//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: The Batling // by Owl Parchment //------------------------------// -----------The Batling---------- Chaos arouse the castle around the same time the sun rose. "Sister?" Princess Luna called out, her nightly duties were over, but Celestia was not awake yet. Luna had decided to raise the sun for her sister, assuming she would be exhausted after the Summer Sun celebration. She was right. As Luna trotted into Celestia's bed chamber, she found her sister still asleep in bed. "Celestia?" Luna questioned the sleeping form. Within a few moments, Celestia had risen out of bed, and gotten ready for the new day. "I see you have risen the sun for me, sister." Celestia stated, looking out a window. "I thank you for that. The celebration yesterday wore me out so very much, that I am late for my royal duties." Celestia said with a small sigh. "We can't have that now, can we?" *** Luna shook her head reassuringly. "Sister, I had assumed you would be exhausted from yesterday's celebrations. They didn't end until well after I was awake!" Celestia thanked her sister briefly, and stretched out her wings and legs. Luna turned to leave, when she bumped into a royal guard. "Please pardon me, Princess Luna!" The orangish-tan guard exclaimed, dropping into a deep bow quickly. "Oh no, it is fine!" Luna reassured kindly "What has you in such a hurry, though?" She asked the shaken pegasi guard. "Bad news, Princess. A prisoner of Celestia has escaped last night, and we have not been able to locate her anywhere." At the guard's announcement, Celestia quickly perked her ears. "Now what was that, Flash? A prisoner of mine? Escaped?" Flash Sentry nodded, "Yes, your majesty. I believe her name was Aldatu. We found a guard in her cell.. With a candle holder stuck on his.." Flash paused for a second, trying to think of how to bring this across. "Stuck on his what?" Celestia asked the guard with a curious expression on her face. Flash was quiet for a while longer before answering. "His.. Erm.. Stallion-parts.." Flash Sentry blushed a little, while the princesses took in the information. "And, his neck was bleeding." he quickly added. After a couple minutes without a response, Flash left the room. *** With a look of pure confusion on her face, Luna turned to Celestia. "You have a prisoner?" Luna asked quietly. Celestia keep staring straight, and answered her sister. "Had. And, yes. She was a monster. A Changeling, with slited eyes and bat-like wings. The only thing is.. She can't morph." Celestia droned on, still deep in thought. "You took a Batling in as a prisoner?!? I can't believe you!" Luna huffed, waiting for an explanation. "A Batling?" Celestia questioned, finally turning to look at Luna. "Why, of course! A Batling is a hybrid species, and they serve the night. Well.. Some are diurnal, but most are nocturnal. How do you not know of such a species? What did this one called 'Aldatu' do to our kingdom?" Celestia still looked completely boggled. "I have never heard of such a hybrid. Cheerilee had reported Aldatu to the royal guard. She was found pinning a young filly to a wall. The filly's name was Diamond Tiara, I believe. I ordered the royal guard to take her to prison. Diamond Tiara was crying, and she told us that the 'changeling' was trying to suck out her love." Luna snorted and rolled her eyes. "Celestia. You are the most gullible pony I have ever met, besides Fluttershy. On my last visit to Ponyville, the 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' told me of this Diamond Tiara. She is said to be a heartless bully." Celestia gasped slightly, before exclaiming, "How mean is that! I can't believe anypony would call each other 'heartless'!" *** Luna yawned, and gave her sister a comforting hoof on the back. "It is alright, Celestia. Everypony makes mistakes." Celestia bowed her head, "Luna, I am a princess. The ponies expect me to be perfect." Luna sighed before answering, as if she were contemplating her words. "My dear sister, you are not perfect. Nopony is. All you can do now, is to call off your guards. Let the Batling go free." Relaxing her shoulders a bit, Celestia nodded slightly. "I suppose I could do that. If you don't mind, before you go to bed, could you tell me more about the Batling species?" Luna shrugged, and smiled. "If you really want. Tis a long explanation. Batlings are a mix between a Changeling and a Bat-pony, and they consist of ling-dominant Batlings and bat-dominant Batlings. Batlings have longer ear tufts than those of Bat-ponies, but shorter than the typical Changeling. Their ear style depends on which is more dominant, ling or bat. Their wings are normally transparent where the normal Bat-pony membrane is. Batlings have medium sized fangs, smaller than Changelings' but larger than Bat-ponies'. A Batling can be either nocturnal or diurnal, depending on what they prefer. Some Batlings are more sensitive to sunlight than others. Batlings' eyes can either be slited or pupiless, depending on what is more dominant. Some Batlings have holes in their legs, wings, and tail; but that also depends on which side is more dominant. A Batling being ling-dominant or bat-dominant is completely random, and does not rely on anything in particular. Ling-dominant Batlings are Batlings who are more like Changelings than Bat-ponies. They usually have no pupil, and instead have a Changeling-style eye. Their ears are thinner than the typical bat-pony ear shape. Ling-dominant Batlings typically have Changeling-like holes in their legs, wings, and tail. Most ling-dominant are not as sensitive to the sun as the bat-dominant. Bat-dominant Batlings are Batlings who are more like Bat-ponies than Changelings. They usually have a slited pupil, like that of their bat-pony parent. Their ears are the normal bat-pony ear shape, with the extended tufts. Bat-dominant Batlings typically don't have Changeling-like holes. Most bat-dominant are sensitive to the sun, more so than the ling-dominant." Luna finished, and yawned again. "That was a mouthful." Celestia laughed "You pretty much summed it up, though. You may have just saved a species, Sister." *** Luna thanked Celestia, and headed off to bed. "Good day, sister. See you in the night." Luna called out, and stretched one last time before her depart. Celestia followed her out, but turned in a different direction. While Luna was going to bed, Celestia was going to the office of the Royal Guard. Upon entering the room, the guards greeted her with plenty of bows. "May one of you please tell Shining Armor to end the search for Aldatu?" Celestia asked calmly, looking around the room. "I'll do it." a grey unicorn offered, and bowed before leaving the room. "Many thanks." Celestia spoke, and left to eat her late breakfast.