Prickle Berry Tries to Be Careful

by David Silver

9 - Getting to the Point

Bon Bon was not kind to Prickle, not at all. She flipped her, tossed her, dodged her, and chastised her.

So why was Prickle having such a good time? She had a smile that only seemed to grow with every challenge given. She could be as strong as she wanted and it seemed the candy maker could handle it, dodging and rolling with her motions with uncanny skill. Prickle had no idea why Bon Bon was so amazing, but she was, and Prickle couldn't help but love it.

Lyra, on the other hoof, was kinder and smiled more often, but Prickle had to be careful with the unicorn. One good shove and Lyra would just fall over. She still hadn't managed to get Bon Bon to do that, even when challenged to do just that.

Prickle felt the tug of magic pulling her from the ground and quickly spun in place, becoming a difficult target for unicorn magic. With a powerful kick, she threw off her balance as well and fell free of Lyra's failing grip. She bounced towards Bon Bon with a ready cry and leaped up and forward, hoof coming to give her quite the punch. Then she was poked, right in the ribs.

"Sting," reported Bon Bon. "You're toast."

Prickle flopped to the ground, her momentum gone. "Aw... I'm getting better, right?"

Bon Bon gave a little smile. "You are... I just don't want this to be your first and last rodeo, right? From the top..."

Lyra stuck out her tongue at the two of them. "You're both a bit too fast for me."

Bon Bon put a hoof under Lyra's chin, gazing into her eyes in that sappy way that Prickle found both adorable and a little sickening at once. Kissy stuff. "Thanks for helping."

Lyra glowed at the praise and leaned in to touch snoots before she looked to Prickle. "Alright, ready for more?"

"Yes ma'am!" cried Prickle, bouncing to her hooves and leaping right back into the fray.

Later, as Celestia tucked the sun in for bed, Prickle staggered from the shop. She was tired, but in a good way. "Thanks!" She cried as the door closed, then launched herself into the dimming sky. The beast hadn't come yet, and that was alright. She was ready for dinner, and bed.

"Prickle Berry," came the stern voice of her mother when she arrived home. "Where have you been?!" She quickly closed the distance and hugged her foal tight. "Were you looking for that monster?"

"Yes, mom," admitted Prickle. "But I did something even better."

"Better?" Junebug released her daughter. "Tell me about it while you eat. You must be starving." She quickly set the table and sat across from Prickle. "I'm guessing you didn't run into any horrifying bugbears?"

"No, Mom," assured Prickle before she practically dunked her snout in the food, eating voraciously. The conversation was sedate until she was finished and leaned back, some food still on her muzzle.

Junebug shook her head and grabbed a napkin in her mouth to get to cleaning Prickle off. "You really were starving."

"Not anymore," cheerfully replied Prickle. "I found a super nice pony that was teaching me how to use my strength better."

Junebug started at that, cloth dropping to the floor. "Bulk Biceps?"

Prickle shook her head. "Not him. They're a mare."

"What's her name?"

Prickle held up a hoof in front of her lips. "That's a secret, mom. I wouldn't want anypony to tell who I am."

Junebug gave a little smile. "My daughter, already making super secret friends." She pulled Prickle in for a gentle hug. "Just be safe, alright? I won't be sad if you decide not to fight that monster."

"I have to..." Prickle pouted up at her mother. "Who else is going to make it go away?"

"An--" She cut herself off and took a slow breath. "I understand. I don't like it... but I won't stop you." She kissed Prickle's nose. "Just know you can always run home."

Prickle bobbed her head and bounced up to her hooves. She peeled herself free of her suit and tossed it aside in the laundry before she went off to bed. The next day promised more patrolling and practice. Maybe the bugbear would even show up! She wasn't entirely sure how excited or scared she was.

While she slept, Junebug washed her suit and had it dried and pressed by the time Prickle awoke for breakfast. "Good morning, my brave warrior." She kissed the top of Prickle's head. "Breakfast is ready. Eat up, and be safe."

"Love you mom!" She gave a careful hug and got right to eating, then dressing, and she was off.

The air was crisp and clean, but the town was quiet, so very quiet. Everypony was hiding, hoping the bugbear would pass them by. It had worked for many other monsters before. Just stay low, never go by a window, and wait for the all clear.

"Aw yeah!" came a cry.

Prickle looked towards the source and saw Rainbow Dash grinning like a fool at Mayor Mare. "I'll kick that thing's flank right back to Tartarus, again!"

Prickle landed right beside the element with a powerful jump. "Rainbow Dash, you're back?"

Mayor Mare nodded at Prickle. "Oh, yes. Isn't it wonderful? She came back ahead of the other girls and I've appraised her of the situation. You won't have to fight it after all."

Rainbow blinked softly as she looked between Mayor Mare and the costumed filly. "Are you serious? She was gonna go fight it?" She reached out and poked Prickle. "No offense, but aren't you a little young for this?"

Prickle puffed up. "Says who?"

"Says me," replied Rainbow Dash as if it were obvious. "Go home."

"Stop telling me to go home!" Prickle slammed a hoof down, cracking the cement of the step they were standing on. "I am Tiny Titan, and I plan to fight that bugbear."

"Tiny Titan, huh?" Her eyes wandered down over the broken ground. "So, what, you some kinda superhero, like the Power Ponies?" She leaned in, wings keeping her in the air easily. "Ya know, I was a Power Pony once."

Prickle blinked. "You were?"

"But it was just magic and pretend." Rainbow shrugged.

"Well I'm for real." Prickle thumped her own chest lightly. She glanced for Mayor Mare, but it seemed the official had fled quickly. "I'm going to fight that bugbear."

"Not alone you aren't." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You're a foal, you shouldn't be fighting it at all."

"Too bad," declared Prickle with certainty. "I'm fighting. Are you with me?"

Rainbow blinked before laughter peeled from her. "This is too good. I'm being bossed around by a foal that thinks she's hot stuff. Alright, let's give you a chance. This way." She gave a toss of her head and streaked away in a flash of rainbows.

Was that a test? Prickle decided to assume it was and jumped into the air faster than she normally would be comfortable with. In the air, she could see Rainbow retreating into the distance, headed towards Sweet Apple Acres. Prickle landed on the dirt road and pushed even harder. Dirt and dust flew in all directions, but mostly behind her as she was sent soaring through the air like a bullet that she had fired herself. With the wind roaring in her ears, she could see she was approaching Rainbow, who had pulled over a barrel.

She landed with a soft grunt and shook herself out. "What's the barrel for?"

"Huh, you're faster than I thought." Rainbow nodded appreciatively. "But let's see if you're half as strong as you claim to be." She slammed a foreleg down on the barrel. "Time for hoof wrastlin'!"

Prickle blinked as she approached. The barrel was tall. Too tall for her to easily match Rainbow's pose. "Do you have a shorter one?"

Rainbow snickered softly. "Already beat? Fine." She knocked the barrel over and got her leg down on its side. "Here we go."

That was much easier to get to and Prickle locked hooves with Rainbow. "How hard should I push?"

Rainbow blinked. "How hard? As hard as you can."

"Really?"

"Of course, duh. How do you plan to beat me? On the count of three. One... Two... Three!"

Rainbow pushed against Prickle with all her might, but Prickle was not moving. She was holding her leg perfectly still. She wanted to win, but she didn't want to hurt Rainbow. "Am I winning?"

"No!" blurted Rainbow, her face red with effort and a bit of shame. "Not until you pin my leg against the barrel!"

"Like this?" Slowly she began tilting Rainbow's leg towards the barrel.

Rainbow began sweating buckets. The foal really was powerful! She clenched her teeth hard and pushed with all her might, but she was still being pushed without delay towards defeat. Desperate, she put her other hoof in to help pull against Prickle, but nothing stopped the march towards the wood.

With a ragged sigh, Rainbow's hooves, both of them, touched the wood. "How..."

Prickle withdrew her hoof. "Are you hurt?"

Rainbow went quiet a moment, then laughed. "You just schooled me, and you ask if I'm hurt." She suddenly tossed a leg over Prickle. "Yer alright, kid. Seriously, how'd you do that? Some kinda crazy magic spell?"

Prickle shook her head quickly. "I eat what my mother gives me and not too many sweets."

Rainbow laughed all the more, but it was a friendly laugh. "I wish it was that easy. C'mon, serious though... You're still a foal."

Prickle thrust a hoof out and knocked Rainbow over with a squawk. "So?"

Rainbow picked herself up off the ground and shook out. "Alright, I get the idea..." She put a hoof against her head. "I was not planning on having a sidekick, but alright, fine, we'll beat the tar out of that bugbear, together."

Prickle's expression lightened into joy. Two days in a row she'd found an amazing adult mare willing to work with her. "I'll patrol the west side."

"Then I got the east," finished Rainbow. "Either of us see that lousy bear, we give a shout and we'll pummel him into paste for messing with Ponyville!"

Elsewhere, Bon Bon peeked out a window and saw Rainbow Dash streak overhead. "Huh, looks like we're gonna be alright."

"Yea?" Lyra nudged her head in to peek, but Rainbow was long since past. "Why?"

"The Elements are back, from the look of it." Bon Bon let out a sigh of relief. "Good thing too. I didn't want that foal getting hurt."

"Tiny Titan?"

"That's the one." Bon Bon nodded. "She has talent, but we need months, not a day."

"Good thing they're back then. She won't have to fight at all."

Author's Note:

The chapter title was a lie. We didn't get to any points! Was this a typo?

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Comments

[RadicalDishonesty]

It's the worst kind of typo: a lie.

I should know, I'm an expert.

But seems that Rainbow Dash is bein irresponsible like usual.

[badninja]

I bet Tiny Titan would have had an easier time then the mane 6, if she had the necessary training.

[Morphy]

I wanna see Tiny Titan kick flank and make that bugbear cry all the way home to momma! Heh.

[Booster Spice]

Who going to end up saving who from who?

[Chrome Masquerade]

"The Elements are back, from the look of it." Bon Bon let out a sigh of relief. "Good thing too. I didn't want that foal getting hurt."

"Tiny Titan?"

"That's the one." Bon Bon nodded. "She has talent, but we need months, not a day."

"Good thing they're back then. She won't have to fight at all."

Might want to add an ellipsis to that.

[tsaukpaetra]

Oh, but one Element does not the team make. We didn't notice anypony else talking with Mayor Mare, and Rainbow didn't mention their support...
Hey! Got caught up, Woohoo!
BonBon keeps herself hidden too, here's to hoping nopony has to do much of anything. And why are the bugbear attacks focused on her anyway? Conspiracy alert!
Keep going! ;)

[Texus]

Nice chapter, it was nice enough for what I hoped would happen with Rainbow.
I'm not sure what to say other than I hope Prickle has some sort of last minute rescue moment.
I'm not sure but would it make her hit stronger if Pinkie would use Prickle as a Cannonball for her Party Cannon?

I totally want scenes with Pinkie wanting to figure out who she is or just annoying Prickle and Prickle would accidently well knock her to Celestia into the throne room or something.

I can't decide if Prickles training suddenly makes the bugbear look much more powerful than he probably is, or if it makes the story more realistic and even better because of this.

[golarala]

I don't know why you don't have more likes your story is pretty solid

[Fluttercheer]

Haha, oh my god, Rainbow Dash, her reaction over having been beaten by a filly and how Lily bluntly made her her sidekick is priceless! Seeing Rainbow Dash's ego getting a beating is always incredibly funny!

[David Silver]

7975253 As happy as I am that you enjoyed that, I am compelled to note that it was Rainbow Dash that took on the sidekick, and Prickle, being the nice soul she is, didn't argue and they got to patrolling.

[redmar]

Bon Bon is right that a few days of training aren't enough. Rainbow Dash is completely flabbergasted by what happened but I wonder if Scootaloo can keep Prickle's secret idenetity a secret from her idol.

[Nyperold]

some foot still on her muzzle.

"It tastes like feet!"

"No offense, but aren't you a little young for this?"

"Yes. Yes I am."

[David Silver]

9055084
Fixed!