//------------------------------// // The Long Game // Story: Bats! -Alternative Ending // by Sidral Mundet //------------------------------// Bats! (The Alternative Extended Ending) Fluttershy’s Cottage “I vant to suck its juice!” Pinkie said as everyone started laughing at the fake teeth hanging out of the ripe apple. “Well, this has been great and all’ but its applebucking season, and with Big Mac and Applebloom destroy- er, Ah mean, checking out the competition’s crop this year, I really got my hoofs full.” Applejack said making her way to the door. “That’s right. With all of the commotion stirred up by the vampire bats, it completely slipped my mind.” Rarity said. “I do believe we offered to help you this year, so as to avoid a nasty repeat of last year’s incident.” “Please, with me around, it’s more like applebucking day,” Rainbow Dash said. “We’ll have those trees cleared in no time flat.” “Dashie, time isn’t flat, its round, that’s why clocks are circles, duh!” Pinkie interrupted. “Anyways,” Twilight said, ignoring Pinkie’s comment, “We’ll be happy to help you, so please led the way.” “Al’right, come one everypony, we got apples to buck. Yeehaa!” Applejack said running out of the cottage straight towards her farm. She was followed by Pinkie, Spike and Rainbow. “Are you coming Fluttershy?” Rarity asked standing in the doorway with Twilight. “Uhm, if it’s alright with everypony, I think I’m going to sit out just for today.” Fluttershy replied. “That’s perfectly fine Fluttershy,” Twilight said. “I mean you were just transformed into a half bat creature and back, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you were a little worn out by what’s happened. I’ll let Applejack know, okay?” “Thanks Twilight.” Fluttershy replied. “No problem,” Twilght said. “Now you just let us know if anything comes up, alright?” “Yes, please do,” Rarity said. “We don’t need you turning back into a bat again.” “I will,” Fluttershy said. “Thank you for being so understanding.” Rarity and Twilight nodded and exited the cottage, heading towards Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy watched as her two friends left. She was all alone in her cottage now. After waiting several minutes to make sure they were out of sight or to see if anypony was returning, she snapped her hoof. Nothing happened. She looked at her clock and waited a few seconds before snapping again. Once again nothing happened. After waiting a few more seconds, she started repeatedly snapping. “Alright, alright, give me a second.” Discord said as he appeared in a white flash, rather wet, wrapping what appeared to be a rather large piece of paper around himself. “Wish I had never taught you that trick.” He mumbled. “You know, you and your friends have the most inconvenient timing I’ve ever seen. And I had just gotten the ink to the perfect temperature.” “Oh, sorry about that,” Fluttershy said, slightly embarrassed, before looking confused. “Wait, you were having a bath in a pool of ink?” “Well, what else was I going to use this sheet of paper for anyways? I’m not much of a storyteller, at least that what my editor said, but then again I don’t’ think she appreciated the whole book of the dead thing I was going for.” Discord said, mind trailing off for a few moments before snapping back. “Well anyways, what seems to be the problem? Fluttershy pointed to her mouth where a rather odd set of fangs were sticking out of. “Can’t just let me have this one, can you? I think you look better with them.” Discord said. “I don’t need my friends worrying about me, especially given what’s happened” Fluttershy said. “I also don’t need Pinkie trying to stab me with a wooden stake either.” He sighed and snapped his fingers and the fangs disappeared in a flash of white. “Thank you,” Fluttershy said, licking her teeth. “So how did everything else go?” Discord inquired. “Everything is perfect now. The vampire fruit bats now have a nice sanctuary to call home and the Apple farm isn’t in danger. Thank you for your help.” “Not a problem at all. I just wish I could have seen the looks on all their faces when you transformed. That would have beam priceless.” “Yeah, about that, did it need to hurt?” Fluttershy asked. “It wasn't horrible or really that bad, but it was kind of annoying and I don’t think my ear are going to stop ringing for some time and my back’s a little sore.” “I don’t do half measures. It was all in or nothing. I still love that you came up with this little scheme of yours.” Discord said smiling. “I mean letting me transform you into a batpony while everyone else thought that the spell Twilight cast had bounced off into you just so you could scare them into building the sanctuary was sheer brilliance. And then having the reverse spell create the prefect cover so I could transform you back was the cherry on top of it all.” “Well I don’t think I could have convinced everypony otherwise. They were all so determined to treat the bats as vermin that needed to be exterminated. And then Twilight was prepared to basically mind wipe them. And so I didn’t think I could talk them out of it and I was kind of running out of ideas.” Fluttershy stated. “You know, for a place that’s considered to be paradise, you ponies have an awful lot of mind control spells just lying around.” Discord said, rubbing his chin. “Well, if you’re ever hungry, you could always just eat them.” Fluttershy said. “Anyway, are you free next Tuesday?” Fluttershy’s expression was more serious now. “Why? I might be very busy.” Discord replied flashing into his hand a schedule book and a pair of glasses onto his face. “Oh, uhm, well you see, me and the others were planning on having an intervention for Rainbow Dash’s cider problem and we were hoping to get as many ponies there as possible.” Fluttershy said. “I would love to come,” Discord responded, throwing away the book, a devilish smile coming to his face. “I mean it’s not like me and Dashie don’t hate each other or anything.” “I kind of figured that if you were there then maybe Rainbow would take things a little more serious,” Fluttershy started. “I know you and Rainbow aren’t the best of friends but I think that if you showed up that she would be more receptive to our advice, you know, making her see that even someone she’s not on good terms with thinks she’s overdoing things, I mean if that’s alright with you.” “You sure that’s a good idea with an alcoholic? Bringing in someone she hates?” Discord replied. “One, Rainbow is not an alcoholic, it’s just that she does seem to obsess over it a bit. Two, I don’t think Rainbow hates you, it’s just that you got off on the wrong hoof, that’s all.” Fluttershy stated. “And this is my first intervention, so I’m not sure what’s supposed to happen, and I don’t think the author does either.” She’s right there. “I guess I’ll be there then,” Discord said in a somewhat defeated tone. “What time?” A giant clock face appeared on his wrist. “We were planning on having it at three thirty at Sugercube Corner, if that works with you.” Fluttershy responded. “I’ll see you then Miss Flutterbat.” And in a flash Discord disappeared. “Well with that out of the way.” Fluttershy said to no one in particular. Moving over to a cabinet, she reached in a pulled out several scrolls of paper. “Alright Angel Bunny, now that we have some free time let’s work on some of our other contingency plans.” Fluttershy said, unwinding one of the scrolls. “I was thinking on working the one where Twilight turn evil due to a poisoned peach and starts taking over Equestria, if that’s alright with you. Or we could work on the one were Pinkie ‘accidentally’ tears a hole in the universe and subspace dimensions.” Angel nodded and pointed to the first scroll that was unwound and the two got to work. The End