Berry Punch's Last Drink

Chapters

Filly Services?
Realizations
A partner
A New Beginning
The Solution
Into the Maw
Alone in the Dragon's Den
Unexpected Savior
The Treasure

Filly Services?

“What did I do? How did this happen?” For the third time Berry Punch was empty, the drained bottle of wine taunting her with its spent promise of relief from the pains of everyday life. “I mean sure, we rushed it a bit, but the least he could’ve done was stick around and help raise the child! I mean really! What kind of stallion deserts his pregnant girlfriend!” Tilting the bottle in an attempt to spy any liquid still left, she continues on her drunken tirade, “Such an asshole! He could’ve at least left some money...” With her daughter of 7 years sleeping in her room upstairs she gazes at the pile of receipts on her table, stumbling over she begins to read, ‘Ponyville Liquors: 3 cases of Cider, 30 bits.’ ‘Sweet Apple Acres: 10 barrels of preordered cider, 1500 bits’ ‘Ponyville Liquors: Special order: Itaily wine, 20 bottles, 700 bits’ and the stack goes on and on, each and every single one having something to do with alcohol, her bills also lay nearby, most of them loans or credit, all of them unpaid. Throwing the bottle to the corner with the other two she goes through those, “And THESE! What are these things!? I didn’t take out a loan... I think, and what's with this ‘overdue’ stamp on all of them?” One stuck out, it was in a red envelope, with the return address of Filly Services. “The FS? Isn’t that the uh... child repossession or something?” she grabs the unopened letter, and finally opens it, and reads.
Dear Berry Punch,

It has come to our attention that you have begun to neglect the care of your daughter, as such we have arranged a meeting to be held at the tenth hour of the twentieth day of June for an interview to decide if you are infact fit to continue to raise the child in your custody, followed by a sweep of your financial records, as well as the current state of your home. Should you be late or otherwise fail the examination, your daughter will be put into foster care until you get control of the situation, or until a 12 month period has expired upon which your daughter will be available for adoption to the general public.

Signed

Spiral Notebook.

“What?” Looking at her calendar, yet not understanding any of it due to her less then stable vision, she continues to mumble to herself, “What day is it again? Ugh, I figure it out tomorrow.” She attempt to climb the stairs, stumbling awkwardly up to stairs to her room, she gazes at her daughter’s, a warm feeling pierces through the drunken stuper, no matter what happens Berry will ALWAYS love her Berry Pinch, and there would be no way she could live with herself if something were to happen to her. Her last thoughts as she climbed into bed that night, was of Berry Pinch, her little daughter, the best thing to happen to her in the world. As she closes her eyes the clock shifts from 11:59 PM to 12:00 AM, and with it the date displayed shifts to June 20th.

A pounding noise hits Berry Punch’s head as she awakes, the light from the new day causing an instant headache.

“Don’t worry mama! I got it just stay and rest, I know how you feel in the mornings! I’ll ask them to be quite!” A cheerful young shout enters the room, but it was spoken just softly enough as to not cause any more pain for the hungover mare. ‘I sure am lucky to have such an amazing daughter to help care for me. Care... wait a minute...’ her mind flashes back to what she remembers of the note left last night, something about the 20th of June... and Filly Services... ‘FILLY SERVICES!?’ the two words hit her like a truck and she instantly stands up and gazes at her clock, before falling back onto the floor in a fit of pain so intense she loses consciousness.

Berry awakens for the second time that day, but this time no longer hung over, and in a daze she looks around the room, at her clock which reads 6 PM, another day wasted from the after effects of her habits, but something seems different, the home seems empty, silent, cold, yet it is the middle of summer, how can it be cold? She gazes at her desk, two notes are left there, one with a wax seal with fancy script etched into it, a large ‘FS’, another sealed with a small heart sticker, one that Berry remembers going with Pinch to get her for her arts and crafts, while Pinch has a talent with cocktails, she doesn’t want her daughter to get lost in that world, like she has so many years ago, she always did say how she was teased because of her cutie mark being drink mixing, so to take her mind off it, she bought Berry Pinch those stickers for her. Her smile and the way her eyes lit up, moments like that makes Berry remember she is a good mother, even if she really should be there more often. She opens the one from her daughter, her messy script familiar to the mare,

Mommy,
This man named Spiral Notebook came by today at 10, he said he wanted to talk to you, but I told him you had a headache and that he should come back later, but he said he really really really needed to talk to you mama. He said that since he can’t talk to you that I should come down to the Police Station with him, I am really really really excited to go! I haven’t ever been to the Police Station! The police ponies are so brave mama! I want to grow up brave like them, and caring like you mama! I don’t know when I’ll be back, the man says that depends on you! So come on down to the station mama! I’ll see you soon!

Love,

Pinch.

Spiral Notebook? Where did she see that name before? Thinking long and hard it suddenly comes to her. “FILLY SERVICES! OH CELESTIA WHAT DAY IS IT!?” Gazing at her clock for the second time that day she looked, and say the big red 6-20. Those red numbers sent a chill down her spine, and she weakly called out, “Pinch... Berry Pinch? Are you there?” Nothing. “Pinchy?” Using the nickname Berry Pinch was so fond of, she got it when she and Berry Punch had a pinching war, which Pinch won spectacular. Memories of the times she had with Berry Pinch flooded her mind, with tears in her eyes she shouts, “BERRY PINCH!? BERRY PINCH!? WHY OH WHY WAS I SUCH A BAD MOTHER! WHY DID I LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!” She gazes around, and looks at the unread letter still sitting on her desk, quickly opening she reads,

You have 12 months, come to the station today to talk about the conditions of your retaining custody.

So that was her next task, she slowly walked down the stairs to the kitchen, and noticed the bottles from last night stacked in a corner, gazing at them in disgust she throws them in the garbage can, and gallops out the door to the police station, the sun heading towards the horizon. Within minutes, she bursts into the doors, the secretary typing away at the computer, she looks up notices who you are and gestures to the first door down the left hallway of the bland, white, harshly lit station. With a bang the door opens revealing a gray pony, with his brown hair in a professional crop cut, a notebook on his flank. “Are you Mr. Notebook?” Berry says with all the professionalism she can muster.

“Yes, have a seat Mrs. Punch, we have a lot to discuss about your daughter.” She sits, the harsh white fluorescent lights straining her eyes. “So, Berry Punch, mother of Berry Pinch, are you aware of what has happened?”

“I am.”

“Then, I’ll make it quick, you have drank too much, spent too much on alcoholic beverages, and are not taking proper care of your daughter. You have 12 months to rectify the situation, otherwise your daughter will be put up for adoption.”

“Can I see my daughter?”

“Do you agree to the terms?”

“Can I... see... my daughter?” Berry begins to lose her patience.

“No.” This is where she break down. Tears fill Berry’s eyes and she breaks down into a fit of sobbing,

“Please... let me see my daughter! It may be the last time I can, I will try my hardest to clean up! But... but I just want to know my daughter still cares!”

Spiral pulls out a hanky, his gaze softening from the hard professional outlook he had, to the soft gaze of one who is taking the child of a loving parent.

“I’ll let you in on a secret, all day now little Pinch has been raving on and on about how you are the best mommy in the world. You are her idol, please, Berry Punch, for her sake, follow through, be strong, and prove to us that you are the best mommy in the world. Please, this job has me breaking up many families, and yet, those few that I know for a fact I have helped, make me able to sleep at night, and I want to think of the Berry family as one of the ones I have helped, one of the ones that allow me to sleep at night, to feel confident in myself. Now go Berry, fix your life.” Sniffling, Berry Punch rises, and she walks solemnly out the door, into the night, starting her new life in the face, a vow is made, and she walks home.

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.’

A partner

The sudden realization that is upon Berry crushes what left of her spirit, she collapses, head on the table, tears spewing forth in a great wave of sorrow. "Why does he keep on coming back into my life!? NO! I cannot allow him to rule over me once again, not even a word and he was gone, well it is time for me to figure out why! I need to find him, if not for me, then for Pinchy, my little Pinchy, just so I can tell him about his daughter, and to prevent her from going to a total stranger." A fire lights within Berry, if any alcohol was left in her by this point, it was surely purged by the blaze of determination left, seething in her body and leaving a spark in her eyes, she stands and heads over to the wine cabinet, she takes the cheapest of alcohol, a nameless cider less than 3 bits per case, and dumps it to the sink, and tosses the cans. For the first time that month, she goes to her bathroom, not to vomit or pass out, but to clean herself, the warm running water smoothing her fur, and her feelings, without a doubt she knows what she must do, and she must get it done by the end of the month. Turning off the water she steps out from the mist that has accumulated in the room, brushing her hair as she enters her room she heads directly to the little used book shelf searching for a title. At last she finds it ‘Lost Treasures of Equestria’, swiftly skimming page after page Berry eventually ends up on the The Everfree Forest: The Golden Dragon. “Finally!” Berry exclaimed out loud, she continues to read;

The Golden Dragon is a mysterious treasure that used to belong to a dragon of ancient power, and unknown capabilities, during his twilight years he hid the treasure away, and while no official manuscripts exist, it was theorized that the Golden Dragon is a statuette of the dragon himself, possibly the size of a large pony, or larger. It is believed that somewhere in the Everfree Forest, located just outside of Ponyville, a small town located on its edge. Should the rumors be true, then whoever manages to retrieve the statuette would make many many bits, some auctioneers claim that it would be worth more than 2 BILLION bits. Of course many think it does not exist at all. Yet that hasn't stopped many from trying, some have failed and lost their life, others returned without finding anything. To date...

Berry closes the book as the rest of the chapter is about who came back alive, who didn't, nothing of importance to her, she grabs the book and places it into the saddlebag as she walks out the door into the midday sunshine, a harsh white light that seem to burn away any and all doubts that could be hiding in the shadows of her mind. ‘I’ll need to get some help, just incase something happens, I do not know what I’m looking for, nor do I even know where it is. I’ll need to ask many many ponies, but where do smart ponies hang out, certainly not a bar...’ this train of thought continues for minutes as she walks past the gingerbread house of Sugarcube Corner, ponies continuously walking in and out, a lightbulb appears in her mind, ‘Sugarcube Corner! Of course! Everypony goes to Sugarcube Corner!’ With hope in her heart and a happy trot she enters the establishment. Much to her delight there is ponies everywhere! Surely one of them wants to go on a potentially death defying mission right? She goes to the nearest pony, her sandy coat and green mane are accentuated with a Fritter cutie mark as well as a large brown hat upon her head. “Excuse me, what’s your name?” Might as well try to be polite before asking a total stranger to potentially die right?

“Well howdy, my name’s Apple Fritter! I just moseyed on into town to visit my cousin Applejack! Now uh, who might you be?”

“My name is Berry Punch and I...” As soon as her name gets out Apple Fritter stops her;

“Aren’t you some kind of drunk? Yeah Cousin AJ told me ‘bout you, an’ how I shouldn’t be seen with yer kind.” She picks up the rest of her breakfast and departs. A similar situation plays out for the next 10 or so ponies she asks, apparently, she has a reputation that the town doesn’t want to associate with. With a solemn look Berry sits at one of the many tables, yet the neighboring tables vacate immediately leaving a dark cloud above her head as the reality sinks in, ‘no one will listen to me, I have damaged my reputation beyond repair, no one will help...’ with a sudden fire in her gaze she stands on top of the table. “Okay everypony listen up! I need your “ help, my daughter has been taken by Filly Services! And I am in deep debt. I...”

A gray stallion with a striking green mane is harsh red eyes interrupts her, “No one wants to give you money Berry! Its obvious you would only use it for alcohol!” Cheers erupt from the crowd as more and more ponies join in the jeering.

“No! That isn’t it at all! I want a partner, there is a treasure in the Everfree Forest! Using the funds from this treasure I could save my daughter! I could fix my life!”

“Go home Berry you’re drunk!”

A new voice joins in this time, from an unseen source, “Hi everypony! I hope you are enjoying your breakfasts! Oooouuuu! Berry is making a speech! I wonder what she is saying! Huh Berry Punch what were you saying, was it something super duper fun!” Pinkie Pie appears from behind the counter, her bouncy mane wobbling from the sudden movement. With a quick look at the crowd her smile fades, “Why is everypony looking so determined? Are you all going on Berry’s quest into the Everfree Forest!” The shop stops and stares.

“Quest into the Everfree Forest? Is that what she wanted?” Apple Fritter questions.

“Finally! Someone who is willing to listen! Okay everypony now that I have your undivided attention, my daughter, Berry Pinch, she was taken by Filly Services and...”

“About time someone did something to protect that filly from your drunkenness, I am surprised she hasn't ran away or got into trouble yet!” Bon Bon shouts across the shop.

“Hey now that was mean! Bon Bon you need to apologise! Berry was just getting to the part where she is also getting sober so she can get her daughter back before she goes up for adoption in 364 days, but she is also in big big biiiiiiiig trouble with the bank, 30000 bits worth! And it is rumored there is a treasure in the Everfree Forest that many museums would pay MILLIONS worth, but she can't do it alone! So she came here after an epiphany to try and gather some help! So everypony lets just hear her out and see if someone wants to go with her!”

“Berry? Sober? Don't make me laugh, she couldn't be sober even in HER life depended on it, let alone her bastard child! One she didn't even want might I add!” Bon Bon shouts again. Anger flares in both Berry’s and Pinkie’s eyes, and they both descend on her, Pinkie’s hair straighter than a line, and Berry’s crinkled snout betrayed her anger.

“Everypony leave Sugarcube Corner, we are closed, except for Bon Bon, and Berry, we have some business to take care of. Come back tomorrow, as we might have some candy flavored cupcakes.” Within seconds the restaurant is vacant, “So, Bon Bon, what were you saying about Berry Punch and Berry Pinch?” Her now scratchy voice leaving a painful feeling on both Berry’s and Bon Bon’s spines.

“I... I was just saying... umm... I... I’m sorry Berry Punch... I really didn't mean it...” Bon Bon’s fearful voice and panicked expression putting little weight in these words.

“No, you did mean it, you meant every word of it. Bon Bon, you are the most truthful pony that was in that crowd, you said what you thought and meant it. Bon Bon, you are wrong, I love my daughter more than anything in the world, I want her back and I...” tears start to brim in her eyes and her voice begins to crack and her body trembles as she holds in sob after sob, “I don’t know where I would be without her, I am beginning to go down a path that will hurt me dearly, I am going to the Everfree Forest, I must consult my past regrets and questions, and I have to do it all within a year, or my daughter, my baby... my hope will be lost to me forever, and I don’t know how I could live with myself if that is what happened, if I let my drinking, my unwillingness to face my past ruin the only good thing I had in my life! Bon Bon, I can’t let this happen, I cannot, WILL NOT let this ruin my family.” Berry collapses, her anger gone, and she lets loose a flood of tears. Pinkamena stares at Bon Bon with a look of hatred on her face. Bon Bon stands there in silence, staring at Berry paying no mind to Pinkie, she bends down next to Berry and nuzzles her.

“Berry, I know that you and I have clashed in the past, but, if what you say is true then go, get Pinch back, get your family back, and get your hope back. I won't stop you, I will be supporting you all the way, I am sorry for what I said, I didn't think that ponies can change, especially not drunken ponies, Berry, I want you to succeed, I will be watching and waiting, cheering you on from here in Ponyville. Good luck.” Pinkies mane suddenly poofed out again, bringing back her old self.

“Thank you for apologizing Bon Bon! You can leave now! I’ll make sure Berry is okay!” Bon Bon returns to her feet, and walks out the door of Sugarcube Corner, in the doorway she stops turns, and lets a single tear roll down her face.

“Good luck Berry! I will be rooting for you!” Bon Bon shouts as she walks out.

“Pinkie Pie, thank you for being here with me, I... I still have got to find someone who will be willing to go with me...” Berry dries her face and stands up on shaking legs, “I have to do it soon.”

“Hey, Berry Punch I’ll go! I bet it will be a super dooper fun time where we can travel in the forest, find amazing treasures and through a ‘we found it’ party!” Pinkie begins bouncing all around Berry the widest smile that her face would possibly allow adorning her face.

“But, Pinkie you do know that it is quite possible that you would die right? There might not even be a treasure! We could end up losing everything!”

“Yeah so? I’ll be helping a friend be happy and smile! It’ll be fun,” Pinkie stops bouncing in front of Berry leaning forward she says in as serious a tone as Pinkie can, “I want you to Pinkie swear that no matter what, you can smile at the end.”

“Pinkie I...” Pinkie begs, her bright blue eyes becoming larger and her lower lip pouting, “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

“Okie Dokie Lokie! Lets get ready we’ll need food and water, and confetti, as well as some of the balls I stashed in case of ball emergencies!” Pinkie resumes bouncing around this time producing two saddle bags and filling them with various supplies. Berry joins her, a small smile on her face.

I might do it, I might actually do it, I could save my little Pinchy, I could have my home, my job, my family. I could have hope. Berry walks to Pinkie and begins to help pack the saddle bags as they prepare to leave the following day, where? They have little idea, what? They have even less of a clue. But one thing's for certain, they MUST succeed.

Author's Note

Well... It was light hearted in the middle, but I guess my mind wouldn't allow that no sir!

A New Beginning

The pink rising sun crisps the cool air of the early morning, the soft light entering Berry’s room from the open window, the chip of nearby birds in perfect harmony, and the smell of a fresh day permeated the usually intoxicating air, bringing not just a new day, but a new life. Berry rises from her bed, her head clearer than it has been for many days. She gazes around her room, the empty feeling of the home replaced with the think invigorating feel of determination. This is it, Berry thought, This is the day I begin to get Pinchy back, this is the day my life begins anew. Her saddlebags waited to be put on at the side of her bed, packed and waiting. Wasting no time Berry gets ready for what is to come, she takes the book The Lost Treasures of Equestria off her nightstand and places it into the remained space of the bag. She gallops down her stairs, anticipated the day with both excitement and dread, when she glances across the kitchen, she stops suddenly, her alcohol cabinet with its mahogany wood as it has been for years, standing there in all its inviting promises and splendor, she gazes at it for a moment, looking it up and down, gathering in all the features, she opens it, the remaining wines, beers, and other alcohol resting in neatly organized lines, she grabs an ale, around 5 bits per case, and dumps it into the sink, tossing the bottles into the trash, Berry moves on without another moment of hesitation. She leaves her home behind, knowing full well that this may be the last time she sees it. The reality of the possibility of death sinks in and tries with all its might to destroy her anticipation and excitement, but it was all for not, she arrives at Sugarcube Corner with a bounce in her step and a smile on her face. Pinkie Pie is already waiting for her, the same goofy smile and bounce in her step, “Hey Berry Punch! Are you super excited to go into the deep dark unknown, ohhh Rainbow Dash would love to come and have a chance to live like Daring Do! I should’ve invited her! Oh and Twilight and Rarity and Fluttershy and Applejack!”

“Pinkie Pie, I think having that many ponies might slow us down... and I don’t have much time until they take my house.”

“Oh right! Sorry Berry I forgot we were on a mission! Serious Pinkie is now Serious! Lets go!”

Pinkie begins to bounce along the path toward the Everfree Forest, the sun rising to their left as Berry follows, the day promises to be warm and clear, but that doesn’t mean that the forest will be the same way, nopony understands that forest, the weather changes on its own and there are dark creatures nopony has ever seen before. Many ponies have gone in and some have never come out, but nothing will prevent Berry from achieving what she set out to do! Nopony matters more to her than her little Pinchy, and nothing could douse her determination, though the forest did try. Within minutes of them entering the forest a chilling wind rushed its way through the forest, a dark cloud hung over as rain and lightning poured all over the forest. The harsh crashes of thunder ringing in the ears of the two pink ponies as they trek ever further into the forest, without a single idea on where they are going , except deeper. As they reach a cave they scurry into its dark embrace, not sure if anypony, or anything has taken residence within it. With no magic between the two of them they have no way to light their surroundings. Pinkie’s hair is still bright and bouncy and... dry? How does she do that? Berry thinks, I always have my hair dry and puffy silly!

WHAT!? That isn’t my thought!

Of course not! Their mine! Pinkie’s voice replied in Berry’s head. Berry can only stare at Pinkie with her mouth agape as to what she is doing. “What? Haven’t you ever had someone else speak in your mind before?” She then smiles as if this is perfectly normal for her. Rather than ponder it further, Berry justs lets it go as the storm rages on outside, setting her saddlebags down on the stone floor she pulls out The Lost Treasures of Equestria and flips to the Golden Dragon, reading and rereading the passage she furrows her brow in frustration,

“UGH! This book doesn’t even tell us where we could possibly find it! All it says is that It is rumored that you must have the determination of a dragon to find the temple. What does that even mean!”

“I should’ve brought Spike! He is a dragon after all and we are looking for the Golden Dragon, maybe he would know something about it! I mean, even though he is just a baby maybe it was some sort of innate knowledge that dragons have! Ohhh! Maybe Spike is the Golden Dragon and…”

The constant drone of Pinkie Pie as she rambles on and one about Spike fades into the background just as much as the steady drum of the pouring rain, and soon to, does the rumbles of thunder. Berry sits and thinks about what this could possibly mean, Does it mean that we have to walk for as long as a dragon could fly? Or maybe it means we must fast? No that can’t be right, ponies have to eat at least once a week, let alone a few years. UHH, what else do dragons endure?

“and of course spike could send letters with his fire, I am surprised he didn’t burn himself! Oh I remember that time when Spike was with really mean dragons… they swam in a pool of lava! Boiling hot lava too! Any other pony would be burnt to a crisp the second they touched it! …”

“Wait!” Berry interrupted with an excited shout, “What was that part with the dragons?”

“They were really mean!”

“No right after that.”

“OH They swam in lava! I guess that is why fire doesn’t really hurt dragons, they seem to like the heat actually.”

“That’s it! Pinkie Pie I know where the temple is!”

“Really? That’s great Berry Punch! Oh now we know where we can go and we can find the dragon and get your house and family back together and you won’t be sad!

The Solution

For days they trekked on and slept inside the Everfree Forest, facing many challenges, and creatures, such as the encounter with the Cockatrice, its petrifying stare nearly catching both Berry and Pinkie in its reach, or the Bog Hydra nearly engulfing them as they fought through the dense mud. This and more complicated the journey as they trekked on, Berry having a look of determination upon her face as what little light filtered through the thick murky green of the leaves, an ever present feeling of despair attempted to penetrate the minds of Berry and Pinkie Pie. They crossed creeks, rivers, thorns, dens, and a small mountain range, all in search for the location of the temple, Berry knew what she was looking for, but she just couldn’t find it. Pinkie, not knowing what at all to look for happily bounced around the path after Berry, switching between humming and singing, to talking, yet never was she silent for more than a second. It’s a good thing I brought Pinkie Pie, I have no idea what I would have done if I didn’t have her to always fill the silence of this place, but where is that temple! Shoving herself through another wall of plants, Berry stumbles on a vine and tumbles to the dirt, the sound of a Parrot echoes throughout the forest and for the first time in days, a clear view of the sky above is revealed, the purest of blues is in stark contrast to the swampy, jungle-like forests of the Everfree. Birds flit about, their wings silent on the sky, their calls boisterous, but what was most important, was a mountain of blue-gray stone rising up, leaving a stark contrast to the bright jungle below,, caressing the sky as it rose to be in its blue embrace, a single plume of black smoke lazily drifts upwards, this mountain is a volcano, but it seems rather calm. Berry’s eyes light up as she gazes at what she has found. “Pinkie! I found what we were looking for! The temple is in that volcano!”

“Really? How did you know that? What if it is a different volcano? What if that one goes KA-BOOM and pours red hot lava all over us?”

“Pinkie, think about it, The endurance of a dragon. what else could it possibly mean besides that there would be a lot of fire and heat? So, a volcano full of lava would be the natural place for it!”

“Okie Dokie Lokie, but how do you know it is this particular volcano?”

“Well, do you know of any others?”

“Nope! Sounds like this’ll be fun! Berry and Pinkie: Adventures in Fire! I can’t wait!”

“Only you Pinkie would be excited to go into a volcano full of lava…”

“But you are excited too! I can see it in your eyes!” It was true, the mere thought that Berry would have enough money in order to pay off the bank, as well as have a small fortune waiting for her to use it in order to do whatever it took in order to get her Pinchy back, the small fire of determination that signaled the willingness to walk through fire and flames in order to save her daughter from whatever treachery could or would befall her blazed in her eyes, and thus she moved faster, racing toward the looming mountain, “Hey Berry! Wait up, I can only bounce so fast!”

They half walked, half ran into the jungle of the Everfree, the swampy pines of home left behind them as they entered the heart of the forest. The thick canopy blocking the sun at parts, filtering it in others, to completely nonexistent, those meadows left by the glaring gaze of the sun attracted both the ponies, allowing them to glimpse the volcano as they progressed closer and closer to their destination. At the base of the mountain they stop for rest, Berry gazing at how much farther, and how much work is left to be done before they could even see if this was in fact not a volcano, but THE volcano. The sun now cresting the tops of the trees, Pinkie and Berry continue on toward the top of the volcano, the steep, grey slope baking in the tropical sun, the fine layer of ash from eruptions past leaving hoofprints as they trek their way toward the crater, the still humid air choking the ponies, the sun beating down on the heads of Berry and Pinkie doing nothing to weaken Berry’s resolve, or Pinkie’s love of it all. The bouncing pink pony getting ahead of Berry, stopping to let her catch up, and repeat. By the time the sun was orange in the west, Berry was standing on the edge of the volcano, gazing into its depths to find what could even be remotely considered to be a dragon temple, the mountains hollow interior reassuring Berry, the volcano would not erupt for a long while. In the fleeting, angled, light, Berry was not able to discern anything of worth notice. “Pinkie Pie, I think we should sleep here tonight, we won’t be able to see anything until noon tomorrow. So why don’t you…”

“Done!” Berry turns around to find not only the tents set up, but a small fire going.

“How did you… Oh nevermind, great job there Pinkie.” Why do I even bother to attempt to figure out how she does things anymore! With a grin, and a small chuckle to herself, she sits next to Pinkie Pie, the smell of the burning wood comforting to her. Tomorrow is the day I find out if this truly is the solution, tomorrow I find out if I will be able to go home, to pay off my bills, to get my Pinchy back. Tomorrow is the day! A small smile adorns Berry’s face as she drifts off to sleep slumped against Pinkie Pie, her fluffy pink mane providing the best form of comfort, the comfort of Berry’s first true friend, a pony she could count on.

Author's Note

Wow... I am so sorry for the delay, with my school production of Sweeney Todd this week, things for the past month have been pretty hectic, enjoy the chapter, I hope to be posting the other one soon, as we close next week.

Into the Maw

The cacophony of birds awoke Berry the next morning, Pinkie Pie was bouncing along the edge of the Volcano having the best time of her life it seems. The sun was just peeking over the horizon of trees, a growl vibrated from within Berry, gazing around she locates a stack of berries, “Pinkie Pie! Are these berries safe to eat?”

“Yeppers, otherwise I would be sick silly!”

“Thank you for finding them Pinkie Pie! This saves us so much time!” Time, the one thing that is working both for her, and against her. With many months left Berry was relaxed, it was very likely that she would be able to reclaim her daughter before she was adopted. Berry ate the food sitting before her and picked herself up, “Pinkie can you see anything down there?”

“Yeah! There is a big dragonny looking stone in the wall, think its the temple?”

“I sure hope so, otherwise we have a long walk ahead of us in order to find another volcano,” Berry walks over to the edge, seeking what Pinkie was seeing, a large grey draconic head gazed back at her, its eyes full of fire, “Well, I see where we need to go, but how do we get there?”

The sound of crashing was heard from the left of Berry, as she turned her head she sees a small pink pony falling down a set of stairs, somehow making each turn as she falls. When Pinkie Pie finally reaches the entrance she calls out, “You take the stairs DUH!”

When Berry descends the stairs to stand next to Pinkie the scale of the temple’s entrance becomes known, this was built for dragons, by dragons. No doubt the traps would be designed for them as well, but what could defeat a dragon? Maybe it isn’t to kill a dragon, but hold them there until they starve? Pinkie bounces into the temple without a care in the world. Berry hurries after her, the temple looming over them as, the light quickly fading and returning as they pass glowing gem after gem, each of them a ruby, the grey walls dappled black from ash, stones starting to break from the wall and ceiling, showing the temples age. Berry hears a click, and an “oops” from behind her. She turns to see Pinkie on a pressure pad, one she missed only bearly. Turning back around a great ball of Fire is sent hurtling toward them. Berry steps to the side, and Pinkie ducks, her hair being set alight. Berry rushes toward Pinkie and helps put her hair out, the smell of burnt sugar permeating the air. “Pinkie watch where you are going, the last thing we need is to be burnt to a crisp!”, the sound of Berry’s yelling bouncing off the walls, endlessly repeating the message to Pinkie Pie, she sits down, and bends her head.

“Sorry Berry… I just wasn’t paying attention… I’ll do better I promise!”, the quiet sorrow of the normally loud and rambunctious pony snapping Berry from her rage.

“It’s okay Pinkie, I’m sorry I yelled at you, it was just the rush, I really don’t want to die, and well…”

“I know what you are trying to say Berry, its okay. I’ll be careful.” They continue on down the hallway, careful of the many pressure pads pocketing the hallway. A large threshold reveals itself to the group, and beyond it, a great pool of lava. “Ummm, Berry, I don’t know how we are going to pass this, it seems a little far to take a hop, skip, and a jump.”

“It seems like this jump was put here to keep non-dragons from going further, obviously there is something of value here. Take a look around, there must be something.” For many minutes they gazed and touched the walls, trying to have something, anything happen. The sun was rising and falling. Of course, the ponies had no idea, as time seemed to swiftly pass as they pondered their current situation. A hiss broke both ponies out of their trance, as a snake was now mere inches above the pool, its tail high up into the ceiling, “Pinkie! This snake! We can use this as a rope to get to the other side! We are going to get her back!” Hopes were held high for Berry, the highest they have ever been, not only is this the temple, but this is the largest inhibitor to her achieving what she sought, the Golden Dragon, and her daughter, her family would finally be reunited, a whizzing noise was heard above Berry, followed by a hiss and a sound of cooking meat. Berry looked back to see the snake dying in the lava. She looked at Pinkie, “P-P-Pinkie… what was that…” Berry’s voice trembled from the crushing weight of what had just happened, her only hope of getting her daughter back, was gone. A gaping hole was left in her heart, and was quickly filled with rage at Pinkie’s next words.

“It was a rock I threw at the snake silly!”

“Pinkie… you, STUPID EXCUSE FOR A FRIEND! THAT SNAKE WAS THE ONLY WAY I WOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE BERRY PINCH, AND YOU TOOK THAT AWAY FROM ME!” Berry is left breathless, her stance wide, ready to spring on the Pink pony at a moments notice. Pinkie stands there, lost, face full of shock, awe, and utter defeat.

“But... but Berry…”

“No Pinkie, just go home. I’ll find another way around. Just leave.” Berry, giving in to the grief piling in her heart, sits, broken, “ It was a mistake to bring you along, it was a mistake to see you as a friend.”

Those last words left Pinkie Pie broken, ponies have not wanted to be her friend, but never before had she lost one. Tears in both ponies eyes, pinkie drags herself to the entrance of the cave, the afternoon sun, casting a shadow back onto Berry’s broken frame. Pinkie turns back, fighting back tears, her hair straight as a line, “Good bye Berry Punch… I hope you get your daughter back…” Berry turns her back to her. Pinkie leaves silently sobbing. At last, Berry gets to let herself cry, wails of grief for both her lost friend, and her lost chances of getting her Pinchy back.

Author's Note

There is a good song fitting the mood of this story, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OHPw5DpAsQ

Alone in the Dragon's Den

Two days have passed since Pinkie Pie left. Berry remains pacing around the large pool, searching her brain for anyway to cross. Berry does a cursory look around the room again, the moss on the stone just the same as it was yesterday, the stones just as worn down. No progress is being made, except the unrelenting progress of time. Time it seems, is Berry’s greatest enemy, and best friend. “AGHHHHH,” the scream echoes off the walls as Berry releases all of her frustration, “There must be some way to cross this pool!” Berry kicks the nearest ball of moss, sending it into the pool. The red moss flots there, no flames, no damage. The… moss? It doesn’t burn, not even in magma. I could build a raft! I can still do this! I can still save Pinchy! Quickly gathering all the nearby moss, packing it tightly and tying it with more moss, Berry puts one of the crumbling stones on her makeshift raft. Keeping her hoof on one corner of the raft she pushes her bed of moss into the pool, the center sinks slightly under the weight of the rock. I looks like I should be able to cross, better spread my weight as evenly as possible, don’t want something unexpected to happen. Bringing her raft back and removing the stone, the burns on her mouth and her cries of pain as the stone falls into the pool reveals a flaw in her plan. Cursing, she takes more moss growing on the rocks and adds them to the raft, and she repeats the process of placing a rock onto the raft, burning her mouth as she removes it, and adding another layer. By the time she has made a raft that will at least allow her to cross safely, if a little uncomfortably, almost all the moss on her side of the cave is gone. I should make another raft on the other side, and push this one back, for Pinkie. Incase she changed her mind…

Why would she change her mind? You yelled at her and told her making friends with her was a mistake! You told her to leave!

I know, but I mean… she wouldn’t leave me would she?

Obviously she has, it has been two days since you told to leave, she should be halfway back to Ponyville by now, knowing Pinkie not only has she made it back already, but probably is throwing a “Welcome Back Pinkie Pie” party. No one will notice you are gone, no one will care when you get back, and you have no one to get back to.

I have my Pinchy…

HA what pony in their right mind would want to call you there mother? She is probably talking to nice prospective adoptees, in a years time, she will pick her favorite, and by the time she gets her cutie mark!

NO! You heard Spiral! Berry Pinch loves me, she adores me! She called me the best mommy in the world! I will NOT let you ruin my life any longer, I will never… allow you… to ruin my family… again!

Berry pushes off from the edge of the floor, laying as flat as she can against the raft, she begins floating across. Hot, tired, and tense, ever so slowly she drifts on the sea of liquid rock, begging the princesses for it to work. Her chest heaves with heavy breaths, and her chest becomes warmer, and slowly unbearably hot. She shifts revealing the slowly opening hole in her raft, she sits up, hoping to move the remaining moss around to fix the hole, and keep her safe. The change in weight brought on by her change of position causes the half she is sitting on to dip into the lava, increasing the heat she feels on her body, swiftly she plugs the hole and resets her position, only to notice the side she was sitting on only moments before completely detach and float away, lost forever in the middle of a pool of lava. At last, Berry arrives on the other side of the temple. The moss on this side is deceptively thin, allowing for the construction of Berry’s original design, the one too thin to avoid being burned. There isn’t enough moss for another raft! How am I going to get back if I make one for Pinkie?

You won’t, and she won’t need one, because she won’t be coming. Quit lieing to yourself. Just build the raft, and come back later. Hopefully there be more moss somewhere else.

But what if there isn’t.

You’ll have to get back somehow, so what if you get a little burned?

What if I can push this raft into the half that fell of the other? Then when Pinkie comes back, she’ll be able to bring all of the moss back, allowing for us to build two rafts that will protect us from the worst of the heat!

You assume she will be coming back, what if she doesn’t?

If she doesn’t, then I don’t deserve Pinchy, and I don’t deserve to live. Anyone that can take the Element of Laughter, and have her hate you… doesn’t deserve anything, let alone the love of her daughter.

Berry sends the raft sailing, hitting the center island of moss, and forcing both to beach on the other side. Satisfied with her decision, Berry continues on.

Many more traps blocked Berry’s way, large javelins which, on further inspection, were tipped in diamond to allow for them to bring down full grown dragons, let alone a small earth pony, were launched down a hallway. A dart trap in few walls, laced with a strong smelling substance, making Berry drowsy just being in the same room, and more all littered the path to a large central room. The floor was decorated with gemstones embedded into the floor, amethyst, emerald, sapphire, diamond, and topaz sparkle in the light cast by blue torches. Interesting, why would there be gems set into the floor? Wouldn’t they be put into the hoard? Maybe with the statue? Berry moves forward, stepping on a blue gem. A small square panel drop, a pressure pad. Berry, looking for any sign of another trap, leaps away. Silence. Nothing moves, not even the air, as Berry scans for signs of anything that might cause her harm. Nothing. Berry moves back the the sapphire, the plate still locked into the ground. She steps on a gem two tiles away, another blue one, hoping that all sapphires won’t try and kill her, as soon as she steps on the tile, a brief shock goes up her leg, startling and sending jumping back. She looks back at the depressed plate. I don’t think it is a straight line across this floor… but it couldn’t hurt to try. Berry steps on the emerald just in front of the sapphire. Right before Berry’s eyes, the emerald changed to a sapphire. Berry looked behind her in time to see the stone behind change color, matching the two next to it, and having all three of the now in a row emeralds change color. This time to the ones right above her, and a wave of changing gems rose up, ending at the top of the room. The gems up there simply faded from existence, only the blank panels remain. Does this mean that I need to clear the floor of the gems by making rows of three? As she creates more and more sets, the board gets cleaner and cleaner, occasionally she would match four, or get two pairs at once.

With the board almost completely clear Berry makes a misstep, no match is formed, and those two panels collapse, revealing a yawning abyss, and all other panels are re-filled with gems, startling Berry. She stumbles back away from the hole she nearly fell into and pushed an amethyst. Looking around Berry finds no way for a set to be made, she sighs. Okay, just gotta step on a platform that I think I can still solve the puzzle without… She steps to her left, sending the amethyst and a diamond into the abyss. Quickly she jumps to a topaz, and continues matching the panels, whenever a gem reached a hole it would fall to the next nearest panel beneath, and once a column was completely empty, they column to the left slid into that row, causing some gems to go missing if there was a hole in the way of a gem. After many hours, and a few more missteps, the board is cleared, and the holes start to fill with lava, the ceiling opening up only over the open panels. Clearly, the less mistakes you made during this section of the puzzle, the longer it took for the hole to fill. With ten of the multiple hundreds of panels gone, Berry had quite a bit of time to figure out how to proceed. Gazing around the ruined temple, no odd stones, or lines that didn’t match up to those neighboring revealed any way for Berry to get out. Gazing down the hole she realized the lava still wasn’t visible in the hole. I have plenty of time, but how am I going to continue, the path so far has been linear, so there wasn’t a way this was a dead end. There must be something here. Taking one of the torches from the wall, Berry inspects closely each segment of wall, looking for anything that could divulge what she needed to do in order to proceed. Nothing. Not a single brick was out of place, no floor tile revealed anything. This simply was it, no more. This wasn’t the Volcano she needed. This isn’t fair! I worked so hard to get here. With a shout, Berry Punch hammered on the walls, “Open up! You have to open up! This isn’t funny anymore! Open up!” Slumping to the ground, lightly tapping on the wall now, mumbling the same two words over and over, “Open up… open up…” She lay there. Tears started to flow, and she closed her eyes.

Author's Note

Well, I decided I wanted to get back to work on this, kinda. Yay! I fixed the Italics... wow that was a little embarrassing.

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.

The Treasure

Berry Punch and Pinkie Pie walk silently down the hall, both ponies, but especially Pinkie Pie, scanning every stone and vine for any sign of another trap. Taking a turn to the left they find a large stone slab blocking the path. “This stone has been moved, and recently. Take a look at the floor.” Berry said. Sure enough, wear marks were seen on the floor.

“Yeah, it seems like this is some sort of door! But why would anypony want to have such a large door? It seems a teensy bit impracticable don't you think Berry?”

“Well Pinkie Pie, if the dragon was the only one who used this door at all, then it would make sense that would be this large, so that way only he could open it instead of ponies or diamond dogs. The question is how do we open the door so we can get past?”

“I got it! Okay we'll need a small rock, and my party cannon!”

“What?” Berry's confused telling Pinkie all she needs to know.

“Well, it is simple really. We take the rock, put into my party cannon instead of fun stuff like confetti and streamers. Then we aim the cannon at the door, and finally we pull the string and BOOM! No more door.”

“Pinkie Pie, the only problem is you don't have your party...”

Berry is interrupted by Pinkie Pie reaching into one of the indentations in the wall, and pulling out a large blue and pink cannon with yellow stars on the wheels. “I always have a party cannon silly, I have them stashed all over Equestria, in case of party emergency. I'll just have to unload it so that way we can fit the rock!” The next twenty minutes are filled with Berry looking in awe as Pinkie Pie removes over forty balloons, twenty cupcakes, 500 yards of streamers, sixteen tables (with decorative center pieces), a cake, and a poster of pin-the-tail-on-the-pony (with 5 tails). “Right! Now we just need the rock! Berry, would you please hand me one about the size of Wilson?”

“Of... who?”

“Wilson! He was this volleyball I met one time on this island in the middle of nowhere! There were these humans there and...”

“Alrighty then! One rock the size of a volleyball coming up!” Where does she come up with these crazy ideas? Looking at the mossy floor, Berry begins to dig through the moss in hopes of finding a rock the size of a ball. Casting glances back toward Pinkie Pie to see what she is doing.

The instruments that found themselves around Pinkie Pie were confusing. Some tools Berry knew of, such as the compass Pinkie Pie was using on a sheet of blue paper. Others, were beyond her comprehension, an odd protractor type thing with compass type points on the bottom, on top of it was a scope. This tool however, was quickly discarded by Pinkie Pie. Snapping herself back to her own task, Berry Punch looked once more for a volleyball sized rock. Soon finding one, Berry Punch went back to Pinkie Pie only to discover that all of the tools that Pinkie Pie had brought out, had simply disappeared, as had the rather large stock of various party supplies.

“Okay Pinkie Pie, I have the rock you wanted.”

“Great! With that rock we'll be sure to burst through this rock with ease! Oh, and you might want to put this on your head.”

Berry felt a hard hat being placed on her head, “Where do you get all of these supplies Pinkie?”

“FIRE IN THE HOLE”, Pinkie shouted, followed by a whisper, “That means you should duck now.”

Deciding not to argue with the pony who has a loaded siege weapon, Berry Punch ducks as the sound of a loud boom and crash blows past her ears. Looking up, she sees rubble and an entry way, the door no longer stood in their way of their goal.

“Pinkie Pie you did it!”

“Of course I did silly, I did all the math, calculus, engineering, and physics necessary in order to calculate the exact mass of rock we needed, and what angle to fire the cannon to avoid debris from crushing us, and the treasure!”

She did all that in a matter of moments? This pony is just completely full of surprises! With a chuckle Berry Punch walks past her friend and down into the hall. The large spacious cavern preventing any feeling of claustrophobia. Light from algae that grew on the walls of this damp cave illuminated their path. Soon, they heard the sound of water trickling down the walls and into a stream. The loud sound of a river crashing against the floor could be heard echoing further down the cavern. I wonder what came first? The temple or this cave? Did the dragon connect the two himself? Looking in wonder Berry Punch continues her line of internal questions. Soon, they emerge into the main cavern. The ceiling shot up, and stalactites hung from the cavern. The walls widened from the already huge hall to form the rim of the cavern. The stream trickled its way along until it joined up with a river, itself having fallen from the top of the cavern, producing a loud, yet calming rythem for the ponies to relax and enjoy themselves.

“Pinkie Pie?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we just stay here for a couple of hours, this place is nice. I just really want to relax for a while.”

“Of course we can Berry! I mean, we ARE here for your mission! Plus, I like this place, it is really neat-o!”

“You can say that again Pinkie!”

“Of course we can Berry! I mean, we...”

“It was a joke Pinkie!” Letting out a giggle, Pinkie Pie flops down on a bed of the illuminant algae.

“Berry! You should try this algae! It is REALLY comfortable! Of course, it is a bit slimy.”

“You know what? That sounds like fun!”

Berry walks over to a bed of algae right next to Pinkie. Heaving a sigh of contentedness, Berry Punch slowly closes her eyes, falling asleep.

Many hours pass before either of the ponies awakes, with Berry being the first to do so. Taking stock of her surroundings, Berry begins her search for the next part of the cave. Behind the water is nothing but a solid wall, and after long studying, and a lot of drying off, Berry is able to conclude there is no way out behind the water fall. Walking around the rim of the cavern, she studies the rocks for any sort of claw marks, scratches, cracks or anything discerning constant disturbance of the walls. Finding Near the far side of the cave, Berry is able to make out an outline the algae was obscuring from afar. A ledge, one that didn't go up to the top of the cave, or even that high up. Compared to the rest of the cave at least. It was still way to high for Berry to want to try and climb, but it was the best place for her to find a way to continue. She continued her check of the cavern walls just in case though. Ending back at the place where they slept, Berry looks at Pinkie Pie. Her closest friend, her only sure, but still, she came back when no one would. She went with her in the first place when the only thing she got was jeers and laughs at how her life has fallen apart. Berry sits, and looks around the cave. Slowly, Pinkie Pie begins to stir from her sleep.

“Morning sleepy head! Sleep well?” Berry smiles at Pinkie as she sits up.

“Really really well! That was one of the best sleeps I've ever had.”

“Pinkie Pie, do you have the streamers from the party cannon at all?”

“Of course I do, why would I throw away perfectly good streamers?”

“How much do you have?”

“Of what color?”

“All of them.”

“Umm, I think it is around 600 feet. Why?”

“How many do we need to wrap together in order for a pony to use it like a rope?”

“Only six, so we would be able to get about 100 feet of streamer rope. Why?”

“There is a ledge that I want to get on top of, it seems like it is the only way to continue, so we need to get up there.”

“Okie Dokie Lokie! Meet you at the ledge!”

Berry walks to the ledge. Scanning the ledge for some way to hook it on the ledge. “Pinkie Pie, I think I've found a place to attach the rope.”

Turning as she speaks, she finds Pinkie Pie right behind her, the rope clasped in her mouth.

“Okay through it up there.” Pointing at an outcropping on the ledge, Pinkie follows Berry's hoof, and lets the rope fly. It wraps cleanly around the outcropping and the end falls to the ground, allowing Berry and Pinkie to climb up. No new hall was seen, no door. It simply ended. “What... but... I... I guess that dragon was the Golden Dragon... but... we...” Slumping to the ground Berry Punch just sighs. “Guess we should go home now Pinkie.”

“Ummm, Berry? I think I found something, this dirt is... well there is a bunch of dirt in the cavern made of stone for one, and if I brush some way, there is a bit more beneath it.”

“What? Pinkie if that is the way to continue then there wouldn't be any treasure there. The Dragon can't fit in there.”

“I found something!”

“What?” Berry walks over to Pinkie and looks at the hole she has dug, inside is a large solid piece of gold! “Pinkie Pie this is amazing! Lets get the rest of the dirt out!” Digging for many hours Pinkie and Berry finish excavating the hole. “Pinkie... that dragon. Did you ever figure out if it was a girl or a boy?”

“No?”

“Well, I think we found out what the treasure SHE was talking about... this isn't gold... these are eggs. Pinkie that dragon was a mother.”

Author's Note

Wow, this story pretty much writes itself, the only thing I did was hit the keys. Even I didn't see this coming...