Moonlight Trails

Hey, how's it going. My name is Smokey Trail. Or Big Smokey, Ol' Smokey or Smokey for short. I don't have that fascinating of a life. I'm a 25 year old dark grey pegasus that goes to work. Go home. Get stoned. Go to bed and sleep throughout the day. My whole life style in a hand basket. Yeah, I know I sound boring as shit. Hell, to top it off, I work as a Security Guard at one of the dealerships around here for carts. As a over night guard! I have no social life!

Occasionally I come across a few little punks running around the lot over nights and one of the delivery carts rolls in a few hours before sun rise, but other than that, that's about my only interaction with people outside of my house. I do share a house with a few other folk. All of them are assholes, but the kindhearted assholes nevertheless. I'd have their back in a firefight and I know they'd have mine.

I mean, my whole life wasn't that boring. I was in the Royal Guard, but that was only a few months due to an injury that made me come back to civilian life. I was in college as well, but once again, that fell through. I've been engaged as well, but to find out that she cheated on me several times with one of her ex's. Yet, it was still my fault. Hehe, go figure.

Well, one fortunate night I was off and decided on getting my nightly routine going a bit early. As I'm rolling, I hear a knock on the door. "Come in." I called back, to hear two of my friends come up the stairs and into my room.

"Hey, Ol' Smokey! There's this new nightclub in Canterlot. We're going to head there. You ought to come with us." One of them called out. It was Joy Stick. A skinny pegasus, with solid white coat and a shaved mane. HIs cutie mark was a couple of game controllers with the wires crossed, that he had stitched onto his blue jacket. I've known him for a long time, longer than my other buddy. He's the one who I used to get into trouble with back in highschool. It's surprising that neither of us have been arrested.

I chuckled softly, putting the joint in my mouth. "Guys, I look like absolute crap. I haven't trimmed my beard, shaved my head, or done anything productive in a while. Ain't no way in hell I'm going out." I said, lighting the joint, running my hand through my beard to try and even it out.

"C'mon dude, it's gonna be fun. We'll even pay for you booze. And think about it, you might come home with a lady." The short, chubby one said. His name was Bit Byte. He was a grey unicorn, a few shades lighter than me with a chestnut mane and tail. A fucking whiz at anything that involves technology with a laptop cutiemark that he had put onto his black jacket.

I looked at him and rose a brow. "Well think about this. Today is my only day off for the next week. I'm gonna enjoy it how I see fit." I bluntly stated, kicking back my legs and relaxing on my bed.

They all looked at each other before running downstairs and coming back up with a bucket of water, dumping it all over me. "There, you're showered and your bed is wet. It's gonna take some time before that dries so come with us." Joy Stick said. "And besides, I'm on vacation, I gotta head back to Manehatten after. It'll be a whole nother year before we get to hang out again."

I looked up at him, slightly enraged. "You're a son of a bitch, you know that?" I said before getting up from my bed, walking over to the other side of the room to grab a towel, wash cloth, and clean clothes. "Get that dried up while I go take a shower." I said, cursing to myself under my breath as I walked down the stairs and into the bathroom.

I don't mind going out, but I'd at least like to make plans before hand. I waited a bit for the water to become warm and stepped in. I reached over, grabbing a comb on one of the shelves of the shower and began to try and comb out any knots that I may have in my mane or beard. Surely enough, there was a lot.

Every few seconds, everyone would burst out laughing upon hearing me screaming out "DAMMIT!" or "FUCK!" in pain as I untangled the mess that was attached to my head. As I got out of the shower, I wiped the fog off the mirror and looked at myself. Tall, but fairly chubby. Damn, I've let myself get out of shape. I then look up at my face and grabbed a pair of scissors and began to trim away at my ginger-red beard, trimming it about an inch shorter.

I comb my mane back into a somewhat presentable style and began to put my clothes on. They weren't my best clothes, just something I'd go down the street in. A white t-shirt, blue jeans, my old combat boots, y'know, just casual wear.

I walk back upstairs to see all my clean clothes piled on top of the water on my bed with towels on the bottom. I stood there for a second with my jaw agape, wanting to say something, but couldn't force anything out of my mouth other than a simple "Why?!"

"What? It's being dried up." Joy Stick stated. I looked at him, glaring daggers at him almost. "Ok, fine. You didn't have any towe-"

"THEY'RE RIGHT THERE!!!" I stated, pointing out a stack of neatly folded towels in my closet.

"You didn't have any dirty towels." He said, finishing what he was saying before I interrupted him.

I brought my hand to my face, dragging it down in an annoyed fashion. I then look up at my closet to see my old green plaid paddy cap, I reach out, putting it on and looked at the other two.

I walk back over to my bedside where I keep my stash hidden and pulled another joint out, safely securing it my beard. One good thing is, the way I roll, they look identical to the cigarettes that you see other folks smoking, the only downside is the smell it leaves. "Alright you two, let's get going." I said, walking back down the stairs.

As I stepped outside, I felt my hat get taken off. "Don't where that! It looks stupid." Joy Stick said, tossing it back inside before shutting the door.

I walked passed him and back into my house to grab my hat before walking back outside. "Don't touch my hat. Do it again, and I'll break your arm." I stated in a cold tone before walking out to the cars outside. "Whose are we taking?" I asked, looking back at the other two, throwing my black jacket on. "Better yet, who's the DD tonight?"

"Don't worry about it. We got a taxi." Bit said shortly before a taxi pulled into the driveway.

"Classy..." I stated to myself before the three of us piled into this tiny car.

"Where too boys?" The driver asked.

"Canterlot's new nightclub please." Joy Stick replied to him.

The cab driver nodded before turning around and taking off towards Canterlot. It wasn't that far of a drive anymore seeing with the highways everywhere. It usually only takes an hour to get there now, two if traffic is backed up.

An hour passed and we arrived at the nightclub. As we pulled in, there was already a line, wrapping around the block several times over. I look at the two. "Any bright ideas now?" I asked, glaring at them.

"We didn't think it'd be this busy." Joy Stick said, looking around, grimace on his face.

"Didn't think it'd be this busy?! It just opened. Of course it's gonna be busy!" I stated, beyond furious at this point. Though finally shrugged it off. "Eh, fuck it. I'm already here, ain't like I got anything else to do." I said, putting my hands in the pockets of my jacket.

We stood there for a few more minutes before a young unicorn, about 20, maybe 21, came marching past all of us with two other unicorns behind her. They stood there and talked to the bouncer before he walked inside. I minute passed before he let the three in and signaled for the rest of us to be brought in as well. "Alright folks, opening time!" He yelled out, letting a vast majority of us in.

It finally came up to Joy Stick, Bit Byte, and myself at the front of the line. Bit Byte and Joy Stick walked inside, but it stopped at me. "Sorry pal, clubs full right now." He said, looking up at me.

"How long do you think it might take?" I asked, looking down at him, as he stood half way up to my chest.

"Dunno, could be five minutes, could be the whole night." He said, crossing his arms, trying to make himself look bigger.

I rolled my eyes, growing slightly annoyed once more. "Listen, just tell me where the closest pub or bar is around here. I just want to get a drink." I asked, rather calmly.

"Hey buddy!" He said, shoving me back. "Don't be trying to get an attitude with me." He said, crossing his arms once more. Two people left before he finally pulled to red rope. "Alright two more." He said.

I gave a calm smile and took a step forward before he put his hand up to me. "Not you, them two." He said, signalling a white earth pony mare and a light grey pegasus mare through and locking the rope up once more. He then looked up at me with this cocky grin. "What, if I say that you can't come in, then you can't come in."

I bit at my bottom lip for a second. "Ok, I see how it is." I said before pulling my fist back and punching him in the face, knocking him out cold. I fixed my jacket before looking down to make sure that he was still breathing. "Go on in folks!" I yelled out before walking passed them all and into a different direction, the crowd pouring into the club.

As I walked through the city streets, I looked around to see another bar, rather small, but comfortable looking. My ears perk up to hear a calm dubstep beat playing from inside. It was something by an old dubstep artist. DJ-Pon3 I think, she was first becoming big when I was only 5. So, about 20 years ago, give or take.

I walk in and look around to see that it was dim on the inside, but lit up well enough to where you can see where you're going without straining your eyes a lot. The carpet was black with bright pink and bright green dots along the floor. It wasn't one of those top class clubs, but something for people who can drink if the just want to drink, or dance if they want to just dance.

"Ey' got an ID on ya, mate?" A stallion called out from behind the bar. I nodded and began to pull my wallet out. "If ya got it, then I'm sure you're good. Besides, none of the younger ponies are gonna come in here. This place ain't hip." He said with a chuckle.

As I looked at him, it was a pegasus, but only with one wing, I couldn't help but to stare at first, but looked down at him. "What do ya got?" I said, sitting down at the bar.

"Eh, not much. Though name your drink and I bet ya I can make it." He said, grabbing a few bottles of liquor from the shelf. "Though, if you're broke and looking to get drunk, we got some of these too." He said, pulling a few more bottles of liquor from the shelves.

I scratched my chin and looked at them all. "How much can a hundred bits get me?" I asked, looking at the different liquors in front of me.

"A hundred bits?" He scoffed. "Which bottles can I get for ya? Our liquor maybe cheap, but unlike these fancy bars, we don't water down our liquors. But if ya wanna go big and just stick to one bottle and get smashed, then I got something for ya." He said, turning around and going into his storage room.

A minute passed before I hear him walking back through with a black bottle. Wait, the bottle ain't black, but the contents inside are. "I got the Zap Apple Cider Black Tar Liquor right here. Or Brain Bleach for short." He said, looking at me with a devious grin. "I brew this stuff myself and it's able to put me out after a few shots." He said placing the bottle down in front of me.

I looked at him and smirked. "I have been unphased by alcohol for a very long time my friend." I said, slamming the hundred bits on the counter. "Knock my ass out." I requested, grabbing the bottle from him, kicking the bottle back, taking a few massive gulps. After the third gulp, I felt a burn in my stomach that was quickly spreading up. "Shit." I said to myself, gulping down the contents that were trying to come up successfully.

I heard him burst out laughing. "Boy, I've never seen anyone kick back half a bottle of the stuff and live this long to tell the tale. Should I go ahead and call you an ambulance?" He asked, reaching for his phone.

I shrugged and looked at him, completely unphased. "You see, I've been drinking since I was young. There isn't anyone I haven't came across that I couldn't drink under the table." I said with a smirk. Oh, wait. What is this? I feel a comfortable warmth hit me starting at my stomach and quickly spreading through my body, a dumbfounded smile on my face.

"Aye, there it is. I know that look." He said with a grin. "It's a late bloomer for ya, though your tolerance is pretty stout. Tell ya what. Throw me twentyfive bits and I'll give ya another bottle." He said, turning to go into the back once more.

I look around the bar's dance floor to see a few more other ponies dancing on the floor. Suddenly, this mare, a unicorn with dark rose fur, her mane was mostly purple, but different shades of red and orange in it's pattern. Also wavy, but straight with curly freys at the ends. Wearing bright jeans, a loose fitting t-shirt, and black fingerless gloves.

I turned around to face the bartender as he caught me look at the mare. "Eyeing the lass over there?" He asked with a sly grin, pouring himself a shot of the Brain Bleach. "Everypony around here has had they're eye on her, but she's never stood and talked to any of 'em. Other than that, that's all I can tell ya." He said, before knocking back a shot. "Oh! That still burns." He shouted to himself.

I chuckled to myself. "Well, there's no chance in hell for that happening for me. I'm a fat old fart." I said to myself, taking another swig. Hmm, this becomes sweet after a while.

I get ready to kick back another drink before I feel it get taken from my hands. "Yoink!" I hear a mare say. I look at my hand to see the bottle was missing and look over to see that it was the same mare. "Never seen anyone take this stuff like a champ before." She said with a smile.

I looked down at her, to watch this tiny little mare kick back and chug down what was left in the bottle. "Dear Celestia, ma'am, do you have a death wish?!" I hear the bar keeper say.

"PSH! Mom has stuff that would put both of you under the table." She said, with a grin. "This is strong, but, I've had better." She said, placing the bottle back down. She then looked at me with a smile. "Hi! My name is Moonlight." She said, sticking out her hand for me shake it. I looked at her face to see these peach colored freckles along her cheeks.

I felt my grey cheeks light up before I took her hand and shook it. "Smokey Trail. Or Smokey for short." I said with a smile before releasing her hand.

She smiled and looked me up and down. "Come dance with me." She said, grabbing my hands.

"But I don't know how to dance." I stated, slightly embarrassed by the fact as she dragged me out to the dance floor.

"Don't worry, just let the rhythm take your body." She said before showing me what she meant.

I suddenly felt the effects of the liquor hit me. She looked at me and smiled before she lead the way, me following her. I watched her dance the night away, the her body matching with the lights and the beat of the music.

As we danced the night away, I heard a familiar call. "Last call! Come get your booze while you can!" I heard the barkeeper call out.

We both look over and made our way over to the bar. "You're a lot of fun, you know that?" She said with a smile. "A lot of other guys just try to get in my pants the first second they see me, though you're different." She stated.

I chuckled softly and shook my head. "Moonlight, I don't know what you're idea of fun is, but I'm about the most boring pony there is." I said with a chuckle.

"Stop beating yourself up! You're a fun guy. You just shy is all." She said, looking up at me. I could see that she had two bright blue eyes, almost like diamonds. She then looked at how much I've drank and smirked. "Are you going to be able to make it home?" She asked.

I looked at her and smiled. "Well, I'e made it home under worse condishuns" I said, finally drunk enough to slur my words.

"C'mon tall guy, let's get you home." She said, placing my arm over her shoulder.

I looked down at her, slightly shocked that she was able to carry part of my body weight on her. We walked out of the club when she looked up at me. "Alright, where do you live?" She asked.

"Ponyville." I said, only able to get out in one word sentences.

"Oh, that's quite the distance. How did you get here?" She asked.

"Taxi, then walked. Went to new place. Bouncer...MAJOR Asshole. Then...here." I spatted out. Damn, that stuff really did do a number on me, though one and a half bottles, I should probably be dead.

"Did you come here with anypony?" She asked, slightly getting exhausted from lugging me around.

I finally stood up straight, though still a bit wobbly on the legs. "Yeah, two others. Though they're still inside of that new place." I said, finally able to get an actual sentence out.

"Well, how about this." She said, taking a breath of relief as I got my body weight off of her. We'll go to -" And that's when it all went blank. I remember different spurts between the black outs, but they were all fuzzy.

Daylight finally broke through the night, I can feel an unknown warmth laying on top of me with my arms and wings wrapped around it. I slowly open my eyes, the sun automatically burning them as I opened them. I see a mess of purple, red, and orange hair in my face. My wing was wrapped around it as well, covering half of the bed. What is this warmth?

I use my wings to block out the sunlight to see that it was Moonlight laying on top of me, wearing my shirt from last night. I felt my face light up drastically, fully awake now. I begin to look around the room to see that this wasn't my house, it was her home that we were in. Oh shit! I look down at her once more to see her smile, as she pressed herself even closer to me, reaching up to grab my wing and cover her face back up.

"Nooo, don't want to wake up." She whined out. I laid there for a second, unsure whether to even breath in fear of waking her up. She had to be drunk to even consider taking something like me home.

I laid my head back down on the pillow, frantically looking around the room. "Shit. Shit. Shit." I muttered to myself under my breath.

I heard her groan and look up at me. "For a ultra comfy pillow, you're not that quiet when you wake up." She said with a smile, looking up at me with those diamond eyes.

Unsure of what happened I looked at her and gave a nervous chuckle. "W-What all happened last night?" I asked, rather scared to hear the end results.

"Well, it was kind of a blur, but after we left the dance club, we got you a taxi back to ponyville. I decided to come along to make sure you made it home safely. But I decided to take you home with me." She said, resting her head back on my chest, nuzzling into it.

"Oh ok then. Where is home for you?" I asked, beginning to notice the different expensive decors lining the walls.

"My house." She said, before shushing me. "Let me get some more sleep." She pleaded before curling up on top of me.

I looked around to see a photo off on the other side of the room. Of her parents I think. I sat up a bit to get a closer look. As I saw the photo, my heart dropped, sheer terror in my soul. Her parents are Princess Twilight and Sunset. Oh, I am royally fucked.

We then hear a knock on the door as an older mare walked in. Oh, no. It's not just any mare. It was her mom, Sunset. "Moonlight Dusk! What is the meaning of this!" She shouted out, her eyes glaring right through me.

"W-Wait, mom! Hold on. Don't worry, we didn't do anything. I'm still full clothed. He still has clothes on."

"Oh thank Celestia." I said under my breath.

"Wait, what does that mean?" Moonlight asked.

"I don't like one night stands. I loathe the idea of them. That's why I was panicking at first. I still kind of am." I said, looking down at Moonlight.

Sunset used her magic to yank the covers off and surely enough. I was still in jeans and she was in shorts. Another wave of relief hit me. "Well..." Sunset said in a calmer voice. "Why is he here?" She asked.

"I was at a nightclub at Canterlot. He walked in and looked like he needed a friend. We got to dancing and talking throughout the night. I asked him if he wanted to stay here and he agreed to it. He said, it'd probably be a safer idea than him going back home drunk with his friends to mess with him." She stated.

Sunset gave a small sigh of annoyance before shaking her head. "Fine, he just needs to go home. Breakfast is done. Only reason I'm not freaking out is because you usually don't do this. So it must have been at least a good reason." She said before turning around to leave the room. "Just be happy that it wasn't Twilight finding out. She would have already had guards up here." Sunset said before shutting to door behind her.

I gave a sigh of relief before I began to get up. "Ok, I probably need to get going." I said, attempting to get up, just to only be held down.

"Can you stay for breakfast at least?" She asked, looking up at me, her lips pouting.

I felt my heart sink of guilt as she looked at me. I had to leave so I can try and get ready work tonight. "But..." I paused to see her almost whining now. I gave a defeated sigh before nodding. "Fine, but I gotta go after that. I have to get ready for work tonight." I said before looking back up at the ceiling, wondering what type of hell I just agreed to endure.