• Published 31st Dec 2013
  • 5,421 Views, 241 Comments

Apples, Bat Ponies, and Secrets - Random_User



Luna is invited to visit Sweet Apple Acres by Big McIntosh. As they tour the newly created bat sanctuary, the subject of a mysterious new animal visiting the orchard comes up. Luna decides she would like to see the creature for herself.

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A Hunt Through the Orchard

Sitting near the edge of a grove of apple trees, Big McIntosh gazed up at the moon. The sound of powerful wings descending from the night sky caused him to turn his head. He smiled and bowed as Luna and one of her bat pony guards landed.

“My dear stallion, you need not bow to me. I believe we are a bit beyond such formalities.” Luna paused, a concerned look passing across her face. “At least, I hope we have moved past such things.”

McIntosh stood back up, his smile even wider. “Eeyup.”

Luna hugged him to her. “It pleases me that you are of the same mind. It has been quite some time since our fun at the festival. I have come to deeply enjoy your companionship.” She leaned her head close to his ear and whispered, “Having your affection has also been most pleasing.”

McIntosh blushed, adding a deeper hue to his already dark red coat.

“Now, what surprise did you wish to show me?”

McIntosh nodded towards the newly converted grove of apple trees. “I know you like bats of all kinds, so I thought you would like to see the latest addition to the farm, a bat sanctuary.”

Luna clapped her fore-hooves together. “A bat sanctuary?! How marvelous! What inspired you to construct such a thing?”

Big McIntosh gestured for her walk with him. He explained the events that led up to the creation of the bat sanctuary as they made their way into the sanctuary.

“These bats will provide your farm with good seeds and fertilizer. Fluttershy was wise to suggest such a thing.”

McIntosh looked deeper into the sanctuary. “There's been something mighty strange goin' on since we made the sanctuary, though. A new critter's been comin' to the grove to eat some of our apples like the vampire bats do, but it's a good bit bigger.”

The bat pony at Luna's side said, “We of the Lunar Guard could help drive the creature off, if you would like.” He quickly bowed to Luna and added, “With your permission, of course, Princess.”

Luna patted the guard on the shoulder, causing him to rock slightly. “My dear Horizon, your enthusiasm is to be commended, but we know not the whole of the matter quite yet.”

McIntosh continued, “Now and then, we find pouches of bits hung from the branches of the trees. It's like the critter wants to pay for what it has been takin'.”

Luna put a hoof to her chin. “Are you certain it's not a bat pony who does not want to disturb your slumber during the night?”
McIntosh shook his head. “It's got bat-like wings alright, but the critter has red eyes and it's got fangs for sucking the juice out of the apples.”

Luna and McIntosh turned to Horizon, who smiled, revealing he had no fangs. “Not one of us then.”

Luna grinned and looked deeper into the grove. “This creature sounds most intriguing. Let us see if we can spy it this night.” Luna turned towards the moon. With a bit of magical power, she caused the moon to shine brighter.

Horizon rubbed the back of his neck. “Princess, I hate to say anything, but Celestia asked you not to deviate from the moon's typical patterns too often.”

“To whom do you report, me or my sister?”

Horizon responded, without hesitation, “You!”

“You would do well to remember that. There is a possibly dangerous creature on the loose in the orchards of one of the Elements of Harmony. It would be remiss of me not to use all my powers to render aid.”

McIntosh said, “I don't want you gettin' into trouble with your sister over something like this.”

“I shall not be dissuaded. You and I will search for this creature together. Horizon, you shall take flight and see if you can spy our quarry from the air.”

“What should I do if I see it?”

“If you can do so without endangering yourself, capture it and call for us.”

Horizon snapped off a salute and then launched into the air.

Luna turned back to McIntosh, a broad smile on her face. “Let us start the hunt. It should prove to be most entertaining.”

*****

Horizon flew around the edge of the grove, not too far from the tops of the trees. “Luna, I know you were trying to help, but the moonlight is just going to back-light anypony trying to fly stealthily tonight, including me,” he said as if the princess could hear him.

He slowly started to circle the grove, tightening the circumference of his path towards the center of the grove each time. A shape in the trees caught his attention. He descended to the ground.

He cautiously slunk his way towards where he had seen the figure. He put his hoof down on a squishy, drained apple. He looked at the bottom of his hoof with disgust. He muttered to himself, “That's what you get for not paying attention to where you were stepping.” He looked around and spotted other similarly drained apples. “Those bite marks are too big for typical vampire bats.” His ears pricked up at the sound of somepony's voice.

“Hello there little guy, I'm glad you made it. I was worried about you when you didn't show up.”

Horizon made his way to the trunk of a tree and eased his head around it. He watched as a yellow pegasus pony with a pink mane gave out apples to a gathering of vampire bats. She was hanging upside down from a branch, held aloft by her tail, as she spoke to the bats.

“There you go. I added some vitamins to these to help you stay healthy. I know that they don't taste quite as good, thanks to the medicine, but please eat them.”

He leaned a bit more to get a better view of her.

One of the bats noticed him and chattered a warning.

The pegasus looked around frantically for the cause of the alarm. “What is it?”

The bat pointed a wing towards Horizon.

Horizon stepped from around the tree. “Hello.”

The mare softly whimpered and hid behind her wings.

“Please, don't be afraid.” He took off his helmet and extended a hoof towards her. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

The mare gave a squeak, let go of her hold on the branch, and started to fly off.

Horizon dropped his helmet and took flight after her. “Wait! Please! I just want to talk to you!” He grabbed her tail with his teeth and slowly directed their flight towards the ground. As soon as their hooves touched the ground, he tackled her. “Look, I'm sorry, but I have to talk to you. I'm under orders from Luna.”

She hid her face behind her mane.

His eyes widened. “McIntosh was talking about you earlier, you're Fluttershy!”

She turned towards him and nodded.

“Why do you look like that? I thought Twilight cast a counterspell?” Horizon glanced over his shoulder as a voice called his name. “That's Luna!” He looked back down at Fluttershy. “You've got to get out of here.” He offered her a hoof up. “Run, fly, I don't care, just get out of here!”

Accepting Horizon's hoof, Fluttershy got to her hooves. “Thank you. I hope you don't get into trouble.” She turned and raced off through the grove.

“Dark Horizon!” Luna ran up to him and picked him up in a bear hug. “I feared for you! We found your helmet, what happened?!”

“I saw the creature, but she's gone now,” he wheezed.

McIntosh walked over to the pair and patted Luna on the shoulder. “Luna, he needs some air. He's turnin' colors.”

Luna gently put Horizon back on the ground. “Sorry, I am just overjoyed at seeing you unharmed. What manner of beast was it?”

Horizon looked in the direction that Fluttershy had run. “I don't know. I've never seen anything like her.”

“Her?” McIntosh said.

“It looked like a female creature, whatever she was.”

McIntosh offered Horizon his helmet. “Here you go.”

Horizon took the helm back with slightly shaking hooves. “Thanks.”

Luna looked over Horizon. “Are you well? You seem shaken.”

“I just wasn't expecting something like her.”

“Perhaps the Lunar Guard will be needed here after all. We cannot have a potential threat to Ponyville do as it pleases.”

Horizon snapped to attention. “I would like to volunteer for the operation.”

McIntosh raised an eyebrow at Horizon, but said nothing.

Author's Note:

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