Beep
It starts with a beep, and then the soothing voice of Vinyl’s radio show rouses the Mulberry coated mare from her beautiful world of dreams.
“Rise and Shine, Ponyville, you’re listening to DJ-PON3 on Equestria Radio. I‘ve got a special guest for you today, some visitors from out of town. I have here, Broken Horn of Clan Vega visiting with some members of his clan. How're ya doing today, Mr. Horn?“
“I have a bit of a, what you ponies call a hangover from last night‘s welcoming party.”
“Oh my bad, do you want me to get you something to drink or-”
“No, no that’s quite alright. We minotaurs see the pain of our labors as badges of honor. At least, Clan Vega does. Besides, I had a great time amongst the pony folk. I didn‘t realize you had one who could drink so much.”
“You must be talking about Ponyville’s lovable own; Berry Punch. Yeah I heard about what happened at the Thunderbutt, wicked stuff bro. Real bummed I missed it though but you know…other job. So, I think the question on a lot of listener‘s mind are; "where are my keys" and "what brings a minotaur all the way out here to Ponyville?" The answer to one of those questions is: "Sorry Octi, I had to borrow them for...ya know, I think it's best if you don't know. They're on the kitchen counter. Haha...”
“Clan Vega has been interested in Pony culture for a very long time now, so I and several members of clan Vega decided to go on a pilgrimage across Equestria. We heard Ponyville was graced with the presence of Nightmare Moon-”
“Princess Luna.”
“Princess Luna, last year. And we couldn't pass up the chance to see Princess Luna. My son is quite the fan of her starry nights, he loves to compose symphonies under the night sky.”
“A musician minotaur, how 'bout that. Well it should be a fun night, hope you enjoy it, if there's one thing ponyville ponies know how to do; Its throw a kick-plot party. Alright folks, we’re gonna take a short intermission. So enjoy the soothing sounds of our favorite black feathered Gryphon musician, here with a new song. Don't say I never do anything for ya.”
The first thing she wanted to do, was go back to sleep, but the sudden sharp pain in her head was not about to let that happen. “Ugggh.” She felt sick, her stomach was revolting against her and her brain was already starting a violent uprising. “Please stop hurting…” She pleaded with herself. “Where am I?” She tried to get her pounding headache under control for just long enough to go through her checklist. “Let‘s see…I‘m in my own room, in my own bed.” Okay, that’s one check. So she wasn’t in somepony else’s house…invited or otherwise...again.
“What was the next thing?” She paused… “Oh, right.” She lifted up the covers, and then breathed a sigh of relief, “No strange pony in my bed…again.” Either that or they left sometime earlier. It didn’t LOOK like she had one of those nights, and it certainly didn’t feel like it either. She hasn’t had a night like that in years, still…never hurt to be sure.
“Next…” she felt her body in various places, looking for anything abnormal. “No weird paint, no surgery, no piercing or bruises.” Things seemed pretty normal (considering drunk Berry's usual antics), there was just one thing she was forgetting. “I feel like-Ugh!” Oh there it was.
She puffed up her cheeks; the sloshing liquid contained burning the inside of her throat. ‘Bathroombathroombathroombathroom!’ She urged herself forward, feeling her stomach bubbling up for another round. 'Don’t mess up the sheets, Berry.' She hastily crawled out of bed, feeling a sudden sense of vertigo, fell, picked herself up again and tried dashing towards her bathroom. She rammed against the door, it made a loud BANG sound as she dived for the toilet.
“Bllllluggggghhhh!”
‘Never again. I’ll never drink again.’ Somewhere inside, she knew just how empty that promise was. ‘I swear this time, I am done drinking. I swear, I‘m serious this time.’ Of course she was serious…just like she was serious 2 nights ago. Or the day before that. Or last week. Or the week before that. Or-
There was a knock on Berry’s room door. She definitely didn’t want to hear the nagging this early in the morning or at least not until she’s had some meds. “In a min-BLLLUGGGGHHHH!” She really did not want to look in the toilet longer than she had to. When did she eat peaches? SHE HATED PEACHES! WHO LET HER EAT PEACHES?!
“Berry?” A mare’s voice called to her from the entrance to her room. "Hm, it doesn't smell like vomit, sweat, tears, and shame today. Good work, Berry." She muttered under her breath.
She cleared her throat, and said a bit louder, “Berry, are you alright?” The concern in the mare’s voice was evident.
“Just…peachy.” She choked out between vomit blasts.
Berry couldn’t see it, but she knew the mare was rolling her eyes. How did she know exactly? Because they’ve had this conversation so many times; Berry could just predict everything her older sister was going to say.
“Did you have a fun night, Berry?” “Did you have a fun night, Berry?” One down.
Trying to remember the escapades of Drunk Berry was a task not unlike trying to read a foreign language...after being repeatedly hit with a table. Still, Berry's had practice with this so she could probably piece together how things went down before that one drunk that turned her into drunk Berry, “Oh you know, same ol’ same ol’. Someone wanted to take my title from me, and I had to prove why I’m Queen Drinksalot. I think I won…I might have started a brawl though. Can‘t really remember.” The events from last night were a complete blur, all she hoped was that Drunk Berry didn't do anything...too embarrassing.
“How many times have we gone through this Berry?” “How many times have we gone through this, Berry?” Two for two, on a roll today isn’t she?
“If I had a Bit for every time, I’d most likely be a very rich mare and wouldn’t have to rely on the generosity of my two-minutes older than me, twin sister, and beloved town school teacher, Cheerilee. Did I ever mention how much I really lo-BLLLUGGGGHHH!”
“Well that’s all true, but really don’t you think you should drink a little less?” “….” Cheerilee was silent but she could feel the mare‘s eyes on her back. Well, two out of three ain’t bad. What was that like...a solid D grade? Or something? Whatever. Passing grade, she'll take it. “Are you gonna be okay for tonight?”
Berry felt a chill run up her spine. ‘Tonight?’ What was she supposed to do tonight? ‘Best play along.’ “Y-Yeah of course I’m good for-BLLLLUUUUGH!”
…..
“For tonight.” Wow, she was such a convincing speaker; maybe she should’ve tried to be a politician instead of running the Thunderbutt diner (okay it was more like a bar and everyone called it a bar, but whatever).
“…You’ve forgotten haven’t you?”
“…” Lie or tell the truth? Well she’s already come this far, “No way! I totally remember. There’s no way I could ever forget something so important! Furthermore-”
“Tell me what it is.”
“…Beg your pardon?”
“Remind me what it is you’re supposed to do tonight?”
“Uh…” Berry wiped her muzzle clean with her fore hoof (not very sanitary), looked directly into her sister’s piercing glare and then choked out a half-flanked answer, “Oh well, tonight is somepony‘s annna-weddi-birrrrr…uh…somepony’s party?” She knew Cheerilee could see through her guilt-ridden smile.
Her glare softened a bit. Berry was on a roll today, “A party celebrating what?”
Aaaand there’s the wall, feel free to smack into it. “Ssssisterhooves social?” She choked out. A shot in the dark and…it was a complete miss.
Cheerilee facehoofed, “No, Berry Punch.” She said with a deep, disappointed sigh. Even as a grown mare, she always felt like crap whenever Cheerilee used that voice. That kind of voice that made her feel like Berry was such a screw up, “Tonight is Nightmare Night. You‘re supposed to bring refreshments to the party and help set things up later in the evening. You‘re also supposed to bring the candy to hand out to the nightmare nighters…have you even done that?”
She felt wounded. “O-Of course I have!” She could not stop lying today, “Sis, trust me. I promise you, on mom‘s grave, that I WILL make this a great nightmare night.”
“…Our mom’s still alive…”
“Grandma?”
“Still alive and kicking, she sent a postcard from the Griffin capital yesterday”
“Great grandma?”
Cheerilee pointed with her tail to a framed picture on the wall of an Older dark red Mare riding on the back of a large green and gold dragon with a snakelike body. “She was here last week with her traveling companion.”
“WELL REGARDLESS!” She threw her forehooves up in the air, “I said I was gonna do this, so I’m gonna do it right.”
Cheerilee did not look at all convinced, wouldn‘t be the first time Berry broke her word to Cheerilee. Or, probably half of ponyville.
Berry trotted forward and put a hoof on her sister’s shoulder, “Trust me, Cheerilee. I always keep my promises.” That was a bold-faced lie and she was telling it straight to her sister’s face. Her sister who, on more than one occasion, had been burned by Berry screwing up her promises.
“…Please tell me that’s not the same hoof you used to wipe the vomit.”
“NEVERMIND THAT! I‘m gonna go make some breakfast!”
“Please take a shower first!”