To Razz a Berry

Mayor Mare waited at the train station. Berryshine had told her that she and her two cousins needed a place to stay for the night. The Mayor couldn't recall their names. She mentally slapped herself for not remembering. The Mayor of Ponyville should be better than that. Berry had said that one of them was expecting a foal, so the Mayor had her assistant bring a carriage. It was a good thing the train was late, her assistant was far beyond late.

He arrived minutes later with the carriage, but he wasn't alone. Mayor Mare face-hoofed so hard her brain felt it.

The colt jumped off the carriage seat and stood at attention in front of the Mayor. He saluted and shouted, “Noteworthy, your number one assistant, ready for duty! Uh, ma’am!”

A filly hopped off the seat and joined Noteworthy. “Uh, Shoeshine, ready for duty!” She saluted.

The colt who had been pulling the carriage saluted next to the other two, but didn't say a word.

“Do I want to know?” Mayor Mare sighed deeply.

“Well…” Noteworthy started. “When you aksed me to get a-”

“Asked,” Shoeshine corrected.

“When you ASKED-” he emphasized while glaring at Shoeshine. “-me to get a carriage, I remembered the last time I tried to pull a carriage on my own, I didn't get very far because it was so heavy for me. So I needed somepony who was strong enough to carry it. And, well, Big Mac is the strongest pony I know. I've seen him pulling carts filled to the brim with apples!”

“Eeyup!” Big Mac said proudly.

“So, then we went to town to find a carriage, but we didn't know where to get one. Then I remembered Shoeshine is great at finding things! So we picked her up and she found us one in no time at all!”

The Mayor should have expected something like this. “Did you inform their parents about this?” she inquired of Noteworthy.

“I, uh…”

“Yeah, yeah. They know.” Shoeshine waved the notion away that their parents might not know.

Big Mac only nodded.

Very reassuring. The Mayor would have to tell their parents about this.

“Alright, alright. As soon as we're done with the carriage, you three are going straight home.”

Noteworthy whined. “Aww, but-”

“That's an order!” she snapped.

“Y-yes ma’am.”

As the two colts and filly talked about who knows what, Mayor Mare thought about her now ruined plans. She would have to take each of them home herself and apologize to their parents. That would push back the paperwork that was due by the day’s end. She needed the paperwork to be done for a meeting she had tomorrow morning, or was it the day after?

“Noteworthy?”

“Yes ma’am?”

“At what time do I have the meeting with the Canterlot representatives tomorrow?”

Noteworthy scratched his head, trying to jog his memory. He pulled out a notepad from his mane and flipped through several pages. “It's not tomorrow. They rescheduled it to next thursday.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” The Mayor breathed easy, having a load taken off her back. “The ponies we're meeting here, what were their names?”

“Let's see…” He searched the notepad. “Miss Berryshine with her newborn foal, and Mrs. Cherry Berry and Mr. Cherry Fizzy with their 7-year-old colt, Meadow Song.”

Mayor Mare repeated the names in her head. Cherry Berry, Cherry Fizzy, Meadow Song. She remembered them now. They had come to Ponyville years ago to get married. It was done in secret with only the three of them and the Mayor. She didn't know why they were being secretive, but it seemed like they were happy together years later with a colt and another on the way.

“Oh! I didn't notice before. Meadow song! Do you think he's good at singing? He can join our trio!”

Noteworthy ran off to tell Big Mac and Shoeshine the good news.

Mayor Mare chuckled at her assistant. She didn't know what she would do without her energetic and innocent helper. He always brought an air of positivity to her stressful job. He had yet to actually explain why he wanted to become her assistant, nor could she coax it out of him. She was still grateful to have him nonetheless. She couldn't ask for any pony better than him.

The sun had gone down and the group of four stood on the platform and watched as the train came and hissed as it stopped.

Dr. Scope’s horn lit up the dim room as he levitated pieces of furniture to its rightful positions. He picked up trash, annoyed that he had to clean up after ponies. He gathered the litter in a bag and double-checked the makeshift waiting room before leaving.

Ever since the hospital had been torn down, Scope had to see his patients in his own house. He didn't have to deal with overnight guests, but he still wished the new hospital would be done soon. His house was supposed to be an escape from work, not the complete opposite.

All the waste was seperated into two groups. One for regular trash, and the other for things too dangerous to keep with normal trash. Scope threw the bags out back, and set the harmful waste by the front door. He would deal with that tomorrow.

He didn't get very far from the door before somepony knocked on it. He cursed his luck. Scope’s shift was over, but he couldn't turn anyone away.

Call it a moral code.

Mayor Mare was waiting behind the door. Scope didn't expect to see her, of all ponies.

“U-uh, Mayor...w-what are you doing here?” he stuttered.

She averted her eyes from his gaze, Her face turning a deep red. She struggled to say a thing.

“N-no!” She shook her head violently and recomposed herself. “Dr. Scope,” she spoke looking at him directly. “Cherry Berry here is about to have a foal. I need your help to calm her down and help her have the baby.”

“U-uh yes, of course.”

Scope galloped to get a stretcher, and, using his magic, wheeled it back. He and Mayor Mare helped Cherry onto the stretcher.

“You need to stay here, Cherry. I will do everything I can for your husband and cousin.”

The Mayor interrupted her before she could protest.

“Don't worry about them. Just worry about your foal.” She faced the two colts and filly. “Noteworthy, you do everything Scope tells you to do. Big Mac, Shoeshine, stay with Meadow Song and the foal and stay out of their way.”

The three saluted in agreement. If the situation wasn't so dire, Scope would have chuckled at the sight.

“I'll be back as soon as possible,” she addressed to Scope. Then she sprinted into the night.

Scope sighed heavily. It was going to be a long night.

Mayor Mare slowed down to a trot, tired of running for so long. She reached her destination, out of breath and a little sweaty. She should really start jogging every morning like she used to.

She took a moment to catch her breath and readjust her posture to look more presentable.

The Mayor rang the doorbell. Voices could be heard from the inside. Then, sounds of a pony bumping into things echoed through the door. A light turned on, illuminating the porch, and finally the door was opened. A pegasus stallion answered, wearing a bath robe.

“M-Mayor,” he said, surprised to see her.

Did ponies have any other emotion but shock whenever they saw her?

“Come in, come in.” He gestured for her to enter.

“No, no, that's quite alright,” she refused. “Apologies for waking you at this hour, Mr. Script.”

“Oh, it's no trouble at all. You know me, I'm always awake at this time of night doing you know what.” he chuckled.

She stared at him questioningly.

“Right…” She tried to forget the last remark. “I need your help, Mr. Script. I have a case, your the only pony I can trust with it.”

“Oh, geez, Mayor. I didn't know you trusted me so.” He acted Bashful.

She eyed him with a face of: “really?”

“You must be really desperate since your asking me for help.”

Mayor Mare hesitated before going on.

“...It's a rare case, one you've probably never encountered.”

“Try me.” His interest was tickled.

“It's...inbreeding.”

Mr Script fell as silent as a doormat.

“I-it isn't exactly outlawed in Equestria.” He
wasn’t sure what he was getting into. "It depends."

“They're half siblings.”

“If they share the same sire, and are over the age of consent, they should be fine here in Ponyville.“

“What about in Dodge Junction?"

“Never heard of it.”

“Small town south of here. It's possible that it's as old as Ponyville, but it isn't an established city. Not a big enough population it seems.”

“So I'd have to go over there to look up their laws.” He had a hoof on his chin, thinking intently. "Have any details on what their being accused of?"

She shook her head. “Around seven years ago they were married here, if that helps. Two of your clients are over there, the sheriff probably has them. The other one is here in Ponyville, already in the foaling process.”

“There's three of them? I wonder if they wouldn't mind a fourth?”

“Silver Script, please!” the Mayor shouted angrily. “This is serious! Refrain from saying such lewd comments!”

“Yes, I'm sorry, Mayor. It won't happen again.” He grinned sheepishly.

“I trust you'll be on the earliest train to Dodge Junction, then? In a couple hours?”

“....Uh...sure…”

“Then I leave the rest to you.” She stepped closer and grabbed his robe, pulling him close and staring him down. “You won't do this your way. This is my case and we're doing it my way. If you so mush as think of reverting back to being a shyster, Celestia help you because I will do everything in my power to end your career. Understood?”

He nodded, gulping loudly. She could get used to ponies being surprised by her.

“I'll see you there.”

Scope watched as Cherry paced back and forth. She was a wreck. Sweat poured down her coat and dripped on the floor. Who knows how many horrible things ran through her mind.

“Please, Mrs. Cherry,” he tried to convince her to stop. “The longer you wait, the more chance of there being complications during birth.”

She had him blocked out of her head.

“I can cast a spell that will help ease your emotions.”

Nothing.

He tried a different tactic. “If you won't comply, I'll be forced to strap you down.”

Still nothing.

Scope took a moment to think of what to do next. He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. He decided to check on the children in the waiting room. The Noteworthy trio was surrounding the newborn, unable to stop her crying. Scope carefully lifted the foal with his magic. He placed her in the grasp of his fore leg. She didn't stop wailing as he went into the kitchen and prepared infant formula. He levitated the liquid filled bottle and gave it to the foal. She gladly drank the warm substance.

Scope watched her. He had always had a knack with foals. He wished he could have some of his own, but his busy career would never allow him to have that luxury.

The baby drained the bottle completely dry. Scope put her on his shoulder and tapped her back until she burped. Exhausted from balling so much, she wanted nothing but a nap. He set her down on his back and walked back to the previous room, two colts and a filly following cautiously behind. Scope stepped toward the colt who was sitting silently and alone. He gave a reassuring smirk and extended his hoof to him. The colt hesitantly took hold of it. Scope lead him to his mother, who was still pacing and ignoring the world around her. The colt glanced up at Scope. He nodded and the colt raced to her and squeezed her tightly.

Cherry snapped back to reality and embraced her son. Neither of them spoke. They didn't need to. When they pulled apart, Scope levitated the half asleep foal onto Cherry's leg. She held her in wonder. She ran a hoof through the foal’s mane and felt the horn on her forehead.

“They need you.” Scope broke the long silence. “You can't look after them and worry about your husband at the same time. The Mayor is doing everything she can. She will bring him back to you.”

“How are you so sure?” She still held her gaze at the newborn.

Scope looked for the right words. “I've known her my whole life. When she has her mind set on helping somepony, she will give her heart and soul to that pony. She won't accept any kind of failure and keep pushing forward until your okay. She's always there to help when you need her and-” He cut himself off.

Cherry nodded. She knew exactly how he felt.