While Celestia continued her investigation, and Purple Marten and Corporal Trotter planned the invasion of Equestria.
Apple Bloom and the Apple family had to deal with a couple unexpected visitors in my Equestrian dreamscape.

Apple Bloom grumbled and muttered around the lantern handle in
her mouth as she trotted out the front door of Sweet Apple Acres.

Why did she have ta go out ta the tool shed and git the pipe wrench? She wasn’t the one who’d broken off
the knob on the kitchen faucet? It was her big hunk of a brother who’d done it! Why didn’t he go an git it?

The moon was bright tonight and the lights from the farmhouse were strong enough that the filly didn’t feel a need
to open the shutter on the lit kerosene lantern she was carrying. She’d almost reached the tool shed when out of the
corner of her eye she spied some movement amongst the tree near the barnyard. Whatever it was it was good size.

Now the Apple family routinely dealt with various critters on their property. Sometimes even things
from the Everfree Forest, but it hadn’t looked like a varmint. It had looked more like a pony?

Deciding to postpone her quest for the pipe wrench, Apple Bloom changed course and headed in the direction
where she’d last seen the figure moving amongst the shadows of the trees. As she drew closer she could
hear ponies talking to each other in hushed fashion. Soon she could make words and sentences out.

“Yes, yes. These are excellent specimens! They’ve just started blooming, but I really
think we should go up to the house and let them know we are here.” Said the first voice.

“Why disturb their evening dear. We’ll be gone soon, slipping away like shadows in the night.
They’ll never know we were here.” Said the second voice with a slight melodramatic flair.

Coming around a tree trunk Apple Bloom could see the silhouettes of two ponies standing.
One was obviously staring at the ground intently while the other was just standing there
staring at the first. Apple Bloom wasn’t certain but it appeared they were facing away from
her. Gently the little filly set the lantern on the ground before addressing the trespassers.

“Cuse me! But who are ya, and what y’all doing on our land?!”

The two figures spun around. The first crouched down suddenly while the other turned and reared
up on their hind legs. As they did this they dramatically opened a pair of wings of and spoke.

“We are foals of the moon! Shadows given life! We are the night! Ggggaaaahhhhh!!!!”

The pony’s monologue was interrupted by its own scream when Applebloom pushed the lever on the
top of lantern and popped open the shutter; bathing the two intruders with the light from the lantern.

Now clearly lit, Apple Bloom could see that standing before her were two bat ponies. Mares to
be specific. The crouching one had reflexively opened one of its wings to cover its face. The
rearing one stood there almost motionless for a moment as if she’d been poleaxed. After a
couple seconds she toppled over on to the ground and frantically covered her eyes and made
a little whimpering sound. Slowly the first one cautiously peered over the edge of her wing.

After a moment she spoke.

“Um, hello. I assume you live on this property? My name is Night Glade and I’m with
the Royal Equestria Botanical Society. Um, my partner and I are here tonight because
we’ve discovered there is a rare type of night blooming plant on your property!

Um, who might I be speaking to?

“Apple Bloom my name, and next time do us all a favor and ask before y’all start moseying
around are property. Now why don’t we all go back ta our house and let my family know
y’all are here! Oh and I need ta git a wrench first! By the way who’s yer friend there?”

“Moonshine.” Said the toppled mare. “My name is Moonshine, you evil
little filly! Curse you! You’ve maimed me with your vicious attack!”

Night Glade rolled her eyes. “Ignore her. She’s prone to moments of drama. She’ll
be fine in a bit…Of course what passes for fine with her is subject to debate.”

After a few more seconds Moonshine rose from the ground with wobbly legs. She glared at the little filly and
her partner with squinty eyes, but slowly started following them as Apple Bloom went to finish her first task.

It took just a minute or so for the filly to find the wrench and soon they were
headed back to the house. As a sign of goodwill Night Glade had Moonshine carry
the wrench in her mouth. It also had the added advantage of keeping the mare quiet.

AJ growled as Apple Bloom came in the front door. “Land sakes! I just sent ya ta
git a pipe wrench! What took ya so long ta just git…” Her voice tapered off as
she noticed the two dark figures accompanying the fill through the front door.

Setting the lantern on the floor Apple Bloom addressed her big sister. “Sis! This here is Night
Glade and Moonshine. Night Glade is a member of the Royal Equestria Badminton Society.”

“Botanical. I’m a member of the Royal Equestria Botanical
Society.” Said the mare with a slightly pained look on her face.

The little filly nodded her head. “Sorry about that. And her friend here is Moonshine.”

Still clutching the wrench in her teeth the other mare just nodded her head.

“Anyways. Night Glade says there are some kind of rare plant blooming on our farm and she’d like to collect
some samples, so I figured it be best ta introduce ya ta them, and let ya know what their all doing!”

“Um well that was smart of ya Sugar Cube. Now a that moment I’m kind of busy with…”

“Wuld sumpuny plz tik dis wrunch!” Muttered Moonshine with an increasingly frustrated look on her face.

“Oh right! Sorry about that!” Applejack trotted over and took the wrench from Moonshine, then
went to give to Big Macintosh in the kitchen. A minute or so later she came trotting back.

“Now I understand things yer wanting ta harvest some kind of
plant on our property? What is it and why do ya need it?”

Night Glade smiled and nodded her head causing her bright blue mane to flop up and down.
“The plant in question is called Purple Star Back. It only blooms every 3 years or so,
and this is the first time it’s been found blooming in this part of Equestria. I want to
collect some samples for the society. With your permission of course!” She added quickly.

“Well so long as ya don’t harm any of our apple trees I don’t have a problem.”
Applejack looked at her little sister. “Sugarcube I need ta stay here and help
yer brother. Why don’t cha go with them and help them with their gathering. Okay?”

“Okay!” said the little filly.

A couple minutes later the little filly was escorting the two visitors across
the barnyard. Since she was going to be out for awhile she’d donned a harness
that held the lantern for her. As they walked along Night Glade spoke up.

“Thanks for letting us do this, Apple Bloom. I will admit your big sister
looks familiar and you don’t seem to be alarmed by my partner and I?”

“Well ya might have seen my sis in the papers when she helped defeat
Nightmare Moon or Discord. She is an Element of Harmony after all.”

“Oh.” Said Night Glade softly. “Well. You seem to be comfortable about being out
alone with two bat ponies? Other ponies are sometimes uneasy being around us.”

“Why’s that?” Asked the filly.

“Well. While my friend Moonshine is prone to dramatics she is correct when
she said we’re foals of the moon. Many ponies view us with suspicion because
our more nocturnal lifestyle and perceived association with Nightmare Moon.”

Applebloom giggled. “That’s silly. Princess Luna has told me y’all had nothing
ta do with her becoming Nightmare Moon. In fact some of ya tried stop her!”

“You know Princess Luna?” Said Moonshine with a hint of awe in her voice.

“Yep!” Said the filly. “I’m studying ta be he assistant in
the Dream Realm, and she’s a teaching me astronomy as well!”

“Whoa!” Said the two mares in unison.

{To Be Continued…}