Something sweet to bite

by ToXikyogHurt

Rating: teen
Tags: Comedy, Fluttershy, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash
Length: 4172

A seemingly ordinary day leads to an extraordinary conversation between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash has five really great friends, and Fluttershy might be the really-greatest of them all. But lately Rainbow has been thinking that perhaps not all is as it seems. Mind you, she wasn't granted the Element of Loyalty for nothing.

A light-hearted entry into the 4th FlutterDash writing contest.

Winner, apparently. Thanks!

Published 2017-10-31 09:20:07 UTC
Last updated 2017-10-31 09:20:07 UTC

In Which a Bat is Rescued

Fluttershy sat next to Rainbow Dash and looked wistfully at the gently glowing oranges and pinks of the sunset.

“Look, Flutters. I just tried to be nice.”

“Rainbow…” she sighed softly, “I know…”

“If you’re not going to at least… You know what? You can just bite me.”

“Pardon?”

“You heard. Bite me.”

The warm morning sun played across Rainbow Dash’s right wing and flank as she gently brushed past Fluttershy.

“Are you sure you’re ready to catch him if he falls, Rainbow?” Fluttershy whispered, indicated the sleeping bat hanging from a branch just above them with a nod.

“I’ve got this,” she whispered back. “Not that I think I’ll be needed.”

Fluttershy gave her a small smile at the vote of confidence. Then she carefully reached up with a blanket and began to wrap it around the sleeping bat.

“That’s right, Mister Wayne,” Fluttershy said in a quiet, soothing voice. “You just stay asleep. Let Fluttershy tuck you up in a nice soft–”

As she wrapped the blanket around the bat’s left wing it suddenly woke up with a pained squeak.

“No, don’t struggle.” Fluttershy hurriedly threw the cloth the rest of the way around the bat, “I know your wing hurts. I just need to make sure it’s not broken.”

The bat shrieked at her.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” she apologised, “but you can’t just stay out here with an injured wing. Let me help you.”

It chittered back, angrily, as she swaddled it.

“To my cottage. It’s nice and warm in my cottage, and there’s a dark cupboard you can sleep in. I’ve got some tasty moths for you as well,” the bat wriggled but couldn’t free itself. “Don’t make a fuss, I’m just trying to help you.”

“Is this why we had to sneak up on him?” Rainbow asked. “Doesn’t seem too friendly.”

“Mmm. He’s cranky because I woke him up,” she replied. Then, to the bat, “That wing must really be giving you some trouble, you poor thing. Why don’t we just take you somewhere nice and safe so you can get better?”

The bat struggled briefly then made a mournful noise.

“It won’t be for long, I promise,” Fluttershy finished wrapping the bat. Only its head and its feet, still clinging to the branch, remained exposed. “I know you’re the independent sort but we all need a little help sometimes,” she winked at Rainbow.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Even I can’t do everything myself. And I’m me,” Rainbow told the bat. It grunted, unimpressed.

“So, how about a nice vacation indoors, just for a short while?” Fluttershy cajoled.

The bat shook its little head.

“Please let go?”

Another head shake. Fluttershy sighed.

“Could you unhook his claws please, Rainbow. If I let go now he’ll try to get free and I’m worried he’d hurt himself.”

“Sure.”

“Gently…”

“That’s my middle name.”

“I’ve seen your birth certificate. Your middle name really is ‘Danger’.”

The bat peeped in surprise. And perhaps worry.

“You keep that quiet. It’s an insurance liability I don’t need.”

Fluttershy chuckled softly. Rainbow edged back from where she was pressed next to Fluttershy on the branch of the tree to get space to lift off.

“Don’t worry,” Fluttershy told the bat, “Rainbow here is actually a sweetheart. She won’t hurt you.”

“Sweetheart? Bleugh,” Rainbow pulled a face, then flapped her way to the next branch up; the one with a stubborn bat attached to it. She alighted gently and shuffled closer unsteadily.

“Also,” Rainbow said, “ponies aren’t meant to climb trees. Even pegasus ponies.”

“Oh?” Fluttershy asked, “Applejack will be pleased to hear that she won’t have to worry about you falling out of every tree she bucks any more.”

“That,” Rainbow carefully worked the edge of a hoof under one of the bat’s claws, “is sleeping. Not climbing. Totally different.” She addressed the bat, “You’re with me on this right, little guy, trees are perfect for naps.”

The bat looked between the two ponies, then nodded and squeaked.

“You see? We’re nice,” Fluttershy said. “Why don’t you save Rainbow some trouble and just let go?”

“You got him, right Flutters?”

“Abso– Ow!” Fluttershy pulled a hoof back, took a quick look at it, shook it and repositioned it on the bat somewhere it couldn’t reach.

“Ow?”

“He nipped me. And there’s really no call for that kind of behaviour, mister,” Fluttershy scolded.

“You okay?”

“Fine. He startled me, that’s all. He’s a good bat really, aren’t you Mister Wayne? Not the sort of bat who’d hurt an innocent pony.”

The bat shrunk in on itself slightly.

“And you won’t do that again, will you?”

It cheeped a negative.

“All right then. Are you going to let go now?”

It squirmed for a second, sighed and released itself into her care.

“What’s the matter, Fluttershy? Isn’t the soup any good?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy sat around an outdoor table at a little bistro at the quieter end of Ponyville’s market.

“Hmm?” Fluttershy looked up, “Oh, it’s… nice.”

“That,” Rainbow said helpfully, mouth half-full of sandwich, “Is Fluttershyeneese for ‘it sucks’”

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t say that…” Fluttershy denied.

“But it’s what you think.” Twilight stated. “You pull a face with each spoonful. If it’s awful, you can send it back, you know.”

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy shook her head and looked worriedly at her soup, “I couldn’t.”

“If you won’t,” Rainbow swallowed and put her sandwich down, “I will.” She started to stand up but Twilight put a wing across her back to stop her.

“Fluttershy is a big girl, Rainbow,” Twilight said, “She can deal with this.”

“Thankyou, Twilight,” Fluttershy sighed with relief.

“No problem,” Twilight replied, then waved a hoof in the air and called out, “Waiter!”

Fluttershy looked at her, horrified.

Rainbow laughed, clapped Twilight approvingly with a hoof, said “Hah, you’re right. I like this plan better.”

“N–no…” Fluttershy mumbled as a grey unicorn with a cloth draped over his back approached.

“You’ve got this, Flutters,” Rainbow assured.

“It’s rude,” Fluttershy insisted.

“No,” Twilight countered, “Dash here is rude. You’re miserable. Get something else to eat so you’re not simultaneously miserable and hungry.”

The waiter came to a halt next to their table. He looked at Twilight.

“Is there something I can help with, ladies?”

Twilight and Rainbow both looked pointedly at Fluttershy. The waiter shifted his gaze. Fluttershy looked away.

“Miss?”

Under the table, Rainbow gently kicked Fluttershy.

“Aah! Uhm, it’s…”

The waiter waited. Cast a quick look back at Twilight, who shook her head and pointed a hoof at Fluttershy. He looked back at Fluttershy, her nearly full bowl of soup, compared it to the decimated remains of Rainbow’s sandwich.

“Is something not to your satisfaction, perhaps?” he prompted, gently.

“It’s…” Fluttershy gulped, “Soup.”

“Wou–” the waiter began but Rainbow held up a hoof to stop him and shook her head firmly.

“I…” Fluttershy steeled herself, “I’m really not enjoying it,” with decreasing volume as she continued, “Very much. At all. It’s terrible.”

Rainbow grinned from ear to ear.

“I am dreadfully sorry to hear that,” the waiter said softly, lifting the bowl away from the table, “perhaps you would like to make another selection? I can bring a menu if you need. The soup will, of course, be gratis.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said.

The waiter waited a little longer. Coughed politely.

“Uhm, the spinach and almond salad looked nice. If that’s okay?”

“An excellent choice, miss. Can I do anything else for you while I’m here?”

“I’ll have another of these,” Rainbow indicated at her plate, “I missed breakfast.”

“Of course. Anything else?” Three heads shook, “I shall be back shortly then.” He addressed Fluttershy, “I do apologise that the soup was not to our usual standards.”

He turned and trotted off. Fluttershy slumped on her stool.

“Well done, Fluttershy,” Twilight softly congratulated, “I know you don’t like doing that sort of thing.”

“I hate bossing ponies about,” she said, quietly.

“That’s not even close to what that was,” Rainbow said, “Anyway, if the salad sucks too we can split the sandwich.”

“Thanks, Rainbow,” Fluttershy perked up slightly.

“I’m curious,” Twilight asked, “What was so bad about the soup?”

“Oh, uhm, well. I thought it tasted, uh, almost entirely of garlic.”

“I know you said you wanted to show me, Rainbow, but we’ve been walking for almost ten minutes now.”

“Rainbow? Why are we in Whitetail Woods?”

“Are we nearly there, Rainbow?”

Rainbow Dash finally answered, “Almost.”

“Can I open my eyes yet?”

“Uh, not quite. We just need to go around this bush. Careful, the ground is a bit uneven.”

Rainbow moved closer to steady Fluttershy in case she tripped. Fluttershy’s ears twitched in response to a noise. Something rustled the lower branches of the bush they were circumnavigating.

“What was that?”

“That’s why we’re here. I need a second to explain though, okay?”

“Is it an animal? Is it injured? Is that why we’re in a hurry?”

“Not… not exactly,” Rainbow hesitantly answered.

“Please, Rainbow, I trust you but I’m getting really anxious right now.”

“Okay, we’re here then. Promise not to freak out on me straight away. Let me explain first.”

“I…”

“Just give me a minute.”

“Oh-kay?”

“You can open your eyes then.”

Rainbow carefully watched Fluttershy’s face as she opened her eyes. She blinked a few times. They were standing in dappled evening shade, but after fifteen minutes of darkness even that took a few seconds to adjust to.

Fluttershy looked around. She looked at Rainbow, one eyebrow raised in confusion. She looked back at the large laurel shrub. She turned back to Rainbow for a second, lips pursed. She looked back at the cream coated pony mare. She was bound, hooded, probably gagged, tied and tucked into a gap in the laurel; she would be obscured if viewed from the main path.

“That…” Fluttershy hesitantly began, “Is Bon Bon.”

“Yes.”

“And she’s…”

“Restrained. Which was not as easy as I expected, she’s tougher than she looks.”

Bon Bon rocked slightly and gave a muffled, “Mnm!”

Fluttershy swapped from right eyebrow raised to left eyebrow raised. Rainbow continued.

“Right, so. Long story short: I know.”

“Know?”

“I do.”

“I don’t think–”

Rainbow interrupted, “I know that it’s not enough to just say ‘I know’. Because it’s all a secret. But I’ve worked it out. I’m on your side. So, you’re cool for a minute while I tell you what I know?”

“Is she… hurt?” Fluttershy asked, seriously.

“She’s fine. Slight bruises at worst. I was gentle.”

“Then, uhm… By all means, please explain why you seem to have ponynapped a confectioner.”

Rainbow gave her a small smile.

“You, are a vampony.”

Fluttershy said nothing, she just stared flatly at Rainbow.

“You might not, like, totally realise it yet. But I know the signs.”

Fluttershy persisted in staring.

“You got bit, this morning. And then you hated lunch because it had garlic in it,” Rainbow tapped her hoof with each point she counted off, to add emphasis, “Then you dropped the silver half-bits you got as change. You were squinting at the Sun, even though it’s not Summer…”

Fluttershy let Rainbow trail off, shook her head and issued a response.

“Rainbow, I hardly think that–” she was cut off.

“Most tellingly of all, your fangs are showing.”

“What.”

Rainbow just pointed at Fluttershy’s face.

Fluttershy carefully ran her tongue over her upper lip. It brushed across two protruding, sharp teeth as it did so. “Huh,” she muttered.

“Now, it’s fine,” Rainbow insisted, “I don’t mind – at all – but I thought you might need some blood before morning. So you have the strength to day-walk.”

Bon Bon made a loud “Mmmnm!” noise and began to struggle. Fluttershy looked at her for a second, then back to Rainbow.

“Rainbow,” she began, softly, “I’m not a vampony. There’s no such thing as vamponies.”

Rainbow gave Fluttershy an incredulous look.

“You’ve been one before. At Applejack’s. With the fruit bats. I was there.”

“That,” Fluttershy sighed, “Was something Twilight did. And she also un-did it. Apart from,” she reached up and tapped a hoof against a canine. “These come back, sometimes. I’m not a vampony.”

“You got bitten by a bat!”

“Mister Wayne is a long-eared bat, not a vampire bat. And bats don’t transmit vamponyism.”

“Right. Sure,” Rainbow scoffed, “What about the garlicky soup?”

“It was just too strong.”

“Silver half-bits!”

“Are a nickel-plated zinc alloy!”

Rainbow paused, held up a hoof. Fluttershy elaborated.

“You’ve met our friend, Twilight? She likes to talk about… things. Metallurgy is a thing.”

“Excuses! It’s okay, you don’t have to it hide from me,” Rainbow said, “I won’t tell.”

“There is nothing to tell, Rainbow. You’re not claiming to be a vampony yourself, are you?”

Rainbow grinned, shook her head, “Not me. I know the signs though. I’ve seen them. I know other things too, Flutters.”

Fluttershy sighed and asked, even though she looked totally uninterested in the answer, “What else?”

“Well, I know the vampony signs, because,” she paused for dramatic effect, “I know that Rarity is a vampony.”

“Rarity.”

“Yes.”

“Is a vampony.”

“Obviously!”

“I presume,” Fluttershy said, exasperated, “You have some proof?”

Rainbow nodded, tapped out more ‘proofs’.

“Dresses. Always asking before entering. Makeup. Super-pony strength. Sunscreen.”

Fluttershy waited a second, half-asked, “How does… Wearing makeup doesn’t make a pony a vampony…”

“Ah, but she’s always in makeup. Because – she can’t see herself in a mirror. She has to put makeup on to know where her eyes are – it’s a really clever trick.

“Is it?” Fluttershy asked, unconvinced.

“I think she’s been a vampony for a long time, but she’s really good at hiding it.”

“Is she?”

“I think so. And she won’t go outside for long without a dress, or a parasol, or sunscreen.”

Rainbow looked smug.

Fluttershy slowly shook her head in denial.

“‘Asking permission to enter’… I think you may be confusing politeness with vamponyism.”

“She’s a real stickler about it.”

“Rainbow, you shouldn’t make such a big deal out of…” she trailed off, searched for a word, eventually found it: “Things.”

Rainbow scoffed, began to say, “Sunscr–” but Fluttershy interrupted.

“Yes, Rainbow. Sunscreen. Because she is white and she clips her coat short. She burns easily. That’s all.”

“More?”

“Please, Rainbow, no–”

“Applejack is a werewolf.”

Fluttershy slapped a hoof over her face.

“That’s why she and Rarity rub each other the wrong way so much.”

“Applejack?”

“Actually, I’m pretty convinced the whole apple family are werewolves at this point,” Rainbow nodded to herself, “But I think Applebloom knows she shouldn’t bite Scootaloo, so it’s fine.”

Fluttershy sighed, asked.

“You’re not concerned about Sweetie Belle being bitten?”

“Half robot, half extra-planar entity. I think she’s safe from the curse.”

Fluttershy sat down. Looked at the floor. Shook her head.

“You know, I don’t believe–”

“Twilight is a litch!”

“Of course…” Fluttershy looked up again, “And Pinkie Pie?”

“I have,” Rainbow said, “literally no idea. But you can’t seriously tell me she’s just a pony.”

Fluttershy considered for a second.

“That one does – almost – make sense.”

“See? We’re one big, happy, undead family.”

“Except for us?”

“Well,” Rainbow shrugged, “Except for me, now, I guess.”

“And they told you this, did they?”

“What?”

“Rarity. Twilight. Pinkie. They just walked up to you one day and said, ‘By the way, we’re not ordinary living ponies anymore’, did they?”

“Of course not!” Rainbow exclaimed. Then, in a quieter tone said, “It’s all very hush-hush.”

Fluttershy sighed, slowly stood. A light mist was starting to build up at the edges of the clearing.

“It’s getting late, Rainbow and slightly chilly. I think I should go back to my cottage. Untie poor Bon Bon and walk her home.”

“Flutters…”

“No, Rainbow. It’s all in your head. There’s no such thing as vamponies.”

“But–”

“Rainbow. Bon Bon needs to go home,” Fluttershy waved away the mist closest to her, “How did you even get her out here?”

“Chloroformed her.”

“What?”

“Twilight had a bottle of the stuff in her lab. I borrowed it.”

“Why,” Fluttershy asked herself, “Would Twilight have chloroform?”

“It’s a useful solvent when doing some forms of chromatographic chemical analysis,” Rainbow answered, shrugging.

Fluttershy stared.

“And you,” she pointed, “Are actually Rainbow Dash?”

“Hmm, yeah,” Rainbow said, briefly distracted by the mist encroaching on them, “This stuff isn’t scheduled… Anyway, you remember our friend, Twilight?” she winked, “Who likes to talk.”

“You,” Fluttershy countered, “Don’t like to listen.”

“Pfft, I don’t think I get a say in the matter anymore. I’m pretty sure she’s started to hide flashcards around my house,” Rainbow frowned, “Did you know that there’s a gap right in the middle of the transition metals where there ought to be an element but nopony can discover it?”

Fluttershy slowly shook her head. Rainbow continued.

“Neither did I, but now I do. I’m not really sure what ‘transition metals’ are but I know one is missing. Weird, huh?”

“Yes…” Fluttershy gently agreed. The mist had spread considerably and was now slowly winding around her legs. She shivered and tried to steer the topic back on track, “Anyway, why don’t you release Bon Bon now?”

“Hmm?” Rainbow looked at Bon Bon, “But… blood?”

“No. I’m not drinking her blood, Rainbow. Just, take her out of the woods and let her go. I want a couple of minutes alone to think. Please.”

Rainbow gave Fluttershy a hard stare. After twenty seconds or so she threw up her hooves in frustration.

“Fine,” she grumped, “If you’re going to be stubborn about this.” She walked over to Bon Bon and tugged on the knot keeping her front and back legs tied together, freeing them. “Come on then.”

Rainbow guided Bon Bon to her feet and angled her towards town. Bon Bon thumped her with a shoulder and said, "Mnm, nnn, nm!" under her hood.

“No, no biting today. This way, Bon Bon. I’ll undo the rest of the stuff when there’s no canopy overhead and I can make a quick getaway. No offense.”

Bon Bon mumbled something probably obscene. Rainbow gave her a friendly clap on the back, said, “That’s the spirit,” and led her around the shrub and away. Just before she moved out of line of sight she looked back at Fluttershy with a sad shake of the head. Fluttershy ignored her.

Fluttershy listened to the retreating sound of Rainbow chatting genially to Bon Bon.

“Y’know, I was impressed at that left cross you nearly got me with when you woke up early. We should, like, hang out sometime…”

When Rainbow’s voice faded from earshot Fluttershy sighed.

“…Darling…”

The mist coiled itself up and thickened just nearby.

“Rarity, it’s rude to follow ponies.”

The thickest part of the mist rippled and with a puff noise resolved itself into Rarity.

“I was concerned, dear.”

“You were snooping.”

“Because I was concerned,” Rarity huffed, “And rightly so, it seems. You know you shouldn’t just wander about with your fangs on display.”

“You know they give me trouble, I wasn’t making that bit up.” Fluttershy sucked her lip, “Do you think I was convincing enough?”

“For Sweetie Drops? Hard to say. We owe her an apology, certainly, for not keeping Dash better in check. I’ll also talk to Pinkie and see if she can tone down… Pinkie… for a few days. That might help alleviate some suspicion.” Rarity sighed, flicked her mane to one side in annoyance. “Really though, of all the ponies Rainbow could have grabbed, she had to choose an agent of the crowns.”

“I know!” Fluttershy agreed.

“You don’t think that was intentional, do you?”

“Hmm?”

“She doesn’t seem to know about the shadow agreement, specifically. Maybe she thought we’d want to, eh…” Rarity made a swirling gesture with a hoof, searching for words, “Have one less pony keeping an eye out for us.”

“Oh, I hope she doesn’t think we would really hurt anypony…” Fluttershy looked at her hooves.

“We do drink blood, dear.”

“But, not very much!” Fluttershy insisted.

“She doesn't necessarily know that. Which brings us, unfortunately, to the heart of the matter.”

Fluttershy sighed. Rarity continued.

“We are plainly not being nearly inconspicuous enough if Rainbow Dash can spot us.”

Fluttershy frowned slightly.

“Oh, come now darling,” Rarity made a conciliatory gesture, “Rainbow is a dear friend, but she’s not the sharpest needle in the box.”

“She’s not stupid,” Fluttershy protested.

“No, and I didn’t say that. But she has shown a tendency to be somewhat… unaware”

“About ponies’ feelings, sometimes… Maybe a lot of the time. But she’s not completely oblivious.”

Rarity gave Fluttershy a soft apologetic smile.

“I have touched a nerve and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to speak ill of her.”

Fluttershy made a small, ‘hmf’ noise. Then she frowned and asked, “What are we going to do about her, though? I mean, she knows… a lot, actually. And she sounded like she’s really set in her mind about this. I don’t think we’ll be able to just talk her out of it.”

“I could make some over-the-top vampony costumes; high collars, lots of lace, that sort if thing,” Rarity suggested, “We could pull another Mare Do Well. Again.”

Fluttershy didn’t look convinced.

“We’ll call that ‘plan B’ then,” Rarity said with a hint of disappointment. “Well, there is always…”

Fluttershy trotted out of the woods and joined Rainbow Dash.

“Did she give you any trouble?” Fluttershy asked, casually.

Rainbow turned to display a darkening bruise on her chin.

“Got me pretty good, actually. She really has a mean left cross.”

Fluttershy winced slightly, then said quietly, “I think… actually you might have deserved that.”

“Eh,” Rainbow shrugged, “you’re probably right.”

Rainbow sighed heavily and sat down.

Fluttershy sat next to Rainbow Dash and looked wistfully at the gently glowing oranges and pinks of the sunset.

“Look, Flutters. I just tried to be nice.”

“Rainbow…” she sighed softly, “I know…”

“If you’re not going to at least… You know what?” Rainbow turned to Fluttershy, smiled, “You can just bite me.”

“Pardon?”

“You heard,” Rainbow nodded once, “Bite me. I have spare blood. I don’t mind.”

Fluttershy slowly quirked an eyebrow. “You’re not worried, hypothetically, about being bitten by a vampony?”

Rainbow’s smile grew slightly. Fluttershy added, “Hypothetical vampony.”

Rainbow chuckled, “Nah, you’d be gentle.”

Fluttershy fluffed her wings, looked at Rainbow, almost said something, changed her mind. They sat in silence for a minute or two.

“So,” Rainbow said standing, “I guess I’ll see you later then?”

“Rainbow, just a second,” Fluttershy stalled her departure, sighed and stood. She held a hoof out in front of Rainbow’s eyes, and slowly passed it left and right.

“Wha?”

“Shh, just… focus on my hoof.”

“Uh, ‘kay?”

“You’re feeling sleepy,” she spoke in a slow, calming tone.

“Sleepy…”

“Yes, Rainbow, sleepy. Relaxed. Safe.”

Rainbow took a deep breath, slowly released it. Fluttershy continued.

“Sit back down for a minute. Please.”

Rainbow sat. Fluttershy sidled up beside her.

“I don’t think you should worry about vamponies anymore, Rainbow.”

“Not worry. Okay,” Rainbow agreed, placidly.

“That’s right.”

Fluttershy slowly leaned across Rainbow’s withers, brushed her mane to the far side of her neck. Leaned in close, and lightly drew the tip of a fang across Rainbow’s neck for a hoof-width. Rainbow made a very faint ‘ff’ noise.

“It’s nothing, Rainbow. Just a scratch. You’re sleepy, remember?”

Rainbow said nothing. Fluttershy gently stroked her friend’s mane a couple of times, watched as a slight bead of blood formed in a line. She leaned back in and carefully ran her tongue along the cut. Rainbow made no objection, if anything she seemed to relax into it.

Fluttershy took a second lick, smiled.

“There you go, Rainbow. Nothing to worry about.”

“Mm,” Rainbow agreed.

“And tomorrow, you’ll forget all about this.”

“Mm?”

“You won’t remember this. And you won’t go chasing the occult.”

“I dunno,” Rainbow said sleepily, “Chasing is like racing. I kinda like racing.”

Fluttershy said again, more firmly, “No chasing,” and she took one last lap at the scratch on Rainbow’s neck, cleaning up the last of the blood.

“Pfft, spoilsport,” Rainbow said.

Fluttershy paused in the middle of licking her lips. Used a hoof to gently turn Rainbow’s head to face her. Looked into rose eyes with confusion.

“You’re going to forget,” she ordered.

“Hmm,” Rainbow considered, “Okay, I’ll ‘forget’,” air quotes clear in her tone.

Fluttershy took a sharp intake of breath.

“N-no. You’re really going to forget.”

“Don’t think so,” Rainbow shook her head slowly.

“I’ve thralled you. And I’m really sorry about having to do it, but I didn’t have much choice. But you’re going to do what I say, now.”

Rainbow tipped her head in confusion.

“Thrall… that’s like, a half-vampony?”

“Sooort of…” Fluttershy said, confused and hesitant.

“Oh, well,” Rainbow yawned faintly, “That wasn’t going to work. I’m lesbian. Whoever heard of a gay vampony?”