#berry_punch

   It was silly, she knew that, especially given how Equestrian relationships went. They were polygamous by nature, often a stallion would have three or four partners. This wasn't unusual. Still, gryphons were different. At least, she had thought so from her talks with Blacklin. After he came back from Shetlearn (she thought that was where he'd gone to) she was no longer sure.

   "Hold up," came Berry's voice, snapping Lyra from her thoughts. The earth mare sat a glass down in front of Lyra and from the smell she could tell that it was a sour apple and grape mixture.

   "Who was right about what?" Berry asked. She crossed her forehooves and looked at Lyra, a worried expression on her face. "And why are you looking like someone just stole your favorite toy?"

   As if in response to Berry's question, a small orb that glowed pink materialized between them. It hovers for a few seconds, as if making sure that it wasn't interrupting anything, before opening up into a window. The figure that can be seen causes Lyra's cheeks to flush and eyes narrow slightly.

   Viola was not the pony she had wished to see at that moment. She was not in the mood for gloating.

   "Congratulations, Lyra, for figuring out how you feel about him," Vi stated, leaning back her chair as she regarded the other unicorn. "I won't say I told you so, just will say that I'm happy you'll stop beating around the bush and enjoy more of your life really being with him." She paused for a moment before giving an apologetic smile. "I do apologize for bantering too personally with you before."

   Berry blinked at that response before giving Lyra a quizzical look. The aquamarine unicorn stayed silent for a moment. Anger had begun to well up inside her and she did not trust herself to speak.

   How dare Viola come out and say that. Not say 'I told you so'? She went and did just that in the most backhanded way possible!

   "Okay, wait, who's this 'he' she's talking about, Ly?" Berry asks. "Never figured you to be one to fancy anyone either so share the gossip."

   The unicorn took a moment to collect herself. A deep breath was taken before looking at Viola’s image.

   "You," Lyra stated, her voice low as she pointed a hoof at Viola's image, "do not get to say anything! You're the cause of all this! You may be right but you do not get to be smug about it at all."

   She huffed before swatting at the image, causing it to shimmer and then shift back into the orb it started out as.

   "Still waiting on some kind of an explanation here," Berry said, voice starting to show hints of impatience. "Take a sip of that first though. Calm you right down. I don't need you trying to bite my head off when I just wanna know what's wrong with one of my friends."

   Lyra blinked and looked down at the cup she'd been given. Berry was right, she did need to calm down.  She nodded and smiled a bit before taking a sip of her drink. She had been expecting a bitter sourness from the drink, but was surprised by sweetness. Though the smell of sour apple was there, none of the sourness was. A warmth flowed through her body it felt as if it pooled where the heaviness had been, lifting the weight up.

   "How?" She started to ask and then stopped, noting the grin on Berry's face and glint in her eyes. An explanation to her secrets would not be coming, that much was certain from the earth mare's expression.

   Lyra smiled and shakes her head, feeling much better thanks to the drink and deep breaths. She took another breath, releasing it slowly before explaining to Berry about what had happened between herself and Viola earlier in the day.

   When she had finished, Berry leaned back and blinked a few times before breaking out into loud laughter.

   "And you just up and slapped him with your magic?" She claimed. "Just like that? His expression must have been priceless!"

   She laughed more as Lyra blushed and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. Hearing someone else say made her realize just how dumb her actions had been. It was uncalled for, no matter how justified she might have felt at the time.

   "Ah, that was a good laugh," Berry said, calming down. "Thanks for that." She leaned on the counter top and gives Lyra a sly grin. "So, when are you going to confess to the gryphon, hmm?"

   The question caught Lyra by surprise. Confess? The thought hadn't crossed her mind. No, it was best not to say anything to him. He had his hands full with Roseluck and Pinkie as it was. Not only that, but with his sister still in town and the stress from that, he certainly didn't need another surprise dropped on his head.

   Berry seemed to sense this hesitation and snorted softly. "You can't just realize this and not do something about it," she stated. "Court the goof or something at the very least. Let him know that you like him!"

   "Court?" The question came out of her mouth before she realized it.

   "Yeah," Berry said, "you know, try to win his affection and all that. Not like it'd be hard."

   Lyra blushed again. Courting? She wasn't even sure where to begin with something like that. Sure, there were customs for such things. Each pony race had their own. Unicorns, for instance, would solidify or liquefy the aether of their magic and present it to the one they were courting in a vial or gem. Common among all the races were giving flowers of their coat color or similar things.

    She blinked and shook her head. Why was she even considering this? Had she just not confirmed to herself that she wasn't going to place extra stress on Blacklin? This was stupid and silly. There was no need to continue that line of thought.

   She downed the rest of her drink in a single gulp and slammed the cup down on the counter before shaking her head.

   "No, I don't think so," she started. "He has enough going on right now. That gryphon doesn't need some idiot who doesn't know her own feelings pestering him."

    The grin Berry gave her after saying that caused a shiver to run down her spine.

    It was silly, she knew that, especially given how Equestrian relationships went. They were polygamous by nature, often a stallion would have three or four partners. This wasn't unusual. Still, gryphons were different. At least, she had thought so from her talks with Blacklin. After he came back from Shetlearn (she thought was were it was he'd gone to) she was no longer sure.

    "Hold up," came Berry's voice, snapping Lyra from her thoughts. The earth mare sat a glass down in front of Lyra and from the smell she could tell that it was a sour apple and grape mixture.

    "Who was right about what?" Berry asked. She crossed her forehooves and looked at Lyra, a worried expression on her face. "And why are you looking like someone just stole your favorite toy?"

    As if in response to Berry's question, a small orb that glowed pink materialized between them. It hovers for a few seconds, as if making sure that it wasn't interrupting anything, before opening up into a window. The figure that can be seen causes Lyra's cheeks to flush and eyes narrow slightly.

    Viola was not the pony she had wished to see at that moment. She was not in the mood for gloating.

    "Congratulations, Lyra, for figuring out how you feel about him," Vi says, leaning back her chair as she regards the other unicorn. "I won't say I told you so, just will say that I'm happy you'll stop beating around the bush and enjoy more of your life really being with him." She pauses for a moment before giving an apologetic smile. "I do apologize for bantering too personally with you before."

    Berry blinks at that response before giving Lyra a quizzical look. The aquamarine unicorn stayed silent for a moment. Anger had begun to well up inside her and she did not trust herself to speak.

    How dare Viola come out and say that. Not say 'I told you so'? She went and did just that in the most backhanded way possible!

    "Okay, wait, who's this 'he' she's talking about, Ly?" Berry asks. "Never figured you to be one to fancy anyone either so share the gossip."

    "You," Lyra states, her voice low as she points a hoof at Viola's image, "do not get to say anything! You're the cause of all this! You may be right but you do not get to be smug about it at all."

    She huffs before swatting at the image, causing it to shimmer and then shift back into the orb it started out as.

    "Still waiting on some kind of an explanation here," Berry states, voice starting to show hints of impatience. "Take a sip of that first though. Calm you right down. I don't need you trying to bite my head off when I just wanna know what's wrong with one of my friends."

    Lyra blinks and looks down at the cup she'd been given. Berry was right, she did need to calm down.  She nods and smiles a bit before taking a sip of her drink. She had been expecting a bitter sourness from the drink, but was surprised by sweetness. Though the smell of sour apple was there, none of the sourness was. A warmth flowed through her body it felt as if it pooled where the heaviness had been, lifting the weight up.

    "How?" She asks and then stops, noting the grin on Berry's face and glint in her eyes. An explanation to her secrets would not be coming, that much was certain from the earth mare's expression.

    Lyra smiles and shakes her head, feeling much better thanks to the drink. She takes a breath and explains to Berry about what had happened between herself and Viola earlier in the day.

    When she finished, Berry leans back and blinks a few times before breaking out into loud laughter.

    "And you just up and slapped him with your magic?" She says. "Just like that? His expression must have been priceless!"

    She laughs more as Lyra blushes and rubs the back of her head with a hoof. Hearing someone else say made her realize just how dumb her actions had been. It was uncalled for, no matter how justified she might have felt at the time.

    "Ah, that was a good laugh," Berry says, calming down. "Thanks for that." She leans on the counter top and gives Lyra a sly grin. "So, when are you going to confess to the gryphon, hmm?"

    The question caught Lyra by surprise. Confess? The though hadn't crossed her mind. No, it was best not to say anything to him. He had his hands full with Roseluck and Pinkie as it was. Not only that, but with his sister still in town and the stress from that, he certainly didn't need another surprise dropped on his head.

    Berry seemed to sense this hesitation and snorted softly. "You can't just realize this and not do something about it," she states. "Court the goof or something at the very least. Let him know that you like him!"

    "Court?" The question came out of her mouth before she realizes it.

    "Yeah," Berry says, "you know, try to win his affection and all that. Not like it'd be hard."

    Lyra blushes again. Courting? She wasn't even sure where to begin with something like that. Sure, there were customs for such things. Each pony race had their own. Unicorns, for instance, would solidify or liquefy the aether of their magic and present it to the one they were courting in a vial or gem. Common among all the races were giving flowers of their coat color or similar things.

     She blinks and shakes her head. Why was she even considering this? Had she just not confirmed to herself that she wasn't going to place extra stress on Blacklin? This was stupid and silly. There was no need to continue that line of thought.

    She downs the rest of her drink in a single gulp and slams the cup down on the counter before shaking her head.

    "No, I don't think so," she says. "He has enough going on right now. Blacklin doesn't need some idiot who doesn't know her own feelings pestering him."

     The grin Berry gives her after saying that causes a shiver to run down her spine.