Night Out

When Mike walked out of his room to the living room, he had his formal clothes on, like the formal western style, but his slacks and vest was black, with his rag tie being a silky maroon. His gun and holster still at his side, because even when he was not "on duty". There was probably one instance or another he would have to act like the law.

Danni was in the living room as well, reading an old, stained book. the pages had turned an old yellow by the years of exposure to the elements. It was a simple story, nothing that interested Mike anyway.

"Okay, I'm heading out. We have food so no going out to eat."

"Oh come on! You can get fast food and I can't?!" Danni protested.

"No. It's a full moon and I don't want you walking the streets. Where is your gun?"

Danni groaned and pointed to a drawer net to the door that leads to the kitchen.

"Good. Also, don't bring any boys over, pony or human, less you want to see them take a bullet," he said as he walked out. "Take care!"

Danni did not look away from her book, electing to throw a peace hand.

Mike locked the door behind him and started his walk from his home office to the front of the large complex. The kids were running around in the halls as their shopkeeper parents started closing the garage door sized openings with movable metal gates that reminded Mike of the indoor swap meets of his old home. He didn't have that door for his since it was not needed. He kept his hand on the holster, making sure that it wouldn't be taken by some kid who was curious to see what was on his waist.

* * *

"Mike, my boy!" Cash said from the seat of his carriage. Mike let himself inside the carriage, which was being pulled by a pony team, who looked uncomfortable taking their client in that part of town.

"Cash, how do you do?!" Mike said as he tried to adjust himself inside the carriage, which was not built for humans so he was a bit cramped.

"Good good!" cash said as the pony carriage started moving back out of the slum and to the pony dominated canterlot. "I have some great news: My daughter and her betrothed are together again, and my wife is helping them plan their wedding. It will be a fun time! So, it will most likely be the last time I will be seeing you since tomorrow morning I will be on a train back to mManehattan,"

"That's good. It's a shame we will have to part ways, but at least we will with the best outcome,"

"Agreed! which is why I am taking you out on the town! I know that these hoity-toity Canterlot ponies will scoff at you being my guest. But, I think getting permission from the restaurant owner will fix all that," Cash smiled as they continued their carriage ride, which even in the evening hours was still a crawl with the graveyard shift headed to their jobs.

***

It turned out that being very wealthy and influential gave ponies a certain mindset.

For Cash Money, it was walking past the reservation desk ad finding the nearest empty seat. It was expected that the waiters would then cater to his every whim, even without a reservation. It was the usual case, but it was different. He had a human with him.

The other ponies looked on with disgust, muffled conversations, with a few leaving the restaurant .

The restaurants manager stormed out of the back almost immediately and made a b-line to their table.

"it's okay, Mike. I got this,"

The manager did not give the two a chance to explain yourself "get your hairless ape out of my store,"

Hairless ape? not like I heard THAT one before.

"Excuse me! I am-"

"I know who you are! Coming in here and taking a reserved seat is one thing, but bringing a human? No, not going to happen."

"I'm sure we can come to an understanding," Cash said as he tossed a healthy brown sack of bits on the table.

"Not going to happen, get your friend and get out!"

Cash picked up the bits with his mouth and placed it back on his vest. After that, he stood. "Well I never, I hope you enjoyed your job. I will be taking to the owner. Let's go mike, maybe we can find a more enlightened establishment."

* * *

After receiving many rejections to eat at their establishments, Mike and Cash ended up going back to the slums. Mike knew a hole in the wall bar that not only served humans and ponies alike, but they did it with a smile. When they walked in, it smelled of cigarette smoke, the lights were dim, and the music was playing some haggard twangs.

Mike and Cash found a table and sat there, looking around to see the semi-empty bar, save a few humans at the bar drinking their problems away.

Their waitress was an earth pony, older, tired, and was waiting for her shift to end.

"What it'll be, boys?" her raspy voice asked.

Cash and Mike ordered their food, and most importantly: their beers. The hour between their food arriving and ordering was rounds of beer, plenty of laughter, and a lot of talking. The rounds continued even after their food.

They heard a commotion outside but didn't pay attention to it. It was only when the commotion made their way to the bar is where Mike was sizing up the five or so thugs entering the bar. Their waitress was the closest to the door, and backed away, earning a painful slap to her rump from one of the human thugs laughing. Mike had his hand on his holster, ready for trouble.

"Anti-pony thugs, we should try to get out through the back," Mike said. In the slums, there were gangs of criminals that made money robbing, extorting, counterfeiting. They also had a self-righteous mission of removing all ponies from the human sections.

They slowly were making their way out of the back while the bartender was getting chewed out by the leader of the thugs. Mike heard snippets: the man was late for this "protection" payment and the leader came to collect. They had almost made it out, but Cash stumbled and fell. That got the attention of the thugs, and that there was a pony patronizing the bar.

"What kind of operation you are running to serve this trash?! Boys, remove him from this bar."

The thugs gleefully walked up to Mike and Cash, hoping to rough up the two, but found out they had lost the second they followed their leader's orders. Mike was hiding a pool cue behind him, and started the swinging when the first guy was close enough, smashing the billiard stick in half and sending the splintered piece flying. The second one charged but forgot all about Cash Money, who was waiting for him with a hind kick to the man's genitals, which dropped him like a sack. The third man took a few swings but was subdued by mike smashing a beer mug over his head.

The guy took his lead pipe from the bar and walked over to Mike, but it was short lived. Mike didn't want to fight, so he decided to end it, by pulling out his gun, which made the thug stop in his tracks.

"Get your fucks and get out," Mike demanded.

The thug grunted and whistled. His men got up and staggered their way out.

***

Mike walked into his brightly lit home and sighed. Danni was on the couch into her tank top and shorts she called pajamas, passed out and was listening to the radio plays that was a substitute for televisions back home. Worst of all: there was a box of half eaten pizza on the coffee table.

"Dammit, child. I told you not to spend your pay on things like this," he muttered as he picked her up and carried her to her room. It was as run down as Mikes, the again every room in the slums were. It was also very bare, save for her clothes all over the floor, and the room being a general mess one would expect coming from a teenager. He laid her on the bed and left, expecting her to find her way under her blankets if she was cold.

He went to the kitchen, pulled out his whiskey hidden behind a counter and changed the radio to a political radio station that was created by a group of humans in the slums called "radio free shantytown"

As the late-night host talked about the news of the many shanty towns across Equestria, Mike took a swig of his whiskey and observed the late night streets below him.

Author's Note

I have a discord group for fans, and people who want to help edit. If you want to join the madness here is the link https://discord.gg/uAk5aAP