We headed from the farm to the nearest town, Wagon Wheel. As the farm grew smaller on the horizon, I began to think of who I wanted in the gang. Pro and I walked in silence for a bit, then I posed a question.

"Are you a good shot?"

Pro laughed pretty hard at that, I suppose it was kind of out of the blue.

"I mean," he started. "I can hit a hog from a good ways away but I wouldn't say I'm a sharpshooter."

I nodded. "Yeah, me either. We'll probably want someone who can actually shoot."

"That's a solid idea."

I thought about it for a minute, and had an idea. "I think I know just the mare for the job."

We made it to Wagon Wheel, and immediately I headed toward the saloon. I figured I'd find her there, causing trouble like usual, and I was right. From the outside, it was relatively tame seeming, with boisterous laugher and a general raucous with soft ragtime playing in the background. As we pushed open the double doors though, we were immediately greeted by the entire saloon gathered around one table. I told Pro to head to the bar top, and I made my way into the crowd to find who I was looking for.

She was sitting at the table at the center of the crowd. Her jet black mane was pulled back in a ponytail and her brown fur was flushed at the cheeks. Her pegasus wings were tucked in to her sides, twitching occasionally. She was holding five cards, and her mismatched eyes, one brown and one electric blue, we're intensely focused on them through her glasses. The four others that were seated with her at the table were also holding cards, but they were all focused on her. Some were getting impatient.

"You gonna play, or what?" growled one of the particularly big stallions.

She rolled her eyes and tossed three cards to the middle of the table, face down. The dealer tossed her three more, she picked them up, and looked up at the dealer.

The dealer looked to his left at the stallion who had just spoken up. "We will now start our final round of betting. You are first."

The stallion grunted. He tossed a couple bits on the table and leaned back in his seat. The next two folded, and the third also tossed in a couple bits.

"Miss Spade?" says the dealer expectantly.

She giggles. "I'm gonna need another shot," she says, tossing in her bet. "I'm ready if y'all are."

The two that folded stand from the table and begin to leave, and the dealer takes their cards. "It's time for the showdown."

The big stallion throws down his cards. "Full house, suckers."

The other pony sighs. "Three of a kind, Jacks."

Spade's giggle turns to a full laugh. "Read 'em and weep, boys!" It was a straight flush, 3 through 7 diamonds. She leaned over the table, unfolded her wings, scooped up the pot, and pulled the bits toward her. The big stallion thumped the table and stood. The other pony also stood, but calmly. With the whole table vacated, I sat across from Spade. The crowd, which had begun to disperse, came back. I got a few "good luck, pal" mutters from behind me.

She was counting her bits, and without looking up she said "Who's the new challenger? Ready to get your ass kicked?"

I chuckled. "See for yourself, Club of Spade. Ain't seen you in a few days, this what you been up to?"

As soon as she heard my voice, her expression darkened. She looked up from her bits and made eye contact with me. "What the hell do you want, Con? I'm gonna need a lot more booze if I'm gonna deal with your antics right now."

I turned to the dealer and winked. "Let's just play some Five Card Draw, huh?" As I said that, I tossed in a couple bits for the ante. The dealer nodded and turned to Spade.

"Yeah, yeah, alright." She tosses in two of her own.

The dealer slides us each five cards. He waits for a moment, letting us look at our hooves. He gave me literally nothing: an ace and 6 of hearts, a jack of spades, a 3 of clubs, and a 9 of diamonds. I looked up at Spade, and she made eye contact with me again. I winked, and she scoffed.

"I've got a proposition for you, Spade," I say as I toss in a bit to the center of the table. "Pro and I are lookin' for ponies, and I know you've got what we're lookin' for."

Spade looks at her cards again, and raises me by a single bit. "You know I hate it when you beat around the bush, jack-wagon. Get to it already."

I look at the bits on the table, back at my cards, and shrug. "I think you know what I mean." I toss in a bit to match her bet. "We been talkin' 'bout it since we were foals, you Pro and I."

Her eyes got wide. I couldn't see her mouth from behind the cards, but I figured she must be smiling. Her wings twitched, and after a couple seconds she looked back at me from her cards.

"How much?" Gotcha.

"Well," I mused, tossing the dealer my 6, 9, and jack, face down. He slid me three new cards from the deck. "I can't pay you up front, but once we get who we need I don't think money will be an issue." I look down at my cards. Still jack shit: a 2 of clubs, a queen of hearts, and a 4 of spades. Almost had the straight, if I'd gotten a 5 instead of that damn queen.

Spade scoffed. "I dunno about that, Con." She exchanged two cards of her own. "What's the guarantee that I get my money's worth in this deal?"

I tossed in a bit. "You know I'm good for it. If nothin' else, trust Pro. You know him and bits."

Spade thought for a moment, then gave a hefty sigh. She looked back to one of the ponies in the crowd that was closest to her.

"Get me a gin on the rocks, would ya?" she asked, tossing the stallion a bit. He was caught off guard, but he caught it and went to go get her the drink. As he did so, Spade tossed in three bits to the pot.

I tossed in four of my own, raising her by two. We made eye contact, and she stared into me for a long while. When she'd decided she was done looking into my devilishly handsome brown eyes, she sighed again. The stallion came back, handed her the drink, and she sipped it.

"I fold, you got me. Let's see what you got."

I laughed heartily. Spade and I tossed down our cards at the same time. She had a full house, a pair of 2s and three of a kind 6s.

"Jack shit," I said in between fits of laughter. The crowd around us went nuts.

Spade slammed the table with her hoof. "You're the only bastard I know who can lie to me straight through your damn teeth. You're a lucky son of a bitch, Con."

After finally regaining my composure, I grinned. "Yeah, I know. So whaddya say? You comin' with us?"

She stood from the table. "Let's go talk to Pro, maybe I'll like what he has to say more."

She headed to the bar, and I collected my winnings. I sat there and counted my bits for a minute or two, then put them away and followed Spade to the bar. She was seated next to Pro, and it seemed like they were in some pretty deep conversation. I sat on the other side of Pro and got the attention of barkeep. I ordered an Apple Ale, and she slid it to me along the bartop.

"He won't touch any but his share of the money," Pro was explaining. "I'll be handling payroll and supply financing, so you don't have to worry about money."

Spade was swirling her glass of gin around, sipping it every once in a while. "I suppose it sounds like a good deal. What's the cut? How many ponies we lookin' for?"

Pro looked at me, looking for an answer.

"I'd say five or six of us will work. Cut amounts are up to you, bro."

Pro tapped his chin with his hoof. "I'll do some thinking, come up with some percentages. Probably something around 19 percent, just to leave a bit of room for supplies and give some extra cash to you, Con." He turns to Spade. "Sound good to you?"

Spade shrugged. "I guess it'll finally get me outta this town, so I'm in." She looked past Pro and looked at me. "Where we headed first, boss?"

I think for a moment, then chug the rest of my Apple Ale. I stood up and started for the door. "Next town over, I guess. I don't think any of us can pick a lock, so we're gonna need someone who can."

Author's Note

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter lol. For some reason I really enjoy writing card games, especially high stakes or conversational games. Hope you enjoyed!