The Den

Ginger Root was a golden reddish earth pony all the way from Appaloosa, and she had decided to purchase quite a bit of booze off the house. Unfortunately, as dawn broke and tabs were being cleared up, she barely even had any bits on her, let alone any gems to trade. Most ponies were smart enough to not let this happen. The penalty for otherwise was simply too harsh.

Ginger Root wasn’t most ponies.

Tiger, a large shaggy brown diamond dog in charge of the bar, and Granite Hoof, the slate gray earth pony bartender who had mistakenly served her, were deciding what to do with her now that the club was empty.

Granite Hoof was of the opinion they give her to the butchers, take their pound of flesh, and leave her as a tripod in the EverFree. Tiger wasn’t so sure.

“She die. You know for truth. Easier to just throw in pit. Even expensive booze not worth pit.” Tiger frowned.

“Yeah, but then the club gets its cut. Literally in this case. What happens to her is not our problem. What happens to us if the bosses decide we gave away free booze is.” Slate stamped his hoof, and glared at the still drunk, but terrified and sobbing pony.

Ginger Root had begged to go free, begged to suck their cocks, and promised to return with gems, all with no luck. Now she was just curled up in a ball on the floor crying.

“Too bloodthirsty for pony. You really pony?” Tiger scratched his nose thoughtfully.

“Yes, Tiger. I’m really a pony. For a dog named Tiger, you’re too damned soft. You should be named bunny or something.”

Tiger grunted in approval. “Bunny not bad name. Bunnies good diggers.”

“So, if you don’t want to take a leg, what do we do with her? It’s your bar, but you still work for the bosses here. You cannot have somepony not pay up.”

A slow small smile danced across Tiger’s face. “Tiger have good idea. Maybe smell gems in it. Not finished yet, but enough to start. Bosses like.”

Granite sighed, giving up his fight. “Well, the sun is up. It’s employees only. We need to deal with her quick and get ready for tonight. You’re my boss, and I’ve got other things I wanna do today. Like sleep. So lets just get on with it.”

Tiger picked up ginger by her scruff, looking the drunk and terrified pony in the face. “You lucky pony. You want to keep leg? You want to not go into pit?”

Ginger nodded, too afraid to say anything.

“Good. Then you want job. You stay and work. If pony asks, you employee. You work for Tiger. You understand?”

“I… Okay.” She blinked back some tears, suddenly hopeful that she’d be leaving with all of her limbs.

Granite frowned. “I’m not sure what you’re thinking, Tiger, but the bosses don’t like us using slaves. Say it tarnishes their grand free market economy and all that. You should just give her and her bill to the butchers.”

Tiger smiled wide. “Ginger pony is slave? Or is Employee?”

Ginger, drunk as she was, managed to catch on quick. “Employee?”

“Yes. Good pony. And who does Ginger pony work for?”

Ginger looked confused for a moment, and then answered slowly. “Ginger pony… I uhh… I mean… I work for Tiger.”

Granite grumbled. “Whatever. This is your problem. I’m gonna go wash my hooves and forget this whole thing ever happened. See you tomorrow, Tiger.” He glared sharply at the newly indebted drunkard. “And I guess you too, Ginger Pony.”

Ginger nervously smiled and weakly laughed, “Ha… ha… Yeah… uhh…” She glanced in a panic to Tiger and then back to Granite. “Um… You too?”

Tiger grabbed Ginger by her mane, and drug her out of the room. “Come. Sleep with Tiger, we talk, you work tomorrow.”

Ginger didn’t get a chance to complain, only make a surprised yelp as she was painfully drug out of the room.

As the ponies and dog left, the room was left dreadful silent while one of the bosses hummed in contemplation. The boss had been watching from an enchanted crystal to see how Tiger handled the situation, and still wasn’t sure.

Tiger had said there would be gems in it, and gems for tiger meant gems for The Den. Of course, he was bending the rules. The boss decided to wait and watch for now. No rules had been broken yet. Sometimes it took time for these things to shake out, so for the moment Ginger’s fate and future would be in Tiger’s greedy paws.

And she should be damn grateful for it.