• Published 12th May 2013
  • 2,560 Views, 153 Comments

Summer break, with much at stake. - My little pedagogue



A high school teacher and a lab technician undergo some alarming changes. A "Five Score, Divided by Four" side fiction.

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Chapter Nine: Subtle as swinging a brick in a sock

This wasn’t fair. I’d awoken from the most terrifying and vivid nightmare of my life, and discovered my genitals were MIA, I’ve never needed a hug more in my life, but the woman in the doorway looks like she’s ready to tear someone’s throat out, furthermore, I think that someone might be me. “Sharon…” My voice startled me into silence once more. I sounded exactly like Cheerilee from the cartoon, the androgynous voice I was sporting earlier was no more. Sharon had begun to advance on me after I spoke, best try again. “Sharon, I…”

My sentence was interrupted by an unexpected right hook from Sharon. Her fist connected with my Jaw and knocked me back against my bed. The shock of the act caused me to collapse to my knees. Sharon’s assault changed from physical to verbal. “Don’t you bucking call me that, and don’t you dare hide behind that human disguise of yours! I’m Berry, You’re Cheerilee, and you left me for dead!”

Sharon slowed her breathing, clenching and unclenching her fists to calm down as she stared down at me, as if debating whether or not to put the boot in... Or hoof, I suppose. Her tone softened, but there was still a cold, measured anger in her voice. “Take responsibility for your sins. I won’t let you forget them.”

My tears were flowing freely now, I had no choice, how can’t she see that? “Would you have had me sell those fillies out instead?” I pleaded, I can’t afford to lose Sharon as a friend, I can’t face this transformation alone!

“Oh? Do you think anything was changed by you keeping your mouth shut? He was going to find them either way. He’s had twenty five years now, you’ll be lucky if you bought them twenty five hours.” The words were spat at me, the realisation of the cutie mark crusader’s peril landed like a kick in the ribs.

“That doesn’t matter! I couldn’t do it! It would have broken me!” I wailed my reply, my breathing was shaky, repeating the statement at barely more than a whisper “…It would have broken me…”

“So you allowed me to be broken instead, and you saved nopony.” Berry concluded. The statement was delivered with such contempt. I was going to get no comfort from her, and she won’t be convinced that I had no choice.

“Berry, I’m so sorry, but if I was given the chance to change my decision, I wouldn’t take it.” No point in sobbing, I have to be honest with her. “The foals always come first. Please try to understand.” I climb to my feet, no, hooves, using the bed to help correct my balance as I get used to my new legs.

Berry nods in satisfaction. As if a switch was flicked, her tone turns business-like. There was still no warmth in her voice. “You’re not forgiven by a long shot, but I’m willing to let it go for now and work together. We have a common enemy after all” She extended her hand as I was struggling for balance.

“You got a plan?” I took Berry’s hand, noticing the changes in our appendages. The fingertips seem to be hardening, and I definitely felt a slight loss of mobility in my digits.

Berry stated matter of factly. “Find Discord, Kick the manure outta him. I’m still working on the details of how we get to that point, but our priority now is to get outta the city. We don’t have long until we’ve lost our hands, and I’d like to be somewhere a little more remote by then.” So she’s noticed we’ll be going full quadruped soon as well then.

I felt it was best to jump on the opportunity to come up with a plan, it seemed to be a welcome distraction for Berry too. “What? Like the Lake District? How’s that gonna help us find Discord?”

Berry nodded and launched into her plan with enthusiasm. “This is why we’ll need supplies. Chargers, battery packs, something like a portable generator so we can keep a laptop running to keep in touch with current events, or research a way to get home to Equestria.”

All sensible I suppose, but I still felt compelled to ask the burning question… “Stupid question Berry, but if we find a way back to Equestria… should we even be going after him? Discord, I mean.”

“Don’t tell me you’re not after some payback. He’s going to be wearing his own arse as a hat once I’m through with him!” Berry was seemingly oblivious to the vast gulf in power separating a malevolent god of chaos, and two ponies with neither wings, nor magic, but it was nice to see her optimistic. With this in mind, I decided to keep the tone upbeat.

I tapped my chin in mock thought. “Well I just woke up without my dick, and I’m feeling a little emotionally fragile, so give me about twenty minutes, and I should be ready to start entertaining unlikely revenge fantasies” I stuck my tongue out to punctuate my joke.

“Oh? You’re all mare now? Welcome back to the sisterhood!” Berry shocked me by pulling me into a hug. It was more than I thought I could hope for, this conversation had started with a haymaker, and harsh words.

“Thanks. Anything change while I was gone?” I Hugged back in relief.

Berry chuckled. “Well, we’re a lot more into shoes than we used to be…” She broke the hug to look me up and down, her gaze stopping at my hooves. “Uh… sucks to be you, I guess?” Her infectious mischievous smile was back, and its warmth was such a comfort.

“Dare I ask, but… What just happened to angry Berry?” I felt compelled to ask. This change in her attitude was too jarring, I needed to know where we stood.

Berry’s expression hardened, “Don’t think for a second that I’m not pissed at you, you’d be deluding yourself, but if I have to work with you, might as well joke with you too.” It was fair enough. More than I could hope for anyway.

I came to a realisation. I had woken upset at my revelations from my dream, and switching my gender. As soon as I thought I was about to lose a friend in Berry though, those things became inconsequential. Berry yelling at me seemed to be the best way for me to forget my other problems, and keep a hold of my only remaining friend. We need each other more than ever. There’s no one else we can rely on.

My mind returns to the more pressing matters at hand. “Hmm… What do we do about shopping for supplies? The ears and tails we could hide, but the hooves are a bit of a giveaway.”

Berry’s grin is a dangerously mischievous one. “Thought you’d never ask. How do you feel about a little harmless burglary?”

***

“Ok, ready for this?” Berry enquired as she unclipped her seatbelt and tested her flashlight once more.

“Nope, but I’m geared up if that’s what you’re asking.” I turned the package in my hands over once more. No leaks, duct tape seems to do wonders. This seems to be using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut, but berry was insistent we make sure we’ll definitely be able to gain entry this way.

Berry pocketed her flashlight, and grabbed a pair of bags from the back seat. “Good enough. So go over our plan once more?” she scanned the street at the storefront. This shop had an extensive camping section. We had agreed it would be best to make sure we had all the necessary survival gear, as we’d already stocked up on a lot of food from earlier.

“Buck up a Burglary, Get arrested, Become pony, be prodded for science.” I had voiced my scepticism of the likelihood of success already, but once more couldn’t hurt.

“Such an optimist. But seriously, the plan. I wanna make sure you know what you’re doing.” Berry deadpanned, a little impatience creeping into her voice. Glancing to her watch, indicating the time is quarter to four in the morning.

“After getting the door open, I Stay by the storefront, keep an eye out for anyone who may be onto us, and ferry the goods over to the boot as you bring ‘em out.” I couldn’t easily forget. There’s no substance to this plan, no contingencies, we’re just breaking and entering.

“Exactly, it’s idiot proof!” Berry nodded eagerly, surveying the empty street once more before exiting the car.

I follow suit and hiss my reply to Berry. “It’s ham-fisted, ill prepared, and it’s going to get us arrested, Berry. We’re taking ideas from a Damn TV series for Bucks sake!” I wave the package in my hand. I know this naysaying wasn’t productive, but nervousness was getting the better of me.

“Correction, we’re taking ideas from an awesome TV series. Besides, we don’t have a day to play around with, and we couldn’t case the interior during normal hours looking like this anyway.” Berry was right, it was now or never, and we had no time to prepare. It still didn’t make me any less concerned.

I sighed in resignation, “Ok, let’s get this done as quickly as possible then” I approach the storefront to inspect the door, before turning to watch the street to cover Berry.

Berry pulled out her flashlight and ran it down the crack in the door to inspect for bolts. “Right, looks like this is the only lock, get set up, I’ll keep my eyes peeled”

I got to work and fixed my pack over the lock. A benefit of having my ID card work for the school doors all year round meant that I was able to walk straight into a deserted school lab and help myself to Magnesium ribbon, Aluminium powder, and Iron oxide. “Ok, it’s set. May want to stand back for this, it’s about to get a little exothermic over here.” I pierced the pack and inserted a magnesium fuse. The ribbon took to the lighter with a brilliant white flame. Time to book it, I retreated down the street to Berry, checking up and down for passers-by as I went.

Berry wasn’t interested in keeping a lookout, instead transfixed with the Thermite mix we had acquired as it melted through the lock. “Woo! That was awesome! So much cooler than using safe quantities at school.” I winced at the exclamation, but I suppose it was less conspicuous than the Thermite. “We displaced the crap outta that Iron!”

“Just get a move on and grab the supplies Berry, we’re on the clock now if we assume there’s a silent alarm.” I gave berry a gentle nudge and take a position just inside the storefront where I can keep hidden if necessary.

I started my stopwatch. I couldn’t find any figures on average police response times to burglaries, but I thought it would be safe to say if we stayed longer than five minutes, we would be pressing our luck. We couldn’t afford to be spotted despite Berry insisting our half transformed state was a boon, as we would be unrecognisable by tomorrow.

Berry returned to the storefront with a portable 720KW Diesel Generator. I checked my watch, it read 2:38. “We need to hurry, Berry, two more minutes and out, ok?”

Berry Snorted “Wishful thinking. They don’t put all the good stuff in the same place, you know?” She turned to hurry off, calling back over her shoulder “Just get that loaded up, ok?”

I Picked up the generator. Strange, it was lighter than I thought it would be, or am I getting stronger? A quick check of the store exterior confirmed the coast was still clear. I made my way over to the car and popped open the boot. Watching the back of the car dip under the weight of the generator as I placed it inside. “Ok, definitely getting stronger. I’d still take wings or a magic horn any day of the week.” As I made my way back inside the storefront, I became aware of the sound of my hooves striking the tarmac, not good, we were making too much noise.

I glanced to my watch once more, 4:08 “Hurry up Berry!” the wait was really beginning to fuel my anxiety.
Berry trotted into view complete with a pair of filled backpacks “One more trip Cheerilee, get these loaded and start up the engine, I won’t be a minute.” Berry handed over the packs and disappeared at speed.

I stalked back outside to the car, wincing each time my hoof struck the pavement. In spite of my unease, I was daring to believe we might just get away with this… there was still no sign of the police. Was there no silent alarm after all? I quietly loaded up the car and made my way into the driver’s seat. Taking another cautious scan of the storefront and the street, there was no movement at all. I shrugged and decided to not press my luck, I settled into the seat and started up the car, willing in futility for the engine to turn over more quietly.

Pulling up to the store, the seconds drip by at an agonising, glacial crawl. Where was Berry? My heart was going a mile a minute, the longer I waited, more and more I felt we would fall at the final hurdle.

Berry finally trotted into view. I hurriedly pulled up by the storefront as Berry bundled her packs and herself into the backseat of my car “Ok, we’re good, but stay calm, don’t drive too fast.”

I pulled out into the street and accelerated away at a decent pace. “Unless you have the Dead Sea scrolls in that bag, I think the amount of time we spent in there was overkill. What took you so long?”

Berry rolled her eyes in the rear view mirror. “We only had one shot, I had to make sure I had everything we needed. Cheer up! We got away with it!”

I gripped the steering wheel in frustration “Berry there is no way this is not going to come back and bite us! There must have been some CCTV we got picked up on”

Berry flashed a mischievous grin “Oh? So they’ll be looking for two girls with hooves and tails? Guess what, we won’t fit that description tomorrow. All that CCTV going to do is confuse the hell out of the authorities!” Berry leaned back into her seat with an overwhelming sigh of satisfaction “We’re off scot free, just drive casual.”

***

The glow of a computer monitor was the only illumination in the room, casting the figure leaned into the monitor limiting the amount of light that spilled into the main body of the living space. Empty takeaway boxes, drinks cans, and mugs marked the dwelling as belonging to someone who doesn’t get out much, relying on the computer as a link to the outside world. The excited clack of keys barely audible over the high powered cooling systems running the desktops. “Ben! Get in here! I think we have a winner!”

Grumbles of protest precede the approach of a figure into the doorway, the hallway light spills into the room as the door opens. “It’s four thirty in the morning. Why the hell are you up at four thirty… more important still, why am I up at four thirty?”

“Oh grow a pair and check this out.” The figure at the desktop takes a sip of an energy drink, soon to be added to the substantial pile of empty cans. “I told you that someone halfway transformed was likely going to do something stupid, so I’ve been racking my brains on what their likely moves would be. Lo and behold, Cheerilee and Berry punch just robbed a buckload of camping supplies” the monitor showed two unusual, almost alien figures breaking into a store using something that liked like a Thermite charge “someone’s been watching too much breaking bad!” the tone was both excited and amused.

“Cheerilee? Berry Punch?” the new arrival breaks from the doorway to stand by the desktop monitor, squinting at the screen.

Bouncing in the seat in excitement, the other figure continues. “Well, I can’t be certain on the camera footage, since its night vision and black and white, but it certainly looks like them…”

“Ok, Cheerilee I think I remember you showing me, but who the hell is Berry Punch?” The tone of response was part confusion, part indifference through fatigue.

She’s a background character. Seriously dude, learn to pony!” Shutting down the desktop, the figure grabs a bulky laptop carry case. “Grab your gear, we’re going mobile!”

This announcement was met with an exasperated groan “Can’t this wait until a more social hour?”

A chuckle escapes the tech-savvy figure “Heh, let’s think about that for a second…” a bright flash illuminates the room, before receding to a gentle, warm glow at the tip of a conical horn. “Well, in broad daylight, you’d stick out a bit, and I don’t think you could pass for a cosplayer. I thought you’d appreciate the idea of a night-op, Streaky.”

The now illuminated man flinched at the term of address. “It’s Ben dammit! You don’t hear me using your dumb alias!” A pair of powder blue wings twitched behind him in irritation.

The newly revealed horned computer geek huffed in response, “Yeah and I really wish you would use it… anyway, we’ve got some girls to help out. They’ve got no magic, no flight, and would have just alerted the police to their existence if I hadn’t intercepted that silent alarm like a hyper tech-ninja!” he struck a suitably goofy, attempting to be heroic pose, flicking his greyish blue hair out of his face. “Comet Tail and Lightning Streak white-knight duo, away!”

“…You’re a bucking idiot, Lex…”

Author's Note:

So sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter written. I've gone and rewritten this chapter three times over, and I'm still not particularly pleased with it.
The long and short of the problem was I felt I'd written Cheerilee and Berry into a corner. Knowing they would need to find some way to make it accross to the states, I couldn't think of how they could manage it with their limited show knowledge, lack of unicorn magic, and meager contacts they could trust with their secret.

The solution? Like many things, it can always be made better with the addition of more pony! proper obscure backgroud ponies so I don't tread on anyone else's fic.

Sorry again for the appallingly slow update.

Comments ( 21 )

2967130

ok, twisted. most delayed response ever, but new chapter's up now.

Sorry for the wait? :twilightblush:

Oh god this was the pick me up that I needed after reading a sad story. Oh Berry you have so much to learn about burglary.:facehoof:

When in doubt, add more pony. And more thermite. Any problem that cannot be solved with more tiny horses and/or explosives isn't a problem worth solving.

Glad to see this back. I'm looking forward to more. Though I really do need to get in gear with my own Five Score story...

Couple of questions:
1. Whatever happened to Kyle?
2. They got over the recent bombshell of a revelation REALLY damn quickly. Are they going to stop and talk about what this realization means for them and their past and future and all the other implications sometime soon?

On that note:

or research a way to get home to Equestria.”

They have two homes now, yes? They were born and raised both in the United States and in Equestria and are effectively just as much human as pony by this point. I suppose all this ties into question #2 above, something for them to talk about once they finally stop to think about what happened to them.

3072347

1. Whatever happened to Kyle?

Kyle isn't written out of the story, but Neither Cheerilee nor Berry felt the need to involve him since they feel he'd likely be an overexciteable liability. don't expect to hear from him for a while, but he'll be back.

2. They got over the recent bombshell of a revelation REALLY damn quickly. Are they going to stop and talk about what this realization means for them and their past and future and all the other implications sometime soon?

Ugh, don't remind me, this was another area that I kept scrapping and rewriting, a lot was left unsaid, because neither Berry nor Cheerilee feel like opening up to each other and sharing their inner monologue. Berry doesn't trust Cheerilee, and Cheerilee feels afraid to bring the subject up.

So, to Sum up:
Berry = Motivated to find a way to get back at Discord above all else. Will be nice to Cheerilee, as she has noone else to work with, but secretly hates her guts
Cheerilee = Emotionally fragile from almost losing her only remaining friend, she's basically at Berry's beck and call. she won't risk upsetting berry any further, which is why it was so easy for berry to talk cheerilee into the robbery.

Yes, they're joking and quipping on the surface, but all is not well. can't really say any more as it would give too much away, but this isn't over.

They have two homes now, yes? They were born and raised both in the United States and in Equestria and are effectively just as much human as pony by this point. I suppose all this ties into question #2 above, something for them to talk about once they finally stop to think about what happened to them.

Actually, they were born and raised in the United Kingdom. Carl and Sharon are British. As I said in my early point, all Berry wants to do is get to equestria and throw down with Discord, consequences be damned. Cheerilee will go along with anthing Berry suggests for fear of alienating her even further.

3072723

Actually, they were born and raised in the United Kingdom. Carl and Sharon are British.

Dammit, I worried I got that wrong right after I posted it. It's getting hard to keep all of the characters in the various spin-offs straight.

Lightning Streak? :derpytongue2: The Wonderbolt? :derpytongue2:

3071694
pinkie.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/133687811914.gif

But seriously, good chapter dude, I'm glad to see that cliffhanger finally resolved :ajsmug:

my genitals were MIA

Missing in action...
:rainbowlaugh:

Please keep going :rainbowwild:

3078588

Oh, man, I have an editor? :raritydespair:

Please have mercy! I've read through my chapters many times over and you've not even scratched the surface of my failure! I have horrendous problems with slipping into present tense every now and then.

I'm sorry, I'm sounding ungrateful. Thanks very much for the pointers, :pinkiehappy:

What i'm trying to say is I'm fully aware of my deficiencies as a writer, I'm just also aware of the fact I'm writing a sidefiction to a fanfiction, making me equivalent to some sort of photosynthetic algae in the food chain of fiction authors. This probably sounds like me trying to write a free pass to allowing horrible grammar and tense in my fic, and I suppose that's correct! I can't see myself going back and sorting out previous chapters when I'm still thinking long and hard about how to keep progressing the story in this fic.

3079571

Oh, man, I have an editor? :raritydespair:

You don't have an editor:raritycry:?

Please have mercy! I've read through my chapters many times over and you've not even scratched the surface of my failure! I have horrendous problems with slipping into present tense every now and then.

Eh, I've seen worse. It's arguably better than the first half of Five Score:rainbowderp:.

I'm sorry, I'm sounding ungrateful. Thanks very much for the pointers, :pinkiehappy:

Any time, mate:raritywink:.

What i'm trying to say is I'm fully aware of my deficiencies as a writer, I'm just also aware of the fact I'm writing a sidefiction to a fanfiction, making me equivalent to some sort of photosynthetic algae in the food chain of fiction authors.

All fanfiction authors are comrades in arms! (Our arms are pens, by the way) Each one of us is equal to each other in our desire to better the pony community! So, don't get so down on yourself.

This probably sounds like me trying to write a free pass to allowing horrible grammar and tense in my fic, and I suppose that's correct! I can't see myself going back and sorting out previous chapters when I'm still thinking long and hard about how to keep progressing the story in this fic.

Seriously. If you're not confident with your grammar, get help. There's no shame in it. English, and English grammar, is hard.

In any case, I just finished your story, and thus far I am quite entertained! I look forward to the next update.

Cheers,

-Comrade

P.S. - If you're not sure about a grammar rule, look it up. If you don't understand it, message me, and I'll see if I can't help.

Nice. I like this. :ajsmug:

I shall commence watching this here awesome fic, but then again, so far just abut everything that comes out of the 'Five Score, Divided By Four' universe is just plain epic.

So nice set of chapters on what you have completed thus far, and I look forward to the next chapter from here on out. :pinkiehappy:







~ Super-Brony12

3349558

Thanks for the watch, but you may be waiting a while. My job's taking up an awful lot of my time, and haven't found time to write in ages.

Does anyone else get the feeling that Kyle is going to start developing red or purple hair soon?:applecry::unsuresweetie::scootangel:

Fairly sure that most security systems involve making a circuit between the door and the door frame, window and window frame etc. That's why cutting a hole in a window is popular in movies. So melting the lock wouldn't have triggered anything, buying them a few more minutes. 2:38 to be specific. Since they're British the police have full access to all CCTV, which is actually a disadvantage because they'll get a good look at two half pony ladies stealing camping stuff. That's another few minutes of indecision and confusion. Then running out to the squad cars and racing across town. I'd say they had a good two minutes leeway even with Berry's last run. Only concern might be if there were cameras pointing at the car they were driving, which hopefully isn't too likely. Do the British government put cameras in public parking lots? Do the police get the CCTV right away, or does it take a security guard to notice it and send them the footage? If the guard saw two horse ladies running through the parking lot with backpacks would he or would he not turn around walk back to his guard station and swear off drinking alcohol past 8pm?

The answer is because background OC ponies are awesome!:yay:

I've never watched Breaking Bad and thermite seems a completely sensible way to go through a lock. I prefer the liquid nitrogen/crowbar approach but to each their own.

3756154

Sweet, so Sharon gets her Pinchy back!

No, sorry if Kyle is a student, he ain't gonna be 25 yet. Maybe odd students would, but it feels like Kyle's younger than Chad. That's the ironic thing about Discord's thing is they're all about the same age since he zapped 'em all around the same period of time. Afraid Kyle's stuck with that ridiculous grin on his face for the forseeable future.

3369890

What is your job, if I may ask?

“Exactly, it’s idiot proof!” Berry nodded eagerly, surveying the empty street once more before exiting the car.

I follow suit and hiss my reply to Berry. “It’s ham-fisted, ill prepared, and it’s going to get us arrested, Berry. We’re taking ideas from a Damn TV series for Bucks sake!”

Oh, i can finally use this clip in context!!! :pinkiehappy:

[youtube=http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YaShSScwsDA]

A new challenger appears! This is getting interesting. Liking it so far.

So is this story on hiatus, or are you planning on writing more of it in the future? Cheerilee, Berry Punch, Comet Tail, and Lightning Streak need to make their way to (Apple)Jack's farm near/in Des Moines, Iowa, and then follow the group to the high school where the portal is. Then they need to follow all the other ponies inside (referencing other people's fics that have gotten that far), and that's where they can finally seek their revenge against Discord.

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