Fictionationality - Equestria

by Spirit Guide

Plague of Locust Revisited

Fluttershy picked up another flower, adding it to the basket strapped to her back. She loved gathering beautiful flowers and today there was a special purpose for it: Princess Celestia would be visiting Ponyville tomorrow and Fluttershy had been asked to help with the decorating of the town as the three Flowers Ponies were slightly put-upon. She'd happily accepted the job and took to it with enthusiasm with her animal friend to help her.

"La, la la, la la, la la, la la," Fluttershy sang as she cantered over to another patch of flowers. She turned her head as a gust of wind blew through the field she and her animal friend were in. "Um, Fang?" she called over to the dragon, who was flying a kite beside a tree. "Do you want to come and help a bit? If you want to, that is."

Fang didn't reply right away, as he was in the middle of singing a song.

Little kite tell me, for I cannot fly
Can you see distant oceans and mountains so high
But most of all tell me, for I cannot see
Is there a G-d in heaven, does he know of me?

Fluttershy trotted over to Fang and looked up at his kite. "That's a pretty song," she said kindly. "Did you make it up yourself?"

Fang smiled and began to reel the kite in. "No. It's not even one of my favorite songs, but it's appropriate for what I'm doing, even if I can fly."

"It's very nice."

"Thanks." Fang rolled up his kite line and tucked it and the kite behind his back, attaching it to his spines. He reached down and plucked a clawful of dandelions. "Will these do?"

"They're very pretty," Fluttershy admitted, "but the flowers we're picking now are for Princess Celestia. We should get the prettiest ones we can find."

Another breeze blew through the field, blowing the dandelion clocks off the stems. "Valid point," Fang said nonchalantly, throwing the stalks over his shoulder.

Fluttershy and Fang walked up a small hill, where a basket of apples was sitting on a stump. They were merrily picking more flowers when a rock on the ground beside them chirped suddenly, shocking Fluttershy into dropping her flower basket and hiding behind the apple one.

Fang's eyes grew suspicious as he approached the guilty stone. He prodded it hard. At once, a small creature hopped onto the rock. Its body was round and blue. It had four insect-like legs and four large transparent wings. Two large green eyes took up most of its face. The critter looked at Fang and chirped adorably.

Curious but still wary, Fang stuck out a finger. The creature leapt onto his finger and purred contentedly. "Hey Fluttershy, lookie here!" he called.

Fluttershy crept out from behind the stump and approached. "Oh my," she said, watching the critter with increasing delight. "What is it?"

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like it before. I was hoping you would know."

The little creature sniffed at an apple that had fallen from the basket. "Oh, it must be hungry," Fluttershy figured. She crushed the apple into smaller pieces with her hoof and Fang lowered the creature down beside the fruit. But instead of feasting on the crushed apple, it whizzed over to the basket and quickly consumed every apple in it, despite every fruit being bigger than itself.

Fang stared in amazement. "That thing packs away as much as Pinkie Pie," he commented.

"He must've been really hungry," Fluttershy guessed. The creature hovered gently towards them, nestled itself in Fluttershy mane and purred cutely.

"He's the most adorable thing ever!" Fluttershy exclaimed, gently nuzzling it. "We should go show it to the others." Without another word, she started back towards Ponyville.

Fang glanced at the empty apple basket on the ground. That thing sure knows how to pig out, he said to himself. Better not team it up with Pinkie or the Princess's welcome banquet won't be a banquet for very long. Gathering up Fluttershy's dropped flowers and putting them back into her forgotten basket, he heaved them on top of his own flowers and followed the pegasus.

*

Twilight ran her feather duster over the desk. "Hurry up, Spike! This place isn't gonna clean itself."

"It also didn't mess itself up," the dragon said under his breath.

Spirit swung by on the rolling ladder, beaming with joy. "Enough doom and gloom!" he insisted. "Princess Celestia is coming tomorrow!"

After over two weeks, the Princesses had finally agreed to meet with Spirit and Fang. This came in the form of a letter that Fang spat out with a loud flaming belch. Neither Twilight nor Spirit had any explanation for how this happened but the moment they saw the contents of the letter, they both stopped caring about that. The letter was from Princess Celestia, announcing that she was intending to visit Ponyville and, with Princess Luna's approval, was going to use this as an opportunity to meet with Twilight's new friends. This had put Spirit in the highest of..... well, spirits. After informing the rest of Ponyville of Celestia's visit, he quickly took off to do some of the tasks himself. The preparations were almost done and right on time too.

"I thought this was just an unofficial casual visit," Spike said innocently.

"There's nothing casual about a visit from royalty," Twilight protested. "I want this place to be spotless, and you've barely made a dent in the clutter."

Spirit stopped his ladder behind her. "Take it down a notch," he asked of Twilight, pouting. "You're making a dent in the mood."

Spike picked up a stack of books and climbed up the ladder Spirit had abandoned. "Maybe you should start reading them one at a time—"

"If we read like that, we'd fall behind in our studies!" Twilight said dramatically as Spike toppled from the ladder, closely followed by the books he was carrying.

"It's a good thing it's not a requirement for me," Spirit added cheerily, levitating a few books off of the baby dragon and back onto their shelves. He was still smiling, ever since he'd gotten the letter. "Just a helpful literal enhancement."

Come on Spike!" Twilight said, brushing the book on Spike's head. "Everything's got to be perfect. No time for fooling around."

"You know," Spike began, "this would be an awful lot easier if there weren't two of us here getting under each other's feet."

Twilight eyes sparkled as the idea clicked. "Great idea." She wrapped her magic around Spirit's tail and pulled him towards the door. "You clean, we'll go see how everyone else's preparations are coming."

"You wanna let me walk there myself?" Spirit asked, tapping his hoof patiently on the floor.

"Oops! Sorry." Twilight released her magic and the two unicorns stepped out.

Spike groaned as the door closed behind them. "Man, I wish Fang was here."

Spirit and Twilight trotted towards Sugarcube Corner, looking back and forth between everypony and their work. Some ponies were organizing flower arrangements while others cleaned up the streets. Streamers and bells were hung on the trees and Ponyville was looking absolutely festive. Twilight and Spirit stopped to watch a banner being raised by Carrot Top and Berry Punch, but then Twilight noticed something troubling. "What happened to the rest of her name?" she asked. For the banner read Welcome Princess Celest.

"We couldn't fit it all in," Carrot Top explained.

"You can't hang a banner that says Welcome Princess Celest," Twilight informed. "Take it down and try again."

Spirit looked up at the banner, then at the pile of materials beside it. Still smiling, he lit his horn and floated some paper and colors up to the edge of the banner and shot a wave of energy up at it. A cloud of smoke obscured the end of the banner and when it cleared, it revealed the banner now bearing Celestia's name properly. "There, that should do it," Spirit said contentedly.

Carrot and Berry were amazed. "Thanks a lot, Spirit Guide!" Berry Punch cheered.

"You saved us some time," Carrot said happily. "Now we can go help hang more streamers." The two earth ponies dashed off.

"Nice work," Twilight complimented, looking up at the fixed banner. "I probably wouldn't have been able to do that myself. Sorry if I sounded a bit harsh with Berry and Carrot Top."

"It's quite understandable," Spirit said kindly as they passed Bon Bon watering flowers. "Nice work," he complimented to the earth pony. Then to Twilight, he said, "You're stressed and you want to please your mentor. Let's not dwell on it too much."

They entered the bakery. Inside, Carrot Cake and Cup Cake were busy setting a long table with food and rolling out dough for more. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cake," Twilight greeted them. "How's the banquet coming?"

Mrs. Cake frowned unsurely. "Uh...it would be coming a little better if..." She pointed at the seemingly quiet banquet table.

The two unicorns turned to see what was troubling Mrs. Cake. Taking a second glance at the table, they found that most of the food had big chunks missing from. A large fancy cake topped with a crown sat in the center of the table, but suddenly it exploded in waves of chocolate and frosting, revealing a certain pink pony now wearing the crown and a cake-beard. Pinkie Pie licked the cake off her face and smiled contentedly.

Twilight looked like she might flip out. "Pinkie!" she yelped. "What are you doing? Those sweets are supposed to be for the Princess."

"We are asking ponies to make more food than she could probably eat though," Spirit added thoughtfully.

Pinkie looked around at the foods she'd already been through. "I know. That's why I'm tasting them," she said hurriedly without missing a beat. "Somepony needs to make sure that everything is tasty enough to touch the royal tongue." She zipped towards the counter, where another cake stood untouched. "And I, Pinkie Pie, declare that these treats are fit for a king, or a queen, or a princess."

She was about to chow down when Spirit grasped her fluffy tail and held her several inches away from the dessert. Twilight moved towards Pinkie to tell her to stop when a voice from outside said, "Twilight, Spirit, Pinkie, you won't believe... " With a short skip, Fluttershy leapt into the bakery but when she saw the three ponies in their awkward position, she stopped herself and ended up sliding the rest of the way in. "Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized. "Am I interrupting?"

Fang walked in casually and stood beside her. "I hope were not interrupting anything important," Fang said, his tone rolling back and forth between serious, silly and suspicious.

"No, not at all," Pinkie told her, eyeing the cake just out of her reach. "Come on in and make yourself at home." She opened her mouth and wrapped her tongue around the cake, dragging it into her maw and swallowing it whole before either of the unicorns could stop her.

Twilight glared at Pinkie, but let the issue slide. "What's gotten you so excited, Fluttershy?" Spirit asked, for he had never seen Fluttershy skip so energetically, although he had seen Fang make the same face he was now wearing.

"You won't believe what Fang and I found at the edge of the Everfree Forest," Fluttershy said. She looked at the end of her mane hanging at her side. "Come on out, little guy. It's okay."

The small blue creature poked out of her mane and hovered out, closely followed by two similar creatures colored yellow and brown. Fluttershy gasped. "Three?"

Fang scratched his head. "No way were there three before. I remember, there was exactly one."

"Well, there are three now," Spirit said, he and Twilight trotting over to inspect. "Although—"

"They're amazing," Twilight finished for him. "What are they?"

"I'm not sure," Fluttershy replied as the critters flew about over their heads. "I'm also not sure where these other two came from."

"I'll take one off your hooves," Twilight offered as the yellow one drew circles around her and landed on her leg. "I've never seen anything so... adorable." She leaned in and gently hugged the creature, but stopped and blushed when she caught the others staring at her. "Besides, it'll be nice to have a companion for Spike so he won't bother Spirit and me so much while we're studying."

"Hey Pinkie!" Spirit called over. "How about you? You want the third one?"

"UGH!" Pinkie exclaimed disgustedly. "A parasprite? Are you kidding?" She clopped off towards the door.

"Ugh?" Fluttershy repeated in disbelief.

"A para-what?" Twilight inquired.

"What's the big deal, Pinkie?" Spirit asked as the pink pony stopped in the doorway.

Pinkie groaned. "Now I gotta go find a trombone."

The three ponies stared at her. "Say again?" Fang requested attentively.

"A trombone," Pinkie repeated. "You know—" She mimed blowing the brass instrument and imitated its sound. Then she pointed a hoof at Fang. "Fang, think you can help me?"

The green dragon took one more look at the parasprites and scowled. "I'm in," he replied, walking over to Pinkie.

"Great!" she said, wrapping him in a quick hug. "Now let's go!" She leapt out of Sugarcube Corner and down the street, Fang flying close behind her.

Twilight sighed. "Typical Pinkie." Her yellow parasprite purred and she smiled. "Come on, Spirit," she said to the stallion. "We'd better go see how Rarity's doing with her outfits for Celestia's visit."

Spirit watched the brown parasprite float in front of his face, finally coming to sit on his muzzle. "Guess I may as well take this guy along with us," he said, staring down his nose at the little insect-like creature. He had never seen anything quite like the parasprites before and was more than curious about them. "Even if Fang doesn't want him, it just means Spike will get two new buddies."

"Alright then. We'll see you later, Fluttershy."

"Bye guys."

*

When Spirit and Twilight walked into Carousel Boutique, they found Rainbow Dash sitting on Rarity's dressing table, decked in a most un-Rainbow Dash outfit which Rarity was adjusting. Behind her, clothed in a flashy jacket, stood Silver Shade who looked not nearly as unhappy as Rainbow Dash, but still bored. Scattered around the boutique were more fancy clothes, set up on Rarity's mannequins, all made specially for Celestia's visit. "Stand still, Rainbow Dash," Rarity demanded, her mouth full of pins.

"I can't," Rainbow whined. "I need to fly!" She flapped her wings and tried to get away, but Rarity held her tail down and forced the pegasus to land. "This is waaay too boring for me."

"You don't see me complaining," Silver argued, "and I'm the one who looks like a filly's art project."

"At least you don't have a wig," Rainbow shot back.

Rarity spat the pins out onto the table. "Do you want to look nice for Princess Celestia or not?" she challenged. Rainbow Dash didn't argue with that and sat down obediently so Rarity could continue her work.

"You look smashing, Silver," Spirit announced, walking further into the boutique with Twilight.

"Wow," Twilight exclaimed as she beheld the ensembles. "Rarity, those outfits are gorgeous."

"Thank you both," Rarity replied gratefully. "Nice to know someone appreciates my talents." She glanced pointedly at Rainbow Dash, who just sat there looking glum.

Spirit trotted over and put his hooves on the table. "Feeling alright, Dashie?" he asked rather smugly.

"Ugh," Rainbow groaned, pulling on her eyelids. "Sooo boooring."

Twilight's yellow parasprite chirped from within her mane and Spirit's did the same from his bangs, attracting the attention of the other ponies. "Huh? Rarity uttered.

Rainbow Dash flew from the table and landed behind the unicorns. "What's that sound, Twilight?" she asked.

With a chirp, a pink parasprite hopped out of Twilight's mane and onto her back, where her yellow one and an extra blue one came into view. Likewise, Spirit's brown parasprite floated onto his horn, closely followed by a purple parasprite and a red one. "What in the world?" Silver exclaimed, staring at the six creatures.

"Wow, what are they?" Rainbow asked.

"More like 'where did they come from?'" Spirit suggested. "We each only had one before."

"I'll take one!" Rainbow scooped up the pink parasprite and snuggled it.

"Me too," Rarity cried, holding out a hoof and accepting two of Spirit's parasprites. "They're perfect!"

Silver watched as the red parasprite flew around his head and through his cloudy mane. "I dunno," he said unsurely. "They seem a bit.... Off."

"Oh, do lighten up Silver," Rarity chuckled. "They're just fine. Better than fine even."

"You may as well give it a try," Spirit offered.

The parasprite perched itself on the manifestation pony's ear and purred. Silver smiled. "Alright, fine. They are kind of cute."

Pinkie appeared in the open doorway looking frantic. "Does anypony know where I can find an accordion?" she called in. She was met by the sound of the ponies inside playing with their parasprites and making ridiculous noises. Even Spirit was tapping his gently back and forth.

"Hellooo!" Pinkie yelled, trying to get their attention. "Anypony? This is important!" When nopony replied, she grunted again. "Thanks a lot!"

Fang dashed to her side from who knows where, gripping an accordion. "Here Pinkie, I found one!" he reported, holding up the odd instrument.

"Great, Fang!" she replied. "We'd better go find a harmonica now. We'll need it." The two friends rushed away from the pony-and parasprite-filled boutique, with an accordion in tow.

*

Later that evening, Twilight surveyed the library. The walls were clean, the floor sparkled and every book was back in its place. The day was a tricky one but they'd made it through. "Oh, the decorations, the banquet," she said, still uneasy about Celestia's visit. "I really hope everything comes together in time for tomorrow."

"You need to relax Twilight," Spirit told her, wrapping a hoof comfortingly around the purple unicorn. "Freaking out when you're so close to your goal isn't good."

Twilight quickly pulled Spirit into a close embrace, hugging him back. Spirit showed little surprise in reply to her sudden reaction. This was a favorable way to calm down. "Thanks Spirit," Twilight whispered into his ear. "You always know what to say when I'm feeling stressed."

"Hey, if anypony should be stressed, it should be me," he argued. "I'm going to meet Princess Celestia for the first time in my life. If she's anything like what I've heard from you and the others, then I'm going to need all the relaxation I can get."

"Guess we'd better get some shuteye then." They each went over to their beds and got under the covers. Next to Twilight's bed, Spike was happily snoozing with two parasprites sleeping next to him. Just below them, on the second level of the upper floor of the library, Silver hovered in a trance-like state, his body even more gaseous than normal, with a parasprites nestled in a thicker swatch of his form. Fang, however, had returned home from his hunt with Pinkie, looking a little concerned and very tired. He now lay in his bed with his eyebrows slanted across his forehead, as if he was angry at something.

"Everything is ready," Spirit muttered sleepily.

"Nothing to worry about," Twilight yawned.

Both unicorns dropped onto their pillows, immersed in peaceful thoughts and blissfully unaware of any troubles.

*

Twilight awoke the next morning with a start. While the parasprites did make rather audible sleeping sounds, it had now become almost deafening. Twilight opened her eyes to find her bed covered in parasprites. She shot up out of bed, causing the little creatures to fly everywhere. "Spirit! Spike! Fang!" she yelled, falling out of bed.

The boys got up with a start. Spirit's hair was mussed-up and full of colorful parasprites, which he waved away. "Oh my holy Lord in Heaven," he uttered, staring in disbelief at the numerous critters.

Spike stirred slightly, then screamed when he found his vision blocked by two parasprites on his face, which he quickly removed. Fang, somehow, had escaped his bed's being infested by parasprites and looked around. A lopsided-smirk slipped onto his face. "So that's it," he said quietly.

"Why are there so many?!" Silver roared from downstairs. He swooped up into the second floor of the library, bumping parasprites left and right, and flew around the room before whizzing back down the staircase.

"I don't know!" Spike admitted to the others. "The little guy got hungry in the night, so I gave him a snack, but... I have no idea where these others came from." The parasprites had begun to fly about the room, knocking over the books and scrolls Spike had so carefully organized."Oh no! They're messing up all my hard work!" the dragon grumbled.

"We don't have much time before the Princess is suppose to come!" Spirit reminded, batting at a parasprite with his hoof. "We've got to stop them."

Fang looked around at the general chaos of the usually-tidy bedroom. "No offense to cleaning up, but I've got a previous engagement that's absolutely mandatory before Celesta arrives. Adios." He shot off down the stairs. The others heard the door open and slam shut as Fang left the library.

"Forget it," Twilight declared. "Let's just get to work."

The four friends did their best to stop the parasprites' destruction. Twilight ran after them armed with her feather duster, Spirit was slapping them with an unfinished letter, Silver tried to confuse them by trapping them in his mane and Spike went around gathering them into a basket, which eventually crashed down on top of the dragon, burying him in parasprites.

Spike looked up at the three unamused ponies standing around and staring down at him. "I know, I know," he said collectedly. "'Stop fooling around'."

*

While the remaining residents of Golden Oak Library were facing off with the parasprite infestation, Rarity was having the time of her life. Well, since her last sale anyway. When she'd woken up, she'd discovered that there were now more cute little critters fluttering around her home. And if that wasn't good enough, they even helped her with her work.

"Not only are you adorable," she told the parasprites, "but you're also quite useful."

The yellow parasprite Rarity was stroking purred happily but then gagged and grunted as though there was something in its mouth. "Oh!" Rarity exclaimed in alarm. "Are you okay?"

The parasprite replied by opening its mouth and coughing up a large brown lump straight into Rarity's eye. The white unicorn peered in disgust at the slimy ball on her face and pulled it off, exclaiming distastefully. But then the brown lump in her hoof shook, sprouted wings and legs and turned into.... a brown parasprite, cute and smiling.

"Aaah! Gross gross gross!" Rarity yelped, waving away the new critter. "No creature that behaves so revoltingly is allowed in my boutique!" The parasprite ignored her, instead coughing up another lump, pink this time, which became another parasprite.

The sickening sight was too much for Rarity. She screeched and hurried to work. After some considerable amount of chasing, she'd successfully packed all the parasprites inside the boutique into her saddlebags and shut them in. "And you'll stay in there until I know what to do with you," she told the still-smiling bugs. Popping the stuffed bags onto her back, Rarity left the boutique, immediately encountering Fang, who was looking quite pleased.

"Hey there, Rarity," he greeted. Fang showed her what he was holding. "I went over to Applejack's and she lent me a harmonica. I think it'll do the trick." He put the harmonica to his lips and played a short tune on it. "I hope Pinkie think so," he added.

The parasprites in Rarity's saddlebags chirped and pushed at the straps holding them in. Fang looked over as Rarity quickly pushed them back down. "Oh boy, nice timing too," the dragon muttered in relief.

"Fang darling, I'm a little busy right now," Rarity stated.

The dragon threw up his arms. "Who isn't? You know, there's a reason I'm here on my own to tell you this. Pinkie said we should split up in order to find the instruments. Do you know how many we still have to get? I'll let you in on it: a lot. And that's more than a few." Fang pulled Rarity into a huddle. "If you help out and take a share of the instruments, we'll hopefully be able to gather them all in time."

"Please Fang," Rarity implored. "I don't have time for some silly scavenger hunt. I've got a real problem." She trotted off to find Twilight and Spirit.

Fang watched her leave. "A problem? No kidding." He suddenly slammed a fist into his palm. "And there's only one solution: a balalaika!"

Rarity rolled her eyes as Fang shot into the air and vanished from sight. Her trot became a gallop as she searched for her unicorn friends. She turned a corner and, to her surprise, found Twilight, Silver and Spirit running in her direction, Silver laden with Twilight's saddlebags.

"What a coincidence," Spirit said, noting Rarity's parasprite-filled bags. "We were wondering how you fared."

"Not too well, if that's what you mean," Rarity replied.

"Me neither!" came a shout from above. Rainbow Dash zoomed by, a small swarm of parasprite close behind her. She too had found her home infested with more than what she had that morning and realized that too many parasprites were far too huggy and attached for Rainbow Dash's taste.

"It took way too much time to get all of ours into my saddlebags," Twilight explained. "We couldn't use Spirit's because they're holding the Seals and who knows what else, but Silver was kind enough to carry mine." The manifestation pony smiled

"There's gotta be a way to get rid of them," Spirit pondered. "And we'd better find it quick before the Princess gets here."

Silver rolled his shoulders. "We should ask Fluttershy. She's knowledgeable about animals, she's bound to have a solution."

The other ponies agreed and they all galloped off the Fluttershy's cottage. Their hopes were dashed, however, when they opened the cottage door and a huge swarm of parasprites burst out. "Darn it!" Silver groaned, rushing into the cottage.

Twilight, Spirit, Rarity and Rainbow Dash followed him inside, shocked by what they found. Parasprites were everywhere, filling the air and waving utensils. Fluttershy was in the center of all this, hopping back and forth through the overhanging swarm.

"Do something Fluttershy!" Twilight pleaded. "Can't you control them?"

"I've tried everything I know," Fluttershy explained, running this way and that. "I've tried begging, and pleading, and beseeching, and asking politely and... "

Everypony stood there, taking in the news. If Fluttershy can't stop the parasprites, who can? Twilight thought about Princess Celestia and how she would react to all this. The worst thing that came to mind was the thought of the parasprites assaulting the Princess on her arrival and carrying her off. As her mind conjured up this image, Twilight glanced sideways at Spirit, who caught her gaze and uncovered her thoughts through her expression. "Clam down, Twilight," Spirit said soothingly. "You can't let yourself fall to this obstacle. This concerns more the just the two of us. We need to stand strong and continue searching for an answer, for everypony's sake."

Depression and submission were gnawing at Twilight's heart, but her friend's words brought back her confident attitude and dispelled her mental scenario. She led the others outside, where the parasprites continued to cough each other up, increasing their numbers. "We have to get control over them before the Princess arrives," Twilight said in a concerned but calm voice. "Otherwise it'll be a total disaster."

Rarity watched in disgust as a yellow parasprite barfed up a brown one. "Ew!" she squealed as the two critters snuggled. "If you ask me it's already a total disaster."

Right then, Applejack came over the way, harnessed to a cart full of apples. "Here's all those apples you wanted, Fluttershy," the farm pony called over, "but Ah still can't figure why y'need so many." Before she could say another word, several parasprites zipped over and dove into her cart, devouring the apples in seconds. "Hey!" Applejack yelled indignantly as the parasprites flew off, leaving the wagon empty.

Fluttershy looked morose. "What do we do?"

Twilight gasped delightedly as an idea came to her. "I got it! No pony can herd like Applejack."

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash agreed. "We can drive 'em back into the forest."

"Hopefully they'll stay there," Silver added.

Applejack made a disgruntled sound, but looked willing. "I'll rastle 'em up, but I'll need everypony's help to do it." She took a step towards the swarming parapsrites and thought out her plan. "Twilight, you, Spirit and Rarity wait over there. I'll herd the little critters straight at ya like a funnel." She waited until the three unicorns had taken their positions all around the trail. "Rainbow Dash, you, Silver and Fluttershy stay on top of 'em, don't let 'em fly away."

"Aye aye," Rainbow Dash replied, saluting. The three flying ponies hovered into the air above the parasprites.

"Yeeeeeee-haw!" Applejack yelled joyously, and the chase began. She ran right at the parasprites, driving them down the path but whenever they veered off, there escape was blocked by either Twilight, Rarity or Spirit, forcing them to huddle together. Some parasprites tried to evade the ponies by flying away, but Rainbow, Fluttershy and Silver kept them in check. Slowly but surely, all the parasprites were assembled into one spot, forming a loose sphere.

"Alright y'all," Applejack announced, "here goes nothin'."

She set the ball of parasprites rolling along the path and ran after it. Twilight, Spirit and Rarity ran alongside the ball, watching for escaping parasprites and leading them back in. Fluttershy, Silver and Rainbow Dash did likewise from above, flying over the balled-up bothers and chasing back any who made bids for freedom. Spirit was loving it. Running with friends while putting a stop to a catastrophe. This was the kind of stuff he took pleasure in being a part of. The chase even had its own music: a western-sounding tune played on a harmonica.

Wait a second, Spirit thought. Real life doesn't have theme music. He turned his head and found Pinkie Pie running alongside him and Twilight, Fang on her back playing the harmonica masterfully in synch with the moment. "Pinkie?"

Twilight heard this and turned as well, everypony still keeping the pace with the rolling parasprites. "Pinkie!"

"Guys, we don't have much time," Pinkie warned them, Fang's harmonica sliding back and forth in his claws to continue the music .

"You're telling us," Twilight said in desperate agreement. "The Princess could arrive at any moment."

"Exactly," Pinkie recognized. "That's why I need you all to drop what you're doing and help me find some maracas."

"Maracas?" Spirit repeated awkwardly. "Pinkie, you do know that this isn't the best time to be looking for maracas?"

Fang gasped and stopped playing, though the music echoed in the air. "Of course!" he exclaimed brightly. "We need a tuba! We gotta have a tuba. Let's go, Pinkie!"

"Right," Pinkie replied, nodding in agreement. Then to the others, she said, "Okay, follow me!" And she dashed off, Fang resuming his harmonica playing. Twilight and the others watched them go but otherwise ignored the pink pony and the green dragon on her back. When Pinkie noticed this, she scrambled back to the front. "I said 'follow me'!" she repeated.

"Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash said, lowering herself beside the unicorns as she flew, "you are so random."

"You're all just stubborn!" Fang declared. "Come on, Pinks. We've got a tuba to find." He put the harmonica back in his mouth and blew as he and Pinkie rushed away from the parasprites and the ponies leading them.

"Forget them, everypony," Applejack told the others as she returned her attention to the orb of parasprites in front of her. "Focus. Head 'em up and move 'em out." They guided the parasprites along the path away from Ponyville and towards the Everfree, whereupon reaching its entrance they let the ball roll on its own, taking the troublesome critters right into the forest.

"All right!" Rainbow Dash cheered, slamming her hoof down on Fluttershy's outstretched hooves.

"Ouch," the yellow pegasus muttered, looking at her sore hooves. She'd forgotten Rainbow was a little rough.

"We did it," Twilight announced, relishing in their success.

"You did well, Applejack," Spirit said warmly.

Applejack smiled at her friends. "Couldn't a'done it without y'all."

Twilight turned around. "Now let's get back and clean up the mess they made before the Princess arrives." The seven ponies left the Everfree Forest and returned to Fluttershy's cottage, Twilight going through all the preparations they now had to deal with. "Okay, everypony knows what to do, right?" she asked them all as they approached the cottage. "We gotta work extra hard to make up for lost time."

Fluttershy landed in front of her door and opened it. A storm of parasprites zoomed out of her house, their numbers so great it was frightening even Silver. Everypony stood aghast as the small creatures whizzed around them and whipped up wind as they escaped Fluttershy's house. "Where did they come from?" Twilight said in disbelief.

"Well," Fluttershy replied, shrinking back a bit. "I may have kept just one." A yellowish-orange parasprite came up from behind her and landed on Fluttershy's back, looking quite pleased with itself.

Reactions were upsetting. Both Rarity and Twilight glared, Silver faceplanted onto the ground, Rainbow Dash flew off somewhere, Spirit groaned exasperatedly and Applejack literally flipped her lid as two parasprites knocked off her hat.

"I couldn't help myself," Fluttershy said defensively, nuzzling the parasprite as it flew away. "They're just so cute."

"We can't go on like this!" Spirit yelled as the parasprites continued to fly around them. "We need an idea now."

Rainbow Dash touched down beside them, a pair of goggles perched on her head. "We call in the weather patrol," she said confidently. "Silver, I'm gonna need a wingpony."

Silver grinned and his sharp teeth glinted. "I'm in."

"Great." Rainbow Dash soared into the air and Silver flew after her. They flew high above the pandemonium, where the other ponies were either chasing after the parasprites or being chased by them. Rainbow pulled her goggles over her eyes and glanced over at Silver. "Time to take out the adorable trash." With a loud battle-cry, she shot down towards the parasprites, surprising the little critters.

Silver smiled and shook his head. "Let's see if I can't follow suit." He dove down and followed the cyan pegasus as she zoomed back and forth, the two flying ponies circling in the clearing in front of Fluttershy's cottage. Their quick loops began to create a small tornado, which blew even harder than the parasprites. The tornado blended Rainbow and Silver's mane colors, combining her multicolored mane perfectly with his dark shimmering hair. The powerful gusts from their whirlwind blew everypony off their hooves, forcing them to grab whatever was nearby. The parasprites didn't stand a chance against the concentrated wind and, one by one, they got sucked up into it until every parasprite in the area was inside the colorful tornado.

"Way to go, Rainbow and Silver!" Twilight cheered.

"And good riddance to that annoyance," Spirit snorted

"Looks like our problems are solved," Applejack concluded.

"Thanks to these cymbals, they will be!"

CRASH! Pinkie Pie pranced into the windblown clearing, a pair of cymbals hung around her neck. The wind from the tornado slammed the two metal plates over and over again. Fang marched beside her, also holding a set of cymbals, which he crashed together in time with Pinkie's to create a rather rhythmical beat. But Rainbow and Silver's tornado was blowing so hard that it pulled the cymbals out of fang's claws and off of Pinkie's neck.

"Oy, give those back!" Fang shouted angrily at.... the weather.

But, obviously, the tornado ignored them and the four brass cymbals zoomed into it. Rainbow Dash was busy flying in circles to keep the tornado going when she heard a strange tinny sound. The cymbals came zooming at her and she swerved to avoid them.

"Look out, Silver!" she called to the manifestation pony.

Silver glanced around, his powerful eyes quickly scanning the gusts of the tornado and caught sight of the cymbals, flying around like brass shuriken. Silver dodged the metal instruments as they came at him but at the cost of speed. Speed that was sustaining the tornado they were in.

Rainbow Dash preformed a neat barrel roll as the cymbals came at her again, but ended up going against the wind and crashing into Silver. The two flying ponies tumbled about the tornado with no control of their own. "There's not much left spin in this twister" Silver growled over the wind.

"She's breaking up!"Rainbow yelped.

The tornado danced and jerked and spat out Rainbow and Silver, sending them both flying into a tree with an unpleasant splat. The other ponies cringed at the sight and watched in horror as the tornado dissipated and the parasprites escaped, heading straight for Ponyville.

Pinkie watched the aggravating critters fly off, then proceeded to look around. "Ugh, great!" she huffed. "Now I can't even find them."

Twilight rounded on the two. "Pinkie Pie, Fang, what have you done?" she said in a dangerous voice.

"Lost two brand new pairs of cymbals is what we've done!" Fang replied grumpily as Applejack and the others came forward.

"Seriously, you two," Spirit warned, "you need to quit it. All this silly instrument business of yours is ruining all that we've been trying to do to save Ponyville."

"What did we do?" Fang demanded.

"We're not the ruiners!" Pinkie objected. "We are the ruin-ee!" She paused. "Or is it ruiness?"

Fang sat down beside her and stroked his chin. "No, I think you'd be the ruinette and I'd be the ruinator."

Applejack galloped past them. "Come on, y'all. There's no reasoning with 'em right now. They're a few apples short of a bushel," she said as they ran off towards Ponyville.

"I'd forgotten how ridiculous Fang could be sometimes," Spirit muttered. "I had no idea he'd get this crazy over things."

Fang spun around to face Pinkie. "Did he just call us crazy?"

"Are we?" Pinkie asked seriously.

The dragon shrugged. "Possibly. Maybe. Does that really matter?" He turned and shouted at Twilight and their friends, "You're getting waaaay too sidetracked over this ruining thing!"

"If you'd just slow down and listen to us!" Pinkie added.

*

The citizens of Ponyville were quite surprise by the sudden rain of small, adorable-looking creatures that appeared out of nowhere. Everypony stopped where they stood and looked up as the parasprites drifted down into Ponyville. Lyra Heartstrings and her friend Bon Bon, who had been settling down to enjoy some dessert, beheld a blue one descending right in front of them. Bon Bon offered it her hoof and the parasprite chirped happily. But as the two mares beamed at it, the blue parasprite cranked its jaws open and gulped down Bon Bon's cake and Lyra's pie.

And that was only with Lyra and Bon Bon. There were parasprites everywhere and everywhere there were parasprites, there was trouble. They were eating everything. Ponies tending to gardens watched in horror as their crops were devoured before their eyes. The food stalls set out for Celestia's visit were overrun by parasprites.

Twilight, Spirit, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Silver and Fluttershy arrived in Ponyville right in the middle of the infestation. "What do we do?" Fluttershy wondered fearfully. "They're eating all the food in town.

"I don't think there's been a bug situation this bad since the Eighth Plague!" Silver commented.

"I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow," Spirit recited. "While not accurate, it sure brings back some memories."

Applejack gasped. "Mah apples!" With thoughts of Sweet Apple Acres being attacked by the hungry parasprites, she dashed home to help her family protect the orchard.

"We've got to do something!" Twilight said desperately. She watched a brown parasprite holding a cupcake hover in front of her and smiled delightedly. "I got it! I'll cast a spell to make them stop eating all the food."

Spirit looked at her awkwardly but then nodded. "That's really the only problem with the parasprites." He stood beside her and lit his horn. "I'll help out."

"Thank, Spirit." Twilight lowered her head and sparked up her own magic. "Let's do this."

Together, the two unicorns fired up their magic and shot expanding rings of purple-and-blue energy across Ponyville. The moment the rings passed over the parasprites, they stopped eating and hung in mid-air, blank looks on their little faces. Some drifted rather aimlessly about.

Twilight, Spirit and the others looked about at the still critters, who only moments ago were the terror of town. They were so absorbed in the sight that they didn't notice Fang zooming across the street behind them, his wings hung with—

"Tambourines!" he cried enthusiastically. "Just like the ones they had at the Red Sea! Okay guys, now if we all just..." He stopped and stared at his pony friends and his expression changed to one of displeasure. "Grrrrrrrr!" he growled dragon-like, shaking his wings and causing the tambourines on them to jangle before he sped off.

Twilight and Spirit watched a yellow parasprite fly towards a bucket with a single apple in it. Twilight bit her lip as the parasprite sniffed at the fruit, hoping that their spell had worked. When the parasprite turned its nose up at the apple, the two unicorns sighed with relief. And then the parasprite stretched its mouth open and gobbled up the apple with the bucket, but spat out the apple whole and clean.

The other parasprites reacted likewise, now eating every non-edible object in sight: shop signs, lamps, roofs and tarpaulins. When a swarm of parasprites descended upon an apple cart, they completely devoured the cart and left the apples lying in the road. Rainbow Dash watched an apple bounce towards her. "Hey, it worked," she said sarcastically to the embarrassed unicorns. "They're not eating the food anymore."

"They will devour what little you have left," Spirit continued reciting, his mind buzzing with thoughts of huge locust storming a country and consuming everything in sight, edible or not. "They'll eat anything," he resolved. "Anything and everything."

"Oh no... " Rarity uttered as she watched two parasprites chomp on a decorative horseshoe. "If they get inside my store... Everypony for herself!" she screamed and zoomed off to save Carousel Boutique. But by the time she'd arrived, the parasprites had already entered and were feasting on her ensembles for the Princess's visit.

"My outfits!" Rarity cried as the parasprites bolted down the clothes straight off her mannequins. "Go on, shoo!" she yelled at one parasprite chewing on a box. "Get out of here, you naughty! Naughty!"

The parasprite coughed up a brown blob which became another parasprite. Rarity, still disgusted by the sight and frightened by their numbers, retreated to a stool and shrieked in fear as the parasprites continued to wreck havoc on her boutique. She was roused from her wailing by a strong shout from the doorway.

"I'll save you!"

Rarity turned to find Pinkie Pie framed in the entrance with Fang sitting on her back, the two friends posing like a knight astride his steed. Rarity and the parasprites went silent as Pinkie and Fang trotted inside... and headed straight for a recorder sitting on Rarity's worktable. Pinkie picked up and blew the instrument.

"Perfect," Fang told her. The pink pony tossed the recorder over her head and Fang caught it. "Just what I needed." Without another word, the duo left the boutique, leaving Rarity to resume her screaming and the parasprites to resume their dining.

*

Applejack stood between Big Macintosh and Granny Smith behind their barricade of wagons, carts and an overturned table. "No woodland creature's gonna eat the Apple Family's crop!" Applejack declared confidently.

A buzzing mass of parasprites came tumbling down the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh raised his shovel and Granny Smith swung her pitchfork. Applejack picked up a spray gun and pointed it at the approaching swarm. "Brace yourself, y'all, here they come!"

The parasprites whizzed down the trail, growing louder and louder. When they reached the the blocked entrance to the orchard, they ignored the barricade and bustled on down the road towards the farmhouse. They swarmed over the red building and, with the sound of several buzz saws, the parasprites demolished the farmhouse, consuming every plank of painted wood and leaving only the frame, which collapsed in a heap. The parasprites then flew away from the broken wood pile as though nothing had happened.

Applejack and her family dropped their weapons in shock. "Didn't see that one comin'," the orange mare said simply.

*

While their friends were fighting for their livelihood, Twilight, Spirit, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Silver were doing their best to stop the parasprites.

"This isn't working!" Rainbow moaned, flying circles around a swarm until they were all dizzy.

"We need to get them organized!" Spirit yelled, beating at several parasprites mercilessly with a hat he found.

Silver frowned. This whole thing was just wrong. The parasprites were mostly going around doing whatever they pleased, but some were actually flying toward shops and buildings, damaging wares and furniture. He approached a joke shop to investigate. When he looked in through the window, he saw a number of parasprites flying in an arrow shape. At the front of this little swarm was a black parasprite.

That's odd, Silver thought to himself. Haven't seen black ones yet. From the broken window, he peered closely at the black parasprite. Its wings were pointed at the tips, unlike the other parasprites' rounded ones, and its eyes were a glowing red. It also had small pointed teeth poking out of its mouth. The more Silver looked at it, the more concerned and angry he became.

With a hateful roar, Silver leapt at the leading parasprite and pinned it the the floor. The other parasprites blinked, shook their heads and bustled off as though nothing had happened, but Silver noted that they were no longer focused on ruining the shop.

"Let me go!" the black parasprite beneath his hoof snarled.

"I thought so," Silver mumbled. With a swift movement, he scooped up the parasprite in his wing and caught its own wings between his teeth. Then, ignoring the parasprite's swearing, Silver trotted off towards his friends. "Hey guysh," he said through his teeth, "I got shumthin' you might wanna shee."

The other ponies turned to look. "What is it?" Fluttershy asked curiously.

Silver spat out the parasprite in the middle of the circle they formed. At once, Spirit threw a force field around it to keep it from escaping. The black parasprite beat at the magic wall, screaming, "Lemme out! I've got stuff to wreck and stuff to eat!"

"A black parasprite?" Twilight wondered aloud. "What does it mean?"

Spirit stared intently at their captive. "Oh," he exclaimed suddenly. "How clever. How utterly, horribly, awfully clever."

"I don't get it," Rainbow huffed. "Care to let us in on it?"

Twilight levitated Spirit's force-field and took a good look. "I don't believe it," she said in amazement. "It's a manifestation!"

"What? No way."

"Yes way, Rainbow Dash." Spirit shook the magic cage and rattled the parasprite inside it. "Just as they can take the forms of ponies, so too can they take the form of other creatures." He scowled and looked around at the destructive parasprites attacking Ponyville. "There must be several manifestations in the area, directing the parasprite infestation at ponies' homes and businesses."

"Maybe they led parasprite assaults our friends' businesses as well," Twilight concluded.

"Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy cried out. "We'd better go help them."

"Hold up," Spirit asked, raising a hoof for attention. "In their parasprite form, the manifestations aren't really more than smart parasprites intent on damaging livelihoods. Which is still pretty bad," he admitted. "But because of this, we can stop them without immediately needing Seals. Here's the plan: we split up and help our friends track them down. Sliver and Fluttershy, you'll go help Rarity. The parasprites are sure to be after her clothes."

"Okay," Fluttershy said.

Silver nodded. "We're off!" The two ponies hurried off towards Carousel Boutique.

"Rainbow Dash," Spirit continued, "you'll head on down to Sweet Apple Acres. I'm sure Applejack will appreciate some speedy assistance."

"You got it!" In a streak of color, Rainbow soared away to help the Apples.

"And that leaves us with the library," Twilight said happily.

"Sure does. Let's go." With the manifestation parasprites' cage hovering beside them, Twilight and Spirit made their way toward the library. Inside, they found the parasprites happily throwing books around and terrorizing Spike, who had taken refuge under a basket.

"Help!" the young dragon cried out as a parasprite dropped a book on his basket.

The two unicorns looked around the library. Thanks to their spell, the parasprites had found a new item on their menu: written words. They licked them off the pages and sucked up sentences like noodles. Twilight found that the pests were targeting the more important books rather than the novels. "We'd better hurry," she told Spirit.

"Mmm hmm."

"Spike, we need your help." Spike crawled out from under his basket and Twilight showed him the manifestation they'd caught. "We need to find more black parasprites, like this one."

"Black ones?" Spike thought for a moment. "You mean like the ones mucking around in your saddlebags, Spirit?"

Spirit jerked. He slowly turned to face his saddlebags, which wriggled as though there was something inside it. He carefully crept towards his bags and, with a shout, lobbed his magical cage inside. He stared into his bags and smiled contentedly. In a spray of sparks, Spirit's raised the force field out of his saddlebags. Inside the clear-blue orb, four red-eyed, fanged black parasprites bounced around. "Got 'em."

"RAARGRAAHFRAGRAAGGAAH!" the parasprites yowled and spat.

"They're not very polite parasprites," Spike noted.

"That's because they're actually manifestations," Twilight told him. Then she said, "Spirit, I just realized something."

"What, Twilight?" he asked as he strengthened the manifestations' prison with a steady stream of power from his horn.

"Even if we do catch all the manifestation parasprites, the other parasprites will still be running amok eating everything in sight. They may not be aiming to destroy the shops and market, but we still need a way to stop them all."

Spirit frowned and a thoughtful look crossed his face. "Do we know somepony who may possibly have a way to stop the parasprites?"

"I don't know about somepony," Twilight said thoughtfully, "but there's always Zecora."

"Of course!" Spirit threw his magical cage at Twilight, who deftly caught it. "Zecora's bound to have something that can help us."

"Then let's go see her," Twilight said.

"Hold on, I'm just gonna grab..." Spirit leapt into the air. "One of..." He jumped up again and closed his teeth over a red parasprite's wings, dragging it down to the ground. "Theshe. Okay, ret'sh go!"

Nodding, Twilight ran out of the library and Spirit followed, dragging their captured parasprites along with them. The two unicorns ran out of Ponyville and into the Everfree Forest, heading straight for Zecora's hut. The zebra was meditating when they arrived, balancing atop a stick of bamboo. When they banged the door open, Zecora lost her concentration and toppled onto the floor.

"Have you gone mad?" the zebra wondered, a bit miffed.

"Zecora," Twilight began, "these little guys are devouring Ponyville, and the Princess is on her way." Spirit spat out the parasprite and it flew over to their zebra friend. "Can you help us, please?"

Zecora watched the parasprite land on her muzzle. "Oh, monster of so little size. Is that a parasprite before my eyes?"

"We think so," Spirit replied unsurely. Twilight hovered the cage of manifestation parasprites so that Zecora could see them. "Several manifestations have changed into parasprites and are leading the others to purposely attack ponies' businesses."

The parasprite flew off her nose and back towards the unicorns. Zecora stepped towards her cauldron. "Tales of crops and harvests consumed," she said in an eerie voice. "If these creatures are in Ponyville..." The red parasprite coughed up a pink one. Zecora leaned in close to Twilight and Spirit. "You're doomed."

Fear filled Twilight heart and ate away at Spirit's confidence. If Zecora confirmed something, it was more than likely to be true. With a quick farewell, the two unicorns left the Everfree Forest as fast as they could. When they got out, they whipped at the two normal parasprites with their tails and chased them off. Then Twilight noticed something in the sky. "Spirit, look!"

Spirit looked up. A dark shape departed from the city of Canterlot. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the shape. It was a chariot drawn by four white pegasi in armor. Sitting in the flying chariot was Princess Celestia herself. Flying beside her was another dark shape, but Spirit couldn't see what it was.

"The Princess is coming!" Spirit said worriedly. He doubted that Celestia would be pleased with the condition Ponyville was in. When he and Twilight entered Ponyville, they found it even more ravaged. The parasprites had torn apart the houses. Ponies were running scared and refuse even the parasprites wouldn't eat lay in the streets. The entire town was wrecked.

That's when Twilight snapped. She always looked up to the Princess. As her mentor, she saw Celestia as an even more important figure than most other ponies did. If the Princess saw Ponyville in this condition.... Twilight didn't even want to think about it.

Gotta take action. she thought to herself. "Okay Spirit, here's the plan," Twilight said to the unicorn stallion. "We get Rainbow Dash to distract them, then get everypony else to build an exact copy of Ponyville over there." She gestured wildly to the side. "Come on," she squeaked over-confidently. "We've got less than a minute!"

Looking at Twilight and feeling the manifestation parasprites buzzing between his hooves, Spirit felt beaten. Today was the day he was supposed to meet the ruler of Equestria and now it was going to be a complete fiasco. It didn't help him that the parasprite invasion indeed felt like the Eight Plague his Master had inflicted upon Egypt in ancient times back in his world. Although he hadn't been present at the time before the great Exodus, his powerful connection to his nation's past allowed him to see exactly how it was. And it was not helping him think.

"Twilight," he said quietly, "I don't know what to do."

Twilight's face lost its hasty-assured look and her eyes focused on Spirit. She nodded slowly. "Zecora was right," she said with sorrow in her voice. "We're doomed."

A sharp trumpeting sound broke through the audible chaos. "Oh no," Twilight muttered. "The Princess's procession is here. It's all over!"

She and Spirit turned and peered down the road, expecting Princess Celestia's chariot to come cruising towards them. Instead, they observed two of the strangest sights they'd ever seen. Twilight had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things and Spirit actually recited a psalm. But they couldn't deny what their eyes beheld.

Pinkie Pie was marching down the street, bearing a load of instruments including a tuba and an accordion on her back, a banjo and a harmonica in front and cymbals attached to her front legs. She was playing all these simultaneously, a perfect one-pony band. Fang paraded beside her, also playing multiple instruments, some of which Twilight had never seen before. There was a recorder, a banjo-like stringed instrument, another pair of cymbals on his wings and a strange, curved, brown horn, which when he blew let out a long mournful bellowing sound that somehow blended perfectly with Pinkie's playing.

"What in the world are those two doing?" Spirit asked in disbelief. "And where did Fang even find those instruments?"

"Pinkie, Fang, we're in the middle of a crisis here," Twilight reminded them as they marched past the two unicorns. "This is no time for your....." Her voice drifted off as she saw yet another astonishing sight. "...nonsense?" she managed to finish before being shocked silent.

All over Ponyville, parasprites stopped what they were doing. They all turned towards the pony and the dragon, who's music coincided with each other in harmony and even sounded nice. As one, the parasprites rocked back and forth in time with the tune and, inch by inch, drifted closer towards the musicians, each one clearly enjoying the music. The bounced after Pinkie in single file, turning and keeping in line behind her, acting as though hypnotized by the pink pony's playing.

Fluttershy and Silver flew into the marketplace with Rarity close behind. "We managed to catch a hoofful of manifestations," Silver announced, dropping a wad of ribbons on the ground. Black parasprites pushed and raged inside it. "It was all of them so we...." He stared open-mouthed at the passing procession, as did Rarity and Fluttershy.

"What in Equestria?" Rarity exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack showed up as well, rolling along a sealed barrel. "Got 'em all, every last one," Rainbow said proudly, tapping the vibrating barrel with a hoof. But when she saw the line of parasprites hopping after their friends, she and Applejack could only gape in surprise.

Twilight and Spirit approached their friends. Applejack looked at them expectantly, but both unicorns shrugged. Neither Twilight nor Spirit had an explanation for what was going on. Moreover, Spirit felt his magic cage rattling as the manifestation parasprites inside struggled harder than before. The same thing was happening with the ribbon-bound parasprites and the barreled ones. They all seemed to be pushing themselves towards the procession.

Spirit, Silver and Rainbow Dash held them down, but then Fang blew his horn and sent its echoing cry bouncing across town. Immediately, the black parasprites pushed up against the sides of their prisons, but they were no longer doing so in an angry manner, but rather a calm and determined one. Spirit realized that they must be hypnotized by Fang's music. "Let them out," he told the others.

"Say what?" Silver gasped in disbelief.

"After everything we went through to catch them?" Rainbow added.

"Don't worry," Spirit assured them. "It'll be okay." I hope.

Spirit dismissed his magical orb. Nervously, Silver tore away the ribbons and Rainbow popped off the lid of the barrel. At first, the black shape-shifting creatures just sat there, their red eyes big and unfocused, but then they jumped up and hopped away to catch up to Pinkie and Fang, quickly forming a second line behind the dragon.

"Come on, let's follow them," Spirit suggested.

Nopony argued so they joined the parade, walking leisurely behind the last parasprite in line. Pinkie and Fang led the small critters to the Everfree Forest. Halfway towards the woods, Twilight pointed up into the sky. "Look!"

Everypony did. Princess Celestia's chariot was slowly descending and landed on the side of the road. The other dark shape that had flown beside Celestia's chariot also touched down on the trail. Eager to see her mentor, Twilight galloped out of line and hurried past the parasprites. Spirit, Fluttershy and the other ponies quickly followed suit, all of them running or flying towards the Princess.

Celestia's chariot trundled to a stop when the ponies drew near. Twilight and the other mares quickly kneeled before the Princess as she climbed out of her chariot. Silver saw this and bent low too but Spirit remained upright, respectfully bowing only his head.

"Twilight Sparkle, my prized pupil," she greeted.

Twilight stood up. "Hello, Princess," she replied, trying to keep her voice calm.

The other ponies got up too as Celestia continued. "So lovely to see you again, as well as your friends. Both old and new," she added, eyeing Spirit and Silver. But before she could say another word, Pinkie's and Fang's cymbals crashed together and the two friends marched by, the parasprites following dutifully behind them. Twilight and Spirit focused on the Princess. She seemed a little surprised by the procession of little critters skipping down the road.

"So..." Twilight said in an attempt to turn the Princess's attention away from the parasprites, "how was the trip? Hit much traffic?"

Really smooth, Twilight, was all Spirit could think. Air-traffic. He peered over Celestia's chariot at the dark shape behind her. It was another pegasi-drawn chariot, open-backed and slightly smaller than Celestia's. Did Luna come? Spirit leaned further and found that the second chariot was empty. Why did Celestia have a second chariot brought with nopony in it?

"What is this?" Celestia finally asked. A yellow parasprite landed on her wing and chirped. Celestia raised her wing and chuckled as the parasprite flew off to join its companions. "These creatures are adorable."

"They're not that adorable," Rainbow grumbled quietly, receiving smiles from Rarity and Silver.

"I'm terribly honored that you and the good citizens of Ponyville have organized a parade in honor of my visit," Celestia said kindly.

"Parade?" Twilight repeated. She glanced at Spirit, who bobbed his eyes up and down furiously in agreement. "Oh. Yes, the parade."

"Unfortunately," Celestia added apologetically, "that visit is going to have to wait for another time. Some part of it, at least."

"Huh?" the ponies said together.

Celestia gestured with her hoof at Spirit. "Could you please come forward?"

Spirit stepped towards the Princess. He looked up at the tall white alicorn. She seemed about as regal as a four legged mythological creature could be, adorned with very little regalia for a sovereign. She radiated a powerful but calming aura, much like the sun symbolized by her cutie mark. Spirit also sensed regret, the feeling mixed with an ancient pain the kind of which he knew from personal experiences. Celestia had been through some rough times. He decided to pursue for answers at a later date.

"You must be Spirit Guide," Celestia deduced.

"Yes, you're Majesty," Spirit replied coolly. Then, in a respectful voice, he recited the blessing upon seeing a monarch. "Blessed are You, lord our G-d, King of the universe, Who has given of His glory to flesh and blood."

The white alicorn studied the unicorn stallion closely, then she smiled gently. "How courteous," Celestia remarked. "You didn't tell me your new friend was so regarding, Twilight."

"I still have a lot to learn from him myself, Princess," Twilight admitted, sharing a smile with Spirit.

"And I'm sure you all will," Celestia agreed, "but now I must tell you something. It is mine and Luna's wish that you, Spirit, and your companions come to Canterlot for a while."

Applejack's, Twilight's and Rainbow Dash's jaws dropped open. Fluttershy squeaked and Rarity squealed with joy. Silver turned his head away and grimaced. Spirit, however, did none of these. "I see," he said in a final sort of way. "I'll have to ask Fang and Silver if they're okay with it, then I'll be happy to."

"Luna especially wishes to see you, Spirit Guide," Celestia went on. "She has shown great anticipation towards meeting you."

Spirit looked back at Silver, who was shimmying further back to hide behind Fluttershy. Spirit tapped him on the shoulder and the manifestation pony turned around ashamedly. With a sigh, Silver walked forwards and stood beside Spirit. "Greetings, Princess Celestia," Silver addressed as formally as he could.

Celestia eyed Silver with interest, her expression quickly changing to one of sympathy. She took in his vaporous mane, much like her own, his pointed teeth and overall shadowy appearance. She lowered her head to his eye level and said kindly, "I look forward to hearing from you, Silver."

Silver's body relaxed and a smile appeared on his face. A loud crash sounded and everypony turned to see what it was. Pinkie and Fang had taken positions on both sides of the path near the entrance of the Everfree and were still playing their instruments. The line of normal parasprites hopped between them into the forest, but all the manifestation parasprites had grouped together in front of Fang, waiting expectantly. The winged dragon raised his horn and blew it once more, its mystical sound reverberating across the landscape. With a flick of his wings, Fang tossed a large sack over his head and on top of the black parasprites. He tightened the rope around the bag and slammed his banjo-like instrument into it like a baseball bat, sending the sack flying towards the other ponies, where it skidded to a halt at Celestia's side.

Spirit levitated the bag towards himself. "Your Highness, do you remember the manifestations I mentioned in my letter?"

Princess Celestia nodded. "Yes."

In a flash of light, Spirit summoned his staff. "I am now going to show you how I trap these creatures." Spirit's horn glowed blue as he charged the staff with his magic. A shape began to form at the end of the staff, coming into focus as Spirit let the stream of energy die down. The object looked like a digital watch without a strap.

"What's that?" Twilight couldn't help but ask.

"A Seal in the shape of a Digivice," Spirit replied, catching the object in his levitation field. "Some of my other friends had the ability to change form when their power was activated through these. Fang also has one."

"A most impressive spell, considering what little you have learned of Equestrian magic so far," Celestia acknowledged. "You must be proud to have come up with it."

"I pride myself on thinking up ways to help others," Spirit disclosed. "Fang's ingenuity combined with my power tends to yield suitable and favorable results. I needed a way to control the manifestations so I made one."

"Ya have to admit, though," Applejack said, sidling up, "it was a good job on your part."

"It really is an impressive bit of magic," Rarity complimented.

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash agreed. "If you hadn't come up with it, we'd be up to our flanks in manifestations."

"Your Seals have kept Ponyville safe these last few weeks," Fluttershy reminded.

Twilight patted Spirit on the back. "Every time a manifestation showed up, you would quickly step in and capture it. We owe a lot to you already Spirit, and you're a great friend to boot."

"Thanks everypony," Spirit said happily, gratitude filling his soul. "All the recognition you give motivates me to do the best I can to foil the manifestations at every turn. And now," he declared, nudging the bag , "let's see how willing they'll be."

With his permission, Applejack whipped the rope off of the bag's neck and it collapsed around the manifestations. For a moment, the black parasprites blinked in the sunlight, then their expressions grew angry and, as one, they buzzed into the air and hovered over the ponies. Rainbow Dash fired up her wings and rose to their level, preparing for a chase if necessary. Princess Celestia regarded the dark creatures and activated her own magic, conjuring a golden net over their heads which kept the parasprites from fleeing.

"Thanks, Princess," Spirit said appreciatively. It would be easier to capture them when they couldn't escape. "Here we go!" Spirit raised the Digi Seal up to his face and activated it. The screen of the device lit up and a clear vortex began to suck the black parasprites toward the Digi Seal, stripping away their transformations and revealing their true tornado-like forms. The manifestations continued to struggle but they couldn't fight the powerful force and were all pulled into the device. Spirit clicked a button on its side and the screen flashed, now displaying four triangles surrounding a solitary circle.

"Marked with the Digital Hazard," Spirit noted with amusement. "That is surprisingly appropriate."

"That was most impressive, Spirit Guide," Princess Celestia commended. "I now see that you are more than capable of handling the situation you mentioned. Are you ready?"

"Just give me a minute please." Spirit turned toward the Everfree and everypony followed his gaze. Pinkie was still playing her instruments but Fang had his hung around him and was making an assortment of claw-signs, which Pinkie nodded at and smiled through her tuba's mouthpiece. Fang smiled back and ran over to the others. "Okay, I'm ready when you're ready," he announced.

"Wait, you heard everything from over there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Fang shrugged. "What's the problem? You're only standing fifty feet from the Everfree." Then to Celestia and Spirit, he said, "I'm just gonna go return the instruments I borrowed, grab Spirit's saddlebags and I'll be right back." With that, he zoomed off towards Ponyville.

Princess Celestia chucked. "My, your newest dragon friend is quite entertaining, Twilight."

Twilight watched the green dragon disappear into town. "Yeah, he's fun to have around." She glanced over at Pinkie, who was still guiding parasprites into the forest. "Just like Pinkie."

"As for the other reason that my visit has to be postponed," Celestia continued, "an emergency has come up in Fillydelphia. Apparently there's been some sort of infestation."

"An... infestation?" Twilight inquired.

"Yes," Celestia confirmed. "A swarm of incredibly bothersome creatures has invaded the poor town. I'm sorry Twilight, to have to put you all through so much trouble."

"Trouble?" Twilight said, laughing lightly. "What trouble?"

"Everything turned out okay," Spirit stated. Thanks to Pinkie, anyway, he said privately to Twilight through their mind link.

Fang returned, Spirit's saddlebags bouncing on his back and Spike running at his side. "Okay, I'm all set!" the green dragon declared, then added, "Spike wanted to say goodbye to all of three of us so I brought him along."

Celestia nodded. "The pegasi will take you to Canterlot whenever you're ready." She waved at the second chariot. "And Twilight, before I have to go," the Princess added, preparing to climb back into her chariot, "would you care to give me your latest report on the magic of friendship in person?"

"My... report?" Twilight said perplexedly.

"Haven't you learned anything about friendship?" Celestia asked.

Twilight looked over at Pinkie, the entranced parasprites following her music into the forest where they hopefully wouldn't return from. She thought about how she and Fang had worked so hard to solve the parasprite problem while she and the others ignored them. "Actually, I have," Twilight informed as the other ponies and the dragons gathered around her. "I've learned that sometimes the solution to your problems can come from where you least expect it. It's a good idea to stop and listen to your friends' opinions and perspectives..." Everyone cringed as Pinkie's cymbals crashed again. "Even when they don't always seem to make sense," Twilight finished.

"I'm so proud of you, Twilight Sparkle," Celestia told her, "and I'm very impressed with your friends as well. It sounds like you're all learning so much from each other."

"Thank you, Princess," Twilight said gratefully.

Celestia nodded to the pegasi pulling her chariot. "I hope to see you three in Canterlot," the Princess said, gesturing to Spirit, Fang and Silver. The four pegasi guards reared up, trotted down the road and took off into the sky.

The ponies and the dragons watched the Princess's chariot fly away. "She seems really nice," Silver commented.

"She's the best," Twilight confirmed.

"We should go talk to Pinkie before we leave," Spirit decided. He waved over to the pegasi pulling the second chariot. "Please follow us."

"At once, sir!" the lead pegasus barked, saluting smartly.

The guards trotted alongside Spirit and the others towards Pinkie. The last parasprite skipped into the forest and Pinkie stopped playing. "Hey, what happened to the Princess?" she asked, looking about.

"Emergency in Fillydelphia," Twilight told her.

"Pretty sure it was something about an infestation," Silver informed.

"Oh no! Have they got parasprites too?" Pinkie wondered. "Well, have tuba, will travel." She blew on her tuba to emphasize.

"I wouldn't worry, Pinkie," Spirit said sensibly. "Princess Celestia seems more than capable of handling parasprites. And I'd be surprised if she hasn't dealt with them in the past."

"So you knew what those critters were all along, huh Pinkie Pie?" Applejack inquired.

Fang leapt onto the orange mare's back. "Obviously. That's why we were rushing about gathering all those instruments."

"Speaking of those instruments, Fang, what were those instruments you were playing?" Twilight asked curiously.

"A recorder, two cymbals, a balalaika and a shofar," Fang replied. "I managed to find the first two and even the balalaika quite easily. I eventually got the horn from a friendly ram we ran into and crafted a shofar out of it."

"That was some quick work on your part," Spirit noted, impressed. Then his expression grew discontented. "I guess we owe you both an apology."

"You tried to tell us what was going on and only Fang stopped to help," Twilight said morosely. "We're sorry we didn't listen."

The other ponies apologized to Pinkie and Fang as well. "You're both great friends," Twilight continued. "Even if we don't always understand you."

"Thanks guys," Pinkie said with a big smile you're all great friends too, even when I don't understand me."

"And me myself," Fang agreed.

"You saved Twilight's reputation with Princess Celestia, and also my own," Spirit reminded. "And even more importantly, you saved Ponyville."

Everyone turned in time to see a section of roof fall off of one of the many ruined houses scattered among the trashed streets of the previously festively-decorated town. "More or less," Spirit corrected himself with a sigh.

Fang scanned the wreckage and dusted off his claws. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but some of us have got someplace else to be."

"Fang, we can't leave Ponyville now!" Silver objected, dropping a hoof onto the dragon's tail as he tried to walk towards the chariot. "The whole town needs rebuilding and we're gonna help."

Spirit's soul glowed within him. Silver's wanting to stay and assist the ponies in repairing Ponyville was a sign that he was already changing from the dark being he was born as. It was a big step for the manifestation. But Twilight raised a hoof. "No Silver. You must go to Canterlot like the Princesses asked," she insisted.

"B-but how will you all manage?" Silver stammered, looking from pony to pony.

"Don't you go worryin' about us none," Applejack told him. "We're strong folk. In all the years Ah've lived in Ponyville, anytime the place fell into disrepair one way or another, everypony came together to put it right again."

"You needn't fear, Silver darling," Rarity reassured, soothingly stroking the stallion's mane. "We'll take care of everything. Ponyville will be just like new when you return."

Spirit looked around at his friends. He didn't want to leave them after spending so little time, even if they would be gone for only a short period. There was still so much he wanted to do. But he knew that Celestia and Luna had as much a right to know about the manifestations as anypony. "Are you sure everything will be alright?" he asked Twilight.

"It'll be okay," she replied comfortingly, pulling Spirit into a hug. "You just go to Canterlot and tell the Princesses everything you told us."

Spirit hugged Twilight back. "We'll do it then. For you and our friends. Equestria must be defended."

They separated, Twilight stepped back and Spirit clambered into the chariot. Fang untangled himself from Pinkie's octopus embrace, fist-bumped Spike and tackled-hugged Rainbow Dash on his way to the chariot. Silver said a friendly goodbye and wished good luck to Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack and joined the other boys. "We'll keep in touch," Spirit promised.

"I know we will," Twilight agreed.

Spirit turned towards the four pegasi puling the chariot. "We're ready. Let's be on our way."

"Yes sir!" they responded, rearing up and starting to trot down the road.

The other ponies, Spike seated on Twilight's back, galloped alongside the chariot, shouting out goodbye wishes. "Have a wonderful time!" Rarity called.

"Don' eat too much!" Applejack hollered.

"Be careful!" Fluttershy cried out.

"HAVE FUN!" Pinkie whooped above the rest.

"Learn something new for me!" Twilight shouted.

Spirit hung over the side of the chariot and lit his horn. A spray of sparkling blue cords loosened from his horn and weaved themselves into elegant letters that floated in the sky.

You are all my very best friends <3

The six mares and the baby dragon smiled up and waved at their ascending friends, even when they'd become nothing more than a pegasi-flown speck on its way to Canterlot. "They're going to be fine," Twilight said aloud, dropping her hoof at her side.

"Course they will," Applejack agreed.

"They'll keep Canterlot safe just like they did Ponyville," Rainbow Dash added.

Spike was about to share his feelings toward Fang when he suddenly heaved and belched out a scroll in a spout of fire. Rarity picked up the scroll. "That's odd," she muttered, offering it to Twilight. "Why would the Princess send you a letter so soon?"

"I'd be more surprised if she had writing supplies tucked into her chariot," Rainbow commented.

Twilight unfurled the scroll, furrowing her brow at what she found.

"What's Princess Celestia saying now?" Spike asked.

"Well, that's just it," Twilight replied vaguely, showing her friends the scroll. Or rather, half a scroll. The piece of parchment the message was written on seemed to be ripped in half.

Twilight had gotten the second piece, upon which a lone moon dominated the bottom of the scroll.

*

"Off to Canterlot!" Fang cheered, leaning on the front of the chariot.

"What do you think we're going to be doing while we're there?" Silver asked Spirit.

The unicorn looked over the chariot's side at the beautiful landscape beneath them. "We need to warn Celestia and Luna about the manifestations. That may involve teaching the guards how to handle them. In return, they might want to share some helpful information with us so that we could better prepare ourselves for anything Equestria will throw at us."

Fang looked back at the two stallions. "Are you done pondering?" he asked rhetorically. "Good, then back to enjoying the r—" His cheeks puffed out and he put a claw over his mouth.

"Fang, are you okay?" Spirit asked concernedly.

In reply, Fang opened his mouth and a long loud burp escaped, joined by a tongue of flame and a scroll. "Yeah," he replied hoarsely. "Nothing like coughing up paper to make you feel better."

Spirit levitated the scroll and looked it over. "This is the second time you've expelled a scroll like Spike. What does it mean?"

"Maybe Celestia gave Fang the ability to send messages through his fire-breath," Silver suggested.

"When would she have done it?" Spirit questioned. "Fang did the same thing just yesterday, before we'd even seen the Princess. She couldn't have done anything then."

"Just goes to show how little we know about Equestrian magic," Fang pointed out. "We might want to ask the Princesses and Twilight for a little more insight. In the meantime, let's see what the message is."

"Yes, let's," agreed Silver.

Spirit nodded. He moved to the front of the chariot and called out to the lead pegasus. "How much longer before we arrive?"

"It won't be much longer, sir," the pegasus called back. "If you want, we can fly faster and get there sooner."

"No," Spirit objected politely. "Keep your current pace. We're in no hurry."

"Yes, sir."

Spirit turned about and sat down with the scroll gripped in his magic aura. "Right then. Let's see what's in here."

Silver stood quietly, waiting to hear the message. Fang, however, burst out into song. "We just got a letter, we just got a letter, we just got a letter-"

"But it's only half," Spirit finished for him.

Fang and Silver stared. "Say what?"

"What you heard." Spirit waved the scroll in front of his friends. It was cleanly torn at the bottom. "Something must have happened in the transaction."

"Well, at least we have the message," Fang said optimistically.

"Yeah, but we don't know who it's from," Silver responded.

Spirit pushed his back up against the front of the chariot and held the parchment in his hooves. On the top half of the scroll were three words, written in an ancient-looking script.

I await you.

Author's Note:

Man, I do hope the other chapters don't end up being this long