Berry Punch's Last Drink

by Ranak

Unexpected Savior

Berry Punch awoke to a warm, hot wind washing over her. Slowly she opened her eyes, What would bring such a humid breeze this far into the temple, inside a volcano no less! With her eyes open, Berry saw another eye looking back at her, its yellow eyes and slitted pupil giving its nature away. A lizard? What kind of lizard would have that large of an eye? Out of her sleepy daze, she realized what kind of lizard, a dragon. Quickly Berry rose to her hooves, only to be pushed back down by the dragon. “So you live young pony, and I though I would have to throw you into the pool. Now it seems, I get to have you as fresh meat instead. But I wonder, what would have brought you here to this temple? There is nothing here for you, or for anything else.”

“I... I... I was.... searching... for the... the...” Berry tries to reply, but fails to suppress here horror.

“The what? Answer me!” The beast shouted.

“The Golden... Dragon.” Berry slumped down, trying to hide her face in her hooves, anything to prevent her from looking at the thing that would soon end her quest, and her life.

“You ponies have been fascinated with this object for countless centuries. Many have come before you, none have been able to return. Yet still you all come. What brings you here? The money you would receive from bringing it? The thrill of exploring an ancient ruin, far from any settlement? Or do you wish to add it to your own collection, gloating to all your ponyfolk about how you and only you were able to survive the temple?”

“I... I want to sell it. I... need the money to...”

“To what? What could possibly be worth so much as to risk your life?”

“My daughter.”

Silence was brought in to the room. Berry raised her hooves and looked at the dragon. She saw curiosity, and thoughtfulness in its eyes, eyes that were once full of hunger. Moments pass.

“You are risking your life for a member of your family. What would possess you to do so?”

“Wh... what? She's family.”

“Family is unimportant! If a youngling were to cling to its parents they would soon find themselves on the menu for the next meal. You run from family, not protect it.”

“I... I guess that is where dragons and ponies differ. We not only give birth to our young, we love them, and raise them to be the best they can be. Even after they leave there is still a place for them in our homes. Nothing can replace our family.”

“Your family is worth more to you than life itself? How... strange. You said you were looking for the Golden Dragon yes?”

“Yes I did... why?”

“The Golden Dragon is not an idol. It is not a statue, it is not some trinket, the Golden Dragon is a living dragon. One who has as old as your princesses, a dragon who has conquered and destroyed many lands and kingdoms. A dragon who’s wealth is beyond comprehension. The Golden Dragon, is myself.”

Berry stood shocked, she was speaking to the very being that she was supposed to sell. How was she to clear her debts now!? “But... that... that can't be true... I need... I need the money to get my daughter back... this... this isn't fair!” She collapses, crying in front of the dragon, who stood silently, watching this lesser being pour its sorrow into a pool around her. After many minutes, she sits up, all cried out. “I... I guess I'll be going now...”

“No. I cannot let you leave. The story of the Golden Dragon must remain a story that will lure, instead of ward, ponies. The rare occasion I get to find one out here are special to me, and I refuse to let anything stop me from this. It is time for you to become my next meal.”

Shocked Berry Punch can only watch as the dragon rears back and prepares a burst of flame, only now can she see the bright yellow scales that adorn the whole of its body, all of it that is, except its stomach. Snapping back to attention at what is happening in front of her, Berry prepares to jump to the side. The dragon falls to all fours, and exhales a large jet of flame. Berry reacts as quickly as she can, dodging the flames easily. The beast's tail swings in and around Berry, preventing her from running forward or to the sides. The dragon snakes its head to her rear, as Berry turns to face it. Any hope of escape is blocked. The dragon lazily tightens the circle around Berry, giving less and less room do maneuver. “So, it seems you wanted to run. Where would you go little pony? Back to your home? The nearest settlement is tens of leagues away. Do you really think you could out run me anyway? I am thousands of years old, know the world as much as you know your home. There would be no where you could hide, nowhere you could go, that I couldn't follow. So please, if you would allow me an easy meal, I promise I will only make it one bite.”

His head snaps forward in an attempt to follow through with his promise. Berry jumps and grabs hold onto one of his head spikes, a long trail of similar scales line its spine. “Oh you think you are clever little pony? 'Lets grab onto his head! He can't possibly reach me here!” His tail bend up and back, heading straight for Berry, she drops and lands under its neck. The dragon's head rises as it looks down, bringing his front legs forward to block Berry, he dives his head down. Berry cannot escape, his legs and body are blocking her only exits, she can't jump, that would only bring her closer to her death. Berry closes her eyes, and waits for the crunch of her spine, probably the last sound she would ever hear.

A grunt causes Berry to open her eyes, and raise her head, in the dragon's mouth is a large boulder. Taking her opportunity she leaps over the dragon's claws as he spits out the rock. Looking around, Berry sees her savior. “Pinkie Pie! You came back!”

“Of course silly! I couldn't let you die to that mean old meanie dragon! Ohh you should dodge to your left right about.... now!”

Quickly jumping to the left, a jet of flame land on the ground where she was just was standing. “Two ponies! This will be such a treat when you JUST DIE!”

“Awwww... but if we die then we won't be able to have my 'Berry Punch reuniting with her daughter and no longer drinking' party I had planned! Dodge right, then two steps forward!”

Doing as she asked Berry dodged another blast of fire and a claw. Pinkie Pie jumps onto the dragon and straddles it. Riding the dragon Pinkie Pie manages to run its head into the back wall, causing it to crumble and reveal the next part of the temple. I knew there was more to this temple! The tail! Pinkie could get hit by the tail! “Pinkie you need to jump off! The tail is going to hit you!”

“I know silly!” She jumps at the last second, causing the dragon to spear its tail on his spikes, shouting in pain he trashes about, causing the roof to cave in on him. “And that, dear Berry, is how to slay your dragon!”

“Pinkie, you're brilliant, I mean... you came back... and saved me! And revealed the next part of the temple! And... and...” tears begin to well up in Berry's eyes.

“Its alright Berry, I won't leave you forever, never ever would I do that to a friend, no matter how much they may seem to hate me, I know they care, and that I may have just done something wrong at the wrong time. No matter how much I may upset you, or you may upset me, as long as I consider you a friend, I will never leave you. Cross my heart and hope to fly...”

“Stick a cupcake in my eye.” Quietly, Berry finished the Pinkie Pie Promise. “Oh Pinkie Pie! There is no treasure, that dragon was the Golden Dragon, it just wasn't the type of dragon we though it would be.”

“But there is a treasure, and you won't even need to sell it to a measure to get the money from it. Didn't you hear the dragon! He said that his treasure was beyond comparison! Now we just need to find it!” Pinkie begins bouncing off into the depths of the newly discovered tunnel.

“Pinkie Pie! How are we going to get back, the roof collapsed and blocked up in!”

“I have no idea, but wherever we travel, we will do it together, okie dokey lokie?”

“Okie dokey lokie. Hey Pinkie Pie?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for saving me.”

“No problemo!”

Author's Note:

God I love plane flights.

Comments

[CallofDutySoldier123]

Wait... so was that dragon the Golden Dragon or was he just bullshitting Berry?

[Ranak]

Well, he was in fact, a golden dragon, according to Pinkie Pie, she says there is still some sort of treasure. Who knows, if his treasure is beyond comparison, could be anything.