Plus-sixteen, plus-seventeen, plus-sixteen...
The man sitting beside Twilight Sparkle slammed his hands down on the table, the stench of alcohol wafting over towards her. "I'm feelin' lucky tonight. Hit me!"
Queen of Hearts. Plus-fifteen.
"Damn," the man swore as the total value of his cards hit twenty-six. "Ah, well, can't win 'em all, right?"
Twilight remained silent as the dealer swept his chips and cards away and turned to her. She had a seven and a nine. A count of plus-fifteen meant that she should hold, as the chances of getting a bust were above the acceptable threshold. Best to just hope for the dealer to bust instead, which they were likely to, given the five showing.
"Hit me." Of course, she wasn't here to win money. At least, not by herself.
Six of Diamonds. Plus-sixteen.
"Twenty-two. Bust." The dealer shot her a sympathetic smile as she swept her chips away. Twilight kept her expression impassive as she had all night, though she did let her mouth curl down in a slight frown.
The action moved on to the next person on the table, and Twilight returned to tuning out the cacophony of the casino.
Plus-sixteen. Plus-seventeen. Plus-eighteen. Plus seventeen.
All around her, fortunes were made and lost, and people caroused, shouted, and drank with wild abandon in this den of sin, but she cared little for that at the moment. The only thing that mattered, that held her focus, was the count.
Plus-eighteen. Plus nineteen. Plus-twenty!
Twilight adjusted her glasses, pushing them up the bridge of her nose from the middle with her left ring finger. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an elegant storm of light blue fabrics approaching the table, having recognized her gesture.
"Hello, my darlings!"
That was Twilight's excuse to glance at the approaching woman. She was dressed to the nines in an expensive evening dress, and covered in a significant amount of beauty product that made her already incredible natural looks shine like the diamond she was. Twilight's breath caught in her throat as her focus finally shifted for a moment, though she never lost track of the count. No, she was too experienced for that.
"I've had the most wonderful night," the woman said, her words starting to slur ever-so-slightly as she set her colourful cocktail down on the table and took a seat. "Daddy agreed to double my allowance after I finally got an A on one of my courses, and a friend of mine just got me exclusive early access to Prim Hemline's upcoming Summer Lineup! Everything is coming up Platinum tonight!"
She reached into her purse and threw down more chips than Twilight had bet in total all night. "Let's see if Lady Luck continues to grace me with her presence, shall we?"
Ever the professional, the dealer ignored her antics and began the next round, placing two cards in front of each player. Twilight looked down at the Blackjack in front of her and smiled politely at the dealer as she received a modest stack of chips half-again as large as her bet. She updated her count and continued watching the action.
Plus-twenty-one, plus-twenty-one, plus-twenty...
"My stars truly have aligned tonight!" the newcomer — Platinum — exclaimed as an Ace and a Nine were placed in front of her. "That psychic Coco took me to last week was right!"
...plus-twenty-one...
The others played out their hands, with the loud, chatty Platinum choosing to hold on her twenty, then talking at length about how the Las Pegasus heat was murder on her hair to anyone who would listen.
Then it was the dealer's turn. The hole card was revealed to be a seven which, combined with the eight facing upwards, made for a total of fifteen. Another card was drawn, revealing a nine of spades.
"Twenty-four," the dealer announced. "The house busts."
"Ah, so it seems that all of you get to share in my good luck," Platinum said haughtily. She picked up her glass and raised it into the air as she stood up. "A toast, to my most fortunate presence!"
"Ma'am, please sit down." A crack in her professionalism as the dealer frowned at her.
"My apologies." Looking chastised, Platinum set her glass down with shaky hands, the alcohol already seeming to have affected her nervous system. "I'm just feeling oh-so bubbly right now, you know?"
"Hey, it's Las Pegasus," the man sitting beside her said. He had the look of young money, in his crisp suit and the composure of someone who had made their own fortune, instead of inheriting it. "Whole point of the place is to ride the high as long as you can, right?"
"Quite!" Platinum gave the man a dazzling smile as the next round began. Twilight grit her teeth at the sight, but forced herself to continue looking impassive as she kept the count in her mind.
Plus-twenty-two, plus-twenty-two, plus-twenty-one.
"Oh!" Her concentration was broken when Platinum decided to engage in her dramatics once again. "A King and Queen of Hearts! How romantic! Aren't they just the dearest?" That same sweet smile directed to the handsome man beside her.
"Heh, yeah, I guess." He didn't stand a chance against her charms, a faint blush colouring his cheeks.
Twilight played optimally this round, holding on a pair of nines. Platinum held back as well, though Twilight wished she would hold back her affections as well.
The dealer revealed her card. A six, to go with her seven.
Plus-twenty-two.
Another card was drawn. An eight.
Plus-twenty-two.
"Twenty-one," the dealer announced, and the table groaned in unison, the man on Twilight's right letting out a grunted curse.
"Oh, well," Platinum said casually, as if she hadn't just lost a small fortune in chips. "Easy come, easy go, as they say. Still, the night is young, and there's still so much fun to be had. Allons-y!" An even larger stack of chips was placed in front of her as the game continued.
This time, Platinum was dealt a Jack and an Ace. "Blackjack," the dealer declared, counting out a hefty sum and placing it in front of her.
Twilight couldn't help but stare at the way Platinum's lush purple hair flared out as she threw her head back and laughed with drunken joy. Their gazes met, and in that moment, her blue eyes sparkled with hidden intelligence that was missing from her dopey expression. "Plus-twenty," Twilight saw her lips whisper, and she nodded her head a fraction of an inch in confirmation.
Then, quick as it had come, the moment passed, and the apparent heiress returned her attention to the man on her left as he made some quip that made her giggle.
And so the night continued, as they played on amidst the flashing lights and roaring crowds of the casino. As was to be expected, the count slowly ticked down, and Twilight continued to maintain a slight loss in her chip total.
Meanwhile, Platinum was doing quite nicely, having won a fair number of hands more than she'd lost over the course of the next half-hour or so. Twilight made sure to make minimal eye contact with her, but couldn't completely ignore her as that would've been suspicious as well. Thus, she was forced to watch as the increasingly-inebriated woman cheered and flirted and giggled vapidly at her own jokes.
"Oh dear, I think I may have had a little too much to drink," Platinum slurred after winning yet another hand. "I'm afraid I shall have to take my leave after this round." She pushed a stack of orange chips forward, and even Twilight's eyes widened at the amount that had just been bet.
Plus-thirteen, plus-fourteen, plus-fourteen, plus-thirteen...
Twilight glanced her at her cards and determined her strategy with barely a passing thought, her gaze focused on Platinum's small fortune riding on this one round.
Two queens. Plus-twelve...
Twilight nearly sighed with relief. The dealer was showing seven, so the chances of Platinum winning were still very high. The others all made their plays, Twilight instinctively holding on her fifteen.
"Hmm... choices, choices." Platinum made a show of considering her cards. At least, Twilight thought it was a show until the woman perked up and smiled widely. "Much as I'm loathe to part these two, fortune favours the bold, no?" To Twilight's horror, she pushed another stack forward and raised up two delicate fingers.
"Split," the dealer declared, separating out the two cards and dealing an additional one atop each.
Twilight's heart dropped into her stomach as she saw the two new totals: fifteen and sixteen. This was bad. Very, very bad.
Still, there was nothing to be done now. The die had been cast, as it were, and now it was time for Platinum to face the music. Even through her carefree expression, Twilight could see genuine worry flicker in her eyes.
The dealer flipped over their second card. A six in the hole. The weight in Twilight's chest lifted a little.
Plus-ten.
Another card was drawn, and...
"Twenty-three. Dealer busts."
Twilight let out the breath she hadn't know she was holding, and risked a quick glare at Platinum, who was avoiding her gaze.
"My, oh my," the woman said instead, pressing her hand against her mouth. "I think that's enough excitement for the day." She tossed a chip over at the dealer. "Do enjoy the rest of the night, darling. I know I will."
She gestured forwards with her hand and blew the man beside her a kiss. "For luck," she whispered, winking and striding off. Her hips swayed in a hypnotic fashion as she walked away, which had Twilight — and many others at the table — staring with wide eyes until she was lost in the crowd of dreamers at the casino.
After that, things resumed their normal routine. Twilight played for another half-hour to avoid any suspicion, playing the part of the young professional looking for a bit of entertainment during a weekend trip to Vegas, then took her leave as well, only making a small loss at the table considering the hours she had spent there.
The warm Las Pegasus air greeted her as she stepped out onto The Strip, and Twilight Sparkle walked out into the night, ready to relax and count the spoils of her evening's work.
An hour after leaving the casino, Twilight found herself nursing a glass of whiskey in the bar of her hotel, waiting for her partners to rendezvous with her. For safety, they had all planned out different routes back in case they were being followed.
"Well, hello there, beautiful."
Twilight grunted and turned her head as the first of them swept into the establishment with her usual grace and sophistication.
"Aren't you a lovely little diamond?" The woman who had gone by the name Platinum teased as she sat down beside Twilight and whispered into her ear. "I'd love to wear you around my neck tonight."
Twilight ignored the way the words sent chills down her spine, instead focusing on the stench of alcohol in her partner's breath. "Rarity, are you actually drunk?" she asked, disapproval dripping in her voice.
"Only drunk on love," Rarity — for that was who she was, of course — said.
"Is that what you said to the other guy?" she asked sharply, the words slipping out before she could stop them.
Rarity raised an eyebrow at that. "I was playing a role," she said slowly.
"You called way too much attention to yourself."
"It's called flair, darling," Rarity retorted. "Honestly, this is why I am the Big Player and you are the spotter."
Twilight shook her head. "Art majors," she muttered, taking another sip from her glass and letting the burn of the whiskey wipe out the warmth of being with Rarity again without pretensions.
"Excuse me," Rarity huffed. "My degree shall be a Bachelors of Science, I'll have you know."
"Yes, because our school doesn't offer a Bachelors of Art, Miss Theatre Major." The words were grumbled out, lacking Twilight's usual playfulness when she said them.
It seemed Rarity picked up on that, as her expression turned to a frown. "Twilight, darling, what's wrong? We made a small fortune thanks to that exceptionally well-primed table you were sitting at, and yet here you are looking like you just bet the farm and lost, as they say."
"It's nothing." Why she even thought that answer would satisfy the other woman Twilight would never know.
"Twilight, please." A warm, comforting arm wrapped around her shoulder, and Twilight's mind was filled with the scent of Rarity. "Vegas is a place for enjoying oneself, and as much as I love these games of ours, if you aren't having fun, then I don't want to play anymore. Are you upset at the finale of my visit to your table?"
"No," Twilight admitted. "It was in-character for the role you were playing, and the count was still high enough to justify it. Even if it scared the crap out of me, it was an acceptable call."
"Then what's the matter?" Rarity pressed, and Twilight found it difficult to hold on to her anger in the face of such genuine concern. "You've seen me act far more dramatic before, and never took issue with it."
"I've never seen you all over another guy before, though." By the stars, Twilight hated how petty those words made her sound. And yet, she couldn't help feeling petty.
Rarity's eyes narrowed. "Are you truly sparing any thoughts for that man whose name I never even got?"
"Wait, you didn't even get his name?" So much for her attention to detail. She really needed to learn not to fixate so much on the count. In her defence, she had been trying very hard not to pay attention to Rarity at the time.
"As I said, I was just playing a role." A hand cupped her chin as Rarity forced Twilight to meet her eyes. Eyes filled to the brim with love. "You know my heart belongs only to you, my sparkling diamond."
"I—" Twilight faltered, feeling stupid. It was an unfamiliar feeling for her, but Rarity had a habit of challenging every facet of her intelligence. "I know that intellectually, I guess, but when I see you out there in your element, I just..." she trailed off, ashamed. "When I see you flirting with a cute guy I'm reminded that you could have anyone you wanted."
"Oh, Twilight." Rarity tsked. "And here I thought you were at the top of your classes. If I truly could have anyone I desired, then the optimal strategy would be to choose the most desirable woman in the world to be my girlfriend, yes?"
She tapped a finger against Twilight's nose, smiling fondly. "And if I chose you, then it follows that you must be that most desirable woman."
Twilight smiled despite herself. "The most desirable after you," she joked, a hint of light peeking into her heart.
Rarity's smile turned to a smirk as she flipped her hair back with a hand. "Naturally," she teased back before her expression turned serious again. "But really, Twilight, did you truly think that I would abandon you for some fling here in Las Pegasus?" There was hurt in her voice, and Twilight's heart was wracked with guilt at the sound of it.
"Not exactly," Twilight replied, "but... this place, the casinos, the clubs, the fancy hotels, all of it, this is your domain. As much as I've found ways to have fun in Las Pegasus, I'm still just a visitor here. You know where to go to see the best shows, drink in the best clubs, and you probably have half the casinos on the Strip mapped out in your head. I'll never be as comfortable with this hedonism as you are, and I guess I get a little jealous when I imagine you with someone who can share in every experience with you completely."
"Every experience, hmm?" The playfulness never left Rarity's expression, though Twilight could tell she was being sincere as well. "Tell me, my love, what did you think of the decor at the Veneightian tonight?"
"Well, it's obvious that they're trying to emulate the aesthetics of the Renaissance Era," Twilight answered instinctively, "though that's likely a byproduct of an attempt to capture the aspects of Veneighs that appeal to tourists, in an almost caricature-esque fashion."
"Hence the gondola and artificial river on the second floor," Rarity commented. "Which ties the atmosphere together very nicely. I do appreciate a lavish centrepiece when used tastefully."
"The way it splits the shops and forces people to walk down both aisles also likely makes it pay for itself," Twilight added, "not to mention the cost of the gondola ride."
"Mhm." A satisfied hum from Rarity. "There is more to this city than wine and dance, dear. You may not be able to partake as passionately as I in some things, but I do believe we both enjoyed our visit to the Hermitage Museum this morning as well."
Twilight nodded. "I haven't had a chance to see a lot of Impressionist pieces, so that was a lot of fun."
"Indeed." Rarity reached into her purse and pulled out a stack of bills. "And if you want to talk about shared experiences more, do you truly think that anyone on the floor could have developed a new counting system to increase our PE by, what was it, two percent?"
"Two-point-three," Twilight corrected. "And I just made adjustments to existing methods."
"You derived a functional unbalanced counting system from a balanced system that no one thought was viable." The words were spoken with such pride in Rarity's voice that Twilight couldn't help but feel her heart warm. "Working the numbers with you was no less a shared experience than Starlight and I dancing at the Intrigue when we visit the Whynny."
There was a thud as the stack of bills was dropped on the counter. "And besides, we all know that none of us really need this money anymore. Starlight, Sunset, and I can all pay our tuitions and living expenses three times over, and you, Miss Honour Student, never needed it in the first place, what with your very generous scholarships.
"We could easily have gotten Moondancer to act as our spotter once you perfected our system, but you wanted to come with me, and don't think I don't see how you perk up just a little bit brighter when we're about to head off on our weekend trips." Rarity giggled. "Admit it, Sparkle, you crave the thrill as much as the rest of us, no matter how much of a visitor you think you are."
"It's all your fault." With her heart lighter, Twilight found it easy to grumble good-naturedly at the beautiful woman she was lucky to call hers. "I just wanted to spend more time with my girlfriend, and now I've been corrupted."
As she said the words, Twilight's smile became truly genuine for the first time that night. Rarity really had brought her out of her shell, and even if they couldn't share everything together completely, they never lacked for things to do with one another.
Delicate arms wrapped around her in a gentle hug. "I only helped you become the woman I knew you could be."
"I appreciate it," Twilight said sincerely, leaning into the hug and enjoying Rarity's softness. "And I appreciate you putting up with my dramatics," she added with a lopsided smirk.
"It is a terrible burden." Rarity's head whipped back as she gave an exaggerated sigh. "But I do what I must for my beloved. And on the rarest of occasions when I'm being theatrical, I can trust you to indulge me as well."
"The rarest of occasions," Twilight repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Astronomically rare," Rarity affirmed primly, though her smile still peeked through. Then she frowned, her expression growing more serious. "If it troubles you so much, I shall refrain from enchanting others with my charm while giving my performances."
"It's—" For a moment, Twilight almost stopped herself. But Rarity was right — Las Pegasus had given her newfound confidence in herself, and it was time she applied it. "It's fine. Really. I'm just being silly."
"Darling, your feelings are never silly." Rarity's hand gripped hers as she spoke. "I brought you into the world of card counting because I wanted you to have fun."
"Maybe they aren't silly," Twilight replied, "but it's still something I need to get over, for the sake of my own self-esteem. Though, I'd prefer if you just kept it to flirting." She pressed a quick kiss against her lover's cheek. "Only I get to do that."
"Of course." A nod from Rarity, and then she surprised Twilight by leaning in to give her a much less chaste kiss, though no less brief. "Your lips are the only ones I want against any part of me." She smiled, and Twilight felt heat pool in... well, everywhere, to be honest. "Now then, shall we retire to our hotel room so that I may continue corrupting you, my little honour student?"
Fire raced through Twilight's blood, but she still barely held on to her senses long enough to ask, "what about Starlight and Sunset? Aren't we supposed to be meeting up with them here?"
Rarity shrugged. "We'll text them, and I doubt they'll mind too greatly at having to spend more time alone with one another." She pulled away from Twilight, leaving her feeling empty and cold. "Now then, I noticed that you quite enjoyed the burlesque show we attended last night." There was a sway in Rarity's hips as she walked towards the elevators that had Twilight's brain completely unable to process anything but her girlfriend's beauty and elegance. "Why don't I give you a little private performance and let you see some of the techniques they used up close?"
Rarity turned around and shot Twilight a smouldering look over her shoulder as her voice dripped with fiery honey. "I've been studying dance as part of my electives, and I think you'll find the fruits of my more exotic independent studies quite tantalizing." With that, she strode off, leaving Twilight to follow behind her hurriedly after leaving behind her payment and a generous tip at the bar.
And so, in a penthouse suite paid for by the spoils of applied probability, the City of Sin welcomed a new convert as two lovers embraced their rekindled love.
Author's Note
Fun fact: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where the famous MIT Blackjack Team originates from, actually doesn't offer a Bachelors of Art degree, only a Bachelors of Science, but still allows you to major in, say, English or Theatre. The result being an English degree that requires taking several years of calculus to earn.
