On Leather Wings Part 2.
"So this is your first time outside Gotland City?"
"Yeah, I'm not used to seeing buildings so short,"
"Really, what are they like in Gotland?"
"Tall, really really, tall. So tall that you can't even see the top."
"Wow, that is tall,"
"And Gothic, that's what my parents call it."
It didn't long for his Lordship and I to hit it off. As we went from house to house, we talked about everything.
"What are your parents like?"
"They're the rulers of the city, although they're mostly figureheads. Most of our royal duties are just smiling and waving."
"Where do you live?"
"Kane Keep, it's our ancestral family home. It's a really big castle on top of a mountain. You can see the entire city from there."
"Really how many rooms do you have?"
"I dunno, There are so many and they're all so big!"
"Do you ever get lost in there?"
"All the time, Where do you live?"
"I live on an orchard on the hill outside town. Sweet Apple Acres. We Apples grow the best apples in all of Equestria.
"Hey, I've heard of that place. We once ordered two tons of apples from you for a Hearth's Warming ball."
"Yeah, I remember, That order paid for a new barn, and there was still enough left over for a silo."
It's true what they say, friendship makes for strange bedfellows. Here I was talking to a pony whose species I'd only read about in books. And a noble no less. We were just like the Prince and the Pauper.
"Hey, there's my sister and her friends!" I said noticing the CMC in the crowd. "Come on I'll introduce you. Apple Bloom!"
My sister looked over and spied me walking over to her. "Apple Comet! You're okay?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I said. Just then Chicken Pie's dropped down in front of us.
"Because you and Twilight ran off after Nightmare Moon," She said. "Where is she by the way? I don't see her with you. All I see is that Batpony that was with Nightmare Moon. Oh no! She must have eaten Twili....yelp!"
"I'm gonna stop you right there, okay?" I said thrusting my hoof to her muzzle. "Twilight is fine, Princess Luna did not try to eat her. And the two of them went off to improve the Princess's approach. Also, Bruce, Pinkie Pie, Pinkie Pie Bruce. Now can we get back to getting candy?" Pinkie Pie shook her head in the key of high B. "Okay then."
We continued down the road that led to Fluttershy's cottage. I quickly noticed the other foals keeping a wide distance between Bruce and myself. The Batponies slitted eyes looked away uncomfortably, as he kept his head turned away from the path. I could tell, the things they had been saying were getting to him.
"Hey, what's up?" I asked. He turned his head and looked at the ground. I could see from his pulse rate that he was anxious or afraid.
"Sigh, Apple Comet? Do you think I'm a monster?" His question hit me right out of left field.
"What? No, no, no, no, no, no. Why would I think that?"
"It's just, Batponies, well, this isn't easy for me to say, but other ponies say things about us."
"Um...I don't follow you," I had a feeling where he was going, but I didn't exactly know why.
"It's just for the last thousand years, we've kind of kept to ourselves. My parents told me stories of how after Nightmare Moon was imprisoned, the rest of Equestria turned on us because Luna was our Patreon Princess. Plus the fact that we're nocturnal. They said things like we were going to help her take over Equestria and that we drank the blood of sleeping ponies and stole newborn foals from their cribs. It got so bad that eventually, we all had to migrate to Gotland Bay, and for the past millennium we haven't set hoof from it."
My heart fell like a lead weight as I listened to his words. From the sound of it, it seemed that other ponies had seriously mistreated Batponies. "I'm sorry to hear that Bruce," I said. "It sounds like your race has had it pretty rough. I hope things get better now that Luna is back."
Both of our ears flinched as we heard a familiar boom in the distance.
"Charmed."
"Cor, what was that?" Pipsqueak asked as the deafening voice continued. Bruce and I both looked at each other.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" We both said at the same time. A fanged smile spread across his muzzle.
"Everyone follow us!" I said.
"Onward!" Bruce shouted as he daringly drew his rapier. As my eyes zoomed in on Fluttershy's cottage. I was greeted with a terrible sight. The Yellow Pegasus lay on her back outside her front door, cowering in fear before the Princess of the Night. As the conversation unfolded, she tried numerous times to escape, only to be thwarted by Twilight. By the time we'd got there, Luna had telekinetically pulled Fluttershy into a crushing hug.
"WE THANK THEE FLUTTERSHY! OUR NORMAL SPEAKING VOICE SHALL SURELY WIN US THE HEARTS OF THY FELLOW VILLAGERS!"
"Fluttershy you gotta hide!" Pinkie Pie called out. "Nightmare Moon is here and...BAWCAWK!" She suddenly leaped into the air as I gently tapped her hind leg with my hoof. "YEEOWW!"
"Oh, hello again, Pinkie Pie," Twilight groaned rolling her eyes.
"What's going on Auntie?" Bruce stepped forward.
"AH, NEPHEW, WE WERE PRACTICING OUR..." She paused. "We were just practicing our normal voice with Fluttershy." The Pink-maned Pegasus flopped back and forth like a newborn foal in her hooves. Her tongue hung out the side of her mouth.
"Ahh!" Pinkie Pie called out again. "She stole Fluttershy's voice so she can...BAWCAWK!" Another tap to the hind leg sent her airborne again. This time landing beak-first in the pond. "This is all wrong!" She said shaking the water off her feathers. "I'm a chicken, not a duck!"
"Sooo...you want to go have some fun now?" Twilight suggested to Luna.
Our return to the festival did not get off to a good start. Ponies took one look at Luna and scampered.
"It is no use Twilight Sparkle," Luna said with a sad sigh. "They have never loved us and they never shall." Her words cut through Bruce like a sword through a rope.
"Hey cheer up Bruce," I placed my hoof on his wither. "The night is still young."
"Thanks, Apple Comet," He mumbled. "It's just, what if Aunt Luna is right about all this? What if the rest of Equestria doesn't want us Batponies anymore?" His thin membrane wings drooped down to his sides as his pointed ears folded back.
"You just have to give them a chance Bruce," I said. "Once they see the real you, they'll see you're more than just monsters to be feared. Look, my sister, Applejack is up ahead. She's one of the friendliest ponies you'll ever meet.
"Help!" My ears twitched as I saw Pipsqueak flailing over the side of the tub. I took off in a gallop only for Applejack to catch him at the last second.
"Whoop, Careful there partner," She said as she set him down. I smiled with satisfaction, taking it as a sign that this time things would end well. And then Applejack saw Luna and proceeded to cower in front of her. My smile faded.
"Friendliest you'll ever meet huh?" Bruce said sarcastically.
As Twilight explained the situation to her, Applejack stood back up. "All you gotta do is have the right attitude. Loosen up a bit, be positive, play a few games, have some fun." She explained as she led the Princess over to the Spider-Toss game.
"There's that word again, fun. Pray do tell, what purpose do they serve?"
"Just try to land the Sp-spiders on the web." A terrified Cherry Berry said trembling on the ground.
The Princess took up a spider in her hoof and tossed it. It landed close, just barely missing the bottom of the web. She looked over at us with uncertainty.
"You can do it, Princess," said Applejack." She looked back at the web with a look of stoic determination. Her second toss landed dead center.
"Your Princess enjoys this fun in what other ways may we experience it?" She asked with much enthusiasm.
While Twilight and Applejack led Luna off, Bruce and I decided to have some fun of our own. I spotted a stallion dressed in a top hat and cape standing in front of a row of metal targets.
"Step right up boys, try your luck. All you have to do is hit a target with a Batarang and you'll win a prize," He said.
You want to try it, Bruce?" I asked. "It'll be fun."
He looked away uncertain for a moment, then said, "Sure why not." The Operator placed three black bat-shaped boomerangs on the counter. Bruce picked up one of them with his wing. He looked into the painted red eyes of the plastic head. "That's it huh?" He muttered. He opened his mouth and let out a high-pitched whooping sound that made my ears fold back. I saw a sound wave fly from his mouth, bounce off one of the targets, and fly back to his ears. His eyes narrowed behind his domino mask as he reared his wing-back, and threw the Batarang. It flew swiftly through the air, striking the target dead-center. He repeated it with two more targets, knocking them both down.
"W-Wow, Three for three," The Operator said in disbelief. "I don't know how you did it, but you earned yourself a prize." He leaned under the counter and pulled out a larger Batarang. "Here we are, something for you to take home. Give it a toss and it'll come right back to you."
He demonstrated with a flick of his hoof. The Batarang spun through the air turned around and flew back to his hoof. "Just don't practice with it in the house okay?" He said handing it over to Bruce.
"Wow, thanks," Bruce said with a fanged grin that made the operator slink back.
"Yes...well, Happy Nightmare Night."
"What was that Bruce?" I asked as we walked through the festival.
"It's called echolocation," He said casually. "It's how we bat ponies find our way in the dark. We let out a sound in our throats that only we can hear and when it hits something, that tells us where and what it is."
"So you can hear the shape of objects?" I was well aware of the concept of echolocation, having researched it in my quest to understand my sensory powers.
"That's right, I just made the sound and I threw the Batarang in the direction it came back from."
"Fascinating."
"BAWCAWK!!" Both of our ears twitched at the same time as we heard the telltale squawk of Chicken Pie! "Aaah! Nightmare Moon is gobbling Pipsqueak! Everypony run!" Both of us dropped our bags of candy and galloped in the direction of the disturbance. Through the forming crowd, I could see Luna pleading her case to the villagers.
"Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!" It wasn't going very well. "Fair villagers, please do not back away. Let us join together in...fun!" She looked down to see one of the toy spiders and threw it into the air. The crowd wasn't going for it. "Not fun enough for you? What say you to this?" She fired a spell from her horn, changing it into a real spider. She then fired the spell on a bowl of spiders. The newly changed arachnids swarmed out of the bowl, straight toward a hysterical Cherry Berry who fled in terror as the spiders crawled onto the web.
Luna meanwhile seemed elated. "Huzzah! How many points do I receive?"
Golden Harvest let out a scream as one of the spiders jumped onto her face. The rest of the crowd followed suit scattering in all directions.
"Do not run away. As your princess, we command you! Be still!"
Two ponies crashed head-on into each other. Cherry Berry ran head-first into a candy stand. The Mayor scampered up a banner pole which promptly toppled over.
Finally, Luna let out a deafening roar! "BE...STILL!" The crowd fell silent as everypony hit the ground. The soundwaves hit my eardrums like a speeding train. I fell to the ground clutching my head in pain.
"Princess, remember, watch the screaming." Twilight tried to remind her.
"NO TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WE MUST USE THE TRADITIONAL ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE FOR WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO SAY!" The Princess of the Night ascended, her nebulous mane surging and her eyes white with rage. "SINCE YOU CHOOSE TO FEAR YOUR PRINCESS RATHER THAN LOVE HER! AND DISHONOR HER WITH THIS INSULTING CELEBRATION! WE DECREE THAT NIGHTMARE NIGHT SHALL BE CANCELED FOREVER!"
With that, Luna Princess of the Night ascended into the gathering clouds and disappeared. The crowd fell silent in shock and despair.
"Shoot, we had everything going our way," Applejack sighed. "Luna was happy, everypony in town was happy, now look at 'em."
"But I wanted to be a zombie next year!" Noi wailed
"Well, I guess I won't be coming back to Ponyville anytime soon," Bruce said looking sadly at the discarded hat and mask in his hoof. "You know, I really wanted to believe other ponies had changed. That they wouldn't look at us as monsters." His pointed ears folded down as he tossed his hat aside. I picked it up off the ground.
"You're not a monster Bruce," I said. "And from what you've told me about your parents, the rest of bat ponykind isn't either. You're just misunderstood is all. Believe me, I know how that feels." Tears welled in his eyes, as I offered his hat back to him. "You're somepony I'd be proud to call my friend." And then we had a bit of 'bro moment' as he hugged me tight wrapping his leathery wings around me.
"Thank you! Thank you!" He said.
"It's not over yet," I looked out of the corner of my eye to see Twilight looking at us with determination. "Boys come with me, we gotta find Luna."
"What are you going to do Twilight?" Applejack asked her. To which Twilight answered.
"What I do best, show her. What do you say El Tornado? You up for saving the day?"
In a flash, Bruce donned his hat and mask and drew his rapier. "For you Mi Abuela, it would be an honor."
"Good, now here's what I need you both to do."
The first rule of hunting is knowing your prey. Their strengths, their weaknesses, their traits, characteristics, and most importantly, their habits. Once you know them inside and out you can predict their actions. Once you can predict their actions, you can track them, and once you can track them, you can trap them.
Finding our prey wasn't too difficult. Pinkie Pie was just prancing about acting like a chicken. All we had to do was lay a trail of feed for her. Sure enough, her eye caught a piece of candy lying on the ground.
"Ooo." With a beaming smile, she pecked the wrapping open with her beak and gobbled it up. When she was done her eyes fell upon a trail of candy leading into a dark alleyway. "Oooh" She followed the trail scarfing down each piece of candy along the way. It was almost too easy.
Suddenly, a dark figure dressed in a black cape and hat descended from the rooftop. Batwings sprung out from beneath the cape as it landed on all fours. It said nothing, it just glared at Chicken Pie with golden-slitted eyes that were hidden behind a domino mask as it drew a rapier with its wing.
"BAWCAAAWK!" Chicken Pie let out a squawk of pure terror as she turned and took off running back the way she came, only to trip over somepony who was standing behind her. She fell face-first skidding to a stop across the ground as the dark figure pounced into the air landing behind her. With a slash of its sword, it cut a swath into Chicken Pie's ahem backside sending feathers flying. When it was finished it leaped into a flying somersault landing on its hindleg in front of Chicken Pie and baring its blade covered with her feathers.
"You have caused enough mischief tonight. For this, you shall bear the mark." It said pointing to Chicken Pie's posterior. She looked behind to see a T carved into her plumage.
"BAWK! Who...who are you?" She asked terrified. A sly grin crossed the figure's muzzle.
"I am..." He tossed aside his hat and pulled off his mask. "His Lordship Bruce Kane, Earl of Gotland."
"Huzzah!" Bruce and Pinkie Pie looked over to see Twilight and Princess Luna standing at the other end of the alley. "Bravo Nephew, bravo!" Truly a performance for the ages. Has thou ever considered the theater?"
Pinkie opened her mouth to scream but was quickly muzzled by a white hoof.
"Shhh," I hushed her as Twilight and Luna stepped forward.
"Thank you, Apple Comet," Twilight said. "Now, Pinkie, we need to have a little talk about your behavior tonight. I know you're really, really into Nightmare Night. But that doesn't excuse the way you acted around Princess Luna."
"And Rainbow Dash, if you could get rid of that Thundercloud, that would be great," I shouted up. The mischievous Shadowbolt tumbled off her cloud and just managed to right herself.
"Oh, come on! How is a pony supposed to have some fun around here!"
"As I was saying," Twilight resumed."She's changed, she's not evil or scary anymore and she definitely doesn't want to gobble you up!"
"Or drink your blood or kidnap foals." Bruce added to Twilight and Pinkie's surprise."I just wanted you all to know that. Our fangs are for eating fruit. Especially blood oranges, they're my favorite. And they're not called that because they have blood in them, they just look like they do. I'll be quiet now."
'Smooth Bruce, smooth.' I thought. as I removed my hoof from Pinkie Pie's mouth.
"Well duh, I know that. Sheesh, Twilight, I'm almost as big as her, how's she gonna gobble me up?
"By chopping you up into pieces?" I suggested.
"Ooh yeah, that could totally...Gulp...work." Pinkie gulped nervously as what I suggested sunk in.
"Not helping Apple Comet," Twilight hissed through her teeth, before turning her attention back to Pinkie. "So why do keep running away and screaming?"
"Because it's fun to be scared," Was the Pink Pony's reply.
"Fun?" Twilight's eyes lit up with elation. "Pinkie Pie you're a genius!"
"Not I'm not I'm a chicken. BAWCAWK!" She said as Twilight jumped off her.
"Princess Luna, I've finally figured out why you've had so much trouble being liked."
"Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm," The Princess of the Night sighed in a deadpan tone as she rolled her eyes.
"Follow me I'll explain along the way." Twilight cantered out of the alley as Luna sighed again and stood up. "Come along Bruce, might as well see where this is going."
"That's the spirit!" Pinkie Pie jumped up and embraced her.
After much planning and discussion, I made my back to the throngs of dismal and depressed ponies. I found Pipsqueak lying down next to Noi, Pina Colada, and Erroria. "Hey guys," I said making sure to come off as downbeat and depressed as they were.
"Hey," they all said dismally in unison.
"I never thought my first Nightmare Night would be my last," Pip said sadly.
"Well, cheer up, it could always be worse," I reassured him.
"How?" He moaned. Suddenly a piercing shriek shattered the night air. Everypony looked up to see a winged shadow standing on top of the town hall. It spread its leather wings wide and took to the skies. Everypony predicably started screaming and running around, crashing into each other and decorations that had been picked from last time. I stood perfectly still, my legs frozen in as Noi, Pina Colada, and Erroria scattered while Pip ducked behind me.
With a shrill cry, the winged monster dove down and snatched me up. As my hooves left the ground, I found the voice to scream again!
"HEEEELLLLLP HEEEEELLLLLP MEEEEEEEEEE!" I watched as Ponyville faded into the distance becoming smaller and smaller. I could still make out the expressions of terror on everypony's faces. "Okay, Bruce I think we're far enough. Time for phase two."
"You got it," he said.
We touched down in front of the Statue of Nightmare Moon. Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and a very intrigued Luna were waiting for us.
"How did it go?" Twilight asked.
"Perfect, I said. "You should've seen the look on their faces when Bruce snatched me."
"I'll have to take your word for it. Now everypony get ready for phase two.
"I'm on it," Pinkie drew out a large knife and an orange. She brought the blade down, taking the end off to reveal blood-red flesh.
It wasn't long before we heard the thunder of galloping hooves.
"They're coming! Everypony in position!" Pinkie cried out.
A few seconds later, a crowd of ponies entered the clearing. Some of them carried torches and pitchforks, but from the way they held them close, they seemed like more of a scared herd than an angry mob. As soon as they saw us, they froze in terror. A collective gasp of shock escaped their lips. Before them, lay the fallen form of Apple Comet, lying lifeless in the hooves of a monster. The fur on my neck was stained red with my blood which flowed down in a trickle. My assailant looked up at the crowd with white pupilless eyes as it let out an ear-piercing shriek that exposed his blood-soaked fangs. Its wings sprung out fully erect as if to drive them away.
Above the grisly scene, Nightmare Moon stood atop the pedestal, watching with delight as her subject sucked my veins dry.
"This one didn't have any candy to offer. So I let my loyal minion feast on him instead." She said gazing at them with glowing white eyes. Her gaze narrowed her eyes as she looked at the foals hiding behind the legs of the adults. "I do so hope you will be different, for I am very famished." She ran her tongue slowly around her fangs.
With a chorus of bloody murder screams, every scattered back to town, leaving behind their bags of candy. Nightmare Moon lifted off from her pedestal. Her eyes fell upon little Pipsqueak who had tripped over a rock and been left behind. Bruce dropped my limp form and followed after her.
The little pirate could cower in terror as the two landed on opposite sides of him. He swung his plastic cutlass wildly in a futile attempt to fend them off. Which worked when it connected with Bruce's muzzle.
"Ouch, that hurt," The Batcolt said as he rubbed his muzzle. The young pirate drew his blade back.
"This little morsel shows admirable courage." Nightmare Moon laughed jovially as she lit up in a burst of light. When it faded, she was Princess Luna again. She spat her plastic fangs into her hoof and dropped them in front of Pip. She levitated him up off the ground and set him down on all fours.
"Princess Luna?" He turned around and looked over at the pedestal to see me standing up.
"Thanks for the save Pipsqueak," I said. "I had the worst itch on my nose while I was lying still."
"Pip looked around confused. "What's going on here?"
"Tis merely a little Nightmare Night merriment my little colt," Luna said with a giggle. "I'd say out of everypony you were the bravest one of all."
The spotted Colt smiled as Twilight and Pinkie Pie came out of hiding. "Happy Nightmare Night Princess,"
"Happy Nightmare Night Pip, and please just call me Luna. "NOW COME, FOR THERE IS STILL... for there is still much merriment to enjoy on this most wonderful of nights."
"BAWCAWK!" Chicken Pie jumped up excitedly leaving behind a freshly laid egg.
A few hours later as the festivities began to wind down and everypony started to head home, Luna's chariot arrived to take her and Bruce home.
"Thank You Twilight Sparkle, thou hath, err...I mean you have shown me that ponies can see me for who I am now, rather than how I was."
"Anytime Princess," Twilight said.
"And Apple Comet, you showed me that bat ponies can make friends with others outside our kind." Bruce said to me."
"Anytime, Bruce," I smiled.
"You'll come back next year won't you?" Pip asked Luna.
The Night Princess smiled warmly and knelt her head down. "I wouldn't miss it for the world Pipsqueak," She said softly. I might even see you later tonight," She winked and planted a little kiss on his cheek.
"Gor Blimey!" Pip's face turned several shades of red.
"Well, we must be off, farewell subjects. We shall see you next year. Hyah!" With a crack of the whip, the drivers took off galloping into the sky. Everypony waved goodbye as the chariot flew past the harvest moon, casting its shadow upon the land like a signal in the sky.
Third Pony POV
The Twilight sun slowly crested over the ocean as the royal chariot departed the front gates of Stately Kane Keep. Bruce Kane fluttered over to the large double doors and swung the hinge of the old door knocker.
"Coming, Coming," A stone-grey middle-aged Batpony answered the door. He was dressed in a tuxedo jacket and sported a pencil mustache on his muzzle. His black mane had receded to the sides and back of his head. "Ah, Master Bruce, welcome home Sir. I trust your Nightmare Night went well?"
"Better than expected Pennyworth," said Bruce.
"Oh, how so?" The butler inquired.
"I made a friend," Bruce told him.
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That was sweet at the end. Although I do have one complaint, I would have Bruce calling Alfred by his first name not Pennyworth. That is too much like Damion and I have always felt that both of Bruce’s parents and himself always called Alfred by his first name.
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Well, to be fair, many Equestrians only have one name (heck, one name is even good enough for Celestia herself and she is [presently] Equestria's ruler). Not all of them, admittedly, but still many of them. So, maybe "Pennyworth" IS his only name.
Hey there. Thanks very much for getting this next chapter up. I really appreciate you going to the effort. Definitely liked the work that went into the exchanges, characterizations, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up here. Definitely respected how Comet and Bruce bonded while they were both trying to deal with the mess that came from Pinkie getting a little too much into Nightmare Night as well as Bruce explaining the issues the Batponies have been having AND the use of echolocation.
Certainly looking forward to more of this.
Considering who Bruce will eventually be an analog for, it's gonna hurt for such a young and innocent colt to have to go through what he will (assuming things stay the same).