Feral

Author's Note: Thanks to all the people who helped collaborate with me on this so far and thanks to everyone who liked and favorited! This chapter will contain a decent amount of blood and violence, so you have been warned! I hope you enjoy the new chapter. Make sure you read my first comment after you read this chapter!!

"The Bird of the Hermes is my name, eating my wings to make me tame..."
-George Ripley's "The Ripley Scrowle" 1468 A.D.

Night had already fallen as the Vampire and the crusaders were finally reaching the outskirts of Ponyville. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were arguing on Marius' left while Sweetie Belle walked silently on his right. He had decided to walk them back to Sugarcube Corner and from there, each of the Crusaders' could walk themselves home since they were once again within the safety of the peaceful town.

"Ah don't see why ya think that Ms. Cheerilee and that Time Turner guy would make a good couple. That don't even make sense!" Applebloom argued.

"He's supposed to be rich or something, duh! After all, everyone else says he's a doctor," Scootaloo argued in return.

'How is it possible for them to argue all the way back from that forest?' thought the Vampire.

Sweetie Belle was quiet the entire way back to Ponyville, occasionally glancing up at Marius. She hadn't realized it before but in the presence of the night with moonlight shining ever so lightly on him, he was absolutely terrifying. His red eyes gave off the softest menacing glow and his large muscular form seemed to blend into the dark like a shadow. If anypony saw him from a distance and could only make out his figure, they would most certainly turn and run as fast as they could for fear of their life.

'He's so scary, but he's really nice to me and Rarity and even other ponies he's not supposed to protect,' she thought as she gave a small smile. 'I like him. I wonder though, how did he become a Vampire?'

He looked at her and gave his signature fanged smirk. Panicking, she quickly looked away and at the ground nervously.

'It's like he can hear what I'm thinking. Weird.'

As they walked through Ponyville and back to Sugarcube Corner, it was eerily quiet. That was until they were walking to the front door of Ponyville's prime confectionery seller.

'There are quite a few heartbeats inside. Probably sixty or so and they seem to beat faster as we get closer to the door.'

He put his hand around the doorknob and smiled.

'Ahh, I see. A party then, is it?'

As Marius and the girls stepped into the dark confines of the building, the light came on and what seemed like the whole town popped out of the surrounding tables and decorations.

"Surprise!!" the crowd boomed and Marius tried his best to seem startled as his eyes shifted around the large group of ponies, the table they had full of food, the cozy arrangement of decorations such as streamers and party hats around the shop, and the large red and white 'Welcome to Ponyville Mari!' banner that hung overhead.

"A surprise party for me? How generous!" the Vampire yelled while trying to sound honestly surprised.

"Girls! Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried we were about you?!" a scornful Rarity asked while walking over to the girls with Applejack by her side.

"But Rarity, we-"

"Hi Mari!" The pink party organizer popped up in front of Marius while Sweetie Belle was explaining to her sister what had happened within the Everfree.

"So do you like the party? I really hope you do, I mean I don't know if you can eat cupcakes or cakes or anything but I really hope you can. Can you? I would feel sosososo bad if you couldn't enjoy the wonderful most fantabulous cake that me and the cakes made for your party because it doesn't have blood in it but I do hope you have fun after all you saved Rarity and you saved all the girls in the last chapter so I know you deserve the most super duper party ever!" she beamed happily.

For the first time in over 15,000 years, Marius was at a loss for words.

'Last chapter?'

He returned her beaming smile with a small one of his own.

"I must say, it is quite the accomplishment. To answer your second question, I can eat other foods for taste, but not for sustenance. Any food is dissolved completely within my body. I must ask though, it seems that almost all the ponies here aside from you and the rest of Rarity's friends are the ones who were spreading rumors about me this afternoon. They were scared that I would eat them and their children if I recall, so how did you manage to get them to come to my welcome party?" he asked quizzically. Everypony else had gone back to meandering through the party. Some were having conversations with others while some just stuffed their face with the delicious treats that Pinkie and the cakes had made.

Pinkie Pie tried to scoff, but it came out as a snort while she rolled her eyes.

"Silly Mari, your Auntie Pinkie Pie can be very persuasive," she winked at him.

The vampire threw his head back and laughed loudly.

"I guess that's as good an answer as any."

Suddenly, Pinkie's entire body shook for several seconds.

"Whoa, what a doozie. I haven't had a doozie in so long. I wonder what it could mean?..." she asked

Before he could reply, the Element of Laughter bolted away and Marius watched in the distance as she shoved her head into a full punch bowl Zecora was standing by and emerged with an alligator clamped on her snout.

'Haha. An odd one indeed,' he thought while turning his head and noticed Applejack and Rarity walk up to him with the girls in tow. All of them looked very sympathetic.

"I guess I know now why you told me to stay here," Rarity told him sheepishly.

"Marius, Ah know you're supposed to watch over Rarity and everything but ya saved my sister too and...Ah don't know how to thank ya enough. Is there anything the Apple family can do for ya?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

He looked down into her eyes and spoke with a tone of seriousness, "There will be no need. It was my pleasure as you and your family are friends of my master, therefore it is my duty to keep watch over you all. Such is the way of honor and the pact of the Blood Seal that put me to sleep, although I must ask the forgiveness of my master," he spoke.

Rarity was taken aback as he kneeled down so he was only about a foot above her eye level and everypony in Sugarcube Corner that had noticed stopped their conversations and looked at them.

"Rarity my master, I have gone against your specific orders and killed five of the creatures known as timberwolves that were attacking Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo in order to save their life. You ask that I only kill if it is necessary, and I believe it was. Regardless, my actions went against your request. Can you forgive me, my master?" he asked.

Everyone was shocked, and the bad impressions that they had of the Vampire instantly changed.

It was quiet for awhile before Rarity finally spoke,

"Marius...you think that I would be angry with you for doing what you needed to do in order to save my sister? Of course I forgive you, and don't you ever think you need to ask for forgiveness like that again. You are the most noble creature I have ever had the honor of calling my friend, and I am truly grateful I met you." she said while smiling, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Yeah. She is totally right. You did what had to do to save them, which is totally awesome," spoke a raspy voice.

"I can't believe you actually used magic to heal Sweetie's leg. That's incredible. I can't even do a spell powerful enough to heal an injury that bad," the Element of Magic said.

"I would love for you to help me heal some of the animals sometime...Um...If that's okay with you," a shy voice said just above a whisper.

He looked up and saw that Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow, Twilight, Fluttershy, the girls, and even Spike were sitting there beside Rarity . Everyone was there smiling at him. The vampire suspected it at first when he saw them interact, but he would have never thought it possible for them to feel that way about him. He was a monster. A being who solely existed to slaughter, but it was true. He had found someone besides his brethren who he cared about and cared about him in return. After only a day awake from his slumber, he had found friends. He gave a fanged smirk.

"Thank you master."

He quickly scooped them all up into a group hug with his large arms.

The party had continued for about an hour. About half the ponies that had been there had left. Somehow Marius was coaxed into playing pin the tail on the pony with Pinkie and all the colts and fillies at the party. Incredibly, somehow when it was Pinkie's turn, her tail ended up on the pinup while the pinup's tail replaced hers. The Vampire was beginning to think she was a practitioner of witchcraft, but couldn't read her mind against his master's wishes to confirm his assumption. Rainbow and Twilight were having a conversation by the stairway about the natural magic Pegasi have that they use in order to be able to shift clouds and control weather while Fluttershy was listening to them silently. Other ponies were chatting away talking about the Vampire and his heroic efforts while others talked about miscellaneous things going on in their lives. Rarity and Applejack were sitting beside each other, each enjoying a slice of the delicious chocolate sheet cake that had once said "Ponyville loves Vampires" on the top, courtesy of Pinkie.

"Can ya believe what all Marius has done. He saved you and he saved yours and mah sis along with Scootaloo in the same day. Truly something aint he?" She said blissfully.

"Yes, he is," spoke the fashionista.

"I'll be honest. At first, when I saw him after he had erupted from that coffin, he was the most horrifying thing I had ever laid eyes on. I can't believe that the monster I saw would be so gentle underneath. He has told me he still has the desire for violence though, but I have am sure he would never act on it unless absolutely necessary." she thought aloud, and then slowly frowned.

'Why did you do it Marius?...Why did you become they way you are?' she thought to herself.

They just watched the Vampire fumble around and play with the children, laughing happily as they all tried to climb him like he was a large playground attraction. Fortunately he had retracted his wings so they didn't hurt any of the children.

"Um...Rarity?" came a voice from beside Rarity. She turned her head and noticed a purple drake that was awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, Spike! How are you darling? I'm ever so sorry that I haven't got to talk to you much lately," she told him.

"I'm fine I guess. Um...Rarity...I was wondering..."

Silence.

"Yes Spike, what's wrong?" the fashionista asked while looking down at him with large glistening blue eyes, casually flipping her beautifully styled mane out of her eyes.

"Um...I...I was wondering..." he stammered.

'Ok Spike, this is it. It's now or never. You're a lot more grown up now, so you have to be strong and...just..ask...

She gave him an odd look before he took a deep breath.

"RarityIwaswonderingwouldyougooutwithmenextFriday?" the little Drake quickly covered his mouth with his claws.

She blinked while Applejack just chuckled.

"Um, Spike? Ya might have to ask that a little slower," the cowpony told him.

"Um...Rarity, I was wondering, would you go out with me next Friday?" he asked with a sheepish smile plastered on his face.

Rarity was stunned.

'My little Spikey-Wikey, he actually overcame his fear and asked me on a date? Of course, there is a bit of an age difference but only by about six years, but he's not a baby any more. He is roughly fourteen now. It wouldn't hurt and I'm sure it would be absolutely innocent, plus I am a single mare after all. He has always been quite the gentlecolt and the crush he has had on me throughout the years has been absolutely adorable, but I suppose it's finally time,' she started laughing under her breath.

He sighed dejectedly before speaking, "That's ok, I'm sorry I asked."

Tears were working their way out as he turned to walk back to Twilight when a hoof was laid on top of his left shoulder.

"Nonono darling, you misunderstood me. I was laughing because I was so happy you finally overcame your fear and acted on the crush you have had on me for so long," she told him.

His eyes became as wide as saucers and the scales on his cheeks almost instantly turned permanently red.

"Who told you?! Was it Twilight?"

There was a distinctive sound that came from the background that sounded like 'FOR-E-VER'.

She chuckled lightly before responding, "No Spike, she never told me. I hate to tell you this dear, but you're not exactly what a pony would call um...subtle?"

"Oh, uh...so is that a yes?" he asked once again sheepishly

She beamed, "Of course it's a yes my little Spikey-Wikey! But you have to remember that this is still just an outing between friends. We shall see if anything stems from this, alright?"

His smile was massive.

"YES...I mean, great! I can't wait. What time will I come over to get you?" he had to try and cap the massive amount of excitement pouring out of him.

"How about six in the evening?" she asked while smiling at him.

"Great! Um...I'm just gunna go tell Twilight." he sprinted back to Twilight.

"She said yes!"

Applejack and Rarity laughed out loud before continuing to talk to each other. Little did they know that there was a certain Vampire with razor sharp hearing who had heard their whole conversation.

'A date next Friday?' Marius picked up a giggling five year old colt off of the top of his head before smirking.

'Sounds interesting...'

The party was going absolutely wonderfully. Then there were three loud knocks at the door...

"Don't worry Cup, I'll get it." Carrot Cake happily told his wife as he opened the door.

"Can I help y-" his eyes shot open at the speed of a lightning bolt when he saw the Princess of the Day and Ruler of Equestria on his front doorstep, accompanied by her sister and two Royal guards. He shook nervously before speaking,

"P..P...Princess C..Celestia?"

"Good evening Mr. Cake, it is wonderful to see you again. I heard from my faithful student that there was a party being hosted here this evening and would love to join in the festivities," she told him with a kind, motherly tone.

"Umm...uh.. sure," he spoke as beads of sweat started to pour down his face and muzzle.

"Honey, we have more guests."

Everypony's ears perked and they looked at the door as the new guests began to walk in. They all promptly gasped.

"Princess!" Twilight said happily and ran over to her mentor.

"Hello Twilight, how are you my faithful...," she trailed off as her eyes finally came upon the creature she so desperately wanted to see for herself. He was huge. As he stood upright, he dwarfed her in size by at least twenty inches. She started to panic as she saw the glowing red eyes of the creature, his large fangs as he smirked wickedly, and the fact that he was immersed in a pile of children did nothing to help either. Her protective instincts took over and she did something she hadn't done in a long time.

She used the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"Unhand those children at once, foul beast!" her voice roared in the room like thunder.

Immediately, all of said children grabbed onto the Vampire's legs for protection while everyone else, including the Elements of Harmony, covered their heads and dropped to the floor. Celestia was instantly regretful of her actions, but was still eyeing the creature she thought was a danger to her subjects with a fierce scowl. While everyone else was cowering except Princess Luna, who was about to intervene, no one could have expected what happened next.

The vampire crossed his arms, threw his head back, and roared in laughter.

"Tell me child, didn't anyone ever teach you not to scream while you are inside another's home? It's very impolite," he told her calmly.

The Princess was shocked that the creature would dare speak to her so complacently, and call her a child! Even though the creature seemed friendly from what her student described, she remembered what she had read about Vampires so many years ago in her ancient tomes. They were masters of deceit and she would not let the creature get the better of her. She gave him a look that could melt butter while he stood there smiling at her the entire time. She charged a spell that would make the creature answer every question she asked in truth, and then released it towards him. He did nothing in an attempt to block it, until it got inches from him. He finally wore a look of shock on his face as he recognized the power behind her magic, because it was a power that made him feel a sensation he had not felt in a long time.

Pain.

It was Solar magic.

He shoved the children away and over to the side of the wall and everyone in the room watched in horror as the spell that was supposed to be nothing more than a tickle touched his shoulder, and his entire arm (coat sleeve and all) exploded in a giant spectacle of gore.

"Raaaaaaaaarrr!" Marius opened his mouth and gave an animalistic roar that would have scared a dragon to death. No blood had managed to get on anypony, but everyone including the Elements, the Cakes, the guests that had stayed, the children, the guards and both of the Princesses wore a look of horror upon their face as they looked upon the still smoldering stub of where the Marius' arm used to be.

Princess Celestia finally spoke,

"Vampire, I-" she was cut off as Marius moved at a speed that would have been impossible for mortal eyes to see. He wrapped his clawed hand around her throat and in one fluid motion, threw her towards the wall so hard it offered no resistance as her body shattered the drywall and wood into splinters and propelled outward landing in the streets of Ponyville.

"Sister!" Luna shrieked and flew with the two Royal guards out through the hole that was made in the wall to check on her beloved sister. Twilight, Rainbow, and several of the others joined her. She was still conscious lying in the streets of Ponyville, scratches all over and blood running down from a large gash below her horn. Marius began to walk outside when his master screamed at him,

"Marius, you will stop this instant!" she spoke like she was scolding a child.

He turned to his master and looked her dead in the eyes.

"I shall not hurt her further Rarity, I shall merely check on her condition," he calmly replied. Just as he took another step, a beam of light hit his head and it exploded in a fountain of brain matter. His body dropped to the ground with a dull thud.

The Princess of the Day flew back into Sugarcube Corner through the large hole her body made and stood over Marius' body panting heavily. She ached everywhere and there were cuts and gashes all over her body decorated with small splinters. She finally sighed, content that the fighting was over. All the children were crying including the Crusaders and Rarity looked absolutely mortified as her coat was covered in blood. Everyone had gotten back into Sugarcube Corner and they were hovering over the body of the vampire.

Rarity turned to the princess and screamed to her,

"What in Equestria were you thinking?! He isn't going to harm any of us!"

Celestia looked down at Rarity and returned her disdainful look while still panting,

"I'm sure you think so, but I assure you an evil creature like that has no place in Ponyville OR Equestria," she told Rarity.

"How do you know? He was playing with these children which you both terrified, not hurting them!"

Celestia was shocked.

'I realize that the creature had acted rather kindly with them, but that's what Vampires do according to all the things I've read. They acted like they cared for someone, and then betrayed them and killed them, turning them into their fellow Undead. That's what they do, isn't it?' she thought to herself. 'Did I just take the life of someone who was trying to protect my subjects, because I feared he was going to harm them?' she began to feel nauseous, but was shaken out of her thoughts as the Element of Generosity started to yell at the headless body on the floor.

"You, I am absolutely FURIOUS with you! I'm sure the Princess didn't mean to hurt your arm like that, so you had no reason to react so violently! Well, do you have anything to say for yourself?" she asked the corpse.

Everyone looked at her like she had gone mad, until the entire room became cold and an ambient voice came from the walls.

"Judging by the look on her face when my arm was destroyed, she didn't know her Solar magic was harmful to me, but I still overreacted. For this, I apologize," the eerie voice echoed like a drum throughout Ponyville's tiny bakery.

"Well, I certainly hope so, now quit lying on the ground and get up Marius. It's absolutely horrid and you're getting blood all over the floor!" the elegant designer said with her signature *hmph* afterwards.

As if on cue, the headless body shot up to stand on all fours.

"Zombie!" yelled Spike as he tried to run away, but tripped over his own tail.

In seconds, bone, muscle, nerve endings, skin, hair, and even polyester stitched itself back together as Marius' right arm (along with his sleeve) and his head fully regenerated while the Vampire had a wide smile on his face. It was as if the short but bloody battle never even ensued to him. He opened his glowing eyes to everyone in the room. Every jaw, Royal and non-royal might as well have been on the floor except for his master's.

"This shouldn't come as a shock to some of you. Remember when I regenerated my arm after it exploded from Twilight's little spell?"

"Uggh, just look at all this blood. Eeeheewww. How am I EVER going to get it out of my coat and mane? This is the. Worst. Possible. Thing!"

Marius sighed and rolled his eyes as his master continued to whine about the blood spattered on her coat. Everypony else was too shocked to speak, except Fluttershy, who was trying to calm the small amount of foals and tiny colts. The guards were visibly shaking from the reanimated terror in front of them and Celestia and Luna were dumbstruck. Marius then walked over to the children and Fluttershy. As he neared them, some shied away from fear.

"Do not be afraid little ones. The Princess and I were just having a...dispute...over...who could eat the most of Pinkie's cupcakes! Clearly, she tried to cheat since I cannot eat without a head or mouth," he told them while giving them a warm smile.

There was silence in the room for awhile, until all the ponies in the room including Luna burst out into laughter at the joke. All except Celestia, who stared at the Vampire curiously.

'He seems so gentle with them, but I don't know if his intentions are truly pure,' she thought.

She narrowed her eyes.

'I have no choice. It's not a spell, so I can use it. I'll have to use telepathy.'

She began to peer into Marius' mind. She focused entirely on the mental pathway of the Vampire's thoughts while her sister walked over to join the rest of Elements and ponies from around town in trying to calm the Cakes down. Luckily, Pound and Pumpkin were staying over at their Uncle Fruit Cake's house for the night. Luna was assuring them that they would pay for the clean up and all the damages to the shop. Marius looked back to Celestia who was focused on him still. He walked over to her until he was close enough to feel the heat from her breath as she continued to wince and lightly pant. He looked down into her eyes with his own.

'Why are you trying to read my mind when you should be tending to your injuries Princess? Would you like me to heal them for you instead? Also, I can assure you that my intentions are pure.' he spoke to her without moving his lips.

Celestia gasped loudly enough to be heard throughout the room.

'You can use telepathy?' she thought.

'I would venture to say that there is a lot about me you do not know. Where did you obtain this source of information about Vampires?' he asked her with his thoughts.

'From my personal collection of tomes passed down to us through generations of the unicorn royals, up until the birth of the Alicorn race. Why? she responded.

'They were wrote by whom?' he asked.

'Humans I suppose. Why are you asking me these questions?

'Tell me Princess Celestia, can you determine from your readings who the number one enemy of the Vampire race was, because they considered us abominations and we considered them cattle?'

'The...humans?' it came out like a question.

'Think child. Use your age old intuition,'

She thought about it, then gasped as realization donned.

'They slandered the Vampires that way future generations-'

'would assume that we were all horrid, evil beings who needed to be exterminated. A last precaution for a dying race bent on scorning their enemy if you will,' he finished for her.

She looked at the ground and tears started to flow from her eyes.

"How could I have been so foolish? The wars I read about...the horrible things that happened. I was just truly scared for my subjects, since a monster had been introduced to our peaceful way of life. My sister and I have watched over this land for generations, and the thought of anything harming it gives me unspeakable sadness and rage."

Luna walked up to her side and spoke softly, "Never fear sister, for you had good intentions. We are most sure you were only doing what you thought right for our Equestria."

"Princess..." whispered Twilight under her breath, trying to hold back her own tears. Everyone watched the spectacle curious, for that was the first thing either Marius or Celestia had said in minutes. To their shock, Marius got closer to the Princess of the Day and wrapped his arm around her shoulders bringing her into a half embrace, being careful as not to touch any cuts. She looked up at him sorrowfully and spoke, " I am truly sorry, Vampire Marius."

He scoffed.

"You needn't worry about it. I have learned about this land from my master and I see why you would want to protect it with all of your power, which is great indeed. If it had been any other Vampire besides me and another who I used to know, they wouldn't have gotten back up from the last blow you delivered. My name is only Marius, by the way," he leaned down slightly to get inches away from her ear. "and I happen to love a woman that can handle herself in a fight," she could feel his ice cold breath on her ear and run down her neck

The Princess blushed before looking back up at him and giving a sultry look, deciding to go along with his little game,

"Is that so, Marius?" she lifted her left eyebrow slightly.

*THUD*

"Oh my...um...somepony help? Twilight fainted."

Celestia decided to heal herself of her cuts and gashes rather than have Marius do it for her. All the ponies that had come out to the party had left, leaving the Cakes, the Princesses and her guard, the Elements, and Marius. Everypony (mainly Applejack and Pinkie) was currently trying to scrub the blood out of Rarity's mane and clean up Sugarcube Corner at the same time. Fed up, Marius just decided to clean her off himself. He placed his hand on his master's head and in a large crack of red electricity that rang throughout the night, he had dissolved the blood and stains that she had received. She was marveling at the new found use of her servant, when they was approached by both Princesses.

"Marius may we have a word with you?"

He looked to his master and gave a look that asked her if she it was ok if he could talk with them briefly.

"Of course dear, you don't have to ask me!" she said in sing-song.

He chuckled, "Of course, Rarity," he gave a small bow to his master before turning around and listening to Princess Celestia.

"Since we now know our view of your race was corrupted greatly, we would like you to answer some questions before we leave for the castle. I'm sure everypony in this room would like to know more about you and the rest of the Vampires."

The Vampire thought about it before answering, "Very well, but you will grant me a favor in return."

The Princesses gave him an odd look before Luna answered, "What is it you ask of us?"

Marius gave that signature fanged smirk he was so good at using.

"Your blood of course."

Everypony gasped.

"You see, I have a special ability that I can choose to use which allows me to view the memories of those I drink the blood of. I would be very interested in attaining the memories of the rulers of this land since I have much to learn about it," he explained to them.

One Princess looked to the other before both turned back to him and smiled.

"You have a deal."

Marius gave a huge fanged grin.

"Alright, what would you like to know?"