The light blue haze of morning shone through the windows of the castle as Spike backed into the main chamber. "OK, Twilight, I just picked up that new order of those griffish quills- " Spike stopped dead in his tracks. Normally, the sight of the six mares talking and laughing around the old map wouldn't have been much of a shock for him.
One of them having a black eye, on the other hoof, just might.
"Rainbow Dash!"
Dash turned around suddenly. "Huh? Oh, hey, Spike. Didn't see you there."
"Your eye! What happened? Does it hurt?"
Rainbow Dash waved away the question with a hoof. "I'm fine, it's just a bruise. It's not like I haven't handled worse."
"But-but it's all messed up! Who gave you that? How did it happen?"
Twilight spoke up suddenly. "Spike, you're worrying over nothing. We're taking good care of the eye, it'll just be a couple weeks, and then you won't even notice it was ever there." She gave Spike a reassuring look, although the bags under her eyes told a much different story.
"Well, yeah, but even so. You all look worse for wear actually...what were you girls doing?"
Pinkie Pie shot up like a bullet. "Well, Rainbow Dash said she had a friend who had a friend who really really liked this one place and we went there and met some old friends and - "
"Em, Pinkie dear, I think you're going a tad fast. Give him time to process." Rarity placed a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder and slowly reeled her back to reality.
"Whoops! Sorry, Spike." Pinkie's voice didn't really convey a sincere apology, but with an innocent smile like hers, it was kind of hard to stay angry. At least, when it didn't have a chipped tooth, it was.
Rainbow Dash chuckled a little. "What she was trying to say, Spike, is that we had a great time last night."
Spike took a little bit to try and comprehend all of this information coming in. "But...you're all beat up and bruised and stuff! How could you have had a great time?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes lit up like fireworks at the Summer Sun Celebration. "You really gotta hear it to believe it, Spike. Of course, if your curious, I'd love to tell you all about it -"
"Oh, dear. Here she goes on one of her escapades," Rarity Interjected."Try not to embellish the story too much, dear? If memory serves, you tend towards the more dishonest side when you tell stories."
"Ah, let 'er tell it, Rares," said Applejack. "She'll do a better job explainin' it all than any of us, ah reckon, 'specially given the circumstances."
Rainbow Dash glanced at the other mares, expecting another interruption, before wheeling back around to Spike. "...Anyways. As I was saying, it all started with this little place called the Bottom Side Tavern."
Chapter 2 - The Bottom Side Tavern
Rarity held her blank, stern expression. "You can't be serious."
"Well, why not? It's not like you guys have come up with anything better to do tonight," Rainbow Dash retorted. The tiny building in front of them was half sunk into the ground, sloping the whole structure back slightly. Ivy curled around the rusted steel sign, emblazoned with a design resembling the tail side of a bit. The smell of clean night air mixed with a warm, unpleasant scent exuding from the whole premises.
"Rainbow Dash, I will not be caught dead in a bar, let alone one as run down as this place." Rarity gestured to the small staircase leading to a deteriorating wooden door. Music could be heard on the other side of it, and shadows raced across the small traces of light slipping underneath the doorframe. "I, for one, refuse to be found in such a pigsty."
Applejack trotted up alongside Rarity. "Come on, Rares. Maybe you'll find something ya enjoy. I bet they got some of those fancy wines ya like so much in there, and the 'cooseen' is top notch ah reckon."
The daggers from Rarity's eyes could have cut through solid rock. "Not helping, dear."
"Look, if ya really don't like it, ya don't have to stay. We'd all appreciate it if ya come and try it with us, though." Applejack smiled warmly, providing the smallest bit of comfort.
Rarity hesitated before letting out an indignant huff. "Even if they did have anything worthwhile I'm there, it's still a breeding ground for trouble. Nothing good can come out of a place like that."
"Jeez, what a killjoy." Sulking, Rainbow Dash turned around and trudged down the stairs. She had only barely cracked open the door before she heard a troubled sigh and grumbling right behind her.
"Next time I'm picking the venue..." Rarity begrudgingly followed Applejack and Rainbow Dash down the creaking stairs and into the soft yellow glow of the tavern. The smell of alcohol and old wood penetrated the air more so than the raucous clientele's laughter and slurred songs as they opened the door and swiftly moved inside. Surprisingly, the smell wasn't quite as bad on the inside, although it was by no means pleasant smelling. The floorboards creaked under their every step as the ponies navigated through the maze of ponies and spilled drinks.
"They should be here somewhere...there!" Rainbow Dash gestured forward towards the wildly waving pink pony at the only relatively clean table so far. As Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash drew near, they could see Twilight sitting quietly, writing on a small scroll before dissipating it into thin air.
