>Night In Equestria Shimmers.
>The sound of owls pierces the serenity of the forest.
>Those nightly hoots echo through the branches of the tree in which you live.
>It's time to get up anyway.
>Your name is Speck.
>You are a bat p0ny.
>And with that, comes the normal bat p0ny fare:
>Nocturnal
>Bat wings
>Slitted eyes
>And a good portion of the local village feeling utmost disdain for your presence.
>You sigh, hind hooves letting loose their firm, albeit unexplainable, grip on the branch from which you hang.
>You can't explain it.
>Maybe it's magic.
>Maybe it's maybelline.
>Instinctively, you spread your wings on your descent, and you soon land on the lush grass that surrounds your tree.

>A small package lies by the base of the tree.
>You approach it, already hazarding a guess as to what it may be.
>Sitting in front of the parcel, you hold it in your hooves.
>You give it a small shake to which the package answers with a small thudding.
>The weight might as well give way to your suspicions.
>Rolling your dull orange eyes, you slowly tear into its paper flesh.
>Its contents now revealed, you reach inside to pull out...
>A brick.
>You tip your head back with an exasperated sigh.
>This is the twelfth one this week.
>What are you expected to do with these?
>Build a brick treehouse?
>You toss it into a pile with the other several hundred bricks of which you've accumulated.
>It's only been three years since you moved to this tree.
>And you've already amassed a collection that serves no purpose.
>Your wings spread, and flap several times as you take off towards the village.
>As much as the inhabitants dislike you, you still need groceries.

>Although it is late, some of the shopkeepers open their doors for you.
>Not all of the villagers dislike you,
>Only the ones in the day crowd.
>And the children.
>That saddens you the most about the whole ordeal.
>You personally love children.
>You burden yourself with those thoughts as you slink about the village, gathering your groceries.
>Something close to an hour passes and you find yourself standing in front of the village's library.
>It was a large oak tree, very quaint, very similar to yours in stature.
>The difference was, the exterior bore windows and balconies.
>There also used to be a p0ny and a dragon that lived there and tended to it.
>But those were just stories from ages past.
>You put a hoof on the door, pressing lightly to see if it would give.
>Nothing.
>The sign posted out front catches your eye.
>"Elements of Harmony Library."

>You shook your head and turned away, getting ready to head back to the forest, and back to your tree.
>The journey through the village was fairly uneventful, seeing as it was night-time.
>No stray ponies out walking around.
>No one to talk to, aside from the lightning bugs, the few clouds littered the sky, the stars, and Princess Luna's Moon.
>Princess Luna.
>The Princess of the Night.
>You felt an undying loyalty to her that you couldn't explain.
>You never tried to join the Night Guard.
>You never tried to serve your Princess.
>And even still, you felt undying loyalty to her.
>Sometimes you think it's because of the beautiful night she gives to Equestria.
>Other times, you think it's because the bat ponies are her ancient children.
>You never did much research into the latter, despite passing the library nearly every night.
>A soft thudding catches your ear as you pass a house on the outskirts of the village.
>The lights were all on, and the thudding was rhythmic.
>Curious, you looked in one of the windows.
>And in there, was something surprising.

>A large, bipedal creature.
>Its body hairless except for the top of its head and a piece of cloth around his waist.
>Your eyes grew large and lit up as you watched this creature run through its home.
>Your mouth widened into a smile as you watched it, instantly enamored with its curious appearance and behaviour.
>It was different from the other citizens of this village.
>It made you wonder if it suffered the same disdain from the villagers that you did.
>The presence of this creature made you feel less alone in the world.
>Its eyes caught yours as it looked out the window.
>You duck, screeching inwardly as you hide in the bushes.
>There's an increasingly loud thudding as it runs through its house.
>The front door swings wide open, casting light into the night.
>It yells something, though you're too panicked to hear.

>Ten Minutes Earlier
>You are Anonymous.
>You are a human.
>And you currently live in a small house on the outskirts of a town in a land of magical, talking, pastel, candy horses.
>It's actually a really nice place.
>Except for the creatures of the night.
>Specifically bats.
>God, you hate bats.
>Right now, you are running through your house, attempting to catch a bat that has flown into your home.
>It is serving to be quite the opponent.
>It has invaded your kitchen and ate most of your fruit.
>It has knocked down two of your lamps and a book shelf.
>And it has been pissing you off to no end for the past hour.
>Makeshift bug net in hand, you leap onto your couch, across your living room table, and through the door to your kitchen.
>You chase the bat through several rooms, namely the dining room, kitchen, and foyer.

>After a lengthy and tiring battle, you finally stop, having caught the bat in the net.
>Turning to the door with your bounty in hand, you think you see a small glint of orange and a blur of gray outside your window.
>You think nothing of it, the children of this village were little pranksters most of the time.
>They harassed you to no end because you were different.
>But, children would be children.
>You open the door and let the bat free, yelling after it to stay the hell out of your house.
>You hear a light rustling of leaves in the bush beneath your window.
>A small whimper accompanies it.
>You furrow your brow and step down the steps of your patio and around to the bush.
>Against better judgment, you get on all fours and slowly reach into the bush, shushing whatever is hiding in there.
"Is there something in there? I'm not going to hurt you."
>You feel your finger tips touch something soft and furry, its form twitches and retracts from you.
>You pull your arm from the bush and try to get a better look.
>It emits another small noise, something that almost sounds like words.
>You couldn't tell.
>You stand and walk back into the house to get an apple or some other food to see if the creature will come out.

>You are Speck again.
>And that thing touched you.
>It might be back to hurt you soon.
>You stand and get ready to dart out of the bush.
>Your wings spread and you jump to no avail.
>Your wings catch on the branches and you hit your head on another.
>And now it seems you're stuck.
>You struggle and rustle the bush[spoiler]'s jimmies[/spoiler]
>Leaves fall and branches bend, some breaking, some pushing back against you and holding you further in their embrace.
>After a moment, you stop struggling, sigh, and whimper.
>This is the end, isn't it?
>You will most certainly meet with a terrible fate.
>You close your eyes and wait for the creature to come back out and inevitably eat you alive.

>You are Anonymous again.
>Part of you wonders why you've been standing in the kitchen with an apple in hand for the past five minutes.
>Part of you wonders why you've yet to take the apple out to the creature in the bush.
>You shake your head, existentially deep thoughts need not apply to your current situation.
>Stepping out of the kitchen, into the foyer, and finally back outside, you notice there are no more sounds coming from the bush.
>You are a curious man, and curious men tend to go headfirst into the abyss.
>You walk to the bush and kneel back down.
>You slowly reach your hand back in, your fingertips touching the soft creature.
>A sigh of relief slips past your lips as you whisper to it.
"I brought you an apple, will you come out now?"
>Anyone that didn't know you would wonder why you're trying to coax a wild animal out of a bush.
>You've always had a soft heart for animals in distress.
>Except for bats.
>Screw bats.
>On Earth you worked at an animal shelter, caring for dogs and cats all day.
>You place the apple on the ground in front of the bush and take two steps back.
"There's an apple for you in front of the bush. Are you hungry?"
>The bush rustles and twitches as the creature moves in response, and it stops as suddenly as it starts.
>"I'm stuck." You hear the creature call out.
>So it can talk.
>Maybe it's a curious p0ny, peeking into your home?
>Maybe it's maybelline.
>You feel like you heard that joke tonight, but shake the thought out of your head.
>Kneeling back in front of the bush, you reach inside.
>Gripping the branches, you start to bend them away from the creature.
>After several minutes, it peeks out of the bush.
>The moonlight glints off of its dull orange eyes and off of its nubby white fangs.
>A small smile crosses its face as its hooves reach for the apple.
>It looks like a p0ny, but there's something about those eyes.
"My name is Anon. What's yours? Where are you from?"
>She retreats a short way back into the bush, and you hear a small crunching noise.

>"My name is Speck. I live in a tree in the forest."
>A p0ny that lives in a tree.
>Or maybe a not-p0ny.
"What are you?"
>You hear a short burst of snickering.
>"Keekee. I'm a bat-p0ny. What are you?"
>A bat-p0ny.
>You've never even heard of those.
>Oh wait.
>You hate bats.
>But this bat-p0ny seems alright.
>You elect to not lose your cool yet.
"I'm a human."
>You hear her try to pronounce human.
>"Hooman... hue...mun... humus... I don't get it."
>You stifle a snicker and hold a hand out to the bush.
"It's not important. Would you like to come out of the bush?"
>You feel her place her hoof in your hand, her face poking out of the bush once again.
>"Only if I can have another apple. I forgot to buy some when I was in the shops earlier."
>She flashes you a wide smile.
"I supposed."
>She crawls further out of the bush, now standing in front of it.
>You notice the tufts of fur on the tips of her ears.
>Her dark turquoise colored mane.
>Her charcoal gray coat.
>And those leathery, dark blue-gray wings.
>She's a unique and breathtaking sight, much like the first unicorn and pegasus you saw.
>And as unique as she looks, it doesn't help to suppress a shudder that jolts down your spine.
"Let's go inside and get you that apple."

>She follows you as you walk inside, and closes the door behind her.
>You lead her to the kitchen and give her another apple, the both of you sitting at your table.
"So you live in a tree? Like in a tree house?"
>"Not... not exactly. I kind of just hang from one of the branches and sleep like that."
>You raise an eyebrow, that earlier concern for the creature rises up in you.
"So you're just out in the open, hanging from a branch?"
>She nods.
"You don't have an actual home, with walls and a roof?"
>She shakes her head, eyes lowering from her apple as she sets it down.
>"It's not so bad, really. I've lived like that for two years."
>Two years.
>You laugh inwardly.
>You've lived in this town for five years, and you're just now seeing this bat-p0ny.
>You suppose that's what you get for being such a massive shut-in.
>And for not asking if there are any new ponies around town when you actually do go out and socialize.
>You blame a lack of anything to do in this town.
>She finishes the apple quickly and taps her hooves on the table.
>"I should probably get going though. I have groceries I need to put away."
>You raise your brow again.
"Groceries. To put away. Where exactly do you put groceries away when you live in a tree?"
>She snickers, that keekeekee sound she makes.
>You find it kind of cute.
>"I put them in a hole in the tree, duh."
>You nod once, slowly.
"Ah. So other animals can get to them and steal your food. Gotcha."
>She puts a hoof to her chin and looks upward in thought.
>"Do you think that's where most of my food's been disappearing to?"
>Well, she is definitely not the brightest.
"If I had to guess."
>"Then would you mind if I just stored my groceries here? I don't think you'd steal them from me."
>She smiles a toothy grin, her wings spread out as she stands in the chair.
>"Pleaaaaase?"
>She adds a head tilt to the please.
>m...muh heart.
"I suppose that wouldn't be too much of a problem."
>She lets out an elated screech.
>You feel like your ears are going to burst.

>She unloads her bags on your table.
>Several fruits, vegetables, breads, and sugary treats now lay in disarray on its surface.
>She continues to smile.
>Those fangs would make you nervous if they didn't look so dull.
>You shake your head as she dismounts the chair and begins walking out of the kitchen.
>"Well, thanks. I'm gonna go to my tree and get ready to sleep, since it's almost morning."
>Oh.
>Great.
>It's almost morning and you have to work.
>You jump up from the table and rush into the living room to check the clock.
>5AM.
>You have to be at Sugarcube Corner by 6.
>Stupid bats.
>You hate bats.
>The sound of hooves clopping against your foyer's floor alert you to the sound of her leaving.
>And here you go with the feeling that you have to help helpless and distressed animals.
>Rolling your eyes, you run to the door and call out into the night.
"Hey, Speck!"
>No answer.
>She must have already flown off.
>She's fast.
>You shrug, walk back inside, and throw yourself on the couch.
>You may only get a small amount of sleep, but it's better than nothing.

>You are now Speck.
>For the third time.
>You approach your tree and sigh.
>This feeling of loneliness that's hung in your heart since you left Anon's house.
>He seemed welcoming enough.
>And non-threatening.
>He was a curious creature.
>You look down at the base of the tree.
>There's another package.
>Is this village's mailmare really delivering things this early in the morning?
>You open it.
>Another brick.
>If you rolled your eyes any harder, they would probably eject themselves from your eye sockets.
>You fly up to your branch, hind hooves latching to its bottom.
>You close your eyes as the sun begins to rise over the horizon.