A Feeling of Curiosity
As many times as I had spoken with Luna during the Summer Sun Celebration, not once did I question her about the bat-pony in the orphanage.
As many times as I have passed that orphanage, not once have I gone inside to meet said bat-pony.
As many times as I have planned to meet said bat-pony, not once have I actually gone through with the plans.
Save for once.
I stood outside of the orphanage, on the outskirts of town where stories told of an old school house once standing; though no sounds were heard coming from it. It was high noon, so the children were probably out playing. Yet, no sounds were carried on the wind. I had invited Speck, but she came up with the brilliant excuse of, "I have to sort and categorize my bricks today!" I think she thinks I'm trying to put her up for adoption. She's too old for that.
I would tell her about the bat-pony that's supposedly here, but it would ruin the surprise.
The large wooden doors at the front were made of a sturdy oak, and had an inviting feel to them. They made no sound as I entered. I would have worried my ears had failed, and I had fallen deaf, had the ticking of a large grandfather clock not caught my attention.
"Good afternoon, sir! Welcome to Matron Cherry's Temporary Home for Fillies and Colts Looking For Loving Families!" A pink-maned, cerulean-eyed, white-coated unicorn sits at a small desk on the far side of the front of the building. Flanking her and the desk are two large glass doors, one leading to dormitories, and the other leading to a cafeteria, recreation room, game center, and the back field. I only know this because of two large wooden plaques that hang on the doors.
"That's a funny way to say 'orphanage,' don't you think?"
"We don't say that word here, sir!" The mare snaps. She cools down quickly, and smiles warmly; the kind of smile that would calm the most upset of children. The smile of a mother. There's something hidden behind it, something in her eyes. She smiles only with her lips.
"My apologies, Matron. I only came by because I have a bit of a question."
"I'd be happy to answer!" Of course you would.
"I was told by the mare that works at the library, albeit a long while back, that there was a bat-pony orph-"
"Filly. Looking. For. A. Loving. Family." She says through gritted teeth as she interrupts me. This mare is either incredibly dedicated to her job and loves these children enough to call them something other than what they are, or she is psychotic. I'm going with the former, because I don't think ponies can suffer from psychosis.
"Yeah, that. Anyways. Is there a bat-pony filly here?"
"There is, as a matter of fact." The Matron tilts her head. "Would someone as strange as yourself be looking to take in a filly as strange as she?" She says strange almost like it's a bad thing.
"I'm not looking to adopt. I was curious, and wanted to get to know a bat-foal."
"Well, I suppose it would be alright if you got to know her before adopting. Follow me, she's in the basement." I glance at the door to the dormitories. "She only goes in there during the night. Gives the other children quite a fright sometimes, but there's little worry! She sleeps during the night just like any other child." So bat-ponies taking on the sleep cycles of those closest to them isn't just something Speck did. Neat.
The Matron leads me through the door on the right, through a second door on our right, and down a small flight of stairs. The basement is rather cool, and the sounds of metal tinkering against metal fill my ears. It's nearly completely dark, save for a lamp on a desk at the far end of the room. Sitting at the desk, I can see the silhouette of a small pony.
"She tries to keep away from other ponies as much as she can. It's not that they don't like her, or she doesn't like them. She's just... different."
"Being different isn't bad."
"Oh, no. Of course not, but... I've tried to get her to understand." The Matron sits on the bottom step of the stairs as I walk through the dark basement. My footsteps are quiet, not because I try to sneak, but because the filly's tinkering drowns me out. She stops, drops whatever tool she was using from her mouth, and looks up at a small book filled with little drawings and notes. A hoof turns the page and she hums to herself. I lean forward to get a better look at the book: it has little diagrams of gears and springs, and where they go in relation to a small machine, along with incredibly complex mathematical equations. Looking down at the table, however, I find a deflated balloon, some string, and a couple of bits.
"It doesn't look like you have the right parts to build that." She squeaks, jumps a bit, and turns around. As soon as she looks me over, she throws the book at me and hides under the desk. I pick the lamp up and kneel down, shining it on her so I can get a better look. She's the size of an average filly. No cutiemark, light-blue eyes, purple-gray coat, and a pale-purple, super poofy mane. She covers her face in an attempt to hide.
She mutters something, but it eludes my hearing.
"Hey, you don't have to be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you, kiddo." I reach out to her, but she darts from under the desk and rushes right past me. As I turn, I notice Matron Cherry watching me. The filly must be hiding somewhere in the dark. I set the lamp back on the desk and start walking toward the Matron.
As I walk past her, up the stairs, she follows, but I stop for a moment to look back into the basement. No sign of the filly. The tinkering of metal starts to sound again as we reach the top of the stairs.
"So? Ready to adopt her?"
"I just met her, she seemed pretty frightened of me, and I don't even know her name. No, I don't think I'm ready to adopt her." Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't adopt her. Speck and I just started a relationship, and I really think we need time for each other before we can give time to a child. It would probably be healthier if Speck met her and got to know her too. Maybe another time.
"She's really just shy. I let her go down there and fixes the toys that the other children break. Really quite talented, I think." There's a pained look in her eyes.
"She sounds like an absolute charm. I really hope I can get to know her." I muster up a smile as she frowns.
"Well, I certainly hope you come back to visit us sometime!" I have never seen a pony change from such a sad look, to such a joyful expression.
"I will. Might have someone else with me, though." I definitely plan to come back, though I don't know when. Hopefully before whatever it is Madame Illusa predicted happens.
"Well, take care, sir. I look forward to your next visit!" The Matron smiles and waves at me, and that's when I see it. In her eyes, the way she smiles, and the way she has been looking at me. This job is her life. These children are the children she could never have, and these are the children she would do anything to protect. The bat filly is what I don't get. Why is there a bat filly orphan so far from any place with bat-ponies? Maybe there's something more to her than meets the eye.
I make a note to come back whenever possible, as I exit through the front doors.
~~~
There was something strange about him. Not the way he looked, not the way he talked, and not the way he seemed worried. It was almost like he knew. He knew what that filly was going through, what it was like for her to be alone, and the only one of her kind anywhere around this place.
She had watched him from the top floor windows of the orphanage before, when he was walking around town. She always wanted to meet him, to talk to him, to learn about him. She always wanted to know how others coped with being alone.
Recent days, when she watched him, she saw another bat-pony with him. Had that bat-pony been with him, she probably would have been more receptive of him. She seemed kind, carefree, and happy-go-lucky.
"Why can't I have that..." She rested her head in her hooves as she stared at the tools and toys on the table. "I just want somebody that's going to love me." A tear rolled down her cheek as she struggled to remember her parents' faces. She struggled to remember anything from when she was younger. There was just a big blank spot before sometime after she came to the orphanage.
"Sweetie, you'll have that some day. Maybe some day soon." A hoof rested on the filly's shoulder before pulling her into a hug.
That day would come sooner than they thought.
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neat
*sad sniff*
nanananananananananana, BAT FILLY!
Sweet, an inventor is here as a Bat-pony, too bad he doesn't seem like he's ready for the responsibility of taking care of her yet.
Love it ^^
I have I feeling I'll like this little filly.
Please let the filly be named 'Bat Filly'
Ouch my heart! Adopt that filly asap!
I have bad premonitions about this.
i will not survive this...too many emotions
4733464
No one dies. I'm not doing any of the "bad endings" this time around.
4733467 you deserve an award. Mostly because I was going to say that.
4734789 *let's out a huge sigh of relief*
More. More! MORE!
4738570
"Say my name."
"Heisenberg."
4733467
I would adopt dat bat pony filly asap
4753935 Ah, I guess that can explain some things.
4753914
Fixed a lot of that except the "hemophage" bit. I like the casual theme to the book.
Because it was written by Fluttershy
Also, how do you keep catching all of those minor errors? Go read the other chapters and do this.
4756148
Fixed errors.
Equestria confirmed for Caste system though.
>Skullkid
Naw
Specks Daughter????
it would make sense as to why she is avoiding the orphanage
4758800
>Speck's daughter
Eventually
>Biological daughter
Speck is perfectly smooth down there, she can't reproduce.
>Bat-pony in ponyville, bat-pony foal in ponyville
>Coincidence?
Plot for the prequel and the sequel.
4758800
We don't use that word here...
Since no one has said it yet that I can see...
Blue eyes... White coat... She's totes a descendant of Rares.
5040171
Nurse Redheart.
Rarity's descendent shows up later.
the moment at the end with the bat filly just broke my heart
Great Story Nuke! Love the characters, the fluff, and plot. I don't agree with neigh-sayers(:D) I love Anon, I feel like I can experience the story, and have my own opinions on events through him. Specks. Is
Adorifying. You sir, have earned my like and favorite.