Chapter 6

As everybody walked out of the castle, they all ran up to Ra.

"What was that all about?" Mantha asked.

"What do you mean?" Ra asked back.

"You suddenly acted all… kingly in there." Thatch told him.

"Do you guys know anything about mummies, no you don't." Ra sighed, stopping and facing the others. "At this age, mummy powers start to show. But, that's not really a good thing. All my ancestors, the great kings before me all live in those powers. Once a king falls out of his rule his life is meaningless, he 'dies'. What happens is his own powers eat at him, devouring him, then the powers move to the heir. Normally, the heir will already be full grown. But since I'm not my powers will come in slowly and my father will rule 'till I'm able to withstand such power. It's rather simple to understand. Basically, green eyes=all passed rulers."

Everybody stared at him, confused. Ra groans and uses his hoof to draw a picture in the dirt.

"Right now if I get the powers I will die and since I don't have a heir the powers will spread, killing everything. So, to prevent that, the powers are coming in bit by bit. Until I can fully control it, my father shall rule. Basically it's like a countdown to when I get my full powers and rule… and to my father's death. Simple really."

This time everybody got it. Basically, one rules, dies, turns into powers and goes to the heir, but if the heir's too young the powers go in slowly, as to avoid killing.

"It'll be happening a lot more now, and I can't control it, so don't be mad if I call you peasants or anything." Ra smiled nervously.

"If you call me a peasant you'll pay." Said Slither.

The ponies started to walk, but halfway back, Thatch fell down, too tired to move. He was still tired from the transformation. Slither had to carry Thatch all the way back to Twilight's place. Once there, Thatch stood up shakily and went in. He went to his bed and collapsed, falling asleep before he even hits the ground. Though, sometime in his sleep his wings returned to him… Seems he had enough energy to keep his wings now.

The others were starting to understand. If Thatch had full energy he had wings and could transform at will. When he transformed his energy dropped down to half, making him weaker. The longer he is in his other form the less energy he will have. If he gets too low he is forced to transform back and loses his wing so he won't work himself to death basically. When he started to rest and regain his strength they return to him… It was almost pitiful how careful Thatch had to be. It made them wonder, did this happen in this world only, or could it happen in their world… But of course, when one flew as a pony it clearly took more effort than walking, as in the other world Thatch only had 2 forms… in this world he had 3. The pegasus, the bat, and a normal earth pony.

Twilight put a blanket over Thatch so he won't get cold, then went off. Casper on the other hand, went and sat beside Thatch. Who knew with all of Thatch's power he could be so weak?

Thatch never moved in his sleep, he was too weak to lift a hoof. Casper laid beside Thatch, just to make sure he stayed warm. Casper fell asleep after a while.

When Casper woke up Thatch was gone. But it wasn't hard to find him. He was outside with Rainbow Dash, talking.

"Look Thatch, you're not made for flying." Rainbow Dash said.

Thatch of course, was extremely angry.

"How dare you!" Thatch yelled. "I'm a vampire! I'm made to fly!"

"You could barely fly yesterday, and you're not even a STUPID vampire anymore!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"You better watch yourself before I do something to make you regret ever meeting me." Thatch growled.

"What are you gonna do? Suck my blood?" Rainbow Dash teased.

"I just might do that." Thatch smirked.

"Ok, and I just might get some garlic and shove the whole clover down your throat!" Rainbow Dash argued.

Thatch gasped and slightly backed away from the rainbow colored pegasus pony.

"You wouldn't dare!" He challenged.

"Oh, you know I would, you pathetic flyer." Rainbow Dash insulted.

"I'm as good of a flyer as you are!" Thatch insisted.

"You're a weakling!" Rainbow Dash never stopped her insults. "You couldn't even hold yourself steady yesterday!"

"If you think I suck at flying so much and you don't give a rap for me, why were you so worried about me being ok after I fell into the river?!" Thatch asked.

This question startled Rainbow Dash. Why did she care?

"Because I would get in trouble if you hurt yourself. So stay out of my air you stupid wannabe!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

Thatch stood there, shocked. No one has ever insulted him like this before. He was a terrible flyer? No longer a vampire? Thatch felt tears in his eyes and he ran. He ran right into the forest, going right to Zecora.

Zecora was shocked to see Thatch come to her in tears.

"Hush now little one, tell me what's wrong." She said softly, leading the crying pony into her house.

"I'm a terrible flyer! I'm not even a vampire anymore!" He cried, resting his head on her shoulder as he sobbed, forgetting that his tears are acid.

Zecora ignored the burning acid and let Thatch cry on her shoulder. How come the boy became so upset? He was fine when he left yesterday. But she stood there, trying to sooth the pony.

Meanwhile at Twilight's house, Casper stood in shock. How could someone that seemed so nice be so cruel? Casper fazed through the door and flew over to Rainbow Dash.

"How could you?!" Casper yelled.

Rainbow Dash looked at Casper and smirked.

"Because I can, and all I said was the truth. That pony needs to learn his place in my sky. Oh wait, there is no place for him." Rainbow Dash sneered.

Casper glared and flew back into the house and went to Twilight's room.

"Twilight! Wake up!" Rainbow Dash suddenly yelled.

Casper was just beside Twilight's bed, Rainbow Dash at the window.

"You won't believe what Thatch did!" She said, looking as if she was going to die, but she smirked at Casper… she was faking.

Twilight quickly woke up to the sound of Rainbow's voice.

"What's the matter Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

"Thatch said he was the best flyer, and that I was a wannabe in his way! He nearly bit me too!" Rainbow Dash cried.

Casper frowned, greatly displease.

"Liar! Thatch would never do that. He changed and you're lying!"

As Casper yelled, Rainbow Dash hugged Twilight, trying to distract her. But Twilight was all ears.

"Look," She began. "I don't know what's going on. But Casper, I do not appreciate anypony calling my friends a liar."

"But Twilight!" Casper was never able to finish as there was a knock at the door.

Princess Luna calmly walked in, smiling.

"Forgive me, there is something I must say. I was testing some of my powers and I may of did something to Rainbow Dash. So, I'll just be stealing her away." With that she disappeared with Rainbow Dash.

Casper left the room, leaving Twilight alone and confused.

Casper flew all the way to Zecora.

Thatch was asleep, cuddling close to a resting Zecora. His wings were wrapped around them, acting as a blanket. It was rare to see, as vampires only did that to people they completely trust.

Casper smiled sweetly at the two. He didn't want to disturb them, but he also needed to tell Thatch what happened.

"Thatch." Casper shook the vampire pony's shoulder. "Thatch, wake up."

"Huh?" Thatch jumped awake. "Oh, it's you Casper."

"Thatch, we need to talk about what happened at Twilight's house."

"There's nothing to talk about." Thatch laid his head back down.

"Thatch, what Rainbow said to you back there… she didn't mean any of it." Casper told him.

"Really? 'Cause it sure sounded like she did." Thatch sniffed.

"She didn't." Casper shook his head. "She was put under a spell. Princess Luna was testing some of her powers and she put a spell on Rainbow Dash which caused her to change her personality."

"Well, I'm glad she did." Thatch sighed. "Because it's true."

"It's not true… don't even say that it is because it ain't."

"But it is!" Thatch jumped up, snarling at the ghost pony. "Rainbow said that I wasn't a vampire anymore! That's true, now that I'm a pony! She said I was a terrible flyer! That's true after what happened yesterday!"

"That was just one mistake." Casper tried to reason with his fellow classmate. "Look, after this year is over, everything will go back to normal. We'll go home, go to Scare School, and you can be a vampire and a great flyer again. We only have 363 more days."

"That's too long." Thatch sighed, laying back down next to Zecora.

"We have no choice Thatch."

"You don't get it, Casper." Thatch looked up with glassy eyes. "Nobody gets it… only Zecora here gets it."

"Thatch…" Casper began.

"Just go Casper, please." Thatch laid his head on Zecora's shoulder, under one of his wings. "Just go away and leave me alone… that's all I want right now… is to be left alone with the one friend I completely trust. The one friend who completely understands me."

"You better go on." Casper turned his head to see Zecora awake. "He's safe with me, this one."

Casper wanted to protest, but calmly nodded his head. He left the hut, shutting the door quietly, and flew back to Ponyville.