Of species' names and an explanation... · 11:10pm Mar 22nd, 2022
So... when I posted the third (well, third as per upload date, at least) of Chapters of a Revamped Tome, I said in its author's note that I would be explaining why I decided to refer to the batponies as Vespertilians in the universe that particular fic and assorted fics are set in. If you have read the chapter, you will also note something I mention about batponies in general.
As promised there, here is the explanation behind my choice to use 'Vespertilians' as the 'other term' for batponies, rather than the more common 'thestrals' or 'noctrals'.
To make one thing clear from the get-go, I have no problem at all with writers using the term thestral, or with writers making thestrals a variant of ponies. More than one fic that I love, such as Prane's Of Lilies and Chestnuts and various works in EchoWing's Quiververse, use the term thestral for batponies (though the former also lists 'noctral' as an alternative), and both Chestnut for the former fic and Pixie Dust for various works in the later verse are great characters.
Also, my decision to use the term 'Vespertilians' for Chapters of a Revamped Tome and related works is not due to any personal sentiment against the Harry Potter series. I enjoyed it much when I was younger, and overall still enjoy it a fair deal, although I will say that I don't agree with pretty much (if not literally) abt of J.K. Rowling's current stances, and that looking back at Harry Potter I can see some of the unfortunate implications that the Harry Potter series had. It is also not due to any personal sentiment against M.A. Larson, who referred to Luna's guards by that term in the script for Luna Eclipsed. I very much enjoy his episodes, and can even see the intended message in the very controversial Fame and Misfortune, although I admit the delivery could have been better (but that wasn't his own fault, given he was told to write the episode).
Anyway... my decision to use a different term has specifically to do with how different I ended up devising batponies to be, for one simple reason. In the series, the pony races included are always referred to as specifically three: Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns. I started thinking how exactly the batponies would fit, and then had the idea that they wouldn't actually be ponies, even as the term is still used to describe them sometimes due to their general features. I felt it was a permissible solution given that in the real world we have a kind of fish named seahorse and a rodent named prairie dog, both of which looked rather less like their namesakes than batponies as I view them look like ponies.
The idea of them not actually being equines is a bit of a further leap, I admit, but given their prominent fangs, I thought it would be appropriate if they actually were of a different family than equines. Exactly which family they are actually closer to will be revealed in a future fic.
And well... because of how different I made batponies from the general fan interpretation, I thought it would be playing it safer to come up with a different 'other name' for my version of them, rather than using 'thestral' or 'noctral'. I promise I'm not meaning to offend anyone's sensibilities with it, or trying to claim an aversion for the term and its usage in general.
As one last detail... to anyone who may be wondering about how exactly batponies would be accepted in a society that practices segregation in schools and has a pony like Neighsay at the head of its educational system when they aren't actually ponies... well... for now I will tell you the following: I'm taking that into consideration, and in the curret point of this fic's universe Neighsay is not exactly happy that batponies - or rather, Vespertilians - are still such a prominent fixture in Equestrian society.
Thank you to all who took the time to read this. I hope all is well with all of you.
Stay safe, and take care. :)
That's fair reasoning, and if it works for your storyline, then fine.
5645562
For what it's worth, I'm thinking it does. I'm hoping readers will agree once more I reveal more of my take on batponies, but I'll respect it if they don’t or even if they just happen to not like it despite agreeing.
Thank you for your feedback! :)