//------------------------------//
// 1 Prologue - Hermitry 
// Story: The Parasite 
// by Shiro Otokonoko 
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The Parasite
Prologue: Hermitry



Twilight sighed, closing the ancient tome before her as she gently set it to the side of her reading table. She took a moment to admire the light, glossy wood of her 'studyin' spot', as Applejack had put it.  Smiling, she remembered the day the sweaty apple farmer had shown up at the castle gate, cart in tow.


Applejack smiled her warm, honest smile. "I know it's a little late for a housewarming present, sugarcube, but I reckon you could use somethin' to make you feel a little more at home in that big ol' castle of yours. We had some extra wood lyin' around, so I had Mac help me cut it an' sand it." The orange mare held her hat over her heart. "This here's what's left of Ol' Bocephus, rest his soul." She gave Twilight a playful wink. "I sorta figured he'd like bein' turned into something useful." 


True, she had had plenty of other housewarming – or was it castle-warming? - gifts, but this was easily her favorite.  
"Mmmm... Maybe just one more book. After all, I still have a couple hours before I meet Pinkie at the Corner." With a contented sigh, she settled into her reading chair and picked up the next book - 'Astronomy Through the Ages', she absently noted as she cracked it open. I bet Princess Luna would have quite a bit to say about this one...





Pinkie bit her lip nervously, her hoof absently tapping on the counter as the seconds crawled by. It was late afternoon at Sugarcube Corner, and shadows danced across the walls as the sun inched lower and lower toward the horizon. Ohhh, I hope Twilight doesn't forget again. This is the fifth time this month I've tried to get that silly filly out of her castle, and she never did show... I’m starting to worry about her.
The vividly pink mare perked up as she heard the door open, but soon deflated. This mare’s coat was blue, not lavender. “Oh, hey, Dash.”
Rainbow frowned. “Still a no-show?”
Pinkie nodded. “I don’t get it – she doesn’t seem upset or anything, but it’s like pulling griffon teeth trying to get  her out of the castle!”
“Umm, Pinkie? Griffons don’t have teeth.”
“Exactly!” Pinkie Pie frowned miserably. “I just wish I knew what the problem was. I mean, Twilight’s always been kind of a shut-in, but I thought she was getting better! I really did…” The party mare’s eyes shone with unshed tears.
Dash placed a comforting hoof on her friend’s shoulder.  “Hey, whatever it is, we’ll figure it out. That’s what friends do, right?”
Pinkie sniffled. “I guess so.”
The cyan pegasus’s frown deepened. I don’t know what Twi’s deal is, but it’s gotta stop. You can’t just leave your friends hangin’ like that.





Rainbow Dash ruffled her feathers irritably as she strode through the castle corridors. It’s a good thing I know exactly where Twi will be. It’d be pretty easy to get lost in here. 
As she came closer and closer to the castle’s library, she couldn’t keep a scowl from her face. Something’s up, here. I know she’s a bookworm and all, but even she isn’t that reclusive. Dash snorted. Reclusive. Gotta love that word-a-day calendar.
The library door loomed large before her. With a reluctant sigh, she gently pushed one open. “Hey, Twi.”
Twilight didn’t even look up from her book. “Hey, Dash.”
Rainbow sat opposite from her friend, and for a moment, the two mares were silent. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. “What’s going on?”
The lavender alicorn looked up with a quizzical expression. “What do you mean?”
Dash frowned. “I mean, Pinkie’s invited you to come hang with us, what – five times, now? And you never show. What’s the deal?”
Twilight blinked. “Wait, what?” She glanced over at her clock, and sighed. “Horseapples. I forgot again, didn’t I?”
“Yes, Twilight. Again.” The cyan pegasus’s frown deepened. “Is something wrong?”
“No…” Twilight sighed. “I honestly have no idea why this has been happening. I guess I’ve just been so caught up in my research, I get a little distracted.”
Rainbow snorted. “Research? Twilight, when I left the corner earlier, Pinkie was almost crying – and you know how hard it is to make that girl cry. And you’re telling me that this is because you couldn’t keep your nose outta some dusty old books?”
Twilight flinched. “I’m sorry, alright? I didn’t mean to hurt anyone…”
Dash rose from her seat, throwing Twilight a dark look over her shoulder as she walked toward the door. “Tell that to Pinkie.”





“Spike, do you think I’ve been staying in too much?” Twilight bit her lip as she looked over at her #1 assistant. He’d brought a bean-bag chair from… somewhere, and was lounging in a pool of mid-morning sun with a stack of comics.
The purple dragon shrugged. “No more than usual, I guess. Why do you ask?” Seemingly unconcerned, he flipped a page.
Twilight slumped onto her desk, careful to avoid her notes. “I don’t know, it’s just… What Rainbow said yesterday. It’s been weighing pretty heavily on my mind.”
Spike sighed, setting down his comic. “Twilight, you’re a scholar, right?”
She frowned. “Yes…?”
“And you have been since before you came here?” He gave her a piercing look.
Twilight fidgeted uncomfortably. “Well, yeah. I have been for… Pretty much forever, really.”
The young drake crossed his arms. “So why would your friends be surprised by that? Maybe they’re the ones who need to adapt.” 
“I don’t know…” Twilight closed her eyes. “I don’t know why this is suddenly a problem. I mean, it’s always been this way, right…?”
Spike rose from his chair, grabbing a book from a nearby shelf. “Here, Twi. This’ll make you feel better."
The book rose in Twilight’s pink magic, rotating to face her. “Astronomy Through the Ages, huh?” I bet Princess Luna would have quite a bit to say about this one…