Berry's Test

by Maple Sunrise

Trust and resolution

Applejack couldn’t believe what she just heard. But if she were lyin’, then why would ah’ even be here? Applejack was well aware of what she had done wrong, but to believe what Twilight and Rainbow Dash had just explained was just nuts. Well, all of our journeys together were plain nuts as well. After all, Twilight had been truthful to Applejack and the others, save for a few occasions that she would most likely deny or pretend that she couldn’t remember. Applejack didn’t mind. In most crazy situations, the average pony would choose to speak the truth in hopes of achieving allies. The last thing Twilight and Dash would want was for me to go against them.

However, that was the least of Applejack’s worries. The two ponies had just explained what they did wrong and what the consequences had been imposed, but Applejack believed them. Oh yes she did. But what if they find what ah’ did ta’ be unforgivable? A few ponies ending up in Intensive Care certainly couldn’t compare with Dash’s draught. Applejack’s brain told Applejack to blame Rainbow Dash for what she did. If there was no draught, ah’ wouldn’t haf’ tried all those things on dem’ apples. But then she wondered if her eventual greed would lead her to do so anyway. Well, ah’ can’t blame everyone. Greed really is a powerful thing.

Meanwhile, the two ponies watched as Applejack went through her mental thoughts, going through what they had just told her, no doubt. Applejack had proved to be a rather important ally during the confrontation just now, though she had gone a bit overboard. We could have gotten information from the mare though... Twilight didn’t blame Dash for not catching her. Teleportation spells were normally quick so Dash not being able to catch the mare didn’t really surprise her. During the confrontation earlier, Twilight had expected to miss upon first shooting with the blowtube. Never in all her years had she expected to actually get a bulls-eye. Twilight snickered a little at that. Bulls-eye..... Dash would have facehoofed hard if she had heard that pun.

Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, was thinking about the way Applejack took down that stallion. Well that’s one way of taking care of others. I think. The image of Applejack sawing back and forth on a unicorn with a knife while he’s attempting a spell will forever be burnt onto Rainbow Dash’s mind. Not that she cared. That was so awesome! Well it wasn’t everyday that somepony gets to kill another pony without being convicted right? That’s when Rainbow Dash gulped. The sound of Rainbow Dash swallowing caught the attention of the two ponies.

“Something wrong, Dash?” Twilight asked. Applejack had wanted to ask the same question, but since Twilight had raised it faster than she did, Applejack said nothing.

“Well I was just wondering...” Dash’s voice trailed off. There was a momentary silent between the three as Dash tried to find the suitable words to describe her sentence. A short moment later, she sighed, and continued. “I was just wondering, if we were to come under attack or get assaulted by somepony and we by some luck manage to retaliate, would that be considered a crime? Like, against the law or something? Like how Applejack ended that unicorn’s life just now?” She ended the sentence with a rather grim tone. She started poking at the ground, as if hoping something were to pop up and save the conversation.

Nothing popped up, and the three were once more shrouded with silence, all three lost in their own thoughts. The only thing the three were thinking about was a matter of trust. Twilight knew she could trust Rainbow Dash, but she wasn’t that much sure about Applejack. Rainbow Dash trusted Applejack, since they’ve been through a lot of things together, but seeing how Twilight reacts under moments of intense stress, pretty much like now, she wasn’t sure about Twilight. Applejack on the other hand had already decided that both of them were good as long as there’s teamwork between them. But seeing how Rainbow Dash was always a soloist when it came to critical situations, Applejack really wasn’t sure if she could trust Dash.

At this rate, all three would be at each other’s throats when a situation presents itself. Sure they did well during the confrontation just now, but what if a much more sturdy fighter, or cunning unicorn, or a dogfighter pegasus were to show up? The mane three would have a fight of wits and logic to see who was right. And that was certainly not what Twilight, Dash or Applejack wanted. But they did not know the thoughts of one another. Twilight could cast a mind reading spell on herself or her friends so they’d know each other’s thoughts. But if Twilight was afraid, for that if she did so, the two would accuse her of not telling them earlier and had probably been reading their minds without their consent.

Twilight knew she had to keep the ball rolling between the three. Trust can be a very powerful weapon when used correctly. But Twilight felt guilty if she were to toy around her friends just to use them later on. But this is not for my own benefit. And that was true. If I don’t keep things together, we might split up faster than when we were under Berry’s command. Berry had known what Rainbow Dash and Twilight had done wrong, and the three had gone together well. But without Berry, Twilight wasn’t sure if they’d hold out long. But then again, since Twilight and Dash confessed their sins to Applejack, Applejack could have taken that as a sense of trust in her. Twilight felt reassured, but that didn’t mean the other two would feel the same.

“Actually, I don’t think it would be a crime.” Twilight spoke up. The other two ponies turned their attentions to Twilight.

“And how sher are ya’?” Applejack was rather skeptical. And so was Rainbow Dash, no less.

Twilight had remembered reading up on a couple of thick law books a couple of weeks ago. And those books aren’t that thin. She hadn’t even finished reading up on Equestrian history. “Well, for one thing, us getting attacked in the first place would be considered being a victim to assault. That means if we were to defend ourselves, it wouldn’t be against the law since we were just defending ourselves right?”

“But surely there should be a limit to how we should defend ourselves...right?” Even though she was asking the question, Rainbow Dash was rather unsure.

Twilight looked down at the carpeting, trying to remember if any part of her books had said anything about a limit when it came to self defence. Finding nothing at all, she shook her head. “If we’re defending ourselves, it wouldn’t be a crime. If we didn’t defend ourselves, then we would be putting ourselves in harms way on purpose.”

This answer was enough for Rainbow Dash. Applejack, on the other hand, was curious about one thing else. “Hey Twilight, ah’m just curious here, but what were those spells dem unicorns did? Ah’ve never seen you cast such spells before.”

Twilight was surprised as to how Applejack had not seen Twilight cast Thunderclap before. She had done that spell several times during their journeys. “Are you refering to the spell the unicorn had used to shatter the metal door?” Twilight was certain she had casted thunderclap before, but she wasn’t that sure about the sonic boom spell. Twilight knew that if she casted Earthshock she would have to exert the spell on the ground anyway. She couldn’t just cast the spell on her hooves and continue walking on all fours, hoping to use it later. Oh no, the spell did not work that way.

“That, and the spell that mare used to shatter that chair in the room.” Twilight facehoofed. Apparently Applejack, being an able-bodied applebucker, would always be ahead of the group when it came to confrontations. But then again, wouldn’t Applejack be able to tell who was casting the spells? Certainly Rarity couldn’t cast such complex spells. Not that Twilight was doubting Rarity or anything. Who knows what Rarity would be capable of. Well she’s here with us... right?

“The spell that mare casted was Thunderclap, which I myself have used a couple of times during our adventures. Despite the name, the ‘clap’ normally comes first to stun others before the lightning came. However, I don’t really think that mare mastered the spell that well. Normally after the thunder, the unicorn casting the spell would be unmoved and would be able to aim properly before shooting out lightning. She instead missed. And the spell really doesn’t take long to cast. About say.... two seconds?”

Applejack wasn’t sure she understood, but she nodded as if understanding. Twilight wouldn’t expect Applejack to understand anyway. “And the thing the stallion did?”

Earthshock would be a much more complicated thing to explain. If Applejack couldn’t understand Thunderclap, then she most likely wouldn’t understand Earthshock. Twilight inhaled deeply and continued. “The spell the stallion had casted was meant to be another stunner spell, much stronger than Thunderclap. The only problem is stallions like him would cast it on his rearhooves as they aim much more accurately by bucking. With Earthshock he could buck down walls or even cause bones to break should he buck anypony. What I’m confused is why he’d cast Earthshock on his forehooves instead.”

That’s when a thought came into Twilight’s head. Had the two ponies somehow swapped spells, messing up their attack on us? The thought seemed plausible. It really wasn’t a regular thing for stallions like him to actually cast Earthshock. Earthshock was used quite some time ago to enhance the bucking force of some weak earth ponies. Earthshock, though rarely used, was not unknown in battlefields as well. Mares cast the spell very well, although they themselves cannot withstand the force of beating pure shockwaves down on the ground. They were normally martyrs of war.

“A stallion of his size should be capable of knocking back others with forehoof smashin’ right? So ah’ guess that he did so on purpose.” Applejack sounded certain, though Twilight knew that what Applejack said might be wrong.

“If that were the case, then the stallion should also cast the Thunderclap. it isn’t the other way around. The mare is supposed to sacrifice herself doing Earthshock before the stallion moves in for the kill with Thunderclap. That would have been enough. The mares usually die while the stallion emerges the victor of the battle. This is, however, the opposite.”

Applejack said nothing more, as to question Twilight’s logic was the same as to question an apple of its colour change. So she stood silent. Rainbow Dash had nothing else to say as well. The three ponies went silent, the only sounds in the hallway being their own breathing and Twilight’s collar beeps.

After about two minutes of uninterrupted silence, Twilight’s leader instincts took over, and she gave orders. She knew they had to move out in time to save all the other ponies. Chances were, they might meet Berry or another pony along the way. Twilight had lost track of time, though she was sure she had left her office an hour ago. Twilight went over to Berry’s saddlebags to look for the watch she had. Taking it out slowly, Twilight set it down on the floors of the hallway. It was already 3.15 in the afternoon, and Twilight could hear the sound of thunder outside the building. She had another 2 hours before it would be too late to take off her collar. She had to find the keys to her braces, and fast. She still hadn’t forgotten that she had to save Lyra. However, Twilight wasn’t sure if Lyra could wait. To either look for Berry or instead go ahead to save Lyra, Twilight couldn’t decide. Giving it another two minutes, with the other two ponies just looking at her like Twilight was having a brainstorm, Twilight knew she had to find Berry.

Twilight sighed, and that got the full attention of the other two ponies, and said, “We don’t have much time. Pick up your bags and let’s save the others.” Twilight then remembered that some rooms could yield rather useful items to their journey. “But first, we should probably check for anything that could help us.” The other two ponies nodded in agreement, and packed their saddlebags. Applejack’s room didn’t have anything else aside from the disintegrated chair and the garotte. “We sweep the top floor before we go to the floor below us. Hopefully they didn’t take Berry far.”

The three ponies made their ways to the office adjacent Applejack’s room. The door being shattered from the force of the Earthshock the stallion had done, the three ponies stepped over what was left of the door and went inside. To their surprise the room was already lit, like a regular office. However, there was nopony or anything indicating the presence of a pony in the office. As Rainbow Dash stepped over the remains of the door, she spotted the number that once hung on the door itself. Office number one. The room had a barred window on one side with a clear view of the storm outside. Rain had once more covered the land, and Twilight was wondering how Lyra was. Lake.... The window was flanked by two bookshelves, both bare save for two books each and a small drawer in the lowest section of both bookshelves. The room was painted a pearl white colour with the bars at the window painted a gloomy orange. The paint was peeling. No glass had covered the window, enabling some of the raindrops to fall into the room. The carpeting in the room had been a continuation of the carpeting from the hallway.

Twilight levitated a book from the bookshelf on the left and set it down on the floor in front of her. The book was rather dusty and was fragile after a long time of disuse. Months, or perhaps years, since the last pony had even read the book. Twilight blew the dust off the cover. The cover was bright red, with the title in gold. The book was entitled, “The pony mind”, with a short description at the back detailing the emotions, the thoughts and the actions resulting from those thoughts and emotions that have shaped the history of Equestria.

Twilight flipped open the first page, and was surprised to find something else other than the index. If there was even an index. The book had been hollowed out, until probably fourty pages into the book. There was a gold key, encrusted with a diamond, in the centre of the book. Twilight had expected to read up on the book, hoping to find out more about other ponies, but she knew she had no time. She shook the key out of the book, and felt the key. The key was rather heavy, and looked as if it could be of more use than it’s original purpose. Twilight tried fitting the key into the leather braces on her rearhooves, but to no avail. However, she knew she had struck gold when she was able to fit it into the leather brace on her right forehoof. She slid it off, and rubbed her hoof with her bandaged hoof. She was kinda happy that there was only one needle in her right forehoof instead of two or more.

Meanwhile, while Twilight was checking the book out, Rainbow Dash had gone to the drawer on the left bookshelf. She tried the handle, and the drawer opened with ease. Inside was more morphine, another syringe, a bandage and a little cardboard box. She skipped the first three items and took out the little cardboard box. The top was sealed with tape, but Rainbow Dash knew she could open it with ease. Reaching into her saddlebag for her switchblade, she nicked the tape on the box and slowly slid the blade across the tape. Dash opened the flaps covering the top and peered into the box.

Another weapon had presented itself, and Rainbow Dash had felt like she had seen one of these before. She laid down the oddly shaped object on top of the cardboard box. She had remembered the Royal Guard utilizing such things. What Rainbow dash saw could be fitted onto the hoof and aimed at another pony before firing. It was like a slingshot, only you could fire it by shaking your hoof a bit. Rainbow Dash had seen the use of this weapon many times during her days in the Wonderbolts. Security had used these against ponies who crossed the line just to see the Wonderbolts. Upon firing, two projectiles would be ejected out of the device and would administer a small shock view the small, flexible wires attached to the projectiles. Known only as a Taser to Canterlot folks, Rainbow Dash had known it by a different name. She had been told that the name had been given though it made no sense. A stuncannon. The cannon was much much smaller compared to Pinkie’s party cannon, but it held the same function. It was hoofheld, making it a good close quarter weapon. The shock from the stuncannon was enough to render an full bodied stallion unconscious. Rainbow Dash snickered. This is gonna be fun to use later.

Applejack had went through the last book on the left bookshelf. The thin purple book detailed the change of temperature that came and went during winter and summer in Equestria. Applejack didn’t feel like reading at the moment, so she kept it in her saddlebag, for future use just in case.

Just then, a sound erupted from the hallways. The three ponies’ ears perked up as they recognized the sound to be that of deadbolts unlatching from a doorframe and a metal door opening. A single thought went through the minds of all three of the ponies. Looks like somepony else just finished up on their test. And we might have ourselves a little company here.

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Author's note: I was actually planning to release this on Christmas Day, but I somehow lost track of time and that was that. Forgive me if this chapter was a little bit confusing.

Comments

[Festus]

It looks like trust is on the line here. You know it's a sad world when friends don't trust each other anymore. No important deaths as of yet, wonder what else could happen in the next chapters.

[Maple Sunrise]

89547
Shedding some light on a background pony in the next chapter. Though it might take some time ..

[Festus]

90848

You already did Lyra's background, so I'm guessing it's between Octavia and Spitfire then