Sweetie Drops threw a folder with a toss of her head. "Read up. That's our next target."

Bright reached for the folder, but only halfheartedly pawed at it, rather than give it any real reading. "Where's Luna?"

"Princess Luna is busy." Sweetie threw up a hoof. "We are her servants, so when she needs hooves on the ground and she isn't there herself, we're next in line."

"Yay." Bright flipped the folder open and his breath caught. "Rarity."

"That's her name, yes." Sweetie tapped at the open folder. "She's the target. Fashionista by day, foul predator of ponies by night. It's our job to put a stop to her."

Bright's brow furrowed as he scanned the folder, looking troubled. "Wait, Rarity? No way, she's not a monster." He turned a photo towards Sweetie Drops. "Look how nicely she's dressed! Monsters don't care about fashion."

Sweetie Drops frowned. "Appearances could be deceiving. Why else would multiple ponies have gone missing after last being seen talking to her?" She tapped the list of missing names. "The pattern was too clear."

Bright shook his head stubbornly. "There had to be some mistake. She was one of the kindest ponies in Ponyville!" He crossed his arms. "And she made awesome dresses. Couldn't ruin that."

Sweetie Drops narrowed her eyes. She hadn't expected this level resistance from their new recruit. "I understood this may be...difficult for you to accept, given your foreknowledge. But we must put aside personal feelings and investigate every lead thoroughly."

She met Bright's defiant gaze evenly. "Come now. Let us at least observe her from a discrete distance before you dismiss the possibility outright."

"Fine," he allowed petulantly, rising to his feet. "But this is fricken' Rarity!"

Still, he did follow her from the castle towards the train station. "If this turns out to be a dud, what do I get?"

"This isn't a wager." Sweetie purchased tickets to Ponyville. "You win nothing. If you're wrong, you get to do your part to keep Equestria safe."

"Yay." With a half-hearted shrug, he followed Sweetie Drops onto the train. "By the way, don't ponies know you in Ponyville?"

"Hm?" Sweetie hiked a brow. "I've been seen in a lot of places. Why would that town be special? Sit, shut up, and we'll be there soon."

Bright rolled his eyes but took a seat. As the train got moving, he peered at the folder again. "Said here the missing ponies were last seen around Rarity's boutique at night. We gonna stake it out after dark?"

Sweetie Drops nodded. "Correct. Nighttime was when this supposed monster is active." She gave Bright a sidelong look. "I trusted you'd control yourself and not give our position away if we did see your...friend."

Bright grinned. "Pshh, I knew how to be sneaky." His expression softened. "But it wasn't gonna come to that. No way Rarity hurt anybody."

The train soon rolled into Ponyville station. Sweetie Drops donned a trench coat and fedora to disguise herself as they disembarked. Bright snickered but earned a glare.

As the sun set over the village, Sweetie Drops led them to discreetly position themselves with a view of Rarity's home. She studied it intensely through binoculars, watching for any suspicious movement in the dim windows.

"Guessed we play the waiting game," Bright sighed. His gut still insisted this mission was a mistake. "She's not my friend, by the way."

"Then why are you defending her?" Sweetie scanned slowly with her binoculars. "Awful adamant for somepony who isn't even your friend."

"I know her, but I never met her." Brights tapped at his folded arms with his half-balled fists. "She's super nice! No way she's snatching ponies, unless she wanted to share some hot new fashion or something."

"That would still be illegal." Sweetie huffed softly. "Stop complaining, start watching."

"There's someone." Brights pointed at Lyra walking along past the boutique. That Sweetie Drops didn't react was something he took silent note of.

"And..." Sweetie nodded as a figure dropped down in front of Lyra. "We have our perp. Time to move."

Sweetie Drops and Bright rushed from their hiding place toward where the figure had dropped down to confront Lyra. As they got closer, Bright squinted and then gasped.

"I knew it! Rarity, what were you doing out here girl?" he called out.

Rarity looked up in surprise, wings fluttering. Wait, wings?! Fangs glinted in the moonlight as she took a step back from Lyra.

"Oh dear, I could explain!" Rarity said, wringing her hooves. "Lyra was an old friend helping me with an experiment in nocturnal fashion!"

Lyra piped up eagerly. "Yeah! Check out this glow in the dark dress she made me. Isn't it killer?"

Sweetie Drops frowned. "Why does our data show multiple disappearances related to your 'fashion experiments' then?"

Rarity looked offended. "My clients participated consensually to test 24-hour wear! I would never foalnapp anypony!"

Bright laughed and gave Sweetie Drops a playful nudge. "Saw? Told ya Rarity isn't a baddie! Though the whole vampire thing is new..."

Rarity sighed. "Yes, an unfortunate magical mishap. But I only drank the ethical way, from willing donors." She clasped her hooves pleadingly. "Please didn't report me to Princess Luna!" She backed half a step away, doing her best to hide her fangs. "You don't want to do that."

"I don't want to do that," echoed Bright. "Why would I do that?"

"Because it's our job?" Sweetie glared at Rarity. "Cut the magic out! I've trained for moons on resisting monstrous mind-control shenanigans."

"What?" Being told seemed to shake Bright free. "Again?! That's a bad habit... Rarity, c'mon! I expected better from you."

Rarity looked properly apologetic. "Darling... really... I just want to be a businessmare."

Lyra stepped in front of Rarity. "She just sold me a dress, that isn't against any law!"

Sweetie snorted at that. "Being a... whatever she is... That counts." She waved at the fanged monster of the night that was Rarity. "Surrender peacefully."

Bright reached for her. Even as she glared at him, he put his hand on her head and began stroking an ear. "Rarity, chill out."

She shivered softly. "Dear... Those fingers should be... the illegal thing here..." She kicked a hoof as Bright worked at her. "I swear, darling... You are something else..."

Sweetie recoiled a step. "I don't know what technique you're using, but keep it up! Your first bag..."

"I'm talking nicely to the nice pony." Bright brought in his other hand to work at both of Rarity's ears. "So, a potion turned you into a vampire?"

"No," admitted Rarity miserably. "Darling... Please... Mmmmf, don't stop." She shivered with obvious enjoyment of the ear attention. "But don't arrest me either! So I'm a vampony! So what! I didn't hurt anypony, darling... I'm not like that! I swear!"

Sweetie Drops watched suspiciously as Bright continued gently massaging Rarity's ears, the vampire pony sinking blissfully to her haunches with a soft moan.

"Citizen's arrest or no, Princess Luna will want a full report," Sweetie declared. She pulled out a notebook and started writing. "Tell me exactly what happened to result in your...condition."

Lyra looked between Rarity and the others. "I'm confused now..."

Rarity composed herself enough to explain haltingly between Bright's talented ear rubs. "I was, mmm, experimenting with a relic found on a dig...something about eternal beauty...next thing I knew, I had these!" She tapped her fangs.

"And the disappearances?" Sweetie pressed.

"A terrible misunderstanding! Those were scheduled overnight showcases that got moved at the last minute when I converted my sleep schedule." Rarity gave her best winning smile. "I may be undead, but I was no rogue. Truly!"

Sweetie Drops weighed Rarity's words skeptically. But combined with Bright's trusting defense, perhaps she could argue to Luna for leniency...

"Very well. We will recommend surveillance, not punishment." She snapped her notebook shut, ignoring Rarity and Bright's cheers. "But no more disappearances, and no unauthorized snacking! Or we will be back to bag you. Understood?"

Rarity stood up and gently brushed Bright back. "Darling, a moment."

She went to Lyra and hugged her with one arm. "Thank you. You will forget tonight, except the lovely dress you got."

"Everything... but the dress." Lyra wandered off, looking confused, but not arguing the new truth given to her.

Sweetie hiked a brow. "That is not acceptable... I doubt Luna's going to be happy about this."

"Darling! You just said you wouldn't arrest me." Rarity pointed at Sweetie, looking to Bright. "You heard her, dear. You heard it! Back me up."

"Yeah..." He turned to Sweetie. "Yeah!"

"Did you fall for her magic?" She scowled at her partner. "Again?"

"No, but you did say that. She didn't vanish anyone, or snack without permission." Bright counted on his fingers with each of the two. "So she shouldn't be arrested."

"Oh for the love of..." Sweetie shook her head slowly. "This is not acceptable. She isn't attacking anypony right this second, but she is a creature of the night, a danger! It's our job to do things about that."

Rarity looked offended, pressing a hoof to her chest. "A danger? Why, I never! Just because I'm a vampony doesn't make me some feral beast." She gave Sweetie a winning smile, showing just a hint of fang. "I am still the same gracious fashionista I've always been."

Bright nodded eagerly. "Yeah, if anything she is even cooler now! Right Rares?" He held up a hand for a hoof-five which Rarity delicately returned.

Sweetie Drops rubbed her temples. "You just used magic on your friend against her will. Who was to say you wouldn't do worse? We can't take that risk." Her expression hardened. "I'm calling this in."

She pulled out a small mirror and spoke a command word. Princess Luna's visage appeared floating in the glass. "Your Highness, we have a situation..."

As Sweetie described the encounter, Luna's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "A vampony, you say? Most intriguing. Is she resisting you?"

Sweetie clopped a hoof to her face. "Technically, no, she is not resisting me. Except she's still being a terrible creature of the night that has no respect for the sanctity of a pony's mind!"

Bright snatched for the mirror, but Sweetie yanked it away before he could get it.

"Bright is not helping! I think he's in love with her, or he's bewitched by her magic. I'm not sure which, but either way." Sweetie brought the mirror in close. "Please advise."

Rarity nudged Bright. "Darling, pardon me for asking..." She waved him closer, then reached up and ran a hoof over his ear. "Is it working?"

Bright burst into laughter. "Sorry, no. Rares, love ya, but you have a hoof, not fingers. You won't be able to do that."

"Pity..." Rarity shrugged, eyes turning to Sweetie, seeing clearly despite the dim light of the darkened road. "What did Luna say?"

Princess Luna's voice echoed from the mirror gripped in Sweetie's hoof. "This vampony has not caused direct harm that thou hast seen? Yet her nature makes her an inherent threat?"

Sweetie nodded firmly. "Yes, your Highness! She used mental magic on a pony against their will just moments ago."

Luna's glowing eyes narrowed. "Such trespass cannot be tolerated, creature of night though she may or may not be. We shall come assess the situation directly and pass judgment." Her gaze shifted. "Restrain her if she resists further."

The mirror went dark. Sweetie smiled smugly at a nervous Rarity while slipping it away. "You heard her. Now we await the Princess's arrival."

Rarity wrung her hooves. "Oh dear oh dear...I should have fled while I had the chance..." She looked pleadingly to Bright with big shimmering eyes. "You won't let them mistreat me, will you darling?"

Bright grinned and patted her hoof reassuringly. "Hey, Luna's pretty reasonable. Just be your awesome self and don't try any more brain-bending stuff. It'll work out Rares, you got this!"

A thought came to him. "We could save her time and get on her good side at the same time. Make sure she doesn't get angry at you."

Rarity flashed into a bright, fanged, smile. "Really? Please, tell me more, darling."

Bright waved at Rarity and Sweetie. "We go to her. If we just go, that saves her a trip and she'll be happy."

Sweetie looked ready to complain, but that Rarity looked... willing, made her hesitate. "You're alright with that?"

"Whyever not?" Rarity bumped against Bright. "I feel safe enough with this gentlecreature. What is your name, by the way?"

"Bright." He offered a hand and soon had Rarity's hand to shake gently and kiss the back off.

The kiss pleased her with a titter. "Such a gentlecreature. Yes, I feel safe with him at my side. Let's go visit Luna. I trust if this is his idea, it will work out."

"I hate that this is working..." Sweetie pulled the mirror up to call in that they were on their way.

Luna wouldn't need to visit them, but the matter hardly felt closed.

Author's Note

Oops! For the next 28 days, this fic is in TURBOCHARGE. The patron grabbed the boss horse tier, so I am now their literary servant. Prepare for words!

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