Day of The Parasprites
It was a beautiful day in Ponyville. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I was on my way to deliver a bucket of apples to Fluttershy's cottage. 'Now this is a job for me,' I thought to myself as I cantered through town. 'No big emergency, no town in peril, just a simple errand for one of Applejack's friends.' In time I would come to regret my choice of thoughts, but for now, I was as happy as a breeze blowing through the orchard.
The streets bustled with activity as Ponyville was preparing for a visit from her Royal Highness Princess Celestia herself. Townsponies worked diligently to make sure everything was perfect for her arrival. The streets were swept, storefronts were decorated, fresh trees and flowers were being planted and banners displaying the royal seal were hung. This was the kind of excitement I could get behind.
As I neared Fluttershy's cottage, I could hear the cheerful singing of the birds in the nearby trees and the gentle flow of the stream flowing over the rocks under the bridge. But they weren't the only ones singing.
"Ah ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah," Fluttershy's voice was angelic, the kind of voice that could soothe a savage beast. I know that because I saw her do it up on that mountain with the dragon.
As I walked into her front garden, one of her birds flew up to her and chirped something in her ear.
"Oh, he's here?" She said with a smile before flying over to greet me.
"Good afternoon, Apple Comet." She greeted me with a warm smile as she landed in front of me.
"Good afternoon Fluttershy," I said setting the bucket of apples down in front of her. "Here are the apples you ordered."
"Oh thank you very much, I appreciate you bringing them here so quickly. I hope you didn't have any trouble getting here with everything that's going on in town."
"No trouble at all," I assured her. "I'm always glad to help one of Applejack's friends."
"Aw, you're such a sweetie for bringing these over to me." She cooed pinching my cheek. "Why don't you come inside for a bite to eat?" What could I say? I wasn't about to pass up free food.
"Sure,"
Fluttershy's cottage could best be described as one big animal shelter. The ceiling was covered with hanging birdhouses and cages. A labyrinth's worth of tiny staircases crisscrossed the room from floor to ceiling. At first glance, the living room seemed empty. But I could see the animals watching us from their various hiding places.
"It's okay everyone, he's our guest," Fluttershy told them. All at once they came scurrying out. Mice, birds, squirrels, raccoons, hedgehogs, skunks, and one white rabbit who for some reason did not look happy to see me.
"They're all staring at me," I whispered to Fluttershy.
"Oh, they're just curious about you, that's all." She whispered back. "Don't be shy, go on, introduce yourself."
Don't be shy. I couldn't believe I had lived on this planet long enough to hear those words come out of her mouth. Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to try.
"Uh...Hi, My name is Apple Comet, it's...nice to meet...you?" The animals stared back at me, not sure of what to make of me.
"Well," Fluttershy said, "I'm gonna go into the kitchen and whip everypony up some snacks. Why don't you have a seat on the couch and get to know everyone a little better?"
"Um sure, why not?" I walked over to the couch and climbed up. It was comfortable, but the atmosphere in the room was still unsettling. Fluttershy flew into the kitchen and began singing again as she searched her cupboards for ingredients. As expected, her kitchen was stocked full of bags of animal feed and there were dozens of bowls of every size inscribed with the names of each animal.
The white rabbit hopped up on the opposite side of the couch and sat down.
"Hey, little guy?" He turned to face me as if to say, "What are you doing in our house?" I slowly reached out my hoof to pet him.
CHOMP! "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Angel, what's wrong!" Fluttershy burst through the door to find the white rabbit holding his mouth in terrible pain. She rushed to his side and slowly pulled his paw away to reveal a partially chipped tooth. She turned to me and asked: "What happened?"
"I just reached out to pet him, and he bit me," I explained. Fluttershy looked at him like a strict mother would at a disobedient foal.
"Angel Bunny." She scolded. "What have I told you about biting company?" Angel's floppy ears dropped down as he hung his head. Fluttershy then turned to me. "I'm so very sorry, here let me take a look at it." I was reluctant at first, but eventually, I showed her my hoof.
"I don't understand," She gasped in astonishment as she examined my hoof. "I can't even find a scratch. Does it hurt when I touch it?"
"A little bit," I lied.
"Wait here, I've got a first aid kit upstairs." She flew up the stairs leaving me alone with Angel. The white rabbit scurried to the other side of the couch. His eyes glazed over in fear as if to say, "What in Equestria are you?" The other animals chirped, squeaked, grunted, and barked at one another. I'm guessing it wasn't every day that this sort of thing happened around here.
"I'm back," Fluttershy soon returned with the first aid kit. "She gave Angel something for the pain, while I got some disinfecting potion poured on my hoof. "I'm so sorry about all this," She apologized as she wrapped my hoof in bandages. "I don't know what could've possibly come over him." Angel's jaw dropped as he waved his paws in protest!
"Yes well, maybe this experience will teach you not to go around biting others." Fluttershy lectured him as if he were a disobedient colt. "Now say you're sorry."
Angel looked up at her in fear as if to ask if he had to. Her stern nod said yes. His body trembled as he tiptoed toward me and kissed my bandaged hoof.
"Aw, I forgive you too," I said reaching out to pet him.
"EEEEEEEEP!" As soon as he saw my hoof coming toward him, Angel screamed and dove between the couch cushions.
"Angel Bunny! You come out from there right now! This is no way to act around a guest!" But the little rabbit just curled up into a trembling ball. "Angel I'm going to count to three, if you're not out here by I get to three, you're not getting any dessert tonight. One...two...
Angel jumped out from the cushions and grabbed onto Fluttershy's foreleg. "Oh goodness, you're shaking like a leaf!"
"Look if this is a bad time, I can always come back another day." Fluttershy looked at the terrified rabbit and sighed.
"Perhaps that would be best," She said with a tone of disappointment. "I need to check and see how the flower gathering is going anyway. If you're still hungry, there's fresh fruits and vegetables in the kitchen, help yourself."
My ears twitched as I picked up what sounded like a table saw coming from outside. I looked through the wall in time to witness the bucket of apples I'd delivered disappear before my eyes.
"Sweet Celestia!" I cried galloping off the couch.
"Apple Comet? What's wrong?" Fluttershy called after me as I ran out the door. I reached the stump where Fluttershy had left the bucket and looked inside to find a little blue dot with wings standing at the bottom of the now-empty bucket.
"Burrrrrrp!" It let out a tiny belch then flew out in front of me.
"Wow!" I couldn't believe something so small could eat so much, not even Applejack. I'd read about caterpillars eating thousands of times their weight in one day, but this was something else.
"Oh my goodness!" I turned around to see Fluttershy standing behind me. "It's...it's...so...cute!"
"Cute?" I asked as the insect flew into her hooves for a nuzzle. "Not icky, or disgusting, or insatiably voracious?"
"Oh goodness no." She said. "Insects are a very important part of our ecosystem. They help to control pests and pollinate plants and they're an important food source for many animals.
"Do you know what it is?" I asked her. She shook her head.
"No, I've never seen anything like it before." The bug purred contently as nuzzled up inside her mane. "But I know it's the cutest little buggy I've ever seen."
"Well, maybe there's a book on entomology at the library that knows what it is," I said picking up the bucket. "I'll try there." Fluttershy paid me no mind, instead choosing to nuzzle the insect with her hoof.
"You're the cutest thing ever, I can't wait to show you to all my friends."
In hindsight, I probably should've guessed today wouldn't be a good day to visit the library. Inside the oak tree, Twilight and Spike argued over the Princess's upcoming visit over a clutter of books.
"Oh! Hurry up, Spike! This place isn't going to clean itself."
"It also didn't mess itself up."
"Princess Celestia will be here tomorrow!"
"I thought this was just an unofficial casual visit."
"There's nothing casual about a visit from royalty. I want this place to be spotless and you've barely made a dent in the clutter."
"Maybe you should start reading them one at a time...whoa ho! Oof."
"Everything's got to be perfect, no time for fooling around."
"You know this would be an awful lot easier if there weren't two of us here getting under each other's feet."
"Great idea! You clean, I'll...see who's at the door." I decided I'd seen enough. "Oh hi, Apple Comet."
"Hey Twilight, I was gonna ask if you had any entomology books, but it looks like you're in the middle of something. I'll just come back later." To my surprise, Twilight smiled at me.
"Actually, you've come at just the perfect time," She said. "I've got to check on how everyone else's preparations are coming along, and it wouldn't be fair to leave Spike here to clean up the library all by himself."
And that was how I got stuck cleaning the library for the rest of the afternoon. Not much exciting happened other than Pinkie Pie stopped by to ask if either of us had a set of bagpipes. Neither of us asked why we just said no and she left.
Twilight came home around sunset with a yellow one of those insects. When I asked where it had come from, Twilight said Fluttershy had brought three of them to Sugarcube Corner.
"Wait, three? Where did the other two come from? I only saw one at her cottage."
"Huh, that's weird," Twilight said. "The same thing happened to me when I left the bakery. I thought I had one, but when I arrived at Rarity's boutique, I had three."
I suddenly had a bad feeling about all this. In just a few hours, these insects had multiplied from one to six. And if one could consume a bucket of apples by itself, how much could six eat? I needed to know what I was up against.
"Hey before I go, I'd like to check out a book on entomology if that's alright."
"Taking an interest in our new friends are we?" Twilight asked coyly.
"You might say that," Or you might say I was going to get to the bottom of things.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to read the Encyclopedia of Equestrian Entomology before the day was out. When I got home, it was already close to dinnertime. I left the book on my nightstand and I went to wash up. After dinner was over my siblings let it subtly be known that they weren't happy about the fact that I'd spent my afternoon at the library while they had to pick up my slack.
"Ahh...that there was good eating," Applejack said licking her lips she placed her empty plate on top of mine.
"E'yup!" Big Mac agreed as he did the same.
"You said it," Apple Bloom said adding her plate to the rest.
"What's going on here?" I asked.
"Well since we all had to put in the extra effort to make up for your absence," Applejack began.
"We figured you could make it up to us by washing and putting away all our dishes for us." Apple Bloom finished.
"E'yup."
By the time I was done, I had just enough time to grab a shower, change into my pajamas, and brush my teeth. As I climbed into bed, I looked at the Encyclopedia of Equestrian Entomology resting on my nightstand.
"Sigh. I'll take a look at it tomorrow," I said to myself as I turned off the light. It was a decision I would come to regret.
The next morning when I woke up, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I got up, went to the bathroom, combed my mane then went back to my room to make my bed. Then, as I straightened out my blanket, my eyes fell upon the encyclopedia sitting on my nightstand. I looked downstairs at the kitchen to see Granny Smith and Applejack mixing a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. I still had a few minutes. I set the book down on my bed and began reading. It didn't take me long to find what I was looking for.
"Here it is, Parasprites. A species of insect native to many regions including but not limited to The Everfree Forest, Southern Equestria, The Tenochtitlan Basin, and most of Sub-Mareharan Zebrica. Known for its voracious appetite and ability to reproduce asexually, the parasprite is one of the most destructive pests known to ponykind. A single parasprite can quickly multiply into a destructive swarm in as little as twenty-four hours. Holy Celestia! I need to find Applejack's friends and warn them fast!"
"Apple Comet, You're oatmeal is ready!" Applejack called up the ceiling.
Moving at superspeed, I marked my page and ran downstairs to the kitchen. "Good morning Applejack, good morning Granny Smith, good morning Big Mac, good morning Apple Bloom, good morning Winona." I greeted each of them with the speed of a parasprite on a sugar high. I grabbed a bowl and spoon, scooped in some oatmeal, poured myself a glass of milk, and sat down at the table. As fast as I could without forgetting my table manners, I scarfed down my breakfast, carried my dishes to the sink and washed them, dried them, and put them away.
"Well, somepony's got some pep in their step today," Granny remarked.
"Thanks for breakfast, it was delicious, sorry I can't stay, but I gotta go, it's an emergency, I love you all bye!" Whoosh!
"Alright," I heard Granny Smith ask Applejack and Big Mac. "Which one of you two let him try coffee?"
Quick as a flash, I ran to the bathroom, grabbed my toothbrush, applied some toothpaste, and proceeded to brush my teeth so fast, that the friction ignited the bristles. A quick rinse and it was good to go again. After flossing and rinsing, I ran back to my bedroom to grab my saddlebag. I packed the encyclopedia and my clothing matrix, then ran downstairs back to the kitchen.
"Look, A'h promise, A'h won't be mad if you just tell me who it was," Granny assured Applejack and Big Mac.
"Applejack, listen to me," I said at a normal speed. "Your friends are all in danger, I need you to meet me outside Fluttershy's cottage as soon as possible.
"What are you talking about?" She asked completely dumbfounded.
"There's no time to explain," I said. "I'm gonna head to town to make sure everyone's alright. Meet me at Fluttershy's and don't be surprised if you see the red comet. The rest of you stay and defend the orchard. I gotta go now!"
VFOOM!
"Apple Comet, wait!" I heard her call out. But I was already a streak racing for the front gate.
"Oh no!"
By the time, I got to the library it was already overrun with parasprites.
"Spike!" The young drake lay slumped against the front door. His head lay tilted down and his scales were covered in perspiration. A quick x-ray showed his heart was beating at a slower-than-normal rate. He must've been doing something strenuous until just recently. I gently placed my hoof on his shoulder.
"Spike, are you okay?" The young dragon's eyes shot open.
" No! stay back! Don't come any closer!" He screamed with his arms flinched in front of his face "I don't have any more food for you just leave me alone!"
"Spike it's okay, it's me, Apple Comet." Spike slowly lowered his arms and looked up at me.
"Apple...Comet?"
"I came to warn you about the parasprites, but I'm guessing you already know." He lay back against the front door.
"Tried to...contain them..." He whispered. "...couldn't do it...too many...to handle...had to...get out of there."
"What happened to Twilight? I need to find her."
"Rarity." That was all he said.
"Then that's where I'll find her," I said. "You rest here, for now, I'll be back later." Spike smiled a toothy grin as his eyes fell shut.
Carousel Boutique was infested too. It looked like Rarity had taken off in a hurry giving the parasprites the run of the place.
"Too late again. Looks like Rarity already left ." The front door was left open and a recent set of her hoofprints led from the front door to the street. There was also a second set of hoofprints that belonged to Pinkie Pie who looked like she stopped to talk with Rarity before going wherever she was going. I could worry about that later, right now I had a trail to follow.
"Looks like she went this way." Sure enough, the trail led to a third set which belonged to Twilight. They'd met each other here, then went off to find somepony else. Most likely Fluttershy.
You're probably thinking I know this because I recognize Applejack's friends by their hoof impressions and gait. And you'd be half-right. Every pony has a unique hoofprint and no two ponies have the same set of hoofprints. Well, the same can be said for magic.
Every pony regardless of race has a unique magical signature all their own. This aura is usually invisible to the naked eye. The most often ponies see it is when a unicorn channels it through their horn. That aura's color is unique to that one unicorn.
But like I said everypony has one. And growing up in a family of earth ponies, I've learned one place you can see that aura is in their hoofprints. For those curious about what they look like. They kind of look like tiny shimmering sparkles of different colors depending on the pony.
As for Pegasi, well their wings leave behind these shimmering contrails in the sky. Judging from the irregular multihued contrail above me, It seemed the two unicorns weren't the only ones heading to Fluttershy's.
I arrived at Fluttershy's cottage to find it in a state of complete chaos. The parasprites had multiplied by the hundreds filling the air with the buzzing of their tiny wings. Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash stood outside the front door next to her.
"If we can't get them under control before the princess arrives, it'll be a total disaster!" Twilight moaned as a Parasprite spat its offspring onto Rarity's face.
"Ew," She gagged. "If you ask me, it's already a total disaster."
"Twilight!" The four of them turned to face me as I galloped up to them.
"Apple Comet, what are you doing here?" She asked me.
"I came to warn you about the parasprites," I said.
"You're a little late there kid," Rainbow Dash said.
"I brought the encyclopedia I checked out yesterday," I said ignoring the cyan pegasus. "I didn't get past the basic description before coming here, but I'm confident it'll tell us how to get rid of the parasprites." I reached into my saddlebag and pulled out the book only for it to be immediately snatched up by a group of parasprites.
"Hey!" I shouted as they carried off my book. "That's a library book!" Twilight scowled and glared daggers at the swarm.
"Not from my library," She whispered icily. Immediately her horn lit up as she grabbed the other half of the book with her magic. One of the parasprites whistled with its legs. Immediately parasprites began flying out of the woodwork from every direction.
"They're gathering together," Fluttershy noted as the Parasprites joined together to form what looked like a five-fingered claw. It became a tug of war between them and Twilight as more and more parasprites joined in.
"A little...help?" Twilight grunted. Immediately Rarity added her magic with Twilight's while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy grabbed the unicorns by their tails and added their wing power. And what was I, a superpowered alien doing during all this? Nothing, there wasn't anything I could do without revealing my secret. And I assumed four ponies against a swarm of hoof-sized insects were more than enough.
"I think...I've almost...got it," Twilight said. Sweat poured from her brow as the book began to slip from the swarm's fingers. Then suddenly the parasprites let go and the book turned into a high-speed projectile.
"Twilight look out!" Time slowed down as I pondered my options. If I shoved her and Rarity out of the way, I might injure them by mistake. But if just stood there and let the book hit one of them, you see where I'm going with this. So I did the only rational thing I could. I took one for the team.
TWHACK!
"Oh my goodness!" Rarity shrieked.
"Apple Comet!" Twilight screamed as I fell to the ground. The four of them crowded around me. "Fluttershy get the first-aid kit!"
"I'm on it!" Fluttershy galloped inside her house.
"Where did he get hit?" Rainbow asked.
"On the side of the head somewhere. Oh, Apple Comet, what in Equestria were you thinking?"
I wasn't even scratched. Couldn't say the same for the Equestrian Encyclopedia of Entomology though. The spine had split wide open on impact sending pages flying out. So much for my ace in the hole. Fluttershy soon returned with the first-aid kit.
"How is he?" She asked worryingly.
"He's still breathing thankfully," Twilight said. "But we need to get a doctor for him as soon as possible."
"Those pests, they did that on purpose!" Rainbow Dash glared at the parasprites with murder in her eyes. "When I get my hooves on them, I'll turn them into bug juice!"
Fluttershy gasped. "Rainbow! You wouldn't!"
"Are you kidding me?" Rainbow replied incredulously.
"Girls enough!" Twilight raised her voice. "We have more important things to worry about." She gently levitated me with her magic and brought me into the living room. Fluttershy set out some pillows on the sofa as Twilight lay me down on top.
"Fluttershy go upstairs and make sure there aren't any parasprites left inside." The yellow pegasus nodded and flew upstairs. "Rainbow check all the doors and windows. We don't any of them getting inside."
"On it," Rainbow said with a salute.
"Huh, that's strange," Twilight said examining my head with her magic. "There doesn't seem to be any sign of cranial trauma. No fracture, no swelling of the brain tissue, no internal bleeding, I can't even find a cut or a bruise anywhere on him."
"Maybe he's just stunned?" Rainbow suggested.
"Even if that were the case, an impact like that would leave some sort of mark."
"So what does that mean?" Rarity asked.
"I don't know," Twilight answered. "But we should still patch him up just to be sure."
"What in tarnation is going on here?" Came a voice from outside. Rainbow Dash flew over to the window.
"Guys, Applejack is outside," She said.
"Oh no," Twilight moaned. "She'll be crushed when she sees what happened to her brother."
"Apple Comet? Where are you?"
"Twilight dear, we have to tell her." Rarity said.
Twilight sighed and turned to Rainbow Dash. "Let her in Rainbow." Rainbow Dash nodded and went to open the front door.
"Applejack get in here quick!" She hollered.
Needless to say, when Applejack learned what happened to me, she was none too pleased.
"Why those no-good winged varmints! When Ah get mah hooves on them, I'll turn 'em into bug juice!"
"That's what I said," Rainbow Dash said.
I lay down on the sofa. Fluttershy had wrapped my head in bandages and covered me with a blanket.
"Alright, it's obvious we're all a little shaken up by what happened," Twilight said. The Princess's student was barely holding herself together as she spoke. "But we can't lose sight of what's important right now. We need to get this problem under control before the Princess arrives."
"Exactly," Pinkie Pie said. "Which is why I need you gals to help me find some maracas."
"Pinkie! This is serious," Twilight snapped. Apple Comet is seriously hurt because of these things. Now we don't have time for your nonsense!"
"You're right! Getting a tuba should be our number one goal." Twilight facehoofed.
"Look, Pinkie it's obvious you're in the middle of something, so why don't you just run along and do it? The rest of us can handle this."
"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." Pinkie Pie turned and walked out the door.
"Alright, we need to herd these parasprites up and drive them back to the forest," Twilight explained. "Since Applejack is the expert on this subject, I'll let her explain the rest."
"Ah'll need Twilight and Rarity to wait over here." She said pointing to a spot on the table. "Ah'll herd the varmints straight at ya like a funnel." She drew her other hoof toward the spot like a battle map. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy will stay up high so they can't fly away."
"Aye, aye." Rainbow Dash saluted.
"What about Apple Comet?" Fluttershy asked. "Will he be alright here all by himself?"
Applejack smiled at her. "He'll be fine Sugarcube. He may not look it but my little brother is tougher than he looks. Alright, you all know what to do. So let's get out there and round up these varmints! Who's with me?" She held out her hoof in front of them. One by one the other four placed their hooves on top of hers.
"Let's do this," Rainbow said.
Several minutes went by. Applejack and the girls got to work rounding up the parasprites in Fluttershy's front yard. Except for my sister, none of them would've suspected the unconscious colt lying on the sofa was following their every hoof step.
Unfortunately, while they were busy corralling the parasprites outside, they were unaware of the adorable threat multiplying upstairs. Through the ceiling, I could hear the sounds of wings buzzing growing steadily louder. One or more parasprites must've entered through a window and now the cycle was starting all over again.
I cautiously opened one eye and looked through the walls outside. The girls had gathered most of the parasprites into a large ball and they were rolling it out toward the forest. This was my chance. I threw off the covers and leaped to my hooves. Then I went over to Fluttershy's closet and grabbed the largest butterfly net she had. "Perfect, those bugs are gonna wish they'd never hit me with a library book."
Despite the droning hum behind Fluttershy's bedroom door, the upstairs hallways seemed unsettlingly quiet. The animals had either retreated into their little homes or hidden under whatever furniture they could fit in. I approached the bedroom door, butterfly net at the ready. Behind it, I could see parasprites now numbering 5,239. This was it, I grabbed hold of the doorknob and counted.
"1...2...3!"
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!
The swarm of flying multicolored dots hit me like a hurricane-force wind. The butterfly net filled in just seconds before it snapped off the handle from the combined weight of the parasprites. The rest quickly wasted no time rushing past me down the stairs where they immediately picked up where the first swarm had left off.
"That's it," I said tossing the broken handle aside. "The horseshoes are coming off." I galloped downstairs and grabbed my saddlebag." What the?" Immediately noticing the increase in weight and the sound of something moving inside, I turned it upside down before opening it. A dozen parasprites tumbled out, one of them clutching my clothing matrix in its legs.
"Hey don't touch that!" I shouted as it tried to take off with my costume. With lightning reflexes, I snatched the parasprite out of the air and held it close to my face. "Listen, I've had just about enough of you causing trouble for me and my sister's friends today. So how about you give that back to me, then you and all your friends take off and never return to Ponyville again?"
"EEEEEEEEEK!" The parasprite let out a high-pitched shriek dropping it on the floor. The other parasprites immediately stopped whatever it was they were doing and turned their attention to me.
"Uh oh." With no other choice, I grabbed my matrix and placed it on my chest. As my costume enveloped me, I ran for the front door. With the swarm hot on my heels I took off leading them higher into the sky.
Third Pony POV.
"All Right!" Rainbow Dash high-hoofed Fluttershy.
"Ouch," The yellow pegasus said softly.
"We did it," Twilight said enthusiastically as the two pegasi landed next to their friends. "Nice Work Applejack."
"Couldn't have done it without you all." Applejack humbly admitted.
"Now let's get back and clean up that mess before...
WHOOSH! Everypony looked up as the red comet passed over them followed by a swarm of parasprites.
...something like that happens." Twilight facehoofed.
"Where in Sam Hill did all those other Parasprites come from?" Applejack asked.
"Well, I may have kept just one," Fluttershy confessed. "I couldn't help myself, they were so cute."
Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity all facehoofed.
"Now what?" Twilight moaned into her hoof.
"I'm gonna find out where it's leading them." Rainbow Dash said strapping on her weather goggles.
"Be careful," Fluttershy implored. "You remember what happened last time."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and took off after the new swarm.
Comet's POV
It looked like Applejack and the others had the parasprite problem all rolled up. And then I just so happened to fly by with about 5,239 more of them trailing behind me. As Fluttershy explained to them how she wanted to keep one parasprite for herself, I facehoofed. What was she thinking, leaving me home alone with a horde of parasprites? As I pondered what to do next, I noticed a rainbow coming up behind me, which could only be one pony.
"Well, here goes nothing," I heard her whisper. She sounded unsure about whatever she was about to do.
"Hey, you! Comet! Can you understand me?" She called out to me. For a moment, I felt like my lower jaw would fall off. She couldn't see through my coma, could she? Or was she trying to communicate with a body of ice and gas?
"Listen if you can understand what I'm saying, do a barrel roll." I nodded nervously and performed the maneuver she'd requested. The parasprites matched my move creating a multicolored ribbon that looped and rolled behind me.
"Wow, that was awesome!" Rainbow Dash complimented me as I completed my loop. "Twilight was right, alright listen I need your help. I'm gonna create a tornado down there and I need you to lead these bugs into it okay?" I signaled 'I understand' by going into a loop.
"Alright, let's do this!" Rainbow pumped her hoof in excitement, while I breathed a sigh of relief. My secret was safe for now.
"Time to take out the adorable trash," Rainbow said as she dove down. I kept the parasprites busy while she worked on the tornado. She flew around in tight circles moving faster with each rotation The wind howled and the trees swayed as the funnel cloud started to take shape. Their branches rocked as the wind carried their leaves away. Applejack and the others held onto whatever they could grasp to keep from being blown away as the tornado grew stronger. So far so good, we were almost there.
"Way to go Rainbow Dash!" Twilight cheered against the roaring wind.
"Looks like all our problems will soon be solved!" Applejack shouted with excitement.
"They will with these cymbals!" Said Pinkie Pie appearing out of nowhere. She held up a pair of crash cymbals which immediately flew from hooves into the tornado.
"She has the worst possible timing!" I cursed as I dived down toward the tornado. At this wind strength, those cymbals were like two discuses of death or grievous bodily injury. Either way, I had to get Rainbow out of there. Racing against time and brass, I dove into the twister and snatched up Rainbow by the tail. Before she realized what was happening I flew both of us out through the wall of the storm just as the cymbals collided with each other.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Rainbow shouted as I carried her to safety. Without her wing power, the tornado quickly lost strength and dissipated. I dropped Rainbow gently on a soft patch of grass then flew off after the swarm that was now headed for Ponyville.
Third Pony POV.
"Pinkie Pie! What have you done?" To say Twilight Sparkle was upset with Pinkie Pie would be an understatement.
"I've lost a brand new pair of cymbals, that's what I've done," Pinkie said.
"Will you forget your stupid instruments for one second? You're ruining our efforts to save Ponyville."
"Me? Pinkie spoke in her defense. "I'm not the ruiner, I'm the ruinee! Or is it ruiness? Ruinette?
"Come on girls, there's no reasoning with that one," Applejack glared in disappointment. "She's a few apples short of a bushel."
"Hey, I'm trying to tell you all that the ruining is on the other hoof," Pinkie hollered as her friends ran past her. "If you'd just slow down and listen to me."
Comet's POV
I flew as fast as I could back to Sweet Apple Acres. As soon as I landed I ran for the barn. I gathered up as many empty gunny sacks as I could find, then ran for the farm bell.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
In no time at all the family came running to see who was ringing the bell.
"Apple Comet, what's the meaning of ringing the bell during my afternoon nap?" Granny Smith asked. "And why are you dressed in those fancy alien tights?"
"There's no time to time explain, you have to listen to me. There's a swarm of parasprites headed for Ponyville and they're eating everything in sight."
"Jumping Jehoshaphat!" Granny Smith threw her forelegs up in terror. "All Apples to battle stations. This is not a drill, A'h repeat this is not a drill!" She ran back inside and came back a few moments later wearing a pot on her head and carrying a pitchfork in her teeth.
Puh! "Alright everyone, we need to lock down this orchard tighter than Tartarus. Those parasprites are not to touch one apple on this property ya hear?"
"Yes, Granny!" Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh both said saluting her.
"While you guys are doing that, I'm gonna fly back to Ponyville and try to catch as many parasprites as I can," I said holding up a gunny sack.
"You can do it, Apple Comet. Ah, believe in you," Apple Bloom said. She said with a cheerful smile.
"I won't let you or Ponyville down," I smiled back at her. With my spirits lifted, I took off for Ponyville to undertake a little bug-catching.
By the time I arrived in Ponyville, panic had already set in. Ponies fled aimlessly in every direction as the parasprites devoured everything in sight. It was clear I was gonna have my work cut out for me.
I put my hoof to my lips, and let out a sharp whistle. Immediately a swarm of parasprites stopped what they doing and looked up. Enticed by the warm glow of my coma, they flew straight toward me. I waited until they were within a foreleg's distance, then quick as a flash I unfurled my gunny sack and trapped them. The bag quickly filled as the parasprites unable to stop their momentum flew straight in. In no time at all, I had a sack full of Parasprites all tied up and ready to be relocated. I swooped down and gently deposited it on the street below before flying back to Sweet Apple Acres for another.
When I returned, however, things had somehow gotten worse.
"What in Equestria?" In the time I'd been gone, the parasprites had gone from eating all the food in sight to eating everything except the food. Like termites, they devoured furniture, signs, carts, and even houses! Nothing was safe from their insatiable appetite. Everywhere I looked I heard the scream of ponies crying out for help. I tried whistling but the parasprites paid me no mind and went on with consuming Ponyville.
"Alright if you won't come to me, then I'll just have to come to you." Spotting a large group of them eating the roof off of Sugarcube Corner, I swooped down and snatched up several of them in my sack. Time instantly slowed to a crawl as I circled back to get the ones I'd missed. The tempo of the parasprite's wings went from a prestissimo to a larghissimo as I gathered them up at speeds faster than the eye could perceive. Before long I had another full sack of parasprites that wouldn't be troubling anypony anytime soon, or so I thought. When I went to drop it off with the first sack, however, I found it lying flat and empty in the street. A large hole had been eaten through the side of it.
"Uh, oh that isn't good." Right at that moment, my ears picked up the sound of tiny mandibles chewing their way through burlap stitching. I looked behind to see my prisoners were trying to make a break for it. "And neither is this." The sack burst open from the combined weight of the parasprites who immediately resumed eating Sugarcube Corner.
"That's it! I'm done playing nice." I said throwing my torn sack to the ground. I'd finally lost my patience. "I'm gonna blow you bugs away!" Circling back around, I breathed in deep and unleashed a hurricane-force wind. The parasprites scattered like leaves to the wind blowing in every which direction. Some of them tried to hold onto whatever was left of the roof. But the candy-colored roof shingles were quickly stripped away by the sheer velocity, along with the weather vane of a pony holding a candy cane which spun off and sailed into the distance. When I was finished the parasprites had all been blown away. But the roof and outside of the tower of Sugarcube Corner had been stripped down to a skeletal frame. A toothless baby alligator with bulging purple eyes bit down onto the bedpost for dear life.
"Oops, guess I overdid it a little," I said sheepishly. Just then it hit me. If the parasprites were capable of eating the buildings in Ponyville, then...I had to get back home fast.
When I got back to Sweet Apple Acres, I was horrified to discover I was too late. The parasprites had ignored the orchard in favor of the farmhouse. With an appetite that would any termite to shame, they had reduced it to a skeletal frame. Cold sweat poured down my face, I searched desperately for my family.
"OH NO! GRANNY SMITH? APPLEJACK? BIG MACINTOSH? APPLE BLOOM?
"We're down here!" Applejack called up. I turned around to find the entire family standing behind a makeshift barricade at the front gate. Overcome with relief, I landed and ran up to Apple Bloom embracing her in my hooves.
"Thank Rao and Celestia, you're all okay." I cried joyfully into my sister's mane. "When I saw the farmhouse, I was afraid I was too late."
Apple Bloom's eyes moistened as she hugged me back. "There there, little big brother, A'h said A'h believed in you and A'h meant it. Besides, we all know you could rebuild the house by yourself in one afternoon if you wanted to."
A smile crept across my muzzle as I stifled a giggle at what she had said. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just glad you're all safe and sound." As I wiped the tears from my eyes I suddenly realized I was forgetting somepony.
"Oh no, Kerax!" Quick as a flash, I raced to the old barn, only to find it too had been devoured along with nearly everything inside. Everything except my spaceship that is.
"Kerax, are you there?" The interior of the spaceship hummed to life as the passenger compartment slid open.
"A'h Master Kom-El, I was wondering when you'd show up." Said the warm mechanical voice from the control console.
"Are you okay, did the parasprites damage you in any way?" I asked.
"If you're referring to those voracious insects that recently passed through here then no. Although not for a lack of trying. It seems the ship's hull was not to their palate."
"And the memory crystal?" I continued.
"Perfectly safe and sound. Would you like an update on the progress of the reconstruction of the memory core?" He asked.
"Some other time," I said with a sigh of relief. "Right now I've got a town to save." With the weight of my worst fears lifted from my shoulders. I took off for Ponyville, once again. As I flew over the front gate, I heard Apple Bloom say, "Go get 'em, little big brother."
This was it, "Time to show these pests that they messed with the wrong koltonian." As I flew into the heart of the swarm, I steeled myself for what was sure to be a long and drawn-out battle. But I was ready, I was prepared, I was...hearing music? Amid all this destruction, somepony thought it would be a good time to play the tuba and the accordion and the harmonica and the banjo. Who would be playing music at a time like this? I got my answer when I looked down to see Pinkie Pie walking through town dressed up as a one-pony band. But the strangest thing about it was the parasprite's reaction to it. They seemed entranced and drawn to it like it was calling to them. One by one they stopped what they were doing and fell in single file behind Pinkie Pie as she marched them through the town like the Pied Piper of Ponyville.
"What in Equestria is going on here?" I wondered as one by one Applejack and her friends followed Pinkie to the road leading outside of town. And just when things didn't seem like they could possibly get any crazier, The Royal Chariot landed in the middle of the road carrying Princess Celestia herself. Applejack and her friends rushed to meet. Meanwhile, I decided to just fly back home. This whole ordeal had been too much for me.
Third Pony POV.
"Twilight Sparkle my prized pupil." Princess Celestia stepped down from her gleaming chariot.
"Hello, Princess," Twilight said nervously.
"So lovely to see you again, as well as your friends."
"So...how was your trip? Hit much traffic?"
Princess Celestia looked down at the parade of parasprites marching by her hooves. "Oh ho ho," she chuckled. "These creatures are adorable."
"They're not that adorable," Rainbow Dash grumbled.
"I'm terribly honored that you and the good citizens of Ponyville have organized a parade in honor of my visit. I even saw the Red Comet in the sky as I was landing."
"It's here?" Twilight looked up for any sign of the Red Comet, but it was long gone.
"Quite a mystery that comet is," Celestia said. "Unfortunately one that will have to wait. I'm afraid I can't stay too long, there's an emergency in Fillydelphia, apparently some sort of infestation.
"An infestation?" Twilight inquired.
"Yes, a swarm of incredibly bothersome creatures has invaded the poor city." The Princess explained. "I'm sorry Twilight to put you all through so much trouble."
"Trouble?" Twilight asked with a twitch in her eye. "What trouble?"
Comet's POV.
"Hey, Apple Comet? how did it go?" Apple Bloom asked as landed back at the farm.
"I'd rather not talk about it," I answered. "Right now I need some lumber, Pa's tools, a floor plan of the farmhouse, and a little peace and quiet. I've had a day from Tartarus." Somewhere in the distance, I heard a sad trombone playing.
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After Angel Bunny bit Apple Comet I thought that he would be the analog of either Krypto, Streaky, Or Comet the horse. All real animals that are some how just like beings from Krypton.
I wonder what Celestia is going to say when she finally gets to meet Comet face to face?
Again, this is some really good work on the latest chapter. The spin on "Swarm of the Century" from Comet's viewpoint was quite well done. Yeah. Have to admit I got some good laughs from Angel trying to bite Comet unsuccessfully as well as felt bad for Comet being so busy with the after-dinner chores that he forgot all about the needed book until it was too late.
REALLY looking forward to more of this series.
Can't tell from the description in the chapter, but are you sure you didn't confuse a barrel roll with an aileron roll? Because that's a common mistake by those who reference that quote from Star Fox 64.
Talk about eye candy.
Okay, I know I just made a Friendship is Witchcraft joke. But this has to be an FiW reference.
I know AJ said Apple Comet was tougher than he looked. But won't they be wondering what happened to him when they find that he wasn't in Fluttersy's cottage anymore?
In case you anyone is wondering Star Fox was wrong and the "barrel roll" move in the game is actually a aileron (i hope i spelled it right) roll.