The Iron Palace

While Aurora was trying to comprehend the instantaneous abruption, Luka wasted no time on the details and hurried the two ponies behind the counter to hide. After they had rushed for the counter and ducked down under the cash register, Luka turned around to begin cooking her friend’s dinner. Catching onto Luka’s guise, Aurora resumed opening the windows for the cigarette later.

Ferrick had only managed to open the first shop window when she heard what sounded like a buffalo stampede echo through the dark, quiet street. Even when she knew that stampede was approaching, the sheer agility of the large mob rushed into the restaurant startled her and the obnoxious shop bell chimed through the room once more. There were at least twenty ponies that stood before Luka climbing on top of one another, equipped with bulky cameras, microphones and notepads. The paparazzi began to berate to the chef simultaneously like a drunken choir while she had her back turned towards the kitchen.

“One at a time for crying out loud!” Luka snapped without hesitation. It didn’t take long for the horde to shut up and co-ordinate.

“Did two mares run in here a second ago, ma’am?”

“Look behind you.” Luka replied impatiently, “She’s the first customer to come in for at least an hour now. If she’s not who you’re looking for, buzz off and look elsewhere. I don’t need even LESS customers because of you lot.”

Offended and disappointed, a journalist from the rowdy crowd squeezes through to speak.

“Very well, but if you ever see them, be sure to give us a call. We’ll make it worth your while.”

The smooth talking journalist shifts a business card across the counter and marches with his colleagues out of The Rising Sun in a long, single file as some took a familiar confused glance at Aurora’s appearance. Aurora listened to the paparazzo’s hoof steps dissipate onto the main street and looked out of the window for good measure.

“All clear Lu”

“It’s safe to come out now and... sorry about the boxes.” Luka assured the two ponies.

“Thanks a bunch sis!” The white mare spoke with a nonchalant tone that contrasted her charcoal companion’s modest and more... ladylike speech. As the two rose from under the counter, the other pony began to speak.

“We are truly grateful for your kindness, Madam Shopkeeper,” the refined mare bowed in courtesy, “We are in your debt.”

Aurora, which was standing in her hind legs as she leaned on the window, shrugged her shoulders to Luka while out of sight from the disguised duo. Luka rolled her eyes at her and brought her attention back to her visitors and held out her hoof.

“Luka Fry. Being called Madam Shopkeeper is something I’ll never be capable of getting used to. No offense,” Luka looked towards Aurora with a mischievous grin accepted the hoofshake. “And the strange looking pony behind you with the mane that of an exotic jungle is my best friend, Aurora Ferrick. No offense.”

Ferrick poked her tongue out at Luka in jest of her remark. Miss Bow-Tie began to turn around to greet Aurora.

“Surely her mane can’t be THAT ba-AAAaah! “; she turned around to witness the grand proportion of Aurora’s silvery mane. The shocked lass removed her dark sunglasses to reveal two dazzling purple eyes staring at Aurora in horror. At a loss for words, she could only voice out one word, “W-wow... Woooow.... WOOOOOOOW.”

The white mare softly facehoofed herself, in embarrassment of her friend’s reaction. A blue aura appeared from under her hood and magically uncloaked her and her catatonic friend, while still focused on Luka with her sunglasses still worn. A raver-looking pony with a spiky electric blue mane with white streaks stood before Luka.

“Sorry... Luka, was it? Octavia has never done anything like this before and I feel so damn awkward right now...” The white pony apologised with a bright red blush.

Trying to suppress her laughter at the hilarity of Aurora being showcased as the grey pony continues to mutter the same word like a broken record, Luka hints to the rocker pony with her eyes by switching her attention between her and Aurora and some slight head twitches.

“Why not relate?”

Confused by Luka’s statement, the pink faced pony turns around to see what the fuss is about.

“Seriously Tavi, I thought you of all ponies wouldn’t get li- HOLY SHIT!”

Luka couldn’t hold her laughter any longer from such a priceless reaction! She even had to catch Vinyl with her magic when she tumbled backwards from the sight of Aurora’s wild growth and placed her on a nearby barstool. Vinyl remained seated still as she tried to process what was in front of her.

As Aurora gazed upon what she saw as the hyena, the statue and a traumatised socialite on A-B repeat, she got the point – she had a lot of mane.

After the newcomers finally collected their senses and the lady with the neatly brushed mane and a purple treble clef brandishing her flank spoke first.

“I’m terribly sorry Miss Ferrick! It’s just that I’ve always thought that Vinyl had an... ‘extravagant’ mane, and those eyes! I’ve seen a variety of individuals in my travels, but you are most definitely the first! It’s almost touching the floor!”

“It does when it’s wet. Blow-drying’s a bitch.” Aurora scrounges through her mane to try finding her Mareboro. “And... Aurora or Ferrick’ll do. Either one. Luka! You got me smoke on ya?”

“Yeah, just light it on the stovetop. I’m pinching another one by the way.”

“Go for it.”

Aurora helped herself to the stove’s open gas flames that were cooking her well-deserved meal, and parked her rump on the barstool between Vinyl and Octavia. Luka initiated some healthy conversation.

“So what are you two doing out at New Foaleans anyway?” Luka began to ‘analyse’ her visitors from head to hoof, “You don’t seem much like work-ponies, so what gives?”

“We’re musicians. Well, I am. Vinyl is more of a record player’s worst nightmare in my opinion.” Octavia teased, without any indication whether she was kidding or actually being serious – Especially to Vinyl which grunted with whatever expression she held behind her shades, “But ponies dance to her music and she has a true passion for what she does, so who’s to judge?”

“So Vinyl’s a DJ huh? And what instrument do you play?”

“Cello. We’re here because we’ve been working together on a little project of ours and are on tour, but recently there have been rumours going around that Vinyl and I are having an affair - Hence the paparazzi.” Octavia explained, “Of course, they are false – I’m a married mare. Have been for quite some time, but even my own husband is growing suspicious over these... accusations.” She sighed at the mere thought of it all, and stared down at the counter in grief.

“It’s been tough, especially for Tavi.” Vinyl interjected as she levitated her own packet of cigarettes and a box of matches from her cloak pocket, lighting up two cigarettes for herself and Octavia which accepted with an opening of the mouth, “She’s even picking up on my dirty habits just to calm herself. I don’t enjoy it one bit, but she’s the last pony I’d want to piss off.”

Octavia chuckled at Vinyl’s comment and raised her head from the dumps to take a draw from her cigarette. She exhaled the carbon monoxide from her nostrils and held the cigarette with her hoof, “It’s a shame they’re as weak as those ‘Alco-pop’ things that you drink.”

Aurora shoved her hooves over her mouth to suppress her laughter. Vinyl took notice of Aurora’s lack of subtlety.

“What’s so bad about mixers?!”

Aurora removed her hooves as took a few deep breaths to settle herself down before speaking.

“Everything! I’ve had stronger cordial than those things! Whiskey’s where it’s at!”

“So you ordered sake when I have a bottle of whiskey behind the counter, because?” Luka retorted.

“You have whiskey!?” Aurora’s eyes beamed in surprise and delight, “Fuck the sake, Vinyl can have that! I’ll drink that whiskey! You’re wi’ me, right Octavia?!”

“Sure. Don’t expect us to go buck wild though; we have an interview with Stomp Radio tomorrow morning, right Miss Scratch?” Octavia queries her DJ friend with a cocked eyebrow.

“Huh? O-oh yeah! You can trust me!” Vinyl’s voice cracked during the last sentence like she was caught red-hoofed before she even committed the crime.

“Wait. You two are havin’ an interview with DU-“

“Dinner’s up kids!” Luka interrupted Aurora in the nick of time before she yapped on about Dusty Duke and saved the two new patrons from a rabid fan girl moment.

With the three customers staring at the counter, they noticed that Luka had prepared extra spring rolls and glasses for Vinyl and Octavia which was surrounding Aurora’s nasi goreng and the two bottles of alcohol. The articulate banquet that lay before them masked the presence of the flooded ashtray and the crumbs of ash that missed it.

“Eat up. Your dinner’s on Aurora tonight, isn’t that right dear?” Luka stared at Aurora with a murderous intent that told her that she hadn’t forgotten about the little extortion incident earlier today. Crying on the inside, Aurora buckled under Luka’s oppressing stare, hoping that her first impressions with her new pals aren’t compromised by her sadistic nature.

“...Yes Luka.” Aurora muttered pitifully.

Not wanting to delve any further despite their curiosity of what had just happened, Vinyl and Octavia dine into their meals and booze.

The four mares had their fair share of small talk, food, alcohol and cigarettes. Vinyl and Octavia were out for the count and were resting their inebriated heads in their front legs on the counter, as Luka and Aurora were embracing the current ambience as the radio played a modern dance song.

“Techno already?” Aurora enquired, “I gotta get home and get ready for work in the mornin’.”

Octavia had risen from her slumber with groggy, half-opened eyes and a trace of drool shining at the right side of her mouth. Then something inside hit her and burst her eyes open in shock.

“Oh horseapples! Where are we going to sleep!?” Octavia shouted with slurred words, which interrupted Vinyl’s beauty sleep, “We haven’t book a hotel at all and it’s too late to lodge into one now!”

“Don’t worry; I just happen to own one ‘cross the road.” Aurora swayed side by side as she grinned at Octavia with a crooked smile and one eye closed, which had just happened to add a whole new level of dodgy to her already dodgy appearance, “See, I’m smart and carin’”

Octavia glanced at Aurora’s cutie mark and was trying to connect the dots, but gave up pretty fast.

“Uhh... Thank you... Aurora. Should we bid farewell to your lovely friend?”

“It was certainly a pleasure to meet you two celebrities.” Luka bowed.

“The pleasure is all mine, Luka.” Octavia bowed back, “Let’s go Miss Scratch”

“Ugh... I’m up.” Vinyl mumbled as she stumbled off of her stool in a less that graceful manner and slalomed towards the exit. “See ya later Lu.”

“Have fun with that Ferry.” Luka lightly joked with concern for Vinyl’s state as they made for The Iron Palace.

The three drunken mares slowly arrived at the brown brick apartment. As Aurora opened the glass door for the musical mares, she sighed to herself when she took notice of the paper sign taped on the door which read:

POSITION VACANT

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

FLEXIBLE HOURS

APPLY WITHIN

The sign was ragged and had discoloured with age, with the what-was-clear tape holding on for dear life. She closed the door behind them and headed for the key cabinet behind the reception counter. Opening the cabinet, she inspected inside to see not keys, but cards hanging on the numbered hooks. Presumably, there was a green card and a red one behind it for each number. Aurora unhooked a red card from behind the green card for Honeymoon Suite.

Aurora escorted the celebrities to the top floor and halted at the Honeymoon Suite double doors that stood before them. A slotted device was bolted next to the cedar doors and the inventor inserted the red card to open the doors and revealed a spacious and luxurious room, kitted with a large window that was covered by lush red curtains, an en suite bathroom and an antique hoof carved bed adorned in crimson that was crafted to royalty’s standards and complimented the classic decor of the suite. Octavia marvelled at the dimly lit room in awe with her mouth agape and embraced her hooves in the lush white carpet.

Then she noticed something, and it sort of bugged her.

“There’s only one bed.”

Shortly after her realisation, Vinyl collapsed face first at Octavia’s hooves from the free sake. Aurora was actually quite impressed with how much she drank and withdrew her assumption of her being a cheap drunk with a smile.

“Yeah, there is only one bed.” Aurora met her eyes with Octavia’s and shrugged her shoulders. “G’night Tavi.”

“Thank you Aurora... for everything.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Aurora walked through the office mirror and lazily dove onto her black mattress and faceplanted her small stack of two matching pillows. She sniffed her pillows and grimaced at the noxious scent of damp hair, sweat, smoker’s breath and Shanghay food combined.

Blindly grabbing the quilt on the floor next to her bed, she wrapped it over her teal fur and let the whiskey work its sedative magic.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Yikes! It's been too long since I've written a new chapter. Had to deal with personal issues which I can't really disclose, but I'm back on the beat with this story and hopefully, I'll bloody finish it!

I've also looked over previous chapters and made appropriate changes, particularly to Chapter One, kudos to Chuckfinley for the well needed critique (Cheers!). I know for a fact that I need improvement with this whole writing thing, so get nit-picky and feel free to tell me about it.

Oh yeah, for shits and giggles I left a few music references (some vague, some not so much) to go with the 'City of Music' theme I got goin' on. See how many you can find!