Author's Note

Yeah, not gonna lie this one is a little fillerish. Got to get my set-up in some were.

Wagers Made

“So, what is it you want? What boon are you willing to try and gamble for?” I ask her as I lead my way to a poker table.

She thinks about it for a minute. “I can ask for anything right?”

I smile at her and nod. “Just remember a real wager has to be even on both sides. You want freedom I want servitude. Service for service, information for information, and good for good; or we can be completely mundane and we can play for money.”

She thinks about this for a minute.

I walk over to the bar and pour myself a beer. ‘Got to love the instant gratification of this magic’ I think taking a pull on the beer. ‘Dam it has been a while sense I had a glass of Stella’ I check my watch 12:34, turning to Rainbow “How about some lunch while you decide?”

Her head comes up and she looks at me not sure what I asked her.

“Lunch, do you want anything?”

“A salad.” She grumbles.

‘Know how to give her meat without her noticing? Can’t put any type of meat in the salad itself. Hmm… Caesar dressing. The real stuff with ground anchovies and raw egg in the dressing.’

“Sounds good I think I’ll have one myself.” I walk over to a poker table tapping my cane the tabletop changes hard wood replacing felt. Next, I covered it with a white tablecloth.

Turning back to Dash I ask, “Care to pick some songs on the jukebox for lunch.” Pointing to what looked like a normal Wurlitzer.

“Fine.” She huffed at me.

As she walked over to the jukebox, I could not help but admire the piece of furniture. It looked like an old 1015, with the hard wood panels and the lead glass arch in the front, in reality it would randomly generate a playlist of human music based on who was in the room. With only two of us in the room, my guess is that most of the selections would be rock.

---Quick perspective jump---

From her perspective, Rainbow Dash’s day had been horrible. Dunked into ice water to wake her up. Changed into whatever sort of beast a human was; ‘glad I got to keep my wings, when Twilight went to the other side of the mirror she said she lost her horn and wings.’ Now to top it all off this guy Delirium was being overly nice to her.

‘Pick some songs on a jukebox easy enough. What is with these bands: Cake, AC DC, Daft Punk, the Fratellis… must be human music.’ Not knowing anything about the choices, I just hit the random button a few times and walked back to the table.

---- And were back----
While Dash had been picking the music I had set the table while not as fancy as I could have made it the setup would not have been out of place at an Olive Garden. Salad fork and regular fork on a cloth napkin, a plate, and two types of knives. On the table, a large wood bowel held enough salad for two next to this a small bowel of extra Parmesan cheese, and a boat filled with more dressing. To top it off a basket of fresh garlic bread sticks.

Rainbow just looked at what was on the table like it wasn’t even there. ‘Should of taken Rarity at least then I might get some manners at least at the table; or some forced polite conversation.’

Another silent meal in which she just shovels down everything in front of her, ‘at this rate I could just put a steak in front of her and she would just eat it.’

The music started up O.A.R- Crazy Game of Poker.

I try to get her talking again. “So have you thought about what you will wager?”

Her eyes seem to have some fire in them when she asks “I can ask for anything right?”

I just smile and nod my head.

“Then I want to hear what games you think you can beat me in?”

“Choosing your bet based on the game, fair enough. I was thinking some card games.”

“What like old mare?”

“No more like poker, twenty-one or euchre.”

“What’s euchre?”

“A game that was supposedly invented in my former home region, it’s called one of the fastest card games you can play.”

“Fast huh I like that what are the rules?”

“One thing before I tell you. This game needs four players so I will let you pick anyone you want in to play on your team.”

“What the hay! You expect me to just let your bring another pony here to be you hostage?”

“Well, yes and no. I said you can pick anyone to be your partner for the game including yourself. I believe you are familiar with the mirror pool, or you could pick a friend, a hero, or maybe one of the princesses.”

She seemed to ponder this.

One more push. “I will give you a little bonus while I am at it 2:1 odds. They can ask for something while I can only collect from you.”

“Done. I want to know what your plans are.”

“Very well so we are playing for information. Who do you choose to play with you?”

“You first.”

“Fair enough.” I tap my cane on the ground and lunch is gone. The poker table is back to felt with a deck of cards in the center and standing next to me is me. “So who do you want?”

Her hand goes to her mouth as she rubs her chin thinking. This goes on for a minute before she starts smiling. “I want Princess Celestia.”

What little smile was on my face went away. ‘Okay, this could either be really good or bad.’ “A deal is a deal, well played. This will take a minute.”

She sat there watching me as I rose from my seat and walked over to the bar.

‘How to do this?’ I reach into my breast pocket and pull out the guide to my powers. ‘If I take her now and don’t release her in a timely manner Luna will come looking.’ Flipping to the back cover, I notice that the rules do not really limit me in what I can do. ‘So do I want to Doc Brown this? … Nah I got a little Captain in me.’

I slam my cane on the ground and in a flash of light, my outfit changes. Now I am wearing a grey-blue RAF greatcoat, ankle-length, with brass buttons and a belt. Black WWII RAF officer’s sheepskin flying boots. Dark gray slacks with a worn brown belt complete with holster. Grey braces over a navy blue shirt with the collar of a white undershirt poking out.

I look myself over. ‘Almost still needs a little something.’ Looking down I realize what. Taking my cane in my right hand, I strike my left wrist with it. The wood wraps around my forearm leaving me holding the handle. Before the wood finishes forming around my arm, I stick the handle into the holster and draw it back out. Now in my right hand is a Webley Mk. IV, .38/200 caliber Revolver and on my left wrist is a time agent’s vortex manipulator.

I look over at Rainbow Dash “Be right back.”

She just stares at me not getting the joke at all.

I hit a button and jump forward in time and space. Into a broom closet containing only a mop. “Dam no fez. Why is there never a fez? Oh well, dressed as Jack not the Eleventh Doctor.” I turn around and check to see that the coast is clear. No one was in the hall.

Stepping out I listen for a minute I hear some rather up beat chamber music. ‘It’s coming from upstairs.’ I start walking down the hall to a stair well and head up.