I sling drink

*knock knock* "Vlad, Vladamir!?"

"Otebis'....sooka...." I groaned rolling in my bed.

"Vlad get up, it's almost seven!"

"Whua~ chyort, hold on," I shouted throwing my legs off the side of the bed, "AUuuurgh," I groaned getting to my feet, "Ohhhh Anna, my Anna, if you could see your man now, I have grown so old," I quickly got dressed, ignoring the pain in my joints, "Is no matter," I pulled a sweater on and found my boots, It was meant to snow over night, first snow of the year.

"Vlad come on! Hurry up!" I looked around finding my clock.

"Ginger! Is six forty!" I yelled at my door.

"And!? Come on you're going to be late," I sauntered over to the door and pulled it open, my sand toned counterpart shivering in the cold.

"What is this....why do you not have coat?"

"We don't wear coats...."

"Piz'duk"

"What?"

"Bullshit....anyways come in, I make breakfast," It may seem odd to eat, let alone wake up this late, but is my life, to wake, to work, to sleep. I lead her to my humble kitchen and sat her down. She was still shaking from the cold, "Wait here," I hurried to my bedroom and grabbed a fur blanket from storage. "Here," I quickly draped it over her and the chair, "Someone must be sure you survive," I quickly started to set out some simple grains, "You horse people, what you miss," I said taking a bite out of the last of my jerky.

"Ponies," She corrected.

"I will never say that....you know the kind of men who would say that in my land were beaten quite often,"

"That's....why?" She looked legitimately concerned.

"Homosexuality is frowned on,"

Her face scrunched up, "So you're saying that if you said ponies, you'd be gay!? You're a freak,"

"No....is just not something I would say,"

"Whatever," She huffed, rather annoyed looking.

"Yes....whatever" I mocked pushing a bowl of oatmeal over to her, "Eat,"

"Don't tell me what to do,"

"Eat...." She stared at me before taking a mouthful of the concoction, myself following the motion, "See...is like I am your papa, ha ha ha," She pouted and sunk her face behind the bowl.

"mmhmhm," We sat there a while just eating, "So....I met another human earlier,"

"Oh?"

"Yeah...he sounded different....like us,"

"Was he American?"

"I don't know....maybe,"

"Well you all sound American to me,"

"Then what are you, cause you don't sound like us,"

"Russian, from Novgorod Oblast,"

"Oh....what's it like," She said pushing her now empty bowl away, "We never talk outside the bar,"

"Is cold, and wet,"

"And...." She made circles with her hoof, "I barely know who you are, tell me about yourself,"

"Oh...you know my name, now you know my country, what else is to know,"

"Married?"

"....." I stood and took the now empty bowls to the sink, "I don't talk about that,"

"Bu-"

"No," I just set them in the sink, something to take care of later, "No children, no friends, nothing from my old home, now come, you want to be to bar so early," I tore the blanket off of her, "Davai, go, go," I started shoving her out the door.

"Ach- hey, no reason to be rude,"

"Then do not ask me question again," I turned and locked up my home, "Is time,"

"Ginger, go and open door," She complied, as she walked one could still tell the bitter cold had stuck to her, "...and go look in office, should be blanket or sheet," Her ear twitched in acknowledgment. She quickly unlocked the door and pushed it open, a modest surge rolled in. This is barely half of what showed up last night. Ponies came and went drinks in hoof.

"Hey...." A tired looking unicorn mare said taking a seat at the bar, "I heard what happened,"

"Oh? what happened,"

"With the nightguard....I know this place is usually packed....from what I heard," She leaned onto the counter, "That guard you threatened, he's spreading rumors that you're a "Freak lover" "

"Oh....and who are you," I said angrily, "And what is "Freak lover?""

"...you know....batponies....someponies don't like them, I don't mind them. But a lot of ponies are suspicious."

"...Did you need drink?"

"Oh- uh.....screwdriver.....please," She slid the bits over the counter, as I gave her her drink, "Thanks.....I hope your business does alright,"

"Freak lover.....Kem oni sebya vozomnili, Sooka," I mumbled angrily. The prospect of scaring off half my customers was none to appealing, and for such a stupid thing.

"What? What happened, I can tell when you're mad, you start talking all funny," Ginger poke her head out of the office wrapped in another fur blanket.

"Is nothing....be ready to work soon," Everything was quiet, only a few tables full, only a slight lull in lew of the usual bustle.

Eventually another stallion in a guard uniform came to the counter, "Bloody mary." I quickly mixed the drink and slid it over the counter, as he paid. He took a deep swig before gesturing for me to lean in. Once I was close he spit his drink out all over me, "*Blah* OH SORRY, MUST BE FOR BATS,"

"MANDA," I reached out and grabbed him by the chest plate, "Bliad," I gave him a good smack, "Sooka!" Another, "You come here to spit on me, ya yob tvoyiu mat!" I got one more solid slap before A voice broke the scene.

"HEY, KNOCK IT OFF!" I felt the stallion get wrenched away, "It's enough," Before I could wipe my face several nightguards were at the counter, "We'll take care of it, go and get cleaned up,"

I gave them an angry look as I wiped my face, "Otebis'," I quickly made my way into the office.

"Whoa...what happened," Ginger said rising from a pile of blankets.

"Is nothing, go to bar, I need to clean." I pulled my shirt off and wiped off my face and neck, "Mudak...come into my business..." I quickly found a spare in storage and got redressed. I pushed out into the bar, only to see it filled to capacity with waiting Nightguards, "Chto za huy?!"

"VLAD HELP!" Ginger managed to call from the bar, "They came outta nowhere!" I quickly made my way to the bar, sliding my hand to find my gun.

"Hey! Come on,"

"Yeah I just got off, I need a drink,"

"I just heard about this place, come on!"

"Huh?" I said looking at Ginger, her face not one of terror, but one of frenzy as she hurriedly poured drinks.

"Vlad don't just stand there!" She moaned under the proverbial weight.

"Bliad.....LISTEN, ONE AT A TIME!" My voice cut the noisy bustle, "You will all be served quickly if you are in order," There was a quick hush before the rush of batponies took a collective step back, "Horosho, I TAKE THREE ORDERS!" As I yelled three of them approached.

"Black Russian,"

"Yeah,"

"Me too,"

"Uh....Ginger," I leaned over to her, "How much coffee liqueur do we have,"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"Chyort....we may run out," I quickly poured the drinks and slid them across, a flurry of bits being thrown across the bar. Another three quickly took their place, "Black Russian?" The three nodded...."No.....White Russian," I could cut back on the coffee and stave off our eventual shortage, "Is the same this with cream,"

They looked around nervously before nodding. I quickly poured the drinks and passed them across. One of the more eager bats took a drink right there, "Hmmm, that is good!"

The next trio came forward, "Please something other than black russian...." I said to them.

"Uh.....what else do you-"

"Vodka..." A familiar voice cut out, "Just Vodka. A number of bits flew across the counter.

"Oh....is you, keep money, you paid last time," I pushed the bits along with a glass over.

"Thanks....." He took the bits and drink and hurried off.

"....so....vodka?" The first guard asked, "Or..."

I rolled my eyes and poured him a lime and vodka mix, "Try," I slid a shotglass over to him. He took a drink and quickly motioned for more, "Six bits..." The coins were almost launched over the counter.

"Uh...I'll have that," Said the last guard.

"Horosho, NEXT!"

Things calmed down after that, a steady trickle in and out as the guards changed shifts. The bar was absolutely packed, as soon as one would leave another would take it's place, "Hi...." A batmare strode up to take a seat at the bar, another snagging it before she could get there.

"Friend I-" I couldn't finish speaking before he was ripped backwards off the stool, the mare taking his place right after.

"Rude...." She hissed at the now grounded guard., "Hi...." She said with a low, smokey tone, "I heard this place serves good drinks,"

"Yes,"

"...so, what you got?"

I quickly pulled the mix for the nights most popular drink out and poured one, "Black Russian....apparently you people enjoy coffee...." I slid the drink to her. A few bits fly across.

"You sound funny,"

"....ok?"

"What's your name,"

"Vladamir,"

"That's a funny name...."

".....if you want to start fight I suggest you leave,"

"Why would I do that," Her hoof circled the glass, "You seem like a nice guy,"

"What do you want,"

"Nothing...." I started walking away, "Wait...stay..." I stopped and went back, "Where are you from?"

I set my hands on the counter".....do you need drink?"

".....please stay," She reached out and brushed my sleeve, "Please?"

"*Sigh*.....what do you want,"

"Talk with me, I heard you're a friend of the nightguard,"

"No.....I do not have friends,"

"...look around," I did, the room was still packed this late, "Luna said this place was friendly to us, that it was good, Luna told the entire nightguard, do you realize what this means?" She said in a hushed tone.

"That you can drink...."

"No! you don't get it, most ponies in Canterlot are scared of us, most ponies in general are,"

"Is not my problem....I serve drink, I care little to whom,"

"It does matter!" She pulled at my sleeve, "Even having this, a bar....it means a lot," She moved her hoof from my sleeve to my hand, "To all of us," I pulled my hand away.

"I'm going to go,"

"Wait! My name is Nightshade.....please remember," I walked to the other side of the bar, "Please remember,"

"IS CLOSING!" I said slamming on the bar, "Time to leave,"

This was met with groans and mumbled from the still modestly full bar, "But the sun's not even up!"

"Is point!" I yelled back, "Come back tomorrow!" Eventually all but two batponies left, "You two, what is this," They approached that bar.

"We are the ones who broke up that....fight....earlier, I just wanted to warn you: don't do that again, just call us and we'll take care of it," They turned to leave, "This place is under Luna's protection....and so are you," They left leaving me alone at the bar. Time to clean up and take Ginger home.....what an odd night. I took a look at the register, it looked like it was about to explode.

"But profit....profit does not lie."