Time and Masks

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Summer Sun Parasprites

It was the second summer since Dinky had become the latest student of Princess Celestia and started attending the Academy for Gifted Unicorns. A full year of studying and learning. Another summer had started of having the filly work out and train with the newest recruits for the royal guard.

Except today.

Today was a day to sped around town and with her friends since tomorrow was the Summer Sun Celebration. All of Canterlot was getting ready to celebrate, preparing to be up all night and ready for the raising of the sun for the longest day of the year. Even more of an effort was made by the city because Celestia was holding the ceremony in Canterlot once again.

All around town, ponies were working hard so they could have a wonderful celebration this night. There were decorations being set up and food being prepared. Stages were being set up and musicians hired. Nearly everypony working was working hard so they could have fun later.

Dinky was with her friends Twinkleshine and Wind Tunnel, walking around Canterlot and looking at all the work being put into the celebration. The group stopped as they caught sight of one of Princess Celestia's representatives. The representative did not look happy as she worked. Floating beside her was a scroll and quill, several boxes were ticked off.

"Just think," Twinkleshine said to Dinky, "Some day that could be you making sure everything was ready."

"What?" Dinky turned to look at her friend. "You think Princess Celestia would put me in charge of setting up a Summer Sun Celebration?"

"Why not?" The white unicorn asked. "After all, she did with her last student, did she not?"

"I thought you said that she did that so Twilight would meet the other Elements of Harmony," Wind Tunnel said.

"She did..." Twinkleshine shifted. "It's just... We don't know what the princess has planned for Dinky, if anything." She looked at her friend and smirked. "Maybe we should stop being your friends so you'll end up making whole new friends and saving Equestria."

Dinky let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. She was going to reply, but something caught her attention. Turning, she went in search of what she glimpsed, walking down one of the alleys. Her friends had missed her leaving right away, taking a moment to realize she was no longer with them.

Looking around, the lavender grey filly saw nothing at first. She was turning to leave when she heard a small burping sound. Dinky turned to look at the source, freezing with her eyes growing wide.

Sitting on a crate were two small ball shaped creatures, one blue and one orange. Both of them had a dragonfly-like wings from their back and looked up at her with large green eyes. One of the let out a small chirp.

Dinky let out a gasp and reared back from the things. Her horn burst with energy and glowed blue. Before even realizing it, she had wrapped the two creatures in her magic, levitating them in front of her and keeping them from getting away.

"Oh no," she snarled, "I am not going through something like that ever again."

"Dinky," Wind Tunnel called out. "There you are. We didn't see you and wondered where you went. What are..." He stopped as he looked at the two floating creatures in Dinky's magical aura. "...What are those."

"They're parasprites," Dinky responded.

"What's a parasprite?" Twinkleshine asked, moving to look at them as well.

"...You mean you don't know?" The lavender unicorn looked at her friend in surprise, getting a head shake in return. "They're a little bug that's a pest. They eat anything and everything in sight. Then they burp up another and are hungry again."

"What do you mean burp up another?"

"Well.. Let's say this one," Dinky pointed at the blue one, "was the only one, and it was hungry. It would eat... whatever it could. But instead of getting full, it would burp and spit out this one." She pointed at the orange one. "Now there's two of them and they're both hungry. So they go look for food and do it again."

"That's kind of cool," Wind Tunnel said, grinning.

"That's kind of gross," Twinkleshine replied, wrinkling her nose. "How do you know so much about these?"

"A bunch of them came to Ponyville," Dinky responded. "Well... I guess one came to Ponyville and they multiplied from there... " She shook her head. "Anyway, first they started eating all the food, then they started to eat everything else.:

"...When you say 'everything else'..." Wind Tunnel turned toward the filly.

"Chairs, tables, buildings... Everything. They probably would have started eating ponies next."

"How did you stop them?" Twinkleshine asked.

"Pinkie Pie did," Dinky replied. "Well... sorta. She collected instruments from all over town, then started playing them as she walked through Ponyville. For some reason the parasprites followed her. Then the just kind of... bounced into The Everfree Forest and disappeared." She turned back to the two she held. "Do either of you have some kind of empty container we can put them in?"

"Give me a moment," Twinkleshine responded. "I can move some stuff around and fit it all in one side of my saddlebags." her horn glowed as she lifted the bag from her back. Quickly opening them, she transferred the contents from one side to the other. When she finished, Dinky stuck the two parasprites into the empty one.

"I need a favor. I need you two to start looking around town and find any other parasprites. Keep them away from any food and try to catch them if you can."

"What are you going to do?" Wind Tunnel asked.

"I'm going to see if I can find Princess Celestia. If there are more, we'll need Pinkie Pie's help. Or at least the information she knows on how to stop them from attacking."

"Okay," Twinkleshine said as she started for the alley entrance, "Come on Wind, let's start with the food stalls that are setting up."

"Be careful," Wind Tunnel called to Dinky as he ran after his friend.

"You too," she called back. With them gone, the filly looked around, feeling like she was being watched.

Not seeing anything, she headed out of the alley. Quickly she turned and started running toward the castle. If things went the way the filly wanted, she would be able to find Celestia, get a message to Pinkie Pie, and have a way to get rid of the parasprites in an hour. Actually, if things went the way she wanted, the only parasprites in Canterlot would be the two in Twinkleshine's bag and there would be no need for the information. The problem was they were to destructive to rely on that hope.

Once again she got a feeling of being watched. Stopping, she turned just in time to see a purple orb flying through the air at her. Without thinking, she jumped to one side as hard as she could. The orb hit the ground, a cloud of purple smoke puffing up into the air. Dinky winced in pain as one of her legs scraped against the cobblestones. Opening her eyes, she looked around again.

Standing not far off was a unicorn dressed in black with a blue flower on the flank of the outfit. Her head held high and horn glowed with magic as she held several more orbs.

"Poison Joke Prankster?" Dinky blurted out as she moved to stand up again.

"Please," the dark dressed unicorn said, "Let's go with Poison Prank. Less of a mouthful and better alliteration."

"...But... Poison Joke isn't purple..."

"Yes. I had to expand my repertoire. There is only so much one can do with a singular gimmick. That was a knock-out powder."

"What?" Dinky stepped back, staring at Poison Prank. "Why would you want to knock me out?"

"Because, I simply can't allow you to complete your task." The unicorn mare moved closer, watching the filly. "It has taken quite a bit of effort, and it is far too soon for the Princesses to interfere."

"You? You released the parasprites?"

"Well... Not I alone. My associate is currently occupied handling your friends though. It seemed prudent if we separate and handle both issues. Now you can either come with me quietly and be my guest until dawn, or-"

Dinky ran.

Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

One of them let out a small chirp.

Then they just kind of... bounced into The Everfree Forest and disappeared."

The problem was they were too destructive to rely on that hope.