Chapter 11: Swarm of the Century

One beautiful morning, outside the town of Ponyville, Fluttershy was along the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. On this fine day, the butter-yellow Pegasus was busily gathered flowers with a little help from her animal friends.

"La, la-la, la-la, la-la," She sang happily.

As she continued filling the basket upon her back with beautiful flowers, a squirrel appeared before her. Before the mare he presents her a flower to add to the collection. But Fluttershy noticed that the squirrel picked out a dandelion puff.

"Thank you little squirrel, but remember these flowers are for Princess Celestia," Fluttershy replied. "Only the prettiest ones will do."

And sure enough, a strong gust of wind struck the dandelion puff, blowing away its seeds, and left just the stem. The squirrel just smiled apologetically and dashed away. Fluttershy merely smiled, as she went back to her humming while heading toward a nearby cart.

"La, la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la…"

*CHIRP!*

"Gah!"

Suddenly startled by the loud chirping, Fluttershy rushed behind the cart and dropped all the collected flowers onto the grass. Another chirp drew her face out of hiding. And there, just being a rock, a tiny insect appeared. It had two pairs of wings, large eyes, and a spherical body. It rose straight from its hiding place and just smiled.

"Hello, little guy," Fluttershy said sweetly. "I've never seen anything like you before."

The insect flew toward a nearby apple, sniffing it despite the lack of a visible nose.

"Oh, are you hungry?" Fluttershy asked.

The Pegasus proceeds to stomp the apple into a mush, making it easier for the little fella to eat.

"Here you go."

The insect eyed the mush for a second or two… before zooming toward a nearby bucket loaded with apples. The insect swarmed the bucket, eating every apple inside.

"I guess you were hungry," Fluttershy observed.

In response, the insect snuggled deep within Fluttershy's pink mane and purred.

"You're the cutest thing ever!" Fluttershy said. "I can't wait to show you to my friends."

Fluttershy was so excited to show off her new friend, it didn't occur to her that such a large appetite could pose a problem… a big problem…

*Main theme*

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, Twilight and Spike busily spent their day tidying up the library. Of course, Twilight's need for 'perfection' didn't make the task any easier for the baby dragon.

"Oh! Hurry up, Spike!" Twilight urged frantically. "This place isn't gonna clean itself."

"It also didn't mess itself up," Spike replied.

There is no further emphasis over the fact he wasn't the one throwing all the books on the floor, while he tried carrying a few at a time. Whereas Twilight Sparkle kept using her feather duster to rapidly clear away the dust.

"Princess Celestia will be here tomorrow!" Twilight explained.

"I thought this was just an unofficial casual visit," Spike said.

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

Spike kept trying to put some books away along the higher shelves. Unfortunately for the little dragon, he was losing his balance on the ladder.

"Maybe you should, ugh, start reading them one at a time?" Spike suggested. "Whoa-ho! Aw."

Spike tumbled back onto the floor, groaning as he noticed all the dropped books.

"Everything's got to be perfect," Twilight said, obliviously. "No time for fooling around."

"You know, this would be an awful lot easier if there weren't two of us here getting under each other's feet," Spike proposed.

If Spike was hoping to get out of cleaning the library, his plan completely backfired.

"Great idea," Twilight said. "You clean, I'll go see how everyone else's preparations are coming."

Twilight handed Spike her feather duster and headed out.

"Or maybe I should…"

But Spike was too late. Twilight already left, leaving Spike alone to clean the library. He groaned, but nevertheless went back to work.

Twilight quickly galloped about town, as the townponies busily got everything ready for Princess Celestia's visit. As she made her way through the park, she noticed all the decorated trees and all the water flowers which ensured they'd be in full bloom come tomorrow. It was then she noticed the two ponies setting up a banner as they chatted amongst each other.

"WELCOME PRINCESS CELEST"

Celest?

"What happened to the rest of her name?" Twilight asked the two ponies.

"We couldn't fit it all in," Golden Harvest answered.

"You can't hang a banner that says, 'Welcome Princess Celest'," Twilight said. "Take it down and try again."

Golden Harvest and the other pony looked indignant, as Twilight went on her way. She then noticed Bon-Bon watering some flowers, which were beginning to blossom.

"That looks perfect," Twilight complimented. "Keep up the good work."

Bon-Bon just smiled as best she could, considering the watering can handle was in her teeth.

Twilight strolled toward Sugarcube Corner where the Cakes were busily crafting and setting up various desserts and other delectable goodies for the big day. They were so busy working; they almost didn't notice Twilight Sparkle coming through the shop's entrance.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cake," Twilight greeted. "How's the banquet coming?"

"Uh… it would be coming a little better if…"

Mrs. Cake pointed over toward a table where various desserts and goods had been munched and completely destroyed. The only decent item remaining was a nicely decorated cake with a tiara on top. That is until a certain pink pony slammed her face into it and gobbled it up. She smiled as her muzzle was covered in butter cream, making her appear as if she had a beard and now the tiara was on her head.

"Mmm…" Pinkie murmured.

And just like that, she used her long tongue to slurp the rest of the frosting clean off her face.

At that moment, Storm emerged from the kitchen, his mane slightly dusted with flour, and his expression a mix of exhaustion and exasperation. He had arrived to help with the banquet since Mrs. Cake seemed to enjoy having him assist her with the baking and prepping.

"UGH!" Storm groaned, glaring at Pinkie. "Pinkie! Could you please stop inhaling every dessert in sight? I can’t keep remaking everything! I’m this close to filing an official complaint with Princess Celestia herself."

Yet even as he glared toward the pink pony, Pinkie didn't seem to notice in the slightest.

"Pinkie! What are you doing? Those sweets are supposed to be for the princess," Twilight protested.

"I know. That's why I'm tasting them," Pinkie said. "Some pony needs to make sure that everything is tasty enough to touch the royal tongue."

Storm stared at her, his face deadpan. "Pinkie, I’m the one helping bake these. If anyone has a better sense of what the princess likes, it’s probably me. You know, considering I’ve been to a few royal banquets."

Twilight blinked, tilting her head curiously. "Wait… you’ve been to royal banquets? How come I didn’t know about this?"

Storm smirked slightly. "Probably because you were too busy with your nose buried in a book back then. My family and I attended a couple of dinners Celestia hosted for visiting dignitaries. But I doubt you’d remember—I was your so-called ‘best friend’ you never listened to at the time."

Twilight winced at his teasing but gave a sheepish giggle, her cheeks turning pink. "Well… you’re not wrong," she admitted, avoiding his gaze.

Storm chuckled softly, his stern expression melting into a warm smile. "It’s fine, Twi. Water under the bridge."

As Twilight turned her attention back to the table, she missed the brief moment when Storm’s gaze lingered on her. "You’re still my princess," he muttered under his breath, so quietly that no pony could hear.

"Anyway, I, Pinkie Pie, declare that these treats are fit for a king, or a queen, or a princess," Pinkie said regally.

Storm just shook his head.

Storm sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "They’d be fit for royalty if they were left intact, Pinkie."

Just then, Fluttershy entered the shop, her usual timid demeanor giving way to urgency. "Twilight, Pinkie, Storm, you won’t believe—oh, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

"Nope!" Pinkie chirped brightly. "Come on in, Fluttershy! Make yourself at home!"

And just like that, Pinkie reached for another cake, slurping it up with her tongue.

"Pinkie!" Storm snapped, throwing his hooves in the air. "Do you have some sort of dessert radar that beeps whenever food is left unattended?"

Pinkie paused mid-slurp, her eyes wide. "Dessert radar?! Wait, are you telling me I don’t already have one?! Oh my gosh, I need one of those!" she exclaimed, bouncing excitedly.

Storm stared at her, unimpressed. "You don’t need dessert radar, Pinkie. What you need is self-control."

Pinkie tilted her head innocently. "What’s self-control? Is it tasty?"

Storm facehoofed with an exaggerated groan. "I’m starting to think you’re the reason Celestia sent Twilight to Ponyville," he muttered.

"What's going on, Fluttershy?"

"You won't believe what I found at the edge of the Everfree Forest," Fluttershy said, turning toward her mane. "Come on our little guy. It's okay."

The insect just peeked out of her mane shyly before hovering before the other three ponies Yet Fluttershy gasped, as she was surprised to see not just 'one' but 'three' insects now. The insects just purred and chirped happily together.

"Three?" She exclaimed.

"They're amazing," Twilight said, as the insects flew about. "What are they?

"I'm not sure," Fluttershy said. "I'm also not sure where these other two came from."

"I'll take one off your hooves," Twilight said. "I've never seen anything so… adorable."

She nuzzled the insect gently, letting out a quiet coo before freezing, realizing what she was doing.

Blushing slightly, she cleared her throat and straightened up. "I mean, uh… it’ll be nice to have a companion for Spike," Twilight added quickly. "You know, so he won’t bother me as much while Storm and I are studying."

Storm smirked at her attempt to save face. "Right. Because nothing says ‘perfect study environment’ like a bug chirping in your ear," he quipped, raising an eyebrow.

Twilight shot him a look but couldn’t suppress a small laugh. Meanwhile, Fluttershy turned to Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie, do you want the other one?" Fluttershy offered.

"Ugh! A parasprite?" Pinkie retored, making a face. "Are you kidding?"

"Ugh?"

"A para-what?"

"That's what they are called?"

Fluttershy, Twilight, and Storm said all those questions at once. None of which were answered directly as Pinkie made her way toward the exit of the shop.

"Ugh! Now I gotta go find a trombone," Pinkie said angrily.

"A what?" Twilight asked, still puzzled.

"A trombone, you know…"

Pinkie imitated the instrument before leaping out the doorway.

"Pinkie, what's that got to do with parasprites?" Storm called out.

Unfortunately for Storm, Pinkie was already out of sight and out of hearing range.

"Ahh, typical Pinkie," Twilight brushed off, as her new parasprite purred beside her.

Fluttershy turned back to Storm, holding the last parasprite delicately. "Did you want the other one, Storm?" she asked gently.

Storm hesitated, his eyes darting between the tiny creature and Fluttershy’s hopeful expression. "Yeah… as cute as they are, I’m not really big on bugs or insects," he admitted, smiling apologetically. "But thanks for offering."

Storm turned and walked aside, while his thoughts started to speak volumes.

Alright, let’s think this through… he thought, his brow furrowing slightly. Pinkie might just be being random again, but what if she’s onto something? A trombone and parasprites? That doesn’t sound like one of her usual antics…

He glanced back at the cheerful bugs chirping in the air, then at Twilight happily cooing over hers.

Maybe I should look into these things when I get a chance, Storm mused. I’ve got a bad feeling this isn’t just a random Pinkie moment.

(scene change)

Later, Storm and Twilight made their way towards the Carousel Boutique as Rarity busily fashioned some outfits for tomorrow. Somehow, she convinced Rainbow to model for one of the outfits. But the blue Pegasus' attention span was wanning thin as Rarity tried to stick some pins to hold the material in place… and hopefully not stick Rainbow.

"Stand still, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said.

"Ugh, I caaan't!" Rainbow whined. "I need to flyyy! This is waaay too boring for me!"

Naturally, Rainbow Dash tried to take off. But Rarity held her down by the tail, preventing her from escaping.

"Do you want to look nice for Princess Celestia or not?" Rarity asked sternly.

As much as Rainbow hated dressing up, especially since the outfit Rarity made for her was… noble and proper, she did want to be presentable and conceded with a long face. It was in that moment Twilight and Storm walked inside.

"Wow!" Twilight gaped, seeing the outfits. "Rarity these outfits are gorgeous!"

Storm gave a small nod of agreement. "They’re impressive, Rarity. Definitely fit for royalty."

"Mm-hmm. Thank you, Twilight, thank you, Storm" Rarity said. "Nice to know some ponies appreciate my talents."

Rainbow just covered her face with her fore-hoofs, pulling down the bottom eyelids and made them recoil.

"Ugh, soo boooring!" Rainbow said.

Storm smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Hey, it might not be your style, Rainbow," he said, "but for what it’s worth, you look very pretty."

Rainbow dropped her hooves and glared at him. Her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink, but she quickly masked it with indignation. "Oh, quiet, you!" she barked, trying to sound tough.

Storm chuckled softly under his breath, clearly amused by her reaction. "What? I’m just being honest and sincere," he replied with mock innocence, his grin growing.

Rainbow grumbled incoherently, and Twilight rolled her eyes with a small laugh. Before the playful banter could continue, a series of chirps caught their attention. The sound grew louder, causing Rarity to pause mid-pin.

"Huh?" Rarity remarked.

"What's that sound, Twilight?" Rainbow asked curiously.

It was then not one, but three parasprites popped out of her mane. Rainbow flew just above them, despite her dress.

"Wow, what are they?" Rainbow said.

"The better question is: where did they come from?" Twilight answered. "I only had one a minute ago."

"That's not a good sign…" Storm said wearily.

But none of the girls heard a single word the stallion said.

"Uh, I’ll take one!" Rainbow volunteered, her usual bravado replaced with a surprising display of softness. She nuzzled the parasprite, who purred happily in response.

Storm raised an eyebrow at the unexpected sight but chose not to comment. “It’s nice seeing her softer side once in a while,” he thought to himself, keeping his usual sarcasm in check.

"Me too," Rarity replied. "Oh, they're perfect."

Storm watched as Rarity delicately cuddled her new parasprite, her face lighting up like a filly with a new toy. But despite the cheerful scene, Storm’s unease only grew. He sighed quietly, his eyes darting between the chirping creatures and the oblivious ponies around him.

“They’re cute, sure,” he thought, his mind racing. “But things multiplying out of nowhere? That’s never a good sign. Especially around here.”

Suddenly, Pinkie appeared outside the shop door. "Does any pony know where I can find an accordion?" She called out.

"Check Lyra's house," Storm answered, not looking back at her. "She used to play one a few years ago but gave it up. I'm pretty sure she still has it."

Though Storm's attention was more on the other girls than Pinkie, she'd take any answer she can get.

"Thanks Storm." Pinkie replied, glaring at the girls. "Least some pony is being helpful!"

The other girls were too busy cooing and doing baby talk with their parasprites they hardly noticed the pink pony.

"Girls! Hello! This is important!" Pinkie yelled. "Durgh! Thanks a lot!"

Fed up with being ignored, she dashed away in a pink blur, muttering to herself. Storm, on the other hoof, just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"What the heck do instruments have to do with these parasprites?" he muttered under his breath. His gaze shifted to the buzzing insects. "Something doesn’t add up. Maybe I should look into these creatures as soon as possible… before this turns into another Ponyville disaster."

(scene change)

Later, after the parasprite excitement died down, Storm quietly slipped away and made his way to the library. The night was calm, but his thoughts weren’t. The strange behavior of the parasprites—and Pinkie’s bizarre fixation on musical instruments—nagged at his mind.

“I don’t like this,” he thought as he entered the library. “Something about those bugs feels… off.”

What he hadn’t counted on was being roped into helping Spike finish tidying up. Books were scattered across the floor, and the shelves were a mess of disorganized tomes.

"Great timing, Storm," Spike said, tossing him a broom. "You can start over there."

Storm sighed but set to work, muttering to himself. "I came here for research, not spring cleaning. If Twilight’s got a checklist for this too, I swear…"

Hours passed as he and Spike worked. By the time they finished, the library was spotless, but Storm’s chance to research the parasprites had slipped away. He glanced at the clock, groaning softly. It was late, and exhaustion tugged at him.

“Well, so much for looking into that tonight,” he thought as he headed out the door. “I’ll just have to make time tomorrow… assuming Pinkie doesn’t come back with a full orchestra.”

Later that night, Twilight still worried over tomorrow's schedule.

"The decorations, the banquet," She sighed. "I really hope everything comes together in time for tomorrow."

She looked about till her eyes acknowledge Spike, the little dragon already fast asleep and the little parasprite making baby-like noises as it snoozed nearby. Twilight just yawned as she climbed into bed.

"Oh, what's there to worry about?" Twilight asked, falling asleep.

The very next morning arrived, as Twilight was stirred awake with a start by the sound of loud baby noises. Looking around, she saw not one, not three, but several parasprites buzzing around her.

"Spike! Wake up! What happened?"

Spike woke up, but two parasprites rested on his eyes. Several more buzzed all around him.

"Huh? Whaa!" Spike screamed, prying the parasprites off. "What's going on?"

The parasprites just chirped in response.

"Where did they come from?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know," Spike answered. "The little guy got hungry in the middle of the night, so I gave him a snack, but… I have no idea where the others came from."

Just then, the parasprites began to remove and toss objects from the shelves.

"Oh no!" Spike exclaimed. "They're messing up all my hard work!"

Naturally, Spike had forgotten the fact Storm helped him out last night. But right now, he was focused on shooing the parasprites away from the shelves. Twilight tried to do the same, but there were just too many parasprites to deal with.

"The princess will be here in a few hours," Twilight said worried.

Spike kept gathering the parasprites away from the shelves, but the numbers became overwhelming.

"Ugh!" Spike groaned.

"Spike, help me round up these little guys!" Twilight called out.

"Ugh, what does it look like I'm doin'?" Spike called out.

At this moment, Spike had an entirely large basket filled several times his height with parasprites.

"Ooow, waaah! D'oh!"

Spike lost his balance and all the parasprites fell atop him. Twilight just glared as some parasprites flew away while Spike popped out of the pile.

"I know, I know, 'Stop foolin' around'," Spike replied, with an irritated glare.

Frankly, the little dragon was tired of being scolded for simply trying his best. It was early in the day and already Spike was feeling overwhelmed.

Back in the sky, Rainbow reclined lazily along a cloud-shaped, pillar-style chair. Just then, a parasprite appeared under the cloud next to her, waking her with a chirp. Then another appeared… then another… and another one…

"Huh? Huh?!" Rainbow exclaimed.

The parasprites began to swarm Rainbow, landing all over her. The cyan Pegasus screeched, grunted, and groaned as she tried to shoo them off. But every time she tried, they kept flying back toward her.

"Get off me!" She bellowed.

The little pests began forming shapes along Rainbow Dash in numerous ways. Headwear… accessories… even forming a bathing suit, two piece. Rainbow groaned and grunted, waving off rapidly, but the parasprites still wouldn't stop. Finally, they made themselves a beard and mustache on her chin.

"Waaa!" Rainbow screamed.

The frantic Pegasus zoomed away, as the other parasprites followed in hot pursuit.

Rarity, on the other hoof, took the multiplying parasprites very well. As a matter of fact, she put them to work in her shop. The parasprites assisted her with various tasks she needed to have done this morning.

"Not only are you adorable, but you're also quite useful," Rarity said.

One parasprite smiled and purred until it began to cough and grunt.

"Oh, are you okay?" Rarity asked worriedly.

But her concerns were short-lived when the parasprite spat a brownish ball of goo into her eye, making her gasp.

"Aaah! Eewww. Aaah! Gross, gross, gross!"

It was then the ball of goo turned into a new parasprite. Long story short, Rarity was disgusted.

"No creature that behaves so revoltingly is allowed in my boutique!" Rarity said sternly.

Her only reply came when the newly-born parasprite spat out a purple ball of goo, which immediately became another new parasprite. All Rarity could do was scream her head off.

A short while later, Rarity sternly left her shop with her saddle bags loaded with all the parasprites inside. It was then Pinkie Pie just arrived.

"Look Rarity, Applejack loaned me a harmonica," Pinkie said, playing a few notes. "Isn't that great?"

Pinkie soon gasped the moment she heard the parasprites' chirping inside one of Rarity's saddle bags.

"And not a moment too soon," Pinkie observed.

"Ugh, Pinkie, I'm a little busy right now," Rarity replied, walking away.

"And I'm not?" Pinkie retorted. "You know how many more instruments I've gotta find? A lot, that's how many. Now if we split the list between us, we might just make it in time."

Pinkie held Rarity close, but the marshmallow pony was in no mood to listen.

"Please, Pinkie, I don't have time for some silly scavenger hunt," Rarity answered. "I've got a real problem."

"You've got a real problem, all right, and a banjo is the only real answer," Pinkie replied, zipping away.

Rarity just rolled her eyes and walked away. She just arrived at a nearby lake outside Fluttershy's cottage when she met up with Twilight, who also carried saddle bags loaded with parasprites. They both gasped when they saw each other.

"I see we're having the same problem," Rarity pointed out.

"Ditto!" Rainbow replied.

By the time Rainbow arrived, she finally got the swarm of parasprites off her chin and flew away to keep them off her. Soon the ponies approached the front door leading to Fluttershy's cottage.

"Fluttershy knows everything about animals," Twilight said. "I'm sure she can tell us how to stop them from multiplying."

Just as they opened the door, they were swarmed with parasprites, not just several, or dozens… but hundreds!

"… or not," Twilight said wearily.

Several hundred parasprites buzzed about inside and outside Fluttershy's house. The poor yellow Pegasus dashed about her house.

"Ugh, do something Fluttershy!" Twilight called out. "Can't you control them?"

"I've tried everything I know," Fluttershy said. "I tried begging, and pleading, and beseeching, and asking politely and…"

"Guh!" Rainbow said.

Twilight whined inwardly, as a vision began to play in her head:

Princess Celestia, arriving in Ponyville, only to be swept away screaming as the parasprites invaded her chariot and carried her away…

"If we can't get them under control before the Princess arrives, it'll be a total disaster!" Twilight said.

Just then, another parasprite hacked out another orb producing another parasprite. Rarity cringed, after bearing witness to that again.

"Ew!" Rarity retorted. "If you ask me, it's already a total disaster."

It was then that Applejack arrived carrying a cartload of apples.

"Here's all those apples you wanted, Fluttershy," Applejack said. "But I still can't figure out why you need so many. Hey!"

Before Applejack could finish, several parasprites swarmed in and gobbled up all the apples, core and all. By the time they finished, the cart was completely empty.

"DON’T FEED THEM!"

A commanding shout echoed from above, drawing everypony’s attention. Storm leapt gracefully from tree to tree before landing beside them, his expression grim.

"Where have you been?" Twilight demanded, glaring at him. "We’re in the middle of a crisis!"

Storm raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Nice to see you too, Twilight. I missed you, too," he said dryly, before his expression turned serious. "I was up all night researching these little pests—parasprites. Trying to figure out exactly what we’re dealing with."

Twilight opened her mouth to retort, but Storm held up a hoof, cutting her off. "From what I can tell, you’ve already learned the hard way that they multiply at an absurd rate. The trigger? Their endless appetite."

"Endless?!" the girls exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah, endless," Storm confirmed, nodding grimly. "Apparently, the more they eat, the faster they multiply. Feeding them only makes it worse. The only way to slow them down is to keep them from eating at all." He paused, glancing at the empty cart. "Of course, that’s easier said than done at this point."

"Did the book say anything about getting rid of them?" Twilight asked, her voice tense with desperation.

Storm sighed and shook his head. "That’s the problem. I went through every page, every footnote, every obscure reference in the index. Heck, I even checked the inside cover for scribbled notes from whoever owned the book before. Nada."

He let out a frustrated snort. "I got so desperate I practically interrogated the book. But there’s nothing—no magical remedies, no natural predators, nothing on how to stop these things once they start multiplying."

"What do we do?" Fluttershy asked worried.

Twilight pondered for a second before she gasped.

"I got it!" Twilight said. "No pony can herd like Applejack."

"Yeah!" Rainbow added. "We can drive 'em back into the forest."

While Applejack didn't quite know much about the situation as the rest of the group, she was ready for action.

"I'll rastle 'em up!" She replied with a scoff. "But I need every pony's help to do it. Twilight, you and Rarity wait over there. I'll herd the little critters straight at ya like a funnel. Rainbow, and Fluttershy stay on top of 'em, don't let 'em fly away. Storm, I've seen you herd 'em with the best. Yer with me."

"You can count on me!" Storm responded back.

"Aye-aye!" Rainbow said, as she and Fluttershy took to the skies.

"Yeeeeeee-haw!" Applejack called out.

She rose upon her hind legs, then galloped away with Storm at her side. The parasprites screeched as Applejack and the group began to corral them all into one giant orb. They then began to herd the giant parasprite ball toward the entrance to the Everfree Forest. Two parasprites tried to escape but were quickly pushed back into the giant orb.

"Alrighty y'all, here goes nothin'," Applejack called out. "Look out Rarity, that one's fixin' to get away. Keep a lead on 'em, Rainbow Dash! Hold on girls, we're almost there!"

"Why is it I always feel excluded when you say just 'girls'?" Storm asked, annoyed.

"You make it too easy!" Rainbow shouted.

Storm sent Rainbow a death glare, while Twilight tried to concentrate. It was then she noticed Pinkie appearing out of nowhere, running along with the group.

"Pinkie!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Twilight, we don't have much time!" She answered.

"You're telling me," Twilight answered. "The princess could arrive at any moment."

"Exactly!" Pinkie agreed. "That's why I need you gals… and Storm… to drop what you're doing and help me find some maracas," Pinkie finished.

"Maracas?!" Twilight exclaimed. "Pinkie, we've got much bigger problems than missing maracas!"

"You're right!" Pinkie gasped. "Getting a tuba has to be our number one goal. Follow me."

Pinkie took off, only to come back, running backwards to keep pace, seeing as no pony was following her.

"I said, 'follow me'!" Pinkie said more sternly.

Rainbow merely laughed at her. "Pinkie Pie, you are so random," She remarked.

Unlike other occasions, Storm could just tell Pinkie was getting very frustrated.

"Look Pinkie, I want to believe you know what your doing," Storm told her outloud. "But you're not making any sense to any pony!"

"But I need help!" Pinkie barked. "What do I choose? Maracas or a tuba?"

The others groaned collectively, rolling their eyes. Storm, however, clenched his jaw, his agitation bubbling to the surface.

"Pinkie," he said sharply, his tone carrying an edge. "We’re up to our necks trying to stop Ponyville from becoming a disaster zone, and you’re asking about musical instruments?! Just go handle your own thing and let us deal with this, alright?!"

Pinkie’s eyes widened, hurt flashing across her face for a split second before she stamped her hoof. "Urgh! You’re all so stubborn!" she snapped, spinning around and dashing away in a blur of pink.

"Forget her ladies… and gentle-colt," Applejack said. "Focus. Head 'em up and move 'em out."

The ponies soon reached the edge of the forest, allowing the giant orb of parasprites to roll deep into the forest. With any luck, those parasprites will be lost forever.

"All right!" Rainbow shouted, with a grunt.

Fluttershy reached out her fore-hooves as Rainbow gave her a hard double high five.

"Ouch," Fluttershy said, rubbing her now sore hooves.

"We did it," Twilight smiled. "Nice work, Applejack."

"Couldn't a'done it without y'all," Applejack said.

"Now let's get back and clean up the mess they made before the princess arrives," Twilight suggested.

All the ponies nodded, as the six of them made their way back to Fluttershy's cottage.

"Okay, everyone know what to do, right?" Twilight instructed. "We gotta work extra hard to make up for lost time."

Fluttershy then opened her door… when another swarm of hundreds of fast-flying parasprites exploded out of Fluttershy's house. Twilight Sparkle ducked and covered as the incoming swarm burst out.

"Where did they come from?" Twilight asked.

"Well, I may have kept just one," Fluttershy confessed.

Suffice to say, every pony else gave some furious glares.

"Fluttershy, whyyyy?!" Storm asked with a glare.

"Heh. I couldn't help myself," Fluttershy admitted sheepishly. "They're just so cute."

Fluttershy nuzzled one, but the others were more concerned over the new swarm.

"We don't have time to keep rounding up these things," Twilight remarked. "What do we do now?"

"We call in the weather patrol," Rainbow said.

The cyan Pegasus put on some goggles, then took off to the skies with a grunt. Poor Rarity shrieked as she ran away from the parasprite chasing her, while the others struggled to round them all up again. Rainbow tucked her goggles tightly over her eyes till they were just right.

"Time to take out the adorable trash," Rainbow said. "YAAAAAA!"

With a Tarzan-like yell, Rainbow took off. The parasprites began to chirp as Rainbow created a makeshift tornado that sucked them all up like a vacuum. Every pony else tried to hold on to something to avoid being swept away, as Rainbow's mini-tornado created such strong wind. Soon enough, all the remaining parasprites had been sucked inside the mini-tornado. Twilight grunted and groaned as she tried to regain her footing soon as the winds died down.

"Way to go, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called out.

"Looks like our problems are solved," Applejack declared.

"They will be with these cymbals," Pinkie said, from out of nowhere.

Unfortunately, the pink party pony was too close to the tornado. The cymbals were quickly torn off her neck and sucked into it.

"Hey! Give me those back!"

The cyan Pegasus tried to avoid the cymbals swirling about, at the expense of her control over the tornado.

"Whoa! Yaa! Yow! Whoa! Wow!" Rainbow yelped. "I can't hold it! She's breaking up!"

Soon, Rainbow flew out of the tornado and landed back-first into a tree. The tornado dissipated, sending thousands of parasprites showering all over Ponyville.

"Pinkie Pie, what have you done?!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I've lost a brand new pair of cymbals, that's what I've done," Pinkie said.

"Pinkie Pie!" Storm snapped, his tone sharp and uncharacteristically angry. He stepped toward her, his teal eyes flashing. "Do you ever stop to think before you act? I’ve tried being patient. I’ve tried helping you find your instruments because—Celestia help me—I wanted to believe you had a plan. But all you’ve done is interrupt and derail every effort we’ve made to contain this mess!"

"Will you forget about your silly instruments for one second?" Twilight added. "You're ruining our efforts to save Ponyville."

"And now, thanks to you," Storm added, his voice quieter but no less cutting, "the entire town is covered in parasprites again. All the work we’ve done—gone."

"Me? Ruin?" Pinkie said appalled. "I'm not the ruiner, I'm the ruin-ee! Or is it ruiness? Ruinette?"

"All those seem to apply to you," Storm remarked to himself.

"Come on girls, Storm, there's no reasoning with that one," Applejack said. "She's a few apples short of a bushel."

Everypony galloped off toward Ponyville, their focus shifting back to the escalating crisis. Storm hesitated, his gaze lingering on Pinkie. His expression softened for a brief moment, his disappointment evident. Without saying a word, he gave her a slow shake of his head—an unspoken “I’m sorry, but we don’t have time for this.”

Then, without another glance, he turned and galloped after the group."Hey! I'm trying to tell you all that the ruining is on the other hoof!" Pinkie shouted. "If you'd just slow down and listen to me!"

But it was no use… Pinkie Pie was soon left all alone.

Back in Ponyville, all the other ponies were rather mesmerized by all the parasprites. One of them landed near Bon-Bon and Lyra, the two ponies seemingly enjoying it's company… till it started devouring both slices of their pie. Bon-Bon was shocked beyond words, while Lyra fought hard not to cry over her lost slice of pie. Soon the other parasprites began munching up all the flowers, fruits, vegetables, and especially those still in the ground…

A garden pony screamed as some parasprites gobbled up the contents of her entire garden. Other ponies gasped and ran for their lives as the parasprites began to gobble up all the food in sight. The rest of the group arrived right in the middle of the infestation and panic.

"What are we going to do?" Fluttershy asked every pony. "They're eating all the food in town."

Applejack gasped as her green eyes shrunk.

"My apples!" She yelled.

Quickly, she raced out of town back toward Sweet Apple Acres.

"We've gotta do something!" Twilight said.

"Well, we can't just use 'Bug Be-Gone' spray! That could possibly ruin everything in Ponyville." Storm said as he held a can of strange bug spray before tossing it aside.

Twilight then gasped as if struck by an idea.

"I got it! I'll cast a spell to make them stop eating all the food."

Twilight sent a magical wave that made all the parasprites stop eating the food, as the stood in a daze. Pinkie had continued her instrument hunt which involved finding herself some tambourines.

"Look, tambourines! If you could all just…"

Once again, Pinkie noticed no pony was listening.

Pinkie screamed in frustration and left, the tambourines clashing as she ran off. Twilight gasped when she saw a nearby parasprite sniff and chirp at an apple… but otherwise ignored it. Twilight and the others sighed with relief.

"Umm, Twilight," Storm whispered in her ear. "You know that spell doesn't eliminate their eating habits, only alters them. What did you change their diet to?" he asked worriedly.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she opened her mouth to answer, but the answer revealed itself almost instantly. A parasprite chomped down on the bucket holding the apples instead of the fruit itself. Another one gobbled up an entire market cart, leaving the contents untouched. Soon, parasprites swarmed across Ponyville, devouring walls, roofs, and even the display stands of houses and shops.

Storm’s expression deadpanned as he muttered, "Nice to see you thought things through, Twilight."

"Heh. Hey, it worked. They're not eating the food anymore!" Rainbow added.

Twilight just smiled sheepishly until Rarity realized something.

"Oh no… if they get inside my store…" Rarity panicked. "Every pony for herself!"

"Uggh." Storm forehoofed himself.

By the time she arrived at the boutique, the parasprites were already inside and munching away much to Rarity's horror. They gobbled up all her dressed without a second thought.

"My outfits!" Rarity exclaimed. "Go on, shoo! Get out of here, you naughty! Naughty!"

But a nearby parasprite merely belched out another ball, creating another parasprite. Rarity backed away, finding herself completely surrounded by them as she sat helplessly upon a wooden stool.

"I'll save you!"

Rarity turned as Pinkie Pie appeared from outside the boutique. She dashed her way inside the shop… only to run right past Rarity. She grabbed a nearby recorder into her mouth, playing a note or two, and dashed away. Whether that was all Pinkie wanted or she ignored Rarity on purpose, that was any pony's guess. Either way, Rarity was now left to the mercy of the parasprites.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" Rarity screamed at the top of lungs.

Meanwhile, Applejack set up defenses in order to brace the Apple Farm for a dangerous parasprite invasion. She, Big Mac, and Granny Smith (but no Apple Bloom) donned pitchforks, a spray pump, and even some cameo hats.

"No woodland creature's gonna eat the Apple Family's crop," Applejack declared.

And sure enough, she saw an incoming swarm of parasprites heading their way.

"Brace yourself, y'all, here they come."

The three gathered their weapons, but the parasprites simply buzzed past the trio and gobbled up the entire barn exterior, causing the interior to collapse on itself. The Apple family were left agape, as they dropped their weapons.

"Didn't see that one comin'," Applejack said.

Unfortunately, things were no better for Storm and Twilight. By the time they made their way back to the Library, the entire facility was swarmed with parasprites.

"Help!" Spike called out.

Storm rushed over and helped the dragon to his feet, but the damage was already done. By this point, the parasprites had gotten into the books.

"They're eating the words!" Twilight gasped.

One parasprite licked them off clean, while another slurped up the scribbles like spaghetti. Just as one parasprite made another appear, Twilight grabbed its wings with her teeth and dragged it out the library with a grunt.

"You hold the fort little buddy!" Storm instructed, dashing off. "We're gonna get help!"

"Help…" Spike groaned.

Desperate, Twilight and Storm made a direct beeline for Zecora's home. For the moment, the zebra was apparently applying a combination of upside-down balance with a meditation routine. It was then Twilight and Storm burst through her front door, making her tumble onto her back.

"Ugh. Have you gone mad?" Zecora asked, irritated.

"I'm sorry Zecora," Storm apologized. "But we didn't know who else to go to."

"These little guys are devouring Ponyville, and the princess is on her way," Twilight explained, showing the parasprite. "Can you help us please?"

Zecora saw the parasprite in the panicked unicorn's grip, smiling in fascination.

"Oh, monster of so little size," Zecora replied. "Is that a parasprite before my eyes?"

"I don't know! Is it?" Twilight asked frantically.

Storm gave her a flat look. "Yes, Twilight. It is. I’ve told you this several times." He gestured vaguely to the parasprite. "But sure, let’s confirm it with Zecora just to be extra sure."

Twilight ignored him entirely—unsurprisingly—her focus locked on Zecora, who had begun flipping through a large, worn book. Storm’s eyes narrowed as he recognized the cover.

"Wait a second," he muttered, stepping closer. "That’s the same book I read last night. I already went through it cover to cover, Zecora—there’s nothing in there about stopping these things."

Zecora paused, glancing up with a knowing smile. "Tales of crops and harvest consumed," she recited, tapping the page with her hoof. "If these creatures are in Ponyville, you are doomed."

Twilight let out a strangled squeak, her ears flattening as the weight of Zecora’s words sank in. "D-doomed?!" she stammered.

Storm sighed, stepping in to break the tension. "Okay, maybe ‘doomed’ is a bit dramatic," he said, though his voice lacked conviction. "But… yeah, it’s not great."

Twilight turned to him, her eyes wide and pleading. "Storm," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What else did the book say about them? Anything at all?"

Storm’s expression darkened, his tone grave as he replied. "You ever heard of Dustbowl? Or Hookie-Poma?"

Twilight blinked, confused by the sudden shift. "Uh… yeah. They’re old, abandoned towns out west. Why?"

Storm hesitated, glancing at the parasprite still chirping in her magic. His voice dropped to a near whisper. "There’s a reason they’re nothing but wastelands now, Twilight."

The color drained from Twilight’s face. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks as she stared at him, horrified as Storm swore the poor girl stopped breathing.

One minute later, they were just outside Ponyville when they saw something in the sky.

"Oh no, here she comes," Twilight said.

There in the sky, just near the tall mountain where Canterlot resided, the Princesses's royal chariot left the city and made its way toward Ponyville. Twilight and Storm rushed back to town, only to find ponies screaming, parasprites munching, and the rest of the town hiding and cowering for cover. Unfortunately, one pony's skirt was being chewed off by one hungry parasprite.

"Aaaah, aaaaaah!" Daisy screamed, as a swarm Stormd her.

Twilight looked around and about, until her mane frazzled a bit as if something in her mind totally snapped.

"Okay, here's the plan," Twilight began, with a goofy smile. "Rainbow Dash, you distract them."

"YAAAA!" Rainbow screamed, as parasprites came after her.

"Good! Everyone else, we need to build an exact copy of Ponyville right over there. We've got less than a minute!"

Storm stopped dead in his tracks, staring at her in disbelief. "Are you crazy?! I can’t build that fast—whoa."

He stepped back as Twilight turned to him with a smile that teetered between desperation and madness. Her pupils were dilated, her tone far too sweet.

"You will make it happen," Twilight said, her voice dripping with forced cheer, "because you’re my best friend, and you wouldn’t want to let me down… riiiiiight?"

Storm blinked, his mouth opening slightly. Her manic grin was inches from his face, and her expectant eyes bore into his soul.

"Twilight," he said carefully, stepping back and holding up a hoof, "you need to calm down. Deep breaths, okay? Building another Ponyville in a minute isn’t a strategy—it’s a mental breakdown."

Twilight froze, her smile faltering. She blinked a few times, and her ears drooped as realization washed over her.

"Zecora's right," Twilight sighed. "We're doomed…"

Storm’s gaze softened as he watched his friend slump in defeat. Seeing Twilight—usually so composed and confident—reduced to despair tugged at his heart. He couldn’t let her spiral any further.

"Twilight," he said gently, stepping closer. "Would it help at all if… I told Celestia this was all my fault? That I’m the one to blame?"

Twilight’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. "You’d… you’d do that for me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Storm nodded, his expression calm and sincere. "Of course. If it means you stop feeling like this—so sad, so worried—I’ll take the heat. I’ll do anything to help you. You’re my best friend, Twilight. That’s what friends do."

For a moment, Twilight stared at him, her violet eyes shimmering with emotion. Her lips parted slightly as she seemed to search for words, but none came. Their gazes locked, the world around them falling away.

Then the sound of trumpets broke the moment. A fanfare echoed through the chaos, signaling the arrival of the royal chariot.

"Oh no, the princesses procession is here!" Twilight exclaimed. "It's all over!"

Storm reached out, resting a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight, I meant what I said—I’ll take the blame. Let me talk to her."

Twilight shook her head firmly, though her voice wavered. "Storm, that’s really sweet, but I can’t let you do that. You’ve done nothing wrong—"

Twilight stopped when she suddenly began to hear polka music. They both turned and saw that it wasn't Princess Celestia at all. Instead, Pinkie Pie was coming down the street playing polka music with what had become her own one-pony band.

"Pinkie?!" Twilight exclaimed. "We're in the middle of a crisis here. There is no time for your… nonsense?"

Storm tapped her shoulder and pointed upwards. All the parasprites appeared to stop munching and swarming about. They begun dancing to Pinkie's music and followed her. Their other friends just watched in awe as Twilight and Storm walked up to them. They too were stunned that Pinkie's one-pony band actually drove every single parasprite out of Ponyville. They soon followed her at the very end of the line until they saw Princess Celestia make her landing upon the outskirts of town.

"Look!" Twilight pointed at the sky.

The six ponies made a mad dash in front of Pinkie and caught up to Princess Celestia. They bowed as Celestia made her landing, stepping out from the chariot.

"Twilight Sparkle, Storm Shadow, my prized pupils," Princess Celestia greeted, as they rose to their feet.

"Hello, princess," Twilight and Storm greeted in unison.

Every pony else put on a brave smile, but one could tell they were nervous.

"So lovely to see you two again," Princess Celestia smiled. "As well as your friends."

*CRASH!*

With a clash of her cymbals, Pinkie arrived leading the parasprites toward the forest alongside them. If the other ponies weren't nervous before, they were now.

"So… how was the trip?" Twilight asked nervously. "Hit much traffic?"

"Smooth flight?" Storm asked since he couldn't think of anything else.

It was then one of the parasprites appeared before Celestia.

"Ah, what is this?" She asked.

The princess chuckled as the parasprite nuzzled itself into Celestia's multicolored mane.

"Oh ho-ho, these creatures are adorable.

"They're not that adorable," Rainbow whispered to Rarity.

The marshmallow unicorn kept smiling sheepishly.

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

"Parade?" Twilight asked.

Storm gave Twilight a light nudge to the shoulder and immediately she got it.

"Oh. Yes, the parade."

"Surprise!" Storm forcibly smiled. "All for your grand arrival, your majesty."

"That is very generous of you, Storm; unfortunately, that visit is going to have to wait for another time," Princess Celestia said. "I'm afraid an emergency has come up in Fillydelphia. Apparently, there's been some sort of infestation."

"An… infestation?" Twilight and Storm asked in unison.

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

"Trouble?" Twilight squeaked.

"What trouble?" Storm asked, with a toothy grin.

"Before I have to go," Princess Celestia continued. "Would you two care to give me your latest report on the magic of friendship in person?"

"Our… report?" Twilight spoke.

She turned toward Storm, who scuffed the ground with his hoof. Clearly, he was struggling to think of something.

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

It was then Storm and Twilight noticed that Pinkie was still leading the parasprites into the Everfree Forest. A stroke of inspiration came to them, as they both smiled.

"Actually, we have," Twilight said.

Storm gestured to say it for her, but Twilight shook her head and put his hoof down so she could do it.

"We'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…"

*CLASH!*

Every pony flinched as Pinkie clashed her symbols once more.

"… Even when they don't always seem to make sense," Storm finished, as Twilight sheepishly smiled.

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

"Thank you, Princess," Twilight thanked her.

"All in a day's work, Princess," Storm added.

Princess Celestia had her chariot take off into the sky. Once she disappeared from view, the six ponies approached Pinkie, who just finished sending the last of the parasprites into the forest. The moment she saw her friends arrived, she stopped.

"Hey, what happened to the princess?" Pinkie asked.

"Change of plans," Storm stated.

"Emergency in Fillydelphia," Twilight added.

"Some sort of infestation," Rainbow replied.

"Oh no!" Pinkie remarked. "Have they got parasprites too? Well, have tuba, will travel."

Just when Pinkie started to play again, Twilight stopped her.

"I think the princess can handle it," Twilight assured her.

"So you know what those critters were all along, huh Pinkie Pie?" Applejack asked.

"Well, duh!" Pinkie retorted, matter-of-factly. "Why do you think I was so frantic to get my hooves on all these instruments? I tried to tell you."

"We know, Pinkie Pie," Twilight said. "And we're sorry we didn't listen."

"Yeah…" Storm sighed. "Even when I had a hunch you knew something, I lost faith in you too soon. I didn't take the time to 'try' and understand what you trying to tell us; I have no excuse. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, Pinkie," Rainbow said.

"So sorry, Pinkie," Rarity added.

"Sorry, Pinkie," Fluttershy said.

"Real sorry, Pinkie," Applejack said.

"You're a great friend," Twilight stated, with a smile. "Even if we don't always understand you."

Storm smiled, his tone steady and genuine. "From now on, I’m going to try harder to understand you. You’ve earned that, and I owe it to you to have your back—just like you had ours today."

Though Pinkie’s chaotic nature often left her misunderstood, she was deeply touched by Storm’s promise. She blinked rapidly, her eyes glistening.

"Thanks guys, you're all great friends too," Pinkie replied. "Even when I don't understand me."

"You saved Storm and I's reputation with Princess Celestia," Twilight said. "And more importantly, you saved Ponyville."

They returned only to find just how broken down and shambled the town really was.

"… Or not," Twilight spoke.

Pinkie raised her trombone and played a comically sad tune, the "wah-wah" sound echoing in the otherwise silent devastation. Storm stood still for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the scene. His brow furrowed in thought before his face lit up with an idea.

"You know what?" he said aloud, his voice cutting through the melancholy. "I think I know somepony who can help us with this."

The group turned to him, their expressions a mix of curiosity and hope.

"You do?" Twilight asked, blinking.

Storm smirked slightly, his usual confidence returning. "Yep. My dad’s got a few construction buddies who owe him a favor or two. They’re good—real good. They can fix this place up faster than Rainbow can clear a sky."

"Hey, I’m fast!" Rainbow protested, but there was a faint smile on her face.

Storm chuckled as he levitated a scroll and quickly wrote down a message. "Relax, Dash. I’m not trying to start a race." He finished writing, sealed the scroll, and sent it off with a pulse of magic. The parchment disappeared in a wisp of glowing light.

A little while later…

After receiving Storm’s message, his father had wasted no time. By the next morning, construction ponies had arrived, sent personally by his family. The once-shattered town of Ponyville was now abuzz with activity as the skilled workers set about repairing the damage left by the parasprite invasion. The clatter of hammers, the creak of scaffolding, and the murmur of conversations filled the air as the town began to heal.

Storm stood off to the side, his keen eyes observing every detail of the operation. His mane shifted slightly in the breeze as he scanned the work, ensuring everything was going as smoothly as possible. He exhaled quietly, satisfied that things were finally coming together.

“Wow, Storm,” Twilight said, approaching him with a warm smile. “I didn’t know your dad had connections with construction ponies.”

Storm glanced at her, his expression softening. “He’s got a few friends in the industry,” he replied casually. “When I sent him the letter, he said he’d just finished helping Mom clean the dojo at home. Figured this was more urgent, so he called in a few favors and decided to foot the bill himself.”

Twilight’s smile grew. “That’s incredibly generous.”

“Well, he did say something about me ‘owing him big time’ for this,” Storm added with a smirk. “So, if I suddenly disappear one day, I’m probably back home pulling a month of chores.”

Twilight giggled softly. “Either way, thank you, Storm. For everything.”

Storm blinked as Twilight stepped closer, wrapping her forelegs around him in a heartfelt hug. He felt a faint warmth rise to his cheeks, especially when she leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

“You’re welcome,” he said, his voice quieter than usual.

Twilight pulled back, giving him one last grateful look. “I think I’m going to go lie down now,” she said, stifling a yawn.

“Probably a good idea,” Storm replied. “It’s been a long day.”

“Way ahead of you!” Rainbow Dash called out, zooming past in a blur, clearly on her way to her usual napping spot.

One by one, the rest of the Mane Six departed for their homes, leaving Storm standing amidst the bustling activity of the construction crew. He stayed for a while longer, watching as life in Ponyville slowly returned to a semblance of normalcy.

But deep within the Everfree Forest, hidden beneath the shadows of ancient trees, something stirred. A lone figure lurked in the darkness, its glowing jade eyes fixed on Storm as it crouched low behind the dense underbrush.

Around it, countless shadowy creatures writhed and shifted. Their humanoid forms were pitch black, their glowing eyes unblinking and filled with malice. Crooked antennae jutted from their heads, and faint blue veins pulsed along their muscular bodies. Their clawed hands flexed eagerly, and their movements were silent as death.

The creatures inched closer, their gaze locked on Storm as if awaiting the command to attack. One of them tilted its head, its claws twitching with anticipation.

“Not yet,” the voice of their leader snarled his arm is long and sinewy, with talon-like hands, causing the creatures to halt.

“I know you want to tear him apart,” the figure said, its voice low and filled with venom. “So do I.”

The creatures hissed softly, their bodies trembling with frustration as their leader continued.

“But the master has plans. He’s still creating more of you—stronger, smarter, faster. And we’ve yet to locate Morgana, we’ve waited for thousands of years we can wait for just a bit more. When the time comes…” The figure’s lips curled into a wicked grin, its yellow eyes narrowing. “We’ll strike.”

The figure turned its gaze back toward Ponyville, focusing on Storm with a look of pure malice. “When that time comes, he won’t stand a chance. And when the master is done…” It chuckled darkly. “I’ll personally give Storm’s power for him.”

The creatures murmured in agreement, their forms shifting back into the shadows. As the figure summoned a dark portal and before he entered, its voice echoed faintly:

“Enjoy your peace, Storm Shadow. It won’t last.”

Author's Note

So, as if you can tell I'll be using enemies from a different series that I love. I'm hoping you guys know what they are and hoping that more people come and read this story I have for you guys. I'm glad people like you are giving me this chance to tell this new story I have cooked up.