And the Pony That Holds It
There was a shrill scream and a clatter as the gatekeepers fell, the doors barging open. Thousands of ponies streamed through the entrance, all wielding some weapon of sort, ranging from daggers to pitchforks.
The shrill cry alerted the town from it’s sleep, and the screams began as the ponies flooded the town, the sound of blades and fighting beginning to echo through the towns. The ponies had no mercy, slaughtering all of them. Blood stained the streets and the floors of their own dwellings.
Some bat ponies fought back, but there were too few. Any battle won over a single pony was horrendously pyrrhic as more took their place, killing them in cold blood. The swarm of ponies charged the streets relentlessly, barging into the bat ponies’ homes.
In the center of town lay a tall building, the town center. The ponies storming the town all gathered together there, killing any bat pony they came across, regardless of who they were, and began hacking at the walls of the building, tearing timeless tapestries and pieces of history, shrines dedicated to the night and Princess Luna, and destroying furniture hundreds of years old.
As the battle raged on, the town rumbled, and everyone seemed to go silent and cease fighting as the town hall crumbled in on itself, stones crashing to the ground with loud noises. Many ponies and bat ponies alike perished as the building collapsed. As the rumbling ceased the sounds of the battle began again, with the ponies slowly overrunning the town.
Very few survived, and only three remained unharmed, the leaders of the town, selfishly hiding away in the catacombs to protect themselves.
The bat ponies pleaded to Princess Celestia for mercy, who agreed to pass a law that got most of the ponies who attacked Moonstone either arrested or executed for their crimes. The few bat ponies who survived the attacks moved… here, to Canterlot, the current capital of Equestria, built only 50 years after Luna’s banishment. It was a nice place at first, but it was never cared for by the diligent workers that keep Canterlot like it is, the beautiful shining town.
Luna wasn’t happy. She was going to talk to Celestia about that.
Cracked cobblestone rolled under Princess Luna’s hooves as she walked slowly down the small street. Sad, dilapidated houses ran along each side, looking more like industrial buildings rather than homely dwellings you’d see in other parts of the city. It was oddly silent, considering the full moon hung high above her head, shining light onto the streets below.
Two guards flanked her sides, them both being bat ponies themselves. They looked around the area with stoicism, watching for any threat that would bring danger to the princess they were assigned to protect. Spears at their sides, they walked in perfect pace with the alicorn, Luna’s larger stride giving them a hard time in keeping up. Luna worried that this area might bring bad memories for them.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a shout from down the street. Luna quickened her pace to a trotting gait, the poor guards having to canter to keep up. It sounded like there was a clatter of noise and a lot of yelling being traded. Luna walked up to the offending noise: a store with its door hanging open, and the yelling became more clear.
A young female voice came out of the store. “I wasn’t going to to take everything! I just wanted to-”
“Come here!” Moments after the utterance a dark gray mare with a fiery orange mane darted out, a single loaf of bread tucked under her wing, crumbs dropping onto the floor. The store owners came out, a married couple, with angry looks on her faces, fangs bared in anger. They started to run off to catch her.
“Halt!” Luna said, “Let me deal with this.” The couple took notice of her and their jaws dropped in shock, both of them bowing down to her before the stallion stood.
“Go, your highness,” he said, “Before she makes away with our food…”
Luna nodded. “I will.” She quickly broke into a canter, the guards taking flight behind her to keep up. She followed the running mare, her bright orange-red mane and tail making her easy to see. The bat pony ducked into a gap between the houses, and Luna flew above the roofs of the town so she could follow her from above. The mare had ducked into an area with a faded green trash bin.
Luna watched, perching on a roof to stay quiet, as the mare opened the trash bin gently and mumbled something. Moments later she lifted the lid fully, climbing inside and exposing the view of three small foals. There was a little cheer from the trio as the bat pony broke part of the loaf off and gave them the bread, which they tucked into eagerly. The foals, two fillies, and a colt, looked extremely thin, their ribs showing through their fur, their cat-like eyes dulled. The mare ate a little bit of the bread for herself, then placed it gingerly in a newspaper and wrapped it up, stepping outside and shutting the lid carefully.
Luna hopped down and flared her wings to slow her fall as she landed gracefully, looking at the bat pony with stern eyes. “You are under arrest for thievery,” she said, and she felt a little pang of some negative feeling as the bat pony huffed, spreading her forehooves and glaring at the princess.
“I may look like what I do is wrong, but it’s for good reason,” she said, “And if you so wish to take me to the dungeons for feeding the young and homeless, then fine. Do it.”
Luna halted her guards before they could rush and grab her. “Do you hide anything else that you stole? Something that you didn’t feed to the foals?”
“Only a loaf of bread… I just want to feed myself for another few days…” The bat pony sighed and averted her gaze for a minute before dragging her hoof along the ground in a defensive gesture. “You’re not going to take me without a fight.”
Luna felt something click. She motioned for her guards to stay put and she stepped forward herself. “May I… see them?”
“What?” the bat pony said, taken aback, “You… want to see the foals?”
Luna nodded, and the bat pony sighed, lifting up the lid, Luna’s magic lifting it the rest of the way. The foals looked up and squealed, moving to the far corner of the dumpster to get away from the princess.
“Ssh, it’s okay…” the mare cooed, hopping into the trash bag filled bin, crouching next to them. “This is a nice pony. She doesn’t want to take from us.”
Slowly one of the foals stepped forward. She was a filly sporting a midnight blue coat and golden mane. She looked up at Luna with a mix of awe and fear. Luna looked back at her, and her heart sank as she looked at her. She wiped away a tear that silently shed itself without her permission quickly.
“Is this what happened to some of my closest friends?” she asked to no one in particular, “They… have to live like this?” She gently scooped up the small filly, cradling her in her arms. The filly let out a weak smile and a cough, and curled up inside Luna’s forehooves.
The filly was small and pitiful, barely four years old, at the most. Luna felt anger boil deep within her. Celestia let this happen.. Luna heard a groan and looked down to realize she was squeezing the small filly against her chest, the filly groaning quietly.
“Sorry, little one.” Luna placed her gingerly down on top of the black trash bags gently. The filly smiled widely, her still-growing fangs making the smile a little lopsided. Luna felt herself return the gesture and wiped another tear away with a quiet sniffle. She turned to the bat pony who also looked nearly as thin, her dark gray coat looking sullen, dirty and dull now that Luna had a good look at her. Luna couldn’t charge her for thievery. It didn't feel right. She stole to feed the three foals that couldn’t feed themselves. Those store owners could make another loaf. Luna placed a hoof gently on the mare’s shoulder, said mare flinching at the touch.
“Do not fret, young one… I can’t charge you for something like this,” she said, “Your intentions were not to cause harm, but to heal others.” The mare nodded at her words, looking much more relieved. “But, I’m curious as to how you got in… this,” Luna said, waving her hoof in a circle, “You know, this whole… homeless thing.”
“I… don’t know how,” said the mare, “But I know that I was abandoned for some reason when I was around five years old, after that I learned to survived on my own. I taught myself everything I needed to know, not like I’d go to school if I had parents anyways,, it’s too expensive to attend bat pony only schools. I found these fillies in one of the abandoned houses and I took them under my wing, cared for them like they were my own… and that was when I was having problems. I’ve had to steal more food just to keep us alive.”
Luna placed a hoof over her heart, sighing sadly. This poor mare didn’t deserve the things she has gone through. “I… I think I should leave you now…” Luna didn’t want to do anything too extreme. Despite wanting so much to bring these ponies back to the castle, to take care of them, she couldn’t. The servants hated bat ponies, Luna heard a solar guard talking about them in a bad manner, and most of all, Luna had important duties that took up most of her time. She knew that Celestia would be warm and welcoming, but the ponies that held political power wouldn’t.
The mare nodded to Luna’s response. “Thank you so much for not arresting me.” She bowed low, looking at Luna, her face curled up in a warm smile. “Words cannot explain how grateful I am.” The mare turned and hugged the foals, who all rushed to clamber onto her, all hugging the gray bat pony. “These foals, they see me like their mother,” she said, “and it’s all I can do to keep them alive.”
A smile touched Luna’s face. “I wish you luck in what you face, young one. I will be sure to visit sometime when I next am able to take a break from my royal duties.” Luna rolled her shoulders, gaining her royal and commanding posture again. “Good night, my little ponies.” She took off with the guards in tow, taking to the skies. Luna lapsed into silence as the gears in her mind began turning.
She wanted so much to be able to help them, and she’d probably turn up with something for them to eat and drink, but she really wanted to take care of them. The mare showed a compassion that pulled the mare through the tough times that she was facing. The mare had brought a smile to Luna’s face, the first since the return from her banishment.
Luna then halted her flight slowly, perching on a lazily floating cloud. She technically could take them back. A hoof went over her own mouth as she smiled widely. She was a princess, and that meant that within reason she could do what she pleased.
Turning around, heading back to where she’d come from. She had made her decision. She was going to take them back to the castle.
She flew quickly with a bright smile, a single tear rolling down her face in happy realization. She didn’t wipe it away.
She slowed as she approached the dumpster. She could hear the mare yelling, along with two familiar voices. Her eyes scanned the area, settling on the bat pony’s orange mane.
She was grappling with a stallion, the shopkeeper she stole from earlier. She kept shoving them away, keeping them away from the dumpster.
“You’ve caused enough trouble around here, it’s time we returned the favor,” the shopkeeper sneered. She lashed out with her fangs, digging into the gray mare’s shoulder, the defensive mare crying out in pain. The stallion flipped the bin lid up, the lid clanging against the brick wall behind it. the shopkeeper mare struggling, trying to get to the foals inside.
“Oh, well look at that, you still have those kids!” The stallion pulled the squealing and kicking foals out, letting them tumble to the floor. The three foals all bundled together, squeaking in fear, looking at the gray mare for help.
The mare growled and pulled away from the shopmare’s bite. Blood trickled from the wound. She quickly brushed the foals behind her. “Touch them and I will kill you,” she seethed, growling at the couple, “Who would threaten children? What sick ponies are you?!”
“You’re the sick one!” You expect to waltz around the streets of Canterlot, taking what you wish! We’d be better off if you weren’t in the town to begin with!” the stallion yelled back. A hoof lashed out and struck the side of her face, knocking her to the ground. He stepped towards the foals with a menacing glint in his eyes.
The mare got up, shaking. Her eye was already beginning to swell as she stepped in front of him and pushed the foals back. “Do not harm them,” she said, baring her fangs, “Leave us alone.”
He laughed. “Are you really that stupid? Do you think you will leave here alive?”
“Well, you have no choice. I won’t let you hurt them. Hurt me all you want, but I won’t let you destroy their lives before they’ve even had a chance to live a good one.” She threw a swing at the stallion, connecting with his eye. He hissed and fell back, reeling from the rain of blows.
The gray mare looked up to look at the storekeeper, who bared her fangs at the mare, and pounced. They rolled on the ground for a few seconds, trading blows in a flurry of limbs.
“CEASE THIS FIGHTING THIS INSTANT!”
The shopkeepers both froze, slowly turning to look at the princess. The mare was first to react, letting go of the gray bat pony and cowered before the princess, pleading for mercy in the situation and trying to explain her actions. “S-she steals from all of us! She is greedy and she would kill to survive!”
“Would you?” Luna kept her regal posture. “Would you steal if three young children relied on you, and you had no home to go to? Would you kill if somepony attacked you, threatening to murder foals that you called your own?”
The mare was silent as Luna continued, “I think from what I have seen, you do not care about anypony other than yourself and your spouse. I know you are going through troubled times, but I personally will try to remedy that, to integrate you better into society.
“Back on topic, it seems your vision is clouded. You don’t take a moment to think what kind of situation she was in. You can see that she is starving. You can see that the foals are starving. What’s one loaf to save four lives?”
“I-” The poor mare barely said a word before a hoof slammed down in front of her face.
“I can’t believe a pony is capable of such behavior,” Luna fumed, glaring down at the couple, “especially you and your husband.”
The shopkeepers both pleaded at her hooves, but she silenced them by slamming her hoof again. “You are both under arrest for your heinous actions. You will be placed in custody until your court date, in which your fate will be decided.” As Luna said that, the guards detained both of them, placing them in binding hoof cuffs and placing a mouth-binding muzzle on them. She hated that, but she didn’t want her guards put out of commission by a single bite.
Luna strode over to the gray mare. Her breath came out raggedly, misting in the cool night air. Luna sat down next to the mare, gently placing a hoof on her back.
“Are you okay?” Luna asked, gently stroking the mare. Worry pulled at the corners of Luna’s mouth. She lifted the foals gently off of the mare, cringing as they weakly called out to their guardian. She began to tend to the bite wound on the mare’s shoulder, wrapping a bandage around the area of matted fur, and tying it off. She would get a doctor later.
The gray mare opened her eyes, looking into Luna’s, and she smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered, as a tear trickled down her muzzle, “Thank you so much.”
Luna stroked the bat pony’s mane as she started crying, bringing her and the foals into a small hug. “Do not fret little ponies, I’m here to help,” Luna said, letting the mare cry on her shoulder, “You don’t have to worry now, everything will be okay.”
Luna gently scooped up the mare and her foals up in her magi “We shall go to the castle,” she said to the guards, “Take those two into custody.”
She began the short flight back to the castle, hearing the foals gasp in awe. A smile graced her face as they looked around and all squeaked and squealed in delight. The gray mare was silent, but Luna knew she was awake.
The clouds floated right above them as they descended towards the castle, towards Luna’s private chamber. Luna motioned the guards to take the shopkeepers into custody, the guards saluting quickly and ducking down lower. She softly landed on the balcony outside her room and stepped inside, quickly shutting the balcony door behind her, lighting the candles in her room quickly with magic. She lifted the foals and the mare onto the bed, setting them down on the soft duvet. It was immediately dirtied by their unwashed coats, but Luna didn’t care. She had spares in the closet.
“Where are we?” the gray mare asked, looking around in a sore daze. The foals clung to her, also a little wary of the place they were in.
Luna smiled. “This is my private quarters.” The mare’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Why did you bring us here?” she asked, “We don’t belong in a castle.”
“Because,” Luna softly replied, “you are a mare of compassion. You took care of these three foals, despite the fact that you were struggling to take care of yourself.” She quickly lit her horn for a second, a light ping resounding through the room. “You are a light in this world, something that these foals need.” She wrapped a wing around the mare and the foals, feeling the dirt off the mare’s coat rub onto hers. “Now that you’ve done taken care of them, maybe it’s time for somepony to help take care of you.”
The door creaked open, Luna looked over to see Celestia quickly trot in. “What seems to be the problem, Luna? Why did you want me to get four bowls of soup for you at this time?”
Luna smiled. “Sister, it’s for them” She unwrapped her wing, revealing the four bat ponies huddled under her wing. Celestia gasped at the sight of the battered ponies.
“What happened to them?” Celestia asked, sitting down next to Luna, and looking at the shocked face of the grey mare staring back at her. She silently listened as Luna recounted the tale of finding the four malnourished bat ponies, nodding along the way.
“I have my concerns,” Celestia said eventually, “I’m not sure that you’d be able to—”
“Shush, sister,” said Luna, “Let’s not worry about that. They really need the food.” They shared a quick nuzzle before Celestia trotted out of the room with a soft goodnight. As Celestia shut the door, Luna looked back at the gray mare, who looked like she was about to burst into tears.
“You’re an amazing mare that I’ve only known for a night,” said Luna, “And you don’t deserve to live like that. You’re going to be staying in the castle, under my guidance. And in return, all I want you to do is live your life to the fullest. Does that sound like a fair deal?”
The bat pony nodded, crying happily while smiling. “You didn’t have to do any of this—”
“Of course, but I did, anyways. Now come, let us sit and eat. I think you all need it.” Luna placed the bowls on a tray and placed it gently on the bed, letting go of the bat pony. “Make sure that the foals don’t eat too much,” she said.
The young mare and the foals eagerly dug into the vegetable soup, the three foals slurping each of their own bowls, while the gray bat pony was sipping at hers, the warm soup bringing a large smile to her face. The meal was gobbled up quickly, especially by the foals. They all yawned, tummies full as they curled up on Luna’s bed, piling over each other, smiles on their faces.
“They certainly enjoyed the meal,” Luna said as she smiled, “And besides, it’s almost sunrise. I do hope they have a nice rest.” Luna gently lifted them to the head of the bed and tucked them into the covers as they fell asleep, curling around each other.
The young mare chuckled. “They did indeed.” She slided up to Luna, letting the princess wrap a wing around her as Luna cleaned up the bowls and put them back on the cart. “Thank you. Thank you so much for giving us a chance.”
“It’s nothing,” said Luna, “It’s the least I can do for such an amazing mare.” She gently strokes the mare’s side with a wing.
“I… never thought this would happen—never in my life would I have believed that I would be staying in the castle.” she murmured, her voice trailing off into a yawn.
“Everything will be fine now—Actually,” Luna smiled down at her in realization. “I never asked for your name. What is it?”
The bat pony smiled back, her eyes sparkling. “It’s… Grem, Princess Luna.”
Author's Note
This will be the last thing I post, for my journey into NaNoWriMo begins. Thank you for reading.
EDITING:
Grem: Getting her own character nailed down
DwarvishPony: Pointing out where my story was bad.
