Berry Punch's Last Drink

by Ranak

Realizations

‘I will never allow my drinking to remove my daughter from my arms, not now, I have worked so hard to keep her happy, to be the best for her. How could I be so blind!’ The moon shining high in the sky, Berry bursts into her home to find everything as she has left it, the receipts, the bottles in the trash, and the cold empty feeling, none of it has changed. Berry moves over to her finances, gazing over the pieces of paper that are her proof of her failure she gazes at the clock hanging in the kitchen. 2:11 AM. ‘I can't afford to sleep yet, I must figure out how poorly my finances really are...’ She begins the daunting task, flipping through charge after charge, recording each and every decimal. By 3 she is only half way done, yet many thousands of bits in debt. ‘I must have counted wrong... there is no way I could possibly be 36 thousand bits in the hole already, it isn't possible!’ And yet it was, but this was only over the past 2 weeks, not enough time for Berry to realize her debt, nor enough time for the bank to realize it either. ‘Have I spent this much every two weeks for Pinch’s entire life!? No, otherwise I wouldn't be able have this house, or my daughter for as long as I have... what is it then? Why did I start buying so much so suddenly, I mean I have always enjoyed cider or wine, but I don't think in such quantities before, there MUST be a reason!’ Searching her brain for many minutes, Berry finds nothing, she continues to sort through her recipes, one after another, a pattern emerges, before June Berry’s costs in various alcohols drops significantly from hundreds a day, to 50 or so per week, with a final debt of 36,140 bits, Berry gazes out her window, and sees the pink of the sunrise just beginning to peek over the horizon, coloring the bottom stripe of the sky a rosy orange. She climbs to her bed, and collapse, determination to find out why her amount of drink dramatically rose so suddenly, and apparently without reason.

She is awoken from her dreamless, fitful rest by a sharp knock at the door, gazing at her clock, noting how for the first time in over two weeks her head didn't hurt, noting the time as 8 AM she raises, and answers the door. A pale yellow stallion, thinly built, with a deep blue mane, stands, a suit adorns his body and a briefcase is at his side, hovering with the light yellow aura of his magic. “Good morning Mrs. Punch, we have a lot to discuss today, and hopefully we will have a resolution within the hour. May I come in?” He stands there with the perfect posture of a businessman with full intent to get what he needs and leave.

“Who are you?” Berry asks, her left eyebrow cocking in confusion.
“I am the Ponyville representative of Equestria Banking, we have noticed a sharp increase in your spending that you have put on your crebit card, and yet we do not have you registered as having an increased income, if you continue on your current path you will end up in irreparable debt, and then bankruptcy. I would love to discuss this further inside your home, as it is getting quite hot out.”
“Oh... of course, come in, I wasn't expecting you.”
“That is because I am here without the assigning of my supervisor, I am here strictly as a preventative measure.”
“That sure is... kind of you.” Berry gestures at the table, and heads to the wine cabinet, noting the large assortment of expensive wines, she can't shake the numbers that each of them cost, 100, 200, 500 bits each. ‘Why did I buy such expensive wines?’ Nags at her mind as she pulls out a bottle, not noting particular brand, age or really anything else, except that it is a red wine. “Would you like some wine?”
“No ma’am, I am here strictly to avert your bankruptcy.”
Berry places the bottle back and sits at the table across from the gentlecolt. “Well, lets get started.”
“Very well, Mrs. Punch we have on record that you have spent 36 thousand bits with your card and that your current income per month is around 1000 bits. Is this statement accurate to your knowledge?”
“Yes it is, please continue.”
“With the current interest rate of 15%, as well as deducting the minimal costs of living in this house with running water, as well as food, you can only afford a maximum of 200 bits per month, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Unless those numbers change before the end of the month, you will not ever be able to keep up with your debts with any reasonable expectation, you must increase your income by at least 1000 bits per month, or reduce the cost of living by as much, or some combination thereof, otherwise you will lose your home around October, leaving you in a very uncomfortable position during the winter, do you understand?”
The shock of such a revelation chills Berry’s spine, and her heart. ‘How am I supposed to get Pinch back if I owe the bank my life?’, able to do nothing but sit there with her mouth agape, she nods.
“Good day madam, I'll be taking my leave.” He stands up and leaves Berry Punch alone in the house, all sunlight that is able to go in through the windows of the house could do nothing to warm Berry’s heart, or her soul, only the intense burning of alcohol could ease the feelings Berry held within her. She walks to the sink, opens the cabinet below it, and pull out an unopened, tasteless bottle of vodka. She slowly unscrews the cap, and tilts it toward her mouth, just as the first drop of liquid relief is about to hit her tongue, and begin to release the numbing sensation of booze, she stops herself, ‘I will never allow alcohol to keep my daughter away from me.’ Over and over she thinks, she puts the cap on, and stows it away. ‘I will never allow alcohol to steal the only one who loves me.’ She stops, ‘only one who loves me, only one.’ “The only one who loves me... the one who is mine, the one created on a lie of love. Berry Pinch, to only good thing to happen to me, Berry Pinch the one who was a mistake, the one who cares for me and who I care for. Berry Pinch, the one created by my first and only lover, Bitly Bags. The one who left me the day after we made Berry, when was Berry’s birthday?” She ponders, and ponders, and ponders, then it hits her, March 15th. “March 15th... that’s 9 months away.” She suddenly collapses in tears. ‘They day we made Berry, the last day I saw him, the day I realized he didn't love me, the day I realized that nobody loves me... was June 9th.’

Comments

[Broniesrponies2]

I just read through it for the first time. (Even though I have been meaning to for a while now) and I think that I know what the fic (or at least Berry Punch) needs. Here is a list of ideas for you:
Berry Punch job searching
A friend/partner to help (Minuette is the usual, but anypony will do. Actually, maybe the stallion from Filly Services?)
AA meetings (those might be something that you could include at the beginning or end of each chapter)

Anyway, these are what I have for you right now. For me and my random plots, things just happen as they go. You have your own methods. Let me know if this helps you. I hope that this helps spark my own creative neurons.

[Ranak]

2932288
Oh hai! As to her partner, well lets just say there is a lot of pink in this fic.
AA meetings? Hmmm, I think that would give a too, well dark feel, I originally envisioned this as a more self-discovery/giving Berry background besides "drunk and has a child". As for the job, I believe I mentioned she gets some meager income, so she does have a job, however with as much debt as she does she needs to go on an adventure to the Everfree where she will bond with the main sidekick, and from there, I have no idea!
This did make me want to write more of this fic so it did help! Approximate release date, should be before monday.

[Broniesrponies2]

AA meetings don't need to be dark. It is fairly easy to keep them feeling light. Dexter season two eventually managed it. If you keep Berry sharing and getting encouraged you could be surprised at what you can do. And AA is a pretty good way to have a character explain their background circumstances.
Reading your story helped me to deal with my blockage, so I sort of feel obligated to try to help you with yours. I also just want to help and try to be helpful to other people. It's why most people like me.

[Ranak]

2934371
Thanks man, I don't think I'll be able to fit an AA in the next few chapters due to the financial crisis, I don't think she will have neither time nor funds. Unless that is the treasure is real!