The (un)Life and Times Of Specter Shift

You ever notice all the little bugs that scuttle around the floor of the Everfree?

It's unnerving in a way. They’re bugs, and I mean, I'm a bug but we look nothing alike.

Strange world.

Aesthetics aside, they do make wonderful conversation partners.

This beetle right here in front of me, for instance, calls himself Fredrick. He’s giving me some wonderful tips on my to keep my exoskeleton squeaky clean.

Literally squeaky clean! Fredrick, I'm gonna go ahead and nickname you Freddie, lets out these really cute squeaks whenever he moves. I wonder if Specter would notice-

Actually, I wonder how Scriches is doing without me to help him dig tunnels... It was a thankless job, and when you feed off love and gratitude it left a poor bug hungry. The two of us could-

Ugh, started to flashback for a second then. Nostalgia is definitely not what it used to be.

Wait... where's Freddie?

Oh, there he is.

Freddy, leave the sleeping purple pony alone, Mr.Speckles is trying to fix it.

What do you mean 'feeding time'?! There isn't much love here...

Freddie, stop that. I saidstop it.

I don't care if it's on your ‘turf’, off.

See, much better, now let see if we can find you some lov-Freddy, look out for that hoof!

Freddy?

Freddy, wake up.

Please wake up Freddy, this isn't funny...

Ohno *ohno, what do I tell his family? Did he even have a family? Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, how am I going to track down all of them? Dozens? Hundreds? Do I tell them all at once or one by one?*

Could I really bring myself to do it more than once? I don’t think I could even do it once... Oh, Freddy, why did you have to-

To *die*?

Wait... what did Specter just say about death?

That it isn't permanent.

Aaargh! Who was that?

It's me, your Brain.

Well then, Mr.Brain, these are my thoughts, so buzz off. Where did you even come from anyway? You didn’t help me back at the hive so I don’t need you now!

But-

No buts, or butts.

How does that even-

Ssshhhhh, I'm trying to think.

But that's my-

Sssssshhhh! This is a librarian.

Buck it, I'm out of here.

Yeesh, the nerve of somelings.

Wait...what was I thinking about?

Spencer? No. I don’t even know a Spencer. I knew a Freddy, but that was a long time ago now...

Hmmmm.

Expect her?

Ahah, Specter! That's who that nice earth pony is.

Wait... why did I need Specter?

Specter turned to stare momentarily at his new, and currently only, friend by default. The shiny black bug sat in his genuine form staring intently at its own ‘hooves’.

He squinted momentarily, almost certain he could hear the grinding of cogs and gears in the poor little guy’s head.

Specter worriedly shook his head before going back to his ministrations over the corpse of Twilight Sparkle.

“C’mon, Twilight,” he whispered to the broken form beneath his careful nurturing, “ You've never been tardy for anything before. Don’t you dare let people address you as ‘The Late Twilight Sparkle’.”

Behind Specter the whirring finally reached a, relative to its owner at least, logical conclusion.

“Alright, I’ll need something to support her neck. A twig? No that wouldn't be strong enough. Ooh, how about a rock? No, that would just make things worse!”

Think Specter, think!

Hugs?

Yeah, hugs. That makes sense.

Glompf!

Hey! He just pushed me away! Well, that wasn't very nice...

Wait, what is he looking for? A niece break?

Oh!

Neck brace.

...Why does he want a neck brace? I mean, they’re all stiff. Why would he want one of those, when he has me?

What’s he doing with those sticks?

Gasp!

He’s going to replace me with a neck brace made of sticks! He can’t even waitto get a goodone to replace me with!

He is going to replace me with a neck brace! Like how I was going to replace him so I could feed on Librarian’s love? Was I not a good enough hat?!

Damn it all, why does life have to be so- mean?

Well, too bad life, I'm onto your plan.

Specter won't be able to replace me with a neck brace, if I am the neck brace!

It's foolproof.

Erm...

You again?

Well, I am part of this place, for better or for worse so... yeah.

Well, be quiet, my plan is working.

Working?

He has picked us/me up. Now, when he puts me on, I'll be able to hug him and love him.

To death.

That will show him!

I... I can't put the level of idiocy that you are coalescing into words...

Ssssshh, it's working.

No, no it’s not. Aren’t you getting the information I’m sending you from the Eyes?

Whha?

He’s not putting you on, dummkopf.

But...he wanted a neck brace...

Am... Am I not good enough? He’d rather have one made of sticks?!

No, you flea brain, and I would know better than anyone, the neck brace wasn’t for him.

Then who was it for?

Twilight.

Who?

The unicorn, the one that Specter is madly in love with? The one you were going to feed off!

Erm...

The one who blasted everyling with that machine gun laser at the wedding, remember? The Librarian!

Oh, that one.

Why does she need a neck brace? She’s sleeping.

Look at her neck Wil, does that seem normal to you?

No?

That’s because it isn’t, which is why he needed us to become a neck brace.

Ohhh, that makes sense.

Well, then I will be the best neck brace possible for Wil then! He needs me!

Huh, for a deadly weapon that maimed over a hundred changeling assault specialists, the bane and fear of our race, she’s really fluffy and soft. We’re just two cuddly little monsters aren’t we?

Now that we’ve got that out of the way...

Ow, what are you doing?! It feels like the time I tried to suck the love out of that tax collector pony!

I’m teaching you a lesson, you moron, you were going to kill him!

Kill who?

Specter.

What? No, I would never do that, Specter is my bestest buddy.

You said you were going to hug him to death! Not three minutes ago!

I did?

...

Why?

Out of all the creatures in the universe, I had to become your brain.

It’s not fair. Why couldn’t i have become something with more dignity, like a toe fungus?

Aww, cheer up Mr.Brain, it can’t be all that ba- Oh sweet Chrysalis’s crusty cloaca!

Calm down Wil, it’s just Twilight healing herself.

When did she wake up! I don’t want to share Specter!

There are so many things wrong with that statement I don’t know where to start. Please say something else so that I have something to work with.

But... we are covered in blue floaty stuff...

Well first off, it’s more lavender, possibly even lilac, and secondly, that’s her magical aura, like we have that green one.

Oh...

See, she’s all done now.

Does this mean I can turn back into a hat?

I don’t think s-

I’m gonna turn back into a hat.

Damn it, Wil!