Anon: Vampony Hunter! Crucible (1/2)

>Day the Crucible in Equestria

Companion image is here: http://victor-whiterock.deviantart.com/art/CarnelianAndMob-Victor-Whiterock-392563959

>You are Anonymous: Vampire Hunter!
>And you have brought a vampire before the ponies of Ponyville to face justice.
>OK, she isn’t technically a vampire.
>She isn’t undead.
>She is a living, breathing pony.
>With bat wings.
>But she does drink blood.
>That’s important, because right now it’s the main point of contention between her and the villagers of this humble hamlet.
>See, for the past couple of weeks she has been hiding out in the Everfree forest.
>And nearby on Applejack’s farm is a big pasture full of juicy, delicious cows.
>Well the need for blood, plus the bovine smorgasbord, plus poor impulse control had resulted in the little bat pony engaging in some ‘moonlight requisitioning’ as Grandpa Anonymous used to call it.
>Not that you can really blame her.
>It’s tough being a meat eater in the land of the grass fed; or blood drinker in her case.
>Sometimes, you feel like the lion in that one cartoon.
>The one stuck on the island with his herbivore friends.
>Slowly going crazy from lack of red meat.
>Curses! Now you’re craving both a Porterhouse and a good movie.
>Both of which are sorely lacking in this land of peace and friendship.
>Enough of this foolish reminiscing, back to the issue at hand.
>Applejack is currently berating the little bat pony.
>It occurs to you that don’t even know her name.
>Huh.
>Oh well, that’s not important right now.
>What is important is that you keep this situation from getting out of hand.
>Which is getting more difficult by the second as ponies converge on the town square.
>It’s starting to get dark and…
>Wow! That’s a lot of torches!
>Why does Ponyville even have that many torches and how did they get them passed out so quickly?
>Looking back on it, you probably should have had your batty charge meet with Applejack in the mayor’s office.
>Oh well, too late now.
>The problem is that the crowd is starting to get restless.
>As a vampire hunter you’ve had plenty of experience with angry mobs.
>Heck you have even been known to organize them from time to time when it suits your purposes.
>But you can’t let that bat pony become the target of one.
>You did promise to stick up for her after all.
>When someone calls out for some rope you know you’ve got to act quickly.
“Belay that!” you yell.
>The citizenry all looks at you.
>Time to put all those lawyer shows you used to watch on T.V. to good use.
“Is this not a nation of laws? Would you condemn this wretched creature without due process?! Shame on you! Shame on you all!”
>All the ponies pause.
>Most of them are looking away.
>Even Applejack looks a little chagrined.
>Anon my boy, you still got it.
>You suggest that this matter be bought before the highest authority in the village so that you can resolve the situation quickly.
>You’re on friendly terms with most of the local government after helping to remodel city hall a few months back.
>You’re sure that you can smooth this over behind closed doors.
>”Very well! Bring forth the accused and ye shall be heard.” a voice cries out from the back of the crowd.
>Wait, who said that?
>The ponies part and up the aisle trots Her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle, E.o.M.*
>Crap.
>You forgot that the local librarian is also a princess, and thus technically the highest authority in the village.
>Just another crazy thing that doesn’t make much sense on this world.
>She begins instructing various ponies to set up a platform, tables, and chairs right there in the town square.
>Twilight. You can’t seriously be considering…
>”Anonymous.” she declares, “Since you seem to be friends with this little pony will you represent her?”
>She is serious.
>She is going to have a trial right here in the open in front of all these ponies.
>You don’t usually swear but right now a couple of choice words are coming unbidden to your mind.
>Fortunately, your steely self-discipline prevents you from yelling them in Twilight's face.
>You look over towards the accused.
>She looks terrified.
>Wonderful.
>Well, in for a penny, in for a pound as Papa Anonymous used to say.
“Yes, I will represent her. But could we, uh, postpone the trial? So I can, um, prepare a proper defense?”
>”Of course.  You didn’t think we were going to hold this hearing right now did you?”
>Wow. Maybe this won’t be the unmitigated disaster you were imagining after all.
>”After all,” she continues, “there are lots of fillies and colts that will be very excited to see Equestrian jurisprudence in action, and we can’t have them staying up past their bed time, and it’s already getting late.”
>And there’s those choice words again, just popping into you head.
>Twilight addresses the crowd.
>”Citizens of Ponyville. The accused’s hearing shall be conducted the morning after next at 10:00 AM sharp.”
>She turns towards you and Applejack.
>”If that’s acceptable to you both?”
>”Fine.” states Applejack.
“Sure.”
>If you can’t come up with a good defense in the next thirty-six hours you highly doubt that a longer period will help.
>”Very well, then. I would ask anyone not involved in the preparations to please head home.”
>Everyone starts to disperse.
>Twilight walks towards your new client.
>That’s right.
>This poor little thing now has you for a lawyer.
>You can’t help but think that she might be in trouble.
>Twilight's horn starts to glow as she faces the bat pony.
>Hey, now!
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing?”
>She looks up from the terrified creature.
>”Oh, it’s just a simple tracking spell. That way she knows not to run away.”
“Is that really necessary?”
>”Well, I suppose we could throw her in a dungeon. But the closest ones are in Canterlot and that’s a pretty long train ride.”
>Hmmmnn…
”Gimme a second with my client?”
>“Of course, call me when you’re ready” She trots off to direct some more ponies.
>At this point said client is nearly hyperventilating.
>Poor thing.
>You are far more alien that this bat pony, yet you never had to go through a near lynch mob and trial.
>Of course, if you had given into your craving for hamburger then that might not have been the case.
>You put your hand on her shoulder.
>You make a small shushing sound like Mama Anonymous used to make when you were upset as a child.
>It seems to work, as she calms down a little and manages to get her sobbing under control.
“Hey, don’t you worry. It’s going to be alright, uhhh… You know, I never did get your name.”
>She actually smiles a little at that.
>”Carnelian.”
“Like the stone?”
>”M-my father is a jeweler.”
“Well, that’s a very pretty name.”
>It’s also a very vampire sounding name, but you choose not to point that out.
>”Th-thank you.”
>Let it never be said that you can’t be comforting when you want to.
“Now, I don’t want you to fret. Princess Sparkle there is a pretty fair character. She’ll make sure that nothing too bad happens at this hearing.”
>”Does that mean I should let her put that spell on m-me?”
“I think so. It beats the dungeon right? That way you can hang out at my house while I prepare your defense. OK?”
>“OK. Do you think you can do it? I mean do you know what you’re doing?”
“Hah! Don’t worry about it. I have been witness to some of greatest trials of my age. I’ve seen some of the greatest defense lawyers on my home planet present legendary defenses.”
>That’s right, ’If the glove doesn’t fit…’
>Wait, ponies don’t wear gloves.
>Oh, well.
“You just take it easy and before you know it this will all be behind us.
>Hopefully without her behind bars.
>The rest of the evening passes in a whirlwind.
>Twilight casts her tracking spell, and you usher Carnelian off to your house.
>You get a bite to eat, because it’s been a looong day.
>Turns out Carnelian can eat some plant matter too.
>Mostly fruit.
>Apparently, she drinks blood for the protein.
>Or something.
>You’re a vampire hunter not a pony dietician, take off!
>Still, you tell her how you actually can eat meat, but choose not out of respect for your neighbors.
>You ask her not to divulge that little fact to anyone else.
>”Then why did you tell me?” she asks.
“Call it a token of good faith.”
>She smiles.
>It’s the first real smile you’ve seen her give since you left the Everfree forest together.
“Now, I have a spare room. Would you like me to make up the bed or would you like to hang off of something”
>”Oh, no. The bed is fine. If I hang for too long I get a headache.”
>Well, the more you know.
>You fix up the guest room, get Carnelian settled, and turn in for a good nights sleep.
>You’ve got a long day ahead of you tomorrow.
>The next morning you give your guest some books to entertain herself and instruct her not to go outside.
>Because, of course, lynch mob.
>You tell her you’ll be back about noon to check up on her.
>She looks a lot happier today.
>Sleeping on an actual bed might have something to do with it.
>You bid her farewell and start off towards the center of town at a brisk pace.
>You have roughly twenty-four hours to mount a defense for a strange bat pony in a town that is already turned against her.
>Yah. It didn’t sound quite so ridiculous last night.
>Looking over at the town square you see some fillies playing on a hastily constructed platform.
>”Cutie Mark Crusader Prosecution Team! Yay!”
>For some reason you have been taking this whole affair in stride.
>Nothing you can’t handle right?
>But hearing those little brats say that makes your blood run cold for some reason.
>You know you’re in over your head.
>You know that pony law is pretty different from human law.
>For one thing, your homeland didn’t have royalty acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
>Thank goodness for the Magna Carta.
>Wait, is that right?
>Whatever. These ponies have never even heard of Prince John.
>Heck, the only reason you know about him is because of Robin Hood.
>Well the Merry Men aren’t going to help you out of this mess.
>Nope, there is only one being in all Equestria you can turn to now.
>You knock on the door in front of you.
>Lucky for you he’s a friend.
>”Yah? Oh! Hey Anon, what’s up?”
“Hey Spike, I need a big favor.”

To be continued…

*Element of Magic