Everything’s Gone Batty

Chapter 01: Problem with Bats Again?

The story begins in sweet little Apple Acres as the sun was beginning to set by Celestia’s power before Luna would bring forth the moon to light up the night. But we see the entire Apple Family near their large apple tree fields as they were getting their carts ready to prepare to stack up. Only because today, or TONIGHT, was gonna be a special celebration and that it would not just be the plain every day, but a first for the Rainbow Kingdom; a festival.

“Alright ye’ll, time we started gathering apples fer de big Apple Festival in Ponyville!” Applejack spoke off towards her family in seeing it’s time they started to get to work here.

“Hoooow doggy, dat event only comes up ever so often.” Granny Smith smiled off to say in knowing this here be the sure fire way to get their apple picking going on max high.

“Eeyup!” Big Macintosh nods off to say to it.

“I’m glad ta finally be helpin’ out in dis here event, cousin.” Tough Apple smiled off to say to AJ in knowing he’ll finally have a role to play here after moving.

“Well this here’s somethin’ only de Apple Family can do, we gather de apples an' prepare them fer ponies settin’ up de festival.” Apple Bloom replied off to mention this in how while everyone else is getting booths & decorations off, they got the important task; to gather their apples for the festival.

“Okay, let’s start kickin’ & packin’ them apples away, family!” AJ spoke off to say in feeling it’s time started to get down to it and make with what they do best.

Now the Apples were going out and doing their thing, they were kicking, gathering fallen apples into their baskets and put inside other stuff to contain them.

“Heeyah! Keep on bangin’ family!” Granny Smith cheered in seeing they were doing fine, course she was supervising since she’s too old for this, but gives in a free kick or so.

“Eeyup!” Big Mac responded off in hearing that as he was kicking and brought down more apples.

“Bang!” Just then, there was a loud gun shot that made everyone flinch, thinking they were under attack when in truth….

“TOUGH!” Granny Smith yelled off to look with stern eyes at the stallion that went and fired off his rifle gun.

“Wha? I heard ye said bang, so I shot my pee-shooter.” Tough Apple spoke off in stating his defense of hearing someone say ‘bang’ as if being literally.

“Oh fer heaven’s sake, I meant ‘bang’ on them trees with them hooves, not yer gun!” Granny Smith slap her forehead in seeing Tough get two words mix while explaining it to the guy.

“Ooooooh, riiiiight! Dat makes sense.” Tough Apple slowly spoke in getting the idea now.

“Just wait, every pony’s gonna love 'dis!” Apple Bloom smiled off to say in thinking how great this would be when everyone enjoys their apples.

“Ye bet yer sweet apple they will.” Applejack spoke off to say with a proud smile on her face. “Our first Apple Festival ta celebrate de our new Rainbow Kingdom, bet’cha Twilight & Ben an’ their family will be stoop ta see 'dis!” Applejack stated with a proud face and smile, her pals will love what they got plan to make the festival a great one.

As the farming family continues to kick off and gather up some apples, they also got Justin the MechaBull to be the bigger helper contender to pull almost five, seven, maybe ten carts full of apples. As the sound of a MechaBull is heard, it’s seen pulling the carts with each Apple Family member stocking in their apples to be brought in to town for the big celebration festival. But unknown to any, hidden where there was more shadow and less sunlight, something was hung upside-down…peeking it’s eyes out. And then it showed a….’tangy’ smile, as if seeing something it liked to lick it’s lips. There was something a-mist here, and the case would be looked into….later.

Now the time sets up forward where it was near nighttime, a celebration of a festival was going on. And who was there to cut the ribbon to start the event then the Rainbow Kingdom’s own princess Twilight, Prince Ben, and their family and the Council of Friendship. Once Twilight levitated the scissors and cut the ribbon, fireworks went off as a signal to begin the happiness that was about to go on as all the citizens went off to play some games while the apples near Granny Smith, Tough Apple & Big Mac was having the apples all in barrels, crates and sacks to where they get to a big eat off.

“I must say, this festival is looking very well done and prepared.” Rarity spoke off in noticing how much everything looks positively wonderful.

“Course it is, we helped plan it!” Rainbow Dash smiled off proudly in marveling the work effort.

“We?” Applejack raised an eyebrow in finding something off about that ‘we’ comment.

“Okay fine, so it was mostly Twilight doing the planning thing.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in admitting that their friend was the one to organize everything.

“Ohhhh, this is gonna be so super-duper exciting!” Pinkie Pie spoke off with joy to look around to almost picture something fun to do. “I’m gonna bob-for-apples, go for the apple pie eating contest, the apple-tossing game, the guess your apple color game, and my personal favorite! The DUNK the Pony in a Cider Box Game!” The pink pony was feeling so excited from all the fun-fun stuff, and even a dunking booth nearby that was yet filled with some liquid.

“Isn’t that where if someone hits the target, you get dunk?” Phobos asked off puzzled about how such a game even works.

“Yeah! Filled with CIDER! Hmmmm….” Pinkie Pie smiled to rub her tummy in loving the idea…and the fast ego.

“Well, at least every pony will have a good time.” Spike shrug off to say in how things will go for anyone that’s here to have fun.

“Not every pony, has anyone seen Fluttershy?” Twilight spoke off in noticing that one of their kind friends was very late.

“That’s right, she was feeling a little sickly during our meeting plan for the Apple Festival.” Ben spoke off in recalling that when they had their Council of Friendship meeting for this Apple Festival, Fluttershy didn’t seem all too wel.? “Think she stayed home?” He asked in thinking that Fluttershy stayed home to get rested if she was unwell.

“And miss out on all the fun?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow that no pony wanna miss this.

“Well in my opinion, one’s health from feeling under the weather is more important than having fun.” Rarity spoke in stating her own thought that one’s health was more important then enjoying a fun time.

“Um, hey every pony.” A voice of Fluttershy was heard entering from nearby as she walked in. But as the Pegasus came into the light, she seem a little green, like she was somewhat between being sick and being well, like she caught something.

“Fluttershy!” The CMC spoke off in gathering near their friend who looked…well green with envy.

“We thought you weren’t gonna make it!” Sweetie Belle stated to say in what they thought was gonna be the mare missing out.

“Oh no, I never wanna be a burden to you all, not on this happy occasion.” Fluttershy shook her head in trying to say this with a little smile.

“Are ye sure, ye look a little…red…or is it green?” Apple Bloom spoke off in seeing that Fluttershy may be here, but she still looked like she was still getting over whatever was making her sick.

“Oh, I just been overworking at my cottage, there were so many sick animals this week that needed my full attention to help get better, well I…over exhaust myself.” Fluttershy spoke off in trying to say that all she was from such work is being tired out and stuff…

“So let us guess, the animals are better, but you may have caught their sickness?” Scootaloo stated off in knowing that while the kind Pegasus helped make her sick animal friends all better, Fluttershy may have caught something.

“Um, well…to be honest. I’m not really sure what I caught.” Fluttershy spoke in puzzlement in not being sure what she has, so many were sick, it could be almost anything.

“Maybe you should see a doctor aunt Fluttershy, I wouldn’t wanna see you get anymore sick.” Nyx suggested this with a concern expression to wanting her aunt to be more well.

“Oh, that’s very kind, but don’t worry about me. I won’t be a burden, I’m just, gonna take it easy when I feel a little dizzy.” Fluttershy smiled off to at least say this much while wanting to not be a party pooper. “You all can have fun, I’ll have mine when I can after a little rest.” She insisted this to her friends to go and have fun and not be so worried over her.

The other were a bit unsure if they should take such a kind offer when a friend was not well, but then again, Fluttershy said she rest some bit so they wouldn’t worry. So swallowing up their concerns, the gang decided to cut a little loose to try having some fun at this moment.

“Try fishing an apple worm out of this apples.” Spoke off Time Turner who was running a stand where ponies could fish out worms through paper board painted apples; some got lucky others, not so much, but it was fun.

“I GOT IT!” Derpy shouted out in having pulled up a worm tied to a magnet from her fishing line.

“Try a ring toss over an apple center object. Anypony game?” Rare Find spoke off too get some ponies near to try a ring tossing game, only as an apple theme. “How’s about you sir, care to get three rings & win a prize for a lady?” He spoke near Spike & Rarity, trying to get the two into the game.

“A prize for my lady?” Spike repeated off those words, look to the pretty mare he’s with and smiled at the idea. “Sure, I’m game!” The baby Dragon shrug off to say in feeling raring to get something nice for Rarity.

“You can try that, me, I’m throwing some apple toy at a stack of bottles, it’s easy!” Phobos stated in seeing what game he’ll be playing to win here.

Spike & Phobos were each playing their own game booths for wanting to win something. As for many others, they were enjoying their own fun around the festival.

“Guess what apple number is in this here container and win a prize!” Rising Star spoke off to get ponies near to guess the right number of apples in a big jar he’s got and they can win a prize.

“Easy, 27 & a half!” Pinkie Pie smiled off to easily say what the number was.

Everyone was waiting while the stallion pulled up a piece of paper that had the right number amount and his eyes widen in seeing….the results.

“That’s…correct.” Rising Star slowly spoke in being surprised, that was the correct number.

“How does she do that whole random guess thing?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow in not figuring out how Pinkie does that random moment where she can be right at times.

“We could bet, but neither us would win.” Applejack smiled off to say that they could play a game about Pinkie’s guessing, but like that even matters now.

“Try out our near Apple-bell! Prove yourself to be tough! YEEEEAAAAAAHH!” Bulk Biceps was shouting out near a hammer & bell pole for ponies to test their strength to send an apple by whacking the bottom to reach a level or the very top.

Very much to say, the entire apple festival was going on fine without a hitch. Fluttershy was taking the moment to lie down on a bench a bit off the scene of the activities, as she felt a bit sleepy headed.

“Oh, maybe a little nap won’t hurt. I don’t wanna be a bother to any pony.” Fluttershy spoke in feeling herself a little dizzy, and decided that she need rest; she might be a little unwell from whatever sickness she caught.

Yet as Fluttershy was sleeping, the camera scene zooms away from her to stare up at the full moon. And it was around here that there was some ‘howling’ wolf noise in the distance. And then there was some dark shadowy figure seen flapping it’s wings within the darken skies to be left…unseen. All of which nobody seem to notice what happened above or weird noises, they were enjoying the festivities. But the best moment had finally arrived when much of the crowds were gathering to get some freshly picked apples & apple baked goods & cider drinks to enjoy themselves whole hearty.

“Alight, here’s some apples fer all who wanted them, who like some?” Granny Smith smiled off to offer the tasty apples the family’s got selling to anyone that wants it.

Soon many crowds were picking their favorite type of apples while paying the Apple Family. They had every apple theme food and drink made for any to love, there was nothing that could go wrong here. Absolutely….

“Yuck! What’s with this apple?” A voice of a complainer was heard, as it was Comet Tail, as when he chew his apple, it was…not so juicy, it look dry.

“Hugh?” The Apple Family responded to that in confusion in finding that hard to believe. But one look at the apple showed that what was a heathy apple was now

“Hey, my apple tastes funny too.” Lily Valley spoke off in looking at her apple that didn’t look as plump juicy, it look rotten.

“My apple pie don’t taste right, it don’t look right inside neither.” Parasol stated from what should be a tasty looking apple pie, turn into something seen from being found in a garbage bin.

“My cider, it looks like a ruin bunch them Flim Flam Brothers sold us!” Lyra Heartstring stated from seeing the cider drink didn’t look like it was fresh, heck, it look like it was made with apples gone bad from that time Flim & Flam compete against the Apples.

“What’s wrong with these apples you gave out?” Mr. Greenhooves spoke off to almost snap in feeling a bit annoyed that instead of tasty apples, they get to choke on some bad leftovers.

Now some crowds were starting to get a bit in an uproar over being given such rotten food and drinks. The Apple Family looked like they were in a pickle here, how did this even happen. The Mane Six and the gang also saw the commotion and felt there was something wrong that they are needed to help out.

“What’s goin’ on, I thought we made sure them apples were perfectly ripe!” Granny Smith asked this off to her family in not knowing how this sorta thing even happened.

“Eeyup. We check them.” Big Mac nods in knowing they did their check, so this shouldn’t have happened.

“Maybe some pony gave us bad apples as a joke. But if they did, it ain’t funny.” Tough Apple spoke off in thinking that this was someone’s idea of a joke which they are not finding funny.

“Tough, check the back, an’ if some pony’s messing with our apples, get them ta stop!” Granny Smith sternly order Tough to get some new apples to help them out.

“Ye sure ye’ll be alrighty here?” Tough Apple asked in thinking if he should leave when they got upset customers.

“You wanna handle crowd control here?” Granny Smith raised an eyebrow in asking if Tough wants to handle an upset crowd hungering for real food.

“Ehh, good point. Kinda reminds me of me being angry ta let my temper blind me. Okay, I’ll check the back.” Tough Apple spoke off in hearing this and decided he best go ahead and check their apples in the back.

Soon Tough Apple went behind the tent booth to look for more apples they got, and hopefully get another batch out to help calm the crowds down.

“Applejack, is everything alright?” Twilight came near her friend and her family’s booth, wondering if they are alright.

“I don’t know Twilight, we pick them apples out and check them twice! No way were they turn bad, they were honest ta good pick apples!” Applejack explained in her honest words that this was some sorta mistake, their family had healthy and tasty apples, not rotten fruit, but how did this happen.

“Well they did, just look…somebody already chew on it before leaving it behind!" Phobos complained to show his apple that looks like someone bite it and never finished.

“Hugh, they look like….bite marks? Did we see them from somewhere?” Spike asked off in seeing some family two stab marks in the bad apple, it’s almost like it was…sucked dry.

This puzzled everyone, this seem almost familiar to them, but at the same time confusing. There was once a case almost like this, but that couldn’t be it…could it?

As for Tough at this time, he was checking on the storage of their apples in the tent, course he had a flashlight since it was nighttime. And as he was searching, he was almost finding a few apples already turn bad, what was going on here?

“Apples, apples, where we put them special emergency apples?” Tough asked himself this in seeing he’s gotta find the good apples or their customers will have a fit.

Tough was looking around to figure out where they had kept their specially harvest apples before stumbling across a box. As he shine the light, he smiled in having found the object, as it was under his nose.

“Oh there they are, heh, I wonder why we bothered getting a bigger tent with all them other storage of apples?” Tough Apple smiled off to say in seeing that with this, they can get back to selling, course it be best to check. So the guy opened the box crate that had bang nails, and saw all the apples untouched, they were fine; but then a dark looming shadow was near that made the stallion flinch. “Hugh? Hey! Who’s in there?” Tough Apple asked off to shine his light at whoever was nearby. “Now ye better come on out before I blast ye full of holes, I mean it!” He ordered out from bringing his rifle to take aim, hoping to scare whoever was here with a weapon.

So far, there was nothing moving or making a sound, making Tough here think he spooked the person away now.

“Phew, might be my imagination gone wild again.” Tough Apple signs in feeling that he was getting a bit over excited by the weirdness going on. “Now ta take these here plum tasty apples out and make them customers happy.” He smiled to grab the box of apples and prepared to move out….

Then a strange noise was heard that sounded like some hefty breathing of some ‘hissing’ noises. The dark blur moved across the darkness of the tent before showing some strange scary eyes, bat-shaped wings and even two fangs shown out. And then….it dove near Tough to attack…

“Wha de Joe….?” Tough Apple spoke off in seeing something come his way, and it looked…hungry.

Then everything went dark when Tough dropped his flashlight in favor of his rifle while the whole scene was spin around too quick to judge what was happening…

Outside the tent, everyone was waiting for Tough to bring out the next batch of apples, but the guy was taking WAY too long. And the crowds were seen getting a bit antsy, they want apples and want them now. Even the Mane Six group felt that if nothing is done, they have a hard time calming down a crowd that’s hungry for apples.

“Darn gone, where is Tough Apple?” Granny Smith spoke off in seeing that Tough is late, if he doesn’t get back so, they’ll have a riot.

“Maybe he can’t see enough without enough light.” Apple Bloom stated what was the problem they are overlooking.

“Don’t threat ponies, pretty soon, we’ll get a nice surprise.” Pinkie Pie smiled off to say this in thinking they are in for a surprise.

“Bang-Bang, bang-bang, Bangvhmmm….” Suddenly there were loud gun fire shots coming from the Apple’s booth tent as some newly made holes are seen; it sounded like Tough was firing his rifle in there.

“I don’t think that was the nice surprise we had in mind.” Nyx spoke off to say in thinking what they heard was not sounding like a nice surprise.

The loud gun firing shots caused the pony crowds to back away or scatter while looking worried; what was Tough Apple doing in there and shooting at?

“Tough! Wha in tarnations are ye up ta in there?” Granny Smith sternly asked off in hearing the gun firing and was upset; what was that pony doing.

“I’m fighting fer my life, Granny! YIKES!” Tough’s voice called out to say while yelling from something that spooked him. “Bang-Bang, Bangvhmm…” And then the guy was still firing all over inside that almost made it seem like…something was attacking him.

“He’s fighting for his life?” Scootaloo asked off in hearing this while seeing some shadowy scenes of Tough’s image.

“Against what?” Swetie Belle asked off in not knowing what it was that Tough was facing.

“Hang on Tough, we’ll help!” Ben called out in thinking that they better assist in whatever is causing problems.

Before the Mane Six group could approach, the booth tent soon was coming down to completely cover all over.

“Gagh-huuuagh….am I alive?” Tough pops out to sign in relief, he managed to get out in time and in one piece it seems.

“Tough, what were ye doing there?” Granny Smith asked off once again for an answer she never got.

“I found some pony dat mess with our apples, and it wasn’t normal! Looky at this here crate I got dat was juicy apples turn rotten!” Tough Apple issued off to say this while showing the said crate; all of the apples....dried up like prunes.

“It’s all dried up! All of them!” Rarity stated in seeing this, all of the apples Tough said were fine are now all ruined.

“Wait a second, I remember….wasn’t this something done on your farm, AJ?” Rainbow Dash asked off in recalling an event they once did involving to save AJ’s apples from something that was causing them harm.

“Them Vampire Fruit Bats could do it, Tough, how many ye saw?” Applejack nods with a stern face while asking if her cousin fought off against rogue bats that might have escaped a field the Apples setup to keep them away from their other apple trees.

“Only one, but it sure didn’t look like a plain old bat.” Tough spoke off in stating this issue, but what he fought wasn’t any ordinary bat.

“What do you mean? You make it sound like it was….” Twilight was about to say in thinking what Tough was saying sounded like, it was something else.

Then suddenly, something ripped out of the tent’s cover and zip off upwards into the night sky where it flew over the cover field of darkness. But from some light of the full moon, many saw features… It looked like a pony with bat-like wings, but with pointy from furry ears and the sharp fangs from the mouth made others see that wasn’t one of Princess Luna’s Nightmare Royal Guards…it was something else.

“Aaaahhhhh!” A mare scream was heard in looking up at the sky of what had flown out.

“What is that?” Coco Crusoe asked off in not knowing of such a creature.

“Is that a monster?” Berry Punch asked off to say in what they thought it was.

“It’s a Demon!” Cherry Fizzy stated in fear of what they have witness now.

“It ruin the apples!” Caramel exclaimed in seeing the rotten apples, that thing ruin the apples festival.

The Mane Six stared in wide eye along with anyone else that saw this as the mysterious creature flew so fast into the darkness of the sky, it resembled the features of….a VAMPIRE!

“Holly-smokes! Was that what I think it was?” Spike asked off in shock if that creature was indeed something they all know all too well.

“You mean a pony with bat wings and sharp fangs from the mouth, then yeah, it was.” Phobos pointed off in stating of what they saw was indeed what they saw.

“Dat explains everything!” Granny Smith stated with a stern firm tone off her expression.

“Eeyup.” Big Mac slowly nods his head in agreeing to that much indeed.

“We got ourselves….a Vampire Pony in our mitts here!” Granny Smith exclaimed forth in what they have here, a pony that was half bat.

This caused much discomfort from the crowd in hearing this, many of them are really superstitious types that believe any scary legend of what it was that was happening to their town. The Mane Six group saw this and felt like another ‘blast from the past’ was replying here.

“Twilight, I think the friendly festival has become something else. Something of an event I’m not too happy to recall.” Ben spoke off to say in recalling how such a scene reminds him of something he once did long ago.

“Right, it feels like it’s a replay of what happened during the Demon Pony attack, don’t worry, we help settle that, we’ll do the same here.” Twilight nods in understanding her love’s problems over such a similar issue, but hopefully, this won’t be a repeat of that situation.

“We better get every pony’s attention then.” Nyx stated in what they’ll have to do here to calm the crowds down. “I’ll see if I can find Aunt Fluttershy. Come on girls!” The black filly stated to which they need to find the other member of the Council of Friendship to help calm down the ponies.

As Nyx & the CMC left, they were searching all over the festival grounds. After about a few minutes, they all managed to meet and find a bench that Fluttershy was seen sleeping on, a bit moved it seem, but already.

“Fluttershy!” The CMC called out to gather near the sleeping Pegasus to wake her up from her sleepy state as it were.

“Oh, hugh? What is it? Is the festival over?” Fluttershy yelps to wake up a bit dizzy, she wonders if the festival was over and she slept through it.

“No, worse than dat!” Appel Bloom issued off to say that what they got is far worse then that.

“We got a problem!” Sweetie Belle stated that there is a problem, a big one even.

“It’s a Vampire Pony emergency!” Scootaloo issued to say of what the situation was to get quickly to the point.

“Oh my goodness, that does sound bad!” Fluttershy yelps in hearing this, something that involves a Vampire Pony; that is serious as she should know…sorta.

Soon the CMC took Fluttershy off to meet up with the other Mane Six and to help keep the crowds from getting antsy from this panic moment. But from the looks of it, that seem like a pretty big deal to try to overcome it seems? And the bigger question of all might be…why was Fluttershy able to sleep through it; from sickness or….Well, the answers will come soon enough as everything goes dark.

Author's Note

Now some old reference to the Demon Pony of the panicky crowds & reminder of what Ben went through is mentioned.

Well now this is a nice little start, wouldn't you agree? There's puzzlement of where the new Vampire Pony came from, and is Fluttershy involved with it (of course she isn't, but...that doesn't mean it's not her/ Hint-hint...a special surprise that awaits a bit further in this story's development). So in the next chapter, the Mane Six are going to investigate the case, and pay a visit to one Vampire Pony that might have stirred up trouble, Terrorcreep, but will learn he had nothing to do with it. And as such things are happening, a new presence that is vampire related will slowly make his appearance when he senses....a newborn vampire pony is within Ponyville; who is he is another mystery (Cough, NeoVamde). So stick around to wait & see, this little vampire adventure is just getting started! Till then, look forward to some more excitement later on...