"Welcome to the 21st annual 21 tournament, as always I'm your host Big Blind coming to you right here at my fabulous hotel and casino the Celestia's palace in the wonderful city of Los Pegasus!!!"
A royal blue unicorn with a brown mane yelled into a microphone set up on a stage with a crowd of pony's all sat up in the grand stand, stamping their hoofs in applause.
After that a spotlight snapped on to revival a large card table with a silver stallion standing on one side shuffling cards and laying out chips. Just then another spotlight snapped on to revival a red curtain as Big Blind cleared his throat and continued his introduction.
"And now introducing this years tournament finalists, who will be competing for the grand prise of one million bits!!!" He said, waiving a hoof over to a mountainous pile of shiny gold bits on a table with two mares in red tail length dresses standing ether side showing off the pile of money.
"First the finalist from Manehatten, a fashionista by day and a card mistress by night, please put your hoofs together for, miss Fashion Sense," hooted Big Blind as a female Pegasus with a green coat and a black and green mane and tail entered through the certain, she was wearing a rather elegant dress for the occasion which stunningly compliment her coat, yet covered up her cutie mark of a large rack of dresses with a dress being pulled out.
She then turned spinning round to showing off her dress before giving a flutter of her wings and, with another hoot from the audience, she walked with the grace a model over to the table to take her seat.
"Next up from the frontier town. the finalist from Appaloosa, you all will love this card playing cowboy at home on the range please welcome, Hog Tie," He cheered, putting on a western accent, as a heavy built dust coloured earth stallion stepped out, his blond mane hidden by his large cowboy hat, wearing a vest that just covered his thick torso, only just leaving enough space to show off his cutie mark of a lasso being tied round a pig.
Giving a loud "YeeHa" to the audience he made his way over and sat next to Fashion Sense giving her a tip of his hat only to have her turn away from him with a snooty huff making him face forwards as Big Blind continued.
"Now the finalist you know and love, last years winner, the canterlot finalist, he'll serve you all drinks while he deals away the best of them welcome, Silver Platter," Declared Big Blind as a white coated unicorn pony in a black tux steeped out, his silvery grey mane slicked back and a cutie mark of a serving dish on his flank.
He bowed to the audience, as if he where greeting Celestia herself, before shaking hoofs with Big Blind as he walked to the table, in such a manner you'd think he was at the grand galloping gala.
"Now the finalist from right her in Los Pegasus, the pony who I can be very proud to call my son the one and only, Small Blind" he said, a joyous smile all over his face, as a thin built unicorn pony in a white tux steeped onstage, he was a lighter shade of blue than his father however and where his dad's cutie mark was a big pile of casino chips his was a small stack of a few chips.
As he gave his father a hug, getting a few words of advice from his old dad, he sat down to bewildered looks from the other three, however he just glared back and shrugged it off his dad continued.
"Now in his first tournament game, this fairly new yet talented player has shown he's got what it takes to beat the greats, the new Reino finalist also know as the traveling gambler welcome up, BlackJack." He said, in a sly tome trying to add more mystery, as a tan coloured earth pony with a deep brown mane stepped out wearing nothing but a old looking grey trilby hat that sat perched forward on his head.
His cutie mark of a ace and jack of spades laying one over the other on a green star on his flank, he gave a bow to the audience he went to one of the two remaining seats, leaving the end seat open. With the five finalists now seated it was time for Big Blind to reveal a very special player in this years game.
"And now as you all know the final player in the tournament, as always, is a special guest, we've had everypony from A. K. Yearling author of Daring Do to prince Blueblood himself.
"But now in her first trip to Los Pegasus in a long time give it up for the princess of the moon, that's right, you guessed it, none other than, Princess Luna."
This sent a gasp through the audience as the crowd and the finalist stared shocked as the midnight blue alicorn steeped on stage, wings flared with a regal elegance.
As she strode to the table, taking a seat at the end between BlackJack and the dealer, as she turned to the pony's that would be her opponents she smiled at each one, almost as if they where a group of nobles sitting round having tea, and with all eyes on her she simply said in her most relaxed yet regal tone.
"I am looking forward for the opportunity to play against all of you and ask that you do not think of me as a princess in this match as I want to play you all at your best"
"Ok we are going to take a short break before we begin, get a drink and settle in cos I can see the being the match of the century" Big Blind said to the microphone, prompting pony's to the exit.
As pony's started to disperse one slipped away to the bar before anyone could catch him, if he was going to play he needed a drink.
Sitting at the bar alone, attempting to stay inconspicuous so other pony's wouldn't come over, right now all BlackJack needed was time to focus, and of course his favourite whiskey, when after what seemed like an age staring into a glass he heard a voice behind Him.
"Buy a girl a drink."
He turned around about to tell whoever it was to get lost but as he looked up he was met the piercing gaze of princess Luna.
"Your highness" he said his voice hiding the faintest bit of annoyance at being interrupted by her.
"Oh please, remember what I said, don't think of me as a princess think of me as just another pony, one who could really use a drink," Luna said in a less regal more friendly tone.
"Fine, Mixer same again make it a double" he said to the bar keep Mixer as he nodded and pored the drinks. As he placed the drinks down in front of them Luna lent in close to BlackJack whispering, "I have a proposition for you."
"So that's the deal, you help me win the bits for Equestria and I will grant you whatever you want in return," Luna said as she levanted the tumbler to her lips taking a sip and nearly chocking on the alcoholic liquid.
"Two questions one what if what I want is the bits? and two why me? you've got four others to chose from one who would gladly roll across broken glass for you so?" BlackJack said ignoring Luna's distaste for the drink.
"I have asked the others and they all have agreed to the offer saying that the money will go to m- er -I mean equestria and I'm offering everyone a favour from a princess isn't that worth more than any number of bits," she said with a small hint of a sly smile on her face, "So what do you say."
Staring into his glass a smile crept across his face, then he began to chuckle before bursting into full blown laughter. Taking a moment to compose himself he looked up and said in a neutral voice.
"If you expect me to believe that you've been staring at the moon too long."
"How dare y-" Luna began to protest only to be hushed by BlackJack's hoof and drunken rumblings.
"How dare I, your funny, you know that, you come to me with a pack of lyes and you think I'm bad. Let me tell you something I don't care why you want the money and I don't care for you or really for equestria.
"I may not have been around as long as you and Celestia but theirs one thing I know, life is a gamble and everyday we face the consequence of what our life brings.
"If you think you think can change it then your as mad as nightmare moon."
At the mention of that Luna whinnied in discomfort, his words cut her deep yet he seemed not to care just staring into his glass, a look of sorrow and regret on his face, as BlackJack downed the last of his drink he got up to go giving Luna one last look before turning away.
"There's a saying I know and live by, only gamble what you can afford to louse but when you have nothing left to louse then it's never a gamble."
At that he walked away, when, after a moment, Luna called after him.
"So that's it? you play cos you have nothing to louse?" She asked just before he got to the door. At this he glanced back in her direction as he whispered the answer.
"No, I play to win what I couldn't afford to louse."