//------------------------------// // Shields and Schoolbooks // Story: Ponies of Dalek Dusk // by Unicornheartspell //------------------------------// Princess Twilight Sparkle sighed as she flipped through the pages of the manuscript that had just crossed her desk. Today had been a long day, and ordinarily she would have loved the chance to peruse a book, any book, but not today. In the pages of this manuscript, she only found reminders of how far Ponyville had sunk. The manuscript was a fillies’ primer, short simple rhymes meant to teach young ponies how to read. It was also intended to teach them a little bit about their culture, and that was where the primer became a rather disturbing text. She flipped another page. Do by day and sleep by night, for at dusk and dawn, we fight. Stay inside the shield, dear. Do not let the Daleks near! Ponyville stands strong and true. Thank our founder Ditzy Doo! Suddenly overcome with distaste, she shoved to the manuscript to one side. “Chivalric Code!” she shouted in irritation. The guard stuck his burly head in the door. “Yes princess?” “Who sent this to me? It’s an insult to what we’re trying to accomplish. We are not totalitarian! I asked for an educational tool, not propaganda!” “Princess…” “Imagine what would happen if books like these were actually published! Princess Celestia would kick me out of Ponyville. I would become a destitute, wayward mare with no wings and Ponyville would be buried under Daleks!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’d be a disgrace to Equestrian royalty!!!!!” Chivalric Code blinked. Twilight’s hair was mussed and one of her eyes was twitching. Only respect for her kept him from smiling; even after all these years, the princess still became extremely neurotic when she allowed her stress to get the best of her. It was an expression so familiar he could have drawn it from memory. “Princess, please calm down. For one thing, I don’t believe that Princess Celestia would take away your wings. I would call into question whether that was even in her power.” Slowly, sanity crept back into Twilight’s Sparkle’s eyes. Tentatively, she smiled. “N-no, you’re right, probably not.” “Whether we like it or not, these are desperate times. To be completely honest with you, we tried more traditional primers, tested them at the school and such. The children didn’t understand them.” “What?” “Not because of the reading level, mind you, but because of the content. One had a little colt buying ice cream. Ice cream! When, since this attack began, have we ever managed to import ice cream? Can’t make it ourselves. Precious waste of resources. And the ones where they celebrate holidays? Nightmare Night ? Hearts and Hooves Day? Any filly born here within the last six years has had no exposure to these holidays, and those who did barely remember. How do you educate them, then? You have to write about what they know.” “But-“ “Please princess, I beg your permission to finish. This primer was commissioned by General Dash…” "Why I am not surprised…” “I agree that it needs to be toned down a bit, but why not revise it? We should write a story about playing in the antigrav chamber, or flight stunt practice… It’s not completely unsalvageable.” Twilight nodded. “Who should I ask to revise this, do you think?” “Well, our Head of Recreational Activities seems like the best pony for the job.” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Pinkie would love that.” “It would give her a job alongside setting up balloon stands and the like. She was complaining just yesterday that she didn’t have enough to do.” “Yes! Of course she should take up this project!” Chivalric chuckled. “Glad I could be of service, your highness.” “Chiv, how many years will it take for me to convince you to call me Twilight?” “I wish to treat you with the proper respect, Pri- Twilight.” “Chiv, friendship is magic, and we need that magic more than ever. This formality is unnecessary; you’re my personal knight.” “It’s in my code to maintain respectful distance, your highness. You don’t want to be accused of favoritism.” Twilight Sparkle realized this was an argument she wasn’t going to win. “Well, thank you for the idea. I’ll run it by Rainbow Dash straightaway.” “All part of the service, princess.” … Twilight stood outside the training room where, according to the chalkboard on the door, a Ponyville Defense Background 101 Session was taking place. She was a princess, and ought not to have felt intimidated in anyone’s presence, but Rainbow during one of her classes could be a bit much. She knocked against the door quietly with her hoof, and let herself in. Rainbow Dash was standing on top of the large round table around which her students were gathered, hammering the point of her latest lesson into their brains with the force of a Dalek penetrator 3000. “Ponyville has two defensive shields. Got that, greenies? Two shields. One keeps the Daleks in Ponyville, the other keeps them away from us. Now, who can tell me…” An extremely skinny pony raised his hoof. “Uhhh, Miss?” She sighed heavily. “Yes, Bullseye Dartsman?” "Why try to keep the Daleks within Ponyville at all? I mean, we want them to be away from us. Why confine them to the interior of the town?” Princess Twilight facehoofed. Every year some poor pony asked this question and ended up shunned by his training group for at least three weeks for inciting what was commonly referred to as The Dalequestria Spiel. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and moved until she was nose to nose with Bullseye Dartsman. The newbies were taken aback. It was a violation of personal space worthy of Pinkie Pie. “Newbie, you are greener than the grass on which your mother gave birth to you.” Bullseye gulped. “But I was born in a hospital.” “Do you honestly think that getting the Daleks out of Ponyville is our only goal? Are you saying that you would let them out of Ponyville and allow them to spread to the rest of Equestria?” “Well…” “You’d better not! You need to learn to see the bigger picture or you’ll never survive your first confrontation. Do you have any idea what we’re fighting against? We’re fighting against total invasion of the land of Celestia’s rule. For there’s a greater and threat on the horizon, and that threat is known as… DALEQUESTRIA! “ Rainbow Dash slammed her hoof on the table. The expressions of her students ranged from puzzlement to absolute terror. From the way Bullseye wordlessly moved his mouth, his emotions were clear. “Since all of you seem to have skimped on your reading and know less about our defense system than a bunch of groundhogs, I want a three page paper by tomorrow entitled, “The Theory of Dalequestria and it’s a Real- Life Applications”, complete with proper citations! That’ll teach you to skimp on your reading. As much as I dislike it myself, it’s an important foundation! I’m sure the princess would be willing to help you if you manage to appear moderately intelligent when you ask!” said Rainbow Dash. “Now get out of here before your brains explode! We will convene tomorrow at 1200 hours precisely! No excuses!” When the last groan of the last student had faded away, Rainbow Dash spread her wings and glided off the table. Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Book work?” “Eh, what can I say? I’ve grown up and gotten boring. Whaddya need?” “The primer you commissioned is going to be passed…” Rainbow beamed. “Excellent!” “With necessary revisions by Pinkie.” “Aww, Pinkie? Why Pinkie?” “Because otherwise we’ll scare fillies into illiteracy. The idea is that they learn something, not get petrified.” “Meh, the mare who wrote it was following my specifications, and I can’t say I’m exactly a good judge of that kind of stuff.” There was another knock at the door. “Come on in,” shouted Rainbow. A small purple-gray filly, with a look too profound for age, walked in. “I was looking for Princess Twilight Sparkle. Do you mind?” “Nah, not at all kid. We were just finishing up.” “I am not a child. Mother wishes to know if you plan to bring muffins when you visit the hospital this evening, and Amethyst Sparkler requests permission to borrow a paint set from Pinkie Pie. She has evidently put a cherry on top of this request, although I don’t see why that should have any particular significance.” Twilight kept her response concise. “Yes to both.” “Thank you. Now I must go find some earplugs. Amethyst will no doubt react to the news quite vociferously.” And with that, Dinky turned and left. Rainbow rolled her eyes. “What a weird kid.” “Ditsy says that she gets her intelligence from her father, whoever he is.” “How’s our favorite cross – eyed mare doing anyway?” Twilight lowered her head. “We still don’t know what’s wrong. Her illness gets a bit more obvious every day, not that I’d say that in front of kids.” “So… Is she...” “Maybe. And as time goes on, it seems more likely. Still, they like living with me, and if anything happens, it won’t be the same, but…” Twilight took a deep breath and continued. “She saved me. She saved all of us. It’s not fair for her to leave so soon after she’s found acceptance. If it weren’t for her already knowing how to fight… those… creatures… Ponyville would be gone now. And the fact that I can do nothing save ease the symptoms…” "You know you need to do? Stick by her until the very end, and carry on her legacy after. That’s the best we could do, and all she would ever ask. Besides, don’t be all down in the dumps. We might be able to figure out what’s wrong. The answer could come any day now.” “Yeah, I suppose…” But Twilight thought of the two fillies that loved their mother so much, and somehow, despite what Rainbow had gone through, her advice wasn’t quite enough to help them.