Of Bats and Sparrows

Chapters

One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Nine
Ten
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Eight
Eleven
Sixteen

One

1000 Years Ago,

Ash Sparrow waited for something to do, he was bored.

Being a guard could be a bit boring sometimes, not to mention all the hate that he received for being a… well… bat pony.

He hated that there was so much hate against them even though all they really did was to protect Princess Luna, that was it, nothing more, nothing less.

He didn't understand the reason why there was any hate at all, to start with.

Just because they were different didn't mean that they should be treated any less than any other pony. He deserved to be treated with just as much respect, but they weren't, his race was still hated and despised, he just wished that it could get better. He sighed, that was his wish, but it was not one that was going to come true anytime soon…

Two

Present Day

Alice Sparrow looked down at the book that she had just found in the attic, it belonged to one of her ancestors, a pony by the name of Ash Sparrow.

It had been covered with a very thick layer of dust and buried under a pile of books, but Alice didn't really know her family line that well, so, she decided to open up the book, maybe the first entry would help her out, well, it should.

Hello, my name is Ash Sparrow, I am a bat pony, if you’re reading this then you must be family, and well, that’s good. A bit about me first though, I work in the Royal Guard of Princess Luna, that’s all that you need to know about me for now.

Alice glanced upwards for a second, if he worked in the Royal Guard then that meant… no way… this book was over a thousand years old!

That was impossible! It should have turned into dust years ago, but it wasn't, and her discovery was amazing. It was both wonderful, splendid, and incredible. She had found something almost as old as the princesses, or at the very least, Equestria itself.

She turned her head back to the pages, this should be in a museum somewhere, preserved very carefully… but… then again… should it? I mean maybe Ash wanted it to be for family only, and what good would a book do if you couldn't read from it? Besides, she wanted to know more, what was he like, did anypony else write in this? What was his final words, his last wish? What was his favorite color? Ice cream? Wait, did they even have ice cream back then? She didn't know, but she wanted to find out. She licked her lips, if she was going to read this then she would need somewhere more comfortable… and snacks too. Her living room should do fine and when her brother got back from work…

Well, she would show him this of course.

He was the pony more into history than she was. She always had thought that history was boring, but maybe making it personal, like a family member, would be interesting, he could come alive unlike the old pages of old boring dusty history books like she had in school, she hated those, almost everypony did.

But maybe, just maybe, she could enjoy this, and if not, well… it was still her family, and she still wanted to know more. Smiling she grabbed the book and quickly flew downstairs grabbing some snacks and then sitting down in the living room, oh, this was so exciting that it almost made her nervous! Ever so carefully and slowly she opened the book again and turned to the next entry.

Hello there again, I’ve decided to keep writing in this.

Maybe it will help me out, right? Anyhow, I think that you should know more about me. My favorite color is blue…

Of course it is, Alice thought, family tradition.

…And my favorite food is pony flesh, my favorite food is the meat of ponies.

Ha-ha, just kidding, I have actually never eaten a pony before, ever, in my life.

And I never would either. In reality I like sweet things more, like apples and pears for example, good stuff, and for drinks, well, that’s milk of course, what else?

Most other ponies think that we bat ponies are scary, violent, unnatural.

But we’re not, sure, we may be different, but hey, we’re all special and unique here, right? I think so. But just because we look different doesn't mean that we should be treated any differently than anypony else, we deserve just as much respect as they do, me even more because of my current position as a guard.

As a guard, it is my duty (and honor) to protect Princess Luna from any and all harm as need might be. I do what is asked of me when asked, immediately.

There is no delay, no refusal, no arguing, just nothing. There is only silence.

I have thought about questioning my orders before… but unless it’s something I know to be wrong, something that I think could hurt another pony, something that I believe to be dangerous, then I might question them, but only then.

For now, I do not question it, I do not ask, I do not hesitate, I only do.

Being a Royal Guard is very tough sometimes, but it’s a very nice job, and it’s one where I’m not always constantly called names when I try to do something.

The world around me is very bad, ponies call me names and sometimes try throwing stones at me, but I ignore them, well, I try to, for the most part.

Alice stopped reading for a moment, and then she tried to image what life could have been like for him back then, she tried to place herself in his spot…

Three

1000 Years Ago,

Ash kept waiting, and as he did he resisted the urge to sneeze and/or yawn.

Don't even blink, don't even move, don’t even breathe, he thought to himself.

Nope, he was going to have to sneeze, and he couldn't help what happened next, he sneezed, but, it just so happened to be at the exact wrong moment.

Four

Present Day

Alice sneezed, this book sure was dusty, and then she looked at the first entry that was on the page, but it still wasn't something about his past yet.

She looked at the next entry.

Today I sneezed… right in front of Princess Celestia herself.

Well, that just happened.

She smiled and continued to read hoping for even more juicy material.

Five

1000 Years Ago,

“Bless you.”

“Thank you,” he said out of sheer nature and habit.

The other around him clearly struggled not to gasp, and then Ash saw why.

It was Princess Celestia who had said it.

He also had to resist the urge to gasp too, and then remembering both his training and manners he suddenly lowered himself to the ground and bowed down very low. “My princess,” he said in a very deep gruff voice.

Celestia smiled, she resisted the urge to giggle, but failed to do so.

“At ease soldier, rest, there is no need for formality around me,”

“But princess,” Ash said.

“I order you to be at ease, relax, have fun, understand?”

Ash gulped very nervously, he did, but it went against everything that he had learned in the academy, having fun wasn't what you did, in fact, fun was where it went to die at the academy. But it was still an order, and from the princess herself no less, and he would do it. “Yes, princess,” he said getting up.

“There’s no need to call me that, just call me Celestia, please,”

“Yes Prince- I mean… Celestia,” Ash said very nervously.

She chuckled, “Old habits die hard, don't they?”

“Yes, yes they do,” Ash said.

“Well, have no fear, I am here with you, now come with me, I wish to talk to you,” she said getting up from her table as other ponies came in behind her and cleaned up the tea and cake that she had been having before. But if there was supposed to be a lunch or afternoon snack in one of her very own gardens in Canterlot then Ash was never informed about this, and he also hadn’t noticed her before, but then again, he was only instructed to wait outside of the entrance to the garden and not look in, he asked who it was of course, but was told to wait and then afterwards it would be made known to him who it was.

Well, it looked like he wouldn't have to wait that long anymore.

Ash gulped nervously, but followed her request, and although it wasn’t an order he would have to be a complete idiot with no intelligence to even try or dare disobeying, that or being completely stupid and brave also worked as well.

He wasn't stupid, or an idiot, and he also didn't know if he could be rave anymore in front of a princess, no, he was nervous and terrified of meeting her.

“Come on, my little pony,” she said in a very gentle, soft, kind voice… almost like a… well… it was almost like a mother… almost…

He followed her voice as she slowly walked through the gardens until they came upon a place where they were both completely alone. “What is your name?” she asked once they got to the very beautiful, wonderful, incredible, and amazing gazebo where they now sat.

“Uh, Ash Sparrow,” he replied back very hastily.

“Yes, I see, and are you happy with your current status and position?”

He looked at her very curiously, “What do you mean by that?”

She sighed, took another sip of tea, and then set her cup back down.

“What I mean is this, most ponies take a job only for the money, thinking that money will make them happy, this is false, there is only one thing that can ever make you truly happy, and that is to pursue a passion, nothing else will ever really work. Sadly, most ponies forget or don't know to pursue their passions, they think that it will be money that can and will solve all of their problems, but it won't, because money cannot buy happiness, it can only support it and life.

So, I must ask you this again, are you happy here or not?”

He glanced back at her very curiously before he responded. “Why are you even asking me this? Don't you have stuff that is much more important than me?”

She smiled at him, “Yes and no, you see a happy pony will work hardest at their job, especially if it is their passion, a pony that merely likes a job won't work as hard as the one who has a passion for it, and the ones that don't like it, or even worse, hate it, have a much higher chance to quit, or in this case, something much worse, do something to me and/or my sister too. So, by asking you this, by asking you to tell the truth I am only doing my royal duty which is to ensure the continual happiness of my citizens, and that includes you, Ash Sparrow.

So, I must ask you this again, are you happy, Ash Sparrow?”

He considered her question, he never really thought about it before, was there anything else that he wanted to do, but didn't? What did he like? What did he love? He pondered this, he thought about it, and then he replied back to her.

“Yes, I am. I wouldn't have finished training if I wasn't sure of this job, sure, I always did want to be a baker or artist, but right now I am happy where I am, the pay is nice, I’m not bullied or teased, and my boss is pretty cool, what more could I possibly ever want?” he said. Celestia giggled at this. “What?” he said.

“Well, there are plenty of things that a very young and handsome stallion like you could want, for example, a very young and beautiful mare…”

As she said this she took a very large bite of an apple after having licked it very seductively. “The other guards warned me about you, they told me that you were a tease, I didn't believe them,” he said.

“Well, perhaps you should believe them more in the future, because yes, I do like to have fun playing my silly little games with other ponies,” she said. He laughed at her comment before replying back to her again.

"Yes, I guess that you’re right, but thank you princess for taking time out of your day to talk to me, I mean I’m nopony special or important.”

She smiled at him again, “To me you are, everypony is unique in some sort of way, the trick is just finding in which ways, but you may go now,”

“Thank you, princess,” he said turning to go before she stopped him.

“Just Celestia,” she said.

He turned back to her, “Very well then, thank you, Celestia.”

Six

Present Day

Today, after sneezing, Princess Celestia asked me if I was happy, then she explained to me what it truly was, what it really meant, I thought about it and then said yes, but I know that in my heart that I still want something more, but what is it? Only my heart knows, and I just can't ignore it, I have to follow it, listen to it, and I must try to ignore my head, because it will be rational, and the heart is not always rational, it’s still very emotional, anyhow, that’s all for now.

Alice finished up the next passage, it was very short, especially considering that it was about the princess, she had almost expected every single little detail to be described, but it wasn't. Oh well, there were still many more entries left…

But perhaps she should get rid of her snacks first…

She picked up her snacks and took them back to the kitchen, washed off her hooves, dried them, and then went back to the book and started to read…

Seven

1000 Years Ago,

After Ash had talked with the princess he went back to his post and there was no trouble at all to be seen. But then after his shift finally ended the flood of questions started from the guards. What was she like, what did she say?

There were many more, but those were the only two that he could possibly remember, but he didn't want to answer them, especially since she said that she would rather remain a curious mystery to other ponies, to be a surprise.

He just wanted peace, he wanted to rest, and he would do it.

He yawned very loudly as he got in his bed, he didn't get that much sleep being a Royal Guard and all, but being a bat pony did give him some special advantages, because even in his sleep he still had perfect hearing and would be awoken at the slightest disturbance that wasn't natural. And with his skills from the training he probably could and would stop the unnatural disturbance.

However, there was nothing unnatural around him on this night.

However, this wasn't always to be the case because something would disturb him that night, but little did he know that it would be a very good thing indeed.

Nine

1000 Years Ago,

Ash looked around him, everywhere that he went he saw ponies playing happily, but whenever they saw him they scrambled to get as far away as possible.

He sighed, couldn't they learn to just love his race already and not fear them?

He looked around, it was a very nice day out, but yet he still felt like something was missing in his life, ever since Celestia had spoken to him he had, and if he was going to tell the truth he sometimes felt it even before then, but now he knew it for cure. The only problem was that he didn't know what it was… yet…

He was here at the park hoping to find some answers, hoping that he could hear his heart, hoping that something would happen, anything at all.

He kept looking around, he really like this park, and maybe he would find some answers here, he hoped that he could, that he would. But nothing was too obvious or clear enough for him… yet… but maybe with time something would come up… eventually. He waited, and waited, time went on, he was starting to get bored, but then he finally did notice something. Two ponies were walking down the street, hoof in hoof, married by the look of it, and two little foals scrambled along after them, and they looked like they were very… well… happy.

His eyes lit up with inspiration, could this be it? Could this be what he wanted, love? He pondered this question, he always had thought of himself as the loner stallion, but if truth was to be told he did want love once, and he really did like other mares, but in his rush to train with the royal guard he had forgotten love.

Luckily enough he still had plenty of time left to find some love, hopefully.

He started to smile, yes, it was definitely love, he could feel it in his heart.

He knew that this was right, and now the only problem left would be finding love, if only he had a friend that also knew the exact dates of social situations just like parties and dances… oh wait, he already had one.

“Silver, I really need you for this, and I do mean right now.”

His brother kept looking at him with a very large smile on his face.

“Wow, I’m still just trying to understand this, my brother, the stallion who swore to be single forever, asking me for advice about love, and I expected to be the last pony in Equestria that he would ask help from,” Silver said.

“In this case I would rather take experience and knowledge with somepony that I can trust rather than another pony telling me something that I already know.”

“Brother, love is all about that, it’s reminding us about what’s still good in us that’s left,” Silver said putting a hoof on his brother’s shoulder.

“Wow, I already can tell that you’re so much smarter and better at this than I could ever possibly be,” Ash said. Silver raised an eyebrow at this comment.

“Are you being sarcastic with me my brother? Because you know how I react with sarcasm, I just can't tell if someone is trying to do it with me.”

“You’ll just have to guess first,” Ash said now smiling at him.

“Fine then, leave it a mystery then, what do I care, anyhow I do believe that there is a Fall Festival that’s coming up very soon, something that would especially be perfect for us you know,” Silver said.

“Oh yes, more night time, yeah, I suppose that would be a bonus, but do you really expect me to meet anypony else there at all?”

Silver scratched his chin in very deep thought, “Maybe, but I really honestly don't know, maybe you might get lucky, but if you don't get in a relationship, well try to have-.”

“No, I’m not going to do that my brother.”

“Wait, what? I was just going to say have some fun there, that’s all, I swear it.”

“Yeah, fun, sure thing, right,” Ash said very slowly raising an eyebrow at his brother.

“Anyhow good luck brother, I'll see you then, I hope you find what you want.”

“Me too.”

Ten

Present Day

“I really like the sound of this brother,” Aster said.

“Well of course you do, he reminds you of… well… you.”

“Hey, that’s no fair, take it back!” he said frantically.

“No way, now then if you don't mind I would like to read about how his life went.”

“Well, at least we already know the ending, he died.”

“Yes, but we still don't know everything that happened in between it.”

“Alright, fair enough point I guess,” Aster said.

They then both turned back to the book and started reading it again…

Twelve

Present Day

My brother tried setting me up with a mare today, or rather he led me to something that could do that, specifically the Fall Festival. Anyhow, I have decided that I need love in my life, but tonight I met her, and she was like an angel.

“Oh come on, give me a break,” Aster said.

“Hey, ponies in love do stupid and crazy things,”

“Yeah, they do lots of stuff like that,”

“Yeah, and come on, let’s see how he did with the mare.”

I was a total wreck, and I would like to lie and say that I managed to somehow impress her or that she fell instantly in love with me, the truth was anything but that, I was a complete nervous wreck and was barely able to stand in front of her at all, I just wished that I could die, it was the most terrifying moment in my life…

Thirteen

1000 Years Ago,

Ash was a complete nervous wreck, he could barely stand in front of her and he just wished that he could die, but he had to go through with this, I mean maybe he couldn't ask her out on a date, but he could say hi to her still, right?

Yeah, he could still do that, and then afterwards do tiny baby steps to the asking out on a date. He took a very deep breath in and bravely approached the mare.

He hoped that he was ready for this, and if he wasn't, oh well.

He walked up to the mare and then started talking to her.

“Well hello there, my name is Ash Sparrow, what’s your name?” he said as only one sentence causing a smile out of her first before she giggled at him.

“Wait, what was that again?”

“I said ‘Well hello there, my name is Ash Sparrow, what’s your name?”

“Oh, well hello there, Ash Sparrow, my name is Elara Sky .”

Ash smiled, “Well, it sure is very nice to meet you here, my dearest darling miss Elara Sky,” he said. Elara blushed slightly at this remark.

Fourteen

Present Day

“I hope that they…”

Alice quickly pinched her brother’s lips shut.

“Don't you even dare try saying that word.”

He nodded and she let go of his lips, “Alright, fine then, geez.”

With that said they went back to reading the book.

Fifteen

1000 Years Ago,

“Thank you for the compliment,” she said, “But there is no need for it, really.”

“But for an angel like you there is every need, my beauty,” Ash said.

“Okay, now I know that you’re just trying to flirt with me,”

“Yes, so I am, what of it exactly?”

“Nothing, but I do wish to be entertained,”

“Ah yes, of course, this is a festival, is it not? I shall be your court jester, the fool, the comedian, anything for you,” he said.

“Very well then, prove it first, make me laugh, that is your task,”

“As you wish,” he said trying to think of something to make her laugh again.

But Ash couldn't come up with anything, “I’ve got nothing,” he said.

“Then leave me, please,” she said as she started to walk away from him very slowly and dramatically.

“No, wait, I can think of something- just give me one second- and you’ll see-,”

Midsentence he was interrupted three times by tripping over various random things that were left in the street for some strange reason that he couldn't possibly ever contemplate right now. “Ouch,” he said getting up from the ground.

“Oh, are you okay?” Rachel said slowly walking back to him.

“Yes, I’m fine, it’s just a scratch, nothing too bad, especially for a Royal Guard.”

She glanced up at him, “Wait, you’re a part of the royal guard?”

“Yes, I am,” Ash said trying to puff his chest out for her.

She giggled again, “You already look handsome enough, there’s no need to try impressing me,”

“Ah, but isn't there?” I’m sure that every stallion has asked you out by now…”

She shook her head, “No, not everypony, you’re the exception so far.”

“Am I, really?”

“No, sure I’ve been asked out before, but the love never really lasted for that long, I just gave up eventually, nopony was worth my time.”

“Wow, that’s a very negative way to look at life you know.”

She sighed, “Yes, I know that, but I’m always ready and willing to start it again.”

“Good, because I have a very important question to ask you.”

“Yes?”

“How old are you?”

She blinked in surprise, “Well, that was a bit rather direct now, wasn't it?”

“Just answer the question, please,” Ash said.

“I’m 23, and you?”

“The exact same, favorite color?”

“That would be blue of course,”

“Yes, of course, I see, same here, any other favorites?”

“Wait long enough and I'll tell you.”

“Very well then, I will wait however long that I need to.”

He did, but he would be waiting for a very, very long time indeed, but while he waited they kept on talking as the night went on.

Eventually Ash even had the courage to ask her to a dance, and she said yes.

They danced together as the night wore on, and they enjoyed that they spent together. Afterwards Rachel leaned in to his ear, quietly thanked him for the time that they had spent together, including the dance, and then kissed him on the cheek. He left the dance that night with a big bright smile on his face.

“Well, it certainly looks like you got lucky,” Silver said to him once they got back home again.

“Ah, just shut up and go to bed.”

Silver did so, and as Ash slept thoughts of Elara entered his mind.

Seventeen

1000 Years Ago,

Ash almost hopped up and down with his nervousness and excitement.

This was going to be his first official date with Elara.

After the dance, she had also told him her address, lucky for him, and she told him to come on over whenever he felt like it.

Well, today he really just felt like it, for her of course.

The door opened up very slowly, “Ash?” Elara said, “Is that you?”

“Well who else would it be? The mail pony? Mail isn't delivered on Sundays you know,” he said.

“I know, I just wasn't sure.”

“Well, I was wondering if you’d like to go out on a date with me.”

She blinked in surprise, “As always you constantly amaze me.”

“That’s what I’m aiming for.”

“Well, it’s working out very well.”

“Good, but what’s your answer?”

She pondered the question, then frowned, “Unfortunately I’m far too busy to make time with you, but I’m also not busy enough to say no, so yes.”

Ash scratched his head in confusion, “What?”

She laughed, “That’s exactly how I feel about you right now.”

“Ha-ha, very funny, but nonetheless a fair point.”

“Yes, I do, but yes, you can take me out on a date this Friday at Six.”

“Deal.”

And that was how he ended up getting the date.

But now standing in front of her door on the set date, well… it made him very nervous and excited at the same time.

He waited for her to come out, and eventually she finally did.

She came out dressed in a very fancy dress while he was only in a fancy suit.

“You look lovely,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said blushing slightly.

“Wait, no, not just lovely, I can think of at least three other adjectives.”

“Yes, but which would be the best to use?” she asked.

“For now, I think that I will just go with my first option.”

“A very wise choice,” she said.

“Indeed,” he said, “Now then, will you please come with me to the date.”

“Well, since you said please my answer has to be a yes of course,” she said.

Ash held out his hoof to her and then together they walked to the location of their date. They eventually did finally come across it because the location was a park. They both slowly sat down in the gazebo and started to talk and eat.

They talked about life, what they hoped for, what they dreamed for, their hopes and wishes, and so on. They continued to share what they wanted to with each other, and when their date was finally over Elara slowly leaned over to his ear and quietly thanked him, and then, once again, she kissed him on the cheek. After that Ash had one of the biggest smiles that he ever had before, and he even went to sleep with that smile still on his face.

Eighteen

Present Day

“That was really lacking on detail.”

“Well maybe he just doesn't like sharing details.”

“Well, he’s writing this to himself.”

“Okay, fair point, but still…”

“No, it’s still nothing, why not tat least try to describe it?”

“Would you want to describe every small detail of your life?”

He was silent for a moment, “Okay then, fair point.”

“That’s exactly what I thought, he may seem to skip around a lot, but who knows, detail might come in later, now then, let’s see what else he has to say…”

Eight

Present Day

Suddenly the front door slammed shut once it had been opened and yet another bat pony came in. Alice nearly jumped out of her seat in surprise, why did her brother always have to try to make a great grand entrance?

“HELLO THERE MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER!” he shouted, “HOW ARE YOU?”

“ASTER!” she shouted back, “Didn't I tell you not to do that?”

“Yes, you did, but you know me, I ignore the rules of society and family!”

She sighed, her brother was very annoying sometimes, but she still loved him nonetheless. “Brother, just try to take it down a bit first, because guess what I found today?” she said. He raised a chin to his hoof and contemplated it.

“Oh, let me guess, was it your brain perhaps?” he replied back very sarcastically. Alice sighed, her brother was a very practical joke pony, and trickster as well.

“No, I found a book,” she said.

“How exciting,” he replied back without any enthusiasm whatsoever.

“It’s a journal from one of our ancestors.”

His eyes slowly raised, “Well then, please, show me.”

Alice took him to the book, “Careful, it’s over a thousand years old.”

“Wait, how do you know that?” he asked.

“Uh, I may have read ahead just a bit.”

“Well, I don't blame you,”

“Well, I’m here,” she said pointing at a page, “So just let me know when you get there so that way we can read it together, okay then?”

He nodded, quickly looked at the book, and then together they read it…

Eleven

1000 Years Ago,

It was the day of the Fall Festival, and Ash was just waiting around for something to happen hoping that he would see somepony else that he would like.

His brother, however reasoned that one must talk and not judge on the outward appearances. “Come on,” he said, “It’ll be fun, just try it out, you’ll see.”

But Ash felt very nervous, in fact, he actually felt terrified.

“But I’m nervous,” he said.

Silver laughed, “Come on, mares aren't hard to talk to, here let me show you,” he said walking over to a mare. “Well hello there, my name is Silver and you are?”

“Get lost,” she said and then walked away.

“See? Talking isn't that hard…”

“But keeping them interested is?”

“See? Now you’ve got it.”

“I hate you.”

“I’m your brother, I thought that you’re supposed to love me.”

“I do, but sometimes I just really want to kill you.”

“I know, now then I can only help you so much,”

“Go figure,”

“The rest of it you’ll just have to figure it out by yourself, understand?”

“Got that, but thanks for the little help that you did provide,” Ash said as he looked around hoping to see somepony else.

“Don't worry, I believe in you brother, you’ve got this.”

“That’s what you say, but anyhow, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ash slowly wandered off away from his brother while he waved and smiled trying to get hitched for one night only, he sighed, he loved his brother, but sometimes he just couldn’t stand him. He wandered around looking at all the mares, there were bat ponies and non-bat-ponies alike, this one of the very few nights that the regular ponies would even dare tolerate the bat ponies since they were still technically citizens of Equestria and therefore had the rights and respect of one.

He continued to wander around hoping to see something else, something new, anything at all actually, but then suddenly he saw her.

She was like an angel.

Her hair was black as the night, her eyes were like the color of butterscotch caramel. She had all the regular number of normal parts that a bat pony was supposed to have of course. But somehow, she managed to catch his eye.

Sweet Celestia have mercy on me, please, he thought to himself.

He gulped very nervously. Okay, you can do this, you’ve got this.

Sixteen

Present Day.

Ding-Dong.

Alice and Aster looked up from the book, “Are you expecting company today?”

“No, I go over to my friend’s house, they don't come over to me.”

“Well then, it must be the mail because I have nopony coming over today.”

“Mail is never delivered on a Sunday.”

Silence filled the room, “Let’s just check the door, shall we?”

Alice checked the door but saw nopony else that was there.

“Nopony was there,” she said.

“But there was something left for us,” he said picking up a letter.

“Apparently, it’s from the Ponies for the Ethical and Equal Treatment of Changelings, Bat Ponies, and Other Creatures,”

“How interesting,” he said sarcastically.

“We’re formally invited to attend a dinner next week and we can even speak there too since it is a formal meeting and all.”

“Dress requirements?” he asked.

“None, why?”

“Just curious, that’s all,” he said.

“It also says that we should bring a friend,” she continued.

“Ha, they’ll be lucky if we go at all,” he retorted.

“Why though?” she said.

“Well, why should we go?”

“We have to represent our race, I mean what if no pony else shows up?”

“Eh, fair point, but seriously, next week? Couldn't they give us more time?”

“You’re lucky it’s not the day before you know.”

“I know, it’s just that…”

“What?”

“Nothing, never mind, I might tell you later,” he said.

“Very well then, as you wish,” she said.

“So, we are going then?”

“Correct, bat ponies may be equal citizens, but we’re still not treated that way.”

“Ha, that’s so true, but imagine how much worse it was back then.”

“Indeed,” she said turning to the book, “Hey, you don't think…”

“What?”

“Well maybe we could show the book to the convention?”

Aster's eyes lit up, “That actually sounds like a wonderful and brilliant idea, it’s actually really incredible what you think about sometimes, Alice.”

“Thanks, but there’s no need to compliment me.”

“Hey, I’m your brother, that’s what my job is supposed to do,”

“Basically,” she said.

“Yes, basically, you’re right as always.”

“Indeed, so, should we keep reading then?”

“After you, sister.”

Months passed for me my dear friend, Rachel has loved me very well, and soon enough I plan to propose to her, let’s just hope that it goes well…