such wasn't her style), just enough to reach the other side without incident. With everypony accounted for, they proceeded. The hallway led to another ceremonial chamber, but this was FAR more like what they were looking for. The chamber was large, with at least 20 sets of pews. It was also stained red on the walls, coated with blood similarly to the outside. In the dark robed gryphon bishop's claws was a nervous foal. She was so afraid that she had forgotten how to cry. And rightly so! As the dark priest was about to make the sacrifice, the Amicita clan leapt forth, Luminita shouting, "STOP!" As the whole procession turned to look at them, Luminita said, angrily, "Put her down." The bishop did so, surprisingly, the fol running back to the others. "What have we here?" the bishop queries rhetorically, "Vamponies? How did you even enter this holy place?" As one, the vamponies snorted. Valeria replied, "This place is ANYTHING but holy. Also, someone reads too many vampire stories." "How DARE you mock our sacred place of worship!" "How dare YOU sacrifice the lives of the innocent to powers dark and yet feel the right to call yourself a priest of any caliber?!" Luminita growled. The dark preacher asked, "Who are you, anyway?" "We are Amicita. We are retribution for the lives that you've taken, the souls that you've damned." "SLAY THEM!" the bishop said without further ado. The cultists began to rise from the pews. "Everypony:Fpormation Delta 3!" The vampiric ponies gathered in a loose half-circle. Then they charged forward. The clash was about to commence! Weapons were bared and liberally used. Valeria used her brute strength to slam her targets to the hard floor. Alexandria darted back and forth, slashing oncoming cultists, occasionally stopping to feed from every third or fourth target. Venatrix used her Protean ability to effectively beast out and tore her targets to shreds. Fascina created a dazzlng light show with her magic and weilded loose pews as improvised giant clubs. Luminita used her blood magic to fire bullets of blood at their foes. Valentina bounced from tatget to target, causing them to attack each other in their attempts totakke her down. At length, the leader shouted, "ENOUGH! I have had it with you cut-rate vampires!" Turning to the obligatory statue behind him, he began incanting in a forgotten language. As he chanted, a portal opened, only to admit..... "No way!" Alexandria commented in awe. "Well, well. Fancy meeting the six of you again." "Nightmare Moon?!" they exclaimed in unison. "Just a piece. A small piece. But it's all i'll need. This cult is a wjp;e gaggle of my followers. Here, I am at the height of my power. This fight will NOT be like the last.: Luminita said, "You're right. We're stronger than we were then. Don't expect us to go down with any amount of ease." Round 2 was about to begin. Author's Note And suddenly, a wild cliffhanger appeared! Sorry about that, but this is all i've got for now.
