Chapter 55 (Bats!)
“Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today. I want to be part of it, Manehattan, Manehattan.”
“Spike, why are you singing?”
Twilight entered the room with a confused look. She noticed a bunch of music sheets lying around me.
“Oh, hey Twilight,” I greeted. “Just practicing singing the themes for each city.”
“Why?” Twilight picked up one of the sheets.
“Just in case I have to sing for the Equestria Games. I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of millions of ponies.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure they already have somepony doing it. You don’t have to worry.”
Suddenly, the sound of a large bell rang throughout the town.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Twilight looked out the window. “It’s coming from Sweet Apple Acres! We need to head there now! Come on!” She then ran out of the library.
“I didn’t know the farm had a bell,” I said as I followed her.
As we ran for the farm, I realized this was when the episode “Bats!” took place. In the show, AJ’s orchard gets overrun by vampire fruit bats, and almost everypony but Fluttershy agrees that they need to stop eating the apples. Twilight tries to cast a spell, but it backfires and turns Fluttershy into a vampire. They did manage to save Fluttershy by sacrificing Applejack’s giant apple, but I could never figure out how Fluttershy’s reflection was shown when she’s a vampire.
I wonder what I can change in this episode. I could convince Applejack and the others to agree with Fluttershy, or I can think of an alternate way to stop Flutterbat…
By the time Twilight and I showed up at Sweet Apple Acres, the other girls had already arrived.
Applejack shouted, “Attention! This is a Sweet Apple Acres code red! I need all hooves and claws on deck!”
“Calm down, Applejack,” said Rarity.
“Calm down?! How can I calm down at a time like this?! Vampire fruit bats are attackin' Sweet Apple Acres!”
“But I thought the fruit bats usually stayed put in the west orchard,” Twilight said.
“Not to mention they aren’t that much of a threat,” I said. “They can eat a fruit or two, but...”
“The fruit bats do, but these aren't just your everyday ordinary fruit bats,” said Applejack. "They're vampire fruit bats! I'll be darned if they think they're gonna sink their fangs into my blue ribbon apple.”
Applejack unveiled a nearby tarp to reveal a giant apple that was nearly twice the size of the farm pony herself. We were all amazed by the sheer size of it. Given all the possible work she’d done to grow that apple naturally, it was no wonder AJ was worried about the fruit bats.
“Them vampire bats want to shrivel it up like a raisin!” Applejack cried.
“Oh, I'm sure if we just let them know how special that particular apple is to you, they'll leave it alone,” said Fluttershy.
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Be my guest.”
Fluttershy flew to the section of the acres that were already infested with the vampire fruit bats. Smushed apples and broken twigs scattered across the ground.
Sheesh, you’d think vampires would have the decency to clean up after themselves.
Fluttershy tried to convince the vampire fruit bats to leave Applejack’s apples alone, but the bats retaliated by spitting seeds at her. Fluttershy quickly ran away.
“This is the first vampire fruit bat I've ever met and, well, it might take some time for me to really understand their language,” Fluttershy said.
“But you talk to all sorts of animals,” I said. “How is this any different?”
“Not every animal speaks the same way, Spike. It took me a whole day to understand Angel. Just because I talk to animals doesn’t mean I understand what they’re saying all the time.”
“And in the meantime, this pest and his vermin friends are gonna go after my prized apple and, while they're at it, every other apple in the orchard!” Applejack shouted. “These vampire bats are nothin' but a bunch of monsters!”
“Hey, now!” I shouted. “While I admit that these creatures have caused an infestation, there’s no need to flat out say that they’re vile creatures.”
“Do ya need glasses or something?! Haven’t you seen all the apples by your feet? They’re practically compost filler!”
“Yes, and that is bad. But calling them monsters is going too far.”
“Look, that doesn’t matter! We need to round these bats all up before they destroy the entire orchard!”
“Wait, Applejack,” Fluttershy pleaded. “What if instead of rounding them up, we...let them have part of the orchard?”
“Have you lost your pest-lovin' mind?!” Applejack shouted.
“They're only here because they're hungry! If we build a sanctuary for them, they could have their own apples to enjoy! After a while, they could even help the rest of your orchard! The vampire bats don't eat the seeds of the apples, and when they spit them out, they grow into even more productive apple trees!”
“She makes a good point, you know,” I said. “It could be better leaving an acre or two for them instead of driving them out completely. We can find a way to keep them within the boundaries. After all, Fluttershy is an expert on animals.”
Applejack sighed. “That sounds real nice and all, but every second we spend buildin' this so-called 'sanctuary' is a second they'll spend destroyin' orchards! You don't know what it was like the last time there was an infestation, but Granny Smith has told me enough stories about it that just the thought of it gives me nightmares! Granny says we lost a huge section of orchard that year. They had to ration out apples all winter!”
“I thought the worst infestation you ever got only cost one month’s worth of apples,” I said.
“This was before I was born, Spike.”
“What about the cider? There was still cider, right?” Rainbow asked.
“Not a drop.” Applejack shook her head.
“No cider?! We need to round up these monsters, and we need to do it now!”
“If Granny Smith wasn't with Apple Bloom and Big Mac checkin' out our produce competition in Appleloosa, she'd be here tellin' us to do just that!”
“There has to be another way, though,” I said.
“What would you suggest? Brainwash the bats into quittin’ the apples?” Applejack asked.
“Actually...that just might work!” Twilight said.
I rubbed my forehead.
Back at the library, the girls and I were finding a spell to save Applejack’s orchard.
“So, there's good news and bad news,” Twilight said. “The good news is that I found a spell that can get the vampire fruit bats to stop wanting to suck the juice from the apples.”
“This is a bad idea, Twilight,” I said. “You can’t alter a wild animal’s eating habits. It’s in the vampire fruit bats’ nature to eat apples. Denying their source of food could result in malnutrition and hunger pangs within the population.”
“I’m only gonna cast it so that the vampire fruit bats won’t eat the apples period. I’ve read that fruit bats can eat other types of fruit, so there’s no doubt in my mind that the vampire fruit bats are the same.”
“Now I’m worried about the ponies who grow other fruits.”
“So what’s the bad news?” Applejack asked.
“In order for the spell to work, I need the bats' full and complete attention,” Twilight replied. She then looked at Fluttershy.
“Oh, no,” Fluttershy squeaked.
“Fluttershy, I need you to do your stare on the bats.”
“Oh, gosh, I don't know.” Fluttershy tapped the floor.
“What's the problem? You've used the Stare plenty of times before!” Rainbow called out.
“Yes, but it's not something I take lightly. I've made a vow not to use it except in dire circumstances.”
“This circumstance is plenty dire to me!” Applejack said.
“Me too! Think of the cider!” Rainbow cried. “Won't somepony please think of the cider?!”
I shook my head. “You really are an apple-holic, Rainbow Dash.”
“Hey, I’ve been cutting back! I only had ten mugs last month!”
“I'm sorry,” Fluttershy sternly shouted. “I just don't like the idea of taking away the thing that really makes the vampire fruit bats...vampire fruit bats! It just feels wrong!”
“But if we don't do this, there won't be any apples left for anypony here in Ponyville,” said Twilight. “Doesn't that feel wrong, too?”
I had to do something.
“Uh, Twilight, is it okay if Fluttershy and I speak in private?” I asked.
Twilight furrowed her brows. “Can you make it quick?”
“Yeah, we will.” I grabbed Fluttershy’s hoof and took her outside. “No eavesdropping!”
The second I closed the front door, Fluttershy sighed heavily.
“What am I gonna do, Spike?” Fluttershy asked. “Applejack won’t listen to my idea, most of the girls are siding with her, and now they’re pressuring me to force the vampire fruit bats to stop eating the apples.”
“I know. Your sanctuary idea is pretty sound, but Applejack isn’t wrong either.”
“Oh, don’t tell me you’re siding with her, too!”
“I’m not. All I’m saying is that both of you bring up a valid point. The vampires are helping the orchard, but Applejack’s too worried about her prized apple to let the bats reside in a part of the orchard. You can’t blame her for fearing about months worth of apple growing going down the drain.”
“I know, but going so far as to remove part of their diet? I don’t know if I can allow that.”
I sighed. “I’m afraid...we have to.”
“What?!”
“Look, both sides are at an impasse. Applejack is too stubborn to let the bats have the orchard, and you and I don’t like the idea of forcing the bats to change. I’m sorry, but there’s no choice but to go with Applejack’s idea for now.”
“But the bats...”
“How about this? We’ll make the bats avoid eating apples temporarily. I’m sure after that competition, we can convince Applejack to let us revert the bats back to their normal behavior. For now, we’ll go with what she suggested. Just remember not to stand so close when Twilight casts the spell.”
Fluttershy sighed. “I guess there’s no other way.”
I opened the front door and we both headed in.
“Come on, Applejack. Are you seriously doubting that I’ve been trying to cut back on how much cider I drink?” Rainbow asked.
Applejack sighed. “I can respect that you’re tryin’, but I...oh, hey, they’re back.”
“Well, have you decided?” Twilight asked.
Fluttershy looked at me. I nodded.
“I'll do it,” she said reluctantly.
The girls were glad to hear that, but Fluttershy and I felt otherwise for different reasons. Fluttershy because she had to do something unkind for the sake of the orchard. Me because this was playing out just like in the show.
We returned to the farm to round up the bats. Twilight and I were carrying a few buckets of apples to a dead tree.
“Twilight,” I said. “Please be careful with the spell. There’s no telling what might happen.”
“I know what I’m doing, Spike,” Twilight said. “No need to be doubtful.”
“I’m just afraid it might backfire. What if the bats eat the trees instead of the apples? Or their apple-loving personality gets transferred somewhere else?”
“It can’t be any worse than what we’re dealing with now.”
“Well...make sure not to stand so close to anypony when you cast it.”
After we placed the baskets on the branches, the rest of the girls came with the vampire fruit bats. In an instant, the critters munched on the apples like it was their last meal.
“Good work, everypony,” said Applejack. “I think we’ve got ‘em all!” She then looked at Fluttershy. “Now all we need is for you to do your stare.”
Fluttershy was hesitant. “Are you sure I really need…?”
I sighed and placed a hand on her back.
“There’s no other way,” I whispered. “We’ll figure something out later.”
Fluttershy took a deep breath and approached the bats.
The scene played out like in the show. Fluttershy used her stare, and the bats became entranced. Twilight then ordered us to stand back as she prepared to cast the spell. Her horn glowed, and the creatures were coated in a magenta aura. After a few minutes, the magic dissipated from Twilight’s horn. Fluttershy instantly stopped staring.
“Did it work?” I asked.
“Only one way to find out.” Applejack nodded at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow picked up one of the apples and placed it in front of a vampire fruit bat. The bat sniffed the apple, but it pushed it away and flew off. The girls sans Fluttershy lit up their faces.
“My crop is saved!” Applejack announced. “I wanna thank you for your help. I couldn't have done it without you.”
I noticed Fluttershy’s uneasy look.
“I’m sorry you had to do that,” I said quietly. “I’m sure everything will be alright.”
“I don’t know, Spike,” Fluttershy whispered.
“Now all we gotta do is sweep up these cores so I can start buckin' fresh tomorrow mornin',” said Applejack.
I was worried that something might’ve happened to Fluttershy. I quickly picked up a fresh apple and handed it to her.
“Here,” I said. “Go ahead. Might take your mind off what you did.”
Fluttershy tilted her head and took the apple. She took a tiny bite out of it.
“Thank you,” she said after she swallowed.
That’s a relief.
Sometime after we sweeped the orchard, I volunteered to escort Fluttershy home. I wanted to make sure she didn’t transform into Flutterbat. That moment with the apple wasn’t enough to convince me she didn’t change.
“I still can’t believe I did that,” Fluttershy whimpered. “I only use the Stare in dire situations or when Angel doesn’t eat his food, but not when I have to make some animal not eat their food!”
“I can’t believe it either, but you know Applejack,” I said. “She’s very protective of her orchard and her giant apple. I’m afraid this was the only choice we had.”
“How long are we going to keep the vampire fruit bats from eating the apples?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we can try to persuade her after the fruit size contest.”
I noticed the sun touching the horizon, painting the sky in a mixture of orange, purple, and black whilst doing so. Once the glowing light disappeared, the moon arrived and took its place upon the starry sky. Given how many years Celestia and Luna have done this, they’ve really made the sequence look so natural.
The first cricket of the night chirped its symphony as I arrived at the cottage with Fluttershy. She placed a hoof on the front door and sighed.
“Thank you for taking me home, Spike,” Fluttershy said.
“It was my pleasure,” I said as I hugged her. “So do you feel anything different?”
“Right now?” Fluttershy shook her head. “I don’t think so. I did feel lightheaded when I used the Stare, but other than that, no.”
“Did you have any abnormal cravings or anything when you ate that apple?”
“None that I could recall. Why are you asking me all this?”
I sighed. “I just want to make sure nothing went wrong, that’s all.”
“Spike, I know you’re worried, but I’m sure I’m fine...I think. But if anything does happen to me, I promise that I will come to you and Twilight as soon as I can.”
“Thank you.” I walked down the dirt path. “Goodnight.”
“Are you sure you can walk home all by yourself?”
“I’ll be fine.”
I hurried home as fast as I could. When I got through the front door, I saw Twilight reading a book. The desk lamp was her only source of light. Owlowiscious was on his perch preening his feathers. The second I closed the door, Twilight’s ears perked up.
“Spike?” Twilight sat up from her seat.
“Yep. It’s me,” I replied.
“I thought you were gonna stay at Fluttershy’s.” Twilight got off her chair and approached me.
“I just wanted to make sure she was home safe. I didn’t want to worry about you.”
“I would’ve understood, Spike. Given how dark it was, it would make sense for you to stay instead of traveling across town by yourself.”
I shrugged. “I’m sorry, I guess.”
After we brushed our teeth, Twilight and I went to bed.
The next morning, I got up much earlier than usual. In fact, the sun had just began to rise.
I guess I should use this opportunity to see Fluttershy. Hopefully, she didn’t end up like that British guy when he tried to brainwash those bunnies.
After doing a quick stretch, eating a quick snack, and writing a quick note, I ran out of the library. I jogged across Ponyville until the stone road turned to dirt. By the time I got to Fluttershy’s house, the sun was halfway up. I tapped on the front door.
“Fluttershy? Are you home?” I asked.
After a few minutes, I heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching. The door opened to reveal Fluttershy behind it.
“Oh, good morning, Spike,” Fluttershy greeted as she rubbed her eyes. “You’re up rather early.”
“Good morning,” I said. “Since I got up so early, I decided to take this time to greet you. I’m sorry, were you still sleeping?”
“Oh, no. I usually get up early anyway to feed some of the animals. Say, would you like to help me?”
“Sure thing.”
I helped Fluttershy with carrying some of the bags of animal food. We went all about the cottage filling up different food bowls for different animals.
“Did you sleep well last night?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah, yeah I did.” I nodded. “You?”
“I slept okay...I guess.”
“Any weird or unusual dreams?”
“Not really.” Fluttershy looked up at the ceiling. “Actually, there was one.”
“Oh? What was it about?”
“Let’s see...I think...I was at Applejack’s farm. It was late at night...”
I instantly stopped pouring and widened my eyes.
“Oh yeah, I remember. Applejack’s giant apple grew to the size of the barn,” Fluttershy continued. “I think the girls were there, too. We were congratulating her and stuff.”
I sighed in relief.
“What about you, Spike? Did you have any unusual dreams?”
I thought about it. I could hardly remember most of my dreams. Most of them weren’t significant enough for me to consider. Some dreams that I could remember were about me being back in the human world while others were something out of Discord’s imagination.
“I think...it was something about the moon...” I said.
“You were visited by Princess Luna?” Fluttershy asked as she opened the windows.
“No...I remembered something about the moon itself...I think Twilight was with me...oh! That’s it! Twilight and I went to the moon!”
“Oh, no! What did you two do wrong?!”
“Nothing! It wasn’t a punishment. We went there willingly...uh...”
I closed my eyes and tried to think. I remembered seeing something yellow. A whole lot of yellow.
“When we got there...we found out it was made of cheese.”
“Cheese?”
“Yeah, crazy right? Twilight wanted to do so much research and...I can’t remember the rest.”
“Seems rather weird for the moon to be made of cheese.”
“Yeah, but we know it’s not. It’s a ginormous rock formation that Luna controls during the night.”
Soon a bunch of Fluttershy’s animals came in and ate from their respective bowls. Fluttershy quickly prepared a salad and gave it to Angel Bunny. Angel quickly took a step back.
“What’s wrong, Angel?” Fluttershy asked.
Angel stared at Fluttershy like she was a ghost. When Fluttershy tried to approach him, Angel stumbled backwards.
“Are you alright, Angel?” I asked. “This is Fluttershy, your caregiver.”
Angel motioned his arms.
“What do you mean, ‘are you sure’?” Fluttershy asked.
Angel pointed to the ceiling and shrugged.
“Where was I last night? In my bed sleeping.”
Angel shook his head.
“Of course I was,” Fluttershy denied. “I never sleepwalk. Not since—”
Suddenly, a loud clanging noise rang throughout the cottage. The birds flapped their wings uncontrollably while the land creatures scurried around the room.
“Oh, no! Not again!” Fluttershy quickly closed the windows to nullify the sound, but it only reduced the noise by a few decibels.
“Wait, I know that sound!” I exclaimed. “It’s the Sweet Apple Acres’ bell! Applejack needs help again!”
“Then we better hurry!”
After Fluttershy calmed the animals down, I hopped upon her back. She galloped out of the cottage and to the apple farm.
“What’s the problem now?” I asked. “I thought we took care of those bats.”
“So did I,” said Fluttershy. “Oh, I used my stare for nothing.”
“First we need to see what’s going on. Maybe it’s a different problem.”
Fluttershy and I arrived at the farm first, Applejack was pacing back and forth.
“What happened, Applejack?” I asked as I jumped off Fluttershy’s back.
“I’ll explain everything once the rest of the girls show up,” Applejack replied.
We waited for a while. Eventually, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie arrived at the farm. Most of them were out of breath.
“Goodness, if this becomes the norm, then I wouldn't need to do my calisthenics anymore,” Rarity said as she patted her forehead with a handkerchief.
“What’s wrong now?” Twilight asked.
“Your spell was nothin’ but a bust, Twi!” Applejack shouted. “Come with me and I’ll show ya’ll.”
Applejack escorted us to the same section of the apple farm as yesterday. The trees and the ground were once again covered in mushy apples.
“The spell didn’t work?!” Twilight asked.
“You're darn tootin' the spell didn't work!” Applejack barked. “I think we're gonna have to take more extreme measures!”
“I hear ya, Applejack!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Come on, everypony! Let's track down those vampire bats!”
We hurried across the farm until we found the vampire fruit bats. Surprisingly, despite flying around and resting on the trees, they had absolutely no interest in eating the apples. When Dash tried to give one to the creatures, they smacked it away. The apple landed right on Rarity’s horn.
“Nice shot,” I said.
“Wait a minute...I don't think these bats are the ones that sucked my apples dry,” Applejack said.
Rarity removed the apple from her horn. “But if the vampire bats aren't eating your apples...”
“...who is?” Twilight asked.
“Well, let’s see...it would have to be some other animal who considers apples as part of their diet,” I said. “Applejack, how many apple trees have you seen today that had their apples ruined?”
Applejack scratched her head. “Hmm...if I had to guess...actually, I noticed there weren’t as many trees destroyed as last time.”
“So that would indicate two possible and reasonable explanations. One, the new group of animals are smaller in size or number compared to the vampire fruit bats. Two, it was a vampire fruit bat that somehow escaped before Twilight cast her spell.”
“But we’ve gone through the orchard thoroughly and grabbed every fruit bat possible,” said Rainbow Dash. “Are you saying one of them was smart enough to hide themselves so we wouldn’t catch them?”
“It could be possible.” I looked up at the nonchalant bats. “There are some other possibilities, but they’re not as plausible. All the bats could be tricking us, which seems too much of a stretch.” I picked up the stabbed apple and held it up to Fluttershy’s face. “There’s also the possibility of some other animal suddenly gaining the vampire bats’ urge out of nowhere. Again, just random speculation on my part. Or maybe, just maybe, the vampire bats got some other animal to attack the trees just to spite Applejack.”
“Are ya sayin’ that the vermin are all conspirin’ against me just because I deny them food?” Applejack asked. “I’ve never heard anything more ridiculous. Besides, if the critters were all connected somehow, wouldn’t Fluttershy notice something?”
Fluttershy quickly looked away from the apple. “Applejack, Spike was only guessing. All the different types of animals may be connected, but it’s not like there’s an animal mafia. At least...that’s what I think...”
“Darlings, I believe we’re going nowhere with this,” Rarity said. “Going back to what Spikey Wikey said, the possibility of another creature doesn’t sound so far off. Perhaps it was by pure coincidence that these new pests just happened to arrive right after we dealt with the vampire fruit bats. The only question is who?”
“Any ideas, Fluttershy?” I asked.
Fluttershy shook her head. “I'm sorry. I don't know. I can’t think of any other animal that could do something like this.”
“Well, there's only one way to find out,” Twilight said. “We'll have to catch whoever it is in the act.”
“And how do you propose we do that?” Rarity asked.
“A stakeout! Everypony will meet up here tonight the second Luna raises the moon. Hopefully, we can catch this creature red-hoofed.”
Pinkie added, “Or red-pawed, or red-handed, or red-winged, or...”
“Yeah, yeah, we get it, Pinkie,” said Twilight.
The following evening, Twilight and I were at the library. I came down the stairs to see Twilight fiddling with a bunch of flashlights and tracing paper.
“What are you making?” I asked.
“Pony signals,” Twilight replied as she taped a flame-shape piece of paper to one of the flashlights. “The pegasi weather team has made the sky a bit foggy tonight, so I’m hoping we could use that to our advantage. Rarity and I already have a spell prepared, but I’m making these for the rest of the girls and you.” Twilight looked out the window. “We better hurry to the farm. It’s almost nighttime.”
Twilight placed the flashlights into her saddle bag. Once I got on her back, she trotted out of the library and into the night.
“I really hope we find this creature,” I said. “The bats were bad enough, but now we’re finding an unknown creature.”
“I know, and the worst part is that we don’t know what this creature could be capable of. It could be something beyond our control for all we know.”
We arrived at Sweet Apple Acres just in time for the other girls to show up. We all entered the orchard with Applejack. The place looked rather creepy at night.
“The witching hour...” Rainbow said spookily.
“Maybe we should just call this off,” said Fluttershy. She then looked at one of the apples that hasn’t fallen victim to the unknown creature. “Not sure about the rest of you guys, but I'm really hungry…”
I raised my eyebrows.
Oh, shoot. Don’t tell me she’s the creature again!
“Oh, Fluttershy, it'll be okay,” said Rarity. “Don't forget, darling, we're all in this together.”
Twilight gave each of us our respective pony signals. She and Applejack reminded us to use them whenever we see something suspicious.
“Alright, now everypony split up,” said Applejack. "We'll each patrol our own row of the—”
“No, we can’t do that!” I interrupted sternly. “This creature could be after more than just apples. We need to go in pairs. We’ll have company, and we can defend each other should the worst happen.”
“But there are seven of us, Spike,” said Applejack. “Seven ain’t an even number.”
“Then there will be a group of three.”
“Spike does have a point,” Twilight said. “We can split up, but we can’t go alone. We need to have teams. Does that sound fair to everypony?”
Everypony nodded.
“Good. Pinkie, you’re with Applejack. Spike, you’re with Fluttershy. Rarity and Rainbow Dash, you’re with me.”
After our team tagging, we split into our different groups. Fluttershy and I were walking down one of the rows of the orchards.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Fluttershy said.
“So do I, but we need to keep going,” I said. “Applejack’s orchard is at stake, and we can't stand around idly while the creature sucks the place dry.”
That’s when I noticed Fluttershy staring at an apple. Drool dripped down from her lips.
“Hey, Fluttershy,” I tapped her shoulder with my flashlight. “Look alive.”
Fluttershy shook her head violently. “I’m sorry. I’m just...a little hungry.”
“Did you eat dinner at all?” I asked as I walked in front of her. “We’ve already got one creature eating all the apples, we don’t need another.”
“I ate dinner. Just...not as much as I thought.”
“Well, after all this is done, we can grab a meal,” I offered. “I think there are a few places in town that are still open.”
Right after I said that, Fluttershy looked at the apple once more. She drooled like a corgi during lunchtime. I tapped her on the shoulder again, but she didn’t respond this time. I quickly flickered my flashlight in her face only to achieve the same result.
“Fluttershy! Fluttershy!” I called out. “Snap out of it! Stop!”
But it was too late. Fluttershy quickly pounced at the apple and disappeared into the bushes. I could hear the sound of munching within the leaves.
“Fluttershy?” I asked.
I backed away and attempted to turn on the signal, but…
WHAM!!
Fluttershy leaped out from the bushes and pinned me to the ground. Her hoofs pushed my arms down like hydraulic presses. I looked up to see Fluttershy’s face in the pale moonlight. Her mane was ruffled up, her eyes were bloodshot red, and her teeth had grown a pair of fangs which dripped a mixture of saliva and apple juice onto my face and on the ground around me! This was not Fluttershy; this was Flutterbat! Her heavy breathing and her sinister look sent my heart into a pumping rampage! I felt like I was the prey of a hungry lion!
“I’m sorry for this,” I whispered quickly.
Using my feet, I bucked Flutterbat right in the chest. She stumbled backwards on her hind hooves. Quickly, I stood up and shot a fireball straight up in the sky, ignoring the directions to use my pony signal. Flutterbat circled me like a panther and hissed like a cobra. I snatched up an uneaten apple from the ground and tossed it by Flutterbat’s hooves. I then dashed in the opposite direction.
I hurried across the orchard never looking back. I avoided any roots or branches I could trip over or crash into. I didn’t know if Flutterbat was chasing me, but I wasn’t going to stop to find out. Suddenly a dark figure with wings approached me. With little time to react, I exhaled as much fire as I could in front of me, hoping to scare the creature away.
“Spike! Spike! Spike!” Twilight’s voice shouted rapidly.
Suddenly, the flames were extinguished by an unknown source of water. I then felt a pair of hooves grab me. The lavender coat and the glowing of the creature’s horn revealed that it was Twilight. She cast a light spell to illuminate the surrounding area.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s just me, Spike,” Twilight whispered softly as she pulled me close to her chest. “No need to panic.”
“Sheesh, Spike, you could’ve burned down the entire orchard,” Rainbow Dash said. “While that could drive the creature out, I don’t think Applejack would like that. It’s a good thing Twilight had that fire extinguisher spell.”
“Whatever were you running from?” Rarity asked. “And where is Fluttershy?”
“And why didn’t you use your pony signal?” Twilight added. “We saw that green fireball flying up in the air. Did the flashlight not work? I just replaced the batteries.”
I took a deep breath and said, “Fluttershy tried to attack me.”
“What?” Rarity asked. “Why did she do that?”
“We were looking through our row when she became entranced at one of the apples. I tried to get her to snap out of it, but she grabbed the apple and dove into one of the bushes. When she came out, she looked like something out of a horror novel.”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked.
“She had red eyes, a messed-up mane, and...fangs. Girls, I think the creature who ate all those apples...was Fluttershy herself.”
“Are you serious?” Twilight asked.
“I saw her with my own two eyes. She grabbed the apple, and I heard her sucking it dry. She then pounced at me like I was a giant purple apple, but I was lucky to escape.”
“Where is she now?”
“Back there, I think.” I pointed to the trees behind me.
“Then we better investigate.”
I guided Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash back to where Fluttershy had her transformation. When we got there, the only thing left was my pony signal.
“So you say that Fluttershy attacked you around here?” Rarity asked.
“That’s right,” I replied as I picked up the flashlight. “We better find Applejack and Pinkie Pie.”
“No need to Spike,” a voice said. “‘Cause we’re already here.”
Applejack and Pinkie appeared behind us.
“When we saw that ball of fire, we hurried over here like rabbits on a racetrack,” Applejack said.
“Even though it wasn’t the signal,” Pinkie said. “You did remember the flashlight, right?”
“Now what’s this about Fluttershy attackin’ ya, Spike? Fluttershy wouldn’t swat a mosquito, let alone hurt a baby dragon.”
“Applejack, I think I found out who ate your apples,” I replied. “It was Fluttershy.”
“What are ya talkin’ about? First ya claim she harmed you, and now—”
Rarity tapped Applejack on the shoulder. “Pardon me, Applejack, but I believe Spike might be speaking the truth. Look there.”
She pointed to a dark figure hanging upside down from a nearby tree. Pinkie shined her light at it to confirm that it was indeed Fluttershy, or Flutterbat in this case.
“We've gotta get her down from there!” Twilight declared.
Just like in the show, the girls tried to stop Flutterbat from being a vampire. Flutterbat only responded with hisses and the consumption of apples. She then swooped down by us, freaking everypony out.
“Flutterbat on the loose!” Pinkie shouted. “Run for your lives!” She quickly dug a ditch into the ground.
Flutterbat returned to the branch she was hanging from.
“Pinkie Pie, calm down!” Twilight called out. “See? She's back on her...branch.”
“She's just biding her time!” Pinkie denied. “Waiting for the right moment to pounce!”
“Pinkie Pie, bats don't eat ponies,” said Applejack. “Not even vampire bats.”
“I remember reading a novel about vampires,” I said. “The vampire in the story would only bite ponies, and even then it was to turn them into vampires themselves.”
“That ain’t helpin’, Spike.”
“See?” Pinkie ducked into the ditch. “I don’t know about you girls, but I don’t want to end up as a vampire and be stuck saying ‘bleh bleh bleh’ after every sentence!”
“Vampires don’t say ‘bleh bleh bleh,’ Pinkie,” I said.
“How did this happen?” Rarity asked. “That's what I don't understand.”
“I think this was actually our fault,” Twilight replied somberly.
“Our fault?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“And how'd you figure that?” Applejack added.
Twilight projected a grid with her horn. Three figures in the shape of Twilight, a bat, and Fluttershy appeared.
Twilight cleared her throat. “The spell was supposed to go right onto the bats like this, but somehow the spell must have backfired.” A line went from Twilight to the bats and bounced right to Fluttershy. “It took the vampire fruit bats' desire to be vampire fruit bats and transferred that desire into Fluttershy.” The Fluttershy figure turned into the shape of Flutterbat.
“I told you it was a bad idea,” I said. “My dragon’s intuition is almost never wrong.”
“How are we gonna change Fluttershy back?” Applejack asked. “The family can’t afford another apple massacre.”
“I can reverse the spell to make Fluttershy back to normal, though that would mean the bats would eat the apples again.”
“That’s fine,” Applejack sighed. “It was my fault for not listenin’ to Fluttershy. I should’ve gone with her idea had I known she’d end up like this.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Pinkie asked impatiently. “Let's save Fluttershy before that thing eats us all!”
Flutterbat quickly swooped down at us once again. We quickly ducked and chased after her, but she disappeared into the trees.
“I can't believe we lost her!” Rarity cried.
“There’s gotta be some way to slow her down,” said Applejack.
“Why don’t we expose her to sunlight?” I asked. “If Flutterbat’s anything like the vampire pony in the original novel, the UV rays might weaken her. All we have to do is convince Celestia to raise the sun early and...”
“That won’t work, Spike,” Twilight said. “Even at a time like this, we can’t have the princess raise the sun in the middle of the night. It’ll confuse everypony else.”
Well, we can’t directly hurt Flutterbat either, which rules out stakes and silver. And I don’t know enough about pony religion to use a holy symbol. That only leaves garlic...
“How about garlic?” I asked. “We can trick her into eating it, and when she’s weakened, ZAP! You can reverse the spell and change Fluttershy back, Twilight!”
“How are we gonna do that?” Rainbow asked. “Garlic can be smelled a mile away even if you have a cold. It’s gonna take more than just painting a clove red in order for her to eat it.”
“True. That’s why I have an idea. Twilight, remember when you turned that apple into an orange, but couldn’t get its taste right?”
“Yeah...” Twilight widened her eyes in realization. “Oh, you want me to turn some garlic into an apple, but retain it’s taste, right?”
“Exactly. By the time she realizes it’s a trick, it would be too late.”
“I think we still got some cloves back at my house,” Applejack said. “Let’s hurry back!”
We hurried to AJ’s house. Applejack picked a couple of cloves from a bundle on the wall and placed them on the table.
“Thankfully, I mastered this spell,” Twilight said. “So now I know which part to leave out.”
Twilight’s horn glowed brightly, and the white-colored cloves metamorphosed into shiny red apples.
“Looks like an apple.” Applejack picked up one of the disguised garlic cloves and sniffed it. “Smells like an apple.” She then took a bite out of it, but instantly cringed and spat out the piece. “Blegh! Ugh! Yep, that tastes like garlic alright.”
“Alright. Now one of us has to lure Fluttershy close while we try to grab her and reverse the spell,” Twilight said. “Any volunteers?”
Everypony stayed silent.
“Somepony has to do it. I can’t pin her down and cast the spell at the same time.”
I took a deep breath and picked up the unbitten apple. “I’ll do it.”
“Spike? Why do you want to do this?” Rarity asked. “Do you not realize how dangerous she is? She tried to attack you once before.”
“She may be a scary vampire, but she’s still my special somepony. I have nothing to lose at this point. Even if she penetrates my thick scales, I already have fangs and a prolonged lifetime. I’d just have to give up garlic bread and introduce myself to more apples in my diet.”
“Spike...” Twilight placed a hoof on my shoulder. “...please be careful. Fluttershy may be a kind pony, but we’ve seen what Flutterbat might be.”
“I understand what’s at stake here. This time, I’ll be brave.”
I grabbed a scarf and we headed back outside. Once we got into the orchard, the girls hid behind the bushes while I walked out in the open with the “apple.” I wrapped the scarf around my neck just in case things went downhill.
I hope this works. As much as I love Flutterbat when she’s not attacking, I don’t want her form to be permanent.
Suddenly, I saw a dark form striking the ground. When the dust settled, I saw Flutterbat approaching me like a wolf getting ready to strike. Her hissing sound sent shivers up my spine.
“Here...for you,” I said.
I rolled the “apple” across the ground. Flutterbat sniffed it a bit before pouncing right on it. She snapped her jaw shut as she took a great big bite out of the “apple.” She chewed twice before swallowing the bite completely. Suddenly, her eyes widened. She tried to stand up, but her legs wobbled like gelatin. Flutterbat coughed loudly like she was choking.
“Garlic…!” Flutterbat wheezed. “Garlic!”
I hurried over and held her head. “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s for your own good. Twilight, now!”
Twilight hopped from the bushes and galloped towards the vampire bat pony. Flutterbat tried to fly away, but she was too weak to even stand, let alone move her wings.
“Here we go!” Twilight announced.
Twilight’s horn glowed as a bright pink light encased Fluttershy. I watched as her fangs shrunk down to normal teeth, her wings formed into feathers, and the redness in her eyes dissolved into her normal teal color. Once the spell was complete, Fluttershy collasped to the ground.
The others came out of the bushes and surrounded Flutershy. She slowly opened her eyes.
“Where...am I?” Fluttershy asked.
The girls cheered in delight.
“Thank goodness you're okay!” Applejack exclaimed as she hugged Fluttershy. That’s when she smelled her breath. “But...uh...ya might want to...uh...brush...”
“What happened to me?” Fluttershy asked. She then smacked her lips. “Why does my mouth taste like I ate a loaf of garlic bread?”
“You turned into a vampire pony!” Pinkie exclaimed.
Fluttershy gasped. “I tried to eat ponies?!”
“No! No!” I denied. “You only ate apples, thankfully. We used that to help you change back, which is why we disguised a clove of garlic as an apple. Don’t worry, you didn’t harm anypony...or dragon.”
Fluttershy sighed in relief.
“Listen, Fluttershy,” Applejack said. “After all that has happened, I’m willin’ to try your idea this time.”
The next morning, the girls and I helped Applejack with preparing an area for the vampire fruit bats. Applejack apologized to Fluttershy about not taking her suggestion initially. Fluttershy accepted and reassured that the bats will produce seeds that would grow into bigger and better trees. She was also able to understand the vampire fruit bats and made sure that they stayed in their section of the orchard.
We later went to Fluttershy’s house. I wrote down Applejack and Fluttershy’s entry.
“Be sure to put in there that I came to see that my short-term solution was a little short-sighted,” said Applejack.
“And that you shouldn't let anypony pressure you into doing something that you don't think is right,” Fluttershy added. “Sometimes you have to tell even your closest friends 'no'.”
The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.
Applejack pulled out an apple. “Now, how about we celebrate our stronger than ever friendship with a nice, ripe, juicy apple?”
Fluttershy stared at the apple, but then Pinkie Pie butted in wearing fake fangs.
“Stand back!” She spoke in a fake vampire accent. “I vant to suck its juice!”
Pinkie tried to bite the apple, but she only got the fake fangs stuck. We all laughed at that.
I was disappointed that Fluttershy still became Flutterbat. I didn’t see any fangs from her mouth anymore, but I was a little worried that Flutterbat might come back someday. At least Applejack’s giant apple was saved.
Speaking of which, Applejack’s giant apple was put in the competition later in the week. She won first place for size, and second place for quality. It was too bad the vampire fruit bats couldn’t show up a couple of years earlier.
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Loved the references, loved the fact of keeping Spike's relationship with Fluttershy alive, and I adored the many times Twilight was indirectly humiliated by Spike's knowledge.
Umm why?
Ok now THIS was a fun episode in its own right!
Too bad Spike/Dave couldn't stop Fluttershy's transformation, he still got to stop her before it went further though so kudos for that!
10737183
because the fruit bats make the seeds healthier and tastier, if they'd been there years earlier then applejacks apple would've been better
10737127
That indirect humiliation might be interesting to see develop.
I wonder if this will lead to Twilight questioning Spike, maybe resent him a little, and eventually lead her to uncover that "Spike" is really David.
If Spike could have the CMC join him in singing a ponified version of Empire State of Mind, then it may be the coolest chapter in Fimfiction history.
10737238
Well, it's like Discord said, the timeline has a way of correcting itself and messing back with people.
Essentially, the things that Dave changes are going to end up coming back and biting him in the butt in some way while others, like Flutterbat, are still inevitable, no matter what David does.
I'm already confused, what is the canon order of the episodes?
10737283
Search it on google
10737275
She'd have to have a good reason to dig that deeply. "Spike" has been making those "corrections" subtle and long enough that she should see it as part of his normal personality by now. Luna only found out because of his human dreams led the princess to him.
"I know what I'm doing", for a bookworm and student, Twilight never learns.
Wait what-
There totally is, and Angel Bunny's the boss.
Slap her Spike
So all that was changed was Fluttershy ambush, and not risking the prize apple.
Kind of minor.
Wait, no song.
Nevermind, you made an episode I don't like into something good.
Thank you.
10737559
Wallace and Gromit, my friend!
10737719
Ah yes, of course!
That was a great chapter. I hope you do a stand alone chapter of a brief return of Flutterbat. Where Fluttershy turns into Flutterbat but this time she dragonknaps Spike because of her love for him and bites him and he slowly starts to turn into a vampire and Twilight and her remaining friends have to race against the clock to save both of them or lose them "to the night" as it were. Think dracula and Van Helsing instead have Twilight play the role of Harkar, Fluttershy the role of Dracula, Spike the role of Mina, and Luna the role of Van Helsing. Have it take place on Nightmare Night and have Twi and Luna team up to find a way to save them before Sunrise. Or even make it a dream Spike has after the Flutterbat incident or a prank Discord pulls just for lulz. It would make a nice filler or slice of life story chapter for this story.
I ask for this because i'm one of the few in the fandom that really loves the idea of a return of Flutterbat because i liked her character idea. Great story and i look forward to your next chapter
Skip to 0:32
So Fluttershy became a Vampire Fruit-Pony!
10736764
This one:
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/a3f776e1-9f0c-4ee3-a7e2-7e966ce8feca/d8h4zau-085a9204-ac62-4d7d-9b02-3d2f88d86e52.png/v1/fill/w_1600,h_1893,strp/suri_polomare_by_90sigma_d8h4zau-fullview.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3siaGVpZ2h0IjoiPD0xODkzIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvYTNmNzc2ZTEtOWYwYy00ZWUzLWE3ZTItN2U5NjZjZThmZWNhXC9kOGg0emF1LTA4NWE5MjA0LWFjNjItNGQ3ZC05YjAyLTNkMmY4OGQ4NmU1Mi5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTYwMCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.0qR0MnWYJYRIqtO6fU3y1zT_VE2IjNX0GkV_OPfdavQ
10737719
10738883
Hitting right in childhood!
10737771
I'm not sure how I feel about a side chapter like that?
10739775
No worries it was just an idea
10739913
Yeash same i dont feel the same way about that chapter I'm may or mqy not sorry but the author said that he gonna stick to the show meaning almost all the episode in the show with some uncannonical chapter with it
10740597
Like i said no worries it was only an idea
!
I just remembered about the next episode where they went to Manehattan and Rarity almost got written out of the show for awhile! Is that where Spike here is planning to kick off his little out-of-show fix-fic journey?
Never did like this episode, personally. Unfortunately, I was more in line with what Applejack wanted than Fluttershy.
Still, thanks for the garlic idea. That made it easier.
Wait, I’m a little confused by this, what exactly do you mean?
When is the next update
10760222
I’m still working on it. It’s a slow process right now.
10760512
I can understand.
10760512
Hey take ur time and if people gets impatient about it just try to ignore it
Finally caught up with the updates. Love it so far, especially our Spike's cunning mind.
Oh my God, I know this reference this from somewhere, but I don't remember where exactly.
Was it The Simpsons? Hotel Transylvania? Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy?
10764714
It was Hotel Transylvania.
Yes! someone who knows about silver harming wempyres! Eveyone seems to not know that one. And as a side note, Arithmomania is another vampire weakness.
for example:
"Any last vords mortal?"
"How many leaves are on that bush?"
"Curses! Foiled, but I MUST COUNT!!!!"
10801329
That would explain Count von Count.
Bats! The other episode I have the strongest hatred for. More so than the "Bad Apple." Let us see how Spike the brony dragon resolves this.
I'm more incline to side with Applejack, because her family's property is being invaded and destroyed, jeopardizing their ability to feed themselves and maintain their business. Fluttershy and I would not see eye to eye, because I'm no animal rights activist. These bats in particular are parasitic and rely on feeding on someone else's property. Therefore, these bats need to be stopped by any means necessary. Let's see what solution Spike comes up with.
As am I.
I'm kind of disappointed that Spike the brony dragon has not come up with an alternative idea. I was not happy with the appearance of Flutterbat either.
It worked?! Thank goodness.
Good idea.
Phew!
No!
You realize this now?
Understandable. But even if Applejack went with her idea to begin with, I do not understand why the ponies could not just capture the bats and hold them temporarily while the sanctuary was built. I'm disappointed Spike did not think about this.
Small miracles.
Well, while this chapter went pretty similar to the show, I appreciate the fairness you treated the subject matter between Applejack and Fluttershy. I was infuriated with the implications that Applejack was portrayed as a cruel person for wanting to protect her property from parasites. I appreciate the small changes here. 👍
10759618
I think the implication was that if the bats arrived earlier, and they really did produce better seeds, those seeds would have resulted in Applejack's entry taking first place in quality as well as size.
Ah, Bats, one of my favourite episodes. Largely because it's got one of the only songs I actually like.
But also because of Flutterbat.
Now Fluttershy needs red clothing and needs to keep taking walk in the moonlight:
That is just stupid,for all we know they turn from fruit sucker to blood suckers...
This chapter reminds me of:
Also:
So... I guess both he and the author just sort of stopped caring that original Spike is all but dead? He's lied about it so long that Twilight should (rightfully) despise him when she finds out. It'd be one thing if he'd told others and tried to work on finding/saving Spike, but all he's done so far is sit on his ass doing nothing of value.
Well, when you're stuck on your assumptions on what vampires are supposed to be like and that Flutterbat would be that kind of "vampire", if she even was. . .
(And of course you wrote the chapter running under those assumptions. Kinda cringe really. Though you wrote it well otherwise.)
You know, as silly as we all have made it out to be, I always found the idea in that Twilight saga but one interesting way of subverting classic tropes. You know, making the vampires sparkle instead of disintegrating or whatever. 😅
Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the WereRabbit.
Fluttershy
Hellsing Flutterbat for ♡