//------------------------------// // Lesson 1: History 101 With Daring Do // Story: The Defenders of Equestria // by Chaotic Flier //------------------------------// Diamond Tiara walked down the hallway lost in thought, 'I wonder if Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom will come to forgive me for what I did all those years ago?' She asked herself then her thoughts drifted back to Scootaloo who surprisingly accepted her friendship when they were assigned to be roommates. "I wonder why she even wants to be my friend after what I did to her?" She asked herself out loud and thought of when the two were little. "Hey Diamond Tiara," a familiar cheerful voice greeted from in front of her looking up she confirmed it was Pinkie Pie standing outside of a classroom. "Oh hey Pinkie," Diamond greeted the energetic woman who was smiling, before walking past the older woman. Back in her thoughts, Diamond continued down the hall, 'I wonder who our mentor is?' She thought as she turned left at the end of the hall. 'I mean there are twelve teachers here so it could be any one of them,' she continued until she ran into someone. "Sorry," she apologized and tried to walk around whoever it was, only to be grabbed on the shoulder. Startled she looked at who grabbed her only to see no one there, "what the?" she asked aloud to no one in particular. "You know you shouldn't wander around here," A voice said behind her, causing Diamond to let out a shriek of terror. Turning around and what she saw wasn't scary at all "Hey Spike," She greeted the young dragon, Spike was shorter than Diamond by a few inches his scaly form was covered by a gold colored jacket with jeans and tennis shoes. “Sorry I must have wandered here by mistake,” Diamond apologized blushing in embarrassment. “It’s alright, do you need help finding your classroom?” Spike asked the taller girl who was completely oblivious to his question. Irritated he grabbed the girls hand and started dragging her to the room she needed to be in. “Why am I always late?” Scootaloo asked herself as she walked out the door wearing what she wore the day of the exam with the addition of an orange jacket that showed off her midriff. She ran out of the dorm and almost immediately ran into a thin girl who looked slightly older than her and fell to the ground. Looking up at the girl Scootaloo took a quick look at her, she had the palest skin Scoots has ever seen, messy black hair with neon green tips, and she was wearing a gothic dress that seemed kind like it came from one of Diamond’s Vampire romance novels she pretends she doesn’t have. “Are you ok?” the girl asked with a voice that sounded like a mix between Rarity and Pinkie Pie. She reached a hand down and pulled Scootaloo to her feet, all the while Scootaloo kept thinking about those stupid vampire novels for whatever reason. “Thankyouforhelpingmeupandsorryforrunningintoyou!” Scootaloo yelled quickly running off. The girl stood there confused by the sudden running off of Scootaloo until an older woman wearing a safari outfit walked next to her. “Moon what are you doing here we need to get ready to teach the new students,” The woman stated to Moon. “You know I have been ready for quite a while, miss Yearling,” Moon counter before turning to look at the older woman. “Or do you prefer Daring Doo it really is confusing when Rainbow Dash keeps calling that.” “Shut up Moon we need to hurry up and get to the school,” Daring stated turning away to walk to the school. “And to answer your question I prefer Daring it is easier to pronounce.” With that, she walked away and with a giggle Moon followed close behind. Sweetie Belle sat in the classroom impatiently tapping her foot since Diamond was dragged in here by Spike. ‘Where is Scootaloo,’ Sweetie thought looking around the room noting the angry scowl on Silver Spoon’s face, the bored look on Apple Bloom’s, and Twist and Diamond were having a strange conversation about some kind of beast that mimics screams of a woman. “Sorry I am late everyone,” Scootaloo said kicking open the classroom door. “I kinda ran into a few people on the way here,” She explained before walking over to an empty seat and sat down. As soon as she sat down Applejack walked into the class followed closely behind by Pinkie Pie. “Howdy everyone,” Aj greeted as she walked to the head of the class, Pinkie waved at the girls as she passed. “Ah would like to be the first to welcome y'all to the first day of your training, looking at all of you I know no introductions are necessary especially Pinkie Pie here,” She gestured to the excited woman beside her. “Hey Applejack,” Pinkie said to the taller girl grabbing her shoulder. “I can take it from here you have your new duties to take care 0off,” Pinkie assured with a smile that frightened Applejack, who nodded and rushed out of the classroom much to the confusion of the other six girls. “Now that Aj is gone we can start today’s lesson, which we will be going over the basics of magic,” Pinkie said enthusiastically as she started to write something on the chalkboard. “Now some of you may be thinking what do I know about magic?” She turned away from the chalkboard revealing several intricate formulas that only Sweetie Belle seemed to notice what they were. “That is Magic Theory,” Sweetie Belle said though she couldn’t place the formulas. “But I never saw these equations before.” “You wouldn’t have,” Pinkie said before writing above them the Moon Principle. “This is a new variant of the magic theory created by one of the new teachers here,” Pinkie was cut off by a knock on the door. “Well speak of the devil they’re early,” Pinkie noted before walking to the door and opening it revealing Daring and Moon. “Sorry for being early but Daring here is trying to avoid your friend Rainbow,” Moon snickered at her friend’s embarrassed expression. “Well it’s good you are here Moon I was explaining your variant of magic theory,” Pinkie said motioning the two inside the classroom. “Wait you’re starting with that?” Moon questioned the pink haired girl. “Isn’t that a bit advanced for them? I mean Twilight barely understands it, and I doubt your students who have only basic knowledge of magic theory will understand it at the moment,” She explained moving a hand to gesture the student. “I suggest starting with something simple maybe some history.” “I guess you're right I was kinda excited to be teaching again,” Pinkie agreed with a nervous chuckle before she turned to Daring. “I guess you get to teach the class some history until I can make a lesson plan for them,” she said before leaving the room leaving the explorer and the strange young woman alone with the students. Scootaloo sat in her chair both excited and nervous, on one hand, she was excited to see Daring Doo the world famous explorer that Dash kept talking about and on the other Moon’s presence made Scoot’s skin crawl. Shaking her head clear of those thoughts she paid more attention to Daring who was now standing in the front of the classroom with Moon by her side. “Hello students, as you may have heard I am Daring Doo and my friend here, is Mystic Moon though she prefers Moon,” Daring gestured to the young woman. “I will be your History teacher and Moon here is your combat instructor as well as combat application of magic.” “Now that you mention it I need to get going I have a class in ten minutes,” Moon said to Daring. “What you can’t leave me here alone!” Daring yelled at the combat instructor. “Why if you can stare down a horde of flesh-eating zombies,” Moon countered with a smile. “You can teach a class history like it is nothing so bye,” with that said Moon shattered like glass. “I hate it when she does that,” Daring grumbled while the rest of the class was in awe of the sudden disappearance of the combat instructor. “Now class we will be getting into the lesson,” Daring states as she erases the chalkboard and writes the three words Star, Sky, and Stone. “Who can tell me what these three words stand for?” Apple Bloom raised her hand, “Yes Apple Bloom.” “They are the names of the three races of people who live in Equestria,” Apple Bloom answered confidently. “That is correct the people are separated into three distinct races, Sky people have the ability to fly and are nimbler than the other two as an example Rainbow Dash and myself are Sky People,” She paused to write what she said down on the chalkboard. “Star People have intense connections to magic and are unparalleled in its manipulation Twilight is a great example of a Star being,” She wrote that down as well. “Last but not least are the stone people also commonly referred to as Earthers are extremely strong and are the most durable of any race the best example of one is Applejack.” “Now that we went over the three races let’s start with the formation of Equestria,” Daring started as she wrote more on the board as she continued. “It was formed by the Seven Knights of Harmony who at the time were leaders of the three tribes save for the seventh, we know these ponies as Commander Hurricane, Private Pansy, Chancellor Puddinghead, Smart Cookie, Princess Platinum and Clover the Clever,” Daring stopped to take a breath and looked at the six students Scootaloo was passed out, Diamond was writing in her notebook, Apple Bloom was doodling, Sweetie Belle was looking at her paying attention, Silver was throwing paper balls at Twist who was drooling from boredom. “Huh, Well looks like I have to tell Pinkie her class wasn’t paying attention guess they need a crash course in Magic Theory with Twilight instead,” Daring said aloud causing all but Scootaloo who was asleep to snap to attention. Silver took the liberty of throwing a paper ball at Scootaloo that startled the girl awake. “Now that I have your attention we will continue the lesson.” And with that, the lesson continued with some pauses for someone to wake up Scootaloo. “And that is the lesson for today now you girls will be going to combat training with Moon I suggest you hurry she may not seem like it, but you don’t want to be on her bad side,” Daring said releasing the six girls to go to their next lesson. As soon as Daring released them Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle made a beeline towards the Arena where the next lesson would be taking place. “I never thought getting taught by a real explorer would be so boring,” Sweetie Belle complained to her best friend. “So on a completely different note how's living with Twist like?” “Really nice since we been friends for a while it’s like living with a sister,” Apple Bloom said with a smile. “Well that must be great,” Sweetie Belle sighed. “I have to deal with a very angry Silver Spoon who constantly wakes up in I am gonna bitch about something mood every day it gets old really quickly.” “I wonder how Scootaloo and Diamond Tiara are getting along,” Apple Bloom wondered aloud. “We get along pretty well,” Diamond answered her from behind her with Scootaloo close behind talking to Twist. “Next time you want to know something just ask okay,” She said with a friendly smile before slowing down to join Scootaloo and Twist’s conversation. After a few minutes of walking the six girls found themselves at the entrance to the arena where stood a girl dressed in a black duster that reached her ankles and atop her head sat a black Stetson. “Hey, girls your all early,” A familiar voice greeted them at the same time the stetson-wearing girl lifted her hat to reveal herself to be Moon with a flash of her metallic gold eyes. “Seems we will be having another class join us,” She said as Rainbow Dash who was wearing a cyan blue hoodie with a pair of gym shorts and was closely followed by Snips, Snails, Rumble, Featherweight, Peachy Pie, and Sunny Days. “Welcome Rainbow you and your students head-on in, I need to wait for Pinkie Pie so I can start the lesson.” “Well, I can save you some trouble Pinkie’s been called away by the Princesses,” Rainbow informed the hunter pulling a note from her pocket. “And she gave me a note to give you,” Rainbow handed the note to the young woman. “Anyway I and my class will be waiting inside,” She said as she walked into the arena followed by her class. Moon curious about what Pinkie wrote to her, opened the letter and was not surprised by what it read. Sorry, I had to leave so early, but I was called by the princesses to give a report on the mission you two just finished. So I will have to be gone for a few days I have to do damage control in Manhattan so you and Daring are to take my place until I return. Signed, Pinkie Pie “Typical,” Moon frowned due to the fact Pinkie could’ve warned her of such possibility. “Come work at the school she says, it is gonna be fun she says,"Moon mumbled stuffing the letter into her coat pocket.