• 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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46 - I Can't Wait

Immovable giggled as she hovered in the air, clopping her forehooves. "We get to go to a hero con?!" she exclaimed with a big smile on her face. "Oh wow, you're the best mentor ever." She landed lightly, wings folding. "I went from a supervillain to this? I can't even process this." She grabbed Prickle, hugging the costumed hero tightly. "You're the best!"

Prickle easily pushed her sidekick back a little. "I think they know what you used to be, so you're on a kind of probation." She shook her head. "But you're going to mind your manners and they'll see how good of a pony you've become."

Immovable tilted her head at that. "What makes you say that?"

Prickle tapped one hoof on the other as if counting. "Well, for one, they don't want me to tell you when or where it is, so you're going to have to just trust me."

"That's easy." She bobbed her head. "Is there a two?"

"Well, your application had some... questions."

"Like?"

Prickle gave a little laugh. "Let's put that aside. We should get to patrolling."

Immovable stuck out her tongue in defiance. "Oh fine, keep it a secret. What's with you and secrets? You won't even tell me who you are, I mean, besides Tiny Titan, and we're partners!" She spread her hooves wide. "Don't you trust me?!"

Prickle's ears pinned back. "Let's not make it about that. If I didn't believe in you, we wouldn't... Please."

Immovable took a long breath before she nodded. "Yeah, I get it. I guess I deserve that." Her sour expression brightened. "Maybe we'll find some bad pony in need of a lesson. Let's get to looking."

That Prickle could agree with, and their patrol began.


Prickle sat on her haunches in front of a skeptical Cheerilee. "An urgent family affair?" she asked, brow rising as she said it.

Nervously, Prickle rubbed one arm with a hoof. "I'm really sorry. If you give me the schoolwork, I'll do my best to keep up."

Cheerilee shook her head with the smallest sigh. "I would rather you were honest with me. If you feel you have to go, you should just say that... I'll have your work prepared for you, just be careful, mmm. Baltimare's a big city for such a small filly."

Prickle bobbed her head quickly. "I will! And I'll do my work, promise!" She bounced to her hooves. "You're the best teacher ever!"

Cheerilee leaned in with a knowing smile. "I'm the only teacher you've had."

"Still the best," argued Prickle.

"Oh, this reminds me." Cheerilee raised a hoof to her chin. "I'm glad to see you and Diamond have mended your fences. It's really nice to see my little ponies getting along and talking out their differences so maturely. I'm proud of both of you."

Prickle's cheeks warmed as the fished for a good response. "I... think... we're moving past... our past."

Cheerilee nodded. "And that's fantastic to see. Look, I know she can be a hoofull, but we are ponies. We need each other. It... just took her a while to really notice. So, if she says something thoughtless... give her a chance to make it up, is all I'm asking." She moved for her desk, walking lightly. "Have a good trip, whatever it is you're really doing over there."


Prickle, as Tiny Titan, and Immovable trotted up towards Twilight's castle. With a firm knock, the door swung inwards to reveal Spike.

"Hey, the superponies of Ponyville," he greeted with a smile. "How are ya doing?"

Prickle pointed past Spike. "We just wanted to make sure everyone knew we would be out of town for a little while."

Spike gave an emphatic thumbs up on both his claws. "Gotcha. You covered them, now it's their turn. Don't worry, nothing's on their radar, so everything should be fine, well..." He suddenly sighed, looking just a litttle downcast. "Except Rarity, that is. She got called away on some fashion show somewhere."

With a bright burst of light, Twilight appeared. "Tiny, Immovable, nice to see you both. What's this I hear?"

Immovable waved excitedly at the princess. "Hello Twilight! We're going to a--"

Prickle shoved a hoof in Immovable's snout. "We just have to go a few days. We'll be back."

Twilight's brow raised. "Is it educational?"

Prickle bobbed her head in easy agreement. "It sure will be! I'm really looking forward to that part, actually."

All tension faded from Twilight. "Then I hope you both have a great time. Oh, Immovable, I'm still working on your paperwork. You haven't had as many opportunities as Tiny Titan here to show your stuff, but that will change with time."

Immovable gave a huff at that, wings fidgeting. "I'm Tiny Titan's sidekick, and I do it well, right?" She looked to Titan for confirmation.

Prickle gave a little laugh. "Of course she does, that's why she's coming with me. Maybe we can both learn some things."

Spike snickered softly. "You two are a good team. Have fun!" He waved and Twilight soon joined them.

With partings out of the way, they got to trotting towards the train.

The sound of a wheels, small wheels, was the only hint of what was coming before Scootaloo skidded to a halt right in front of them. "Hey! Where are you two off to? Some super villain in need of a walloping? Can I watch?"

Immovable put a hoof to her chest. "Even better, we're--" She ducked under Prickle's incoming hoof. "Going to a superpony con!"

Prickle let out a groan, but Scootaloo looked far more interested. Her eyes went wide. "Wow... they really have those? Can I come? Can I come!" She bounced up and down off of her scooter, it falling to the side. "I'll be good, promise! Oh please!"

Giving her sidekick a glare, she noted, "This is why they didn't trust you. You can't keep a secret."

Immovable flinched back. "But... she's one of our biggest fans..."

Scootaloo zipped up into Prickle's face, snout to snout. "Please! I'll be so quiet you won't even know I'm there!"

Prickle took a few uneasy steps back. "I'm not... trying to say no, but they only gave me two pins, two, and you make three, and it's supposed to be a secret! I don't want to get kicked out before I even get in the door..." She could see Scootaloo's expression falling with a trembling lip and tears forming. "Oh please don't cry..."

"N-no, it's cool." Scootaloo wiped her face with an arm. "I understand..."

Prickle was far from the most observant pony ever, but even she had a good idea. "It's not cool." She frowned. "Scootaloo... You are my friend, one of my best... I don't want to leave you behind, really..."

Scootaloo waved it away. "Yeah yeah, I get it... it's not like you made up the rules. So, uh..." She glanced left and right and back at Prickle. "You'll tell me all about it, the not secret parts, right? And check if you can get me in next year!" She bounced back up, looking more chipper. "They haveta have something for #1 fans, right? Ask!" She gave a sudden giggle. "Rainbow's gotten me into a few secret places that way, seen the Wonderbolts practice for shows and stuff. Just ask, that's all I'm saying. If they say no, at least you tried."

Prickle nodded firmly at that. "I will! For sure. I owe you at least that much, if not more. You and the girls have helped me so much." She put out a hoof. Scootaloo got the prompt and stepped in and the two gave a warm hug to one another.

Immovable gave a loud 'aww' of an appraisal of the scene. "You two are just so nice together." She wrapped her forehooves around herself. "I hope I get a #1 fan like that..."

Scootaloo grinned up at Immovable. "You keep being awesome and you will. I mean, I'm a fan. Not a #1 fan, but a fan." She stepped back from Prickle. "I hope you two have a great time, alright? Go show those other super ponies how amazing you are!"

Immovable offered a hoof towards Scootaloo. "Keep an eye on me. I'll show my stuff."

The hoof was met with a loud clop. "You already are. Keep it up!" Scootaloo hopped back onto her scooter. "You two have fun!" With buzzing wings, she propelled away.

With no further interruptions, they resumed their journey. Immovable moved in close to Prickle. "Hey, uh, sorry."

Prickle looked up at her larger sidekick. "Mm?"

"For blurting out where we were going." Immovable glanced about as she went. "I shouldn't have done that."

"It's alr--"

"It isn't." Immovable moved around in front of Prickle and planted her mighty bottom on the ground. Her wings unfolded in her blocking stance. "I was wrong, and I need to accept that. I want you... everyone to trust me, so I should earn that."

Prickle tilted her head to the left, then the right, trying to see around Immovable, but the way was nicely blocked. "You still have it."

Immovable grinned. "Stopping ponies is my specialty, but I'm serious!"

Prickle offered a hoof out towards her sidekick. "Let's put this behind and focus on making this the best few days ever."

Immovable grinned hard enough that her cheeks squeaked from the pressure. "Let's, and if I... do anything stupid, you'll stop me, right?"

"What are mentors for?" Their hooves met with a clop and they strode side by side.

When they arrived at the ticket counter, the mare behind looked to Immovable expectantly. Immovable shook her head and reached down, plucking up Prickle to be in easier view.

Prickle gave a smile, cheeks warming. "Hello. Two to Baltimare please."

The mare tapped at her cheek lightly. "Oh... that's a distance away. Does your--"

Another pony that had been waiting behind the two gave out a sudden groan. "That's Tiny Titan and Immovable. They're a team, just give them the tickets already."

The countermare blinked. "Oh, I heard of you two, but I never saw you before." She took their bits and gave over two big tickets. "Have a nice trip."

The train arrived a short while later and they stepped up onto it. The journey was long enough that they had been assigned a cabin with cots to sleep on. Immovable gestured to the higher of the two bunks. "You can have the top one."

Prickle shook her head. "You can get up there easier. I'll take the bottom one. Not that we're sleeping now. I'm going to get something to drink." She turned towards the dining car, but paused. Immovable was looking hopeful about something. "What's wrong?"

"Um... how are you... affording a drink?"

Prickle blinked at that. "I have some bits?"

"Oh... I don't..."

Prickle smiled gently and waved forward. "Then we'll go together. No sidekick of mine is going to go thirsty while I can do something about it."

Immovable hopped forward, grabbing Prickle by the nape of her neck and hauling her off the ground in a spinning toss that ended with Prickle coming down on Immovable's back. "Onwards!" cried the excited pegasus and she got to trotting through the train. "Where'd you get bits from, anyway? Aren't you still in school?"

"Oh, yeah..." Prickle gave a sheepish smile. "But Twilight signed me up as an official guardian of Equestria, and that comes with some bits."

Immovable's ears swiveled back towards Prickle. "Wow... I hope they finish my paperwork soon. Is... Do they give a lot for that kind of thing."

Prickle hadn't actually counted all her bits. Her mother had made them vanish into a bank account and given her some for her trip. "Um... Enough, I think..."

"You have enough to cover us both?"

Prickle smiled from on top of Immovable. She pointed towards the bar. "So long as you let me pick what we get."

"Cider?" suggested Immovable with a hopeful tone.

She would be disappointed.

Author's Note:

They're on the way, woo! This con promises to be interesting.

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