Emergency Fireflies
Pyridae shivered in her seat as if she had been soaked a pool filled with frozen cubes of ice and bone-chilling water. “I’m gonna die…” she muttered to herself. “I’m gonna walk up to the front of the classroom, say ‘hi,’ and then die…” On her desk was an abnormally large black widow, skittering about. If the thestral didn’t know that the large arachnid was Dragonfly, a changeling friend of hers, she would have had to wonder if she was dreaming or should capture it to study any unique features it bores.
Dragonfly was crawling about the notes, reading over his parts for their presentation. In spite of his preparation, the changeling insisted to Pyridae that he needed to have a very close look at everything. But Pyridae couldn’t manage to get herself to scan a single word of her well-written project. The fact that everypony had to walk in front of the class and present kept her from stilling her nerves. A misty-blue arm gently scooted Dragonfly to the side before Pyridae slammed her head on the desk. Everything in the desk’s open compartment rattled from the force, causing a few pencils to roll out and bounce off Pyridae’s legs.
“Pyridae,” Dragonfly spoke close to the mare’s ear. Her movement was slow when Pyridae rose her sore head to look at Dragonfly. But when she tried to find him, Dragonfly was not seen. A tap on the shoulder made Pyridae spin in her chair to see the speaker. Finally, the thestral was able to see Dragonfly on her shoulder, still in the form of a black widow. “It’s going to be alright,” Dragonfly said. The touch was very light, but Pyridae could feel a pat on the shoulder.
“Not unless you do the presentation all on your own,” Pyridae argued. “Besides, I was the one who wanted you to transform into a large black widow, while I point out the features.”
“Which I already told you was a great idea!” Dragonfly hopped off the thestral’s shoulder and onto his chair. He returned to his orange self in a green flash, bringing his classmate’s attention to him and Pyridae for a short moment. Their eyes scared the thestral, reminding her that they will eventually be staring at her when she presents her research about black widows. The anxiety was too much for Pyridae and she needed an escape. She quickly retreated to her sattlepack and pulled out a jar full of fireflies. The sight of the bugs attempting to escape their glass prison made Dragonfly’s mouth water.
“I need to go!” Pyridae exclaimed. The propped open window was enough for the thestral to escape the classroom. Sunlight stabbed into her already sensitive eyes, almost causing Pyridae to drop her jar of bugs. The entire school grounds of Manehattan College shrunk as Pyridae flapped her leathery wings above the campus, looking for a place that would best suit her needs.
The art building became prey to Pyridae’s shadow, the perfect place to release her fireflies. Pyridae’s descent was slow. Cold winds pushed from under her fleshy wings, chilling them to the bone with a cold nibble. Her hooves touched down in front of a slightly dark-orange door. Nopony was around to watch Pyridae enter the building alone; a prefered scenario for the already nervous student.
No lights were turned on in the hallway, further pleasing Pyridae during her lonely endeavor. The door closed in a loud roar as it shut, and the darkness was once again undisturbed. That is until the fireflies in Pyridae’s jar began to flicker with yellow light. A sigh of joy left the mare. She pressed her nose against the glass container, ready to unleash a swarm of glowing insects.
A click from the door behind her sapped any joy Pyridae held in her heart. She immediately assumed it was a professor who was headed to their classroom and wanted all the lights on. The light made the darkness retreat as the door opened. But the silhouette of the one at the door was not a pony.
“Dragonfly?” Pyridae asked, clutching the jar at the realization her friend had found her.
“Where!” Dragonfly exclaimed, looking about for his next meal. Upon noticing that he was the one Pyridae was mentioning, his short ears fell back. “Oh, right. You meant me.”
“Why did you follow me?” Pyridae said, turning away from the changeling.
Dragonfly entered the hallway and closed the door gently. “Because my friend is in need.” The light from the fireflies returned and revealed a shy grin. “I also know you are going to release those fireflies in here, and I want to eat them when you are done.”
Pyridae puffed her cheeks, “You and your endless hunger. Why don’t you just feed off of love and not adorable bugs?”
“Because the way love feeds changelings is much different than physical food,” Dragonfly argued. “But I’m not the focus of why you are here in this hallway, now am I?”
The firefly light did not bring any comfort to Pyridae even though it was supposed to. Dragonfly’s reminder of the presentation ruined the immersion she wanted. “I’m just scared…”
“And I know you are,” Dragonfly said and pointed a hoof at Pyridae’s clutched jar. “And I know why you have those fireflies.”
“All I want is a little bit of temporary happiness, alone! Is that too much to ask?” Pyridae’s voice echoed off the dark walls. Her voice somehow sounded much louder because it was in the dark.
Dragonfly approached his friend and gave a disapproving shake of the head. “I understand why you do this. And trust me, watching fireflies fly about is a beautiful thing to do. And, I will admit, they increase my appetite.” Pyridae’s throat grumbled, not pleased with the mention of Dragonfly’s constant empty stomach. “But you can’t just run off, find a dark corner, and release some fireflies every time you feel nervous, or scared, or sad.” The thestral’s fluffy ears fell into her muddy turquoise mane, her heart not wanting to admit to the constant retreating. “What would happen to you if you didn’t have your emergency jar of fireflies when you start to panic? Your mind might cave in. You won’t know what to do.”
“Then what do I do…?” Pyridae squeaked.
“Simple.” Dragonfly grabbed the jar of fireflies and Pyridae forfeited it over without resistance. “I will open this jar so you and I can marvel at the natural light show the fireflies create. Then, you can tell me what is wrong and why you are so afraid of our classmates.”
“But how will this help me and my need for fireflies?” Pyridae asked.
“If you are ever bothered by something, talk to me.” He gave his friend a wink, “Besides, I can turn into a firefly myself. You can always rely on me.”
“Then what if would happen if I begin to rely on you if I am sad or upset?” Pyridae joked with a grin.
“At least I am much better than something temporary.” Dragonfly gestured to the jar, “Their light can dim out. I won’t.”
A spur of glee kicked Pyridae in the chest and she leaped at her friend. Dragonfly did catch the joyful mare but at the expense of the jar of fireflies. A loud smash of breaking glass exploded in the hallway. Each insect flew around the hall in random patterns and movements. Pyridae couldn’t help but let out a giggle, amused by the dancing spectacle. One rogue firefly flew around Dragonfly’s head before landing on his snout. The changeling scrunched his nose and looked ready to snap his mouth at the bug. Pyridae let out a giggle before waving her hoof at it. She didn’t want to witness a murder.
Then it dawned onto the thestral that she was really close to her friend. The lighting in the hall was very dim, but Pyridae was worried her blush would be visible. Then again, why be afraid of a firefly?