//------------------------------// // Part Nineteen: A Liquid Solution Found? // Story: The Elements of Lunar Harmony // by Paganbrony //------------------------------// The Elements of Lunar Harmony Part Nineteen: A Liquid Solution Found? Roseluck Fleur and Apple Cobbler had all followed Luna’s advice at the library and after she had flown to Canterlot, taking to visiting their three comatose companions that evening and the next day and so on. Fleur had stayed with Roseluck after Apple Cobbler admitted her place wasn’t really that tidy and had gotten quite embarrassed about it. So for two days they tried to carry on as best they could, Roseluck however convinced Apple Cobbler to keep the stolen bits at her place, Since none of them could decide what to do about the bits after that. All three preferred to wait for Trixie to regain consciousness before asking what was to become of them. Thanks to her own description, the other two reasoned since Apple Cobbler claimed to not being able to find most things on any given day that’s where it was safest. Apple Cobbler huffed at this her unwillingness to harbor stolen goods plain as the wrinkled nose on her face as she stomped off laden with the loot. It was on the second day they met up and visited the ward to find Spitfire still hovering on the edge and Trixie still out of it, Berry however was gone and Nurse Redheart was in her bed sleeping off all the alcohol she’d consumed. The doctor having spent the last two days along with the other nurse present caring for the critical Spitfire, had left Nurse Redheart alone to care for Trixie. Since watching Spitfire twenty four seven was taking all of his time he’d failed to notice the steady decline of Nurse Redheart’s sobriety. Even now sat next to Spitfire checking her vitals he was unaware the nap was the direct result of heavy drinking, of course had he known the reason he would have called out of town for more nurses. It was as the three left the ward and ventured outside that they heard from not too far away the sound of breaking glass, straight away they moved as one towards the sound. Turning a few corners they came across a bar which now was missing a large window through which the sound of fighting could be heard along with various shouts presumably from the combatants and one very recognizable voice stood out. “Ah reckon that’s our girl right there… …Sounds like she’s giving some pony a-kicking for sure!” Apple Cobbler was the first to the window and peek through, just as quickly she ducked motioning the others to do the same. Fleur still unused to running or exercise of any kind gasped for breath as Roseluck fought the urge to glance in asking her question instead. “W-What’s happening? Is it Berry?” “Yup, looks like she’s fighting about a dozen stallions.” Fleur and Roseluck both shot up and as quickly ducked back, astonished Fleur repeated the act and then in a high pitched tone squealed a little too loudly in Roseluck’s ear. “Those are royal guards!!!” “OW!” “S-Sorry Roseluck… But I’m right! A-Aren’t I?” “You’re right sugar, but what in the hay are they doing here?” Roseluck still rubbing her ear with her hoof replied with a few questions of her own. “Are they here for Trixie? Or are they on their way to Canterlot?” “Maybe but ah don’t think Berry beating seven shades outta them ain't gonna help much…” “Perhaps if she leaves one alive… We can ask?” Fleur shrugged as the trio shuffled closer and in unison poked their heads up as if stuck in a muddy trench somewhere about to go over the top. “Ah figure it’s up to us to stop this and try to reason things out… It’s what Luna would want.” “I’d say Berries taking the Trixie approach to diplomacy… Is… Is she actually winning or am I seeing things? And is it me or is she looking a little more hairy than usual?” Roseluck surveyed the situation as the other two struggled to find the words. The visibly hairier Berry Punch was doing just that and as she stood like a rock on her hind hooves upright and punching with her hoof a semi conscious royal guard who whimpered as she threw him aside and stepped off the two stallions sprawled on the floor underneath her. Coming down on all four hooves she advanced towards the second to last guard of a bakers dozen who already sporting a torn and dented uniform tried vainly to mount a defensive stance but was felled by a thrown bar stool. Berry began to approach the last guard but her three friends intervened as they burst through the door only stopping when Fleur went head over hooves as she tripped over a couple of the prone guards. “Berry Stop! Please hon, ah’m guessing you want a drink huh?” Berry turned to face them slowly and with a big lop sided smile she tilted her head sideways. “You ought to be careful fancy pony, could be a scandal.” All eyes turned to Fleur as Berry pointed out her precarious position; Fleur was straddling the stomach of a large stallion, a royal guard who despite being unconscious wore a happy smile. Scrabbling to get up Fleur blushed from mane to tail as she resumed standing next to the others who appealed to Berry and the guard for calm. “Hey if you girls wanna finish him off help yourselves I’m bored now anyhow.” “That’s not funny Berry; you should be on the ward recovering what’s got into you..?” “Aww Rosy I’m just having a little disagreement with these guy’s since they tried to stop me from talking to the barkeep!” At this point the remaining guard chipped in with a deep authoritarian boom. “Excuse me Miss but remind me exactly at which point did your ‘talking’ to the barkeep start to involve throttling him?” “He cheated on a promise; I was just showing my displeasure that without immediate reparation, he failed to meet my expectations.” “You can expect a long stint in jail for assaulting members of the royal guard! By your appearance I’d say you’re no stranger to trouble… Berry was it?” “Hah say’s the only guard who didn’t fight…” The guard took a few steps forward and as the assembled ponies got a better look at him it was obvious he was veteran of the guard the edges of his white coat tinged with grey. His uniform was immaculate and covered with decorations and medals, the rigid stance and his piercing eyes denoted a manner accustomed to bellowing orders but more than capable of backing it up with experience and training. “I must be getting old when a dozen cadets couldn’t restrain one mare in a bar; I’m not so easily dealt with however so I ask that you surrender.” Berry hissed a dismissal at the guard as the others tried to close their mouths which had fallen open during the exchange. Apple Cobbler recovered first and blurted out the first thing she could think of that didn’t involve the over abundance of violence. “Wait… What are you doing here? Shouldn’t ya be in Canterlot trying to keep the peace?” The guard gave her a far away look as he surveyed the debris strewn bar for his troops. “I was given these wet whistles to foal sit, ha! Take them somewhere and teach them what you know… Some orders…” Roseluck tried next but she was unnerved by the guard who seemed to be studying each of them in turn like he was memorizing every detail. “So are you returning to Canterlot?” Laughing loudly surprising every pony the guard shook his head. “Take these foals into the middle of the biggest Wonderbolt’s party ever seen? Ha! I’m no lunatic or murderer for that matter; I saw the last really big one when I was a young guard… …Never again!” It was obviously going to be a long day as the somewhat standoff continued silently for a few moments as those there ran out of things to say. Finally the guard broke the silence and in an effort to ascertain more about this strange mare and her surprisingly young and obviously non violent companions, he asked simply. “So why were you in the hospital?” What he got in return was the truth, it was how Berry put it so brazenly that caused three facehoove’s and a low respectful whistle from the guard. “I’m traveling with a witch wanted for bank robbery and assault of a princess along with her accomplice a Wonderbolt Captain who went AWOL from her post, these three also form the rest of our gang, a whole Appleloosian posse two sideshow ham’s plus a dozen cadets couldn’t stop us, so good luck jarhead.” Berrie’s new attitude continued to worry the three young mares as they bundled their friend out of the bar under the watchful eye of the veteran guard who chose to let them go in favor of checking his fallen now mostly stirring moaning charges. “Come on Berry… Jeez did you have to tell him that?” “What? He asked Rosy.” “But still I don’t think… Wait, could you stop calling me that…” “But it’s your name Rosy… It just slips off the tongue… …Rosy.” Roseluck shuddered as the sultry tone and mischievous look she was getting from Berry made her blush and swish her tail as she walked on ahead suddenly feeling very self conscious. “Now Berry you’d better start behaving you’re self now, ya hear me?” “Sure thing Cobbles… Or is it AC?” “Doncha start that nonsense with me Berry, and anyhow why did you start scrapping with those guards? He said it was on account of you having a crack at the barkeep?” “That rotten old sod made a promise to my mother to keep something hidden away that she might need one day.” This perked the interest of her friends as they began to follow her as she made her way down the street. Seeing an explanation was required Berry rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue before huffing and relenting under their quiet curious stares. “You all remember what I told you about my family?” All three nodded. “Well… After all this time only a few bottles of my original cursed ancestors own brew wine remains… My mother hid one bottle in our house and left the other she had in the care of that thieving runt of a barkeep… He sold it the cur…” “So anyway… The stuff is supposed to be so strong that too much can keep a pony wasted drunk for whole year and it’s supposedly has magical properties.” Berry who had led the trio through from the bar to the center of town stopped momentarily to scoop up a sandwich in her mouth from the plate of customer at the very café the three others had briefly visited only a few days ago. Whilst belching after having knocked out cold the angry customer, she ignored the startled cries of her friends shrugging her shoulders in response as started walking again. “Just shut up and keep up …” And so they did all the way back to Berries house which lay in total ruins before them, as Berry seemingly untouched by this kicked down the remains of the front door. Despite a severe lack of intact walls she entered through the charred door frame and began climbing across the debris towards the door that used to lead to the winery. As her friends gathered around her she started to dig down in the doorway, after exchanging shrugs the others joined her and after only a few moments they found what she was looking for. Embedded in the floor underneath the door frame was a large ring set into the floor, it took considerably more effort to clear the rubble away within a good distance before Berry gripped the ring in her mouth and pulled hard. The floor lifted up slowly before the sound of a creaky mechanism caused the four of them to scramble backwards as it lifted to reveal a set of stone steps leading down. “So whose going first then? Rosy you like spiders and creepy stuff right?” ‘Rosy’ shot Berry an angry glance before nervously peering into the dark depths. “Apple Cobblers braver than me, I think she should go…” Apple Cobbler just stared blankly at Roseluck as she tried to think of her own excuses. Fleur chimed in with her contribution. “I’m afraid of the dark…” Berry was still laughing when she descended the step as she was when she returned moments later cradling a lone bottle caked with dust. “So that’s gonna stop you acting like a colossal… Trixie is it?” Apple Cobbler voiced her relief a little too much and was unsettled by the smile she got in return. “Nope there’s barely a shot left in the bottom and that’s needed by somepony else…”