Barberry

By Bari

• August 17, 2013




Age: 21

Gender: Male

Species: Unicorn

Cutie Mark: A puzzle piece, which represents his talent for thinking and problem solving.

Personality: In a way, Barberry is a truly balanced pony. He has a good sense of self, but he has periods of worry and self-doubt. Barberry doesn't like to be alone a lot, but he doesn't like being constantly surrounded, either. He can be shy in some situations and bold in others. Barberry can tell people how he feels, but he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. Barberry isn't "TOO" anything: He isn't too shy, he isn't too aggressive, he isn't too extroverted, he isn't too introverted. However, at any one time he can be any combination of these things.<br /><br />Barberry tends to adapt himself to match the situations in which he finds himself. He may be quiet and sensitive with some ponies, or joking and loud with others. These are all facets of his personality. Ponies tend to perceive him as they want to perceive him. They may even tend to idealize him a bit. But if Barberry does something that doesn't fit their concept of who he is, they can be shocked and surprised. He sometimes wonders if anyone knows the real him.<br /><br />Barberry is idealistic, loyal to his values and to those who are important to him. He honestly just wants an external life that is congruent with his values. Curious and quick to see possibilities, Barberry can sometimes be the catalyst for implementing ideas. He seeks to understand others and see the world from their perspectives. Barberry is also adaptable, flexible, and accepting unless a value is threatened.<br /><br />He seems to still have his sense of wonder. One might say he sees life in a different way. It's as though he lives in another world where mundane objects come to life, where plants and animals take on qualities not apparent to others. Barberry can sometimes be found talking to himself, as though speaking with an entity only audible to him. Of course, not all of life is so simple and carefree, and Barberry is still able to experience the frustrations and annoyances of the world.<br /><br />He tends to be a lazy pony, more comfortable having fun than doing chores. When interrupted from something totally engrossing, he can flare with anger briefly before calming down and dealing with the intrusion upon his enjoyment. And despite this, he does his best to get the task finished as quickly and as effectively as possible. Barberry will sometimes stall, though, wasting time when the task at hoof could have been done within the intervening time.<br /><br />Barberry has a fascination with animals, simply watching them as they go about their business. Any pets he has holds a special place in his heart, and he treasures them greatly. Some of his days are spent watching cats or bugs, his attention fully on them. He also takes long walks outside, always looking at the scenery.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Barberry can sometimes be overly paranoid. He always watches for flashes of movement in the corners of his eyes. And he is always skeptical, not willing to trust anything at face value. No matter how friendly you are with him, underneath his cheerful facade, he is ready to deal with a sudden betrayal. Conversely, it isn’t impossible for him to let his guard down, and he feels he must remain wary at all times because of this. But despite all this, he will trust somepony the moment they prove they aren’t an immediate threat, and will do his best to be courteous and trustworthy.

Backstory: Barberry was born to a unicorn stallion named Eminence and an earth pony mare named Willow Branch. During his first three years of life, they all lived together in a small out-of-the-way village. But after the birth of Barberry’s younger brother, Snapdragon, who was an earth pony like his mother, they moved to Baltimare. Sadly, Eminence and Willow had been growing apart, and ended up separated by the time their move was complete. Eminence had been an okay father to his two colts, but he was quick to anger. This taught Barberry to be mindful of others, which led to his interest in how the minds of other ponies worked. This was what earned him his cutie mark. He soon realized he had a talent for analyzing the emotional frameworks of the ponies around him, as well as figuring out solutions to problems.<br /><br />After he was 15, his father had stopped visiting him and Snapdragon. It was something that pushed Barberry to try to obtain some independence. He realized nothing was certain in life and wished to do his best to rely on himself when possible. If his father wasn’t going to be there for him, he was going to be there for himself. Snapdragon had instead chosen to grow closer to their mother. Willow worked two jobs to provide for her two colts. During the week, she worked as a teacher, and on weekends, she ran an herbal remedy shop. Eventually, Barberry took it upon himself to take care of the shop, as the task of doing two jobs was wearing away at his poor mother.<br /><br />By the age of 21, he was basically settled in his life. He had an enjoyable job, a few friends, and a fairly easy life. But everyday, Barberry would look out towards the city limits and think about the world out there. He’d never leave on his own, but if something were to happen that would drag him away from his home, he would face the new challenges readily. In his heart flared the need for adventure, but in his head he knew it would be foolish.