>The mare's hooves clamored up the cobweb-covered stairs of the ancient castle
>she panted, desperate to catch her breath
>her legs ached and she was nearly exhausted
>but after what she had faced in this castle, she was ready for anything
>Cockatrices, manticores, tiny critters twisted by his influence, the castle itself falling apart around her
>and some things that were almost unexplainable...
>giant bats, suits of armor moving by themselves, seaponies from the deep
>and what seemed like the spirit of a pony wielding a scythe
>all had been incapacitated by her quick hooves and quicker thinking
>she stopped at the top of the tall, winding staircase and looked back at the castle
>the crumbling towers, decrepit halls, and numerous beasts she had conquered
>she took a deep breath, starting to get her second wind
>the door of the tallest tower and his headquarters was before her
>she could feel a small sliver of fear deep within herself
>she quickly shook her head and cleared those thoughts
>she could do it
>she had to do it
>for her friends...
>she felt about her tattered cloak, taking a quick inventory
>her heart sunk as she realized she had used up most of her items within the castle
>all she had left was her whip, trusty hat, a sole boomerang and a few special bottles
>those bottles were her secret weapon
>for the terrible creature he had become...
>she turned and looked towards the full moon that illuminated the night
>any other night, it would be beautiful...
>her nerves were steel
>she was ready for what lied beyond this threshold
>she reared up her back hooves and kicked the door
 
"BUTTERSCOTCH!"
>The mare screamed as she ran to the center of the expansive room
>she stopped and looked up towards the throne
>There her pink-maned friend sat, wearing some of the fanciest clothing she'd ever seen
>an elaborately designed suit with a cloak over it
>he was relaxing in his seat while holding a glass swirling it's contents around
>seemingly unphased by her entrance, his eyes were focused on the glass
>"Oh Applejack, don't you know better than bursting into somepony's home? You weren't' raised in a barn, were you?"
>she furrowed her brow as she answered
"This ain't yer home."
>the stallion shifted his eyes towards her as a small smile grew behind his fangs
>"It is now, dear. I'm surprised you made it this far..."
"Weren't nothin'. Coulda made it here with mah eyes closed."
>she adjusted her hat as she grinned
>Butterscotch let out a small snicker
>"I'm sorry, where are my manners? I am so glad you could make it!"
>Applejack continued to stare down her friend
>he clapped both of his hooves together
>"Come to join the rest of our friends for my house warming party, no doubt?"
>so he had captured ALL of their friends...
"Where are they, Scotch? I swear if-"
>"They're safe, my favorite little farmer, so don't worry. Would you like to see them?"
>her glare was enough of an answer for him
>he pulled out a small bell and rung it twice
 
>Applejack's jaw dropped as a pony stepped out from behind a curtain near the throne
"Rainbow..."
>the pony slowly headed towards Butterscotch's throne
>the blue pegasus looked towards Applejack with the most defeated look she had ever seen
>she looked absolutely...
>adorable
>he had meticulously primped and preened her
>she was wearing the cutest little maid outfit
>it had been put on over her wings so she couldn't fly
>her rainbow mane was styled in a beautiful way, with just a hint of makeup on her face
>and a platter filled with fancy glasses precariously balanced on her back
>as she reached Scotch's side, he ran his hoof through her mane
>"Oh Rainbow Dash, it's good that you're finally getting the hang of this. You're going to make the absolutely best maid."
>If her snout hadn't been bound in a fancy muzzle, she would have had a viciously snarky comment for him
>"I'll make sure you get extra sugar cubes at dinner."
>the orange mare stared on, somewhere in between screaming in horror and wanting to giggle
"Scotch, how did you..."
>"How did I, the meek and shy Butterscotch, defeat one of the toughest ponies we know?"
>Applejack barely nodded in agreement
>"Simple dear, I just used her own brashness and speed against her."
"...but how?"
>Butterscotch sighed as he continued
>"She came bolting in, I gave her a timid look and curled up on the floor, and before I knew it she had careened into the wall."
>oh.
>"Really, she wasn't even the easiest to capture."
>Applejack swallowed and her eyes grew slightly wider
>he rang his bell again and the pegasus looked up at him
>"Rainbow Dash, dear, please show off the rest of my collection to our guest."
>the captured mare headed towards a rope hanging in front of a curtain and pulled it
>Applejack gasped as the curtain was pulled back
 
>the rest of their friends were situated behind the curtain
"Guys... ah'm sorry..."
>Applejack fell to her knees as she stared on
>Butterscotch cleared his throat as he spoke up
>he pointed to the dingy white unicorn with a messy mane behind a sewing machine
>"Rarity was the second to show up. She came in trying to reason and charm me, but I know all her tricks."
>Applejack looked over to the yellow stallion as he snickered
>"Then she resorted to slinging gems and trying to wrap me up in cloth."
"How... how did ya..."
>"She gets her mane a little messy, and she looses all her concentration. Simple, really. Now she's making my new wardrobe. Right, Miss Rarity?"
>without looking up from her work, the white unicorn answered him flatly
>"Yes, Count Butterscotch. Your new suit is coming along nicely."
>"And it looks very lovely! Now onto Pinkamena Diane..."
>he pointed to the pink mare bustling about in a small kitchen area
>"Hi AJ!" she said happily as she ran about, baking some fruit-laden dessert
"Hey Pinkie."
>"She came in here saying she wanted to make me laugh and smile, so I stared her down."
"You didn't..."
>"I did. She is now my head chef, and that does make me smile."
>"Yay! thanks Count Scotchie!"
>"oh, You're welcome, Pinkie. She probably would have joined me if I asked nicely, though."
>he pointed his hoof out towards the purple mare, the last of their friends that had come to help him
>"And now onto Missus Twilight Sparkle..."
 
>Twilight was sitting with her head hung low, surrounded by stacks and stacks of books just out of reach
>"She was the easiest to capture."
>Applejack's mind was wandering
>how could Twi get captured?
>she always had a plan or a magic spell...
"Scotch, how did Twilight-"
>"Magic cancelling barrier around the room. She was absolutely powerless once she stepped past the threshold of the door."
"Oh."
>Twilight slowly lifted her head up to look at Applejack
>"AJ, Help. He's got us chained to the floor. I can barely move around, and I can't even reach those books..."
>Scotch spoke up, cutting her off
>"I'm sorry, Twilight, but that's just so you can't get away. And those books are blank anyway."
>Twilight groaned as she laid down on the floor
>Applejack stared on in absolute horror
>these were his best friends, and he had them captured
>collecting them and keeping them like animals...
>she grit her teeth as she slammed a hoof to the floor
"Why'd ya do it, Scotch?"
>"Why did I do it?"
>he spun and stared at the orange mare, his expression turning into a snarl as he growled at her
>"WHY DID I?"
>AJ was slightly taken aback as he yelled
 
>"Do you EVEN recall ALL the times you and my "friends" teased me? You knew I was shy, and didn't know how to handle it!"
>AJ hesitated for a second before answering
"Teasin'? But we're your friends, we don't..."
>Butterscotch let out a groan
>"No, you simple farm pony. Teasing me for being the single stallion in a group of mares!"
>Oh.
"Scotch, yah know we were just pickin'. I-"
>"But ALL THE TIME? Even after I asked you to stop?"
"Ah'm sorry, Scotch, if we were too flirty with ya..."
>"It's not just being flirty, Oh no. You actually did slow down a bit, AJ..."
>he snapped a hoof towards the other ponies
>"But between Rainbow always wanting to 'wrestle', Rarity wanting to measure EVERY PART of my body, Twilight spouting off facts about sex, and Pinkie..."
>out the corner of her eye, AJ could see Pinkie duck behind the small kitchen counter
>"Do you even remember her big sleepover party?"
>AJ heard a muffled "i'm sorry" from behind the counter
>"Not just all of that either! All of the 'too-long' hugs and nuzzling and lifted tails as I walked behind you!"
>Applejack's head sank slightly
>she was definitely guilty of that...
>"I can describe all of your marehoods in detail. I shouldn't be able to do that!"
>AJ blushed at that statement
"Ya didn't have ta look!"
>"I couldn't help it! They were everywhere!"
 
>Butterscotch stared down at his hooves
>"But now, with this power..."
>he licked the fangs that stuck from his mouth
>"This wonderful power has given me so much strength and confidence..."
>Applejack stared on with her mouth agape
>"Now maybe you all will listen to me and stop!"
>he snarled as he said those last words
"But goin' this far, Scotch? This ain't right!"
>Butterscotch's leathery wings flapped as he flew above the throne
>"Many things aren't right, are they, Applejack?"
"Ah'm sorry, but I guess they ain't."
>"I can't wait for you to join us."
>AJ readied her whip
"Oh, and why's that?"
>"I would like you to make some apple juice, please"
"ah'll make sure to use the best rotten apples i got"
>"There's only one rotten apple here, and she's standing before me."
>Applejack snarled at that comment
>"But enough talk! I mean, if that's okay."
"Have 'atcha!"
>Applejack and Count Butterscotch both bolted towards each other
 
>The two ponies clashed in mid-air and threw the other off themselves
>they both hit the ground on their hooves
>staring each other down
>Then leaped back at each other again
>hooves flew and blows connected
>Both were equally matched in speed and strength
>this fight was a test of endurance
>AJ's natural, yet exhausted strength versus Butterscotch's vampire enhanced abilities
>the other four mares watched for what seemed like an eternity as the two friends went at each other
>hooves swung, wings flapped and whips cracked
>Scotch picked up AJ and tried to fly off, but she wiggled free of his grasp before he could do anything
>then he let out a screech, and a swarm of bats appeared to aid him
>they tried to swarm the orange mare, but she fended them off
>at one point, they both stopped and looked at each other
>"You certainly are putting up a good fight, Applejack."
"I'm surprised yah had this in ya, Scotch."
>"oh, um Thanks, AJ."
>the mare noticed the faint smile on the stallion
>"AJ, Watch out! He's gonna-"
>Twilight yelled from the sidelines
>Butterscotch's eyes grew wide as he tried to stare down Applejack
 
>Those large, soft eyes were intensely drilling into the poor mare's vision
>she quickly pulled her hat down as her hoof dug into her cloak
>"Wait, wha-"
*Krack*
>Applejack's last boomerang cracked into the jaw of the stallion
>and that sent him toppling to the floor
>AJ stood her ground as she watched him get up
"Ya alright, Scotch?"
>he was wiggling his jaw with a hoof as he steadied himself
>"Oh, i'm fine..."
>The tone of his voice sent a sliver of fear into the poor mare
>"But you may not be!"
>he spun around as he leaped backwards and pulled something from his suit
>it was just a simple white ball of fluff
>no wait
>that was...
>he gently set it on the ground and pointed to Applejack
>"Angel bunny, go get 'em! Help daddy!"
>AJ could only stare on as Scotch's beloved animal companion stared at her with blood red eyes
"Scotch. How could you..."
>she couldn't finish that statement
>the bunny had opened the razor teeth of it's maw
>and it was coming right for her
 
>AJ closed her eyes as she cracked the whip in front of her
>she anticipated some form of pain...
>A bite or scratching or something...
>but when nothing came, she opened her eyes
>all of the ponies stared on in amazement
>she had wrapped Angel bunny in the whip
>he was gnawing at it and squeaking up a storm
>most likely viciously mocking her with some curses in rabbit language
>"Angel, language."
>the mare let out a breath she didn't know she was holding
>She pulled the rabbit closer, and using a thread pulled from her cloak, hogtied him
>the little critter's squeaking intensified
>"where did he learn those words..." the yellow stallion mumbled
>as she slid the rabbit to the side, Butterscotch just stared on with an open mouth
>"That... he was my... secret weapon..."
"Oh yeah?"
>the mare smiled as she slowly walked closer to the yellow vampire pony
>Scotch had begun to back towards a corner
>her hoof was digging into her cloak
"Yah wanna see mine?"
>AJ pulled out one of the bottles hidden in her cloak
>something perfect for taking on a vampire
>A special bottle of blessed apple juice
>Who knew that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had become priests?
 
>As she raised her hoof holding the bottle above her head, Scotch's eyes grew wide
>"I..."
>Applejack swung her hoof down
>the bottle shattered on the ground in front of the stallion
>engulfing the area in front of him in blue flame
>he shrieked as his back hit the wall
>none of the flames got on him, but you wouldn't know that from his yelling
>AJ stood there, another bottle in her hoof
"That was just'n example. Wanna see it again?"
>she said with a smile
>the stallion's eyes were pinpricks as he stared at her
>"No no no no, Please, AJ, I'm so sorry I'll never do it again..."
>now it was her turn to stare him down
>he had started to sweat and tremble beneath her
>"I just didn't know what to do, and then this happened..."
>he pointed at his fangs that stuck from his mouth
>"...and the castle thing seemed right, and you all were, well, and, um-"
>the mare stood above him, with the bottle still raised
"Scotch, I ain't gonna be part of yah harem of breeding mares."
>he gasped as his his hooves covered his mouth
>"Applejack, I would never do that!"
>she lowered the bottle slightly
"do wha now?"
>"all I ever wanted was to just cuddle with a mare, and..."
>she smiled as she realized something
>despite being a vampire pony, this was still the same old Butterscotch
>the same timid, shy, nervous yet immensely kind little pony deep down
>she knew exactly how to settle this
 
>Butterscotch trailed off into silence as AJ sat the bottle on the ground
"Cuddlin'? That's all ya wanted?"
>"I, uh..."
>the contents of her cloak rattled as it hit the floor, followed by her hat
"Why didn' ya just ask?"
>she was now undoing her hair ties, letting her mane flow free
>"I just, um..."
>Scotch squeaked as she sat on top of him
>AJ had straddled the stallion's waist with her thick hips, pinning him to the floor
>"um, you don't have to..."
>he squeaked again as she wiggled her hips on him
"Me n' you are gonna cuddle like no pony's ever cuddled before."
>"AJ, I, you're... on my..."
"Sorry"
>she shifted her weight as she lowered her self onto him
>she began unbuttoning his fancy jacket
"Let's get ya outta this silly getup."
>"i... I like that jacket..."
>AJ looked back towards her friends as she threw the vampire's cloak and jacket their way
>she wrapped her hooves around Butterscotch's neck
"So you wanna be big spoon or little spoon?"
 
>"I, uh, don't know..."
"We'll just get to it and see what happens"
>the two ponies began cuddling on the floor
>hooves moving about and legs crossing
>Butterscotch was thoroughly enjoying the company of his friend
>her warmth, which was even more wonderful since he was now a vampire
>the slight scent of cinnamon and apples she had
>and the overwhelming feeling of everything being ok as he was in her embrace
>Applejack ran her hoof through his hair as she spoke up
"Scotch, ah'm sorry for all the teasin."
>he smiled to her as he spoke up
>"...and, um, I'm sorry about all this."
"It's okay."
>the cuddling continued for a few minutes
>until something warm and firm poked Applejack in her stomach
"Whoa there"
>"i'm sorry..."
"It's okay, Scotch, maybe you should be little spoon now..."
>the two ponies rolled around and switched positions
>after they were situated, Butterscotch looked up to see four mares standing over them
>"Oh, Hi girls."
>he nestled back into Applejack's hooves
>then his eyes shot open
>"GIRLS!?"
 
>the four mares had stern looks on their faces
>"Hello, Count Butterscotch..."
>Twilight said to him, almost in a growl
>he began to tremble as Applejack pet his head
>"But... how did you... the keys were..."
>he patted his hoof against his chest, feeling for his pocket
>"in my jacket..."
>"You mean this jacket?"
>Pinkie Pie said, wearing the jacket he had on
>oh...
>Rainbow Dash, in her maid outfit, was pounding her hooves together
>he couldn't see her mouth, but he knew she had a scowl on her face
>Rarity stepped forward, glaring at Butterscotch
>"Oh, Count, we would like to have a word with you..."
>Scotch tried to back up further into Applejack's embrace
"Y'all just give us a minute, then you can have ya turns..."
>AJ said as she hugged onto the poor stallion, nuzzling his neck
>Scotch just meekly looked up at the mares before him
>"um, Girls... I, uh, oh..."
>all four stared down at him
>he just sheepishly grinned behind his fangs
>"I'm sorry..."