Savage POV

It was the middle of winter, with cold days and even colder nights. Traveling in such conditions wasn't very inviting, so Zitrus suggested we take a break and find a place to stay for a few weeks. He found a bar in the middle of nowhere that seemed like a suitable spot for our "holiday", as he jokingly referred to it. With enough food and bits, we were ready to settle down for a while.

As we approached the building in the distance, we noticed a gathering of various creatures in front of it. From a distance, it was clear that not all of them were ponies.

"Before we go in, let's have a talk about the rules", Zitrus said, addressing all of us.

"Let me guess, no starting conflicts", we replied, rolling our eyes.

"Yes, but this time it's different", Zitrus explained. "This bar is known for attracting all kinds of creatures. They might give us some curious stares, but that's about it. However, there's one rule in this bar: "no fighting!" If anyone starts a fight, they'll be up against the entire bar."

Zitrus then locked eyes with us, his expression serious.

"This means we have to keep our emotions in check. If something offends you and you attack, everyone else will join in against us. It doesn't matter what the reason for feeling offended is. If you start a fight, it's the end for you."

We let out an offended huff. "Of course we can control our emotions. But if it makes you feel better, we promise not to start any fights in the bar."

Zitrus continued to study us, his gaze unwavering. We held his gaze without backing down. Crystal and Blueberry observed the interaction from behind.

After a moment, Zitrus nodded. "Alright, I have trust in you."

With that, the four of us made our way towards the bar. As we approached, we saw that it was a tall, single-story wooden building with windows. A large sign hung above the entrance, which we could read as we got closer: "The Chipped Hoof."

"Have you been here before?" Blueberry asked Zitrus.

"Yes, I have," Zitrus replied. "It's a great place to take a break, and the presence of different creatures here makes it a good source of information too."

We were not surprised that we had never heard of this place before. The great and powerfull Goddess had kept us occupied with more important tasks than lingering in a bar.

As we approached the entrance, the various creatures in front of the bar turned their curious gazes towards our group. There were earth ponies, unicorns, a small group of pegasi, griffons... and was that a kirin?! However, they merely gave us lingering stares without taking any action.

Curiosity getting the better of us, we turned to our earth pony companion and asked, "You mentioned that fights are not allowed inside the bar, but what about outside?"

He replied: "Outside, it's fair game. We are still in the wasteland, and those who seek fights usually take it outside. But it's surprisingly peaceful here. It's as if this entire area has a calming effect on creatures."

With that knowledge in mind, the four of us entered the bar.

As we stepped inside, a wave of warmth, sounds, and emotions washed over us. This bar was undeniably alive, bustling with activity. We encountered ponies, griffons, even more kirins, bat ponies, ghouls, and even some changelings. The changelings didn't bother hiding their true forms. They sat together at a table, engaged in conversations without a care in the world.

Yes, Zitrus wasn't kidding. Every creature was welcome in this bar, regardless of what or who they were. We couldn't help but notice that one group of ponies looked like they were half raiders, adding to the diverse crowd.

Most of the creatures were gathered in groups around tables, enjoying drinks and engaging in games. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the air, accompanied by the melodies of an earth pony stallion playing a piano, filling the room with music that blended seamlessly with the lively atmosphere.

As we entered, some creatures gave us curious stares, but their attention quickly shifted back to their own conversations and activities.

This place is incredible, Crystal spoke to us via telepathy. We silently agreed, even though the words went unspoken.

Searching for an available table, we found a square one with one end against the wall. Crystal and I took the seats against the wall, facing each other. To my left, Zitrus positioned himself (likely to keep a closer eye on us), and Blueberry sat across from him.

"Alright, I'll get myself a beer. What would each of you like to drink?", Zitrus asked us.

"I'll take a Sparkle Cola!", Crystal eagerly replied.

"Water is fine", Blueberry said.

"No thanks, we will pass", we replied. As alicorns, we didn't require anything to drink due to our inherent purity.

However, we allowed the others to enjoy their drinks, and soon enough, Zitrus returned with the order. He had a bottle of Cola for Crystal, a glass of water for Blueberry, and a pint for himself.

"Cheers, every pony", Zitrus toasted, taking a big sip.

"You know, Zitrus, this bar might have given me an idea on how to solve my foal problem. I might consider adoption", Crystal shared.

"You do?", Zitrus asked, surprised, in between sips.

We were equally surprised. Crystal hadn't previously shown much enthusiasm for the idea of adoption.

"Yes, indeed", Crystal admitted. "So, how about you go out there, seduce a pretty mare, load her up with your sperm and give me the foal afterwards?"

"PFFFFFFF!"

The reaction came swiftly. Zitrus spewed out the beer he had in his mouth, sending it flying across the table and hitting a well-placed green shield in front of Blueberry. She was so taken aback that her normaly neutral eyes were turned wide by the surprise. Crystal, who had cast the shield to protect Blueberry, witnessed the spectacle and couldn't contain her laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHA! You should have seen your faces!", she laughed.

We couldn't help but smirk at Crystal's prank as well. Yes, Crystal was the prankster of our group, and she certainly demonstrated it with jokes like this.

"But now, seriously. Are you really considering adopting a foal?", we asked our green sister, while Zitrus was still recovering from his coughing fit.

Crystal stopped laughing, but a smile lingered on her face.

She avoided direct eye contact as she answered, "No. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against adoption. I think it's a wonderful choice, especially for those who can't have a foal of their own. But it wouldn't be right for me. I need a foal who shares my blood."

We nodded and returned a smile of understanding.

But the peace didn't last long as two ponies approached our table. One was a red earth pony stallion with a brown mane. He wore pieces of armor and had a nasty scar on the left side of his face. The other was a bright yellow unicorn with a shoulder length mane. She also had a scar, but it covered the whole left side of her face. It looked like a burn wound. She also had a pistol holster, and the gun inside looked heavy and ready to fire.

"Look what we have here. An earth pony with his three scum monsters", the stallion said.

The table fell silent, and anger surged through our mind. How dare this worm insult us like that?!

Relax, Savage. Remember the rule! No starting fights here, Crystal communicated to us telepathically.

Relax? RELAX?! This bug has just insulted us! It's not our fault if he plays with fire and gets burned by it!

"How can I help you?", Zitrus said with a smile, though even we could tell it was fake. However, his attempt at being friendly did little to calm us down.

This time, it was the mare who responded. "We want your three-shitty companions to know what they really are. They're assholes, bitches, murderers, idiots, monsters with no sense of sympathy for any living creature!"

Our anger intensified upon hearing those words. It was clear that these two were provoking us, trying to instigate a fight. Our horn began to glow as we prepared to retaliate, giving them a menacing glare.

Savage, stop! They're trying to provoke you! Crystal's voice echoed in our mind.

She was right. It was painfully obvious that these two were baiting us, hoping to trigger a reaction. We let our horn's glow fade and deliberately looked away from them, doing our best to ignore their presence.

"Well, you've made your point. Now you can leave", Zitrus said to them, his smile fading and his voice losing its attempt at friendliness. We could sense the frustration in his tone.

But they weren't finished. "Oh, we're far from done. These abominations on four legs don't deserve to be here. They don't deserve to be anywhere. They should rot in a pile of dung, just like what they are," the stallion continued, his words dripping with hatred.

We desperately tried to ignore them, to suppress the growing fire inside us. The urge to cast the most painful spell we knew at them became almost unbearable, and the effort to restrain ourselves was causing us physical discomfort. We knew that giving in would only gratify their malicious intent. Taking deep breaths, we attempted to calm ourselves down. The worst part was that they seemed fully aware that our fuse grew shorter, and they reveled in it.

"You two are idiots. Do you even realize how dangerous alicorns are? Just provoking one is a death sentence", Zitrus retorted to the two „guests“.

"Why are you even with them?", the stallion directed his question at Zitrus. "Are you such a motherfucker that you'll take anything? Staying with these monsters just because you're too stupid and too horny! You're no better than they are!"

"How dare you talk to zitrus like that?!", Blueberry suddenly erupted, surprising everyone at the table. She stood up in her seat, her normally neutral expression replaced by anger. In her telekinetic grip she held her longbow with an arrow notched on the string. The tension in the wood was palpable, causing faint cracking sounds.

Without hesitation, she released the string, and the arrow shot towards the stallion's face. Fortunately, Crystal acted swiftly and managed to cast a shield around the stallion, causing the arrow to shatter upon impact against the protective barrier.

The bar fell silent, the music ceased, and conversations came to a halt as every creature's gaze fixated on us. The only sound that remained was the ominous click of guns being drawn, their barrels pointing in our direction. Even we, in that moment, couldn't deny our growing unease. If the situation escalated, our only hope would be to teleport everyone out of harm's way before becoming more holey than the Goddess herself. Crystal couldn't possibly shield us from the onslaught of gunfire.

The air grew heavy with tension, yet no shots were fired... yet. But with one trigger pull, a chain reaction would ensue, and chaos would consume the bar.

"You see, it's best not to mess with an alicorn. The next shot won't be a warning", Zitrus calmly remarked to the stallion, though we sensed the panic beneath his composed facade. We hoped that this lie would pacify the situation, even though it wasn't a warning shot nor a calculated move by Crystal.

Some fell for the deception and reluctantly lowered their weapons. Not everyone, but it was enough to alleviate some of the tension that had gripped the room.

Another pony, a stallion with light brown fur and a rusty mane dressed as a bartender, approached us. He was likely the owner.

He pointed at the four of us and issued a firm command, "You, out!"

"No worries, it was just a warning shot", Zitrus lied once more, attempting to smooth things over.

The bartender wasn't convinced.

"Sure. You are just lucky that your green alicorn companion was fast with her shield or else you could have told me that in the afterlife", he retorted.

"But they started it!", we protested, pointing at the stallion and mare who had provoked us. Why were we being thrown out when it was clearly their fault?

"I don't care. You initiated the first act of violence. Fighting is strictly forbidden in this bar. Now, out! And don't return until you've all cooled down!", the bartender declared, pointing towards the exit.

The tension in the room intensified, and Zitrus hastily got to his feet.

"Come, this time we came away with a black eye. Let’s keep it that way and not make it worse."

Author's Note

Thank you for reading. (I wonder how many know this bar...)
I also would like to ask, who of the three alicorns is your favourite at the moment? Blueberry, Crystal or Savage? No answer is right or wrong, I am just curious.
If there is something else you want to put out, may it be positive or negative, feel free to do so.