Dinky examined her cloak in both hooves, raising it to the light. It had been made of the finest paper armor, hoof-stitched from only the best store bags acquired from many moons of adventures to the market. Her lips curled into a proud smile as she turned it around to discover the noble insignia of her family: a trio of fresh-baked muffins.
Oh, but the Hooves family had a proud lineage. Her stepfather, The Timekeeper, was established through all the land as the greatest mind when it came to tickers, tockers, dongers and all other varieties of timekeeping, to say nothing for his travels to the future and back. Dinky had warmly embraced his knowledge and intellect into her family, for it took a brave and noble soul to battle creatures both past, present and future.
Yet it was in her mother that Dinky was the most proud. The first and only knight of Ponyville, the Noble Derpy Hooves had been christened the Paper Knight by none other than Princess Luna herself exactly one year ago today. Such a great honor was bestowed upon their family that night, but that honor also came with great responsibility. The Lady Derpy had seen to her task with a resolve befitting her title, and Dinky had been so awed by the display that she begged for but one thing:
To be her mother’s squire.
Now, tonight, Dinky had earned her just reward. A full year of goodness: no late-night study sessions with Little Sparkle; no rescuing cookies from the Fortress of Jar; and always eating her pickles and okra despite being almost certain they had been poisoned by the dreaded Bunny Fiend. All these good deeds, and even greater sacrifices she dared not dwell upon, had led up to this one glorious moment.
For tonight she would no longer be a mere Dinky. No, she would become Dinky Doo Hooves, Paper Squire to Lady Derpy! With great flare – but not too much flare, for she should not let her ego get the best of her, or risk ripping the paper – she set the cape upon her shoulders and stood before the mirror of her chambers. Her smile shone like the Sun; at long last, she was who she’d always wanted to be!
The door to her chambers opened, and her stepfather entered the room. He smiled upon her glorious form, clearly awed by her majesty, and patted the purple bed with its decorative stars and moon. “Hop up, little lady. It’s almost time.”
Dinky turned to him, nearly tripping on her cape. She brushed it aside with a hmmph; she’d have to get used to that. “Daddy! I’m not ‘little lady.’ I’m the Paper Squire, First Squire of My Lady Derpy! You’ve gotta say it right.”
He pressed a hoof to his chest and fell back from her righteous indignation. “Do forgive me, Paper Squire! It’s so hard to get used to new titles.”
She hopped onto the bed and grinned, sharing a nuzzle with him. “It’s alright. I’ll forgive you because you’re my daddy. You can keep calling me 'little lady,' too.”
“Oh, how generous! I am so grateful, little lady.” He basked in her radiance for but a moment before turning his side to the bed. “If it would please you, your mother has something she wishes to say to you.”
“Okay!” She hopped onto his back, scrambling for purchase before climbing up properly. “You gotta stand lower!”
“I’ll be sure to work on that.”
As he trotted for the door, she turned and waved to her loyal servants. “Good night, Little Sparkle! I’ll be back to read with you soon. And Mr. Sneakybear, don’t try to find my cookie! I hid it really well this time. Behave, everypony.” The teddy bear and Twilight Sparkle doll bowed flamboyantly to their lady, swearing on their honor to keep the chambers safe while she was gone. Dinky sighed with satisfaction; they were such good servants.
They passed through the living room of Chateau Hooves, quickly coming before the open door of the most sacred place in the undeniably formidable structure – she didn’t care what Diamond Tiara said, a five-room home was huge! With great reverence, the Paper Squire’s father brought her into the bedroom of her parents at a trot. Her mood collapsed quickly when she gazed upon the lone resident.
The bed was grand, big enough for two ponies! And a filly, but only on nights when the wicked Closet Critters and ominous Beast Beneath the Bed came to visit. Yet as grand as the bed was, the mare resting upon it was more so. Her coat shone a brilliant silver and her mane shined like the Sun! Her eyes had been blessed to gaze in two directions at once, the best to watch her enemies by. She was a true beauty, one whom the Paper Squire could only dream of matching.
But at this most important of times, the Paper Knight remained trapped in her bed. Her sturdy paper helmet sat unused on the nightstand and the knight’s smile was frail. Dinky stepped off her father’s back and onto the bed, moving in to nuzzle her poor, sickly mother, but her father held her back.
“I’m sorry, honey,” the Paper Knight wheezed. “We don’t want you to get sick, too.”
The loyal squire bowed her head. “I understand, Mommy. I guess you won’t be going out tonight, huh?”
“No, I can’t.” She sniffed and pressed a handkerchief to her muzzle for a moment. Upon lowering it, she blessed her daughter with a smile. “Dinky, would you be willing to go on a quest for me?”
“A quest?” The squire’s head rose swiftly, her ears perking. “Already? B-but I only just became a squire today!”
“I know, but this is important.” The Paper Knight waved her grand hoof to the window, through which the majestic moon shone brightly. “Tonight is the night. The Scourge of Equestria, Nightmare Moon, is coming. If she is not appeased, she may eat all the fillies and colts of Ponyville. She must be appeased.”
The Paper Squire stared at the moon and shivered. Yes, she recalled the return of the Nightmare last year. Truly, it had been a horrifying experience for the town. “B-but, that’s your job. What if I can’t do it?”
“You can.” The Lady Derpy gave her warm smile to her squire. “You must go out to meet the Heroes of the Kitchen Table. They will bestow upon you their sacred treats, which you must deliver to the Monolith of the Nightmare before the Scourge descends from the Moon. Do this, and Ponyville will remain safe for another year.”
Dinky’s jaw dropped. Rubbing her eyes, she looked to her stepfather, but the Timekeeper only nodded encouragingly. “You can do it.”
She turned to her mother. “B-but you’re sick!” Then her stepfather. “And you have to t-take care of Mommy. I can’t go on this journey alone. I don’t know where to go!”
The Lady Hooves chuckled, only to be reduced to a coughing fit. The Timekeeper hurried to her side, but she waved her husband back. Soon the fit ended and she regained her smile. “Don’t worry, Dinky, I’ve arranged for somepony special to escort you. She is a wise and good pony, and will surely lead you on the path to victory.”
With a flamboyant wave, she gestured to the door. Dinky turned about to find a figure standing in the light of the kitchen, its head topped by a tall, pointed hat. Dinky squinted at the figure hidden in shadow. “Who are you?”
The pony stepped forward to reveal a mare dressed in a thin blue cloak decorated with stars. Bags of noxious alchemical concoctions hung from pockets all over her form and a number of feathers stuck out of her elaborate hat. The mare herself was a luxurious purple, and she smiled upon her young charge with eyes most kind.
Dinky’s eyes widened. “Y-you’re—”
“It is I!” The mage waved her hoof in the air in time to catch a long, gnarled staff that was held in a violet glow. “Your guide for the evening, Marelin. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Paper Squire.”
The Paper Squire, for only a moment, neglected her noble manner and began to bounce on the bed. “I’m going out with Twilight! This is the best Nightmare Night ever!”
Then reality came back to her young mind. She coughed, smoothed her cape and struck a pose appropriate for a filly of noble breeding, one leg raised and muzzle so high she had to brace to avoid falling backwards. She really would have to discuss changes to proper noble poise with her mother when this adventure was over.
“Ahem. I mean, I accept you as my guide, Marelin.”
“Wonderful!” Marelin stepped aside and waved her staff to the door, leaving a trail of sparkles in its wake. “Then by your mother’s leave, shall we begin our quest, noble squire?”
“Yes!” The Paper Squire performed a daring and majestic leap from her mother’s bed, one so great that the floor became enamored with her grace and rushed a little too quickly to meet her. She yelped and closed her eyes, but her meeting with the overeager fan was stopped by the chiming tone of magic. She opened her eyes in time for Marelin to deposit her safely on the floor.
Making a note to lecture the floor later about getting too excited, the Paper Knight hurried out the door. “Bye Mommy, bye Daddy! I’ll make you both proud!”
Marelin giggled and cast one last wink at the grinning parents before turning to follow after her eager young charge.