Poppy's Delivery Service

Death took Selina quickly; quicker than she thought.

Honestly she expected him to be a bit more of an ass about it. You don't live for 480 years, survive numerous attempts on your life with a smile and think of yourself as being an actual immortal without the reaper growing a serious distaste for you.

But as death gripped her and shuffled her off the mortal coil at long last, it was not the reaper who greeted her next.

♫"Oh, Selinaaaa..."♫

It was much, much worse.

Selina opened her eyes to find herself sitting in a far too fluffy arm chair, surrounded by more pink than she had ever seen in her life.
Pink walls, pink windows, pink carpeting and even pink furniture; Selina felt her eyes may start turning pink if she had to keep looking at such a horrible sight.

And sitting behind her large pink desk was the Lord of The Dead herself, Furthermore, who was currently sporting the largest and most smug grin Selina had seen in a long time; even her eyes seemed to be smiling. "Hellloo, there Miss Dancemania." she sang. "Fancy seeing you in my office."

"Oh God, not you." Selina groaned, putting her head in her hooves.

"Not a God, exactly." Furthermore teased. "But I am pretty up there for sure."

"Hilarious." Selina snapped. "Now what do you want?"

"To chat." Furthermore replied. "We have a lot to talk about, so you should get comfy!" she waved a hoof and a fully prepared tray with tea, cups and sugar appeared and floated over to Selina. "Tea?"

Selina tried to swat it away, but the tray just kept moving away from her every time she took a swing. "No." she said flatly, giving up in a huff.

Furthermore simply shrugged. "Suit yourself." she helped herself to tea then leaned back in her fluffy chair, clearly content. "So...Selina...my this must come as quite a shock."

Selina rolled her eyes. "I was undead, Furthermore." she said. "I've been down this road before once already."

"Yes, yes I know." said Furthermore. "But the first time you were much nicer about it."

Selina scoffed, turning away from the mare's all too cheery gaze.

"But then of course you went back to Earth; not as a living pony mind you." Furthermore continued. "And that's what's perplexing me so much."

"Never dealt with anyone coming back as a vampire before?"

"Oh dozens." Furthermore chuckled. "But you were a very peculiar case, my dear."

Selina raised an eyebrow, curious. "How so?" she asked.

Furthermore sipped her tea in thought. "Your soul bypassed every measure that was supposed to keep you from turning." she said. "Ordinarily it is quite the hard task to return to Earth as a vampire, otherwise everypony would do it."

Selina looked at her, perplexed.

Furthermore continued. "I have looked into the matter quite thoroughly since I found out you were trying to bargain with Tartarus, and I have reached a conclusion."

Selina waited to hear an explanation.

"I do not believe you returned to Earth as a vampire of your own volition, Selina." Furthermore said, setting her cup down and giving her undead compatriot a hard look. "I believe...someone or something forced you back to Earth for their own machinations."

Selina looked at her for a moment, then started laughing; a rich woman's noble laugh naturally. "Oh, come on." she scoffed. "You think that I, the great Lady Selina Dox Nocturnal Danceman'ya Corporeum was somehow, what, manipulated into coming back as a vampire?" she shook her head. "Utter nonsense."

"Is it?" asked Furthermore, tilting her head slightly. "I wonder..."

Selina continued to laugh, as if the whole thing was a joke. Then seeing Furthermore's solemn expression, she stopped abruptly. "You...you aren't serious."

"I am." Furthermore replied, frowning. "I think you were pulled back to Earth without consent and forced to play a part in a much grander scheme than even you realized." she continued. "You were supposed to come back as a vampire and make your bargain, and then, you were to fall, having fulfilled the task you were supposed to." she sipped her tea. "I would say you played your part, perfectly."

Selina sat in her seat, unmoving; not even angry, just numb. "No." she said. "I refuse to believe it; not me, I was not manipulated." suddenly she started shouting "I AM THE ONE WHO DOES THE MANIPULATING!" she cried out in rage.

"Apparently not." Furthermore replied, pouring herself more tea. "The question now is...what do you intend to do about it?"

"Huh?" Selina asked. "What are you implying? I'm dead, my soul rests here now." she leaned back in the chair, still fuming. "There is no coming back for vampires; once we are dead, we stay dead." she said, crossing her arms. "I am at rest, for good this time."

"Oh, you are far from being at rest, Selina." said Furthermore, dropping a single sugar cube into her cup. "No, you have unfinished business back on Earth do you not?"

Selina thought for a moment. Then it hit her. "Yes." she replied coldly. "Yes, I do in fact have unfinished business, as you put it."

"Which is?"

Selina's red eyes lit up like fires. "I must find the one who forced me to become what I am; the one who wrenched me from the peace of the after world and make them pay dearly for thinking they could screw with the Queen of The Night." Her fangs were visible as she spoke, and her words seemed to hiss through clenched teeth as rage boiled up inside her.

"Excellent." Furthermore said smiling. "It just so happens I know the perfect way for you to accomplish your goal."

"Which is?"

"You are going to return to Earth as a spirit and help Poppy Blossom with her problem." said Furthermore. "She will then help you track down the party who manipulated you."

Selina laughed again. "You wish for me to aid the very one who smote me?" she chuckled. "And just why on Earth would I do such a thing?"

"Because your goals are aligned, my dear." Furthermore said shaking her head. "She seeks her friend who has gone missing from the world, and you seek the ones who manipulated you and made you their unknowing pawn."

Selina sighed. "Did you have to word it like that?"

"You know what I mean." Furthermore replied. "If you help her-"

"She will help me, yes." Selina finished for her. "She seems to have a rather annoying knack for helping others, doesn't she?"

Furthermore laughed as she set her tea aside. "It's one of her best qualities, in my humble opinion."

Selina didn't agree exactly, but she knew Furthermore was right. If she wanted to get her revenge, she had to swallow her pride and aid her destroyer. Could she do that? After everything?

.........

So be it; Poppy was a nuisance yes, but she was far from Selina's greatest enemy now. She had her priorities. All that mattered now was her revenge.

"Very well, Furthermore." Selina replied, giving a fang filled grin. "I shall aid the little mortal in her task; only so I can get my vengeance on my true enemy." she leaned forward still smiling wickedly. "But don't expect me to play nice or anything; she's still my enemy after all."

Furthermore clapped her hooves happily. "Fantastic!" she said, smiling. "Or should I say...Fang-tastic? Eh?....Eh?"

"Don't push it." Selina warned.

END