//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Tiny Little Robots 
// Story: Silver And Gold 
// by Closer-To-The-Sun 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 3: Tiny Little Robots

Rarity’s face grew pale, “Those….those things….invading Equestria?” The unicorn was starting to shake uncontrollably in fear.

The Doctor shook his head, “Yes, Cybermats often act as an infantry unit for the Cybermen, paving the way for their masters. Gathering information, assessing the planet, figuring out where to strike and how.”

Panicking, Rarity grabbed onto the Doctor and started to shake him, “This is absolutely the worst possible thing! What are we going to do, Doctor? What are we going to do?”

“Well, the good ne-“ the brown pony was cut off.

“I can’t turn into some metal creature with no freewill!” she exclaimed excitedly. Her voice was stressed as she continued to shake the Doctor.

Trying to talk again, the Doctor was interrupted yet again, “Miss Rarity, there is some good news abo-“

“And don’t get me started on being covered in horn to hoof in silver! It’s such a hard color to work with in fashion! It’s a fate worse than death!” the unicorn shouted, almost sounding like tears were about to form in her eyes.

“Rarity!” the Doctor finally got her attention, “I have good news for you then. The Cybermats have no connection to the Cybermen now.”

“I beg your pardon?” the unicorn returned to her classy and sophisticated demeanor, almost as if she had not had an episode merely moments ago.

The Doctor picked up the Cybermat, “Well, you are correct about being infested with Cybermats in your home, however, these little pests are completely inactive and have been for years. Maybe twitching every so often, but nothing hazardous to any individual.“

Rarity gave a quizzical expression, “I don’t understand, how is this possible? You said it yourself that these….vermin are supposed to help start some sort of offensive on Equestria. Why are they so lifeless now? Did they run out of power?”

“Unlikely,” the Doctor started to scan the Cybermat again, “my readings indicate that they were….deactivated by gold….”

“How do you deactivate them with gold? That seems….silly,” Rarity spoke with a touch of sass, “Besides, gold is supposed to be used in jewelry and fashion.”

“Oi! Gold has far more uses than you could ever know! Here, gold is the Cybermen, or in this case, the Cybermats, main weakness,” the Doctor stated, holding up to the Cybermat to the light, examining it’s respiratory system, “It literally chokes them.”

The unicorn paused for a moment to thing, “Wait, this is because of gold’s non-corrodible nature, right?”

The Doctor’s face beamed at Rarity’s answer, “That’s exactly right! Brilliant!”

Flashing a smile and a flip of her mane, Rarity bragged, “Well, being a fashionista, of course I would know about the materials I use.”

“But it’s a bit odd, this really is an old model of Cybermat and it didn’t asphyxiate as most would. It seems it just came in contact with the gold….but how?” the Doctor asked, placing the Cybermat back on the ground.

The white mare simply shrugged, unable to answer.

“Rarity, you said you have used gold in your shop before, yes?” the Doctor asked, looking closely at the unicorn.

Taken a bit back, the unicorn nervously answered, “Well, yes, of course…..I use it in my fashions.”

The Doctor inched forward slightly, waiting or more of the answer, “Yes, yes, but what else?”

Rarity was having a bit of trouble answering, “I….uh….use it in a number of different things, such as with threads, on the wallpaper designs, in jewelry of course….”

“Wait, did you say on the wallpaper?” the Doctor raised an eyebrow.

“Well, yes. It’s to help bring out the color in the dresses, and it brightens the room up,” Rarity explained.

The Doctor clapped his hooves together and smiled as he trotted around the unicorn and began to ramble, “Oh, of course! How could I be so daft! It was so simple, in front of my eyes the whole time! With gold in the wallpaper, it simply deactivates the Cybermats altogether. Oh Rarity, you’re so bloody brilliant!” The brown pony grabbed on to the unicorn’s head and kissed her forehead.

“Doctor, what are you talking about?” Rarity was slightly flustered by the Doctor’s actions.

“Well, Rarity, thanks to the extravagant tastes in your decorating, you have inadvertently just saved all of Equestira from an alien invasion by silver robots.”