• Published 2nd Feb 2017
  • 5,079 Views, 888 Comments

Prickle Berry Tries to Be Careful - David Silver



Prickle didn't ask to become so strong, but it just happened. Now, as a growing foal, she's mightier than many grown stallions. What's an earth-filly to do? She tries her best to move forward and not draw attention to her supernatural strength.

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26 - Start Episode 7 - A Serious Case

Prickle sat down at her desk at school. She had healed up nicely from the incident with the duel, and had even gotten some delightful training with her mentor, even if some of it involved more boring work to avoid such injuries in the future.

Snails stepped up in front of the class. Why was he there? "Hello class," he said, but that was not his voice. That was Cheerilee's voice. "I'm sure you're a little surprised, but this is me." He... she? They pointed to the back of the class.

Prickle craned her neck to see Cheerilee crammed into a seat.

She waved at the class and squeaked with Snail's voice. "Hi..."

Snails... Cheerilee? cleared his/her voice. "We've been attacked, but it's not going to get in the way of our lesson today. Let's get started..."

Prickle sat up, but she was far from the only one. The entire class erupted into speculation and concern.

"Students!" demanded their diminutive teacher with her usual voice. "Calm down. Quiet, please!"

Snips was looking up at at his friend, who had become a fully grown mare. "Whoa..."

"It's not such a big deal," replied Snails in Cheerilee's body, shrugging a bit. "The chair fits awful though."

Apple Bloom clopped her hooves down on her desk. "Who did this to you, Miss Cheerilee?!"

Cheerilee let out a sigh before sinking to her coltish haunches. Continuing class seemed to be a fever dream at best. "If everypony would kindly settle down, I'll explain." She gave the best glare her colt face could manage and waited. Fortunately, the class did start to settle down, looking at her expectantly. "It was just this morning, on the way to school..."


Cheerilee trotted along with a smile on her face. She was ready to face a new day with no educational challenges. They'd be going over crop rotation and other related agricultural innovations. She reached and pulled out the little sapling she'd be using as a demonstration for part of the lesson.

"Is that lunch?" Cheerilee looked over to see Snails following alongside her with his usual placid expression. "Looks tasty."

"No, Snails." She gave a patient smile. "It's part of today's lesson. Are you ready to learn?"

"Um, no ma'am."

Cheerilee could appreciate his honesty at least. "Try your best, please. You have potential in you, but you have to reach for it."

Snails looked a bit befuddled at the idea. "Are you sure?"

Their conversation was interrupted as a brightly dressed figure jumped in front of them with hooves thrown wide. "You two look like you're having trouble!"

Cheerilee recoiled in surprise. "What? Who are you?"

"That's not important. You two." The stranger, a mare, pointed between them with a hoof. "Can't see the other's side of things. I'll fix that." She threw her hooves out as wide as they could go and a blinding flash overtook them.

When they could see again, she was gone, and they were changed.

Cheerilee looked up at... herself. "Snails?"

"Yeah, that's me," replied Cheerilee's body before they looked down at Snail's body. "Whoa, that's... me too. How can I be in two places at the same time?"


Cheerilee saw herself, or her body, waving a hoof energetically. "Yes, Snails?"

"I have to go to the little foal's room. Which one do I use?"

Cheerilee clopped a hoof to her face. "Pick the one you like, just be sure to lock it behind you."

"Alright." He wriggled free of the desk and walked off at his usual sedate pace, eyes half-lidded.

Cheerilee winced at seeing it all played out with her own body, but at least she felt safe in the laid back colt's grasp. "Now, are there any other questions?"

Prickle shook her head. "We have to get you back to normal!"

Cheerilee smiled at Prickle. "I appreciate your concern, but I've already told Princess Twilight. Hopefully they'll have it sorted out soon. Meanwhile, you're here to learn, so we should get to that." She reached for a pointer and found it floating up to her. "Oh right, unicorn..." Well, some small advantages at least... "Now let's begin..."

A paper bounced off of Prickle's head. She blinked before she saw it laying on her desk and unfolded it.

This is a case for Tiny Titan!

Prickle looked around, but none of the ponies were taking credit in any obvious way.

Still... was it? It was. That was what she was supposed to do! She raised a hoof.

Cheerilee looked up at Prickle. "Yes?"

Oh, right. She needed an excuse... "I... need to use the little foal's room too."

Cheerilee's eyes narrowed. She was not fooled. "Sit down, Prickle. The lessons begins now. Class..." She began giving her sermon despite her new body, doing her best to pretend nothing odd was happening at all.

Prickle softly huffed. She wanted to go find the bad mare that dared to mess with her teacher, but was being stopped... by her teacher. She bided her time and took notes about the plants and stuff as best she could. She guessed that Cheerilee would totally give a surprise quiz considering how distracted everyone was.

But when lunch came along, she raced out. It was time to go! She looked around for a good spot to dash off to and get changed when a hoof tapped her on the shoulder. She span in surprise to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

Diamond hiked a brow. "Where are you trying to get in such a hurry? Don't you normally eat lunch with them?" She pointed at the crusaders at their usual table.

"Um, not today." Prickle stepped back slowly. "I forgot my lunch at home. I have to go get it real fast." She smiled, so proud of her excuse.

Silver pulled a small box out. "I'll share mine with you, Prickle."

Oops. Prickle didn't want to shoot down Silver twice so soon. She may start thinking Prickle really didn't like her. "Oh, um... thanks." Her attempt to get away was thwarted as she walked over with the two over to another table and they began to eat.

Diamond rolled a hoof as she ate. "Can you believe this?!" She pointed at Snails, seated with Snips. Despite the colt currently being a mare, he ate his food sedately. "Look at him! I bet he's doing terrible things."

Prickle blinked at the sight and back to Diamond. "Are we talking about the same Snails?"

"The same Snails that is a colt in a mare's body." She snorted loudly. "I can only imagine the things he's done and plans to do."

Silver shrugged softly. "I'd be more worried if it was Snips. I doubt Snails is even thinking about it."

"I try not to," came Snail's voice suddenly. "Thinking, that is." He was standing near them. "Hey."

Prickles jumped. Snails could be real sneaky when he wanted to be. "Oh, hi Snails. So... are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he assured with a dopey smile. "I miss having my horn though." He sank a moment before he perked back up. "It's kinda nice being so tall though." He pointed a hoof at the table in general. "Hey, you better be doing your homework." He chuckled at his own joke.

Prickle took a little bite of the fancy food Silver was sharing with her. "Don't you want to go back to normal?"

"Uh huh," he placidly agreed. "But I don't know how. I bet Twilight'll figure it out. I should get going, eh. See you all later." He gave a parting wave before wandering away.

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Alright, maybe he is too stupid to think of anything." She snickered softly. "So, what do you think, Prickle?" She hiked a brow at her. "Did that description match any mare you know of?"

Prickle quickly shook her head. "Not anypony I know. That was mean of them! They can't just... do that."

Silver shrugged a little. "Some unicorns think they can. Us earth ponies have to stick together or they might, like, do other strange magic and think they can get away with it." She smiled at Prickle brightly. "Do you like it?"

"Huh?"

"The food." Silver nudged the box she was sharing. "Does it taste nice?"

It did, and Prickle had no issue saying as much. "What is it?" She took up another morsel and popped it into her snout. It really was tasty.

Silver smiled joyfully. "It's, like, genuine Neighponese food. Sushi."

"What's sushi?" Prickle had never heard of the food before, tasty as it was.

Diamond suddenly laughed. "Raw fish, rice, seaweed, some other things too."

Prickle paled. Fish? Raw? "Is... that... even safe?" She eyed the box with sudden suspicion.

Silver nodded quickly. "Uh huh. I've had it, like, forever. You don't see me getting sick." She took another bundle and popped it into her snout. "S'good."

Part of her wailed at the idea. Another part gently nudged the first part and reminded her she's already had plenty, and liked it. "I guess it is..." She reached and took another morsel, then noticed a little plate of green stuff. "What's this?"

Diamond leaned in. "Dip the sushi in it, I dare you."

Silver quickly slapped a hoof over the box. "You don't have to!"

Prickle looked between the two. "What... is it?"

Diamond shrugged softly. "It's really spicy. Can you handle it?"

Silver nodded in agreement. "You really don't have to." She withdrew her hoof.

Prickle reached with her sushi. "I'll try a little tiny bit..." She didn't want to be scared off by Diamond Tiara. She touched the sushi to it and a dollop of green stuff came off onto it. She opened her snout wide and chomped down onto the mix. At first it was fine. Then, the heat came... Tears leapt up into her eyes, but she tried to keep a brave face as she ran her tongue across the top of her mouth, trying to bear it past the flames.

Silver offered her sippy box. "Here, it'll help."

Diamond looked thoroughly amused and reached over to pat Prickle on the back. "I didn't think you'd have the guts. You surprised me."

Prickle smiled. Despite the pain, she felt good. She had impressed Diamond. She took a deep draw of sweet goodness from Silver's box and the flames ebbed down to a bearable point. She let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Do you use that a lot?"

Silver shrugged. "Only once in a, like, while, but they always put it there."

Prickle had failed to go find the bad pony, but she had shared lunch with the two greatest menaces of her life, and it wasn't that bad.

She put it down as a success.

Author's Note:

A new case has begun! No one told me Prickle would be fighting elemental benders! Especially not the dreaded gender benders!

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