//------------------------------// // 154. Bats! - Part 1 // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// The darkness of night spread like a gentle blanket of velvet over the orchard of Sweet Apple Acres. Ever slowly but surely did it brighten from a coming radiance o’er the distant hills, upon which Applejack had her eyes on, as she stood in wait. “Any minute now…!” she rolled her shoulders, her rear legs a’itchin’ for some action…when did arise the glorious break of dawn, signaled by the rooster’s cock-a-doodle-doo! “YEEEEEE-HAW!!!” Applejack reared up, her forelegs flailing in excitement, “It’s officially apple-buckin’ day!” “OK, AJ,” Midnight joined her as they strolled through the orchard, gazing proudly at the literal fruits of their labor. “There they are, the results of all our hard work!” “Darn tootin’!” Applejack nodded, “Just lookit all these apples – Ripe an’ juicy! Welp, with th’ rest o’ th’ family off at Appleloosa, it’s up t’ us to take care of th’ Apple-buckin’, big brother!” “Eeyup,” Midnight said in perfect imitation of their biggest brother, the both of them chuckling, as Midnight then said, “Let’s get to work. I’ll handle things here in the south orchard, you get started over in the east.” “Alrighty partner! Wanna race t’ see who bucks th’ most apples?” Applejack challenged with a smirk. “No-ho-ho way, I know better than to get in an’ apple-bucking contest with you, sis,” Midnight flapped off before could try to press the matter. He landed before a tree he had planted himself and gazed up at it. I gotta say – There’s no feeling quite like seeing the results of hard work and tender loving care he though as he then whirled about and bucked the tree with such force it would’ve made Big Mac proud. Midnight smiled as the apples fell and reached out to catch one. *Sploosh* “HUH?!” Midnight looked to see the apple had went splat in his hooves, its runny insides dripping, and more splats and sploots and splooshes sounded around him as he gasped to see the apples splattering onto the ground. All of them the same dribbly mess as the one he’d caught. “What in Haydes?!” Then his keen ears heard the sounds of wings flapping, leathery wings, along with the squealing screeches that sounded like that of a rodent. “They’re back!” “Applejack?!” Midnight looked to see his sister running for the farm, shouting to him, “Midnight, c’mon! We gotta sound th’ alarm!” He hurried after her and saw her ringing the bell above the farmhouse! “Attention everypony! This is a Sweet Apple Acres code red!!” Quickly arriving were Blueblood, Soarin, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. “I need all hooves – and claws – on deck!” Applejack gave the arrivals a once-over and snorted. “Where’re Dash, Thunder, Twi, and Rarity?!” “Sorry Applejack,” Spike apologized, “Twilight went to Canterlot early this morning to share more findings of the chest with Princess Celestia, after Big Mac discovered his Element.” “My beloved Rarity is unfortunately preoccupied with a very ambitious order for an important client,” Blueblood explained. “Dash an’ Thunder are busy over at the weather team office,” Soarin brought up. "Some inspector from the Cloudsdale Weather factory showed up with a huge stack of paperwork..." “Applejack, would you mind telling everypony what’s going on?” Midnight prodded. “Oh Ah’ll tell y’all wha’s goin’ on…” Applejack said dramatically, “Vampire fruit bats’re attackin’ Sweet Apple Acres!” “But don’t the fruit bats usually stay in the west orchard?” Blueblood asked. “Th’ fruit bats do, but these aren’t yer everyday ordinary fruit bats,” Applejack clarified, “they’re vampire fruit bats!” as she went over to something covered with a tarp, “Ah’ll be damned if they think they’re gonna sink their fangs into’ muh blue ribbon apple!” She whipped the tarp off, revealing an apple even bigger than Applejack herself! It was still stemmed to its tree, causing it to bend over from the sheer weight, it shined with a healthy gloss, and everypony gasped and wowed at it as Applejack explained, “This here’s our entry int’ th’ Appleloosa State Fair’s Produce Competition.” She exhaled onto it and shined the area with her tail, “Y’know how much TLC goes into getting’ an apple t’ grow like this?” “Applejack!” Blueblood couldn’t help but admire himself in the apple’s reflecting shine, “When you dream, you dream big!” “An’ them vampire bats’ll shrivel it up like a raisin if we don’t do sumthin’ about `em,” Applejack furrowed her brows. “Oh, I’m sure if you just let them know how special that particular apple is to you, they’ll leave it alone,” Fluttershy spoke up with gentle optimism. “Be mah guest,” Applejack waved out her foreleg in sarcastic invitation and everypony watched as Fluttershy flew over to a tree where some hanging shapes had glowing red eyes. “Think they’ll listen to her?” Spike asked the others. “Well, if anypony can connect with animals, it’s-” Midnight said confidently, only to see Fluttershy get apple seeds spat on her, forcing her to retreat. She went up to Applejack, who asked, “Well, wha’d he say? Fluttershy shook her mane free of the apple seeds, “Um, yes?” Applejack brightened up only to frown when Fluttershy added, “Or… it could’ve been a no. This is the first time I’ve encountered vampire fruit bats, so… it might take me some time to really understand their language.” “You were saying?” Spike deadpanned Midnight, who sighed. “An’ in th’ meantime, this pest an’ his vermin friends are gonna go after mah prized apple,” Applejack said in an ornery tone. “An’ while they’re at it, every other apple in th’ orchard! These vampire bats ain’t nothin’ but a bunch’a monsters!” “Monsters?!” Fluttershy echoed with an appalled gasp, “That’s bit harsh, don’t you think?” “No Ah do not,” Applejack stated quite firmly as they gazed at the pestilence before them all. [Applejack] These vampire bats’ll give you a fright Eatin’ apples both day n’ night They rest fer a minute, maybe three Then they’re eatin’ every apple in yer apple tree! Her words were exemplified by a couple bats grabbing apples in their mouths, quickly sucking them dry, and spitting them all out. [Applejack] They don’t care `bout nada, not zilch, no nothin’ `cept bringin’ about an orchard’s dee-struction! [Fluttershy] Now wait just a minute, there’s another side to this And if I did not defend them then I would be remiss These bats are mamas and papas too They care for their young just like we ponies do Fluttershy displayed this by lovingly nuzzling a baby vampire fruit bat as it cooed sweetly. [Applejack] Oh gimme a break, yer bein’ too kind These creatures have a one-track mind This orchard is not their restaurant But do they ever think what others may want? No! They don’t! And that is just a fact. These bats, they simply don’ know how t’ act [Fluttershy] That’s where I have to disagree They’re loyal to their families Spreading seeds both far and wide [Applejack] You see one comin’ ya better run an’ hide! They’re big, they’re ugly! They’re mean as sin! Would ya lookit th’ state mah trees are in? [Fluttershy] They help your trees, they’ll grow stronger faster [Applejack] They’ve turned muh whole life into a disaster! [Blueblood] From what I see, there is no doubt These vermin must be rooted out! [Soarin] I second that, it’s us or they They don’t belong here anyway! [Applejack] It comes down t’ just one simple fact They crossed the line, it’s time we fight them [Applejack, Blueblood, Soarin, Pinkie Pie, and Midnight Blaze] Stop the bats Stop the bats Make them go and not come back Stop the bats… Stop the bats… Make them go and not come back…! Stop the bats! Stop the bats! Make them go and not come back!! [Applejack] Yes, it comes down t’ just one simple fact They’ve crossed the line, it’s time tha’ we attack! The others gave Fluttershy a firm look and nodded in agreement with Applejack.