Chapter 32

Unhealthy venting

The girls saw Chip Drop and a dozen of Brightlight guards hurrying towards them. Some of the guards dropped on one knee, ready for trouble, and others stayed by the side of their superior. As he approached them, his face relaxed.

"Oh, that's you," he said. "Men, stand down!" he shouted to those who remained slightly behind, and they rose up.

"You seem tense," Twilight observed.

"The last days have gone batshit crazy. First the kinda-usual zombie attacks happened, and then the fucking Metro Survivalists attacked with some other people and feral ghouls mixed in. They managed to breach one of our walls and make a mess, we lost thirty guards and seventy civvies. Then, when we almost lost hope, all of them just screamed, and their eyes burst. We were busy dumping all the bodies into the ditch, thought we wouldn't manage. What about you? You look like you went through Tartarus."

"You can say that," Sunset said. "Look, we're tired as fuck and we want to sleep. We'll tell Round Risk what we have found out regarding the zombie situation in detail, but tomorrow. For now, we can only say that the zombie attacks should not repeat."

"Really?"

"Really," Lyra said. "But details later."

"OK. Come in then. I think that there are some rooms that should have cots for you..."

The next day, after catching almost nine (in Rarity's case, ten) hours of sleep thanks to the exhaustion, the girls spent some time going around the shops, selling the excessive loot they carried with themselves. Everyone felt glad to get rid of the items they did not need and receive some caps for it. In return, they replenished their supply of ammo and medicines, as well as for some repairs on their gear. Applejack had to buy a new frontal armour plate for her power armour, as the craftsman outright refused to repair the one she had - it was in such a sorry state that, according to him, "even if it's fixed, it's gonna hold itself only on prayers to whatever deity you may believe in". That set the farmer back a bit, but having a brand new plate was a lot better than getting shot, so she paid for it.

When the group decided they were ready to tell the tale, they went to the mayor's office. Round Risk accepted them, hiding his surprise at seeing more people than he had expected to see.

"I am sure you have heard how the last few days have been hell for Brightlight, so let's get down to business," he said. "Have you managed to find out the reason behind the zombie attacks?"

"Yes," Twilight said, "although it might sound strange. The rumours about Commissariat mind control have been... partially proven true, so to speak."

"More details, please."

"Do you know what a Hypnotron is?"

"Yes. NSC used it to quell riots, and got into scandals when the device caused fatal brain hemorrhages. It also supposedly made people more pliable to obey commands."

"Well, as we have found out, Commissariat wanted to perfect the mind-controlling aspect and commissioned research for a... Hypnotron Mk. II, if you want to put it that way."

"While plausible, are you sure that was not misinformation? NSC liked this tactic."

"I can vouch for that claim," Lyra spoke up. "I am one of the former Commissariat operatives myself."

Both Round Risk and the guards bristled, their attention focused on the mint-skinned girl.

"Can you prove it?" the mayor asked. Instead of answering him, Lyra took out some sort of a metallic token and showed it to him. He watched it carefully, and then nodded:

"I see. You wouldn't have this token without being a Commissar. You said you can vouch for Miss Sparkle's claim?"

"Yes. When I served in NSC, I have repeatedly heard hushed rumours about advanced Hypnotron devices being developed. While that information was most likely classified and meant for higher-ups only, the rumours were persistent even at my level - I held a rank of Captain - and I had access to the... more hidden information on Hypnotrons, which allowed me to assume that NSC would want to investigate the possibility of mind control even further. Some time before apocalypse, I saw that a large sum of money was dumped on some project for NSC. Commissariat rarely, if ever, commissioned something from the scientists, and none of the projects aside from an advanced model of Hypnotron could require that much."

"Pardon my curiousity, but how did you come across Miss Sparkle and her friends?"

"Me and my friend," Lyra pointed at Bon Bon, "were investigating the issue separately from them, and ran across one of her friends when she was in NSC building. We suspected someone found a prototype for this advanced Hypnotron and was playing around with it."

"And it was true," Twilight said. "A person was fooling around with one."

"Who?"

"Someone who called herself Adagio Dazzle. I have no idea how she found it; possibly it was by chance, or she might have been a rogue Commissar. She slowly and carefully indoctrinated more and more people, as well as Metro Survivalists, until she grew bold enough to openly attack Horseshoe Highway and Brightlight. We encountered her when we left Horseshoe Highway with our ally, Sugarcoat. Dazzle, or rather, her goons, took me and one of my friends prisoner when we got separated from the rest of my group."

"They knocked us out by hard hits with lead pipes on the head," Sunset said. "We were at the building of Stable Hearts Limited when this happened."

"When we found that Twilight and Sunset were gone," Rarity continued, "we were searching them throughout the building when zombies attacked. We repelled one wave, but retreated when another one appeared."

"I had been a cadet at police academy, so I led them to the police station," Sugarcoat said. "I activated the robots inside, and we fought off several waves until we were forced out of there as well saw Twilight's dog, Spike."

"He escaped from the building we were held in, and he brought everyone to us," Twilight spoke.

"But before that," Applejack took over, "we hadta sneak around the city, an' even get into sewers, to avoid detection. We decided to let Rarity check out the NSC building and me an' Sugarcoat would distract the zombies."

"That's when I met them," Rarity pointed at Lyra and Bon Bon. "I explained the situation and we joined forces. We managed to use the distraction to liberate our friends before they were brainwashed, and Dazzle came after us herself."

"You killed her?" Round Risk asked.

"Yes. I did it," Twilight said, nodding. "And we thoroughly destroyed the prototype she carried. It is nothing but scrap and cannot be rebuit now."

"Well," Round Risk said, "you really came through. Given the latest tendencies, this is a blow to our budget, but I had made a promise. Each of you gets one and a half thousand caps from me," opening the safe, he gave the reward to everyone.

"Much appreciated," Sugarcoat said.

"I have nothing more to ask of you. Do you need something else from me?"

The girls shook their heads.

"Then I wish you good luck. Enjoy your rest in Brightlight."

As the girls went back to their room in the motel, Applejack said:

"Truth be told, Ah didn't expect this Round Risk fella to actually pay us. Ah thought he would try to sneak his way outta that one."

"Probably," Sunset said, "but Brightlight still makes hundreds, if not thousands, caps per day. I'm pretty sure he taxes everyone who works here, and Brightlight has been established for several years. I think that dropping ten thousand and five hundred caps might be tolerable for him, if not pocket change."

"I doubt that it would be pocket change. I think he is just glad we dealt with the situation," Bon Bon grumbled. "And I am sure he would want us to spend the caps in the casino or other places here. He does tax the owners of any establishments here, after all. So the more we spend, the more caps to him."

"Well," Rarity said, "I don't know about others, but I am in the mood to try my luck. We have survived a horrible ordeal, so let us unwind at the "True Trot" casino!"

"Unwinding does sound good," Sunset said.

"Same here, but I don't know what agmes they play in the casino," Twilight admitted.

"I can help you with that, darling," the ex-fashionista said.

"Aren't y'all worried that you might lose all your money?" Applejack asked.

"We won't take all our money," Sunset countered. "Only a limited sum. Five hundred caps should be enough."

"Well, Ah'll go with ya, if only to get y'all outta there if you lose too much or become captured by excitement," Applejack said. "An' Ah'll bring mah own caps as well."

"Lyra, Bon Bon, Sugarcoat?" Twilight asked.

"I'm in," Sugarcoat replied, "although this is likely to result in me losing caps."

"We won't participate," Lyra said, and Bon Bon shook her head. "Not really interested. But we'll guard your things."

"I do recall that you've rummaged through my rucksack once..." Sunset squinted her eyes.

"I won't do that again. Promise."

"Pinkie Promise or no dice."

"Ugh... cross my heart, and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," Lyra repeated the movements she had learned from Pinkie Pie long ago.

"Alright, everyone," the fiery-haired girl said, "let's have a blast!"

The quintet of girls (and Spike, carefully hidden in a rucksack) entered the "True Trot" casino, where two guards in rather clean and shiny (but still outwardly sturdy) armour greeted them with professional smiles and informed them of the ban on carrying weapons inside. Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow at that tidbit of information.

"As far as I remember, others from Horseshoe Highway said one could carry sidearms here," she remarked.

"That was earlier," one of the guards said. "Even with that limitation, there was not a month without a casualty, and the owner got tired of blood droplets and brain fragments adorning this or that surface. When there was more blood than money on one of the tables after a shootout, he banned all weapons."

"So if you have any weapons on your person, you give that to that pretty girl over there," the other guard waved his hand in the mentioned direction, "get a token which you'll need to return to get your stuff back, and then you will be searched for hidden weaponry. You can keep armour on, though. Oh, and if you do happen to... "find" a "lost" gun somewhere... kindly resist the temptation to use it. OK?"

"OK," Twilight said, slightly unsure. The girls surrendered whatever weapons they brought with themselves, and then guards searched them. Sunset noted that the guards acted more professionally than the Paladin that had molested her.

The guards also went through their bags and rucksacks. Both frowned when they found Spike in Twilight's rucksack, but the violet-haired girl assured them he wasn't aggressive and would not "leave a mess".

"OK," one of the guards said doubtfully, "but one mishap and you pray that the owner doesn't ban you."

Half a minute later, Twilight and Applejack were looking at Rarity, who was being searched. While the indigo-haired girl did surrender a 10mm pistol and combat knife she had got from somewhere, her .22 silenced pistol or balisong knife were not in the heap. She stood still, her face bearing a cold and impassionate - even bored - expression as she was searched.

The guards waved her through. She thanked them with a smile that both of them goofily returned, and went past Twilight and Applejack who shared a look that said OK, we both know that Rarity just smuggled her weapons inside, so let's not draw attention to it, and followed inside.

A doorman greeted them inside:

"Welcome to "True Trot" casino, ladies!" he smiled, and girls noted with displeasure that his teeth were almost fully covered in something yellowish.

"Pleasure to be here," Twilight said diplomatically.

"Since we have never seen you here, would you like me to tell you the basics of how we work here?"

"Yes, please."

"Very well. You need to exchange the money you have for casino chips at the cashier's. After that, you may follow in. We have blackjack tables, poker tables, roulette tables and slot machines. You can order drinks at the bar. Please follow croupier's instructions and don't disrupt the peace. Obey the guards, if they address you. Any questions?"

"What kind of poker do you have here?" Rarity asked.

"Appleloosan hold'em is the most popular here, ma'am."

"Thanks, that's all I needed."

"Any more questions?" seeing the girls shake their heads negatively, the doorman said, "Come on in!"

Everyone went inside and to the cashier's desk where the elderly man exchanged their caps for casino chips.

"Rarity," Twilight whispered, "I have no idea how to play!"

"Don't worry, darling, I can tell you the rules. Let us start with blackjack," Rarity took her own chips, and quickly explained the rules as everyone went to the blackjack table. The croupier who was near it greeted them politely and asked whether they needed to hear the rules. The girls replied negatively.

"Place your bets," the croupier said. Everyone placed a chip marked with number "5" (Twilight was the last one to put hers down). Then he dealt everyone and himself two cards. The girls had theirs face up, while the dealer had the second card face down.

"Hit me," Rarity raised her hand. The croupier gave her another one - eight of clovers. This lead to Rarity having 23 points.

"Bust," the croupier said. Rarity slid her chip to him.

"Hit me," Applejack said, and received a five of diamonds, upping her count to 20 points.

Twilight looked at her own cards. She had four of hearts and six of spades.

Ten points, not enough to hope for a win.

"Hit me," she said, and received nine of diamonds. Nineteen points. Decent.

"Stand," Sugarcoat said, looking at her cards that had 18 points in total.

"Stand," Sunset said, with 19 points of her won. The croupier turned his closed card face up. He had a ten of hearts and a nine of spades - nineteen points. Sugarcoat groaned and slid her chip to the dealer. Applejack whooped and took the "5" chip offered by the dealer, while Twilight and Sunset were instructed to take their chips back.

"Next round," the croupier (or dealer, as Rarity insisted to call him) took back the cards and reshuffled them while the girls placed a "5" chip again, then gave out the cards. Twilight looked at the cards - two tens.

"Split," she declared, and slid another "5" chip. The dealer moved one of the tens aside, and gave out a card. Ace of diamonds.

"Blackjack," he declared, and gave out another card to Twilight. Three of hearts.

"Hit me," she said, receiving a six of spades.

"Stand," she said after that.

Sunset decided to stand at seventeen, Sugarcoat got a card and upped her count to twenty-one, Applejack stood at nineteen, and Rarity doubled the bet and got a card, having twenty points in total.

The dealer turned out to have seventeen points as well, which meant that everyone except Sunset won.

For the next hand, everyone decided to bet a chip marked as "10". This time, Sunset hit a natural blackjack and won against dealer's 19 points, while Twilight also won with 20 points, Applejack busted, Sugarcoat won with 21 points and Rarity ended in a tie.

For several rounds they played while betting ten caps. Chips went back and forth, until Twilight managed to win 40 caps in total, Sunset and Sugarcoat won 20, Applejack won 15, and Rarity boosted her own count to 50 caps of net profit thanks to several lucky instances.

After that, everyone decided to bet 25 caps, and slid a "25" chip to the betting box. The dealer gave out the cards.

Twilight looked at her ace of hearts and a two of clubs. Either three or thirteen points. Depends on what comes next.

"Hit me," she said, and got a queen of spades.

Thirteen. I recall that the humans tend to think of thirteen as an unlucky number, and queen of spades as an unlucky card. I wonder if two negatives give a positive? she thought.

"Hit me," she repeated. This time, she got a four of hearts.

Seventeen. In theory, I should stop here, because the risk of bust is rather high.

"Hit me," she heard Rarity say, and groan a couple of seconds later as the dealer declared "Bust". Applejack also asked for a card, and then said "Stand", as her count equaled twenty points now.

Both Rarity and Applejack got higher-value cards, she noticed.

"Stand," Sugarcoat declared, having a jack of spades and an eight of diamonds already.

No doubt she also decided against the risk.

"Hit me," Sunset asked, and received a five of diamonds, which brought her total to twenty points.

"Stand," she said.

I wonder if... Twilight thought, and then breathed out:

"Hit me."

The dealer raised an eyebrow in surprise, but said nothing as he slid a card to Twilight face up.

Four of hearts.

Twenty-one! I am one lucky pony.

The dealer opened his cards, which turned out to read seventeen. Without a word, he slid "25" chips to everyone but Rarity. Collecting the cards, he reshuffled them again.

The girls played several more rounds, betting as they saw fit, raising or lowering the stakes whenever they felt appropriate. When they played four more round, Twilight had 60 caps of net profit, Sunset had 80 thanks to a risky bet of fifty caps, Rarity had 45 caps, Applejack had 25 and Sugarcoat had 55.

In the end, they decided to end the blackjack game with a small bang, and slid forward a chip marked "100" each. The dealer gave out the cards, and everyone went deep in thought.

Twilight had a six of hearts and a six of spades.

"Split," she declared, and slid another "100" chip.

"Split," Rarity said, sliding apart four of diamonds and four of hearts. Dealer gave both of them extra cards.

"Hit me," Sunset said, receiving a two of hearts and bringing her total to twelve points.

"Hit me," she repeated, and got an eight of clubs. Deciding not to go further, she said "Stand".

"Hit me," Applejack asked, receiving an ace of spades.

"Damn," Sunset laughed, "should have said "Hit me" last time."

"Ya never know what happens," Applejack smirked smugly, since her total count equaled twenty-one now.

"Hit me," Twilight said, receiving a queen of spades again.

Ponyfeathers! This is either very funny or very bad.

"Hit me," Sugarcoat said, and got a king of spades. "Ha! I've got a higher-ranking card than yours, Twilight!"

"It still counts as ten points, Sugarcoat."

"Can't even jokingly gloat anymore."

"Hit me," Rarity said and received a three of clubs.

"Hit me," Twilight said, receiving a five of diamonds. Twenty-one for my first bet, but will the second one go as well?

"Hit me," Rarity repeated. "Stand," she said, seeing as her first count equaled twenty.

"Hit me," Twilight spoke again, getting a five of hearts. She repeated her request and got an ace of diamonds.

Ouch. Good thing it's not always eleven points, or I would bust this bet.

Rarity requested another card, and received a jack of diamonds. She decided to stop.

"Hit me," she asked again, and got a two of spades.

Oh for the love of...

"Hit me," she repeated, and received another ace, of clubs this time.

"Oh for the love of..!" she exclaimed, as other chuckled. "Hit me!"

Nine of hearts looked up at her as the card slid to her. The lavender-skinned girl looked at it, slack-jawed, for several seconds, and the dealer did not even dare to say "bust" for fear of triggering an adverse reaction.

Twilight raised her head upwards and laughed uproariously.

"Flipping pony nuts!" she shouted at the ceiling, laughing uncontrollably. "Oh you've gotta be kidding me... Bust," she said, sliding the chip to the dealer. The latter calmly collected it and opened his own cards, which totaled nineteen points. He paid out the winnings, where applicable, and Rarity slipped him a chip marked "25".

"Thanks for the game, good sir," she smiled at him.

"You're welcome," he said. Seeing this, other girls gave him a tip as well, earning more thanks.

"Well, that was nice," Rarity said. "Anyone up for a game of poker?"

"Not me," Applejack said. "I have the worst poker face."

"I will abstain as well," Sugarcoat said. "I have had enough fun as it is; a little more and I will become a gambling addict."

"I may try a few rounds," Sunset said.

"I'll try as well," Twilight said.

"Splendid!" Rarity beamed. "Poker is so much more interesting than blackjack, if you ask me."

Everyone made their way to the table where three more men and two women were present. Twilight, Sunset and Rarity filled the last remainnig free places at the table; Applejack and Sugarcoat stood slightly behind them.

"Welcome!" the croupier greeted them cheerfully. "The game of Appleloosan hold'em poker is about to start! I am giving the token of the first player," he put the thing in question in front of the man sitting across Twilight. "Dealing out the cards!" he said, mixing two decks of poker cards in his hands, and giving each player two cards. "The small blind is five caps! Now, players, make your bets!"

Everyone looked at their cards carefully, so as not to flash their hand. Twilight noticed she had a six of clubs and eight of diamonds. Neither fish nor flesh. Let's see how it goes.

Two players folded right on that stage, forfeiting their bets, while others called the big blind and added ten caps to the pot. The croupier "burned a card" and drew up three more, putting them face up. A seven of spades, an ace of clubs, and an eight of hearts.

The first player after the dealer called the bet, and the next one raised it to twenty caps. The third player folded, while Rarity called the bet. Twilight decided to call the bet as well, while the man after her folded, and the rest called.

The croupier burned another card and opened another one. A two of clubs.

Damn, Twilight thought, there went my hope for a straight.

This time, the first player folded as well. The second one called the bet, and so did Rarity.

Twilight, however, decided to raise the bet to thirty caps. The player whose turn after her, folded, and the next one called the bet.

The croupier burned another card and put out the final one: a six of spades.

The first player folded, while Rarity decided to raise the bet to thirty-five caps. Twilight called it, but the rest of the players folded.

"Check," Rarity said.

"Check," Twilight parroted. Both girls opened the cards. Rarity had an ace of diamonds and a four of hearts.

"A pair of aces," the crupier declared, showing Rarity's cards. Then he moved to Twilight.

"Two pairs, eight and six. Player number five is the winner!" he pointed his hand at her, and moved all the chips in the pot to her pile.

"Thanks," she said.

"Another round," the croupier declared. "Who is in?"

"I'm out," three of the people said and left, leaving Twilight, Sunset, Rarity, and two more at the table.

"The small blind is ten caps this time!"

The first player made the small blind, and Rarity made the big one. The croupier dealt two cards to everyone. Twilight looked at her own and saw that she had a two of diamonds and a four of clubs.

No use to agonize myself, she thought.

"I fold," she said immediately, dropping the cards. The round continued without her, which resulted in the last player winning the pot with three of a kind (he had three nines). Sunset scowled as her own three of a kind with sevens was beat, while Rarity remained impassive.

The next round began with the small blind of fifteen caps. Once the cards were dealt, Twilight looked at her own nine of hearts and five of spades.

I wonder if..?

"Raise," she said, upping the bet from thirty to forty caps. The last player called the bet, and the croupier opened the first three community cards.

Five of diamonds, five of clubs and a king of hearts. Twilight called upon all her willpower not to smirk. She already had a three of a kind, but if there was a nine or another five somewhere...

The chances are minimal - but why not try and convince them I have the upper hand? the little pony inside her head giggled evilly.

The first player raised the bet to fifty caps, while Rarity raised the bet to seventy-five.

Wow, she is not pulling back. I wonder what cards she has? It is nigh impossible to read her - she is almost like marble now...

Sunset folded, and Twilight decided to call Rarity's last, while the last player folded as well. Everyone checked, and the croupier burned a card and opened another one.

Four of hearts.

Damn it. OK, I still have one more chance to intimidate Rarity and that other person into folding...

The first player raised the bet to eighty, and Rarity called it.

"Raise, to one hundred," Twilight declared. This is kinda fun! she giggled internally. The suspense, the tactics, the planning... keep your poker face, Twilight!

Everyone checked, and the last card was opened. An ace of diamonds.

Drat.

The first player raised his bet to one hundred and twenty-five, giving a smirk.

Big mistake - or is he bluffing?

Rarity folded, leaving Twilight alone against the player. She looked into her rival's eyes and gave a smirk of her own.

"Raise, to one hundred and fifty," she said.

"Raise to one hundred and seventy," he said.

"Call," Twilight said.

"Check."

"Check."

"Open up!" said the croupier. The first player opened his cards, revealing a three and an ace of clubs. A pair of aces.

"A pair of aces," the croupier said, and then looked at Twilight's cards, "and three of a kind with fives! Player four wins!"

Twilight genuinely smirked, grabbing all the chips in the pot. Rarity was right. This is fun... although it's fun at the expense of others, unfortunately.

"I think that's it for me," she said.

"Tip," Rarity whispered.

"What?"

"Tip the croupier, it's a sign of politeness."

Twilight slipped a chip marked "50" to the croupier, who accepted it with a "thank you, ma'am".

"I'm still in," Rarity said.

"Me as well," Sunset said. "Gotta compensate myself."

Both girls played several more rounds. Sunset quit after three of them, managing to get herself one hundred and sixty caps of net profut and deciding to stop while her luck did not run out, while Rarity played five rounds. The last round turned into a game of stress and patience, as Rarity, with her jack and seven of clubs, kept her face as impassive as possible, as the first three community cards revealed an eight and a nine of clubs. One of the players folded immediately, which left Rarity and the remaining player in a stand-off against three hundred and seventy-five caps that already were in the pot (the bets rose to one hundred and twenty-five caps by that point).

Rarity went first, raising the bet to one hundred and forty caps. Her rival raised the bet to one hundred and fifty, and she called it immediately. They checked, and the croupier took out another card - a four of diamonds.

Both rivals gazed intensely into each other's eyes, intent on discovering a sign of weakness, but neither found one.

"Raise to one hundred and seventy five!" she declared.

"Raise to two hundred!"

"Raise to two hundred and ten!"

"Call!"

"Check!"

"Check!"

The final card went face up. A ten of clubs.

The tension rose to critical levels, and the fire in remaining players' eyes went ablaze, as both were determined to win the pot.

"Raise to two hundred and fifty!" Rarity decided to sharply raise the bet.

"Raise to two hundred and seventy-five!" her rival decided not to go back.

"Raise to three hundred and twenty-five!"

Both of them seem assured of their victory, Twilight thought. Rarity has a good chance of winning, but what if he somehow beats her?

"Raise to three hundred and fifty!"

"Raise to four hundred!"

"Call!"

"Check!" Rarity gave a final smirk, trying to intimidate her rival.

"Check!"

"Opening cards," the croupier declared. Rarity's rival opened his cards first without invitation. A two of hearts and a jack of diamonds.

"A straight, starting with jack," the croupier declared, turning to Rarity. "Miss?"

With a casual, aristocratic gesture, Rarity flipped her cards open. Her rival sputtered upon seeing Rarity's hand.

"Straight flush of clubs, starting with a jack!" the croupier declared. "The young lady wins!"

"Well," the player who just lost to Rarity said, "that's it, I'm out."

"Me as well," the other one said.

"And me," Rarity said. "Gentlemen, thank you for the game. Here," she gave out two "100" chips to both remaining players and the croupier as well, which earned her a stream of words of gratitude.

"OK, girls," the indigo-haired girl said, when everyone left, "I'm in the mood to get to the local bar. You with me?"

"Heck yes!" the response sounded across the hall.

Twilight, Sunset, Applejack, Rarity and Sugarcoat were sitting at the round table in the bar, pleased with their winnings and their current state of slight drunkedness. Twilight and Sunset were enjoying a half-a-liter cup of beer each (Twilight's was dark, and Sunset's was light), Applejack settled for whiskey (and drank three shots already, but one could not tell by her face) as well as Sugarcoat, while Rarity was sipping red wine from an elegant-looking wine-glass.

They were drawing some looks - and chalked it up to Applejack's massive form in power armour - but paid little to no attention to this fact.

The equine Princess admitted to herself that this particular type of activity was in fact somewhat relaxing and stress-venting. Her current pains and sorrows regarding the sticky situation she found herself in were pushed back behind the joy of winning extra caps and the haze of alcohol.

I can see why "True Trot" is particularly popular here, she thought. It offers everyone a chance to let loose and forget about the Wastelands for a while. Forget that there is lawlessness and cruelty around, that there are raiders and slavers out there ready for you, that you may die the next day. This allows you to go wild for a while without a care.

I see the appeal now. I have to admit, if my life goes on like it did at Trottingham, I would go crazy without some eventing here.

"Alright y'all," Applejack declared, her voice not slurred at all despite the whiskey she had drunk, "another toast! To livin'!"

"To living!" everyone echoed, and the glasses clanked together. Everyone drank their beverage of choice, feeling alcohol flush down their throats, and feeling the slight burn in their stomach.

"Good toast, Applejack," Sunset said. "'Cause as long as we live, we can do eeeeeeverything we... well, can do!"

"Hear, hear!" Rarity sing-songed. "Live and fight to live, that's what we do!"

"Your tendency to repeat the words indicates that you two should stop," Sugarcoat said in her trademark blunt manner. "But I hardly think you will, and since I am not willing to stop either, that advice is hypocritical of me."

"Unwind, Sugarcoat," Sunset said. "Let your hair down!"

"Literally or figuratively?"

"However you want!"

"I like my pigtails, thank you very much. So no to literally... but yes to figuratively," Sugarcoat smiled and sipped more of her wine.

"Thaaaaat's the spirit!" Twilight declared, drinking down her beer to the last drop. "Aw ponyfeathers, it's empty already?"

"You did drink more often than we did," the pig-tailed Shadowbolt pointed out.

"Ah shucks, I'll go get another one."

"Need someone else with?" Applejack asked.

"Nah, I'm fine and... not falling," the lavender-skinned girl stood on her legs, wobbling slightly but regaining control almost instantaneously. "I'll manage."

"Well, OK. Come back soon."

"Will do!" Twilight said cheerfully, hand rummaging in her pockets for chips to pay for drinks with. Convinced that she had enough, she went towards the bar.

"What can I get you, Miss?" the bartender said, addressing her.

"Another big glass of your beer, please," the girl held out a "20" chip. The bartender pocketed it and signaled a young boy (no older than eighteen, as far as she could judge), who immediately ran into a room behind the bar.

"Sorry Miss, it'll take some time," he told her. "Need to bring another barrel here. In the meantime, can I interest you in something else?"

"No, thanks, I'll wait here."

"Here's a slip," the bartender held a small piece of paper with a number written on it. "If you decide to go back to your table and get the beer later, you'll need it so I'm sure that you paid."

"Thanks, but I can wait for some time. How soon will the new barrel be here."

"Hopefully, five minutes tops."

"Eh, I'll sit here then. Thanks for the slip, though."

"You're welcome."

Twilight sat at the table, pocketing the small piece of paper given to her by the bartender. The ambient noise of clinking glasses, conversations, sometimes rised voices surrounded her. Other people, mostly men with several women mixed among them, came up to the bartender, asking for more drinks and giving their chips.

Let them win and then spend their caps on alcohol. Profit. Or even better, let them lose and drink their sorrows. Even more profit, she thought, taking note of her surroundings. She noticed the stage where several girls in very... un-modest clothes (scratch that, call them skimpy) dancing, and taking off articles of clothing on occasion, much to the delight of the audience in front of the stage.

Twilight knew enough of the human world to understand the concept of striptease, strange as it was for the pony-turned-human, to whom the clothes were not that great of a necessity back in Equestria - although in winter it was better to have some - and she had learnt before that this profession had... moral stigma attached to it.

She turned away from the stage.

I don't know what to think. This job definitely looks safer than being a merchant or a mercenary or simply wandering around the Wastelands... yet I do not yearn for safety at the cost of being on display like that.

How... intriguing. Am I actually more comfortable with fighting than safety? Risking life and limbs, being shot and stabbed, dealing injuries and death everywhere?

No, another voice told her. You want to preserve your dignity. Your honour.

Can I actually lay a claim to that?

Everyone can.

That doesn't answer my question.

It does. Everyone can lay a claim. But your actions are what defines the truth of your claim.

OK. What about my actions? Are they honourable?

What do YOU think?

You aren't helping!

I can't. You have to decide that for yourself, and then learn what others think. Everyone has their own take on this issue, but no one has the truth fully in their grasp.

Ugh. Riddles.

I thought you liked riddles?

I'm... not in the mood.

Figures.

"Hey, babe," a heavy hand lay upon Twilight's shoulder. Turning around, the girl saw a man in his mid-thirties, who was smiling at her. He was missing some teeth, and those he had were covered in yellow and even brown colour.

A heavy smoker, she concluded; the smell of tobacco that assaulted her nostrils only drove the point home. Behind him stood four more men, all smiling as if they were enjoying some show, and their eyes were focused at both of them. The one who touched her shoulder smelt of alcohol and sweat as well, whih resulted in a quite repulsive internal reaction from Twilight.

"What do you want?" she replied neutrally.

"Fun," the man's grin widened.

"Fun is over there," Twilight pointed her finger in the direction of the strippers who were by now clad only in what passed for bra and panties. "I am not a stripper."

"Well, me and the boys have a private cabin. How about you put a show for us there, babe? For a good one, we'll even tip ya."

The lavender-skinned girl almost gagged at the suggestion and fought hard not to cover the floor in vomit.

"Didn't you hear me? I'm not a stripper!"

"It doesn't really matters. Other girls can give shows as well."

"Well I am not those "other girls" you mention," Twilight shook his hand off her shoulder and turned away from him, "so leave, please."

"Not cool there, girl," the man said. "I'm offering two hundred and fifty caps, and you wanna toss that away?"

"Two hundred and fifty?" the violet-haired girl spat out. "I wouldn't do that for two hundred and fifty thousand caps! Leave me alone!"

"Tartarus fuck it, you're such a misandrist. What, you never let anyone here?" with these words, the annoying man copped Twilight's right breast.

A flurry of visions and sensations ran in Twilight's brain: Adagio, her smirk, the dark ritual, the humiliation that the Princess had been subjected to...

Rage exploded in her mind...

Alright, I've had it up to HERE with sirens and perverts and other bastards! ENOUGH!!!

...and coalesced itself in the muscles that powered Twilight's punch to the creep's face as well as her loud and shrill scream:

"Fuck off!!!"

The sound of Twilight's shrieked profanity, as well as a clatter of broken glasses and bottles startled Sunset, Applejack, Rarity and Sugarcoat.

"Wha' was that?!" Applejack shouted.

"Nothing good, I think," Sugarcoat replied. Everyone stood up and hurried in Twilight's direction.

"You bitch!" the man who just got his clock cleaned rose from the remains of the table he and his comrades were sitting at. "You punched me!"

"Would you prefer a kick below the belt?!" Twilight shouted, livid.

"You destroyed our drinks as well!" the man continued, unfazed.

"Your own damn fault!"

"Just you wait, you bitch, imma..." the man stopped as Applejack intercepted his raised arm midair.

"Ah think ya had enough, partner," she said.

"Hey, unhand him!" one of the four other men who apparently wanted Twilight to give them a "show" as well threw a bottle at Applejack, but in his drunken state he only managed to smash it against her power armour. The blonde girl turned to him slowly.

"Excuse me?!" she snarled, and hurled the offender straight at the one who thought throwing a bottle at a person in power armour was a good idea. The force of her throw, however, made both men stumble into another table and drop it as well, and three others rushed at her.

Sunset, Sugarcoat and Rarity charged forward without thinking, intercepting the men who wanted to attack Applejack. Sunset ducked under the swirling punch of her opponent and punched him straight into the solar plexus, and then pulled him, hurling him away from herself. Unfortunately, the man tripped and dropped another table.

Sugarcoat kicked the person attacking her between his legs, then grabbed him by his long saggy hair and repeatedly brought his face against her knee, eliciting repeated grunts of pain. After thirty iterations of said act, she kicked him hard into the chest, making him stumble back... and bringing down the drinks from a table he fell on. Its occupants gave Sugarcoat sour looks.

"Not my fault," she said bluntly. The man who fell onto the table grabbed the only bottle standing on it and threw it at the pig-tailed girl... who caught it and took a swig.

"Hmmm. Nuka-Cider mixed with whiskey? They actually sell this shit for underaged beginners here?" she said. Her attacker charged her, but she promptly broke the bottle against his head. Seeing this, the table's occupants stood up and started advancing on her.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Suagrcoat threw them several chips. "Here's your damn compensation."

Rarity used her martial arts knowledge to full extent, quickly and efficiently depriving her opponent. Once he stood in place, gasping from several hits to solar plexus and his neck, Rarity delivered a vicious turn-around kick to his face, making him stumble and fall on another table, dropping it. Fortunately for its occupants, they were ready for this turn of events and quickly picked their bottles and glasses full of drink. Turning to Rarity, they saluted her with their glasses and quickly chugged their beverages of choice. The fashionista graced them with a smile of gratitude... and had to duck as someone tried to charge her from behind. She grabbed him from behind and threw him onto the floor over her back, but smashed another table in the process.

More and more people got drawn into the fight as bystanders got hit or simply decided to throw themselves in. Chaos reigned supreme as bottles, glasses, pieces of furniture and sometimes bodies started flying in the air as everyone was dealing punches and kicks to anyone they perceived as an enemy or an offender (which basically was the same).

Amidst that chaos, Twilight, Sunset, Applejack, Rarity and Sugarcoat were doing their best to reunite with each other - a task made difficult by other people standing in their way.

Sunset tried to pummel her way to Twilight, who was standing with her back against the bar, trading punches with her molester, but her opponent grabbed her hand from behind and pulled her back. Annoyed, she grunted and hit him in the solar plexus before delivering a strong kick to the stomach. The force of impact defeated the hardness of the man's abs, leaving him winded. Not content with simply driving him out of the fight, Sunset grabbed a bottle from the table and smashed it against his head. The man released her hand and stumbled onto the closest chair - which was, unfortunately, occupied. The occupant of said chair was not amused by a man sitting into his lap, and unceremoniously threw him into one of the corner, where he sat away from the fight, nursing his bruises and wounded pride.

Rarity did not try to attack anyone, but it did not save her from the ire of several people, whom she either sidestepped or simply shoved away. One woman, however, tried to knock her out with a bottle to the head, but missed and hit the shoulder instead.

"Oof! How can you be so insensitive?!" the fashionista snarled, promptly delivering a kick to the offender's face.

"How dare you kick my GF, bitch?!" someone roared, and Rarity barely dodged the swipe attack with a chair from a brutish-looking man.

"Did you just call me a bitch?!" the girl's face twisted in anger, and she snarled, "Oh it. Is. ON!"

Applejack, towering above anyone else in her power armour, utilized her superior size to the fullest extent. Her ruthlessness against Twilight's offenders, while effective, resulted in collateral damage, and others also wanted to try and deal with her. "Try" was the key word here, though. Applejack easily punched or them onto their backs, or just threw them away. Whena small crowd decided to rush her, she lifted one of the tables and charged them instead, using the table as a battering ram. The attackers fell into a heap, and the farmer abandoned her "weapon". Turning around, she saw Twilight besieged by the man who molested her and one of his cohorts. Charging through the crowd, she grabbed them both and bonked their heads together, hard, and threw them to both sides. Raising her fists, she stood in front of Twilight as a protector.

"Thanks!" Twilight shouted.

"No prob, sugarcube!"

Suddenly, Sugarcoat propped up from behind the bar (which surprised everyone - they did not see her hiding in there) and flinged a bottle of beer at the man with whom Sunset was struggling. The bottle hit him straight into the back of his head, and the fiery-haired girl gave him a vicious hook before rejoining her friends. Meanwhile, Rarity defeated her opponent with a strong kick to the testicles that made the burly man stumble onto the table at which the people who sluted Rarity with their drinks were sitting. With an inmpressive display of reflexes, they saved their drinks again, and one of them tilted the table, making the man roll to the floor.

"You weren't invited, pal," he said phlegmatically. Rarity seized the moment and rejoined her friends.

"Bar fights! Always a good way to vent!" Applejack shouted.

"Allow me to disagree, darling. Those ruffians will spoil the whole place!" the indigo-haired girl shouted.

"Not the first time it happens, doll," the bartender drawled loudly.

Suddenly, a large group of men with either riot shields or shield-like objects made of wood (Twilight suspected that these was a substitute for the riot shields) and large batons stormed the bar and began hitting people left and right indiscriminately. Every person they hit fell to the floor with convulsions. Twilight noticed with shock that the batons emitted electric sparks on every hit.

"Aaaaand here's the local riot control squad," the bartender spoke with the same drawling voice. "Better behave non-aggressively, they have stun batons, and those are really effective."

The girls were forced to admit that the bartender spoke truthfully - the local riot control squad quickly ended whatever pockets of fighting remained. A dozen of them approached the girls, with half of them pointing their stun bations threateningly at Applejack. The quintet raised their hands in a gesture of surrender.

"OK, what the fuck happened here?" the apparent leader addressed the bartender.

"Well, the girl with violet hair here wanted a refill when a bunch of assholes decided to try and "convince" her to give them a private show, and one of them molested her. She cleaned his clock, his friends got offended, then her friends arrived, and it all escalated from here."

"Where are the perpetrators?"

The bartender and the girls showed the initial instigators of the conflict.

"Alright boys," the leader pointed his finger at the man who molested Twilight and his cohorts, "take them away to prison. As for you, lady," he addressed Twilight, "we won't arrest you, but since you escalated the conflict, you must compensate the damages to the bartender."

"How much?" the equine Princess grumbled.

"This mess will cost you and your group one and a half thousand," the bartender grumbled.

"Girls?" Twilight addressed the group. Without further words, everyone took out the winnings and counted their share of damages, making a pile of chips on the table that Twilight slid over to the bartender.

"Here," she said, "sorry for the mess. Now, how about that beer?"

Next day...

The girls rose in the morning with varying levels of hangover, from light to moderate, depending on the strength of drinks and the individual alcohol resistance. No one was debilitated with a crippling headache, thankfully, so by the noon the group left Brightlight and went too Appletown.

Fortunately, they were able to avoid any trouble along the way (aside from two packs of feral ghouls, several mole rats and one particularly stupid group of raiders) and arrive to their safe haven. Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom were immensely relieved to see everyone alive, and rather horrified at the recounting of the events that everyone gave.

Once they finished, Twilight asked Big Macintosh whether anyone from CWN HQ or Brotherhood of Steel was present in Appletown.

"Ah think that Flash Sentry is currently in Berry Punch's bar, and Lemon Zest actually arrived here as well - said she was on some sort of a very important errand..."

"Thanks, Big Mac. Girls, I'll go see them real quick, OK?" the lavender-skinned girl said, receiving a chorus of okays. She wasted no time in finding the individuals she wanted to see.

"Oh hey, Twilight!" Lemon waved at her once Twilight entered Berry Punch's bar. "How's it going? We heard you were right in the middle of that zombie mess in Trottingham..."

"Yes, Lemon," Twilight interrupted, "we were. Sorry for interrupting, but we need to see... CWN's boss," she caught herself before saying Vinyl's name, "and with Elder Aegis as well. Flash, can you message him?"

"Certainly can," the bllue-haired rocker replied. "Is this important?"

"I wouldn't ask this of you otherwise."

"Wow. Was that zombie mess that big?" Lemon asked.

"You have no idea..."

Author's Note

My job has not been easy these past two weeks, I'm sure you have noticed that since my update rate dropped dramatically. Anyway, this was a transition chapter. Next chapter will deal with a couple of loose ends and will conclude this arc.

Bar fight was inspired by Scorch215's "The Princess and the Soldier" (there is a bar brawl scene in there), as well as a bar brawl scene from the Soviet film named "A Man from the Boulevard de Capucines" (1987). I though it would be a good idea for Twilight and the girls to beat someone up while in there but the riot (fun) police stepped in!

Leave a comment if you're inclined to do so

I also promised an important announcement. So, I'm giving it:

I have been asked several times whether I would make the universe of Fallout: Equestria Girls open to side stories, like Kkat did. I have to say that I was floored by the question. Given the nature of this project, I did not believe this likely to happen, and thought I should finish the story first.

Then, one of my readers (I'm not saying who) actually showed me a side story they have written. (It's not on FIMFiction.net yet, but it will be soon.) I was... honoured and impressed. And since it's one year since I have posted Fallout: Equestria Girls, I have thought on finding a way to celebrate it. And I made a decision.

I am officially opening the universe of Fallout: Equestria Girls for side stories!

If you ever wanted to write something in this universe, you can do so now. Of course, there are certain rules in place:

1) I insist that if you want to write a side story to Fallout: Equestria Girls, PM me first and describe the idea you had. Better yet, give me a Google Docs link or something similar to the sketch/synopsis of your story so I can look it over for canon contradictions.

2) Speaking of canon: I am currently not confirming any side story as canon in the universe of Fallout: Equestria Girls. I may change my opinion once the story is fully complete and if there are side stories that can definitely be considered such, but not now.

I do not immediately declare any side story as non-canon either. But if a side story contains contradictions to canon that are not fixed, the story will be declared non-canon until contradictions are fixed. Romantic shipping stories will most likely also be considered non-canon (if you plan on romance, notify me on the pairing and the intended plot beforehand and I will give my verdict), but friend-shipping should do fine.

3) Making a side story that encompasses the future events of Fallout: Equestria Girls is highly discouraged. The chances of your story contradicting my planned plot-line skyrocket to 100% in this case, and I do not want to give out spoilers, which would be a necessity in this case. It is preferable that you focus on the events that go in parallel with the main storyline or before it.

4) If you happen to write a brilliant idea I had not considered, I may ask you for permission to use it in Fallout: Equestria Girls. Rest assured that you will get the credit for it.

5) Please include a link to Fallout: Equestria Girls in the description of your side story.

These rules should be enough, but I may expand upon them, so keep an eye open for my blog and this A/N, and don't hesitate to ask me questions if necessary.

Thanks for reading! Good luck in your creative endeavours! Stay tuned!