Midnight Sparkle walked the little path that led out of town. Ponyville was a lovely place, but some ponies preferred things a bit slower paced, or a little closer to nature. Spotting Fluttershy's little house in the fading light of the evening, Midnight figured Fluttershy was after a bit of both.

Normally, Fluttershy's house was brimming with animals. There would be bunnies hopping around, birds on almost every available surface, and even a bear. An eerie silence was settled over the house, like a thick woolen blanket. Not a single creature was present to break the tableau.

Lifting her hoof, Midnight knocked on the split door's upper half. When her hoof connected for the second time, Midnight felt the upper door push inwards. "Fluttershy? Are you there? I am sorry I am a little late, but I am ready for a little taming!"

Opening the rest of the door—worried about her friend—Midnight stepped into the quiet house. "Fluttershy? What are—" Midnight's voice cut off when she spotted the note on the coffee table in Fluttershy's living room.

Midnight. I felt myself changing early, I think she is anticipating your arrival. Please do your best. She will be in the basement.
—Fluttershy

Midnight's lips curled up into a smile. "You naughty filly. I didn't think you would actually go through with all this just for some role-play." Wandering around the first floor of the house, Midnight couldn't find any openings that would lead down to a basement. A quick check at the back of the house revealed a pair of big shutters that led into what was obviously the basement. One of the big doors was open, beckoning Midnight to enter.

Most unicorns learned magical light as their first ever spell, but Midnight had opted for "rip holes in parallel dimensions" instead. With a little effort, she managed to light her horn with a warm, white glow, and immediately jumped back. Fluttershy was snarling and gnashing a very real set of fangs. Leading from the wall behind the yellow mare, a hefty iron chain was pulled taut by the thick collar around Fluttershy's neck.

All thoughts of "sexy-times" fled Midnight's head in the face of Fluttershy's alter ego. Flaring her horn's magic, Midnight lit the room and gazed in shock. Gone was the soft-spoken mare with the butterfly cutie mark. Flutterbat, with big leathery wings, sporting fangs for dealing with applies, and tufted ears that were focused on Midnight despite the werebat trying to hide her sensitive eyes.

Using her light like a shield, Midnight stepped closer to the bat pony, and they fell back from her. "Not so tough when you can't see. So Fluttershy wasn't joking. This is really freaky…" For a moment, Midnight was spellbound by the differences in the creature. "Okay, first step, let's dull those claws and stop you biting."

Midnight had been readying similar spells for playing naughty games, but they would work just as well on a violent bat. First she formed her magic around the bat pony's thumb-claws. Focusing it, she worked the power until it solidified and hardened into a rubber coating on the claw. "Some straps for your legs to stop you kicking and running." One at a time Midnight formed soft rubber boots around the mare's hooves.

The last thing Midnight did was to seal Flutterbat's mouth up, clamping power around the werebat's upper and lower jaw separately, it caused her jaws to be slightly parted all the time, but her fangs were sealed over with rubber-like magic. "Okay, that should keep you from being too problematic. But let's take care of any chance you might kick." Thick bands formed, linking Flutterbat's forelegs together, and back legs together, then she linked the two bands together with a length barely long enough for Fluttershy to stand with her legs comfortably apart.

"And you are like this for three days?" Midnight took a step closer, then another. The bat pony tried to leap at her, got tangled in chain and straps, and wound up tumbling to the ground at Midnight's hooves. Midnight felt superior for all of ten seconds, at which time the bat pony began to softly squeak. "Well, you shouldn't have tried to attack me!" She rolled her eyes at another whine from Flutterbat before she started untangling her.

"I don't even know if Fluttershy can hear me, or if she will remember any of this, but I am fairly sure if you hurt yourself she will feel sore later." Using her magic, Midnight unfastened the chain from the wall and started feeding it through the straps the bat pony had tangled. The moment her wings were free, Flutterbat began screeching loudly and raking at Midnight.

Midnight put up with the wing flapping for no longer than she could bring her forehoof around and strike the muzzled snout of the bat pony's. "No!" Memories of Twi training—or rather badly training—Spike came to mind. Her other self had done a terrible job, wanting a friend more than she wanted a pet. "Go on, try it again." Midnight's voice was firm, and when a rubber-covered thumb slashed at her she smacked the bat pony on the snout again. "No!"

Flutterbat faced Midnight, watching the larger pony intently. She lifted one wing, thumb starting to reach free, when she spotted Midnight's eyes narrow on the wing. She folded it back down and gave a hiss at her.

"Not attacking me is a small start, but I'll take it." Midnight pointed a wing at the heavy doors that lead outside. "Are you going to be good?" The bat pony showed no inkling towards either good or bad behavior. "Come on. You got a bit dirty down here." Midnight used her magic to tug on the chain.

As soon as Midnight was at the full extension of the chain, Flutterbat flashed her fangs and pumped her big, leathery wings. Pumping them hard, she launched past Midnight and used a hoof to poke at the alicorn's glowing horn.

"Hey!" Midnight's magic faltered, and the chain trailed off into the night along with its owner. "Oh, that's it!" Spreading her own wings, Midnight took to the sky and gave chase. In the open air Midnight's bigger wings gave her all the advantage. She just aimed herself at Fluttershy and pumped as fast as she could.

When the canny bat swerved into the nearby forest, however, Midnight lost all the distance she had gained on Flutterbat. The leathery wings of the bat pony were outclassing Midnight's longer wingspan, trees making sure that the alicorn was not going to spread her wings fully for more than half a flap.

Just as Midnight was about to lose sight of Flutterbat, a loud screech of pain tore through the night. Cursing her slow pace, Midnight finally reached the site of Flutterbat's crash. The chain that had been trailing her had finally caught on a branch and yanked at the heavy collar around the bat pony's throat. Whimpering and hissing, Flutterbat was biting at the chain, trying to worry her way at it with her covered fangs.

"Hey. Hey!" Midnight yelled at the bat pony to get their attention away from the chain. "Calm down, okay?" Using her magic, Midnight unhooked the chain from the tree and pulled the loose end close enough for her to grab it with her wing. "You aren't going to fly away again?"

The bat pony just glared at Midnight with red-rimmed eyes. "Well, what's the matter? What do you want?" Midnight got the first sign that there was a thinking mind in the werebat. Flutterbat jumped to her hooves and started pulling on the chain, aimed in the same direction she had been flying. "Well, okay. We do bat things, I guess." trotting forward, Midnight made her way after Flutterbat—who somehow worked out a way to trot despite the fetters.

"You really know your way around." Midnight was keeping some tension on the chain, but the bat pony didn't seem to mind it so much now. When they came out of the forest, Midnight looked out over the open farmland. What gave away the owners of it was the crop. "Apple trees?" No sooner had she said the words than Flutterbat launched forward, ripping the chain from Midnight's grip again.

"Hey!" Preparing to give chase again, Midnight was surprised when Flutterbat stopped at the first apple tree and jumped, using her wings to reach the branches and grab an apple free. Soft keeing came from the bat as she sucked all the juice from her prey. "You have got to be kidding me? For all the wildness, the aggression, and those fangs… and you just wanted to eat some apples?"

"What's goin' on out there?" Applejack looked up at the sky, not that she had to. Full moon, noises in the orchard. "Fluttershy?" She stepped out, showing no fear to the wild monster her friend had become again.

Midnight had a moment where she could either ignore Applejack and try to hide with Flutterbat, or call out. She remembered the mare's penchant for honesty, and wanted to stay in her good graces. "Over here, Applejack!"

"Midnight Sparkle?" Trotting out into the dark, Applejack's eyes adjusted to the moonlit night and she spotted Midnight standing among some of their older apple trees. What confused Applejack, however, was the length of chain that hung down from the tree above her, and how it seemed to rattle from time to time. "What 'n tarnation are ya doing out here?"

"Would you believe I am walking my pet bat?" Midnight's features managed to hold in her laughter for nearly ten seconds before giggles and chortles broke free.

"Walkin'…?" Applejack craned her neck, following the chain up into the tree, only to see two red eyes gaze back. "Flutterbat!" She took a quick step back, fearing fangs and claws.

"Is she okay eating some apples?" Midnight gave a few gentle tugs on the chain, but all she got in retaliation was a few soft screeching sounds from Flutterbat. "Only I am pretty sure it would take a lot of magic to get her out of there, and I know I can do it—"

"But the tree wouldn't do so well. Gotcha. She is alright if she sticks to this-un." Tilting her head to the side as she looked back up at Flutterbat, she focused in on the odd stuff covering the bat ponies mouth and claws. "Well darn, ya did a good job makin' her a bit safer ta be around."

"I actually thought she was joking about all… all this!" Midnight gestured upwards with a hoof, pointing at the bat pony devouring apples despite the fang-guard. "We had some fun, I—" Realizing she was about to reveal a weaker side of herself, Midnight hesitated. "We were playing a game of pets. She took care of me for a day, treating me no different to one of her animals."

"Ah! Some o' that 'beedism.' " Applejack nodded along. "Ah heard you 'n Twilight were doing that kinda thing, but Ah didn't know Fluttershy was into it. 'What two ponies do in their bedroom is their own matter,' 's what Ah always say." She narrowed her eyes. "But this ain't yer bedroom, Midnight."

"And we aren't playing any games. She is a real werebat!" Making the mistake that honesty meant a lack of sense of humor, Midnight didn't realize she was being messed with until Applejack grinned. "At least she hasn't bitten or scratched anypony."

"That's an improvement. An' she seems a bit less… angry. What'd you do to calm her down?" Applejack sized up the tree beside where Flutterbat was "harvesting," and gave it a light tap with a hoof.

Midnight watched in surprise when three apples fell from the tree. Applejack lined the first up with her free back hoof and launched it at Midnight. The second soared directly up to the tress where Flutterbat was hiding (and was caught). Of the last apple, Applejack herself took a bite.

"She was angry at first. She tried to claw at me, so I smacked her across the nose for it." As Midnight explained her actions, she felt justified all over again; it was no different from teaching a dog.

"You smacked Fluttershy?" Narrowing her eyes, Applejack glared at Midnight. "On the nose?"

"That's why she asked me!" Midnight pointed a hoof at Applejack. "She said her friends couldn't do it because they knew her too well. She wanted somepony with wings and magic, but I don't think she could have asked Twilight to do it. So yes, I smacked her on the snout, and if she tries to scratch anypony I will do it again."

"Huh." Applejack stewed on the thought, chewing her apple and giving Midnight a chance to eat hers. Beside them, a sucked-dry husk of an apple hit the ground. After a little longer, Applejack gave a little nod. "Well, Ah guess ya just might be the right pony for the job."

Midnight suspected it was vast praise from the mare, and didn't want to push her luck. But when Flutterbat tugged on the chain and tried to swap trees, Midnight pulled back hard. "You had one, get down!"

Screeching came from the tree, but when Flutterbat finally came into view a slightly puffy belly could be seen on her. Her annoyance was token because she had gorged almost to contentment.

"Down!" This time, when Midnight jerked on the chain, Flutterbat dropped from the tree to the ground and glared at her. "Good girl!" Reaching up, Midnight ruffled the tufted ears and saw real shock on the bat pony's face. "You are a good girl. Down." She kept using the word, trying to help imprint it. What shocked her most, however, was when Flutterbat leaned up into her hoof. The bat pony twisted her head, making sure to line the hoof up with "the good spots."

"Yeah. Ah think ya got this. Bring her back again tomorrow night, if you need to. Ah don't mind having her take three trees a month, as a friend she deserves some leeway." Applejack tipped her ever-present hat and turned. "Keep up the good work, Midnight Sparkle."

Author's Note

So I do this "Ask x" thing, x can be any pony within the story. You can ask them anything and ~~I~~ they will definitely hopefully reply. Keep the questions appropriate to the age-rating of the stories and of course, ~~I~~ they will answer the best question(s) in the author notes of the next chapter. The more votes a comment has the more likely I will get it to the right pony to answer, try and keep it to one answer per post! ~~I~~ They will pick one question per chapter.

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