///DECRYPTING DATA///: What if the Parasprite attack was only a first pass?///
Article One:
The Ponyville Incident happened some 50 years ago, and, delving deeper into the history of Equestria, I have managed to pull up some documents and recordings pertaining to the lost pandemic of Ponyville.
Some skeptics have said that the incident never happened, and it's only and old mare's tale.
The evidence I have found is both shocking and disturbing.
Day one: Alrighty, so, I finally got this diary after Fluttershy told me I should for weeks on end. I finally bought one and a new set of quills from Quills and Sofas, so I am ready to log all my adventures in Ponyville, the ones that aren't important enough to send to the Princess.
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Day two: I couldn't believe what happened! A whole swarm of parasprites just ripped through Ponyville after Fluttershy found one at the edge of the Everfree Forest. We got rid of them just as the Princess came, and we didn't have to explain why the town was almost destroyed. Thank Celestia I have this diary, because the Princess would not be too happy if I sent her a letter about this. I honestly don't know why I didn't get one sooner.
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Day three: I don't think the parasprites are really gone. Earlier today Rainbow Dash found a pony lying on the ground. We identified her as Carrot Top. She was filled to the brim with parasprites, and it looked like her body was about to burst. Suddenly, the parasprites just flew out of her body, and it looked like they ate out all of her insides. Nopony has seen any parasprites since earlier. It is really hard to write this, Carrot Top was a good pony.
Casualties: 1
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Day four: Another body was found today, we found out it was Bon-Bon. Lyra ran into town screaming, and everypony ran to where Bon-Bon was. The same thing happened to her as Carrot Top. I don't know how Lyra is going to survive after losing her best friends. It would be like me losing one of my best friends, and I pray to Celestia that doesn't happen.
Casualties: 2
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Day five: Everypony tried to forget what happened these past few days, but it's really hard to. I don't want any other ponies to die for no reason. Those ponies didn't do anything to deserve this!
Casualties: 2
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Day six: Fluttershy came flying into town faster than Rainbow Dash ever has. She came screaming about how she found a pile of bodies filled with parasprites near the Everfree Forest. We ran out to see what other poor ponies had become victims of the parasprites. One of them...was...Zecora. She'll never rhyme again. Fluttershy was out collecting flowers to put on the ponies' graves, she is going to need a lot more now.
Casualties: 10
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Day ten: Sorry diary, I haven't had time to write any more in you, but this is important. I have been helping ponies to prepare for the parasprite pandemic as best I can, but I just don't know how we are going to make it all through.
Casualties: 27
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Day eleven: Fluttershy.
Casualties: 28
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Day twelve: It pains me to say it, but I think that Pinkie Pie may have caused this. I did some research and found that while music does calm them down, it later causes them to become bloodthirsty and vicious, and more research led me to an article in the Cloudsdale Courier, from about 50 years ago. It talked about a pandemic that happened, with parasprites. I am surprised this is my first time hearing about this. I am not going to tell anypony that I think it's Pinkie's fault this is happening, I don't want anything bad to happen. She was just doing what she knew she had to do.
Casualties: 47
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Day fifteen: Another pile of bodies, I think Derpy was one of them. Walking down the line of empty skins makes me sick...and it keeps growing longer. We found a live one today though, she stumbled into Ponyville, missing one eye and foaming at the mouth. We tried as hard as we could to get the parasprites out, but they multiplie and attacked us, I think they got Nurse Redheart too. Why do these ponies have to die?
Casualties: 84
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Day seventeen: Lyra, Cheerilee, Big Mac, Granny Smith, so many more... I have sent the Princess at least a hundred letters, and I haven't gotten one response. Why won't the Princess help us?!
Casualties: 114
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Day nineteen: Yesterday I saw Princess Celestia fly above the town. I called up to her, but she either didn't hear me, or ignored me. Then, she created a magical force field around the town. She looked at me, and then flew away. I can't believe she would do this. Leaving Ponyville for dead?! I just don't know what to do....
Casualties: 236
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Day twenty-two: Me, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack are holed up inside a...hole. Underground. I have to use my magic to light the room. Rainbow Dash is fooling with her mane, she looks bored. Pinkie Pie's hair is flat. Applejack is asleep. I don't know where Rarity is, it's possible the parasprites got her. Spike...he disappeared too. I keep asking why this is happening, an I get no answer...
Casualties: 301
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Day twenty-three: I made the mistake of telling the others my theory about Pinkie Pie causing it. Applejack grabbed Pinkie by the throat and screamed in her face. I could hardly belive what I was seeing. Rainbow Dash started to hit Pinkie. I had to intervene with my magic and make them all calm down. I'll need to sleep with one eye open if I want to keep Pinkie Pie alive. I hope Applejack and Rainbow don't go crazy again.
Casualties: 458
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Day twenty-six: Rainbow and Pinkie are gone. It horrifies me to think what may have happened, but I dare not go out into the world to find them. It's just me and Applejack now.
Casualties: 689
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Day twenty-seven: Applejack attacked ME today. I couldn't believe what was happening. I can't belive what I did. I pushed her out of the shelter. I heard her scream, oh yes, and I heard her holler to let her back in, and when I opened the door, all there was was an Applejack husk. I picked it up, and hung it on the wall. It looks nice.
Casualties: I don't even care, I have Applejack to accompany me.
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Day thirty: Ya know, it's not so bad being the only pony in Ponyville left. I have all the food I need, I found the empty bodies of all my friends, and they are all here with me. All I have to do is avoid the parasprites, which isn't to hard when you can turn invisible and teleport.
Casualties: I don't know, but I know I'm the last pony in Ponyville.
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Day fourty-four: How in the hay did I forget about you?! I have just been hanging out with my friends, we go on tons of adventures, when the parasprites aren't around. Just yesterday Rarity told me a story about how she made the prettiest little chapeau. It's nice having all my friends here with me.
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Day fifty: I think the parasprites found me. I can hear them banging up against the walls of my house. I moved back in here when that hole couldn't fit enough of my friends. I am surprised they haven't just eaten through the walls already. Oh...here comes one now. Yep, here they come. Well, nothing bad will happen because all my best friends are here with me!
I am sorry to bother you without sending you a friendship report, but Ponyville is in great need of your assistance. Do you remember when you came to Ponyville for the get-together? The creatures that my friend Pinkie Pie was leading away were parasprites, and now they are coming back and killing everypony in Ponyville. I request your assistance and your quick response to this dire matter.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.
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END DOCUMENT
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DOCUMENT PV-003
SENT TO PRINCESS CELESTIA ON DAY 18 OF P.V.I
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Dear Princess Celestia,
This morning I saw your fly above the town of Ponyville and create a magical force field around it. I called up to you but assumed you could not hear. I am just querying on what that magical force field does, as I have not gotten a response from you after my previous letter. What is being done to stop the parasprites?
Your ever-vigilant student,
Twilight Sparkle.
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END DOCUMENT
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DOCUMENT PV-004
SENT TO PRINCESS CELESTIA ON DAY 49 OF P.V.I
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My dearest "Princess" Celestia,
Today I learned a wonderful thing about friendship. A friend is somepony who helps you in your time of need, no matter how bad things may get. I just learned this lesson with my good friend Rarity, when Fluttershy fell down a cliff and hurt her wing. Rarity jumped down to save her, but hurt her leg in the process. She helped Fluttershy up to safety, even though she had injured herself. Thank you Princess Celestia, for leaving the entire town of Ponyville to die from this parasprite pandemic. I praise you on your full and complete effort to find a solution to a problem that probably could have easily been solved. And, instead of thinking of that solution, you just decided to put a bubble around Ponyville and seal us in. I don't know how long I will be able to stay here like this, but I know this is the last letter you will ever recieve from me, and this is the last thing you shall ever see me write. I am disappointed.
RECOVERED FROM PRINCESS CELESTIA'S CHAMBERS, DAYS AFTER P.V.I.
TOP SECRET
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Journalist: Okay, Wind Chaser here. Testing, testing, one two three. Okay, the recorder is working. I am going to hide this under my wing when I go to interview Princess Celestia about the Ponyville Incident, and then I am going to leave it in her bedroom somewhere. Hopefully I can get the scoop on the entirety of the incident.
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Wind Chaser: Hello, your royal highness.
Princess Celestia: Hello, Wind Chaser, was it? I know that you are going to want to interview me about the Ponyville Incident.
Wind Chaser: Yes, how did you know?
Princess Celestia: That is all anypony in Equestria wants to interview me about. It's the biggest story since the Cutie Pox outbreak in the Paleopony Period.
Wind Chaser: So, Question One: The public wants to know why you placed the magical bubble over Ponyville. Didn't you think there was a chance those ponies could be saved?
Princess Celestia: Well...I...I did what I had to...to protect the rest of Equestria from the parasprites. If I...If I hadn't done so, well, who knows what could have happened to the rest of Equestria....I...don't want to talk about this anymore.
Wind Chaser: But, that was only the first question!
Princess Celestia: I am sorry, but I am going to have to ask you to leave the Palace. Guards, escort this young filly out.
Guard: Yes Princess Celestia. This way ma'am.
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THE RECORDER CAN BE HEARD DROPPING TO THE GROUND. PARTS OF THIS RECORDING HAVE BEEN OMITTED, AS THEY ARE MOSTLY SILENCE AND WHITE NOISE.
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PRINCESS CELESTIA CAN BE HEARD PACING BACK AND FORTH IN HER CHAMBERS.
Princess Celestia: I...I don't know...why..why? I am so sorry Ponyville. I am sorry Cheerilee, Carrot Top. I am sorry Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity. I am sorry....Twilight Sparkle....
PRINCESS CELESTIA CAN BE HEARD SOBBING UNCONTROLLABLY.
Princess Celestia: There...there was a way I could have saved them...all of them, oh, but it wouldn't have been possible! Yes, yes it would have Celestia. You should have saved Ponyville. You should have-
IT IS ASSUMED HERE THAT THE HARD DRIVE FILLED, THE DEVICE RECORDED FOR OVER 3 DAYS.
RECOVERED BY ROYAL EQUESTRIAN HAZMAT TEAMS AT GROUND ZERO
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Entry One: Um...hello? Oh, yes, you're a...diary...um..I can't talk to a diary.. So, um, anyway, I am Fluttershy, and I decided to get a diary for myself, just to write down my thoughts about what is going on around our quiet little town of Ponyville. So, today Pinkie Pie and I went out to have a picnic down near the Everfree Forest, while we were there I saw the most beautiful flowers growing there. I decided that those would be the flowers I would use on Princess Celestia's welcoming banner when she comes to visit next week.
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Entry Two: You won't believe what happened! I discovered a creature just outside the Everfree Forest when I went to gather those flowers I saw. It was very small, but it has huge beautiful eyes that sparkle really brightly. When I went to Sugarcube Corner to show Pinkie Pie and Twilight, I guess they must have multiplied because there were three. Twilight took one and left to show the others I guess. Pinkie didn't want one, she said she had to go get a trombone. Sometimes Pinkie says the weirdest things, but she's one of my best friends, and I love her the way she is.
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Entry Three: Those creatures I found are called parasprites. They multiply and multiply and eat everything up. But they're just so...cute... We had to send them back to the Everfree Forest though, they were causing problems for everypony. I really wanted to keep just one, but that one multiplied too, and we just had to get rid of them. Luckily Pinkie Pie was able to send them back using her music, otherwise I don't know what we would have done. Now, we just have to fix the problems with Ponyville, the parasprites ate a lot of stuff in the town square. I should have Angel get some of his friends to help me.
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Entry Four: Um...I uh, something terrible happened. I- I think the parasprites are evil creatures. But it's not possible, they are so cute, but- but....Rainbow found Carrot Top lying there with those- those creatures filling up her body. I..just...don't know how it could have happened....
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Entry Five: I heard about Bon-Bon, I tried to comfort Lyra, but she wouldn't listen to me. I tried to tell her that her other friends were here for her, and that friendship could solve any problem. She just told me that even the power of friendship couldn't bring Bon-Bon back.
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Entry Six: Nothing bad happened today, thank Celestia. I just hope this whole mess can be over with. Those parasprites are awful, just awful. But, I know they can't be all bad, I am sure I can find something good inside of those creatures, with just a little kindness.
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Entry Seven: I had to go into town today and tell everypony that there was a pile of bodies outside of Ponyville. It was terrible. They were just...lying there, all...empty, and...hollow. It hurts me to even think about the awful things that happened to them. But, I still want to be hopeful that the parasprites are all bad, something must have happened to them to make them go crazy, because all they did when I found them was eat a lot of food. I vow that I will try to find a way to make these creatures friendly again.
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Entry Eight: It's been about 10 days since this horrible thing started, and I have witnessed awful things. But, I think I know how I can get to the parasprites and make them friendly again. I am going to take my animal friends with me to stand up to these creatures. It worked with the Manticore, the Dragon, Discord....it just has to work. But, if it doesn't, I want all my friends to know that I love them all, and that I want them all to continue to stay alive, as long as they can, and that if I fail I want them to beat the parasprites. Friendship is a magical and wondrous thing, but I need to do this alone. I know that my friends and I could do this together, but I don't want them to sacrifice themselves if this isn't going to work. I would rather die myself, then to live to see my friends all go. So, if I don't return, goodbye diary, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie. I am going to go and beat these creatures before they can harm any more helpless, innocent ponies.
RECORDING OF ROYAL CANTERLOT HAZMAT TEAM RECOVERING DOCUMENTS
TOP SECRET
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RECORDER CAN BE HEARD TURNED ON AND RECORDING BEGINS.
OPERATION COORDINATOR: Alright men, this has been a dark time for Ponyville and the entire nation of Equestria, and we need to send you brave ponies into that hellhole to figure out just what exactly happened there. Good luck, and Celestia be with you.
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HAZ-1: This is HAZ ONE, standby for entry into Ground Zero
HAZ-2: Roger, awaiting orders sir.
HAZ-1: We need to cut a hole in that magical field to get through. After that, well, we all know our mission; get in there, find any documents or survivors, and hightail it out of there. No ponies get left behind.
HAZ-TEAM: Sir yes sir!
HAZ-1: Alright then, let's get this thing started. HAZ-2 through HAZ-10, synchronise, prepare for entry.
HAZ-2: Opening field now.
HAZ-1: Alright, steady.....go go go!
HAZ-4: Moving up sir, no signs of life. Wait, what's that?
HAZ-7: One, we got a visual on something moving up there in those trees, you got it?
HAZ-1: Copy, I see it, move up on it boys.
HAZ-8: Moving up, visual. Got I.D on it?
HAZ-3: Sick...it looks like a skin...it's got no eyes...
HAZ-6: Let's keep moving, we have only gone 5 feet, can't get cold hooves now.
HAZ-7: Copy, moving up.
HAZ-1: Alright, I want you to move up to the town square, get into town hall and see if you can recover any documents.
HAZ-2: Got it, let's get there fellas.
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HAZ-5: Town hall is boarded up sir, no signs of life.
HAZ-1: Get those boards down and sweep the building.
HAZ-5: Copy, let's do this.
HAZ-8: The boards are down FIVE, let's get in there.
HAZ-2: Alright boys, FOUR through NINE, get into the town hall and see what you can find.
HAZ-4: Sir.
HAZ-2: THREE, stay with me and set up a base camp.
HAZ-3: Sir, yes, sir.
HAZ-5: Alright we're in, no signs of life in town hall. Wait, picking up a sig a few feet up, switching to nightvision.
HAZ-6: Looks like one of those little bastards.
HAZ-2: Hit it with some magic SIX
HAZ-6: Aye sir. .... Direct hit, target down.
HAZ-8: What the hell is that?
HAZ-7: Looks like another one of those skins...
HAZ-5: Found a desk, retrieving documents, must be the Mayor's.
HAZ-6: Yeah, and it looks like she's still here.
HAZ-9: That's just disgusting. She's got no innards.
HAZ-6: Hey FIVE, check this out..."I'm the mayor of Ponyville and I don't know how to keep my citizens under control."
HAZ-2: Keep the focus SIX.
HAZ-6: Sir.
HAZ-8: Alright let's move to the next building.
HAZ-5: Move out boys.
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HAZ-2: 10 Hours in, still searching for documents. All docs have been sent to Canterlot with magic.
HAZ-6: Yeah, we got like 60 random pamphlets for flowers and stuff, this place is worthless...
HAZ-2: Can it SIX. Alright, team, move up to Ponyville Library.
HAZ-4: Aye, removing boards.
HAZ-8: Holy.....
HAZ-6: Alright this is friggen disgusting...
HAZ-5: Why do these creatures act like this? Their behaviour is intriguing.
HAZ-4: Oh crap...I think one of them saw us...
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HAZ-5: Alright only me and SIX are left, those bastards attacked the team. Haven't heard word from base camp since 14:00...I don't know how we're gonna survive this. We have numerous documents from many buildings around Ground Zero.
HAZ-6: Yeah, I never thought I'd say this man, but I think we're screwed...
HAZ-5: Chin-up, we're gonna make it outta here.
HAZ-6: Alright....let's get going, I don't think we're gonna be able to get any more without both of us dying out there.
HAZ-5: Probably a good idea, I'll radio in to main HQ and-
HAZ-6: No, we don't have time for that bullshit, we just need to get out of here.
HAZ-5: They need to know we are coming...
HAZ-6: They will, once we get out of this Celestia-forsaken town, but right now we need to move. We aren't exactly in the safest place in the town.....a bunch of vines hanging down from a wooden plank...
HAZ-5: Well, we can't waste time talking, if we are gonna do this...let's get it done.
HAZ-6: Aye sir. Let's go.
HAZ-5: Alright, I'm gonna remove the vines, I think I can see one.
