//------------------------------// // Ch. 11: "Not really that big of a screw up." // Story: The Wonderful Life of Berry Punch // by Dusk-Spark //------------------------------// Darkness. Tons of darkness, and then there was light. A light at the end, it felt so warm. She wanted to go to it. Beyond that light were things beyond her wildest imaginations. Even a talking elephant-bear with a heavy Trottingham accent? Yep. With a little country music singing top hat? Yep. And the elephant is the bartender for the best bar in the afterlife that has every drink ever thought of? Yep. Even Applejack Daniels?! Err…no, not that. ...Yeah, that light looked like a big cup of nope! Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. She wanted to be sent back to Equestria with her friends and family. Now that she thought of it, she still had a lot more mothering to do and she certainly wasn’t going to leave Pinchy in a world without a father AND a mother. Heck no. Great beyond or whatever this place was, Berry Punch wanted to go back. And this place was either gonna let her go back WILLINGLY or she was gonna get very angry and use her Drunk Pony-Fu to KICK her way out! “Uuuuuu.” Berry awoke, disoriented, to the unfamiliar sight of a white tiled ceiling. “Wh-Where am I?” Colgate's face came into Berry's field of vision, “You’re in the hospital you crazy mare. You drank enough ale to kill a dozen stallions, passed out. Got right back up again, recited a very inspiring speech and then continued to drink with Broken Horn until he passed out under the table. Then we had to rush you to a hospital where the best doctors in Ponyville had to revive you. We were beginning to think we'd lost you, since you've been out for 3 days straight.” “Oh…” Wow, three days of her life. Gone. “Yeah…should probably apologize to Pinchy, you really scared her there." "Scared all of us, actually." That was Blues voice, he was sitting on the other side of the hospital bed by the side table, reading one of the books that he must've took from the front desk (there were a lot of books on the side table actually), "Yeah! Especially me! What was I gonna do if something happened to my best friend? Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Colgate said, her voice cracking ever so slightly. Had she been crying? Now Berry just felt like crap, she hated making her friends cry. Especially Colgate. “Heh, well I am an idiot...sorry.” Berry muttered, trying to keep a low voice due to her pounding headache. Just like a hangover, actually it felt a little weaker than her usual hangover. Probably just a bit of rest and she’ll be right as rain. .... Rain. Which is a liquid. Which is what the punch bowl was. And the liquid was alcohol. And she was supposed to- “The punch bowl!” Berry was just about to get up before Colgate pushed her back down with her fore hooves. “Everything’s fine now, your plan…SOMEHOW worked. And no one seems to have figured out that you spiked the drinks.” Blues informed her, not breaking his usual deadpan for a second. “And…Broken Horn?” Blues shuffled through the stack of letters on the table, “You passed out after he did. Congratulations, Queen Drinksalot. He left a note for you as well, as soon as I find-Ah here it is.” He read the note by the table aloud: “Dear Ms. Berry Punch, There are few beings, let alone ponies, who could match me on the field of competition. You have shown that you are a true master of the ale arts. Know that you are a friend to my clan forevermore, may you wear the title of Queen Drinksalot with honor and pride. You have earned it, honorable Berry Punch. -Sincerely, Broken Horn Chief of Clan Vega.” Berry breathed a sigh of relief, “I got my title back. Ha. A mare out-drank a minotaur. Bet you two don‘t know many ponies who can do that? Oh, and the town doesn‘t think I‘m a complete screw-up. Overall, I say things worked out pretty well.” "Yeah. But seriously, don't ever do that again." Colgate said, mimicking Berry's authoritative tone. "Okay, okay. I'll...try not to. I can't make any promises but, for what its worth...I'm sorry. That I'm a really stupid mare." "You really are, Berry." Colgate ruffled her best friend's mane and stood up, "Well, I guess I should be going. You coming, bro?" "Uh yeah, in a sec." He turned back to Berry, "You should probably rest for a bit longer, and then head out when you’re free.” He was about to go but Berry wrapped her tail around his. "On second thought, I think I'll...stay for a bit." Colgate looked curiously at the two, unable to see that the two were wrapping tails from where she was standing. She narrowed her eyes and said in a completely straight voice, "These hospitals aren't sound proof you know." That earned her a pillow to the face. She used her magic to put it back behind Berry, fluffing it. "Seriously though, I'm glad you're okay." And with that, the blue mare took her leave of the hospital room. Leaving Blues and Berry alone at last. For a while, they just didn't say anything to each other. "...I...should probably let you rest and, the band...they need me so-" “Wait, I…kind of don’t feel like being alone right now. So…would you play me just one song on your saxophone? Least until I'm ready to go?” Blues eyed the case he’d lugged along all throughout the night, then back to Berry. “Sure.” Within moments, the room was filled with the soft, soothing melody of Blue’s saxophone. Just like old times, back when they were young. Berry felt her eyelids getting heavy, she really missed those days. She really missed this sound, and…this pony in particular. She remembered the muzzle brush they accidentally shared earlier, maybe it was the alcohol thinking. .... No. It was definitely the alcohol thinking. But she didn't dislike it anymore. She took a look at the stack of letters on the table. Eh, why not? "Howdy... Look, ah know we don't get along all that great. But ah'm really hopin' ya pull through this, alright. Applebloom's been visiting Pinchy lately, and Big Mac's been spending some time with Cheerilee. When ya can, be sure to apologize to 'em. Stay safe, Berry. Yours truly, -Applejack." The next letter had much more elegant handwriting that could only belong to someone like Rarity. "I hope this letter finds you well, When I heard you were in the hospital, I rushed right over. Fearing the WORST. POSSIBLE. THING! I must ask forgiveness, seeing me in such an awful state the day before. If you make it out, I promise to thank you properly for your assistance at my shop. PS: Your story telling could use a bit of work, darling. Sincerely, -Rarity." The next letter bore the unmistakable scent of a dentist's office. "Dear Berry, A lot of ponies are worried about you, but I'm not that worried. Because I know you'll pull through just fine, you crazy mare you. Hey, do you remember when we were fillies trying to get our cutie marks? Do you remember when we went into the Everfree forest because we thought we were going to be dragon hunters? Yeah...I've been remembering a lot of things lately. Hey, when you make it out, treat me to some drinks over at the Thunderbutt, okay? Do you even have any left after all that? -Colgate." Berry noticed faint wet spots on the letter. The next letter had a similar elegant style to it as Rarity's, but unlike Rarity's which was fancy, this one was more practical. There was also a faint burnt smell? "Dear Berry, I wondered for a while, why you didn't just admit the mistake? And whether it was worth it in the end. I'm still not sure, about the 2nd part. But after some self reflection over my own deeds in the past, I think I can understand why you did what you did. I've...done similar things in the past but with much more disastrous results. I hope you get well soon. Your fellow pony and friend, -Twilight Sparkle The next letter had a much more...official looking parchment with it. In addition, it bore the royal seal and- Oh dear, this was probably not good. "Dear Ms. Berry Punch, I am not sure if your plan was a success since you ended up collapsing. Aside from that, the night was...interesting. In the future, I do hope you won't worry so many ponies. Stay well, and do be more careful next year. {Princess Luna} " Berry Punch sniffed as she poured over the many letters she had received over her 3 days of sleep. So many letters, many of them relaying memories of Berry Punch, others thanking her (and then apologizing) for the events of Nightmare Night. A couple of them were reprimands, but Berry took it as tough love. She never realized before, just how many ponies thought of her as a friend. It brought a tear to her eye. She didn't want Blues to see her like this, so she hid under the sheets. "Just...keep playing. Please?" And then there was Blues. She'd been friends with him for years, she'd known him as long as she'd known Colgate. A thought occurred to her. How did Blues feel about her? She looked back into her memories and she saw, what she believeed to be, bits of evidence to suggest that...maybe...just maybe Blues harbored some feelings for her? .... But so what if he does? What is Berry going to do about it? How many times must she have hurt his feelings with her careless relationships? How many times had she used him as a work horse with barely even a thank you? How awful has she been to him over the years. Had she hurt him before? If her theory was correct, she'd probably hurt him a lot. She sighed, wondering if she even had any right to return his feelings (if he had any). "...." She poked her head over the covers. "Hey, can you come here for a bit?" "Hm?" Blues leaned in closer, "What's up?" "..." She pecked him on the cheek. Just a small, quick one, and then immediately hid under the covers again like an adolescent instead of the grown mare she actually was. She peeked over the covers, hiding her red cheeks. "...Just because I felt like it." "...." Blues just stood there, completely stunned. He looked like he wanted to say something, he opened his mouth to speak- But Berry hushed him with her hoof, she shook her head, "I need to think about a lot of things. So for now, let's just put that on hold until the time is right. I know I'm being selfish but..." She sighed, "I'd like to actually think before I leap for once in my life." Blues smiled, and then nodded while continuing to play his saxophone. "Whenever you're ready, Berryshine." He used her real name, the one she'd left behind. Berry didn't have all the answers. She didn't know what would happen with Blues either. Whether they'd become lovers someday, or if they were to stay as foalhood friends. Heck, Berry didn't know ANYTHING about how the future would turn out. And, she didn't want to worry about it too much, right now...the two of them were here, together in peace. And that was more than she could ask for...