Even though Thistle and the beast were foiled, the world still maintains its gray exterior, although it is slowly beginning to reform. We are all in the center of town, collapsed and beaten. After that encounter on Longface Peak, we have lost our energy, both physically and metaphorically. Black Licorice took Cherry to Berrykin Bloom to see if they can find a cure for her illness, and potentially, the magentosis's influence. Meanwhile, the rest of us are stuck wallowing in our despair. I look down at my gray hand, feeling so weird.
I mean...
I have a gray hand!
That is insane!
I crawl my way over to a fountain and look at my reflection.
My entire body is gray!
I feel like an alien!
Or like I just stepped out of an old-timey photograph!
I should feel scared, or nervous, or both... but I'm amazed. If this is how I'm gonna spend the rest of my life... I might not complain as much as I should. The girls, however, aren't so giddy.
Strawberry: Did you see the way Cherry...
Strawberry stops herself before she cries again.
Lemon and Raspberry hold onto each other.
Lemon: I don't remember what color a lemon is...
Raspberry: I think it's... blue...? red...?
Orange strokes Plum on the head as the latter weeps on the former's lap.
Plum: W-we're never gonna be the same again...
Orange: Yes we will, you'll see...
And Blueberry just has her face planted in the grass, not making a single sound. I feel someone tap me on the shoulder and I turn to see Princess Berrykin standing over me.
Princess Berrykin: Dom...
I quickly get up.
Me: Oh, Princess, hey. So, this whole... world turning gray thing is crazy, isn't it?
Princess Berrykin: I need a word with you... Alone...
----
Princess Berrykin and I are at the Berrykin Kingdom, where she invites me into the closed-off room, the room where she failed to perfect her magic and accidentally created those evil books.
Good times.
She brings me upstairs and has me sit down at a table. My eyes widen as I see her pull out something from behind a wall. It seems to be a bottle of wine.
Me: You have a secret stash of wine?
Princess Berrykin: Emphasis on "secret". Although, with the way the world is now, who can tell?
She brings a wine glass over to the table and pours me a generous helping of this secret wine, without asking if I even wanted any... then keeps the bottle for herself. I watch in amazement as she takes a chug from it, then wipes her lips with a little sigh.
I don't think I'm ready to handle a drunken Princess Berrykin.
Me: So what's this about?
Princess Berrykin throws a picture of King Vorthrax down on the table.
Me: King Vorthrax...?
Princess Berrykin: Mhm...
She takes another swig.
Me: That doesn't make sense.
Princess Berrykin: That little freak you encountered at Longface Peak was his pet. And pets like those are fiercely loyal to their master.
Me: So you're saying that this... was all a plan to...
Princess Berrykin: Yes. I have my Berrykin Guards out on patrol as we speak. We cannot, to any extent, allow Thistle to use that scepter.
She takes another swig.
Me: I understand. And... I also understand that this should be kept secret from the others.
Princess Berrykin: After a travesty like this, they don't need any more to worry about.
She takes another swig.
Me: You know something, Princess?
Princess Berrykin: Hm?
Me: You've really grown as a leader.
She gives me a drunken smile.
Princess Berrykin: You really think so?
Me: Yes. Both mentally AND physically...
She huffs and slugs me on the arm.
Princess Berrykin: You... jerk!
Me: {chuckles} But no, I'm serious. I think your ancestors would be proud of what you've become.
She continues to drunkenly smile as she gets up and stumbles over to me, throwing her arms around my neck.
Princess Berrykin: Oh, you're so sweet...
She giggles as she rustles my hair. It would be a touching moment, except she's... intoxicated, and that's not how I roll.
Me: Um, I think we should take you to bed, Princess...
Princess Berrykin: Have at me...
She falls into my arms, and I sigh in relief as she's much lighter than I anticipated. I carry her out of the room and to her quarters, which did warrant some odd looks from other Berrykins, which I did not appreciate. I bring the Princess to her bedroom.
Me: Here you go, Princess... Let's get you nice and tucked in...
She giggles as she runs a drunken finger down my cheek.
Princess Berrykin: Oh, I could just eat you up...
{LICK}
I drop her on her bed as she licks my face.
Me: Oh, gross...
She looks up at me with a mischievous smirk.
Princess Berrykin: There's more where that came from....
She continues to giggle as I manage to tuck her under her covers. I switch off the lamp on her nightstand and kneel down to stroke her head until she falls asleep. As I do so, I can't help but think about what she told me. Could Thistle be planning to bring him back? If so, we could be in for one heck of a ride.
----
TO BE CONTINUED
YOU ARE READING
SSBBA: Fresh Jam
FanfictionI thought my life in Berry Bitty City was perfect... Until now. With the introduction of some new faces and an even deeper understanding of the Berrykin lore, I realize I might not know as much about my new home as I might have thought.
