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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Fit For Dionysus
“Minuette you wait in line every year for the Sweet Apple Acres’ apple cider, don’t you?” Berryshine poured the cup over her head, trying to get the last drops of her juice. She and Minuette were lounging on the grass at the park. “Haven’t you noticed that every year Rainbow Dash always complains about never getting any cider?”
“Yeah. So?”
“Isn't it weird? Applejack and Rainbow seem like the best of friends. How could she not save some apple cider for her? I mean it’s as if Cherry Berry didn't save me some of her cheery juice—”
“Don’t you mean cherry juice?”
“—I’d totally be mad, you know? How could you not save something for your best friends? That’s like, definitely suspicious.”
“Suspicious?”
Berryshine ignored Minuette’s eye roll and breathy sigh, and continued, “Rainbow gets mad, but after she’s done huffing and puffing, she’s normal again. Why is that?”
“Because…some ponies don’t hold grudges for that long?”
“No.” A smile crept on Berryshine’s face. “It’s because Applejack has something better for Rainbow.”
Minuette sighed again.
“It’s zap apple cider.”
“What?”
“Zap apple cider! I heard that Applejack secretly saves some of the harvested zap apples and turns them into a cider.”
Minuette stared at Berryshine, long and hard, her nostrils flaring. “No,” she said curtly.
“I haven’t even asked yet and already—”
“We talked about this. You need to stop being delusional! There is no such thing as your ambrosia! No such—”
“It exists Minuette! I know it does because it’s my destiny to find it! The zap apple cider could be it!”
“It’s not. It’s ponymade; it’s not from the gods!”
“Are we not the servants of the gods? Who else can make their nectar?” She ran up to Minuette, forcing their eyes to lock. “Besides, aren't you curious? You like their apple cider as much as I do; you wait in line as long as I do. Think about the taste, how divine it could be!”
Minuette bit her lip.
“I’ll help you get a dental date with Dr. Hooves?” Berryshine asked.
“…I’ll do it.”
Breaking into Sweet Apple Acres wasn't hard and even figuring out where they kept the cider was filly’s play. They crept inside the main house, down into the basement cellar after Berryshine had spotted the cider press, and Minuette followed nervous and hesitant.
“We shouldn't be in here,” Minuette called.
“But this is where it has to be!” Berryshine whispered.
It was a room full of packed bottles with crates stacked in the corner and barrels full of juices. Looking around, Berryshine noted the different packaging. There was a section for aged cider, another for their famous apple cider, spiced apple cider, apple cider with oranges, and even traces of an apple wine, but though there were many bottles, her treasure wasn't there.
“Where is it?” She became frantic. She started opening the barrels tossing the lids on spare haystacks.
“Maybe it’s not in season?”
“It was Zap Apple season last month!”
“Here it is!” Minuette said. She stood in front a cask taped: “Experimental Zap Apple Cider – Do Not Drink”
“Oh my Celestia, it’s a cask!” Berryshine hugged the barrel.
“Berryshine we shouldn't. I mean, experimental?”
“Tasting first; crying later,” she said, her tongue under the nozzle and her hooves readying to turn it.
They both heard the swinging of the upstairs door, but Berryshine didn't care. Just one drop.
“WHAT IN TARNATION?! WAIT! BERRYSHINE DON’T—”
The drop hit her tongue. One drop and she felt complete.
It definitely wasn't the ambrosia. It lacked finesse, lacked the quality of a finely aged wine, and it didn't even truly taste like apples. There was a hint of cinnamon, a touch of an eastern spice, and was that vanilla-infused saffron? It was exceptional but it still wasn't her ambrosia.
But it still tasted heavenly, and it left a nice lasting buzz.
Berryshine didn't care about the angry cluster of Apple ponies, or the royal guards placing her hooves in hoofcuffs, or even the fact that she was now sitting in the police station with her head spinning round and round, waiting with Nurse Redheart and Dr. Hooves, watching everyone as though they were dancing in a ballet.
No, she felt the buzz and smiled all the way through.
Now if only she could clear her head long enough to figure out how she was going to post bail.
And maybe the hospital bill too.
“Yeah. So?”
“Isn't it weird? Applejack and Rainbow seem like the best of friends. How could she not save some apple cider for her? I mean it’s as if Cherry Berry didn't save me some of her cheery juice—”
“Don’t you mean cherry juice?”
“—I’d totally be mad, you know? How could you not save something for your best friends? That’s like, definitely suspicious.”
“Suspicious?”
Berryshine ignored Minuette’s eye roll and breathy sigh, and continued, “Rainbow gets mad, but after she’s done huffing and puffing, she’s normal again. Why is that?”
“Because…some ponies don’t hold grudges for that long?”
“No.” A smile crept on Berryshine’s face. “It’s because Applejack has something better for Rainbow.”
Minuette sighed again.
“It’s zap apple cider.”
“What?”
“Zap apple cider! I heard that Applejack secretly saves some of the harvested zap apples and turns them into a cider.”
Minuette stared at Berryshine, long and hard, her nostrils flaring. “No,” she said curtly.
“I haven’t even asked yet and already—”
“We talked about this. You need to stop being delusional! There is no such thing as your ambrosia! No such—”
“It exists Minuette! I know it does because it’s my destiny to find it! The zap apple cider could be it!”
“It’s not. It’s ponymade; it’s not from the gods!”
“Are we not the servants of the gods? Who else can make their nectar?” She ran up to Minuette, forcing their eyes to lock. “Besides, aren't you curious? You like their apple cider as much as I do; you wait in line as long as I do. Think about the taste, how divine it could be!”
Minuette bit her lip.
“I’ll help you get a dental date with Dr. Hooves?” Berryshine asked.
“…I’ll do it.”
Breaking into Sweet Apple Acres wasn't hard and even figuring out where they kept the cider was filly’s play. They crept inside the main house, down into the basement cellar after Berryshine had spotted the cider press, and Minuette followed nervous and hesitant.
“We shouldn't be in here,” Minuette called.
“But this is where it has to be!” Berryshine whispered.
It was a room full of packed bottles with crates stacked in the corner and barrels full of juices. Looking around, Berryshine noted the different packaging. There was a section for aged cider, another for their famous apple cider, spiced apple cider, apple cider with oranges, and even traces of an apple wine, but though there were many bottles, her treasure wasn't there.
“Where is it?” She became frantic. She started opening the barrels tossing the lids on spare haystacks.
“Maybe it’s not in season?”
“It was Zap Apple season last month!”
“Here it is!” Minuette said. She stood in front a cask taped: “Experimental Zap Apple Cider – Do Not Drink”
“Oh my Celestia, it’s a cask!” Berryshine hugged the barrel.
“Berryshine we shouldn't. I mean, experimental?”
“Tasting first; crying later,” she said, her tongue under the nozzle and her hooves readying to turn it.
They both heard the swinging of the upstairs door, but Berryshine didn't care. Just one drop.
“WHAT IN TARNATION?! WAIT! BERRYSHINE DON’T—”
The drop hit her tongue. One drop and she felt complete.
It definitely wasn't the ambrosia. It lacked finesse, lacked the quality of a finely aged wine, and it didn't even truly taste like apples. There was a hint of cinnamon, a touch of an eastern spice, and was that vanilla-infused saffron? It was exceptional but it still wasn't her ambrosia.
But it still tasted heavenly, and it left a nice lasting buzz.
Berryshine didn't care about the angry cluster of Apple ponies, or the royal guards placing her hooves in hoofcuffs, or even the fact that she was now sitting in the police station with her head spinning round and round, waiting with Nurse Redheart and Dr. Hooves, watching everyone as though they were dancing in a ballet.
No, she felt the buzz and smiled all the way through.
Now if only she could clear her head long enough to figure out how she was going to post bail.
And maybe the hospital bill too.