//------------------------------// // Recovery // Story: The Parasprite Project // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "Well, I think everything's coming along nicely!" "I think Ponyville should thank Celestia your magic can fix things as well as they can break them..." "Please Spike, it's only right that I take charge of fixing things up. I helped make the mess after all..." "You weren't so enthusiastic about it when you got the order from Celestia." "Spike, I don't know how she found out when she was only in Ponyville for a little bit, but since she knew what else I could do?" "Did you really think you could've hidden that oopsie from Celestia, or were you just hoping she would cut you a little slack?" "I'm not in Canterlot anymore. It's not like I could bring Canterlot Castle down from all the way over here or something. I understand why Celestia had me clean up my uncontrolled magic in Canterlot. Really I do. Except for the first time, because I didn't know my own power any better at the time. And you can't put a baby dragon back in its egg anyways..." "And what would you do without me to hold your checklists and send your letters for you?" "I didn't say I didn't appreciate you being around, Spike." "Whatever. We're at the meeting place." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All around Twilight Sparkle and Spike the dragon are signs of rebuilding and recovery from the parasprite attack - walls and roofs being patched, half-eaten signs and windows being removed for later replacement, the various pony races teaming up in an impressive display of harmony and cooperation. All of it supervised by Celestia's orders by Twilight Sparkle, Spike helping with a necessary checklist. Several ponies scatter away as a small mixed squad of stallions in Royal Guard armor approach Twilight and Spike's location. The lead stallion, a grey pegasus wearing the single star of a Lieutenant, orders a halt in front of Twilight and Spike, smiling down at the latter two after the squad has halted. "Nice to see you again, Miss Sparkle. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but still..." Steelwing comments, looking around at the recovery effort. "I'm sure you're right on that, Lieutenant." Twilight Sparkle comments, flushing a bit as she speaks. "I trust then Lieutenant Crispin's command has the recovery effort well at hoof?" Steelwing asks, nodding at the signs of progress already made he can observe. "Yes indeed sir. Coordinated by myself and my assistant, of course." Twilight answers, Spike also helpfully holding up his checklist for the stallion to see. "I see. Well, my squad will just check in with Lieutenant Crispin, and we'll proceed with the incendiary extermination of the parasprites in the Everfree Forest." Steelwing replies with a tone that belied the morbid mission they were assigned with. "... Wait, 'kill it with fire' to the parasprites? Is Celestia serious?" Spike comments, looking up at Lieutenant Steelwing with concern and alarm. "At least the Captain is serious. But yes, we do need to do it." Steelwing replies with a smirk. "Cute as those things are, your friend leading the swarm into the Everfree Forest just temporarily solved the problem. We need to finish it by 'killing it with fire', as Twilight's brother would put it." Twilight and Steelwing share a chuckle - as Lieutenant Steelwing had been under the command of Shining Armor previous to becoming a Lieutenant himself, he was aware of Shining's common usage of Oubliettes and Ogres terms as informal shorthand, including 'kill it with fire'. Nevertheless, the air could not be cleared of the morbid implications, which quickly settled in again as Steelwing returned to his Royal Guard composure. "Yes, anyway, we'll rendezvous with Crispin before doing anything else. Please keep either him or myself informed of the recovery progress." Steelwing concludes after clearing his throat. "Yes sir, sir!" Twilight replies with an overdramatic salute that makes Steelwing briefly chuckle again... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LATER... At the edge of Ponyville near the Everfree Forest, Lieutenants Crispin and Steelwing were comparing notes as a unicorn from Steelwing's squadron was outfitting ponies from both commands to participate in the "incendiary extermination" operation. Since the citizens of Ponyville were handling the recovery effort pretty well by themselves, the Lieutenants could afford to spare a few stallions from each squad for the operation. "So then once the stallion come back with the food and water rations, we'll be able to proceed with..." Crispin was saying, when the cry of an alarmed filly interrupted the conversation and drew the attention of both Lieutenants in its general direction. "Filly, let go of my leg!" the outfitting unicorn was saying in annoyance, trying to shake off a hindleg the clinging-on yellow pegasus filly with a pink mane. Several Guard stallions show annoyance, if not mortification, at this interruption of his task. "Fluttershy, you're being ridiculous! Let them do their work!" Rainbow Dash exclaims as she flies onto the scene, obviously chasing down Fluttershy's misguided effort to stop the incendiary extermination. "Who told her about that?" Crispin asks Steelwing with a curious look, the response from Steelwing being a simple shrug. "No you can't! Think about those poor little things, and all the other critters in the forest!" Fluttershy was pleading the unicorn stallion, seeming to be near inconsolable tears. "Fluttershy, those 'poor little things' just ate half the town! We don't want to have to go through all that again!" Rainbow Dash exclaims in exasperation, landing near the clinging Fluttershy in preparation for trying to pull her off. "Filly, we have our orders and you are getting in the way! Let go of my leg!" the unicorn shouts out in quick addition. "But those things were just hungry! They have to eat too!" Fluttershy pleads again. "Filly, none of us care about that fact right now. And even if you were Princess Celestia herself, you would not be able to deter us from our duty. Now let go of my leg before I have to put you under arrest!" Fluttershy continues her pleading stare up to the unicorn stallion, but turns to face Rainbow Dash when the latter taps a forehoof on Fluttershy's clinging form. Rainbow sighs as she sees her fellow pegasus breaking down in tears - certainly she felt sorry that Fluttershy had to experience the traumatic mental image of parasprites being burned alive, but Dash knew it was for the best to not let Fluttershy have her way. "Come on Fluttershy, let's go. It's not pretty, sure, but it'll be better for everypony in the long run." Dash says, her expression one of frank sincerity. It takes a few agonizing seconds, but Fluttershy does let loose her grasp. Lieutenants Crispin and Steelwing sadly shake heads as Rainbow Dash escorts an inconsolable Fluttershy away and preparations for the incendiary extermination operation continue. "What I want to know is who felt the need to tip off that filly about what we were doing? And where in Equestria is that stallion with the supplies?!?" Steelwing asks in extreme annoyance. "I can't tell you the answer to either of those questions. And that worries me..." Crispin comments, looking over the preparations for the operation once again...