Blood Candy

Vamponies are real. I know for a fact now that they aren’t just an old mare’s tale.

Pinkie Pie and Big Mac had buried the vampony’s remains in the forest, and had begun walking back toward Ponyville. The entire time, Pinkie was thinking about the night’s events. If you had told her yesterday that vamponies existed, she would have called you silly. If you told her that today, she would take you much more seriously. You’d still be called silly though.

I wonder if all the legends about vamponies are true. I know everypony, but I don’t think any of them hate garlic. Or stay indoors all day.

“Hey Big Mac, since we’re partners in this whole vampony hunting thing can you tell me all about them? Since you said it’s a long walk back to Ponyville I think we have some time to kill, and I love talking so it’s be a great way to spend the time!” The pink pony slowed her pace, making sure not to leave Big Mac behind. She had already found herself getting ahead of him by a large distance four times tonight.

“Eeyup. There’s plenty to know about vamponies.”

“Well?” Pinkie looked at the red stallion for a while, waiting for him to start talking. By now she had stopped moving, giving him time to catch up with her. She looked around; the Everfree Forest seemed a lot brighter than it did the last time she and her friends were here.

It must not have been a full moon I guess.

“So you gonna tell me about this vampony slaying business or are we just here to have a stroll through the terrifying woods?” Pinkie Pie continued looking at Big Macintosh, anticipating some sort of response.

I knew that he doesn’t like saying much, but jeez we’re together in this hunting thing. You’d at least expect him to open up a bit.

“Let’s start with a bit of history. No vampony slayer knows exactly when the first vampony appeared, and neither do the princesses,” Big Mac began after a short pause. He did have some ideas of how vamponies started and the princesses probably just want to keep the origins secret. However, such theories weren’t very relevant for this lesson. “But we all can agree that most of them are nothing but trouble. Princess Luna, being in charge of the night, makes sure that everything supernatural is also in check. Anything that can and wants to live among normal ponies is allowed to. That is if they behave. If the princess hears about any problems anywhere, she’ll get a slayer to take care of it,” Big Mac stated slowly. He took a long pause, studying his novice partner to see if she understood everything. Satisfied, he continued speaking.

“The Apple family specializes in vamponies. There ain’t nopony that can do a better job than we can,” gloated the red stallion, his face beaming with pride. “Over the years we’ve learned all about a vampony’s strengths and weaknesses. They have superhuman abilities and are immortal. Anything you can do, they can do better. They also can control emotions; the stronger and older ones can even control thoughts to an extent. They heal incredibly fast and almost are never sick. Some of the more powerful ones will have special unique abilities.” He paused, making sure he covered all the strengths of vamponies. Big Macintosh always felt the best way to fight something was to know everything about the enemy. When he finished going through his mental list, he began to lecture Pinkie about a vampony’s weaknesses.

“Vamponies can only be killed in certain ways. Beheading is a common strategy, along with a wooden stake to the heart. Some will burn at the touch of silver, but it’s not a reliable method. While holy water can burn them and cause pain, it won’t finish them off. Neither will sunlight, but it will cause weakness. Garlic only annoys them, but that’s about it. Then again it also annoys your date,” Big Mac said, chuckling at his last sentence. He wasn’t the type to enjoy monologues, but when he talked with Pinkie, it seemed different. The two continued walking through the forest in silence for a few minutes, before the stallion spoke again.

“I’m sure I’ll remember some other stuff to tell you later. You understand everything I just said?”

“Yep! And look, we’re at the edge of Ponyville now. Nice timing Big Mac,” Pinkie Pie said happily as she skipped towards town. Big Mac walked behind her. He never had noticed before when Pinkie visited his sister, but the baker pony did have a nicely shaped body. It wasn’t athletic and toned like his sister or her rainbow friend, but she wasn’t fat either. Instead her body was curved in all the right places to make a colt stare, and he was quite sure colts did stare. It was fine for them to though, they were strangers, but he and Pinkie had a professional relationship now. Romance would only make things difficult.

“Hey Big Mac what are you looking at? Did I get some leaves stuck on me or something?” Pinkie Pie turned around, noticing the pony’s gaze without ever directly looking at him. He mentally lashed himself for being so obvious and possibly speaking aloud.

“Nope. I was just thinking about when to start your training.”

Pinkie thought for a second, then spoke. “Well I still have to work at Sugarcube Corner with the Cakes during the day, so I guess night time would be best.”

“Works for me. I have apples to buck during the day. Well I’ll walk you home, and then be on my way.”

The two walked, or in Pinkie’s case bounced, down the street to Sugarcube Corner. Big Mac tried not to think about her, fearing that she could tell when he did. Meanwhile, the baker had something on her mind.

And then he’s quiet again. Just when he started talking more too! Silence is boring…

“Well we’re here! Bye Big Mac see you tomorrow. Tell your family I said hi. Oh, and tell AJ thanks for helping me remove the toffee from my hair this morning. I swear, I had no idea that my hair wasn’t actually made of cotton candy.”

“Um will do. Good night Pinkie, see you tomorrow evening,” replied Big Mac. He then turned around and walked back home.