Equestria Bound

“Wow, Rarity sure did an amazing job on my mane! She really IS fashion born.” Ruby Black said cheerfully that evening, Playing with her new mane-cut.

“Well, it is her dream to become the greatest fashioner in Equestria.” Twilight put, simply.

“I'd say she already is! Oh, hey, I'd like to ask you a question. Are there any... ehem... bars... here in Ponyville?”

“Bars? Like where they sell drinks? We have one, but it's quite rough. Why? Did you go to bars a lot back wherever you came from?”

“Went all the time! Not to get drunk, mind you, just for a relaxing, late night drink.”

“Well, Punch Cavern is next to Sugarcube Corner. Good luck not getting beat up. Also, if you want any kind of drink, you're gonna need these.” Twilight handed over 15 golden coins.

“What're these?” Ruby asked with a puzzled look.

“Bits. They're Equestria's currency. Drinks are 5 bits. And... Please... Don't get yourself killed. It's a dangerous little joint.”

“I've seen arcades filled with gangsters, this isn't gonna be that bad. Well, I'll be back later! See ya!”

_______________________________________________________________

“Punch Cavern. This must be it! Ah, finally. Some relaxation... I hope.”

As she walked in, Ruby was stunned of how old fashioned the bar looked. A lot of it was made out of wood, and somehow, Ruby knew, something was going to go haywire in here.

“Hey! Who're you, red mane?” A voice came from Ruby's left side as she was looking at the menu of drinks. She looked left to see a very light green unicorn with smooth green and white mane hair. Beside her was a yellow earth pony who's mane looked like pink and purple cotton candy.

“Oh! Hello, I'm Ruby Black, new pony to town. Heard there was a bar in this town, came to check it out. Can't say I'm disappointed.”

“New ponies NEVER come here. Name's Lyra Heartstrings, and this is my girlfriend, Bon Bon.”
Bon Bon silently waved. “So you're new to this place, eh? Let me get you a drink. No, don't worry, it's on me.” Lyra turned to the counter.

“'Ey! Get a Blueberry Punch for this girl, Big Mac!” Lyra yelled to the red stallion, who replied with an “eeyup”. The drink flew over to Lyra across the table.

“Have a seat! – oh ho! Not there! That's Berry Punch's seat!” Lyra warned her with a chuckle.

“Berry... Punch?” Ruby was confused, she guessed she was a regular that got drunk a lot.

“Yeah, nopony steals Berry's seat and gets away with it. I recommend you get out of it before she--”

“HEY!”

The bar went silent. Everyone looked at an angry, tipsy, purple earth pony staring directly at Ruby. She was petrified in the seat.

“Who said? WHO BUCKIN' SAID, that it was okay for you to sit there? That's MY seat.” The pony slowly moved toward Ruby.

“Well, sorry! Lyra here was just telling me to get out--”

“Well LYRA should of told SOMEPONY first before ANYTHING to sit there. YOU EVEN ORDERED MY SPECIAL DRINK!” This pony was blazing mad. There was almost nothing to calm her down, unless Ruby could...

“Sorry for being a newbie here! This is a public area so how the HELL would I know not to sit here!?” Ruby was purposely making this mare mad.

“Oh, I see. A newbie here, huh? Newbie's don't come to my bar usually, because their dumb flanks usually get handed to 'em... by ME: Berry Punch.” She started to sound snooty.

“You don't wanna know what I can do. I've destroyed a whole dirty gang on the streets single-han—hooved.”

“Oh you've crossed the line! YOU'VE CROSSED THE LINE! I'm gonna lay a beating on you, Miss Tough-Pants!”

Ruby was laughing. “Pffft. I can destroy you with mere phrases.”

“Prove it, smart-flank!” Berry was taunting her to no end.

“If you insist.” Ruby slowly opened her mouth.

“PK Thunder alpha”. The words came out of her mouth as a bolt of electricity seemingly came out of nowhere and zapped poor Berry Punch.

“Wha? No unicorn magic, ya cheapskate.” Berry was so angry she could explode.

“Unicorn!? Please point out my horn. Tell me. Where is it? Look, here! I'll even move my mane! I don't have a horn! PK Freeze alpha!”

Suddenly, Berry's limbs froze, unable to move.

“WAH!? How are you using magic? You're not a unicorn!” Berry was very worried now.

“It isn't magic. It's PSI, or Telekinesis, or psychic power for dull-ones. You look cold. Let me warm you up! PK Fire alpha.”

Berry's arms combusted and were burnt.

“Who the hell ARE you?” Berry looked up at her with begging eyes.

“I'm Ruby Black. Remember it. Sorry about roughing you up. Just thought I needed to teach a lesson. PSI Life-up Omega.”

Suddenly, the burns, frostbite and mane hair returned to normal. All eyes were on Ruby and Berry. Everyone had the most surprised look on their face, as if they saw Princess Celestia in a bathing suit.

Berry got kind of scared, and tried to word her way out of the situation.

“At this point in movies, the owner of the bar would kick you out.” Berry Punch said with heavy breathing. “However... That was... very impressive. I like the way you think. I'm lettin' you stay. I got respect for you, Ruby. You sure showed not just me, but all of us! Enjoy your drink, Ruby.” Berry was smiling, accepting her defeat with honor, something nopony had seen before.

“Heh. Thanks. Oh yeah, here. Have your seat, I'll just sit on this couch...” As Ruby got up, Berry gave a surprised look.

“Wait, you mean your giving what the loser wants to them? Why would you do that? I tried to assault you over a star-damned seat!”

“Just because I won doesn't mean I'm going to be a jerk to the loser. You like this seat? Have it, I don't mind.”

“Uhh... wow. You're more nice than I thought. I... I don't know what to say... Uhh... Thanks!” Berry transformed from terrifying brute to a shy little girl.

“No it's fine. I'm not the person to make others suffer so I can benefit. C'mon, it's fine, sit down! I also think it's funny the whole bar is watching us.”

“Eheh. I don't care anymore. If they call me weak, I can kick their flank out.”

Rather than sitting in her special seat, Berry Punch sat on the couch, next to Ruby no less.

“I could get used to you y'know? Wait a minute... do you hear... music? I swear to Celestia if it's those new age retro hip-ponies with a beatbox again, I don't know what I'll do...”

“No... I know that music... this could be bad.”

Ruby grew nervous to the point of shaking. She knew what was coming and stood in front of the door and yelled PSI Shield Omega.

BOOOOOM!

The door was blown up as strange ponies dressed as pigs barged in with what seemed to be ray guns.

“Squeeee! We know she's here! Give her to us!” The pig-horse squealed as he threw a device that said “shield-killer” on it. As expected, the shield vanished.

One pointed his ray gun at Berry Punch. “WHERE IS SHE!? Snort!”

“Don't hurt my friends, stupid Pigmasks! Let me handle these dumb-flanks! PK Fire Omega!”

The Pigmasks' limbs burst into flame as their weapons instantly exploded in front of them.

“PK FREEZE GAMMA!”

Their limbs were now frozen to the ground. All the ponies but Berry Punch and Ruby were hiding.

“You got a police force? Call 'em! I know these fella's. They want me dead!”

“I'm on it!”

Berry rushed to the phone and typed in a number faster than the eye could see.

“Hello? Ponyville police? We've got 2 mentally ill ponies dressed as animals attempting murder... huh?... Where?... Punch Cavern!

The next five minutes felt like an eternity, as Ruby kept them backed up against a wall. When the police arrived and arrested the 2 Pigmasks, and everyone had calmed down, Berry signaled at Ruby across the room.

“Hey, Ruby! C'mere, I'd like to ask you something in my office."

__________________________________________________________________________

“Earth, huh? From what I saw 30 minutes ago, I believe you one-hundred percent.”

Berry Punch and Ruby Black sat on a couch watching tv in Berry's office within the bar.

“I like this place much better, though. Really made me wake up to make me see who I really am.”

“That PSI stuff, how'd you learn it?”

“My mind is stronger than some peoples... or as I should say now, ponies. Basically, I think how I want my spell to work. Kinda like when I used my PSI Life-up to heal your wounds. I don't think any unicorn can do that.” Ruby said, boastfully.

“How neat. Wish I could do something like that. Oh yeah you mentioned a man was after you. I'm guessing those are his cohorts?”

“Pigmasks.” Ruby's face turned angry. “They follow their master, who wants the evil power to be unleashed at his will.”

“Who is this man? I like to know names.”

Ruby Black paused for a moment and closed her eyes. She sighed as she said the name in a tone harsher than any tone possible.

“Porky Minch.”

“Porky Minch? What does this stupid Porky guy want with the evil power?”

“He wants to rid the universe of everypony who doesn't like him.”

Berry chuckled. “Well with a name like Porky I'd probably do that, too.”

Berry paused with a puzzled face and quickly looked at Ruby.

“Wait... If he wants the evil power, why is he after you!?” Berry was getting an answer, whether Ruby liked it or not.

“... It's inside me.”

“Inside... you...?”

“The evil power of evil powers is kept within me! I can't run any further! He wants my old self released! I'm a doomed pony!” Ruby was now hooves to the head bawling. After who'd she met in Ponyville, she thought she'd never cry again.

“Well, then. I'ma go tell that ass-clown to go buck himself! He doesn't need that power! A lot of ponies don't like me, either! Yet, I live with it everyday! Nopony lays a hoof on my friend as long as I live!”

Suddenly, Ruby stopped crying and looked over to Berry.

“Friend? You consider me a friend?”

“I know you better than anypony in the world right now and you saved my flank from pig-ponies with laser guns. I had the best time in the world tonight! Finally, I got myself something to live for. Took long enough...”

“So in one night, you've decided me your closest friend and your going to help me rebel against the biggest threat to the universe?”

“Uhhh... Yep. Pretty much covered it.” Berry looked over with the most harmless smile anyone could possibly pull off.

“Oh thank you! Your so much nicer than ponies make you out to be!” Ruby leaped on Berry and gave her a huge, warm hug.

At that moment in time, they knew that Berry Punch and Ruby Black would be the best of friends, and were both in for one heck of a ride.

“You got a place to stay Tonight, Rubes?”

“Nice nickname you gave me, Berr. Twilight Sparkle let me stay in her house, library, tree thing for a while. It's nice and cozy there and her little assistant is fun to talk to.”

“Heh, Spike? He's a character, alright. Well, hey? You wanna hang out tomorrow at the park? I wanna tell ya a couple things about this town you may want to know. Also, talk to Lyra about Earth. She's crazy about those humans that live there.”

“Sure, and will do... Holy crap its 11:35! That's pretty late... Twilight might get mad at me...”

“Well if she kicks ya out I work here till 1:30 AM.”

“Hah! Thanks. Well, I'll see you tomorrow!”

“Bye! Don't get killed by pig ponies on the way back!”

With one final wave, they both turned around and smiled. Unaware that at the same time they thought the same thing.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?