Lunas moon lit up the night sky as the world of Equestria began to rest up after a day of work, adventure a so forth. Though some ponies preferred to instead use the night to do some of the thing they felt like doing. Loud sounds coming from a bar in a small town, keeping everyone in its vacinity awake.
Outside the border of the town, a white coated, orange-white maned earth stallion slowly made his way into the mouth of a cave through the grassy planes of a hill. He was a little hesitant to continued walking further, but his curiosity got the better of him, making him traverse deeper into the dark cave.
"Seriously, why am I doing this again? Because I don't think a bet is a good enough reason." He whispered, trying to reason with himself.
His own thoughts did not stop him from continuing though, if what he heard was true, he had to see it for himself. Sure, a bunch of drunk ponies spouting rumors about a dragon that drinks the day away in a cave not far from town doesn't sound legit enough to walk in a cave unprepared, but when all the residents huddled in the bar started saying about their sighting of the dragon, some even holding a conversation with the dragon. He naively bet that he would go see it for himself, causing some of the ponies to cheer him on, some offering to buy him a drink if he succeeded.
This pony by the name of Sunny Sherbet was unfamiliar with the town or its outskirts, and would've been lost if wasn't given a crudely drawn map, and a little bit of luck. For all he knew the townsfolk could've been lying, but he was already this far, and didn't have much else to do for the night.
Getting a little tipsy himself made it a little difficult to traverse the cave. Managing to catch himself a few times from falling. The sounds of light breathing could be heard echoing through the cave, causing him to pause in fright, he eventually collected himself and continued forward. The snoring got louder and louder as he crept closer to the source, seeing a golden glow from the corner of the cave. Pushing against the wall, he peeked over the corner, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the light.
What he saw was a... Not so big pink scaled dragon, it only scaling over him by seven of his height. It laid on its moderate sized pile of gold, arching its back as it slept in a wasted manner, Maw open and body splayed out, snoring quite loudly for its size. Tipped over and slightly dripping its content was a brown bottle, the dragons open claw shadowing over it. What was casting light over the cave was a burning keg, it's burning remains placed against a wall.
A few minutes passed by as he stared at the dragon, then down to the pile of gold the dragon uncomfortably lays on.
"Well, I saw the dragon everyone was talking about, guess I can go back and gossip about it." Sunny Sherbet thought.
His eyes where still transfixed on the pile of gold, the shine from the flickering fire reflecting onto his face in a hypnotic way.
"P-probably I could take some gold as proof, won't be missed right?"
He slowly made his way to the pile of gold, nearest to the dragons head, which looked feminine in appearance. The dragons neck was craned in such a way that if her eyes where open she would be staring down at the pony, witch he didn't notice as he continued to creep closer. Once he was close enough he begun taking something from the pile, a golden staff catching his interest. His eyes kept focus on the dragon, readying to run if she awoke.
A light pull from the staff caused the coins it was stuck on to slide down quite loudly, he tensed up as the dragon moved around a little with a grunt but still seemed asleep. He was having second thoughts on taking the staff, letting it go from his mouth, mistakingly causing it to fall down with an even louder thud, echoing through the cave, causing sherbet to back up quickly.
With a rumbling moan the dragon groggily opened her eyes, blue eyes squinting down at the stunned pony . Sherbets mind told him to run, but his body said otherwise, hooves shaking under him. The dragon raised her upper body, balancing on one arm as the other rubbed at her eyes. Looking back down to the pony she stared at him with an emotionless gaze, soon after she reached an arm to the bottle.
Putting it to her lips, she tilted it only to find it empty. With a huff she bit into the bottle taking the top half of it in her maw. Chewing and swallowing the glass shards she rolled the rest of the bottle to the side of the cave. reaching behind her hoard, she pulled out another bottle. Popping it open with her teeth she took a quick swig, downing half the bottle. Turning her head to the fire for a while before turning he attention back to Sherbet.
"Well, hello thar!" The dragon said, somewhat slurred.
Sherbet just shook there like a scared puppy, knees nearly buckling. He couldn't think straight, only thinking of running. Gaining back control of his body, he started taking slow steps backward.
The dragon looked saddened to see him backing away from her, resting on her elbow to hold a claw up in protest.
"Wait! Don't go, I won't harm you, promise."
Sherbet was hesitant at first still shaking with fear, but he eventually calmed down a little and stopped backing away, taking her word. This pleased the dragon, flashing a lazy smile to sherbet.
She held in a burp, steam coming from her closed mouth before getting off her pile of gold to rest next to him, her eyes staring down at him lazily half closed. Sherbet held a hoof up to his chest in defense, very uncomfortable by how close she got.
"My names Elora, what's yours?" She said, the smell of liquor wafting over the area.
"S-sherbet, my name is sunny sherbet." He said, his mind running on auto-pilot to answer the dragons question as he was still stunned and scared.
"Sherbet sunny" she paused. "That's quite a bright name."
A lot of snickers and laugh followed the pun, coming from the dragon. Sherbet looked left and right before slowly cracking an uncomfortable smile, nervously laughing along with the mare. Soon enough she stopped laughing, wiping a tear from her eye. Both where silent as the dragon stared down at him looking almost concerned, while sherbet had a hard time keeping eye contact with her, feeling about to faint.
"Do ya drink?" She said, shaking the bottle in her claw suggestively.
Sherbet answered with a nod of his head, gaining a toothy grin from Elora. The dragons face turned to confusion to thought before digging into her pile of gold, pulling out a golden goblet about half the size of sherbet and placing it close to him. Placing the bottle over the goblet she slowly tilted the bottle until the liquid within poured into the goblet, pushing the now filled goblet over to sherbet.
"Drinks on me." She said with a giggle.
Looking into the overly sized goblet, he gazed into his reflection, seeing the tense worry on his face. Taking a deep breath he looked back up to the dragon, him calmed down a bit he gave her a grin.
"Thanks." He said.
Putting his muzzle into the cup he began to drink from it, raising his head to catch his breath from time to time. The dragon joined him as she drunk from her bottle, letting out heavy breaths as flame and smoke came from her mouth, catching sherbets attention.
Noticing sherbets gaze, she shook a claw towards him. "Don't worry about that, just some of the alcohol hitting my flame."
Nodding in understanding he took a sip from his drink before turning his attention back to her.
"Why did you take a bite at that bottle? Doesn't it hurt?" Sherbet ask.
She chuckles at his question. "We eat things more dangerous than this." Tapping a finger to her bottle. "It may not be the most filling, it may not even be nutrient for us at all, but It's the best way of getting rid of them. Doesn't feel like it's hurting my body, so don't care much."
She rested an arm under her head. "Since we're asking questions, what made you come into this cave? Did you get lost? Because if you want I can escort you out if you'd like. But I would be grateful if you kept me company, haven't drunk with someone in some time."
Sherbet mulled over the offer. He did still feel uncomfortable around the dragoness, but she treated him like a guest to a house he deliberately trespassed on.
"T-thanks for the offer, but... I don't mind staying a while. The reason I came here is because of a rumor of a dragon that drinks here, and wanted to see for myself."
"Let me guess, you came from the bar in the town close by." Elora said, eyebrow raised.
He looked a her with surprise "actually, yeah I did."
She sighed, arching her head down. "Darn that bartender, if he's gonna continue to spread gossip he should at least give better of what he has."
"Bartender?"
Elora gave him a questioning look. "You where told of me by a bartender right?"
"No, I was told by mostly everyone in the bar."
Frowning quite silly, she took a sip from her bottle. "seriously, that old man needs to keep his trap shut."
"About what?"
"Well..." She got a little more comfortable, laying her head on top her gold pile. "I usually trade with the bartender that owns the near bar, we meet just outside this cave, him bringing with him different kind of drinks.
Finishing off her bottle, She placed the bottle down next to the other, replacing it with another full bottle of a different brand. "I would trade him some things from my hoard for them. He would usually bring keg that where made huge for them to last , but sometimes he would bring costumed drinks in bottles made for dragons. I mostly like drinking the costume made one, they taste better."
Sherbet looked puzzled. "Wait, you trade from your hoard? Isn't that a symbol of growth for dragons?"
She turned her head away from his gaze, looking down at her claw that rested upon her gold with a saddened look. "I always liked being small anyways."
There was a hint of sadness in her sentence, sherbet noticing her eyes glossing over before she takes another sip from her bottle, returning to sherbets gaze with a smile.
"The bartender usually tells me when I'm done with the bottles he would collect them for me, but
I finish these too quick, didn't feel like making a collection of bottles until he would return, that would be a wierd hoard. So I have fun eating them, that or modern art." She chuckled as she pointed at the burning keg, nearly choking on her drink as she took another swig.
She brought her face a little more closer to him, smile showing off her teeth. "Would you like to play a game."
Sherbet was worried about answering her question, rubbing a hoof to his other. "Y-Yes."
"Great, the games called-"
@~@
Elora carved into the ground using the tip of her claw, drawing an X in a square also carved in.
"Tic-tac-toe in your face!" She yelled, crossing a line in three Xs to ensure her victory.
Sherbet stood in a poorly made circle, him groggily putting down a stick he carried with his mouth in order to talk to her. "Hey, no fair! You cheated."
She held her chin up high. "Nothing but skills kid. Now, you got a bet to pay." She said before picking his now empty goblet up and refilling it, unsteadily placing it in front of him, spilling some of it. "Drink up"
Nearly falling down as he sat down in front of the goblet, he picked it up with his hooves and began downing the drink only for it to spill all over him as he landed on his back, the cup covering his head.
Elora tried to hold in her laugh, but after hearing sherbet drunkenly burp in the cup she bursted out laughing, sound reverberating off the cave walls as she had a good, long laugh. Tilting the cup from his head, he grinned at her, somehow comfortable hearing her laugh at his accident. Wiping a tear from her eye, she layed back on her hoard, releasing a sigh that let out some smoke from her mouth.
"Haven't had a good laugh like that in a while." She said, resting the arm she had the bottle in on her chest. "Kinda reminds me... Of..." She clenched her teeth, as if not wanting to continue the sentence.
Elora downed the whole bottle, shocking sherbet to dropping the cup upon his head as she tossed the bottle to the cave wall, shattering the bottle in the process. When she noticed sherbets look of shock, she gave one of her own, claw covering her mouth.
"I'm so sorry you had to see that. I'm just used to doing that when I'm alone." She said.
Sherbet understood, nodding his head. "It's ok, I sometimes do that as well. Fun when your drunk." He held his goblet up. "Speaking of drinking, another round please."
"Heh, sure." Popping the lid off a bottle she poured some to him, looking a the brand afterwards. "Oh, this ones a dragons brew, watch your liver, it's pretty strong stuff."
He waved a hoof at her Dismissively. "I'm sure I can handle it."
@_@
Burping out a pained grunt, sherbet rolled around on the ground, hooves to his sides.
"My liver is on fire!"
Elora laid down, her head besides him. More than a few bottles laid besides her as they where beyond drunk.
"Told you mr. Horseshoes. One in the gut is worth one to put-put." she said, Arm raised as she twirled her finger above her view. She quickly held a claw to her mouth to keep from vomiting, the motions making her sick.
Sherbet gradually got up form where he laid, swaying left to right on all four hooves, trying to keep balance. Taking a step made him stumble, head falling on the side of Eloras face. The dragoness mistook it for a kiss from her drunken thoughts, looking down to him with a surprised flustered face.
"My oh my, didn't know you where into *hic* dragons." She let out a belch, picking up sherbet with a claw. "Is that really why you came here? You sly dog you."
Sherbet wiggled in her claw, struggling like a foal in her grip. "But how would we, y'know, 'do it'."
Without any hesitation she gave him the most suductive look she could muster. "Oh I know ways." She ended by licking her muzzle.
"Nope, I'm gon... going to need lot more drunk, till I'm bucking recked. Give me you best shots, till I'm drunk enough to breathe fire."
She grinned at him with a wickedly wide smile. "You are speaking my language."
Putting sherbet down, him land on his plot afterwards, she got up and walked to another cave path, opposite side to the one sherbet came into.
"Seems like I gotta bring out the big stuff." Her voice echoed through the cave as she came back with a keg half the size as her. "Been some time since I had a drinking partner as wild as you, might as well use one of these bad boys, so I may truly get drunk."
Placing the keg down, thud echoing through the cave, she gave sherbet a dramatically serious look. "You ready for this?"
Her expression changed Quizzically quickly as she saw that sherbet had somehow made it to his cup, laying on his back with the cup over his head as he tried to lick the remainder of alcohol that didn't remain.
"I guess that answers my question." She said as she used a talon to tear the cork off the keg.
@0@
A torrent of flame erupted in a constant spray in one direction, the source coming from sherbet, torch stuck in the ground as he exhaled his drink into the flame. Elora stood to the side of the blaze, the light casting shadows along her features, her drunken smile of excitement looking manic near the flame.
"That was awesome!" She said, astonished as if she couldn't do it herself.
"Yeah, wooooo. That be bucking knarly." Sherbet said, barely standing on his hooves as he tripped up constantly.
"My turn!" She announced
Inhaling deeply, she exhaled, hoping to get a stream of flame. She instead began vomiting, it catching flame as it left her mouth. A flaming pool was left in front of her, her focused on putting out the flames on her mouth.
"Heh, woah." Sherbet said , steadying on one hoof as the other hung lazily under him, making him slightly tilted.
Elora started dancing over the fire she made, cheerful of the display. "That was even more awesome!" She froze, body wobbling a little as she thought hard, then jolted back up when the though came to her.
"Hey, you wanna see something more awesomer?" She asked.
Sherbet nodded his head causing him to be immediately picked up by the dragoness as she quickly maneuvered out of the cave, making their way out of the cave and into the grassy fields.
The moons light glistening the midnight dew that the grass held, making the field shimmer. Elora enjoyed frolicking in the fields, feeling the wet grass under her, the Stars artistic canvas splayed above them, and above all, was enjoying it with her new drinking buddy.
Being held in Eloras gentle grip, sherbet was extremely sick to his stomach due to all the movement. Luckily for him she had stopped, getting down to lay on her back, placing him down in the progress.
Elora looked up into the star sparkling night sky, sherbet following her gaze. Being drunk make him slightly sleepy as they calmly observed, almost nodding of if not for the dragons question.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
Sherbet was kinda confused by her question, the night sky was beautiful to him once before, but now seemed like a daily occurrence. Though being drunk made the stars swivel around, a sort of light show as the stars barely stopped moving in his vision.
"What ya mean?" Sherbet asked, curious about her opinion.
"The way they dance across the night sky, sparkling diamonds as they shine down upon us, gracing us with their beauty." She breathed out a laugh, smile faltering. "We used to always enjoy watching the stared nights, falling asleep under the nights peaceful presence."
"We?" Sherbet asked.
Elora looked down at him confused, then a look of realization flashed on her face. Sherbet saw a slight look of sadness as she rolled her body to face away from sherbet. Silence passed by for the two of them, eventually the sounds of sniffling coming from Elora as she whimpered.
"What's wrong?" Sherbet asked.
"I-I miss you." Elora whispered.
"But I'm right here."
Elora turned her body to face him again, tears flowing down as she stared at him. Without saying a word she scooped him up, rolled onto her stomach and nuzzled him close to her face, having him rest on her palm, his closeness comforting her as she gradually stopped crying. Sherbet didn't know what to say to this, so he stayed quiet, getting comfortable. Sleep overcame them quickly as they slept in the grassy fields, under the moons light.
~_~
Sherbet awoke with a dizzying hangover, not even wanting to open his eyes as he felt the heat of the sun on him, but also the heat of something else, wind? No... Breathing. Fighting through the burning sensation from the light, he looked ahead to see the drooling maw of Elora. Another breath left her, the alcoholic smell strong as he covered his muzzle. Yesterday was slight fuzzy to him, but from what he could remember he knew she didn't want to harm him, but wondered if he should try waking her or leaving. He could answer his question as he began to feel her stir, her eyes opening as she awoke. She lazily stared at sherbet from the corner of her eye, to tired to turn her head.
"Morning." Elora said, giving a tired smile as she did.
"Morning... Yesterday was fun, wasn't it." Sherbet asked. Elora hummed positively in response.
They just rested there in silence, enjoying each other's company as they laid off the hangover. Soon enough Elora placed Sherbet on the grass and sat up, holding her head from the strain put to her headache.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty use to this by now." She grinned at him, letting out a light chuckle.
After a few seconds of them silently staring at each other with slight smiles on their faces, sherbet stood up and nervously spoke.
"Well... I should probably get going. Got work to do."
"Will you come visit me again?" There was a slight desperation in her voice.
He was slightly surprised by her question, but tried not to show it. "Sure, same time next week?"
She nodded. "See you next week."
With a nod and a wave sherbet began to trot back to town, Elora staring at him as he made his way back homes. She dropped her smile when she couldn't see him anymore and began to make her own way back home, sluggish movement making the ground quake as she lazily went to her cave. Once inside she sat on her pile of gold and picked up a full bottle, popping the lid off it. Digging through her pile she pulled out a picture frame between two fingers, she looked at the picture within of a old brown coated earth stallion with a grey beard. Starting at the picture she began to cry, sniffling and whimpers echoing off the cave walls. Wiping her face she raised the bottle she held, willing the best smile she could give.
"This ones for you, my love." She said before taking a swig.
