"...and once again, the day is saved, thanks to Garbunkle, Sir McBiggun, and Beedle the Bard!" Spike declared, ending out another session of Ogres and Oubliettes. He and Big Mac were in costumes that Thorax had gotten Rarity to make for them ("For a super-secret reason that doesn't have anything to do with a certain game," he'd said), while Thorax himself had used his changeling magic to turn into his character directly.

Thorax and Big Mac cheered out, hoof-bumping each other. "Another great game!" Thorax grinned, letting his disguise dissipate and revealing his now cloudy wings.

"You said it," Big Mac took off his costume and stashed it in a nearby closet. "Same time next week?"

"Don't you know it!" Spike smirked as he started to clear the table of paper.

Thorax and Big Mac said their goodbyes, then started out the front door.

On the way out, they ran into a certain pale purple unicorn. "So, how'd the game go?"

Thorax took a breath to calm himself. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Starlight."

Starlight rolled her eyes. "Right, no idea."

"But if I did," Thorax continued, "I'd say that it was more fun than the last seven times. Hypothetically."

"Yes, very hypothetically." The unicorn wryly replied. She then glanced towards the door. "Do you know when they said they'd be coming back?"

"Hold on, let me check." Thorax paused in his tracks. «Hey Rares, when did you girls say you were coming back?»

It took a moment for her to respond. «The Royal Luncheon should be over in a few hours, why?»

«Starlight wanted to know.»

«Are you sure it's not because you want to hang out with your guy friends a little more?»

«Not at all,» Thorax lied.

A chuckle came through the Hive Mind. «Well, tell her I said hi, okay?»

«Will do, thanks!» "Rarity says hi, and the Luncheon will still be another few hours."

Starlight nodded. "Alright, I'm gonna write to Sunburst until then."

They exchanged pleasantries as well, before they departed out the front door. As they walked through town, Thorax returned any waves that were sent his way, and ignored others' stares of disapproval.

Finally, they reached an intersection, where Big Mac turned to head towards the farm. "See ya 'round, Thorax," he smiled.

"Bye, Big Mac!" Thorax waved fervently as the stallion headed back home. He was in such a good mood that he practically pronked his way home.

When he got to the boutique, he found the Crusaders, along with Twist, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon eating cereal around the dining room table.

As soon as she saw him, Twist hastily pushed away her cereal, nearly spilling it in the process. "Well, thith wath fun, but I gotta go do... Thomething elthe, bye!"

"No need to leave, I'll only be down here for a minute," Thorax assured her, and Twist somewhat calmed down. "How're you fillies doing?"

"Great, big bro-in-law!" Sweetie chirped, getting up and giving him a hug (to Diamond Tiara's silent disgust, and Twist's visual discomfort).

"Ah'm fine," Apple Bloom nodded simply.

Scootaloo concurred, "We're good."

"I got a new frame for my glasses!" Silver Spoon chipped in. Everyone looked closer; indeed, her frames were more angular than before.

"Good for you, Silver Spoon!" Thorax smiled. "I'd love to catch up, but I'd better get upstairs."

He waved to them, before leaving the room.

As soon as he was gone, Twist sighed in relief, causing Sweetie to eye her. "What's gotten into you, Twist?"

Twist looked down at the floor. "I'm thorry! I know he'th good, but I can't help it; he'th just tho... creepy!"

"No offense to him," Diamond Tiara said, "but he kinda looks like he came from one of those corny alien invasion movies."

"That's my brother-in-law you're talking about!" Sweetie defended.

"I kinda have to agree, Sweetie," Scootaloo said carefully. "Of course, I know he's not going to suck us dry of love or anything, and it's cool that he can transform into just about anything, but... I dunno, it's just weird that he's dating your sister."

Sweetie turned to Apple Bloom. "What about you, Apple Bloom? Surely you can't agree with them?"

She sat silently for a moment, before sighing. "Eeyup."

Meanwhile, Thorax, who was listening through the door, sighed in defeat. Some things never changed, did they?

But just as he was about to leave, Silver Spoon piped up: "Well, I like him."

Sweetie perked up. "You do?"

She nodded. "He's just a little different, like how my dad likes both mares and stallions."

Apple Bloom thought for a moment, then nodded. "Ah s'pose yer right..."

Scootaloo relented as well. "Yeah, when you put it like that..."

Even Diamond Tiara shrugged. "He's still creepy, but I can see where you're coming from."

Everyone then looked to Twist. She thought for a moment, then shuddered. "Thorry, guyth, I don't think I can get over it; maybe thomeday, but not right now."

"Well, that's okay," Silver Spoon said, "As long as you're willing to try."

Thorax smiled. It may not have been much, but it still touched him to hear he was making progress. He got up and headed upstairs, getting to work.

"I'm ho~ome!" Rarity called out as she walked through the door. She was wearing a purple coat with her Cutie Mark on the collar, and the only thing she'd used her Changeling magic to do was to give her back her normal mane.

Thorax ran down to greet her with a big hug. "I missed you so much, Rarity!"

Rarity bopped him teasingly on the nose. "I could tell from you humming through the Hive Mind."

He blushed, "Did that really come through?"

She winked. "I'm just teasing you, Thorax, darling." He sighed in relief. "Were you really humming?"

Thorax giggled a little. "I was just so excited to finally finish this!" With that, he used his magic to retrieve a necklace he'd been making. The base was made from special hardened changeling resin, dyed pinkish-purple; and embedded in the front were three gems that perfectly matched Rarity's Cutie Mark.

Rarity, for one, was stunned. "Oh my goodness... You made this?"

"Yep," Thorax replied. "Took the better part of a month to get all the details just right, but it was worth it. And you haven't even seen the best part yet!"

Using his magic, he fastened the necklace around Rarity's neck. Immediately, she felt a bit of magic flow from the necklace into her, and her flank started to glow. In a matter of moments, Rarity's Cutie Mark had been temporarily restored.

Rarity gasped. "Wha— how did you...?"

"I may have gotten some help from Starlight with that," he admitted. "It'll bring out your Cutie Mark as long as you're wearing it. Do you like it?"

Rarity took a moment to process everything.

Then she lunged towards him, wrapping him in a hug. "I love it, Thorax! I don't know what to say, or how I could ever repay you!"

"Aw, there's no need for that," Thorax blushed. "Think of it as a way for me to say thanks for all you've done for me these last five months."

"Thorax, I insist on thanking you in some way." It was at that moment that an idea crossed her mind. She smirked seductively at him, "And I think I know just how..."

Both Changelings lay in bed with each other, panting. At some point, Rarity's necklace had been shed, and now lay next to Thorax on the bed. Her coat was also hanging on a nearby chair, and Rarity's hair illusion had been dropped to conserve her magic.

"That," Thorax panted, "was awesome. So that's what Twister is?"

Indeed, a dotted game mat still lay on the ground beside the bed.

"Yep," Rarity, too, was out of breath. "And if you want, I can show you what Twister is like without the mat."

"Nah, I'm good." Thorax waved a hoof, not getting the implication. "Maybe later, though."

Rarity smirked mischievously. "What, you too tired for a round two?" She rolled over onto her belly, slowly crawling across the bed towards Thorax, who was beginning to blush. She used her magic to pick up the necklace and wrap it around the back of Thorax's neck seductively. "Surely a big, strong stallion such as yourself can—"

Then Thorax's flank lit up. Both of them looked down at it, and their jaws dropped.

Thorax had earned a Cutie Mark, a single green hexagonal gem with a cartoonish gleam on the top left corner. Faintly visible in the center facet of the gem was Rarity's Cutie Mark encased in a pink heart.

Thorax and Rarity both gasped, Rarity's magic slipping and making her drop the necklace. As soon as it slid off his neck, the Cutie Mark faded to where it almost completely disappeared, just like Rarity's. "Did I just...?"

"I think you did..." Rarity concurred, just as shocked as him.

They looked at each other for a moment, uncertain as to what they should do.

Then Thorax grinned at her.

And she smiled at him.

And they both hugged each other, certain that, no matter what life threw at them, they'd be facing it together.

THE END

Author's Note

And thus concludes Vampirism, my second oldest story on this site! It's been a long ride, but it's finally over!

I hope you all enjoyed! Like and share if you did, or give me some criticism if you didn't! (Please, I'm begging you, I need to know if I can improve.)

And who knows? If this gets popular enough, I may just make a sequel...