The First Night - A Lady on the Scene
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Caravan Club

The First Night - A Lady on the Scene

The sun dipped below the horizon, and the cloudless sky changed into a breathtaking gradient, starting with dull orange near the glowing orb and turning into a dark blue pockmarked with the first of the stars on the opposite side. The countless different clocks across the city, ranging from neon apparitions to archaic clock faces, announced that it was seven in the evening. The flat lands around majestic Las Pegasus offered a splendid view of the sunset and all the marvels of the city, but only to those who could get above the raging sea of lights and noise on the ground.

Most visitors avoid the surface, for many tales of unrestrained vice and indulgences had spread across Equestria, all pointing to “that deceitful place in the desert.” But in truth, no one really knew anything about Las Pegasus, for all stories seemed both fiction and reality at the same time. Those who sought a safe and relaxing vacation with a bit of harmless gambling on the side would just fly – or get a cloudwalking spell – to the brighter district in the clouds and remain none the wiser.

Those with a bit more excitement in mind, however, would brave the monetary carnage below. On this evening, if one were to prowl the Las Pegasus Strip and lurk in the few shadows that survived in the neon blaze, seeking naive souls to feed off their wallets, they would find a promising group of mares strolling down the street, standing out in the otherwise rather dull crowd, particularly the purple alicorn who led the group.

Their dazzled looks made them seem unwitting enough, some of them even unnerved, nor were they all dressed properly for the occasion. Only the white unicorn chose to wear something that could hope to match the sparkling of the city around them, while the orange earth pony’s Stetson made her at least resemble the rich stallions who thought it would help “fit in” with the dwellers of the desert. They walked for several blocks, turning their heads left and right as they took in the wonders surrounding them, and eventually they halted in front of a tall casino with the glowing words “PRAIRIE PRINCESS” above the entrance.

“Okay girls.” Twilight gave an eager smile and reached into her satchel, retrieving a notebook and a pen. “I’ve compiled all my studies into this notebook. If all goes according to plan, we should come out with at least... a three thousand percent return on all the money we put up.”

“Three thousand?” her friends blurted out in unison. They turned around and stared at her wide-eyed.

Twilight chewed on her pen for a moment as she glanced at her notes. “Heh, sorry. That means we should get back about thirty times as much as we invested. Well, that’s just a rough estimate, anyway. I still have to account for a lot of variables, and… hmm...” Her eyes narrowed, and she started scribbling away.

Applejack glanced at Rarity, who simply shrugged. “Uh… Twilight?”

Pinkie Pie tried to hold back her giggling at the very least, while Rainbow Dash just laughed out loud and shook her head. “Woow… you seriously tried to read up on gambling in Las Pegasus, Twilight?”

Rarity shot her a nasty look, but it did little to discourage the pegasus. “Darling, while I don’t condone Rainbow’s crude delivery…” The fashionista sighed and gave a patronizing smile. “I must say I agree. The whole point of the experience is taking risks.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “But... I am taking risks.” She started flipping through her pages of notes, revealing just how extensive her research was. “It’s all been calculated, of course, and I only managed to optimize my chances to around two thirds at best, but uncertainty can always turn against me.”

“No, dear, you don’t understand.” Rarity reached out and gently closed the notebook in Twilight’s hand. “If you plan ahead this much, you will miss the excitement of truly taking chances. You could say it’s like the Running of the Leaves. It’s not all about winning.”

“It’s about having lots and lots of fun!” Pinkie chimed in. She bounced in place, every inch of her body seeming to have a jiggle of its own. “It’s like taking a trip to the ocean. Ya just gotta jump in and swim with the fishies!”

“Oh, yes.” Fluttershy lit up the moment ‘fishies’ reached her ears. “And turtles and dolphins too. And don’t forget about jellyfish. I’ve heard many of these casinos have wonderful aquariums.”

“Fluttershy?” Twilight stared at her friend in disbelief. “You too?”

“Well… um…” The pegasus gave a meek smile. “I guess I’m not that into gambling, but I brought a few bits too, if that’s okay…”

Twilight looked at the rest of her friends, all of which either politely concealed their amusement, or were struggling not to laugh openly. “Hmf!” She frowned and tucked her notebook away. “Well, maybe you all want to just lose all your money to the casinos.” Her lips curled into a wicked grin. “But I plan to bring the place to its knees.”

Applejack chuckled. “I’m sure you will, sugarcube.” She placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder and gave a knowing wink to the others, who all giggled in response as they followed the two inside.

Two hours later, six mares emerged from the casino, and only one of them held their head high. Twilight could barely hold back a triumphant giggle, and instead she merely gave a regal smirk as she strode down the stairs. A pair of bags hung off her shoulders, almost bursting with the coins that rattled within.

“Wow…” Rainbow muttered. “Okay… point taken, Twi.”

“Hmm?” Twilight said without even looking. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that~”

Rarity huffed and crossed her arms. “Yes, yes, we are all very impressed. I still can’t believe they accused me of hiding things under my skirt while Twilight was busy wringing them for every bit.”

“I’d be delighted to give you some lessons.” The purple mare tapped her satchel, which hung at her side. “Been updating my notes each time I took a break from robbing the house.”

Applejack managed to smile, even though her own pockets took a heavy toll as well. She could already hear Big Mac’s scathing lectures about “spending the family’s hard-earned money”, all of which he could deliver with just a nasty look and maybe one or two words. “No need to rub it in, sugarcube,” she said. “Y’all beat us, fair n’ square.”

“Oh, did I?” Twilight let out a girly little giggle. “I don’t know, I guess I could have done better.” She gave her bounty a little shake to make the coins rattle for emphasis.

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Eh, it’s not that I minded losing.” She frowned and glanced back at the casino. “I mean, the place is as soft as it gets. Half the amount you lost you can have back as food and drinks. That’s like… taking the gambling part out of gambling.”

“And?” Applejack gave a long yawn and tapped her belly. “It was good eatin’ if you ask me.”

“Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?” Rainbow said. “Even if you lose, you still win. What happened to those days when you had to put your clothes up? Or when shady people made you bet your limbs?”

“L-Limbs?” Fluttershy blurted out. She trembled at the thought and hid her hands behind her back. Rainbow chuckled and gave her a reassuring pat on the head.

“I don’t know about you all, but I had the time of my life!” Pinkie giggled and bounced her way up and down the stairs. “Their ice cream was sooo gooood.” She halted, eyes losing focus, and her tongue dangled from her open mouth, drooling onto the steps. “Mmmm~”

Rarity rolled her eyes, though she could barely hold back a chuckle herself. “Pinkie, darling, you never even gambled a single bit. You spent all your money on food since the moment we got in.”

“I knoow, hee-hee~”

Rainbow tapped her foot impatiently. “Hmf… well, now that everyone’s had dinner and won nothing… except Twilight, of course…” She gave the princess an annoyed glance, but eventually cracked a smile and poked her in the side, making the smug princess yelp. “How about we find something exciting to do before I fall asleep right here?”

Twilight smirked and tossed one of her heavy bags into Rainbow’s hands, making her stagger back. “Very well. I’ll even loan you a few more bits~” She winked and retrieved her map, staring at it thoughtfully. “Hmm… well, we could always check out the Golden Griffon. It’s just across the—”

Rainbow slung the bag over her shoulder and let out a long yawn. “Boooring."

“Boring?” Twilight echoed. The others were equally confused, staring at the pegasus who seemed utterly bemused by the brightly lit casinos, as they proved to be devoid of adventure on the inside.

“Say… what if we got off the main street, for a change?” Rainbow slowly gave a wide grin. “See what’s not on the map.”

Before any of them could stop her, she headed down the street and turned on the very first intersection, heading into the more dimly-lit portions of the city. Her friends stared in bafflement and, after a bit of hesitation, hurried to catch up.

Rainbow cackled with excitement, while the others showed varying degrees of puzzlement and nervousness as their gaze wandered left and right. Bright and flashing lights from casinos and traffic gave way to faint, almost ethereal glowing from random sources, often just strong enough to light up a sign that advertised some obscene venue. Otherwise, the streets were bathed in darkness, making it that much harder to navigate the old, crumbling pavement.

“Yeeaahhh…” Rainbow Dash said. “This is what I’m talking about.”

Rarity yelped and jumped back, almost throwing herself against Applejack, and she stared down wide eyed at the open sewer hole that she nearly stepped into. A pair of unkempt stallions looked up from their drinks in a nearby tumble-down pub, and they immediately began whistling and laughing at the sight. “Rainbow Dash, are you absolutely sure this is where we want to be?” Rarity did her best to ignore the teasing, carefully evaded the hazard at her feet, and turned to glare at her friend.

“Aw, come on, Rarity,” Applejack said. She walked beside the furious mare and gave the stallions a few rude gestures with her hands, which did little to improve Rarity’s mood. “You’re in Las Pegasus. This ain’t the time to get fussy.”

Rarity huffed and crossed her arms, looking away with her snout held high. “Well forgive me for not being fond of such crude places.”

“Um…” Fluttershy tiptoed behind them, her ears barely poking out above their shoulders. “I’ll just go back to the Strip, if that’s okay with you girls.”

She gave a barely audible squeak when Pinkie jumped in from behind and pulled the pegasus into a tight hug. “Aww, don’t be a party pooper, Fluttershy.” The pink pony wrapped one arm around Fluttershy, while the other gestured to their shady surroundings. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. And if you do see something spooky, just remember…” She trailed off and winked at her friend.

“Giggle at the ghosties?” Fluttershy asked with a meek smile.

“Psh, giggle all you want,” Rainbow Dash said. She peeked into one of the dark alleys and rubbed her hands together. “Omigosh, this is so cool. Just like one of the Lucky Streak novels, where she’s laying low in this very city.”

“Great.” Twilight stifled a giggle and whispered to Applejack. “I knew I shouldn’t have lent her that book. Next thing you know she’s gonna hold up a convenience store or something.”

The farmpony flicked at the brim of her hat. “What, she readin’ some kinda outlaw stories?”

“Lucky Streak,” Twilight said. “It’s a series about a mare who worked her way up the ranks of the Badlands Mob.”

It was Applejack’s turn to laugh. “Wow, Rainbow... and I thought you were a fan of heroes, not lowlifes.”

“Oh, she’s way more than just your average thug.” Rainbow paused to let them catch up. “And she may be a criminal, but she’s got a heart of gold. And she could make, like, three times as many bits as you did, Twi~”

Twilight snickered. “If she broke into the casino vault, then sure.”

“Heh, wanna bet?” Rainbow said. “Let’s re-enact one of the heists from the second book. I’ll be Lucky, you be the cute dancer who’s her mare on the inside.”

Twilight’s cheeks flushed. “That was a stripper, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow waved it off, smirking at her friend’s reaction. “Bah, details, details…”

Pinkie paused in her bouncing all of a sudden, and her entire upper half went parallel with the ground, one leg coming up behind her to keep her balanced. “Oooh! What’s that?”

The others looked at her oddly, and they turned their gaze in the direction that her body pointed. Way down at the end of the street was a large, windowless building that towered over the puny businesses and apartments nearby. Its face was bathed in the soft blue glow of a neon sign hanging above a relatively small door.

“Caravan… Palace?” Pinkie muttered. She straightened up and scratched her mane. “What’s that mean?”

Rainbow narrowed her eyes as she looked for herself. “Some kind of club, I’d say.”

“A club?” Rarity said. “Why on earth would it have such a small door? Looks more like the entrance to a bunker.”

“A nightclub,” Rainbow said. As they got closer, she pointed to a smaller sign next to the one above the door, this one glowing red and featuring a female silhouette clinging to a pole.

“Charming.” Rarity hummed to herself as she inspected their surroundings. “But it does seem to be our best choice around here, and I don’t feel like walking all the way back now... unless it’s to the hotel.”

“Heh, those pampered feet gettin’ weary, Rares?” Applejack’s boot gently nudged Rarity’s expensive high heels, which earned her a glare from her friend. She eyed the door curiously, and her ears twitched from a low beat seeping out through the thick walls. “Hm, I ain’t sure either, but… it might be fun. If y’all feel like it, I’m game.”

“Me too!” Pinkie chirped. She bounced in place to the rhythm of the faint noise. “I can’t wait to try the dance floor in there. Must be one wiiild party!”

Fluttershy remained silent, her eyes fixed on the sign featuring the dancer. Its features were noticeably different from equines. When she realized everypony was looking at her, she blinked and nodded quickly. “Yes, of course. Why not~?”

Twilight looked over her friends, and she smiled. “I guess it’s settled then,” she said, nodding her head at the door. “Shall we?”

Rainbow Dash nodded and eagerly approached the door, knocking on it twice. After a short pause, a slit opened at eye level, and a pair of dark bovine eyes appeared. They stared down the pegasus, glanced at her friends, and a huff sounded out before the slit closed, and the lock clicked. The door swung outward, revealing a tall, dark blue minotaur wearing a black vest over a grey shirt and matching pants. He took one more look at the group before stepping aside and gesturing for them to enter.

The mares’ faces showed varying degrees of unease and excitement, some of them averting their gazes, while others glancing curiously at the bouncer while they passed him. He said nothing, merely closed the door once everypony was inside. There was a long corridor lit up with the same blue neon lights as outside, with another pair of double doors at the far end. Rainbow took the lead, Twilight close behind. Rarity and Applejack moved side by side, the former gliding with an elegant gait, the latter casually walking with her hands in the pockets of her jeans. Pinkie Pie bounced behind them with a wide grin, while Fluttershy brought up the rear, tiptoeing rapidly to keep up.

Rainbow pushed the doors open, revealing a dimly lit lobby area, while the music rose in volume sharply. The dull red carpet on the floor had seen better days, the purple walls were approaching black steadily, and the fake palm trees on either side looked ready to topple over at any moment. There were two additional doors on either side, though only the left one was open, making itself known as the source of the music, as well as an occasional burst of multicolored lights.

A stallion with cerulean coat and sandy blonde mane awaited them in the center of the lobby. He wore an immaculate white suit, making him stand out in the poorly lit and dilapidated chamber, and he gave a polite smile and bowed when the first of the mares got close enough. “Good evening,” he said. Despite the loud music, his silky baritone came through with crystal clarity. “I bid you welcome to Caravan Club. My name is Meadows. I will be your host, tending to your every need.”

“Yeah, hi there,” Rainbow said. “The six of us thought we’d crash here. That okay?”

“Of course, madam,” Meadows replied. Rainbow’s friends gave her a few nervous looks at her brash attitude, but his smile remained unfazed. He merely stepped back and gestured to the entrance to the club proper. “Right this way. If any of you have coats or bags, you may drop them off at the wardrobe.” He pointed to a small cubicle tucked away in the corner to the left of the entrance.

Rainbow nodded, took off her denim jacket, and approached the wardrobe, where a couple waited for the attendant to return. Twilight and Applejack lined up behind their friend, and the latter started bickering with Rarity after an offhand remark about the fashionista’s “hoity-toity gown”, while Pinkie twirled her coat in the air and giggled as she waited for her turn. That left Fluttershy, shifting on her feet as she stared at her friends. She herself did not wear anything over her green cocktail dress, in spite of how chilly the desert could get at night. The cold never seemed to bother her, and the more clothes she put on, the more “restrained” she felt. She had a sense of decency, of course, nor did she want to upset her friends with anything more skimpy, hence the relatively simple gown.

“Um… excuse me, are we allowed to go in—” Her eyes widened as she turned around, only to find thin air where Meadows stood moments ago. “—side?” She glanced left and right, confused. “Hello?” There was no sign of the stallion, and a shift in the music eventually brought her attention back to the door on the left. Curiosity tickled the inside of her head, pulling her gently toward the entrance. Her feet obeyed before her mind could catch up, and she stumbled a little, stepping through the doorway. She held her breath, holding onto her courage as a somewhat menacing song came on.

“Oh… my…”

Fluttershy halted on the opposite end of the doorway, a shudder running down her back from the intense assault on all of her senses. The air in the club was warm, thick with cigarette smoke, cheap cologne, and various body odors. The thrumming bass of the music mixed with the sharp, rapid melodies, making her ears fold back and sending vibrations through her bones. A constant bombardment of flashing lights hit her from one end, while a looming, purple darkness awaited on the other, vague shapes stirring within.

She gulped and bit her lip, trying to back away, only to be nudged forward by a patron approaching from behind. “Watch it!” the middle-aged mare snapped. Her face was plastered in thick, cheap makeup, further highlighting her venomous expression as she glared at the stunned pegasus.

“S-Sorry…” Fluttershy tiptoed forward, almost stumbling over her own legs from the tension in them. Thankfully, most of the floor was clear, so she was in no risk of running into somepony. The mare behind her rolled her eyes and grumbled under her breath while she headed straight to the bar. Meadows greeted her cordially and prepared a drink before the mare had even plopped down on a stool.

As the pegasus gradually calmed down, she took a deep breath and scolded herself internally. Come on, Fluttershy! Pull yourself together! She straightened herself, checked her dress for any wrinkles – which was a good way to keep her shaky hands occupied – and made her way deeper into the chamber, her gaze wandering slowly. The stage was out of the question, of course, since it was a shockingly stark reminder of her brief modeling career, and after she caught a glimpse of what the zebra was doing up there, she concluded that was more than enough. The bar was of little interest to her as well, since she could only manage modest samples of Applejack’s cider, let alone whatever strong spirits they served here.

Thus, she turned her attention to the other patrons, and her feet guided her back and forth, aimlessly to an untrained eye, but letting her steal glances of every booth and table she passed. Some of the sights were indeed pleasant, and a smile tugged on her lips as she saw dancing youngsters, friends toasting loudly, jovial couples holding hands and whispering sweet nothings into each others’ ears. Though the volume often surpassed her comfort zone, seeing ponies be so happy pooled warmth in her heart.

One particular couple squirmed and giggled non-stop, half-obscured within their booth. Fluttershy’s smile widened, and she moved a bit closer. Moments later, she recoiled and spun around, nearly falling over as she stumbled away, while her hands slapped over her mouth to muffle her squeak. Her face turned bright red, the warmth in her heart traveling up to her cheeks, and she all but ran from the booth, not stopping until her back pressed against the far wall.

At first, she had assumed the stallion was just tickling the mare’s sides to tease her, and indeed he was, but only at first. His hands traveled underneath her rather skimpy clothes, one slipping under the blouse, the other between her thighs. Moments later, the mare arched her back and let out a sharp squeal, timed perfectly with a high note in the song playing in the background, which masked the noise.

Fluttershy took deep breaths, her heart hammering in her chest, only to skip a beat when a bright light came on overhead, and something made a series of dull knocks on the wall against her back. She slowly turned to look, and her eyes turned to pinpricks as she saw the zebra mare waltzing up to the edge of the stage nearest to Fluttershy, which she had mistaken for a wall. The voluptuous dancer gave a naughty smile as she closed the distance, and for a moment, Fluttershy was mesmerized by her perfect, curvy figure. The zebra leaned down, her emerald green eyes filling the terrified mare’s vision, and she whispered something in a foreign tongue.

A loud cheer came from the far side of the chamber, snapping Fluttershy out of her reverie. She squeaked and backpedaled from the edge of the stage, retreating along the wall until the shadows engulfed her. Her hands made sure she found an actual solid surface before she halted again and leaned against it, gasping for breath. Her legs shook, nearly giving out underneath her.

“Madam?” came a male voice to her right.

“Eep!” Fluttershy jerked in the opposite direction. She blinked, taking a moment to recognize the stallion’s features, and she gave a deep sigh of relief when she realized it was Meadows. “Oh! Ohh… heh-heh~” She gave an embarrassed smile, which he humbly returned.

“Would you care for a drink?” he asked. The silver tray resting on his palm came into her view as he held it up, and she glanced down to see a tall glass on the tray, filled with a bright orange liquid. A straw was lodged between the ice cubes floating in the drink, forming elegant curls just above the rim of the glass.

“Oh…” Fluttershy tilted her head to the side. Each time the stage lights passed their way, the fluid in the glass seemed to light up briefly. “Um… what is it?”

“A Whip-Sip,” Meadows said. “First round is on the house for every new guest.”

“Ah, I see.” She gave a nervous chuckle, and her feet shuffled. His warm smile made her feel a pang of regret as she shook her head. “Um… no, thank you. I’m not thirsty.”

“Trust me, you will enjoy it.” His smile widened as he saw the uncertainty on her face. “And from the looks of things, you need it.”

After a bit of hesitation, Fluttershy nodded and took the glass, staring at the bright, almost glowing liquid for a while before she sampled it. The moment the cool liquid met her tongue, her eyes widened, and she gave a low hum, sucking on the straw a bit more eagerly. Her face twitched as the drink trickled down her tongue and into her throat, setting off a slightly bitter aftertaste, but it was quickly washed away by a heavenly warmth that spread into her gullet and landed in her stomach. She sighed, her limbs finally relaxing, and a smile tugged on her lips.

“Oh my…” She kept drinking and nearly ran out of breath, her cheeks flushing when she realized how fast she had drained her glass. Moments later, she hiccuped, making her cheeks turn bright red, yet she managed to give a genuine, content smile and licked her lips. “Oh, that was really good. Mmm, thank you~”

“My pleasure,” Meadows replied. He bowed and walked off, returning behind the bar. The patrons there seeming unfazed by his absence. Fluttershy stared at him curiously, as she could have sworn the stallion worked at the lobby and not the bar. Staff shortages, perhaps? She could only shrug.

Her fingers tapped on her empty glass and toyed with the straw, stirring the ice cubes back and forth, and her eyes wandered back to the growing throng nearby. That odd urge tugged on her feet again, but she managed to stall this time. She did not want to go… yet. A chill went down her back each time somepony’s eyes landed on her, and she longed for the warmth of the Whip-Sip that was now steadily fading. Perhaps she just needed another drink?

She lifted her hand to her mouth before hiccuping again, this time followed by a small giggle bubbling up from her belly. Her feet stumbled a little, and her head felt lighter than usual, which only made her giggle again as she made her way back to the bar.

Rainbow Dash lazily glanced left and right as she walked through the club’s main chamber, looking for an empty seat. It was to be her “fallback position”, just like how she always kept a cloud or two after the skies over Ponyville had been cleared, using them to relax, maybe even take a nap. Anything could happen in the club tonight, ranging from drunk friends to new acquaintances, and few, if any, of them could match the pace of someone as awesome as she was. All the more reason to find a place to drop them off, or drop herself, just in case. Fluttershy, in particular, looked a bit unsteady, but so far she was holding her own. Rainbow smirked proudly at her fellow pegasus as she walked past.

Her gait matched the booming beat playing through the speakers, and she even started nodding her head a little. Aside from the music, however, the club had little to offer. There were only a few patrons, and even fewer that looked alive, let alone ready for a wild ride. Even worse, they were all spaced apart, which meant most of the cubicles and good corners were occupied, one of them by just a single drunk stallion.

Rainbow Dash sighed. Her gaze wandered to her friends spread out through the club, and she smirked as she noticed Rarity fiddling with her elaborate dress constantly. Unlike her, Rainbow had opted to wear a simple blue T-shirt and jeans combo instead of any formal nonsense. Perfect for places like this, but just as useless as a tutu if there was no fun to be had. And as she got close to the far end of the dance hall, her hopes of a good night all but dwindled to nothing.

“Great,” she muttered. “This place sucks. We’re in the middle of Las Pegasus, Gambling Heaven, and we just had to pick the lamest club in the whole—”

She trailed off as her gaze landed on a table at the far end of the club, where a trio of figures sat in a thin haze of cigarette smoke, their dark suits making them almost blend into the shadows. Her jaw dropped as the one in the middle lifted their cigarette and took a drag, its reddish glow illuminating their faces briefly. Their eyes glowed like three pairs of gems floating in the darkness. A shiver ran down her spine, and she could practically hear the words of the novel in her head. Lucky Streak waltzed up to the scar-streaked boss and his lackeys, who just smirked and gave her a condescending look, muttering things to each other and chuckling. They had no idea they were joking about the mare who would become the most feared pony on the streets of Manehattan…

Rainbow stifled a chuckle, shifting on her feet from excitement. From this distance, she could not make out the features of the patrons, but the scene was close enough either way. And if the club was unwilling to provide decent levels of entertainment, then it was about time she came up with her own. All she needed was the proper “catalyst”, and the game was on. Glancing to her side, she smirked as she noticed Meadows calmly wiping glasses behind the bar.

Rainbow Dash walked up to him and casually leaned on the counter. “Hey, gimme a bottle of that firewater, huh?” She pointed to one of the expensive whiskey bottles just behind him. “And put it on my tab.”

Meadows politely nodded with a smile. “Of course, madam. Would you prefer a chilled one?”

“Yeah, gimme.”

Nodding again, he crouched to open a cabinet behind the bar, from which he retrieved an identical bottle, condensation forming on it the moment the cold glass met the warm air in the chamber. He wrapped a pair of napkins around it and handed it over. “Enjoy, madam.”

“Thanks.” Rainbow took the bottle, turned around, and held her breath, putting on her best game face as she approached the three figures. A nagging thought about the bartender made her pause for a moment, but she brushed it off. So the guy has more than one job. Who cares?

By the time she was halfway across the dance floor, she could make out more distinct features. All three were diamond dogs, the one on the left a dark-furred Labrador, the right one a Terrier, while the one in the center was a Shepherd. Their size and features were average, a far cry from the rough hounds Rarity once fell victim to, with the Shepherd the only one even remotely close to “menacing” in his looks. They chatted away idly, laughed, sipped their drinks, and occasionally blew a kiss at the dancer.

Once she got within just a few paces, they finally looked up and took notice. She could barely restrain her giggling as she saw them blink in confusion, and before either of them could say anything, she calmly pulled back the nearest chair and plopped down on it. “Hey there, fellas,” she said, using an exaggerated Manehattan accent.

“Uhh…” The dog in the middle glanced between his companions, who stared at him in confusion, and he just shrugged. “Hello?”

“Hope you don’t mind, I brought us some drinks.” Rainbow pulled their empty shot glasses closer, opened her bottle, and filled them all to the brim. Then, making the jaws of all three dogs drop, she leaned back and took a hearty swig straight from the bottle. “Ahhhh!” Her cheeks flushed, and she patted her chest a few times. “That hit the spot!”

“Umm…” the dog on the right began. “Excuse me, but do we know—”

“So!” She set the bottle down on the table, the sharp knock making the dogs twitch. “Shall we talk business?”

“Business?” the dog on the left said. They stared in confusion as she pushed the shot glasses back in front of them.

“Yeah, business.” She took another swig and licked her lips. “Mmm… you know, transporting packages, protection work, collecting debts, that sort of thing.” She added air quotes for emphasis and smirked.

The dogs’ gaze alternated between each other, the drinks, and Rainbow Dash, who had to pinch herself to avoid laughing at their expressions. “Uh, Miss…?” the dog in the center asked, trailing off to let her finish.

“Rainbow Dash.”

“Yes, Miss Rainbow, I… think you’re mistaking us for someone.”

To relieve the pressure inside, Rainbow gave a brief chuckle. “I’m not a cop, if that’s your problem.”

“What?” The eyes of the dog on the left almost popped out of his head. “The police? What do they want from me?” He nudged his nearest companion with his elbow. “Rusty, I thought you said you quit embezzling!”

“I did! Don’t look at me!” The middle dog nudged the one on the right. “Bonehead, was it you?”

“No, I don’t even buy chipped rubies anymore, for Moon’s sake,” the third dog replied. Sighing, he quickly downed his shot of whiskey, much to the surprise of his companions. He let out a hum of approval and stared at the empty glass, only to slap his forehead a moment later. “Oh, dammit, that reminds me…” He retrieved a cell phone from his pocket and tapped it a few times before lifting it to his ear. “Frisbee? Hey, uh… you manage to talk to him about the deal? Yes, I know, tons of paperwork, but it’s gotta be done. Tell him I’ll meet him for coffee next Tuesday.”

Is he seriously going to talk about such lame things right now? Rainbow huffed. Sheesh, he’s killing the vibe… She did grin a bit wider when she saw the other two hesitantly take a sip of their own drinks. Convinced by the taste, they quickly downed the rest, and when Rainbow offered to pour the next shot, they nodded in approval.

“Well, as you can see…” Rusty said and held out his glass. His hand seemed to shake a little as it got within reach of the mare, but he gave a weak smile once he got his refill. “We’re not involved in any… illegitimate business, if that’s even what you’re looking for.” He downed another shot. “Thank you very much for the drink though.”

“Hey, come on, guys.” She filled the glasses again and got a fourth one for herself. “There’s really no need for the act. I know I haven’t made my bones yet, but you can trust me. I’m a reliable soldier on the streets.” Her voice was getting a bit rough from the alcohol, but she downed two more shots without hesitation.

The dogs glanced at each other, their faces twitching. The dog on her left was already snorting, his lips quivering as he tried to hold back. Moments later, all three erupted into laughter, while Rainbow leaned back and crossed her arms, frowning at them. Her toned limbs tensed up repeatedly, the worn white tank top exposing her muscles and a couple of scars. Warmth pooled in her stomach, and a dull haze seeped into her head, yet she steeled her resolve and did not give into the urge to go limp in the chair. Who do these goons think they are? I’m not some clown here to make them laugh.

“Listen kid,” Rusty said with a smirk of his own, exposing his teeth. He lit himself a fresh cigarette and blew a thick puff of smoke in her direction. “Knock it off. That kind of attitude will only get you in trouble.”

“Well I ain’t scared,” Rainbow said. “Got plenty of street cred already. Just tell me what I need to do.”

“‘Street cred’. By the Moon…” Bonehead chuckled and took the bottle to refill his glass. “She’s been watching too many movies. What do you think, Digger?”

“Hmm… I don’t know.” The Terrier narrowed his eyes as he stared at Rainbow. “Maybe she’s not all talk.”

Bonehead nodded. “Only one way we can find out. Rusty?”

“Yeah.” The Shepherd took a long drag, lighting his face up in deep red. “Let me think for a minute.”

Bonehead picked up his phone again. “Hey, it’s me again. You talk to him?” He frowned and bared his teeth. “He said what? Okay, Fyodor, listen to me. You tell him this: we’re good friends with the local fishing companies, and if he don’t want to see the river from below, he’ll take the deal. Got it?”

“Tell you what, kid…” Rusty crushed his cigarette in the ashtray, adjusted his suit, and nodded his head to the wall behind them. “We’ve got this guy outside trying to peddle some junk for days now.” He feigned a tone of mild disappointment. “The whole time he never even thought about asking our permission.”

“And that don’t fly,” Digger added. He took Rainbow’s empty glass and the bottle of amber liquid. “But we gave him a pass. Wanted to see how that stuff does on the market.”

“Apparently he’s too stupid to even sell a grain of it.” Bonehead did not even look up from his phone as he kept tapping away on it. “You look like a tough kid. How about you have a sample? See if he’s of any use?”

“And if he isn’t, I don’t think he has any business being here.” Digger filled her glass and pushed it back toward her. “Don’t you agree?”

Rainbow stared at them silently, doing her best not to even blink. Her fingers tapped on the edge of the table idly, and after a few moments, she reached out and took her glass. “Yeah, loud and clear.” She grinned and downed the shot in one go.

All three dogs grinned back, baring their teeth, and Rusty offered her a cigarette. “Good. Thanks again for the drink.”

“For the last time, Applejack, I am not a ‘prissy little princess’.” Rarity huffed and rolled her eyes while she set down her elegant silk coat on the counter. Her teeth ground together when Applejack merely chuckled and unceremoniously tossed her own jacket on top.

“Nah, you’re just a fussy filly~” The farmpony leaned on the counter and smirked at her friend. Their little duel was cut short, however, when the attendant returned from the coat racks. Both mares turned to look, and their jaws dropped as they watched a familiar stallion pick up their garments.

“Will that be all, ladies?” Meadows asked with a friendly smile.

“Wait a moment…” Rarity looked over her shoulder, but she found nopony in the spot where the same stallion had welcomed them to the club mere seconds ago. “Didn’t you just…? I mean… um...”

“Yeah, uh…” Applejack reached up to adjust her hat. “How did you…?” She shook her head. “Nevermind. Uh… thanks, that’s all.”

Rarity was quick to catch on. “Yes, thank you kindly~” she said with a rather forced smile. Meadows bowed and went back with their clothes, returning with a small plate. Rarity snatched it up, took Applejack by the hand, and swiftly led her toward the entrance of the club.

“That was weird,” Applejack muttered.

“For once we agree on something…” Rarity sighed, her rapid gait slowing down once they were past the doorway. “Though he does handle both roles as a gentlecolt. It almost seems undignified.” She paused and turned to glare at her friend. “Speaking of ‘dignified’, you could at least have taken your hat off.”

“What?” Reflexively, Applejack fiddled with the brim of her hat again. “Not a chance.”

“Do you not have any sense of decency and good manners?” Rarity crossed her arms. “Or would it be too hard for you to show some for only a minute?”

Applejack frowned. “Hey, I spent almost a whole summer at the Oranges. I know how the whole fancy-schmancy thing works. I just don’t think it suits me.”

It was Rarity’s turn to give an impish grin. “Oh, I beg to differ, Applejack. I’ve seen how it suits you.”

Applejack’s cheeks reddened slightly. “That was just a once-in-a-lifetime thing, ya hear? And I just threw that thing on.”

“Mmm, no need to be so modest. You wore that dress just fine~”

Applejack looked away, crossing her arms as well. “Yeah, so I can put on some fancy duds from time to time.” She chuckled. “Worked just as well as you wearin’ a straw hat and work overalls~”

Rarity’s cheeks flushed to match Applejack’s own, and she gave a triumphant smile. “Cat got yer tongue?” she went on.

“Hmph.” Rarity held her snout high. “One little misstep is hardly indicative of anything.”

“I don’t know…” Applejack tapped her chin, feigning thoughtfulness. “Ya did go over the top, but I’ll admit, you’re not afraid of gettin’ dirty if ya have to.”

“Oh, please,” Rarity said. “I make things work, darling. That’s not the same as what is fitting.”

“Well, we can never know until we try it out.”

“What are you suggesting? A dressing contest?”

“Nah.” Applejack looked around and nodded her head at the bar to their left. “How’s about we see how you handle yer liquor?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “A drinking contest? Seriously?”

“Not quite.” Applejack took the lead this time, holding onto Rarity’s hand as she led them toward the bar. “More of a… taste test? See what you can put up with.”

The fashionista rolled her eyes again. “Sounds delightful…”

“Aw, come on. Or are you gonna be a—”

“Don’t say it!” Rarity jabbed her friend in the side, while Applejack just cackled at her expression. Eventually, even the unicorn managed to crack a smile. “Fair enough. But only on one condition.”

“Yeah?” Applejack adjusted her hat.

Rarity gave an impish smirk. “We will also look into whether there is any room for decorum under that hat of yours~”

Her friend chuckled and shook her head. “Alright then, you’re on. Just as long as I don’t have to wear a—” She trailed off as they arrived at the bar, only to find Meadows standing behind it, calmly pouring a pitcher full of beer from the tap. He looked up at his newest patrons and smiled.

“And what would you lovely ladies like to have this evening?” He handed the beer to a nearby guest and wiped his hand with a rag before returning to the duo. “First time guests at Caravan Palace each get a Whip-Sip, on the house.”

Applejack’s mouth opened and closed silently, leaving Rarity with the burden of playing along. “No, thank you,” she replied. “We had something a bit more… specific in mind.” Her swift reaction helped Applejack get her wits back.

“Of course,” Meadows said. “Anything you would like~”

The mares glanced at each other, eyes narrowing. “Well, ya sure about this?” Applejack asked.

Rarity nodded slowly. “If this is the only way I will ever prove to you that I am not just some... ‘prissy little princess’...” She frowned, a determined look in her eyes. “Then yes. I’ll do it.”

“Heh-heh, alright then~” Applejack gave Rarity an impish smirk and slammed her hand on the counter, making her friend wince. “Hard cider!” she exclaimed.

“Ugh…” Rarity shot her a nasty look. “Really?”

“Ya ain’t no tough gal until ya can handle it.” Applejack leaned closer. “You’re not quittin’ already, are ya?”

“Is that so?” It was Rarity’s turn to smirk, wiping the look off Applejack’s face, and the fashionista turned to Meadows. “In that case, my delightful partner will have a Caramel Cream Liqueur~”

“Right away.” The stallion bowed his head and hurried off to get their orders. Applejack raised an eyebrow as she watched him retrieve a rather odd-looking bottle from the shelves behind the bar.

“Caramel what?” She lifted her Stetson to scratch at her mane. “A lot of fancy words in that drink. Does it taste any good?”

“Oh, Applejack~” Rarity gave a mischievous giggle. “I’m sure a tough mare like you can handle something soft and elegant for a change.”

The mares continued to bicker until Meadows returned, placing an elegant, tall glass filled with a thick, murky liquid in front of the farmpony, and a simple beer glass filled with a fizzy yellow liquid before the fashionista. “Voilà,” he said with a smile.

The duo blinked in confusion as they took in the sight. Rarity leaned closer and sniffed warily at the glass, her nose wrinkling from the sharp scent. Meanwhile, Applejack reached out with one hand and poked the edge of her glass with her index finger. She nearly recoiled when the milky substance inside sloshed back and forth.

“Everything in order~?” Meadows asked. The mares looked up, gave an embarrassed smile, and nodded. Rarity was the first to pick up her glass, and she turned to face Applejack, holding it up.

“Well… to good friends?” she said.

“Cheers!” Applejack replied with a nod. They clinked their glasses together and lifted them to their lips, Applejack poised to take a hearty swig, while Rarity just barely tilting her own to take a tiny sip. Their eyes widened the moment the liquid hit their tongues.

“Bleh!” They exclaimed and recoiled almost at the exact same time, eyes staring daggers into their respective beverages. Applejack raked her tongue with her teeth non-stop, while Rarity struggled with a sudden coughing fit. “How can you even drink this?”

They then looked at each other, silently blaming the other for the awful choice, yet their abuse was reserved for their drinks. “Consarn it!” Applejack said. She held up her glass and stared at the contents as though it were a rotten apple. “Who the hay thought liquor candy makes a good drink?”

“Ugh!” Rarity shuddered all over. “Absolutely horrible! Do they clean sewers with this?”

For a moment, both mares glanced at Meadows, feeling ashamed of themselves for berating his drinks, but the stallion was busy tending to another patron and showed no sign of being troubled by their complaints. Sighing, Rarity leaned with her elbow on the counter, tapping her fingers on the side of her glass a few times while she stared at it hatefully. Applejack leaned back, gazing at her own beverage with an equally bitter expression, but after a few moments, she picked it up and took another hesitant sip, realizing moments later that Rarity had done the same.

They both grimaced, but their reactions were a bit more reserved this time. Applejack shuddered, her tongue restless in her mouth. “Land sakes…” she muttered. Her eyebrow raised as she looked at Rarity. “How come you’re still drinking? Thought ya said it’s horrible.”

“It is.” Rarity cleared her throat several times. “Oh, believe me, it is.” She took a deep breath and lifted the glass again, chewing on her tongue. “But I do not wish to quit now.”

“Me neither, I guess…” Applejack lifted the glass to her lips again. The strange, faintly sweet scent of the liquid was dizzying, yet inviting at the same time. She merely sipped from it, avoiding a larger dose, while her friend tensed up as she attempted an entire gulp this time.

Rarity coughed, but no longer looked like she was about to retch. “I suppose it’s... a good test of one’s resolve?” She gave a somewhat forced chuckle.

“Yeah, heh…” Applejack turned her glass back and forth idly on the table. “And this stuff, once ya get past how weird the cream is… it’s nice n’ sweet.”

“Mhm.” Rarity paused in the middle of her next attempt, and she glanced over at her friend. “Mmm… you’re doing it all wrong, darling.”

“Wha?” Applejack inhaled sharply, tensing up as the fashionista’s hand gently grasped her own. It was cold from having embraced the cider glass for so long, which sent a shiver through Applejack’s arm and down her spine. She grumbled under her breath, scolding herself for reacting like this when neither heat nor cold bothered her most of the time. Rarity did not seem to notice, however, as she carefully pried her friend’s hand off the wide top half of the cocktail glass.

“A lady does not hold her glass and drink so crudely,” she said. Under her fingers’ guidance, Applejack’s own index and middle finger wrapped around the thin stem of the glass, while her thumb rested just under the bowl. “There. Small sips. Savor the fine drink~”

It was Applejack’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yeah, a ‘lady’ might bother with all that…” She had to admit, however, that this grip felt a lot more natural on the fancy glass, and taking in just a few drops at a time let her enjoy the subtle flavors in the drink much easier. For a moment, it took her back to those days she had spent in Manehattan, most of them hazy images and sensations in her memories now, but she did remember a lot of things having such exotic flavors. As much as she loved the simplicity of country life, the intricacies of the upper class always piqued her curiosity. Most of the time, Rarity’s presence in her life was enough to sate it and go back to being “uncouth”, and they both took it for granted that they would remain worlds apart in this regard.

“Mmm…” She licked her lips, still baffled, but no longer repulsed by the lingering taste. “Not bad.”

Rarity smiled and nodded. “Glad you approve, darling. I—Wahahaa!” She nearly jumped off her chair as she attempted to mirror Applejack’s delicate grip, only to risk tilting her entire glass right onto her expensive outfit. Her cheeks flushed, and she glared at Applejack, who cackled heartily.

“That ain’t gonna work with cider, Rarity,” she teased. “A tough mare’s drink needs tough hands. And ya ain’t looking for a smooth ride.” Before her friend could react, she reached over and took Rarity’s hand, pressing it firmly against the cold glass of cider. Rarity fidgeted in her seat, Applejack’s touch feeling somewhat coarse and ‘dirty’, but not in an unpleasant way. It reminded her of the touch of dirt, something she would never in her life even dream of letting near her, with one notable exception. When it came to unearthing gems, no amount of dust, soot, soil, or even the fires of the Earth itself would deter the mare from performing the task. And while she would never admit it, there was an odd excitement about digging through the “worthless” ground to get to the treasures within. She herself never considered a single grain of dirt worthless. Courtesy of Twilight Sparkle, she had seen various dirt samples under a microscope, which revealed entire worlds of intricate shapes and colors, which only solidified the fashionista’s beliefs. Every grain was a gem in its own right; she simply hunted for the larger ones among them. And at this moment, one particularly large, orange “gem” was teaching her how to hold a glass of cider.

The blush on her cheeks got brighter, but Applejack was thankfully unaware as she instructed Rarity to get a firmer grip. The cold she had just about gotten used to, but the glass itself was a big surprise, since she had been accustomed to thin, delicate vessels, not something she might even be able to use as a bludgeon. She tested her grip on the glass and, finding it to be quite unyielding, lifted it with much greater confidence.

“That’s it,” Applejack said. “Now get yourself a big gulp of that stuff. Don’t hold back.”

Rarity said a quick prayer in her head, embraced the rim of the glass with her lips, and brought the bottom up. She gulped the cold, fizzy liquid, letting it slide right in instead of struggling to tame it with her tongue. The bittersweet cider prickled her throat, setting off a dull warmth after the cold wave passed. She quickly set the glass down and gasped for breath, her head feeling light for a moment, and a soft buzz entered her skull, making her chuckle inadvertently.

“Heh-heh, that’s how ya do it!” Applejack patted her friend on the back and laughed as the fashionista coughed in response. Rarity gave her a bemused look and wiped her mouth, but eventually she managed to smile as well.

“Oh my…” she muttered, noticing how she had drained well over half her glass. “How did I… ohh…” Another wave of dizziness came over her as she turned to Applejack, only to find her holding up her own drink for another toast. Without thinking, Rarity gave a wide grin, gripped her glass firmly, and clinked it with the farmpony’s own.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and moved her arms around a few times while she stared at the door. Tension built in her muscles, and her pulse elevated slightly, but she managed to keep up a cool exterior. Reaching out, she nudged the door open, and was instantly hit by the lukewarm reek of the bustling city, as well as the stench of the nearby dumpsters’ contents. A light just above the door came on, its glare leaving her blind to the rest of the alley that stretched around the back of the club.

She slowly stepped outside and let the door swing shut behind her. After blinking a few times, she finally managed to spot a few features of the desolate alley as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Aside from the dumpsters and a few scattered pieces of junk lying around, there was not much worth noting. Her ears twitched as she heard a cough to her left, the noise half-obscured by the sound of cars passing by. She turned to look and found a stallion standing on the corner at the end of the alley. He wore a dirty, worn jacket and leaned against the wall, tapping his foot idly.

That must be guy, Rainbow thought. She cracked her knuckles, took another deep breath, and approached him. Here we go.

Hearing her footsteps, the stallion turned his head toward her, and he let out a faint whistle. “Hey there, babe,” he said. “Looking for something?”

“Depends,” Rainbow Dash replied. She gave him a condescending look as she sized him up. “What have you got?”

“Depends.” He gave a wide grin, showing off a couple of gold teeth. “If you mean what I’ve got in my pants~”

Rainbow crossed her arms, her muscles noticeably tensing up. “I’m not looking to buy small-scale, thanks. You got any merchandise?”

The dealer shook his head, still grinning. “Hmph... mares in this town. All business, no leisure, no pleasure.” He chuckled and dug into his coat pocket, retrieving a hand-sized plastic bag filled with some nondescript white powder. “Three grand a key. Couldn’t get a better kick from an angry buffalo.”

“We’ll see about that.” She took the package and inspected it closely. “Mind if I have a taste?”

The stallion looked surprised. “Uhh… sure.” He held out his hand and nodded at the package. “May I?” Rainbow handed it back, and he took out a laminated card from his pocket, tapped the package over it a few times, which released some of the powder to form a neat little pile on the card. He then handed the card to Rainbow. “Enjoy~”

Rainbow narrowed her eyes as she stared at the sample for a few moments. She then licked her finger, dabbed it into the pile, and put it into her mouth. “Hmm…” Her lips smacked together a few times, and her eyes widened ever so slightly. After staring briefly at the card again, she brought the it up to her nose and snorted the rest. “Ahhh…” A shudder went through her body, and she nodded.

The dealer grinned once more. “Good, huh?”

“Good?” Rainbow tossed the card away and, before the stallion could even blink, she grabbed him roughly by his shirt collar. “Half that stuff is just flour and powdered sugar. You think I’m trying to bake cookies here?”

It was the stallion’s turn to tremble, his eyes turning to pinpricks as she stared into Rainbow’s own. He expected to see dilated pupils and manic twitching, not the cold and calculated orbs piercing right through him. “Wh-What?” he blurted out. “I—”

Before he could finish, Rainbow grabbed the plastic bag in his hand and, despite his protest, tossed it straight into one of the dumpsters nearby. “What the fuck?” he yelled. “That was my—Agh!” He trembled as her strong arms shoved him against the wall.

“Shut the hell up,” Rainbow growled. “It’s trash, so I put it where it belongs.”

“B-But I…”

He yelped again when she shoved him to the side, almost pushing him off balance, and she started dragging him toward the same dumpster. He let out a low groan, presumably from the foul smell, followed by a gasp as they got closer. “Hey!” He thrashed desperately. “What the hell are you doing?”

Rainbow grabbed his mane and forced his head over the open lid of the dumpster, further tormenting him with the stench. “I already said it, idiot. Putting the trash where it belongs.”

“S-Stop! C’mon, please, I get it, just let me—Ahhh!” The ground was yanked out from under his feet, and he felt a strong sense of vertigo from his rapid acceleration into the air. The mare’s strong grip remained on his coat, and he instinctively tried to grab hold of her the moment he saw rooftops below. “Shit!” His voice was almost a wail now. “Don’t let me go! Don’t let go!”

Rainbow did not reply at first. For a moment, the dealer was ready to breathe a sigh of relief, as they began to descend once more. He then noticed that they were moving rather conspicuously close to the same dumpster they left behind, and he started flailing again. “Too late for requests,” Rainbow Dash said. “Have a nice flight!”

“Wait! Don’t—Aaaaaahhhh!” The stallion thrashed in mid-air, only to fall straight through the open lid less than a second later. There was a dull thud, along with the sound of trash rustling, and by the time Rainbow herself touched down a few feet away, everything went silent.

She made a show of dusting her hands off and crossed her arms, staring proudly at her work. A low groan came from inside the dumpster, followed by the sound of garbage shifting around. Moments later, she blinked when someone started clapping slowly behind her. Her heart skipped a beat, and she wheeled around with her wings poised for liftoff, but her panic quickly subsided when she saw Rusty standing next to the back door of the club, a smug grin on his face as he applauded her handiwork. The doberman’s sharp ears twitched from the sounds of the dealer fidgeting in the dumpster, and he stopped clapping to take a drag from his cigarette and retrieve it from between his teeth.

“Nice work, Dash,” he said. “Good to see you making an effort to keep this neighborhood clean.”

Rainbow gave a low chuckle. “Yeah. So many people forget they shouldn’t litter.” She tapped her fist against the palm of her other hand. “Glad I can do my part.”

“Hmm… then what do you say we offer you a job?”

“Where do I sign up?”

“Head on in.” Rusty pulled the door open and stepped aside. Rainbow grinned widely and could barely contain herself as she approached. “I’ve already talked to the guys. The ‘garbage business’ could use a good kid like you.”

He took one last drag and crushed his cigarette on the wall beside him. The dumped dealer let out another groan behind them, making them pause for a moment. “Oh, that reminds me…” He nodded his head at the dumpster. “I gotta talk to the management about their little ‘trash problem’.”

“Heeey… Mister—hic—Meadows!” Fluttershy’s eyes were half-lidded, and she had a vapid smile on her face as she leaned on the counter with one hand, almost slipping as she waved at the stallion. “Another Whup-Ship pleashe…”

She plopped back down in her seat, swallowed the drool collecting in her mouth, and giggled as she replayed her own words in her head. Her had stopped being cooperative for ten minutes now, and while she hoped her latest round would have fixed that, it just made the counter that much more appealing as a pillow. She tried to get up, of course, but the stool was way too high up, and her legs did not feel very steady, to say the least. Another Whats-It was bound to fix that though. Her hips fidgeted on her seat, which felt more and more plush every second, and her hands restlessly fiddled with her outfit. Maybe it was just the heat in the room or lack of ventilation, but the fabric never managed to settle the right way on her skin. Her neckline was slipping down too, and her bra felt tight. She should really ask Rarity for some fashion tips next time.

“Right away, Miss!” Meadows did not at all seem distressed by how she looked. That just made Fluttershy giggle even more, though she could never explain what was so funny. She just gave that same, vapid smile and stared at Meadows dreamily as he arrived with the cocktail. “Here you go~”

The moment her drink arrived, she eagerly grasped it and drained almost half the glass in one long drag through the straw. A dull ache went off in her head from the ice cold, syrupy beverage hitting the back of her throat, and she swayed on the stool as the buzz all over her body got stronger. Her eyes remained fixed on the stallion, however, and for a moment, she started thinking about how handsome he looked. Tall, decently-built figure, and a masculine, but not imposing face. Her legs rubbed together, and she shook her head, giggling at herself. She barely realized how her feet had been wrestling with each other for the past few minutes, working her shoes off one by one, and she let out a low coo of relief from the air caressing her soles.

Somepony sat down beside her and ordered a drink, after which he spent several minutes stealing glances at her. Fluttershy had no idea who it was. She could barely make out his features, and it was too risky to try and turn toward him. He eventually spoke up, and the voice suggested it was a stallion. She did not reply much, mostly because she could not understand a word, but he kept talking to her either way, and it felt nice to listen. Her leg twitched when she felt something brush against her bare feet, and she giggled as the stallion gasped in surprise when he glanced down.

The music died down for about a minute, giving the patrons inside a brief respite from the pounding bass mixed with sharp melodies, at least to those who were not accustomed to it. Twilight Sparkle herself trod the fine line between tolerance and acceptance, and her thoughts were elsewhere anyway. She had her fair share of sampling nightlife in various cities, especially when her friends tagged along, but this was by far the most unique establishment of its kind that she had been to.

That was an odd thought in and of itself, making her pause. She really had to put things into perspective to come to that conclusion. Her past escapades had taken her to clubs that were remote, shady, crazy, and even all three at once. She had even been to a club run by a changeling who had escaped from its hive, and it did not even bother with a disguise, as the place was by far the best in town, so nopony complained about such minor details.

But while there were oddities where Caravan Club paled in comparison, those were all fairly straightforward. The oddity was more of a gimmick than a mystery, a good way to grab attention and get more visitors, which was anything but the case here. Nothing about this club was overtly suspicious, or even peculiar, except perhaps the anomaly named Meadows.

She glanced at the bar, narrowing her eyes when she spotted the stallion in the white suit, who gave his trademark smile and bow as he served drinks dutifully. His wide array of roles, which he seemed to switch between instantly and at will, was the most prominent example of the otherwise subtle strangeness of the place. Everything else was in the finer details, leading her to implications, which in turn led to contradictions.

On the surface, Caravan Club was just another one of those “had seen better days” clubs one would come across on forgotten streets, halfway toward closing down, or being converted into a less respectable establishment. Yet while the interior may have been worn and the decor outdated, the quality of the offered services did not seem to suffer for it. The music was appropriate, the bar was fully stocked and not too pricey, and if one could get past the “teleporting stallion”, they would receive attention and entertainment that rivaled any of the grand casinos and hotels on the Strip she and her friends had visited today.

And this just led to even more questions in Twilight’s head. Why set up such a good place so far “off the map”? Why bother offering good service when so few guests could experience it? Not that the club was deserted – the wear on the walls, floors, and decor were clearly due to constant use and not simple decay, but she could not say the club was “packed” either. She walked back and forth across the chamber, letting her gaze wander. The patrons alternated between being reserved and animated, depending on the circumstances. As if on cue, a new song came on, and those near the stage clapped and cheered as the lights dimmed. She heard a voice announce the next attraction, somepony going by the name “Silky Stripe”, presumably another dancer.

Thinking about the staff made her thoughts drift back to Meadows. “Teleporting stallion” was a misleading nickname for him, as she never once sensed anypony in the club casting such a spell. As for his role in the club, Twilight could imagine this strange setup as a way to save money, but why was this the only such measure, aside from refusing to renovate the place? Why bother to spend on a bouncer and several different and unique stage performers, then leave all these basic and relatively cheap roles all to one pony, rather than just discontinue a few services outright? She could not imagine this setup made things any cheaper, especially when Meadows insisted on adding this “classy” approach to it all. Twilight smiled as he noticed the stallion bow again after taking an order. Perhaps that was just his way of having fun with the mundane tasks. Still, why waste time working here? Perhaps it was related to his cutie mark? It would be an intriguing thing to study, but that still left the more obvious issue unexplained. Any casino on the strip would pay a fortune to have an employee like him, so what could possibly keep him attached to this obscure establishment?

Twilight huffed and turned her attention back to the stage. A voluptuous zebra mare wearing a skimpy outfit stood at the center of it, every inch of her body lit up by the bright lights above for the hollering audience to enjoy. Her bra and panties were but mere straps, covering just enough of the striped figure to not be completely indecent. Still, the mare showed no sign of reluctance as she waltzed onto a short runway before the stage. Her curves jiggled with every step, and she leaned against a metal pole at the end, where she lifted a hand to her lips and blew a kiss. The audience cheered even louder, and she repeated the gesture while swaying in place, rubbing herself against the pole, her motions further accenting her curves.

“My goodness…” Twilight muttered. She found herself staring at the zebra’s large breasts, somehow mesmerized by their motions and the near-deafening roar of the audience. She then winced when the pole suddenly slipped between the mare’s breasts, while she brought her hands up to knead her mounds around it. Twilight’s eyes finally wandered back up to the zebra’s face, just in time to catch her blowing a kiss. For a moment, she could have sworn the dancer was looking straight at her.

Her cheeks burned, and she stumbled a little as she quickly put some distance between herself and the stage. An odd chill formed on her chest, making her shudder all over, as she imagined what that pole must have felt like against bare skin. Her arms instinctively came up to hug herself, and she shook her head to banish such thoughts. Moments later, she paused when she heard a familiar voice.

“Hee-hee…” The mare’s words were occasionally cut off by her squeaky hiccups. “You’re a funny little colt~”

“Actually, um…” A stallion right beside her cleared his throat and chuckled. “I’m twenty-nine.”

“Ohh! Oh… hic! Hehhehhehh…”

Twilight tiptoed closer, and her eyes widened as she looked at the figure halfway toward being sprawled out on the counter. “Fluttershy?” she muttered.

The pegasus blinked and lifted her head, sluggishly turning to face her. She gave a wide smile, eyes half-lidded as she stared at her friend, and she waved lazily. “Oh, hi Twi—hic!—light~”

Puzzled by the sight, Twilight lifted a hand unconsciously and returned the wave. She even felt a slight urge to chuckle, since she rarely, if ever, saw Fluttershy acting this way. The pegasus giggled in response and turned back to her half-empty glass, quickly downing it before she leaned with her elbow on the counter, the side of her head on her palm as she stared at the stallion babble away at her. His cheeks flushed, and she giggled again.

Twilight rolled her eyes and quickly found herself a stool on the other side of the mare. Looking around, she found no sign of Meadows. “Hmf. And just when I need him, he doesn’t do his thing…” she muttered. Shaking her head, she chuckled and picked up one of the drink menus, browsing through it to pass the time.

“I must apologize for the wait.” The familiar voice came from up close, making Twilight nearly leap out of her seat. She looked up wide-eyed at Meadows, who stood right in front of her on the other side of the counter, giving his usual smile. “Had an... overfill in the dumpster outside, so we called in a truck to take care of it. What can I get you fine ladies?” He glanced at Fluttershy, who was swaying in her seat and mumbling about the bathroom. “Perhaps a Whip-Sip? First round is on the house for every new guest.”

“A Whip-Sip?” Twilight blinked and gave an awkward smile. “That’s... a strange name, especially for this place.” Her gaze wandered back to the stage for a moment. The zebra was gone, replaced instead by a pair of earth ponies, both of them rather skinny and effeminate stallions in skimpy outfits. She shuddered as she noticed the dancers showing off some rather excessive tools – whips, riding crops, and various bondage gear – and she quickly looked away as the music picked up, and the two started their routine. For a moment, she wondered how she recognized the tools so quickly, as she had only read passing mentions of such “exotic” practices, and Rarity had once shown her a few “interesting” dress commissions.

Meadows walked over to a section of the counter where all of the mixing tools and ingredients were laid out. “Oh, I assure you, it’s nothing controversial. Just a humorous take on the famous expression. W.H.I.P.S.I.P. What happens in Pegas, stays in Pegas.”

“Heh-heh~” Twilight nodded in response. “I see. And the contents?”

The stallion smiled a bit wider and shook his head. “I’m sorry, madam. That’s a trade secret~” He retrieved a small bucket full of ice from a freezer at his feet. “Will you try it?”

“Mmm…” Twilight glanced at Fluttershy and gave a small giggle. “Well, why not?”

“Wonderful.” Meadows immediately got to work, his hands a blur as he prepared the drinks. “Two Whip-Sips, coming up.” True to his word, once it came to adding some of the ingredients, he made sure to keep them out of view.

“Another drink? Oh yesh, bring it right he—hic!” Fluttershy gave a lazy little giggle, and the stallion beside her gasped as she promptly collapsed, snout first, onto the counter. “Mnnnghmm…”

“Actually, uh…” Twilight waved at Meadows and gave an embarrassed grin. “Just the one for me.”

The other girls may have had reservations about coming to this place and cutting loose, but Pinkie Pie was certainly not like them. The moment she entered through the double doors, her feet were already bouncing to the beat of the music, making her entire body jiggle slightly. She grinned from ear to ear and all but jumped right into the middle of the dance floor, eagerly awaiting the opportune moment. A faster song came on, kicked off by the loud whine of a synthesizer followed by a machinegun drumbeat, and more and more patrons left their seats to join the growing crowd.

Pinkie lightly bounced in place as she let the song pick up, her heartbeat rising along with the melodies, and the moment the beat was dropped, she burst into motion, tossing herself left and right, spinning in place, often barely supporting herself on the tip of her toe while she bent and leaned at near-impossible angles.

“Whoo-hoo!” The song was an instrumental, but she felt inspired by its energy and made up lyrics on the fly. “Shake it, girls! Let’s do it! Oh yeah, let’s get it on! All night looooong!”

She went at it tirelessly for almost the entire song, and the floor all but cracked under her feet as they pounded to the rhythm. Eventually, she came to a halt and giggled as she looked around, only to find a mostly oblivious audience. Her friends were spread out in various corners of the chamber, all occupied with their own little adventures. Twilight was desperately trying to shake a catatonic Fluttershy awake, and the pegasus eventually dragged herself off her stool and adopted an almost regal pose, waltzing across the chamber to the restrooms. Rarity and Applejack bickered with a heap of empty mugs and cocktail glasses between them, both looking a bit tipsy, but no less eager to outdo one another. Rainbow Dash cackled wildly and clinked a whole bottle of liquor with her new friends, and one of the dogs actually returned Pinkie’s gaze. She blinked as the boxer grinned, flashing his sharp teeth.

“Hmph…” A new song came on, and Pinkie began her dance routine a bit slower this time. She did move around a lot more, however, wanting to gauge how much attention she would get. Aside from a few initial glances, and those watching out when she got too close, the other guests did not at all seem interested in her presence. She frowned briefly, but quickly shook her head and put on a wide smile. No being a party pooper, Pinkie!

She waltzed, did somersaults, cartwheels, even a very short breakdance before hopping back to her feet. But no matter how hard she tried, there was zero recognition. By the time the fourth song came on, she was panting from the exertion, having tried to impress by weaving through the thick crowd, never once breaking her rhythm as she hopped along the tight empty spots between the guests, but the only result was an inevitable collision

“Hey, watch it!” The stallion looked down at the large stain on his suit where he had spilled his drink, and he turned to glare at her.

“Oops!” Pinkie grinned and backed away slowly. “Sorry! Eh-heh-heh… gottago!” She quickly zoomed off to a different section of the crowd. Okay, that didn’t work. Are these ponies all party poopers? She frowned a little again, but did not get to dwell on it much longer, as she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Drinks, madam?” Meadows asked. Pinkie stared in confusion as he held out a tray laden with tall glasses full of a bright orange liquid. “New guests get a Whip-Sip on the house.”

“Oooh?” Without hesitation, Pinkie grabbed one of the glasses and downed it in just a few gulps. She gasped for air and shuddered all over from the rather intense flavor, and she gave a low groan as the alcohol set off a warmth in her throat and belly. “Mmmm…” She licked her lips and handed back the empty glass. “That was goood~”

Meadows smiled and bowed his head. “Glad you enjoyed, madam.” He walked off, while Pinkie stared after him, wondering how he managed to move so seamlessly amidst all the weaving and thrashing bodies. Better yet, how come he’s serving drinks to the dancers? And how come nopony ever told me about that? It’s the best idea ever!

She started dancing with renewed vigor, no longer focusing on the attention she got. A faint buzz appeared in her head, though for the time being, it was no match for the sugar high she lived on day and night. It was enough, however, for her to let loose and ignore her surroundings, focusing her mind on the music and moving her body to its rhythm. “Oh yeah! Uh-huuh! Give it to me!” She felt the beat in her bones, and every pulse running through the air delivered a new message to her limbs, guiding them throughout the dance floor and dragging her body along with them.

Before long, she bumped into somepony again. “Excuse me!” the mare said. “Could you please be more—Ahh!” She stumbled back as Pinkie hip-checked her, after which the pink pony giggled, gave a quick wave, and bounced onward, leaving the mare to stare in bewilderment.

Meadows appeared again to offer a drink between songs, and Pinkie rapidly downed another Whip-Sip before she continued her romp. Collisions piled up the more she gave into the warm buzz, but she did not so much as slow down. It felt a bit weird at first, but the more she drank, the less her conscience bothered her. It was way more fun than to stop, apologize, break the flow, and ruin the vibe for everyone. In fact, when she glanced back at all the offended ponies, she only saw the growing audience she craved. Those within earshot of each complaining patron now kept a constant lookout for the manic mare, which in turn filled her with glee.

That’s what I’m talking about! I’ll show these ponies how to party!

Her limbs got harder to control with each drink, flailing dangerously close to those around her. “Madam,” Meadows said. He calmly stepped back, narrowly avoiding one of Pinkie’s hands, which threatened to knock the tray out of his hand. “Perhaps you should take a break. This isn’t safe.”

Pinkie snorted and waved it off, jumping in place while she spoke. “No party’s a party if it’s got no punch, so I need something with punch! Gimmeee!” She held out her hands.

The stallion nodded. “As you wish.” He offered her a tiny glass filled with what looked like plain water. Pinkie took it and stared in a mix of confusion and disappointment, but the moment she sniffed at it, her snout scrunched up, and she cackled in appreciation. “Oooh, yeah!”

She drained the drink in the blink of an eye and, without as much as a word to her host, tossed the glass away. The sound of glass breaking could barely be heard while she resumed her wild routine, now all but seeking to bump into ponies, using them to launch herself and keep up her momentum. Scowls and frustrated growls trailed her wherever she went, especially when she seemed to enjoy their reactions.

The alcohol slowly took its toll, however, and Pinkie’s lack of restraint only exacerbated the less pleasant effects. Her head felt heavy, and her limbs had no coordination to keep supporting it. Constant movement seemed to be the right idea, as it kept her upright, but it also upset the contents of her stomach.

“Oooohhh gosh… urp!” She bumped her fist against her belly and burped several times, much to the disgust of those around her. Their expressions merely made her laugh. “Pffft… party poopers.” Gathering the last of her strength, she dropped to the floor and lifted her lower half into the air, spinning it around while her hands kept her just above the ground. The effort made her groan from the strain, and the whole world turned into a dizzying blur. Moments later, one of her feet connected with someone’s groin, making them cry out and drop to the ground.

“Omigosh!” The ponies nearby gasped in shock and gathered around him, while Pinkie’s limbs squirmed as she struggled to lift herself off the floor. It actually felt rather comfortable and inviting now that she was splayed onto it, and for a moment, she considered just going limp and spending the rest of the night staring at the ceiling.

“Is he okay? Help him up!”

“That crazy mare… Hey! Are you out of your mind?”

Sitting up, she watched the ponies help the stallion back to his feet, and she stuck her tongue out at the ones shouting at her. “Ugh…” She clutched her stomach, feeling a rather unpleasant lurch from it, and her other hand slapped over her mouth. “Ohhh nooo…”

She coughed a few times and quickly got to her feet, almost falling back down as a strong sense of vertigo came over her. She stumbled around, the world looking too blurry to get her bearings, and eventually she just burst through the first door she came across. The cool night air hit her sweaty figure, but she barely felt it, nor the hard, dirty pavement as she collapsed onto it, struggling to keep herself on all fours as she emptied her stomach.

“Uuuugh…” Pinkie hacked and retched, her head pounding as she stared at the fresh pile. “Guh!” She quickly looked away, not wanting to risk recognizing its contents, as her stomach was still a bit uneasy. “Never… eat… Capric, everypony,” she whimpered.

Her legs gave out, and she fell onto her side and gasped for breath, gaining a moment of clarity thanks to the fresh, cool air. It even made her shiver a little, but otherwise she was blissfully numb, giving both her heart and her stomach a chance to settle down. “Whew…” She smiled, feeling the soft embrace of the concrete invite her to dreamland, and her eyes slowly slipped closed, only to pop open a moment later when she saw movement up ahead.

“Hey there,” a male voice said. “‘Bout time you showed up!”

“Yeah, well I’m here now, so shut up.”

Two figures walked up to each other at the end of the alley, which Pinkie was now able to recognize as the place she ended up in. Groaning, she lifted her head and narrowed her eyes, watching the duo interact. They wore black leather jackets, matching pants, and boots, and their manes were cropped short. The one who spoke first held up a hand, and the other slapped his own into it, in what Pinkie could only imagine was a crushing grip.

“Going soft on me? Come on!”

“I’m just making sure your little baby hands don’t get hurt.”

They laughed and gave friendly punches to the shoulder before they leaned against the corner and retrieved a pair of smokesticks. Pinkie watched

“Where’s Chains? Does he even know it’s tonight?”

“Don’t worry, he’ll make it.”

Sure enough, within a minute, a third stallion arrived, this one much larger than the other two. He looked like he could even give the minotaur bouncer a run for his money. They greeted each other in the same manner, chatted for a while, and walked off. Pinkie shook her head, groggily pulled herself back to her feet and stumbled back into the club. The door led to a hallway that she could not recall walking through, and she simply followed the music.

Along the way, she glanced back, thinking about the ponies she saw. No way would she ever associate with goons like that. They looked so mean. And nasty. And ugly. And they probably do bad things to ponies. No smiles to be found there. Nope.

The bouncer opened the door for her on the other end of the hallway. He gave her a piercing glare, steam puffing from his nostrils as he huffed, to which she just shrugged and walked past him. Feeling a little drained, she went up to the bar, ordered a drink, and plopped down on one of the seats in the corner. Her thoughts drifted back to the drunken ruckus she had caused mere minutes ago, and she could not help but smile.

“Here's to you, party poopers,“ she muttered and lifted her mug. A few ponies glanced at her, then quickly averted their gaze, making her smile wider. “I'll be seeing you around.“

Fluttershy could barely excavate her face from her palms, it was buried so deep in them. She had regained some of her wits after a good two minutes spent splashing her face with cold water, but that just brought back memories she could do without. Sighing, she nudged the bathroom door open and stepped back into the main chamber. Walking was still a bit troublesome, but she could just about manage without having to flail and stumble around.

“Okay,“ she muttered. “Maybe... it's time we went home?“

As she looked around, however, she could barely notice any of her friends in the growing crowd. Guests kept streaming in through the entrance, more ponies decided to hop in on the dance floor, and the run-down club finally showed signs of life. Somehow, it felt wrong to just up and leave when things were finally picking up.

Fluttershy blinked, puzzled by her own thoughts. Did she now find crowds appealing? It may have just been the lingering buzz from all the drinks she had, but the sight of so many ponies around her did not trouble her at all. If anything, she felt drawn to them, wanting to experience that strange rush she got from sauntering among so many eyes, trying to hide from them and showing off at the same time, and the great joy she got out of that nice stallion at the bar and whatever he was talking about.

The memories came back in fragments, but they felt amusing and alluring now. A tiny giggle bubbled up from the warm pool forming in her belly, and Fluttershy took a deep breath, reaching up to adjust her mane and her dress. A little tight around the chest, and she may have overdone it with the low-cut, but a lady was still a lady. Even if they don't look at your eyes while they speak to you, Rarity once said, they are still speaking to you.

"Hmm..." Smiling, Fluttershy stood up straight and gracefully drifted into the crowd once more, her high heels clacking in time with the slow beat.

The Second Night - Wild Dance Routine
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Caravan Club

The Second Night - Wild Dance Routine

Twilight Sparkle rarely slept in. Even on the days when she stayed up for most of the night to pursue the advancement of ponykind’s knowledge, if there was work to be done the next day, she would always get up at the same time in the morning, not one second early or late. And even on her days off, she preferred to get up early, not wanting to mess up any of her schedules that ensured comfortable and productive use of her time.

That said, there were exceptions to the rule, and judging by the blaze seeping in through the curtains of her hotel room, it was already well past the mid-morning time she preferred. No doubt thanks to how long it took her to drag everyone back to the hotel from that strange night club, or whatever it was. She closed her eyes again, but at this point, they had been open for too long.

To top it off, despite her strict schedules, Twilight also liked sleeping. She liked it so much that she very much disliked waking up to what sounded like a jackhammer going off at full blast right next to her bed, which is what forced her eyes open in the first place. The noise came in waves, following a torturously slow beat, and it was simply impossible to just filter out. Even the silence was spent in tense anticipation before the dreadful sound made her cringe.

“Nnngh…” She frowned and gave a long yawn, pushing herself up and glancing at the clock on her nightstand. It was half past ten, making her give an irritated huff. Glad my roommate is getting their beauty sleep at least…

She blinked. “Wait…” Turning toward the source of the noise, her jaw dropped when she saw something pink and fluffy peeking just above the edge of her bed. Every now and then, it twitched a little, accompanied by a sharp snort, after which the dreadful snoring would resume. “Pinkie?”

The pony on the ground gave a low groan and rolled away from the bed and toward the wall, making the fluff disappear from view. A vase stand happened to be in the way, and as the mare rolled into its thin legs, she tripped it over herself, which sent the vase on top hurtling toward the floor. Twilight gasped and lit her horn, or at least tried to, but a dull ache in her skull broke her concentration, fizzling out her telekinetic grip. The vase hit the ground and shattered, making her cringe, while her friend was finally jolted awake.

“Wha? Huh?” Pinkie sluggishly lifted her head and looked around. Her mane was all matted and messy, her bloodshot eyes barely managed to crack open, and her voice was hoarse, which was halfway remedied by her clearing her throat loudly. Moments later, her head dropped back to the floor with a dull thud. “Leave me alone… I’m sleeping here…”

Twilight frowned “Pinkie!” She grimaced when her senses awakened enough to reveal that her friend reeked of booze. “Ugh… my gosh, what the…?” Slapping a hand over her snout, she quickly used her magic to open the window.

“Whoah!” Pinkie got up and wheeled around, lifting an arm to shield her eyes from the sunlight pouring into the room. Her eyes landed on her friend, and she gave an embarrassed grin. “Heh-heh… sorry. Could have sworn this was my room…”

“Well it’s not!” Twilight pulled her covers tighter over herself and sighed. “Do you mind?”

“Geez, sorr-ree…” Pinkie slowly pulled herself up, alternating between gripping the bed and leaning on the fallen vase stand. “I’m leaving.” Its thin legs snapped under her weight and sent her to the floor again, rattling the shards of the vase as her limbs flailed.

“Blurgh… heh-heh…” When she finally found purchase again, she swiftly got up and stumbled her way to the window, her eyes having slipped shut, and she nonchalantly braced herself on the windowsill and began to climb over it.

Twilight gasped, nearly leaping off the bed. “Pinkie!” She quickly used her magic to grab one of Pinkie’s legs. “What are you doing?”

“Huh?” The pink pony glanced out of the window, eyes widening as she saw the pavement over twenty floors below. “Oh, wow…” She quickly tumbled back inside, taking one of the curtains with her along the way.

Applejack emerged from her room with a deep sigh, clinging to the towel around her waist with one hand, while the other brushed back her wet mane. She had already put on a red blouse, but the only thing below that was the towel and a pair of slippers on her feet. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the closed door and rubbed her temples.

As smooth as the drinks were on her lips and tongue last night, they were a lot more sharp and nasty this morning, churning in her belly and making her head feel like a lead weight. She had spent over an hour in the bathroom, trying to negate the hangover with a long shower, brushing her teeth, and even a bit of grooming to pass the time until her headache and nausea died down.

Groaning, she slowly trudged down the luxurious hallway, walking past Fluttershy’s room, where she faintly heard the noise of a running shower. She then paused in front of the next room and gently rapped on the door. When no answer came, she frowned and knocked louder. “Rarity!”

“Yes, what is it?” The mare inside did not sound particularly peachy. “I’m in the middle of something.”

“Can ya come outside?” Applejack said. The sound of an irritated huff seeped through the walls, and the door slowly opened, allowing Rarity to poke her head out. She had her mane wrapped up in a towel, and her usual makeup was noticeably missing.

“Well?” she said, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

Applejack glanced to either side, noticing a disheveled Pinkie Pie emerge from Twilight’s room, grumbling to herself as she trudged back to her own. “I’d… rather not say,” Applejack replied. “Not in front of everypony.”

“Look, just...” Rarity paused and gave a long yawn. “Just tell me already.”

The farmpony crossed her arms. “Hmf. Fine.” Her legs shuffled as she gathered her courage, and eventually took a deep breath. “Can I borrow some of your panties?”

Rarity’s jaw dropped. “What?” She frowned and opened the door wider, casually revealing her entire body, with only her chest and privates concealed by the underwear she had on. “Applejack, is this a joke?”

Applejack gulped, her gaze slowly traveling down before she snapped it back up, and she felt warmth rush to her cheeks. “Nah, I’m serious.” They both blinked when a loud snort rang out from the end of the hallway, and they turned to see a fluffy pink tail disappear around the corner, followed by a faint chuckle.

“You clearly are not.” Rarity crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, turning back to her friend and giving her a bemused look.

“I dunno, mine just don’t feel right.” Applejack scratched at the back of her head awkwardly. “Too coarse. Must’ve gone in the wrong pile of laundry or something.”

Rarity sighed. “Look, darling. I know everypony takes me for a walking fashion show, but I only packed for one mare this time.”

“I’ll trade ya for some of my own if ya want...” Applejack grumbled under her breath. She looked away, crossing her arms as well.

“Hmm…” Rarity tapped her chin. “Are you sure?”

Applejack blinked and looked back at her. When Rarity’s expression did not change, the orange mare slapped her palm against her snout. “Ugh… I was kidding,” she said.

Rarity chuckled. “No, seriously,” she replied. “Why not?”

“Last time you saw my wardrobe, you said it was ‘fashion genocide’… whatever the hay that means.”

“Did I?” Rarity snickered again and stepped back into her room. “Okay, give me a moment.” She left the door open and rummaged around for a bit before returning to the doorway, now wearing a white blouse. She carried a bundle of silky fabric in one of her hands. “Actually, since we’re trading here… can you give me a pair of your jeans?”

Applejack’s gaze alternated between her friend and the clothes she had brought. She gave a nervous chuckle and held up her hands. “Rarity, come on. You’re scaring me.”

“Oh please. There are no clothes that I cannot look good in.” Rarity glanced over her shoulder, and by leaning to the side, Applejack caught a glimpse of what looked like an entire wardrobe scattered all over the room. Even compared to ‘organized chaos’, it was rather unlike the clean freak unicorn she knew. “Besides, dresses don’t seem to do well in the places we visit.”

“If ya say so.” Applejack shrugged and turned around, waving with one hand for her friend to follow. Her gait was a little more tense as she felt Rarity’s footsteps behind her, and as she glanced over her back, she saw the mare stretch and yawn without a hint of grace, showing off her tall, slender figure. Applejack hastily opened the door and tiptoed inside, heading straight for her bags to start digging through them.

Rarity set the panties down and leaned against the wall, staring at Applejack as she worked. Her eyes widened when she noticed some of the clothes on the bed, which her friend tossed there to get them out of the way.

“Oh my stars, Applejack.” Rarity chuckled. “I didn’t even know you owned any skirts~”

Applejack shrugged and upended her bag to see if anything else was left inside. “Never get ta break them out back home,” she said. “Figured they shouldn’t just be gatherin’ dust.”

“Mmm…” Rarity picked one of them up to inspect it, and she smirked as she glanced at her crouching friend, particularly at her flank. “And you’d look positively fabulous in them, darling.”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Applejack turned around, cheeks slightly flushed, and she held out a pair of pants. “Here ya go. Best one I’ve got.”

“Thank you very much~” Rarity took the pants and held them against her hips, checking if they would fit. Without another word, she lit her horn and used her magic to put them on, then slowly twisted back and forth to see how she looked in them. Meanwhile, Applejack muttered to herself while she picked out one of the panties, a beige pair that was smaller and fit between her legs much more snugly than any of her own underwear. Feeling Rarity’s gaze on her, she huffed and quickly picked up one of her skirts – a light blue, knee-length variety – quickly slipping it on to put an end to the view.

Rarity smirked and, before Applejack could turn around, she reached out and casually placed her hand on the mare’s rear, giving it a little rub. “Just like I told you, darling,” Rarity said and stepped closer. “Fits you like a glove.”

“Hey!” Applejack nearly jumped, and she wheeled around, glaring at her friend. “Whatcha think you’re doing?”

The fashionista chuckled in response, gave her firm flank a brief squeeze, then let go and turned back to inspect herself in a nearby mirror. Applejack blushed deeply, and her hand reached back to rub at the spot Rarity caressed. She was no stranger to being touched by her friend, what with all the group hugs and the hours she spent modeling, which often involved Rarity squeezing her into tight outfits through any means necessary.

But she should not have been this sensitive, nor should her flesh be anything less than rock solid. Either Rarity had gotten that much stronger as of late, or Applejack had gone soft, turning her butt into putty for others’ hands. All the more reason to head back to the farm and do some hard work again as soon as possible.

“Y’all quite finished?” she asked, hands on her hips. Her lips curled into a smile. “You know, those pants don’t look too bad ya either. Hoping you’ll run into that Trender-whoever fellow again?”

That finally put an end to Rarity’s smug attitude, and she shot Applejack a piercing glare before looking away, holding her snout high. “As if,” she said. “I have better things to do than to—Whah!” She tensed up when she suddenly felt Applejack’s hands grip her jeans from behind, her fingers giving a subtle tickle on her firm rear.

“Heh-heh, I think ya forgot something,” Applejack said. Before Rarity could reply, she reached in through a subtly placed slit in the rear of the pants, pinched the mare’s tail between her fingers, and pulled it out in one swift tug. Rarity arched her back, just barely managing to restrain a loud yelp, and her own cheeks flushed brightly. “There ya go~”

Rarity nudged her chuckling friend away with a swift hip check, and she shook her head. “I was perfectly aware of it, thank you very much.” Her tail kept swishing back and forth slightly, and she reached back to adjust it, combing the loose strands with her fingers. The trademark curls of her tail were much more subtle this time, letting it hang almost all the way to her feet.

“I’m sure you were,” Applejack replied. “Shall we?” She held out her arm in a mock invitation, and after a brief staredown, Rarity finally cracked a smile again and accepted, playfully leading her friend out of the room.

Rainbow Dash paced back and forth in the corridor, grumbling to herself. Occasionally, she would pause to check her watch, and her frown would deepen. How much longer are they gonna sleep in? she thought. I got a whole town to rob here, for pony’s sake...

She paused, ears twitching as she heard one of the locks click, and the nearest door slowly opened. A yellow pegasus stepped out of it slowly, her movements slow and deliberate, as though she were taking extreme care to move nothing but her legs. Rainbow nearly burst out laughing as she saw the rather agitated look on the mare’s face - an unusual sight, which made it all the more amusing.

“Heh-heh… hey there, Fluttershy.” She trailed after her friend, hands in her pockets, and a smug grin on her face. “Get a good sleep~?”

Fluttershy tensed up, giving a brief hiss through her teeth, as though even a mere voice acted as a hot poker pressing into her skin. “Not… today… Rainbow Dash,” she muttered.

“Whoa. Touchy, are we?” Rainbow chuckled and shook her head when Fluttershy shot her a rather nasty look. “Tch, fiiine…”

“Thank you.” Fluttershy sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Sorry… didn’t sleep too well.”

“I can imagine. Twilight told me you, uh… ‘had a few drinks’.”

“What are you wearing?” Fluttershy asked all of a sudden. The question caught Rainbow off guard, and she looked down to inspect herself. A simple combo of a shirt, brown faux-leather jacket, pants, and boots. A chain hung from her belt into her right pocket, and there was a small holster on her hip, hiding under her jacket. Maybe a little more than what she usually put on, but it did not seem that prominent to her.

“What?” Rainbow shrugged with a smile. “I always keep it simple. And real.” The odd look on Fluttershy’s face did not change. Maybe it’s the chain? Or the jacket? Rainbow glanced at the rest of her friend’s figure and raised an eyebrow. “Huh… and what are you wearing?”

Fluttershy, despite her apparent internal agony, had not slacked off when it came to her looks. Her mane was carefully groomed and styled, she had put on very light makeup, and Rainbow even noticed a hint of sweet perfume emitting from the mare. Her outfit was a silver one piece dress that hugged her figure and offered a rather generous view of her chest, though not without maintaining decency. “I got it from Rarity on my last birthday,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Uhh…” Rainbow scratched at her head. “And you actually put it on? I mean…” She walked up beside Fluttershy and glanced at her chest. “I could probably look down there and see all the way to your—”

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy snapped.

“Okay, cool it already.” They paused at the elevators, and Rainbow glanced back down the hallway. “Are the others done yet? I gotta get back to my crew.”

Fluttershy pressed the call button and crossed her arms. “Your ‘crew’?” she said. “Oh Rainbow, what kind of trouble are you getting into this time?”

Rainbow chuckled and waved it off. “Relax, they’re just some friends of mine. We hang out. And yeah, sometimes I help ‘em out a little. Big deal.”

“Why do you associate with such shady figures?” Fluttershy hugged herself a bit tighter. “Aren’t we friends enough for you?”

“Heh, that’s the whole point of coming to Vegas. Meeting interesting strangers…” Rainbow licked her lips and lowered her voice to an insidious whisper. “And ripping them off~”

Fluttershy shuddered and looked away without another word. The other girls soon joined them, excluding Pinkie Pie, who had reportedly opted to take the stairs and go off to do whatever she had in mind. Rainbow chuckled, wondering how long it would take her friend to get on the bad side of the hotel staff.

After a brief debate on what they should do that day, Twilight proposed they head down to have breakfast before doing anything else. It was, as she explained, best not to make important decisions on an empty stomach. She gave a small giggle and stepped into the elevator, blissfully unaware of the piercing glare she had earned herself from Fluttershy.

By the time they made it down to the dining hall, it was half past eleven, yet Rarity insisted on calling it “breakfast”, and she was even willing to start an argument with the maître d' over the issue. “Enough of your excuses,” she barked, forgoing her usual subtle, insidious approach. “We paid for rooms with breakfast, so we demand that we get it.”

“Madam, we do not serve breakfast past 10 AM. If you wish, we could prepare dishes that—” The stallion yelped as she delivered a swift jab to his chest. Twilight stared curiously, wondering how Rarity had managed to make him nearly stumble back with just one finger.

“Is there a problem with your hearing?” Rarity asked. She stepped closer, emphasizing the slight advantage she had in height, and stared down at him, almost snout to snout. “Or perhaps your understanding? If you would prefer, we can discuss this with the manager.”

The color drained from the waiter’s face. Applejack, who stood by her friend’s side throughout the incident, gave a deep sigh and opened her mouth to interject, but the stallion was already waving his hands and shaking his head frantically. “There is no need for that, madam.” He stumbled backward, almost knocking over a flower pot behind him. “I, um… I shall see to it immediately. After I show you to your table, of course!”

With a nervous chuckle, he quickly led them across the luxurious hall to a large, unoccupied table with six seats. He whistled and gestured to some nearby waiters, who quickly removed the tableware laid out for lunch and replaced it with dishes and cutlery for breakfast. Rarity gave a smug grin and winked at her friends over her shoulder. “You see, darlings? All it takes is a little persuasion~”

They chuckled in response as they took their seats, after which they swiftly placed their orders. Only Rainbow Dash and Rarity seemed particularly hungry, while the others asked for snacks and drinks at most. Pinkie muttered something about “posh poop” and discarded her menu, asking for a beer instead. Her friends stared at her in shock, and the maître d' hesitantly suggested something else, only to earn himself a glare that quickly changed his mind.

Twilight let her gaze wander as she munched away on a piece of toast. The dining hall decor was relatively simple, at least compared to the rest of the hotel, with reds and greens being the predominant colors. Not a surprise, she thought. Red appetizes, green relaxes. She glanced at her friends, few of whom seemed appetized or relaxed, and her eyes narrowed. I wonder if there’s a color against hangovers. Maybe orange? She looked down at the glass of juice in front of her and chuckled, lifting it to take a sip.

Humming from the sweet taste, she looked down and stared at the liquid in the glass, recalling a familiar colored drink in a certain place not far from here. Through the orange, she could see all the other colors, a blinding blue-purple-pink neon and laser glare, floating on a sea of roaring bass and high-pitched melodies.

Or maybe not orange, she thought. Maybe it’s pink…

Rainbow Dash was getting impatient. That much was blatantly obvious to any onlooker, even Pinkie Pie, who had trouble being compassionate. Sure, she would still look out for her friends and try to keep them happy, but not when they insisted on sticking to boring places such as the hotel’s casino on the ground floor. The decorations were all wrong, the lights were boring, the games were even more boring, the food and drinks were average at best – even if they were complimentary – and wherever she looked, she saw rich ponies with their noses high, giving her and her friends condescending looks, if they bothered to look at all. It was nauseating, and she could not even hope to wash down her distaste with anything stronger than sparkling water.

Rarity and Applejack got off well enough, those two were perhaps the most fitting when it came to the dress code. The former did her usual “high society girl dresses more liberally” thing, while the latter went through another identity crisis, not sure if she should imitate her partner or fit in with all the rodeo clowns and their big hats and fake Badlands accents.

“I swear, doesn’t this town have anythin’ more stimulating than cards and watching some ball roll around?” Applejack frowned and reached up to adjust her hat.

“Stimulating?” Rarity chuckled. “You rarely use such long words, darling. Is the place getting to you~?”

Applejack jabbed Rarity in the side and give her a furious glare, followed by squirming as giggling when her friend’s hand snuck around her back, treacherous fingers seeking out weak spots high and low before retreating swiftly.

“H-Hey! Heh-heh, stooop it!” The farmpony pulled away, slapping at Rarity’s hand the moment she saw them move again.

“As you wish,” Rarity said. With her eyes still fixed on her friend, giving a superior smirk, she very nearly walked right into a nearby craps table. “Oh! Well, how about this?”

“Dice?” Applejack sighed. “Well, I s’pose we won’t find much better.”

“Yes, not likely,” Rarity muttered. She casually reached in and picked up the pair of dice as they rolled to a halt nearby, moving them close to her face to inspect them. “These places are known to be crooked.”

The dealer frowned at her and tapped with his stick on the edge of the table. “Madam? Madam!” He rapped harder, moving the end of the stick closer, the noise making Applejack flinch, while Rarity just lazily glanced his way. “Please return the dice to the table and refrain from touching until instructed.”

“Tch.” Rarity clung to the die, balling her hand into a fist around them. “The game’s all about tossing dice, right? So why all the fuss?”

Before either of them could say any more, Applejack gently grabbed Rarity’s hand and moved it back toward the table. “I believe he means you’re supposed to wait yer turn.” It was her turn to smirk, and her tone shifted to that of an adult addressing a child. “And, y’know, being polite and all that. So how about you let me handle the rolls, hmm~?”

The other players chuckled, while Rarity’s cheeks flushed, and she handed the dice back with an angry huff. The dealer, apparently impressed, pushed them back toward Applejack. She picked them up and leaned over the table, licking her lips. “Snake eyes,” she said. After a deep breath, she flicked the edge of her hat and made the toss, which was soon followed by a cheer and brief applause from the bystanders. Rarity crossed her arms, her frown deepening, though she also gave her friend a subtle hip-check, concealed by the high edge of the table.

Spying on the exchange from her seat at the bar, Pinkie snorted and shook her head as she watched the duo tease each other for another minute or so, after which she turned her gaze toward the others. Twilight was next in line when it came to dressing properly. Then again, she did not really outdo herself. Blue skirt, purple blouse, purple shoes. Tucked under her arm was her infamous notebook, and her eyes scanned the chamber like a hawk. She gave a wide grin, running up to the poker table. The other players greeted her with baffled looks as she casually set up her fat bag of casino chips on one side, her notebook on the other, and confidently waved at the dealer.

Ten minutes later, Twilight climbed off her seat and trudged away, legs shaking, and a shellshocked look on her face. Her gaze alternated between her notes and her bag, the former littered with crossed out lines and corrections, the latter having lost a considerable amount of its load.

Feeling a pang of regret, Pinkie pushed her glass away – the drink sucked anyway – and hopped off her barstool to walk up to her friend and give her a pat on the back. “Hey, Twilight,” she said with a wide smile. “Why the long face?”

“I… I lost…” Twilight buried her snout in her notebook again, eyes darting back and forth. “It’s impossible. I couldn’t… no… statistically impossible…”

Pinkie giggled and pulled her friend into a hug. “Aww, come on. You tried to play the house and lost. Big deal~”

“Big deal?!” Twilight turned to glare at her. “Do you know how much planning I put into this? This is just… no… can’t be happening…”

“You’re in Las Pegasus. If you never lose, where’s the excitement?” Pinkie dragged her mumbling friend back to the bar, where she ordered something strong to help Twilight calm down. “Besides, your notes are fine.”

“Huh?” Twilight lifted her head and stared at Pinkie, blinking in confusion. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, you barely looked at them.” Pinkie hopped onto the stool next to Twilight and gestured to the bartender for a refill. “I saw you ogling the waitresses a lot more.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “I absolutely did not!”

“Hee-hee, deny it all ya want~” Pinkie winked and took a swig of her cider. Glancing to her side, she nodded her head at one of the waitresses passing by. “Well, can’t blame you. They do look cute in those short skirts and—”

“Uuugh!” Twilight snatched up the glass the bartender had poured for her, not even bothering to check what was in it before she downed it in one go. She then grimaced, almost doubling over, but managed to keep the drink down. Shaking her head, she stormed off, grumbling to herself.

Pinkie snickered, noticing a hint of red forming on her friend’s cheeks. It really is weird though, she thought. Twilight getting distracted like that? Good thing those waitresses aren’t carrying books... With a shrug, she went back to inspecting her surroundings, her eyes soon landing on a yellow-pink figure gliding back and forth among the posh crowd.

Fluttershy was an even bigger enigma than Twilight. For starters, she actually did do a bit of gambling, making use of the chips Rainbow Dash refused to spend. In fact, her fellow pegasus very nearly refused to stay, and she simply leaned against the wall near the exit, arms crossed as she rolled her eyes every time she caught a glimpse of her friends. Considering how well things were going so far, one could hardly blame her.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy meekly waltzed among the slot machines and roulette tables, holding her little purse against her chest. Her dress was a tad more revealing than last night, hugging her form more tightly and having wider openings, along with less leg coverage. From afar, one might assume her intent was to find herself a quiet corner to spend her chips in peace. But more than once she passed an unoccupied machine or a fairly deserted table, and never once did she pause.

She did, however, stop next to a lone stallion who grumbled as he dropped a fresh coin into his one-arm bandit. His money supply drained rapidly, and his good mood even faster, as evidenced by his dark expression. Fluttershy watched him play for a while, wincing each time the stallion growled in frustration, and eventually she tiptoed up behind him and tapped his shoulder. “Um… excuse me.”

The stallion tensed up and wheeled around, only to stare, jaw hanging, at the pegasus standing next to him. His eyes trailed down slowly, only to snap back up, and a tiny amount of red formed on his cheeks. Were it not for the purse Fluttershy hugged against her chest, he could easily have peeked all the way down to her legs. “Uhh…” He coughed and cleared his throat awkwardly. “Can I help you, miss?”

“Actually, yes…” Fluttershy leaned closer to whisper, as though she were embarrassed to speak aloud. “I, um… I would like to play this game, but… I don’t really know how it works.”

“Oh.” The stallion blinked, and his expression gradually softened, a smile tugging on his lips as he glanced at his near-empty cup of coins. “Oh? Well…” He grabbed the cup and shook it, rattling the dozen or so coins left inside, though that did not seem to trouble him at all anymore. “I haven’t got that much left, but I’d be glad to help.”

Fluttershy held up her bag, rattling it as well to emphasize its more abundant contents. “Oh, I have some chips here. So… may I try, please?” She gave a meek smile.

He chuckled and reached out, gently pushing her hand back down. “No, dear, you need coins for the slot machines.” He nodded his head to the side. “Here, let me take you to the cashier. We can exchange some of those chips, and I’ll show you the ropes~”

“Oh… um… okay.”

His hand remained on hers, and he grinned as he led the mare away, his frustration having vanished entirely. Fluttershy blushed and shrank slightly, her gait a little tense as she stumbled after him. When Pinkie looked close enough, however, she could see the pegasus flash a tiny smile.

“About time you guys showed up,” Rainbow grumbled, arms crossed. “Are we gonna strike gold in this town or what?” She did crack a smile, however, as she got a good look at the posse approaching her from the bustling crowd of gamblers. Twilight was practically shellshocked, checking her notes constantly, and every time a server passed by, she yelped and looked away. Pinkie’s cheeks were bright red from who knows how many drinks, and she slurred all sorts of nonsense while leaning on Fluttershy, who meekly giggled in response while her hands constantly toyed with her outfit. Rarity and Applejack were still bickering, with the latter demanding to know why the former offered the farmpony as a bet. Even more infuriating was the fact that the dealer actually considered it, at least until he saw how upset Applejack got. Of course, Rarity insisted it was just a harmless joke, and she tried to calm her friend down with a pat on the back, which went a little too low and earned her an elbow to the ribs.

Clearly, while there was a hit comedy show to be made based on their experiences, the night was otherwise not very productive. Rainbow Dash would not stand for that. She wanted action, adventure, excitement. Deals with the demons, stabs in the back. Shady ponies in shady alleys, not posh princesses walking the red carpet under bright lights. She even tried to explain all this to her friends, and to her great surprise, they did not argue. Then again, not one of them could bring themselves to say what everypony was thinking about. Even Rainbow herself, who figured the others would call her insane if she were to propose it. Without another word, the six mares slowly departed the casino and walked down the busy streets of Las Pegasus, feigning interest in the bright lights and loud voices calling to the addicts of gambling.

Pinkie Pie was busy balancing beer cans on a street corner – she had somehow managed to bring an entire six pack with her and drink it within an hour of walking – while everypony else wandered about, if only to keep their legs busy. Aside from the ambience of the city around them, an awkward silence settled on the group, and one could almost feel the tension in the air.

“I don’t know…” Fluttershy muttered, as though she were talking to herself. “Maybe we should…?”

Applejack glanced over. “Say what?”

“Speak up, darling,” Rarity added.

Fluttershy shook her head and looked away. “Oh, nevermind… it’s a bad idea…”

“What’s a bad idea?” Twilight asked. Her voice showed anxiety, though it was not like her usual cautious attitude. Rather, she sounded like Fluttershy was about to say something Twilight really did not want to even think about.

“Soooo... are we gonna party or what?” Pinkie chimed in, then followed up with a long belch. She carefully placed the final can on top of the stack she had built, and she turned around with a triumphant smile. “I don’t know about you girls, but I’m getting thirsty.” Before any of her friends could reply, she promptly kicked the beer tower onto the asphalt, straight into the path of a passing car. The chorus of blaring horns she got in response made the rest of the group cringe.

Rainbow Dash cackled at Pinkie’s antics. “Yeah, that’s the style, Pinks. Kick this city in the flank and don’t take no horseapples.”

“Charming, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said in a bemused tone. Applejack snickered as she watched the two glare at each other. Moments later, they all blinked in surprise and turned to watch Twilight start to walk away, moving off the main street.

“Hey, wait up!” Pinkie was the first to follow, bouncing and leaping after the mare. “Figured out where the blowout’s gonna be?”

“Whoa, hold on, Twi!” Applejack caught up second, holding onto her hat with one hand, while the other kept her skirt in check. “Where we goin’?”

Twilight paused briefly and turned around. There was a look of slight concern on her face, yet she still managed to crack a smile. “You know where we’re going,” she replied.

The viewer on the door slipped open, and a pair of menacing eyes peeked out at the group. Before any of the mares could even say a word, the bouncer let out a huff and opened the door, stepping out of the way. His eyes trailed across the mares, his expression mostly disinterested, though he did show a hint of suspicion when observing two particular guests. Pinkie Pie stumbled in through the doorway, slurring some kind of greeting while she waved at the minotaur mere inches from his face. He did not move a muscle, but his eyes narrowed, and he let out another huff, prompting Applejack and Rarity to quickly drag their friend away.

“Sorry about her,” Rainbow said with a superior smirk as she passed by. “This town does bad things to everypony, huh? Can’t trust anyone~” In response, the bouncer gave her an equally piercing glare, but he said nothing, merely slammed the door shut and locked it, the noise making Fluttershy jump slightly. The mare held her breath as she tiptoed down the corridor, giving a sigh of relief when they finally arrived at the far end, moving into the warm lights in the entrance hall.

Meadows had just finished greeting a young couple and guiding them toward the wardrobe with a friendly smile. Rainbow smirked, remembering what an odd impression the stallion had left on her friends. Moments later, her eyes narrowed as she watched the couple heading for the doors leading into the club proper. They looked rather familiar, as though she had met them in this very place the night before. Her memory was not nearly as good as Twilight’s, but Rainbow liked to think she had decent skills of her own. On these streets, one wanted to never forget a face, just in case they ran into them again and had some unfinished business.

While this couple certainly did not do any business with her, she was still convinced she had seen them before. She recognized all the tiny details - their smile, the way they gesticulated, the way they blinked. But her last memories showed a typical young couple in street clothes, flirting under the influence of countless drinks. Now she watched the same stallion in a rather sharp suit, at least for his age, and even a fedora on his head, which he handed over along with his trenchcoat at the wardrobe. Rainbow looked closer, surprised to see that the stallion even looked slightly older, still quite young, but well past the end of adolescence.

His partner was equally a far cry from a casual party girl. She wore a black beret and a thick coat, under which she had a simple white blouse and a long skirt. All of it looked quite plain, almost old-fashioned. If Rainbow did not recall the two from the night before, she would have been convinced the two had dropped straight out of a detective movie.

Or maybe they’re just roleplaying it?

She laughed at the thought and went to drop off her vest at the wardrobe, leaving her toned arms and the few faint scars on them on display as she made her way through the doors. Weird guests or no, it was time to let everypony know there were some real ponies in this joint, and they were looking to do business.

Applejack and Rarity managed to halt their bickering as soon as they were rid of the burden of their coats, and they quickly made their way to the bar, Rarity hopping onto one of the stools, while Applejack gracefully planted her rear on another, fidgeting for a few moments until she got comfortable.

“So, what’ll it be?” she said with an eager smile, turning to her friend. “Gonna try something hard again?”

“I don’t see why not, darling. Hmm…” Rarity’s eyes wandered over the drinks on display, and she blinked when she spotted Meadows a few feet away, wiping some glasses clean. She waved at him and cleared her throat. “I’ll have whiskey, on the rocks, please.”

Applejack let out a low whistle. “Oh my, Rares. You’re not kiddin’.”

“What? I like rocks.” Rarity chuckled and tossed her mane back. “Besides, it’s not my first time. Many of my business partners want to have a toast after a deal, and good manners dictate you don’t complain about their drink of choice.”

“Tell me about it.” Applejack fiddled with her hat, which she refused to give up at the wardrobe, but now seemed unable to get comfortable with. “Get a lot of hoity folk buying things from our farm, and they bring all kinds of weird drinks as thanks. Didn’t want to let ‘em go to waste, so I’d break ‘em out every weekend or two.”

“Mmhmm~” Rarity puffed a bit of air out the corner of her mouth to nudge a strand of her mane off her cheek. Her elegant curls were surprisingly insubordinate tonight, refusing to maintain a proper coiffure. “Speaking of drinks, what about you, Applejack? Yearning for the crudeness of country beverages, or do you wish to sample something exotic again?”

It was Applejack’s turn to chuckle, running a hand over her outfit. “Well, I’d feel weird with a beer in this getup. And today I just don’t got the taste for anything with a kick.” She inspected the list of beverages carefully. “How about some wine? That’s still country… kinda. Right?”

“What kind of wine, Madam?” Meadows asked with his trademark smile. “Riesling? Chardonnay? We also have an excellent vintage Pinot Noir.”

“Uhm…” Applejack scratched her head and glanced at Rarity, who could barely restrain a giggle. “Let’s go with that last one.”

Meadows nodded in approval. “Splendid. Right away, Madam~” With both the grace and haste of an eager host, he made his way down the long row of bottles, seeking the right ones for his guests.

Pinkie grinned triumphantly as she retreated from the bar, proud of being the fastest among her friends to solve her drinking problem. Although she did wonder if any of them actually had such a problem. One by one, they all did end up with a drink in their hand, but some of them sure took their time. What’s a party without some punch? She rolled her eyes and took a big swig straight from her bottle.

Amateurs…

“Speaking of punch…” she muttered. Her brow furrowed as she idly tapped her foot to the beat. The song was just not to her liking. Too soft. Too slow. She needed something to get her pumped if she was going to meet her rocking out quota, but so far she might as well have gone to a kindergarten choir practice. Her eyes sought the pony responsible for the music in the club, one of her fists clenching in anticipation. She then froze, jaw dropping, as she instead spotted Fluttershy near the stage.

The poor soul looked hopelessly lost. She held a cocktail tightly to her chest – another Whip-Sip, no doubt supplied by Meadows himself – clinging to it like it was a piece of flotsam on the raging sea. Hiding behind her mane, she meandered between the swaying patrons, occasionally pausing to take a quick sip of her drink. A few ponies glanced her way, some of them even looking concerned, but nopony ended up approaching her. Quite an amazing result, given how frail and desperate she looked.

Pinkie was not so easily fooled, however. She had seen her fair share of awkward partygoers, but there was something phenomenally dishonest about how Fluttershy acted. Pinkie could not help but admire it. She watched the pegasus make several passes through the crowd, shakily whispering apologies each time she “accidentally” bumped into someone or could not move past them. Eventually, she retreated to the edge of the dance floor and huffed, cheeks puffing in frustration. The normally timid mare’s eyes jealously glared at all the dancing couples that were too busy focusing on each other. She finished off her drink in one mighty gulp and stomped her way back to the bar, holding her snout high. Fortunately, Meadows was close by as always, and could avert a crisis by giving her a refill.

“Oooh, I like where this is going~” Pinkie said, gulping from her own drink. The beer sucked, but it was the cheapest the place had, and it actually had a kick to it. Already, she could feel a pleasant buzz building up in her head, and she started bumping her fist against the wall to the beat of the music. She grinned in anticipation of when she would get some real jams to liven this place up. For right now, however, she entertained herself by watching some more of Fluttershy’s antics.

The mare fumed on her stool and sipped at her cocktail, eyes scanning the crowd like those of a hawk. Eventually, she hopped off her seat, adjusted her mane, and made her way across the chamber again, this time doing away with the timid appearance. She held her snout high, a hoity expression on her face, and instead of awkwardly stumbling around, every step of hers was slow and precisely calculated. She put a subtle sway into her body, showing off her hips in the form-fitting outfit, while her tall stance left little to imagination regarding her upper half. Pinkie now fully realized just how low-cut the chest portion of Fluttershy’s dress was, and she giggled as she watched several nearby patrons slam headfirst into each other, unable to take their eyes off the pegasus. Fluttershy, on the other hand, barely paid attention. She gave them a condescending glance, took the tiniest of sips from her drink, and glided onward. Within seconds, several ponies began to trail her, making pathetic attempts to act as though they were “coincidentally” moving in the same direction. Once again, Pinkie spotted a subtle, insidious grin on her friend’s lips.

The pink pony upended her bottle above her open mouth, and after the last drops trickled out, she set it down on a nearby table with a satisfied burp. “Ahh, that hit the spot!” She licked her lips and rubbed her hands together. “Now… time to find that DJ.”

Loud music? Check. Friends dispersed among the crowd? Check. Approached by Meadows? Check. Refusing a second round of drinks? Check. Getting hit by the first round?..

Twilight’s brow furrowed, and she glanced down at her feet as she walked a few paces. Her gait seemed stable enough, and the floor felt as flat and easy to navigate as her eyes told her. She had no uncontrollable urge to giggle or fall into the arms of the nearest stallion. Or mare. Outside of a faint buzz and her tension lessening, she felt quite normal. In fact, she paused and glanced back at the bar, entertaining the idea of grabbing another round after all.

Smiling, she rolled her eyes at herself and made her way across the chamber, looking for her friends. If she was not going to drown herself in alcohol tonight – a decision firmly supported by the dull ache in her head – the least she could do is make sure the others did not get in trouble either. Navigating the club proved to be no simple task, however, as the DJ for the night had just decided to put on a very fast, upbeat track, creating an obstacle course of flailing, semi-sober patrons that littered the dance floor.

Twilight had barely dodged and pushed her way through half of the throng when the music came to a halt, and everypony erupted into cheers. Bright lights came on from the direction of the stage nearby, blinding her briefly after her eyes had gotten used to the faint, sporadic flashes during the dance phase. Groaning, she paused and blinked repeatedly, fighting past the spots in her vision to make out what was happening. Onstage, the red curtains parted slightly, and a familiar figure in a white tuxedo stepped out, his suit practically glowing under the stage lights.

“Good evening, fillies and gentlecolts,” Meadows said with a smile. He waited patiently for another round of applause to die down before he went on. “Las Pegasus is home to many wonders, but none can compare to the magic of Caravan Club. Our establishment may be modest, but all of us who work here make sure to bring you the best this city has to offer.”

The crowd cheered again, while Twilight crossed her arms, a mixed look of suspicion and admiration on her face. The content of Meadows’ speech did not move her in the slightest; she had heard a hundred versions of the exact same thing in dozens of casinos and other venues since the moment she got here. What made him stand out, however, was his style. Calm, smooth, old-fashioned, to the point that even the microphone he spoke into was a vintage model, or a very accurate modern replica. If not for the distinct lack of grainy black and white imagery in her vision, she could have sworn she had dropped into a TV broadcast from decades ago.

“Tonight’s performer is just that,” the stallion went on. “The very best of the best, a true gem that we are proud to have hosted for years. Such a fine talent that she should need no introduction, but it would be an insult to leave it out. Those of you who have visited the club before are sure to recognize her…” He paused again, giving time for the crowd to murmur in anticipation, some of them already whistling and shouting. “...and I know you can’t wait to be under her spell again. And for all of our new guests, please welcome Miss Savanna!”

The crowd erupted into applause and shouting, some of them even stomping their feet, to which Meadows bowed with a smile and departed the stage. The lights dimmed, with the exception of one that focused on the center of the curtain, and the roar of the crowd intensified when the red velvet parted to reveal a familiar mare. Twilight’s jaw dropped as she saw the zebra from yesterday saunter forth, her swaying gait showing off her generous curves along her tall form. Her outfit barely covered anything, the fabric itself made of silk so thin that it may as well have been smoke sewn into vague shapes, and the overall theme appeared to be an imitation of a Saddle Arabian belly dancer’s outfit.

The mare paused just before the edge of the stage and smiled, bowing her head briefly, to which another encore of sharp whistling came from the applauding audience. She then raised her hands and put them together before her chest, and she closed her eyes, making it look almost like she were praying. The lights dimmed completely, and the crowd went silent as the speakers gave a low hum, the air itself vibrating from the bass-heavy instruments that signaled the start of her song. Moments later, a higher melody settled over this foundation, following stereotypical “eastern” theme, while the zebra began to make her lower half sway slowly. Bit by bit, she picked up the pace, vividly shaking her hips back and forth once the percussion joined in to give a solid beat.

Twilight could only stare slack-jawed at the dance, which was almost hypnotic, even though the mare on stage had only just begun. The music got more and more intense, every downbeat harder than the last, and her motions got wilder in response. Soon enough, she raised her arms over her head, her upper half joining the snake-like dance. Her clothes fluttered and swished back and forth, the jewelry adorning her body jingling and glinting in the light. Much to the delight of the onlookers, particularly the stallions, her curves had motions of their own, further accenting their size and perfect shape.

The alicorn flinched a little as the downbeats were almost thunderous now, while the zebra suddenly took a step to her right, now making use of her legs as well. It was dizzying to just watch her at work – let alone imagine taking her place – as she made her whole body sway and wiggle all over, while at the same time she drifted back and forth across the stage as if guided by the waves of an invisible ocean. And she was far from done, it seemed. Without warning, she did a sudden twirl on her toes halfway through a step, making her mane, tail, and her outfit fly up, leaving little of her privates to one’s imagination.

Twilight’s legs quivered in response, and she even felt a moment of vertigo, making her stumble forward a half-step. Her horn bumped into the back of a nearby pony, and she giggled and blurted out an apology in response before bringing her attention back to the stage. It all felt so silly, losing control like this over some lewd dance in a strange club. Her smile quickly gave way to shock, however, when she looked up again.

At the center of the stage were a pair of bright yellow orbs, revealed to the world for the first time since the zebra had closed her eyes at the start of her dance. They were not actually glowing, but the way they glinted in the bright stage lights made one think they had lights of their own. And right at this moment, they were staring straight back into Twilight Sparkle’s own eyes.

The princess stumbled backward this time, getting a frustrated grunt from a stallion behind her who nudged her away. “Sorry!” she blurted out. Reaching up, she rubbed her eyes and blinked repeatedly, even giving herself a light slap on her cheek before risking another peek at the stage, only to yelp and avert her gaze again. There was no mistaking it – between her various twirls and wide steps, Miss Savannah was looking at her specifically, right through the bright lights and the dark shroud over the dance floor. And each time Twilight tried to meet her eyes, the zebra would give a subtle smirk, to which the mare blushed deeply in response.

Okay… this is probably just a misunderstanding. Twilight could not stop fidgeting awkwardly, and while she did not notice it, her limbs vaguely followed the beat of the song as she wandered back and forth, wanting to make absolutely sure the zebra was staring at her. Each time she got a peek above the other patrons, she saw that, sure enough, those golden orbs followed her every move. The song picked up the pace all of a sudden, and Twilight yelped as the crowd became more animated around her, shoving her left and right. She squeezed past half-drunk stallions and flailing mares, unable to even see where she was going. The other patrons all but crushed her, after which blinding brightness filled her vision when she emerged from their grip, letting the lights from above reach her eyes once more. Tripping over a stray leg, she tumbled forward and bumped against something solid and unyielding.

Blinking away at the spots in her eyes, she looked up to get her bearings, only to gasp when she found herself almost nose to nose with the zebra dancer. She smirked at the alicorn, her whole body bent over at a near-impossible angle, and the crowd cheered at the lewd angle this provided for them. Twilight herself risked a peek downward, only to quickly tear her gaze away, her whole face turning bright red from the sight of the “abyss” between the zebra’s mounds. In response, she just smiled wider and slowly moved her hand over her mouth, planting a kiss on it which she then blew at Twilight. The mare let out a small whimper, trembling all over as the zebra’s hot breath washed over her face.

A heartbeat later, the dancer threw herself back, holding her arms over her head, just in time to hit the final downbeat of the song. The spotlights focused on her, the speakers went silent, and the crowd erupted into cheers once more, the noise loud enough to make Twilight clamp her hands over her ears. She glanced over her shoulder, still blushing deeply, but aside from a few stallions who gave her amused looks, the vast majority of the audience was focused on Miss Savannah, who gave a low bow before sauntering off the stage. After a while, the applause died down, and the crowd gradually dispersed as a more mainstream dance song came on. This left the alicorn on her own, leaning against the edge of the stage, still staring dumbstruck at the spot where the zebra leaned down to meet her eye to eye. She soon came back to her wits, however, and stumbled away from the stage, mumbling to herself about the incident. Her hands kept tugging on her clothes, and she wondered why they felt so tight on her chest and hip, unaware of those yellow eyes hidden in the shadows behind the curtains, trailing after her curiously.

“Well look who it is,” Digger bared his sharp teeth in a wide grin, while his friends lifted their heads to look at the mare approaching them. “Thought you were gonna leave us hanging, Dash.”

Rainbow snorted and plopped down on the chair opposite them. “Not on your life, mutt,” she replied. Looking over the contents of the table, she reached between the various empty bottles and glasses, retrieved a pack of smokesticks, and casually took one out, placing it between her lips, but not lighting it yet. “How are ya holding up?”

“Better watch your tongue, featherbrain,” Rusty said. The doberman’s mangled right ear flicked while he raised his lighter to the tip of his cigar. He puffed it a few times, releasing a thick cloud of smoke from his nostrils. “I’ve seen Digger carve up cuter girls for less backtalk.”

All four chuckled and exchanged friendly shoves, after which Rusty held out the lighter and let Rainbow ignite her smokestick. She leaned back, took a long drag, and sighed, letting out puffs of smoke to compete with Rusty’s own. A smile tugged on her lips as she glanced at the slowly burning stick between her fingers. Her friends and fellow athletes gave her such weird looks when they found out about her little habit. She did not overdo it of course, and flying fast was still her favorite kick, but like many other vices, she picked up smoking as well to pass the time while on the ground. For how long it took her friends to notice she had been doing it, they sure were concerned way out of proportion.

The dog trio finished their drinks, and Bonehead waved at Meadows to bring them another drink. While Digger was busy pouring a shot for each, the bulldog gave a small grunt as he stared at something nearby. “Who’s that little punk?” he asked, jabbing a paw toward one of the tables across the chamber.

The others turned to look, eyes narrowing as they tried to find what Bonehead was talking about. Eventually, their gaze landed on a young pair of ponies sitting opposite each other. At a first glance, they may appeared to have been just another pair of lovebirds, but there was something off about the vibe they gave off. “Dunno.” Digger scratched at his ear. “Who’s the broad? Someone he picked up from the corner?”

Rainbow chuckled and shook her head. “Nah. Saw ‘em on the way in. Probably just some hipsters from out of town. Don’t worry about it.” She raised her glass to down her shot in one go, giving a satisfied hum as the strong drink burned her throat. She then took another drag of her smokestick and glanced back at the pair. Truth be told, she had every reason to worry. Beneath the surface, there was no lighthearted romance in the way those two faced each other. Their gaze was serious, their clothes too conservative, and they never spoke, merely sipped their drinks and looked around the club.

“That why they’re always peeking at us?” Bonehead said with a huff. “I dunno, this smells fishy.”

For a moment, the mare’s eyes did indeed drift toward them, and Rainbow could almost feel the antagonism radiated by her gaze. She frowned and took another drag, resisting the urge to flip the bird in response. “Well, if they’re looking for trouble, they found it,” she muttered. This was not her first time she was on the wrong side of the law, and these two were not about to make it her last.

Rusty chuckled. “That’s the spirit, kid. Now, ready to do business?”

“Heh-heh…” Rainbow crushed her smokestick in the ashtray on the table, leaned back, and threw her boots onto the edge of the table. “Hit me, boss.” The dim lighting in this section of the club could just barely make a tattoo on her neck visible, trailing down along her spine before it disappeared under her tank top.

Digger finished his drink as well. “Looks like whoever sent that clown yesterday was not happy you took the trash out. We talked it over, and we got him to agree not to mess this place up with crappy products.”

Bonehead retrieved the pack from Rainbow and lit himself a smokestick. “But, the guy still wants reparations. And we’d rather not have to reach into our retirement fund to pay him off, if you get me.”

Rainbow nodded and brushed her mane to the sides of her head, the long locks helping conceal a few scars on her left temple. “How much are we talking?” she asked.

“Ten grand,” Rusty said. “By tomorrow night.”

“Hmm…” Rainbow stroked her chin and glanced over her shoulder, now seeing the stallion look her way. She gave him a mock-friendly wave, to which his eyes narrowed in response. “You know, this town might be famous for dripping ponies’ wallets dry…” She poured herself another shot and downed it, licking her lips. “But every now and then, someone gets lucky and takes the grand prize home.”

The dogs grinned in unison. “Yeah,” Rusty replied. “But each time that happens, everyone gets suspicious. They think the winner was cheating, or maybe tipped off.”

Rainbow nodded with a smirk. “Makes no sense, right? A mare can’t win a game honestly? And with so many bad ponies around, doesn’t she have enough to worry about? You can’t go walking around with such a huge win.”

The doberman stroked his chin with a thoughtful hum, his teeth glinting in the lights of the club. “Now that you mention it, I’ve heard of a lucky winner who came to town recently…”

The chamber had turned into a loud, blurry mess, and it took all of the pink mare’s resolve to wade through it. She kept taking swigs from her bottle, hoping to fire up the party, blissfully unaware of how it just made her legs all the more wobbly and the ground more appealing. Still, the booming music in her ears gave her one last thing to cling to... namely wanting to smack the DJ for playing such awful garbage.

“Hey…” Pinkie leaned against the large console opposite the stage, and she burped loudly, though it was lost in the roar of the subwoofers. Her arm seemed to have a mind of its own, flailing about before her alcohol-soaked head finally caught up, and she reached over to nudge the stallion sitting behind the console. “Hey!”

The stallion removed his headphones and looked up at her. “Yeah?” He raised an eyebrow, as even with the dimness of the room – combined with the bright flashes from above – he could tell that she was dealing with a rough customer.

“That wasn’t the request!” Pinkie slurred.

He blinked and leaned a bit closer, lifting a hand to his ear. “What?”

“Didn’t you hear me? That. Wasn’t. The. Request!”

The DJ blinked again, then shrugged and went back to fiddling with the console, muttering under his breath. Without warning, Pinkie smashed the beer bottle against the turntable, making it sputter to a halt, after which she yanked the disk off the spindle and tossed it away.

The DJ stared in horror for a few moments, unable to react. “Hey!” He stood up, glaring at Pinkie. “What the—Ahh!” His eyes widened as the mare grabbed his shirt collar, roughly pulling him out of his seat while he thrashed in panic.

“You play this trash, and now you’re ignoring me?” she screamed. “I’ve met a lot of bad ponies in my life, but you… you… gfffrh!”

Her verbal abuse rained spittle on his face, and he grimaced from her foul breath washing over his snout. Her voice had turned rather hoarse after a night spent drinking and hollering, making her tirade sound all the more disturbing, to say nothing of having to stare her down nose to nose. Her eyes were bloodshot and faintly sunken in, while her thinning, messy mane could no longer conceal a slightly mangled left ear, which she instead tried to cover up with a few studs and rings. Any sane pony would have expected security to keep such ponies out.

As if on cue, Pinkie’s next words were cut off when a large arm wrapped around her neck from behind. “Ack!” She immediately released the DJ, her hands flying to her neck, trying to pry the muscular limb off before it choked her. The bouncer huffed and started dragging her away, the mare’s body seeming weightless in his grip, despite her thrashing and garbled cursing. “Let me go! This is—urp!—between me and him! Leave me alone!”

The minotaur did not reply, merely kept walking out the back door, the other patrons nervously watching them go. Once outside, he grabbed Pinkie by the collar of her sweat and drink-stained shirt and tossed her out into the alley. With all the alcohol still dulling her senses, it was a miracle that she managed to grab hold a nearby trash can and bring herself to a halt. “Oof! Nnghh…” She slowly turned around, glaring at the brute standing in the doorway. “Y-Youuu good for nothing...”

“Cool off a little,” the minotaur said bluntly. He then turned around and slammed the door shut, leaving Pinkie alone in the dank alley.

“Just you wait!” she called after him. “This party sucked anyway! I’ll… ugh!” Her hand clutched her stomach as it gave a rather sickening growl. “I’ll make my own… it’ll be way better… and you’re not invited!”

The only response was her words echoing between the walls. Moments later, her ear twitched as she heard a faint noise from the opposite end of the alley. Wheeling around, she saw a trio of figures peeking around the corner, staring at her curiously. With a low groan, she pushed herself away from the trash can and stumbled toward them, while the ponies formed up in her path. Up close, she recognized a set of familiar features: leather jackets, short-cropped manes, not to mention one of the trio was a giant, standing front and center. She halted a few paces away, taking a few deep breaths before she managed to straighten up, the cool air helping her head clear up somewhat.

“Hey...” the big one said. “You alright?” His coat was covered with metal studs and various patches. The words on them made no sense, and the images were too dark and faded to make out. He also had several thick chains hanging from his neck and around his waist, making her vaguely recall a name she heard last night.

“Yeah, I’ll live.” Pinkie frowned, her hands clenching into fists when she saw they kept smirking at her. “What’s it to you?” she said through gritted teeth.

“Got on the bouncer’s bad side, huh?” the one on her right said. They all chuckled, and the other stallion to her left patted her shoulder.

“Hey, don’t sweat it,” he said. “You’re not the first one.” Him and the guy on the big stallion’s other side had less excessive outfits, though they made up for it with other features. The one on the right had his mane in a mohawk, in part due to a nasty burn along his scalp, which did not allow for most manestyle options. As for the other guy, practically every inch of him not covered by his clothes was buried under tattoos, though the dim lighting only let her make out a few shapes, none of which were what she could call ‘friendly’.

“And probably not the last,” the big one added. “Lucky he didn’t kick your flank. Must be having a good day.”

The mare grunted and pulled away from the tattoo-sporting stallion’s friendly gesture, to which they held up their hands defensively. “Whoa, come on,” the mohawked pony said. “Ain’t looking for a fight.”

“Then keep your hands to yourself,” Pinkie growled. A wave of nausea came over her, and she turned away to cough and retch several times. The trio chuckled again.

“Well... you don’t mince your words, do ya?” the bulky stallion said.

“Ngh… why should I?” Pinkie spat out the bitter gunk pooling in her mouth, and she turned back to the trio. “Think I’m scared by how you’re all dressed up?”

“Didn’t run from us, unlike most ponies. I can respect that.” He held out his hand. “I’m Chains.” His other hand gestured to either side, pointing at his friends. “That there is Clay, and he’s Fender.”

The mare glanced down, watching her hand reflexively reach out to grasp Chains’ own, and she spotted a skull-shaped ring around his middle finger. It was both unnerving and enticing at the same time. She looked back up, staring into the grin Chains gave her, and her own lips curled into a smile.

“Pinkie,” she replied.

Author's Note

Apologies to all my readers for taking so long. It's been really hectic as of late, but I haven't given up on this story. Far from it. More to come soon... hopefully...