//------------------------------// // Chapter 4-1: Bug surprises! // Story: Yo-Kai Watch: The mystery of Springdale // by Tythen //------------------------------// "Scootaloo? First Base?" Flash called from downstairs. "What is it?" Scootaloo asked as she and First galloped down the stairs to his side, "This magic technology certainly is something." Flash pointed at a computer, "That's a computer. I've seen some in School as well as one in Nate's house." First remembered, "but it's cool that you've managed to get one!" "With this new magic device, I was able to acclaim some knowledge that you would get from a book." Flash explained, "and I've found something interesting. Regarding to bug catching, Beetles are more common when Luna brings out the moon." "Really? Then why didn't you mention that in the first place?" Scootaloo sighed, "but now that you mention it, I think we'll try our luck finding a beetle. Can me and First go out?" "Sure!" Flash smiled, "since both of you are very responisble together. I'll even let you go out at night for a short while, just to find those bugs." "Thank you!" Scootaloo thanked, "come on First, let's go!" Back in Mount Wildwood, Scootaloo and First were busy looking for the beetles or cicadas they can find. "Hmm..." Perhaps if I can focus my patience on a tree, perhaps I can get more bugs than I can!" Scootaloo planned. On the other hand, First had something else in mind. "Eddie told me that Bugs really love Honey or Black Syrup." First chuckled as he pulled out a tab of the mentioned item and carefully smeared it on a tree. "Here's hoping that this will be a good distraction!" "Alright..." Scootaloo hid in the bushes, "need to be quiet..." "The hunter lays the trap..." First whispered to himself. As the to foals began waiting for their prey to come up, Whisper and Jibanyan just calmly watched from afar. "Seriously?" Jibanyan yawned, "what's so interesting on catching bugs anyway??? I'd rather just stay home and eat choco bars!" "Your guess is as good as mine," Whisper answered, "but they seem very focused on it." "I've got you!" Scootaloo grinned as she saw a brown cicada flying to stand on the trees while making cicada noises. "Target sighted," First mumbled as a green cicada came to taste the Black Syrup. "Hah!" Both siblings swung their nets and caught their cicada. "Focused enough to even catch their target in one fell swoop." Whisper noted, "Heh, feels like I'm getting better at this rate!" Scootaloo smiled to herself as she popped the new brown cicada with the green one caught a few days ago. "Not a beetle, but it will do." First laughed as he added the cicada to his collection. "Hey sis!" First met his sister after their catches "looks like I caught another cicada!!! Green this time, like your first bug. Perhaps you have something better than mine?" "A brown cicada is what I got." Scootaloo answered, "like your first bug." "Well, I can't say that I'm disappointed, because this is only the second time." First sighed, "If only there was somepony who knows a lot about bugs..." Scootaloo replied, wondering on who could teach them. "Hey Scoots! Look!" First noted a peculiar looking cicada that decided to nestle on the tree with First's black syrup. "That looks interesting..." Scootaloo tilted her head, "I don't remember Cicadas that can glow purple..." "Should we try catching it anyway?" First suggested, his answer came to a surprise as Scootaloo swiftly covered the cicada with her net before it could even react. "You got to think fast!" Scootaloo chuckled as she revealed the glowing cicada in her hoof. "Uh... Big sis?" First gestured to the Cicada they caught which started to become very slow in his movement of wings until in the sight of everypony, laid lifeless. "Oh dear..." Scootaloo closed her eyes, "I guess this little Cicada's lifespan just finished." She put the dead cicada down and had a brief moment of silence with her brother. During that moment of silence, the bug burned with a purple-black flame and began to change shape. It grew bigger and bigger until it was half as tall as the fillies. As the siblings eyes awoke, they were greeted to a yellow face with a sharp bug beak, four arms and two legs with a pair of sandals, and a purple belt which held a sword. "WHAT!?!?" Scootaloo and First stepped back in shock, "Who dares yell at me!?" The now large Cicada yelled, pulling out his sword and madly slashing the air around him "I have merely just risen from my living body!" The sword swinging drove the siblings further back just to avoid from getting hit by this mad creature. After a small while, the large bipedal cicada sheathed his sword and introduced himself. "Greetings!!!" The cicada spoke, "my name is Cadin. It is an honour to meet those who have caught me before my death. Min Min!" "Min Min?" First repeated, "isn't that what roughly sounds like those Cicada cries, only much less natural?" "Correct, I am a Cicada." Cadin nodded, "a cicada Yo-Kai to be exact." "Oh..." Scootaloo dropped her fears into disappointment "another Yo-Kai." "Though... We really didn't use the Watch to find him out. We sort of... Experienced his soul taking form..." First corrected, "Anyway, your bug catching skills are exceptionally flawless Noble Scootaloo, I was moved!" Cadin complimented, "please allow me to offer you my medal, the symbol of our songworthy friendship!" And offered out his medal, "Really?" Confusion hangs through Scootaloo's mind as she reluctantly accepted the medal "that was rather fast..." "Many Yo-Kai have different ways of how they take acts of friendship." Whisper explained. "From the most complicated to the most easiest of all." "By the way..." an idea popped into First's head, "now that we're friends, do you have any tips on how to catch beetles?" "Why sure!" Cadin nodded, "they are more common to be found at night, but if you want one so badly... Then I can assist you." "Certainly!" The siblings stood to attention in unison. "Amazing... Ponies really are very very passionate at what they do..." Whisper continued observing. "The first thing you have to know about beetles..." Cadin instructed "is to know what they like to do. Their behaviours, habits and what not." As Cadin lectured the two foals, both Whisper and Jibanyan were bored out of their minds. "You know what? Perhaps the two won't mind if I just slip away for a little while to do some exploring..." Whisper sighed, "Can I join?" Jibanyan raised his hand, "I'm doing nothing by just standing here." "Sure thing," Whisper nodded as the two headed for a stroll around the area, making sure they weren't far from the siblings. "What do you think we should do?" Whisper asked, "Maybe perhaps we can find some bugs ourselves!" Jibanyan answered, "why don't we find some for them?" "A good idea!" Whisper replied. As the two started scouring around the trees, something did indeed catch their eye. "Well what have we here?" Whisper eyed a Sawtooth Stag "looks like there's a beetle here after all!" "Then let's grab it! Show Scoots and First that we can be helpful too!" Jibanyan encouraged, "I like your idea!" Whisper replied, "though... We don't have a bug net..." "No need for one! All you need is my feline powers! Nyaaa!!!" Jibanyan leaped towards the oblivious beetle. The beetle however, sensed the Yo-Kai's presence for some unknown reason and flew away in time to let Jibanyan slam his face into the tree. "Gyahh..." Jibanyan floated slowly to the ground, his flat face used as a parachute. "Oh Jibanyan, rushing head on isn't much of a good idea..." Whisper laughed, "Now," Cadin challenged "I want you to close your eyes, concentrate, and remember the sound of how a beetle flies." "..." Scootaloo and First closed their eyes in concentration, focusing on the hearing senses to perceive the sound of the beetle. The beetle that Jibanyan tried to catch flew behind their heads, attempting to escape the irritated pair of Whisper and Jibanyan. "I hear it!" Scootaloo gasped, "I can actually hear it!" "Same!" First added, "Don't break your concentration!" Cadin sharply reminded, "you need to keep on focusing!" "Sorry..." The two apologised and closed their eyes once more to concentrate. "Know the exact spot of where the beetle will sit on the tree..." Scootaloo thought to herself, "Ready?" Jibanyan signalled, "Release the trap!" Whisper commanded. As soon as the beetle nestled safely on the tree, a badly-made net of leaves came swinging down on the intended target. The beetle managed to fly through the gaping holes of the net, and capturing Whisper instead. "Wrong target!" Whisper yelled, unable to squirm through the leaves. "Breathe... Think about what a Beetle would like... And how that desired nectar is attractive to all insects." Scootaloo continued thinking, "Are you serious?" Whisper stared at the Cat Yo-Kai smearing Black Syrup all over his body. "Hah!" Jibanyan laughed, "this is going to be easy! I'm just going to simply lure the beetle onto my presence and catch it as its busy!" "But... First of all, It may attract something else unpleasant..." Whisper warned, "not only that, your actions does look rather suggestive..." "Shh!!!" Jibanyan hushed, "I can hear some buzzing... It must be working!!!" Sure enough, the sound of insects can be heard, and increasing in volume. However, what came around the corner was not the beetle, but a pack of wasps, desperate to taste that black syrup. The faces of the two Yo-Kai changed from anticipation to fear as they turned in the other direction and bolted as fast as they could with the wasps in hot pursuit. "AAAHHHHH!!!" Jibanyan screamed for his life, "Not the bees! NOT THE BEES!!!" Whisper cried as he flew as fast as he could. No matter what, the wasps eventually caught up with them. "Wait a minute..." Whisper then recognised his mistake as the wasps started to surround him and Jibanyan, landing on his face "they're wasps... And they're not ponies so they could probably see us..." Then started screaming in agonising pain as the Wasps furiously let loose their stingers on the Yo-Kai duo. "And that's basically the gist of it..." Cadin concluded, "do you guys understand now?" "Yes sir," Scootaloo and First nodded together, "we understand now." "Then you know what to do..." Cadin nodded, "try and catch a bug before dusk comes." "Here goes nothing...!" First headed off into the direction of where Whisper and Jibanyan ran off to. Using his newly taught skills from Cadin, he managed to find a Sawtooth Stag Beetle, what he didn't know that it was the same beetle who gave Whisper and Jibanyan the run for their lives. "Well what do you know?" First smiled then readied his net "all or nothing!!!" And with one true swing, the net managed to surround the beetle before it even got away. "Yes!" First victoriously held his first-ever caught beetle with a firm grip, "victory!!!" In another area, Scootaloo still had troubles of finding a beetle as she continued trotting around the forest. "I hope First gets a beetle before I do..." Scootaloo sighed to herself, "because there's no way we're going to miss another chance!" And at that moment, true to her words, the sound of beetle wings can be heard. Scootaloo pricked up in excitement then remembered to slowly creep towards the resting area of the beetle. There it was, the beetle nestled on a tree straight in front of the filly. "..." Scootaloo cocked her head in confusion and awe as the beetle she sees before her was not a Sawtooh Stag beetle like before. Instead, the beetle did not have pincers on it's top, but a long cephalic horn curving upwards as well as the top of the horn shaped in the form of a Y. The appearance of this unknown beetle has captivated the little orange filly. "Wow..." Scootaloo was all that she could mutter, "this beetle looks so amazing..." She then remembered why she was here in the first place and got her net ready. "I'm going to catch you..." Scootaloo glared, "and I'm going to hit the marks!" And with a deep breath, she swung the net. As the sun began to set, it was time for the group to meet up together and go home. First was the first to return to Cadin, but was getting worried about his sister, Whisper and Jibanyan. "Well?" Cadin asked, "what did you get?" "I did great!" First replied, holding out the bug container with the Sawtooth Stag inside. "That's good to know!" Cadin nodded, "now let's wait for your sister." A few minutes later, Scootaloo arrived with a very satisfied and happy grin. "You look like you've caught something good." First replied, "I have!" Scootaloo showed her beetle with a smile. "Woah!" First gasped, "I've never seen this type of beetle before!" "Amazing!!!" Cadin performed a double-take, "you've managed to catch a Rhino Beetle! They're less common than Sawstooth Stags, and it looks like you've caught a rare one!" "Really!?" Scootaloo gasped in delight, "I'm so lucky! I can't wait to show the others at school and in Ponyville with my latest catch!" "And uh... I don't recall seeing your other Yo-Kai companions around..." Cadin added, looking around. "Now that you mention it, we haven't checked in on Whisper and Jibanyan..." First looked around, "I hope they're alright..." "We're... Here..." A voice croaked from their side. The siblings and Cadin turned to the source of the voice and jumped in fright. "AHHH!!!" The group screamed at two familiar looking Yo-Kai sliding themselves on the ground and covered in countless lumps and stings. "What... Happened?" Scootaloo asked, "Well this happened..." Jibanyan croaked, "then that happened... And that's how we got into this painful and poisonous situation..." "Hmm... We might as well patch you up when we get home," First comforted "but first, thanks for your help Cadin." "We'll definitely be sure to call you for other things!" Scootaloo waved goodbye, "enjoy your new life as a Yo-Kai!" "Be sure to call me when troubles come! I shall best your enemies with my sword!" Cadin waved goodbye as the siblings left the mountain with the wounded Yo-Kai in tow. Back at home, the siblings showed them the latest catch of today. "I'm very impressed," Flash congratulated, "both of you have managed to catch a beetle during daylight. You must be lucky and skilful at the same time!" "Heh!" First chuckled, "nothing to it!" "By the way, since they're very small insects, you'd be best to keep them as pets." "Really? Can we?" Scootaloo gasped, "Of course!" Flash smiled, "but both of you need the responsibility to take care of it every day. Feed it, care for it, it will save you or help you one way or another in the future." "Sure." First nodded, "we promise." "Don't forget to give it a name too." Flash reminded, "that's the number one thing for a pet." "A name?" First asked his sister as they retreated to their bedroom once again. "What would be a good name?" "Hmm..." Scootaloo wondered as she looked face to face with her newly gained Rhino Beetle. "What name would you like???" "If you ask me..." Whisper growled through the bandage wraps covering his entire body, "I'd call them pain and trouble!!!" "It hurts..." Jibanyan moaned in pain as he lies sprawled on the carpet, also tightly covered with bandage wraps.