Fluttershy and the botfairy

The ponies had been wandering through the forest for hours. In this area, everything was covered in moss and dripping with humidity. The air was filled with the buzzing of mosquitos.

To her great horror, Twilight had to discover that like the birdberries, most of the vegetation in these parts, and most importantly, the Everfree mosquitos, were spell-proof.

The ponies had to watch their every step, as the moss was conceiling treacherous branches, rocks and animal burrows. The pegasi and Twilight had decided to walk as well to avoid getting separated from the others by losing them unter the ever-denser canopy.

When Twilight stumbled over a root and found herself tangeled up in itching ivy, she had enough.

"Arrgh! The undergrowth is getting thicker every minute! We'll never make it to the fairy kingdom like this!"

"...You just need to listen to the forest", Fluttershy said, "There are lots of hidden passageways. See, you can duck under these branches, and over here, if you move like this, the thorns are hardly doing any damage... Owie..." Now Fluttershy was entangeled in her secret passageway, her legs and wings wriggling helplessly.

"Here's another idea", Applejack said, reaching into her saddlepack, "Machetes for everypony."

"I think I like AJ's idea better", Rainbow Dash said.

Spike puffed his chest.

"Pfff! Whatever. That's what fire breath is for."

He tried to incinerate a branch in front of him, causing nothing but a foul-smelling cloud to emerge from his target. Applejack chuckled.

Spike pouted. "Hey, it's not my fault everything is so wet in this stupid forest! Gimme that machete already."

"Let me ask Twilight if it's okay."

"AJ!"

"Just be glad the mosquitos are leaving you alone, big guy, with your thick scales and all."

Twilight's blood seemed to be especially tasty, judging by her number of 'customers'. Unlike Applejack, she wasn't quick enough with her tail to decimate them.

"Pinkie Pie doesn't seem to have any trouble with mosquitos either", Twilight pointed out, making it clear that she considered this to be a grand injustice.

Rainbow Dash frowned. "Yeah. How come?"

She watched a hungry mosquito land on Pinkie's flank, which happened to be just in front of her. The little vampire stuck its trunk into the earth pony's flesh, but instead of sucking blood, the insect itself was sucked inside as if it had opened a tiny window into a vaccum.

"Tee-hee", Pinkie Pie giggled, "that tickles!"

Rainbow Dash stared at the little hole just above the cutie mark where the unfortunate mosquito had met her demise. It was already closing. Shuddering, she turned away.

"What about Rarity? I don't hear her complaining either. Hey, Rarity, what's your secre-..."

Rainbow Dash stopped, flabbergasted by the sight of a swollen monstrosity just behind her. The white unicorn hardly even resembled a pony anymore. Carefully, Rainbow Dash pulled a few swollen lumps aside so she could look her unicorn friend in the eyes. What she discovered were two windows into a world of absolute agony and silent psychosis. She slowly backed away.

"Uhm, Fluttershy...? Do you still have that lotion...?"

"Hurry up back there", Twilight said. "We still have a long way ahead of us."

-

Soon, it was night in the Everfree Forest. The expedition found a good place for their camp, a clearing near a little river. Applejack instructed the others how to build a primitive shelter with young trees and the rolls of fabric Rarity had prepared for the occasion.

Since it was too difficult to make a campfire under these conditions, they decided to go to sleep right away.

-

Applejack opened her eyes. Something was off. There was way too much light in the shelter for this time of night. And the buzzing of the mosquitos was even louder than before.

She turned to her side and was stunned by the vision in front of her.

Fluttershy was awake, dazzeled by dozens of giant Everfree fireflies dancing all around her. The light also attracted the Everfree mosquitos, which were sitting all over the pegasus' hide, gorging themseves with her blood. The entry flap of the shelter was wide open.

Applejack shuddered. "Fluttershy... what in TARNATION..."

"...Oh Applejack", Fluttershy whispered, "have you ever seen creatures as wonderful as this?"

"I don't care how pretty they are, get rid of them. They make too much light, and in case you haven't noticed, they're friends with them bloodsuckers."

"...Actually, when I said 'wonderful creatures', I was referring to all of them..."

To Applejack's utter disgust, Fluttershy placed a delicate kiss on one of the mosquitos.

"Fluttershy... I swear to odd... Either you stop this NONSENSE right now, or I build a new shelter just for you. Far away from this one."

"...Oh... Okay then...sorry, little friends... Auntie Applejack wants to go back to sleep..."

Blissfull darkness was returned to the tent. Even the mosquitos had left. Most of them, anyhow.

"...Oh, that's okay, take your time", Applejack heard Fluttershy whisper in the darkness, "You don't want to get a tummy ache, after all. Drink up now."

Applejack groaned and retracted deeper into her sleeping back.

"You are one messed up mare, you know that?"

-

When Twilight Sparkle woke up the next morning, she remembered instantly why she hated camping.

You were trapped in a hot, stuffy cocoon while there was nothing but a cold, cruel world full of nature waiting for you on the outside. It was like some sort of limbo. Not to mention you had to share it with others and their vocal as well as molecular emmissions.

It was one particular emmission by Pinkamena that finally pushed Twilight over the edge. She crawled into the outside world. She nodded in grim satisfaction when she found it just as wet and horrible as she had anticipated.

She decided to brush her teeth to get that out of the way. Spike could join her. He tended to neglect his hygiene whenever he was given the occasion.

She turned to Spike's improvised nest, a little bundle hanging on a branch just above the shelther.

-

The other ponies were woken by the high-pitched scream of their Princess.

"Twilight?!"

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were outside almost instantly. Applejack took Twilight into her arms.

"Easy there now, sugar cube. What's going on?"

"It's Spike...! He's gone! I think he's been kidnapped!"

Rainbow was hovering over the shelther, inspecting the nest.

"What about this note? It says 'Out for breakfeast'."

"Well for starters, THAT'S NOT HIS HANDWRITING."

"Oh. Yeah. That might be a problem."

-"Shhh, Twilight", Applejack said, "What did I tell you about hyperventilating?"

"Oh, this is awful!", Twilight cried, "I should have placed that tracking spell on him, but he wouldn't allow it! He said it was 'demeaning'..."

"Twilight, darling", Rarity said, placing a gentle hoof on her friend's shoulder, "I'm sure we can find him. Why, I can use my gem tracking skill. His body is full of gem residues, you see."

-"...Oh, so it's just like how flamingos get their pretty pink feathers by eating shrimp?", Fluttershy asked.

"Uhm, sure, my dear... something like that", Rarity said, hoping there wouldn't be any follow-up questions.

-

Soon, the fillies discovered evidence that Rarity's horn was leading them in the right direction: broken branches, drag marks in the moss, and even a few purple scales.

"Here's what I don't get", Rainbow Dash said, "How come we didn't hear him being taken away? Wouldn't he have screamed, or something? I'm not that a sound sleeper."

"If by 'sound' you mean 'making sounds', I'm afraid you're mistaken", Applejack sighed.

"Hey! Snoring is healthy. It's a defense mechanism. It scares predators away."

"Not to burst your bubble, sugar cube, but I don't think it worked this time."

"Oh. Yeah."

-"I told you, you should have stuffed a pillow into your head, Applejack", Pinkie Pie said, "It worked just fine for me. But for some reason it was gone in the morning... Do you think stuff dissolves when it enters my head?"

"I'm not gonna comment on that."

Twilight Sparkle shook her head.

"No, I'm afraid it's entirely possible Spike didn't even wake up. He can sleep through anything."

"...I was meaning to ask", Fluttershy said, "Why did he even have to sleep outside the shelther in the first place?"

Twilight groaned. Under more cheerful circumstances, she would have gone into a cleansing rant about how her little assistant was entering dragon puberty and had started writing frivolous prose starring a certain white unicorn lady.

Luckily, they had already arrived at their next challenge.

They were standing in front of a wall of branches, several meters high.

"Don't say it, Pinkie."

"Well I'll be damed."

"And she said it anyway."

"...Oh... It really does look like a beaver dam", Fluttershy conceded.

"I believe it's a fence of sorts", Twilight explained, "We must be entering faen territory."

"...Do you think Spike has been abducted by fairies?", Fluttershy asked, causing Rainbow Dash to make noises that sounded suspiciously like supressed giggles.

"Only one way to find out, I guess."

-"He, guess you were right, Twilight. It WAS a good idea to bring him along", Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight decided not to comment on that. Instead, she said: "There must be a gate somewhere. If we just walk along the fence..."

"Or how about this."

Before anyone could say something, Rainbow Dash put one front leg around Rarity, another one around Applejack, and then she lift off. Getting over the fence was little more than a big hop.

"Yay! Wait for meee!" Pinkie Pie leaned back on her tail as if it was a big spring, then let herself be catapulted over the obstacle.

Fluttershy and Twilight just stared at each other for a moment.

"COME ON! We haven't got all day, do we?"

Fluttershy's wings practically moved on their own in atavistic obediance. Twilight groaned and shook her head, but finally she followed as well.

-

Behind the wall, the usual undergrowth of the Everyfree Forest was replaced with even weirder-looking vegetation. Some of these things were familiar, like poison joke, others were so outlandish even Twilight had never encountered them in her botanical guides.

"See? Easy peasy", Rainbow Dash said smugly, though a little out of breath.

"You've been working out, sugar cube", Applejack observed.

("Mhm. And you're heavier than last time.")

"What was that."

"Nothing."

-"Girls", Twilight complained, "There was a reason I didn't want to just sneak in. I already told you, diplomacy is very important on this mission. I hate to do this, but if you keep ignoring me like that, I'll go ahead and call on my princess status."

"C'mon, Twilight, you can't expect a Rainbow Dash to grow wings and then not use them."

Rainbow buzzed her wings so illustrate, then she frowned.

"Wait, that's strange..."

She tried again, and yet she couldn't get airborne.

"What's going on here?! Fluttershy, you try!"

Fluttershy tried to lift up, but she couldn't do any better than Rainbow.

"Okay, maybe you're not representative. Twilight...? Oh..."

The feathers on Twilight's wings had started falling off at an alarming rate.

"Super. Just SUPER", Twilight said. "Strangely enough, Pinkie Pie was right yet again. I'm starting to think the fence really was a dam of sorts. A big magic circle that keeps pony magic out. Like I wasn't starting to feel useless already in this damn forest."

-"Dam forest?"

"Pinkie no."

"But what does that have to do with our wings?"

"Rainbow, your wings are too short and stubby in proportion to your body."

"Hey...!"

"NO, Rainbow, I mean it. Pegasi aren't actually built for flight."

"Isn't that what they say about bees?"

"No it's not. You really do need magic to fly. As for my wings, they're basically  all alicorn-magic, so they're not even supposed to exist in the first place. Which is why they are probably going to wither away if we stay in here for too long."

Rarity gasped. "You can't be serious!"

"I'm afraid I am", Twilight said with a deadpan voice, "Oh and would you look at that, it's not even our main problem."

The other ponies slowly turned around and looked into the drooling maw of a giant, furry creature. Applejack saw her own staring eyeballs reflected on the shiny orange surface of the creature's big, rectangular incisors.

"What is that thing?", Applejack hissed.

She was surprised to see an unusual expression of sadness on Pinkie Pie's face.

Pinkie sniffed. While the other fillies were frozen in shock, she said: "It's obviously a Beaversaurus Rex. This would have gone perfectly with a pun I wanted to make earlier. I said to myself, 'Pinkie, how likely is it that we'll run into a huge bipedal beaver before this is over?' But I let it slip, and now he's here, without adequate comedic foreshadowing. I'm losing my touch, ain't I?"

The monster growled to send their very bones shaking.

Applejack did the first thing she could think of and kicked right at her own reflection, making the beaversaurus howling in pain.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!"

The girls spread out as the confused beaver came back to its senses and started chasing after them.

"Why are we running from a rodent?", Rainbow Dash complained.

"...We should try talking to him! I'm sure it's all just a big misunderstanding...", Fluttershy said.

"No Fluttershy, you shouldn't. Besides, it's a loud thing. You don't like loud things."

"...That is true."

Suddenly, the beaver turned away from them and started heading for Pinkie Pie, Twilight and Rarity, driving them into a corner.

Applejack stopped dead in her tracks.

"Oh no you don't...! I tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna ride that thing. Rainbow, can you give me a lift?"

"Sure thing!!"

Rainbow Dash and Applejack ran directly at the beaver. When they were close enough, Applejack jumped on Rainbow Dash's wings, and from there onto the beaver. With one swift move, she tied her lasso around its large neck, sending the animal into a desperate frenzy.

"YEE-HA! DANCE for me, you cross-eyed son of a possum! Dance like you mean it!"

-"...Careful!! You're hurting it!"

"THAT'S THE IDEA."

"Watch out!!", Rainbow Dash cried, but it was too late, if there even was anything Applejack could have done.

While Twilight and the other two had been evading the creature's stomping feet, they were hit by its broad tail and sent flying through the air.

"Go after them!!", Applejack cried, "I'll handle this thing!"

Rainbow Dash was conflicted for a moment, then she decided that three friends needed more loyalty than one.

-

She found Twilight and Pinkie Pie in a pit full with strange, orange goo.

"You guys alright?"

"Never been better", Twilight snorted, treading goo, so very eager to keep her head and especially nose, high above the surface, "Wait... where is Pinkie Pie?"

Pinkie popped up again right next to her, licking her goo-coated lips.

"You should try it, Twilight! It's disgusting!"

"Oooh, do I ever believe you. Rainbow, would you please get us out of here? Or me, at least."

"Hey Twilight, check this out, I think this stuff is alive!"

"Would you please get us out of here now?"

-"Grab this!"

Rainbow had found a large vine that she could throw her friends.

"We're stuck...! Can you pull us out?"

-"With a little assistance, I'm sure she can", Rarity said. She had just appeared next to Rainbow, covered in bruises, but otherwise unharmed. She dug her teeth into the vine and really, with their combined forces they managed to get Twilight and Pinkie free.

"I see our little work outs are paying of", Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

Rarity nodded. "Come quick. I have discovered Spike... but he's in quite the predicament."

They heard the beaver cry in what most definitely sounded like pain.

"Let's go, then. I think Applejack is fine."

-

The very vine they had been using to pull Twilight and Pinkie free lead them to a large, cage-shaped bush. It was a considerable distance, but it was clear that the vine, and those like it, were actually much longer still, and just happened to be coiled up.

The closer they came to the central plant, the "livelier" the vines became. Close to the trunk, they were wriggling and hissing like so many snakes.

And sure enough, they could see Spike at the centre of the plant, behind a semi-transparent membrane.

"Oh hi you guys. I'm being slowly digested. How are you?"

He frowned at the hand he was holding. Because he was in fact playing cards with one of the vines.

"Are you doing what I think you're doing...?", Twilight asked.

One of the external vines grabbed a white canvas, scribbled He sucks at this! on it and held it up to the fillies.

"Oh. I see", Twilight sighed, "I actually know this one. It's a dragonvora-plant. That explains the note"

"But wait, does this mean it can understand our language? Is it intelligent?", Rarity asked.

"Not exactly! The dragonvora plant can't actually communicate in any language. It isn't sentient. It can't think. But it has evolved to appear exactly as if it did."

"So it's kinda like me, then", Pinkie said.

"Not sure who's the better actor."

"But how ever are we going to get Spike out of there?", Rarity asked.

"We could burn him out", Rainbow Dash proposed.

She started rubbing two sticks together and blowing on the first sparks.

But as soon as the smoke was starting to rise, a vine snuck up on them and splashed them with a little water pistol.

"Yeah, I already tried that", Spike said, "But I wanted to see you fail."

-"Spike!"

"Actually, it's alright, Twilight. I haven't been very nice to him recently, I guess. I can see why he's mad at me."

"Oh, come on!", Spike said, "I'm not that mad at you! I just wish you'd stop picking on me, you know...?"

"I'll see what I can do."

The dragonvora held up another sign, this one reading: d'Awwwww.

Then several things happened in a very short amount of time. The first one was that several vines sprung into action all at once, wrapping themselves around the fillies.

-

"Giving up already", Applejack said, wiping the sweat off her forehead and using her hat as a fan.

She climbed out of the exhausted beaver's fur, since it had become way too hot. She pulled another rope out of her saddle pack and started tying the beaver up.

"...Applejack, please don't tie him up so hard. The poor thing is out of breath as it is."

"You know, Fluttershy", Applejack slowly said, "You're really starting to get on my nerves. That's the honest truth. If you haven't noticed, I just saved your live- all our lives, and I don't feel like giving this monster the benefit of a doubt. Do you even hear yourself talk? Applejack don't do this, Applejack don't hurt that... Well I've got news for you, missy: Sopmeone's got to do it. Someone's got to get their hooves dirty."

The beaver started whining in an unnerving, high-pitched tone.

"SHUT UP!" Applejack barely resisted the urge to kick its face.

"...Applejack...!"

The whining grew louder and louder. Suddenly, the two fillies heard a buzzing.

Too fast for the naked eye, roots darted out of the ground and wrapped themselves around their limbs, squeezing them ever-tighter. Mercilessly.

The fillies screamed with what little breath they had, kicking and biting at the roots, to no awail. The bark could as well have been made of stone.

"...It's the beaver! He called for help because you hurt him! N- none of this would have happened if you had any respect for nature!", Fluttershy cried.

"If anything, I had too much respect! This whole thing just proves my point that mother nature is a mean old hag who always has to ruin everything!"

"...You are the one ruining everything! If you could just live and let live..."

"Well, I can't! I have a family to take care of! Not that you'd know anything about that. You're just a... crazy pet lady! You don't care about anypony!"

Fluttershy was shocked. Her lips trembled, but it wasn't in anger now.

"...I care about you", she whispered.

"Fluttershy..." Applejack gulped. "I'm so, so sorry. I never should have said that. I'm awful. I should have listened to you."

"...I should have listened to you, too. I thought you were being a selfish brute, but you are only doing the things you do for the ponies you love. I feel so stupid."

"Me too, sugar cube."

"... We're still going to die now, aren't  we?"

"Sure looks that way."

-"Or not", Pinkie Pie chirped.

The roots became flasque again and dropped the two ponies to the ground.

When they looked up, Pinkie was standing in front of them, two six-legged faen creatures with straw hats hovering above her. It were the fairy wings that made the buzzing noise they had noticed earlier. They had orange carapaces and emerald eyes.

"You guys, meet the fForrl'Forps. They're farmers! This is all one huge garden! Aparently, we are trespassing on their property. They think ponies are a pest, so they kill them on sight with their magic plant powers when they catch them messing with their plants and animals, but I explained everything, so they're making an exception. They won't apologize for squeezing you, though."

"Why would they", Applejack mumbled, "they only did what any responsible farmer would have done..."

She gulped.

"I can't believe you're speaking the faen language", Twilight cried out. She and the others had just walked up next to Pinkie Pie. "That's one of the most difficult languages to learn! I have studied it for years and I can barely form a single coherent sentence!"

Pinkie Pie giggled. "Good thing I didn't have to learn it. Remember that goo stuff I ate earlier?"

She pointed to her left, and a horrid, gelatinous slugmonster dropped from a nearby tree.

"Turns out it belonged to this guy. His name is sSlobbworth. Part of him is now living inside my brain. It tickles."

Rarity had to do some breathing exercizes when she heard this.

The faen creature said something to Pinkie, making her grin even larger. "What's that...? Uh, Twilight, sSlobbworth says if you want, you can eat a piece of him, too!"

"Is that so", Twilight said, "What a tempting offer. I think I'll pass."

She shook her head.

"So they're not going to kill us. Is that right?"

"Not right away, anyhow!", Pinkie Pie chirped, "They think we're interesting enough to bring us to the elders first." With a ceremonial voice, she added: "Over at the Central Hive."

-

The ponies were requested to wait outside the main audience hall while the elders got ready.

The tunnels of the Hive were filled with all kinds of loot, including pony artifacts.

"Hey Applejack", Spike said,"Get a load of that! The pony on this carpet looks just like you!"

"It's a tapestry", Twilight corrected him,"but Spike is right. This really looks intriguing..."

The tapestry showed three ponies wearing ancient armor and dresses. Each of them had a crown on their head. It were two fillies and one colt. Aparently, they were siblings. For some reason, their eyes were closed.

"Hold on...", Rarity said, "I think this is a magical tapestry. If we just give it a little push... This place is just leaving me enough magic..."

She pointed her horn at the artifact, and when she sent a few sparks of magic into the fabric, the picture began to move.

The three ponies opened their eyes, and were now looking at a map that was torn into three parts. The orange mare that looked like Applejack smiled and put the three parts together. The picture changed again, and now the siblings were sitting on three thrones, with the orange one in the middle.

"What does it mean?", Rainbow Dash wondered.

"I'm not sure", Twilight Sparkle said, "In ancient times, when royal siblings would inherit the land, they would always divide it between them. In this case, however, it seems like the middle child managed to maintain the harmony so the three of them could rule together. Standing united against all odds. Look, her cutie mark is made of three golden crowns."

"Do you think she is Applejack's ancestor?", Pinkie Pie asked.

"If this happened more than 2000 years ago, and if she had any descendants, she is probably the ancestor of all of us", Twilight said. She looked at Applejack and smiled. "But she is certainly AJ's ancestor in spirit."

Applejack blushed. "Now what is that supposed to mean?"

But then the gate to the audience room was opened, and they walked inside.

-

The elders were sitting on perches all around the circular hall, like so many birds. Some of them were vaguely pony-like, one resembled a huge, winged deer, others looked like flying fish or crustaceans. Others still didn't resemble anything the ponies could have compared them to, though some might have been more familiar had the ponies had knowlegde of the ecosystems of the ocean abyss. All of them were dressed in exquisite robes.

Several elders were talking at once. It appeared as if they completed one another's sentences. Sometimes they even talked over one another in a melodious canon. It was as if everyone was adding a different layer to the main speech.

It was obvious that Pinkie Pie had to concentrate very hard to decipher it, biting her lips, an unusual frown on her face.

Twilight felt a weird new feeling arising in her chest, something she had hardly ever felt near Pinkamena. Was it... pride?

Finally, she dared to start translating.

"Mhm", Pinkie Pie said. "Aparently, what we unleashed in Ponyville wasn't an evil spirit at all. It's a little more complicated than that."

She took a deep breath.

"You see, it all started a long time ago. Where Ponyville is today, there used to be a fairy nest, inhabited by a swarm of really rare faen, the botfairies. They had a powerful bond with a tribe of Everfree mooses, who would carry their eggs..."

Spike pulled on Twilight's tail.

"What's that supposed to mean?", he whispered.

-"Not now, Spike."

"...But then the ponies came and started fighting the mooses, and the tribe was never seen again. Now the botfairies in the land had no hosts for their eggs... except there was one place: pioneer ponies and their cattle. The faen discovered they were just as good as mooses. But the ponies didn't really like that idea..."

"No kidding", Applejack said.

"And so they were hunting the fairies down, and when they traced them back to the Ponyville area, they asked Canterlot for help, so Canterlot sent a great expedition to deal with it. They negotiated a little and when that failed, quite predictably, the ponies attacked the hive. It wasn't pretty. But the pony spellcasters were stronger, so the faen had to use their ultimate spell: a deflector spell.

It's really silly, actually. They just ended up throwing every spell the unicorns cast right back at them. The unicorn ponies however also knew the deflector spell, so it was like playing ping pong. The trouble was, the spells became more and more powerful in the process until they merged into a single evil entity that was dealing havoc to both sides and destroying the land. So they made a truce and under the direction of the faen, they united their magic to entrap the entity inside a tree. When this was done... oh, that's nasty. They say the ponies backstabbed the fairies and finished them off. That's not very nice."

"I'm sure there are two sides to this story", Applejack said.

"...In any case, there were hardly any survivors. Among the fairy swarm, that is. The ponies were doing just fine. The last of the botfairies fled far away into the Everfree forest where they were protected by the Faen kingdom, who had perfected the spells that would seal their last refuge from the ponies."

Twilight Sparkle gulped. "And are there still any of them left today?"

Pinkie Pie submitted the question to their hosts. The faen elders nodded. "Just one. Would we like to meet her?" Pinkie lowered her head. "I know I would."

Out of one of the many tunnles leaving to the hall, a new faen creature emerged. She had six legs, like most fairies, but was otherwise shaped like a pony. She had a shining green carapace with dark stripes, big, ruby-like eyes and a stinger at the end of her tail.

"Meet the last of the botfairies... Ha, what do you know, she's a princess, just like you, Twilight! Uh, and listen to this. She is magical. She knows the ancient spells of her people, and she is the last faen to know how to create a proper tree prison."

"Tell her that we know it won't mean anything to her, but that we are really, really sorry for what happened to her people. If there's anything we could do to ease her pain, we'd do it."

"No need translate", the botfairy said in a sweet, timid voice, "I understand little Equestrian."

"This is wonderful... I wish I could talk to you in your language as well." Twilight Sparkle came a step closer and lowered her head. "Princess, I guess you've already heard why we have come to your sanctuary... Our home town is struck by a horrible plague which we have brought upon ourselves. We understand that only you know how to defeat it. We understand if you have no warm feelings for us ponies, but we love our town very much. So many families would become refugees. And that is not all. The evil will spread and ruin other lives as well. And not only those of ponies. You are the only one who can help. We know we can't ask you to do anything for us, but if you could find it in your heart to share that spell with us..."

"I no want revenge", the botfairy said, "Everything a long time ago. There only one thing I want from you in return..."

"Anything!"

"The thing I want is life."

She had to stop. She was blushing. She turned to the fairy elders, inquisitive. They nodded. The botfairy cleared her throat, but still didn't find the right words. Finally, she gave up, and instead decided to show the ponies what she meant.

She flexed her abdomen, and in just a few seconds, it had inflated like a balloon.

Rainbow Dash whistled in approval. "Was she holding that in the entire time? Not bad."

"Pregnant belly cumbersome most of time", Twilight the botfairy said.

"Pregnant?" Rarity said, "Why, darling, this is great news! So there is still hope for your people!"

"Hay yeah this is great news! We'll throw you a baby party!", Pinkie Pie cried out. Out of nowhere, she produced two party hats, placing one of them on the surprised botfairy's head, the other one on her abdomen.

"I just don't understand what this has to do with us", Rainbow Dash wondered.

Applejack however looked like she was going to throw up. "I think I do..."

Twilight Sparkle gulped. "You want us to carry your eggs. Is that right?"

"Not just anypony", the botfairy said, pointing at Fluttershy, "Only yellow one. She smells nice. Smells... right. She more than enough."

"Oh no you don't!", Rainbow Dash said. "You leave her alone!"

She and Applejack placed themselves between Fluttershy and the botfairy.

"That's right", Applejack said, "She is the sweetest pony there is and she doesn't deserve to live that kind of nightmare! I don't care how desperate you are, Fluttershy is our friend, and we'll never let you get anywhere near her!"

"...Applejack", Fluttershy whispered.

"We'll never allow you to touch her! And if it's the last thing I..."

"APPLEJACK!"

Starteled, the ponies and the faen turned around to look at Fluttershy, who was trying to catch her breath again.

"...I WANT to do it. I really do."

"Fluttershy..."

"...It's okay. She needs a host. I am young and healthy. My flesh will be good for her young. That's all that matters."

The botfairy beamed. "Oh wonderful pony! I wait for this many years!"

"Fluttershy, no...", Applejack whispered, "Don't do this... don't give yourself up like this... Do you even realize what is going to happen to you?"

"... Oh Applejack, I will be fine. You'll see."

"It's all my fault", Applejack said. She couldn't look Fluttershy in the eyes anymore. A single tear dropped to the ground.

Fluttershy jumped at her friend and hugged her tight. "...Don't worry about it. It'll be an adventure! Look at me and tell me you think I can't hoofle this!"

Applejack smiled. It was a smile full of pain, but a smile none the less. "You are one messed up mare, you know that?"

Fluttershy chuckled. "... I ought to. You're telling me all the time."

"That is hardcore", Rainbow Dash said, "the thing you're going to do?"

"You are very brave, Fluttershy", Twilight said.

"You are truly the element of kindness", Rarity said, all too glad this particular challenge didn't fall into the department of the element of generosity. She knew that it had been a close shot. It was sort of a grey area.

"No", Fluttershy said, her voice surprisingly firm for once. "Girls, I want you to understand this- this is the very least we can do. I offer my flesh to her because it's my debt as well as that of anypony else. We're in this together, and I'm not backing out. That is all."

"I still don't get it", Spike said, "what IS she going to do?"

Fluttershy turned to the botfairy princess. She looked at the stinger and gulped, but there was no turning back now. "...We can begin right away if you want. I'm ready."

The botfairy made a little bow. "Thank you, Fluttershy-pony! Please follow me..."

"Wait, I...", Applejack interrupted them, "Are you sure that... I mean..."

She lowered her head. "Princess, it's all my fault. The evil entity escaped because of me, and your people was destroyed by ponies just as myself, who thought they could just roll over everything... Destroy everything... Is there no way I could take Fluttershy's place...? I'd deserve it."

The fairy smiled. "No, Applejack. But there is one thing you can do... You can think about this things, always remember, and live in shame for the rest of your life, never able to redeem yourself. Don't you think it is fitting punishment?"

"Yes", Applejack said timidly, "I guess it is."

The botfairy and Fluttershy left the audience room together.

"Where is she taking her?", Spike asked.

"To her place, for privacy's sake", Pinkie Pie translated.

"I still don't get it", Spike said.

-

End of Act 2

Act 3: The offspring