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// Emile Core 
// Story: Time to hire some extra teachers 
// by Light Heart101 
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The sun started to set as Twilight was rapping up for the day. Twilight spent the day working with Light and critiquing his teaching technique. He did have his sarcastic moments. As she was gathering her paperwork she heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

Twilight watched as a bat-pony walked through the door. He had a rad coat and an orange mane. He also wore a pair of tinted goggles around his neck. He spoke softly as handed Twilight a paper. "Uh, I'm here for the teaching position."

Twilight quickly pulled out a few files. "Yes! You're... Emile Core right? It's nice to meet you. Please take a seat." Emile took a seat in front of the desk. Twilight started going over his file. "Well, according to this you are a researcher for vampire fruit bats."

Emile raised his hoof. "And normal fruit bats. They're both pretty cool."

Twilight continued. "You have plenty of experience in your field, so what made you interested in joining my school?"

"Well I am one of the few ponies who researched these creatures and I want to tell you that in many cultures they are misunderstood. They actually help in the development of trees that they plant. There's an average increase of apples on trees planted by vampire fruit bats by 13%. Those same trees have a 12% increase in natural vitamins. They also can..." At this point Emile went from a shy, soft voice to a loud and excited voice.

Twilight knew that this could take a while so she decided to stop her there. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but how does this relate to friendship? I am interested in your animal expertise, but how can we use it for an example?"

Emile realized that he got carried away. "Sorry, I get excited when I talk about this. The point is they are misunderstood, but they help so much when ponies give them a chance. You have opened the school to many other races and there are still many ponies who think that they are nothing but trouble. If I can show these ponies that vampire fruit bats are doing good then maybe we can spread that mindset to accepting other races. From what I've heard your students have already started spreading this mindset. This is our chance to give more examples of how much other races can help everybody."

Twilight placed a hoof on her chin. "Using vampire fruit bats to teach others how other races can help ponies is a pretty good idea. Alright. Welcome to our staff. Would you be able to start teaching tomorrow?"

Emile smiled. "Of course! Thank you for having me. I'll see you first thing in the morning."

Twilight gave a confused look. "I thought Bat ponies were nocturnal."

Emile grinned. "I'm the exception."

As Emile started walking to the door Applejack walked in. "Hey Twilight I was... Oh." Applejack and Emile both stopped in their tracks and stared at each other for a moment. Applejack was the first to try and speak. "Um, hey. I know that..."

Before she could finish Emile walked around her without saying a word. Twilight noticed Applejack lowering her head as the door closed. "Applejack, is there something wrong?"

Applejack sighed. "Emile came to me a year before we had the 'Flutter-bat' incident. He wanted to study them and tried telling me and my family that they weren't the monsters we thought they were. We got into a fight and I won. I threw him off of the farm and told him that I never wanted to see him in Ponyville again. I haven't seen him since."

Twilight looked at Emiles file again. "That explains why he traveled so much. Not a lot of ponies accepted that new mindset until a few years ago."

Applejack sat down. "I didn't want to accept what he had to say. One year later it took us hurting Fluttershy to get it past my thick skull. After that I started seeing more trees with more fruit. One year after the Flutter-bat incident I tried finding Emile to talk with him but he already left Ponyville. I didn't think about the idea that I'd see him again."

Twilight got out of her seat and walked up to Applejack. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you two had this rough history. Do you think this will be a problem?"

Applejack straightened her hat. "I think he still holds it against me, but I'm not certain."

Twilight place a hoof on her shoulder. "I don't know how I can help. I can talk with him if you want."

Applejack slowly stood up. "No. I have an idea, but I'll need a favor. Can you save his class for last tomorrow?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Okay? What are you planning."

Applejack looked determined as she walked out. "I'm going to give a visual aid."

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As the students gathered main lecture hall Emile was getting his notes together. Twilight walked over to him. "Hey. How are you doing?"

Emile finished going through his notes. "I'm ready to start my lecture. Why do you ask?"

Twilight took a deep breath. "That wasn't what I was talking about. I heard about what happened between you and Applejack. I'm hoping that you two can work out your history."

Emile bit his lip. "I don't think that I have much to talk about with her. Not many ponies get hog tied and tossed out of a barn. It wouldn't be as bad if she untied me afterwards."

Twilight cringed. "I'm sorry. I promise you that she has changed." Twilight looked at the clock. "It's time for me to introduce you. Good luck." As they both walked on stage the students quieted down. Twilight cleared her throat as she readied her papers. "Thank you. Tonight we have a new teacher joining us. Please welcome Emile Core." Everyone applauded as he gave a nervous smile and wave. Twilight continued. "He is going to be teaching us about a few interesting animals, and I think the best way to give you all a good idea about what you'll be studying we'll have to see them in person. Everybody get ready for a field trip."

As a room full of excited students got their stuff together Emile grabbed Twilight. "What's going on?"

Twilight smiled. "I thought you'd like giving the kids a better idea of what they're learning about, so I thought we'd take them to a vampire fruit bat sanctuary."

A look of pure excitement came over Emile’s face. "Ponyville has one of those now? Lets go!"

As Emile took off Twilight bit her lip. "I hope you know what you're doing."

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Everyone was following Twilight down a dirt road. While all of the students were chatting among themselves Emile moved up to Twilight. "Hey, I know you've lived here for a while, but are you sure that this is the right way? This is heading pretty close to somewhere I don't want to go."

Twilight smiled. "I know exactly where I'm going. Here we are."

Twilight motioned to an area that Emile recognized as a part of Sweet Apple Acres, but this entrance had a sign on it that said 'Vampire fruit bat sanctuary'.

As Emile was trying to process that he heard a familiar voice. "Howdy everybody. I hear that you have somebody who is going to teach you about vampire fruit bats."

As Emile's jaw dropped to the floor and the other students were murmuring to themselves a frightened Ocellus spoke up. "Vampire fruit bats? I'm not going to get bit am I?"

Applejack chuckled. "I said the exact same thing when I heard about them, but I think that Emile can clear things up about them."

Emile gave a curious glance at Applejack before stepping in front of the class. "Thank you? Well, let's see if we can find a few fruit bats."

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Twilight called the class a success. At first the students were either scared or bored, but when Emile started getting excited during his lesson the others joined him in his excitement. There was one incident when a bat landed on Gallus which sent him screaming for a few moments, but they all got a good laugh out of it.

As Twilight started leading the others home Emile tapped her shoulder. "Um, is it alright if I hang back. I need to talk to someone."

Twilight smiled and nodded. Emile noticed Applejack was heading back to the barn. "Hey Applejack. Hold on!" Applejack turned to face him. She looked like she was going to face a storm head on. Emile was silent for a moment before he could think of the question to ask her. "When did this happen?"

"About a year after you left. At first I tried a spell to change them, but it resulted in a close friend of mine getting hurt. It took a vampire pony to open my mind. Listen, I know the last time we talked I didn't listen to you, and hogtied you, but I'm sorry. If I wasn't so thick headed back then I could have saved both of us a lot of trouble, but I ran you out of town. I can't tell you how sorry I am. Can you forgive me for what I've done to you?"

Emile watched as a single tear went down her face. Emile took a deep breath before speaking. "You know something, it takes a big pony to admit she was wrong. If I heard about this before I wouldn't believe it, but you have changed. I forgive you." Applejack gave a weak smile. As Emile started to rejoin the group he quickly turned to Applejack one more time. "Hey, do you mind if I come over here to do some research every now and then?"

Applejack grinned. "The gate is always open."

Emile smiled as he rejoined the group. As Twilight watched this she took out a quill and scroll to write to Celestia. As she started writing her letter she started thinking to herself. "Great job Applejack. I'm glad you've shown us how we can always change."