Applejack reached out and grabbed Sunset's arm, causing the other girl to look at her in surprise.
“What in tarnation are you doin', sugarcube?” she hissed.
Capper grinned. “What? You mean she never told you?” He shifted his gaze to Sunset and his catlike grin grew wider. “Sunset here used to be one of the best players in the city before she took off.”
“What d'ya mean, 'player?'” Applejack asked. Sunset blushed and looked away.
“She was a con artist,” Caelano snorted.
“Best in the city... well, outside of me, anyway,” Capper added. “Sunnybun here bilked I don't know how many marks out of their cash while she ran with me.”
“Don't call me Sunnybun,” Sunset growled. She avoided looking at Applejack, who was frowning at her.
“Her three card monte game is still legendary.” Capper took the three cards lying face up on his desk and turned them over. He folded them lengthwise and began moving them around, faster and faster. He stopped and smirked up at Sunset. “You still got it... Sunnybun?”
Sunset's lip curled up in anger and she reached out and tapped the card on the left. Capper flipped it over, revealing the queen of spades.
Sunset folded her arms and gave her old partner a smirk. “That's one.”
“Yes, it is,” Capper agreed. “My turn.”
Sunset reached out for the cards, but Applejack stood up and yanked her out of her seat. Sunset gave her a nasty glare then down at Capper. “Excuse us for a second, Capper.”
“Don't take too long,” said the crime boss.
Now it was Sunset's turn to grab Applejack's arm and steer her to a corner of the room. “What's your problem?”
“You were a crook,” Applejack said simply. “You were a rotten apple before Princess Twilight came here, but you never told us you were a crook.”
Sunset sighed. “Applejack, I told you, when I came here I had nothing but the clothes on my back. I had to do something to survive.”
“Con games? Seriously?”
“Con games, pickpocketing, breaking and entering, I did it all. And it kept me alive long enough to get back to Equestria when the portal opened again and I was able to come back with some bits and gems.”
“Sunset,” Applejack began, but Sunset raised her hand, silencing her.
“I'm not proud of what I did, AJ, and if you want to bawl me out about it, fine. But let's do it on our way home, okay? Right now, I need his help and if I beat him, I'll get it.”
Applejack grumbled and exhaled through her nose. “Fine. I don't like it, but fine. D'ya think you can beat him?”
That smile the farm girl didn't like returned. The confident, cruel smile that had been gone from Sunset's face for years.
“I know I can beat him.”
Sunset walked back to the desk and sat back down. She leaned forward and flipped the queen back over and began swapping the cards, faster and faster. Applejack sighed and walked back to her own seat.
I hope you know what you're doin', Sunset.
Sunset finished moving the cards and waved her hands over them with a flourish. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.
“Pick a card. Any card.”
Capper's brow furrowed in concentration, then he reached out and tapped the center card. Sunset reached out and flipped it over. Capper's eyes widened at the ten of diamonds staring at him. He looked up at Sunset.
“Still got it, I see.”
“Was there any doubt?” Sunset replied.
Capper flashed her another grin. “I thought after all these years, you might have gotten rusty.”
“Not a chance. My turn.”
Capper's hands danced over the cards and he leaned back. Sunset studied them for a moment then tapped the one on her left. The eight of hearts.
“Bad luck... Sunnybun,” Caelano chortled. Sunset ignored the lieutenant and grabbed the cards. She shuffled them around and skapped the desktop before leaning back. Capper pondered for a moment, a finger to his lips before reaching out and tapping the card on his right. Sunset flipped it over and scowled at the queen of spades.
“One to one, Sunnybun,” Capper smirked. Sunset's teeth clenched and she let out a small growl deep in her throat.
And so the game continued, each played taking turns to shuffle the cards and the other making their choice. Applejack watched Sunset with concern, noting that Sunset got a little more agitated when Capper made a correct choice or when she failed to do so. Eventually, the score was tied at four to four, with Sunset up to shuffle. As she reached out for the cards, a thought came to her.
“Double or nothing,” she said. Applejack blinked and Capper leaned forward.
“You sure about that?” he asked. Sunset nodded. Capper leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “All right. What are you offering?”
“One more hand. You guess right and I'll give you six favors, no questions asked.”
“Sunset!” Applejack whispered harshly. Sunset ignored her.
“You guess wrong,” she continued. “You help me and you owe me another favor somewhere down the line.”
Capper's gaze rolled upward and he rubbed his first and middle finger with his thumb as he considered Sunset's offer. “Any favor?”
Sunset nodded. Capper's eyes glittered.
“You sure? Because they may not be legal.” He chortled. “Who am I trying to kid? They won't be legal.”
“That's not a problem,” Sunset replied. Applejack sucked in a breath through her teeth.
“Sunset,” she warned. Sunset's head turned and fixed her with a glare.
“Not now, AJ.”
Applejack frowned. “Yes, now, Sunset.”
Capper frowned and gestured. Caelano stepped forward and clapped a firm hand on Applejack's shoulder. Applejack glared up at the lieutenant, but Caelano's face was just as icy.
“Quit interfering in our business, hayseed,” Capper said. His voice was quiet but there was an edge to it. “This is between me and Sunnybun, so butt out.”
Sunset's expression grew dark. She glared at Caelano, who took her hand off Applejack but still hovered over her, ready to make a move if the farm girl tried something unwise. Sunset looked down at her friend.
“I know what I'm doing, AJ,” she said. Her expression softened and she gave Applejack a reassuring smile. “Trust me, please.”
Applejack said nothing, but sat back in her seat, her expression clearly communicating she didn't like one damn thing about any of this. Sunset turned back to Capper.
“Do we have a deal or not?”
Capper looked down at the cards, then smiled at Sunset. “Deal.”
Sunset grabbed the cards, then began moving them around, slowly at first, then faster and faster. She didn't bother with the usual patter, knowing Capper wouldn't be distracted from it at all. She took a deep breath and increased the speed of the shuffle. Capper and Applejack leaned forward in their seats as Sunset's hands seemed to move in defiance of the laws of physics. Her fingers were a blur. Golden streaks dancing over the black backed cards. Sunset's face was a mask of concentration, her eyes focused on the cards as she made them move. Finally, she pulled her hands back and leaned back in her chair, gesturing to Capper.
Capper studdied the cards for a moment, then looked up and nodded at Caelano. Sunset yelped as the lieutenant gabbed her by the collar and yanked her jacket off.
“What the hell, Capper?” she yelled. Applejack leaped to her feet but Caelano shoved her harshly back into her chair. Sunset's eyes flashed and she whirled, ready to pounce when she heard a click behind her. She turned to see Capper holding a small pistol in his hand.
“Sit down, Sunnybun. I'm just making sure you play fair. Let Caelano check your jacket for any surprises and we'll leave it at that.”
“You agreed to the deal, Capper!”
Capper nodded. “I did, but I know your tricks, Sunset. Hell, I taught you half of them. Let Caelano check your pockets and we go on. Or do you want to let her strip search you – “
“You really think I could hide a card in my underwear without anyone noticing?” Sunset demanded.
Capper ignored her. “As I was saying, you can let Caelano check your jacket and we go on with the bet, or you get strip searched. You...”
Capper glanced over at Applejack, his expression neutral. “And your friend.”
Applejack blushed and she looked up at Sunset, fear in her eyes. Sunset frowned and, after a moment, sat back down. Caelano checked the pockets of the jacket and snorted when she didn't find anything but an old gum wrapper. She tossed it roughly in Sunset's lap.
“There,” said Sunset. “Nothing. Happy now?”
Capper nodded and leaned over the cards, considering his move. Sunset shrugged back into her jacket and gently squeezed Applejack's hand. Applejack looked up, her face flush with embarrassment.
I'm sorry, Sunset mouthed. Applejack nodded and tried to get herself under control.
Capper reached out a hand and held it over the center card. He frowned and breifly moved it to the one on his left, before bringing it back to the center.
Sunset swallowed and Applejack leaned forward in her chair, watching the crime boss with fear filled eyes. Capper glanced up at Caelano, who shook her head. He moved his hand over to the left card. Caelano nodded. Capper's frown deepened and he moved his hand away from the cards.
“What's the problem?” Sunset asked.
“I know when I'm getting played,” Capper replied. “I just don't know how I'm getting played. What do you really want, Sunnybun?”
“Stop calling me Sunnybun,” Sunset growled. She took a breath and forced herself to relax. “I want what I asked for: information. You could have just taken my money, gotten me what I wanted, and I'd be out of your hair, but you decided to play games. So... either play, or take my money, but you can't do both.”
Sunset's heart was thumping. She was gambling now. Gambling that Capper's own need to win would take precedence over his common sense. She wa salso banking on Caelano's flexible loyalty. If Capper backed down, it wouldn't be long before all his lieutenants knew it and the stage would be set for a power play. Hell, Sunset had considered her own back in the day, but figured the crew wouldn't follow a preteen girl, no matter how much she tried to assert her dominance.
Capper folded his hands and rested his chin on them. He looked over each card, then at the pile of coins and gems next to them. He pursed his lips. Applejack bit her own bottom lip and looked at Sunset, then the door, calculating how long it would take them to run if needed.
Sunset's own gaze didn't leave Capper, but her jaw was tense and her teeth felt like they'd shatter under the pressure. C'mon,she thought. Make up your mind, damn it!
Finally, Capper grabbed the left card and flipped it over, not even giving Sunset the chance to do it herself.
All four pairs of eyes stared at the eight of hearts on the desk.