//------------------------------// // Sins of the Father // Story: The Bat and the Teacher // by Ximer //------------------------------// The door to Cheerilee's house slowly opened once she finished unlocking it, allowing a sore human to walk past her. Ben had been given the once over at the hospital, already and his back now sported two sets of stitches along the cuts made by Fang's bladed. Why a Lunar guard would attack a civilian to begin with baffled Cheerilee, but she had more pressing matters at hoof. "Come on, let's get you in bed," Cheerilee said trying to usher him up the stairs. "It's just a few cuts, I'm fine, really," Benjamin chuckled lightly at her insistence. "Even so, I still think you should be resting now. I mean, you were just attacked and-" Cheerilee started, her voice continuing to rise in volume as she carried on until Benjamin gently cupped his hand around it. "Cheerilee, sweetheart, I love you, but everything is okay now, Vesper took them away, and she'll be back any moment now. Then we can put all of this behind us like a bad memory." Ben said before releasing the mare's muzzle. Cheerilee didn't yell, didn't scream or shout after what he had done. Instead she started to sob and threw her forelegs around his neck, nearly knocking Ben over. Ben didn't question her sudden crying fit and instead only held the sobbing pony close to him,slowly stroking her mane and trying to sooth her with gentle whispers. "I really thought I was going to lose you back there..." Cheerilee was finally able to squeak out, triggering Ben to hold her a bit tighter. "But you didn't though, I'm still here," Ben replied slowly petting his mare. Cheerilee felt Ben move with her in his arms, her frame light against his in comparison. The temperature around her shifted as they entered the bedroom, and practically fell on the bed with each other. The lights remained dim in the room as the two snuggled together, until the light snores of the human brought a small smile to Cheerilee's muzzle. The sound of hooves against carpet made her jerk her head towards the door. Thankfully it was only Vesper, having returned from putting the two assailants away. There was a moments hesitation before she approached slowly, obviously afraid the situation between them was now worse thanks to the two bat ponies that had tried to harm Ben. Much to the mare's surprise, she received a welcoming smile from Cheerilee. "Is he okay?" Vesper asked cautiously flying over to the bed, and landing on the mattress, managing to leave it undisturbed. "Just a few cuts thankfully, but if Thunderlane hadn't managed to find us when he did-" Cheerilee started. "But he did, and Ben's safe," Vesper placed a reassuring hoof on Cheerilee's shoulder, offering a fanged smile. "I'm sorry...about your brother...do you know what will happen to him now?" Cheerilee asked. "He's in better hooves now. Princess Twilight is dealing with those two as we speak." Vesper replied. "I just don't want what my brother did to hurt...us...to hurt you." "Vesper, I'm done letting the past hurt me, especially after tonight." Cheerilee replied. "You're not your brother, you're my herd sister." Vesper let out a happy gasp before wrapping her forelegs around Cheerilee in a hug, catching the mare off guard. The teacher was a bit slow to return the gesture, but eventually both mares found themselves in a warm embrace in the dim light of the room. Vesper, feeling bold decided to take it a step further and press her nose against Cheerilee's making her blush. "Don't tell me the strong willed teach is going all soft around the bat mare now," Vesper whisper in a low, husky voice. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Cheerilee's cheeks turned even redder. "I thought we talked about being honest with your feelings." Vesper whisper as she sidled up to the earth pony, her chest fluff pressing against hers as she gently nibbled on her ear. "B-but, Vesper," Cheerilee had to stop herself from giving into the light shivers the bat pony was sending up her spine. "Ben's right there." "I don't mind," came the human's voice, startling both of the mares, causing them to hug tighter briefly out of fear. "Now kiss." "You should be asleep," Cheerilee pointed a hoof at Benjamin. "Hard to sleep when you two decide to start cuddling in the same bed that I was sleeping in," Ben chuckled, wrapping his arms around both mares, pulling them close to him. "Seriously though, you have no idea how long I've waited for you guys to come together." Vesper, not missing a beat took Ben up on his challenge and pressed her lips against his briefly, before switching over to Cheerilee before she could protest. Ben's hands steadily stroking the necks of both mares even as the bat mare pulled away slowly from Cheerilee. The earth pony didn't have time to recover as their human kissed her next, making her breath catch as he gently cupped her cheek. "Careful you don't start something you can't finish, you are still injured," Cheerilee said. "Cheerilee, let me cope with nearly getting stabbed how I want to...with the ponies I love," Ben said resting his head against hers as Vesper slowly rubbed against both of them. --- Vesper watched Cheerilee through an open eye as she rested her head on Ben's bare chest. The guard and teacher's gaze met occasionally in the dim light after they had ensured that Ben was now out for the evening. Vesper couldn't help but notice something seemed to trouble the earth pony. "Y'know, I would hope that after all that you'd have a smile on your muzzle." Vesper whispered. "I am happy Vesper, happy that I shared that moment with you...but I'm worried," Cheerilee replied, gently stroking Ben's hair with her hoof. "Worried about what?" Vesper tilted her head slightly. "Wraith is your brother, and he came to take you back...tell me honestly is this really over?" Cheerilee asked. Vesper was quiet for a while, not sure how to answer. Cheerilee was smart, sometimes too smart for her own good. This was something that Vesper had meant to solve herself, but now that her herd sister had hit the metaphorical nail on the head, there was little she could do about it, especially after the speech about honesty. "I don't know...there is my father," Vesper confessed. "You have to tell somepony, you have to tell Twilight, Celestia, Luna, some-" Cheerilee sat up in bed. "It doesn't matter who knows." Vesper interrupted her. "What...why not?" Cheerilee asked dumbfounded. "This thing my father is over, it's a remnant of the civil war faction between the three main tribes and bat ponies," Vesper explained. "And you just handed over their leader's son..." Cheerilee mumbled. "Even some of the Lunar guard are on his side, the deception runs deep," Vesper sighed. "I can't risk either of you getting hurt." Cheerilee climbed out of bed as carefully as she could and motioned for Vesper to follow her. The bat pony did so, both remaining wordless until they were downstairs and out of earshot of the bedroom, ensuring that Ben wouldn't be woken up this time. "If what you're saying is true then the risk is already here, and clearly taking swings at us. Waiting and playing good mare are over, we have to do what's right." Cheerilee said. "I plan to," Vesper said solemnly. "Which was why tonight now means so much more." "What are saying?" Cheerilee did he best to mask the uneasiness in her voice. "They say that evil triumphs because good ponies do nothing....nopony else will suffer because I remain silent," Vesper said. "I'm going back." "Vesper, you don't have to do this alone," Cheerilee said placing a hoof reassuringly on her shoulder. "Him coming back into your life, and mine, it's my fault, all because I wanted to be like you. They won't stop until something is done about me, because I broke their perfect little mold." Vesper said. "Besides, this is what you really wanted, right? Ben to yourself?" "That's not fair...not after tonight." Cheerilee was still trying to remain rational as Vesper told her that she was planning what almost ensured her end if what she said was true. "If you do tell somepony, I ask that you wait until morning." Vesper sighed stroking Cheerilee's foreleg. "Why?" the earth pony asked. "Because by then I'll have a head start, and all of this will hopefully be over, and then maybe somepony can do something...but you'll probably never catch them all. They've been at this for a while." Vesper replied. "So you really plan to leave to just...go die to them? After all that talk about not giving up, you're about to walk out?" Cheerilee scolded. "I'm not giving up, I'm taking a page from your book, I'm done running from my problems," Vesper replied, pulling Cheerilee into a hug. "Ben is in your hooves now." she whisper, hugging the mare a bit tighter, until Cheerilee went limp against her from a sharp hit to the back of the head. Something she had, unfortunately, learned from being around her father's co-horts. "I'm sorry it had to be this way," Vesper sighed, lifting the mare up onto her back and carrying her back upstairs to where Benjamin was still fast asleep. Vesper let Cheerilee slide off her back and onto the bed, with Benjamin none the wiser as to what had taken place. Cheerilee of course would wake up with a bit of a headache, but she hoped she could forgive her. She was a good mare at heart, and Vesper knew that no matter what happened to her, she would be there to take care of Ben. The bat pony then focused on her human, slowly stroking his hair and drinking in his details for what she was sure would be the last time. A sad smile crept across her muzzle only to darken as she heard a heavy set of hooves behind her. Her back bristled in anger slightly, as did her ear tufts, but the other pony knew it was all for show and approached anyways. "How easy it would be to send a wave of my finest down on these two...to think this is what I was afraid of." Tenebris commented in a gruff voice, his form almost translucent as the moon waxed full through the window. "Does it bring you some sick form of satisfaction to torture others?" Vesper asked. "I never torture anypony, it's beneath us," Tenebris replied. "But making them suffer emotionally that's just below the line I guess?" Vesper huffed. "I am not here to be lectured in my methods by a child, you know why I've bothered using this much magic." Tenebris said. "I know, just keep up your end of the deal and never set hoof in Ponyville." Vesper growled. "Oh don't worry, I've no interest in your friends...and Wraith...well, his heart was too soft, like yours." Tenebris chuckled. "This isn't the first mistake I've had to fix." "You....you attacked Cheerilee...not Wraith...." Vesper's eyes widened in realization. "...a necessary evil, to try and put Wraith back on track, but I see now I've failed with two of my children, which is why soon two of my inner circle will be there to bring you home." Tenebris replied, unmoved at his daughter's accusation. "You're a monster." Vesper shook her head, unwilling to believe she shared any part of this being. "No, you are now my dear daughter, a bat pony that lives as day walkers do...you are a monster. Just remember, if you try to resist, those guards that are on their way to get you, will instead be there to kill your lovers, then your life will be an empty, meaningless husk of what it was." Tenebris sat on the floor as Vesper's breathing picked up, both out of fear and rage. "I hate you," Vesper whined. "Good, hold onto that feeling, because long after you realize these two have forgotten about you, that is what will fuel you...for a while," Tenebris said, undisturbed by the statement like any normal father would be. "For a while?" Vesper asked. Before Tenebris could entertain an answer a soft knock came at the door, making Vesper jump. Tenebris's form walked down the stairs and towards the door, stopping just in front of it. Vesper could hardly believe that this stallion was turning in his own daughter, let alone had even offered her this kind of deal, her life, for theirs. The mare was no idiot, she knew that her father wouldn't stop trying to kill Ben or Cheerilee until she gave up, just because she had shamed him. Vesper opened the door and there were four normal looking Lunar guards, save for one difference, a crescent moon necklace was just barely exposed, signifying their traitorous status, Vesper knew it well. Without so much as a struggle from the mare she raised her forelegs and felt cold heavy shackles clasp around them. One of the bat ponies nodded the ghostly form of her father before it faded away into the night. Then, as if given the cue to do so, another pulled a scroll from their armor and tore it clean in half before the two others pulled Vesper close to them, uncomfortably close. She knew the scroll was for emergency telephoning as green flames wicked around them, and soon, they were engulfed in darkness, save for a few dim lights. "Welcome back home, traitor." One of the guards sneered. --- Benjamin slowly woke up to a rather chilly morning. Pleasant memories of last night still danced through his mind as he felt Cheerilee against him, but there was a curious lack of a certain fluffy bat pony. Figuring she was already up, Ben cautiously got out of bed so that he wouldn't disturb Cheerilee to try and find Vesper. Despite his best efforts, he was presented an empty house, void of any sign of the mare in question. Ben was about to assume she had just gone out for breakfast until a very groggy Cheerilee. The mare was clutching her head as she struggled to stay balanced, Ben had to run and catch her before she fell forward on her muzzle. "Ben...Ben...Vesper's...gone," Cheerilee struggled to get out. "Calm down, it's okay. I'm sure she's fine," Benjamin smiled down at the earth pony. Cheerilee cursed his good nature and herself for letting her guard down like that as she shook her head. "No, Vesper's gone!" she shouted, finally finding her voice. "Gone where? What's the big deal if she's in Ponyville?" Ben asked. "Not...Ponyville..." Cheerilee replied, tears forming on the corners of her eyes now that he was starting to realize what she meant. "...no...they got to her." Benjamin breathed out quietly. "We have to tell somepony," Cheerilee said. "Who, the guard, the princesses, we did that and they still got her, what good will that do us now?" Ben asked, wanting to pull his hair in frustration. "We can't just sit here, she's..she's part of our herd, we can't leave here there!" Cheerilee exclaimed. Benjamin thought for a moment about what he could realistically do. He could tell Twilight, but they had already done that and look where it got them, they were now weighing their options anyways. By the time anything sent to Celestia or Luna was done it could be too late for Vesper, time wasn't their friend, and Benjamin was already injured thanks to somepony whom he thought was his friend. This thought made him stop as an idea began to formulate in his head. One that was just crazy enough it might work. --- Fang sat idly in his cell, tapping his hoof tiredly against one of the bars. Despite his nocturnal nature, sleep escaped him as flash backs of Benjamin's look of terror just before he was about to deliver the death blow. He was supposed to be his friend, but instead he had thrown all of that away. He tried telling himself he should be proud that he was acting like a true bat pony, but if that was the case, why did he feel so rotten? Fang found himself wishing he could forget ever meeting anypony related to the ponies so stuck in the past they were willing to harm others. It was nothing like what he had been told or promised. Fang's ears perked up when he heard irregular hoof steps coming towards his cell. His ears knew the sound well enough, but he couldn't believe what he was hearing, not after what he had done. Then the noise stopped, right in front of his cell, prompting Fang to actually look up and pay attention. There at the bars were two...feet? If he recalled correctly, which supported the being he both wanted to see and avoid at all cost right now. Over whelmed as he was, he simply sat motionless, save for a few blinks as he and Benjamin stared at one another. "They got her..." Fang said simply. "Yeah...they did." Ben replied. "...you want me to help you find them." Fang's tone was almost bored, as if he had expected something more entertaining. "Consider it redemption...the Fang I know is better than this." Benjamin said. "And just how do you plan on getting me out?" Fang quizzed. "I know a stallion," Ben smirked.