"I'm Catbug!"

by Thought Prism

Rarity

Catbug marveled in the sight before him. He and Rainbow were now standing in front of a lavishly decorated structure. It was reminiscent of some of the old carnival rides he had the privilege of playing on a while back, a multitier thing painted in all manner of blues and purples, complete with gold-trim window blinds.

He turned his inquisitive gaze to Dash. "What is this fancy place?"

Rather than answer, she simple smiled and pushed open the door. "Rares! I've got a new friend here to meet you! He actually thinks your place is fancy!" she shouted through the threshold.

Inside, Rarity was busy threading bronze wire through a straw hat she was working on. Upon hearing her friend's sudden outburst, she quietly muttered 'well I never' under her breath before plastering a mostly genuine smile on her face in anticipation. As she trotted over to the entrance, the buisnessmare introduction she usually led with upon meeting potential customers melted away before it reached her lips. For, you see, she been expecting Rainbow Dash's friend to be a pony. And who could blame her?

So, when her mascara-framed eyes drifted towards the smiling creature who stood on her doorstep, she could barely maintain her composure.

Catbug's smile transitioned into an O-shape as he met Rarity's gaze. "Wow, you're super pretty!"

Rarity began giggling uncontrollably. She waved a hoof at him. "Oh, you're one to talk, you darling. I'm Rarity, by the way. To who do I owe the pleasure?"

Catbug blinked, confused. "Is that bad? Do you need an accountant?"

More chuckles. Wherever did Rainbow Dash find such a charmer? "You sweet little thing, I'm asking for your name, silly."

"Oh, ok! I'm Catbug!"

"Quite appropriate, if I do say so myself! I so love seeing new faces around here! Please, come in, come in!" Rarity gestured.

Rolling her eyes at the pleasantries, Rainbow Dash poked Catbug in the shoulder affectionately and shot off into the sky.

After waving bye to Rainbow, Catbug gladly accepted the offer, scampering into the boutique.

After gently magiking the door closed, Rarity watched as Catbug marveled excitedly at the numerous outfits on display, 'ooing' and 'ahing' as he did. "So, Catbug, what do you think of my humble boutique?"

He stopped pawing at a green dress to answer. "It's great! All these clothes are cool!"

"Of course they are, dear, they're for the fall line."

"What does being cool have to do with falling?"

"Well Autumn weather simply demands-- you know what, never mind. Anyway, I never would have pegged you as the cultured type. What about my work speaks to you?" Then, recalling Catbug's apparent tendency to take things at face value, she amended "Why do you like my outfits?"

He took to the air, bobbing up and down in front of Rarity. "No one I know ever wears anything this exciting and... unique! It seems like my friends only have one or two outfits. And their metal mission suits all look the same to me, just in different colors."

Rarity gasped. "Why, that's simply a travesty! How dare those you've befriended subject you to such cruel wardrobe repetition! I know, I'll make you an accessory so dazzling that they'll be forced to see the error of their ways!" she exclaimed, pointing dramatically towards the ceiling.

"Really?" he asked, smile widening. Then, abruptly, it flipped around into a frown as he dropped down to the floor. "Oh. But I need money to get stuff, and don't have any. I just spent all my allowance on blueberry honey sticks."

Rarity wrapped a hoof around him. "Nonsense! It's no trouble at all, dear. Anything for a friend; I am the Element of Generosity after all."

Somewhere, in the chaos between worlds, Discord snorted.

"Wow, thanks!" Catbug exclaimed, lunging in to glomp her leg.

"You're most welcome." Smiling, Rarity pried her new friend off, switching gears to designer mode. She paced around Catbug, taking in his features. "Hmm... there isn't much I could make that would be able to accommodate your wings, perhaps a hat or tie would be to your liking?" she inquired.

"I like hats!" he replied.

"A hat it is then. I'll get started right away! Wait there, please."

Catbug obligingly stood in place, swinging his arms back and forth, as Rarity levitated over a tape measure from atop her workstation. He flinched a bit as the diameter of his head was taken, citing ticklishness.

With that out of the way, Rarity stepped over to said workstation, scissors hovering near her head.

Catbug stared at her expectantly. "Can I help, Rarity?"

"But of course, Catbug." There's no way he could possibly be more destructive than Sweetie Belle, she thought. "Go pick out a color of silk you like, the bolts are in the storeroom over there," she said, pointing a hoof in the appropriate direction.

"O-Kay!" He then flew out of sight.

Rarity began carefully measuring out the circular swatch of thick, grey felt which would eventually become the interior of the piece. As she cut out the shape, Catbug returned, appearing in her peripheral vision. Turning, she was met by an expectant face partially hidden behind a box of yellow buttons.

"Those are buttons, dear. We need silk. You know, soft, thin, wrapped around a tube? They should be near the back wall."

"Ooooh, got it." he said, retreating away once more.

She had just finished stitching the base together when he returned once more, this time holding a spool of ribbon.

"Not quite. The silk bolts are much larger, they're on a shelf to the left of where that ribbon was."

Nodding, Catbug repeated the process. Rarity had affixed the brim by the time he came back, holding a large roll of yellow fabric in all four paws as he hovered in place.

Rarity shrugged. "Fine, we'll use velvet instead. Why not? Now then, could you be a doll and go grab some of that ribbon from before in a different color?"

"Sure!"

Soon after, Catbug landed on her head, which prompted a small yelp. He was dangling a deep blue ribbon in front of Rarity's eyes.

After calming herself down from the mild shock, her eyes trained onto what he had brought. "Why, what a marvelous choice, Catbug! This color matches your spots almost perfectly!"

He giggled, jumping down onto the table. "Yay! I get to be pretty too!"

This prompted a round of full-blown laughter from Rarity. "Ha ha, you certainly do." Taking a deep breath, she continued. "While I put on the finishing touches, why don't you go meet Opal upstairs? She's my pet pussycat; I'm sure you'll get along swimmingly." Or, then again, maybe not, she thought. Opal wasn't always the best at warming up to new faces.

Catbug's eyes widened. "You have a kitty? Why didn't you say so?!" With that, he left Rarity in the dust, careening up the stairs. Or, he would have, if Rarity had allowed for dust to accumulate in her precious abode.

As he burst through the door leading to the posh master bedroom, Catbug immediately focused on the snowy feline perched daintily on the bed. Opal met his expectant stare with one of poorly concealed indifference. This expression did not change as Catbug landed adjacent to her.

"Are you Opal?" he asked. "My name is Catbug, hello!"

In reply, the cat raised her chin diagonally upwards in a rather snooty manner.

"It's ok, I'm Rarity's friend. That means I'm also your friend!"

Suddenly, Opal hissed at him. Since Catbug was fluent in Felan, he understood her response as: 'go away, the horse is my servant'.

Appalled, he proclaimed "That's no way to talk about someone!"

It was at this point that Opal elected to slash Catbug across the face with her claws. They weren't very sharp due to frequent pampering, but the act took its toll anyway. Catbug screamed, backpedalling over the edge of the bed while clutching his head.

Hearing the cry, Rarity whipped her head around just in time to see a prone Catbug bouncing down the stairs. Once he hit the waxed floor, he slid all over the place on his back like a living hockey puck, wailing all the while. The out-of-control character ricocheted off of about six separate pieces of furniture before Rarity managed to process what was happening.

She stopped his erratic motion with her magic, sighing. "Perhaps that wasn't my best idea."

Comments

[Dirty Bit]

This is why I'm a dog person

[KingJoltik]

6062980 Same here.

[SomeBloke]

This is why I'm a catbug person

[Wysteria]

Rarity better give him some much needed TLC after this.

[Misdirection01]

I love kitties, but Opal would severely test my patience. Poor Catbug!

[Mewaponny]

This is why you don't introduce new cats directly.