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Nightmare Night 01: Hers

By twilightgamenight
Created: 2021-07-16 21:31:33
Updated: 2021-01-31 22:07:41
Expiry: Never
anonfluttershydarknsfwcomedycompleteeqgmane 6supernaturalvampire

  1. >”I am *so* looking forward to going to Anon’s tonight!”
  2. >the fuck…?
  3. >Your head jerks around, trying to see who the hell that was.
  4. >If there’s a party at your place tonight, this is the first you’ve heard of it.
  5. >It’s not as if you’re one of the popular kids at school – or have any friends, really.
  6. >Not like Twilight and her little clique.
  7. >They’re standing around in the hallway like they own the damn thing, blocking the flow of traffic so they can chitchat about who the hell knows what.
  8. >You stare death in their direction, not because they’re in your way – you’re still stuffing textbooks and other crap you don’t need to take home into your locker – but because of pure irrational anger.
  9. >They have friends.
  10. >You don’t.
  11. >That’s reason enough to be angry at them.
  12. >They’re not even that cute.
  13. >Well, not all of them.
  14. >Okay, they’re all bangably hot, but you’ll never admit it to anyone else.
  15. >Because there’s just no reason for them to be so popular when others…
  16. >Nobody would even miss you if you just disappeared.
  17. >Probably not even your own parents, considering they’re barely around.
  18. >Which would be awesome tonight – no parents plus Nightmare Night equals awesome party times.
  19. >*If* you had friends to invite over.
  20. >But nope.
  21. >You’re spending the night alone, handing out candy to little kids.
  22. >Well, spending the night alone, eating candy and watching horror flicks.
  23. >No one will know the difference.
  24. >You shove the last bit of crap into your locker and slam it shut.
  25. >Time to go home and get started on you WONDERFUL PLANS.
  26. >The girls are standing between you and the exit – you could walk ALL THE FUCKING WAY to the other doors, but you’ll just try to sidle past them.
  27. >”Are you sure Anon –“
  28. >There it is again – it wasn’t just your imagination.
  29. >You look around again, but no one is talking to you.
  30. >Not even so much as looking your direction.
  31. >Except –
  32. >Shit.
  33. >Why.
  34. >Applejack looks away quickly, but you saw her.
  35. >Why the hell would they be talking about you?
  36. >You hold position by your locker – if you move closer, they’ll shut up or leave.
  37. >They’re bitches, but they’re not stupid.
  38. >Not *too* stupid.
  39. >Stupid enough to talk about you where you can *almost* hear them.
  40. >Not the entire conversation, though, but enough.
  41. >” – just *perfect*, darling –“
  42. >” – don’t want to feel –“
  43. >” – ramming wood into you –“
  44. >” – reveal the truth –“
  45. >” – whall, Ah don’t know a better night n’ tonight –“
  46. >You’ve watched enough movies to recognize PLOT RELEVANT CLUES when you hear them.
  47. >” – it’s only Anon, Fluttershy. No one will know –“
  48. >And to recognize the hidden clues of True Villainy.
  49. >” – if you’re sure, but only if he invites us in –“
  50. >Well, that’s weird.
  51. >They’ll be the politest home invaders ever.
  52. >” – things will change forever, even if he’s only the first step –“
  53. >Fuck.
  54. >Bitches plan to murder you.
  55. >” – *do* dress appropriately, won’t you?”
  56. >They better be wearing Kevlar, because –
  57. >” – drain him dry –“
  58. >Nevermind.
  59. >Guns don’t do shit against vampires.
  60. >They have to be vampires.
  61. >Draining you dry, worried about getting staked, revealing themselves on Nightmare Night – and it totally explains their popularity, too.
  62. >Sexy Vampiric Feminine Wiles.
  63. >Has to be.
  64. >But, you’ve seen them outside.
  65. >In the sun.
  66. >Shouldn’t that… fuck… sunscreen, maybe?
  67. >” – he’ll be yours, forever at your beck and call –“
  68. >Or maybe they plan to turn you – to make you their pet slave.
  69. >Nope.
  70. >Not happening.
  71. >You make your way for the other exit – there’s no time to waste if you’re going to go all Home Alone on those cunts.
  72. >No one murders you in your own place and turns your bloodless corpse into their Igor-ian sex slave!
  73.  
  74. >You are still Anon, and you are *not* on drugs.
  75. >Have a hyperactive imagination, maybe, but that’s irrelevant.
  76. >You know what you heard – and what you heard was that some of your classmates plan to break into your house tonight.
  77. >And that they’re vampires.
  78. >You like to think of yourself as an open-minded individual – you hate MANY different ethnic groups – and would normally have nothing against vampires.
  79. >Theoretically.
  80. >Hell, might even be kind of hot.
  81. >In theory.
  82. >But vampires that plan to MURDER you?
  83. >*That* you will not stand for.
  84. >From what Fluttershy said – you *think* it was Fluttershy – you have to invite them in, just like the old myths say.
  85. >And if that’s true, then maybe some of the others are as well.
  86. >Of course, you could just not invite them in, but they probably have some trick planned to get around that.
  87. >Hypnotize you into opening the door, flash their tits, promise to blow you, offer you a Klondike Bar… who the fuck knows.
  88. >Sexy Vampiric Feminine Wiles are not to be underestimated.
  89. >All you know is that they’re going to get inside somehow, so you need to be fucking PREPARED.
  90. >The wooden stakes are easy enough to make – five seconds in the garage with some scrap lumber and power tools and you’ve got seven ready to go.
  91. >One for each girl and one extra.
  92. >Just in case.
  93. >Supposedly they can’t cross running water – so you daisychain every hose you can find and run that sucker around the house.
  94. >Hopefully a slow trickle counts, because you only give the faucet a quarter turn.
  95. >Even if you survive tonight, you’ll still have to survive your parents.
  96. >You don’t have much garlic to spare, so it goes into your Super Secret Weapon.
  97. >Plus you rub a little bit on your neck.
  98. >Your crossbow is easy enough to find… but not the ammo.
  99. >Fuck.
  100. >Whatever.
  101. > Unless you want to plink at them from the window, it’s a stupid idea, anyway.
  102. >There’s not enough room in the house to make a ranged weapon worth it.
  103. >At least, that’s what you’re telling yourself.
  104. >Because that excuse will be such a relief when all six girls are piled on you, sucking the last drop of fluid from your body.
  105. >And then you remember that the arrows are aluminum, so it wouldn’t do any good anyway.
  106. >For some perverse reason, that *does* cheer you up a bit.
  107. >A brief search of Wikipedia reveals a few more things – but nothing practical.
  108. >Where the hell are you supposed to get a silver scimitar this time of night?
  109. >And using fire in your own home?
  110. >Again, even if you survive the vampires…
  111. >Yeah, you’re not using fire.
  112. >So you settle for stashing your stakes in the living room, sliding a hatchet between the cushions of your favorite chair, and scattering Legos all around the inside of every window.
  113. >Vampire or not, stepping on Legos will fucking HURT.
  114. >Unless they’re wearing shoes.
  115. >Shit.
  116. >TOO LATE, YOU’VE ALREADY LAID THE MINEFIELDS!
  117. >You’ll clean up the mess if you live through the night.
  118. >And then… and then you sit down in your favorite chair with a bowl full of Nightmare Night candy and flip on the TV.
  119. >And you wait.
  120. >Nervously.
  121. >Excitedly.
  122. >Occasionally jumping up to lay tripwires or when the timer goes off and the next batch of the Super Secret Weapon needs attention.
  123. >But mostly, you wait.
  124. >Waiting for the sun to go down.
  125. >And then…
  126. >Waiting.
  127. >More waiting.
  128. >Fucking hell!
  129. >Can’t your murderesses at least show up in a timely manner!?
  130. >The first knock on the door has you jumping out of your seat from – from…
  131. >It’s not fright, dammit.
  132. >Because there’s no reason to be scared of the little kids begging for candy.
  133. >Shit, you left the porch light on.
  134. >You fling some candy in the direction of the road and slam the door in their faces.
  135. >AND turn the light off.
  136. >Even if you weren’t prepping for a desperate battle for your life and soul, that candy is fucking yours and you’re not parting with any of it if you can help it.
  137. >You’ve just settled down in your chair when there’s another knock.
  138. “LIGHT’S OFF – NO ONE’S HOME!”
  139. >”SOMEHOW, AH DON’T QUITE BELIEVE THAT!”
  140. >Shit.
  141. >Sexy Feminine Vampiric Wiles tricked you into answering.
  142. >Your position has been revealed.
  143. >The first line has been breached.
  144. >The hose did nothing.
  145. “TURN OFF THE WATER!”
  146. >”WHAT!?”
  147. “THE FAUCET TO THE RIGHT OF THE DOOR! TURN IT OFF!”
  148. >As methods to stall for time go, it’s rather pathetic, but no point wasting water.
  149. >”UH, SURE.”
  150. >It buys you more time than you expected.
  151. >Too bad you can’t think of anything to do except run screaming out the back door, arms flailing wildly.
  152. >It buys you *far* too much time.
  153. >*Suspiciously* far too much –
  154. >”DO YA MEAN THE FAUCET ON THE LEFT!?”
  155. >Shit.
  156. >Whoops.
  157. “YES!”
  158. >Shit!
  159. “NO! IT’S ON THE RIGHT! KEEP –“
  160. >”JUST OPEN THE DANG DOOR, ANON!” Applejack yells back. “AH ALREADY TURNED IT OFF!”
  161. >SHIT!
  162. “AND IF I DON’T?”
  163. >”THEN AH’LL JUST HAFTA KICK IT IN!”
  164. >She’s bluffing.
  165. >She has to be.
  166. >”ONE!”
  167. >But…
  168. >”TWO!”
  169. >… even if you survive tonight…
  170. >”TH –“
  171. “I’M COMING! HOLD THE FUCK ON!”
  172. >You grope around between the cushions for the hatchet and come up with a handful of spare change.
  173. >Shit.
  174. >Chair ate your axe.
  175. >Whatever.
  176. >You’ll throw coins in her face.
  177. >She has to stop and count them, right?
  178. >”ANON! AH SWEAR IF YOU DON’T –“
  179. >You jerk open the door and throw about three fifty right at Applejack’s tits.
  180. >That wasn’t intentional, just… happy coincidence.
  181. >She’s taller than you thought.
  182. >Probably because of the heels.
  183. >Huh.
  184. >She’s wearing heels.
  185. >And a short little number that wonderfully distracts you from fighting for your life.
  186. >Fucking Sexy Vampiric Feminine Wiles.
  187. >”What tha hay, Anon!?” Applejack snarls at you, plucking a quarter from between her vest and shirt and winging it back in your direction. “Are you *tryin* to drive everyone away tonight!?”
  188. “M-maybe…?”
  189. >Dammit, she didn’t count the coins.
  190. >”Well, it sure seems that way,” she sneers.
  191. >Shit.
  192. >Fangs.
  193. >She has fangs.
  194. >You were right.
  195. >Totally not paranoid.
  196. >Vampire.
  197. >”Didja ferget to buy candy? Because that’s a pretty poor reason to –“
  198. “No. Will you go away if I give you a Snickers?”
  199. >”Tempting, but the way things r’ goin’, Ah expect it’d have a razor blade in it!” she yells back, shoving – FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK – shoving her way past you and stalking into your livingroom.
  200. >The second line has been breached.
  201. >”Just turn on tha porch light,” she sighs, throwing herself into your favorite chair and waving her hand in your direction. “It’s like ya WANT someone to trip out there!”
  202. >She snatches a Reese’s out of the candy bowl – causing you to silently swear then and there that you were going to END her – and tears off the wrapper.
  203. >”And don’t worry none ‘bout tha hose –“
  204. “I wasn’t.”
  205. >”Well, Ah put it away.”
  206. >Shit.
  207. >”Hurry on up, Anon,” she sighs. ”Tha rest of the girls’ll be here any minute now.”
  208. >Applejack has to be a dhampir, here to scout and dismantle your defenses for her allies.
  209. “Actually, my dad wanted me to water –“
  210. >”Just do it.”
  211. >She pops another peanut butter cup into her mouth – a reminder that every second you resist will only make things more painful for you.
  212. >You don’t have a choice.
  213. “Fine.”
  214. >With infinite reluctance, you flip on the porch light.
  215. >”Oh, thank you!” a new voice calls out.
  216. >You don’t scream.
  217. >It’s a battlecry.
  218. >Bizarrely, it sounds just like a panicked ten-year-old girl, but that’s just a very weird coincidence.
  219. >”Oh, my gosh, are you alright?” Twilight Sparkle asks, quickening her steps just enough to give her breasts a seductive little bounce.
  220. >Huh.
  221. >She’s not wearing a bra under that thin, purple dress.
  222. >Huh.
  223. >Cool.
  224. >At least your dick will die happy.
  225. >”Is everything okay?” she asks, stepping up onto the porch. “I know this is a bit of a surprise, but –“
  226. “I’m prepared.”
  227. >Put on a brave face.
  228. >Maybe she’ll believe it.
  229. >Maybe.
  230. >Possibly.
  231. >If she suddenly and spontaneously forgets the last ninety seconds.
  232. >”Did Applejack explain everything?”
  233. “Not really.”
  234. >”Oh.”
  235. >She leans to one side to frown past you at her friend.
  236. >”What?” the cowgirl snaps back. “Ah did more n’ mah part already! Had to clean up his yard n’ everything!”
  237. >Twilight’s frown deepens before she looks back to you apologetically.
  238. >”Look, I’m really sorry about this –“
  239. “I’m sure you are.”
  240. >The harshness of your voice catches her by surprise; she falters, but only for a second.
  241. >”Um… yes… so, do you mind if I come inside? I can explain everything –“
  242. >”YEAH, COME ON IN, TWI!” Applejack shouts, completely and totally negating your second defensive line. “GOT SOME SCARY MOVIES QUEUED UP AN’ EVERYTHIN’!”
  243. >Dammit, can’t she just let you enjoy your last hours with movies of your choice?
  244. >”You… you don’t mind, do you?” Twilight giggles nervously at you. “I know we aren’t really close, but -“
  245. “Yeah, sure, whatever.”
  246. >If you say no, she’ll just barge in anyway.
  247. >Not like you can stop her.
  248. >Not now, but later…
  249. >You still have a few tricks up your sleeve.
  250. >”Look,” she growls, “I’m trying to be friendly…”
  251. “As am I.”
  252. >As friendly as you can be to a group of girls trying to murder you.
  253. >Twilight sighs and gives you a little smile.
  254. >”Then let’s just try a little harder, okay?” she asks, reaching out to touch your shoulder. “I know this is a little weird –“
  255. >This kind of shit usually is, but she has a point.
  256. >Play along, lull them into a false sense of security.
  257. >And then you’ll STRIKE!
  258. “Sorry, I’ll try.”
  259. >You step back and gesture for her to enter.
  260. “I’m guessing the rest of your friends are coming over, too?”
  261. >”Mhm!” she answers with a nod, brushing past you. “Applejack really didn’t explain anything, did she?”
  262. >She lets her hand linger on your shoulder as long as possible, going so far as to drag her fingers along your arm as she steps away.
  263. >You can’t help but turn to face her, leaving your back to the open door.
  264. >Damn Sexy Vampiric Feminine Wiles.
  265. “She didn’t tell me anything.”
  266. >”Well, you threw change at my tits!”
  267. >Twilight’s head jerks back to look at you with confusion, but she just as quickly shakes it – she doesn’t want to know.
  268. “So, are *you* going to tell me anything…?”
  269. >Because you’ll torture her if you have to, but you’d rather not play your hand this early.
  270. >Not until all of your enemies have gathered in one place.
  271. >Twilight glares at Applejack – who grins back happily – before answering.
  272. >“Long story short,” the little genius sighs, “well…”
  273. >Her face goes blank.
  274. >”Yeah, it *does* sound pretty stupid when you try n’ put it into words, don’t it?”
  275. >”Pinkie Pie thought it would be fun!” Twilight shouts, throwing her hands into the air and flinging herself into the only other free chair.
  276. >Dammit, why can’t she and her friend go sit on the sofa? Or the loveseat? Who cares, as long as they leave a chair for you to sit on your own!?
  277. >Looks like you’re standing.
  278. >Whatever.
  279. >At least you’ll die on your feet.
  280. >”It WILL be fun!”
  281. >FUUUUUUUCK, RIGHT IN YOUR EAR.
  282. >Pinkie Pie – the only one of Twilight’s clique that’s even REMOTELY a friend of yours, but only because she’s EVERYONE’S friend – bounces past you, arms outstretched.
  283. >”What tha heck r’ you supposed to be?” Applejack grumbles at her friend – who happily continues to bunnyhop around the room with an idiotic grin plastered on her face.
  284. >”She’s a jiangshi,” Twilight giggles, while simultaneously facepalming. “I should have known you’d do something weird.”
  285. >”Yep, you should have!” the happy idiot giggles back, bouncing herself into the middle of the sofa. “Weird is what I do!”
  286. “Jiangshi, huh?”
  287. >”Yep!” Pinkie smiles at you. “A hopping vampire!”
  288. >Good.
  289. >You planned for this.
  290. >”Are you *sure* this is okay…?”
  291. >FUUUUUCK!
  292. >WHY IS EVERYONE SNEAKING UP ON YOU!?
  293. >WHY DO YOU KEEP TURNING YOUR BACK TO THE DOOR?
  294. >WHY IS THE DOOR STILL OPEN?
  295. >You whirl around – but *this* one you aren’t worried about.
  296. >The exposed cleavage doesn’t hurt.
  297. >”YEAH, FLUTTERSHY, HE’S FINE WITH IT!”
  298. >You’ve had a few classes with her – though she’s so quiet that you would never have noticed if she wasn’t so damned cute.
  299. >”Are you sure, Anon?” Fluttershy asks, pointedly ignoring her friend. “Because we can go. I wouldn’t mind. Really. We can go and never come back.”
  300. >She’s refusing to meet your eyes, keeping her head down and letting her hair drape over her face.
  301. >”If you don’t want us here, I’ll understand.”
  302. >You might let her live.
  303. “No, I don’t mind.”
  304. >But you should keep her here, just in case.
  305. >Better to let your enemies gather.
  306. >Makes it easier to keep an eye on them.
  307. >Fluttershy might not be the pure little shy girl she appears to be.
  308. >”Oh,” she grunts softly. “Okay then.”
  309. >She doesn’t make a move to enter until you guide her in, gesturing towards the sofa.
  310. >Maybe – with a little luck – you can keep the loveseat to yourself.
  311. >But Pinkie fucks that plan all to hell, pointing at the smaller seat with all the subtlety of an orbital strike.
  312. >With a weak little whine, the other girl follows her friend’s instructions.
  313. >You kick the door shut behi –
  314. >”Ow!”
  315. >Dammit.
  316. >”Asshole!”
  317. “Cunt.”
  318. >”Dickshit!”
  319. >Rainbow Dash shoves the door back open and suddenly you don’t mind very much at all that she’s basically breaking into your house because the neckline of her dress shows bellybutton and might possibly be making it hard to think or at least focus on other things like other things because does that even qualify as a neckline anymore or is it more like a torso line?
  320. >She pouts slightly as she pushes past you, like she’s disappointed that you ran out of insults.
  321. >You smile slightly as she saunters over to the sofa – well, stumbles, really.
  322. >Ruins the sight.
  323. >Almost.
  324. >She doesn’t walk like she’s used to wearing heels.
  325. >Not at all like the other girl that follows right behind her.
  326. >”How very kind of you to have us over this evening,” Rarity whispers in your ear – as close as she can, at least, considering the height difference – as she brushes past you. “I see you are admiring my handiwork…?”
  327. >She nods towards Dash, though you don’t for a second believe that she actually thinks you’re looking at the dress.
  328. >”It took me quite some time to come up with something that she would wear…”
  329. “Didn’t leave you much time to work on your own, did it?”
  330. >You’ve seen nudists wearing more clothing than Rarity is now, which is odd, considering you only know her by reputation.
  331. >And that reputation is The Clothes Girl.
  332. >“No time to design anything,” she sighs, resting her head against your shoulder rather creepily – though only because this is probably the first time the two of you have spoken. A bit intimate for total strangers, not that your dick seems to mind one bit that her barely covered chest is rubbing up against your arm. “I just whipped up something based on –“
  333. “Vampirella?”
  334. >”Indeed!”
  335. >She pulls away and spins around for your benefit, letting you see the costume – if it can even be called that – in its entirety.
  336. >You also see enough of *her* to be fairly confident that she’s clean shaven from the neck down.
  337. >She wouldn’t dare wear something so skimpy otherwise.
  338. >”We’re all here, Anon!” Pinkie yells at you from the sofa, ruining a perfectly good mental snapshot that you were preparing to take with you to the grave. She ignores the scowl you flash her direction and waves Rarity over to her. “Close the door and sit your butt down, Anon, the movie is about to start!”
  339. >”Actually, if you could just put that on pause for just a second,” Rarity tells her friend, daintily skipping over to Fluttershy, her hips swaying hypnotically with every step, “Anon, would you be a dear and get something from my car?”
  340. >She holds out a hand expectantly, but Fluttershy moans slightly and shakes her head.
  341. >”Please, darling,” the purple-haired beauty implores, but that just makes her friend shake her head even more vigorously – and cross her arms over her chest.
  342. >”Not while he’s watching,” Flutters whines softly. “It’s just too –“
  343. >”Don’t blame me for this,” Rarity sighs, thrusting a hand into her friend’s cleavage and fishing around. “I *did* ask nicely, but he *will* need – ah-ha!”
  344. >Grinning victoriously – and displaying a disturbing amount of fang in the process – she pulls out a small keyring and tosses it to you.
  345. >It’s a good throw – even caught off guard and somewhat distracted by what just happened, you catch them easily.
  346. >You just… don’t know what to do with them.
  347. “Why…?”
  348. >”I drove us all here,” Rarity explains, speaking louder to be heard over Fluttershy’s embarrassed squealing. “Except Applejack, of course. Didn’t you notice? Or is *that* why you kept trying to shut the door in our faces?”
  349. “No, I mean, why where these –“
  350. >You hold up and shake the still-warm keys for emphasis.
  351. >”- in *there*?”
  352. >”Oh!” Rarity laughs in surprise, covering her mouth with one hand.
  353. >As if you hadn’t already seen her fangs.
  354. >No point trying to hide them now.
  355. >Stupid girl.
  356. >”Do you *see* any pockets?” she asks, spinning around for you again. “For the sake of appearances, I am afraid certain… sacrifices… had to be made…”
  357. >She winks in your direction.
  358. >”But why *me*?” her pink-haired friend whines, still trying to cover up her exposed cleavage with crossed arms.
  359. >”Because you’re the only one wearing a bra.”
  360. “Strapless?”
  361. >The word pops out your mouth before you know it, making Rarity smile viciously.
  362. >She moves around to the back of the loveseat and leans forward, running her hands along Fluttershy’s bare shoulders.
  363. >”Well, do you *see* any straps, Anon?”
  364. “N-no…”
  365. >”Then it must be strapless.” She stands up straight and snaps her fingers. “Be a dear and bring in the box that’s in the trunk, will you?”
  366. >”An’ tha bag in the cab of mah truck!”
  367. >Applejack’s keys smack into your chest with more force than was necessary.
  368. >A petty attempt at revenge for throwing coins at her, you suspect.
  369. >She grins widely as you bend down to retrieve the keys.
  370. >Petty, PETTY, revenge.
  371. >It pisses you the fuck off.
  372. >You are going to END her.
  373. >Well, you intend to kill them all, but her in particular…
  374. >Yeah.
  375. >She’s going to get the SPECIAL treatment.
  376. “I’ll be right back.”
  377. >Or not – you have their keys.
  378. >You could just drive away.
  379. >Leave them unable to follow.
  380. >Unless they just turn into bats and fly after you.
  381. >Nevermind.
  382. >You bring in the items like a good little slave – in part to assuage any suspicions they have, but also because you’re at a loss as to what to actually do.
  383. >They’re heavy as SHIT, but you carry them inside in a single trip.
  384. >You can see groups of kids in the not-too-distant distance and they are coming closer.
  385. >Coming to steal your candy.
  386. >You awkwardly stumble inside.
  387. “Someone get the porch light!”
  388. >Rarity is already there – she absentmindedly flips the switch before digging into the box and pulling out –
  389. “Booze?”
  390. >”Of course, darling. This *is* a party, is it not?”
  391. >”Not really.”
  392. >”Not yet.”
  393. >”We’ll see.”
  394. >”Fuck yeah it is!”
  395. >Fluttershy squeaks.
  396. >You shake your head.
  397. >”Well, we shall just have to see what we can do about that,” the vampiress leers at you, setting the bottles on the coffee table and reaching back in for more. “All we need is –“
  398. >”Can’t he just but the *box* on the table?” Twilight points out. “I had to help you get that into your car, and it’s pretty dang heavy.”
  399. >She’s right – you don’t wait for your future murderer to answer before setting the box on the table.
  400. >Sometimes that Twilight has some decent ideas.
  401. >You’ll have to watch her carefully.
  402. >”Didja empty out yer parents’ *entire* liquor cabinet fer tonight?” Applejack gasps as Rarity unloads bottle after bottle. “Ain’t you worried ‘bout what would happen iffen you got caught with all that?”
  403. >”No, and not really,” Rarity answers, bending over to pull out one last bottle.
  404. >Of course she’s not worried – she has Sexy Vampiric Feminine Wiles on her side.
  405. >You’ve got clear proof of that right now.
  406. >It’s not staring at her ass, it’s… uh… assessing the enemy’s strengths.
  407. >Yeah.
  408. >That’s what you’re doing right now.
  409. >”If yer done oogling Rarity’s backside, can Ah have mah bag now?”
  410. “I’m not –“
  411. >”Don’t rush the man, darling.”
  412. >Rarity gives her rear a little shake before standing – that earns her a mini-Butterfinger to the face from the irate farmgirl who apparently thinks that YOUR candy is HER candy.
  413. >Dammit.
  414. >Even if they’re following Necromonger rules, she has to kill you first!
  415. >At the very least, she should stand at the door and beg for it!
  416. >You lunge forward and snatch the bowl from her with one hand, dropping the bag roughly into her lap with the other, and retreat to the only open seat – you flop down beside Fluttershy before you realize what you’re doing.
  417. >She stares at you.
  418. >You stare at her.
  419. >Shit.
  420. >You’re within biting distance.
  421. >This is awkward.
  422. “Um.”
  423. >She blushes.
  424. “Want a Snickers?”
  425. >You hold out the bowl to her – an overwhelmingly generous show of goodwill on your part, but a sacrifice you’re willing to make.
  426. >She whines again, just loud enough to be audible.
  427. >Like a cornered puppy that doesn’t know if it should roll over in submission or attack.
  428. >Shit.
  429. >“And do you have any treats for the rest of us, Anon?” Rarity asks offhandedly, raising a small bottle up to the light and peering through the deep red liquid inside. “It is *never* a good idea to drink on an empty stomach, after all?”
  430. >Double shit.
  431. >She’s ready to feed.
  432. “Want a Snickers?”
  433. >”Not quite what I had in mind…” she answers, glancing back at you with a smile.
  434. >GODDAMMIT, JUST DO IT.
  435. >TAKE THE SNICKERS, YOU FUCKING WHORE!
  436. >LEAVE MY BLOOD ALONE!
  437. >YOU’RE HOLDING SOME IN YOUR HAND!
  438. >JUST DRINK THAT!
  439. >Shit, did you say any of that out loud?
  440. >No, couldn’t have – Rarity is using her free hand to hide her smile, not to slap the shit out of you.
  441. >”Maybe some bread…?” Twilight asks you, though her eyes are focused on Rarity. “Something like… pizza?”
  442. >”Oh, look who suddenly knows so much about drinking,” Dash mocks, leaning over the sofa’s arm to poke at her friend. “And here you’ve been acting the innocent little teetotaler this whole time!”
  443. >”It’s not *my* fault the legal drinking age –“
  444. >”Pshaw,” Applejack scoffs, “we’re all old enough to know better n’ that means we’re old enough to drink!”
  445. >Despite the obvious flaw in her logic, she sounds so earnest about it that it’s hard to not believe her.
  446. >Ponka’s mouth twists as she thinks something over – a surprise, since you would have assumed that if ANYONE could understand that bizarre reasoning, it would be her.
  447. >”Nonny…?”
  448. “What?”
  449. >”You still have their keys, right?”
  450. >You shift your body trying to dig their keys out of your pocket, nearly losing hold of the candy bowl and setting Fluttershy to whining nervously again.
  451. >”Nononononono!” Pinkie Pie laughs, waving her hands. “You better hold on to those! I have a feeling we’ll all be spending the night here!”
  452. >You’re dead.
  453. >The happy little jiangshi leans towards Applejack, staring at the other girl with an intensity bordering on insanity.
  454. >”At least, we *should* be!”
  455. >”Ah’ll be fine,” the farmgirl snaps back while simultaneously pulling a large jug out of her bag and adding it to Rarity’s pile. “Just gimme mah keys, Anon.”
  456. >You would – if she leaves, that means she killed you, and the thought of a drunken AJ impaled on a steering column is sufficiently morbidly vengeful – but the deathglare Rarity shoots your direction changes your mind.
  457. >Fuck it – she’ll probably fish ‘em out of your pockets after you’re dead anyway.
  458. >No point rushing the inevitable.
  459. >AJ opens her mouth to demand her keys again, but Rarity’s Gaze of DOOM makes the farmgirl’s jaw snap shut.
  460. >”If you insist on being stubborn about it, then you can’t have any,” the purple-haired vixen threatens unnecessarily. “Anon, is there any chance you might have a frozen pizza or two…?”
  461. >How does she know?
  462. >”Just seems like the kind of thing you might have,” she answers your unspoken question, never taking her eyes off the other girl.
  463. >It *was* unspoken, right?
  464. “Yeah… I’ll… uh… I’ll just go get that started.”
  465. >You put the candy bowl down as you stand, but think better of it – if left unguarded, who knows how much will be left by the time you return.
  466. >If you’re going to die, you’re at least going to die with a stomach full of chocolate.
  467. “Pinkie Pie – guard this with your life!”
  468. >You thrust the bowl into her hands before walking out of the room, stopping at the last second to check… and… yes! – they’re all busy watching Pinkie fend off AJ’s hands.
  469. >Good, that’s two problems solved.
  470. >With your candy safe and no one watching you, you quickly snatch up one of the stakes you had stashed earlier.
  471. >Just in case.
  472. >You set it down on the counter and yank two frozen pizzas out of the freezer.
  473. >Let it never be said that you weren’t a proper host, even when your guests were out to murder you.
  474. >You do, however, liberally apply the last few cloves of garlic to both of them.
  475. >The oven is still preheating, so you shove the stake down the front of your pants – you want to keep it handy – and grab a tray of your Super Secret Weapon.
  476. >Better offer it to them now, before they’re too full and it’s too late.
  477. “Okay, I got those started!”
  478. >Turning on an oven isn’t an accomplishment worthy of the awe that greets you.
  479. >All six girls are staring openly.
  480. >Lustfully.
  481. >*Hungrily*.
  482. >Even Fluttershy, who is over by the window picking up Legos you had scattered earlier.
  483. >Shit.
  484. >They’re going to drain you right now.
  485. >You start to fumble for the stake, nearly dropping the tray of -
  486. >Oh, right.
  487. >The Super Secret Weapon.
  488. >Maybe that’s what has them all so interested?
  489. “I… uh… made these earlier.”
  490. >You tilt the tray slightly so they can all see the chocolate blobs dotting its surface.
  491. “Anyone want to try them?”
  492. >”There’s somethin’ else Ah’d like to try first,” AJ murmurs under her breath, but reaches out and snatches one of the treats anyway.
  493. >Thankfully.
  494. >As do the others as you hold it out to each of them in turn.
  495. >Even Fluttershy.
  496. >They make no move to actually *eat* the damned things, though.
  497. >Maybe a vampire’s digestive system can only handle a liquid diet… but why the pizza then…?
  498. >Do they smell it?
  499. >Can they tell?
  500. “Well…? I put a lot of hard work into those, so I *hope* they taste good…”
  501. >Play it up and maybe they’ll pretend to be good guests and eat them anyway.
  502. >Maybe.
  503. >With any luck.
  504. >”I’m… sure you did,” Twilight giggles nervously, raising the snack to her mouth and taking a small bite. “Oh, thank you, yes, it’s edible!”
  505. >She didn’t nibble off more than just part of the chocolate coating, but it’s enough for Rarity and Pinkie Pie to try theirs.
  506. >”Quite… exotic,” Rarity mumbles from behind her hand – she’s still trying to swallow it, but from what you can see of her face it WORKED.
  507. >”It’s…” Pinkie Pie pauses, at a total loss for words.
  508. >She sits there, frozen like a statue.
  509. >Maybe her entire body shut down, if she really is a jiangshi.
  510. >She’d be more vulnerable to it than any of the others.
  511. >”Disgusting!” Applejack wretches, spitting up the entire thing. “What the heck is this!?”
  512. >Time to gloat as they writhe in agony.
  513. “Chocolate coated kosher garlic glutinous rice!”
  514. >You’re not entirely positive about the kosher part – you’re pretty sure what you cooked up was an offense against at least one god, maybe two or three – but you *did* bless it, for whatever Discordianism is worth against vampires.
  515. >And then suddenly Pinkie is in your face, yanking the tray from your hands and gobbling up your Super Secret Weapon like it’s candy.
  516. >Well, it does have chocolate.
  517. >”I like it!” she exclaims between bites.
  518. >”It’s *weird*,” Dash grumbles, throwing her uneaten snack onto the tray for Pinkie Pie to wolf down.
  519. >”Yeah! I know!”
  520. >Timidly, Fluttershy holds out her unnibbled-upon snack to her friend.
  521. >”You *really* seem to like it, Pinkie,” she says softly, “would you like mine?”
  522. >Well… fuck.
  523. >That plan flopped.
  524. >Time for a tactical retreat.
  525. “I’m just… uh… going to go get the pizzas in the oven now…”
  526. >”Ah better go with you,” AJ sighs, heaving herself up and out of the chair. “Don’t want you doin’ anything *too* weird to ‘em.”
  527. >Shit.
  528. >Wait, no.
  529. >This is good.
  530. >She’ll be alone with you and your stake – and you doubt her friends will be able to hear her screams over Pinkie Pie’s antics.
  531. >Yes.
  532. >This is good.
  533. >You don’t object as Applejack follows you out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen.
  534. >In fact, you snap at her to hurry up.
  535. >Best you take care of her before anyone else decides to meddle.
  536. >She looks over the pizzas with a critical eye – now’s your time to strike.
  537. >It’ll have to be fast.
  538. >She’s distracted, but not *that* distracted.
  539. >The first chance will be your last chance.
  540. >You’ll have to put all of your strength into it – ramming a sharpened piece of wood through a ribcage can’t be as easy as they made it look on Buffy.
  541. >”Whall, this ain’t good.”
  542. >No, you bitch, this is perfect.
  543. >You sneak up behind her and try to stealthily pull the stake from your pants.
  544. >”Ah think you like garlic a lil’ too much, Anon,” AJ grumbles, though her tone has a hint of playfulness in it. A bit of teasing.
  545. >She’s mocking you.
  546. >”Ah mean, you positively reek of the stuff. I wern’t gonna say nothin’, but Ah’m startin’ ta think you might have a problem.”
  547. >You almost have a handhold on the stake, but it slips further down the pant leg at the last second.
  548. >“And both o’ these have meat all over ‘em,” she sighs. “Well, Ah guess we’ll just hafta find somethin’ else fer Fluttershy.”
  549. “She doesn’t like meat?”
  550. >Doesn’t matter.
  551. >Keep her talking.
  552. >Stall.
  553. >You need time to free your weapon.
  554. >”Not as much as some of us,” Applejack murmurs in an oddly husky tone. “Ah’m tryin’ to change that, though.”
  555. >Almost there.
  556. >You finally have your fingers wrapped around the stake.
  557. >Just a few seconds to pull it free and –
  558. >”Speakin’ of –“
  559. >She pauses to sprinkle hot peppers all over one of the pizzas.
  560. >”- that’s some rather spectacular wood you’ve got there.”
  561. >SHE KNOWS.
  562. >You abandon all pretense of stealth.
  563. >SHIT.
  564. >It’s too tight!
  565. >Your belt is too tight!
  566. >Applejack turns slightly, her eyes flaring open wide as she sees you struggling to undo your belt with one hand, the other shoved down the front of your pants clutching the stake.
  567. >”WOAH THERE, COWBOY!”
  568. >Hands outstretched to ward you off, she backs away hastily.
  569. >At least, she tries to – with her back already to the counter, all she can really do is sidle away awkwardly.
  570. >”AH AIN’T EVEN DECIDED IF AH WANT TO OR NOT!”
  571. >She can’t talk her way out of it now.
  572. “It’s too late for that now, AJ.”
  573. >With a smug grin, you yank the stake from your pants and step towards her.
  574. “*Far* too –“
  575. >”That weren’t the wood Ah was expectin’,” the farmgirl mutters in confusion, scooting further away from you.
  576. “Yeah, I know. It’s supposed to be hawthorn, right? But I figured… what the hell…”
  577. >You hold the stake up with both hands and step closer, ready to plunge the sharpened wood into Applejack’s chest.
  578. >She looks scared.
  579. >Good.
  580. >If she’s scared, then this will work.
  581. “I didn’t have any hawthorn, but oak should do the trick!”
  582. >And now she looks confused.
  583. >”But… that’s *pine,*” AJ points out.
  584. “What.”
  585. >”It’s *pine.*”
  586. >She giggles and playfully shoves your chest.
  587. >”Almost had me fooled, Anon!”
  588. “Um… how could you tell…?”
  589. >”Whall, it *is* Nightmare Night,” the vampire says with an embarrassed little grin, as if that explains it all. “Ah shoulda been expectin’ a few pranks n’ scares!”
  590. >She shoves you again – harder this time – knocking you back a few steps.
  591. >Damn vampiric strength.
  592. >“Woulda been more convincin’ if you’d used a hardwood, though,” the farmgirl advises, pushing you aside to get to the pizzas. “Ain’t no way you’d ever get to the heart with that! Now, let’s get these things cookin’!”
  593. >Slowly, you lower your weapon – and fumble.
  594. >It slips from your fingers to fall to the tiled floor – and the tip instantly deforms.
  595. >Shit, she’s right.
  596. >You should have known.
  597. >”Still, a word to the wise…“ she calls out to you as she slides the pizzas into the oven, giving you a nice view of her apple-shaped booty. “A lady don’t like bein’ misled like that!”
  598. >Applejack closes the oven door with a slam and claps her hands together.
  599. >”But Ah’ll forgive you this time, on account of the scare. Can’t speak as to the others, though.”
  600. >She sighs, clapping her hands to her chest.
  601. >”Whoo-eee, mah heart’s *still* poundin’!”
  602. >She grabs for your hand, snagging it easily – why resist?
  603. >It’s all over.
  604. >Your barricades, your traps… your pathetic, PATHETIC weapons – they’re all useless.
  605. >”Feel it, Anon!” Applejack laughs, dragging your hand to her chest and holding it there. “Dayum, you got me GOOD!”
  606. >It’s beating.
  607. >Her heart – it’s beating.
  608. >You can feel it pulsing hard and fast beneath your palm, even through…
  609. >… through…
  610. >Applejack glances down for a second – only a second – before bringing her eyes up to meet yours.
  611. >One eyebrow is raised in curiosity.
  612. >”Whall, Ah guess it weren’t all that misleading after all…”
  613. >You jerk your hand back.
  614. >She’s alive.
  615. >”Gawd, it’ll be good to eat somethin’,” Applejack chuckles, giving your crotch one last lingering look before reaching up and… and… removing her fangs.
  616. >Fake.
  617. >They’re fake.
  618. >Her fangs aren’t real.
  619. >She notices your shock and laughs again.
  620. >”What? You can’t possibly think Ah’d eat with those in!”
  621. “Kind of…”
  622. >”Sorry, but Ah just don’t have your commitment to the part,” AJ smirks, slapping a hand on your shoulder. “But that’s what Ah like ‘bout you – yer just so… so… *genuine.*”
  623. >What she likes about you…?
  624. “Um…”
  625. >There’s something about you that’s actually likeable?
  626. >”Come on, Anon, we’d better get back to the others ‘fore they start thinking we was doin’ somethin’.”
  627. >This doesn’t mean anything.
  628. >Maybe she’s just their token human henchgirl.
  629. >That would explain how she was able to cross running water and enter uninvited.
  630. >Maybe… maybe…
  631. >You trail after her cautiously.
  632. >Maybe… there’s still one thing left.
  633. >If you can get the chair to give up your hatchet…
  634. >Rarity smirks lewdly as the pair of you return.
  635. >”I was beginning to wonder just what you two were getting up to in there. Why, I wouldn’t be surprised –“
  636. >”Actually, she was wondering if you had any shot glasses,” Dash interrupts, “and if she’d have to get them herself.”
  637. >Rarity deathstare has no effect on her friend, who continues talking as if absolutely no one in the room had any intention of killing her.
  638. >Two, by the way.
  639. >The number of people planning to kill her right now is two.
  640. >At least.
  641. >”ANYWAY, *I* said we didn’t need ‘em!”
  642. >She snatches the bottle of red liquid off the table and unscrews the cap.
  643. >”Don’t. You. Dare,” Rarity threatens softly. “Don’t you dare drink straight from the bottle!”
  644. >”Didn’t plan to!”
  645. >With a self-satisfied grin, she pours a small amount between her breasts.
  646. >It rolls down her torso, the thick liquid leaving a dark red streak from what (barely) passes for cleavage to her waist.
  647. >”Thirsty, Pinkie?” Dash asks, thrusting her chest towards her friend.
  648. >The party animal smiles but shakes her head.
  649. >As does Twilight, though with a noticeable grimace.
  650. >Fluttershy cowers in the corner of the loveseat, refusing to make eye contact or even look at the athlete.
  651. >”Well, shit!” Dash grumbles, leaning back in the sofa and staring at the ceiling. “Someone has to lick it off or it’ll get all sticky!”
  652. >”And ruin that dress I spent so long making for you,” Rarity adds.
  653. >The threat of torture and evisceration is unspoken, but heavily implied.
  654. >”Does that mean you’re volunteering?” Dash asks in a sing-song voice. “Because I didn’t think –“
  655. >”No.”
  656. >”Shit. AJ?”
  657. >”Nope,” the farmgirl answers, clearly enjoying her friend’s discomfort. “And Anon ain’t gonna either, so don’t ask.”
  658. >Lick blood off a vampiress’s chest?
  659. >Well…
  660. >Maybe…
  661. >Just once…
  662. >It’s not as if you have to worry about any blood borne diseases, since the odds of you surviving the night are somewhere unlikely and fuck no.
  663. >Appeasement might be your only chance.
  664. >”Dammit, I thought you girls were my friends!” Dash whines. Her chest heaves as she sighs and closes her eyes. “Hey, Non, any chance you have a wet nap or –“
  665. >She gasps in surprise at your first lick, her eyes snapping open to see who finally caved just as you jerk back in confusion.
  666. >It’s… sweet.
  667. >Kind of fruity. Definitely not blood.
  668. >Is that why none of the girls would do it?
  669. >Fluttershy whines again as you lean forward to continue.
  670. >What does it matter to that girl? You’re not licking *her*.
  671. >You start low, at the bottom of the trickle, continuing from where you left off.
  672. >”Looks like Anon is the only one reliable enough to help a girl out,” Dash giggles, the sound horribly out of place coming from the rough tomboy. “I knew you’d *come* through eventually, but CAREFUL!”
  673. >She shoves your head away, her body convulsing with laughter.
  674. >”Slower! That tickles!”
  675. >Huh.
  676. >You never thought of her as ticklish – not the girl that thinks soccer is a full-contact sport.
  677. >Just thinking of that day makes your gut – and other parts – clench.
  678. >And here you are, licking syrup off her chest like you’re already her thrall.
  679. >Fucking Sexy Vampiric Feminine Wiles.
  680. >You’re going to stake her first.
  681. >As soon as you find something that will actually do the job.
  682. >”Okay thar, sugarcube,” AJ grumbles, gripping your shoulders and pulling you back from her friend. “Ah think that’s enough.”
  683. >There’s not a trace of red left on Dash’s chest.
  684. >”Well, you certainly were rather enthusiastic about that,” Rarity comments snidely, snatching the red-filled bottle away from Rainbow Dash, “but for the rest of us who have standards –“
  685. >”Or are jealous about how much attention you’ve been giving Dash and AJ,” Twilight helpfully translates, beaming a shit-eating grin in the fashionista’s direction.
  686. >”I am afraid that is just absolutely impossible,” Rarity snaps back, “because a true lady is *never* jealous. Now, Anon, would you mind helping me fetch some drinkware?”
  687. >By “help”, she of course means “do it all yourself, slaveboy.”
  688. >Which is why you’re still standing there trying to think of a snappy retort when you realize she’s already strutted out of the room.
  689. >She actually meant what she said.
  690. >You weren’t expecting that.
  691. >”Which way is it?” she sings out, peeking back into the room. “You are coming, aren’t you?”
  692. “Be right there.”
  693. >It’s about time to get the pizzas out anyway.
  694. >But not as close as you though; a few minutes remain on the timer. Long enough for you to hunt down some small tumblers and help Rarity carry them back into the living room.
  695. >You’re setting the last of them down when the alarm finally goes off, sending you scurrying back to the kitchen. With the pizzas on the counter, you’re looking around for the pizza cutter – damn thing never seems to stay in one drawer – when a pair of pale arms wraps around your chest from behind.
  696. >This is it.
  697. >You’re dead.
  698. >”Thank you, darling.”
  699. >As pre-mortem one-liners go, that’s downright boring.
  700. >Couldn’t she have come up with something better?
  701. >Thanking you almost makes you feel okay with getting your blood sucked. Well, not really, but you have to admit that it’s rather polite and somewhat considerate.
  702. >It just lacks zazz.
  703. >”I know we caught you by surprise tonight,” Rarity says softly, squeezing your torso hard enough you’re too worried about her crushing your ribs with her vampiric strength to rejoice in the feeling of her breasts pressed against your back. “Pinkie said you wouldn’t mind, but I can tell…”
  704. >She drifts off, giving your chest another squeeze.
  705. >”You have always been thoughtful, Anon. I know you do not truly want us here, so thank you for hosting our little to-do and feeding us.”
  706. >Yep.
  707. >You’re a dead man.
  708. “I’m sure you could have found a restaurant or something, if you looked.”
  709. >There’s one just up the road.
  710. >Good service, plenty of waitstaff.
  711. >Surely they can spare one of them.
  712. >”I just could not walk into a restaurant wearing this outfit!” the vampiress gasps in horror. “What if someone saw me dressed like this?”
  713. >Of course she can’t.
  714. >If there were survivors, then the whole world would know about her kind.
  715. “But it’s okay for me to see you.”
  716. >It’s just you here.
  717. >There won’t be any survivors to talk.
  718. >”Of course it is,” Rarity chuckles daintily, mocking you. “I don’t mind *that* one bit.”
  719. >Her lips brush against the side of your neck threateningly, yet…
  720. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
  721. >”Trying? Of course not!” the vampiress titters, then sighs. “Well, *maybe.*”
  722. >No surprise, really.
  723. >That’s what vampires do.
  724. >”I know it has been a very long time since middle school, but I still had to *try.*” Rarity sighs unhappily into your back. “Not very successfully, I think.”
  725. “No.”
  726. >What does it matter how long it’s been since middle school?
  727. >You had ONE group project together.
  728. >Just one.
  729. >She’s barely spoken to you since.
  730. >”And… and Rainbow Dash…?”
  731. “I’m not particularly attracted to girls trying to kill me. Not in general.”
  732. >”Exaggerating just a little, aren’t we?” she laughs. “I know she went a tad overboard during that soccer match, but – oh, who am I to judge? Here I am, pining over an ancient crush on the off chance…”
  733. >She gives your chest one last squeeze before releasing you.
  734. >”It doesn’t matter,” she says, surprisingly happy. “You aren’t interested.”
  735. “Well…”
  736. >You can pretend.
  737. >Probably should have.
  738. >Would have been the smart thing to do, which of course means you didn’t do it.
  739. >”No, it’s too late.”
  740. >Damn.
  741. >”I waited too long,” she mumbles softly, before dancing away from you and towards the freezer. “And on that note, do you have any ice? These will be *so* much better cold, and it would be too much to hope for –“
  742. >”RARITY! DIDJA FIND THAT ICE YET!?”
  743. >” – for my companions to show a little patience,” the purple-haired beauty glowers darkly. “You don’t mind if I…”
  744. “Go ahead.”
  745. >She gives you a sad – almost understanding smile – but doesn’t respond. She just gets the ice and leaves you to your work.
  746. >You find the pizza cutter before too long and get them sliced up and ready to be served, but the mystery of how to carry both of them *and* plates leaves you stumped.
  747. >Two trips isn’t an option.
  748. >Well, it *is* - just not one that occurs to you.
  749. >You’re on the verge of calling for help, because – fuck it – it’s the least they can do if they’re going to suck out all of your blood later, when Twilight walks in.
  750. >The Queen Bitch herself.
  751. >She takes one look at the room and gives you an amused sneer.
  752. >”Really?”
  753. “What.”
  754. >”The stake?”
  755. >She gestures towards the floor – where you dropped the stake you tried to ambush AJ with.
  756. >Shit.
  757. >”Trying to make a matching costume or something?” she mocks. “Not that it wouldn’t be fitting, but isn’t it a little too late?”
  758. >Of course it’s too late.
  759. >”And you probably should have gone with something other than pine,” Twilight adds, kneeling down to pick up the piece of wood.
  760. >Her black cape billows out around her, coming to rest on the floor like a spreading pool of blood.
  761. >”Preferably hawthorn, ash, or oak, but any hardwood would have worked.”
  762. “Yeah.”
  763. >”You could have also used steel or iron, though those lack the universal recognition of a wooden stake.”
  764. >Goddammit, this is why teachers never call on her in class anymore.
  765. >She never knows when to run her mouth and when to just shut the hell up.
  766. >It’s not that you really mind her telling you about her weaknesses, but it would have been nice if she’d done it last week.
  767. >Given you some time to prepare.
  768. >Now, she’s just mocking you.
  769. >”I thought something was up when you opened the door *reeking* of garlic –“
  770. >Ah!
  771. >That worked, at least.
  772. >Rubbing garlic on your neck is probably the only reason they haven’t drained you yet.
  773. >” – but did you know about mustard seeds?”
  774. “Nope.”
  775. >Luckily, there’s a bottle on the spice rack right in front of you.
  776. >You liberally sprinkle them over both pizzas without the little nerdette noticing.
  777. >”They’re supposed to drive away vampires if sprinkled on the roof –“
  778. >Shit.
  779. >”But I guess that wouldn’t work well as part of a costume,” she sighs. “Not particularly well known, plus it would be hard to demonstrate. Same with lemons…”
  780. “The things you know.”
  781. >”But it really is too late,” Twilight sighs regretfully.
  782. >Odd.
  783. >If any of them had been looking forward to an actual fight, you would have assumed it was Rainbow Dash or Applejack.
  784. >Not the egghead.
  785. >”Pinkie Pie has already given out most of the candy –“
  786. >SHE DIES FIRST.
  787. >” – and Rarity has finished mixing the first round of drinks,” she grumbles, though you barely hear her over your own rage. “We’re almost ready to get started – we’re just waiting on you and the food.”
  788. “Isn’t that redundant?”
  789. >”Do you really think that little of yourself?” Twilight asks, looking around the kitchen. “We didn’t just come over to your place because we knew you would feed us. Plates?”
  790. >You yank open a cabinet door for her.
  791. “I figured it was because my parents weren’t here.”
  792. >”That doesn’t hurt,” she admits, pulling down some dishes – she has to stretch to reach them. “Though it’s a *bit* more important to some of us than others. I know that I wouldn’t mind, but Dash…”
  793. >Twilight flashes an apologetic smile at you.
  794. >”Well, you know how rambunctious Rainbow Dash can be.”
  795. “Are you telling me –“
  796. >”That she wouldn’t know when to stop?” Twilight’s head dips in a quick nod. “Mhm, exactly. And that would just be embarrassing, don’t you think? I mean, what if your parents walked in –“
  797. “She’d kill them, too.”
  798. >Her eyes flare open in surprise, as if she hadn’t thought of it.
  799. >”That’s a distinct possibility, though not the one I had in mind. I assumed she would just stare them in the eyes while she finished.”
  800. >You have no idea how to respond to that, besides slamming a stake into her black heart and teaching the vampire scum why they fear the day.
  801. >But you already fucked that up royally.
  802. >”At least Dash is too dense to realize what Rarity is doing,” Twilight sighs. “Things could get ugly if it became a competition between the two, but of course I had to open my big mouth and sass her about being jealous…”
  803. >The girl has the presence to mind to look almost embarrassed by her mistake.
  804. >You don’t believe it for a second – not that she feels embarrassed, nor that it was a mistake.
  805. >Still, she’s staring at you, expecting you to say *something.*
  806. >Probably fishing for some comment about it not being her fault.
  807. “Good thing she’s not jealous, then.”
  808. >It’s the closest you can get.
  809. >Something about that makes Twilight giggle like a lunatic, making your hair stand on end.
  810. >That girl probably practices her evil mad scientist laugh in her free time.
  811. >”She *is*, Anon,” the vampiress insists, holding the plates close to her chest. “Fluttershy is one thing, but our other friends…”
  812. >Twilight pauses, glancing back towards the hallway.
  813. “She said it herself – a true lady is never jealous.”
  814. >Rarity doesn’t have anything to be jealous about anyway.
  815. >”But she *is*,” Twilight laughs. “So following that to its logical conclusion…”
  816. >The bitch has the audacity to wink at you.
  817. >”You may have really missed out on something with her,” she teases, as if your life was some kind of fucking game. “Are you going to need some help with those pizzas?”
  818. >Her hands are already full, so you just shake your head.
  819. “No, I’ve got it.”
  820. >You don’t want her to see the mustard seeds until it’s too late.
  821. >”Are you sure?”
  822. >She puts the plates on the counter and steps forward, reaching out.
  823. >”Come on, let me help you,” she says with a smile. “Isn’t that what friends are for?”
  824. “Friends?”
  825. >She steps back suddenly, the way you sneer the word hitting her like a hammer blow.
  826. >”Y-yeah? I know we don’t really travel in the same circles, but –“
  827. “I could almost understand Applejack and Rarity trying to seduce me, but *this*? A bloodsucking bitch like you thinks she’s my friend? How am I supposed to even feel about that?”
  828. >She straightens, her face hard like stone.
  829. >You’ve gone too far.
  830. >”Success sometimes means stepping on the backs of others, Anon,” she… pleads? It sounds like she’s begging for your forgiveness – or at least hoping that you can understand. “But I try to help them up behind me, so… I… I…”
  831. >She’s at a loss for words.
  832. >At least you saw this, before the end.
  833. >”I’m *trying*, alright!?” she finally snaps at you.
  834. >Huh.
  835. >Coming in here and telling you how to fight vampires long after it would actually have been useful to know is her *trying*?
  836. >”So you want help, or not?”
  837. >An irate Twilight Sparkle holds her hands out to you again, and this time you hand her one of the pizzas without complaint. Somehow, she manages to hold the tray in one hand and still pick up the heavy stack of dishes with the other without any difficulty.
  838. >She holds herself with the poise of an experienced waitress – right down to the impatient-yet-too-polite-to-tell-you-how-badly-she-wants-you-to-go-fuck-yourself expression.
  839. >”Well?”
  840. “Done a few shifts down at IHOP or something?”
  841. >”No,” she snarls back. “It’s just a matter of properly balancing the load and using your own body to –“
  842. “The things you know.”
  843. >”I – yeah,” she grunts, flashing you a poorly faked smile. “The things I know.”
  844. >She follows you back into the living room, easily carrying her load and making you feel like a bit of a pussy.
  845. >”FINALLY!” Dash howls, lunging for you impossibly fast. “I’m starving!”
  846. >Clawed hands reach out for you.
  847. >Evasive maneuvers impossible.
  848. >She’s just too fast.
  849. >Even if she wasn’t a vampire, the captain of every-fucking-thing is just too quick.
  850. >Her mouth is open, and –
  851. >She rips the pizza from your hands.
  852. > - and perfectly normal.
  853. >No fangs.
  854. >”AWESOME!” she squeals happily. “Make some room, Raributt!”
  855. >She doesn’t wait, roughly pushing aside bottles and setting the pizza down on the coffee table. Nor does she wait for a plate, eagerly digging in.
  856. >”Mmmmmm!” Dash moans happily, strings of cheese dangling from her mouth. “It burns like victory!”
  857. >”Don’t ask,” Twilight tells you, stepping around to put down her pizza. “Seriously, don’t ask. You don’t want to know… and I wish I didn’t.”
  858.  
  859.  
  860. >”Ooooh!” Dash sits up suddenly, her eyes wide and gleaming. “Do you have any tabasco sauce?”
  861. >”Don’t answer that,” the egghead snaps at you, thrusting a plate at her friend. “You’ll end up with hot sauce *everywhere*.”
  862. >She tries wiggling the plate when it goes untouched, but Dash continues to ignore it in favor of the pizza – as if the two are wholly unrelated.
  863. >”At least take a napkin, will you?” Rarity sighs at the athlete, pointing emphatically at a stack of paper napkins she had found somewhere – or maybe she even brought them with her in that box of liquor. “We don’t want you making a mess.”
  864. >Something about that makes Dash throw her head back and laughs.
  865. >”Why?” she asks once she’s caught her breath. “If I get anything on me, I’m sure Anon will be more than happy to help me clean up!”
  866. >Rarity’s face flares bright red – as crimson as the drink Pinkie is holding out to you – and she spins away, muttering angrily under her breath.
  867. >Somewhat absentmindedly, you take the glass. Out of politeness more than anything else – you’re more curious about what’s going on than what the drink is.
  868. >”Aww, did I hurt your – OW!”
  869. >Dash rubs her head and stares pure death at Applejack, who returns the look with a smug grin.
  870. >”If you don’t wanna get smacked, don’t be an ass,” the farmgirl suggests, reaching over her friend’s shoulder to take a tumbler from Pinkie.
  871. >”Because asses are made for smacking!” the party animal adds, throwing in a little demonstration by lightly spanking her own ample behind before grabbing another pair of drinks from the table.
  872. >With a pained sigh, Rainbow Dash takes the first from her. The second goes to Rarity, who is off pouting in the corner. She grabs the last pair and holds one out to Fluttershy, but the other girl shakes her head frantically and begins whining again.
  873. >Is there anything that doesn’t scare her?
  874. >”I guess this is yours, then!” Pinkie giggles totally unphased and pushes the drink into Twilight’s hand.
  875. >”But, I don’t –“
  876. >”It’s for the plan, remember?” the jiangshi hints and/or asks with an exaggerated wink.
  877. >The gesture is so obvious, you can’t even take it or her comments seriously.
  878. >Of course, it’s hard to take Pinkie seriously at the best of times.
  879. >”I don’t see how this helps,” Twilight protests. “Can’t I just – oh, fine!”
  880. >She raises the glass to her lips, but hesitates.
  881. >Steeling her resolve, you assume, but no.
  882. >Her hand comes up to pull out her fake fangs.
  883. >”Almost forgot,” she confesses quietly to you with an embarrassed smile. “That could have made things difficult.”
  884. >Doesn’t mean anything.
  885. >Not all vampires have fangs.
  886. >And not all vampires are affected by running water or have to be invited or are affected by garlic or rice or…
  887. “You’re not vampires, are you?”
  888. >”Um… I think our costumes are pretty self-explanatory,” she smirks, looking up at you through her eyelashes. “If you didn’t get it – and I don’t know how that’s even possible – why the stake?”
  889. “Well…”
  890. >How exactly do you explain that you were planning to kill them all without sounding rude?
  891. “Actually…”
  892. >You take a sip of your drink to hide just how lost you are for words.
  893. >It’s sweet – a similar flavor to the liquid Dash had poured on herself earlier, but with something else mixed in.
  894. “Rarity?”
  895. >The purple-haired beauty turns to you with a smile – you can only see a hint of her teeth, but they’re perfectly ordinary human teeth.
  896. >You can see her plastic fangs dangling from one finger, smudges of her pale blue lipstick marring the edges.
  897. “What is this?”
  898. >It’s definitely not blood.
  899. >”Oh, nothing much,” she answers modestly. “Just a fifty-fifty mix of grenadine and coconut rum.”
  900. >At your side, Twilight gasps. Then frowns. Then murmurs angrily about the high alcohol content and downs the whole glass in one go.
  901. “Ah. Well, it’s nice.”
  902. >Her smile widens at your praise – you think she’s about to say something more when Twilight grabs your arm and bodily drags you out into the hallway.
  903. >For a scrawny, probably-human nerd, she’s actually pretty strong.
  904. >Her eyes are wide and her mouth twitching – she’s caught between trying to laugh or scream. In the end, she settles on a quiet, calm panic.
  905. >”When you called me a bloodsucker, you meant that LITERALLY?” she asks in a hushed whisper. “Oh. Um. Okay. OKAY. Ignore everything else I said, okay?”
  906. “Everything you saw and *that* is what you’re worried about?”
  907. >Bless her little neurotic heart.
  908. >For a second there, you were worried she was prepared to kill you, vampire or not.
  909. >”I am such an *idiot!*,” Twilight hisses angrily, and you – miraculously – resist the urge to agree with her. Not because you actually think she is, but because you know it would be a Bad Idea.
  910. >Of course, you also knew they were vampires, but –
  911. >She’s still clutching your arm tightly – hell, she practically has her whole body wrapped around it.
  912. >You can feel the heat of her body, same as you could with Rarity and Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
  913. >It just never clicked.
  914. >Not that they weren’t undead, and certainly not that their flirting might actually be *real* and not just instinctual vampire bullshit.
  915. >Shit, that’s almost scarier than them being vampires.
  916. >Far more welcome, but just as unnerving in its own way.
  917. “I… uh… I won’t tell if you don’t…?”
  918. >”DEAL!”
  919. >Twilight stares up at you, clutching at your arm tight enough you're starting to worry that she's cutting off the circulation.
  920. >"Seriously, Anon. You can't tell anyone."
  921. "I won't if you don't."
  922. >Not that you really have anything to tell.
  923. >"Because if anyone finds out I sabotaged your project -"
  924. >And now you do.
  925. >"- I know it was years ago, but I couldn't have the *second* highest grade in the class!" she hisses, her eyes wide with fear.
  926. >You really do.
  927. >"Besides, it all worked out in the end! I helped you all with your makeup project, didn't I? And Rarity was super impressed by the way you handled things -"
  928. "She didn't say a thing to me."
  929. >Not about that - or during the entire project for that matter.
  930. >"Well, that's just because you're always so impossibly hard to read!" Twilight insists. "She's been harboring a crush on you ever since, but no girl is going to admit that if they don't think it'll be reciprocated! And you - you... you... had no idea about any of this, did you?"
  931. >You don't answer. Not only is it unnecessary, it would also ruin the thin veneer of... of... of whatever it is that makes them think you actually have your shit together and didn't spend the last several hours preparing (poorly) to fight of an invasion of the undead.
  932. >"Well?" she snaps at you.
  933. >You try to shrug, but it's hard with the girl hanging onto your arm.
  934. >It's not enough of an answer for Twilight.
  935. >"DID YOU!?"
  936. >She rams her shoulder into your chest with surprising force for a girl about half your size, slamming you into the wall.
  937. >Stupid vampiric strength.
  938. >No, it's not that.
  939. >She's just crazy.
  940. >And smart.
  941. >You were already off-balance thanks to the way she was hanging off you. It didn't take much more effort on her part to knock you back.
  942. "I know now, and that's what matters."
  943. >"I swear, if you tell a soul -"
  944. >She leaves the threat unfinished, hitting you again.
  945. >You're ready for it this time - but it still makes the wall rattle.
  946. >"WHAT'RE Y'ALL DOIN' IN THERE!?"
  947.  
  948.  
  949. >”NOTHING!” your attacker screams back before you can explain that she’s just knocking you around, and her hand tightening on your throat stops you from calling for help after.
  950. “You know…”
  951. >It’s a strain, croaking out the words, but if you’re going to die, you’re going to die as you lived.
  952. >As a smartass.
  953. >Or a dumbass.
  954. >Both, really.
  955. >Twilight’s grip tightens, but unlike slamming you into a wall, her brains can’t really help her out here. Her girlish grip can only do so much on its own.
  956. “You’re right. You *did* help us with the makeup project, but I’ve noticed you’ve been helping a *lot* of people lately.”
  957. >Seems like you finally got something right, because now she’s trying to tear out your throat.
  958. >Trying. At worst you’ll have a bruise; long nails apparently aren’t an egghead thing.
  959. “Trying to make up for other past actions? Or are you just getting close to them so –“
  960. >But it’s enough of a grip for her to pull your head forward and slam it back into the wall.
  961. >”DAMMIT, TWI!” Dash yells from the living room. “AT LEAST USE HIS FUCKING BED!”
  962. >Your eyes meet Twilight’s and you both groan.
  963. >Internally, of course.
  964. >You’re both smart enough to know not to do it out loud.
  965. >”HEY, DID YOU GET IT!? THE *FUCKING* BED?”
  966. >The athlete cackles at her own imagined cleverness, and this time neither of you can hold it in.
  967. “She is such a meathead.”
  968. >In a moment of misplaced comradery, Twilight nods in agreement.
  969. >”Can you believe she wanted us to dress up as superheroes?” the girl whispers to you. “She thought AJ would be an ‘awesome Batman’!”
  970. >That is a surprising lack of tact, even from the jock, and you can only shake your head in disbelief. Not that you can move it much, which makes Twilight raise an eyebrow when you jerk your head towards the door.
  971. “We should probably go back in there.”
  972. >”Before they get any wrong ideas?”
  973. >Well, yes, because you don’t want them thinking you’re sticking your dick in the crazy, since that would probably hurt your chances of getting it on with any of others.
  974. >But also because Twilight might stop trying to murder you if there are witnesses.
  975. >It’s mostly that second one.
  976. >Wisely, you don’t say either of those things, instead settling for a brief, somewhat agreeable sounding grunt.
  977. >Not quite a yes, but enough for Twilight to release you.
  978. >With one last hard look at you, she darts –
  979. “Wait.”
  980. >The girl stops just short of the door, peering back over her black cape curiously.
  981. “So, who had the idea for the vampire costumes?”
  982. >You need to know who to hate and/or thank for them scaring the shit out of you while wearing next to nothing.
  983. >”I don’t really remember,” Twilight admits. “We were all throwing out a lot of ideas. Wasn’t mine, though. *I* wanted to dress as historical figures and go to – you don’t need to know that.”
  984. >No, probably not.
  985. >Sounds boring, like the Twilight you know and expect.
  986. >Knew and expected.
  987. >Before tonight and finding out she's a bipolar mess.
  988. >Before you can ask anything else, she stalks into the living room.
  989. >"Just had to explain a few things," you can hear the girl calmly tells her friends. "Someone had to, since Applejack -"
  990. >"HEY, THAT WEREN'T MY FAULT! AH WAS BUSY!"
  991. >Busy eating your candy and now there isn't any left.
  992. >"Well, I hope you at least picked some good movies for tonight," Twilight sighs, still hovering in the doorway. "Something actually worth watching, like Jacob's Ladder or -"
  993. >"Don't worry none. Ah picked out some good stuff."
  994. >"Like...?"
  995. >Twilight doesn't sound hopeful, but she moves forward, giving you space to edge into the room.
  996. >"Two Thousand Maniacs!" AJ yells happily. "And not those dumb remakes or nothin' - this is the original!"
  997. >Twilight's shoulders slump, followed seconds later by her head.
  998. >"I'll be right back," she mumbles to the floor. "I just have to... restroom?"
  999. "Restroom isn't a verb. You know that, right?"
  1000. >"Where is it?" she snaps at you, still looking down at the floor.
  1001. "Go back to the hall, but go the opposite way from the kitchen. First door on your left."
  1002. >She clips you on her way out, nearly spinning herself around from the impact - without her brain to back up her muscles, she's even weaker than you thought.
  1003. "So, Two Thousand Maniacs, AJ? Guess I shouldn't be surprised."
  1004. >"Sure shouldn't!" the cowgirl laughs, leaning back in your favorite chair and sticking her boots on the coffee table. "Hershel Gordan Lewis at his finest!"
  1005. "Actually, I kinda meant -"
  1006. >"Ah know whatchu meant, Anon," she growls playfully. "Now siddown. Ain't no point waitin' for Twilight."
  1007. >You move to sit in the only other free chair, but Applejack clears her throat.
  1008. >Repeatedly and with increased volume when you ignore her first warning. And her second.
  1009. >"DANGIT, ANON!"
  1010. >Six is her limit.
  1011. >Good to know.
  1012. >"Twi was sittin' thar!"
  1013. >Four other heads bobble in agreement, but fuck them.
  1014. "And I was sitting where you are, but -"
  1015. >"But you're Anon!" Pinkie tries to explain, sitting bolt upright in the sofa. "And she's... she's..."
  1016. "Crazy?"
  1017. >Another batch of nods - apparently all of them know, even if none of them are willing to say it.
  1018. "Fine."
  1019. >No point getting into another little disagreement with the girl, so you load up a plate with pizza and slump down next to Fluttershy.
  1020. >"Everyone ready!?" AJ calls out, looking around. "Got yer snacks n' drinks n' everything else you'll need? Cuz Ah ain't stoppin' this ride fer nobody!"
  1021. "Wait."
  1022. >"Whatchu ferget?" the cowgirl sighs.
  1023. >You answer her with your favorite finger.
  1024. "Did you need anything, Fluttershy? I'm sure I can find some veg -"
  1025. >"Not hungry," she mumbles, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them.
  1026. "You sure? Because -"
  1027. >"Yeah," she answers, refusing to look at you. "I'm not hungry."
  1028. "Anything to drink, then?"
  1029. >The girl shakes her head, her eyes glued to the TV like it's the only thing in the world.
  1030. >You never would have guessed she'd be the kind of girl to like splatter films, but from the way she's staring...
  1031. >The movie hasn't even started yet.
  1032. >Maybe she's just too pants-shittingly terrified to think of anything else. That *does* seem more likely.
  1033. "Okay, but if you change your mind, just let me know."
  1034. >From the way she's trying to pretend you don't exist, it's hard to tell, but you think she nods.
  1035. >"Any other interruptions?" AJ asks as crankily as possible, though her tone seems to say something else. "No? Good. Pinkie, get the lights, will ya?"
  1036. >"Okie dokie lokie!"
  1037. >The party girl bounces up and slaps the light switch and returns to her place between Rarity and Rainbow Dash before you can do more than blink. If only that girl could focus, she's probably give Dash some solid competition in track - at the very least.
  1038. >Even with all her speed, she can't make it back before the movie starts playing.
  1039. >You haven't seen it before, but it's everything you expected it to be - full of violence, blood, tits, and Yankee's getting murdered all over the fucking place.
  1040. >Fluttershy is whimpering softly before the first drop of blood hits the ground and screeches at the first scare.
  1041. >You can't decide if it's annoying or cute, but you come down firmly on cute when she all-but jumps into your lap with the first death.
  1042. >Good thing you saw it coming and had set your plate on the side table.
  1043. >Her second scream catches you by surprise, though, as she realizes what she's done and where she is and scampers frantically out of your lap.
  1044. >Cute.
  1045. >Definitely cute.
  1046. >She tries to spend the rest of the movie huddled in the distant corner of the loveseat, as far from you as possible, but every new scare sends her leaping for human contact.
  1047. >As terrified of you as Fluttershy is, the movie is worse.
  1048. >Around the third or fourth death - it's hard to keep track - she gives up and doesn't crawl away, instead resting her back against your side.
  1049. >She doesn't stop screaming, though, burying her face in your shirt with every fresh corpse - or hint of a corpse, or drop of blood, or ugly face, or anything else, really.
  1050. >Every outburst is followed by Pinkie's giggling.
  1051. >Is she laughing at her friend's discomfort?
  1052. >That's surprisingly cruel, particularly from her, and makes you almost - almost - protectively put your arm around the other girl.
  1053. >Almost.
  1054. >But the thought of Fluttershy panicking and gnawing off your arm to escape gives you pause.
  1055. >She'd probably do it, too, what with being into all those nature shows and crap.
  1056. >You settle for putting your arm across the back of the loveseat - you're far more comfortable like that anyway, without Fluttershy leaning against it. Instead the girl rests against your chest, her head never coming higher than your collarbone.
  1057. >Sitting slumped down like that has to be uncomfortable for her. It certainly is for you.
  1058. >Well, not exactly, just that it could be *more* comfortable.
  1059. >Despite looking like a twig, she's surprisingly soft. You wouldn't mind having more of her pressed against you.
  1060. >Neither would she, you think, but every time Fluttershy starts to straighten up, she ends up whining and slumped down even further than before.
  1061. >Again, you think about putting your arm around her.
  1062. >Again, you think better of it.
  1063. >It would be somewhat presumptuous - she may be using you as a toss pillow, but that doesn't mean she wants to be groped. You're tempted to go for it anyway, when suddenly her hand loops around your wrist.
  1064. >You almost scream when she starts to pull it towards herself.
  1065. >"Almost" only in that it's girly enough you're sure the others think it was Fluttershy screaming, not you.
  1066. >She doesn't bite it, though. In fact, she releases it before it's barely left the backrest.
  1067. >You don't think it was your scream that startled her. Probably the grease still coating that hand.
  1068. >Rarity would kill her if her outfit got messed up because of that, and napkins can only do so much.
  1069. >Curious , you raise the hand to your nose - yep, despite going through four napkins, the smell of meat and garlic still lingers.
  1070. >You'll have to wash up before the next movie.
  1071. >Which shouldn't be too long.
  1072. >Sooner than you expect, actually, as AJ turns off the movie just as the credits start to roll.
  1073. >"Whelp, whatcha all think?" she asks, grinning wide. "Ah was thinkin' of Pumpkinhead next, but -"
  1074. >"No way!" Pinkie shouts. "Stitches!"
  1075. >Rarity groans and shakes her head.
  1076. >"You tricked me into watching that abomination once," she sighs, "and once is enough. How about something with a little class?"
  1077. >"Pumpkinhead?"
  1078. >"I said something with *class*," Rarity repeats, setting her empty glass down on the coffee table. "Preferably something with a little romance -"
  1079. >"Oh," AJ grunts and stares at your ceiling, deep in thought. "Pumpkinhead?"
  1080. >Her hat hides the shit-eating grin from Rarity, but you can see it clearly from the loveseat.
  1081. >"I *said* something with class," the fashionista snaps, taking the bait like a fucking pleb. "So how about -"
  1082. >"Wizard of Gore?"
  1083. >"NO! I don't even know what that is, but NO!" Rarity barks. "At this point, I'd rather trust Dash than you with the movie selection!"
  1084. >Well, this is going to take a while.
  1085. "Fluttershy? Could you sit -"
  1086. >"Sorry!" she squeaks in surprise and jerks upright. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to -"
  1087. "It's alright -"
  1088. >Not really.
  1089. >You miss the pressure of her body against yours. You miss the warmth of -
  1090. >Actually, that didn't change.
  1091. >She must be freezing.
  1092. " - I'll be right back. Just need to wash up."
  1093. >Fluttershy nods, still murmuring apologies.
  1094. "Should I bring you a blanket?"
  1095. >Her head jerks around to stare at you with wide eyes, but she doesn't answer. You pull yourself up and out of the loveseat while she thinks it over.
  1096. "You... uh... look like you're cold..."
  1097. >"Oh!" she gasps. "Um, yes please. If you don't mind."
  1098. >She smiles slightly - cautiously - when you nod.
  1099. >Wash your hands, grab a blanket. Shouldn't take too long.
  1100. >"Actually, could you be a dear and bring one for me as well?" Rarity asks, reaching out and brushing her hand across yours as you walk by. Like Fluttershy, she's absolutely freezing.
  1101. "Um, sure."
  1102. >She flashes a very-human smile at you - and nearly flashes something else as she stretches.
  1103. >"I am afraid these clothes are not exactly the warmest," she explains, shamelessly twisting her torso to show off just how much of her is exposed. "Accurate and stylish, yes, but I must admit practicality was *not* on my mind..."
  1104. >"Nah, I think they're just fine!" Pinkie giggles at her. "There's no reason why they shouldn't keep you warm!"
  1105. "Um..."
  1106. >Rarity has time enough to give her friend her finest you-gotta-be-shitting-me-you-fucking-retard glare before getting deathglomped by Pinkie.
  1107. >"BECAUSE WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO CUDDLE YOU WHEN YOU'RE DRESSED LIKE THAT!?" the party animal laughs, ignoring Rarity's undignified flailing and nuzzling her shoulder.
  1108. >She has a point.
  1109. >A very, very good point.
  1110. "You know, the best way to stay warm is to strip naked and share a sleeping bag with someone else to... uh... nevermind..."
  1111. >"Keep dreaming, Anon," AJ sighs with a wave of her hand. "Ain't happenin'."
  1112. "Yeah, I know."
  1113. >That would require you finding and/or remembering where yours is, and the odds of that are slim at best.
  1114. "Fine, no sleeping bags -"
  1115. >"Not for a few more drinks, at least," the cowgirl adds, twisting open her bottle reaching for the nearest glasses.
  1116. " - but two blankets? Anything else?"
  1117. >"Yeah," AJ grunts, jerking her head towards the hallway as she fills the first glass with the amber liquid. "See if you can find Twilight, wouldja?"
  1118. >Sure enough, "her" chair is still empty.
  1119. "She can't still be in the restroom, can she?"
  1120. >"Either doing drugs or diddling herself," Dash answers nonchalantly. She seems far more interested in the last few slices of pizza than her friend's whereabouts or potential activities. "Either way, she won't want you to know, so knock first."
  1121. >"AND POPCORN!" Pinkie yells. "I mean, I *want* popcorn, not that she's doing popcorn or anything. Or that you should make popcorn so you don't startle her, though come to think of it, the smell could make her come out so that might actually be worth a -"
  1122. "Two blankets, popcorn, and Twilight, but knock first. Got it."
  1123. >You make a break for the hall before they can add anything else, though you've added a few things of your own to that little list.
  1124. >Soda, primarily.
  1125. >Or maybe water.
  1126. >Popcorn makes everyone thirsty, so you'll probably need something to drink besides booze.
  1127. >Better get Twilight first, though. She can help you carry everything - or will need the time to clean up.
  1128. >Or finish.
  1129. >Or...
  1130. >Instead of completing that thought, you rap your knuckles against the bathroom door.
  1131. >Dash is full of shit; you shouldn't let your imagination run wild based on her idle bullcrap.
  1132. "Hey Twilight? You alive in there?"
  1133. >There's no answer, so you knock again.
  1134. >Harder this time, making the door swing open just a crack.
  1135. >The door wasn't locked - wasn't even latched.
  1136. >You've seen enough horror movies to know what will happen if you walk in there.
  1137. >Fuck it, you can wash your hands in the other bathroom. Besides, it's next to the linen closet.
  1138. >And has a significantly lower number of axe murderers hiding inside.
  1139. "I'm not falling for it, Twilight."
  1140. >She doesn't respond, not that you expected her to.
  1141. >Girl is committed to her decision.
  1142. >She also needs to *be* committed.
  1143. >The door creaks slightly as you walk away, but she doesn't come out.
  1144. >Huh.
  1145. >All you need is for a cat to jump out of fucking nowhere to complete the horror movie trifecta.
  1146. >Whatever.
  1147. >You leave the crazy girl to her games and get your hands washed up, only to find the linen closet nearly empty.
  1148. >Shit, right.
  1149. >Everything is either dirty or on your bed.
  1150. >So is Twilight.
  1151. >Buried under piles of blankets and sheets, with a book in her hands.
  1152. >That girl is fucking crazy.
  1153. “This is creepy.”
  1154. >She squeaks loudly and tries to roll over to face you, but is too tangled in the blankets to actually perform such a highly complicated and dangerous maneuver.
  1155. “You know this is creepy as fuck, right?”
  1156. >”It’s not!”
  1157. “Well, the only non-creepy explanation is you got confused about what a restroom is supposed to look like, and I hope to fucking hell you didn’t shit in my closet.”
  1158. >”I didn’t!”
  1159. “So…?”
  1160. >You think you’re being fairly patient with her. So far, you haven’t threatened her life, wellbeing, or soul, so – yeah – pretty damn patient.
  1161. >”I… um…”
  1162. >There’s some struggling and flailing and sheets flipping through the air before Twilight manages to free herself enough to face you.
  1163. >She’s still in your bed, though, with only her face and arms exposed.
  1164. >Fucking creepy.
  1165. >Or hot, except she’s crazy as shit.
  1166. “Well?”
  1167. >”I needed some time to relax!” Twilight snaps at you, followed by a half-heartedly flung pillow that lands at your feet. “Dealing with people isn’t exactly my thing –“
  1168. “Could have fooled me.”
  1169. >”It’s not! Not really. And then you – you… I needed to relieve some stress, okay!?”
  1170. >Book girl would rather read a book than talk to people – yeah, you can believe that.
  1171. >Still, this is creepy.
  1172. “Sure, fine, but could you *not* do it in my bed?”
  1173. >She blushes slightly at that and looks away.
  1174. >”Sorry…”
  1175. “Well, your friends are starting to wonder where the fuck you ran off to. Dash even suggested you were either getting high or masturbating, which I guess are both valid forms of stress relief…”
  1176.  
  1177.  
  1178. >Twilight’s face kicks it up a gear and glows bright red before she burrows back underneath your blankets.
  1179. “Oh fuck no, really? In my bed!?”
  1180. >”No!”
  1181. “I… whatever.”
  1182. >She screams as you start yanking the blankets off of her.
  1183. “They’re for Fluttershy and Rarity, so shut up.”
  1184. >She doesn’t, but her screams turn into more of a whimper.
  1185. “Stay here if you want, but we’re about to start the next movie and I could use help getting the popcorn and sodas.”
  1186. >”FINE!” she shouts, reaching out one bare limb to throw another pillow at you. “Go get started on those!”
  1187. “Sorry, but I need the blankets –“
  1188. >”I’ll bring the damn blankets, Anon! Just go!”
  1189. >You haven’t quite managed to free a single one in its entirety – she’s clutching on to them desperately and foiling your every attempt – so you drop them.
  1190. “Fine.”
  1191. >Wasn’t going to happen, anyway.
  1192. >Maybe you’d best start looking for those sleeping bags.
  1193. “Just don’t forget.”
  1194. >”Just go!”
  1195. >Another pillow smacks into your abdomen.
  1196. >Her aim is surprisingly good considering her head – like most of her – is under the covers.
  1197. “Fine. Going. But I’ll be back if –“
  1198. >”LEAVE!”
  1199. >You’re smart enough to realize this wasn’t going to go anywhere until you left, so you do, nearly tripping over thrown pillows and crumpled fabric on your way out.
  1200. >Sure, your bedroom floor doubles as your clothes hamper for perfectly valid reasons, but you don’t recall wearing anything purple recently.
  1201. >Meh, probably something from a week or two that just never made its way into the laundry.
  1202. >You’re out the door when Twilight calls out to you, her voice muffled by the extra blankets she had piled up over herself.
  1203. “What?”
  1204. >”What are we watching next?”
  1205. "No clue; they were trying to decide when I left."
  1206. >You get two steps down the hall before leaning back and shouting through the doorway.
  1207. "If you hurry, you can join in on the debate!"
  1208. >Yep, that caught her attention - the cloth blob rustles frantically as she tries to rush whatever it is she's doing.
  1209. >Good.
  1210. >You leave her her whatevering and head for the kitchen to get the popcorn and sodas.
  1211. >Hmm... not much selection in the fridge - none, actually - so you grab a couple of two-liters and crack them open.
  1212. >They've been sitting around since... for a while now, but yes!
  1213. >Still fizzy!
  1214. >Awesome!
  1215. >The first bag of popcorn goes into the microwave while you haul those out.
  1216. >Unsurprisingly, the girls are still bickering about the next movie, though they seem to have narrowed it down a bit. Kinda. Mostly by just ignoring everything Rarity says and promising that she can pick the next film.
  1217. >They don't even seem to notice as you set down the soda bottles and grab the empty pizza trays.
  1218. >The plates almost get piled on top, but you decide to leave those. Just in case.
  1219. >"Whall, fine!" AJ grumbles suddenly, standing up and throwing her arms into the air. "Ah'll just leave it to you two n' help out Anon with the popcorn!"
  1220. >Yay. Help.
  1221. "Actually, I got that covered, but could you get ice?"
  1222. >"Yeah, yeah, sure," she mumbles, grabbing her mostly full glass and walking out of the room. "This ain't no good warm anyhow."
  1223. >You trail along behind her as the quickly strides out of the room, her heels clicking with every angry step.
  1224. "What is that, anyway?"
  1225. >AJ's drink smells almost like apple juice, but not quite. Not cider, either.
  1226. >She shrugs and smiles at you playfully.
  1227. >"Guess."
  1228. >You're half-preoccupied watching the timer on the popcorn count down, so your mouth is running on autopilot - luckily it's not talking to your brain at the moment.
  1229. >Because your brain wants to say that she pissed in the glass and mixed it with Everclear.
  1230. >Probably would taste like apples.
  1231. >Yeah.
  1232. >Definitely would.
  1233. >Luckily, your mouth isn't clever enough to think of that on its own.
  1234. "Dunno. Moonshine?"
  1235. >"What kinda girl do you take me for!?" she laughs, happily unaware of the string of thoughts that had danced through your head. "Ah ain't got no place fer a still out on the farm, *yet*."
  1236. "Dunno then."
  1237. >Out comes the first bag, kernels still popping from the heat even as you toss in the next.
  1238. >"Sometimes, you ain't a lot of fun," Applejack sighs, dropping a couple of cubes into the glass and swirling it around. "A lady don't like it when she's gotta do all the work, you know."
  1239. "That's why I'm making the popcorn."
  1240. >You think about grabbing some bowls and dumping out the first bag, but it would get cold by the time the third was ready.
  1241. >Leaving it in the bag will let it keep at least *some* of the heat.
  1242. >"Here," the girl grunts, sidling up and shoving her glass in your face. "Try it."
  1243. "Do I have to?"
  1244. >"Yeah!"
  1245. >When you don't take the glass, she bumps her hip into yours, almost knocking you off balance.
  1246. >"Come on, I promise it ain't bad."
  1247. >It *does* smell pleasant, and despite the clear apple scent, not quite as fruity as Rarity's mix.
  1248. "Fine."
  1249. >The first sip burns, passing your tongue without letting you taste a thing, but the second is smooth and strong.
  1250. >But nothing you can identify besides apples.
  1251. "No clue."
  1252. >She frowns when you try to hand the glass back to her. After several seconds of holding it out, you give up and set it down on the counter.
  1253. >"You ain't no fun at all," Applejack pouts - it doesn't *look* like a pout, she doesn't have her lower lip pushed out or anything, but it's her version of it.
  1254. >Slightly disappointed expression, lip caught between her teeth, far away stare.
  1255. >With a sigh, you reach for the glass to try again, at the same time she decides to bump her hip into you again.
  1256. >This time, you go tumbling, wildly reaching for anything you can hold onto.
  1257. >Your hand misses the counter top, but it catches Applejack's.
  1258. >But all you manage to do is pull her down on you.
  1259. >You realize that is what's going to happen even as your hand tightens and she turns in surprise, but there's no time to let go.
  1260. >The dice have been cast.
  1261. >She lurches, pulled over by your weight yet still trying to pull you up.
  1262. >She can't.
  1263. >AJ lets out a surprised yelp as her unfamiliar boots slide out from underneath her.
  1264. >You only have time to think "Oh, shi-"
  1265. >That's honestly as far as you get before your back slams into the hard tile floor.
  1266. >The impact knocks the rest of the word out of your mind.
  1267. >The next - Applejack crashing into you - drives the breath from your body.
  1268. >She is *not* a light girl.
  1269. >Nor is she soft, not everywhere.
  1270. >If this was an anime or some stupid coming-of-age teen movie, somehow your hands would have ended up on her chest - but no, one is still clutched firmly in her iron grip, the other somehow wrapped around her bare waist.
  1271. >You have *no* idea how that happened, but in your defense, you were too busy trying to swear to pay attention to everything.
  1272. >Both of you lay motionless for long seconds - you expect someone to pop their head to see what the noise was, but no one does.
  1273. >They didn't hear it over the argument.
  1274. >"Getting a little eager, aincha?" the girl gasps eventually, a bizarre smile flitting across her face.
  1275. >You don't really hear what she says and just nod in response, the meaning of the words hitting a second too late.
  1276. >You try to explain, but the words won't come out.
  1277. >No air.
  1278. >"Not that I'm sayin' no or nothin'," Applejack whispers into your ear, "but shouldn't *you* be on top?"
  1279. >Probably.
  1280. >If you were, maybe you could breathe.
  1281. >"Still, this suits me just fine," she says with a sly smile. "It ain't called cowgirl fer nothin'."
  1282. >The fuck is she talking about?
  1283. >You try to roll her off of you, but she resists.
  1284. >"Whoa now, Ah said this was fine!"
  1285. >Dimly, you hear the microwave beeping in the background.
  1286. >Shit!
  1287. >Too long!
  1288. >You *never* let the popcorn go the full time; that's just a surefire way to burn it.
  1289. >"Ah ain't supposed to do nuthin' serious with ya," Applejack sighs unhappily - and follows up with a mischievious giggle, "but we was pretty vague on the definition o' that, so howsabout Ah -"
  1290. >"DO I SMELL BURNT POPCORN!?"
  1291. >Shit, Pinkie is pissed.
  1292. >"I *LOVE* BURNT POPCORN!"
  1293. >Pinkie is nuts.
  1294. >Nothing you didn't already know, of course, so the look of absolute horror on AJ's face is bizarre.
  1295. >She's way closer to the other girl than you are; she should already know this.
  1296. >You try to push her off again, but she's frozen rigid - only her eyes are moving, slowly tracking...
  1297. >Shit.
  1298. >You've seen enough horror movies to know where this is going.
  1299. >Whatever she's watching is coming closer; you can hear each and every step clicking on the tiles - and feel them, too, though you're smart enough to realize that's just your imagination. Probably.
  1300. >The next footstep is right by your head - but not close enough for you to actually see who or *what* it is.
  1301. >Not with you on your back, helpless, with Applejack's golden hair blocking off most of your vision.
  1302. >The girl flinches as a shadow falls over her - and passes.
  1303. >There's the heavy click of the microwave door popping open, followed by the horrid smell of overcooked popcorn.
  1304. >"Hey, Nonny?" Pinkie Pie mumbles, probably stuffing her mouth already. "Where are your bowls?"
  1305. >You try to answer, but little more than a soundless croak comes out of your throat.
  1306. >Right. Breathing. You should try that. All the cool kids are.
  1307. >AJ's breathing is shallow, but you can feel each and every one.
  1308. >It's distracting.
  1309. >Too distracting to be entirely comfortable.
  1310. >Makes it hard to remember which way you fell.
  1311. >Right, *away* from the microwave, which means...
  1312. >You pull your arm from around her waist and point Pinkie in what you think is the direction of the bowls.
  1313. >As soon as your arm is free, AJ bolts upright and air fills your lungs.
  1314. >"WE FELL!" she yells at her friend. "THAT'S ALL!"
  1315. >Pinkie nods, spilling popcorn as her head bobbles.
  1316. >You were right; she didn't wait to start eating it.
  1317.  
  1318.  
  1319. >”I noticed,” Pinkie comments before tossing another handful of blackened popcorn at her mouth – only about half make it in. “Yeah, you *fell*, alright.”
  1320. >”Don’t believe me!?”
  1321. >You expect AJ to jump to her feet and assume a fighting stance, but she stays on her knees, straddling your lap.
  1322. >Is it a lap when you’re lying down?
  1323. >Or just called your thighs?
  1324. >You’ll have to ask Twilight.
  1325. >She’ll know.
  1326. >And she probably will carry on for the next three hours, so scrap that.
  1327. >”No, I believe you fell,” Pinkie laughs, stepping over your legs to get to the bowls and patting AJ’s head on the way. “I believe you fell, alright. Fell *for him*.”
  1328. >She giggles at Applejack’s outraged expression.
  1329. >”Ah, sure as shoot –“
  1330. >An unpopped kernel bounces off her forehead.
  1331. >”Just get the ice, AJ,” the other girl sighs, pulling out a pair of large bowls. “We’ve decided on a movie and Twily *finally* returned, so we’re just waiting on you two!”
  1332. >The cowgirl opens her mouth to argue, but it just hangs loose, like she can’t think of anything at all to say.
  1333. >Slowly, she forces herself to her feet – and then reaches down to help you up.
  1334. >You take her hand, only to nearly pull her back down when you try to stand.
  1335. >She refuses to let go, though she has to brace herself on the counter before she can actually get you up.
  1336. >Those heels are really fucking with her balance, aren’t they?
  1337. >”One more bag, Nonny?” Pinkie asks as she skips out, a full bowl in each hand. “I think we’ll need one more, okay?”
  1338. “Yeah, I was planning on it anyway, since the last one got burned to fuck thanks to AJ.”
  1339. >”Not my fault yer such a pussy,” the cowgirl says with a shrug and a smile. “Can’t even take a lil’ tap.”
  1340. “A little tap!?”
  1341. >”S’what Ah said,” she smirks while you start the next batch of popcorn going. “Whar’s the ice?”
  1342. “In the freezer.”
  1343. >”Oh, right,” she mumbles, jerking open the door and staring into the frozen reaches totally lost. “Now how the hay am I gonna…”
  1344. “Just take the whole bucket.”
  1345. >She should have brought the glasses in here with her, but fuck it, this’ll work too.
  1346. >”Right!”
  1347. >She grabs the bucket out of the freezer and unsteadily wobbles towards the hall.
  1348. >”Don’t take too long, ‘kay?”
  1349. “Won’t.”
  1350. >You stay there, eyes glued to the timer.
  1351. >Another bag won’t be ruined. Not on your watch.
  1352. >Even when there’s a sharp yelp from the living room, you leave the girls to their shenanigans.
  1353. >Maybe they started the movie without you.
  1354. >Meh.
  1355. >Almost there… almost… done.
  1356. >A few seconds to get it into a bowl and you’re head back in with a nice fresh batch all for yourself.
  1357. >And Fluttershy, if she wants any.
  1358. “Now what the hell was all that –“
  1359. >There’s no point to finishing that sentence.
  1360. >It’s kind of obvious what the noise was about, what with Applejack’s leg bleeding all over your favorite chair.
  1361. >Well, on the bright side, she found your hatchet.
  1362. >”Don’t worry,” she tells you even as she fishes the blade out from between the cushions. “Ain’t as bad as it looks.”
  1363. >”Well, it’s still bleeding,” Twilight counters, pressing a fresh wad of napkins to the outside of AJ’s bare thigh, just below her where her shorts end. “Maybe we should get you to the hospital or –“
  1364. >”Nah, don’t be such a worrywart! Ah’ve cut mahself worse shavin’.”
  1365. “You shave?”
  1366. >”O’ course Ah shave! Or didja think that girls are just naturally hairless!?”
  1367. “Your legs?”
  1368. >That was a stupid question.
  1369. >She’s wearing shorts – you can *see* her legs right now.
  1370. >It’s just hard to imagine Applejack doing anything so *girly*.
  1371. >”Yes, my legs!” she snaps, stretching out her uninjured leg and displaying it for you. “What the heck else would Ah be shavin’!?”
  1372. >”Pussy,” Pinkie and Dash answer in unison.
  1373. >”Why the hay would Ah shave *that*…?”
  1374. “I don’t need to hear this.”
  1375. >Not that you don’t want to, but from the way Applejack is struggling with her belt, you’re starting to suspect she might be a little drunk.
  1376. >Okay, discard that qualifier – she’s not a little drunk, she’s just plain drunk.
  1377. ”Twilight, do you think you can help her to the bathroom and slap some bandages on that or something?”
  1378. >”Oh, I can help with that,” Fluttershy volunteers, appearing at her friend’s side before you notice she’d even left her seat. “I don’t mind.”
  1379. >”Please do,” Twilight sighs, gesturing for the shy girl to take Applejack off her hands, but Fluttershy didn’t even wait.
  1380. “Need help –“
  1381. >”No, I can carry her,” she interrupts, already helping the cowgirl up. “Don’t worry; I’m stronger than I look.”
  1382. >That’s good, because she looks like she couldn’t take a piece of wet spaghetti in a fair fight thanks to that weird combination of skinny build and leftover baby fat that so often plagues teens.
  1383. “Um, okay then.”
  1384. >You move aside to let them pass, then flop down on the loveseat, right next to the blanket Twilight had brought..
  1385. >Would have gone for the chair, except for all the blood.
  1386. >That’s going to be fun to explain later.
  1387. “So, you decided on a movie?”
  1388. >Might as well get it started if it’s going to be too scary for Fluttershy to handle anyway.
  1389. >”Mhm!” Dash grunts. “We finally reached a compromise.”
  1390. >Is it your imagination, or did she shudder when she said the last word?
  1391. "Not to happy with the choice?"
  1392. >The girl shrugs noncommittally and leans back in the sofa.
  1393. >"Nah, I'm fine with it," she answers, stretching and resting her right arm on the back of the seat. "But it could be *better*."
  1394. >"Not really," Pinkie comments, bouncing beside the athlete.
  1395. >She looks so fucking happy with her burnt-ass popcorn.
  1396. >Fucking weird.
  1397. >Even Rarity thinks so - she's eying the bowl with a mixture of disgust and confusion, so you hold out yours to her. And like a proper lady, she only takes a small handful and rewards you with a smile.
  1398. >Good.
  1399. >You would have flipped the table if she had taken the entire thing, instead of the pile she gently places on a napkin.
  1400. >"Yeah, you're right," Dash sighs, still not sounding entirely convinced. "Army of Darkness *is* pretty awesome, but..."
  1401. >"Just ignore her," Rarity tells you, daintily popping the first peace into her mouth. "Rainbow Dash is just getting fussy because her first pick is *boring*."
  1402. >"Well, EXCUSE ME!" her friend huffs, nearly taking off Pinkie's head when she crosses her arms angrily. "It's not my fault! I've never seen it before! I just heard that it was awesome -"
  1403. >"Well, it's not," Rarity interjects. "Believe me, I *have* seen it, and Cannibal Holocaust really isn't your pace at all."
  1404. >She turns to you and smiles cruelly.
  1405. >"Not enough Michael Bay," she explains in a stage whisper for your benefit. "Besides, it does not really fit the theme, does it? Gory and delightfully disgusting, yes, but scary? Certainly not."
  1406. >"And it's not a monster movie," Pinkie mumbles through a mouthful of blackened popcorn. "We gotta watch a monster movie!"
  1407. >"Fine," Dash grunts. "I just wanted to watch something new, you know?"
  1408. >"Oh, do not worry about that," Rarity titters, daintily covering her mouth as she laughs. "I can assure you that the *next* movie will be a fresh experience."
  1409. >She giggles louder at her friend's disappointed moan -
  1410. >They ARE friends, right?
  1411. > - and shivers theatrically.
  1412. >"Anon, could you be a dear and pass me one of those blankets?"
  1413. >Oh.
  1414. >You hadn't noticed, but Twilight had dropped both of them there.
  1415. >She seems rather unapologetic about it, too - she only shrugs when you glare at her.
  1416. >With a sigh, you grab the top one -
  1417. >"The knit, if you don't mind?" Rarity asks, smiling apologetically.
  1418. >Nevermind.
  1419. >You grab the *other* blanket - the knit one - and.... meh, you'll probably knock over all the open bottles and glasses and everything if you throw it.
  1420. >One of the corners will snag something and make a mess.
  1421. >You just know it.
  1422. >And so you stand and carry it over to the girl to drape it around her shoulders.
  1423. >Of course you do it wrong, because Rarity is immediately adjusting it and pulling it around and tucking herself, turning herself into a Rarity Burrito with only her head, the tips of her feet, and one hand exposed.
  1424. >A hand that grabs yours as you try go back to your seat.
  1425. >She doesn't say anything, just gives it a quick squeeze before letting you go.
  1426. >Maybe - maybe you should *thank* Twilight.
  1427. >Somewhat reluctantly, you return to your seat - her face is beaming with such satisfaction you don't quite want to walk those few steps away.
  1428. >"What're you looking so happy about?" Dash snarls at her. "I know you get to pick the next one! You don't have to be so smug about it!"
  1429. >She sighs loudly and throws herself back in her seat and making the entire sofa shudder.
  1430. >"I bet it's going to suck," she mumbles loudly when Rarity doesn't dignify her with a response. "Can we at least start Army of Darkness now?"
  1431. >"What about Fluttershy and AJ?" Twilight asks distractedly, fidgiting in her chair - she tries to cross her legs, but stops partway and snaps them together.
  1432. >Probably worried that she might accidently flash her panties in that skimpy dress.
  1433. >"Well, Anon?" Pinkie asks, deferring to you.
  1434. >As it should be.
  1435. >This *is* your house, after all.
  1436. >Well, your parents' house, but close enough.
  1437. >"Let's start it!" Dash urges you. "Come on!"
  1438. "No. We wait."
  1439. >She screams in frustration - or is it horror?
  1440. >"Fine!" the athlete shouts, leaping to her feet and pointing at your favorite chair. "We're at least going to do something about that, right!?"
  1441. >For someone so very lazy, she just can't chill, can she?
  1442. >Always has to be doing something, even if it's slacking off.
  1443. >But now? With no work to do and nothing to slack off from?
  1444. >It's driving her nuts.
  1445. >"I am afraid it has already soaked in," Rarity sighs without even looking at the stain. She's too happy and snug in her blanket, you think. "Not much that can be done about it now. Certainly nothing effective."
  1446. >"Well, actually -"
  1447. >"Hydrogen peroxide!" Dash yells at the fashionista, her voice drowning out Twilight's.
  1448. "What?"
  1449. >"Hydrogen peroxide will get that out!" Dash repeats, smiling smugly. "Go get some, Anon!"
  1450. >If it works, that's one less thing for you to get in trouble over, so why the hell not?
  1451. "Sure. Be right back."
  1452.  
  1453.  
  1454. >There should be some in the bathroom with the rest of the first aid stuff.
  1455. >You’ll just slip in and nab it.
  1456. >And check on AJ. She was acting like it was nothing, but they’ve been gone a while.
  1457. >Might be more serious.
  1458. >You *almost* feel guilty. Less guilty than you would if you’d found the axe when you were looking for it earlier, though.
  1459. >Yeah, that would have been bad.
  1460. >Good thing all you found was some change.
  1461. >And with that thought, you’re now the one finding yourself blocked by a closed door.
  1462. “Hey, AJ?”
  1463. >You knock on the door.
  1464. >No clue why it would be closed, but who knows what’s going on in there.
  1465. “AJ?”
  1466. >Another knock.
  1467. ”Fluttershy?”
  1468. >You try the handle.
  1469. >Locked.
  1470. “Anyone!?”
  1471. >There’s a muffled groan, a few thumps, a click, and the door opens a hair.
  1472. >Just wide enough for you to see a wisp of pink hair and a single blue eye.
  1473. >”Oh, um, sorry, but…”
  1474. “Everything okay?”
  1475. >”No,” Fluttershy answers quickly. “Yes.”
  1476. “Well?”
  1477. >”Everything’s fine.”
  1478. “So I can come in?”
  1479. >”No.”
  1480. “Um…”
  1481. >”Sorry, but… I… um…”
  1482. “I kind of need to get the peroxide.”
  1483. >”Oh!” she gasps. “For the stain! Of course!”
  1484. >She shuts the door in your face and you can hear the click of the lock.
  1485. >Weird.
  1486. >There’s another click after only a few seconds and the door opens again, just wide enough for her to slip the bottle through.
  1487. >”Here,” she mumbles. “Sorry it took so long…”
  1488. “Not a problem, but why couldn’t I come in?”
  1489. >”I… um… Applejack had to take her shorts off so I could properly bandage her.”
  1490. >Oh.
  1491. >Yeah.
  1492. >Makes sense.
  1493. >You can totally understand why she’d want the door locked.
  1494. “Sorry, AJ!”
  1495. >”She’s… um… we’ll be out in a minute,” Fluttershy says, shutting the door on you again.
  1496. >Hrm.
  1497. >Whatever.
  1498. >You got what you came for.
  1499. >And when you return to the living room and shove it into Dash’s hands, it works wonders, clearing up the blood almost instantly.
  1500. “I can’t believe that worked.”
  1501. >”Really?” Twilight snarks, one eyebrow raised.
  1502. >”Yeah, you should know better than to doubt me,” Dash smirks at you, totally misinterpreting the egghead’s comment.
  1503. “But why would you even know that?”
  1504. >”Oh come on,” she laughs. “You should know why! I have to clean blood out of my clothes on a pretty regular basis!”
  1505. >Free bleeder?
  1506. “Gross. I didn’t need to hear that.”
  1507. >”From *sports*, you dingdong!” Pinkie explains with a giggle. “Besides, isn’t it common knowledge?”
  1508. >”It *is*,” Rarity agrees, but with a slight frown. “But I still think you should just get the thing reupholstered, since it probably reached the padding.”
  1509. >She blinks at you innocently.
  1510. >You have no idea how a blink can portray innocence, but it does.
  1511. >”Besides,” she says sweetly, “that fabric’s pattern is *horrid*.”
  1512. >It kind of is.
  1513. “But if we did that, we’d have to get all of the others redone, too, so they’d match.”
  1514. >”I know.”
  1515. >She gives you a victorious little grin.
  1516.  
  1517.  
  1518.  
  1519. “Fine, I’ll ask about – oh, welcome back!”
  1520. >The questor’s have returned, though Applejack seems to be leaning awfully hard on Fluttershy.
  1521. “Are you *sure* you’re okay, AJ?”
  1522. >”Yeah,” she mumbles. “M’fine.”
  1523. >”I don’t know,” Twilight says, almost sounding concerned. No, you’re being overly harsh – she actually does seem like she’s worried for her friend, going so far as to help her into her seat and pressing her hand to the side of her friend’s neck.
  1524. >”You’re looking kind of grey and your pulse is weak,” she says, shifting to check on the bandage Fluttershy had applied. “I’m starting to worry that you might have gone into shock.”
  1525. >”Ah *said* Ah’m fine!”
  1526. >The cowgirl slaps at her friend’s hands, driving Twilight back to her seat.
  1527. >”Don’t worry,” Fluttershy tells her, coming over to sit down beside you. “She’ll be okay, though it couldn’t hurt to elevate her legs or get her a blanket…”
  1528. >”I’ll be right back!”
  1529. >Twilight is gone in a flash – shit, she really *does* care, doesn’t she?
  1530. >At least she already knows where to find one.
  1531. >Fluttershy, on the other hand, doesn't seem to give a damn.
  1532. >She's snuggling up to your side with legs curled up under herself.
  1533. >If she cared at all, she would have given up her blanket for AJ instead of pulling it over herself - and you.
  1534. >Huh.
  1535. >Okay then.
  1536. >That's enough for you to feel comfortable cuddling back.
  1537. >You slide your arm around her waist and pull her closer - and nope, you were wrong.
  1538. >Fluttershy jerks away from you, scowling as sadly as humanly possible before yanking the blanket up to cover her nose.
  1539. "Sorry."
  1540. >Maybe she'll forgive you.
  1541. >Or maybe she was just surprised.
  1542. >Yeah, hopefully that.
  1543. >"No, it's okay," Fluttershy mumbles into the cloth, "but could you, um, could you maybe wash your neck...?"
  1544. >Oh, right, the garlic.
  1545. >"Yeah, you *do* kinda smell like a cheap Italian restaurant," Dash agrees with a cruel smile. "Instant turnoff."
  1546. >"Indeed," Rarity agrees. "What is it about high school boys that makes them think those kinds of places will impress us? That's why I *always* choose the restaurant."
  1547. >She shudders slightly in her blankety cocoon.
  1548. >"At least, I do *now*," she adds, winking at you, "though I do make an exception from time to time."
  1549. "Fine, point taken."
  1550. >It's not like you'll be holding things up. Not much, anyway, since Twilight still hasn't come back with that blanket for AJ.
  1551. >In fact, she isn't in the hallway, either. Dammit, what the hell is it about your bedroom that she finds so enthralling?
  1552. >You wash up in the bathroom before heading back to your room. Even if she passed by while you were in the bathroom, you could probably stand to change your shirt. It doesn't smell of garlic - you don't think, anyway - but you might as well.
  1553. >Just in case.
  1554. >To no surprise, Twilight is still in your room, a heavy comforter held in both arms.
  1555. "Well? You found it."
  1556. >"Not yet," she mumbles, only half-hearing what you said. She doesn't look up, continuing to search your floor for something. "I can't find them anywhere."
  1557. "Um. You're *holding* one."
  1558. >"What?"
  1559. >Her head snaps up and her eyes widen to anime-like proportions.
  1560. >"What."
  1561. "Um. A blanket. For AJ. You're holding one."
  1562. >"Oh, right! Right!"
  1563. "So, could you make get the hell out?"
  1564. >"Why?" Twilight asks in an insultingly suspicious tone.
  1565. >She really needs to stop skipping her meds.
  1566. "Because I was going to change."
  1567. >She doesn't budge.
  1568. >Fuck it.
  1569. >It's only a shirt.
  1570. >"What the hell are you doing!?" she hisses when you begin pulling it off.
  1571. "Like I said, changing."
  1572. >You throw the old shirt on the floor, where it belongs.
  1573. >Twilight doesn't say another word.
  1574. >Nor does she leave.
  1575. "Maybe I'll change my pants too. Swap out these jeans for some PJ bot -"
  1576. >Oh, that does it, sending the girl walking out stiffly, but quickly, while very obviously NOT looking your direction.
  1577. >She pulls the door shut behind her.
  1578. >Good.
  1579. >Because you were serious about those PJs.
  1580. >If only you could find them.
  1581. "Dammit, where the fuck did I leave those...?"
  1582. >"They're not on the floor!" Twilight yells from the other side of the door. "DON'T LOOK ON THE FLOOR!"
  1583. >Fucking weirdo.
  1584. >Why would (mostly) clean clothes go on the floor?
  1585. >You find them tangled up in your sheets, and with the addition of a clean shirt from your closet you feel somewhat presentable.
  1586. >Meh, you're still more dressed than any of the girls, besides Pinkie. Maybe. You have no idea what she has on under those robes.
  1587. >Twilight is still waiting outside your door and tries to slip back in as soon as you open it - so you grab her by the shoulders and physically guide her back towards the living room.
  1588. >She doesn't resist, besides the soft whimper of a guilty puppy.
  1589. "Stop it."
  1590. >You shake her until the sound stops.
  1591. "AJ needs you, so stop trying to sneak away."
  1592. >"Oh. Right."
  1593. >She pulls free from you and practically sprints back down the rest of the hall - by the time you catch up, she has the comforter draped around her friend and is finishing up tucking in the corners.
  1594. >Looks like she has everything under control, so you push past her and make for your spot beside Fluttershy.
  1595. >Weird that she's still sitting there, grinning at you.
  1596. >Shouldn't she be fussing over AJ?
  1597. >Meh, Fluttershy is the one that bandaged her up and probably has a better idea of her friend's condition than any of you.
  1598. >If she's acting like this, then AJ will be just fine.
  1599. >Hopefully.
  1600. >She doesn't *look* particularly fine, though a bit of color is starting to return to her cheeks.
  1601. >"Don't worry, she'll be okay," Fluttershy reassures you, seeing your gaze lingering on the cowgirl. "I have a lot of experience with that kind of thing."
  1602. "Because you're always taking care of injured animals?"
  1603. >She stares at you blankly for a second before nodding.
  1604. >Yeah, that was a pretty stupid question to ask, because what the fuck else could she have meant?
  1605. >Satisfied with AJ's condition, Twilight slumps into her seat and gestures towards the tv.
  1606. >Right, everyone's ready.
  1607. >"What are we watching?" Fluttershy asks, snuggling up to you again, followed by a happy little sigh.
  1608. "Army of Darkness. You're lucky, it was almost Cannibal Holocaust."
  1609. >You jump in surprise as she growls softly.
  1610. >"But it doesn't really fit, you know?" Pinkie chimes in. "Not a monster flick or horror film."
  1611. >"I disagree," Fluttershy answers, staring at her friend angrily. "There are *plenty* of monsters in that movie."
  1612. >”Oh, darling, no!” Rarity gasps, shaking her head and sending her curls to bouncing around her head. “They may be cannibals, but they are still human!”
  1613. >”I know.”
  1614. >There’s a deep and ominous silence that stretches on just a little too long – you’re tempted to speak up, or just reach for the remote and just start the movie, but thankfully Twilight does it for you.
  1615. >The speaking up bit, not the movie.
  1616. >Bless her little sperg heart.
  1617. >”Actually, I totally get where you’re coming from,” she says to Fluttershy, nodding slightly. “From what I’ve heard, it sounds pretty similar to Apocalypse Now in that –“
  1618. >You gently push Fluttershy away and reach for the remote – well, you *try* to, but she’s so tensed up, it’s like pushing against a mountain. Luckily, you’re able to reach it anyway with a bit of stretching.
  1619. >” – well, anyway, both films explore the darkness inherent in –“
  1620. >This isn’t going to stop.
  1621. >Twilight never does, unless someone makes her.
  1622. >So you start the movie.
  1623. >” – I should probably watch them both to do a proper comparison, but –“
  1624. >And crank up the volume.
  1625. >That shuts her up.
  1626. >So why is she smiling?
  1627. >No mistake about it, she’s acting like she won or something, leaning back in the chair and happily munching from the bowl of popcorn in her lap.
  1628. >After a bit, Fluttershy does the same, though in place of a chair, she’s leaning against you, and instead of happily munching from your bowl of popcorn that you offer her, she’s eyeing it suspiciously.
  1629. >”Oh, go on,” Rarity whispers loudly to her. “You haven’t eaten a single thing and you’re insulting our host. Keep this up and he might just throw us all out!”
  1630. >She yelps when Pinkie smacks her upside the head and hisses wordlessly – but with unmistakable meaning: the movie has started, so shut the fucking fuck up you worthless shiteating cumdumpster!
  1631. >That might not be and exact word-for-word translation of the gesture, but it’s pretty damn close in intent.
  1632. >Well, you’ve had enough popcorn for now, and Fluttershy isn’t going to have any so you pull it away from her and set it on the sidetable – leaving the girl with a single piece of popcorn trapped between her thumb and forefinger.
  1633. “Oh, sorry, did you –“
  1634. >She shakes her head and starts nibbling on her popcorn like a squirrel on a nut.
  1635. >Well, if she’s happy with just that, who are you to argue?
  1636. >Instead, you try to relax and enjoy the film – and that’s surprisingly easy to do. The comforting warmth of the girl pressed against you makes your worries melt away – most of them, anyway.
  1637. >Unable to forget what happened last time you tried to return her cuddling, you keep your right arm on the back of the loveseat.
  1638. >At least, that’s where you’re keeping it for… maybe the first ten (fifteen?) minutes of the movie, until a geyser of blood makes Fluttershy jump and grasp your hand.
  1639. >Without a moment’s hesitation, she pulls your arm over her collarbone, leaving your hand in a very confusing and precarious position just shy of her shoulder and only slightly above the neckline of her dress. If your hand accidentally strays…
  1640. >Thankfully, her hand is clasped over yours, so you don’t have to worry about that, or that you’ve already crossed some line. After all, if she’s holding it in place, that must mean she wants it there, right?
  1641. >Her earlier reaction must have just been from surprise – or the smell.
  1642. >Whatever it was, Fluttershy is happily snuggling up to you now.
  1643. >Unlike AJ, this girl is soft in all the right places - and unlike AJ, the rhythm of her breathing is in tune with yours. With your arm clasped over her chest, you can feel it rise and fall in perfect time with your own, broken only by her occasional giggling fit.
  1644. >It's just too comfortable to move, which is almost annoying because you're starting to get really thirsty.
  1645. >But if go to pour yourself something, you'll have to get up to reach it, and right now that seems impossible.
  1646. >Kind of like getting out of bed on a cold winter morning. Theoretically it can be done, but the practical says otherwise.
  1647. >Well, at some point she'll get thirsty and you can pour something for both of you, except she never does. Or at least, she never says anything.
  1648. >You try to catch Rarity's attention - maybe she can get you something - but the girl is focused wholly on the movie and your gesturing does nothing.
  1649. >Practically nothing.
  1650. >One of them catches Pinkie's eye and she glances over - you point to one of the soda bottles and she nods.
  1651. >Fuck yeah.
  1652. >Another giggling fit from Fluttershy pulls your attention away from Pinkie - oh, right, the three books - and you look back just in time to see her set down your glass on the corner of the coffee table, just the perfect spot for you to grab it without having to move anything more than your arm.
  1653. >You nod your thanks and take a sip.
  1654. >This... is weird.
  1655. >It tastes weird.
  1656. >Maybe the soda went bad...?
  1657. >Not that you don't like the flavor, but Dr Pepper isn't supposed to taste like this.
  1658. >You almost say something, but Pinkie holds up one of Rarity's bottles before you can. She gives it a little shake and smiles diabolically at you.
  1659. >Shit.
  1660. >She spiked your drink.
  1661. >Meh.
  1662. >It still tastes good, so you take another sip before setting it back on the table and giving her a thumbs up.
  1663. >With your parched throat addressed, you reach over your shoulder and blindly grab a handful of popcorn from the bowl on the side table, followed by another sip from your glass - a pattern that repeats itself over and over, broken only once by you offering a handful to Fluttershy, just in case she wants some.
  1664. >You don't say anything - if you did, Pinkie's retribution would surely follow. Instead, you hold the popcorn in front of her face.
  1665. >Not blocking her line of sight, of course, but close enough that you hope she'll see it and realize your intent.
  1666. >She does - her head dips to stare at your hand - shit, making her miss one of the best scenes in the movie.
  1667. >You're about to pull your hand back when she gives a little shudder and dips her head. Her tongue flicks across your palm -
  1668. >Kinky.
  1669. >- snatching up a single piece of popcorn out of your hand.
  1670. >Oh.
  1671. >Well, if that's how she wants to eat it...
  1672. >You keep your hand there, expecting her to lick up another piece, because she doesn't look away - at least, her head doesn't move. You can't exactly see her face with her sitting like this.
  1673. >Fluttershy shudders again, a slight vibration that sets your whole body to tingling.
  1674. >Falteringly, as if trying hold herself back for some bizarre reason, her head dips down again.
  1675. >Why the hell would she be hesitant?
  1676. >If you didn't want her to have it, you wouldn't have offered, and it's not as if it's made of any cute little animals.
  1677. >She whines wordlessly, her mouth right above your hand.
  1678. >Oh.
  1679. "Thisty?"
  1680. >You're regretting asking even as the word comes out of your mouth.
  1681. >Pinkie is going to -
  1682. >The girl grins sheepishly when you glance in her direction - and catch her refilling your glass.
  1683. > - do nothing, apparently, unless giving you more to drink is supposed to be a punishment.
  1684. >You turn your attention back to Fluttershy. She hasn't answered, but her head has dipped even lower. She takes a deep breath, stuttering breath - one out of sync with your own - and sighs.
  1685. >You can feel the air rushing over your wrist, followed by what feels like a feather gently - wetly - being dragged across it.
  1686. >Her tongue, you assume.
  1687. >You give her a little shake.
  1688. "Hey?"
  1689. >Her head snaps up at your voice.
  1690. "Do you want anything to drink?"
  1691. >She starts to nod, but halfway through the gesture starts shaking her head vehemently instead.
  1692. "Any more popcorn?"
  1693. >"No," she moans softly, "please. Please don't make me..."
  1694. >Oh.
  1695. >Well, now you feel like a bit of a cunt.
  1696. >Maybe she's on a diet or something.
  1697. >Or just too nervous to eat or drink anything - she *is* Fluttershy, after all.
  1698. >Yeah, that makes since.
  1699. "Sorry, of course you don't have to."
  1700. >Fluttershy's body doesn't untense until you pull your hand away.
  1701. >You didn't notice just how rigid her body had become until it suddenly *isn't* and she sinks back into you.
  1702. >Okay, that was weird.
  1703. >Apparently, you can safely add popcorn to the list of things Fluttershy is deathly afraid of.
  1704. >You try to put it out of your mind and just enjoy the movie, but it's hard.
  1705. >It's just too weird.
  1706. >Almost as weird as the car/lawnmower/re-deadifier that just showed up in the movie.
  1707. >As it smashes through the ranks of skeletons, Fluttershy giggles and squeezes your hand - the one she's holding in place over her collarbone.
  1708. >Fuck it, it's not like you were ever going to get a girl that wasn't at least a little weird.
  1709. >Okay, that's a *little* presumptuous - maybe she just enjoys cuddling with random guys - but you can't stop your brain from going there.
  1710. >She's cute enough that you want her, and just weird enough to not be *completely* out of your league. Not completely. Not in your imagination, at least. Not like Rarity - even if she has - or more likely *had* - a crush on you, she's just too perfect for anything to ever work out.
  1711. >But this girl right here?
  1712. >The one laughing in your arms?
  1713. >Yeah.
  1714. >Maybe.
  1715. >So what if Fluttershy is a little weird? You can deal with weird. *You* are weird.
  1716. >Hell, maybe... maybe that's why she's here.
  1717. >Oh crap, everything you overheard back at the school - everything that convinced you they were vampires...
  1718. >They're trying to set her up with you. She's never had a boyfriend - or a girlfriend. (The rumor mill was *very* certain about that last part.)
  1719. >That's why AJ said she wasn't supposed to do anything serious with you.
  1720. >That's why Rarity said it was too late for her.
  1721. >And if it doesn't work out... well, like the girls said earlier, you're "only Anon."
  1722. >It's not like anyone will believe a word you say about the girls, not if they say otherwise. Fluttershy's reputation as the pure, chaste innocent will remain intact.
  1723. >That's the kind of stupid shit high school girls do, right?
  1724. >Somehow, you don't mind it.
  1725. >Fluttershy jumps in surprise as... as *something* happens on the TV.
  1726. >Whatever caused it eludes you. Though you're pulled out of that stream of thought, the scene flickers away just as your eyes come up.
  1727. >Oh, the movie is almost over?
  1728. >That was fast.
  1729. >Crap, which version are you watching - the theatrical or one of the special cuts?
  1730. >Whichever it is, you'll find out soon. Not much runtime left and the big difference is in the ending, so...
  1731. >Fluttershy jumps again and suddenly you don't care anymore.
  1732. >She's slumping back down a little less with each surprise, and now - now, if your head just slightly -
  1733. >Her hair smells of flowers.
  1734. >No big surprise, but it isn't the overpowering fake stench of most shampoos.
  1735. >You use whatever happens to be in your bathroom, regardless of what the hell it is, so you'd know.
  1736. >This is more subtle, more *real*.
  1737. >Maybe it's the slight undertone of freshly cut grass that does it?
  1738. >You breathe in her scent again, and try to convince yourself that this isn't creepy at all.
  1739. >Sniffing a girl's hair?
  1740. >Nah.
  1741. >After all, she - well - fuck - okay, it's creepy.
  1742. >Not Twilight Sparkle level creepy, but you have more dignity than this.
  1743. >Well, you can *pretend* you do.
  1744. >At least you aren’t feeling Fluttershy up – though to be fair, you can’t really. Not with that deathgrip she has on you, pinning your hand in place just… below… her collarbone, on the gentle slope of her bust.
  1745. >You could have sworn that was higher up earlier.
  1746. >Oh, good, you’re watching the theatrical cut.
  1747. >Fluttershy gives another little screech and twitch as the last of the undead show up and – ah – she’s pressed against you so hard she can’t help but sit up straighter, but her hand doesn’t move, dragging yours further down the soft incline. One more scare, and – and – credits aren’t particularly scary.
  1748. >Still…
  1749. >Shit, why did you put of PJ bottoms?
  1750. >You’re lucky the lights are off.
  1751. >With a groan, Dash pushes herself to her feet and wobbles over to flick on the lights.
  1752. >You’re lucky Fluttershy’s blanket covers both of you.
  1753. >It slips free as the girl stretches and yawns, pulling your hand down to -
  1754. >Twilight’s eyes flare wide open at the sight of your hand clasp on her friend’s breast.
  1755. >Well, this is awkward – and made all the more so by her sly smile – an expression shared by all of the other girls.
  1756. >*Most* of the other girls.
  1757. >AJ is still a little out of it, though she has a glass of water – you *hope* that’s water – clutched firmly in one hand. She just looks confused.
  1758. >Rarity looks… dissatisfied…?
  1759. “Fluttershy? Think you can let go?”
  1760. >”Let go…?” she mumbles, look at her friends in confusion. “Let go of what?”
  1761. “My hand. Please?”
  1762. >”Hmm?”
  1763. >She doesn’t release her grip on you.
  1764. >Fuck it.
  1765. >Not like this can get any *more* awkward, right?
  1766. >You squeeze.
  1767. >Gently, of course.
  1768. >You expect her to scream and leap out of the loveseat, not to groan and slowly pull her hand free of yours.
  1769. >”Okay,” she mumbles, pulling away from you slightly – and dragging the blanket with her, revealing the tenting of your pants to everyone in the room.
  1770. >Well.
  1771. >You were wrong.
  1772. >Things *could* get more awkward.
  1773. >Pinkie’s giggling is the final straw, sending you leaping to your feet.
  1774. “BE RIGHT BACK. GOING TO THE BATHROOM!”
  1775. >”Need to rub one out?” Dash sniggers as you lurch past.
  1776. >Bitch.
  1777. “No, need to go to the bathroom.”
  1778. >It’s not a lie, just a convenient truth.
  1779. >You think you had more to drink than you thought.
  1780. >A possibility that leads to confusing strings of thought like that and a slight difficulty in putting one foot in front of the other properly.
  1781. “What the hell was that drink, Pinkie?”
  1782. >”Just Dr Pepper and cake vodka,” she answers cheerfully, holding up the bottle for you to see. “Pretty mellow, isn’t it?”
  1783. >Vodka comes in cake?
  1784. >Huh.
  1785. >You shrug and stumble into the hallway, chased by Dash’s shrill laughter.
  1786. >Fuck her.
  1787. >Actually, you’d rather not. Well, you would, but not if any of her friends were – okay, so, maybe this is what being tipsy feels like?
  1788. >Well, it’s not too bad.
  1789. >Better than that, really. You’re able to hit the target with a stiffy and two wobbly legs, so you upgrade that to “fucking awesome” status before shuffling back out to – oh, wait, back in to wash your hands – okay, back out into the hallway, passing a very amused looking Pinkie Pie.
  1790. >”Don’t worry,” she reassures you. “I’ll make you something even better as soon as I get out of the little girl’s room!”
  1791. “We don’t have a – oh, right.”
  1792. >She giggles and skips into the bathroom – and you head back towards the living room.
  1793. >Rarity and Rainbow Dash seem to be in the middle of a heated argument, though one so quiet you can’t hear a word they say. Dash probably didn’t like her friend’s pick, you guess. So much so that the athlete abandons the sofa to get away from Rarity and throws herself into the loveseat next to Fluttershy.
  1794. >So why is she smiling?
  1795. >More importantly, where the hell are you supposed to sit now…?
  1796. >”Oh, Anon…?” Rarity calls out, slipping a hand free of her blanket to pat the sofa. “I am *so* very cold; do you think you could help warm me up?”
  1797. “But –“
  1798. >There’s no room on the loveseat for you. Not unless Fluttershy sat in your lap, which you’d be pretty okay with.
  1799. “Well –“
  1800. >With a savage grin, Dash turns sideways and stretches out the whole length of the loveseat, with her head on the arm and her legs across Fluttershy’s lap.
  1801. “I guess.”
  1802. >You stumble over towards the sofa and slam your shin into the coffee table.
  1803. >Totally on accident, of course.
  1804. >Or was it?
  1805. >Whichever it is, the impact sets the bottles to teetering perilously – and nearly knocks your hatchet off.
  1806. >You should probably put that away, or at least clean it off.
  1807. >Meh.
  1808. >Later.
  1809. >Carefully stepping *around* the table (since trying to go *through* didn’t work out), you slump down next to Rarity.
  1810. >”Here,” she says gently, pushing a peanut butter cup into your hand. “I managed to save this for you.”
  1811. >She is your very best friend.
  1812. >As you fumble with the wrapper, she leans against you, resting her head on your shoulder.
  1813. >”I am happy you think that way,” she purrs.
  1814. “Did I say that out loud?”
  1815. >”Mhm,” she moans. “Now how about you slip under this blanket and –“
  1816. >”Rarity!” Twilight snaps at her suddenly. “You agreed!”
  1817. >”And though it pains me to say it,” the pale girl answers, wrapping her arm around yours, “I now believe I was wrong to do so.”
  1818. >Agreed?
  1819. >To what?
  1820. >Oooooh, you finally got the wrapper open!
  1821. >Delicious peanut butter cups belong in your mouth!
  1822. >”Well, that ain’t too generous of you,” AJ grumbles. “Ain’t too generous at all.”
  1823. >”No, it isn’t,” Pinkie agrees as she comes back into the room. “And NOBODY –“
  1824. >”I never promised,” Rarity cuts her off smugly. “I only agreed that it might be a good idea.”
  1825. “Do I get a say in this…?”
  1826. >”Do you know what we’re talking about?” Twilight snaps at you.
  1827. “Not really.”
  1828. >”Then no.”
  1829. “Aww.”
  1830. >Pinkie stares at you for a second before bursting into laughter.
  1831. >”Why not!?” she chuckles, hopping over to the loveseat and grabbing Dash by the ankles. With one smooth motion that leaves the athlete screeching in surprise, Pinkie throws her friend to the ground and sits in her place. “Go on, Fluttershy!”
  1832. >She gestures to the empty space on the sofa beside you.
  1833. >”No,” Fluttershy mumbles, hiding behind her blanket again. “It’s okay, I don’t want to hurt anybody –“
  1834. >”GO!”
  1835. >In the blink of an eye, she’s sitting beside you.
  1836. >”Sorry,” the girl whispers to her friend – or is it to you? – who answers with a tense smile.
  1837. >Somehow, this manages to be more awkward than anything that came before.
  1838. "So... everyone ready to start the movie?"
  1839. >"Almost," Dash growls, pulling herself back onto the loveseat and glaring at Pinkie. "Just need a drink first."
  1840. >"Feel free," her friend says absentmindedly, jerking her head towards the table. Neither of them make a move for the bottles.
  1841. >You chuckle nervously, because what else are you going to do?
  1842. "What are we watching, Rarity?"
  1843. >It's her turn to pick, if you remember correctly.
  1844. >"Aliens," she sighs, snuggling up to you and trying to ignore the eyes of the other girls on her.
  1845. "Really?"
  1846. >"Mhm."
  1847. >That seems a little out of place. You expected a musical or some old black-and-white film. Maybe a love story, something like Twilight - no, you take that back. Creature from the Black Lagoon is a better love story than Twilight.
  1848. >"Sounds more like something Rainbow Dash would pick," Pinkie comments far too casually. "Rarity, could I see you in the... um... in the kitchen for just a tinsy bit?"
  1849. >"Dammit!" Dash groans and punches the arm of the loveseat. "Can't we just watch the damn movie?"
  1850. >"In a minute, darling," Rarity answers, untangling herself from you and stepping away. "I just have to have a little talk with our friend -"
  1851. >"Oh, and I need to go do... something!" Twilight shouts, practically vaulting over the back of her chair and dashing for the hallway.
  1852. >Pinkie and Rarity follow, but turn the opposite direction - you hope they bring back snacks - leaving just you alone with... a decent number of girls.
  1853. "Thirsty, Fluttershy?"
  1854. >You are, and your glass seems to be empty again.
  1855. >Weird how that keeps happening.
  1856. >She whines softly and stands.
  1857. >"I think I'll... I'll check on AJ," she answers, helping the other girl to her feet.
  1858. "Can't you do that here?"
  1859. >Fluttershy shakes her head, not turning to meet your eyes.
  1860. >"I... I need to check under the bandage..."
  1861. >"Ah'm fine," AJ mumbles, but that's the only resistance she gives as her friend carries her out.
  1862. >Now it's just you and Dash, and she seems to be even less pleased about that than you.
  1863. >"Fucking son of a cockgobbling whorebitch!" she screeches, slamming her balled fist into the loveseats arm again and again. "I agreed to all this bullshit because I thought we'd be watching some fucking movies!"
  1864. "We are, aren't we?"
  1865. >"Yeah, I guess, but THOSE fuckers -" she barely pauses to fling her hand out towards the hallway in an accusatory gesture " - are way more interested in getting Flutters laid. I mean, Rarity *did* go a little far, but, shit, we're *supposed* to tease you a bit so... um..."
  1866. "Go on."
  1867. >"Well, *I* just think we should let her," Dash huffs, crossing her arms over her chest angrily. "It's not like Fluttershy couldn't get any guy she wanted, but Rarity..."
  1868. >She trails off with uncharacteristic uncertainty.
  1869. >Is she implying Rarity *couldn't* get anyone she wanted? *That* girl? Bullshit.
  1870. "I think you have that backwards."
  1871. >The athlete snorts once - an abbreviated laugh that makes you feel like an idiot.
  1872. >"Yeah, sure," Dash sneers. "Whatever. Pour me a drink."
  1873. >Hell, why not?
  1874. >You want something more to drink, too, so you scan the table.
  1875. >Soda, clear bottle, green bottle, soda, hatchet - you really should put that way at some point - red bottle, soda, AJ's bottle...
  1876. >You grab several different bottles and pour them into a glass. You have no idea what you're doing, so she can be your test subject.
  1877. >"Seriously?" she snarls when you try to hand it to her. "Normally you're supposed to add a mixer, not just three different kinds of rum!"
  1878. >Still, she takes it from you and has a small sip. A brief look of curiosity flashes across her face and she doesn't spit it out.
  1879. >Always a good sight.
  1880. >"Split it between two glasses and fill 'em with Sprite," Dash recommends, handing it back to you. "We don't want you *too* drunk, or you'll get whiskey dicked."
  1881. >You do as she suggests and take a sip for yourself.
  1882. >Not bad - you barely feel the burn at all.
  1883. >Maybe you should stick with water - after this one.
  1884. "Does Fluttershy know?"
  1885. >"How to mix drinks? Fuck no."
  1886. >Dumbass.
  1887. "No, about your plan."
  1888. >"You mean Twilight's plan," Dash corrects, leaning back in the loveseat with her drink. "I'm just here for the movies."
  1889. "But does she know?"
  1890. >"Prolly not," she answers with a shrug. "Maybe? I dunno."
  1891. >Maybe she does – maybe that’s why she’s been avoiding alcohol.
  1892. “Do you think –“
  1893. >”Shit, I don’t care,” Dash sighs. “This is Twilight’s baby, so ask her. Or grow a pair and ask Fluttershy.”
  1894. “Twilight?”
  1895. She’d said that before, too, but –
  1896. “*Not* Pinkie Pie?”
  1897. >”Pinkie planned everything, as much as ‘crash this random guy’s place and get wasted’ requires planning,” the girl explains – and then drains her glass. “Another.” She sets it on the table and shoves it your direction, expertly bouncing it off the maze of bottles to slide to a stop in front of you. “But yeah, it was Twi that came up with the details. You know, the who and when and all that.”
  1898. “Why?”
  1899. >”Because she’s the kind of spaz that loves to plan shit? Fuck, I don’t know.”
  1900. >She shrugs again and points to three different bottles than the ones you had used earlier – you think.
  1901. >”Try those – those two vodkas and the rum –“
  1902. “Which one?”
  1903. >There’s like… too fucking many varieties of rum on the table.
  1904. “The strawberry one.”
  1905. “With uh… cake and whipped cream vodka…?”
  1906. >”Yeah, and then Sprite, with a splash of grenadine.”
  1907. >Your hands hover over the bottles – you have no fucking idea what you’re doing.
  1908. >”Shit, just let me,” Dash huffs, leaning forward precariously and grabbing a handful of bottles off the table. Seconds later, you’ve got a brand new drink in your hand, one that fades from clear at the top to deep red at the bottom.
  1909. >Nifty.
  1910. >”Though maybe she has other reasons,” Dash volunteers out of fucking nowhere. “I mean, I asked her why the fuck we had to do this instead of just hanging on our own or something, but Twi said she owed Flutters, so… fuck, I dunno.”
  1911. >Ah, that makes sense. Twilight also being a neurotic mess makes sense, too, of course, but didn’t explain why she was focused on getting Fluttershy in your pants. Or you in her pants? Skirt? Dress? Skimpy costume.
  1912. >Yeah, that last one.
  1913. “Do you know what for?”
  1914. >Dash raises an eyebrow at you and takes another sip.
  1915. “Right, fuck, you don’t know.”
  1916. >”Aww, you learn so fast!”
  1917. >Hurray you.
  1918. >Maybe you’ll stake this one anyway. Just for the shits n’ giggles.
  1919. >You start looking around, trying to remember where you hid those damned things, but takes too long and you lose your chance when Fluttershy and AJ shuffle back into the room.
  1920. >”How ya doing, AJ?” Dash asks, sounding more than a little concerned.
  1921. >With good reason, as she’s lost her color again.
  1922. >”She’ll be fine,” Fluttershy answers for her friend, gently lowering her into her seat. “Her bandage was soaked through and I had to change it, but that’s only because she’s been drinking.”
  1923. “Huh?”
  1924. >”It’s basically a blood thinner, Anon,” she explains with a shy smile. “And on that note, you should probably stop drinking, yourself.”
  1925. “Oh, don’t want me whiskey dicked?”
  1926. >You didn’t just say that, did you?”
  1927. >Fuck, you did.
  1928. >Between Dash’s giggling and Fluttershy’s bright red cheeks, you must have.
  1929. >”N-no,” the girl stutters, circling around behind AJ’s chair like she could somehow hid behind it. “I just… well… no… it’s just not healthy, but… I mean, *that* isn’t any of my business –“ she looks down and her hair falls over her face “- and I overheard what Rainbow Dash said, and… and… I don’t want to hurt my friends…”
  1930. >”Awesome!” Dash cheers, pumping her fist in the air. “So Anon can fuck Rarity and we can watch some damn movies!”
  1931. >”But, well… I mean…”
  1932. >”DAMMIT, FLUTTERSHY!”
  1933. >The girl cowers at her friend’s shout.
  1934. >”Sorry,” she mumbles, “but I do think Anon is nice…”
  1935. >”Fine!” Dash barks at her. “Whatever! You and Rarity can share him for all I care! Fuck, he’d probably love a threesome with the two of you!”
  1936. “Probably.”
  1937. >"You aren't supposed to actually admit that," the athlete chuckles.
  1938. "Probably not."
  1939. >You give her a shrug - it's all you can do, as you seem to have run out of fucks to give.
  1940. >Also, your glass seems to be empty again, with only a hint of pale red staining the bottom.
  1941. >Damn.
  1942. "So, Twilight's plan is to get me drunk?"
  1943. >Meh, you'll let her win this time. Each new drink seems tastier than the last, which doesn't give you a heck of a lot of incentive to stop.
  1944. >Dash answers - but you don't really hear her words.
  1945. "She knows I don't have to be drunk to think Fluttershy is cute, right?"
  1946. >You don't know why just saying her name is enough to make Fluttershy squeak and duck behind AJ's chair.
  1947. >"Well, it didn't seem to hurt," the other girl chuckles. "I *really* doubt a beta like you would have made a move sober."
  1948. >Probably not, but you haven't drunk, either.
  1949. >Your head tilts to one side, partially to show your confusion, partially because holding it up really seems like it's not worth the effort right now.
  1950. >"You know," Dash sighs in exasperation. "Shit, how stupid are you?"
  1951. >She grabs a b-cup boobie with her free hand and gives it a little squeeze.
  1952. >Oh.
  1953. >That.
  1954. "I... um... well... I didn't... I mean - FLUTTERSHY PUT MY HAND THERE!"
  1955. >"Yeah, right," Dash scoffs with a roll of her eyes. "I call bullshit."
  1956. >"Um... actually..." A pale hand rises up behind the back of the chair as the word drifts away. "I kind of did."
  1957. "SEE!?"
  1958. >You gesture towards the hand with both of yours.
  1959. "I'M INNOCENT!"
  1960. >"Psh, as if it even matters to me," Dash grumbles. "I'm just here for the movies, so you two can fuck like rabbits for all I care."
  1961. >Her eyes narrow suddenly, harsh and unyielding.
  1962. >"Just don't ruin the movie," the athlete adds in a threatening tone, "so do it *quietly*."
  1963. >"Ooooh, that might be a tiny little problem!" Pinkie giggles, skipping into the room with a smoldering Twilight and Rarity in tow. Why the fuck are both of them angry?
  1964. >"Well, if they cover themselves with the blankets -"
  1965. >"Won't matter, Dashie," Pinkie argues, shaking her head. ", cuz she's a moaner!"
  1966. > - which Fluttershy helpfully demonstrates, though it sounds like it's fueled more by utter despair and humiliation than by anything akin to pleasure.
  1967. >"Besides..." Rarity steps around behind you, running a hand across your arms and shoulders as she circles around to take her place on your right.
  1968. >"Besides what?" Dash sighs after a second or to of expectant silence. "Or can we skip the fucking monologue and watch the damn movie? PLEASE!?"
  1969. >"Besides, Anon is a gentleman," Rarity snaps at her friends. "Isn't he?"
  1970. >Four pairs of eyes stare at you. Maybe five - you can't see through the veil of Fluttershy's hair. But definitely not six, as Applejack's head is listing to the right and she's beginning to snore.
  1971. "So, um, movie?"
  1972. >Rarity smiles in amusement and slides onto the sofa - and up against you.
  1973. >"Rarity!" Twilight hisses, her eyes darting between her and - "Pinkie!"
  1974. >"What?" the other girl asks with a helpless shrug. "She didn't promise."
  1975. >"GAH! EVERYONE'S RUINING EVERYTHING!"
  1976. >"Oh, do sit down, Twilight," Fluttershy tells her with a shy little grin. "You're ruining the movie."
  1977. >Um - oh, yup - Dash has the control in her hand and the screen has just gone black.
  1978. >She stretches back out across the length of the loveseat, balling up Fluttershy's abandoned blanket to use as a pillow.
  1979. >"Hurry up, faggots," she chuckles. "It's buffering, so you got like... three seconds to sit your asses down. By the way, Anon - your internet is crap. Someone get the lights."
  1980. >The shyest girl in all the land flips off the lights (before you can realize how she even got over to the switch) and is snuggling up to you on your left (before you figure out how the hell she made it back so quickly) in less time than it takes you to blink.
  1981. >"Fluttershy can take care of herself, Twily," Pinkie Pie says with disturbing conviction, crawling up under Dash's legs to take her seat in a bizarre display of agility and Tibetan body contortion techniques. "Ooops."
  1982. >With a painful thud, Dash falls to the ground - again.
  1983. >"Hey, what the - oh, fuck it, just give me that blanket and I'll - HEY!"
  1984. >She probably didn't intend for Pinkie to smack her right in the face with it, but doesn't complain beyond the initial shout of surprise.
  1985. >The movie *is* starting, after all.
  1986. >Sighing in defeat, Twilight flops into the empty chair - and sighs again.
  1987. >"What do I mix to get shitfaced enough to stop caring?" she asks, looking over the collection of bottles - and the hatchet - cluttering up the coffee table.
  1988. >You really should put that hatchet away.
  1989. >Tomorrow. First thing tomorrow.
  1990. >Yep.
  1991. >You'll do it then.
  1992. >"Anyone?" Twilight asks again. You try to lean forward to grab something, but Rarity latches on to one arm and Fluttershy the other, anchoring you in place.
  1993. >"Let me," the fashionista whispers into your ear. When you nod, she slowly releases her grip on you and pours her friend something.
  1994. >You have no idea what.
  1995. >It involved a lot of bottles and some stirring and turned out bright green.
  1996. "Xenomorph blood?"
  1997. >That gives her pause - until she adds a splash of something dark.
  1998. >"Curacao," she whispers. "It's an orange liquor."
  1999. "For the acidity?"
  2000. >"Mhm," she hums proudly and hands the drink off to her friend. "Would you like one?"
  2001. >Your first instinct is to say yes.
  2002. >Coincidently, that’s also the first word to almost pop out of your mouth, before a sudden tug on your left arm reminds you that SOME PEOPLE think you’ve had enough to drink.
  2003. >The motion spins your head around to face Fluttershy – you can’t help but stare into her sad eyes.
  2004. >Fucking momentum.
  2005. >She’s biting her lip in worry, her mouth clenched so tight that a bead of blood is welling up around the tip of one fang.
  2006. >”Then perhaps you, Fluttershy?” Rarity asks politely, ever the proper lady. “Would you like something to drink?”
  2007. >”More than you can imagine.”
  2008. >There’s something predatory in her voice that makes you shiver – or would, if she wasn’t holding on to you so tightly.
  2009. >”And you, Anon?” Rarity prompts.
  2010. “I think I’ll pass.”
  2011. >Sobriety suddenly seems like a good idea.
  2012. “Maybe some water, if –“
  2013. >Thrown fistfuls of cold popcorn bounce off your forehead and chest simultaneously.
  2014. >”Movie,” Pinkie and Dash growl in unison.
  2015. >Right. Dammit.
  2016. >Streaming certainly is handy, but DVDs have all those stupid previews that give the viewer plenty of time to fuck around.
  2017. >Now, you can’t even get yourself a fucking glass of water because the movie has started – and there’s a 90 to 115 pound anchor attached to your left arm stopping you from moving.
  2018. >Luckily, Rarity’s already jumping up to fetch you some water, giving you a nice view of her lithe – well, that doesn’t matter anymore. Another jerk from Fluttershy brings your eyes back to her, though the memory of Rarity’s pale legs lit up only by the light of the TV will be with you until the end of your days. But so will the sight that single drop of blood slowly trailing down Fluttershy’s chin. Something about it makes you want to lick it off – before your body instinctively cringes at the thought.
  2019. >That was gross.
  2020. >You shouldn’t be gross.
  2021. >There’s just enough slack in her grip for you to lean forward and grab a clean napkin – oh, um, a *mostly* clean napkin – for her to dab against her chin and lip. You’d do it yourself, but since she doesn’t seem to understand why you’re trying to hand it to her, you end up doing it yourself.
  2022. >NOT according to keikaku.
  2023. >Her eyes bug out at the first light touch, like she didn’t even realize your hand was anywhere near her face.
  2024. “You’re bleeding.”
  2025. >You try to speak as quietly as possible – from the lack of popcorn barrage, it was quiet enough to not disturb the two actually paying attention to the movie.
  2026. >The minor feeling of accomplishment is washed away by the utter futility of it; Fluttershy doesn’t understand until you hold the bloodied napkin up to her eyes.
  2027. >*That* gets one hell of a reaction from her, though.
  2028. >In the space of a heartbeat, she’s snatched the napkin from your hand and released your arm to huddle over at the far end of the sofa.
  2029. >She only actually gets about six or seven inches of space between the two of you, but it feels like a heck of a lot more.
  2030. >Your freedom is short lived, though, with Rarity latching onto your right side as soon as she’s returned. She takes a different approach than you expected – when she loops her fingers around your wrist, you assume she’s going to pull your arm around her shoulders. Maybe pull the same thing Fluttershy did earlier. That wouldn’t be so bad.
  2031. >But guiding it down around her waist?
  2032. >That is unexpected.
  2033. >So is Fluttershy returning to her place on your left, though she seems a little more subdued than she was earlier. No grabbing your arm and trying to rip it off. She seems content to restrict herself to intense, full-contact snuggles, and squirming about until you finally put your arm around her shoulders.
  2034. >For a second, you freak out internally, but the vicious tug-of-war you nervously anticipate never erupts. After a few more minutes, you actually bring yourself to relax and just enjoy things.
  2035. >There’s a good movie playing (even if it is mysteriously halfway finished somehow), you’ve got the cutest girl in CHS in one arm, the prettiest in the other, and a belly full of pizza and booze. Tasty, tasty booze.
  2036. >Yeah, this is turning out to be an okay night.
  2037. >With both of your arms occupied, you find it hard - impossible, actually - to pick up your glass. The water sits on the edge of the table, untouched. Instead, you find yourself sharing Rarity's drink; every few minutes she holds her glass up to your mouth for you to take a sip.
  2038. >Fluttershy starts offering you the water once she notices - and it doesn't take long, as she's paying more attention to you than... no, there's no than. She only has eyes for you.
  2039. >You have some difficulty deciding if that's creepy or flattering, before coming down on the side of flattering. Either way, it means she isn't jumping and screaming at every little thing.
  2040. >Too bad, because that was cute.
  2041. >She only turns that way at a particularly loud screech from Pinkie as the first of the facehuggers attack. Fluttershy gives a little shout and nearly spills the water all over you - her stuttered apology dies on her lips at your amused smile.
  2042. >After that, she seems to pay more attention to the movie, twitching at every scary moment and dark corridor.
  2043. >The other girl, however, never seems to let her attention waver. Aside from offering you sips from her glass and occasionally squeezing your thigh in fear or surprise, you and her friends might as well not exist.
  2044. >Well, not exactly - during one of the slower scenes, she glances up at you through your lashes and smiles.
  2045. >Rarity isn't ignoring you by any means. No, this is contentment; she's simply happy being here with you.
  2046. >Or maybe she really did pick this movie of her own free will.
  2047. >Shit, maybe Aliens is Rarity's favorite movie and you're just furniture to fight over.
  2048. >As you begin to dwell on that particularly joyful thought, she squeezes your thigh again. Nothing's happening on screen to warrant that - but there doesn't need to be. Your eyes flicker down towards her - and her smile of pure serenity.
  2049. >You're still looking into her eyes when Fluttershy holds up your water glass - Rarity's head jerks back towards the TV, but not quick enough. Before she can look away, you see her smile widen just a little too far, her eyes go flat and lifeless.
  2050. >She's happy being here with *you*, but there's a disturbing suspicion building that the others are all more than welcome to go die in a fire.
  2051. >But, of course, Rarity is too polite to say a thing to any of them.
  2052. >It wouldn't be proper.
  2053. >She squeaks in surprise as you tighten your grip around your waist and pull her closer, but she doesn't fight it.
  2054. >It has little to do with how much (or little) you care about here, but instead an instinctual reaction on your part. Something is wrong - no one wears a smile like that and truly means it - so you try to comfort Rarity however you can.
  2055. >Words are impossible, in part because of the movie, but mostly because you don't really know her well.
  2056. >Or at all.
  2057. >A scant handful of shared classes over the years has given you little insight into how she thinks. Truthfully, you have nothing to go on except that she had a crush on you for years and tried to get over it, but... can't.
  2058. >That leaves physical reassurance.
  2059. >That's okay.
  2060. >It works.
  2061. >The next time your eyes meet, her smile has returned to normal - small and earnest and satisfied.
  2062. >And, perhaps, fragile.
  2063. >Watching Rarity, you lose track of the movie, as does she. The girl tries to keep her eyes on the TV, but every so often they flicker over towards Fluttershy.
  2064. >Every little moment or sound from the other girl seems to trigger it, from Fluttershy shifting around to curl her legs up under herself to her screaming when xenomorphs attack - and such things become more and more common as the movie comes to an end. Each disturbance draws a harsh look from Rarity.
  2065. >You hadn't noticed anything like that earlier, but you hadn't exactly been looking for it during the other movies.
  2066. >Now, it's all too obvious - to you, at least.
  2067. >But of course, she had been sitting with Dash and Pinkie before.
  2068. >Both take their movie watching seriously.
  2069. >If Fluttershy wasn't so damned cute, you could easily see how it could be annoying.
  2070. >As the movie comes to a close with Dash cheering wildly from the floor, Fluttershy slips free of your arm.
  2071. >"I should check on Applejack," she says out of the blue. "What are we watching next?"
  2072. >Seems premature; the credits haven't even started to roll.
  2073. >"Stay," Twilight says with a shake of her head. "You've done enough, Fluttershy. Let me change her bandage this time."
  2074. >The girl starts to argue, but you grab her hand and pull her back down onto the sofa.
  2075. >You have the feeling that she *let* you.
  2076. "Besides, it's your turn to pick, right?"
  2077. >Most of the other girls have gotten to have some input on the movie selection, but Fluttershy's contributions have been limited to calling the people in Cannibal Holocaust monsters.
  2078. >"Well, I don't really have anything in mind," Fluttershy answers, trying to stand again. "You all can decide while I'm -"
  2079. >"No," Twilight firmly answers with a shake of her head. "I - I got this!"
  2080. >Fluttershy moans softly as Twilight leads AJ out of the room, the sound tapering off as she sinks back down into the sofa's cushions.
  2081. >"Well, do we *have* to watch something...?" she asks after a few moments.
  2082. >Her voice is a near-whisper, but it still brings Twilight to an abrupt stop, only one foot still in the room. The suddenness of it almost causes AJ to lose her balance, hanging on to her friend as she is, but she has enough presence of mind to reach out and brace herself against the wall.
  2083. >"Um, what exactly did you have in mind?" Twilight asks, looking over her shoulder in concern.
  2084. >"I was thinking, well, it was just a thought, but *is* late -"
  2085. >You check the big clock on the wall and silently disagree with Fluttershy. Three in the morning isn't late.
  2086. >More like real fucking early.
  2087. >"- so, maybe we should all go home? Or at least me, I mean, if the rest of you are having fun -"
  2088. >"None of us are in any condition to drive," Twilight cuts her off with a shake of her head. "I'm afraid we'll have to spend the night here."
  2089. >Shit, right.
  2090. >You expected that, you knew it was coming, but you haven't the faintest clue where they'll all sleep.
  2091. >Should that thought of that earlier and actually looked for those sleeping bags.
  2092. >"I hate to contradict you, darling," Rarity responds - quite cheerfully, despite what she just said, "but *one* of us has not had a *thing* to drink. Anon, would you be a dear and give Fluttershy my keys?"
  2093. >You fumble for the keys, but can't quite find them - or pockets.
  2094. >It takes an embarrassingly long time for you to remember that you'd put on some pajama bottoms. The keys are still in your jean's pocket, just... well... that happens to be on the floor in your bedroom. Not here.
  2095. "I - um - don't have them on me."
  2096. >Rarity continues to stare at you, though she adopts an expression of infinite patience. It's not quite patronizing, but close enough to make your cheeks burn.
  2097. "They're in my other pants."
  2098. >An amused curl of her mouth is the only change in her expression.
  2099. "Forgot I changed."
  2100. >Rarity gives a polite little laugh at your explanation.
  2101. "They're in my bedroom. On the floor."
  2102. >She pulls herself up and kisses your cheek.
  2103. >"Fluttershy, you heard the man," she says once her lips have parted with your face. "Feel free to go get them."
  2104. >The girl looks fearfully towards the hall, where Twilight and AJ still stand, and lets out a low groan.
  2105. >"Enter a boy's room uninvited? I *can't.*" She shakes her head after a second, more for herself than in response to Rarity. "I just *can't*."
  2106. "Um. I don't mind."
  2107. >That's all it takes.
  2108. >It's hard to identify exactly what changes about the girl, but those four words are enough to make a difference.
  2109. >She still looks uncomfortable and unsure, but gives another little shake of her head.
  2110. >"I'll... I'll stay."
  2111. >”Good.”
  2112. >You can almost swear Twilight was sighing in relief as she ambled out of the room with AJ, but why?
  2113. >Rarity is right – Fluttershy hadn’t had a single alcoholic drink all night (that you’re aware of) – so it doesn’t make sense.
  2114. >As you stare into the distance and try to wrap your head around this enigma, Fluttershy whines softly.
  2115. >Shit, what is *she* worried about?
  2116. >Like you had earlier with Rarity, you instinctively react to Fluttershy’s distress, this time turning to face her and putting both arms around Fluttershy in a bear hug – a move that catches her completely by surprise. Poor girl nearly falls over into your lap.
  2117. >It doesn’t seem to work, though. The girl’s eyes remain glued to the hall and her whining only stops when she runs out of breath.
  2118. “I’m sure Twilight can take care of her just fine, Fluttershy.”
  2119. >”Yeah,” Dash sneers from the floor. “She’s just changing AJ’s bandage. Shit, even I could do that!”
  2120. >”Get into a lot of axefights, Dashie?”
  2121. >”Yes, Pinkie. Absolutely. Axefights.”
  2122. >”Wow! I didn’t know our school had a team for that!”
  2123. >Neither did you.
  2124. >”Dude, no, I was joking.”
  2125. >”Awwwww.”
  2126. >Aww.
  2127. >Before you can fully accept this new feeling of loss that has suddenly appeared in your heart, a hand cups your chin and gently pulls your head back.
  2128. >A pair of blue eyes gaze down at you.
  2129. >”Well, Anon?” Rarity asks, shifting slightly – she must be up on her knees to hover over you like this. “What shall *we* do now?”
  2130. >The first thing to pop into your head is that it can’t be easy for Rarity to kneel like this on the sofa. The overstuffed cushions aren’t exactly a stable foundation, plus they slant down towards the back.
  2131. >She gives another little twitch, and that brings a new thought – if you were facing the other direction, you’d be motorboating her right now.
  2132. >”Yeah, what *are* we gonna do?” Dash asks, the sound distant and muffled.
  2133. >It’s somehow hard to hear the girl over those two blue pinpoints hanging over you.
  2134. “Um, another movie, I guess?”
  2135. >Not really anything else to do, though you can probably find a deck of cards somewhere if you look hard enough.
  2136. >So, yeah, not really anything else to do.
  2137. >”Do you not think that maybe it is time to go to bed?” Rarity hints with a flat smile.
  2138. >Well, you *are* pretty tired, and that booze probably didn’t help any, but you don’t want to be a bad host.
  2139. >Okay, too late for that. Probably crossed that line when you were planning to murder them all.
  2140. >But it’s not too late to not be the worst host.
  2141. “I’m good for another.”
  2142. >”And if *I* am not?”
  2143. “You can sleep in my bed?”
  2144. >She smiles slightly at that.
  2145. “I’ll be out here, watching movies anyway, so –“
  2146. >”Then so will I.”
  2147. >You shrug slightly.
  2148. “Well, Fluttershy, how about you? Wanna sleep in my bed?”
  2149. >The girl lets out a little scream and shakes her way free of your grip.
  2150. >Oh.
  2151. >Right.
  2152. >Twilight set this whole thing up to get her laid.
  2153. >That’s why she’s so scared.
  2154. >Grabbing her like that and inviting her to your bed?
  2155. >Sounds a little rapey, even to you.
  2156. “I didn’t mean, um…“
  2157. >”He didn’t mean it like *that*,” Dash snorts, helpfully butting in. You doubt she actually *meant* to help, but since you couldn’t think of a way to explain yourself, you’ll take what you can get. “Shit, he even offered it to Rarity first, so it’s not like it fucking means anything.”
  2158. >She laughs at her own joke.
  2159. >Such a cunt.
  2160. >Rarity hisses wordlessly at her friend, releasing you so she can fling a toss pillow at the athlete. Which she catches easily, of course.
  2161. >”Thanks! I needed that!” the girl laughs, dropping it beside herself. “I’m starting to get tired too, but don’t worry, I’ll just crash here.”
  2162. >She grabs the remote and turns off the TV, throwing the place into near darkness; the heavy curtains over the windows offer just enough light in to give some definition to the vague shapes that now fill the room.
  2163. >”My bad!”
  2164. >After some painful sounding thuds, the overhead lights click on thanks to Pinkie.
  2165. >”What if the rest of us aren’t tired?” she asks the athlete, who has already started spreading out the blanket she had been using as a headrest.
  2166. >”Yeah, no,” Dash answers without even looking up. “If *I’m* tired, then the rest of you must be sleepwalking.”
  2167. >Huh.
  2168. >That *does* explain –
  2169. >No, wait, no, it doesn’t.
  2170. >But close.
  2171. >”Actually, sleep is sounding like a pretty good idea right about now,” Twilight adds, supporting a limping AJ with one arm. “I mean, Applejack…”
  2172. >She keeps talking, but years of field experience tell you it’s safe to ignore whatever she says.
  2173. >You’re way more interested in the way Fluttershy is cowering, her eyes darting between her friends and the door.
  2174. >She must *really* not want to sleep over or something.
  2175. >Weirdly, the longer Twilight talks, the more relaxed Fluttershy is. She usually has the opposite effect, with people tearing their hair out if she goes on too long.
  2176. >” – and so –“
  2177. >Whoops, that’s the cue to start listening again.
  2178. >” – AJ *really* should be resting in a bed right now.”
  2179. >”Yeah, Ah wouldn’t mind that none. Feel like Ah done a full day’s work down in the fields.”
  2180. >“Well, fine!” Pinkie sighs, tumbling over the back of the loveseat to fall on its cushions. “I *guess* we can pick this up in the morning.”
  2181. >Pick up…?
  2182. >Shit.
  2183. >You really should pick up everything.
  2184. >The place is a mess, between all the plates and bottles and fucking hatchets scattered everywhere.
  2185. >What if your parents come home early?
  2186. >How the hell will you explain the mess?
  2187. >And on that note, how will you explain the six girls?
  2188. >Eh.
  2189. >Fuck it.
  2190. “Bedtime.”
  2191. >One-by-one, the girls nod their agreement – or may simply be nodding off in Applejack’s case.
  2192. >While you’re out of the room getting a handful of clean t-shirts for the girls to sleep in (because “None of you *dare* ruin those outfits by sleeping in them!”), they figure it out. Somehow.
  2193. >AJ gets your parents’ bed – apparently yours is too filthy or something – along with Twilight, to look after the injured girl. You expect Fluttershy to argue, but she nods reluctantly. Dash is happy on the floor, which leaves the loveseat for Pinkie and the sofa for… um…
  2194. >The girls just glare when you lay down on the sofa.
  2195. “What?”
  2196. >”Get up,” Twilight sighs. “We can’t kick you out of your own bed. Not after intruding on you in the first place.”
  2197. “But –“
  2198. >”We insist,” Rarity adds, putting her hand on your arm.
  2199. “But the sofa isn’t big enough for you and Fluttershy.”
  2200. >Your bed really isn’t, either.
  2201. >Fucking twin size.
  2202. >”We’ll figure something out.”
  2203. >They don’t give you a chance to argue, shooing you out of the room so they can change.
  2204. >Though, really, it’s more like shoving you down the hallway and locking you in your bedroom. You’re pretty sure one of them is standing guard over the door while the others slip out of their costumes.
  2205. >As if you’d sneak a peek.
  2206. >It would be insulting if it wasn’t true.
  2207. >You wait a minute after hearing the last set of feet walking away, then stick your head out into the hall.
  2208. >It’s pitch black.
  2209. >You waited too long and they’re asleep, or about to be.
  2210. >Damn.
  2211. >Well, whatever.
  2212. >In your room, with no one around to distract you, everything hits at once.
  2213. >After everything you did today, after preparing to fight for your life, followed by watching all those movies and drinking all that alcohol, you’re barely able to move.
  2214. >You’re way too tired to think of an appropriately wacky hijinks to use to peak in on the girls and whatever slumberparty shenanigans they’re doing now.
  2215. >It’s even too much effort to straighten out the horrible mess Twilight made of your bed. Crazy girl.
  2216. >Without a second thought you flip off the lights, making your way through the piles of dirty clothes by the soft glow of the streetlamps outside, as you do every night.
  2217. >As you do every night, you think about getting some blackout curtains.
  2218. >That’s the last thought to run through your mind before sleep overtakes you.
  2219.  
  2220. >It’s still dark outside when you wake.
  2221. >Which is impossible, because there is no fucking way you slept through the entire day, and nothing short of being murdered could wake you up before noon.
  2222. >Your bed shifts and creaks slightly as someone puts their weight on it.
  2223. >Someone not you.
  2224. >Shit, someone’s about to get murdered.
  2225. >Hopefully not you, but that doesn’t seem likely.
  2226. “Um…”
  2227. >”Sorry,” Fluttershy quietly murmurs as she climbs up onto your bed. “I tried to stay away, but I couldn’t.”
  2228. “Nowhere to sleep?”
  2229. >Her pink hair waves gently as she shakes her head.
  2230. >”I don’t sleep. Not at night, anyway. Not anymore.”
  2231. >She crawls on top of you, propping herself up on her hands and knees.
  2232. >The weak light shines off her hair and exposed skin – far too much skin – as she hovers over you, almost but not quite touching you.
  2233. >Almost touching, but you doubt that will last much longer.
  2234. >Her bare breasts are hair’s breadth from your chest.
  2235. >They’re larger than you expected.
  2236. >Huh.
  2237. >Where was she hiding those things…?
  2238. >”You’re staring,” she whispers into your ear as she lowers herself onto you.
  2239. “You’re naked.”
  2240. >Staring is to be expected.
  2241. >“I sleep naked.”
  2242. “But, you…”
  2243. >”I know, shut up.”
  2244. >She kisses the side of your neck once, twice before pulling away.
  2245. >”I wish you hadn’t invited me in,” she says sadly, “because I don’t think I can stop.”
  2246. “To horny to control yourself?”
  2247. >”That too.”
  2248. >She sits up and rips your shirt off.
  2249. >Literally.
  2250. >Rips it to shreds.
  2251. >”I’m really sorry about this.”
  2252. >Fluttershy gives you a sorrowful smile, displaying far too much fang.
  2253. >Shit.
  2254. >”Don’t worry, I promise this won’t hurt.”
  2255. >You try to jerk away, but she’s suckling on your neck before your body can react.
  2256. >She’s right.
  2257. >It doesn’t hurt.
  2258. >Quite the opposite.
  2259. >Someone moans happily, and you’re pretty sure it’s not you.
  2260. >Relatively sure.
  2261. >But you do groan when she pulls away from your neck and kisses your lips.
  2262. >”You taste nothing like Applejack,” she whispers softly. “I hated doing that, but I was so thirsty and she was bleeding and I don’t know how Twilight didn’t notice the bite wounds on her thigh, but –”
  2263. “Better?”
  2264. >”Better?”
  2265. “Do I taste better than her?”
  2266. >Shit, you haven’t even gotten to stick your dick in her and you’re already whipped.
  2267. >”You can’t even imagine the difference.”
  2268. >She kisses you again.
  2269. >You taste your own blood on her lips and tongue. You don’t care.
  2270. >”I really am sorry, though,” she gasps when her mouth parts with yours. “I hope you don’t mind too much.”
  2271. “I wouldn’t mind if you drained me dry right now.”
  2272. >Though you’d definitely regret it in the morning. Except you wouldn’t be alive in the morning, so problem solved.
  2273. >You keep that thought to yourself, though, which makes Fluttershy’s giggling pretty confusing.
  2274. >”Pinkie Pie told me you’d say that,” she explains when she sees your confused look.
  2275. “They know you’re a vampire?”
  2276. >Fuckers.
  2277. >You should have known.
  2278. >”They don’t have a clue,” Fluttershy giggles, leaning down and licking the side of your neck. “I’m pretty sure she was thinking about something else.”
  2279. >She reaches down, slipping a hand under the waistband of your PJs and giving your cock a little squeeze.
  2280. >Oh.
  2281. >That.
  2282. “Um…”
  2283. >”Don’t worry, I don’t plan on draining you dry,” she giggles again. “At least, not your blood. As for the other –“
  2284. >Another squeeze.
  2285. >”- we’ll see.”
  2286. >The lopsided smile she flashes you says otherwise.
  2287. >It also reminds you to ask if those fangs are retractable, because you’re going to be getting a blowjob from a monster tonight.
  2288. >”Soon,” she promises, her lips tickling the side of your neck. “Soon. I’m just so thirsty.”
  2289. >The moment of pure bliss passes far too quickly, but when she sits up, Fluttershy’s smile is so wide you can’t even feel any regret.
  2290. >“You should have stopped drinking earlier,” she giggles, putting her hands on your chest and pushing herself upright. “I think – I think I’m getting drunk. Though, I don’t know if it’s the alcohol, or *you*. No one has ever tasted like this before.”
  2291. >She giggles again, staring down at you as your blood drips from her mouth.
  2292. >You watch it fall, watch it trail down the gentle slope of her breast.
  2293. “Maybe you should get a bib.”
  2294. >Or not.
  2295. >This is kind of hot.
  2296. >New fetish unlocked.
  2297. >Fluttershy looks down in confusion to see what you’re talking about.
  2298. >”Oh.”
  2299. >Another giggle.
  2300. >”Oops.”
  2301. >And another.
  2302. >”I shouldn’t waste food, should I?”
  2303. “Probably not, if you want enough blood left in me to maintain an erection.”
  2304. >If you even have enough left *now.*
  2305. >As she licks herself clean, you find out that you do. So does she, as the thin cloth of your PJs does absolutely nothing to hold back your beast.
  2306. >”I’ll be more careful,” she laughs, adjusting herself over the tenting of your pants. “Just one more sip.”
  2307. >As Fluttershy bends down again, you hear the soft click of the door handle. She doesn’t.
  2308. >She doesn’t see the door cautiously swing open, or the deep blue eyes that go blank at the sight of her in your bed.
  2309. >She doesn’t see the exact moment when all hope and light and laughter are lost to her friend.
  2310. >She doesn’t see her sad little smile.
  2311. >She doesn’t see Rarity turn and slowly walk away.
  2312.  
  2313. It might be advisable to not read any further. If you were wishing a happy ending, just think that Rarity accepts what she has seen and moves on. Though painful, she is truly happy for her friends. Or if a sadder conclusion suits you, perhaps Anon becomes Fluttershy’s thrall and constantly hangs out with the girls. Rarity never gets over him or this betrayal, and it eats away at her until she ends it the only way she can. No one cries more at her funeral than Fluttershy. If saccharine is your flavor of choice, imagine that SciTwi discovers out a cure for vampirism and freed from her hunger, Fluttershy loses all interest in Anon. Freed from her vampiric hypnotism, he is able to be with Rarity. For those looking for a harem (or at least threesome), I suggest you fantasize about Fluttershy accidentally drinking too deeply and being forced to turn Anon to save him. In need of a new thrall, Rarity volunteers and everyone goes off to live happily ever after in a castle on the moon and have lots of hot vampire sex.
  2314.  
  2315. Unfortunately, none of those things happen.
  2316.  
  2317. This happens:
  2318.  
  2319. >Shit.
  2320. >No, wait, she was smiling.
  2321. >Maybe this was planned. Maybe she was checking on her friend.
  2322. >"Just one more sip," Fluttershy repeats. "And then..."
  2323. >She rubs one leg against your crotch, finishing that sentence quite beautifully without another word.
  2324. >"And don't worry about the noise."
  2325. >The noise? Right, Pinkie said she was a moaner. There's no way you could ever forget something like that.
  2326. >"Twilight brough earplugs for everyone."
  2327. >Her tongue flicks lightly across your neck.
  2328. >"She was *very* insistant everyone wear them."
  2329. >That's right.
  2330. >This was all planned.
  2331. >But earplugs?
  2332. >That's just weird, but so is Twilight.
  2333. "So, Fluttershy..."
  2334. >She pauses, her fangs scraping the side of your neck.
  2335. "Is this how you girls solved the sleeping arrangements? By having you sleep with me?"
  2336. >"What? No."
  2337. >She pulls back slightly, just enough to see your face.
  2338. >"Rarity offered to sleep on the floor," the girl giggles while running a hand through her hair to brush it out of her eyes. "She just didn't want you to know, because she thought you'd feel bad about it."
  2339. >Rarity was right, because you do. A little.
  2340. >Fluttershy frowns slightly, her red eyes shifting away to look anywhere but at you.
  2341. >"I don't think I was supposed to tell you that," she mutters quietly. "Don't tell her I said anything."
  2342. "I won't."
  2343. >Fluttershy smiles sweetly, lifting her head to look towards the door.
  2344. >"Maybe..."
  2345. >The word trails off.
  2346. "What?"
  2347. >She gives a little shake of her head that sends her hair cascading back down over her face.
  2348. >"Nothing."
  2349. >Again, she brushes her hair back - she's still looking towards the hall with concern.
  2350. >"Maybe I should tell her," Fluttershy says, mostly to herself. "I mean, tell Rarity she can have the sofa. Because… well…."
  2351. >She shifts her weight and starts to climb off the bed.
  2352. "No, you can't."
  2353. >You don't want her to leave, but more importantly you don't want to tell her about the look in Rarity's face as she slowly turned away. Even if the other girl was happy for her friend, something died in her right then, leaving her eyes flat and dead - like the sea before a storm.
  2354. >Or so you've heard.
  2355. >"But -"
  2356. "How will you explain the vampire thing?"
  2357. >Even in the thin light, you can see Fluttershy's lips are stained red with your blood.
  2358. >Her eyes shift back towards the hall - towards her friends.
  2359. >"I have to tell them eventually," she answers hesitantly. "They should know. After all, Twilight introduced me to... to *her*, so I should at least warn them..."
  2360. >She whines softly, unsure what to do.
  2361. "Stay."
  2362. >"I - I will," she sighs, closing her eyes.
  2363. >You hadn't realized they were shining faintly until the red glow blinks out.
  2364. >"I don't know what to tell them, anyway."
  2365. >Thin streaks of red leak from the corners of her eyes.
  2366. >"I'm a monster, Anon."
  2367. "No."
  2368. >"Yes, I am! Do you know how badly I wanted to tear into your throat earlier?"
  2369. >She's crying.
  2370. >She's crying blood.
  2371. >"Every time you touched me, it's all I could think about."
  2372. "But you didn't."
  2373. >"But I wanted to!"
  2374. "But you didn't."
  2375. >You put your arms around her and pull her back down.
  2376. "If you had really wanted to, you would have."
  2377. >She sobs into your shoulder, shuddering slightly.
  2378. >"I don't even know if I like you, or if I'm just too hungry to think straight," she whimpers. "I haven't fed in over a month, not since... since... the first time. But I -"
  2379. "Why!?"
  2380. >"I don’t want to hurt anyone!"
  2381. “It doesn’t hurt.”
  2382. >The opposite, really.
  2383. >The pleasure is paralyzing.
  2384. >Literally.
  2385. >A more rational part of you thinks that’s intentional.
  2386. >It stops the food from fighting back, after all.
  2387. >”I know, I enjoyed it, too,” Fluttershy sobs, “but not hurting doesn’t mean it’s good for you! Just look at what I did to AJ!”
  2388. “Ice cream isn’t particularly healthy, either, if I eat too much of it.”
  2389. >You hope that shudder is her trying to hold in a laugh.
  2390. >It's not.
  2391. >”Not quite the same, Anon,” she sighs. “One is something you eat, the other is… is…”
  2392. “Something *you* eat. Same principle applies, Fluttershy. Just don’t take too much.”
  2393. >She nods slightly, unable to argue any further. It’s doubtful the shitty ice cream analogy actually won her over; more likely, it’s the hunger.
  2394. >As her fangs dig into your neck again, your arms go limp and fall loosely to the bed.
  2395. >Even if you had wanted to, you couldn’t move a muscle right now.
  2396. >”Don’t worry,” Fluttershy whispers, pulling away from you just long enough to speak, “it won’t always be like this. You’ll get over the effect, eventually. At least, that’s what she told me.”
  2397. >And then she’s nuzzling up to your neck again, slowly and gently feeding off of you.
  2398. >The euphoria sweeps your senses away. It's so pleasurable, you don't mind when your vision starts to darken.
  2399. >She's drinking too deeply.
  2400. >No, you trust her. She'll stop.
  2401. >She'll stop, right?
  2402. >Your heart is racing, your breathing rapid and shallow.
  2403. >There's no way to stop her, no way to warn her. You can't move or even speak.
  2404. >Just before you begin to panic – for all the good it would do - she pulls free of your neck.
  2405. >"I love you, Anon. I love you so much, I don't know how I didn't realize it earlier."
  2406. "Fluttershy, I -"
  2407. >She's feeding on you again before you can ask her to stop.
  2408. >If she had waited just a second or two longer, you could have said something when Rarity pushes the door aside and walks stiffly towards the bed.
  2409. >Maybe Fluttershy would have noticed her friend on her own.
  2410. >Neither of those things happen.
  2411. >Rarity doesn’t speak. She doesn’t demand Fluttershy explain why she’s in your bed. She doesn’t try to explain why she, herself, came into the room. She doesn’t scream or cry or wail or shout. Calmly, with care and devotion, she says one word.
  2412. >Only one word, but in a way it explains everything.
  2413. >"Mine."
  2414. >Fluttershy jerks upright at the sound of her friend’s voice, her eyes wide with fear.
  2415. >"Rarity! I –"
  2416. >That’s all she gets out before the hatchet slams into her neck.
  2417. >If this were some movie or TV show, it would have decapitated her, but the reality of it is a dull camping hatchet with a head smaller than your hand isn’t capable of such things.
  2418. >No, the actual effect isn’t as clean or kind.
  2419. >It's the force of the blow more than the sharpness of the blade that buries the hatchet in Fluttershy’s throat and knocks her off of you. With a sneer, Rarity yanks it free.
  2420. >Blood, dark and thick, slowly leaks from the ragged gash as the vampiress' hands fumble at the wound.
  2421. >Fluttershy isn't really trying to stop the bleeding – not at first.
  2422. >No, she just can’t believe what is happening, not until her fingers touch the torn flesh.
  2423. >On her back at the foot of your bed, Fluttershy's eyes flicker up at her friend, pleadingly searching for… for *something*.
  2424. >A reason or explanation, perhaps.
  2425. >Something to help her understand this – this… this *mistake*.
  2426. >She finds nothing.
  2427. >Rarity’s face is blank, devoid of both mercy and hate.
  2428. >Until it turns to you.
  2429. >"Well, are you not happy, Anon?" Rarity asks with a hollow smile. "I came for you."
  2430. >She reaches out with her empty hand and you try to scoot away.
  2431. >Try.
  2432. >You can barely move.
  2433. >Fluttershy drank too deeply; only the adrenaline coursing through your veins is keeping you aware of your surroundings.
  2434. >"Why aren't you smiling?" Rarity asks as she starts to climb onto the bed. "You should be smiling now."
  2435. "Because you just fucking killed Fluttershy!"
  2436. >She pauses and glances over at her friend.
  2437. >And shrugs.
  2438. >"I did no such thing," she giggles politely, daintily covering her mouth with her empty hand before turning her blank gaze back to you. "See? She is still moving."
  2439. >She is.
  2440. >More than you are.
  2441. >One hand firmly wrapped around her brutalized neck, the vampiress is struggling to sit up.
  2442. >Right.
  2443. >Vampire.
  2444. >An axe to the neck won't kill her.
  2445. >Not unless it decapitates her, anyway.
  2446. >Right?
  2447. >"She's still moving," Rarity repeats with a lopsided smile. "Why are you *still* moving!?"
  2448. >Rarity suddenly lunges at the other girl, hacking at her again with the hatchet.
  2449. >There’s nothing you can do to stop her.
  2450. >You can barely move and screaming at her to stop has absolutely no effect.
  2451. >Honestly, you're not sure if your words even leave your throat.
  2452. >But it doesn't matter; Fluttershy sees the attack coming.
  2453. >She's not caught by surprise like before and, one hand still clasp around her neck, raises the other to ward off the blow.
  2454. >It doesn’t do any good.
  2455. >Her throat torn out by the first attack, Fluttershy can’t even scream as the blade cleaves through her thumb, leaving it dangling by a thin mess of sinew and skin, and plunges into her chest with a sound that turns your stomach.
  2456. >It struck bone.
  2457. >That sharp crack you heard can’t be anything else.
  2458. >"Why do you do this, Fluttershy? Why do you *always* have to intrude where you are *not* wanted?"
  2459. >Rarity tries to yank the weapon free, sending a spasm through Fluttershy’s body, but it’s stuck.
  2460. >”Why do you *always* have to take what is mine!?”
  2461. >With a savage twist, she breaks the axe free with a sound of squelching meat and fragmenting bone.
  2462. >"Just stop moving and GO AWAY!"
  2463. >She shoves the other girl backwards, sending Fluttershy tumbling off the bed.
  2464. >This can’t be happening.
  2465. >It’s a nightmare or something.
  2466. >Has to be.
  2467. >You’ll wake up and look over the edge of your bed and all you’ll see is your dirty laundry scattered around.
  2468. >That’s why… that’s why there’s no blood anywhere, right?
  2469. >And that’s not Rarity. It can’t be.
  2470. >This is all in your imagination.
  2471. >Like when you thought they were all vampires.
  2472. >You take things too far, you know you do.
  2473. >This isn’t –
  2474. >”Are you thirsty?” Rarity asks suddenly, looking over her shoulder at you. “I think I am. Should I get you anything, darling?”
  2475. >A twitching, bloodied hand paws at the foot of your bed, grabbing at the sheets.
  2476. >This may be a nightmare, but it’s not a dream; this is really happening.
  2477. >But she’s still alive.
  2478. >Of course Fluttershy is still alive; that hatchet can’t kill her.
  2479. >That doesn’t stop your heart from pounding furiously as Rarity turns back to her friend.
  2480. >”I’ll get us some water, Anon.”
  2481. >She crawls onto to bed, leaning across your legs and slowly raising the axe.
  2482. >“But first –“
  2483. “STOP!”
  2484. >”Why?”
  2485. “You… you don’t have to do this!”
  2486. >”And why not?”
  2487. “Because… because…”
  2488. >You don’t even know why she *is* doing this.
  2489. >”I *have* to do this; can you not see that she is suffering, Anon? I never imagined you could be so heartless.”
  2490. “She’ll get better!”
  2491. >”I truly doubt that,” Rarity sighs mournfully, reaching out to hold her friend’s hand tenderly. “If only that were true…”
  2492. “She’s a vampire!”
  2493. >”A *what*?”
  2494. >She turns her head to look at you incredulously.
  2495. “A vampire.”
  2496. >”Oh, Anon,” the girl giggles, shaking her head in disbelief. “You really do believe that, don’t you?”
  2497. >She turns towards you, crawling up the bed to lounge alongside.
  2498. >It’s almost a nice moment, her body pressed against your side, her arm lying across your chest.
  2499. >Would be better if that hand wasn’t clutching a bloody hatchet.
  2500. >Even better if Fluttershy wasn’t… wasn’t…
  2501. >You shudder as the vampire draws a ragged, choking breath.
  2502. >It sounds painful.
  2503. >”W-why…?”
  2504. >The word comes out in a wet gurgle.
  2505. >The hatchet shifts as Rarity tightens her grip, dragging a red streak across your shirt.
  2506. >”I am *so* sorry about this, Anon.”
  2507. “So you’ll –“
  2508. >”I’ll just take care of this and go get that water for us.”
  2509. >She kisses your cheek before sitting up.
  2510. >You try – you try with all your heart and soul – to grab her. To hold her. To give Fluttershy time to… to… it doesn’t matter what.
  2511. >Just to give her time. A little more time.
  2512. >Rarity gives a little gasp and looks down at your hand clutching her wrist.
  2513. >And she smiles.
  2514. >”Do not worry, darling. I will be right back.”
  2515. >She breaks your grip without even trying, sliding off the foot of the bed to kneel beside her friend.
  2516. >”Rarity, why?” you hear Fluttershy ask again, stronger this time.
  2517. >She’s healing.
  2518. >Fuck yeah, vampire powers.
  2519. >”I tried,” Rarity answers after a few seconds. “I really did.”
  2520. >”But –“
  2521. >”Anon told me the most interesting thing. He said – oh, this is just too much – he said that you are a vampire. Such childish nonsense, isn’t it?”
  2522. >There’s a bubbling moan in response.
  2523. >”Oh, I agree,” Rarity laughs as if Fluttershy had told some joke only she could hear. “That is exactly what makes him just so attractive. But it *is* curious – the vampire thing, I mean. After all, you *were* the one who came up with our costume theme for this little get-together, and now I find myself wondering at they why of it.”
  2524. >The long silence that follows chills you to your core.
  2525. >You can’t see more than Rarity’s head and shoulders – she’s bent low over the other girl.
  2526. >”I really did try,” she repeats sorrowfully. “I had every intention of following along with Twilight’s silly little plan, but then…”
  2527. >Another moment of quiet.
  2528. >”You should not have done that, Fluttershy.”
  2529. >Metal glints in the dim light as Rarity raises the hatchet.
  2530. “Rarity!”
  2531. >”One moment, darling.”
  2532. “Wait!”
  2533. >”Just need to wrap up a little project,” she sings back.
  2534. “I’m thirsty.”
  2535. >”Oh!”
  2536. >She hops to her feet.
  2537. >”I am *so* sorry!” she apologizes, biting her lip in worry. “I forgot about that. I’ll be right back!”
  2538. >Leave the axe, leave the axe…
  2539. >She takes the axe.
  2540. >Shit.
  2541. >Doesn’t matter.
  2542. >She pauses at door, turning back and smiling at her friend.
  2543. >”Don’t go anywhere, Fluttershy,” she half-sings. “You know how much I value our time together.”
  2544. >If you can get to your door and lock it, buy Fluttershy enough time to heal… you’ve felt her strength firsthand, though you didn’t know what it was at the time.
  2545. “Rarity…?”
  2546. >”Oh, yes! Right away!”
  2547. >She practically skips away down the hall.
  2548. >Now’s your chance.
  2549. >You pull yourself to the edge of the bed and swing your legs over. You’re halfway upright before your head spins dizzily and your vision narrows.
  2550. >That’s fine.
  2551. >Just need to get to the door.
  2552. >You can do this.
  2553. >Slowly, you push yourself up and off of the bed.
  2554. >It’s not that far.
  2555. >You –
  2556. >You’re falling.
  2557. >The floor rushes up to meet you, but you can’t see it.
  2558. >You can’t see anything. Then again, you’re not really conscious, not anymore, just have one last thought firing through your blood-deprived brain: Oh, shit.
  2559.  
  2560. >A scream jolts you from your dreams of blood and fire.
  2561. “Fluttershy…?”
  2562. >”Anon!? Oh, Anon! I am *so* sorry, Anon.”
  2563. >What…?
  2564. >A feeble groan escapes your throat.
  2565. >”I should have known better than to leave you alone.”
  2566. >A hand gently strokes your cheek.
  2567. >”Just what *did* she do to you, Anon?” Rarity asks as your eyes flutter open. “I was so worried when I found you unconscious, with all this blood just *everywhere*.”
  2568. >She’s kneeling at your side, one hand clasped to her chest in relief.
  2569. >You can see both of her arms are covered in it up to the elbows.
  2570. >In the darkness, it looks almost black.
  2571. >You’re also fairly certain it’s not yours.
  2572. >“It’s safe to tell me, Anon, she can’t hurt you now.”
  2573. “What – what did you do to her?”
  2574. >”I am afraid I had to use some of your clothes to prop your legs up; remember, you need to elevate your legs during bouts of low blood pressure.”
  2575. “What did you do!?”
  2576. >”I am sorry that ruckus from Fluttershy disturbed your rest. Perhaps I might need to gag her, because it was just so *grating*.”
  2577. “What. Did. You. Do?”
  2578. >”Luckily our friends will not have had their sleep ruined, thanks to Twilight’s foresight,” Rarity sighs, looking over her shoulder to the sobbing noise behind your bed. “Even if they *do* hear something, we all know just how… *vocal*… Fluttershy can be, after all. They will just assume that Twilight’s plan succeeded.”
  2579. “JUST TELL ME!”
  2580. >Rarity looks back towards you with a slight frown.
  2581. >”She was trying to reach you when I came back, but I just could not let her hurt you anymore.”
  2582. >There’s a whimper from Fluttershy.
  2583. >”I had to stop her, Anon.”
  2584. >Her sorrowful tone is perhaps the most disturbing part of this entire exchange.
  2585. >”I *had* to, but she just keeps TRYING!”
  2586. >She whirls around in a flash, slamming the hatchet down on something and drawing a sharp cry of pain.
  2587. >”I just *cannot* believe you, Fluttershy,” she sighs and rolls her eyes. “Why can you not just go away and give us a little privacy?”
  2588. >She raises the hatchet again.
  2589. “Wait!”
  2590. >”This will just take a moment.”
  2591. “But… but… the water?”
  2592. >”Oh, well this is just embarrassing, isn’t it? I seemed to have forgotten it again.”
  2593. >She turns her head to smile sheepishly at you.
  2594. >You see, I was in the kitchen and just happened to stumble across this.”
  2595. >She picks up something off the floor and holds it out for you to see.
  2596. >The stake you dropped.
  2597. >”And I stared pondering your notion. What if she really *is* a vampire? Is such a thing even possible?”
  2598. “Of course it is!”
  2599. >Rarity cocks her head to one side and stares up at the ceiling with her dead eyes.
  2600. >”Well, that *does* explain a few things…”
  2601. “Like how she could survive everything you’ve done!?”
  2602. >”Oh.”
  2603. >She glances back towards Fluttershy.
  2604. >”*Actually*, I was thinking about how she absolutely would not eat any of your cooking, but that makes sense, too.”
  2605. >She giggles and holds up the stake.
  2606. >”I never should have doubted you, Anon. You are *always* right, are you not?”
  2607. >Shit.
  2608. >She’s going to stake Fluttershy.
  2609. “I’m really thirsty. Could you –“
  2610. >”This will not take but a moment, darling. Just have to wrap up a few things first. You spent so much time making this. I would hate for it to go to waste.”
  2611. “Please!”
  2612. >”But – oh, very well. Anything for you, Anon,” she sighs and flashes you an unbalanced smile. “Just stay right there, Fluttershy; I am sure you will.”
  2613. >She sets down the stake, but keeps the hatchet.
  2614. “There’s no need –“
  2615. >”To take this?” she finishes, brandishing the weapon playfully. “I know, but…”
  2616. >She leans in close, eyes shifting from side to side as if one of her friends will pop out of the shadows at any moment.
  2617. >”… I have a confession to make. I am… am… I’m afraid of the dark, okay!?”
  2618. >She blushes furiously, her cheeks almost the same color as her bloodstained hands.
  2619. >”I know it is silly, but carrying it makes me feel safer.”
  2620. >She kisses you and is out the door before your addled mind can respond.
  2621. >The door…
  2622. >No, even in your befuddled state, you know there’s no way you can get to it.
  2623. >But Fluttershy – she’s just around the corner.
  2624. >Maybe… maybe with your blood she can heal herself?
  2625. >You don’t have a clue, but at least you can be with her.
  2626. >It’s difficult, with your body barely following your instructions, but you manage.
  2627. >You wish you hadn’t.
  2628. >It’s obvious what Rarity meant – what she said about Fluttershy staying right there.
  2629. >The vampire’s entire face is awash with her sanguine tears, but that's not what makes your stomach heave.
  2630. >Nor is it the way her eyes are clenched tightly shut, like she's trying to block out the pain.
  2631. >It isn't working - a fresh stream of red leaks out from under her eyelids as you watch - but you don’t know how it could.
  2632. >Fluttershy shudders violently as you approach, her limbs jerking oddly – wrongly – *sickeningly*.
  2633. >Her left arm doesn't move at all.
  2634. >There's no way it could, not below the elbow, anyway.
  2635. >That part isn't attached anymore.
  2636. >The little hatchet had no hope of cutting through bone - not that Rarity didn't try - however, it was apparently more than capable of hacking through the cartilage and ligaments of joints.
  2637. >But not quickly or cleanly - it took effort. It took time. And... and it took many, *many* tries.
  2638. >Very few of Rarity's wild swings landed where she intended.
  2639. >You try to look away - you can't help it - but it's impossible. There is no “away.” Dark stains are splattered all across the walls and floor.
  2640. >And over by the window…
  2641. >Oh.
  2642. >There's her arm.
  2643. >The hand Rarity had held so gently is...
  2644. >It's not a hand, anymore.
  2645. >You avert your eyes – the *thing* that used to be a part of Fluttershy is harder to look at than the girl herself.
  2646. >She’s in pain – that’s something you can understand.
  2647. >But *that*?
  2648. >You can’t. You refuse to.
  2649. > As your eyes turn back towards Fluttershy, you can see that her wounds are scabbing over – no, *healing* – her dark blood hardening and turning into new flesh and skin.
  2650. >Just not quickly enough.
  2651. >She needs your help.
  2652. >You drag yourself the last few feet, until you just can’t.
  2653. >That's fine.
  2654. >You can reach.
  2655. “Fluttershy.”
  2656. >She twitches at the sound, though the movement is barely distinguishable from her constant shaking.
  2657. “Fluttershy!”
  2658. >Her eyes flicker open to see your wrist held over her mouth.
  2659. >The shaking stops as soon as she has something other than her own suffering to focus on.
  2660. >Her gaze locked on your wrist, Fluttershy slowly bares her fangs.
  2661. “Drink.”
  2662. >You can see the hesitation in her eyes.
  2663. “It’ll help you heal, right?”
  2664. >"... it would kill you,” she whispers back, her voice thin and weak. "I already took too much..."
  2665. “If you don’t, then you’ll die! You're a vampire! You can fight back!”
  2666. >"... I can't..."
  2667. "She's not your friend, Fluttershy. You have to -"
  2668. >"No, I *can't*," she cries, bloody froth gathering in the corners of her mouth. "I tried, but I can't!"
  2669. >She coughs violently, speckling your arm with dark spots.
  2670. "You're a vampire!"
  2671. >"... a *newborn* who starved herself..." she moans, glancing over to your see your face. "... take it away..."
  2672. "She'll kill you."
  2673. >”... and then... and then... there will be one less monster in the world...”
  2674. >Her eyelids snap shut and she turns her head away from you.
  2675. "You're not -"
  2676. >"I love you, Anon," Fluttershy sobs. "I don't want to kill you; I never wanted to kill anybody, but I have."
  2677. "I... I love you, too."
  2678. >Do you?
  2679. >You're not sure, but it's what you needed to say.
  2680. >If you hadn't, you couldn't live with yourself.
  2681. >You can only hope that it's what she needed to hear.
  2682. "Fluttershy -"
  2683. >"... take your arm away," she groans, shivering slightly. "I can hear your heart beating... feel the blood pulsing through your body... I'm so hungry, Anon... take it away, before...
  2684. "No."
  2685. >"... let me die with some dignity. Please..."
  2686. >The way she begs tears at your heart.
  2687. >"... please..."
  2688. “But –“
  2689. >”… *please*…”
  2690. >A new stream of tears makes its way down her face, gleaming bright in the darkness.
  2691. >"... don't make me..."
  2692. "I’m okay with it."
  2693. >"... because I will..."
  2694. >You crawl forward, shoving your wrist in front of her face again.
  2695. “Do it. You can just turn me, right? Make me one of you?”
  2696. >”... I hurt so much…“
  2697. “DO IT!”
  2698. >”… I’m so hungry…”
  2699. >Fluttershy’s mouth opens wide, the long needles of her fangs coming dangerously close to your arm. She continues to cry, even as she starts to bite down. Your skin dimples as the tips press against your flesh.
  2700. >"She just will not stop, will she, Anon!?” Rarity screeches, looming over you suddenly. “She would kill you to keep you from me!”
  2701. >You jerk back in surprise, Fluttershy’s fangs leaving two thin scratches along your wrist.
  2702. >”... I don’t *want* to…”
  2703. “DO IT!”
  2704. >You shove your arm forward with the last of your strength.
  2705. >Maybe –
  2706. >”GET AWAY FROM HER!” Rarity’s foot slams into your shoulder, sending you tumbling. “If you want to die so much –“
  2707. >”NO, DON’T HURT HIM!”
  2708. >As you fall, you catch a glimpse of Fluttershy lunging on torn legs, grabbing for the other girl.
  2709. >She’s trying to protect you; trying to tear the hatchet from Rarity’s hand.
  2710. >Trying so hard, you almost cry when her legs collapse under her.
  2711. >Rarity simply – elegantly – steps aside, not even trying to fight back. She just lets the other girl fall, steps over her to reach you, and holds out a glass of water.
  2712. >”Here, daring. I did not forget this time.”
  2713. >When you don’t take it, she kneels down beside you and puts a hand around your back to hold you upright.
  2714. >”Oh, right,” she says, holding the glass to your lips. “My apologies, Anon. I did not realize you were too weak.”
  2715. >But you are.
  2716. >You want to take it the glass. You want to slam it against her head. You want more than anything to get your hands on that hatchet.
  2717. >You slowly sip from the glass as she tilts it for you.
  2718. >There’s nothing else you can do.
  2719. >”She tried to touch you again, didn’t she?”
  2720. >You can’t answer; you can only swallow the water. She’s pouring too fast for anything else.
  2721. >”Anon,” Rarity sighs, looking at you with pleading eyes, “you don’t have to cover for her.”
  2722. >She sets down the empty glass beside you and gently lowers you to the floor.
  2723. “I’m –“
  2724. >There’s no point; Rarity has already turned away.
  2725. >She gently rolls Fluttershy onto her back.
  2726. >”Are you okay?”
  2727. >The other girl can only cry.
  2728. >”Let me help you, Fluttershy,” Rarity sighs. “Please? Isn’t that what tonight is all about?”
  2729. >She feels around on the floor for a second, ignoring her friend’s moaning. It doesn’t take her long to find what she is looking for.
  2730. >”I really did try to follow Twilight’s plan. You know that, right?”
  2731. >With a heavy-hearted sigh, Rarity places the stake squarely between Fluttershy’s breasts.
  2732. >”…Rarity, please…“
  2733. >”Is it really so impossible for you to admit it?”
  2734. >She shakes her head slightly, her purple curls bouncing from the gesture.
  2735. >”… don’t hurt him…”
  2736. >”I do not want to hurt *anyone*, dear, and I have absolutely *no* intention of doing so.”
  2737. >And yet, she raises the hatchet.
  2738. >”… he doesn’t –”
  2739. >Rarity brings the butt of the hatchet’s head down on the stake, driving it into Fluttershy’s flesh.
  2740. >The vampiress screams – how can she not?
  2741. >The sound is deafening.
  2742. “They’ll come, Rarity! You have to stop this!”
  2743. >”Who?”
  2744. >She looks up from her friend, and looks at you curiously.
  2745. “The others! They’ll have heard that and –“
  2746. >”I do not think so,” Rarity giggles at some private joke, though she does grab a dirty sock off the floor and roughly shove it in Fluttershy’s mouth.
  2747. >She gives a little groan as Fluttershy’s makes a feeble grab for the stake.
  2748. >”Why do you *always* have to fight me,” Rarity sighs, hacking at her friend’s remaining hand again and again. Unable to cut through the bones, it still does a wonderful job of shattering them, as well as severing the muscles and tendons that move them. “I am sorry, Fluttershy, but this really is for the best.”
  2749. >She brings the weight of the hatchet down on the stake again.
  2750. >It doesn’t budge.
  2751. >”How curious,” the girl grunts, looking at the hatchet as if it is suddenly defective. “I thought these kinds of things were meant to be used to drive stakes for tents and the like.”
  2752. >She sighs and reaches up to gently brush a hand across Fluttershy’s cheek.
  2753. >”This may take longer than I had hoped. I am so very sorry.”
  2754. >She raises the hatchet for another blow.
  2755. “WAIT!”
  2756. >”Just one moment, darling.”
  2757. “It’s the stake! I used a soft wood, so there’s no way it’ll get through bone. You might as well give up.”
  2758. >”Oh.”
  2759. >She looks at the stake, at the thick blood welling up around the tip, and laughs at herself.
  2760. >”How thoughtful of you to tell me.”
  2761. >She smiles and pulls the stake free.
  2762. “So –“
  2763. >THUD.
  2764. “Stop!”
  2765. >”Soon.”
  2766. >She brings the hatched down again.
  2767. >THUD.
  2768. >”Do stop thrashing about, Fluttershy. It is just so *undignified*.”
  2769. >And again.
  2770. >THUD.
  2771. >”This will just take *forever*,” the girl sighs before dragging the dull blade across the long gash in Fluttershy’s chest. “Maybe I should fetch Applejack, as I truly haven’t the faintest how to skin something.”
  2772. >She half-rises before shaking her head.
  2773. >”No, no, that would be ludicrous. Darling thing needs her sleep; I shan’t disturb her now.”
  2774. “Please! Stop! You’re just hurting her!”
  2775. >”Silly Anon, I would *never* hurt my friends.”
  2776. “So Fluttershy isn’t your friend?”
  2777. >”Of course she is.”
  2778. “Bullshit!”
  2779. >”Language, Anon.”
  2780. “Just stop! How is *this* going to help!?”
  2781. >It’s pure sadism.
  2782. >” If the stake cannot get through the ribcage, then I shall simply have to remove it.”
  2783. >You can’t watch. Fluttershy begged you to let her die with some dignity; averting your eyes is the least you can do.
  2784. >It’s also the most you can do.
  2785. >Even if you can’t help her, you at least wish you could block out those horrible tearing noises and muffled screams.
  2786. >The rhythmic thumping of the hatchet being put back to work is almost a welcome relief, because it means an end to the tearing.
  2787. >The screams never stop, however.
  2788. >They’ll never stop, you suspect, even after Fluttershy is dead. You’ll be hearing them for the rest of your life – and after.
  2789. >There’s a horrible cracking sound as the first of her ribs shatters under the relentless assault, followed by a little squeal of happiness from Rarity.
  2790. >”And that is *one* down!”
  2791. >She’s not even trying to cut through them, merely smashing the axe into Fluttershy’s ribs over and over until they snap.
  2792. >Quietly, you give thanks to whatever gods are listening when silence eventually falls.
  2793. >You dare to raise your eyes.
  2794. >Whoever or whatever gods they are, they are cruel pranksters, because it’s not over.
  2795. >Rarity has dropped the hatchet – she doesn’t need it anymore. Not to break through the ribcage, nor to drive the stake. Fluttershy’s ribs… her…
  2796. >Splintered bones and torn cartilage have been cast aside.
  2797. >The hollow of her torso is open, her organs exposed, and her friend now grips the stake you had made with both hands.
  2798. >She holds it over Fluttershy’s still and silent heart.
  2799. >If it weren’t for the fresh tears running from her eyes, you would think her already dead.
  2800. >You wish she was.
  2801. >”Sorry, but I can’t give him up. Some things are too precious to share.”
  2802. >The stake comes down, piercing the vampiress’ heart.
  2803. >Fluttershy doesn’t explode into a cloud of dust or burst of flame; there’s no screaming or howling, only a welcome look in her eyes as they meet yours for a brief second before losing focus and growing dim.
  2804. >Rarity doesn’t move, still kneeling at her friend’s side, still holding onto the stake as time stretches on.
  2805. “Why…?”
  2806. >You don’t expect an answer, but it has to be asked.
  2807. >”Because you are mine,” she responds slowly. “Even if I never made it public or… or approached you, you are mine, and I am yours.”
  2808. “You killed one of your best friends because you were *jealous*?”
  2809. >”A lady is never jealous, Anon.”
  2810. >With effort, she pulls her hands from the stake.
  2811. >”Why would I be jealous? You are mine. I have been waiting *years* for you to realize it, but… but…”
  2812. “Then you should have said something! Maybe asked me out on a date!”
  2813. >”I couldn’t,” Rarity answers, turning to face you. “A lady is never so direct.”
  2814. >She has tears of her own flowing unchecked.
  2815. >”I wish I could have; I wish I *had*.”
  2816. >She reaches down and grabs your hands in hers.
  2817. >”I wouldn’t have had the strength to do this if it hadn’t been for you,” she openly sobs. “If you hadn’t made the tools available –“
  2818. >You made the stake.
  2819. >You left the hatchet out.
  2820. >” – if you hadn’t told me what to do –“
  2821. >You told her Fluttershy was a vampire.
  2822. >You told her how to drive the stake in.
  2823. >” – you wouldn’t have had to if only I had the courage to confess my love for you earlier.”
  2824. >None of that is true, not really, but…
  2825. >“She almost killed you, because I was too weak to do what needed to be done!” Rarity cries, tears dripping freely. “I was only able to save you from her because you helped!”
  2826. >Is that how she sees it?
  2827. >“Now, if you will excuse me,” she mumbles, trembling slightly, “I feel a desperate need to freshen up.”
  2828. >She lets go of you and stands, wiping her face with the old t-shirt of yours she’s wearing.
  2829. >”Anon?” Rarity calls back, hesitating in the doorway.
  2830. “What?”
  2831. >”I saved you,” she says, with a slight smile. “You should thank me.”
  2832. “What…?”
  2833. >”It’s what you do when someone saves your life.”
  2834. “I… I…”
  2835. >She did.
  2836. >You would be dead now if she hadn’t stormed in.
  2837. “Thank you, Rarity.”
  2838. >You look down at your hands.
  2839. >She’s right.
  2840. >Fluttershy’s blood is as much on your hands as it is on hers.
  2841. >A part of you knows how false that is, but you can’t help but feel it is all your fault.
  2842. >It’s hard not to, with her blood literally on your hands.
  2843. >You’re still staring at your hands when Rarity returns, her face wiped clean of snot and tears.
  2844. >Blood still covers both arms, and you panic for a second. If it won’t wash off, then –
  2845. >But no, she didn’t even try.
  2846. >”I had hoped to have a little time to ourselves,” the girl sighs, her hips swaying as she crosses over to the window and pulls aside the curtain just enough to peak outside, “but unfortunately fate continues to conspire against us, darling.”
  2847. >She sighs again and kneels down beside you.
  2848. >”The sun is starting to rise, so I expect the others will be up soon. I am afraid I just *cannot* be caught coming out of a boy’s room, even by my close friends. I would not want them thinking anything untoward happened between us.”
  2849. >Rarity leans over and gently kisses your forehead.
  2850. >”Even if that *was* my plan.”
  2851. >Another kiss, on the lips this time.
  2852. >”Now hold on to me. We need to get you into the shower and looking somewhat presentable. We should have just enough time if we do not dally, but first –“
  2853. >Rarity stands abruptly and yanks open the curtain, letting the early morning light stream in.
  2854. >” – we should air out this room a bit. It is looking rather gloomy in here, don’t you agree?”
  2855. “Sure.”
  2856. >She’s dead because of you.
  2857. >”Now, is that not just the *most* spectacular sunrise you’ve ever seen?”
  2858. “Yeah.”
  2859. >You may not have driven the stake in, but it’s still your fault.
  2860. >”Some days, I find myself forgetting just how beautiful nature can be, and then something like this comes along and gives me back my sense of wonder. You know, Fluttershy is always telling me how much she loves to watch the sun come up; perhaps that girl has the right idea.”
  2861. >Because of you, Fluttershy will never get to see another sunrise.
  2862. >”But, unfortunately, just like my dear friend, we cannot afford to spend all morning appreciating the sights. She told me just yesterday that it hasn’t watched the sunrise in over a month!”
  2863. >You should do something.
  2864. >It’s wrong, leaving Fluttershy like… like *this*. She deserves better. You should bury her or... or… *something*.
  2865. >”The darling has been acting just so *terribly* depressed lately,” Rarity sighs, “But there is nothing we can do about that now.”
  2866. >She tears herself away from the window with another sigh.
  2867. >”Come along, Anon. Perhaps tomorrow morning.”
  2868. >She reaches down to help you stand. Only then do you realize that blood on her hands is gone, save for a hint of reddish smoke or steam as the last bit of dark blood burns away in the sunlight. Cautiously, you glance towards… towards *her*.
  2869. >Where the sunlight lands, thin wisps of smoke curl up from the body.
  2870. >”Yes,” Rarity says absentmindedly while pulling you up, “tomorrow morning would be just *perfect*.”
  2871. “Tomorrow morning…?”
  2872. >As the light slowly advances, more of her body starts to burn flamelessly.
  2873. >”Yes, tomorrow morning, Anon. Are you even listening to me?”
  2874. “What happens tomorrow morning?”
  2875. >The sunlight works quickly; Fluttershy’s lower legs are little more than ash and smoke.
  2876. >”Personally, I am more curious about what will happen tonight,” Rarity giggles. “Where are we going on our date?”
  2877. “We’re going on a date?”
  2878. >The light continues to creep into the room.
  2879. >”Of course we are, silly boy! We have to be *publicly* seen as a couple, or no one in their right mind would believe that you and I are dating. I expect you to ask me out before I leave today.”
  2880. “I think your friends will have some interesting things to say about that.”
  2881. >”Oh, darling, pay them no heed. I will not let *anyone* get between us.”
  2882. >She’ll kill them too.
  2883. “And what if I don’t ask you out?”
  2884. >”You should not joke about such things.”
  2885. >Rarity smiles a second later, but you get the point.
  2886. >She won’t let anyone get between the two of you, even *you*.
  2887. >There’s no point fighting her – soon, there won’t be any evidence left.
  2888. >Anything that happens will be blamed on you, though you already blame yourself.
  2889. >You take another look at Fluttershy, lying on the floor with her dead eyes staring towards the window. You should…
  2890. >No.
  2891. >You think she’d prefer it this way.
  2892. “Help me to the shower, Rarity.”
  2893. >You leave Fluttershy where she lays, to watch the sunrise one last time.
  2894.  
  2895. >In another part of the house, Applejack curiously watches as Twilight slides out of your parents’ bed and digs around sleepily for her phone.
  2896. >”Ah’m surprised you got any sleep, what with all that carryin’ on they was doin’, but dang if you weren’t out like a log! So how the heck are you still so tired?”
  2897. >”Alcohol doesn’t agree with me,” Twilight mumbles, slipping on her glasses. “Believe me, I *didn’t* want to sleep last night.”
  2898. >”What you mean is you’re a lightweight.”
  2899. >”I *mean* alcohol doesn’t agree with me! Now leave me alone for a bit!”
  2900. >Twilight holds up her phone triumphantly before sinking into a nearby chair.
  2901. >Unfortunately for her, AJ is the very definition of a morning person. In fact, it’s her fidgeting that woke Twilight up just as the sun peaked above the horizon. She would have been up earlier if it hadn’t been for… all those things that happened the night before. Whatever they were.
  2902. >She has some trouble remembering, but knows that it left her completely tuckered out.
  2903. >”Whatcha doin’, Twi?”
  2904. >She’s polite enough to not watch over her friend’s shoulder, but not asking?
  2905. >That would be too much.
  2906. >But when Twilight answers with a grunt, AJ shrugs and heads on over to the closed door.
  2907. >”Ah’m gonna go check on the others.”
  2908. >Grunt.
  2909. >”Well, okay then.”
  2910. >The knob doesn’t turn.
  2911. >”Hey, Twi, didja lock this last night?”
  2912. >”Yeah,” her friend answers, not looking up from her phone.
  2913. >”Why? Ah know Anon’s a little weird, but he don’t seem like the kind of guy to sneak in on us in the middle of the night.”
  2914. >”Wasn’t for him.”
  2915. >”Ah swear, Twilight,” AJ sighs, rolling her eyes, “you can be *so* paranoid –“
  2916. >”Not paranoid,” the other girl snaps back, raising her eyes for just a second to glare angrily at her friend. “Just sit down. Might not be safe.”
  2917. >Applejack gives the knob another look, but returns to the bed.
  2918. >”Now, Ah trust you, Twi, but at least tell me what’s goin’ on, okay?”
  2919. >With a frown, Twilight taps her screen before looking up.
  2920. >”I think I have proof of the paranormal.”
  2921. >”What.”
  2922. >It’s not the first time Applejack has heard a crazy claim from her friend; a flat “what” is all it deserves at this point.
  2923. >”I hid some cameras in Anon’s room yesterday,” Twilight explains with a sigh. “I meant to watch them last night, but…”
  2924. >She gives a little shrug and blushes.
  2925. >”First off, don’t you realize how creepy that is!?”
  2926. >Applejack raises a hand to stop her friend from answering.
  2927. >”Second, WHY!? You think he’s a ghost or somethin’? And third, where’d you even hide those, anyway!?”
  2928. >Twilight silently stares at her impatiently.
  2929. >”You can answer now, but Ah’m sure Ah’ll have more questions after.”
  2930. >”Yes, no, and you don’t want to know, but I need to get into Anon’s room today –“
  2931. >”To get your cameras?”
  2932. >”And my panties. I lost them somewhere. WHAT!? Don’t give me that look – his room is a *mess*.”
  2933. >”Okay, let’s just bookmark that under questions for later,” Applejack growls. “You still ain’t answered the why.”
  2934. >Twilight’s head drops – she can’t meet her friend’s eyes.
  2935. >”I think – I think Fluttershy is a vampire.”
  2936. >”And Ah think you’re crazy.”
  2937. >”No, seriously!” Twilight insisters. “I think she is! And… and I think it might be my fault.”
  2938. >”What? You bite her or somethin’?”
  2939. >”No, but she bit you.”
  2940. >”Bullshit.”
  2941. >”I mean it. Check.”
  2942. >”Bullshit!”
  2943. >”Just check, AJ!”
  2944. >The farmgirl slaps a hand to her neck.
  2945. >”Ah don’t feel –“
  2946. >”No, your leg.”
  2947. >Applejack raises an eyebrow up looks down at her crossed legs. Slowly, she pulls up the hem of your old t-shirt, gasping when she sees the bandage wrapped around her thigh.
  2948. >”What the heck?” she mumbles. “It was just a scratch.”
  2949. >”Unwrap it and check the inside of your thigh, AJ,” Twilight sighs. “You’ll find two scabbed puncture wounds right above your great saphenous vein.”
  2950. >She pauses for a second, as if pondering a thought that has just occurred to her, before continuing.
  2951. >“I think she was trying to avoid taking too much, or at least reduce the risk to you, by drinking from that instead of your femoral artery.”
  2952. >”Well, Ah appreciate the thought,” Applejack grumbles, frantically tearing at the gauze and tape wrapping her thigh, “but Ah’m not sure if Ah should be furious or terrified right now, if you know what Ah mean.”
  2953. >With the last of the bandage removed, she stares at the two small wounds in complete horror.
  2954. >”Ah… Ah ain’t gonna turn into one, am Ah!? That’s how it works, ain’t it!?”
  2955. >”I… don’t think so…?”
  2956. >”Not very reassurin’ Twilight!”
  2957. >”Sorry,” she answers with a shrug. “I didn’t think of that. But now you know how important this is, so if you’ll excuse me…”
  2958. >”Is this why we’re here? Is this why you decided to set up Fluttershy with Anon?”
  2959. >Twilight frowns, but answers after a second.
  2960. >”Yes.”
  2961. >”So what was all that about him bein’ a perfect match for Fluttershy!?”
  2962. >”The truth. Best case scenario, the two of them will get something out of this, even if I’m wrong about the vampirism.”
  2963. >”And your worst case scenario?” Applejack snarls.
  2964. >”Well, he won’t be missed,” Twilight answers with a shrug before sitting back in the chair. “Any other questions, because…”
  2965. >She waves her phone for AJ to see.
  2966. >”No, go ahead.”
  2967. >Twilight nods in thanks and taps her screen again to resume the saved video.
  2968. >Applejack watches her friend silently. She knows there’s no point asking further questions, not with Twilight in her Science Zone.
  2969. >She watches as her friend smiles and blushes.
  2970. >She expects Twilight to start jumping up and down and bragging about her discovery any minute now.
  2971. >She doesn’t expect to see sweat beading up on her forehead, her arms trembling, her hands clutching the phone so tight she wouldn’t be surprised if it breaks.
  2972. >”What’s goin’ on Twi?”
  2973. >”I was wrong…”
  2974. >Applejack shivers involuntarily; she’s never heard her friend actually admit that before, and it scares her.
  2975. >Twilight looks up from her phone, tears pouring down her face. She doesn’t bother to pause the video; she can’t watch anymore.
  2976. >”Wrong about what, Twi?”
  2977. >”Fluttershy was right,” Twilight whispers back. “And I was wrong.”
  2978. >”About what!?”
  2979. >”This is all my fault…”

Cuddleshy

by twilightgamenight

Game Night 01: Twilight Game Night (Part 1)

by twilightgamenight

Game Night 02: Twilight Game Night (Part 2)

by twilightgamenight

Game Night 03: Twilight Game Night (Part 3)

by twilightgamenight

Game Night 04: Twilight Game Night (Epilogue)

by twilightgamenight