Oh, boy, thought Twilight nervously as the group stepped into the stark existential horror that was The Staggered Stallion. Everywhere was music, people, and spirits. Lunar walked through the massive crowd like a pro, unintentionally leaving the other six stumbling and, well, staggering behind her.

"Jeez, could she wait up!?" cried Rainbow Dash, who was about two seconds from punching someone. When they had finally made it through the crowd, the group found Lunar speaking with the bartender, a cream colored unicorn with a red head of hair, like an old friend.

"...So then, I told the dude, 'Ey! Yous betta get offa my bar, or I'll call da cops!', an' ya know what he said?" the barkeep yelled over his patrons and beats.

"What's that?" asked Glow, just as loudly.

"He has the nerve ta look me dead in the eyes and says, 'I'm the conductor of the Poop train!', then he jumps off da bar an' starts runnin' through the streets like a right nutjob. I swear, the kinds a people you- Oh, heyo! New blood! Name's Amber Brew," he cried, finally noticing the girls. "What'll it be?" Twilight facepalmed, just wondering how crazy this place really was.

"We're looking for Tinker Tock; have you seen him!?" yelled Pinkie Pie, who was jumping up and down, as per the norm.

"Chain-Smoke, eh?" said Amber as he began wiping out a glass with his neon green magic, "Think I saw him walk down datta way." He pointed in the direction of the outdoor patio. "He was reeeal quiet too; kinda not like 'im."

Applejack tipped her hat to the man, saying, "Much obliged, Mr. Brew."

"Oh, please, call me Amber, Ms...?"

"Name's Applejack!" said the farm girl. She then proceeded to introduce her other friend's ending with Twilight.

"Oi... that's one a Tinker's jackets, ain't it?" asked Amber as he set down his cup.

Twilight looked a bit shocked at his guess but nodded. "How'd you know?"

Brew's chestnut eyes sparkled with mirth as he said, "I could smell the smoke from here. I swear, the guy smokes more than a factory stack." The group shared a laugh before the seven, including Lunar, walked towards the spot that the amiable bartender had pointed them to. After a bit of searching, they spotted the mechanic sitting at a lone booth, a cigarette in his mouth and his face obscured by his hood. He swirled a small glass of amber liquid in his grip. Lunar sat down next to him, keeping a little space in between them. The others all crowded into the seat across from the pair. The mechanic did not seem to notice, as he just kept swirling his drink.

"Uh... Tinker?" asked Twilight, hoping to break the silence in the group. The emerald eyed metal worker shifted his gaze from his drink to the purple Alicorn in front of him.

"Can I help you?" he said with no real emotion in his tone. Twilight looked at him oddly.

"You... told us to meet you here, remember? The binocu-goggles?" she reminded him. Tinker only turned his attention back to his glass. Lunar's face contorted into an expression of worry.

She said, "Are you felling okay, Tink?"

"Hmph... I feel fine. More than fine, even," he said with a dark chuckle, "Just wondering when you were going to pay me, Ms. Unicorn." This statement took the whole group aback.

"Oh, how rude, Mr. Tinker! I thought you were at least better than that," said Rarity.

"...Hmph," he said, "Thinking; that's where you went wrong, Little Miss!"

All around, stares of confusion and frustration were shared. Maybe he was drunk? He did have a glass of scotch in his hand. As they silently pondered, they heard a loud gasp come from behind them. They all turned around to see... Tinker, with a cigarette and a shot glass, staring at their booth. "I... see," he said, "I understand."

"Uh-oh," muttered the Tinker they were sitting with, "Seems I've been a bad stallion." The standing Tinker lightly set his drink on the table nearest him, it landing on the table with a small clink, and then he turned to face the doppelganger. A sardonic grin stretched his features, and he offered his hand to the other.

"Indeed you have, Rapture," replied Tinker, "I would ask that you drop the act; this may get confusing for those not in the know." Just as he said, the six ladies surrounding the two Tinkers had masks of pure confusion pasted on their faces...

...Which were quickly swapped for looks of surprise, fear, and disgust as the changeling known as Rapture appeared in the spot the black- hooded Tinker had been sitting, materializing in a burst of green magic. He had eyes like Queen Chrysalis, save for the fact that they were a shade more purple. He kept his pseudo-Tinker attire, and his scowl was quickly replaced with a trickster's grin. The girls jumped out of their seats, each of them ready for a brawl.

Before things could get out of hand though, Tinker stepped in to play mediator. "Woah, woah!" he cried out, "Hold on! Don't vaporize him! I haven't gotten his rent money yet!" This comment threw the Six for a loop.

Rent? they thought, This guy is his roommate?

Twilight was the first to speak. "So... you are saying that you are giving... room and board to a changeling?"

"Yes."

"Are you out of your mind!?"

Tinker sighed, bunching up the sleeves of his jacket and looking to Amber Brew, who looked over and gave the engineer a knowing nod.

"Look, how about I explain this over a few drinks, on me?

Author's Note

I'm BACK biches!