//------------------------------//
// Ch. 17: Berry Punch and Mistress Vine 
// Story: The Moon Shall Rise From Hell's Ashes 
// by TundraStanza 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 17: Berry Punch and Mistress Vine


---{Third-person Narration}

This was her moment.  This was her plan.  Through the endeavor, she made no error to soon understand.  For what was division of good from the bad?  What divine choice separated the have-nots and had?  Today, she would find, as the clock winds, her eureka or egads.

No pony could stop her.  No pony could know.  For if she would triumph, they would all rise up and stay for the show.  This was the moment that discovery would shine.  For who would have guessed that the mixture was best served inside a wine?

She thought, This moment is mine.

Down the hatch, her concoction dripped.  But upon smacking her lips, her gripping hoof slipped.

---{Dilan Shier}

Metal clanged against metal and boy did it ring. The pattern of stabbing, I thought the swords could sing. But as my opponent kept choosing to defend, I held an image of how this would end. The swing that went this way would not let him back, because I was already on the attack.

"Parry Breaker: Hundred-Year Judgment!" I quipped.  Faith Shield backpedaled and backwards he tripped.

"That's fine against him," admitted Spirit Sword, "but do you think that's the strongest foe you'll have to ward?"

"No, of course not," I spoke unto him. Then back into the card, the Pinnacle Épée dimmed. It was a belated un-birthday gift from Discord. Though, I was wary when I accepted the sword. It hadn't reacted in any way malicious. But considering him, that was most suspicious.

It was about this time that I felt something off.  Normally, I would have let it slide with a scoff.  But considering what I'd been through the past few days, I couldn't just brush it off like an exchange of épées.

"Do you either of you hear music somewhere?" I asked while helping Faith to stand fair.

"Music? I don't hear a thing," Spirit said.

Faith only responded with a shake of his head.

Weird, and it sounds so familiar, I thought. But I couldn't find the instruments no matter where I sought.

---{Third-person, ????? ????}

The pieces of glass were spread on the floor, but she didn't care about that anymore.

"What's this feeling?" she asked, "I feel... alive. I've never felt so wonderfully alive."

She felt she could conquer the moon and the sun.  The power in her hooves would give her the best one.  She felt liberated, her lusting unsated, and bated breath waited for fun.  She grabbed an old drape, turned it into a cape, and wrapped some of her mane in a bun.

"Is this what it feels to be alive? I can feel it! I feel so alive!"

She galloped out of the house, stepped on the tail of a mouse, and thought how best she could thrive.  But before she could plunder, a heartbeat made her wonder what was left inside.

"What's this?" She gently rubbed her chest. "Sweetness? I thought I had lost you. But no matter. Sleep tight, Berry Punch. For this night belongs to Mistress Grape Vine!" She laughed a quick laugh before resuming her evening gallop over fences and rooftops.

"I will vanquish all who dare to cross me with the Queen of Lies herself by my side. There is no one better, or leaves the ground wetter than Vine!"

It was the feeling of being alive. Tonight was the night for being alive. She crushed veggies and lost stands, and made her plans for the next target: chives.  But the night was still young and she needed a show from crushing a pony's dream right next to the potatoes.

"It feels so good to be alive!" she shouted as she licked some red juice from her face. She slipped into the alleys away from that place.

Meanwhile, Roma laid there on the ground.  Though her eyes were wide open, she made not a sound.

---{The next night...}

The door slammed open to reveal the caped mare.  The most she got from the peers was a rude glare.  A stallion nearby trotted into a bar.  Needless to say, he didn't get very far.  The rest of the customers kept distant and alert.  They were rightly afraid some pony would get hurt.

"The house special, if you please," demanded Grape Vine.  A bartender came forth, but not with the wine.

"You're not welcome here, Mrs. Vine," she declared. "Of the destruction you cause, don't think we're unaware."

The caped pony studied the aproned mare from bottom to top.  In the corner of her eye, she saw somepony dialing for a cop. She let out a harrumph before kicking her cape.  Perhaps it was time for a strategic escape.

"Fine, I see how it is," said Vine. "But before I go, here's a round of mine!"

A broken bottle half in her telekinetic grip was sent flying over heads. The wallpaper ripped. Then she galloped out of the tavern. In the distance, there was already a siren. She wasn't entirely fond of the law. Still, she would have to avoid the town's claw. It was too early to call it a night. But at least as Berry, she could stay out of sight.

---{A few nights later...}

She was tossing and turning in her little bed.  A disturbing hallway haunted the dreams in her head.

Was she a good mare?  Was she a mad mare?  Regardless, it was over now and done.  No longer would Mistress Grape Vine have her fun.  She hoped she'd never see her again.  Unfortunately for Berry, it wasn't an "if" but a "when".

Vine's voice called, "Do you think I would ever let you go? Do you think I'd ever set you free? If you do, I'm sad to say it will never be so. You will never get away from me!"

Berry shook her head and said, "All that you are is a face of reflection, I turn around and you vanish from sight."

"I'm what you face when you face your reflection. You can't escape from my lasting might."

"I don't need you in the way that you need me! I will rejoice as you dance with death and I'll enjoy you take your final breath!"

"I can live inside you forever."

"No."

"The Queen of Lies herself by my side."

"No!"

"I'll take pride because they'll never be able to separate Berry from the Vine."

"You cannot choose but to fade deep inside me. You're but a memory lost. Parlez-vous?"

"Oh, I'll be able to speak. Don't you worry. I'll devour your soul and then I'll be you!"

"Darn you, Vine! Let me be!"

"Can't you see? You are me!"

"No! Curses be upon you, Vine! Take your wicked deeds and rot in Tartarus!"

"I'll see you there, Berry!" yelled the Mistress.

---

Berry awoke from the dream with a start.  The bitter aftertaste in her mouth was quite tart.  Had she been drinking more of her potion?  At this point, the act was an involuntary motion.  She knew she needed some kind of medical help, but she worried that Vine would treat any doctor like a whelp.  But the longer she waited, the window of intervention would narrow.  Little did she know danger would come in her sorrow.

"Do you wish to be whole and one again?" asked a smooth voice.

Berry sighed and stared at the dark figure. "Do I even have a choice?"

"Of course," it insisted, "you always have a moment to decide."

Vine shook her head. "I've already made up my mind."

---{Dilan Shier}

There it is again, I thought inside the shadow. But Luna didn't hear me since I was so far below.

She chose to directly fly to the source that night. I was told to hold onto her shadow. That was all right. Riding a flyer's shadow was easier than it sounded, even though she was in the air and I was still grounded.  What I could describe feeling might have filled pages if I wasn't so distracted by someone yelling.

"My cabbages!"

Looks like that's our lead, I heard Luna's thoughts say. It was too bad that I couldn't use telepathy that way.

She flew down low. I rode on in tow. That's when we saw the source of the fray.  Lots of dark vines the size of a great serpent, tossed grapes around, crushing carts and buildings wherever it went.  A black unicorn rode on top of the plant, using hooves to crush what I had assumed the vines can't.

I said, "Yep, that's got Nightmare written all over it."

Luna said nothing, instead opting to spit.  She approached the monstrosity in a calm manner, even though a nearby pony tripped into a banner.  It looked like Ponyville had more trouble afloat.  Luna looked up and cleared her throat.

"Stop at once," she said in Royal Canterlot, "unless you wish to face the wrath I have brought!"

Some of the vines hissed and strayed from the path.  It made me uncomfortable, like I needed a bath.  The dark mare appeared within a faint glow. Perhaps this was a pony who liked to give a show.  This newest incarnation of the Nightmare laughed out loud. I was disgusted by the fact that she sounded so proud.

"Well if it isn't Luna come to ruin my fun. What's wrong? Couldn't bring the ruler of the sun?"

"Celestia doesn't need to be everywhere at once," Luna calmly spoke as if addressing a dunce. "Now, what name shall I call you upon your defeat?"

"Well, you still aren't missing a beat," said the fiend to the moonlit princess divine. "Call me your Mistress. I am Grape Vine!"

I had to silently admit that was unique. Without a "Nightmare", she set herself apart from the clique.

"You defeat me? That's cute." Grape Vine laughed. "Hope you've already written your epitaph."

"I am not the one that you should have fear," said Luna before shouting, "Now, Dill Anne Shear!"

Out of the shadows like a ninja, I leaped. I had a hoof full of lightning for this creep.  But Grape Vine's surprise didn't last long enough. Her quick improv shield made of vines was too tough.  I grunted as I flew up out of the row.  Meanwhile, Luna kept her busy below with a spell made of lightning that cackled and burned. Hopefully, that would provide distraction to allow my next turn.

"Pinnacle Épée!" I shouted as I pulled out my card.  With sword in grasp, piercing vines wasn't hard.

However, I was so caught up with the enemy in sight that I wasn't prepared for a sneak attack's might.  Four vines quickly wrapped around all my hooves.  They pulled me away from the main Grape Vine's moves.  I snuck a quick look down below to see that Luna was in a similar position as me.

"I'm more powerful than the moon or the sun!" claimed Grape Vine proudly, "I've already won!"

I struggled and squirmed against the vines' might before it hit me that we were fighting at night.  I kept my face neutral in a poker face as I snuck my tail into the two-dimensional space.  It was hardly a tickle, hardly a peck before Grape Vine realized she was tied around the neck.

"I guess I should thank you for rampaging at night," I said as Vine's slit eyes showed her first signs of fright. "You have made it much easier for me to use Shadowride with just one limb, not my whole body."

As the demon inside my tail fueled up on hatred, the dark mare's horn actually shrunk on her head.  The plantation of vines seemed to shrink from the town. It wasn't long before I could set all four hooves on ground.  As the last bit of this pony's Nightmare did leave, I slipped my sword-card back into its sleeve.

The pony we rescued had a light purple hide. She had two types of berries marking her side.  She was breathing peacefully there on the ground. All the nightly strollers started coming back around.

"Berry!" shouted a girl as she scampered toward us. About that time, the mare woke up to the fuss. The filly wrapped her hooves around the first.

"Colada?" was the first word from her mouth that burst. Still, she smiled wearily while returning the hug.  It appeared they were sisters.

I swatted a bug.  I returned to Luna's shadow for then.  Introducing scared ponies to Nightmare Moon, this wasn't the when.  Luna gave a faint smile and a nod at the two before flying away and teleporting too.

So ended another night in the pony kingdom.  But I still had one question.

"Where is that music coming from?"
---