//------------------------------// // Chapter three - Problems concerning the cleanliness of the water // Story: Once in a lifetime // by Echolocation //------------------------------// Clean pipe was a hard working stallion who kept station day and night at the control system for the flow of the Celestial seawater into central Equestria. They checked the water regularly and cleaned it, making sure no ponies came into contact with the creatures of the deep. There had not been an epidemic for more than two centuries, with ponies gathering up their immune system, it was almost like they weren't needed anymore to help steady the flow. Suddenly crimson warning lights flashed at his desk. He asked as calmly as possible what in Equestria was happening and all he got was an uncertain explanation and a "sir, y-you might want to see this." From purification site B. Clean Pipe hopped out of his chair and walked toward the elevator with an annoyed expression on his face. As soon as the elevator bell went off he started to show a more worried trot as her got closer to purification site B. What could've happened? Maybe there was a new dangerous virus that was slowly turning his employment in to zom- Clean Pipe gave himself a light slap to the face as he remembered where he was. He burst through the doors at met the worried face of Water Circuit. "Sir I am glad you came. There is an unknown creature jamming the filters and we want you to see it first hoof." "Very well Water, lead the way." They came across a large trough filled with boiling seawater from the Celestial Sea, with many different fans and fine grills keeping the larger stuff from clogging up virus removal site B. Water Circuit picked up a jar in his magic and gave it to Clean Pipe. Once Clean pushed his eyes up to the jar he could see hundreds- no, maybe thousands of microscopic creatures swimming about, fighting, eating, growing and- wait, evolving? But the insanity seemed to go on as Water Circuit slipped some gloves on his hoof and picked up- well he didn't know what to call it. It was about the size of his hoof, and looked like a small purple inflatable ball. There were spikes all around the side and large snapping jaws that kept trying to bite Water's hoof with vigour. Clean Pipe tried to stop himself from cringing in disgust as it's miniature eyes glared at him from below. "I think we should get an audience from princess Celestia to show her this creature" "Definitely Clean, then we might gain a name among the nobles and scholars of Canterlot!" -------- It was yet another day of court for the princess of the sun. Tax evasions, petty crime, building plans, yadda, yadda yadda. She checked her timetable. An audience with the boss of Celestial seawater filtering and co. Something about discovering a new species? Now this ought to be interesting from the usual moaning nobles, something interesting to end the day. "Mr Clean Pipe and Mr Water Circuit, you have called an audience for the discovery of a new species in Equestria. Please present your evidence to the court." They two stallions stepped forward and bowed, before Clean Pipe spoke up: "your highness, while we were filtering water into Equestria, we noticed several unknown entities in the water. After throughly checking the archives for note of these species, there was no immediate evidence of the species ever existing in Equestria." Celestia motioned with her head. "Go on." "After looking at boat security footage, at approximately 8 am this morning a small meteor crashed 50 miles off shore. They were about the size of your sister, forgive me, and we suspect that many of them broke off and dissolved in the water. Four and a half hours later, we picked up these creatures." Clean pipe held up a near-transparent bottle, that to the normal eye, looked like it was constantly spinning around. However, to Celestia, it was clear that there were hundreds of little beings making a living in that very jar. "And," Water Circuit began, "we have a dominant species of that jar, slightly smaller than the size of stallion's hoof. Water then brought out what could only be described by Celestia's shocked mind as a squishy purple spiky thing. "Well, your highness?" She could barely say a thing as the implications of the stars lay right before her. "Please half the jar, one shall go to the Canterlot research facility, and the other will stay with me and my sister." The duo nodded and let the princess take the jar. "And yes, you will get paid." She quipped, before motioning her adviser to give them each a large bag of bits. Their faces lit up in delight. She sighed, before saying: "This court session is now over." It was the end of the day anyway, she was allowed to look a little exhausted. She went up to Luna's bedchamber to wake her up, a little payback for yesterday's rude awakening. She creeped into her bedchamber, leaned in oh so very closely aaand... "LUNAAA WAKE UP!" Luna shot up from bed and disintegrated the bed table and the lamp and lit up her horn as bright as the sun. Celestia quickly plugged her ears with magic before shouting "SHOW YOURSELF, PETTY WHELP!" Her only answer was Celestia snickering behind her hoof. Luna turned off the Royal Canterlot voice and whisper-shouted "Sister, what is the meaning of this abnormal disturbance in my sleep? It better be good, or we shall raise the moon late today." Celestia responded "One, to get you back for disturbing my dream, no matter how important those stars were, and two, to show you this." Celestia held up the jar of creatures to Luna as she studied it. "Yes, and?" Luna was getting impatient. "Well, these creatures are from a meteorite that crashed around 8am this morning!" "You mean that horrid pushing sensation we got around that time?" "Yes, and I was planning to send half the jar to the girls, and half to the Canterlot research facility" "That is a wise choice sister. Let us send the package by dragon fire this time, as spike is already awake." "Let's"