//------------------------------//
// News among Other Things: Zero In 
// Story: A War 
// by Comma Typer 
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On Monday, "The Ponyville Express" had the following as its headline news over a picture of a bronze-colored pony wearing tons of medals—so many of them that, if one would squint their eyes, they could see some of his neck nerves sticking out:
General Big Brass Sacked
At 5:39 AM this morning, new overseer of the West Coast Front, General Big Brass, was fired from his post. This proved to be a shock to many of his equals and his former classmates in the Canterlot Military Academy from which he graduated with flying colors.
Reasons stated by the rest of High Command and Princess Celestia herself include: constant misue of fire arrows, abuse of reserves, forfeiting early strikes because "they're not cool", ordering offensives without sufficient (and, sometimes, without any) large arms support, suggesting to put Captain Shining Armor a mile ahead of the frontline "to raise morale", always attacking straight ahead and never considering subterfuge and infiltration tactics because "no one's watching you spy the enemy out", and general disregard or misvaluation of pony lives.
"He is a sad example," Princess Celestia said in a speech announcing his discharge. "Whenever a new batch of ponies complete their time in the academy, I always remind them that, since we've never had a war in a long time, they should be open to combat innovation and new martial concepts, to be ready to discard the old ones that they've been taught for years. With Big Brass's fiasco, the cost of not learning that truth has been shown to us yet again: Innocent ponies dying not because the enemy is stronger and smarter but because of their own leader is incompentent and careless."



On Wednesday, this appeared on the front page of "The Canterlot Sun" although it was not headline news itself:
Toothbrush Production at All-time High
Toothbrush factories throughout Equestria are reporting peak demands of toothbrushes.
Much of this demand's influx comes from several branches of the military.
"I have no idea what's going on," said Nylon Dental, head of the Clean Teeth Toothbrush Factory in Delphi Ark (the largest toothbrush factory in Equestria). "Weren't these guys always brushing their teeth?"
General Spearhead said in response to the above statement, "Many of the noble snobs refuse to get down and dirty. It's either they run out and fight or scrub every inch of the barracks with a toothbrush."



On Friday, gracing the "Daily Fetson" was a picture of several yaks wearing olive green uniforms, saluting a few decorated ponies wearing berets and caps—all standing inside a large and spacious room. The headline news was:
First Yak Squad Formed
In an undisclosed location, several yaks passed the rigorous training of the E.U.P. Guard and have been given a place in the Equestrian military. Various officers and other government officials including Captain Shining Armor himself attended their formation as the first yak squad with Prince Dubna as squad leader.
"Yaks make fight for homeland!" Prince and First Yak Squad Leader Dubna declared in the event. "Yaks contribute many things to ponies—will fight for them, too, but homeland and other yaks above!"...



On Saturday, "Crystal Propaganda: Getting the Guard Down" was the main headline for "Equestria Magazine" over a cover of a black folder with a stylized depiction of Sombra's head on it. An excerpt of it:
....The contents of these notes and papers aren't what bothers everypony since most of us have dismissed them as what it was: propaganda, meant to dissuade and to discourage our troops at the front. What bothers everypony is that they sent these things in the first place.
A terrifying truth is still a truth, and one of those truths is that Crystal ponies are ponies. Sure, they're not themselves and you can blame it on Sombra for that, but they're still ponies.
From previous discoveries, we've found out that the mind control spell can be dialed up or down—on one end, total servitude to accomplish its given purpose; on the other, complete freedom in everything as long as it contributes to its goal in some way. What mages and command have deduced together is that the Crystal propaganda was made by ponies who were freer than others, giving them a rather awkward feel.
Why awkward, though? Is it because it reminds us that, yes, they speak the same language we do? Is it because it reminds us that they know how to use paper and know how to write like we do? Is it because it reminds us that they can think as complexly as we do when not mentally locked up like the cannon fodder ponies usually seen either charging or retreating—or dead?
A death is a death, and that is non-negotiable. A huge number of our soldiers have been numbed to that fact. Regular training today employs tactics that desensitize the enemy's life on the other side. They've been reduced to dummies with poorly-drawn faces whose emotion is always anger, hatred, and fury. Never a smile, never a frown.
While everypony can see through the lies of Sombra's propaganda, what's strange about it is that it has succeeded—just not in the way it intended to. By reminding us of the plain-faced truth, a good number of our soldiers have wavered and are second-guessing their past actions....



On Monday, a notice was put up on several houses in Ponyville.
Are you looking for more ways to help out in the war? Come to Sweet Apple Acres and help us shear the plenty sheep we have! The wool will be sent directly to various uniform factories across Equestria which will produce comfy and useful clothes for our fighters!



On Tuesday, Teddie Safari received this letter in yet another apartment room in Sorrel:
To Teddi Safari,
My first few days with the orthos was fun. And weird. Nopony here has seen a two-headed dog yet, but it gives them a bit of relief to pass the time with. It's as if every one of my neighbors is "war this" and "war that" these days. Wouldn't that be stressful after a while, huh?
The caretaker is a nice touch, too. Actually, she's not just a nice touch—without her, that dog could've bitten me a hundred times by now! But, Fluttershy is a really kind pony, the perfect one for the job. She may be, well, shy at first, but she opens up from time to time, even if rarely.
It's well worth the purchase! I'll keep in touch with you if anything interesting comes up.
Strawberry Sunrise



On Wednesday, a list was given to Mayor Mare in Ponyville's Town Hall:
The following ponies arrived for sheep-shearing today:
- Bon Bon
- Bulk Biceps
- Carrot Cake
- Davenport
- Electric Sky
- Filthy Rich
- Fluttershy
- Gizmo
- Lyra Heartstrings
- Minuette
- Trixie
- Vinyl Scratch
I hope that's enough ponies. We're still counting the crates of wool, so we'll send that one up later tonight.
Applejack



On Thursday, this note appeared at the Cloudsdale Post Office's doorstep:
Can someone please send a few pegasi to the Breezie delegate in the embassy? We've been receiving complaints from various neighborhoods about them causing disturbances. We've already told them that we can't function properly because most of our staff is technically unqualified for their jobs, but we can't do anything about the draft.
Later that day, the reply reached the Cloudsdale Embassy which was a formidable blocky building with imposing columns and arches along with some open spaces where pegasi and other flying creatures could roam about.
I'm on it!
- Derpy



On Friday, "Cirro News" reported this as its headline for the day:
Is Conscription Taking its Toll on Cloudsdale?
Months after the city-wide draft, its effects are in full force.
With a lack of young stallions, much of Cloudsdale's activity has dropped to record lows. Local weather maintenance, for example, has been spotty due to an understaffed weather factory, with several accounts from nearby towns such as Ponyville sending a total of 156 weather grievances in the past week alone.
This lack has also reached the personal lives of family and friends. Visitors to Cloudsdale during the past week, too, have said that the city feels incomplete, "like it's lacking that 'oomph' but I can't describe it," says Sunshower Raindrops, a resident of Ponyville. This can be attributed to the absence of precious ponies, whose being away are causing more than our fair share of anguish....