Apocolyptria

                                           Three days earlier

   Spade tried to drown out the loud, thumping music of the club and tried to focus on her card game. She was an earth pony with a light brown coat, long shaggy black-and-white hair (She has the nickname of "Skunk" as a filly), and emerald green eyes. Her cutie mark displayed a spade, like the one you would find on a playing card. Spade was obviously a cardmaster locked in an intense game of poker against a pony that challenged her. The challenging pony was a stallion by the name of Lance Redwing. He was a white pegasus with black, short hair. His eyes were a deep bright blue. His cutie mark displayed two gold wings with a red crucifix in the middle. Lance served at the local church for his living.

  Spade tossed in a few red chips, adding on to the growing pile in the center. Her face was in an emotionless poker face, which she wore almost constantly. Spade hardly ever showed emotion. Spade looked back at her hand after she tossed in the red chips. It wasn't looking good for her. She had what was so close to a full house. Three fives, one seven, and one nine. Spade was a cheater. She would even admit it with pride. When things got tough, she cheated. Experience taught Spade only to use the dark suits if she hid cards in her mane. At this present moment, she had all 26 of the dark suits; clubs and spades. She had a hidden scar down the length of her inner thigh, caused by when she got too careless to cheat. She kept the scar secret from everypony. Only a few stallions know about it. But Spade never sees them anymore.

   It was kind of a game changer when Lance threw in two red chips and one black chip. "Shit." Spade mumbled under her breath. Either Lance had a really good hand that would win no matter what she played, or he was hoping Spade had a hand lower than his and was trying to steal away the chips in the center. Spade focused on what to do next. Coltdammit, that music was loud. It made focusing hard to do. No one never beat Spade, and especially in Manehatten, where she was at now. Spade didn't have a house, for she was always traveling all over Equestria, looking for more opponents everyday, living off of the winnings she makes.

  Spade sunk down into her chair and covered part of her face with her cards. The nine of clubs in her deck was laughing in her face. Spade had the seven of clubs in the tips where her mane ended by her side. Spade knew where and what every card was that was hidden in her mane. Spade first needed to see Lance's hand before she tries anything. Spade was always careful where she sat around the table. Always, in every game of poker, she chose the darkest corner around the table, making it impossible to see her cards reflecting off of her eyes.

Lance was none the wiser about the strategy. While he waited for Spade to make her move, he looked back down to his hand. Spade saw his eyes move to his hand and took her chance. Not moving her head or any other muscle, she looked up into his blue eyes. From her angle, she caught a glimpse of his whole hand. He had weak cards. He only had a three of a kind made up by tens. If Spade could reach that seven of clubs stashed in her mane, she would win. With one slowly and precisely planned move, Spade grabbed her water glass from the table in a way the droplets clinging onto the outside rubbed all over her hoof.

  Whenever Spade played a game of cards, she always ordered water with extra ice. When the water in the glass gets cold enough, condensation sticks to the outside of the glass. Spade had another trick up her sleeve that required the condensation. Spade new that if she got the back of her card wet enough, it can stick to almost any surface. Playing it cool, Spade took a sip of the water while the droplets on the outside stuck to her hoof. After, she set the glass down and replaced her hoof back where it was. Lance looked impatient, still waiting for Spade's move. Spade was still looking at her hand. Lance started looking around. He was sure he was going to beat Spade, considering she was taking a long time.

  When Lance looked one way, Spade saw her chance. He hoof, still damp from the glass, pressed against the back of her nine of clubs. She yanked it out of the hand and shoved it into her tail. She replaced her hoof tobl hold the deck while the other one reached down her side. She slid the seven out and placed it next to the other seven. She barely had time to act as if nothing happened when Lance turned back to her. Spade finally grabbed a black chip and tossed it in with the pile. Lance laid his cards down after, and Spade did the same. Lance's victorious smile soon turned to a frowm as he caught sight of Spade's full house. He leaned back with his arm crossed against his chest and let out a huff. Spade just grinned as she gathered the chips from the center and dragged them towards her. "Up for another game?" She asked once shd had all of the chips.

  Lance just shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm done for tonite." He mumbled. "Pay up." Spade said after Lance. "Coltdammit, Spade, you are running me dry." Lance grunted as he reached into his satchel and pulled out his wallet. He grabbed the amount he owed Spade, who eagerly stashed it away in her traveler's pack. She was going to eat tomorrow after all. Money wasn't a big issue for Spade, but getting enough just to pull her through was always great. "Well, I'd better get going." Lance said, getting up from the table. "Yeah, me too. Gotta get a motel or something." Spade said, getting up as well. As she got up, though, the nine of clubs fluttered down out of her mane.

  Spade didn't secure it tight enough, and now it just landed on the tabled in front of Lance. Dread sent anxiety all through Spade's body as Lance picked up the card then looked at Spade. He had been tricked! Lance slammed his hoof angrily on the table. He gave away over two hundred bits to this cheater! Spade grabbed her pack and shouldered it on quickly. She was in no hurry to be giving away that amount of money. "Sit down." Lance demanded loudly. "No thanks, I prefer standing..." Spade whimpered. Lance held his hoof out, silently demanding his money back. Spade stared at his hoof, then wrapped her hoof around the glass of water on the table. This glass had another perk to it. She placed the rim to her mouth and drank the water. When it was drained, she sighed in relief and grinned at Lance.

That's refreshing." She said. Then Lance made a mistake of taking a step forward. Spade immediately brought the glass down over his head, shattering it as it made impact. Lance screamed with surprise and pain at the same time. Spade took this opportunity to turn and galloped to the exit. She pushed and shoved past  ponies, and reached the exit. She looked back and saw Lance at the table still, rubbing his head. Some ponies tried to help him. Others looked from him to the direction Spade ran off to and then back to him. Lance shook off the ponies that tried to help him and looked up furiously. His gaze traveled over the ponies in the club, obviously seeking for Spade. Spade just ran off outside into the cool night. Lance yelled her name out furiously as Spade galloped off into the night.