The room was utterly silent. Even the sparse lighting had been switched off, so that the buzzing of the electricity couldn't bother Fluttershy's sensitive hearing and thus disrupt her meditation.

Fluttershy had been in the meditation room for three days now, her solitude only broken when a member of the Family brought her food, water and, once a day, a small glass of blood fresh from a pack. It was always Vance himself who delivered the blood, bringing with it a few words of encouragement sprinkled with nuggets of wisdom for her to ponder.

Truth be told, Fluttershy was surprised that he had dared to come back after the first visit. She had done as asked and spent her first few hours thinking about everything that had happened, everything that she had done; starting with the awful moment where some horrific impulse had prompted her to try and euthanize Adam.

Going over the memories of her virus-induced mutation, and subsequent rampage, was almost unbearable. The ensuing hysterical breakdown had been a long time coming, but Fluttershy had been surprised by just how furious it had made her.

It wasn't fair. It would have been easier for Fluttershy to swallow if everything that had happened to her had been part of some evil plot; at least then she'd have someone to blame. Instead, she was stuck shouldering the consequences of a freak accident. The butt of some cruel cosmic joke.

Something dark and violent within Fluttershy had reared its head in response to her anger. The urge to rend and tear had become almost overpowering; a predatory instinct that recognized a threat and sought to tear it limb from limb. But with the perceived threat being her own mind, the pent up aggression was left seeking a target.

That target very nearly ended up being the nearest members of the Family. It took all of Fluttershy's willpower to keep from smashing down the door and initiating a bloodbath. To keep a lid on it, she turned her rage on the room around her. The table and chair were smashed to kindling, the door to the toilet had been ripped from its hinges, and the walls had been shredded like paper beneath her claws.

It was as she was calming down from that outburst, squatting in a dark corner and panting heavily, that Vance had first turned up with a glass of blood for her. Maybe he had thought that it was safe once the noise had died down, or maybe he was insane enough to deliberately test her willpower right as she was coming down from a frenzy; either way, introducing uncovered blood into the room had been almost suicidally dangerous.

Fluttershy had scented the blood and was hurtling towards its bearer before she even realized what she was doing. At the very last second she had managed to twist her arm aside, and the slash that had been intended to open the jugular of the lesser predator instead gouged deep furrows in the concrete wall beside the door.

Vance, to his credit, had barely even flinched, though Fluttershy had smelled the fear coursing through his body. She had thankfully managed to avoid tearing his fingers off as she snatched the glass out of his hand, then retreated back to her corner and turned her back on him to drink it in peace. While Fluttershy lapped at the blood, Vance had crouched in the doorway and told her about the tenets all members of the Family were expected to live by.

Fluttershy had tried to ignore him at first, largely because she feared that acknowledging his presence would have swiftly led to her draining the poor man of every drop of blood he possessed, but his words stuck with her even as he cautiously backed away and left the room, locking her in again. When Fluttershy had finally managed to calm down entirely, she had gone through everything he told her again in her head.

The Law of Blood was first. Feast not on the flesh; consume only the blood. This is our strength.

Fluttershy was pretty sure that she had that one nailed already, but Vance had made sure to impress on her its deeper meaning of channeling and directing one's hunger. He believed that Fluttershy could learn to apply the spirit of the law even when ravenous, keeping her hunger directed at blood that was already outside the body or, in extreme circumstances, that which was freely offered from the vein. Fluttershy privately hoped that the day she fed directly from a person would never come.

The Law of Exile was second. Bear not the child; welcome only the exile. This is our fate.

Given that the FEV almost always sterilized those it infected, and Fluttershy hadn't had the courage to test herself yet, she wasn't even sure that she could have children, and in any case such considerations were a long way off, unless things happened to go spectacularly well with Adam. If he ever woke up.

The Law of Nobility was third. Feed not for pleasure; partake only to nourish. This is our dignity.

That one would be easy enough for Fluttershy to follow. As soothing as the act of feeding actually was, she hadn't felt the urge to drink blood at all until prompted by the FEV.

The Law of Night was fourth. Seek not the sun's light; embrace only the shadows. This is our refuge.

This was one rule that Fluttershy didn't feel the need to worry about. She wasn't bothered by daylight in the slightest, not even in her vampiric form, and while her enhanced senses gave her an incredible advantage in the dark, she couldn't restrict herself to only being active at night if she wanted to help her friends. Shy she may be, but she didn't feel the need to hide away from society.

The fifth and final law was the Law of Family. Kill not our kindred; slay only the enemy. This is our justice.

Fluttershy had given a lot of thought to the Law of Family. She hated the idea of harming others, and the thought of killing people was abhorrent, and yet she had done it herself easily. Too easily. She had blamed the FEV at first, and it certainly played a large part in what happened, but Fluttershy realized that she had been using that as a crutch and as a veil. Blaming the FEV allowed her to absolve herself of guilt but, more than that, it allowed her to ignore her own dark feelings. Feelings that had been around since long before she ever went to Vault 87.

With her initial freakout out of the way, Fluttershy had found it easier to think back over what she had done. She wasn't happy about any of it, not by a long shot, but she understood what had happened, why she had done it, and, over the last couple of days, she had managed to accept it.

The FEV may have been the catalyst, but the change, the darkness, was a part of Fluttershy now. During her meditation, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room the same way she had seen Tree Hugger doing it back home, she had finally managed to come to terms with that fact.

Now, Fluttershy was calmer and more comfortable than she had been since she had first arrived in this world. She wasn't exactly happy; her boyfriend being in a coma somewhat precluded that, but she was at least at peace with herself.

She was ready to rejoin the world.

As if on cue, Fluttershy heard footsteps coming down the corridor towards her. She got up off the floor, brushed the dust from her clothes, then flexed and stretched her stiff wings before turning to face the door and waiting. Almost a minute later, Vance finally opened the door. "Ah, Miss Fluttershy. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright, thank you," Fluttershy replied.

Vance looked around at the room, at the wreckage she had piled as neatly as possible in the corner. "I like what you've done with the place." Fluttershy blushed and tried to stammer out an apology, but Vance shook his head. "Don't apologize. This room is meant to help us accept what we are and what we want to be. Sometimes, doing so requires us to vent our emotions into the surroundings. Better to do that on concrete instead of another living being." He looked over at Fluttershy. "How is your meditation coming along?"

Fluttershy straightened up and clasped her hands together. "Your teachings have helped, and I think I have a better chance of controlling my hunger now. I'm ready to go."

Vance smiled and gestured to the door. "Then let us leave this room and set you on your merry way. Your new life begins now."

Together, the two left the room and slowly walked back to the main living area. When they got to the mezzanine, Fluttershy was glad to see Rarity and Pinkie sitting together at a table playing cards. Both of them leapt to their feet when they spotted her.

"Fluttershy! Darling, are you alright?" Rarity asked as she hurried over.

Fluttershy nodded and smiled softly. "I'm alright. I think I've figured things out, now."

"Are you gonna break stuff instead of biting people?" Pinkie asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because we heard you tearing the walls apart from all the way down here. The guys were saying that Vance has brass balls for going in there with you every day."

"Pinkie, please learn to show a little tact, will you?" Rarity moaned as Fluttershy blushed.

Vance chuckled and crossed his arms. "It is merely a matter of faith. I believed that Miss Fluttershy would have the strength to restrain herself, once she was willing to try and accept herself for who she is. Though, I would be lying if I said that I was completely unafraid."

Apparently not amused by Vance's flippant attitude, Rarity cleared her throat awkwardly. "Yes, well, now that your meditation is over, what are we doing now, dear?"

"We're going back to the Citadel," Fluttershy replied, getting relieved sighs from both Rarity and Pinkie. "Um, hopefully without getting attacked by raiders or ants or the Enclave this time."

"Woohoo! I'll grab my stuff!" Pinkie darted off before anyone could reply, zipping around the station like a lunatic.

Fluttershy raised a curious eyebrow. "I thought we only brought my nursing kit, her pickaxe and both of our packs? What else is she getting?"

Rarity sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. Not long after we got here she started complaining about the fact that her pickaxe wasn't practical in a fight, which of course is true; she can't hit something with it without whatever she strikes exploding like a bomb, then after that she started collecting bits and pieces of random junk."

"Her mind does work in… interesting ways," Vance put in. He shrugged and added, "She has already paid for everything she asked for by cooking and baking for us, and she clearly has a plan in mind for it all, so you may as well just wait and see what she comes up with."

Rarity cheeks turned green as she nodded. "Yes, I've never seen a cake baked with blood before, and hopefully I never have to see one again."

"She mentioned trying to make one before," Fluttershy noted.

"I'll see if there's a slice left for you before you go," Vance said with a nod.

"Already got one!" Pinkie cried cheerfully as she reappeared, her pickaxe in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other. Her pack was bulging with mysterious treasures, and even more pieces of assorted junk had been clipped or tied on to it, making her look like some sort of bizarre scrap prospector.

Vance looked at her in bemused surprise, then visibly decided not to ask and turned back to Fluttershy. "We've restocked your nursing kit with more blood packs already, but there's something else I'd like to give you before you go, so would you mind waiting at the tunnel entrance for me?"

"Oh, um, alright." Fluttershy watched curiously as he disappeared back into the corridors. "That's strange. I was expecting him to ask for some sort of payment for helping me."

"You know that's not his style, dear," Rarity replied, turning to head to the escalators. "Besides, Pinkie and I have been helping him work out how to use his new magic crystal."

Fluttershy almost slipped on the escalator steps in her surprise. "There's magic here?!"

Rarity nodded. "There certainly is. Apparently, they took it off the body of a raider who tried to attack Arefu. Vance said that it called to him the moment he saw it, but he didn't know how or why."

"Is it a Geode?!" Fluttershy asked incredulously

"Thankfully, no," Rarity said with relief. "I think it's just another one of the crystals that everyone seems to be digging up from Raven Rock, though that in itself is worrying enough. No, it's just a simple ruby, with a little bit of magic inside. We showed him how to pony up using it, and I must admit, he does look rather dashing with those wings, but it doesn't give him powers like ours."

"Nope! It just gives him fangs and bat wings, kinda like the ones you've got!" Pinkie added brightly.

"Bat wings?" Fluttershy would have asked more, but they reached the base of the escalators and she realized, with more than a little embarrassment, that every member of the Family was gathering near the tunnel entrance, all looking at her. Some looked wary, others disturbingly focused, but most looked almost reverent.

Fluttershy had to fight down the urge to hiss at them.

"What's going on?" Rarity whispered.

"Maybe they want autographs?" Pinkie suggested.

The sound of footsteps on the mezzanine snagged Fluttershy's attention, distracting her from the crowd of gawking people. She looked back over her shoulder to see Vance standing on the mezzanine"s wall. He had a shining blood-red ruby on a chain around his neck, and clasped in his hands was a sword, nestled in a scabbard.

The ruby flashed and great black wings erupted from Vance's back. He took a deep breath, then took a single step forward. His wings and trench coat fanned out impressively as he fell. At the last second, his wings flapped once to slow his descent, and he landed on the ground with a dancer's grace.

"That's a pretty awesome entrance," Pinkie whispered.

Fluttershy privately agreed. She suspected that Vance had arranged to have everyone gather at the door just so he could put on such a dramatic act, but there was no denying the effect it had on his followers; each and every one of them looked at him as if he were a living legend, a king come to grace his subjects with his presence.

The same way that many of them had looked at her.

Vance approached the group slowly, each step measured and deliberate. "Brothers, sisters, dear members of the Family," he called out in a grand voice. "Today is an auspicious day. Our guests are leaving, but over these last three days they have given us something truly special." He nodded to Pinkie and Rarity. "They have brought us laughter, warmth, and a reminder of the joys of good food with good company, and they brought us something even more valuable."

It was all Fluttershy could do not to flinch as every eye in the station turned to her.

"The world's first true vampire," Vance continued, his voice soft, yet still carrying effortlessly through the room. "Fluttershy may not have been cursed with the same affliction as us, but still she sought us out, seeking our guidance. We all saw three days ago the reflection of our own struggle; the dark hunger that we must all fight to control, a common bond in spirit if not in letter. Now, today, she stands before us once again, a living embodiment of the ideal that all members of our Family strive to achieve."

As embarrassing as it was being the object of such a public grandstanding, Fluttershy couldn't help but admire Vance's initiative, not to mention his audacity. Using Fluttershy's situation as a foundation, he was solidifying his position whilst simultaneously improving the standing of the Rainbooms among his people. Lifting himself and his allies higher without putting anyone down. It was a masterstroke. No matter what flaws the man may have had, Vance was undeniably a born leader.

Fluttershy tensed as Vance stepped closer, stopping just out of arm's reach. "Lady Fluttershy. Do you remember the laws I spoke of that our Family lives by?"

"Of course," Fluttershy replied, her mouth suddenly dry. "I've thought a lot about them over the last few days."

Vance nodded. "Normally, I give each member of the Family one particular Law that they are to memorize and meditate on, that they may achieve a deeper understanding of it and therefore enrich us all with their insight. I know that you aren't staying with us, but would you take one of our Laws with you? Perhaps, if we meet again, you could enlighten us with the perspective of a true vampire?"

Fluttershy tried not to make her relief too obvious. Vance had mentioned such a thing before, during her meditation, and it was something that she had spent a great deal of time considering. "Actually, I was thinking of focusing on two of them."

"Truly?" Vance asked. "Pray tell, which do you wish to achieve a deeper understanding of?"

"The first law, the Law of Blood," Fluttershy replied. "I think you're right about following the spirit of it. If I can direct my hunger even when it's at its strongest, then my friends will be that much safer."

Vance smiled at her. "An admirable goal. And what is the second?"

Fluttershy swallowed, determinedly not looking at Rarity or Pinkie. "The Law of Family. Kill not our kindred; slay only the enemy." She tried to ignore her friends' gasps as she continued, "If it were up to me, I would never hurt anyone, or let anyone die, no matter who they are or what they've done. No-one is irredeemable. But sometimes, a choice has to be made. Rehabilitation may not be an option when lives are in immediate danger. If it comes down to it, and I have to choose between sparing an enemy or saving an innocent life, I hope I have the strength to act in time."

Rarity looked at her in a mix of surprise and concern. "Fluttershy, are you sure you've thought this through?"

Fluttershy gave her a grim nod. "Either way I'll have regrets. I'd rather regret the blood on my hands than regret not saving a friend. Don't get me wrong, I'm not planning on leaving a trail of death and destruction across the wastes, but I'm not going to let the rest of you shoulder the burden of fighting alone." She held her hands up and flexed her claws. "Besides, it's not like I haven't done it before."

Vance dipped his head. "A difficult decision to make, but a necessary one. In that case, this final gift I have for you may prove doubly useful." He held up the scabbard with one hand and slowly drew out the sword with the other. The blade was long and narrow, made out of some dark alloy that barely reflected the light, with a thin groove running down the middle to reduce weight. The handguard seemed plain at first, but Fluttershy's keen eyesight picked out intricate characters carved into it.

"This is Vampire's Edge. Before the war, it would have belonged to a high ranking officer of the Chinese army," Vance explained. "It is far lighter, sharper, and more durable than any other of its kind that I have seen. I have been keeping it locked away, intending to bring it out for special ceremonies." He sheathed the sword again and held it out to Fluttershy. "I believe it will do far more good in your hands. May it protect you well."

Fluttershy took the sword carefully, trying not to let her reluctance show. Vance was right; even in its scabbard, the blade felt as light as a feather. She tried to thank him, but she couldn't seem to get her mouth to work anymore, so she just settled for a nod of thanks and attached the scabbard to her belt.

Thankfully, Vance didn't need any further response. "Farewell, my friends. I hope that our paths cross again in the future. But until then, go with the knowledge that, should you ever need refuge, the Family will always have a place for you and your friends." He placed a hand over his heart and bowed low, the rest of the Family swiftly following suit.

Fluttershy almost choked at the sight of everyone bowing to her, but she managed to stammer out a 'thank you' before turning and heading down the tunnel towards the exit, keeping her footsteps calm and slow so as not to seem too rude.

"That was… unexpected," Rarity said quietly as she fell into step beside Fluttershy. "Still, I'm not complaining about getting help without having to fight for it. I just hope the weather is nice and clear."

Pinkie shook her head. "Nope. I was talking to Robert earlier, and he said it's hammering down out there."

Rarity sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fantastic."

Next Chapter: Chapter 86 - Change in Fortune Estimated time remaining: 25 Hours, 57 Minutes