//------------------------------//
// In Which Ditzy Tells Dinky a Story 
// Story: Exam Jitters 
// by GrassAndClouds2 
//------------------------------//

"... and then, the heroic knight burst into the dungeon, and he rescued the beautiful princess." Ditzy smiled warmly and spread her wings a bit. "They escaped the evil warlock's castle and returned to the castle, where they lived happily ever after." She brought her muzzle in very close to her attentive listener. "The end."

Dinky kissed her on the nose. "That was a really good story, Momma!" she declared. "My favorite part was when the knight won the pie-juggling contest." She giggled. "That was really fun."

"Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about his adventures in the land of cakes," said Ditzy.

Dinky nodded and snuggled under the covers a little more tightly. "But there was one mistake," she concluded. "There's only six Knights -- and you're one of them! But he isn't. Where did this other one come from?"

"There can be more than six knights, Muffin. Anypony can be a knight if they try."

"How?"

It was a pertinent question for Ditzy, who had been knighted by Princess Luna a short while ago and was still getting used to it. "Well," she began, "knights help ponies who need help. No matter how scared they are or how dangerous it seems, they fight as hard as they can for justice and goodness. Wherever they go, they solve problems, help those in need, and make the world a better place. They are the shields of the world."

Dinky nodded. "You make a really good knight," she decided.

"Thank you." Ditzy kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Maybe someday Princess Luna will knight you too. As long as you keep helping your friends and doing the right thing--"

Dinky giggled. "I learned all that from you, Momma," she said. "So I had the best teacher in the world!"

Ditzy blushed.

"I hope," Dinky whispered, "When I grow up I'm as good of a pony as you."

"You already are."

The two embraced for a long moment, before Dinky let out a long yawn. Ditzy smiled and released her. "Sweet dreams, my little Muffin."

"Night, Momma," murmured Dinky as her head sank back into her pillow. Her eyes slid shut a moment later, and in a few more seconds, she was snoring gently.

Feeling contented and completely at peace, Ditzy left Dinky's room and went to the stove. A nice cup of tea would be good before bed, she thought. She couldn't dally long -- she was on duty early tomorrow, and so would need to get to bed soon -- but a few minutes spent sipping tea and looking at the stars through her window wouldn't hurt. 

The tea brewed quickly, and Ditzy Doo soon found herself sitting in a comfortable chair, sipping a delightful rose-and-daffodil blend, and watching the stars twinkle in the sky. She wondered if Dinky would enjoy stargazing, and thought that maybe she'd talk to Twilight about finding a good place to try it in the village. She could just see her little Muffin scampering about, bouncing at the telescope in her eagerness, and getting all excited when she saw a famous star. 

That could be really fun... we could get some hot chocolate from Bonbon's shop, have a nice picnic dinner, see if we can borrow Twilight's telescope... She smiled to herself. Dinky was the best daughter that she could have possibly hoped for, and it was always a delight showing her new things. For that matter, it was a delight to be around her no matter what she did. Dinky was smart, and kind, and energetic, and wonderful in a million ways that Ditzy couldn't articulate. All she could say was that she loved her daughter deeply and fiercely, and she would do anything for her. That was what their love was.

"Although," she murmured, as she drained the last of her tea, "for now, there's not much to do in that regard." She smiled again as she thought of her Muffin, snoozing and resting in preparation for another wonderful day. "I should go to bed," she decided. "Tomorrow, maybe I'll make her pancakes with some of Bonbon's Extra-Concentrated Maple Syrup. I--"

Somepony began pounding on her door.

Ditzy was frozen for a moment, until she realized where the noise was coming from -- and, at the same time, that the pounding might wake Dinky up. She set her teacup down and raced to the door. "What is it?" she called. "Is it an emergency?"

"Yes!"

Ditzy blinked. The voice belonged to Lily Vale, one of the flower vendors in Ponyville's market. Lily was a good pony, quick with a joke and a friendly ear, but she could be somewhat... excitable. She warned of emergencies often, but they tended to be along the lines of tangled manes, coffee shortages, and a single caterpillar snoozing in her flower bed. "Um... Lily--"

"Please let me in!" Lily sounded absolutely frantic. "I really need help and I don't know who else to go to!"

Ditzy opened her door and blinked. Lily's coat and mane were matted with sweat, despite the day having been cool and breezy. She was shaking where she stood and looked absolutely terrified. "I don't know what to do!" she cried, and flung herself around Ditzy.

Ditzy stumbled backwards. "Lily, what's wrong?"

The flower mare spoke in a torrent of words. "My sister Violet in Hoofington, she--" Lily shook her head and let out a small sob, clutching Ditzy even more closely. "She was fooling around with a stallion, now she's pregnant, when she told him he said he doesn't want anything to do with her and threw her out, she doesn't have anywhere to go and she doesn't know what to do and I don't know how to help her and--"

"Shh, shh," said Ditzy. She gently stroked Lily's mane. "I'll help you, Lily. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?" Lily looked around. "I know it's late, and--"

"Don't worry about it." 

"But--"

Ditzy smiled. She was a Knight, she was the Bearer of the Element of Kindness, and perhaps most importantly, she was a mother with a daughter who had once been in the same situation as Violet. Of course she would help -- it was who she was. "Lily, please, don't worry. I'll help you in any way I can." 

Lily threw her forelegs around Ditzy. "Thank you!"

"Just -- let's just try to keep it down," said Ditzy. "My little Muffin's sleeping, and--"

"Oh. Of course." Lily nodded as she released Ditzy. "That's why I came... I mean, you're also a single mother, but it's obvious how much you love Dinky. You're really good at mothering, and..."

Ditzy blushed. "Thank you," she said. "I love my daughter more than anything... I know how precious foals are. If I can help you and Violet with anything, I want to try."

Lily embraced Ditzy again. "You're wonderful," she said.

"Why don't you start at the beginning. What happened?"

"Well, it was about six months ago..."

***

My little pony, My little pony
Ahh ahh ahh ahhh...
My little pony
Friendship never meant that much to me
My little pony
But you're all here and now I can see
Stormy weather; Lots to share
A musical bond; With love and care
Teaching laughter; It's an easy feat,
And magic makes it all complete!
You have my little ponies


***

"Momma! Momma!"

Ditzy groaned and turned over in beds. "A few more minutes," she murmured, burrowing her head deeper into her pillow. She'd had a snack two nights ago in bed, and now the pillow smelled faintly of banana-nut muffin. The scent seemed to wrap around her muzzle and tie her to her bed more tightly than any rope. "Just a few minutes..." 

"But Momma, look!"

Ditzy's eyes flickered open, and she let out a small groan as the sunlight poked her eyes. She had, she remembered dimly, stayed up most of the night listening to Lily. What the mare had needed more than anything was a sympathetic ear, which Ditzy had been happy to provide. It had worked too, and Lily had left much calmer and with some good advice for helping Violet through this crisis. Ditzy herself had gone to bed immediately after Lily had exited... but that hadn't been more than an hour ago. Now it felt like her whole body was pounding.

"Momma!" Dinky nuzzled into her. "I made you something!"

Ditzy forced her eyes open wide enough to settle on Dinky's smiling face. In front of her foal was a little tray, and on that tray was a big bowl of cereal, a glass of orange juice, and some sliced strawberries arranged in a little heart. "I made you breakfast!" her daughter chirped.

Ditzy's mind was still held captive by the fluffy, muffin-scented pillows. "Why?" her mouth asked.

"Because you looked real tired and I wanted to help you sleep in a few more minutes!" said Dinky. She bounced around. "Do you like it? I put extra suger on the strawberries!"

Ditzy smiled weakly. Her head still felt fuzzy, but she could tell what was going on. "It looks lovely, dear. Thank you very much."

Dinky beamed.

Ditzy managed to get into a sitting position and looked at her clock. She had... fifteen minutes before her shift started. She had overslept, but it wouldn't matter -- she had enough time. Just enough time, provided she hurried. She began to eat from her cereal bowl, stifling a loud yawn as she did so. "What... where's your saddlebags, Muffin? You have school."

"I packed them," said Dinky. "And I got your bags set up too!" She paused. "But if you're real tired I can tell Silver Script you're taking the day off--"

"No." Ditzy shook her head. "Neither rain nor snow nor... the rest of it, will stop a mailmare from her rounds." She managed a smile. "I'll  be alright, dear. But thank you for your concern."

"Are you sure?"

Ditzy nodded, stifling another loud yawn. "I'll be fine. Have fun in school!"

Dinky hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Oh! By the way, some of the foals are playing hoofball after school today! Is it okay if I go play with them?"

A thought flashed across Ditzy's mind. "Didn't you want to go shopping for some toys today?" she asked. Dinky had been asking her if she could get a deck of cards and a few other trinkets so she could start doing slight-of-hoof tricks.

"It's okay," said Dinky. "We can get those some other time. But I really want to play with my friends today!"

Ditzy realized that Dinky was doing this to give her mother a chance to nap after what would undoubtedly be a tiring day. I have the best daughter in the world, she thought. "Then that sounds fine, dear. And I'll make it up to you -- we'll go to Hoofington tomorrow or something. Where is the game, and when will you be back?"

Dinky told her where she'd be and when it would be over as Ditzy hurriedly consumed the rest of her meal. Once the mailmare had gobbled it up, she got to her hooves. "Alright, dear," she said. "I'll pick you up, okay?"

"You got it!" Dinky sprang off the bed. "Oh! I'm going to be late for school -- I need to run! Bye Momma!"

"Bye!"

Once Dinky had left, Ditzy managed to take a very quick shower, get into her uniform, and grab her empty saddlebags. "Alright," she said, yawning again. "This... this won't be that bad. I've worked with little sleep before." She shook her head quickly. "I can do this. I'm a pro." She smiled. "And when I'm done, I can come back and snooze for a bit before Dinky gets back."

This plan firmly fixed in her mind, she opened her apartment door and went out into the world.

***

"Hey, Scootaloo!"

Scootaloo looked up from her game of marbles. "Hi Dinky!" she called. "What's up?"

Dinky trotted over. "Wow, that looks fun! Who's winning!"

Scootaloo blushed, and her opponent, Twist, grinned. "I am!" she proclaimed. "I'm the marble champion!"

Dinky saw the big pile of marbles by the earth pony foal. "You're really good," she said.

Twist eagerly nodded, and Scootaloo frowned. "Well," proclaimed the pegasus, "I'm still faster." She fluttered her wings. "Do you want to play winner?"

"I don't have my marbles with me," said Dinky. "But actually -- you said yesterday you were playing hoofball later today, right?"

"If we can get enough ponies for teams," said Scootaloo. "Right now it's just me, Sweetie Belle, and Pipsqueak. We need one more pony."

"I'll join!" said Dinky, smiling brightly. "I love hoofball!"

"Great!" Scootaloo grinned. "Alright, you'll be with Pip. But get ready, Sweetie and I will thrash you!" 

She flared her wings as she spoke, and her right wing clipped her shooter and sent it spinning into the circle. It rolled a bit, knocked into a cats-eye, and stopped.

Twist grinned and, using her nose, flicked her shooter into the center of the marbles. Both shooters, the cats-eye, and a big swirley rolled out of the circle. The earth pony grinned. "Yay!"

Scootaloo blushed. "Well -- well, I want a rematch!"

Dinky grinned and settled in to watch as her friends began putting more marbles into the circle. Sleep tight, Momma.  I'll try to pick you some flowers in the hoofball field! And--

Scootaloo's next shot bounced into Dinky's muzzle. "Hey!" she giggled. "i'm not a marble!"

"Are you sure?" asked Snails, trotting up. "Maybe you're a big furry marble with legs, and you just don't know it!"

"What if we're all marbles and we don't know it?" added Snips, scurrying after his long-legged friend.

Scootaloo blinked. "If we're marbles, then I'm a really smooth, fast shooter!"

"Nuh-uh!" said Snails. "I'm the shooter!"

"I want to be a cats-eye!" said Twist. "They're pretty!"

Soon, the foals were running off to ask Miss Cheerilee if they were marbles, and if so, what kind they were. Dinky smiled as she trotted along.

Don't worry, Momma, she thought. Even if I'm not toy shopping with you, I'm going to have a great time. You just focus on taking a nap and feeling better!

And so Dinky trotted after her friends, full of cheer.

***

"Hey, uh, Ditzy? Are you okay?"

Ditzy blinked. She realized that she had been staring at the mailbox for several moments, waiting patiently for it to reach out and take her letters. Belatedly, she realized that mailboxes didn't work like that (Twilight Sparkle's excepted). "Oh! I'm fine," she said, hoofing the mail over. "Here you go, Trixie."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you," said Trixie in a grave tone. She began to shuffle through them with her telekinesis. "Let's see. Junk, junk, bill, junk... ooh, another fan letter!" She opened it and began to read. "Dear Dame Trixie. Hello! My name is Sparkey Spells. Last week, my teacher told our class all about how you saved the world and did all kinds of awesome things! When I grow up I want to be just like you! If you have any advice or tips on being a splendiforous," she blinked, then shrugged and continued, "Mage, I'd love it if you told me! And if you're ever in Manehattan, I'll bake you some cookies. Good luck, know you'll kick Corona's flank, Sparkey." She grinned. "Aw. It's good to have fans."

Ditzy was silent for a few moments while the words worked through her head. "Yes," she said at last. "Good for you. I'm glad foals like you." She blinked a few more times. "Any outgoing mail?"

"Er... no, not today..." Trixie paused. "Are you okay, Ditzy? You're not looking so good." She cracked a smile. "You look more exhausted than Cheerilee after that big scholarship to-do."

Ditzy nodded slowly. A few weeks ago, it had leaked that some organization had asked elementary schools all over Equestria to submit the names of their top two or three students for consideration for some major award or scholarship. Cheerilee had immediately been badgered by parents who wanted to know if their foals were on the list. She had refused to tell anypony which students she had chosen, insisting that the names were confidential, but after a few days of pestering she had looked completely run-down and aggravated. I hope I don't look that bad... Ditzy thought.

Aloud, the mailmare just said, "Yes, I was up a little later than usual." She held back a big yawn. Her shift was over half complete, and she was still on time despite her exhaustion. "You don't need to worry about me."

Trixie looked hesitant. "I'm thinking Applejack, Heavy Roller, and Twilight might disagree about not needing sleep."

"I'm not going to get in a fight with Berry Punch, or bring an Ursa to town and lose control of it, or..." Ditzy frowned. "What did Heavy Roller do?"

"Remember when Scootaloo tried to mail herself to the griffin kingdoms to fight some evil warlord?"

"Oh, right." Ditzy remembered Silver Script insisting they open the mysteriously giggling package, and seeing Scootaloo's smiling head -- and the cardboard sword at her side -- pop out of the box. "That was... strange."

"That happened when Roller was really tired after spending three straight days on a rush order."

"I appreciate your concern. And if this gets really bad, I'll take some time off," promised Ditzy. "Don't worry... I'm not going to hurt myself. But I don't think I'm at that point yet, and I can't just cancel on Silver Script just because I'm yawning a bit. Just like you wouldn't want to leave Pokey to do this job alone without prior notice unless you were really sick." She paused. "Okay, maybe you're a bad example--"

"Hey! The Great and Powerful Trixie resents your insinuation." But Trixie grinned. "If you won't take time off, then at least let me watch Dinky after school today so that you can get some sleep."

"She's already going to be with friends, but thank you for your offer." Ditzy bowed her head a little. "I'll definitely keep that in mind in the future."

"No problem." Trixie began going back inside. "Have a good day, Ditzy."

"Have a good day, Trixie!"

And with that, Ditzy continued on her way. Just a few more stops... and then my nice, cozy, muffin-scented bed. She smiled and went on.

***

"And now, the first Ponyville Foal Hoofball Challenge begins!" Scootaloo yelled. "The winning team is officially the Most Awesome Group of Foals in ALL PONYVILLE!"

The field just outside of town, some distance past Sweet Apple Acres, wasn't really a hoofball field. It was just a rectangular-ish patch of grass that was about regulation length and had two crude goals set up at either end. But to the four foals who had gathered there, it might as well have been the National Stadium at Canterlot. And, from the way Scootaloo was talking about the upcoming game, it may well have been the continental championships.

"Hey!" said Sweetie Belle. "What about the losing team?"

"They're second most awesome. But don't worry!" Scootaloo grinned. "We'll win!"

"No you won't! cheered Dinky. "Pipsqueak and I are great at hoofball!"

Pipsqueak grinned. He was a newcomer to town, having only just arrived from Trottingham a few weeks prior. "We'll kick your flanks from here to... to..." He trailed off. "Dinky, help me out. What's far away?"

"Uh, Canterlot?"

"No, that's too close!" chirped Pip.

"Trottingham?" The agricultural city was a few hours from Ponyville by train.

"Nope!"

"... Stalliongrad?" This was one of the most northern cities in Equestria, a city of ice and steel surrounded by the frozen Rushian steppe. "Is that far enough?"

"Nope!"

Dinky wracked her mind. "Saddle Arabia?" she said at last.

Pipsqueak nodded. "Yes. From here to Saddle Arabia!"

"Oh yeah? Sweetie and I  will kick your flanks from here to the moon!" cheered Scootaloo. "Let's go!"

She kicked the ball, and the game was ahoof. Soon all the foals were deeply involved, focused on the ball, on their teammates, on the score.

None of them noticed the clouds that the weather team was placing overhead.

***

It was a distant rumbing that woke Ditzy.

She yawned as she got to her hooves. She'd been tired. Her mail route that day had taken her from Sweet Apple Acres on one side of town, to Fluttershy's cottage on another. That had been several hours of walking and flying. And that wasn't even including all her detours -- a thirty minute delay at city hall, a hurt bunny that Fluttershy had roped her into helping to tend to, and, on her way back from Fluttershy's house to her own home, helping a panicking Snails coax his favorite bug out of a tree.

"How did he escape?" Ditzy had asked as she floated up to the unusually large beetle, trying not to scare it.

Snails had blushed. "I was eating a chocolate bar when Snips said it wasn't fair to bugs that we ponies get to eat all kinds of awesome things and they don't. So I got another bar and let him play with it, but then I realized I'd forgotten to get my laundry downstairs, and by the time I came back, the bug was already all the way up there!"

"That was very..." Ditzy's hesitation was evident, and not just due to her sleepiness. "Um. Kind of you. What kind of bug is it, anyway?"

"Oh, he's a baby goliath beetle. He's my favorite!"

Ditzy had blinked and hadn't known what to say. Once the bug had been safely returned to its jar, she had politely excused herself and hurried home.

It had been a long day. But it had ended, and Ditzy had flown home and settled into her bed for a nice long nap. Dinky, she was certain, would be able to handle herself with her friends for a while. My daughter is so good to me, had been her final thought before sleep had taken her.

Now she felt a little more rested and refreshed. She could get through the evening, and the next day was the weekend as well as her day off. She could sleep in, make Dinky a big brunch, and then take her toy shopping. Actually, now that she was a Knight, she would be able to get a first-class train ticket to any other city at coach-price as long as, while she was there, she 'rendered aid and assistance to an Equestrian citizen in need.' She could take some time to visit Violet in Hoofington, give her advice, a sympathetic ear, make her lunch, and maybe even show her Dinky to help her see that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Then she and Dinky could spend the rest of their time in the city; they could shop, or see a play, or look at some of the great monuments. On the way back, they could stop at the little hamlet of Wheatley, a small village that was known for having fantastic restaurants with some of the best foals' menus in the region. They'd return after dark, look at stars on the way back, have a late-night hot chocolate snack --

There was another rumble.

Ditzy frowned and rolled over, one eye rolling over to the clock. She blinked in shock; the time was fifteen minutes past seven, which was long after she had planned to wake up. Had she not set it? She might have just fallen asleep without even touching it, but that meant...

When was Dinky coming home again?

Ditzy usually had a perfect memory, but that entire morning seemed to be covered in a hazy fog. The mailmare climbed out of bed and trotted to the window. It's okay. Dinky is still playing with her friends, I'm sure. I'll just go get her and--

She looked out the window and gasped. The sky was covered in thick stormclouds. They were big, dark, and looked almost angry. A few of them were rumbling ominously. 

"Was there a storm planned for today?" Ditzy whispered.

There was another rumble. In the distance, Ditzy thought she heard Rainbow Dash yell, "CLEAR!" There was a huge crash.

And rain began to pour down on Ponyville.

Ditzy stared in shock for several moments before she realized what this meant.

"DINKY!"