The Broken One

I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling in the dark as Cindra snored softly beside me. She had fallen asleep long ago due to copious amounts of foalflower but I just couldn’t sleep. I was far too excited to sleep so I slid out of the bed and summoned the books Twilight had loaned me before poofing to the library.

“Audrey, can you scan the contents of these books”, I asked as I set them on the table.

I have the capabilities to perform this task.

“Well, I’m waiting”, I scoffed when nothing happened. “Seriously, scan these books.”

The pages of all the books began flipping as if blown by a strong wind and almost instantly the back covers of the books slapped closed. I nodded impressed with my castle’s efficiency.

I have finished scanning the requested material.

“Good”, I smiled. “Can you scan books and still communicate with me?”

I can.

“Cool, can you scan every book in the library?”

I can.

“Would you please do it”, I asked when nothing happened.

Suddenly books began floating from the shelves one by one to be scanned and returned to their rightful spots. I nodded and sat down propping my feet up. I just began to get good and lost in my thoughts when I was interrupted by the silky voice of Audrey notifying me that the entire library had been scanned.

“Cool deal”, I said as I stood with a groan. “How many books did we have that mentioned vamponies or vamponism?”

One hundred thirty eight books match specified search criteria.

“Damn”, I said impressed. “How many are about creating vamponies?”

Five books match specified search criteria.

“How many of those five mention reviving a vampony?”

Two books match specified search criteria.

“Give me a general rundown of how to revive a vampony.”

Revival can be accomplished by oral introduction of no less than four gallons of blood.

“And how much blood do I have?”

One point five gallons.

I sat in thought for a few minutes before I turned my thoughts to Shadow.

“Audrey, do you have genetic manipulation capabilities?”

My capabilities are limited only by your imagination.

“Perfect”, I grinned as I hopped to my feet. “Can you make three clones of me with no higher level brain functions before morning?”

Please remain still for scanning.

I held my arms out to the side and stood perfectly still as an amber light washed over me. I held that pose for several minutes before Audrey informed me she was finished scanning me and would begin the cloning process immediately. I thanked her and asked that the clones be created directly in the dungeon and rushed to my chambers to tell Cindra the good news.

As I burst through the door I startled Cindra so bad that she woke up with a shriek and fell out of bed. She let out a grunt when she hit the floor and sent me an annoyed glare but I ignored it as I sped over and scooped her up in a hug.

“What’s… going… on”, she grunted unevenly as I bounced up and down with her in my arms.

“Twilight was right”, I laughed. “You were right about pouring blood down her throat!”

“She’s alive”, she gasped as I set her on her hooves.

“No but tomorrow she will be”, I grinned as I looked at the clock. “Technically today she will be but Twilight won’t be here until eight thirty so we have a few hours to wait.”

“By the hive”, she gasped. “Shadow’s coming back to us!”

She let out a joyful shout and wrapped her forelegs around my neck in a big hug. I hugged her back and let the prospect of Shadow’s return sink in. I began to get nervous for some reason as I thought about my wife returning from beyond the grave.

We sat on the bed for hours talking and cuddling until the sun rose. When the morning light broke through our window we made our way to the dining room and ordered breakfast. We both had grits with butter but I requested eggs. Two cups of coffee were brought out while we waited.

As we were sipping our coffee Audrey notified me that Twilight had arrived and I gave the order to let her in. Minutes later Twilight entered bright eyed as ever and trotted up to us with a smile. I returned the smile and motioned for her to sit as we ate. I offered to get her something but she declined.

“I’m just excited for the newest round of experiments”, she smiled at us. “So what species are we experimenting with?”

“We’re putting human blood into a vampony”, I grinned.

“Wait, what”, she blinked. “You found another vampony?!”

“I made one”, I grinned even wider.

“WHAT?!”

“I cloned her”, I whispered much to her shock.

“How did you do that?”

“I used magic to copy every molecule of her body”, I replied. “Enough talk, let’s go do this!”

I drained the last of my coffee and excitedly led the way to the dungeons with both mares following me closely. We discussed the possibility of prolonging normal life by using my blood but we decided we would need some equipment from Twilight’s own laboratory.

“Okay, when we get in here don’t freak out”, I sighed as I nudged the door open.

“Why would I fr- OHMYCELESTIA”, Twilight shrieked. “WHAT THE BUCK IS THIS?!”

“This is my idea”, I grinned.

“Jackson, how did you manage to clone yourself”, Twilight asked as she stepped up in front of the first clone strapped to the wall.

“Audrey did it”, I replied quietly as I approached one of the other clones and lay a hand on its cheek. “This is how I’m going to bring her back.”

“Jackson, I’m not sure I can do this”, Twilight whispered. “I can’t kill you.”

I materialized a bucket beneath each of the clones and a knife appeared in my hand. Without hesitation I reached out and slit the throat of the clone I stood in front of. I ignored the shrieks from the two mares and did the same thing to the other two clones.

“Jackson”, Twilight gasped as she stared at the golden blood flowing down the front of each of the clones’ naked bodies. “I just… How could…”

“Jackson, what the hell”, Cindra whispered.

“They aren’t me”, I shrugged and grabbed the nearest clone by the hair and snatched its head back.

“I’m gonna be sick”, the changeling groaned as she bolted for the door.

She made it three steps before her breakfast splattered across the floor. I shook my head and used magic to turn the clones upside down to drain fully. Twilight shook in fear and horror amidst the sounds of blood dripping into buckets and Cindra’s shuddering sobs as she stared at me blankly.

“It isn’t suicide or murder”, I smiled as I watched the blood trickle down the bodies’ faces. “These guys are actually kinda funny looking. Hey, do I look that funny when I get hurt?”

“What the hell, Jackson”, Cindra groaned before emptying her stomach again.

“Audrey, please teleport Cindra to our bathroom so that she can clean herself up”, I sighed.

The poor changeling opened her mouth to argue but vanished. I turned to Twilight to discuss my plan but stopped when I saw the horror and disgust on her face. I reached out to her but she shrank away from me and backed into the corner.

“You just killed yourself”, she shivered. “Three times, Jackson!”

“They have no higher brain functions”, I argued.

“You just ended three lives”, she whispered.

“How is that any different from the lives you ended?”

“Those clones weren’t you”, she whimpered quietly.

I slowly stepped over to her and gathered her shivering form into my arms. She burrowed her face into my chest and began sobbing. I cradled her head and kissed her forehead gently as she cried. I glanced at the bodies and with a thought they vanished.

“Twilight, it’s time to try this”, I whispered quietly.

“Okay”, she nodded. “I’m okay now.”

I stood and gathered the buckets before wheeling Shadow’s clone into the room. Twilight stared in awe as the table rolled by. She inspected the body closely and mentioned that I had gotten her freckles right. That comment made me laugh as I rolled the fake Shadow onto her back and fitted a funnel into her mouth. I picked up the first bucket and approached the table. I glanced behind me and saw Twilight peeking around me.

“You don’t have to be here for this”, I murmured as I began pouring the bucket into the funnel.

“I said I’m fine now”, she growled and pulled the bucket from me with her magic.

I shrugged as she slowly poured the first bucket into the funnel and studied her. Her eye twitched every now and then but no other twitches were visible. She tossed the empty bucket aside and levitated the next bucket toward the funnel. I stepped back to the door and peeked out to make sure no servants were nearby.

“Hey Twilight, I was- What the FUCK?!”

I had turned to speak to her but to my surprise and shock I saw a tiny smear of golden liquid on the corner of her mouth. She stared at me wide eyed for a moment before turning away and pouring the second bucket into the funnel. I walked toward her and she did her best to ignore me as I stopped beside her.

“Twilight”, I asked slowly as I turned her face toward me, “What are you doing?”

“Your blood is sweet”, she whispered with a small smile. “I always wondered whether your blood tasted metallic too but it isn’t.”

I stared at her as she emptied the last drops from the second bucket and tossed it aside. She brought the final bucket over and smiled to herself as she began pouring it into the funnel. She caught me staring at her and stared right back into my eyes.

“Why are you staring at me”, she asked.

“I’m wondering why you took a taste of my blood”, I replied quietly. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I said I was fine”, she huffed.

I started to reply but the slightest twitch from the clone on the table caught my attention. I grabbed Twilight’s shoulder and gestured unintelligibly toward the mare before us. Twilight followed my line of sight and gasped excitedly as the clone’s eyes popped open. I felt a chill run through me as I stared into a pair of hungry crimson eyes.

“Well, fuck.”