Author's note: I'm sure the issues with "Bats" have been talked about to death, but since I'm new to the show, I'm catching up on all the seasons. I really did like the Bats episode (granted, mostly for the song), but it's one of those episodes with a not-so-good lesson. Or rather, a good lesson that's applied poorly. I know, I know. It's a show for 4 to 7-year-old kids. The writers probably didn't find it necessary to research fruit bats or orchards and farming with that as their target audience. But I still think it's bad to present, among other things, the idea wild animals can easily be tamed. I suppose this story is also a small break from my Celestia & Luna fan fics.
"What if you give them part of your orchard?" Fluttershy suggested.
Applejack prayed she misheard Fluttershy at that moment. These bats were ruining her family's farm. Their home. Their livelihood. And Fluttershy was suggesting Applejack allow that?!"Have you lost your pest-lovin' mind?!" It was a question she didn't mean to sound that harsh, but Fluttershy's solution was outrageous to her."They're only here because they're hungry!" Fluttershy insisted. "If we build a sanctuary for them, they could have their own apples to enjoy! After a while, they could even help the rest of your orchard! The vampire bats don't eat the seeds of the apples, and when they spit them out, they grow into even more productive apple trees!"
"Uh, Fluttershy, how do you know that?" Twilight asked. "Didn't you just say this is the first vampire fruit bat you've met? Have you actually studied these creatures?"
"Well... no," Fluttershy hesitantly admitted.
"Besides, Fluttershy, orchards don't work like that!" Applejack exclaimed. "You can't just plant seeds all willy-nilly! These trees here have to be plotted out just right! And what makes you think they'd stay in a sanctuary? Unless these bats can read, they don't give a darn about no sanctuary, Fluttershy!"
"And trees takes years to grow," Twilight added. "Even if the bats really would help the orchard, it'd be ruined for a long time before any benefit to having them around really showed."
"And my family don't have that kind of time!" Applejack stated firmly, stomping her hoof. "Sorry, Fluttershy, but the bats have got to go. I don't care where they go, but they can't stay in my orchard!"
"But they..." Fluttershy flew up to a few of the bats and stared tenderly at them. She couldn't understand how her friends' didn't want to give the bats at least one chance. They were only acting instinctively, after all. Fluttershy was sure the bats meant no real harm, but her friends couldn't see that.
"Fluttershy, darling, forgive me, but it sounds like you only defend these... these pests because you think they're cute," Rarity said.
"Wh-what?" Fluttershy was taken aback by the accusation.
"Dear, just think about it. Applejack didn't say she wants to kill the bats. She wants them to move away. But you're insisting they should stay because they're hungry. Why can't they feed off, uh, non-orchard trees?"
"Yeah, and come on!" Rainbow Dash interjected. "If some bats took over part of your house, you'd let them have it just because? Well, what if they wanted the whole house? What then?"
Twilight spoke up again, but more calmly to avoid sounding accusatory. "Fluttershy, you're an animal expert, right? As an animal expert, isn't it bad to keep animals out of their natural habitat? For the animals and the environment? Wouldn't it take a long time for the vampire bats to settle into a sanctuary?"
Fluttershy had no reply to give. She flew back to the ground with a defeated look on her face. Her friends hated to see that look. In her heart, Fluttershy still wanted to defend the bats. She wanted to help both her friends and the bats. But at the same time, she didn't really have any other ideas to counter her friends' arguments.
Applejack went up to her and placed a comforting hoof on her side. "Look, Fluttershy, I'm not tryin' to be cold to ya. I know ya love animals and all. But I can't risk the orchard and my family by hopin' keeping the bats will pay off in a few years. Just think for a minute, Fluttershy. How would we make it through those years? The farm might not survive, and rebuildin' a ruined farm ain't no easy task. Do you have a plan for that?"
"I'm sorry," Fluttershy replied, her voice softer than usual. "I just don't like the idea of driving them away when they never meant to cause trouble."
"But you like the idea they could ruin my orchard and put my family in big trouble?" Applejack asked solemnly.
"Of course not!"
"Then, what's the problem with makin' them move away from my trees?"
"Fluttershy," Twilight said, walking over to the two of them. "Did you maybe just hear Applejack say she wanted to get rid of the bats and assume the worst?"
"Stop the bats! Stop the bats! Make them go and not come back!" Pinkie Pie sang joyfully. "Go!"
"Exactly," Applejack said. "Like Rarity said, I didn't say I was gonna kill 'em. I want them to move out. Get it? If you got a solution for that, I'm all ears. Otherwise-"
"Fruit bat round-up! Fruit bat round-up!" Pinkie Pie cheered.
"What Pinkie said. Unless you can ask them nicely to move out of my orchard, we gotta round 'em up."
"Wait, I can do that!" Fluttershy exclaimed.
"But you already said you couldn't understand their language," Applejack reminded her.
"I can try again!"
Applejack sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll give ya another day. One day! If they ain't gone by then-"
"Fruit bat round-up! Fruit bat round-up!"
"Fruit bat round-up," Applejack said firmly. She then smiled. "Do your thing, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy finally smiled and flew up to the bats to try to communicate with them again. Applejack wasn't really convinced, but if anypony could talk the bats into moving, it would be Fluttershy.