//------------------------------// // Knowledge of Fears // Story: Moonburst Chronicles // by Code Breaker //------------------------------// Trixie, Sunset, Coco, and Cheerliee were together at the library helping Trixie to sort out her books yet again after another Rainbow Dash related incident causing all the books to fall off the shelf. “I’m starting to think she targets the library on purpose.” Coco said as she put away another book the others nodding in agreement. “You’re not the only one who thinks that Coco.” Cheerliee agrees as she to puts a book away. A small screech is heard as Trixie’s pet bat Hayln came flying down with a couple books Spike right behind her. “Thank you Hayln, and you to Spike.” Trixie said to them. “Hmm…Trixie how exactly did you come across Hayln?” Sunset asked as she along with the others realizes they had never asked about it before. “Oh well…if you really want to know it goes back a couple weeks.” Trixie said to them. A loud sneeze filled Fluttershy’s cottage as the animals scattered from the noise. Fluttershy took tissue from its holder and began to blow into it. “I knew I shouldn’t have gone for a walk in the rain yesterday.” She said her voice sounding very sore as she blew into a new tissue. A white small bunny was staring at her feeling concerned for his owner/caretaker “I’m okay Angel.” She said calmly until letting a very bad cough. “I’m just going to be down for a little bit.” She cooed. The bunny known as Angel continue to stare at her “If you could Angel could please take this letter to Applejack for me.” She said as she passed the letter toward the bunny and he reluctantly agreed. She let loose another cough covering her mouth with a hoof as the bunny took off for the farm mare’s home. Knowledge of Fears Meanwhile on the farm; it was usual for AJ to be working the farm, right now she was taking over a basket of apples toward her storage shed. Something came and snatched up an apple from the basket she was carrying. She looked back and noticed some of the apples were missing from the basket. “Okay if it’s you LD you had better return them apples right now!” She shouted but getting no answer. She continued to trot toward the storage shed but with more force in her step. Something blurred past her and grabbed another apple off the basket until spitting it out and the apple landing on the ground now all bruised and what looks like bite marks on it. AJ stared at the apple in complete confusion which quickly changed to realization. “Oh no.” She states a bit of fear laced in her voice. “Ah forgot those darn bats are back, and Fluttershy is suppose to be coming an’ help me tah get rid of them.” She reminded herself in thought. Then as if on cue a white bunny hopped toward her with a piece of paper in its mouth. “Huh Angel? What are yah doing here lil critter?” She asked as Angel spat out the piece of paper. Angel undid the folding of the paper and gave it to AJ to read. “A letter from Flutters?” She questioned seeing the mare’s hoof writing. “Dear Applejack; I’m sorry to say but I won’t be able to help you get rid of the bats for you. Angel wanted to go swimming the other day and I had to join him so that he wouldn’t drown, but unfortunately due to the swimming and the rainstorm yesterday I’ve came down with a nasty cough. So I’m afraid I will be um… out of it until the coughing stops. I’m really sorry Applejack, and I hope you do understand. Your friend; Fluttershy.” The letter read. AJ didn’t like the sound of the letter she read over it again and became worried. “Great if Fluttershy is out of commission who am ah suppose tah get tah help me out with these bats now?” She questioned yet just as quickly came to a conclusion of who she could ask for help. “Well there’s only one other pony that could help me in this situation.” AJ said placing the basket down “Angel you take these over tah the storage shed. Ah’m heading tah Trixie’s.” She said as she ran toward her destination leaving Angel alone with the apple basket who looked at the basket then to himself before folding his arms. Angel then seemed to let out a sigh and began to try and lift the basket in an attempt to make it move and not let the apples rot. Meanwhile at Trixie’s library she was cataloging and putting away all the new books she had obtained a week ago. “Celestia didn’t need to send me all of these books.” She said placing the book on the shelves and looking the overly stocked shelves “Anymore and I may need to consider making this place bigger. What do you think Spike?” She turned her head to find Spike but instead she was met with a beady red eyed black winged bat. “EYAHHHHH!” She howled jumping ten feet in the air and onto the top of a book shelf curled in a ball shaking like a leaf. She hesitantly looked over the edge of the book shelf only to see a baby dragon holding his stomach in laughter. “Oh that was so worth ten bits for that.” Spike laughed pointing a claw at Trixie. “You should’ve seen your face Trixie it was priceless.” He laughed. She teleported off the book shelf next to the dragon “Spike that wasn’t very funny, you nearly gave me a heart attack!” She yelled with a hint of anger in her voice. Spike’s laughing calmed to a slight chuckle. “Oh c’mon Trix it was joke besides it’s not like you’re actually scared of bats anyway.” Spike said putting away the bat toy he got. “You’d be surprised what ponies can be scared of.” She thought shivering. She continued to finish her cataloging until there was a rapid knock at the door. “Coming!” She said walking toward the door and opened it revealing an out of breath Applejack “Oh good morning Applejack we don’t open for quite a while but you’re welcome to…” Trixie was cut off as Applejack put her hoof in Trixie’s mouth. “Trixie ah need… your help… now.” AJ huffed taking her hoof of Trixie’s mouth. “What going on AJ? And more importantly why are you out of breath?” She asked. AJ passed they letter she obtained from Angel and passed it to Trixie. “A letter from Shy.” AJ stated. Trixie lifted the letter with her magic and began to read through it but not even mid way through the letter she noticed one word that she didn’t want to hear or read… bats. Trixie immediately dropped the letter from her magical grip and let it fall to the ground. Applejack picked up the letter and placed it in her Stetson hat. “Somethin’ wrong sugarcube?” AJ asked looked at Trixie who looked a little bit paler. She shook herself out of her trance and stared at AJ. “B-Bats you say.” She stuttered looking back and forth sweating a small bit eyes wandering all around. AJ nodded “That’s why ah came to yah for; cuze those darn bats are messing up mah orchard.” She stated “And with Fluttershy sick and all well yah seem like the only other choice ah’ve got.” She added “But what about the girls? Couldn’t they help?” Trixie asked frantically. “Did yah forget, Cheerliee is an assistant teacher, Sunset is booked this whole week, Lightning Dust and RD has tah pull double duty cuze somepony messed up on repairing the weather factory or somethin’ like that, and Coco is helpin’ Rarity with the dresses she’s making for her clients.” Applejack stated. “So you’re the only pony available that ah know can help me.” She added. Trixie gulped at the thought that if Applejack’s farm went down that would mean two thirds of Ponyville’s food supply would be gone. Though she didn’t want to because it could result in her fear becoming public, but she also knew she couldn’t let Ponyville lose one of its most important resources. She sighed in defeat knowing that no matter what she did she would have to agree. “Okay Applejack if you really need my help then I’ll help.” Trixie agreed “Alright, Ah’ll see yah at dusk.” AJ smiled and headed back to the farm. Trixie shut the door after seeing the mare off. She slumped to the ground with her hoofs on her head. “What am I going to do?” She asked herself worryingly. “What the problem about taking care of a few bats?” Spike asked sarcastically. Trixie stood straight up then looked toward Spike “Problem? Problem! The problem is that bats are nothing but maniacal pests with fangs and that some would even eat you for dinner!” She shouted frantically while she randomly teleported around the library. “And that it doesn’t help if somepony has chiroptophobia which mind you is a fear of bats!” Trixie added. “Don’t you think your overreacting a bit Trixie? Besides you aren’t afraid of bats are you?” Spike asked as Trixie looked at him worried. “No no of course not, and I don’t want to let AJ down, so I’m just going to have to take this in stride and hope everything is going to fine.” Trixie gave a worried smile, and then gulped nervously. “I think.” She added quietly. Trixie looked at the clock “Well we got some time before heading I have to head over.” She replied calmer now “Why not get some grub before hoof?” She moved back toward the door, opened it, and they both walked out of the library heading toward town. Arriving at SugarCube Corner they saw that it was pretty busy with it being lunch hour for every pony. Luckily they didn’t have to wait long and they were up at the register “Well hello Trixie; what can I get you two?” Mrs. Cake asked “Where’s Pinkie? Shouldn’t she be running the register?” Trixie asked. Mrs. Cake sighed “The poor mare broke her hoof during a delivery. The doctors said it would be a week before she could return to work.” She explained “So I gave her the week off.” She added. “Well… send her my condolences.” Trixie added “Oh and Pinkie wanted me to give this to you.” Mrs. Cake passed her a fold out card. Trixie engulfed it in her magic and levitated it toward her “Wonder what Pinkie has to say?” She said sarcastically as she opened it. Then she was faced with a big beady red eyed bat glaring right at her. Her face paled when she saw and it looked like she was going to faint right there but didn’t for the sake of not worrying anypony or exposing her fear of bats. “Dear are you okay?” Mrs. Cake asked looking at the paled faced unicorn “J-Just f-fine.” She stuttered. She looked at the card as it read to herself; “I got you good didn’t I! -Pinkie Pie.” “I’ll just take a decaf and a bag of raisin cookies.” She ordered “Sure thing dear.” Mrs. Cake took the order and headed into the kitchen area. In a few minutes she came back out with Trixie’s order “That’ll be eight bits.” She said and Trixie passed her the eight bits “Thank you and have a great day.” Mrs. Cake smiled as Trixie went toward and out the door. “I swear Pinkie knows how to push someponies button. How’d she figure out I don’t like bats anyway.” She wondered as she looked up in the sky seeing that a lot of clouds were still present in the sky and even some of them covering the sun from view. She then saw a rainbow and an amber gold streak flying through the clouds. “Well Rainbow and Lightning are still going at it.” She said seeing them blow through clouds like if it were practice for them. “Well should we get back to the library?” Spike asked “You go on ahead Spike I’m going to…” She paused when she heard some kind of rumbling coming from the ground. “Um Spike do you feel that?” She asked and he nodded “What is it?” he asked while she was searching where the source came from; she put her head toward the ground to feel the vibrations. Once she felt where the vibrations were coming from “It’s coming from the school house.” She stated then before they knew it there was a cloud of dust coming their way quickly. “Oh this is going to hurt.” She said weakly and before they could react they were trampled by little colts and fillies. They rose up from the ground painfully. “I think they broke my everything.” Spike stated and fell back on the ground. “Um Miss Lulamoon.” A filly’s voice rang out which can be recognized as Sweetie Belle along with the rest of the Crusaders minus Pen. “Why are you laying on the ground?” Scoots replied “We got trampled by your other classmates.” Trixie groaned, “Shouldn’t you girls still be in school. It’s only 1 in the afternoon.” She then adds getting up. “It was half day today so we got out early than usual.” Applebloom stated. “Wasn’t Pen with you girls?” Spike asked noticing the lack of the ash grey filly. “She said she’s hanging out Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon for a little while then she’ll come and find us.” Emerald replied “Well it’s been nice seeing yah Trix but we got some crusading tah do.” Applebloom said to them. “CUTIEMARK CRUSADERS GO!” all the crusaders screamed in unison and ran off like a rocket “I’ll never get use to that.” Trixie said cleaning out her ears from the yelling. The day went as per the usual day and the sun was starting to set on the small town so that night would take over for the remainder of the day. The sun completely gone from the sky as the moon finally rose into the sky; normally everypony would be in bed by this time but unfortunately for Trixie she still has one thing left to do. Trixie began her trot toward the apple farm with her horn igniting in the night illuminating her path. “Okay Trixie be calm this’ll be easy just scare the bats away and go home. Not a problem right?” She said aloud. She approached Sweet Apple Acres with Applejack standing at the porch waiting for her. “Glad for yah tah make it Trix.” AJ said tipping her hat to her. “Well shall we get this thing started?” She asked a bit nervous. “Alright jus’ follow me to the orchard.” She replied motioning Trixie to follow. Once they got into the orchard Trixie could already see some of the damages the bats caused already. Some bruised apples with bite marks in them laid all over the place with only very few left in the trees themselves, some of the trees didn’t have much leaves on them either due to the infestation of bats. “Be on the lookout, them here critters are rather clever. Especially here in the dark.” Applejack warns looking back and forth. “H-How would we k-know where to find them?” She stuttered “Well since they like the smell of mah apples we just make uh trap an’ then we lure it into it. Sound like uh plan.” Applejack replied and Trixie nodded sweating up a storm of nervousness. A trap was now set and all they need now was to wait and see if any of the bats came along to snatch the apple right up. Trixie and Applejack waited nearby where they could still see the trap. It was a basic netting trap that is used to catch fish but hiding underneath the dirt so that the bats don’t see it with an apple right in the middle of it. Trixie was fidgeting with her hoofs in worry that maybe and hopefully the trap worked and this would all be behind her soon. AJ was nodding off here and there but she was still awake holding onto a piece of wire in her mouth waiting to spring the trap on the bats. “You know maybe the bats went away and this was all for nothing you know.” Trixie smiled nervously. “Ah don’t think so.” Applejack placed a hoof on Trixie’s head and pointed her toward the trap where now it looks like there are about six of them on it. “Okay now when Ah trap ‘em you tie em up with your magic, then we’ll find a place and let the critters go elsewhere.” AJ said. Trixie gulped nervously and waited for the farm mare to pull the wire. The bats were soon in range of the trap and Applejack pulled the lever causing the net to pop out trapping the bats. “Alright now Trixie tie it!” She ordered and Trixie immediately grasped it with her magic making sure the bats couldn’t get away as it was tied and secured. The bats were struggling to break free but with no success. Trixie began to count how many bats were in the net trap, but her count was one short of how many they had seen. “Um AJ I think we missed one.” She replied “What?!” Applejack shouted and looked back at the net and began counting herself thinking Trixe had miscounted. “One, Two, Three, Four, Five…” She paused “Only five but Ah’m sure there were six of them critters by the net.” She said seconds later her eyes widening a few inches when she looked at Trixie. “Maybe one them got away before it was sprung.” Trixie stated as she looked back and forth. “Eyup and Ah know just where it went to.” AJ stated looking at Trixie directly. “Where?” Trixie asked whipping her head about looking for it. “It’s on your head sugarcube.” She said pointing toward her head. Trixie froze for a few seconds, and she dared her eyes to look up but saw that the bat was perching on her horn eating the supposed apple bait. Trixie’s eyes diverted back toward AJ and her face went pale and her eyes dilated to pinprick size. “B-B-Bat… BAT!” She screamed as she tried to get the elusive bat off her horn. She was screaming her lungs out like a school yard filly, she tried shaking her head to get the bat off but with no luck but she eventually ran into a tree before the bat finally flew off only to land right back on her this time on the back. “GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!” She yelled practically begging for it to be over. AJ wiped out her lasso and launched it toward the bat on her friends back and yanked it right off. “Gotcha little critter.” The farm mare says as Trixie stopped running trying to catch her breath from the little workout she had just given herself. “You alright there sugarcube, yah don’t look okay.” AJ said with concern on her face. “Did that… thing leave a mark or something?” She asked. AJ looked over Trixie’s back and notice some small claw marks on her. “Just some scratches that’s all.” AJ answered. “I’m heading home to get this sanitized before it gets infected.” Trixie said and began to walk off. “But what about the other bats round here?” AJ called out Trixie stopping a moment and turned to face Applejack. “I just… can’t take anymore bats right now.” She said “I’ve seen enough to last me a life time.” Trixie said turning around and burst into a complete sprint out of the orchard leaving Applejack confused. Once she got back to the library she immediately locked the door and headed upstairs and plopped right on her bed head first into the pillow. “Well that could’ve gone better, why did it have to be bats? Why couldn’t be rabbits or squirrels or something other than bats?” She ranted “I hope it goes better tomorrow.” She said as she gave a yawn and drifted off to sleep. The next morning as the sun rose high above Ponyville, Trixie was already up and opening things up for the library while Spike was making breakfast. Unfortunately Luna was not on Trixie’s side last night as her mane and tail was in complete disarray and her eyes only halfway opened. Trixie levitated a book over to another stack before she lost concentration in her magic. Spike came out of the kitchen with a tray of some eggs and haybacon with orange juice. “One big breakfast for yah Trix.” Spike said as he set down on the desk next to her. “Thanks Spike; I have a feeling I’m going to need it today.” She said groggily. “Hey I try to help.” Spike shrugged. Once breakfast was finished along with some combing and showering Trixie was now wide awake. She trotted out of her library and noticed that the apple stand was opened and found that Applejack was standing behind it. “Okay Trixie just keep walking and maybe she won’t notice…” Her thoughts were cut off as the farm mare in fact did notice her. “HEY TRIXIE!” Applejack yelled out and waved leaving her stand. “Oh ponyfeathers.” She thought as the mare walked over a stern glare plastered on her muzzle. “What in the hay bale happened last night?” Applejack asked her voice as stern as her glare. “Well um… Trixie just… wasn’t herself yesterday.” She lied giving a confident convincing smile. “Are yah sure about that?” Applejack raised an eyebrow to Trixie’s statement “Yes, Trixie was just off edge yesterday but she’ll be ready next time.” She smiled “Okay since yah put it that way, there are still plenty of bats out there, ah’ve managed tah catch a few of them but Ah’m still goin’ tah need help.” She stated. “Of course.” She nodded “Alright see yah at dusk Trixie.” Applejack said and went back toward her stand. Trixie let out a relieved sigh “So how’d it go last night?” A cocky voice spoke up causing Trixie to jump in surprise and look around for the source, but found nopony near her. “Up here.” The voice called out again and Trixie looked up to see Rainbow Dash on a cloud looking at her. “Rainbow you know that it’s kind of rude to sneak up on somepony.” Trixie fumed glaring at the pegasi. “Oh lay off Trix… so as I said how’d it go last night?” Rainbow repeated. “Trixie won’t give you the privilege to know.” She answered. “And why not?” Dash asked her pouting. “Because if Trixie tells you, you’re just going to go around Ponyville and babble about Trixie’s secret and Trixie will not be pleased about it at all.” She warned Dash giving her a glare. “Trixie you’re speaking in third again.” Dash informed “Trixie knows Trixie is speaking in third.” Trixie replied and calmed herself. “Well just saying. If there is anything bothering you I could well…you know…listen.” Dash says as Trixie looks back and forth making sure nopony else was around. “Fine. Dash can you keep a secret?” She asked. “Depends on what it is.” Dash responded “Well… it just that.” She paused looking around again for signs of others being around. “I’m scared of bats!” She blurted out then covered her mouth so that nopony else would hear her. Dash only blinked at her in confusion “You’re scared of… bats?” She questioned and Trixie nodded her head a little. Dash then tried to hold back a laugh but failed as she rolled off her cloud, landed on the ground and proceeds to roll on the ground holding her gut while she was laughing up a storm. “Are you serious Trixie scared of little bats?” She laughed again. Trixie ignited her horn, engulfing Dash in her aura, lifting said pony in the air and pounded her into the ground with her magic leaving a small indent in the ground with Dash’s shape. “IT’S NOT FUNNY OKAY!” She shouted as Dash got out from the small hole in the ground “And for the record bats are nature’s devils if you ask me.” She pouted. “How are you going to know if you don’t like them you don’t give them a chance?” Dash asked “Rainbow have you ever been close to a bat creature?” She asked. Dash pondered that question “Um… well.” She stuttered “I didn’t think so.” Trixie stated. “Well how did you get to be afraid of bats anyway?” Dash asked. Trixie hesitated “Do you really want to know? Or are you just baiting me to tell an embarrassing story?” Trixie asked as Dash shrugs. “Don’t know really. Could be either.” Dash replied with a sly grin. “Alright I will tell you, but if I hear whispers about me and bats you are waking up shrunk.” She said to her. “Sheesh. I get it. Lips are sealed.” Dash says as Trixie sighs in relief. “It happened when I was just a filly. The school was on a class trip to a nature preserve. My friend was curious about the ecosystem of the area so we headed off on our own and eventually we found this cave.” Trixie starts as Dash nods getting a felling where this was going. “Of course being fillies and being overly curious we went inside to explore it. We didn’t know it at the time, but the cave was infested with bats. One landed on me and I looked at it. Seeing a bat up close like that…those beady eyes, and those razor sharp fangs. I screamed which caused the other bats to wake and we were practically chased out.” She explained. “Since then I have been scared of bats. I can’t stand being near them!” She states in a slightly panicked tone. “Then why are you helping Applejack get rid of the ones on her farm?” Rainbow asks. “I can’t just turn her down Rainbow. The apple farm is responsible for a majority of Ponyville’s food supply.” Trixie states and looks away. “And I don’t exactly have a choice in the matter.” She adds looking back to Dash. “You and Dust are pulling double duty, Cheerliee is the assistant teacher raising a young filly, Sunset has enough stress with her young clients and their parents, and Coco has to help Rarity with her line for an upcoming fashion show! Which leaves me all on my own.” She finished. “Oh right speaking of that I’d better get back up their before boss throws a fit or something.” Dash said as she took off toward the sky looking back to Trixie. “And don’t you worry you secret’s safe with me Trix.” She added and zoomed off. Trixie sighed in relief to know that Dash would keep her secret. Trixie left for her place as she waited for the time to come to head back to the farm. “Alright Trix yah ready tah get started.” Applejack said. She gulped nervously looking around at the trees which they were in worse shape than they were the last time she was there. “I guess so.” She said nervously. “So what’s your plan AJ?” She squeaks. “Well ah was thinkin’ the divide and conquer routine.” Applejack answered. “Yah round up the bats on the east side an’ Ah’ll take the west side and we meet right in the middle that way we can capture more of them that way.” She began to explained “Then we can catch’em in this here net.” She finished indicating the net that was set up to catch them. “You sure this’ll work?” Trixie asked worried as somehow last time a bat had escaped the net trap. “Darn tootin’ it’ll work.” The farm mare smirked confident in her plan. “Alright let’s get to it.” And with a hearty YEHAWW AJ went west leaving Trixie on her own. In the east side of the orchard lighting an illumination spell Trixie was able to see all around her. She cautiously looked left and right looking for any sigh of bats in the area. “There doesn’t seem like there aren’t any here.” She thought and she continued onward. She was now in the deep territory of the east orchard when she heard a rustling by a nearby bush “W-W- Who’s there?” She questioned hesitantly as something black slithered out from the bush. “Oh it just a black mamba.” She sighed with relieve but notice that it wasn’t paying attention to her but slithering toward an object on the ground. “Huh?” She thought seeing the snake sneaking up on the object. She heard a small shriek as if it were from an animal then she looked toward the snake’s direction and saw what it was slithering toward. It was an injured bat with a branch on one of its wings and it was frantically trying to get itself free. The mamba was getting closer to it almost ready to have its prey for dinner. “Oh ponyfeather, what do I do? A mamba’s poison is deadly and can kill a full grown mare in a matter of minutes if any of its venom gets into the bloodstream.” Trixie mumbled “But a bite to a bat would kill it in seconds.” Trixie argued with herself “But bats are also frightening creatures too, but if I don’t do something now the bat’s snake food.” Trixie argued with herself. “Get bitten by a snake and die, or let the bat get bitten and let it die.” She debated but she couldn’t long because the mamba was just about to reach its target as the bat tried to free its wing from the fallen branch. “Guess I don’t have a choice here.” Trixie mutter and jumped in front of the mamba lighting her horn. “Okay you back off and you won’t get hurt.” Trixie warned. The mamba coiled up and was in a ready position to strike at its intruder. It hissed at Trixie revealing its fangs to her, but instead of waiting for Trixie to make a move it lounged at Trixie fangs ready to inject its venom into its prey. Trixie lowered her head with her horn sticking toward it. “I hope this works.” She prayed hoping that she wasn’t going to regret this. CHOMP “YEEOWW!” She screamed causing some of the bats in other trees to fly off in all directions. Trixie’s eyes were closed at the time but she slowly opened them but see only a long black skin was hanging in front of her. She looked up and saw that the mamba was biting at her horn. She gave a sigh of relief then changed to a serious one. “HA! Sorry but do you know that a unicorn’s horns don’t have veins in it so it’ll be impossible for you to inject your venom and that it take great strength to break a unicorns horn.” Trixie explained with a smirk. She ignited her horn grasping the mamba in her magic and tossing it back toward the bushes. Once that was done it slithered off probably scared at the experience it just had. Trixie then looked back toward the down bat and grabbed the branch with her teeth and tossed it away freeing the bat. “A-Are you okay?” She asked it hesitantly and it nodded back to her. “W-Well good but I must be going.” She turned to leave it behind but before she could she felt something cling to her back left leg. She looked at what it was and noticed it was the bat she helped. “Um… you can let go now.” She said but it refused to budge from her leg. Now that she could see it up close, it was a silver coated bat with deep sapphire blue eyes staring at her and almost acting… cute. Trixie looked at the wing that was damaged and seeing that it was a little twisted. “You know for a bat you’re not as… scary as I feared.” She finally said. The bat continued to stare at her “You’re not coming off my leg are you.” Trixie said as the bat shook its head and clung to her back leg. “You know you’ve actually given me an idea.” Trixie said as she trotted off to find Applejack. She made it back toward the meeting place along with Applejack coming from the west orchard with no luck on getting any bats at all. “Well that could’ve gone better.” she sighed then looked at Trixie. “Ah’m guessing yah didn’t have much luck either.” Applejack asked. “Well I can’t say that.” She pointed toward her back leg and the farm mare saw a bat clinging to Trixie’s leg. “What in tarnation are yah doin’ letting that varmint on yah?” She asked startled by the site in front of her. “Well I actually saved it from almost getting eaten by a mamba and it clung to me to stay safe.” Trixie smiled “And that actually gave me an idea, how about instead of capturing the bat we let them have this part of the orchard.” Trixie said “Are yah out of your mind!” Applejack yelled narrowing her eyes at Trixie. “Please here me out Applejack. Yes these bats are a small pest, but the seed that come from them eating the apples can be planted and will grow stronger and faster than if you did it by normal means.” She states as Applejack looked like she was about to say something as Trixie raised a hoof to signal she wasn’t done. “It might also help your profits a bit. This part of the orchard would be a Bat Sanctuary.” She finished as Applejack thought about it. “Well…” She paused “Jus’ as long they stay on this side of the orchard ah’ll be fine with it.” AJ agreed before looking at the one on Trixie’s leg and pointing at it. “But what are yah going tah do with that one?” She added. “Well I think the smart thing to do is take it home and if its injury hasn’t healed I’ll take it to Fluttershy’s.” Trixie explained. “Well see you tomorrow AJ.” She waved goodbye and began her night walk home. Once she got home the bat let go of her leg and began to walk around the house. “Well first I need to see if you’re a male or female.” She quickly found a book on the different types of bats as well as features of the genders of the different species. “Let’s see…according to this you’re a female.” She says after a couple minutes of looking the book over. “But what to name you?” She questions thinking it over but didn’t take long a name popping to mind quickly. “How about Halyn?” She asked and the clung to her face in response. Trixie flinched a little bit at the bats response, but took it as a yes. “Okay I’ll have to get used to that.” She giggled. Then she brought out a paper and quill from her desk “You know you’ve given me a great lesson to write to the princess.” She said grasping a quill and scroll with her magic. She brought the quill to the paper and cleared her throat before she began to write. “Dear Princess Celestia; Sometimes fear can cloud a ponies judgement whether it’s being scared of the dark, or something like having fear of bats for my case. Yet if you look at it from a different angle suddenly those fears that once scared you the most don’t seem so scary after all. Especially if the very thing you’re scared of is also afraid of something as well. Signed your faithful student; Trixie Lulamoon.” She finished placing the quill and paper down on the desk so that Spike can send the letter afterward. “Well my winged friend we both had a long day so how about we call it a night.” She called to her new pet that was still clung to her face. And so Trixie and her new bat pet Halyn went upstairs into Trixie’s room and went straight to sleep waiting to see what adventures would be in store for her when she awakes. “I’ve really taken a shine to her then, and she has been helpful with everything.” Trixie says. “Plus it has taken some stress of my favorite assistant.” She adds looking to Spike. “Sounds like you two get along. Would actually be worrisome if it was something else like say…an owl.” Sunset comments as Trixie rolls her eyes. “You and your imagination Sunset.” Trixie says as Hayln chirps in agreement.