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// 39 - End Episode 9 - Reporting for Duty 
// Story: Prickle Berry Tries to Be Careful 
// by David Silver 
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Prickle marched up towards Twilight's castle. Beside her was her sidekick, the larger Immovable. Prickle glanced aside at her companion. "Be on your best behavior. Twilight is a princess."

Immovable waved it away. "She called us, not the other way around. We could be looking for bad guys to stop."

"Helping good ponies, like Twilight, is just as important." Prickle reached up and tapped on the door, barely making a noise before she tried again, harder. The door shook with the force. "I'm all out of sync since the new workout regimen."

"You're telling me?" Immovable smiled with a tongue extending. "Everything feels strange. We're using things we never used so much before. I love it!" She leaned in over Prickle. "After we find out what Twilight wants, how about we do some practice?"

Prickle tilted her head a little. "And to think Bon Bon called you lazy."

Immovable stuck out her tongue. "She wasn't wrong... exactly, but when I'm with you, it's different. I want to find new places to be, and you always provide that."

The door to the castle opened, Spike's head peeking out. "Who's-- Oh, hey Pr--Tiny Titan, and, uh, Immovable, right?"

Immovable struck a dramatic pose, sweeping her left forehoof in front of Prickle. "We are Opposing Forces!"

"We are?" Prickle brushed Immovable's hoof aside gently. "Hello, Spike. Princess Twilight called for us."

Spike waved the way inwards. "Yeah, she and the girls are waiting in the table room." On seeing the confused expression on their faces, he turned to lead the way. "You haven't seen it, huh? It's pretty cool. It has a map of all of Equestria on it."

Immovable and Prickle both spent much of the walk gawking at the furnishings of the castle that spoke of a pony far better off than either of them were.

"And here we are!" announced Spike with a final grand sweep towards a room that held Twilight and her friends around a magical glowing map of Equestria. 

Twilight looked up at Prickle. "Ah, you're here. We're having a bit of a problem and we hope to handle it, but it will call us out of town, and things could... get dicey around here."

Rarity flipped her mane. "Dicey is a polite way of saying it. The brute we're going to fight may send hooligans to harass the citizens of Ponyville. Since we will be away--"

Rainbow Dash pointed at the two of them. "--While we're gone, you two are the guards of Ponyville. That's what you like to do anyway, right?"

Fluttershy looked the least sure. "It's alright if you don't want to. This isn't your official job or anything."

Immovable sat tall and defiant. "Good luck getting me to stop."

Prickle quirked a smile. "We're both happy to help protect Ponyville. That is our job."

Twilight pricked an ear at Prickle. "Then we really should get some paperwork done for you. You're performing a vital job and should be compensated. We'll handle that after we take care of this crisis."

Spike rolled his eyes. "I thought you were avoiding the c word?"

Applejack shook her head. "Ain't no reason to be shy around these two. They're facin' it just as dead on as we are. Ah reckon they deserve to know what ta expect."

Twilight nodded at the two of them. "Right. The problem is somewhat... international." She gestured over the table. "The Dragon Kingdom has had a sudden insurrection. They're handling it on their end, but some have come to Equestria. They blame us for their current leader's selection."

Spike sighed softly, slouching. "They're not entirely wrong, there."

Rarity waved a hoof. "Pish-posh. You won fair and square. They're just sore losers. We'll go and meet them head on, but there's no assurance they'll all stay together, and if they know where Spikey Wikey lives, they may come here, which is where you two come in."

Prickle hadn't fought a dragon before. "They breathe fire, right?"

"Oh, you bet." Spike was bobbing his head. "I can too, wanna see?"

Twilight lowered a hoof in front of Spike. "Thank you, that will not be required. Are you two still willing to take this job?"

Immovable rose a hoof in a salute. "Immovable, ready for duty!" She reached with the same hoof and pulled Prickle close. "With the two of us, Ponyville is safe."

Rainbow nodded. "See, told ya. Let's get going. The sooner we reach them, the less time they have to do something stupid."

Twilight lifted into the air. "Rainbow's right. The sooner we head out, the more damage we can prevent. P--Tiny Titan, here." She produced a key from her fur and floated it over to Prickle. "This is a key to the castle. Consider it part of your patrol until we return. We're counting on you two."

Prickle watched them go with a stunned expression. When they were gone, she turned to Immovable, still holding the key in a hoof.

Immovable, on the other hoof, was busy clopping her own together. "We're in the big leagues! The princess trusts us big time." She leaned in. "Thank you!"

Spike glanced between the two of them. "You know I'm still here, right?"

Prickle jumped at that. "What? Why aren't you going with them?"

Spike gave a great shrug. "Something about just making them more angry? Besides, they want to get me, so why give me to them?" He pointed a finger at each of them. "So you two get to guard me along with the castle and the town."

Immovable grabbed up Spike in a protective hug, while Prickle considered her new task carefully.