MLP: Friendship is FTL

by SabreXio

Bugging out

"So let me get this straight," Twilight said as the two of us walked toward the medical bay, "You found a Mantis that not only didn't try to kill you, but was actually scared of you?"

"I know, right?" I replied, "I think Grimlock nearly blew a transistor trying to process it."

"A shy mantis, and a female at that." The Defense Tech said, "Wait, how do you know it's female?"

"I want to know how we'll keep her from killing everyone." Dash said as she joined us.

"You'll know when you meet her." I said. We'd arrived at the medical wing, the doors opening when we neared them. Inside, we found Grimlock and Pinkie with the Mantis. Pinkie was talking with the creature...well, maybe talking at her would be more accurate, when she was excited no one could understand what she was saying. The mantis sat politely listening though, the rabbit on her back just watching Grimlock warily.

"So, I see you've met our little ball of energy." I said, drawing their attention.

"Sir, Subject shows no signs of hostility." Grimlock said.

"You just saved me, Mr. Grimlock. Why would I ever be mean to you?" She said.
I saw Twilight's jaw drop out of the corner of my eye. I was more impressed by the 'Mr. Grimlock' thing.

"It's our pleasure, Ms..."

"Oh, um, my name isn't really pronounceable in other languages." she said, "But I think it basically means, "Timid Flutters."

"Flutters?" I asked

"I think Humans call them Butterflies." The Mantis explained.

"That doesn't sound like a very scary name." Pinkie said, "I though Mantis were suppose to be scary."

"Um, I'm not very good at being a Mantis." She said, "That's why they banished me."
I grabbed a chair from nearby and took a seat; this story I needed to hear.

"Banished?" I asked, "What got you banished?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She said, "I'm not like the others. I can't just...just..."

"Kill stuff?" I offered, she nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. I just don't see the point: why do that to something who's only crime is living?"

"I know what you mean," Pinkie chirped, "I mean, how can you make friends and have fun if you kill everyone you meet?"

"So what happened?" Spike asked as he found his own seat.

"Well, when a Mantis is about to come of age, they have to pass a test." She said.

"A right of passage kind of thing? Let me guess, you had to kill something."

"Worse." She said, "They wanted me to kill my little Angel."
The rabbit on her back perked up when it heard it's name.

"And I just couldn't do it." she said, hanging her head in shame, "I just couldn't."
A glowing pink hand found it's way to her shoulder.
"That's not a bad thing Fluttershy." Pinkie said, "Lots of people can't do that."

"Wait, what did you call her?" Twilight asked.

"Fluttershy." she repeated, "Her name: that's what it sounds like. Shy means timid and she kinda looks like a butterfly."

"My name?" The Mantis asked, "No one has ever called me that name before."

"What name did they call you?" Pinkie asked

"I'd rather not translate it." She replied, fumbling her claws nervously, "It's not very nice."

"So you have no place to go." I said. She shook her head.

"Well, you're more than welcome to stay here." Twilight said, "What did you do instead of fighting?"
She perked up a bit at this.

"Oh, I learned everything I could about other species." she said, "Language, social structure, even different dialects."

"Inquiry: how many languages do you understand?"

"I know and can speak most of the Mantis dialects, but I understand languages from Zoltan, Rock, a few human dialects, and even a few from the Slug."

"What about the Engi?" Spike asked.

"Well, the language Engi use with each other is mostly electronic." She said nervously, "That and the Mantis aren't the best of friends with the Engi, so we don't have many records on them."

"Mantis aren't really interested in friends at all, are they?"

"No, but we respect races like the Rock for their toughness, and even humans for your resourcefulness." She said, "We don't like the Engi because we see the as cowards."
We all heard Spike snort in offense.

"Oh, but I don't think that." She said quickly, "I actually like the Engi: they're peaceful and kind."

"And it does make sense that a warrior race like the Mantis would think that: Engi are notorious for using drones and relying on other races to fight for them."

"They just don't appreciate how smart and cunning an Engi can be." Twilight said as she tousled the metal frill on his head. I understood Spike being upset: if she'd said she saw the Human race as cowards, I'd be inclined to prove her wrong. And I got the chance.

"I hate to be a bummer gang, But I think someone just teleported onto the ship." Victor said. We heard the door open and in stepped a human and a Zoltan: The Zoltan wielding a submachine gun and the human, a rifle.

"Nobody move!" the human ordered. We all knew we couldn't attack before one of them fired, even Twilight's powers needed time to use. The Zoltan invader looked to the mantis, training his sights on her. I expected her to wilt under the stress of being under the gun, but she surprisingly stood her ground, staring the green construct down. They stood staring for a few seconds before something bizarre happened to the energy being: he relaxed.

What the... I then watched him turn slowly, as though trying to resist the movement, raise his weapon and fire a single shot through the human's arm. Now was my chance. I lashed out and caught the weapon, wrenching it from the wounded human's hand. I tossed the weapon to the nearest crewmember, which was Dash, then my CQB training took over. In one quick move; I grabbed her wrist, swept her legs out from under her and knocked her face first into the floor. I kneeled down on her arm pinning her to the floor.

"Drop it." Dash ordered as she shoved the barrel of her new weapon into the Zoltan's face. He looked around at the crew, baffled by what just happened: his friend was face down on the steel floor, a woman had a rifle in his face and he had no clue how point A turned into Point B. Not knowing what to do, he dropped the weapon and raised his hands.

"What the fuck, dude?" The woman shouted from under my knee, "Why the fuck did you shoot me?"

"I did?" He asked, shaking his head, "When did I do that?"

"He isn't the brightest star in the sector, is he?" I asked.

"Fuck you." She snapped, I leaned into her shoulder, causing a little more pain.

"Sorry, you aren't my type." I said with a smile.

"You two can leave one of two ways." Twilight said, "You can either teleport out of here..."

"Or you can leave via Airlock." I added.

"Oh oh, pick the Airlock." Victor said, "Wasn't that fun last time Grimlock?"

"Affirmative." The drone replied, "Highly entertaining."

"Just let them go." Fluttershy said. I watched the woman reach to her belt with her bad arm, then fade out. The Zoltan followed suit, disappearing quickly to whatever ship had gotten them here.

"Well, that was weird." Pinkie said, then she pulsed brighter, "Wait, Fluttershy's our newest member. You know what that means."
Before any of us could ask what the hell she was talking about, she shot out of the room, phasing clear through the door.

"I have no idea what she's talking about." Dash said. We tended to defer to her when Pinkie said or did something bizarre, since they knew each other the best.

"How did you do that?" I asked the Mantis, "That Zoltan looked like he was in a trance."

"Do what?" She asked, "I didn't do anything."

"Yes you did. He was looking at you, then he turned and shot his friend. That doesn't just happen." I replied.

"I'm sorry, but i don't know what happened." She said, "Honestly, I didn't do anything."

"So you totally didn't just hypnotize him?" Dash asked, "Cuz that's exactly what that looked like."

"I thin I might know what that was." Sparks said, "That looked like a Mantis Stare."

"A Mantis Stare?" Fluttershy asked, "I can do that?"

"What's a Mantis Stare?" I asked. Twilight Sparkle: the living encyclopedia.

"It's a really rare power that Mantis can have." Twilight said, "It gives them the ability to use pheromones to influence other creatures."

"I didn't want him to do that." Fluttershy said, "I just wanted him to go away."

"Well, having him sabotage his friend was one hell of a way to make him leave." I said, "Just try not to do that to one of us."

"Hey guys, Pinkie's losing her mind in the kitchen again." Victor said, "I think she said something about a cake."

"Is she always so...energetic?" Fluttershy asked. We all started heading toward the elevator, ready to face whatever insanity Pinkie was baking.

"No, she's actually pretty calm right now." Dash said, "When she's really wound up, you'll be able to tell."
The Mantis gulped in apprehension.

"Relax, just try not to exhale when she hugs you." I said, "Otherwise, she might crush you."

Author's Note:

Mantis are weird.

Yeah, not nearly as much going on here, but I got the Stare and how Fluttershy uses it.

Spoiler alert: the next character is a Crusader.

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[Arceas Windfury]