The Element of Empathy

Eleanor's POV.
*Sigh* Here we go again. Another visit from Princess Celestia and Twilight is in one of her 'Everything-Must-Be-Perfect' phases. Right now, Twilight, Spike and I are trying to clean up the Library, after Twilight was trying to re-shelf everything, until she got the news.

"Hurry up, Spike! Ellie! This place isn't gonna clean itself." Twilight shouted at Spike and I, as we were picking up books and putting them on the shelves.

"It also didn't mess itself up." Spike muttered under his breath.

"Princess Celestia will be here tomorrow!" Twilight told us, dusting off the empty shelves and windowsills.

"Didn't Princess Celestia say that this was just a casual visit?" I pointed out.

"There's nothing casual about a visit from royalty." She answered, "I want this place to be spotless, and you and Spike have barely made a dent in the clutter."

"Maybe you should, ugh, start reading them one at a time--" Spike spoke up, as he tried to climb a ladder to the upper shelves. But he lost his balance and fell.

"Everything's got to be perfect." Twilight told the young dragon, "No time for fooling around."

I helped get the books of Spike and he recovered from his fall.

"I think this might be easier, if we had a plan, or there weren't three of us getting under each other's hooves." I suggested.

Twilight smiled, "Great idea." She gave me her duster, "You and Spike clean, I'll go see how everyone else's preparations are coming."

"Or maybe I should-" Spike began his suggestion, but Twilight already left the Library. He groaned and looked at me, "Now look what you've done, Ellie. Now we have to clean this entire library ourselves."

"And I also said we need a plan, Spike." I explained, "With Twilight outside to oversee everything else, you and I can finally get a plan to clean this place up."

Spike glared at me, with his arms folded, then clarity hit him and he smiled at me, "Oh..."

I nodded with a smile, then grabbed an armful of books, "I'll take care of the upper shelves. You take care of the lower ones. How does that sound?"

"You sure you're capable to fly on your own?" Spike asked me with his emerald eyes worried.

"I'll be alright. Twilight says I'm a natural." I assured him.

With that, Spike and I started cleaning the Library. I took care of the upper levels, Spike with the lower levels. I struggled to stay steady in flight with my magic, but I was okay. Later, that evening, Twilight returned from her outing.

"Hey, Twilight." I greeted, "How was everything?"

"Everything was doing well." Twilight answered with a smile, "A few minor setbacks, but hopefully nothing to worry about."

Then there was a purring chirping sound coming from her mane. A chill ran down my spine. I knew that chirp way too well.

"What was that, Twilight?" Spike asked.

Twilight smiled and moved her mane from her shoulders. Sitting on her right shoulder was a yellow, small, bug-like sprite. Very cute to the eye with its large eyes and small face. Almost like a chibi creature.

"I'm not sure what it is, but Fluttershy found them at the edge of the Everfree Forest." Twilight explained, "I thought it can make a nice companion for you two."

Spike smiled, "Cool! I always wanted a pet of my own."

Twilight looked at me, "Ellie?"

I stepped back, "Keep that thing away from me, Twilight. It shouldn't be here."

"Why not?" Twilight asked, "These things are adorable."

"Don't be fooled, Twilight Sparkle." I warned her, "Parasprites may be cute on the outside, but on the inside, those monsters are bringers of famine and pestilence!"

With that, I yawned and made my way to bed in the basement. I couldn't take one more second with that creature in my presence. Yeah, I know what Parasprites are. Despite looking cute, those creatures are much, much worse than an Ursa Minor and a Hydra combined. If that thing multiplies overnight, we're in deep trouble.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of crashing and a ruckus. I grabbed my glasses, put on my braces and made my way upstairs to the main floor of the Library.

I was able to catch Twilight dusting a group of Parasprites off Spike and glared at him.

Spike sighed, "I know, I know. 'Stop fooling around'."

"Spike, are you hurt?" I asked, as I walked in and helped the young dragon to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm alright." He assured me, dusting himself off.

I looked around and saw the entire library was covered of Parasprites in multiple colors. I hate it when I do that!

"Ellie, you seem to have a history with this kind of thing." Twilight turned to me, "What do I do?"

I took a breath, "Okay. First off, who else has a Parasprite living with them?"

Twilight rubbed her chin in thought, "Well... There was Fluttershy, who found them, Rarity and Rainbow Dash."

I nodded, "Alright. If I remember correctly, I gave Pinkie my pan pipes yesterday. Maybe she still has them."

"What's this got to do with our problem?" Twilight asked me.

"No, wait. I left my bass guitar at Rarity's boutique." I tried to recollect my memories, "Or was it my tambourine?"

"Ellie, you're making less sense than Pinkie Pie." Twilight told me.

A memory hit me, "Oh, yeah. Now I remember. Sweetie Belle asked if she could borrow my tambourine for practice."

I left the Library and made my way to Rarity's boutique. I bumped into Pinkie Pie, as she charged into me.

"Ow..." I muttered, as I rubbed my head, then I looked at Pinkie. She looked like she's been digging in the dirt, "Pinkie?"

Pinkie smiled at me, "Nellie! Thank goodness. Do you know where I can find a tambourine? I've been looking everywhere for one."

I sat up and dusted myself off, "Yeah. I remember giving Sweetie Belle one to practice with." Then I pointed out, "But I think we have other problems to deal with."

Pinkie Pie nodded, "Yeah. I know. That's why I need your help to find the instruments."

My eyes widened, "You've dealt with Parasprites before?"

Pinkie smiled with stars in her eyes, "You do get me!" Then took hold of my hand, "Come on, we have no time to waste."

With that, Pinkie and I started scouring Ponyville in search of certain instruments. During that, Pinkie came to realise that we needed more hands to help use the instruments, but nopony was listening to her, or think she's being ignorant and her usual random self.

*Sigh* Why do I bother?

With a banjo and an accordion strapped on my back, I found Pinkie just outside of Fluttershy's cottage, pondering, or trying to contain her frustration.

"Pinkie. I found the banjo and accordion you were looking for." I told her, then noticed, "Is something wrong, SugarCube?"

Pinkie sighed, "Why do I bother? Everypony is so caught up their troubles, that they're not listening to what I'm trying to tell them."

I put my hand over my friend's shoulder, "I know how that feels, Pinkie. Ever since I was made Twilight's study partner, I've been ignored, misjudged, shouted at and even overlooked for my actions and words." Pinkie Pie looked at me, "My point being, I keep doing what I'm doing, not because of kindness, not because I'm angry, I do it because it's the right thing to do. Regardless of what the others thought."

Pinkie Pie smiled and picked herself up from the ground, "You're right, Nellie. Let's give these Parasprites a performance of a lifetime."

I nodded, "But first, we need tambourines."

Pinkie's smile grew wider, "You read my mind." Then threw her arms around me, "You know, you should've been Princess Celestia's student. You listen more."

*Meanwhile in Ponyville...*
Twilight Sparkle's POV.
I casted a spell on the creatures, making stop eating the food of Ponyville. The creatures stopped frozen in their tracks. A yellow one sniffed an apple in a basket, on the ground. I held my breath.

The creature looked away from the apple with a pout. The Girls and I sighed in relief. My spell worked.

However, the creature smiled and ate the entire basket, spitting the apple out in the process. The other creatures followed, eating everything else, but the food. Uh-oh...

"Heh. Hey, it worked." Rainbow Dash spoke up, glaring at me, "They're not eating the food anymore."

Rarity gasped in realization, "Oh no... If they get inside my store..." Then she shouted, "Everypony for herself!" Then she dashed toward her boutique.

I quickly charged back to Golden Oak Library. Inside, the sprites have infested the entire tree.

"Help!" Spike cried, hiding under a basket.

I looked at the sprites were eating the books blank, "They're eating the words!"

Within the madness, I was able to grab a red sprite and exit the library, to Zecora's hut. I threw the door open. Zecora lost her balance on the bamboo pole and fell.

"Have you gone mad?" She asked, as she rubbed her head in pain.

"Zecora, these little guys are devouring Ponyville, and the Princess is on her way." I explained to her, as I showed her the sprite, "Can you help us, please?"

Zecora recovered and looked at the sprite, that landed on her muzzle, "Oh, monster of so little size. Is that a Parasprite before my eyes?"

"I don't know! Is it?" I asked, desperate. The sprite flew of her nose and flew toward me.

"Tales of crops and harvests consumed. If these creatures are in Ponyville..." Zecora explained, as the sprite spat out another pink sprite, "You're doomed."

I gulped and left the Everfree Forest. The sprites followed me. I tried to get them away, but it was ineffective. I looked up to Canterlot and noticed a familiar chariot flying across then sky, "Oh no, here she comes."

I quickly made my way back to Ponyville. Everything was pandemonium! The sprites were eating everything in sight. The citizens were in a panic. Ellie and Pinkie were nowhere to be seen. And Princess will be here in less than a minute.

A small smile crept on my face, "Okay, here's the plan." I turned to Rainbow Dash, "Rainbow Dash, you distract them."
The cyan Pegasus flew past me, screaming, "Good. Everyone else, we need to build an exact copy of Ponyville right over there. We've got less than a minute."

I looked around. I sighed in hopelessness, "Zecora was right, we're doomed." Then the sound of music could be heard from the other side of town.

"Oh no, the Princess's procession is here. It's all over." I grimaced.

The music grew louder, as the Pony responsible was arriving into the town. It was Pinkie and Eleanor, playing different instruments at once. Well... Pinkie was playing multiple instruments at once. Ellie was playing her pan pipes.

I raised a brow, "Pinkie? Eleanor?" Then I shouted in frustration, "We're in the middle of a crisis here. This is no time for your..." But then I noticed it, "Nonsense?"

The sprites have stopped eating the town and were dancing to Pinkie's and Ellie's music. Pinkie and Ellie marched around Ponyville and the sprites followed them, until they marched out of town. Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at me, I just shook my head and shrugged my shoulder.

Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and I followed Pinkie, Ellie and the trail of sprites outside of Ponyville and down the road.

Then I looked up to the sky and noticed, "Look."

Princess Celestia has arrived. The Girls and I quickly marched ahead to the meet with her, while Pinkie and Ellie took care of the sprites.

"Twilight Sparkle, my prized pupil." Princess Celestia greeted with a smile.

"Hello, Princess." I greeted with a smile of my own.

"So lovely to see you again, as well as your friends." Princess Celestia told me, as Pinkie and Ellie marched past with the trail of sprites behind them. Celestia couldn't help but notice what was going on.

I tried to change the subject, "So... How was the trip? Hit much traffic?"

"What is this?" Princess Celestia asked in confusion. A yellow sprite sat on her shoulder and purred. Celestia looked at it and giggled. The sprite returned to its swarm. "These creatures are adorable." Celestia smiled.

"They're not that adorable." Rainbow Dash replied with a silent gag.

"I'm terribly honored that you and the good citizens of Ponyville have organized a parade in honor of my visit." Princess Celestia smiled at me.

I raised a brow, "Parade?" Then a smile appeared on my face, "Oh. Yes, the parade."

Princess Celestia's smile fell, "Unfortunately, that visit is going to have to wait for another time. I'm afraid an emergency has come up in Fillydelphia. Apparently there's been some sort of infestation."

"An... Infestation?" I repeated with an uneasy smile.

Princess Celestia nodded, "Yes, a swarm of incredibly bothersome creatures has invaded the poor town. I'm sorry Twilight, to have to put you all through so much trouble."

"Trouble? What trouble?" I asked with a shrug.

"Before I have to go, would you care to give me your latest report on the magic of friendship in person?" Celestia told me, as she got back to her chariot.

"My... Report?" I repeated with a raised brow.

"Haven't you learned anything about friendship?" The Princess asked me.

I scratched my head, then looked at Pinkie and Ellie. A smile grew on my face and I nodded, "Actually, I have. I've learned that sometimes the solution to your problems can come from where you least expect it. It's a good idea to stop and listen to your friends' opinions and perspectives, even when they don't always seem to make sense."

Princess Celestia smiled and nodded, "I'm so proud of you, Twilight Sparkle, and I'm very impressed with your friends as well. It sounds like you're all learning so much from each other."

I nodded, "Thank you, Princess."

With that, the Princess left and took off into the sky. Ellie and Pinkie were just finished sending the sprites back into the Everfree Forest.

Pinkie stopped playing and noticed, "Hey, what happened to the Princess?"

"Emergency in Fillydelphia." I answered.

"Some sort of infestation." Rainbow Dash added.

Pinkie's smile fell, "Oh no! Have they got Parasprites too?" Then regained her smile, "Well, have tuba, will travel."

She blew into her tuba, but I spoke up, "I think the Princess can handle it."

"So you both knew what those critters were all along, huh?" Applejack asked.

I nodded my head, while Pinkie answered, "Well DUH, why do you think I was so frantic to get my hands on all these instruments? I tried to tell you." Then she put her arm over my shoulders, "You can learn a few things from somepony who listens."

I nodded sheepishly, "We know, Pinkie Pie, and we're sorry we didn't listen."

The other Girls apologised as well, "I'm sorry, Pinkie." "So sorry, Pinkie." "Sorry, Pinkie." "Real sorry, Pinkie."

"You're a great friend, even if we don't always understand you." I smiled.

Pinkie smiled back, "Thanks guys, you're all great friends too, even when I don't understand me."

"You saved my reputation with Princess Celestia, and more importantly, you saved Ponyville." I smiled.

The Girls and I returned to Ponyville. Everyone was inside and the entire town looked like it barely survived a terrible attack.

"Or not." I muttered.

Ellie tilted her head, "Huh. The Great Fire of London..."