The Reader

by GnollReader

Chapter 50: Back to Work

Scar sat patiently within the shadows of the Fat Mare Inn. Occasionally he would look up to scan the room for any trouble. It seemed quiet tonight. Most of the ponies he recognized from before, especially Purple Haze and Rainbow Dash sitting at the bar. He was already feeling as good as new, but Purple Haze still insisted she'd be there too. Just in case.

He quietly flipped another page of his new book. The dark didn't give him any trouble reading it and it was a nice story too. Celestia certainly had a good taste for books. He gave a content sigh as he scanned the room another time, it seemed that this would be an easy day at work for him. It would give him more time with the book.

The ponies sitting at one of the tables though were having different ideas. "Alright, did you spread the rumor?" Star Glaze asked in anticipation, she had been waiting for this all week.

"Sure did." replied Cloud Dancer with a smile, "The rookies now think that if you want to make yourself a name in the guard, you gotta take on the bouncer at the Fat Mare Inn." he laughed, "This is gonna be totally wicked!"

"What are you two planning? Didn't you already have enough trouble with captain Flying Shield?" a third guard asked. It was his first time in weeks here. "Besides, I don't see a bouncer."

Cloud Dancer got a smug smile, "Look at the corner in the far right of the room. See anything?"

The pony looked at the corner, "Nope, can't see anything."

"Keep looking." Cloud Dancer's smile was growing.

"What am I supposed to..." his face suddenly blanked as he saw two red eyes appear in the dark only to disappear again after a moment. "What the hell was that?"

"That my dear friend, is the new bouncer." Star Glaze replied with a wide grin. "So... what do you say? You in for some bets?"

The pony didn't take his eyes of the corner, no matter how hard he looked he only saw darkness. For a moment he thought he saw something like a book in huge paws but then it was gone again. "What are we betting on?"

The fourth guard spoke up over a mug of cider, "Which rookie gets his flank handed to him first, what else?"

The third guard stole another glance at the corner just in time to see a huge set of teeth glint lightly in the dark, "I'm in."

---

Four ponies stood outside the Fat Mare Inn. Two mares and two stallions fresh from training camp. "So, this is the place? Looks pretty run down..."

"That's the place alright, I heard the guards mentioning the name several times. So, you ready to do this?"

"Hell yeah!" replied a mare, "When we do this nopony is gonna call us rookies anymore!"

"I don't know guys... we could get in serious trouble if we mess this up."

"Oh pull it together Cloudbreak! We just gotta put on a little show so the others see we're tough. We're not actually going to hurt the fellow,... just mess him up a bit."

"I sure hope he doesn't mess us up first..."

"And what's a single bouncer going to do against the four of us? Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

---

"And here we go..." whispered Cloud Dancer with a smile as he saw the four ponies enter the inn. "Five bits says the brown one goes first. Five minutes."

"The white one with the black mane, four minutes." the guard pushed forward five bits onto the table as he took another sip from his mug.

"My money's on the red one, three minutes and she's out." Star Glaze pushed her bits onto the table.

"I say it's the brown one. Six minutes." The third guard placed his bet.

"All of them. One minute." another voice spoke up as five bits were added to the pile. The ponies at the table looked up to see Purple Haze give them an angry glare.

"Oh, captain..." Cloud Dancer coughed as he tried to come up with an excuse. "There's a perfect explanation for this!"

"Sure there is." she said with a raised eyebrow. "But you're underestimating him if you think he's going to waste more than a minute on these rookies."

"So you're really in captain?" Star Glaze asked in surprise.

"Just make sure to pay up later." Purple Haze said as she went back to her seat at the bar with the tiniest of smiles.

---

The rookies were starting to have serious doubts about their plan. The moment they had spoken out their challenge in the inn all of the ponies had gotten very quiet. What was even more troubling was the fact that many of them were smiling. One of the rookies thought he recognized one of the guards sitting at a table. Wasn't that the one that had spoken of the inn?

At that point something huge stepped out of the shadows and made its way towards them with heavy steps. The four ponies had to tilt their heads back to see huge teeth glinting in the light as the creature stepped up to them. Four mouths fell open and eyes grew wide as the creature stopped in front of them and looked down at them with red eyes.

The creature slowly reached behind himself and pulled forth something that looked like a tree with a huge rock attached to it. He set it down with a thump loud enough to make them shake. "Ponies disturb Scar's reading." his voice rumbled at them with an angry tone.

"Scar, no club." a mare commented from the bar without turning, "Make it fast."

"Purple Haze never lets it have fun..." Scar grumbled as he got to work.

Comments

[Mother3Forever]

...those poor saps....

[Nightingalehound]

Muahahahahahahahahaaaaa

[Xaratos]

--- Achievment Unlocked ---

Set up a bet about how the rookies wont hold up one minute
against Scar.

[Cadmium]

no clubbing for Scar... again

[Kaos fairy]

Really I just feel sorry for those poor, poor rookies.

[Morphy]

Next scene:

"What's the worst that could happen he says? Ha!" Says one of the four ponies, each of them in varying degrees of bandages and pain, in beds at the Ponyville Hospital.

[Nataniel]

now i know 2 best work places for random HiE fic: massage at Aloe&Lotus and bouncer at Fat Mare. sweet.

[Haunted Toaster]

rookies...

all my bandages for them

[Lucky424]

Stop ruining his fun!!

[StatusQo]

Poor poor rookies.

[DerpedRainbow]

Wow, I almost feel bad Cloudbreak got sent out as well. He is intelligent.... just a follower sadly.

[Luckysweep]

Now that was a mean trick to pull.