The Night of the Moondancer

Moondancer stepped back with a scared expression on her face as she saw that every servant in the area started to attack them. The bat pony then flew upward, avoiding being attacked. As Echo smacked a few aside and snapped, “We need to get out of here as soon as possible.”

“Yeah, no shit!” Echo shouted as she flew up, smacking a few aside. She flew up through the halls of the manor as fast as possible, trying to avoid being taken down by the dozens of other vampires all trying to take them. Moondancer slapping another and then sending her careening into a wall. Echo and the mare continued to slam and smack the servants and maids about. But there was clearly too many for the two bat ponies to handle. The bat pony alicorn then took her friend and concentrated as hard as she could. The mare then turned herself and Echo into the mist. Then they maneuvered through the cacks in the ground and flew right through it, heading straight into the ground and slamming into a underground stairwell below.

The two then rose up, returning to their flesh and blood bodies Echo raised her head feeling a bit woozy and asked. “W…what do we do now?”

Moondancer looked around the dark stone walls that surrounded her, seeing they were trapped. There was clearly only one option available to them, and said, “Doesn't seem we have any other choice. We need to find out where this Count Appleblood is and stop him!”

She continued to fly downward and through the long corridors lined with torches and they came upon rows and rows of casks with Blood Punch labeling them. The sight was a bit overwhelming, and there were a few bat pony soldiers nearby, all looking around the room as Echo held her friend close.

“What do we do?” Moondnacer whispered.

Echo looked around and replied, “The only way forward is through this cellar. But it seems we are only going to have one choice. Your new powers can get us through doing that mist thing again.”

Moondancer thought about it, and despite just starting to get a grasp of her powers, she said, “I should, but I need to know the direction, and I have no idea where the exit is. Can you fly up and look around?”

Echo gave a nod, flew up over the hundreds of casks, and then flew back down. " There's a door on the east side of the room, and there are only a few guards.”

“East side, that’s it?”

“Yeah.”

Moondancer threw a hoof at her face and groaned, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to do this, but it's going to be difficult. I still don’t have full control of my powers.”

Echo nudged her, then replied, “But you’ve been doing so well. I mean, just think about the power you want to use and do it.”

The mare took a deep breath seeing she really didn't have much choice and said, “ok, let’s do this.”

Moondancer got up, and then she let out a shriek. A bunch of bats started fluttering around the area and attacking the guards in the cellar, all shouting and shooing away the bats. She took Echo by the hoof and concentrated as hard as she could, and they suddenly turned into mist again as they maneuvered through the casks. They headed straight to the exit, went through the doors, and entered another facility. This one had massive tanks with “Blood Punch” on them, and the smell of apples and an intoxicating sweet scent of fruit filled the air, making the mare’s mouth drool. Standing before them was Dr. Blitzenbolt, looking a bit worried, with Count Appleblood giving a devilish grin, “So everything is ready!”

The doctor stood over a control panel with a talon settling on a switch and said, “Yes, it’s all ready for you. Once we ignite, the systems will launch ze Blood Punch into the atmosphere, and you will turn everyone in Ponyville into bat ponies.”

“Yes,” the Count laughed maniacally and then turned towards the two bat ponies who were still mist. The devilish bat pony’s eyes lit up as he smirked and replied, “So there you are, my apprentice.”

Moondancer looked up and glared at the Count. She stomped forward, breaking the spell and reforming into her bat pony self, and she slammed a hoof onto the ground cracking the stone beneath and spat, “I am not your apprentice.”

The Count just turned to her with his devilish grin, “Well, truth be told, you are getting better control of your powers as I predicted. But you're barely scratching the surface of your potential.”

Moondancer was furious, seeing how he was using some sort of mind control to have his servants to attack them, she quickly surmised the Count's plan and snapped, “So what? Your plan is to turn everypony in Ponyville into your thralls?”

The Count raised his head seeming to be impressed and said, “Yes, as you surmised this version of Blood Punch will turn you daywalkers into my minions. You daywalkers took our land years ago, and I can no longer abide by this. So, your kin will be my army in which I will take over the Kingdom of Thestral.”

Moondancer was still stunned by what she heard and snapped, “Listen, I am sorry for what our ancestors did to you. I can't change the past, but forcing me into your services isn’t going to get you what you want.”

“Isn’t it? You don’t understand how powerful you are!”

Moondancer paused, her eyes glaring at the Vampire Batpony. “Why do you think I would give a damn about power?”

The Count slowly trotted forward, his eyes glowing red as he continued to growl, “Ever since you walked into my manor, I sensed your mind, and I know you better than anyone. I know how you always sought approval through your academics, how your friend Twilight betrayed your trust, and how she became the princess of friendship when she was the one who abandoned you.”

As the Count spoke, Moondnacer felt a pang in her gut, knowing deep down he had a point. She remained fast to herself and snapped, “It doesn’t matter now.”

“Does it now? Twilight hurt you so much that you walked away from anyone else's friendship for years.”

“That’s all in the past, Twilight and I made up.”

The count placed a hoof over his mouth and chuckled, “No, she didn't. She only came to see you to alleviate her guilt. Come now, you know I’m right.”

Moondancer still felt that old anger stirring deep down. She wondered if the Count was manipulating her emotions, but the truth was she knew that was the reason Twilight visited her. But despite that, she also knew that Twilight did truly care about her, as the bat pony alicorn looked up and shouted, “Even so, what you’re doing is far worse! You’re trying to brainwash me and control me!”

The Count lowered his head slightly and replied softer, “No, I could turn you into one of my thralls if I wanted to, but I want you to choose through your own free will. Your life is meaningless as it stands, so I'm offering you a chance at something greater.”

They all paused with a thought crossing Moondancer’s mind. The count was right. Even after Twilight threw her that party and made up for the past, she still felt that lingering pain and anger still buried deep down. Princess of Friendship!? How could she be granted that title after abandoning her? But regardless of how she felt about Twilight, she can’t let this jerk win! Moondancer shook her head and slammed her hoof down once more and replied firmly, “No, I refuse your offer.”

The Count sighed as he threw off his cloak and snarled, “Then you leave me no choice. It’s clear your intentions are to stop me, and I can’t allow two hundred years of planning to be ruined.”

He then flew into her as Echo screamed, seeing Moondancer slammed into one of the vats and thrown onto the ground. The mare groaned in pain as the count flew upward. “You will die here, Moondancer, unless you agree to my terms.”

He then flew down at her as the mare quickly flew backward, adjusted herself as she got up, and then shot a beam of magic at the stallion who turned into mist as the magic was shot through its body and then flew upwards. “You really are just a fledgling floundering about and naive of her power.”

The stallion then flew towards her as she continued to shoot beams of magic; he quickly dodged them, slammed a hoof into her throat, and threw her down into the ground cracking the stone around her. Moondancer cried out in pain but tried to hold on as she glared at the Count. Echo then flew over to her side and then cried, “Stop, please!”

The stallion smirked, turning towards her. “I'm not going to kill her; she is way too valuable," he swerved his head to the griffin and shouted, "Dr. Blitzenbolt! Start the engines!”

The griffin gulped as he went to start pressing buttons away at the massive device, then Moondancer turned and cried, “doctor don’t.”

He looked back with tears in his eyes as he cried, “I'm zorry, but I don’t have a choice.”

“You have a choice, doctor; don’t listen to him,” Moondancer cried as she gritted her teeth and spat.

Dr. Blitzenbolt paused as Echo turned towards him and pleaded, “Please, Doctor, why are you doing this?”

“He…He has my family…”

Moondancer turned to glare at the Count, who laughed, “Do not worry; they’re fine as long as he hits that switch.”

Echo flew over to the Count; she bared her fangs and snarled. “Tell us where his family is, or I'll rip your throat out!”

He threw Moondancer aside as she slammed into another vat, looking straight at Echo, who started to back up, trembling in his presence. He replied, “No, this is what will happen. The good doctor will hit that switch and unleash his concoction into the atmosphere, and you two will stay put until I take over the Kingdom of Thestral. Then and only then will I return to the good doctor’s family to him, and you can leave.”

Echo glared at the Count, with fear coursing through her making her unable to move, and then the Count suddenly stopped; he now seemed unable to move or do anything. Then everyone saw Moondancer slowly up with a bit of blood pouring down her face. The mare was breathing heavily, but her eyes were now a dark red as she held out a hoof, seeming to control Count Appleblood. She then ordered, “You will tell us where the doctor's family is!”

“How are you-” the stallion cried out as Moondancer got closer her eyes burning with rage and shouted, “Where are they!?”

“T…they’re on the second floor, third room in the east wing with his wife and eggs.” The Count replied as he tried to resist but seemed unable to.

Dr Blitzenbolt stood there with utter bewilderment, tears filling his eyes, “t…they’re here!?”

Echo turned towards the doctor. “See, we know where they are. Just don’t hit that switch, please.”

The griffin stepped away with himself just looking at his talons and stammered, “I'm zorry, I…I didn’t mean to deceive you. I didn’t know where the-”

Echo flew over and hugged him as Moondancer turned her attention back to the Count, who was just sitting there with a smug grin. The bat pony alicorn got angrier by the second and asked, “What are you smiling for?”

“You only had your powers for less then twenty-four hours, and you can control my mind. Congratulations.”

Moondancer dropped her hoof, and the realization slowly came over her. “Y…you planned all this?”

“Of course I did! I'm a vampire, and I can wait another thousand years to take over Thestral. Unlocking your potential was what I truly wanted. Soon, the desire for power and control will be too much to bear, and you will seek me out on your own accord. There is so much I can teach you, my young apprentice.”

Moondancer stepped back as she cried, “No, no, I won’t! I won’t! I will find a way to turn back to a unicorn, and you’ll rot in a jail cell!”

“We shall see,” The Count laughed as he dissipated into smoke. Moondancer roared in anger. She flew up and started smashing the vats, tearing holes into the metal, and pouring the punch all over the massive facility as she shouted, “I won’t be like him! I won't! I won’t!”

She continued to smash and destroy until the entire facility was flooded with punch. She flew back to the cellar, heaving in anger, as Echo flew over and put a hoof on her shoulder. She turned towards her and took her friend by the hoof and whispered, “Moondancer, it’s okay. I’m here. Please stop.”

Moondancer started to regain control of herself and then started to cry. Unable to hold back her tears, she cried on her friend’s shoulder as Echo patted her friend on the back.

The next few hours went by in a blur for Moondancer. After returning to the manor, the other bat ponies there were all left in a state of confusion, seeming to not remember how they got here. The second they returned to the manor, Echo went off to inform the queen of the bat ponies of the coup Count Appleblood was trying to pull. The doctor then flew upstairs immediately, bringing a dark white and black feathered griffin and some eggs. It wasn’t long after that Echo returned, with the queen’s soldiers coming over and questioning everyone. All the servants were still quite dazed, revealing themselves as kidnapped civilians who were hired as servants for the manor but didn’t remember a thing afterward. He continually apologized about everything, but seeing his family was held hostage, the soldiers didn’t arrest him and cleared him of any charges. After they finished their investigation. It was clear that Count Appleblood left without a trace, even though his room was vacant, with all the books and tomes in his private library having mysteriously disappeared, leaving nothing behind but his coffin.

As the soldiers concluded their search, Echo escorted Moondancer and Dr. Blitzenbolt’s family back to the Kingdom of Thestral. They came to a small alcove in a massive stalagmite where Moondancer was greeted to a quaint little kitchen and shelves full of fruit, where Moondancer finally regained her senses a little and asked, “So um, Echo? this is your place huh?”

Before she could finish her thoughts Echo blurted, “Oh thank Luna! you haven’t spoken in quite some time. I was starting to get worried.” She then flew over to her friend hoofing her some fruit which Moondancer greedily started to suck the juice from them. She sat there devouring the entire bowl until that was left were empty husks.

Echo then slowly got closer and hugged her hooves around her friend. They stayed like that for a minute before Moondancer had the courage to ask, “So, um, I have to ask? Is there any way to get me back to normal? Am I just going to turn into a monster like him?”

Echo hugged her friend even tighter and cried, “No, of course not! Right now, I don't know how to turn you back into a unicorn but Moondancer, you saved Dr. Blitzenbolt’s family; you stopped that evil Count’s plans. You’re a hero!”

Moondancer remembered how she controlled the Count, how that power made her feel—good and scary and she whispered, “But these powers, they’re evil I have to get rid of them.”

Echo turned Moondancer’s face to her and said, “We’re going to cure you. I swear we will!” She hugged her and then said, “But you’ve been through enough tonight. I think you should try getting some rest.”

“Yeah, that would be nice,” Moondancer replied with a yawn, as she felt rather woozy and lightheaded from the fighting and her powers probably.

“Alright, come on, I’ll show you how a batpony sleeps,” Echo whispered to her as she then threw her wings over her friend and flew up, making Moondancer shriek in fright as they wrapped their tails around the central bar in the middle of the room. It took a minute for the fledgling batpony to gain her balance but after doing so started to feel comfortable. The two were now hanging upside down together with Echo’s wings still wrapped around her as she giggled, “See, wasn’t that bad, huh?”

“Guess it wasn’t,” Moondancer replied as she nuzzled into her friend’s embrace, enjoying her company and not wanting to let go. Echo was now looking rather guilty and mumbled, “I am so sorry; this is all my fault."

“What, no, this is all Count Appleblood’s fault. All you did was put yourself in danger for me and risked being banished. Nopony has ever risked so much for me. So thank you."

“Well, if there's any conciliation, I'm happy to have met you, and I'm so sorry for how Twilight treated you before.”

“It's ok.”

“No, it's not."

Moondancer blushed as she nuzzled into her friend and whispered, “Of course, but even though I was hurt by Twilight forgetting about me, she and I made up, and she went out of her way to throw me a party. Trust me, I'm done dwelling on that. All Count Appleblood was just trying to do was manipulate me with my insecurities.”

“That's good to hear, regardless Twilight’s still a jerk for treating you like that.”

“Maybe a little,” Moondancer replied with a chuckle but soon she could no longer resist the urge to sleep as she closed her eyes, still wrapped in her friend’s embrace, and started to slowly drift off.”