Cider season.

by Jeff Belinger

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Sad
Length: 5866

Berry Punch. She is a pony with a past no one wondered about. Her future lies in the links to her family's line

Berry Punch, contrarily to popular belief, is not a drunkard of a mare. She might smell of alcohol but the reason behind it is blatantly shown by her cutie mark. She is a Brewmaster. No one knows a how to make a brew like Berry Punch does.

*EDIT: going through a shift in the plot of the story i had originally thought, instead of being a comedy, i'm going to turn this into a drama because i know of NO ONE who's made character development outside of Berry being a drunkard and damnit, if i'm going to be the one to develop her as a good character to the fandom, then by the 4 princesses of ponykind i swear i will turn her into somepony great*

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-06-29 11:17:53 UTC

Problems and solutions

Cider season

By Iron Clad

All rights reserved. My little pony:friendship is magic is a franchise owned by Hasbro and Lauren Faust

I do not claim Ownership of any of the character or the show as my intellectual property. The story written here belongs to Iron Clad (Frederic M.Bourdages) and the use of the characters do not reflect Hasbro, Lauren Faust or DHX Media's vision.

Don't sue me, it's not worth the whole juridic shenanigans over one story.

The magenta mare sat down on her stool, contemplating a series of glass jugs filled with liquids varying from a dark red shade to the light green-yellow. Her craft, her passion, her whole reason for being: brewing. Berry Punch stood at a point in her life where a choice was to be taken. a decision that would influence the rest of her life. To progress forward and strive as famous brew-master, or to stay there, in Ponyville and create spirits for her and her good friends to enjoy in sweet privacy.

The mare stared in melancholy through the window of her basement, observing the busy market square of her hometown. She always loved this place. It was never dull; always something happening. Today seemed to be a somewhat slower day. She kept observing the market square, in search for someone selling a solution to her troubles. A few ponies she recognized with all the shenanigans that happened to the town since last year: She noticed Twilight Sparkle, followed by her trustworthy assistant, Spike, going around looking for some produce from the local farmers. She noticed the mare was quite the eater, yet she didn't seem to ever pick much weight. Berry brushed the thought aside, believing it had to do with all the adventures her and her group of friends lived on a near weekly basis.

Then came Rarity. Berry only talked a few times to the fashion designer, but from what she got from her occasional talks with her, she seemed a refined lady who could, in her opinion, enjoy a nice glass of wine if she ever had the occasion. She fancied ordering a dress from the fashionista, but alas, her income did not leave much room for such fancy thing. She had some respect for the mare. She was successful as she secretly wanted to be yet kept close to her friends. The prospect of success brings fame, and fame only brought attention from more and more clients. This is the one thing she dreaded from her choice she was standing in front of. She enjoyed the group of friends she had. Colgate, her best friend since foalhood, was always the first  to try Berry's brews.

Carrot Top, another fine friend of hers. She had always enjoyed the company of the ginger pony. She is quick and witty and never let the occasion to make a pun or a joke go. She is fun to have around in the evenings with the rest of her friends when they had their weekly chat over wine and cheese.

Her thoughts continued to drift in such a fashion about Ditzy, Lyra, Bon-Bon and the occasional visit of one of her more odd acquaintance: Doctor Whooves. Her gaze lazily watched the busy market square when her eyes landed upon a Stetson-wearing orange mare. She contemplated the country pony selling her apples and apple-derived goods as good as... well... apple pies. Thoughts were drifting through her mind when an epiphany hit her like a ton of bricks easily ruins a wooden floor when dropped on it. The solution to her dilemma was never so close as it was now, even on a physical level.

Her thoughts drove her back a couple of months ago, during her favorite time of the year: Cider Season. She remembered how she enjoyed the Apple family's famous cider year after year. The thought started to construct and assemble in her mind and an idea formed. This blooming idea took the form of a partnership. She enjoyed the cider's honest and truthful taste, but it lacked a certain subtlety and tang. She didn't know Applejack too well, but she knew she was one of the most straightforward and honest ponies around Ponyville. Dependable and trustworthy. Berry always valued these traits important for ponies to have.

She rose from her seat and trotted away from the window, going between the bottles and barrels of her maturing brews. Thoughts of her cherished craft being distributed around Equestria placed a gentle smile on Berry's beautiful face, seemingly lighting it up. She knew applejack's business was local and yet she reached as far as Canterlot. For the mare to have done the catering of the royal wedding, it must mean that she has a very solid clients, so far as to reach the ears of royalty. The prospect of Canterlot nobility enjoying a soirée over her wine and spirits was appealing to her.

Her mind filled with the prospect of sharing her love and passion all around Equestria for all the ponies to enjoy and use to celebrate anything their hearts desired. The feeling of success was never so close to her as it was now. She kept strolling through her basement, crossing many more casks and bottles of her craft. So many memories of days and nights perfecting her art of brewing. Her tolerance to alcohol increased as she kept on her art and the more she kept doing it, the better and more delicate it became.

She also noticed that her mood was also a major factor in the taste of her brews. Her mother always told her that unicorns weren't the only ones to possess magic, but pegasi and earth ponies as well. Although different in shapes and form, every pony had a bit of magic within them and earth ponies had the most delicate and discreet magics of all ponies. From her knowledge that her mood made the product vary in taste, color and tang, she had, to her own beliefs, proven her mother's saying right. When she was in bad mood, her drinks seemed to taste bitter and seemed to pack a higher percentage of alcohol. When she was happy, her spirits and ales seemed to be lighter and easier to drink and much preferred by her friends. This discovery allowed her to experiment with various sorts of combinations for diverse alcohol. Over the years, she had created a notebook containing the secrets of her craft and how to obtain what flavor with what ingredients and mood she had to be in while making the concoction. She had still many pages left to write in and she intended to fill this book as not only a recipe book, but to create the ultimate earth pony's guide to brewing mastery.

Her thoughts of leaving a legacy made her think back to what it all depended on: a collaboration with Applejack. She hoped to be able to convince the farmer mare to a business partnership. She was convinced she could do it, she had to do it, for all the earth ponies with the same talent, no, not only for them, but for Equestria itself! It was now her mission, nay, her duty, her mandate, to make her craft known and appreciated by all. If her and her friends can appreciate having a night of fun and drinks, why can't other ponies do so as well?

She was now adamant on what she must do: she was going to make the biggest, most determining decision in her life and all she had that stood in front of her was a mare: a mare with, unknowingly, the power to stop a dream dead in its tracks, or to make it the most profitable business operation ever. She was going to strike a deal with Applejack... tomorrow, when her hangover from the night with her friends cleared up.

Deal or no deal? (Part 1)

The disclaimer from the last chapter extends to this chapter as well. I'm still saying its a waste of time to sue me, there's little worth any legal battle over the sums in my possession. Note to Hasbro inc. :It's still a waste of your resources and of your lawyer's time to go after me; there's little of interest to get here.

Berry Punch woke up to the morning chirps of the birds singing happily the sonata of day as the sun's ray shone through the pan of her curtain. As if it were not enough, her clock rang an infernal ruckus of metal being struck against metal. Berry, taken away from her dreams of sweet success, was not in the best of moods to deal with her clock. She desperately tried to hit the clock in an attempt to stop its infernal racket. As if it were taunting her, the vibration of the clock made the device go away from the reach of her hoof, forcing her to actually move from her comfy position in her bed. Berry sat up in her bed to give a good and satisfying slap upon her clock, sending it across the room to hit the wall for it to bounce off of it only to plummet back to the wooden floor of her room. The clock had stopped ringing and Berry felt satisfied with her deed until her clock started to ring again.

Ponyville was only beginning to wake up, the market place starting to crowd up and the natural chatter of the market was slowly rising until the crash of a window silenced all voices in the market as the ponies beginning to set up shop admired the rare sighting of a "Volaticus Horologium"; in other words, a flying clock. The clock was living its last moments of flight time as it near the ground and shattered into bent metal, cogs, springs and glass in the middle of the market square. The ponies were somewhat dumbstruck in front of this oddity that was this random event.

"Well, if that's any hint, today's going to be interesting" a dark-gray coated pegasus with a pale-cyan and white Mohawk mane said out loud for everypony to hear.

Content with the punishment she gave her clock, Berry let out a yawn and headed out of her room and into the hallway to the stairs of her home. She had had some trouble with the stair's structural integrity ever since Big Macintosh pulled her house off of its foundations on the last Hearts and Hooves day. She had wanted to get the stairs fixed but the when she had called an ebonist pony to evaluate the damage done and to make an estimate for the repairs but her budget did not allow her to make the repairs done at the moment. She had to be extra careful on the stairs because of that. Finally down the stairs, she headed to her kitchen to start making breakfast for herself. Toast, butter, a bit of cheese and a glass of orange juice was her favorite way to start her day alongside the "Equestria Daily" newspaper. Gossip was never her favorite topic of discussion, she preferred the arts rubrics and the occasionally the finance and politics rubrics.

Her breakfast finished, she headed down to her bathroom to take a shower to trully begin her day. Turning the knob, the shower-head release the water down on her mane and coat. the steam and warm water trully had a rejuvinating effect on Berry, she felt renewed by it. She always took some time to just stand in the stream of water and let her mind be carried by the comforting effects of the shower.Her eyes closed, she willed her mind to drift aloft, to wander the realm of her imagination, to dream, to fantasize, to wish. Satisfied, Berry dried herself, shaking the water off and finish with her towel. It might not be the most civilized way to dry off, but she enjoyed her privacy for the eccentricity that she could afford due to it. No one to tell her how rude it was, no one to complain, no one to tell her what to do. although she was free, loneliness was a burden she bore with bitterness. She tried finding a colt friend but alas, the only stallion she could think of was found to be an absolute arse and completely imbued of himself, knowledge gained from Rarity herself.

She has had a one-niter with her good friend Colgate but it had been driven to that only because they both had a drink or so to many. They both swore to never speak of this again. Secretly, she had not hated it but she did not want to take a further step towards Colgate on the mater in the hopes of preserving her friendship with her.

She was now ready to go through with her day

Berry opened the door and embraced Celestia's sun by grunting and squinting her eyes at the sudden flash of light and warmth greeting her being. the thought of pulling out her sunshades crossed her mind. As she did so, she could not help but feel content and cocky. She looked at the sun through her sunshades and could only thought "deal with it" as a good come back to Celestia's glorious morning sun. She strode into the market place with trot that would make most colts stare at her. She enjoyed teasing stallions once in a while, it was only for the sake of self-enjoyment. as she strode in the market square, she noticed the bits and pieces of her late clock. She giggled at the result of her throw, she knew earth ponies had were physically stronger than most ponies, but she doubted she could have had done so much damage to her relatively sturdy clock, which, she remembered, had been a gift of Doctor Whooves. A pinch of guilt made Berry realize how much the clock meant to her friend, it had been one of his first financial success in his models of clocks.

Berry was now on her way to Sweet Apple Acres, meeting a few ponies here and there and even noticing the Cutie Mark Crusaders on one of their crusades and Fluttershy heading towards the market. Along the path, she kept her eyes on the skies, not for anything in particular until she noticed the trade-mark tail of Rainbow Dash hanging out of a cloud. She laughed a bit at how every time she ever took naps in the skies to avoid her duties, she always forgot to make sure her tail was away from sight. After a while, she was now had Applejack's farm at sight. A ball of nervousness and excitement formed in her stomach, not at all caused by her breakfast.

Her mind raced at the inevitable; it was a "do or die" situation. Okay, perhaps not as intense, but this moment could seal her life to grand marketing success or simply stay at where she stood in life. She had all to gain and so little to lose, it was worth a try in Berry's mind. She did not plan on any subtlety, she hoped a directed approach would make Applejack more inclined to listen to her deal, knowing the country mare was keen on truth, being the avatar of the element of honesty.

She made her way into the Orchard, where she could hear the sound of hooves knocking on trees. She headed to the source of the noise in the hopes of finding Applejack. To her surprise, she found Big Macintosh bucking trees in the stead of his sister. She had not expected to find Big Mac, but she took the opportunity as it was.

"Uhmm, hello" Berry peeped out, only to blush at how her voice was odd. Big Mac had not heard the poor excuse for a salutation and Berry seized the chance yet again at doing things right.

"Hi, I'm Berry-"

"Punch?" The red stallion said as he craned his head in her direction. "Yes, I remember you, you're a good client during the cider season". The large stallion made his way towards the magenta mare. His large features only accentuated by the sweat from his hard labor. Berry could only blush at the sight of such amazing physical attributes, even for an earth pony, he was large.

"What brings you around these parts? Cider season's not unti early fall"

Berry's face deadpanned and she could not help but facehoof. For some reason, someopony had spread a rumor about her being a notorious alcoholic, which was ridiculous. Her friends and herself, countless times, denied these allegations but it seems the scent of alcohol that follows Berry Punch around would give off that impression. Such were the downsides of such refined and under-appreciated talent.

"Well, I'm not a stupid mare, I would know what time of the year we're in. Obviously I'm here for something else now am I?" Berry questioned Big Mac.

"I'm sorry miss Punch, but I ain't interes-" The red stallion started before the magenta mare began to laugh herself to tears

"Aahahahahahaha" Berry dropped to her haunches to keep herself from falling on her side. " Oh you silly, silly colt, why would I come all the way out here this early in the morning just for a flank call?" Berry asked the farmer pony caught with the biggest blush in the history of embarrassments.

"I'm sorry I assumed you were only looking company" the muscular stallion apologized. "How can I help you?"

Berry giggled at the silliness of the situation and

"Could you lead me to your sister Applejack, i want to talk to her about a business proposition"

Mac was confused about this odd request from a pony with such a colorful background.

"Eeeyup"

The duo walk deeper into the orchard until they could not be seen beyond the treeline.

Deal or no deal? (Part 2)

The disclaimers from the previous chapters extends to this chapter as well. I'm still putting this out for you Hasbro, suing me will only makes you lose money over whatever amount you think i might have that you know I don't have but you still want to feed your lawyers some guy, besides, it'd make you guys look like a bunch of corporate man-eaters and have tons of bronies complaining and boycotting. I don't think you want that.

The red stallion and the magenta mare walked their course through the orchard. For Mac, this was simply an extension of his home but for Berry, this was a magnificent and lovely stroll around one of the most productive farm in Equestria. The boost in sales from away clients had doubled since Applejack had been in charge of the catering of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding. For her, walking through the orchard was satisfactory and renewed her hope to gain such a prestigious commercial title.

After a few more minute of walking, the two arrived a few dozen meters away from the Apple family house. On the porch of said house was Granny Smith taking a nap in her rocking chair. The air was filled with the sweet scent of apples and the burgeoning blooms in the trees. Sure there wasn't too many apples in the trees yet for the season had only begun a few weeks ago.

"So where would Applejack be right now" Berry asked Mac

"I remember her talking about going to check out for some place to expand the farm some more. She's got plans to make a little experimenting with cross breeding varieties of apples to try to bring in a new sort of apple into the market"

"Wow, she's more ambitious than I first tought. Everyone knows that she's quite the competitive athlete but I didn't thought she was also competitive on the commercial level"

"Eeyup. She's no push-over. She's one, if not THE most competitive mare in the family"

But as for looks, Braeburn's got it all and there's no contest about it she thought, remembering the cover and the article from a country fashion magazine featuring Braeburn on the cover. She shrugged her thoughts away from the handsome farmer and repurposed her mind on to the task at hand: setting a commercial deal with Applejack.

"Alright then. Do you think she could spare some time? I have business to talk to with her"

"Maybe".

Macintosh instructed her the way to go and Berry went on her merry way. The scent of blooming flowers in the apple trees and fresh ground was appealing to her. Berry was always fond of nature and this orchard was in the best of its moments of the year. The pink and white flowers specked the apple trees. Many bees we're happily buzzing a few feets over the heads of Berry and Big Macintosh, pollinating the flowers for the upcoming season's harvest. The sun was arcing over them, nearly to it's zenith. Berry thought perhaps talking business over lunch might be a good way to motivate Applejack. After a few more minutes, the duo of ponies came to a large plain field where markers, wooden boundaries and Applejack. She was hovering her eyes over some plans over a table. Big Macintosh rattled his voice and whislted to pick his sister's attention. Applejack took her eyes off the large sheet of paper to take notice of Mac and the mare alongside him.

"Howdy Big Mac, who's that friend of yours?" Applajack said as she strolled towards the two ponies.

"This here is Berry Punch, you remember her, right? Good client during the cider season" Mac said.

"Aah yeah, I reckon seeing you buy a good quantities of our cider, guess you've taken a mighty liking to it huh?" Applejack said, a bit of nervousness in her voice. "So what brings you around here, I"m sure you know its still a good time before cider season"

"Well, thats a motive behind the reason I'm here. I won't turn around the bucket so i'll be direct: I'd like to talk to you about a business deal over lunch, my treat. What do you say?" Berry said with as much genuine enthusiasm she could generate.

"Oooh, huh... Well... That might not be possible at the moment, i've got these figures to go through, run the number with Big Mac here to make sure the new land can be made adequate, then we got to figure out this area maximal efficiency ratio for the growth of appletrees..." Applejack said frantically "I'm mighty sorry, but right now a business deal isn't something i can have my mind on right now. Being just me and Mac and Applebloom on occasions to run the orchard. nothing personal, maybe some other time, I'll keep you in mind for the future though"

"Ooh... wow, Ok. You run this orchard tight and by the numbers if i can believe all you're saying" Berry said with a pang of sadness in her tone. "Hopefully when your schedule clears up we can discuss the matter. I guess it's only a set back. I'll just be on my way then, I won't be holding you longer than needed"

And with that, Berry turned and walked away from the sibblings. Big Mac looked at her sister briefly and when Berry punch was out of sight, Macintosh let out a sigh.

"We might run the orchard tight, but saying we run it this tight was exagerated. Anypony could've seen through your lie sis. Why did you do it" He asked his sister with his monotone voice.

"If only you knew half the story Big Mac..." Applejack said, tipping the front of her stetson over her eyes in shame.

Berry returned home silently, heading towards her basement. Although she had braced for the possible negative response and felt sadness in her heart, she still held confident that this was only going to be postponed. With that, she opened a bottle of one of her bottles of wine, a La petite filly, 15 years of age and pourred herself a glass to drink in her melancholy.

Revelations

The disclaimer from the previous chapters are still in effect. This is still a non-profit work with no intent to make any.I repeat for Hasbro's hungry hungry lawyers, this is still protected by Fair Use terms from the copy right act of 1976. trying to deal with this story is like eating an apple with razor blades in it, you know its not going to end pretty and you're going to look like a wreck. does anyone find this remotely funny?

"All I'm saying is that if I make a business deal with her, it might end up costing me the farm and I cannot afford that, not over my family's history I won't" Applejack said, putting a hoof on the table. Rarity, on the other end of the table was drinking her tea.  Rarity had invited Applejack over to talk to her about her trip in Canterlot last week. Berry's visit had happened two week's previous and the conversation steered towards that sensible subject.

"I am simply wondering why darling, nothing more" Rarity said, moving a cloth to wipe her lips with her magic.

"Rarity, you above all ponies in Ponyville should know about her habits. She drinks, she smells of alcohol and she sometimes makes a fool out of herself in public when she's drunk. Striking a "commercial deal" with her would make the reputation of the cider's quality plummet faster than an anvil down a canyon" Applejack grunted, obviously annoyed at Rarity's dismissal of Berry's reputation.

"Darling, let me tell you this: I am terribly shocked at how judgmental you are about Berry Punch. I've stopped judging her by her occasional misdemeanor" Rarity claimed.

"What? Don't tell me she got you rolled up in some "deal" or something" Applejack retorted

"No, but i did have a talk with Colgate the other day and she exposed me to a side of Berry I never knew existed. That strong smell of alcohol around her, she can't help it. It's her talent"

"Her talent is smelling like a hobo down his last drop of moonshine?"

"Applejack!" Rarity said, visibly horrified at such comparison.

"Sorry Rarity, but it's the truth, I don't like her one bit. She could be a bad influence on Applebloom and that's where i draw the line" Applejack declared.

"Applejack,darling, I want you, for the next moment, to listen to me carefully" Rarity said, raising herself from her cushion seat. She walked towards a small, white cabinet adorned with exquisite wood working. From the cabinet she withdrew a bottle of wine with a fancy label.

"Applejack, This is Berry Punch's legacy to the world. This is "La petite filly". This is a fifteen year old bottle of wine"

Rarity said as she placed the bottle in front of Applejack.

"Its just some old, fermented grape juice, what's that got to do with anything?" Applejack said dismissively.

"Applejack, you are in the business of cider for a long time and you've never heard of "Les artisan des dieux"? The most prestigious distillery house that ever was in all of Equestria?" Rarity said, shocked at her friend's lack of the knowledge.

"Look Rares, I'm not interested in what others do unless they're trying to drive me out of business like those Flim Flam brothers. Pony feathers they were close to getting us out of business" Applejack bitterly said.

"Applejack, listen to what i have to say. This is what i was told by Colgate a few months back. this is what opened my eyes on Berry's identity" Rarity calmly said as she brought her cushion and herself closer to Applejack. "A long time ago, a small distillery opened in Trottingham. It was a family ran, just like your farm, and they started small, making wine out of their own vineyard. They called their winehouse "La maison des adeptes". Their wine was sold as a local specialty and could be found nowhere else. they never made publicity for their work, letting word spread, not interfering with the natural order of things, as they intended it." Rarity began.

"Over the course of a few years, the popularity of the house became to a point where their production could not meet the demand, and as it were, they had gathered a decent wealth and their family had grown in size and began to expand their vineyards and even began selling their products to other towns nearby such a Hoofington, Ponyville and eventually Canterlot. Over the years, they've grown bigger but kept the humble attitude they've began with, but changed their house name to "La maison des atrtisans", then to "Les Artisan des dieux". seventy-five years of prosperity and growth and mastery over their craft, a wide array of products, from wine, vodka, rum, bourbon, brandy and malt derived products. Their evolving name a stepping stone toward another tier of fame, higher quality standards and the mastery of their art... until a the day where their work was almost cut out of existence"

Applejack was listening to Rarity's story, interested in it as it had some similarity to her own family's story.

"Twenty-three years ago, there was a law that was passed by the royal council. The affair was a mess as it had been slipped with another law and when it had been put to legislation, it had been feverishly defended and adopted by members of the Ecclesiarchy of the sun."

"Get to the point Rares, is this going anywhere" Applejack grunted.

"I am getting to that point right now. The legislation banned all sales, consumption, export and import of any alcoholic drink and certain foods in all of Equestria" Rarity finished.

"So what happened to that law? I reckon we can buy alcohol nowadays" Applejack queried.

"This is where Berry comes into the story. Berry was still a foal when the law passed and her family's business went down the drain. The family's fortune was now disputed over by everypony in the family and eventually, one of the more law-savvy ponies was able to usurp the money out of everypony's hooves. He made away like a villain and was never seen again until later. Berry's family, dilapidated of their fortune and their business, were forced to spread to the corners of equestria, each making it on their own" Rarity said, a tear in her eye.

"Wow, I'd never heard of this, how can the biggest distillery in Equestria just vanish without word spreading out?" Applejack asked.

"It was kept hush hush and there even was a media censorship mandated by the church. Religion had its hooves meddled in politics until Celestia decreed religious institution and the state would become separated. At the same time, Berry, was now seven, had gained her cutie mark and created the most amazing wine ever produced by anypony" Rarity stated as she brought the bottle towards Applejack.

"Notice anything on the label?" Rarity asked Applejack

"mmmh... Huh yeah, there's Berry's cutie mark on here. I was sure you were telling me horse-apples for a moment" Applejack said, surprised to be even starting to believe the tall tale.

"At the time of this wine's creation, it was fresh of the year. Berry's parents saw the removal of the church in public affairs and her talent as a brew master as an omen. A chance for the family business to be revived from its ashes. It didn't take too long until Berry's family made its way to Canterlot. It took them months to be able to get to speak with the royal council to undo the harm that had been done to them. The family's challenge was simple enough: Each of the council members were to taste the wine and if so much as 51% of the council were to ask for more, the law were to be amended".

"The council, unsure what to do with such a request, were to deny this odd way to oppose a law, but that was when Celestia made her way into the council chamber. She had heard the gambit and accepted it for the council, who was outraged but quickly shushed by Celestia. A few of the council members were part of the Church of the sun, although the church had no more sway over the council, a few of the members still tried to uphold its power in the room. All of the non-religious members had found the wine too excellent to be banned from the nation's market and it would be a sin to make a family continue to suffer and wither away, until the religious members declared the wine to be too dangerous for consumers, declaring that such good wine would drive a pony mad and turn him into a drunkard, turning them dependent on it"

"That's so much horse-apples! How can such uptight religious elitists deny the right for a family to make a living for themselves! This is unthinkable!" Applejack raged.

"Then you'll like the end of the story Applejack. The religious council members were in majority in the chamber and were about to oppose the amendment of the law... Until the princess had a taste of her own"

"Aaah, this is were it gets good does it?" applejack said rubbing her hooves together.

Rarity chuckled at how Applejack had taken a side for Berry's family. "You can imagine what the reaction of those religious bureaucratic drones was when the Princess completely denied their claim after tasting the wine on her own. She deemed the wine to be the best she had ever had the chance to taste in a long time. She declared the council member's position biased by their faith and, in a fell swooped, amended the law and declared the church of the sun to have tried to meddle with the state once more and decided to take means to minimize the church's influence over the kingdom"

"Wow, that was intense. All because of a wine that Berry made as a filly" Applejack marveled at such unlikely scenario. "And you're sure everything is true?"

"Absolutely. I've asked Twilight for a book on Equestria's laws past and present and there was a subsection dedicated to this turn-around on Equestria's Blue Laws.

"Hey, then if that was such an important event, how come Berry isn't running her family's distillery then?" Applejack asked confused about this obvious fact.

"Remember when i said there was a pony that had made away like a villain and hadn't seen until later? He resurfaceda few days after the event, stole the recipe from Berry's family and became even richer than before. All of her attempts to retrieve the rights on the wine were unsuccessful. She was forced to change her name to the one she uses today" Rarity finished.

Applejack looked at Rarity confused once more about this detail suddenly coming out of the blue. "Wait, she changed her name? Berry Punch isn't  her actual name"

Rarity sighed and went to place the bottle back in the wooden cabinet. "No. Berry's actual name is Pinot Noir"